2001-05-01 Regular CC MinutesMINUTES OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY - - MAY 1, 2001 - - 7:30 P.M.
Mayor Appezzato convened the Regular Meeting at 7:50 p.m.
Councilmember Johnson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL - Present: Councilmembers Daysog, DeWitt, Johnson,
Kerr and Mayor Appezzato - 5.
Absent: None.
AGENDA CHANGES
None.
PROCLAMATIONS, SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
(01 -203) Presentation on the Community Garden at Bay Street and
Eagle Avenue.
Rosemary Alex provided a brief history of the Community Garden;
stated priority is given to Housing Authority tenants and people
with limited incomes; excess food is given to food banks; showed
slides; outlined Community Garden activities.
Kimberly Wells stated that she has offered composting education at
the Garden for four years; composting helps the City comply with
the Waste Reduction Act; workshops are held the first Saturday of
every month; a number of communities have made community garden
space part of their City Plan; space should be set aside to ensure
people have a place to tend the earth and feed families.
Councilmember Johnson inquired whether many people attend
composting classes.
Ms. Wells responded in the affirmative; stated there was an article
in the Alameda Journal Newspaper which should increase interest.
Reverend Donald Alexander, Alameda, stated the Community Garden
should be put under the Recreation and Park Department; the
Recreation and Park Department could offer gardening and composting
classes; the Garden should be limited to low- income people.
Mayor Appezzato stated Alameda Waste Management Authority has free
video tapes on recycling and composting.
Rosemary Wells presented the Councilmembers with flowers from the
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May 1, 2001
Community Garden.
(01 -204) Presentation by Alameda Unified School District Board
Member Barbara Guenther on current legislation which benefits
school districts.
School Board Member Guenther provided a handout to Council; stated
two equalization Bills [Assembly Bill 193 and Senate Bill 5] would
bring Alameda Unified School District up to the State funding
average and provide $54 more per student for a total increase of
approximately $650,000 to the General Fund; Senate Bill 993 would
increase the reimbursement per child for the Woodstock Child
Development Center, adding $154,000 to the District General Fund;
Senate Bill 6: PERS [Public Employee Retirement System] Reduction
allows school districts, rather than the State, to keep savings
realized from the way contributions are made to the retirement
system; SB 6 would increase the District's General Fund by
approximately $850,000; at the Federal Level, Senate Bill 466
increases the reimbursement rate for special education from 150
currently to 40% by 2007; encouraged everyone to contact
legislators before June 8 to support said Bills.
Mayor Appezzato stated the Alameda Unified School District receives
less funding than most school districts in the State; there will be
an effort to place a measure on the ballot in November or next
March to generate funding for Alameda's public schools.
School Board Member Guenther stated the School District has hired a
Consultant to complete strategic planning, conduct polling and
learn from the Community; noted her handout included a graph
indicating Alameda receives the lowest per student funding in
Alameda County.
Mayor Appezzato stated in the past, both a Library Bond and School
Bond did not pass; last year, the Library Bond passed with over 800
approval; hopefully, the School Bond Measure will have the same
success; further stated Senator Perata introduced the following
funding into the State budget: 1) $321,000 for Woodstock Child
Development Center; 2) $750,000 for Alameda Center for
Environmental Technology; and 3) $2.1 Million for Alameda Point
Collaborative.
(01 -205) Proclamation declaring the week of May 14 - 18, 2001 as
"2001 California Bike Commute Week" and Thursday, May 17, 2001 as
"Bay Area Regional Bike -to -Work Day, 2001."
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May 1, 2001
Mayor Appezzato read the Proclamation and presented it to Lucy
Gigli, Bike Alameda.
Lucy Gigli stated Bike Alameda spent many hours promoting Bike to
Work Week; biking improves air quality and reduces air pollution.
Mayor Appezzato stated that he received a letter from the President
of the Alameda County Board of Supervisors urging the City to adopt
a wood smoke ordinance to control emissions; requested the City
Manager to review the matter and place it on a Council agenda;
noted the proposed regulation would not ban fireplaces.
Councilmember Kerr stated Bike Alameda started valet bike parking
at special events in Alameda; page 53 of the Bike Master Plan
recommends closed -in bike corrals be required when event permits
are issued; requested the City Manager to review the matter and
report back to Council.
Mayor Appezzato noted there will be development in the West End;
bicycles might be one of the [traffic] mitigations.
(01 -206) Alameda Power & Telecom Presentation regarding its
Economic Development Award from the California Association for
Local Economic Development (CALED).
Alameda Power and Telecom (AP &T) Marketing Manager, Bill Garvine,
provided a brief background on the award and recognized Meredith
Owens, AP &T Energy Management Coordinator; Will Hobbs, Vice
President, Community Bank of the Bay in Oakland, which provided the
program financing; and Peter Halberstadt, Bladium, program
participant.
Meredith Owens, AP &T Energy Manager Coordinator, outlined the
program, including energy efficient lighting at Bladium; stated
hopefully, there will be more participants in the future.
Will Hobbs, Community Bank of the Bay, stated the Bank looks
forward to future partnerships with Alameda.
Peter Halberstadt, Bladium, thanked AP &T; stated conversion of
Bladium's building [at Alameda Point] was a monumental task.
Mayor Appezzato presented the award to Ms. Owens.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Appezzato announced that the Quarterly Sales Tax Report for
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May 1, 2001
the Period Ending March 31, 2001 [paragraph no. 01 -2111 was removed
from the Consent Calendar for discussion.
Councilmember Johnson moved approval of the remainder of the
Consent Calendar.
Councilmember Kerr offered an amendment to the motion; stated a
letter should not be sent regarding Assembly Bill 1436 because it
was drastically modified yesterday.
Hearing no objection to the amendment, Councilmember Kerr seconded
the motion, which carried by unanimous voice vote - 5.
[Items so enacted or adopted are indicated by an asterisk preceding
the paragraph number.]
( *01 -207) Minutes of the Special and Regular City Council Meetings
held on April 17, 2001. Approved.
( *01 -208) Recommendation to authorize the Mayor to send a letter to
State Legislative Representatives opposing Senate Bill 910 -
General Plans: Housing Elements; Senate Bill 519 - Military Base
Conversion: Housing; and Assembly Bill 1436 - Military Base Reuse.
Accepted.
The City Council director that a letter not be sent regarding
Assembly Bill 1436 (refer to the motion approving the Consent
Calendar) .
( *01 -209) Recommendation to authorize calling for bids for Legal
Advertising for Fiscal Year 2001 -02. Accepted.
( *01 -210) Recommendation to accept Quarterly Investment Portfolio
for the Period Ending March 31, 2001. Accepted.
(01 -211) Recommendation to accept Quarterly Sales Tax Report for
the Period Ending March 31, 2001 for Sales Transactions in the
Fourth Calendar Quarter (October - December, 2000).
Mayor Appezzato stated quarterly sales tax revenues decreased by
30% compared to the same quarter from last year; hopefully, sales
tax will only be down for a small period of time.
Councilmember Daysog stated sales tax went down because of one
business in the high tech field; noted the City should try to
diversify its economy to the extent possible.
Councilmember Daysog moved approval of the staff recommendation.
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May 1, 2001
Vice Mayor DeWitt seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous
voice vote - 5.
( *01 -212) Recommendation to accept Quarterly Financial Report for
the Period Ending March 31, 2001, including adjustments and
approving new positions. Accepted.
( *01 -213) Recommendation to set Hearing for June 19, 2001 to seek
authorization to place Delinquent Business License Fees on Property
Tax Bills. Accepted.
( *01 -214) Recommendation to set Hearing for June 19, 2001 to
establish Prop 4 Limit for Fiscal Year 2001 -02. Accepted.
( *01 -215) Resolution No. 13330, "Opposing National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) Proposed Standard 1710." Adopted.
( *01 -216) Resolution No. 13331, "Terminating the Joint Exercise of
Powers Agreement Creating the California Pooled Investment
Authority." Adopted.
( *01 -217) Resolution No. 13332, "Preliminarily Approving Annual
Report Declaring Intention to Order Levy and Collection of
Assessments and Providing for Notice of July 1, 2001 Hearing
Thereof - Island City Landscaping and Lighting District 84 -2."
Adopted.
( *01 -218) Resolution No. 13333, "Authorizing the City Manager to
Submit a One Year Grant Application for the Used Oil Recycling
Block Grant Funds (FY 2001 -02) to the California Integrated Waste
Management Board (CIWMB) and Execute All Necessary Applications,
Contracts, Payment Requests, Agreements and Amendments." Adopted.
( *01 -219) Resolution No. 13334, "Approving Application to the Local
Grant Program Under the East Bay Regional Park District, Regional
Open Space, Wildlife, Shoreline and Parks Bond Ordinance for the
Jackson Park Renovation, Phase I, in the Amount of $39,486."
Adopted.
( *01 -220) Ratified bills in the amount of $1,838,659.50.
REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS
(01 -221) Ordinance No. 2858, "Approving and Authorizing the Lease
of Vacant Property at 2300 Alameda Avenue, 2304 Alameda Avenue and
1224 Oak Street Leased by Thomson Properties (Lessor) to the City
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May 1, 2001
of Alameda (Lessee) for a City Parking Lot." Finally passed.
Councilmember Johnson moved final passage of the Ordinance.
Councilmember Kerr seconded the motion, which carried by unanimous
voice vote - 5.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, NON- AGENDA
(01 -222) Bob Woods, BMX Riders Organization, submitted a handout
to the City Council; stated the BMX Riders Organization is trying
to get bicycles into Cityview Skatepark; during the year 2000, 211
tickets were given to bicyclists riding in the Skatepark;
bicyclists assisted with building the park and are being denied
access; there should be a way to solve the problem.
(01 -223) Jean Sweeney, Alameda, noted John Fee, who often spoke at
Council Meetings, passed away in January.
(01 -224) Jon Spangler, Alameda, stated the Public Transit
Committee (PTC) will sunset; the Council should ensure there is
citizen representation any transportation board which replaces the
PTC or deals with public transportation; representatives should be
cyclists, pedestrians and transit users; transportation should be
addressed in a comprehensive manner; progress should continue with
widespread citizen input, rather than domination by special
interest groups.
Mayor Appezzato stated the City Council will hear the
recommendation of the two elected officials, who are citizens and
members of the public [Vice Mayor DeWitt and Councilmember Johnson,
PTC Co- Chairs]; noted elected officials are elected to represent
the public.
COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS
(01 -225) Mayor Appezzato stated Mastick Senior Center is owned by
the City.
(01 -226) Mayor Appezzato stated that he received a letter from the
Alameda Bridgeside Shopping Center owners; requested the City
Manager to address the matter.
(01 -227) Vice Mayor DeWitt stated the Public Transit Committee
will meet Wednesday, May 2, 2001 and address whether the Committee
should continue.
(01 -228) Councilmember Daysog requested that an upcoming City
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May 1, 2001
Council agenda include a letter to the Public Utilities Commission
regarding $170,000 loss in Utility Users Tax revenue; stated the
City received $10,000 rather than $180,000 and should go on record
to ensure it does not occur in the future.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Mayor Appezzato adjourned the
Regular Meeting at 8:52 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane B. Felsch, CMC
City Clerk
The Agenda for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Brown
Act.
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May 1, 2001