Summary

Budget, housing, and grants advanced

San PabloJun 2, 20263 min read

At a glance

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The City Council moved forward with the two-year budget process, kept the rent registry program alive by voting to introduce repeal rather than adopt it, and approved several funding and staffing actions including grant applications and a temporary public works director appointment.

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What this means

The council advanced San Pablo’s next two-year operating and capital budget by directing staff to return with final budget resolutions for the June 15 meeting. It also voted to move ahead with a rent registry repeal ordinance, which means the program was not ended at this meeting but will continue through the next step in the process. Council members approved grant applications and funding actions tied to a park project and the San Pablo Bridge Replacement Project, and they authorized a temporary appointment for the Public Works Director/City Engineer role. The council also approved a June LGBTQ Pride Month flag request for City Hall.

Key decisions

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Approved the May 18, 2026 minutes.
Denied a liability claim from Stacy Hemphill.
Received and filed the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee reports for Measure S and Measure K through June 30, 2025.
Approved a letter seeking local fiscal flexibility and voter authority related to sales tax exemption issues.
Adopted a resolution authorizing a temporary appointment and recruitment for Public Works Director/City Engineer.
Ratified a $1,335,000 Bay Area Air District Bay Repair grant application and accepted appropriation authority if awarded.
Approved a grant application for approximately $4 million through the California Climate Investments Urban Greening Program for the San Pablo Bridge Replacement Project.
Adopted an administrative policy for Affordable Care Act look-back measurement and affordability safe harbors for certain unrepresented employees.
Advanced the FY 2026-27 and FY 2027-28 biennial budget to the June 15 meeting and directed staff to pursue additional fiscal and revenue sources and efficiencies.
Waived first reading and introduced the ordinance repealing the rent registry program; a proposal to retain and strengthen the program failed for lack of a second.
Approved a commemorative flag request for LGBTQ Pride Month at City Hall for June 2026.

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Meeting information

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City Council

Jun 2, 2026, 1:00 AMCity Council Chambers Members of the public may view this meeting online by using this URL https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89046076519completed

Agenda

*IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENTS AND MEETING PARTICIPATION*
NOTICE:
PUBLIC COMMENT
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AGENDA MATERIALS
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT:
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
CEREMONIAL MATTERS
PRESENTATIONS
PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO REGARDING THE 2025-26 RICHMOND HIGH SCHOOL EARTH TEAM ZERO LITTER PROJECT IN SAN PABLO CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
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CONSENT CALENDAR
MINUTES
CONSIDER APPROVING MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 18, 2026 CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
LIABILITY CLAIMS
CONSIDER DENYING LIABILITY CLAIM OF STACY HEMPHILL (DOL 04/20/26) CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZATION
CONSIDER RECEIVING AND ACCEPTING THE INDEPENDENT CITIZENS’ OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REPORTS FOR PERIOD ENDING JUNE 30, 2025 FOR MEASURE S (FORMERLY MEASURE Q) AND MEASURE K TRANSACTION & USE SALES TAX CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
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CONSIDER RATIFYING LETTER FROM SAN PABLO VICE-MAYOR XAVIER (ON BEHALF OF MAYOR PABON-ALVARADO) TRANSMITTED ON MAY 18, 2026, TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR NEWSOM TO REQUEST SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FISCAL FLEXIBILITY AND VOTER AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO SECTION 7251.1 OF THE CALIFORNIA REVENUE AND TAXATION CODE PERTAINING TO TRANSACTIONS (SALES) AND USE TAX EXEMPTION
REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JULY 2026 AS NATIONAL “PARKS MAKE LIFE BETTER!®” MONTH CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) AUTHORIZING THE TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF JILL MERCURIO TO FILL THE VACANT POSITION OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR/CITY ENGINEER PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 21221(H) AS OF MAY 1, 2026, AND DURING THE CITY’S RECRUITMENT FOR A FULL-TIME REPLACEMENT; (2) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A RETIRED ANNUITANT EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH JILL MERCURIO PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE CALPERS POST-RETIREMENT WORK RESTRICTIONS; AND (3) RATIFYING STAFF’S PRIOR INITIATION OF A FORMAL RECRUITMENT TO FILL THE POSITION OF PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR/CITY ENGINEER ON A PERMANENT BASIS AND DIRECTING STAFF TO CONTINUE SUCH RECRUITMENT EFFORTS CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
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CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) RATIFYING THE CITY’S APPLICATION FOR THE BAY AREA AIR DISTRICT’S BAY REPAIR GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,335,000; (2) ACCEPTING AND APPROPRIATING GRANT FUNDING, IF AWARDED; AND (3) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR CITY PARTICIPATION IN THIS GRANT PROGRAM CEQA: The McNeil Park project (previously called the SPARC project) has been determined to be categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15304 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Section 15304 exempts “minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes.” The Project would involve alteration of the site from an empty lot with demolition debris to a park, including grading, new landscaping, and minor trenching and backfilling where the surface is restored. The Project would not remove any mature trees; the trees within and adjacent to the Project site would be preserved in place.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) APPROVING THE APPLICATION FOR APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDS THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY’S (CNRA) CALIFORNIA CLIMATE INVESTMENTS URBAN GREENING PROGRAM FOR THE SAN PABLO BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT (0202); (2) CERTIFYING COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS; (3) ACCEPTING AND APPROPRIATING GRANT FUNDING, IF AWARDED; AND (4) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR CITY PARTICIPATION IN THIS GRANT PROGRAM CEQA: Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3), the adoption of the subject resolution authorizing Public Works to submit a grant application is exempt from CEQA requirements. Under Guidelines section 15378, “project” does not include the creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to any specific project that may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.
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CONSIDER ADOPTING A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE JANUARY 20, 2015, PROPERTY TAX CONSULTING/AUDIT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HDL COREN & CONE, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO ADOPTING AN ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY ESTABLISHING AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA) LOOK BACK MEASUREMENT METHOD AND AFFORDABILITY SAFE HARBORS FOR CERTAIN UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONSIDER ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AMENDING SECTION 2.08.070 OF THE SAN PABLO MUNICIPAL CODE PERTAINING TO THE DUTIES OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CEQA: The proposed amendment is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no potential for causing a significant effect on the environment.
* * * * END OF CONSENT CALENDAR * * * *
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PUBLIC HEARINGS
CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 3502.3 ON THE CITY OF SAN PABLO’S JOB VACANCIES, RECRUITMENT, AND RETENTION EFFORTS FOR THE 2025 CALENDAR YEAR CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED FY 2026-27 AND FY 2027-28 BIENNIAL (TWO-YEAR) OPERATING BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP) BUDGET PER SAN PABLO MUNICIPAL CODE SECTIONS 3.04.220, 3.04.240 AND 3.04.250 CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
ORDINANCES
CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REPEALING CHAPTER 9.60 (“RENT REGISTRY”) OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO MUNICIPAL CODE TERMINATING THE CITY’S RENT REGISTRY PROGRAM CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
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CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION/CONSIDERATION
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING A COMMEMORATIVE FLAG REQUEST FROM VICE MAYOR RITA XAVIER FOR THE CITY HALL FLAGPOLE LOCATION FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF JUNE 2026 RECOGNIZING LESBIAN, GAY, BI-SEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND QUESTIONING COMMUNITY (LGBTQ) PRIDE MONTH CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS (IF ANY)
MATERIALS SUBMITTED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA WILL BE APPENDED AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING. THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM BUT MERELY A MECHANISM FOR MATERIALS SUBMITTED AFTER PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA TO BE APPENDED TO THE PUBLISHED AGENDA AFTER THE COUNCIL MEETING.
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ASSIGNMENTS REPORTS
Councilmember Arturo Cruz
Councilmember Patricia Ponce
Councilmember Abel Pineda
Vice Mayor Rita Xavier
Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado
ADJOURNMENT
Respectfully Submitted, ____________________________ Casey Erlenheim, Deputy City Clerk
Staff Present: City Manager, Matt Rodriguez Assistant City Manager, Maria Ojeda City Attorney, Brian P. Hickey Police Chief, Brian Bubar Administrative Services Director, Arturo Castillo Human Resources/Risk Manager, Alicia Platt Economic Development and Housing Manager, Kieron Slaughter Senior Civil Engineer, Matt Brown Environmental Program Manager, Amanda Booth Sustainability Fellow, Natalie Sanchez City Clerk, Dorothy Gantt Deputy City Clerk, Casey Erlenheim
CONSIDER DENYING LIABILITY CLAIM OF STACY HEMPHILL (DOL 04/20/26) CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
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Approval of the Consent Agenda
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ROLL CALL
Mayor Pabon called a Recess at 8:07 PM Reconvened at 8:13 PM
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Budget, housing, and grants advanced

At a glance

Projects mentioned

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