Isabella Vanderheiden / Monday, Sept. 15 @ 11:33 a.m. / Agendizer
SPECIAL MEETING TONIGHT: Arcata City Council May Call On CalPERS to Divest From Companies That Support ‘Human Rights Violations in Gaza’
Outpost file photo.
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At a special meeting tonight, the Arcata City Council will consider sending a letter urging CalPERS, the state’s public pension fund, to divest from “companies that facilitate human rights violations in Gaza, Sudan and other countries around the world.” The council will also consider a resolution supporting the “immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
The draft letter, signed by Councilmember Sarah Schafer, asks the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Board of Directors to maintain its “record of principled action” — which includes divestments from tobacco, firearms, coal, as well as economic sanctions against South Africa’s apartheid regime — and take a stand against companies that enable “[human] rights abuses in Gaza and other regions impacted by state violence and exploitation.”
The council is asking CalPERS to take the following actions:
- “Divest from companies and bonds that profit from weapons manufacturing, human rights violations, for-profit prisons, and immigration detention centers.”
- “Reinvest in ethical and socially responsible funds aligned with justice, sustainability, and human rights.”
- “Commit to a reasonable timeline for divestment and reinvestment.”
- “Provide transparent and ongoing reporting on divestment progress. CalPERS has the opportunity to lead by example and align its investments with values of justice, equity, and responsibility. We urge you to act promptly and responsibly.”
For nearly two years, pro-Palestinian demonstrators have called on city and county officials to do more to stand against the ongoing war in Gaza. Just last month, dozens of local activists filled council chambers to demand that the city form a sister city relationship with Gaza and send a letter to CalPERS’ leadership.
A little later in the meeting, the council will consider a resolution — linked here — supporting “urgent humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians affected by the crisis, with a particular focus on Gaza.”
ps and head shops, making no effort to distribute them to culinary supply stores or commercial kitchens, the suit says. Commerce also disputed this allegation via its atto
Last month, the United Nations (UN) called the famine in Gaza a “failure of humanity.” UN officials project that more than 640,000 people will face “catastrophic” levels of food insecurity by late summer 2025, with famine conditions expected to spread across the Gaza Strip to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.
The council’s resolution urges the Trump Administration, Congress and relevant federal agencies to “take all diplomatic and operational steps necessary to ensure immediate, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access consistent with [the UN Security Council Resolution 2720], including opening/expanding border crossings and enabling overland, maritime, and airdrop routes as needed.”
Additional information can be found in the agenda attachments below. The Arcata City Council meets in Arcata City Hall — 736 F Street — at 5 p.m.
Arcata City Council
Sept. 15, 2025, 5 p.m.
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. APPROVAL OF REMOTE PARTICIPATION PURSUANT TO ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 2449.
a. Approve Councilmember Atkins-Salazar’s Remote Participation at the September 15, 2025, City Council Special Meeting Pursuant to Assembly Bill No. 2449 Due to an Emergency Circumstance Pursuant to Government Code section 54953(j)(1).
The City Council is being asked to approve Councilmember Atkins-Salazar’s participation in a meeting through remote technology due to a family medical emergency. This request is in line with Assembly Bill No. 2449 and Government Code section 54953(j)(1). Council approval is needed for her to participate remotely, and she will use both audio and visual technology. The recommendation is to approve her remote participation.
— LoCOBot
The City Council had a meeting,
To discuss matters so fleeting.
But Councilmember Atkins-Salazar,
Had to join from afar.
With a family emergency, out of town,
She couldn’t be there, couldn’t be found.
So they decided, with a recommendation,
To approve her remote participation.
Through audio and visual tech,
She could still have her say, what the heck!
As long as she followed the rules,
All would be just fine and cool.
So let’s all give a big cheer,
For Councilmember Atkins-Salazar, not here!
But still able to make her voice heard,
Even though she’s far from the herd.
— LoCOBot
DOCUMENTS:
3. ROLL CALL
4. PUBLIC COMMENT
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consider Sending a Letter to CalPERS Urging Divestment.
The City Manager is recommending that the City Council consider sending a letter to CalPERS, a pension fund, urging them to stop investing in companies that are involved in human rights violations. The recommendation comes after community members expressed concerns about these investments in countries like Gaza and Sudan. The Council is asked to review a draft letter attached and decide whether to send it to CalPERS.
— LoCOBot
… or, as a Rodney Dangerfield joke!
“I tell ya, I went to a City Council meeting and they were talking about urging CalPERS to divest from companies that facilitate human rights violations. They’re worried about Gaza, Sudan, and other countries. I said ‘Hey, at this rate, they should divest from my life too!’”
— LoCOBot
DOCUMENTS:
a. Consider Adopting Resolution No. 256-07 Supporting Immediate Safe, and Unhindered Delivery of Humanitarian Aid to Gaza.
The City of Arcata is being asked to support a resolution to provide urgent humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza, where famine is becoming a serious issue. The United Nations has warned of a potential humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people facing food insecurity. The resolution calls for immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of aid to Gaza. There is no cost to the city for supporting this resolution.
— LoCOBot
My dear congregation,
Today I come to you with a heavy heart and a sense of urgency as we discuss the ongoing crisis in Gaza. As the pastor of this megachurch, it is my duty to bring awareness to the suffering of our fellow human beings and to call for action to alleviate their pain.
In a recent staff report from the City Council meeting, it was outlined that hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza are facing catastrophic food insecurity, with famine conditions already confirmed in certain areas. The United Nations has called for immediate, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access to prevent the spread of famine and save lives.
As followers of Christ, it is our moral responsibility to show compassion and support to those in need. In Matthew 25:35-36, Jesus teaches us, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me.” Let us not turn a blind eye to the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Gaza.
I urge you, my dear congregation, to join me in supporting Resolution No. 256-07, which calls for immediate, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. This resolution is not about politics or agendas, but about saving lives and addressing the basic human right to access food, fuel, and medicine.
There is no fiscal impact to our city for adopting this resolution, but the impact on the lives of those in Gaza could be immeasurable. Let us be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world, reaching out to those in need and showing them the love and compassion that He has shown us.
May we pray for the people of Gaza, for the humanitarian workers delivering aid, and for the leaders making decisions to alleviate their suffering. And may we take action, both through our prayers and through our support for this resolution.
In the words of Micah 6:8, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Let us act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly as we support this resolution and bring hope to those in need.
Amen.
— LoCOBot
6. ADJOURNMENT
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