$300 million infrastructure bond, Charter changes, and Aquatic Center contracts
On July 7, City Council will consider placing a $300 million infrastructure bond and several City Charter amendments on the November ballot, as well as authorizing more than $33 million in contracts to advance the long-awaited Alameda Aquatic Center.
Below is a summary of the issues and information on how you can participate.
[1]Infrastructure bond
Council will consider placing a $300 million general obligation bond on the November 3 ballot to help address more than $800 million in unfunded infrastructure needs [2] driven by aging public facilities, deferred maintenance, and increasing climate-related risks. According to City staff, existing funding sources are insufficient to meet growing demands, particularly as Alameda faces heightened threats from sea level rise, groundwater rise, flooding, earthquakes, and severe storms.
If approved by two-thirds of voters, the bond would be repaid through a dedicated property tax estimated at $49 per $100,000 of assessed property value, generating roughly $19 million annually while the bonds remain outstanding. The measure would not draw on the City’s General Fund, and bond proceeds could only be used for capital projects.
The proposed bond would finance projects in five categories:
- Flood protection and sea level rise adaptation.
- Earthquake and emergency preparedness.
- Public safety facilities.
- Street and transportation improvements.
- Stormwater pollution reduction.
Planned investments include levees, seawalls, drainage upgrades, pump stations, seismic retrofits for three fire stations, improvements to the Police Department headquarters, construction of a new fire station on the West End, relocation of the City’s aging Fleet Maintenance Facility, street paving, pothole repair, ADA sidewalk upgrades, traffic signal modernization, and stormwater systems designed to reduce pollution entering San Francisco Bay. Local funding would also help Alameda compete for state and federal grants that often require matching funds.
The recommendation follows several years of planning and community outreach. More than 1,700 residents participated in surveys, with over 89% identifying sea level rise, stormwater infrastructure, public safety, and road maintenance as medium- or high-priority issues. The proposal includes accountability measures such as an independent citizens oversight committee, annual financial reporting, and a separate bond fund.
Streamlining City property sales and leases
Council will consider placing a Charter amendment on the November 3 ballot that would streamline how the City approves leases and sales of municipal real property. The proposal would amend the Charter to allow transactions involving City property to be approved by resolution rather than ordinance, eliminating the need for two Council meetings and a 30-day waiting period before actions take effect.
The measure would also lower the City Council voting threshold for leases of City property exceeding 10 years from a four-vote supermajority to a simple majority of three votes. The existing four-vote requirement would remain in place for the sale of City-owned real property, except for tidelands. Staff says the changes would make the approval process more efficient while maintaining Council oversight.
Eliminating elected Auditor and Treasurer
Council will consider placing a Charter amendment on the November 3 ballot that would eliminate the City’s elected Auditor and Treasurer offices. The proposal, if passed, would amend the Charter to remove both elected positions and reduce General Fund costs by at least $84,000 annually.
Alameda is one of only two cities in Alameda County with an elected Auditor and the only city with an elected Treasurer. If voters approve the amendment, these officers’ existing duties—including financial audits, investment policy recommendations, and oversight of the City’s investment portfolio—would no longer be assigned to elected officials.
Charter cleanup
Council will consider placing a Charter cleanup measure on the November 3 ballot that would update or repeal outdated provisions throughout the City’s governing document. The proposal, developed by a Charter Review Subcommittee, would modernize nearly 20 Charter sections by removing obsolete language, clarifying administrative authority, and aligning the Charter with current laws and City practices.
[3]Amending Aquatic Center construction contract
Council will consider awarding a $32.36 million construction contract to Wickman Construction, Inc. for the long-planned City Aquatic Center at 800 Atlantic Avenue, while approving a $5 million budget increase from the General Fund reserve to cover higher-than-expected construction and project management costs.
The project includes a 30-meter competition pool, an activity pool, administrative offices, and parking. Following a competitive bidding process among seven prequalified contractors, Wickman submitted the lowest bid at $28.63 million. Staff recommends adding nearly $794,000 in project enhancements, including a permanent dewatering system to remove groundwater from the surrounding soil, competition timing and scoreboard equipment, emergency radio infrastructure, and a video display funded by Alameda Municipal Power. The project would also incorporate a previously approved reduction of 17 parking spaces [5].
The recommended contract totals $32.36 million, which includes a 10% construction contingency. The Aquatic Center has been a City priority for several years. Council approved the facility’s redesign and funding plan [6] in 2025.
Amending Aquatic Center project management contract
Council will consider approving a $509,548 amendment to the City’s agreement with Griffin Structures, Inc., increasing the contract’s total value to $1.6 million to provide expanded project and construction management services for the new City Aquatic Center. The additional funding reflects the project’s shift from a design-build delivery method to a traditional design-bid-build process, which requires more intensive construction oversight.
Staff says the expanded construction management is essential to keeping the project on schedule, controlling costs, and minimizing the need to draw on contingency funds. Construction is expected to continue through 2028, with the Aquatic Center scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2028.
Amending Aquatic Center design contract
Council will consider approving a $171,470 amendment to its agreement with ELS Architects, Inc. for additional design and construction administration services for the City Aquatic Center, increasing the firm’s total contract to $3.45 million through 2028. Staff says the amendment will ensure sufficient funding remains available to support construction administration after additional design work was required to prepare complete bid documents and keep the project on schedule. No new project funding is being requested, as the cost will be covered through the project’s existing design contingency budget.
The amendment also funds ELS’s continued construction administration through project completion, ensuring architectural oversight during construction.
How to participate
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 7, at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue.
Members of the public are welcome to participate in person or via Zoom. They may comment on the Non-Agenda, Consent Calendar, and Regular Agenda portions of the Meeting Agenda [7] (link downloads document).
The Non-Agenda portion of the meeting provides an opportunity for members of the public to address the Council regarding any matter not on the agenda over which the Council has jurisdiction. The Consent Calendar is intended for routine items and is approved by a single motion. The Regular Agenda is the central portion of the meeting, where each issue receives a presentation and time for Council discussion and public comment.
Complete this online form [8] to request reasonable accommodation.
Click here [9] for Zoom registration. The Zoom phone number for telephone participants is 669-900-9128; the Meeting ID is 813 4562 5605.
Information to assist with remote participation is available online in the Public Comment and City Council Meeting Guide [10]. The meeting can also be viewed on the City of Alameda’s Facebook page [11]. Note that comments posted there are not monitored.
For each issue, public speakers will have three minutes to speak if fewer than five are speaking, or two minutes if five or more are speaking.
Community members may also email Council Members [12] on issues of interest before meetings.
Contributing writer Karin K. Jensen covers boards and commissions for the Alameda Post [13]. Contact her via [email protected] [14]. Her writing is collected at https://linktr.ee/karinkjensen [15] and https://alamedapost.com/Karin-K-Jensen [16].