PANIL Meeting summary, October 15, 2025
Quick recap
The meeting began with administrative matters and introductions of participants, including members from the Oakland Charter Reform Project who shared their initiative to reform Oakland’s charter system due to its unique and problematic structure compared to other Bay Area cities. The group discussed Oakland’s current governance challenges, including its controversial mural situation and financial difficulties, while exploring alternative government models like the council-manager system as a potential solution. The discussion concluded with conversations about police oversight and charter modernization efforts, including input from various stakeholders and the mayor’s working group, with participants encouraged to provide their opinions to the task force.
Next steps
- Valerie to continue pursuing restoration work for the mural on the Castle Apartments, including getting permission from the artist and discussing costs with the restoration expert.
- Kathy to share the Oakland Charter Reform Project information and upcoming events with PANL members.
- PANL members to consider sending opinions about charter reform to Nicole Netich at nnetich@spur.org if they wish to provide input to the mayor’s charter reform working group.
- Valerie to take meeting notes to supplement the AI recording and transcription.
Summary
Neighborhood Introductions and Project Updates
The meeting began with a discussion about Zoom recording features and their reliability, followed by Kathy taking over as host due to William’s early departure. The group welcomed members from the Oakland Charter Reform Project, including Nancy and Steven, who were expected to join later. The meeting focused on introductions, with participants sharing their backgrounds and connections to the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood, including long-term residents like Charlie who has lived in the area for over 40 years.
Oakland Charter Reform Discussion
The meeting began with an announcement about a mural controversy at the Castle Apartments, where Valerie explained the history and current status of the mural, noting that the building owners will not remove it despite recent criticism. The group then welcomed Steve Falk, Nancy Falk, and Ben Gould from the Oakland Charter Reform Project, who presented their initiative to reform Oakland’s charter due to its unique and problematic structure compared to other Bay Area cities. Steve explained the project’s origins and the four fundamental flaws in Oakland’s charter, while Nancy described their efforts to gather input from over 300 community members and meet with city council members to discuss potential reforms.
Oakland Charter Reform Progress Update
Nancy discussed the progress of charter reform in Oakland, highlighting Mayor Barbara Lee’s appointment of a working group co-led by the Oakland League of Women Voters and SPUR. The group aims to deliver recommendations to the mayor and council by January 2026, after interviewing community leaders and distributing surveys to gather input. Nancy and others are monitoring the working group’s progress and sharing updates through email, Reddit, and LinkedIn. They also shared a case study of El Paso, Texas, which successfully transitioned to a council-manager form of government and improved public services, suggesting a similar change could benefit Oakland.
Oakland Charter Reform Discussion
Ben and Steven discussed upcoming community events and opportunities to engage with charter reform initiatives in Oakland. They explained the timeline for the mayor’s proposal, which will be reviewed by the council in December or January, with potential actions needed by February or July/August for a June or November ballot. Kathy asked about the recommendation for a council manager form of government, and Steven explained that while either a strong mayor or council manager system would be an improvement over the current structure, the council manager system is preferable because it relies on professional management rather than popularity contests, offering more consistent and effective governance.
Oakland Government Models Comparison
The group discussed different models of city government, with Ben explaining the advantages of a council manager system over Oakland’s current diffuse governance structure. Valerie shared historical context about Oakland’s government changes, including Jerry Brown’s role in restructuring the city’s leadership and the subsequent impact on city operations. The discussion highlighted ongoing challenges with Oakland’s current system, where multiple bodies often work at cross-purposes, while the council manager model was praised for its efficiency and unity of purpose.
Oakland Governance and Financial Challenges
The group discussed Oakland’s governance structure and financial challenges. Steven shared that Henry Gardner, a mentor, advised reverting to a council-manager form from the current charter system, while Nancy mentioned Supervisor Nate Miley’s recent op-ed expressing regret about the 1998 charter revision. The discussion highlighted Oakland’s financial difficulties, including a potential parcel tax due to a $130 million annual deficit, which Steven attributed to frequent leadership changes and a lack of long-term budget stewardship.
Oakland Police Reform and Charter
The group discussed Oakland’s police oversight and charter reform, with Ben explaining that while they haven’t focused on police department structure, the mayor’s working group is examining police chief appointments and oversight. Steven revealed they’ve been in contact with the Bay Area Council, an advocacy organization funded by corporations, who are interested in reforming Oakland’s charter to improve public safety. Nancy noted that most medium-sized cities aren’t under federal oversight for 22 years, which isn’t normal practice, and Kathy expressed concern that police oversight hasn’t been mentioned in charter reform discussions. Steven suggested that Mayor Lee might prefer a more powerful role, and noted that Jerry Brown doesn’t enjoy attending late city council meetings.
Oakland Charter Modernization Discussion
The group discussed Oakland’s charter modernization efforts, with Nancy emphasizing that Mayor Lee could potentially deliver meaningful reforms as part of her legacy. They clarified that while the Bay Area Council, which includes large employers like Kaiser Permanente and BART, is involved in public safety discussions, it does not represent tech billionaires and focuses on creating safe conditions for their employees in Oakland. The conversation ended with an invitation for participants to submit their opinions to the task force via Nicole Neditch, and an announcement about an upcoming OCRP happy hour on Monday at Ghost Town Brewing.