CITY COUNCIL
Cameron Sasai, Mayor
Anthony Tave, Mayor Pro Tem
Norma Martínez-Rubin, Council Member
Devin T. Murphy, Council Member
Maureen Toms, Council Member
PINOLE CITY COUNCIL
MEETING AGENDA
February 4, 2025
5:00 PM
Attend in Person: PINOLE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS - 2131 PEAR STREET OR
Attend VIA ZOOM TELECONFERENCE – Details provided below How to Submit Public Comments:
In Person:
Attend meeting at the Pinole City Council Chambers, fill out a yellow public comment card and submit it to the City Clerk.
Via Zoom:
Members of the public may submit a live remote public comment via Zoom video conferencing. Download the Zoom mobile app from the Apple Appstore or Google Play. If you are using a desktop computer, you can test your connection to Zoom by clicking here. Zoom also allows you to join the meeting by phone.
From a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89335000272
Webinar ID: 893 3500 0272
By phone: +1 (669) 900-6833 or +1 (253) 215-8782 or +1 (346) 248-7799 • Speakers will be asked to provide their name and city of residence, although providing this is not required for participation.
• Each speaker will be afforded up to 3 minutes to speak (subject to modification by the Mayor) • Speakers will be muted until their opportunity to provide public comment.
When the Mayor opens the comment period for the item you wish to speak on, please use the “raise hand” feature (or press *9 if connecting via telephone) which will alert staff that you have a comment to provide and press *6 to unmute. To comment with your video enabled, please let the City Clerk know you would like to turn your camera on once you are called to speak.
Written Comments:
All comments received before 3:00 pm the day of the meeting will be posted on the City’s website on the agenda page (Agenda Page Link) and provided to the City Council prior to the meeting. Written comments will not be read aloud during the meeting. Email comments to [email protected] Please indicate which item on the agenda you are commenting on in the subject line of your email.
City Council
Agenda - February 4, 2025
OTHER WAYS TO WATCH THE MEETING
LIVE ON CHANNEL 26. They are retelecast the following week. The Community TV Channel 26 schedule is published on the city’s website at www.pinole.gov.
VIDEO-STREAMED LIVE ON THE CITY’S WEBSITE, www.pinole.gov and remain archived on the site for five (5) years.
If none of these options are available to you, or you need assistance with public comment, please contact the City Clerk, Heather Bell at (510) 724-8928 or [email protected].
Americans With Disabilities Act: In compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, if you need special assistance to participate in a City Meeting or you need a copy of the agenda, or the agenda packet in an appropriate alternative format, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at (510) 724-8928. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting or time when services are needed will assist the City staff in assuring that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting or service.
Note: Staff reports are available for inspection on the City Website at www.pinole.gov. You may also contact the City Clerk via e-mail at [email protected].
Ralph M. Brown Act. Gov. Code § 54950. In enacting this chapter, the Legislature finds and declares that the public commissions, boards and councils and the other public agencies in this State exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of the law that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly. The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies, which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created.
City Council
Agenda - February 4, 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN HONOR OF THE US MILITARY TROOPS
2. LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Before we begin, we would like to acknowledge the Ohlone people, who are the traditional custodians of this land. We pay our respects to the Ohlone elders, past, present, and future, who call this place, Ohlone Land, the land that Pinole sits upon, their home. We are proud to continue their tradition of coming together and growing as a community. We thank the Ohlone community for their stewardship and support, and we look forward to strengthening our ties as we continue our relationship of mutual respect and understanding.
3. ROLL CALL, CITY CLERK’S REPORT & STATEMENT OF CONFLICT An official who has a conflict must, prior to consideration of the decision: (1) publicly identify in detail the financial interest that causes the conflict; (2) recuse himself /herself from discussing and voting on the matter; and (3) leave the room until after the decision has been made, Cal. Gov't Code § 87105.
4. CONVENE TO A CLOSED SESSION
Citizens may address the Council regarding a Closed Session item prior to the Council adjourning into the Closed Session, by first providing a speaker card to the City Clerk.
None
5. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION TO ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF CLOSED SESSION
6. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD (Public Comments)
Citizens may speak under any item not listed on the Agenda. The time limit is 3 minutes and is subject to modification by the Mayor. Individuals may not share or offer time to another speaker. Pursuant to provisions of the Brown Act, no action may be taken on a matter unless it is listed on the agenda, or unless certain emergency or special circumstances exist. The City Council may direct staff to investigate and/or schedule certain matters for consideration at a future Council meeting. PLEASE SEE THE COVERSHEET OF THE
AGENDA FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS
7. REPORTS & COMMUNICATIONS
A. Mayor Report
1. Announcements
B. Mayoral & Council Appointments
C. City Council Committee Reports & Communications
D. Council Requests for Future Agenda Items
E. City Manager Report / Department Staff
F. City Attorney Report
8. RECOGNITIONS / PRESENTATIONS / COMMUNITY EVENTS
A. Proclamations
City Council
Agenda - February 4, 2025
1. Black History Month
B. Presentations
1. Presentation from the Contra Costa County Community Awareness Emergency Response Organization (CAER)
9. CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters under the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and noncontroversial. These items will be enacted by one motion and without discussion. If, however, any interested party or Council member(s) wishes to comment on an item, they may do so before action is taken on the Consent Calendar. Following comments, if a Council member wishes to discuss an item, it will be removed from the Consent Calendar and taken up in order after adoption of the Consent Calendar.
A. Approve the Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting on January 21, 2025.
B. Receive the January 18, 2025– January 31, 2025– List of Warrants in the Amount of and the January 31, 2025 Payroll in the amount of $506,241.03.
C. Adopt a Resolution Approving Side Letter Agreement to the Memorandum of Understanding Between the City and AFSCME Local 1 to Amend Article II - Recognition and Attachment A - Salary Schedule Action: Adopt Resolution per Staff Recommendation (Stacy Shell, Charlene Davis)
D. Resolution Designating Hinderliter de Llamas & Associates as Consultant Authorized to Examine Transaction and Use Tax Records Action: Adopt a resolution per Staff Resolution (Eric Casher, Markisha Guillory)
E. Approve the 2025 Council Committee Assignment List Action: Approve the 2025 Council Committee Assignment List (Heather Bell)
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS
Citizens wishing to speak regarding a Public Hearing item should fill out a speaker card prior to the completion of the presentation, by first providing a speaker card to the City Clerk. An official who engaged in an ex parte communication that is the subject of a Public Hearing must disclose the communication on the record prior to the start of the Public Hearing.
None
11. OLD BUSINESS
None
12. NEW BUSINESS
A. Increase City Council Training and Travel Budget by $38,750 Action: Discuss and Provide Direction (Heather Bell)
13. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD (Continued from Item 6) (Public Comments) Open only to members of the public who did not speak under the first Citizens to Be Heard, Agenda Item 6 Citizens may speak under any item not listed on the Agenda. The time limit is 3 minutes for City Council items and is subject to modification by the Mayor. Individuals may not share or offer time to another speaker.
Pursuant to provisions of the Brown Act, no action may be taken on a matter unless it is listed on the agenda, or unless certain emergency or special circumstances exist. The City Council may direct staff to investigate
City Council
Agenda - February 4, 2025
and/or schedule certain matters for consideration at a future meeting.
14. ADJOURNMENT to the Regular City Council Meeting of February 18, 2025 in Remembrance of Amber Swartz.
I hereby certify under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing Agenda was posted on the bulletin board at the main entrance of Pinole City Hall, 2131 Pear Street Pinole, CA, and on the City’s website, not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting date set forth on this agenda. _______________________
Heather Bell, CMC
City Clerk
POSTED: Friday, January 31, 2025 at 10:00 am
CAER
Contra Costa County
Community Awareness
Emergency Response
Organization
Contra Costa CAER was organized in 1987
Most of CAER’s membership in the early years was made up of safety and emergency response professionals.
July 1993 – A major industrial incident occurred (Oleum release General Chemical Richmond) that eventually
changed the way CAER would function in the future.
August 1993 – CAER, working with the Contra Costa
County Health Services Department, forms the Community
Notification Committee to provide recommendations on a
county-wide community warning system.
December 1993 – CAER’s Community
Notification Committee presents a 52
page report to the County with
recommendations on community
emergency notification.
Between 1995 and 2000 – Over $5 million
is raised to build the Community Warning
System. No public monies were used to
fund this project.
1993- 1995
1994-1998
1994 – CAER starts to reorganize to become a
non-profit public benefit corporation with a
Board of Directors comprised of industry, agency
and community representatives and a business
plan to help guide the organization in the future.
1998 – CAER receives the Chemical Educational
Foundation Chemical Product Stewardship
Community Award.
1999
A number of new CAER Action Teams are formed
and some existing teams are reorganized.
– Community Outreach/Emergency Preparedness Team
– Emergency Notification Team
– Haz Mat Team
– Industrial Hygiene Team
– Process Safety Team
– Petrochemical Mutual Aid Organization Team
– Security Team
These teams support people operating in the fields of public affairs, safety, communications, industrial hygiene, emergency management, fire, security and outreach. These teams can share and learn from each other, create opportunities to support and work with agencies and communities.
2001
February - Over 30 individuals from
agencies, industry and the community
meet to develop procedures and
protocols on how the Community Warning
System would be used.
June - CAER turns the Community
Warning System over to the County.
Safety Summit Program
CAER Safety Summit Program began in 2000 and
to date 74 Safety Summits have been held (3-4
per year). Safety Summits include subject matter
experts from industries, agencies and
communities who share lessons learned, near
misses and best practices.
CAER is the only organization in the country
where facilities, agencies and community
members all come together to work towards
some common goals. These Summits give an
amazing opportunity to share and learn.
Safe industrial facility operations
Coordinated emergency response
An effective safety sharing forum
A trust-based relationship with the community
CAER Core Objectives
CAER provides an opportunity for facilities to
meet their requirement for being a member of a
community group. It meets the original
expectations that came out of Responsible Care
such as a community advisory panel (CAP).
CAER works to ensure that the Community
Warning System is maintained properly and is
used as intended. CAER is the primary
organization providing education, guidance and
training in the uses and protocols for agencies,
industry and the community.
CAER Additional Objectives
CAER has created an open dialogue for
facilities to work directly with agencies
and has even opened a dialogue and
working relationship with the Chemical
Safety Board. I don’t believe the CSB has
an ongoing relationship with any other
local multi-agency/jurisdictional nonprofit.
CAER’s Mission Statement
Working to actively enhance public health
and safety.
Creating opportunities for organizations,
institutions, agencies and individuals to
connect.
Some of CAER’s Major Accomplishments
Building the Community Warning System
Outreach Programs including:
Grants
Annual Shelter-in-Place Drill
Industrial Corridor Community
Warning System Project
Safety Summits
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
January 21, 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN HONOR OF THE US MILITARY TROOPS
The City Council Meeting was held in a hybrid format (in-person and via Zoom videoconference and broadcast) from the Pinole Council Chambers, 2131 Pear Street, Pinole, California. Mayor Sasai called the Regular Meeting of the City Council to order at 5:00 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
2. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Before we begin, we would like to acknowledge the Ohlone people, who are the traditional custodians of this land. We pay our respects to the Ohlone elders, past, present and future, who call this place, Ohlone Land, the land that Pinole sits upon, their home. We are proud to continue their tradition of coming together and growing as a community. We thank the Ohlone community for their stewardship and support, and we look forward to strengthening our ties as we continue our relationship of mutual respect and understanding.
3. ROLL CALL, CITY CLERK’S REPORT & STATEMENT OF CONFLICT An official who has a conflict must, prior to consideration of the decision; (1) publicly identify in detail the financial interest that causes the conflict; (2) recuse himself/herself from discussing and voting on the matter; and (3) leave the room until after the decision has been made, Cal. Gov.
Code § 87105.
A. COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT
Cameron Sasai, Mayor
Anthony Tave, Mayor Pro Tem
Norma Martinez-Rubin, Council Member
Devin Murphy, Council Member
Maureen Toms, Council Member
B. STAFF PRESENT
Kelcey Young, City Manager
Heather Bell, City Clerk
Eric Casher, City Attorney
Andrea Dwyer, Community Services Director
Markisha Guillory, Finance Director
Lilly Whalen, Community Development Director
David Hanham Planning Manager
City Clerk Heather Bell announced the agenda had been posted on January 16, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. with all legally required written notices. Comments had been received in advance of the meeting, distributed to council, posted on the City website, and are available for the public in the rear of
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
the council chambers. Following an inquiry, the Council reported there were no conflicts with any items on the agenda.
4. CONVENE TO A CLOSED SESSION: None
Citizens may address the Council regarding a Closed Session item prior to the Council adjourning into the Closed Session, by first providing a speaker card to the City Clerk.
A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL LABOR NEGOTIATORS
Gov. Code § 54957.6
Agency designated representatives: City Manager Kelcey Young, City Attorney, Eric Casher and Human Resources Director, Stacy Shell
Employee Organization: AFSCME Local 1, AFSCME Local 512 and the Management Compensation Plan (MCP)
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
City Clerk Bell reported there were no comments from the public.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
5. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION TO ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF CLOSED SESSION At 6:04 p.m., Mayor Sasai reconvened the meeting into open session. He reported the City Council voted 5-0 to approve eight hours of accrued holiday for all employees for the day of mourning related to the passing of President Jimmy Carter.
6. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD (Public Comments)
Citizens may speak under any item not listed on the Agenda. The time limit is 3 minutes and is subject to modification by the Mayor. Individuals may not share or offer time to another speaker.
Pursuant to provisions of the Brown Act, no action may be taken on a matter unless it is listed on the agenda, or unless certain emergency or special circumstances exist. The City Council may direct staff to investigate and/or schedule certain matters for consideration at a future Council meeting.
Irma Ruport, congratulated Mayor Sasai and Mayor Pro Tem Tave on their new appointments.
She commented over the past year the City lost key officials due to retirement and resignations including the City Manager, Directors of Community Services and Public Works and the Police Chief. The City hired a new City Manager three months ago, a Community Services Director last year and a new Police Chief would start this month. She thanked everyone for their hard work and congratulated reelected Council members Murphy and Toms. She added as a long-time resident and taxpayer, she would like to offer words of wisdom related to her by people she knew and met out in the public during the campaign. The City Council represented the community and not special interests or one’s own agenda. If a Council member needed direction, the people and the community were there for guidance. She asked that no Council member place their own agenda first and always remember the people’s agenda and make decisions for the betterment and future of the City, stay together and move the City forward. The only way to do that was to remain united.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Mayor Sasai moved onto agenda item 8, Recognitions / Presentations / Community Events.
8. RECOGNITIONS / PRESENTATIONS / COMMUNITY EVENTS
A. Proclamations
1. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
The City Council read into the record a proclamation recognizing January 20, 2025 as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with the presentation presented to Elihu Harris who thanked the City Council for the proclamation. He reported he had the honor and privilege in introducing the King Holiday Bill to the State of California, the first such bill in the nation. He emphasized the representation Dr. King had as a champion for human and civil rights, particularly during a time when people seemed to be less civil and inclusive. He also provided an overview of the Martin Luther King Freedom Center, where young people were taught the important values of civil engagement and non-violent conflict resolution. He appreciated the City of Pinole recognized that history was important but he urged everyone to commit themselves annually to the goals and aspirations of peace, justice and equality.
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Dr. Roy Wilson, Executive Director and Dr. Karen Bohlke, Director of Government and External Relations, Martin Luther King Freedom Center, also thanked the City Council for the proclamation and further detailed the work of Dr. King. Everyone was asked to carry out Dr. King’s vision and incorporate those acts Dr. King asked people to incorporate in their daily lives. They explained that the Freedom Center provided statewide programming working with students with more information available online.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
2. National Day of Racial Healing
The City Council read into the record a proclamation recognizing January 21, 2025 as National Day of Racial Healing with the proclamation presented to Peter Kim and Kendra Carr, CoDirectors, Contra Costa County Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, who thanked the City Council for the proclamation and who noted this day was heavy due to phone calls from community members and advocates due to the erasure of many racial justice actions as a result of executive orders by the President. As elected officials, the proclamation meant a lot and was a chart towards healing. The Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice had been launched in October 2023, with community advocates through a two-year process having advocated for the office as a way to hold County governments accountable in the ways racial justices had been imbedded in policies and practices, with some community advocates present in the Council Chambers. The Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice remained committed to what community members have identified as their greatest needs.
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
City Clerk Bell reported there were no comments from the public.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
3. Holocaust Day of Remembrance
The City Council read into the record a proclamation recognizing January 27, 2025 as Holocaust Day of Remembrance with the proclamation presented to Rabbi Dean Kertesz, Temple Beth Hillel, who thanked the City Council for the proclamation on behalf of the members of Temple Beth Hillel and the broader Jewish community not affiliated with the synagogue. He explained that Holocaust Day of Remembrance had been created by the United Nations in 2010, to both remember the victims of the Nazi Holocaust and promote Holocaust education. He commented there was a popular belief that education and remembrance helped to enlighten people, promote tolerance and prevent the spread of bigotry, intolerance, racial hatred and anti-Semitism and he appreciated the proclamation after the presentation of the proclamations for the Day of Racial Healing and MLK Jr. Day, since over the past five years, particularly over the past year, there had been an increase in racist attacks, bigotry and anti-Semitic attacks across the country. Members of his own congregation had been victims of such hatred. He emphasized the importance of educating about the Holocaust education and memorials.
Rabbi Kertesz referenced the writings of Nobel Prize Winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a soviet dissident, related to the lines which separate good and evil, which passed through every human heart, with each capable of being perpetrator or victim depending on the choices made, with politics often obscuring the understanding that everyone was a human being and to see the humanity in each other, particularly with those who one may disagree. On this day and in acceptance of the proclamation, he hoped everyone would take a moment to search their heart and remember they had far more in common with each other than differences and when they see someone else or another group of people as outside their circle of compassion or care, they were heading down the road that leads to atrocities. In these political times, they were often quick to condemn and this was a truth worth remembering. He also hoped that certainty whether, political, religious or ideological was another danger to the ability to empathize with others and when one was sure they were right, they may discount those who were different or whom one may disagree, and may dehumanize them and dehumanization for whatever reason or difference, was the first step towards moral disaster.
Rabbi Kertesz read into the record the poem The Place Where We Are Right, from the late great Israeli Poet, Yehuda Amichai. He also read into the record a quote from the Profit Micah.
Renee Zeimer, speaking on behalf of other Bay Area members of the Jewish community, emphasized the importance of remembering the Holocaust and she spoke to her background as the former Assistant Director of the American Jewish Congress, Northern California and her family’s experience with anti-Semitism and state-sanctioned murder. Anti-Semitism has increased in the Bay Area and in the nation and was on the rise as knowledge of the Holocaust fades. She referenced a 2020 survey conducted by the Conference of Jewish Material Claims against Germany, where 63 percent of Americans between the ages of 13 and 39 were unaware that six million Jews had been systematically killed during World War II, a terrifying and shameful fact. To safeguard Holocaust history and counter anti-Semitism and educate community members and honor families, second and third generation family members of survivors were telling their grandparents experiences of survival and loss and she detailed some of these experiences. She understood due to his own family history, the Mayor understood that one’s ancestors’ history lived on through family members.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
During this precarious moment in the Nation’s history, Ms. Zeimer appreciated the City taking the time and care to recognize the importance of international Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2025, the anniversary of when Auschwitz survivors had been liberated, a day of reflection, education and caution and if they ignore or distort history, they do so as their own peril.
The proclamations were taken out of order from how they had been shown on the agenda at this time.
4. Recognizing the City of Pinole’s Police Officer of the Year The City Council read into the record a proclamation recognizing Amy Eubanks as the City of Pinole’s Police Officer of the Year.
Officer Any Eubanks, stated is has been an honor to receive the proclamation and she was very grateful.
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
City Clerk Bell reported there were no comments from the public.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
5. Recognizing the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District’s Firefighter of the Year.
The City Council read into the record a proclamation recognizing Theresa Watkins, as the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (CCCFPD) Firefighter of the Year.
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Theresa Watkins, CCCFPD, thanked the City Council for the proclamation. She also thanked her wife who is her biggest support system and the CCCFPD for its support and opportunity. She was humbled and honored to be selected as the Firefighter of the year, a reflection of the CCCFPD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
6. Lunar New Year
The City Council read into the record a proclamation recognizing the 2025 Lunar New Year.
Vy Vo, Executive Director, Contra Costa Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Coalition, thanked the City Council for the proclamation. In 2022, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approached her about creating the first Lunar New Year celebration for the entire county. Between 2022 and 2024, the first Lunar Year celebration and resolution was celebrated along with the most successful AAPI Heritage Month celebration in the County’s history. While the AAPI community had a reputation for being invisible and not invested in the surrounding community, these events have shown the importance of including everyone in the community.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
City Clerk Bell reported there were no comments from the public.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
7. Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution The City Council read into the record a proclamation recognizing January 30, 2025, as Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution with the proclamation presented to the Contra Costa Japanese American Citizens League (JACL).
Yoko Olsgaard, Contra Costa Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), thanked the City Council for the proclamation and the recognition of Fred Korematsu, a great symbol of the importance to dissent and think for one’s self. During this time and having listened to all of the preceding proclamations, it was clear history needed to be discussed and the proclamations would help everyone remember where they don’t want to go again. It was very important to tell these stories and educate people on what happened in the past. She recognized current times were turbulent and the target of discrimination never gets relief with the JACL focused on building bridges to other minorities to ensure no one was left behind. The JACL joined the AAPI Coalition to help educate people and was in the processing of working with the library system on educational materials. She introduced a member of the audience who had lived in the internment camps during World War II and whose story was one of many that was important to document and make available to educate the public to ensure that the discrimination experienced does not happen anywhere else in the country. She sincerely thanked the Mayor and the City Council for the proclamation.
Jim Oshima, President, Contra Costa JACL, detailed the experience of his family and ethnic Japanese who had been incarcerated based on their ethnicity. He thanked the City Council and staff for allowing him to participate and show how the many proclamations presented were intended to unit communities, rather than keep people in silos. He suggested the work set the tone that together they were stronger than divided.
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
City Clerk Bell reported there were no comments from the public.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
B. Presentations
1. “Glow Pinole” Summary by Community Service Director Dwyer Community Services Director Andrea Dwyer provided a summary of “Glow Pinole”, which had over 1,000 views on the City’s interactive map and with great feedback received for future years.
It was hoped the program would open sooner for this current year with a kick-off anticipated in November 2025. She thanked the community and local businesses for their participation.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Community Services Director Dwyer introduced the winners of the competition for the following categories:
Residential
- Best Holiday Theme: Juan Ruiz and Yeimmy Hernandez
- Best Use of Lights: Lance Smith and Amber Miksza
- Incredible Inflatables: Johanna Jimenez and Taryn Cyr
Business community
- Best Use of Lights: House of Lilith Hair Designers
- Best Window Display: The Treasure Hunt Shop
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
City Clerk Bell reported there were no comments from the public.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
2. Community Services Department Overview by Director Dwyer Community Services Director Dwyer provided a PowerPoint presentation with an overview of the Community Services Department that included the Mission Statement of the Community Services Department; introduction of the Department Team; services provided through various divisions including Parks and Recreation, Library and Animal Services contracts, community health and food and Pinole Seals; special events; and presented a brief video of the 2024 Tree Lighting ceremony. All current projects were also highlighted.
Responding to questions from the City Council, Ms. Dwyer and City Manager Young clarified:
• The north side of the softball field at Fernandez Park was being used to stage for a Public Works sewer project, which project was well underway and the construction trucks should not be in the area too much longer. (Martinez-Rubin)
• Reference to Community Connections in the PowerPoint presentation involved connections between Pinole Artisans and the Pinole Playhouse. (Martinez-Rubin) • The Library Agreement remained under discussion with Contra Costa County with the County to do some renovations to the building and then turn it over to the City. A meeting between the City and the County was scheduled for early February with additional details to be provided to the City Council after that time. (Martinez-Rubin) • Acknowledged feedback from participants of the Crafts Faire at the Senior Center with a recommendation to find ways to loop participants into other community events at the same time. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave)
• The Senior Center would have new blinds as of February 12, 2025 pursuant to the estimated date from the contractor. Funds had been budgeted to obtain quotes for new floors with staff on track to open a Request for Proposal (RFP) to implement the project.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Minor upgrades or improvements had been made to the Pinole Pool and Public Works would repaint key areas of the Senior Center at the same time as the new blinds were installed. Also, staff was actively working to have the roof and HVAC system updated at the Senior Center. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave)
• Pinole Earth Walk and Dumpster Day were collaborative efforts with other City Departments and had not been included in the presentation from the Community Services Department for that reason, although the Department was providing assistance for those events at the back end. (Murphy)
• Acknowledged a recommendation to continue to collect data from participants at community events to demonstrate attendance or impacts from the programs and detailed the desire to use clickers or other tracking methods at some community events to track attendance or other items. Staff hoped to have more data in the future. (Murphy) • Acknowledged a recommendation for an update on the Food Bank offerings, how they were being assessed for the community and how they were addressing the needs of the community. Some data was currently being collected by senior volunteers when participants used Food Bank resources. Staff also detailed changes that were forthcoming as a result of the City’s Single Use Plastic Ordinance, and clarified through social media information that had been provided to the community on what resources could be provided by the Food Bank for those in need with the hope that those resources could be expanded in the future. (Murphy)
• The improvements to the Swim Center were not fully complete. Staff had conducted a walk-through with representatives from Pinole Seals this date and created a check list to be addressed with the Public Works Department as soon as possible. (Toms) • Earth Walk had been scheduled for April 19, 2025. Egg-Extravaganza, as an example, had been included in upcoming annual community events as shown on the Events page of the City website. Community members interested in collaborating in community events could obtain information from the City website, with people encouraged to volunteer. (Toms)
Mayor Sasai thanked staff for the comprehensive presentation and emphasized the importance of maintaining and improving City facilities, particularly those that were rented out.
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Anthony Vossbrink commented that nothing had been mentioned about the update to the Senior Center parking lot and he asked the status of that situation, particularly since the project had a budget that had been significantly reduced over time. He also identified a security camera along the end of the parking lot at the Senior Center and asked whether it was functional given incidents that had occurred in the area over the past several months. In terms of rentals of City facilities, he noted the tennis courts and the outside area of the library needed to be cleaned/maintained in that some vegetation/trees were overgrown. This issue had been brought to the City’s attention on more than one occasion but the issues remained.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Mr. Vossbrink added that an outdoor restroom that was part of the library but maintained by the City had been closed and boarded up for several weeks with no notice or signage and homeless lived in the back of the parking lot. In addition, the Fernandez Park baseball diamond was full of gopher holes and he asked the status of cleaning up the restrooms at Pinole Valley Park.
Irma Ruport stated as a member of the Community Services Commission she had attended some of the community events in 2024 and had met with a couple of students from local schools who had received community credit through the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD). She asked whether it was possible to expand the Community Services Commission to include a Youth Commissioner, which would allow youth to be part of the system and provide feedback. Expansion of the Commission by inviting two to three student body Presidents would be appreciated. She noted in the past, one student from the high school had been part of an AdHoc Committee. She asked that this request be considered.
In terms of animal services, Ms. Ruport pointed out she had previously requested a presentation from the County as a future agenda item and she hoped that would be provided given the issues with animal services. In addition, she commented that the latest Community Services Commission meeting had been canceled and she suggested some of the special events should be consolidated. She suggested the community should decide on the type of community events to be held.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Mayor Sasai asked the Community Services Director to respond to the public comments and copy him with the responses. He thanked the Community Services Director for the well-done presentation.
The City Council returned to agenda item 7, Reports & Communications.
7. REPORTS & COMMUNICATIONS
A. Mayor Report
1. Announcements
Mayor Sasai thanked staff for its work the first month of the year and acknowledged the Council Recess through the first part of January. He hoped everyone had a great holiday season and a good start to 2025. He also reported on the passing of former President Jimmy Carter on December 29, 2024, and his request that staff lower all United States flags at all public facilities to half-mast for a 30-day period. He was thankful for the service and contributions of President Carter.
Mayor Sasai also reported he had attended the Mayors’ Conference when appointments had been made to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD); he and Council member Martinez-Rubin had met as the Subcommittee on Memorials to discuss applications that had been submitted to the Committee and he thanked the applicants for their passion and patience as they worked through the discussions; and a birthday reception at St. Joseph Church for Father Geoffrey Baraan.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Mayor Sasai added that there was also an inauguration event at a venue he had provided to kickoff his term as Mayor, with speakers and performers present as well as other elected dignitaries including Pinole Valley High School Alumnus Pilo, a multiple platinum artist in the Bay Area. He thanked everyone who had participated.
Mayor Sasai further reported in the next week he planned to attend his first League of California Cities Transportation, Communications and Public Works Policy Committee meeting. He looked forward to representing the City and taking on those issues that most impacted the City of Pinole.
He also planned to attend the upcoming West County Mayors’ and Supervisors’ Association and the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC) meetings. He added the January edition of The Beat of Pinole had been published and released and he thanked the Assistant to the City Manager Fiona Epps and Pinole Community Television (PCTV) for making this happen.
B. Mayoral & Council Appointments: None
C. City Council Committee Reports & Communications
Council member Toms reported she and the City Clerk had attended an Office of Emergency Services (OES) presentation and training at the County Office of Emergency Services and briefed the Council on the presentations and how the City fit into the County system in the event of an emergency. She planned to attend the League of California Cities Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee meeting and she also attended the Mayors’ Conference and briefed the Council on the presentations. In addition, she had attended Coffee with the City and a Green Empowerment Zone meeting as the Alternate with Council member Murphy, the Primary.
Council member Murphy wished everyone a Happy New Year. He thanked the Mayor for the invitation to his inauguration and recognized his selection as Mayor was history making in the City of Pinole. He had also attended the swearing-in ceremony for new County Supervisor Shanelle Scales-Preston and Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. He was pleased to see the history making and trailblazing across the Bay Area.
Council member Murphy emphasized why it was great to do business in the City of Pinole with economic development on the rise due to the leadership team pushing the City’s economic development strategy. He welcomed a new business in Pinole, MexiHibachi at 1578 Fitzgerald Drive, looked forward to more new businesses and appreciated existing businesses.
Council member Murphy added he had also attended a meeting of the Green Empowerment Zone and briefed the Council on the presentations and discussions, with the next meeting scheduled for March 21, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
Mayor Pro Tem Tave wished everyone a Happy New Year. He had also attended some of the swearing-in ceremonies referenced and congratulated the newly-elected and those that had been re-elected. He looked forward to working with everyone. He reported he had been approached by business owners desirous to create a network within the City of Pinole and he planned to request a future agenda item about reviving an insight market analysis that had been prepared by consultants HdL.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Mayor Pro Tem Tave looked forward to upcoming community events, recognizing the vibrancy in the City, and suggested the report from HdL and other reports may help local businesses. He looked forward to finding ways for smaller businesses to graduate to a larger business.
Council member Martinez-Rubin reported she had attended a WestCat Board of Directors meeting and briefed the Council on the actions taken; met with Stella Gryler, the Field Representative for State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, and she asked that Ms. Gryler be included in the City’s distribution list for community events. She also planned to attend the League of California Cities Revenue and Taxation Policy Committee meeting this week. She looked forward to the next year, the application and use of Best Practices, as well as renewed relationships and ongoing efforts to work together as the City Council professed it did.
D. Council Requests for Future Agenda Items
Mayor Pro Tem Tave commented that in 2019, the City Council had a conversation and received a report from HdL on economic development solutions with an insight market analysis, void analysis, community profile and marketing packet that had looked at four sites throughout the City of Pinole and offered a profile of opportunities. The analysis and data from the report brought the City to the point where investors had come into the community to see where the City of Pinole was at. He wanted to see that report be redone to see the continuity of what was or was not working. He recalled the report also profiled homes and income and led the City Council to categories where it could see the income and value per household and where people were spending their money.
Mayor Pro Tem Tave offered a motion, seconded by Council member Murphy for the 2019 HdL report to be redone with the same parameters that could be presented again to help the City Council see how the community was changing.
On the motion, Council member Martinez-Rubin suggested before a second HdL report was prepared, the City Council should revisit the existing report to see how the recommendations meshed with the plan since the report had been shelved for a while. She suggested consideration of a City Council workshop or another forum to review the existing report. She recalled the report had been a costly item and while well worth it, she would rather see that report be reviewed prior to creating a new one.
Mayor Pro Tem Tave stated, when asked, the report from HdL had been prepared in October 2019.
Mayor Sasai asked if the motion was for a discussion or direction to staff.
Mayor Pro Tem Tave reiterated the report referenced had been a critical report for the City. He recalled the report cost the City $15,000 and was a tool for staff to understand what was happening in Pinole and what the populace looked like, where they were spending their dollars and any gaps. While the original report could be revisited, he suggested the future agenda item could be presented as a staff recommendation or a recommendation not to do the report.
Council member Martinez-Rubin commented the Community Development Director may have already reviewed the report and it may be a matter of her letting the City Council know.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
City Manager Young commented the data under discussion was something that would be very beneficial to bring forward. She reported staff had a lot of the data, some of which would be discussed as part of one of the upcoming agenda items and there were other reports that could be considered. She would like to work with the City Council to discuss ways to have a more robust vetting system before bringing things to the City Council for future agenda items so that staff could provide some information beforehand, with the idea the preferred direction to proceed could then be identified.
City Manager Young recommended the City Council hold off of on this request for a little while to allow staff to provide what it had and if the City Council still wanted to move forward it could be brought back at that point. She hoped to discuss this and other items with the City Council later in the month.
City Clerk Bell restated the motion to direct staff to engage with HdL to redo its 2019 Report with similar parameters as the 2019 Report and come back with a recommendation to the City Council.
ACTION: Motion by Mayor Pro Tem Tave/Council member Murphy to direct staff to engage with HdL to redo its 2019 Report with similar parameters as the 2019 Report and come back with a recommendation to the City Council.
Vote: Passed 3-2
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Murphy
Noes: Martinez-Rubin, Toms
Abstain: None
Absent: None
Council member Murphy offered a motion, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Tave for a presentation from Plant Powered Pinole, a citizen-led coalition for a more peaceful and sustainable Pinole, to be scheduled sometime in the next year.
On the motion, Council member Martinez-Rubin asked whether the intent for expanded menu items as part of the Plant Powered Pinole’s initiative meant vegan items on menus, and the City Manager noted it was about plant-based items.
ACTION: Motion by Council member Murphy/Mayor Pro Tem Tave for a presentation from Plant Powered Pinole sometime in the next year.
Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Murphy, Martinez-Rubin, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
Council member Murphy offered a motion, seconded by Mayor Sasai to consider a budget item for City Council funding for attendance at CivicWell and National League of Cities conferences in March 2025.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
On the motion, Council member Martinez-Rubin asked if the request was related to a renewal of membership for the two groups, and Council member Murphy clarified the motion was for funding for attendance of Council members who would like to attend.
ACTION: Motion by Council member Murphy/Mayor Sasai to consider a budget item for City Council funding for attendance at CivicWell and National League of Cities conferences in March 2025, to be considered at the next City Council meeting.
Vote: Passed 3-2
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Murphy
Noes: Martinez-Rubin, Toms
Abstain: None
Absent: None
Mayor Sasai offered a motion, seconded by Council member Murphy to direct staff to prepare a proclamation in recognition of the anniversary of the founding of Dumlao’s Academy of Martial Arts, a long-time Pinole business.
On the motion, Council member Martinez-Rubin asked the length of time the business had been in Pinole, to which Mayor Sasai understood the business had been founded in the early 2000s.
ACTION: Motion by Mayor Sasai/Council member Murphy to direct staff to prepare a proclamation in recognition of the anniversary of the founding of the Dumlao’s Academy of Martial Arts, a long-time Pinole business.
Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
ACTION: Motion by Mayor Sasai/Council member Murphy to have a presentation from Caltrans staff on the Clean California Designation Program and brief the City Council on the free designation process, which would allow the City to be recognized as a Clean California City, with personalized signage for the City, support for community engagement of zero litter goal and priority access to national grant opportunities, educational materials and free volunteer clean-up kits.
Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Irma Ruport, commented she had raised the issue of bringing forward the status of grant funding and communications as a future agenda item.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Ms. Ruport understood that monthly or quarterly reports would be provided and she would like an update on the number of grants received or whether a Grant Writer would train staff.
Rafael Menis asked when a discussion of a request for a future agenda item would rise to the level of potentially becoming a Brown Act issue. For one of the future agenda items the City Council considered, he found the City Council had gone beyond a simple request to discussing whether the item should be considered or not. He found that was beyond what was supposed to happen for this agenda item and he asked the City Attorney to offer an opinion.
City Attorney Eric Casher clarified for the Request for Future Agenda Items, the discussion should be limited to the motion that had been brought forward and an explanation for the request for the future agenda item, avoiding any discussion of the merits of the motion, which was for when the item was later agendized and since the item was not on the meeting agenda and the public was unaware the item was being brought forward. He noted the City Council previously had this conversation. The merits of the particular item were not to be discussed, just whether the item needed to come forward.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
E. City Manager Report / Department Staff
City Manager Young reported it had been nice to have a break but staff had been very busy preparing Department work plans, the mid-year budget and other projects currently in place. She offered her thoughts to those dealing with the fires in Southern California and she thanked the CCCFPD for its support outside of the region. She acknowledged there had been quite a few concerns about fire hydrants and clarified that the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) was in charge of all of the fire hydrants and the City had posted tips and information from EBMUD on the City website. EBMUD maintained about 30,000 fire hydrants in the East Bay and conducted around 800 annual inspections and were repairing and replacing hundreds of fire hydrants each year. Residents were encouraged to learn more from the City’s postings and she recommending if anyone had additional questions to reach out to EBMUD directly.
City Manager Young also reported the Pinole Valley Park Soccer Field reopening had been scheduled for February 22, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and would feature food trucks and games. She thanked the Community Services Director and the Public Works Department for their hard work and the West Contra Costa Youth Soccer League (WCCYSL) for its generous donation and hard work to make that happen.
City Manager Young added the new Chief of Police, Melissa Klawuhn, would start employment with the City of Pinole in early February and she thanked Acting Chief Jeremy Crone for seeing the City through this period. Staff was also working through the Public Works Director position and had narrowed the recruitment down to three finalists, with a decision expected by early next week. Additionally, the band Green Day would be showcased with a half-hour special of the Bay Area Grammy Spotlight on CBS to air on February 1, 2025 at 7:00 p.m., to be replayed on February 2, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.
Mayor Sasai asked for an update on the sale of 2100 San Pablo Avenue and the Community Corner.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
City Manager Young reported an RFP was in process and she hoped it would be out publicly in one to two weeks.
Council member Murphy asked about the rejuvenated soccer field at Pinole Valley Park and whether communications would be sent out to the public, to which City Manager Young advised the City Council had been provided a draft of that communication via a digital flyer that had been included in an email to the City Council. There had been no plans to send out physical communications to residents.
Council member Murphy asked whether information could be sent to people’s homes and whether there was time to do so prior to the reopening of the soccer field.
City Manager Young acknowledged that while there was time, the City’s footprint in terms of the amount of paper being produced was a concern and could be another discussion. She would get back to the City Council with more information.
Council member Murphy asked the City Manager to get back to the City Council with additional information at the meeting scheduled for February 4, 2025. He recommended a mailer to make the community aware of the improvement to Pinole Valley Park with an invitation to residents for the reopening of the soccer field, if possible.
City Manager Young reiterated staff would take a look at the costs and get back to the City Council.
F. City Attorney Report
City Attorney Casher wished everyone a Happy New Year. He reported that the new administration in the federal government and implementation of new executive orders and counter directives provided at the state level had created uncertainty around some of the rules that may impact the City locally were being monitored by city attorneys regionally. As decisions came forward, there may be decisions and actions the City Council may be asked to make related to the impacts those executive order decisions may have.
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED (Items 7D through 7F)
City Clerk Bell reported there were no comments from the public.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Mayor Sasai thanked the City Attorney for remaining updated on the issues as they come about.
9. CONSENT CALENDAR
All matters under the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and noncontroversial. These items will be enacted by one motion and without discussion. If, however, any interested party or Council member(s) wishes to comment on an item, they may do so before action is taken on the Consent Calendar. Following comments, if a Council member wishes to discuss an item, it will be removed from the Consent Calendar and taken up in order after adoption of the Consent Calendar.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
A. Approve the Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting on December 17, 2024.
B. Receive the December 14, 2024 – January 17, 2025 – List of Warrants in the Amount of $1,725,968.80, the December 20, 2024 Payroll in the Amount of $542,424.45, the January 3, 2025 Payroll in the Amount of $523,129.86 and the January 17, 2025 Payroll in the Amount of $729,784.80.
C. Update on the City of Pinole’s Timely Compliance with Assembly Bill 1332 (AB 1332) – Preapproval Program for Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Plans. Action:
Receive and File Report (Lilly Whalen)
D. Adopt a Resolution Accepting $7,500 from Marin Clean Energy (MCE) for Implementation of a Community Partnership Program. Action: Adopt Resolution per Staff Recommendation (Lilly Whalen, Kapil Amin) E. Adopt a Resolution Approving and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Second Task Order to Amend the On-Call Consulting Services Agreement with Coastland Civil Engineering Inc., for Services Related to the Pinon Trunk Sewer Capacity Phase 2 Project. Action: Adopt Resolution per Staff Recommendation (Faby Guillen)
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Rafael Menis provided the following comments on the Consent Calendar:
- Item 9B, Page 45 of 452 of the agenda packet, Vendor 2187, Redwood Public Law, LLP, No. 11993, Pinole PD Singh Complaint, and asked whether the City could provide additional detail as to the nature of the complaint.
- Item 9D, Page 57 of 452 of the agenda packet, the staff report for the item noted under the background discussion, the City would require 100 percent electrification of new buildings starting in 2024. He asked whether the City had implemented ordinances for this requirement.
Community Development Director Whalen responded to the public comment related to Item 9D, and clarified the City Council would receive a memorandum on this item. Electrification ordinances would come to the City Council mid-year and at the end of this year since the building codes were being updated and were updated every three years.
Staff was also working on the appropriate timing of when to bring the Reach Codes before the City Council for electrification of new buildings. Staff would bring the item to the City Council by the end of the year to coincide with the triannual building code update. In the meantime, staff would bring Reach Codes forward that dealt with existing construction in the City sometime in May or June 2025.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Mayor Sasai removed Item 9B for discussion. He referenced Page 33 of 452 of the agenda packet, Vendor: BLU12 – Blue Chip Tees, No. 3522, and the expenditure item shown for Tiny Tots t-shirts. He referenced the Union Printer Purchasing Preference Policy, which outlined the City Council adopted preference for vendors and emphasized union vendors be given a priority for print work, and he was thankful for the City Council support for that item and the collaboration with the unions. He had been tracking those expenses and was unsure there was compliance with the policy and wanted an understanding of any road blocks to adhering to the policy.
City Manager Young explained that additional research for the referenced item in the List of Warrants would be needed to determine if the work was done prior to the implementation of the new policy. She clarified the City was using union printers when it could but if not available would move on to a local printer.
Mayor Sasai wanted to call attention to this issue to ensure the City was complying with its preference policies.
ACTION: Motion by Council members Toms/Murphy to adopt Consent Calendar Items 9A through 9E, as shown.
Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
10. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
A. Consider Adoption of Updated Development Impact Fees. Action: Adopt a Resolution per Staff Recommendation (David Hanham)
Planning Manager David Hanham presented the staff report dated January 21, 2025. He recommended the City Council adopt a resolution approving the City of Pinole’s Development Impact Fee Programs for the Years 2025-2030.
Dan Wery, Senior Associate, Michael Baker International, provided an extensive PowerPoint presentation on Development Impact Fees that included an overview defining the purpose for impact fees; funding sources for capital improvements for the General Fund, state and federal agencies and development fees; requirements of Assembly Bill (AB) 1600; Reasonable Relationship in Practice; impact fee cycle; Proposed and Current Fees – for both Residential and Non-Residential; Fee Comparisons – for both Residential and Non-Residential; what facilities were eligible for impact fees; existing facility deficiencies; who pays the fee; benefits of an Impact Fee Program; general principles and the steps to adopting fees.
Mr. Wery recommended the City Council open the public hearing; take public comments; adopt the findings of the Nexus Studies for the Development Impact Fees and Wastewater Capacity Charges and approve the resolutions updating the fees and charges, which would go into effect in 60-days.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Responding to questions from the City Council, City Manager Young, Community Development Director Whalen, Mr. Wery and Dino Serafini, Public Finance Designer/Civil Engineer, Michael Baker International clarified the following:
• The Commercial Fee Schedule for public parks was a policy decision the City had made prior to 2008, where the City was not charging Non-Residential uses for parks. (MartinezRubin) • The n/a shown for drainage in the PowerPoint presentation for one bedroom, as an example, was clarified to advise that the drainage fee did not conform to AB 602 and was not subject to the floor area. There was no one bedroom category. The rate of $149 should have been shown in that category with an asterisk to indicate it did not have an impact and did not get broken down to the same level. When the fee schedule was published, staff would ensure that was made clear for the one-bedroom category. (Martinez-Rubin)
• The bar graphs and fee comparisons for Non-Residential for 50,000 square-foot industrial example, as shown in the PowerPoint presentation, was clarified; the last large piece of development in Pinole was Pinole Shores II with everything else relatively small in comparison. Placing a 50,000 square-foot building on a lot would take up the entire lot unless there was a redevelopment of the lot. (Martinez-Rubin) • An example of a 2,000 square-foot eatery in Pinole would likely be a fast-food establishment but not a franchise, which may be larger than that. East Bay Coffee was offered as an example at the lower level of the 2,000 square-foot mark and 15,000 square feet would likely be more like King Valley (converted Mechanic’s Bank), which was expansive on the footprint. (Martinez-Rubin)
• A Nexus Study for Development Impact Fees should be updated every five to eight years.
The City had not conducted a study for 17-years. The current Nexus Study may be reviewed again in two to three years.
• Using the fees for the City’s infrastructure would make the City more attractive to developers, but this was a good starting point for the City to set a baseline and start conversations. The intent was to set up a structure where new development was coming in and the City was not fully burdening the developer having to create a bus stop, as an example, but a structure where the developer paid their fair share for the development of a bus stop. The intent was not to burden the developer or the General Fund which would impact the taxpayer, which was the way to develop the impact fees and figure out that balance. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave)
• Frontline staff who processed building permit applications were the first to hear complaints from developers if something did not pencil out and staff would get that information directly. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave)
The City Council thanked Michael Baker International and staff for all of the hard work and additional information attached to the staff report.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
PUBLIC HEARING OPENED
Rafael Menis, speaking as a private citizen offered the following comments for Item 10A:
- The chart shown on Page 162 of 452 of the agenda packet, particularly the Example Project Comparison graph for the 2,000 square-foot Food Service Commercial Building on 0.2 acres, which had shown the City’s existing fees for that type of structure as “nil,” was misleading, such as whenever an existing food service entity was constructed it would have to pay the retail level of development impact fees, which he assumed was not zero.
Asked if there was a way to adjust for the amount that it would have been. - For the chart shown on Page 163 of 452 of the agenda packet and the graph shown for a 15,000 square-foot, Non-Food Service Commercial building on 0.5 acre, which had shown a fee of $104,000, asked if the developer would have paid some proportionate amount under the existing system.
Mr. Serafini confirmed Mr. Menis was correct, retail was part of the food services part of the retail land use of commercial land use, which was why the fees had been shown as the same, and which had been broken out separately so that the 2,000 square-foot food service example, assuming it was a food service, was being charged $11 per square foot for a 2,000 square-foot building. The chart shown on Page 163 of 452 of the agenda packet and the graph shown for a 15,000 square-foot, Non-Food Service Commercial showed the differential. It was not that the City was not charging food service based on the 2008 schedule, it was that food service was part of Commercial.
Mr. Menis understood that $11 per square foot meant it would be around $22,000, effectively speaking as the existing accurate value for Pinole. He also understood much of the City’s revenue in sales tax came from food service type entities. He asked whether the City was allowed to continue the potential impact on future development of those entities in setting those fees or whether it was only allowed to consider equity considerations and do this based on this or that and could not factor in economic development factors. He also asked whether the City was allowed to factor in non-immediate factors in generating the new fee or whether it was only allowed a strict equity-based analysis.
PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED
ACTION: Motion by Council member Martinez-Rubin/Mayor Pro Tem Tave to adopt the findings of the Nexus Studies for the Development Impact Fees and Wastewater Capacity Charges and approve the resolutions updating the fees and charges, which would go into effect in 60-days.
Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
B. First Read of Pinole Municipal Code Amendments Related to Housing Element Programs No. 4, 5, 12 and 13, Focusing on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) and Unit and Lot Split Projects Proposed under Senate Bill (SB) 9 and Regulatory Consistency. Action: Conduct Public Hearing and Waive First Reading of Ordinance. (David Hanham, Justin Shui) Mayor Sasai reported the City Clerk had provided a note that the item would be deferred.
City Clerk Bell confirmed a note had been circulated with a request from staff to continue the item to a future meeting.
ACTION: Motion by Council members Toms/Murphy to continue the First Read of Pinole Municipal Code Amendments Related to Housing Element Programs No. 4, 5, 12 and 13, Focusing on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) and Unit and Lot Split Projects Proposed under Senate Bill (SB) 9 and Regulatory Consistency, to a future meeting.
Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
11. OLD BUSINESS: None
12. NEW BUSINESS
A. Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. Action:
Receive and File Report (Markisha Guillory)
Finance Director Markisha Guillory introduced Mark Hu, The Pun Group, the City’s External Auditors who performed the audit on the City’s Financial Statements, and presented the staff report dated January 21, 2025.
Mark Hu, The Pun Group, Audit Manager, provided a PowerPoint presentation on the results of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR), which included an overview of the required communications (AU-C 260); management’s responsibilities; the auditor’s responsibility in accordance with professional standards and an extensive overview of the City’s financial statements, the audit and other results.
Responding to questions from the City Council, Mr. Hu and Finance Director Guillory clarified the following:
• The management and discussion analysis part of the narrative section, Pages 5 through 17 of the ACFR, was a good place to interpret the numbers and provided a good summary of the City’s net position. (Martinez-Rubin)
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
• Confirmed the ACFR was a health check of the City’s finances, internal controls and the way the City was accounting for the monies received. Page 17 of the PowerPoint presentation, Tax Revenue and Cost for Services summary was clarified, with the figures as shown for 2024, and with a comparison of the tax revenue to net cost of services, with Governmental Activities including other Governmental Activities, such as Planning, Building, Community Development and Special Revenue Funds. Nearly everything was Governmental Activities with the exception of the Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Pension Trust. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave)
• Summarized again the intent of the ACFR intended to develop a balanced budget with staff detailing some of the budget decisions the City Council had made over the past year.
All financial policies would be reviewed in the coming months as part of the upcoming budget process. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave)
• Reiterated the details of Page 17 of the PowerPoint presentation, Governmental Activities, which represented the General Fund and all governmental activities, everything outside of business type activities, such as the Wastewater Treatment Plant; and reiterated the City maintained a healthy net position overall. (Murphy) • Repeated the details on Page 17 of the PowerPoint presentation; clarified the 2024 expenditures and clarified the net cost of services with $28 million shown as being spent, although taking in only $19 million, reflecting the transactions within that period and not a carryover. Staff clarified the amount was not just for expenditures but had also taken into account all the other revenue sources and the expenditures, with tax revenues having been broken out. (Toms)
• Clarified Page 11 of the PowerPoint presentation, the Condensed Statement and Positions, which established current and non-current assets, with capital assets having been broken out. The prior year’s ACFR was referenced as part of this discussion. (Martinez-Rubin)
• Further clarified Page 11 of the PowerPoint presentation related to current and non-current assets, with staff clarifying the differences between FY 2023 and 2024, and explained the Pension Trust funds had been reclassified from non-current to current. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave)
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Rafael Menis offered the following comments for Item 12A:
- Compared Page 17 of the PowerPoint presentation to Pages 13 and 14 of the management’s discussion and analysis and the discussion of revenue by source and expenditures, and commented the figures appeared to be different from the presentation values. Asked what the difference was between the numbers shown. - Page 267 of 452 of the agenda packet, Economic Outlook and Major Initiatives and the information shown under the section for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024/25 Operating and Capital Budget, and a statement in this section which reads: The Adopted FY 2024/25 Operating
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
and Capital Budget is balanced but includes a one-time transfer in from the City’s General Fund that was used to balance the budget. Assumed that was a transfer in for the General Fund Reserve and not a transfer to the General Fund to itself. - Page 320 of 452 of the agenda packet, City of Pinole, Notes to the Basic Financial Statements (Continued) for the Year Ended June 30, 2024, and asked whether the properties located at 2100 - 2150 San Pablo Avenue was the Faria House or some other property.
- Page 334 of 452 of the agenda packet, noted the Other Post-Employment benefits (OPEB) health care costs trend rate was 7.4 percent, although the budget projection was 5 percent, and asked if the City was assuming a 7.4 percent rate increase in OPEB costs year over year.
- Page 339 of 452 of the agenda packet, noted that Public Safety had expenditures over appropriations of $1 million for the FY ending June 30, 2024, and asked whether that was due to the new fire truck or some other factor.
- Page 426 of 452 of the agenda packet and beyond, many of the charts on those pages showed the most recent year was to the right of the chart rather than to the left of the chart, which was confusing.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
In response to the public comment, Finance Director Guillory advised she would have to do some research on some of the questions asked and would follow-up in writing.
ACTION: Motion by Council members Murphy/Toms to receive and file the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.
Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None
Absent: None
13. CITIZENS TO BE HEARD (Continued from Item 6) (Public Comments) Only open to members of the public who did not speak under the first Citizens to be Heard, Agenda Item 6.
Citizens may speak under any item not listed on the Agenda. The time limit is 3 minutes and is subject to modification by the Mayor. Individuals may not share or offer time to another speaker.
Pursuant to provisions of the Brown Act, no action may be taken on a matter unless it is listed on the agenda, or unless certain emergency or special circumstances exist. The City Council may direct staff to investigate and/or schedule certain matters for consideration at a future Council meeting.
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes – January 21, 2025
Rafael Menis provided the current rate of COVID-19 in the community, and while the rate had leveled off from an overall spike, it was currently at a moderate spread. He asked people to continue to take precautions, wear masks in crowded public spaces and get booster vaccinations.
He added that hospitalization rates were a trailing indicator and had shown a rise to 4 per 100,00 in mid-January. While it was dropping off a bit, the increased infection rate in wastewater remained a concern.
Mr. Menis also referenced one of the executive orders President Trump had issued defending women from gender ideology extremism and commented that one of the sections of the executive order in the policy definitions sought to define male and female genders, which definitions he read into the record. He described when an embryo was actually developed and by that definition stated there were no genders.
Anthony Vossbrink commented on the earlier reference to the federal and/or state mandate and stated the City was proud to honor the late President Jimmy Carter’s passing by flying flags at half-mast for 30-days, although few if any City flags had complied with the exception of the library.
He identified the locations where City flags were not being flown properly and hoped that could be addressed immediately. He also noted the Mayor and another Council member who served on the Subcommittee for Memorials were to consider appropriate locations to honor the Ohlone and he asked for an update. Further, he stated that recycling garbage bins in Pinole Valley Park had not been provided whereas other Pinole parks had new garbage bins.
Mayor Sasai reported he would get back to Mr. Vossbrink personally about the issues raised.
Mayor Sasai asked that the meeting adjourn in memory of President Jimmy Carter and Allyn Beltran. He reported that Allyn Beltran, who had been an organizer with the Working Families Party, was survived by his wife and children. He had also been a good friend who had held him accountable and reminded him that public service advocacy was about people first.
14. ADJOURNMENT to the Regular Meeting of February 4, 2025 in Remembrance of Amber Swartz, President Jimmy Carter and Allyn Beltran.
At 10:24 p.m., Mayor Sasai adjourned the meeting to the Regular City Council Meeting of February 4, 2025 in Remembrance of Amber Swartz, President Jimmy Carter and Allyn Beltran.
Submitted by:
_________________________________
Heather Bell, CMC
City Clerk
Approved by City Council:
CITY COUNCIL
REPORT 9.C.
DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2025
TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: STACY SHELL, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
CHARLENE DAVIS, HUMAN RESOURCES ANALYST
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT TO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY AND AFSCME LOCAL 1
TO AMEND ARTICLE II - RECOGNITION AND ATTACHMENT A - SALARY SCHEDULE
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the Side Letter Agreement to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Pinole and AFSCME Local 1 to amend Article II – Recognition and Attachment A – Salary Schedule.
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the City developed the City of Pinole Strategic Plan 2020-2025 through an extensive research and engagement process, which identified the City's vision, mission, goals, and strategies over the five-year period.
Relative to the City's goal to build an organization culture that is efficient, ethical, and effective in delivering quality services with community involvement and fiscal stewardship, one of the strategies identified was the development of an employee attraction, retention, and development plan. One activity identified in support of this plan is the analysis of the City's classification and compensation system and update it as needed to provide engaging job descriptions, career growth opportunities, and competitive pay.
In accordance with the City's Personnel Rule 3, Classification Plan, at the recommendation of the Human Resources Director, the City Manager shall approve, and amended from time to time, the City's classification plan after consultation with the affected collective bargaining organization.
Consistent with Personnel Rule 12.1, Salary Plan, salary ranges are set for each classification by the City Council. No change in the salary range of a classification may be made without City Council approval.
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
Staff assessed the organizational needs of the Public Workers Department and believes that expanding the Public Works Maintenance Worker class series to include the entry-level classification of Public Works Maintenance Assistant will provide employment opportunities for less-experienced applicants in the field of public works and maintenance to learn valuable onPage 57 of 73 the-job skills and be provided with future advancement opportunities within the class series.
Staff is recommending that the Public Works Maintenance Worker salary maintain the current assigned range and align the salary range for the Public Works Maintenance Worker Assistant to provide a minimum 10% differential for advancement to the journey-level classification.
Staff shared the new classification, class series, and salary proposal with the AFSCME Union, Local 1, and the Union agreed to the new classification within the classification series, and the salary placement of the new classification.
In accordance with Personnel Rule 12.1 Salary Plan, the City Council will need to approve the salary ranges.
Personnel Rule 12.1 Salary Plan: Salary ranges are set for each class by the City Council.
No person may be paid less than the minimum, nor more than the maximum of the salary range established for the class in which employed. No change in the salary range of a class may be made without City Council approval.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact as a result of the City Council adopting this Resolution.
ATTACHMENTS
A. ATTACHMENT A Side Letter of Agreement - AFSCME Local 1 Unit Composition 12312024
B. ATTACHMENT B RESO - PWMW Assistant - Local 1 12312024
ATTACHMENT A
Side Letter of Agreement
Between the City of Pinole and AFSCME Public Employees Union, Local One This will confirm that the representatives of the City of Pinole (“City”) and the AFSCME Public Employees Union, Local One (“PEU”) have met and conferred and have agreed to the following modifications of their memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) covering the term July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025, as follows:
The parties agree to modify the following paragraph under Article II, Section 2.1, Unit Composition and Attachment A:
ARTICLE II. RECOGNITION
2.1 Unit Composition.
The City hereby recognizes the Union as the majority representative of the following job classifications:
Accounting Technician
Administrative Assistant
Cable Access Technician
Community Services Officer
Cook
Food Services Specialist
Laboratory Technician I
Laboratory Technician II
Permit Technician I
Permit Technician II
Permit Technician III
Police Property Specialist
Police Records Specialist
Public Works Maintenance Worker Assistant
Public Works Maintenance Worker
Public Works Senior Maintenance Worker
Wastewater Treatment Plant Senior Operator
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator
Wastewater Treatment Plant Senior Maintenance Mechanic
Wastewater Treatment Plant Maintenance Mechanic
Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator in Training
ATTACHMENT A – MASTER SALARY SCHEDULE
City of Pinole Salary Ranking
Class Series Proposed Salary Range
A B C D E
PW Maintenance Worker Assistant 27.2983 28.6632 30.0964 31.6012 33.1812
ATTACHMENT A
Side Letter of Agreement
Between the City of Pinole and AFSCME Public Employees Union, Local One There shall be no change to any other portion of Article II or Attachment A or to any section(s) of the existing agreement other than those identified in this and any preceding Side Letter of Agreements.
Dated: February 4, 2025
AFSCME PUBLIC EMPLOYEES UNION CITY OF PINOLE
By: By:
Lisa Davis Kelcey Young
PEU Representative City Manager
By: By:
Ana Aviles Avila Stacy Shell
PEU Representative Human Resources Director
ATTACHMENT B
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PINOLE, COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA,
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, APPROVING SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT TO THE
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) BETWEEN THE CITY OF PINOLE AND THE REPRESENTED GROUP AFSCME LOCAL 1 TO AMEND ARTICLE II –
RECOGNITION AND ATTACHMENT A, OF THEIR RESPECTIVE MOU AGREEMENT WHEREAS, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Public Employees Union Local 1 represent the maintenance/clerical employees of the City; and
WHEREAS, the City conducted a classification and compensation system analysis and recommended changes to the system which affects represented classifications within the AFSCME Local 1 Union; and
WHEREAS, AFSCME Local 1 supports the City’s recommended changes; and WHEREAS, AFSCME Local 1 and the City will execute a side letter amending Section II – Recognition and Attachment A of the MOU to reflect the classification and compensation system changes; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Pinole does hereby approve the side letter agreement to make changes to the classification and compensation system and authorizes the City Manager to execute the side letter agreement with the represented employee group, attached hereto as Exhibit A, and incorporated herein by this reference.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 4
th day of February 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was introduced, passed and adopted on this 4 th day of February 2025.
Heather Bell, CMC
City Clerk
CITY COUNCIL
REPORT 9.D.
DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2025
TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: ERIC CASHER, CITY ATTORNEY
MARKISHA GUILLORY, FINANCE DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION DESIGNATING HINDERLITER DE LLAMAS & ASSOCIATES
AS CONSULTANT AUTHORIZED TO EXAMINE TRANSACTION AND USE
TAX RECORDS
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution designating Hinderliter de Llamas & Associates as the consultant authorized to examine transaction and use tax records.
BACKGROUND
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
At the November 5, 2024 general election, 67.81% of voters in the City of Pinole approved a new ½ cent transaction and use tax (commonly referred to as a sales tax) via Measure I. This tax is levied on the purchase of goods and some services and is charged as a percentage of the cost of a purchase.
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (“CDTFA”) is the government agency tasked with implementing the tax, collecting the funds, and apportioning them to the local agency. In order to begin implementation, CDTFA has requested a number of documents which designate City contact persons, demonstrate the City’s authorization of CDTFA to collect the sales tax, and to provide confidential records for review by the City.
At the December 17, 2024 meeting of the City Council, the Council approved two resolutions pertaining to the implementation of Measure I by CDTFA. The City now needs to formally designate Hinderliter de Llamas & Associates (HdL) as the consultant authorized to examine transaction and use tax records for the City.
The proposed resolution designates HdL as the consultant authorized to examine sales or transaction and use tax records collected by CDTFA on behalf of the City for the purpose of ensuring all sales and use taxes owed to the City are collected.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of this resolution.
ATTACHMENTS
A. SR + Resolution CDTFA HDL
STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Eric Casher, City Attorney
Markisha Guillory, Finance Director
DATE: February 4, 2025
RE: Resolution Designating Hinderliter de Llamas & Associates as Consultant Authorized to Examine Transaction and Use Tax Records
RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the City Council:
• Adopt a resolution designating Hinderliter de Llamas & Associates as the consultant authorized to examine transaction and use tax records.
BACKGROUND/ ANALYSIS:
At the November 5, 2024 general election, 67.81% of voters in the City of Pinole approved a new ½ cent transaction and use tax (commonly referred to as a sales tax) via Measure I. This tax is levied on the purchase of goods and some services and is charged as a percentage of the cost of a purchase.
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (“CDTFA”) is the government agency tasked with implementing the tax, collecting the funds, and apportioning them to the local agency. In order to begin implementation, CDTFA has requested a number of documents which designate City contact persons, demonstrate the City’s authorization of CDTFA to collect the sales tax, and to provide confidential records for review by the City.
At the December 17, 2024 meeting of the City Council, the Council approved two resolutions pertaining to the implementation of Measure I by CDTFA. The City now needs to formally designate Hinderliter de Llamas & Associates (HdL) as the consultant authorized to examine transaction and use tax records for the City.
The proposed resolution designates HdL as the consultant authorized to examine sales or transaction and use tax records collected by CDTFA on behalf of the City for the purpose of ensuring all sales and use taxes owed to the City are collected.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of this resolution.
ATTACHMENTS:
(a) Resolution No. 25-XX Authorizing the Examination of Transaction and Use Tax Records
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PINOLE DESIGNATING HINDERLITER DE LLAMAS & ASSOC. AS THE CONSULTANT AUTHORIZED TO
EXAMINE SALES OR TRANSATION AND USE TAX RECORDS
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ordinance No. 2024-11, the City of Pinole (City) entered into a contract with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (Department) to perform all functions incident to the administration and collected of sales and use taxes; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Pinole deems it desirable and necessary for authorized officers and employees of the City to examine confidential sales or transaction and use tax records of the Department pertaining to sales or transaction and use taxes collected by the Department for the City pursuant to that contract; and
WHEREAS, Section 7056 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code sets forth certain requirements and conditions for the disclosure of Department records, and Section 7056.5 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code establishes criminal penalties for the unlawful disclosure of information contained in, or derived from, the sales or transactions and use tax records of the Department.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PINOLE HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. That the Finance Director or other officer or employee of the City designated in writing by the Finance Director to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration is hereby appointed to represent the City with authority to examine sales or transaction and use tax records of the Department pertaining to sales or transaction and use taxes collected for the City by the Department pursuant to the contract between the City and the Department.
Section 2. The Finance Director or other officer or employee of the City designated in writing by the Finance Director to the CDTFA is hereby appointed to represent the City with authority to examine those sales or transactions and use tax records of the City for purposes related to the following governmental functions of the City:
a) functions related to sales, transaction, and/or use tax collection or administration; and b) functions related to budgeting and forecasting of revenue; and c) functions related to the detection of misallocations and deficiencies The information obtained by examination of CDTFA records shall be used only for those governmental functions of the City listed above.
Section 3. That Hinderliter de Llamas & Associates is hereby designated to examine the sales or transaction and use tax records of the Department pertaining to sales and use taxes or transaction and use taxes collected for the City by Department. The person or entity designated by this section meets all of the
following conditions, which are also included in the contract between the City and Hinderliter da Lllamas & Associates:
a) has an existing contract with the City to examine those sales or transaction and use tax records; b) is required by that contract to disclose information contained in, or derived from, those sales or transaction and use tax records only to the officer or employee authorized under Section 1 of this resolution to examine the information;
c) is prohibited by that contract from performing consulting services for a retailer during the term of that contract;
d) is prohibited by that contract from retaining the information contained in, or derived from those sales or transactions and use tax records, after that contract has expired.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the information obtained by examination of Department records shall be used only for purposes related to the collection of City sales or transactions and use taxes by the Department pursuant to the contract between the City and the Department and for those purposes relating to the governmental functions of the City listed in section 2 of this resolution.
Section 4. This resolution shall supersede all prior resolutions of the City Council of the City of Pinole adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) of the Revenue and Taxation Code section 7056.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 4th day of February 2025, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was introduced, passed and adopted on this 4th day of February 2025.
___________________________
Heather Bell, CMC
City Clerk
CITY COUNCIL
REPORT 9.E.
DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2025
TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: HEATHER BELL, CITY CLERK
SUBJECT: APPROVE THE 2025 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT LIST
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the 2025 Council Committee Assignment List.
BACKGROUND
At the December 17, 2024 City Council meeting, Council reviewed and amended a draft 2025 Council Committee Assignment List created by staff based on the standard mayoral succession and 2024 assignments.
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
Attached is the 2025 Council Committee Assignment List that reflects Council’s direction from the December 17, 2024 meeting.
All appointments on this list are subject to Council discretion, including appointments to ad-hoc committees that are approved during the year. Staff will disseminate the 2025 list to the Council and to the respective boards and outside agencies. Council assignments are also uploaded on the City Council webpage.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this action.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Resolution
B. 2025 Council Assignments
RESOLUTION 2025 - XX
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF PINOLE, CALIFORNIA,
APPROVING THE 2025 PINOLE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT LIST WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Pinole has established various Ad-Hoc Committees designed to aid the City Council in the conduct of the public’s business; and WHEREAS, in addition, the City of Pinole has representation on various county, local, regional Boards and Committees as a means of furthering the City’s interests; and
WHEREAS, representation on various regional board and committees require attendance by the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem; and
WHEREAS, designated City Council representatives appointed to the various boards, commissions and committees serve for one-year terms expiring in December of each year (except as otherwise noted in Exhibit A) following the reorganization of the new City Council; and
WHEREAS, on December 17, 2024, the City Council reviewed and recommended changes to the Committee Appointment list and directed staff to bring the item back on February 4, 2025 for approval.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Pinole does hereby approve the 2025 Council Committee Appointment List, hereunto attached as Exhibit A.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 4
th day of February 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was introduced, passed and adopted on this 4
th day of February 2025.
____________________________
Heather Bell, CMC
City Clerk
1 2025 COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS
JOINT POWERS AUTHORITIES AND OTHER INTERAGENCY REGULATORY BODIES OF
WHICH THE CITY IS A MEMBER
1. ASSOCIATION OF BAY AREA (ABAG)
Meetings: General Assembly Conference, Friday June 20, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
General Assembly Business Meeting, Friday, June 20, 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Bay Area Metro Center, 375 Beale Street, San Francisco, or as announced.
Contact: Fred Castro, Clerk of the Board, Ph: (415) 820-7913, Email:
[email protected]
Delegate: Murphy Alternate: Martinez-Rubin
2. GREEN EMPOWERMENT ZONE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Meetings: 3rd Friday, Every Other Month at 9:30 a.m.
Location: 30 Muir Rd. ZA Room, Martinez
Contact: Alyson Greenlee, Economic Development Director, Ph: (925) 655-2783, Email: [email protected]
Governing Board of the Green Empowerment
Zone.https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/9963/Governing-Board-of-theGreen-Empowerment Delegate: Murphy Alternate: Toms
Created: October 15, 2024
3. MCE CLEAN ENERGY
Meetings: 3
rd Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Rotational locations
Contact: Jesica Brooks, Lead Clerk/Executive Assistant, Ph: (888) 632-3674 Email: [email protected]
Delegate: Murphy Alternate: Toms
4. PINOLE / HERCULES WASTEWATER SUBCOMMITTEE
Meetings: Quarterly meetings - 1
st Thursday at 8:30 a.m.
Contact: Pinole Public Works Director, Ph: (510) 954-3495 Location: Location alternates between cities
Delegates: Tave/Murphy Alternate: Martinez-Rubin
2 5. WEST CONTRA COSTA INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (WCCIWMA, “RECYCLEMORE”)
Meetings: Meets monthly – 2nd Thursday at 6:15 p.m., no meetings in August.
Location: Hercules City Council Chambers, 111 Civic Drive, Hercules Contact: Steve Duran, Interim Executive Director, Ph: (510) 609-1217, Email:
[email protected]
Board Secretary, Email: [email protected]
Delegate: Tave Alternate: Murphy
6. WEST CONTRA COSTA TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION (WCCTC)
Meetings: Meets monthly - Last Friday of every month from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., November & December Dates TBD
Location: El Cerrito City Hall
Contact: John Nemeth, Executive Director, Ph: (510) 210-5933, Email:
[email protected]
Mia Carrasco, Administrative Assistant., Ph: (510) 210-5931, Email:
[email protected]
Delegate: Sasai Alternate: Tave
7. WESTERN CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT AUTHORITY (“WCCTA / WESTCAT”) Meetings: 2nd Thursday monthly at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Pinole Council Chambers, 2131 Pear Street
Contact: Mica McFadden, Ph: (510) 724-3331 x 113, Email: [email protected] Delegate: Sasai/Martinez-Rubin Alternate: Murphy
VOLUNTARY INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION BODIES OF WHICH THE CITY IS A MEMBER
8. BAYFRONT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Meetings: Bi-Monthly, 2nd Tuesday of every month at 8:00 a.m.
Location: Remote
Contact: Sylvia Villa-Serrano, Ph: (510)741-7945, Email:
[email protected]
Delegate: Toms
9. CONTRA COSTA MAYORS CONFERENCE
Meetings: First Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Rotational locations
Contact: Gary Pokorny, Ph. (510) 508-0052, Email: [email protected] Delegate: (Mayor) Sasai (Mayor Pro Tem) Tave
10. EAST BAY DIVISION, LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES
Meetings: February 27, 2025, April 17, 2025, September 25, 2025, December 11, 2025.
Location: Rotational locations
Contact: Sam Caygill, East Bay Regional Public Mgr., Ph: (510) 473-5418, Email:
[email protected]
Delegate: (Mayor) Sasai (Mayor Pro Tem) Tave
3 11. PARTICIPANTS IN FORMATION PROCESS OF EAST BAY WILDFIRE PREVENTION
AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY
(limited duration / specific focus)
Meetings: TBD
Attendees: Toms/Tave
12. WEST COUNTY MAYORS AND SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION
Meetings: 4th Thursday, Quarterly in January, April, July, and October at 8:30 a.m.
Location: 6
th Month Rotation: San Pablo, El Cerrito, Pinole, Hercules, Richmond Contact: January-June 2025 Hercules, Eibleis Melendez, Ph: 510-799-8208 Email:
[email protected]
July-Dec. 2025 Richmond, Pamela Christian, Ph: 510-620-6513, Email:
[email protected]
Delegate: (Mayor) Sasai (Mayor Pro Tem) Tave
SUBCOMMITTEES OF THE PINOLE CITY COUNCIL
13. FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE
Meetings: Meet Quarterly/As Needed
Delegates: Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem & City Treasurer
Contact: City Manager, Finance Director, & City Clerk
Created: (Res. 2005-15)
14. COMMITTEE ON MEMORIALS
(limited duration / specific focus)
Meetings: TBD
Attendees: Sasai/Murphy
Created: November 1, 2016
15. PLANNING COMMISSION INTERVIEW AD-HOC SUBCOMMITTEE
(limited duration / specific focus)
Attendees: Toms/Martinez-Rubin
16. TAPS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMISSION INTERVIEW AD-HOC
SUBCOMMITTEE
(limited duration / specific focus)
Attendees: Tave/Martinez-Rubin
17. AD HOC DOWNTOWN PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS SUBCOMMITTEE Meetings: TBD
Attendees: Toms/Martinez-Rubin
Created: November 19, 2024
CITY COUNCIL
REPORT 12.A.
DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2025
TO: MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: HEATHER BELL, CITY CLERK
SUBJECT: INCREASE CITY COUNCIL TRAINING AND TRAVEL BUDGET BY $38,750
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council consider the request to increase City Council training and travel budget.
BACKGROUND
At the January 21, 2025 City Council meeting, a request was approved by the City Council to bring back a future agenda item to consider increasing the City Council training and travel budget.
REVIEW AND ANALYSIS
The City Council budget includes an allocation of $4,250 for each City Council member to attend training and conferences in a Fiscal Year. The Mayor receives an additional $600 allotment to allow for travel expenses to regional meetings and events.
The City Council has requested an agenda item to consider increasing the amount allocated to each individual Council member to allow for attendance at the National League of Cities (NLC) and Civic Well conferences. The amount requested is up to $12,000 per City Council member per Fiscal Year. This would increase the individual allocation of each Council member by $7,750.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact would be an increase of $38,750 to the City Council budget and would require an appropriation from the General Fund unassigned fund balance.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Resolution
RESOLUTION 2025 - XX
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF PINOLE, CALIFORNIA,
INCREASING THE CITY COUNCIL TRAINING AND TRAVEL BUDGET BY $38,750 WHEREAS, the City of Pinole has allocated $25,380 in the fiscal year 2024/2025 budget for the City Council’s travel and training; and
WHEREAS, at the regular City Council Meeting on January 21, 2025, Mayor Sasai requested a future agenda item to approve an increase to the City Council’s travel and training budget; and
WHEREAS, the future agenda item was approved to come forward at the regular February 4, 2025 meeting by a 3-2 vote; and
WHEREAS, the fiscal impact of increasing the travel and training allocation by the requested amount of up to $12,000 for each Council Member is $38,750; and Whereas, the additional funding needed to increase the FY 2024/25 City Council budget will require an appropriation from the General Fund unassigned fund balance.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council authorizes the Finance Director to appropriate funding from General Fund unassigned fund balance to the FY 2024/25 City Council budget in the amount of $38,750.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 4
th day of February 2025, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was introduced, passed and adopted on this 4
th day of February 2025.
____________________________
Heather Bell, CMC
City Clerk