2020-05-19 CC CS Minutes
Special Meeting
Alameda City Council
May 19, 2020
1
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY- - MAY 19, 2020- -5:30 P.M.
Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft convened the meeting at 5:31 p.m.
Roll Call – Present: Councilmembers Daysog, Knox White, Oddie, Vella and
Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft – 5. [Note: The meeting was held via
WebEx.]
[Note: Councilmember Vella arrived at 5:35 p.m.]
Absent: None.
Consent Calendar
Vice Mayor Knox White moved approval of the Consent Calendar.
Councilmember Oddie seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote:
Councilmembers Daysog: Aye; Knox White: Aye; Oddie: Aye; and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft:
Aye; Ayes: 4. [Absent: Councilmember Vella – 1.] [Items so enacted or adopted are
indicated by an asterisk preceding the paragraph number.]
(*20-310) Recommendation to Approve Eric Levitt, City Manager, Lisa Maxwell,
Assistant City Attorney, Debbie Potter, Community Development Director, and Michelle
Giles, Redevelopment Project Manager, as Real Property Negotiators for Site A at
Alameda Point. Accepted.
(*20-311) Recommendation to Approve Eric Levitt, City Manager, Lisa Maxwell,
Assistant City Attorney, Debbie Potter, Community Development Director, and Nanette
Mocanu, Assistant Community Development Director as Real Property Negotiators for
the Alameda Theatre. Accepted.
The meeting was adjourned to Closed Session to consider:
(20-312) Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation; Case Name: HIAS v.
Trump; Court: United Stated Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; Case Number: 20 -
1160
(20-313) Conference with Real Property Negotiators (Pursuant to Government Code
Section 54956.8); Property: Site A at Alameda Point; City Negotiators: Eric J. Levitt, City
Manager; Debbie Potter, Community Development Director; Michelle Giles,
Redevelopment Project Manager; and Lisa Nelson Maxwell, Assistant City Attorney;
Negotiating Parties: City of Alameda and Alameda Point Partners: Under Negotiation:
Price and Terms.
2
(20-314) Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation (Significant Exposure
to Litigation Pursuant to Paragraph (2) of Subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9); Number
of Cases: One (As Defendant – City Exposure to Legal Action; Potential Plaintiffs:
Renewed Hope Housing Advocates and Arc Ecology.
(20-315) Conference with Real Property Negotiators (Pursuant to Government Code
Section 54956.8); Property: Alameda Theatre, Located at 2317 Central Avenue,
Alameda, CA; City Negotiators: Eric J. Levitt, City Manager; Lisa Maxwell, Assistant City
Attorney; Debbie Potter, Community Development Director; and Nanette M ocanu,
Assistant Community Development Director; Negotiating Parties: City of Alameda and
Alameda Entertainment L.P.: Under Negotiation: Price and Terms. Not heard.
Following the Closed Session, the meeting was reconvened and the City Clerk
announced that regarding Existing Litigation, staff provided information and provided
direction 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, as follows: the
City has been asked to join numerous other local jurisdictions by signing on to an
amicus brief filed in the above case where the Court of Appeal for the 4 th Circuit will
consider a challenge to a Trump Administration Executive Order that would give States
and localities the power to prevent refugees from being resettled in their jurisdiction ; a
US District Court in Maryland granted a preliminary injunction against the Executive
Order; the amicus brief seeks to support the plaintiffs and oppose the Executive Order
because: 1) the importance and contributions of refugee community members , 2)
refugees often provide large returns on the nation’s investment in them by improving
local economies, and 3) the Executive Order’s deep incompatibility with the Refugee Act
by diminishing cities’ input into the process and undermining Congressional intent by
making it much more likely that refugees will be resettled in inappropriate locations, if at
all, e.g. not with their families or others from their regions or in cities that a re
overburdened due to opt-outs; the Council has voted to authorize the City Attorney to
sign the amicus brief as requested; regarding Site A, and Anticipated Litigation staff
provided information, Council provided direction and no vote was taken.
Adjournment
There being no further business, Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft adjourned the meeting at 6:51
p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lara Weisiger
City Clerk
The agenda for this meeting was posted in accordance with the Sunshine Ordinance.