a delay. Uh our apologies, but 7:14
we'll call the meeting of July 28th,
2026 to order. Jennifer, will you call
roll?
>> Council member Aberish?
>> Here.
>> Council member Brown?
>> Here.
>> Council member Gold?
>> Here.
>> Council member Wall? Mayor Domkalski?
>> Here.
>> Thank you. Uh Council member Aberish,
will you lead us in the Pledge of
Allegiance?
Right, thank you, Hassan. Um
before we uh open up public comment and
start queuing up for that, we have
received a number of uh requests to move
agenda item E up earlier in the agenda.
Uh so, I just like to see if any of my
council colleagues would be amenable to
that, if we could get a a motion and a
second, we'd for sure entertain that
opportunity.
>> Yeah, I move to uh move item E up to
earlier in the agenda.
>> Second.
>> Okay.
>> You want to identify when the the first
item?
>> It'll be um the earliest we can do it is
after the planning commissioner
appointment. So, um pretty pretty early
on. You have a pre-consent, pre-town
manager report. So, we'll get that right
out of the gates. I'm sorry. I apologize
for those that are here for the public
hearing. Um
unfortunately, circumstances being what
they are tonight, uh I think uh
we need to make an adjustment to to the
agenda. I apologize, Lisa.
Uh okay, well, uh I I do we need a
formal Let's take a formal vote on that
real quick.
>> Council member
>> agenda to be right after the planning
commission appointment.
>> Council member Aberish?
>> Yes.
>> Council member Brown?
>> Yes.
>> Council member Gold?
>> Yes.
>> Council member Wall?
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Domkalski?
>> Yes, thank you very much for that. And
um we will move on to
uh public comment. So, uh persons
wishing to address the council on any
matter that's not been agendized are
invited to do so uh
right now. Uh
a lot of enthusiasm tonight. Uh but uh
we're not able to undertake any extended
discussions. Of course, we can refer
things to staff for placement on a
future agenda. And um
I think with that, we typically would
limit to five persons 3 minutes each,
but uh we've had a a terrible tragedy up
on uh Highway 35, and we have a number
of people here that would like to speak
on that issue. So, tonight we are um
going to just have public comment open
uh to work through all those issues
beyond the five-person limit. And we
already have a wonderful gentleman here
ready to go, so we'll kick things off
with you, sir.
>> Thank you. Uh so, Darren Evans uh in
Glens.
Um I just want to bring up a policy
question I'd like the council to perhaps
charge the equestrian committee to do.
We have a rule that involves the number
of horses per acre. Um we had a
uh planning commission variance recently
that
called that question or called the rule
to question. Um it looks like it's an
old rule based on grazing and hills and
things. Um and there was a property that
had half an acre that had plenty of
space for the horse that with the horse
was healthy and happy, and there was
room for a second horse. Um and it may
became a big neighbor issue. And I was
in
few of us in the planning commission
afterwards spoke about it and thought
perhaps we should change the rule to be
more aligned with what the horse needs
and not some archaic
one acre issue or two acre issue. Uh
because over time as some of these
bigger lots perhaps get split, if we
want to maintain our horsey nature, we
should give people the ability to have a
horse on less space. And there's a great
model of a house on Glen Craig that has
half an acre, but
45% is dedicated to horse, which
actually is more space than some acre
lots give their horse. Um and it made
sense to approve the variance for two horses. Um so I think that if we
could give the question committee some
guidance or the ability to change the
rules
uh and make it more based on the health
and happiness of horse and not some old
big box rule, I think it'd be great to
be able to then allow future maybe
subdivisions to become horse divisions
and you can have half lots and and you
know, people who want to dedicate more
of the land to the horses and make it
easy. So, just plant that seed for
later. Thank
>> That's a wonderful idea. Thank you, Mr.
Evans. We will Sage, I'll just throw
that into your book.
Uh yes, welcome.
Oh, I know.
Uh that works, too.
» Hi town town council. Thank you for
accommodating us this evening.
Um I'm going to be speaking on Jacob
Sulawaski's dusk death.
My name is Deirdre Crome. I have lived
in Palo Alto the past 25 years and
served on the Palo Alto Parks and Rec
Commission for 10 years.
I'm a board member of the Western
Wheelers Bicycle Club and have been
biking all my life. I'm here to speak on
the recent death of Jacob Sulawaski
on Skyline Boulevard. Jacob was killed
on his bike the morning of Saturday,
July 11, 2026 by a speeding driver on
Skyline Boulevard a half mile south of
Fogarty Winery. This is also about 10
miles south of um the four corners.
Jacob was doing what he loved best,
which was bicycling safely on beautiful
mountain roads. The unnamed driver might
have been doing what he liked best, too,
but the difference is that this driver
was not following the rules of the road
and he was driving fast enough to lose
control of his car such that he crossed
the midline of the road and hit Jacob
head-on.
Jacob did not have a chance while the
person who killed him survived. Jacob
represented the best of us as a human
being and endurance bike rider. He was
skilled.
He was safe. He chose biking over
driving and he did not own a car. He was
34.
Jacob was my friend. We rode together
frequently. I was not as fast as him,
but he slowed down for me to help me
reach my goals as an endurance bike
rider. He did this for many of us in his
community of bike riders. He was
generous and kind.
We all benefited from him.
For many of us, Skyline is a connecting
road to other climbs where we are not as
visible, but we are here. We are
skilled. We are committed to bike riding
and all the joy it brings us and deserve
to share these roads as well. The roads
will feel emptier without Jacob. Jacob
was a remarkable human being all around.
He worked as a mathematician on modeling
ways to sequester carbon. His work had
many applications to the petroleum
industry and climate change research.
His life and contributions to the world
were tragically cut short. All the local
residents see the speeding see the
speeding cars all the time. The bikes
bikers experience it equestrians
hikers. This incident and others show
again and again that we need to make
changes. We need to make this road safer
to benefit everyone. We must implement the changes so the deaths
stop. We can honor Jacob's memory and
the memories of others who have died by
speeding motors on Skyline by
implementing changes as soon as
possible. The solutions are known. These
are preventable deaths. Solutions
require advocacy. We ask you to exert
your considerable power with Caltrans
and to
um adopt the solutions identified by the
South County Traffic Advisory Panel and
expand them to all of Skyline. Thank
you.
>> Thank you, Deirdra. Um
obviously first and foremost our
heartfelt
uh condolences to the friends and family
of Mr. Solovsky. Um
it's a terrible tragedy. Uh I have been
in contact with Supervisor Mueller who
whose office is uh you know, running
that big stakeholder push on those
advisory comments and um
uh and obviously working on speed
reduction and enforcement and um
uh piloting even speed cameras up on
Skyline, I know is a big part of that as
well. Uh so, I know we're working with
county and sheriffs and CHP and Lewis,
you might have a little bit more detail
on what if anything we we can also add
to the mix uh from our
coordination point here in Woodside.
» Honorable mayor,
uh we're absolutely working with
Caltrans and the law enforcement
agencies
um in coordination on various projects,
uh not just on 280, 4, also on Woodside
Road and Cañada Road, Kings Mountain
Road and uh Sand Hill Road.
Um one of the things that we've been
working with the uh law enforcement
agency CHP and
uh San Mateo County Sheriff's is that um
they're working they're coordinating
with us in terms of their joint um
enforcement and they're they're going to
be having another one coming up in
August 8th.
>> August 8th, yeah.
>> Um and um what they told me is that they
wanted to share that with council
and they also wanted to let us know that
they're working on having more of these
joint um enforcement in the near future.
>> Okay, thank you.
>> Can I interject something here?
>> Of course. Uh Council
>> Because um I serve serve on the
circulation committee with the with
Lewis.
And what's also going on and has been
going on for some time now is that
Caltrans has been working with Lewis
and town on how to slow traffic, how to
make it much safer up at Four Corners.
And there's actually construction's
going to start in about 1 month on the
four corners. Um [snorts] that's going
to address hopefully most of the
concerns that you have. We're still
asking them to go further than what
they've already presented, but it's it's been underway for some time.
We're aware of it and we're very sorry
what's happened. We didn't get there
quick enough apparently.
» Thank you, Council [clears throat]
members.
Good evening, Mayor Dombrowski. I hope I
said your name correctly.
>> That's fine.
>> I didn't say it right. It's Dombrowski.
>> I appreciate the effort. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And Council, my name is Cindy
Azrar. I live a couple miles down the
road uh off Woodside in Redwood City
near the border of the town of Woodside.
I also worked in Woodside for 3 and 1/2
years and a member of the Woodside
Village Church. I'm here a lot. In
addition to being a community member, a
mom, and an avid hiker, I'm also a
cyclist and today I'm representing the
Western Wheelers Cycling Club.
A little over 2 weeks ago, as you heard,
we lost our friend and our beloved club
member,
Dr. Jacob Sevallosky on Skyline.
Jacob was killed, as you know, by a
speeding driver who crossed into the
other lane and hit Jacob head-on,
killing him instantly.
He was The driver was 26.
You already heard about Jacob and how
much he was loved by everyone in our
bike club and the community. He was only
34 and brilliant. But due to this
reckless driver, his life was cut far
too short,
robbing him of his chance to have a
successful career, to contribute to
society, to get married, or to have a
family.
For Jacob's sake and for everyone who
has lost loved ones by these super
speeders on Skyline, we're asking you to
take action now to make Skyline safer
for everyone.
As you know, speeding drivers are an
increasing problem on Skyline and other
local roads like 84 and Highway 9.
Cyclists are not the only impacted
group.
This has become a huge safety issue for
law-abiding drivers, hikers,
pedestrians, and local residents who
often fear for their lives just by
leaving their home.
How many deaths will it take before we
have any change?
We thank the council for your efforts
after another death and a community
petition came before the council in
February.
We've heard that Caltrans has plans to
rework the 84 Skyline Boulevard
interchange.
That's good, but we need more.
You've advocated for a lower speed limit
on Skyline. We agree with that, but more
important than having a lower speed
limit is having patrol cars on Skyline
to enforce the existing speed limit.
A 25 mph speed limit is useless if
drivers can go 100 mph or more with no
consequences.
You as a town bordering and containing
highways 84 and 35 can influence the
Sheriff's Office, CHP, Caltrans, and the
legislature.
That's why we're asking you to adopt the
recommendations made by the South Coast
Traffic Advisory Panel in the report
that was passed out.
Your support could help pressure
Caltrans to lower the speed limit, to
install speed cameras, to create a
safety corridor, and implement other
traffic calming measures to stop the
tragic loss of life.
Skyline is a known raceway to drivers,
most of whom do not even live here.
We need to change this now to protect
our community and so more lives are not
senselessly lost.
We've lost our friend and we're
brokenhearted. Please take this
situation seriously. We need the roads
to be safer for everyone.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> [clears throat]
» Yes, sir.
>> Good evening, Council.
>> Good evening.
>> Um
Give me a second. I'm not good at public
speaking.
Hi, my name is Shawn Reardon. I'm not
only a cyclist, driver, husband, and
father,
but I'm also a local resident who has
lived here in the mountains since 2005.
I've seen the dangerous driving up along
our roads go from concerning to
dangerous to now what I would call
consistent life-threatening.
I ride these roads on my bike more than
most people drive them in their cars,
and I call them home as many of my
cycling brothers and sisters also do.
I personally known four riders in the
past few years who have been hit by
drivers on Skyline.
One of them, Jacob Soloski, just this
year lost his life to an out-of-control
speed racer just south of Fogarty
Winery.
Also this year, there was a cyclist
killed on Portola Road. Last August,
there was a cyclist killed at the
intersection of 35 and 84.
A couple years ago, there was a cyclist
who was killed on King's Mountain.
It's not just cyclists. There was also a
hit-and-run involving a single horse and
a rider this year as well in Woodside
area. Not to mention the numerous
drivers and passengers that have been
killed on these roads at the same time
period.
Pulling from my own experience, I was
also in a very similar situation that
ended up taking Jacob's life.
It was in the same area, but just north
of Fogarty Winery.
I was headed north just over the rise
near the winery. The car headed south
around the corner at about 100 mph.
He was already out of control. By the
time his car came into sight,
luckily he saw me and overcorrected. He
ended up rolling his car across the lane
just like Jacob's incident, but this
time instead of hitting me, he passed
only 50 ft in front of me.
The difference between Jacob losing his
life and me continuing mine
was less than a minute of time.
I'm not sure what can be done, but
something has to be done. If not for
cyclists, drivers, equestrians, hikers,
or any other person on these roads,
do it for your family, friends, and
loved ones.
This time it may have been Jacob that
paid the price, but next time it could
be the person sitting next to you
or those you love most.
Let's work together to make this last
death on these roads because of insane
drivers. I know as a local
who has to drive these roads, I'd rather
lose 5 minutes on my commute than have
another life taken from these roads.
Thank you for your time.
I'd also like to say that I used to live
at 34, 35, and 84. I now live at Kings
Mountain community on Skyline.
And the changes that are going to happen
there will be really great,
but they're not going to help further
down on Skyline where I live.
I don't know why, but the speed limit
there is 50.
There's so many houses, there's so many
parks, there's so many trails, there's
so many people that live there. And then
you go just south of
Sanitas and it's 40.
There's less of everything down there,
but yet the speed is lower. I don't
understand why that is.
There just has to be some common sense
here. Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you.
for being here. You're doing
something wonderful for Dr. Solovsky, so
we really appreciate it.
» Thank you for listening to us tonight.
My name's Elaine Haye and I'm from the
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. We
represent the Santa Clara County as well
as San Mateo County. And um a lot of
recreational cyclists here with there
are a lot, but I want to speak for the
transportation cyclists.
People that live up there and want to go
to the store and pedestrians and
horseback riders and dog walkers and
everybody takes their life in their
hands and there's no reason that the
speeders should be the ones that went
out and have no consequences when they
go around and endangering everybody
else's life.
Um so I'm asking you to push very, very
hard on Caltrans and the legislature
uh to um adapt adopt the South County
Traffic Advisory Panel recommendations
as soon as possible. We're in an
emergency situation here.
All of us know someone who was killed up
there.
And it's you know, it's not a one-off.
And hopefully you know that. Thank you
very much.
>> Thank you. Uh we have I mean I I did
talk with uh Ray about bringing that as
an agendaized item sometime later this
year. So, thank you.
I Any other uh
public comments on this issue or any
other issue?
Yes, sir.
>> Hi Council. Uh my name is Alan. I grew
up here. Um I went to school in Boston.
I just want to first commend the efforts
you guys have done. I'm speaking for on
behalf of myself, but I also echo a lot
of the sentiments that residents have
already gave. Uh my point I think would
be that just with my experience
uh growing up here
um
I think that I would really like to to
see the town uh sort of be a leader in
pushing this sort of
uh important work that needs to be done.
When I was in Boston, um I got involved
a lot in transportation advocacy. And um
in the city of Boston, uh there was a
recent cyclist death of ironically a
transportation
uh planner that worked in the city. And
in that uh situation, there was a
quarter that was identified as unsafe
and the city lacked to do any action for
more than 2 years. And that led to a
death. And I think that lack of urgency
is what led to directly that uh terrific
situation that terrible situation. And I
would say that
um
you know, I think the city can really
uh
use its resources with I know you guys
have already been in contact with
Mueller. And I think that I I ran into
uh Josh Becker recently. And I think if
you guys put together efforts um across
the entire legislator, you guys can
really do real impact, and I just hope
that you guys take this as serious as
possible. Thank you so much.
>> Absolutely. Thank you.
I know Assembly Member Berman is in the
mix, too, as it relates to the piloted
speed cameras.
Other comments?
Uh, oh.
Okay.
» Good afternoon, everybody. My name is
Thomas Pema.
Um, I've been a cyclist here for 50
years now.
Woodside High School,
part of part of the cycling community.
Without reiterating everything that's
already been said in the same sense that
I've said in this room,
I think the one thing that needs to be
added,
um, there needs to be some
accountability on the drivers that
actually cause these. And when there's
recklessness involved, it really needs
to be upon the District Attorney to
actually file charges and bring somebody
bring one of these people to actually
serve some time,
as opposed to sweeping things under the
rug.
At this point, from my understand,
Lester,
um, the gal on Fidel Expressway,
none of these cases have actually
mhm, there were no accountability, even
there was either negligence or high
speed. So, I I did a bunch of reading
today before I came here because it
finally had to come.
I've lost count of the amount of people
that have died up here in 50 years.
And I think it's what we can do. I think
cameras, yes, has a possibility. Speed
limits, yeah, has a possibility.
Awareness, I think is the biggest one.
But right now,
from what I understand,
the District Attorney hasn't filed
charges. It is our responsibility to write your letters or talk get this
District Attorney to look at this case
as a serious case. And if we finally
actually have one of these things that's
a landmark case, it could be something
that's used around the country, around
the area of Santa Clara County,
California, and the United States. We're
not going to prevent further deaths.
But, we just have to get some level of
awareness that if people are negligent,
people do take do something like this,
they're going to be held accountable.
Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you.
Are there
remarks on the bicycle issue or others?
You want to Okay.
>> Um
Good evening.
>> Good evening.
>> I'm I'm Good evening, Mayor Demkowski
and council. I'm Ann Paulson.
Um and I thank you for letting us speak.
Thanks Thanks for letting us all talk.
>> Of course.
>> And also thank you for um what you've
done so far with the Four Corners plan.
That's a good start. It's not enough.
Um we cyclists are here tonight because
we lost one of our own.
>> [sighs and gasps]
>> But, this is not a cycling issue.
This is Skyline residents, kids,
visiting friends, hikers, walkers, legal
drivers, and cyclists versus
recreational lawbreakers
menacing us.
And that needs to stop.
The folks at South County Traffic
Advisory Panel,
I guess which I guess is under Ray
Maller, um after many meetings with
after a lot of work, have come up with a
long list of recommendations on how to
deal with these super speeders
on on our local state highways.
We're asking you that you use your
influence, your considerable influence,
with Caltrans to get these
recommendations put into effect,
including all of Skyline.
Thank you very much.
>> Thank you.
Um
you know, maybe it's a good time if if
the council agrees, I would ask that we
direct staff to do everything we can to
coordinate with the sheriff, CHP,
Caltrans, the supervisor's office, and
to play a coordinated and sustained role
in this effort.
We have surged before. We have put folks
up there for the weekend, and then
you know, things get back to business.
We need sustained coverage on the
weekend. We know that where the what the
car clubs are doing, we know where they
are and when they are.
I know we have a limited budget. We I
know we have $100,000 stored away
somewhere for
tough times like this, but
we can certainly coordinate. And so, I
don't know if the council would agree. I
mean
>> Yeah, absolutely. I would very much
agree with all of that. I would add, I
think
I saw one of the the emails come through
and there was a suggestion that we
agendize a study session dedicated to
addressing this dangerous issue, and I
really liked what one of the um
speakers just said that, you know, this
isn't a Skyline issue. I think, you
know, this issue impacts a lot of us,
and this is definitely a Woodside issue.
And so, as the council, I think we
should have a sense of urgency and and
agendize this as soon as we can to have
a further discussion.
» Very good.
Others?
>> Yeah, I'll just add to that um this
committee that has been working with
circulation and and Lewis
has been homeowners of the live up
there, so they're familiar with it, but
I think we should expand
the uh and they wanted to expand the the
scope of what is being talked about by
Caltrans into much broader
um coverage of all the issues that are
up there, and I think we need to get a
maybe it's a workshop or something with
all interested residents to come
together,
talk about what is needed um to fix it
once and for all.
>> Very good. Starting to build consensus
on that. Others? Thoughts?
>> Yeah,
>> [clears throat]
>> I would absolutely agree with everything
you said, and thank you all for coming
out and
uh
showing up for for this very important
issue. I I live up off of 84 and
regularly on Skyline and 84 and I it's dangerous and it's scary. And so I
really appreciate you all
coming through, you know, on your on
your evening and
um, and I absolutely support anything we
can do to
continue pushing the issue and
uh, agendize it as soon as possible.
>> Great.
>> [clears throat]
>> Yeah, I did again. Uh, again, so someone
said, "Thank you for showing up
tonight." I wish it was under better
circumstances, but the best tribute we
can have for Jacob is if something good
comes of this. I think we would all
agree to that. Um, we've been at this a
long time and it's been very
frustrating. And uh, to be perfectly
frank with you, we've gotten
very little
coordination and um,
any kind of the necessary enforcement
from the powers that be. I mean, I can
name them, Caltrans, CHP, whatever.
Actually, the San Mateo County Sheriff
has actually been pretty good um, with
us. They could probably do better, but
um, I know that they're somewhat limited
on their resources.
Um, I mentioned we've been at this a
long time. I've been working with a
group of neighbors. I mentioned this to
some of you earlier tonight up at
Cloud's Rest, which is not very far from
where Jacob met his end.
And uh,
it's just a little bit further south of
the Fogarty Fogarty Winery. And um,
this is a very frustrated group of
people. And these
I I the term super speeders doesn't
quite capture what they're doing. Um, I
went up there last weekend at the
request of some of the folks up there at
Cloud's Rest, which by the way, isn't
even in Woodside. It's not in my
district. It's not even in our town. Um,
but it's such a catastrophic problem for
everybody up there. The noise, the
speeding, the danger. And people live
there and they try to cross the street
to go to the open space area and they
can't make it. Um, and it's just it it's
a hazard that's really almost beyond
description. And um, I went up there on
a Sunday morning and
I was shocked.
by what There were cars going by
four, five, six, seven, eight at a time
100 miles an hour.
And they have their mufflers open, so
they're really loud and noisy. And
they're videoing themselves.
And so the question that came up, I saw
it in a post this just yesterday or the
day before, why can't we prosecute
somebody who's videoing themselves with
105 miles an hour on their on their
speedometer? That would seem to make
sense. So there's a lot of things that
we could do. So I'm one of those all of
the above, you know, I think Caltrans
needs to help us with speed mitigation,
you know, they they they do plenty of
things that could slow people down. I We
don't need to go into that. Enforcement,
speed cameras, noise cam You know,
there's all sorts of things that we can
do. Whatever Whatever we can do to help
is important.
A lot of you don't know this, but we're
here tonight for a very a very different
reason, and which involves me, but
somebody died
here, and he's not coming back. And he
was taken far too early at 34 years old,
I think somebody said, which is just a
tragedy. And I think that um that's a
serious issue. And I think that this has
gone on quite long enough. I
corresponded with um
uh we have we actually have very good
relations with It's unusual for town
councils. We have a great relationship
with our
uh county supervisor Ray Mueller. We
have great relationships with our state
officials, uh
Mark Becker and um
Josh Becker and Mark Berman. And um I corresponded with them just last
week about this issue. And it's for some
reason it just keeps getting shoved
down, you know, it it keeps getting
passed over. It's not urgent enough. And
I think if anything, as I said at the
beginning, if Jacob's death can do
anything to at least bring these
disparate groups together, there's
several groups out here, not only the
bicyclists, but there's hikers, there's
open space people, the people who live
there, the four corners people. These
are all the Clouds Rest people. These
are all different constituent groups and
I'm really glad to see Channel 2 and the
Almanac here tonight because this
publicity will help. Because we've got
to get their attention. And anything we
can do, I'm obviously in agreement with
my colleagues here about anything we can
do to do it. But I think we have to up
our games. We have to up the ante here.
And
I'd like to see us do that and take a
much more serious view of this with our
state officials and finally get
something done. It shouldn't be that
difficult to do. People shouldn't have
to die get some
relief for the people who bike up there
and live up there.
Thank you.
>> Yeah, excellent. Thank you. So, I think
we have consensus
around coordinated efforts through us.
Agree we can be.
Study session, maybe around that study
session is Raymu,
the county supervisors set of
recommendations and whether we would
endorse those recommendations.
And of course any advocacy that we can
provide up the channel,
we will do from our spots here on the
dais.
Thank you. Any other
public comments on any item not Hello,
Ms. Lubin.
» Hi.
Valia Lubin, History Committee.
Uh on a slightly
lighter note, I'd like to invite
everybody to join us for our annual
walking tours.
Um it's about a 20-minute walk around
town center looking at all our historic
buildings.
And it starts at the museum, which is
across the open space, Saturday from
1:00 to 3:00.
And we've been doing this in
coordination with the San Mateo County
Museum
for several years and our
enrollment or participation keeps
increasing, so
I'm sure all of you know about the
historic buildings in town, but
since I have a captive audience tonight,
thought
>> [laughter]
>> Anyway, we'd love to see you, too, if
you want to come. So,
>> Sounds like a lot of fun. Thank you,
Thalia.
Other public comments
on non-agendized items.
Yes, sir.
>> Here's the sign.
Hello.
>> Welcome.
>> So, I would like to make a actionable,
specific suggestion about specific
measures we can take to reduce speed
limits on Skyline Road and other roads
and keep them low.
So, my suggestion is rather than having
police officers or CHP officers
or speed cameras enforcing speed limits
retroactively, we can modify the design
of the road itself to reduce speed
limits proactively.
So, for example, one suggestion would be
replacing four-way intersections that
have stop signs with roundabouts. These
will obstruct drivers' sight lines. I
know that sounds
a bit strange, but it will obstruct
drivers from looking straight through
the intersection and force them to slow
down to go around it.
Another suggestion is physical barriers
to exiting the lanes. These These don't
have to be big. They don't have to be
frequent. Just like
a curb
on the edge of the road, like on the
edge of the lane,
to
like make the lane more clearly defined,
prevent cutting into the opposite lane,
prevent cutting onto the shoulder, and
to create a protected space
for bicyclists and hikers
on the side of the road that's separate
from
the cars.
And
the cars can still use the shoulder for
like pulling off for emergencies. Like
there don't There doesn't need to be a
continuous curb. Just like every 10 yd,
there's like a plastic bollard
or something along the side of the road.
» Okay, thank you. That's that's a good
suggestion.
Other
we'll go to the Zoom room real quick.
Mary Danko,
you are good to go.
>> Oh, hi. I'm Mary Danko as you said and I
live in Woodside in District number
four.
I I feel bad with this is such a solemn
meeting but I just wanted to
voice my enthusiasm for Melinda Stolker
for my representative as my
representative.
I'm I'm
>> Hello Mary. Mary, I hate to cut you off.
I just just for procedural reasons I got
to wait till that agenda item
take your comment but I but we're
looking forward to it so we'll see you
in a little bit.
>> Thank you.
>> It's right around the corner, I promise.
>> Okay, thank you.
>> Thank you.
Any other public comments? Yes, sir.
>> Thank you.
>> Oh, thank you, sir. Yeah, thank you all
for being here. It is very meaningful
and and we're on it so we appreciate the
advocacy and I'm we're very very sorry for your
loss.
>> Thank you. We'll be We'll be back.
>> Thank you.
sir.
Any other public comments before we
close public comment?
Okay, hearing none we will officially
close public comment and move on. We do
have a lovely proclamation here tonight
to celebrate the Almanac's 60th
anniversary as a newspaper so
I'm going to read a couple of the
highlights here and we'll deliver these
over to you, Jennifer, in just a moment
so so this is a proclamation honoring
the 60th anniversary of Almanac
journalism.
There's a lot of interesting facts in
here, by the way. Whereas in August 1965
three visionary Portola Valley residents
laid the cornerstone of localized public
oversight by assembling a humble
four-page community newspaper
on a neighborhood kitchen table.
And whereas this grassroots publication
blossomed over six decades into the
Almanac evolving from its physical roots
in a small office right here next next
to the post office here in Woodside to
dedicated offices in Menlo Park and
eventually to Palo Alto.
And whereas
throughout its esteemed history the
Almanac is fearlessly and faithfully
protected the public interest by
bringing vital news, investigative
pieces, and cultural reporting to the
residents of Menlo Park, Atherton,
Woodside, and Portola Valley Portola
Valley
without fear nor favor.
And whereas the publication has
successfully navigated the changing
tides of modern media by transitioning
into a vital community-supported
nonprofit asset.
And whereas the exceptional merit of
Almanac journalists continue to be
recognized on the grandest stages.
And whereas on August 13th the Almanac
will cap off its landmark 60th year of
service by gathering the community at
Fremont Park co-sponsoring Menlo Park
Summer Concert Series finale featuring
the Sun Kings to distribute
a special commemorative anniversary
issue and connect face-to-face with the
public they serve.
Now therefore I Brian Demkowski, mayor
of the town of Woodside on behalf of the
town council and town residents,
recognize and celebrate the Almanac on
its 60th anniversary of journalism. We
extend our profound gratitude to its
reporters, editors, and foundation staff
for their unwavering privilege
of reporting on our town and we look
forward with great anticipation to
another 60 years of informed civil civic
excellence. So thank you very much for
your wonderful service to the community.
» Brian
picture with
>> Jennifer
>> Come on.
>> I'm only going to sign one.
>> I'll sign one.
>> Okay.
>> [laughter]
>> I want to
>> I'll sign one.
>> I'm I'm the other alternate. I'm sorry.
>> All right. That's fine.
>> Yeah, no problem.
» Oh, sitting there?
No name for now.
I feel like I could
» Okay.
Next up, we have the interview and
appointment of a planning commissioner.
Uh we Yes, sir.
>> Can I please do one more comment or that
is my chance?
>> The public comment?
>> Yes.
>> Uh
Sure, sir. Come on. Real quick. We It's
on unusual, but
>> Okay, sorry.
>> Yes, sir.
>> Okay. Bob,
>> Bob, how are you?
>> Hello, good.
>> Yeah, I didn't recognize you there.
>> Sorry about that. Um okay, so I wrote it
out. Good evening. Thank you to the
council. Several of you have generally
helped me with a project of mine, and I
appreciate that, but tonight I'm here
for something else, separate.
I want no more deals that are in back
rooms. I don't want this town run by a
law firm where key people aren't named
uh to us and aren't accountable to us.
Ty didn't even Ty, who is uh Jean's son,
doesn't even name himself and uses legal
name. Um legal power in this county is
concentrated in one small firm, and I
think it's hurting our best chance at
bringing in a strong new town manager.
We need transparency. When I spoke to
people
I was coming tonight when I told people
I was coming tonight, several of them
told me they could corroborate some of
the concerns that have not been
addressed addressed. I'm not here to
relitigate the past. I'm here to ask you
to move transparent transparently going
forward
and to take this concentration of power
out of one firm's hands. Some of you
believe keeping this arrangement
preserves institutional knowledge.
Respectfully, the institution looks
broken right now. We need new blood.
Jean hasn't been able to separate
herself
from her own past work on this. She's
still standing behind a document
presented this town that I know to be
wrong, even though I personally asked
her and Melissa to correct it. She since
sent me a document She sent me a
document improperly labeled as a
property lease that was actually a full
general release. When I asked her to fix
it, they wouldn't. Um I caught it
because I read contracts for a living.
Most people in this town don't.
Um
Melissa never disclosed to us that she
worked as Jean's paralegal for a long
time before she ended up actually
running this town for a little bit.
Um
and that needs to be fixed. If Jean
isn't capable of correcting the record
when it's wrong, she isn't capable of
doing her job.
And this should be and should resign.
I'm correct I'll correct something I got
wrong earlier when I put this forward to
the town. Um
Uh I had the departure list mixed up. To
those of you who are leaving this town
council, this is exactly the kind of
thing to use your last votes on. Leave
the town better than you found it. Vote
her out. To everyone staying, you owe
this town a real competitive process for
its legal services, not a renewal on
autopilot because it's easier. Let's
clean this up. Let's make it right.
That's a full speech ready to deliver.
>> Okay.
Uh thank you, Mr. Wilson.
Uh okay, moving on to the uh planning
commissioner appointment. Uh we
Thank you, Lewis. Um
Uh we we did have uh uh Mr. Yu did pull
his candidacy. So, uh
Linda will be hearing from you tonight,
uh which is wonderful. And uh
I'll just start by saying we always have
a tremendous amount of respect for
anybody that's willing to step up and
take on
this responsibility and go through a
public interview process. There's only
two places that has to happen, Planning
Commission and ASBR, and this is one of
them, and uh uh thank you for stepping
into the arena, and the floor is yours
to talk about your interests and values
and objectives uh with pursuing this
position.
>> Of course. Thank you so much.
>> Um so, some of you probably recognize me
from my previous experience with service
here for the town. Um when I was chair
of the uh Livestock and Equine
Committee, uh my main objective was to
improve uh communications and resources
for people who had livestock, um not
just horses, but there's all types of
livestock here in this town. Um many of
us on the committee uh
were committed to creating uh emergency
preparedness information that got
distributed to uh all interested parties
and all people who have barns. Um we
also um
provided some guidance when it came to
uh safety and signage on trails and
things like that. Um when I chose to
leave the committee, I handpicked
somebody to replace me that I knew would
also be doing a very good job and would
be passionate about the work. Um and I'm
also very aware that many of these roles
require a lot more time and commitment
than you think it will, and I feel
prepared to step up and do that um on
the Planning
Commission.
Um
many of you may not know, I grew up with
a dad who was an architect.
So, [snorts] I've been around planning
and building um
literally plans um pretty much my whole
young adult life. And when we purchased
a home here in Woodside, we needed to
expand it and improve upon it and
we submitted the plans and got the
approvals and went through the
permitting processes etc.
And I'm very familiar with all of that
and I think that that would help me lend
some
understanding and expertise to the
process that any resident has to go
through
whether they're again doing some kind of
home improvement expansion, doing an
ADU.
Currently there's some subdivisions
as you know, that's another topic
of this meeting this evening.
So there's a lot of areas where I feel
that I could support residents to meet
their goals while at the same time
ensure that we are
supporting the general plan
which is
just as important now as it ever was. Um
and in addition
um
I think that my 25 years of business
experience as a vice president of
marketing and a senior director at
leading software companies gives me some
very transferable skills. I had to take
a 360 degree view of a lot of situations
and pour through a lot of data
to come up with strategic plans that
were
um
then executed for measurable results and
given the nature of the work which was
very
deadline driven, very sometimes a bit of
a pressure cooker,
working with a lot of
extremely opinionated CEOs
and other
people who uh had a lot of investment in
the companies
um that I worked for. Um I I think that
I have the skills required for working
with a wide variety of people on a
number of issues, right? Whether again,
whether they're bringing to the table
um
a plan for an ADU or some other kind of
a project um that requires
um
some analysis or any kind of, you know,
variance kind of a situation, right?
Um
and I will just close by saying that,
you know, I'm obviously I'm very
passionate about living here. I've I've
been here for a couple of decades and
uh love so many things about Woodside
and I'm very committed to
um
helping it helping it develop while also
again, just maintaining the rural rural
nature and the supporting the general
plan. Um
and I think nine of my peers who are in
District 4
um are supporting me on this because
they've known me for decades and they
trust um my commitment and my energy and
my judgment to uh bring to the table
uh for a role like this.
>> Well, thank you. Uh questions for Ms.
Stokke.
» I I know her work well, so
>> Yeah, sure.
>> Um
District 4, my district, I want to thank
you for um
tossing your hat in. Not everybody does
and when uh
um when the prior planning commissioner
resigned, it kind of caught me by
surprise. We canvassed the district.
Um actually thrilled that you're here
and um
willing to take on that role. Um
before I I I have a couple of questions
for you, but before that, you mentioned
and it's in your application as well,
that you've done a remodel here. And um
I was interested in your experience and
uh what you did what you might do
differently or what you think you bring
to the party of the planning commission
uh from that experience because we still
get, even though I think we've made a
lot of improvements, we still get a lot
of complaints from property owners that
uh the situation is un arduous and you
know, whatever. I mean, and sometimes it
is, but I'm just interested in your
experience.
>> Well, it it was a little while ago and
the parties have changed, right? Some of
the personalities have changed. Uh we
had
>> [laughter]
>> we had an inspector that was kind of
known
for uh bringing back lots of lists of
things that were not necessarily related
to the project.
So, um I think there was some uh
frustration there where we had to do
some things that were
again, n- not at all related to the uh original um expansion of the home. Um
and I think that the the time that it
took
to get the approval um was uh
could definitely have been um shortened.
Um so, I think that there are ways to
try to expedite things a little bit
better. Honestly, from what I've heard,
I do think some things have improved
since then.
>> Oh, they definitely have. Our building
and planning group is now
>> Yeah, and I think that we're we're all
very very aware that um
in-
increasing residential units is a
mission that we all have to do. It's mandated. Um so, I think that
again, being
judicious yet expeditious
is very important, right?
>> Thank you. The only thing other thing I
wanted to add is
I served on the planning commission back
in the olden days,
two years before I joined the town
council and it was easily the most
enjoyable role I've ever played.
More enjoyable than some some of these
being on the town council sometimes. But
it's the
you get to see a lot of properties and
meet a lot of homeowners. But the one
thing I wanted to leave you with is town
council is a legislative body. The
planning commission is a quasi
legislative body. I think that's the
term for it. Or legislative body. What
you guys say is law and
that's unlike any of the other
committees that we have
or commission. So
unless you do something completely
ridiculous tonight, you're going to get
the job. So I think that I'm just
appreciate you throwing your hat in the
ring here and thank you for offering
your time and expertise to help our
community.
>> Well, thank you and you're welcome.
» Well.
>> Um.
So thank you so much for your
application to the planning commission.
I definitely think like having a track
record of service
and you having been on the livestock and equestrian committee is a great kind
of way to then you know, go on to the
planning commission. So I think it's
having that experience is really
wonderful.
Um I did have one question. One of the
big topics as you know that the town has
been contending with over the last
several years is the housing element. So
just wanted to hear a little bit on your
views. How do you see the planning
commission's role? Um what do you
envision
weighing in on vis-a-vis the housing
element during your time on the planning
commission? How do you see that
contrasting with the town council's
role?
>> Well, as far as weighing in, um
I I haven't seen a lot of plans yet.
>> [laughter]
>> So, I think that all of these
um
projects are unique, right? And I don't
know that I could just have a blanket
statement about how we would approach
any and all of them. I think you have to
look at each individual project uh for
its specific um
you know, numbers and uh whatever attributes as well as any
negative impact, right? Um so, I think
that
I would just look at each individual
plan and ask a lot of questions. Again,
take that 360° view. You hear a lot
about the number of units. I don't hear
a lot about parking, for example, right?
That's a big one. Or traffic impact,
right? That's also a big one. So, I
think you have to just take it one at a
time and review all the details, and
then bring up the questions and any
concerns regarding community impact,
and go from there.
» Any other questions?
Uh hearing none, I'm you answered my
question earlier. Uh we'll just open to
public comment briefly if there any
members that would like to speak on
behalf
of Ms. Stoker.
This is your chance, Mary.
>> Oh, here you go.
>> I'm here.
>> Oh.
>> You don't have to go away.
>> Oh,
uh
>> Valerie Lubin, I just want to say we're
friends and uh she's Linda's quite
capable, and I think she'd make a fine
addition to the planning commission.
>> Right, thank you.
>> I uh admire her courage.
>> Yeah, right. Um and now off to to you
now, Mary. This is your chance. Mary
Danko.
» Mary, I think you're on mute.
» My goodness, I'm having troubles here.
So sorry.
I just um really wanted to encourage you
to pick Melinda. Looks like you
the other person already dropped out, so
that's fine, but I am her neighbor, I've
known her a very long time, and I've
always been impressed by her love of
Woodside. And she I think she will be an
excellent asset to you guys. And that's
it. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mary.
And we have one more in the Zoom room
entitled Zoom user.
you have the floor.
>> Hello, my name is Nola Masterson. I'm a
neighbor of Melinda Stoker, and I just
wanted to put a vote in for her and
thank her very much for stepping up.
It's very brave of her to do that.
>> Yeah.
>> [laughter]
>> That's that's awesome. Thank you, Nola.
>> To Tom O'Wheeler.
>> Yeah. Okay. Um any further deliberation
on this topic?
I'll just
I'm sorry, go ahead.
>> I was going to make a motion.
>> Oh, well, I just wanted to say that um
uh you've received wonderful broad
written support, and um
uh I think you'll be a wonderfully
complementary asset. I think we lost a
little bit of the equestrian vibe when
Aiden rolled off, and it's going to be
nice to have you back on there to to
bring that to to the to the
organization. So, thank you again for
your willingness to serve.
Uh now uh Councilwoman Wall, sorry.
>> echo that. Thank you so much for your
willingness to serve. Um and with that,
I would move to appoint Melinda Stoker
to the Planning Commission uh for
District 4.
>> Second.
>> Councilmember Robrish?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Brown?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Gold?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Wall?
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Domkowski?
>> Yes. Thank you, and congratulations on
your appointment.
Very good. Well, thank you so much. Um
as stated earlier, we did reorder the
agenda to bring item E forward and um um
which is a report from outside legal
counsel on a personnel investigation is
how it's titled.
Uh yes, sir.
>> an announcement to make.
>> Okay.
>> Before you go on, um I need to I must
recuse myself from participating in
agenda item E because under FPPC
rules, I have a disqualifying personal
interest, namely that the
sustained allegation that will be
discussed tonight concerns my conduct,
which would be a clear conflict of
interest. I am therefore required to
leave the room
and will not return until this matter is
concluded. But before I do that, I did
want to read this letter that I
submitted to
the mayor and town council members um
uh earlier this evening. I submit this
letter regarding finding six
from the executive summary of
confidential investigation dated April
20th, 2026.
As you determine what corrective action
may be appropriate, since this finding
relates to me, I will not participate in
your discussion or deliberation.
Immediately upon receiving the
complaint, Woodside's town council
called for and approved by a unanimous
vote an independent investigation of the
allegations made by the former town
manager. Citizens should know that the
independent investigator had no prior
experience with town officials and that
he was identified and authorized by our
employment liability insurance provider.
Every town council member, including me,
supported and fully cooperated with this
investigation.
Only one allegation was sustained,
namely that I related a discussion from
a closed session town council meeting to
our former town manager.
I never denied or concealed that
conversation from anyone or from the
independent investigator.
I agree my disclosure was inappropriate
and I regret that lapse of judgment. It
will be up to the town council to
determine what corrective action, if
any, is required. It is my hope that
this sincere acknowledgement of my
accountability and this apology are
acceptable and that no further action
will be necessary. And I submitted that
to the town council and the mayor
earlier this evening and with that I
need to leave the room. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much, Councilmember Gold.
Okay, Mr. Bolanos, the floor is yours,
sir.
>> Thank you.
>> All right, in the microphone you just
need to probably come a little closer
there so folks on Zoom can hear.
>> Thank you.
Mayor, and good evening,
council staff members, of the public.
My name is Richard Bolanos. I'm with the
law firm Liebert Cassidy Whitmore,
San Francisco, and I serve as special
counsel
>> I think we're still having a little bit
of a hearing issue there, yeah.
>> I serve as special counsel appointed by
the town's liability insurance carrier
to represent the town in regard to that
written allegations filed by former town
manager Jason Ledbetter.
Our remarks this evening are being
presented to address the one allegation
from Mr. Ledbetter's report found to
have merit
and to inform the public about the steps
taken to address that particular
allegation.
Because this matter concerns threatened
litigation, the council has been advised
not to comment publicly about Mr.
Ledbetter's employment or the town's
investigation into his claims.
To date, they have abided by this advice
and this advice applies to this public
meeting as well.
Let me begin by briefly summarizing the
events that brought us to this point.
On February 20 On February 17, 2026,
Mr. Ledbetter threatened to publish a
purported whistleblower report which
contained allegations directed at
Council members Demkowlski, Gold, and
Wall and Town Attorney Jean Savary
unless he was paid an amount exceeding
$400,000.
Council declined to make the payment,
and Mr. Ledbetter released the report.
Immediately thereafter, Council directed
that the report and Mr. Ledbetter's
demand be referred to the San Mateo
County District Attorney for
investigation.
In addition, the town's liability
insurance carrier was advised of the
situation
and asked to investigate the
allegations.
In accordance with the insurance
carrier's protocols, my office was
retained to advise the town,
and an independent investigator, David
Stoliar, was appointed to conduct an
investigation into Mr. Ledbetter's
claims pursuant to state law and town
policy.
Mr. Stoliar had no previous affiliation
with the Town of Woodside.
He was empowered to conduct the
investigation with complete independence
and to issue findings and conclusions as
to each of the 11 allegations
in Mr. Ledbetter's report.
On April 25th, 2026, the town released
to the public an executive summary of
the report
and Mr. Stoliar's findings and
conclusions.
Only one of the 11 allegations was found
to be supported by the evidence.
In that one allegation, Mr. Ledbetter
claimed that on July 10th, 2025,
during a dinner with Council members
Gold, Demkowlski,
um
Council members Gold and Demkowlski,
Council member Gold shared closed
session information
regarding Mr. Ledbetter's hiring and
gender bias concerns raised by Council
Member Wall
during Mr. Ledbetter's interview and
hiring process.
As noted in Mr. Stallard's report, this
allegation was sustained because Council
Member Gold admitted to Mr. Stallard
that he had disclosed this information
to Mr. Ledbetter.
On May 5th, 2026, several days after
receiving Mr. Stallard's report,
the San Mateo County District Attorney
responded to the town's request for an
investigation,
declining to file charges against Mr.
Ledbetter or Council Member Gold.
In regard to Mr. Ledbetter, the District
Attorney found insufficient evidence to
prove attempted extortion by Mr.
Ledbetter in violation of Penal Code
sections 518 and 524 beyond a reasonable
doubt.
In regard to Council Member Gold, the
District Attorney cited Council Member
Gold's admission
regarding the disclosure of closed
session information, but declined to
file criminal charges because Government
Code section 54963,
otherwise known as the Brown Act,
does not provide for criminal penalties.
In declining to file charges, the
District Attorney directed the matter
back to the town of Woodside.
Upon this referral back to the town, an
ethics inquiry was initiated as called
for by the town's code of ethics and
conduct.
The Code of Ethics and Conduct section
111, core values, entitled
responsibility/protecting
the public's interests,
provides in part that Council members
are to refrain from disclosing
confidential information
concerning litigation, personnel,
property, or other affairs of the town
without proper legal authority,
nor use such information to advance
their financial or other personal
interests.
During the course of this inquiry,
Council member Gold submitted to the
council his apology for relating the
discussion from closed session to the
former town manager.
And the public has just heard that
apology.
Council member Gold noted that he did
not deny or conceal this conversation
from the independent investigator
and agreed that the disclosure was
inappropriate and a lapse of hit a lapse
in judgment
that he regrets.
The council agrees with Council member
Gold that his discussion with the former
town manager violated the
above-referenced section of the town's
code of ethics and conduct.
The council has received Council member
Gold's apology and accepted my
recommendation that additional training
be conducted in regards to the town's
code of ethics and conduct.
That complete This completes my remarks.
The public should now be given an
opportunity to comment, and if there are
any questions posed by the public's
comments, I will respond to those
questions to the extent the law allows.
As I stated earlier, because this matter
does involve threatened litigation,
the council is been has been advised not
to comment publicly about the employment
matters involving Mr. Ledbetter and his
complaints.
After receiving the public's comments,
the council's review and response to Mr.
Taliadoros' report will be completed.
Thank you.
» Thank you. So, we're opening public
comment on this matter.
>> Yes.
>> Welcome.
>> Hello.
My name is Emma McCulloch and I'm a
Woodside resident of this beautiful town
for more than 5 years.
For more than 25 years, I've led
corporate communications and media
relations for leading technology
companies including HP and eBay.
I've handled numerous crisis and issues
management and I have personally advised
many CEOs.
I've read the reports on this issue and
the media coverage.
As a rule follower and someone who
believes that people in office should be
representing the people
and they should be ethical and uphold
their values. I believe that Woodside
residents should be proactively updated
and informed of the outcomes.
I feel that tonight, the agenda item was
buried and we weren't given clear enough
guidance on what the agenda item was
going to be.
Based on the information that
individuals have inappropriately
disclosed information in an
inappropriate setting
which was discussed originally in a
closed door setting.
This is not the ethical behavior that we
expect from our town council.
This fundamentally impacts the trust and
integrity that we have as residents in
this leadership team.
It shows poor leadership and reflects on
the town's leadership.
I heard the comment from
Mr. Gold about a lapse of judgment.
That worries me that he thinks that this
issue behind closed doors and as this
gentleman mentioned
the fundamental ethics of this that he
mentioned that this was just a lapse of
judgment.
And the only
outcome that I'm hearing is training.
I really don't think that that will
address the matter.
So, I think there should be consequences
and there should be a reprimand of
sorts.
Woodside residents deserve to have a
town management that are ethical, have
integrity, and are held accountable.
We deserve to have been proactively
updated on this situation
versus the last agenda item
and it being discussed as a personnel
update.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
Mr. Evans.
» So, in most places they have the saying
is where there's smoke there's fire.
Um there's a whole lot of smoke here and
that there's one little bitty fire to
then hear that it's a training issue. Um
I'm with my
neighbor in this and that this is
ridiculous.
Um
like
why is this okay? What what is the town
council, the ones in theory who are not
having lapse of judgments doing about
this? Uh is this going to be a slap on
the wrist? Is it going to be oh, I'm
sorry, it's all fine? Um what's up about
a legal a legal counsel for the town?
How many backroom dinners have we had?
How often is this going on? This was
one. Like is this the is this the way
that the culture is? Like I think we
need a whole change, a wholesale change.
Starting with no way would uh
Commissioner Gold be a good mayor for
next year. He's mayor pro tem, if I'm
not mistaken. That seems ridiculous.
I wish he would step down.
We should also have much more
oversight on the Brown Act. It seems
like one Brown Act violation out of all
this.
That seems really odd. So, I would
question
I have a lot of lack of faith right now.
Um there's been more special meetings
than council meetings in the last year.
That seems weird, too.
So, please be more transparent, please
hold them accountable, and please
rethink the town administration that's
giving the council guidance because
something is off. Thank you.
>> Thanks, Darren.
Uh we're going to connect
I was just going to Someone's up their
hand up in the zoom room. So, then
you're next. Um,
Heather King,
uh, you're up.
>> Okay, great. Can you hear me?
>> We definitely can. Thank you.
>> Okay, [laughter] great. All right, so
yes, my name is Heather King. I'm a
resident of Woodside. Just for context
about some of what I'm going to say, I
am I'm a concerned citizen, but I'm also
a lawyer and I've had a lot of
experience with investigations, HR
matters, and just legal matters in
general.
And just as a side note to echo what
somebody just said, I felt putting this
on the agenda as personal investigation
with some lawyers' names was
purposely vague. I I hate to, um,
cast aspersions, but there are notice
requirements in the government code that
exist for exactly this reason. And
agendas are supposed to actually tell
the public what's going to be discussed.
But, moving on to the findings here.
So,
as Councilmember Gold
acknowledged, he
Okay, so I'm just going to say this out
loud for myself, too, to make sure I'm
understanding this. So, he disclosed
confidential closed session information,
specifically the Councilmember Walls'
gender discrimination complaint from the
town manager hiring process.
He disclosed that to the town manager
himself. And he's admitted this, so that
is in dispute. And the only question is,
what is the council going to do about
it?
So, I just want to say this out loud.
This was not a minor disclosure.
It was a confidential complaint by one
city council member about gender
discrimination to be kept confidential
precisely because information like that
causes real harm if it gets out.
And it wasn't shared with just anyone.
It went to the one person
where the damage would be the greatest,
the incoming town manager,
who learned that a sitting council
member had accused another council
member of discriminating during his
hiring process. So, that's not just like
a broken confidence between Gold and
Wall.
And it's not just a potential Brown Act
violation or a council ethics violation.
It looks to me, looking at the totality
here, like it was the seed of the exact
conflict that the entire investigation
grew out of.
And if I'm following this correctly,
Gold also never disclosed having shared
it
with the town manager, not to the
council, not to Wall, not to the person
it concerned. That that's not like a
one-time lapse in judgment. It's an
ongoing decision to let the disclosure
sit quietly and do whatever damage it
was going to do to the rest of the
council and to the town.
And then just one more point before I
ask my question.
The concern that council member raised
wasn't about herself. It was, from what
I gathered, about that women who applied
for the town manager role were passed
over because of their gender.
And that there was a push to hire a man
regardless of merit.
That's exactly the kind of concern, if
genuine, that Wall should be expected to
raise.
And in raising it,
I will say she was speaking,
intentionally or not, for something like
half the population that this council
represents.
So, I've run several legal departments.
Discrimination is a real thing. And
that's worth each of you really sitting
with for a second. Given her concern
that it was apparently became something
so casual
that the person who's supposed to become
our mayor passed it along to a candidate
who got the job like it was a funny
piece of gossip
rather than a complaint that he needed
to take seriously. So, here's my
question.
>> Thank you. Thank you, Heather.
>> Not whether an unethical, inappropriate
behavior happened, that part's settled.
But what is it you're going to do about
it? And I'm going to give you some
advice, some free advice.
I think you should at a formal censure
through an actual recorded vote rather
than a comment from the dais.
There should be a direct apology from
Gold to Wall specifically
and to the public rather than just this
general statement of regret, which is
how I read what he just said.
It sounds like there's training
happening. That's That's good.
And I think there should be a commitment
from Gold that he won't take up the
mayor's seat on the current timeline or
commitment from this council that you
won't allow him if you're allowed to
keep that from happening because handing
him the gavel is akin to the council
willfully promoting a bad actor.
And then I will just add as a little
side note and then I'll be done.
There is a practical exposure question
here if you don't decide to take action
that's recorded.
If this does become litigation,
the record will show that the council
had actual knowledge from its own
commissioned investigation and chose not
to act.
So, I'd like to think about this as an
isolated lapse in judgment by one member
of the council, not something that the
rest of you would have done in his
position
as a legal matter and not just a
political one. If you decline to act on
a sustained finding that is
this serious, it functions in practice
as approval of the conduct. So, silence
here isn't some type of like safe
default
>> Yeah.
>> that you should all take comfort in.
It's a decision and it's one this
council should think carefully about
having on the record.
>> Okay. Thank you, Heather.
>> Thank you, Heather.
>> Uh yes.
>> Yeah. Welcome.
>> Thanks. My name is Lexi Reese. I've been
Woodside resident for 12 years. Um I
have some questions for special counsel
since you offered. Is that okay?
Three questions. Um So, one, you said
the investigator was identified by the
town's liability carrier and your office
retained under the carrier's protocols.
So, who determined the scope of the
investigation? Was it the council, your
office, or the carrier?
>> The scope of the investigation was
determined by my office.
>> Okay. And the corrective action is being
recommended by your office, correct?
>> Correct.
>> And that action is an accepted apology
and additional training.
Did the council consider censure,
removal from the mayor pro tem, or
referral to the civil grand jury, and
reject them, and I'd like that on the
record.
>> I can't disclose what the council
considered in closed session, but I can
say that all available legal remedies
were considered by the council.
>> Okay. And does a a full written
investigative report exist beyond the
five-page summary?
>> Yes.
>> If it's being withheld because of
threatened litigation, will the council
commit to releasing it once the
litigation concludes?
>> The master report investigation report
is being withheld as a confidential
personnel document.
And the executive summary was um issued
to the public in order for the public to
understand what the
uh findings of the investigation were,
but the master report itself
um
has privacy interests that are
presented.
>> Mhm.
>> And as a matter of law, the report is a
confidential document.
>> Okay. So, will it be released after the
litigation concludes?
>> It would be released subject to legal
requirements. There has not been um to
date a uh formal public records act
request for the report. If and when
there was a request, the town would
review it in accordance with the public
records act to determine if the report
is disclosable.
>> Yeah. Okay. So, I just want to register
in addition to the two comments that
were earlier. This is such a huge matter
of transparency and accountability. It's
so disappointing that this was item E on
the last session before before the
summer. Number one, register
disappointment, expect our council and
the staff to do better in articulating
fully what's on the agenda so that
everyone can participate.
Um number two, I did not appreciate Mr.
Gold
grandstanding on the death of a
bicyclist
taking advantage of the opportunity that
there was television in the room and
saying, "Hey, we're here because in part
I know there's an item discussing
myself." And then
it felt to me a blatant play on the
public sympathy to talk about how vocal
an advocate he is for cycling. I I
accept that he may be, but that just
seemed too staged. And then finally to
recuse oneself, but to give another
impassioned plea for how deeply sorry he
is for letting the details of a
investigate or of a hiring process,
which we all know as has been so well
stated by the people before me, is just
wrong on so many levels. It just feels
like we're not transparent, we're not
accountable, and we're not operating
with a level of professionalism that I
know that we would all expect if we were
in our day jobs. Thanks so much.
>> Thank you, Ms. Reese.
I think we'll
I just have to jump to um
Isaan, and then we'll jump back. Uh so,
Isaan in the Zoom room?
Welcome.
>> I'm in.
>> Hello.
>> Can you hear me?
>> We can hear you. You're a little
muffled, but we can hear you.
>> Sorry, I'm on an airplane about to
leave. I'll keep this very short. I sent
in my letter. Thank you for moving the
agenda item up. The only thing I will
say to echo Daryn,
the smoke and fire thing,
when you guys did something wrong,
happened. This appears like a cover-up
is worse than a crime situation. Please
work to gain the town's trust. There are
clearly a lot of people worried about
this. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Ethan. Uh now back to the
room.
Welcome.
» There we go.
Maybe.
>> Perfect.
>> Hello everybody. I'm Stacia Garr. I am
resident at 252 Raimundo. I've been in
Woodside for 11 years and in full
transparency, my husband is the chair of
the Planning Commission, so very well
familiar with a lot of things around
here. Um but professionally, I actually
do research on HR and on organizational
behavior. And one of the things that
concerns me the most
from that perspective is we're saying,
"Hey, we're just going to roll out some
training and that's going to fix what I
think is fundamentally a culture
problem." That's what I see the worst
corporations in the world do
and I would hate to see our own town do
that. There are cultural changes that
need to be made to this Town Council to
change how we talk about each other, how
we talk about the issues, and the
transparency that we share within our
town to build trust.
So, that's my first point. Um the second
point is I appreciate the previous
person's question about what determined
the scope of this investigation because
a wealth of material has come out since
then that nobody has touched. And it
only reinforces the the
problems that the Town council currently
has with regard to the previously
mentioned items. I do not understand why
we are not touching that. We have just
now heard that this is a personnel
issue.
And so we can't see that report. But oh
my, this is not a personnel issue. This
is a much bigger issue and there is all
sorts of data out there that people have
been requesting and is publicly
available through those requests that
should be analyzed, should be
investigated, and we should be doing
something about it.
Because this is not okay. This is not
how we should be represented
within each other and to the world. And
that information is public, you guys.
If we don't do something, what's that
going to say about us?
We've already been on the New York Times
cover for
ridiculousness. We can't do that again.
Please,
censure
Mr. Gold. Do not let him represent us
next. Do not.
And create a body that is something we
can all be proud of.
Thank you.
>> Thank you. Yes.
Please.
>> Good evening, Mr. Chair, fellow council
members,
>> Good evening.
» Uh my name's Christina Kamra. Can you
hear me?
>> Uh yeah, if you could just get a little
closer to microphone.
>> Uh I've lived in the town of Woodside
for over 37 years and uh full
disclosure, I was appointed by you guys
uh to be on the ASRB.
I've served in that position for about 3
years and I
I've been following this very closely
and doing a little bit of my own
research knowing as many people as I do
throughout the town and
what I'm speaking today to formally
address the comments made by both member
Gold and by member Brian Dombrowski as the same.
>> there's one time to mispronounce it,
it's now.
>> Um
that were all outlined in the
whistleblower's comments.
Uh these were not offhanded slips or
mistakes or matters of political
disagreements. They were blatant
racially racist remarks targeted at our
newest council member
um
Hassan Aberouch and they were the most
demeaning and misogynous comments
imaginable at our only female town
council member.
These These disparaging remarks were
made by sitting members of this council.
A body whose job it is is to represent
every resident of the town regardless of
their race or gender. That is the basic
condition of holding this office.
I'm calling on this council to take the
following steps. Number one, let's just
start with an apology.
Number two, there should be a formal
reprimand or censure that's entered into
the public record so that it is not
treated as a private matter or forgotten
altogether.
There should be a pledge from the
council to enforce our code of conduct.
And finally, my preference would be for
these two council members
Paul Gould and Brian Dombrowski to start
the proceedings for removal from this
council. Not only are these racist and
sexist remarks, you have put us in a
difficult position with um
our housing element. The staff here, I
look Look the hours our staff has put
together working on these things only to
be undermined by your backroom efforts
of trying to work it in different ways.
And I I'm sadly disappointed and I just
hope that
more is done that this is just not swept
under the rug and that
you
I I believe you're resigning but I would
hope that um Mr. Gould would resign as
well um because um I think we can do
better as a town.
>> Thank you. Rick, did you want to comment
on any of those statements?
>> Uh yes, Mr. Mayor. I just want to make a
point of the public that allegations
racial uh sexist allegations were in the
report. There were many allegations in
the report.
Um none of the allegations other than
the one allegation that we were
addressing tonight were deemed by the
investigator to be supported by the
evidence. It's very easy to make
allegations. The investigation
determined that there was no support for
those particular allegations.
>> I you know, two things can be true. That
can be very well true that your
investigator never found these
allegations. Another thing could be true
that they did say these racist things
and the people in town when you ask
them, you say, "Oh my god, did they say
these things?" They go, "Yeah, that's
the way they talk." So, I think in some
ways both things can be true.
» Okay. Uh thank you.
Um
Mr. Lubin.
>> We'll get to you next, Ned.
>> Steve Steve Lubin um
I would like an explanation as to why
there was no written report submitted
for the agenda. It seems something as
important as this warrants some
supporting analysis
or description of what the presentation
would include.
This further raises suspicion that there
is an attempt to dismiss Jason's letter.
I find this investigation to be
incomplete at best.
The report omits analysis of some of
Jason Ledbetter's accusations. The one I
find most egregious is Jason's
description and one that affects me
personally is Jason's description
regarding a meeting he had with former
council member Chris Shaw which included
Bill Butler, the property owner of 773
Caniato Road. Jason alleges that Shaw
was mediating on behalf of the applicant
to pressure the town to move forward
when the project when the submittal was
incomplete.
I see no mention of the project being
addressed in the so-called independent
investigation. Jason's allegation is
supported by a conversation I had with
Bill Butler. I asked Bill, why is he
spending so much money on an application
which includes an unprecedented rezoning
and flagrant violation of town planning
standards.
Bill said, "They told me so."
I can only assume this means that he had
received assurances that his proposed
project would be received favorably. Why
wasn't this addressed?
Jason also
made known the existence of the
builder's remedy project on Jefferson.
Shouldn't a thorough independent
investigation investigate address this
issue?
I encounter many people who want to know
what's going on in Woodside. I'm
embarrassed that I don't have the
answer.
It is shameful that the town is the
object of so much suspicion. It is the
council's responsibility to open this
investigation to public input and to
shed more light on what has and is
occurring. It is up to council to clear
things up to avoid lingering suspicion.
Soon the town undertook this
investigation, several of us as soon as
the town undertook this investigation,
several of us requested input into the
subjects to be investigated. No
opportunity for public input was
allowed.
Many of us have asked for a truly
independent investigation done by
someone chosen by the citizens, not by
the council, town attorney, or staff.
This has not been done, and we continue
to make that request.
» Rick, anything Thank you, Steve.
Anything you wanted to um
say there before I'm moving on?
>> I I can speak again to the the
investigation itself. The investigation
was
um
to address all of the allegations that
were made by Mr. Ledbetter.
was interviewed twice by
the investigator
to be sure the town understood all of
the allegations that he was making.
And all of the witnesses that he
believed were um supported or supporting
his allegations, all of the documents
that he believed supported his
allegations.
So, the um
investigation, as I understand it, uh
was designed around what Mr. Ledbetter
was claiming to be
uh
the misconduct and the allegations of
inappropriate conduct. And all of those
allegations were fully investigated.
>> Quick follow-up question, Rick. Um did
the investigator
request or look at any of the documents
that were produced in connection with
the public record act requests?
>> The investigator would have been
operating uh separate and apart from the
public records act process, but the
investigator did ask um
Mr. Ledbetter for any information,
including documents, that supported his
allegations.
» Thank you. We're going to go to the Zoom
room. Uh Mr. Fluitt.
Hello, Ned.
>> Good evening.
Uh yeah, so my my name is Ned Fluitt,
former council member of the town of
Woodside, and I served with nearly
everyone but one on the dais tonight. Um
like a lot of people here, I read the
whistleblower report when it came out.
And besides the claims against Council
Member Wall, I was frankly not surprised
by any of the allegations. Um but
because the allegations of racist and
sexist language were not sustained by
the investigator,
I'm here tonight just to talk about the
one finding this council's own
investigator did sustain.
Uh that
Mayor Pro Tem Gold disclosed confident
confidential closed session information
to the town manager. Uh
Sounds like this disclosure took place
sometime last year, July 2025.
Um
it was described
at a meeting that was the town manager's
60-day performance review,
which was conducted by the mayor and the
mayor pro tem, which for some reason was
taking place at an upscale
Woodside restaurant. Um
but I think importantly, and something
that's kind of been missed here, is Mr.
Gold made that disclosure while
Mayor Domkowski listened. A council
member disclosed sensitive confidential
information in front of the mayor of
this town,
and nothing happened for 7 months until
a whistleblower
report forced it into daylight. Um
And look at where the silence has left
us.
This council hired Jason Ledbetter.
Um
less than a year later, he was gone,
fired for cause. In between that and
outside investigator, an outside law
firm, 10 weeks of paid leave, a district
attorney's review, an acting town
manager, and now an interim town
manager, and all this the residents have
paid for every hour of it.
And you know, what kind of disappoints
me through all of this is I've not heard
anyone say
I did something wrong. Something Someone
didn't Someone on this town council
Someone on this room did something
wrong.
I've heard the town disagree with the
district attorney when he declined to
file charges.
I've read, you know, some hand-wringing
about what to do, what kind of
corrective action should happen.
But, the only admission of error I've
ever heard happened tonight from Mr.
Gold himself.
Um
Closed sessions exist so five people can
speak candidly about personnel.
And so that the person being discussed
is protected while they do.
Council member Council member Wall
raised a concern in a room that was
supposed to be confidential. But, it was
carried out the door to the man it was
about.
That is the harm. It's not just a
technicality.
It's a serious violation.
Um
And it was not reported by anyone
despite it being known by multiple
people.
The DA declined to prosecute because
disclosure isn't a crime under the Brown
Act, but he did name some remedies that
do exist.
Disciplinary actions by the council,
referral to a civil grand jury.
So, tonight I ask at the very least
if not more, adopt a written resolution
of censure.
Name this conduct. Put it in the record.
And like other speakers, do not hand Mr.
Gold the gavel in December.
This body, if people don't know, chooses
its own mayor. And elevating the one
member with a sustained finding against
him would tell every Westside resident
here that our standards are simply
decorative.
And I have to say, like one of the prior
speakers,
I was profoundly disgusted by Mr. Gold's
use of the cyclist's death to grandstand
and try to diminish his own ethical
violations.
Um
I also ask
the new town attorney to look into what
happened today cuz it appears
Council member Gold violated the Brown
Act again by emailing the whole council
his apology
um prior to this meeting, clearly in
order to persuade the council on this
agenda item. So, it's still It's still
happening.
Uh listen, I I don't think anyone up
here is a villain.
But I do think everyone has been slow,
quiet, and is just hoping that this
thing passes. It won't. It shouldn't.
Own it and fix it. Thank you.
>> Thanks, Ned.
Uh, okay. I think Oh, um Mr. Wall.
>> Thanks.
>> Uh, James Wall,
uh, town resident. Um, full disclosure,
married to Councilmember Wall.
Um, I think I would sort of challenge
the council to look in the mirror and really think about the culture of
respect that you have here or lack
thereof.
Um, I think when you look at the
sustained allegation,
clear lack of respect for Councilmember
Wall, um, and disclosing her real
concerns about how the town council
evaluated the
uh, next town council uh, the next um,
town manager,
uh, whether it was done fully on merit
or not, I think was a reasonable thing
to ask and to pass that on to the one
person who could create the most harm
with it. Uh, I agree was just
really not a lapse of judgment.
Um, so that's kind of respect point one
number one.
Then you look at the unsustained
allegations. Um, they are unsustained.
You can tell me that again.
But, uh,
to the point of where there's smoke,
there's fire,
I uh, I really wonder, um, sometimes
about the people that
Councilmember Wall has decided to to
work with not being respectful
uh, and doing it uh, in closed sessions.
And then the last is
uh, when you look just factually at the
way this council's behaved and some of
the members, um, count there's been kind
of a tradition of rotating the mayorship
and and a number of times, uh,
Councilmember Wall was passed over.
Maybe it was politics.
Maybe it was something else. Uh, I don't
have specifics, but I think that all of
those are not just a single
lapse in judgment. And all of that will
not be fixed with training. So I would
ask you to all look in the mirror and
see if you can build a culture of
respect where people want to serve and give their time to this council.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Wall.
We will go to the Zoom room.
Uh
Debbie, you have the floor.
>> Actually, this is Kevin Greenwood using
Debbie.
>> Oh, hi, Kevin. Okay.
>> Um
>> Welcome.
>> I've been a resident for 16 years. And
what comes up for me initially is that
the insurance company's interest is
always in not paying claims. Having
worked in insurance for 35 years, I'd
say I'm an expert on that.
So, the town having an insurer-appointed
attorney representing the council is a
way to avoid paying claims, not an
investigation. And at the outset, it was
said
he's coming in to investigate our our
position, not
something that's unbiased. I have no
reason to think the investigator got
anyone on the council to admit anything
in substance
for which you'd be guilty or
responsible, and for which the insurance
company might have to pay.
Uh
in what I heard initially from your
attorney, the DA didn't seem to address
Mr. Ledbetter's allegations. Maybe that
was just left out of the conversation.
But, I have no reason to think that Mr.
Ledbetter's detailed report was
erroneous.
Um merely that accusations were not
subject to proper outside investigation.
Between questions of ethics and covering
up the housing element issues,
there's a problem.
Based on prior personal experience with
the town council, I have no reason to
think there were not backroom deals
because we've seen it in the past.
We've also seen the way that the council handles public
comments is once they cut off public
comment, the council's free to speak
with each other and to have stuff in the
record on their behalf, and it can be
completely erroneous. But, the public
has no way to come back and say, "Wait a
minute, you got that completely wrong."
So,
it's same old, same old. And I'm I'm
sorry to see this. I'm sorry to see Mr.
Ledbetter go because he's the first town
manager in a long time
that had the guts to really look at
things and say, "This isn't what we
bargained for."
Thank you.
» Uh thank you, Kevin.
Uh any other comments from the room here
on this item? Mr. Wilson.
>> I did.
>> Hi again.
>> No prepared comments. I've actually
given a TED speech before, but every
time I come up here, I'm kind of
nervous. So, I'll just speak frankly.
But, I've lived here 13 years. I've been
to these town council meetings probably
30, 40 times. I've lived in a lot of
towns, many rich. I've never been to any
other town council meetings. Every time
I leave here, I'm mad or upset. Um and I
actually came once and got a lot out of
you guys. You guys nailed it. Um and so,
I appreciate all of that. I do look at
this, however, and say there's
definitely a lot wrong wrong here, and
it's been broken um for many years.
Like, Jean has fought me tooth and nail,
but we wound up proving her wrong.
Still, she doesn't admit to it or
anything like that. Um Sage, same. I've
dealt with him for years. Same kind of
thing. Um
and what I really am amazed by, like, I
wrote a note to you guys asking for you
to look at, you know, losing Jean. Um
and I basically called out people on
here that I thought were leaving, but it
he's not, which is crazy to me. Like, he
must leave. He should not be the mayor,
definitely. Um
it's crazy for us to have to deal with
this as a town. Um I don't think any of
us deserve it. It's embarrassing to live
here because this stuff constantly comes
up. You've conducted some sort of
investigation. It doesn't sound
thorough. It sounds fake to me.
And you know, I speak freely and just say
I can't I don't can't believe you can
look us in the eye and tell us that
you've actually done your job. And
whatever your money got paid, you know,
you were brought in by them. And so it's
just really disappointing to sit here. I
wish I was done. You know, I told you
guys I was done and here I am again and
it's like
it drives me crazy.
A lot of people have come up to me and
these are substantiated claims. They
didn't get picked up by you. But there's
a number of people that are ready to
come in and talk about it all. And I
think maybe what might be best is we
come in and speak with you, the new town
manager and and take time to walk
through it, but like
clean house. That's that's the directive
I think from most people in this town
and sitting there and letting it
continue is ridiculous.
Um
she put forward a fake report to you.
The report that came to you from her
she said it was all my fault at my
house.
The engineering report and she blamed it
on my shed. The engineering report
basically said
it wasn't even in the scope. So I've
come to her and asked her to fix it and
she just looks at me like that. Every
time I see her, she looks at me like
that.
>> Bob Bob, just make sure you direct most
of your comments this way.
>> Okay. Well, I want to just kind
>> Okay. I know.
>> Yeah. I'm over it. And you know, that's
the thing. Come talk to us. Come talk to
us. No, I'm not over it. It just keeps
coming up and it keeps coming up. And so
like stop embarrassing us. Do what you
got to do. Cut people loose.
We don't want them around.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Wilson.
>> Last one.
>> Uh
>> Okay. Can I just ask, what's the purpose
of tonight?
What are What are we Like, what's the
purpose of this agenda? We We heard your
recommendation, and now do we accept the
recommendation? Do you guys vote on the
recommendation? What happens now?
>> Rick, I'm going to again toss it to you
on this.
>> The The purpose of the item to
present to the public the actions taken
by the council to close out the
investigation.
>> So, do you consider it closed, or given
the public comments, can we, the public,
open the matter of censuring
Mr. Gold,
or take further action? Cuz I think what
you're hearing is no one believes that
training by itself is the right measure,
no one here at least. So, I know that
was your recommendation, but
I having not spoken at the council
meeting, I don't know what it is, but
I'd like to formally, on behalf of
everyone who spoke, say we don't accept
the recommendation, and we want to take
a different corrective action.
>> So, the The corrective action to be
taken is by the council?
>> Okay.
>> So, the It's the recommendation is just
that, a recommendation to the council
for the council to decide.
>> Okay. And they decide tonight?
Or can we calendar the
decision?
Can we agendize? That's a new word I've
learned.
>> The council um has decided on the
recommendation that I presented tonight.
This is That's the point of the report
is to advise to advise the public on what the council
has decided.
» I don't I don't I don't
>> I don't agree with that that
characterization.
>> I thought
then why did we have public comment?
>> The council can always reconsider and
based on the public's comment is free to
do that. You asked me what the council's
what the point of the
item was on the agenda for tonight and
that was the point to report to the
public the actions to be taken by the
council based on the one sustained
finding.
>> I'm not trying to be a gadfly. I'm just
saying did the council hear your
recommendation before and has the
council voted on and accepted this
recommendation?
>> Council has heard the recommendation
before [clears throat]
tonight and supported the the
report and the recommendation.
>> By majority?
>> I'm not I'm not free to disclose what
the council how the council voted.
>> Okay. So I guess logged
undissatisfaction by members of the
public for
process conclusion and ask for a public
agenda first meeting first item when
council's back from recess to reopen
what is the corrective action for Mr.
Gold and don't have Mr. Gold in the
meeting to start that. We just discuss
that and get through it and then
if he's here then he comes for the rest
request.
Noted. Is it in the agenda?
Does that go in the agenda or does that
go in the notes?
>> Your comments are part of the public
record.
>> Okay.
>> But we'll have to figure out what we
want to do as a council. But we
appreciate your comments.
>> The recommendation is noted. Okay. Thank
you.
>> I thank you. We're going to go to uh
Thomas
>> Yeah.
>> We all still
Yeah. So um
uh
just if if uh
if you have comments we'll keep making
sure everybody gets a chance to come to
the microphone, but it's we just we do
this in a orderly way, so everybody can
be respectful and you
the microphone is there when you're
ready. Thank you.
>> Yeah, but I just don't think it's
respectful to have decided it's just
training without the input of the public
and to have had an agenda item as you
did to sweep it under the carpet. That
is not okay and that is not respectful
and that is not transparent and which is
why we're all saying this.
>> Okay, thank you.
>> This needs to change. The culture needs
to change and even how you're handling
this now
is a is an indicative of the culture.
» Hey but Bob, I got to take Can I just
Can I take Tom Johnson is next on the
list and I'm sure you'll enjoy the
comments, so Tom.
Mr. Johnson, you're live.
>> Hello, good evening.
>> Sir.
Hello.
We can hear you.
>> Thank you.
Council members,
yeah, this is just a continuing story.
Um, makes us wonder as citizens of the
community how many other times things
like this have slipped through because
of quote, excuse me Jan, old boys club
of wanting to protect each other versus
the citizens of the town.
You voted as a council to give
yourselves money, a salary without even
giving the community, the citizens of
the town of Woodside that you supposedly
swore an oath or two
an opportunity to decide if town council
members should get paid. This continues
your whole concept of supporting each
other and not the community.
Um, it's just the insurance company
is to their benefit to make sure that
nothing was found in Mr. Ledbetter's
report. That's obvious. Anyone can see
what's going on there. The fact that
there's been no full report and it's
disguised under an HR issue to make it
more difficult for transparency to the
public. I agree with the other speakers
here this evening that if the town
council decides just oh, we're just
going to have training that that'll take
care of the issue. That this is not the
appropriate solution. The town council
needs to look at themselves in a mirror
and be able to see what the truth is
because we as citizens are not seeing
the truth that we deserve
from our town council.
Thank you very much.
>> Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Um
Sure. Miss Miss Lubin.
» Hi, I just want to um
say that I I agree the report is
incomplete.
Um it did not address
the item on Kenyatta Road and the fact
that a former council member
was having secret meetings with a
developer. So, that allegation was not
addressed.
And
maybe
No, not maybe.
Most of these are not considered
criminal, but they are most certainly
unethical.
And that
is icky.
And it makes everybody feel bad. And it
it's almost a higher bar
to correct an unethical behavior. With
criminal, it's much more clear-cut.
We want the council to succeed. We want
the town to be better. We're all here
tonight asking for your advice and
whether you participate any of you
participated in any of this, I don't
care.
We're asking you to fix it.
And that's that Kensico Road project is
just one example and the Jefferson
project is another example and and the
allegations for for Jen.
Please
do something and do it right.
You know, don't leave us with this
lingering suspicion. Okay, it just
I agree with Steve. I'm at the market.
I'm all over town. People ask me what
the hell is going on with Woodside and I
as you know, have lived here for a long time and I don't have an answer and
that makes me feel icky. Okay?
» Thank you Mr. Mayor. Let me just speak
to that. Um, the
executive summary of the report and all
of the findings and the conclusions
that you're referring to
were made public on April 25th, 2026.
To my knowledge, there wasn't any
uh, request from the public that
allegations needed to be looked at or
allegations were not looked at or to my
knowledge and correct me if I'm wrong,
there were no public requests for the
investigation to be conducted a
different way, to be expanded.
And that's and the the reason why the
executive summary was made a public
document was to provide the public that
information
as soon as it was received by the town.
>> One quick follow-up. Brooke, can you
remind us how the executive summary was
made available to the public?
» It was Yes, it was um,
posted as the town posted public
documents or public notices.
>> So, it It
>> For a press release.
>> It was posted on the website.
>> I believe so. It was issued as a press
release.
And the town followed
protocols it normally follows for a
press release.
» I believe someone was trying to speak
on the Zoom.
>> Yeah, I've got two. I just I balanced my
out, but thank you. Um
we're on second bites of the apple for
everybody here. So, Heather King, we're
back to you again.
>> Yeah, I just wanted to offer up some
suggestions because if I'm hearing
correctly
I feel like I'm hearing that there
aren't actions that you can take and
there's a range of actions that I can
come I can think of. So, let me just
list some of them out, all right?
One is that you could actually one of
the council members could raise a motion
to censure Gold
or to a formal reprimand. I guess
somebody would have to second it.
If you're not prepared to do that
tonight, you could do a motion directing
the town attorney or outside counsel
to return with additional disciplinary
recommendations including Brown Act
disclosure exposure if that hasn't been
ruled out.
You could do um
a motion to condition or pause the
mayoral transition
pending resolution of the matter that's
been discussed tonight.
You could do a motion to refer the
closed session um disclosure for
additional determination.
You could do a motion to continue the
item to a date certain meeting.
There's there's various things that the
council members have
at hand.
I would urge you to do something.
» Thank you, Heather. Heather
We are back to this room again. So, any
other
bites at the apple?
Okay.
Is that
Okay. [clears throat] We're definitely
not We're not do three, but come on,
Bob.
>> All right, cool.
Um I'll keep it short. Um
but it's it's just definitely one of
these things where
it separates itself from the normal
world, the way we operate at other
places. When we operate at startups, I
worked for Bloom Energy, KR would have
fired me had I done anything from a
confidential information perspective. It
seems like what's really bothered me is
it's sort of this above the law
thing. And then what I also see is like
people are afraid of you. People are
afraid of you, big time. So, if people
come
they they want to get their house built,
but they know if they don't if they talk
bad about that guy, it's not going to
happen. So, I think that's where you get
a lot of
stuff where people are pretty hesitant.
But, I mean what I would suggest is
maybe we do another investigation. We
got We got to spend some more money and
actually have other people speak to this
gentleman.
Um
It's just
something has to happen. Um
and just trying to push this under the
rug, act like it's nothing. Um it's
There's just so many people around this
town that know about so many different
things, and they're afraid to come up
here. I'm not cuz I have Asperger's and
I don't care. But,
>> [laughter]
>> but people need to come and speak
freely. I mean, it's brutal to watch all
this happen and just sit here and have
to think, you know, we're powerless, and
we shouldn't be. Um
Our thoughts should be respected. We
should be treated well. Um people
shouldn't say bad things about us or
other people. It This should be a normal
town. It's just not. It's just so not.
It's like it's a SNL skit or something
like that. We're in the newspaper.
There's all these crazy accusations that
always come out. Just
it needs to be done. Off with its head,
basically. So, I'll stop talking, but
>> Okay.
>> I think more needs to happen.
>> Thank you, Bob.
Uh
All right, any other Yes, couple
Oh, well, first time wins, of course.
Please.
» Pat Elgavio, 35-year resident, ASRB.
I also believe that a slap on the wrist
and a good uh little bit of training is
not ample for for this situation. If it
was the private uh industry, there's no
way that he would be able to continue
with his position. And I think both of
you gentlemen should consider stepping
down. Thank you.
>> Thanks, Pat.
And yes.
» So, I just wanted to make clear cuz some
other folks have made some requests very
clear. My request is that we
reopen the investigation, take into
account all of the new information and
data that has come to light, and that
decisions are made that will reflect
ethical behaviors that set a standard
for all of us moving forward. And if
that means that some portion, maybe a
large portion of the council decides to
leave,
that is probably what's going to be
best. You've got a lot of people who
really care, and who, if not afraid to
speak up, as Bob mentioned, cuz I know
some of those folks, too.
Um
you know, people who will serve.
You had Melinda earlier. She's serving.
She's tried before. She's done other
things. There's people who will serve.
So, please don't let ego get in the way
of doing the right thing for this town,
and giving space for people who really,
truly believe that we should have an
ethical,
high-quality council we can be proud of.
Thanks.
>> You?
And we'll jump uh
right to the Zoom room. Uh Maggie Ma, Mrs. Ma.
» Yes, good evening.
>> the floor. Good evening.
>> Thank you. Um I I would just like to say
that with all of this serious
allegations that
uh I think a lot of people are unsettled
with the resolution that has been
presented to us.
Um I think a lot of us are uncomfortable
with that. And I would like to suggest
that
um the idea that the only action to come out of this
to have Paul Geld be the person who
is censured or whatever action is deemed
to be taken
is is really not right.
There's an awful lot here and I I don't
feel comfortable
with that being a resolution of all of
this. So, that is my hope that that that
there be
um
a very
equitable
honest
and just
situation and that we can move forward
from that, but I don't feel that he
should be the scapegoat for this and
that it be decided
and passed over
in in that in that regard. I just don't
think that's right. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
Okay, any last comments on public
comment?
Okay, seeing none
we will close public comment.
Uh do any members of the council have
any further comments?
>> No.
>> I
I'm stunned that my fellow council
members have no further comment.
I'm absolutely stunned and speechless
to hear all of that public comment from
residents and to say nothing. Maybe we can go down the dais and give
people one more opportunity.
» Well, what do you want me to say?
>> It's disrespectful to us.
>> I mean, anything I say can go on the
record
>> [clears throat]
>> and and potentially affect our our
credibility with the uh
justice for the um lawsuit.
Am I correct?
» The uh
the matter is uh considered threatened
litigation and as a matter of
law, anything that the council speaks to
publicly chaining to the litigation, Mr.
Ledbetter's employment would be a matter
of record in that litigation. That's why
as a matter of threatened litigation,
the council has been advised not to
speak publicly on Mr. Ledbetter's
employment or the allegations in his
complaint.
>> So, it's true.
» I'd I'd be happy to speak. Um
uh while considering the advice of
counsel not to speak,
um
I I really appreciate all of your
comments today
and I
uh
it's been eye-opening for me.
Um
and
I share a lot of the same thoughts and
feelings as many of you about
accountability
of public figures and the importance of
transparency.
And so, sitting up here, uh I'm a bit
torn.
As one as a lawyer um and
regularly telling my clients don't talk
about things and hoping that they listen
to my advice
and then
um being advised not to talk
and being in a position where I'd like
to talk
and
um
So,
I wasn't planning to talk. So, this is
um
But, I I I absolutely agree that things
need to be taken seriously.
Um
and that we as a council need to explore
uh what more we can do.
Um
and I think uh selection of the next
mayor
is something that will be decided by the
incoming town council.
I believe in
December.
And so, that is uh but I I hear you all
loud and clear.
Um
and uh
And I I
Yeah, I um
I'm not ready to I don't know where to
go from here exactly, but I do agree and
appreciate every all of your comments
and I agree to work towards everything
that you've said and I've made lists a
full list of your recommendations and requests and
I
um
I definitely intend to to do what I can
to work towards this.
» Yeah, I mean, this is an interesting one
where we've been advised not to talk. Um
you know,
the investigation
uh
determined that
the issues tied to me were unfounded and
not sustained. Uh and that said, um
like others on this council that have
said things
we're taking
this very very personally. I'm very
humbled
uh by this process uh and all the
conversations I've had with folks
uh, in the community, um,
the degree we could have those
conversations, uh, and I just first and
foremost, um,
you know, there's this old saying that
experience is what you get right after
you need it. And, um,
uh, in in hindsight, there are things,
um,
uh, I don't think I would have spent 1
oz of time outside of any regular
meeting, uh,
than than than than than I would have,
right? Uh, but I did. And, um,
I apologize for that, and I apologize
for any statements that I've ever made,
uh, that were insensitive in any way or
hurtful. I hope I hope they I have not
made those statements, but, uh, if if
anything is perceived that way, uh, it
is completely against
who I am and the actions that I take,
uh, to,
you know, be better for the town and be
as productive as I can for the town.
This has been an awful experience, uh,
for all of us. Um,
I know the council as a whole is very
committed,
uh, [snorts]
to making sure that we do safeguard
confidential information, and that uh,
we have integrity in our processes, and
we treat people with respect. And I I
hope everybody that's ever come to this,
I hope in a public setting has seen
at least a culture that I
truly thought was very respectful. And,
um,
you know, it's a terrible thing to go through.
And, um,
uh, I you know, I I would just say that
we all take the matter very seriously. I
know, uh, that Councilmember Gold takes
the matter very seriously. Uh,
we've had a recommendation to accept the
apology. Uh, that is a recommendation
that I, um,
I concur with.
Uh and so uh that's that's where I stand
on this and um I'm very committed to
integrity. I won't be here for the
mayor-ship decision. Um
but
that's that's an interesting question as
well.
» Um I'm going to start with process. So
when I went and picked up my agenda
packet on Friday
I was
so surprised to see the way that this
item was described on our agenda.
No reasonable person would have it any
clue
what the agenda item was meant to be
about. And I think that's a glaring
example of lack of transparency and lack
of accountability.
Um
And I And I had a different expectation.
Um I expected that
the item would be described as a
you know, I I did I don't know what
specific words I envisioned but I
absolutely envisioned that it was going
to be described as a discussion
centering around
the
sustained allegation against Allgold so
that the public would be able to
hear
um and to show up and express their
concerns. So process point number one.
Um
I also asked for but did not receive the
uh
our the oral report. Um so had no time
to really process it or prepare for that
and I think um
I think that's also a a big process error.
We cannot be expected as council members
to
digest an oral report night of
and react to it
and and and be up here and to be able to
substantively
engage and so I think that was a real
process lapse as well.
Um
I'm a former litigator.
I am a lawyer. I I spent five years as a
litigator.
I fully appreciate the advice
not to
discuss more than is necessary. A
personnel matter and this one
is a very disturbing personnel matter
that created a lot of chaos at the town.
And so while I do appreciate that
advice,
um
the facts are out there.
The investigation
led to some factual conclusions
that are not going to be disputed at
litigation and that is that Paul Gold
did in fact
make the disclosure to the town manager
and then that had very serious
consequences.
And
I think that more needs to be done. I
don't think I do accept Paul's apology
and I'm really glad that he owned up to
a lapse in judgment
and that he What was the words that he
used? Um that it was inappropriate and
it was a lapse of judgment but you know,
I think as a council the apology is just
one piece of this and I absolutely think
more needs to be done
and I I think there was uh due process
tonight in terms of giving uh notice
that this is what we were going to be
discussing. Um I I hear loud and clear
from the members of the public that um
there is a clear demand, a clear signal
for more repercussions.
Um
and so I do believe as a council we
could deliberate that this evening.
Um or we could agendize it for a future time. Um
Uh I've heard a number of suggestions, a
censure, a reprimand.
Um
and uh for you know, a commitment by Mr.
Gold not to um try to become mayor next
year. I think those are all really good
suggestions.
Um I guess I would be interested to hear
from my fellow council members if they
would be open to deliberation on that or
if they have already made up their mind
that um the recommendation to accept the
apology and to um undertake additional
training is um
is all that they're going to to to
consider.
» Thank you.
Um any response to that or
further commentary from council?
» I'm open to it.
Uh
is that the two the two suggestions if
that's what you're you would move to?
>> Open to let me see more.
>> Okay. Yeah, great. Do you want to say
open to to uh what exactly?
>> Further proceeding or or adjusting it
tonight if you wanted to put up a vote.
Uh or
if you had something specific in mind.
Um
further deliberation.
What's on the table?
What are you asking for?
I need a refresher on what you just were
asking for. Apologies.
>> Yeah.
I think at a minimum a reprimand
a formal reprimand that goes on the
record is appropriate.
Um
and I think that
we as a council should and I'm not sure
how to go about this procedurally.
Um but I think we need new leadership in this town and I don't
think that um and at the end of
And I I really I really would hate to
see us have to have a similar
conversation like this should Paul try
to put himself up for mayor when we do
the council reorganization. So if there
would be a way to short circuit that and
say that you know as a council we don't
want that to happen that he'll just be a
regular if he chooses to stay on the
council um I had you know I have I have
heard I I have been made aware that he
was um considering retiring before this
all went down and would decided to stay
on the council
um to see um
the conclusion of the investigation out.
Um so there's a question in my mind you
know we are entering an election season.
Um you know
is council member Gold interested in in
pursuing his retirement like he had
considered in the past. Um that would
make it possible for somebody new to run
for his seat. Um that of course is his
decision so um and I don't think there's
appetite on the council to remove him.
Um so I think at a minimum um
a commitment that he um will
not be um in a position to be mayor in
December. Um we've heard that from a
number of people. I think that would be
an important part of um
what more we could do here.
» I'm not
>> Uh
>> I'm not sure what we have the power to
do uh with that part. I don't I we can
remove him as a council member
even if we wanted to, but not saying
that's on the table, but
>> I think we could, but you'd have to
agendize that.
>> I don't think we have that power, but um
for the the
>> You're not able
>> the mayor
uh question um if you are are open would
be interested in
putting your name in the hat for mayor,
I would support that. I think I'm going
to be the only person sitting here next
in December that's still on the
>> I
very much appreciate that vote of
confidence, but I think that's something
that the the new council I mean I think
they would have to figure out who they
would want to nominate. So that I think
that's that's a question for December,
but I think tonight and again maybe need
some advice from legal counsel like
could we structure
um a reprimand to include a direction
that um we would not um
we would not like Councilmember Gold to
we would like him to to be a a regular
councilmember
um and not as is typical a seat um from
vice mayor to mayor in December.
>> I need some color on this.
>> So uh a couple of things um under
California law you're not able to uh
only the electorate can remove a elected
um councilmember. So
um
that's always an option for people in
the community, but the council agendized
or not you can't remove a councilmember.
The second thing is that if
So we're here at this juncture because
the council previously directed
that there wasn't an appetite for such a
hearing.
If you um
would like to make a motion
to do a hearing, then there's a
procedural way that the
uh legal counsel can tell you to have
it's a hearing
um etc. So
um
>> Thank you, Pam. Appreciate that. I think
um so I just to be clear, I wasn't I
wasn't suggesting that we remove
Councilmember Gold.
Um, and thank you for that
clarification.
Um, what I heard from our outside
counsel is that it's it's up to this
body, to the town council, to figure out
what to do about the sustained
allegation. And that does not require,
as a matter of law, an another
agendaized session. That we can, you
know, having, um, heard the report out
from Rick, having, uh, heard commentary
from lots of people in the community,
um, that we can decide tonight, um, what
if anything more we would want to do.
» So, uh, again, let me just speak to
procedure. So, the point of the agenda item tonight was
to present to the public the steps
to address the steps the council had
determined to take
to address the one sustained allegation.
The council can certainly, um,
take all of the comments and all of the
information received today, this
evening, under consideration for a
future
council,
um, meeting, decision, and meeting.
Um, the point of tonight's
matter was to present to the public the
steps the council decided on.
Can further steps be taken or
considered? Of course, but
at this evening's meeting, this was what
the council decided to do, and that's
what's been agendaized.
» I would have been nice to have that
articulated in the in the agenda. That
was not my understanding.
» Okay, so based on what you just said,
uh, we are here,
uh, with the report and the
recommendation to accept the apology,
to undertake training, and then the only
secondary issue that we could really get
into tonight is whether or not
at some point we would want to open up
a hearing or further action at some
point in the future. Is that
Am I hearing what you're saying?
>> I would say that all of the information presented by the
public can be considered by the council
and the council can in a
future hearing address
uh those
um
comments and recommendations after the
council's had an opportunity to
deliberate on
that information to determine if any
additional steps beyond those that
you've uh
identified here this evening that you
wish to take.
>> What can you clarify? Why can't that
deliberation happen right now?
What I mean, I'm just not understanding
the legal advice.
>> So, well, first of all, I think the
council
um
brought forward recommended
brought forward steps that they were
prepared to take and if they're going if
the council wishes to take additional
steps, then that would have to follow
council deliberation.
That would be in closed session. You're
not
I mean, it hasn't been agendized.
My recommendation would be the council
can take it under consideration the
information the public presented and the
council can report back at a future
meeting if it is going to add to
subtract from the steps that you've
identified.
» Yeah, okay.
So, yeah, um thank you. Uh public
comment right now is closed as we
determine next steps here.
Um
So, what
um just coming back one more time.
So, tonight uh what was agreed upon was
acceptance of apology
and additional training. There were a
lot of nice ideas brought up tonight
about pledge of conduct and all sorts of
things that we could also look at as a
group.
And to your point, because of the way
the matter is, if we wanted to talk more
about it, we would be going back into
closed session to talk more about it and
then coming back out again and
potentially either agendizing or
reporting out. Is that
>> I'm going to defer
my belief is that is uh available to the
council. I'm going to defer to the town
attorney.
» So, what you had on your uh agenda for
tonight was a report. If the council
wishes to do anything other than what we
believed we were directed to bring
forward to you
uh and you wish to consider this further
or to consider any other corrective
action, you cannot do that this evening.
You would need to agendize that at at a
subsequent hearing. Um and that hearing
um
uh Councilmember Gold has a due process
right uh to appear and say anything he
wishes to say in his own defense and
that has not occurred tonight because
that is not what we understood the
council was asking us to do.
>> Okay. That makes actually
that makes a lot of sense. Thank you.
So, that's where we are.
accepting the report and
recommendation tonight and
we will as a committee here
um
continue this discussion in closed
session
at a future date.
This is This is personnel in in in
public.
>> It's kind of like you guys are
>> Yeah, so
ha ha
Yeah, okay. So, again, I'm sorry, public comment is
closed. We've been
we're We're the best we can up here,
Bob.
Uh any other
I know, to all of you. I'm sorry.
Thank you.
>> And you might have commented about nice.
If that was dismissive.
That was so dismissive.
» I don't know what you were referring to
there, but um but
>> ideas.
Those were nice ideas.
>> Yeah. Oh, because I thought they were
nice ideas. They're good ideas.
>> extremely dismissive.
>> Okay. Well, thank you. Thank you.
All right. Well, we are accepting the
report unless there's I'm I'm I don't
know You're saying we're not taking a
vote, so I'm sort of confused how to
even close this piece. Um Jane, can you
give some color?
>> Yes, tonight was a report and we
understood that
uh the direction from council was to
accept an apology from Council Member
Gold and to
uh agree with the recommendation for
training. If the council wishes to do
anything further, um you should give us
some direction this evening as to what
it is you're asking us to do.
» Are there anything that we are asking
them to do? I can start with you.
>> I I my my thought We're going to talk
more about this before we make a
decision that goes beyond where we are
right now.
I'm not prepared to do that tonight.
I've heard We've heard what they've
said. There's a lot of implications to
what's been said. A lot of subjects been
covered besides just that one instance.
So, I want to cover it thoroughly, not
just
Wait, let's make a decision and go.
>> If we could have some direction by way
of a motion and a vote, that would be
very helpful from the staff table.
» Yeah, I mean
like I said, I was
totally surprised about how this item
was described on the agenda. I thought
it was meant to be the hearing where we
would deliberate and uh make a decision
on what to do. So, the fact that it's
now being presented as an oral report
that I learned about on Friday is
totally stunning to me.
Um I I
fully believe that we would be able to
deliberate, hear from the public, and as
a council make a decision on what to do,
um whether it was to just uh accept an
apology and training or based on what we
heard from citizens, uh do something
different. Like that's how every agenda
item works. We present the agenda item.
We have an opportunity to ask questions.
We hear from the public. We deliberate,
and then we make a decision. Like I it is unfathomable to me that that's
like not what's happening. Um and so to
kick the can down the road, you know, I I just do not understand. Um
you know, I guess who am I? I'm only a
former litigator and a now general
counsel. Like I guess I have to accept
the legal advice cuz
I you know, I I
couldn't, you know, I'm not prepared to say anything different. Um
but yeah, I guess we need to get some
direction. I don't think um training is
enough.
Um
so
you know, I'd
love to hear from my fellow council
members if they agree additional
direction is needed and what their
suggestions are on what that direction
would be.
Not a motion.
>> Just trying to see if we have
anything.
Yeah, Sun, do you have any thoughts?
» Um
Are Are
Jen, are you proposing uh
Council member Wall, are you proposing
uh
a hearing, an actual hearing?
>> proposed anything. I'm wondering what
your what your thoughts are.
» I'm open.
I mean, it feels like um
constituents are not happy with the you
know, with what happened here tonight
with the
way it was presented. Um
I can understand. I
feel like some really good points were
made. So, um
but I hadn't really thought and I I I'm
not sure where we go from here.
Uh cuz it
doesn't seem appropriate to just close
it here and
we all go on our way and
I don't see that resolving this.
So, um
I don't know if we continue it if we can
continue it to
uh
another evening and then have but I but
I'm not sure what's what would be the
proposal uh a hearing or a further
conversation of this. I don't want to
just kind of come back and
without further direction. Um
But, I'm also not prepared cuz I haven't
really
had a chance to think about where we go
from here. So, um
>> I know the public is still Could the
public just help the council out? Like,
you want to call
>> Actually,
okay. It's very kind of you, but
No, no, no. No, you can't We're not
going to do that, but um
So, I'm in Yeah.
>> So, so really
you have a choice to provide us
direction for something at a future
agenda. But, somebody has to make a
motion and a second and you have to vote
on it to ask us to continue it or to
schedule something in the future.
So,
um
if someone wants to make a motion or to
continue it or if somebody wants to make
a motion to
schedule a session and then go through
how the procedures would work for a
hearing,
um that would be what you would need to
do next.
>> I think I mean, if I might just jump in.
This is an evolving situation and um
you know, we were trying to bring this
into the public to try to be
transparent. Um the timing of this is
just not ideal. It's just not. And to
have a big conversation
with all these moving parts right now
outside of us is
it's very difficult to do. So, if you're
registering like, what are they doing up
here? They're all processing uh
a couple layers here. Um
Tonight, I'm in the position uh myself
as I stated earlier of accepting the
apology and the recommendations uh by
our outside counsel.
Um it doesn't mean uh that we can't
continue as the world evolves to cover
this in closed session and and think
about next steps, which I'm
which I haven't thought about because I
didn't get there in my thinking yet. Uh
so, right now where I am is accepting
the apology and the recommendations from
our counsel.
>> And I'm in agreement with you on that.
>> Awesome.
>> So,
I think
I would I and I you know, if we need a
vote, if some if you'd like to make a
motion to see if it can
uh you know,
you the motion the floor is yours if
you'd like to make a a motion otherwise,
of course.
» Yes, I very much would like to make a
motion. I I'm really struggling here
because again, my understanding
of the procedural aspects of this is
that it's the town council's decision
what to do.
And that yes, a censure motion can be
made and seconded and then agendized.
But I If my understanding is that a
reprimand can be issued without that
additional procedural step.
>> That's incorrect because any sort of
disciplinary action which you take as a
council uh council member who is the
subject of that has a right to due
process.
And that would be a hearing at which he
can appear and make a case for his
position as well. That has not occurred
because that is not what we understood
you were asking us to bring forward to
you.
» Okay.
>> We're not set up for it.
>> Okay.
>> Yep.
>> Okay.
>> And and how would you articulate a motion like
that? Would you Is it a motion for a
hearing on a censure or a reprimand? Is
it something
>> Right.
>> and or other remedies that the town
council may choose to take?
>> Correct.
>> Okay. I'll make a motion to to have a
hearing to consider whether a censure, a
reprimand, or other remedies that the
council may choose to take.
>> Second.
>> Okay. Councilmember Obritsch?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Brown?
>> No.
>> Councilmember Long?
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Domkalski?
» No.
No, that's not We can have further
discussions, figure out what are our
next steps, but
uh
I'm not I'm not there today.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
Are there any any other motions before
closing this item?
All right, item is closed. Is there any
item in the Moving on, we'll May Why
don't we take a 5-minute break actually?
Yeah, 5-minute break and we'll go get
Paul.
the council or public to pull an item
for further discussion.
Are there any items by the council that
you would like to have pulled for
further discussion?
Any items from the public that you would
like to hear
have pulled?
Hearing none, I will entertain a motion.
>> Yeah, I don't have time. I don't have
that in front of me.
Do you have a report we can give him?
All good?
Okay, great. Uh is there someone on the
council that can make a motion for these
six items?
» I move I move that we approve the uh
six items on the consent calendar.
>> Councilmember Aberish?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Brown?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Gold? Councilmember Wall?
Mayor Domkeowski?
>> Yes, thank you. Um
and with great apology to Ms.
Putnam, I apologize um for having to
restructure the agenda this evening, but
as you saw, it was important to do. Um
well, so we'll we're jumping to item B,
and uh which is an approval for a final
map on 1101 Kenyatta, and that
subdivision.
>> Um so, thank you, Mayor. Um good
evening, councilmembers. I'll just give
a brief introduction. Um so,
what you have before you tonight is an
application for a final map. Uh this is
a technical procedure in which the
council
uh ensures uh through staff review that
all of the conditions of approval from
the tentative map have been implemented
um or in process uh for the final map.
Um we're happy to go further into a a
little bit more of a presentation
Sarah's prepared. Um given the time of
the evening, we can just answer
questions. All the information is in the
packet, um but we can go into Sarah has
a very brief presentation if you'd like
to hear it.
>> [snorts]
>> I think it would make sense to see the
brief presentation. Don't worry.
>> Thank you.
Good evening, Mayor Domkowski
and council members.
Um as H mentioned, I'm just going to
give a brief overview of the subdivision
and roadway project at 1101 Kenyatta
Road.
Uh tonight, the council will be
reviewing the final map for approval
prior to recordation at San Mateo
County.
In November uh 2023, the town council
approved the tentative map for a
seven-lot subdivision including the
construction of a new private road.
Uh there is no development for the lots
proposed at this time.
The final map review by the council
shall determine if the final map
conforms with the approved tentative map
and its conditions of approval.
The staff report outlines all of the
conditions of approval of the tentative
map and how the project complies.
Uh the final map meets the technical
requirements of the subdivision chapter
and was reviewed by planning and
engineering staff.
The applicant included a tree and
roadway
um plan which was included in their
improvement plans and the applicant
provide prepared a restrictive covenant
that will be recorded on the property
ensuring all future development complies
with the conditions for future
development of the lots.
Uh so, staff recommends approval of the
final map and restrictive covenant and
if the council approves the final map,
the applicant will work with staff to
obtain necessary signatures and the
final map and restrictive covenant will
be recorded at the San Mateo County
Recorder's Office after completion of
the construction permits.
Um and that concludes my presentation
and I'm happy to answer any questions.
Thank you.
>> Ms. Sarah, any questions for staff?
Okay, we will ask if there are questions
from the public on this matter. Item B,
final approval of a final map for 1101
Kenyatta. Yes, Mr. Lubin.
>> Mr. Lubin, um I would like to
congratulate Lisa Putnam on a really
great job of designing the subdivision.
Her love for the natural landscape and
the vegetation really comes through and
she's overcome the bad instincts of her
engineers to do that and I really
applaud her for that and think it's
going to be a great addition to the
town.
>> Thank you for that lovely comment,
Steve.
Sir.
» Hi, Ken Ogden, uh resident 45 years,
live adjacent to the property.
If you read through the packet, there's
an encroachment permit that's in there
uh that was put on my property uh when
they put a drain system in years ago.
Uh my complaint or my concern is the
maintenance of that.
Uh
when it was originally done as the
permit, the encroachment permit, that
the Putnams would be taking care of it
for perpetuity.
Uh I've requested that that go into
their CC&Rs.
Um to me, it's not quite adequate what's
been in there. I've gone to the town a
couple of times, uh spoken to them
multiple times, don't get much of a
response. Here's some my current emails
from when this packet came out to try to
address that. So, I have a hard time
with them um with you
finalizing the permit or the the uh plan
without rectifying this issue
uh cuz there is a large drainage catch
basin there and there's no access to get
in and clean it, although they're
responsible for cleaning it.
If you I was just looking through cuz I
hadn't seen these documents before,
that the encroachment permit in section
13 talks about uh defending indemnity
and everything else.
Um
and I'm curious which of these lots or
the CCNRs is going to indemnify everyone
down the road should uh there's an
equestrian trail come
>> Mhm.
>> on right next to it. Someone falls into
the permit into the pit, gets hurt.
Who's Who's Who's legally liable for
that? So, I don't think we've addressed
all the issues with this.
Um so, I would encourage you to take a
look at some of my notes of what I've
requested. Um I'm would also request if
you guys even know where this is located
on the property
because it traps quite a bit of debris.
Um for years it was never cleaned. Uh
half the time when it Well, couple of
times it was cleaned, all they did was
take the debris out and put it on my
property rather than haul it away.
Um which I really don't want it there.
I've been maintaining it myself most of
the time, which it wasn't my
responsibility.
Um so, there's there's no way to access
it in this plan. They said they've got a
I went to the town and they said they've
got an easement, uh 20-ft easement down
their side of the property.
Uh that has quite a steep embankment to
it. It's got trees all over it. I don't
know how you're going to get a truck in
to haul debris away and everything else
cuz there's not a wheelbarrow full. It's
a lot more than that.
So, um they've made no allowance in
their design to access this. Currently,
since it was a 7-acre parcel, they have
a gate right next to it and have easy
access through one of the lots, but do
you even see where this is on the
development plan?
>> I I would actually If we could Can we
pull up that plate, man?
The
» Cuz I think it should be, you know,
outlined as part of the development
where it is.
» So this is this is the final map.
The
drainage improvements uh Mr. Dr. Hoffman
is is referring to is on his property so
it's it's on just north of the property.
And that's where the encroachment permit
is because there is an equestrian trail
easement there.
And so the improvements are there. This
includes
a a utility and drainage easement that
can be accessed from the roadway as well
as from one of the adjacent properties.
CCNRs include the encroachment permit by
reference as as an attachment and it
requires that the HOA maintain this so
that anybody who purchases the property
from the current owner will have to
ensure that that
drainage facility is maintained pursuant
to that encroachment permit.
>> But it doesn't say carry away the
debris.
It just says we're going to clean it and
cleaning it is
not very well defined.
» Well it'll have to
keep the the interest so this is the
part in which the CCNRs reference the
encroachment permit. So the way the the
encroachment permit has always been
enforced and will continue to be
enforced.
I mean it is attached to this as exhibit
D to the CCNRs.
>> And the indemnification?
» I'll speak to that.
» Yeah the CC the CCNRs apply to the
original developer and then when they
are sold they these um
obligations transfer to the owners who
will then be subject to these CCNRs. So
that's who we're talking about when
we're talking about indemnification.
>> So, is this a definitional definitional
issue to you in terms of caretaking it
versus hauling it away? Is that
>> I I want to know that it's going to be
taken care of. I mean, originally I
didn't want it on my land to begin with
since they had 7 acres and I don't have
7 acres and why they had to put it on me
was beyond me. And now that I wouldn't
have to be here if we had done it
correctly originally. But, my goal is
how are they going to get to it and
access it? There is no access in the
map.
None. You say what? 20 ft down the side?
>> The equestrian easement, right? So,
>> What what easement are we talking about
that we're going to access it through?
>> There's an equestrian easement on the
eucalyptus properties. There's also a a
drainage easement that runs along the
properties here on the store side.
>> Right. And there's trees all over them.
So, you're going to get a truck you're
going to cut down all the
>> also access it through the properties
themselves.
So, in this example, whoever buys lot
five would have these responsibilities
attached to lot five.
Yes. Okay.
>> Do we get that in somewhere that there's
going to be access through lot five?
>> How does that work?
Or it is what it it is what it is. The property owner simply has to abide
by those issues.
>> That's it.
>> out how to do it.
>> Yes, the the language which you saw on
the screen before said um had the word
clear.
I'm sorry, there we go.
>> Right, but does lot five know there they got this they got trucks are
going to drive through there they're
going to have a driveway through the
middle of their lot?
» So, remind me, we're not at a place
where we're talking about
building any properties and having
things approved, but in that process
would that be coming up in terms of
access to an approval
of a building permit on this issue?
Isn't that when it would be coming up?
Not at
lot line moment?
» So the planning director is advising me
that when any homes are to be built
there, they would need to come back in
and go through a public hearing process
in regard to those. So we will note this
um
so that that can be addressed at the
time. I do think it's covered here. It
doesn't say specifically where you're
going to drive to get there, but it does
obligate the homeowners association uh
to to keep that clear and preserve that
area.
>> Okay.
>> But we would can address it again when
they bring forward their
um
applications to build homes.
>> Okay. I think that's the answer. At
least that's a
>> So [snorts] I need to come back at
when they wanted to do that lot and do
could do this all over again?
>> Well, it should be part of the process
at this point.
>> This is just it
>> The current owners are required to
maintain it. The future owners are
required to maintain it in the exact
same fashion. Accessing it from this
property,
um the homeowners association will work
out how they access that. It's their
responsibility to make sure that it's
maintained free and clear per the
original encroachment permit.
>> Okay, cuz this is
the equestrian easement that we're going
to take a truck up on the eucalyptus
properties. And I don't see how you're
getting it through those eucalyptus
trees.
So using that as our backup doesn't make much sense.
So.
>> All right, thank you.
>> for your time.
>> Thank you for bringing it to everyone's
attention.
Ms. Putnam, this is a public hearing and
I should be able to you have as much
time as you want to speak to any of
these issues.
» Thank you. I actually don't have all
that much to say, but um
I've been at this for 5 and 1/2 years,
and I just really
I'm I'm only talking about my project,
nothing else tonight, but I just want to
say how grateful I am.
I've been working with Sarah for and
she's been wonderful. She's just been
wonderful, and so has Sage and Cindy and
Jason
and Julie. Everybody I've worked with
has just been
top-notch.
I think they're here because they love
the town, and I think you're here
because you love the town.
And I just want to thank my dad was on
town I've
lived in Woodside off and on since 1971
for 55 years, and I know Steve has me
beat,
but um
we have deep roots in this town. We love
this town, and I know you guys are
serving
because of your deep love, and I just I
just want to recognize that, and I I
appreciate Ken's comments, and I'd like
to work with him. I've talked to his
wife Laura a little bit cuz I have some
ideas cuz I'm
very very passionate about soil, and I
think um
we could get some ground cover,
>> [clears throat]
>> excuse me, and we could do a lot so
there's not so much um water that's
being lost cuz that's you want to slow
it, sink it.
You know, you you you you don't want
water going away. You actually want
water percolating down into the ground,
and I think um if Ken was open to it,
I'd be more than happy to work with him
on that and maybe get in some
California natives planted um
so we can get that water where it
belongs, which is in the ground. So,
that's really all I have to say. I I
just really want to thank the town and
thank the staff for um all the help that
they've shown me for the last 5 and 1/2
years. Thank you very much.
>> Thank you, Lisa.
Any other uh public comments on this
matter?
Hearing none, we will close public
comment and go to any further
deliberation from any council member.
» Um so I'm very supportive of the of the
item. I want I just want to make sure it
sounds like from what I hear, Lisa and Ken, you guys are aligned, but it
sounds like Ken, maybe you want some
just additional language or
clarification to feel confident that the
encroachment easement will be maintained
in the same way or sorry, the
encroachment permit would be maintained
in the same way.
>> better than it has,
um
but that they have access.
>> Mhm.
>> And I just don't see where the access is
coming from.
>> Mhm.
>> And the indemnification, um
again, I don't see that I mean maybe
it's just where you have it written and
like I'm not an attorney as everyone
else here is. Um
uh but uh it just
the indemnification and the access.
>> So access, okay.
>> Yeah, and I just don't see with this map
and I brought it up when they did the
preliminary map.
Uh was kind of told to go sit down at
that point. Um that I don't see where
the access is.
>> Okay, maybe we can take both both
questions.
Yeah, so let's talk about the access. So
what I heard is
um that the HOA would determine access.
Is that right?
» That's correct. It's their
responsibility to maintain it for this
encroachment permit. And the reason it's
an encroachment permit is because it is
encroaching on the town's um
trail easement.
Uh and so that's why it has to be an
encroachment permit. So that that access
whether you you jump off
>> Wait, okay, so a couple questions. So um
would the So I'm envisioning like this
is what is it? Seven lots? There's
seven future homes. Those home property
owners would make up the HOA. Those
property owners get to come together and
say we're going to access this
in this way. So is that are you saying
that access is fully up to the
individual property owners of the HOA?
>> Yeah, it's it's just as it is today. You
know, there's a group of property owners
and they have to get together and make
sure they access that area for the
encroachment permit.
>> What is the access today? How do they
access it today?
>> I'll speak to that.
» Yeah, right now since it is under
well, it's not technically under one
ownership, but we've always accessed it
what would be lot five right now. Um and
I will say I mean I think
I didn't know that we were supposed to
be maintaining this till recently and
then after I found out we're supposed to
be my my parents agreed to this maybe 30
years ago or something.
Yeah, I don't know how old the
encroachment permit. I think it's about
30 years ago is when they came to an
agreement on the drainage. And at the
time my parents agreed and Ken agreed
and and now that's part of the
That's now part of our restrictive
covenant.
>> sense.
>> Um so it it was he's right. It was
easier when it's all under basically one
ownership, but you guys are also right that then
the new homeowners will at some point
then have to get together and say okay,
lot five we're going to have to go
through, you know, we're going to have
to go through your lot to get to the
It's a
20-ft easement right behind it. Um
I mean you could you would have to take
down those um eucalyptus trees if you're
going to try to get a truck going up the
easement. So it would be easier to get
it to it through lot five.
>> So we kind of know how access needs to
happen. Sounds like we're going to
there's going to be a home built on lot
five and that
Jump in if I'm saying anything wrong.
That building permit will need to
account for the fact that the the home built on that lot will need to
provide for access to this encroachment
easement.
>> Yes,
there there's setbacks required for the
buildings as well that will provide
other open areas.
>> Is there a way would there be a way to
make a more affirmative statement in
these documents that the HOA will
determine access through lot five um
and even maybe in a way that's
acceptable to the westernmost property. I'm just
trying to figure I'm just trying to
bridge the gap here.
So
>> I think you can um make some suggestions
for changes in CC&Rs but I think the
more practical way to do it is just for
us to note that whenever development for
lot five comes in that this is an issue
that must be addressed and they're going
to have to provide access unless they
can show that there's there's um
alternate access.
>> That that does seem really practical.
Would you say that we would
address that here? Like put language in
into um
what we're looking at tonight or would
we put that into like the HOA like the
CC&Rs a good but
how would you suggest we
>> I think what you could do is you could approve the map tonight which
is really a ministerial act and then you
could give direction to staff that that
is to be addressed when um lot five
comes in.
>> But also just to be clear that the CC&Rs
are also what need to be adopted tonight
as well.
>> And so the what you have before you is
the language for the CC&Rs so that's
item number three and then exhibit D
includes the entire encroachment permit
along with
So you have this entire encroachment
permit that's in place today and that is
tied to this CC&Rs
um specifically referenced from that
item number three. To make any
modifications you want to make that in
item three.
» Can if I may would would direction to
staff to address access
um
when development for lot five occurs,
would that ease your mind on this topic?
>> Not a great deal.
>> There you go.
>> To be honest with you.
Because again, I've I I was not in
agreement with your dad on putting it on
my land. In fact, they went to put it on
and they didn't even realize realize
they needed cuz it's a scenic corridor
that they needed
a ruling from you guys to do it. I had
to bring that up to try to stop it.
But I couldn't stop it
because for whatever reasons it ended up
there.
Um so again, I don't want to have to
keep an eye on what comes in my mail a
week before someone votes on something
to make sure that this is in there when
they do the lot. Otherwise, it it's
I mean
it's a huge drain pipe, but who knows
what goes in there and what clogs it. So
I mean, Benji may even have to bring a
pumper truck in it to clear out that
whole thing. And that if that backs up
then all the drain system that's been
put on Cañada Road is is worthless.
Because that's the that's the freeway
drainage is coming off of that. It's not my water. It's the freeway
drainage.
So.
Thank you.
>> So I think we were going to address the
indemnification as well.
Um
So what I'm hearing from um from Ken is
that uh
Is it Is it Is it correct that you're
just you you feel as though the
indemnifi- indemnification language is
not strong enough or not clear?
>> I'm not I don't I don't Again, I'm not
an attorney to know that. I mean
you're being identi- indemnified also as
the town
in the original permit. But I just
I mean, if
it it's kind of like is the CCRs really
going to read that deep to know that
that's what they're buying into
um when they're buying one of these
seven lots and that the lot, whatever
number it was, is going to have a pumper
truck drive across the middle of their
backyard and the swimming pool
to get to this drainage
ditch
and the catch basin.
I mean I would encourage you to come out
and walk it and see how how it's going
to happen.
I'm happy to give anybody a tour.
Just a lot of thorns.
» Yeah, it's it's hard this is a pretty
dense agenda item. So it's hard for me
to make a recommendation on the fly like
how to properly address the access
issue. Sounds like it, you know,
valid issue.
Um and to the extent, you know, we need
to highlight indemnification in a
different way.
Um
I don't know if if uh
staff has any thoughts on how we can
accomplish that. And I heard the
>> She wanted to look at the language in
number three and
require some type of access through lots
four and or five
to provide
you know.
>> Can you make you Would you be able to
make a suggestion on the fly of what
that adjusted language would how it
would read?
>> The clearing and its successors and
assigns are required to operate clear
and preserve structural and hydrologic
hydrological integrity etc. etc.
Uh but as in accessing uh this area
through lots four or five.
» Ms. Putnam, would that work for you?
» Yeah, I guess so. I I feel it's a little
bit of a joint problem with Ken and I just asked Ken we can easily
access through it his lot and he said
no. So I don't know. I guess I just feel
like maybe there could be a little more
give and take here.
» If I could just revisit and try what try
it one more time, that I really think
this should be looked at when they come
in to develop the houses because then
you're going to see where the houses are to be located. Um we can make a note that this this is
something that has to be addressed at
that point and they have to demonstrate
how how uh
and what responsibility each one of
those lots would have
um
for addressing number three.
» That feels like the way we have
historically handled these
matters, right? I mean, this is not a
we're not looking at building right now.
We're looking at
sub a final subdivision, basically.
>> Correct.
>> So, I think that makes sense as uh
recommendation with note uh issue
um
So,
that's something I could certainly
support.
I think I I think it's the right thing
to do.
Anyone [clears throat] else have any
thoughts on this?
>> I I I would support the the language
adjustment that Gene just suggested. Um
I may think
I mean, what I heard is that regardless,
like with there's building on lots four
and five, they're going to have to
address this, but I don't see any harm
in in stating that up front here.
Um so, I I would support that additional language.
>> Just for clarity, the note that this
will be dealt with at the time of uh
plat five building the permit.
>> Exactly, like the language adjustments
that that Gene articulated.
>> Yeah.
>> She's indicating that we would add that
they would be accessed through lots four
or five.
To condition number three.
» Four or five.
>> I think that's what we've
>> Those are the closest lot.
Four is not very close.
» [clears throat]
>> So, it's really five.
» Any other
Anyone want to weigh in on this at all
or
No?
>> Nope.
>> No.
>> I personally feel like I agree with uh
Dean's comments. Um I I feel like it
makes more sense to address this more
specifically and more in detail when
we're actually looking at building plan
a building plan.
>> Yeah.
>> And so I would propose
unfortunately just accepting
the language as as recommended
currently.
» Okay.
I'm there as well with with the caveat
of a note. Uh you know, this is a big
highlight and I I again I I sympathize
with Ken's comment a minute ago finding
out a week ahead of time or something.
So again, engagement with the neighbors
is really important, of course.
I think we all know that, but um
just to drive it home.
» Yeah, I'll second.
If you If your first was was your first
acceptance of the of the language
with a uh with with a note to
really
emphasize the this in the building
>> Or just would be directed that to to
make sure that when they come in on four
and or five that we're looking at and
making sure that there is access uh to
that area for maintenance of drainage
improvements.
» I'll move.
>> Second.
>> Council member Obritsch?
>> Yes.
>> Council member Brown?
>> Yes.
>> Council member Golden? Council member
Wall?
Mayor Domgowski?
» Okay.
Thank you. And then I'll just note that
we're going to put it in our permit
tracking system and in our address files
and we'll make sure there's some
redundant notes in different places.
>> Thank you.
Ken. Thank you, Lisa.
Uh we got one sort of last formal issue,
uh new business item D, a resolution on
road maintenance and safety improvement
work. And Luis, I'm handing this off to
you.
>> Honorable mayor and town council
members, um with the interest in time,
I'll make a super short summary. This
item is uh basically a continuation of
what we discussed during budget for the
upper Olahhanja Road safety project. Um
there are multiple items here for you to
consider.
Um these are all the items we discussed
during the budget season. Um the first item is the amendment to um
Fairlawn Company and it's for them to
clean up the uh the upper section,
remove vegetation, put in guardrails,
and just improve safety in general, and
get us ready for the winter season. The
second item is a annual um cleaning
agreement that is for 3 years uh with
Fairlawn and having them come back and
doing annual maintenance on the upper
section. And the last item is the last
action is with uh BKF Engineers, and
this is for them to uh study uh a
permanent solution, um
and looking at um the possibility of uh
widening the road, and also looking for
grant opportunity. Now, there's only one
item is not mentioned in this is the
purchase of the temporary traffic
signal. I'm in the process of doing a
selection right now, and I will bring
that item to you in September. But, we
do have a updated rate from Fairlawn,
which is uh substantially reduced, and
that will allow us to continue using the
their uh renting their temporary signal
until the time comes for us to um
purchase new one and make that um
transition.
So, um with that, I'm open to any um
questions.
>> Thank you, sir. Any questions for Luis?
>> I have a question, and basically
comment, um
Luis, and it's basically more for you,
Pam.
This is an expensive project.
Uh it's a project that for what 2 years
ago
the whole road was shut down for a lot of reasons, but uh it's been a
huge problem for the county, not just
Woodside.
And this is where we need to go to the
county and say we need a lot of money
to make this work way it needs to work
cuz we've been sort of paying for it
ourselves the cheap way we can.
It's It's beyond us. And so we need to
get really creative on how we can get
other people's money
to do this.
» Any Any other comments or questions?
Any member of the public
that's interested in commenting on item
D?
Seeing none, we'll close public comment.
Uh any further deliberation from
council? If not, happy to accept a
motion.
>> I'll move to accept item D.
>> Second.
>> Councilmember Abernethy?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Brown?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Gold?
>> Yes.
>> Councilmember Wong?
>> Yes.
>> Mayor Domkowski?
>> Yes, thank you.
Any updates on volunteer committees?
None? Okay. Any council communications?
>> Yeah, I have a couple quick ones. I know
it's late. Um I first wanted to thank
Lewis and his team. The other day we had
a report of dumping in the Woodside
[clears throat] Heights. This is a dump
truck literally dumped a load on the
street
over overnight.
And the residents called them in about
8:00 in the morning.
And And as soon as I heard about it,
they they were already alerting Lewis
and his team and that cleaned up by
10:00 in the morning. It was amazing how
fast they reacted to that.
Um the other thing I want to point out
is that we are using They will be using
and have already contacted Sheriff Flock
camera has caught the the license plate
of the truck
doing the dumping.
And we're going to be use We're talk to
the Sheriff. We're going to track that
truck down through the license through
the Flock Camera. We already have a name
from having gone through the materials who who the company is.
So,
Flock has been very useful there. And I
have one more personal comment, too, on
Flock.
Uh a week ago,
uh
we would learn from the Sheriff that
there was a
uh a a robbery that had occurred on um
fairly down on Alameda and Woodside
Road.
And they caught them
right next door to me on Northgate
because we have a Flock Camera literally
right outside my my house.
Um so, two in a row for wins for Flock.
» Thank you, sir.
Um any other communications?
We're a little bit remiss in not
properly welcoming you, Pam.
This was not the right meeting for a lot
of glorious accolades and thanks, but um
I know I speak for everybody when we're
really impressed and we're very thankful
for everything you're bringing to the
role and
I'm sorry this was your first meeting.
Yeah, it's great to have you.
Uh we actually still will reopen
communications one last time before
calling it a night. Are there any
members in the Zoom room that would like
to make any additional comments?
Okay, seeing none, we will close the
meeting at 10:20 on July 28th. Thank you
all.