Oakland Rules Committee Tees Up ShotSpotter Review, $15.2M Rail Contract

Oakland's Rules & Legislation Committee voted 4-0 on Nov. 5, 2026, to send a ShotSpotter use-policy review, a 911 outage report, a $15.2M rail safety contract and up to $35.9M in state housing funds to Nov. 17 committee hearings. Members then trimmed those agendas at staff's request. More than a dozen speakers used open forum to back an ethical investment policy headed for a Nov. 12 hearing.

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• Eleven new items routed 4-0, including ShotSpotter, a 911 outage report and a $15.2M rail contract
• Nov. 17 Public Safety agenda trimmed as police and violence-prevention grants move to Nov. 10 council consent
• $4.1M parking contract extension retitled; overtime report withdrawn over labor-negotiation confidentiality
• More than a dozen speakers back Oakland Divest ethical investment policy ahead of Nov. 12 Rules hearing

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Nov. 17 Becomes a Marquee Hearing Day

The basics: The Rules Committee does not decide policy. It controls when and where other bodies take up legislation, which in turn determines when residents can weigh in.

Why it matters: The Nov. 17 Public Works and Transportation Committee and the Special Public Safety Committee now carry most of the big-ticket and surveillance items from this batch. Those include a vote on whether Oakland keeps its gunshot detection technology.

Where things stand: The Public Works and Transportation Committee will take up four items on Nov. 17:

• Affordable housing: An amendment to the city's state Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program resolution for the 285 12th Street project. It would let Oakland accept and appropriate up to $35,873,066 in state loan and grant funds.
• Rail safety: A $15,240,586.98 award to O.C. Jones & Sons for Phase 1 of the Embarcadero West Rail Safety and Access Improvements. The award includes authority for change orders of up to 25% of the contract.
• Solid waste: A professional services agreement of up to about $1.1M with HF&H Consultants to plan future solid waste franchises. That total includes $200,000 from Fund 1710.
• Fleet repair: Collision repair contracts with Ron Duprott Ford, Turbo Auto Body, Experience Auto Body and Falcon Collision Repair.

The Special Public Safety Committee will hear three items the same day:

• ShotSpotter: The annual reports and use policy. The resolution asks whether Oakland should continue the technology and would change its surveillance use policy.
• Towing: An Oakland Police Department contract with Auto Plus Towing from January 2027 through December 2032. It carries about $172,000 in annual payments and an option to extend up to five years.
• 911 outage: An informational report on the October 2026 outage. It is to cover root cause, redundancy, call rerouting and equitable access during disruptions.

A crowding concern: Janani Ramachandran, Councilmember, District 4, worried about piling more onto Public Works. "If we add all 3 items here, that'll bring it to 11 items," said Ramachandran. She backed off after learning the next agenda item would pull items. "I'm open to keeping these here now that I know the next item will have about 3 items removed," said Ramachandran.

The other side: Public commenter Blair Beekman said Oakland can maintain public safety with less technology. He urged the city to reconsider ShotSpotter and to move away from its Flock license plate reader contract toward a better-principled vendor. On towing, he pointed to San Diego's towing equity work as a model.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Ramachandran moved the package and Rowena Brown, Councilmember At Large, seconded. It passed (For: 4, Brown, Ramachandran, Carroll Fife, Councilmember, District 3, and Kevin Jenkins, Council President; Against: 0; Absent: 0). The package also retitled the nuisance vessel ordinance and added co-sponsors to a Valkyries resolution. Residents who rely on 911, privacy and surveillance critics, the 285 12th Street project and city contractors all now share a single hearing date.

What's next: Both committees meet Nov. 17. Expect the ShotSpotter vote to draw the most public comment.

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Staff Requests Thin Out Crowded Nov. 17 Agendas

Why it matters: Moving grants to the Nov. 10 council consent calendar speeds the money and shortens a packed Public Safety hearing. Pulling a Finance report keeps a labor-negotiation matter out of public session for now.

Where things stand: Departments lined up with these requests:

• Police grants: Tracy Jones, Police Services Manager, Oakland Police Department, asked to move two items to Nov. 10 consent: forensic examination reimbursement and the OPD NIBIN modernization grant. "OPD is requesting to move two items from the November 17th Public Safety," said Jones.
• Byrne grant: The Department of Violence Prevention asked to fast-track a Byrne Discretionary Grant item to Nov. 10 consent.
• Safe Oakland Streets: Michael Ford of the Department of Transportation asked to push the Safe Oakland Streets annual report to Dec. 8 after consulting Chair Wong.
• Parking contract: Finance agenda coordinator Jody Christian retitled a Nov. 17 Finance and Management Committee item. It would extend the parking operator contract by up to one year, for no more than $4,133,013, and waive a competitive request for proposals.
• Overtime report: Brad Johnson, Director of Finance, asked to withdraw an investigation report on Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime because it was discussed in closed-session labor negotiations. "Given the confidential negotiation-related nature, I would respectfully ask that the item be withdrawn," said Johnson.

Pressing on the Byrne grant: Fife asked for more detail, "because I think the scope of the item exceeds even just the life coach." Jenny Linchey, Deputy Chief, Department of Violence Prevention, answered that the grant goes beyond the life coach position. "There are the incentive payments associated with the participants who would be served by that life coach, and then there is a contract with Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth to hire a full-time mental health clinician to serve those participants," said Linchey.

Fife also flagged the hearing's length: "So you may want to move up the Public Safety Committee meeting to 5 p.m. so that we can have a more concise day," said Fife. No one had reached the Public Safety chair during the meeting to confirm a time change.

The other side: Beekman urged members to use the Smart Safety Streets report and crime data reports as the basis for a balanced conversation about reducing the use of automated license plate readers.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Fife moved the amended agendas and Ramachandran seconded. The motion passed (For: 4; Against: 0; Absent: 0). The changes speed money to violence-prevention participants and Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth. They also leave the parking extension's competitive-bid waiver for Finance and Management to weigh.

What's next: The grants go to the Nov. 10 Special City Council meeting. The Safe Oakland Streets report moves to the Dec. 8 Public Safety Committee.

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Divest Coalition Packs Open Forum Ahead of Nov. 12

Why it matters: More than a dozen speakers turned open forum into a show of force for a proposed ethical investment policy. It would bar city investments tied to severe human rights abuses, the security and defense industries, and mass incarceration.

The basics: Speakers said they introduced the measure as members of the public under Rule 24, Section 4, and that it is set for the Nov. 12 Rules Committee. Justine Wiebold, speaking for the Democratic Socialists of America, noted the city's current policy already excludes fossil fuels, tobacco and firearms. She asked the city to strengthen that divestment section.

Where things stand: Steven, speaking for Oakland Divest, urged a yes vote and thanked the committee for scheduling the measure. Ellen said the coalition includes more than 20 labor, faith and community organizations representing thousands of Oaklanders. Judy Greenspan of the Oakland Education Association, which has more than 3,000 members, tied divestment from war industries and tech companies to school funding shortfalls.

Several speakers spoke from personal stakes:

• Odette Nemes described her family's Holocaust history and her concern for Palestinian children.
• Kathy Saadeh Kenny, a District 1 resident and Palestinian American, cited family in the West Bank.
• Iman, a Lighthouse Mosque congregant, said Lighthouse and the Yempali Collective co-sponsor the policy.
• Jabari Shaw, of the Black Panther Party Legacy Action Network and the Black Organizing Project, urged divesting from genocide and investing in Oakland.

Other speakers, including Ryan of Oakland Divest, raised ICE detention, private prison profits and corporate ties to Gaza. Angel called for a ceasefire, and Madeline Stacy asked that Oaklanders hear the council address the policy.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The committee took no action, and no members commented on the policy. No speaker opposed it. The coalition of labor, faith and Black community groups signals a well-organized turnout. The city's Finance Department would ultimately carry out any new investment screens.

What's next: The policy is slated for the Nov. 12 Rules and Legislation Committee agenda.

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Minor Items

• Council travel: A Rule 24 urgency resolution heads to Nov. 10 consent. It would reimburse up to $1,400 each for seven councilmembers attending the League of California Cities academy, Jan. 20-22, 2027, in Sacramento.
• Homeless services: Contract amendments raise caps for several providers, including Youth Spirit Artworks to $2,013,265, and waive local-business requirements. They head to Dec. 8 Life Enrichment.
• Nuisance vessels: A Chapter 8.70 ordinance would add docking limits, graduated fines, infractions and impoundment. It heads to the Dec. 8 Public Safety Committee with a new title.
• Rent Board: The appointment of Monique Doryland to an undesignated seat goes to an upcoming Rules Committee meeting.
• Valkyries: A resolution honoring the WNBA Golden State Valkyries and MVP Gabby Williams goes to Dec. 1 council consent. Councilmembers Wong and Ramachandran signed on as co-sponsors.

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Looking Ahead

The Special City Council meets Nov. 10 to take up the travel, police and Byrne grant items on consent. The Rules Committee hears the ethical investment policy Nov. 12. Public Works and Transportation, Special Public Safety, and Finance and Management all meet Nov. 17. The full council meets Dec. 1, and the Life Enrichment and Public Safety committees meet Dec. 8.