2026-10-27 - Life Enrichment Committee

Great. Good afternoon and welcome to the life enrichment committee meeting on this Tuesday, OCTOBER 27th. The time is now for this meeting shall come to order. Before I call roll, like to give instructions on how to submit a speaker card. 4 items on this agenda. If you're here in person who would like to it as big a car, please fill out a card. And leave it on the podium. For me pickup either before the item called War. 2 minutes at that meeting began. The meeting began at 404. So the close time for accepting speaker card will be for 14 online harsh 24 hours before this week meeting begins. So we will no longer be accepting speaker cards online. However, again, if you are here in person would like to submit be the heart. Fill out a card in place on the podium in front of me here. And that will retrieve and turn that in either before the item is read into record or no later than 10 minutes after this meeting began, which would be 4.14, with that. I will now call role on row for this meeting. Is council member Houston here Council number. Sorry. Yes, someone monastery, missing? Sorry? Yes, I skipped when my apologies. Councilmember guile is excused. Councilmember Houston says PRESIDENT Councilmember Wang. And Chair fight. PRESIDENT. We have 3 members present one excuse Councilmember Gallo. And with that share 5, do you have any announcements before we go to the first item know we can go to the first item. Thank you. Okay. Thank you so much for that. First item will be approval of the draft minutes for the committee meeting on SEPTEMBER. 22nd 2026. I have no speakers at this time. I move the item. At the second came from Councilmember Houston. Thank you, campus, where he's just so we have a motion by Councilmember 5 seconded by COUNCILMAN Houston to approve item when the draft minutes with that on role Councilmember Guy was excuse councilmember Houston. Yes, councilmember while. And chair Mike. I item number one. The draft minutes is approved with 3 I's and won excused Gallo. That now takes us to item number 2 moment. Item number 2 is determination of scheduling outstanding committee items, which is also known as your Pin De Lis. I do have about 15 or 16 speakers for this item. Why don't we hear from the speakers? Sounds like a plan. Some with that as I call your name, please approach the podium in a new order. And as you approach the podium before you begin, please state your name. And if you're participating online, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you State. Your name before you began to have saddle up, Ala Albert. Per as a Blair be in. Forward, great Slider Harry. It Kuz Sidon. Jim Long. Mohammed Janice Leighton. We let Kelly Marco could cut costs. Maria at. Land. Mariana or deny Donate is apologize for mispronouncing the name. Mona Crews, Ruth Brooks, Jasmine hurt. Sherin Green peace and Marcus Remiro again, if you are here in person and would like to speak, please approach the podium and state your name. For the record. We will take those one person fires. If you are participating a line and I called your name, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you. This is for item to your pending list. And if those names that I called are not wishing to speak. Ida. Item to the pin delist the eu waiving that at a later time to speak. Again. I called about 15 nays to if you wish to not speak, we will move on to the next thing. Okay. I have no name hands raised in the queue. If you are participating like please raise your hand so I can easily identify you if you I here to speak to item to your pending list. And I called your name. I believe I see one person in the queue, but they have not raised their hand. Let's It was quite a few people. Chair. I have. No body. PRESIDENT Who signed up to speak for this item ready to speak. So with that, I would need a motion for item number 2 or you would have discussions. No, is No, I know items from the administration on from the d 3 office so we can call the roll. Motion. That was a motion by Councilmember Houston, seconded by share by. To approve item to the termination of scheduling outstanding Committee items. Your Pin de Lis. Role Councilmember Gallo was excuse Councilmember Houston. I Councilmember I in a chair by. Item number 3, excuse me to the pending lists has been approved with 3 has won excused. We now move on to item number 3. Item 3 adopt a resolution authorizing the city administrator to enter into a you between the city of Oakland and usd to establish the work training partner program, enabling workplace learning experiences usd students in terms has designated work, work site locations during the application applicable summer program, period for a term of 3 years for the date of the execution in with an option to extend the one additional year. I have 2 speakers for this item. Thank you. Okay. If we can put 5 minutes on the clock for our presenter in come on up. If you can state your name and I wonder which department? You know, the floor. Good MADAM Chair and distinguished members of the Council. Name is Charles, the life with the 3rd. I am a 22 year member of the Open Fire Department. And I'm also here with Michael Hunt as well as with the assistance Deputy City Administrator. MISS Navarro as well. On behalf of the Oakland Fire Department and the city administrator's office. The staff recommends that the committee forward to the City Council resolution authorizing the city administrator to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Oakland Fire Department. That's good. But the Oakland Unified School District for its work training partner program. This agreement would establish a consistent framework for city departments to usd students during the summer providing workplace learning professional experience and workforce readiness training. The purpose is to connect open students with opportunities here in their own city, helping them develop professional skills, explore career pathways and build relationships in the workplace. This partnership builds on all U.S. These established experience, its Echo summer internship program began in 2010 and has grown from serving approximately 150 students annually to more than 500 per year. We had nearly 6,000 participants to date in this program. The proposed agreement gives participating city departments a shared structure for hosting the students with clear expectations that support student development and departmental operational needs. It also addresses, work permits, student privacy and applicable safety requirements. As described in the report. Participation is offered at no cost to the city. Us these eco. Us tease Echo program uses Oakland fun for children and youth grant funding to support student stipends. Usd retains discretion over stipend payments and amounts. Agreement will run for 3 years from execution with an option to extend for one additional year. We respectfully request the committee support in forwarding this recommendation to the full Council. Thank you. And I'm available for questions. Thank you, sir. Are there any immediate questions from my colleagues Councilmember Houston? To charity don't Science Street just a minute Question couple 6,000 participants and the stipend amount. What is stipend amount? Just give us an example. So we know. And is it something that we are training our children how save money, spend money with that stipend amount because we haven't Sometimes they get that money. They spend it. Is this some kind of training and I have a couple more to help them. So but give us an example. The public an example what type sniping do they get? Threw the chair to councilmember Houston. The stipends tend to be in the range of thousands of $1500 in the past. The duration is for 5 weeks now, as far as since the city departments have not been the administers of that stipend. Did not discuss, you know, financial literacy and things of those nature. We stuck to the job functions. So so how do we get nonprofit a joint venture with you for financial literacy, because it's real important that our kids understand that it's been a money. My daughter, she took the money she spent right away until we taught her how important it is to say. So that's something that I'll talk to MISTER Of about. She can speak actually speak to that right So typically because these funds are being managed by Oakland Unified School District, that they do provide job readiness and those type of workshops to ensure that they have that. That awareness and knowing of how to save their dollars. Mother making that during the summer. Thank you, MR. Due chair wanted to find out, you come with this question. How many might east Oakland residents is getting his money? Through the chair? Councilmember Houston. This is ran by the Oakland Unified School District Work based learning program. So we have students from all over the city that participate personally and mentor students from East Oakland and the beauty of this program in dealing with the historic participation with the fire department. Students have been able to intern at the firehouse in their neighborhood. They go on calls with people in their neighborhood. That. I've got 2 more questions in and I'm gone how does student supply? So somebody watching. How do they apply? Through the chair to Councilmember Ussin? They apply through the Echo Internship website portal the work based Learning Council members at each. Campus guide those students through that process. And I had wrote down here who tracks this completion, who tracks it, who doesn't track? That would be the Echo team. Okay. That tracks completion. All right. Last question. It was good. You said that they in turn, they sent out a came to the fire station explain a little bit because it that's like a city that's pathway to jobs, right? Pathway know that they can be a fireman. Yes, absolutely. As far as how they get to how this came to be, you know, sworn members were seen. We have the badges. We have the big rigs people see, isn't it? We attract all the attention, but that isn't the whole of the Oakland Fire Department. There are more opportunities in administration than there are for use on a fire engine. So as we saw that, wait a minute, we're missing this whole aspect of this municipal opportunity year. Let's open it up and let's give them training in office as well with our support staff. All of our different divisions in the fire department then open excuse usd. They have different of already had relationships with that. They wanted to expand the opportunity. So they came to us with the offer for you and said, hey, let's let's make this official for the whole city in all departments to participate. This just shows you angst. And John, you just opened up for item number 7, because what you just said was so powerful. People think firefighters just a person, as you can drive truck, put out the fire. But you have all this back in support as you can do. And the same thing construction. People think it's just hammer and nail. You got for. She got lawyers. You that project manager. So you just opened it up. And thank you for the answers. Thank Thank you. Councilmember One. Thank. Thank you, This is some really wonderful stuff. And appreciate your work on this. And just to confirm, he said even though Hughes Fire Department are presenting, that's this is for actually the whole city. So students can do their internship across any department across the city or a variety of departments through the chair Councilmember member I would defer to city Deputy City Administrator Navarro. As far as the expansion beyond the fire department, we will be the initial phase and then she will be managing anything beyond that. So just real quickly through the chair to councilmember long. So part of the larger piece of this is the first phase that we're getting going right away. The larger conversation, the next phase of this process is to really coordinate more of the city white efforts. So one is ensuring that we're continuing conversation usd who is coordinating this effort in addition to making sure that the departments that do want to participate are prepared right to supervise and and be responsible for the young people that are coming to them. So we are currently coordinating and in conversation about that effort. So more to come on that. But that is the intention, ok, great. I will make a motion to. With item. I second. Ok, let's hear from our public speakers. Thank you so much with that. I have Mississauga ohl Apollo and their player. Men and you are online. Please raise your hand so we can easily identify you if you are here in the room. Mississauga. We are calling APRIL 3. So in honor become a firefighter, there's certain qualifications that you have to meet. And so are we going these young people to meet these qualifications on some of them. One of them is that you have to be a U.S. Citizen. Are you have to be legally authorized to be in this country. You have to have a class c driver's license. You have to have certification easy. Emt acp, d and this certain physical capacities that you have to meet. And I'm not sure what that means, but you have to. Be able to pay a certain physical tests. So and I think it's important that they understand this has to give people false hope. If you go through a process and then you you look, you believe in it, you can go forward and you're not able to understand that these necessary qualifications have to be in place for you to continue. The other thing is information shared with me about group Safari. And it has been that that group who does the training has had some problematic issues. Those issues existed in Richmond and as well as in the city of Oakland. Can anybody speak to that? Because I spoke to someone who had their child in this program and they brought up these issues. So I think it's very important if we have issues with safari. To somebody to If staff says there's no issues, then that is the that is the way it is. But I think it needs to be delve into its safari has had problems in with those problems have been. Thank you so much for your comments. The next speaker that site that was later became. But I do not see him in the Pikmin. Are you here in person? No. That concludes your speakers for this item. Ok? I want to appreciate MR. Lightfoot for the presentation. And I think we talked a little bit at the bay, Wolf christening when we have the new fireball. So thank you for all of your service to the city of Oakland. And I believe we have a motion and a second on the floor. Do. Thank you so much. And we have a motion by COUNCILMAN Belong Seconded by Councilmember Houston to approve item 3 to be forge to the NOVEMBER Tent City Council agenda on row Councilmember Gallo, the sun and apologize for being late. But this program used to be a Freeman high school. I remember being on the school board. We were there fired up. Herman, was there precedent regularly training and developing our youngsters. So yes, vote Aye. Thank you so much for that vote. Councilmember Guy La noting that he arrived at 4.19, councilmember Houston. I Councilmember Wang, chaired by. Item 3 was approved with 4 eyes 2 before to the NOVEMBER 10 City Council agenda on consent. Thank you so much. Moving on to item number 4. Item 4 is an ordinance authorizing the city administrator to negotiate and execute a purchase and sale agreement with the usd for the sale of the 0, 6 acre city-owned portion of Garfield Park located at 22. 0, 1, through. 22 in 1990, 17th Street for red renovation of Garfield Elementary School campus for $597,500 less related, closing costs, least related closing costs and it be you usd in the city to provide for the city and the community. Hughes of the athletic field on the renovated Garfield Elementary School campus in declaring the property exempt Surplus Land and adopting sequel findings. I have one speaker for this item. Thank you. Okay. Let's put 5 minutes on the clock. Thank you. Good afternoon. MADAM Chair Council members Quincy Williams and the assistant Captain Improvement Project corner for local Parks, Recreation Youth development along with colleague from real estate, also with our partners Ust staff recommends that the city council adopt this ordinance with rights and city administrator to make ocean execute purchase and sale agreement with Oakland Unified School District for the sale 0.6 acres of Porsche Garfield Park located at 22 0, 1, through 20 to 1990, 17th Street for the renovation, Garfield Elementary School and the amount $597,000 $500 is Leslie, closing costs and a memorandum of understanding used in the city. For the use of the athletic field of them in a fatal car Coventry school campus in the clearing property except surplus spent and adopting secret findings. So Carpool Park is a park we share and that hope your wife, the manage for the community So as part of process, Garfield Elementary School has received funding build a new school on that side. However, because the city also parcel of that. The school district's needs that are parcel in order to expand this new school. So we come to this agreement to be able to sell property. So this is a win-win situation. It's a situation whereby the school district's gets the necessary parcel and order to complete this process of installing or build a new school. The city in turn gets money, desperate need money for a general fund purposes. What I also want to do is I want if you have your report on Page 3, there's a couple paragraphs that I want to pour that. I want to point you to one of the first ones talks about how the city staff recommends so this property for several reasons because they replace allure athletic field with a new higher quality turf. Which is free to sign on the school campus. And this new feel would be accessible for the city and the community. So they want to be a law. So okay, this property now it's going to be us purview. And this community is not going to be able to access. That's not going to be the case. So what's the alternative? So the alternative is that the city could choose not to sell the property and that case, however, is expected capture project up to the U.S. The property line, thereby cutting the park in half and rendering it unusable as an athletic field. So this result and a loss, a city park system without compensation. And then also just want to talk about the fiscal impact. So obviously everyone knows that the city's in need of some financial resources. So this is a way in which the city can gain much needed financial resources that we think put to use. Oh, yes, he is engaged with the community about this particular task. And so we're confident that the necessary outreach has been done so that the community well aware what is taking place. This also is a coordination pure Weide city. Divisions as well ust. We've been meeting for a number of months. Ust board has approved this. So now we're just waiting for the city council to approve and then they can finished their process. And that's all I have any questions. Thank you. I councilmember Gallo. This is in your district then Councilmember Houston and the The Got it in my district for member for many years. Writers. Yeah, I'm sorry. Yes. So we'll go in what I asked Councilmember Guy. Remember Houston and then Councilmember and certainly this is long overdue. And certainly not only for the use of the community before for the maintenance. The city has not. Kept up the first as we do with other parks. And so I'm I'm grateful for that opportunity again and been under discussion many times, many years. In the making. And so thank you for finally getting this done. And certainly, you know, the growth of student population is growing in that neighborhood. And also you have Bay Tech High School a block away that one day we'll be able to lease and use it for their high school students us well. So thank you with that. And I make a motion to approve the Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Guy. I mean, I'm sorry, Houston. Through chair stick when Just a few questions. It MAY make sense and it MAY not make sense. Everyone knows real estate is Cain right in a certain properties that City assets, one of them is what would be the reason why we wouldn't do like 100 you I'm just and just throw some stuff out there as a business person. Also, why wouldn't it be something that we would do like a swamp? Because school has a lot of properties that we need for housing we need for teachers. We need for and I can go on with that. Why would we do that knowing that 597,500 is going into the general fund. We know when it goes to right. I just have some questions of I have a problem with that. But I just wonder why, because state is king That's the asset for the city's so councilmember Houston. That's why I have friend Moriarty from those 2 to come up and answer any of those really related questions. Thank you, MR. Quincy. Good afternoon. I'm Brenna Moriarty Director real estate. So to the council members questions caught to to the first want to think was why not 100 year or something like that? It say something. It's almost like. They didn't think they did something like that with the Army pays was the center 99 year. Lease that depends on which side are talking. You know, that is something like that, right? And they get we city gets a back. They don't own it right. So that was my question. Why would we do hundred-year right? Yeah, the city does generally have a policy of the Spurs, a sale of properties but typically applies when we're talking about disposition of sites for permanent development. In this this is another public agency partner that Proce to approach the city with the ask of purchasing the property. So we did engage in that negotiation is the terms that did come forward. I think, you know, we just felt like with a and a new school being built on the site and the fact that the property line is not logical as it is today. It doesn't run along between the park in the school and runs through the middle of the park. We thought it was a more rational outcome to simply settle up in this case. Get the line where it ought to be and get compensated. China. Just another question that makes sense you don't want to make sense to make sense right? So so what about why would we do a swap? I mean, because usd has a bunch of land. We need housing for teachers. We need housing for Unhoused does being displaced from this encampment abatement policy that we enforce and majorly. He's being pushed. But when we do a swap, I mean, because we know that 500 some $1000 is going into the general fund and is not where is it going is going go to wherever city administrator are whatever the mayor or whatever makes a decision. Where wants to go is not going to go to the needs that I feel important. So I'm asking why couldn't we do a swap? So through the chair couple considerations here. One is that the site is zoned as open space, which suppresses its economic value pretty significantly. So. We would be able to bargain for very much real estate if we were seeking to do a swap here, we would probably get something small. Something already zoned open space, something like that where housing is probably not. You are allowed by zoning or physical constraints would allow for it. So that's one consideration. Other considerations we we already do have a fair amount of sights of the city owns that are already declared surplus that we are in the queue to bring the market for permanent affordable housing development and other uses. And those are large sites. They're flat. They're ready. They're zoned appropriately. Those are the priorities. If we take this in for that purpose, would zoning. And then be it would end up in a queue behind a lot of other sites. I don't think we have the capacity bring it to market in the near future. Got it. And just so. So the school doesn't have the schools have to shut down that just sitting there. I'm just asking. I just want to because I just try to be reasonable on what is needed right now. Nes and what you guys are doing. It is a bad job. I'm not saying that. I'm just thinking outside the box what can we do to solve some of the problems that we have in place right now, which is housing teachers on house if they have properties that are sitting there that's not being used. And I know some of them that this is not my district. This is councilmember wants was in my district whole different story. So because I know was needed for my people. So I'm saying. Don't they have schools that are? Not being used that already have cafeterias. Already have kitchens. Already have gyms. I'm just saying and I understand the value said might not be there. But if community, if you but we usd, we partners we in the same city that the same goals today about money. About results and make a change. That's my point of view. And appreciate that perspective. And it's one I share around. How do we get more properties available for housing? I think Brendyn shared the reasons behind this particular transaction. And I think they're clear straight forward easily understood we definitely have some sites in my district that I would like to explore. But we also need to consider the capital stack. That needs to go into creating affordable housing. The having developers ready and prepare to go. There are several reasons that I could also give about why we need to be very specific about these processes. That said, I also want to stick to the agenda that we have here. I encourage you councilmember Houston. If you don't think that this is the right move to make with this particular item to consider how you would vote. But for the item that we're discussing today is if we're going to approve this transaction that the Oakland Unified School District and the city of Oakland have worked out together. I think our field south to chair speaking back to you is that understand what you say? I'm thinking outside the box. We've been thinking so much in the box for so long and I seen it on both sides. I'm just thinking I'm not saying I'm going against that. I'm not saying that. I don't like I'm just saying that. We need to make some significant changes. But I can't really say it because it's not in my district anyway. I'm just giving my opinion. And I'm just open for discussion because he's not wrong, would open discussion and the public can hear discussion between us because they don't see it behind the doors. They see it right here. So if I can, as my question is here, what can ask him when I'm a public servant and I served people so Councilmember Houston, I appreciate. I appreciate your questions and your concerns. But one of the things about this particular project is is that it's going uplift and enhance a space. If you've ever put pen to Garfield, you'll see that it's not in the best of situations. And so for wreck. From our perspective, whenever we get the opportunity to have a space that's going to be enhanced. That's going meet the needs of the community. And we do whatever is necessary make that happen. So lasting to the chair forward. I just want to discussion. I'd like to hear it. You know, I want the public to hear because they always say that we doing things behind the same way ask this question why you asked that question. What about this cool? What about that? So they can hear it in open form because I believe in what you do because you do a great job learn it a million for long Tate is a great job, right? So I just wanted to have open conversation so the public can say we appreciate that. Thank you. I'm going to push back because we have 7 items on this agenda and I have to manage the time when we have something that is agenda eyes and we talk speak to that agenda item. I love conversation specially about housing and I have to manage my time. I would like to go to the public speakers if we have public speakers. But I'd like to speak on the item. Hang on. Hang on. I'm sorry. I did not see your hand in the Please go ahead. Councilmember one. Okay. Just I would saying with regarding this item I've been speaking and meeting Ust PRESIDENT Denver pro h# # # o# this item. And there is some urgency to around it. I mean, this is a campus that is really cramped and and needs the expansion. And so I really do see this is a win-win that park is so poorly maintained its regular needles. It's it's just it needs this part of the community really needs this investment. So I think we need to move ahead with full speed that Usd can meet their capital improvement timelines, as it's outlined. So that's my position I also didn't want to just on a sure process point of view. It's it's noted in here that I'm a co-sponsor of this ordinance. I think we weren't able to get this added have tea as committee and so. For the parliamentary tonight request to be added as is a co-sponsor on this in this committee. Is that how that works? So I misunderstood rules. You were added as a co-sponsor, but it's not showy Worth's post did not happen. So I'm requesting if it's possible, if we can amend the initial motion. So it's there's an amendment to add myself. Is as a co-sponsor on this? If I'm a through the chair city Clerk's office campus, chair into the punditry into a the requester of co-sponsor. We did take that note. It is noted in the minutes history on this agenda and item the item is come from It's from a department. Our office will not add you at the from unless you brought this item forward. We will put a note as we did in the history and it's up to the staff and or city attorney to at us. The co-sponsor MAY be on the legislation. Investor, would you like that as our office? We once that item has gone to rules after it has already been built up from the department. We do at you to the from unless you were the original. Presented item thank Yeah. Through the chair, I'll talk to our office about adding a supplemental legislation to add is the co-sponsor okay. Thank you. Appreciate it. And then just one thing to clarify for the public when we were originally discussing this months ago, there was the possibility of the funds were going to be allocated new baseball field. I see that this is going to the general fund instead. I think this has to do with the preference for this to follow our consolidated fiscal policy that just explain So that's what we try to do it right allocation. So that come directly to parks and rec. But buys come under the consolidated fiscal policy dictates that we have it in the report the way it is. Are you complete? Are you completely? And we have one public speaker on item. Yes, MISS Societal Apollo. So according to the arrangements, the city will have access to the public booked for the public for the use of this. Park. 8 to 10 hours per week. That's it. So you already have groups that used the park. You have some youth sports group. You have the ease. They Asian youth center and you have Bay Tech charter school because they don't have any outdoor space. They use that space. So what's going to be the rearrangement for those people who are currently using that outdoor space. Now, the city I'm not sure on this, but there is the park. Public park preservation at state of California have 1971 and sale of a park, the moneys that you generate his to go back into the use of some type of Polk. Commitment not into the general fund. And I could be well. Now to the point you were making missed a Houston ust is 81 schools. If you put all the children who are currently enrolled in the district, you have 41 empty buildings. For anyone, empty buildings. They they have too many buildings. They are not a neighborhood school district. The our choice District. You know, going to school to your neighborhood. You go So they are building new schools. Fremont. Additional Schools, Coliseum, College prep, classrooms. This is going to be additional. I don't know what's wrong with these people Ust. But they don't want to close any schools. They have to start closing schools. This is a project. You might think it's good. I think it's not good based on the flat this school. 41 empty buildings that they And big building more buildings. Thank you so much for your comments. But that actually concludes the speakers for this item. We had the one speaker who signed up for item 4 and I have a motion. I don't have a second. We have a second by Councilmember Houston. Thank you so much. So I have a motioned by Councilmember Gallo, seconded by Councilmember Houston to approve item. 4. To be 42. Act hope skews me OCTOBER. 11th, special city council agenda on role Councilmember Gallo. I Houston, I. Wang. Chair by I item number 4 is approved to be forwarded to the OCTOBER. And my fear over 11 City Council agenda on consent OCTOBER NOVEMBER. Thank you so much. And keep cracked us up to the NOVEMBER 10th City Council Special City Council agenda on consent. Thank you so much. It takes a team we will now move on to item number 5. Item. Number 5 is a resolution except an appropriate and up 400,000 to serve Medicare, eligible individuals and receive reimbursement through that. County Medicare, Administrative Activities program in 2 the targeted case management program authorizing the city administrator to execute physical year 2026. To 27 ou with Alameda County Health for Administration of of that see and tc in programs in Oakland and except inappropriate. Additional in tcm funds that MAY become available during the term of the agreement. And I have. 3 speakers for this item. Thank you. Okay. We will give 5 minutes on the clock for this presentation. If you can state your name and your department. Good afternoon. Chair Fife members of the life enrichment community. My name is Jesse Qatar. And I'm the outreach developer for Aging and adult services within the Human Services Department. So the approval of the proposed and use for county medical administrative activities or cmon and the targeted case management or tcm will be to continue continue receiving federal reimbursement for eligible cmon tcm activities performed by city staff that they already perform these activities in their normal course of performing services for the Oakland residents, Seema or County medical administrative activities include medical outreach, eligibility assistance information and referral Transportation, Coordination, Policy Development program, planning and staff training. Targeted case management are tcm supports reimbursement for eligible case Management services that connect Medical-device issue areas with medical. Behavior, health, long-term services and support housing. Nutrition and other community-based resources. Human Services Department works with county partners to receive approval for which staff positions can claim for reimbursement this program utilizes a software called time study, buddy that tracks billable staff time so we can apply to get reimbursed at a 50% reimbursement rate. Does that complete your presentation? That concludes my presentation. Okay. Do we have any additional questions from committee? Councilmember Houston? Just one question to the chair. How seniors in district 7 in East Oakland's sports and I'm the senior center are involved. Do you know? I don't have that information the top. My head. Can you get that to my office whenever you can. Yes, okay. Thank you. Okay. We'll take our public speakers. Thank you so much. As I call your name, please approach the podium. If you are participating online, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you and again, what I call your name. Please state your name for the record before you begin. I happen societal of ala their their barns in Blair Beekman any water. This is not a to ok, thank you make sure he Thank you so much. I was just looking up high asthmatic medical funded. And so many callers funded. Federally 60 to 70% is federal funding. So according to the federal guidelines, if you use federal money, you have to be a citizen. All he illegally. Now you a sanctuary city. I don't know how you all do I don't know how you do this because if you are required, as she just said, you only have to be a resident. To get Medicare. But the federal government says you have to be here be a citizen. So how do y'all? We all do keep saying that and reason why he's saying it is this. Keep telling you being a sanctuary city, people who are here as citizens of this country. I'm not getting and people who non-citizens on Kitty. And that's not a fair process. And they got people going through the process becoming legalize citizens. This mix-up about just because you are not legally here, you can get anything and everything. It's not working. It was working. That would have no problem with it. How do you fix the issue of the federal government says you have to be us I have no data. 27% of the people in this city immigrants. We don't know who's legally here, who's not. Very comfortable with this. I'm not comfortable with it. If particularly. Foundational black people and not getting what they need. From the medical system. So keep talking about it. You will keep ignoring it. But guess what? Open formal tell you what Donald Trump is doing to yell. Thank you so much for your comments. Dairy Barns is not present in chambers, I will move on to the online speakers and okay with that again. If you participate in a line in, I called Your name, please raise your hand. I have Blair between you mute yourself and begin. All right. Thank you. Quit band. Yeah. I signed up for this item and didn't find the other item. Thank you for the clarification on side. For this item. Well, yeah, just wanted to comment. I think it's the end of this and of NOVEMBER is when the tax. Programs like our program cuts start to really kick in and go to work. This is important item here today. And I think in the next month you're going to be having many items kind of like this that good luck in what you can be doing you just sure up as much as possible it's going to be a really You're going to have a lot more unhoused people. You're going to have a lot house families, mothers with children and it you are about to go a really difficult time I hope I hope talk about that here. The ways to get ready for that. And I think this is one of the items and ways to do that. Thank you for this item. Thank you so much your comments. That concludes our speakers who signed up for this item, Councilmember guy. Staff's recommendation. And I do have a quick question because this funding is through the federal administration. Is there any concern that we MAY be impacted based on well, its reimbursement? And so we are spending the funds anyways. This is work that staff is already doing. And so the works get done. Services are going to be provided no matter what, then we can apply for reimbursement for this to hopefully get additional funding to kind of reimburse us for the money that we've already spent. We do. We don't know what's going to happen. We've been sure that we should move forward with this process so that we can still claim. But we don't know what's going to happen. So there is a possibility that we experience some vindictive behavior from the federal administration. What is the stopgap for that? Process by which a 6 spending money. There's some way for us to get the money, the funds from somewhere where they come from. To get back to you on that. I have to work with my physical in k. All right. Thank We'll entertain. Motion. The second we have a motion not cover Okay. We're just having a little feedback from the online speaker, but I believe we have a motion second on the floor. We have a second. I'm sorry. I don't have this second made the second? I have a motion by Councilmember Gallo. Second okay. I'll second. Okay. And we have a motion by Councilmember Gallo, seconded by Councilmember 5 to approve item 5 to be forward to the NOVEMBER. 10th U.S. National City Council agenda on role Councilmember Gallo. I Houston, And chair fine. I I do want to report back from the information that you said you're going to Thank you. Thanks on for that. We have approved for 4 eyes to be forwarded to the NOVEMBER 10th Special City Council agenda on consent. Thank you. We will now move on to item number 6. Item. 6 is a resolution accepting an appropriate in authorizing agreement for receipt of grant funds from Corporation for the National and Community Service is the fiscal year 2026. To 27 in the amount not to exceed $340,537 for the senior companion program and $38,823 for the Foster grandparent program and to authorize in an estimated $68,575 in contributions from the general purpose Pond for the central service overhead charges require local match funds and other program cost and 3 authorizing the city administrator to accept an appropriate additional grant funds from cnn si es America. Corp's seniors that become available for the same purpose with with in fiscal year 2026. To 27 and I have 3 speakers for this item. Thank you. Okay. 5 minutes and we'll hear a presentation if you could share your name in department and then we get started. Thank you. Good afternoon. Council members. My name is Leah Lakes. I am the deputy director of Human Services. And today the Hurt Human Services Department is requesting approval to accept inappropriate 379,360 in federal AmeriCorps, senior funding to continue to important community programs. The senior companion program and the Foster Grandparent Program for Fiscal Year 2026. 2027. The senior Companion program connects volunteers age 55 and older with senior and adult disabilities who MAY be experiencing social isolation or difficult completing everyday activities. Volunteers provide companionship assistance with grocery shopping transportation to medical appointments in connection to community resources. These services help older adults maintain their independence. Their dignity and their ability to remain in their homes. The foster grandparent program provides older adult volunteers with opportunities to mentor and support children and youth, particularly those with developmental disabilities are exceptional needs volunteers assist with reading tutoring school readiness and social and emotional development offering children the additional support of a caring adult. For fiscal year 2026. 2027. We are anticipating approximately 40 senior companion volunteers providing more than 50,000 service hours along with 7 foster grandparent volunteers contributing more than $6,000. Together. These 47 volunteers are expected to provide over 56,000 volunteer hours of services Oakland residents. Our community partners, including family Bridges, Vietnamese community development and local senior centers help connect volunteers with residents who need assistance. At this time of the report, the senior companion program was serving 126 clients through community-based volunteer stations. Regarding fiscal impact. The requested federal funding includes $340,537 for the senior companion program. And $38,823 for the Foster grandparent program. The city is also requesting an estimated 68,575 from the general purpose. For required match contributions. Central service overhead and other program cost. Under the AmeriCorps senior requirements. 80% of the federal grant funding needs to directly support eligible low income volunteers. Staff recommends the city council adopt the proposed resolution authorizing acceptance and appropriations of these federal grants. The city's required financial contributions and acceptance of additional grant funding. That MAY be available during the fiscal year. Thank you for your consideration. And I'm happy to take any questions. Thank you for that This a critical grant and I see The services that are provided through this program is being potentially so important and critical to seniors in the capacity that they have. And as much as they want to volunteer and want to participate. But I see potentially being strengthened a tremendously with the resources. So I appreciate the information that you shared. I want to Councilmember Houston Councilmember go. Did you want to say something as well? Hand is not in the queue. So we'll start with Councilmember Houston and Guy. This is a beautiful a piggyback on Councilmember 5 Chair Fife, she said everyone knows that we're all Get owner right. And some of this is a sad thing see it in my neighborhood. Some people have nobody. Nobody in this is a beautiful thing that we could have volunteers actually embrace our seniors. And everyone knows how important ground is. Our grandpa is right. And some of our kids don't right in. And I was just pointed to the state from dot governor, about kids at risk. Children at risk. Just happened a couple days ago. So sometimes those change a person's life to check to read on where they go. Just because they know somebody cares. They got a grandma to get a grandpa. Even if it is vast. And so this is a great, a beautiful thing and I'll move this. Councilmember guy. Second, the motion and certainly I know the work of family bridges and certainly volunteer work. Many different areas of family bridges So I second the motion. Thank you. All right. We will take our public speakers. Thank you so much. As I call your name, please approach the podium in before you get begin. Please state your name. I have of Ala Blair believe Beekman and Derrick Barnes. I will take those who are here in person. First followed by those who are online. If I called your name in any order, please. Thank you so much. Going good player Thank you. Buffalo are going to hear from this aside in a he's So this is something we're going have to deal with. Eventually. We got certain groups in this community. Sam Lee Bridges was founded in 1968 and it was called the Oakland Chinese Community Council. They concentrate on the Asian immigrant community non speaking English community. They decided they wanted to do more outreach. In a hive. Some black people, but they run the program. And me tell you go no Asian folks is going have black folks run in anything having to do with their lights. We got to stop trying to present that other people can take foundational. Black people issues. Because other going do it. Other thing about this is it says in the report. You have to and a goal, a Department of Justice and fbi, background check. Some people going to be in trouble. So all you are doing a background check because we've got people in this city, all the sanctuary city high, protect them. You got your not gonna let them do the background check. You will go against that. You don't lose the money. If you don't do the background check. Repeat myself. Family Bridges is the Asian community group. Who says they can intervene and help anybody and everybody including foundational black people. And I said no, uk. If I'm going have somebody coming to visit me as a senior, a better look like me. Just like everybody else is that you have your comfort level which all allow that to happen too much in new City. Thank you so much for your comments. Missus your time is up. We will now move to our next speakers who are online. I don't see dairy barns, but Blair, big menu unity MAY begin. All right. Thank We're big front. I thought this was a really good Airport, 15 years as Kemper heard before. And it's like now. I'd like to look into it. Growing older. Thank you for MR. Made clear that there are certain things to be concerned about the program describe program initially started with the 1960's good luck. We can find that the multicultural, That's it. You like working with each other and figuring that out good luck with that can south. That's a local Thank you. Thank you so much for your comments that concludes our public speakers for this item share by. We do have a live under section. Cole wrote Thank you so much. We have a motion bay by Councilmember Houston, seconded by Councilmember Gallo to approve item 6 to be forwarded to the NOVEMBER 10th Special City Council agenda on role Council member I you stand. I. I share 5. Item. Number 6 was approved with 4 eyes to be forwarded to the NOVEMBER 10 Special City Council agenda on consent. Thank you so much. We will now move to Iowa last substitute item item number 7. Receive information we pour from the city administrator on implementation of the 2024 disparity study recommendations in line with contracting equity recommendations in Alignment Matrix has presented at the APRIL 21st 2026 Life Enrichment Committee. And we have several speakers this item. Okay. We are going to hear from our assistant city administrator, but before he gives his remarks, I did want to say a few things. As I brought for this item several months ago regarding the outcomes of the disparity study that had been published. But it's year after year. We don't always get what those outcomes are reported to the public. The presentation that we received from Doctor Ramsey earlier this year, followed by the contracting equity recommendations and Alignment Matrix presented at the APRIL 21st Life Enrichment Committee laid out the process and the things that the city should be doing regarding addressing disparities in the city of Oakland when it comes to our contractors. So requests for an update on the progress that's been made around what we should be doing will be presented. But I believe there is more information to come around what the city is doing to move forward equity regarding contracting. So without further ado, I will turn over the floor. You need about 5 minutes for your oral presentation. Or do you need a little more just under 5 minutes just under 5 minutes. We can set the clock. You have the floor. All right. Well, good afternoon, MADAM Chair, Councilmembers and members of the public. I'm Chuck Baker, Assistant City administrator, but also serve as the interim director for the Department of Workplace unemployment standards. And so I'm here to provide a brief update on our progress implementing the 2024 disparity study. This is an informational report and no action requested today. A cover for things today. First, how we've engaged the community. Second, it the progress we've made since APRIL. Our accomplishments across 5 implementation priorities. And finally, what's next? So let me start with why this work matters. And our community engagement, the 2024 Mason Tillman study identified disparities. In the city's utilization of pride. Contractors and subcontractors our responsibility is to turn those findings into meaningful reforms that makes city contracting more equitable and more transparent. So since APRIL, we've worked closely with the Oakland Business Coalition, which is represented here today. It represents 8 businesses and contractor representatives and organizations. And so importantly, we've also engaged other community stakeholders be on the coalition to ensure broader transparency, participation and opportunities for feedback. So now turning to overall progress in APRIL, the coalition represented. 21 recommendations across 8 categories. In AUGUST. We briefed Mayor Lee on 5 implementation parties, which I'll cover. Earlier this month in OCTOBER, we established a pretty robust flow chart that we call citywide improvement project plan. It covers 17 projects. And 54 specific deliverables. Each with the signed owners and deadlines that map to the 5 priorities. As of OCTOBER, 26th, we've completed 16 deliverables. 8 are in progress and 30 are scheduled through spring of 2027. Even though that's only 30% completed, it marks significant progress. Not only because we're tracking it and holding ourselves accountable to project owners, but we're actively engaging to make sure we're on track with the actual results that we're seeking. And so there's a lot of work underway. That's only briefly walk through the 5 priorities and what we've accomplished. The first priority is oversight and accountability. We've established regular coalition meetings. Reporting procedures in a citywide implementation plan. Second is the l s lbe waiver reform. We've completed the final draft of the revised administrative instruction for waiver reform. And that will be sent out to staff next week. This incorporates weeks of stakeholder feedback. Broader reforms rimoin remain under way. The 3rd priority is capacity building. We've advanced planning for prime to subcontractor matchmaking. We have a prime subcontractor matchmaking event that will be hosted at the top of the year so that there's more availability analysis, opportunities for our primes to meet subs. We also. Have a beta version of our online portal, which will allow primes to swipe through subcontractors based on their trade plumbing, electrical hvac to see who is an l sbe right there. Who is who has other certifications such as sba and the and they will be able to contract with them directly. That portal isn't a beta phase. We also have mentorship opportunities to strengthen local business participation. Prompt payment. We've advanced ordinance and contract reforms, including redlining, our current contract with our primes to make sure that we strengthen oversight as those primes then issue contracts to their subs, making sure that they're held accountable for prompt payment. We also have completed rbg. Now, business review, encouraging Lee 100% of the 240. From seeking certification to r b to g now platforms were actually certified. 100% completion rate and the completion time a significantly reduced from several weeks to several days. We've also strengthen compliance monitoring and will continue to do that. And then 5th procurement forecasting. We've consolidated 9 contract reports and prepared and expanded 20 plus citywide forecast for coalition review. What that means is. We reached out with the Department of Finance to ask the departments, let us know what contracts are happening in the queue. Either expired contracts that you know are coming up or new contracts that you're seeking. Rfp qr fi. They completed that over 600 contracts identified across the departments. So now we can see what's in the queue to hopefully avoid urgent waiver requests because of the planning. That was a request that was made and we delivered that. Beyond these individual priorities. I want to highlight a few tangible results. Our initial consolidated report identified 151 contracts worth approximately 56 million in the pipeline. 563 active contracts and 58 future solicitations. This was our first report out. Our Capitol forecast identified. 31 projects worth approximately 174 Million. This is our first wave of this since increased and that included 80 million anticipated by advertisement by year-end. We're also strengthening close out compliance reviews, including identifying documentation, deficient deficiencies before final payment collectively, improvements are providing greater visibility, accountability and opportunities for Oakland businesses. And finally, let me close with what's ahead. Our immediate priorities are finalizing a waiver forms advancing prop payment enforcement implementing procurement tracking improvements, expanding capacity building, building programs and improving the way we work at the West. In terms of so peas, we'll continue providing biweekly upticks to the coalition, regular briefings to city leadership milestone reports the council importantly will continue engaging stakeholders be on the coalition to ensure the broader community has opportunities to participate and provide feedback in closing, the disparities are document it. The plan is established and we're making measurable progress. But there's much more progress that needs to be made. Our focus now is to stand up lamentation accountability and delivering meaningful results. I want to thank my fellow staff colleagues, the coalition and our broader community stakeholders for their continued partnership. This concludes my update and I'm happy to take questions. Thank you. Thank you for that presentation. And I before we go to our public speakers in the body. Say Baker, you're saying that the reason that you wanted to have little more time on this item was so you can have a written response. A written report. Can we expect all of the things that you just stated, which sound like we're moving in the right direction? When will we be able to a written report to kind of outline what you just shared with us. We were prepared to provide a written report. The request is to provide report with a lot more progress because we're in the middle of that progress. I would say top of the year, JANUARY. We'll have that 30% will be more like 60% and we'll be able to walk through more meaningful outcomes. Right? Right now. We're in the throes of it. And we are making progress every week. So I think in couple months we'll have a a very robust support. In the meantime, is there anything that can be shared with their offices around what you did? State? Yeah. So on. I mean, in writing after today's meeting, sure. Just an informal update. And that was a more formal report coming. You said at the top of the year. Yes, I'll get you get absolutely report. Okay. Report are there any questions from the committee at this Councilmember Gallo. The information, but one of the the questions that we did at least I receive regularly is has to do with the prompt payment. You have businesses that are getting the work done. And you know, challenge to begin with. But we're getting the work done or are on the work. And but the payment from the city's way behind that has a great impact. Their employees on the services and you know, you brought that up to prompt payment. Can you elaborate? What are we doing? This city increase the payment of the those that are contracting doing the work for the city? Thank you for your question. Counsel. Guy on to the chair. The last thing the city wants to do is. Have payments to late weather, whether it's from the city or from the primes to the subs because we know that is a serious business interruption for entrepreneurs and it's unacceptable. I just want to state that what we're understanding right now is the root cause what we don't want to do is roll out an ordinance or administrator instruction that does not address the root cause. And we're right back at it again in a year. So we look at the root causes. We understand that there's 3 types of payments, those payments that come from our professional services capital contracts. And then there are these contracts that have bonds associated with them where there's less control because of the paperwork that's required for state and federal. So we're trying to understand where can we really affect prompt payment within our control. And that's the the capital contracts that art van tied as well as professional services. Right. And so we kind of hone in on that than we realize that there's there's 2 big. Issues. The first one is contractually. Are we holding our primes accountable to our payment ordinance where we are supposed to pay our primes right in 20 days. Once they get the payment. Are they making the payment to the Sox? All right. How do we know that? So we're addressing that through technology as well as to a prompt payment ordinance. The council member Unger is leading. And so on the technology side b to g now we're going to be moving from beta into production, understanding that if we can track the payments that are supposed to be made from the prime to the southern provide oversight. We now have the ability to enforce better if we don't have the ability to see those payments are not see them. We won't be able to enforce. So that now software is really important. We're testing it with hcd and it's going well. Hd is one of our more complicated contracting departments because of the bonds, etc. And so that's happening where the primes are now working with us to log in and submit the payments and then we can see if they followed up. That's a technology solution on the ordinance side, working with councilmember sack hunger to make sure that the ordinance has community feedback right, that the community is very clear. We do not want prompt payments to be a complaint driven system, meaning I have to complain first in order for the system to work. We know that that is not an equitable system. So we are looking at ways to make sure that it's not a complaint driven system. Actually proactively addressing prompt payment. So those are some of areas that we're improving on the technology improvements as well as the ordinance on and yeah, I can. I can keep going. But those are some of the areas, but not an issue of staffing. I know that every department come As we know, we approve staffing levels, but never got higher. And we're finding now is we're going through the financial situation that we have so many vacancies from Weathers public works your department and so but I for me is I want to make sure that the contractors get paid on time this week committed to doing so. Because we're trying to grow the business community within our neighborhoods. But which is set to be more straight forward and be able to pay them to stay alive during growing. So yeah, just share with us in terms of your staffing levels. Many that. I mean, then the other issue that goes with that it's getting your permits to do job. It takes, you know, people are working from home several days, but nobody's at and that's what I'm getting a letter Well, can you help me with the permits? It's been a month to month 2 months. I'm still waiting for a response. And then at the business that well, and we're still waiting to get the money to pay our workers. But anyways, thank you for that information look forward to getting you getting a report directly on the subject areas. Thank you. Thank you. And I did want to clarify just for for everyone. You did share information with me directly, but I think the committee needs to know exactly the information that was shared so they can also know in detail what the city of minister's office has been doing. So I wanted to be clear that some of you all asked how to move the disparity. Study findings for how do we make things more equitable similar to what you were just saying? Councilmember Gallo. So we all are interested and figuring out how we can be more expeditious about. Some of these outcomes. And and I just appreciate you sharing with them. What you shared with me and what my office councilmember long did you have? I don't see year. Thank Thank you for your work on this. See Baker, I have 2 questions. So Dr Ramsay in her report. She had noticed she noted that the disparity is highest. Where oversight is weakest, meaning that really it's actually our low low dollar contracts, the informal contracts. One is under $50,000 and $250,000 for the Council doesn't weigh in where you actually see some of the steepest disparities. I was wondering what what is the approach specifically on the smaller contracts since we're not going to see a lot of this week at what annual report at Best from Council in terms of those contracts. Yeah. And that that was a definitely a key finding and through the chair. First of all, thank you. Councilmember to the chair. Our interim city administrator has made it clear that that's not going to continue. So it's it's with the city administrator's office. Those under 2.50, agreements, there's been weekly biweekly requests for waivers has been requests for. Emergency contract approval as we go through much more. Comprehensively. And I've seen at that evidence. But that's that's the law, right? That's the ordinance. And so what we're doing at the ministerial level is just making sure that we don't do that And that doesn't this answer question of what's the oversight over above that. But that's what staff is doing right now until there is additional oversight. But we have. Discussions with. Various stakeholders within our departments to see how we can strengthen that oversight, working with the coalition to do that. And so that's more to come. But that's what we're doing right now. MISTER Ali, until there is some official percent. Okay. Great. Thank you. The other thing that the 3 of us actually sit on the public works and Transportation committee and there was a recent contract that came before us, which was on auto body services. And I think to the credit of the Department of Transportation no getting around is a total process failure. But they actually published who was invited to that process and because they published that we could see very clearly that even though we have a ton of minority owned auto body shops throughout the city that none of them got invited to that process. And so I think some of that transparency in terms of who gets invited to apply to these things is very important because we only through that report saw that who wasn't getting a seat at the table or the opportunity to respond to some of these contracts. Yeah. And threw the chair on. We are addressing that through a multi-layered approach. We understand you mention that at the department level, the program managers have. Lot of authority in control over how they issued contracts. It's decentralized right? So what we've done is we've created just for prop payments, at least what we call it realized s so we have a staff or lte staffer that is responsible for. Being the help desk for any contractor anyways. Irks let anybody that says, hey, I have a contracting issue. I have a prom payment issue or perhaps I have an issue with being able to be invited. They will reach that person. That person will then. Reach out to the various department heads where there is an effect and fix the issue right? The sla service level agreement that were promising right now, 6 within 5 businesses. We're going to be rolling out out the next couple weeks that triage test to say, look, while these ordinances and legislative you know, Processees are happening over the next few months right now today. Let's have a help desk so that we're not just randomly fixing things. We actually have a process to arbitrage that. Secondly, we're going to do more education outreach. So that speed dating event is one effort to make sure that people are aware of how we contract and the department internally understand how that works, too. There's education to the community education with the staff that's responsible for contracting. All that's happening as well. So more to come on that. But I'm I'm glad put that up. Okay. Let's go ahead and hear from the public speakers. We still have another item on the agenda. Appreciate appreciate the presentation. I deeply look forward to presentation we can actually read through the and see some of the progress that's been made. Still more to come. Councilmember Houston. You go to the speaker's first before, ok, let's go to speakers. It and I have a couple questions MR. Baker. Thank you so As I call your name, please approach the podium in any order before you begin to state your name point the record, if you are participating online and I call your name, please raise your hand so I can easily identify you. We will per usual take those who are in person first followed by those who are online. So again, if I call your name, please approach the podium in any order, I have misses out on the Bala Blair Beef man, Derrick Barnes, Stephanie Tran, Ralph Cooper. Warren chew. Chadwick spill Derrick Barnes in Mario Wagner. If I called your name and you signed for item number 7, please approach the podium. Everybody Sunday. I mean, we could go on to the Nixon. Yes. Thank you so much missus Todd reports. I'm tired of tan schools. So we got the report on rise in unemployment of black people in California being done by ucl Le. We got the report on black racial profiling. We got the California reparations report. We got the state of Black California report again done by ucl Le. We got usd re-imagining black, you tasteful is currently going on for like 6 years. We have the report on ending black women wage Gap, California budget in Policy Center doing that report and no other group in this city and country that does studies and reports. Like they do on black people would happening except the study in the report. We had newcomers coming into this city and Ust didn't do a study and report stepped right into it to do whatever they needed to do to help those beautiful children. Tad studies and reports. When is the action item go come forward to change whatever we need to change to benefit and give opportunities to these people that deserve it. And we've been waiting too long. Thank you so much for your comments. Mississauga. Next speaker. Please for so much time. Did. He call pitcher Brady. Who signed up for this item today. He did. She's online right now. She was here earlier edition of Senate under her name. Her name. So can only sign up and all she says she's the little time to me. So I also have a car crime. 7 for Patrick Brady. Pitcher Brady. If you are here and you are ceding your time, 2. Chadwick spill. Hello spawned. Okay is I do not see this. She I need office. Thanks so much. Off this, just off. But will respond? Okay? Yes, I do not see are in the queue. So okay. Well, make it quick. How about that? Let's give credit. Credit due MISTER Lake and Deputy. Have done more in the last 2 months as they came on board working with the coalition. Then we've got done in the last 4 years. It is been a travesty, but we're now seeing the light. We made some huge games. Been working on this since JANUARY aggressively working with the city. I think we're all in the line at this point. We work with many and city council members been working with the mayor. We've been working with the City weekly meeting weekly voluntarily. All these organizations, the multicultural Chambers, the Metro Chamber name at crc, ha and members. We are tired of having to start over. We see the light. And we're bringing that fire within our spirits to get it done. Don't bring fire anywhere else. And the biggest things that we can say need to be done right now. What I'm asking of this council in this committee is number one, continue to meet with us. As you already have been and become even more of a champion and work with us closer on the different pieces. Some you're already working You're already working on some disparity and some the contracting issues. I was at meeting around the data center in West Oakland and when the biggest things ready to send us for communities is the construction. And no one in West Oakland has any kind of that. Getting it at work any of the local contractors of any of these, that these chambers of any of the communities. So in order to fix the city, we need to fix where the money goes. And second thing is. The coalition itself. We've gotten this far thanks to what they've done in city, but the pushing of this coalition. Mario Kathy Lin, the amount of people worked amount of fixes that we propose to the city. We need you to help make this purpose more of a permanent out. Thank you so much for your comments. Your time is up. Just knowing that by Contra name. Please approach the podium in make sure that you have submit your car within the allotted time allowed for submitting cards for this item. Thank you so much. Good evening afternoon. Chair and committee members. My name is Stephanie Tran. PRESIDENT Of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. I'm here today to express our support for addressing the findings of the city's 2024 disparity study and more importantly, turning these findings into meaningful action. I want to acknowledge and thank the city Administrator's office. Chuck Baker and his team for their ongoing efforts to address these disparities. We recognize the progress that it takes and coordination and resources. However, there's still much more work that needs to be done. We cannot allow these disparities to persist without meaningful change. Oakland is home to to an incredible diverse business community, including Asians, black, Latino immigrant owned and women owned business and yet too many continue to face significant barriers to accessing contracting opportunities. Our businesses have continued to express how contracting is either difficult unattainable and discouraging. That is unacceptable. We must move beyond identifying the problem and start building real pathways for local businesses to assess compete for and successfully secure contract. That means simplifying procurement, expanding multi-lingual outreach, providing technical assistance and partnered with the organizations that have established businesses, relationships with these businesses. And most importantly, we need accountability. We need measurable goals, clear timelines and transparency to ensure these recommendations translate into actual contracting opportunities for unrepresented businesses, equitable contracting cannot simply be a policy commitment. Must be reflected. And where our city dollars go and who benefits from those investments. And frankly, we shouldn't need a disparity study to remind of the importance of investing and uplifting our own local business community and our people creating opportunity should be a standard practice in how our city operates. Thank you so much for your comments next. Speaker. Please. MADAM Chair Fife, councilmembers and members of the life enrichment community. Good afternoon and thank you for this opportunity speak. My name is Warren executive vice PRESIDENT Of the Open Senate Chamber of Commerce. And I would like to express support and attention given to the disparity state. The highlights, the lack of opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses. Our city champions itself as an advocate of equality for those that have been subjected to generations of injustice. We must continue to do so with integrity and take initiatives with purpose. Reviewing, understand what we need to do to better serve our communities. What we also strive to accomplish as you work together unison, please continue to address this urgent matter as a priority. And we all look forward to milestones or progress in the very near future. Thank you for the support. Thank you so much for your comments next. Next speaker. Please. Because see my one minute to Stanley Cooper. Let's hear from Derrick Barnes. Stanley, debating you late. Good evening. Chair Fife. And council members are cards with They rental Housing Association. And a member of that. The Oakland Business coalition first, I want to acknowledge it. Ca bakers were can see a lake support and giving him the authority to advance this critical work and stop the cities economically cause, which is what I talked about before through better planning and greater transparency and oversight. Life enrichment is what I think we all want. The procurement and contract perform project. Plan is more comprehensive than anything we've seen in the city on contracting equity and years. So let's be clear. It was built on a joint effort between the coalition and the city staff who identified about 20 opportunity areas that first shared with the members of the committee back on APRIL, 21st of this year because we respect the hard work that went into the dup. Developing the plan. We have to be honest about actual impact and what it doesn't address yet. In addition to the potential procedural policy changes to advance a ca Baker's plan. There are several things council should know today. First, the last annual Contracting Outcomes Report to council was up to OCTOBER of 2021. Years overdue. City has been amending contracting policy with little enforcement and no public accounting of who actually receives contract. And that must change. Second. We received direction information from city division manager last week that a 20 million dollar sole source contract is being prepared under resolution. 88 3, 7, 4, with no competitive bidding and no local participation requirements were asking council to pause the contract until Corey, that equity review review is completed. The plan took proposes has a lot of deliverables. And I think many of those in need the continued effort and Thank you so much for your comments next speaker before before you leave the microphone. I just want to make sure that you give me that information about the 20 million dollar contract that go through count Committee. Talked about it in the committee. No, U.S. Council note that has not can ship that if that's what you are. Yes, yes, absolutely. Taking MR. Cooper. America's skews one spectrum. Take my head off a new way. Can I get that minute? 22 seconds. MR. Chu unit. No. If he know sorry. All right. Well, before you start, it's how much want to thank everybody's City Council I'll see. Need Can we start over these? I just need to see my time. Please, because I got a couple times. I got to see I thank you. MR. Baker. Okay. Really fast. I'm a member of name act open African-American chamber. And I'm also born and raised right here in Oakland and engineer have Sunni JUNE for money. And we implore employee. You know, minorities site. So we're asking that the correlation, one of the first things that if our lives everyone right. So we ask that were made permanent somebody things as going that I just want point out MR. Baker was talking about some of the waivers white. Now we have a 25 year sewer waiters. 25 years. I don't think companies are come up with in 25 years. We need to turn that around. We have ordinances. Resolution is that's not working. Thing is, is that you guys most of it give the impact report a year later, this was 13. 38 to 5 was passed in 24. He's 26. That impact has not still hit. How do you know that is good for Oakland? We all are also asking that city Council support our recommendations. We want to say thank you in advance what supporter recommendations because we know we need right. And so we we're also asking for things like the o b e s o b e like MR. Baker said we want increase the goals for the small companies and Decreasing Co goes for the for the large companies right? Lets look out for the little companies. I was just leave it at that. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. We will now move to our online speakers. If I called your name, please raise your hand. Mario Wagner, you want unity. You just open began. Good evening. Mario Wagner, PRESIDENT Of the Minority Contractors Association. First, I want to thank council member fight for bringing this forward. When I asking for it. It is important to have some important places where we don't even think about because this work is not easy. We volunteer. To make sure did businesses get the help that they need black businesses? I've been working on trying to bring remedy to the disparity study since 2019. And that's, of course, probably a little bit longer than I hoped for it. Lisa anticipated a thought I was going even be doing. We need to formalize a way for us to have a seat at the table. Bad. The city cannot read me a call. And when I say that, I mean, in the the city administrator Justin Johnson resigning. We had to start all over again. And we appreciate the work administrative Assistant Administrator Chuck Baker's been doing these great, fantastic. But we cannot. Chance with. Any makes up or changes and leadership to where we get keep in left on the And the work is great. The progress is there. Ultimately, if we can move them out we need to bore through it and and we have to be strategic in how we move in doing that. And so we are committed the coalition. I want to take my head off. It is is it's a lot and we really need to see results. We see progress, but we don't see results. And so that's what we really, really need to see some results. Thank so much for your comments, MR. Wagner, we will now move to our last Speaker. I loved too. I too see Blair bk was just here. I am not seen is. He and that looks like that concludes our speakers for this. Become. And there you go way. We big man. You MAY begin. Thank you. Beekman. You've unit. And and really sorry about that. Thank you. I'm on par trends. So like to make it out. But maybe in a space that's going to be ok, thank you. Thanks gets a opera make you had financial committee item on your agenda this morning that you are trying to begin got see 50 to kind folks, the subject and now to better I mentioned a couple things that we can be working on. Like for us to be able plan, Czech accountability and and are you back here today? It's equity and all of these things, how we how we build our future contract process, how we build future procurement that. Important factors. And we just need to reminded good things out. We could organize south. Well. And we come talk to each other openly about those things, then comment process and the contract process becomes easier. It's it's I don't know, just Senate do help cope. And If talking about subcontractor process here, that, you know, work or right to use project, a process to do that? Well, really important. You know, and to make sure we have a good back. That process going and accountable and that they're doing good It's important to develop that. And that comes back to having a good system of ideals beliefs end look what you can do about with with this item and it's Peter. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. That concludes our speakers for this item. Ok? So because this information does require more, get more and ac Baker, you do have more information going to request a Mo. I'm sorry. Councilmember Houston, you did say you wanted to say something. I apologize. Thank you. Chair I have so many. It's spinning in my And I'm like my stomach is sick. It really is on. And this is just and just in a socially criminal. This as Lbe was passed 25 years ago, Scott, it up. 25 years ago where the same place. We didn't need just to spare the steady. To know that this was socially criminal and it just and that is that I was on the other side. See how we use my personal experience. Councilmember Fi because that was a contractor in the field on the ground at these sites. That scene the people that live in Oakland, not seeing the people of the Brown Black Asia. I didn't see it right. And this has been in place for over 25 years. I've been in office. 21 month. When I first came into Councilmember Fife's fight That wave year. With For the small local business. And I thought that's it. And Councilmember way Long mentioned about the the bodies, the body by offender was going millions of dollars was going outside of the city. And I recommend to my. Colleagues not to vote for that recommendation and they didn't in this money. Councilmember Wang spoke about. He's going stay in the city of Oakland. So appreciate what you've been doing, MR. Baker this disparity study. Let's just say the disparity study. Was not here. We already know the disparity. We couldn't get public records request found out that disparity. So I appreciate the work that you do. Aca. Thank you. Doing we didn't need and we don't need the disparity study to say that. People of Oakland has been. Left out. Thanks to come up your for for, for for years years, saying that we are not included. We're not include it. We're not included. We're still saying that. So 2020 something years have passed. And then waving. These contracts. Because they said that we do have the capacity in Oakland to handle these contracts if they implemented. 25 years ago, we went ahead. The capacity to do it. So we almost like we start from day one. That's what it seems like to me. My thing is this is urgent and I appreciated. So this move urgently and just don't back it by the disparity study because people don't say disparities. That is this is not that is outdated. All this. We already know. Track to. So I appreciate that. And I will say this in closing. It's sickening. Its sic me. That we know this is happening and misys. I see it. We don't need any more. Would you say more anymore? What did you is is that that we don't need any more authorities reports when the report spores aapi us. Some say it in closing. And just. In a social criminal criminal fund using the right words that this has happened to. Individuals in our community and our contract. Thank you. Councilmember Houston Councilmember guided. You have something to share, ok? So because there is. Information that you plan on sharing, we were we will hold this item and MAY I would like to make a motion looking for a second to continue this item to the first life enrichment committee meeting in JANUARY 2027. Where aca Baker will bring the updates that have happened. I'm going to push that. We have information to the community group sooner than JANUARY. But so you can do the report out to the public with with all of the written materials. I'm requesting that we move this to the first life enrichment committee meeting in JANUARY. I will state for the record that the groups that have been meeting. Are looking for some movement before we get to that life enrichment committee meeting. And that's what I'm urging as well. So continue to work with See Baker, there been a lot of transitions in the city that have led to some delays. But I'm encouraged that now that there's staffing for this, that we can see some some greater movement. On this item. So thank you for your work. And I I made the motion to continue this item in committee until JANUARY. I'm just looking for a second. And that was a motion by Councilmember 5 seconded by Councilmember Gallo to continue this item to the first committee meeting, the first like the Richmond Committee meeting in JANUARY 2027. On role for this is Kuzma Gallo. I Houston. I long I Chair Fife. Item number 7 is continue to the first s committee meeting in 2027 with 4 eyes that now takes us to our last item, which is open forum. Moment as we have. Mississauga Bala Blair Beekman and medalist ac in any order. Medalist acr Ms Love Ala. Madeline, Stacey. We're about to experience here in the Bay Area, starting mostly in DECEMBER and then into JANUARY and some in FEBRUARY. The effects of a severe El Nino weather event. It's going to be extremely wet. There's going to be flooding not only from the lake banks from the ocean, but also blocked drains will cost flooding as well. There's already been some flooding from drains and areas backflow and so with this in mind. We know with been stock caught in a downpour. We were prepared for it. We come home and our staff is stretched. We have to lay it out and sometimes something gets ruined take couple days before you get it all back together. Spotter gotten your purse and so on and so forth. If you're living on the streets, if you're an house, the effects of the rain and the flooding are going to affect to exponentially more that affect the rest of us. I know currently there's a pause on sweets when there's one inch of rain. Gosh, anyways. We need a moratorium on sweeps and telling. Thank you so much for your comments. MISS Stacey. Let me show you had dirty. Trump is. Trump administration redirected approximately 350 million dollars to 500 million gallons. Federal grants intended for the Hispanic serving institutions and other minority serving programs. And guess what? We directed to money to the hbcu. And tribal control colleges and University. Just to stir us up. You know, then you have a loss of federal civil rights complaint that has launched usd on SEPTEMBER. The 10 2026 the target is a Spanish speaking Unity Council for violating title 6 of the Civil Rights Act and the Levitt legit Gate alleging discrimination against white students. And title 9 gender discrimination. Why use in public in federal funds from about oh, you got to be careful how use of federal funds. So they come in after the ou it. Thank you so much for your comments. Missus side of your time is up as we have public safety starting in less than 10 minutes. We'll take our last online. Speaker. It Blair Peak been. You you to get your one minute for open form. Beat bid. He MAY be having technical issues. I believe he said he was traveling. They're beating the last time. Chair fine. That conclude your public speakers for this item. I'm aware that you ace members were not able to speak when you signed up to speak. I would ask that you, sir, condensed the members speaking into what you want to share because we have public safety starting in a few minutes. Kate, your front foot of the dew is one member. It I have to speak in this committee Okay. But I have said the cdu directly and stuff I want to thank you which we did this for Postponing the Dana Definitely definitely definitely. And to let you Channel 5 now absent board member of Ace. Okay. So if you need me anything too. Up to what you think. Just going to directly. But I will turn this over to a Serie qb Don't leave before I get your phone number. Hello, I'm Cheri Cheri Williams. I live at Oakland Station saying that building basically we just want to talk I lived in Oakland for on, but 4 years at the station, me, my neighbors and we're just having really come. Comply problems with proactive rental inspection program. The inspection ordinance in Oakland for as affordable care buildings. It's not being addressed by Oakland. We have so many. Problems with that and there's no accountability on the. The the property going on. We still have elevator outage. We have electrical issues, pest control. We have clogged air filters, broken garage in our safety. We just don't feel safe in our Oakland station. That's where we live. I am a senior and also on. So this is Oakland Station. It's in District 7 7, which is this use district. And we just want more accountability for the conditions and the Oakland inspection, you know, far as code enforcement. Don't come and speak with you all about the updates that I was given on prepped the lead settlement work. Because you all need to know what's happening. I'm not sure if you have and then we'll have that conversation councilmember as well. I understand. And thank you all for coming out to speak. We have one more public speaker. Blair Beekman. You've you did you can begin. Thank you, sir. My hand again, thanks. I was just going one part going into a tunnel with Thank you for your get. Quickly Alright, San Diego. They're working on a par Taurean been data collection sentence for a while. They are actually considering ending program San Diego. Also, thank you for your began in leadership. It's been a year now. We've got a year ago and there's lot to talk about as a community. That concludes our Open forum. Speakers. For I just want to say personal thank you to all the ace members who came out to speak. I know it's not always easy, especially to get here on time. But for all the seniors who continuously advocate for what you need in your building for other tenants as well. I want to appreciate you all for coming out. Thank you. And it is five-fifty night in this meeting is adjourned. Public safety starts in 60 seconds.