__________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY COUNCIL February 8, 2025 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES PAGE 1
MINUTE BOOK NO. 69
MAYOR ELMER MARTÍNEZ SABALLOS APPROVED MINUTES
VICE MAYOR KAIA EAKIN
COUNCIL MEMBER ISABELLA CHU CAÑADA COLLEGE COUNCIL MEMBER JEFF GEE 4200 FARM HILL BLVD.
COUNCIL MEMBER DIANE HOWARD BUILDING 1, ROOM 214 COUNCIL MEMBER MARCELLA PADILLA REDWOOD CITY, CA 94061
COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS STURKEN
CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING
Saturday, February 8, 2025 9:00 AM
1. CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Martínez Saballos called the meeting to order at 9:07 a.m.
2. ROLL CALL - Council Members Chu, Gee, Howard, Sturken, Vice Mayor Eakin and Mayor Martínez Saballos. Council Member Padilla joined the meeting at 9:11 a.m.
Staff present: City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz, City Attorney Veronica Ramirez, Assistant City Managers Michelle Poché Flaherty and Patrick Heisinger, Deputy City Manager Jennifer Yamaguma, and City Clerk Yessika Castro.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Council Member Gee led the Pledge of Allegiance.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
The following members of the public provided comments:
• Kent Manske
• Bill Newell
• Nicole Noga
• Michael A. Cruz
• Jessice Shade
• Janna Sampson
• Eric Benson
• Andrew Ramroth
• Karvin Dassanayake
• Denise Kahwajy
• Lara Collier
• Shishir Bhat
__________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY COUNCIL February 8, 2025 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES PAGE 2
MINUTE BOOK NO. 69
5. STRATEGIC PLANNING AND CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Mayor Martínez Saballos gave welcome remarks and turned it over to c onsultant Ashwini Kantak from Municipal Resource Group (MRG) to facilitate the meeting. Ashwini gave an overview of the meeting agenda and led an icebreaker activity.
5.A. Receive Update from City Manager and Discuss City Council Norms and Priorities
City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz gave an update on anticipated Council and staff priority areas for the year.
The City Council took a short break.
Facilitator Ashwini Kantak led a discussion on Council norms and asked the Council to share what it means to be a representative of the City of Redwood City.
Facilitator Ashwini Kantak led a discussion on Council priorities, and the Council identified each of their top two priorities. City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz will follow up in the coming weeks with an analysis.
6. PLANNING FOR MARCH 24, 2025 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
Mayor Martínez Saballos gave an overview of the format for the March 24, 2025 State of the City address. Council Members chose their topics in preparation for the event.
7. ADJOURNMENT – Mayor Martínez Saballos adjourned the meeting at 12:44 p.m.
Respectfully submitted.
Yessika Castro, City Clerk, CMC, CPMC
Approved at the City Council meeting on February 24, 2025.