Posted on December 17, 2020 at 8:16 AM by grodericks grodericks
Council Meeting Date: December 16, 2020
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TownOfAtherton/featured
Details of each item can be found via the links to Staff Reports within the narrative.
The City Council met for the December Regular Meeting on Wednesday, December 16 at 7 pm via Zoom Teleconference pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order. Following the Roll Call the Council began moving through the Agenda beginning with Presentations and Public Comments.
The Council approved a Resolution declaring the results of the General Municipal Election for the Town held on November 3, 2020. Following approval of the Resolution, the Council, community, staff and representatives from the County and State bid farewell to Outgoing Councilmember Cary Wiest and recognized Councilmember Wiest for his years of service to the Town.
Following recognition of former Councilmember Wiest, the City Clerk administered the Oath of Office to incoming Councilmember Diana Hawkins-Manuelian and returning Councilmember Elizabeth Lewis.
Mayor DeGolia shared an outgoing Mayoral message of successes and challenges of the past year during his tenure as Mayor for the Town and the Council moved to select a new Mayor and Vice Mayor for 2021. The Council selected Councilmember Lewis to serve as Mayor for 2021 and Councilmember Lempres to serve as Vice Mayor. Following selection as Mayor, Mayor Lewis shared an incoming Mayoral message for 2021 of expectations, projects, and priorities.
Following Public Comment, the Council moved to the City Manager's Report. The City Manager's Report is prepared monthly as part of the City Council's Regular Agenda. In addition to current reports from the City Manager, it includes departmental updates on the various happenings around Town such as reports from Administration, Community Services, Planning, Police, and Public Works. The City Manager answered a few clarifying questions from the Council on the Report.
Following the City Manager's Report, the Council moved to the Consent Agenda consisting of Items 7 and 11. Items on the Consent Agenda are considered routine in nature and are generally considered in one motion and adopted by a single vote of the Council. Included in this month's Consent Agenda were minutes of various meetings, bills and claims, Certification of the Continuing Local Emergency (COVID-19), adoption of an amendment to salaries for unrepresented employees (excluding the City Manager), and approval of amendments to the Town's Heritage Tree Preservation Standards and Specifications.
Next up was the Regular Agenda.
Item No. 12 was a Review and Approval of a Response to the Grand Jury Report: "Ransomware: It is not enough to think you are protected." Following a staff report and public comment, the Council approved the response to the Grand Jury.
The last item on the Agenda, Item No. 13, Update to the Town Center Project, was informational only.
Following Council Reports and Final Public Comments, having cleared the entire Agenda, at approximately 8:40 pm, that as they say - was a wrap!
The next meeting of the City Council will be a Special Meeting/Study Session on January 13 at 4 pm. On the Agenda is consideration of a Letter to the State of California regarding COVID-19 Protocols for places of worship; consideration of the start times for City Council meetings; discussion and direction regarding the pursuit of hillside landscape screening, design review or other solutions; and discussion and direction regarding succession planning and the role of the Police Academy for the Atherton Police Department.