_____________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY COUNCIL April 2, 2026 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES PAGE 1 MINUTE BOOK NO. 70
MAYOR ELMER MARTÍNEZ SABALLOS APPROVED MINUTES
VICE MAYOR KAIA EAKIN
COUNCIL MEMBER ISABELLA CHU 1017 MIDDLEFIELD ROAD
COUNCIL MEMBER JEFF GEE REDWOOD CITY, CA
COUNCIL MEMBER DIANE HOWARD
COUNCIL MEMBER MARCELLA PADILLA
COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS STURKEN
JOINT CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING
Thursday, April 2, 2026 6:00 PM
1. CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Martínez Saballos called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL - Council Members Chu, Gee, Howard, Sturken, Vice Mayor Eakin and Mayor Martínez Saballos. Council Member Padilla was absent.
Staff Present: City Manager Patrick Heisinger, City Clerk Yessika Castro and City Attorney Veronica Ramirez.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Vice Mayor Eakin led the Pledge of Allegiance.
4. NOTIFICATION OF MEETING PARTICIPATION BY TELECONFERENCE DUE TO JUST CAUSE PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE § 54953.8.3
None.
5. PRESENTATIONS/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
5.A. Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula Youth of the Year recognition Boys & Girls Club Leadership Programs Director Sandra Landa -Sanchez gave remarks.
Certificates of Recognition were presented to Youth of the Year honorees C’Nia Brown, Jesus Chavez, Maite Chavez, Samantha Veronica Vasquez, and Chris Velasco.
5.B. Proclamation recognizing American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month Members of the Diyanet Ertugrul Gazi Masjid – Silicon Valley Islamic Community Mosque and of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) accepted the proclamation.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR, MATTERS OF COUNCIL INTEREST AND
ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
The following members of the public provided comments:
• Matthew Aralis
• Tom Eymer
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• Alison Bo
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion and second, Howard and Gee, to approve all items on the Consent Calendar, passed 6-0-1 with Council Member Padilla absent.
7.A. Approve March 9, March 14 and March 23, 2026 City Council Minutes (301)
7.B. Approve claims and checks from April 2, 2026 to April 13, 2026 and the usual and necessary payments through April 13, 2026 (303)
8. ITEMS RECOMMENDED FROM COUNCIL SUB-COMMITTEES
8.A. Recommendation from the City Council Ad Hoc Committee on Special Events to adopt resolutions: 1) reaffirming the City’s commitment to civil liberties, social justice, and a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for all; and 2) affirming the City’s authority to regulate and control the use of City property and facilities (205) Reso 16394 (205) Reso 16395
Assistant City Manager Michelle Poché Flaherty and members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Special Events gave a presentation.
The following members of the public provided comments:
• Bill Newell
• Veronica Escámez
• Sara Matlin
• Mirna Cervantes, Multicultural Institute
• Jay Laefer
Recommendation:
The City Council Ad Hoc Committee on Special Events (Committee) recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a resolution reaffirming the City's commitment to civil liberties, social justice, and a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for all (Attachment A); and
2. Adopt a resolution affirming the City's authority to regulate and control the use of City property and facilities. (Attachment B)
CEQA:
This is not a project under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY COUNCIL April 2, 2026 SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES PAGE 3 MINUTE BOOK NO. 70
Motion and second, Sturken and Chu, to:
1. Adopt a resolution reaffirming the City's commitment to civil liberties, social justice, and a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for all (Attachment A); and
2. Adopt a resolution affirming the City's authority to regulate and control the use of City property and facilities. (Attachment B).
The motion passed 6-0-1 with Council Member Padilla absent.
9. MATTERS OF COUNCIL INTEREST
9.A. City Council Member Report of Meetings and Conferences Attended A. City Council Report of Meetings and Conferences Attendance Council Member Sturken report on the March 26 RethinkWaste Board of Directors Meeting and announced its Earth Day event on April 26.
Vice Mayor Eakin reminded the community about crosswalk laws.
9.B. City Council Committee Reports
A. Climate Action Sub-Committee
Council Member Sturken gave an update.
B. Governance Sub-Committee
Council Member Gee gave an update.
C. Sub-Committee on Homelessness
Council Member Chu gave an update.
D. Utilities Sub-Committee
Vice Mayor Eakin gave an update.
E. RCSD/SUHSD/RWC 2x2x2
Council Member Howard gave an update.
F. Ad Hoc Committee on Special Events
Mayor Martínez Saballos gave an update.
G. Ad Hoc Committee on 84/101
Mayor Martínez Saballos gave an update.
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9.C. City Manager (Oral) Update
City Manager Patrick Heisinger announced the County is hosting a press conference on the Vehicle License Fee (VLF) shortfall on Tuesday, April 7 10:00 a.m. at the Downtown Fire Station.
10. CLOSED SESSION
10.A. Closed session regarding initiation of litigation pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4)
There was no public comment.
At 7:25 p.m., the City Council convened Closed Session to discuss the following:
SUBJECT: CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Closed session regarding initiation of litigation pursuant to California Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(4): 6 cases
City Attorney Veronica Ramirez reported the following action: The City Council voted 6-0, with Council Member Padilla absent, to authorize initiation of two legal actions .
Defendants and other specifics will be disclosed upon request after the actions have been formally commenced.
11. ADJOURNMENT – Mayor Martínez Saballos adjourned the meeting at 9:14 p.m.
Respectfully submitted.
Yessika Castro, City Clerk, CMC, CPMC
Approved at the April 13, 2026 City Council meeting