Pinole City Council
November 18, 2025

CITY COUNCIL MEETING

MINUTES
November 18, 2025

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 Pro Tem Tave called the Regular Meeting of the City Council to order at 5:00 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

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.

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
*Participating remotely under the provisions of the Brown Act B. STAFF PRESENT
Kelcey Young, City Manager
Heather Bell-Spears, City Clerk
Eric Casher, City Attorney
Fiona Epps, Communications Director
Andrea Dwyer, Community Services Director
Lilly Whalen, Community Development Director
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

City Clerk Heather Bell-Spears announced the agenda had been posted on November 14, 2025 at 12:40 p.m. with all legally required written notices. Written comments had been received in advance of the meeting, distributed to the City Council and staff, posted to the City website and made available to the public to view in 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
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 LABOR NEGOTIATORS
Gov. Code § 54957.6
Agency designated representatives: City Manager Kelcey Young, Human Resources Director Stacy Shell, Finance Director Markisha Guillory and Gregory Ramirez, IEDA
Employee organizations: The Pinole Police Employees Association (PPEA) B. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE APPOINTMENT
Gov. Code § 54957
Title: Interim City Manager

PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Stacy McPhonson expressed frustration that Pinole Police Department (PPD) employees were constantly the lowest paid and the PPD had experienced difficulty retaining and recruiting officers due to inadequate compensation. When the City Council freed up 25 percent of its reserves related to unfunded liabilities for retirement, the PPD was unable to retain officers and had a high turnover rate while the City's unfunded liability continued to increase. PPD employees were retiring at a higher rate and if the City did not invest in existing employees the unfunded liability would only continue to increase. She understood 25 percent of the total operating budget was to go towards the unfunded liability, which expense was not due for about 20-years. The City was not paying all employees a competitive wage and not funding infrastructure, parks or making pavement repairs. PPD officers had been working 12-hours a day for two weeks straight or more, which was a liability for the City due to fatigue and other factors. Statistics showed that since 2016, the City of Pinole had lost a significant number of employes and over half just quit.

Presently, PPD officers on the job had five years or less experience. Her husband served in the PPD 20 years ago and two decades later the same problems persisted without being addressed She urged the City Council to finally address this issue.

Alphonso Black, Sergeant at Arms, Pinole Police Employees Association (PPEA), spoke to the importance of police in the community, with safety not merely a service but a foundation upon which every other City priority was built. He reported the men and women of the PPD stood between order and chaos, often when residents were facing the worst day of their lives. He emphasized that policing was more than an emergency response in that officers were mentors, problem solvers, protectors and intervened in domestic crises, helped troubled youth find a better path, checked on seniors who lived alone and helped build relationships that prevented conflict before it became a call for service.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Mr. Black added that PPD officers were the steady calm presence residents relied on and trusted when calling 9-1-1. Police Officers knew the streets, families, challenges and hopes and when the City empowered the PPD with staffing, training and strong support, officers helped shape a city that was safe for the community and full of opportunity. He referenced the City's April 2022 community survey that had delivered a clear and unambiguous message, that out of 11 potential initiatives, 98 percent of responders identified public safety as the highest priority. If public safety was the community's foremost priority and the City's own data confirmed that it was, assuring the recruitment and retention of qualified officers must be treated as an essential priority of City government. The City Council's choices to increase wages determined whether there were a sufficient number of officers to respond quickly and retain experienced professionals that knew the City. Experienced officers in uniform could improve the staffing numbers and improve the quality of life for residents, reduce overtime costs, improve morale and ensure residents would continue to trust that officers would respond when they were needed the most. Investing in the police was not simply an expense but an investment in stability, dignity and peace of mind and a statement that every resident deserved safety as a basic expectation and not a privilege. He asked the City Council to shape the future of the City and support the PPD.

Amy Eubanks, President, PPEA, explained that officers and dispatchers continued to work under wages that were not competitive and did not keep pace with inflation, which was hurting the City financially and operationally through turnover and long-term costs. The City's Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP) published in 2022 and which ran from Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 through 2026- 27, made several things clear. Since early 2021, inflation rose from three to eight percent and during that period, PPD officers received no meaningful market adjustments. Staffing had shown the results through the loss of experienced officers, high training costs, lower retention and ultimately reduced services to the community.

Ms. Eubanks referred to dispatch services and stated the City of Pinole paid only 30 percent of the cost of the Tri-City Dispatch Center, with the cities of Hercules and San Pablo covering the remaining 70 percent. Dispatch salaries were even a smaller burden on the City's General Fund, yet the City still did not offer competitive wages. Pinole continued to lose trained dispatchers to neighboring agencies since the pay did not keep pace with the market while the City's reserves grew from $8.5 million in 2021 to a projected $11 million in 2026/27. In 2021, the City's reserves were at 58 percent, far above the policy level and the City Council recently lowered the reserve requirement from 50 to 35 percent. The LTFP also identified the City of Pinole as a low-risk city, which generally needed only about 17 percent in reserves, and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) did not recommend the high reserve levels the City maintained Ms. Eubanks noted the City Council intentionally lowered the required reserves, and she asked why the PPEA was being told that competitive wages could not be offered. Also, in terms of the City's pension and Other Post-Employment Benefit (OPEB) liabilities, the City repeatedly incurred those liabilities, which cost involved employees who retired years ago, not today's PPD officers.

She suggested there was a responsible solution. As the City created a 115 Trust for pension obligations, the City could create an OPEB Trust, and the reserves above the recommended levels could strategically be used to pay down the liabilities and remove them as a barrier to competitive compensation. She emphasized the cost of the turnover was real, there was lost experience, months of overtime to cover vacancies, training expenses for new hires and increased pension liability when officers did not stay long enough to balance the system.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Ms. Eubanks stated that retention was a financial issue, and the only proven way to fix retention was to offer competitive wages, not Cost-of-Living-Adjustments (COLAs) or delayed increases, but actual market competitive compensation. The City now had Measure | revenue, strong reserves, a low risk financial profile, and clear tools to manage long-term liabilities. With all that in place, she asked why the City could not offer salaries to keep officers and dispatchers in Pinole.

If the City wanted to stop the cycle of vacancies, turnover and rising liabilities, it needed to invest in the people who kept the community safe. Retention saved money, competitive wages retained employees and financially the City had the means and could not afford not to provide competitive wages.

Debbie Long commented there was nothing she could say that had not already been said by those in the trenches and that was who the City needed to listen to. She stood by the comments she made during the November 4, 2025 City Council meeting. She emphasized that injury was a real risk to officers, particularly when there were only two officers on duty at one time. Crime was real, and she relayed how if only two officers were trying to apprehend a suspect, the risk of injury to the officers was real and that came with consequences as well. She asked the City Council to get the contract with the PPEA done. The PPD was overworked and underpaid and while Pinole may be a smaller City, there was crime around it and it came into the City every day.

Ms. Long added that with the City Manager now leaving, the contract would be placed in the hands of an Interim City Manager. She did not want someone who did not know what was going on to handle the contract. She wanted someone to get it done immediately. The holidays were here; crime would only increase with more calls for service and the City still only had two officers on the streets unless the City had mandated overtime. She pointed out the Council members who were not present in-person had supported the PPD in the past and should not allow their personal agendas to get in the way of public safety. This contract needed to be done tonight, and if not, before the end of the year.

Tamiko Scott, Vice President, PPEA, reported she served the City of Pinole over the past four years as a generational officer since her father had retired from the PPD. She emphasized her commitment to the City and the PPD, detailed how most officers responded to incidents that most people would never have to experience, and stated that officers were called upon daily to help with the most minor concerns and the worst moments of someone's life. She also relayed an incident in which she responded to a Council member who was not present in-person, as part of her job and duty to the City.

Ms. Scott emphasized every day that passed without a contract sent a message that officers were underappreciated, disrespected, and undervalued by the people they were entrusted to serve.

She reported a Council member had stated that the PPD staffing was adequate, but if it was adequate, she questioned why she had to work 130-hours in one single pay period; not once but on multiple occasions. If that was what adequate looked like, it needed to be reevaluated. She reiterated the PPD was one of, if not the, lowest paid agency in Contra Costa County despite the fact PPD officers shouldered numerous ancillary duties beyond daily patrol responsibilities. If the PPD was to remain the self-sustained Police Department it had worked so hard to build, it must be able to offer something meaningful towards retention. The PPD was currently a stepping stone for those seeking better pay, benefits and morale elsewhere. PPD officers continued to show up, provide the highest level of service, and protect the citizens of Pinole. Officers were asking for fairness, respect and a contract that reflected the value of the work being done every day.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Barry Duggan, a member of the PPEA, asked why the Mayor was not present in-person. The PPEA was the largest union and was still out of contract. He was concerned with the prolonged period the City's largest union had been out of contract, five months and counting, and suggested it was unreasonable for the City to allow this to continue for such an extended period of time.

Providing fair compensation was essential to retain employees and maintain adequate staffing levels, which enabled them to provide the best possible services to the citizenry. He found it curious the City now and historically had been satisfied with the PPD at minimum staffing levels, with officers and dispatchers almost at the bottom of the salary surveys for wages in and outside the County. The City Council seemed eager to invest in everything but the PPD, City infrastructure and Public Works and rather diverted funds for more staffing at City Hall with directors and assistants to directors, rather than provide fair wages for current PPD staff.

Mr. Duggan noted the City recently increased its director and assistant to director positions while the PPD had been denied a Hiring Manager essential to assisting with the PPD property records, dispatch management and helping to lessen the load of the command staff and officers so they could spend more time on the street. Without a solid foundation, the City could not truly thrive and maintain the highest standards that made it such a desirable place to live. He urged the City Council to prioritize contract negotiations with the PEA and to invest in the PPD workforce for the benefit of all residents.

Jamie Huckaby, one of the lead dispatchers for the PPD who had served the City for almost 10- years, reported during that time the communications center had been fully staffed on only two occasions and dispatchers had been lost to higher paying agencies. The communications center served three cities and Pinole dispatchers were required to maintain knowledge and readiness well beyond the limits of the City of Pinole. Despite that work load and responsibility, Pinole dispatchers remained the lowest paid in the County. The cities of Hercules and San Pablo funded more than half of their salaries and San Pablo's contract included a five percent annual raise for dispatchers. Other cities recognized the value of qualified, trained and professional emergency dispatchers and Pinole should as well. She also asked that the City consider increasing bilingual incentive pay from three to ten percent, which was the same rate the City already paid bilingual staff at City Hall, staff who do not deal with life and death situations.

Ms. Huckaby expressed concern the skills of those employees were valued less than clerical positions, which was demoralizing and unfair. Dispatchers and officers were on duty 24/7, always showed up for the City and asked the City to show up for them. She emphasized this was her one day off and rather than being with her family, she had to attend the City Council meeting to ask for consideration of a contract.

Ms. Huckaby added she also attended the November 4, 2025 City Council meeting. At that time, one of the Council members who was not present in person, smirked and rolled his eyes during the meeting, while officers were speaking, which reaction made it clear how some members of the City Council perceived and valued the PPD. She emphasized the community and everyone deserved better and if the City Council truly valued public safety, the PPEA should not be without a contract and employees should not have to attend the meeting on their day off and plead for what other officers and dispatchers received. Employees had shown their commitment to the City for years and they asked the City Council to show its commitment to them.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Council member Murphy reported for the record that he was present, had been online since 5:02 p.m. and Mayor Sasai was also present online.

Mayor Pro Tem Tave asked whether Mayor Sasai was present on Zoom.

City Clerk Bell-Spears clarified that Council member Murphy and Mayor Sasai were participating remotely and on Zoom. Given the broadcast limitations, they were both not visible on screen the entire time.

Maria Alegria referenced Item 4B, and asked as the City Council moved into Closed Session that the Council not add the PPEA contract responsibility to an employee who was not already present given serious contract issues the Council needed to deal with. She recommended the City Council bring someone on board for the next four to six months who was a good administrator, good people person and who would build confidence with City staff and the community. She asked that the City Council do its due diligence to ensure the use of a search firm that engaged with the community as the Council considered a new City Manager. She wished the City Council well getting someone on board
Bob Kopp commented that in the last few years the City had gone downhill. There was a lot of money the City should be using for the PPD, although the Council majority had voted to have a $12,000 yearly travel allowance increase and a raise for the City Council, which he found ridiculous. He asked the City Attorney to check into some of the reasons why there was always a 3-2 vote of the City Council on almost everything that came up. He suggested the money the City Council approved for the travel allowance and raise should be put back into the General Fund for the PPD. While not a lot of money, it was money that should be spent on the PPD rather than the Council majority to take a tour. He understood one Council member traveled to Washington D.C. at taxpayer expense but there had been no report out of any benefit to the City of Pinole.

He suggested it had been a paid vacation at the City's expense and suggested the City should be saving its money for law enforcement and Public Works.

Mr. Kopp also understood the City had been losing money with respect to the placement of handicap ramps which had been approved by the federal government. He suggested the City could not pay out of pocket to build new handicap ramps where existing ramps were located and originally approved. Those monies could be better spent to repair potholes and different things that needed to be addressed. He urged support for the PPD and the Public Works Department.

Cathy McFarland commented the City Council was to serve and protect the community and not systematically destroy and financially bury it and residents in debt. She asked why the City had not worked out a contract with the PPEA for months given that it was a top priority and citizens had stated time and time again it was essential to keep residents safe. . If there was a known criminal in Pinole, she wanted that person picked up and arrested by the PPD or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). No criminal should get a "get out of jail free" card because of who came to arrest them or where.

Ms. McFarland also understood the City was considering two cannabis dispensaries without much regard to the many negative effects on the community. She had shared during the November 4, 2025 City Council meeting that the top 20 dangerous cities in the State of California, including the cities of Richmond and Antioch were in Contra Costa County.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Both cities were listed in a presentation on cannabis dispensaries and Ms. McFarland suggested the State was numb with these cannabis dispensaries and the County had millions in dollars in cannabis sales. She highlighted the taxes the City received and the City Council's plans for possible future tax increases to raise revenue, although residents were already paying for existing bonds, some of which were being paid for half of one's lifetime along with a recent existing sales tax increase. She also detailed the recently approved City operating budget figures and suggested the City was slowly being strangled and financially abusing residents to the point they were losing homes and being put out into the streets. The City needed to make major cuts, sell parcels of land the City owned and work on a budget with no deficit.

Maria Figueroa, a dispatcher for the PPD, stated she began her career as the Administrative Assistant to the Police Chief and later transitioned into dispatch, a role where the stakes were life and death. She also lived in the City of Pinole; in a home she rarely saw due to the overtime and requirement of the work. Dispatchers were constantly short-staffed and the burden fell on everyone. She suggested the dispatchers were understaffed since the compensation did not reflect the responsibility or the work load. Dispatchers and PPD officers were the lowest paid in the entire County. Dispatchers were required to operate across three cities and each had its own policies and procedures, whereas the other dispatchers were responsible only for a single city, with less responsibility but paid more than Pinole dispatchers. As a bilingual dispatcher, she only received a three percent increase for that skill.

Ms. Figueora explained that before transitioning into dispatch, she had earned five percent and other City employees currently earned 10 percent, leading her to feel her skills were not valued Her ability to communicate in Spanish allowed her to assist callers immediately without having to wait for a translator given that when in an emergency every second mattered. That skill saved time, improved outcomes and in some cases saved lives The PPD operated 24/7 and she spent more time on the job than she did with her own family. She too was concerned the City Council did not value the PPD and dispatchers who wanted action, a fair contract and employees' value to be recognized. She urged the City Council to invest in the employees or continue to lose them.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Mayor Pro Tem Tave thanked the speakers for their comments. He reported the City Council would convene into Closed Session as agendized and estimated a return time of 7:00 p.m.

5. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION TO ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF CLOSED SESSION At 7:11 p.m., Mayor Pro Tem Tave reconvened the meeting into open session. There was no reportable action from the Closed Sessions.

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.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025
Rafael Menis announced that a protest had been planned on November 22, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the intersection of San Pablo and Tennent Avenues, to protest against various actions of the federal government. He also reported November 20, 2025 was Trans Day of Remembrance. He submitted a full list of names to the City Council and appreciated the publication of the list, but took the opportunity to read into the record the names of the 31 individuals who died during the period from October 2024 through September 2025. He reported that all of the individuals killed had been either trans or had another non-binary identity. He mourned their loss in their communities, the country as a whole and hoped one day there would be no names on the list.

Debbie Long expressed concern the City Council did not listen to what the public had to say, unless it was someone who supported Council members. She referenced the discussion during the November 4, 2025 City Council meeting about cannabis sales and the direction to staff to come back with more information regarding cannabis distribution within the City. Council member Toms asked the Mayor if the City Council could first have a Town Hall meeting for citizen input, but the Mayor would not amend the motion and the motion carried by a 3-2 vote. That action was in contradiction to a motion by Council member Toms, which had been offered several meetings ago, asking for staff input on limited truck weight limits on San Pablo Avenue. The Mayor would not approve the motion asking for a Town Hall meeting first on weight limits on San Pablo Avenue/downtown roads. She found that to be hypocritical on the part of the Mayor and suggested it was more important to have a Town Hall meeting on cannabis distribution centers first before the topic of truck weight limits on San Pablo Avenue. She noted a cannabis club on the dam road had already been broken into two times this year, and given that situation, impacts on the PPD should have been discussed, particularly in light of the fact the PPD was working without a contract.

Ms. Long added the clock tower had graffiti for some time, and she understood the owner was responsible for maintaining the clock. She asked that staff contact the property owner and allow a short window for cleanup. Additionally for those Council members participating remotely, she asked whether citizens had a right to know where they were at this moment since she understood that was something the public was allowed to know. She also referenced the consideration of renaming Bayfront Park, and commented that two people had been instrumental in the development of the park; Jack Meehan and Peter Murray, neither of whom had any input in the name change. She understood why the City wanted the name changed but asked that the name of the park be renamed Rooks - Bayfront Park to keep some history of the park and the members who worked 25-years to get the park developed.

REPORTS & COMMUNICATIONS
A. Mayor Report
Announcements
Mayor Sasai reported he had joined two regional committee meetings, the Contra Costa Mayors Conference and the WestCAT Board of Directors. The WestCAT Board of Directors discussed updates to the WestCAT Evolution Program and updates to routes within the region, particularly for the City of Hercules.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Fage tes - November 18, 2025
A final draft of the program would come back at a future WestCAT meeting. Mayor Sasai also joined Council members Toms and Murphy for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new business just opened on Fitzgerald Drive for Sourdough & Co.

Mayor Sasai personally thanked the PPD and Police Chief for the apprehension and arrest of a suspect related to spray painting small businesses and expressing displeasure with City officials.

He again thanked the PPD for its amazing work. He otherwise wished everyone a happy holiday and looked forward to returning to the City Council in December.

B. Mayoral & Council Appointments

1. Appointment to the Contra Costa County Library Commission City Clerk Bell-Spears presented the staff report dated November 18, 2025, and recommended the City Council reappoint George Pursley to the Contra Costa County Library Commission to a term expiring June 30, 2028.
the was unaware of any other applican or the position Suati ade contain arsene out to Mr Pursey to ensure he remained interested an saring me role. She disariac ed body itself handled its own recruitment, but if City staff was asked to do additional advertisement that could be done and had been done in the past.

Council member Murphy asked whether Mr. Pursley was present in-person, and City Clerk Bell- Spears understood Mr. Pursley planned to attend the meeting but was not present in-person or Council member Murphy asked that Mr. Pursley be invited to attend a December City Council meeting to provide an update on the Contra Costa County Library Commission.

PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Irma Ruport stated she knew Mr. Pursley personally and she approved of his nomination and appointment.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
ACTION: Motion by Council members Murphy/Toms to appoint George Pursley to the Contra Costa County Library Commission, to a term expiring June 30, 2028.

Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
City Council Committee Reports & Communications
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Council member Toms reported she attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Sourdough & Co.

She welcomed the business to Pinole. She also planned to attend upcoming meetings for Marin Clean Energy (MCE) as the Alternate while Council member Murphy was out of town, and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Executive Committee as the Alternate while the primary was out of town.

Council member Murphy reported he had no report at this time, but would provide updates at the December 2, 2025 City Council meeting.

Council member Martinez-Rubin reported the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Council Procedures had met with the City Attorney and the City Clerk to introduce the task that would include the review of a handbook for members of the City Council that had been prepared by staff. The handbook would include chapters on the overview of the City Council/City Manager form of government, City Council procedures, and distinguish the roles between the obligations, responsibilities and authorities of Council members relative to the City Manager and ethics resources.

Council member Martinez-Rubin reported she also attended the November 11, 2025 Veterans Day ceremony at Fernandez Park. The community was pleased the event returned to the City and had been included in the budget for the Community Services Department. There had been feedback that along with the celebration there should be some solemnity to the event. In the past, that solemnity had been provided by reading the names of veterans who lived in Pinole and had passed away in service. She suggested that be brought back for the next year's event and expressed the willingness to help with any research.

Council member Martinez-Rubin also reported on her attendance at the WestCAT Board of Directors meeting with presentations on WestAT Evolution, which outlined a number of activities for the public and those interested in public transit, on how it could better serve the community and region (Hercules, part of the unincorporated area and Pinole) and continue with the different lines of service, fixed lines and paratransit services and possibly other programs, while keeping in mind the agency had not returned to the same number of passengers pre-COVID-19. More information on how the public would be informed of the analyses to be prepared by a consultant would be provided in January.

Council member Martinez-Rubin also attended the Holiday Craft Fair and she provided an example of a tote bag that Sustainability Manager Kapil Amin had created to promote ustainability and to promote the City of Pinole. She thanked everyone for making the ever ossible. More information on the tote bags was available through the Planning Departmen She also wished everyone a healthy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.

D. Council Requests for Future Agenda Items:

PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Rafael Menis requested that the City Council schedule a future agenda item to add a proclamation recognizing Trans Day of Remembrance for 2026.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Council member Murphy requested a future agenda item in support of a local elected sign-on letter in support of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Zero Emission Appliance Standards, Regulation 9, Rules 4 and 6, to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides from residential and commercial furnaces and water heaters in buildings in the Bay Area. He asked the City Council to support the rules, and there were some flexibility and affordability measures that could be considered and he had language in that regard he could share with staff.

ACTION: Motion by Council member Murphy/Mayor Sasai, to support a local elected sign- on letter in support of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Zero Emission Appliance Standards, Regulation 9, Rules 4 and 6, as a future agenda item.

Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
E. City Manager Report / Department Staff
City Manager Kelcey Young thanked City staff who put forward the Veterans Day and Holiday Craft Fair events and the Public Work Department for cleaning up after the recent storm and setting up holiday decorations.

City Manager Young also reported as many were aware that she had offered her resignation as the City Manager. This was her last City Council meeting, and she was proud of the work she had done in Pinole. She thanked the City Council for the opportunity, the community and City staff, particularly the Executive Team. She was also overwhelmed by the outpour of support and kind words from the community and thanked everyone.

City Attorney Report. None
PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED (Items 7A through 7F)
Deputy City Clerk Stone reported there were no comments from the public.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED

8. RECOGNITIONS / PRESENTATIONS / COMMUNITY EVENTS
A. Proclamations
Family Court Awareness Month
The City Council read into the record a proclamation recognizing the month of November as Family Court Awareness Month with the proclamation presented to Tina Holtzclaw.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Mine tes - November 18, 2025
Mayor Sasai reported the owner of Tina's Place had reached out to him about the proclamation which prompted him to do some research. He thanked Tina Holtzclaw for her advocacy and learned family court was not just a place where decisions were made, but where stories of trauma and resilience happened, and for many family court was a defining experience for their stability and for their future.

PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Tina Holtzclaw thanked the City Council for the recognition of Family Court Awareness Month, and emphasized the need for oversight and change in the family court system. This was the first step to achieving those goals.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
B. Presentations: None
Mayor Pro Tem Tave rearranged the meeting agenda and moved on to Item 12A. New Business at this time.

12. NEW BUSINESS:

A. Republic Services Credit Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Action:

Review and approve Republic Service MOU and credit to subscribers for work stoppage and delegate authority to City Manager to finalize terms and execute MOU (Kelcey Young)
City Manager Young reported she had not prepared a presentation for Item 12A. The City Council had copies of the Republic Services Credit Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). She highlighted the July 8 through July 21, 2025 work stoppage and service disruption to residents and service subscribers, and the City of Pinole's issuance of a Notice of Default to Republic Services, as outlined in the November 18, 2025 staff report.

In response, Republic Services offered a credit to impacted subscribers, with the terms reflected in the MOU, as contained in Attachment A to the staff report.

City Manager Young asked the City Council to review and approve the Republic Services MOU and credit to subscribers for work stoppage and delegate authority to the City Manager to finalize terms and execute the MOU.

Responding to questions from the City Council, City Manager Young, City Attorney Eric Casher, and General Manager, Republic Services/Richmond Sanitary Service, Shawn Moberg clarified:
• The City Manager and Republic Services had multiple conversations and communications to discuss whether or not there could be a credit. The City Manager had asked a few times for a different negotiated credit, but Republic Services wanted it to be standardized with other cities. The City of San Pablo recently approved a similar MOU and the City of Richmond planned to approve a similar agreement on this date. (Toms) Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

• The City Managers were in agreement that a credit was due residents and while a larger credit had been sought, the Republic Services viewpoint was that there was more to it than the week of work stoppage in that there were still some services provided during that time. The MOU was what Republic Services was comfortable proposing and the MOU had been brought to the City Council to consider whether it should move forward. (Toms) • The City's new Franchise Agreement with Republic Services included a new Vehicle Impact Fee (VIF). Acknowledged a request for a credit for the two-week period when trash was not picked up in front of residents' homes and VIFs had not occurred. Acknowledged a recommendation that if a motion was made to move the MOU forward, a follow up motion be considered to allow Republic Services to waive two weeks of VIF fees on future billings as opposed to a rebate process that could be a logistical nightmare. (Toms) • Described the formula used for the Residential Credit as shown on Page 157 of 178 of the agenda packet. The information was not formulated by City staff but by Republic Services.

Republic Services had determined rather than one credit for a missed pickup it would offer two credits for a missed pick-up, with the same methodology used for all services in West County. That methodology was described in detail. Republic Services hoped the MOU would be approved to allow the City Manager to execute the MOU and Republic Services to issue credits prior to December 1, 2025. (Mayor Sasai) • Confirmed the City Manager advocated for a higher credit amount, with multiple options discussed with Republic Services. There had also been discussions to include the VIF in the MOU. If the City Council wanted to pursue that option it would have to come back at a later date. (Mayor Sasai)
• Clarified how Republic Services had determined two credits would be offered to residents, which Republic Services determined would be reasonable, fair and equitable. (Mayor • The MOU included language that provided the credit would cover the work stoppage and the impact to residents with the defined work stoppage from July 8 to July 21, 2025. The credit and the City's release of any claims related to the work stoppage would be limited to that period of time. For any future work stoppage or strike, the City would have the same ability to negotiate a resolution separately. (Martinez-Rubin and Mayor Pro Tem Tave)
• Clarified the process moving forward and Republic Services' ability to ensure consistency across the board. Again, confirmed the City of San Pablo had recently and unanimously approved the same MOU and while San Pablo had also asked for additional consideration, Republic Services wanted to stay within the confines of the MOU. Clarified the City of Richmond would consider the MOU at a meeting scheduled for December 2, 2025, and all West County cities would have the same MOU. The City of Hercules was anticipate to consider the MOU at a December meeting. Republic Services also anticipated appearing before the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors before the end of the year. (Murphy)
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

• Detailed how Republic Services handled the work stoppage. Republic Services recognized City Manager Young and the Public Works Department for their collaborative efforts during the work stoppage. In terms of the future, Republic Services stood by the services provided. (Murphy)
• Clarified the total commitment that Republic Services would make to the community, based on the Residential Credit (Page 157 of 178 of the agenda packet), the total resident base and multi-family dwellings with less than five units, with the total refund to the community estimated at $69,000. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave)

PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Irma Ruport understood Republic Services would provide $69,000 in credit to residents. She referred to the service called Neighborhood Dumpster Days that used to be provided to residents, although that had been stopped since they had not been monitored well in the neighborhoods.

She requested that Dumpster Days be included in the contract with Republic Services on a trial basis for one year to see how it goes. She noted many residents did not take advantage of the twice a year, 15-free bag pick-up and could use that service along with Dumpster Days, particularly for seniors who did not have the ability to bring in some of the larger items.

Rafael Menis referenced the Residential Credit as shown on Page 157 of 178 of the agenda packet, and explained he had calculated that for the $2.68 franchise fee multiplied by the 848 total subscribers split across the various different categories, and calculated there would be an additional refund of $15,672.64. The IRRF surcharge was more complicated since it varied by subscriber type, and he had not completed the calculation for that one. Given that Republic Services' trucks were not for the most part undertaking the activity that triggered the franchise fee and were not on the street causing the strain generating the nexus for the fees, he asked who would be responsible to repay the franchise fee. If the responsible party to provide that refund was the City of Pinole, he asked from what source that refund would be paid.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Council member Martinez-Rubin noted that many of the comments during the work stoppage were not always positive, although when she requested a bulk pickup it had been deferred with the fee waived. She found that the right thing to do and recognized those kinds of circumstances were not always public knowledge. She relayed another situation where a small garbage bin had been lost during pickup and she received a replacement the next day. She appreciated that level of service and thanked Republic Services.

ACTION: Motion by Council members Toms/Martinez-Rubin to approve the Republic Services MOU and credit to subscribers for work stoppage and delegate authority to the City Manager to finalize terms and execute the MOU.

Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 202:
age 14
Council member Toms offered a motion that the City Council direct the City Manager or designee to work with Republic Services on crediting the VIF for an additional two-week period on future Council member Martinez-Rubin understood rather than a reimbursement, there would be no charge or levy for the VIF for a period of time, although Council member Toms explained she had a conversation with Mr. Moberg about the best way to approach that idea, and he suggested that not billing for a future cycle was much cleaner than rebating a past bill.

Council member Martinez-Rubin understood cleaner meant administratively less effort required Council member Toms repeated the motion, seconded by Council member Martinez-Rubin to direct the City Manager or designee to work with Republic Services on waiving the charge equal to two-weeks' worth of VIFs for customers.

On the motion, Council member Murphy commented based on the current conversation that the goal was for residents to avoid some of the extra costs during the time of the service failure and help to restore trust and goodwill. He wanted to ensure in terms of process how this would come back. If the motion was approved, he asked the City Manager or staff to speak to next steps.

City Manager Young suggested it would make sense to come back to the City Council so that when and if the motion passed, staff would work with Republic Services to come up with exactly how much of a credit or a reduction in the VIF would look like moving forward in December or early January, and that way it could be showcased and be transparent.

Council member Murphy wanted to ensure that residents saw immediate and visible benefit. He recognized the MOU approval was the best way to do that. He wanted to ensure the City was focused on ensuring residents actually understood the benefits, whether a rebate or a credit. He understood the form of another MOU would come to the City Council at a future date City Manager Young was uncertain it would require a full MOU but some sort of way to memorialize or formalize this process would be required.

ACTION: Motion by Council members Toms/Martinez-Rubin to direct the City Manager or designee to work with Republic Services on waiving the charge equal to two-weeks' worth of Vehicle Impact Fees for customers.

Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
City Clerk Bell-Spears announced for the benefit of the public that the City Council would proceed with Item 12B, to be followed by Item 11A and thereafter the Consent Calendar.

B. Approve a Memorial Renaming Bayfront Park and Sign Installation in Honor of Ohlone. Action: Adopt Resolution per Staff Recommendation (Fiona Epps) Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 202.

Communications Director Fiona Epps provided a PowerPoint presentation on the approval of a Memorial Renaming Bayfront Park in Honor of the Ohlone, which included an overview of the request from the Pinole Valley High School (PVHS) Native American Student Union (NASU), recommending approval of a memorial renaming Bayfront Park in honor of the Ohlone; City Memorial Policy approved in 2020; background of the request from PVHS NASU to the Committee on Memorials and the renaming of Bayfront Park to Rookos Park, the traditional name for tule in the Chochenyo language. Tule was found in abundance on Pinole shores and had cultural significance and environmental importance. She also highlighted the youth efforts to rename Bayfront Park with photographs provided by the faculty lead from the PVHS NASU and the Forensic Speech & Debate Club.

The renaming of the park was intended to honor the Ohlone heritage, educate the community, uplift student led equity efforts reinforcing ongoing City and West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) Indigenous recognition.

The park signage and interpretative board was also detailed, with the existing wooden entry sign in good condition and with a new panel to be added. High density urethane was recommended for durability and aesthetics and weatherproofing the interpretative board was recommended to explain the cultural significance of tule with the designs to follow the City branding and park signage standards. If approved, staff would proceed to select a vendor that met the City's criteria for quality aesthetics and costs. The envisioned dedication activities would include the Tribal Partners vision for string making, abalone bead crafting, tule boat building and launching, and tribe elders and student advocates would speak during the unveiling of the new sign.

In terms of implementation and coordination, the vendor chosen would provide design, fabrication and installation services for the new park signage. City staff was prepared to support installation and event, and update regional mapping services (Google Maps, GIS, etc.) and implementation was anticipated with minimal disruption. It was also noted there was broad community support for the request from NASU, the Forensic Speech & Debate Club, African American Student Union (AASU), IndoPak Student Union, American Sign Language (ASL) Program, along with teachers, staff and community members.

The estimated signage costs depended on the type of materials and would range from $11,000 to $17,000, with funding to be reallocated from the Measure S 2014 Park Operations Budget.

There would be no new fiscal impact associated with the approval.

Communications Director Epps asked the City Council to adopt a resolution approving the application for naming and dedication of City Facilities to rename Bayfront Park in honor of the Ohlone and install a memorial sign. Council approval would authorize staff to rename Bayfront Park to "Rooks Park," procure signage reflecting the new park name and educational interpretation, reallocating Measure S funds from parks operations and coordinate an unveiling and dedication ceremony event in partnership with the PVHS NASU and Forensic Speech & Debate Club and Tribal Members of the Nations of Lisjan.

Communications Director Epps, Community Services Director Andrea Dwyer and Finance Director Markisha Guillory responded to questions from the City Council:

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

• Acknowledged appreciation for the work of PVHS NASU, Lead Michele Lamons-Raiford and others for their work on this request. If approved, the branding standards would be merged with the Community Services Department park signage standards. (Mayor Sasai) • Again acknowledged recognition of the work of the PVHS NASU and Ms. Lamons-Raiford for the work on the request which involved a two-year effort. Clarified Measure S 2014 Parks Operation Budget funds were allocated for park usage. The funds had not been specifically allocated to a specific project. The funds were available in a recreation budget, but allocated for other improvements that had been earmarked. The proposed appropriation of funds would be removed from those improvements/services and allocated to the replacement of the Bayfront Park sign. (Murphy)
• Staff would be looking at City signage throughout the City of Pinole in the near future, since many signs required replacement. Again, clarified the proposed use of Measure S 2014 Parks Operation Budget funds, reiterated funds had not been assigned to one specific project, but as projects arose. As an example, the holiday tree lighting was over budget given expenditure increases due to safety protocols. As a result, some of the Measure S 2014 Parks Operation Budget funds would be utilized. (Murphy) • Confirmed design guidelines for City parks had been established when the City's branding guidelines had been established. The Community Services Department would utilize this process when moving forward, and once staff proceeded with new signs, those signs would come before the City Council. Acknowledged the City's new branding and logo guidelines were to be utilized throughout the entire City for consistency and clarity.

Acknowledged a request to ensure the project aligned with the beautiful, strategic and thoughtfully adopted branding guidelines for the City. Staff emphasized the fonts and styles of the proposed signage would be in alignment with the current City branding guidelines to ensure consistency with outdoor signage in City parks. (Murphy) • Acknowledged concerns with needed repairs to the skatepark ramp. Confirmed the skatepark ramp had not been repaired, funding for repair had not been allocated, the project was not ready to be reviewed and had not been included in the current list of projects. Reiterated the dollars in the Measure S 2014 Parks Operation budget were for parks projects. Staff was currently using all resources to maintain City fields between now and February 2026, and had not yet allocated the time needed for repairs for each City park but had identified some areas that needed additional wood chips, as an example. In those instances, the cost of materials had been pulled from Measure S 2014 funds. (Martinez-Rubin)
• As to what allowed staff to bring the proposed renaming of Bayfront Park to fruition now rather than other matters on the books that could be related to safety concerns, staff clarified when a memorial application was received there was no defined timeline. In this case, the proposed renaming was a two-year effort. PVHS NASU advocated for the project and submitted an application after coordinating with the Tribal Members on their ideas for the renaming of the park. The City Manager was charged with reviewing the application and determining whether it should move forward to City departments and the Memorials Committee for recommendations on next steps, and determine whether there were other stakeholders or whether other information was needed. (Martinez-Rubin) Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

• This application came to fruition over the summer with the application submitted in June 2025. There had been consultation between staff and the Public Works and Community Services Departments, which provided input on the signage and installation. Since the installation of the signs would be by the vendor, the Public Works Department did not need to install and that cost would be covered in the cost for the vendor. PVHS NASU expressed no specific timeline they just wanted to see the application move forward at some point. Again, clarified the fiscal impact, funding source and staff desire to be as transparent as possible to inform the City Council where the funds for the project would come from. (Martinez-Rubin)
• Staff clarified in the 2023 timeline there had been City Council support for the renaming process. When that started, this request supplemented that effort and staff understood this application was to move forward to the City Council. Staff again clarified the use of MeasureS 2014 Parks Operation Budget funds and acknowledged the use of funds from another City Department had been discussed, but the proposal fit into the use of Measure 2014 Parks Operation Budget funds. (Martinez-Rubin)
• Staff had not received any offers for funding from stakeholders, PVHS NASU or others to offset the cost of the project. Tribal Members had offered to play a large role in the dedication event but there remained details to be finalized with the stakeholders with respect to costs for the event. Based on the description of the dedication event, which had been provided by the stakeholders, it was described as a smaller expense allowing the City to pay the cost. Staff added there were some special departmental expenses in the City Manager's budget that could support some of the smaller costs associated with the dedication event. (Martinez-Rubin)
• The Memorials Committee discussed the Memorial Policy approved in 2020. Staff confirmed there had been some applications for memorials, which included an offer to donate an entire structure or labor costs. As an example, there was an application request updating the Memorial Policy and adding a budget in the next fiscal year to offset costs, but it was challenging given the unknown of what could be requested. (Martinez-Rubin) • Acknowledged a request for staff to go back to the different groups involved and request the involvement of the youth, any other community members and Tribal Members, to enhance the goals to have an intergenerational one-time dedication. The intent was also to foster improved relationships in the City between the tribes and people who were not of the tribes, and foster an intercultural exchange throughout the year, with other organizations in Pinole and non-profits who would like a relationship with those groups, such as the Pinole Historical Society and Pinole Artisans. Acknowledged a request that staff facilitate those intercultural exchanges. (Martinez-Rubin) • Five memorial request applications had been received in 2025, with two to five applications received per year on average during the Communications Director's tenure with the City. If so directed, staff could return with a memorial budget and prepare that information for FY 2026/27 and submit it for review. (Mayor Pro Tem Tave) Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Irma Ruport thanked the Communications Director for all of the work and the community support for PVHS NASU to get involved, which was nice to see. She hoped there would be more involvement from students in the future. She strongly recommended the City Council support the name change, and commented on the history and heritage in Pinole. She wanted to see the City appropriately define all roles, ensure everyone was included, and invite the students to come back and offer their support. She also recommended the involvement of more youth in City government since youth were the future.

Rafael Menis supported the proposed rename change of Bayfront Park to Rookos Park, which was a good way to signal the connection to the past and build more connections with the tribes as the City had been trying to do through its Environmental Justice Element and various polices it had been working towards over the past several years. He recognized the desire to maintain a connection to the history of the site and asked whether it would be possible to have a segment, a bench, or some sort of sub-memorial recognizing Peter Murray and Jack Meehan, to acknowledge their work building up the site.

Mr. Menis added it was not necessarily reasonable to expect every applicant submitting a memorial request to the City to provide the same level of support since some applicants may have the time and/or material resources while others may not. The City could choose to have that be a factor in the Memorials Committee assessment process, but that should not be a decisive factor since the City wanted to encourage student bodies and others who may not have the resources to advocate for ways they want to see things memorialized and implemented in the community.

He recognized the efforts of the student groups at PVHS who had gone out of their way to advocate for this request, attend City Council meetings and work to make this request happen.

As a matter of public policy, the City should encourage and seek to see more such efforts Anthony Vossbrink asked on behalf of himself and others who patronized City parks whether other financial avenues had been explored for Bayfront Park, the dog park or Pinole Valley Park, such as a partial grant that could help offset the costs of the sign program/memorial. He understood there were other things the City could do to dress up the park in line with requests for hardened security, which many members of the community had requested given the onset of criminal activity. In particular, a resident lost her life on the park trial near the RV storage lot near the railroad tracks along the creek. He asked the City Council to consider adding lighting in the parking lot and improve security on the outer rim or center of the park. After 7:00 p.m., the area was dark but people continued to use the park. He suggested solar lights could be installed in the parking lot. He also asked about the City's signage standards since the dog park and other parks had outdated signage with old telephone numbers, which residents had asked for years to be updated. He suggested new lights would not impact any wildlife within the proximity of parks.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Council member Martinez-Rubin asked whether it was feasible to have the new name Rooks Park and in parenthesis Bayfront Park. She agreed with the need to honor the original inhabitants of the area, the culture and ancestry while at the same time memorializing the initial history of Bayfront Park. Having lived in multi-cultural settings, it was not one or the other, there were representatives of different groups, be they primary language or cultural.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Council member Martinez-Rubin commented that Bayfront Park was almost generic and encompassed many groups. The new name could be highlighted with possibly a larger font and in a color that stood out. She suggested design-wise both elements could be part of the sign.

Communications Director Epps suggested that could be incorporated into the interpretative board, a good place to include that information.

Mayor Sasai thanked Council member Martinez-Rubin for her comments, her suggestion and viewpoint. He explained when the application had been submitted by VHS NASU and Ms. they went a totally different direction and emphasized the name should be Rookos Park given the vegetation present in the area of the park. He loved the name Bayfront Park and wrestled with the request, but the stakeholder input was incredibly valuable and renaming Bayfront Park was the least the City could do given the history of the Ohlone and their presence in Pinole. While he would love to combine the names, he would like to honor and lean on the Ohlone experience and lived experiences to move the request forward.

Mayor Sasai liked the Communications Director's suggestion to somehow explain the history of Bayfront Park in the interpretative interactive board to educate the public of the history of the park past and present. He thanked Communications Director Epps for her thoughtful engagement with community partners about the process and what went into the recommendation. He was concerned there were no final designs to review at this time, as well as no design standards for park signage, but would like to move the item forward.

Mayor Sasai offered a motion to approve the staff recommendations to rename Bayfront Park in honor of the Ohlone and install a memorial sign. He explained that Council approval would authorize staff to: rename Bayfront Park to "Rookos Park", procure signage reflecting the new park name and educational interpretation, reallocating Measure S funds from parks operations and coordinate an unveiling and dedication ceremony event in partnership with the PVHS NASU and Forensic Speech & Debate Club, and Tribal Members of the Nations of Lisjan, contingent upon review by the Memorials Subcommittee and approval of the final signage and interpretative board in compliance with the City's signage guidelines.

Council member Murphy seconded the motion.

On the motion, Council member Martinez-Rubin appreciated the staff suggestion about including some of the name history on the interpretative board, although that had not specifically been included in the motion. She asked if that direction should be included in the motion.

Mayor Sasai as the maker of the motion and Council member Murphy as the second, accepted the amendment to the motion to include the history of the name Bayfront Park on some part of the interpretative board.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

ACTION: Motion by Mayor Sasai/Council member Murphy to adopt a resolution approving the application for naming and dedication of City Facilities to rename Bayfront Park in honor of the Ohlone and install a memorial sign. Council approval would authorize staff to rename Bayfront Park to "Rookos Park." procure signage reflecting the new park name and educational interpretation, reallocating Measure S funds from parks operations and coordinate an unveiling and dedication ceremony event in partnership with the PVHS NASU and Forensic Speech & Debate Club, and Tribal Members of the Nations of Lisjan, contingent upon review by the Memorials Subcommittee and approval of the final signage and interpretative board in compliance with the City's signage guidelines, along with the inclusion of the history of the name Bayfront Park on some part of the interpretative board.

Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
The City Council moved to consider Item 11A. Old Business at this time.

11. OLD BUSINESS:

A. Update on Implementation of the Residential Health and Safety Rental Inspection Ordinance (Pinole Municipal Code Chapter 8.30) and Adoption of Administrative Regulations. Action: Adopt Resolution per Staff Recommendation (Jared Murti, Housing Fellow, Lilly Whalen)
Community Development Director Lilly Whalen introduced Housing Fellow Jared Murti, Partnership for the Bay's Future (PBF), who provided a PowerPoint presentation and update on the Implementation of the Residential Health and Safety Rental Inspection Ordinance (Pinole Municipal Code (PMC) Chapter 8.30), which included an overview of site development and data transfer and research and community input; Council input around decarbonization in terms of tracking efficiency upgrades, connecting operators to existing resources and partnering with the Climate Action Plan (CAP) monitoring; Council input around tenant data, and engagement with municipal operators, tenant advocates and community input; highlights of the proposed administrative regulations; temporary transition schedule for 2026/27 implementation (category- based compliance regulations), next steps and implementation timeline. Administrative regulations proposed in January 2026, were also highlighted.

Responding to questions from the City Council, Community Development Director Whalen and Housing Fellow Murti clarified:
• Staff would have to review the City's Housing Element to determine whether it included a specific policy requiring this program but there were policies with respect to the inspection of the rental housing stock and it could be tied to programs in the CAP. (Toms) • As to whether fees would cover the cost of the inspector, staff had done some "back of the envelope costing and evaluation of the fees that may support full cost recovery, with the opportunity staff was working on now with a new user fee setting. (Toms) Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

• Staff would dive in first with this issue and in tandem look at a class comp study for a new position and make sure the fees from the User Fee Study supported that position. Staff hoped to bring back the fees and the position at the same time at a future date. (Toms) • The current system used by the City began only a few years ago and that system was described in detail. When a property owner needed to renew the Certificate of Occupancy (COO), the first step would be the eTrack portal to renew their business license and then apply for a new COO on a Microsoft form developed by staff. Thereafter, they would have to go to a link to pay the fees and then book the actual inspection using Microsoft Bookings. This process involved three different systems reconciled by staff when the actual inspection was performed. If corrections were needed from the inspection, the property owner would receive a hard copy inspection checklist and would have to apply for a building permit through the eTrack system and then schedule a second follow-up inspection prior to receiving the COO, which would be manually generated in the City offices using Microsoft Word. All of those functions could be performed under the new Tolemi software platform. (Murphy)
• In terms of implementation, confirmed the new Tolemi platform would follow a City trend of moving away from paper. Staff would conduct office hours to provide dedicated support in-person for those who may have varying technical literacy levels. Based on input from other municipalities, Tolemi had excellent customer service for both city staff and enrollees. Staff also had success with the Community Development Department kiosk counter, which assisted people not as familiar with online systems. Staff was confident they could continue to navigate the kiosk while implementing the new system. (Murphy) • As to the degree to which the City could be transparent with data, currently with respect to demographic data and fair housing laws, staff understood the City was in compliance.

In January when staff returned with more information on the regulation pieces and after consultation with the City Attorney, staff should have more information on the compliance requirements. (Murphy)
• Acknowledged appreciation for the staff work on the program for a more modern and transparent forceful system protecting tenants and responsible property owners. (Mayor Sasai)
• As to how staff could maximize enrollment and minimize tenant non-compliance, clarified that maximizing enrollment would be through engagement with the software platform identifying suspected rental properties and creating mailers and other ways to identify and engage with non-compliant units. The ease of use of the new platform as a one-stop- shop, was something based on input from other municipalities, key to getting people on- board. When the program officially relaunched, engagement with the Realtor® community would also be key, which piece was currently missing. Ensuring Realtors® were educated about this program was a requirement for those renting out their homes. (Martinez-Rubin) • Staff also would like to include an incentive piece, to enroll early and not miss the deadline, and while what that could look like was not currently known it could involve waiver of the first-time enrollment fee. In addition, staff was considering a self-certification option which may incentivize people to enroll in the program. (Martinez-Rubin) Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

• Acknowledged a request for the program and its resources to be a resource for renters.

Clarified staff could bring something back in January and there were some municipalities that had the same software provider staff could reference. The program could provide information on rental pricing, utility costs, code violation complaints and the like and was helpful for a renter to make informed decisions and also provide transparency. Another benefit of the revamped program would be the resources the City would put into the staffing as well, with the staff person to serve as the first person in line to go out in the event of substandard housing complaints from the community, currently handled by the City's Code Enforcement Officer. Additionally, the platform itself would eventually help the City understand more about the housing stock which could help drive additional policies in the future that would help renters and tenants. (Martinez-Rubin)

PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
Rafael Menis appreciated Council member Martinez-Rubin's questions, but as a renter himself he was unsure how accessible the platform would be to renters since it was primarily designed for the benefit of the City first and property owners secondarily. He asked how a renter would know the platform existed, whether it would be highlighted on the City website, and whether there would be a requirement to have links to the platform in any advertisements of the rental property.

He also asked how would it work with First Amendment issues, and more broadly, if people were reporting things through the platform, whether reports would be made anonymously or whether names would be attached to them. He was concerned since there was a power imbalance between renters and their landlords, often substantially, and a tenant may be unwilling to say or bring up a concern with the household for fear of retaliation, whether or not retaliation was legal.

Mr. Menis commented the reality of the power relationship itself made filing a complaint a dangerous act, especially if it could be tracked back to the individual filing the complaint. If the City wanted the platform to be a resource to benefit renters and used for complaints and the like, he asked how the City planned to mitigate the fundamental power dynamic between renter and landlord in a way that offered renters rights without disrupting the relationship between renter and landlord. He asked that the City try to address this concern when thinking about questions.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
Mayor Pro Tem Tave asked if someone was living in a substandard residence whether they would have to wait for the inspection to be done to avoid any disruption to the relationship between the renter and the landlord, which could put them at a disadvantage for a certain amount of time. He recognized some people were currently living in a landlord/renter relationship and in a building that was substandard but the rent was low, and they were balancing the living conditions with livability. He was curious how the City could prevent the landlord from passing the costs for upgrades to the renter, something he hoped would be addressed at some point.

Housing Fellow Murti explained the City had a complaint-based inspection model that was available in addition to the triannual inspection, and as complaints arose the tenant's comfort in reporting that complaint was something that was still being hashed out. As staff launched the program and when sending the enrollment reports to tenants, that would create a connection point that did not currently exist and would be a step towards providing tenants an avenue to report, and whether there could be anonymous reporting was something staff wanted to build out.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025

Community Development Director Whalen added the public comments brought up good points and something staff would be thinking about over the next couple of months. She noted that substandard housing laws required the City to inspect, in multi-family housing for instance, not just where the complaint originated but all adjacent units. There were also times when people in the same complex would send staff complaints about a different unit in an attempt to preserve anonymity for others who lived in the building.

Mayor Pro Tem Tave understood that issue was something staff would have to think about.

Council member Martinez-Rubin suggested being presented with an option for a voluntary action, and improve housing overall to inform and educate the public and normalize what was healthy and adequate housing, should start with the possibility that someone could inform a third party about substandard housing. She recognized the concern with the power dynamics, and suggested it could be done in an appropriate way if the information was made available and believed to be helpful. She understood that staff would put more thought into that subject.

Council member Murphy found the program to be incredibly important to the City. A program like this increased the focus on public health and safety, and created a fair and consistent system that supported neighborhoods. He reported this type of program had been brought to his attention by a local Realtor® who characterized the City as "leaving money on the table" and that the City should be focused more on residential health and rental inspection. He emphasized the importance of the opportunity for the City to have a goal of supporting neighborhoods and address some historical problems with the City's own compliance monitoring.

Council member Murphy commented in terms of the cost recovery model that he wanted to ensure being able to achieve full cost recovery and he had questions about the fee study. His main concern was to avoid having the program be subsidized by the General Fund in the long term.

He wanted to ensure that staff had an understanding of the scope of the fee study and that it include labor costs, licensing, platform costs, overhead and indirect costs from the City Attorney.

Council member Murphy also wanted to understand the difference in the contingency for enforcement, between code enforcement and the inspector and any idea for future staff. He wanted to note those as opportunities to dig into and suggested a practical, comprehensive and inclusive fee study would be very important. This program was important to him, residents, Realtors® and community members he had spoken to, and the program would be more important if it met the cost recovery model.

ACTION: Motion by Council members Toms/Martinez-Rubin to adopt a resolution approving the administrative regulations implementing Pinole Municipal Code Chapter

8.30 following the public hearing and direct staff to prepare a Class and Compensation Study for a full-time Residential Health and Safety Inspector, and conduct a fee study to support full cost recovery and return with recommended fee adjustments.

Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None
Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025
The City Council returned to Item 9 and the remainder of the agenda.

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 A. Approve the Minutes of the Regular City Council Meeting on November 4, 2025.

B. Receive the November 1, 2025 - November 14, 2025, List of Warrants in the Amount of $1,091,413.46 and the November 7, 2025 Payroll in the Amount of $554,858.64.

C. Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 First Quarter Financial Report. Action: Receive a Report (Markisha Guillory)
D. Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 First Quarter Investment Report. Action: Receive a Report (Markisha Guillory)
Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 1st Quarter Strategic Plan Status Report. Action:

Receive a Report (Kelcey Young)
Receive Update on Capital Projects, Inspection and Permitting and Maintenance.

Action: Receive Report (Heba El-Guindy)

PUBLIC COMMENTS OPENED
City Clerk Bell-Spears reported there were no comments from the public.

PUBLIC COMMENTS CLOSED
ACTION: Motion by Council members Toms/Martinez-Rubin to approve Consent Calendar Items A through F, as shown.

Vote: Passed 5-0
Ayes: Sasai, Tave, Martinez-Rubin, Murphy, Toms
Noes: None
Abstain: None

Absent: None

10. PUBLIC HEARINGS: 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.

Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Mie 2e5 - November 13, 2025
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
City Clerk Bell-Spears reported there were no comments from the public.

Mayor Pro Tem Tave wished his brother and sister Mark and Laura Tave a Happy Birthday on November 25, 2025, with both turning 44.

Mayor Sasai asked that the meeting adjourn in memory of Pinole resident, Joanna Pallock, who he had the honor of meeting when he served on the West Contra Costa Transportation Commission (WCCTC). Ms. Pallock served as the Project Manager for WCCT for six years, was beloved by WCCT staff, served on the Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (CBPAC), and was instrumental in the planning and development of the WCCTC Senior/Disabled Needs Assessment Study and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) Accessible Transportation Strategic Plan. He offered his condolences to the Pallock Family and requested the meeting adjourn in Joanna Pallock's memory.

14. ADJOURN to the Regular City Council Meeting of December 2, 2025 in Remembrance of Amber Swartz and Joanna Pallock.

At 9:58 p.m., Mayor Pro Tem Tave adjourned to a Regular City Council Meeting on December 2, 2025 in Remembrance of Amber Swartz and Joanna Pallock.

Submitted by:

Heather Bell-Spears CMC
City Clerk
Approved by City Council: December 2, 2025
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Pinole City Council Regular Meeting
Minutes - November 18, 2025