Loading...
The URL can be used to link to this page
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Home
My WebLink
About
2024-06-10 City Council Emails
701-32 DOCUMENTS IN THIS PACKET INCLUDE: LETTERS FROM CITIZENS TO THE MAYOR OR CITY COUNCIL RESPONSES FROM STAFF TO LETTERS FROM CITIZENS ITEMS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ITEMS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES ITEMS FROM CITY, COUNTY, STATE, AND REGIONAL AGENCIES Prepared for: 6/10/2024 Document dates: 6/3/2024 – 6/10/2024 Note: Documents for every category may not have been received for packet reproduction in a given week. From:Jackie Schneider To:Council, City; Clerk, City; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; greg@gregtanaka.org; Stone, Greer; Burt, Patrick;Veenker, Vicki; Kou, Lydia Cc:Jackie Schneider Subject:Palo Alto Rail Grade Proposal Concern!!! Date:Monday, June 10, 2024 11:45:20 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council Members: Recently you have been hearing from Seale Avenue and other Palo Alto residents who would be greatly impacted by the proposed Partial Underpass at Churchill, me included. I ask that you remove this item from the current agenda, and close future conversation of a Partial Underpass at Churchill. I imagine it seemed a creativealternative at the time it was presented. I also know how hard it is to publicly change our mind. Please don't get stuck. It would be a great disservice to you and our community. Your community too. The proposal served one group over others. Those who would be immediately and negatively impacted were not given an opportunity for the community to hear their voice. The safety of pedestrians and bicyclists have been noted, many timesover. No one believes a long tunnel, on Seale Avenue or any other block, is the right answer. We don’t agree that the Partial Underpass is the right answer for separating the rail grade from vehicular traffic. We don’t agree that a tunnel built on Seale Avenue is an answer. There are other modifications that would assist vehicle traffic flow on Alma and modifications to provide safety to pedestrians and cyclists alike. The flow of traffic, backups, safety from cars pulling out of driveways, eminent domain on Alma andSeale, removal of our trees (what Palo Alto is known for, hence a version of its Spanish name), $half billion-price tag that is most likely conservative, and more.... These issues have not been adequately considered although it is clear you have spoken about this. Please change the dialogue. Regards, Jackie Schneider Palo Alto resident From:Greg St.Claire To:Council, City Subject:Ramona Car Free Streets Date:Monday, June 10, 2024 11:20:53 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Council, I am the Owner of Nola located on the closed section of Ramona with a parklet that we have invested a lot of money and permitted all of the work done to date. I am urging you to extend the Interim Parklet program through March of 2025. Applying open streets regulations to closed street would be detrimental to sales and overall activity on this street. I am hoping we can settle on a more permanent solution so all the stakeholders on Ramona can feel confident in long term investment in businesses/properties. We have a unique opportunity to make this a really special place in Palo Alto. Again applying open street standards would be a step backwards for this area. The parklet fees should be charged and we are happy to pay them for use of the street. Thank you in advance, Greg St Claire Issue: Applicability of Ongoing Parklet Standards to Ramona Street – To best use space on a car-free street, staff will need to engage stakeholders and consultants to develop effective outdoor dining standards for car-free streets (as opposed to parklets which are designed to be sited next to vehicular traffic). Thus, staff is seeking Council approval to extend the Interim parklet program on the car-free portion of Ramona Street through March 2025. This will maintain status quo and ensure that parklet operators on the car-free street portion of Ramona will not have to rebuild their parklets to comply with standards meant for streets with vehicular traffic. Issue: Applicability of License Fees to Ramona Street – If Council does not approve the recommended changes to the interim ordinance, parklets on this portion of Ramona Street will nonetheless be required to pay the license fees for using the public right of way consistent with the Ongoing Parklets Program Regulations on July 1, 2024. They would also be required to redesign/modify their existing parklets to comply with standards meant for Packet_20240606234055269.pdf parklets on streets with vehicular traffic, which may not be appropriate nor necessary for a car-free street. Staff does not recommend this because it would require complying with standards designed for vehicular traffic and then another round of alterations to comply with potential future standards for outdoor dining on car-free streets. However, staff recommends proceeding with implementation of license fee requirements for the use of public space on Ramona Street. These funds will support the enhanced cleaning and enforcement requested by stakeholders as well as maintain consistency with other downtown businesses occupying public spaces. Greg St ClaireOwnerAvenir Restaurant Groupwww.avenir-rg.comwww.townsc.comwww.nolas.comwww.milagrosrc.comwww.alpineinnpv.com 650-631-8813 From:Mary Bussmann To:Council, City Subject:Re: Palo Alto Proposal Concern Date:Monday, June 10, 2024 10:46:11 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Stone and City Council Members: As a long standing resident of Palo Alto and Seale Avenue, as well as the Walter Hays Elementary School Principal for the last 16 years I have come to know the community very well. Safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers is extremely important. I am very concerned with the proposed Churchill Partial Underpass. It serves one group without consideration of others. I am not aware of any survey conducted to gain the priorities of the residents of Seale Avenue and surrounding areas. Yes, I do believe the safety of bicyclists is important, but not to the extent of impacting pedestrians and cars that need to regularly access these neighborhood streets. I am concerned that increased bicycle traffic will potentially put them in increased harm due to cars backing out of driveways. The width of Seale cannot manage both cars and bicyclists traveling in two different directions. This will affect the safety of all vehicles and pedestrians crossing at intersections. I rarely see cars and bicyclists fully stop at the intersections of Bryant and Seale, as well as Waverley and Seale. Many cyclists and cars travel at speed above 25 miles an hour and are both at fault for making our streets a hazard. Daily I hear bicyclists yelling at speeding cars not stopping at the intersections. Cars also honk at cyclists that don’t obey stop signs. This plan will only increase the dangers that are currently on our neighborhood streets. The proposed plan will: 1) Require the taking of private property via eminent domain (current drawings of property impacts are incomplete and do not reflect all impacted properties). When will the real drawings be revealed so residents can fairly and equitably see what the plan intentions will impact? 2) Eliminate needed street parking in the neighborhood and create congestion. There are many multi-family units that rely on street parking. In the proposed plan street parking will be eliminated? How is that equitable? For families that have multiple drivers where will they park their cars? Will this lower the value of our homes because we do not have access to street parking? Where will guests park when we have even small parties at our home? Parking on other side streets impact those streets as well. 3) Eliminate planting strips and trees on affected streets. Possible loss of property to accommodate sidewalks. Palo Alto itself is known for its trees and shade, hence a version of its Spanish name. This plan disregards this legacy. Again, will this affect property values? 4) Restrict access to residences and driveways. Currently, bicyclists traveling down Bryant Street have the right of way and in many instances take up ¾ of the street when several travel side by side. It is nearly impossible and unsafe to pass slow moving bicycles safely. 5) Put hundreds of students at risk by requiring them to pass through an underground tunnel at night. Yes, this may affect students, but the safety of anyone that travels in these tunnels at night. 6) Complicate vehicle and bicycle traffic flow. Traffic and speeding are the most significant problems in Palo Alto. This plan is not well organized and does not include the sentiments of the residents of the of these neighborhoods impacted its current structure. 7) Cost estimates of up to a few hundred million dollars. And who is paying for this poor proposal? What incentive do I have to agree to a plan that creates more unsafe streets, potentially lower house values, and does not address the true issues Palo Alto faces? Lower cost proposals with far less negative impact, such as the closure of Churchill to automobile traffic, have been inadequately considered. We ask the City Council to reject the recommendation of the Rail Committee. Palo Alto City Council please collaborate with the affected community to develop a more reasonable plan. Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers all deserve to travel city streets safely and securely every day! Sincerely, Mary Bussmann On Mon, Jun 10, 2024 at 10:23 AM Mary Bussmann <mrbussmann@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Palo Alto City Council : As a long standing resident of Palo Alto and Seale Avenue, as well as the Walter Hays Elementary School Principal for the last 16 years I have come to know the community very well. Safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers is extremely important. I am very concerned with the proposed Churchill Partial Underpass. It serves one group without consideration of others. I am not aware of any survey conducted to gain the priorities of the residents of Seale Avenue and surrounding areas. Yes, I do believe the safety of bicyclists is important, but not to the extent of impacting pedestrians and cars that need to regularly access these neighborhood streets. I am concerned that increased bicycle traffic will potentially put them in increased harm due to cars backing out of driveways. The width of Seale cannot manage both cars and bicyclists traveling in two different directions. This will affect the safety of all vehicles and pedestrians crossing at intersections. I rarely see cars and bicyclists fully stop at the intersections of Bryant and Seale, as well as Waverley and Seale. Many cyclists and cars travel at speed above 25 miles an hour and are both at fault for making our streets a hazard. Daily I hear bicyclists yelling at speeding cars not stopping at the intersections. Cars also honk at cyclists that don’t obey stop signs. This plan will only increase the dangers that are currently on our neighborhood streets. The proposed plan will: 1) Require the taking of private property via eminent domain (current drawings of property impacts are incomplete and do not reflect all impacted properties). When will the real drawings be revealed so residents can fairly and equitably see what the plan intentions will impact? 2) Eliminate needed street parking in the neighborhood and create congestion. There are many multi-family units that rely on street parking. In the proposed plan street parking will be eliminated? How is that equitable? For families that have multiple drivers where will they park their cars? Will this lower the value of our homes because we do not have access to street parking? Where will guests park when we have even small parties at our home? Parking on other side streets impact those streets as well. 3) Eliminate planting strips and trees on affected streets. Possible loss of property to accommodate sidewalks. Palo Alto itself is known for its trees and shade, hence a version of its Spanish name. This plan disregards this legacy. Again, will this affect property values? 4) Restrict access to residences and driveways. Currently, bicyclists traveling down Bryant Street have the right of way and in many instances take up ¾ of the street when several travel side by side. It is nearly impossible and unsafe to pass slow moving bicycles safely. 5) Put hundreds of students at risk by requiring them to pass through an underground tunnel at night. Yes, this may affect students, but the safety of anyone that travels in these tunnels at night. 6) Complicate vehicle and bicycle traffic flow. Traffic and speeding are the most significant problems in Palo Alto. This plan is not well organized and does not include the sentiments of the residents of the of these neighborhoods impacted its current structure. 7) Cost estimates of up to a few hundred million dollars. And who is paying for this poor proposal? What incentive do I have to agree to a plan that creates more unsafe streets, potentially lower house values, and does not address the true issues Palo Alto faces? Lower cost proposals with far less negative impact, such as the closure of Churchill to automobile traffic, have been inadequately considered. We ask the City Council to reject the recommendation of the Rail Committee. Palo Alto City Council please collaborate with the affected community to develop a more reasonable plan. Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers all deserve to travel city streets safely and securely every day! Sincerely, Mary Bussmann From:Bryan Neider To:Council, City Subject:Follow-Up on AbilityPath’s Grant Request for Mitchell Park Place Project Date:Monday, June 10, 2024 9:11:34 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Stone, Chair Burt, and members of the Palo Alto Finance Committee, Following the Palo Alto finance committee meeting on Tuesday, June 4th, I would like to express my gratitude for discussing our $250,000 matching grant request for Mitchell Park Place during the meeting. Your consideration of our project is greatly appreciated. I understand that several questions arose during the meeting regarding our proposal. To address these and provide further clarity, I have outlinedresponses below: 1. Why AbilityPath didn’t seek a process: We urgently need themoney to prepare and establish programs and services such as Art,Music, Exercise and wellness, computer education, and others beforethe completion of the construction work. Providing these services is not just a matter of meeting deadlines; it is about their profound impact on Palo Alto residents' mental health, welfare, and well-being. The envisioned programs foster community engagement, support vulnerable populations, and enhance our city’soverall quality of life. Understanding the council’s commitment to serving the community’s best interests, I am confident you will appreciate the necessity ofmoving forward without delay. Your support in this matter would beinvaluable, and I am available to discuss this further at your earliest convenience. 2. When the money is needed: We hope the City of Palo Alto willconsider contributing $250,000 by August. This timely support wouldenable us to initiate the process of raising matching funds, ensuringwe can successfully match the grant at our Author Luncheon eventscheduled for October 2024 and begin hiring and designing the futureprograms offered at Mitchell Park Place. 3. Is this a one-time request? This is a special and one-time request.The $250,000 support from the city will serve as the seed funding togarner additional community support. 4. What the money will be used for: The funds will be utilized to hire necessary staff for the programs and acquire equipment. Forinstance, the salaries for positions such as art therapists andrecreational therapists are approximately $130,000 to $140,000,while the salary for a music therapist will be about $100,000. The combined salaries for only these three positions will exceed$360,000, not including the salary for a computer education teacherand other roles or the costs for exercise, computer, and musicequipment. AbilityPath's merger with Abilities United in 2019 helped streamlineour operations and increase staff pay. It also reduced our overheadcosts, allowing us to dedicate more resources to enhancing thecommunity's services and programs we offer in Palo Alto. As we move forward, we hope the committee will support our efforts to secure this matching grant, which is pivotal for the success of our initiatives at Mitchell Park Place and in Palo Alto. Thank you once again for your time and consideration. We look forward to your favorable decision and the opportunity to benefit our community. We are ready to provide any additional information or documentation that maybe required. Warm regards, Bryan Bryan NeiderChief Executive OfficerPronouns: He/Him/His******************************AbilityPath + Via Services350 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 123Redwood City, CA 94065Cell: 650.218.2626****************************** http://abilitypath.org https://campviawest.org From:Jacqueline Raine To:Council, City Subject:Eleanor Pardee restroom Date:Monday, June 10, 2024 8:34:36 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Please support! It’s so needed. People have had to cut their activities early in order to dash to a restroom. The closest one is at the library. And not everyone has been able to make it! Jacqueline Raine Sent from my iPad From:Robert Neff To:Council, City Subject:Grade Separation Suggestions Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 11:46:05 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable Members of Palo Alto City Council, Thank you for your work for our city, and thank you to the Rail Committee for its work, too! Briefly, here are my suggestions for the Rail Separation decisions. I like the Hybrid in South Palo Alto. I think it is cheaper, and simpler than the underpass. The Charleston underpass feels like a freeway interchange stuck in the middle of a neighborhood. And while it works for bikes and pedestrians as they cross the tracks and Alma, it will be awkward to reach it from a normal street approach for bikes, or perhaps even pedestrians. It creates havoc for a pedestrian or cyclist trying to use Park Blvd. For the Hybrid, consider widening Charleston and Meadow beyond their current widths under the rail crossing, to make space for a right turn lane to the right of a through bike lane, or to allow other design flexibility for the Alma intersection crossings to reduce conflict between turning automobiles and through bikes. At Churchill, I believe the underpass is not part of the discussion, but... I wonder if the money would be better spent to upgrade the Embarcadero undercrossing for autos, bikes, and peds, instead of spending it on the Churchill underpass. If the Churchill Underpass is built, blocking the bike/ped crossing there, then another crossing between California Avenue and Embarcadero is required. I think Seale to Peers park is the best location, because it will enhance the bicycling network the most, reducing peak traffic at California Ave with a modern, wider facility that should accommodate mixed use better. Neighborhood outreach, and design creativity is needed wherever an underpass will be built, to fit the new infrastructure while prioritizing existing neighborhood needs, be they parking or traffic flow. Thank you for your service to our city of Palo Alto. -- Robert Neff Emerson Street, near Loma Verde. From:Loran Harding To:Loran Harding; antonia.tinoco@hsr.ca.gov; alumnipresident@stanford.edu; bballpod; bearwithme1016@att.net;fred beyerlein; Leodies Buchanan; boardmembers; David Balakian; beachrides; Cathy Lewis; Council, City;cramirez.electriclab133@gmail.com; Doug Vagim; dennisbalakian; dallen1212@gmail.com; eappel@stanford.edu;Scott Wilkinson; George.Rutherford@ucsf.edu; Gabriel.Ramirez@fresno.gov; huidentalsanmateo; hennessy; IrvWeissman; Sally Thiessen; Joel Stiner; jerry ruopoli; karkazianjewelers@gmail.com; kfsndesk;Kevin.Nower@bestbuy.com; MY77FJ@gmail.com; margaret-sasaki@live.com; maverickbruno@sbcglobal.net;merazroofinginc@att.net; Mark Standriff; Mayor; nick yovino; news@fresnobee.com; newsdesk;russ@topperjewelers.com; Steve Wayte; terry; tsheehan; vallesR1969@att.net; yicui@stanford.edu Subject:Fwd: BofA $1500 Price target for Nvidia Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 11:12:50 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>Date: Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 5:09 PM Subject: Fwd: BofA $1500 Price target for NvidiaTo: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org> Sunday, June 9, 2024 To all- More fantastic news re Nvidia: It c. Friday, June 7, 2024 at $1,208.88, or $120.888 after the 10:1 stock split which took effect that day. I'm not selling mine anytimesoon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGeMsJH7rnQ Bank of America hikes Nvidia stock price target to $1,500 from $1,350 (youtube.com) L. William Harding Fresno, Ca. From:Raymond Goins To:Aram James Cc:Cindy Chavez; Council, City; Ed Lauing; GRP-City Council; Jack Ajluni; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Lewis james; Gardener, Liz; Lotus Fong; Michelle; Zelkha, Mila; Rose Lynn; Salem Ajluni; Sally Lieber; Sean Allen; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; citycouncil@mountainview.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org Subject:Re: Will you chip in $5 to help expose AIPAC? Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 9:23:45 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Got u Raymond Goins Silicon Valley De-Bug Community Organizer For the hanged, and beaten.For the shot, drowned, and burned For the tortured, Tormented, and Terrorized We Will Remember With Hope because Hopelessness is the enemy of justiceWith Courage because Peace requires Bravery With persistence because Justice Is a constant struggleWith Faith because we shall overcome!!! On Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 8:12 PM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: The Intercept <membership@emails.theintercept.com>Date: Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 3:50 PM Subject: Will you chip in $5 to help expose AIPAC?To: <abjpd1@gmail.com> The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, is spending an eye- watering $7 million against New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a progressive member of the Squad who has been among the few legislators to fight against letting Israel use U.S. weapons to target civilians. AIPAC’s super PAC is funded in large part by Republican billionaires. And with less than three weeks to go before the June 25 New York primary, AIPAC and other anti-Bowman outside groups are outspending his supporters by nearly 10 to 1. It is absolutely vital that the American people understand the influence of money inpolitics — especially in shaping the bipartisan consensus that enables the ongoing slaughter of Palestinians by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’sgovernment. With just weeks before this critical primary, will you donate $5 to help The Intercept follow the money and expose AIPAC and the flood of pro-Israel money that’s fueling the war on Gaza? If you’ve saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately: DONATE $15 → DONATE $25 → DONATE $50 → DONATE $100 → DONATE ANOTHER AMOUNT → While AIPAC claims to take a position on only one issue — Israel — the ad attacking Bowman makes no mention of Israel or Gaza. Instead, it makes dubious claims about Bowman’s record on issues like Social Security and clean drinking water. This has become a hallmark of AIPAC’s negative attack ads. Rather than clearly making the case for their candidate on their issues, they run ads under the bland- sounding banner of “United Democracy Project” and attack Democrats on issuesthat AIPAC doesn’t advocate for or even have a position on. Bowman’s opponent, George Latimer, was recruited to run by AIPAC and has received huge contributions directly from the group. As a result, Latimer’s campaign has raised $3.6 million so far to Bowman’s $2.7 million with the help ofRepublican donors — almost a quarter of it bundled by AIPAC. In the last quarter of 2023, almost half of Latimer’s contributions came through AIPAC. AIPAC has proven that they have the financial muscle to defeat progressive Democrats. For instance, last cycle they spent $8 million to defeat Jewishprogressive Democrat Rep. Andy Levin in Michigan, and just last month they spent $4.1 million to help their candidate win the primary in Maryland’s heavily blue 3rd Congressional District. The effect of this spending goes far beyond these districts, as every Democratknows that they will face similar attacks in the future if they dare challenge Netanyahu’s ongoing slaughter in Gaza or call for limits on U.S. military aid to Israel. But most major news outlets will never cover AIPAC the way they cover other big-money special interest groups. The Intercept will, and it’s your donations thatprovide the funding that powers our reporting and keeps us fully independent. The Intercept’s hard-hitting investigative journalism relies on your support. Will you make a donation today? STAND WITH THE INTERCEPT → Thank you, The Intercept team The Intercept is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Intercept’s mailing address is: P.O. Box 27442 Washington, DC 20038 The Intercept is an award-winning nonprofit news organization dedicated to holding the powerful accountable through fearless, adversarial journalism. Our in-depth investigations and unflinching analysis focus on surveillance, war, corruption, the environment, technology, criminal justice, the media and more. Email is an important way for us to communicate with The Intercept’s readers, but if you’d like to stop hearing from us, click here to unsubscribe from all communications. Protecting freedom of the press has never been more important. Contribute now to support our independent journalism. From:Jethroe Moore To:abjpd1@gmail.com; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; Ed Lauing; GRP-City Council; Jack Ajluni; Joe Simitian; JoshBecker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; Lewis james; Gardener, Liz; Lotus Fong; Michelle; Zelkha, Mila; Raymond Goins;Rose Lynn; Salem Ajluni; Sally Lieber; Sean Allen; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg;citycouncil@mountainview.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org Subject:Re: Will you chip in $5 to help expose AIPAC? Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 8:25:32 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android On Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 8:12 PM, Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: ---------- Forwarded message ---------From: The Intercept <membership@emails.theintercept.com> Date: Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 3:50 PMSubject: Will you chip in $5 to help expose AIPAC? To: <abjpd1@gmail.com> The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, is spending an eye-watering$7 million against New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a progressive member of the Squadwho has been among the few legislators to fight against letting Israel use U.S. weapons totarget civilians. AIPAC’s super PAC is funded in large part by Republican billionaires. And with less thanthree weeks to go before the June 25 New York primary, AIPAC and other anti-Bowmanoutside groups are outspending his supporters by nearly 10 to 1. It is absolutely vital that the American people understand the influence of money inpolitics — especially in shaping the bipartisan consensus that enables the ongoingslaughter of Palestinians by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. With just weeks before this critical primary, will you donate $5 to help The Interceptfollow the money and expose AIPAC and the flood of pro-Israel money that’s fuelingthe war on Gaza? If you’ve saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately: DONATE $15 → DONATE $25 → DONATE $50 → DONATE $100 → DONATE ANOTHER AMOUNT → While AIPAC claims to take a position on only one issue — Israel — the ad attackingBowman makes no mention of Israel or Gaza. Instead, it makes dubious claims aboutBowman’s record on issues like Social Security and clean drinking water. This has become a hallmark of AIPAC’s negative attack ads. Rather than clearly makingthe case for their candidate on their issues, they run ads under the bland-sounding bannerof “United Democracy Project” and attack Democrats on issues that AIPAC doesn’tadvocate for or even have a position on. Bowman’s opponent, George Latimer, was recruited to run by AIPAC and has receivedhuge contributions directly from the group. As a result, Latimer’s campaign has raised$3.6 million so far to Bowman’s $2.7 million with the help of Republican donors —almost a quarter of it bundled by AIPAC. In the last quarter of 2023, almost half ofLatimer’s contributions came through AIPAC. AIPAC has proven that they have the financial muscle to defeat progressive Democrats.For instance, last cycle they spent $8 million to defeat Jewish progressive Democrat Rep.Andy Levin in Michigan, and just last month they spent $4.1 million to help theircandidate win the primary in Maryland’s heavily blue 3rd Congressional District. The effect of this spending goes far beyond these districts, as every Democrat knows thatthey will face similar attacks in the future if they dare challenge Netanyahu’s ongoingslaughter in Gaza or call for limits on U.S. military aid to Israel. But most major news outlets will never cover AIPAC the way they cover other big-moneyspecial interest groups. The Intercept will, and it’s your donations that provide thefunding that powers our reporting and keeps us fully independent. The Intercept’s hard-hitting investigative journalism relies on your support. Willyou make a donation today? STAND WITH THE INTERCEPT → Thank you, The Intercept team The Intercept is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Intercept’s mailing address is: P.O. Box 27442 Washington, DC 20038 The Intercept is an award-winning nonprofit news organization dedicated to holding the powerful accountable through fearless, adversarial journalism. Our in-depth investigations and unflinching analysis focus on surveillance, war, corruption, the environment, technology, criminal justice, the media and more. Email is an important way for us to communicate with The Intercept’s readers, but if you’d like to stop hearing from us, click here to unsubscribe from all communications. Protecting freedom of the press has never been more important. Contribute now to support our independent journalism. From:Aram James To:Cindy Chavez; Council, City; Ed Lauing; GRP-City Council; Jack Ajluni; Jeff Moore; Joe Simitian; Josh Becker; JulieLythcott-Haims; Lewis james; Gardener, Liz; Lotus Fong; Michelle; Zelkha, Mila; Raymond Goins; Rose Lynn;Salem Ajluni; Sally Lieber; Sean Allen; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg;citycouncil@mountainview.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org Subject:Will you chip in $5 to help expose AIPAC? Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 8:12:51 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: The Intercept <membership@emails.theintercept.com>Date: Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 3:50 PM Subject: Will you chip in $5 to help expose AIPAC?To: <abjpd1@gmail.com> The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, is spending an eye- watering $7 million against New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a progressive member of the Squad who has been among the few legislators to fight against letting Israel use U.S. weapons to target civilians. AIPAC’s super PAC is funded in large part by Republican billionaires. And with less than three weeks to go before the June 25 New York primary, AIPAC and other anti-Bowman outside groups are outspending his supporters by nearly 10 to 1. It is absolutely vital that the American people understand the influence of money in politics — especially in shaping the bipartisan consensus that enables the ongoing slaughter of Palestinians by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’sgovernment. With just weeks before this critical primary, will you donate $5 to help The Intercept follow the money and expose AIPAC and the flood of pro-Israel money that’s fueling the war on Gaza? If you’ve saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately: DONATE $15 → DONATE $25 → DONATE $50 → DONATE $100 → DONATE ANOTHER AMOUNT → While AIPAC claims to take a position on only one issue — Israel — the ad attacking Bowman makes no mention of Israel or Gaza. Instead, it makes dubious claims about Bowman’s record on issues like Social Security and clean drinking water. This has become a hallmark of AIPAC’s negative attack ads. Rather than clearly making the case for their candidate on their issues, they run ads under the bland- sounding banner of “United Democracy Project” and attack Democrats on issuesthat AIPAC doesn’t advocate for or even have a position on. Bowman’s opponent, George Latimer, was recruited to run by AIPAC and has received huge contributions directly from the group. As a result, Latimer’s campaign has raised $3.6 million so far to Bowman’s $2.7 million with the help of Republicandonors — almost a quarter of it bundled by AIPAC. In the last quarter of 2023, almost half of Latimer’s contributions came through AIPAC. AIPAC has proven that they have the financial muscle to defeat progressive Democrats. For instance, last cycle they spent $8 million to defeat Jewishprogressive Democrat Rep. Andy Levin in Michigan, and just last month they spent $4.1 million to help their candidate win the primary in Maryland’s heavily blue 3rd Congressional District. The effect of this spending goes far beyond these districts, as every Democratknows that they will face similar attacks in the future if they dare challenge Netanyahu’s ongoing slaughter in Gaza or call for limits on U.S. military aid to Israel. But most major news outlets will never cover AIPAC the way they cover other big-money special interest groups. The Intercept will, and it’s your donations thatprovide the funding that powers our reporting and keeps us fully independent. The Intercept’s hard-hitting investigative journalism relies on your support. Will you make a donation today? STAND WITH THE INTERCEPT → Thank you, The Intercept team The Intercept is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The Intercept’s mailing address is: P.O. Box 27442 Washington, DC 20038 The Intercept is an award-winning nonprofit news organization dedicated to holding the powerful accountable through fearless, adversarial journalism. Our in-depth investigations and unflinching analysis focus on surveillance, war, corruption, the environment, technology, criminal justice, the media and more. Email is an important way for us to communicate with The Intercept’s readers, but if you’d like to stop hearing from us, click here to unsubscribe from all communications. Protecting freedom of the press has never been more important. Contribute now to support our independent journalism. From:Arthur Keller To:Council, City Subject:Re: City Council to Consider Potential Ballot Measure for Quarry Road Transit Connection Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 7:41:06 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor and City Council, In consideration of the request to undedicate a portion of El Camino Park as parkland, which a bus route that greatly benefits Stanford University for the reduction in time for the Marguerite Shuttle to enter the station, I request that Stanford University instead dedicate a portion of the Mayfield Playing Fields (El Camino Real and Page Mill Road) as parkland. In addition, there would remain a small piece of El Camino Park that remains parkland. Rather, this portion should be undedicated as well so that the parkland is one contiguous piece of land and is all usable as parkland. There is sufficient land at the Mayfield Playing Fields site to dedicate as usable parkland. Best regards, Arthur Keller From:pennyellson12@gmail.com To:Council, City Subject:FW: [PABAC] Fwd: PABAC Recommendations for Rail Crossings Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 6:32:46 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable Mayor Stone and City Council Members, I recognize that you received PABAC’s Recommendations re: Rail Crossings a month ago from our Committee Chair, so they may not be fresh in your minds or close at hand. They don’t appear to be attached to the June 10 Rail Grade Separation Action Item 13 staff report, so I am resending them for your convenience. Read below. Thank you for your service to our community. Penny Ellson Member, PABAC From: 'Bruce Arthur' via PABAC <pabacpaloalto@googlegroups.com> Sent: Friday, May 10, 2024 9:24 PM To: pabacpaloalto@googlegroups.com Subject: [PABAC] Fwd: PABAC Recommendations for Rail Crossings Begin forwarded message: From: Bruce Arthur <barthur@mac.com> Subject: PABAC Recommendations for Rail Crossings Date: May 10, 2024 at 11:21:14 PM CDT To: city.council@cityofpaloalto.orgCc: "Coles, Charlie" <Charlie.Coles@CityofPaloAlto.org> The Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee met on Tuesday May 7th, and passed the following motion: PABAC Recommendations for Rail Crossings Today’s rail crossings at Churchill, Meadow, and Charleston serve hundreds of pedestrians and bicyclists of all ages, abilities and skill levels as well as people who use wheelchairs, walkers and strollers each day. Whatever Charleston and Meadow alternatives are selected, PABAC recommends beginning design work on a Midtown Bicycle/Pedestrian- Dedicated Rail Crossing as soon as possible so its construction can be completed before construction on Charleston and Meadow begins. Design work on this crossing is long overdue. (A midtown crossing was specifically recommended in the 2012 BPTP). Similarly, Churchill closure will eliminate important pedestrian and bicyclist commute E/W crossings at this location. This change necessitates construction of an alternative bike/pedestrian crossing prior to the start of construction work on Churchill. Both of these dedicated bike/ped grade separated crossings are supported by Comprehensive Plan Program T1.19.3-“Increase the number of east-west pedestrian and bicycle crossings across Alma Street and the Caltrain corridor, particularly south of Oregon Expressway.” Crossing Alternatives South of Oregon Expressway Proposed Meadow & Charleston Crossings (Viaduct, Hybrid, Underpass) PABAC prefers the Hybrid which provides a direct route, shorter grade change than the underpass at significantly lower cost than the Viaduct or Underpass. (Note: We do not know if the cost of moving underground utilities was included in the estimated project cost. Also, we don’t know what the long-term maintenance costs for the pumping station may be.) The Hybrid alternative will require lower levels of local funding, with a substantial portion of capital costs covered by Regional, State and Federal sources. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be safely separated from train traffic and each other with bike lanes. It requires no acquisition of private properties; however, driveway modification may be required. PABAC does not recommend the underpass, though we recognize this alternative completely separates foot- powered people from six lanes of fast-moving vehicular traffic on Alma Street and is the alternative that reduces motor vehicle delays at Alma. Unfortunately, the underpass also imposes out-of-direction travel and longer grade changes than the hybrid alternative and viaduct require. The committee has a strong preference to minimize out-of-direction travel and longer grade change segments for foot-powered pedestrians, bicyclists and other wheeled devices like wheelchairs and strollers. The two-way bike path on the south side of Meadow east of the tracks terminates at a sidewalk continuation. This design is likely to produce mixed bicycle and pedestrian traffic on a narrow sidewalk, dangerous wrong-way WB bicycle traffic on the street approaching the path, and unpredictable WB bicyclist movements to cross from the right side of the street to the left side. The situation is similar for the two-way path on the north side of Charleston east of the tracks. Only an uncontrolled crosswalk is provided for crossing the road. A similar problem exists today on Churchill, causing students to ride wrong way and/or shoot across the street at uncontrolled locations. However, because Charleston carries much higher auto traffic volumes, the risk associated with this kind of behavior will be greater.On both Meadow and Charleston, both directions of motor vehicle traffic may travel faster than they did with the signal at Alma, volume may be higher than it is today. Traffic will no longer be platooned on Charleston by an Alma signal; all of these factors would make it difficult for pedestrians and bicyclists to find gaps to cross safely to get to the right side of the road. In both cases, two one-way paths, with separate areas for bicyclists and pedestrians, would be far better. Though the bicycle- pedestrian facility has gentler grade, the roadway, for bicyclists who choose the more direct route on the road, has a challenging grade of 10-12 percent. There are similar problems with the two-way paths west of the tracks, where transitions to and from the roadway for left-side bicycle traffic are absent or ambiguous. A number of locations on Park Boulevard appear to call for several new bends and turns by bicyclists. In addition, with the underpass, EB bicyclists who choose the more direct route of taking a lane on the road or riding the shoulder would have to contend with merging motorists as they approach the roundabout on Charleston. The two-lane roundabout will draw a higher volume of traffic than today’s traffic volumes on this segment, and it will not be platooned by a traffic signal at Alma, making the merge very challenging for bicyclists. The subcommittee has tried to work with staff and consultants to solve these problems, but to date we have not been able to identify satisfactory solutions. If these design problems can be solved, our recommendation might change. PABAC recommends that construction of the midtown bike/ped crossing facility should precede the multi-year period of Charleston and Meadow grade separation construction. Without a midtown crossing, bicycle commuters will have no low stress east/west crosstown alternative south of Oregon Expressway when both Meadow and Charleston may be closed. Even when these routes are not closed, they are likely to become very high stress routes for people who bike and walk during the construction period. Drivers can safely use detours to Oregon Expressway and San Antonio Road; however, these arterial and expressway routes are not designed to be safe or convenient alternative routes for most people who walk and bike, especially school-bound children. An additional south Palo Alto bike/ped crossing in the vicinity of Lindero, landing near Robles Park on Park Boulevard could connect through the park to the Wilkie Bicycle Boulevard and would facilitate much more convenient east-west crosstown bicycle-pedestrian commutes for people south of Meadow, as well as providing a completely grade-separated crossing of Alma and the railroad. It would eliminate long twice-daily detours north to the midtown crossing and then back south again to get to Gunn HS during the Charleston-Meadow construction period, for instance. It also would create more equitable citywide distribution of grade separated crossings longer term. After construction of the proposed grade separation projects, north Palo Alto would have five bike/pedestrian rail grade separations and south Palo Alto would have three or four, depending on whether the southern-most areas of south Palo Alto are provided with an additional grade separated crossing. Churchill, Kellogg & Seale Crossing Alternatives Two new bike/pedestrian crossings were explored in depth: Kellogg and Seale. PABAC’s recommended location for this new dedicated bicycle/pedestrian crossing is Seale which fills a longer gap between bicyclist/pedestrian rail crossings than Kellogg. Seale also provides superior school commute connectivity to Greene Middle School, Walter Hays Elementary School and Palo Alto High School and the citywide bicycle network. A Seale crossing would also provide residents east of Alma with a new, more direct walking and bicycling connection into Peers Park. The Kellogg connection has several significant problems: a longer tunnel with poor sight lines, out-of-direction travel, intrusion into PAUSD ROW and Caltrain ROW. PABAC supports the City Council Rail Committee’s recommendation for a crossing at Seale. Rail Grade Separation plans, renderings and animations, and other materials can be found here https://connectingpaloalto.com Approved by unanimous vote by all in attendance Alan Wachtel Art Liberman Bill Zaumen Bruce Arthur Cedric de la Beaujardiere Eric Nordman Ken Joye Nicole Rodia Paul Goldstein Penny Ellson Robert Neff -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PABAC" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to pabacpaloalto+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pabacpaloalto/BE13BFAC-81EF-4DA2-865A- 7EAFA6853E22%40mac.com. Virus-free.www.avg.com From:Vishnu Malhotra To:Council, City Cc:Sonja Trauss; Angela Louise Tiangco; Jack Farrell; Leora Tanjuatco Ross Subject:3265 El Camino Real - YIMBY Law Correspondence Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 3:38:24 PM Attachments:PastedGraphic-2.tiff3265 El Camino Real - HAA - 06_09_24.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. To Whom It May Concern, Please find the attached correspondence from YIMBY Law regarding the proposed development project at 3265 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA ahead of the meeting of the PaloAlto City Council on September 11, 2024. Best, Vishnu Malhotra he/him Legal Intern 352-340-7399 YIMBY Law 877 Cedar Street #150 Santa Cruz,CA 95060 hello@yimbylaw.org 6/9/2024 Palo Alto City Council 250 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto,CA 94301 city.council@cityofpaloalto.org Via Email Re:3265 El Camino Real 132-38-020 Dear Palo Alto City Council, YIMBY Law is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation,whose mission is to increase the accessibility and a ordability of housing in California.YIMBY Law sues municipalities when they fail to comply with state housing laws,including the Housing Accountability Act (HAA).As you know, the City Council has an obligation to abide by all relevant state housing laws when evaluating the above captioned proposal,including the HAA.Should the City fail to follow the law,YIMBY Law will not hesitate to file suit to ensure that the law is enforced. The Academy Palo Alto is a 44-Unit 100%a ordable housing project prioritized for Palo Alto public school teachers (20%Low Income /80%Moderate Income).It resides along the El Camino transit corridor (VTA Route 22)with stops within 1/2 -1/3 mile from 7 of the City’s public schools,making it perfect for pedestrian and public transit. California Government Code §65589.5,the Housing Accountability Act,prohibits localities from denying housing development projects that are compliant with the locality’s zoning ordinance or general plan at the time the application was deemed complete,unless the locality can make findings that the proposed housing development would be a threat to public health and safety. The above captioned proposal is zoning compliant and general plan compliant,therefore,your local agency must approve the application,or else make findings to the e ect that the proposed project would have an adverse impact on public health and safety,as described above.Should the City fail to comply with the law,YIMBY Law will not hesitate to take legal action to ensure that the law is enforced. I am signing this letter both in my capacity as the Executive Director of YIMBY Law,and as a resident of California who is a ected by the shortage of housing in our state. Sincerely, 1 Sonja Trauss Executive Director YIMBY Law YIMBY Law,57 Post Street,Suite 908,San Francisco,CA 94104 2 From:Anthony Montes To:Council, City Cc:Nordman, Eric; Frank Viggiano; Zafarali Ahmed; Ken Kershner Subject:Item 12: Support For Ballot Measure and Quarry Road Connection Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 3:07:31 PM Attachments:06_10_2024_Quarry Road Project Letter of Support.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Hello Palo Alto City Council, I hope this finds you all well. I have attached a letter of support on behalf of the SVBC Palo Alto Local Team asking the council to allow voters to decide to discontinue a portion of El Camino Park for the purpose ofconstructing a roadway for transit vehicles between El Camino Real and the Palo Alto Transit Center. This project has the potential to reduce congestion and pollution; provide safe crossing for allusers across El Camino Real; and improve regional connectivity by making it more convenient and comfortable to use public and active transportation. Please reach out to me if you have any questions. Thank you for your consideration. Best, Anthony Montes | he/him/his Associate Director of Advocacy and Development Cell: 408-694-8848 | LCI # 7,038 Together we can make our community better through biking: Ways to Give Join a Local Team! Make an Appointment with Me! June 10,2024 Palo Alto City Council City of Palo Alto 50 Hamilton Avenue Palo Alto,CA 94301 RE:Support For Ballot Measure and Quarry Road Connection Dear Palo Alto City Council, On behalf of Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition’s (SVBC)Palo Alto Local Team,we are writing to express support for the November ballot measure to allow voters to decide to discontinue approximately 0.33 acres of El Camino Park for the purpose of constructing a roadway for transit vehicles between El Camino Real and the Palo Alto Transit Center. This project is a critical step towards a more reliable and regionally integrated transportation network in Palo Alto and Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.It will shorten travel times for transit users and has the potential to reduce conflict points between vehicles and those who walk and bike,inducing a shift away from single-occupancy vehicles and thereby decreasing traffic congestion and vehicle pollution. Along with the improvements to facilitate crossing the intersection of Quarry Road and El Camino Real,we urge Stanford University,Caltrans,the Valley Transit Authority,and the city of Palo to implement additional bike safety infrastructure as part of this project: ●Physical protection of bicycle lanes using bollards,flex posts or similar; ●Fully protected intersection with dedicated bike and turn signals and refuge islands (where feasible)to eliminate conflict between buses and bicyclists at the entrance of the transit way; ●Improved connection between Quarry Road,Palm Drive and the Embarcadero Bike path by reducing vehicle-pedestrian-bike conflicts on Mitchell Lane and University Ave circle; ●Improving bicycle access to the existing Lytton Ave tunnel; Such improvements will enhance multi-modal access from several Palo Alto neighborhoods to the transit center,El Camino Park,Stanford Shopping Center and Stanford Campus.We urge you to vote in favor of adding it to the November ballot for Palo Alto residents.For any questions or inquiries,please reach out to Anthony Montes at anthony@bikesiliconvalley.org. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, SVBC Palo Alto Local Team Building healthier and more just communities by making bicycling safer and more accessible for all 155 S 11th Street,San Jose,CA 95112 |bikesiliconvalley.org |408-287-7259 From:Wolfgang Dueregger To:Council, City Subject:new gym @ 320 Cal Ave Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 2:17:30 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council, today you have an action item to approve the new gym that will occupy the space of the former Printers Cafe/Mood's bar/gallery location. Doing so will continue the path of making Cal Ave less attractive to people to hang out there -and as a consequence of doing business at any of the few remaining retail stores. The new gym will offer one on one specialized exercise classes for people with special needs or interest. This was pretty obvious from the last meeting about 320 Cal Ave in April. At thatmeeting it became clear what that new gym will actually look like from the own words of the new gym owners and their brought in supporters. Besides pushing out 3 community servingbusinesses where people actually did gather and socialize, this new gym will be exclusive to members paying lots of dollars per exercise class for one on one training. In addition, the "newcafe" they want to put in there is geared towards a grab and go clientele - which we don't need since there is already one next door - ZombieRunner. You remember Avalon yoga? That was a community gathering spot. It was about yoga andexercise, but it was more than that. people interacted with each other before and after. Printers/Moods bar/ gallery: same thing, different business, but same concept of being of value to the community as a gathering place. Nut house: same thing Palo Alto bakery: same thing What do all these businesses share in common? they are all gone. and approving this new gym today will just put another nail into the Cal Ave coffin. you can pay more consultants and waste more money on studies reg/ what to do about CalAve, continuing on the current path you will keep doing exactly the opposite of what you are saying you want to do: provide retail and small businesses with a vibrant atmosphere to enticepeople to come and shop or hang out or do both. Look at University Avenue: same thing, same story. every month it looks more dreaded similar situation in Midtown (Middlefield Road and Colorado): the last true coffee shop standing (Palo Alto Coffee) will be out there within a year or 2 at most, all the other smallbusinesses will be out and gone as well, since the whole midtown center will be completely rebuilt as a mall. And it will be unaffordable for any current small businesses to return. for a place about the size of Printers Cafe not just the new owners but other owners forsimilarly sized places as well charge 25K/month. So what business do you actually have to run to even break even? well, something like 200$ for a gym class or food for 40-50$/entree, etc. So we all know which direction we are heading and tonight will just be a confirmation of theabove said. Wolfgang Dueregger Stanford Ave From:Loran Harding To:Loran Harding; antonia.tinoco@hsr.ca.gov; alumnipresident@stanford.edu; David Balakian; bballpod;bearwithme1016@att.net; fred beyerlein; Leodies Buchanan; boardmembers; beachrides;cramirez.electriclab133@gmail.com; Cathy Lewis; Council, City; Doug Vagim; dennisbalakian;dallen1212@gmail.com; David Balakian; eappel@stanford.edu; Scott Wilkinson; George.Rutherford@ucsf.edu;Gabriel.Ramirez@fresno.gov; huidentalsanmateo; hennessy; Irv Weissman; Sally Thiessen; Joel Stiner; jerryruopoli; karkazianjewelers@gmail.com; kfsndesk; Kevin.Nower@bestbuy.com; margaret-sasaki@live.com;maverickbruno@sbcglobal.net; merazroofinginc@att.net; Mark Standriff; Mayor; MY77FJ@gmail.com; nickyovino; news@fresnobee.com; newsdesk; russ@topperjewelers.com; Steve Wayte; terry; tsheehan;vallesR1969@att.net; yicui@stanford.edu Subject:Fwd: NVDA to $4,000/Shr? Way More??? Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 2:09:35 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org>Date: Thu, Jun 6, 2024 at 2:05 PM Subject: Fwd: NVDA to $4,000/Shr? Way More???To: Loran Harding <loran.harding@stanfordalumni.org> Sunday, June 9, 2024 To all- What if they had forecast in 1990 that $1,000 invested in APPL could become $5,000 by 1999? Many would have thought that sounded too high. In fact, it became $895,000 by the endof 1999, so tough to know where a hugely successful company's stock that is just dominating its industry will go. NVDA is the king of AI and the stock is just on fire due to their brilliantproducts and management. More and more in the pipeline. NVDA is now #2 in market cap with today's big stock surge, having displaced AAPL. It went up another 5% today,Wednesday, June 5, 2024. It is only the third company in history to have a $3 trilion market cap. Only MSFT has a larger market cap. On Friday, June 7, 2024, after the 10:1 stock split,NVDA will probably leave the NASDAQ and go onto the Dow 30, displacing Intel. All my father ever knew of the stock market was Tuesday, October 29, 1929, Black Tuesday. He graduated from HS in 1928. He turned 21 on April 6, 1932 and, in November,1932, in a massive display of disloyalty, went down and voted to remove Herbert Hoover from office and to install Franklin Roosevelt as President of the United States. Hoover had beensaying all during 1930, 1931 and 1932, that "prosperity is just around the corner", and, with the installation of Roosevelt as President, the return of prosperity began. So Hoover was goodto his word, bless his heart. My father always called him "Herby Hoover". Hoover was in Stanford's first graduating class, in 1895. The school was founded in 1891. Hoover then went out and made millions as a mining engineer. He administered Belgian foodrelief after WWI, and got food into starving Germans too, probably with little fanfair. My friend Ralph Grebmeier in Palo Alto remembered eating that food in Hanover. He was sixyears old when WWI ended. The Germans called the food "Hoover Essen", Hoover food. I wonder if President Hoover made similar efforts to get food to starving Americans after 1929.It would be interesting to see some research on that. FDR moved heaven and earth to get the US economy going again. Beginning on January 30, 1933, when Hitler became Kanzler of Germany, he began building the German warmachine. That ended the Depression in Germany. The two men took office 33 days apart. The sentiment in the US was to not ever again go to Europe and fight a major war there. Thatcaused Congress to resist any attempts to build up the US military. We all know where that led. The world turned its back on Germany after 1918, and especially after 1933, and that ledto D-Day on June 6, 1944. Had the US, France, England and Russia invaded Germany in 1935 because of its big military build up, WWII in Europe could have been avoided. One man sawthrough Hitler from day one: Churchill. It's too bad he wasn't listened to. $4,000 Nvidia Stock... COMPUTEX 2024 takeways (youtube.com) Also see Jensen Huang's keynote at Computex 2024 in Taiwan. He says a few things in Chinese here. Recent, June, 2024: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Keynote at COMPUTEX 2024 (youtube.com) L. William Harding Fresno, Ca. From:Sabrina Lin To:Stone, Greer; Kou, Lydia; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker, Vicki; Burt, Patrick; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie;Transportation; Clerk, City; Council, City Subject:Re: RE Grade Separation city council special meeting June 10 2024 Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 1:27:40 PM Attachments:image.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. apologies, I screen captured the AM traffic data twice but labeled Figure 3 as PM traffic. Belowis the correct PM traffic Figure 3. On Sun, Jun 9, 2024 at 11:04 AM Sabrina Lin <sabrinamylin@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council members, I have been a Palo Alto resident since 1985 and have raised four children in the PAUSD. I bike or walk almost everywhere within Palo Alto and frequently drive to nearby cities. I would like to highlight the potential negative impacts the Underpass solution presents to both bike/pedestrian traffic and car traffic. I will specifically address evaluation Criteria A, B, C, and H and will draw on information from the Connecting Palo Alto comparison matrix and traffic analysis report. Bike and Pedestrian traffic: A common daily bike route across town from west to east is that of Gunn students biking home across Alma. In the Underpass solution, while the section of the grade-separated route of cars and trains may be safer in part of the student bikers’ route (the underpass), the complexity they would need to maneuver on their overall route may prove significantly less safe than the Hybrid solution. The Underpass solution requires navigating up and down ramps as well as a tight U-turn in order to cross W Charleston to arrive at the two-way bike lane. And, depending on where they live, student bikers would need to contend directly with car traffic at the traffic circle after crossing Alma. Moreover, a likely and even more dangerous outcome is that when confronted with this complexity, reckless students will simply choose to take a short-cut by biking on the much steeper grade underpass with car traffic itself. This behavior is allowed by California law and cannot be overridden by the city (Figure 1). The underpass option was clearly designed with cyclists as an afterthought, and in actual use will be either aggravating or dangerous to navigate. Car traffic: The comparison matrix delineates how the Underpass solution will create more circuitous routes via the development of turn prohibitions, U-turns, redirection ramps, and traffic circles which create a complicated experience. The traffic analysis report highlights how the Underpass solution improves LOA from an F to a B during rush hour; however, the solution will also divert 18% of AM peak traffic and 19% of PM peak traffic to the added traffic circle at Charleston (Figures 2, 3), and it will remove both turns from W Meadow and E Meadow toward the Mountain View direction. When viewed holistically, improving the LOA score for an intersection does not benefit the community if it simply passes the traffic burden onto the new routes (traffic circle at Charleston), or prohibits existing turns (Meadow). Following this reasoning, the best-rated solution would be one that offers no turns at all, forcing residents to clog surface streets instead. The Underpass solution will also exacerbate speeding, because it removes intersections for the benefit of cars passing through Palo Alto and further transforms Alma into an urban highway. Greater distances between lights lead to higher average speeds on Alma, inducing greater traffic demand than it was designed for and making the road even less safe. This will worsen traffic at existing choke points: Oregon, Churchill, the Embarcadero overpass, and ultimately downtown. Additionally, if traffic flows continuously and faster on Alma, those coming from neighborhood streets (e.g. Loma Verde, El Carmelo etc.) will have increased difficulty heading south to Mountain View on Alma, or merging at other intersections. Ultimately, the drivers best served by the Underpass solution are not the Palo Alto residents for whom the railroad crossing was originally designed, but rather drivers “just passing through.” This ultimately results in lower roadway safety and worsens traffic for all other routes besides the favored north-south one. By comparison, the Hybrid solution improves traffic by 65-78% in the morning, and 17-53% in the afternoon (Figure 4). Favoring the Underpass solution because it “improves the LOS rating from F to B” leaves us blind to the ways it harms the overall Palo Alto route experience. The rating is a fundamentally narrow analysis that cannot take into account the negative traffic externalities of the Underpass solution. These roads were meant to connect Palo Alto residents, not divide them in service of other drivers. On balance, with these traffic and safety issues for both cars and bikes/pedestrians, along with greater risk in sea level susceptibility and storm water treatment (Criteria G2 & G4), in addition to the 300-370M incremental price tag (Criteria E), and the 33 properties impacted (Criteria F), the Hybrid solution makes way more sense, especially if we focus further negotiations with Caltrain to improve the “wall.” If the council moves forward with both Underpass and Hybrid options for Meadow/Charleston, then I make the following requests: 1. Underpass solution: a. Conduct user studies on experience and functionality and potential safety and likely routes eg of cyclists including teen students going home on the other side of Alma from Gunn. In particular assess safety risks should cyclists decide to use the underpass with the cars since the bike route is awkward. b. Assess cumulative and route impact to overall Palo Alto destinations, e.g. other intersections with Alma, driver/GPS initiated routes due to turn eliminations and awkward traffic circles, etc. Prioritize solutions for Palo Alto residents higher than those passing through Palo Alto. 2. Hybrid solution: a. Consider how the existing bike paths can be inexpensively improved with standard bike lane protection strategies such as barriers, bike signals, colored paths, etc. b. Work with Caltrain on how the wall can be adjusted and made more attractive, perhaps with greenery like many of the segments of raised tracks in San Mateo county. 3. Community engagement and communications: a. Consider composition of community members in the next phase to include, if not already, advocates of each solution to gain greater mutual understanding and potentially spark more innovative revisions b. Proactively reach out to those who live in the area that may be potentially impacted - property owners, renters etc - and a) understand their travel routes b) educate them on the potential impact to their neighborhood. I am told that to-date, postcards sent out to property addresses only mentioned meeting times and links to meeting materials but did not indicate any potential impact to residents’ travel routes or properties. Nothing was sent to property owners unless they lived at the property address. c. In the 5/23/2024 Rail Commission meeting Council member Julie Lythcott-Haims mentioned that she received an email from a resident whose property was potentially impacted saying that a real estate agent declined to list their house due to the disclosure requirement of the potential impact and complications in negotiations expected. Personally, my property is currently being rented, and my tenant said that they are considering moving due to the significant partial property acquisition and construction noise without understanding the timing of potential interruption. Hence, I would like to request that the City issue a fact sheet for all potentially affected property owners that can be included in disclosure and rental info sheets indicating a) the fact that no final decisions have been made b) timing of solution selection b) the timing of when construction is likely to start, along with duration. While this does not remediate the market devaluation of those potentially affected properties that has already happened, it will at least provide official factual information to potential buyers and renters. The above requests would, of course, be in addition to the cost reduction and property acquisition minimization, and other efforts that the council has already highlighted. Thank you very much. Best regards Sabrina Lin Palo Alto resident since 1985 Figure 1: white highlight shows awkward maneuvering required for bikes/pedestrians Figure 2. Morning diversions to Alma/Charleston at Alma/Charleston Figure 3. Afternoon diversions to traffic circle at Alma/Charleston Figure 4. Traffic improvements with Hybrid (report notes that Viaduct and Hybrid improvements are similar) From:Sabrina Lin To:Stone, Greer; Kou, Lydia; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker, Vicki; Burt, Patrick; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie;Transportation; Clerk, City; Council, City Subject:RE Grade Separation city council special meeting June 10 2024 Date:Sunday, June 9, 2024 11:06:59 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear City Council members, I have been a Palo Alto resident since 1985 and have raised four children in the PAUSD. I bike or walk almost everywhere within Palo Alto and frequently drive to nearby cities. I would like to highlight the potential negative impacts the Underpass solution presents to both bike/pedestrian traffic and car traffic. I will specifically address evaluation Criteria A, B, C, and H and will draw on information from the Connecting Palo Alto comparison matrix and traffic analysis report. Bike and Pedestrian traffic: A common daily bike route across town from west to east is that of Gunn students biking home across Alma. In the Underpass solution, while the section of the grade-separated route of cars and trains may be safer in part of the student bikers’ route (the underpass), the complexity they would need to maneuver on their overall route may prove significantly less safe than the Hybrid solution. The Underpass solution requires navigating up and down ramps as well as a tight U-turn in order to cross W Charleston to arrive at the two-way bike lane. And, depending on where they live, student bikers would need to contend directly with car traffic at the traffic circle after crossing Alma. Moreover, a likely and even more dangerous outcome is that when confronted with this complexity, reckless students will simply choose to take a short-cut by biking on the much steeper grade underpass with car traffic itself. This behavior is allowed by California law and cannot be overridden by the city (Figure 1). The underpass option was clearly designed with cyclists as an afterthought, and in actual use will be either aggravating or dangerous to navigate. Car traffic: The comparison matrix delineates how the Underpass solution will create more circuitous routes via the development of turn prohibitions, U-turns, redirection ramps, and traffic circles which create a complicated experience. The traffic analysis report highlights how the Underpass solution improves LOA from an F to a B during rush hour; however, the solution will also divert 18% of AM peak traffic and 19% of PM peak traffic to the added traffic circle at Charleston (Figures 2, 3), and it will remove both turns from W Meadow and E Meadow toward the Mountain View direction. When viewed holistically, improving the LOA score for an intersection does not benefit the community if it simply passes the traffic burden onto the new routes (traffic circle at Charleston), or prohibits existing turns (Meadow). Following this reasoning, the best-rated solution would be one that offers no turns at all, forcing residents to clog surface streets instead. The Underpass solution will also exacerbate speeding, because it removes intersections for the benefit of cars passing through Palo Alto and further transforms Alma into an urban highway. Greater distances between lights lead to higher average speeds on Alma, inducing greater traffic demand than it was designed for and making the road even less safe. This will worsen traffic at existing choke points: Oregon, Churchill, the Embarcadero overpass, and ultimately downtown. Additionally, if traffic flows continuously and faster on Alma, those coming from neighborhood streets (e.g. Loma Verde, El Carmelo etc.) will have increased difficulty heading south to Mountain View on Alma, or merging at other intersections. Ultimately, the drivers best served by the Underpass solution are not the Palo Alto residents for whom the railroad crossing was originally designed, but rather drivers “just passing through.” This ultimately results in lower roadway safety and worsens traffic for all other routes besides the favored north-south one. By comparison, the Hybrid solution improves traffic by 65-78% in the morning, and 17-53% in the afternoon (Figure 4). Favoring the Underpass solution because it “improves the LOS rating from F to B” leaves us blind to the ways it harms the overall Palo Alto route experience. The rating is a fundamentally narrow analysis that cannot take into account the negative traffic externalities of the Underpass solution. These roads were meant to connect Palo Alto residents, not divide them in service of other drivers. On balance, with these traffic and safety issues for both cars and bikes/pedestrians, along with greater risk in sea level susceptibility and storm water treatment (Criteria G2 & G4), in addition to the 300-370M incremental price tag (Criteria E), and the 33 properties impacted (Criteria F), the Hybrid solution makes way more sense, especially if we focus further negotiations with Caltrain to improve the “wall.” If the council moves forward with both Underpass and Hybrid options for Meadow/Charleston, then I make the following requests: 1. Underpass solution: a. Conduct user studies on experience and functionality and potential safety and likely routes eg of cyclists including teen students going home on the other side of Alma from Gunn. In particular assess safety risks should cyclists decide to use the underpass with the cars since the bike route is awkward. b. Assess cumulative and route impact to overall Palo Alto destinations, e.g. other intersections with Alma, driver/GPS initiated routes due to turn eliminations and awkward traffic circles, etc. Prioritize solutions for Palo Alto residents higher than those passing through Palo Alto. 2. Hybrid solution: a. Consider how the existing bike paths can be inexpensively improved with standard bike lane protection strategies such as barriers, bike signals, colored paths, etc. b. Work with Caltrain on how the wall can be adjusted and made more attractive, perhaps with greenery like many of the segments of raised tracks in San Mateo county. 3. Community engagement and communications: a. Consider composition of community members in the next phase to include, if not already, advocates of each solution to gain greater mutual understanding and potentially spark more innovative revisions b. Proactively reach out to those who live in the area that may be potentially impacted - property owners, renters etc - and a) understand their travel routes b) educate them on the potential impact to their neighborhood. I am told that to-date, postcards sent out to property addresses only mentioned meeting times and links to meeting materials but did not indicate any potential impact to residents’ travel routes or properties. Nothing was sent to property owners unless they lived at the property address. c. In the 5/23/2024 Rail Commission meeting Council member Julie Lythcott-Haims mentioned that she received an email from a resident whose property was potentially impacted saying that a real estate agent declined to list their house due to the disclosure requirement of the potential impact and complications in negotiations expected. Personally, my property is currently being rented, and my tenant said that they are considering moving due to the significant partial property acquisition and construction noise without understanding the timing of potential interruption. Hence, I would like to request that the City issue a fact sheet for all potentially affected property owners that can be included in disclosure and rental info sheets indicating a) the fact that no final decisions have been made b) timing of solution selection b) the timing of when construction is likely to start, along with duration. While this does not remediate the market devaluation of those potentially affected properties that has already happened, it will at least provide official factual information to potential buyers and renters. The above requests would, of course, be in addition to the cost reduction and property acquisition minimization, and other efforts that the council has already highlighted. Thank you very much. Best regards Sabrina Lin Palo Alto resident since 1985 Figure 1: white highlight shows awkward maneuvering required for bikes/pedestrians Figure 2. Morning diversions to Alma/Charleston at Alma/Charleston Figure 3. Afternoon diversions to traffic circle at Alma/Charleston Figure 4. Traffic improvements with Hybrid (report notes that Viaduct and Hybrid improvements are similar) From:Aram James To:Council, City Subject:Re: Bomb Tel Aviv Date:Saturday, June 8, 2024 10:32:09 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. On Sat, Jun 8, 2024 at 10:50 AM Aram James <abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: From:JOHN KOLSKI To:Council, City Cc:JOHN KOLSKI Subject:SO Date:Saturday, June 8, 2024 7:10:15 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. ONE OR MORE OF YOU DOES NOT SUPPORT GIVE CITY MONEY TO SUPPORT THE DONKEYS.MAY THE RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT SUPPORT YOU ALL GETTING ANY MONEY FROM THE CITY. SEEMS YOU ONLY DO AS YOU WANT THAT BENIFITS YOUR OWN AGENDA.JOHN KOLSKI From:Robert Neff To:Council, City Subject:Support for better Transit connection to Transit Center Date:Saturday, June 8, 2024 11:10:49 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Honorable members of Palo Alto City Council, I am writing to support the proposal to create direct access from El Camino Real (ECR) to the Palo Alto Transit Center for Stanford, VTA, SamTrans, and other bus services. As a daily bus rider, I prefer to experience a route which is direct and frequent (Route 522, from Arastradero to Wolfe on ECR), and have also experienced the chronic frustration of bus routes that must take time to leave their main route to get to a Transit Center. The current connection from ECR and Stanford to the transit center is poor, with long waits for traffic signals. This connection will simplify and speed connections. Since a bus ride from Menlo Park (the SamTrans ECR) to Mountain View (the VTA 22) requires changing buses in Palo Alto in the Transit center, this will save time for those riders on every trip. I think the lost parkland is of relatively low value, though it has a good location, and will be possible to replace. I am confident that transportation planners will redesign the intersection at Quarry/ECR to also accomodate the bicycle and pedestrian traffic across ECR at that intersection. Please advance this proposal. Thank you for your service to the City of Palo Alto. -- -- Robert Neff robert@neffs.net From:Aram James To:Baker, Rob; Binder, Andrew; Council, City; Daniel Kottke; Ed Lauing; Jack Ajluni; Jeff Moore; Josh Becker; JulieLythcott-Haims; KEVIN JENSEN; Kaloma Smith; Lewis james; Linda Jolley; Gardener, Liz; Michelle; Zelkha, Mila;Raj Jayadev; Raymond Goins; Robert. Jonsen; Roberta Ahlquist; Rose Lynn; Rosen, Jeff; Salem Ajluni; SeanAllen; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; Perron, Zachary; district1@bos.sccgov.org;kenneth.Binder@shf.sccgov.org Subject:Olympics ban for Gaza Date:Saturday, June 8, 2024 12:02:21 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. People are calling on the Olympic committee to bar Israel from the Olympics until they stop their attack on Gaza. I’ve just signed the petition to support the ban- will you add your nametoo? https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/olympics_ban_loc/? From:Deborah Goldeen To:Council, City Cc:City Mgr Subject:Bikes on University Date:Friday, June 7, 2024 4:02:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Instead of having bikes use Lytton and Hamilton, the city should close University to cars and force the cars to useLytton and Hamilton instead. If Lytton and Hamilton were one way streets, this would work. From:slevy@ccsce.com To:Planning Commission; Council, City Subject:660 University on PTC agenda June 12 Date:Friday, June 7, 2024 10:18:41 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Commissioners, I write as a downtown resident in strong support of this proposal. As you know more housing downtown is a major city priority and suggested by our economic development and retail consultants. This project will have environmental benefits in reducing the need for many car trips thatcan be made conveniently by walking ore biking. The congestion and pollution/GHGemissions are dependent on car use not just car ownership. This location is close toservices, shopping, jobs and public transit and is to my knowledge the only relatively largehousing project downtown at this time. The project has equity benefits by virtue of the 20% of units reserved for low-and-moderate income residents and at the same time provides more customers for local businesses downtown as recommended by our ED consultant. The applicant has gone through three years of the regular process and comes to you for approval to go to council and, I assume, put aside the builder's remedy application they submitted following the last ARB meeting. Please move the application forward without attaching any conditions that the applicant hasfound to make the project no longer feasible. Stephen Levy P.S And the city would benefit from more housing like this downtown. From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 - Information Reception & Application Date:Friday, June 7, 2024 9:05:15 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. LPA Information Reception 2024-2025 Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 Information Reception Join us for an informational reception and learn about our Leadership Palo Alto Program. Light refreshments served. Thursday, June 20, 20245:30pm to 7pm Location:The Avant 4041 El Camino Way Palo Alto, CA 94306 >Register Online Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 Apply Participants will graduate ready to re-imagine and reshape our community with21st-century leadership skills. Topics include: Local, Regional and State Government Education Arts & Culture Environment & Sustainability Housing & TransportationHealth & Wellness & More >Learn More and Apply Online Here Applications are Due July 31 Contact Charlie@paloaltochamber.com for more information. This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. From:upcomingsales@friendspaloaltolib.org To:Council, City Subject:June Jumping Jumbo-size Book Sale - Friends of the Palo Alto Library Date:Friday, June 7, 2024 3:17:09 AM Some people who received this message don't often get email from upcomingsales@friendspaloaltolib.org. Learnwhy this is important BOOK SALE NEWSLETTER THIS WEEKEND AT CUBBERLEY Visit our web site CUBBERLEY USED BOOK SALES Saturday June 8 Main Room Members' Early Sale 9am - 11am Main Room General Sale 11am - 4pm Bargain Room 9:30am - 4pm Children's Room 10am - 4pm No Popup Music Sale this month Main Room 11am - 4pm Sunday June 9 All Rooms 11am - 4pm FEATURED IN JUNE Science Fiction/Comics Asian Languages Children's RoomMusic/Jazz Science 4000 Middlefield Road Palo AltoNE corner of the CubberleyCommunity Center (650) 213-8755 www.fopal.org Maps and DirectionsMore information on the salesDonate your used books, DVDs, &c ALL NET PROCEEDS GO TO HELP PALOALTO LIBRARIES Main Room In our Main Room, prices are way below what used book stores charge.Hardcover books start at $3 andsoftcover books start at only $2. NO NUMBERS WILL BE ISSUED FOR NON-MEMBERS FOR THIS SALE. IF YOU ARE NOT A FOPAL MEMBER SIMPLY SHOW UP AT 11AM. Please note that due to crowding during the first two hours of the Book Sale, no strollers, rolling carts, etc. can be brought into the Main Room. This is for the safety of shoppers and volunteers alike. By 12:30 or so, the crowd thins out and shoppers are welcome to bring these items into the sale. Children's Book Sale The Children's Room is located in theportable next to the soccer field nearGreendell School. It is entirely filledwith children's books and toys. You'llfind picture books, school age fictionand non-fiction, fiction for teens, awardwinners, non-English titles, CDs andDVDs, and books for parents andteachers, many for 50 cents or $1.Strollers are welcome in the Children'sRoom at any time. Bargain Books in H-2 The Bargain Room is located in Rooms H-2 and H-3 of the Cubberley maincampus, between Marty's Room andMiddlefield Road. On Saturday,paperbacks are $1, hardcovers are $2,and children's books are 50 cents each. The room also contains many records, CDs, and DVDs at $1 each. On Sunday, the room opens at 11 am and all prices are half off. Or, save even more on Sunday by buying green FOPAL reusable bags from us for $3/ea (or bring your own grocery-size reusable bag) and stuffing them with any items in the room for $5/bag. Fill four bags at $5/bag and fill a fifth bag FREE! (We no longer receive sufficient used paper grocery bags along with donations for this purpose.) Library News The Summer Reading for a Cause program is under way since June 1 but the kick-off is on June 8 (2pm at Mitchell Park Library so maybe something to do after our Saturday sale). Itruns until August 1. Read all about it! Pride at PACL started June 1 and goes all month. Read all about it! Words on Wheels is again available to deliver Library books to Palo Alto residents who are unable to visit the library. You can read about it and enroll if appropriate. You can find out about things like this from the Palo Alto City Library Blogs page. Or you can subscribe to them with an RSS reader. All Library branches will be closed on Thursday July 4 for Independence Day. You can also find out about all this stuff and more from an infrequent e-mail from the Library. There's a signup form. -Frank McConnell June Sale Notes June is FOPAL's busy donation time and FOPAL's members are benefiting with a Members' Early Sale. All FOPAL paid members can get in earlier than the normal 11am start time. Because of this, the normal Main Room entry procedure is changed. See the section below pertaining to the Members' Early Sale. Summer is almost here, donations are up and we've got plenty of great reads, music, and more! Main Room information notes: For June check out an equally special selection of books, carefully curated by FOPAL 60+ Section Managers! The Science Fiction section is FULL this month with dozens of books and comic books filling the shelves! The Asian Language& Media section is overflowing in the Main Room and Bargain Room too. The Children'sRoom has a TON of terrific books, games, and puzzles received from several generous donations. And, the Music section is brimming with a myriad of books with an emphasis on Jazz. Also, for the Science fans this month you'll find these books have taken over an additional bay in the Specials Area. Look for Music and Science Specials just to your right of the entrance. -Janette Herceg Big Change in Bargain Room Pricing in July Prices in the Bargain Room will change, beginning with the July sale. Hardback books will be $2, paperback books will be $1, and magazines will be 50 cents on Saturdays. The half-price rule on Sundays will still be in effect, as will the $5 bag (grocery bag size only!). FOPAL Members Get the First Pick at Members' Early Sale A super big fun FOPAL Members' Early Sale is scheduled for this Saturday. Twice a year, FOPAL holds a Members' Early Sale, at which members of the Friends of the Palo AltoLibrary are admitted early to the Main Room sale. Members enjoy a less crowded mainbook room and get the first crack at FOPAL's wonderful collection of materials! Life & Sponsor Members Enter at 9am: At our Members' Early Sale, Life and Sponsor Members (and one spouse or guest) may enter at 9am and can purchase up to 100 books per membership only during that first hour. Each Life Member and Sponsor Member must give the one Purchase Slip per membership to the cashier before 10am in order to purchase up to 100 books. If a Life Member or Sponsor Member exits without purchasing all 100 books, he/she may take the Purchase Slip and reenter to fill out the 100 books as long as they are purchased by 10am. Other Members Enter at 10am: Members at all other levels can enter the sale at 10am, and purchase 25 books at a time. General Public Enter at 11am: At 11am, non-members are admitted. The usual limit on purchasing 12 books at a time lasts until there is no longer a line waiting to enter. Ticket Handout Procedure: At the Members' Early Sale, tickets are given only tomembers of FOPAL. Look for two check-in/ticket lines; one line for renewing members, newmembers, and those members without a membership card, and one line for members withtheir cards. To speed your way through the ticket line please find and bring yourmembership card! Tickets given out are for the 9am and 10am lines at the Main Room,since most people who come early are Members of FOPAL. Each Member will get just oneticket, although Life and Sponsor Members may bring one guest between 9 and 10am andFamily Members may bring in their families, consisting of one other adult and minor child,beginning at 10am. No tickets will be given out for the 11am line. Join FOPAL Now: If you're not already a paid-up member, avoid delay at the sale by joining online now. -Janette Herceg The big CHANGE for FOPAL's parking lot! Fire Station No. 4 at 3600 Middlefield will be relocating to the southwest parking lot at Cubberley Community Center for up to a 24-month stay during the construction of the new station. The temporary station will house the station's two fire personnel, one ambulance, and essential equipment for continued operations. Construction on the temporary site will begin in May 2024. On March 4, 2024, City Council approved the lease contract with Mobile Modular Management Corporation for the temporary station at Cubberley Community Center. The approved lease is a double wide modular trailer to be used as the fire personnel's living quarters. For questions or concerns, please email Public Works Engineering at PWEcips@cityofpaloalto.org. For general project information, visit www.cityofpaloalto.org/firestation4. As a result, parking near the sales will be limited. Latest information from the City: "...no official date yet, although the Modular Building will be delivered early July." -Janette Herceg Science Fiction and Fantasy, and Comics Another big flood of SF paperbacks! A particularly large selection of David Drake and Lois Bujold, but lots of other great authors. Almost a full shelf of Dean Koontz hardbacks. In Fantasy, a bunch of Joe Abercrombie grimdark. In Comics, nice hardcover collections of the first few issues of Mad, and the first installment of a flood of comic magazines, mostly Marvel. Shelf pictures at fopalbooks.com. -Rich McAllister Children's Room This month we feature books for dads, grads, and July 4th. There is plenty to choose from, on the display racks to the left of the exit door. Fathers' Day is June 16--don't forget! The School-age Fiction section offers some lovely gift-quality classics: Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, The Adventures of Odysseus, and Illustrated Mythology with numerous maps and plates. Look on the fantasy shelves for many Rick Riordan books, the full series of The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann, all of the Divergent series by Virginia Roth, the Dresden Files novels by Jim Butcher, and lots of Harry Potter books. For teens, we have books by many of the New York Times most popular authors, including John Green, Marie Lu, Marissa Meyer, Scott Westerfeld, Leigh Bardugo, and Angie Thomas. On the school-age popular authors cart we have adventure stories by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, lots of the series How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell, the Treehouse stories by Andy Griffiths, several books by Chris Grabenstein, and many, many more. In the Activities section you'll find project ideas and materials to launch the summer vacation, including bags and boxes of Legos (some in unopened kits), as well as a bin full of origami books. For the littlest fingers we have several wooden peg puzzles. As usual, our graphic novels shelves are overflowing. The beginning of the alphabet is particularly well- represented--Amulet, Asterix, and Bad Guys--along with many other series and singletons. Finally, we have trays full of small toys--perfect diversions to tuck into a carry-on bag or the armrest compartment of your car. -Carolyn Davidson Book Reviews From a Kid, For Kids Book Reviews from a Kid, for a Kid, by Emma Chen Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Conner This series is a very well known picture book with elegant illustrations, follow young Nancy with her shenanigans. From tea parties to dressups, this lovely picture book series is sureto capture your child's heart.Ages 4 - 7.5 Maze Runner by James Dashner Maze Runner is a classic, suspenseful, and gorgeously written dystopian science fiction starring a boy named Thomas who is an amnesiac, and finds himself in what seems to be a giant maze. The other boys; the Gladers, tells him that there's no way out but through the dark, ivy covered maze where dangerous creatures lurk. Will Thomas find his way out? Or will he get stuck in the unfamiliar glade, forever? Ages 12 - 16 -Emma Chen Children's Vintage June is "collections" month in children's vintage. So many people lovingly gather copies of their childhood favorites during their lifetime and then pass them on for other people to enjoy. To our benefit, children's vintage donations this month are robust with some of these collections. Big kids can choose between a large assortment of Asterix and Tin-Tin graphic novels (most in French, some in Spanish or English), many volumes in the Tarzan series and the Mars series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and a matched set of The Happy Hollisters (18 volumes, all in dust jackets!) We also have the 1919 Book of Knowledge (20 volumes, complete) by Grolier. One of the first children's encyclopedias, each volume has the same master headings (Book of Golden Deeds, Book of Stories, Book of Familiar Things, etc) with different articles in each volume. It's a bit pricey, but worth it! And my personal favorite is the two-volumes of Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales in Swedish. Little kids can choose between several nice copies of Holling C. and Lucille Holling books of nature (Minn of the Mississippi, Pagoo and Seabird). We also have many children's records (both 33-1/3 and 45 RPM) with fairy tales, Winnie the Pooh stories, or Sesame Street recordings (Feelings, Animals, Numbers, etc). And as a special feature, we have several vintage games - a crated Apples to Apples, a wooden-boxed Dread Pirates, and Stories, a unique, boxed graphic novel by Chris Ware. In addition, there is a holdover from last month, 6 jigsaw puzzles of "modern" airplanes, featuring the planes of the 1940s. See shelf pictures at https://fopalbooks.com/kids.html. -Lisa Heitman Computers A large donation of books about the Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and similar hobbyist hardware enabled the creation of a special section just for such books. If you have any interest in hobby computing hardware, come and browse! -David Cortesi Home & Crafts The June Home collection includes styles guides for men's and women's fashion from Clothes and the Man to Women's Wardrobe. Home decorating references feature: Barbra Streisand's My Passion for Design and Dorothy Draper's In the Pink. You'll also discover Marella Agnelli: The Last Swan. Look for Designing Women: Interiors by Leading Style Makers and John Loring's Tiffany Parties. Don't miss: The New Bohemians: Cool and Collected Homes. Turn your design passion blue with Carolyne Roehm's signed copy, A Passion for Blue and White. You'll find designer homes ranging from San Francisco Style to Arts and Crafts Style and Spirit. And for that minimal look, try Danish Modern by Andrew Hollingsworth. Here's a fun and useful building and remodeling title: Fixin' Ugly Houses for Money. Bring it all home with Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House. Additional home maintenance titles include: Mr. Fix-It Introduces You to Your Home, and The New York Times Home Repair Almanac. We have copies of the tried and true: Popular Science Complete Manual of Home Repair and the Reader's Digest New Complete Do-It- Yourself Manual to assist you with all your household needs. Floral Arts continue to bloom this June on our Crafts shelves. Look for everything from The Art of Flower Arranging: Learning from the Master Florists at the Flower School of New York, to Decorating with Dried Flowers: A Step-by-Step Guide to Cultivating, Drying, and Arranging Dried Flowers and Plants. We have a special set: Seton's The Library of Pioneering and Woodcraft. Check out new crafty resources including: Wrapagami: The Art of Fabric Gift Wraps; Making Your Own Jewelry: Creative Designs to Make and Wear; Crafting Personal Shrines; and Playing with Image Transfers. For additional Fabric Arts try: The Happy Hooker: Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet by Debbie Stroller and Joyful Mending: Visible Repairs for the Perfectly Imperfect Things We Love! You'll also find: The Knitters Bible: The Complete Handbook for Creative Knitters as well as Art of the Embroiderer. Shelf photos can be found at https://fopalbooks.com/crafts.html. -Virginia Perry Antiques & Collections June titles in Antiques offer book collectors an array of rare book catalogs for review: Antiquariaat, H.P. Kraus, Martayan Lan, Simon Finch, and Roger Gaskell, among others. Look for The Coin Atlas: The World of Coinage from Its Origins to the Present Day. Here too, discover The Currency of Fame: Portrait Medals of the Renaissance. Another find, The World of Classic Stamps by James A. Mackay. We also have a broad variety of porcelain, silver, and gold offerings. Equally valuable are titles on British, French, and American furniture, as well as Persian rugs. Auction catalogs and other antique resources are available for your collecting reference. Shelf photo can be found at https://fopalbooks.com/crafts.html. -Virginia Perry Poetry What is so rare as a day in June? Then, if ever, come perfect days; But Poetry sings a sadder tune: Funereal poems and ancient lays. To cheer yourself, it's such a lark To read some versions of The Snark And, if you're really in a slump Find laughs in poems on Donald Trump. Find poetry pictures at https://fopalbooks.com/poetry,html -Mandy MacCalla Health The Health section welcomes June with an intriguing selection of new reads. Among them, Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating (Charles Spence) Twitch and Shout: A Touretteer's Tale (Lowell Handler) Engaging Autism (Greenspan, MD & Wieder, PhD) Of course, there are many other fascinating books, plus some new DVDs and CDs. Please take a look at the following DVDs (second short shelf unit, top left cube hole): Living with Fibromyalgia: A Journey to Hope and Understanding Aero-Pilates: Introduction to AeroPilates, Level 1 Aero Pilates: Simply Cardio & Pure Pilates, Level 3 AM & PM: Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss Its My Body, My Baby, My Birth Plus, on the same shelf are an interesting selection of CDs: Mindful Healing; Working with Neck & Shoulder Pain Mindful Healing: Working with Back Pain Committed to Health; From Seed to Supplement Totally ADD: Tips for an Organized LifePLUS: Zumba Fitness and Flat Abs (CD), which is combined with the Zumba Exhilarate Box (A Zumba exercise kit with more CDs and a set of toning sticks.) -Suzanne Cholko Curious Books This month, Curious Books has been given a brisk reorganization. The top two shelves now feature books that are worth thinking about or helpful in some way. The usual diverse and entertaining books fill the lower shelves, with a special area for animal related books on the right. Shelf picture may be found at https://fopalbooks.com/curious.html. -Donya W. Judaica Browse the Judaica section for books on the Jewish religion and culture including editions of the Torah and other basic texts, Kabbalah, Jewish history, the Holocaust, memoirs, Israel, Jewish Women, the Jewish American Experience and other related subjects. Special interest this month - The Cigarette Sellers of Three Crosses Square; Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure; Shanghai Diary: A Young Girl's Journey from Hitler's Hate to War-Torn China; Trees: ...The Green Testament; Reading the Hebrew Bible after the Shoah; Antisemitism: Here and Now; The Golden Land: The Story of Jewish Immigration to America (in shrink wrap). Most fiction with Jewish themes will be found in Modern Literature/Classics or CurrentFiction. Books entirely in Hebrew are shelved in the European Languages section. Shelf photos at https://fopalbooks.com/judaica.html -Charlotte Epstein, Judaica Section Manager Puzzles and Games This month we received many new puzzles (cats anyone?!) and a nice variety of strategy games. In addition, last month we had an usually slow sale so all puzzles and most games that have been for sale more than a month or two have all been marked down. The bargain (bottom) shelves are full, too. -Vicky Evans Sociology/Anthropology Out of the 531 volumes the Sociology/Anthropology section offers for the upcoming sale, I want to draw attention to a few recently received items. First is a collection of 21 books on various aspects of Maya culture that apparently came from the home library of a person professionally involved in the topic. Then, among many valuable works, a sub- section on sociological and anthropological theories features fundamental research by renowned French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste. Another new author for this sub-section is an American theoretician, writer, and activist, bell hooks. The sub-section offers her book, All About Love: New Vision. Finally, I invite patrons of the book sale to pay attention to the big format books in a sub-section on cultural anthropology. Most of them have just been received. -Natalia Koulinka History It's summer, and time to take a trip. Check out the History section's collections of books on maps and cartography, as well as exploration. We have a large picture book on the history of the famous Green Book, a travel guide to segregated America. If you're planning to attend (or just watch) the Olympics we have books on the ancient Greek and not-so- ancient Rome games. For fans of Shogun there are a number of books about that period on the Japan shelf. For collectors, we have a 1850 account of the French Revolution of 1848 by an eyewitness: Battle Summer, by Ik. Marvel. Heavily foxed but otherwise intact and priced to move. -Lin McAllister Donations We accept donations on Monday through Saturday from 3-5 pm in the Main Room. But we close to donations in the week before the sale so that we can prepare the Main Room forthe sale. Which means that we are closed for donations from Sunday June 2 throughSunday June 9. Please hold your donations until Monday June 10. Please read our donation guidelines before you bring materials to us. Suggestions? We're always eager to hear your suggestions for ways to improve our book sale. Please email us at suggestions@friendspaloaltolib.org. This notice comes to you from the non-profit organization Friends of the Palo Alto Library. No trees werefelled in the making of this e-mail. Visit our web site. Become a member by joining online. Be sure to receive your own free copy of this e-mail notice so that you'll know about all special upcomingbooks sales. To sign up, just e-mail us. We carefully protect the privacy of your e-mail address. We will notshare your e-mail address with any other organization and we will not use it for any purpose other than tosend you these notices. If you do not wish to receive these e-mail notices in the future, please reply withthe words "Remove Me" in the first line of the text. From:Jethroe Moore To:abjpd1@gmail.com; <michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; Ed Lauing; GRP-CityCouncil; Joe Simitian; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; MGR-Melissa Stevenson Diaz; Zelkha, Mila; Nash, Betsy;Sean Allen; Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; bryan gobin; citycouncil@mountainview.gov;dcombs@menlopark.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org Subject:Re: DePaul adjunct professor fired for optional assignment on how "genocide in Gaza" impacts health and biology Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 8:46:41 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality. “If you remain neutral in situations of oppression you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” - Desmond Tutu Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail on Android On Thu, Jun 6, 2024 at 8:39 PM, Aram James<abjpd1@gmail.com> wrote: DePaul adjunct professor fired foroptional assignment on how 'genocide inGaza' impacts health and biology Source: Chicago Sun-Times DePaul adjunct professor fired for optional assignment on how 'genocide in Gaza' impactshealth and biology https://search.app/jYkHhZVxXZWaDjzs6 From:Aram James To:<michael.gennaco@oirgroup.com>; Cindy Chavez; Council, City; Ed Lauing; GRP-City Council; Jeff Moore; JoeSimitian; Josh Becker; Julie Lythcott-Haims; MGR-Melissa Stevenson Diaz; Zelkha, Mila; Nash, Betsy; Sean Allen;Supervisor Otto Lee; Supervisor Susan Ellenberg; bryan gobin; citycouncil@mountainview.gov;dcombs@menlopark.gov; district1@bos.sccgov.org Subject:DePaul adjunct professor fired for optional assignment on how "genocide in Gaza" impacts health and biology Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 8:40:07 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. DePaul adjunct professor fired for optionalassignment on how 'genocide in Gaza'impacts health and biology Source: Chicago Sun-TimesDePaul adjunct professor fired for optional assignment on how 'genocide in Gaza' impacts health and biology https://search.app/jYkHhZVxXZWaDjzs6 From:Tran, Joanna To:Council, City Cc:Executive Leadership Team; Clerk, City Subject:City.Council Bundle 5/31/24 Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 6:25:07 PM Attachments:RE Safer roads in Downtown Palo Alto.msgRE Findings on Palo Alto Road Safety - Castilleja Students.msgFW unacceptable PAPD response strange nightly presence.msgFW Links.msgRE link.msgimage002.pngimage004.pngimage005.pngimage007.pngimage008.pngimage009.pngRE Rail Committee Meeting 5232024.msgimage003.png Dear Mayor and Councilmembers, On behalf of City Manager Ed Shikada, please see the attached staff responses to emails received in the City.Council inbox through May 31, 2024. Thank you,Joanna Joanna Tran Executive Assistant to the City Manager Office of the City Manager (650) 329-2105 | joanna.tran@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From:Tran, Joanna To:Council, City Cc:Executive Leadership Team; ORG - Clerk"s Office Subject:Council Consent Questions: Items 6-8, 10, 11 (6/10/24) Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 6:14:11 PM Attachments:image001.pngimage003.pngimage004.pngimage006.pngimage007.pngimage008.pngimage009.png Dear Mayor and Council Members, On behalf of City Manager Ed Shikada, please view the following links for the amended agenda and staff responses to questions submitted by Council Member Tanaka: June 10 Amended Agenda Items 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11 Staff Responses Thank you, Joanna Joanna Tran Executive Assistant to the City Manager Office of the City Manager (650) 329-2105 | joanna.tran@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From:ummkenza@lycos.com To:Council, City Subject:Rail crossings at Meadow and Charleston -- Underpass option Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 5:24:57 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. June 6, 2024 Dear Members: I am writing to express my hope the PA City Council will not select the underpass alternative for Charleston and Meadow. I attended many city meetings where the various options were presented and discussed, and the underpass alternative was never really seriously mentioned or considered. Why does it now it appears to be the favored option? I do not understand why it is now being considered as a viable option. It is expensive, willtake a lot of time to build, provide many inconveniences while being built, and will requiretaking residents’ properties. Eminent domain is not the way to go. In addition, the Oregonunderpass is an eyesore, is unpleasant to drive in, and floods when it rains. How would onesat Charleston and Meadow be any different? I am in favor of either the viaduct or the hybrid. While the viaduct is expensive, it will not take as long to build, will not affect current traffic during the building process in ways the underpass will, and ultimately might even provide space beneath for bike paths and green space. The hybrid is also a good alternative. I used to live across from the 42nd Avenue hybrid underpass in San Mateo. The noise and vibrations were no worse there than they currently are at the Charleston crossing. As there was no need there for the clang-clang-clang when the bars were lowered, I can even say it was less disturbing. I know that people are upset about having to see the trains above their backyards, but this could be ameliorated through the planting of trees between the tracks and the backyards. I think this is an opportunity for Palo Alto (Tall tree) to live up to its name. In closing, I am asking for a NO vote on the underpass. Please consider and choose either the viaduct or the hybrid option instead. Sincerely, Kathleen L. Joki, Resident of Palo Alto From:matt@evolutionaryteams.com To:palo-alto@fridaysforfutureusa.org Subject:FW: FFF Follow Up – May 31 (Week #125) Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 3:30:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Juan checked in to let us know how much he appreciates our action. He and his partner plan to join us for the next climate slow march (Friday, June 7). Thank you foryour support, Juan! Sheena stopped by with her cousin Timmy from Delhi. He reported on the terrible heat wave there and how, sadly, not only are people are dying but crows aredropping dead out of trees. We must remember that our climate pollution is affecting ALL life on the planet. Thank you, Timmy, for sharing your stories, and thankyou, Sheena, for introducing us to Timmy. Much of our conversation was dedicated to understanding the nature and characteristics of intentional communities. We came to understand that people are drawn tointentional communities to contribute and collaborate towards a common cause. Thank you, Ingrid, Rick, Robin and George, for your contributions and for the veryinteresting conversation. We are an intentional community! Casey was “excited” to show us a video about heat pumps. You will NOT want to miss it: https://youtu.be/kxvCSvjXlRw?si=Nko2VeZIeJL_nm9O Kadir created the first draft of the next Green Mic video about the effects of war on the climate crisis. We hope to release that soon. Thank you, Kadir! This Friday is our Climate Slow March! Come join the join fun. Keep Up the Fight and See You Friday! Matt Schlegel Organizer Fridays For Future Palo Alto Cell: 650-924-8923 Email: Palo-Alto@FridaysForFutureUSA.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fridaysforfuture_paloalto/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fri4Future_PA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMGKrv_ADB5k7HPK9FJO_Hw Green Mic Web: https://www.greenmic.org FFF Web: https://fridaysforfutureusa.org/local-groups/palo-alto/ Email List: https://mailchi.mp/c8c130127345/join-fridays-for-future-palo-alto From:Patricia Judge Tamrazi To:Shikada, Ed Cc:Council, City; City Mgr; Batchelor, Dean; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker, Vicki; Clerk, City Subject:CPAU falls below PG&E mapping standards Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 2:08:29 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mr. Shikada, The crew inspecting the wooden power poles in my neighborhood just knocked on my door,looking for the power poles on my block. This crew also inspects power poles for PG&E. They told me that the information they are provided from CPAU is totally incomplete and out of line with what they are provided from PG&E. This is taking them much more time to do their job, wasting their time and energy and in theprocess upsetting them that they are disturbing residents unnecessarily. PG&E maps show GPS coordinates, exact addresses of yards with the power poles, andother information. CPAU maps just have dots on a map, representing power poles - when they click on it, no information. No address, no property lines to show where these dots may be. So thecrew goes door-to-door, knocking and asking if there's a power pole in the yard / inspecting the yard to see if it's there. I was able to provide to the crew the address of one power pole near me - the one where the power was turned off recently to "investigate" the loose neutral (which was not found). Theother one (where loose connections were also found, and still no new transformer - I still do not know why as I have asked multiple times with no answer), I don't know the address of. So the crew's time-consuming and frustrating hunt will continue. Questions this shortcoming poses: Shouldn't there be complete information, in the event of an emergency? Are these substandard maps costing the City more money, since it takes the contractors more time to do their jobs? Are the contractors expending so much energy trying to find the poles that they don'thave time and energy left over to do the inspections properly? How are we in Palo Alto - perhaps the most technologically advanced city in the country (at least in brand) - and have substandard mapping? I ask once again: When will CPAU safety and maintenance standards be brought in linewith industry standards? I look forward to answers on this and my other outstanding questions. Trish Tamrazi 650-208-4802 From:Palo Alto ForwardTo:Council, CitySubject:ACTION ALERT - 660 University at PTCDate:Thursday, June 6, 2024 11:51:00 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. City -- URGENT - Support 660 University OK members - this is where we make a difference! After 3+ years of "process", 660 University Avenue -- a 65-unit mixed-use project with 20%affordable units -- is going before the Planning & Transportation Commission onWednesday, June 12 at 6:00 p.m. The project is�Action Item #2 at the agenda�here. The staff report, plans, and supportingdocuments can be found as links in the agenda. THE OPPOSITION IS ORGANIZED AND WILL BE THERE.�We need to provide avoice of support for this project by either: 1. Speaking in support at the ARB hearing in person at�6:00 p.m.�at City Hall�or via�this Zoom link.�To speak, raise your Zoom "hand" when they begin talkingabout the item and they will put you in the queue. 2. Writing an email to the Planning & Transportation Commission(Planning.Commission@cityofpaloalto.org) - sample text is below. Choose whatresonates with you or write your own personal reasons for supporting housing. Thank you everyone - this is where your participation can absolutely make a difference ingetting homes to approval. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Planning & Transportation Commission Members, I support the 660 University Avenue project (Action Item #2) for the following reasons andurge you to approve it as submitted without further delay.� It is walking distance to downtown businesses, retail, and services.�The project is 0.6mile from Caltrain and adjacent to major transit stops, thus reducing residents' climateemissions because they can drive less.� It will provide 65 new homes where 20% will be affordable, where only 15% isrequired. Potential students living at these homes will support adjacent schools facing steepdeclines, such as Addison Elementary. More than twice the amount of required bicycle parking will be provided.�� This project is another example of the onerous "Palo Alto Process". It was originallysubmitted in 2021, and now (more than 3 years later) it is moving towards CityCouncil approval.� The�setback�exemption being requested is reasonable and consistent with thearchitectural pattern in the overall neighborhood, where there are numerous existingprojections into the setback and no plans for bicycle infrastructure in the setbackarea.� Thank you, YOUR NAME HERE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Palo Alto Forward This email was sent to city.council@cityofpaloalto.org. To stop receiving emails, click here. Created with NationBuilder, the essential toolkit for leaders. From:Margo Deane To:Susan Phillips Moskowitz Cc:Council, City; gsheyner@paweekly.com Subject:Re: The increased fee at the Palo Alto Jr. Museum Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 11:26:51 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I agree . While the new Junior Museum interactive exhibits and animal enclosures are wonderful , will young families be able to afford to enjoy all that it has to offer ?Should the price of admission create exclusivity ? Margo Deane margodeane@gmail.com650-329-9087 On Jun 5, 2024, at 7:51 PM, Susan Phillips Moskowitz <susanpm@gmail.com> wrote: I read with dismay the article about the PA Junior Museum in the 31 May issue ofthe Palo Alto Weekly. From my perspective, that of a retired professional with two adult children whogrew up using the old Palo Alto Junior Museum, the proposed increase in admissions charge to $14.00for the New PA Junior Museum is an outrage. First and foremost, Palo Alto did not need a new Junior Museum. Thosethousands of parents and young children who enjoyed the old Jr. Museum could go there anytime, on anyday, free of charge. There were only several animals to see and touch, but that was sufficientlyexciting for my children. When my kids wanted to see more animals, there was always the Happy HollowBaby Zoo in San Jose, or the larger San Francisco Zoo in Golden Gate Park. The significant efforts that led to the $25 million raised to pay for the renovation,while admirable, apparently failed to provide an effective, sustainable plan for the budget andmanagement needs of the Museum. Such foresight and planning would have permitted the JuniorMuseum and Zoo to continue to offer free admission. In retrospect, failure to plan in that way nowappears to be a tragic mistake. Many veteran Palo Alto residents now see the museum as a “cart that is pullingthe horses.” The old Museum was not a problem, and was free to the public. Now, the scope ofnew services, and the required staffing have produced a crisis that can only be resolved by chargingan unconscionable entry fee. At a time when inflation is challenging both the young and the olderresidents of Palo Alto, in addition to high local property taxes, and other expensive city services, such ahigh fee seems untenable. It is likely to inhibit most families and their children from using the Museum. Only the super rich will afford the entry fee. Is this the kind of arrogance and lack of empathy for thoseless fortunate that we want to advertise to others? Simply too expensive. Attendance will likelyplummet more than the city planners currently predict. Charging such an extreme entry fee isn’t the onlysolution to this dilemma. Other solutions could include any or all of the following: 1. Members of the Friends of the Palo Alto Jr. Museum and Zoo should be expected to donate significant annual gifts to the Museum, just a the members of the Board of Directors of many NPO’s do nationally. 2. Palo Alto has a significant number of billionnairs whose success is not oftenshared with the City in the form of donations to meaningful community programs. Theyshould be solicited for gifts to establish a permanent endowment to cover the annual expenses ofthe museum. 3. In the short term, until appropriate support funding can be identified, it may benecessary to to reduce or eliminate many of the current part-time employees. That’s what ishappening in today’s world to meet the issues of inflation and underemployment.4. Reduce the number of animals and then you can reduce some of the employees.5. Create community service projects with Palo Alto High School students Sincerely yours, Susan Phillips Moskowitz Mrs. Moskowitz’s Knitswww.mrsmoskowitz.com 650-322-3505 susan@mrsmoskowitz.com From:Tyler Kawaguchi To:Council, City Subject:525 E. Charleston Road ground floor grant funding Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 10:50:00 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Stone and the Members of the Palo Alto City Council, My name is Ty Kawaguchi. As a resident of Palo Alto and a client of AbilityPath, I am writing to advocate for the $250K matching funds grant for community programs at the currently developing Mitchell Park Place, located at 525 E. Charleston Road. The ground floor will be occupied by AbilityPath, which has used this property for decades as the former administrative office for Abilities United until 2019, then as a location for our adult programs prior to the demolition of the building in the beginning of 2023. The future use for this building is intended for programming that the entire city of Palo Alto can participate in and even beyond Palo Alto. People with special needs will be able to develop the essential skills that they need to be able to be self- sufficient and reach theirs goals and aspirations, such as employment preparation, independent living skills, and physical and mental health classes. In addition, residents of Palo Alto and the surrounding areas can benefit from these classes as they are going to be open to the entire community. AbilityPath is dedicated to inspire inclusion to everyone in the community, which includes people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The matching gift grant we are requesting is going to benefit the entire community, not just the people that live on the property. Thank you for considering our request. I believe that with your support, we can ensure the continued success and expansion of our community programs, benefiting all residents. Thank you very much for your time. Sincerely, Ty Kawaguchi Board Member AbilityPath tyk971991@gmail.com Phone: 510-789-8852 From:Patricia Judge Tamrazi To:Shikada, Ed; Council, City Cc:City Mgr; Batchelor, Dean; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker, Vicki; Clerk, City Subject:Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts Date:Thursday, June 6, 2024 10:18:00 AM Attachments:image003.pngimage010.pngimage001.pngimage004.pngimage005.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mr. Shikada, I am relieved to see that there are contractors inspecting the power poles in my neighborhood today. The tree trimmers told me that the trees were very overgrown as compared to when they trimtrees for PG&E - this is in line with what CPAU employees have told me: that CPAUmaintenance standards fall below PG&E maintenance standards. Would it be a good ideato call Davey Tree Service and get on the same schedule as PG&E? Now that the trees are trimmed, will CPAU be able to find and fix the loose neutral in my neighborhood, that was first discovered at least in March (and, in talking with CPAU linemen,I believe February)? I have been told that this is a very dangerous condition that should be a priority to fix. What is being done to improve maintenance, so that it is in line with industry safetystandards? Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 650-208-4802 On Tue, Jun 4, 2024 at 1:56 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote:Dear Mr. Shikada, I was relieved to see crews trimming the trees around the overhead electrical wires today, as that has been a concern first flagged to me by a lineman in February (almost 4 months ago). I look forward to your answers to the other outstanding concerns. Trish Tamrazi On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 2:38 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com>wrote: Dear Mr. Shikada, My answers and questions in response to you are below in RED, ALL CAPS. I am copying the City Council, so that they can be kept in the loop. I know that you havetold multiple of them, many times, that my issues have been taken care of - I have also seen you write that in an email. That is totally untrue, as now supported by the "LooseNeutral" graph showing a significant safety issue identified at least in March (I believe February) and JUST LEFT (highly negligent). And the loose wire still remains to thisday! I am simply asking for SAFE AND RELIABLE POWER (and clean water) to my house and the houses in my neighborhood. This is the bare minimum that a utility shouldprovide - and CPAU is not doing it. No resident should ever have to push this hard. Please also could you provide an update on your progress on the overarching HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS, listed in my previous email, which have beenflagged repeatedly for many months now? I look forward to answers to my questions below in response to your email, as well. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 650-208-4802 On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 1:48 PM Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org> wrote: Hello Ms. Tamrazi, Following up on your most recent message below, I’d like to confirm a few items: 1. Staff has offered to coordinate an independent electrician review conditions insideyour home. I understand that they are awaiting your confirmation to proceed. I CONSULTED MULTIPLE ELECTRICIANS TO CONFIRM THAT THEREWERE NO ELECTRICAL ISSUES INSIDE OF MY NEWLY-REWIRED HOUSE, WHEN CPAU DENIED FOR WEEKS THAT MY SEVEREFLICKERING LIGHTS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH POOR POWER SUPPLY TO MY HOUSE, EVEN AFTER MY NEIGHBORS CALLED INTOTHE EMERGENCY LINE FOR THE SAME ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND WERE BLOWN OFF. THEN IT WAS REVEALED THAT CPAU HASNOT PROVIDED SAFE OR RELIABLE POWER TO MY HOUSE, AS DATA HAS REVEALED (1) SEVERE BROWNOUTS AND (2) VOLTAGE SWINGSFROM A LOOSE NEUTRAL - BOTH OF WHICH ARE KNOWN TO DAMAGE FIXTURES AND ELECTRONICS. PLEASE, COULD YOUCONFIRM THAT FIXES / REPLACEMENT COSTS FOR ANY DAMAGE FOUND INSIDE MY HOUSE WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF PALOALTO AND/OR CPAU? 2. Staff is reviewing the neutral issue, with the understanding that this does not posea risk to your home. The article you attached refers to neutral issues in buildings, which is distinct from the utility’s side. A loose wire connection on the utility line might be involved, so staff is troubleshooting. In the meanwhile, they havererouted your electric supply to avoid the suspected connection. THIS ABSOLUTELY POSES A RISK TO MY HOME, AS IT POSES A RISK TOMY NEIGHBORS. TO KNOW OF A LOOSE WIRE AND JUST LEAVE IT IS HIGHLY NEGLIGENT. THE ARTICLE I ATTACHED WAS FOR THOSERECEIVING THE EMAIL WHO MAY NOT BE WELL-VERSED IN ELECTRICITY, SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE RISKS OF A LOOSENEUTRAL. ANYONE INVOLVED WITH UTILITIES KNOWS THAT A LOOSE WIRE ON THE UTILITY'S SIDE IS ALSO DAMAGING ANDDANGEROUS, SO I WILL GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT ON WHATEVER DISTINCTION YOU ARE TRYING TO DRAW WITH YOURSTATEMENTS HERE AND NOT COMMENT FURTHER. 3. In response to your new request, staff is reviewing tree clearance in thearea. WHEN WILL THE TREES BE TRIMMED? I WAS TOLD BY YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES THAT IT IS OVERDUE. PLEASE DO NOTCHARACTERIZE THIS AS *MY* NEW REQUEST - IT IS YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES' OLD REQUEST, WHICH THEY CHARACTERIZED TO MEAS AN EMERGENCY AND WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN IGNORED, AS THEY WERE IGNORED WHEN TRYING TO FIX MY POOR POWERSUPPLY ISSUES BACK IN FEBRUARY WHEN FIRST IDENTIFIED. Sincerely, --Ed Ed Shikada, City Manager ICMA Credentialed Manager (650) 329-2280 | ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From: Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, May 31, 2024 8:10 AMTo: Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org>Cc: Batchelor, Dean <Dean.Batchelor@CityofPaloAlto.org>; City Mgr<CityMgr@cityofpaloalto.org>; Stump, Molly <Molly.Stump@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Burt, Patrick <Pat.Burt@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Kou, Lydia<Lydia.Kou@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lauing, Ed <Ed.Lauing@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stone, Greer<Greer.Stone@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Tanaka, Greg <Greg.Tanaka@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Veenker, Vicki<Vicki.Veenker@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Clerk, City <city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org>Subject: Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Becautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mr. Shikada, I guess you are responsible for addressing CPAU's negligence, until a majority of the City Council decides to address it. When will the loose neutral in my neighborhood be fixed? For those not familiar withthis being an EMERGENCY: https://www.luminsmart.com/blog/the-dangers-of- floating-neutral-2262 When will the overgrown trees in my neighborhood be trimmed, so they do notinterfere with overhead electrical wires? The City employee I spoke with last week said he was VERY WORRIED and that he was suggesting to management this be donedirectly after the Memorial Day holiday (i.e., this week - he saw it as an emergency). A lineman told me back in February (almost 4 months ago) that he was also VERYWORRIED, but nothing has been done. Overarching are the following HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS: 1. Emergency line and customer service not properly staffed / trained (lackknowledge to do their jobs; Dean Batchelor, in February, and Tomm Marshall, in April, both agreed with me on the phone that this is a real issue) - trainingand oversight needed. 2. Employees not empowered to diagnose and fix problems when identified- boots on the ground should be empowered, not supervisors who do not understand problems (this is per CPAU's own employees). 3. CPAU maintenance standards fall below PG&E's / industry standards (this is per CPAU's own employees - see loose neutral and overgrown treeissues above). 4. Contractors must abide by the City's own stated steps of performance -training and oversight needed. (This is the dirty water / water meter swap lawsuit.) What actions are being taken to address these issues? Especially urgent areKNOWN FIRE RISKS not being fixed. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, May 28, 2024 at 6:27 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com>wrote: Dear City Council, in your capacity as regulator of the Utility, On May 16, a City engineer sent the chart below to me, showing that a LOOSENEUTRAL was discovered in my neighborhood in MARCH and NOT FIXED. This is a very well known FIRE RISK. It will blow out appliances and make lightsflicker. This is HIGHLY negligent to know of a LOOSE NEUTRAL and just LEAVEIT. (I believe this dates back to February and is why a lineman came to my door as awhistleblower and also why dispatch called me to go plead my case for a "proper fix" - I believe Utiltiies' "Band-aid fix" was that egregious. Leaving a loose neutral wouldbe it.) Compounding this is the fact that there is 1 fire truck for all of South Palo Alto. Is that really accurate, as reported? It's unbelievable - but so is leaving a loose neutral unaddressed! Utiltiies turned off power to "investigate" the loose neutral last Thursday (May 23). Idirectly asked on Friday (May 24) and got a roundabout answer (a non-answer really) today (May 28), suggesting to me that the LOOSE NEUTRAL has NOT BEENFIXED. My conversations with the linemen on Thursday were concerning. Do you have anexperienced crew that can be sent out here? Maybe can you consult withPG&E? The engineer with whom I have been corresponding has "EIT" after his name in his email signature. Does that mean "Engineer in Training"? Is there someone moreexperienced who can head this and get it fixed? As a reminder, my electrical problems (which a loose neutral would cause) were first reported to CPAU on January 24. It is now May 28. It has been 125 days, and myissues are unresolved. In addition, 2 City employees now have told me that they are worried aboutovergrown trees crowding the overhead lines (1 in February and 1 last week). Again, this is highly negligent and a well known FIRE RISK. Since there is only 1 fire engine down here - even more reason to address any known fire risks! Overarching are the following HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS: 1. Emergency line and customer service not properly staffed / trained (lack knoweldge to do their jobs; Dean Batchelor, in February, and TommMarshall, in April, both agreed with me on the phone that this is a real issue) - training and oversight needed. 2. Employees not empowered to diagnose and fix problems when identified - boots on the ground should be empowered, not supervisors whodo not understand problems (this is per CPAU's own employees). 3. CPAU maintenance standards fall below PG&E's / industry standards(this is per CPAU's own employees). 4. Contractors must abide by the City's own stated steps of performance -training and oversight needed. (This is the dirty water / water meter swap case.) Could you please let me know what actions are being taken to address theseissues? Especially urgent are KNOWN FIRE RISKS not being fixed. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, May 15, 2024 at 9:15 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, My lights continue to FLICKER here at 3409 Greer Rd. I have called commercial electricians to see about installing something to regulate the power coming into my house - estimates are $30,000 to do so. Is thissomething the City will pay for, since Utilities is unable to provide safe andreliable power to my house? My flickering lights were first reported to CPAU on January 24, I first wrote to you on February 9 - today is May 15. As you know, I have tried pretty much everythingto get this taken seriously and fixed. No success. Tomm Marshall has acknowledged this is an issue on CPAU's side, but it has not been fixed. He said that a "neutral issue" was discovered when my house wasconnected to the NEW transformer, so (rather than fixing it), they put my houseon the OLD transformer nearby. Flickering continues. Please let me know, will you pay for the regulator to be put on my house? Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 650-208-4802 On Mon, Apr 1, 2024 at 9:01 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, I last wrote to you on March 27 and still have not received an answer. The only time I received a substantive answer was when I expressed my displeasure at notbeing able to purchase an EV (being afraid that my neighborhood would burn down or that my young children were in danger didn't strike a chord with you). So, here's more about that EV: Here are photographs of the two places in my garage where I had planned for EV chargers: Last week, I purchased a gas powered car to replace the old car which wastotaled after being stolen from in front of my house here in Palo Alto. Attached please find video of my lights flickering on the evening of March 28. This is visual evidence of why I cannot have an EV: CPAU fails to provide safeand reliable electricity to my home. My flickering lights were first reported to CPAU on January 24. After strugglingwith CPAU for over 2 weeks, I first reached out to you regarding this issue onFebruary 9, after I was told by CPAU's own employees that I needed to advocatefor a "proper fix" to our issues and was met with a threatening environment whenI did so in person to CPAU's supervising employee. I truly thought you wouldhelp me, but I am still waiting. Our flickering continues. We now have multiple problems with the electronics in our home, all of whichare new since we just finished renovating in late 2023. For example (and this isnot all-inclusive), our bathroom fans act up (turn on and off randomly andunexpectedly) and the ice in our Sub-zero is stuck together (suggesting that it isnot regulating its temperature properly). My family is suffering because of your unresponsiveness. I spend countlesshours trying to navigate how to get my city government to respond to me so that Ican get safe and reliable power to my house. My business is suffering, my youngchildren are suffering, and I have developed health issues. It is your responsibility to oversee CPAU, isn't it? Your constituents aredepending on you. I close this 8th email to you as I have most of the emails that came before it: Iwelcome any thoughts you have on this matter. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, Mar 27, 2024 at 9:27 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, I have not heard from Dean, nor from Ed, since being told by Ed on March 5that Dean will be calling me and that Ed would join if needed. That was over 3weeks ago. Episode 1 of The Invisible Shield premiered on PBS last night. I recommendyou watch it. I found it inspiring to see the amazing impact properly fundedand functioning public health systems can have, as well as the negative effectsthat flow from cutting funding and letting those systems fall into disrepair. Alesson, perhaps, for your management of the Utilities Department? I'm sure by now you have heard of the contamination of some houses' drinkingwater that was caused by the contractor the city hired to swap out watermeters. When are you planning on warning residents of the error and helpingthem to clean up the mess? This is a public health issue!!! As you remainsilent, citizens have been drinking contaminated water! In the same vein, I am still waiting on you to notify my neighbors of thedamage your poor power supply has done to their homes. I first suggested youdo this in my email below on February 21. By the way, I have connected with a woman across town - a mom with yourchildren and a lot on her plate - who has had flickering lights as well as adishwasher and refrigerator that have gone out. My understanding is that sheis patiently waiting for someone to come out to her house to check it out. Iimagine I do not need to state this to you, as you are the regulators of theUtility and must know - but just in case: utilities companies generally treatflickering lights as an emergency! Another thing is that, after following up, the city's response to my PublicRecords Request is still woefully unresponsive. I am simply trying to gather information to fix the power supply to my house! It is the city's legal duty torespond fully. The city did, however, produce 2 emails which are sickening: 1. Prior to anyone providing me any real assistance or response, Deanforwarded my desperate email pleading for help and expressing my general displeasure with the mismanagement in Palo Alto to CatherineElvert, who I gather from a Google search is a PR professional, with the note “Here you go !!!” Were you getting your talking points in order,rather than focusing on helping your citizens?? 2. 1 hour AFTER my THIRD desperate email pleading for help (emailstamp on my email shows, "date: Feb 12, 2024, 2:05 PM"), Ed sent an email (email stamp on Ed's email shows: "Sent: Monday, February 12,2024 3:16 PM") to multiple City of Palo Alto email addresses stating that Dean has spoken to me a couple times (NOT TRUE!!!!!) and “Noneed for further prompting. Thanks all!” NOTHING HAD BEEN ADDRESSED. I close this 7th email to you as I have most of the emails that came before it: I welcome any thoughts you have on this matter. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, Mar 5, 2024 at 4:50 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Ed, Thank you for your note, however, I must be very clear: Iwould much rather have a responsive, caring, and ethical city government, than bring any thieves to justice. The stress from having our car stolen from in front of our house pales incomparison to the stress and anguish we have experienced as a family in getting the run around from CPAU and then being ignored by City Hall, as Itry to get safe and reliable power delivered to the houses in my neighborhood. Regarding the electrical issue: I should never have been this involved orhave had to push so hard. This is too much to ask from citizens. It is no way to run a utility. But, to continue down that path: logically, shouldn't thetransformer also be replaced on the "secondary pole," where loose connections were also found? If that was the "proper fix" on the first poleclimbed (i.e. PG&E minimum maintenance standards), wouldn't it also be the "proper fix" on the second? This is, of course, putting aside that perhaps this is a long-standing issue, notunique to my block, which has harmed many along the way. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, Mar 5, 2024 at 12:28 PM Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org> wrote: Dear Ms. Tamrazi, I am so sorry to hear about your car being stolen. I can only imagine how this has impacted you and your family. While understanding nothing canmake up for such a violation, I hope the thieves are quickly brought to justice. Regarding your electrical issue, I have spoken to Director Batchelor andunderstand he will be calling you to follow up. I’m sorry to hear that their replacement of the electrical transformer did not resolve the problem. Iwill stay in touch with him and happy to join a call as he works with you on next steps. Sincerely, --Ed Ed Shikada, City Manager Some people who received this message don't often get email from patricia.judge@gmail.com. Learn why this is important ICMA Credentialed Manager (650) 329-2280 | ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From: Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 4, 2024 9:27 AMTo: Batchelor, Dean <Dean.Batchelor@CityofPaloAlto.org>Cc: Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stump, Molly <Molly.Stump@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Burt, Patrick<Pat.Burt@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Kou, Lydia <Lydia.Kou@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lauing, Ed<Ed.Lauing@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stone, Greer<Greer.Stone@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Tanaka, Greg <Greg.Tanaka@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Veenker, Vicki<Vicki.Veenker@CityofPaloAlto.org>; City Mgr <CityMgr@cityofpaloalto.org>; Clerk, City<city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org>Subject: Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts CAUTION: This email originated from outside of theorganization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clickingon links. Good morning, City Council, On Thursday night, our car got stolen from in front of our house here inPalo Alto. It looks like it's totaled. When we completely rewired thehouse last year, we future proofed to accommodate an EV charger - 2actually. However, CPAU is unable to provide safe and reliable power toour house. Because of this, to our great disappointment, we cannotreplace our gas powered car with an EV. My husband is a physician - if he gets a call in the middle of the night thatsomeone is bleeding to death and needs an intervention, and his EV didn'tcharge - well, that's a big problem! City Council - I see your talking points on electrification (I'm all forelectrification). You know that your electrical infrastructure can't supportit. This is the real world effect of your decisions: a family that wanted togo electric cannot. You remain silent, as I plead for your help, dating back to my firstemail to you on February 9. We are now on March 4. As for my flickering lights here at 3409 Greer Rd. - the latest workingtheory from CPAU is that it is caused by an air compressor at a theoreticalconstruction site nearby. (1) That's a laughable theory. (2) My lightsflicker evenings and weekends - which CPAU engineers have been told. Is the cause the 2 EVs charging in every driveway + an outdated electricalinfrastructure that cannot support it? I put in a Public Records Request related to my power issues. (a) Theresponse was a day late. (b) The response was blatantly incomplete. I believe the public policy reasoning behind municipal utilities fallingoutside of regulation is (i) elected officials, who serve as the utlity'soversight, will be responsive (mine - you - are silent) and (ii) there areprotections such as the Public Records Request (my city obviouslydisregards its legal duties). In speaking with utilities attorneys last week, one stated: When municipalutilities are good, they're really great. But when they're bad, it's abysmal. I understand that you let Tesla jump ahead of the rest of the city in the gridupdate. Maybe Elon Musk's words will resonate with you then - he said that the world will face supply crunches in electricity and transformersnext year. What does that result in? Flickering lights. City Council - Could you please take steps to make our municipal utility "really great," instead of "abysmal"? Your constituents aredepending on you. I welcome your thoughts. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, Feb 21, 2024 at 9:24 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Good morning, The lights continue to flicker here at 3409 Greer Rd. I still have not heard anything substantive from anyone except for Dean. City Manager Shikada and City Council - you are the regulators of theUtilities Department, correct? Why have I still not heard back from any of you with anything substantive? (The vast majority of you, I have notheard anything at all.) I still have not received any answer - is this a fire risk? I am worried - I have 2 small children - I have expressed this and no one seems to care! The transformer that I have been told supplies power to my house wasswitched out on February 15. On February 14, the Utilities Department climbed another pole nearby (described to me as my "secondary pole") and found loose connections, which I've been told were tightened. That's 2 out of 2 poles with loose connections. Is routine maintenance being done? Are there loose connections all over the city? My lightscontinue to flicker - are other loose connections causing this? The "secondary pole" with loose connections would explain the problems the neighbors have experienced on that side of my house: (1)one neighbor's refrigerator went out and she had to go buy a new one last weekend, (2) another neighbor had flickering lights (I discoveredthis by overhearing him over the fence speaking to someone about his panel), (3) a third neighbor had an outdoor light that wasmalfunctioning (she described it as "acting weird"). These are the things that I have heard only in passing - surprisingly, everyone hascomplete trust in Palo Alto Utilities and does not blame the poor power supply they are receiving. These 3 houses are in addition to the 6houses experiencing poor power supply issues from the other pole (one of which went through 3 refrigerators in January). So that's 9 housestotal with issues - and I imagine there are more! As an aside, shouldn't you disclose to your citizens these issues after you discover them? Shouldn't you inform them that they have beenreceiving poor power supply and educate them on the damage that has possibly (or likely) been done to the appliances and electronics withintheir home? I thought CPAU is supposed to do better than PG&E? On February 14, I received a call from an engineer to get my story to analyze the data collected by the load logger on my house. He wasunaware that mine was not the only house with flickering lights! How is communication that bad?! As a reminder, the morning of February 9was when I first emailed all of you to escalate this issue - at that time we had 5 houses total with confirmed flickering lights. The engineerwas not informed that it was not just my house with flickering lights - I had to explain to him then send him notes! On February 14, I was told that the wrong load logger had been on myhouse since February 7. It was switched for the correct one, which I was told would get better data. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Mon, Feb 12, 2024 at 2:05 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Hello again, everyone, As an update since my emails on Friday: My lights continue to flickerafter Thursday's "Band-Aid fix," as described by CPAU employees. Over the weekend, I discovered a 6th neighboring house withflickering lights. My understanding is that flickering lights are a sign of possible fire risk, as they are often caused by loose connections that may arc. Since I did not receive an answer from any of you on Fridayregarding whether my neighbors and I are at risk for fire, despite my desperate plea, I called the Fire Department this morning to ask. Ihave been told that they are looking into it. I talked with Dean this morning, after I spoke with the Fire Department, and he is looking into the issue. I do appreciate his call. I still do not understand why CPAU's standard practice falls below PG&E standards or how that is acceptable? The Metering Department has been out to pull the load logger frommy house and put a new one. I understand they're analyzing the data. Why not just change out the transformer, as PG&E would do? Further, there seems to be no effective regulation of CPAU. I thinkyou all (with the exception of Dean and perhaps the City Attorney) are responsible for oversight, but I have not heard anythingsubstantive from any of you. Quite honestly, I now feel incredibly unsafe here in Palo Alto. Does maintenance of the gas infrastructure also fall below PG&E standards? There is something up on the pole on Greer as I walk my children toschool that makes a lot of noise. Is it a transformer? Does the noise mean it's old and in disrepair? I know if a transformer explodes, mychildren and I should not be under it, as we will be harmed by the oil inside falling on us. Do I have to reroute our walk to keep us safe? Itrusted CPAU, and although I noted the sound every time I walked under it, I didn't think twice about walking under it. Now, I do thinktwice. The problems aren't just with the Utilities Department. On December 19, the garbage cans were not collected in my cul-de-sac. My elderlyneighbor phoned daily, and the cans were not collected until December 23, after my second elderly neighbor in the cul-de-saccalled on December 22 (so it took 3 days of calling, plus it seems like it wasn't taken seriously until there was a second household calling). After my experience with Utilities, I was sure to apologize to my neighbor for not calling as well - I had never heard of anything likethis! Recology always comes out the next day, whenever there is an issue. We just spent 2 years lovingly renovating our Eichler - it's our dreamhouse and we intended for it to be our "forever home." We moved here from Redwood City for the schools and also to be surrounded bya community of safety-oriented individuals (something that became especially important in the pandemic). I am devastated to learn thatCPAU standards fall below PG&E standards. We are now considering moving, but it would be very difficult for us to do sofinancially. I appreciate hearing any thoughts you may have? Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 1:30 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Hello everyone, I know you're all busy and it's Friday, but I really do think this is urgent. Can someone please get back to me? I have 2 small children in my home, and I am worried about thesafety of the electricity being supplied to my home and the homes around me. Am I at risk for fire? I've asked this to CPAU multipletimes, with no answer. Am I safe to stay in my home over the weekend? I am lucky enough to have a very close family friend who is aretired PG&E lineman. His partner has been in the hospital, I have just found out, so we were only just able to reach him late morningtoday. He said that PG&E would have changed out that transformer - that's what Tito said he is opting not to do and the 2other employees at CPAU told me I should "plead my case" for. I had no idea what the standard is, until now. I am new to Palo Alto, having only owned my home for a littleover 2 years, but my understanding from fellow residents is that CPAU is better than PG&E. Then why isn't CPAU doing theminimum that PG&E would do? As you can tell from my email below, I had already lost faith - given prior interactions - that CPAU was fixing our problems. Iwasn't sure, though - maybe not replacing a transformer was a fix, which is why I emailed you. Now, I have an opinion from aknowledgeable source that the transformer should have been replaced. After learning that CPAU is possibly not meeting standard practice- and having not heard back from anyone with higher authority - I contacted the California Public Utilities Commission and wasdisheartened (to say it lightly) to hear that they only advocate for customers of shareholder owned utilities - i.e., not CPAU. I wasadvised that I need to appeal to the City - which, I think, is all you. Is there anyone else, or any other entity, to protect CPAUcustomers when there is evidence that a standard is not being met? Am I reaching out to the wrong people for help? Am I at risk for fire? Should I call the Fire Department and ask? What does a "Band-Aid fix" versus a "real fix" mean, in terms of safety? Should I leave my home? Are my neighbors safe? Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 6:46 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Good morning, Dean, I'm at my wit's end and writing to you, copying the CityManager, City Attorney, and City Council, asking you to please ensure that my ongoing and severe electrical issues at 3409Greer Road are fixed by CPAU. At least 4 of my neighbors are experiencing these same issues (5 houses total). I have been toldby 2 CPAU employees that we are receiving a "Band-Aid fix," not a real fix. I am considering filing a lawsuit, given how grossly negligentand, frankly, abusive, my interactions with CPAU have been. But - at this time - my focus is on getting the electrical service tomy house and my neighbors' houses properly fixed. Attached please find results from my smart meter, pulled yesterday, February 8, showing severe brownouts to my home at3409 Greer Rd. This smart meter was put on my house on February 7. As you'll see, one brownout lasted 1 hour 9 minutes,which I have been told is "insane." For those on the email without an electrical background, here is a quick primer on theseriousness of brownouts. I'm also attaching a video of one light fixture at my house, illustrating the severity of the flickering lights that I first reportedto CPAU on January 24. (Please excuse the paint job - we just finished completely renovating the inside and don't have the niceweather yet to paint the outside. That is a new light fixture, installed last year.) As reported to CPAU, this has beenhappening throughout my entire house, and we also heard exhaust fans throughout the house slowing down and speedingup. My next door neighbor had the same experience. From January 24 to the time this data was looked at by CPAU yesterday, February 8, CPAU employees have denied that thereare any issues on CPAU's side. Shockingly, they continued to deny this, even after being formally informed of 4 more houseswith flickering lights. Until yesterday afternoon when they finally looked at the smart meter data from my house,various CPAU employees kept telling me to call an electrician, which I did (multiple, in fact). As an aside, 1 week into my ordeal, one neighbor called CPAUdispatch reporting flickering lights and was told to call back when the flickering got worse. Every knowledgeable person Ihave talked to - with the exception of one CPAU employee - has thought that was absolutely reckless, most laughing in disbelief. Linemen came out yesterday to rectify the situation, but I wastold by 2 individuals within CPAU that they were doing a "Band-Aid fix," not a real fix. I was told by one well-meaningCPAU employee that I should walk around the corner to where the linemen were working and find a big guy with a bald headnamed Tito to "plead my case" for a real fix. That in itself is one of the craziest things I've ever heard! Tito did not seem very receptive to this (rightfully so because who am I as a homeowner to tell him how to do his job?), so,shaken up, I went home and called the City Manager's office, pleading for an advocate. Ingrid, the administrative assistant, took down my story and myinformation, and I have received attempted help from Alex Gonzalez, Utilities Supervisor. Alex even worked on my issueinto the evening. However, Alex is not in charge of the correct division of CPAU to address my issue. This illustrates acontinued lack of understanding of my issue, at best, and perhaps a continued lack of willingness to rectify my issue. That is whyI'm reaching out to you. Can you help? With best regards, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 From:Dilma Coleman To:tips@sheriff.sccgov.org; paloalto@tipnow.org Cc:rliebman@smcgov.org; Council, City Subject:White women employees with aquarius hit a negro women across the chest on June 4,2024. Date:Wednesday, June 5, 2024 7:57:29 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Check out dilmacoleman's video! #TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@dilmacoleman/video/7377217718904376622? _t=8mxjafckZkk&_r=1 From:Susan Phillips Moskowitz To:Council, City; gsheyner@paweekly.com Subject:The increased fee at the Palo Alto Jr. Museum Date:Wednesday, June 5, 2024 7:51:30 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. I read with dismay the article about the PA Junior Museum in the 31 May issue of the Palo Alto Weekly. From my perspective, that of a retired professional with two adult children who grew up using the oldPalo Alto Junior Museum, the proposed increase in admissions charge to $14.00 for the New PA JuniorMuseum is an outrage. First and foremost, Palo Alto did not need a new Junior Museum. Those thousands of parents andyoung children who enjoyed the old Jr. Museum could go there anytime, on any day, free of charge.There were only several animals to see and touch, but that was sufficiently exciting for my children.When my kids wanted to see more animals, there was always the Happy Hollow Baby Zoo in SanJose, or the larger San Francisco Zoo in Golden Gate Park. The significant efforts that led to the $25 million raised to pay for the renovation, while admirable, apparently failed to provide an effective, sustainable plan for the budget and management needsof the Museum. Such foresight and planning would have permitted the Junior Museum and Zoo tocontinue to offer free admission. In retrospect, failure to plan in that way now appears to be a tragic mistake. Many veteran Palo Alto residents now see the museum as a “cart that is pulling the horses.” Theold Museum was not a problem, and was free to the public. Now, the scope of new services, and the required staffing have produced a crisis that can only be resolved by charging an unconscionable entry fee. At a time when inflation is challenging both the young and the older residents of Palo Alto, in addition to high local property taxes, and other expensive city services, such a high fee seems untenable. It is likely to inhibit most families and their children from using the Museum. Only the super rich will afford the entry fee. Is this the kind of arrogance and lack of empathy for those less fortunatethat we want to advertise to others? Simply too expensive. Attendance will likely plummet morethan the city planners currently predict. Charging such an extreme entry fee isn’t the only solution tothis dilemma. Other solutions could include any or all of the following: 1. Members of the Friends of the Palo Alto Jr. Museum and Zoo should be expected to donate significant annual gifts to the Museum, just a the members of the Board of Directors ofmany NPO’s do nationally.2. Palo Alto has a significant number of billionnairs whose success is not often shared with the City in the form of donations to meaningful community programs. They should be solicited for gifts to establish a permanent endowment to cover the annual expenses of the museum.3. In the short term, until appropriate support funding can be identified, it may be necessary to to reduce or eliminate many of the current part-time employees. That’s what is happening in today’s world to meet the issues of inflation and underemployment. 4. Reduce the number of animals and then you can reduce some of the employees.5. Create community service projects with Palo Alto High School students Sincerely yours, Susan Phillips Moskowitz Mrs. Moskowitz’s Knitswww.mrsmoskowitz.com 650-322-3505susan@mrsmoskowitz.com From:Aram James To:bryan gobin Cc:Daniel Kottke; Josh Becker; Zelkha, Mila; cfisk@law.berkeley.edu Subject:Shoe on the other foot Date:Wednesday, June 5, 2024 5:00:08 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. From:Nadia Naik To:Council, City; Clerk, City Subject:Public Comment, PACC Meeting June 10th Item 12 Quarry Road Extension. Date:Wednesday, June 5, 2024 9:29:34 AM Attachments:Letter of Support for Quarry Road Extension.pdf CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. To: Palo Alto City Council Re: Quarry Road extension June 6, 2024 Dear City Councilmembers, My name is Nadia Naik and I'm a Palo Alto resident and transit advocate. The Quarry Road extension would provide a significant reduction in bus travel time and improve local bus service. With the electrification of Caltrain, the Palo Alto Intermodal Transit Center (University Ave station), which already has the highest ridership on the Caltrain line outside of San Francisco, will have even more trains serving the region throughout the day as a critical transit link. As a result, many more buses will be needed to meet the needs of those riders. I urge the City Council to support putting the issue of Quarry Road on the ballot in November. However, I urge the city to work on improvements to the current plan. My final support for the project is predicated on a detailed plan that supports the bike/pedestrian movements through this critical area. Currently, there are incomplete bike paths that move cyclists through the station area and circulation in all directions must be carefully addressed, particularly at points where many modes intersect. This will be critically important since as Caltrain service improves, so will the number of bikes/pedestrians crossing through the area. I'm confident we can, and should, find other, more useful parkland to dedicate in Palo Alto. The area that would be converted for this project is small, not a very useable space, and is much more conducive to providing transportation benefits than recreational benefits. I'm hopeful we can get the details of these plans resolved by November. I would like to commend everyone involved for their expedient work to get this to the voters quickly. To: Palo Alto City Council Re: Quarry Road extension June 6, 2024 Dear City Councilmembers, My name is Nadia Naik and I'm a Palo Alto resident and transit advocate. The Quarry Road extension would provide a significant reduction in bus travel time and improve local bus service. With the electrification of Caltrain, the Palo Alto Intermodal Transit Center (University Ave station), which already has the highest ridership on the Caltrain line outside of San Francisco, will have even more trains serving the region throughout the day as a critical transit link. As a result, many more buses will be needed to meet the needs of those riders. I urge the City Council to support putting the issue of Quarry Road on the ballot in November. However, I urge the city to work on improvements to the current plan. My final support for the project is predicated on a detailed plan that supports the bike/pedestrian movements through this critical area. Currently, there are incomplete bike paths that move cyclists through the station area and circulation in all directions must be carefully addressed, particularly at points where many modes intersect. This will be critically important since as Caltrain service improves, so will the number of bikes/pedestrians crossing through the area. I'm confident we can, and should, find other more useful parkland to dedicate in Palo Alto. The area that would be converted for this project is small, not a very useable space, and is much more conducive to providing transportation benefits than recreational benefits. I'm hopeful we can get the details of these plans resolved by November. I would like to commend everyone involved for their expedient work to get this to the voters quickly. I urge City Council, StaW, and Stanford to continue to make progress on this critical transportation link. This is a great example of how the city and Stanford can work together on projects and I hope it ushers in a new era of even closer collaboration. Nadia Naik Emerson Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 I urge City Council, Staff, and Stanford to continue to make progress on this critical transportation link. This is a great example of how the city and Stanford can work together on projects and I hope it ushers in a new era of even closer collaboration. Nadia Naik Emerson Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:June Chamber Mixer & Business Networking Event Date:Wednesday, June 5, 2024 9:04:24 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Palo Alto Chamber Mixer ad We are delighted to invite you to the June Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Mixer at Buca Di Beppo! There will be food, drinks, engaging discussion, and plenty of networking opportunities with local business professionals! Tuesday, June 25, 2024 5:30 PM – 7 PM Buca Di Beppo 643 Emerson St. Palo Alto, CA 94301 Food & Beverages provided by Buca Di Beppo. We look forward to seeing you there! Members: FREE Non-Members: $25 >Register Online This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. View this email in your browser. Visit us on www.lwvpaloalto.org, Facebook, and Instagram. JUNE VOTER June 4, 2024 In this Issue Message from our Co-Presidents LWVPA Updates Invest in the League of Women Voters of Palo Alto! Be Part of the Candidate Forum Team This Fall! Board Meeting Highlights From:LWV Palo Alto VOTERTo:Council, CitySubject:LWVPA June VOTER: Check Out What"s New at the LeagueDate:Tuesday, June 4, 2024 8:53:35 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. Subscribe to our Google Calendar Advocacy Report Events by Other Leagues and In the Community Who Decides What We Teach? LWV Bay Area Biennial Convention Challenges for 2024: Election Protection & Integrity 2024 LWV National League Convention In Memory of ... Happy Pride Month Message from our Co-Presidents Dear League friends, May marks a new milestone for the League as we wrapped up the year at our Annual Membership meeting on May 19 and marched into 2024-25. Members listened to the energetic Palo Alto Deputy City Manager Chantal Gaines and learned about the pressing issues Palo Alto faces as well as the essential work coming up. Members approved the League's budget and program for the coming year and elected a new Board to tackle the crucial work in an election season. We are excited to have Karen Kalinsky as Co-President alongside Nancy Shepherd, and we welcome our new Treasurer Leying Jiang and "at large" Director Sheryl Klein. Karen Kalinsky joined LWVPA in August 2016. In April 2017, she and Diane Rolfe formed the Collaborations and Community Outreach Team and Karen has served as the chair ever since. She also served on the Communications team and remains on the Local Campaign Finance Reform team, the Speaker & Events team, and the Civil Discourse Committee of the Santa Clara County LWVs. Karen served on the site councils of Ohlone, JLS and Gunn, and worked as a librarian at Stanford University as well as at an e-book startup company. We thank Karen for taking on this leadership role! Inspired by the League's work on voter education, Leying Jiang is excited to join the Board. She recently retired from Astra Publishing House, a New York-based book publishing firm, where she served as the President and CFO since 2016. Prior to that, Leying was the Editorial Director at a San Francisco-based online parenting company for its Chinese site for nine years. From the mid-1980s to 2006, she was a book editor and later founded a small international publishing firm. Leying received her master's degree of Mass Communication from UC Davis. She is an avid traveler, and loves reading and vegetable gardening. Welcome, Leying! Sheryl Klein has been a League member since 2016. After serving on the 2024 Nominating Committee and gaining a front-row seat to all of the League's important work, she is eager to join the Board and contribute to the League's role in educating and empowering the voters. Sheryl is the COO of Alta Housing in Palo Alto, a community-based affordable housing nonprofit. She is also on the boards of the Palo Alto Community Fund, Palo Alto Forward, and the Palo Alto Farmers' Market. Welcome, Sheryl! Our Voter Services Team is planning for the critical election season, where we will be conducting five candidate forums and numerous Pros & Cons presentations. We need more volunteers to help with the work ahead, and we hope you can join us and be part of the League's mission of empowering voters and defending democracy. More details are in this newsletter. We ask members of the League and community to support us financially as we continue to inform voters about issues, educate them on candidates, and ensure people are able to register to vote and get to the polls. This is a critical year for our local community and the country. Our goal is to raise $25,000 for 2024-25 and we hope you will step up with a generous donation. Details on how to donate are below. Thank you for being a valuable partner in the critical work we do! Nancy and Karen LWVPA Updates Invest in the League of Women Voters of Palo Alto! Thank you for your support of the League of Women Voters and the work we do in the Palo Alto and Stanford community. Our mission to encourage informed and active participation of our local citizens in government and to influence public policy through education and advocacy continues to be critical. Our annual campaign letter was sent to you at the end of March. If you have already given, thank you! If you have not yet had a chance, please click below and donate today. We appreciate your partnership in our work on democracy in our local community! If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support the League’s work, checks can be made payable to: League of Women Voters of California Education Fund (or LWVCEF) – please note Palo Alto in the memo line of your check. These donations can be sent to our office at 3921 E. Bayshore Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303. Thank You for Your Support! Be Part of the Candidate Forum Teams this Fall! Our League will be conducting five candidate forums on Zoom in the second half of September and first week of October, and preparation will start during August and September. We are recruiting volunteers to join our Candidate Forum Teams and be part of League's mission! If you are interested in any of the work listed below, please contact: kathymiller405@comcast.net. Candidate Forum Teams Overview 1) Technical Team handles - Zoom management during the forum; Donate Now - Timing the candidates’ answers using an online timer in the Zoom interface; - Attending and participating in practice sessions; - Video editing post-forum (2) Logistical Team handles - Sending emails to candidates to confirm their availability; - Finalizing forum dates/times and communicating those to candidates; - Getting signed copies of our protocol from candidates; - Coordinating with co-sponsoring Leagues and organizations; - Overall planning (3) Content Team handles - Moderating the forum; - Question sorting (4) Publicity Team handles - Placing ads in local papers; - Drafting press release to share with papers and candidates; - Drafting content for League newsletter and website We also need volunteers for the Pros & Cons presentations. Please email us at kathymiller405@comcast.net if you are interested. We'd love to hear from you! LWVPA May 2024 Board Meeting Highlights The May 28 Board meeting included discussions of Board operations; our upcoming Board retreat; the Fall Kick-Off scheduled for Sunday, October 6; and Voter Services. The Board will be recruiting additional at-large directors. There were no motions for approval. The Board will not meet in June or July. Our next Board Meeting is on Tuesday, August 27. All members are welcome to join the meeting by emailing contact@lwvpaloalto.org . - Megan Swezey Fogarty, Secretary Advocacy Report Local Advocacy: Supporting Affordable Housing and Anti- Displacement; Housing as Infrastructure, Not Just a Commodity Our Board submitted a comment letter on the third revision of the City’s housing element. Read the letter HERE. We urged the city to zone for adequate housing for all income levels and adopt anti-displacement measures, including funding for a tenant right to counsel program. LWV Palo Alto is one of five local Leagues comprising the LWV Santa Clara County. On May 8, the County League approved a Housing Action Policy and supporting Advocacy Suggestions by concurring with LWV San Diego Region’s Housing Action Policy. An “action policy” is a compilation of existing national, state, regional and local positions usually developed by a committee and adopted by a League board, rather than voted on at a member meeting. Examples include LWVC’s Homelessness Action Policy and Climate Action Policy. Action Policies can be used vertically by lower-level Leagues. Our local League can use the County Housing Action Policy, which recognizes that housing is not just a commodity but a crucial element of a community’s infrastructure which influences community well-being. Read LWV San Diego Region’s policy HERE. California Advocacy: Fighting Book Banning Bills supported by LWVC include AB 25, the California Freedom to Read Act. This bill would prohibit public libraries from banning books or other materials based on topic or content. It would require public libraries to develop written policies on the selection and use of library materials, including a process for community members to challenge the materials. The bill’s findings highlight how removing and banning books from public libraries erode freedom of expression and the right to receive information under the First Amendment, a right established by numerous Supreme Court decisions. National Advocacy: Fighting Voter Suppression In May, a federal judge in Hispanic Federation v. Byrd permanently blocked part of a Florida law which targeted nonpartisan civic engagement groups if non- citizens—including permanent legal residents—helped with nonpartisan voter registration activities. Third-party organizations, including the League, could face fines of up to $50,000 for each ineligible person involved in collecting voter registration applications. The law would silence community-based groups that rely on both citizens and non-citizens to help eligible voters in their communities participate in democracy. The court ruled that the Citizenship Requirement is facially unconstitutional because it violates non-citizens’ rights to equal protection under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. In April 2024, the League and co-plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in Alabama against SB 1, which makes it a felony to help someone apply for an absentee ballot. The lawsuit argues that SB 1 violates section 208 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which states that any voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may be given assistance by a person of the voter’s choice, other than the voter’s employer or agent of the voter’s union. Penalties under this extreme law range up to 20 years in prison. The law harms voters—particularly voters with disabilities, elderly voters, incarcerated voters, low-literacy voters, and Black voters, as well as nonpartisan civic engagement groups including churches and the League. - Lisa Ratner, 1st Vice President & Advocacy Chair Events by Other Leagues and In theCommunity Who Decides What We Teach? LWV SANTA CLARA COUNTY Civil Discourse Committee Wednesday, June 5, 2024 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Join our education experts to explore the facts and issues around education content and decisions. Our panelists will speak to federal, state, and local “rules,” parental notification & participation, sensitive topics (sex, race, gender, pronouns, etc.), ethnic studies, civics, climate change, and more. Our expert panelists include J. Manuel Herrera of the East San Jose Union Board of Education, Jennifer DiBrienza of the Palo Alto Unified School District Board and Graham Clark, Superintendent of the Fremont Union High School District. After the speakers set the scene, a Q/A will allow time for continuing our education in a civil exchange of ideas among all participants. Our goal is to provide information about how curriculum is determined and taught, who controls the process, and potential improvements. Conversation among the panelists and with participants will include: What curriculum topics are people concerned about – and why? As a democratic society, how should we approach these topics? Who are the final arbiters of content being taught? What role should parents have in determining content? Register Now LWV Bay Area Biennial Convention Friday, June 14, 2024 11:30 am - 2:00 pm Call to Bay Area Leagues to register and send delegates to a Zoom convention featuring LWVBA business, budget, elections, Program: Issues for Emphasis 2024-26, housing policy concurrence, and update on Regional Government and Planning study. Guest speakers include: Daniel Saver, Assistant Director, Housing and Local Planning, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, presenting a regional perspective on Housing- Transportation-Environment Strategies. Sarah Walsh, historical interpreter as Abigail Adams. Don’t miss the special welcome from Abigail Adams (through Walsh) who will share the politics, family and women’s rights as wife of President John Adams and her own person. For League delegates and participants, the LWVBA Biennial Convention 2024 Kit with agenda and all background materials and reports is available HERE. LWV Bay Area Biennial Report is available HERE. To facilitate business of LWVBA, each League needs to be represented to approve steps forward. Voting members of the Convention include LWVBA Board members, Presidents, and delegates chosen by the local Bay Area Leagues. The number of delegates for each League is determined by the membership numbers transmitted from LWVUS and Article 10 of LWVBA bylaws (the latest report with delegate count is cited in the Convention kit). Please register individually and add your League to your name. We ask each League to also send separately the names of their delegates to lwvbayarea@gmail.com. Register Now Challenges for 2024: Election Protection & Integrity National Voter Corps Thursday, June 20, 2024 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm National Voter Corps invites you to a conversation with California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., and Retired Judge of the California Superior Court LaDoris Cordell on challenges for election protection and integrity in 2024. Co-Sponsors: National Voter Corps; Leagues of Women Voters of Palo Alto, San Jose/Santa Clara, Cupertino/Sunnyvale, Southwest Santa Clara Valley and South San Mateo County; American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California; Pursue Justice Committee of Congregation Beth Am; and Fenwick LLP. Please send your questions to: info@nationalvotercorps.org. Register Now 2024 LWV National League Convention June 27-30, 2024 The deadline to sign up for the biennial National Convention of the League of Women Voters is June 10. Our League Board members Lisa Ratner, Hannah Lu and Sunny Dykwel will attend the convention as voting delegates. If you are interested in attending as an observer to hear dynamic speakers, attend workshops, and watch the League's business meetings, please contact the League president at: president.lwvpaloalto@gmail.com. See the full agenda HERE. In Memory of... Alma Phillips, a long-time LWVPA member, passed away peacefully on April 19, 2024. Alma received an Avenidas Lifetime of Achievement Award for volunteerism in 2021 for her outstanding list of services to the community. She was an active League Board member in the 1970’s and 80’s, and had participated in League’s studies on issues of the time. “Although Alma later turned her energies to other organizations, she was a steady presence on the League Board," said Ellen Smith, lifetime member of the League. "She was active in many roles, but what I remember is her thoughtfulness, her support of others, and her ready laugh.” “The thing I remember most is her strong voice for marginalized people and against racism,” reminisced Ellen Forbes, a long-time League member. We will miss you, Alma! Read her obituary in Palo Alto Online. June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transexual, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual/Allies+ (LGBTQIA+) Pride Month! The rainbow is used a symbol of LGBTQIA+ pride and LGBTQIA+ social movements, as its many colors reflect the beautiful diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community. Learn about the history of Pride Month HERE. Stay Informed! Sign Up for LWV California & LWVUS News & Alerts Click here to sign up for LWVC Newsletter and LWVC Action Alerts Click here to sign up for LWVUS Email News (at bottom) and LWVUS Action Alerts How to contact your elected officials All your elected officials United States President Joseph R. Biden (202) 456-1414 Senator Laphonza R. Butler (202) 224-3841 Senator Alex Padilla (202) 224-3553 Rep. Anna Eshoo (650) 323-2984 California Governor Gavin Newsom (916) 445-2841 Senator Josh Becker (650) 212-3313 Assemblymember Marc Berman (650) 691-2121 Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian (650) 965-8737 joe.simitian@bos.sccgov.org Other Areas in California Locate your elected officials by using your street address JOIN A TEAM Learn More About Our Teams and Programs on our Website! Facebook Website Instagram Copyright © 2024 League of Women Voters Palo Alto, All rights reserved. From Voter Recipient List Our mailing address is: League of Women Voters Palo Alto 3921 E Bayshore Rd Ste 209 Palo Alto, CA 94303-4303 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. Questions? Please contact communications@lwvpaloalto.org. From:Abello, Emmanuel Cc:LAFCO Subject:Supplemental Information No. 2 - Agenda for the June 5th LAFCO Meeting Date:Tuesday, June 4, 2024 4:58:25 PM Attachments:image001.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. The following supplemental information has been added to the June 5th LAFCO Meeting Agenda: Supplemental Information No. 2 – Agenda Item # 8, adding communications relating to Saratoga residents’ concerns about speed bumps on Mendelsohn Lane. The agenda and related materials, including the above supplemental information, can be viewed online at: https://santaclaralafco.org/meetings/commission-meeting-2024-06-05-201500 Regards, Emmanuel Abello Associate Analyst, LAFCO of Santa Clara County 777 North First Street, Suite 410, San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 993-4705 | Mobile: (669) 321-9704 | Twitter: @SantaClaraLAFCO | www.SantaClaraLAFCO.org From:Patricia Judge Tamrazi To:Shikada, Ed; Council, City Cc:City Mgr; Batchelor, Dean; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker, Vicki; Clerk, City Subject:Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts Date:Tuesday, June 4, 2024 2:01:10 PM Attachments:image003.pngimage010.pngimage001.pngimage004.pngimage005.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mr. Shikada, I was relieved to see crews trimming the trees around the overhead electrical wires today, as that has been a concern first flagged to me by a lineman in February (almost 4 months ago). I look forward to your answers to the other outstanding concerns. Trish Tamrazi On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 2:38 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote:Dear Mr. Shikada, My answers and questions in response to you are below in RED, ALL CAPS. I am copying the City Council, so that they can be kept in the loop. I know that you have told multiple of them, many times, that my issues have been taken care of - I have also seenyou write that in an email. That is totally untrue, as now supported by the "Loose Neutral" graph showing a significant safety issue identified at least in March (I believe February) andJUST LEFT (highly negligent). And the loose wire still remains to this day! I am simply asking for SAFE AND RELIABLE POWER (and clean water) to my house and the houses in my neighborhood. This is the bare minimum that a utility should provide - andCPAU is not doing it. No resident should ever have to push this hard. Please also could you provide an update on your progress on the overarching HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS, listed in my previous email, which have beenflagged repeatedly for many months now? I look forward to answers to my questions below in response to your email, as well. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 650-208-4802 On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 1:48 PM Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org> wrote: Hello Ms. Tamrazi, Following up on your most recent message below, I’d like to confirm a few items: 1. Staff has offered to coordinate an independent electrician review conditions insideyour home. I understand that they are awaiting your confirmation to proceed. I CONSULTED MULTIPLE ELECTRICIANS TO CONFIRM THAT THEREWERE NO ELECTRICAL ISSUES INSIDE OF MY NEWLY-REWIRED HOUSE, WHEN CPAU DENIED FOR WEEKS THAT MY SEVEREFLICKERING LIGHTS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH POOR POWER SUPPLY TO MY HOUSE, EVEN AFTER MY NEIGHBORS CALLED INTOTHE EMERGENCY LINE FOR THE SAME ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND WERE BLOWN OFF. THEN IT WAS REVEALED THAT CPAU HASNOT PROVIDED SAFE OR RELIABLE POWER TO MY HOUSE, AS DATA HAS REVEALED (1) SEVERE BROWNOUTS AND (2) VOLTAGE SWINGSFROM A LOOSE NEUTRAL - BOTH OF WHICH ARE KNOWN TO DAMAGE FIXTURES AND ELECTRONICS. PLEASE, COULD YOU CONFIRM THATFIXES / REPLACEMENT COSTS FOR ANY DAMAGE FOUND INSIDE MY HOUSE WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AND/OR CPAU?2. Staff is reviewing the neutral issue, with the understanding that this does not pose a risk to your home. The article you attached refers to neutral issues in buildings,which is distinct from the utility’s side. A loose wire connection on the utility line might be involved, so staff is troubleshooting. In the meanwhile, they have reroutedyour electric supply to avoid the suspected connection. THIS ABSOLUTELY POSES A RISK TO MY HOME, AS IT POSES A RISK TO MYNEIGHBORS. TO KNOW OF A LOOSE WIRE AND JUST LEAVE IT IS HIGHLY NEGLIGENT. THE ARTICLE I ATTACHED WAS FOR THOSERECEIVING THE EMAIL WHO MAY NOT BE WELL-VERSED IN ELECTRICITY, SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE RISKS OF A LOOSENEUTRAL. ANYONE INVOLVED WITH UTILITIES KNOWS THAT A LOOSE WIRE ON THE UTILITY'S SIDE IS ALSO DAMAGING ANDDANGEROUS, SO I WILL GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT ON WHATEVER DISTINCTION YOU ARE TRYING TO DRAW WITH YOURSTATEMENTS HERE AND NOT COMMENT FURTHER. 3. In response to your new request, staff is reviewing tree clearance in thearea. WHEN WILL THE TREES BE TRIMMED? I WAS TOLD BY YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES THAT IT IS OVERDUE. PLEASE DO NOTCHARACTERIZE THIS AS *MY* NEW REQUEST - IT IS YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES' OLD REQUEST, WHICH THEY CHARACTERIZED TO ME ASAN EMERGENCY AND WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN IGNORED, AS THEY WERE IGNORED WHEN TRYING TO FIX MY POOR POWER SUPPLYISSUES BACK IN FEBRUARY WHEN FIRST IDENTIFIED. Sincerely, --Ed Ed Shikada, City Manager ICMA Credentialed Manager (650) 329-2280 | ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From: Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, May 31, 2024 8:10 AMTo: Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org>Cc: Batchelor, Dean <Dean.Batchelor@CityofPaloAlto.org>; City Mgr<CityMgr@cityofpaloalto.org>; Stump, Molly <Molly.Stump@CityofPaloAlto.org>;Burt, Patrick <Pat.Burt@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Kou, Lydia<Lydia.Kou@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lauing, Ed <Ed.Lauing@CityofPaloAlto.org>;Lythcott-Haims, Julie <Julie.LythcottHaims@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stone, Greer<Greer.Stone@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Tanaka, Greg <Greg.Tanaka@CityofPaloAlto.org>;Veenker, Vicki <Vicki.Veenker@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Clerk, City<city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org>Subject: Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Becautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mr. Shikada, I guess you are responsible for addressing CPAU's negligence, until a majority of the CityCouncil decides to address it. When will the loose neutral in my neighborhood be fixed? For those not familiar withthis being an EMERGENCY: https://www.luminsmart.com/blog/the-dangers-of-floating-neutral-2262 When will the overgrown trees in my neighborhood be trimmed, so they do not interferewith overhead electrical wires? The City employee I spoke with last week said he wasVERY WORRIED and that he was suggesting to management this be done directly afterthe Memorial Day holiday (i.e., this week - he saw it as an emergency). A lineman toldme back in February (almost 4 months ago) that he was also VERY WORRIED, butnothing has been done. Overarching are the following HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS: 1. Emergency line and customer service not properly staffed / trained (lackknowledge to do their jobs; Dean Batchelor, in February, and Tomm Marshall,in April, both agreed with me on the phone that this is a real issue) - training andoversight needed. 2. Employees not empowered to diagnose and fix problems when identified -boots on the ground should be empowered, not supervisors who do notunderstand problems (this is per CPAU's own employees). 3. CPAU maintenance standards fall below PG&E's / industry standards(this is per CPAU's own employees - see loose neutral and overgrown tree issuesabove). 4. Contractors must abide by the City's own stated steps of performance -training and oversight needed. (This is the dirty water / water meter swaplawsuit.) What actions are being taken to address these issues? Especially urgent areKNOWN FIRE RISKS not being fixed. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, May 28, 2024 at 6:27 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com>wrote: Dear City Council, in your capacity as regulator of the Utility, On May 16, a City engineer sent the chart below to me, showing that a LOOSENEUTRAL was discovered in my neighborhood in MARCH and NOT FIXED. Thisis a very well known FIRE RISK. It will blow out appliances and make lights flicker. This is HIGHLY negligent to know of a LOOSE NEUTRAL and just LEAVE IT. (I believe this dates back to February and is why a lineman came to my door as awhistleblower and also why dispatch called me to go plead my case for a "proper fix" - Ibelieve Utiltiies' "Band-aid fix" was that egregious. Leaving a loose neutral would beit.) Compounding this is the fact that there is 1 fire truck for all of South Palo Alto. Isthat really accurate, as reported? It's unbelievable - but so is leaving a loose neutralunaddressed! Utiltiies turned off power to "investigate" the loose neutral last Thursday (May 23). Idirectly asked on Friday (May 24) and got a roundabout answer (a non-answer really)today (May 28), suggesting to me that the LOOSE NEUTRAL has NOT BEENFIXED. My conversations with the linemen on Thursday were concerning. Do you have anexperienced crew that can be sent out here? Maybe can you consult with PG&E? The engineer with whom I have been corresponding has "EIT" after his name in hisemail signature. Does that mean "Engineer in Training"? Is there someone moreexperienced who can head this and get it fixed? As a reminder, my electrical problems (which a loose neutral would cause) were firstreported to CPAU on January 24. It is now May 28. It has been 125 days, and myissues are unresolved. In addition, 2 City employees now have told me that they are worried about overgrowntrees crowding the overhead lines (1 in February and 1 last week). Again, this ishighly negligent and a well known FIRE RISK. Since there is only 1 fire engine downhere - even more reason to address any known fire risks! Overarching are the following HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS: 1. Emergency line and customer service not properly staffed / trained (lackknoweldge to do their jobs; Dean Batchelor, in February, and Tomm Marshall,in April, both agreed with me on the phone that this is a real issue) - trainingand oversight needed. 2. Employees not empowered to diagnose and fix problems whenidentified - boots on the ground should be empowered, not supervisors who donot understand problems (this is per CPAU's own employees). 3. CPAU maintenance standards fall below PG&E's / industry standards(this is per CPAU's own employees). 4. Contractors must abide by the City's own stated steps of performance -training and oversight needed. (This is the dirty water / water meter swapcase.) Could you please let me know what actions are being taken to address theseissues? Especially urgent are KNOWN FIRE RISKS not being fixed. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, May 15, 2024 at 9:15 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, My lights continue to FLICKER here at 3409 Greer Rd. I have called commercial electricians to see about installing something to regulate thepower coming into my house - estimates are $30,000 to do so. Is this something theCity will pay for, since Utilities is unable to provide safe and reliable power tomy house? My flickering lights were first reported to CPAU on January 24, I first wrote to youon February 9 - today is May 15. As you know, I have tried pretty much everythingto get this taken seriously and fixed. No success. Tomm Marshall has acknowledged this is an issue on CPAU's side, but it has notbeen fixed. He said that a "neutral issue" was discovered when my house wasconnected to the NEW transformer, so (rather than fixing it), they put my house onthe OLD transformer nearby. Flickering continues. Please let me know, will you pay for the regulator to be put on my house? Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 650-208-4802 On Mon, Apr 1, 2024 at 9:01 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, I last wrote to you on March 27 and still have not received an answer. The only time I received a substantive answer was when I expressed my displeasure at notbeing able to purchase an EV (being afraid that my neighborhood would burn down or that my young children were in danger didn't strike a chord with you). So, here'smore about that EV: Here are photographs of the two places in my garage where I had planned for EV chargers: Last week, I purchased a gas powered car to replace the old car which was totaled after being stolen from in front of my house here in Palo Alto. Attached please find video of my lights flickering on the evening of March 28. This is visual evidence of why I cannot have an EV: CPAU fails to provide safe and reliable electricity to my home. My flickering lights were first reported to CPAU on January 24. After strugglingwith CPAU for over 2 weeks, I first reached out to you regarding this issue on February 9, after I was told by CPAU's own employees that I needed to advocatefor a "proper fix" to our issues and was met with a threatening environment when I did so in person to CPAU's supervising employee. I truly thought you would helpme, but I am still waiting. Our flickering continues. We now have multiple problems with the electronics in our home, all of which are new since we just finished renovating in late 2023. For example (and this is notall-inclusive), our bathroom fans act up (turn on and off randomly and unexpectedly) and the ice in our Sub-zero is stuck together (suggesting that it is notregulating its temperature properly). My family is suffering because of your unresponsiveness. I spend countless hours trying to navigate how to get my city government to respond to me so that I can getsafe and reliable power to my house. My business is suffering, my young children are suffering, and I have developed health issues. It is your responsibility to oversee CPAU, isn't it? Your constituents are dependingon you. I close this 8th email to you as I have most of the emails that came before it: I welcome any thoughts you have on this matter. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, Mar 27, 2024 at 9:27 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, I have not heard from Dean, nor from Ed, since being told by Ed on March 5 thatDean will be calling me and that Ed would join if needed. That was over 3 weeks ago. Episode 1 of The Invisible Shield premiered on PBS last night. I recommendyou watch it. I found it inspiring to see the amazing impact properly funded and functioning public health systems can have, as well as the negative effects thatflow from cutting funding and letting those systems fall into disrepair. A lesson, perhaps, for your management of the Utilities Department? I'm sure by now you have heard of the contamination of some houses' drinking water that was caused by the contractor the city hired to swap out water meters. When are you planning on warning residents of the error and helping them to clean up the mess? This is a public health issue!!! As you remain silent, citizenshave been drinking contaminated water! In the same vein, I am still waiting on you to notify my neighbors of the damage your poor power supply has done to their homes. I first suggested you do this inmy email below on February 21. By the way, I have connected with a woman across town - a mom with your children and a lot on her plate - who has had flickering lights as well as adishwasher and refrigerator that have gone out. My understanding is that she is patiently waiting for someone to come out to her house to check it out. I imagineI do not need to state this to you, as you are the regulators of the Utility and must know - but just in case: utilities companies generally treat flickering lights as anemergency! Another thing is that, after following up, the city's response to my Public Records Request is still woefully unresponsive. I am simply trying to gatherinformation to fix the power supply to my house! It is the city's legal duty to respond fully. The city did, however, produce 2 emails which are sickening: 1. Prior to anyone providing me any real assistance or response, Dean forwarded my desperate email pleading for help and expressing mygeneral displeasure with the mismanagement in Palo Alto to Catherine Elvert, who I gather from a Google search is a PR professional, with thenote “Here you go !!!” Were you getting your talking points in order, rather than focusing on helping your citizens??2. 1 hour AFTER my THIRD desperate email pleading for help (email stamp on my email shows, "date: Feb 12, 2024, 2:05 PM"), Ed sent an email(email stamp on Ed's email shows: "Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 3:16 PM") to multiple City of Palo Alto email addresses stating that Dean hasspoken to me a couple times (NOT TRUE!!!!!) and “No need for further prompting. Thanks all!” NOTHING HAD BEEN ADDRESSED. I close this 7th email to you as I have most of the emails that came before it: I welcome any thoughts you have on this matter. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, Mar 5, 2024 at 4:50 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Ed, Thank you for your note, however, I must be very clear: I would much ratherhave a responsive, caring, and ethical city government, than bring any thieves to justice. The stress from having our car stolen from in front of our house pales incomparison to the stress and anguish we have experienced as a family in getting the run around from CPAU and then being ignored by City Hall, as Itry to get safe and reliable power delivered to the houses in my neighborhood. Regarding the electrical issue: I should never have been this involved or havehad to push so hard. This is too much to ask from citizens. It is no way to run a utility. But, to continue down that path: logically, shouldn't the transformeralso be replaced on the "secondary pole," where loose connections were also found? If that was the "proper fix" on the first pole climbed (i.e. PG&Eminimum maintenance standards), wouldn't it also be the "proper fix" on the second? This is, of course, putting aside that perhaps this is a long-standing issue, notunique to my block, which has harmed many along the way. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, Mar 5, 2024 at 12:28 PM Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org> wrote: Dear Ms. Tamrazi, I am so sorry to hear about your car being stolen. I can only imagine howthis has impacted you and your family. While understanding nothing can make up for such a violation, I hope the thieves are quickly brought tojustice. Regarding your electrical issue, I have spoken to Director Batchelor and understand he will be calling you to follow up. I’m sorry to hear that theirreplacement of the electrical transformer did not resolve the problem. I will stay in touch with him and happy to join a call as he works with you on nextsteps. Sincerely, --Ed Ed Shikada, City Manager ICMA Credentialed Manager (650) 329-2280 | ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From: Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 4, 2024 9:27 AMTo: Batchelor, Dean <Dean.Batchelor@CityofPaloAlto.org>Cc: Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stump, Molly<Molly.Stump@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Burt, Patrick<Pat.Burt@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Kou, Lydia<Lydia.Kou@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lauing, Ed<Ed.Lauing@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lythcott-Haims, Julie<Julie.LythcottHaims@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stone, Greer<Greer.Stone@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Tanaka, Greg Some people who received this message don't often get email from patricia.judge@gmail.com. Learn why this is important <Greg.Tanaka@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Veenker, Vicki<Vicki.Veenker@CityofPaloAlto.org>; City Mgr<CityMgr@cityofpaloalto.org>; Clerk, City<city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org>Subject: Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts CAUTION: This email originated from outside of theorganization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clickingon links. Good morning, City Council, On Thursday night, our car got stolen from in front of our house here in PaloAlto. It looks like it's totaled. When we completely rewired the house last year, we future proofed to accommodate an EV charger - 2 actually. However, CPAU is unable to provide safe and reliable power to our house. Because of this, to our great disappointment, we cannot replace our gaspowered car with an EV. My husband is a physician - if he gets a call in the middle of the night that someone is bleeding to death and needs an intervention, and his EV didn'tcharge - well, that's a big problem! City Council - I see your talking points on electrification (I'm all for electrification). You know that your electrical infrastructure can't support it. This is the real world effect of your decisions: a family that wanted to goelectric cannot. You remain silent, as I plead for your help, dating back to my first email to you on February 9. We are now on March 4. As for my flickering lights here at 3409 Greer Rd. - the latest workingtheory from CPAU is that it is caused by an air compressor at a theoretical construction site nearby. (1) That's a laughable theory. (2) My lights flicker evenings and weekends - which CPAU engineers have been told. Is thecause the 2 EVs charging in every driveway + an outdated electrical infrastructure that cannot support it? I put in a Public Records Request related to my power issues. (a) Theresponse was a day late. (b) The response was blatantly incomplete. I believe the public policy reasoning behind municipal utilities falling outside of regulation is (i) elected officials, who serve as the utlity'soversight, will be responsive (mine - you - are silent) and (ii) there are protections such as the Public Records Request (my city obviouslydisregards its legal duties). In speaking with utilities attorneys last week, one stated: When municipal utilities are good, they're really great. But when they're bad, it's abysmal. I understand that you let Tesla jump ahead of the rest of the city in the gridupdate. Maybe Elon Musk's words will resonate with you then - he said that the world will face supply crunches in electricity and transformers nextyear. What does that result in? Flickering lights. City Council - Could you please take steps to make our municipal utility "really great," instead of "abysmal"? Your constituents are dependingon you. I welcome your thoughts. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, Feb 21, 2024 at 9:24 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Good morning, The lights continue to flicker here at 3409 Greer Rd. I still have not heardanything substantive from anyone except for Dean. City Manager Shikada and City Council - you are the regulators of the Utilities Department, correct? Why have I still not heard back from anyof you with anything substantive? (The vast majority of you, I have not heard anything at all.) I still have not received any answer - is this a fire risk? I am worried - Ihave 2 small children - I have expressed this and no one seems to care! The transformer that I have been told supplies power to my house was switched out on February 15. On February 14, the Utilities Departmentclimbed another pole nearby (described to me as my "secondary pole") and found loose connections, which I've been told were tightened. That's2 out of 2 poles with loose connections. Is routine maintenance being done? Are there loose connections all over the city? My lights continueto flicker - are other loose connections causing this? The "secondary pole" with loose connections would explain the problems the neighbors have experienced on that side of my house: (1) oneneighbor's refrigerator went out and she had to go buy a new one last weekend, (2) another neighbor had flickering lights (I discovered this byoverhearing him over the fence speaking to someone about his panel), (3) a third neighbor had an outdoor light that was malfunctioning (shedescribed it as "acting weird"). These are the things that I have heard only in passing - surprisingly, everyone has complete trust in Palo AltoUtilities and does not blame the poor power supply they are receiving. These 3 houses are in addition to the 6 houses experiencing poor powersupply issues from the other pole (one of which went through 3 refrigerators in January). So that's 9 houses total with issues - and Iimagine there are more! As an aside, shouldn't you disclose to your citizens these issues after you discover them? Shouldn't you inform them that they have been receivingpoor power supply and educate them on the damage that has possibly (or likely) been done to the appliances and electronics within their home? Ithought CPAU is supposed to do better than PG&E? On February 14, I received a call from an engineer to get my story to analyze the data collected by the load logger on my house. He wasunaware that mine was not the only house with flickering lights! How is communication that bad?! As a reminder, the morning of February 9 waswhen I first emailed all of you to escalate this issue - at that time we had 5 houses total with confirmed flickering lights. The engineer was notinformed that it was not just my house with flickering lights - I had to explain to him then send him notes! On February 14, I was told that the wrong load logger had been on myhouse since February 7. It was switched for the correct one, which I was told would get better data. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Mon, Feb 12, 2024 at 2:05 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Hello again, everyone, As an update since my emails on Friday: My lights continue to flickerafter Thursday's "Band-Aid fix," as described by CPAU employees. Over the weekend, I discovered a 6th neighboring house with flickeringlights. My understanding is that flickering lights are a sign of possible fire risk, as they are often caused by loose connections that may arc. Since I did not receive an answer from any of you on Friday regardingwhether my neighbors and I are at risk for fire, despite my desperate plea, I called the Fire Department this morning to ask. I have been toldthat they are looking into it. I talked with Dean this morning, after I spoke with the Fire Department, and he is looking into the issue. I do appreciate his call. I still do not understand why CPAU's standard practice falls belowPG&E standards or how that is acceptable? The Metering Department has been out to pull the load logger from my house and put a new one. I understand they're analyzing the data. Whynot just change out the transformer, as PG&E would do? Further, there seems to be no effective regulation of CPAU. I think you all (with the exception of Dean and perhaps the City Attorney) areresponsible for oversight, but I have not heard anything substantive from any of you. Quite honestly, I now feel incredibly unsafe here in Palo Alto. Does maintenance of the gas infrastructure also fall below PG&Estandards? There is something up on the pole on Greer as I walk my children to school that makes a lot of noise. Is it a transformer? Does the noisemean it's old and in disrepair? I know if a transformer explodes, my children and I should not be under it, as we will be harmed by the oilinside falling on us. Do I have to reroute our walk to keep us safe? I trusted CPAU, and although I noted the sound every time I walkedunder it, I didn't think twice about walking under it. Now, I do think twice. The problems aren't just with the Utilities Department. On December19, the garbage cans were not collected in my cul-de-sac. My elderly neighbor phoned daily, and the cans were not collected until December23, after my second elderly neighbor in the cul-de-sac called on December 22 (so it took 3 days of calling, plus it seems like it wasn'ttaken seriously until there was a second household calling). After my experience with Utilities, I was sure to apologize to my neighbor for not calling as well - I had never heard of anything like this! Recologyalways comes out the next day, whenever there is an issue. We just spent 2 years lovingly renovating our Eichler - it's our dream house and we intended for it to be our "forever home." We moved herefrom Redwood City for the schools and also to be surrounded by a community of safety-oriented individuals (something that becameespecially important in the pandemic). I am devastated to learn that CPAU standards fall below PG&E standards. We are now consideringmoving, but it would be very difficult for us to do so financially. I appreciate hearing any thoughts you may have? Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 1:30 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Hello everyone, I know you're all busy and it's Friday, but I really do think this is urgent. Can someone please get back to me? I have 2 small children in my home, and I am worried about thesafety of the electricity being supplied to my home and the homes around me. Am I at risk for fire? I've asked this to CPAU multipletimes, with no answer. Am I safe to stay in my home over the weekend? I am lucky enough to have a very close family friend who is a retiredPG&E lineman. His partner has been in the hospital, I have just found out, so we were only just able to reach him late morningtoday. He said that PG&E would have changed out that transformer - that's what Tito said he is opting not to do and the 2 other employees at CPAU told me I should "plead my case" for. I had no idea whatthe standard is, until now. I am new to Palo Alto, having only owned my home for a little over 2 years, but my understanding from fellow residents is that CPAU isbetter than PG&E. Then why isn't CPAU doing the minimum that PG&E would do? As you can tell from my email below, I had already lost faith - givenprior interactions - that CPAU was fixing our problems. I wasn't sure, though - maybe not replacing a transformer was a fix, which iswhy I emailed you. Now, I have an opinion from a knowledgeable source that the transformer should have been replaced. After learning that CPAU is possibly not meeting standard practice -and having not heard back from anyone with higher authority - I contacted the California Public Utilities Commission and wasdisheartened (to say it lightly) to hear that they only advocate for customers of shareholder owned utilities - i.e., not CPAU. I wasadvised that I need to appeal to the City - which, I think, is all you. Is there anyone else, or any other entity, to protect CPAU customers when there is evidence that a standard is not being met? Am Ireaching out to the wrong people for help? Am I at risk for fire? Should I call the Fire Department and ask? What does a "Band-Aid fix" versus a "real fix" mean, in terms ofsafety? Should I leave my home? Are my neighbors safe? Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 6:46 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Good morning, Dean, I'm at my wit's end and writing to you, copying the City Manager,City Attorney, and City Council, asking you to please ensure that my ongoing and severe electrical issues at 3409 Greer Road arefixed by CPAU. At least 4 of my neighbors are experiencing these same issues (5 houses total). I have been told by 2 CPAUemployees that we are receiving a "Band-Aid fix," not a real fix. I am considering filing a lawsuit, given how grossly negligent and, frankly, abusive, my interactions with CPAU have been. But - atthis time - my focus is on getting the electrical service to my house and my neighbors' houses properly fixed. Attached please find results from my smart meter, pulledyesterday, February 8, showing severe brownouts to my home at 3409 Greer Rd. This smart meter was put on my house onFebruary 7. As you'll see, one brownout lasted 1 hour 9 minutes, which I have been told is "insane." For those on the email withoutan electrical background, here is a quick primer on the seriousness of brownouts. I'm also attaching a video of one light fixture at my house,illustrating the severity of the flickering lights that I first reported to CPAU on January 24. (Please excuse the paint job - we justfinished completely renovating the inside and don't have the nice weather yet to paint the outside. That is a new light fixture,installed last year.) As reported to CPAU, this has been happening throughout my entire house, and we also heard exhaust fansthroughout the house slowing down and speeding up. My next door neighbor had the same experience. From January 24 to the time this data was looked at by CPAUyesterday, February 8, CPAU employees have denied that there are any issues on CPAU's side. Shockingly, they continued to denythis, even after being formally informed of 4 more houses with flickering lights. Until yesterday afternoon when they finallylooked at the smart meter data from my house, various CPAU employees kept telling me to call an electrician, which I did(multiple, in fact). As an aside, 1 week into my ordeal, one neighbor called CPAU dispatch reporting flickering lights and was told to call back whenthe flickering got worse. Every knowledgeable person I have talked to - with the exception of one CPAU employee - has thoughtthat was absolutely reckless, most laughing in disbelief. Linemen came out yesterday to rectify the situation, but I was told by 2 individuals within CPAU that they were doing a "Band-Aidfix," not a real fix. I was told by one well-meaning CPAU employee that I should walk around the corner to where thelinemen were working and find a big guy with a bald head named Tito to "plead my case" for a real fix. That in itself is one of thecraziest things I've ever heard! Tito did not seem very receptive to this (rightfully so because who am I as a homeowner to tell him how to do his job?), so, shakenup, I went home and called the City Manager's office, pleading for an advocate. Ingrid, the administrative assistant, took down my story and myinformation, and I have received attempted help from Alex Gonzalez, Utilities Supervisor. Alex even worked on my issue intothe evening. However, Alex is not in charge of the correct division of CPAU to address my issue. This illustrates a continued lack ofunderstanding of my issue, at best, and perhaps a continued lack of willingness to rectify my issue. That is why I'm reaching out toyou. Can you help? With best regards, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 - Information Reception & Application Date:Tuesday, June 4, 2024 12:48:02 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. LPA Information Reception 2024-2025 Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 Information Reception Join us for an informational reception and learn about our Leadership Palo Alto Program. Light refreshments served. Thursday, June 20, 2024 5:30pm to 7pm Location: The Avant 4041 El Camino Way Palo Alto, CA 94306 >Register Online Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 Apply Participants will graduate ready to re-imagine and reshape our community with21st-century leadership skills. Topics include: Local, Regional and State Government Education Arts & Culture Environment & Sustainability Housing & TransportationHealth & Wellness & More >Learn More and Apply Online Here Applications are Due July 31 Contact Charlie@paloaltochamber.com for more information. This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email at info@paloaltochamber.com. From:Palo Alto ForwardTo:Council, CitySubject:Lots to Talk About on the Housing Front!Date:Tuesday, June 4, 2024 8:43:32 AM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious ofopening attachments and clicking on links. City -- 6/17 - Public Comment & PIZZA Join us on Monday, June 17th at 5:30 p.m.�for an evening of ACTION before the CityCouncil heads out on summer break (where we want them to think about HOUSING). We'll show up as a group to remind our decision makers that housing is a top issue in PaloAlto.�Sign up to speak or hold a HOMES FOR EVERYONE? YES! sign in support. Exacttime of public comment is TBD but we anticipate a 5:30 p.m. start. See you afterwards atPizza My Heart to celebrate (pizza is on us)! 6/13 - Happy City Bookclub Don't forget about our BYOC (bring your own chair) Happy City Bookclub meeting onThursday, June 13th at 6:00 p.m.�at 414 California Avenue. Leading our discussion will be special guests Kelly Snider -- Professor of Urban andRegional Planning at SJSU; and David Barry -- architect and planner specializing insustainability, equity, and resilience. Snacks and drinks will be provided!�RSVP here�toattend. In Style for Summer - HEY Campaign Sign Send a message to our leaders that you SUPPORT housing in Palo Alto with one of ouramazing HOMES FOR EVERYONE? YES! campaign signs. Fill out the form here and we'lldrop a sign at your door. Housing Doesn't Build Itself - What Else Can I Do? We have a host of volunteer opportunities and events -- from helping out at our coffee chats,farmers market tabling, to our Tuesday Monthly Member Meetings --� we need YOU. Learn more about all of these events and sign up to attend or volunteer�here. As always,feel free to email us at info@paloaltoforward.com with any comments or event ideas. Palo Alto Forward This email was sent to city.council@cityofpaloalto.org. To stop receiving emails, click here. Created with NationBuilder, the essential toolkit for leaders. From:Jeff Hoel To:Council, CityCc:Hoel, Jeff (external)Subject:TRANSCRIPT & COMMENTS -- 05-20-24 Council meeting, Item 11 -- Directly Elected Mayor Charter Amendment Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 6:12:43 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Council members, I'd like to comment on Item 11 of your 05-20-24 agenda, about an Ad Hoc Committee's proposal to amend the City Charter to directly elect the mayor. 05-20-24: City Council Meeting -- agendahttps://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=14267 video (5:26:36)https://midpenmedia.org/city-council-90-5202024/ Please see a TRANSCRIPT of the item (below the "======" line), with my comments (paragraphs in red beginning with "### "). (Slides are shown as paragraphs in orangebeginning with "###.") Also, please see the language of the proposed Charter change (below the "%%%%%%" line), with my comments. SUMMARY 1. Sorry I didn't send you a message earlier. I found out about the item by reading a short article in the 05-18-24 Palo Alto Daily Post. a. The staff report was a late packet item -- not ideal for getting the word out and giving the public time to study the proposal. b. The presentation slides about previous mayors were not available online. 2. I didn't like the proposal, or the fact that Council kicked it back to an expanded Ad Hoc Committee for further refinement rather than just letting it die. a. The current practice of having Council select the mayor works fine. b. If we were to elect the mayor directly, I think the mayoral term should be specified in the Charter, and not changeable by Council ordinance. c. A four-year term would probably be better than a 2-year term. Thanks. Jeff -------------------Jeff Hoel731 Colorado Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94303------------------- ============================================================================================================================ TRANSCRIPT 1:59:02: PUBLIC COMMENT ---------- 2:09:00: Alice Smith: Thank you. I'm Alice Smith. And I'm only asking you to look at your website, which I consider to be not up to the snuff of what is necessary for communication withyour constituents. Because I tried to get up there and find some information. And, fortunately, the Clerk's office was able to answer and send me something. But I should be ableto get your agenda and all your items, simply and clearly, without spending half an hour looking to find something that isn't there. Thank you. ---------- 2:36:32: Mayor Stone: We'll move to our first action item, Item 11, an Ad Hoc Committee recommendation to the City Council on a Potential Charter Amendment on the Direct Election ofthe Mayor. Turn it over to staff. I believe there's a brief presentation. 2:36:46: City Attorney Stump: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Molly Stump, City Attorney. I'm going to partner on this. The staff will start with a few short slides, to orient the Council and the members of the public. And then, we'll turn it over to Council's Ad Hoc, which is Mayor Stone and Council Member Veenker, for a policy discussion. 2:37:05: **: [unamplified and unintelligible] 2:37:09: ###. Presentation Slide 1: Directly Elected Mayor 2:37:11: City Attorney Stump: So, um, directly elected mayor. Let's move to the next slide. 2:37:18: ###. Presentation Slide 2: How we got here ... 2:37:18: City Attorney Stump: Just to remind folks how we got here. In February, the Council directed the staff to prepare draft ballot measure language to directly elect the mayor for a 2- or 4-year term. And also directed that an Ad Hoc Committee be delegated responsibility to work with staff on the specific elements of the measure. So, since that time, Mayor Stone and Council Member Veenker have been working with staff, with the City Manager and myself and an attorney in my office, to discuss various language, and fine-tune theitem that is now before you this evening. Next slide. 2:37:56: ###. Presentation Slide 3: Proposed ballot measure 2:37:56: City Attorney Stump: So, the proposed ballot measure that is before you would designate one Council seat of the seven as mayor, so that Council, in the future, would consist ofsix Council members and one mayor. ### The proposed Charter amendment says that the mayor would be a Council member. So Council would consist of seven Council members, of which one would also be themayor. The default mayoral term would be 2 years. And Council could increase that to 4 years by ordinance, or, in the future, if it were increased to 4, reduce it again to 2. By ordinance. The mayor would have the same qualifications as any other Council member, and one new one. So, like all Council members, the mayor would need to be an elector, whichmeans 18 years or older and a US citizen. And would also need to be a resident of Palo Alto for 30 days prior to the election. And the new qualification is that the mayor wouldneed to have served previously for two years as a Council member, at some time. Next slide. 2:38:59: ###. Presentation Slide 4: Proposed ballot measure, cont. 2:38:59: City Attorney Stump: The roles and responsibilities of the office of mayor would remain the same. There would be no change from the current Charter on that issue. It is proposedthat voters would elect the mayor, beginning with the November 2026 election, which means that that mayor would take office on January 1, 2027. Term limits. The current rule for Council members is that there is a maximum of two consecutive terms that can served as a Council member. The proposed rule for mayor wouldalso be a maximum of two consecutive terms as mayor. However, there would be a new cumulative max of no more than 12 years within a 16 year period as either a mayor or aCouncil member. So, for example, for someone who serves two full terms as a Council member -- would have served 8 years -- could serve one term as mayor within a 16-yearperiod. But then would not be eligible to run for a second term as mayor within that 16-year period. Next slide please. 2:40:12: ###. Presentation Slide 5: Next steps 2:40:12: City Attorney Stump: OK. Next steps. You're here for your policy discussion tonight. If Council votes to proceed with a ballot measure this fall, 2024, staff would return to Councilwith the full ballot package. That includes a resolution calling the election, the formal ballot question that appears on the ballot, and the final text of the Charter amendment. Wewould likely want to bring that back to you on your Consent calendar. And we would do that June 10th or the 17th. Next slide. Is that my last slide? I think it is. We're done. Andtuning it over then to the Ad Hoc for your comments and policy discussion. 2:41:00: Mayor Stone: Great. Thank you, City Attorney. And thanks to you and your office for helping develop the language and walk us through the process, as well as the City Manager's office. To me, an important way to -- 2:41:09: ###. Slide 1: How Cities in Santa Clara County Choose their Mayor. ### I was unable to find a document online containing the five slides shown between 2:41:09 and 2:48:32. 2:41:09: Mayor Stone: -- frame tonight's discussion is a reminder that all we're being asked to do TONIGHT is to let the residents -- the voters -- decide. ### Not all residents are able to vote. That's it. We're not making the decision to move to a directly-elected mayor. Which is allowing the same people who voted us into office to decide if they would like to elect theirown mayor. So, this is about increasing democracy. And offering greater accountability. And trusting our residents to be able to the right thing. Personally, I believe movingtoward the directly elected mayor makes a lot of sense. I'll just go over a few key reasons why. 2:41:49: First, I think it empowers our voters. By giving the people of Palo Alto the power to be able to pick their mayor, we're enhancing democratic participation. And any decision that provides our residents with more choice, and a greater voice in their local government, is a positive step forward. And a little personal anecdote for me. The City of Belmontrecently changed from the same process that we do now to a directly elected mayor, I think, two years ago. And I've been teaching AP Government at Carlmont High School, therein Belmont. And I always like to quiz my students on their local government officials. You know, before that -- before it went into place, electing their own mayors, no one knewwho their mayor was. After it going to direct election, many of the students now understand it, because, you know, it's just the whole part of the campaign process to get to knowyour candidates a little better. And so, I think being able to have that additional transparency -- really helpful. So, it really does, I think, increase accountability, transparency. Make the mayor a directly elected position. Increases accountability. And with a TWO-year term, the mayor's really going to have to seek that voter approval in the next election,giving residents the opportunity to be able to evaluate their performance and decide if they want to continue supporting them. 2:43:11: The third reason: providing continuity and stability. A directly elected mayor offers greater continuity and stability, benefiting the pubic, who will consistently get to know theirmayor. And additionally, the mayor will have a stronger regional presence, which can effectively represent Palo Alto in various regional collaborations and beyond. 2:43:32: And, finally, I really hope, too, that this can boost voter turnout. I think holding mayoral elections every cycle, especially midterm years, is really going to be able to boost local voterturnout. I think the increased engagement -- I think that increased engagement, with people wanting to vote for mayor, will also trickle down to City Council elections, providing uswith a more active and involved electorate. 2:43:58: So, just, closing, I urge my Council colleagues to approve this ballot initiative. Let's give our residents a chance to decide to directly elect our mayor, and take that significant step towards a more democratic and accountable government in Palo Alto. 2:44:14: And I'll turn it over to colleague Council Member Veenker. 2:44:17: Council Member Veenker: Thank you, Mayor Stone. And I also want to thank our City Attorney, Molly Stump, and Assistant City Attorney, Mark Vanni, for working with us on this, and letting us know what could work, and would work, and -- etc. So, thank you. I, obviously, am the second member of the Ad Hoc. And I do truly believe that moving to adirectly elected mayor will benefit our City. It's about Council giving the selection power back to our residents, and giving the mayor time to develop relationships with thoseresidents, other cities, and staff, while in that role. And, as the Mayor mentioned, we're not actually deciding to give them that power tonight. We're offering it up and asking THEMif they would like to select the mayor. Instead of the seven people on this dais doing it. And that's it. So, Council directed the Ad Hoc to recommend specifics on how to directlyelect the mayor. So, we did a lot of fact gathering. Including talking to directly-elected mayors of other cities, who reported enhanced experience as mayor with the continuity thata longer term allows. So, now, we've come back with a method that really minimizes the change. I call it the 2-2-2 proposal. And City Attorney Stump went through it. But just -- The recap is, we recommend a 2-year term, a 2-term limit, and 2 years of service as a prerequisite. So, it's pretty simple. There's some of the other detail that's in the documents, but that's basically it. And so, since I'm often the process person up here, I want to give some points of comparison, and a little more information. So -- um -- you know -- 2:46:03: ###. Slide 1: How Cities in Santa Clara County Choose their Mayor. 2:46:03: Council Member Veenker: So, first, it's worth noting that more and more cities are moving to direct election of the mayors. 2:46:10: ###. Slide 2: Santa Clara County 2:46:10: Council Member Veenker: So, here, you can see, in Santa Clara County, six cities already have directly-elected mayors. There are also three more in San Mateo County thatdirectly elect their mayor. And the other big college town in the Bay Area that we don't like to talk too much about here -- but Berkeley also directly elects its mayor. So -- um -- 2:46:30: ###. Slide 3: Size of Cities with Directly-Elected Mayors 2:46:30: Council Member Veenker: So, in total, of the ten cities that I just mentioned that have directly-elected mayors -- out of -- the six in Santa Clara, the three in San Mateo, andBerkeley -- we have them up on this chart now. And so, first, we have the Santa Clara cities, and there's a little thin purple line, then the San Mateo cities, then a purple line, andthen Berkeley. But, of those ten, five are bigger in population than Palo Alto, and five are smaller. Only two have bigger budgets. And eight have smaller budgets. Now, ourbudget is, of course, large, due to our utilities and our airport and all the great stuff we have. But I do want to note that the only other city that manages its own utilities, SantaClara, has a directly-elected mayor. 2:47:16: So, the 2-2-2 proposal. First, the 2-year term. Go to the next slide. 2:47:22: ###. Slide 4: Directly Elected Mayor: Length of Term & Term Limits [Gilroy, Half Moon Bay, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Jose] 2:47:22: Council Member Veenker: Most cities with a directly-elected mayor have a FOUR-year term. In fact, five of the six in our county do. You can see them there. Next slide. 2:47:33: ###. Slide 5: Directly Elected Mayor: Length of Term & Term Limits [San Bruno, Belmont, Milpitas, Morgan Hill] 2:47:33: Council Member Veenker: The sixth city in Santa Clara County is Morgan Hill. It has a 2-year term, like we are proposing, but no term limits. And we'll come back to that. In San Mateo County, San Bruno has an unusual 3-year term. And both Belmont and Milpitas have 2-year terms. So, the Ad Hoc is recommending a 2-year term, so that we can startslowly. And then, if we believe a 4-year term is better, we can adjust that and debate that down the road. So, go back to slide 4. [laughs] 2:48:07: ###. Slide 4 (again) 2:48:07: Council Member Veeker: So, the 2-term limit. So, interestingly, the 2-term limit that we recommend is the smallest term limit employed by ANY of these cities. Cities with 4-yearterms -- as you can see here -- either have 2-term limits, like us, or NO term limits. So, they would obviously have twice as long or longer. Next slide. 2:48:32: ###. Slide 5 (again) 2:48:32: Council Member Veenker: San Bruno, with its unusual 3-year term, has a four-term limit, which would be 12 years. And then, the three cities that have the 2-year terms eitherhave -- all of them have higher term limits than we're proposing, 'cause one has a three-term limit and the other[s] have NO term limits. So, ours is much skinnier. And -- you cantake the slide down -- I want to talk a little about the last "two." The two years of service prerequisite. So, that's to make sure that mayoral candidates, you know, understand howCouncil works. They get a couple years under their belt. As we do now. ### The Charter doesn't require it, but Council seems to respect it as a tradition. And are prepared for the role. And to make sure people don't just run directly for mayor, out of vanity, or whatever else motivates them. We do have this requirement thatcandidates serve for two years before becoming mayor. Now, we can't -- we have not proved the negative. But we've asked around. And we are not aware of any other city thathas a prior-service requirement. So -- Because with our current selection method, we essentially do have a two-year prior-service requirement. We chose to suggest it here. 'Cause, again, we're trying to change as little as possible. So, those are our process parameters. And we believe that they balance the interests that are in play. As the Mayor mentioned, with the directly-elected mayor, residents are more likely to know who their mayor is. And I can imagine some fun election campaigns. And that mayor will then haveincreased accountability to the voters, rather than to fellow Council members that put them there. So, the mayor would have twice as long to build relationships with thecommunity, understand their needs, and better represent them when speaking on behalf of the City. Yet, that "2-2-2" system requires the least adjustment from current practice. And so, we believe it's the right way to do this. Thanks. 2:50:45: Mayor Stone: OK. Thank you. And we will now turn to public comment, before coming back to Council, then, for discussion. 2:51:09: City Clerk Ah Yun: Our first speaker is Jeff H., followed by Alice S. 2:51:13: Jeff Hoel: Hi. I had just a couple of nitpicky kind of questions. One is, how is the mayor going to be paid? Is it just as if the mayor were just another Council member? And -- OK,that's the only I could figure it from what I read. And the other is, can an elector -- just whoever's running -- run for both mayor and Council member at the same time? Thanks. 2:51:47: City Clerk Ah Yun: Our next speaker is Alice S., followed by Herb B. 2:51:53: Alice Smith: Thank you. The mayor of Palo Alto has successfully been elected for 130 years by the City Council. And serves for one year. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. An Ad HocCommittee of two Council members has spent precious tax money, using staff time, to propose a Charter amendment to have an elected mayor, for 2 or 4 years. Since you grantthe Council the power to amend this voter decision by ordinance. And face it. Who's going to overcome your power to amend that to 4? Directly-elected mayors add more moneyto the election process. Recall what happened in San Jose last time. It implies a power which the next Charter change could turn the mayor into someone with a lot more controlover the staff and the process. If this proposal goes onto the ballot, you will spend an additional estimated 85,000 pounds ### dollars. for the sole purpose of bumping up the ego of some Council candidate who wants to run to be the elected mayor of this City. Instead of focusing Council resources -- my taxmoney -- staff time and energy on such more essential issues. To wit: agreeing underpasses for the high-speed rail, fixing Chaucer Bridge, updating storm sewers, planning forelectrical grid demands, meeting the needs of the unhoused, confronting rising sea levels, stopping destroying our wetlands by inappropriate siting of housing, airports, andbusinesses east of 101. An elected mayor is unnecessary, and the wrong priority. I've been a Palo Alto resident for 60 years, and I believe that people know who the mayor of Palo Alto is. And I think if you have to use electing mayor to get them to know what's going on, then you're really failing. I have a -- I ask you firmly to reject this recommendationof your Ad Hoc Committee tonight. 2:53:53: City Clerk Ah Yun: Our next speaker is Herb B., followed by Hamilton H. 2:54:04: Herb Borock: I also urge you to vote against this. Turnout in City Council elections now has nothing to do with what was suggested. Because they're in presidential election ye- --at the same time as the presidential election, or at the same time as an election for governor. Four years ago, the turnout in Palo Alto was 88.53 percent. When the elections werein odd years, in May, and the school board was in April, the turnout depended upon spirited campaigns by two slates of candidates with completely different views. As drafted, itappears that the top voter, regardless of the vote, would become mayor. We just had a vote for the congressional district where the top voter got 21 percent of the vote. So, doyou want a runoff? When would it be? And how would it work? 2:55:10: In terms of how many votes people get, in the election four years ago, which was an at large election, and people were not restricted to one candidate, they could vote for fourcandidates, none of the winning candidates who got elected -- in Palo Alto, four years ago -- received even 40 percent of the ballots cast by Palo Alto voters. 2:5541: And in terms of, you know, of vanity, well, it's not that you would be preventing people who are not on the Council from running due to vanity. It's for the vanity of people on Councilwho are proposing it. The idea that, oh, it's just something on the ballot that we're asking voters to make a choice for. No, it's not. It's proponents of the measure who want to putit on the ballot. And it's a committee that, you know, didn't meet in public. Just met with staff. The only notice of who was on the committee was in the staff report for tonight'smeeting. And I think that we have to accept the fact that if what's important is to have a government that represents the people, having one person, given the divisions in thecommittee, that's looked at in the typical result of an at large election of a variety of opinions is not going to be solved by either having someone like we had in the 16th Districtcoming on top of 21 percent of the vote. We're having a runoff election at some -- that's not provided for -- 2:57:05: City Clerk Ah Yun: Your time is up. 2:57:07 Herb Borock: -- and give you -- voting for someone you didn't want in the first place. 2:57:11: City Clerk Ah Yun: Our next speaker is Hamilton H., followed by Aram J. 2:57:17: Hamilton Hitchings: Hello. Thank you. By putting this on the ballot, you are essentially endorsing it, as a positive change. I do not support extending the mayor's term beyond oneyear and making it a directly elected position. Turning the mayorship into an elected position will benefit Council members who aspire to higher office. They will also get morepublicity, can raise more cash, often from outside interests. Over time, I believe this proposal would make the mayor more aligned to outside money and interests. I support thecurrent system, where power is more evenly distributed between Council members. It'd harder to buy influence. And the mayorship is limited to one year. I also think the currentsystem acts as a check and balance against candidates who may campaign well but govern poorly and fail to work cooperatively with their fellow Council members. However, if theCouncil DOES decide to put this on the ballot, then I request limiting it to 2 years maximum, not being allowed to serve consecutive terms, and a total maximum of two terms, withno ability to vote to change this into a 4-year term. Thank you. 2:58:41: City Clerk Ah Yun: Our next speaker is Aram J. 2:58:47: Aram James: OK. So, there's a lot of good points that have been made. But, as far as I'm concerned, participatory democracy is critical. I like the idea of having an electedmayor. But I would go a step further. I would replace the City manager with a staffed mayor, with a full staff. And each of our Council members having a full staff, and being paid agood wage. A living wage. A wage that would allow you to live in the City of Palo Alto. I think, over the years, the Council agendas that I have observed have gotten more andmore and more complicated. We have -- Often, our outside staff members and our City manager have their own financial interest -- in my observation -- in mind. Their self-interest, more than the City. Often, the folks are not living here in the City. So, I would say, that's one concern. 2:59:52: The other thing is, I don't think the prior service requirement makes any sense at all. If you've got a young, brilliant -- or older, brilliant -- person who can do a better job than thefolks who have prior service, they should be able to run right from the outset. So, I don't like that requirement. And I CERTAINLY don't like the idea of going forward to the publicwith an idea that we're going to have a mayor for 2 years -- And that issue is going to be in front of the voters. But subsequent to that, the Council and the elected mayor can, all ofa sudden, by ordinance, without the vote of the public, shift it to 4 years. That makes it a very complicated -- more complicated than it needs to be. I think that this issue is socritical that we need to have a much more public debate on this. A couple of study sessions, with experts outside coming in from other cities that have had experience with anelected mayor -- for 2 years, for 4 years. I think you were saying Gilroy. Or Morgan Hill. You can run for as long as you want. And that may be a critical issue that we want todiscuss. 3:01:07: So, I don't think we have enough information at this point. I love the idea of participatory democracy, including election. But I think we've also gotta look towards a deeper cut ofthe idea of having full-time City Council members with staffs. Like the city of San Jose, and others. We've outgrown the current model. It's time to move on to something moresophisticated, that also appeals to participatory democracy. Thanks. 3:01:40: City Clerk Ah Yun: Our next speaker is Winter D. 3:01:46: Winter Dellenbach: Hi. Well, with respect, you all. If the City gave 20 issues for residents to prioritize, voting for mayor would be near or last on the list. Again, it's a solutionlooking for a problem, and has substantial downsides. The staff report says the direct election of a mayor furthers residents' democratic participation, and their sense of agency. No. It doesn't. Voters will have less, not more, democracy, with a false sense of agency. Why? Because this proposal consolidates power in the status quo. With a 2-year -- or,my God, a 4 year -- hybrid mayor on Council, with all able to serve for 12 years, rather than our current 8-year Council limit -- As I remember, we worked pretty hard to get thatCouncil limit of 8 years. And we're just blowing it away in the wind with this. Changing will make Council more exclusive, insular, and less accessible to others wanting to be onCouncil. And this contradicts your recent vote to raise your salaries, in the name of supporting more residents' ability to run for Council. 3:02:58: Regarding meetings, currently Council members serve on 15 regional bodies, often for multi years. Including ABAG. And our mayor may now attend mayor meetings, includingthe Santa Clara Cities Association. A few more meetings doesn't justify this. Nor does a mayor going to meetings over two years justify taxpayers financing an $85,000 ballotmeasure, or the huge effort trying to get voters to buy into it. Nor that 6 of 14 cities in our county voting for their mayor to justify it. A really odd reason. You know, when my sonwas growing up, one of the lessons was, don't listen to what other people are trying to get you to do. Think for yourself. And I don't know why it matters that 6 of 14 cities in ourcounty vote for mayors. I could care less. Most of you get to be mayor. It's a nice perk for your good work, and looks good on your CV. But while it's YOUR concern, few othersworry about it. Perfection doesn't exist. There's no perfect way to select a mayor ANYWHERE. Including how we do it, or as proposed. Given the role and responsibilities of themayor supposedly will remain unchanged, I say stay the course, keep it simple, and don't be looking for problems when none exist. Thank you. 3:04:27: City Clerk Ah Yun: Our next speaker is Jennifer. 3:04:36: Jennifer Landesmann: Hi. Good evening, Council. I agree with the criticisms that have been raised about your proposal. And I'm pretty shocked that you kind are putting it up onthe table, like, hey, we're just offering this up, you know? You decide. With VERY little information about what's really behind accountability, and measuring how this wouldimprove solving problems that the City has, or issues that residents care about. And I really like the phrase false sense of agency. I mean, the worst part about this is that you'renot explaining how gover- -- how Palo Alto government really works. You know. Where even Council has levers, and how it's a shared form of government with a City manager. Who has responsibility for what. There are commissions. There are committees. And -- And you haven't explained any of this to anyone. I mean, I happen to know because I'vehad now over a decade of observing various mayors, two City managers, Council members. And -- I mean, the way things work are very -- they already are very -- they offerparticipatory government. First, because we're having to elect all the Council members. But people have to be active in this in order to solve certain problems. And by having a mayor -- given that the duties won't change -- you're really not changing anything. So, this is -- this is -- this is a really, really bad look. Because you're not being transparent abouthow things really work. And I could name many examples, from big problems to little problems, about how the mayor alone does not make a difference. And I've worked on federalissues, local issues. So, I think it's done in a very poor manner, which is without letting even people know. I heard about -- I mean, I sort of thought it was a joke when I first heardabout it, earlier in the year. And then, boom, you're already going to vote to see if you put this on a ballot for the fall. So, I really think you kind of have to rethink this. And I agreewith the previous speaker. You're -- you know, you're just creating a -- Of all the priorities that, you know, the City has, I don't think anybody thought of this one. And the fact thatjust a few of you thought of it -- it's terrible. And, I mean, I don't mind if you make changes. But you got to be transparent with everyone about how government really works. Thank you. 3:07:41: City Clerk Ah Yun: That concludes public comment on action item 11. 3:07:44: Mayor Stone: Bring it back to Council. Council Member Lythcott-Haims. 3:07:47: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: Well, I want to thank my colleagues, the Mayor and Council Member Veenker, for putting this proposal before us. It's certainly a very intriguing,and a lot to chew on. And I want to thank staff as well. I don't know what the plan is -- if we'll have technical questions and then comments. Can they start with -- I'm trying to getbetter at actually asking questions, instead of just saying what I think. So, I'm going to go with a technical question. On terms, term limits, etc. I'd like to ask you why you felt thevote -- the question put to the voters would be, "Should we have a directly-elected mayor?" -- "2-2-2" -- and the possibility of a 4-year term would be something that Council itselfcould determine by ordinance. Could you address that? 3:08:38: [silence] 3:08:48: **: [unamplified] We can't hear you. 3:08:50: Council Member Veenker: We were just debating who should respond. So, I -- As I understand the question, the question is, why did we do the proposal of "2-2-2," with the 2-year term, and then have -- put that to the voters, and then give us the power to change to 4 ### That is, to change to "4-2-2." if we wanted. 3:09:04: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: It's really the second part of the question. Why the power for Council to change it to 4. Why not put 4 ### That is, "4-2-2." to the voters? 3:09:09: Council Member Veenker: Why not put 4 to the voters? Because we were trying to make it -- ah -- a smaller change. To see how the City adjusts to it. And then, if it's going well,and we're having the kind of interaction at the Santa Clara County Cities Association -- as one of the public speakers mentioned -- that we can have some continuity, as we'redealing with PAN and other residents' groups -- if we can have things that seem good. And this Council thinks that -- you know, does whatever diligence it needs to do at THATpoint -- um -- and wants to move to 4, that it then do it. There are a lot of people that go directly to 4. But we sensed that we should just start with a shorter time. What -- Does themayor have anything to add? 3:09:55: Mayor Stone: No. I think that sums it up well. The other id- -- um -- Yeah. And that's going to be included in the ballot language as well. So, I think voters will be on notice that itis 2 with the possibility of 4. But we thought -- yeah -- having that flexibility for future Councils would be beneficial. 3:10:16: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: Thank you. And, on the -- 3:10:17: Mayor Stone: I'm sorry. I'm just -- As a reminder, these are just simply recommendations. Really as a starting point. If there are -- If there is a desire to change that to only being2, and remove the option for 4, let's have that discussion. 3:10:29: Council Member Veenker: Or vice versa. Because part of the reason it's in there is, I think 4 could enhance the benefits. But we got the sense that 2 would be a better first step. 3:10:40: Council Lythcott-Haims: Thank you. And, on the terms, I'm trying to sort of -- I'm sure you mapped out the different scenarios. ### I'm NOT sure of this. Anyhow, the scenarios weren't listed in a document accessible to the public. So, if a person, you know, ran for mayor in year 2, or ran for mayor in year 4, or what have you, you've ended up with something that says no more than 12 years of service withinany 16. We're currently allowed 14 years of service within any 16. If you take two years off after eight, you can come back for four and be in your second year of your second four,at the end of 16 years. So, was that deliberate? That -- um -- You seem to be addressing a concern about the mayor being in office too long, but now we can't have Councilmembers run for two consecutive four-year terms with a two-year hiatus in the middle. 3:11:26: Council Member Veenker: I was with you until that last part. Now, we can't have Council members -- Council members could still run for four years -- Are you saying if they thenran for mayor thereafter? 3:11:36: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: [unamplified] It's -- The way that I -- [amplified] The way that I read it, no person can serve as mayor or Council member for more than acombined total of 12 years. ### In any 16-year interval. So -- um -- you have someone who's done 8 years. They take their necessary two years off. They run again for Council, for another 4-year term. That's 12 right there. They can'tthen run again for that final 4-year term. Because it's a 4-year term. They would exceed -- They would be at 14 years in 16, instead of 12. 3:12:07: Council Member Veenker: Sorry. But in your example, if you have 4, 2 off, 4, and 4 more, ### This isn't Council Member Lythcott-Haims example. 3:12:13: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: [unamplified] 8 and then 2 off. 3:12:15: Council Member Veenker: Ah! 8 and then 2 off, and then 4. OK. Well, so, the idea was, that we were concerned that when you have 12 in a row, which you can't do now, that people would want to see a longer break. If this Council prefers to maintain -- in the case of Council service -- or other -- just a 2-year break, I'm not opposed to that. We weretrying to keep it close -- Like, we hear one public commenter say we worked hard to keep it to 8. So, we thought, if you hit that 12 -- [laughs] -- we're -- they're probably going towant a longer break. But, again -- um -- I'm not wedded to that part of it. 3:12:56: Mayor Stone: And a little bit of kind of thinking, too, behind the 12 years was, we found it was a good parallel to the state legislature -- that they have a 12-year cap as well. Andkind of thought whatever keeps things as consistent and as what many voters are used to, both at the Council level, as well as at the state level. Being able to find that parallel. Ifthat makes sense. ### It doesn't make sense to me. The rules for the California state legislature are completely different. For one thing, the 12-year term limit is a lifetime limit. 3:13:14: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: Thank you. I do have one more technical question, if I could just go a little bit long. Um. Did you consider the notion that the top vote-getter -- that we would -- that the mayor would be the top vote-getter in any cycle? Which would still allow you your 2 years. But the voters would basically be voting with how many peoplecame out for each person. The top vote-getter becomes mayor. Rather than the individual having to decide, I'm going to go for mayor, or I'm going to go for Council. I might loseat mayor, then I'm not on Council anymore. Did that come up? 3:13:50: Mayor Stone: ** I'd like to point out the process of how we got here, is, we were -- The Ad Hoc was kind of given the question of -- perform a -- If we were to go to a directly- elected mayor, bring us back recommendations. So, I think that's -- that was the scope that we were limited to. Um. And I think your question would kind of go beyond that scope. 3:14:16: Council Member Veenker: Although I might add that with 2-year terms, and having to draw from sitting Council members, that there's not enough to go around, so to speak. Whereas, you could self-select at any time. Nobody's boxed out ever by virtue of other people on the dais from running. It's more autonomy on deciding if you want to put yourselfout there. 3:14:43: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: OK. Thanks very much. 3:14:45: Vice Mayor Lauing: I don't think I understood that answer. Not to jump in, but what would the answer to your question there? Well, repeat your question. Shorter. 3:14:58: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: Could the voters directly elect the mayor by simply voting for whatever number of Council seats are open? The top voter-getter in that electionbecomes the mayor. 3:15:10: Vice Mayor Lauing: OK. And that's an alternative to what's being proposed? 3:15:12; Council Member Lythcott-Haims: I'm asking, was that considered? 3:15:14: Vice Mayor Lauing: OK. 3:15:14: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: My fear is that when one runs for mayor or Council member, we may lose great Council members, because they've decided to go for mayor, andthey can't -- we've lost them because they had to pick a lane. Why not let the voters pick the lane? And whomever gets the most votes becomes mayor? 3:15:35: Vice Mayor Lauing: Because your proposal -- the Ad Hoc's proposal -- is -- [gestures for the Ad Hoc to answer] 3:15:40: Council Member Veenker: Yeah. I'm sorry. I misunderstood the question before. So, thank you for re- - Thank you for asking her to restate it. And thank you for restating it. Ithink, then, if that happened -- um -- would you say -- Since there are 4-year terms, that that person would have to become the mayor for 4 years? Or, what happens when, youknow, 2 years through the term, does the next person get it? Are you saying -- each cycle. Because sometimes there's 4. Sometimes there's 3. There's an awkwardness there. But, honestly, I personally did not investigate that, because I've never seen another city do it that way. But -- So, that's all I got. 3:16:19: Mayor Stone: Vice Mayor Lauing. 3:16:21: Vice Mayor Lauing: OK: I'm still -- Your original proposal is -- as I think you outlined -- is that, let's say that 3 people are running for Council. Does one of those run for mayor? Ordo they all run for mayor? Or -- 3:16:37: Council Member Veenker: Yeah. So, I can answer that. I think it -- Oh, do you want to do it? OK. I think that didn't get into our presentation. But you run for mayor, or you runfor Council. ### Or you run for neither. Period. [laughs] But, but, but -- 3:16:52: Vice Mayor Lauing: OK. So, that gets me to exactly the point that Council Member Lythcott-Haims just said, is that if there's a three-person -- X, Y, Z are up for reelection, so theyhave 4 years of experience, ### Not counting time served before a hiatus. and they all want to run again, and they all happen to want to run for mayor, and all three run for mayor, one of them will be elected, and two of them will be out of office. ### Unless a person not up for reelection also runs for mayor and wins, in which case all three Council members up for reelection will be out of office. 3:17:20: Council Member Veenker: [unamplified] Correct. [amplified] Right. No, I understand that now. The -- And that's how it is in all of those cities that have a directly-elected mayor. You have to choose. But two years later, you could run for Council again. But -- 3:17:32: Vice Mayor Lauing: Yeah. OK. I'll just continue with my other questions. A couple have already been asked, as I already illustrated. I'll just elaborate on this 2 versus 4. It seemslike the Ad Hoc Committee would prefer 4. But you're sort of trying 2. And I don't think that's not being transparent. I'm not sort of being accusatory here. But it seems like there'sno limit to this. So, any new Council could change that. And so, presumably, does that they could change it back? ### There's no need to presume. The proposed amendment says so explicitly. I mean, it just doesn't seem to be a limitation on this, between 2 and 4, on down the line for the next 10 years. In the proposal. 3:18:09: Council Member Veenker: When you say a limitation, you mean how many times they could switch it back -- 3:18:12: Vice Mayor Lauing: Yes. 3:18:13: Council Member Veenker: I would think that a Council would be ill-advised to switch it around a lot. And I would be surprised if seven people sitting up here would do that. But wewere trying to build in the flexibility to have the wisdom of the collective say we should move to 4. Or, you know, at that point, we were just leaving the flexibility -- back to 2. 3:18:32: Mayor Stone: And a reminder, as well, that a future Council cannot change it until after a mayoral term has has expired. ### That's not obvious to me. What language in the amendment says so? Perhaps Mayor Stone meant that Council couldn't cut short the term of the existing mayor. So, it would[n't] be able to be immediate -- back and forth -- Having general principles of good governance and politics would prevent the back and forth like that. ### In the case of going to 4-year terms, would these terms align with presidential election years (no matter when Council and/or the people voted to do it)? 3:18:51: Vice Mayor Lauing: Yeah. As a couple of public commenters said, you know, that's kind of putting all the hands -- You're trying to give the voters all this choice, but then you put itall back in the hands of the seven people to make the decision two years from now. So, that could be seen as being, you know, non-transparent by the citizens. So, I'm -- What I'mconcerned is about that. 3:19:08: What happens about former mayors? Does that count as being a mayor? Or would this start afresh with this new system? So, if a former mayor came and wanted to run again formayor, would that be -- would that person be credited for that one year? And so, when he gets up to mayor limits, would that be included? ### The text of the resolution seems to say that once a mayor stops being the mayor, he/she can serve again a mayor for two full terms, if he/she can be elected. It seems kind of esoteric. I'm just pointing out that there's some -- potentially some problematic things about that math that we should be all understanding. 3:19:44: Mayor Stone: Council Member -- or, Vice Mayor Lauing, yes, that would be included. There was no time limit put in place. So, if anybody in the history of Palo Alto has served twoyears on the Council, they would be eligible to run for mayor. 3:19:56: Council Member Veenker: His question is more about the limits. So, I think what I would say, Vice Mayor, is that -- um -- we would start the clock now, unless this Council wantedto do something different, in its discretion. And I would say the same about your former question. If you wanted to set it at just 2 or 4, we certainly could do that tonight. 3:20:18: City Attorney Stump: In terms of the -- You're talking about the 12-years within 16. It wouldn't matter whether that prior service, if it was within the 16-year look-back period, was as a Council member or as a mayor. 3:20:34: Vice Mayor Lauing: OK. That's all the technical questions. I have comments later. 3:20:41: Mayor Stone: Council Member Burt. 3:20:43: Council Member Burt: Thank you. Thanks to my colleagues for asking the questions. I think I understand pretty well what's being proposed. So, I'm going to go on to comments. 3:20:55: First, I really agree with a number of the speakers. We have a lot of really important issues facing the City, that are going to require a great deal of attention. And do now. And thisisn't one of them. I don't hear it from the voters. What I have heard in the last week or two is, a number of voters come forward, several former mayors, said this is the worst ideaI've heard in a long time. And it goes to the question of what's the problem that we're trying to solve here? Page 3, ### Because the cited document is a late-packet item, it doesn't have packet page numbers. I see it's empowering the voters, increasing the democratic participation. We have 88 percent participation, in a presidential election like this upcoming one. It is boosted becausethe presidential election. It's not going to go up more because we have a local mayor election. All the people who are engaged on local issues are the ones who vote in the offyears. Under continuity and impact and broader regional, state, federal, and global discussions, I thought we had just backed off the global discussions. And then, increasingability to engage with constituents? There's no increase in the ability to engage with constituents. So, I don't see furthering those goals as being important, nor really that thismeasure would substantially further them. 3:22:35: But I do fear that we'd see a really -- acceleration of a trend we've had in our community of over-increasing the politicization of our elections. We've historically had our elections befor citizen representatives. And people who want to serve their community. We certainly have had folks who have had higher political ambitions. And we will continue to do so. But we, as a community, have really tried to focus on serving our community and not having this become bigger money, more politics, constant campaigning. If the mayor isrunning every two years, that's almost non-stop fundraising and campaigning. And we have a good example of really an extremely downside risk of this. Santa Clara wasmentioned here. Their last election cycle had almost $3 million spent on that, overwhelmingly by PACs. So, setting campaign finance limits would not address that at all. $3million for Santa Clara's mayor election. Is that that sort of circumstance that we want to start moving toward? I don't think our community wants that. 2:24:11: And colleagues right now work with each other, and select their mayor based upon a trust that that person will work effectively in -- as the legislature that we are. Which is basicallywhat we are. And I will note that when you think about legislatures -- whether it's the county supervisors, state Assembly, state Senate, federal, parliaments -- they all select theirown leadership. They do not have a directly-elected leadership for a legislative body. So, it's actually the outlier that -- where you would have a directly-elected leadership,potentially someone who's never served, doesn't have experience, but might resonate in a popular vote. We might have five candidates. And one might be a real outlier from the community but pick up 30 percent of the vote and win. And become the mayor. ### Conceivably, the mayor could be elected using ranked choice voting, thereby getting a majority of votes. But that's not what's being proposed. So, I don't know that we've thought through those issues well enough. I do have real concerns on this being essentially -- a strong implication that it's the first of two steps to goingto a 4-year mayor term. And then, we WOULD be effectively be dropping our current term -- or, modifying our term limits. So, I think when I look at all of those reasons, this is aneffort to have a substantial change in the way we have elected our representatives for 130 years, chang- --fixing something that isn't broken. There are arguments that can be made on either side, but it's not broken. And I don't think it's a priority of the community. And I fear that it would move our community into being bigger money elections, moreaggressive, all about elections, less about serving. And so, those are the reasons I just think this is a bad idea. 2:26:30: [silence] 3:26:41: Chair Stone: All right. Others? Council Member Kou. 3:26:50: Council Member Kou: Question: So, why 2026 and not during the presidential election? You have more eyes on it. 3:27:02: Chair Stone, Well, I think that -- that, too, is -- we just figured it made the most sense -- that that would be the next election that this would begin. But I think that's anotherdiscussion point for us this evening. Also, if we go with the 2-year term -- which seems to be -- there's more -- there's a greater preference for 2 years, and maybe dropping the option of the 4 -- then that puts you at presidential elections and midterm elections as well. 3:27:29: Council Member Kou: Umm. OK. Thank you. You know, with Council Member Lythcott-Haims' question about -- during an election, if a candidate gets the highest vote, then theybecome mayor, I have a concern there, because we have a vice mayor in place at that point. And that's usually set up for succession into becoming the mayor. So, essentially,during election years, then, whoever gets the highest votes basically just edges out the vice mayor that's in place to become mayor. So, I think that might not be a good idea. And I think a lot of members of the public who spoke, you know, have some -- they know -- they basically have been watching Palo Alto. And I think they make a lot of sense. As amatter of fact, I'm kind of torn, you know, because I was speaking with mayor of Milpitas as well as mayor of Gilroy. And, you know, they work cooperatively with the city managersand with their Council members. But then I've also seen other cities that have mayors that have -- once they become elected mayor by the people, they have really changed theircharacter and personalities, where they've become actually rather arrogant and egotistical. So, I would have a lot of concerns about the change of personality and the change ofcharacter. As it is, you know, we have -- um -- and I would actually be concerned, you know, with -- um -- While I believe that a mayor is given instructions from the whole Councilin order to represent the City in other cities, or going to national conference, or whatnot, I do have concerns that the elected mayor might feel so influenced by that title that theymay not fully represent the City. So, I do have concerns about that. I think I've voiced it before. 3:30:08: Hmm. I don't like the ordinance idea, about -- we're going to do an election, put it to the voters. But we'll use an ordinance in order to change -- to do a change from 2 years to 4years or vice versa. I also -- I do appreciate all the work that you've put into it. As well as staff. But I don't think this has really been sunlighted to the community enough, so thatthey have an input on this either. It just seemed like it's a very big hurry to do this. I realize you want to get it on the ballot for this year. But why not next year or the year after,after there's been more discussion with the community.? ### Somewhere, I believe City Attorney Stump said a public vote to amend the Charter must be in an even year, at a general election. 3:30:59: I am torn. But I -- those are just some of my concerns, for the time being. I think what Mr. Hitchings said, you know, what we have right now is a good check and balance. And Ithink that in the government on the national level, as well as many here in the -- as well as at the state, there's been a big loss of check and balance. And I think we need to take alook at ourselves first, here, and make sure that we're on the right path. Thank you. 3:31:36: Mayor Stone: Council Member Tanaka. 3:31:40: Council Member Tanaka: So, you know, thank you guys for your work on this. My thoughts is -- and one reason why support it, although I -- you know, there are some minorthings that I think we should do differently, but the main reason I support it is having served now -- I'm on my eighth year -- eighth and final year -- I've come to realize, despite whatI thought ahead of time, and what think probably a lot of members of our community think -- But our City really runs on autopilot. You know, the most powerful people actually sithere [gestures to the staff table] in front of us. We have a -- you know, somewhat of an effect. But it's somewhat minor. We spend a lot of times, you know, arguing amongourselves. But a lot of important issues in the City are decided by staff. And what this means is that the power in the City isn't those that have to run for election, or areaccountable directly to the people. But it is the people in front of us. The people -- the staff members. And it's much harder to actually change staff members than it is Councilmembers. And I think, for our democracy to work, I think it's important that the people have control. The people decide whether the people running the City are doing a good job or not. Not entrenched staff members. And so, for that reason, I think a directly-elected mayor is better, because I think it gives us continuity to the City. We have like these, youknow, changing priorities every year, and we're trying to do this and that. But it's -- there's not much clear direction -- that I think a directly-elected mayor could do. ### The Ad Hoc Committee has said that the directly-elected mayor in their proposal would have no more duties or authority than the current elected-by-Council mayor. Because it would be at least longer terms -- 2 or 4 years. And so, I think it makes sense in that regards. Because we want -- You know, we're -- if we don't do a good job, we'rejust not reelected. But, you know, in general, you know, we have -- like I said, we have relatively minor control in what's happening. You know, if you look at, let's say, tonight's consent item -- right? -- there were 1-2-3-4-5-6 -- there were like 6 items on there. right? I mean, it's almost 99.9 percent of the time, they're approved unanimously. Right? Andyet, you know, some of the biggest dollars of the City are spent right there. And that's presented by staff, who are NOT elected, NOT accountable to the people. So, I think weshould go in this direction. I think it makes sense. I've seen it work in other cities. And -- Now, in regards to 2 or 4, I do agree with the comments that it shouldn't be somethingthat the City Council just decides on its own. To go to 2 or 4. I think we should either pick 2 or pick 4. And I think the people should decide. So, I'm actually fine with either. But Idon't think it should just change without the public knowing, or the public having input on it. 3:34:37: Mayor Stone: Council Member Veenker. 3:34:40: Council Member Veeker: Yeah. Thank you, Mayor. Just to give a little bit of some thoughts about the issues that have been raised, which I very much appreciate. So, this issuewas -- you know, has been tossed around P&S for a while. And then came to us in February, and we talked about it. And Council voted and directed that the specifics should bebrought back. And so, here we are, TO talk about it, and listen to people. And if it were to pass tonight, it will go to a second reading. There will be a third time in public. And thenthere would have to be LOTS of conversations with voters, to have that. So -- um -- But because of that, that's why we were trying to make it a -- as similar to current practice aspossible. So, I don't know who these mayors are, and people who have come -- lots of people coming forward in the last couple weeks, 'cause I didn't really see anything until afew emails today. But I HAVE talked to several former mayors who are excited about this. And who support it. And I've talked to mayors in other cities who have goodexperiences. Former Mayor Liccardo had -- talked to me about it yesterday in San Jose. And the Sunnyvale former mayor who was here last time. ### If Veenker meant Larry Klein, he's also the CURRENT mayor of Sunnyvale.https://www.sunnyvale.ca.gov/your-government/governance/city-councilHe spoke (in person, not Zoom) as a member of the public at Council's 02-05-24 meeting, at 3:28:40 on this video:https://midpenmedia.org/city-council-90-252024/Also, at 4:02:26 (02-05-24), Council Member Lythcott-Haims asked Mayor Stone for permission to ask Klein a question she had posed, and Klein answered it. (Sunnyvale doesn'tcurrently have an experience requirement for its elected mayor.) ### At 4:03:54 (02-06-24), Klein opined that not every Council member should be mayor, and that he knew of "mayors from other 1-year mayor selected cities that were countingfrom almost day 1 for the end of their year." (In Palo Alto, it's been traditional not to choose as mayor someone who doesn't want to be mayor.) So, I think there's -- you know, there's a mix of views, for sure. That's why we're having this conversation. But I want to make sure there's -- it's clear there's a mix of views. 3:36:08: I also have the concern about the constant campaigning. I don't like that. If we do it every 2 years. That's one argument for the 4 years. But I thought that's one of the things thatwe could see how it goes. And that's part of why we build in the flexibility for Council to go, you know, we don't want the mayor doing that. We want it for 4. No matter what we do,there are pros and cons. That is -- It's sort of like grade sep. There's no -- you know, one best, no-fault solution. Um. You know, I'm not that worried about the 3 million bucksspent in Santa Clara. I think that involved the 49ers that year. That's a big deal there. They have that -- It kind of got to be an outsized fight. They're twice our size. And that's a4-year term. So, there's a lot of different things there that I don't think would happen here. And one of the REASONS to show that the other cities have been doing it is that it'sNOT necessarily an outlier thing to do. We ARE seeing others doing this. And those others are also legislative bodies. And I think that in the presidential election, there's a greatturnout. But we're also -- This way, we would also have turnout in midterm years. ### Only if the Mayor's term were 2 years. So, that's one reason to start it during the midterm years. 3:37:30: So, you know, I think that there's a lot of pros and cons, like I said, no matter what we do. One of the things that we haven't really touched on, but I want to bring up, is that -- Idon't know. It's hard to know cause and effect. A lot of things influence who ends up here, and a lot of things influence who ends up as mayor. But if we look at diversity interests,we've got a wall back there that says we may have a problem. That wall has a lot of photos of people who are not terrifically diverse. So, when we say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," I would humbly offer that it is broken. There's a period of time, with respect to women, when it was NOT so broken. [City Clerk] Mahealani [Ah Yun], if you would put up -- I havesome other slides here. 3:38:24: ###. Slide -- Palo Alto's Women Mayors 1978-1991 3:38:24: Council Member Veenker: So, if you go back in time, the first woman mayor was Frances Dias. ### 1966.https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2023/11/22/frances-dias-palo-altos-first-female-mayor-dies-at-100/#:~:text=She%20made%20an%20indelible%20mark,establishment%E2%80%9D%20and%20%E2%80%9Cresidentialist.%E2%80%9D And then, 16 years later, we had Betsy Bechtel. ### 1983 (17 years later). And then, in that 16-year period, from '76 to '91, we also had Gail Woolley. But we were just getting started. If you go to the next slide, you'll see a golden era: 3:38:44: ###. Slide -- Palo Alto's Women Mayors 1992-2007 ### 1993: Jean McCown, 1994: Liz Kniss, 1996, Lanie Wheeler, 2000: Liz Kniss, 2001: Sandy Eakins, 2003: Dena Mossar, 2006: Judy Kleinberg, 2007: Yoriko Kishimoto 3:38:44: Council Member Veenker: 16 years worth of mayors. 50 percent were women. That's pretty good. But go to the next slide. 3:38:53: ###. Palo Alto's Women Mayors 2008-2023 ### 2014: Nancy Shepherd, 2015: Karen Holman, 2018: Liz Kniss, 2023: Lydia Kou. 3:38:53: Council Member Veenker: Here's where we are now. And these were made last year, before we had our current mayor and presumptive mayor. So, if that plays out, we'll bedown to 20 percent, from 50 percent. So, something -- It would be nice to TRY, to see if we can address this. Um. You know. I think there's a lot of benefits to the directly-elected mayor. And perhaps it would help us with this as well. ### The hypothesis seems to be that the voters of Palo Alto would be less sexist than Council members. I doubt it. ### I'd like to see more data. For instance, in each of last 32 (or so) years, who did Council choose as vice mayor? How often did Council choose the then current vice mayor asthe next mayor? ### On 01-06-20, according to this video (0:15:13 -- 0:34:15),https://midpenmedia.org/city-council-152-162020/Council Member Kniss nominated Council Member Cormack (who had been on Council for 2 years) and Council Member Filseth nominated Council Member DuBois (who had been on Council for 5 years). Six members of the public preferred DuBois but said Cormack would be a worthy future candidate. Mayor Fine asked Council to vote on whetherCormack should be chosen. That failed on a 3-3-1 vote, Tanaka abstaining. Mayor Fine then asked Council to vote on whether DuBois should be chosen. That passed on a 4-2-1vote, Tanaka abstaining, and Cormack voting yes. (The Procedures & Protocols Handbook, section 4.3(h), page 26))https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/4/city-clerk/city-charterprocedures/adopted-council-protocols-and-procedures-manual.pdfsay Council members should abstain only if insufficiently informed.) ### On 01-04-21, according to this video (0:31:28 -- 1:05:08), https://midpenmedia.org/city-council-152-142021/Mayor DuBois nominated Council Member Burt (who had been on Council for 9 years, though not consecutively), Council Member Tanaka nominated Council Member Kou (whohad been on Council for 5 years), and Council Member Filseth nominated Council Member Cormack (who had been on Council for 3 years). In the first round, there were 3 votesfor Burt, 2 votes for Kou, and 2 votes for Cormack. In the second round, there were 4 votes for Burt, 2 votes for Kou, and 1 vote for Cormack. 3:39:20: So -- you can take the slides down -- I just think there's a lot to balance on all sides of this. We've seen it be a big success in other places. This is a City that likes innovation. Yeah, we've done it this way for a long time, but I think there's a lot to argue for moving forward with a different model. And, like I said, we tried to make it so it would be a gentleshift. 3:39:50: Mayor Stone: Yeah. Just continuing off that, a City of innovation we are. And yet, the common argument we've heard tonight is, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." And I can't imaginewhat Silicon Valley would like today if we never tried to improve upon our own processes. And I remember when the iPhone first came out, my grandmother thought it was thestupidest thing ever, and said we've had the phone for about 100 years. If it ain't broke, why are they trying to fix it? And she was proven wrong on that one. So, yeah, I think theprocess can be improved upon. I'm not afraid to innovate. I think Council Member Veenker made a strong case there for why the process might be broken. I think we candefinitely improve upon it. And, on this whole idea of the 2- or the 4-year option, again, that was put out there as a starting point. It seems like there was discomfort around that. Totally fine. Dropping the "or" and us choosing tonight whether it be 2 or 4 years. And also, on kind of the transparency piece, and the public not being made aware -- Yeah. Imean, this has been kind of -- this idea had been going through Policy & Services most of last year. It came to Council during a previous Procedures & Protocol discussion. Advanced into this year, when then this Council discussed it again, and gave the authority to form this Ad Hoc Committee, in order to be able to come back. And this is really justthe beginning. I mean, now, if this does pass tonight, and goes to the 2nd reading and passes again there, then there was an entire campaign for the public to be made aware ofwhat this change is going to be. So, I think the public will have plenty of awareness of exactly what they're doing, if it gets to that point. 3:41:50: All right. So, we'll go back around now for round two. Is it Vice Mayor Lauing? Yup. Vice Mayor Lauing. 3:41:57: Vice Mayor Lauing: Thank you very much. Um. First, I want to just address the memo where you raise the points, and then sort of go to a summary. If my voice holds out. Andthe first thing was empowering voters. And I was thinking as I was preparing my own remarks that I've never had a conversation about this with anybody. No one's ever written to me about it before. No one's -- And we do a think called driveway drinks in the neighborhood. Nobody asked me about that. Not that they know what's going on, but nobody saidwhat can you do about this, or, you know, how do I vote for you or mayor, or anything like that. And we're pretty friendly. So, I'm not sure how much the voters want it. But to adda little insight here, we just had the early votes come in. In the last day, finally, I got an email about it. And you also heard some speakers. So, of the emails that we got today andthe speakers, it was 8 to 2 against the proposal. That's obviously facetious. ### Did Vice Mayor Lauing mean that he was being facetious to suggest that this statistic was meaningful? And it's just a small number. But we're not seeing a -- Chambers full of people saying we really want this directly. 3:43:04: It's been said, so I'm not going to repeat everything, but, you know, many government bodies have leaders elected by their representatives from the state, and the Senate, and soon. And one of the advantages of that -- and, in our case, our Council members -- is that we have seven Council members who can evaluate the skill set, the teamwork of ourfolks, and pick an effective and respective ### respected? mayor, based on years and years and years of meetings. That we all go through. This one, and committee meetings and so on. And that's just, frankly, more than any voter'sgoing to have, walking into a booth, for somebody to be working on that. And we also have the advantage of, if we ever make a mistake -- which I'm not saying I've ever seen --and a year later, we can correct it. So, I think there's a little bit of flexibility there that I think we have with the current situation. 3:44:00: I'm also not going to go in depth on the issue of continuity. But I just don't see that that is a high value. Because, for one thing, a mayor COULD run for a second year anyway. So, you could have two years as mayor. 3:44:16: I don't share the issue that it is crucial for effective partners in the region, because we're very effective at mayor level and not-mayor level. Ask Council Member Burt, who has been doing this on regional committees for 12 years or so. And Council Member Veenker, who's doing it very effectively right now on regional committees as well. So, I don't thinkwe're being left out of anything. 3:44:44: The most important thing to me of all of this is that the job doesn't change. It's exactly the same. And I think it was in the prior meeting we had about this, someone said, well, now,it's just ceremonial. But it says all through this report that it's identical. So, we're not really changing anything that the mayor does, relative to administration, decision-making, and so on. So, it's the same as it was. Which is fine. We have seven Council members, and we pick a leader, who is important for what we do. 3:45:13: And the other thing, I think, relative to diversity, just by playing the numbers, with the current proposal, in a 2-year term, you might have two mayors in a 4-year period. Or, with ourcurrent, you might have four. And just playing the odds that, you know, diversity's going to work, I think it's better with this system. I really do. 3:45:35: So, as I just looked at this thing, I think that the -- If we're going to do anything in this regard, and spend $85,000, and staff time and Council member time, we should get a newoutcome that's just significantly better. And the outcome, as I see it -- the job's the same. So it's just ceremonial. Or not. I don't think it is. I think it's a really important job.. Weneed somebody who can, you know, lead the team, appoint committees, plan and run meetings, make public appearances very effectively, and, you know, be a cohesive force. That's a really important job. Palo Alto is not an oddball outlier to do this. As Council Member Veenker just said. But they're also not an outlier NOT to do it. You know. Themodel varies all over the state and all over the region. Our neighbors in Mountain View, for example, use an entirely different system, which is just a rotation system, where every member takes a turn, like a, you know, soccer league or something, in a preset order, regardless of their skills, or their tenure, or their performance on Council. That's just howthey choose to do it. I wouldn't want that model here. So, I'm concerned about the diversity. I'm concerned about doing all this work to get -- um -- not much more. And I just thinkthat the current system of representatives -- elected representatives choosing a leader is consistent. And we're going to get results. It's interesting that one of the emails we got isfrom the -- Lanie Wheeler, the mayor of 1996. She said you should start this process in the community meetings that are -- have been done. And she said, to change the Charterfor the same job is completely unnecessary. And her conclusion, in her email today, said, I trust the seven of you to know colleagues' skills and make a call. And so do I. So,that's why I don't think we need to make a change at this point. ### Unfortunately, the 05-20-24 Letters From Citizens document had only one message about the directly-elected mayor topic, from Jennifer Landesmann. And the next LettersFrom Citizens document is not yet available (as of 06-03-24).https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/Browse.aspx?id=69959&repo=r-704298fc(Incidentally, it's annoying that the entries on this page are sorted in lexicographic order, not time order.) 3:47:40: Mayor Stone: Council Member Lythcott-Haims. 3:47:42: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: Thank you, Mr Mayor. Council Member Lauing, would you just repeat that last line? I wasn't able to hear it. 3:47:48: Vice Mayor Lauing: Oops. I trust the seven of you to know your colleagues' skills and make a call. 3:47:57: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: Thank you. So, again, I appreciate that -- the ability to have this conversation. It's an important conversation. Change is hard. Status quo istypically preferred unless there's a crisis. And we're not in a crisis. Which is great. Here are some of my thoughts. 3:48:14: I think it may be hard for people who are outside these chambers, who have not served on this dais, or served on staff, or served on a commission or board to really appreciatehow the work gets done. ### So why are these people best suited to pick the mayor? And the importance of continuity, and the importance of developing relationships. And, you know, I look at Council Member Burt, who has served as a Council member, as a mayorthree times, and is on all of these regional boards. There's no doubt that this City has a more impactful voice because of the length of his service and the depth of it as well. ### Council Member Burt achieved his experience within the framework of the existing Charter. And I think this City would do well to have more people with that extent of reach serving the City. I think, you know, we're a little City. With a big footprint, a big brand, a bigbudget. And I think this is almost an existential question of, are we going to go for that bigger city way of being? Way of leading ourselves? Or are we going to remain in more of asmaller city -- different mayor every year -- model? And I -- My interest in that is, is Palo Alto getting what it needs and deserves? And is it able to have the kind of influence itshould have, given how much we can offer the region, and the state? And the world, frankly? I would like to be sure our leadership, you know, allows Palo Alto to be the best it can be. 3:49:39: I am concerned about the will of the voters. As we all are. We know our org chart has the residents of Palo Alto at the very top. And I'm concerned that the will of the voters isNOT being carried out in the current way we select the mayor. We talk about it. Seven of us make a decision. In reality, it's an organization meeting that happens in January. Abunch of people are new. Maybe they were -- you know, they have a sense of who to pick. Maybe they don't. ### One of the duties of a Council member -- even a brand new Council member -- is to acquire a sense of who to pick for mayor and vice mayor. It's at least three people. And they've got to pull in a fourth, who decide who that mayor's going to be. And I'm concerned that people who have been top vote-getters, electionafter election, haven't necessarily -- the will of the voters, if you will -- haven't had the opportunity to serve in the highest leadership positions here. Council Member Tanaka was asecond-place winner in 2016. Council Member Cormack got more votes than anybody ever in 2018. Never made it to vice mayor. Vicky Veenker, here, my colleague -- CouncilMember Veenker was the highest vote-getter when the three of us were elected in 2022. And when I think about what the -- what message the voters were signaling, I think thevoters were saying, hey, we think somebody like Council Member Tanaka, Council Member Cormack, Council Member Veenker should be in those leadership positions. And itdidn't happen. And I'm interested figuring out what we can do about it. Again, to empower the voters. 3:51:02: I do worry about this 2-year cycle being a constant fundraise and run for reelection scheme. We see that happening with Congress, where your House of Representativesmembers are just in a continual fundraising and reelection mode. And, you know, I don't want to see that happen in our City. I don't want the role to get bigger than the City. Idon't want the persona to get bigger than the City. And I certainly don't want the money to get out of hand. 3:51:31: I do worry about losing good people. Knowing that the notion is, you have to choose whether to run for Council or mayor, those of us -- and I think I count all of my colleagues andmyself in this -- who love the work, are excited by the work, really enjoy it -- It's a lot of work, but, boy, does -- you know, does -- it's good work. You know, personally, I would playit safe. I'd **, well, my chances of getting back on Council are probably higher than going for mayor, so I'd better -- You know, I don't want to lose the opportunity to serve, so I'dbetter kind of stay in this lane and be more assured of getting reelected for Council than going for it -- trying to be mayor, losing, and then, wow, all of that -- the -- you know, those relationships that have been built are sort of -- At least, if I were in that position, now they're on hiatus for two years. Because I've got to -- you know, I've got to take at least twoyears off. If I lose. So, the final thing I want to offer is: There was a public comment -- a letter that came in today from John Kelley -- that we all received. And I just really like hisalternative, which is: change the Charter to provide that the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes in City Council elections will serve during their third and fourth years oftheir term as mayor, while the person receiving the second-greatest number of votes in those elections would serve in that same period -- years 3 and 4 -- as vice mayor. It wouldallow voters to choose both the mayor and vice mayor. It will allow everyone in the community to know who will be serving in those capacities in the future. It will allow for moreplanning. It will ensure that all mayors and vice mayors had served for at least two years before becoming mayor or vice [mayor]. Eliminate the need for additional campaignfundraising. It would emphasize that the mayor and vice mayor are themselves also City Council members. Um. Anyway, I think there's a lot of merit to the idea that there may be a better way to get the baked-in service that we're looking for them to have. Have it be the will of the voters that decides who's mayor and vice mayor. And ensure, you know, thatthese folks have the experience that we want them to have. And the notion that we could know a couple of years in advance who it's going to be, I think that might a lot of relief tothe staff. And it might help us be more strategic in our thinking about building coalitions and connections, and really kind of teeing up, you know, those bigger decisions that needto be made. And -- and allow for greater alignment of our values, our agendas, you know, and our sense of what the residents of this City want and deserve. Thank you. ### Kelley's alternative, like the proposed Charter amendment, diminishes the role of the vice mayor, in that it's not seen as a step on the road to becoming mayor. Also, althoughit assures two years of experience as a Council member before becoming mayor, it doesn't value more experience than that. ### What would Kelley's alternative do if the mayor's term were 4 years? Would the person would got the most votes in either a presidential-election year or the followinggubernatorial-election year serve as mayor in years 5-8? Is this fair if more turnout is expected in a presidential-election year than in a gubernatorial-election year? 3:54:04: Mayor Stone: Council Member [Burt] 3:54:07: Council Member Burt: Thank you. So, I want to echo a lot of the comments of the Vice Mayor. And I was actually intrigued by the option that Council Member Lythcott-Haimscited from John Kelley. I think that -- As I think about it, if we were to go in the direction of a directly- -- or a different approach, it would probably be better than what's on the table. I'd be interested in it. I'm not sure whether I'd support it, but it's interesting. And I will say that when we have asked our voters to vote on Council members, they are clearly votingfor Council members. They're not voting for mayor. So, this whole notion that somehow a top vote-getter should automatically become mayor is not what the voters have beenasked to vote on. And so, going forward, that could be a different question to the voters. But the retrospective argument I don't think is valid. 3:55:14: I also want to say that I'm really concerned -- and have heard unsolicited, a whole bunch of people corner me over the last week on this. And I'm concerned that going in thisdirection will be perceived by too much of our community as being something that was politically motivated. And I've heard that claim. And that reflects on us as a body, and oureffectiveness, the more that our residents think that we're going from -- you know, we already raised Council salaries shortly after this Council came on. We added an expenseamount. We added foreign travel. And then, we're looking at another salary increase. We turned down a discretionary fund that Council members could do. That is a LOT ofthings that are kind of -- um -- increasing our compensation. And I don't think that's what any -- I didn't hear any of us run on those issues. And they -- None of us ran on thisissue. Not once did I hear it mentioned. If it was, I missed it. But in several election cycles, I didn't hear a single one of us ever say: and I would like to advocate for this if elected. But that's what we're doing. 3:56:58: So, for those reasons, I'd like to make a MOTION that we table this item. And if it needs to be taken up next year, and looked at in any greater depth on some of the other alternatives, I would be open to that. But the MOTION is to table the item. Meaning no action on the proposal. 3:57:30: Council Member Kou: I'll second it. 3:57:33: Council Member Burt: And I think I've spoken enough. Thank you. 3:57:36: Mayor Burt: Council Member Kou, would you like to speak to your second? 3:57:39: Council Member Kou: As I said earlier, I really think that it needs to be further communicated with the community. You know, it's a big item. And we have community memberswho are just finding out about it. And there should be more vetting and conversation with the community. And I don't see the hurry in doing this tonight. Thank you. 3:58:11: Mayor Stone: Well, I'm going to offer a SUBSTITUTE MOTION to move the Ad Hoc recommendation, and to amend the language that would allow Council to later choose a 4-yearterm -- to strike that and just have it be a 4-year term. A 4-year. But open to changes on that. 3:58:41: Council Member Veeker: I'll second. I'd like to discuss this further. 3:58:44: Mayor Stone. OK. I don't need to speak to my SUBSTITUTE. Council Member Veenker. 3:58:52: Council Member Veenker: Well, I just think there's more that I think we should put on the public record tonight. I'd like to talk about it. I think that this is still -- I mean, I guess Icould do that now? OK. I guess the reason I would support that is -- there may be concerns. There's also a lot of support. Last time we had some public speakers come andsupport it. ### On 02-05-24, five members of the public spoke to the Procedures & Protocols item (including directly-elected mayor). (See video, 3:24:32 -- 3:40:12)https://midpenmedia.org/city-council-90-252024/* Bing W. (3:25:32) spoke in favor of having a longer term for mayor. I was unclear about whether she wanted the mayor to be directly elected.* Larry Klein (3:28:41), Sunnyvale's current (directly-elected) mayor volunteered his services. In 1987, Sunnyvale went to a 2-year Council-selected mayor. In 1991 and 2011,measures to directly elect the mayor failed. In 2020, a measure to go to electing Council member by district AND electing the mayor directly succeeded.* Aram James (3:32:00) condemned hate speech (off-topic).* Gulled A. (3:35:41) (off topic) * Winter Dellenbach (3:36:59) said both directly-elected mayor and longer-term mayor are solutions looking for a problem. ### Summary: Bing W. and Larry Klein spoke in favor, Winter Dellenbach spoke in opposition. ### On 03-03-20, Sunnyvale voters approved a city Charter amendment.https://ballotpedia.org/Sunnyvale,_California,_Measure_B,_Elections_and_Terms_of_City_Officers_Charter_Amendment_(March_2020) The "ballot question" was "to elect city council members by district and permit city officeholders to serve up to three consecutive terms but no more than two consecutive terms as a council member or mayor." But the "impartial analysis" said it was also to "establish a directly elected Mayor with a four-year term." ### The city was under the gun to go to districts in time for the 11-03-20 election or be sued.https://www.svvoice.com/sunnyvale-council-approves-plan-for-transition-to-by-district-council-elections/ ### This 08-21-19 article, "Sunnyvale Directly Elected Mayor Proposal Draws Predicted Attack," by Carolyn Schuk, further explains Sunnyvale's challenge.https://www.svvoice.com/sunnyvale-directly-elected-mayor-proposal-draws-predicted-attack/Council needed a Charter amendment that voters would pass. Council could have proposed either a) 6 Council members elected by district plus a directly-elected mayor or b) 7Council members elected by district and a Council-selected mayor. Council chose the former. I know of several who we've been working with who are very excited about it. Some are ill. I didn't ask -- invite them to come, because I hadn't heard concerns -- honestly -- beforetonight. And -- But I was eager to talk to my colleagues. I think this is a really healthy discussion. I'm actually glad for it. There's no easy right answers. I do want to say, though,that -- um -- what I don't want to get missed here, especially with our public, is that we're trying to give YOU a power we have. So, it's not a power grab. That -- I just don't wantthat to be missed. And in terms of politically motivated, the theme here is asking the residents if they want it. And if they don't, and they think there's other pieces of it that comealong with it that are baggage they don't like, you can vote against it. 4:00:06: And the same is true with this -- with the raise. That was to the amount that the legislature had already said. And so it's now at six something dollars an hour. Then we, again,asked the citizens. We're appointing a citizens advisory council. ### Committee? Because it isn't becoming or helpful for us to debate it. It's awkward, and strange. And so, I think, again, we're looking to the residents there. So, I just -- That's how I look at it, anyway. And I don't want that to get lost. 4:00:40: I appreciate a lot of the concerns the Vice Mayor has raised. I just cannot, though -- I'm sorry -- follow how the current system helps diversity. I just think that's demonstrably nottrue. Just -- if we look at what's happened. It may -- You know, I understand what Council Member Burt was saying on some of the related issues, but I think on that one, it's -- Ihave trouble getting along with -- going along with that. I do think -- I do agree with Council Member Lythcott-Haims saying that Council Member Burt's substantial length of service and breadth of service is an asset to this City. But there are some spots in which only a mayor sits. And so, when -- You know. So, only that mayor gets to go and help representPalo Alto on policy issues, do the committee work, make the motions, understand where the other mayors are coming from, and be effective. And that's really hard with one year,because by the time you figure it out, you're done. I also want to say that it's not necessarily a bigger-city thing. Because half of the cities, as I described before, that are doing itare smaller than we. 4:02:11: And, lastly, I -- There is an appeal to what Mr. Kelley suggested 4:02:20: ###. The proposed SUBSTITUTE MOTION is displayed on-screen SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Mayor Stone moved, seconded by Council Member Veenker [to] accept the Ad Hoc Committeerecommendation that the proposed Charter amendment provide that 1. The City's mayor will be directly elected by residents for a term of four years; 2, Candidates for mayor must have at least two years experience on Council by the time they wouldassume office; and 3. Service as mayor is limited to two successive terms, as is already the case for service as a Council member,and no person would be able to serve as council member or mayor for a combined total of more than 12years in a 16-year period; and 4. Place such a Charter Amendment on the ballot for the November 5, 2024 and, direct staff toreturn to Council for approval of ballot materials on Consent. MOTION PASSED/FAILED: X0X 4:02:20 Council Member Veenker: But I'm -- I think there's going to be problems THERE if we dive more deeply. What do we do if someone has already served as mayor? Ah -- Underthis system, I think the third-place winner never does serve. Um. There's just -- No matter which way we slice and dice it, there are tradeoffs. And I think when we look at the benefits that come from the directly-elected mayor, I think they outweigh the concerns that have been raised. Although I do respect them. Thank you. 4:02:58: Mayor Stone: Any discussion on the SUBSTITUTE MOTION? Vice Mayor. 4:03:03: Vice Mayor Lauing: Thank you, Mayor. Yeah. I think the 4-year term makes this much worse. Because there hasn't been any discussion about that being the preferredalternative. It sounded like you were trying to go into it more gently and then have an option. So, I think that -- I think that's sort of a non-starter. I think the issue on diversity issimply a matter of the numbers. It has to do with all of the people in this new format still have to run for Council, and anybody can run for Council. In this case, you're only going tonow have 2-4 mayors in 8 years. So, it's just fewer numbers that could possibly be a woman, or a person of color, or whatever that is. So, it's just the math. It's not -- History. Some of the history, which went back to -- what was it -- 1878, or whatever those you were using there. I mean, that was going a long way back. It's more modern times now. I'llsay that. 4:04:04: Mayor Stone: Any other discussion? And, again, happy for an amendment on the 4 years to 2. But heard significant concern over mayors having to continuously run for election. Council Member Kou. 4:04:22: Council Member Kou: Um. So, it means that the ordinance is not part of this MOTION. I mean, the ordinance that allows a change from 4 years to 2 years or 2 years to 4 years. So, that's no longer part of this MOTION. 4:04:40: Mayor Stone: Correct. 4:04:40: Council Member Kou: It's NOT part of the MOTION. 4:04:41: Mayor Stone: That -- It would no longer be a part of it. 4:04:43: Council Member Kou: You know, the -- OK. Thank you. 4:04:55: Mayor Stone: OK. Seeing no other lights, the Clerk can call the vote. 4:05:06: City Clerk Ah Yun: Vice Mayor Lauing. 4:05:07: Vice Mayor Lauing: No. 4:05:09: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Kou. 4:05:11: Council Member Kou: No 4:05:11: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Burt. 4:05:13: Council Member Burt: NO. 4:05:13: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Tanaka. 4:05:15: Council Member Tanaka: Yes. 4:05:17: City Clerk Ah Yun: Mayor Stone. 4:05:18: Mayor Stone: Yes. 4:05:19: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Veenker. 4:05:21: Council Member Veenker: Yes. 4:05:22: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Lythcott-Haims. 4:05:23: [big pause] 4:05:56: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: No. 4:05:58: City Clerk Ah Yun: MOTION fails, 4-3. 4:06:03: Mayor Stone: Going back to the main MOTION. Any further discussion on the main MOTION? 4:06:14: Council Member Burt: I don't know that -- I want to withdraw it, based on what we just did. We don't need to vote, I think. Is that right? 4:06:20: Council Member Kou: Me, too. 4:06:21: Vice Mayor Lauing: Yeah. So, I have a question, of the maker in this case. Is it that you want to table it and look at it later? Or do you want to table it and look at it, including newoppor- -- new options going forward? 4:06:33: Council Member Burt: I'll just withdraw the MOTION. 4:06:35: Vice Mayor Lauing: OK. 4:06:32: Mayor Stone: Council Member Lythcott-Haims. 4:06:43: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: I'd like to resurrect that MOTION, or some version of it. I'm interested -- The reason I hesitated is, I'm not against the concept. I just think thatwe've not yet arrived at the right set of variables to put toward the voters with confidence that it's been well-vetted, and so on. So, I would like to see this discussion continue. So, Idon't know what Council Member Burt's original MOTION was. Can you -- Do you have it still? 4:07:10: Council Member Burt: I just -- I went to table it. So you'd probably want to reword it. 4:07:13: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: Yeah. 4:07:14: Council Member Burt: Yeah. 4:07:14: City Attorney Stump: I think it's a new MOTION, Mr. Mayor. 4:07:17: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: I know it's a new MOTION. I just thought I'd start with some language. 4:07:22: Council Member Burt: [unamplified] I just said table it. 4:07:22: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: OK. All right. All right. Great. So, who do I want -- What do I want to do? Send it to P&S? Yeah. Um. Actually, I think the Ad Hoc -- I think Iwould like to see our Ad Hoc take into account the feedback we've received, and see if you can come back for a second bite at the apple that is likely to gain 4 votes. I think more - - you know, we'll hear more letters now. I mean, we'll get more letters. We'll hear from more people. The community will be more involved. Which is so important to all of us. 4:08:00 So, I MOVE to remand this question to the Ad Hoc, to take into account the conversation had on May 20th, and to bring back a second -- an amended effort. 4:08:23: Council Member Veenker: I'll second that. 4:08:31: Mayor Stone: Would you like to speak to your MOTION? 4:08:34: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: I just did. Thank you. 4:08:35: Mayor Stone: Council Member Veenker. 4:08:37: Council Member Veenker: Yeah. Um. No. I appreciated the feedback. It's been deafening silence, a little bit, prior to this. And -- ah -- I mean, that's no -- that -- I do not attributethat my colleagues. We have Brown Act issues, and can't -- And I think that we've heard a lot. We've learned a lot. I think it's an important issue to continue to discuss. Um. And [I'm] willing to do a little bit more work. Go back over what happened here and some of the comments, and see if we can be responsive. Any additional direction that people wantto put on this MOTION is welcome. Specific issues they want us to look at -- would be really helpful. So, I would invite amendments that give further direction. But I -- Thank youto the maker. 4:09:26: Mayor Stone: Yeah. I just want to add my thanks as well. I think the discussion and the community feedback was really beneficial. And I think we have a better understanding,moving forward, of what the Council and the community might want to see in it. Council Member Burt. 4:09:40: Council Member Burt: Yeah. I don't think I'm going to support the MOTION. But I would advocate that either it be referred to Policy & Services Committee or that the Ad Hoc beexpanded and add one of the other members. Not me. Um. And -- Because, you know, this Ad Hoc has been -- A lot of work has been done by two -- the two strongestadvocates for the outcome that we had tonight. And I think it would be -- the Council would be better served if we got more variety of biases going in. And so, I'd encourage theMayor to expand the Ad Hoc and add another Council member, or reorganize it. ### I infer that Council Member Burt meant that the additional Council member should be Vice Mayor Lauing or Council Member Kou. 4:10:28: Mayor Stone: And Council Member Veenker. 4:10:30: Council Member Veenker: Yeah. I actually like the idea of expanding it. I was going to suggest it as well. Because, of course, we're strong advocates for it, 'cause it was ourrecommendation. But I have heard broader ideas. Would like to hear more. Would like to consider them. Would like to do a deeper dive. And so, I would welcome that. 4:10:50: Mayor Stone: Yeah. I don't think it needs to be included in the MOTION. I'll expand the Ad Hoc to an additional member. ### When will the public find out who it is? 4:10:56: Vice Mayor Lauing: OK. 4:10:58: Mayor Stone: Seeing no other lights, -- Oop. 4:11:00: City Attorney Stump: So, just to note for the Council that this new assignment puts us off the schedule of the 2024 ballot. 4:11:07: Mayor Stone: Yes. 4:11:08: City Attorney Stump: Thanks. 4:11:10: Mayor Stone: I see no other lights. Let's take the vote. 4:11:17: ###. On the screen:MOTION: Council Member Lythcott-Haims MOVED, seconded by Council Member Veenker to table the item onthe Direct Election of Mayor and request the Ad Hoc further discussions and take into account the feedbackreceived on May 20, 2024, community input, and come back to Council for further direction. 4:11:17: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Burt. 4:11:18: Council Member Burt: No. 4:11:20: City Clerk Ah Yun: Mayor Stone. 4:11:21: Mayor Stone: Yes. 4:11:22: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Kou. 4:11:24: Council Member Kou: No. 4:11:26: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Lythcott-Haims. 4:11:27: Council Member Lythcott-Haims: Yes. 4:11:28: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Tanaka. 4:11:30: Council Member Tanaka: [inaudible] ### Apparently Council Member Tanaka voted yes. 4:11:32: City Clerk Ah Yun: Vice Mayor Lauing. 4:11:33: [pause] 4:11:38: Vice Mayor Lauing: No. 4:11:40: City Clerk Ah Yun: Council Member Veenker. 4:11:42: Council Member Veenker: Yes. 4:11:44: City Clerk Ah Yun: MOTION carries 4-3. 4:11:47: Mayor Stone: Great. Thank you. We got one more item. Let's take a 5-minute break, and we'll come back, then, for Item 12, to continue the Procedures & Protocols Handbook. 4:11:58: %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% CHARTER AMENDMENT LANGUAGE ### In the Charter,https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/paloalto/latest/paloalto_ca/0-0-0-59239the council is described in Article III. ### In this email message, I have shown the proposed amendment's new text highlighted in yellow, since I can't underline it. Sec. 2. Number - Term. Commencing January 1, 20192027, said council shall be composed of seven members, eachone of whom shall be the mayor. Each member of the Council ### Should "council" be uncapitalized (within the Charter)? (In staff reports, it seems to be capitalized.) shall be an elector and shall have been a resident of the city of Palo Alto for at least thirty days next preceding the final filing date for nomination papers for such office. TheTheperson elected to serve in the office of mayor shall be known as mayor. No person shall be eligible to serve as mayor unless they have served at least two years as a member ofthe council at the time they assume office. The remaining members of said council shall be known as councilmen, councilwomen,council member. ### members (plural). The term of office for mayor shall be two years, commencing on the first day of January next succeeding their ### his or her election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the council, in its discretion, may by ordinance increase the length of the term for the office of mayor from two years to four years or councilmembers and theirdecrease the length of the term from four years to two years, with the increased or decreased term to commence after the expiration of the then current term ofoffice for the mayor. Any partial term of office longer than half the term shall be deemed a full term. No person shall be eligible to serve consecutively in more than two full terms of office as a mayor. The terms for the office of council member shall be four years, commencing on the first day of January next succeeding their ### his or her election. The terms of council members who took office on July 1, 1977, shall expire on December 31, 1981. Commencing January 1, 1992, noAny partial term of office longer thantwo years shall be deemed a full term. No person shall be eligible to serve consecutively in more than two full terms of office as a member of the council. Any partial term of officelonger than two years shall be deemed a full term. Terms of office commenced before January 1, 1992, shall not be counted when determining eligibility under this section. Notwithstanding the above, commencing January 1, 2027, no person shall be eligible to serve as mayor and a member of the Council ### uncapitalized? for more than twelve years in any sixteen-year period. ### Did you mean "or" rather than "and"? Sec. 8. Mayor - Election - Duties. The council shall, at its first meeting in January, elect one of its number as its presiding officer, who shall have the title of mayor, and one of its number to be vice-mayor, who shallserve for one year after their election, and until their successors are elected and qualified. The mayor and vice-mayor shall serve until election and qualification of theirsuccessors. There shall be a mayor, elected at large, who shall serve as the presiding officer of the Council. ### uncapitalized? ### How shall council members be elected? (At large, currently.) The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the council, shall sign all official documents when the signature of the council or mayor is required by law, and shall act as official head ofthe city on public or ceremonial occasions. The mayor shall not have any regular administrative duties but may act as ex officio member of all boards, commissions, andcommittees. The mayor shall vote as other members of the council, but shall have no power of veto. The mayor shall have the power to administer the oaths and affirmations. Themayor shall perform such other duties as from time to time are assigned by the council. When the mayor is absent from any meeting of the council or incapable of performing his orher duties, the vice-mayor shall, during such time, have the full powers of the mayor. A vacancy in the position of mayor shall be filled by the council in accordance with Section 10of this Charter. Sec. 8.5 Vice ### Should "vice-mayor" be hyphenated here (as elsewhere in the Charter)? Mayor – Election – Duties ### [period] The council shall, at its first meeting in January, elect a council member to be vice-mayor, who shall serve for one year after their ### his or her election, and until their ### his or her successors are ### successor is elected and qualified. When the mayor is absent from any meeting of the council or incapable of performing their ### his or her duties, the vice-mayor shall, during such time, have the full powers of the mayor. A vacancy in the positions ### position (singular) of mayor or vice-mayor shall be filled by the council for the unexpired term. Sec. 10. Vacancy on council. A vacancy on the council may be filled by a majority of the remaining members of the council, and the appointee shall hold office until the first day of January succeeding the nextelection at which council members are to be elected. At the next election succeeding any vacancy a council member or mayor, in the case of vacancy in the office of mayor, shallbe elected to serve for the unexpired term. If the council fails to fill such vacancy within 60 days of such vacancy or the council chooses to fill such vacancy by election, it shall forthwith call a special election, at which a council member or mayor shall be elected to serve for the unexpired term. From:Charlie Weidanz To:Council, City Subject:Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce News & Updates - June 3, 2024 Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 3:03:25 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Palo Alto Chamber Logo NEWS & UPDATES - June 3, 2024 Sheraton Palo Alto "Yappy Hour" Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 Information Reception Apply Now: Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 Join Us for June Mixer & Business Networking Event Sofia University MA in Counseling Psychology Graduate Hotel Events Sheraton Palo Alto "Yappy Hour" flyer For Reservations, call 650 328 2800 x7280 or hmendoza@pahotel.com. LPA Information Reception 2024-2025 Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 Information Reception Join us for an informational reception and learn about our Leadership Palo Alto Program. Light refreshments served. Thursday, June 20, 2024 5:30pm to 7pm Location: The Avant 4041 El Camino Way Palo Alto, CA 94306 >Register Online Leadership Palo Alto 2024-2025 Apply Participants will graduate ready to re-imagine and reshape our community with 21st-century leadership skills. Topics include: Local, Regional and State Government Education Arts & Culture Environment & SustainabilityHousing & Transportation Health & Wellness & More >Learn More and Apply Online Here Applications are Due July 31 Contact Charlie@paloaltochamber.com for more information. Palo Alto Chamber Mixer ad Chamber Mixer & Business Networking Event We are delighted to invite you to the June Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce Mixer at Buca Di Beppo! There will be food, drinks, engaging discussion, and plenty of networking opportunities with local business professionals! Tuesday, June 25, 2024 5:30 PM – 7 PM Buca Di Beppo643 Emerson St. Palo Alto, CA 94301 Food & Beverages provided by Buca Di Beppo. We look forward to seeing you there! Members: FREE Non-Members: $25 >Register Online MA In Counseling Psychology Information Session >June 5th Registration >July 10th Registration Master's of Business Administration ad >More Information Reach out to the admissions team at admissions@sofia.edu for information on a tuition discount. Check out these Events at the Graduate Hotel Palo Alto Graduate Palo Alto Sessions ♫ Graduate Sessions: Charged Particles | Graduate Hotels ♫ June 5th at 6pm - 3-hr event in Lobby July 10th at 6pm - 3-hr event in Lobby August 27th at 6pm - 3-hr event in LobbySeptember 18th at 6pm - 3-hr event in Lobby Graduate Palo Alto Silent Book Club Silent Book Club at Graduate Palo Alto | Graduate Hotels Last Monday of every month in Lobby 2-hr event Graduate Hotel Vinyl Night ♫ Vinyl Nights at Graduate Palo Alto | Graduate Hotels ♫ Every Thursday from 5pm-9pm in Lobby See Our Upcoming Events Learn More About The Chamber PALO ALTO CHAMBER & VISITORS CENTER 355 ALMA STREET | PALO ALTO | CA | 94301 | 650-324- 3121 WWW.PALOALTOCHAMBER.COM This email was sent on behalf of Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce 355 Alma St Palo Alto, CA 94301.To unsubscribe clickhere. If you have questions or comments concerning this email or services in general, please contact us by email atinfo@paloaltochamber.com. From:Patricia Judge Tamrazi To:Shikada, Ed; Council, City Cc:City Mgr; Batchelor, Dean; Burt, Patrick; Kou, Lydia; Lauing, Ed; Lythcott-Haims, Julie; Stone, Greer; Tanaka, Greg; Veenker, Vicki; Clerk, City Subject:Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 2:39:08 PM Attachments:image003.pngimage010.pngimage001.pngimage004.pngimage005.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mr. Shikada, My answers and questions in response to you are below in RED, ALL CAPS. I am copying the City Council, so that they can be kept in the loop. I know that you have told multiple of them, many times, that my issues have been taken care of - I have also seen youwrite that in an email. That is totally untrue, as now supported by the "Loose Neutral" graph showing a significant safety issue identified at least in March (I believe February) and JUSTLEFT (highly negligent). And the loose wire still remains to this day! I am simply asking for SAFE AND RELIABLE POWER (and clean water) to my house and the houses in my neighborhood. This is the bare minimum that a utility should provide - andCPAU is not doing it. No resident should ever have to push this hard. Please also could you provide an update on your progress on the overarching HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS, listed in my previous email, which have been flaggedrepeatedly for many months now? I look forward to answers to my questions below in response to your email, as well. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 650-208-4802 On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 1:48 PM Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org> wrote: Hello Ms. Tamrazi, Following up on your most recent message below, I’d like to confirm a few items: 1. Staff has offered to coordinate an independent electrician review conditions insideyour home. I understand that they are awaiting your confirmation to proceed. I CONSULTED MULTIPLE ELECTRICIANS TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WERENO ELECTRICAL ISSUES INSIDE OF MY NEWLY-REWIRED HOUSE, WHEN CPAU DENIED FOR WEEKS THAT MY SEVERE FLICKERING LIGHTS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH POOR POWER SUPPLY TO MY HOUSE, EVENAFTER MY NEIGHBORS CALLED INTO THE EMERGENCY LINE FOR THE SAME ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND WERE BLOWN OFF. THEN IT WASREVEALED THAT CPAU HAS NOT PROVIDED SAFE OR RELIABLE POWER TO MY HOUSE, AS DATA HAS REVEALED (1) SEVERE BROWNOUTS AND(2) VOLTAGE SWINGS FROM A LOOSE NEUTRAL - BOTH OF WHICH ARE KNOWN TO DAMAGE FIXTURES AND ELECTRONICS. PLEASE, COULDYOU CONFIRM THAT FIXES / REPLACEMENT COSTS FOR ANY DAMAGE FOUND INSIDE MY HOUSE WILL BE PAID FOR BY THE CITY OF PALOALTO AND/OR CPAU? 2. Staff is reviewing the neutral issue, with the understanding that this does not pose arisk to your home. The article you attached refers to neutral issues in buildings, which is distinct from the utility’s side. A loose wire connection on the utility line might beinvolved, so staff is troubleshooting. In the meanwhile, they have rerouted your electric supply to avoid the suspected connection. THIS ABSOLUTELY POSES ARISK TO MY HOME, AS IT POSES A RISK TO MY NEIGHBORS. TO KNOW OF A LOOSE WIRE AND JUST LEAVE IT IS HIGHLY NEGLIGENT. THEARTICLE I ATTACHED WAS FOR THOSE RECEIVING THE EMAIL WHO MAY NOT BE WELL-VERSED IN ELECTRICITY, SO THEY CANUNDERSTAND THE RISKS OF A LOOSE NEUTRAL. ANYONE INVOLVED WITH UTILITIES KNOWS THAT A LOOSE WIRE ON THE UTILITY'S SIDE ISALSO DAMAGING AND DANGEROUS, SO I WILL GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT ON WHATEVER DISTINCTION YOU ARE TRYING TODRAW WITH YOUR STATEMENTS HERE AND NOT COMMENT FURTHER. 3. In response to your new request, staff is reviewing tree clearance in the area. WHENWILL THE TREES BE TRIMMED? I WAS TOLD BY YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES THAT IT IS OVERDUE. PLEASE DO NOT CHARACTERIZE THIS AS *MY*NEW REQUEST - IT IS YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES' OLD REQUEST, WHICH THEY CHARACTERIZED TO ME AS AN EMERGENCY AND WHICH SEEMSTO HAVE BEEN IGNORED, AS THEY WERE IGNORED WHEN TRYING TO FIX MY POOR POWER SUPPLY ISSUES BACK IN FEBRUARY WHEN FIRSTIDENTIFIED. Sincerely, --Ed Ed Shikada, City Manager ICMA Credentialed Manager (650) 329-2280 | ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From: Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, May 31, 2024 8:10 AMTo: Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org>Cc: Batchelor, Dean <Dean.Batchelor@CityofPaloAlto.org>; City Mgr <CityMgr@cityofpaloalto.org>; Stump, Molly <Molly.Stump@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Burt,Patrick <Pat.Burt@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Kou, Lydia <Lydia.Kou@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lauing, Ed <Ed.Lauing@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lythcott-Haims, Julie<Julie.LythcottHaims@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stone, Greer <Greer.Stone@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Tanaka, Greg <Greg.Tanaka@CityofPaloAlto.org>;Veenker, Vicki <Vicki.Veenker@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Clerk, City <city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org>Subject: Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mr. Shikada, I guess you are responsible for addressing CPAU's negligence, until a majority of the CityCouncil decides to address it. When will the loose neutral in my neighborhood be fixed? For those not familiar with this being an EMERGENCY: https://www.luminsmart.com/blog/the-dangers-of-floating-neutral-2262 When will the overgrown trees in my neighborhood be trimmed, so they do not interfere with overhead electrical wires? The City employee I spoke with last week said he wasVERY WORRIED and that he was suggesting to management this be done directly after the Memorial Day holiday (i.e., this week - he saw it as an emergency). A lineman told meback in February (almost 4 months ago) that he was also VERY WORRIED, but nothing has been done. Overarching are the following HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS: 1. Emergency line and customer service not properly staffed / trained (lack knowledge to do their jobs; Dean Batchelor, in February, and Tomm Marshall, inApril, both agreed with me on the phone that this is a real issue) - training and oversight needed. 2. Employees not empowered to diagnose and fix problems when identified - boots on the ground should be empowered, not supervisors who do not understandproblems (this is per CPAU's own employees). 3. CPAU maintenance standards fall below PG&E's / industry standards (thisis per CPAU's own employees - see loose neutral and overgrown tree issues above). 4. Contractors must abide by the City's own stated steps of performance - training and oversight needed. (This is the dirty water / water meter swaplawsuit.) What actions are being taken to address these issues? Especially urgent are KNOWNFIRE RISKS not being fixed. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, May 28, 2024 at 6:27 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, in your capacity as regulator of the Utility, On May 16, a City engineer sent the chart below to me, showing that a LOOSENEUTRAL was discovered in my neighborhood in MARCH and NOT FIXED. This isa very well known FIRE RISK. It will blow out appliances and make lights flicker. This is HIGHLY negligent to know of a LOOSE NEUTRAL and just LEAVE IT. (I believe this dates back to February and is why a lineman came to my door as a whistleblower and also why dispatch called me to go plead my case for a "proper fix" - Ibelieve Utiltiies' "Band-aid fix" was that egregious. Leaving a loose neutral would be it.) Compounding this is the fact that there is 1 fire truck for all of South Palo Alto. Is that really accurate, as reported? It's unbelievable - but so is leaving a loose neutralunaddressed! Utiltiies turned off power to "investigate" the loose neutral last Thursday (May 23). I directly asked on Friday (May 24) and got a roundabout answer (a non-answer really)today (May 28), suggesting to me that the LOOSE NEUTRAL has NOT BEEN FIXED. My conversations with the linemen on Thursday were concerning. Do you have anexperienced crew that can be sent out here? Maybe can you consult with PG&E? The engineer with whom I have been corresponding has "EIT" after his name in his emailsignature. Does that mean "Engineer in Training"? Is there someone more experiencedwho can head this and get it fixed? As a reminder, my electrical problems (which a loose neutral would cause) were firstreported to CPAU on January 24. It is now May 28. It has been 125 days, and myissues are unresolved. In addition, 2 City employees now have told me that they are worried about overgrowntrees crowding the overhead lines (1 in February and 1 last week). Again, this is highlynegligent and a well known FIRE RISK. Since there is only 1 fire engine down here -even more reason to address any known fire risks! Overarching are the following HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES / SOLUTIONS: 1. Emergency line and customer service not properly staffed / trained (lackknoweldge to do their jobs; Dean Batchelor, in February, and Tomm Marshall, in April, both agreed with me on the phone that this is a real issue) - training andoversight needed. 2. Employees not empowered to diagnose and fix problems when identified -boots on the ground should be empowered, not supervisors who do not understand problems (this is per CPAU's own employees). 3. CPAU maintenance standards fall below PG&E's / industry standards (this is per CPAU's own employees). 4. Contractors must abide by the City's own stated steps of performance - training and oversight needed. (This is the dirty water / water meter swap case.) Could you please let me know what actions are being taken to address these issues? Especially urgent are KNOWN FIRE RISKS not being fixed. Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, May 15, 2024 at 9:15 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, My lights continue to FLICKER here at 3409 Greer Rd. I have called commercial electricians to see about installing something to regulate the power coming into my house - estimates are $30,000 to do so. Is this something theCity will pay for, since Utilities is unable to provide safe and reliable power to myhouse? My flickering lights were first reported to CPAU on January 24, I first wrote to you onFebruary 9 - today is May 15. As you know, I have tried pretty much everything to get this taken seriously and fixed. No success. Tomm Marshall has acknowledged this is an issue on CPAU's side, but it has not beenfixed. He said that a "neutral issue" was discovered when my house was connected to the NEW transformer, so (rather than fixing it), they put my house on the OLDtransformer nearby. Flickering continues. Please let me know, will you pay for the regulator to be put on my house? Thank you, Trish Tamrazi 650-208-4802 On Mon, Apr 1, 2024 at 9:01 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com>wrote: Dear City Council, I last wrote to you on March 27 and still have not received an answer. The only timeI received a substantive answer was when I expressed my displeasure at not being able to purchase an EV (being afraid that my neighborhood would burn down or thatmy young children were in danger didn't strike a chord with you). So, here's more about that EV: Here are photographs of the two places in my garage where I had planned for EVchargers: Last week, I purchased a gas powered car to replace the old car which was totaled after being stolen from in front of my house here in Palo Alto. Attached please find video of my lights flickering on the evening of March 28. Thisis visual evidence of why I cannot have an EV: CPAU fails to provide safe and reliable electricity to my home. My flickering lights were first reported to CPAU on January 24. After strugglingwith CPAU for over 2 weeks, I first reached out to you regarding this issue on February 9, after I was told by CPAU's own employees that I needed to advocate fora "proper fix" to our issues and was met with a threatening environment when I did so in person to CPAU's supervising employee. I truly thought you would help me,but I am still waiting. Our flickering continues. We now have multiple problems with the electronics in our home, all of which are new since we just finished renovating in late 2023. For example (and this is not all-inclusive), our bathroom fans act up (turn on and off randomly and unexpectedly) and the ice in our Sub-zero is stuck together (suggesting that it is not regulating itstemperature properly). My family is suffering because of your unresponsiveness. I spend countless hours trying to navigate how to get my city government to respond to me so that I can getsafe and reliable power to my house. My business is suffering, my young children are suffering, and I have developed health issues. It is your responsibility to oversee CPAU, isn't it? Your constituents are dependingon you. I close this 8th email to you as I have most of the emails that came before it: I welcome any thoughts you have on this matter. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, Mar 27, 2024 at 9:27 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear City Council, I have not heard from Dean, nor from Ed, since being told by Ed on March 5 thatDean will be calling me and that Ed would join if needed. That was over 3 weeks ago. Episode 1 of The Invisible Shield premiered on PBS last night. I recommend youwatch it. I found it inspiring to see the amazing impact properly funded and functioning public health systems can have, as well as the negative effects thatflow from cutting funding and letting those systems fall into disrepair. A lesson, perhaps, for your management of the Utilities Department? I'm sure by now you have heard of the contamination of some houses' drinking water that was caused by the contractor the city hired to swap out water meters. When are you planning on warning residents of the error and helping them to clean up the mess? This is a public health issue!!! As you remain silent, citizens havebeen drinking contaminated water! In the same vein, I am still waiting on you to notify my neighbors of the damage your poor power supply has done to their homes. I first suggested you do this inmy email below on February 21. By the way, I have connected with a woman across town - a mom with your children and a lot on her plate - who has had flickering lights as well as adishwasher and refrigerator that have gone out. My understanding is that she is patiently waiting for someone to come out to her house to check it out. I imagine Ido not need to state this to you, as you are the regulators of the Utility and must know - but just in case: utilities companies generally treat flickering lights as anemergency! Another thing is that, after following up, the city's response to my Public Records Request is still woefully unresponsive. I am simply trying to gather information tofix the power supply to my house! It is the city's legal duty to respond fully. The city did, however, produce 2 emails which are sickening: 1. Prior to anyone providing me any real assistance or response, Dean forwarded my desperate email pleading for help and expressing my generaldispleasure with the mismanagement in Palo Alto to Catherine Elvert, who I gather from a Google search is a PR professional, with the note “Here yougo !!!” Were you getting your talking points in order, rather than focusing on helping your citizens??2. 1 hour AFTER my THIRD desperate email pleading for help (email stamp on my email shows, "date: Feb 12, 2024, 2:05 PM"), Ed sent an email (emailstamp on Ed's email shows: "Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 3:16 PM") to multiple City of Palo Alto email addresses stating that Dean has spoken tome a couple times (NOT TRUE!!!!!) and “No need for further prompting. Thanks all!” NOTHING HAD BEEN ADDRESSED. I close this 7th email to you as I have most of the emails that came before it: I welcome any thoughts you have on this matter. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, Mar 5, 2024 at 4:50 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Ed, Thank you for your note, however, I must be very clear: I would much ratherhave a responsive, caring, and ethical city government, than bring any thieves to justice. The stress from having our car stolen from in front of our house pales incomparison to the stress and anguish we have experienced as a family in getting the run around from CPAU and then being ignored by City Hall, as I try to getsafe and reliable power delivered to the houses in my neighborhood. Regarding the electrical issue: I should never have been this involved or have had to push so hard. This is too much to ask from citizens. It is no way to run autility. But, to continue down that path: logically, shouldn't the transformer also be replaced on the "secondary pole," where loose connections were also found? If that was the "proper fix" on the first pole climbed (i.e. PG&E minimum maintenance standards), wouldn't it also be the "proper fix" on the second? This is, of course, putting aside that perhaps this is a long-standing issue, notunique to my block, which has harmed many along the way. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Tue, Mar 5, 2024 at 12:28 PM Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@cityofpaloalto.org> wrote: Dear Ms. Tamrazi, I am so sorry to hear about your car being stolen. I can only imagine how this has impacted you and your family. While understanding nothing can make upfor such a violation, I hope the thieves are quickly brought to justice. Regarding your electrical issue, I have spoken to Director Batchelor and understand he will be calling you to follow up. I’m sorry to hear that theirreplacement of the electrical transformer did not resolve the problem. I will stay in touch with him and happy to join a call as he works with you on nextsteps. Sincerely, --Ed Ed Shikada, City Manager ICMA Credentialed Manager (650) 329-2280 | ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org www.cityofpaloalto.org From: Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, March 4, 2024 9:27 AMTo: Batchelor, Dean <Dean.Batchelor@CityofPaloAlto.org>Cc: Shikada, Ed <Ed.Shikada@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stump, Molly<Molly.Stump@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Burt, Patrick<Pat.Burt@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Kou, Lydia<Lydia.Kou@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lauing, Ed<Ed.Lauing@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Lythcott-Haims, Julie<Julie.LythcottHaims@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Stone, Greer<Greer.Stone@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Tanaka, Greg<Greg.Tanaka@CityofPaloAlto.org>; Veenker, Vicki<Vicki.Veenker@CityofPaloAlto.org>; City Mgr<CityMgr@cityofpaloalto.org>; Clerk, City <city.clerk@cityofpaloalto.org> Some people who received this message don't often get email from patricia.judge@gmail.com. Learn why this is important Subject: Re: Plea to PROPERLY fix issues causing brownouts CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization.Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. Good morning, City Council, On Thursday night, our car got stolen from in front of our house here in PaloAlto. It looks like it's totaled. When we completely rewired the house lastyear, we future proofed to accommodate an EV charger - 2 actually. However, CPAU is unable to provide safe and reliable power to our house. Because of this, to our great disappointment, we cannot replace our gaspowered car with an EV. My husband is a physician - if he gets a call in the middle of the night thatsomeone is bleeding to death and needs an intervention, and his EV didn'tcharge - well, that's a big problem! City Council - I see your talking points on electrification (I'm all forelectrification). You know that your electrical infrastructure can't support it. This is the real world effect of your decisions: a family that wanted to goelectric cannot. You remain silent, as I plead for your help, dating back to my first email toyou on February 9. We are now on March 4. As for my flickering lights here at 3409 Greer Rd. - the latest working theoryfrom CPAU is that it is caused by an air compressor at a theoreticalconstruction site nearby. (1) That's a laughable theory. (2) My lights flickerevenings and weekends - which CPAU engineers have been told. Is the causethe 2 EVs charging in every driveway + an outdated electrical infrastructurethat cannot support it? I put in a Public Records Request related to my power issues. (a) Theresponse was a day late. (b) The response was blatantly incomplete. I believe the public policy reasoning behind municipal utilities falling outsideof regulation is (i) elected officials, who serve as the utlity's oversight, will beresponsive (mine - you - are silent) and (ii) there are protections such as thePublic Records Request (my city obviously disregards its legal duties). In speaking with utilities attorneys last week, one stated: When municipalutilities are good, they're really great. But when they're bad, it's abysmal. I understand that you let Tesla jump ahead of the rest of the city in the gridupdate. Maybe Elon Musk's words will resonate with you then - he said thatthe world will face supply crunches in electricity and transformers next year. What does that result in? Flickering lights. City Council - Could you please take steps to make our municipalutility "really great," instead of "abysmal"? Your constituents are dependingon you. I welcome your thoughts. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Wed, Feb 21, 2024 at 9:24 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Good morning, The lights continue to flicker here at 3409 Greer Rd. I still have not heardanything substantive from anyone except for Dean. City Manager Shikada and City Council - you are the regulators of the Utilities Department, correct? Why have I still not heard back from any ofyou with anything substantive? (The vast majority of you, I have not heard anything at all.) I still have not received any answer - is this a fire risk? I am worried - Ihave 2 small children - I have expressed this and no one seems to care! The transformer that I have been told supplies power to my house was switched out on February 15. On February 14, the Utilities Departmentclimbed another pole nearby (described to me as my "secondary pole") and found loose connections, which I've been told were tightened. That's 2 outof 2 poles with loose connections. Is routine maintenance being done? Are there loose connections all over the city? My lights continue to flicker - areother loose connections causing this? The "secondary pole" with loose connections would explain the problems the neighbors have experienced on that side of my house: (1) one neighbor'srefrigerator went out and she had to go buy a new one last weekend, (2) another neighbor had flickering lights (I discovered this by overhearing himover the fence speaking to someone about his panel), (3) a third neighbor had an outdoor light that was malfunctioning (she described it as "actingweird"). These are the things that I have heard only in passing - surprisingly, everyone has complete trust in Palo Alto Utilities and does notblame the poor power supply they are receiving. These 3 houses are in addition to the 6 houses experiencing poor power supply issues from theother pole (one of which went through 3 refrigerators in January). So that's 9 houses total with issues - and I imagine there are more! As an aside, shouldn't you disclose to your citizens these issues after youdiscover them? Shouldn't you inform them that they have been receiving poor power supply and educate them on the damage that has possibly (orlikely) been done to the appliances and electronics within their home? I thought CPAU is supposed to do better than PG&E? On February 14, I received a call from an engineer to get my story toanalyze the data collected by the load logger on my house. He was unaware that mine was not the only house with flickering lights! How iscommunication that bad?! As a reminder, the morning of February 9 was when I first emailed all of you to escalate this issue - at that time we had 5houses total with confirmed flickering lights. The engineer was not informed that it was not just my house with flickering lights - I had toexplain to him then send him notes! On February 14, I was told that the wrong load logger had been on my house since February 7. It was switched for the correct one, which I wastold would get better data. Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Mon, Feb 12, 2024 at 2:05 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi <patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Hello again, everyone, As an update since my emails on Friday: My lights continue to flicker after Thursday's "Band-Aid fix," as described by CPAU employees. Overthe weekend, I discovered a 6th neighboring house with flickering lights. My understanding is that flickering lights are a sign of possible fire risk, as they are often caused by loose connections that may arc. Since I did not receive an answer from any of you on Friday regardingwhether my neighbors and I are at risk for fire, despite my desperate plea, I called the Fire Department this morning to ask. I have been told thatthey are looking into it. I talked with Dean this morning, after I spoke with the Fire Department, and he is looking into the issue. I do appreciate his call. I still do not understand why CPAU's standard practice falls below PG&E standards or how that is acceptable? The Metering Department has been out to pull the load logger from myhouse and put a new one. I understand they're analyzing the data. Why not just change out the transformer, as PG&E would do? Further, there seems to be no effective regulation of CPAU. I think youall (with the exception of Dean and perhaps the City Attorney) are responsible for oversight, but I have not heard anything substantive fromany of you. Quite honestly, I now feel incredibly unsafe here in Palo Alto. Does maintenance of the gas infrastructure also fall below PG&E standards? There is something up on the pole on Greer as I walk my children toschool that makes a lot of noise. Is it a transformer? Does the noise mean it's old and in disrepair? I know if a transformer explodes, mychildren and I should not be under it, as we will be harmed by the oil inside falling on us. Do I have to reroute our walk to keep us safe? Itrusted CPAU, and although I noted the sound every time I walked under it, I didn't think twice about walking under it. Now, I do think twice. The problems aren't just with the Utilities Department. On December 19,the garbage cans were not collected in my cul-de-sac. My elderly neighbor phoned daily, and the cans were not collected until December23, after my second elderly neighbor in the cul-de-sac called on December 22 (so it took 3 days of calling, plus it seems like it wasn'ttaken seriously until there was a second household calling). After my experience with Utilities, I was sure to apologize to my neighbor for notcalling as well - I had never heard of anything like this! Recology always comes out the next day, whenever there is an issue. We just spent 2 years lovingly renovating our Eichler - it's our dreamhouse and we intended for it to be our "forever home." We moved here from Redwood City for the schools and also to be surrounded by acommunity of safety-oriented individuals (something that became especially important in the pandemic). I am devastated to learn thatCPAU standards fall below PG&E standards. We are now considering moving, but it would be very difficult for us to do so financially. I appreciate hearing any thoughts you may have? Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 1:30 PM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Hello everyone, I know you're all busy and it's Friday, but I really do think this isurgent. Can someone please get back to me? I have 2 small children in my home, and I am worried about the safety of the electricity being supplied to my home and the homes around me. Am I at risk for fire? I've asked this to CPAU multiple times, with no answer. Am I safe to stay in my home over the weekend? I am lucky enough to have a very close family friend who is a retiredPG&E lineman. His partner has been in the hospital, I have just found out, so we were only just able to reach him late morning today. He saidthat PG&E would have changed out that transformer - that's what Tito said he is opting not to do and the 2 other employees at CPAU told meI should "plead my case" for. I had no idea what the standard is, until now. I am new to Palo Alto, having only owned my home for a little over 2years, but my understanding from fellow residents is that CPAU is better than PG&E. Then why isn't CPAU doing the minimum thatPG&E would do? As you can tell from my email below, I had already lost faith - given prior interactions - that CPAU was fixing our problems. I wasn't sure,though - maybe not replacing a transformer was a fix, which is why I emailed you. Now, I have an opinion from a knowledgeable sourcethat the transformer should have been replaced. After learning that CPAU is possibly not meeting standard practice - and having not heard back from anyone with higher authority - Icontacted the California Public Utilities Commission and was disheartened (to say it lightly) to hear that they only advocate forcustomers of shareholder owned utilities - i.e., not CPAU. I was advised that I need to appeal to the City - which, I think, is all you. Is there anyone else, or any other entity, to protect CPAU customerswhen there is evidence that a standard is not being met? Am I reaching out to the wrong people for help? Am I at risk for fire? Should I call the Fire Department and ask? Whatdoes a "Band-Aid fix" versus a "real fix" mean, in terms of safety? Should I leave my home? Are my neighbors safe? Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 On Fri, Feb 9, 2024 at 6:46 AM Patricia Judge Tamrazi<patricia.judge@gmail.com> wrote: Good morning, Dean, I'm at my wit's end and writing to you, copying the City Manager,City Attorney, and City Council, asking you to please ensure that my ongoing and severe electrical issues at 3409 Greer Road are fixed byCPAU. At least 4 of my neighbors are experiencing these same issues (5 houses total). I have been told by 2 CPAU employees thatwe are receiving a "Band-Aid fix," not a real fix. I am considering filing a lawsuit, given how grossly negligent and, frankly, abusive, my interactions with CPAU have been. But - at thistime - my focus is on getting the electrical service to my house and my neighbors' houses properly fixed. Attached please find results from my smart meter, pulled yesterday,February 8, showing severe brownouts to my home at 3409 Greer Rd. This smart meter was put on my house on February 7. As you'llsee, one brownout lasted 1 hour 9 minutes, which I have been told is "insane." For those on the email without an electrical background,here is a quick primer on the seriousness of brownouts. I'm also attaching a video of one light fixture at my house, illustrating the severity of the flickering lights that I first reported toCPAU on January 24. (Please excuse the paint job - we just finished completely renovating the inside and don't have the nice weather yetto paint the outside. That is a new light fixture, installed last year.) As reported to CPAU, this has been happening throughout myentire house, and we also heard exhaust fans throughout the house slowing down and speeding up. My next door neighbor had thesame experience. From January 24 to the time this data was looked at by CPAU yesterday, February 8, CPAU employees have denied that there areany issues on CPAU's side. Shockingly, they continued to deny this, even after being formally informed of 4 more houses with flickeringlights. Until yesterday afternoon when they finally looked at the smart meter data from my house, various CPAU employees kepttelling me to call an electrician, which I did (multiple, in fact). As an aside, 1 week into my ordeal, one neighbor called CPAU dispatch reporting flickering lights and was told to call back whenthe flickering got worse. Every knowledgeable person I have talked to - with the exception of one CPAU employee - has thought thatwas absolutely reckless, most laughing in disbelief. Linemen came out yesterday to rectify the situation, but I was told by 2 individuals within CPAU that they were doing a "Band-Aid fix,"not a real fix. I was told by one well-meaning CPAU employee that I should walk around the corner to where the linemen were workingand find a big guy with a bald head named Tito to "plead my case" for a real fix. That in itself is one of the craziest things I've everheard! Tito did not seem very receptive to this (rightfully so because who am I as a homeowner to tell him how to do his job?), so, shaken up, Iwent home and called the City Manager's office, pleading for an advocate. Ingrid, the administrative assistant, took down my story and myinformation, and I have received attempted help from Alex Gonzalez, Utilities Supervisor. Alex even worked on my issue intothe evening. However, Alex is not in charge of the correct division of CPAU to address my issue. This illustrates a continued lack ofunderstanding of my issue, at best, and perhaps a continued lack of willingness to rectify my issue. That is why I'm reaching out to you. Can you help? With best regards, Trish Tamrazi 3409 Greer Rd. 650-208-4802 From:John Shenk To:Council, City Cc:Shikada, Ed; Nose, Kiely; Boyd, Holly; Kantak, Ashwini; Guagliardo, Steven; Eggleston, Brad Subject:Tonight"s Council Agenda Item 11 (Parklets) Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 2:15:23 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Mayor Stone and City Council Members and Professional Staff, Thoits Bros cares about our City. We have been an integral part of it for +130 years. For thepast few years, we have been entrenched in the City’s many committees and meetings regarding parklets, retail zoning, signage ordinance, permit processing, and the latestreinvestment plan for University Avenue. We fully support the effort to find a professionally driven business supporting new University Avenue design that will support economic vibrancy for the next decades. The one that hadbeen worked on for more than a year was very good - now contemplating a new design that may add back parklets is not based on sound retail facts. I have shared my detailed thoughts on the entire Staff report with Staff but want to highlight afew of the most critical points that I hope you will contemplate as you consider the important decisions in front of you tonight. 1) Parklets served a purpose and have offered a glimpse of what a redesigned UniversityAvenue can offer with expanded sidewalks and enhanced features. But: a) Parklets as contemplated will add to the stresses on other retailers as the proposed Ordinance empowers restaurants to take over. No retail storefront should be covered oreven threatened by someone else’s parklet. In all scenarios where the ordinance promotes this there are unintended consequences that will hurt downtown. Bypromoting parklets over parking you are hurting all retail in the district. One of the biggest questions of all retailers when contemplating a location is where the pubicparking is located and the sufficiency of it. Our downtown currently raises red flags for parking according to retail brokers. Many retailers require parking or at a minimum thefull openness of only having a parking space in front of their stores to maximize their business. Why does the City think they know better than the retailers (now present orfuture) and conclude that having a parklet in front of any store is the same as a parking space? b) How will your ordinance really work? Parklets without a roof can be built in front ofanother’s storefront without permission? The Ordinance has forms requiring a neighbor to consent to a parklet with a roof. Who is to execute the document on behalf of the“neighbor”? Who at the City will research and determine if that person has the authority to sign such a document? Is it equitable for the current neighbor to sign such adocument if they are leaving the space soon? If they do leave soon and there is a new parklet in front of the store what is the option for a new restaurant who signed a leasemonths prior in anticipation of starting their lease and asking to build a parklet? Your ordinance says that retailer may have to wait at least 11 months for the neighbor toremove or redesign their parklet…what will happen is the new restaurant will not move in or will leave the space vacant because they will not open with their competitor’sseating in front of their storefront. We will have more continued vacancies while a few food services enjoy all the public space. c) Promoting parklets over all other retailers by not only subsidizing their operation(e.g. waiving fees, charging minimal rent, and not enforcing codes) but by allowing them to build and operating without even following the California Building Code. Youenforce the CBC for all other businesses to the letter of the law - but not with parklets. Why is this all done through Public Works and with encroachment permits? Why notbe fully professional about this? 2) Restaurant are likely the single most healthy retail business and they are the ones the Ordinance and so much city staff time is allocating support and even setting up such that theCity (other business and residents) financially subsidizes them. City fees are insufficient to process and ENFORCE the code details. Because it isn’t self funding it will either end up notbeing done or will draw resources from other priorities and that is wrong to benefit a few businesses. 3) The strategy to enhance economic vitality, as StreetSense and others have testified, in PaloAlto, California in the University Avenue retail district should be one of excellence. Follow with Stanford Shopping Center does. There is no lowering of standards frankly they raise thebar. No retailer is allowed to block the storefront of another. The Building Codes are not waived. Appropriate restrooms are provided per the State standards. Please consider whyparklets in the downtown should be substandard. 4) We must attract office and other business workers back to the City. They are the largest source of retail sales dollars. They full the hotels all week. If our downtown is not beautifulwhy choose to come here. 5) A few more thoughts: Page 77 shows the safety study regarding vehicular barriers. Bottom line the City’s design and standards much less those to be submitted by applicants are not evenintended to protect anyone from a car even though parklets are designed to push customers within only 2’ of the lane of traffic (cars and trucks). By allowing tremendous amounts of design freedom, the likely result will be ahodgepodge set of designs that do not support ALL the retailers and other businesses that call the downtown home. Don’t forget that many non-retail businesses (offices,hotels, etc) also have their front doors on these same streets and do not want their entries blocked from view and direct access. Is Public Works going to assess the designs? Who will decide which colors are ok? What happens when retailers “brand” their parklet with a color or logo or design? Which plastic flowers or other features are ok and where they are hung? Downtownwill quickly lose its appeal and standing which makes economic vitality unattainable. Why is the City not collecting a security deposit to be sure that when a tenant vacates its space the parklet will be removed and not be a liability for the City to clean anddemolish? Again, the most egregious portion of this proposal remains that neighboring retailers are not given the option to preserve the parking space and the visual and physical opennessthat goes along with that. The City is saying that parklets are most important by subsidizing them, allowing them to be built in a substandard way, waiving fees, andcharging minimal rent for this very valuable asset of the downtown. The design latitude given to any given retailer is WIDE and this is the most visible space in all of downtown- there is NO way Stanford or T&C would allows any individual retailer to deign what it wanted AND put it in front of its neighbors AND in between its storefronts and thepublic’s access points. I love restaurants and outdoor dining. I love retail diversity and activity. Sadly the parklet policies you are empowering are only good for a few. Please stop advancing all of this andfocus on the enforcement of the codes you already have and let’s professionally process a new design of the downtown that will support expanded outdoor dining spaces as well as gatheringand landscape areas. Respectfully, John Shenk Thoits Bros., Inc. From:Abello, Emmanuel Cc:LAFCO Subject:Supplemental Information No. 1 - Agenda for the June 5th LAFCO Meeting Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 2:11:38 PM Attachments:image001.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. The following supplemental information has been added to the June 5th LAFCO Meeting Agenda: · Supplemental Information No. 1 – Agenda Item # 8, REVISED Attachment B: Adding “Summary of Responses to Table A: Recommendations for the City of Gilroy to Enhance Fire Service Delivery and Response Capabilities," which was inadvertently left out from the agenda packet. The agenda and related materials, including the above supplemental information, can be viewed online at: https://santaclaralafco.org/meetings/commission-meeting-2024-06-05-201500 Regards, Emmanuel Abello Associate Analyst, LAFCO of Santa Clara County 777 North First Street, Suite 410, San Jose, CA 95112 (408) 993-4705 | Mobile: (669) 321-9704 | Twitter: @SantaClaraLAFCO | www.SantaClaraLAFCO.org From:Gary Gibson To:Council, City Subject:Seale Ave tunnel proposal Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 2:00:15 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Dear Palo Alto City Council, I’m writing regarding the proposed pedestrian/bicycle underpass at Seale Avenue and Alma Street. This proposal should be rejected because it is unnecessary, expensive, will seriously degrade the adjacent neighborhoods, and will be a public safety hazard. Why spend hundreds of millions of dollars that Palo Alto doesn’t have to create infrastructure that will be obsolete by the time it's completed? I ask that you consider how self-driving cars are a game changer that provides new opportunities to improve the Churchill Ave intersection for cars, bikes, and pedestrians without the need for an underpass at Seale Avenue. According to the American Institute of Highway Safety, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey, and numerous other groups, autonomous vehicles will be pervasive by the time the proposed projects would be completed early in the next decade, obviating the need for the Seale Avenue tunnel proposal. Self-driving vehicles allow bikes and pedestrians to safely be in much closer proximity to cars and trucks. They enable creative solutions to designing a combined pedestrian, bicycle, and automotive traffic complex at Churchill and Alma that is safer and less expensive than current proposals. The advent of autonomous vehicles may also lead to diminished demand for train traffic on the current Caltrain corridor. Recent studies suggest, for example, that fleets of small autonomous buses will soon be less expensive and more environmentally friendly than trains. Continued improvement in self-driving vehicle technology is one more reason that the California High Speed Rail project will likely never be completed. It will also provide additional downward pressure on Caltrain ridership. Investing vast sums of money to accommodate century old train technology seems like a backward step for forward thinking Palo Alto. In addition, a new pedestrian/bike underpass at Seale Ave will: 1. be extremely expensive 2. be unnecessary, as there is already an underpass 3.5 blocks away at Cal Ave 3. necessitate an additional expensive means for high school kids to safely cross Churchill Ave to reach Palo Alto High 4. be dangerous for kids who go through the tunnel at night to/from a deserted Peers Park. During the day, it will also force them to compete with cars on the narrow streets of Southgate on their way to Palo Alto High. 5. be destructive to adjacent neighborhoods on Seale Avenue and near Peers Park We ask that the Palo Alto City Council rescind their Seale Avenue underground tunnel recommendation immediately. It is extremely expensive, unnecessary, and already causing significant disruption/turmoil in our community. Sincerely, Dr. Gary Gibson 119 Seale Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 From:MARGARET GALLOWAY To:Andi Werboff Cc:michal shalon; John Guislin; Council, City; Shikada, Ed; crescent-park-pa@googlegroups.com Subject:Re: [CPNA] Urgent need to collect and analyze falling debris from Redwood City fire Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 1:18:48 PM Attachments:apple-touch-icon-1024x1024.png CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. Purpleair shows Palo Alto’s air quality now: Real-Time Air Quality Map map.purpleair.com On Jun 3, 2024, at 12:58 PM, Andi Werboff <awerboff@gmail.com> wrote: We brought our dog in from outside. It’s pretty bad…headache! Hope we hear from the city soon. AndiArt_________________Andi Werboff650.888.6187awerboff@gmail.com On Jun 3, 2024, at 12:50 PM, michal shalon <michalshalon@gmail.com> wrote: Yes us too. Strong smell of smoke. Does anyone have info on a fire nearby? On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 12:34 PM John Guislin <jguislin@gmail.com> wrote:There is charred debris and ash falling over much of Crescent Park and likely farbeyond. It is falling in city parks, school yards, back yards, pools....just abouteverywhere.Some looks like charred paper, other pieces like burned foam. The city must quickly collect and analyze these pieces for hazardous compounds andreport to residents if there is any risk and what, if any, mitigation measures to take.The city should also consider advising residents to wear masks when outside.This is urgent! John Guislin -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups"Crescent Park PA" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tocrescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/CAGtgf2Zeys5kQhd1iBnpu9nztNtcQ27Y7mVR_6V5T6-_8GVbOA%40mail.gmail.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups"Crescent Park PA" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email tocrescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/CABS0VBk2KmFznFOevQucQYaD17b%2B8v9G1SxOieTN1qoDFoQahQ%40mail.gmail.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Crescent Park PA"group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to crescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/59D99C2C-D227-460F-8501-E81C3AFD7C55%40gmail.com. From:Karen P To:John Guislin Cc:Council, City; Shikada, Ed; Crescent Park PA Subject:Re: [CPNA] Urgent need to collect and analyze falling debris from Redwood City fire Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 1:11:54 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Suggest contacting Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Karen Porter On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 12:34 PM John Guislin <jguislin@gmail.com> wrote: There is charred debris and ash falling over much of Crescent Park and likely far beyond. Itis falling in city parks, school yards, back yards, pools....just about everywhere. Some looks like charred paper, other pieces like burned foam. The city must quickly collect and analyze these pieces for hazardous compounds and reportto residents if there is any risk and what, if any, mitigation measures to take. The city should also consider advising residents to wear masks when outside.This is urgent! John Guislin -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Crescent Park PA" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to crescent- park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park- pa/CAGtgf2Zeys5kQhd1iBnpu9nztNtcQ27Y7mVR_6V5T6-_8GVbOA%40mail.gmail.com. From:Jennifer Landesmann To:Andi Werboff Cc:michal shalon; John Guislin; Council, City; Shikada, Ed; crescent-park-pa@googlegroups.com Subject:Re: [CPNA] Urgent need to collect and analyze falling debris from Redwood City fire Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 1:08:32 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of openingattachments and clicking on links. Thanks, John, I saved the 2 inch piece I found on my doorstep in case anyone collects it. As far as I know the City does not have air quality monitoring for neighborhoods but from the smell rightnow, this should be at a warning level to stay indoors. It's probably also time for the City to have some airquality monitoring. Jennifer On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 12:59 PM Andi Werboff <awerboff@gmail.com> wrote:We brought our dog in from outside. It’s pretty bad…headache! Hope we hear from the city soon. AndiArt_________________Andi Werboff650.888.6187awerboff@gmail.com On Jun 3, 2024, at 12:50 PM, michal shalon <michalshalon@gmail.com> wrote: Yes us too. Strong smell of smoke. Does anyone have info on a fire nearby? On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 12:34 PM John Guislin <jguislin@gmail.com> wrote:There is charred debris and ash falling over much of Crescent Park and likely far beyond.It is falling in city parks, school yards, back yards, pools....just about everywhere.Some looks like charred paper, other pieces like burned foam. The city must quickly collect and analyze these pieces for hazardous compounds andreport to residents if there is any risk and what, if any, mitigation measures to take.The city should also consider advising residents to wear masks when outside.This is urgent! John Guislin -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CrescentPark PA" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to crescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/CAGtgf2Zeys5kQhd1iBnpu9nztNtcQ27Y7mVR_6V5T6-_8GVbOA%40mail.gmail.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Crescent ParkPA" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to crescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/CABS0VBk2KmFznFOevQucQYaD17b%2B8v9G1SxOieTN1qoDFoQahQ%40mail.gmail.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Crescent Park PA" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to crescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/59D99C2C-D227-460F-8501-E81C3AFD7C55%40gmail.com. From:Andi Werboff To:michal shalon Cc:John Guislin; Council, City; Shikada, Ed; crescent-park-pa@googlegroups.com Subject:Re: [CPNA] Urgent need to collect and analyze falling debris from Redwood City fire Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 12:59:04 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. We brought our dog in from outside. It’s pretty bad…headache! Hope we hear from the citysoon. AndiArt _________________Andi Werboff 650.888.6187awerboff@gmail.com On Jun 3, 2024, at 12:50 PM, michal shalon <michalshalon@gmail.com> wrote: Yes us too. Strong smell of smoke. Does anyone have info on a fire nearby? On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 12:34 PM John Guislin <jguislin@gmail.com> wrote: There is charred debris and ash falling over much of Crescent Park and likelyfar beyond. It is falling in city parks, school yards, back yards, pools....just about everywhere.Some looks like charred paper, other pieces like burned foam. The city must quickly collect and analyze these pieces for hazardous compounds and report to residents if there is any risk and what, if any,mitigation measures to take. The city should also consider advising residents to wear masks when outside.This is urgent! John Guislin -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups"Crescent Park PA" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an emailto crescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/CAGtgf2Zeys5kQhd1iBnpu9nztNtcQ27Y7mVR_6V5T6- _8GVbOA%40mail.gmail.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Crescent Park PA" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to crescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/CABS0VBk2KmFznFOevQucQYaD17b%2B8v9G1SxOieTN1qoDFoQahQ% 40mail.gmail.com. From:michal shalon To:John Guislin Cc:Council, City; Shikada, Ed; Crescent Park PA Subject:Re: [CPNA] Urgent need to collect and analyze falling debris from Redwood City fire Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 12:52:51 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Oops, sorry about that, I now see it answered further down in my emails. On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 12:50 PM michal shalon <michalshalon@gmail.com> wrote:Yes us too. Strong smell of smoke. Does anyone have info on a fire nearby? On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 12:34 PM John Guislin <jguislin@gmail.com> wrote: There is charred debris and ash falling over much of Crescent Park and likely far beyond.It is falling in city parks, school yards, back yards, pools....just about everywhere. Some looks like charred paper, other pieces like burned foam. The city must quickly collect and analyze these pieces for hazardous compounds andreport to residents if there is any risk and what, if any, mitigation measures to take. The city should also consider advising residents to wear masks when outside.This is urgent! John Guislin -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Crescent Park PA" group.To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to crescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park- pa/CAGtgf2Zeys5kQhd1iBnpu9nztNtcQ27Y7mVR_6V5T6-_8GVbOA%40mail.gmail.com. From:michal shalon To:John Guislin Cc:Council, City; Shikada, Ed; Crescent Park PA Subject:Re: [CPNA] Urgent need to collect and analyze falling debris from Redwood City fire Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 12:51:15 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Yes us too. Strong smell of smoke. Does anyone have info on a fire nearby? On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 12:34 PM John Guislin <jguislin@gmail.com> wrote:There is charred debris and ash falling over much of Crescent Park and likely far beyond. It is falling in city parks, school yards, back yards, pools....just about everywhere.Some looks like charred paper, other pieces like burned foam. The city must quickly collect and analyze these pieces for hazardous compounds and report to residents if there is any risk and what, if any, mitigation measures to take.The city should also consider advising residents to wear masks when outside. This is urgent! John Guislin -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Crescent ParkPA" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to crescent-park-pa+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/crescent-park-pa/CAGtgf2Zeys5kQhd1iBnpu9nztNtcQ27Y7mVR_6V5T6- _8GVbOA%40mail.gmail.com. From:Jim Goddard To:Council, City Subject:445 Bryant St. Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 12:43:06 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautious of opening attachments and clicking on links. I’m a senior who who has lived in the downtown north neighborhood for 30+ years. I am in favor of a fitness facility occupying the building. I used Form Fitness while it was there. Downtown Palo Alto needs a reasonably priced fitness facility. Equinox is not downtown and is too expensive for most people. Sent from my iPad From:John Guislin To:Council, City; Shikada, Ed; Crescent Park PA Subject:Urgent need to collect and analyze falling debris from Redwood City fire Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 12:34:47 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. There is charred debris and ash falling over much of Crescent Park and likely far beyond. It is falling in city parks, school yards, back yards, pools....just about everywhere.Some looks like charred paper, other pieces like burned foam. The city must quickly collect and analyze these pieces for hazardous compounds and report to residents if there is any risk and what, if any, mitigation measures to take.The city should also consider advising residents to wear masks when outside. This is urgent! John Guislin From:Aram James To:Council, City Subject:Sacrificing Liberty is the true story told by the survivors of what really happened to the USS Liberty on June 8, 1967. Date:Monday, June 3, 2024 12:15:53 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Be cautiousof opening attachments and clicking on links. Sacrificing Liberty is the true story told by the survivors of what really happened to the USSLiberty on June 8, 1967. Source: Sacrificing Liberty Docuseries https://search.app/JeSt5TtRY4WV7tBW9