JOINT MEETING OF
CONTRA COSTA MAYORS CONFERENCE &
CONTRA COSTA CITY SELECTION COMMITTEE
Thursday, January 8, 2026, 6:30 p.m.
Hosted by the City of Pittsburg
Business meeting at:
The California Theatre,
351 Railroad Avenue, Pittsburg, CA 94565 Business meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Presentation: Kish Rajan on status of recycling as we start 2026.
Buffet dinner will follow the Business meeting at:
Marina Community Center
340 Marina Boulevard, Pittsburg, CA 94565
A vegetarian option will be available for dinner.
DINNER RESERVATIONS MADE THROUGH THE CITY OF PITTSBURG
RSVP to: Sydney Wright, swright@pittsburgca.gov (preferred) or (925) 252-4849
Reservation deadline: FRIDAY JANUARY 2, 2026
Dinner Reservations: Two dinners are prepaid for each City. Please RSVP with the names and titles of all attendees. Others interested in staying for dinner must contact the City of Pittsburg, as noted above, and pay at the door or mail payment to:
Sydney Wright
City of Pittsburg, City Manager’s Office
65 Civic Avenue, Pittsburg, CA 94565
(925) 252-4849
Individuals will be billed for reservations made but not cancelled prior to the deadline.
Dinner Cost: $80.00. Note: This is an increase for 2026.
Directions:
CA-4 East
Head East on CA-4
Use the right 2 lanes to take exit 23 for Railroad Avenue 0.2 mi. Turn left onto Railroad Avenue 1.1 mi.
Turn left on East 5th Street 440 ft.
Go straight through the stop sign to the parking lot 223 ft.
CA-4 West
Head West on CA-4
Use the right lane to take exit 23 Harbor Street, Railroad Avenue, toward California Avenue 0.3 mi.
Turn left onto California Avenue 0.5 mi. Turn right onto Railroad Avenue 1.1 mi. Turn left onto E 5th Street 440 ft.
Go straight through the stop sign to the parking lot 223 ft
JOINT MEETING OF
CONTRA COSTA MAYORS CONFERENCE &
CONTRA COSTA CITY SELECTION COMMITTEE
Thursday January 8, 2026
6:30 Business Meeting Agenda
Call Mayors Conference (Conference) and City Selection Committee (CSC) to order, Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and roll call.
1. Program: Kish Rajan on the status of recycling in California in 2026.
2. Approval of minutes: (attached) of the December 4, 2025 meetings.
Action: Move to approve December 4, 2025 Conference and City
Selection Committee minutes.
3. Election of Chair of the Mayors Conference for 2026: Conference bylaws provide that the Chair of the Conference shall serve a term of office for the calendar year. Nominations were solicited in December. The Chair must be a mayor for 2026 or the previous year’s Vice Chair. Oakley Council Member Anissa Williams who served as Vice-Chair of the Mayors Conference in 2025 has been nominated to serve as Conference Chair for 2026. (email attached.) There were no other nominations by the deadline.
ACTION: Apply Conference rule and elect Anissa Williams Chair of the Conference for 2026.
4. Election of Vice Chair of the Mayors Conference for 2026: Conference bylaws provide that the Vice Chair shall serve a term of office for the calendar year. Nominations were solicited in December. Oakley Council Member Anissa Williams nominated Martinez Mayor Brianne Zorn and El Cerrito Councilmember Carolyn nominated herself for the position of Conference Vice Chair for 2026. (Nomination letters attached.) These were the two nominations received by the deadline.
Action: Hold an election to choose Conference Vice Chair for 2026.
5. Recess Mayors Conference and Call City Selection Committee to order:
6. Election of Chair of the City Selection Committee (CSC) for 2026. CSC Bylaws provide that the Chair of the CSC shall serve a term of office for the calendar year. Nominations were solicited in December. State law requires that the Chair of the CSC must be the mayor of a Contra Costa city or town for the year 2026.
Action: There were no written nominations by the agenda deadline, thus the CSC will accept nominations from the floor and elect a Chair.
7. Election of Vice Chair of the CSC for 2026. CSC Bylaws provide that the Vice Chair shall serve a term of office for the calendar year. Nominations were solicited in December. State law requires that the Vice Chair of the CSC must be the mayor of a Contra Costa city or town for the year 2026.
Action: There were no written nominations by the agenda deadline, thus the CSC will accept nominations from the floor and elect a Vice Chair.
8. Recess CSC and call Conference back to order.
9. Chair Announcements:
10. Conference Appointee Reports: City representatives to area-wide boards, commissions, and agencies may report on activities of the agency to which they are appointed at this time.
11. Mayor Announcements:
12. State and Federal Legislative Update:
13. County Supervisor Announcements:
14. League of California Cities Update: Samantha “Sam” Brightman, East Bay Division Public Affairs Manager.
15. Public Comments: Members of the public are advised that public comments at this place should be confined to items not on the agenda and should be limited to no more than 2 minutes in length. Also, no more than one speaker from any organization should address the mayors on the same evening.
16. Passing of the gavel and comments from the retiring Conference Chair Alex Walker-Griffith and the new Conference Chair Anissa Williams.
17. Host City Welcome: Mayor Dione Adams will welcome all to Pittsburg.
18. Adjourn Conference and CSC to February 5 in Richmond.
Deadline for next agenda is 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
Brown Act Reminder: The Contra Costa Mayors Conference/City Selection Committee has a policy of complying with the letter and spirit of open meeting laws. Generally, off-agenda items maybe taken up only if:
1. Two-thirds of Conference voting members find a need for immediate action exists and the need to take action came to the attention of the Conference after the agenda was prepared (Note: If fewer than two-thirds of Conference members are present, taking up an off-agenda item requires a unanimous vote); or 2. A majority of the Conference finds an emergency (for example: work stoppage or disaster) exists.
A majority of any city council may not, consistent with the Brown Act, discuss specific substantive issues among themselves at Conference meetings. Any such discussion is subject to the Brown Act and must occur in a City Council meeting that complies with Brown Act requirements.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
2026
January 8, Pittsburg (One week late because of holiday)
February 5, Richmond
March 5, Hercules
April 2, Concord
May 7, Orinda
June 4, Walnut Creek
July 9, San Pablo (One week late avoiding holiday weekend)
August 6, Oakley
September 3, Moraga
October 1, Lafayette
November 5, Clayton
December 3, Pleasant Hill (No Speaker to be programmed)
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MINUTES OF THE
CONTRA COSTA MAYORS CONFERENCE
AND CITY SELECTION COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Thursday, December 4, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.
Hosted by the City of Pinole
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Walker-Griffith called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL OF CITY DELEGATES:
Antioch: Mayor Ron Bernal
Brentwood: Susannah Meyer
Clayton: Absent
Concord: Mayor Carlyn Obringer
Town of Danville: Mayor Neil Arnerich
El Cerrito: Mayor Carolyn Wysinger
Hercules: Vice Mayor Christine Kelley
Lafayette: Absent
Martinez: Mayor Brianne Zorn
Moraga: Absent
Oakley: Absent
Orinda: Mayor Latika Malkani
Pinole: Mayor Cameron Sasai
Pittsburg: Mayor Dionne Adams
Pleasant Hill: Mayor Zac Shess
Richmond: Mayor Eduardo Martinez
San Pablo: Mayor Elizabeth Pabon-Alvarado
San Ramon: Vice Mayor Marisol Rubio
Walnut Creek: Mayor Kevin Wilk
Presiding: Conference Chair: Alex Walker-Griffith
The above delegates comprised a quorum for the meetings.
1. Program: Holiday social meeting, no program.
2. Approval of Minutes: of November 6, 2025, Conference Meeting.
Action: Motion to approve the minutes of the November 6, 2025 Conference meeting passed. Voting aye were delegates from Antioch, Brentwood, Concord, Danville,
El Cerrito, Hercules, Martinez, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Richmond,
San Pablo, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek. Clayton, Lafayette, Moraga, and Oakley were absent.
3. Call for nominations for Chair and Vice-Chair of the Mayors Conference for 2026: Conference bylaws provide that the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Conference shall each serve a term of office for the calendar year. Nominations are solicited in December. Elections of Chair and Vice-Chair will take place at the January 2026 meeting. Nominees for Chair shall be a mayor for 2026 or the 2025 Conference Vice-Chair. Nominees for Vice-Chair may be either a mayor or a council member at the time of election. Nominations for these positions (and for other positions to follow) shall be filed by email with Executive Director, Gary Pokorny: gjpokorn@lmi.net no later than 5 p.m., Monday, December 22, 2025.
4. Conference recessed and City Selection Committee (CSC) was called to order for items 5 & 6, below:
5. Call for nominations for Chair and Vice-Chair of the (CSC) for 2026. CSC Bylaws provide that the Chair and Vice-Chair of the CSC shall each serve a term of office for the calendar year. Nominations are solicited in December. Elections of Chair and Vice-Chair will take place at the January 2026 meeting. State law requires that the Chair and Vice-Chair of the CSC must each be the mayor of a Contra Costa city or town for the year 2026.
Nominations for these positions shall be filed by email with Executive Director, Gary Pokorny as noted above.
6. CSC Meeting recessed & Conference was called back to order for balance of agenda.
7. Adoption of 2026 Conference Budget: The Conference Executive Committee unanimously recommended adoption of the proposed 2026 budget, which is unchanged from 2025, except for the increase in payments for meals, and the proposed schedule of meeting locations for 2026. (Adopted Budget attached.)
Action: Motion to approve 2026 Mayors Conference Budget and Schedule of 2026 meeting locations was approved. Voting aye were delegates from Antioch, Brentwood, Concord, Danville, El Cerrito, Hercules, Martinez, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, San Pablo, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek. Clayton, Lafayette, Moraga, and Oakley were absent.
8. Chair Announcements: None.
9. Conference Appointee Reports: Kevin Wilk announced the appointment of a new Executive Director for the Family Justice Center. Susan Noack noted the formation of a new district to oversee the ballot measure on transit. Lisa Motoyama announced that the ABAG General Assembly would be June 18, 2026. Carlyn Obringer noted that the East Bay Parks District is doing a very deep analysis of their budget.
10. Mayor Announcements: Various mayors announced holiday celebration events and changes in council designations for mayors and vice-mayors. Richmond has appointed a new police chief. While the West County School staff is on strike, Richmond is providing “safe space” for families to leave students.
11. State and Federal Legislative Update: Staff for Congressman DeSaulnier and John Garamendi noted various pieces of pending legislation. Assembly Member Avila Farias noted various pieces of legislation that the Governor signed.
12. County Supervisor Announcements: None.
13. League of California Cities Update: None.
14. Public Comments: None.
18. Host City Welcome: Mayor Cameron Sassai welcomed all to Pinole and introduced current and former council members and mayors as well as city staff.
19. Chair Walker-Griffith adjourned the meeting to January 8 in Pittsburg
Deadline for next agenda is 5:00 p.m. Monday, December 22, 2024. Note deadline is earlier than usual because of the holidays.
Brown Act Reminder: The Contra Costa Mayors Conference/City Selection Committee has a policy of complying with the letter and spirit of open meeting laws. Generally, off-agenda items maybe taken up only if:
1. Two-thirds of Conference voting members find a need for immediate action exists and the need to take action came to the attention of the Conference after the agenda was prepared (Note: If fewer than two-thirds of Conference members are present, taking up an off-agenda item requires a unanimous vote); or 2. A majority of the Conference finds an emergency (for example: work stoppage or disaster) exists.
A majority of any city council may not, consistent with the Brown Act, discuss specific substantive issues among themselves at Conference meetings.
CONTRA COSTA MAYORS CONFERENCE
ADOPTED 2026 BUDGET
2024 2025 2025 2026 BUD.- BUD.
ACTUAL BUDGET Yr. End Est. PROPOSED CHANGE
_______________________________________________________________________
EXPENSES
Ex. Dir. 32,000 32,000 32,000 32,000 -0-
Auto Exp. 317 450 316 450 -0-
Web/Phone 576 525 576 525 -0-
Supplies 533 600 545 600 -0-
Meet. Exp. 1680 1680 1680 1680 -0-
Training -0- -0- -0- -0- -0-
Contingency -0- 350 -0- 350 -0- ____________________________________________________________________
Op.Ex. Sub-tot. 35,106 35,605 35,117 35,605 -0-
P.-Pd. Dinners 31,920 31,920 31,920 36,480 4,560
TOTAL EXP. 67,026 67,525 67,037 72,085 4,560
REVENUES
Dues 35,605 35,605 35,605 35,605 -0-
P.-Pd. Dinners 31,920 31,920 31,920 36,480 4,560
Int. Income. 10 10 10 10 -0-
Total Rev. 67,535 67,535 67,535 72,095 4,560
* Note: The budget for 2026 is premised upon meals being charged at $80 per person. This is the only change in the overall budget for the Conference for 2026
Dear Members of the Contra Costa County Mayors Conference,
It is my pleasure to nominate Councilmember Anissa Williams to serve as Chair of the Contra Costa County Mayors Conference for the 2026 calendar year.
Currently serving as the Vice Chair of the Mayors Conference, Councilmember Williams brings extensive experience in municipal and regional leadership that uniquely qualifies her for this role. As a former mayor and current second-term councilmember, she has demonstrated effective governance, fiscal stewardship, and a strong commitment to regional collaboration. Her leadership reflects a clear understanding of the Conference’s role in unifying cities around shared priorities while honoring the diverse needs of Contra Costa County communities.
Councilmember Williams previously served as Chair of Tri Delta Transit, where she worked across jurisdictions and agencies to address regional transportation challenges. This experience strengthened her skills in consensus-building, intergovernmental coordination, and transparent decision-making. Throughout her career, Councilmember Williams has been recognized for her collaborative leadership style, working productively with city managers, elected officials, county agencies, and community stakeholders. She brings both institutional knowledge and a forward-looking perspective that will serve the Mayors Conference well.
For these reasons, I strongly support Councilmember Anissa Williams for Chair of the Contra Costa County Mayors Conference for 2026. I am confident she will lead with integrity, inclusiveness, and a strong commitment to advancing the shared interests of all member cities.
Respectfully submitted,
Brianne Zorn
Brianne Zorn | she/her
Mayor
City of Martinez
525 Henrietta St., Martinez, CA 94553
Email bzorn@cityofmartinez.org
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Dear Gary and Mayors of the Contra Costa Mayors Conference,
I am writing to formally nominate Mayor Brianne Zorn for Vice Chair of the Contra Costa County Mayors Conference.
Mayor Zorn has served as Mayor of the City of Martinez since 2022 and brings a strong record of collaborative, forward-thinking leadership. She works closely with elected officials, labor partners, and environmental organizations through the Green Empowerment Zone initiative to advance green technology and support a just transition for industries across Contra Costa and Solano Counties. This work reflects her ability to convene diverse stakeholders around complex regional challenges.
In addition, Mayor Zorn serves on the MCE Community Energy Board, where she contributes to regional clean-energy policy and governance. Locally, she has partnered with County officials to improve public health and safety, strengthen transparency, and enhance communication with residents in both incorporated and unincorporated areas of Martinez, demonstrating a clear understanding of how city and county systems intersect.
Mayor Zorn is an active and engaged participant in the Mayors Conference and views the body as a true partnership, one that leverages the individual strengths of each city to achieve meaningful, countywide outcomes. Her collaborative leadership style, regional perspective, and commitment to public service make her exceptionally well-suited to serve as Vice Chair, and I would be honored to have her take my role.
I strongly support Mayor Zorn’s nomination and am confident she will be an asset to the Conference’s leadership team.
Sincerely,
Anissa Williams
City of Oakley
Current Vice Chair, Contra Costa County Mayors Conference
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Greetings Gary,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to formally nominate myself for the position of Vice Chair of the Contra Costa Mayors Conference, with the support of El Cerrito’s newly appointed Mayor, Gabe Quinto. It has been an honor to serve alongside my colleagues during this past year, and I believe I can continue contributing meaningfully to the leadership and direction of our Conference in this role.
Over the course of my mayoral term in El Cerrito, I have worked closely with regional partners, state leaders, and community stakeholders to strengthen collaboration across jurisdictions. Whether advocating for fiscal resilience, elevating public safety strategies, or ensuring our cities have a strong voice in Sacramento and Washington, I have remained committed to showing up consistently, being an active participant in our conversations, and supporting the collective interests of Contra Costa’s cities.
As Vice Chair, I would bring:
A collaborative leadership style rooted in relationship-building and transparency
Deep engagement in regional and statewide policy work, including involvement with Cal Cities, NLC, and multiple state boards and committees
A strong equity and community-centered perspective, ensuring that cities of all sizes are supported
Consistency and reliability, including regular attendance and active participation in Conference meetings and initiatives
I believe the Vice Chair role should both support the Chair in advancing our shared agenda and help strengthen communication, continuity, and leadership development within the Conference. I would be honored to serve in that capacity.
Thank you for your consideration and for the work you do to support the Contra Costa Mayors Conference. I look forward to continuing our collective efforts on behalf of the residents of Contra Costa County.
Warm regards,
Councilmember Carolyn Wysinger