SAN BRUNO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
February 24, 2026
Public Comment(s)
From: Marriane Lindblom
To: City Clerk
Subject: Withdrawal from SBPA negotiations board
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026 10:28:07 AM
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Hello Lupita:
Can you please forward a printed copy of this email to each of the council members for their review prior to this weeks council meeting ( Tuesday, February 24th)
Please reach out to me via email if you have any questions.
Thank you!!
Marriane Lindblom | Police Clerk
Records Division
Phone: (650) 616-7100 |
[email protected]
San Bruno Police Department
Ensuring Peace | Providing Safety | Building Community
PRIVILEGE AND CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message, together with any attachments, is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. It may contain information that is confidential and prohibited from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination or copying of this message or any attachment is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the original sender immediately by telephone or by return e-mail and delete this message along with any attachments from your computer. Thank you.
From: Abel Calderon <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 10:09 PM
To: Peter Hoffmann < >
Cc: Oliver Reich <[email protected]>; Thomy Ledesma <[email protected]>; Christopher Anisko <[email protected]>; Marriane Lindblom <[email protected]>
Subject: Withdrawal from SBPA negotiations board
Peter,
Please accept this letter as my formal notice of withdrawal from the San Bruno Police Officers’ Association negotiations team, effective immediately.
I joined the negotiations team in good faith with the intent of contributing to a fair, competitive, and sustainable labor agreement for the officers who serve the City of San Bruno. Since negotiations began in or around June 2025, the Association has consistently raised concerns regarding compensation, recruitment, and retention—particularly given the Department’s position as the lowest-paid law enforcement agency in San Mateo County.
As of January 1, 2026, San Bruno police officers are now officially working without a contract. This status is no longer abstract or procedural; it is having real and immediate consequences. Morale has suffered, uncertainty has increased, and officers are making career decisions under conditions that reflect instability rather than support. These impacts affect not only officers and their families, but also the Department’s ability to maintain experienced staffing levels and provide consistent service to the community.
Despite repeated warnings from the Association, the compensation proposals authorized by the City have remained well below county standards and have failed to address the practical realities facing the Department. The concern that San Bruno would lose experienced officers has been raised throughout negotiations. That concern is now being realized.
As you are aware, I am currently in the process of transitioning to another agency. Under these circumstances, it would be inappropriate for me to continue participating in negotiations for a contract that I may not ultimately work under. Stepping away is the most ethical course of action for both the Association and its membership.
I want to be unequivocal: my withdrawal should not be interpreted as disengagement from the issues at hand. Rather, it reflects the broader reality that officers are responding to the direction and substance of this negotiation process in real time. The City’s approach has consequences, and those consequences are already affecting staffing, continuity, and institutional experience within the Department.
I respectfully request that this correspondence be shared with the City’s bargaining representatives and made available to City leadership. It is important that those responsible for authorizing proposals fully understand that the decisions made—or not made—during this process are directly contributing to the current state of affairs.
Thank you for your continued representation of the POA and for your efforts on behalf of the membership. I remain hopeful that the City will reassess its position and take meaningful action toward reaching an agreement that reflects the responsibilities borne by San Bruno police officers and the long-term interests of the community they serve.
Respectfully,
Abel Calderon
Police Officer
San Bruno Police Department
From: ANNE COLLINS
To: City Clerk
Subject: Fwd: Police salary
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026 1:35:39 PM
Dear Ms. Huerta,
As you can see, I wrote this email to the city manager, the mayor, and members of the city council. I neglected to ask that my letter be read aloud at the next city council meeting. I would very much appreciate if you or a member of your staff would do me that favor.
Thank you,
Anne Collins
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
From: ANNE COLLINS < >
Date: February 21, 2026 at 12:50:49 PM PST
To: City Manager <[email protected]>,
[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
Subject: Police salary
Hello all,
I have lived in San Bruno since 1970 and, together with my husband, have raised two daughters who attended San Bruno schools. I taught at Parkside Intermediate School for over twenty years, coached an AYSO team which traveled to Australia, am a St. Roberts parishioner, was the teacher coordinator for Narita sister city organization and traveled with students to Japan for several years. As a retired teacher, I am familiar with having to fight and beg for salary raises.
It has been a privilege and a joy to have taught many past and present police officers, and it is unconscionable that they have to beg for a raise in salary. San Brunans think of our police and fire departments as family, and we are so very grateful to have them. Our police department salaries are on the bottom end of the county. Why is that? When you, Alex McIntyre receives a very generous salary which, one would hope, would be commensurate with your capabilities. Is it not in your job description to ensure effective service delivery? If so, it should not be difficult for you to devise a way to solve the problem. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with living
in a small city with a big heart or having to be forced to seek a job elsewhere. I fear that we will lose skilled officers who have become a treasured part of our community, or, even worse, to have our city be relegated to having sheriffs instead of real peace officers.
All of you know that the right and just thing to do is to give them the raise for which they are asking. Prove that you, Alex McIntyre, are worthy of your position and that you, Mayor and City Council members, are serving your constituents’
best interests. Would it not be shameful and embarrassing for you as a group if you were not able to use your expertise to prove that you are working toward the city’s best interests? And, the best interests of the city means that our police officers
receive a salary that is equal to their skills, courage, and experience. It may sound cliché, but they put their lives on the line for us every day, and I am grateful. Prove that you are also.
Thank you,
Anne Collins
Sent from my iPad
From: Victoria Magbilang
To: City Clerk
Subject: Please respect the value and role of all of San Bruno"s vital commissions Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 12:53:25 PM
Dear Mayor Medina, Vice Mayor Alvarez, and Councilmembers Medina, Hamilton, and Salazar,
As Chair of the San Mateo County Arts Commission, I am a strong believer that the arts are vital to a healthy community. Our mission is to champion the arts as essential to a healthy and vibrant community by shaping innovative cultural policies, creating inclusive and diverse programming, investing in the creative economy, and ensuring access to arts and culture for all.
Why are the arts so important? Not only because of the joy and mental health benefits they bring to people of all races, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, age groups, and cultures, but also because they are a powerful driver of our local economy. There are more than 14,000 arts-related jobs in San Mateo County, supporting an additional 16,095 jobs in the local services sector. This includes more than 1,100 businesses and represents 3.4% of total employment in the county. Statewide, arts and culture industries account for 7.5% of California’s economy, contributing more than $289 billion in economic activity and supporting one in ten jobs.
Innovative arts programs not only create employment opportunities; they help light the way toward a future in which arts and culture are integrated into solving civic challenges, fostering social cohesion, revitalizing neighborhoods, and ensuring equitable access to creative expression.
In the current national climate, where support for the arts is often among the first items cut and artists frequently feel marginalized, it is deeply disheartening to learn that San Bruno is
considering merging the San Bruno Culture and Arts Commission with the San Bruno Parks and Recreation Commission. Both commissions are highly valuable, but they serve distinct purposes. Combining them risks diluting their focus and effectiveness. By asking a single body to advocate simultaneously for culture, arts, parks, and recreation, City Council would make it significantly more difficult for any of these critical areas to receive the dedicated attention and expertise they deserve.
A thriving arts commission is not a luxury, but rather, an investment in community identity, economic vitality, and civic health. I respectfully urge you to consider the long-term cultural and economic impact of this decision and to preserve an independent body devoted specifically to arts and culture.
Sincerely,
Victoria Magbilang
Commission Chair, District 5 Representative
San Mateo County Arts Commission
From: Nicole Hanhan
To: Lupita Huerta; City Clerk
Subject: Public Comment for 2/24/26 City Council Meeting Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 1:15:11 PM
Hi Lupita,
I hope you’re well.
Please see my written public comment below for tonight’s study session, Agenda Item 7a.
Thank you for including it in the official record.
Nicole Hanhan
Good evening Mayor and City Council Members,
I’m Nicole Hanhan, Chair of the Culture and Arts Commission. I appreciate this study session because it allows commissioners to share our experiences so you have a clear understanding before any structural change is considered.
Over the past year, the Commission has prioritized strengthening its foundation and aligning its work with strong governance standards, by refining our work plan, improving meeting focus, increasing accountability and transparency, and ensuring the Commission functions as intended. With the appointment of new commissioners, we have experienced renewed energy and commitment. Commissioners are eager to take on more commissioner-led initiatives that expand impact while being mindful of staff capacity.
As a result, we have built meaningful momentum. Staff and residents have noted stronger commissioner engagement, increased public participation, and renewed energy around cultural programming and artistic activation. That progress has been intentional and reflects what happens when arts and culture are given focused, independent attention.
The Commission serves as a bridge between the community and the Council, funneling expertise, public input, and thoughtful analysis into clear recommendations that guide Council action. Merging commissions would shift whether arts and cultural identity continue to have independent advisory focus or become one priority among many. Over time, that risks diluting consistent artistic and cultural representation.
As consolidation is considered, it is important to first evaluate internal governance and operational processes, including commissioner retention and recruitment to fill vacancies. These are correctable management issues and do not justify eliminating an independent commission.
The Culture and Arts Commission has served this community for over two decades and is actively building trust and engagement. I respectfully ask the Council to carefully consider what you hear tonight and strengthen internal processes before moving toward structural consolidation.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
From: Boris Koodrin
To: City Clerk
Subject: Culture and Arts merge
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 3:22:55 PM
I was asked by Stephen Seymour for my opinion regarding the merger of the Culture and Arts Committee and the Park and Rec Dept.. While there are certainly different variations that might work in this regard, it is my opinion that to do so would weaken the sustainability of
any long-term projects and visions for the future. While the voting guidelines actually presented a bit of a problem regarding the current
sculpture program, it seems that those guidelines could be studied and improved, rather than dumping the ability of the Culture and Arts Committee to act as independently as possible in directing the artistic vision for San Bruno.
I feel as though the focus of the Committee would be watered down by too many other concerns coming from Park and Rec. The desire to simplify the process too much may actually not only hinder the Committee’s creative thought and direction, but may, in fact create more staff hours for Park and Rec as the Committee is made up primarily by artist volunteers with a keener understanding of aesthetics and artistic direction.
Let the Culture Arts Committee do the heavy lifting without increasing staff hours of Park and Rec. Change or improve the existing voting system rather than having too many cooks in the kitchen.
Gotta run, but these are my thoughts.
Thank you,
Boris Koodrin
Retired Director of San Mateo County Fair Galleria
and Curator for the San Mateo Arts Commission
From: Stephen Seymour
To: Lupita Huerta
Subject: AGENDA ITEM 7
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 4:18:17 PM
Good evening Mayor Rico Medina, Vice Mayor Sandy Alverez and Councilmembers:
My name is Stephen Seymour. I am both a San Mateo County and a San Bruno City Arts Commissioner. I am serving my 3rd term as a District 1 representative on the San Mateo County Arts Commission, most recently appointed by County Commissioner Jackie Speier.
The last time you appointed Arts Commissioners was almost a year and a half ago when I was installed. Since then, 2 commissioners have resigned. I have been told the position has been posted and that community members have shown interest, yet we have not taken further steps to replace them.
When you interviewed me for this appointment, you asked me, "What would I do to advance culture and arts in San Bruno?" I told you I would focus on new programs and public art. I have done this and will continue to do so.
Since joining the commission, one meeting was canceled in March of last year. Our meetings are packed with agenda items and are becoming increasingly so.
I am asking you not to join the Parks and Recreation Commission with the Culture and Arts.
Both commissions have considerable work to do and they focus on very different areas. They do, however, have areas where they converge and we could improve collaboration.
A vote to combine them is a vote to dilute the focus on both commissions. Combining these two commissions only reduces city administrative hours, which harms the work each commission can accomplish. Both commissions have more work to do, not less. Our parks need improvement and we have many opportunities to expand cultural programming and public art. Improvements in both areas can bring more visitors to our city who will spend their tax dollars when shopping here.
Much Respect,
Stephen Seymour
From: Matt Jones
To: City Clerk; Rico Medina; Marty Medina; Michael Salazar; Sandy Alvarez; Tom Hamilton Subject: Public comment on Item 7 - 2/24 Council meeting Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 5:04:45 PM
Dear Mayor and Councilmembers,
I am writing to share my thoughts on the proposed consolidation of the Culture and Arts Commission into the Parks and Recreation Commission to create a Community Services Commission. I have previously spoken in favor of initiatives such as the Architectural Review Committee, development streamlining, and the creation of the Complete Streets Commission, and I have reviewed the 2023 Good Governance initiative that has often been referenced in discussions about commission consolidation. While I understand some of the arguments in favor of consolidation, I have significant questions and concerns.
The central question, in my view, is: what problem are we trying to solve, and what is our intended outcome? From the staff report, it appears that “efficiency” is the primary driver.
While efficiency is important, the public’s interest — and the core role of commissions — centers on democracy, transparency, and community engagement. Perhaps a better framing is “effectiveness”: how can commissions provide meaningful input and support staff while maintaining strong civic participation?
I have experience staffing commissions in two cities, serving as a BPAC member and liaison in San Bruno, and attending dozens of commission meetings across at least 10 Bay Area cities. From that experience, I know that high-functioning commissions require both engaged commissioners and committed staff liaisons. For example, when I first joined BPAC in 2014, the commission struggled due to poor staff support. Once a dedicated liaison who shared our interests joined, engagement, morale, and impact increased dramatically. Commissioners brought in thousands of public comments, helped implement the Bike Ped Plan, and built lasting relationships that strengthened City projects.
Currently, in San Bruno, I am seeing challenges with engagement, recruitment, and staff responsiveness. Interested applicants have experienced delayed responses, commissioners struggle with unclear guidance, and staff communications can be inconsistent. Consolidating commissions may reduce administrative work, but if staff capacity is not meaningfully enhanced, we risk further decreasing transparency, participation, and community insight.
Other cities, such as South San Francisco and Millbrae, maintain multiple commissions — including separate arts, parks, and library advisory bodies — with minimal vacancies and strong engagement. Additionally, organizations like Friends of the Library, albeit a 501c3, have contributed thousands of dollars and volunteer hours, yet receive little formal acknowledgment. These examples show that with proper staffing and structured engagement, multiple advisory bodies can thrive.
I encourage the Council to reflect on the broader governance implications: how can we build trust, maintain open dialogue, and ensure that commissions provide meaningful input while supporting staff? Efficiency alone should not come at the expense of democracy, participation, and long-term community impact. By striving for effectiveness — balancing efficiency with engagement — we can make better decisions and strengthen San Bruno’s civic life.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best,
Matt Jones