Welcome to our weekly digest on public meetings and agenda items worthy of your attention in the next week. This guide is part of our mission to provide everyday Riversiders like you with the information to speak up on the issues you care about.
City Council
City Council will meet in closed and open sessions on Tuesday, January 14 17, in afternoon sessions at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. (agenda). The agenda includes:
Approving new 3-year contracts with the Riverside Police Officers' Association with salary increases of 4% in 2025, 4% in 2026, and 5% in 2027. (Item 15)
Approving $400,695 in additional federal grant funds for major renovations to modernize and reconfigure the Riverside Access Center, the central hub for the city's homeless services. (Item 21)
Considering increasing the Mayor's monthly salary from $7,242 to $7,604 and Council Members' monthly salary from $3,629 to $3,810, reflecting a 5% raise over their current compensation levels. (Item 22)
Board of Library Trustees
The Board of Library Trustees meets on Monday, January 13, at 5:00 p.m. (agenda) for regular business.
Board of Public Utilities
The Board of Public Utilities meets on Monday, January 13, at 6:30 p.m. (agenda) for an update on 2024 state legislation impacting utilities, including new rate-setting and conservation requirements for water and streamlined permitting and safety regulations for energy, and recommending approval of $1 million for the City's annual shade tree program to conserve energy and expand Riverside's urban forest.
Safety, Wellness, and Youth Committee
The Safety, Wellness, and Youth Committee (Councilmembers Perry, Conder, and Mill) meets on Wednesday, January 15, at 1:00 p.m. (agenda) to consider new ordinances to regulate junk dealers/recyclers, standardize appeals for business permits and police fee bills, and receiving an update on the shopping cart retrieval program.
Cultural Heritage Board
The Cultural Heritage Board meets on Wednesday, January 15, at 3:30 p.m. (agenda) to discuss a presentation on historic preservation and economic development.
Commission on Disabilities
The Commission on Disabilities meets on Thursday, January 16, at 5:30 p.m. (agenda) to hear a presentation on 211, the call-in service managed by Inland Socal United Way that provides mental health informational and referral services to the public at no cost.
A year-end financial review, approving drones for anti-illegal fireworks policing, and a one-year pilot project to reduce cut-through traffic on Redwood Drive are on the City Council's agenda.
CSDR Football to be recognized by the Mayor; City Council will consider streamlining the permitting process for pre-approved ADUs and the final reallocations of $7.2 million in ARPA funding.
