City of San Leandro
City Council Retreat
February 1, 2025
Facilitated by: Claire Laughlin
1 Welcome!
From Janelle Cameron,
City Manager
2 Public Comment, Mayor González
3 Today we
will…
• Explore what makes a high functioning team
• Refine commitments as a council for working
at our best together
• Learn more about the City’s capital needs
and financial forecast
• Align on the City’s top 3 priority categories
• Prioritize the referrals that will move the
needle in each priority category
4 Warm-Up
• What would you like FROM the day?
• What are you willing to give TO the day?
5 Working Well Together!
Building Healthy Council / City Relationships
6 Declare Your
Intent
4 Cs • Curious • Confused • Concerned • Convinced
7 Successful
Council / City
Relationships…
• To achieve the best possible outcomes…
• Work well together
• Work productively with the City Manager
• Be supportive of City staff as they execute
against the top priorities that you have
identified
8 INATTENTION TO RESULTS
LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY
LACK OF COMMITMENT
INEFFECTIVE CONFLICT
LACK OF TRUST
Working well together includes overcoming the
5 Dysfunctions of a Team
9 Credibility
Matters
According to Kouzes and Posner, and over
35 years of research done globally as part
of The Leadership Challenge® a leader’s
CREDIBILITY is judged by 4 primary
qualities:
• Honesty
• Trustworthiness
• Competence
• Forward-thinking
10 (YOUR)
Attributes of a
HighFunctioning
City Council
• Fair decision making
• Open and honest communication /
proactive
• Come prepared – ask questions
beforehand
• No blindsiding
• Time management – not every item needs
commentary
• Step up / step back
• Clear processes & consistent application of
process
11 Your Council
Commitments
(To ensure a healthy
public process)
Genuine, open dialogue
Willingness to get out of comfort zone
Don’t villainize / do not support villainization
Genuinely consider both sides to understand underlying interest Work toward a solution: something is better than nothing Consider all constituents
Stay focused – not every item requires comment
Trust the City Manager
Be prepared: read packets, prepare questions, help staff succeed Practice a team mindset: share information, uplift others, be united Commit to holding ourselves and each other accountable
Focus on the issue
12 Let’s Work
in Teams
1. CM Bowen / CM Azevedo
2. CM Simon / CM Boldt / Mayor González
3. CM Viveros-Walton / CM Aguilar
13 Discuss:
• What kind of behaviors and processes do you expect to see from your peers that will help you work at your best?
• Be specific. Prioritize.
• How can you do a better job of adhering to the norms? (Or, what new norms can you suggest?)
• When someone doesn’t uphold the norms, how can we address this, quickly and respectfully, and get back on track?
Capture responses on flip chart pages. Be prepared to share. 10 minutes in group
3 minutes to present
14 What did you
hear from
your peers?
• What GOOD things did you hear?
• What questions or concerns do you
have?
• What changes or updates do you need,
in order to commit to this list?
15 Are you in?
16 Break
17 Capital Assets
Director of Public Works, Sheila Marquises
18 Financial Forecast
Interim Finance Director, Heather Rowden
19 Focused Action:
Prioritization
Working Lunch
20 The City
Manager
Helps the City
“Work
Healthy”
21 • ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• IN-PROGRESS
• UPCOMING
City Council Priority Work Session 22
City Council Priority Work Session 23
City Council Priority Work Session
ACCOMPLISHMENTS - PUBLIC SAFETY
1 Expanded investigation
companies by 50% and
increased background
completions by 10%.
2 Boosted field training
officers by 50%
•Facilitated selection and training
processes
•Sent officers to FTO school.
3 Gradually increased sworn
staffing from 71% to 80% of
authorized strength.
4 Emergency Management
training for Council & Staff 5
Developed and updated
Emergency Operations
Plans (EOP),
•Conducted evacuation drills and
provided council and staff training.
6 Delivered NGO and
government mass
communication training
with a focus on regional
safety and crisis response
Great Shakeout Evacuation
Drill
24 City Council Priority Work Session
IN-PROGESS - PUBLIC SAFETY
• Shelter & Care Training (Red Cross)
25 City Council Priority Work Session 26
City Council Priority Work Session
ACCOMPLISHMENTS - INFRASTRUCTURE
• Beautification
⚬ Complete Tree Master Plan
• Community Cleanup
⚬ Waste Franchise Agreement
⚬ Enhanced coordination and response to illegal
dumping
• Parks Master Plan
⚬ Research service area
⚬ Analysis & strategies
⚬ Community input
• Launch of MySanLeandro
27 City Council Priority Work Session
IN-PROGRESS - INFRASTRUCTURE • Impact Fees
⚬ Adopt Impact Fees
• Community Financing Districts
⚬ Adopt & Implement Policy
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)
⚬ Develop policy & allocate staffing resources as
appropriate
• Parks Master Plan Council Adoption
• Negotiate with Caltrans on Relinquishment of E.14th Street 28 City Council Priority Work Session 29
City Council Priority Work Session
ACCOMPLISHMENTS - HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS
• Complete Construction of Navigation Center
• Increasing Housing Supply
⚬ Issue RFP for parking reform and TDM consultant.
• Addressing & Preventing Homelessness
⚬ Mental Health Crisis Unit Program Launch (ARU -
Alternative Response Unit)
⚬ Winter Warming Center
⚬ Develop metrics for effectiveness of homeless response ⚬ Contract executed for youth support services with
nonprofit partners
30 City Council Priority Work Session
IN-PROGRESS - HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS • Increasing Housing Supply ⚬ Complete fee amendments and feasibility study to
support housing production.
• Addressing & Preventing Homelessness
⚬ Implement pilot safe parking program
• Develop Renter Protection Ordinances
⚬ Just cause, rent control & anti harassment
⚬ Rent registry ordinance
⚬ Amend mobile home rent stabilization ordinance
• Safety Ambassador Program Expansion
• Navigation Center Operations
31 City Council Priority Work Session 32
City Council Priority Work Session
ACCOMPLISHMENTS - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Create vibrant gathering places
⚬ Release application for additional safety &
security grants for upgrades at shopping centers
33 City Council Priority Work Session
IN-PROGRESS - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Ensure
Ensure workforce training & education
for high-quality job access
•Develop a strategy for impactful
workforce services for residents and
businesses
• Share information on childcare
resources for providers and families.
Support
Support small business and
entrepreneurship
•Update the workplan to support
small business planning, assistance,
and resources.
34 City Council Priority Work Session 35
City Council Priority Work Session
IN-PROGRESS - QUALITY OF LIFE
• Develop and Implement Arts Grants Program
• Expand utilization of Art Gallery Spaces in City facilities, establishing partnerships for installations
• Expand utilization of early childhool education programming • Expand volunteer opportunities for cleaning streets and public spaces citywide
• Design and implement a planning initiative to introduce native and drought-tolerant plants across city parks, medians and publics paces
• Develop Programs Celebrating Community and the Diverse Cultures in San Leandro
• Expand Citywide Tree Canopy Coverage
• Strategic placement of litter receptacles to maximize usage and enhance cleanliness
• Expand a private tree protection ordinance
• Develop recreational programs for inclusivity and diverse groups • Partner with local organizations to create accessible and affordable healthy eating otions, particulary for low-income familyes
• Host healthy & active living events
• Partner with local organizations for expanded Senior services • Collaborate with schools for public use of recreational facilities 36 37
OTHER SIGNIFIGANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
City Council Priority Work Session 38
City Council Priority Work Session
PUBLIC LIBRARY:
• Scholar Cards Implemented -
⚬ Library card for all students 3rd grade and up by January 1, 2026 ⚬ 1,076 middle school students from SLUSD have a card in 2024 ⚬ In 2025 expand program to all SLUSD and SLZUSD students • Library Strategic Plan
• Baby Storytime was started at Manor Branch.
• An afterschool tutoring program was started at Manor Branch once a week RECREATION & PARKS:
• Expanded Activities
• Increased Enrollment: Out-of-school camps saw an increase of 122 participants • Sponsorship Success: Secured over $50,000 in sponsorships for the Cherry Festival INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:
• Deployed 38 Axon Fleet dashcams
• Deployed 100 new computers/laptops to City staff
• Completed vendor selection for the new ERP system
39 City Council Priority Work Session
FIRE:
• $443,633 grant from Homeland Security Port Security for a shallow water operations rescue boat out of Fire Station 10
• Virtual and in-person public education and community events, which included 3,243 community members
POLICE:
• For the first time in SLPD history, we hosted two Shop with a Cop events with Davis Street Resource Center
• Sideshow Ordinance
⚬ Unlawful to be a spectator at a side show event or at a location in preparation for such an event
• Catalytic Converter Ordinance
⚬ Unlawful to possess a catalytic converter that is not attached to a vehicle HUMAN SERVICES:
• Age Friendly Action Plan
• Thanksgiving Senior Luncheon
• Youth and families Mental Health Wellbeing Initiative 40 City Council Priority Work Session
HUMAN RESOURCES:
• Delivered monthly HR training for department staff
• Coordinated leadership training for managers and supervisors • Launched a Mentorship Program, pairing 12 mentees with mentors citywide • Conducted 100 recruitments, screening 5,800 applications • Presented job tips at a youth Life Skills Camp (ages 14-22) FINANCE:
• Implemented online pet licensing
• Completed Comprehensive Fee Study
• Completed Fleet Internal Service Fund Assessment
• Initiated review of several administrative and Council level policies (e.g., pension funding, fund balance, etc.)
• Updated the General Fund long-term forecast model
• Obligated all ARPA funds by the 12/31/2024 due date
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE:
• Comprehensive administrative code update
• Created a Boards and Commissions Handbook
• District 1 Partial term appointment (filled a vacant council seat as required by City Charter) • Completed revenue measure polling
41 City Council Priority Work Session
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:
• Created an online ADU Program
• Adopted Soft Story Retrofit Ordinance
⚬ Incentivize 350+ multifamily properties
• Implemented streamlined online app for photovoltaic submittal (100 applications submitted to date
• Adopted Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Policy and Administrative Guidelines • Assisted 6 first time homebuyers purchase affordable townhomes at 39-unit Maple Lane
PUBLIC WORKS:
• Demolition and removal of the Cary/Haas Pedestrian Bridge ⚬ Received $5m donation from private donor
• Formed the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee
• Performed corrective and preventative pavement maintenance on over 4 miles of roadways throughout the City
• Recruitment of City Engineer, Environmental Services Manager, and Administrative Manager
42 Let’s Review
Priority Categories
43 How to make greater
progress?
44 Remember Covey’s Big Rocks?
45 Big Rocks First. That’s the Only Way it Works.
46 Let’s Dot Vote!
3 dots! Vote for your top 3 Priority Categories!
47 Pathways to
Action
Which referrals will really move the needle?
What are the FIRST actions we should take? (What’s the WIN?) 48 Let’s Dot Vote
for Referrals!
9 dots (3 x 3)
If there are “ties” we will discuss
49 Stretch
50 Closing
• What stands out as a highlight from today?
51