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Segment 1

Very good.
Thanks everyone.
We are going to, I'm going to call to order the Berkeley City Council meeting.
Today is Tuesday, September 16th, 2025.
And clerk, if you could please take the roll.
Okay.
Council member Kesarwani is currently absent.
Council member Taplin? Present.
Bartlett? Here.
Tregub? Present.
O'Keefe? Here.
Blackaby? Here.
Lunaparra? Here.
Humbert? And Mayor Ishii? Here.
Okay.
Okay.
I have a report out from closed session that I need to read.
The City Council directed the City Attorney to join King County et al.
v.
Turner et al.
Once formally joined as a plaintiff, the particulars shall be disclosed to any person upon inquiry, unless to do so would jeopardize the City's ability to effectuate service of process on one or more unserved parties or jeopardize the City's ability to conclude existing settlement negotiations to its advantage.
Okay.
We have many ceremonial items this evening.
And so, and I know that that's why many of you are here.
We are going to start with Antonio Tony Mejia.
And then we will go to, and then we will recognize Steve Moros.
And then we, and then we have a proclamation and adjournment in memory for Malcolm Margolin, followed by an adjournment in memory from Anne Fagan Ginger.
So we're going to start with Antonio Tony Mejia.
And we will have Council Member Luna Parra read it.
And feel free to join up here, folks who are here to support.
Whenever you're ready.
Thank you.
Antonio, Antonio Tony Mejia is the proud manager of Juan's Place, a Mexican restaurant located at 914 Carlton Street in Berkeley, which his father, Juan Mejia, founded with his mother, Maria del Socorro Mejia in 1972.
Whereas the qualities worthy of recognition are making yourself available to people, lending a helping hand, being empathetic and compassionate, being patient and kind, listening carefully to what someone is trying to convey to you.
Whereas because there are good times and difficult times, the community needs a stalwart leader to get us through it all, who understands that community leadership is when an individual has your back and knows that they are the glue that has held Juan's Place together.
Whereas Juan's Place, under Antonio Mejia's leadership, has always been a welcoming restaurant and business that has served the community of Berkeley for over 50 years through donations, fundraisers, and support to Berkeley parents.
Now therefore be it resolved that I, Adina Ishii, Mayor of the City of Berkeley, do hereby honor Antonio Tony Mejia for his contributions and kindness to the city, and especially to the Latino community of Berkeley.
First of all, I want to thank the City of Berkeley and thank my parents.
And I just, if we all kind of come together, we can make things happen.
You know, you know, one little pebble, you know, will make a stone.
If, you know, like we're all pebbles here, if we all come together, you know, we'll be strong together.
And, you know, like you guys were talking earlier about, you know, the homeless people.
For many years, you know, people come by and ask for something to eat.
And my parents, you know, they, you know, with an open heart, you know, if somebody comes to ask for something to eat, you know, we all have to eat.
So we just, you know, give them something to eat, you know.
And that's, you know, it's not going to break us or be less.
But, you know, as we're all human, you know, we all need from each other, you know.
And that's the bottom line, you know.
You know, not just here in Berkeley, but through the whole world, you know.
We need to learn to live together, live in harmony.
And I just want to say thank you for honoring me, honoring my parents, actually, you know.
And I say thank you to everybody, the past, people that helped us, the present, and hopefully the future, you know.
Thank you.
We like, we would like to invite you also to, on Sunday, for the exhibit opening that's happening at the Veterans Building, and thankfully because of the Berkeley Historical Society Museum.
And so please come out.
We, our program starts at two o'clock, and we hope to invite you.
And we put some letters and invitation cards there for you.
So thank you very much.
Thank you.
Can I say one more thing? If we all aspire to inspire, it might make a difference in somebody's life.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay.
Thank you so much.
Congratulations to you all.
All right.
We are moving on to Steve Maros and Council Member Taplin is going to read the proclamation on my behalf.
You can move closer if you want.
You can stand behind.
There you go.
You can come forward.
Yeah, there's room.
There's more room if you want.
Okay.
All right.
Hey, Steve.
Recognizing Steve Maros' 25 plus years of service to Berkeley.
Whereas for the last 25 years, Steve Maros has been managing the Bancroft Community Garden on three-fourths of an acre of city of Berkeley land with 36 community plots and a mini urban garden since the pandemic and growing plants, food, flowers, and herbs, and many shared fruiting trees for everyone to enjoy free or by donation.
And whereas, managing the garden is an understatement for what Steve does as he is there morning, afternoon, evenings, cleaning, and stocking the entry table with organic fresh picked vegetables, fruits, and herbs, organizing the seedling sale, which helps support the garden's financial needs, supporting and training dozens, if not hundreds of volunteers to be involved and find meaning to the garden and community, and opening the gate daily for neighbors, friends, and random passerby.
And whereas, Steve turned the garden into a community space where he encourages people to host events and teaches children how to pull and clean carrots and elders about native plants, helping them feel a sense of ownership in garden plots and open spaces.
And whereas, when the garden was vandalized, Steve and volunteers worked tirelessly to restore the garden beds, fix the garden furniture, recreate the donation table, and make the community space clean and wonderful again.
And whereas, in addition to his garden work and his full-time job in animation, Steve raised two kids and could be seen sweeping the street in front of his house and picking up trash in parks.
Now, therefore be it resolved that I, Adina Ishii, Mayor of the City of Berkeley, do hereby recognize Steve Moros on his 25-plus years of service to the Bancroft Community Garden and Berkeley.
So, I would like to say thank you so much to the City Council and the City of Berkeley for this recognition.
I really am honored, and it's a real privilege to get this.
You know, and I'm also super grateful to my neighbors.
My neighbors are like everything, and our community is really tight, and it's wonderful that way, honestly.
And the space that the city lets us use there has created this real beautiful space that allows this network of community to get really woven together that's kind of unbelievable and magical, to be honest.
And so, in saying that, I think there's a lot of work still to be done in terms of more gardens and how some of the empty city lots could be converted to garden space, and working together for that can show you how beautiful this kind of connections can be made, honestly.
And so, in doing that, I've had some grant money come in from a big donation.
We put it into a 501c3, and we're working towards trying to clean up that space that's called the North Green.
Hopefully we can convert that to a garden that's a lot like the Bancroft Community Garden, because it's just a magical space, and it just creates more community.
And also, it creates food security and also a mental health space that's really beautiful.
So thank you.
Okay, all right, folks, thank you so much.
We are moving on to the proclamation and adjournment in memory for Malcolm Margolin.
I know that some of his family and friends, supporters, folks, you're welcome to come up here.
And Councilmember Tregub is going to read this one on my behalf.
Celebrating the life and work of Malcolm Margolin, a force of nature, an extraordinary intellect, a deeply kind mentor and friend, whereas the city of Berkeley has been enriched in many ways by Malcolm Margolin, a visionary writer, publisher, historian, a man of immense imagination, a herald of California Indian culture and history, and whereas Malcolm brought the importance and significance of California Indian culture and history to public awareness, to his writings and publications, publishing in 1978, The Ohlone Way, Indian Life in the San Francisco Monterey Bay Area, his study in cultural anthropology, which raised broad awareness about the original Bay Area residents, and whereas Malcolm created heyday books, publishing close to 500 titles relevant to California culture and history, and co-founded News from Native California, a landmark publication celebrating and chronicling California Indian writings, art, and current events, and whereas Malcolm played a significant role in the campaign to save the historic West Berkeley Ahlone Shell Mound and Village site, and whereas Malcolm went on to found the California Institute for Community, Art, and Nature to support California Indian sovereignty and life ways, featured the unique contribution of the city of Berkeley to social, political, and cultural innovation and change, and strengthened the critical connection between nature and the arts, and whereas Malcolm Margolin is survived by his wife, Rena, son, Ruben, and a daughter, Sadie Costello, son, Jacob, and five grandchildren, and will remain in the hearts of thousands of friends and admirers.
Now therefore, be it resolved that I, Adina Ishii, mayor of the city of Berkeley, do hereby recognize, celebrate, and honor the life and work of Malcolm Margolin in deep appreciation for a legacy that enriched our city, and indeed the world, beyond measure.
On a personal note, and I'm going to try to do this without breaking into tears, one of the last times I talked to him was in the early weeks of the invasion of my homeland of Ukraine when I was working to collect funds and send it towards mutual aid in my homeland, and I was at my credit union when I got a call from Malcolm Margolin, and it took a couple of tries for me to hear what he had to say, but the way his mouth moved over the phone, it was very clear that he was saying, I'm with you, keep up the fight.
Malcolm Presente.
And did you have some comments to receive? Thank you for that, for the personal comments and for the beautiful proclamation.
I'm Reuben, I'm one of Malcolm's sons, and so from the family, thank you all.
So my mom and dad moved here around 1970, and before I got to high school we lived in about 20 different houses in Berkeley, and the kids wanted to Berkeley High and the elementary schools beforehand, and I've heard him say that he got married to Berkeley and fell in love later, and I don't quite know what it means, but it sounds good.
And I also, when I remember growing up, he loved Berkeley, this was his home, and if he made an impact on Berkeley, Berkeley made an impact on him, it's mutual.
But I remember growing up, he went to a lot of city council meetings, and he always brought me along, so I've actually been to at least half a dozen city council meetings, and my job was to sit next to him and to elbow him when he fell asleep.
And so I did that, and every time it got dark, as soon as it got dark, he would be out.
His last project, California I Can, is doing great, it's still active, and there's an awesome event this Saturday that Claire can tell you about.
Thank you Ruben, and thank you council, I had the unique privilege of knowing Malcolm for 45 years, but also working with him closely for the past nine, and one of his many brilliant ideas was to bring this California Native Ways Festival to Berkeley, and it all started with the 50th anniversary of Ohlone Park, where they asked Malcolm and myself to help create an Ohlone presence, which went on to create this festival that he'd always wanted to bring to Berkeley, and we're now in our sixth session, sixth year, this summer, well, we're going to be in Live Oak Park this Saturday, September 20th, from 1030 to 5, and next year we hope to move back to Ohlone Park, which is our home park, because we partnered with Friends of Ohlone Park, but this is Malcolm's vision and legacy, and Jennifer Bage, the California Miwok basket weaver, who coordinates all the artists and vendors to come to this, she's committed just as I to keep this going as long as we can, and also to bring the next generation along to keep it going, and again, this will be in honor of Malcolm this year, we will have a tribute table set up at the festival, where people can come and write messages and draw pictures, all of which will be shared with Malcolm's family, and again, thank you for the honor and the chance to speak, in tremendous memory and appreciation of everything that Malcolm has done for this city.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Oh, it's always nice to have someone to keep you awake during meetings, you know, I think that's a nice thing.
Okay, so we have one more item on our ceremonial calendar, so last but not least, we have an adjournment in memory for Anne Fagan Ginger, and it was requested by Council Member Traigup's office, and so, Council Member, if you would read the adjournment in memory, if you have comments.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Today, we celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy of Anne Fagan Ginger, a trailblazing American lawyer, scholar, and unwavering champion of civil liberties and human rights.
Born in East Lansing, Michigan in 1925, Anne earned her law degree from the University of Michigan in 1947, and quickly became a powerful force in civil rights and peace law.
A prominent civil rights attorney, she played a critical role in dismantling the legal framework of the Red Scare.
Her work on the Landmark Supreme Court case, Whaley v.
Ohio, helped bring an end to hearings on so-called un-American activities.
Due to loyalty oath requirements in California at the time she moved there, Anne was initially barred from practicing law.
Undeterred, she shifted her focus to legal education, producing materials for lawyers and law students, and later lecturing at institutions such as UC Hastings, Santa Clara University, and San Francisco State.
In 1965, she founded the Meckle-John Civil Liberties Institute in Berkeley, which became a nationally recognized hub for legal research, advocacy, and education on peace law, civil rights, and international human rights.
Through this work, she documented and supported major civil rights movements and cases across the country, and helped lay the foundation for Berkeley's Peace and Justice Commission, where she later served as the first chair.
Anne was a prolific author of over 20 books, and a visible supporter of the free speech movement in the 60s.
Her scholarship and activism cemented her role as a foremost authority on international law and the United Nations.
Later in life, after losing her sight and hearing, Anne continued her work with the support of a dedicated group who assisted her with writing and public speaking.
She remained committed to educating law students and community organizers, and was working on a final book titled Our 100 Human Rights, which aimed to make international human rights accessible and relevant to everyday life.
Anne Fagan Ginger leaves behind a legacy of intellectual courage, legal scholarship, and unwavering commitment to justice.
Her work lives on in the laws she helped shape, the minds she influenced, and the institutions she built.
She will be deeply missed in the Berkeley community and beyond.
May her memory continue to guide our city in its ongoing pursuit of justice, equity, and peace.
Rest in power.
Your work lives on in all of us.
Thank you.
Thank you.
My name is Victoria Sawicki, and I am one of the students that she helped form, and I sit now as chair of the Human Rights and Human Relations Commission in Richmond, California.
Anne was my mentor, but she was a mentor for hundreds, if not thousands, of lawyers, activists, students.
It's amazing, because I would sit in her office, and people from all over the world, and it was my education.
I've worked with Anne for over 25 years.
Anne Fagan Ginger is hard to put in a little box, because she just doesn't quite fit.
Anne, although she was a tiny woman, she was a giant intellectually.
She used to describe herself as an Irish, Lithuanian, Catholic, Jewish, Quaker, Atheist, teacher, lawyer, daughter, sister, wife, mother, editor, and speaker, and the list goes on.
Anne belonged to a union.
She belonged to the Teachers' Union and to the Writers' Guild Union.
I met her at San Francisco State.
She was most famous for making and advertising the treaties, the three international treaties.
What is that noise? According to Article 6, Clause 2 of the U.S.
Constitution, which you all should know, it says any treaty that is signed or ratified becomes not just the law of the land, it becomes the supreme law of the land.
The United States has ratified three of these treaties.
The United States, as a signatory on these treaties, is supposed to make all of us aware, all of us aware.
In some countries, like Italy or Brazil or Peru, they have billboards that tell the people their rights, according to these treaties.
The three treaties that we have signed are the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, or the ICCPR, the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, CAT, and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, or CERD.
The United States is required to file reports to the United Nations regarding our adherence to these treaties.
Do you ever read about that in the newspaper? Anne's efforts to promote the application of these treaties domestically inspired Berkeley to become the first city in the United States to file such reports.
Good on you.
I want to say that in 2009, myself and African-American Claudia Moricon, a judge from Detroit, went to Geneva and we spoke at the convention, and we brought to the world, attention to the world, Oscar Grant's murder.
And we also supported the Cuban Five, and we also exposed the United States' woefully inadequate reports to the UN.
They're usually late, and there's nothing in them.
I have one more thing.
It's important.
I have to have my computer.
Forgive me.
Hang on.
It's what she's done in Berkeley, so that's why it's very, very important that I get this in.
I want to make sure you have time to do that, but just a few minutes.
Thank you.
It's almost there.
Okay.
I just want to say, hang on.
It's very short.
Here we go.
It's very important.
Anne's courage in the face of adversity defined her activism.
In 1962, she was the only woman lawyer at the first joint meeting of black and white attorneys, co-sponsored by the National Lawyers Guild at the Southern Christian Leadership Center Conference in Atlanta.
There she was photographed alongside Reverend Martin Luther King and many other civil rights leaders, speaking in favor of the movement and presciently predicting the coming of the women's movement.
Berkeley's free speech movement protest, she was photographed atop a police car.
On the same day, Mario Savio delivered his iconic speech.

Segment 2

I am so honored to be able to present to you today, in her last speech, a powerful symbol of her lifelong commitment to free expression.
In the early 70s, she defended Angela Davis, amplifying her commitment to justice and equity.
Thank you.
Did you want to take a picture, council member? Okay.
No, I'm really sorry, but we do, we still do have other things to do on the agenda.
Thank you.
Thank you so much for coming.
Thank you for coming to receive.
Okay.
Okay, city manager, did you have comments? I do not, Madam Mayor.
Thank you.
Okay, thank you very much.
All right, we will move on to public comment on non-agenda matters.
And there are no comments from our city attorney since she has just presented.
Sorry, what did I just say? Sorry, city attorney, I'm so sorry.
City auditor.
It's different.
Thank you.
Okay, drop five names for in-person speakers and drop.
And then there's already eight hands raised for people on Zoom, so everybody will have one minute.
So we have five.
This one is blank.
So the five in-person speakers for non-agenda comments are Manjeet Plehaye, Monique Hightower-Gaskin, Walter Riley, Stephen Alpert, and CKD.
Any order, you can come up.
Come on up.
Don't be shy.
I'm Walter Riley.
I'd like to cede my time to George.
All right, George.
All right, hi.
One second.
One minute.
George's name wasn't picked, so he just gets one minute.
Sorry, one second.
I'm sorry, one second.
Okay, just following up on the presentation.
In 2010, the Peace and Justice Commission, at Anne's urging, and at the request of the city council, created two lengthy city of Berkeley treaty compliance reports.
The council adopted and sent to the United Nations these reports, which pointed out both the successes as well as shortcomings in our performance, underbinding international law.
I won't read the whole list of the things that were talked about, but it was a broad range of human rights issues in Berkeley.
I've just learned that the Trump administration has failed to make its regularly scheduled report to the UN Human Rights Council on its human rights record.
Not surprising, but this puts the onus on localities such as ours to do our own reporting.
I suggest that the council ask the Peace and Justice Commission to update the last report from 15 years ago.
As Council Member Capitelli said at that time, I care more about the people of Berkeley understanding our human rights than sending it to the UN.
The city would benefit greatly from carrying Anne's legacy work forward.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks, George.
Welcome.
Thank you.
Madam Mayor and Honorable City Council Members, my name is Monique Hightower-Gaskin.
I am a sophomore at Berkeley High School.
I was born and raised in South Berkeley.
My mother is Shakiri Hightower.
She's a board member of the Berkeley Symphony.
My father is Bela Gaskin, a licensed Berkeley electrician and Berkeley permit and code specialist.
I'm here today because Commissioner Crandell invited me.
I would like the council to know I'm interested in sitting on the Youth Commission if any of you have appointments to make.
I appreciate your hard work and dedication.
I promise you if I'm appointed to the Youth Commission, I will work hard, be creative, collaborative and have fun.
Thank you for listening to me.
My name is Monique Hightower-Gaskin.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
So council members, if you have any openings on your Youth Commission for your Youth Commission seat, I hear there are actually multiple openings.
So would love to get those seats filled.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for your comment.
Yes.
Good evening.
I'm Dr.
Stephen Alpert, a resident of District 5.
Regarding the middle housing ordinance, if by law, a three-story apartment building is to be built next to my 1912 Craftsman, at the very least, I and others on my street with century-old homes should have some input in the design of that structure to ensure that it's compatible with the neighborhood.
But this council, in its wisdom, did not allow for design review.
I and other Berkeley residents have to ask, are the council and the planning division purposely trying to piss off your constituents? If so, you're doing a great job.
The city appears hell-bent on destroying the charm and architectural heritage of Berkeley and making Berkeley a town of nondescript apartment buildings.
Councilwoman O'Keefe already knows it has permanently lost my vote.
Thank you for this opportunity to address the council.
Okay.
Thank you.
And when you address the council, just address us as a whole, please, and not individual folks.
Thank you.
Good evening.
My name is Manjeet.
Hold down the microphone.
And I'm imaging tech and radiology at AltaBates Summit.
I wanted to read the whole thing, but I know we only have a minute.
I'm the chief steward at Union Che under the California Nurses Association.
As you know, our East Bay communities continue to struggle in healthcare deserts with insufficient access to healthcare.
It only gets worse when hospital companies close and consolidate their facilities, as Sutter is threatening to do so, or cut key departments like labor and delivery.
We are here also because the hardworking nurses and healthcare workers at ABSMC are facing worsening working conditions.
Sadly, Sutter does not always seem to remember that we are the ones to provide quality care and save lives.
For instance, just this summer, ABSMC displaced hundreds of its employees to Emeryville by requiring all the shift employees to now park at Emeryville.
I'm sorry.
Thank you for your public comment.
And please do send us an email if you haven't already to make sure that we can receive the rest of your comments.
That minute went really fast.
Thank you.
So that's for the spy speakers.
Last speaker is recording in progress.
Fascist you are.
But wake up.
Thank you.
Berkeley is a fascist city.
Thank you for your comments.
Coming for you.
My name is former council member to you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Coming for you.
My name is Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
We have seven hands raised.
We just go to the first.
Five in order.
First speaker is Stephen.
Bingham, and this is for non agenda comments.
You have one minute.
Hello? Can you hear me? Yes.
Yes, I'm Steven Bingham, and the long and dear friend of.
I have a few more personal points about the kind of person.
That was.
She.
She had done.
So much work.
And a lot of that work was done by.
Volunteer.
Law clerks and other student volunteers.
And.
I think it's very important.
For the younger generation.
To be getting an education.
To move on and take the place of those of us.
Who were older.
She also.
Work.
At the different levels of government.
I'm sorry.
Thank you for your comments and.
Thank you for honoring her memory.
Good evening.
I'm Jessica Prado and I speak to you tonight.
As a journalist and watchdog for public transparency.
As a journalist, I have experienced firsthand.
The city's pattern of obstructing the public's right to know.
Records requests are routinely delayed beyond legal deadlines.
Staff failed to assist with reasonable searches, despite clear.
Obligations on the California public records act.
One request for the city's data on shelter beds took over a year.
This delay impacted the investigation.
I was writing for my former newsroom.
And I want to be very clear.
The recent audit on homelessness does not hold anyone accountable.
It documents systematic failures, but it avoids naming the harm.
Those failures have costs, especially to Berkeley.
Some house residents.
I urge every journalist and resident in this room to review requests.
25 dash 17, 18 and 25 dash 17, 19.
The Barry records, the otter used to produce this report.
You'll see for yourself, the paper trail of red flags.
We need real independent oversight.
No one should be taking the words of city officials for fact.
Think critically and always fact check everything.
Thank you.
Thanks for your comment.
Next is Darren.
Darren, you should be able to unmute.
Last call for Darren or during.
Okay, we'll.
Go on to the next one.
Seth.
Last name Chazen set.
Thank you.
Hi, everyone.
And Fagan ginger was my mentor.
I started working with her when I was in my twenties.
I'm now in my late sixties.
I would suggest that Ann is one of the most important.
Scholars and lawyers.
To have ever lived in Berkeley and in that.
I would suggest that she has a resolution.
To make.
To create international human rights are and Fagan ginger international human rights day in Berkeley.
Thank you.
I hope you will do that.
Thank you.
Right.
I see council member trying up taking notes.
One last call for.
Okay.
Okay.
I think we might need to take someone else.
All right.
Ariella.
Hi, good evening.
My name is Ariella.
I live in district three.
I'm disappointed that the green building code amendments put forth by council member Tregear are not on tonight's agenda.
I've lived in Berkeley since 2000 for 6 years.
And it's my understanding that the city has only a narrow window of time to pass green building amendments before October 1st.
And this is so important because Berkeley has over a thousand new homes being designed for the Bart station, transit oriented developments, and they should be built with local green building amendments.
As you know, 33% of Berkeley's emissions and pollution are from natural gas use and buildings.
And when we burn gas in Berkeley, we make asthma worse here.
We burn gas in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Sunnyvale, Menlo park, and five other cities.
We burn gas in the San Francisco valley.
We accelerate sea level rise.
We have intensified deadly heat worldwide.
We fan the flames of mega fires.
Building electrification codes are about environmental justice and equity.
So Bravo to San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Sunnyvale, Menlo park, and five other cities who are working to pass urgent green building amendments before October 1st.
Thank you.
Next up is.
Maria.
So.
Oh, hi.
Again, I just need to.
Thank all of you.
And mayor.
I'm so delighted to hear that you are chairing.
The homeless, whatever it was that you specifically said it was.
Thank you for that.
I am a person with a brilliant mind and a compassionate.
Deep lived experience heart.
So thank you for that.
I sure do want to participate.
Because as.
Complicated as everything can get.
I still encourage us to stop.
And look at how simple it can be.
If we not just think about it and talk about it.
If we actually just start to do it.
We can do it.
And we can do it.
And we can do it.
In community already.
And some of the homeless people that I know are more brilliant than anybody I've met anywhere.
So we can together do this.
And so, again, I thank you and support this.
Simple action because we need it now.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comment.
And it was the, I'm going to pass it over to council member.
Bartlett for a non-agenda comments.
Council member Bartlett just asked me what the acronym is.
I don't know.
Okay.
So thank you all so much for your public comments.
I know that we have an urgency item has come forward.
So I'm going to pass it over to council member Black.
Thank you, madam mayor.
I'll be brief.
So we've been working with the governor's office and the legislature and the assembly to move forward on three wildfire safety bills.
Thanks to the power of our letter.
All three of those bills did pass the legislature last Friday.
So, yeah.
So we have a new immediate action item.
They're now sitting on the governor's desk.
We've talked before.
So we've submitted a new letter that will be going to the governor.
Similar in content, but supporting those three bills.
So we've been working with the governor's office and the legislature to move forward on three wildfire safety bills.
And at this point, there might be one bill that has.
Some opposition.
So.
But ask support to add this to the consent agenda tonight so that we can sign the letter and get it to the governor asking for a signature.
So with that, I would move that we add this item to the consent agenda.
Second.
Do we need to actually take role in this or can we just do it by vote? Okay.
Thank you so much.
It's been added to our consent.
Agenda.
Okay.
Okay.
All right.
I'm sorry.
And so council member Chaplin, I think if there are any other comments, you all can get in the queue.
Starting with council member Chaplin.
Yes.
Thank you very much.
I just wanted to uplift item 10 and thank the teams over at.
Public works and parks, recreation and waterfronts.
Well, the city manager.
And my colleagues at fights and one to express gratitude for.
Our robust discussion.
On item 11.
I want to relinquish 500 from ID 13.
And ask if I may be at it as a co-sponsor.
Oh, how wonderful.
Thank you so much.
I also want to thank council for the Nepara and customer Humbert for item 12 and, and I.
You have my support and I'd be happy to co-sponsor if there's room.
But thank you so much for your support.
Of course.
Thank you.
Okay, thank you.
Moving on to council member.
Thank you.
First, I wanted to relinquish $200 for item 11.
Thank you for bringing it forward and add.
Mayor and council member to item 12.
I mean, I also wanted to talk a little bit about that.
And the history behind it, because it's actually really interesting.
So I'm going to talk a little bit about the history behind it.
The telegraph Avenue commercial district is the only commercial district in the city.
Where alcoholic beverage retail sales are not permitted due to 1870s, anti-alcohol laws that stemmed from racist and classist views of urban areas.
As a result, many grocery retailers who would otherwise consider starting new businesses or expanding their existing businesses into new larger businesses, would not be able to do so.
This is because the city of South side lacks a full service grocery store.
As this prohibition.
And this prohibition contributes to a lack of healthy, affordable, accessible food options for many South side residents and visitors.
This referral would simply allow align the city's regulation on alcohol beverage, retail sales in the telegraph area with those on every other commercial district in Berkeley.
And this would also allow the city of South side to have a more flexible process.
In terms of identifying issuance of a permit, if there are reasonable concerns about a particular location or operator.
And creating a process for this would create the flexibility to some grocery retailers require to consider establishing new businesses.
And would help bolster existing efforts to fill empty storefronts and expand local grocery options in a neighborhood that needs more accessible and affordable food options.
Thank you.
And now we have a question for council member Bartlett.
Thank you, madam.
So I'd like to item 11.
This is my item here.
Give $500.
13 account to the parent writing circles initiative.
So what this is is a brand new little group.
Very important.
I used to volunteer with the writer connection.
Something back in Berkeley.
Your writer's coach connection.
I'm sorry.
Yeah.
So literacy has been really important in the community and this group's great.
They were funded by the library.
For, for many times, but these programs that they serve.
I have been cut.
Recently due to the administration and the changes in funding.
And so we know literacy is very important.
And of course, Berkeley is a place with a stratospheric.
And this is a unique group that brings parents and kids together.
To, to practice literacy together and build bonds in the community.
It's a wonderful group.
Very proud of them.
I want to thank counselor Taplin for our co-sponsoring here.
And I guess we'll live upon our little part for giving money as well.
So please consider it.
It's a great group doing a great mission.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Okay.
Council member Blackby.
Oh, back to you.
Yeah, thanks.
Really briefly.
Just wanted to thank council member Bartlett for item 11 would be happy to contribute $250 from our office funds for the parent writing circles initiative.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.
Council member.
Thank you.
I would also like to thank council member Bartlett and contribute one $150 from my G 13 account towards the item 11.
Recording in progress.
Thank you very much, madam mayor.
I would also like to be recorded as donating a hundred dollars to item number 11.
For the parent writing circles.
And I also just want to thank council member Luna Potter for item number 12.
And that's all.
Thank you.
Thank you all.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I will happily donate to 50 to the.
Item 11.
And I also just want to say that.
Although I'm not a co-sponsor.
I am just so filled with joy in getting to vote for something that I've never done before.
So.
Yeah.
Thank you all so much.
I'd also like to relinquish $250.
From my G 13 account for the parent writing circles initiatives.
So thank you so much for bringing that.
I was very grateful to be part of also added to 12.
So thank you.
The benefits of being on agenda and roles.
So.
I think that that is it for my comments.
And I will make sure that I get to the next item.
Next item.
All right.
I will close council comments.
And if there is any public comment on the consent calendar, information items only please come on up.
Yeah, no need to.
First, I want to thank the city for being more cautious and scrutinizing consultant contracts.
To be more fiscally wise in these, in these times.
Very difficult fiscal times.
Second, I want to speak to item 10.
I have not reviewed this report, but I'm recalling under T1, that the portable bathrooms were part of T1 allocations.
And in University in San Pablo, that was is stalled is delayed that planned portable bathroom because of the objections of some people from the community, despite that I recall the focus group or the group that was held by the city and except for me, everybody there was a homeowner and proposed that particular location as well as James Kenney Park.
So I want to share with you at that same location, University in San Pablo a couple of months ago, I went to I had to use a bus at that corner in front of the old Wells Fargo bank.
And because it's difficult for me to stand stationary, I have to sit on the bus bench, but the bus bench had a comforter across it that was full of human feces.
And I had to find a way to maybe find a quarter somewhere that I could just push that off the bench so I could sit down.
And what that person have left have left that bench that way.
And by the way, I called 311 and it wasn't until the next day that that and the other property was removed.
If there had been a portable bathroom nearby.
I mean, is this supposed to be better than having a portable bathroom? Obviously, that issue, the need for people to go to the bathroom and homeless people are still around that area.
Thank you.
Thanks, Carol.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
And thank you, council members.
A special thanks to council member Ben Barley for authoring parent writing circles initiative item 11.
And a special thanks to Terry tap council member Terry Taplin for co-sponsoring as well.
My name is Malani Pelly.
I was born, raised and gave birth here in Berkeley.
This is my 11 year old teenager son, Haru.
I'm proud to serve the city.
I love as a poet and educator with California poets in schools.
And as a member of the USDS superintendent's African-American success advisory committee, working to build literacy and close the achievement gap.
Parent writing circles create spaces for parents and caregivers to build community, reflect and strengthen their well-being.
Because when parents thrive, children thrive.
For the past two years, these workshops have grown, but recent federal cuts to arts funding have limited traditional grant support.
It takes a village to raise a child.
I invite the Berkeley city council to be a part of that village by supporting this initiative and contributing funds for the parent writing circles.
Thank you all.
I'm very excited to continue this here in Berkeley.
Thank you very much.
Are there any comments online for consent calendar for information items? We have a speaker with a hand-raised phone number ending in 211.
Should be able to unmute.
Good evening.
I spent 14 years at the University of California, Berkeley, grad school in physics, nuclear engineering and a professor.
It's disgusting from the city of Berkeley to allow alcohol on telegraph.
Why? It's beautiful brains.
We already have three pot shops on telegraph.
While you fought our business for five years, I vote totally.
I recommend all of the decent people in city council and the mayor to vote against consent item 12.
Thank you.
Thank you for your comments.
Anyone else? That's it.
Okay.
Is there a motion to approve the consent calendar? Second.
Okay.
And unless there are any objections from any council members, we can all be recorded as aye.
All right.
Our consent calendar has passed.
Thank you all very much.
And actually, we have no action calendar this evening.
So is there any public comment for items not listed on the agenda? Yes.
Come on up.
Thank you, Council Member Trujillo, for the tribute to Ann Fagan-Ginger.
And thank you, Mayor, for giving us a little more time than expected.
I was alarmed that now ceremonial matters apparently just for this fall have been reduced here in the home of the free speech movement.
And tonight, especially since it's a short night, it would be good to be more generous with time.
So Igor and Vicki said most of the things that I wanted to say about Ann.
So I want to just speak from a personal level of how she influenced me and mentored me and still inspires me.
Last week, I started – I was tired.
I was exhausted.
I started writing a letter, and I – because her voice told me to keep going, I emailed every single mission and ambassador of the United Nations General Assembly.
It took many hours, and I was exhausted.
But I did it because there is a process, the Uniting for Peace Resolution, which was adopted in 1950.
There is a process whereby the General Assembly can override a Security Council veto.
And if they have a two-thirds vote, they could send in a force to break the siege in Gaza and to bring humanitarian aid and food.
And I thought – I did this on behalf of the Berkeley Fellowship of the U.S.
Social Justice Committee, where Ann was very influential.
If they get a lot of messages from American organizations, of course the American government is going to oppose them.

Segment 3

I'm going to go ahead and close this, but that could be influential.
Thank you for your comments.
If a city in America writes to them.
Thank you.
And I'll do it for you.
Thank you.
Thanks Phoebe.
Following up on the earlier session, as a person with no authority, some persons, most of the persons that have been referred to me from the community that are unhoused actually are older persons with disabilities.
And they often are under the radar because they haven't caused a problem.
And so I'm shocked that these people are not in the CES system.
It's because they should be high priorities.
And I'm going to give you an example of a couple living in their RV, isolated from the other RVs.
They begged me, you know, can you help us get into the RV buyback program? And I explained they weren't in the targeted area.
And they said, well, we stay away from those people.
And I'm going to quote them because we don't want to be around riffraff.
That's their quote.
That's their words.
And we want to be safe.
And it's the same reason older persons do not want to go into shelters.
They don't feel safe.
They want to be in non congregate settings.
So it's not because they're spoiled.
They feel privileged.
They actually feel safer being in their own private space away from other people than being in a shelter where they're potentially in jeopardy.
I also want to draw to your attention other things that are going on in the county at the homeless services panel of experts.
We brought the care court there to speak.
I don't think the general community of people are really aware how referrals have worked to the care courts.
The other thing is the litigation that was brought by Disability Rights California against the county, which is a settlement that's halfway through the settlement.
It involves crisis response teams, crisis response centers, and peer respites.
But Berkeley doesn't seem to have a role in it.
Thank you, Carol.
Thanks for your comments.
Anyone else? Okay.
Anyone else online? Yes, online.
Phone number ending in 000.
Okay, we'll move on.
Bryce Nesbitt.
Should be able to unmute.
Yes, hello.
How is the audio? Pardon? How is the audio? Oh, it's fine.
Yes.
Okay, great.
This is Bryce Nesbitt.
And since this is not agenda comments, I'm commenting on something that was originally on the agenda, but somehow didn't make it.
It's a supplemental by Councilmember Lunapar regarding ADUs.
Now, at the end of that supplemental, it says that this is intended to support the protect tenants and further the ordinance's goal of encouraging ADU development and providing opportunities for affordable home ownership.
But it's exactly this kind of restriction that discourages ADU production.
I speak to owners considering this.
I counsel them on rent control laws and these rules.
And this type of rule is something that will reduce the availability of new housing.
If you want more ADUs and thus more housing, please do not add this kind of restrictions when this comes up on the agenda.
I'll be back next week to talk about this as well.
Good day.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
We don't have a meeting, I think, next Tuesday.
Just FYI.
The 30th.
It's the 30th.
It's the next one.
Yeah.
Next speaker on non-agenda comments is Cheryl Davila, former Councilmember.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And we don't know how much time we have.
And it would also be good if you would consider passing an arms embargo.
I don't know how long we have to wait, how many more Palestinians have to die.
I mean, it's messed up that y'all just don't care about humanity, don't care about Palestinians, don't care about starving children or starving people in Gaza.
And you know what? We have 47 as a president.
Well, he's not my president.
But, you know, look out, because they're coming after Berkeley, and I don't see how y'all are prepared.
And you can try to pay attention and pretend like you're listening.
I can see that you're not.
But, you know, free Palestine, free Palestine, and free yourselves from the isms that keep you from loving humanity.
Okay.
All right.
Thank you for your public comments.
Are there any other public comments left? Last speaker is Maria Sol.
Yeah.
I don't want to bore y'all with my constant comments, but I really do want to end on a positive note, because, Lord, gosh, we're all human beings, and even if some of us don't think some of us matter, we all do.
I'm sorry.
Making things better.
It's just about making things better, seeing where we can improve.
Port-a-potties are a necessity for little children, mothers, elders, and the business of why the disabled and elderly and women are ignored.
It's because we need more care, so it's easier to pick up the folk that can just be okay somewhere and get them out of view.
But, you know, I walk slowly, so, you know, in other words, it's more problematic to deal with some of us, but that doesn't mean we should be dismissed.
So, again, let's please thank ourselves for doing the best we can and just commit to trying to do better.
And port-a-potties, you know, it's kind of, again, children's books, everything poos, we need port-a-potties.
We just do.
So, bless all of you.
Please have a great everything, and thank you.
Thanks, Maria.
And on that note, is there a motion to adjourn? Second.
Okay.
And is there any opposition? No.
Okay, great.
Well, then we are adjourned.
Thank you all very much for the meeting this evening.
Recording stopped.