A happy new year to all and sundry in 2025. This change of year puts me in mind of the way I felt at the beginning of 1969: No new year could be any worse after 1968’s assassinations and other outrages. But of course many things in later new years have gotten worse:

The upcoming national administration

Russia’s war on Ukraine

Israel’s war on Palestine

Big Development’s lust to consume family-friendly neighborhoods

Climate

Media consolidation

The ableist attack on cars.

Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera

Whew! Too much to handle on a holiday. As I come to the end of my 85th year on this planet and close to 25 years working on The Berkeley Daily Planet it’s time for us to take a pause to reflect.

This particular information delivery mechanism is breaking.

The software I’ve used for posting is painfully out of date, designed for the kind of small local print paper that no longer exists, except perhaps as the Hearst outlet now sullying the good name of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Are there still credible national papers? Bezos has captured the WaPo. Paul Krugman has deserted the NYT, which is becoming devoted to food and fashion.

Maybe, as Krugman seems to think, the future of informing Very Serious People is SubStack.or Instagram, or TikTok. Or perhaps the journalism of the future will be created by podcasters who can reach the increasing number of non-readers amongst us.

Planet readers seem to cluster around the 1000 mark, though we don’t have an exact count. What we have now is not primarily a news source but a journal of opinion, with intelligent essays written by literate adults, contributing writers whose opinions we greatly appreciate, plus a few reports from valiant citizen journalists No one is paid..

We would like to hear what readers think is worth doing, both regarding “the vision thing” and how we should do it. Please send us your comments on the future of the planet and the future of The Planet. . They should be addressed to editor@berkeleydailyplanet.com, with the subject line “Future”.

On January 20, Donald Trump became the 47^th President of the United States. He gave a rambling acceptance speech in which he claimed: “I was saved from death by God to bring back the golden age of America.” Trump then signed more than 100 executive orders.  

Immigration: Trump declared a state of emergency at the border and shut down immigration from Mexico. Trump is sending at least 1500 troops to the southern border. The most controversial of his immigration-related orders regarded birthright citizenship: Trump’s order asserts that children of noncitizens are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and orders federal agencies to not recognize citizenship for children who don’t have at least one parent who is a citizen. To most of us this appears to subvert the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1868) which guarantees citizenship for people born and naturalized in the U.S. At the end of the week, there were scattered ICE raids; while some targeted criminals, the majority came to the US legally and are not today undocumented or out of status. 

Pardons: Trump pardoned, or commuted the sentences, of everyone convicted of participation in the January 6, 2021, insurrection. This group included folks convicted of assaulting police officers. The country’s largest police union, the Fraternal Order of Police, decried the pardons, as did the International Association of Chiefs of Police. (Trump also pardoned the former creator and owner of an underground e-commerce website, “Silk Road,” known for drug trafficking. Late in the week, Trump pardoned four anti-abortion activists who had blocked a reproductive health clinic.) 

War on Woke: Trump signed executive orders stating the government would only recognize two sexes, male and female. The Trump government will eschew the term “gender” in favor of “sex.”  

Trump also ended diversity, equity, and inclusion Programs (DEI) inside federal agencies. Trump put all federal employees working in DEI programs on leave, telling agencies to plan for layoffs. Trump revoked a series of executive orders from former presidents designed to address inequities among American populations. The New York Times reported Trump’s staff has threatened federal employees with “adverse consequences” if they refuse to turn in colleagues who “defy orders to purge diversity, equity and inclusion efforts from their agencies.”  

Trump ordered the Justice Department to cease work on all civil-rights cases.  

Climate Change: Trump declared “an energy emergency.” He pledged to expand fossil fuel production and signed an executive order “to encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters.” Trump pulled the US out of the Paris climate accords and indicated hostility towards all efforts to deal with climate change. 

Paul Krugman notes that while a major pillar of Trump’s plan to tackle inflation is to decrease energy prices: “The ratio of gas prices to wages is as low as it has been for 20 years, except during severe economic downturns.” Trump’s “drill, baby, drill Initiative will harm the environment but not lower the cost of energy. 

Public Health: Heather Cox Richardson reports. “Trump’s team has told the staff at Department of Health and Human Services—including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—to stop issuing health advisories, scientific reports, and updates to their websites and social media posts. Lena H. Sun, Dan Diamond, and Rachel Roubein of the Washington Post report that the CDC was expected this week to publish reports on the avian influenza virus, which has shut down Georgia’s poultry industry.” (At NIH Trump’s order stopped major cancer projects.) 

Trump ordered the US to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Disasters: On Friday, Trump visited disaster zones in North Carolina and California. He criticized FEMA and suggested it should be shut down. He indicated that he would condition aid to California on the state changing voting rules and “turning on the water.” 

The State Department froze all foreign aid except funds for Israel and Egypt. 

Congressional Action: Friday night, Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defense. The vote was 50-50 with Vice President Vance breaking the tie. The fact that three Republican Senators voted against Hegseth is encouraging; it suggests that Trump may have problems moving his agenda through Congress. (At the moment, Republicans have a one vote margin in the House.) 

Inspector Generals: On Friday night, Trump fired at least fifteen independent inspector generals including those from the departments of Defense, State, Transportation, Labor, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Energy, Commerce, and Agriculture, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, Small Business Administration and the Social Security Administration. This was an act called for by “Project 2025.” Nonetheless, it was illegal. In 2022, Congress amended the Inspector General law to require any president who sought to dismiss an inspector general to “communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer.”  

Inflation: Although Trump touted his “energy emergency” as an important part of reducing inflation, most observers think this is not the case. 

In the flurry of executive orders, Trump did nothing positive related to the economy, which was the primary reason for his victory in the presidential election. He directed all federal agencies to investigate ways of lowering costs. In a news briefing, Trump promised to levy 25 percent tariffs on goods coming from Canada and Mexico and ten percent on imports from China. “Probably February 1^st. Trump also rescinded Biden orders lowering the costs of prescription drugs for seniors and expanding the Affordable Care Act.  

Summary: In week one, Donald Trump was busy but not effective. While he created media moments, Trump did nothing to help struggling Americans. In fact, his health orders hurt seniors and poor Families. 

Trump’s strategy to deal with inflation centers on use of tariffs and energy production. His “drill, baby, drill” initiative is unlikely to work. He has yet to invoke tariffs, but has invoked them in threats to Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Mexico, and Russia. 

On Wednesday, Trump cajoled banks and the Federal Reserve Board to lower interest rates. The Fed is unlikely to lower interest rates until they see signs that inflation is easing. Trump’s actions have increased the likelihood that food and health care costs will rise. 

Trump promised to “fix” the economy but doesn’t appear to know what to do.

I'm terrified to sleep tonight. We've had five fires in as many days lit right next to our building by people who are outside and are freezing cold. Our apartment building is within half a block of the former Premier Cru building which the city bought to create low-income housing and then just left empty. 

There is space in there. There are bathrooms in there. More bathrooms and even showers could be situated in there, and If ever there was a need for that building to just save a few lives by being used as a community shelter, this is it. I worked construction when I was younger, and it would take a crew, a couple of weeks, and some money, but the city has money, if not common sense. 

All city systems seem oriented toward the inevitability of keeping the former Premier Cru building locked and letting people burn down our building, one of the very few models of tenant-owned and tenant-run nonprofits in existence. The irony should startle eggI sleep next to my fire extinguisher, which I have had to use to put out one of the fires the fire department dismissed as "permitted" since it was a "warming fire" during this cold snap. This assessment came over the phone after it put out a fire an hour earlier. You can see the fire's scars on the wall under my window. 

If you live in West Berkeley you get used to discrimination. Nobody in the hills who had their property repeatedly jeopardized by fires built against their walls by freezing people trying to keep warm in thirty degree weather would get such a response. Nobody in the hills or in the new, unaffordable apartment buildings would have to live night after night watching for the inevitable result of city neglect with a fire extinguisher by their bedside. 

California is experiencing the worst conflagration in its history, a fire still uncontained with weather patterns never experienced before, winds so strong that fire fighting tools and expectations are in complete revision. The weather pattern is holding with Santa Ana winds expected over and over. The city dysfunction appears to have endured the election. 

# # #  

by

Being indoors, not being threatened, eating a good meal, and keeping hydrated are firsts on the list for the self-care of a troubled individual. 

 

It is a consensus of medical professionals, psychologists, and scientific authorities in the U.S., that psychiatric conditions are produced biologically and consequently must be addressed biologically. This means that if someone has symptoms of mental illness, we should give them medicine for it. (There are a few exceptions.) People with severe mental illness, as a rule, need treatment, primarily in the form of psych medication. 

Readers may have some concept of people with mental illness. Many may think we are either "out to lunch", loud, mad and violent, or unclean and unkempt. Yet this concept does not recognize, first, that mentally ill people are people, and second, that mentally ill people in treatment who may be "closeted" could live next door. 

When medicated and stabilized, a mentally ill individual is often "normal", can carry on a conversation, can cook and clean, often can work at a job, and often can have intelligent thinking. 

Some high functioning people with mental illness pass as "normal" and it never occurs to most individuals that such a person, a coworker, a next-door neighbor, a driver of another car in traffic, could have a psychiatric condition. 

National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, is an organization of family members, treatment professionals, and mental health consumers, dedicated to helping people deal with the harsh realities that most mentally ill people must face. NAMI ascribes to the medical model, meaning that mental illnesses are biologically caused. 

Yet, even when we acknowledge the "medical model" of psychiatric illness, there are differing opinions encompassed by that assumption. Some people emphasize medicating a person and they ignore the basic needs that must be addressed. Many who think this way (just medicate) are in positions of power and influence. 

NAMI somewhat resembles a church. And this is not intended to be insulting. Members meet in person and often interact on the internet and commiserate about the dire straits of family members. Or if a son or daughter has succumbed to the potential fatality of mental illness, support is given. 

Medication is necessary if we are to get well. And of course, anosognosia really exists; the lack of insight that we need help. This lack of insight is created by the nature of the condition itself. I'm not going to argue with either of those simple yet astute observations. 

However, I'm not happy with the counterproductive proposals plugged as solutions. In practice, they don't fit. 

One person posted: "Treatment, not tents." It infuriated me because giving medication does not make housing materialize. It is not a substitute for food, shelter, and a peaceful and supportive environment. It seems to me as though these AOT, (Assisted Outpatient Treatment) laws are designed to give people a shot or a pill and leave them in an unacceptable, dangerous, and unhealthy living situation, such as incarceration and homelessness. 

If a person is living on the street, coming out of a delusional system could do more harm than good. A delusional system could allow a person to be in denial of their dire situation, in effect allowing them to keep functioning. The seriousness of being homeless could be a reason that you may often see a homeless individual purchasing giant bottles of liquor. They need something to numb out their mind from the reality of how bad things are. 

When someone is mentally ill and homeless, the odds of a tragedy are, unfortunately, through the roof. Very few people can survive on the street, or so it seems to me. And mental illnesses, whether the reader can absorb this or not, are serious medical conditions. Mental illnesses affect the human brain, and this is a physical bodily organ. And this is not a question of a mentally ill person being able to "snap out of it" as some would like to think. If the brain isn't working, you can't do anything to help yourself. 

A psychotic person can't return to reality in a dangerous place or in an environment where basic needs aren't met. The physical addition of medicines is essential. Yet society must provide a safe place for people to get well. 

I have been writing for street papers for more than twenty years. My essays mostly concern the hardships that we mentally divergent people must face. However, I often read the articles of other contributors to the street papers. And this has taught me about the suffering and potential morbidity of homelessness. 

I ask the reader: can you imagine this happening to you? What if your mind was inoperative due to a disease, and what if you could not take care of yourself, and then, what if you lost your home? What would you do and how would you do it? 

I haven't been homeless, and I could not survive it physically or in terms of keeping my mind intact. I am not always happy when a homeless person approaches me and wants to make her or his problem into my problem. Yet this is tempered by the reality that I write for two street papers, and I am aware that my own life situation is precarious. When I'm dealing with a homeless person that wants something I can't give, I hope that I'm sticking to the minimum amount of a defense mechanism that will get the person out of my face, yet in a manner that won't wind them up incarcerated. I am conscious it could happen to me. And if it did, and if I had the cold hard pavement as my bed, I would last maybe a couple days or maybe a week. 

---

Jack Bragen lives and writes in Martinez, California. 

The long-awaited ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, announced Wednesday, offers a glimmer of hope after over a year of relentless attacks on Gaza. The deal, which is expected to go into effect on Sunday, will bring a six-week pause to the violence, with the promise of humanitarian relief and the release of hostages. However, the situation on the ground remains tense as Israeli forces continue airstrikes, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has postponed a Cabinet vote on the ceasefire, citing last-minute demands from Hamas.  

Despite the uncertainty, Palestinians in Gaza have celebrated the announcement, even though the bloodshed has not ceased. As independent journalist Shrouq Aila reported from Deir al-Balah, since the announcement, more than 70 people have been killed, with bombings continuing across Gaza. The mood among Gazans is one of mixed emotions—hope tempered with heartbreak and uncertainty. Aila emphasized the deep trauma felt by the people of Gaza, who have endured months of destruction and displacement. 

The deal, brokered with the help of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, stipulates that Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages over the next six weeks, and in return, Israel will free 1,000 Palestinians. Additionally, the agreement calls for 600 aid trucks to be allowed into Gaza daily. However, for many in Gaza, the deal is not a moment of celebration, but one of reflection on the immense suffering they have endured. With over 47,000 Palestinians confirmed dead, the people of Gaza face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives while coping with grief and trauma. 

The ceasefire, if implemented, offers a brief respite, but the long-term future of Gaza remains uncertain

Donald Trump posted a grim New Year’s message for the United States: “Our Country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World! This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership…The USA is breaking down - A violent erosion of Safety, National Security, and Democracy is taking place all across our Nation. Only strength and powerful leadership will stop it.” 

 

Trump is determined to portray the US in the worst possible light. On January 20, when he becomes president, Trump will use this false characterization to justify declaring a state of emergency. Trump’s “strength and powerful leadership” will translate to authoritarian actions. What can we do about this? 

 

1.Start with a true understanding of the status of the United States: Writing in the New York Times ( https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/us/politics/trump-us-disaster-numbers.html ) Peter Baler notes: “…by many traditional metrics, the America that Mr. Trump will inherit from President Biden when he takes the oath for a second time… is actually in better shape than that bequeathed to any newly elected president since George W. Bush came into office in 2001.” Economist Mark Zandi said, “President Trump is inheriting an economy that is about as good as it ever gets.”  

 

Trump won the 2024 election because a majority of voters had suffered severe economic hardship. These voters ignored Trump’s faults. In the CNN exit polls, 73 percent of respondents to the question, “[Your] feeling about how things are going in the U.S.,” said they were dissatisfied or angry. These were overwhelmingly Trump voters. 

 

Trump voters get their information about the economy from Donald Trump. If Trump says the economy is failing and the nation is insecure, Trump’s base will agree. It’s up to the opposition to maintain a true perspective. 

 

2.Be prepared for a barrage of misinformation. On January 1, there was a terrorist incident in New Orleans where an individual drove a pickup truck into a crowd, killing 15. The FBI identified the assailant as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas. Donald Trump claimed Jabbar was a foreign national who had come across the border and Trump blamed President Biden for the incident. This is an example of how Trump will bend a news item to serve his political purpose. 

 

When Trump becomes president expect the White House to routinely manipulate the news. Trump will generate false news about the economy. Immigration, crime, climate change, public health, and other issues of concern. Trump will use his presidential power to spread disinformation. 

 

It’s up to the opposition to call out this disinformation and speak the truth. 

 

3.Recognize that Trump will attempt to eliminate dissenting opinions. It’s disturbing to anticipate that Trump will turn the White House into a fount of misinformation. It’s even more disturbing to realize that Trump is intent on squelching dissent. 

 

Since Trump won the 2024 election, we’ve seen a series of media moguls make the pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago to pledge fealty to Trump. We don’t know yet what this means for the mainstream media but the trend at sites such as the Washington Post suggest that confrontation with Trump will be avoided. (I expect MSNBC to disappear or undergo radical change.) 

 

Trump world already controls Fox News and X. Now it appears MAGA has gained control of Facebook. Trump intends to stifle dissent. 

 

4.Prepare for a communication challenge. Once Donald Trump is inaugurated, he will try to control the media headlines each day. This is Trump’s nature: he cares more about getting attention than he does in keeping his campaign promises.  

 

Trump 2.0 will take full advantage of the communication leverage offered by control of the federal bureaucracy. At the same time, Trump will make every effort to squash contrarian views. When Trump takes a policy position, he will try to keep liberal commentators from communicating their dissent, whether on the economy. Immigration, crime, climate change, public health, or other issues of concern. Trump will attempt to make it appear that he has a mandate, and everyone agrees with him. 

 

The role of the opposition will be to broadcast disagreement with Trump. Beginning January 20, once a week the opposition needs to hold a press conference where they need to drive home this point: Trump is not keeping his campaign promises. The opposition needs to be aggressive about broadcasting their dissent. 

 

5.Challenge Trump on inflation. Trump won the 2024 election because he promised to fix the economy. Many Americans believed he would drive down inflation; they thought Trump would reduce the cost of food, housing, household and medical expenses. Recently Trump has admitted that it will be difficult to curb inflation. His economic agenda seems to be based upon reducing energy prices and levying tariffs. This won’t be sufficient. 

 

The Federal Reserve Board is not impressed by Trump’s plans. In their just-released December minutes, the Board “expressed concern about inflation and the impact that President-elect Donald Trump’s policies could have on efforts to reduce it.” 

 

Donald Trump won’t be able to fix the economy. His plans will make things worse. This is Trump’s vulnerability: he promised to fix the economy and can’t do it. 

 

Bottom line: Trump may live in an alternative reality but he can’t hide from inflation. 

h

The American Historical Association (AHA), the oldest scholarly organization in the U.S., recently passed the “Resolution to Oppose Scholasticide in Gaza,” condemning the destruction of the Palestinian education system. The vote, supported by over 400 members, represents a pivotal moment for the profession. Sherene Seikaly, a professor at UC Santa Barbara, expressed that this victory, in the face of ongoing violence in Gaza, offers hope for the future. Barbara Weinstein, a historian at New York University, emphasized the growing recognition of historians' broader societal roles, advocating for a more expansive approach to history. 

The resolution, championed by Historians for Peace and Democracy (H-PAD), highlights the Israeli Defense Forces' destruction of Gaza's educational infrastructure, citing the deaths of over 250 teachers and 95 professors as part of an effort to annihilate the Palestinian education system. The AHA’s approval is significant, especially considering its historical reluctance to take political stances. In the past, the AHA hesitated to speak out during events like the Vietnam War, but by 2007, it condemned the Iraq War, signaling a shift toward greater activism. ' Critics, like Natalia Petrzela of The New School, argue that the resolution’s lack of reference to the October 7 Hamas attack harms the historical profession's credibility. However, proponents counter that equating the long-term consequences of Israeli actions with isolated incidents obscures the broader human rights violations at play. h Ultimately, the resolution underscores the importance of historians confronting contemporary issues with moral clarity and a commitment to justice. The AHA’s bold stance could inspire future generations to safeguard education and preserve historical truth amidst conflict

The re-election of Donald Trump has accelerated the decline of the United States into oligarchy. Trump has had billionaire donors for each of his presidential campaigns, but in 2024 the role of these wealthy donors expanded. Donors such as Elon Musk made gigantic contributions to Trump’s campaign; in return for this they are taking an active role in the Trump White House. Perhaps, this time around, Trump turned the oval office into a time share. 

 

On December 19, Elon Musk led the call for House Republicans to repudiate a continuing resolution they had just passed to keep the federal government running through the end of the year. Perhaps Musk’s charter includes coordination with congress. 

 

It appears that Trump has entered into a power-sharing agreement with Musk and several other wealthy individuals including Vivek Ramaswamy, Robert Kennedy Junior, and David Sacks. However this arrangement works, it’s likely that the Trump administration will cater to billionaires – Bernie Sanders observed that the 13 billionaires chosen by Trump to serve in his administration have a combined wealth of at least $383 billion. 

 

What do these billionaires want? The oligarchs/billionaires want lower taxes and reduced government regulations. Of course, each billionaire has a particular set of interests; for example, David Sacks, Trump’s “AI and crypto czar” is a venture capitalist with heavy investment in AI and crypto. Sadly. most of the oligarchs are climate-change deniers. 

 

The oligarchs want more wealth. Robert Reich observes: “Since [1980], the median wage of the bottom 90 percent has stagnated. The share of the nation’s wealth owned by the richest 400 Americans has quadrupled (from less than 1 percent to 3.5 percent) while the share owned by the entire bottom half of America has dropped to 1.3 percent… The richest 1 percent of Americans now has more wealth than the bottom 90 percent combined.” 

 

The oligarchs share a fiscally conservative agenda. They intend to shrink the size of the federal government. The particulars vary but the oligarchs are not concerned with the size of the defense budget, their cost-cutting focus is on programs that service the poor and disadvantaged – such as Medicaid. When Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy speak of increasing government efficiency they usually start with services for the unfortunate. 

 

What are the practical consequences of this shift to oligarchy? It’s unsettling to be in a political situation where we do not understand who is in charge at the White House. We don’t know how power-sharing will work. The relationship between Trump and congress has been fraught. The shift to oligarchy will make this relationship even more difficult. 

 

Will the Oligarchs fix the economy? Trump was elected because he promised to fix the economy. Most Americans believed he would drive down inflation; they thought Trump would reduce the cost of food, housing, household and medical expenses. Since November 5, Trump has given no indication how he plans to do this. Perhaps he has lost interest. 

 

During the presidential campaign Trump said his inflation-fighting agenda would rely upon tariffs, but it’s likely that the oligarchs will influence how Trump’s tariff strategy plays out. Musk has huge business interests in China and it’s unlikely that he would support a tariff policy that would hurt his relationships with China, 

 

Trump has appointed a “czar” for immigration (Homan), energy (Burgum), and AI & Crypto (Sacks). Trump has not appointed a czar for inflation. With much fanfare, Trump has appointed a commission on “government efficiency;” they’ve already started meeting. Trump has not appointed to a commission to curb inflation. 

 

After January 20, Trump will own inflation and the economy. Trump’s immigration “purge” will drive up the cost of food. Trump’s tariffs will drive up the cost of household expenses.  

 

Trump’s trying to ignore inflation. Or turn it over to an oligarch co-president. Stay tuned.

This intense Bob Dylan biopic begins in1961 and ends in 1965. During these five years, Dylan conquered the world of folk music and then left it to become a rock star. 

 

For the past sixty years, Bob Dylan has been the doyen of American popular music, but remained a prickly, enigmatic figure. “A complete Unknown” provides fresh insight into what drives Dylan: his entire life is devoted to song writing. (Dylan is one of the few rock performers who writes lyrics, creates the accompanying music, arranges the recording, and sings the song.) James Mangold, who co-wrote the script with Jay Cocks, makes no attempt to sugar-coat Dylan; he depicts him as a genius who has one true love: music. 

 

Since the sixties, there have been three American singer-songwriters that approach Dylan’s stature: Paul Simon. Bruce Springsteen, and Brian Wilson. Simon, and Springsteen were likable, Wilson reclusive. Simon and Wilson have stopped touring. Dylan tours constantly but has remained inscrutable. 

 

In American music culture, the closest parallel to Bob Dylan is Miles Davis. Prickly enigmatic geniuses who left behind a trail of battered relationships and great music. Davis’s “Kind of Blue” is the most popular jazz album. Dylan’s “Highway 61 revisited” is one of the most influential rock albums. 

 

It’s not an easy task portraying Dylan: a likable cad. Timothee Chalamet does a splendid job. Oscar worthy. We are fascinated by him almost enough to excuse his terrible behavior. 

 

Movie critics like “A Complete Unknown” but have two complaints: 1. Some of them are upset because the film is not historically accurate. For example, when Bob Dylan first met Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger was not present. I can live with these inaccuracies.  

 

2. Many critics complain that they came into “A Complete Unknown” not understanding Dylan and left in the same state. To these critics I say, “Pay attention!” In the scene after Dylan meets Guthrie and Seeger, Mangold has Dylan spend the night at Seeger’s house. In the morning, while Seeger and his family are eating breakfast, Dylan completes the lyrics to “Girl from the North country.” Throughout the movie, Dylan is shown compulsively writing out lyrics. It is Director Mangold’s way of illustrating that Dylan has a prodigious gift/curse: lyrics fill his brain all the time. (BTW: in 2016, Dylan won the Nobel Prize for Literature for these lyrics.) 

 

Earlier in the same scene with Seeger, they are driving to his house. Dylan turns on the car radio and a Little Richard song is heard. Seeger disparages the song; Dylan defends it. Seeger’s idea of proper music is restricted, Dylan’s expansive. At the end of “A Complete Unknown” Dylan has decided that folk music is too confining and serenades the 1965 Newport Folk Festival with his wider vision. 

 

Is” A Complete Unknown” the best movie of the year? I don’t know how to compare it to Anora, Conclave, Dune 2, Inside-Out 2, and Wicked. They all seem great to me. 

 

I do know that “A complete Unknown” is an excellent movie with a terrific cast. Besides Chalamet, I was taken by Edward Norton’s portrayal of Pete Seeger, which also seems Oscar worthy. Monica Barbaro is great as Joan Baez. 

 

Bottom line: Bob Dylan is a genius but not a nice guy. Miles Davis was a genius but not a nice guy. The same can be said for Pablo Picasso and many other gifted artists. Does this mean we should excuse their boorish behavior? No. But it does mean that we should empathize with them. And we should appreciate geniuses like Bruce Springsteen who manage to create great music and be nice guys

The horrors of the Israeli bombardment in Gaza are unfathomable, and the toll on the people there, particularly those trying to save lives, is immeasurable. For over a year, rescuers have been under relentless pressure, digging through rubble with their bare hands, racing against time to save survivors of the ongoing Israeli airstrikes. The carnage has left many unable to save those whose voices they can still hear beneath the wreckage. Nooh al-Shaghnobi, a rescue worker in Gaza, described the haunting experience of leaving people behind because of the lack of proper tools and equipment. These workers face extreme physical and emotional strain, with some suffering from unspeakable levels of stress, anxiety, and guilt. At least 118 rescue workers have died in the line of duty, a tragic testament to the immense risks they face. 

The Israeli airstrikes have been among the most intense in modern warfare, with nearly 30,000 munitions dropped within the first seven weeks of the conflict alone. Despite the overwhelming number of casualties and destruction, rescuers like al-Shaghnobi press on, aware that they can save only a few lives each day yet continuing their work because it is all they can do. ' Amid these dire conditions, there is a disturbing lack of psychological support, even as the emotional and mental toll on the rescuers grows heavier. These workers are not just facing the devastation caused by the bombings but also the loss of colleagues, exhaustion, and the constant threat of death. The Israeli government's role in perpetuating this conflict, with our tax dollars, cannot be ignored. It is time to recognize the brutal consequences of occupation and support for such acts, while amplifying the voices of those who continue to suffer.

The devastating consequences of Israel's relentless bombing campaign, aided by U.S. complicity, are painfully evident in the lives of the children who have borne the brunt of this violence. One such child, Shaymaa Shady, lost her leg in an explosion in Gaza. Along with 15 other children who were evacuated to Italy for medical treatment, Shaymaa faces a long and uncertain road to recovery, compounded by the trauma of losing family members and living in a foreign land.h These children, all under the age of 15, are the survivors of an ongoing tragedy. Some lost limbs to save their lives, while others face permanent disabilities from the bombings. Their young minds carry scars beyond the physical—witnessing horrors that most could never imagine. Many of them, like Ahmad al-Saafen, struggle with prosthetics, and others, such as Baian Azoum, must endure years of treatment after being pulled from the rubble in Gaza. 

These young survivors have been given a second chance at life, but their futures remain uncertain. With families left behind and no guarantees of a safe return to Gaza, they now grapple with the challenges of adjusting to new cultures and languages in Italy, while their peers remain unaware of their suffering. 

As more than 40,000 Palestinians have died, and tens of thousands are disabled, we must reflect on the horror inflicted by this unprovoked violence. The children of Gaza, like Shaymaa, deserve peace and the opportunity to heal. The global community must demand an end to this brutality and offer these children a future where they are no longer defined by war.

Headlines and Headaches

I'm not much of a sports fan so I am sometimes baffled by the Chronicle Sporting Green's shorthand chatter and in-house sporting lingo. A headline that is immediately clear to any well-informed game-jock can bounce off my brain like an under-inflated basketball. Case in point: "Adding rotation help may be next on agenda for offseason." And, then there was a December 5 story by Scott Ostler that ran under the daunting headline: "Bonkers Golden At-Bat Might Work." 

Pole Posters: "Ben You Are So Loved" 

A loving "memorial to Ben" has appeared on the four metal poles on each corner of the intersection of Rose and Josephine. The poles have been decorated with scores of photos and printed statements of loss. Flowers and trinkets have been refreshed on a regular basis. The homage is worth a pause if you're out for a stroll. 

Here are two snippets from the tribute, beginning with a hand-written letter from a young neighborhood resident: 

"Dear Ben, you were very fun because your [sic] would come to all of ours [sic] games and events. It was fun when you came to my first soccer game. You would come to all of our birthday parts [sic] ever since we were very littel [sic]." 

And this note from a local parent: 

"We will miss you SO much, Ben.
"You have been in the kids' life the entire time. Dinners, parties, you name it.
"I will always remember the sound your bracelets made and the deep tone of your voice when you said: 'mm-hmm!' 

"You were larger than life and am so sad that you left us this way, But I am very thankful for your presence in our lives. The universe is yours to explore now. I love you." 

Pedestal Painters & Piano Jazz  

A message painted on a cement block near the intersection of Ashby and San Pablo recently caught my eye. It read: GOOGLE CHOPPA KITTY. I did, and here's what I got: 

"Choppa Kitty is a jazz pianist who grew up in the San Francisco Bay area surrounded by musicians and artists. Not only within her immediate family, but also within everyday interactions from surrounding influential places, and people.
After Choppa's uncle renowned jazz drummer Gaylord Birch passed away Choppa would put down the sheet music and go on to focusing on the Business side of music. Choppa opened "Ocean Beach Studios" in the sunset district of San Francisco at age 24. She reached out to high-school musician friends to help run the studio, later, and eventually, sold her part to the remaining two friends still invested in the studio.
After a few other business endeavors, and traveling the country, Choppa Kitty would finally pick up music once again. She composed, wrote and recorded her first own classical piece on the piano after a 17-year hiatus. She started a blues jazz band with high school friend Brian Whipp (lead singer and guitarist from Bear with a Car on Top). She did all this while learning to mix and record beat tracks living in her car during Covid 19. Now Choppa Kitty focuses on infusing her background of jazz piano into hip-hop, trap, and lofi beats." Choppa Kitty can be heard on SoundCloud. 

Fashion Plates
AUMMM
SUM NERV
BER BLU
EMILURS
WASEME2 

PE4CE 

PREZA1
PAISA11
RAKEET
LA FORTAIN 

Bumper Snickers
Shop Small
Trees Are Good
CanMore Brewing
Good Ol' Knotted Root
Trickle Down Doesn't
I Made You a Mix Tape
Detent Yes Da Bomb No
It Takes a Village to Elect an Idiot
MAGA Morons Are Governing America
No Pain No Jane [with image of a reefer] 

Why the Working Class Is Struggling to Survive 

The Economic Policy Institute recently posted a cartoon showing how the US economy has evolved into an oligarchy. In 1970, the EPI notes, the average CEO made as much money as 20 employees. By 2020 the average CEO was tucking away as much money as 350 workers. 

And USA Facts adds: "the top 1 percent of [US] households hold 30.3 percent of the total wealth, according to the Federal Reserve. But just the top 0.1 percent own 13.5 percent of the total wealth, giving them a stunning average of more than $158 million per household." 

To which Senator Bernie Sanders adds: ""This is what Oligarchy looks like. Today, while 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, three multi-billionaires own more wealth than the bottom half of American society," compounded by a "greater concentration of ownership than we have seen since the Gilded Age… fewer and fewer giant corporations control what is produced and the prices we pay." 

That last line raises a troubling possibility: Could it be that the super-rich and the country's mega-corporations intentionally inflated the cost of food and other necessities during the critical months leading up to the US presidential election? 

If so, they intentionally profited as a result of their plot to promote profiteering. 

Trumpeting the End Times 

During one of the fraught days of the presidential election, an Internet presence posting under the name "Tennessee Brando" assembled a short list of Candidate Trump's misstatements—gathered over the course of a single day of political pontificating. It read:
"In the last 24 hours, Trump wished the Virgin Mary Happy Birthday, pitched Hulk Hogan's beer, talked about Hannibal Lecter, said he will imprison people he thinks are cheating, called Musk 'Leon,' forgot Burgum's name, called Brian 'Briar,' Keystone 'Keystown,' & Tampon 'Tampom,' said if he loses Israel will cease to exist, nuclear war will begin, this will be our last election, and the Colorado gov. will flee the state, posted an ad for his digital NFTs, ranted about Kamala standing on a box at the debate and wrapped it up by continuing to say schools are performing gender affirming surgeries on students despite his own team admitting there's zero evidence to support his claims." 

All of which raises the question: why doesn't the country require fair and independent medical and mental evaluations for all would-be presidential candidates? 

Doonesbury Mocks (and Marks) the CIA 

In a recent string of daily Doonesbury cartoons, "Havoc" (a CIA field agent undercover in Afghanistan) encounters "Akbar," a former Afghan rebel-turned-politician. The conversation between the two political schemers began on Dec 11 with this sally by Akbar:
"So why all the fuss about Karzai's all-warlord cabinet, Havoc? This was clearly the will of the Loya Jirga." 

Havoc replies: "Bullfeathers, Akbar. The delegates wanted representative, reform government Instead, they got the same bunch of thugs who trashed the country ten years ago!" 

Akbar: "What's this? So now the CIA only supports representative, reform governments? Dear, dear — had we only known."" 

December 12; "Havoc, why pretend you care about democratic processes in Afghanistan? The CIA's not in the freedom business — building up or undermining regimes depending on whose side they're on. That's why you've gotten into bed with so many monsters in the past. Well, one more isn't going to kill you! 

The US Plan to Attack “Seven Countries in Five Years” 

In 2003, General Wesley Clark shared some startling news that was not meant to be shared. Clark recalled how he was rattled to learn of the Pentagon’s Global Hit List—part of a post-9/11 White House plan to "take-out" seven Muslim nations in the course of five years: “Starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and, finishing off, Iran.” 

In retrospect, it appears that the Global War on Terror was really intended to be a Global Imperial War on Territory. 

Kudos for Moe's 

Smithereens recently received a note from Doris at Moe's Books. It read: "I'm currently trying to generate some new business. I'm hoping you'd be kind enough to give my business a 'Fave' on Nextdoor, the neighborhood app, to help get the word out to our other neighbors. Sharing your support would be really appreciated and valuable for our growth—thanks!"
I don't have an account with Fave or Yelp and it's been a few months since I've made a pilgrimage to Moe's Biblio-Mosque—the Moskowitz Mecca of Tomes—but here are some of the delicious details that make Berkeley's historic multi-story bookstore unique. Moe's Books, founded by the inimitable Moe Moscowitz way back in 1959, is known across the country as one of the world's largest warehouses of the printed word, encompassing more than 200,000 titles at any one time in more than 70 niche categories made elevator-accessible from basement to loft. What's not to like? 

An Outcry Over Spilt Milk 

Shoppers who have grown accustomed to shortages of chicken eggs due to the spread of Bird Flu and Salmonella contamination now have a new collapse to kvetch about — collapsing milk cartons. Quart-size milk containers that used to be sturdy now need to be held from the bottom to avoid collapsing in the middle and fallingSeveral local grocery outlets have received these flimsy new cartons. . Trader Joe's has heard shoppers concerns and is investigating. In the meantime, when it's time to add some milk to your morning cereal: Proceed With Caution. 

Al Gore's Climate Forecast: A Gory Story 

Former VP, wouldabeen president, and current Founder and Chair of The Climate Reality Project Al Gore has an urgent message: 

"We are at a critical moment for our climate movement. 

"This year, landslides in India devastated entire villages, displacing thousands of people, and severe flash flooding wreaked havoc in Spain, killing more than 200 people. Extreme heat in Saudi Arabia killed over 1,300 people during the annual Hajj pilgrimage as heat deaths continued to rise worldwide. 

"And in the US, Hurricane Helene’s rapid intensification and record rainfall left widespread destruction and more than 100 dead in its wake. 

"Sadly, that’s only an abridged list of the climate catastrophes we witnessed in 2024. It's like a nature hike through the Book of Revelation on the news every day now. And as the climate crisis continues to supercharge more and more of these disasters, the clear reality of our current situation is that we don’t have time to waste. The climate crisis is at our doorsteps, and we must act now." 

Fashion Plates
Personalized license plates spotted around town.
LUV HY
ZHEER
LAPIN 23
WAU WAU
EBONYGB
CORETTO
CA DUBZ (Warriors Fan?)
12DYLAN (One to Dylan?)
AJZYLDY (A Jazzy Lady)
INAPCKL (In a Pickle)
GRN WMBT (Green Wombat?) 

Bumpersnickers
My Driving Scares Me Too
Free Punches in the Face
I Think Therefore I'm Single
Where the Hell Is Easy Street?
Drugs Lead Nowhere But It's the Scenic Route
I'm into Fitness: Fitness Whole Pizza in My Mouth
If You Can Read This…You Are Probably Pulling Me Over
I Have Good Brakes. Do You Have Good Insurance? 

The Xmas edition of Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update news round-up got off to a shocking start when co-host Colin Jost began a leading headline by uttering the name "Luigi Mangione" and recoiling in shock the studio audience erupted in cheers. Caught by surprise, Jost joked: "The 'wow' is for justice … right?" 

The crowd's startling chorus of approval for the alleged killer of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, could have sent chills down the spines of any corporate oligarchs who may have been watching. It's one thing for police, teachers, preachers, shopkeepers, drivers, school kids and toddlers to lose their lives to gun violence but now the most rich and powerful Americans suddenly find themselves praying they won't become prey to armed vigilantes of social and economic injustice. 

These bleak prospects could give the well-to-do reason to protect themselves from the rage of up-armed social anger by promoting the rise of race-hatred and culture clashes confined to targeting victims among the country's poor and disaffected majorities. 

Welcome to the Oligarchy
Senator Bernie Sanders on Trump and Musk as Government Rulers. 

 

ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggh

On January 20, Donald Trump becomes President. Let’s review what we know about him and see what that suggests about his first 100 days. 

1.Trump can’t be trusted. Those of us who didn’t vote for Trump have many reasons, but a common thread is that we don’t trust him. Trump doesn’t have deep moral convictions. He will say or do whatever is expedient to get votes. There are many examples of this bad behavior: Trump advocates tax cuts for big corporations and the wealthy; he does this not because he supports some economic theory but because it’s what his rich donors want. Trump believes that global climate change is a “hoax’” he takes this position not because he has scientific evidence that supports his position but because his rich donors – the fossil-fuel industry – support this. There are daily examples: recently Trump blamed the Southern California wildfires on Governor Newsom’s water policies, but the truth was Newsom had nothing to do with the LA water system. 

2, Trump is intellectually lazy. There’s a lot of debate about how smart Trump is and whether he’s showing signs of senile dementia. We’re unlikely to get unbiased information on his mental capacity. What we can agree on is that Trump is lazy. He doesn’t exhibit signs of a disciplined mind. For example, Trump doesn’t study briefing documents and is as likely to be influenced by something he just saw on Fox News, or read on X, as he is the testimony of experts.  

3. Trump has surrounded himself with sycophants. In 2016, Trump’s cabinet included folks with impressive credentials; for example, General James Mattis as Secretary of Defense, Senator Sessions as Attorney General, and Christopher Wray as FBI director. In 2020, Trump’s cabinet is full of sycophants: Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, Pam Bondi as Attorney General, and Kash Patel as FBI director. These are very poor choices, particularly Hegseth and Patel who have no substantial management experience. 

Donald Trump wants to be in the White House, but he has no appetite for the work required as President of the United States. Some of this work might be delegated, but Trump has surrounded himself with sycophants, many of whom are unqualified for their positions.  

Imagine that you are crossing the ocean on a large liner and discover that the captain only works on sunny days and most of the crew are inexperienced teenagers. That’s a metaphor for the Trump White House.  

Consequences: Trump 2.0 has been short on policy detail. What we know is that Donald Trump wants to launch a massive effort to deport those he believes are in the US illegally. We also know that Trump promised to “fix” the US economy – to bring consumer prices down and to address housing and medical costs; Trump believes he can accomplish this by levying tariffs on our trading partners. Many of us believe that Trump carries grudges and will launch investigations into those he deems “enemies.” 

Meanwhile the world goes on. This moment is similar to January 2001 when George W. Bush became president. Like Trump, Dubya wanted to be President but not do the heavy lifting. Dubya’s lackadaisical mindset contributed to the terrorist attack on September 11. 

Trump has limited capacity. He sees some of the problems besetting the United States but is unaware of many others. This suggests that Trump 2.0 will be weak and, therefore, the US will be vulnerable, 

a. National Security: David Brooks ( https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/opinion/pete-hegseth-hearings-defense.html ) reminds us that China threatens the US; experts believe China is preparing to invade Taiwan. How will Trump respond if China, or Russia or some other evil actor, attacks us or one of our key allies? 

b. Climate Change: Trump may believe climate change is a “hoax,” but that won’t stop climate-related events from happening. Republicans have a rigid economic agenda that says new appropriations must be paid for by cuts in the federal budget. How will Republicans respond when FEMA requests additional funds to cover Climate Change-related damage? 

c. Social Unrest: Trump won the 2024 election because a majority of voters suffered from economic hardship and believed Trump would fix the economy. How long will aggrieved voters give Trump to reduce inflation? What will happen if, after 12 or 18 months, a strong majority of Americans feel that Trump hasn’t solved their economic problems?  

Summary: The United States is heading into troubled waters led by a president with glaring faults who has surrounded himself with sycophants. This suggests that 1) Trump won’t keep his campaign promises and 2) Trump 2.0 is ill-prepared to deal with unexpected threats. Buckle up.

b Mentally ill people, in a worst-case scenario, are treated inhumanly, inhumanely, and with perplexing cruelty. This isn't because of a trait of a mentally disabled person. The cause of it is the ignorance and hate harbored by people that are supposedly mentally well.  

Maltreatment of mentally ill people can take many forms. And a lot of it comes from psychiatrists. In some cases, this is no more than interpersonal disrespect. In other instances, you could see doctors exerting their legal advantage inappropriately. They can do a lot of things to ruin the lives of those in the position of the patient. A person in the position of nurse practitioner, doctor or psychiatrist can take away the rights of patients.  

And there is more harm that prescribers can do. Malpractice can happen, and I wonder if it is sometimes intentional. Psychiatric malpractice does exist, and it can ruin patients' lives. And such malpractice could be harder to prove to a judge in comparison to a clear-cut case of a surgeon killing or maiming someone. Prescribers could trivialize the lives of patients, creating quick, convenient and uncaring approaches to "care".  

We don't see hospitals doing the frontal lobotomies, eighty years ago a common reality for mentally ill people. This is not to be celebrated. The fact of not committing a heinous crime of intentionally destroying a person's brain should not give you a special honor. It is to be accepted as if approaching the bare minimum at best. And truly, the credit for it lies in the invention of Thorazine, which came to widespread use in the early nineteen fifties.  

Psychiatry has shifted gears in some respects. The medications are more powerful. The legal protections painstakingly put in place by the patients' rights movement, are largely gone, and new legal precedents and laws are in place for controlling mentally ill people. 

But mistreatment and prejudice against mentally ill people is not limited to the treatment system; it is everywhere.  

Compared to how it was in the nineteen eighties, our society is far less tolerant. Yet even back then, in the eighties, people were coming after me. In 1989, a man threatened me and forced me to get into a fist fight with him. I had no practicable method of avoiding the fight. In retrospect, I believe he was hired for the purpose of knocking me down.  

Society doesn't like a person who thinks independently. And if you are a mentally ill person in addition to that, you'd better watch your back.  

By the time you read this, Donald Trump is the President. His rhetoric of calling people with mental illness "crazies" only serves to disenfranchise us, direct hate at us and discriminate against us more. 

Mental Health Disablism, the prejudice against people with psychiatric conditions, is no different than being racist, homophobic, antisemitic, xenophobic, classist, and so on. Hate for an arbitrary reason, and not because a person has done something to you, is convenient. You can blame a group or category of people for everything that you insist is going wrong.  

But not everyone has disliked me. I've met and dealt with many people who have been very kind and often generous toward me. I've finally learned that when someone offers me something, I should accept what is offered. Life has not been entirely a waste of time, nor has it always been a nightmare come true. In some instances, life is good.  

And this is so despite a crippling mental disease diagnosed in 1982. My diagnosis was Schizophrenia: Paranoid-type. In recent decades, the diagnosis has been revised twice. Fifteen years ago, I was called "schizoaffective." And within the last few years, a doctor said I had "atypical psychosis." From these changes, to diagnoses that seem milder, I can conclude that my accepting treatment, and my proactive approach to getting well, have made me less acutely ill than I was.  

Medication compliance is essential for a psychotic person to get well. The brain has specific malfunctions, and different medications will work for different ailments. But you can't "think away" mental illness. You can't get rid of it by sitting cross-legged and chanting. You can't get rid of it with green tea, brown rice, and running ten miles every morning. It matters that a mental health consumer must not be in denial concerning their condition.  

Being mentally ill doesn't make you subhuman. Treatment professionals are some of the worst when it comes to discarding the idea that individuals which they are treating are people.  

The private sector isn't as bad as the treatment system. If I go through a drive-thru at Wendy's Hamburgers, no one cares that I take psychiatric drugs. They want some greenbacks or a debit card, and they will hand over my burger, fries and shake. If I know how to repair a television, the owner of a mama-papa TV repair shop will hire me and won't care if I need to take medication. If I'm feeding a parking meter, the device doesn't care who puts the money in the meter; you can park there.  

In locked psychiatric wards, the inhumaneness of mental health practitioners is clear. As punishment for not doing as we are told, a pair of big burly men will grab us and put us into restraints, a table with leather straps for each limb. Many, many people have died in those restraints, for numerous reasons. The feeling of being in restraints is not something you forget.  

Doctors, nurses and other workers in the psych ward will talk to us in a very condescending and mean voice. People who work in a psych ward do not feel they need to respect patients. And while this is not always applicable, meaning that many nurses and doctors are very nice and kind, you cannot deny there are the mean ones. It varies from one hospital to the next.  

And if you are dealing with a treatment professional, they are indoctrinated to believe patients aren't people. We are considered subhuman nuisances that allow them to have a job.  

*** 

Jack Bragen has been mentally ill since 1982, has retained and developed his faculties, has become a great observer of things and people, and a writer. He lives in Martinez, California and writes opinion, personal essay, and fiction pieces.

Worth Noting:

Only one City meeting, the Agenda Committee on Monday. Note opportunities to give input on Bike Plan, Dreamland and Disaster preparedness.

• Monday,
  • At 2:30 pm the Agenda Committee meets in the hybrid format on February 11 City Council Agenda
• Tuesday,
  • From 2 – 6 pm is the Berkeley Bike Plan Update Pop-up at Farmer’s Market.
• Thursday,
  • From 10 am - 12 pm is the in-person Aquatic Park Dreamland Redesign Pop-up.
  • At 11 am is the Marina Lien Sale
  • At 6 pm is Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Unit 2.

• Friday, January 31, 2025
  • From 6 – 8 pm Family Game Night.

• Saturday, February 1, 2025
  • From 10 am – 12:30 pm is the Prepared, Safe, and Healthy Berkeley Workshop on disaster preparedness
  • From 10 am - 12 pm is the in-person Aquatic Park Dreamland Redesign Pop-up.
• Sunday, February 2, 2025
  • From 10 am – 2 pm is the Berkeley Bike Plan Pop-up at Ashby Flea Market.

Check City website for meetings posted on short notice https://berkeleyca.gov

If you are unable to attend a meeting in person and/or it is not offered in the hybrid or an accessible format, TO REQUEST A DISABILITY RELATED ACCOMMODATION(S) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at 510-981-6418 (V) or 510-981-6347 at least 3 days before the meeting (the sooner the better). Thomas Gregory is the ADA Program Coordinator.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS 

 

Sunday, January 26, 2025 – no city meetings or events found 

 

Monday, January 27, 2025 

 

AGENDA AND RULES COMMITTEE Meeting at 2:30 pm 

Members: Ishii, Taplin, Humbert 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor – Redwood Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1619023924 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 161 902 3924 

AGENDA: Public Comment on non-agenda and items 1 – 7. 1. Minutes, 2. Review and Approve -2/11/2025 -- draft agenda – use link or read full draft agenda below at the end of the list of city meetings, 3. Berkeley Considers, 4. Adjournment in Memory, 5. Council Worksessions, 6. Referrals for scheduling, 7. Land Use Calendar, Referred Items for Review: 8. Discussion and Recommendations on the Continued Use of Berkeley Considers Online Engagement Portal, Unscheduled Items: 9. Discussion and Possible Action on City Council Rules of Decorum, Procedural Rules, and Remote Public Comments, 10. City Council Legislative Redesign, 11. Modifications or Improvements to City Council Meeting Procedures, 12. Strengthening and Supporting City Commission: Guidance on Development of Legislative Proposals, 13. Consideration of Changes to Supplemental Material Timelines 

• Removed from list of unscheduled items - Discussion Regarding Design and Strengthening of Policy Committees Process and Structure (Including Budget Referrals),

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-committees/policy-committee-agenda-rules 

 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025 

 

BERKELEY BIKE PLAN Update POP-UP from 2 – 6 pm 

Location: at South Berkeley Farmer’s Market 

View Bike Plan Focused Update online: https://berkeleybikeplan.altaplanning.cloud/#/home 

View new bike network recommendations at pop-up 

Flyer: https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Berkeley%20Bike%20Plan-Social%20Ads.pdf 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/berkeley-bike-plan-pop-south-berkeley-farmers-market 

 

Wednesday, January 29, 2025 – no city meetings or events found 

 

Thursday, January 30, 2025 

 

AQUATIC PARK DREAMLAND POP-UP WORKSHIP #1 from 10 am – 12 pm 

Location: at 100 Bolivar, Redesign of Dreamland Playground 

Flyer with map of project and pictures https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/AquaticPark_Concepts_2024-12-05.pdf 

Use link for details: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/aquatic-park-dreamland-pop-workshop-1 

 

BERKELEY MARINA LIEN SALE at 11 am 

Use link for details: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/berkeley-marina-lien-sale 

 

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) Unit 2: CERT Organization at 6 pm 

Use link for details and to register: https://berkeleyca.gov/cert-classes-unit-2-january-30-2025 

 

Friday, January 31, 2025 

 

FAMILY GAME NIGHT from 6 – 8 pm 

Use link for details and to register: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/family-community-game-night 

 

Saturday, February 1, 2025 

 

PREPARED, SAFE, and HEALTHY BERKELEY WORKSHOP #1 from 10 am – 12:30 pm 

Location: at 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

Description: Multi-year project to update City’s General Plan Disaster Preparedness and Safety Element and develop new General Plan Environmental Justice Element. 

Use link for details and to register RSVP not required: https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/prepared-safe-and-healthy-berkeley-workshop-1 

 

AQUATIC PARK DREAMLAND POP-UP WORKSHIP #2 from 10 am – 12 pm 

Location: at 100 Bolivar, Redesign of Dreamland Playground 

Use link for details with lots of pictures and survey: https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/our-work/capital-projects/aquatic-park-dreamland-playground-area-improvements 

 

Sunday, February 2, 2025  

 

BERKELEY BIKE PLAN Update POP-UP from 10 am – 2 pm 

Location: at Ashby Flea Market 

View Bike Plan Focused Update online: https://berkeleybikeplan.altaplanning.cloud/#/home 

View new bike network recommendations at pop-up 

Flyer: https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Berkeley%20Bike%20Plan-Social%20Ads.pdf 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/berkeley-bike-plan-pop-ashby-flea-market 

 

++++++ AGENDA & RULES COMMITTEE, Monday, January 27, 2025+++++++++++ 

 

AGENDA and RULES COMMITTEE at 2:30 pm on Monday, January 27, 2025 

Members: Ishii, Taplin, Humbert 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor, Redwood Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1619023924 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 161 902 3924 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-committees/policy-committee-agenda-rules 

 

DRAFT AGENDA for City Council Regular at 6 pm Meeting on February 11, 2025 

 

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

CEREMONIAL MATTERS 

CITY MANAGER COMMENTS 

PUBLIC COMMENTS on NON-AGENDA MATTERS 

 

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

1. Numainville, City Clerk – Minutes
2. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitation $848,000
3. Gilman, HHCS – Amend Contract No. 32300108 Third Amendment: add $180,000 total $379,500 with Street Level Advisors, LLC. for consulting services end date of 6/30/2026
4. Kouyoumdjian, HR – Program Manager II Classification: 5% Differential for Assignment in City Manager’s Office
5. Fong, IT – Amend Contract No 32000223 add $120,000 total $419,500 with Gray Quarter, Inc for professional services through 1/31/2026
6. Wong, Auditor – 2009 Leases Audit Follow-Up: Berkeley Faces Same Risks 16 Years Later

AGENDA on ACTION: 

7. Klein, Planning – Zoning Ordinance Amendments to Title 23 of BMC for consistency with State Law Related to EV Charging and Technical edits
8. Radu, City Manager’s Office – Contract $60,323.58 with Edgeworth Integration LLC to Purchase and Provide Installation of New Security System Server at Berkeley Animal Care Services 1/22/2025 – 1/21/2026
9. Klein, Planning – Proposed Amendments to Building Emissions Saving Ordinance (BESO)
10. Housing Advisory Commission – Adopt an Ordinance to Prohibit the Sale or Use of Algorithmic Devices to Set Rents or Manage Occupancy Levels for Residential Dwelling Units (starts on page 39 in packet)
11. Police Accountability Board Report: Fair and Impartial Policing Implementation (full report available in agenda packet starts on page 55)
12. Tregub & Lunaparra – Resolution in Support of the Commissioning of a California Feasibility Study to Implement “Golden State Energy,” a Not-for-Profit Public Utility Model study compares various not-for-profit utility models to replace investor-owned utilities such as PG&E
13. Tregub, co-sponsors Bartlett, O-Keefe – Budget referral Transfer Tax Exemption for 100% Affordable Housing Projects

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

14. Oyekanmi, Finance – FY 2024, 4^th Quarter Investment Report: Ended 30, 2024
15. Klein, Planning – LPO NOD: 1310 University Ave #LMSA2024-0001
16. Klein, Planning – LPO NOD 2500-12 San Pablo Ave #LMIN2024-0004

 

+++++++++++++++++++ Land Use - Work Sessions - Special Meetings +++++++++++++++ 

 

LAND USE CALENDAR 

• 3000 Shattuck (construct 10-story mixed-use building) 3/25/2025
• 2274 Shattuck TBD

WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS: 

Feb 11 (4 pm) Fire Safety Regulations 

Feb 25 (4 pm) Economic Dashboards Update 

March 18 (4 pm) Berkeley Police Department Annual Update 

April 22 (4 pm) Evacuation Study and Response Times 

April 22 (6 pm) City Council ZAB Appeal Hearing for UA Theater Project 

April 29 (4 pm) Presentation on City’s Unfunded Liabilities 

UNSCHEDULED WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS 

none 

PREVIOUSLY LISTED WORKSESSIONS and SPECIAL MEETINGS REMOVED FROM LIST 

• Fire Department Standards of Coverage & Community Risk Assessment
• Dispatch Needs Assessment Presentation
• Presentation on Homelessness/Re-Housing/Thousand-Person Plan (TBD regular agenda)

Feasibility Study Follow Up Session 

 

++++ How to get on or off the Activist’s Calendar and Activist’s Diary email list ++++++++ 

 

Kelly Hammargren’s summary on what happened the preceding week is posted on the What Happened page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/what-happened.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/ 

 

The Activist’s Calendar of meetings is posted on the What’s Ahead page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

If you would like to receive the Activist’s Calendar as soon as it is completed send an email to: kellyhammargren@gmail.com.If you want to receive the Activist’s Diary send an email to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. If you wish to stop receiving the weekly calendar of city meetings please forward the email you received to- kellyhammargren@gmail.com -with the request to be removed from the email list. 

 

Dear Mayor and Councilmembers:

Our city council and commissioners are elected and appointed to represent the interests of the residents of Berkeley, but in recent years the council majority seems instead to represent the interests of developers, even when they fail to provide residential units affordable for middle and low-income residents—that is, the housing we need in Berkeley.

Our city Downtown Area Plan recognized the importance to the city of movie theaters downtown, but developers’ drive to build ever more market rate housing downtown has apparently superseded the common sense expressed in the Downtown Plan.

I strongly oppose the city’s having granted a categorical exemption from the CEQA law to the developer who proposes to demolish the historic UA Theatre. I urge that that exemption be withdrawn.

The United Artists Theatre is a beautifully-designed venue for affordable culture and entertainment for the people of Berkeley and the East Bay, that has served residents for decades and has the potential to do so in the future. The city has already failed to protect the other two downtown movie theaters. Berkeley, with more than 117,000 residents and one of the world’s great universities, surely has an obligation to ensure a downtown venue for movies, for the art of film.  

sThe city has not been transparent in its handling of this project—having kept from the public the two reports from consultants on Historic Architecture that concluded this project does indeed qualify for CEQA consideration, instead exempting the project before making them public. 

A CEQA review would at least provide residents of Berkeley the opportunity to have their views heard in a meaningful analysis of the value of this theater and its art deco architecture and interior design to residents of Berkeley. 

sIf we are to return to the vibrant downtown we enjoyed before Covid, we need at least one functioning movie theater that keeps the streets populated at night and the cafes and restaurants profitable. Instead of destroying a great public venue far too costly to build in today’s economy, you should consider its future with intelligence, care, and vision. The city of Berkeley needs a venue for film and performance and community gatherings in its downtown, as is supported in our 2012 Downtown Plan. 

A well-functioning city enjoys a diversity of culture, income, race, ethnicity—and provides its residents and businesses with historic as well as new buildings to create a rich urban fabric. Venues for the entertainment and edification of its residents are essential to its success.

This intense Bob Dylan biopic begins in1961 and ends in 1965. During these five years, Dylan conquered the world of folk music and then left it to become a rock star. 

For the past sixty years, Bob Dylan has been the doyen of American popular music, but remained a prickly, enigmatic figure. “A complete Unknown” provides fresh insight into what drives Dylan: his entire life is devoted to song writing. (Dylan is one of the few rock performers who writes lyrics, creates the accompanying music, arranges the recording, and sings the song.) James Mangold, who co-wrote the script with Jay Cocks, makes no attempt to sugar-coat Dylan; he depicts him as a genius who has one true love: music. 

Since the sixties, there have been three American singer-songwriters that approach Dylan’s stature: Paul Simon. Bruce Springsteen, and Brian Wilson. Simon, and Springsteen were likable, Wilson reclusive. Simon and Wilson have stopped touring. Dylan tours constantly but has remained inscrutable. 

In American music culture, the closest parallel to Bob Dylan is Miles Davis. Prickly enigmatic geniuses who left behind a trail of battered relationships and great music. Davis’s “Kind of Blue” is the most popular jazz album. Dylan’s “Highway 61 revisited” is one of the most influential rock albums. 

It’s not an easy task portraying Dylan: a likable cad. Timothee Chalamet does a splendid job. Oscar worthy. We are fascinated by him almost enough to excuse his terrible behavior. 

Movie critics like “A Complete Unknown” but have two complaints: 1. Some of them are upset because the film is not historically accurate. For example, when Bob Dylan first met Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger was not present. I can live with these inaccuracies. 

2. Many critics complain that they came into “A Complete Unknown” not understanding Dylan and left in the same state. To these critics I say, “Pay attention!” In the scene after Dylan meets Guthrie and Seeger, Mangold has Dylan spend the night at Seeger’s house. In the morning, while Seeger and his family are eating breakfast, Dylan completes the lyrics to “Girl from the North country.” Throughout the movie, Dylan is shown compulsively writing out lyrics. It is Director Mangold’s way of illustrating that Dylan has a prodigious gift/curse: lyrics fill his brain all the time. (BTW: in 2016, Dylan won the Nobel Prize for Literature for these lyrics.) 

Earlier in the same scene with Seeger, they are driving to his house. Dylan turns on the car radio and a Little Richard song is heard. Seeger disparages the song; Dylan defends it. Seeger’s idea of proper music is restricted, Dylan’s expansive. At the end of “A Complete Unknown” Dylan has decided that folk music is too confining and serenades the 1965 Newport Folk Festival with his wider vision. 

Is” A Complete Unknown” the best movie of the year? I don’t know how to compare it to Anora, Conclave, Dune 2, Inside-Out 2, and Wicked. They all seem great to me. 

I do know that “A complete Unknown” is an excellent movie with a terrific cast. Besides Chalamet, I was taken by Edward Norton’s portrayal of Pete Seeger, which also seems Oscar worthy. Monica Barbaro is great as Joan Baez. 

Bottom line: Bob Dylan is a genius but not a nice guy. Miles Davis was a genius but not a nice guy. The same can be said for Pablo Picasso and many other gifted artists. Does this mean we should excuse their boorish behavior? No. But it does mean that we should empathize with them. And we should appreciate geniuses like Bruce Springsteen who manage to create great music and be nice guys.

Worth Noting:

Busy week ahead with City Board and Commission meetings. City Council is on winter recess until January 20, 2025. The first council meeting of the new year is January 21. The agenda is available for comment at the bottom of this email with middle housing (26), Berkeley as a sanctuary city (27) and upgrades to high risk intersections and AB 413 (28).

• Monday, January 13, 2025:
  • At 6:30 pm the Youth Commission meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Peace and Justice Commission meets in person at 7 pm with Berkeley as a Sanctuary City on the agenda
• Wednesday, January 15, 2025:
  • At 1:30 pm the Commission on Aging meets in person.
  • At 4 pm the Civic Arts Commission provides a webinar on community festivals.
  • At 7 pm the Commission on Labor meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Commission on the Status of Women meets in person.
  • The Planning Commission meeting is cancelled.
• Thursday, January 16, 2025:
  • At 5:30 pm the Zero Waste Commission meets in person.
  • At 6:15 pm the Transportation and Infrastructure Commission meets in person with Daylighting CA AB 413 on the agenda.
  • At 6:30 pm the Fair Campaign Practices Commission / Open Government Commission (FCPC/OGC) meets in the Hybrid format with a very full agenda.
  • At 6:30 pm the Design review Committee meets in person on one 26-story project.
• Friday, January 17, 2025:
  • At 12 pm the Civic Arts Commission provides a webinar on general operating support.
• Saturday, January 18, 2025:
  • At 9 am is unit 1 of the Community Response Team Response (CERT).
  • From 9 – 11 am is 3^rd Saturday Shoreline Cleanup.

Check City website for meetings posted on short notice, webinars and City of Berkeley Recreation Calendar. https://berkeleyca.gov



If you are unable to attend a meeting in person due to a disability and/or it is not offered in the hybrid or an accessible format, TO REQUEST A DISABILITY RELATED ACCOMMODATION(S) TO PARTICIPATE IN A CITY MEETING, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at 510-981-6418 (V) or 510-981-6347 at least 3 days before the meeting (the sooner the better). Thomas Gregory is the ADA Program Coordinator.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS 

 

Sunday, January 12, 2025 – no meetings found 

 

MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2025 

 

PEACE and JUSTICE COMMISSION at 7 pm 

In-Person: at 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: Section B 2. Sanctuary City Discussion and Action 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/peace-and-justice-commission 

 

YOUTH COMISSION at 6:30 pm 

In-Person: at 1730 Oregon 

AGENDA: 8. Schedule and plan Event Planning Subcommittee meeting, 9. Schedule and plan Safety and Homelessness Subcommittee meeting. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/youth-commission 

 

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 – no meetings or events found 

 

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025 

 

COMMISSION on AGING at 1:30 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: Staff reports 1. Center for Elders Independence, a PACE program: https://cei.elders.org 2. Family Bridges / Hong Fook Centers: https://www.familybridges.org/hong-fook-cbas-%20centers/ 3. Guide Services: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/guide 4. Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org Discussion / Action 1. Senior Resource Fair, 2. Parks and Recreation intergenerational activities, 3. Pre-election discussion, 4. Schedule presentation.2025 Measure FF 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/commission-aging 

 

COMMISSION on LABOR at 7 pm 

In-Person: at 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: only action approve minutes from 11/20/2024, no reports, presentation, updates. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/commission-labor 

 

COMMISSION on the STATUS of WOMEN AT 7 PM 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 8. In-depth discussion of domestic violence/gender-based violence recommendations 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/commission-status-women 

 

CIVIC ARTS GRANT WEBINAR: Community Festivals at 4 pm 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/civic-arts-grant-webinar-community-festivals-0 

 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2025 

 

DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE (DRC) at 6:30 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: one project 1. 1950-1998 Shattuck at University – DRCP2023-0003 – Preliminary Design Review – to demolish 5 existing commercial buildings; merge four lots; construct 28-story 411,610 sq ft, mixed-use building with 599 dwelling units including 58 very low-income units (SB 330 density bonus project), 16,920 sq ft of commercial area (489 studio units, 110 2-bedroom units total 709 bedrooms, rooftop restaurant, 154 vehicle parking spaces, 256 long term and 18 short term resident bicycle spaces, 10 commercial bike spaces, 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/design-review-committee 

 

FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES COMMISSIONS (FCPC) / OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMISSION (OGC) at 6:30 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 1st Floor, Cypress Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1608180534 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833  

Meeting ID: 161 405 5306 

AGENDA: FCPC 8. Report from Negotiating Subcommittee: Yes on Measure CC / No on Measure BB, 9. Clerk Referral: Failure to repay unspent public financing funds, 10. Proposed Amendment to Commission Regulation R.2.12.270.1 Administrative Termination of Filing Obligations, 11. Enforcement referral regarding Andy Kelley for Rent Board 2020 campaign, 12. Enforcement referral regarding Campaign for Police Accountability campaign and possible administrative closure of committee pursuant to FCPC Regulation R2.12.270.1, 13. Enforcement referral regarding Vanessa Daniele Marrero, Rent Board, OGC 16. City Clerk referral non-filing of quarterly lobbying activity disclosure: Yuro Sadiki-Torres (Northern CA Land Trust), 17. Commission vacancies, 18. Commissioners Manual – Recommendations for revision (includes action on stipends) 19. Council Rules of Procedure and Order Revisions, Joint FCPC-OGC 20. Brown Act 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/fair-campaign-practices-commission 

 

TRANSPORTATION and INFRASTRUCTURE COMMISSION at 6:15 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center, Aspen Room 

AGENDA Discussion/Action Items: 1. 7 pm - MTC grant review: San Pablo /Ashby and 7^th Street/Anthony intersections – complete streets intersection projects, 2. 7:20 pm - Daylighting Law (AB 413) implementation, outreach and enforcement – Daylighting law prohibits parking and loading within 20 feet of a crosswalk whether marked or unmarked and within 15 feet when a curb has been extended and relocation of disabled parking in these zones. 3. 7:50 pm – Status, process and schedule to update the citywide bike plan. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/transportation-and-infrastructure-commission 

 

ZERO WASTE COMMISSION at 5:30 pm 

In-Person: at 1326 Allston Way, Corporation Yard, Ratcliff Building, Willow Room 

AGENDA: 6:25 pm 2. Q & A, and discussion by Green Building Subcommittee and Pross Towards a Green Building Ordinance. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/zero-waste-commission 

 

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2025 

 

CIVIC ARTS GRANT WEBINAR: General Operating Support at 12 pm 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/civic-arts-grant-webinar-general-operating-support 

 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2025 

 

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) UNIT 1: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS at 9 am 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/news/cert-classes-unit-1-january-18-2025 

 

3^rd SATURDAY SHORELINE CLEANUP from 9 – 11 am 

Use web link for information 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/3rd-saturday-shoreline-cleanup-january 

 

Sunday, January 19, 2025 – no meetings found 

 

++++++ CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, Tuesday, January 21, 2025 +++++++++++ 

 

CITY COUNCIL at 6 pm on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 

Members: Ishii, Taplin, Bartlett 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor, Redwood Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1608180534 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 160 818 0534 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-committees/policy-committee-agenda-rules 

 

Land Acknowledgement 

Ceremonial Matters 

City Manager Comments 

Public Comment on Non-Agenda Matters 

Public Comment by Employee Unions 

 

RECESS ITEMS: 

1. Radu, City Manager Office - Amend Contract No. 105938-1 add $42,840 total $274,440 with Koefran Industries to provide weekly removal and disposal of deceased animals from Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS) through 2027
2. Oyekanmi, Finance – Amend Contracts 32000146 add $500,000 total $1,517,000 with Vestis Services, LLC (formerly Aramark Uniform Services) for Uniforms and Laundering and 32300013 add $500,000 total $1,235,000 with Herc Rental Inc. for Rental Equipment and Products
3. Gilman, HHCS – Amend Contract 32400177 add $20,000 total $120,000 with Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez for Health Officer Coverage
4. Davis, Public Works – Contract $2,683,395 (includes 10% contingency) with Rosas Brothers Construction for FY 2025 Curb Ramp Improvement (Specification No. 25-11679-C)

ACGENDA on CONSENT: 

5. Friedrichsen, Budget Manager – Amend Contract No. 32400129 add $45,203 total $85,203 with IGM Technology Corporation for Digital Budget Book Services and extend to 1/31/2027
6. Numainville, City Clerk – Contract $330,000 with Records Xpress of California, LLC dbs Access Information Management for Offsite Records Management Services 12/1/2024 -11/30/2029
7. Hollander, Economic Development – Contract $150,000 with Julie W. Change Public Artwork Commission for Willard Clubhouse 18’5” wide 10’ tall
8. Hollander, Economic Development – Accept National Endowment for the Arts Grant $40,000 to enhance Civic Arts Grant Programming
9. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitations $12,169,940 (Environmental database migration- $275,000, Pavement Management Consulting-$900,000, Staff uniforms-$200,000, Recreation Management SaaS Platform-$150,000, Cesar Chavez Perimeter Pathway-$1,500,000, On-Call Stormwater for Transfer Station-$200,000, Integration Platform-$500,000, Waste Disposalplus cylinders-$350,000, Corp Yard Green Room and Building H Improvements-$1,650,000, Environmental Consulting on-call-$500,000, Citation and Permit Management-$5,819,940)
10. Sprague, Fire – Authorized Agent Update Resolution 69,682-N.S. for FEMA Public Assistance to engage for another 3 years with FEMA and Governor’s Office for Emergency Services
11. Gilman HHCS – Amend Contract No 32100126 add $30,000 total $205,000 with Anjanette Scott LLC for housing Consultant Services end 6/30/2026
12. Gilman, HHCS – Housing Trust Fund Recommendations for MLK Jr House Predevelopment Funds disperse $320,000 and Haste Street Rehabilitation Funds reserve $500,000
13. Ferris, Parks – Amend Contracts No(s) 32400134 Lind Marine, 32400135 Silverado Contractors, 32400145 Power Engineering to remove and dispose derelict and abandoned vessels at Berkeley Marina by increasing contract amount by $55,000 total $217,000 and extend to 9/30/2026
14. Ferris, Parks Amend Contract No. 32100143 add $86,000 total $806,000 with ACTC/Caltrans for Construction of Gilman Street Sanitary Sewer Line Extension
15. Ferris, Parks – Accept Donation $16,000 from Friends of the Berkeley Animal Care Shelter for new fencing for animal training area at Aquatic Park
16. Louis, Police – Contract $200,000 with Benchmark Analytics for Early Intervention System (EIS) Platform 2/3/2025 – 2/3/2027 with option to extend for 2 years total $400,000
17. Louis, Police – Amend Contract No. 100692-5 add $2,000,000 total $5,000,000 with Serological Research Institute for DNA Testing Services and extend from 6/30/2025 to 6/30/2027
18. Louis, Police – Amend Contract No. 31900143 add $2,000,000 total $7,365,545 with Passport Labs Incorporated for a Parking Managements System and extend 18 months to 8/4/2027
19. Davis, Public Works – Two Reimbursement Agreements with Union Pacific Railroad for construction of safety improvements at Addison and Bancroft Way
20. Davis, Public Works – Master Contract No. 901979, Purchase Order, California Automotive Retailing Group dba Dublin Chevrolet for two 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV Police Pursuit Vehicles not to exceed $220,000
21. Mental Health Commission – Appoint Lisa Teague to the Mental Health Commission 3-year term 1/22/2025 – 1/21/2028
22. Mayor Ishii – Seating Arrangement, Vice Mayor Term Revision, Committee and Council Appointments

AGENDA on ACTION: 

23. Gilman, HHCS – Public Hearing – California Municipal Finance Authority Bond Financing for 2001 Ashby Avenue
24. Ferris, Parks – Public Hearing – Changes to Recreation and Camps Program Fees
25. Klein, Planning – ZAB Appeal 2708 Prince Street, Use Permit ZP2024-0024, demolish single family home and garage and construct 2-story duplex 24 ft height, 3,118 sq-ft
26. Kesarwani – Expanding Homeownership Opportunities for Middle-Income Earners Refer to City Manager to develop modifications to BMC Title 21 (Subdivisions) and refer to City Manager and Planning Commission to develop modifications to Title 23 (Zoning) to enhance ownership opportunities for middle-housing-in alignment with unanimous Council direction for Middle Housing Ordinance and allowances under Chapter 783, Statutes of 2023
27. Blackaby, cosponsors Ishii, Lunaparra, Taplin – Reaffirm Berkeley as a Sanctuary City, refer to City Attorney to explore possibility of pledging the City’s legal support to help “sensitive sites” defend themselves against civil litigation, create taskforce of councilmembers and community members/organizations, UC officials to continually assess threats to Berkeley’s immigrant community and participate in the process of codifying Berkeley’s Sanctuary protections through a city ordinance
28. Lunaparra – Budget Referral – Curb Marking and Preventive Infrastructure Upgrades at High-Risk Intersections in accordance with New California Daylighting Law AB 413

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

29. Wong, Auditor – Audit Follow-up status Update

 

DISPOSITION of ITEMS REMOVED from the AGENDA” 

• Radu, City Manager Office – Contract $60,323.58 with Edgeworth Integration LLC for purchase and installation of new security camera syster server (cameras in place) at Berkeley Animal care Services 1/22/2025 – 1/21/2026 – Rescheduled to 2-11-2025
• Police Accountability Board – Berkeley Police Department Texting Offences: An Independent Investigation by the Police Accountability Board (see report for details – 271 Pages) – Referred to Public Safety Committee
• Kesarwani – Establish Rules and Limits When Community-Based Organizations Receive City Funding without Procurement to Promote Transparency, Fairness, and Stewardship of Public Funds – Referred to Budget Committee

 

+++++++++++++++++++ Land Use - Work Sessions - Special Meetings +++++++++++++++ 

 

LAND USE CALENDAR 

• 3000 Shattuck (construct 10-story mixed-use building) 3/25/2025
• 2708 Prince (construct duplex)1/21/2025

 

WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS: 

• None

UNSCHEDULED WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS 

• Affordable Housing Feasibility Study Follow Up Session (winter 2025)
• BPD Annual Report (March 2025)

UNSCHEDULED PRESENTATIONS 

• Economic Dashboards Update (February 2025)
• Evacuation Study (Winter 2025)
• Unfunded Liabilities (April/May 2025)

PREVIOUSLY LISTED WORKSESSIONS and SPECIAL MEETINGS REMOVED FROM LIST 

• Fire Department Standards of Coverage & Community Risk Assessment
• Dispatch Needs Assessment Presentation
• Presentation on Homelessness/Re-Housing/Thousand-Person Plan

 

++++ How to get on or off the Activist’s Calendar and Activist’s Diary email list ++++++++ 

 

Kelly Hammargren’s summary on what happened the preceding week is posted on the What Happened page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/what-happened.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/ 

 

The Activist’s Calendar of meetings is posted on the What’s Ahead page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

If you would like to receive the Activist’s Calendar as soon as it is completed send an email to: kellyhammargren@gmail.com.If you want to receive the Activist’s Diary send an email to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. If you wish to stop receiving the weekly calendar of city meetings please forward the email you received to- kellyhammargren@gmail.com -with the request to be removed from the email list. 

 

 

 

 

Worth Noting: 

Busy week ahead with City Board and Commission meetings. City Council is on winter recess until January 20, 2025. The first council meeting of the new year is January 21. The agenda is available for comment at the bottom of this email with middle housing (26), Berkeley as a sanctuary city (27) and upgrades to high risk intersections and AB 413 (28). 

 

• Monday, January 13, 2025:
  • At 6:30 pm the Youth Commission meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Peace and Justice Commission meets in person at 7 pm with Berkeley as a Sanctuary City on the agenda
• Wednesday, January 15, 2025:
  • At 1:30 pm the Commission on Aging meets in person.
  • At 4 pm the Civic Arts Commission provides a webinar on community festivals.
  • At 7 pm the Commission on Labor meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Commission on the Status of Women meets in person.
  • The Planning Commission meeting is cancelled.
• Thursday, January 16, 2025:
  • At 5:30 pm the Zero Waste Commission meets in person.
  • At 6:15 pm the Transportation and Infrastructure Commission meets in person with Daylighting CA AB 413 on the agenda.
  • At 6:30 pm the Fair Campaign Practices Commission / Open Government Commission (FCPC/OGC) meets in the Hybrid format with a very full agenda.
  • At 6:30 pm the Design review Committee meets in person on one 26-story project.
• Friday, January 17, 2025:
  • At 12 pm the Civic Arts Commission provides a webinar on general operating support.
• Saturday, January 18, 2025:
  • At 9 am is unit 1 of the Community Response Team Response (CERT).
  • From 9 – 11 am is 3^rd Saturday Shoreline Cleanup.

 

Check City website for meetings posted on short notice, webinars and City of Berkeley Recreation Calendar. https://berkeleyca.gov 

 

If you are unable to attend a meeting in person due to a disability and/or it is not offered in the hybrid or an accessible format, TO REQUEST A DISABILITY RELATED ACCOMMODATION(S) TO PARTICIPATE IN A CITY MEETING, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at 510-981-6418 (V) or 510-981-6347 at least 3 days before the meeting (the sooner the better). Thomas Gregory is the ADA Program Coordinator. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

 

BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS 

 

Sunday, January 12, 2025 – no meetings found 

 

MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2025 

 

PEACE and JUSTICE COMMISSION at 7 pm 

In-Person: at 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: Section B 2. Sanctuary City Discussion and Action 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/peace-and-justice-commission 

 

YOUTH COMISSION at 6:30 pm 

In-Person: at 1730 Oregon 

AGENDA: 8. Schedule and plan Event Planning Subcommittee meeting, 9. Schedule and plan Safety and Homelessness Subcommittee meeting. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/youth-commission 

 

Tuesday, January 14, 2025 – no meetings or events found 

 

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2025 

 

COMMISSION on AGING at 1:30 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: Staff reports 1. Center for Elders Independence, a PACE program: https://cei.elders.org 2. Family Bridges / Hong Fook Centers: https://www.familybridges.org/hong-fook-cbas-%20centers/ 3. Guide Services: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/guide 4. Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org Discussion / Action 1. Senior Resource Fair, 2. Parks and Recreation intergenerational activities, 3. Pre-election discussion, 4. Schedule presentation.2025 Measure FF 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/commission-aging 

 

COMMISSION on LABOR at 7 pm 

In-Person: at 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: only action approve minutes from 11/20/2024, no reports, presentation, updates. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/commission-labor 

 

COMMISSION on the STATUS of WOMEN AT 7 PM 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 8. In-depth discussion of domestic violence/gender-based violence recommendations 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/commission-status-women 

 

CIVIC ARTS GRANT WEBINAR: Community Festivals at 4 pm 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/civic-arts-grant-webinar-community-festivals-0 

 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2025 

 

DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE (DRC) at 6:30 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: one project 1. 1950-1998 Shattuck at University – DRCP2023-0003 – Preliminary Design Review – to demolish 5 existing commercial buildings; merge four lots; construct 28-story 411,610 sq ft, mixed-use building with 599 dwelling units including 58 very low-income units (SB 330 density bonus project), 16,920 sq ft of commercial area (489 studio units, 110 2-bedroom units total 709 bedrooms, rooftop restaurant, 154 vehicle parking spaces, 256 long term and 18 short term resident bicycle spaces, 10 commercial bike spaces, 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/design-review-committee 

 

FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES COMMISSIONS (FCPC) / OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMISSION (OGC) at 6:30 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 1st Floor, Cypress Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1608180534 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833  

Meeting ID: 161 405 5306 

AGENDA: FCPC 8. Report from Negotiating Subcommittee: Yes on Measure CC / No on Measure BB, 9. Clerk Referral: Failure to repay unspent public financing funds, 10. Proposed Amendment to Commission Regulation R.2.12.270.1 Administrative Termination of Filing Obligations, 11. Enforcement referral regarding Andy Kelley for Rent Board 2020 campaign, 12. Enforcement referral regarding Campaign for Police Accountability campaign and possible administrative closure of committee pursuant to FCPC Regulation R2.12.270.1, 13. Enforcement referral regarding Vanessa Daniele Marrero, Rent Board, OGC 16. City Clerk referral non-filing of quarterly lobbying activity disclosure: Yuro Sadiki-Torres (Northern CA Land Trust), 17. Commission vacancies, 18. Commissioners Manual – Recommendations for revision (includes action on stipends) 19. Council Rules of Procedure and Order Revisions, Joint FCPC-OGC 20. Brown Act 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/fair-campaign-practices-commission 

 

TRANSPORTATION and INFRASTRUCTURE COMMISSION at 6:15 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center, Aspen Room 

AGENDA Discussion/Action Items: 1. 7 pm - MTC grant review: San Pablo /Ashby and 7^th Street/Anthony intersections – complete streets intersection projects, 2. 7:20 pm - Daylighting Law (AB 413) implementation, outreach and enforcement – Daylighting law prohibits parking and loading within 20 feet of a crosswalk whether marked or unmarked and within 15 feet when a curb has been extended and relocation of disabled parking in these zones. 3. 7:50 pm – Status, process and schedule to update the citywide bike plan. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/transportation-and-infrastructure-commission 

 

ZERO WASTE COMMISSION at 5:30 pm 

In-Person: at 1326 Allston Way, Corporation Yard, Ratcliff Building, Willow Room 

AGENDA: 6:25 pm 2. Q & A, and discussion by Green Building Subcommittee and Pross Towards a Green Building Ordinance. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/zero-waste-commission 

 

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2025 

 

CIVIC ARTS GRANT WEBINAR: General Operating Support at 12 pm 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/civic-arts-grant-webinar-general-operating-support 

 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2025 

 

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) UNIT 1: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS at 9 am 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/news/cert-classes-unit-1-january-18-2025 

 

3^rd SATURDAY SHORELINE CLEANUP from 9 – 11 am 

Use web link for information 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/3rd-saturday-shoreline-cleanup-january 

 

Sunday, January 19, 2025 – no meetings found 

 

++++++ CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, Tuesday, January 21, 2025 +++++++++++ 

 

CITY COUNCIL at 6 pm on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 

Members: Ishii, Taplin, Bartlett 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor, Redwood Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1608180534 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 160 818 0534 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-committees/policy-committee-agenda-rules 

 

Land Acknowledgement 

Ceremonial Matters 

City Manager Comments 

Public Comment on Non-Agenda Matters 

Public Comment by Employee Unions 

 

RECESS ITEMS: 

1. Radu, City Manager Office - Amend Contract No. 105938-1 add $42,840 total $274,440 with Koefran Industries to provide weekly removal and disposal of deceased animals from Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS) through 2027
2. Oyekanmi, Finance – Amend Contracts 32000146 add $500,000 total $1,517,000 with Vestis Services, LLC (formerly Aramark Uniform Services) for Uniforms and Laundering and 32300013 add $500,000 total $1,235,000 with Herc Rental Inc. for Rental Equipment and Products
3. Gilman, HHCS – Amend Contract 32400177 add $20,000 total $120,000 with Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez for Health Officer Coverage
4. Davis, Public Works – Contract $2,683,395 (includes 10% contingency) with Rosas Brothers Construction for FY 2025 Curb Ramp Improvement (Specification No. 25-11679-C)

ACGENDA on CONSENT: 

5. Friedrichsen, Budget Manager – Amend Contract No. 32400129 add $45,203 total $85,203 with IGM Technology Corporation for Digital Budget Book Services and extend to 1/31/2027
6. Numainville, City Clerk – Contract $330,000 with Records Xpress of California, LLC dbs Access Information Management for Offsite Records Management Services 12/1/2024 -11/30/2029
7. Hollander, Economic Development – Contract $150,000 with Julie W. Change Public Artwork Commission for Willard Clubhouse 18’5” wide 10’ tall
8. Hollander, Economic Development – Accept National Endowment for the Arts Grant $40,000 to enhance Civic Arts Grant Programming
9. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitations $12,169,940 (Environmental database migration- $275,000, Pavement Management Consulting-$900,000, Staff uniforms-$200,000, Recreation Management SaaS Platform-$150,000, Cesar Chavez Perimeter Pathway-$1,500,000, On-Call Stormwater for Transfer Station-$200,000, Integration Platform-$500,000, Waste Disposalplus cylinders-$350,000, Corp Yard Green Room and Building H Improvements-$1,650,000, Environmental Consulting on-call-$500,000, Citation and Permit Management-$5,819,940)
10. Sprague, Fire – Authorized Agent Update Resolution 69,682-N.S. for FEMA Public Assistance to engage for another 3 years with FEMA and Governor’s Office for Emergency Services
11. Gilman HHCS – Amend Contract No 32100126 add $30,000 total $205,000 with Anjanette Scott LLC for housing Consultant Services end 6/30/2026
12. Gilman, HHCS – Housing Trust Fund Recommendations for MLK Jr House Predevelopment Funds disperse $320,000 and Haste Street Rehabilitation Funds reserve $500,000
13. Ferris, Parks – Amend Contracts No(s) 32400134 Lind Marine, 32400135 Silverado Contractors, 32400145 Power Engineering to remove and dispose derelict and abandoned vessels at Berkeley Marina by increasing contract amount by $55,000 total $217,000 and extend to 9/30/2026
14. Ferris, Parks Amend Contract No. 32100143 add $86,000 total $806,000 with ACTC/Caltrans for Construction of Gilman Street Sanitary Sewer Line Extension
15. Ferris, Parks – Accept Donation $16,000 from Friends of the Berkeley Animal Care Shelter for new fencing for animal training area at Aquatic Park
16. Louis, Police – Contract $200,000 with Benchmark Analytics for Early Intervention System (EIS) Platform 2/3/2025 – 2/3/2027 with option to extend for 2 years total $400,000
17. Louis, Police – Amend Contract No. 100692-5 add $2,000,000 total $5,000,000 with Serological Research Institute for DNA Testing Services and extend from 6/30/2025 to 6/30/2027
18. Louis, Police – Amend Contract No. 31900143 add $2,000,000 total $7,365,545 with Passport Labs Incorporated for a Parking Managements System and extend 18 months to 8/4/2027
19. Davis, Public Works – Two Reimbursement Agreements with Union Pacific Railroad for construction of safety improvements at Addison and Bancroft Way
20. Davis, Public Works – Master Contract No. 901979, Purchase Order, California Automotive Retailing Group dba Dublin Chevrolet for two 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV Police Pursuit Vehicles not to exceed $220,000
21. Mental Health Commission – Appoint Lisa Teague to the Mental Health Commission 3-year term 1/22/2025 – 1/21/2028
22. Mayor Ishii – Seating Arrangement, Vice Mayor Term Revision, Committee and Council Appointments

AGENDA on ACTION: 

23. Gilman, HHCS – Public Hearing – California Municipal Finance Authority Bond Financing for 2001 Ashby Avenue
24. Ferris, Parks – Public Hearing – Changes to Recreation and Camps Program Fees
25. Klein, Planning – ZAB Appeal 2708 Prince Street, Use Permit ZP2024-0024, demolish single family home and garage and construct 2-story duplex 24 ft height, 3,118 sq-ft
26. Kesarwani – Expanding Homeownership Opportunities for Middle-Income Earners Refer to City Manager to develop modifications to BMC Title 21 (Subdivisions) and refer to City Manager and Planning Commission to develop modifications to Title 23 (Zoning) to enhance ownership opportunities for middle-housing-in alignment with unanimous Council direction for Middle Housing Ordinance and allowances under Chapter 783, Statutes of 2023
27. Blackaby, cosponsors Ishii, Lunaparra, Taplin – Reaffirm Berkeley as a Sanctuary City, refer to City Attorney to explore possibility of pledging the City’s legal support to help “sensitive sites” defend themselves against civil litigation, create taskforce of councilmembers and community members/organizations, UC officials to continually assess threats to Berkeley’s immigrant community and participate in the process of codifying Berkeley’s Sanctuary protections through a city ordinance
28. Lunaparra – Budget Referral – Curb Marking and Preventive Infrastructure Upgrades at High-Risk Intersections in accordance with New California Daylighting Law AB 413

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

29. Wong, Auditor – Audit Follow-up status Update

 

DISPOSITION of ITEMS REMOVED from the AGENDA” 

• Radu, City Manager Office – Contract $60,323.58 with Edgeworth Integration LLC for purchase and installation of new security camera syster server (cameras in place) at Berkeley Animal care Services 1/22/2025 – 1/21/2026 – Rescheduled to 2-11-2025
• Police Accountability Board – Berkeley Police Department Texting Offences: An Independent Investigation by the Police Accountability Board (see report for details – 271 Pages) – Referred to Public Safety Committee
• Kesarwani – Establish Rules and Limits When Community-Based Organizations Receive City Funding without Procurement to Promote Transparency, Fairness, and Stewardship of Public Funds – Referred to Budget Committee

 

+++++++++++++++++++ Land Use - Work Sessions - Special Meetings +++++++++++++++ 

 

LAND USE CALENDAR 

• 3000 Shattuck (construct 10-story mixed-use building) 3/25/2025
• 2708 Prince (construct duplex)1/21/2025

 

WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS: 

• None

UNSCHEDULED WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS 

• Affordable Housing Feasibility Study Follow Up Session (winter 2025)
• BPD Annual Report (March 2025)

UNSCHEDULED PRESENTATIONS 

• Economic Dashboards Update (February 2025)
• Evacuation Study (Winter 2025)
• Unfunded Liabilities (April/May 2025)

PREVIOUSLY LISTED WORKSESSIONS and SPECIAL MEETINGS REMOVED FROM LIST 

• Fire Department Standards of Coverage & Community Risk Assessment
• Dispatch Needs Assessment Presentation
• Presentation on Homelessness/Re-Housing/Thousand-Person Plan

 

++++ How to get on or off the Activist’s Calendar and Activist’s Diary email list ++++++++ 

 

Kelly Hammargren’s summary on what happened the preceding week is posted on the What Happened page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/what-happened.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/ 

 

The Activist’s Calendar of meetings is posted on the What’s Ahead page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

If you would like to receive the Activist’s Calendar as soon as it is completed send an email to: kellyhammargren@gmail.com.If you want to receive the Activist’s Diary send an email to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. If you wish to stop receiving the weekly calendar of city meetings please forward the email you received to- kellyhammargren@gmail.com -with the request to be removed from the email list. 

 

 

 

Worth Noting:

Winter recess ends Monday with the first council meeting of the new year on Tuesday, we can expect Council to pass January 21. The agenda is available for comment at the bottom of this email with middle housing (26), Berkeley as a sanctuary city (27) and upgrades to high risk intersections and AB 413 (28).

• Tuesday, January 21, 2025: A
  • t 11 am the Solano Business Improvement District meets in person.
  • At 6 pm the City Council meets in the hybrid format.
• Wednesday, January 22, 2025:
  • At 6 pm the Civic Arts Commission meets in person.
  • At 6 pm the Environment and Climate Commission meets in person.
  • At 6 pm is the Recreation Scholarship Workshop,
  • At 6:30 pm the Police Accountability Board meets in the hybrid format.
  • At 7 pm the Disaster and Fire Safety Commission meets in person.
• Thursday, January 23, 2025:
  • At 6:30 pm the Community Health Commission meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Mental Health Commission meets in person.
  • At 7 pm the Zoning Adjustment Board meets in the hybrid format.
• Saturday, January 25, 2025:
  • At 9 am is the CERT Unit 2 Disaster Preparedness.
  • From 10 am – 2 pm is the pop-up on updating the Berkeley Bike Plan at the Downtown Farmer’s Market.
  • At 10 am is Nature Journaling for children.
  • At 12:30 pm is Swim Lesson Assessment Day

Check City website for meetings posted on short notice, webinars and City of Berkeley Recreation Calendar. https://berkeleyca.gov



If you are unable to attend a meeting in person due to a disability and/or it is not offered in the hybrid or an accessible format, TO REQUEST A DISABILITY RELATED ACCOMMODATION(S) TO PARTICIPATE IN A CITY MEETING, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at 510-981-6418 (V) or 510-981-6347 at least 3 days before the meeting (the sooner the better). Thomas Gregory is the ADA Program Coordinator.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS 

 

Sunday, January 19, 2025 – no meetings found 

 

MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2025 - Martin Luther King Jr Holiday (all city offices closed) 

 

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2025  

 

CITY COUNCIL at 6 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison, BUSD Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1608180534 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 160 818 0534 

AGENDA: Use the link and choose the html option to review agenda items individually or pdf to see the entire packet as one document. or go to the agenda listed at the end of the calendar for quick look. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

SOLANO AVENUE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ADVISORY BOARD at 11am 

In-Person: 1849 Solano 

AGENDA: 5. Financial Update, 6. Work Plan, Web Development and Postcard for Branding. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/solano-avenue-business-improvement-district-advisory-board 

 

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2025 

 

CIVIC ARTS COMMISSION at 6 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Russell, Tarea Hall Pittman, South Branch Library 

AGENDA: 6. Presentations, Discussion & Action Items a) Recommendation of artist Joanna Keane Lopez for Cube Space, b) Recommendation for approval of artwork by Forest Wolf Kell for new 24/7 public restroom outside the Public Parking Garage on Channing Way proposed by the Telegraph Business Improvement District, c) Recommendation for approval of recommendation to the City Council that it refer to the Planning Commission for its consideration and action a draft ordinance amending Municipal Code AB 812 (Chapter 747) authorizing a certain percentage of affordable units be reserved for lower income artists of those required affordable housing units consistent with the City of Berkeley’s Affordable Housing Preference Policy, d) Quarterly Report Civic Arts Grants-funded Community Festivals, e) Quarterly Report Private Development. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/civic-arts-commission 

 

DISASTER and FIRE SAFETY COMMISSION at 7 pm 

In-Person: at 997 Cedar 

AGENDA: No Agenda posted, check later 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/disaster-and-fire-safety-commission 

 

ENVIRONMENT and CLIMATE COMMISSION at 6 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 8. Workplan 10. Subcommittee updates a. Electrification Equity and Access, b. Water Conservation and Management. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/environment-and-climate-commission 

 

POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD (PAB) at 6:30 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1900 Addison, 3^rd Floor 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89174589069 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 

Meeting ID: 826 5339 6072 

AGENDA: 3. Public Comment on agenda and non-agenda items, 5-8. Staff, Board, Chief and Subcommittee reports, 9. Designation of presenter for PAB’s reports to City Council (PAB report referred by Agenda Committee to Council Safety Committee, 10. B. Proposed Amendment to Section K Mutual Aid, c. Review of BPD MOUs/Mutual Aid Agreements per Section K, d. Status update on Policy Reviews, e. Strategic Planning Session, f. PAB Annual Report, 11. Public Comment, 12. Closed Session. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/police-accountability-board 

 

RECREATION SCHOLARSHIP WORKSHOP at 6pm 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/recreation-scholarship-workshop-4 

 

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2025 

 

COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMISSION at 6:30 pm 

In-Person: at 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 2. Staff Update, Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/community-health-commission 

 

MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION (MHC) at 7 pm 

In-Person: at 1901 Hearst, North Berkeley Senior Center, Poppy Room 

AGENDA: 4. Discussion of meeting with COB (City of Berkeley) finance and Mental Health Dept, 5. Presentation and possible action of self-assessment tool for current commissioners, 5. By-Laws for Berkeley Behavioral Health Commission, 7. Caseload Statistics, 8. Mental Health Commission Annual Report, 9. Subcommittee reports – includes SCU, 10. Role of MHC is advising scope of Behavioral Health services for child, 11. Following five domestic violence homicides, San Mateo County launches co-response pilot. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/mental-health-commission 

 

ZONING ADJUSTMENT BOARD at 7 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison, BUSD Board Room 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88171623196 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833  

Meeting ID: 881 7162 3196 

AGENDA: 2. 2244 McKinley – Use Permit #ZP2021-0082 – to convert 900 sq ft of an existing single-family dwelling to administrative offices for a private school and establish missed-use building with school and residential uses, Berkwood Hedge School. 

3. 654 Woodmont – Use Permit #ZP2023-0109 – this project TO BE CONTINUED to date uncertain. 

[654 Woodmont is in the Hillside Overlay and mapped in Earthquake Zones of Required Investigation https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/informationwarehouse/eqzapp/ as east of the Hayward Fault with just the edge of the lot at Woodmont grabbing the landslide zone] – project to eliminate one of two single-family dwelling units from single family zoned lot through combination, construct a 2-story major residential addition (1,988 sq ft) above 14 ft in average building height (22 ft and above 20 ft maximum building height within the Hillside Overlay (24 ft), vertically extend wall within a nonconforming setback, construct an accessory structure (garage) within the first half of the lot, fence exceeding 6 ft in height along lot line and 9ft, 8 in retaining wall within a minimum required setback on a lot nonconforming for density. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/zoning-adjustments-board 

 

Friday, January 24, 2025 - no meetings found 

 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2025 

 

COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) UNIT 2: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS at 9 am 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/cert-classes-unit-2-january-25-2025 

 

NATURE JOURNALING CLUB AT 10 AM 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/nature-journaling-club-january 

 

BERKELEY BIKE PLAN POP-UP from 10 am – 2 pm 

Location: at Downtown Farmer’s Market at Center & MLK 

https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Berkeley%20Bike%20Plan-Social%20Ads.pdf 

 

SWIM LESSON ASSESSMENT DAY at 12:30 pm 

Use web link for information and to register 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/events/swim-lesson-assessment-day-0 

 

Sunday, January 26, 2025 – no meetings found 

 

++++++ CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, Tuesday, January 21, 2025 +++++++++++ 

 

CITY COUNCIL at 6 pm on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison, BUSD Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1608180534 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 160 818 0534 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

Land Acknowledgement 

Ceremonial Matters 

City Manager Comments 

Public Comment on Non-Agenda Matters 

Public Comment by Employee Unions 

 

RECESS ITEMS: 

1. Radu, City Manager Office - Amend Contract No. 105938-1 add $42,840 total $274,440 with Koefran Industries to provide weekly removal and disposal of deceased animals from Berkeley Animal Care Services (BACS) through 2027
2. Oyekanmi, Finance – Amend Contracts 32000146 add $500,000 total $1,517,000 with Vestis Services, LLC (formerly Aramark Uniform Services) for Uniforms and Laundering and 32300013 add $500,000 total $1,235,000 with Herc Rental Inc. for Rental Equipment and Products
3. Gilman, HHCS – Amend Contract 32400177 add $20,000 total $120,000 with Dr. Lisa B. Hernandez for Health Officer Coverage
4. Davis, Public Works – Contract $2,683,395 (includes 10% contingency) with Rosas Brothers Construction for FY 2025 Curb Ramp Improvement (Specification No. 25-11679-C)

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

5. Friedrichsen, Budget Manager – Amend Contract No. 32400129 add $45,203 total $85,203 with IGM Technology Corporation for Digital Budget Book Services and extend to 1/31/2027
6. Numainville, City Clerk – Contract $330,000 with Records Xpress of California, LLC dbs Access Information Management for Offsite Records Management Services 12/1/2024 -11/30/2029
7. Hollander, Economic Development – Contract $150,000 with Julie W. Change Public Artwork Commission for Willard Clubhouse 18’5” wide 10’ tall
8. Hollander, Economic Development – Accept National Endowment for the Arts Grant $40,000 to enhance Civic Arts Grant Programming
9. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitations $12,169,940 (Environmental database migration- $275,000, Pavement Management Consulting-$900,000, Staff uniforms-$200,000, Recreation Management SaaS Platform-$150,000, Cesar Chavez Perimeter Pathway-$1,500,000, On-Call Stormwater for Transfer Station-$200,000, Integration Platform-$500,000, Waste Disposalplus cylinders-$350,000, Corp Yard Green Room and Building H Improvements-$1,650,000, Environmental Consulting on-call-$500,000, Citation and Permit Management-$5,819,940)
10. Sprague, Fire – Authorized Agent Update Resolution 69,682-N.S. for FEMA Public Assistance to engage for another 3 years with FEMA and Governor’s Office for Emergency Services
11. Gilman HHCS – Amend Contract No 32100126 add $30,000 total $205,000 with Anjanette Scott LLC for housing Consultant Services end 6/30/2026
12. Gilman, HHCS – Housing Trust Fund Recommendations for MLK Jr House Predevelopment Funds disperse $320,000 and Haste Street Rehabilitation Funds reserve $500,000
13. Ferris, Parks – Amend Contracts No(s) 32400134 Lind Marine, 32400135 Silverado Contractors, 32400145 Power Engineering to remove and dispose derelict and abandoned vessels at Berkeley Marina by increasing contract amount by $55,000 total $217,000 and extend to 9/30/2026
14. Ferris, Parks Amend Contract No. 32100143 add $86,000 total $806,000 with ACTC/Caltrans for Construction of Gilman Street Sanitary Sewer Line Extension
15. Ferris, Parks – Accept Donation $16,000 from Friends of the Berkeley Animal Care Shelter for new fencing for animal training area at Aquatic Park
16. Louis, Police – Contract $200,000 with Benchmark Analytics for Early Intervention System (EIS) Platform 2/3/2025 – 2/3/2027 with option to extend for 2 years total $400,000
17. Louis, Police – Amend Contract No. 100692-5 add $2,000,000 total $5,000,000 with Serological Research Institute for DNA Testing Services and extend from 6/30/2025 to 6/30/2027
18. Louis, Police – Amend Contract No. 31900143 add $2,000,000 total $7,365,545 with Passport Labs Incorporated for a Parking Managements System and extend 18 months to 8/4/2027
19. Davis, Public Works – Two Reimbursement Agreements with Union Pacific Railroad for construction of safety improvements at Addison and Bancroft Way
20. Davis, Public Works – Master Contract No. 901979, Purchase Order, California Automotive Retailing Group dba Dublin Chevrolet for two 2025 Chevrolet Blazer EV Police Pursuit Vehicles not to exceed $220,000
21. Mental Health Commission – Appoint Lisa Teague to the Mental Health Commission 3-year term 1/22/2025 – 1/21/2028
22. Mayor Ishii – Seating Arrangement, Vice Mayor Term Revision, Committee and Council Appointments

AGENDA on ACTION: 

23. Gilman, HHCS – Public Hearing – California Municipal Finance Authority Bond Financing for 2001 Ashby Avenue
24. Ferris, Parks – Public Hearing – Changes to Recreation and Camps Program Fees
25. Klein, Planning – ZAB Appeal 2708 Prince Street, Use Permit ZP2024-0024, demolish single family home and garage and construct 2-story duplex 24 ft height, 3,118 sq-ft
26. Kesarwani – Expanding Homeownership Opportunities for Middle-Income Earners Refer to City Manager to develop modifications to BMC Title 21 (Subdivisions) and refer to City Manager and Planning Commission to develop modifications to Title 23 (Zoning) to enhance ownership opportunities for middle-housing-in alignment with unanimous Council direction for Middle Housing Ordinance and allowances under Chapter 783, Statutes of 2023
27. Blackaby, cosponsors Ishii, Lunaparra, Taplin – Reaffirm Berkeley as a Sanctuary City, refer to City Attorney to explore possibility of pledging the City’s legal support to help “sensitive sites” defend themselves against civil litigation, create taskforce of councilmembers and community members/organizations, UC officials to continually assess threats to Berkeley’s immigrant community and participate in the process of codifying Berkeley’s Sanctuary protections through a city ordinance
28. Lunaparra – Budget Referral – Curb Marking and Preventive Infrastructure Upgrades at High-Risk Intersections in accordance with New California Daylighting Law AB 413

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

29. Wong, Auditor – Audit Follow-up status Update

 

DISPOSITION of ITEMS REMOVED from the AGENDA” 

• Radu, City Manager Office – Contract $60,323.58 with Edgeworth Integration LLC for purchase and installation of new security camera syster server (cameras in place) at Berkeley Animal care Services 1/22/2025 – 1/21/2026 – Rescheduled to 2-11-2025
• Police Accountability Board – Berkeley Police Department Texting Offences: An Independent Investigation by the Police Accountability Board (see report for details – 271 Pages) – Referred to Public Safety Committee
• Kesarwani – Establish Rules and Limits When Community-Based Organizations Receive City Funding without Procurement to Promote Transparency, Fairness, and Stewardship of Public Funds – Referred to Budget Committee

 

+++++++++++++++++++ Land Use - Work Sessions - Special Meetings +++++++++++++++ 

 

LAND USE CALENDAR 

• 3000 Shattuck (construct 10-story mixed-use building) 3/25/2025
• 2708 Prince (construct duplex)1/21/2025

 

WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS: 

• None

UNSCHEDULED WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS 

• Affordable Housing Feasibility Study Follow Up Session (winter 2025)
• BPD Annual Report (March 2025)

UNSCHEDULED PRESENTATIONS 

• Economic Dashboards Update (February 2025)
• Evacuation Study (Winter 2025)
• Unfunded Liabilities (April/May 2025)

PREVIOUSLY LISTED WORKSESSIONS and SPECIAL MEETINGS REMOVED FROM LIST 

• Fire Department Standards of Coverage & Community Risk Assessment
• Dispatch Needs Assessment Presentation
• Presentation on Homelessness/Re-Housing/Thousand-Person Plan

 

++++ How to get on or off the Activist’s Calendar and Activist’s Diary email list ++++++++ 

 

Kelly Hammargren’s summary on what happened the preceding week is posted on the What Happened page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/what-happened.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/ 

 

The Activist’s Calendar of meetings is posted on the What’s Ahead page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

If you would like to receive the Activist’s Calendar as soon as it is completed send an email to: kellyhammargren@gmail.com.If you want to receive the Activist’s Diary send an email to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. If you wish to stop receiving the weekly calendar of city meetings please forward the email you received to- kellyhammargren@gmail.com -with the request to be removed from the email list.