Votes at a glance: consent calendar approved; multiple landscaping districts, oversight committee consolidation and employee contracts pass

The Newark City Council took the following formal actions at its June 26 meeting.

• Consent calendar: The council approved the consent calendar (includes audited demands, minutes and purchase orders) with one council member abstaining from the June 12 minutes. The motion passed 4–0 with Vice Mayor Eve Little absent.

• Landscaping and lighting districts (annual approvals): The council held a public hearing and adopted a resolution confirming diagrams and assessments and authorizing levies and collections for Landscaping and Lighting Districts Nos. 1, 2, 4, 7, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 for fiscal year 2025–26. Staff estimated approximately $426,000 in assessment revenue to fund maintenance and improvements. Motion to approve was moved by Council Member Bridal, seconded, and passed 4–0 (Vice Mayor absent).

• Measure GG/LL oversight committee: The council voted to designate the existing Measure GG oversight committee to also perform oversight responsibilities for Measure LL (the transient occupancy tax increase approved by voters in November 2024, codified in Ordinance No. 553) and confirmed three mayoral appointments to fill vacancies: Terence Singh, Vinod Kumar and Daniel Cardenas (Cardenas was not present). The resolution also directed staff to review committee bylaws and maintain separate agenda items to clearly distinguish the two revenue sources. Motion to adopt was moved and seconded; the item passed unanimously.

• Labor agreements and compensation: The council adopted memoranda of understanding and compensation/benefit plans that cover multiple employee groups and updated the city salary schedule. Key elements summarized from staff materials: - NAM (Newark Association of Miscellaneous Employees): three‑year MOU (7/1/2025–6/30/2028) with general salary increases totaling 11% over three years (4% on 7/1/25; 3.5% on 7/1/26; 3.5% on 7/1/27), one‑time lump sums ($1,000; an additional $1,000 for 15+ years of service), changes to cafeteria plan contributions and other leave updates including Juneteenth as a paid holiday and reproductive loss bereavement leave. NAM ratified the MOU May 28. - NPA (Newark Police Association): same base general increases plus supplemental adjustments for first responders that cumulatively increase compensation (described in staff report) and increases to certificate incentive pay; members ratified on June 11. - Confidential and management groups: parallel salary and benefit adjustments, market adjustments for select classifications and range revisions for certain department‑head positions; the staff report included a slip sheet with an updated salary schedule for the council to incorporate into the motions.

The motions to approve the labor agreements and salary schedule amendment were moved and seconded and passed 4–0 with Vice Mayor Eve Little absent. The council noted that SB 1436 requires an oral report whenever executive compensation is adjusted; city counsel provided the statutorily required oral presentation during the item.

All motions noted above were recorded in the council minutes and the clerk filed the supporting reports and engineer's reports into the public record.