Committee backs $75,000 for executive searches; Garfield Park sale advances

The committee's routine review of its list of pending and scheduled items, including recurring quarterly and annual reports. This was a special meeting, so there were no minutes to approve. 00:05:22

• Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) moved, seconded by Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee), to accept the determination of schedule of outstanding committee items as is. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:06:27

An informational report listing purchases and contracts the City Administrator signed without council approval, under the authority the Municipal Code gives for contracts up to $250,000. The reports for FY 2023-24 and 2024-25 came late; staff said this version is more complete than earlier ones, adding grant and cooperative agreements. It shows the contracts the City Administrator awarded without a council vote; staff stressed the amounts are awards, not spending. 00:06:49

• Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee) moved, seconded by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), to forward the report to the November 10 special City Council agenda, on consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:48:22

• City staff explained that the report covers construction, professional services, grant agreements and purchase orders under the City Administrator's authority up to $250,000 00:07:16
• City staff said the FY 2023-24 and 2024-25 reports were delayed by a change in leadership and in who handled compliance oversight in Finance, and committed to bringing the report every fall 00:09:19
• The committee chair disputed the explanation that a cancelled June meeting caused the delay, noting the committee did meet in June and the gap covered three years 00:11:01
• City staff said the 2024-25 report was delayed partly by budget rebalancing at the end of 2025 and was overlooked 00:13:00
• City staff said the report is more comprehensive than earlier versions, adding grant and cooperative agreements that had not been included before 00:13:00
• A councilmember asked whether $250,000 is the right threshold for the City Administrator's contract authority 00:15:34
• City staff said the limit was raised from $100,000 to $250,000 around 2013, has not kept up with inflation since, and suggested a more nuanced limit that accounts for contract length 00:15:49
• A councilmember asked that future reports show which fund pays for each contract, citing a $26,000 police traffic-control contract for Juneteenth 2026 00:18:33
• A councilmember called it a red flag that one vendor can receive more than $250,000 in a year without council review, and said such cases should come to council automatically 00:19:33
• City staff said one vendor can hold several contracts for different services, but if one service goes over $250,000 the department must bring it to council 00:20:08
• A councilmember pointed to a $400,000 information technology contract in the report that exceeds the threshold and asked what decides which contracts skip council 00:22:20
• City staff explained that contracts under $250,000 often still come to council because the City Administrator cannot waive small local business requirements, which apply above $50,000 00:23:10
• City staff cautioned that the amounts listed are contract awards, not spending, and that the city's systems cannot easily trace spending and funding sources by contract 00:23:44
• City staff agreed to provide spending and fund information in future, probably in a different format, and warned that Oracle data tracks vendors, not contract awards 00:25:55
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) said other departments describe procurement as a bottleneck, and asked what is being done about racial disparities in small contracts that a disparity study had flagged 00:27:25
• City staff described a small staff serving the whole city, with a purchasing side of one supervisor and four buyers, against an industry minimum of 12 to 15 00:30:55
• City staff said some delays happen because the city now enforces council's rules without exceptions, and called this a culture change 00:31:40
• The committee chair asked about a $244,000 polling contract with EMC Research and whether council authorized it 00:33:30
• City staff said the polling contract was for possible revenue ballot measures and had not been used 00:34:15
• City staff said nothing had been spent on the polling contract, it was not used for Measure E, and having a vendor ready in advance is good practice 00:34:44
• The committee chair asked why only one Laurel safety ambassador grant appears in the report when she knows of several over the years 00:36:15
• City staff said a contract recorded in the work order portal may not show in Oracle until a purchase order is issued, and promised follow-up 00:38:10
• The committee chair asked why contracts under the City Administrator's authority totaled about $24 million in each of the first two years but about half that in 2025-26 00:38:33
• City staff noted that grants the council approved by its own resolution would not appear in this report 00:39:23

An informational report from Human Resources on vacancies as of September 15, 2026, hiring timelines, separations, and recruitment outreach. Staff reported a citywide vacancy rate of 17.89%, the lowest in the reporting periods since October 2021. 00:48:49

▶ Hear it Over 700 vacancies, but only about 34 jobs posted · 0:48

• Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) moved, seconded by Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee), to receive and file the informational report in committee. Result: passed, 4-0. 01:20:51

• City staff reported the citywide vacancy rate fell from 19.69% in February to 17.89% 00:53:32
• City staff said the September rate is the lowest of the periods shown, just under a previous low of 17.94% in April 2025 00:53:32
• City staff reported 368 vacancies with no recruitment activity, down from 431 in February 00:52:31
• City staff explained that added budgeted positions raised some departments' rates, such as the City Auditor's office, now at 33% 00:54:33
• City staff said IBEW has the highest vacancy rate of the city's unions, partly because its budgeted positions grew from 17 to 21 00:55:35
• City staff reported separations fell from 380 in FY 2024-25 to 322 in FY 2025-26 00:56:37
• City staff said that since FY 2023-24 the city recorded 1,693 new hires and 1,697 separations 00:57:37
• City staff said in-person new employee orientation will return in 2027 00:58:41
• City staff said the public safety recruitment team had just filled its last assistant HR analyst position 00:59:26
• City staff named the departments' own hiring process as the biggest obstacle to faster hiring 01:00:40
• City staff proposed expanded certification rules, since departments now get only four referrals per position at a time 01:01:35
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) noted the HR department's own vacancy rate fell from 44% to 34%, and asked which positions remain open 01:02:26
• City staff said departments cancelled requisitions they no longer needed, so the count now reflects real need 01:03:50
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) raised concern about the IBEW hiring timeline of about 287 days and the shortage of electricians for streetlight repair 01:04:47
• City staff said that figure came from one electrician recruitment, slowed by trouble finding outside assessors to give the exam 01:05:05
• The committee chair asked why so few jobs are posted on the city website given the number of vacancies 01:05:34
• City staff said one eligible list can fill multiple positions and that recruitments are opened in priority order 01:06:11
• City staff said no career fair at City Hall is currently planned, though two staff now coordinate outside career fairs 01:08:15
• City staff said candidates can now name the departments they want, so referrals are not wasted 01:11:29
• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) asked what share of applicants fail to meet minimum qualifications 01:12:39
• City staff said staff review minimum qualifications at the start of each recruitment to remove artificial barriers, and could provide the requested data 01:13:07

A resolution for a cooperative contract with Governmentjobs.com, Inc. (NeoGov) for the city's human resources information system: recruitment, applicant tracking, onboarding, training and performance management. It runs three years, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029, with three one-year extensions under Sourcewell Contract No. 030425-PDMS, for up to $3,674,817.80 over six years. Staff had pulled an earlier version to find better pricing. It adds two new modules, for candidate outreach and for background checks. 01:21:11

• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) moved, seconded by Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee), to approve the staff recommendation and forward the item to the November 10 special City Council agenda, on consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 01:29:12

• City staff said the item was pulled earlier so staff could pursue a cooperative contract with better pricing 01:21:58
• City staff said the city has used NeoGov for over fifteen years and it connects to the city's Oracle system 01:21:58
• City staff said the agreement adds two modules funded in the mid-cycle budget, including one that centralizes background investigations for public safety hiring 01:21:58
• City staff said the first three years cost about $1.67 million and the full six years about $3.67 million, paid from internal service funds 01:23:00
• City staff told a councilmember the online testing services listed are already in place, not new 01:28:37

A resolution for a $249,000 professional services agreement with Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP. The firm would help carry out the 24 recommendations of its 2024 review of city purchasing and contracting. The resolution would waive competitive bidding and local/small local business requirements. Staff said the current rules are complex and can create barriers for small and local businesses. 01:29:37

• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) moved, seconded by Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee), to approve the staff recommendation and forward the item to the November 10 special City Council agenda, on consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 01:38:14

• City staff said the earlier Baker Tilly review made 24 recommendations on policies and procedures, organizational structure, and contracting equity 01:30:15
• City staff said the review found existing requirements can unintentionally create barriers for small and local businesses 01:31:15
• City staff said the work goes with a new contracting software, Authorium, but that software alone will not fix the systemic problems 01:31:15
• A councilmember said her main question had been how to move the recommendations into implementation, and that this contract does that 01:34:08

An ordinance authorizing the city to borrow and sell its remaining voter-approved general obligation bonds under Measures DD, KK and U, which pay for parks, transportation, housing and other capital projects. Staff described it as an umbrella authorization for about $532 million. Each future sale would still come back to council, and the next is planned for March at up to $275 million. 01:38:41

• Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee) moved, seconded by Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee), to approve the staff recommendation and forward the ordinance to the December 1 City Council agenda, non-consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 01:51:21

• City staff said the ordinance authorizes the rest of the bonds across all three measures, with each sale still coming to council 01:38:58
• City staff said the next sale is planned for March at up to $275 million, and bond counsel advised the first reading be at the December 1 regular meeting, not the November 10 special meeting 01:38:58
• City staff said sale sizes depend on department needs, the last sale was about $334 million, and tax-exempt bond money must be spent within three years 01:40:20
• The committee chair cited the remaining amounts under each measure and asked about the plan for the rest 01:40:47
• City staff said the rest would likely be sold within another year to year and a half, depending on how fast departments can spend 01:41:16
• City staff expected transportation, housing and parks money to be fully used by the next two-year budget, but not the full authorization for police facilities 01:41:56
• The committee chair said Measure KK money should be spent down first before the city asks voters for a successor measure 01:43:27
• A councilmember asked why only $6 million of the remaining Measure DD money would be sold, citing community questions about Estuary Park redevelopment in her district 01:49:40
• City staff said parks projects under KK and U are fully allocated, and bonds won't be sold until projects are ready to start because of the three-year spending window 01:50:29

As posted, the resolution would extend three executive search contracts through August 31, 2027 and add $300,000 in total. Ralph Andersen & Associates would go up $200,000, from $250,000 to $450,000. The Hawkins Company would go up $100,000, from $250,000 to $350,000. CPS HR Consulting would get an extension only. Competitive bidding and local business requirements would be waived. The firms recruit for the city's top jobs, including the City Administrator search. Staff cut its request to $75,000, all for Ralph Andersen, and the committee voted 3-1, with Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee) voting no, to recommend the extensions with only that added money. The item goes to the November 10 special City Council meeting, off consent. 01:51:47

▶ Hear it An executive search request shrinks from $300,000 to $75,000 · 0:55

• Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) moved, seconded by Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee), to extend each of the three agreements through August 31, 2027 with no increase in amount, keeping the requested waivers. Result: withdrawn. 02:11:34
• Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) moved, seconded by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), to approve as amended and forward to the November 10 City Council agenda: extend each of the three agreements through August 31, 2027, with no increase except $75,000 to Ralph Andersen & Associates. Result: passed, 3-1. No: Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee). 02:11:55

• City staff said the extensions would keep the firms available while HR prepares a new request for proposals by the end of the calendar year, with departments paying the fees 01:53:44
• City staff listed the recruitments the added money would support 01:53:44
• The committee chair opposed the extensions, citing the cost of executive searches and budget uncertainty, and said the city often hires someone it picked from the start 01:54:03
• A councilmember called the increase too large, said a recent recruitment for a position in his office drew about 220 applications without a search firm, and noted uncertainty over Measure EE and a possible mayor's office restructuring 01:55:05
• A councilmember asked why the city doesn't promote more from within instead of hiring outside recruiters 01:56:02
• City staff said only about $14,000 remains on the contract, not enough for the City Administrator recruitment and others in progress 01:58:49
• City staff said the mayor's office knew about the item and supported at least the Ralph Andersen increase 01:59:11
• A councilmember invited the mayor's office to come back with a proposal for a smaller amount 02:00:09
• City staff asked whether the committee would approve extending only the contract terms, through August 2027 02:04:57
• City staff asked whether a smaller increase would be acceptable so staff can finish current recruitments and pay their bills 02:06:02
• The committee chair said she would not support any increase but was open to extending the term to August 2027 02:06:53
• City staff said money already spent on the contracts went to earlier recruitments, not the ones now listed 02:07:18
• City staff said Ralph Andersen bid on the City Administrator recruitment, and that staff believed the mayor's office had selected it 02:08:45
• City staff reduced the request to $75,000 for Ralph Andersen, for the City Administrator recruitment and the rest of the constitutional policing administrator recruitment 02:09:28

• Item 2: two people signed up. One waived her time; the transcript doesn't clearly show whether the other spoke.
• Item 3 (contract authority report): three speakers. One said the council's pending list showed this report as given on February 24, 2026, and urged better tracking of annual reports. One said the report should be semiannual and questioned specific entries, such as police protective gear and $1 vending contracts. One tied the item to organizing city government under a possible strong-mayor system and an IBA position.
• Item 4 (staffing report): three speakers. One raised hiring of Black Americans, how few city employees live in Oakland, and employees' legal status. One welcomed the progress and parking enforcement hiring, and urged HR to follow up before eligible lists expire. One opposed cutting worker health and retirement benefits and suggested a small pay cut instead.
• Item 5 (NeoGov): two speakers. One objected that the July 1 start date had already passed, and questioned the extension options and the diversity language. One noted San Diego is negotiating the same contract and asked whether there are problems with the vendor.
• Item 6 (Baker Tilly): two speakers. One supported the effort but asked about costs, racial equity, and a review of the $250,000 limit, and also criticized how the race and ethnicity categories were listed in the NeoGov item's materials. One urged applying ideals of tech accountability to procurement.
• Item 7 (bonds): three speakers. One said bond money is not distributed fairly across neighborhoods and that parks sit unused. One thanked staff for resuming bond sales after a year without them, which he linked to stalled street paving, and asked that any future decision to skip a sale be announced to council. One spoke on middle-income housing before the connection dropped.
• Item 8 (executive recruitment): two speakers. One urged against moving forward until the Measure EE outcome is known, and questioned the firms' track record. One suggested scrutinizing upper-management positions to save money.
• Open forum: three speakers. One repeated the concern about the pending list for the contract authority report. One said money from a planned sale of Garfield Park land, about $500,000 headed to the general fund, may legally have to go to replacement park facilities. One spoke about the upcoming IBA measure and a chief operating officer model.

• November 10 special City Council meeting: the contract authority report (item 3), the NeoGov contract for up to $3,674,817.80 (item 5), and the $249,000 Baker Tilly contract (item 6) are forwarded on consent.
• November 10 special City Council meeting: the amended executive recruitment contracts (item 8) are forwarded on non-consent after the 3-1 vote. The amendment would extend all three contracts through August 31, 2027 and add only $75,000, to Ralph Andersen & Associates.
• December 1 regular City Council meeting: the bond ordinance for Measures DD, KK and U (item 7) is forwarded for first reading on non-consent. The next bond sale is planned for March at up to $275 million (per staff), and each sale will come back to council separately.
• Staff committed to bringing the contract authority report every fall; next year's covers FY 2026-27. Staff said it will try to add spending and fund-source information, possibly in a different format.
• Finance staff promised to follow up with Economic & Workforce Development, possibly by email, on why only one Laurel safety ambassador grant appears in the report.
• HR said it will issue a new request for proposals for executive recruitment services by the end of the calendar year.
• HR said it could provide data on how many applicants fail minimum qualifications. Asked whether staff moved from Transportation to Finance account for Finance's staffing numbers, staff said it was likely but would need to check each position; a councilmember asked for follow-up, but HR made no firm commitment.
• HR said it is in talks with labor groups on changing civil service rules to allow more referrals per vacancy.
• In-person new employee orientation is to return in 2027.

Routine approval of the committee's draft minutes from its October 13, 2026 meeting. 00:01:42

• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) moved, seconded by Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee), to approve the minutes. Result: passed, 3-0, 1 excused. 00:02:33

The committee's schedule of outstanding items, its list of reports and items waiting to be scheduled. No changes were made. 00:02:56

• Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) moved, seconded by Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore), to accept the pending list as is. Result: passed, 3-0, 1 excused. 00:06:21

• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) asked when the parking division reorganization report would be scheduled, noting the list shows no specific date 00:06:07

Three resolutions for a hillside subdivision on Kenilworth Road (in District 4, per staff) owned by Kenilworth Property, LLC: (1) a subdivision improvement agreement letting the owner defer building required public infrastructure as a condition of approving Parcel Map No. 8228; (2) conditional, revocable major encroachment permit ENMJ22054 allowing privately owned retaining walls, a pressurized sanitary sewer, storm drains, bioretention planters and irrigation under and next to Kenilworth Road; and (3) conditional approval of Parcel Map No. 8228 for a four-lot subdivision with a remainder parcel, a right-of-way dedication and a sewer reserve abandonment (agenda). Staff described the overall project as seven single-family homes on vacant downhill parcels along an unpaved stretch of the road. City staff said that without the agreement the map would expire and the owner would have to restart the entitlement process. Neighbors who spoke described years of dust, diesel fumes and noise from the site. 00:06:38

▶ Hear it Does this agreement give a developer more time? · 0:31

• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) moved, seconded by Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee), to approve all three resolutions and forward them to the November 10 special City Council meeting on non-consent. Result: passed, 3-0, 1 abstention. Abstained: Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7). 00:40:36

• City staff presented the project as seven single-family homes on vacant downhill parcels along an unpaved part of Kenilworth Road 00:08:30
• City staff said the project was first approved in 2010, with later extensions from the Planning Commission and Planning Bureau 00:08:30
• City staff said the agreement requires a secondary emergency fire access route to Devon Way and financial security of 175 percent of estimated construction cost 00:09:30
• City staff said the private infrastructure would pass to a Geologic Hazard Abatement District and a homeowners association once they are formed 00:10:38
• City staff said the resolutions have no fiscal impact, because the subdivider pays permit fees that cover staff costs 00:11:38
• The committee chair said he generally supports new homes but they must follow all applicable codes, and that his staffer would follow up with the neighbors 00:22:02
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) said the project isn't in his district and he would abstain until he could talk with the District 4 councilmember 00:22:30
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) said she had seconded the motion before hearing public comment and realizing the item was controversial, and asked what the deferral request meant 00:23:10
• City staff explained that the agreement lets the developer record the final map before finishing public improvements, backed by bonds the city can call if the work isn't done 00:25:13
• City staff said the agreement sets a deadline for the improvements, which he believed was two years with possible extensions by the city engineer 00:25:13
• City staff confirmed the agreement gives the developer more time, and said that without it the map would expire and entitlements would start over 00:26:01
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) asked what community meetings the contractor had held with residents 00:26:37
• City staff said community engagement normally happens during planning entitlements, and the transportation department did none for the permitting or the map 00:27:47
• An applicant representative blamed the delays on an ancient landslide more than 40 feet deep, which forced a redesign about six years ago 00:30:21
• An applicant representative said COVID-era inspection delays let the permits expire, and renewing them took about two years 00:30:21
• An applicant representative said the project was approved in 2006 with about eight pages of conditions, including on dust and noise, and offered to meet with neighbors 00:34:51
• An applicant representative argued that retaining walls and grading are already in place, so the project won't go away if it isn't approved 00:35:57
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) asked to see the contractor's dust control plan, from both the city and the contractor 00:37:19
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) asked the neighbors whether they had reported problems to the city or code compliance in writing 00:37:19
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) urged the parties to meet and try to resolve the issues before the next meeting 00:38:43
• The committee chair proposed sending the item to the full council on non-consent so the District 4 councilmember can meet both sides and weigh in, and offered to help mediate 00:39:37

A resolution awarding a $5,000,000 professional services agreement to VSCE, Inc. for construction management support on the Broadway Streetscape Improvements Project (Project No. 1008515), with CEQA findings. Staff said the council awarded the construction contract to McGuire and Hester in July 2026. The work covers pedestrian and crossing improvements, lighting, red bus-only lanes, transit shelters, street trees and upgraded signals on Broadway from 2nd to 11th Street and from 20th Street to Grand Avenue. Staff said the contract is fully grant-funded and that VSCE is an Oakland-certified local business. 00:41:04

• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) moved, seconded by Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee), to approve the resolution and forward it to the November 10 City Council agenda on consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:55:11

• City staff said the council awarded the construction contract for the project to McGuire and Hester in July 2026 00:41:38
• City staff described the project limits as Broadway from 2nd to 11th Street and from 20th Street to Grand Avenue 00:41:38
• City staff said VSCE will do 60 percent of the work itself, and the $5 million contract is fully funded by state and local grants 00:42:39
• City staff said the city issued its request for proposals on July 31 and received two proposals in mid-August, with VSCE scoring highest 00:42:39
• The committee chair said this is the second large outside engineering contract recently, hoped to bring the work in-house, and said the city contracts out because it has trouble hiring 00:43:31
• City staff said he did not have the exact breakdown of the remaining 40 percent, which goes to specialty subconsultants 00:44:30
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) praised the local small-business selection and asked whether the remaining 40 percent would also go to Oakland small businesses 00:44:51
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) noted the project is in District 2, questioned the cost of oversight work, and asked how many staff the firm would assign 00:45:35
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) asked whether it is typical for construction management to cost about a quarter of construction costs 00:46:52
• City staff said the contract covers resident engineers, office engineers, inspectors, special inspections, materials testing and environmental monitoring for federal requirements 00:47:00
• City staff explained that firms are ranked on qualifications first and fee proposals are opened afterward, with no budget set by the city 00:49:07
• City staff answering a councilmember, said the engineer's estimate for the management services was about $4 million 00:49:34
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) said she would vote yes but called the documentation too thin for a contract this size and asked for more information before the full council 00:54:30

• Item 2 (pending list): one speaker asked the city to review tree-removal permitting. They said the permit fee, in the 600-dollar range, isn't refunded if removal is denied, that investigations take six to eight weeks, and that there is no emergency process when trees threaten sewer lines.
• Item 3 (Kenilworth Road): four members of the public spoke. Two neighbors living just above the site described years of dust, diesel fumes, noise and little progress; one of them objected to giving the owner more time. One of them said under questioning that he had not complained to the city in writing. One speaker asked for sidewalks, transportation planning, paving on Grizzly Peak Boulevard and fire evacuation routes. One raised the costs owners would carry for the hazard district and HOA, and the nearly 20-year delay. Two representatives of the applicant also spoke in support.
• Item 4 (Broadway Streetscape): two speakers. One supported the project and asked for a bike turn box at Broadway and 6th Street. The other asked about the status of many East Oakland transportation and capital projects and called for fairer prioritization, saying Chinatown and downtown get more attention than East Oakland.
• Open forum: two speakers. One said the report on the City Administrator's spending of up to $250,000 should go to each affected committee, not just Finance, and cited public works spending such as tree maintenance and boarding up city property. The other thanked Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) for raising the parking reorganization report and said they looked forward to upcoming transportation reports.

• Item 3 (Kenilworth Road resolutions) goes to the November 10 special City Council meeting on non-consent, so the District 4 councilmember can weigh in.
• Item 4 (VSCE $5,000,000 contract) goes to the November 10 City Council agenda on consent.
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) asked staff to provide fuller documentation on the services in the VSCE contract before it reaches the full council.
• A councilmember asked for the subcontractor breakdown of the remaining 40% of the VSCE contract, and whether it goes to Oakland small businesses.
• A councilmember asked for the Kenilworth contractor's dust control plan from both the city and the contractor, and urged the applicant and neighbors to meet before the next meeting. The committee chair offered to sit down with both parties, and said his staffer would contact the neighbors.
• The parking division reorganization report is still on the pending list with no specific date. When asked, no date was given at the meeting.

Routine approval of the draft minutes from the committee's October 13, 2026 meeting. 00:01:29

• Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) moved, seconded by Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee), to approve the draft minutes from the October 13, 2026 committee meeting. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:02:39

The committee reviews its list of pending items and when they will be heard. Four public speakers used the item to raise City Administrator spending on economic and workforce development and the city's lead settlement funds; one said a lead settlement item had been expected on today's agenda but was pushed back. 00:03:02

▶ Hear it Seven years after a lead paint settlement, zero homes remediated · 0:45

• Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) moved, seconded by Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee), to accept the schedule of outstanding committee items as is. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:12:10

• The committee chair asked the administration whether there were any changes to the pending list, and was told there were none 00:11:27

A resolution that would approve the Montclair BID advisory board's annual report and declare the city's intention to levy the district's 2027 assessment on member businesses, including a 5% increase, and schedule a public hearing for December 1, 2026. Staff said the district covers about 220 businesses with a budget of about $250,000, and that the assessments pay for services beyond what the city already provides, such as extra cleaning, public safety, beautification, events and marketing. 00:12:18

• Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee) moved, seconded by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), to approve the staff recommendation and forward the item to the November 10 special City Council agenda on consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:21:35

• City staff explained that if adopted the resolution goes to the full council on consent November 10 and sets a December 1 public hearing, which must happen before winter recess 00:13:00
• City staff said the district covers about 220 businesses and estimates an annual budget of about $250,000 00:13:00
• City staff said the 5% increase is within the plan's limit and would bring in projected 2027 assessment revenue of roughly $127,000, with about $123,000 more from donations and other sources 00:14:01
• City staff reported the district's 2025 figures, including 9,757 pounds of trash collected, 1,560 merchant check-ins, 66 graffiti removals and nine events 00:15:01
• The committee chair followed up on a public speaker's questions, saying she believed hardship waivers are available to some business owners and asking what happens when businesses don't pay 00:18:53
• City staff said some districts offer a hardship exemption but he was not certain whether these do 00:19:23
• City staff explained that the budget categories are set in the management district plan voted on by member businesses, and that the public hearing is where business owners can protest 00:19:23
• City staff said unpaid assessments go to collections and can affect a business's ability to renew its business license 00:20:49

A resolution that would approve the Rockridge BID advisory board's annual report and declare the city's intention to levy the district's 2027 assessment on member businesses, including a 3% increase, and schedule a public hearing for December 1, 2026. Staff said the district covers about 482 businesses with a budget of about $240,000. 00:22:14

• Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) moved, seconded by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), to approve the staff recommendation and forward the item to the November 10 special City Council agenda on consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:29:18

• City staff said the Rockridge district covers about 482 businesses and estimates a budget of about $240,000 00:22:48
• City staff said the 3% increase, within the 5% annual limit, would bring in $193,640 in projected 2027 assessments, with the rest from member revenue, donations and just under $40,000 carried over 00:22:48
• City staff highlighted the Rockridge Card launched in June 2026, covering over 40 local businesses, with over $6,000 in gift cards sold, and a July treasure hunt across 25 businesses 00:23:49
• The committee chair asked why the report lists zero security cameras yet reports incidents where camera footage was given to police 00:25:27
• City staff said the district doesn't fund cameras and may be relaying footage from individual businesses, noting it is merchant-based, unlike most districts, which are property-based 00:26:00
• City staff said both the Montclair and Rockridge districts are considering converting to property-based districts 00:26:00

A resolution that would authorize the City Administrator to apply for, accept and spend a state Board of State and Community Corrections Prop 64 grant of up to $4,500,000 (agenda) over five years, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2031, for enforcement against illicit cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and retail, including equipment, overtime staffing and administrative costs. Staff said most of the money pays staff costs, including inspectors and police and fire support for joint inspections. The chair questioned spending it on police overtime rather than youth prevention, as other cities have done. 00:29:41

• Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee) moved, seconded by Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee), to approve the staff recommendation and forward the item to the November 10 City Council agenda on consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:56:50

• City staff said the bulk of the grant would cover staff costs for public safety operations and coordinated enforcement, with the rest for equipment, technology and grant administration including an evaluator 00:31:30
• City staff said the city's earlier Cohort 3 grant, awarded in 2022, allocated $2,260,000 for security improvements and overnight security at licensed cannabis businesses 00:32:33
• City staff said cannabis-related public nuisance cases rose from about 21 in 2025 to 39 in 2026, an estimated 86% increase in workload 00:33:35
• City staff said the division currently has one inspector, will bring on four, and has about 74 locations needing more enforcement 00:34:36
• City staff said most funding goes to a task force and overtime because the current city budget does not allow regular overtime 00:34:36
• City staff said about $450,000 a year would go to staff and unspent funds roll over to the following year 00:36:37
• The committee chair said her biggest concern was the money going to police overtime 00:38:01
• The committee chair noted other jurisdictions, including San Francisco and Berkeley, use the funds for youth development and mentorship 00:39:01
• The committee chair asked whether the city had a report back on how Cohort 3 funds were used, including a promised audit 00:39:01
• City staff said the division runs no youth development programs and lacks staff to manage outside partners, so enforcement was the best fit 00:41:21
• City staff argued enforcement spending is easier to track and report than results from nongovernmental partners 00:41:21
• The committee chair pointed out that the 2021 Cohort 2 grant funded youth-focused work with OUSD, East Oakland Youth Development Center and the Public Health Institute 00:42:54
• City staff said Cohort 3 is still being spent through 2028, with a lot of it going to security grants, and that the city reports quarterly to the state 00:43:39
• A councilmember asked how the grant would work with the police overtime system, calling that her biggest concern given checks and balances on overtime 00:46:42
• City staff explained that one jurisdiction can hold multiple grants from the program at once, so Cohorts 3 and 4 run concurrently under different lead agencies 00:48:33
• City staff said the grant period dates to July 1 and the city will try to bill retroactively for enforcement already done 00:48:33
• City staff said the first report to the state is due November 15 00:49:39
• City staff said enforcement would be citywide, including parks, streets, unlicensed dispensaries, smoke shops and other stores 00:50:19
• City staff said one police officer is embedded with the division and ABAT may assist, especially in parks 00:55:21

Sponsored by Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee). It would ask the City Administrator to negotiate a non-exclusive agreement with North Oakland/South Oakland Little League and College Preparatory School for capital improvements and ongoing stewardship of the city-owned North Oakland Regional Sports Center, known as Caldecott Field, at 6900 Broadway. Any terms and environmental findings would come back to the City Council. The sponsor said the field is in disrepair and not on the city's capital improvement plan. 00:57:03

• Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) moved, seconded by Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee), to approve the recommendation and forward the item to the November 10 City Council agenda on consent. Result: passed, 4-0. 01:03:44

• A councilmember said the field has fallen into disrepair from water supply problems and city budget limits 00:57:43
• A councilmember said there is currently no plan to fix the fields beyond some trailhead work 00:57:43
• A councilmember stressed that the resolution only opens non-exclusive talks, locks nothing in, and would come back to council 00:58:58
• A councilmember said the legislation calls for a comprehensive equity study to keep the field publicly accessible 00:58:58
• Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee) supported the idea and asked what the city's obligation would be if the partners take on the financial responsibility 01:00:26
• A councilmember said long-term maintenance and the city's and partners' shares are to be negotiated 01:00:42
• Janani Ramachandran (Councilmember, District 4; Chair, Finance and Management Committee) asked whether the partners would combat illegal dumping 01:00:54
• A councilmember said water supply is a major issue involving EBMUD and PG&E, with a meeting set this week 01:01:09

Time for public comment on items not on the agenda. One speaker asked for help with repeated break-ins at a church building. 01:04:35

• The committee chair told the speaker her team would follow up and said she believed the location is in District 7 01:05:56

• Item 2 (pending list): four speakers. Three spoke on lead hazards in homes. Two urged the city to launch a lead hazard abatement program and a proactive rental inspection program, one noting the city got more than $14 million in a 2019 lead settlement. The third said that seven years after the 2019 settlement, about $15 million, no homes had been remediated and no children tested with that money, and that an item on those funds had been expected on today's agenda but was pushed back. One speaker cited a Finance Committee report on City Administrator spending in the Economic and Workforce Development Department and asked the committee to get a separate accounting of it.
• Item 3 (Montclair BID): one speaker asked whether the fee is mandatory, what happens if businesses don't pay, whether waivers exist, how the association's management of a city parking lot works, and whether the community has a say in spending.
• Item 4 (Rockridge BID): one speaker asked why city staff, not the district, presented the report, asked how much each district invests in public safety, and asked whether residents pay the fee.
• Item 5 (Prop 64 grant): two speakers. One urged more of the funds go to youth prevention and intervention, echoing the chair. One remote speaker praised Oakland's cannabis equity work.
• Item 6 (Caldecott Field): one speaker said the city must keep control over scheduling, rules of use and events, and keep the field open to everyone. A second remote speaker was called but dropped from the queue.
• Open forum: one speaker asked for help with repeated break-ins and damage at a church building she described as the last remaining building from Russell City. A second remote speaker was called but didn't speak.

• The Montclair and Rockridge BID resolutions go to the November 10, 2026 special City Council agenda on consent. If adopted, they set public hearings for December 1, 2026, which staff said must happen before winter recess so assessments can be billed with business tax renewals.
• The Prop 64 Cohort 4 grant resolution goes to the November 10 special City Council agenda on consent. Staff said the first report to the state is due November 15.
• Staff said the division expects to give out its current GO-Biz grant funds by the end of the month, which would make it eligible for a later round, and that it will likely apply for that at the end of the year.
• The Caldecott Field resolution goes to the November 10 City Council agenda on consent. If negotiations succeed, proposed terms and CEQA findings come back to council. A councilmember said a meeting with EBMUD and PG&E on water supply was set for this week.
• The chair said her team would follow up with the open forum speaker about the church building.
• A public speaker said a lead settlement funds item had been pushed back from this agenda. The committee didn't say when it would be heard.

Routine approval of the committee's draft minutes from its September 22, 2026 meeting. 00:06:56

• Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) moved, seconded by Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7), to approve the draft minutes of September 22, 2026. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:07:48

The committee's routine review of its schedule of outstanding items, known as the pending list. 00:08:11

• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) moved, seconded by Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee), to approve the determination of schedule of outstanding committee items. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:11:06

• The committee chair said there were no pending-list items from the administration or the District 3 office and asked for the vote 00:10:58

A resolution, brought by the Oakland Fire Department, authorizing the City Administrator to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Oakland Unified School District creating a Work Training Partner Program, so OUSD students can intern at city worksites during the summer program period. The term is three years from signing, with an option to extend one year. Staff said participation costs the city nothing, since OUSD's program pays student stipends from Oakland Fund for Children and Youth grant money. 00:11:38

• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) moved, seconded by Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7), to approve the resolution and forward it to the November 10 City Council agenda. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:24:32

• City staff said the agreement would give city departments one consistent framework for hosting OUSD students in the summer 00:12:32
• City staff said OUSD's ECHO internship program began in 2010 and has grown from about 150 students a year to more than 500 00:13:32
• City staff said the report describes participation as costing the city nothing 00:13:32
• City staff said stipends are paid from Oakland Fund for Children and Youth grant money through OUSD's program 00:14:34
• A councilmember asked how big the stipends are and whether students get financial training on saving and spending 00:15:21
• City staff said past stipends ran about $1,000 to $1,500 for a five-week program 00:15:54
• City staff said OUSD manages the funds and provides job-readiness workshops, including on saving money 00:16:37
• A councilmember asked how many East Oakland residents receive the stipends 00:16:51
• City staff said OUSD's work-based learning program runs it and students from across the city take part 00:17:07
• City staff said students apply through the ECHO internship portal with help from work-based learning staff at each campus 00:17:47
• City staff said the fire department has more administrative jobs than firefighting jobs, and OUSD proposed making the arrangement citywide for all departments 00:18:33
• A councilmember asked whether students could intern across city departments, not only the fire department 00:20:00
• City staff said the fire department is the first phase, and the next phase would coordinate other departments that want to take part 00:20:31
• A councilmember said the program used to run at Fremont High School when he was on the school board 00:24:21

An ordinance authorizing the City Administrator to sell the city-owned 0.6-acre portion of Garfield Park, at 2201-2299 East 17th Street, to the Oakland Unified School District for $597,500 less closing costs, so OUSD can rebuild the Garfield Elementary campus. It also authorizes an agreement letting the city and community use the athletic field on the rebuilt campus, declares the land exempt surplus land, and adopts environmental (CEQA) findings. Staff said the money goes to the general fund, and that if the city didn't sell, OUSD would build up to the current property line, cutting the park in half. 00:24:56

▶ Hear it Why sell park land to the schools instead of leasing it? · 0:50

• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) moved, seconded by Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7), to approve the ordinance and forward it to the November 10 special City Council agenda. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:46:06

• City staff said OUSD needs the city's parcel to expand the new school, which is why the sale was negotiated 00:26:57
• City staff said the city would get money for general fund purposes 00:26:57
• City staff said the existing field would be replaced by a new, higher-quality turf field on the campus that the community could use 00:27:59
• City staff said that without a sale, OUSD would build up to its current property line and cut the park in half 00:27:59
• City staff said the OUSD board has already approved the deal and only council approval remains 00:28:59
• A councilmember called the deal long overdue and said the city hasn't maintained this park like its others 00:30:21
• A councilmember said Bay Tech High School a block away could one day lease and use the field 00:30:21
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) asked why the city would sell instead of granting a long-term lease, such as 100 years 00:31:10
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) asked why the city didn't swap the land for OUSD property that could be used for housing 00:31:10
• City staff said the city's lease-over-sale policy applies to sites disposed of for permanent development, and here a public agency partner asked to buy 00:32:59
• City staff said the current property line runs through the middle of the park, so moving it and being paid was the more rational outcome 00:32:59
• City staff said the open-space zoning greatly lowers the site's value, so a swap would get the city little 00:34:38
• City staff said the city already has better surplus sites waiting in line for affordable housing, and this one would sit behind them 00:34:38
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) asked whether OUSD has unused school buildings that could help with housing 00:35:42
• The committee chair urged sticking to the transaction on the agenda and told the questioner to weigh his vote if he disagreed 00:36:40
• City staff said Garfield Park is in poor condition and the project would improve it 00:38:31
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) said he would vote for the item and only wanted an open public discussion 00:38:58
• A councilmember said the campus is badly cramped and called the deal a win-win 00:39:58
• A councilmember described the park as poorly maintained, with needles, and said the neighborhood needs the investment 00:39:58
• A councilmember asked to be added as a co-sponsor of the ordinance 00:40:58
• The clerk said the clerk's office noted the request in the item history but doesn't add co-sponsors to department-originated items 00:41:32
• A councilmember noted that earlier talks had considered spending the proceeds on a new baseball field, but they now go to the general fund 00:42:31
• City staff said staff tried to direct the money to Parks and Rec but were advised the consolidated fiscal policy requires the general fund 00:42:42

A resolution accepting and appropriating up to $400,000 in reimbursement through the County Medi-Cal Administrative Activities (CMAA) and Targeted Case Management (TCM) programs, approving fiscal year 2026-27 agreements with Alameda County Health to run them in Oakland, and accepting any additional funds that become available. Staff said the money reimburses the city for outreach and case-management work Human Services staff already do for Medi-Cal-eligible residents, at a 50% rate. 00:46:33

• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) moved, seconded by Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee), to approve the staff recommendation and forward it to the November 10 special City Council agenda. Result: passed, 4-0. 00:55:46

• City staff said the agreements let the city keep getting federal reimbursement for eligible work city staff already do 00:47:32
• City staff said software tracks billable staff time so the city can claim reimbursement at a 50% rate 00:48:34
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) asked how many seniors at the District 7 East Oakland senior center take part, and asked that the figure be sent to his office 00:49:20
• The committee chair asked whether the federal administration could put this funding at risk 00:53:47
• City staff said the work will be done regardless because it is reimbursement for money already spent 00:53:57
• City staff said staff were assured they should go ahead but don't know what will happen 00:53:57
• The committee chair asked where replacement funds would come from if federal reimbursement didn't arrive 00:54:22
• The committee chair asked staff to report back with the information they promised 00:55:40

A resolution accepting federal AmeriCorps Seniors grants for fiscal year 2026-27: up to $340,537 for the Senior Companion Program and $38,823 for the Foster Grandparent Program. It also authorizes an estimated $68,575 from the General Purpose Fund for overhead, the required local match, and other costs, and lets the City Administrator accept more grant money for the same purposes. Senior volunteers keep isolated older adults and people with disabilities company and help them, and mentor children with exceptional needs. 00:55:58

• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) moved, seconded by Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore), to approve the resolution and forward it to the November 10 special City Council agenda. Result: passed, 4-0. 01:06:33

• City staff said the department is asking to accept $379,360 in federal AmeriCorps Seniors money for the two programs 00:57:08
• City staff said staff expect about 40 senior companion volunteers giving over 50,000 hours and seven foster grandparents giving over 6,000 hours 00:58:11
• City staff said the Senior Companion Program was serving 126 clients when the report was written 00:59:13
• City staff said AmeriCorps rules require 80% of the federal money to directly support eligible low-income volunteers 00:59:13
• The committee chair called the grant critical for seniors who want to volunteer 01:00:27
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) praised volunteers supporting seniors and children, then moved the item 01:01:07
• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) seconded the motion, citing his familiarity with partner organization Family Bridges 01:02:06

An informational report requested by Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) on the city's progress carrying out the 2024 Disparity Study's contracting-equity recommendations, which were presented to this committee on April 21, 2026. The study found disparities in the city's use of prime contractors and subcontractors. The agenda listed no written materials. Staff reported verbally on five priorities: oversight, reform of local-business requirement waivers, capacity building, prompt payment, and procurement forecasting. The committee continued the item to January 2027 to get a written report. 01:06:46

▶ Hear it Commenter warns of $20 million no-bid contract without local participation · 0:40

• Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) moved, seconded by Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore), to continue the item to the first Life Enrichment Committee meeting in January 2027. Result: continued, 4-0. 01:52:48

• The committee chair said she brought the item because the public doesn't regularly hear the outcomes of disparity study work 01:07:12
• City staff said the 2024 Mason Tillman study found disparities in the city's use of prime contractors and subcontractors 01:08:32
• City staff said a citywide improvement plan set up in October covers 17 projects and 50 deliverables, each with an owner and deadline 01:09:33
• City staff said that as of October 26, 16 deliverables were done, eight were in progress, and 30 were scheduled through spring 2027 01:10:33
• City staff said a revised administrative instruction on waiver reform is in final draft and goes to staff next week 01:10:33
• City staff described a beta online portal that lets prime contractors browse subcontractors by trade and certification 01:11:34
• City staff said all 240 firms that sought certification through the B2Gnow platform were certified, and processing time fell from weeks to days 01:12:35
• City staff said departments identified over 600 upcoming contracts, which should help avoid urgent waiver requests 01:13:37
• City staff said the first consolidated report found 151 contracts worth about $56 million in the pipeline, 563 active contracts, and 58 future solicitations 01:13:37
• City staff said the capital forecast first found 31 projects worth about $174 million, a figure that has since grown 01:13:37
• City staff said a written report would come in January, by which time completion should be closer to 60% 01:16:30
• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) said contractors tell him city payments are far behind, which hurts their workers, and asked what the city is doing 01:17:27
• City staff said staff are studying root causes across three payment types, including bond-funded contracts where the city has less control 01:18:16
• City staff said the city is supposed to pay primes within 20 days, and asked how it can know whether primes then pay their subcontractors 01:19:27
• City staff said staff are working with Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee) on a prompt payment ordinance and don't want a system that acts only on complaints 01:20:32
• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) raised staff vacancies across departments and slow permits as causes of delays for contractors 01:21:16
• A councilmember noted the study found the steepest disparities in small, informal contracts the council never reviews, and asked how those will be handled 01:23:18
• City staff said the City Administrator's office now reviews agreements under $250,000 and waiver requests more closely until formal oversight exists 01:24:05
• A councilmember cited a recent auto body contract where the published invite list showed no minority-owned shops were invited, and said such transparency matters 01:25:16
• City staff said a contracting triage help desk promising fixes within five business days will roll out in the next couple of weeks 01:26:08
• The committee chair asked a public speaker to send her the information about a $20 million contract he described 01:39:36
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) called it unjust that 25 years after the small local business program passed, local contractors are still left out 01:47:26
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) said he had urged colleagues to reject the auto body contract that sent money outside Oakland, and they did 01:48:31
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) urged acting on contracting equity now without relying on the disparity study as justification 01:49:31
• The committee chair moved to continue the item to the first January 2027 meeting for a written update, and urged progress before then 01:51:24

Public comment on topics not on the agenda. 01:53:16

• The committee chair told tenants from a District 7 building that she would meet with them about updates on the rental inspection program and the lead settlement 01:58:55

• Item 2 (pending list): the clerk said about 15 or 16 people had signed up and read their names, but no one spoke; one waived her time.
• Item 3 (OUSD internships): one speaker asked whether students would be told about firefighter job requirements, such as citizenship or legal status, licensing, EMT certification, and physical tests, and raised second-hand concerns about a training group.
• Item 4 (Garfield Park): one speaker opposed the sale. She said public access would be limited to roughly 8 to 10 hours a week and asked what happens to youth groups and a charter school that now use the field. She said she believed state park preservation law requires park-sale proceeds to go back to parks, not the general fund, while saying she could be wrong. She also argued OUSD has too many buildings to be expanding.
• Item 5 (Medi-Cal reimbursement): two speakers. One questioned federal eligibility rules and sanctuary-city policy. The other supported the item and warned that federal cuts to programs like Medi-Cal would mean hard times ahead.
• Item 6 (AmeriCorps Seniors): two speakers. One questioned whether a partner organization could serve Black seniors well and raised the program's background-check requirement. The other said the program sounded interesting.
• Item 7 (Disparity Study): about eight speakers, most from business and contractor groups, including members of the Oakland Business Coalition and the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. Most praised the City Administrator's office and staff for recent progress but called for results, accountability, and a permanent formal role for the coalition. One said she is tired of reports on Black communities with no action. One said the last annual contracting outcomes report to council was in October 2021 and that a $20 million sole-source contract with no local participation requirements is being prepared; he asked the council to pause it. Another cited a 25-year sewer waiver and an overdue impact report, and urged raising participation goals for small firms. Another raised data center construction work in West Oakland going to non-local contractors.
• Open forum: about five speakers. One asked for a moratorium on encampment sweeps and towing ahead of an expected wet El Niño winter. One criticized the Trump administration's redirection of federal grants and described a civil rights complaint filed against OUSD. Two members of a senior tenant group spoke: one thanked the chair for postponing a data center; the other described elevator outages, electrical problems, pests, and safety concerns at a District 7 affordable building, asking for code enforcement under the proactive rental inspection program. One said San Diego is considering ending its Flock program.

• Items 3, 4, 5 and 6 go to the council's November 10 meeting on consent.
• Item 7 (Disparity Study update) was continued to the first Life Enrichment Committee meeting in January 2027, where staff are to bring a written report. Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) also asked for an informal written update to council offices sooner.
• Staff said the revised administrative instruction on waiver reform goes to staff next week; a contracting triage help desk rolls out in the next couple of weeks; and a prime-to-subcontractor matchmaking event is planned for early 2027.
• A prompt payment ordinance is being developed with Zac Unger (Councilmember, District 1; Chair, Public Works and Transportation Committee).
• Human Services staff are to send Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7)'s office the number of District 7 senior center participants, and to report back on what funding would cover costs if federal Medi-Cal reimbursement fails.
• Noel Gallo (Councilmember, District 5; President Pro Tempore) asked for a report on prompt payment and staffing levels.
• Staff said they would look into supplemental legislation to add Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) as a co-sponsor of the Garfield Park ordinance.
• A public speaker agreed to send Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) information about a $20 million sole-source contract.
• Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) said she would meet with senior tenants about the rental inspection program and lead settlement updates.

Before the agenda, the presiding chair used the announcements period to note recent immigration enforcement (ICE) incidents affecting Oakland residents. No action was taken. 00:05:32

• The committee chair said there had been several incidents in the past week involving ICE, including a resident taken from San Antonio Park in District 2 who was hospitalized and another apprehended in Emeryville and treated at Highland Hospital 00:05:32
• The committee chair described the incidents as part of a 45-day statewide enforcement surge by the federal administration and urged preparation for more actions against the undocumented community 00:05:32

Routine approval of the committee's draft minutes from its September 22 and October 13, 2026 meetings. 00:06:30

• Motion by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), seconded by Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7), to accept the draft minutes of the September 22 and October 13, 2026 committee meetings. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:06:56

The committee's schedule of outstanding items (pending list). The clerk noted that agenda item 3, the 2025 Safe Oakland Streets informational report, had been withdrawn by the October 22 Rules and Legislation Committee and rescheduled to a November 17, 2026 special Public Safety Committee meeting. 00:07:19

• Motion by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), seconded by Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee), to accept the determination of schedule of outstanding committee items as is. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:12:41

• The city clerk noted that the 2025 Safe Oakland Streets informational report was withdrawn by Rules and Legislation and moved to the November 17, 2026 special Public Safety Committee agenda 00:12:41

A bi-annual informational report from the Oakland Police Department on Part 1 crime data (the major crime categories such as homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and vehicle theft). The presenter said it covered April to September 2026, broken down by the department's six police areas. It shows where crime rose or fell across the city's neighborhoods and how OPD says it is deploying resources. Informational only; the committee received and filed it. 00:13:18

▶ Hear it A resident warns errors in crime figures could undercut Oakland's recovery · 1:06

• Motion by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), seconded by Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7), to receive and file the informational report. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:47:47

• Police department staff said the report covers April to September 2026 and is broken down by the two field operations bureaus and six police areas 00:13:47
• Police department staff reported an overall 6% decrease in Part 1 crimes compared with the prior period, with larceny up 11% 00:14:51
• Police department staff later described the overall Part 1 decrease as 8% 00:15:54
• Police department staff said in Area 1 Part 1 crimes fell 6%, burglaries 15% and auto thefts 17%, but robberies rose from 128 to 153 and homicides from five to seven 00:15:54
• Police department staff said Area 2 Part 1 crimes fell 11%, or 308 fewer incidents, with robberies down 34%, burglaries down 28% and aggravated assaults down 6%, while homicides rose from two to three 00:16:58
• Police department staff said Area 3 homicides fell 25%, robberies 24% and aggravated assaults 15%, with a focus on gun violence, robbery and human trafficking 00:17:59
• Police department staff said Area 4 homicides fell 50%, the violent crime index 21% and firearm aggravated assaults 22% 00:20:05
• Police department staff said Area 5 robberies fell 40% and aggravated assaults 7%, with homicides unchanged 00:20:05
• Police department staff said Area 6 Part 1 crimes fell 21%, auto burglaries 42%, robberies 28%, aggravated assaults 17% and homicides 30%, crediting operations on the Hegenberger corridor and International Boulevard near 85th Avenue 00:22:07
• A councilmember commented that District 7 constituents have seen a crime drop and credited Flock cameras and the pursuit policy 00:25:08
• The committee chair praised the drop in Area 6, which she put at 18% (the presenter gave 21% for Part 1 crimes there) 00:26:03
• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) welcomed the area-by-area breakdown and asked whether there is a written roadmap guiding area captains' work 00:27:33
• Police department staff said direction comes from department leadership, with weekly Thursday ceasefire meetings followed by area-level priority setting with captains 00:28:20
• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) pointed to an apparent increase in sexual assaults in Areas 2 and 4 00:29:38
• Police department staff said OPD has ramped up sex trade enforcement with federal partners, focusing on buyers and pimps, with over 160 arrests this year 00:31:09
• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) asked whether measures like increased lighting could be considered, noting the downtown entertainment zone's first activation in 2027 00:32:17
• The committee chair asked what drives the wide variation in results between areas 00:33:37
• Police department staff said captains develop and present area crime plans that are adjusted based on data, with no fixed checklist 00:34:23
• Police department staff said differences also reflect deployment of its SRS teams, one covering Areas 1-3 and another Areas 4-6 00:35:08
• The committee chair asked that future reports include per capita crime rates for each area 00:36:11
• Police department staff said this could be a heavy lift because OPD has one analyst doing much of the crime data work, but agreed to look into it 00:37:33
• The committee chair raised constituent concerns that motor vehicle theft has not dropped much 00:38:46
• Police department staff said motor vehicle theft is flat year to date and that OPD uses technology to track stolen vehicles used in other crimes 00:39:08

A bi-annual informational report on Part 2 crimes (lesser offenses such as simple assault, vandalism, fraud, drunkenness, human trafficking and runaway juveniles), requested by the committee chair. Officials at the meeting said OPD had rarely if ever reported these publicly before, and the chair said it will become part of the committee's regular reporting. Staff cautioned the figures are preliminary. Informational only; received and filed. 00:48:13

▶ Hear it Is a jump in human trafficking cases good news? · 0:54

• Motion by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), seconded by Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7), to receive and file the informational report. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 01:09:22

• The committee chair said she sought the report after learning human trafficking is not counted as a Part 1 crime, and that Part 2 reporting will become regular at the committee 00:48:24
• Police department staff cautioned that Part 2 figures are ballpark numbers because these crimes are reported with delays and are finalized only at year end 00:49:07
• Police department staff said year-to-date Part 1 crime was down 10%, with reductions in almost all violent Part 1 categories 00:50:18
• Police department staff said drunkenness reports rose sharply, attributing it to enforcement at First Fridays and downtown, and said simple assault was up 1%, in preliminary figures 00:51:26
• Police department staff said human trafficking cases rose 127%, from 45 to 102 in preliminary figures, reflecting a new focus on pimps and buyers 00:51:26
• Police department staff said vandalism was up 4% and overall Part 2 crimes citywide up 2%, in preliminary figures, and a slide label reading Part 1 was an error 00:52:26
• Police department staff explained the family and children category covers child abuse and welfare cases where a child is removed from a home 00:53:42
• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) asked about the 321 runaway juvenile reports and how they are tracked 00:54:02
• Police department staff said the runaway category includes missing persons and rose 143% in preliminary figures, and that repeat runaways from group homes are counted each time 00:56:22
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) argued the increases in trafficking and runaway numbers can reflect stronger enforcement and more public confidence in reporting 00:58:10
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) said he was appointed by the governor two days earlier to the state advisory group on youth justice and wants to work with OPD on bringing state funds to Oakland 00:58:40
• Police department staff said OPD does not separately track how many runaways are recovered; alerts are removed from a national system when a person is located 01:00:09
• The committee chair said the committee should look more deeply at runaways later, tying it to county child welfare issues 01:01:01
• The committee chair asked whether identity theft stemming from mail theft is captured in the data 01:01:01
• Police department staff said identity theft may fall under embezzlement and mail theft is a federal crime often not counted in OPD's statistics 01:02:03
• The committee chair said public commenters raised useful ideas for improving crime reporting, noting limits on crime analysis capacity 01:08:51

A bi-annual informational report from the Community Police Review Agency (CPRA), the civilian agency that investigates complaints about Oakland police officers, as required by Oakland Municipal Code 2.46.030 (agenda). The director covered staffing, how complaints are processed, required data, and what the agency would need if it takes over more investigations from OPD's internal affairs unit. It bears on how police misconduct complaints are investigated and resolved. Informational only; received and filed. 01:09:45

• Motion by Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee), seconded by Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee), to receive and file the informational report. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 01:57:04

• The committee chair said these reports are required but had not been delivered for years until a staff member flagged it, and this is the second one 01:10:01
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said the agency hired three people in the past year: a director of investigations, a project manager and a complaint investigator 01:11:42
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said over 90% of complaints come through OPD, usually within 24 hours, and go to three intake technicians 01:13:55
• The Community Police Review Agency's director explained that if the CPRA and police chief disagree on findings or discipline, the case goes to a Police Commission discipline committee, all within one year 01:17:05
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said the agency tracks cases in Excel and an antiquated database that IT will discontinue, so it needs a new case management system, hoped for early next year 01:19:08
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said none of its three investigators are attorneys, so it wants two attorney investigators and has an RFP out for outside law firms through about November 17 01:21:14
• The Community Police Review Agency's director reported 808 allegations reviewed January through September, led by physical force (327) and performance of duty (331) 01:24:29
• The Community Police Review Agency's director reported 240 completed and 62 ongoing investigations 01:25:30
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said cases with sustained findings typically take about ten months, with 26 sustained findings and 51 administrative closures since January 01:26:30
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said the report's figure of four cases missing the 180-day goal is likely only since the last report, and argued rushing serious cases compromises due process 01:27:35
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said council district data had to be compiled by hand, using two high school summer interns 01:29:41
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said an expanded agency would need 21 full-time positions and promised a budget comparison next week 01:31:01
• The Community Police Review Agency's director compared database vendors: the most comprehensive costs $660,000 over three years, while his preferred option would cost roughly $100,000 a year 01:32:05
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said the charter requires one investigator per 100 officers, meaning about six, while the agency has three 01:34:09
• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) questioned whether 50-page investigation reports are an excessive use of staff time 01:37:18
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said the outside counsel budget is approximately $200,000 01:38:26
• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) suggested asking OPD to include the council district on complaints sent to the CPRA as a low-cost fix 01:39:39
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said OPD provides area numbers, not districts, and agreed to ask 01:40:28
• The Community Police Review Agency's director clarified that the 808 figure is all complaints received and promised a separate count of charter-mandated cases in future 01:42:31
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said the charter defines mandatory case types and also allows the agency to investigate others 01:43:51
• The committee chair expressed concern about recent officer-involved shootings, citing the fatal shooting of a man in apparent mental health crisis, and asked how such cases are assessed 01:44:10
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said shootings are first reviewed by the district attorney, pausing the agency's deadline, and that the case cited would likely go to outside counsel 01:45:06
• The Community Police Review Agency's director said recent disagreements have mostly been with internal affairs, while the agency has largely agreed with the police chief in the past six to eight months 01:47:17
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) cited the state penal code standard for deadly force and suggested the shooting raised by the chair may have met it 01:55:05
• The committee chair responded that they would agree to disagree 01:55:38
• The Community Police Review Agency's director responded to public comment that the agency investigates all the complaint categories raised, not only the mandated ones 01:55:59

• Item 2 (pending list): three speakers. One asked that police-related spending under the City Administrator's $250,000 authority (language services, protective apparel, body armor) come to this committee and questioned whether some equipment needs Police Commission approval; one requested a future report on letting residents submit photos and video through OPD's online crime reporting; one asked about the status of the city's Flock license-plate-reader contract.
• Item 4 (Part 1 crime): four speakers. One praised the declines but said OPD remains understaffed (about 600 sworn officers vs. Measure NN's 700); one flagged apparent inconsistencies in the report's figures (Area 1 robberies, about 843 crimes unassigned to areas); one argued the raw numbers remain high, questioned the FBI hierarchy rule's undercounting and asked how many homicides are gang-related; one again raised the Flock contract and reducing surveillance technology.
• Item 5 (Part 2 crime): four speakers. Themes: human trafficking should be counted as Part 1 as in FBI categories; concern about youth and runaway numbers; calls for data on clearance and conviction rates; a question about a federal enforcement boost during the World Cup and whether arrests of non-Oakland residents can be tracked; the Flock contract status.
• Item 6 (CPRA): three speakers. One praised the agency's improved transparency but cautioned it lacks infrastructure for a transfer of internal affairs investigations; one questioned why race data isn't kept, noted only one sustained racial profiling case historically, and asked that complainants receive results letters; one asked which body is accountable for the Flock contract.
• Open forum: four speakers (one more waived). Two raised the recent 911 outage and backup system failures, with one urging the mayor's planned IT audit to cover it; concerns that few officers have rifles (about 50-60 cited); requests for reports on sideshow crimes, hate crimes, missing persons and cold cases; a request for city support for graffiti cleanup; and comments on the future of Flock/license-plate readers and city government structure.

• The 2025 Safe Oakland Streets informational report (agenda item 3) was rescheduled to a November 17, 2026 special Public Safety Committee meeting.
• CPRA's director said he would present a budget proposal comparing current staffing with a 21-position expanded agency the following week, along with a vendor analysis for a case management system.
• CPRA's RFP for outside law firms to handle complex investigations runs until about November 17, per the director.
• CPRA promised future reports will separate charter-mandated cases, track disagreements with the police chief and internal affairs, and include council district data for this year's complaints.
• CPRA will present the list of data points it plans to track in a new database to the committee.
• CPRA's director agreed to ask OPD to include council district on complaints forwarded to the agency.
• OPD agreed to look into per capita crime rates by police area, as requested by Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee).
• Charlene Wang (Councilmember, District 2; Chair, Public Safety Committee) said Part 2 crime reporting will be a regular part of the committee's reports, and that the committee should look more deeply at runaways at a later date.
• Ken Houston (Councilmember, District 7) said he wants to work with OPD on bringing state youth justice funding to Oakland.

Approval of the draft minutes from the committee's October 15, 2026 meeting. Routine. 00:04:19

• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) moved and Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) seconded approval of the draft minutes as is. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:04:34

The committee's review of when outstanding items will be scheduled to committees, known as the pending list. It is where requests to put new matters before the council are raised. 00:04:56

• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) moved and Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) seconded approval of item 2 as is. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:07:29

The City Clerk's proposed 2027 calendar of City Council and committee meetings, with the schedule for reports and their distribution. Once the council adopts it, it sets when the council and its committees will meet next year. The council president asked to take it before item 3. 00:07:49

• Kevin Jenkins (Councilmember, District 6; President, City Council; Chair, Rules and Legislation Committee) moved and Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) seconded approval of the 2027 legislative calendar, forwarded to the November 10 special City Council agenda on consent. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:08:41

• The committee chair asked whether members had read their packets and proposed waiving the rest of the presentation 00:08:20
• The city clerk agreed to waive the presentation provided members were satisfied with the calendar 00:08:33

The committee scheduled new items to upcoming meetings and confirmed where items recommended by the October 27 committees go next. New items include confirming mayoral appointments to the Cultural Affairs Commission and Budget Advisory Commission and honoring filmmaker Cheryl Dunye (November 10 council, on consent); a Planning Commission appointment (November 12 Rules); a parking operator contract extension through December 31, 2027, not to exceed $4,133,013 (agenda), and contracts with International Contact, Inc. and Accent on Languages, Inc., raised by $400,000 each to $650,000 each (agenda), with three-year extensions (November 17 Finance and Management); open space zoning for the Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline area and a 15-year license of Oakport Field to the nonprofit Oakland United Club at $500 a month plus 3% annual increases (November 17 Community and Economic Development); an $800,000 increase, to $2,050,000, for substitute teacher staffing with ChildCare Careers (November 17 Life Enrichment); and police forensic-exam reimbursements, a NIBIN ballistic-imaging grant of up to $300,000, and a Byrne grant of up to $1,039,000 for Ceasefire-Lifeline in the Department of Violence Prevention (November 17 Public Safety). Forwarded committee items include a $3,674,817.80 NeoGov HR software contract, a $249,000 Baker Tilly procurement contract, a $5,000,000 Broadway Streetscape construction management contract, the Montclair and Rockridge business improvement districts' annual reports and intentions to levy 2027 assessments, a $4,500,000 state cannabis-enforcement grant, and the $597,500 sale of part of Garfield Park to Oakland Unified (all agenda figures), on the November 10 consent calendar; the executive recruitment contracts, amended in committee on a 3-1 vote to extensions with only a $75,000 increase for Ralph Andersen and Associates, and the Kenilworth Road subdivision, on November 10 non-consent; and the remaining Measure DD, KK and U general obligation bonds on the December 1 council agenda, non-consent. The disparity study report was continued to January 2027. The committee also added a resolution honoring the Public Ethics Commission's 30th anniversary. 00:09:18

• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) moved and Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) seconded approval of item 3 as amended, including the added Ethics Commission resolution and co-sponsors. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:28:31

• The committee clerk noted that the two mayoral appointment items, 3.1 and 3.2, carried Rule 24 justifications to fill vacancies and keep the commissions operating 00:09:55
• The committee clerk noted that the council president would be added as a co-sponsor of the Planning Commission appointment, item 3.4 00:11:24
• City staff asked, under Rule 24, to add to the November 10 council agenda a resolution celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Oakland Public Ethics Commission and honoring its commissioners and staff 00:25:08
• The committee chair noted that the mayor's office and Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee)'s office would be added as co-sponsors of the Ethics Commission resolution 00:25:52
• The committee chair summarized the changes: himself added as co-sponsor of 3.4 and the Ethics Commission resolution added from the dais with co-sponsors 00:28:19

Review of the draft agendas for upcoming meetings, including the November 5 Rules Committee, the November 10 special City Council and the November 12 Rules Committee, and the pending lists of all committees. Departments can ask here to schedule reports. 00:28:53

• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) moved and Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) seconded approval of item 4 as amended with the police department's scheduling requests. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:33:40

• The committee clerk said the draft agenda listed is for a November 5 Rules meeting because a November 3 meeting is canceled for the election 00:28:59
• City staff asked on behalf of the police department to schedule the OPD staffing report to the November 17 Public Safety Committee 00:29:28
• City staff asked to schedule the NSA biannual informational report to the December 8 Public Safety Committee 00:29:28
• The committee chair restated the two scheduling changes from the Public Safety pending list before calling for a motion 00:32:52

A resolution confirming the Mayor's appointment of Lauren Hansen Wright as an undesignated representative on the Housing, Residential Rent and Relocation Board, the city's rent board. 00:33:52

• Rowena Brown (Councilmember, At Large; Chair, Community and Economic Development Committee; Chair, Education Partnership Committee) moved and Carroll Fife (Councilmember, District 3; Chair, Life Enrichment Committee) seconded confirmation of the appointment, forwarded to the November 10 City Council agenda on consent. Result: passed, 3-0, one excused. 00:36:34

• The committee chair asked the mayor's staff to be very brief, giving the appointee's name and a highlight 00:34:18
• City staff described the appointee as a public interest attorney whose career has focused on housing law and homelessness 00:34:26
• City staff said, when asked, that the appointee had agreed to make herself available to council members with questions 00:34:54

• Item 2 (pending list): one resident asked the committee to schedule amendments to the city's militarized equipment ordinance (Chapter 9.65). The resident argued that the Police Commission effectively vetoes police equipment requests, such as more rifles and drones, before they reach the council, and that the process uses up police staff time. Two other speakers who had signed up were not present.
• Item 3 (scheduling): one remote speaker welcomed the committees' recent talk about the future of procurement and urged equity in city contracting.
• Item 4 (draft agendas): one remote speaker welcomed the coming crime data and Safe Streets reports. The speaker asked the city to say publicly whether it had signed its contract with its license plate reader vendor (transcribed as "FFLOC") and urged it to reduce redundant police technology.
• Item 6 (Rent Board appointment): one remote speaker spoke generally in favor of the board's role helping lower-income residents with housing issues.
• Open forum: one remote speaker urged the city to look for a principled license plate reader vendor or none at all, pointed to San Diego's IBA, and suggested Oakland consider a chief operations officer, a go-between for the mayor and council. A second signed-up speaker waived her time.

• November 5, 2026: next Rules and Legislation Committee meeting (draft agenda reviewed).
• November 10, 2026 special City Council, consent: Cultural Affairs Commission appointment and reappointments; Budget Advisory Commission reappointment; resolution honoring Cheryl Dunye; 2027 legislative calendar; Rent Board appointment; plus committee-forwarded items 3.13, 3.15, 3.16, 3.20 through 3.28.
• November 10, 2026 special City Council: added resolution celebrating the Public Ethics Commission's 30th anniversary (Rule 24, consent or non-consent not stated).
• November 10, 2026 special City Council, non-consent: executive recruitment contract amendments (as amended in committee, 3-1) and the Kenilworth Road subdivision legislation.
• November 12, 2026 Rules and Legislation Committee: Planning Commission appointment (item 3.4).
• November 17, 2026 special Finance and Management Committee: equal access to services report, parking operator contract extension, contract amendments with International Contact, Inc. and Accent on Languages, Inc.
• November 17, 2026 special Community and Economic Development Committee: open space zoning designation and Oakport Field license.
• November 17, 2026 special Life Enrichment Committee: ChildCare Careers contract amendment.
• November 17, 2026 special Public Safety Committee: forensic exam reimbursements, NIBIN modernization grant, Byrne grant for Ceasefire-Lifeline.
• November 17, 2026 Public Safety Committee: OPD staffing report (pending list).
• December 1, 2026 City Council, non-consent: ordinance on the remaining Measure DD, KK and U general obligation bonds; public hearings on the Montclair and Rockridge business improvement district assessments (agenda).
• December 8, 2026 Public Safety Committee: NSA biannual informational report.
• First Life Enrichment Committee meeting in January 2027: report on implementing the disparity study recommendations (continued).