[{"_1":2,"_120":-5,"_121":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,97,109],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6697024,"mediaKeyId","3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804","parentId",3648867,"title","Walnut Creek council hears urgent staffing shortfalls in police and 911 dispatch","audioSeconds",1348,"startMs",4232000,"endMs",5580000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804&start=4232&end=5580","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804/thumbnail_4232000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6697024/Walnut-Creek-City/Contra-Costa-County/California/Walnut-Creek-council-hears-urgent-staffing-shortfalls-in-police-and-911-dispatch","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6697024-334231e9e1aea2c736d23246a9609733/orig.mp4?Expires=1775131542&Signature=afzNSslSRdy9s077-N~TYLP4GGtZuSiR7LR0NOV87KdKQ1IgzoDHury2TfMK7XEofPWTAiK55kjllvuDpHaBpW1T2mqzM3yAB3RU41IykQpDHyt0MKfon4VTlzjIhi65SihdLEslmPDJEJdzT8CRDWtHpEEikv4jxVoNfsj1S83C5oisBSqj3M4fBZTy~zdqJ-BZswTFvIiQ~TPTFyBixWPQzPdcrWVE3aCiIxTcOomQYW6q5QbI2pW5AGiXTn~4fcpDTHTYtA98CWZqrF~9yXJA4cJLYGzAJkhh473holy06NcKMX9R8KrT1jNWguikDP6dYKjxHlfqokAZGWJb4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Walnut Creek, CA","date","2025-05-28T16:56:21Z","article","Walnut Creek — At a public hearing required by state law, police officers and dispatchers told the Walnut Creek City Council on June 3 that persistent vacancies and extended hiring timelines are shrinking frontline capacity and elevating public safety risks.

The presentation, made during a hearing under Government Code section 3502.3 (AB 2561), included detailed staffing figures from the Walnut Creek Police Officers Association and the city’s dispatch center. Shane Blatz, president of the Walnut Creek Police Officers Association, said the department currently lists 85 sworn positions but only 61 officers are available for solo patrol once trainees, officers in field training and injured employees are excluded. “We are really struggling, as an industry, trying to recoup from the time of 2020 and 2021,” Blatz said.

The council received additional staffing detail from dispatchers and Teamsters representatives. Dispatcher Zachary Richelme said the center had 12 full‑time dispatchers plus one part‑time (12.5 FTE) at the time of the meeting; the unit had recently operated with 14.5 FTE and lost two dispatchers to other agencies. Richelme described forced overtime in June that required staff to work 25 of 30 days and said staffing shortfalls increase the risk of delayed 911 answers and of burnout among dispatchers.

Why it matters: Police and dispatch staffing directly affect response times, investigation capacity and officer safety. Both sworn and civilian public‑safety employees described long background and training timelines — up to six months for new police academy recruits and about six months of in‑house training for new dispatchers — that limit how quickly vacancies can be filled.

What was said and proposed: Blatz gave a breakdown of sworn staffing and vacancies, noting three recruits in the police academy, eight injured officers and several officers in field training. He outlined consequences of low staffing, including reductions to specialty units previously deployed (MET, SROs, traffic). “A lot of agencies are struggling with this lack of veteran officers that are there to continue that process,” Blatz said. Dispatchers requested restoring their authorized headcount to 14.5 to reinstate swing shifts, reduce mandatory overtime and preserve service levels.

City staff said the AB 2561 report showed a citywide vacancy rate of about 10.3% (data through May 10, 2025) and explained that vacancy rates fluctuate day to day; the human resources director, Trish Raver, detailed recruitment process improvements the city has adopted to shorten timelines and broaden applicant outreach. Raver said police recruitment has been streamlined to allow conditional offers and initiation of background checks on interview day and that the city has removed redundant background steps to shorten processing by one to two weeks.

Council action and follow up: Council unanimously moved to receive and file the AB 2561 presentation after asking staff for supplemental information on overtime budgeting, forced overtime policy, the composition of vacancies (trainees vs. true vacancies), and benchmarking for injury rates and hiring timelines. Council members said they wanted the full PowerPoint slides and additional data on FTE accounting for the police and dispatch units.

Context and next steps: The hearing is the first annual presentation under AB 2561; no bargaining unit met the statute’s threshold to require a separate, detailed bargaining‑unit presentation. Council asked staff to circulate the slide decks and to return with clarifications on specific items raised by the Police Officers Association and the dispatchers, including staffing counts, the forced‑overtime policy, and a pro forma showing the effect of restoring dispatcher headcount to 14.5 FTE.

Ending: Council members thanked presenters and told staff they expect follow‑up information ahead of budget adoption later in June.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Walnut Creek City Council: 6/3/25","oneSentenceSummary","At a required public hearing on job vacancies, police union and dispatchers told the council shortages, injuries and lengthy training are reducing patrol capacity and increasing overtime and burnout; council asked staff for follow-up data.","taxTitle","Walnut Creek City, Contra Costa County, California","taxId",5541,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6697009,"Council approves list of outside plan‑check consultants; staff to monitor contractor metrics",395,1690000,2085000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804&start=1690&end=2085","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804/thumbnail_1690000.jpg","/articles/6697009/Walnut-Creek-City/Contra-Costa-County/California/Council-approves-list-of-outside-plancheck-consultants-staff-to-monitor-contractor-metrics","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6697009-4a37cda5ff27251a16b66209f1aa9cdb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775131542&Signature=SoplHrbEEQqvWzl59rzm1No1SwXtbuI9ot-Cp4jLaEr5wSqgzKz9bGa15lBSVKARSk-6w~eJcHdKNRN66mye3N7bECAPJoDRSnSnbdRSV-apR9kvHPmERODRKglvQZJNtsHG3aHeMu6rHadt~7aPK5jst7VeTIOMXjObtZRpJ7lHHVhjVjEhez4gWw5e9ywAPEuz-YMfD0ULsGqXWdsefRws6eF~1ecmw-W-NHioPTLC1YBA9PJR9Da7kwjMUOXM5eo2TTFEgS0~vkov9O~5Gee1m3O3u~BYxDw-y02IsBaz3pgPsw7ZLej3p2xzXnfiEF9kUJnt1q1kpk9YTMjjIg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walnut Creek — The City Council on June 3 approved a resolution to select a pool of outside plan‑check consultant firms to assist with plan review work used by the Community Development Department.

Staff presentation and council questions: Frank Com, the city’s building official, said most selected firms were previously used by the city but that the list adds two or three new firms to broaden available expertise and match consultants to project types and scope. Council member Craig asked how the city monitors consultant performance; Com said the city tracks two primary metrics: published turnaround time targets and internal staff review of consultants’ plan‑check comments for code accuracy and compatibility with city practices. Com said those metrics are posted on the city’s website.

Why it matters: The city uses outside consultants to handle workload surges and specialized reviews when in‑house staff are insufficient; the city currently has four plan‑check engineers and staff proposed adding one new plan‑check engineer over the next two fiscal years to reduce dependence on consultants.

Council action: Council voted unanimously to approve item 2D (the consultant list). Councilmembers asked staff to ensure that performance data be accessible to the public so applicants and contractors can see turnaround times and that staff and firms be held to the city’s published performance matrix.

Ending: Staff said the city will continue monitoring consultant performance and that adding an in‑house plan‑check engineer is included in the proposed FY26–27 budget to reduce external spending over time.","Council approved a multi‑vendor plan‑check consultant list and asked staff to publish performance metrics; staff said most firms were previously used but three are new and the city plans to add one in‑house plan‑check engineer over two years to reduce reliance on consultants.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":44,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":50,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6697015,"Council approves TEFRA hearing and supports revenue bonds for Sequoia Living’s ViaMonte",228,4460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804&start=4232&end=4460","/articles/6697015/Walnut-Creek-City/Contra-Costa-County/California/Council-approves-TEFRA-hearing-and-supports-revenue-bonds-for-Sequoia-Livings-ViaMonte","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6697015-5eed0c23792fe261bdff9d9f4cb5edcf/orig.mp4?Expires=1775131542&Signature=eMLSfSDCejizZHR3FhCsohg7eS5zJgtpB~KJvBAOAlLxRiiIk7WJbVMyIvB19ye-5qwNz0nq1TSaWW6HaOmU2Y9Z9ky~Wz5UD1WxfK8GOIDrEKfas56QD9scqsvoH9JVlaz7lhee2z9JYH-2X0QU-rvQuFs1jjxokhH7mVC9vACJB4jGxzOurTOUOfeksYgPcEZSmgAGb2TcYjDFug5ubSya0YZfXe2XtTTUju6IXQSySSU5dumoYTIWqIQdydWpjEnkIo9AWJMhTjnKjxRwdGMTkj-Q8DkplBR7coJ3Y4XUTYlRzGm7cvBDqsk77WckzT~-kxRQt1MZcEAXFMa99w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walnut Creek — The City Council closed a public hearing June 3 under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) and adopted a resolution approving the issuance of revenue bonds by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) to benefit Sequoia Living, which operates the ViaMonte residential care facility in Walnut Creek.

Staff presentation: Jennifer Yamas, a housing analyst in the Community Development Department, introduced the TEFRA hearing and invited Dave Latina, chief business development officer for Sequoia Living, to address the council. Latina said the proposed financing is a refinance — not new construction financing for ViaMonte — and explained the $165 million placement will support Sequoia Living’s broader obligated group of continuing care retirement communities; ViaMonte’s portion of the refinancing is limited and mainly for reserves.

Why it matters: Under federal tax rules, the TEFRA hearing is a local government step required to consider the proposed issuance of tax‑exempt bonds for private nonprofit projects. City staff clarified the bonds would not be an obligation of the city and that there would be no cost to Walnut Creek.

Council action: After hearing written comments (staff said written comments had already been posted), the council voted unanimously on a motion to adopt a resolution approving the issuance of bonds by CSCDA for the benefit of Sequoia Living. The roll call vote was recorded as all ayes.

Ending: The council closed the hearing with no public speakers at the podium and took the ministerial vote supporting the bond issuance; staff noted the bonds do not create a city liability.","Council held a TEFRA public hearing and approved a resolution supporting issuance of revenue bonds by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority to refinance Sequoia Living’s obligated group that includes the ViaMonte facility in Walnut Creek.",{"_33":98,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":99,"_41":100,"_43":101,"_45":102,"_47":103,"_49":104,"_51":105,"_53":106,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":107,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":108,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6697019,"Council reviews FY26–27 proposed budget; directs staff to create $100,000 outdoor‑dining incentive",3172,9243000,12415000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804&start=9243&end=12415","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804/thumbnail_9243000.jpg","/articles/6697019/Walnut-Creek-City/Contra-Costa-County/California/Council-reviews-FY2627-proposed-budget-directs-staff-to-create-100000-outdoordining-incentive","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6697019-98b2b80b03b1c1fd53a866ad50cc7f83/orig.mp4?Expires=1775131542&Signature=Z7uln9ciMGv1yHn6WyxlzLJeaDQFj9MtmMvE9cYauaCc3oEQW9iy0YKGA4acs3w80JyKBUqxmsKkt4qwUUFdQic7idLj64h84cZ04nqzVoOa2T5fzwz3Zv1c6yfVW~N1cPpu-uRyV1IpARkrFH4zXWg0CR-HEnt5dNcwKbj~iN4azIBc26mcwaad194VwwlktCRBdNLtT4MRnF64Sh7p3FLWH2QcNRo10ixD~pe-b3pv2C51Wgaxzh7x1DdgSxaKCkd-ZGEmZ~Zwtv~aWullNzlISs4PATE5TfYv1gQcFIey2GQtkaYL4IQ~My0Yw2EWPUlsGt1DWbaWZefvdUSqxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walnut Creek — The City Council on June 3 reviewed a proposed two‑year operating budget that projects modest revenue growth but identifies an ongoing structural gap driven by slower revenues and rising costs, and directed staff to design a one‑time incentive to encourage outdoor dining.

Budget overview: Rindy Azzavito, the city’s budget and procurement manager, summarized the proposed FY26–27 general fund. The staff package forecasts modest revenue increases (roughly 2–4% excluding reserve uses) and proposed reductions in operations and maintenance and personnel to reduce a projected ongoing deficit (staff identified a projected ongoing deficit of approximately $4.97 million for FY26 before budget balancing actions). Personnel costs account for roughly 68% of general fund expenditures. The draft includes one‑time and ongoing additions that reflect council priorities, including an approximately $3.5 million allocation for a multi‑year general plan update, investments in development‑review process improvements, public‑safety software and body‑worn cameras, and funding related to housing and homelessness.

Why it matters: The budget discussion sets priorities for services and reserves, and the council must balance preserving core services while addressing rising pension, insurance and utility costs. Staff proposed using short‑term strategies — including limited use of pension reserves and higher vacancy rates — to close gaps while avoiding sharp service cuts.

Outdoor dining incentive directed: Council asked staff to include a one‑time incentive program in the FY26 budget to accelerate outdoor dining downtown. The motion, approved unanimously, directed staff to return with program details tied to a notional budget of $100,000 (the council asked staff to identify the funding source; parking‑fund revenues were discussed as a likely source) and to structure the program as a competitive rebate with a proposed per‑applicant cap of $10,000. Councilmembers emphasized that the program should be time‑limited, competitive and focused on offsetting start‑up costs rather than creating an ongoing subsidy.

Council concerns and follow‑up: Council members also flagged uncertainty over state homelessness funding and asked staff to provide a report on an identified shortfall (council noted an estimated $145,496 gap for homeless services funding). Staff said they will circulate the full budget packet, the fee schedule adjustments and requested follow‑up on several items including the “forced overtime” policy in the Police Department, the calculation underlying the parking spot valuation used in previous outdoor‑dining discussions, and detailed FTE reconciliations.

Context and next steps: Staff will return to the council on June 17 with the full budget package (including capital budget and any adjustments) for final adoption. Council preserved flexibility on reserves and asked staff to prioritize essential services while incorporating the direction to develop an outdoor‑dining incentive program.

Ending: Council voted unanimously to direct staff to develop an outdoor dining rebate program with an approximate $100,000 budget and a $10,000 per‑applicant cap, and to return with additional budgetary detail before final adoption on June 17.","Facing projected deficits, council reviewed the proposed two‑year operating budget and asked staff to include a roughly $100,000 competitive rebate program in the FY26 budget to encourage outdoor dining; council also asked staff to monitor homeless‑services funding shortfalls.",{"_33":110,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":111,"_41":112,"_43":113,"_45":102,"_47":114,"_49":115,"_51":116,"_53":117,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":118,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":119,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6697004,"Votes at a glance — Walnut Creek City Council, June 3, 2025",10915,1500000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804&start=1500&end=12415","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3648867-d956d219afd44adf005640864a603804/thumbnail_1500000.jpg","/articles/6697004/Walnut-Creek-City/Contra-Costa-County/California/Votes-at-a-glance-Walnut-Creek-City-Council-June-3-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6697004-5154246a78db179eb34d43f4ce315722/orig.mp4?Expires=1775131542&Signature=nXkqxgMGDn8qzQGA14p6KC8m8FmtGgq8YOOCoJ8yIyKmvL6TB9ZHYjDjOjPIKK~auF9NCxh9Gu2KNYX2vgonaDLS4MntUzHrBvXGEdFlVJDZ5AzpAQPE6iNI1DlGxfnlICvCAxZmbqoeipHPUUTwwq4G-ALVD5eBa-3rqXciZrUbg5YBLv2BPGvHl~6IJYPv26NoY2bdtMXYq~0S3yYNM69iRTdqqdiLeP6z4UfjnYWLMPzz6l2KbaW5kEuk5AQpAmVudVUAQk7sVP844AjSN3BQ7ytbc0SBhKfvantqmVmZXwzH3gwXHnPB3ghUr3C5QiaLgFw-RmqVdXZPhBK2PA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walnut Creek — The following is a concise record of formal actions and roll‑call outcomes taken by the Walnut Creek City Council at its June 3, 2025 meeting.

1) Consent calendar (items 2a, 2b, 2e, 2f, 2h): Motion to approve the consent calendar (items 2a, 2b, 2e, 2f and 2h) — Motion made and seconded; roll call: Council member Silva, Mayor Pro Tem Willock, Council member DeVeny, Council member Francois, Mayor Cindy Darling — All ayes. Outcome: approved.

2) Item 2C — SB1 project list resolution (corrected neighborhoods): Motion to adopt the resolution adopting the list of projects for FY26 funded by SB1 with staff correction to neighborhood names — Roll call: All ayes. Outcome: approved.

3) Item 2D — Plan‑check consultant pool: Motion to approve item 2D (selection of outside plan‑check consultant firms) — Roll call: All ayes. Outcome: approved. Notes: Staff said three new firms added; city will publish consultant turnaround metrics.

4) Item 2G — FY25 third quarter budget update: Motion to accept the FY25 third quarter budget update as recommended by the Finance Committee — Roll call: All ayes. Outcome: accepted.

5) Public hearing (TEFRA) — Sequoia Living (ViaMonte): Motion to adopt a resolution approving the issuance of bonds by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) for the benefit of Sequoia Living — Roll call: All ayes. Outcome: approved. Note: City staff stated the bonds do not create a city obligation.

6) Public hearing (Government Code §3502.3 / AB 2561) — Job vacancies recruitment and retention report: Motion to receive and file the AB 2561 presentation on job vacancies, recruitment and retention — Roll call: All ayes. Outcome: received and filed. Note: Council requested follow up material on overtime policy, detailed FTE accounting for police and dispatch, and other clarifications.

7) TBID annual assessment resolutions and intent to levy: Motion to adopt the TBID annual assessment report for FY24–25 and adopt the resolution of intention to levy assessments for FY26 and set a public hearing for June 17, 2025 — Roll call: All ayes. Outcome: approved and hearing scheduled for 06/17/2025.

8) Budget direction — outdoor dining incentive: Motion (council instruction) to include a one‑time competitive outdoor‑dining rebate program in the FY26 budget with an approximate budget of $100,000 and a suggested per‑applicant cap of $10,000; staff to identify funding source (parking fund discussed) and return with program details at the June 17 budget adoption meeting — Roll call: All ayes. Outcome: council direction provided; staff to include proposal in June 17 packet.

Notes on voting: Where roll calls were recorded, the vote on each listed matter was unanimous with Council member Silva, Council member DeVeny, Council member Francois, Mayor Pro Tem Willock and Mayor Cindy Darling recorded as voting “Aye.” Where a mover or seconder was not given on the public record, the council recorded the motions and completed the roll calls as summarized above.

Ending: The meeting included several required public hearings, management reports and budget deliberations; most council actions in this session were unanimous.","Summary of formal motions and roll‑call outcomes recorded at the June 3 Walnut Creek City Council meeting, including consent calendar approvals, plan‑check consultant selection, budget updates, TBID assessment actions, TEFRA approval for Sequoia Living bonds, and receiving the AB 2561 job vacancy report.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Walnut Creek council hears urgent staffing shortfalls in police and 911 dispatch

Council approves list of outside plan‑check consultants; staff to monitor contractor metrics

Council approves TEFRA hearing and supports revenue bonds for Sequoia Living’s ViaMonte

Council reviews FY26–27 proposed budget; directs staff to create $100,000 outdoor‑dining incentive

Votes at a glance — Walnut Creek City Council, June 3, 2025