Loading...
2020-07-14 Special CC MinutesSpecial Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 1 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY- - JULY 14, 2020- -7:00 P.M. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft convened the meeting at 7:14 p.m. and Councilmember Daysog led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL - Present: Councilmembers Daysog, Knox White, Oddie, Vella, and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft – 5. [Note: The meeting was conducted via WebEx and Zoom.] Absent: None. ADJOURNMENT TO CLOSED SESSION: (20-484) Public Employee Performance Evaluation (Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957); Position Evaluated: City Manager – Eric Levitt Following the Closed Session, the meeting was reconvened and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft announced that the evaluation was continued until after the open session. *** Mayor Ezzy Ashchraft called a recess at 7 :03 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 7 :14 p.m. *** ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, NON-AGENDA None. AGENDA ITEM (20-485) Consider Adoption of Resolution Declaring Racism a Public Health Emergency, including Identifying and Approving Direction to Staff Regarding Initial and Ongoing Actions to Address the Crisis. (Vice Mayor Knox White and Councilmember Oddie) *** (20-486) Councilmember Oddie moved approval of waiving the nine minute Council speaking time. Vice Mayor Knox White seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote: Councilmembers Daysog: Aye; Knox White: Aye; Oddie: Aye; Vella: Aye; and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft: Aye. Ayes: 5. *** Councilmember Oddie and Vice Mayor Knox White gave a brief presentation. Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 2 Stated racism should be addressed; expressed concern for other declarations being used in cities as a Trojan horse for removing Police Departments; stated that she is disturbed the matter is not being voted on by the people; urged Council to find and retain good Officers with training and an increased budget; stated that she is not in favor of de-funding Police: Pamela Heath, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated the resolution is good start; urged Council to vote yes: Toni Grimm, Alameda Renters Coalition. Discussed her experience as a public health professional, parent and resident; urged Council to declare racism as a public health emergency; provided statistics from Alameda County; stated racism adversely affects people’s health; racism is a Public Health Emergency: Jennifer Lucky, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution, which is a good next step to help move things forward in the City; stated the resolution names racism as a problem and provides a path to repair; shifting funds from Police into program services is the intent; should the resolution pass, Alameda joins over 65 cities and counties in doing so: Amos White, Alameda. Stated there is a lack of understanding of the resolution based on correspondence and social media posts; noted the reduction in Police is shown in the resolution; stated it is important to listen to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC): Jenice Anderson, Alameda. Stated that she has seen the impacts of structural racism as a pediatrician; racism effects health, is contagious, infectious and communicable; racism is a public health emergency; urged Council to support the resolution: Jyothi Marbin, Alameda. Urged Council to adopt the resolution; discussed the difficulties BIPOC face living a healthy life; stated racism is a public health crisis; shifting funds away from Police is nothing to fear and rights a wrong by reinvesting funds: Grace Rubenstein, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated racism is a system of privilege; discussed health statistics; stated budgets are not financial choices, they are statements of public policy and tools for achieving a City’s vision and goals: Jennifer Rakowski, Alameda. Stated it is important to declare racism as a public health emergency; urged funding reflect the new influx of calls; more funding leads to greater Police violence; the City budget deserves to support the systems which will carry the burden of a new social system being created: Kylie Gabbard, Alameda. Stated racism is a public health crisis; expressed support for the resolution; read a quote from Mariame Kaba; urged Council to reimagine policing, focus energy on funding and investing in creating non-violent community systems: Susie Hufstader, Alameda. Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 3 Expressed support for the resolution; discussed her experience as a resident in Alameda; stated it is time to take immediate action to support true diversity in practice and support fellow residents of Color; racism is a true public health emergency; Alameda has a history of racism: Jillian Blanchard, Alameda. Urged Council to vote yes on the resolution; stated disparities among Black and Brown folk is true in Alameda; the only fix is to take a proactive approach to addressing racism; the resolution will allow Alameda to take the lead; expressed support for reallocating the Police budget: Molly Montgomery, Alameda. *** Due to technical difficulties, Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft called a meeting recess at 8:05 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 8:24 p.m. *** Expressed support for the resolution; stated the resolution demonstrates a strong awareness; expressed concern about the resolution only mentioning the issue of racism in schools without addressing the issue in a full and direct manner; stated the word education is only mentioned twice in the resolution; issues need to be addressed with the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD): James Bergquist, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated that she would like to see more of the percent of the budget as well as the dollar amount being spent on Police and social services made available to the public and subcommittee; urged Council consider innovative solutions for redirecting funding, including for housing: Laura Kindsvater, Alameda. Stated Item 6 should be a separate agenda item; urged Council to vote no; stated the Alameda Police Department (APD) is understaffed by 16 Officers and will not be getting better; a reduction of 45% in service is not justifiable; justification must be provided in writing to residents; expressed support for a fully staffed Police Department: Lester Cabral, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution and reallocating funds from the Police Department; discussed his experience with Police Officers; stated interactions with Police have resulted in lasting effects; urged Council to adopt the resolution: Damian Leon, Alameda. Stated that she is tired of the rampant racism on the Island; discussed a missing person; stated there are impacts to physical and mental health; the resolution is an important first step and identifies flaws in Alameda: Nairobi Taylor, Encinal High School and Youth Activists of Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution and reducing the APD budget by reallocating funds to social services; stated that she learned to fear Police at a young age; Black and Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 4 Latino people make up less than one-fifth of the population combined in Alameda yet make up more than half of the arrests: Nadia Rojas, Alameda. Stated racism is an important issue which needs to be addressed; cutting funding to the Police Department will not resolve racism; holding Police accountable and changing culture will help: Fion Lip, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated structural racism creates harmful and deadly outcomes to the Black community throughout multiple institutions; racism is killing Black Americans; expressed support for dismantling the Police; reforms cannot dismantle and institution: Alyssa Michaels, Alameda. Discussed his experience living in Alameda; expressed support for the resolution; stated racism is not an emergency, rather a chronic condition at the structure of society; expressed support for language giving an oversight committee authority; urged Council to research anti-bias training: Wes Swedlow, Alameda Renters Coalition. Discussed the resolution language; questioned the meaning of providing mental health to all; expressed support for providing education; questioned whether affordable child care is provided through a subsidy; stated language in Item 4 should be the core; urged language be added that displays costs: David Greene, Alameda. Expressed concern for the lack of notification to the public; stated the Charter indicates a meaningful identification in the agenda and should be called out; discussed the term reallocate versus cut in relation to the budget; stated mental health is an issue; expressed concern about the speed of the work: Colette Supica, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated Black and Brown folks have been consistently harmed by the Police; there is nothing to fear by making the community safer; people trained in mental health is a much safer use of City resources: Eve Gordon, Alameda. Expressed support for passing the resolution; urged Council to defund the Police, shift funds from policing to healthcare, housing and non-Police responses; discussed references to communities without sufficient policing having increased violence; stated increased safety in communities with reimagined Police services has occurred: Sofia Coffin, Alameda High School and Youth Activists of Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; urged Council to create or post a City-backed definition of what is being discussed in relation to defunding the Police; stated an understanding of the discussion is needed; community-based input is integral to what is being accomplished; a truth and reconciliation process needs to be implemented with ongoing training: Shalom Bruhn, Alameda. Stated that he feels safe living in Alameda and there is no systematic racism; there is evidence of racism; discussed his experience calling the Police: Tong Ouyang, Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 5 Alameda. Discussed “the talk” that she has with her children as a Woman of Color; stated “the talk” is related to ways to not aggravate the Police; expressed support for the resolution; discussed movies which address systematic racism: Melodye Montgomery, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution, for reallocating 42% of the Police budget to mental health, humanity, addressing racism, and building interactions between races: Vina Verman, Alameda. Stated racism is a public health crisis; discussed health implications and statistics which affect Black residents; there is unequal access to quality and affordable housing; the inequity is not separate from policing; interactions with Police erodes mental and physical health: Grover Wehman-Brown, Alameda. Stated the resolution does not acknowledge that many residents occupy Ohlone land; Ohlone people are still present; the resolution could benefit from local context and acknowledge Alameda’s own history of institutionalized racism; discussed Article 26: Rasheed Shabazz, Alameda. Stated that he is not hearing about the victims of crimes; noted that he would like to see statistics of all crimes in Alameda be made available to the public; discussed code violations in relation to the Mali Watkins case: Roland Wing, Alameda. Stated that he has never experienced racism from the Police Department; safety and schools are the reasons to raise a family in Alameda; the City is on the bandwagon with other large cities in the country, which need defunding and more community programs; stated crimes are increasing and Police need more training, not defunding: Mo Hassen, Alameda. Discussed her experience as a resident of Alameda; expressed support for the resolution; stated that she does not experience “the talk” in the same manner as other Families of Color; urged Council to vote yes on the resolution: Meresa Connors-Walters, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated this is an opportunity to help atone for the long history of racism in Alameda: Julie Casey, Alameda Progressives. Discussed experience being arrested and with Police; stated systemic racism may be a public health crisis, but it should be measured with a baseline and objective metrics; urged Council not to pass the resolution without measures and transparency: Jeff Rester and Dawn Hale, Alameda. Stated that he has benefitted from White privilege; noted that he has been working to eliminate racist attitudes from his belief system; stated that he did not learn he was White as a child; it is important for W hite people not to take over the conversation; there Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 6 are many studies which show racism to be a public health emergency: Seth Marbin, Alameda. Expressed concern about rewriting the history of Alameda; discussed growing up in a racially diverse school and racist interactions; stated Measure A was not a racist movement: Christine Kanbergs, Alameda. Expressed concern about little discussion being related to how crime has risen in the last couple years; stated reducing the Police force could be a problem; the City is in a deficit until October; questioned why Council has not concentrated on the increasing crime: K Motola, Alameda. Stated policing racism is a complex issue; people need to educate themselves; there is ample evidence that systemic racism is endemic in society, culture and cities; there are many problems with policing; there are more effective ways to deter crime; Council has embarked on a meaningful journey: Paul Bergamaschi, Alameda. Discussed the current topic compared to COVID-19; stated most people believe COVID-19 is a public health crisis; people are dying due to elected leaders failing to take things seriously and implement effective solutions and policies; systemic racism is a public health emergency: Erin Fraser, Alameda. Stated the City should be a safe haven for all; the Police do not help residents get to that level; expressed concern about the notion of defunding resulting in delay of investigation of a missing Black person from the community; urged Council to consider racism as a public health emergency and to pass the resolution; stated all lives cannot matter unless Black Lives Matter: Kevyn Lauren, Alameda. Stated there have been numerous accounts of racism; racism is an issue and deserves a timely resolution; the meeting has been called as an emergency; noted the emergency status allows the Sunshine Ordinance to be bypassed; expressed concern for transparency; stated emergency items should be considered carefully: Jay Garfinkle, Alameda. Urged Council to vote no on the resolution as currently written; stated the way the resolution is written depicts community members safety and well-being as not a goal of the Police Department; urged Council to create a separate resolution; expressed concern about the timing: Allison Pilmer, Alameda. Stated racism is an open wound in Alameda; the pain of community members has been witnessed; many community members are calling for action; many concerns have been discussed at length; noted the shift in resources makes sense from an efficiency model: Jannette Eng, Alameda. Stated Item 8 is more powerful than initially considered; the action provides absolute cover for the Black community while the City figures out what to do; an open truth and Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 7 reconciliation process has begun; departments and Officers will be cautious; there is time to keep everyone safe and informed about rebuilding: Ben Calica, Alameda. Stated racism is a public health crisis; policing is deeply rooted in racism and W hite supremacy; the budget should reflect the Police being defunded; the funding should be reallocated to low-income housing, education, healthcare and other programs and services: Samantha Russi, Alameda. Expressed support for an understanding of the resolution; discussed what happens to Black people being different than what happens to non-Black people; noted there have been helpful Police Officers; mental health training should happen and is deserved; it is not a threat to talk about racism as a public health emergency: Melissa Merin, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; discussed articles exploring the detrimental impacts racism can have on the health of People of Color; stated people are not finding information; statistics are being used by White supremacists against the item: Aidan Keith, Alameda. Discussed experience with systemic racism in Alameda; stated it is sad to hear other Immigrants’ comments about a lack of systemic racism; not experiencing systemic or systematic racism is not a reason to state it does not exist; racism affects health in many ways and is a public health emergency; urged Council to defund the Police and use the funds to benefit the community: Randell Rubies, Youth Activists of Alameda. Urged Council to support the resolution; discussed records of student harassment by Police; stated passing the resolution is crucial to the safety of the children on the Island: Geronimo Coffin, Lincoln Middle School. Urged Council to vote yes on the resolution; stated the safety others fear losing is at the expense of BIPOC’s continued lack of safety in Alameda; the fears are unfounded; meaningful actions need to be taken in order for the resolution to have impact; the meaningful actions need to be funded by the money being reallocated from Police: Naomi Forsberg, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated climate justice is inextricably linked with racial justice; discussed living and medical conditions for People of Color and the effects of redlining in the United Stated; stated Council has an opportunity to pass the resolution as a step forward: Emily Nielson, Alameda. Expressed support for making changes to reduce racism in the City and many items in the resolution; expressed concern about portions of the resolution; stated Officers need be trained to respond to calls; appropriate staffing must occur; expressed support for having those who inappropriately call the Police taking a course in appropriate calls: Kelly Cope, Alameda. Discussed her experience with racism; expressed support for the resolution; urged Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 8 Council to end White supremacy and defund the Police; stated this is the beginning to make Alameda a better place for all people; she does not always feel safe in Alameda and would like that to change; urged Council to pass the resolution: Raquel Williams, Youth Activists of Alameda. Stated the proposed resolution shows racism is a serious problem; the resolution also shows how dangerous racism is to BIPOC neighbors; many commenters have a fear of losing safety; the proposed resolution is not the opposite of the fears being described; the resolution is a new way forward: Savanna Cheer, Alameda. Stated reimagining public safety is a long journey; expressed support for the resolution; urged Council to commit to the resolution and continue to make impactful actions; urged residents to consider the possibility of life outside of lived experiences; stated that she is disheartened to hear previous speakers disregard the impacts of systemic racism: Amy Chu, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated systemic racism is a crime and BIPOC people are the victims; the systems of society are designed to reinforce White wealth and power at the expense of BIPOC people; systemic racism is not unique to Alameda; crime will decrease once basic needs are met: Laura Cutrona, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated denial of racism on the Island is evidence of the need for the resolution; discussed crime statistics; stated defunding the Police does not mean immediate abolishment; funds will be re-routed to programs which provide remedies: Alexia Archoa, Alameda. *** (20-487) Councilmember Vella moved approval of having a speaking time of one minute. Vice Mayor Knox White seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote: Councilmembers Daysog: No; Knox White: Aye; Oddie: Aye; Vella: Aye; and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft: Aye. Ayes: 4. Noes: 1. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft called a meeting recess at 9:56 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 10:10 p.m. *** The Following Comments Were Read Into the Record: Stated that he does not support the resolution; passing the resolution feels undemocratic and a shortcut to addressing the real problem of systemic racism; the resolution is an overreach by the City to circumvent processes outlined in the Charter; the resolution fails to address the crisis in Alameda: Joseph Cutrona, Alameda. Urged Council to approve the resolution; stated the resolution names racism as the Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 9 problem and provides a path to repair; the City needs to look at Alameda Police data to understand the community’s greatest needs: Elaine Santos, Alameda. Stated the resolution is ill-conceived and is knee-jerk; stated Alameda has dedicated law enforcement; the overall impact of a proposed 42% cut to APD is unknown; cutting the traffic division with non-sworn personnel is ridiculous: Richard Sherratt, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated a healing-centered truth and reconciliation effort is equally urgent; swift action must be taken to learn and assess how City government operates to combat systems of anti-Blackness and White supremacy: Rosemary Jordan, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated structural racism has long infected the most vulnerable populations; discussed intergenerational traumas and damages; expressed support for redirecting funds to initiatives designed to support community health: Eleanor Chung, Alameda. Stated Alameda is a great City; noted the Police Chief is a native of Alameda and is progressive; discussed his experience as a traffic control volunteer; stated it is foolhardy to cut the Police Department budget in any amount: Michael Steinrok, Alameda. Urged Council to use common sense in making the decision to defund the Police Department: Dave Case, Alameda. Stated racism fears are not supported by factual data; questioned statistics provided; discussed violent crime statistics: Warren Dole, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution, further reduction beyond 42%, and housing support programs; stated low-level offenses constitute more than 80% of arrests; urged Council to align the budget with efforts to de-incarcerate and provide services to allow communities to thrive: Kate Crowley Richardson, Alameda. Expressed concern for the current resolution; stated there is no understanding of what is driving the urgency for the resolution; Alameda is not experiencing extreme issues to cause a drastic move; reducing Police funding would cost taxpayers more: S Kane, Alameda. Expressed disgust at Police actions and concern for the Police Department budget; stated little is spent on education, libraries and parks; more funds need to be put into services and agencies which help; urged Council to defund APD: Ryan Soule, Alameda. Discussed how racism affects BIPOC youth and families; urged Council to declare racism a public health emergency, to address the work of dismantling racist infrastructure and to allow all youth an equal chance to succeed: Archana Nagraj, Alameda. Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 10 Discussed the Mali Watkins incident; stated crime exists because people commit crimes; urged Council to think about how social workers would handle altercations; stated Council is moving hastily to defund APD: Mackenzie Common, Alameda. Stated Council does not care about Asian people; noted several members of the Asian community have recently been targeted and robbed; stated criminals should not be defined as Black and W hite but as criminals; urged Council to take care of Asian constituents and vote no: Jenny Lum, Alameda. Stated Police are human and have faced attacks from rioters; calls are not being answered due to open positions; urged Council to redirect money from other departments to fill vacancies and hire social workers to ride with Police: Robert Farrar, Alameda. Stated that she opposes the measure due to Section 6; urged Council to address racism and Police changes well: Joyce Boyd, Alameda. Expressed support for a community-led process to identify how to improve the delivery of Police services; stated the community must be the centerpiece of the process; a process of conducting outreach has begun and will continue: Alan Kuboyama, Alameda Police Officers Association. Expressed support for the resolution; stated racism harms health; it is incumbent upon society to address racism as a public health emergency; urged Council to vote in favor of the resolution: Christine Mitchell, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution: Michael Hancock, Alameda. Stated 85% of Crisis Assistant Helping out on the Streets (CAHOOTS) calls include a Police Officer being present; stated extra funding for Police is needed, not less; discussed the City of Vallejo cutting Police funding; stated studies show use of force is less likely with more Police presence: Anna S, Alameda. Stated systematic racism is a public health emergency; all citizens of Alameda need to be treated with respect and equality; expressed support for the subcommittee; discussed the CAHOOTS program; stated that he does not support redirecting 42% of Police funding: John Platt, Alameda. Urged Council to think about all angles before making a decision on the resolution; stated there have been divisions; attempts at using data to support decisions falls flat; discussed arrests in Alameda: Desiree’ Abbott, Alameda. Stated that she is upset at the proposed Council decisions; discussed Police and Fire staff; stated it is taboo to question the Fire Department budget: Brittany Benvenuto, Alameda. Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 11 Stated change is necessary; expressed support for change in policing practices; stated that she does not support changes being made without consideration of long-term effects to the safety of the City: Whitney Moon, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated the declaration conveys a “life or death” urgency; the declaration will send a clear and strong message to all Alamedans; expressed support for reducing funding for the Police Department: Laura Rose, Alameda. Stated Alameda does not feel safe anymore for People of Color when the idea of defunding the Police is considered a good thing; discussed riots and protests across the nation and lawlessness; stated there is not an African-American Councilmember to weigh-in on the issues: Rene A, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated Alameda has to join as a leader in the movement; everyone must stop being complicit and start fighting against racism: Duc Nguyen, Alameda. Urged Council to represent people like herself and to defund Police by 50%; stated Police do not make citizens safer; racism is a health emergency; discussed her experience as a public school Teacher and juvenile Probation Officer: Debra Mendoza, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated the resolution is important during a pandemic which affects People of Color at higher rates; the resolution is important while communities experience Police actions which also affects People of Color at higher rates: Kevin McCarty, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated structural racism is embedded in government institutions and disadvantages the most vulnerable populations; inequalities disproportionately affect BIPOC; there is a moment of reckoning caused by Police brutality: Andrea Carlise, Alameda. Urged Council to adopt the resolution; expressed support for unbundling Police services and cutting the Department budget; stated it is not right that Black people are arrested at a disproportionate rate in Alameda; changes need to be made now: Jennifer Taggart, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated racism impacts physical, mental, emotional, and psychological well-being of all victims; there is a need to recognize the harm and damage racism inflicts at all levels: Carly Stadum-Liang, Alameda. Stated major changes made to the Police force should be left up to the people in Alameda; Council cannot act unilaterally: Mary An, Alameda. Urged Council to make backing up the Police Department a priority and participating in Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 12 ride-alongs before making any decisions to cut funding; stated Police do good for communities: Mackenzie Chung, Alameda. Discussed living in Alameda for safety; stated State law has become lenient on crimes; discussed crimes within the last year; expressed opposition to defunding the Police; expressed support for an increase in Police funding by 10%: Frances Mak, Jessica Zeng, Horace Ho, and Xiaoli, Alameda. Stated that she would like the findings which support holding a special Council meeting: Therese Hall, Alameda. Stated that she hopes the proposal leads to real action in making the City safer, healthier and more welcoming; urged Council to pass the resolution: Kristan LeVietes, Alameda. Expressed concern about items which may pose a threat to public safety; stated that she is interested in a collaborative outline created by all Departments and presented to the community for feedback: Michaelia B., Alameda. Urged Council to listen to the BIPOC of Alameda and defund the Police; stated action is needed; the resolution is an empty promise: Lily Kotansky, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; stated that he is disappointed the resolution does not go far enough; stated the City is allowing a directionally positive resolution to be diluted by a long-winded processes: Issao Fujiwara, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution and reducing Police funding by 50%; stated the recommendations in the resolution are important: Rhea Boyd, Alameda. Expressed support for the resolution; discussed a friend’s experience in Alameda; stated racism is real; urged Council to vote yes on the resolution: Zac Oransky, Alameda. Discussed arrest statistics in Alameda; stated the mistreatment of Black people by APD in Alameda is funded by tax dollars; urged Council to invest Alameda’s tax dollars into anti-racist public health policies and programming: Sarah Jo Neubauer, Alameda. *** (20-488) Vice Mayor Knox White moved approval of continuing the meeting past 11:00 p.m. to hear the City Manager evaluation item [paragraph no. 20-484] and to proceed no later than 12:00 a.m., continuing the items on the July 7, 2020 continued meeting to the next regular City Council meeting. Councilmember Oddie expressed support for moving the continued items. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft expressed support for moving the continued items; inquired Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 13 whether members are amenable to the meeting ending at 12:00 a.m. Councilmember Vella responded that she is ok with the midnight stop time. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated that she supports the meeting going until midnight and no later; the rules of order referral and Stopwaste brief should be continued to the July 21, 2020 meeting. The City Attorney stated the Council must set a date and time specific to continue the items. The City Clerk stated a 7:02 p.m. start time is available; should the items not be heard, the items will push to a September meeting. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated the rules of order item may be continued to September. Vice Mayor Knox White moved approval of hearing the evaluation after the current matter discussion and ending by 12:00 a.m., with the remaining items being continued to a future meeting [July 21, 2020 at 7:02 p.m.]. Councilmember Oddie seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote: Councilmembers Daysog: Aye; Knox White: Aye; Oddie: Aye; Vella: Aye; and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft: Aye. Ayes: 5. *** Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated there is no doubt in declaring racism as a public health emergency; the matter is important and necessary; expressed concern about the timing; stated there are many topics covered in the declaration; many of the topics were delegated to a steering committee on June 29th; the unbundling services, review of Police Department policies and practices, Police Department accountability and oversight and addressing systemic and community racism and anti-racism topics originated from a proposal created by Vice Mayor Knox White and Councilmember Vella; the steering committee proposal will be heard on July 21st ; if adopted by Council, will be community-led and centered on Black voices; the steering committee has met twice; questioned whether Council should limit to the scope of community members’ input or if Council should listen to input from those that understand the experience of being Black in America; stated the declaration can be made fuller and more complete; expressed concern about how input from the Black community is received; questioned whether the input should be more than just comments received; stated the subcommittee intends to provide input in one week; it is not easy to give up power and elected officials are elected for a reason; Councilmembers are passionate about desired changes; there is room for a community process; the process is not being delayed with community input; speakers have urged Council to act, not speak; she would like the actions taken to make a difference and to mean something within a strong declaration; ceding abilities to a committee still allows Council to make final determinations; there will be a missed opportunity should Council not allow BIPOC community members the Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 14 unfettered ability to be heard; Council is moving forward rapidly. Councilmember Vella stated that a number of public commenters announced how long they have lived in Alameda; time of residency does not matter; each voice matters; there are a number of reasons for people to speak and address Council; the credentials of how long someone has lived in Alameda should not matter and are part of systemic racism; racism is not an individual thing, it is not a personal attack on any individual; racism is the over 400 years of systemic legal racism that leads to disparate outcomes and deaths of BIPOC; the goal of the resolution is to specifically call out racial disparities: income, health, wealth, education, access to upward mobility and a number of other things related to quality of life; racism is the causation of disproportionately high rates of homelessness, incarceration, economic hardship and poor outcomes in education and health; racism is not an attack on any individual; racism is the disparate outcomes happening; systemic racism is legalized racism which has occurred throughout all systems; California is not immune from racism; even though California rejected slavery, it committed genocide against Native Americans; outlined historic genocide information; stated California has overwhelmingly voted to continue racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing; the State and United States Supreme Courts ruled discrimination is unconstitutional; many laws have been racist and created systems where simply being a race meant actions were illegal and crimes; Alameda is not leading the way in declaring racism a public health crisis; Wisconsin State and municipalities were the first, along with Indiana, Michigan and Ohio; Alameda can look to the other cities which have declared racism a public health crisis; she has reached out to cities which have declared racism a public health crisis to understand the impact verbiage has on the declaration; the trend is identifying words which showcase racism as a problem; it is important to start there from a public policy standpoint; it is important to identify the lens with which progress will take place; resolutions are often followed with a directive or process to determine the best way to promote racial equity; the subcommittee will report back with recommendations to the governing body within six months to one year; discussed generally accepted public health issues; stated it should be easy to declare racism as a public health issue; the order with which Council is approaching is off from other municipalities; expressed support for defining the problem and looking at the matter through the lens of racism; noted public comments provided have been helpful; expressed support for getting out the core sentiment that racism is a public health issue; stated the matter is beyond the Police Department and is Citywide; there is a way to combine the process; expressed support for adding language which clarifies or adds clear direction to community groups; stated the City has not been clear about which powers have been surrendered; a defined process incorporating directives needs to be established; expressed support for empowering the community group to define and gather data needed to inform its decision, for the community led group to provide recommendations on shifting resources, for finding funding for the programs recommended and to make recommendations across the board for Citywide change to define short and long-term goals and to look at the issues for the five areas provided by Council with a racial lens; stated it is important to have the racial lens when looking at the issues; surrendering to community process is daunting and jarring; informative change will not occur without voices of support from the W hite community; the silence Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 15 from the White community has been deafening and is a reason why systems have been allowed to continue for centuries; expressed support for centering around voices of Color; BIPOC people are empowered to tell Council how to proceed without limit; stated that she is fine with shifting the funding parameters beyond the 42%; a space needs to be created to address those reacting from fear; change will not happen unless everyone is brought along. Councilmember Oddie outlined Propositions 209 and 8; urged citizens to look at their White privilege and read books; outlined a letter of support for Police containing code words; stated the letter is indicative of the problem; Alameda has made it so that People of Color are afraid to visit; the resolution is a good first step; expressed support for hearing how the resolution can be complimentary to the process and for hearing any needed changes; noted Brown Act restrictions; stated that he is open to anything which makes the matter stronger and any process which addresses the root cause. Vice Mayor Knox White stated that he is flabbergasted by comments; he is thrilled to support of the community led process; questioned whether comments were written beforehand; stated the resolution was put together with input from the community and with Black voices; Council can delay the resolution and hold off until there is better language; expressed support for Councilmember Vella’s comments; questioned the impacts of the delay in time spent rewriting language and whether the delay will bring the goal closer; stated there has been much support for CAHOOTS; he does not think moving forward on one item limits the subcommittee; noted that he will gladly follow Council; expressed concern about the delay in acknowledging the City’s commitment to the problem; expressed support for adding language to be brought back as a revision; stated many people have urged no delay in the process; delay is a process problem, not an action problem; it is fine to remove all of Item 6A and send it to the subcommittee; expressed support for hearing whether there is interest from Council in moving the item forward or stopping at the current position and sending it to the subcommittee. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated that she always hopes for conversation and discussion; Councilmembers do not have to agree, but it is good to hear other voices; the topics are difficult to discuss; expressed support for the declaration of racism as a public health emergency; stated the subcommittee may weigh-in on processes, gather data, and create a more local process; declaring racism a public health emergency is important; Council can learn from other communities; short, mid and long-term goals will be looked at; a process has been set up for community input; expressed concern about wanting to bring the community along; stated there is systemic racism; noted this is a turning point; expressed concern about putting too much into the matter without the benefit of input from lives affected; stated there may be things brought forth that were not thought of which need attention and are worthwhile; she is unsure about what can move forward, but Council returns in one week. Councilmember Daysog stated that he appreciates various perspectives and comments; he is impressed with the amount of feedback from public health professionals; Council is a policy-making body; Council makes policy in three ways: by ordinance, resolution Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 16 and motion; making policy by ordinance and resolution means Council is providing direction to the City Manager for execution; Item 6 of the resolution states: “these cuts will be proportional to the 42% reduction in services that the Department has historically responded to and identified to shift to other departments;” the interpretation is to contemplate a 42% reduction or cut in the Police force; Council has previously discussed scenarios of significant cuts to the Police Department; there has been a mantra of 42% which has increased; he has not supported a 50% cut to the Police Department; expressed concern about an up to 42% cut, the expectations of the order of magnitude of cuts and the change in the Police Department budget; stated APD is already under-staffed; there are issues the Police force has to look after; there are safety considerations and crimes which need a Police force; should Council adopt the matter as a resolution, the text would be walking orders for how the City Manager should be thinking about staff and program-making; new directions are needed as a City; this is a historic time; expressed support for work being done with CAHOOTS; stated there is a model within grasp of how to change the Police force; Police should focus on crime enforcement and crime reduction issues; alternative models should be implemented where possible when dealing with persons or individuals who are not a crime but should be addressed; expressed support for the subcommittee to better flesh out the CAHOOTS model; CAHOOTS works in Eugene, Oregon but may not work in Alameda and may require modifications; his goal is to implement a program similar to CAHOOTS, which would represent a system change; the matter before Council is broad; many organizations are effected; outlined organizations’ literature on social equity, public health, racism and the disparate impacts which result; expressed support for tapping into the bodies such as the County Public Health Department, which provides the work and literature to help formulate and refine the public health equals racism question; stated that he cannot support the resolution due to Item 6; the input can help focus the dialogue in a way which is specific to the City of Alameda. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft noted that she is not pushing for the CAHOOTS program, but is intrigued by it; stated San Francisco and Oakland are working with CAHOOTS; Alameda is more ethnically diverse than Eugene, Oregon. Councilmember Oddie stated that he would like to see Council pass something; Council cannot unanimously agree that there is an emergency and crisis, yet not adopt a resolution; expressed support for added reference to the original occupants of Alameda land and for declaring a public health emergency; stated Item 1 does not restrict the subcommittee; Item 2 is important due to stories heard at a Town Hall and should not be delayed; Council does not need a subcommittee to state that staff being subjected to racism in the building or while on the job needs to stop; Item 3 can be modified to include only the header; however, it is still important to include and keep; Item 4 should also remain; the remaining parts begin to get specific about work to be done by the subcommittee; expressed support for passing Items 1 through 4; stated the remaining sections can be coordinated with the subcommittee. The City Manager stated sustainable change will take time; outlined the process timeline for Minneapolis versus Alameda; expressed concern about intermediate Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 17 improvements, such as CAHOOTS, related to resources which will influence the public process; stated Council must be upfront about the public process; the processes can be completed simultaneously; Council may direct the subcommittee to look at CAHOOTS early on and provide recommendations; expressed concern about beginning before pubic engagement; stated decisions could impact long-term decisions without the public involvement process; staff is looking into a variety of programs and public engagement; there are not many examples of programs happening quickly; expressed support for the public input process. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether the programs being looked into reference a previous Alameda County Mayor’s Conference discussion. The City Manager responded in the affirmative; stated there is also a program similar to CAHOOTS being reviewed. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft outlined Darlene Flynn’s work in setting up Oakland’s Department of Race and Equity; discussed Oakland’s work to end systemic racism and a book event. Councilmember Vella expressed support for discussion of the report; stated that she understands the Peace Officers Bill of Rights and that personnel items might not be able to be made public; expressed support for a publically accessible document to be brought forth from the report; stated a review of processes and protocols would be a helpful document for the community subcommittee; personnel items do not have to be included. The City Manager stated the report might be parallel with the audit in Item 6; noted the process can examine things not related to personnel; the audit includes an approach similar to Councilmember Vella’s suggestions; noted that he is comfortable with the approach. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether the City Manager is comfortable with direction from Council without needing approval. The City Manager responded that he could initiate the report on his own; should direction need to be provided, it can be from Council; stated that he is comfortable with conducting a non-personnel audit process. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether Council may discuss items not included on the agenda. Vice Mayor Knox White responded the matter is under Item 6 before bullet point A. The City Attorney stated the City Manager is referring to Item 6 of the proposed resolution. Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 18 Councilmember Oddie stated the audit would identify policies that may need to be changed in order to meet the goals and objectives outlined by the community-led steering committee. Councilmember Vella stated a report is being completed; expressed concern about the need to take action; stated a lot has been done by Council; the resolution attempts to capture what has been done and should be acknowledged; what has been done is not enough, it is a start, and the process is being laid out; noted that she has experience being a Woman of Color in Alameda; the subcommittee is comprised of two Women of Color; outlined experiences as a Councilmember of Alameda and a Woman of Color; stated that she is sensitive to racism being declared a public health emergency; the resolution should address some of the issues raised; Council should not be wordsmithing at 11:56 p.m.; delaying the item by one week is not a miscarriage of justice; noted many cities’ resolutions preceded Council action; stated directives can be clarified; suggested language be added to the resolution; stated missing language needs to be added; expressed support for a week’s time to add the missing information in addition to the subcommittee report returning to Council; the reference is to the community led subcommittee; expressed support for allowing the subcommittee to look through the lens of racism and impacts from systemic racism. *** (20-489) Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated the current time is 11:56 p.m.; noted the City Manager evaluation [paragraph no. 20-484] will need to be continued to July 21 at a time-specific; inquired the possible start-times. The City Clerk responded either 5:00 p.m. or 7:02 p.m. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft expressed support for a 5:00 p.m. start-time. Councilmember Vella moved approval of continuing the City Manager evaluation to July 21 at 5:00 p.m. Councilmember Daysog seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote: Councilmembers Daysog: Aye; Knox White: Aye; Oddie: Aye; Vella: Aye; and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft: Aye. Ayes: 5. *** Councilmember Vella stated that she is happy to move approval of directing the City Manager to work on the report and discuss with Council whether the report will be an audit; an investigation should yield a public document as a result; should the direction be an audit, direction will be provided to include feedback from the community task- force about additional items to be included in said audit; that she will also make a motion to work toward declaring racism as a public health crisis and a document where all Councilmembers may provide feedback to staff about specific language to be included in the resolution with options put forward to a vote at the next Council meeting. Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 19 *** (20-490) Vice Mayor Knox White noted the meeting has gone past 12:00 a.m. and is over. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft stated the meeting may continue with a Council vote. Councilmember Oddie moved approval of continuing the meeting for an additional 15 minutes. Councilmember Vella seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote: Councilmembers Daysog: Aye; Knox White: No; Oddie: Aye; Vella: Aye; and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft: Aye. Ayes: 4. Noes. 1. *** The City Attorney stated should Council desire to bring the resolution back; staff recommends continuing the matter to a date and time certain. Vice Mayor Knox White inquired whether the item would be able to be worked on without proper notice. The City Attorney responded there would be no new documents submitted; however, at a 7:02 p.m. meeting, Council may work collectively with staff to wordsmith a new resolution. Councilmember Oddie stated that he would be willing to second a motion which declares racism as a public health emergency and a crisis affecting the City; expressed support for not waiting on Item 2 of the resolution being part of a motion. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether the portion of the resolution needs to be passed for the City Manager. Councilmember Oddie stated it is critical to get the emergency declaration on record. Councilmember Vella expressed support for Councilmember Oddie’s suggestion. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft requested the motion be re-stated. Councilmember Vella moved approval of directing the City Manager to produce a public report as a result of the investigation ordered by Council and any other recommended audit from the community-led process of the policing practices and to work with subcommittees on what the audit will include, taking into account the contents of the resolution; declaring racism a public health crisis; directing the City Manager to identify long-term and ongoing training; stated that she does not want to limit the training to anti- racism training; there are a number of additional, helpful trainings; anti-discrimination trainings are needed; expressed support for broadening training. Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 20 Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether Council is returning for further refinements on July 21st; stated the refinements can be brought back at the date and time specific rather than adopting parts which may be changed as part of the whole; inquired whether direction can be provided to the City Manager to begin addressing concerns raised. Councilmember Oddie expressed support for providing direction. Councilmember Vella stated that her motion includes the City Manager looking into training suggested in Item 2; noted her motion also includes continuing the specific language discussion to 7:02 p.m. on July 21st. Councilmember Oddie seconded the motion. Under discussion, Vice Mayor Knox White stated that he is not in support of the motion. Councilmember Oddie inquired the process for adding language to the resolution. The City Attorney responded Council may bring changes to the meeting and the discussion will resume. Councilmember Oddie inquired whether there are any restrictions on discussions with colleagues. The City Attorney responded Brown Act restrictions apply outside of the meeting. In response to Councilmember Oddie’s further inquiry, the City Attorney stated the discussion depends on content; stated there is concern about discussions with a third member related to items not discussed at the public meeting; should a topic arise which has already been discussed, the clock is reset and a discussion with any member may occur. Councilmember Oddie expressed support for a breakdown being sent to Councilmembers. Vice Mayor Knox White stated that he supports the goal; expressed concern for the motion stating racism is bad and Council clarifying the meaning at a later time and for continuing the meeting without public input and comment; noted that he does not support further investigation due to delay in action; stated an audit limits the ability of the subcommittee; stated that he is not confident Council is taking action; an investigation report is new and meaningful; the rest of the items seem to be delayed; he will not be supporting the motion. Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft inquired whether the item may be placed at the top of the agenda. The City Clerk responded the item may be placed prior to the regular meeting; noted the agenda is large and contains time-sensitive matters. Special Meeting Alameda City Council July 14, 2020 21 Councilmember Oddie inquired whether there are portions of the motion which Vice Mayor Knox White supports, to which Vice Mayor Knox White responded in the negative. Councilmember Daysog stated that he is troubled by the use of the terms “audit” and “investigation.” On the call for the question, the motion carried by the following roll call vote: Councilmembers Daysog: No; Knox White: No; Oddie: Aye; Vella: Aye; and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft: Aye. Ayes: 3. Noes. 2. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft adjourned the meeting at 12:15 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Lara Weisiger City Clerk The agenda for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Sunshine Ordinance.