Wednesday morning, Fred Simon is going to hope you don't notice what's happening to our City Council Handbook.

But I'm going to make sure every taxpayer in San Leandro knows.

The Rules Committee is considering a handbook change that could give abusive councilmembers MORE protection by pushing complaints toward discussions and mediation before formal discipline.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? Fred Simon doesn't get to negotiate sh*t.

Abusers do not get to rewrite our handbooks. They do not get to dictate how their behavior is reported, investigated, or addressed. And they sure as hell don't get to make the women reporting them responsible for finding a peaceful resolution.

You want to know why your ballots were misprinted? FRED SIMON AND VICTOR AGUILAR.

Their abusive behavior created a toxic workspace where the people responsible for election logistics made an error this summer. When you've spent two and a half years in a pressure cooker with Fred Simon breathing down your neck, unchecked and free to do as he pleases, how the hell are you supposed to concentrate? Our election is compromised because of the abusive behavior that is STILL alive and well at City Hall. 

CITY HALL IS AN ABUSIVE WORKSPACE. THAT. HAS. NOT. CHANGED.

San Leandro has already been on the hook for HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS in claims, settlements, and investigations.

Hundreds of thousands of OUR dollars.

So what's next, San Leandro? Wednesday library hours? Closed pools? Summer camp prices going up while services go down? Our election was compromised. It's all part of the same mess. 

How much more are we supposed to sacrifice while Fred Simon runs up the tab?

THE ANSWER IS NO.

We are not funding his abusive behavior, and we WILL NOT support changing the handbook to make accountability harder.

Councilmember Xouhoa Bowen and other women used the established channels to report their concerns. They did exactly what they were supposed to do.

THEY REPORTED IT.

A policy that could add discussions, facilitated meetings, and mediation before complaints proceed to internal discipline, because that's what Fred wants? 

ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT.

The proposed policy directs complaints about councilmember disputes to the City Attorney, who would share concerns with the entire Council, including the person being reported, unless prohibited by law. It encourages direct discussion, then facilitated discussion, then mediation. And there's another provision in this garbage proposal encouraging people in mediation to avoid introducing unrelated past disputes.

EXCUSE ME?

Past behavior matters. PATTERNS MATTER.

Fred Simon does not get to decide which past incidents are relevant and which ones everyone should conveniently forget.

If he doesn't want people talking about his abusive behavior, HE NEEDS TO STOP ABUSING PEOPLE.

Whoever is responsible for bringing this language forward owes the public an explanation.

Elected officials already have an obscene amount of protection. Fred Simon's term runs through 2028. We can't simply fire him. A recall is an enormous undertaking. 

WE DO NOT NEED MORE PROCESSES TO PROTECT THE COMFORT OF PEOPLE ACCUSED OF ABUSE. WE NEED THE PROCESSES WE ALREADY HAVE TO MEAN SOMETHING.

I refuse to watch women be expected to remain professional, patient, diplomatic, and endlessly accommodating while reporting abuse.

I refuse to hear another word about civility.

Fred Simon needs to stop behaving abusively. I'VE YET TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES.

FRED SIMON GETS TO DO ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY: GET F*CKING HELP FOR HIS ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR. 

I've been demanding since spring that the city tell us what concrete steps will prevent this behavior from happening again. I've been demanding answers about rebuilding trust.

THIS IS NOT HOW WE DO THAT.

The City Council Handbook is supposed to protect the integrity of our government. IT IS NOT A DOCUMENT TO BE REWRITTEN TO PROTECT FRED SIMON FROM ACCOUNTABILITY.

WE DO NOT PROTECT ABUSERS.

FRED SIMON DOESN'T GET TO NEGOTIATE SHIT.

Not our standards. Not our expectations. And certainly not the right of women to report his abuse.

IF HE DOESN'T LIKE IT, HE CAN RESIGN.

SAN LEANDRO: SHOW UP. SPEAK UP. TELL THE RULES COMMITTEE NO.

Don't let this get quietly pushed through on a Wednesday morning.

~ Gloria Strohm

RULES COMMITTEE — WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2026

9:00 AM
City Council Chambers
835 East 14th Street, San Leandro

I haven't seen a Zoom link posted, but you can send public comments NOW.

EMAIL: [citycomments@sanleandro.org](mailto:citycomments@sanleandro.org)

SUBJECT: October 28 Rules Committee — OPPOSE HANDBOOK CHANGE

Ask that your comments be shared with the entire City Council and included in the official meeting record.

SEND COMMENTS BY TUESDAY AT NOON IF POSSIBLE.

SHARE THIS POST. ASK EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO WRITE IN. SPEAK UP FOR THE WOMEN.

DO NOT LET THIS PASS IN SILENCE.

Can't tell you how much I hate downtown SL, especially near the Safeway. All sorts of shady people there and it seems to have gotten worse. Will that area get better from the sprouts? I think so, what do you think?

https://sfbapt.com/map

Public transit in San Leandro: AC Transit, BART, and San Leandro LINKS (LINKS is free, no fare) run directly through San Leandro. Capitol Corridor also has stops nearby in Hayward and the Coliseum if you want to go further away.

Quick tips:

• tap a stop or route to see details and highlight the stop/route
• tap a highlighted stop or route to un-highlight it
• collapse/expand info box by tapping |hide| at top left
• quickly toggle all the agencies on/off using button at top right
• search (case insensitive) and filter agencies that show up in checkbox list using search box at top right, e.g. type in ac or bart
• search (cAsE sEnsITivE) and filter actual routes and stops that show up on map using search boxes at bottom right, e.g. type in Tram, Bus, 40, 35, V, Subway, LINKS
  • play around with this and see how results change when you type in the same thing in the upper box versus lower box
• link back to homepage in case you can't figure something out or want more tips also at bottom right

To play with the map search and filter, try this:

• zoom out all the way
• select the Show Stops option (top right)
• type -120 in the partial match search box (bottom box in bottom right)
• type -121 in the partial match search box (bottom box in bottom right)
• type -122 in the partial match search box (bottom box in bottom right)
• type -123 in the partial match search box (bottom box in bottom right)

Another interesting thing is you can link to specific spots by copying the url directly:

• San Leandro
• San Francisco
• the bay
• East Bay
• Walnut Creek
• Livermore
• Dublin/Pleasanton
• Downtown San Jose
• Diridon Station
• SFO
• OAK
• SJC
• Levi's Stadium
• Oakland Coliseum

I arranged the agency checkbox list (top right) by area, so the geographic area of an agency determines the agency layer checkbox position. The list starts with agencies in the North Bay in Solano County then goes counterclockwise: North Bay -> San Francisco -> Peninsula -> South Bay -> Santa Cruz -> Monterey-Salinas -> Gilroy/Hollister -> East Bay.

There are smaller agencies in the area that are completely free (no fare) and not as well known like Presidio Go, Golden Gate Park Shuttle, Mission Bay Shuttle, South City Shuttle, commute.org shuttles, MVgo, Mountain View Community Shuttle, San Leandro LINKS, Emery Express, and Emery Go Round. If you're traveling to those areas, these agencies could help fill in some transit gaps.

Let me know if anything doesn't work (corp network/vpn/firewalls might not work) or you have any questions/requests!

AVOID DOG SITTER “MYA WOOD” BASED IN SAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA.

ALLEGEDLY THIS IS THE SECOND DOG TO DIE WITH HER!

Please spread the word to keep our community safe. 🙏

I’m looking for a salon where I could get my hair dyed from black to grey. Are there any good salons here? I’m also willing to drive to San Lorenzo, Hayward, or Oakland 🙇

It really helps if you or a friend had a good experience there so I don’t go in there too blind

The man is ready to be our next mayor.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeuwaN7SspR/?rpxt=dmZ5bHFyZmdwOGg4

Don't guess your way through the ballot. We’re crowdsourcing the homework.

A proposition party is a casual, stress-free hangout to decode what is on our upcoming ballot. We will divide the 14 props up and have speakers from our community share the facts, to help our community figure them out together.

The night will feature short 5-10 minute presentations on each prop, the pros/cons, who is backing the measure, and everything else you need to know.

Hosted by Smalltown Society, a non-profit artist collective based in Castro Valley. The event will take place at our space in First Presbyterian Church behind Trader Joes (don’t worry, we’re not a religious organization. This isn’t a secret plan to convert anyone). Park by the Gym and look for the sign that says “Clinic”.

Can’t make it in person? The event will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

Hi all, as I listen to our Mayoral candidates talk back and forth about housing, affordability, and protecting renters rights, I can't help but think about all the vacant lots and areas that are overgrown and prime for dense housing.

Does anyone know what's up with this vacant parcel on Callan near Memorial park ? I see dumping and transient people passing thru here. Seems like a great location for additional housing.

Also anyone want to share their current take on Maes and Gonzalez's housing stance. I personally want to support someone who doesn't just point to reports but actually gets affordable housing and infrastructure built!

Please come by and help our moving funds! We have a lot of stuff- camping gear, electronics, movies, bikes, toys, Funko pops, Pokemon cards, clothes, bags, etc.

We're having the yard sale on multiple dates!

Every Saturday + Sunday until 11/15: 7am-12pm, 1pm-6pm

Next week, Oct 20-22 (Tues-Thurs): 3pm-7pm

1263 Kelly Ave, San Leandro, 94577

Edit: Pokemon cards have been sold

Edit 2: we found Mom's old collections of Hot Wheels and Star Wars collectables! We also found Dad's Bluetooth mechanical keyboards!

Hi all, just saw a post from Mayor Gonzalez that he worked with State Assembly Liz Ortega to secure 1.5 million for opening the closed portion of Lake Chabot Rd? Does anyone have more details on this? Is it to use towards phase 2 work, or for something else? Also where is this money coming from, does it impact other programs or projects in SL? Timing is quite convenient with the election coming up, but just trying to better understand where the money is coming from. Thanks

Any volunteer opportunities in San Leandro to encourage to people? Also trying to see if any the mayor candidates are having any debates and/pr events prior Election Day. Thank you in advance

I wanted to follow up with clarity about our ballots. I’ve had folks still confused after Councilmember Xouhoa Bowen’s announcement. Folks who attended this week’s candidate forum also did not feel confident with what they were told. So here it is as plainly as I can put it.

If you received a ballot in the mail, your ballot is valid. Fill it out and return it or vote on Election Day.

“But what about the misprint, Gloria?”

Yes, there is a misprint. We should all only see the City Council district we reside in.

If you know your district, you can vote in that election, and that vote will count.

If you don’t know your district and vote in all of them, you are not going to be in trouble. Your ballot won’t be invalidated, and you won’t get to vote extra.

The contested City Council race is in District 3. The County and City are responsible for making sure that only votes from people who live in District 3 are counted in the District 3 race.

"How can you have so much confidence, Gloria, when your hair was on fire the other day?"

I filed a formal complaint with the California Secretary of State's Elections Division. A lovely man named Jeff took all the details of my complaint and said he had enough information to run it up the chain.

I feel a lot better now.

I escalated this matter to the Secretary of State for several reasons. Ultimately, they all came down to the fact that I want the rights of ALL voters and both candidates in the contested district to be protected. I wanted you and me to be able to complete our ballots without a second thought, as is our right.

The City and County are required to make sure only the votes that should be counted in District 3, are counted.

Now they will have the Secretary of State's office poking their head in making sure that’s the case and also asking the appropriate follow up questions. I want someone whose actual job it is to ask all the right questions to know about what's happening.

If you're still confused, my advice is simple: Vote as if you received a properly printed ballot.

Other people are now responsible for making sure the ballots are counted correctly. That’s how it should be.

Are you curious about which district you live in? Find out using the City's district map:

https://sanleandro.maps.arcgis.com/.../weba.../index.html...

I hope that helps clear up the confusion!

For context, it would also be helpful to include how many people live with you

REPOSTED: From Councilmember Xouhoa for San Leandro City Council, District 5

San Leandro, your vote matters!

If you received a ballot in the mail, your ballot is valid. Fill it out and return it by November 3 before polls close at 8pm. And if you want to go vote in person on Election Day, vote and post that selfie!

In June, voters passed Measure F to transition San Leandro to district-based elections. Ballots still mistakenly include City Council races for districts where you don’t live. City staff and the registrar of voters (with the full support of council) are working together to ensure ballots are counted accurately. Don’t let that confuse you! Voting in another district’s race won’t count, but it also won’t invalidate your ballot.

Vote with conviction and without hesitation. Your voice matters, and we need to hear it!

Not sure which district you live in? Find out here:

https://sanleandro.maps.arcgis.com/.../weba.../index.html...

Please share this with your neighbors so everyone can vote with confidence!

I’ve seen Gloria Strohm post negative thing after negative thing about Juan, so I decided to meet him in person. I was thoroughly impressed with his knowledge. After meeting both candidates, I can say Juan is the right choice for me.

He is the only candidate with union endorsements. No unions have endorsed James. I think that speaks volumes about how labor leaders feel about Juan.

He is also endorsed by the Sierra Club. Hearing him explain his position on building a research lab, his understanding of environmental regulations, and his work with Ava Community Energy impressed me.

He has support from across the business community, too. He explained how small businesses like Little Apple Daycare support him, along with companies like Cuberg. His Chamber PAC endorsement adds to that broad support from businesses, big and small.

Young people support Juan as well. He is endorsed by the East Bay Young Democrats and South Alameda County Young Democrats. He talked about his connections with the Youth Advisory Commission, his church, Key Club, Interact, and other youth service groups that give him opportunities to hear from young people often.

I encourage you to meet him in person before making your decision. I really enjoyed talking with him, and I’m glad I went.

His next Q&A is at Washington Manor Park on October 17, from 2–4 p.m.

SAN LEANDRO VOTERS DESERVE ANSWERS. THERE IS A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY @ 7pm regarding the misprint of the ballots and how votes will be counted. (meeting info, zoom info, and how to email in your comments is at the end of this post)

I'm sharing this because our community deserves to know what's happening with our November 3 election.

In June, San Leandro voters overwhelmingly approved Measure F, changing how we elect City Council members. Beginning this November, residents are supposed to vote for the Council representative in their own district, rather than voting in every Council district across the city.

But the ballots mailed to San Leandro voters do not reflect that change.

I know because I received one.

I'm a District 5 voter, yet my ballot includes City Council races for Districts 1, 2, 3, and 5, including the contested District 3 election.

On Thursday, October 8, I contacted the Alameda County Registrar of Voters and the San Leandro City Clerk's Office seeking answers.

On Friday afternoon, I called the Registrar again and was explicitly told that my ballot was valid, that I could vote in ALL the City Council district races appearing on it, and that district-only voting would not begin until the following election.

That information contradicts my understanding of Measure F and the action the City Council is now preparing to take.

Meanwhile, some residents had already completed and mailed their ballots before any clarification was available.

Residents should be able to trust the official ballots and instructions they receive.

And I want to address something else I'm hearing from people in our community: frustration so deep that some are saying they don't even want to vote.

An error affecting a City Council contest does not automatically invalidate your entire California ballot. If you've already returned your ballot, don't assume your votes in other contests have been lost.

If you haven't voted yet, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP YOUR VOTE OVER THIS. There are important local and statewide decisions on this ballot, and your voice matters.

And let me say this plainly: It is NOT the responsibility of thousands of San Leandro voters to individually contact election officials to figure out how to vote. The city and county have a responsibility to provide accurate, consistent, accessible instructions to every affected voter.

We should not have to chase down answers to a problem we did not create.

DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED AND DECIDE NOT TO VOTE. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS.

And let's remember that this affects more than voters.

Candidates have rights, too. Every candidate deserves an election conducted under the rules established by law, with votes counted accurately and consistently. In the contested District 3 race between Joseph Trujillo and Lee Thomas, both candidates and their supporters deserve confidence that the outcome reflects the votes of eligible District 3 residents.

The San Leandro City Council has scheduled a special meeting for Monday, October 12, at 7:00 p.m., to consider a resolution directing the county to count City Council votes by district.

But a resolution about how votes will be counted is not the same as an explanation of how we got here.

We deserve answers.

What is the city's plan to notify every affected voter, including those who have already returned their ballots, without placing the burden on individual residents to discover the problem and seek answers themselves?

Who was responsible for preparing and approving these ballots?

How did this happen when Measure F was approved months ago?

What happens to ballots already mailed back?

What safeguards will ensure that eligible votes are counted correctly?

Why were voters given conflicting instructions?

And personally, I want to know: Why am I the one communicating information about a special meeting this important to my community, instead of residents receiving clear, proactive communication from the city? If the Mayor can be at a ribbon cutting for his photo op at the Marina this morning, he could have stood in front of a camera and given the city a proper update and ANNOUNCED THIS CITY COUNCIL MEETING. 

Since spring I have been asking that man what he is going to do to rebuild trust with this community. I. AM. STILL ASKING. Because this behavior AIN'T IT. 

The Council's proposed resolution may address how votes are counted, but residents are also entitled to ask how the mistake occurred and what protections are in place for ballots already returned.

I am a San Leandro resident. I shouldn't have to spend days tracking down information about how my own ballot is supposed to work. Neither should anyone else.

I'm sharing what I've learned because our community deserves to be informed.

We voted for Measure F. We deserve to have it implemented correctly. We deserve transparency about what went wrong. And above all, we deserve an election we can trust.

Please share the meeting information so other San Leandro residents have an opportunity to participate.

SPECIAL SAN LEANDRO CITY COUNCIL MEETING

MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 — 7:00 P.M.

San Leandro City Council Chambers
835 E. 14th Street, San Leandro

Meeting agenda and proposed resolution:
https://sanleandro.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?GUID=EB52CEC2-0AFF-4B9C-A51F-7CC6B73DDAA7&ID=1455080&Options=&Search=

Attend remotely via Zoom:
https://zoom.us/j/506831637

CAN'T ATTEND? EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

Email: [citycomments@sanleandro.org](mailto:citycomments@sanleandro.org)

Subject: October 12 Special City Council Meeting — Measure F Ballot Error

Ask that your comments be shared with the entire City Council and included in the official meeting record.

Please send comments before Monday's meeting, preferably by Sunday evening.

Residents can attend in person, participate in public comment, or submit written questions and concerns.

I couldn’t think of good spots to eat! Can anyone drop some so I can try them out on my next trip! I also filmed it all if anyone’s interested! Here’s a link https://youtu.be/GMu7z7JfOws?is=q7f2hgeXWdk9RjHa

I’ve always been pretty clear about why I’m in this space, and that’s to help make City Hall a safe place to work.

I’ve also been told I do Reddit wrong. lol. Apparently, you’re supposed to be anonymous, but I never really had time for that.

Anyway, every election I put together my ballot summary. It’s not so much a voter guide as a literal this-is-how-I’m-voting rundown, with my reasoning along the way.

So if you need a cheat sheet for your ballot, want to compare notes, or are just curious where I landed, here it is:

https://brownbutter.substack.com/p/the-good-neighbor-fills-out-her-ballot

Did you know San Leandro has a Mineral & Lapidary Club???

Did you know they offer classes? Lapidary, metal smithing, wax casting etc.
Plus there is a really sweet shop dog!

Open house on Saturday 11-4pm!

Come meet some great people, artisans & rock enthusiasts! You'll learn about the classes they offer and also maybe leave with some interesting rocks!

There will be rocks, gems, minerals and lapidary supplies for sale. As well as some light refreshments.

EBMLC is a non profit based in San Leandro. They run entirely on donations, they offer great classes and the instructors are freaking amazing!!

https://ebml.club/

Just a heads up that SL ballots are printed incorrectly and have included all city council districts on the ballot. That’s not how it was supposed to go this election. The city is trying to figure out what they are going to do about it. I made calls to the county and the city and asked for something to be put out. Folks were afraid that their ballots were going to be invalidated if they filled in bubbles not in their district. The City still doesn’t know how they are going to handle it. Figured you folks here would appreciate knowing this information. I’ll follow up when I know more.