MINUTES OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2021
COVID-19 NOTICE
Consistent with AB 361 and City of San Jose Resolution Nos. 79485, 80237 and 80266, this meeting was not physically open to the public and the (Board/Commission/Committee) Members were teleconferencing from remote locations.
The Committee meeting was teleconferenced from remote locations and convened at 1:30 p.m.
PRESENT: Councilmember Sylvia Arenas , Chair; Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco (1:45 p.m. ), Vice Chair ; Councilmember Maya Esparza , Councilmember Sergio Jimenez (1:45 p.m. ), Councilmember David Cohen, Members.
ABSENT:
STAFF: Deputy City Manager, Angel Rios, Jr.; Senior Deputy City Attorney Karin Murabito; Paul Pereira, Mayor's Executive Officer; City Clerk Toni Taber, Grace Turner and Deputy City Clerk Ruth Krantz.
(B) REVIEW OF WORK PLAN
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Maya Esparza , seconded by Councilmember David Cohen and carried unanimously, City Manager’s Office of Racial Equity Work Plan Status Report and Library Department’s Equity and Inclusion Services Report was dropped. (3-0-2. Absent: Jimenez and Carrasco.)
(C) CONSENT CALENDAR
None provided.
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(D) REPORTS TO COMMITTEE
1. Commissions Annual Reports and Work Plans. (Consent Calendar) ( Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services)
Jay Terrado, Deputy Director of San Jose Animal Care and Services and Malerie Kinsman, Shelter Operations Supervisor provided a presentation and responded to questions.
Public Comments : (1) Tessa Woodmansee spoke on animals suffering from environmental change. (2) Call-User _1 spoke on coyote presence in the area and that it should be restricted to the wild. (3) Jill Borders thanked staff for the report.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Maya Esparza, seconded by Councilmember Sergio Jimenez and carried unanimously, the annual report on Animal Care and Services for 2020-2021 related to ongoing operations, policies and programs was accepted. (5-0)
2. City Roadmap: Child and Youth Services Update. (Library/Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services)
Hal Spangenberg, Division Manager introduced by Neil Rufino, Assistant Director with Nick Georgoff, Recreation Supervisor and Araceli Delgado Ortiz, Early Education Manager provided a presentation and responded to questions.
Public Comments: (1) Tessa Woodmansee spoke on food security and general redlining. (2) Paul Soto spoke to the social impacts of COVID in the communities and requests assessments. (3) Blair Beekman requested more communication with the community on health safety related to COVID-19. (4) Call-In User_1 spoke on distrust of the Library institutions. (5) Jill Borders thanked staff and spoke to language used on education and learning and limiting use of word “college”.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Maya Esparza, seconded by Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco and carried unanimously, the status report on Child and Youth Services as part of the approved City Roadmap for 2021-2022, including the City’s role in local childcare systems, equitable access to City operated early learning, afterschool and enrichment programs, and the Family, Friend and Neighbor network was accepted. (5-0)
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3. Council Policy Priority #18: Smoke-Free Housing. (Planning, Building and Code Enforcement)
Rachel Roberts, Deputy Director provided a presentation and responded to questions.
Public Comments: Two public speakers spoke against passing the motion. Five speakers spoke to passing the policy and banning all forms of smoking including cannabis, and one of the speakers spoke to the need for condos to be included in the policy. Four speakers requested an exemption for cannabis.
Action: Upon motion by Councilmember Sergio Jimenez, seconded by Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco and carried unanimously, the verbal report on the proposed Smoke- Free Housing Ordinance was accepted and cross referenced to the full council at a date not specified. The staff recommendation was approved with the inclusion of policy alternative #1 and #2 as it relates to cannabis and the inclusion of policy alternative #1 excluding alternative #2 as it relates to enforcement.
(4-0-1. Absent: Esparza)
OPEN FORUM
1. Paul Soto spoke in support of the language and advocacy of the Councilmembers.
2. Blair Beekman offered support of the appeal on body camera footage as discussed in the Rules and Open Government Meeting
3. Call-in-User_1 spoke on the use of the word “free” in meetings and prejudices he’s faced.
4. Tessa Woodmansee spoke on keeping youth programs outdoors to develop an eat, grow, learn education.
5. Jill Borders asked about what the city is doing now in response to ongoing racial discourse.
ADJOURNMENT
Councilmember Sylvia Arenas adjourned the meeting at 4:25 p.m. _______________________________________________
Councilmember Sylvia Arenas
Neighborhood Services and Education Committee