Tuesday, June 23, 2026

The council spent most of its energy on a proposal to place a fire station bond measure on the November ballot, a discussion that ran long and drew pointed questions from several members. Consultants John Bliss and Dr. Byerly presented survey results showing about two-thirds of Richmond voters would support a $120 million general obligation bond for fire station repairs, though support was softer for a companion parcel tax to fund advanced life support (ALS)/paramedic services. Wilson pressed hard on what happens to firefighter staffing and overtime if the ALS program moves forward without new revenue, while Zepeda and Jimenez questioned the bond's repayment structure, threshold for passage, and whether the city could afford the paramedic program if voters rejected future tax measures. Fire Chief Osorio said he could not build a detailed staffing plan without knowing the budget he'd have to work with, comparing it to \"buying a house without knowing what you can afford.\" The council voted to move forward with the bond measure for capital improvements, passing unanimously, while agreeing ALS staffing decisions would return after labor negotiations concluded.

The council also adopted the fiscal year 2026-27 budget, a $324.7 million revenue, $276.2 million expenditure general fund plan presented by City Manager Kinshasa Curl and Finance Director Emily Combs. Curl emphasized the budget was balanced with no layoffs, highlighted 142 new positions added since 2021, and flagged state legislation (including ACA 13 and a Howard Jarvis taxpayer initiative) that could limit future local tax authority. Council members spent significant time debating city-sponsored community events and fee waivers, with Zepeda, Wilson, and Bana all pushing for a clearer, more transparent policy so that access to funding and free venue use didn't depend on personally knowing a council member. Staff agreed to bring back a formal events and fee-waiver policy after the summer recess. The budget passed unanimously, 6-0, with Brown absent.

Public comment repeatedly centered on SOS Richmond, a nonprofit serving unhoused residents, with numerous current and former participants, board members, and staff testifying about its impact. Speakers including Menard Washington, O'Neill Fernandez, Daniel Barth, and Neda Pedraza described SOS giving them jobs, stability, and a path off the streets, with one noting five of nine SOS employees who died on the job in recent years were African American men in their 50s and 60s. Multiple speakers, including board members Karina Espino and Loris Mattox, asked the council to make SOS funding a permanent line item rather than something the organization must fight for annually. City Manager Curl responded that roughly $60 million has gone to unhoused services since 2021 and that any continued SOS funding must go through a competitive procurement process rather than a sole-source contract.

A cluster of residents raised neighborhood safety concerns during open forum. Cassie Levy and neighbor Melvin Fuentes described a red-tagged, HUD-owned property next door occupied by unlawful residents with aggressive dogs, gunfire, and an unresolved police response to a reported attempted murder, saying code enforcement contacted HUD without any response. Kimberly Graves, an African American Richmond native, said she was stopped by police without dash-cam evidence and accused the city of racism after feeling her speaking time was cut short; she said she would return "with a coalition." A Spanish-speaking resident, Yvette Blendon, described a parking dispute with Nicholl Park security staff that she called arbitrary, and the mayor directed the city manager's office to follow up with her directly.

Recurring public commenter Claudia Citron raised procedural objections across nearly every agenda item, accusing Councilmember Jimenez of Brown Act violations and "gamesmanship" for shifting items on and off the consent calendar, and later accusing the council broadly of prioritizing "fancy neighborhoods