City Council Special Meeting Minutes – 11/17/2025 Page 1 6 1
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COUNCIL MEMBERS
Rob Newsom Jr., Mayor
Adam Loraine, Deputy Mayor
Nicole Fernandez
Danielle Cwirko-Godycki
Lisa Diaz Nash
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Special Meeting Minutes
City Council
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
November 17, 2025
City Hall Council Chambers 5:30 PM
Special Meeting
CALL TO ORDER at 5:33 p.m.
Roll Call
Present: Mayor Newsom, Deputy Mayor Loraine, Council Members: Fernandez, Cwirko-Godycki and Diaz Nash AB 2449 Requests and Considerations for Meeting Participation by Teleconference due to Just Cause or Emergency Circumstances – there were no requests.
STUDY SESSION
1. Community Workforce Agreement for City Capital Projects — Direction Matt Fabry, Public Works Director gave the presentation.
Public Comment: Bart Pantoja supported adopting a CWA for its overall benefits to local construction workers and projects. Ethan Lester supported the CWA, saying it helps ensure skilled labor and timely, efficient projects.
Marcus Alvarez commented that CWAs are inclusive and addressed claims of exclusion by another union. Robert Suarez supported the CWA, citing improved wages, safety, and reduced reliance on public assistance. Anthoniy Nuanes supported CWAs for strengthening training, safety, and workforce stability. Ceyda (Jayda) Ozarslan supported the CWA for expanding apprenticeship opportunities and enabling more local work. Trevor Long supported CWAs for increasing local hiring, diversity, and overall project quality. Tom Trayor expressed support for the CWA and described its perceived benefits for apprentices, local workers, and the community. Julie Lind voiced support for the CWA and highlighted its potential impacts on project delivery, workforce conditions, and the broader community. Anthony McCarthy stated support for the CWA, emphasizing its perceived safety benefits and value for apprentices. Devon Kunz expressed support for the CWA, citing its role in providing stable employment and apprenticeship opportunities. Juan Espinoza stated opposition to the CWA and asked the council to consider pre-qualification instead. Moises Villeda opposed the CWA and supported using pre- qualification requirements instead. Anthony Viscuso expressed support for the CWA and favored a low project threshold. Emmanuel Sanchez stated support for the CWA, describing its perceived benefits for project stability and coordination. Eric Christen opposed the CWA and questioned its effects on bidding, costs, and contractor inclusion. Harvey stated that the Carpenters Union is not opposed to CWAs but requested to be included as a direct negotiating partner. Rich Hedges expressed support for the CWA, citing apprenticeship opportunities and positive experiences in skilled trades.
Council asked questions and made comments. Council provided direction for staff to proceed with negotiations for a Community Workforce Agreement (CWA) with several guiding principles in place. The Council expressed a preference for a project-specific approach beginning with five initial projects to allow staff to collect data on the benefits and challenges of a CWA, assess cost and bid impacts, and evaluate outcomes to guide future decisions.
The Council expressed interest in making the CWA inclusive to additional union groups that are not part of the San Mateo County Building and Construction Trades Council. The Council also emphasized focusing on major capital projects that can be completed in the short-term to medium-term timeframe.
City Council Special Meeting Minutes – 11/17/2025 Page 2 6 1
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ADJOURNMENT –The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
APPROVED BY: SUBMITTED BY:
Rob Newsom, Jr., Mayor Chantal Eaton, Deputy City Clerk