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2026-06-16 - City Council (regular)

Summary

Built from the official approved minutes of the June 16, 2026 regular meeting (Attachment 4 in the June 30, 2026 minutes-for-approval batch). No video or transcript is posted, so there is no timing.

  • Roll call 6:03 p.m., all nine members present. Kesarwani took part remotely under the Brown Act "just cause" exception for a child caregiving need. Adjourned 11:58 p.m. on a motion by Bartlett, seconded by Tregub, all ayes.
  • Ceremonial: adjourned in memory of Bertha Brown, former City employee; outside counsel Chris Lynch gave Council bond disclosure training. City Manager comments: none.
  • Public comment: 5 speakers on non-agenda matters, 12 on the Consent Calendar and information items, 2 on non-agenda matters at the end.
  • Consent Calendar (items 1 to 33 except as indicated) adopted in one motion (Humbert/Taplin), all ayes.
  • Three November 3, 2026 ballot measures placed by Council, each all ayes: a $300 million infrastructure bond, a 0.5% sales tax, and a charter amendment on administrative provisions. A no-new-gas policy tied to the bond was adopted too.
  • Fourteen FY 2027 special tax and debt service rate ordinances passed first reading on consent.
  • Successor Berkeley Police Association contract through July 1, 2028 approved on consent.
  • Budget Public Hearing No. 2 drew 23 speakers; the meeting was extended twice, to 12:00 a.m., and no budget vote was taken (adoption was set for June 23).
  • Residential parking on part of Delaware Street approved; a remote-participation disruption policy adopted.
  • Item 1: Resolution 72,314 writing off a delinquent Revolving Loan Fund balance of $42,755 owed by Synthesis Group, Inc. (Minuteman Press).
  • Item 2: Resolution 72,315, temporary appropriation of $60,000,000 for July 1, 2026 expenses; see Annual Appropriations Ordinance Adoption.
  • Items 3 to 16: first readings of the FY 2027 rate ordinances; see Special Tax Rate Ordinances.
  • Item 17: Resolution 72,316 authorizing an application for the FY 2026 federal Safe Streets and Roads for All planning and demonstration grant, to support the Street Trauma Prevention Program and Vision Zero.
  • Item 18: Resolution 72,317 for two Shelter Plus Care renewals: up to $1,035,576 through Alameda County (March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) and an estimated $7,305,893 from HUD for the Supportive Housing Collaborative Project (September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027).
  • Item 19: Resolution 72,318 approving the Behavioral Health Services Act FY 2027 to 2029 three-year plan under Proposition 1, effective July 1, 2026.
  • Item 20: Resolution 72,319, Police Association contract; see Police Association Labor Negotiations.
  • Item 21: first reading of Ordinance 8,027 granting utility easements for EBMUD water meters at two City-owned buildings at Aquatic Park.
  • Item 22: Resolution 72,320 approving the FY 2026-27 list of projects funded by the state Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account.
  • Item 23: Resolutions 72,321 and 72,322 setting a July 14, 2026 hearing on FY 2027 street lighting assessments (Districts 1982-1 and 2018).
  • Item 24: Resolution 72,323, Odyssey Power on-call generator maintenance, up to $125,000 over three years with two one-year options.
  • Item 25: Resolution 72,324, Telegraph Business Improvement District public restroom janitorial contract, up $150,000 to $300,000, extended through June 30, 2027.
  • Item 26: Resolution 72,325, Radius Earthwork, Inc. contract for the FY 2026 street maintenance and rehabilitation project, up to $11,789,219.45 as lowest responsive bidder (a competing bidder filed a letter on this item).
  • Item 27: Resolution 72,326, Syn-Tech Systems fleet fueling contract, up $68,528 to $300,000, through June 30, 2029.
  • Item 28: Resolution 72,327, Mercury Associates fleet consulting, up $100,000 to $325,000, through December 30, 2027.
  • Item 29: Bicycle Plan Update, Resolution 72,328, with dozens of letters.
  • Item 30: Resolutions 72,329 to 72,331, electrical supply purchase orders with Graybar, W.W. Grainger and WESCO, up to $450,000 each, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.

Council Discretionary Fund Grants

  • Item 31, Resorcery Org mural reveal and food drive (Bartlett, Humbert co-sponsor): Resolution 72,332, $500 from Bartlett plus member additions.
  • Item 33, United for Health's Moffitt Library Clinic (Lunaparra): Resolution 72,333, $500 from Lunaparra plus member additions.

CEQA Exemptions Bill Support Position

  • Item 32 (Tregub, co-sponsors Bartlett and Lunaparra): position of support for SB 954 (Blakespear), approved on consent.

Residential parking, Delaware Street

  • Item 34, public hearing: 0 speakers. Hearing closed (Tregub/Taplin, all ayes). Resolution 72,334 adopted (Tregub/Bartlett, all ayes) adding Residential Preferential Parking on the south side of one block of Delaware Street between California Street and the Ohlone Greenway, in RPP Area E.

Remote Participation Disruption Policy

  • Item 35: 0 speakers. Resolution 72,335 adopted (Humbert/Taplin, all ayes), Appendix C to the Council Rules of Procedure.

Infrastructure Bond Ballot Measure

  • Item 36, all-electric standards for the bond and capital projects: 0 speakers; Resolution 72,336 adopted (Humbert/Tregub, all ayes) with the City Manager's revisions and an added clause making exceptions a legislative discretionary act.
  • Item 38, $300 million general obligation bond: 1 speaker; Resolution 72,338 adopted (Humbert/Tregub, all ayes) with all-electric language, City Attorney language and a severability clause; ballot argument writers: Ishii, Blackaby, Tregub, Taplin.

Charter Amendment Ballot Measure

  • Item 37: 0 speakers; Resolution 72,337 adopted (Ishii/Humbert, all ayes) with City Clerk's supplemental text; argument writers: Ishii, Taplin, Lunaparra.

Sales Tax Ballot Measure

  • Item 39 (public hearing): 4 speakers; motion (O'Keefe/Kesarwani), all ayes: Resolution 72,339 for the 0.5% transactions and use tax (aggregate rate 10.75%), first reading of Ordinance 8,028 (second reading June 30), argument writers Ishii, Kesarwani, O'Keefe.

Biennial Budget Adoption

  • Item 40a, Public Hearing No. 2 on the FY 2027 and FY 2028 biennial budget and Five-Year CIP: 23 speakers; Mayor Ishii's supplemental and revised materials accepted (Ishii/Tregub); meeting extended to 11:45 p.m. (Ishii/Kesarwani) and then to 12:00 a.m. (Taplin/Tregub), all ayes; staff presentation, Mayor's budget proposal, Council questions.
  • Item 40b, Solano Avenue Stroll referral (O'Keefe, Blackaby co-sponsor): $81,000 a year in City services and $57,500 a year in barricades, supplies and zero waste fees; no action, as it was subsumed in the Mayor's budget proposal (O'Keefe/Tregub, all ayes).
  • Item 40c, Five-Year CIP Public Hearing No. 1 (continued from June 9): staff presented; Council asked questions; adoption set for June 23.

Information report

  • Item 41: Landmark Preservation Ordinance notice of decision for a Shattuck Avenue property; received and filed.

Communications

  • 86 communication items were filed, including 2,280 similarly worded form letters on California's 911 rebuild, many letters on the bicycle plan, tax increase concerns, the Solano Stroll, fire trucks, e-scooters and BMR rent clarifications. Mayor's and City Manager's supplemental material on the budget was filed. No positions are recorded in the minutes.
  • Minutes certified by City Clerk Mark Numainville.

Sources