The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2019-09-12 Human Relations Commission Action MinutesADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 1 of 60 HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION Thursday, September 12, 2019 Community Meeting Room Palo Alto Civic Center 250 Hamilton Avenue 7:00 PM REGULAR MEETING ROLL CALL: Commissioners Present: Kralik, Lee, Savage, Stinger, Xue Absent: Regehr, Smith Staff: Minka van der Zwaag, Mary Constantino I. ROLL CALL Chair Kralik: We will go ahead and bring the meeting to order. This is the Human Relations Commission regular meeting of September 12th, 2019. I’ll ask staff to begin the roll call. II.AGENDA CHANGES, REQUESTS, DELETIONS III. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS Chair Kralik: We’re looking for oral communications from members of the public. I think there was just one card on my desk, is that right? It’s… Ms. Minka van de Zwagg, Human Services Manager: That’s correct, Chair. Chair Kralik: … Lynn Krug. Lynn, would you approach, please. I’ll give you an extra minute more than the usual since you’re the lone commenter tonight. It’s very nice to have you here… Ms. Lynn Krug: Thank you. Chair Kralik: …and look forward to hearing what you have to say. Go right ahead, please. Ms. Krug: Commission Members, first off, I’d like to thank you for the volunteer work that you do and committing yourselves to this type of advocacy. Nowadays it is so hard for employees to attend from the City of Palo Alto because of long commutes, people can’t afford to live here. I’m sure you face many of the same obstacles and given that, I think sometimes things of great ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 2 of 60 importance gets lost to the Commission. I feel so strongly about gender equality and the CEDAW issue and I strongly believe that the City needs to follow up on this. I highly question why it’s been 2-years of bringing this forward and it hasn’t progressed. I would say, and just for a couple ordinance examples, I work in utilities and I work in the field. I’ve been with the City for 19-years. I love my job, it’s great, and there are only about four or five women who work in the field in total. Parks; Public Works; Water Quality Control; Water, Gas, Waste Water, Electric Utilities. I’m sure I’ve leaving something off but – electric. So, we really have issues about a culture that is primarily one-sided and that has gone on for as long as I’ve been here. One of the problems with that, I have fought in the past for HR oversight to be located out there and that was very short term; maybe a year. I have advocated for hiring women and more advertising towards women. There’s been a couple reasonable efforts but it’s been fairly minimal compared to the issue of the problem. Now I will strongly admit that part of the problem is people can’t afford to live here, people are commuting outrageous commutes. Given that, what we have to make is somehow make it attractive for women to apply, for LGBTQ people to apply, and actually be able to perform. I strongly suggest that we proceed with the CEDAW information and survey and take a look at the factual issues that are here with the City. Perhaps, in the future we think about how can we introduce programs, say for instance in these areas where there are so few women, that will track women and training programs and apprenticeships. Perhaps change up the game because right now, once again, we really need to proceed with the survey and work for gender equality. Thank you. Chair Kralik: So, Commissioner Lee is the leader of our initiative on CEDAW and so we just want to invite you to contact him… Ms. Krug: Ok, thank you. Chair Kralik: …and provide any further input. I know 2 or 3-minutes is tough. Ms. Krug: Right, well I’d appreciate all your advocacy in participation because this is a very real issue. I’ve been here 19-years, it has not changed. Can you imagine because in 1998 affirmative action ended in California primarily by a corporate-driven campaign that was portrayed as a people’s campaign. Since that time, the idea for people were like yes, let’s bring in women to the fire department, police, utilities, and that had waned and fallen off since. So, these are examples of just of the issues that we face when we look at LGBTQ and gender equality. Thank you. Chair Kralik: Thank you for coming and telling us about your views. I appreciate it. Is there another card? Ms. van der Zwaag: No, there’s not. Can we get the timer? Do you have it up here? Chair Kralik: There’s a timer here. Ms. van der Zwaag: No. Ok. Chair Kralik: Alright. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 3 of 60 IV. BUSINESS 1. Public Hearing: Review of Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) A: Presentation by Erum Maqbool, Advance Planner B: Questions from the Commission to Staff C: Oral communications D: Discussion and HRC consideration of the approval of the report Chair Kralik: We’re going to go ahead and proceed with business of the day. The first item is the public hearing review of Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report called CAPER for the Community Development Block Grant, CDBG. Erum Maqbool, you came to speak to us before last year, isn’t that right? Ms. Erum Maqbool: Yes, it’s the third year I’m going to present the CAPER. Chair Kralik: I see, it’s great to have you back. Ms. Maqbool: Thank you. Thanks. Chair Kralik: Thank you very much. You know when we hear things from out there in the room it’s very soft. So, I just invite you to go ahead and speak up, alright? Ms. Maqbool: Sure. Good evening everyone. My name is Erum Maqbool, I’m the CDBG Staff Specialist with the Long-Range Planning Group by the Planning Division. This is (crosstalk) Ms. Marilyn Row: Marilyn Row from a consultant. I helped Erum from time to time on CDBG projects. Ms. Maqbool: I would like to thank you all for giving me this opportunity to provide a brief overview of the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report, also known as CAPER. This CAPER covers fiscal year 2018 starting from June 1st, 2018 and ending on June 30th, 2019. This is a federally mandated document which we have to submit on September 30th, 2019. The purpose of this report is to provide a summary to HUD of how the funds were expended and what accomplishments were achieved from those funds. The CDBG Program is also known as – the Community Development Program which is a principle federal program. The City of Palo Alto receives annual funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as an Entitlement City. Activities funded through CDBG must meet one of the three national objectives. Number one is benefit low and very low-income persons, number two aide in prevention or elimination of slums or blight, and number three is to meet other community needs that particularly urgent for the low-income community. All the activities supported by the City meets the first objective. So, the total funding available during the past fiscal year, which was 2018-19 was $670, 434 of which $484,816 was provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development; $49,569 were made available from prior resources and the anticipated program income was $136,309 so the total was $670,434. The City had five categories in which to allocate funds. Number one was Public Service, number two is ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 4 of 60 Planning and Administration, number three is Economic Development, number four is Housing Rehab, and number five is Public Facilities. There’s a maximum spending cap on Public Services of 15 percent and 20 percent on Planning and Administration. For the rest of the three categories, there is no spending cap. So, we’ve worked with five public service providers during the past fiscal year under the Public Service category. Number one was LifeMoves, Catholic Charities, Palo Alto Housing Corp, YWCA, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center. There were five public service providers so there were 349 homeless individuals who received services at the Opportunity Center through LifeMoves. Catholic Charities assisted 454 seniors in the long-term care, 153 persons were provided services through the SRO Resident Program by Palo Alto Housing Corp, YWCS assisted 14 people with domestic violence services and SVILC provided improved access to 36 persons to decent affordable housing. Under the Planning and Administration category there was Project Sentinel which with the help of the funding provided by the City investigated 15 fair housing complaints and conduct audits to prevent discrimination against the community members. Also, under the City of Palo Alto Administration Program is where the City staff provides administrative support to the program and to the grantees. Under the Economic Development category, the City in partnership with the Downtown Streets Team provided assistance to 30 unemployed individuals in securing jobs, a total of 29 employers participated in this program. For the Multi-Family Housing Rehab, we’ve completed two projects; Opportunity Center and the Minor Home Repair Program. A total of 88 residents were benefited from the Opportunity Center project all belong to low or very low-income households. For the Minor Home Repair Program 5 low-income Palo Alto households benefited. So, this was a brief overview of the specific accomplishments achieved during the fiscal year. I’m happy to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you for your time. Chair Kralik: I could go ahead an begin. I just wanted to ask about the Catholic Charities and the long-term care. Is that the Ombudsmen Program of Santa Clara County? Ms. Maqbool: Yes. Chair Kralik: Ok and what is it that you funded? I’m just interested to know since I’m an Ombudsmen in San Mateo County. Ms. Maqbool: So, actually we did fund Ombudsmen service, right? The complaint investigation? Ms. Row: Right. Ms. Maqbool: Yes. Can you please explain? Ms. Row: Well, we funded the agency – it’s under… Ms. Maqbool: Catholic Charities. Ms. Row: …auspice of Catholic Charities here and I think it went towards a certain percentage of staff time. Is that correct? I’m trying to remember. You want to know exactly what the funding went to on that? (crosstalk) ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 5 of 60 Chair Kralik: I’m just interested… Ms. Row: Because I know we have a lot of volunteers involved, yes. Chair Kralik: …because I think in San Mateo, they do get funding from a variety of sources. It probably goes to the program overall. I mean they have a reporting requirement… Ms. Maqbool: So, we also – yes. Chair Kralik: … when an ombudsman goes into a facility… Ms. Maqbool: Yes, that’s what we require them… Chair Kralik: …and works with staff. Ms. Maqbool: Yes, that is exactly what our requirements are because it’s a federal program so they have to do the reporting and they also have to investigate if there are complaints. So, they actually help with 47 complaints, they were able to resolve issues of the elderly living in the senior centers. Chair Kralik: So, did they report about that, just generally, as to what they did with the funds? Ms. Maqbool: They do. We have the performance reports but as far as the individual reports are concerned, they cannot provide that. Chair Kralik: Right, that’s private information, sure. Ms. Maqbool: Yes, exactly, yes. Ms. Row: So, it looks like, here you go, a total of 47 complaints were received and investigated from that year. Chair Kralik: Ok, well that’s a lot actually for that number of residents, for sure. They were busy. Ms. Maqbool: They were. Yes, they are. Chair Kralik: Chair – well former-Chair Stinger has got her light on. Commissioner Stinger: I just have a small question, it’s maybe not even relevant, but I noticed it in your introductions you said one of your goals is to have community review and community outreach. I know that’s hard to do, but I wonder do you put reports in libraries or try to put them out where maybe more people might have a chance to look at them or is there anyway, we can increase the civic engagement with the CDBG… Ms. Maqbool: CDBG? ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 6 of 60 Commissioner Stinger: … project review? Ms. Maqbool: We have a Citizen Participation Plan, again it is federally mandated. So, we are required to come to the Council so that if the public can provide their comments twice a year and then the HRC. Actually, we are asked from HUD to place all our federally mandated documents in the Downtown Library, the Developmental Center, and up in the Planning Division. Ms. van der Zwaag: And you also put an announcement in the papers. Ms. Maqbool: Oh, yes, in the papers, yes. So, for Annual Action Plan and whenever we have funds, we just announce that we publish a Notice of Funding Availability in the Daily Post. Vice Chair Qifeng: A quick question regarding the criteria to qualify the funding. Do you have a hard number, for example, the annual income or this kind of stuff, to classify whether that person is qualified for the assistance? Ms. van der Zwaag: He wants to know if there are federally designated number of people who qualify for each individual program. Ms. Maqbool: Oh, so we have to fund only lower-income household and HUD every April they provide us with the Median Household Income and that is the criteria that we use to fund activities. Vice Chair Qifeng: Thank you. Ms. Row: In addition to that there are some categories that are considered presumed beneficiaries such as homeless people that are… Ms. Maqbool: Oh, yes, of course. Ms. Row: So, we don’t have to verify their income if they’re homeless. Vice Chair Qifeng: Thank you. Commissioner Lee: I just have a quick question about the Opportunity Center. It looks like in the report that they served 349 unduplicated individuals and I know in the county’s most recent point in time count the numbers of Palo Alto were about 313. Do we have a sense are they seeing all the folks who are unhoused in Palo Alto or are we getting close to having them see every unhoused person in Palo Alto? Ms. Maqbool: This is exactly what we asked when we went for monitoring for LifeMoves and they said that they assumed that people who were coming to the Opportunity Center are Palo Alto residents. So that’s how they count because that is also one of our concerns because we have to actually assist Palo Alto residents and that was… Ms. Row: Oh, that’s right. I remember we looked at that. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 7 of 60 Ms. Maqbool: I mean so they assumed the people they are assisting are Palo Alto residences so that is where the number is coming from, the 349. Commissioner Lee: Is it a fair assumption to assume either that 36 folks from other cities came or I mean it’s hard to get an accurate count in either case so if you could help me. Ms. van der Zwaag: I would also say that number of the PIT count for Palo Alto and the number that the CDBG is a fluid count because… Commissioner Lee: Sure. Ms. van der Zwaag: … An unhoused person may be a long-term Palo Altan, maybe passing through and here for several months so considers Palo Alto their home base, but it’s a little more fluid than for instance that it’s the same 349 people. So, it’s unduplicated but to say that count had this many, they had that many, so everybody has been seen. I think with that population you can’t specifically make that assumption. I think that would be probably best for the LifeMoves’s staff to make a little bit closer correlation for that. Commissioner Lee: I guess we wouldn’t be able to answer that here but I’d be interested to get their general sense of if we’re serving 100 percent, 90 percent of the population. I mean it’s hard to tell. Ms. Maqbool: This year you might see a little bit of a change in the goal because we have specifically asked them to provide intense case management only to Palo Alto residents just because of this discrepancy. Because if HUD asks us the same question, we want to be sure that we are helping Palo Alto residences because this is why we get this grant. Commissioner Lee: Thank you very much. Ms. van der Zwaag: Chair Kralik, I need to interject because I didn’t have the wording as correctly as I did under Number C. It says oral communications but to meet Erum’s purposes you actually have to say I now open up this topic for a public hearing to see if there’s any card regarding. If there’s not, that’s fine, but you technically have to open the public hearing and then close the public hearing. Chair Kralik: I don’t have any cards up here on Topic Number One. Is there any public comment on that? Ok, so we now are moving onto Item… Ms. van der Zwaag: I think you still have to technically open and close the public hearing by those words. Chair Kralik: I thought I did naturally open that up by asking the public if they had any comments. Commissioner Lee: (crosstalk) Did you want a motion to open the public hearing? Ms. van der Zwaag: That’s fine. I just checked with Erum if it was fine. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 8 of 60 Chair Kralik: Yes, it’s open if anybody has a comment. So, on Item D it says discussion and HRC consideration of the approval report. I’m going to ask Commissioner Stinger and/or Savage to open that discussion up since they have a history of approving this report. Commissioner Stinger: Let’s see, I guess I wanted to make a motion but I’m going to pull back a second and just start with a discussion point. I’ve been on the CDBG Committee for several years now and watched the process of allocating funds. We have a lot of information from you about past performance when we make those allocations decisions… Ms. Maqbool: Yes. Commissioner Stinger: …and our goals and hopes for the future. They’ve always been very thorough and I think this report is very thorough. So, I’m really quite satisfied with the work that we have before us. I’d open it up for other discussion and then make a motion to approve the report and for account for passing it on as a draft to Council. Chair Kralik: Other Commissioners? Commissioner Savage, your thoughts? Commissioner Savage: I agree with Commissioner Stinger. I have never actually in all my years on the HRC, I’ve never participated actually in the CDBG but everything has been explained, it’s comprehensive, it was a good job, thank you. Ms. Maqbool: Thank you. Commissioner Savage: I agree to have a motion to approve. Commissioner Lee: Commissioner Lee, your thoughts? Commissioner Lee: The only other comment I would add, other than it being a great report, I think since we are collecting so much data on this year after year that in future when we review future CAPERs or when we go through the CDBG process it might be useful to have an Excel spreadsheet of the numbers that are tracked through the report. Ms. Maqbool: Sure. Commissioner Lee: Just so that we don’t have to go back and read each year. If we can somehow use the data to show trends over time to the extent possible. Ms. Maqbool: So, are you recommending it for CAPERs or for when we are allocating the funds? Commissioner Lee: I think it would be useful in both contexts. Ms. Maqbool: Ok, yes, we can do that. Commissioner Lee: That’s just a positive feedback there. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 9 of 60 Ms. Maqbool: Sure. Commissioner Lee: But otherwise I would second the motion to approve the CAPER. Chair Kralik: Ok, any comments Commissioner? No, ok. The CDBG process for me is one that I didn’t participate in, though I did hear at the Commission regarding the allocation of funds. I guess the overall impression that I have on homelessness is that some of the statistics that have been reported on homelessness have been a lot more than people have anticipated. My visit to the Opportunity Center was maybe a 1 1/2- years ago, 2-years ago, but I just wondered is that facility really sufficient in terms of the number of people and how do you view the funding of that? I just want to get an impression whether or not the process of allocation took into account some of the more surprising statistics that were coming out subsequent to our rewarding the funds. Ms. Maqbool: So, if you’re specifically talking about the Opportunity Service Center, the services are provided through LifeMoves and LifeMoves gets a lot of other funding’s other than the CDBG. So, they have lots of funds and actually you know this year they’re funding, as far as the Palo Alto CDBG grant is concerned, was a bit less. They were not very concerned and they actually want to move away from the federal funding to the private funding. So, they have a lot of sources as far as funding is concerned just for the Opportunity Service Center, but like you’re saying overall, I mean the need is more and the grant definitely is less for public because it’s a federal grant. I mean there is a spending cap so we cannot give more than what we can. So, this was the maximum that we can give to the homelessness category. Chair Kralik: Let me ask you another question about mobile home housing that’s parked on El Camino Boulevard and other places. I know the City is trying to do a few things for that… Ms. Maqbool: Yes. Chair Kralik: … by identifying locations that are safe where people can have vehicles parked. How can the CDBG address that issue? Was it addressed in advance of the allocation or is it something that would go on next year? Did we miss the boat already or? Ms. Maqbool: For the mobile? Chair Kralik: Yes, I just read about one guy who works here, he has a job, but he just can’t afford a home. So, he drives his mobile home here, parks it and I’m just wondering does the CDBG Grant go through and allocate anything to that issue? Ms. Maqbool: I am not sure, Marilyn, if we can fund the mobile homes through the CDBG Grant because of the federal regulations. Chair Kralik: No, it would be the safe locations that the City is beginning to identify. Ms. Row: Possibly as a capital project may be a location. Federal guidelines are not always clear. Maybe something like that and also, again, we’re limited on public services but some kind of services for those folks. (crosstalk)… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 10 of 60 Chair Kralik: Which of the five categories would that go into? Ms. Maqbool: If we don’t have to worry about the spending cap then Public Facilities or the Housing Rehab. Chair Kralik: So, it would be Public Facilities. Ms. Maqbool: Yes, I mean we can consider it as a Capital Improvement Project and actually, during the upcoming fiscal year we have around $300,000 to allocate just for Capital Improvement Projects. Chair Kralik: So, you could address that? Ok. Ms. van der Zwaag: But an agency would have to request the funding to provide that service so the City can’t use that funding to do that project. A non-profit in the community would have to apply to CDBG funding to do that project. Chair Kralik: Ok, yes, so I mean I’ve heard of a pastor out in East Palo Alto that has been creating these sites but if he had a non-profit, he could apply. Ms. Maqbool: They can, yes, definitely. Commissioner Lee: So, I thought the Chair brought up a very interesting question. If this Commission the next time it did CDBG, prior to us releasing an RFP or whatever the request is for applications. If we felt strongly that we really wanted non-profit applicants to apply in the Capital Projects category to address homelessness or folks living in RVs. Are we as a body able to communicate that preference in advance of soliciting and reviewing applications? Ms. Maqbool: We have the goals that come from the Comp Plan. So, we have a 5-year Comp Plan and I mean we have to see which goals we already accomplished, where we are lagging behind. So as far as affordable housing is concerned, I was just looking at the 5-year Comp Plan because this is the last 5th year of the 2015-20 Comp Plan. So affordable housing is where we want to focus more because the rest of the four categories, we have already achieved the goals because I mean report everything back to HUD. So, they would say ok the goals for Comp Plan for these and you weren’t able to achieve the affordable housing goal. So, I mean that is how we did how to fund the grantees. Commissioner Lee: It sounds like according to the plan that goal is still unmet and so… Ms. Maqbool: Yes, yes, it is. Commissioner Lee: … it seems like it may be feasible for us as a body to communicate that more clearly to the community and to potential agencies… Ms. Maqbool: Yes. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 11 of 60 Commissioner Lee: … and say hey, this category is still – we haven’t met the goals. Ms. Maqbool: Exactly. Commissioner Lee: We’d be interested in applications perhaps addressing RVs or safe parking lots. If the Commission wanted too. Ms. Maqbool: And you know when we account for the funding allocation recommendation, we also always bring the Comp Plan goal so that you can match and recommend fundings. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Stinger. Commissioner Stinger: In this year’s or I guess it was last years proposals there was money dedicated to refurbishing senior housing. Ms. Maqbool: The Minor Home Repair Program, yes. Commissioner Stinger: Would that money be available to refurbishing some mobile units? Ms. Maqbool: So not exactly. The Minor Home Repair Program, the goal was to assist 16 households but we were able to only identify five households. So, we have money but then that money goes back to HUD and then again it is distributed in the five categories so that’s how it’s going to be next year. So, it’s like, for example, if we didn’t spend $100,000 just for the Minor Home Repair Program, it goes back to HUD. HUD is going to give us back that $100,000 but then we now have to divide those $100,000 into five categories. So, this is kind of an unfortunate situation but this is how it works. Ms. Row: If your question also involved rehabbing of the RV units. I think there’s some restriction on them not being permanent. You know they’re permanent to some people of course but the HUD regulations might make that difficult. I mean it could be researched but I think that might be a difficult one to get to be use these particular funds for. Ms. Maqbool: Yes, the mobile homes. Commissioner Lee: So, in addition to the motion I might suggest that in advance of the next CDBG cycle if we could have this item on our agenda. So that we can discuss if we want to communicate particular messages to the community about our priorities in advance and the types of applications that we might want to see that we don’t typically get in a typical CDBG cycle in light of the needs at that time. I think that would be great if we could plan ahead for that before those applications go out. Ms. van der Zwaag: Right, I think those would be suggestions… Commissioner Lee: Suggestions, yes. Ms. van der Zwaag: … to staff for staff’s consideration. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 12 of 60 Commissioner Lee: Ok, great. Chair Kralik: I think given that we have these initiatives and folks in the initiatives are trying to respond to the needs of the community. This is a source of funding that’s a significant source of funding and I love the report because it’s so detailed. It does identify real progress, what the money went for, and I think when we go through this process it’s important, I think, to understand how to apply. How to get our initiatives accomplished so I agree with you, Steven. That’s a good idea. We’ll go ahead and entertain a motion. Commissioner Stinger, MOTION Commissioner Stinger: I’d like to thank you for the report and make a motion that we accept the report and forward it to Council. SECOND Commissioner Lee: Second. Chair Kralik: All in favor? Ok, the motion carries. That ends Business Item Number One. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 5-0 WITH COMMISSIONER SMITH AND REGEHR ABSENT. Ms. Maqbool: Thanks. 2. Presentation on adolescent and teen vaping by Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS) and consideration of avenues for HRC response. A: Presentation by Kyle Greenman and Sam Rivas, ACS B: Questions from the Commission to speaker C: Oral communications D: HRC consideration of any avenues for response Chair Kralik: Number Two is the presentation on adolescent and teen vaping by Adolescent Counseling Services and considerations of avenues for HRC response. This is part of an initiative for the safety of children in the Palo Alto community. The reason that I found it to be interesting and I brought it up was when we did the HSRAP grants. ACS’s representative at the time, probably still with ACS, Dr. Ray, he commented and he said I need more money. The reason I need more money is we’re about to address this very difficult problem and I thought ok, so somebody tell me about this issue. That was many months ago and now every newspaper in the country has teen vaping on their mind. I think there’s been six deaths, 450 cases of lung damage, a lot of questions are out there about mechanisms and whether vaping is safer than cigarette smoking. There’s researchers that are on financial networks and then you have the vaping industry who says look, there’s 14,000 businesses, there’s 70,000 employees, 12,000 are mom and pops, and there’s business interest at heart. It’s a little bit troubling because the statistics are something like a third of high school students have admitted to vaping in the last 30-days. So, it’s really crazy, I mean it’s not something that’s really regulated. It’s been ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 13 of 60 unleashed on us and the more and more I read about it, the more and more I think it’s a crisis. So, I did want to hear from you guys because I think Dr. Ray was prescient and he knew that this was going to become a big problem and maybe we’ve got it right on our hands. We’re anxious to figure out what we can do. I think his basic request was we need more money so you might want to frame a little bit of your discussion around what does ACS do and how does it, on the ground of this problem, address it in teens? What does it that you do? From a public safety perspective very scary that someone can just use a vaping device, smoke marijuana, and suddenly they have a very serious case of lung disease. No one has been able to figure that out and I guess the FDA hasn’t done anything and it’s really scary from that perspective. So, I’m anxious to hear from you guys and please introduce yourself, tell us a little bit about yourself, and tell us a little bit about how you interact on this issue. Ok? Mr. Kyle Greenman: Well, I’d like to thank the Commission for inviting us to speak. I really appreciate it and Commissioner Kralik, I really appreciate your words. It’s certainly something that’s very concerning to a lot of people in the community at this point in time and I feel that it’s an issue that has perhaps not been given the voice it necessarily needs. So, this evening myself and my colleague Samantha, hope to provide you with an overview of vaping just so you get an idea of what it is, some of the health issues as well as the social around it. Then also what ACS does around substance use including vaping. My name is Kyle Greenman, I am a doctoral candidate at Palo Alto University in Clinical Psychology. I have had an interest in working with adolescents and teens as well as in substance use in the past and my colleague Samantha… Ms. Samantha Rivas: Hi, I’m Samantha Rivas, I’m a doctoral candidate at ALI International University in San Francisco, and this is my second year working with adolescents on substance use. My previous experience has been with adolescents on probation in San Mateo County and it’s something that I definitely hope to pursue further. So, let us begin. So just a little bit about Adolescent Counseling Services as a whole we have been within the San Mateo County and Santa Clara County since the 1970s. We serve adolescents about 13-24-years old so we also do go into the transitional age group as well and we provide a number of services including generalized counseling, we have out Outlet Program for our LGBTQQ+ communities, we have our ASAP Program which is our substance abuse program, and then we also have our school- based program as well. We’re in a number of different high schools and middle schools throughout both of the counties. So, to talk a little bit about the Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program which is who we are both with here today. There is a sequence of services that we provide and so the first thing to know is that what’s really unique about our program is that it’s very individualized. So, no client will ever receive the exact same treatment plan or treatment recommendations when they first start. The way that works is we get them started on a comprehensive assessment which is in two different parts. The first part is a significant amount of qualitative and quantitative data that we collect from the parents and the child. From there, through consultation and after a drug test, we provide thorough treatment recommendations which can vary from individual counseling, group teen counseling, parent counseling, support groups, and family therapy as well. From there, they’re assigned to their clinician and we begin those treatment services based off the treatment recommendations. We have some clients who are not ready for group and so we assign more individual sessions or it could be a variety of individual and group. We also include the family in those services because as most of us know family is important and the parents need to be involved in the treatment. So, that what we ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 14 of 60 implement in the treatment, can also be implemented in the home, and also hopefully the school setting as well. Mr. Greenman: One of the other services that we have through the ASAP Program at ACS is an alternative to suspension program in several of the high schools. So, rather than a mandatory 5- day suspension for possession of vaping equipment. They go through an assessment and very often there’s a requirement for teen group participation for 12-weeks and parent participation as well. So, that we can try and build a little bit more awareness both in the school community with the teen themselves and with their family. Ms. Rivas: So, the agenda for today, first we’re going to be talking about well, what is vaping? It’s a pretty new trend if you think about the long scale of substance use in our society. So, we just want to make sure that everyone has a general understanding of what vaping is. Design and contents of all the different devices that are out there from the multiple companies. The impacts for medical and social issues, motivation for vaping. Why do teenagers even what to use, to begin with, and then we also want to talk about treatment and intervention. Then we’ll have some time left for question and answer. Mr. Greenman: So, what is vaping? Vaping – sometimes people call vapes e-cigarette. It’s essentially a way to deliver nicotine, cannabis, flavoring, and other chemicals through an inhaled aerosol. So, there’s this misconception that vaping is just water vapor that they’re inhaling. They’re actually inhaling aerosolized chemicals. That’s the delivery method so they’re getting particulate matter into their lungs in that process. Starting in 2014 vaping equipment was actually the most used tobacco product by teens. Vapes were initially introduced and e-cigarettes were originally introduced at about 2007. It took about 7-years for that to take over all of the tobacco use that teens used. Most vaping products contain nicotine and that’s generally were most adolescents start. Nicotine is an addictive chemical found in all of the traditional forms of tobacco use but it’s especially concentrated in a lot of the vaping equipment. So, we’re going to talk a little bit about what they look like and what the technology is in these vaping devices. Ms. Rivas: So, we’re focusing on a lot of the major companies that are most commonly used by adolescents and Juul is one of the biggest ones just in general. I would say that when Juul started and they are here in the San Francisco Bay Area, this is where they originated. There was a significant increase in vape using by adolescents and it’s the most commonly used device. Then we’re going to go over to Pax. So, this is much more technologically advanced. One interesting thing about it is that it also has an incentive for vaping in which you can download an app and it basically has a reward system for more vaping. It was traditionally intended for people to smoke cigarettes less and vape more. That way there would be less carcinogens in what they’re consuming but it can sometimes be utilized as a game for teens. Then we move onto the Phix and what’s really interesting about the Phix is that one of the characteristics they’re known for is being really easily disguised. So, if you look at the pictures in the PowerPoint it can look like a lipstick, sometimes it can look like a little USB drive, so they are very easy to hide and disguise and it’s not always noticeable by parents. Then we have Suorin and one of the things that’s important to note about these is not only do they look really cool and they are really colorful and have a pop but they are also heavily concentrated on how much TSE or THC or cannabis or nicotine they may have in it. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 15 of 60 Mr. Greenman: So, I’m going to talk a little bit about vaping liquids. Vaping comes in generally two flavors, you know haha, but it comes in a liquid that can be poured into a vaping device or in cartridges. Either way, you’re vaping a liquid of some type. The liquid can contain nicotine, cannabinoids. Typically, THC is what’s vaped. CBD is not generally a focus of vaping because they want the high rather than the potential other benefits of CBD. Flavoring agents are almost always present and there’s a proprietary chemical blend that each manufacture uses and because it's proprietary, we don’t necessarily have access to how that’s created, whether or not it’s consistent across batches and it will vary from manufacturers to manufactories. So, this is some of that complication that we’re seeing with the vaping related illnesses understanding what component might be causing these problems. There’s also a black market or counter fit kind of business around manufacturing pods because pods are relatively expensive and people prefer to buy them online. If you can find it for 50 percent off but it’s fake and you don’t know. You may not be getting the same material that you’re getting from a large company like Juul or Suorin. It doesn’t show up particularly well there but there’s a little marketing thing on the side. This is a company based in Southern California that manufactures THC cartridges for use in vaping devices. They kind of rate each one of their products as to whether or not it reduces stress, whether or not it makes you happy, does it make you hungry. So, theoretically so that the consumer can have an understanding of what sort of experience they want to have with the product. But it obviously weighs heavily on the positive rather than acknowledging any of the other side effects. That, I believe misleads teens who may not have an awareness of what the consequences are for some of these things. Just wanted to show you that. This is just to show an equivalent of the amount of nicotine that’s involved in each of these pods. So, a typical pack of cigarettes has about 20mg of nicotine. That’s one milligram per cigarette. A Juul pod has 41mg so about 41 cigarettes in a single Juul pod. If you go onto the Phix pod it actually has 75 cigarettes in the pod and if you go to a Suorin pod it has 90 mg of nicotine in a given pod. So, if an adolescent starts out with a single Juul pod and decides that they want to move up. They don’t necessarily associate that change in product with an increase in the nicotine consumption. So, you’re seeing higher than expected nicotine consumption. Alright, so if you use one Juul pod, that’s the equivalent of two packets of cigarettes a day. So, if you use a Juul pod every day you’re a chain smoker by any measure. Ms. Rivas: So, flavor, really big thing to talk about when it comes to adolescents. As we know sometimes, we’re walking around nowadays and we smell a wonderful cotton candy scent and you turn around and it’s someone vaping. So, we want to pay attention to what all the different flavors are and how that can be so dangerous, but we also want to understand why they do it, to begin with. One of the reasons is there’s less odor and not only is there less odor but the odor isn’t as harsh anymore. So not only is that easier for the consumer to actually breath more in and consume more, but it also makes it more expectable by society as well because they think that they’re not breathing in that chemical anymore. Then it’s easy to conceal and it’s really appealing to youth because they want something that they think will taste well also. What we have here are just some examples of the different flavors that are available for purchase. So, as you can see there’s some really appealing flavors for adolescents such as fruit, strawberries and cream, watermelon, and then there’s also a more traditional flavor such as menthol. Mr. Greenman: This is just a brief list of the chemicals that have been identified under ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 16 of 60 independent study in vaping. There are a wide variety of known carcinogens listed here. I’m not going to go through them all but it just shows you that it’s not as simple as people think. Flavors in and of themselves can be toxic. A lot of these flavors where originally developed to be consumed and not inhaled so that’s a different process. We actually know that Benzaldehyde is a known carcinogen and it’s used for cherry flavoring which is a very popular flavor of e- cigarettes. Then we’re going to talk a little bit about health issues related to vaping. Neither one of us are a medical doctor so I’m not going to go into too much detail but there is a condition that’s called popcorn lung. It actually was originally discovered from people inhaling the fumes off their warm microwave popcorn. The butter chemical that’s used to create that butter scent, actually when its aerosolized can cause damage to the alveoli in your lung. It permanently scars them and reduces lung capacity. So over time if you’re using similar chemicals it’s very likely that those are damaging lungs and we’ve had reports of vaping related popcorn lung. Obviously, as I spoke before, carcinogen exposure to any vaping liquid, Substance Use Disorder both Cannabis Use Disorder, as well as Nicotine Use Disorder, are things that certainly are coming up. We’re seeing people become addicted to these even though they may believe that they’re not addictive and Pneumonia and other conditions. Any time you’re inhaling something into the lung that exposes you to additional risks. Earlier one of the Commissioners was speaking about vaping related lung illness which is the disorder that we’re trying to get a handle on in terms of the medical community right now. There’s over 450 cases spread all across the United States. It’s generally been associated with people who are using THC pods. There’s some thought that it could be related to Vitamin A additive that’s in some of those pods but that’s not certain yet. There are a variety of state as well as federal investigations going on and there was some announcement earlier today that President Trump is interested in trying to address this as well. So, at least it’s getting attention, I appreciate that, but we really don’t know a lot about this at this point in time. Ms. Rivas: What we have here is a chart that’s basically just showing that at this point these vaping conditions for middle and high school students is significantly more than other traditional tobacco products. If you just look at the graph, the first bar was having 27.1 percent of overall tobacco products but if you look at the difference between vaping products and the traditional products there’s a significant difference that you can see there. One of the issues with that is that most times teenagers don’t understand the harm that vaping can cause and I would say at this point adults are still trying to learn and figure that out too. So, it makes sense but we do want to start providing that education to them so that we can -- do a less harmful substance if they’re going to do choose one. Mr. Greenman: Teens do generally believe that vaping is harmless, safe, and not additives. That’s almost universally told to me whenever I’m dealing with an adolescent and vapes. So, this just shows the trend lines starting from 2011 through 2018, the last year that we have full data, showing that there’s been a trending increase of vaping use and products which doesn’t really sound like a surprise probably given what we’ve told you already. This is actually from the San Mateo Union High School District. Last year they performed a survey asking about – and it included questions about substance use and they found that 33 percent of San Mateo Union High School District seniors had vaped at least once. Of those that vaped, 22 percent of them vaped four times or more. You can see that only 5 percent had used smokeless tobacco products such as chew, snus, and snuff and only 12 percent of seniors had ever smoked a full cigarette. This ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 17 of 60 represents a very significant shift from where we were pre-2000 where tobacco use was almost entirely cigarette in high schools. Ms. Rivas: So, now we want to understand why. Why are teens doing this? What is their motivation? So, let’s make some sense of that and the reality is and this is a term we use quite frequently in psychology is that it depends. There’s a number of different reasons that it could be, there are social reasons, there are mental health reasons, there are stress reasons, and sometimes its usually just compilations a little bit of everything. So, it could be social lubrication, it might make them feel more confident, more relaxed when they’re around their peers, it could be wanting to feel better about themselves, wanting to reduce their anxiety, wanting to be able to just go to the sleep at a decent time so they can feel more awake in the morning when it’s time for school. It could be that someone in the family home is vaping and so they’re just modeling what they see every day. It could also be that there’s a lot of negative feelings going on and this a maladaptive way of them coping with them because they don’t have the tools or resources yet to engage in healthier coping skills. So, what do we do? Well, we first want to talk about when it comes to trendy substances, what’s been done in the past, what has worked, what hasn’t. So, what you have on this slide is some ideas of treatment/interventions that have been ineffective such as just Saying No, the DARE program, or the Scare Straight Program, and a lot of school-based education programs on substance abuse. Even though this is still such an early topic and there’s little to no research on this still. We want you to pay attention to what’s working now with different substances that teens are interested in and see if it can be applicable to the idea of vaping. We are talking about Alternative to Suspension Programs like we kind of discussed a little bit earlier, individual treatment, group treatment, and harm reduction approaches. If we go to the next slide, thank you, it’s ok, let’s talk about some treatment programs that could be really beneficial. So, the first thing we want is we want to make sure that they are personalized and individualized treatment plans. Every individual is very different and if we put the same thing towards everybody when we’re going not going to see strong efficacy in the treatment. The first thing we need to do is that comprehensive evaluation. We want to know and understand the family dynamics, we want to know and understand the individual, and then we can make the appropriate treatment plans. We want to do ongoing monitoring. If it’s a vape with THC in it then we can do a UA test and monitor progression and levels of that urine analysis. We want to do individual therapies so we can understand what are the underlying root causes that leads you to want to vape in the first place. We can do teen support groups so that they can be around peers who are dealing with similar life circumstances like them to where they have a safe place to discuss them and learn from each other. We want family therapy so that we can shift the whole family dynamic and create a new homeostasis that’s much healthier than what it was before. We also want parent support groups when teens are using substances that has a real negative impact on the parents. They need a place where they can talk about it as well, reach out to other parents who are dealing with similar circumstances, who can provide support to one another, where they can also learn more about how to engage in difficult conversations with their teenagers and how to navigate those circumstances. This is the approach that we use at Adolescent Counseling Services. Mr. Greenman: One thing that I do want to say is that we embrace a harm reduction approach so while abstinence may be the goal for treatment, we are looking at ways to reduce the harm both to the individuals, the community and certainly to the family unit at the same time. So, we understand that not everybody will stop either smoking, vaping, or drinking if that’s the case, but ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 18 of 60 we want to do what we can to reduce the harm to everybody around them. So, prevention, now I’m not here to become political in any way shape or form but these are things that a variety of people have suggested about it. I think that they probably at least merit some discussion. Laws and regulations could certainly be changed around vaping materials. So, implementing stricter access to vaping materials, limiting liquids from being sold with child-friendly flavors, and treating vaping and cannabis advertising the same way we treat cigarette advertising today because there are some differences there. Child and family support, so we want to make sure that children and families are supported when difficulties occur. These don’t have to be substance abuse difficulties because very often things like trauma are a pre-curser to becoming dependent on a substance. So, any time that we can address those before they occur that’s great. Also, communications with your children both about more adaptive coping strategies, ways to deal with stress as well as addressing substance use before it becomes a problem and getting expert help when needed. I think that’s something that should be provided to anybody who wants it. The final thing is education and outreach. Doing things like what we’re doing here today. Providing information, we can to the community, to people who can perhaps make changes or recommendations and also promoting broader just public awareness of these substance use issues. I don’t want people to find out about the next drug craze on CNN. I’d rather they find out from the community so we can address it before it becomes a big thing. We really appreciate your time and if anybody has any questions, we would be happy to answer then. Chair Kralik: I just wanted to start out by saying thank you for a beautiful presentation. I learned a lot just by listening but I have to say that I’m a little bit stunned by some of the things that you said. I wondered if you could just clarify for me just a couple things. The first thing was the comparison of the pods to how many cigarettes were smoked and you had that beautiful slide with a number of cigarettes below each pod. So, if someone smokes a cigarette, they probably have what, six puffs or whatever it is that they have. Are you saying that each pod is something – how do you really compare that? Can you help me with that? Mr. Greenman: So, the analysis is done by extracting all of the nicotine from a cigarette versus all of the nicotine in a pod. So, you’re correct, very often people don’t smoke all the way down to the filter if they’re smoking a cigarette, right? Chair Kralik: Right but in the pod would they smoke – I mean I’ve never… Mr. Greenman: Yes, they drain the pod. Chair Kralik: Each time they smoke? Mr. Greenman: Well no, so it’s like a pack of cigarettes. You could take one drag; you could inhale once through the vaping device and that doesn’t use the whole pod. Chair Kralik: Does it last about as long as one… Mr. Greenman: It's like a puff on a cigarette, so it’s like a drag on a cigarette and it depends on the sets you use on the device. So, some devices are highly tune-able and customizable. One of the devices you can actually even use your app to adjust it so… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 19 of 60 Chair Kralik: Yes, that was wild. Mr. Greenman: Yes. Chair Kralik: The second thing that I wanted to clarify is the flavoring because what I thought I heard you say is that let’s say that you’re in an arena and you’re at a rock concert and people are passing around a joint. You smell a certain smell that’s marijuana but what you’re saying now is that they actually flavor marijuana so that you can’t detect that smell? You end up smelling popcorn, is that what you’re saying? Mr. Greenman: Yes. It’s the same thing with nicotine. Nicotine is primarily the one where we see a lot of flavor additives but they do flavor and scent the marijuana as well. Perhaps intending to mask the fact that you’re using a cannabis product. Chair Kralik: Ok, alright, Commissioner Lee. Commissioner Lee: Do we want to take public comment before we… Chair Kralik: No, it has to be our questions first. Commissioner Lee: Ok. I wanted to ask questions around two central themes. The first one is you mentioned that we need alternatives to suspension programs. My first question is really around what does enforcement look like currently in our schools? Are there a lot of kids who are actually being caught having this vaping equipment and then being diverted to these alternative programs? If I can make an analogy between what the schools are doing and what the City could do? Under the existing regulations does there need an element of stepped-up enforcement in order to force people really into these alternative programs where it’s less punitive and more treatment-oriented? Ms. Rivas: I can speak to that a little bit. So, I can’t speak to the entire school district but I can speak to the schools where we have contracts with them to do the alternative to suspend. I would say school has been in for about a month now, well that’s probably correct, and I believe we’ve received almost a dozen referrals so far from a number of different schools. So, I would say it’s needed, yes and it is helpful and because again, the alternative to suspense approach it’s a harm reduction approach. When we see punitive, we see adolescents framing it as this is a punishment and because their brains are so different than ours right now. The response is going to be to retaliate and to probably smoke more and engage in more negative behaviors. When we put them in an alternative to suspension program instead, we’re offering them an opportunity to learn new skills, to understand themselves a little bit more, and to find new ways to deal with whatever they’re dealing with. Whatever the motivation is for vaping, usually in the Alternative to Suspension Programs which is typically an assessment and group sessions, it’s an opportunity for them to learn more about their motivation and then new additional coping skills. So, even if it’s just not using at school anymore, that’s a progress in our eyes. Commissioner Lee: I guess my question really gets to how critical is it that in theory, they could suspend a student. So, I know at the City level we’ve passed more stringent smoking regulations ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 20 of 60 but the last time that the Council did that, staff made it clear that there wasn’t enough staff to actually enforce it. So, I’m wondering if in theory how much do you need the potential for enforcement in order to push people into preventative treatment? If the City wanted to, in theory, enforce the regulations on the book, how key is that in order to get folks into these alternative programs? Is that an important piece of it or is it just that we need the programs itself without the potential for punitive? Mr. Greenman: Well, in the school settings the alternative to suspension is very attractive to the students and the parents because it prevents a permanent record of a suspension. So, it’s a carrot and stick kind of thing and there seems to be a significant benefit to the students who participate in the alternative to suspension program throughout the program if they commit to the full program. There seems to be a big benefit. There have been other districts in California that have done it for much longer than we’ve done it in the Bay Area for other substances as well. So, I mean in terms of the school setting, we do have that benefit. In terms of perhaps further public regulation like you’re asking about the smoking regulation changes. I’m not sure that we could comment as far as that goes. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Savage. Commissioner Savage: Thank you. What is the cost of vaping? If the student vapes every day, what’s the range of dollars he’ll be spending? Mr. Greenman: Vaping equipment is highly variable, like a lot of things, in terms of cost. You can get started vaping for relatively little; $20-$30 you can get a pen and you can get some liquid. I believe we showed some vaping liquid up there on the screen in one of our slides and a bottle starts at about $8 to $10. So, it is a manageable amount of money for most people. Commissioner Savage: And the vaping device itself? Mr. Greenman: That could be $20, it could be up to $500 depending on how advanced you get but I want to say a Juul is like $20 to start if it doesn’t have any pods. So, these are price points that are approachable for many of the kids in our community. The other thing that we didn’t really mention is that very often these devices are acquired through a friend or a family member and in that case, very often it’s a gift. We’ve actually heard from teenagers who are in high school and for a 6-week anniversary gift with their boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other they give them a vape or they have matching vapes now. So, these are things that are coming up and it’s a cultural kind of social interaction as well. Commissioner Savage: Ok and what’s the age of the youngest student you’ve seen vaping? Ms. Rivas: For me, I would say the youngest I’ve seen if probably 12. Commissioner Savage: Wow, ok. Ms. Rivas: That’s about equivalent to what I’ve normally seen with marijuana as well. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Xue. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 21 of 60 Vice Chair Qifeng: First I would like to thank you very much for the informative presentation. Quick question regarding the approach ACS has been taking, like the personalize treatment, family therapy, blah blah. So, quite a few approaches you guys have been using. Could you please share with us which are the most effective when you deal with these kinds of situations? Mr. Greenman: We’ve found that the most effective is the full wrap-around approach. If you parcel out individual components you tend to lose the efficacy because you’re not providing support around the teen. So as much so a teen might tell you that they don’t want their parents or their family involved. If we get the parents and family involved, it tends to have a much bigger impact. I mean at the very least what we do with the alternative to suspension is effective. So, an initial assessment to find out what’s going on and then a course of group therapy. We find that to be effective, especially if it’s peer groups. I think without individual therapy the efficacy is probably certainly not as great. Vice Chair Qifeng: Thank you. Chair Kralik: You know if you’re giving a talk to a group of middle schoolers about vaping, what is it that you would say to them? How do you get them to realize the problems that you’ve seen? Ms. Rivas: You don’t. Teenagers are not going to just agree with you because it’s what you say. You can point out the medical concerns, you can point out the social concerns all you want, it’s their choice on whether or not they’re going to listen to it and adapt their behaviors because of that. I think that’s why it’s so important that we do that harm reduction approach. We do a very “meet them where they’re at” approach which is basically, we figure out what stage of change are they in and our work will adjust with them in that format. There can be times where we don’t even talk about the substances. It might be talking about relationships, it might be talking about how difficult parents are or school stress, but either way that ends up working to the overall conversation of vaping because we’re still figuring out what is that underlying root. When they start shifting up that state of change to where they are ready to start thinking about it and talking about it. Then we start bringing up the conversation of vaping and we start helping them build those connections between this is how you’re feeling and this is what you’re doing to deal with how you’re feeling. Chair Kralik: Do you find that more of a medical aspect of the presentation could be helpful to them? In other words, you’re talking to people about what they’re doing but let me go back to what you said in the slide. What you said in the slide was that teens think it’s safe and now we’re finding out that it's not through the press and all these very terrible illnesses and deaths. Ms. Rivas: Yes. Chair Kralik: So, I mean is that an angle that you would want to include or… Ms. Rivas: Yes. Chair Kralik: …is that something that you would want to avoid? ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 22 of 60 Ms. Rivas: No, we will include it. It’s always important to inform youth of psychoeducational materials so they understand this is what’s happening to your body as you go through that. That’s a crucial piece. I think when it comes efficacy of treatment though, it doesn’t tend to be the most salient piece. Mr. Greenman: Yes. Chair Kralik: Commissioner – go ahead, please. Mr. Greenman: Oh, I was going to say one thing that we didn’t cover in this presentation that we very often do in a lengthier one is that there are certain neurodevelopmental processes that happen as we age. So, as you get older from childhood through adolescence and into early adulthood you develop greater frontal lobe skills, greater executive functioning skills; which is the ability to plan ahead, to foresee problems, to make sure that you’re initiating -- that you’re basically looking ahead at what’s a good idea, what isn’t, like the kind of things that this Commission does. You don’t actually fully develop those skills until you’re in your mid-20s. So, if I’m going to talk to a 13-year old and telling him that you know you might have lung problems when you’re 30. That’s not registering, right? They look at it as the immediate satisfaction of this is reducing my anxiety or this is cool or I really like the flavors or I’m sticking it to mom and dad. Whatever their motivation is, that’s the problem. So, and talking to them about this is not healthy for you, very often doesn’t work. The kids who absorb that are the kids who probably wouldn’t have started anyway. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Stinger. Commissioner Stinger: Thank you. Thank you for your presentation. My questions were about the protocols that you use and I wonder if you can compare – I’m going to say success rates although I know that’s a soft term – you’re satisfaction rates with an adolescent who’s gone through a vaping come to you and presented with vaping issues versus an adolescent who’s presented with nicotine or drugs or other issues. Mr. Greenman: Well, I don’t have access to the outcome data from our program in particular. What I would say is that we know in general that individual substance use generally has a better outcome than polysubstance use. So, somebody’s who’s vaping and drinking and perhaps using another substance like abusing Adderall or something like that is a significantly more challenging case. Very often those have poor outcome unfortunately because you’re dealing with a variety of issues simultaneously. I don’t know if that kind of addressed your concern on that. Commissioner Stinger: Well, I guess what I was thinking was the start of my question came from you said that vaping presented itself in 2014 and that’s relatively a short time to develop and test protocols. Although, you have some carryover from other experiences and I wondered if that was a place where there was a need for investment or exploration in terms of… Mr. Greenman: Certainly, an area for additional research as to what’s most effective and I know that a variety of centers are trying to do that research. We certainly are looking at that at ACS in terms of looking at outcomes from our substance use treatment programs. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 23 of 60 Commissioner Stinger: Thank you and thank you for what you do with our youth. Chair Kralik: Ok, we’re going to move onto oral communications from the public. I’d like to ask is it Divya Ganesan to come forward. Divya good evening to you. Thank you for coming in and tell us a little bit about yourself and why this issue interests you. Ms. Divya Ganesan: Good evening Council, can you guys hear me? I want to thank first the ACS and you all for the opportunity to speak today. I’m a 2-year member of the Palo Alto Youth Council, I was the former Secretary last year, and I’m also a high school student at Castilleja School in Palo Alto. When I heard that the Commission today was going to talk about vaping, I was extremely excited, is the wrong word, but I was encouraged because I think that this is an issue that has long been misunderstood by many of the adults in our community. As a high schooler and middle schooler who’s grown up in the age of both vaping and Juuling, I can attest to many of the things that our speakers today have brought up. I’m sure you guys have many questions maybe possibly I can offer some perspective from a high school student. The one thing that I do want to emphasize that ACS brought up was oftentimes the misrepresentations and understandings of the importance of showing health effects to teens. From what I’ve understood is that showing teens that there are health concerns with Juuling and vaping are widely ineffective. I think that the mistake that many adults make when they try to talk to kids about vaping is that they come in with a goal of saying that every kid who leaves the room is not going to vape after this. I think that’s just wrong and naive and wrongly hopeful. I think the better approach that adults should be taking is assuming that there are, as with any other substance, teens who are going to be using it and the issue is how do you tell teens: 1. How to do it safety 2. When to stop and how do you compare it? For me, one of the most striking comparisons I’ve learned is that one Juul pod is equal to basically a whole pack of cigarettes, maybe even more. I think that if you talk to any teen now-a-day, they would say cigarettes like ew, that’s gross. It's smoky, it makes your clothes smell, it makes you smell, but you talk to a kid who Juuls. Juuling does not make you smell. It looks like the new iPhone in the sense that it’s really sleek. It looks like a USB Drive. You plug it into your computer to charge it. The Juul pods are liquid and so it doesn’t feel messy and it feels clean. Maybe people think that it is clean and that’s not the case. So, I think that specific distinction in making Juul some type of luxury brand that be bought like an iPhone is what makes this such a different issue than other substances that teens have abused before like marijuana, alcohol, etc. Thank you. Chair Kralik: Well, thank you very much. We appreciate you coming forward and telling us a little bit about that. I’m having difficulty reading this but it looks like – is it Hala? Ms. Hala Henery: Hala. Chair Kralik: Hala? Ms. Henery: Hala. I’m sorry for my handwriting. Chair Kralik: Go ahead and just tell us your name. Ms. Henery: Hala, H-A-L-A. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 24 of 60 Chair Kralik: Oh, Hala, ok and tell us a little bit about your thoughts. Ms. Henery: Definitely. Thank you for being here, thank you for the great presentation, and for the little lady there. I think she brought up a great point about the Juuls being very sleek and attractive to kids because they look like an iPhone. I agree with that wholeheartedly. I think that’s a big attraction. I am here to share with you quickly the urgency of this epidemic that is plaguing our high schools. My son got addicted last year and our family went into shambles. I am here tonight because I attended a Stanford professor lecture yesterday and I met some parents from Gunn High School where my kids attend. I was pleased to see some of her work here in your presentation. It is so important for me to tell you that I think the numbers here are probably a year old. I think it’s one in two kids in high school who vape. I think there are gangs involved in selling the products. It’s a very lucrative business. My son and around 50 kids by January last year were completely addicted and sharing their smoking parties on Snap Chat. The kids that we are dealing with here are kids who have access to resources, they are not necessarily highly active in any other kind of sports necessarily, and are able to sneak these pods into the classroom and smoke it behind a teacher’s back. There’s actually matches that happen in class, who can smoke more puffs in the classroom. Once these kids get addicted it destroys the family fabric. These kids are victims for the big vape companies and these big vape companies, just like the big tobacco – Marlboro just acquired actually one of the companies that was in the slides here today. They invested $12.8 billion in it so the plan is to capture even more poor addicts into their market. My main request for being here is to really release funds and to allow for initiatives to take hold in the City that is more public and open the hood on vaping. So, the vaping epidemic that is taking place in Palo Alto and across high schools in America is being discussed as a taboo. I believe that it should be discussed really just like how we have sex education; we have civil (inaudible) education, math, and English. It really should be discussed like that. It should be taught, it should not become a taboo, and one of the things that the schools at least at Gunn that I dealt with is that they had no funding. So, they had no funding to capture the kids who are vaping so they basically told me we have two police officers on the whole campus for all our kids. So, there isn’t enough police enforcement happening at the schools and the kids are super good at hiding it. They hide it in the toilet paper rolls in the bathroom. I have pictures and videos of everything. I’m telling you because I dealt with this painfully every night for the past year. I think what ACS is doing is post problem and I think what we should do is preventative. So, we should not allow these kids to get these things into their hands. I think we can do more in the City to prevent them from that by putting posters up, having concerts. One of the things that a professor at Stanford said yesterday is that the most effective way he found to make a change in the kid’s lives was amongst each other. We have to change the culture of the teenagers in our City. So, that amongst themselves it stops being cool. Just like the vape companies that have marketing and advertising campaigns running on Snap Chat, on YouTube, and they have them captured all night watching them and emulating what they see. We have to have our own marketing and have our own advertising to change the stigma and let them see and understand that they are being used for the benefits of the big vape. According to professor at Stanford that’s what works the most. Chair Kralik: I’m sorry, could you say the Professor’s name again. Female: (off mic) Dr. Felsher. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 25 of 60 Ms. Henery: Dr… Female: F-E-L-S-H-E-R. Ms. Henery: …Felsher. Female: Felsher: Ms. Henery: Felsher. Chair Kralik: Felsher, ok. Ms. Henery: Yes. Chair Kralik: Thank you. Ms. Henery: The other thing that I think is super important to do is to allow the schools to not only have more police officers but we have to enforce new curriculum and we have to enforce new active -- the epidemic is already underway. Everybody here is late to the game I’m sorry to say. Today not tomorrow. This is has to be dealt with today. Chair Kralik: I really appreciate you sharing that. Right from the heart, thank you. Sumita Vasudeva. Ms. Sumita Vasudeva: Good evening. Thank you for prioritizing vaping as part of a topic on the HRC Commission. I just wanted to share I’m wearing several hats here today. Let me speak from my first hat which exposed me to vaping. I was on the PTA Council last year playing the role of VP health and wellness. During that time, you may have been aware, there was some attention paid to this in the Weekly, where there was a spat of fire alarms going off at Paly that was due to the kids vaping in the bathrooms. It made the school aware that there is such a phenomenon. But prior to the fact that the fire alarms went off, there had been a survey that happens to be an ongoing survey done every 2-years where the students had self-proclaimed that they have been vaping. This was a self-reported survey and you shared the San Mateo findings. This is the CalSCHLS data that is presented every other year. In that data, it was very evident that both schools, not just the high schools but the middle schools were also included, and the kids were experimenting with vaping. I compiled the data from these surveys and presented it to the PTA Council hoping that this would raise awareness of two-fold. One is the parents were keen for repercussions and consequences for the fire alarms because it was wasting everyone else’s time, but the second fold which is more important to me is how to educate our kids about vaping and the health determents. This is where I think the debate about whether it’s important to share health detriments with kids is important because it is the most important preventative action we can take when we speak to our youth. It is very clear from the data that the children are under the impression that vaping is a safe exercise. They do not know that it is unsafe and they were declaring it. The questions asked do you think smoking is dangerous or do you think vaping is dangerous? It said smoking is dangerous but vaping is not. This was the majority of the children in our schools answering this question in their survey. We invited Dr. Halpern-Felsher to come ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 26 of 60 and speak to our parents. This was in January of this year. She had a talk with the parents and they learned about vaping and the health determents. She then started a lobby movement because I forget her title but she represents the Anti-Vaping Committee in DC. So, she has been at the forefront of this movement and she used the children’s stories, the parent’s stories and made a presentation to Jerry Brown was in it at the time. I’m trying to remember. Whoever was there in the governance in January, she had rallied the parents and the kids to present their cases. She has been very successful in rallying our parent community for advocating against vaping. The second hat that I’m wearing today is that of a small business owner. I design worksite wellness programs for our community and I have received requests from vaping companies to consider vaping as an antidote to smoking on worksites at worksites. So, there is a misnomer in the public as well that vaping is safer. It’s not just our children who don’t know that. Our working populations our communities don’t know that. This is where I think that I’d like to request the City to consider emulating the example of San Francisco and other cities who are banning flavored e-cigarettes. Even though that is targeted to the youth but I think in general this is a health detriment for our entire community. I wanted to speak from both hats and makes this a matter of it takes a village to raise our children. Hala has made a very compelling case and I’d like to support her. Thanks. Chair Kralik: Thank you very much. Ok, we’re going to open up for HRC consideration of any avenues for response. Commissioner Savage, would you like to begin? Commissioner Savage: Well, the topic of avenues for response, I personally I’m just shocked at how widespread it is, I don’t have teenagers anymore but I feel that I am up with the news but apparently not up enough. I’m just shocked at what I’ve heard and my heart goes out to the speakers. I just can’t image the heartbreak that you have but as far as avenues of response I’m at a loss quite honestly. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Stinger, go right ahead. Commissioner Stinger: Thank you to our speakers and to our oral communications. I’m quite stunned. I do have to reference Michael Krasny on Forum had a speaker this morning and was talking about some of the lung effects that we’ve seen in the press. Chair Kralik: I heard that. Commissioner Stinger: Just taking this one day as my study day has been overwhelming and I feel like as you do Commissioner Savage. I’m pretty reasonably current and I think I’m a cut of the middle of the community and my guess is that the community is also behind in its awareness of the issues. I guess the idea that it’s not formulated but I would like to formulate is that we start to look at the populations, Project Safety Net, PTA Council, and The Chamber. Maybe just start doing some informational interviews with people who can make a difference and get ourselves grounded. You clearly are grounded and could make the argument. I think I need more grounding with some experts and then I’d like to take that information and make a proposal to Council. That we make this a priority for the community’s wellbeing; comparable to a ban on cigarettes, I guess. Chair Kralik: You know it’s interesting this is brought up in the context of our initiative on ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 27 of 60 public health. I’m sure there’s a number of public health issues. We do not have a Public Health Officer in the City and it’s one of those things where I had heard San Francisco banned the sale of vaping products and especially flavored ones. I don’t know if that’s really going to stop anything with the internet and how people get ahold of things and we just talked about the black market. The public speakers talked about that but I guess I’m really stunned that our city has not done anything already. When I hear things like oh, we need to get grounded. I mean good grief people are dying and there’s 450 cases of lung disease and no one knows what’s causing it. We’re allowing companies like Juul to advertise on the radio like this is a healthy product and their getting fined for their advertising. I mean they’re misleading people, they’re doing all kinds of crazy stuff, and how is it that a cigarette company has to have all this regulation and what’s really happening is these things are coming to our teenagers at a discount from all that right, without all the health warnings. Commissioner Stinger: Like I said… Chair Kralik: You know nobody sees it and I guess I’m just stunned that our city hasn’t done something already. I mean I understood that the Youth Council had gone to the City Council and talked to them about this many months ago. I guess I’m wondering are we really going to – I mean I would like to just say hey, get off your butts City Council and stop the sale of these products to our kids. Female: Yes. Chair Kralik: I mean that’s unbelievable to me that they would allow it. I mean I thought we were a progressive… Female: (inaudible) Chair Kralik: … I mean good grief so that’s my discussion of it. I mean this is a pretty open and shut case of just taking vulnerable teenagers and hurting them and causing havoc in families and causing havoc in schools. So, I guess I’m just stunned that we would go out and get grounded. I don’t need any grounding, I heard it all on the papers. It’s in the national news. Commissioner Stinger: Well, in defense of my asking for grounding… (crosstalk) Chair Kralik: No, you know what I’m saying is that there’s… Commissioner Stinger: … I think we can go to the Council but we’ve also heard that somethings will work and somethings won’t work. Chair Kralik: Right. Commissioner Stinger: You said yourself if we ban them in the city we can still access on the internet. So, I think we can ban it in the city but I want to do more and I want to talk to as many people as we can to hear their ideas. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 28 of 60 Chair Kralik: Yes, I mean I’m not saying the issue should die but I’m saying if you go into an emergency room, they check all your major organs. This is one of those situations where we’re in an emergency room checking a major organ and we’ve got to perform quick intervention. We have psychological services trying to help kids through this issue all because they were vulnerable and taken advantage of. I’m stunned by this issue because it just seems like it’s – I’m waxing polemic and pardon me for doing that but I mean that’s why I was interested in the issue. Commissioner Stinger: And I appreciate that interest. Once we ban cigarettes, we still have kids smoking and vaping, we’re still going to have kid’s vape and I want to do the full package. We can ban and then we have to come back at it. We have to stay with the program. Project Safety Net… Chair Kralik: Right you are. Commissioner Stinger: … has been here... (Crosstalk)… Chair Kralik: Right you are. Commissioner Stinger: …for 10-years. Chair Kralik: Yep, yep, you’re right, and we have to have a multi-faceted approach but definitely we need to save the patient. Commissioner Stinger: Thank you. That’s the word. Chair Kralik: Go ahead, Commissioner Lee. Commissioner Lee: I think I agree with both the Chair and Commissioner Stinger. I think there is a sense of urgency and quite frankly outrage that our public officials haven’t more fully responded to this epidemic. I mean the FDA under the current administration called it an epidemic. I mean they certainly haven’t done everything that they could but they acknowledge that it’s an epidemic. San Francisco has already taken some action as San Francisco tends to lead the way on these issues. So, I agree that there needs to be some urgency on it. I agree with Commissioner Stinger that there are many different avenues that we can approach this issue and I would argue that we need to take all of them. The scale and breadth of this issue requires that we utilize all of the hats that we wear as a Commission, all of the tools in our toolbox. I mean a combination of funding services like ACS and others, a combination of education and awareness programs, facilitating collaboration between community stakeholders like we are doing with our LGBTQ partners, but also there’s an element of policy as well. I think we need to have a discussion as a City do our existing regulations, are they sufficient and are we dedicating the resources to enforce them? I think enforcement is a key component. You know you need the stick if you’re going to have the carrot and I think we need to have a serious discussion on are we devoting enough resources to it. I mean the last time the Council talked about smoking, in the Staff report, it was like we are going to adopt these regulations but we’re not going to enforce it. To me that’s sort of unacceptable. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 29 of 60 Chair Kralik: Yes, I mean to me the enforcement is not penalizing students and high schools who are vulnerable and taken advantage of by major corporations who are getting away with just nefarious conduct. Commissioner Lee: I mean I guess what I... Chair Kralik: I mean I would like to punish them. I mean we should, as a city, stand up and say we don’t like you. We don’t like this activity, that what you’re doing to our kids, and it’s just – it’s awful. It’s terrible. Commissioner… Commissioner Lee: But given the scope of this issue I think where I’m approaching at it is, I think we should use every avenue available to us but I think we need help. We need the city to make this a priority. So, I don’t want us just as a Commission to take this on. I think if we want to make a bold statement now, we should tell Council that we have identified – well, it’s already identified as an issue. We agree that it’s an issue; we need the resources of the city, as only city Council can authorize, to work with us, to work with the Youth Council, to work with ACS and all of the other community partners who are so interest and care about this issue. I think we want to make a quick statement, we can do that, but we need the resources of the entire city if we’re going to explore and try to tackle this issue from all avenues. Chair Kralik: Yes, I agree that it’s not an issue that’s going to go away but I think addressing the City Council immediately and saying this is an emergent public health need that needs to be addressed. It can be a simple statement like that to say what we heard in our Commission was a terrible phenomenon that’s going on with our children. They’re vulnerable, they’re being taken advantage of, there’s serious health effects that are coming out, and we urge the City Council to take action to address this. More than simply come up with police and other things to enforce laws and rules. I mean the biggest thing is these people that sell this stuff, good grief. Now I mean this is a difficult thing because we don’t have any kind of support from the FDA at all. This is just terrible. Commissioner Xue, you wanted to say something. Vice Chair Qifeng: Sure. I’m a parent of two college students. They just went through high school so we had lots of conversations regarding the illegal substance, for example, marijuana. Vaping actually never occurred in our conversations. So, until recently I followed some of the research and publications, I did some research online. Actually, I’m not quite sure, maybe I got the wrong place. I read one article published way back in Oct. 21st, 2018 on the Palo Alto Online. Another one is In the City Looks to Outlaw Juul Vaping. That’s published in Palo Alto Daily on January 30th of this year. Actually, I do think our City pays attention to this kind of illegal stuff. So, along El Camino there is at least one shop very noticeable promoting the vaping or stuff? I talked recently to my son, I said well how could (inaudible) kids purchase those kinds of product? He told me basically some of the students got the fake ID. I don’t know whether we have the regulation or not to control the sale to the student and the age of 21. I know in the city they have that regulation so clearly, we heard lot of stunning news regarding the information regarding the bad effects from the vaping. Previously I didn’t know that much until recently I did read some articles but I think our city are pa ying attention. How do we take action? I think Chair and the Commissioner also said quite a bit. We should collect information and make a proposal to the Council so that’s what I would like to do suggest. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 30 of 60 Chair Kralik: You know I have a 12-year old so it’s going to be coming up very shortly that he finds out about vaping. It just is very bothersome to me. I guess when I look at the city and it’s important to be, I guess partners with the city. Obviously, we’re trying to do that, but at the same time I’m very concerned that they have languished and how to do that. I guess what I would ask Commissioner Stinger is how do we nicely say to the city look, the fact that we’re learning about in this Commission meeting are serious to the point where we think an immediate action step should be taken and things have gone too far? How do we do that? What is the way in which we say that nicely to keep them on our side? Obviously, I mean we’re not against the City Council but we’re faced with something that just seems like someone has missed the boat. The FDA has missed the boat. (crosstalk) Commissioner Stinger: I would say what you just said. Chair Kralik: Right? You know? Commissioner Stinger: What you just said… Chair Kralik: Yes? Commissioner Stinger: … is how we would say it. Commissioner Lee: So, if the Chair would entertain, I would have a… Chair Kralik: We have one more light. Commissioner Lee: Oh sorry. Chair Kralik: Ok, go ahead, Commissioner Savage. Commissioner Savage: Oh, well since we all agree it’s a serious and emergent need, why don’t we concentrate on perhaps crafting a statement to Council on this? Chair Kralik: Alright, can we propose that a couple of our members to craft that statement for signature? Ok, who would like to volunteer to do that? Would you volunteer? Commissioner Lee: Can I add that to my existing – to a motion that I’ve written? Chair Kralik: Yes, just in a second. Would you volunteer to craft the statement? Commissioner Lee: I would (crosstalk) – well, yes. Chair Kralik: Ok, how about you Commissioner Savage? Chair Kralik: Ok. Any other volunteers? Commissioner Stinger: Sure. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 31 of 60 Chair Kralik: So, what we’ll do is we’ll add that. I’m happy to sign it. I know you’ve heard the same things I’ve heard and the other thing I think we’d want to portray is that this is a new initiative of our Commission this year. It’s on the public health side and we are beginning a journey to address this issue in a variety of ways. I want to adopt some of former Chair Stinger’s comments about that. You had a slide, if I could ask you to just put it back up, when you talked about the different approaches that you take. I think there were three columns? Maybe I’m just… Mr. Greenman: So, this is… Chair Kralik: I mean one of them was legislative, the other one was (crosstalk)… Mr. Greenman: Oh, not that one, this one. Commissioner Stinger: Yes. Chair Kralik: Yes so prevention and one of the very gracious public speakers talked about hey look, we can’t wait until someone’s gone through the car wash. We have to get it before they walk into that and I liked that comment. I think it was heartfelt but I think I’d like to work in some of this language into the statement talking about exploring laws and regulations, stricter access to vaping materials, things like that. I wonder if former Chair Stinger and former Chair Savage would comment on this slide as some of those mechanisms that we could work together with the Council on. I mean obviously, we can’t pass laws and regulations in our Commission. Commissioner Lee: We can recommend them though. Chair Kralik: Yes, we can recommend that they take steps. Commissioner Stinger: I’d like to also do a little investigation to see what the District Attorney at the county and state level are doing. If you parallel this to cigarettes, education, and outreach where early attempts of limiting access to nicotine and they didn’t work against the power of big money. It was laws and regulations that were needed so I think we need to take the fast approach but I don’t want to give it up there. I don’t want to walk away from it just on that. Chair Kralik: Go ahead, Commissioner Lee. Commissioner Lee: I’m going to make a motion for discussion and I’ll make it but I want to caveat it by saying I don’t think this is the end of our involvement. I think this is the beginning of our involvement and this is the mechanism in which I would like to us involved. Chair Kralik: Why don’t we just say as a first step in our involvement… Commissioner Lee: As a first step, yes. Chair Kralik: … as the HRC we… MOTION ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 32 of 60 Commissioner Lee: So, the motion would be that the HRC state the following. The HRC agrees that teen vaping constitutes an epidemic requiring immediate and broad support and attention from the City and the HRC asks the City Council to allocate staff time to work with the HRC, Youth Council, PAUSD, and community partners to address this issue in a comprehensive and timely manner that explores changes to laws and regulation, enforcement, preventative efforts, education and outreach, and treatment and services. FRIENDLY AMENDMENT Chair Kralik: As a friendly amendment to that I’d just like to add some language to the effect that it’s an emergency public health problem… Commissioner Lee: Constitutes an… Chair Kralik: … facing our youth. Commissioner Lee: …sorry say that again? Chair Kralik: An emergency public health problem facing our youth that needs immediate action and address. Commissioner Lee: So, constitutes an emergency public health epidemic facing our youth requiring… Chair Kralik: Immediate action. Commissioner Lee: Requiring immediate and broad support and attention or action? Chair Kralik: Immediate action to address. Commissioner Lee: Immediate – ok and action. Chair Kralik: I feel strongly that even though we may be studying this and as a first measure this is what we’re doing. I feel like we’re going to an emergency room and we’re saying save the patient. Commissioner Lee: Well and I think if we’re going to study it… Chair Kralik: Go after it. Commissioner Lee: … properly, we need the resources to do. I don’t think we have the resources as a Commission. I would add to that an authorize a subcommittee constituting of myself, Commissioner Savage and Chair or? Chair Kralik: No, well I will sign it but you guys do it. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 33 of 60 Commissioner Lee: Oh ok. Constituting myself and Commissioner Savage… Chair Kralik: Commissioner Savage, yes. Commissioner Lee: … and Valerie, did you want to be in on that or? Commissioner Stinger: I’m going to limit myself. Commissioner Lee: Constituting – authorizing the two of us to author… Chair Kralik: To draft. Commissioner Lee: To draft a letter on behalf of the Commission that the Chair would sign. Chair Kralik: Ok, so we have that motion. I mean its a bit interrupted and I apologize for that Steven. Commissioner Lee: That’s fine. Chair Kralik: Let's open up the discussion if we need to clarify that and fix the language, we’ll do that. Commissioner Lee: Do you want to second that for discussion purposes? SECOND Chair Kralik: Yes, I second it for discussion purposes. Go ahead, Commissioner Stinger. Commissioner Stinger: At the risk of seeming negative… Chair Kralik: Your thing is not on. Commissioner Stinger: No, I just went the wrong way. At the risk of seeming negative, I’m going to offer either an amendment or maybe its just a process when you write the letter. I’ve seen other things to go Council like this, fast food epidemic, drug abuse, and exaggerated words have not gotten their attention. So, to the extent that we can use the surveys as footnotes if we can get some data from ACS so we can’t argue the case. That we can strengthen our argument. I’d like to put in that… Chair Kralik: Well, I agree with that. I think we should attach the presentation. I really liked this slide in particular that everybody is looking at because ACS has identified prevention action steps that could be taken to address this. Commissioner Stinger: And I think you also have the population data. This many children have smoked but this portion of our incoming patients are presenting because of vaping. That becomes refutable and we stop the argument and go onto the treatment and that’s what I’d like to do. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 34 of 60 Chair Kralik: I don’t know how many Commissioners can work on the drafting but my suggestion is somehow we’ve got to be able to… Commissioner Lee: I believe three can work it assuming that the Chair does not edit it. Chair Kralik: I think if we have three, I think that’s fine. I mean I will be administerial in my signature on it based on my confidence in all three members that would be on the subcommittee. So, if we could add former Chair Stinger to that, that would be great. Commissioner Lee: Ok. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Savage, your thoughts. Commissioner Savage: Oh, well, it’s certainly the right direction. I’m wondering how far we should take that letter. I mean do we suggest the consideration of a ban of vaping devices and products? Commissioner Lee: I mean was talk about changes to laws and regulations. I think we can keep it high level like that would be my recommendation. Chair Kralik: Well, what I like about what Commissioner Stinger said is we don’t want to be out there. We want to be relying on things that have been brought to us and studied. Inside this prevention, slide are very specific steps that we suggest the City Council looks at. Among them is implementing laws and regulations to restrict assess. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think if and how this goes forward to the City Council allows staff in whatever capacity to the City sees what options are open to the City, what the City can do, what the City can regulate, what is the responsibility of a county entity as well, and I don’t think the Commission has all of that information. So, I would say leaving it more vague allows you to explore more areas than being very specific. Commissioner Lee: I mean the vagueness issue is not necessarily limiting in the sense because what it does is it identifies a preventive step which is what the slide does. Then you rely on the smarts of the City Council Members and the staff to help them build consensus and address it. I mean to me, the most important thing to say to them is this is an emergency and we really implore you to take steps to address it. Here’s what we heard and this is a pretty studied effort of people on the front lines of this phenomenon. Let me just ask this question because I mean this always comes up but if you’re looking at CNBC and you get a representative from the vaping industry group and it’s made up of companies that have vaping equipment. They’ll argue these issues that ok, we’ve got so many jobs, we’ve got so many companies and other things like that. The question I would have for the Commission is do you feel like writing this letter is in any way lacking that input? I mean it just seems to me that it’s a pretty open and shut case of vulnerable kids being taken advantage of and suffering health effects. I mean no kids should have to vape and suffer health effects and put them in the paper as a statistic. You know that’s just not right. I mean that’s not good policy in any event. Personally, I mean they can make their arguments to the Council with the Council proposes laws. Don’t you feel that that would be something they ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 35 of 60 could do? I’m not trying to exclude them; I’m just saying we want to hear their input. I mean a lot of arguments have been made that vaping helps adults stop smoking. I don’t have any statistics on that. Flavors are important like flavors of wine. That’s what I’ve heard on the tv. I mean there so many of these arguments that are made but if anyone feels like this letter is too quick, go ahead and speak. Commissioner Savage. Commissioner Savage: I would like to have a conversation with the school Resources Officers and see what they have observed before the letter is written. Female: (inaudible – spoke from the audience) Chair Kralik: Ok so Commissioner Stinger and I are on the initiative group for this particular item. I don’t know if that was something that was in your bailiwick Commissioner Stinger, but you don’t have any issues with myself or yourself going out and trying interview people who are affected by this? Commissioner Stinger: No. Are you talking about conflict of interest or? Chair Kralik: No, you know one of the things that you do so beautifully in the LGBTQ round is you bring together the right people to hold a caucus about this issue. I mean is that something that you think we should take as a next step? Would that be answering Commissioner Savage? In other words, get the inputs from the key people. Commissioner Stinger: Yes that might be a good next step. I’d like to hear what you find out from the school district because this is to the extent that we’re talking about teens. We would want to have them at the table. Chair Kralik: So, I mean we could insert into this letter something that says while we are only at the start of our study of the issue and have a number of follow up steps including interviewing participants of or affected parties. Commissioner Stinger: I think that would be a good idea. Chair Kralik: We wanted you to be aware of what we feel is an emergency and requiring emergency attention. Commissioner Stinger: Yes. Chair Kralik: Ok, is that’s something that can be worked in. Ok so we’ve had a discussion, I wanted to just ask Steve if you could please slowly… Commissioner Lee: I’ve been revising it while we’re talking. Chair Kralik: Revise that motion. MOTION RESTATED ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 36 of 60 Commissioner Lee: I may have missed the last part but I’ll read it slowly and correct me as we go. So, this would be the motion: The City of Palo Alto Human Relations Commission “Commission” believes that teen vaping constitutes an emergency public health epidemic affecting Palo Alto youth which required immediate and broad support and action from the City. Therefore, the Commission formally asks the City Council to immediately direct Staff to work with the Commission, Youth Council, PAUSD, and community partners to address this epidemic in a comprehensive and timely manner that explores changes to laws, regulations, and enforcement and to explore preventative, educational and outreach efforts and explores additional funding for treatment and other related services. The Commission authorizes Commissioners Lee, Savage and Stinger to draft a letter on behalf of the Commission and signed by the Chair that sights as much data as possible. The Commission further authorizes an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of some people to explore… Chair Kralik: Well… Commissioner Lee: So, I missed that last part. Chair Kralik: Yes, it’s Commissioner Savage and Stinger… Commissioner Lee: Of Savage. Chair Kralik: … and myself I guess too. Commissioner Lee: Savage, Stinger, and Kralik to explore other options or to continue its work? To… Chair Kralik: To interview stakeholders on this issue… Commissioner Lee: To interview… Chair Kralik: …and to learn more about it. Commissioner Lee: To interview stakeholders and learn more about this issue. Chair Kralik: Ok. I’ll second that motion. Any further discussion? Commissioner Lee: I can email this to you. Chair Kralik: Any further discussion? Not hearing any I’ll ask everyone to vote. All in favor? Carries unanimously. Thank you very much for that discussion and item. Thank you for your patience to the members of the public. MOTION PASSED 5-0 WITH COMMISSIONER SMITH AND COMMISSIONER REGEHR ABSENT. 3. Finalization of 2019/2020 HRC Liaison Assignments ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 37 of 60 Chair Kralik: The finalization of the liaison assignments is next. I just wanted to let the Commissioners know, here, that I have filled in on the Project Safety Net. As a Mental Health Hearing Officer, that’s something that I think would work well with my interests. So, looking at that liaison and Council buddies is on the back. For some reason there’s only Steven listed as being a buddy with two of the Council Members. Commissioner Lee: I could be a buddy to the entire Council… (crosstalk) Ms. van der Zwaag: That’s all I heard back. Commissioner Lee: …if you want me too. Chair Kralik: I’ve been the buddy of Lydia Kou and I’m happy to do that again. Does anyone else want to… Commissioner Lee: Did you want to be the liaison to the Mayor since you’re Chair? Chair Kralik: You know what, that’s ok. Anybody else want to be the liaison to the Mayor? Commissioner Savage? So that… (many people started talking at once off mic) Chair Kralik: So that’s… Ms. van der Zwaag: Can you… Chair Kralik: …Mayor Filseth… Ms. van der Zwaag: Was who? Chair Kralik: Its Commissioner Savage. Ms. van der Zwaag: Thank you. Chair Kralik: Commissioner DuBois? Nice guy, visits here often. How about Qifeng, would you like to do that? Commissioner Xue. Adrian Fine? A wonderful – he’s an architect is he or is he an engineer? Commissioner Lee: Planning Chair Kralik: Planning? Commissioner Lee: He has a planning background. Chair Kralik: Planning background. Anybody know him or want to be his buddy? Ok. Commissioner Lee: I’ll be his buddy if no one wants him. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 38 of 60 Commissioner Stinger: Well, we have to assign Commissioner Lee: If you let me if no one wants him. Chair Kralik: I think we should probably assign Pastor Smith to Mr. Fine and Tanaka we’ll assign to Commissioner Regehr, ok? Fair enough? Ms. van der Zwaag: I don’t see Commissioner Stinger on… Commissioner Stinger: Kou, I’m sorry. Ms. van der Zwaag: Kou. Chair Kralik: Oh, that was me, that was me. Ms. van der Zwaag: That was the Chair. Commissioner Stinger: Oh, I’m sorry. Chair Kralik: Would you like to do Council Member Cormack… Commissioner Lee: Yes, you can take one of mine. Chair Kralik: …in Steven’s place? Commissioner Stinger: Sure. Chair Kralik: Ok, so that would be Stinger. So, let me read it out, it’s got Commissioner Lee is with Council Member Kniss, Commissioner Savage with Mayor Filseth, Commissioner Xue with Council Member DuBois, Commissioner Smith with Council Member Fine, Commissioner Stinger with Council Member Cormack, Commissioner Kralik – that’s me – with City Council Member Kou, and Commissioner Regehr with Council Member Tanaka. So, we’ve filled that in and Minka, what about other Emerging Needs… Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes. Chair Kralik: … Funds, application review? Can you talk about that? Ms. van der Zwaag: I would, thank you very much, Chair. So, as you know we have an Emerging Needs Fund, excuse me, and the changes suggested by staff and the HRC passed the City Council on the Consent Calendar several weeks ago. I sent out a Notice of Funding Availability, our kind of low key way to local non-profits. Tomorrow is the deadline so it will be very interesting to see given the expansion of the application types if we get any more applications in for this year. Each time it came up I’d say hey, do I have two people that are interested in doing it? This year I’d really like to have the same two people and the reason is this. One of the big changes to the policy is that emergency needs have priority. So, emergency needs ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 39 of 60 have priority and then it’s critical needs and then it’s emerging needs. But as part of this process in the first cycle we may get eight applications for emerging needs and we don’t have a cent left for an emergency that happens 5-months from now. So, my direction to this group, there will be a little bit ok, we got eight applications. Let’s think critically about our full funding allocation for the year. What seems really important? Maybe we don’t say no to some of these agencies but we say hey, we’re not going to fund this right now but we will consider it again either in the next quarter, in the last quarter when we see how much funding. There’s going to be some real need to have the same people on this subcommittee the whole year so you have that continuity of knowledge. So that is two Commissioners and I’d have to find one colleague who is willing to serve on that the whole year. I’m the facilitator of the process. So, I am looking for two Commissioners who are interested in serving… Chair Kralik: Do we have anybody that was interested? Ms. van der Zwaag: Well, Steven put his hand up 10-minutes ago. Chair Kralik: Yes. Commissioner Lee: Two months ago, I think. Chair Kralik: Right, is there another person… (crosstalk) Ms. van der Zwaag: So, we’re looking for two Commissioners. Chair Kralik: …that would be willing to do this? Ms. van der Zwaag: I would prefer that these would be day time meetings… Commissioner Lee: That’s fine. Ms. van der Zwaag: …and that also, I’m happy to have someone join by Zoom video or just Zoom phone to make it happen. Chair Kralik: You know one of the things that I would say is I want to be sure that everyone has some connection here. I do not see Commissioner Regehr on here and so I think that’s important. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think it is important though that there are folks that have knowledge of the local non-profits community and have served on like HSRAP or CDBG I’s not at the same high level, but it is helpful in such a quick process because CDBG/HSRAP there’s like several meetings. That it’s a person who comes in with an intuitive knowledge of non-profits, how they work, why they need funding, just so as staff that would be most helpful to me. Chair Kralik: I know I served on emerging needs. Ms. van der Zwaag: So, the Chair has served on it, Commissioner Lee has served on it, Commissioner Stinger has served on it, Commissioner Smith has served on it. So those are the current Commissioners for last year served on it to the best of my recollection. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 40 of 60 Chair Kralik: Commissioner Stinger, what is your thought process about serving on this? Commissioner Stinger: I really don’t have the bandwidth right now to do that. Chair Kralik: Ok, that’s fine. Yes, no, that’s fine. Vice Chair Qifeng: I’m willing to… Chair Kralik: Ok, Commissioner Xue will do that. Ok, that’s great. Alright, so let me just make a couple other changes. Ms. van der Zwaag: So, it’s Commissioner Lee and Commissioner Xue? Chair Kralik: Xue. I’m going to write that down. I have Commissioner Savage and Commissioner Smith as the Palo Alto Police Department liaisons. Commissioner Lee: So, the police department, should that merit the initiative for that because I think there was two-plus myself. Do we want to mirror… Chair Kralik: Well, I’ll tell you, let me start with just walking down this and then we can take your comment. So, we have those two and that’s great to have two. Commissioner Lee is on Avenidas. I had volunteered for Project Safety Net but not seeing Commissioner Regehr in any of these, I would like to add her name there. Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok. Chair Kralik: I will do the Mediation Program. I’ve been a mediator so I know that program really well and Healthy Cities. This is Commissioner Xue’s second choice so what I would say is we’ll just list Commissioner Stinger on that one. Since Senior and Dementia Friendly Cities is Commissioner Xue’s first choice, we’re going to make him that person as the liaison and I will bow out of that… Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok. Chair Kralik: …and then Lee and Xue. So it ends up with Commissioner Lee in Avenidas and in the emerging needs, Commissioner Xue has his top choice of Dementia Friendly Cities and emerging needs, Commissioner Stinger is on Healthy Cities, Commissioner Savage is on the Police Department, Commissioner Smith on the Police Department, Commissioner Regehr is on Project Safety Net, and I’m on the Mediation Program. So, that’s my proposal. Steven, go ahead. Commissioner Lee: I’d make some additional changes to it, so I think when we did the work plan for the police initiative, we added myself in addition to Commissioners Savage and Smith. So, if we don’t mind, if we could just mirror the work plan one with respect to liaisons. Chair Kralik: I mean that doesn’t bother me. I mean any other comments about that? Is that… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 41 of 60 Commissioner Lee: Is that too – I mean… Chair Kralik: I mean I’m going to have Commissioner Savage be the lead. Commissioner Lee: Yes, that’s fine. Chair Kralik: Ok and then Commissioner… Commissioner Savage: My preference is two people is better than three but if that’s what you want. Commissioner Lee: Yes, I mean we’re working on it as a Committee right, of three? So, you can be the main liaison, like the primary liaison. Chair Kralik: Yeah, primary, and then… Commissioner Lee: Secondary. Chair Kralik: How do you list the other persons underneath the primary? As alternates? Ms. van der Zwaag: We’ve never really listed… Chair Kralik: No, I think it’s an alternate. Ms. van der Zwaag: If there’s more than one, we just have the people listed there. We’ve never really identified someone as the lead. We know who’s the lead but it’s not like it’s specifically written that way. Chair Kralik: Well, my suggestion for the Commission is to have a primary liaison and have alternates. So, we’ll list Commissioner Smith and Commissioner Lee as alternates, Commissioner Savage is the primary. That does not occur anywhere else on this list. Commissioner Lee and Xue share responsibilities on the emergent needs. Commissioner Lee: One… Ms. van der Zwaag: So, what does that mean to be an alternate in your estimation Chair? Chair Kralik: Well, I mean the primary liaison wants coverage of the key meetings and if the primary liaison can’t show up, the alternates would show up. The alternates are always welcome to every meeting. Commissioner Stinger: Ok, that’s reasonable. Chair Kralik: That’s all. Commissioner Lee: Well, the police don’t really have a meeting we go to. It would just be… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 42 of 60 Ms. van der Zwaag: Microphone, sir. Commissioner Lee: They don’t really have a meeting that we can go too, right the police department? It would be more just interpersonal. Commissioner Stinger: No, I would arrange a meeting. Chair Kralik: Right and so I think basically you’re in the loop and there’s a primary and the alternates can show up to the meetings. If there’re coverage issues like someone’s having a meeting, and for example Commissioner O’Nan, she would email me and she would say you know what, I’m the primary on this but I can’t make this meeting. Could you go for me? Commissioner Lee: So, we’re not going to reschedule if for the alternates. Chair Kralik: Yes and send me some notes. Commissioner Lee: That’s fine. Chair Kralik: She did that and it worked out really well. I’m pretty sure I was an alternate. I’m almost certain of it. Commissioner Stinger: I recall asking you ask an alternate… Chair Kralik: Alternate right? Commissioner Stinger: … when I couldn’t, yes. Chair Kralik: Yeah, you did. With those… Commissioner Lee: For Avenidas I wanted to ask the Vice Chair since you’re obviously very passionate about senior issues. If you want to either be an alternate on that or be the primary to Avenidas because I know you’re very passionate about seniors’ issues? So, did you want to tag- team Avenidas with me or? Vice Chair Qifeng: Yes, I’m open so if more than one can… Commissioner Lee: Want to be the alternate on that? Ok. Chair Kralik: Ok. Alright, anything else Steven? Commissioner Lee: Could I request that Commissioner Smith be the alternate on the Mediation Program he too has very good relationships with… Chair Kralik: That’s exciting to me so sure, absolutely. Commissioner Lee: Great. Those are the only changes. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 43 of 60 MOTION Chair Kralik: Anybody else? Ok so with those changes that we have made I’m going to move that we adopt this liaison and Council buddies document as discussed. SECOND Commissioner Lee: Second. Chair Kralik: Any discussion? Commissioner Lee: Minka, do you want this copy? Ms. van der Zwaag: I have it. Commissioner Lee: Ok, ok. Chair Kralik: All in favor? MOTION PASSED 5-0 WITH COMMISSIONER SMITH AND COMMISSIONER REGEHR ABSENT. 4. Statues updates on Work plan Initiatives Chair Kralik: Ok, we’ll move forward, statues updates on work plan Initiatives. I just open the floor to any of our work plan participants to give us any status updates. Commissioner Stinger: Was this in answer to the question of timeline development? Chair Kralik: That could be an update, sure. Commissioner Stinger: Ok. Well, maybe I think if we just go down the sheet, I’ll start with the Complete Census in the County 2020. I put down October/November ’19 is when if I understood the question right it is when we first plan to be presenting a work plan not as a first draft but as final report so we would kick start our Committee October/November 2019. Ms. van der Zwaag: How I saw this was and the Chair can say if that’s what he would like. Is if there’s a framework – we’ll be starting to work on this in the fall, so that’s helpful for a work plan. What’s also helpful is when is your goal to first come to the HRC to be able to discuss it because if I’m looking at this and you’re working towards a certain goal and I can see that there’s 12 items on the December agenda. Then that’s a discussion point that the Chair and the Vice Chair and I can have with you all at a meeting or between meetings and so forth. Does that work for you Chair? Chair Kralik: Yes, no, that’s a great approach. What I think Minka is saying is just give us a target as to when you want to first begin to discuss this. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 44 of 60 Commissioner Stinger: Since the census is April/February/March, would be when… Chair Kralik: Ok, great. Commissioner Stinger: … is when we’d begin working with groups in March/April. Ms. van der Zwaag: But in October/November is when you’d bring some ideas to the HRC for the first time or February/March you would do so? Commissioner Stinger: No, October/November. Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok. Commissioner Stinger: Would be our start. Ms. van der Zwaag: Just wanted to clarify. Chair Kralik: What I’m going to do just to move this along is if there is a lead presenter on any work plan initiative, we’ll just ask as we go down that the lead discuss. If you look at the second two on the first page, Regehr and Smith are not here. So, we’ll keep moving to LGBTQ+, that’s Lee and Stinger, so any updates from Commissioners Lee and Stinger on timeframe? Commissioner Stinger: I suggest January/February. Chair Kralik: Ok, we have a January… Commissioner Lee: I think February. Chair Kralik: February of 2020. Gender equity, Commissioner Lee. We had a nice speaker tonight who passionately spoke about issues and things that need to be addressed. Commissioner Lee: I’ll address that in Commissioner communications specifically. It’s more of a comment as opposed to a discussion. Chair Kralik: Ok so any time frame updates on that yet? Commissioner Lee: Well, the Policy and Services Committee has rescheduled CEDAW again from October to sometime in 2020. Chair Kralik: Ok so we’re thinking maybe January at this point? Commissioner Lee: Well, we don’t know. Ms. van der Zwaag: I don’t have a date. It was taken off the November agenda but I don’t have a new date yet. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 45 of 60 Chair Kralik: Ok so that’s to be determined, alright. Commissioner Xue, Senior Community, connecting seniors to the community to provide education about how to live the good life. Vice Chair Qifeng: Yes, so I did some initial research regarding the timeline. Surprisingly, around this area, there has not been too much activity. So, the closer one is in San Francisco or Castro Valley. I will try to arrange some kind of either a seminar or a formal discussion. My timeframe, I’m thinking about either January or February so we’ll see how it goes. Chair Kralik: Ok, that’s fine. The next one is immigrating wellbeing living in sanctuary communities. I was watching a debate this evening and the Mayor of South Bend was talking about how South Bend had established identification for immigrants that is run by the City. I thought that was a very unique idea. He’s talking about welcoming people and that was just one of the thoughts that I had come up with. I’d like to push that past the fall timeframe because I’d like to hear some of the more ideas that have been tried on that issue. So, I’m thinking mostly in February or March timeframe. It needs a little study. The goal of this is really to stand up and make us a resource for immigrants and it’s ok to stand up to say I’m for a Sanctuary City. The county has a Sanctuary County and being a welcoming community. Not addressing the overall issue but just addressing the people that we see in front of us who need services and trying to get to the bottom of how do they get them? I thought the ID Program was a very interesting start, but I do want to look at some other models first before I begin. I want to identify speakers so I said February. I think that’s probably enough time for me to do that. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think you did and we had a private communication. Palo Alto is not a Sanctuary City so maybe there could be… Chair Kralik: We debated that point. Ms. van der Zwaag: We debated and I checked and the Council has never made any determination that Palo Alto is a Sanctuary City. Chair Kralik: Well, I… Ms. van der Zwaag: So, we’ll just need to look a little bit of language on this. Chair Kralik: I’m going to disagree with you and vehemently so because I think it’s a little bit outrageous to suggest it. They are and… Ms. van der Zwaag: Well, they’ve never passed anything that declares Palo Alto... Chair Kralik: If a police officer is not cooperating with ICE and they feel that that is something… Ms. van der Zwaag: Right, maybe defacto... Chair Kralik: …that the City allows. Ms. van der Zwaag: …but not – I hear your reasoning. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 46 of 60 Chair Kralik: Ok and we’re talking about legal topics of defacto but in reality… Ms. van der Zwaag: No. Chair Kralik: … we don’t participate and I’m not debating that point. I mean I’m conservative, I’ll admit that I don’t think that’s the right approach but what I’m saying by this item is you’ve made that decision. Our politicians have made that decision and now it’s up to us to live with that decision. We have people on the ground that are here that can’t access services and my heart goes out to them. I think they need support. Ok, Commissioner Lee on Homelessness. Commissioner Lee: I met with two staffers from the County’s Office of Supportive Housing and coordinating with Minka. Those two staffers are available to come to our November meeting to give us an overview of what the latest point in time count numbers indicates. As well as some other numbers that the county collects as well as just general trends that they’re seeing, what they are seeing other cities and jurisdictions doing and just general recommendations. So, a very comprehensive update on homelessness and what different jurisdictions are doing and what we can possibly do in Palo Alto. So that one is tentatively November if that works with Staff and the leadership team. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Savage on Public Safety. Commissioner Savage: We have not – thank you. We have not met but I am thinking by January we’ll be able to report back with something. Chair Kralik: Public Health, we are already addressing the issue of vaping and that was today, but Commissioner Stinger is on Items One and Three. Commissioner Stinger: I’d like to propose March/April. I think we need that timeframe to get into a budget cycle. Chair Kralik: Ok, we’ll move forward… Ms. van der Zwaag: Right. I’m as staff I’m hoping a little earlier to see if I could make a push to do some type of Human Services Needs Assessment. Commissioner Stinger: So that would be February/March or January/February? Ms. van der Zwaag: I don’t know, I need to look into it a little bit more. We can work in tandem but I know the length of time such a study takes and I think getting started as soon as possible. So, next time you and I meet on another topic maybe we can just stay a little bit longer and talk about this. Commissioner Stinger: Great. Chair Kralik: Child Care, Commissioner Lee. Commissioner Lee: I haven’t had a chance to – I think we’re meeting next Friday but I think ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 47 of 60 potentially it may be ready in December and it’s not like we have anything in December. So, assuming our conversations go well and we’re all synced, potentially December. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Stinger, Ethnicity and Inclusion. Commissioner Stinger: I’m probably ready to wrap that up tonight pretty much. Chair Kralik: Ok. Commissioner Lee on Housing. Commissioner Lee: For that, we’ll probably have an update in the new year and it's looking more programmatic than policy so it may just be a quick item. Chair Kralik: Disabilities, Commissioner Lee. Commissioner Lee: Is that under the recreation? Chair Kralik: Equity and access, facilities, and program for disabilities. Right there. Commissioner Lee: So, the… Chair Kralik: ADA Survey. Commissioner Lee: I think the ADA Transition Plan, it was supposed to be seen this month by Council but I think it’s been postponed. So, let’s just assume January/February. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Stinger on Communications with Council. It makes me happy that you’re now on the letter-writing Committee for vaping. I mean that’s a continuing… Commissioner Stinger: I think that’s ongoing. Chair Kralik: Yes, that’s continuing. HRC Visibility Promoting Activities? Just a quick comment there. Every time I pick up the Palo Alto Weekly it says nothing about the HRC and its agenda. I just wonder is that something that is… Ms. van der Zwaag: Are you talking about the agenda or are you talking about just what we’re doing? If it’s the agenda… Chair Kralik: Well, we publish the agenda to our Commission Members. Ms. van der Zwaag: No, no, the Weekly asks for our agenda and often if our agenda is still in flux by the time they have a deadline. So, this week as for an example, our agenda was in flux from Friday to Monday so it missed the Weekly’s… Chair Kralik: Well, only one topic of the agenda. I mean in all due respect; I mean only one topic of the agenda on CEDAW was in flux. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 48 of 60 Ms. van der Zwaag: Right, I hear you there. I’d have to talk just as far as our Clerk’s Office what happens if not all the topics are listed because it was going one way to the other. So, if we have something that will be discussed that isn’t listed there that’s an issue that the Clerk’s Office needs to give me comment on. If they’d rather that I didn’t send anything out, then have an incorrect agenda because it is a public… Chair Kralik: Have we ever published our agenda? Ms. van der Zwaag: We certainly do. Chair Kralik: How often is it in the Weekly? Ms. van der Zwaag: The majority of the time it’s in the Palo Alto Weekly. Chair Kralik: Ok. Ms. van der Zwaag: We’re on a first-name basis with the reporter who we sent it to. Chair Kralik: If you’re doing your level best, I don’t have any complaints. Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok, we’re doing our level best. Chair Kralik: Media Training, Commissioner Stinger. Commissioner Lee: So, did we skip the Parks and Rec Programing? Chair Kralik: Yes, on purpose because Commissioner Regehr is the lead. Did you want to talk about it? Commissioner Lee: Oh, we’re both listed as the co-leads on that. Chair Kralik: Lovely, go right ahead. Commissioner Lee: Some Commissioner Regehr and myself met with Kristen O’Kane during the summertime and she indicated that her department – well, she represented to this Commission that one of her priorities is to ensure that our Parks and Recreational Programming are accessible to folks of all abilities. They currently are putting together a draft Work plan to that effect and she indicated that would be available to the Commission in either October/November timeframe. I have an outstanding email with her to see if she might be available. I would imagine October is freer than November at this point. Chair Kralik: That’s great with me, I have no trouble with it. Commissioner Lee: I don’t know if she’s ready. When I suggested November, she seemed to suggest that it might be earlier than November so if she’s available… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 49 of 60 Ms. van der Zwaag: I can’t speak to that. Commissioner Lee: I’ll check with her and see if she’s available, what – October/November is when she’d be ready. Chair Kralik: Ok and we can update it at the next meeting or with Staff. Commissioner Stinger on Media Training. Commissioner Stinger: I think each of these, the communications, the visibility, and the media training which frames how we communicate need to be ongoing. We’ll take some baby steps and then become more knowledgeable as we go through the year. Chair Kralik: Yes, I have a suggested speaker for you on the media training so I’ll give that to you. Commissioner Stinger: I’d appreciate that, thank you. Chair Kralik: Ok, Space Needs? Commissioner Lee: No timing at this point. Chair Kralik: Ok, great. 5. Planning for the joint HRC/Council Study Session on October 21, 2019, and selection of ad hoc planning committee MOTION Chair Kralik: Alright, so we’ll move along to planning for the joint HRC/Council Study Session on October 21st, selection of Ad Hoc Planning Committee. I’m going to make a quick proposal, see if it can gain consensus. I’m going to ask former Chairs Savage and Stinger, to lead this up as a subcommittee. Anybody have any difficulty with that? Ok, I’ll make… Commissioner Lee: Sorry, which one are you on again? Commissioner Savage: Are you asking for topics or? Chair Kralik: No, we’re on Number Five, planning for the joint… Commissioner Savage: Right. Chair Kralik: …HRC/Council Study Session on October 21st. So, in planning the meeting with Council, a couple things hit me with that and why I’m proposing it is if you look at our work plan. I think this fits within the Communication with Council Item. That’s why I’m proposing this be part of that work plan. You can call it a subcommittee if you want to but essentially, you’re trying to create a Planning Committee that will work with Council Members on the study ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 50 of 60 session. I think given that both Commissioner Stinger and Commissioner Savage are on the Communication with Council work plan, I just propose that we appoint you to the Ad Hoc Planning Committee. Commissioner Stinger: I think that’s… Chair Kralik: Can I get a second on that motion? SECOND Commissioner Savage: Yes, I second. Chair Kralik: Ok then discussion. Commissioner Stinger. Commissioner Stinger: I think the precedent is that leadership presents and I really feel that we have a philosophy that is yours and it needs to read I’ll say dress rehearsal, the pre-meeting with Mayor and Vice Mayor. It’s sort of… Chair Kralik: Well, I like that idea but I’m humble and frankly, the role of the Chair and leadership is a role that is assigned by vote of the Commission Members but yet, the history, the continuity of the HRC would be lost. Both Commissioner Xue and I are new members for all practical purposes and I don’t want to lose that continuity. Moreover, I think it’s really the work plan item and my egis, if there is any, over this issue was to create that work plan item that you’re assigned too. So, I feel that your seniority, your history, and your involvement in this community should be recognized and credited. So, call it what you will but I’m humble enough to say that you guys are certainly capable of doing this and I think losing that continuity I just wouldn’t want to do. Commissioner Savage: No, I think we can adequately fulfill that if that’s alright with you Commissioner Stinger? Commissioner Stinger: I appreciate the vote of confidence. Chair Kralik: Ok. Commissioner Savage: So, the two of us would meet with the Mayor and Vice Mayor? Is that… Chair Kralik: However, that works, staff would take care of that. Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes. Chair Kralik: It’s a Planning Committee. Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes, it would be pretty unprecedented for the Chair not to be there. Just… Chair Kralik: I can be part of the subcommittee if it’s to unprecedented for you. If it’s too ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 51 of 60 shocking and stunning I’m happy to do that. Ms. van der Zwaag: I’m just saying in my years working I’ve never gone forward to a study session where a member of the leadership team wasn’t there as well. But you know there’s no rule, there’s no rule there. Chair Kralik: Let me hear from Commissioner Xue and see what he has to say because I certainly would want to credit your… Vice Chair Qifeng: Yes, I hear both sides. I feel it’s ok. I would support Chair Kralik so I’m comfortable with both Commissioners to take that initiative. Chair Kralik: Ok, very good. So, we have a second and this discussion is done. We’ll have a vote, all in favor of the subcommittee say aye? Ok, we have a unanimous – ok. MOTION PASSED 5-0 WITH COMMISSIONER SMITH AND COMMISSIONER REGEHR ABSENT. Commissioner Lee: Can I just make an additional comment… Chair Kralik: Oh, lovely, go right ahead. Commissioner Lee: … or suggestion? To the extent that we can, in our joint meeting with the Council, get some further clarification from them in terms of their expectations, their preferences, and style? My reading of the Municipal Code gives us very broad tools at our disposal. Some have and some have not been exercised in recent years and I’d be very interested in the Council’s preferences in terms of the tools that we utilize to fulfill our particular purpose. Chair Kralik: Ok, thanks. 6. Consideration of HRC organizing with the Recreation Division a Movie in the Park event for National Bullying Prevent Month (October) Chair Kralik: You’re on the next item Steven so go right ahead with Item Number Six; consideration of organizing a recreation division Movie in the Park event for the National Bullying Prevention Month. Commissioner Lee: I’ll try to be quick so this came out of the Recreation Department along with – is it Family Community Services, Valerie? Hosted a movie night, Matilda, for Pride Month this past summer and as I was thanking one of the staff members through email I asked these questions. So, what is involved in terms of planning this event and how might we suggest things to the Recreation Department? I said, for example, you know October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Might it be possible to put together a Movie in the Park night like we did for pride and they said that they were fully on board with it as long as the Commission wanted to do it. They would provide the staffing and the equipment, we just have to do the flyer and publicity which, if the Commission… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 52 of 60 Ms. van der Zwaag: Right, they would logistics but the Commission would have to be responsible for doing everything else. Commissioner Lee: Yes, yes, and so I think that this is a great opportunity to do something simple but perhaps effective, start conversations within families about bullying. I know former Commissioner Brahmbhatt was very interested in bullying and so this is in her spirit I thought that this might be a good way to do it. We could invite a lot of the community groups that address bullying. We have a lot of resources in this community that we could have table at the event. Chair Kralik: Steven, isn’t this part of the work plan on Children? I mean I don’t know if that’s something that… Commissioner Lee: I did discuss with Commissioner Regehr offline and she was very much in support of it. I know Children is her initiative, right? I believe. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think a very specific aspect. Commissioner Lee: Yes, so this wasn’t (crosstalk) eluding… Chair Kralik: I mean there’s another one like Child Care, that’s something that we talked about. Commissioner Lee: I don’t think was originally anticipated under the work plan that we passed but as I was thinking about it and being inspired by Commissioner Brahmbhatt’s prior interest. I thought this would be a simple thing to do. Chair Kralik: Would this increase visibility of the HRC in anyway Commissioner Stinger, do you think? Commissioner Stinger: Yes but I would use it as a vehicle to give the Commission visibility but it would not be an action plan. I wouldn’t do it to get visibility. Chair Kralik: It’s certainly part of our initiative, right? Commissioner Stinger: Yes. Chair Kralik: I mean it’s within our work plan general initiatives. I’m in full support of Steven’s goal here. Any other thoughts? Commissioner Stinger, your light is on. Commissioner Savage: Oh, I have a question. Can you be more specific what our responsibilities would be with this? Commissioner Lee: We could create the flyer, we would do the publicity, and to the extent that we want to invite community partners to table that would be up to us. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 53 of 60 Commissioner Savage: Ok, create the publicity is a big job and I think we’ve got enough on our plate quite honestly. Commissioner Lee: Well, I’m willing to volunteer my time to do all of it if I have the Commission’s blessing to do so. Chair Kralik: Ok, you’re going to take the lead and let me just hear from staff as Steven’s a joy to work with I know and I wonder if you would support that? If you feel that that’s something that could get done? Ms. van der Zwaag: If the Commissioner is able to support it in the level that he says that he is, I think that would be helpful. I think with other staff projects for most of the HRC events the Committee’s although very helpful it is very staff intensive to do the publicity for these events. So, if that happens, I would say yes. It also involves setting up that day, cleaning up that day. So, the City would say here’s the room, here’s the equipment, here’s a staff member to staff it that day, but all other aspects would be the responsibility of the Commission as I said to the Commissioner in the email. I mean it sounds like a really great thing to do but you need to have the bandwidth to do it and look at timing and other competing things that are happening at that time. Chair Kralik: Any other comments? Commissioner Stinger: I would agree. I’m very excited by what I read and by being out there, doing something with community partners. It is time-intensive to send out a lot of emails and make the personal contacts to get the publicity. I think if there were two lessons we learned from the two events that we had this year. One is to make sure Parks and Recs turn off the sprinklers and two, the marketing ahead of time. Chair Kralik: I mean is there other venues besides in the park that you might consider because the last time I attended a Movie in the Park with my kids I mean I came back with these huge welts of bugs. It was a local park that was used as a part-time dog park too and I mean the venue of the Art Center is a very safe venue that won’t get you bit by bugs. Ms. van der Zwaag: I would suggest strongly that it be a recreational facility because then we have the authority to staff time. If its another building in another division of the City that makes it a lot harder. So, I would… Chair Kralik: Help me understand your point because I don’t know… Ms. van der Zwaag: So, we have different division within our department that is in charge of different buildings. So, if it’s at the Art Center and Recreation is sponsoring it, then we would need to be responsible for paying their facility attendance. It’s a lot easier if it was just in one of our recreation buildings so that’s Cubberley, Lucie Stern, Mitchell Park or one of the parks. Chair Kralik: Oh, well those are fine places. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 54 of 60 Ms. van der Zwaag: In October I’d have a concern about a park. I think you’re a lot better off just like in a medium-size room in one of our community centers. Commissioner Lee: Yes, I mean we’ve talked about an inside location. Ms. van der Zwaag: Right and that was part of the discussion. Chair Kralik: I think if you’re in Mitchell Park they have those wonderful rooms that are part of the library. Is that something that’s available? Ms. van der Zwaag: I would say probably. The library is a different department so what I’m suggesting is that it be the Mitchell Park Community Center and not the Mitchell Park Library. I’m not sure if Commissioner Lee has identified dates with my colleague… Commissioner Lee: No. Ms. van der Zwaag: … but I think that if this is something that goes forward that would be the next discussion is to look at rooms and dates. I think the library if this is an evening event we’d have to see. As far as timing but I would strongly suggest it’s in a recreation facility. Chair Kralik: Ok, Steven, you have a lot of good suggestions here so any thoughts about framing a motion that we might go forward with? MOTION Commissioner Lee: I move that the Commission – is it endorsing? Endorse a movie night… Ms. van der Zwaag: It would be your event. When you endorse something, it’s someone’s event. Commissioner Lee: Gotcha, ok, so I move that the Commission… Ms. van der Zwaag: Organize. Commissioner Lee: … organize a movie night with the Recreation Division for National Bullying Month – Prevention Month in October. SECOND Chair Kralik: I’ll second the motion. Discussion? All in favor? It carries unanimously, thanks. MOTION PASSED 5-0 WITH COMMISSIONER SMITH AND COMMISSIONER REGEHR ABSENT. Commissioner Lee: Thank you very much, appreciate it. Chair Kralik: Good job for identifying that. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 55 of 60 V. REPORTS FROM OFFICIALS 1. Commissioner Reports Chair Kralik: We’ll move forward to Commissioner reports. I will differ to other Commissioner Members. We’ll start with Commissioner Savage. Commissioner Savage: No report from me. Chair Kralik: Ok. Commissioner Stinger? Commissioner Stinger: I have several reports. Welcome Weeks starts this week, it’s a Welcoming America Week, the family Y is the lead with Moon Festival being done by Avenidas this afternoon, the library doing reading hours, Media Center has stories, History Museum has walking tours, and it will close with a potluck on Saturday. I believe Minka sent out the email, we can all RSVP to join. There were a couple lessons learned by Commissioner Regehr and I trying to put together a walking tour of immigrant family-owned immigrant business. I’d like to share them at another time, I think not during Commissioner reports. Bridging the Divide is an event which the Commission endorsed I think last month and we are scheduled for a speaker at AME ZION on Wednesday, September 18th. Chair Kralik: How did that go over by the way? The motion of the Commission to support that series. Commissioner Stinger: It was considered “very reasonable and very much appreciated.” Thank you. Commissioner Lee: So, we did ok by them? Commissioner Stinger: Yes, we did ok. Chair Kralik: Great. Commissioner Stinger: We are very excited to have Professor Willer speak. I think he’ll be a fabulous speaker. I just got a note today from Dr. Brown who did our Being Different Together and he’s coming with his colleagues so I’m very excited. I encourage you all to RSVP and join. Chair Kralik: I think we can all learn from you. You have a knack for putting these things on Valerie. Thank you, thank you very much for that. Commissioner Stinger: Let me just finish with the LGBTQ Summit which was yesterday and Commissioner Lee and I are very excited by the results. We are moving ahead with transition planning to share leaderships so that there’ll be some ongoing effort to keep the group together. The most exciting thing that I heard yesterday and Steven, you’re going to want to weigh in was that the space at Avenidas, the café, the last Saturday of every month is going to be permanent and will be funded. There’s a… ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 56 of 60 Commissioner Lee: They’re working on a proposal for funding from the county. Commissioner Stinger: And that will be heard on September 24th and we are welcome to write letters, emails, just saying that we’re very appreciative, we think it’s going to be important. Just to confirm our support for this or we can… Chair Kralik: I really appreciated both you and Steven talking about the updates of this group. I don’t know if it makes sense guys but maybe we could put that on the agenda. Just a short presentation of the outcome of this meeting. Commissioner Stinger: Love it. Chair Kralik: Ok. Commissioner Stinger: That’s what I wanted to share for now. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Xue. Vice Chair Qifeng: Nothing to report this time. Chair Kralik: Commissioner Lee. Commissioner Lee: The other day I attended the September 11th interfaith Peace Picnic and Prayer out here on City Hall Plaza. I did just want to make a comment about that. I was in 8th grade on 9/11 and so most of my adult life has been framed in this post-9/11 world. I remember my first class of the day was US History and so learning about history and the Constitution and seeing how we treated Muslim-Americans in the wake of 9/11 has forever shaped who I am what my values are. I think it’s important for bodies like this Commission to make sure that in times of great national tragedy, when there’s a lot of fear, a lot of sadness out there, that we remain strong advocates for those who may not be so fortunate to have advocates. Chair Kralik: Was the interfaith service something that was done in honor of 9/11 or what? Commissioner Lee: Yes, it was a 9/11 interfaith/multi-faith peach picnic. Chair Kralik: Ok, recognizing the… Commissioner Lee: Yes and so I just wanted to make that comment that it’s particularly applicable to this Commission. I think we’ll certainly never forget the people who perished and served on that day, but we also must remember the mission that this Commission and to be advocates for those who may face discrimination or bigotry in the face of things like that. I’ll skip over the Welcome Week, LGBTQ. I attended the Policy and Services Committee meeting this past Tuesday where they began discussions on the Safe Parking Lot options. They are considering some sort of code amendment which may allow some of the churches that have expressed interest in having up to four vehicles in their lot to do so under I guess permitting or zoning rules. They’re looking into ways to signal to faith-based communities that it’s ok as a ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 57 of 60 more urgent matter but sort of long-term staff there is going to be looking into engaging with both private and public landowners to see what they can do there. Chair Kralik: Did you have any takeaway from the CDBG presentation and the question I asked about that? As to whether or not these groups, these faith-based groups could get funding for that. I mean is that something that… Commissioner Lee: Well, so there was this one group called Move Mountain View. Faith-based groups that do parking lots in Mountain View and do they provide services in Mountain View? Ms. van der Zwaag: The services are contracted through the Community Services Agency in Mountain View. So, I believe they oversee the lots and the county pays for the case management services provided by CSA Mountain View. Commissioner Lee: So, I don’t know if they are eligible to apply but there’s at least a non-profit entity in Mountain View that does the parking lot aspect of it. So, that’s something we could look into, certainly. Chair Kralik: And that would fall in your Housing Initiative, right? Commissioner Lee: Sure, yes, yes, absolutely. Chair Kralik: Great, keep on trucking. Commissioner Lee: Let’s see and I think at some point Council Member Tanaka had wanted to involve this Commission as well as Planning and Transportation and Parks and Rec in any sort of final parking lot program. I mean when they tried this a few years back it didn’t stick so he’s very committed to making sure that we really think it through. So, he’s very interested in having some of the advisory Boards, like ourselves, weigh in on it so hopefully the Council does that. Let’s see, this month is Suicide Prevention Awareness and Action Month. I just wanted to point that out. In line with our Homelessness Initiatives, I rode 18-miles on my bike for my LifeMoves Ride to End Homelessness. That was the first time I was on a bike in many years so riding 18- miles was pretty strenuous. I’m also jumping off a building on the 22nd for Downtown Street Team’s Downtown Drop Fundraiser. So, but… Chair Kralik: Just so the members of the public watching understand, this is – it has safety… Commissioner Lee: Yes, I’m safely repelling off a building. I’m not actually jumping off a building. Chair Kralik: Right, thank you. Commissioner Lee: Those are two agencies that… Chair Kralik: In case members of the public are starting to worry about you. Commissioner Lee: Or maybe they’re glad but they are two organizations that do great work in ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 58 of 60 Palo Alto and I’m happy to support them in my personal capacity with my body I guess; both biking and repelling off a building. Chair Kralik: That’s down in San Jose. Commissioner Lee: Down in San Jose, Adobe headquarters. Let’s see, the last thing that I want to point out is that this month – is it September? Last month was National Women’s Equality Day and I mentioned that I was going to talk about CEDAW briefly just to provide some context to the Commission. The Council passed it Resolution reaffirming our commitment to a welcoming, inclusive, protective community in December of 2016 asking the Commission to come back with recommendations in that vein. The Commission came back with a package of initiatives which Commissioner Stinger spent over a year I think working on and in that packet was CEDAW. That – the Commission passed that on February of 2018. It was supposed to be seen by Council, what April/May timeframe of 2018, it got postponed until October 2018, they finally saw it and referred it to Policy and Services and it’s been sitting on their docket since October 2018. It was supposed to be seen November and now it’s been rescheduled for sometime in 2020. So, I just wanted to provide a timeline and an update in light of the fact that last month was National Women’s Equality Day. We forward an equality initiative and still pending at the Council/Committee level. I think that’s it for now. 2. Council Liaison Report Chair Kralik: There’s no Council liaison present. 3. Staff Liaison Report Chair Kralik: So, Staff liaison report is next. Ms. van der Zwaag: I just wanted to give one follow-up from the last meeting in which there was consideration of relooking at the Endorsement Policy. There was a concern by a Commissioner who said it was voted down, why where we reconsidering it? Then there was recollection by some that the initial motion was to explore the concept so just that specific proposal was voted down. So, I looked into that and even though the language on both the agenda’s used language such as discuss the draft elements of an Endorsement Policy. That was the first time that the HRC talked about. The second time was discussion and draft input of an Endorsement and Guidelines and Procedures. So, that was just supposed to be input but there was a motion fielded that day. The motion that was fielded was on a very specific up or down on the draft. That didn’t get enough traction so that failed. So, the way in which the motion was worded essentially killed the whole thing. That means in its current form it can’t come back. I definitely think this is something to respect the vote that the HRC that this needs to take a break for a while. That doesn’t mean that at some time in the future an issue can’t come up again because that happens all the time at the HRC but in its current format it will not be coming back. Chair Kralik: Well there was a lot of effort, nice elements put together by Commissioner Stinger on this and certainly with her background and experience but one day we’ll give it another look. It’s dead right now so we have a work plan and the work plan is I think sufficient right now. ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 59 of 60 We’ve got our hands full. VI. TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR NEXT REGULAR MEETING: Thursday, October 10, 2019 Chair Kralik: The tentative agenda for regular meeting. I just want to say something. I think a lot of times, with respect to tentative agenda, we were worried in the past that you needed a second if you were going to bring something up. We have a very detailed work plan, we have leads, we have a second in commands, sometimes thirds in commands, and I think if anyone has a work plan and has an agenda item that they’re proposing that can go directly to Staff at this point. I don’t know that that needs a second. Ms. van der Zwaag: I think if it’s very much in keeping with the discussion that has happened already with the initiatives that are listed, I would say yes. If it’s something that… Chair Kralik: That’s outside of that… Ms. van der Zwaag: … outside of that then… Chair Kralik: …then I think you come in and you do that. Ms. van der Zwaag: Correct. Chair Kralik: So, I mean I guess it’s my perception that when I first came on the Commission there was a lot of jockeying for position at this point in these meetings. There were lists of various things that people wanted on an agenda 1-month and 2-months out. I think what the Work plan did and what I intended it to do is to give the support to people in a number of initiatives. So, they wouldn’t feel left out and they wouldn’t feel like they couldn’t get something agendize. So, that’s my initial comment on it but I’m open to hearing from other Commissioners about any agenda items for the next meeting and Staff. Commissioner Lee: So, what would be the process for something that’s not on the work plan, but is an unanticipated… Chair Kralik: Well, you did it in Number Six right, on this film. You know we couldn’t quite find it so I think I must have… Ms. van der Zwaag: That was a little outside of it because he really asked too late but we still put it on but it still is it needs a second and it really needs to be about 3-weeks ahead of time to be… Commissioner Lee: Ok so if it’s not on the work plan, it needs a second, ideally 3-weeks – looking forward 3-weeks beforehand. Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes, please. Chair Kralik: Sure, but I mean we’re supportive of one another and if something comes up, I ADA. The City of Palo Alto does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. To request accommodations, auxiliary aids or services to access City facilities, services or programs, to participate at public meetings, or to learn about the City's compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact 650-329-2550 (voice), or e-mail ada@cityofpaloalto.org . This agenda is posted in accordance with government code section 54954.2(a) or section 54956. Members of the public are welcome to attend this public meeting. Page 60 of 60 think we’re going to do what… Commissioner Lee: I appreciate you putting that on the agenda last minute. Thank you. Chair Kralik: Ok so is there any comments on agenda? I think we can set it with the leadership and staff. Ms. van der Zwaag: The only thing that I heard when I went back to your work plan discussion was maybe Parks and Rec and maybe Census. So, at this point that’s all we have unless there’s just a general Work plan update which… Commissioner Savage: We need to talk about the study session. Ms. van der Zwaag: Yes, thank you… Commissioner Savage: You know by that time… Ms. van der Zwaag: …for me reminding me of that. Commissioner Savage: Yes, that will take… Chair Kralik: We asked that an update to LGBTQ. Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok, I did not hear that. Chair Kralik: That was during that discussion with Commissioner Stinger. Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok, thank you. Commissioner Lee: If you need a backup, we can discuss this, but potentially Child Care may be ready in October but let’s discuss that next week when we meet. Ms. van der Zwaag: The what? I’m sorry. Commissioner Lee: Child Care. Child Care. Ms. van der Zwaag: Ok. Chair Kralik: Alright, so we’ll move onto adjournment. Commissioner Lee: If you need a backup. Chair Kralik: This is a pretty easy item. Thank you all. Is there anything else? Meeting is adjourned before 10 o’clock. VII. ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 9:55 p.m.