HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5b. 02-17-2026 Draft City Council Minutes
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Council Minutes
February 17, 2026, 5:30 p.m.
Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
Council Members
Present:
Council Member Mike Boswell, Council Member Jan Marx,
Council Member Michelle Shoresman, Vice Mayor Emily
Francis, Mayor Erica A. Stewart
City Staff Present: City Manager Whitney McDonald, Christine Dietrick, City
Attorney, Teresa Purrington, City Clerk
_____________________________________________________________________
1. CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo City Council was called to order on
February 17, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street, San
Luis Obispo, by Mayor Stewart.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Council Member Shoresman led the Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. PRESENTATIONS
3.a JOINT PRESENTATION FROM CAL POLY AND SLO POLICE
DEPARTMENT REGARDING PLANNING EFFORTS FOR ST. PATRICK'S
DAY
Police Chief Rick Scott, Deputy Chief Aaron Schafer, George Hughes, Cal
Poly and Ryan Gruss, Cal Poly provided an in-depth presentation and
responded to Council questions.
3.b CITY MANAGER REPORT
City Manager Whitney McDonald provided a report on upcoming projects.
4. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Public Comment:
Shawn Harris
Ben Cooke
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Steve Schmidt
Owen Blackwell
Steve Delmartini
Fitzgerald Kelly
--End of Public Comment--
5. CONSENT AGENDA
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Motion By Council Member Shoresman
Second By Vice Mayor Francis
To approve Consent Calendar Items 5a to 5g.
Ayes (5): Council Member Boswell, Council Member Marx, Council Member
Shoresman, Vice Mayor Francis, and Mayor Stewart
CARRIED (5 to 0)
5.a WAIVE READING IN FULL OF ALL RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES
Waive reading of all resolutions and ordinances as appropriate.
5.b MINUTES REVIEW - FEBRUARY 3, 2026 COUNCIL MINUTES
Approve the minutes of the City Council meeting held on February 3,
2026.
5.c APPROVAL OF THE 2026-27 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
GRANT RECOMMENDATIONS
Adopt Resolution No. 11627 (2026 Series) entitled, “A Resolution of the
City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, approving the
2026-27 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Funding
Recommendations” for a total of $284,404
5.d AUTHORIZE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SUBMIT A GRANT
APPLICATION TO THE OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR FY 2026-27
AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF
FUNDS FOR THE FY 2025-26 TOBACCO GRANT PROGRAM
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1. Approve submission of a FY 2026-27 grant application to the
California Office of Traffic Safety in an amount not to exceed
$180,000.
2. If the grant is awarded, authorize the City Manager and the Chief of
Police to execute grant related documents and authorize the
Finance Director to make the necessary budget adjustments upon
the award of the grant.
3. Approve Resolution No. 11628 (2026 Series) titled: “A Resolution of
the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, authorizing
the acceptance of grant funds in the amount of $74,276 from the
State of California Department of Justice, Office of Attorney
General, Tobacco Grant Program to increase education and
enforcement programs focusing on reducing the illegal sale of
tobacco products to minors in the city.”
5.e AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR 911 CALL
HANDLING EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute a five-year contract with
AT&T for 911 call handling equipment and services; and
2. Waive formal bids and authorize use of California Department of
Technology Agreement 6138-2020 to procure this purchase as
allowed under 03.24.060E of the City of San Luis Obispo Municipal
Code.
5.f FINAL ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE AMENDING MUNICIPAL CODE
CHAPTER 2.40.040 (CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITATIONS)
Adopt Ordinance No. 1755 (2026 Series) entitled “An Ordinance of the
City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, amending Chapter
2.40.040 of the Municipal Code related to Campaign Contribution
Limitations” increasing the per person contribution limit from $250 to $500.
5.g APPROVE A SIDE LETTER TO THE JULY 1, 2025, TO JUNE 30, 2028,
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN
LUIS OBISPO AND THE SAN LUIS OBISPO CITY EMPLOYEES'
ASSOCIATION REGARDING STANDBY PAY
Adopt Resolution No. 11629 (2026 Series) entitled “A Resolution of the
City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, approving a Side
Letter to the July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, Memorandum of
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Understanding between the City of San Luis Obispo and the San Luis
Obispo City Employees’ Association.”
6. PUBLIC HEARING AND BUSINESS ITEMS
6.a REVIEW OF FY 2025-26 SECOND QUARTER BUDGET REPORT
City Manager Whitney McDonald, Finance Director Emily Jackson and
Principal Budget Analyst Riley Kuhn provided an in-depth staff report and
responded to Council questions.
Public Comments:
Adam Clark
---End of Public Comment---
Motion By Vice Mayor Francis
Second By Council Member Marx
1. Receive and file the FY 2025-26 Second Quarter Budget Report;
and
2. Appropriate $3,468,954 in FY 2024-25 unassigned fund balance as
detailed in the report; with the following change: to reduce the
additional CalPERS ADP amount to $500,000 and hold
$369,804 until after the Rental Housing Registry and Code
Enforcement Study Sessions; and
3. Appropriate $2,000,000 in FY 2024-25 assigned fund balance and
authorize an Additional Discretionary Payment to CalPERS of
$3,506,187; and
4. Appropriate the $20,000 National League of Cities Health and
Wellbeing award of $20,000 to the Community Development
Department’s non-staffing operating budget for the purchase of
Tolemi BuildingBlocks software.
Ayes (5): Council Member Boswell, Council Member Marx, Council
Member Shoresman, Vice Mayor Francis, and Mayor Stewart
CARRIED (5 to 0)
6.b REQUEST TO ADVERTISE THE HIGUERA COMPLETE STREETS AND
REVISED 50 HIGUERA WIDENING PROJECTS FOR CONSTRUCTION
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Transportation Manager Luke Schwartz, and Active Transportation
Manager Adam Fukushima provided an in-depth staff report and
responded to Council questions.
Public Comments:
Gene Nelson
Robert Akelia
Dan Gebhart
Mimi Phene-McKellar
Candance Degeare
Beverly Gilbert
Cynthia Pretzel
Daniel Cimo
Jack Cimo
Ken Dewar
William Thoma
Lea Brooks
---End of Public Comment---
Motion By Council Member Marx
Second By Mayor Stewart
To continue the meeting past 11:00 PM.
Ayes (5): Council Member Boswell, Council Member Marx, Council
Member Shoresman, Vice Mayor Francis, and Mayor Stewart
CARRIED (5 to 0)
Motion By Vice Mayor Francis
Second By Council Member Boswell
Higuera Complete Streets Project
1. Adopt Resolution No. 11630 (2026 Series) entitled, “A Resolution of
the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo, California,
Authorizing Appropriation of $2,000,000 from the Infrastructure
Investment Fund to support the Higuera Complete Streets Project,
Specification Number 2001057”); and,
2. Adopt Resolution No. 11631 (2026 Series) entitled, “A Resolution of
the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo, California,
Accepting a Future Automobile Level of Service Deficiency at the
Intersection of Higuera Street and Los Osos Valley Road in
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Connection with the Higuera Complete Streets Project,
Specification Number 2001057”; and,
3. Authorize transfers to the Higuera Complete Streets Project
(Account 2001057) from the following capital project accounts:
a. $500,000 from Prado Creek Bridge Replacement (No.
2091252)
b. $204,847 from Active Transportation Plan Implementation
(No. 2000608)
c. $100,000 from Vision Zero Implementation (No. 2000073)
d. $50,000 from the Traffic Signal Maintenance &
Replacements (No. 2001003)
e. $120,000 from Water Valve Cover Adjustments (No.
2001005)
f. $50,000 from Sewer Valve Cover Adjustments (No.
2000084); and,
4. Approve the project, authorize the City Engineer to approve any
minor refinements to final plans and specifications prior to
advertisement, and authorize staff to advertise for bids for the
Higuera Complete Streets Project, Specification Number 2001059;
and,
5. Authorize the City Manager to award the Construction Contract for
the Higuera Complete Streets Project pursuant to Section 3.24.190
of the Municipal Code for the bid total, if the lowest responsible bid
is within the publicly disclosed funding amount of $12,960,700; and,
6. Authorize the City Engineer to approve Contract Change Orders for
the Higuera Complete Streets Project up to the available project
budget, including any amendments authorized by the City
Manager; and,
7. Authorize the use of up to $200,000 in unspent Higuera Complete
Streets Project capital funds to support increased street sweeping
obligations following project completion.
50 Higuera Widening Project
8. Approve project for the revised 50 Higuera Widening Project,
Specification No. 2091294; and,
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9. Authorize staff to advertise for bids for the 50 Higuera Widening
Project, Specification No. 2091294; and,
10. Authorize the City Manager to award the Construction Contract for
the 50 Higuera Widening Project if the lowest responsible bid is
within the Engineer’s Estimate of $315,000; and,
11. Authorize the City Engineer to approve Contract Change Orders for
the 50 Higuera Widening Project up to the available project budget;
and,
12. Approve the transfer of $22,600 from the 50 Higuera Widening
Project Account (No. 2091294) to the New Streetlights CIP Account
(No. 2001016); and,
13. Authorize the Finance Director to approve the transfer of any
remaining unspent State Urban Highway Account project funds not
required for construction of the 50 Higuera Widening Project to the
Higuera Complete Streets Project (Specification No. 2001057).
With direction to return to Council if additional funding is needed for
the concrete barriers.
Ayes (5): Council Member Boswell, Council Member Marx, Council
Member Shoresman, Vice Mayor Francis, and Mayor Stewart
CARRIED (5 to 0)
6.c GRANT AGREEMENT WITH SAN LUIS OBISPO MUSEUM OF ART
Deputy City Manager Greg Hermann and Sustainability and Natural
Resources Official Bob Hill provided an overview of the item and
responded to questions.
Public Comments:
Leanne Standish
Ermina Karim
---End of Public Comment---
Motion By Council Member Marx
Second By Mayor Stewart
Adopt Resolution No. 11632 (2026 Series) entitled, “A Resolution of the
City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo finding that a Grant Agreement
with the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art is of public benefit in accordance
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with California Government Code Section 53083 and approving the Grant
Agreement” to:
1. Find that a Grant Agreement serves the public interest of the City of
San Luis Obispo by advancing arts and culture, economic
development, and other public benefits; and
2. Approve the Grant Agreement between the City of San Luis Obispo
and the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art and authorize the City
Manager to execute the agreement in a final form satisfactory to
the City Attorney.
Ayes (5): Council Member Boswell, Council Member Marx, Council
Member Shoresman, Vice Mayor Francis, and Mayor Stewart
CARRIED (5 to 0)
7. LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Due to the late hour Liaison Reports were moved to the February 24th
meeting.
8. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:37 p.m. The Council will hold a Special
Meeting on February 24,2026 at 5:30 PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall,
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo. The next Regular City Council Meeting is
scheduled for March 3, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall,
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
APPROVED BY COUNCIL: XX/XX/202X
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