City Council Meeting - September 09, 2025
1. ROLL CALL
Public Comments:
2. CLOSED SESSION
Public Comments:
CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT:
PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING ONLY THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT THIS TIME.
The City Council of the City of Watsonville will recess to Closed Session to discuss the matters that follow:
2.a
CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR
Public Comments:
(Government Code Section 54957.6)
Agency negotiator:
Nathalie
Manning, Marissa Duran and Mark Wilson, Burke Williams and Sorensen Employee organizations: Fire Management, International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 1272; Public Safety Mid-Management, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
2.b
PERSONNEL MATTERS
Public Comments:
(Government Code Section 54957)
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Title: [City Clerk and City Attorney]
2.c
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL—PENDING LITIGATION
Public Comments:
(Government Code Section 54956.9
Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to subdivision (d)(2) of Section 54956.9: [3 cases]
CITY COUNCIL RESUMES AT 6:00 P.M.
3. ROLL CALL
Public Comments:
3.a
MOTION TO EXCUSE ABSENT COUNCIL MEMBER(S) (If any)
Public Comments:
4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Public Comments:
5. INFORMATION ITEMS
Public Comments:
5.a
REPORT OF DISBURSEMENTS
Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report of Disbursements 082925.pdf
5.b
MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS REPORT
Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Miscellaneous Documents Report 090925.pdf
6. PRESENTATIONS & ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Public Comments:
This time is set aside for members of the general public to address the Council on any item not on the Council Agenda, which is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. No action or discussion shall be taken on any item presented except that any Council Member may respond to statements made or questions asked, or may ask questions for clarification. All matters of an administrative nature will be referred to staff. All matters relating to Council will be noted in the minutes and may be scheduled for discussion at a future meeting or referred to staff for clarification and report.
ALL SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD & LEAVE IT AT THE PODIUM. SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO ANNOUNCE THEIR NAME AND DISTRICT IN WHICH THEY LIVE IN ORDER TO OBTAIN AN ACCURATE RECORD FOR THE MINUTES.
6.a
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC (2 MINUTES EACH)
Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Mujer al Mando Event.pdf
6.b
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE COUNCIL (2 MINUTES EACH)
Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Mayor's Updates_Orozco.pdf
6.c
REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
Public Comments:
6.d
MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING BUENA VISTA BREWING CO.
Public Comments:
6.e
MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING WATSONVILLE WETLANDS WATCH Public Comments:
6.f
MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER AS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Public Comments.pdf
Stephanie Barron Lu
I am so grateful to know that there is a proclamation to bring awareness --- Santa Cruz County has one of the highest rates of childhood cancer in the State and the Pajaro Valley Unified School District has many students with learning disabilities. I am disheartened that Omar Dieguez (currently on a hunger strike) is not receiving an outpouring of support. There were only a couple dozen people at the kick off of CORA's campaign and more work needs to be done to take this moment seriously and demand change to stop toxic pesticides from being used in the Pajaro Valley--- it CAN be done. We are leaders in innovation. We can do it! No longer can I buy strawberries for my children while wondering who bears the true cost-- I hope you can support especially on this month to bring light and serious power to this social justice movement.
7. CONSENT AGENDA
Public Comments:
All items appearing on the Consent Agenda are recommended actions that are considered to be routine and will be acted upon as one motion. Any items removed will be considered immediately after the motion. The Mayor will allow public input prior to the approval of the Consent Agenda.
PUBLIC INPUT (2 MINUTES EACH)
7.a
MOTION APPROVING AUGUST 26, 2025 MINUTES
Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. CC082625.pdf
7.b
MOTION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO OVERHIRE FIREFIGHTERS DURING FORECASTED STAFFING SHORTAGES (Recommended by Acting Fire Chief Schaefer) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - Fire Department Staffing.pdf
7.c
APPROVE SECOND AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH MNS ENGINEERS, INC. FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES FOR POPPY HILL BOOSTER PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT (Recommended by Public Works & Utilities Director Lindberg) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - Poppy Hill Pump Station Amendment No. 2.pdf
2. Resolution - Poppy Hill Pump Station Amendment No. 2.pdf
3. Contract - Poppy Hill Booster Pump Station Improvements.pdf RESOLUTION APPROVING THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH MNS ENGINEERS, INC., FOR THE DESIGN OF THE POPPY HILL BOOSTER PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, NO. WA-21-14830, AMENDING THE SCOPE OF WORK & INCREASING THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $55,701
7.d
AWARD CONTRACT TO KIMLEY-HORN & ASSOCIATES, INC.,FOR CONSULTANT SERVICES RELATED TO POTENTIAL DEACTIVATION OF RUNWAY 9-27 Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - Planning and Environmental Services at Municipal Airport .pdf
2. Resolution - Planning and Environmental Services Kimley-Horn.pdf
3. Contract - Planning and Environmental Services Kimley-Horn.pdf
4. Runway Deactivation Public Comments.pdf
5. Runway Deactivation Public Comments 9.9.25.pdf
Tom Hail (EAA119 President)
This is a lot of money to study something decided upon and for which there are free, internal to Watsonville City management, alternatives. This should be open for discussion, not consent decree.
Becky Steinbruner
The Crosswind Runway should be left intact to support and ensure the ability of emergency medical supply missions to the City and the County during disasters. Emergency supply deliveries could be adversely affected without the ability of non-instrument-rated pilots to be able to fly in and take off from Watsonville in foggy or inclement weather.
If the City needs more money, the Council should discuss a countywide sales tax or County Service Area (CSA) to help with revenue, recognizing the fact that the Watsonville Airport is the emergency lifeline for Santa Cruz County in disasters.
Please do not close the Crosswind Runway. It would be very unwise to do so.
Sincerely,
Becky Steinbruner
RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT TO KIMLEY-HORN & ASSOCIATES, INC., IN THE AMOUNT OF $271,215 FOR CONSULTANT SERVICES RELATED TO POTENTIAL DEACTIVATION OF RUNWAY 9-27, APPROPRIATING $271,215 FROM THE GENERAL FUND [0150] TO ACCOUNT NUMBER 0150 315 7307
7.e
AWARD BID TO STAR ENERGY MANAGEMENT, INC., FOR THE CITYWIDE LED STREETLIGHT INSTALLATION PROJECT (Recommended by Public Works & Utilities Director Lindberg) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - Award Contract LED Streetlight Installation Project.pdf
2. Resolution - Award Contract LED Streetlight Installation project.pdf RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT TO STAR ENERGY MANAGEMENT, INC., FOR THE CITYWIDE LED STREETLIGHT INSTALLATION PROJECT, NO. ST-25-01, IN THE AMOUNT OF $225,357 PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 15% CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL PROJECT AMOUNT OF $259,160; & AUTHORIZING & DIRECTING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CONTRACT (FUNDED FROM THE MEASURE R FUND)
7.f
AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER NO. 1 WITH JAM SERVICES INC. FOR PURCHASE OF PHOTOCONTROL UNITS FOR THE LED STREET LIGHT BULBS (Recommended by Public Works & Utilities Director Lindberg) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - Change Order Jam Services Smart Photocontrol Units for LED streetlights .pdf
2. Resolution - Change Order Jam Services Smart Photocontrol Units.pdf RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CHANGE ORDER NO. 1 WITH JAM SERVICES INC., FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF SMART PHOTOCONTROL UNITS FOR THE LED STREET LIGHT BULBS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $215,366 FOR A TOTAL REVISED PURCHASE AMOUNT OF $1,540,929 (FUNDED FROM THE MEASURE R FUND)
7.g
AWARD CONTRACT TO STRAWN CONSTRUCTION, INC., FOR THE CIVIC CENTER LIBRARY ROOFTOP ADDITION (Recommended by Library Director Martinez) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - Civic Center Library Rooftop Addition Strawn Construction .pdf
2. Resolution - Civic Center Library Rooftop Addition Strawn Construction.pdf RESOLUTION AWARDING CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO STRAWN CONSTRUCTION, INC. FOR THE CIVIC CENTER LIBRARY ROOFTOP ADDITION, NO. CB-25-5220, IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,696,600, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 10% CONTINGENCY ($269,600) & INDIRECT/SOFT CONSTRUCTION COSTS ($68,000) FOR A TOTAL PROJECT AMOUNT OF $3,033,600; AUTHORIZING & DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE SAME; & AUTHORIZING BUDGET APPROPRIATION OF $183,600 FROM THE LIBRARY FUND (0250)
7.h
APPROVE FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH THE KPA GROUP FOR CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR THE CIVIC CENTER LIBRARY ROOFTOP ADDITION (Recommended by Library Director Martinez) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - 1st Amendment The KPA Group Library Rooftop Addition .pdf
2. Resolution - 1st Amendment The KPA Group Library Addition.pdf
3. Contract - 1st Amendment The KPA Group Library Rooftop Addition.pdf RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH THE KPA GROUP, FOR CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES, ADDING TO THE SCOPE OF WORK & INCREASING COMPENSATION, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $112,160, FOR A TOTAL REVISED CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $326,160
7.i
APPROVE FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH GRANITEROCK COMPANY FOR WATER CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, RENTAL EQUIPMENT & SERVICES (Recommended by Public Works & Utilities Director Lindberg) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - 1st Amendment Purchase of Water Construction Materials .pdf
2. Resolution - 1st Amendment Purchase of Water Construction Materials.pdf
3. Contract - 1st Amendment Granite Rock Co.pdf
RESOLUTION APPROVING FIRST AMENDMENT TO CONTRACT WITH GRANITE ROCK COMPANY, FOR WATER CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, RENTAL EQUIPMENT & SERVICES, PROJECT NO. WA-23-02, INCREASING CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $500,000 FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,050,000 FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025 (FUNDED FROM THE WATER ENTERPRISE FUND) & EXTENDING THE CONTRACT TERM FROM JANUARY 1, 2026 TO DECEMBER 31, 2026
7.j
AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF TWO NEW HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT VEHICLES (Recommended by Public Works & Utilities Director Lindberg) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - Purchase of Heady Duty Equipment .pdf
2. 1 Quote for John Deere 325G Compact Track Loader.pdf
3. 2 Quote for John Deere 444G Tier Wheel Loader.pdf
4. 3 Sourcewell contract with John Deere RFP 011723.pdf
5. Resolution - Purchase of Two Heavy Duty Equipment Vehicles.pdf K. Blake
Don't enable Trumps I. C. E. goon squad to
pull people off the street for being hispanic.
This is not the time for these cameras as people are being profiled and arrested. I.C.E. and DHS will access this information RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF TWO NEW HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT VEHICLES 1) JOHN DEERE 325G COMPACT TRACK LOADER & 2) JOHN DEERE 444G TIER WHEEL LOADER, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $320,000; & AUTHORIZING & DIRECTING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE PURCHASE ORDER WITH JOHN DEERE CONSTRUCTION RETAIL SALES INCLUDING ANY EXTENSIONS OR AMENDMENTS THEREOF IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THIS PURCHASE
7.k
APPROVE CURRENT CITY OF WATSONVILLE STANDALONE SALARY SCHEDULE FOR ALL JOB CLASSIFICATIONS (Recommended by Deputy City Manager Manning) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. RESOLUTION APPROVING REVISED SALARY LIST FOR EACH BARGAINING UNITS.pdf
2. Resolution - Salary Schedule for all Bargaining Units.pdf
3. Salary Schedule.pdf
4. Salary Schedule Public Comment.pdf
Stephanie Barron Lu
Thank you for your service, I absolutely wholeheartedly agree that this nominal increase is more than fair. Thank you to all who serve in these public facing positions.
RESOLUTION RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO’S. 187-24 (CM) THROUGH 198-24(CM) & APPROVING THE CURRENT CITY OF WATSONVILLE STANDALONE SALARY SCHEDULE FOR ALL CLASSIFICATIONS IN CONFORMANCE WITH SECTION 570.5 (REQUIREMENT FOR A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE PAY SCHEDULE) OF TITLE 2 (ADMINISTRATION) OF THE CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS & LISTING ALL EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION LEVELS ON A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE PAY SCHEDULE
7.l
AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTION OF A 24-MONTH ORDER FORM FOR THE LEASE OF 37 AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS (ALRP) CAMERAS FROM FLOCK GROUP, INC. (Recommended by Interim Police Chief Rodriguez) Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - 2 Year Lease for 37 Flock Safety Cameras .pdf
2. 1 Sole Source Letter from Flock Safety.pdf
3. 2 WPD Policy 470 ALPR.pdf
4. 3 2023 Contract .pdf
5. Resolution - Order Form for ALPRs.pdf
6. Order Form - Flock Safety WPD.pdf
7. Flock Public Comments 1.pdf
8. Flock Public Comments 2.pdf
9. Flock Public Comments 3.pdf
10. Flock Public Comments 4.pdf
11. Presentation - 2 Year Lease for 37 Flock Safety Cameras .pdf Robin S Elson
This is an invasion of privacy and puts our community at higher risk of illegal ICE activity. ICE is illegally detaining lawful citizens and terrorizing communities, it is outrageous to spend tax dollars assisting them.
Angel Zuniga
It's important to understand that this technology is not about constant surveillance of law-abiding citizens. This technology is designed to capture objective data—the license plate number— It is specifically used to aid in criminal investigations and can help locate missing persons. By providing law enforcement with better tools, we are making our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This investment is about protecting our community and giving our police force the resources they need to keep us secure.
C. Josephine Hunt
It is impossible to be overzealous in stating how terrible an idea it is to contract with this company, a group which openly shares information with ICE, an agency which, especially under the current administration, has made no secret of its mandate to harass, terrorize, and belittle the rights of this country's Latin American and Spanish-speaking public, irrespective of actual immigration status. Latin American and Hispanic people are not only among the hardest working and most productive parts of the community in this city and county; they are also vital to it culturally. More to the point-- working class immigrants are human beings with the same rights as anyone else!! But contracting with this company will send a message that their city government does not see them that way. I implore you NOT to send that message!!! John Robertson
My name is John Robertson, and I am an educator and resident in your district. We worked together for a time at PVUSD, and I have always held your dedication to our community in high regard.
I am writing to you today with deep concern about the upcoming vote to renew and expand the county's contract with Flock Safety cameras. While I appreciate the stated goals of enhancing public safety, I believe the expansion of such a powerful and far-reaching surveillance network poses significant threat to our civil liberties and community trust.
My primary concern is the potential for authoritarian overreach. In our current national climate, granting government entities such extensive tools to track the movements of residents is a troubling precedent. This technology creates an infrastructure that could easily be misused, eroding the fundamental right to privacy for everyone in our community. Moreover, the data held by these contractors is held, leased, and sold privately, making it even easier to be used by malicious individuals.
As an instructor at the Cabrillo College campus here in Watsonville, I work every day with students who are deeply worried about this. Many of them come from mixed-status families and live with a constant, underlying fear of ICE activity. For our majority-Hispanic community, a network of cameras that can share data broadly does not foster a sense of security. Instead, it cultivates an environment of perpetual suspicion and fear, undermining the vital trust between residents and the government that serves them. It directly contradicts the safe, inclusive, and supportive community we are trying to build for these students and their families.
For these reasons, I strongly and respectfully urge you to vote "no" on this contract. We should not sacrifice the privacy and peace of mind of our most vulnerable residents for a surveillance system with such a high potential for misuse.
Thank you for your time, your service, and for considering this important perspective.
Megan Robertson
I'm writing to request that as my city council representative that you vote NO on item 7.l on tonight's city council agenda. I do not want Flock cameras monitoring my license plate or anyone in the community. Any benefit to public safety is far outweighed by the danger inherent in exposing ourselves to surveillance by and abuse of power from local and federal agencies, especially as it persons to ICE and other immigration concerns.
Please help keep our community safe by refusing to allow this gross overreach of power.
Monica
I am opposed to spending local money on national surveillance equipment that will be misused1 Lori Brown
Take this item off the agenda. Flock and ALPR data can be shared across the county & federally, adding to the perception of a surveillance state. More constructive expenditure of limited funds, please! Stephanie Barron Lu
I have reviewed the presentation from the August 26th Watsonville City Council meeting provided by Watsonville Police Department Captain Donny Thul. I am hopeful that pausing the decision will allow for information and training to come from a different source of knowledge to help us understand where our blind spots are. We cannot ignore the backdrop of what is happening.
Rocio
I am opposed to surveillance. These cameras foment fear amongst our community members.
Will Lightbourne
I urge the Council not to approve this agreement. Collection of this sort of data, at this time, is simply too dangerous. Local authorities cannot guarantee into the future that they will not be compelled to expose such information to federal actors.
Noemi
Please protect our vulerable communuty. Yesterday's supreme court ruling shows that we aren't safe, and these additional cameras are not going to make us safer. We cannot trust that this data won't be shared with the very agencies and government that is targetting us. Please remove from the agenda or vote against. Please keep us safe from this overreach.
Alison Laurie Palmer
Please do not authorize additional Flock cameras in Watsonville. This mass surveillance technology does not increase community safety but makes people more afraid and more vulnerable.
Peerless
This is an unconstitutional and grossly unjust escalation of mass surveillance. I demand for this contract to be removed from the agenda and discarded as a complete violation of human rights.
Peerless
This is an unconstitutional and grossly unjust escalation of mass surveillance. I demand for this contract to be removed from the agenda and discarded as a complete violation of human rights.
Cinthia Garcia Benitez
Please remove this item from the agenda. Allowing this funding for increased mass surveillance will directly impact vulnerable communities at risk of being targeted by ICE. You have the power to not allow this.
Cinthia Garcia Benitez
Please remove this item from the agenda. Allowing this funding for increased mass surveillance will directly impact vulnerable communities at risk of being targeted by ICE. You have the power to not allow this.
Roslyn Rissler
I live in unincorporated Santa Cruz county, and I am ashamed that this is happening. I encourage all police forces to spend money on what you are entrusted by the entire community to do...which is not ICE's job.
Anabel Anguiano
Please remove this item from the agenda it is a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights, which protect all of us against searches when we are neither accused of, nor have we committed any crimes.
Yesenia Molina
Monday, September 9th 2025
Dear Honorable Watsonville City Council members,
We write this in strong opposition to item 7L in the consent agenda and further urge the termination of our cities agreement / pilot program of Flock cameras in Watsonville’s streets.
While each of us, signed on to this letter, has a position with an organization in the community whose mission is serving and improving conditions for Watsonville’s migrant community in some way, we are writing this letter as grassroots organizers of the community. Together with tens of other concerned community members, we have been working tirelessly in our personal time to prepare our community for the expected mass immigration raids that will impact us all. One example of the work that has been accomplished through this organizing collective is the business canvassing. Today, because of the hard work of our community volunteers, when you walk through Watsonville, you visibly see the support for our immigrant community. We have canvassed the town, conducting 1:1 mini trainings with every business that displays the purple SCCIC monarch sign, informing them on their right to enforce private areas, including how to identify a valid judicial warrant, and have posted private area signs in designated spaces.
As the community prepares, we ask you, council members, to make every decision with our highly vulnerable immigrant community in mind. Please do not put our community at risk by trusting promises of the very company that will profit from this agreement. Please acknowledge that while current laws and ordinances should prevent the sharing of data with immigration enforcement agencies, any of these legal protections immigrant communities have today can get thrown out tomorrow. As you know, just yesterday, the Supreme Court issued a decision that would effectively allow for racial profiling in our streets. As our country continues its rapid decline into authoritarianism, we cannot count on the security of data, the adherence to the law by enforcement agencies or the non-cooperation with ICE by those with access to the data captured by the Flock cameras.
You must safeguard our community with a strong stand by pulling item 7L and saying no to the potential overreach and data sharing that is likely to occur.
Sincerely,
Yesenia Molina
Stephanie Barron Lu
Paulina Moreno
Monica Molina
Caitlin Joseph
Rid Santa Cruz County of mass surveillance tracking cameras, which violate the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution and have been subject to rampant abuse for over a decade or more, even after CA Attorney General warnings.
Brett Garrett
The camera data is routinely shared with ICE and Homeland Security. It is very dangerous for immigrants and people of color. Please oppose. pauline Seales
It is gross injustice to aide ICE with this information. And please NO MORE CAMERAS.
Julianne Center
There is a lot of concern around the increased militarization happening nationally and the risks this poses to our large immigrant community here in Watsonville. I can’t help but believe that more surveillance will only make our community feel more unsafe — in addition to providing more backdoor avenues of data access for ICE and Border Control agents to unconstitutionally pursue and detain community members. I believe the cost of these cameras could be better spent invested in the community, as community resources are more likely to deter crime than increased surveillance. I know you care deeply about our vulnerable neighbors here in Watsonville, and I hope you will represent them — especially those who can’t represent themselves for fear of immigration authorities — by opposing these cameras.
Hannah Jones
Please remove this agenda item until there has been an opportunity for community input. I am opposed to any technology that increases mass surveillance and endangers our neighbors who are being hunted by ICE. Even if the Watsonville police have the best intentions in that regard, my understanding is that the Flock company has been sharing data with ICE, and we can't let that happen. Let's use the natural end of our contract with them to get the cameras out of Watsonville.
April
This agenda item should be removed immediately, especially because it can endanger the migrant community in Watsonville that is under increasing attacks including green card holders and permanent residents. This company cannot be trusted in what should be considered a sanctuary city.
Trinity Locker
This contract would increase public surveillance and endanger our immigrant communities. Don't give our money to Flock! Ignacio Aguado Jimenez
I ask that you take this item off the agenda until there has been public input. This company has been operating unethically and illegally, allowing access to information to ICE and Border Patrol. No more surveillance in our County! Ignacio Aguado Jimenez
I ask that you take this item off the agenda until there has been public input. This company has been operating unethically and illegally, allowing access to information to ICE and Border Patrol. No more surveillance in our County! Nita Hertel
I ask that you take this item off the agenda until there has been public input. This company has been operating unethically and illegally, allowing access to information to ICE and Border Patrol. No more surveillance in our County! Alaya Vautier
I am strongly opposed to increased mass surveillance in our communities, especially when the data will be shared with ICE to directly harm our fellow community members. Increased government surveillance does not keep us safe and indeed stifles free speech and violates our 4th amendment rights. Please end all contracts with Flock and other surveillance companies. A surveilled country is not a free country by any means. We are entering unprecedented authoritarian fascism in this country and ALPRs and other data collection tools are direct tools used to suppress freedom. Be strong and be wise and stand against rising fascist surveillance. We will have your back.
Alaya Vautier
I am strongly opposed to increased mass surveillance in our communities, especially when the data will be shared with ICE to directly harm our fellow community members. Increased government surveillance does not keep us safe and indeed stifles free speech and violates our 4th amendment rights. Please end all contracts with Flock and other surveillance companies. A surveilled country is not a free country by any means. We are entering unprecedented authoritarian fascism in this country and ALPRs and other data collection tools are direct tools used to suppress freedom. Be strong and be wise and stand against rising fascist surveillance. We will have your back.
Jess
This is the exact opposite of what our community needs, we need to be showing solidarity with immigrants and trans people and other targeted groups, not making it easier to unjustly and illegally target them Ariel Benson
While there may be compelling reasons for WPD to support the lease of these surveillance tools, this is simply not a good time (under the current federal administration) to install devices in and around our city which foment fear and support a police state. Pleas remove this item from the consent agenda.
Ariel Benson
While there may be compelling reasons for WPD to support the lease of these surveillance tools, this is simply not a good time (under the current federal administration) to install devices in and around our city which foment fear and support a police state. Pleas remove this item from the consent agenda.
Randa Solick
Re 7L - Please cancel the contract with FLOCK, remove all cameras, trust the police to do what they've always been able to do without those license-plate camera which assault our civil rights. We know the data is being shared nationally, which means right now with a government hostile to our community members.
Wendy Kester
Not only should this be removed from the agenda, Flock cameras should be removed from the community. The reporting comin out on Flock's handling and sharing of collected data is disturbing. Why would you want to subject the community to this? Shameful.
Caitlin Brune
Please pull this item from the consent agenda and swiftly end the contract with Flock Group, Inc., which has already demonstrated its willingness to share public data with ICE and Homeland Security, jeopardizing community safety, integrity, and cohesion. As public servants working in the public interest, please use your power to promote safety.
Jovita Molina
We are in a very pivotal moment in US history, Watsonville has made many of the changes needed to end up on the right side of that history. Do not let this very invasive step on our citizens privacy pass. Please do the right thing and take this off the agenda.
We are a sanctuary city, there is nothing sanctuary about a city who is able to do easily track its inhabitants and then risk Immigration officials getting their hands on that information! DO THE RIGHT THING, VOTE NO!
Jovita Molina
We are in a very pivotal moment in US history, Watsonville has made many of the changes needed to end up on the right side of that history. Do not let this very invasive step on our citizens privacy pass. Please do the right thing and take this off the agenda.
We are a sanctuary city, there is nothing sanctuary about a city who is able to do easily track its inhabitants and then risk Immigration officials getting their hands on that information! DO THE RIGHT THING, VOTE NO!
Sergio Torres
This needs to be removed from the agenda. The sole purpose of this is to increase hyper surveillance which is already being used to target our communities in ways that is causing more harm than good.
John Speyer
This is a very important issue concerning privacy rights and personal safety, and should be discussed by the community at large. Please remove the consent agenda. Thank you.
Leslie Potenzo
I urge you to pull this item from the consent agenda and reject this proposal. Watsonville should be ending this contract not adding more cameras. We have very serious concerns in terms of cost, invasion of privacy, and infringement on Constitutional rights and civil liberties, and the benefits are not proven. Please think about the harmful impacts on us all, and especially our immigrant communities.
Monica Molina
It is your duty to do everything in your power to protect our community members. The fact that this item is even on the agenda is extremely disappointing given all the public statements of support for the immigrant community by this council. You must remove immediately and cease all recoding immediately.
Becky Steinbruner
Please remove this item from the Consent Agenda. The City should not spend any money on these devices and should not implement them. This is invasive and a threat to our privacy.
Kitty Mizuno
This must be removed from the consent agenda.
Watsonville, as a sanctuary city, must not put its residents under surveillance and in danger of unwarranted arrest by ICE. It takes courage and backbone to offer true safety to residents here. Watsonville must not waste our money on new cameras, and must get rid of the existing ones. The city must take a clear stand and commit to protecting all of its citizens by not compromising our privacy.
We are living in a time when the very foundations of Democracy in the United States are being eroded. Watsonville must take a clear stand, and refuse to allow this dangerous step to be taken here.
Takashi Mizuno
This item should be removed from consent agenda to allow discussion.
Shankari UILANI PATEL
Actions such as these will put our community residents in danger from over surveillance from out of state actors!! Gretchen Regenhardt
Please remove this item from the consent agenda and schedule a time for full community discussion and input. In these times, it is dangerous to allow mass surveillance which could so easily be shared with ICE or Homeland Security.
Nancy Faulstich
Please remove 7.l from consent agenda and schedule a community wide discussion with full transparency about the potential for data from the cameras to be shared with ICE and Homeland Security.
Sidney Madsen
As an employee at a non-profit serving the immigrant community in Watsonville, I oppose the increased use of surveillance cameras at this critical moment in resisting ICE's mandate of mass deportation. We know that Flock has violated laws and mandates meant to protect public data and information collected by these cameras. Our community needs to feel safe and be protected by its local government.
Jasmeen Miah
Footage from Flock cameras are being shared with other police departments, which could share with ICE. It can track people getting abortions. This is anti-liberation and very dangerous for marginalized folks. It makes me feel less safe for sure! I have one outside of my house and I feel constantly surveilled. We say we are sanctuary county, so how can you do this? Vote no and take the ones we have down! Emily Levy
This proposal violates our 4th amendment rights and Watsonville's and California's sanctuary provisions. It must at the very least be removed from the agenda and public forums be held for input. Even better, remove it from the agenda permanently! Chelsea Blackmore
These kind of cameras establish a surveillance system that has been and will be abused and most likely to target the most marginalized communities. We already know that these kinds of license plate readers and other types of surveillance tech are being used by federal agencies to Identify people that are supposed “threat” To our community, whether they be migrants or people standing up to state violence.
Pamela Sexton
Please remove Item 7.l from this meeting’s agenda. It is entirely inappropriate that such a controversial item would be put onto the consent agenda. Flock ALPR cameras were brought into Watsonville, impacting every single person who drives through the city, without any public conversation about it. The concerns about this technology and the company that sells and leases them are many. I stand with the ACLU, SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) and a multitude of other groups, and want to highlight:
1. The right to privacy is a fundamental human right and a constitutional right violated by these cameras. This technology creates maps of where people move or tend to move, and who they interact with, without probable cause or any warrant. This kind of mass, unwarranted, pervasive and invasive surveillance of the public by law enforcement must be solidly rejected.
2. This technology makes us ALL less safe, but especially immigrants. ALPR cameras make us vulnerable to data theft, unauthorized use of the data; the false reading of data gathered leading to misguided arrests and lawsuits against the city; and outside federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) gaining access to our data.
Please study the reality of what has happened in other parts of the country, and learn from it. One key example is Denver, Colorado - a city whose officials and police department, like Watsonville, have formally committed to protecting immigrants and not sharing information with federal officials. In fact, audit logs recently showed that ICE carried out more than 1,400 searches on ALPR camera surveillance data collected by the Denver Police Department since June 2024.
The safety risks this technology brings for everyone, and particularly for those already marginalized and vulnerable, are massive, unacceptable, and contradictory to the stated commitments and values of the City.
3. The cost can not be justified. As we face state and federal cuts and budget uncertainties, we must prioritize those programs and services that are proven to support public safety. To spend $250,000 for a 2-year lease of technology that has caused so much harm recently in other communities - including lawsuits against cities - is foolish and irresponsible.
If you insist on considering this proposal, there needs to be meaningful community engagement via a town hall or public meeting. By putting this on the consent agenda, the impression is that the police want to slide the item into approval without public engagement, transparency, or accountability. That is absolutely unacceptable.
Represent the people who elected you, the people who keep our community fed and strong, the people who come to visit this beautiful city, and protect us all from the unnecessary risks that come with these mass surveillance cameras.Take this item off the meeting agenda, do your homework, and end the use of Flock ALRP cameras in Watsonville.
Pamela Sexton, District 1
Watsonville Adult School ESL Teacher
Syd Jones
According to a 2025 Santa Cruz Grand Jury report, the San Jose PD pays officers with five years of service 30% more than WPD does.
Instead of wasting money on ineffective and intrusive surveillance, we should use the funds for WPD officer salaries, raises and overtime.
Luisa Magarian
I'm deeply concerned about the use of the flock license plate reader system. It clearly has a lot of potential for abusive surveillance and has been already used in harmful and illegal ways including violating the California Values Act (SB 54). Watsonville should not be buying any more of these machines and should turn off the ones already running.
Luisa Magarian
I'm deeply concerned about the use of the flock license plate reader system. It clearly has a lot of potential for abusive surveillance and has been already used in harmful and illegal ways including violating the California Values Act (SB 54). Watsonville should not be buying any more of these machines and should turn off the ones already running.
Jessica Murray
In a multicultural agricultural community such as ours, people have real and present concerns about the abduction of innocent people by ICE/DHS. No one in this county wants our neighbors, co-workers and friends taken away by masked agents without warrants, as continues to happen daily in Los Angeles and many other CA cities and towns.
We must all be very clear that Flock, a private surveillance company, has a track record of releasing data on people’s movements to ICE/DHS, even when they have been forbidden to do so by law.
No one in this county wants our tax money spent on having our movements recorded by a private data-gathering company, especially one which has already illegally released information to federal forces.
Spending hundreds of thousands of public money on surveillance of citizens in our current political climate of lawlessness on the part of the federal government would be a VERY unpopular decision that would lead to a loss of faith in any public official who supports it.
I record this in the hope that you will see what a terrible mistake it would be spend any money on a Flock surveillance system.
Peter Gelblum
On behalf of the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the ACLU of Northern California, I submit these objections to this item. We support the other objections that have been submitted.
This item should not have been placed on the Consent Agenda. It is known to be controversial, and is a matter of great concern to local residents. We urge you to reject the artificially rushed proposal for the WPD to 37 ALPR cameras that will indiscriminately track the movements of every person driving a vehicle in the City at great cost and with no demonstrated ability to reduce crime or make residents safer. Our detailed reasons follow.
There is no demonstrated need for these highly invasive cameras:
There have been no reports of any member of the public, much less a large number of people, asking WPD to install ALPR cameras. There has been no news of a crime wave in Watsonville, much less one that could be addressed by these cameras. Why then install them, when there are enormous downsides in terms of cost, invasion of privacy, and infringement on Constitutional rights and civil liberties? Apparently because WPD wants a new way to gather more information about our residents, as law enforcement always and predictably wants to do.
There is no demonstrated positive impact on public safety:
The memo alleges that the existing ALPRs have helped to solve a couple crimes. Before accepting that claim, the Council should require WPD to provide details of exactly how the ALPRs helped. When the SCPD wanted ALPRS, they were unable to provide any evidence to support the benefit.
The City of Menlo Park recently decided to not use ALPRs, in significant part because there was no demonstrated need or positive impact of the system. https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/09/29/citing-privacy-concerns-menlo-park-says-no-to-automated-license-plate-readers [Mayor Jen] Wolsoin said. “‘If it's such a needle in a haystack [referring to the fact that 99.9% of the data is never used], how are we then showing the need for this? (How are we showing) the benefit of this, given the cost to privacy, leaving ourselves more vulnerable to data hacking and whatnot.’” “The council decided not to consider installing ALPRs unless new data proves their efficacy in deterring crime.” Other law enforcement agencies in the County do not use or want ALPRs:
Former Sheriff Hart said that he did not want or need ALPRs, and Sheriff Clark has agreed.
The cost cannot be justified:
Particularly at this challenging financial time, does the City have an extra $250,000 to spend EVERY TWO YEARS to rent equipment of dubious value and certain harm to privacy and civil liberties? No public meeting:
There has been no public meeting to inform the public and gather input about the grave dangers and invasions of privacy caused by the ALPRs.
General objections to ALPRs:
ALPR systems make our community less, not more, safe because they violate privacy, facilitate dangerous police stops, and risk exposing our immigrant community members to harm.
ALPR systems are high-speed cameras. They capture not only images of license plates and the precise time and location of the vehicles, but also whatever is in the field of vision of the camera. This can include photos of individuals inside vehicles, children playing in their front yard, etc.
Equity issues: ALPR cameras are often placed in working class neighborhoods and communities of color, disproportionately impacting their lives.
In 2015, the NYPD recorded and collected pictures of Muslim worshippers’ license plate numbers as they arrived at Mosques to pray.
In San Francisco, a flagged ALPR scan led to the wrongful detention of a Black woman at gunpoint, triggering a multi-year civil rights lawsuit.
In Colorado, police officers forced four Black children to lie face down on the hot pavement after misidentifying their car as a “stolen” vehicle based on an incorrect reading of an ALPR system.
WPD Policy 470.6 says both that the ALPR data must be retained for at least one year and that Flock will delete the data in 30 days. This must be clarified. If the ALPRS are kept, 30 days is the longest the data should be kept.
Recently Stanford PD & Santa Clara Sheriff had their data hacked and held for ransom. The data are not secure.
Texas is apparently using ALPR data to track women leaving the state to get abortions. Some companies make the information available to private investigators, including anti-abortion activists. https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2014-08-12/undercover-audio-reveals-anti-abortion-tactics/ An Ohio officer pleaded guilty to stalking an ex through ALPR; a Michigan officer looked up home addresses of women he found attractive ; and two Miami-Dade officers ran checks on a journalist after he aired unflattering stories about the department. https://apnews.com/general-news-699236946e3140659fff8a2362e16f43 Thank you for your urgent consideration of this important matter.
Jill Clifton
Please remove this from the consent agenda and give a public forum for discussion about why many communities have chosen to cancel or deny Flock contracts. Federal agencies like ICE and Homeland Security have been monitoring Flock data... and because Flock is a private company they are not subject to oversight. This type of sharing of information is illegal and detrimental to the cohesion of our community.
Angelee Dion
The Watsonville City Council should not only remove item 7.L from the consent agenda, it should remove all ALPR cameras in the city ASAP.
There is no oversight on how this data gets used or who it shared with. We already know that ICE and CBP have been using this data (https://archive.ph/0a7W6). This is against state law, which prohibits local law-enforcement from aiding ICE. One woman was tracked through the national Flock system by a Texas police department after having an abortion.
We should not be contributing to the mass surveillance infrastructure in this county, especially under an authoritarian regime, especially with so many residents already living in fear of being ripped from their families and sent to other countries! The unregulated use of surveillance data is ruining people's lives. This is a very serious matter. Please remove this item from the agenda. We need a community-wide and county-wide discussion about this issue.
Ami Chen Mills
Given a lot of the new reporting coming out about the Flock company and ALPR data being shared nationally with many federal agencies against state laws, this agenda item should not be in a consent agenda, but should be subject to a period of careful & thoughtful community debate and conversation. This should be countywide, as all community members drive through all cities with these cameras. If Watsonville intends to support its immigrant community, how is this reflected in or consistent with a vote to expose ALL resident travel data to federal agencies? (see 404 Media) when this kind of data has already been shared with ICE, etc. by CA police departments? Ami Chen Mills
Given a lot of the new reporting coming out about the Flock company and ALPR data being shared nationally with many federal agencies against state laws, this agenda item should not be in a consent agenda, but should be subject to a period of careful & thoughtful community debate and conversation. This should be countywide, as all community members drive through all cities with these cameras. If Watsonville intends to support its immigrant community, how is this reflected in or consistent with a vote to expose ALL resident travel data to federal agencies? (see 404 Media) when this kind of data has already been shared with ICE, etc. by CA police departments? Madeline Thompson
Please remove this item from the agenda until there can be a community-wide and county-wide discussion. Mass surveillance needs to be a community decision, and we must be increasingly cautious about its use given the current state of federal immigration activities. Please remove it from the agenda until there can be a larger discussion.
Syd Jones
Flock is illegally operating as an unlicensed Alarm Company Operator.
Please see attachment for details - thank you.
Melanie Munir
I urge you to consider taking this initiative off of the agenda. During a time when our most vulnerable community members are already living under fear due to very real threats to their safety and ability to live and work, adding more surveillance will further jeopardize their safety. Many undocumented folks have even stopped leaving their homes in fear of getting kidnapped by ICE. They do not need to worry about extra cameras documenting their every move and potentially sharing the information with the gestapo of homeland security. Please take this measure off of the agenda.
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A 24-MONTH ORDER FORM FOR THE LEASE OF THIRTY-SEVEN (37) AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS (ALPR) CAMERAS FROM FLOCK GROUP, INC., IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $251,0000, & AUTHORIZING & DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS
7.m
REQUEST COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ SUPPORT & PURSUE STATE LEGISLATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TYPE 47 ALCOHOL LICENSES AVAILABLE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - County and State Support Type 47 Alcohol Licenses .pdf
2. Resolution - Expanding Restaurant Alcohol Type 47 Licenses.pdf RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ SUPPORT & PURSUE STATE LEGISLATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TYPE 47 ALCOHOL LICENSES AVAILABLE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
7.n
ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14-46 (AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE) OF THE WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Ordinance - Affordable Housing Ordinance.pdf
2. Exhibit A - WMC 14-46 .pdf
PASS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 14-46 (AFFORDABLE HOUSING ORDINANCE) OF THE WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE
7.o
ORDINANCES REGARDING 6TH CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT IMPLEMENTATION Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Ordinance - HEI Zoning Amendments - Ord Intro.pdf
2. Ordinance - HEI Zoning Amendments - Ord Ex A.pdf
3. Ordinance - HEI Zoning Amendments - Ord Ex B.pdf
4. Ordinance - HEI DWSP Amendments - Ord Intro.pdf
5. Ordinance - HEI DWSP Amendments - Ord Ex A.pdf
6. Ordinance - HEI DWSP Amendments - Ord Ex B.pdf
1) PASS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING MULTIPLE CHAPTERS WITHIN TITLE 14 (ZONING) OF THE WATSONVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THE 6TH CYCLE 2023-2031 HOUSING ELEMENT; & FINDING THE ACTION EXEMPT FROM REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) AS IT IS NOT A PROJECT BUT IF A PROJECT, EXEMPT PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15061(B)(3) 2) PASS AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE DOWNTOWN WATSONVILLE SPECIFIC PLAN RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THE 2023-2031 6TH CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT; & FINDING THE ACTION EXEMPT FROM REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA) AS IT IS NOT A PROJECT BUT IF A PROJECT, EXEMPT PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINES SECTION 15061(B)(3)
8. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA
Public Comments:
9. REPORTS TO COUNCIL -- No Action Required
Public Comments:
9.a
CITY MANAGER'S UPDATE REPORT
Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Presentation - City Manager's Update Report.pdf
9.b
REPORT REGARDING MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2025 TO UPDATE LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN 2019 Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Report - Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update.pdf
2. Presentation - Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update.pdf
9.c
FIREWORKS ENFORCEMENT REPORT BY POLICE CAPTAIN FULGONI & BATTALION FIRE CHIEF ALMITA SCHAEFER Attachments
|
Public Comments
1. Presentation - Fireworks Enforcement.pdf
10. EMERGENCY ITEMS ADDED TO AGENDA
Public Comments:
11. REQUESTS & SCHEDULING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Public Comments:
12. ADJOURNMENT
Public Comments:
This agenda was posted in accordance with the California Ralph M. Brown Act. The agenda packet can be accessed on the City of Watsonville website at https://watsonville.gov/2123/City-Council-Agendas-Minutes and is available for public inspection in the City Clerk’s Office (275 Main Street, 4th Floor) during normal business hours. Any materials related to an item on this Agenda submitted to the Council after the distribution of the agenda packet will be made available to the public in accordance with Government Section 54957.5.
Public comments received three (3) hours or more before the meeting will be included in the online agenda packet before the meeting starts. All comments received less than three (3) hours, during the meeting, or after the conclusion of the meeting will be uploaded to the agenda packet as soon as possible, depending on staff availability.