On the agenda for tonight is the Council Referral about this item. Requested by Mayor Trish Spencer even though this document had already been made available to her and pretty much clarified everything that she had questions about in her Referral. As pointed out by Mike McMahon in the comments, it’s not only Alameda residents who are coming out of the wood work to oppose a facility to care for the most vulnerable in our communities, but it’s happening everywhere. I mean it’s such a prevalent theme that you have to double check what you’re reading to make sure that it’s not satire first.
Also under providing housing for the most vulnerable in our community: the new APC plan aka RESHAP at Alameda Point. This agenda item is asking for the City Council to approve a DDA and Development Agreement for the project.
As a reminder — since he’s running for City Council — that former City Councilmember Tony Daysog while he was sitting on the City Council attempted to call a plan to provide more affordable housing to low income formerly homeless veterans a “giveaway.” In that he was not prepared to “give away” more units to the RESHAP team and had the nerve to call the plan “soulless.” That was before the election. After losing, he changed his tune, because, that’s Tony Daysog for you.
And finally what’s also on the Council agenda is a public item for Jill Keimach’s performance evaluation. It’s “contingent on the employee’s request for a public session” but given that a whole bunch of Jill Keimach’s supporters told everybody that she totes wants a public evaluation this is going to happen right?
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
For the better part of 10 years, Trish Spencer has served on the School Board and as Mayor and uses the dais and/or council referrals to give a voice to those who feel administrative staff is not telling the whole truth. Once an agenda item is presented, in classic lawyer cross examination technique she will grill staff in an attempt to get them to misspeak or disclose information that she feels needs to be heard in public. In this way she is supported for hard hitting approach to questioning staff since everyone else on the dais just rubber stamp everything.
Comment by Mike McMahon — May 15, 2018 @ 7:47 am
I am at a healthcare for the homeless conference this week so will miss the approval of the DDA tonight. This is an important milestone in our efforts to create a thriving community for our residents. I am thankful to the City and staff for their help getting us here. Regarding the other agenda item, one of my take aways from todays sessions is that the chronically homeless have the same age related health risk factors as cancer patients. I hope one day there is empathy and support for both.
Comment by Doug Biggs — May 15, 2018 @ 4:04 pm
Apparently the CM performance evaluation ended up with this. A Facebook post by Brian McGuire: City has reached a settlement agreement with City Manager Jill Keimach. Vella and Spencer voted against it. Unknown at this point what the $$$ value of the settlement is.
Comment by Mike McMahon — May 15, 2018 @ 9:32 pm