7:00 p.m.

CLOSED SESSION

CALL TO ORDER

OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS

City Council convenes in the Council Chamber and then adjourns to Closed Session to discuss the following items. There will be another closed session following “Other Business, Reports on Meetings Attended, Announcement of Events/Future Agenda Items” and prior to Adjournment.

Employment and Appointment of a Public Employee pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.7 – Recruitment and selection of City Attorney.

7:30 p.m.

CALL TO ORDER

1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

2. ROLL CALL

3. REPORT ON ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION, IF ANY

4. CONSENT CALENDAR

(Consent Calendar items are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. By approval of the Consent Calendar, the staff recommendations will be adopted unless otherwise modified by the City Council. There will be no separate discussion on these items unless a Council Member or a member of the audience requests removal of the items from the Consent Calendar.)

4-1. Minutes, November 7, 2011

Staff recommendation: Approve

4-2. a. Ratification of City of Albany net payroll in the amount of $ 192,439.25; taxes, benefits & withholdings in the amount of $165,272.71. Total payroll in the amount of $ 357,711.96. Payroll period: 11/4/2011.

b. Ratification of Albany Municipal Services JPA net payroll in the amount of $45,1763.24 ; taxes, benefits & withholdings in the amount of $ 31,944.34. Total payroll in the amount of $ 77,117.58. Payroll period: 11/4/2011.

Staff recommendation: Ratify.

4-3. Vice Mayor Atkinson appointed Max Wei to the Sustainability Committee.

Staff recommendation: Information only

4-4. Camera purchase to support live event production for KALB

4-4A Staff Report
4-4B Att 1
4-4C Att 2
4-4D Att 3

Staff recommendation: That the Community Media Access Committee support and recommend the purchase of 3 Panasonic AG-HPX370 shoulder mount cameras and accessories to be used for live, multi camera video production of Albany events, to be filmed by youth involved in the City of Albany A/V Mentorship and the Albany Student Broadcast programs.

4-5. Letter of Support to Stopwaste.org for development of an ordinance regulating the distribution of Single Use Bags, for purposes of reducing waste and litter

4-5 Letter

Staff recommendation: Approve as a follow up to the October 17, 2011 presentation by Stopwaste.org

5. GOOD OF THE CITY/PUBLIC FORUM/ANNOUNCEMENTS

For persons desiring to address the City Council on an item that is not on the agenda please note that City policy limits each speaker to three (3) minutes. The Brown Act limits the Council’s ability to take and/or discuss items that are not on the agenda; therefore, such items are normally referred to staff for comment or to a future agenda.

Please go to our website at www.albanyca.org to view all future Commission and Committee meetings.

6. PRESENTATION/PUBLIC HEARING

7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

7-1 Follow up on budget balancing strategies from 2011-12 fiscal year discussions

7-1A Staff Report
7-1B Budget Balancing Strategies
7-1C Bay Area Sales Tax Rates
7-1D Traffic & Safety Meeting Min. Excerpt, 4/28/11
7-1E Redwood City Parking Manager Presentation

Staff recommendations:
1) Review the strategies that have emerged to date for continued budget balancing, and provide initial direction to staff on additional information needed and/or priorities to continue to pursue for 2012 – 2013 and beyond.
2) Consider conducting a public opinion survey to help inform choices among and approaches to the strategies.

7-2. Climate Action Plan Funding Proposal

7-2A Staff Report
7-2B CAP Fund Proposal 9-15-11
7-2C Project Status CAP Grant Funds
7-2D City Measures Since 1990

Staff recommendation: That the Council:
1) Review the Climate Action Plan Funding Proposal submitted to City Council by the City’s Sustainability Committee; and
2) Provide direction to staff and the Sustainability Committee regarding any next steps associated with the possibility of pursuing a Climate Action Plan Funding measure on the ballot.

8. NEW BUSINESS

8-1. Bequest for books and equipment for the Albany Public Library.

8-1 Staff Report

Staff recommendation:
1) Accept, with gratitude, the bequest of $188,551.51 from the estate of Gardener and Margaret Young, to be used for the purpose of purchasing books and equipment; and
2) Ask the Albany Library Advisory Board for suggestions on the use of the funds, with direction for including audio/visual equipment for the Edith Stone Room, and designating a majority of the funds for allocation in the future.

9. OTHER BUSINESS, REPORTS ON MEETINGS ATTENDED, ANNOUNCEMENT OF EVENTS/FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.

(Council and staff announcements: Council Member reports on State, regional and local boards, commissions and committees to which they are appointed by the City Council; Council Member announcement of requests for future agenda items. No public comment will be taken on announcement of future agenda items).


10. OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ON CLOSED SESSION ITEM PRIOR TO COUNCIL ADJOURNING TO CLOSED SESSION ON THE FOLLOWING:

10-1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL--EXISTING LITIGATION Pursuant to Government Code Subdivision (a) of Section 54956.9
Name of case: Before the Public Utilities Commission of the State of California, the Application of Crown Castle Solutions Corp. (U-6936-C) and Crown Castle GT Company LLC for Preemptive Approval of the Swap-Out of Four Antennas on Existing Cellular Tower in Albany, California on Behalf of Verizon Wireless

CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL--ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to subdivision (b) of Government Code Section 54956.9: (One case)
To provide opportunity for City Council to discuss litigation threatened by Crown Castle Solutions Corp. and Crown Castle GT Company LLC, on Behalf of Verizon Wireless, related to the denial of the application for Design Review and Conditional Use Permit for a Wireless Antenna at 423 San Pablo

11. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION AND REPORT ON ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION, IF ANY

12. ADJOURNMENT

(The Council meeting packet is available for public inspection at the Albany Library (526-3720), the Fire Department and the City Clerk’s Office. The agenda and supporting staff reports can also be found on our web page at: www.albanyca.org. If you have any questions pertaining to any agenda item or Council meeting procedure, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 528-5710.)
Agenda related writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection in the lobby of City Hall.

The City of Albany is dedicated to maintaining its small town ambience, responding to the needs of a diverse community, and providing a safe, healthy and sustainable environment.

To view the live televised Council meetings go to Channel 33. Please note that if you provide your name and address when speaking before the City Council it will become part of the official public record, which will be posted on the Internet and broadcast on Channel 33.


NOTICE – Please Read

“Pursuant to Government Code Section 65009, if you challenge a decision of the City Council in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at a public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing.

The decision of the City Council is final as of the date of its decision unless judicial review is initiated pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5. Any such petition for judicial review is subject to the provisions of California Code of Civil Procedure 1094.6.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and State Law, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Administration Office 510-528-5710. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting (28 CFR 35.102.104 ADA Title II)”. Upon request, we will provide written agenda materials in appropriate alternate formats, of disability related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in public meetings. Please deliver a written request, including your name, mailing address, phone number and brief description of the requested materials and preferred alternative format or auxiliary aid or service at least two (2) days before the meeting. Request should be sent to: City Clerk, 1000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany, CA 94706.