City Council — Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Regular meeting
It follows the City Council minutes, Jan 20, which control every motion and vote below, checked against the Council agenda, Jan 20 and the KCRT video. Video times are approximate, taken from the automatic captions.
Attendance
- Before closed session: Present: Councilmembers Soheila Bana, Jamelia Brown, Claudia Jimenez, Doria Robinson, Sue Wilson, Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda, and Mayor Eduardo Martinez. Absent: None.
- Regular meeting: Present: Councilmembers Soheila Bana, Jamelia Brown, Claudia Jimenez, Doria Robinson, Sue Wilson, Vice Mayor Cesar Zepeda, and Mayor Eduardo Martinez. Absent: None.
Closed session
- C.1 — Conference With Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation.
- C.2 — Conference With Labor Negotiators.
- City Attorney’s report: C.1: Item was discussed. No reportable action was given. C.2: Item was discussed. No reportable action was given.
Election of the Vice Mayor for 2026
I.1 — Election of the New Vice Mayor
- The substitute motion — moved by Jimenez, seconded by Wilson. Passed 4–3 (noes: Bana, Brown, Martinez).
Statement of Conflict of Interest
- None.
Agenda Review
- Item O.7 b - Modification of City Council Liaison Appointment Cycle for Boards and Commissions was removed from the Consent Calendar for discussion.
- Item O.7.c - Appointment of Ana Tellez Witrago to the Community Police Review Commission and Item O.8.b - Contract amendment for the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grade 5 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project were continued to the January 27, 2026, city council meeting.
- A motion was made as follows to hear Item Q.4 - Formal censure of Mayor Eduardo Martinez for antisemitic conduct and for actions inconsistent with the duties and standards of the office after approval of the Consent Calendar or at the beginning of New Business — moved by Brown, seconded by Zepeda. Failed 2–5 (noes: Bana, Jimenez, Wilson, Robinson, Martinez).
- A motion was made as follows to combine Item Q.3 - Restorative process with the Mayor and the Richmond Jewish Community and Item Q.4 - Formal censure of Mayor Eduardo Martinez for antisemitic conduct and for actions inconsistent with the duties and standards of the office; Item Q.5 - Consultant engagement for community input on Polluters Pay Settlement Funds and Item Q.6 - Community meetings to gather community input on how to spend the community money; Chevron Settlement Funds — moved by Zepeda, seconded by Brown. Failed 3–4 (noes: Jimenez, Wilson, Robinson, Martinez).
Open Forum for Public Comment
- Public comment was taken. Speakers are listed in the minutes; the Monitor does not name members of the public.
City Council Consent Calendar
- Item O.7.c - Appointment of Ana Tellez Witrago to the Community Police Review Commission and Item O.8.b - Contract amendment for the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Grade 5 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project were continued to the January 27, 2026, city council meeting.
- Motion to approve the consent calendar (with the exceptions above) — moved by Martinez, seconded by Zepeda. Passed 7–0.
Consent items of note ($100,000 and up, or pulled or continued)
- O.4.b — Release the Fiscal 2026-27 Environmental Community and Investment Agreement (ECIA) Competitive Grant. Acknowledge the release of the Request for Application and Guidelines for the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Environmental and Community Investment Agreement (ECIA) Competitive Grant Program for Categories 1-4, with an annual allocation of $715,000
- O.6.a — Contract with On Duty Health, PC to Perform Annual Physicals and Wellness Exams. Approve the contract with On Duty Health, PC to perform annual physical examinations and medical screenings in an amount not to exceed $270,000, for a three-year contract term effective January 21, 2026, through January 21, 2029, with two one-year extension options not to exceed an additional $100,000 per year for the extended term
- O.7.b — Modification of City Council Liaison Appointment Cycle for Boards and Commissions. Direct city clerk to work with the Mayor’s Office to implement a two- year council liaison appointment cycle for boards and commissions, aligned with the council election cycle, while maintaining the Mayor’s authority to appoint or remove liaisons at their discretion, and direct that current liaisons remain in effect through December 31, 2026, with new appointments to be made in the first quarter of 2027 following in… Item was continued to the January 27, 2026, City Council meeting.
- O.7.c — Appointment of Ana Tellez Witrago to the Community Police Review Commission. Appoint Ana Tellez Witrago to the Community Police Review Commission to fill the seat currently held by Commissioner Carol Hegstrom, whose term has expired, with a new term ending November 1, 2028 Item was continued to the January 27, 2026, City Council meeting.
- O.8.a — Agreement with Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District for the Wildcat Creek Fish Passage Project. Adopt a resolution to approve an agreement with the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to remit $780,000 to satisfy the City’s permit obligations associated with the Via Verdi Project and authorize the city manager or their designee to execute necessary documents Adopted Resolution No. 5-26.
- O.8.b — Contract Amendment for the Fiscal Year 2024–25 Grade 5 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project. Adopt a resolution and approve the issuance of Task Authorizations to Veolia Water, on behalf of the City, to manage subcontracts with APB General Engineering, VW Housen, and Questa Engineers for additional sanitary sewer line replacement and rehabilitation work, with a contract amendment amount of $4,030,385, thereby increasing the total payment limit to $6,554,348, including applicable markups Item was continued to the January 27, 2026, city council meeting.
- O.8.c — Contract with J. Majors & Associates for Public Outreach Services for Capital Improvement Projects. Adopt a resolution to approve an After-the-Fact (ATF) contract with J. Majors & Associates to allow payment of outstanding invoices for public outreach and public information officer services in an amount not to exceed $108,160 Adopted Resolution No. 6-26.
- Also on consent (routine, under $100,000 or no dollar figure): O.1.a Legal Services Agreement Amendment No. 1 with DCI Group; O.2.a Meeting Minutes; O.3.a Request for Proposals for the City Attorney Recruitment; O.3.b Letter of Support for Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Clean Energy and Healthy Homes Project; O.4.a Celebration of Life Event for Betty Reid Soskin in Conjunction with Black History Month; O.5.a Investment and Cash Balance Report, Monthly Overtime Reports, Documentary Transfer Tax Report, and Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) and Pension Report for the Month of November 2025; O.5.b Contract Amendment No. 3 with DebtBook Management Software for Debt, Lease, and Subscription Accounting; O.7.a Proclamation recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; O.7.d Appointment of Charlene Engle to the Community Police Review Commission; O.7.e Reappointment of Ellen Seskin to the Human Rights and Human Relations Commission; O.7.f Appointment of Alexander Rony to the Recreations and Parks Commission.
State of the City
P.1 — Update to the State of the City Report by Mayor Eduardo Martinez
- As agendized: Receive a presentation of the Annual State of the City Report from Mayor Eduardo Martinez.
- Presentation or report received; the minutes record no vote.
New Business
Q.1 — Port of Richmond Enterprise Fund Financial Overview Report
- As agendized: Receive the Port of Richmond Financial Report and presentation, which provides an overview of Port revenue sources, tariff structures, and funding mechanisms for larger infrastructure projects.
- A motion was made to receive the report — moved by Zepeda, seconded by Martinez. Passed 7–0.
- Item begins about video 2:16:16.
Q.2 — Evaluation Report by WestEd on the Richmond Fund for Children & Youth
- As agendized: Receive the WestEd evaluation report, a third-party external evaluator, assessing the impact of the Richmond Fund for Children & Youth grant programs from Fiscal Years 2021–2024.
- A motion was made to receive the report — moved by Martinez, seconded by Jimenez. Passed 7–0.
- Item begins about video 2:50:04.
Q.3 — Restorative Process with the Mayor and the Richmond Jewish Community
- As agendized: Acknowledge the Mayor’s participation in an antisemitism training led by trainers recommended by Temple Beth Hillel leadership, offer City Council members the option to attend voluntarily, direct the Mayor to meet with Rabbi Saxe-Taller at least two additional times in the first quarter of the year, and direct the Mayor to issue a public apology at a City Council meeting and in a local newspaper.
- The amended motion — moved by Zepeda, seconded by Brown. Failed 3–4 (noes: Bana, Jimenez, Wilson, Martinez). Result announced about video 5:56:42.
- The original motion — moved by Martinez, seconded by Wilson. Passed 6–1 (noes: Brown). Result announced about video 5:58:06.
- A motion by Vice Mayor Robinson, seconded by Councilmember Bana, extended the meeting until 11:00 p.m. to hear Items Q.3 and Q.4, passed by the unanimous vote of the city council.
- Item begins about video 4:08:20.
Q.4 — Formal Censure of Mayor Eduardo Martinez for Antisemitic Conduct and for Actions Inconsistent with the Duties and Standards of the Office
- As agendized: Adopt a resolution formally censuring Mayor Eduardo Martinez for antisemitic conduct and for actions inconsistent with the duties and standards of the office.
- Item was continued to a future meeting.
Q.5 — Consultant Engagement for Community Input on Polluters Pay Settlement Funds
- As agendized: Direct the city manager to engage a consultant to collaborate with City staff, City Council, and community stakeholders to conduct community engagement and gather input on a framework for the expenditure of new General Fund revenues generated by the Polluters Pay Settlement, with the consultant reporting back to the City Council by May 26, 2026.
- Item continued to the January 27, 2026, city council meeting.
Q.6 — Community Meetings to Gather Community Input on How to Spend the Community Money; Chevron Settlement Funds
- As agendized: Direct the city manager, or their designee, to schedule and lead a minimum of six community meetings each year, all around the City in each district, to gather input from the community on how to spend The Community Money: Chevron settlement funds, prior to the annual budget meeting.
- Item was continued to the January 27, 2026, city council meeting.
Reports of Officers
- Councilmembers gave reports and referrals; see the minutes.
Adjournment
- There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:53 p.m., to meet again on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
Not yet confirmed
- Nothing flagged. The minutes record a motion or outcome for each item listed.