HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-01-05 City Council Summary Minutes
Regular Meeting
January 5, 2004
1. Election of Mayor and Vice Mayor .....................................................150
2. Resolution 8388 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Commending the Outstanding Public Service of Dena Mossar as
Mayor” ..........................................................................................151
3. Resolution 8389 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Commending the Outstanding Public Service of Nancy Lytle as
Council Member” ............................................................................151
4. Selection of Candidates to Interview for the Library Advisory
Commission ...................................................................................152
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ........................................................................152
APPROVAL OF MINUTES ..........................................................................153
5. Ordinance 4812 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Authorizing the City Manager to Purchase a Portion of the City's
Electricity Requirements from Certain Prequalified Electricity Suppliers Under Specified Terms and Conditions During Calendar Years 2004
Through 2011, Inclusive” (1st Reading 12/15/2003, Passed 8-0, Lytle
absent) .........................................................................................153
6. Ordinance 4813 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Amending Section 2.08.200 of Chapter 2.08 of Title 2 of the Palo
Alto Municipal Code to Effect Changes to the Duties of the Director of
Utilities and Changes in the Organizational Structure of the
Department of Utilities” (1st Reading 12/15/2003, Passed 8-0, Lytle
absent) .........................................................................................154
7. Ordinance 4814 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Amending Section 12.16.020 of Chapter 12.16 of Title 12 of the
Palo Alto Municipal Code by Establishing Underground Utility District
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No. 39 (1st Reading 12/08/03, Passed 7-0, Freeman, Morton "not
participating”) ................................................................................154
8. Ordinance 4815 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Adding Section 22.08.390 to Chapter 22.08 (Park Dedications) of
the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Dedicate a 2.01 Acre Portion of the
Land Formerly Known as the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Site” (1st
Reading 12/08/03, Passed 7-2, Freeman, Lytle “no”) ..........................154
9. Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Adopting the South of
Forest Area Coordinated Area Plan, Phase 2 and Amending Section
18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (The Zoning Map) to Change
the Classification of Certain Properties Generally Bounded by Forest
Avenue, Ramona Street, Addison Avenue, and Alma Street to South of
Forest Area, Phase 2 Districts (1st Reading 11/10/03, Passed 5-1,
Mossar “not participating,” Kleinberg absent) (Public testimony was
closed on October 20, 2003) ............................................................154
10. Acceptance of Annual Status Report on Developers’ Fees and Approval
of Findings ....................................................................................154
11. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
in the Amount of $358,369 for the Facility Condition Assessment of the
Water Quality Control Plant (Wastewater Treatment Capital
Improvement Project WQ-04011) .....................................................154
COUNCIL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ........................154
FINAL ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m. ........................155
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SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE JOSEPH HUBER SWORE IN CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS BERN BEECHAM, LADORIS CORDELL, AND DENA MOSSAR.
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE JAMES KLEINBERG SWORE IN COUNCIL MEMBER JUDY KLEINBERG.
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council
Chambers at 7:07 p.m.
PRESENT: Beecham, Burch, Cordell, Freeman, Kishimoto, Kleinberg,
Morton, Mossar, Ojakian
SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
1. Election of Mayor and Vice Mayor
Council Member Kishimoto nominated Vice Mayor Bern Beecham for Mayor.
She felt he was qualified for the position because of his knowledge on City
issues, his many years of service with the Planning and Transportation
Commission (P&TC), he had been a Council Member for the past four years,
and he served as Vice Mayor in 2003. He was the right person to guide staff
and Council and would be a good leader for the community.
MOTION: Council Member Morton moved, seconded by Ojakian, to appoint
Vice Mayor Beecham for Mayor by acclamation.
MOTION PASSED 9-0.
Council Member Mossar congratulated Bern Beecham as the new Mayor.
Council Member Morton nominated his colleague and mentor Council
Member Jim Burch for Vice Mayor. Council Member Burch made a decision
40 years prior to devote his energy to serving his community and looked
forward to his leadership as Vice Mayor.
MOTION: Council Member Mossar moved, seconded by Ojakian, to appoint
Council Member Burch for Vice Mayor by acclamation.
MOTION PASSED 9-0.
Mayor Bern Beecham congratulated Jim Burch as the new Vice Mayor.
Mayor Pro Tem David Casas, Los Altos, congratulated both the new Mayor
and Vice Mayor and wished them the best in the coming year.
Mayor Beecham thanked his colleagues for selecting him as Mayor for 2004.
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He thanked his wife, Sheryl, for her support and encouragement. He said
the past several years had been difficult ones in dealing with various issues
and challenging controversies within the Council. He looked back on some
of the recent accomplishments at the end of 2003, which included the
rezoning of South of Forest Area Coordinated Area Plan 2 (SOFA CAP 2) and
Stanford University’s generous offer to the City for long-term access to six
acres of new soccer fields at the Mayfield site. Looking ahead, there were
significant challenges in traffic barriers in Downtown North and major
differences over proposals for Rickey’s Hyatt and the Jewish Community
Center (JCC). There were major budget constraints that required controlling
City’s expenses and strengthening revenue sources. He noted, in the past
decade, retail had declined. He encouraged teamwork within the Council as
well as in the community in order to meet those challenges and to move
forward together. As Mayor he would be fair, open, and respectful of
different opinions.
Vice Mayor Burch thanked his colleagues for their support and gave a special
thanks to Council Member Kleinberg for allowing him to take the position.
2. Resolution 8388 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Commending the Outstanding Public Service of Dena Mossar as
Mayor”
Mayor Beecham read into the record Resolution No. 8388, which honored
former Mayor Mossar and presented her with a plaque.
MOTION: Council Member Ojakian moved, seconded by Morton, to adopt
the resolution.
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Mossar “abstaining”
Council Member Mossar thanked her colleagues and the community for the
opportunity of serving as Mayor. She looked forward for another four years
of doing great things for the community.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss presented former Mayor Mossar
with a Commendation and a pen from Santa Clara County.
3. Resolution 8389 entitled “Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Commending the Outstanding Public Service of Nancy Lytle as
Council Member”
Mayor Beecham read into the record Resolution No. 8389, which honored
former Council Member Lytle and presented her with a plaque.
MOTION: Council Member Freeman moved, seconded by Morton, to adopt
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the resolution.
MOTION PASSED 9-0.
Council Member Freeman felt that former Council Member Lytle was a
courageous character. She said her decisions were always in support of the
residents and not for her own purposes. She spoke of Ms. Lytle’s openness,
which encouraged people to feel powerful enough to run for office and make
a difference. She saluted former Council Member Lytle for her passion for a
better Palo Alto.
Council Member Kishimoto recognized former Council Member Lytle’s
strengths during her term as an elected official. She brought knowledge and
experience from her work as a Council Member and years of experience as a
Planning official. She was the key vision behind the Palo Alto
Comprehensive Plan.
Former Council Member Nancy Lytle expressed her appreciation for the
positive experience and extended her best wishes and thanked the Council.
She acknowledged Council Member Mossar’s good work as Mayor and felt
the Council started off the New Year in a positive tone.
4. Selection of Candidates to Interview for the Library Advisory
Commission
MOTION: Vice Mayor Burch moved, seconded by Mossar, to interview all of
the candidates.
MOTION PASSED 9-0.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
John K. Abraham, spoke regarding a Council Member not disclosing a large
amount of Safeway stock on their California Disclosure Form 700. He felt it
was a conflict of interest and the Council Member should not be involved
with a current measure nullifying a lawsuit that involved the Safeway
Corporation.
Sylvia Smitham, 2514 Birch Street, thanked the Council for their hard work.
She noted the excessive traffic on Lytton Avenue due to street closures.
Ellen Wyman spoke regarding the Friends of the Library and raising funds for
the Children’s Library.
Norman Carroll spoke regarding emergency phones.
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Bunny Good, P.O. Box 824, Menlo Park, spoke regarding the Dancing
Hamster Army Sergeant Scruffy and casualties of Civil Code 47.
Kathy Miller, President, Palo Alto Library Foundation, 849 Lincoln, spoke
regarding the success in raising funds for the Children’s Library.
Mayor Beecham recognized dignitaries present at the meeting: Anne Ream,
representing Congresswoman Anna Eschoo; Karen Brunton, representing
State Assembly Member Joe Simitian; County Supervisor Liz Kniss, former
Mayor Gary Fazzino; former Mayor Lanie Wheeler; former Mayor Larry Klein;
Superior Court Judge and former Mayor Joseph Huber; East Palo Alto Vice
Mayor David Wood; Los Altos Mayor Pro Tem David Casas; East Palo Alto
Council Member Patricia Foster; members of the Youth Council, and several
Board and Commission Members.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION: Council Member Morton moved, seconded by Ojakian, to approve
the minutes of November 24, 2003, as submitted.
MOTION PASSED 8-0, Cordell “abstaining.”
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Beecham announced that Item No. 9 would be removed from the Consent Calendar at the request of staff.
Council Member Freeman said she would vote “no” on Item No. 8 because
she opposed the use of public facility lands for utility interest.
MOTION: Council Member Morton moved, seconded by Ojakian, to approve
Consent Calendar Items 5- 8, 10 and 11.
LEGISLATIVE
5. Ordinance 4812 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Authorizing the City Manager to Purchase a Portion of the City's
Electricity Requirements from Certain Prequalified Electricity Suppliers
Under Specified Terms and Conditions During Calendar Years 2004
Through 2011, Inclusive” (1st Reading 12/15/2003, Passed 8-0, Lytle
absent)
6. Ordinance 4813 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Amending Section 2.08.200 of Chapter 2.08 of Title 2 of the Palo
Alto Municipal Code to Effect Changes to the Duties of the Director of
Utilities and Changes in the Organizational Structure of the
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Department of Utilities” (1st Reading 12/15/2003, Passed 8-0, Lytle
absent)
7. Ordinance 4814 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Amending Section 12.16.020 of Chapter 12.16 of Title 12 of the
Palo Alto Municipal Code by Establishing Underground Utility District
No. 39 (1st Reading 12/08/03, Passed 7-0, Freeman, Morton "not
participating”)
8. Ordinance 4815 entitled “Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo
Alto Adding Section 22.08.390 to Chapter 22.08 (Park Dedications) of
the Palo Alto Municipal Code to Dedicate a 2.01 Acre Portion of the
Land Formerly Known as the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Site” (1st
Reading 12/08/03, Passed 7-2, Freeman, Lytle “no”)
9. Ordinance of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Adopting the South of
Forest Area Coordinated Area Plan, Phase 2 and Amending Section
18.08.040 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code (The Zoning Map) to Change
the Classification of Certain Properties Generally Bounded by Forest
Avenue, Ramona Street, Addison Avenue, and Alma Street to South of
Forest Area, Phase 2 Districts (1st Reading 11/10/03, Passed 5-1,
Mossar “not participating,” Kleinberg absent) (Public testimony was
closed on October 20, 2003)
ADMINISTRATIVE
10. Acceptance of Annual Status Report on Developers’ Fees and Approval
of Findings
11. Contract Between the City of Palo Alto and Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
in the Amount of $358,369 for the Facility Condition Assessment of the
Water Quality Control Plant (Wastewater Treatment Capital
Improvement Project WQ-04011)
MOTION PASSED 9-0 for Item Nos. 5-7, 10 and 11.
MOTION PASSED 8-1 for Item No. 8, Freeman “no.”
COUNCIL MATTERS
The City Council adjourned to a Special Meeting at 8:04 p.m. as the Palo
Alto Redevelopment Agency and reconvened as the City Council at 8:11 p.m.
COUNCIL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Council Member Cordell thanked Mayor Beecham for addressing the
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Government Code Section 1090 problem, and noted she had asked Elizabeth
and Jaime Wong to be at the meeting to let them know that she would not
sit silently with racist issues in the City.
Mayor Beecham noted that Senator Byron Sher had introduced Senate Bill
1086 to resolve the issue with Council Member Cordell regarding
Government Code Section 1090.
FINAL ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
City Clerk Mayor
NOTE: Sense minutes (synopsis) are prepared in accordance with Palo Alto
Municipal Code Sections 2.04.180(a) and (b). The City Council and Standing
Committee meeting tapes are made solely for the purpose of facilitating the
preparation of the minutes of the meetings. City Council and Standing
Committee meeting tapes are recycled 90 days from the date of the
meeting. The tapes are available for members of the public to listen to
during regular office hours.
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