Dozens of lecturers, supporters and students on Wednesday afternoon in Berkeley celebrated a historic win for University of California lecturers in terms of pay and benefits from the university.

They chanted, sang and spoke on the steps of the student union at the flagship University of California at Berkeley beginning at about noon.

"When we fight, we win," the lecturers chanted to start the rally.

"Whose university? Our university." they said.

Following two and a half years of bargaining, the union representing 6,500 lecturers and librarians struck a tentative agreement with UC early Wednesday morning, averting a two-day strike that would have started Wednesday. 

The strike would have affected thousands of students, including some at Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz, canceling classes as the semester begins to wind down. 

Bargaining lasted until 4 a.m. following a 2:30 a.m. offer from the university that was deemed unacceptable. 

Lecturers teach about 33 percent of credit classes in the UC system and their annual starting salary is $54,000, union leaders said. Wednesday's agreement could ripple throughout the nation's colleges. 

Tiffany Page, a continuing lecturer in global studies and a member of the bargaining team, said the reason they were able to get the changes they wanted was because of everyone's participation.  

Indeed, lecturers had the support of students and at least some tenured faculty. 

"The students deserve to have instructors who are respected, well-paid, have continuity and have job security," said Professor Paul Fine, who teaches in the Department of Integrative Biology.  

Ben Brown, who teaches constitutional subjects in the legal studies department said that it was great to bargain in front of 300 allies. 

Brown attributed the deal to the pressure allies put on the university.  

One student ally put the pressure on by sending an email to a university negotiator.  

"Let this be an example moving forward," Caroline Quigley, a senior in political economy, said, directing her statement mainly to other students. "You don't have to accept every situation that you walk into in life." 

James Weichert, vice president of academic affairs for the Associated Students of the University of California and a junior, said he heard if lecturers went on strike as they planned, it would be a disruption.  

But he said the real disruption is when you want a letter of recommendation from a lecturer you took a class from, and they no longer work at the university.  

"That's the real disruption," he said.  

He said the movement doesn't stop today. 

Indeed, student researchers at UC are in the midst of a strike authorization vote, said doctoral student Tanzil Chowdhury in the materials science and engineering department at UC Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Thousands have already voted, Chowdhury said.  

"We are well on our way to a majority," he said.  

It's unclear if the university recognizes the group.  

UC President Michael Drake was positive about Wednesday's agreement with the lecturers. 

In remarks to the university regents Wednesday afternoon, he said, "This is a very positive development for our entire community, especially the students that we serve.  

"This contract honors the vital role our lecturers play in supporting UC's educational mission and delivering high quality instruction and education. It also means more job security and other important benefits for our valued lecturers. It's a good agreement all around," he said.  

Lecturers were represented by the University Council-American Federation of Teachers, and the agreement reached provides big gains for them.  

The gains include opportunities for professional advancement, an increased base salary, better pay, annual cost-of-living adjustments, enforceability of workload issues, and four weeks of paid leave to bond with a new child or care for an ill family member.  

AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a statement that the contract is good for students and fair to lecturers.  

"It includes family leave, workload improvements and crucial job security protections--including rehiring provisions and multi-year contracts," he said.  

The deal is a 5-year agreement and resolved four of seven complaints to state regulators about unfair labor practices by the university. The university has denied those allegations.  

"The University is proud of the dedication and commitment to harmonious labor relations both sides demonstrated to achieve a fair deal that honors our lecturers and prioritizes the University's instructional mission," said Letitia Silas, UC's executive director for systemwide labor relations.  

The tentative agreement still must be voted on by union members. If approved, the contract will last through March 2026.  

The Berkeley Police Department is in search of a missing at-risk person, the department announced on Wednesday evening. 25-year-old Isaiah Lottie was last seen in the 2100 block of Ashby Avenue at 2:30 p.m. He's described as a 5-foot-6-inch, 150 pound African American man with a short black mohawk. He was last seen wearing a black and orange hat and a burnt orange hoodie with Looney Tunes characters on it. Police urge anyone with more information on his location to call 911 or contact the police department.

A Diary is supposed to just flow, but I find this week I keep starting over to describe what happened at the three meetings of consequence I did attend and being thankful that the Veterans Holiday meant the last city meetings ended on Wednesday.

The commissions are still trying to figure out what to do with their unfinished work and what the loss of their expertise will mean as commissions are merged, commissioners are dumped, and expertise is lost, and wondering how those who remain will take on new responsibilities in areas in which they have little to no experience or knowledge. Cutting the commissions in half also means cutting half of the commissioners. Some commissioners at every meeting where the mergers enter the discussion express their surprise and dismay that their councilmembers did not seek their input and show no interest in hearing it. 

When the opportunity arose at the Parks and Waterfront Commission merger discussion, I gave my observations and opinion in blunt terms grounding my comments with: “I have read every commission and board agenda for years and attended every public meeting on the merging of commissions.” I responded to Gordon Wozniak’s comment that the city council had looked at merging commissions years ago and then reversed course and stopped, with, “this is not the same council.” 

I wasn’t at my computer so I couldn’t give the dates included here, but said that the stage was set to dismantle the commissions when the City Manager gave her presentation on the creation of council policy committees at the city council’s Agenda Committee in the summer of 2018, and the council finalized the creation of six council policy committees December 11, 2018. I told the Parks Commission that the council wasn’t interested in their input. In fact, in my observation and opinion, the council considers commissions a nuisance. 

While I didn’t say it Wednesday, commissions bring forward information and actions that the mayor, the council and the city manager don’t want to hear or enact. If you read the agendas and watch the council meetings, that observation is confirmed repeatedly. 

That brings us to the Parks and Waterfront discussion on the Pier- Ferry meetings. One of the commissioners who attended the last Pier-Ferry meeting related that nearly every attendee found fault with the plans and the mayor brushed them off, saying they weren’t representative of Berkeley. 

It’s more like most of Berkeley isn’t paying attention. There is already too much on their plate in this upside-down pandemic world to care. As long as this boondoggle is paid for by someone else and never hits their wallet, it is sort of a fanciful idea. Never mind that travel by ferry is inefficient, costly and ferries burn the dirtiest fossil fuels. An all-electric ferry costs, according to presentations, $16,000,000, and WETA (Water Emergency Transportation Authority) doesn’t have any of them. 

I said that the decision has been made and it is Scott Ferris’s job to line up the paperwork to make it match the decision. When Scott Ferris said the Pier-Ferry service would be discussed by council in closed session on the 7^th of December, Jim McGrath responded in disbelief because of the inappropriateness of shutting out the public. McGrath also pointed out that wave analysis presented was totally wrong (a big deal for ferries when underestimated). 

The other meeting, I attended on Wednesday was way more positive: the Southside Complete Streets online open house. I found myself on the same side as Shane Kyrpata and most of the other members of the breakout group as we went through the proposals. We all went beyond the proposal for Telegraph and said that it should be closed to cars and limited to pedestrians, biking, transit, include trees and probably restricted hours for deliveries. When I disagreed with other members it was over the width of sidewalks. Everyone else was a bicyclist. I was the only walker. As someone who walks nearly everywhere, sidewalks all over this city are too narrow. You can still comment at https://berkeleysouthsidecompletestreets.org/ 

The last meeting to cover is the November 9^th city council meeting. 

It was nice to have a lighter week, but as the Tuesday evening council meeting dragged on and on, I checked the news banners from the Washington Post and found the summary of recent research on increased heart disease and bedtime. The best bedtime is between 10 pm and 11 pm. Going to bed after 11 pm is associated with increased risk of heart disease especially for women. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/11/09/sleep-bedtime-cardiovascular-disease-health/ the study https://academic.oup.com/ehjdh/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ehjdh/ztab088/6423198 

Planning agendas and ending meetings so everyone gets a good night of sleep would mean those items that are pushed to the wee hours to minimize public comment and scrutiny would see the “light of the evening.” The mayor’s action to kill the “Rights of Nature” referral at the October 26 council meeting was at approximately 12:05 am. You wouldn’t know it happened just from reading the annotated agenda. Only four of us had hung in to comment. 

This week it was the Objective Standards Recommendations for Density, Design and Shadows that landed after 11 pm. Homeowners with solar have been righteously concerned that new construction would block their solar panels from sunlight. The proposal from Hahn, Arreguin, Harrison and Wengraf only addressed providing some protection to properties backed up to buildings along commercial corridors and nothing for homeowners in residential areas. The alternate proposal from Droste , Kesarwani and Taplin considers the impact on solar only when it is greater than a 50% loss. Since residential solar has been limited to what is needed for the household, that means a 50% loss; 50% of the solar panels are useless. 

So, after weeks and months and years of failing to define objective standards for buildings, failing to define rooftop solar protections, just shy of 5 hours and 45 minutes into the meeting (well after 11 pm) Councilmember Taplin moved to “table” the objective standards item. Arreguin initially abstained and then changed his vote to yes to join Kesarwani, Taplin, Bartlett, Hahn, Robinson, Wengraf and Droste to end discussion and end establishing any standards at all. Councilmember Harrison abstained. 

For all the effort from the City of Berkeley Sustainability to encourage residents to invest and adopt rooftop solar, the mayor and the council majority just killed it. There is only one councilmember who consistently stands for climate action, the lone member to abstain, Kate Harrison. 

There will be something before the Planning Commission and Council next year, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. There is a mindset in Berkeley that wants to maintain the aura of a progressive city while kicking actual action to the curb. 

This failure to protect solar in Berkeley has the backdrop of a failed COP26 (Conference of the Parties – the twenty-sixth time 197 countries have gathered to agree on an environmental pact). No wonder climate action is such a failure. We can’t even get solar protections in Berkeley. This is so counter to the announcement from the University of California Irvine, “Wind and solar could power the world’s major countries most of the time.” Storage and non-fossil fuel sources could fill the rest. https://news.uci.edu/2021/11/05/wind-and-solar-could-power-the-worlds-major-countries-most-of-the-time/ 

The confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. crossed another million in just 12 days on November 13, 2021 to total 47 million. Those of us who follow the numbers know this is an undercount especially with home testing that is never added to the confirmed tally (unless they show up for medical care). The incidence of new cases is going the wrong direction, up 

We need to figure out how to live with COVID perpetually at our doorstep. As a surge in one part of the country dissipates the virus takes hold in a new location. The virus keeps finding weak spots and that isn’t too hard with the pockets of the unvaccinated and the scattering of vaccinated who generated enough immunity from the vaccine to weaken the impact of a COVID infection, but not enough immunity to fend it off completely, “breakthrough” COVID. 

In closing, the story of inmate firefighters filled the front section of the November 14^th San Francisco Chronicle. 

I had heard for years on “Democracy Now“ about inmate firefighters: How the inmate crews fight fires along with the “regular” fire crews, risk their lives and are paid not even minimum wage ($2 - $5 per day plus $1 - $2 per hour when on a fire line) and can’t work as a firefighter when released from prison. I always thought of the inmate crews as male. 

Jaimie Lowe tells the stories of a handful of women inmate fire fighters (including Shawna Jones who died in the Mulholland Fire just a few months from parole) in the book, Breathing Fire: Female Inmate Firefighters on the Front Lines of California’s Wildfires published in 2021.  

Inmate crews save California about $100,000,000 per year according to the Corrections Department. Firefighting is considered voluntary but the book challenges that premise. Can it be voluntary “when an inmate is trying to avoid sexual assault, violence, trauma, mental and physical degradation, poor nutrition, solitary confinement and retaliation? She might be looking for any alternative.” 

Lowe wrote that the women inmate crews were described as the best at clearing breaks as they were more exacting than the men leaving nothing to burn. 

Before AB 2147 was signed by Governor Newsom in 2020, there was no hope for inmates to leave prison and join a fire crew, a career in which they were already trained and experienced. Negotiating the stages of legal petitions is no simple task. A certificate from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) must be secured to have records expunged. Next it must be approved by a judge. A district attorney can block the process. And, all that is followed with competing for the job. 

The book is real life. Not all the women were able to break the cycle that got them into trouble in the first place. The adjustment on release from prison was hard. The one who moved on with real success was hired as a firefighter. That should give us something to think about. 

You can find interviews online and the ebook is available at our local libraries.

Beset by complaints that Facebook's social media platforms were creating mass anxiety among teenagers wracked by woes of loneliness, self-doubt, and body-shaming—by dispensing socially destablizing lies, medical untruths, political slanders, disturbing rumors, and fake news—a besotted Mark Zuckerberg attempted to quiet the uproar with a diverting announcement: Facebook was adopting a new corporate identity. Henceforth, the tech behemoth is to be known as "Meta"—short for "Metaverse."  

On October 5, Facebook insider Frances Haugen went public with reams of evidence exposing Facebook's cavalier approach to the mental and emotional damage its social media platforms were creating—and profiting from. As Haugen explained, Facebook had become "a thing that people used to numb themselves when their lives were horrible." 

Haugen's warning comes at a critical moment in human history. Pandemics. Disease. Global Warming. Climate Chaos. Pandemics. Disease. War. Police Violence. Homelessness. Inflation. Racism. Authoritarianism. Has there ever been such a rich opportunity to profit off the misery of millions? On the Facebook ledger, however, all of these converging disasters add up to a series of potential "profit points." 

In the aftermath of Haugen's disclosures, Zuckerberg was ready with a well-crafted distraction—a digital presentation designed to display the seductive attractions of living inside his imaginary alternative Me-a-verse. 

"Look!" a digitized Zuck was heard to proclaim from the 2-dimensional confines of millions of laptop and I-phone screens: in a world gone Meta, we can now strap VR helmets over our heads and enter a shared media multiverse populated by friends and colleagues scattered all over the planet. And "you wouldn't even have to change your pajamas." (Heck, you wouldn't even have to get out of bed.) 

You could "build" your own Meta-mansion to "live in." You could locate it on a mountaintop or along a lush tropical coastline. You could then create the perfect weather outside. And when it becomes necessary to do something productive to earn a living, you could simply press a button to be transported to a shared "virtual office headquarters" in Metaspace. 

Once "there," you could mingle with other "virtual" employees sharing make-believe office spaces with desks, whiteboards, and floating communication resources that can be plucked from mid-air and manipulated by the sweep of a hand. 

And as an Associated Press article observed, if virtual work in a virtual workspace with virtual work-mates, grows tiresome, users would "be able to attend virtual concerts or fence with holograms of Olympic athletes." 

But while Zuckerberg promoted his Metaverse as magical and alluring, Haugen saw its advent as menacing and alarming, noting: "these immersive environments are extremely addictive and they encourage people to unplug from the reality we actually live." 

With a nod to the importance of "real human contact," Zuck promised a Metaverse that would invoke algorithms to create "real chance encounters" with other sim-ployees. In his special-effects "demo real," Zuckerburg explains how you can grab your headset or VR glasses and "instantly you're in your homespace"—a version of your cramped, real-world living space but pumped up with new rooms, rare works of art (you want a copy of DiVinci's Mona Lisa on your wall? Done!) and lots of trendy new Ikea-sourced furniture that you won't even have to worry about assembling! 

During the intro to his parallel universe, we are introduced to some of Zuckerbot's menagerie of humanoid avatars—aka co-workers. Some look human and realistic. Others looked computer-generated. Others resemble cartoon characters. And if all this over-stimulation starts to drive you bonkers, Zuck proposes a ready remedy. Take off your VR headset and return to reality? Of course not. As Zuck explains: "You can just teleport off to your private bubble." (I predict that phrase could become a common diss in some future dystopia. As in: "Stop your complaining! Why don't you just teleport off to your own little bubble!") 

If you haven't seen it, here's a sampler from Zuckerberg's debut as the Metaverse's chief huckster. 

When Stephen Colbert aired Zuck's Metamorphic video pitch on The Late Show, he zoned-in on the scene where Meta-mensch Zuckerberg strolls through a magnificent room with a magnificent view of a magnificent beachfront when a floating screen suddenly appears in mid-air and a female employee asks: "Hey, are you coming?" 

"Sure," Zuckerberg replies, "I just have to find something to wear." Instantly, another body materializes on the far side of the virtual room. It's a Zuckerberg doppleganger. Waving his hand like a magician, Zuck points at the Zuckerdupe and uses the replicant to model a series of possible outfits. One is a Halloween skeleton pullover and another is a NASA spacesuit. Zuck finally settles on a simple colorless black sweater-and-pants combo. One problem: Zuckerberg is already wearing the same combo of black sweater and pants. 

As Colbert noted: "So! You had the option of being anything in the world and you chose to look like Mark Zuckerberg wearing exactly what you're already wearing?" 

When Zuck's avatar arrives to greet his pals in their imaginary "Horizon Workroom" Metaverse office space, it looks like they've decided to spend the workday gathered around a conference table idly playing cards and floating weightlessly, as if they were in orbit. 

One staffer has opted to appear as an oversized red metal robot with flashlights for eyes and, in an attempt at some in-house humor, Zuckerberg jokes: "I thought I was supposed to be the robot." 

And what's on the agenda for today's meeting? Little more than poking computer-generated fingers at computer-generated buttons to converse with computer-generated work-mates in other imaginary realms of the Metaverse. And what radical social insights do they have to impart? One wants to share a Smartphone video of her dog running back and forth in her backyard. Another colleague boasts about discovering a street artist who covers walls with "3-D street art." In a shared video of this new art-form, the colors and shapes begin to emerge from the side of a painted brick wall and—somehow, someway—the next thing you know, the undulating graffiti-monster has taken over the conference room, allowing Zuck and his buds to playfully float around and twitch its multicolored tendrils. 

Getting a bit confused? Well, hang on tight because, at this point, the hulking robot avatar offers another diversion. "Here's something I think you'll love," it chirps: "Check out the Forest Room." And, in the blink of an algorithm—and at the whim of a single employee, acting without consensus—the entire Conference Room is transformed into a thick, green forest. Complete with phantasmagoric creatures floating between the trees. Or, as Zuckerberg's avatar puts it: "Koi fish that fly? That's new!" 

Sorry, Mark. It's not just "new," it's also not real. It's patently fake—as is the rest of Zuckerbot's Metaverse. 

The whole Metaverse seems designed to hypnotize hoards of bored users by fortifying the addictive power of imaginary sights and sounds. 

We need to start dropping red flags, fellow humans. If the Metaverse is allowed to metastasize, the sci-fi finish will have us all carousing around in perfect, imaginary computer-generated wonderlands, alternatively hyper-aroused by other-worldly hallucinations or mesmerized and numbed. Meanwhile, back in dreary reality, our mortal bodies are all sitting idle in our high-rent rooms, swaddled in soiled underwear, while our heads are jammed into VR Meta-buckets built to flood our brains with endless, empty fantasies. 

Let's not call it the Metaverse. Let's call this abomination by its rightful name: Zuckerburg, Zuckerville, or Zucklandia. No matter how you spell it, it zucks. 

Karmic Strips

I recently clicked off a letter to the Chronicle to compliment the paper for Peter Hartlaub's online explanation of how the paper's Green Section was turned orange to commemorate the career of Giant's pitcher Buster Posey.

Now I have a related query concerning a chromatic quirk involving a Chron cartoon. Specifically: What happened to the Bumstead's blue blanket in the November 4 edition of the comic strip Blondie?

All's well in the first of the three panels where Dagwood and Blondie appear comfortably relaxing in bed but, in the second panel, the colors on their blue bedsheet suddenly start to run—actually they appear to leap! —leaving the bedcover a colorless white while streaks of blue splatter across the adjacent comics — and even over the first column on a facing newspage.

In Sherman's Lagoon (the strip above Blondie), Sherman the Shark suddenly develops stripes. In Peanuts (the strip below), the pale blue sky and iced-over skating pond are suddenly drained of color.

I checked other copies of the Nov. 4 issue in the public library and found the same weird smears. It looks like some kind of rare chemical accident damaged the blue color plate in the Chronicle's printing plant in Fremont.

In his online Posey piece, Hartlaub noted that the Chron's rare, orange-hued tribute to Buster had already become a prized on-line collectors' item. This left me to wonder if this comic-page sheet—and the rare smears that adorn it—might someday become a collectible like the "oranged" Posey edition of the Chronicle's Green Pages. 

Oh! What a Lovely Launch 

The christening and launch of the USNS Harvey Milk was remarkable for several reasons. It's not often that the Pentagon pauses to honor a gay sailor. Fortunately, the ship chosen to bear the name of a beloved Bay Area gay rights icon, was not a warship—not a battleship, not an aircraft carrier, not a nuclear-armed submarine. Instead, the chosen vessel was described as a "US Navy Fleet Oiler." Fitting, since Milk spent his life supplying good cheer, stoking civic energy and empowering others. Downside? With the COP26 climate talks underway in Glasgow, the last thing this world needs is more military ships burning oil to supply other military ships with oil to burn so the US will have the oil it needs to fight wars to secure the oil it needs to fight wars—and on and on…. 

One bright spot that I haven't seen cited is the unique staging of this historic launch. I've just spent some time online reviewing dozens of videos of Navy launching ceremonies that seem to confirm the fact that this launch was one for the record books. Whereas the typical Champaign-bottle-smashing was employed, the event's décor was remarkably non-traditional. Instead of scores of flags flapping in the wind and long swaths of red-white-and-blue banners tied about the bow rails, this launch stood apart, with dozens of bow-mounted balloons bouncing in the breeze while 80-foot-long streamers unfurled to dance in the wind as the ship slowly slid backwards into the sea. 

The decorations carried a special message: the launching the USNS Harvey Milk was not just cause for celebration; it was also an absolutely fabulous time to take pride and party. 

Biden Threatens "Sanctions" Over "Sham" Election 

I was glad to see that Nicaragua's recent election was peaceful. There were no violent protests and the voter turnout was a robust 65.34%—just shy of the "historic turnout" in last November's US election (66.2%), the greatest US voter turnout in more than a century. 

The US has called Nicaragua's election a "sham" and is threatening sanctions but, despite his onerous, autocratic actions, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega appears to remain popular. In the US, media attention has focused on Ortega's convenient jailing of opponents but I've not seen any claims that the actual voting was "rigged." People could have refused to vote—or picketed at polling places—but a record number opted to calmly cast their ballots instead. 

Another reason to question the basis for Washington's ire: While Joe Biden won 51.3% of the popular vote in the last US presidential election, Ortega (if international polling watchdogs are correct) garnered nearly 75% of the votes cast. This may not be the outcome that Washington wanted but that doesn't mean the election wasn't democratic. 

Sometime voters feel compelled to vote for demagogues. It happened in the Philippines, it happened in Brazil, and it happened in Trumplandia. 

Remembering an Earlier Nicaragua Election 

Following the election news from Managua reminded me of my first visit to Nicaragua in 1984, when I was covering the Sandinista election victory as a freelancer for the San Francisco Chronicle. We left the airport in a van headed for the city of Granada. (This was before I discovered my passport had been stolen. Upside: I became one of the few Americans to have a passport issued by the US Embassy in Managua). 

While rolling down a two-lane highway through a dry valley populated by the occasional small farm, I noticed a military plane in the distance flying over a rising column of smoke. 

"Military exercise?" I asked the driver, pointing at the smoke. 

"No. It's a volcano," he explained with an amused smile. 

A few minutes later, there was a loud bang and the van went airborne, tossing us from our seats. 

When we recovered from the shock, I asked the driver: "Que pasa? Una bomba?" 

"No," he laughed. "Un patjole!"  

The roads are probably in better shape since the Revolution with Ortega dictating an end to Nicaragua's van-banging "potholes." 

The Inevitable, Evil Evolution of 'Working at Home' 

Jim Hightower, in the latest dispatch of his breezy newsletter, the Hightower Lowdown, reveals a scary new twist in the Craven New World of at-home employment. In an essay titled Working From Home – While Your Boss Watches You on Video, Hightower glowers at the news that "Teleperformance—a $6.7 billion global behemoth that handles customer service calls for Amazon, Apple, Uber, etc.—saves money on overhead by making most of its 380,000 employees around the world work from their own homes." Not necessarily a bad thing. Many employees have found that they don't miss the commute that comes with office employment. But there's the Bigger Problem that's becoming visible on the totalitarian horizon. "[A] new corporate policy first imposed in March on thousands of its workers in Columbia, is an Orwellian nightmare," Hightower explains: "Teleperformance is pressuring [remote workers] to sign an eight-page addendum to their employee contracts, allowing corporate-controlled video cameras, electronic audio devices, and data collection tools to be put in their homes to monitor their actions." 

Somehow, working-at-home will no longer seem so liberating once you're being watched 24-7 like the resident of a top-security detention facility. You can read more online at this link. 

Pentagon Murders Afghan Family, Shrugs, Moves On 

When a Navy nuclear sub bumped into an undersea mountain, the ship's top three commanders were given the boot. When the Pentagon murdered 10 members of an Afghan family — including 7 children — no one got fired. When Afghanis die, it's simply an "unfortunate incident." 

CODEPINK has posted a petition calling for an independent investigation, not an in-house whitewash. "The Pentagon investigated itself for killing 10 innocent civilians and found no negligence and no need for disciplinary action. This cannot stand. The Ahmadi family and all innocent civilians who have been killed by US drone strikes need justice." The petition calls on Adam Smith, Chair of the House Armed Services Committee and Senator Jack Reed, Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, to conduct an independent investigation into this horrific crime—and hold officials responsible.  

There's a simple cure: Stop firing missiles and start firing generals! 

Save Energy: Turning Cars Into Cottages 

Longtime pro-nature/anti-car crusader Mike Vandeman recently sent out a ten-step action list for saving "energy money & water." Most were familiar (turn off electric appliances when not in use; recycle tub water to irrigate your food garden) but the last one was new to me, and here it is: "10. What will we do with all our unneeded petroleum-fueled cars? They can be used to solve two problems at once! Whenever we retire a motor vehicle, it should be put into a legal parking space, and the keys should be given to a homeless person. They will have a secure place to sleep, and the loss of a parking space will help reduce the use of motor vehicles. Of course, we should provide public bathrooms, as Europe does."  

Spring Ahead, Fall Back, Stumble, Collapse in a Heap 

The bright-eyed folks at the Care2 Petitions Team have set their sights on another major nemesis threatening the well-being of human society—Daylight Savings Time. 

DST—that twice-yearly time-switch that disrupts bodies, baffles brains and muddles lives—was initially introduced to benefit coal companies and farmers. But do our current socioeconomic realities still need this outdated time-tinkering ritual? Care2 says, "No!" and has posted a petition to Stop Daylight Saving Time and opt for more light all year long! 

According to Care2, DST "costs our societies money, increases sleep deprivation and traffic collisions, and is bad for our mental health! Particularly now, after living for years in a global pandemic…, huge amount of humans suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which means that the winter months bring on symptoms of depression. Choosing to put the whole world on Daylight Saving Time would help this condition tremendously by giving all of us more light during the hours we are awake…. Our circadian rhythms are sensitive and need consistency." 

Publishers Clearing House Wants Me Back 

After a brief separation (initiated on my side of the relationship), the inhabitants of the Publishers Clearing House announced their return with a flurry of new mailings—including five oversized, over-stuffed envelopes that showed up in my PO box on a single day. Despite the fact that I continue to ignore them, PCH has revived the one-sided courtship with weekly dispatches of schlocky merchandise offers promoted with multiple personalized notes pledging support, love, and enduring wealth. 

"Gar," read the outside of one recent foot-long envelope, "You're a true VIP Elite — our HIGHEST level —and we thank you for your ongoing Sweepstakes Loyalty." And once again (as so many times before) PCH proclaimed there was "only 1 final step left to win" the latest monthly prize—in this case, "$500,000 at once and $5,000 a week for life!" Not enough? In that case, PCH is throwing in a bonus—a Ford Explorer Hybrid worth $53,995. 

A note from PCH's Susan Williamson includes the names of ten PCH winners from California, including three from Berkeley: Kyndal Clemons, Stuart Reinsch\ch, and Leslie Tibbetts. 

"Congratulations," the PCH pitch proclaims: "You have every right to be proud. Your history of being a valued customer has brought you here and made you one of our very best customers." That's a bit of an overstatement given that I once ordered a 50-piece colored pen set from PCH as an experiment. After waiting five months for the pens to arrive, PCH sent a note explaining that the shipment had been delayed. It's been another three months and I'm still waiting for my pens. 

Lawmaker Grills Execs with M&Ms and Bags of Rice

During Porter’s interrogation of Shell President Gretchen Watkins, the Orange County congresswoman picked up a clear glass jar brimming with M&Ms. If each mint were worth about $50 million, Porter proposed, the entire jug would be worth more than the $22 billion Shell’s 2020 annual report claimed was available to spend on renewable energy projects. But, as Porter noted (as she slowly began to empty the jug of M&Ms), Shell was only planning to spend $2-$3 billion on renewables this year while spending "between $16 billion and $17 billion on oil, gas, and chemical operations," with another $3 billion going towards marketing. 

“Mrs. Watkins, to me, this does not look like an adequate response to one of the ‘defining challenges of our time,’” Porter said, quoting Watkins’ own testimony. “This is greenwashing.” 

In another brilliant confrontation with Corporate America, Porter offered an indelible depiction of how many acres of Federal land is currently in the custody of private industry. Porter held up a single grain of rice to represent "one acre" of federal land. And how many "public" acres were in the clutches of commercial exploiters? To answer that question, Porter (broadcasting remotely from the driveway of her SoCal home) clicked the hatch on the car parked behind her to reveal a trunk stuffed with 49 huge bags of rice. 

Enjoy the three videos of Porter the Mortar blowing up a series of corporate facades. And, in the third video, be sure to check out the "vanity plate" on Porter's hatchback. 

And here's a bonus clip of Porter slamming a Big Pharma exec: 

Porter's vanity plate reads: OVRSITE 

A Carbon-Capture Send-up from the Saucy Aussies 

With the COP26 climate talks steaming ahead in Glasgow, I received the following two irreverent reports on the progress of over-heated pollution-politics from Down Under. Warning: Listener discretion advised: 

Exciting news! In this Climate Emergency Report I’m going to explain how the City Council can invest in the Marina to achieve the dream of a commuter ferry and long term robust infrastructure. [ Editor’s note: Sarcasm alert! This is the first of several sarcastic observations to be found in this piece. Watch for it. Don't get fooled!]

But first, let’s look at why this comes up.

The only action item of note this week comes from the Parks and Waterfront commission, chaired by former District 8 City Council member Gordon Wozniak.

The commission proposes, in short, empty and annoying budget shenanigans. Namely, they propose that revenues from certain voter approved general taxes be placed in a “special fund” reserved for maintenance of the Marina and provision of Marina operations. 

It all sounds very plausible and much like the measure U1 rent tax – general funds that are somehow specially reserved. 

One small problem: legally, there ain’t no such thing. Pure and simple. What do these lies really do? They add to the accounting burden of the City Manager and fiscal management staff. And they let politicians pretend to dedicate certain funds while, in reality, they don’t make one single penny of funds available or raise a budget whether for housing or the Marina. They just force the City Manager to shuffle how various existing spending is charged, while continuing to use all the U1 (and Marina transient occupancy tax) as… general revenues, unreserved, useful for any government purpose. 

This lie has been going on for years now. It was at the heart of the Measure U1 campaign, and the elected people and other well known campaigners for U1 know this and get very angry when you point it out to their face. They don’t offer any kind of rebuttal, mind you. They don’t have one. That’s why they get angry. 

So, unsurprisingly, the recommendation from the policy and rules committee is “no action”. You’ll get a sense on Tuesday at how much the U1 proponents and YIMBYs are still willing to lie about these bookkeeping shenanigans. 

Saving the Marina is easy, though. 

The main threat is the unexpected rapidity with which land-based ice is melting and raising sea level. Sea level rise is very likely to wipe out the Marina and most of the land around it. That will itself be a catastrophe simply because it will submerge much of the toxic landfill on which people, for some reason, like to frolic. 

But there’s a solution! From UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design professor and researcher Daniella Hirschfeld, we’re advised to dredge the bay to surround the existing shoreline with one farther out—to build levees. She even has suggested these could be used for a real estate boom since it would provide new land (well, levees dredged from the Bay) on which to build housing. Gosh. 

As a happy happy side effect this would protect the primary commuter highways in the inner Bay Area from permanent inundation so that there would still be a reliable car option for all those new commuters. 

And if you buy that plan, well, here’s a harmonious one for the Marina: 

Those levees will have to extend far out, to keep room for the anticipated ferry dock. And, since the Bay water level will be high, that of the Marina will be dry enough to walk around at, but still below sea level. 

Berkeley’s special need—which it will likely need to help pay for--is therefore a big lock, crossing the dredged up levees. 

Berkeley will need money for that. The big lock, crossing the giant dredged-up Bay-lining levees. You know, the levees with all the condominiums on them. 

How all this can be built fast enough to allow all fossil fuel supplies around here to reach near zero in eight or so years isn’t really important, I’ve learned from council. Think big. Think outside the box. Let’s withhold judgment until we’ve heard the latest proposal for crypto-currency-as-fundraising from Councilmember Bartlett, for example. I am looking forward to “Berkeley Marina toy boat coin” and its initial public offering. 

As far as I can tell in reality, most Berkeleyans alive today are likely to witness the inundation of the Marina within their lifespans, as their failure to take the climate emergency seriously accelerates the planetary foundation of our global civilization out from under us all in the same breath. 

There is nothing on Tuesday’s City Council agenda that suggests any member of City Council is aware of, and takes seriously, the real existing climate emergency. 

Again.

Worth Noting:

Berkeley Redistricting Submission Deadline November 15, 2021. The City Council Districts must be redrawn to adjust for growing and shifting population. You can submit your own proposal for consideration https://www.cityofberkeley.info/redistricting/ The deadline time on Monday is not posted – assume it to be 5 pm for paper and email.



Housing Survey to plan for where to put 8934 units as required in the Housing Element: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/berkeleyhousing



Vision 2050 Survey – the City is planning for a major bond measure in 2022 on infrastructure: tinyurl.com/2050survey



Reimagining Public Safety Public Meetings – the final NICJR is available: www.berkeley-rps.org



Complete Streets Survey is for the Southside, but this has implications for the rest of the

city: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6575124/Berkeley-Southside-Survey-October-2021



Deadline to submit response to the DEIR for the Ashby and North Berkeley BART Station Housing Projects is December 1, 2021 at 5 pm https://www.cityofberkeley.info/bartplanning/ (395 pages)



MONDAY: The Agenda Committee at 2:30 pm will be reviewing the draft agenda for the November 30^th council meeting. The draft agenda can be found after the full list of city meetings. The Homeless Commission did not meet last week and is rescheduled to meet Monday at 7 pm, the same time as the last Zero Waste Commission. This is the last Zero Waste Commission meeting before being split and merged.

TUESDAY: The council budget meets at 11 am to start the review of mid-year budget requests, the AAO process. The council regular meeting is at 6 pm. The table for the proposed city manager raise is included with the meeting agenda at the end of the meeting and agenda list.

WEDNESDAY: The Mayor is having the 2021 State of the City at 6 pm – expect it to be recorded in case you miss it. There is no agenda posted for the Commission on Aging at 1 pm tho the meeting is listed on the community calendar with a zoom link. The Commission on the Status of Women and the Redistricting Commission both meet at 6 pm. Human Welfare meets at 6:30 pm. The Commission on Labor meets at 7 pm.

THURSDAY: The agendas are not posted for the Transportation Commission, The Reimagining Public Safety Task Force and the Rent Board. The Land Use Committee meets at 10:30. Design Review Committee and Fair Campaign Practices Commission meet at 7 pm.

FRIDAY: Virtual climate Summit Series on uniting actions is at 9 am. 

Sunday, November 14, 2021 - No City meetings or events found 

Monday, November 15, 2021 

Agenda and Rules Committee at 2:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85363307835 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 853 6330 7835 

AGENDA: Public Comment on non-agenda items and agenda items 1 – 7, 2. Review draft agenda for November 30 at 6 pm regular city council meeting - use link or go to full agenda after meetings by day of the week, 3. Berkeley considers, 4. Adjournments in memory, 5. Council worksessions, referrals for scheduling, 7. Land use calendar, REFERRED ITEMS for REVIEW: 8. COVID-19, 9. Return to In-person meetings, 10. Changes to Rules for Procedure for Budget Referrals, 11. Unscheduled Items. Unfinished Business for Scheduling: Surveillance Technology Report, Updating Street Maintenance and Rehabilitation Policy, (packet 280 pages) 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/Policy_Committee__Agenda___Rules.aspx 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Eviction Moratorium Webinar at 5:30 pm  

Pre-register for links to webinar 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Homeless Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/96645301465 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 966 4530 1465 

AGENDA: 5. HOME ARP application, chair/vice-chair update, 7. Stats on crisis queue and housing queue, 9. Point-in-Time-Count, 10. Possible action on South Berkeley Homeless Outreach Coordinator, 11. Possible action on extending date and scope of storm shelter to other emergencies, 12. Update from CM office on RV lot and 8^th and Harrison residents. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Homeless_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Zero Waste Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/82587046286 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 825 8704 6286 

AGENDA: 4. Public comment non-agenda items, 6. Staff Updates: Mattress Recycling, Textile Recycling Single-Use Foodware, SB 1383, Discussion/Action: 2022 meeting schedule, recommendations for Climate and Environment enabling legislation, Updated Zero Waste Commissions goals/definitions, Report back from secretary on action taken by Energy Commission on the use of carryout and pre-checkout bags. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Zero_Waste_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 

Budget and Finance Committee at 11 am 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87881752166 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 878 8175 2166 

AGENDA: 2. Discussion and development of Criteria and Timing for AAO Process, 3. Review of Council Fiscal Policies, 4. Council Budget Referrals and November AAO Discussion. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Budget___Finance.aspx 

City Council Closed Session at 4 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88964775721 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 889 6477 5721 

AGENDA: Conference with Real Property Negotiators: 1. 80, 82/84 and 90 Bolivar Drive (Waterside Workshops) Price and Terms, 2. 100 Seawall Drive (Skates on the Bay), 3. 2925-2945 Bolivar Drive (Youth Musical Theater Company)hair 

City Council Regular Meeting at 6 pm, 

Email: council@cityofberkeley.info 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86284941257 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 862 8494 1257 

AGENDA: Use link or go to full agenda after list of city meetings 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 

Mayor Arreguin The 2021 State of the City at 6 pm with Alex Savidge KTVU and Rachel Swan of San Francisco Chronicle for a discussion on building resilience 

https://www.jessearreguin.com/sotc 

Animal Care Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82150538692?pwd=V2pDbnhMTXZOMVZvVlZpRWxaUHZaUT09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 857 4344 7842 Passcode: 725597 

AGENDA: Discussion/action: VI. a) Commission consolidation, b) Grant shelter dog play area, V. Keeping Burrowing owls safe from people and off-leash dogs at Cesar Chavez Park. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Animal_Care_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Outreach Committee at 5 pm 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85461512732?pwd=anY5UVo1S0h5SmNYdGovVkZiZW1BQT09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 854 6151 2732 

AGENDA: 4. Public comment, 5. Update Tenant Survey, 6. Fair Chance Ordinance, 7. COVID Relief, 8. Cal Student Outreach. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Commission on Labor at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88058991335 

Teleconference: try 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 880 5899 1335 

AGENDA: Public comment non-agenda items, Action items: 2. Head Start layoffs and cuts to programming, Fair Work Week Policy, 4. Labor Shortage and impact on economic recovery, 5. 2022 workplan, 6. Healthcare worker strikes at Kaiser and Sutter. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Commission_on_Labor_Homepage.aspx 

Commission on the Status of Women at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/86765822001 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 867 6582 2001 

AGENDA: 4. Public Comment, 6. Friends of COSOW, 7. Townhall, 8. New Member Recruitment, 9. Legislative Updates. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Commission_on_the_Status_of_Women_Homepage.aspx 

Human Welfare & Community Action Commission at 6:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/4863098496 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 486 309 8496 

AGENDA: 6. Review of Family Violence Law Center program and financial reports, 7. Recommendation: Vacant Properties, 8. Tax Transparency, 9. Alta Bates Update, 10. Discussion and possible action regarding how community agency complaints and concerns are addressed, 11. Discussion and possible action regarding communication with Council on the status of the Pathways facility consultant’s report, 12. Easy Does It, 13. Homelessness in Berkeley, 14. Air Quality. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Human_Welfare_and_Community_Action_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Independent Redistricting Commission at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89799186789 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 897 9918 6789 

AGENDA: 2. Review of Community of Interest Form Submissions, 3. Review of Map Submissions, Subcommittee Reports. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/irc/ 

https://redistricting-commission-berkeley.hub.arcgis.com/ 

Commission on Aging at 1 pm 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88900940588?pwd=aFdDajB2eFIwY1IrK01TaXRSSGsxUT09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 726 7423 9145 

AGENDA: no agenda posted on website 

Thursday, November 18, 2021 

City Council Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Committee at 10:30 am, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85083833204 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 850 8383 3204 

AGENDA: 2. Taplin - Small Business Listening Session, 3. Streamlining Toxic Remediation in Manufacturing districts. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Land_Use,_Housing___Economic_Development.aspx 

Design Review Committee at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81272036909 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 812 7203 6909 

AGENDA: 2352 Shattuck – final design review modification tenant signage – demolish 2 existing commercial buildings, split lot in two, and construct two 8-story mixed-use buildings, with 204 units (including 14 very low income units) 12,154 sq ft commercial space, 17,012 sq ft usable open space and 90 ground-level parking spaces. 

2435 San Pablo – final design review – construct 4-story mixed-use building with ground floor live/work space and residential lobby, 48 private rooms with communal kitchens on each residential floor, rooftop terraces on the 3^rd and 4^th floor and 56 bicycle parking spaces on existing vacant lot. 

Discuss Design Review Submittal Requirements and how those can play a role in supporting native plants and wild-life supporting plants and bird safety. Bird safety includes dark sky measures. Possible review of current design review submittal requirements and motion with direction to staff. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/designreview/ 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission (FCPC) & Open Government Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89347300136 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 893 4730 0136 

AGENDA: 3. Public Comment, 6. Proposed changes to Berkeley Election Reform Act (BERA) to prohibit or regulate officeholder accounts, 7. Review and possible amendments to FCPC enforcement procedures. 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/FCPC/ 

Transportation Commission at 7 pm 

Check for agenda and links after Monday 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Transportation_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board at 7 pm 

Check for agenda and links after Monday 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Reimagining Public Safety task Force 

NICJR -Draft Final report and Implementation Plan https://www.cityofberkeley.info/uploadedFiles/Clerk/Level_3_-_Commissions/Draft%20Final%20Report%20and%20Implementation%20Plan%20FNL%20DRFT%2010.30.21.pdf (274 pages) 

Check for agenda and links after Monday 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/RIPST.aspx 

Friday, November 19, 2021 

Climate Emergency Task Force – Virtual Summit Series at 9 am 

Use link to pre-register 

AGENDA: Next steps for United Climate Actions 

https://www.cemtf.org/ 

Saturday, November 20, 2021 & Sunday, November 21, 2021 

No City meetings or events found 

_____________________ 

Agenda and Rules Committee, Monday, November 15 at 2:30 pm 

Draft Agenda for November 30 Regular City Council meeting 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85363307835 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 853 6330 7835 

AGENDA: (280 pages) 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/Policy_Committee__Agenda___Rules.aspx 

CONSENT: 1. Minutes, 2. Grant Approval - Application for $50,000 from San Francisco Foundation support for 100% affordable housing at BART stations, 3. MOU between CoB and Rent Board to implement Ronald V. Dellums Fair Chance Housing Ordinance, 4, Formal bid solicitations $340,000, 5. Contract $99,000 with Blaisdell’s Business Products for new office and classroom furniture for the North Berkeley Senior Center, 6. Amend Contract add $210,000 and extend for 1 year with Youth Spirit Artworks Mental Health and Case management Services, 7/ Amend contract add $47,999 total $400,915 thru June 30, 2024 with Mental Health Services Help@Hand Participation Agreement, 8. Contract $1,200,000 with Alameda County Network of Mental Health Clients (Berkeley Drop-in Center), Options Recovery and Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center, 9. Contract $150,000 with NEED (Needle Exchange Emergency Distribution 7-1-2021 – 6-30-2024, 10. Grant Application $1,104, 320 with CAL FIRE and Community Forestry tree planting, 11. Resolution approving electrification strategy of existing Berkeley Buildings, 12. Resolution to adopt Cities Race to Zero Campaign to establish 2030 emission reduction target 60.5% from 2018 levels, 13. Add $300,000 total $600,000with Siemens Industry for Fire and Life Safety Systems Maintenance and extend to 12-31-2024, 14. Contract add $150,000 total $650,000 with First Carbon Solutions, Inc for CEQA compliance for Solid Waste Recycling and extend to 6-30-2022, 15. Purchase order $305,900 with PB Loader Corporation for two chipper trucks, 16. Arreguin – refer $20,000 to 2021 AAO (mid-year budget) for Berkeley Age-Friendly Continuum, 17. Arreguin – Reappointment of Dr. P. Robert Beatty to Alameda Co. Mosquito Abatement District Board of Trustees, 18. Arreguin – Budget Referral $100,000 to support recovery of Habitot, 19. Harrison, co-sponsor Bartlett - Budget Referral Establishing a Pilot Existing Building Electrification, ACTION: 20. Public Hearing - Amend ADU Ordinance (response to 10-26-2021 council action), 21. Public Hearing – Bayer Healthcare LLC Certification of FEIR and Development Agreement, 22. Fair Campaign Practices Commission – Amendments to Berkeley Election Reform Act: 1) Make public financing available to candidates for Auditor, School Board Director, Rent Stabilization Board Commissioner, 2) Clarify use of funds, 3) requirements for unspent funds, 4) new process to return unused funds, 5) cost of living adjustment for contributions in January of each odd0numbered year, 23. CM and Police – Resolution accept Surveillance Technology Report for Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR), GPS Trackers, Body Worn Cameras, an Street Level Imagery Project, 24. Taplin, co-sponsors Droste, Wengraf – Budget Referral ALPR, 25. Taplin – Refer to CM the establishment of a Crime Suppression Unit (CSU), 26. Harrison – add new BMC Chapter 12.01 establishing Emergency Greenhouse Gas Limits, 27. Hahn – Referral to CM to create system to better document, communicate, and prioritize Public Works requests from BUSD, 28. Wengraf – refer to CM to implement steps to promote increased pedestrian safety on streets lacking sidewalks, INFORMATION REPORTS: 29. Quarterly Update on short term referral process, 30. 4^th Quarter Investment Report, 31. Annual Report Condominium Conversion Program, 32. Berkeley’s Community-wide GHG inventory. 

___________________________ 

AGENDA for 11-16-2021 regular City Council meeting at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86284941257 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 862 8494 125PRESENTATION: Study to Achieve Equity in City Contracting – “Berkeley Inclusion in Opportunity Index, CONSENT: 1. Resolution required findings to meet via video and teleconference, 2. Formal bid solicitations $15,120,000, 3. Accept California Equitable Recovery Initiative (CER) grant, 4. Contract $75,000 with ONTRACK Program Resources Inc for Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) for support services for African American community funded thru State of CA Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) thru 6-30-2022, 5. Salary Adjustment to Market Median for Dept Heads, 6. Commission Reorganization creating Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Commission, 7. Amend agreement between CA Dept of Transportation and City of Berkeley, new signal San Pablo & Parker and San Pablo & Bancroft, 8. Vision 2050 accept 1 year progress report, 9. Amend contract add $355,000 total $1,275,304 with Downtown Streets Team for add services around encampments and neighborhoods, 10. Purchase Order $285,000with Atlantic Machinery, Inc. for One Ravo Sweeper, 11. Fill vacancies elected representatives of the poor Human Welfare and Community Action Commission – George Lippman. 12. Salary Adjustment City Manager from $301,428 to $386,160, 13. Arreguin, co-sponsors Hahn, Wengraf, Bartlett – Resolution Condemning Facebook/Meta for its Role in the Rise of Hate Crimes while censoring efforts to promote awareness around hate crimes, 14. Taplin – Budget referral $100,000 Curtis Street Traffic Diverters at Curtis & Channing and Curtis and Addison. ACTION: 15. Renewal Elmwood (Business Improvement District) BID for 2022, 16. Renewal Solano BID for 2022, 17. Fees: Vital Records, increase current fee by $2.00 for issuing each birth, death and fetal death certificate effective 1-1-2022, 18. Opt-in to Countywide Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance will bring city in compliance with SB 1383. A. Parks and Waterfront Commission – Proposal to allocate revenues from Transient Occupancy Tax (hotel tax) in waterfront area to the marina fund, 

Public Hearings Scheduled – Land Use Appeals 

1527 Sacramento – 2^nd story addition date TBD 

2956 Hillegass - addition to nonconforming structure date TBD 

Remanded to ZAB or LPC 

1205 Peralta – Conversion of an existing garage 

Notice of Decision (NOD) and Use Permits with End of Appeal Period,  

SFD = Single Family Dwelling 

699 Creston – 509 sq ft 2^nd floor addition to existing SFD 11-23-2021 

682 Ensenada – 126 sq ft 2-story rear addition ave height 19ft 1 ¼ in 11-23-2021 

1442 Fifth – Demolition of existing SFD, construction 3 new SFD 11-18-2021 

2429 Ninth – New window openings and larger windows 11-23-2021 

776 Page - Demolition existing SFD, construction 3 new SFD 

2022 San Pablo - expand existing veterinary clinic into 2020 San Pablo 11-18-2021 

3100 San Pablo – Core and shell upgrade to building. New window openings on west elevation, equipment screens on parking deck level 11-18-2021 

2411 Sixth – Add 2^nd story to 1194 sq ft SFD on 4154 sq ft residential lot with nonconforming setback 11-18-2021 

1048 University - expand veterinary clinic 11-18-2021 

2326 Webster – Addition 300 sq ft including 5^th bedroom over 14 and 28 sq ft in ave height to SFD 11-23-2021 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Division/Current_Zoning_Applications_in_Appeal_Period.aspx 

LINK to Current Zoning Applications https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Division/Current_Zoning_Applications.aspx 

___________________ 

WORKSESSIONS 

December 7 –1. WETA/Ferry Service at the Marina, 2. Presentation by Bay Restoration Authority, 3. Update Zero Waste Rates and Priorities, 

January 20 (Thursday) – Update on City’s COVID-19 Response and 

Public Works/Infrastructure Presentation 

February 15 – Homeless and Mental Health Services 

March 15 – Housing Element Update 

April 19 – Fire Department Standards of Coverage Study 

Unscheduled Workshops/Presentations 

Cannabis Health Considerations 

Alameda County LAFCO Presentation 

Civic Arts Grantmaking Process & Capital Grant Program 

Civic Center – Old City Hall and Veterans Memorial Building 

Mid-Year Budget Report FY 2022 

Kelly Hammargren’s comments on what happened the preceding week can be found in the Berkeley Daily Planet www.berkeleydailyplanet.com under Activist’s Diary. 

If you have a meeting you would like included in the summary of meetings, please send a notice to kellyhammargren@gmail.com by noon on the Friday of the preceding week. 

This meeting list is also posted on the Sustainable Berkeley Coalition website. 

http://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet under activist’s calendar http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com 

If you or someone you know wishes to receive the weekly summary as soon as it is completed, email kellyhammargren@gmail.com to be added to the early email list. If you wish to stop receiving the Weekly Summary of City Meetings please forward the weekly summary you received to kellyhammargren@gmail.com 

Worth Noting:  

Berkeley Redistricting Submission Deadline November 15, 2021. The City Council Districts must be redrawn to adjust for growing and shifting population. You can submit your own proposal for consideration https://www.cityofberkeley.info/redistricting/ The deadline time on Monday is not posted – assume it to be 5 pm for paper and email. 

Housing Survey to plan for where to put 8934 units as required in the Housing Element: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/berkeleyhousing 

Vision 2050 Survey – the City is planning for a major bond measure in 2022 on infrastructure: tinyurl.com/2050survey 

Reimagining Public Safety Public Meetings – the final NICJR is available: www.berkeley-rps.org 

Complete Streets Survey is for the Southside, but this has implications for the rest of the  

city: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6575124/Berkeley-Southside-Survey-October-2021 

Deadline to submit response to the DEIR for the Ashby and North Berkeley BART Station Housing Projects is December 1, 2021 at 5 pm https://www.cityofberkeley.info/bartplanning/ (395 pages) 

MONDAY: The Agenda Committee at 2:30 pm will be reviewing the draft agenda for the November 30^th council meeting. The draft agenda can be found after the full list of city meetings. The Homeless Commission did not meet last week and is rescheduled to meet Monday at 7 pm, the same time as the last Zero Waste Commission. This is the last Zero Waste Commission meeting before being split and merged. 

TUESDAY: The council budget meets at 11 am to start the review of mid-year budget requests, the AAO process. The council regular meeting is at 6 pm. The table for the proposed city manager raise is included with the meeting agenda at the end of the meeting and agenda list. 

WEDNESDAY: The Mayor is having the 2021 State of the City at 6 pm – expect it to be recorded in case you miss it. There is no agenda posted for the Commission on Aging at 1 pm tho the meeting is listed on the community calendar with a zoom link. The Commission on the Status of Women and the Redistricting Commission both meet at 6 pm. Human Welfare meets at 6:30 pm. The Commission on Labor meets at 7 pm. 

THURSDAY: The agendas are not posted for the Transportation Commission, The Reimagining Public Safety Task Force and the Rent Board. The Land Use Committee meets at 10:30. Design Review Committee and Fair Campaign Practices Commission meet at 7 pm. 

FRIDAY: Virtual climate Summit Series on uniting actions is at 9 am. 

Sunday, November 14, 2021 - No City meetings or events found 

Monday, November 15, 2021 

Agenda and Rules Committee at 2:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85363307835 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 853 6330 7835 

AGENDA: Public Comment on non-agenda items and agenda items 1 – 7, 2. Review draft agenda for November 30 at 6 pm regular city council meeting - use link or go to full agenda after meetings by day of the week, 3. Berkeley considers, 4. Adjournments in memory, 5. Council worksessions, referrals for scheduling, 7. Land use calendar, REFERRED ITEMS for REVIEW: 8. COVID-19, 9. Return to In-person meetings, 10. Changes to Rules for Procedure for Budget Referrals, 11. Unscheduled Items. Unfinished Business for Scheduling: Surveillance Technology Report, Updating Street Maintenance and Rehabilitation Policy, (packet 280 pages) 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/Policy_Committee__Agenda___Rules.aspx 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Eviction Moratorium Webinar at 5:30 pm  

Pre-register for links to webinar 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Homeless Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/96645301465 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 966 4530 1465 

AGENDA: 5. HOME ARP application, chair/vice-chair update, 7. Stats on crisis queue and housing queue, 9. Point-in-Time-Count, 10. Possible action on South Berkeley Homeless Outreach Coordinator, 11. Possible action on extending date and scope of storm shelter to other emergencies, 12. Update from CM office on RV lot and 8^th and Harrison residents. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Homeless_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Zero Waste Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/82587046286 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 825 8704 6286 

AGENDA: 4. Public comment non-agenda items, 6. Staff Updates: Mattress Recycling, Textile Recycling Single-Use Foodware, SB 1383, Discussion/Action: 2022 meeting schedule, recommendations for Climate and Environment enabling legislation, Updated Zero Waste Commissions goals/definitions, Report back from secretary on action taken by Energy Commission on the use of carryout and pre-checkout bags. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Zero_Waste_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 

Budget and Finance Committee at 11 am 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87881752166 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 878 8175 2166 

AGENDA: 2. Discussion and development of Criteria and Timing for AAO Process, 3. Review of Council Fiscal Policies, 4. Council Budget Referrals and November AAO Discussion. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Budget___Finance.aspx 

City Council Closed Session at 4 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88964775721 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 889 6477 5721 

AGENDA: Conference with Real Property Negotiators: 1. 80, 82/84 and 90 Bolivar Drive (Waterside Workshops) Price and Terms, 2. 100 Seawall Drive (Skates on the Bay), 3. 2925-2945 Bolivar Drive (Youth Musical Theater Company)hair 

City Council Regular Meeting at 6 pm, 

Email: council@cityofberkeley.info 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86284941257 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 862 8494 1257 

AGENDA: Use link or go to full agenda after list of city meetings 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/City_Council__Agenda_Index.aspx 

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 

Mayor Arreguin The 2021 State of the City at 6 pm with Alex Savidge KTVU and Rachel Swan of San Francisco Chronicle for a discussion on building resilience 

https://www.jessearreguin.com/sotc 

Animal Care Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82150538692?pwd=V2pDbnhMTXZOMVZvVlZpRWxaUHZaUT09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 857 4344 7842 Passcode: 725597 

AGENDA: Discussion/action: VI. a) Commission consolidation, b) Grant shelter dog play area, V. Keeping Burrowing owls safe from people and off-leash dogs at Cesar Chavez Park. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Animal_Care_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Outreach Committee at 5 pm 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85461512732?pwd=anY5UVo1S0h5SmNYdGovVkZiZW1BQT09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 854 6151 2732 

AGENDA: 4. Public comment, 5. Update Tenant Survey, 6. Fair Chance Ordinance, 7. COVID Relief, 8. Cal Student Outreach. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Commission on Labor at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88058991335 

Teleconference: try 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 880 5899 1335 

AGENDA: Public comment non-agenda items, Action items: 2. Head Start layoffs and cuts to programming, Fair Work Week Policy, 4. Labor Shortage and impact on economic recovery, 5. 2022 workplan, 6. Healthcare worker strikes at Kaiser and Sutter. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Commission_on_Labor_Homepage.aspx 

Commission on the Status of Women at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/86765822001 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 867 6582 2001 

AGENDA: 4. Public Comment, 6. Friends of COSOW, 7. Townhall, 8. New Member Recruitment, 9. Legislative Updates. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Commission_on_the_Status_of_Women_Homepage.aspx 

Human Welfare & Community Action Commission at 6:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/4863098496 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 486 309 8496 

AGENDA: 6. Review of Family Violence Law Center program and financial reports, 7. Recommendation: Vacant Properties, 8. Tax Transparency, 9. Alta Bates Update, 10. Discussion and possible action regarding how community agency complaints and concerns are addressed, 11. Discussion and possible action regarding communication with Council on the status of the Pathways facility consultant’s report, 12. Easy Does It, 13. Homelessness in Berkeley, 14. Air Quality. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Human_Welfare_and_Community_Action_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Independent Redistricting Commission at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89799186789 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 897 9918 6789 

AGENDA: 2. Review of Community of Interest Form Submissions, 3. Review of Map Submissions, Subcommittee Reports. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/irc/ 

https://redistricting-commission-berkeley.hub.arcgis.com/ 

Commission on Aging at 1 pm 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88900940588?pwd=aFdDajB2eFIwY1IrK01TaXRSSGsxUT09 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 726 7423 9145 

AGENDA: no agenda posted on website 

Thursday, November 18, 2021 

City Council Land Use, Housing & Economic Development Committee at 10:30 am, 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85083833204 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 850 8383 3204 

AGENDA: 2. Taplin - Small Business Listening Session, 3. Streamlining Toxic Remediation in Manufacturing districts. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Land_Use,_Housing___Economic_Development.aspx 

Design Review Committee at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81272036909 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 812 7203 6909 

AGENDA: 2352 Shattuck – final design review modification tenant signage – demolish 2 existing commercial buildings, split lot in two, and construct two 8-story mixed-use buildings, with 204 units (including 14 very low income units) 12,154 sq ft commercial space, 17,012 sq ft usable open space and 90 ground-level parking spaces. 

2435 San Pablo – final design review – construct 4-story mixed-use building with ground floor live/work space and residential lobby, 48 private rooms with communal kitchens on each residential floor, rooftop terraces on the 3^rd and 4^th floor and 56 bicycle parking spaces on existing vacant lot. 

Discuss Design Review Submittal Requirements and how those can play a role in supporting native plants and wild-life supporting plants and bird safety. Bird safety includes dark sky measures. Possible review of current design review submittal requirements and motion with direction to staff. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/designreview/ 

Fair Campaign Practices Commission (FCPC) & Open Government Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89347300136 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 893 4730 0136 

AGENDA: 3. Public Comment, 6. Proposed changes to Berkeley Election Reform Act (BERA) to prohibit or regulate officeholder accounts, 7. Review and possible amendments to FCPC enforcement procedures. 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/FCPC/ 

Transportation Commission at 7 pm 

Check for agenda and links after Monday 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Transportation_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board at 7 pm 

Check for agenda and links after Monday 

http://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Reimagining Public Safety task Force 

NICJR -Draft Final report and Implementation Plan https://www.cityofberkeley.info/uploadedFiles/Clerk/Level_3_-_Commissions/Draft%20Final%20Report%20and%20Implementation%20Plan%20FNL%20DRFT%2010.30.21.pdf (274 pages) 

Check for agenda and links after Monday 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/RIPST.aspx 

Friday, November 19, 2021 

Climate Emergency Task Force – Virtual Summit Series at 9 am 

Use link to pre-register 

AGENDA: Next steps for United Climate Actions 

https://www.cemtf.org/ 

Saturday, November 20, 2021 & Sunday, November 21, 2021 

No City meetings or events found 

_____________________ 

Agenda and Rules Committee, Monday, November 15 at 2:30 pm 

Draft Agenda for November 30 Regular City Council meeting 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85363307835 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 853 6330 7835 

AGENDA: (280 pages) 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/Policy_Committee__Agenda___Rules.aspx 

CONSENT: 1. Minutes, 2. Grant Approval - Application for $50,000 from San Francisco Foundation support for 100% affordable housing at BART stations, 3. MOU between CoB and Rent Board to implement Ronald V. Dellums Fair Chance Housing Ordinance, 4, Formal bid solicitations $340,000, 5. Contract $99,000 with Blaisdell’s Business Products for new office and classroom furniture for the North Berkeley Senior Center, 6. Amend Contract add $210,000 and extend for 1 year with Youth Spirit Artworks Mental Health and Case management Services, 7/ Amend contract add $47,999 total $400,915 thru June 30, 2024 with Mental Health Services Help@Hand Participation Agreement, 8. Contract $1,200,000 with Alameda County Network of Mental Health Clients (Berkeley Drop-in Center), Options Recovery and Women’s Daytime Drop-in Center, 9. Contract $150,000 with NEED (Needle Exchange Emergency Distribution 7-1-2021 – 6-30-2024, 10. Grant Application $1,104, 320 with CAL FIRE and Community Forestry tree planting, 11. Resolution approving electrification strategy of existing Berkeley Buildings, 12. Resolution to adopt Cities Race to Zero Campaign to establish 2030 emission reduction target 60.5% from 2018 levels, 13. Add $300,000 total $600,000with Siemens Industry for Fire and Life Safety Systems Maintenance and extend to 12-31-2024, 14. Contract add $150,000 total $650,000 with First Carbon Solutions, Inc for CEQA compliance for Solid Waste Recycling and extend to 6-30-2022, 15. Purchase order $305,900 with PB Loader Corporation for two chipper trucks, 16. Arreguin – refer $20,000 to 2021 AAO (mid-year budget) for Berkeley Age-Friendly Continuum, 17. Arreguin – Reappointment of Dr. P. Robert Beatty to Alameda Co. Mosquito Abatement District Board of Trustees, 18. Arreguin – Budget Referral $100,000 to support recovery of Habitot, 19. Harrison, co-sponsor Bartlett - Budget Referral Establishing a Pilot Existing Building Electrification, ACTION: 20. Public Hearing - Amend ADU Ordinance (response to 10-26-2021 council action), 21. Public Hearing – Bayer Healthcare LLC Certification of FEIR and Development Agreement, 22. Fair Campaign Practices Commission – Amendments to Berkeley Election Reform Act: 1) Make public financing available to candidates for Auditor, School Board Director, Rent Stabilization Board Commissioner, 2) Clarify use of funds, 3) requirements for unspent funds, 4) new process to return unused funds, 5) cost of living adjustment for contributions in January of each odd0numbered year, 23. CM and Police – Resolution accept Surveillance Technology Report for Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR), GPS Trackers, Body Worn Cameras, an Street Level Imagery Project, 24. Taplin, co-sponsors Droste, Wengraf – Budget Referral ALPR, 25. Taplin – Refer to CM the establishment of a Crime Suppression Unit (CSU), 26. Harrison – add new BMC Chapter 12.01 establishing Emergency Greenhouse Gas Limits, 27. Hahn – Referral to CM to create system to better document, communicate, and prioritize Public Works requests from BUSD, 28. Wengraf – refer to CM to implement steps to promote increased pedestrian safety on streets lacking sidewalks, INFORMATION REPORTS: 29. Quarterly Update on short term referral process, 30. 4^th Quarter Investment Report, 31. Annual Report Condominium Conversion Program, 32. Berkeley’s Community-wide GHG inventory. 

___________________________ 

AGENDA for 11-16-2021 regular City Council meeting at 6 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86284941257 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 (toll free) Meeting ID: 862 8494 125PRESENTATION: Study to Achieve Equity in City Contracting – “Berkeley Inclusion in Opportunity Index, CONSENT: 1. Resolution required findings to meet via video and teleconference, 2. Formal bid solicitations $15,120,000, 3. Accept California Equitable Recovery Initiative (CER) grant, 4. Contract $75,000 with ONTRACK Program Resources Inc for Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) for support services for African American community funded thru State of CA Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) thru 6-30-2022, 5. Salary Adjustment to Market Median for Dept Heads, 6. Commission Reorganization creating Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Commission, 7. Amend agreement between CA Dept of Transportation and City of Berkeley, new signal San Pablo & Parker and San Pablo & Bancroft, 8. Vision 2050 accept 1 year progress report, 9. Amend contract add $355,000 total $1,275,304 with Downtown Streets Team for add services around encampments and neighborhoods, 10. Purchase Order $285,000with Atlantic Machinery, Inc. for One Ravo Sweeper, 11. Fill vacancies elected representatives of the poor Human Welfare and Community Action Commission – George Lippman. 12. Salary Adjustment City Manager from $301,428 to $386,160, 13. Arreguin, co-sponsors Hahn, Wengraf, Bartlett – Resolution Condemning Facebook/Meta for its Role in the Rise of Hate Crimes while censoring efforts to promote awareness around hate crimes, 14. Taplin – Budget referral $100,000 Curtis Street Traffic Diverters at Curtis & Channing and Curtis and Addison. ACTION: 15. Renewal Elmwood (Business Improvement District) BID for 2022, 16. Renewal Solano BID for 2022, 17. Fees: Vital Records, increase current fee by $2.00 for issuing each birth, death and fetal death certificate effective 1-1-2022, 18. Opt-in to Countywide Organics Reduction and Recycling Ordinance will bring city in compliance with SB 1383. A. Parks and Waterfront Commission – Proposal to allocate revenues from Transient Occupancy Tax (hotel tax) in waterfront area to the marina fund, 

Public Hearings Scheduled – Land Use Appeals 

1527 Sacramento – 2^nd story addition date TBD 

2956 Hillegass - addition to nonconforming structure date TBD 

Remanded to ZAB or LPC 

1205 Peralta – Conversion of an existing garage 

Notice of Decision (NOD) and Use Permits with End of Appeal Period,  

SFD = Single Family Dwelling 

699 Creston – 509 sq ft 2^nd floor addition to existing SFD 11-23-2021 

682 Ensenada – 126 sq ft 2-story rear addition ave height 19ft 1 ¼ in 11-23-2021 

1442 Fifth – Demolition of existing SFD, construction 3 new SFD 11-18-2021 

2429 Ninth – New window openings and larger windows 11-23-2021 

776 Page - Demolition existing SFD, construction 3 new SFD 

2022 San Pablo - expand existing veterinary clinic into 2020 San Pablo 11-18-2021 

3100 San Pablo – Core and shell upgrade to building. New window openings on west elevation, equipment screens on parking deck level 11-18-2021 

2411 Sixth – Add 2^nd story to 1194 sq ft SFD on 4154 sq ft residential lot with nonconforming setback 11-18-2021 

1048 University - expand veterinary clinic 11-18-2021 

2326 Webster – Addition 300 sq ft including 5^th bedroom over 14 and 28 sq ft in ave height to SFD 11-23-2021 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Division/Current_Zoning_Applications_in_Appeal_Period.aspx 

LINK to Current Zoning Applications https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Planning_and_Development/Land_Use_Division/Current_Zoning_Applications.aspx 

___________________ 

WORKSESSIONS 

December 7 –1. WETA/Ferry Service at the Marina, 2. Presentation by Bay Restoration Authority, 3. Update Zero Waste Rates and Priorities, 

January 20 (Thursday) – Update on City’s COVID-19 Response and 

Public Works/Infrastructure Presentation 

February 15 – Homeless and Mental Health Services 

March 15 – Housing Element Update 

April 19 – Fire Department Standards of Coverage Study 

Unscheduled Workshops/Presentations 

Cannabis Health Considerations 

Alameda County LAFCO Presentation 

Civic Arts Grantmaking Process & Capital Grant Program 

Civic Center – Old City Hall and Veterans Memorial Building 

Mid-Year Budget Report FY 2022 

Kelly Hammargren’s comments on what happened the preceding week can be found in the Berkeley Daily Planet www.berkeleydailyplanet.com under Activist’s Diary. 

If you have a meeting you would like included in the summary of meetings, please send a notice to kellyhammargren@gmail.com by noon on the Friday of the preceding week. 

This meeting list is also posted on the Sustainable Berkeley Coalition website. 

http://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet under activist’s calendar http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com 

If you or someone you know wishes to receive the weekly summary as soon as it is completed, email kellyhammargren@gmail.com to be added to the early email list. If you wish to stop receiving the Weekly Summary of City Meetings please forward the weekly summary you received to kellyhammargren@gmail.com 

Worth Noting:  

Berkeley Redistricting Submission Deadline November 15, 2021. The City Council Districts must be redrawn to adjust for growing and shifting population. You can submit your own proposal for consideration https://www.cityofberkeley.info/redistricting/ The deadline time on Monday is not posted – assume it to be 5 pm for paper and email. 

Housing Survey to plan for where to put 8934 units as required in the Housing Element: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/berkeleyhousing 

Vision 2050 Survey – the City is planning for a major bond measure in 2022 on infrastructure: tinyurl.com/2050survey 

Reimagining Public Safety Public Meetings – the final NICJR is available: www.berkeley-rps.org 

Complete Streets Survey is for the Southside, but this has implications for the rest of the  

city: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6575124/Berkeley-Southside-Survey-October-2021 

Deadline to submit response to the DEIR for the Ashby and North Berkeley BART Station Housing Projects is December 1, 2021 at 5 pm https://www.cityofberkeley.info/bartplanning/ (395 pages) 

MONDAY: The Agenda Committee at 2:30 pm will be reviewing the draft agenda for the November 30^th council meeting. The draft agenda can be found after the full list of city meetings. The Homeless Commission did not meet last week and is rescheduled to meet Monday at 7 pm, the same time as the last Zero Waste Commission. This is the last Zero Waste Commission meeting before being split and merged. 

TUESDAY: The council budget meets at 11 am to start the review of mid-year budget requests, the AAO process. The council regular meeting is at 6 pm. The table for the proposed city manager raise is included with the meeting agenda at the end of the meeting and agenda list. 

WEDNESDAY: The Mayor is having the 2021 State of the City at 6 pm – expect it to be recorded in case you miss it. There is no agenda posted for the Commission on Aging at 1 pm tho the meeting is listed on the community calendar with a zoom link. The Commission on the Status of Women and the Redistricting Commission both meet at 6 pm. Human Welfare meets at 6:30 pm. The Commission on Labor meets at 7 pm. 

THURSDAY: The agendas are not posted for the Transportation Commission, The Reimagining Public Safety Task Force and the Rent Board. The Land Use Committee meets at 10:30. Design Review Committee and Fair Campaign Practices Commission meet at 7 pm. 

FRIDAY: Virtual climate Summit Series on uniting actions is at 9 am. 

Sunday, November 14, 2021 - No City meetings or events found 

Monday, November 15, 2021 

Agenda and Rules Committee at 2:30 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85363307835 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 853 6330 7835 

AGENDA: Public Comment on non-agenda items and agenda items 1 – 7, 2. Review draft agenda for November 30 at 6 pm regular city council meeting - use link or go to full agenda after meetings by day of the week, 3. Berkeley considers, 4. Adjournments in memory, 5. Council worksessions, referrals for scheduling, 7. Land use calendar, REFERRED ITEMS for REVIEW: 8. COVID-19, 9. Return to In-person meetings, 10. Changes to Rules for Procedure for Budget Referrals, 11. Unscheduled Items. Unfinished Business for Scheduling: Surveillance Technology Report, Updating Street Maintenance and Rehabilitation Policy, (packet 280 pages) 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/City_Council/Policy_Committee__Agenda___Rules.aspx 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Eviction Moratorium Webinar at 5:30 pm  

Pre-register for links to webinar 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/rent/ 

Homeless Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://zoom.us/j/96645301465 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-6833 Meeting ID: 966 4530 1465 

AGENDA: 5. HOME ARP application, chair/vice-chair update, 7. Stats on crisis queue and housing queue, 9. Point-in-Time-Count, 10. Possible action on South Berkeley Homeless Outreach Coordinator, 11. Possible action on extending date and scope of storm shelter to other emergencies, 12. Update from CM office on RV lot and 8^th and Harrison residents. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Homeless_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Zero Waste Commission at 7 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/s/82587046286 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 Meeting ID: 825 8704 6286 

AGENDA: 4. Public comment non-agenda items, 6. Staff Updates: Mattress Recycling, Textile Recycling Single-Use Foodware, SB 1383, Discussion/Action: 2022 meeting schedule, recommendations for Climate and Environment enabling legislation, Updated Zero Waste Commissions goals/definitions, Report back from secretary on action taken by Energy Commission on the use of carryout and pre-checkout bags. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Commissions/Commissions__Zero_Waste_Commission_Homepage.aspx 

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 

Budget and Finance Committee at 11 am 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87881752166 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 878 8175 2166 

AGENDA: 2. Discussion and development of Criteria and Timing for AAO Process, 3. Review of Council Fiscal Policies, 4. Council Budget Referrals and November AAO Discussion. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Budget___Finance.aspx 

City Council Closed Session at 4 pm 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88964775721 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 889 6477 5721 

AGENDA: Conference with Real Property Negotiators: 1. 80, 82/84 and 90 Bolivar Drive (Waterside Workshops) Price and Terms, 2. 100 Seawall Drive (Skates on the Bay), 3. 2925-2945 Bolivar Drive (Youth Musical Theater Company)hair 

City Council Regular Meeting at 6 pm, 

Email: council@cityofberkeley.info 

Videoconference: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86284941257 

Teleconference: 1-669-900-9128 or 1-877-853-5257 Meeting ID: 862 8494 1257 

AGENDA: Use link or go to full agenda after list of city meetings 

I missed more meetings than I attended this week and even with one snafu I really have to thank the City Clerk’s office for their quick posting of meeting minutes and presentations, often up in just a day. I wish we could have the same kind of posting from the commissions, but those are getting further and further out, definitely not within the two-week requirement passed by the city council.

Monday morning, the council Public Safety Committee approved the budget referral for Councilmember Taplin’s Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR). Whoever is doing the documents coming out of Taplin’s office deserves recognition as the ALPR presentation is really quite good and worth the few minutes it takes to scroll through it. The other agenda items were continued. It will be interesting to listen to the pitch on resuming the Red-light program, since I heard at the McGee Spaulding Neighbors in Action meeting that these cameras actually increase accidents when drivers slam on the brakes in moving traffic to avoid a red light penalty. 

https://www.cityofberkeley.info/Clerk/Home/Policy_Committee__Public_Safety.aspx 

I missed the November 1, 2021 Agenda and Rules Committee meeting and could not satisfy my curiosity as to what justification Mayor Arreguin gave for the enormous raise from $301,428 to $386,160 for Dee Williams-Ridley, the city manager. The meeting recording titled 11-1-2021 is actually July 12, 2021. I am really wondering what the City Manager has done to earn a 28.11% raise. From my view of tracking Berkeley since November 2014, I can’t say that Berkeley is better off since Dee Williams-Ridley was hired as city manager on March 9, 2016. 

The Mayor used a chart of 13 cities to justify raising the city manager’s salary. If Arreguin had really looked at his chart he would have seen that Berkeley is the smallest in physical square miles and 11^th in a list of thirteen in population in his list. That certainly doesn’t justify boosting a salary that will place the Berkeley city manager ‘s salary as 3^rd from the highest, above city managers with much larger responsibility. 

As far as I can tell from Arreguin’s record, he has never done anything as an adult other than be a councilmember or mayor. It’s not that I believe the sales pitch that government should be run like a business, but I do believe that broad life experiences make for better, more honest politicians, especially when the politician has employable skills other than elected office or as a lobbyist to elected officials. The kind of dependence that comes from not having other employable skills is not good for us or him. Watching council as I do makes actions appear that the next coveted elected office is more important than the present. 

That still leaves the question of what can possibly justify a 28.11% raise. Is this just so some people can trot around spouting their importance and place because of the size of their salary? And the mayor can raise his importance by the high salary of the City Manager? I’m not opposed to paying salary to someone who has demonstrated their worth, but Berkeley is not in a leading position. 

For those of us who attended the Public Works Commission meetings and follow the equipment replacement orders in the city council agendas it is obvious someone was coasting in their job prior to the arrival of Liam Garland in July 2020. From all appearances he walked into a mess. We need to look no further than the condition of our city streets as an example. All of those needed neglected repairs are now going to cost us hundreds of millions of dollars and we as citizens will be facing the decision in how to respond to the planned ballot measure in 2022 to finance the work. 

Given the state of affairs of city infrastructure, where was our city manager as things were falling apart. Was she not paying attention or was she choosing to ignore the situation. How did it get so bad that not even one street was repaved in 2018. https://www.berkeleyside.org/2018/12/06/berkeley-wont-pave-any-streets-in-2018-pavement-continues-to-deteriorate 

There could be a positive side if we take this fumbling and turn it into an opportunity to put climate and the environment as our top priority and look outward to other cities and the world for twenty-first century innovation. If we are going to add density with more buildings then we need to “green” the streets. Why aren’t we considering planting trees in the street as a barrier between bike lanes and transit and cars. Trees are better as a barrier than curbs. Trees clean the air, give us oxygen, slow traffic, counter heat island effect (heat thrown off buildings and pavement). And, if we choose trees thoughtfully by how many species they sustain in addition to drought tolerance, we support ecosystems and habitat for nature. Milan has a goal to plant 3 million trees by 2030. If the goal is as our council has voted to reduce parking and cars, then streets offer great opportunity. But can Berkeley city government look to the future instead of the past? 

Ithaca, New York just voted to decarbonize every building in the city. Ithaca is starting with electrifying city buildings and then moving on to every remaining building, the entire city. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2021/11/03/ithaca-new-york-decarbonize-electrify/?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wp_main&crl8_id=48151be1-3e0a-4d97-8ca5-c264e9794457 

Pittsburg passed a Dark Sky ordinance. https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2021/september/light-pollution-ordinance.html 

Berkeley can’t even finish implementing a bird safe glass ordinance passed by council November 12, 2019. And what is the manager doing to ensure this important piece of legislation is implemented? This an even sadder note after picking up today’s SF Chronicle and reading Earthweek that the soundscape of birds is quieter and less diverse over the past 25 years as bird populations plummet. Nearly 3 billion birds have disappeared from North America since 1970. https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back/#:~:text=The%20first%2Dever%20comprehensive%20assessment,among%20birds%20in%20every%20biome. 

The is so much that could be done with leadership and elected officials that look to a future for the planet instead of their careers. Just look to the National Wildlife Federation’s Blog and other cities. https://blog.nwf.org/2019/09/native-plant-challenge-calling-all-cities-to-plant-native/ 

The great sadness I have for Berkeley is seeing the clinging to old history when Berkeley was a leader some 50 years ago and a mindset that hovers in the same period. It’s a lot to overcome for those who are trying to move into the future. 

This brings us to the Thursday special council meeting to establish council priorities for the 2023-2024 budget process. The meeting which drove Thomas Lord to write about the climate emergency. When I got home and tuned into the meeting, the adjacent graphc was on the screen with the consultant talking: 

Climate and the environment was 7^th out of nine in priority. Councilmember Harrison spoke that if this meant spending more money on policing she had a lot of concerns. Councilmember Hahn said climate is an existential threat. Councilmember Wengraf said everything should be filtered through equity and climate and that she didn’t like silos, everything is interrelated. Councilmember Taplin said he supported the priorities. Councilmember Robinson said he appreciated the process. Councilmember Droste was bubbling over with enthusiasm for the process. 

Where does this leave Berkeley? With a council majority, city management and consultants who don’t see climate and the environment as a priority. It certainly explains why there is so much empty rhetoric and Mayor Arreguin killed the rights of nature. 

Arreguin tried to clean up the city image after the Thursday debacle with the Friday evening 5:49 pm constant contact mass emailing declaring climate as a crisis and extolling Berkeley’s “greening” actions on climate. Greenwashing is more like it. Greenwashing is when something is presented as being “green” but is just empty show. Berkeley would be nowhere without Councilmember Harrison carrying the city through the natural gas ban in new construction. And, that was an enormous effort where a team of experts so large in number lined up to speak at the July 2019 council meeting making the ban impossible to block. 

In the email, Arreguin tries to make it sound like he initiated the Deep Green Building Initiative. Hahn gathered the community experts who put the initiative together. My role in the committee was to give input as to what was needed to see it implemented. I opposed the initiative as being voluntary saying no developer would participate and none have. Hahn said making standards required would never get passed by council. Watching council, she was right and changing council players in the intervening years doesn’t make aggressive action on climate and the environment look any brighter. The Energy Commission saw BESO (Building Emissions Saving Ordinance) as needing a major overhaul, again it was limited by what city council and city administration will tolerate. What we got is slight improvement. 

The Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday held a hearing on the BART housing projects at the Ashby and North Berkeley stations, but took no action. 

I like to close with my latest reading. I wish these two books were required reading for every adult American then maybe we would finally see Guantanamo closed and the military budget slashed. 

I heard Mansoor Adayfi interviewed September 27, 2021 on Democracy Now shortly after the publication of his book Don’t Forget Us Here: Lost and found in Guantanamo. The interview is an introduction, but nowhere near the power of hearing his words. I chose the audiobook when Mansoor Adayfi described why it was so important to him to have a woman narrator and not a man. It was men who kidnapped and sold him to the CIA when he was 18. It was men who tortured him, men who imprisoned him. It was women who treated him nicely. https://www.democracynow.org/2021/9/27/mansoor_adayfi_guantanamo_book 

I followed Adayfi’s book with the Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War by Craig Whitlock. If I had any doubts which I didn’t that we needed to end the Afghanistan war, this book would settle it. All the corruption fostered by American money, the complete incompetence, the arrogance, the list is long. I finished the audiobook, but if you even listen to the first quarter or first half, I would be surprised if you weren’t frankly appalled by what was found in the “lessons learned” through the freedom of information act. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/sep/05/the-afghanistan-papers-review-craig-whitlock-washington-post 

Both books were published in August 2021 and are available through the San Francisco library. 

Now that you have made it to the end of the Diary, please check the Activist’s calendar for deadlines and complete the city surveys. 

Lately, for obvious reasons, I’ve been thinking more and more about the collapse of great civilizations. I’ve become interested in how quickly it happens and in how this is reflected in the lives of the people.

A common theme seems to be that civilizations grow and grow, and bring relative prosperity, heightened trade over long distances, and considerable peace. They say that at the height of its powers, in the Mongol empire,“a maiden bearing a nugget of gold on her head could wander safely throughout the realm”

And as this prosperity and peace grows, a new normality arises. The civilization becomes more and more specialized. The bureaucracies, the technologies, the social practices, even the military ventures and brutal oppression adapt to the empire’s sweet niche in the history of humans with ever more Roman roads and aqueducts, new Silk Road trade, railroads, and telegraphs, and transoceanic fiber optics. After their births in violence and enslavement, for a time, it almost looks like the great civilizations are making things a bit better for most people.

“Turning and turning in the widening gyre…” (W. B. Yeats)

But then comes some event for which the specialization is not prepared. The bubonic plague seems to be a popular one. Throw in a mini-ice age for the Roman empire. The industrial revolution, foundation of the British empire, unprovoked, coughed up back to back World Wars. 

Chaos ensues. 

“… The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; …” 

It’s my theory that in this chaos, because the civilization was so specialized for a different world, the personal experience is for many the experience of a world that no longer makes sense. The legislators, the bureaucrats, tax collectors, soldiers are all experts in roles that no longer have any meaning. 

“… Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned; …” 

Madness, I think, might be a condition in which changes in the world remove meaning from one’s thoughts, even one’s identity. When that happens, people tend to act in ways that, from a slight remove, we call madness. 

The taxman knows collecting taxes for an order that no longer exists. The legislator writes elegant but impotent legislation to try to patch the holes in the sky. Madness, in this interregnum, is a kind of clinging to a meaning of ones own self and what one knows how to do but that is no longer meaningful in the world as it has become. 

Sanity, in contrast, must mean the acceptance of what has become. 

“… The best lack all conviction, while the worst
”Are full of passionate intensity." 

Council Meeting 11/5: Taplin’s “Affordable Housing Overlay”

The item is a real kick in the teeth to those from the red-lined area abutting that street who have petitioned their local government for over a decade for 100% truly affordable housing on that corridor. It puts the nail in the coffin of the Council’s conceit it makes decisions in consultation with the public, through a public process. 

They have their excuse all lined up, of course. It was only a couple of years ago that the usual YIMBY suspects help to form a nearly all white, nearly all rather wealthy appearing group to, well, tout for “affordable” housing for people in their own well-off-already situation. I’ve long said that when council holds a “public process seeking community input” they are really just holding a contest to see who can guess what they already plan to do. This overlay proposal is no different. 

The ugly racial politics behind turning the city’s back to the pressured and shrinking incumbent community in the red-lined area is nothing new from YIMBYland. Neither is my main point in bringing this up: YIMBY madness regarding the climate emergency. 

In his memo, Taplin repeats two Big Lies about the climate emergency. 

To understand why these lies are Big Lies you must notice that they are part of the YIMBY drum beating, and that they are utterly insane in present reality. Madness. 

The climate emergency, as any attentive adult must know by now, imposes the following imperative on human civilization: the amount of fossil fuel burned must fall far and fast in the course of the next few years, starting even before the 2022 elections. By 2030, it must become very difficult for people to obtain petrol, heating oil, and natural gas. Such a cutting off of fossil fuel is a major catastrophe that requires an all out scramble of adaptation (which isn’t happening). But that catastrophe is preferable to the alternative. The center cannot hold. 

To this predicament, the eloquent Mr. Taplin replies with two Big Lies, dressed in his usual pronounced fondness for “bold” and “equitable” actions: 

1. “Research from UC Berkeley scholars and the CoolClimate Network finds that urban infill offers one of the greatest potential policy levers for municipalities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.”

There are resources – accessible via U.N. IPCC reports – that discuss how our city might rush to adapt to a rapid reduction in fossil fuel burning, but Taplin and other council members have stiff-armed that news for years now. 

And that other lie. Note the weasel word: 

2. “Incentives for affordable housing, such as density bonuses, also offer potential to reduce per capita VMT by increasing housing options in Berkeley and shortening commute times for a greater share of the local workforce.”

Once again, there is nothing on Tuesday’s city council agenda, but a reckless denial that the climate emergency is real. 

“… Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”

Every high school student and every adult needs to understand two facts:

1. At the United Nations Conference Parties, meeting 26, in Glasgow which is going on right now, and which is widely reported, the scientists have confirmed what we already know, namely this:

2. On Thursday, November 4, 2021, the majority of City Council members affirmed that they do not consider the climate emergency to be among even their top 5 priorities.

1. On November 3, NASA announced its projection that because no action is being taken to address the climate emergency seriously, significant reductions in crop yields in the United States and globally are imminent. Corn yields may fall by as much as 24% in only 8 years from today, likely triggering food security problems globally.
2. Excluding from an emissions inventory accounting trick that did not actually reduce emissions, the City of Berkeley has never taken any action to reduce emissions as needed, although Council Members regularly spread lies to the contrary.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This morning’s New York Times had an opinion piece by Serge Schmemann on its front page rehashing the ongoing speculation about what’s being called the “Havana Syndrome”, a mysterious collection of unpleasant symptoms which has afflicted U.S. diplomatic staff in embassies around the world, starting first in Havana in 2016. As it happens, the Planet’s longstanding “On Mental Health” columnist had just forwarded to me a piece he wrote which appeared in Street Spirit in July of 2007. Let’s say it’s at least a surprising coincidence—but have the muckety-mucks in Washington who are supposed to be investigating the Havana Syndrome ever heard of this?

The manufacturer can’t deny that the device is easily convertible into an implement of torture. And I think it is doubtful as to whether it doesn’t penetrate into the bodily organs. If the device did penetrate into the body, either by normal operation or by malfunction, it would be an extreme threat to unborn children. This is aside from being a maiming device for adult people.  

Raytheon is planning to sell a version of this to law enforcement and security agencies for use here in the United States in a similar manner as the Stun Gun. The other version is vehicle mounted and is intended for use in Iraq.

We, the undersigned, are writing to express our concern about the recent decision by the Berkeley City Council, the City Manager, and the Berkeley Police Department to use encrypted public safety radio devices in Berkeley.

It is our understanding that the City of Berkeley selected the company, Motorola Solution, to provide encrypted public safety radio devices for two reasons: 1) there is no alternative radio device to share communications with neighboring police units, and 2) the company would provide a discount to this city. We now understand that these reasons are false.

The contract was given to Motorola in a no-bid process, against city regulations, and cheaper radio equipment from JVCKenwood would serve just as well with Motorola and with other neighboring systems. It seems the city council committed money to Motorola for their system upgrade, a cost which has gone from $4.2 Million to its present $6.5 million. 

Under our municipal regulations, the City of Berkeley is required to conduct a competitive bid process so radio device providers have an equitable opportunity to bid for the contract. At the same time, the competitive bid process also provides the public with an understanding about the nature of proposed changes to its public safety radio device system and its intention to use municipal taxpayer funds to cover the costs. Instead, the City of Berkeley circumvented the competitive bid process and any public discussion about making a fundamental change to our public safety communications for people who live or come to Berkeley. 

The city council had also voted to not do any business with any company that works with ICE, but that is exactly what Motorola does! So Berkeley is in violation of its own principles of human rights. 

The reason this has suddenly become an issue is that California state government ordained that police radio communications be encrypted to restrict the public from access to confidential information about police officers (under the so-called “patrolperson’s bill of rights” (PBOR)). But this is a requirement that the BPD already satisfies, since it uses "Signal" and other encryption software. In other words, Berkeley’s decision, fallaciously in response to the state, is in bad faith. 

The competitive bid process provides the public with information about the nature of proposed changes to its public safety radio device system and its intention to use municipal taxpayer funds to cover the costs. The City of Berkeley is required to conduct a competitive bid process so radio device providers have an equitable opportunity to bid for the contract. Berkeley circumvented the competitive bid process, and any public discussion about making a fundamental change to our public safety communications for people who live or come to Berkeley. 

The primary reason for which persons interest themselves in those operations is to become watchers, witnesses, and a de-escalating presence to how police deal with certain people – in particular, very diverse people, including those with mental health and substance use issues, low income people, people of color, those who are unhoused, and people with multiple identities and conditions. 

Often police criminalize a person who has simply called for assistance by giving an arbitrary or unneeded command, which the subject refuses, and is then arrested for disobedience, often with violence. 

The consequences of encryption, however, may result in harms:

h2. Radio encryption will have the consequence of making it impossible for Berkeley Copwatch to serve as public accountability for the Berkeley Police Department. Copwatch was formed 30 years ago when police brutality, arbitrary arrest, and racially biased practices were on the rise. Copwatch offered civilian participation in policing matters, and aspired to develop greater social trust in the police. That trust could be grounded in public observation, and thus the knowledge that the police were an agency that had civilian interests at heart. Ordinary people needed to be assured that black and brown people were not treated as an assumed enemy. 

3. The third consequence of encryption would be the loss of the media’s capacity to collect information and be present. Radio encryption insulates the police from the people who they are to serve. It will thus hinder the entire project of representation by excluding resident access to information on the function of government. Police will be in control of information needed by the people for their own participation in government. Any move by a government agency to exclude the people is anti-democratic. 

We want openness in communication, cooperation in governance, respect across the different functions and structures of our daily lives. As we move forward to reimagining public safety in our Berkeley community, it is critical that we move forward with meaningful change. 

1. Open communications allows us to address individual and structural policing harms that disparately impact Black, Latinx, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA+, unhoused people, people with low income, people with disabilities (mental health, substance use, physical). We have egregious policing harms from traffic stops, and accountability for call taking operations, dispatch, and response in the community is key to solving them and ensuring they do not continue. 

2. Open public safety communications for call taking, dispatch, and responding to people in the community allows us observe and witness with the aim to diminish overall risks of injury and death from police aggression and violence and how calls are diverted from police to non-police crisis response and other alternative programs to policing— particularly in the future. 

3. Open communication improves public safety when people can observe and witness how police by themselves or co-responding with the mobile crisis unit, respond to people experiencing mental illness and/or substance use problems in the community. They can see if first responders are focused on trauma-informed de-escalation and harm reduction, and if they are able to coordinate for appropriate levels of care, including transport to the next destination. 

4. Open communication further improves public safety when people can observe and witness if law enforcement is responding to non-criminal events in the community that could be answered by alternatives to policing, including for first aid and non-emergency medical care, housing assistance, resource connection and referrals and if they are using culturally safe and responsive practices to serve diverse individuals in the community. 

The residents of the city of Berkeley voted overwhelmingly for Measure ii. Its intent was to bring greater attention, and help to people caught in webs of trouble and to make sure that they will be treated with respect. Encryption does the opposite by putting behavior back into the shadows. 

References:  

https://www.dailycal.org/2021/10/12/berkeleys-contract-with-motorola-solutions-was rushed-lacked-transparency/ 

https://www.dailycal.org/2021/10/04/an-artificial-crisis-city-council-to-vote-on-sanctuary waiver-for-motorola/ 

https://www.vice.com/en/article/vb5ab4/motorola-solutions-works-with-ice-cbp  

Karl Knobler 

Rivka Polatnik 

Edward Olson 

Margaret Fine 

Steve Martinot 

RCJR [Racial and Criminal Justice Reform] 

Lynn Cooper 

Negeene Mosaed 

[Please sign and distribute if you agree.]

Sometimes when people, systems, or organizations create problems, a little bit of pushback can go a long way toward resolving them. If a person wants to harass, intimidate, or otherwise create obstructions or problems for you, it can be important to show that you are not a pushover. Even when dealing with assaultive men, some counter-intimidation, or at least standing up to the person, can help with putting a stop to that. 

The biggest deterrent to those who are physically assaultive is not the idea that you will fight back, it is the likelihood that he or she will be jailed for getting assaultive with you. If your situation does not lead to the wrongdoer being caught, you just have to do your best. Even so, many bully types are less likely to push you around if you exude confidence. Additionally, even if they come after you, you still have the satisfaction of having stood up to the bastard. 

In numerous kinds of attack other than physical, some type of deterrent will help you. Yet, for now, I want to cover something very different. When you push on a predicament, when you do this consistently and with clarity, you can get results. When you push on your own reactivity and fine tune yourself to refrain from panic mode, and when you continually approach your difficult situations from a focused mind space--thirdly, if you have determination like a wind in your sails, emerging from deep within you, you will be able to solve most of your problems. 

You should not let people get away with abusive behavior or derogatory speech. I have a shorter phrase for that which I can't use here. If you try, often you can push people to make sense and to follow accepted rules that govern a situation. This starts with better quality and clarity of thought. And you can learn to have responses of a lower amplitude. 

In the vein of pushing on people, a government agency sent me a demand that was fully unreasonable. I confronted them, and I achieved a change in plans that was barely acceptable. Same government agency was quite hard-nosed in dealing with me, and I pushed them to be just a little bit communicative. Another government agency didn't want to do their jobs--and it was something I truly depended on. I went to their office, talked to them, and forced them to make some sense. In government dealings, to my advantage, I grew up with parents who worked for government agencies. 

Sometimes you face a lost cause, in which more dealings with an individual or other entity, is an exercise in futility. It is important to recognize this when it happens. 

In some instances, we need to dig deeper within ourselves to find the strength to deal with something. This can take the form of "just doing it," or it can involve cognitive preparation. 

No one can force anyone else to do something they are unwilling to do. However, when situations allow only one or two routes that lead to a good outcome, the situation is forcing something on us--or we must accept unsavory consequences. 

In reference to being mentally ill: If mentally ill, you must deal with a great deal of governmental red tape, including county, state and federal agencies. You could also be dealing with treatment venues that have their hierarchies. Learning how to deal the human beings in those contexts is a great skill and will serve you well. 

The Dalai Lama of Tibet: "Know the rules well, so that you can break them effectively." 

Jack Bragen is author of "Jack Bragen's 2021 Fiction Collection," and "Instructions for Dealing with Schizophrenia: A Self-Help Manual."  

The results of the November 2nd elections were not good for Democrats but the sky is not falling. Democrats still have time to salvage the midterms if we pay attention to what went wrong; particularly in Virginia.  

1.Candidates matter: While it's impolite to speak ill of the dead, Terry McAuliffe was a terrible candidate. Not just because he was personally obnoxious, but also because he ran with a dreadful strategy: "That other guy is the second coming of Trump." 

In the aftermath of the November 2nd election, we saw multiple instances where good progressive candidates won -- for example, new Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and new Boston Mayor Michelle Wu -- based upon their accomplishments and programs. 

2. Voters are pissed off. It's not unusual for midterm voters to be irritated, but the US electorate is unusually roiled at the moment. That's the enduring Trump legacy: voters of all persuasions are angry. Reds because they believe Trump was cheated; Blues because they want Trump to go away. Reds because they don't want to be vaccinated; Blues because they want the pandemic to be over. Reds because they believe the economy has been artificially suppressed; Blues because it's hard to make a living. Etcetera. 

The November 2nd electorate was angry and Republicans did a better job harnessing this anger. 

3. Midterm elections are tough because most voters have a limited memory. Whatever problems voters are currently experiencing they attribute to the current Administration. It's Biden's pandemic and Biden's economy and Biden's border... 

Voters want the pandemic to be over. They've forgotten -- or don't care- that Trump and the Republicans turned it into a disaster. Everyone wants Coronavirus to go away. (The best way to accomplish this is "tough love:" vaccine mandates. Force everyone to get vaccinated. Get vaccinated or stop being a cop or bus driver or nurse.) 

Voters have forgotten that Trump and the Republicans screwed up the economy by a series of bonehead moves: cutting taxes of the wealthiest individuals and corporations, mishandling the pandemic, mishandling Covid relief... Voters want the economy to be better; they want life to be easier. The best way to accomplish this is for Congress to pass Biden's "Build Back Better" program. Now is the time for Congressional Democrats to stiffen their spines and pass this legislation. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Now is the time for Democrats to "get going." (During this writing, Democrats passed a historic $1.25 billion infrastructure bill. And the economy added 531,000 jobs.) 

4. In Virginia, Republican voters were incensed about parental control of schools. There's a grain of truth to this because, during the pandemic, many parents had to drop out of work to take care of their children because of school closures and vaccination requirements. Fox News, and other conservative outlets, have jumped on the "parental rights" issue to pump out a ton of disinformation; such as parents should determine school health standards. 

It's sad that Red voters are so gullible. But in every election we have seen this. We should be used to it. And better able to fight back. We must do a better job fighting disinformation. 

Writing in the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/11/04/memo-democrats-be-loud-be-proud/?), Pulitzer-Prize-winning columnist Eugene Robinson said: "Democrats should not retreat on cultural issues but instead should fight lies with truth. Explain that when Republicans say “critical race theory” they really mean “aspects of American history that they hope will make White voters uncomfortable.” Explain that the Biden plan gives more funding to police, not less. Be loud and be proud." [Emphasis added] 

5. There was high voter turnout in Virginia. Democrats turned out more than usual, but even more Republicans turned out. Republicans have learned to turn out their base with manufactured cultural issues. We should get used to this. 

Writing in The Guardian, (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/04/democratic-strategists-are-embracing-popularism-but-theyve-got-it-wrong) political observer Steve Phillips said: "In the 16 seats flipped by Republicans last year, an average of 34,000 more people came out to cast ballots for the Democratic candidate than in 2018. The challenge for Democrats was that Republican votes jumped by 54,000 votes per district.... Rather than distancing themselves from issues that are unpopular with Trump supporters, Democrats need to double down on the issues that resonate with and inspire infrequent voters who are progressive." [Emphasis added] 

6. Republicans have embraced racism. Many of the November 2nd voters were motivated by the racist tropes of Fox News and other conservative outlets; for example, the supposed teaching of "critical race theory" in Virginia schools -- a blatant lie. It's important to recognize how central racism is to the core of the contemporary Republican Party. For example, many Republicans believe in "replacement theory" -- the notion that Democrats are encouraging the population growth of non-Christian non-whites so "those people" can take their jobs. 

There are many facets of the legacy of Donald Trump: one was open racism. 

A christian white Republican member of my family recently told me that the January 6th insurrection was understandable "because people were fed up with the Black Lives Matter riots." 

7. Democrats can prevail so long as we turn out our base and there's a level playing field. We can turn out our base with exciting candidates and dynamic programs. We need help with the "level playing field" part. We need to do everything we can to pass the Freedom to v/ote act (https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/freedom-vote-act ). Yes, even if that means changing the filibuster rules. 

It's not time to panic, it's time to get busy. We know who the Republicans are. Do we know who we are?