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City Council — August 25, 2026

City Council — August 25, 2026August 25, 2026

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BodyCity Council
MeetingRegular Meeting
Date📅 August 25, 2026

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Meeting Summary

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  3. VerifiedReviewed and corrected by a person.

Present: 5-Friedman, 1-Santamaria, 3-Gutierrez, Rowse, Potemkin, 6-Harmon

This summary was AI-generated to save you time. It may miss or misstate details, so verify against the official recording and the transcript.

At a glance

Recognition of Santa Barbara Foresters

  • The Council recognized the team as 2026 National Baseball Congress World Series champions with an 11th title.
  • The Mayor presented a certificate highlighting the team's record and their "Hugs for Cubs" cancer support program.
  • Team manager Bill Pintard accepted the recognition and announced a celebration event at the Carriage Museum.

Consent Calendar (Municipal Code Amendment)

  • Staff introduced an ordinance to amend Title 16 regarding liquid waste disposal and electronic document systems.
  • Council Member Stanton briefly questioned OpenGov data accuracy before withdrawing the request following staff clarification.
  • The Council unanimously approved the entire consent calendar via a motion by Council Member Jordan.

Finance Committee Report

  • The committee recommended prioritizing emergency reserve replenishment using one-time Utility Users Tax funding.
  • Proposals included stricter controls on reserve access and adding the Local Housing Trust Fund as a surplus allocation option.
  • The report advised against new taxes currently but suggested exploring the Transient Occupancy Tax by 2028.

Non-Renewal of Flock Contract and ALPR Technology Review

  • Staff recommended replacing the expired Flock Automated License Plate Reader system with a Verkada alternative to enhance data privacy.
  • Public comment revealed significant opposition regarding mass surveillance concerns alongside support for crime-solving capabilities.
  • Council members discussed Fourth Amendment implications and potential reallocation of funds but took no formal action.
  • The item was deferred to a future meeting to allow for further policy revision and public engagement.

Full summary

Agenda Item 1: Recognition of Santa Barbara Foresters

  • The Council recognized the Santa Barbara Foresters as the 2026 National Baseball Congress World Series champions. The Mayor presented a certificate of recognition highlighting the team's 11th title, a 26-6 regular season record, and a 6-0 tournament performance in Wichita, Kansas. The presentation noted statistical leadership, the selection of pitcher Noah Waldeck as MVP, and the organization's "Hugs for Cubs" cancer support program. Bill Pintard, the team manager since 1995, accepted the recognition on behalf of the team and announced a celebration event at the Carriage Museum scheduled for September 27. No formal motion or vote was taken on this ceremonial item.

Agenda Item 3: Consent Calendar (Introduction of Ordinance Amending Municipal Code Title 16)

  • The Clerk introduced an ordinance to amend Title 16 of the Santa Barbara Municipal Code regarding liquid and industrial waste disposal. The proposed amendments would authorize the Water Resources Director to establish an electronic document receiving system consistent with federal rules and designate the Water Resources Director in place of the Public Works Director in various sections. Council Member Stanton initially requested to pull Item 4 (OpenGov software) from the consent calendar for questions but subsequently withdrew the request after staff clarified that OpenGov budget numbers reflect the adopted budget and second-quarter actuals, while the transparency tool updates nightly from the live ERP system. Staff noted that while the current reporting format is rigid, a more flexible system is in development. A motion to approve the entire consent calendar was made by Council Member Jordan and seconded by Council Member Santa Maria. The motion passed unanimously.

Report from the Finance Committee

  • The Finance Committee reported on reserve policy and the Local Housing Trust Fund. Regarding reserves, the committee recommended prioritizing the replenishment of emergency reserves using one-time Utility Users Tax funding and other means. They also recommended revising the emergency reserve policy to impose stricter controls on access, limiting use to emergency-related disasters, and clarifying budget terminology for transparency. Additionally, they suggested including the Local Housing Trust Fund as a third option for surplus allocation alongside the General Fund and Pension 115. Regarding the Local Housing Trust Fund, the committee recommended not pursuing new taxes at this time, with the exception of initiating community conversations regarding the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) as a potential dedicated funding source by 2028. The committee also recommended reaching out to philanthropic partners for sustainable funding options. No formal motion or vote was taken on this report.

General Public Comment

  • Several members of the public addressed the Council on topics not on the agenda. Speakers discussed drug and alcohol awareness, announced a mayoral candidacy, and performed a song. Another speaker urged the Council to reconsider a real property transfer tax, citing studies suggesting it does not significantly impact sales volume. A third speaker demanded accountability regarding an alleged unlawful eviction from ADA-required parking at the Solstice Festival, requesting an independent investigation into Parking Enforcement and Parks and Recreation, as well as the appointment of a dedicated ADA coordinator. Another speaker questioned the effectiveness and conflict of interest regarding the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA), suggesting funds be redirected to other organizations for downtown activation and advocating for maintaining State Street as car-free based on survey data. A final speaker discussed mayoral candidate filings, noting funding sources for specific candidates and urging voters to consider affordability and local residency.

Agenda Item 5: Non-Renewal of Flock Contract (License Plate Reader System) and Review of ALPR Technology

  • Staff presented a report recommending the non-renewal of the contract with Flock for the Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) system, which expired on August 23, 2026, and proposed replacing it with a Verkada system. Sergeant Bruno Peterson explained that the proposal aims to provide greater data control, address civil liberties concerns, and prevent data sharing across police agencies. Key features of the proposed Verkada system include city ownership of data, encryption, CEJIS compliance, and a localized system that does not allow external agency access without specific credentials. Staff clarified that the cameras are programmed solely for license plate reading and do not capture facial recognition images. Chief Gordon noted that while other systems offer nationwide search capabilities, the City chose Verkada to balance investigative needs with privacy concerns. Sergeant Peterson cited an 11% increase in clearance rates for Group A offenses and a 9% increase for hit-and-runs since ALPR implementation. The City Attorney addressed Fourth Amendment considerations, stating that capturing license plate data on public roads has a low threshold for constitutional violation provided continuous tracking is avoided.
  • Public comment was opened regarding the ALPR system. Speakers expressed opposition to all ALPR systems, including the proposed Verkada alternative, citing concerns over mass surveillance, potential for facial recognition misuse, and lack of trust in police data handling. Concerns were raised regarding the meeting time change, perceived secrecy around the contract cancellation, and potential data sharing with federal agencies like ICE or DHS. Speakers argued that surveillance does not equate to safety and called for increased community programs instead. One speaker cited a specific incident involving alleged cooperation between SBPD and ICE as evidence of broken trust regarding privacy promises. Conversely, some speakers supported police access to surveillance tools for solving crimes and preventing accidents, expressing trust in the council and police to manage the technology with appropriate safeguards.
  • Council members directed questions to staff regarding data security, federal access, and operational details. The Chief confirmed no known cases of local officer misuse of Flock technology and stated that while Verkada experienced a data breach in 2020–2021, the company has since implemented superior security controls. The Chief confirmed federal agencies did not have access to Flock data through the city's system. Regarding an in-house implementation, the Chief explained that developing custom software internally would be more expensive and technically challenging than the proposed contract. The City Administrator noted that repealing the ALPR policy entirely would require a comprehensive analysis of impacts on parking enforcement and staffing as a separate agenda item. The Administrator confirmed the proposed contract includes a 30-day termination notice provision. The Chief confirmed the Flock contract had expired and the system was offline, with Flock having one to two weeks to remove cameras at their own expense; failure to comply would result in city removal at additional cost. Cost comparisons indicated the final year of the Flock contract was approximately $40,000 annually, while the proposed Verkada system involves a one-time hardware purchase and a five-year license totaling $56,000.
  • Council members expressed a range of views, including acknowledgment of the benefits of terminating the Flock contract but voicing concerns regarding Fourth Amendment implications and the broader surveillance state. Some members suggested reopening the ALPR policy for revision to better align with privacy values, potentially through an extended public comment period. Others emphasized the current political climate and risks of federal overreach, suggesting reallocating funds from surveillance cameras to additional patrol officers or ambassadors. One member noted the significant cost reduction compared to Flock was encouraging.
  • Discussion also centered on the adequacy of agenda item descriptions under the Brown Act. It was determined that while descriptions must be specific enough for public understanding, they do not require excessive detail. The City Administrator's discretion in managing staff-controlled agendas was acknowledged. It was determined that no vote was necessary to address the current matter; instead, the item could be brought back with properly noticed elements at a future meeting to ensure public awareness.
  • No formal motion was moved, seconded, or voted upon regarding the non-renewal of the Flock contract or the adoption of the Verkada system during this meeting. The Council did not reach a final decision on these items. The discussion concluded with an acknowledgment that further deliberation on the ALPR policy and potential public engagement processes may be required in the future.

Adjournment

  • The meeting was adjourned.