City Council highlights (not for distribution) — February 16, 2021

/ kpruk

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL

FERUARY 16, 2021

  1. ROLL CALL: Councilmember Bates started the meeting but due to technical issues, he dropped out of the meeting before Item D. All other councilmembers present.
  2. ELECTION OF THE VICE MAYOR FOR 2021
  1. CITY COUNCIL CONSENT CALENDAR

H-8 ADOPT a resolution in support of reaching the goal of 100% zero emission new vehicle sales in California by 2030 – Councilmember McLaughlin (620-6636)

 

H-10 ADOPT a resolution in support of recommending that the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) adopt the strongest health and safety protections in its amendments to BAAQMD Regulation 6, Rule 5 on Particulate Emissions from Petroleum Refinery Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Units – Councilmember Martinez (620-6593).

  • Consent items passed with Councilmember Bates absent.

 

I. BUDGET SESSION

I-1. REVIEW the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21 operating and capital improvement budgets at mid-year, and ADOPT a resolution approving the proposed FY 2020-21 budget adjustments – City Manager’s Office/Finance Department (Laura Snideman/LaShonda White/Belinda Brown 620-6741).

  • General Fund Revenue Increase: $10.7M
  • General Fund Expenditures Increase: -$6.3M
  • Mid-year Surplus 2.3% $4.4M
  • Unmet Needs: COLA, frozen positions, negative fund balances, backlog of deferred maintenance, unmet policy on reserve levels, OPE liability, unfunded CalPERS liability, one-time expenditures
  • Unknown Items: placeholder items (contractual issues), COVID budget impacts, changes in CalPERS costs, results of classification and compensation study, Reimagine task Force recommendations.
  1. COUNCIL AS A WHOLE

 J-1. DISCUSS and DIRECT staff to explore options for additional eviction protections for Richmond residential renters during the local state of emergency due to COVID-19 so as to preserve the public health and safety threatened by COVID-19 and to keep residents of Richmond housed – Councilmember McLaughlin (620-6636) and Councilmember Willis (412-2050).

  • Willis motion/McLaughlin second, passes with Butt voting no and Bates absent.

J-2. DIRECT staff to request representatives from the Chevron Richmond Refinery, the United States Coast Guard, San Francisco Baykeeper, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and the Office of Spill Recovery and Response attend the Richmond City Council meeting on February 23, 2021, to present reports on the causes, responses and probable impacts of the spill incident on February 9, 2021, and coordinate with these agencies to be prepared to present monthly updated reports on the spill incident to inform the council of causal reports and remediation activities required of Chevron by the agencies – Councilmember Jimenez (620-6565).

  • Chevron, BayKeeper, Randy Sauer, Fish and Wildlife, Hazardous Materials Commission – several of these agencies were available to answer questions regarding the incident and response. 
  • These representatives will return to Council on 02/23.
  • Councilmember Jimenez added to the item directing staff to study just transition of the refinery.
  • Mayor Butt stated that this was not part of the agenda item and therefore should be placed on future agendas.
  • Jimenez and Martinez stated that this would be a request of staff to study. McLaughlin added that this should include compensation to the City for loss of revenue.
  • Martinez motion/Jimenez second “Direct staff to research case studies from other cities that have had transitions from fossil fuel industries and engage local partners in putting together a set of recommendations to counsel on how to plan for a just transition.”
  • Vote: Passes with Bates absent, Butt voting no stating that this needs to be studied but there are more important items to focus on.