[1. CALL TO ORDER]
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EVERYONE'S GETTING VERY ATTEN, ATTENTIVE, AND QUIET.
SO IT MUST BE TIME TO START THE MEETING.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR INTERPRETER, UH, FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WHEN I STARTED INTERPRETATION TO USE THE ZOOM INTERPRETING FEATURE, PLEASE SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ZOOM SCREEN WHERE THE MEETING CONTROLS ARE LOCATED.
CLICK ON THE INTERPRETATION ICON, WHICH IS THE WORLD, AND SELECT YOUR LANGUAGE.
IF YOU ARE JOINING USING THE ZOOM MOBILE APP ON A CELL PHONE OR TABLET, PLEASE PRESS THE ELLIPSES, THEN INTERPRETATION, AND THEN CHOOSE YOUR LANGUAGE.
NOW, PRIOR TO ROLL CALL, I, UH, LIKE TO MAKE THE STATEMENT, I'D LIKE TO MAKE IT CLEAR FOR THE RECORD OF THIS MEETING THAT IT BE REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES THAT AT LEAST A PORTION OF THIS COUNCIL MEETING IS CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 3.
AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH IS AT AN AIRBNB LOCATED IN TROUTDALE, OREGON.
COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH IS PARTICIPATING BY ZOOM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RALPH UH, M BROWN ACT.
THE TELECONFERENCE LOCATION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE NOTICE AND AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING, DEPUTY CITY CLERK HASAN, UH, PLEASE CONDUCT THE ROLL CALL AFTER WHICH I WILL ASK COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH TO RECOGNIZE ME IN ORDER TO CONFIRM CERTAIN MATTERS FOR THE RECORD.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO REQUEST THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH, CAN YOU HEAR ME AND SEE THE DAIS? YES.
WERE YOU ABLE TO HEAR OUR PROCEEDINGS AT THE INTRODUCTION AT THE MEETING? YES.
DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING? YES.
HAVE YOU POSTED THE AGENDA AT THE LOCATION WHERE YOU ARE AT? YES.
IS YOUR LOCATION REASONABLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC SUCH THAT ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC COULD PARTICIPATE IN THIS TELECONFERENCE FROM YOUR LOCATION IF HE OR SHE WISHED TO DO SO? YES.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THERE WITH YOU WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THIS MEETING OR OTHERWISE ADDRESS ANY AGENDA ITEM FOR THIS MEETING? NO.
IS YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION ON A SECURE VPN AND NOT A PUBLIC NETWORK? YES.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO ASK THAT ANY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE AT THIS TIME THAT IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO CLEARLY HEAR OR SEE COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH, I CAN HEAR HIM CLEARLY.
MA'AM, HEARING NO COMMENT, THE RECORD SHOULD REFLECT THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO HEAR AND SEE COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH CLEARLY.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO ADVISE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE DEPUTY CITY CLERK THAT ANY VOTES TAKEN DURING THE TELECONFERENCE PORTION OF THIS MEETING MUST BE TAKEN BY RULE CALL VOTE ONLY.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND A LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY'S WEBSITE, AND INFORMS MEMBERS OF PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA, UH, AGENDA ITEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS IN PERSON IN THE CITY COUNCIL BY FILLING OUT SUBMITTING ONE OF THESE SALMON COLORED SPEAKER SLIPS OR EMAILING NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING.
ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
NOW, COULD WE NOW CALL THE ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH? DO IT ONE TIME.
AT THIS POINT I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO STAND AND ASK, UM, ASK COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, IF YOU WOULD LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
READY? BEGIN PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS,
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ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.[4. PUBLIC COMMENT]
AT THIS POINT WE WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT'S ON THE ITEM, SPECIFICALLY ON THIS AGENDA.SO WE CAN ONLY SPEAK TO I THE ITEM WHICH IS ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IN THIS CASE IS ON THE APPOINTMENT.
UH, INTERVIEW AND APPOINTMENT FOR SOMEONE FOR THE, UH, PO REPRESENTATION ON PUBLIC, UH, THE BOARD COMMISSION.
AND, UM, WE HAVE OVER 20 SLIPS, SO THEREFORE I AM GOING TO, UM, I'M GONNA LIMIT IT TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER AND EVERYONE THINK, THINK THROUGH THERE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE, UH, AMY CASTANEDA.
BE FOLLOWED BY MONA RIOS TO BE FOLLOWED BY DR.
DO WE WE DO, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ON ZOOM? UH, WE SOMEONE REGISTERED BUT SHE'S CURRENTLY NOT IN THE ROOM.
NOT, SHE'S NOT IN THE, NOT IN THE ROOM.
GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL AND MAYOR.
MY NAME IS AMY CASTANEDA AND I'M THE POLICY CO-DIRECTOR WITH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COALITION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON ITEM FIVE ONE.
THE PROCESS TO SELECT A NEW PORT COMMISSIONER FOR NATIONAL CITY HAS NOT BEEN CONDUCTED TO RECEIVING COMMUNITY INPUT OR CANDIDATES WHO WILL REPRESENT THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES, RESIDENTS EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST SIDE.
EHC PUT OUR BEST EFFORTS INTO THE PROCESS.
WE MET WITH MULTIPLE CANDIDATES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SIGNIFICANT ROLE.
THE CITY, THE NATIONAL CITY PORT COMMISSIONER WILL PLAY IN REPRESENTING AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE INSUFFICIENT NOTICE, THE DATE, THE VOTE, THE DATE OF THE VOTE WAS CHANGED MULTIPLE TIMES.
AN URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED TO PREPARE FOR THE SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.
NO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO RESPOND.
UH, WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETINGS WE WE HAD WITH CANDIDATES.
THE LACK OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS UNACCEPTABLE WHEN MAKING SUCH A CRITICAL DECISION OF WHO WILL REPRESENT THIS CITY.
AT THE PORT COMMISSION, EHC WAS NOT EVEN ABLE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ALL OF THE CANDIDATES.
THE NATIONAL CITY PORT COMMISSIONER REPRESENTS A COMMUNITY THAT IS OVERBURDENED WITH INDUSTRY AND POLLUTION, AND HAS FAILED TO RECEIVE EQUITABLE TREATMENT AND PROPER INVESTMENT.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO MAKE A BREAST DECISION.
THE FORMER PORT COMMISSIONER SANJO REPRESENTED WORKING CLASS PEOPLE AND CHAMPION THEIR ISSUES.
THIS POSITION CALLS FOR SOMEONE CAPABLE OF ADVANCING CLEAN AIR AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BY IMPLEMENTING THE GOALS OUTLINED IN THE MARITIMES CLEAN AIR STRATEGY AND CONTINUING TO, CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR THE EXPANSION OF PEPPER PARK ALL WHILE MEETING WITH COMMUNITY ON THE GROUND.
THIS PROCESS NEEDS TO BE, NEEDS TO INCLUDE THE VOICES OF RESIDENTS WE WORK WITH, AND SO FAR IT HAS FAILED TO DO THAT.
MAKING SUCH AN IMPACTFUL DECISION UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WILL NOT SERVE THE BEST INTEREST OF NATIONAL CITY OR ITS RESIDENTS IN THE LONG TERM.
WE REQUEST THAT THIS APPOINTMENT BE TEMPORARY TO COMPLETE THE REST OF SANDY'S TERM, AND THAT A FULL OPEN AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS THAT CENTERS COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ON THE WEST SIDE OF NATIONAL CITY.
NEXT WE HAVE MON RIOS TO BE FOLLOWED BY DR.
JEROME ROBINSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, CYNTHIA FULLER.
THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK SAID THE MICRO, THEY WEREN'T HEARING, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD TURN THE MICROPHONE UP HIGHER.
I KNOW HE WOULD BE HERE IF HE COULD.
SO, AS HIS DAUGHTER AND A FORMER NATIONAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE ALVARADO RIOS FAMILY.
IN SUPPORT OF DR. GILL UNGA FOR SAN DIEGO PORT COMMISSIONER, MANY OF US NEVER REALIZED HOW LIFE CAREER CHOICES HAVE PREPARED US FOR OUR RETIRED LIFE SERVICE.
DR. GILL IS HERE AT THE RIGHT TIME, RIGHT PLACE, AND FOR THE RIGHT REASONS TO CHAMPION NATIONAL CITY AND TO BUILD A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT.
BASED ON OUR FAIR SHARE AND DUE RESPECT, HIS LIFELONG PASSION FOR SERVING OUR NATIONAL CITY PEOPLE STARTED AS A CARDIAC SPECIALIST AT SHARP CHULA VISTA MEDICAL CENTER.
HE BUILT A PRACTICE IN NATIONAL CITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS ON RELATIONSHIP BUILDING BASED ON HIS STRONG ETHIC, VALUES, INTEGRITY, AND TRUST.
HE STARTED AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IN ADVANCED MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
[00:10:01]
AND IS ALSO FAMILIAR WITH SERVING ON NUMEROUS MAJOR BOARDS AND WILL BRING THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT PROFESSIONALISM.COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI RAN ON A PLATFORM REFERRING TO DISTRICT THREE AS THE FILIPINO EMPOWERMENT DISTRICT.
TODAY, SHE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE HISTORY WITH HER VOTE TO EMPOWER THE FIRST FILIPINO PORT COMMISSIONER, A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT THREE.
WILL SHE SACRIFICE HER PRINCIPLES? MY DAD WAS SERVED AS CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR DR.
GIL'S, SISTER FLORENCE, WHO MADE HISTORY WHEN SHE BECAME THE FIRST FILIPINO TO WIN A POLITICAL POSITION ON THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD.
DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ WAS QUOTED RECENTLY IN A SAN DIEGO READER.
HE SAID, FOR MEXICANS TO NOT SUPPORT FILIPINOS, HE NOTED WOULD BE INTELLECTUALLY INCONSISTENT AND HYPOCRITICAL.
IS HE BEING DECEITFUL? LAA, A FACTUAL INVESTIGATIVE NEWSPAPER RELEASED AN ARTICLE YESTERDAY ON PORT CANADA, NICK AND ZZA, HE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF DOING THE WRONG THINGS.
DON'T GIVE THE PORT A SAN DIEGO REASON TO DISRESPECT US.
MAKE HISTORY TODAY BY APPOINTING THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND HONORABLE CANDIDATE DR.
PLEASE, PLEASE, UH, HOLD IT DOWN SO THAT WE CAN GIVE EVERYONE THEIR DUE, THEIR DUE TIME.
JEROME ROBINSON, UH, TO BE FOLLOWED BY CYNTHIA, UH, FULLER QUINONE TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOAN REONE.
AYE, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS, UH, JEROME ROBINSON.
I'M A RETIRED NOW CARDIOLOGIST, PRACTICE IN NATIONAL CITY FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN HERE THROUGH THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY.
AS, UH, MAYOR RON KNOWS WE KNOW EACH OTHER WELL.
I HAVE, UH, BEEN A, UH, DRIVING FORCE TO TRY AND GET GOOD FOLKS TO COME BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, AND PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE OF THIS COMMUNITY IN MY OFFICE.
UH, I HAD SPENT SOME TIME MONITORING, UH, THE CHILDREN OF, UH, PATIENTS I'VE TAKEN CARE OF.
AND TO THAT CREDIT, I HAVE TWO THAT HAVE COME BACK TO THIS SOUTH BAY COMMUNITY, BOTH OF WHOM ARE CARDIOLOGISTS.
I'VE KNOWN GIL FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS.
I FIRST MET GIL, UH, WHEN HE CAME WITH HIS FATHER TO OUR OFFICE WHEN I WAS TAKING CARE OF HIM, UH, AS A CARDIOLOGY PATIENT.
UH, HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE ME, A AS HE PUT IT, A TALL SIX FOOT AFRICAN AMERICAN GENTLEMAN, PERSON OF COLOR, WHO WAS A CARDIOLOGIST.
AND SO HE WENT HOME TO TELL HIS MOTHER, GUESS WHAT I SAW TODAY,
AND, UH, HE SAID, I WANNA BE JUST LIKE HIM.
I THINK IT'S ALL FOR THE GOOD THAT HE'S NOW HAS COME BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY, HAS SERVED THIS COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
GIL HAS BEEN THERE FOR THIS COMMUNITY IN THE HARD TIMES AND THE GOOD TIMES DURING THE PANDEMIC.
GIL WAS HERE, UH, DURING, PRIOR TO THAT TIME, DURING THE SALE OF PARADISE VALLEY HOSPITAL, I WAS ONE OF THE CHIEF PEOPLE RALLYING FOR NOT SELLING THE HOSPITAL TO KEEP IT AS A COMMUNITY HOSPITAL SO THEY COULD TAKE CARE OF THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH ARE NUMEROUS, AS YOU WELL KNOW.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT AFTER THE CELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT THAT THE, UH, THAT NATIONAL CITY AND PERRY VALLEY HOSPITAL MAINTAINED ITS HOSPITAL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH YOUR TIME, MR. SO, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT DR.
UNGA HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB IN TERMS OF WHAT HIS COMMITMENT IS TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT HIM FOR THANK YOU, DR.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE CYNTHIA FULLER ES TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOAN RACON TO BE FOLLOWED BY JANICE LUNA RENOSO.
GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR MORRISON, CITY COUNCIL AND ALL ATTENDING TONIGHT'S MEETING.
UH, I'M CYNTHIA FULLER QUINONES, THE SEVEN YEAR NATIONAL CITY RESIDENT, AND 20 YEAR LOCAL HEALTH ACTIVIST.
THIS WORK, INCLUDING INVOLVEMENT IN PORT MASTER PLAN, UPDATE CENTRAL EMBARCADERO REDEVELOPMENT AND NATIONAL CITY BAYFRONT DISCUSSION SINCE 2016.
TO BE REAL, THE PORT'S RELATIVELY NEW.
HEALTH EQUITY FOR ALL PROMISE MEANS PRIORITIZING FOR NATIONAL CITY, WHAT OTHER PORT COMMUNITIES ALREADY ENJOY, ESPECIALLY CONTINUOUS WIDE PUBLIC OPEN SPACE ALONG THE WATER, A LIVING SHORELINE WITH WIDE WATERFRONT WALKWAYS OR GREEN STRANDS AND PARKS.
PIERS BEACH AND NATURE PLAY AREAS FOR OUR KIDS.
A DREAM FOR US TODAY, UM, BUT ONE, UH, THAT WE SHOULD SUPPORT, UH, ALONG WITH DIRECT, UH, WATERFRONT VIEWS, NOT ENTIRELY MARRED BY A NATIONAL CITY TERMINAL AND NAVY INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TINY ISLAND OF PEPPER PARK AND A SEA OF POLLUTING INDUSTRY, EVEN WITH THE CURRENTLY PLANNED 2.5 ACRE PARK EXPANSION IS HARDLY EQUAL TO THE OPEN WATERFRONT
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RECREATIONAL AREAS OF OTHER PORT COMMUNITIES.HEALTH EQUITY ALSO MEANS A PLAN TO TRANSITION OUR WATERFRONT AWAY FROM POLLUTING LEGACY INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN PREFERENCE HERE OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS.
DESPITE THEIR TERRIBLE IMPACT ON OUR WELLBEING, LIKE OTHER COASTAL CITIES, WE NEED TO BE STRATEGIC AT LEAST TRYING TOGETHER WITH THE PORT TO ATTRACT STATE OF THE ART UP AND COMING TRULY WATERFRONT DEPENDENT BUSINESSES THAT CAN LIKEWISE CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ECONOMY, BUT AT A MUCH SMALLER ENVIRONMENTAL COST, WHILE PROVIDING DECENT JOBS FOR NATIONAL CITY WORKERS, IDEALLY PRIORITIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND MINORITIES.
AND WE NEED AMENABLE WATERFRONT ACCESS FOR ALL NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS, BOTH EAST AND WEST OF THE I FIVE ACCESS BETTER THAN SOME DARK, LOUD ADMISSIONS FILLED FREEWAY UP UNDERPASS, WHICH FRESH PAINT AND LIGHT FIXTURES CAN ONLY MARGINALLY BEAUTIFY.
NATIONAL CITY NEEDS A PORT COMMISSIONER WHO UNDERSTANDS WE HAVE SACRIFICED TOO MUCH AND COMMUNITY HEALTH TO BENEFIT THE PORT'S BOTTOM LINE SINCE 1962.
OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR OVER TIME NOW.
THIS WAS, UH, JOAN RACON TO BE, UH, FOLLOWED BY JANICE LUNA RENOSO TO BE FOLLOWED BY ED NETTO.
YOU HAVE ONE APPLICANT WHO IS CRAPPY AND INELIGIBLE TO SERVE.
THEN YOU HAVE FOUR THAT ARE FINE.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE FOUR.
I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING MITCH BEACHAM FOR A LONG TIME NOW, AND YOU ALL KNOW HIM AS WELL, SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY FACTS THAT I NEED TO ADD.
I'VE ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING ALEX FERNANDEZ AND HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH HIM AFTER PARKS AND SENIORS MEETINGS AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
AN INCREDIBLY ARTICULATE YOUNG MAN WHO IS GONNA BE THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY.
AND I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
I ALSO HAVE THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING CHETTY MATTHEWS CHETTY MATTHEWS IS AN INCREDIBLY ARTICULATE, KNOWLEDGEABLE, UM, JUST AN AMAZING MAN WHO IS ALSO GONNA BE PART OF THE FUTURE OF NATIONAL CITY.
I DO HAVE NOT HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING GIL UNGA, BUT I HAVE DEFINITELY READ A GREAT DEAL ABOUT HIM, AND HE IS VERY, VERY CLEARLY QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION.
SO MY POINT IS, ANY OF THOSE FOUR ARE REALLY QUITE GOOD CHOICES.
UM, ISN'T IT WONDERFUL? I THINK THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS LOOK AT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE AT LEAST THREE VERY NEW PEOPLE NOW GETTING INVOLVED IN THE CITY.
UM, AND LOOK AT THE DIVERSITY.
LOOK AT THE DIVERSITY NOT ONLY IN RACE OR ETHNICITY, BUT ALSO IN THE TYPES OF WORK THAT THEY DO WHERE MR. FERNANDEZ IS A LONGSHOREMAN WHERE MR. MATTHEWS, AFTER BEING A A MARINE FOR 20 YEARS IS NOW IN LIFE COACHING AND SOME SIMILAR COMMUNICATIONS PR WORK, AND OF COURSE, DR.
RE GOBIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CARDIOLOGY.
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THESE NEW PEOPLE INVOLVED.
AND ACTUALLY WITH THOSE THREE, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN MAKE A BAD CHOICE.
UH, JANICE, UH, LUNA RENOSO, FOLLOWED BY NIETO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JESSE RAMIREZ.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY MANAGER, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WE BELIEVE IT'S CRUCIAL THAT THE APPOINTED COMMISSIONER HAS SUBSTANTIAL EXPERIENCE IN SERVING THE COMMUNITY WITH EQUITY AND EXPERIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS HAVE LONG FACED ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES, AND HAVING A COMMISSIONER WHO UNDERSTANDS THESE ISSUES DEEPLY IS ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESSING THEM EFFECTIVELY.
THE FUTURE OF THE COMMISSIONER MUST BE EQUITY CENTERED, AS I HAD MENTIONED, WITH THE STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISPARITIES OF THE NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE.
AN EQUITY FOCUSED APPROACH ENSURES THAT ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED, HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND THEIR NEEDS MET.
WE ARE ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE THE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND THEIR WELLBEING WHEN MAKING THIS DECISION.
THE IMPACT OF POOR OPERATIONS ON OUR RESIDENTS HEALTH CANNOT BE OVERSTATED.
THIS APPOINTMENT SHOULD REFLECT THE COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING AIR QUALITY AND REDUCING HEALTH DISPARITIES.
THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE PRIORITIZED WHEN IT COMES TO DECISIONS ABOUT THE PORT.
THE PORT IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY, BUT ALSO HAS A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
ENSURING THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS ARE THE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE DECISION MAKING, UH, PROCESS IS VITAL.
WITH THAT SAID, INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY IN THIS DECISION AT THIS POINT, AT THE VERY LAST NOTICE, IS NOT EQUITY CENTERED.
WE REALLY HOPE THAT THERE IS MORE OF AN EFFORT TO INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY WITH THIS DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE
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IN DECEMBER.AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF MUNDO GARDENS AND THE HEALTH COALITION, NOT ONLY AM AM I MAKING THIS SUGGESTION, BUT REALLY TRYING TO OFFER A SOLUTION WHERE WE HAVE A COMMUNITY CENTERED, UM, CANDIDATE FORUM, INCLUDING WHO YOU CHOOSE TODAY, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE AND CONTINUE TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN GET TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THEY CAN REALLY GET TO KNOW THOSE THAT THEY'RE SERVING AND THEIR PRIORITIES.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, NIETO, FOLLOWED BY JESS RAMIREZ, FOLLOWED BY CLAIRE UNA.
UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UH, DR.
UH, BUT BEFORE I TALK ABOUT IT, I MIGHT WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT, LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, FIDELIS ONGA.
I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH HIM AND THROUGH FIDELIS, UH, AND HIS BROTHER, HE WAS A FORMER COUN FIDELIS, WAS A, A, A FORMER COUNCILMAN.
AND THROUGH HIS BROTHER, I GOT TO KNOW GIL, UH, DR.
ONGA, AND THEY ACCEPTED ME, AND THEIR FAMILY TREATED ME WELL.
SO I KNOW THE FAMILY VERY WELL, AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, THE, UH, THE FAMILY IS BUILT ON COMMUNITY, UH, COMMITMENT, COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT.
SO IF THEY'VE BEEN HERE, THEY'RE SOLID.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A, THIS IS THE CANDIDATE WE SHOULD GO.
LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GROWING UP IN, IN THE DALLAS.
UH, THERE WAS NO DEMOCRATS, THERE WAS NO REPUBLICANS, THERE WAS NO LABOR, THERE WAS NO, NO LABOR.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE, THERE WAS NO, THERE WAS, UH, INCLUSIVENESS.
THERE WAS, UH, A MEXICAN, THERE WAS FILIPINOS, THERE WAS AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
NOBODY THOUGHT NOBODY HAD ANY LINES.
SO IT WASN'T A, IT WASN'T A, A DIVISION THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE THINK OR HAVE BEEN PORTRAYED IN THE, IN THE NEWSPAPER.
I THOUGHT, UH, ANYWAY, THAT'S THE NATIONAL CITY THAT I GREW UP WITH, AND THAT'S THE NATIONAL CITY THAT I BELIEVE THE UNG GAP GREW UP WITH.
SO, UM, I WANTED TO TELL TELL YOU ABOUT FIDELIS A LITTLE BIT MORE, BECAUSE FIDELIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UH, HE DROVE, HE, HE PUT THE DRIVE IN THE FAMILY.
HE PUT THE DRIVE IN GIL, I MEAN, GIL UNG GA.
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR FIDELIS, I MEAN, HE, HE, HE SORT OF HIT IT HOME IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, REDUCING, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS NECESSARY.
HE HAS THE DRIVE BECAUSE OF HIS PROFESSION.
HE'S A DOCTOR, A CARDIOLOGIST.
HE HAD TO OVERCOME A LOT OF HEARTBREAKS COMING FROM NATIONAL CITY TO BECOME A CARDIOLOGIST.
WHAT AN EXAMPLE, WHAT AN INSPIRATION.
AND THEN TO TOP IT OFF TO BE A BUSINESSMAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF BUSINESSMAN HERE.
HE'S GONNA BE A GREAT, UH, UH, THANK YOU.
WE HAVE JESS RAMIREZ, FOLLOWED BY CLAIRE GONER, FOLLOWED BY JOANNE FIELDS.
NORMALLY I WOULD BE NERVOUS,
UM, I, WHEN I CAME BACK FROM VIETNAM, 1968, I, UM, I WENT TO GENERAL COLLEGE AND I WAS RECRUITED BY ONE OF YOUR PERSONS, HIS NAME WAS JESS, FROM MEA, TO COME TO ONE OF YOUR GREAT SCHOOLS THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS.
AND I WENT TO UCSD IN LA JOLLA.
AFTER RETURNING BACK TO OXNARD, I STARTED, I STARTED WORKING AS A LONGSHOREMAN.
NOW, CONSIDER THAT IN, IN, IN, UH, IN PORT.
I'M A COMMISSIONER RIGHT NOW, WE ARE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE.
SO AS A LONGSHOREMAN, I RAN FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE COMMISSION 28 YEARS AGO.
SO I MUST BE DOING A HELL OF A GOOD JOB BECAUSE I'M STILL THERE, AND I'M FOR REAL.
I'M UP FOR REELECTION THIS NOVEMBER.
BUT WHAT I, WHEN I SEE HIM, I SEE MYSELF 40 YEARS AGO, DYNAMIC FULL.
HIS HEART IS, HE LOVES THE WATERFRONT.
SO, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU REALIZE IT OR NOT THOUGH, BUT THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO HAS NEVER HAD A LONGSHOREMAN ON THE BOARD.
SAN FRANCISCO HAS LONG BEACH HAS LA HALF, WE ARE ELECTED.
SO THERE'S TWO OF US IN THE, IN, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, THE BOARD IN, IN PORT WIN.
BUT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE HISTORY IN CALIFORNIA BY APPOINTING THE FIRST LONGSHORE PERSON.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND I, TO ME, UH, NATIONALITY IS IRRELEVANT.
BUT IF HE WAS A, A QUALIFIED AND, AND, AND REPRESENTED THE MARITIME INDUSTRY, I WOULD, I WOULD VOTE FOR HIM.
SO IT'S NOT ABOUT, IT'S NOT ABOUT ETHNIC BELIEVE.
[00:25:01]
YOU.BUT BELIEVE ME, YOU'LL BE ADDING A GREAT PERSON TO YOUR BOARD.
CLAIRE NER TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOANNE FIELDS TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANDRE.
UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
I AM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AT OLIVE WOOD GARDENS AND LEARNING CENTER, JUST DOWN THE STREET.
AND I'M A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NATIONAL CITY HEALTH URAS COALITION.
UH, I'M HERE, UH, TONIGHT TO REITERATE WHAT MANY OF THE FOLKS, UM, HAVE ALREADY SAID.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST, UM, THAT OUR COMMISSIONER IS A CHAMPION OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE DISPARITIES THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS EXPERIENCED AS A RESULT OF AIR POLLUTION AT THE PORT.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A CANDIDATE WHO IS EQUITY CENTERED AND REALLY IS GOING TO CENTER THE VOICES AND THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT WILL UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM THAT HAS OCCURRED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND LED TO, UH, THE CURRENT HEALTH OUTCOMES OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE'RE ASKING AT THAT THE COUNCIL PRIORITIZE OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND WELLBEING AND MAKING THIS DECISION.
THE IMPACT OF THE PORT, UH, ON OUR COMMUNITY'S HEALTH CANNOT BE OVERSTATED.
AND WE REALLY NEED A PORT COMMISSIONER WHO'S GOING TO CHAMPION BOTH THE HEALTH AND THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING FOR A PORT COMMISSIONER WHO WILL CONTINUE TO ADVANCE THE MARITIME CLEAN AIR STRATEGY, THE BUILD OUT AND IMPROVEMENTS TO P PARK, UH, AND MORE, AND WHO WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE POLLUTING INDUSTRIES ALONG OUR PORT.
WE ARE ALSO ASKING THAT THERE IS MORE PUBLIC NOTICE AND INCLUSION OF COMMUNITY INPUT IN THE DECISION MAKING FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT SELECTION.
UM, AND THAT IF THERE IS A DECISION THAT IS MADE TONIGHT, THAT IT IS AN INTERIM COMMISSIONER, AND THAT THERE'S MORE COMMUNITY, UH, FEEDBACK AND INCLUSION IN THE DECISION FOR A FUTURE COMMISSIONER AND THE NATIONAL CITY HEALTH URAS COALITION, UH, WILL VOLUNTEER OURSELVES TO HOST A CANDIDATE FORUM IN THE FALL.
UM, SHOULD THAT BE AN OPPORTUNITY? THANK YOU.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, JOANNE FIELDS, FOLLOWED BY ADI DE CASTRO, FOLLOWED BY, UH, POLINO.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS JOANNE FIELDS, GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE IMAGINE MEDIA GROUP.
AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF DR.
UNG GI IS COMMITTED TO NATIONAL CITY AS A LONGTIME RESIDENT, GALE HAS THE BUSINESS ACUMEN TO ENSURE OUR INTERESTS ARE REPRESENTED AS A PORT COMMISSIONER, HE'S A RETIRED CARDIOLOGIST THAT WILL ADVOCATE FOR THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
HE ADVOCATED WHEN THE PORT WAS, UM, THE WATERS, UM, SURROUNDING THE PORT WAS POLLUTED WITH EXTREME LEVELS OF COPPER.
HE ADVOCATED TO THE PORT COMMISSION SO THAT IT WILL CLEAN UP.
GILL IS THE BEST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE FOR THE, UM, PORT COMMISSION WHO REFLECTS THE MAKEUP OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW HE'S A CONVENER, A COLLABORATOR THAT CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, DON'T LET PARTY POLITICS GET IN THE WAY OF MOVING FORWARD.
I HAVE, UM, SHARED WITH TANYA A COPY OF A, UM, THE SPECIAL MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE MARCH 2ND, 2022, FOR THE REAPPOINTMENT OF DAN MALCOLM, FOR THE CITY OF IMPERIAL BEACH, REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO, WHERE THERE IS A TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED BY RICK BATES OF UNITE HERE, LOCAL 30 WHERE THEY ENDORSED, AND THEY WERE EXCITED AND APPRECIATION FOR THE FORMATION OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE ON LABOR, UM, PROJECT CONSTRUCTION JOBS FOR THE SAN DIEGO PORT AUTHORITY, WHICH I KNOW THAT GIL WOULD COMMIT TO, THAT GIL IS COMMITTED.
HE IS, UH, EXPERIENCED, AND HE IS THE BEST CANDIDATE.
SO PLEASE, UH, MAKE THE VOTE TONIGHT AND MAKE THE APPOINTMENT FOR DR.
NEXT WE HAVE ATTORNEY, UH, AIDA CASTRO, FOLLOWED BY ANO, I BELIEVE SAMSON, FOLLOWED BY THOMAS FERNANDEZ.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A LAWYER, FORMER RESIDENT BUSINESS OWNER OF NATIONAL CITY.
AS AN ASIDE, I ALSO HAPPEN TO BE THE HONORARY CONSULT OF THE PHILIPPINES FOR ALL OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT GIL UNGA, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR OVER 15 YEARS.
UNGA HAS BEEN, HAS CONTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY TO OUR COMMUNITY, AS EVIDENCED BY ALL HIS INVOLVEMENT IN VARIOUS BOARDS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE HIS EXPERIENCE AS A CARDIOLOGIST WORKING WITH ALL LEVELS OF ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE,
[00:30:01]
RANGING FROM PATIENTS OF ALL AGES, UM, VARIETY OF RACES, UM, BRINGING COMPASSION TO THEM WILL BE A VALUABLE, UM, ATTRIBUTE THAT HE CAN BRING TO THE COMMISSION, AS WELL AS EXPERIENCES OF BUSINESS EXECUTIVE HAVING TO WORK WITH A VARIETY OF BUSINESS, UM, UH, OWNERS AND INVESTORS.BUT THERE'S ALSO AN ADDED BENEFIT TO SELECTING DR.
UNGA AS THE PORT COMMISSIONER.
BESIDES HIM BEING, I THINK A VERY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE, NATIONAL CITY HAS BENEFITED FROM HAVING A DIVERSE POPULATION.
ONE OF THOSE POPULATIONS IS THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY, WHICH I REPRESENT ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTRY.
UNGA IS A MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, I BELIEVE NATIONAL CITY HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN REPRESENTED WELL BY OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND IT TOOK DISTRICT ELECTIONS TO GET OUR FIRST ELECTED IN OVER 25 YEARS.
BY, BY SUPPORTING SOMEBODY LIKE DR.
UAB, HE WILL BRING A FRESH PERSPECTIVE TO THE PORT COMMISSION.
AND FOR THAT REASON, I ASK THAT YOU NOMINATE, UH, APPOINT HIM AS THE PORT COMMISSION FOR NATIONAL CITY.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. UH SAMPSON, FOLLOWED BY THOMAS FERNANDEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO ANLONG.
SORRY IF I'M BUTCHERING NAMES, BUT DOING WHAT I CAN.
UM, AS A CALIFORNIA RESIDENT, NO LIFETIME, UM, RESIDENT OF NATIONAL SEA, I'M A FATHER FOR STEPFATHER FOR HOMEOWNER TWO PROPERTIES HERE IN WE WANT AND NEED A FUTURE FOR OUR KIDS.
THIS IS NO BETTER CHOICE THAN ALEX THE PORT AND THE CITY HE BELONGS TO.
MY FAMILY ENCOURAGES THE CITY COUNCIL TO PUT ALEX AS A PORT COMMISSIONER.
UM, I'VE WORKED HERE SINCE 86, NO, 87.
I WORKED WITH HIM ALONG WITH MY DAD TOO.
AND THIS PORT HAS CLEANED UP ITS ACT BACK WHEN SOUTHWEST MARINE, UH, CAMPBELL INDUSTRIES WERE HERE AND THE MAIN POLLUTERS APPLIED THE NAVY.
BUT YOU KNOW, THEY AIN'T GOING NOWHERE, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, THIS GUY RIGHT HERE, GOOD CHOICE.
HE'S YOUNG AND HE IS A FUTURE.
UH, THOMAS FERNANDEZ BY ALFREDO, UH, ANLONG, AND THEN CHERYL, HOW COMMON? UH, MY NAME IS THOMAS FERNANDEZ.
UM, I'M A BUSINESS AGENT WITH LOCAL 2029 LONGSHOREMAN, LWU.
AND I ALSO, UM, HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ALEX FERNANDEZ'S UNCLE.
UM, AND HE'S OUT AS WELL AS A LONG FOREMAN.
ALEX IS A, A, A SMART, FRESH, INTELLIGENT GUY WHO'S OPEN-MINDED.
HE HAS WHAT EVERY OTHER RESIDENT IN NATIONAL CITY HAS, AND THAT'S THE NEED TO BREATHE.
SO HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEAN AIR IS.
AND WE WORK DIRECTLY ON THE WATERFRONT SO WE UNDERSTAND, UM, ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE, THE LONGSHOREMEN ARE MAKING FOR WITH CLEAN AIR.
AND, UM, I THINK I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GIVE ALEX A REALLY HARD LOOK AND, UM, CAST A FAVORABLE VOTE FOR HIM FOR THE NEXT COURT COMMISSIONER.
UM, I'M SURE HE'LL DO EVERYTHING HE CAN 'CAUSE HE'S A RESIDENT OF NASHVILLE CITY.
I'M A GRADUATE FROM SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL OF 85.
SO, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP, UM, THE RESIDENTS A ACTIVE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND TO HOLD OFFICES THAT WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AS WELL FINANCIALLY AND, UM, WITH THE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS ARE MET AS WELL.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, UH, FAVORABLE VOTE FOR ALEX FERNANDEZ.
UH, ALFREDO ANON, FOLLOWED BY CHERYL, HOW COMMANDO, FOLLOWED BY RANDY CASTLE SALGADO.
NAME IS MEYER
CAN YOU STEP CLOSER TO THE MIC PLEASE? THANK YOU.
I RESIDE AT THE MOBILE HOME PARK, THE HAPPY HOLLOW AND SPACE B FIVE IN NATIONAL CITY.
MY HOME IS ONE OF THE MANY HOMES THAT WERE SEVERALLY DAMAGED IN THE 2024 STORM, AND STILL IS INEVITABLE TO LIVE.
AND DUE TO THE WATER DAMAGES, MY WIFE, MY LITTLE DOG, AND I HAVE LIVING IN OURSELVES SINCE THEN OF THE JANUARY TILL THE PRESENT.
WE ARE DISABILITY PEOPLE WHO NEEDS TO PAY THE RENT EVERY FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH, AN APPROXIMATE OF
[00:35:01]
$1,200 EVERY MONTH.WE ONLY RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURE RETIREMENT.
WE ARE ASKING FOR, FOR THE HELP.
WE ARE SO, WE ARE SO AFFECTED FROM THE DAMAGE AND THE STRESS AND INTERRUPTION OF OUR DAILY LIFE THAT IT WORRIES ME ABOUT TOMORROW.
WOULD YOU HELP TO STATE LITTLE BIT LONGER AT THE HOTEL? THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, CHERYL HOWARD RO FOLLOWED BY RANDY CASTLE SALGADO, FOLLOWED BY RITA HEIS.
I DO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING THOUGH IN THE STREETS.
AND, UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS APPOINTMENT.
SINCE MS. NARANJO HAS BEEN GONE A WHILE, YOU'VE KNOWN THAT YOU NEEDED TO PLACE THE PERSON IN THIS SEAT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S JUST LIKE, LET'S HURRY UP AND DO THIS.
MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN DOING OTHER THINGS.
UM, I THINK THAT ANYBODY THAT WORKS FOR THE LONGSHOREMAN SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
I HAVE BEEN, UM, A COMMISSIONER IN THE CITY FOR A LONG YEARS AGO.
I DID, UM, REPRESENT OUR CITY AT THE PORT COMMISSION A COUPLE OF TIMES FOR MEETINGS THERE.
I THINK THAT, UM, OUT OF THE FIVE THAT YOU HAVE, MR. DALA DROPPED OUT APPARENTLY.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE NAME IN ZZA LEAVES A BAD TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY.
AND, UM, THE SEAT SHOULD BE A TEMPORARY SEAT.
SINCE YOU GUYS HAVE NOT DONE YOUR DUE DILIGENCE TO, UM, VET SOMEBODY AND MAKE A DECISION.
UM, I BELIEVE THE PERSON THAT DOES GET THE SEAT SHOULD BE A LONGTIME RESIDENT AND CARE ABOUT THE CITIZENS AND THE CHILDREN OF OUR CITY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND AS I SAID, THE NAME AND ZZA BRINGS A BAD TASTE IN POLITICS, AS DO SOME OTHER NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN ON OUR COUNCIL BEFORE, UM, PAST, PRESENT.
SO, UM, I HOPE THE DECISION COMES OUT YOUR HEART OF HEARTS.
UH, RANDY CASTLE SALGADO BE FOLLOWED BY RITA HEIS TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, DEBBIE ESPY.
UM, HAVE YOU HEARD THE SAYING, BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER? WELL, I THINK THIS STATEMENT APPLIES TO THIS CURRENT SITUATION AND THE DECISION BEFORE ALL OF YOU.
THERE ARE SOME GREAT FAMILIES HERE IN NATIONAL CITY WITH REPUTABLE NAMES, FAMILIES THAT HAVE GIVEN BACK TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE GENUINE CARE FOR THE NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS.
AND THOSE FAMILIES HAVE NOT TARNISHED THE NATIONAL CITY REPUTATION.
I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE FOR ONE OF THOSE APPLICANTS WHO WOULD MAKE RESIDENTS HEALTH A PRIORITY, ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST SIDE.
AND KNOWING THE ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUITIES OUR CITY FACES.
I WOULD ALSO REQUEST WHOEVER'S IS APPOINTED TO BE DONE SO AS INTERIM COMMISSIONER, AS THERE WAS VERY LITTLE NOTICE GIVEN FOR APPLICATIONS AS WELL AS PUBLIC REVIEW.
COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, THIS ONE IS DIRECTED TOWARDS YOU AS YOU ARE THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS ACCEPTED A ONE, UH, A THOUSAND DOLLARS DONATION FROM ANY OF THE APPLICANTS, INCLUDING FROM THE APPLICANT NICK AND ZZA WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS FOR YOUR CURRENT POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM VOTING, RECEIVING THE DONATION TO YOUR CAMPAIGN STILL LOOKS LIKE A BUY-OFF TO THE CONSTITUENTS AND PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY.
IF A VOTE WOULD BE CAST IN FAVOR OF, I AM PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND LISTEN TO THE NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS THAT ARE COMING OUT AND SPEAKING TONIGHT AS THEY ARE THE ONES THAT YOU ULTIMATELY WORK FOR.
NOT THE OUTSIDE LOBBYISTS WITH PREDATORY AGENDAS.
LET'S KEEP PROGRESSING NATIONAL CITY FORWARD.
HE FOLLOWED BY DEBORAH DEBBIE ESPY, FOLLOWED BY, UH, KATHLEEN HARMON.
[00:40:01]
NATIONAL CITY RESIDENT.COUNCIL STAFF AND AUDIENCE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
TONIGHT IS YOUR TIME TO SHINE OR FAIL MISERABLY.
THIS APPOINTMENT TO THE PORT COMMISSION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS.
WE DO NOT NEED ANYONE THAT HAS ALREADY EMBARRASSED OUR CITYWIDE COUNTYWIDE.
WE DO NOT NEED ANYONE CONNECTED TO THE CITY AT ALL.
WE NEED SOMEONE HIGHLY RESPECTED IN HIS OWN FIELD AS WELL AS IN THE COMMUNITY WE HAD.
WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY LEARNED WHETHER RIGHT OR WRONG, WHAT THE PORT CAN DO TO A CITY'S REPRESENTATIVE.
THE ONLY ONE I SEE QUALIFIED ON THIS LIST IS DR.
HE BRINGS NO TIES OR BAGGAGE TO THIS SEAT.
HIS FAMILY IS WELL RESPECTED AND HIS BROTHER DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB WHEN HE WAS A COUNCILMAN.
I THINK HIS APPOINTMENT WOULD SPEAK VOLUMES TO THE ENTIRE COUNTY ABOUT HOW WE EMBRACE OUR FILIPINO RESIDENTS.
NEXT WE HAVE DEBBIE ESPY, FOLLOWED BY KATHLEEN HARMON TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAUL WADOWSKI.
GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR MORRISON, MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF.
I'M DEBBIE ESPY, A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF SOUTH COUNTY.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN SAN DIEGO.
I'M A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE AND, UM, FOR PROSPERITY.
UM, AND THAT'S EVIDENT IN MY ROLES AS THE SOUTH COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL CHAIR, AS WELL AS SHARP CHULA VISTA HOSPITAL AND ON THE BOARD OF ASIAN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE CANDIDATE THAT I SUPPORT IS DR.
GIL UNGA FOR THE SAN DIEGO PORT COMMISSION.
UNG G'S DEEP CONVICTIONS AND CONNECTIONS TO NATIONAL CITY AND HIS LEADERSHIP IN SUCCESSFUL VENTURES THAT HAVE PARTNERED WITH MAJOR CORPORATIONS.
LIKE MICROSOFT HAS TRIUMPH OVER PERSONAL HEALTH, ADV, ADVERSE ADVERSITIES, AND ARE TESTAMENT TO HIS RESILIENCE AND COMMITMENT.
HIS ADVOCACY FOR COMMUNITY GROWTH AND PROSPERITY HAS ALSO BEEN UNWAVERING.
THESE QUALITIES ARE UNIQUELY OR UNIQUELY EQUIP HIM TO LEAD THE PORT COMMISSION IN FOSTERING DECISIONS THAT WILL ELEVATE ALL OUR COLLECTIVE LIVING STANDARDS.
THE ASIAN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS I REPRESENT, UM, REPRESENTS OVER 30,000 API OWNED, UM, BUSINESSES IN SAN DIEGO AS WELL AS NATIONAL CITY RECENTLY.
UNG GAB THROUGH HIS LEADERSHIP AND, UM, CEO, JASON PAO PENDA.
IN THE LETTER TO THE, UM, OOPS, SORRY.
UM, TO THIS COMMISSION OR TO THIS COMMITTEE, UM, HIGHLIGHTED DR.
UNG A'S QUALIFICATION SAYING THAT AMID THE COVID-19 CRISIS, DR.
UAB LED THE CHARGE FOR DETAILED DATA ANALYSIS ON THE VIRUS'S IMPACT ON THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THIS REGION.
THIS VIRAL OR VITAL DATA, UM, INFORMED THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES TO OUR MINORITY POPULATION.
COMMENT, THIS INITIATIVE, YOUR COMMENT.
SO WITH THAT, I JUST WANNA SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION.
THANK, THANK YOU KATHLEEN HARMON TO BE FOLLOWED BY PAUL WADOWSKI TO BE FOLLOWED BY TED OCK.
AND COUNCILMAN, MY NAME IS DR.
MY NAME IS QUEEN MOTHER DR. KATHLEEN HARMON.
I'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN THIS ROAD.
AND BY THE WAY, I'M ONLY 93 AND I'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN THIS ROAD.
I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT MY CANDIDATE 'CAUSE HE'S BEEN WELL COVERED TONIGHT.
I JUST WANT YOU TO SEARCH YOUR HEARTS AND UNDERSTAND WE NEED A REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT PORT COMMISSION THAT IS QUALIFIED INTEGRITY, LIVE IN YOUR CITY AND KNOW WHAT TO DO.
PLEASE VOTE FOR MY CANDIDATE, DR. HILL.
UM, PAUL WADOWSKI TO BE FOLLOWED BY TED GOTCH.
UM, MY WIFE SAYS I HAVE TO BE MORE PROFESSIONAL UP HERE,
SO GOOD EVENING MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.
PAUL KOWSKI, SU HIGH TEACHER, CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONER, THIRD GENERATION WEST SIDE RESIDENT.
UM, THE FIVE OF YOU, I THINK UNDOUBTEDLY WOULD AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT THE NATIONAL CITY'S BEEN UNFAIRLY TREATED BY THE PORT.
AND IF IT'S BEEN TRUE THAT WE'VE BEEN STEPPED ON
[00:45:01]
OR USED, THEN CITY LEADERSHIP MUST ALSO BE ASSESSED HERE.HOW DID YOU FAIL DURING SANDY'S TENURE? WE NEED A FIGHTER RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT? AND I'LL TELL YOU WHO CERTAINLY WILL NOT FIGHT FOR NATIONAL CITY A LANDLORD, LARGELY LANDLORDS OR SHAMELESS OPPORTUNISTS.
AND SO YOU NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND APPOINT A LION TO DEFEND THE PRIDE AND NOT A HYENA VYING FOR THE SCRAPS.
AND SO MAYBE THE MOMENT IS NOW, OR MAYBE THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT TO SETTLE EVEN TO SELECT SOMEBODY IN THE INTERIM.
OUR OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS, UH, TED GOTCH.
UH, OTHER THAN THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON BOATS AT PIER 32, I LIVE THE CLOSEST TO THE PORT DISTRICT.
IF I HAVE TIME TONIGHT, I'LL READ FROM THIS HEADLINE, LANDLORD OF OPPORTUNITY FROM DECEMBER, 2005.
BUT LET ME, LET ME TALK ABOUT WHAT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT.
WHAT QUALIFIES A PERSON TO ACT AS NATIONAL CITY SUPPORT COMMISSIONER? WELL, WE KNOW A PERSON MUST LIVE IN NATIONAL CITY.
NOT A VERY HIGH BAR THERE, BUT AT LEAST TWO OF THE APPLICANTS HAVE PROBLEMS. IF MR. ANZA HAS FALSELY FILED HIS HOME ADDRESS IN NATIONAL CITY, HE IS NOT QUALIFIED.
HE HAS MOVED OUT OF NATIONAL CITY BEFORE, QUITE QUICKLY AFTER SERVING AS MAYOR.
AND I DO NOT WANT YOU TO APPOINT ANOTHER PORT COMMISSIONER FOR CORONADO.
SECONDLY, YOUR COMMISSIONER DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A MAN, BUT WE HAVE NO WOMEN CANDIDATES TONIGHT AND THAT IS SAD.
THIRD, I THINK THAT A GOOD APPLICANT WOULD'VE BEEN ATTENDING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, KNOWS THE ISSUES, THE BUDGET, THE STAFF, THE CIP HE'LL HAVE KNOWN WHERE THE PORT DISTRICT IS.
HE MAY HAVE EVEN WORKED IN SOME CAPACITY IN THE PORT DISTRICT, EVEN IF IT'S JUST A BAYFRONT CLEANUP.
A GOOD CANDIDATE WOULD KNOW OUR CITY STAFF AND HAS WORKED ON SOMETHING OF VALUE IN NATIONAL CITY.
UNGA AND MR. BEAM ARE SCIENTISTS, AND I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO USE EVIDENCE TO MAKE DECISIONS AND TO DO RESEARCH INTO ISSUES AT THE PORT MR. BEAM'S EXPERIENCE WITH, WITH CITY GOVERNMENT MAKES HIM AN APPROPRIATE CANDIDATE.
LASTLY, WHY MR. RODRIGUEZ, DID YOU PROMOTE OR ENCOURAGE MR. ENZA TO APPLY THIS HEADLINE FROM DECEMBER 15TH, 2005, LANDLORD OF OPPORTUNITY? HE HAS A HISTORY OF HEARTLESS EVICTIONS, A LACK OF PROPERTY MAINTENANCE, A LEVEL OF ETHICAL BEHAVIOR, TOO LOW FOR SOMEONE WHO WOULD REPRESENT US ANYMORE.
YOUR BACKING OF MR. ENZA WHO HAS DONATED TO YOUR CAMPAIGN FOR OFFICE IN THE PAST SHOWS POOR JUDGMENT.
AND LEADS ME TO QUESTION YOUR MOTIVES.
MR. ENZA IS IN NO WAY AN APPROPRIATE CHOICE FOR OUR PORT COMMISSIONER.
THAT IS ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS THAT WE HAVE AND, UH, MAYOR, OUR SPEAKER ON ZOOM IS NOW IN THE ROOM.
OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT ONE IN.
ANGELICA, ANGELICA, YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF AND SPEAK.
I AM REALLY UPSET BECAUSE, UM, WHY CAN'T, WHY CAN'T, MS. MOLINA, WHY CAN'T YOU SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT FOR YOU? CONVENIENT.
BUT WHEN IT WAS CONVENIENT FOR US, YOU DIDN'T FIGHT FOR US OR TO GET A SPECIAL MEETING ABOUT THE FLOODING PEOPLE.
AND NOW WE'RE GETTING, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE HOMELESS ON JUNE 21ST.
WE DON'T HAVE NOWHERE TO GO AND WE'RE ANXIOUS.
ALL THE MOTIONS ARE FLOATING AROUND.
AND SINCE YOU GUYS CAN DO SPECIAL MEETINGS, WHY CAN'T YOU DO ONE TO GIVE US MORE HOTEL VOUCHERS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.
[00:50:01]
THE JULY COUNTS CITY GONNA BE CLOSED, WHO, WHERE DO WE GO? SO I THINK IT, THIS IS VERY UNFAIR FOR US AND I HOPE THIS WILL CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.AND MAYOR, FOR THE RECORD, ONE WRITTEN COMMENT WAS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE AND WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
[5.1 Appointment: City Boards, Commissions and Committees – City Council Appointment to Port Commissioner]
ALRIGHT, SO NEXT WE GO INTO OUR ITEM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY INTERVIEW AND APPOINTMENTS.THIS IS, UH, THIS IS FOR THE APPOINTMENT, THE COUNCIL APPOINTMENT FOR THE PORT COMMISSIONER REPRESENTING NATIONAL CITY ON THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR THE SAN DIEGO UNIFIED PORT DISTRICT.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR DEF DEPUTY CITY CLERK.
THE CITY CLERK WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE BOARD, COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE WITH CURRENT VACANCY.
THE MAYOR WILL INTRODUCE THE APPLICANT AND TWO QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED OF EACH APPLICANT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL COUNCIL, EACH APPLICANT IS GIVEN TWO MINUTES.
AND EXCUSE ME, I'M GONNA TAKE A MAYOR'S PREROGATIVE AND I'M GONNA CHANGE THAT TO THREE MINUTES, OKAY? YES.
THE MAYOR WILL INTRODUCE THE APPLICANT AND THREE AND TWO QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED OF EACH APPLICANT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
EACH APPLICANT IS GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO, TO MAKE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL ASK QUESTIONS OF EACH APPLICANT.
ALL APPLICANTS MUST BE ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS.
TOTAL TIME PER APPLICANT IS FIVE TIME MINUTES WITH TIME ALLOWED FOR CLARIFICATION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY COUNCIL NOT TO EXCEED 10 MINUTES TOTAL PER APPLICANT.
IF THE VACANCY IS FOR A CITY COUNCIL APPOINTED POSITION AND THERE IS MORE THAN ONE APPLICANT FOR A GIVEN POSITION, THE VOTING PROCESS WILL PROCEED AS FOLLOWS.
ONCE THE INTERVIEWS ARE COMPLETE, EACH COUNT, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER VOTES FOR THEIR CHOICE VIA WRITTEN BALLOT PROVIDED BY THE CITY CLERK.
EACH COUNCIL MEMBER SHALL PRINT AND SIGN THEIR NAME ON THE BALLOT.
ALL BALLOTS SHALL BE CONSIDERED A PUBLIC RECORD AND BE OPEN TO INSPECTION BY THE PUBLIC.
THE BALLOTS ARE PASSED TO THE CITY CLERK WHO ANNOUNCES THE NUMBER OF VOTES FOR EACH CANDIDATE.
SINCE WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER TELECONFERENCE IN TELECONFERENCING INTO THE MEETING, IT WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE CITY, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO ANNOUNCE THEIR VOTE VERBALLY FIRST INTO THE RECORD.
AND THE CITY CLERK WILL THEN FOLLOW WITH THE REMAINING VOTES THAT WERE SUBMITTED ON BALLOTS TO PROVIDE A TALLY OF ALL VOTES RECEIVED.
IF A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES ARE FOR ONE APPLICANT, THE APPLICANT WITH THE MOST VOTES IS APPOINTED IN THE EVENT OF A TIE.
EACH COUNCIL MEMBER VOTES AGAIN UNTIL ONE CANDIDATE HAS THE MAJORITY VOTE AND IS DECLARED TO BE THE NEWLY APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE BOARD, COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE.
THIS VACANCY TO THE PORT COMMISSION WAS CAUSED BY THE ACTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE MEETING OF TUESDAY, MAY 7TH, 2024, RESULTING IN THE REMOVAL OF SANDY NARANJO AS PORT COMMISSIONER.
THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE ADVERTISED THE VACANCY FROM MAY 7TH THROUGH MAY 28TH.
THIS APPOINTMENT IS TO FULFILL THE REMAINING TERM TO DECEMBER 2ND, 2024.
FIVE APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED PER THE SAN DIEGO UNIFIED PORT DISTRICT ACT, SECTION 16.
THIS SEAT MUST BE FOUGHT, MUST BE FILLED BY A NATIONAL CITY RESIDENT.
THE COMMISSIONER SHALL BE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY AT THE TIME OF THEIR APPOINTMENT.
AND DURING THE TERM OF THEIR OFFICE, APPLICANTS ARE RUBLE BEACHAM, ALEXANDER FERNANDEZ, CURRENTLY A MEMBER OF THE PARKS RECREATION AND SENIOR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE APPOINTED MARCH 7TH, 2023 WITH A TERM EXPIRING ON MARCH 31ST, 2026.
NICHOLAS INZA CHETTY MATTHEWS, GIL ANTHONY ONGA.
YOUR REPORT ON THE POLICY INSTRUCTION AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EACH APPOINTMENT WILL BE MADE WITH A MOTION AND SECONDED, UH, BY ANOTHER MEMBER.
AND THE ROLL CALL VOTE, UH, BY THE DEPUTY CITY CLERK FOR THE APPOINTMENT.
THAT WILL BE AFTER, AFTER THERE HAS BEEN A SELECTION PROCESS.
WE'RE DOWN JUST ONE INDIVIDUAL.
UM, WE HAVE A LIST ON PREDETERMINED, UM, QUESTIONS, TWO QUESTIONS THAT WILL BE READ TO EACH APPLICANT AFTER THEIR, UH, THREE MINUTE TIME PERIOD.
AND THEY WILL BE WOR THEY'LL BE READ LITERALLY WORD FOR WORD SO THAT EVERYONE IS GIVEN THE EXACT SAME QUESTION.
WE'LL ALTERNATE BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS ASKING, GETTING TO ASK THE QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, WITH THAT YOU'LL HAVE, FIRST OF ALL, EACH APPLICANT WILL HAVE UP TO THREE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR INTRODUCTORY.
AND THEN THE REMAINDER OF THEIR TIME WILL BE ON QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 10 MINUTES.
SO YOU'LL BE TIME FOR A TOTAL OF 10 MINUTES FOR THE TOTAL PRESENTATION WITH THAT.
[00:55:01]
THE OTHER THING WE'RE GONNA DO SO THAT, BECAUSE EVERYONE CAN KIND OF HEAR EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, INCLUDING THE FINE APP FIVE APPLICANTS.'CAUSE NOBODY KNEW UNTIL WE WALKED IN HERE WHAT THE TWO QUESTIONS WERE GONNA BE.
SO NOBODY, NONE THE APPLICANTS KNOW WHAT THE TWO QUESTIONS ARE.
SO, BUT EVERYONE'S GONNA KINDA GET TO AN ADVANTAGE IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE THE LAST PERSON IN LINE INSTEAD OF THE FIRST ONE.
SO INSTEAD OF GOING BY THE LIST, WE GOT THE FIVE NAMES IN A CUP AND WE'RE GONNA DRAW AND TO TAKE, TAKE ANY, ANY THOUGHT THAT ANYONE'S BEEN GIVING ANY, ANY ADVANTAGE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO, YOU KNOW HOW THEY SAY, LADIES FIRST, I'LL LET YOU PICK ONE.
AND SO AT THIS POINT YOU HAVE, UH, UP TO THREE MINUTES TO PRESENT ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO PRESENT AND TALK ABOUT YOURSELF.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WILL BE THE TWO QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED OF YOU.
YES, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, IT, UH, IT'S VERY HUMBLING COMING BACK HERE AFTER 17 YEARS OF, UH, LEAVING THESE, THIS CHAMBER AND, AND NOT WANTING TO COME BACK SO I COULD FOCUS ON MY CHILDREN.
UH, BUT I FEEL I FEEL COMPELLED, ESPECIALLY BY SOME OF THE COMMENTS MADE TODAY.
UH, TO, UM, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A NARRATIVE OF WHO I AM.
I, UM, I COME FROM A HOME OF SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.
I HAVE GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT-GRANDPARENTS THAT WERE LONGSHOREMEN.
UH, WE CAME TO TOWN HERE TO, UH, TO PROSPER, UM, WAVE.
UM, WE, UH, WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO, TO RECEIVE A HIGHER EDUCATION.
MY FATHER, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, SPENT 30 YEARS AT SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL.
HE WAS A SINGLE FATHER, RAISED MYSELF AND MY TWO BROTHERS SINCE THE AGE OF FIVE.
TOOK ME TO EVERY SWEETWATER FOOTBALL GAME.
AND I SPENT 30 YEARS IN THE CLASSROOMS AT SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AT THAT POINT MY FATHER DECIDED TO RETIRE AND I RAN FOR HIS COUNCIL SEAT.
I BECAME A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
THEN EVENTUALLY I BECAME A MAYOR.
UH, IT WAS A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.
I, UM, WHEN I GOT ELECTED MAYOR, I, I WASN'T AS RESPONSIBLE AS I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITH OTHER THINGS IN MY LIFE.
ONE OF THOSE WERE MY PROPERTIES.
AND, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS VERY HUMBLING TO READ ABOUT MYSELF IN 2005, 20 YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, I HOPE IT'S SOMETHING NONE OF YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH IF YOU HAVE A WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN.
UH, BUT I WENT THROUGH THAT AND, UH, EVENTUALLY IT LED TO MY DIVORCE.
I BECAME A SINGLE FATHER MYSELF LIKE MY FATHER DID, AND I DECIDED TO RAISE MY KIDS.
I WENT THROUGH, UH, THAT LIFE EXPERIENCE UNTIL I DECIDED TO COME BACK TO NATIONAL CITY.
AS ALL OF YOU HAVE READ IN SOCIAL MEDIA, IN 2015, I STARTED BUYING HISTORICAL HOMES.
I'D LIVE IN ONE ROOM WHILE I'M REHABBING AND I'M TRYING TO MAKE A WAY FOR MYSELF.
CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, I DON'T HAVE A HUNDRED UNITS.
AND I WOULD BUY CRAFTSMAN HOMES AND I WOULD GO FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, JUST LIKE YOU READ.
UH, SOME WERE BUILT THERE BY KYLE MORGAN, ACTUALLY.
AND, UH, I'VE GIVEN YOU SOME EVIDENCE THAT SOMETIMES I'D HAVE TO STAY IN THE PARK APARTMENT, I'D STAY IN ANOTHER APARTMENT IN BETWEEN THE REHABS, UH, THAT I WOULD DO ON THE REMODELS.
UH, IT'S MY PASSION AND IT'S MY LOVE.
UM, I CURRENTLY, UH, LIVE AT 15TH AND HOOVER AND I DON'T BRAG ABOUT IT.
I DON'T TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I, THAT'S WHERE I AM AND IT'S A CRAFTSMAN HOME.
UH, WE OWNED THE, UH, MY WIFE AND I OWNED THE H AND R BLOCK ON FOURTH AND HIGHLAND.
PROBABLY NONE OF YOU KNOW THAT, THAT WAS OUR, WE WERE THERE EVERY DAY.
UM, I DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY TO PLAY POLITICS WITH OUR BUSINESS.
UH, MY WIFE WAS AN ACCOUNTANT, UH, ACROSS THE STREET.
MY MOTHER OWNED THE FORMAL CENTER AND JUST DOWN FROM THE PURPLE COW.
I WORKED AT DELTA ARMS, BUT IT'S THE ESSENCE OF WHO I AM.
ALRIGHT, I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, MEMBER MOLINA, IF YOU'LL ASK THE FIRST QUESTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. ENZA, FOR APPEARING BEFORE US TODAY.
QUESTION NUMBER ONE IS, WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT NATIONAL CITY AS ITS PORT COMMISSIONER? WELL, I THINK MY BACKGROUND AND MY EXPERIENCE, UM, I THINK, UH, WE'RE AT A JUNCTURE, UH, WITH OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO, WHERE WE NEED SOMEONE WHO COULD STEP IN RIGHT INTO THE JOB, UH, TEMPORARILY.
I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THAT HERE TODAY.
AND I AGREE WITH THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME BEFORE YOU, THAT IT IS TEMPORARY.
UH, YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN NEGOTIATE WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER ALVAREZ, UH, BECAUSE
[01:00:01]
HE'S WILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE PORT.YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT NEGOTIATIONS GOES IN FAVOR OF NATIONAL CITY.
UH, YOU ALSO NEED SOMEBODY THAT HAS SAT IN REGIONAL BOARDS AND GOVERNANCE.
UH, I'VE SAT IN THE SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT.
I'VE SAT IN THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEM.
I'VE CHAIRED THE METRO WASTEWATER SYSTEM.
I'VE SAT ON THE SWEETWATER WATER AUTHORITY.
I'VE SAT ON THE COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY, AND I'VE SAT ON VARIOUS OTHER JOINT POWERS, AUTHORITIES AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
I ALWAYS ADVOCATED AND I ALWAYS FOUGHT FOR NATIONAL CITY TO MY OWN PERIL, TO MY OWN CRITICISM.
UM, WHAT I EXPERIENCE HERE TODAY, UH, IS SOMETHING I'VE EXPERIENCED EVERY TIME I HAVE TO FIGHT FOR NATIONAL CITY.
EVERY TIME I HAD TO GO BEFORE THE SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, OR AT MTS, I FELT LIKE I HAD TO FIGHT FOR NATIONAL CITY.
AND I WAS JUDGED AND I WAS CRITICIZED.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT BEING A STEWARD, A GOOD STEWARD FOR NATIONAL CITY, AT A REGIONAL LEVEL, AT OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, UH, MAKES ME A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE TO BE YOUR PORT COMMISSIONER.
YOU ANSWER QUESTION NUMBER TWO.
UM, MR. ENZA, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN ALSO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT NATIONAL CITY WILL BE FACING IN ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY? AND HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING A POSITIVE FORCE IN DEALING WITH THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES? WELL, LIKE I JUST MENTIONED, I THINK A LOT OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES WERE FACED BY OUR FORMER POOR COMMISSIONER NARANJO.
I BELIEVE THAT SHE, UM, SHE SET THE GROUNDWORK, SHE SET THE FOUNDATION, UH, THAT THE NEW COMMISSIONER MUST WORK WITH.
UH, IT IS NO SURPRISE, UH, WHY THERE IS AN ASSEMBLY BILL THAT IDENTIFIES IMPACT FUNDS AT 1% AND 1% VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THE PORT HAS NOW AT 2%, BUT WITHOUT THE DETAILS.
UH, SO I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THAT, UH, NOT ONLY MY EXPERIENCE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT, UM, MY TRAJECTORY AT THE PORT, UH, IS GONNA ALLOW ME TO LOOK AT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE FUNDS SO I CAN APPROPRIATE THEM TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY A QUALITY OF LIFE AND ACCESS TO THE PORT THAT THEY DESERVE.
I DID THAT WHEN I WAS A MAYOR.
I HAD SOMETHING THAT MAYOR MORRISON ALSO WORKED ON, UH, REPRESENTATIVE JESS VAN DEVIN AND DUKE VALDERRAMA.
BY THE TIME I LEFT OFFICE, IT WAS THE FIRST ACT THAT REALLY GAVE THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY ACCESS TO THE PORT.
THE LAST MONTH I WAS IN OFFICE BY THE COASTAL COMMISSION AND IT WAS DONE BY THE PORT.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT THE AQUATIC CENTER HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
I HAD TO FIGHT AND I HAD TO FIGHT VERY, VERY HARD FOR THAT.
UM, AND SO I BELIEVE THAT BEING A PORT COMMISSIONER WILL ALLOW ME TO IMPLEMENT ALL OF THESE STRATEGIES, WHETHER THEY ARE ECONOMIC FINANCE, UH, OR GOVERNANCE, TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT WELL AND GIVE BACK TO THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY.
YOU HAVE ANOTHER THREE MINUTES, A LITTLE MORE MINUTE, THREE MINUTES IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE YEAH.
UM, I, UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU.
IT'S, UM, I, I DON'T ENVY YOU.
UM, YOU HAVE TO, UM, SACRIFICE SO MUCH TO SIT WHERE YOU'RE SITTING TODAY AND TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT ALWAYS POPULAR.
BUT I'VE BEEN THERE AND I'VE DONE THAT.
AND NOW WHAT I WANT TO DO IS I WANNA REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY AT THE PORT BECAUSE I BELIEVE I AM QUALIFIED.
YOU HAVE OTHER FOLKS THAT HAVE APPLIED THAT ARE GOOD PEOPLE, AND I CONSIDER AT LEAST TWO OF THEM MY FRIENDS.
UM, THEY'RE WONDERFUL HUMAN BEINGS.
BUT I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR MYSELF.
I BELIEVE CLEARLY I AM THE MOST QUALIFIED APPLICANT.
I BELIEVE CLEARLY THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER NARANJO SET THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD WORK.
I'M WILLING TO TAKE THE BATON AND TO CONTINUE THAT WORK.
AND I BELIEVE I'M QUALIFIED TO DO THAT.
AND I BELIEVE MY HEART'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
AND I BELIEVE OUTSIDE PRESSURE, INSIDE PRESSURE IS NOT GONNA PRESSURE ME TO MAKE THE WRONG DECISION FOR THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY.
I'M NOT THE POLITICIAN FAMILY.
I'M THE DOCTOR, SO I'M NOT THE BEST SPEAKER.
[01:05:01]
DR.GIL ANTHONY AND I LIVED AND WORKED MY WHOLE LIFE HERE IN NASHVILLE CITY.
I, I GRADUATED FROM SUSHI AND I LIKED THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE I SEE WHO TALK ABOUT THE INEQUITY OF HEALTHCARE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I SAW.
AND I WENT TO MY MENTOR, DR. ROBINSON, WHO TOLD ME, GO TO MED SCHOOL, COME BACK AND I DID.
AND I CAME BACK STRAIGHT TO NASHVILLE CITY AND I COULD HAVE WENT ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, BUT I HAD TO COMMITMENT TO YOU GUYS.
'CAUSE YOU GUYS KNOW MY FAMILY, MY MOM WOULD KILL ME.
AND WHILE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS, ALTHOUGH YOU DON'T SEE ME ON THE WEST SIDE, I'M IN THE ER AT PARADISE VALLEY.
AND WHEN POLLUTION IS HIGH, YOU GUYS SEE ME IN THE ER.
I SEE THAT, THAT THE DISPARITIES IN CARE AND THE HEALTH INEQUITY OF CARE PERSISTED.
BUT DR. ROBINSON AND I WOULD NEVER LET YOU GUYS BE ALONE.
AND WE STOOD UP FOR YOU GUYS MANY TIMES.
I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD, I WOULD PICK IT, BUT I PICK IT.
AND SO, UM, YOU GET BACK, I'M SORRY, I, I HAD A SPEECH FOR THREE MINUTES IN THIS LONG.
SO I'VE BEEN IN PRACTICE HERE FOR 20 YEARS, AND NOW I'M RETIRED.
AND I'VE DECIDED TO BE LIKE MITCH AND THROW MY NAME OUT TO THEN VOLUNTEER MY TIME AND MY EXPERIENCE FOR THIS VACANT ROLE.
NOW, I THINK I HAVE TWO SKILLS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR, FOR RECOGNITION.
MY BUSINESS EXPERIENCE IS THAT I HAVE AN EXPERIENCE IN, UM, LOCAL STARTUPS, SEVERAL STARTUPS IN, UH, I'M A SERIAL SERIAL SOFTWARE ENTREPRENEUR, AND I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN CLOUD COMPUTING, CYBERSECURITY, MEDICAL DEVICES, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
I, UM, HAVE STARTED TO MYSELF AND I CO-FOUNDED MY FIRST COMPANY I SOLD FOR $65 MILLION AND NOW I OWN AN AI COMPANY FOR HEALTHCARE, SPECIFICALLY FOR HEALTH EQUITY.
WE ALWAYS HAVE POOR COMMISS MISSIONERS WITH BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, AND I HAVE THAT.
MY OTHER SKILL IS HEALTHCARE AND I'M BOARD CERTIFIED IN INTERNAL MEDICINE AND CARDIOLOGY.
AND I WORKED AT PARADISE VALLEY AND I SAW IT.
I SAW THAT THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE FROM THE AIR AND DURING COVI, OUR DISPARITY IN CARE AND THE POLLUTION IN THE AIR WAS WORSE.
AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT ELECTRIFICATION, BUT WE NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN LOOK AT THIS PROJECT WITH SCIENTIFIC RIGOR, ENSURE THE COMPLETION AS PROMISED.
WE KNOW THEY NEVER COMPLETE THINGS THEY PROMISE.
AND TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL OUR SAFETY, YOUR THREE MINUTES HAS EXPIRED.
WITH THAT, I'LL LOOK TO, UH, MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, IF YOU'LL READ THE, UH, FIRST QUESTION.
M WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT NATIONAL CITY AS ITS PORT COMMISSIONER? OKAY.
WELL, MY BROTHER ED, ED SAID HE ALWAYS TASK ME AND HE SAID THAT WE NEVER GET GRANTS FROM THE COUNTY.
SO, UM, MY BROTHER PUT ME IN, UH, MAYOR, MAYOR, UM, SANDERS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND I FLOURISHED.
I DID WELL, THAT'S WHY I GOT THE COMPANIES, BUT I DID ONE THING DURING COVID.
IT WAS SO SAD TO SEE THAT THERE WASN'T MATERIAL AND EDUCATION TO GET PEOPLE TO DOCTORS TO GET THE TREATMENTS THAT ONLY HAD FIVE DAYS TO WORK.
SO I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T GET THE GRANT THE FIRST TIME, BUT THE SECOND TIME I WAS ABLE TO GET A GRANT FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES LIKE NATIONALS THAT HE INCLUDED THAT IF PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T AFFORD HEALTHCARE, THEY WERE, I GAVE THEM TELEMEDICINE WITH A DOCTOR OF THE SAME RACE, SAME LANGUAGE, TO GET THEM TREATED IN THE PERIOD SO WHICH THEY CAN SURVIVE.
ELAS, IF YOU SEE LISTENING, I GOT A GRANT FROM COUNTY HEALTH AND IT TOOK A LOT TO DO.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I, I BELIEVE EVERYBODY HAS EXPERIENCE, BUT I'M RETIRED.
I CAN PUT A LOT OF EFFORT AND TIME AND I'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN WHAT I DO.
AND LIKE, LIKE RON KNOWS, MY MOM WOULD TELL ME TO VOLUNTEER.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN ALSO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT NATIONAL CITY WILL BE FACING IN ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY AND HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING A POSITIVE FORCE IN DEALING WITH THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES? I THINK ALL OF US FELT WE NEVER GOT OUR FAIR SHARE, BUT WHAT'S DONE IS DONE.
[01:10:01]
AND I'VE HAD TO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE AI AND SAID, HOW CAN I MAKE A BUSINESS OUTTA AI? HOW CAN I GET AI TO EVERYBODY NO MATTER WHAT, SO THAT THEY CAN BE HEALTHIER? THE THING, SAME THING IS YOU HAVE A PORT AND I THINK WE, IF WE CAN MAXIMIZE THE PROCESS, THE BALANCE PROGRAM AND MAXIMIZE OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH, THEN THE COMMUNITY WILL BENEFIT.BUT I ALSO THINK THAT I'VE BEEN AROUND THOSE COMMITTEES, I REALLY THINK YOU NEED SOMEONE, THE YOUNGEST OF EIGHT WITH SIX SISTERS AND A BROTHER WHO CAN MANEUVER AND HELP NATIONALS GET TO GET THEIR FAIR SHARE MOUTH IS DRY.
YOU STILL HAVE ABOUT A LITTLE OVER FOUR MINUTES IF YOU WANNA CONTINUE AROUND THAT
BUT THE THING I WANTED TO SAY IS I'M A LOCAL, I DID AMAZINGLY WELL.
I A PANDEMIC MY MOTHER DYING, HAVING TERMINALLY ILL BROADENING BACK.
AND SO I'M OPEN TO, TO DO THE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS NEED.
I REPRESENT THE CITY AND THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T REPRESENT OUTSIDERS AND, UM, I'M PRETTY SMART.
ALRIGHT, NEXT DOWN HERE YOU CAN PICK UP.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MAYOR MORRISON AND THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY RESIDENCE.
MY NAME IS ALEXANDER FERNANDEZ.
I'M A HUSBAND, I'M A LONGSHOREMAN.
I'M A PARK AND REC AND SENIOR ADVISORY COMMISSIONER FOR OUR CITY.
I HAVE EARNED CERTIFICATIONS IN LABOR STUDIES FROM LOS ANGELES TRADE TECH, A CERTIFICATION AT UCLA LOES, THE LABOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM.
AND, UH, I'VE ALSO EARNED CERTIFICATIONS FROM THE UNITED WAY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE A-F-L-C-I-O TO HELP PROVIDE RESOURCES AND BUILD STRONG, EQUITABLE COMMUNITIES, UH, WHEREVER NECESSARY.
AND I AM A GRADUATE OF SAN DIEGO CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN PARADISE HILLS.
UH, AS A YOUNGSTER, I WENT TO THE NATIONAL CITY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND I WAS A POLICE EXPLORER IN THE PROGRAM UNDER, UH, THE LATE OLIVIA CASTANOS.
UM, MY GOAL, UM, IS TO REALLY BE THE BEST MAN I CAN BE.
SO DURING THE TIME, UH, AS A LONGSHOREMAN, I BECAME A CASUAL AND, UM, I ATTENDED CLASSES, I WAS BEING ACTIVE, I PARTICIPATED IN OUR HISTORY, OUR CLASSES, AND MEMORIAL CEREMONIES.
UH, I SERVED AS AT YOUNG WORKER COMMITTEE FOR OUR, FOR OUR UNION, UM, AND I WAS NETWORKING WITH ENTHUSED LONGSHOREMAN FROM PERS AUSTRALIA, MIDWEST RIVER PORTS, ALABAMA, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, CANADA, AND PHILADELPHIA, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
I AM ALSO VERY PROUD TO HAVE MY NAME IN THE OLD TOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, UH, AS A DESCENDANT OF ONE OF THE ORIGINAL FIVE FOUNDING FAMILIES FOR OLD TOWN SAN DIEGO, THE FAMILIA MACHADO.
UH, I'M A THIRD GENERATION LONGSHOREMAN.
MY GRANDFATHER, UH, BECAME A LONGSHOREMAN IN 1958.
UH, MY MOTHER SOON FOLLOWED IN 1988 AND I BECAME A CLASS B LONGSHOREMAN IN 2012 AND A CLASS A JUST TWO YEARS AGO.
UH, I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN THE PORT'S MISSION STATEMENT THAT STATES THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO WILL PROTECT THE TIDELANDS TRUST RESOURCES BY PROVIDING ECONOMIC VITALITY AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS THROUGH A BALANCED APPROACH TO MARITIME INDUSTRY, TOURISM, WATER, AND LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
IF I ATTAINED YOUR VOTES, I WILL DO MY VERY BEST TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY AND CITIZENS.
I WILL BE AS TRANSPARENT AND OPEN AS I CAN.
I HOPE TO COME UP, UH, WITH OUT OF THE BOX THINKING THAT CAN BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN NATIONAL CITY CITIZENS AND THE INDUSTRIES THAT WORK ALONG OUR PORT, SUCH AS, UH, PASHA STEVEDORING, AS WELL AS USE THE AQUATIC CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES THAT CAN BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN US AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO LIVES IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY ITS YOUNG PEOPLE.
ALRIGHT, MEMBER MOLINA, IF YOU'LL ASK THE FIRST QUESTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. FERNANDEZ, FOR APPEARING BEFORE US.
[01:15:01]
MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT NATIONAL CITY AS ITS PORT COMMISSIONER? WHAT MAKES ME THE BEST CANDIDATE IS I ACTUALLY COME FROM GENERATIONS ON THE WATERFRONT.UH, AT FIRST MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER, UH, SERVED IN PEARL HARBOR.
HE WAS A NAVAL AVIATION MECHANIC, AND THEN HE MOVED TO SAN DIEGO AND SERVED THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN, UH, THE, UH, NAVAL BASE SAN DIEGO.
FROM THEN ON, MY GRANDFATHER, UH, JUST TOOK ACTION AT THE PORT.
UM, IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE LONGSHOREMAN'S UNION IS ABOUT, IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT, UM, BEING SPECIALIZED WITH PORT ENTITIES.
IT'S ACTUALLY ABOUT, UM, STANDING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THERE'S PLENTY OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS.
THERE'S PLENTY OF, UM, UH, OF INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT SHOWS WHERE WE STAND WHEN IT COMES TO POLLUTION, WHERE WE STAND WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, WARS.
WE'VE SHUT DOWN THE PORT FOR MAYDAY OR OR FOR MAYDAY.
WE'VE SHUT DOWN THE PORT FOR JUNETEENTH.
WE'VE SHUT IT DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE FIRM BELIEVERS IN THE COMMUNITY FIRST.
AND IF YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE, WE'VE ALSO PASSED OUT A LOT OF SUPPLIES TO THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONAL CITY, UH, WITH OUR FOOD DRIVES.
UM, SO WHAT MAKES ME THE BEST CANDIDATE IS THAT I ALREADY COMMUNICATE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, NOT ONLY WITHIN THE WEST COAST OF THIS COUNTRY, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN FROM HERE TO SEATTLE, TO SAN FRANCISCO, TO VENTURA COUNTY, AS YOU SEE.
UM, ONE, ONE OF ONE OF THE, UH, COM PORT COMMISSIONERS FROM VENTURA IS HERE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THAT MUCH IN ME.
AND HE DROVE FIVE HOURS JUST TO BE HERE.
UM, I LOVE THE WATERFRONT, I LOVE THE TIDELANDS.
I WAS A JUNIOR LIFEGUARD AT IMPERIAL BEACH.
UM, SO I I I'VE SERVED, I'VE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW AS A PARK AND REC COMMISSIONER, AND I WAS THERE WHEN WE WERE HANDING OUT, UM, THE, UM, THE FOOD TO THE ELDERLY.
AND TO BE HONEST, I, I WAS THE ONLY ONE THERE AND I PROVIDED, UH, COFFEE FOR THE WORKERS AND I WAS THERE WITH THEM.
SO I'M GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE IN NATIONAL CITY ALREADY.
I'M REDOING MY HOME RIGHT NOW WITH MY WIFE.
UM, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND LIKE I SAID, I I, I HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER PORT COMMISSIONERS IN SAN FRANCISCO.
I HAVE A, A RELATIONSHIP WITH A PORT COMMISSIONER IN LA LONG BEACH.
AND I WANT TO DO THE BEST TO BRIDGE THAT GAP FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH NATIONAL CITY.
I WANT PEOPLE EDUCATED ABOUT PORT OPERATIONS, BUT I WANT THE PORT OPERATION PEOPLE AND THE WORKFORCE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY HERE, THAT WE NEED EACH OTHER.
AND THIS IS A, A, A LABOR TOWN.
IT'S ALWAYS HAS BEEN SINCE, UH, UH, SINCE THE KIMBALL DAYS.
AND SO I'M GOING WAY BACK TO THE KIMBALL DAYS.
THIS IS OUR FIRST MAJOR PORT, UH, UH, UH, PIER WAS ON 19TH STREET.
IT WAS NOT IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO, LIKE EVERYBODY THOUGHT.
MARKET STREET? NO, IT WAS 19TH STREET, RIGHT HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA.
AND WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND TOO, UH, THE VITALITY OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
WE ARE THE FIRST PORT OF CALL FROM THE PANAMA CANAL, THE FIRST, IT'S NOT LOS ANGELES, NO MATTER HOW MUCH PEOPLE WANTED TO THINK THAT.
AND SO IF I CAN BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE WORKING WATERFRONT, THE COMPANIES AND THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY AND RESPOND WELL WITH MR. MORRISON OR RESPOND WELL WITH MR. JOSE RODRIGUEZ OR RESPOND WELL MS. DIETS, I WOULD LOVE TO DO SO.
I WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS I CAN AS A YOUNG PERSON.
AND I WANT TO GIVE MY ALL FOR NATIONAL CITY 'CAUSE THIS IS HOME.
I'M ALREADY HERE AND I'M AN ASTHMATIC.
AND BY THE WAY, FOR FILIPINOS, I AM PART FILIPINO.
MY GREAT-GRANDPA WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY AND WAS AT PEARL HARBOR WAS FROM PRAN.
OKAY, QUESTION TIP NUMBER TWO.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN ALSO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT NATIONAL CITY WILL BE FACING IN ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY? AND HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING A POSITIVE FORCE IN DEALING WITH THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES? LEMME SEE IF I CAN GET THAT.
UM, HOW DO I SEE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, BETWEEN NATIONAL CITY AND THE PORT? I'M SORRY.
UH, I, I SEE, UH, BIG OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE
[01:20:01]
GONNA HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY A CITIZEN AND WHO ACTUALLY WORKS AS A LONGSHOREMAN.UM, I'M A BLUE COLLAR MAN, SO I COULD RELATE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NATIONAL CITY.
I HAVE, I'M BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE APPOINTED ME TO PARK AND REC.
I'M THERE ALREADY AND I WANNA BRIDGE EVERYTHING TOGETHER WHERE I CAN.
YOU STILL HAVE A LITTLE OVER MINUTE IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE ANSWERING ON THAT OR, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT, IT IT'S TIME FOR US TO TAKE A CENTER STAGE BECAUSE WE'RE A PORT CITY.
WE ARE A A A A, A WORKING CITY.
AND THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND BE.
SO IT'S TIME FOR NATIONAL CITY TO SHOW WHO WE ARE ON THE WORLD SCALE.
MM-HMM
AND WE GET CARGO FROM SOUTH KOREA, WE GET CARGO FROM MEXICO, WE GET CARGO FROM PANAMA, WE GET CARGO FROM HAWAII, WE GET CARGO FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
AND SO IF I COULD BRIDGE EVERYTHING TOGETHER, LIKE I'VE BEEN SAYING, THEN LET THE WORLD SEE US AND SEE US WHO WE ARE AS NATIONAL CITY, NOT JUST SOME CITY SOUTH OF SAN DIEGO.
WE HAD THE, UH, I THINK YOU WERE THE LAST ONE TO PICK.
SO I GUESS WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE LADIES AGAIN.
EVEN MR. MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M FIRST AND FOREMOST THE FATHER TO TWO BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING CHILDREN.
I'M A WARRIOR, RETIRED MARINE.
I SERVE NATIONAL CITY AS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
MY WHOLE LIFE IS ABOUT SERVICE.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE AS YOU, AS YOU REFLECT THROUGH LIFE, HAS BEEN TO LEAVE IT BETTER THAN I FOUND IT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE MARINE CORPS TAUGHT ME FOR 20 YEARS.
AND I REALIZED THAT'S A MAJOR PART OF WHO I AM AND WHY I WAS AFFILIATED WITH THE MARINE CORPS FOR SO LONG.
LEAVING THINGS BETTER THAN YOU FOUND THEM.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW LONG THEY'VE BEEN HERE.
I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO SAY THAT TO ANY OF YOU.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M THE NEW GUY.
BUT THAT WAS WHY I WENT TO THE BOARD IN THE FIRST PLACE AT NATIONAL CITY.
'CAUSE I SAID, I'M THE NEW GUY AND I HAVE NO DOG IN THE FIGHT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY AGENDA, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING HERE BUT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.
THE ONLY REASON THAT I'M STANDING HERE IS 'CAUSE I SEE ISSUES THAT CAN BE SOLVED.
I GENUINELY BELIEVE WITH ALL OF MY EXPERIENCE FROM THE MARINE CORPS AND ALL THE THINGS I'VE DONE THERE, WHETHER IT WAS WORKING AT THE SENATE ARMS COMMITTEE, THE HOUSE ARMS COMMITTEE, WORKING AT THE PENTAGON, WORKING IN CAPITOL HILL, WHETHER IT WAS MEETING EVERY LIVING PRESIDENT EXCEPT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND SEEING HOW THEY OPERATE IN HOW THEY ACT AND HOW THINGS ARE DONE AND HOW YOU GET THINGS DONE.
WORKING WITH LEGISLATORS, WORKING WITH LOBBYISTS.
WHETHER IT WAS MY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE WHEN I WAS AN OPERATIONAL TEST PROJECT OFFICER, WHETHER IT WAS ME BEING A PROGRAM MANAGER MANAGING 17 DIFFERENT SATELLITE, UH, C FOUR ISR SYSTEMS. IT COULD HAVE BEEN THAT MAYBE IT WAS MY COMBAT EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH OTHER COUNTRIES, WORKING WITH ASYMMETRICAL PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANNA WORK TOGETHER AND GETTING 'EM TO HOLD HANDS AND SHAKE HANDS AND WORK TOO WELL TOGETHER.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I HAVE DONE.
AND THAT'S JUST, I DON'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT MYSELF.
I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I'VE DONE FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I WANT TO DO THIS IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MORE MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY RATE AND THE ASYMMETRY IN THAT.
AND I HEARD THE WORD USED TODAY AND IT'S A WORD THAT I USE WHEN SOMEBODY ASKS ME ABOUT IT.
THERE IS A LEVEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
AND PEOPLE MAY NOT CALL IT THAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I ACTUALLY WANNA CALL OUT.
WHEN I LIVED IN FLORIDA, I NOTICED IT THERE AND RESEARCHED IT A LITTLE BIT.
AND YOU SEE THERE'S A HISTORICAL TREND OF THIS HAPPENING.
IT'S AN ISSUE TO ME BECAUSE IT'S CAUSING PEOPLE TO DIE.
PEOPLE MAY NOT SEE IT THAT WAY, BUT IT'S A MAJOR SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.
AND, AND THIS AREA RIGHT NOW, LET'S BE REAL.
THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT STRATEGIC PORT.
THIS IS THE MAJOR, THIS IS THIRD FLEET, A MAJOR ASSET FOR THE PACIFIC FLEET.
A MAJOR AREA IN THE PACIFIC, WHICH IS NOT PEACEFUL AT ALL.
HOWEVER, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TENANTS ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING, WHICH I KNOW THEY CAN DO.
'CAUSE I'VE SEEN THEM DO IT IN JAPAN WHERE THE RULES ARE MUCH MORE STRINGENT AND THERE ARE THINGS THEY CANNOT DO YET.
I'VE SEEN SOME OF OUR OLDEST SHIPS THAT ARE NO LONGER EVEN IN SERVICE NOW HANGING OUT IN SABO, JAPAN AND WHITE BEACH, JAPAN AND YA KUKA
[01:25:01]
AS A MATTER OF FACT.SO I SAY THAT BECAUSE WHAT IF YOU WANNA CHANGE SOMETHING, YOU'RE GONNA LOOK AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT LENS.
YOU GOTTA TURN THE, YOU'VE GOTTA TURN THE CHESS TABLE AROUND.
AND SOMETIMES TO DO THAT, YOU NEED SOMEBODY THREE MINUTES HAS PERSPECTIVE.
SO WITH THAT QUESTION ONE, THANK YOU MR. MATTHEWS, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR APPLYING.
WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT NATIONAL CITY AS ITS SPORT COMMISSIONER? THAT'S A FUNNY QUESTION.
IT MAKES ME CHUCKLE BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE GETTING ME AT THE RIGHT TIME.
I ACTUALLY GRADUATE UCLA TOMORROW WITH MY EXECUTIVE MBA.
NOT ONLY THAT, I HAVE A SPECIALIZATION IN LEADERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, I'M A LEADERSHIP COACH.
I'VE BEEN DOING LEADERSHIP FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
BUT THAT LEADERSHIP IS GONNA HELP BECAUSE LEADERSHIP IS INFLUENCE.
AND WHAT YOU NEED IN THE ROOM IS INFLUENCE ONE.
MY SECOND SPECIALIZATION IS IN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO IMPORTANT NEAR AND DEAR TO MY LIFE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE A FIDUCIARY.
THAT MEANS THERE'S A, THERE'S A DUTY OF CARE, A DUTY OF LOYALTY, AND A DUTY OF OVERSIGHT.
THAT MEANS YOU'VE GOTTA MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS.
YOU GOTTA BE THE PERSON IN THE ROOM THAT SAYS, WAIT, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THAT WHEN EVERYONE HAS JUST GONE WITH THE FLOW, YOU'RE SAYING, HOLD ON A SECOND, LET'S LOOK AT THAT AGAIN.
YOU DON'T MAKE FRIENDS DOING THAT.
YOU HAVE TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS THAT MAKE PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE.
I'M VERY COMFORTABLE DOING THE UNCOMFORTABLE THING.
I THINK IT'S JUST PART OF BEING A MARINE.
SO THAT'S VERY FINE FOR ME TO DO THAT.
ANOTHER THING, ANOTHER ONE OF MY, UM, ONE OF MY, UM, SPECIALIZATIONS IS TECH MANAGEMENT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO MODERNIZE THE PORT.
AND IT'S BEEN ALLUDED TO ALREADY.
I FEEL LIKE I'M SAYING THE SAME THING'S HAPPENED AGAIN, THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE EXTREMELY TALENTED.
BUT WITH MY TECH MANAGEMENT SPECIALIZATION AND MY TECH BACKGROUND IN THE MILITARY, WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND IF WE CAN LOOK AT THEM FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, WE CAN USE NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO PROBABLY SAVE LIVES.
AND WHAT SOMETIMES SEEMS DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED IS ALSO INCREASED REVENUE AND PROSPERITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY.
BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, IT SEEMS LIKE ALL SHIPS SHOULD RISE IN THE TIDE, BUT SOMEHOW NATIONAL CITY GETS LEFT BEHIND.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CAN HAPPEN.
ASYMMETRY, ASYMMETRIC GROWTH IS NOT GROWTH.
BUT YET I THINK AT SOME POINT WE NEED TO STOP BEARING THE BLUNT FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
AND WE NEED TO START GETTING OUR FAIR SHARE.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE NEW GUY BRINGS.
I HAVE NO LOYALTY TO ANYBODY BUT THE PEOPLE.
BUT THAT'S BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE.
THAT WAS MY WHOLE MARINE CORPS CAREER.
AND I LIKE THAT POSITION BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, BEING AN IMMIGRANT FROM ENGLAND, LIVING ON THE EAST COAST, COMING TO THE WEST COAST, I NEVER, EVER FIT IN.
SO IT'S NEVER SOMETHING I CAN SAY I NEVER FIT IN.
BUT YOU KNOW, THAT MEANS I, FROM EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE, I'M NO ONE, BUT I'M EVERYONE.
I HAVE LEARNED TO BRIDGE GAPS BECAUSE I CAN FIND THE SIMILARITIES.
SIMILARITIES WHAT YOU NEED TO FIND IN ORDER TO FIND COALITIONS AND FIND WAYS TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO SAY NO.
TURN THAT INTO A MAYBE AND THEN MAYBE INTO A YES AND A YES AND TO AN ABSOLUTELY.
AND FIND PEOPLE WHO WILL ALLY WITH US AND WORK WITH US TO GET THE THINGS THAT THEY KNOW ARE THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO.
EVEN IF IT DOESN'T LIE IN THEIR POCKETS.
'CAUSE THEY GOTTA SLEEP WELL AT NIGHT.
MY DAUGHTER'S MOVING HERE, SHE'S GONNA CAL POLY SLOW BOY.
SHE'S GONNA BE HERE DEALING WITH THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT WE WILL BE DEALING WITH.
SO IT'S PERSONAL TO ME, BUT LET'S BE REAL.
I'M PROBABLY GONNA DIE A DECADE EARLIER THAN I WOULD LIKE TO BECAUSE OF MY SERVICE IN FUKUSHIMA, DAIICHI, THAT NUCLEAR REACTOR.
SO I UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC, I MEAN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
AND ONE THING, ESG IS A REAL THING.
AND TRUTH BE TOLD, ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE ISSUES ACTUALLY SAVE LIVES AND INCREASE MONEY.
BUT PEOPLE DON'T WANNA DO IT 'CAUSE HARD WORK AND IT'S NOT POPULAR.
WE NEED TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS.
AND BEING THE NEW GUY, THE GUY THAT NOBODY KNOWS MEANS I'M THE HIDDEN WEAPON.
AND YOU MAY SAY, WELL YOU, YOU'RE NEW TO NATIONAL CITY.
BUT MOST OF MY DAYS HAVE BEEN SERVING NATIONAL CITY.
I JOINED THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AFTER BEING HERE FOR, I THINK IT WAS EIGHT DAYS IN ON THE WEST COAST BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING THINGS.
I STAYED BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THINGS.
I SERVED BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING THINGS.
I CAN'T SAY I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL HERE, WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK.
MY SWEAT EQUITY IS HERE, MY MONEY GOES HERE.
I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME IN THIS CITY.
THAT'S WHAT I BRING MY SKILLSET OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER SO THEY CAN SHAKE HANDS AND HOLD HANDS AND PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIKE EACH OTHER CAN HUG EACH OTHER.
IS ONE THING THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED.
ALSO, THE ABILITY TO RESTORE REPUTATIONS.
WHETHER, WHETHER PURPOSELY OR NOT, REPUTATIONS HAVE BEEN MARRED, PERCEPTIONS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED, THAT HAS TO BE FIXED.
I'M THE RIGHT PERSON TO DO THAT.
I'VE BEEN DOING THAT ALL MY LIFE, MY WHOLE LIFE.
AND I'M NOT TALKING BAD ABOUT ANYBODY, BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS CHARACTER MATTERS.
YOU HAVE TO BE BEYOND REPROACH 'CAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY, OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE ALWAYS UNDERSTAND WHAT
[01:30:01]
THAT MEANS AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT.THERE IS AN ECONOMIC IMPACT TO NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING.
OKAY, I'M GONNA STOP YOU SO YOU HAVE TIME TO ANSWER THE THE NEXT QUESTION.
WE'RE DOWN TO, UH, JUST A LITTLE TWO MINUTES.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES AND ALSO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT NATIONAL CITY WILL BE FACING IN ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY? AND HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING A POSITIVE FORCE IN DEALING WITH THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES? THE MOMENTUM WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOME GREAT MOMENTUM RIGHT NOW WITH SOME ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, INITIATIVES THAT ARE ALREADY UNDER PLACE.
I THINK RIGHT NOW, AS YOU START SEEING THE WHEELS TURN AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING YES, YOU CAN START NOW TO WORK ON THEM SAYING YES TO OTHER THINGS AND DOING WHAT'S RIGHT.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS EVERY INITIATIVE THAT GOES FORWARD ASKS THE YES AND QUESTION, NOT ONLY FIX THIS ISSUE, BUT WHAT IS THE SECOND, THIRD, YOU KNOW, TERTIARY EFFECTS OF THAT DECISION.
AND MAKE SURE THOSE DECISIONS THAT MAY AFFECT US YEARS FROM NOW STILL BENEFIT US AND DON'T IMPACT US ADVERSELY IN YEARS TO COME.
SO JUST THINKING OF THE OUT YEARS IS SOMETHING THAT I DO.
I MEAN, IT'S PART OF THE NBA MY MIND.
MY MIND IS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT BUSINESS AND SEEING NUMBERS.
I DREAM AND HAVE NIGHTMARES ABOUT NUMBERS, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE EQUITABLY AND FAIRLY RECEIVE OUR SHARE.
WE MAY NOT RECEIVE WHAT WE'VE LOST IN THE PAST, BUT IF WE ARE HANDING OUT MONEY, CAN WE BE FIRST FOR ONCE BEFORE EVERYTHING RUNS OUT? IS THAT FEASIBLE? IS THAT DOABLE? CAN WE JUST GET SOME FAIRNESS FOR FAIRNESS SAKE AND CALLING THAT OUT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T CREATE ENEMIES, BUT MAKES PEOPLE LOOK AT THEIR MORAL COMPASS AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE, FOR THE PORT AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST FOR THEIR LOCATION AND THEIR EX SECTION AND IGNORING US.
WE HAVE TO BE A VOICE IN THE ROOM.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WOULD SAY THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME CHALLENGES BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE TO DO THE THINGS THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE AND WE NEED TO REALLY CHANGE THE WAY THAT'S DONE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROBLEM FROM THE SAME EYES AND THE SAME POSITION THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET THE SAME RESULTS.
IT'S TIME THAT WE STEP BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
IF WE NEED TO TURN THE CHEST TABLE AROUND TO SEE IT FROM A DIFFERENT WE SECTION OR A DIFFERENT WAY, WE SHOULD DO THAT AS WELL.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO TAKE A BREATH IN.
TAKE A BREATH IN FOR YOUR NOTES, TAKE A BREATH, IF YOU MIGHT ENTERTAIN ME AND EXHALE IT IN THREE SECONDS.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT NATIONAL CITY READS RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IS WHAT I PROPOSE TO BRING IF I AM APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION.
WE CAN SEE WHY YOU WERE A COMMUNICATION MAJOR
OKAY, I'M GONNA TAKE THE PREROGATIVE OF PICKING THE LAST ONE SINCE IT'S A SURPRISE.
BUT YOU KNOW ME AS MITCH BEAM.
IT'S NOT A GLORIFICATION OF THE DECADES OF EXPERIENCES.
FROM RECEIVING THE MUNICIPAL YOUTH RECOGNITION AWARD FROM MAYOR GUTOW IN 1964 TO CURRENTLY SERVING AS CITY TREASURER FOR ALMOST 16 YEARS.
I HAVE BEEN PART OF NATIONAL CITY AND CIVIC REGIONAL, REGIONAL CIVIC ACTIVITIES MUCH OF MY 77 YEARS.
I KNOW PERSONALLY TWO OF THE PRESENT PORT, UH, COMMISSIONERS DUE TO MY INVOLVEMENT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS FOR THE PAST FOUR DECADES THROUGH MY BUSINESS AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT, PROVIDING INCOME FOR UP TO 50 EMPLOYEES.
MY EN ENVIRONMENTAL WORK HAS ALSO INVOLVED PROJECTS IN MEXICO, FOR WHICH I BECAME A MEXICAN CITIZEN AND RAN A RAILROAD THERE DUE LARGELY TO MY SPANISH CLASSES AT GRANGER AND SWEETWATER.
A MAIN CONCERN I HAVE PROMOTED IS DIVERSIFICATION OF RAIL SERVICE TO OUR AREA FOR EFFICIENT AND COMPETITIVE MOVEMENTS OF GOODS.
AS A CITY COUNCILMAN, I WAS AWARE THAT A, UH, LUMBERYARD DOWN ON BY WHERE HARLEY DAVIDSON IS NOW, WAS GETTING THEIR THEIR WOOD BY TRUCK.
I SAID, WELL, YOU GOT A REAL SPUR.
WHY DON'T YOU USE THAT BECAUSE IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE? 'CAUSE BNSF HAS A MONOPOLY.
SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO BREAK THAT MONOPOLY AND THAT SERVES THE PORT TOO.
SERVING AS A NAVAL OFFICER IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA IN THE LATE SIXTIES MADE ME AWARE OF THE CONDITION OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN LAND.
APART FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH MY FAMILY'S NEIGHBOR ACROSS PARADISE CREEK, JIM TOLEDO AND HIS PRODUCE FIELDS ME, ROSALIE, REST IN PEACE.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE INTEREST OF NATIONAL CITY THROUGH THE CONSENSUS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, BE CONVEYED TO THE OTHER SIX COMMISSIONERS IN CONCERT WITH THE TRUST RESPONSIBILITIES AS WAS REPORTED.
WELL, ONE OF THE PROPONENTS HERE OF THE SAN DIEGO UNIFIED PORT DISTRICT, THIS IS HOW I SEE MOVING FORWARD ON ISSUES AT THE PORT.
COMPROMISE IS THE, AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF PORT GOVERNANCE.
[01:35:01]
SPECIAL INTERESTS IN PORT AFFAIRS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AS VALID INPUT, NOT AS A MANDATE.MY SERVICE ON THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE'S TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE THROUGH THE OFFICE OF SPILL PREVENTION AND RESPONSE AS APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF ASSEMBLY, PLACED ME IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO SEE THE OPERATIONS OF THE PORTS OF CALIFORNIA AND THEIR CHALLENGES AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES WITH OUR BAY.
THIS ALL GAVE ME A VERY DEEP WORK, UH, OF A VERY DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF STATE GOVERNMENTAL FINANCES AND POLITICS, WHICH MOST OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW.
AND WE'RE FINDING THE RESULTS OF THAT.
YOUR THREE MINUTES HAS EXPIRED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WORKING WITH THE COAST GUARD AND NAVY AND THIS, THANK YOU THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP ON THAT NOW.
SO NOW WE GET INTO THE, UH, THE QUESTIONS AND BEEN ON HERE FOR QUESTION NUMBER ONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. BEACHAM FOR BEING BEFORE US.
QUESTION NUMBER ONE, WHAT MAKES YOU THE BEST CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT NATIONAL CITY AS ITS PORT COMMISSIONER? UH, AS I POINTED OUT IN SEVERAL OF THESE, UH, DIS THIS DISCUSSION ITEMS HERE.
UM, I'VE BEEN CITY COUNCILMAN HERE FOR EIGHT YEARS UNDER WATERS.
AND IN SO I UNDERSTAND THE COUNCIL MECHANISMS, WHICH HAVE VASTLY CHANGED FROM THOSE DAYS AS WE, AS YOU AND I KNOW, UM, AND I'VE SEEN HOW THE PORT HAS TREATED NATIONAL CITY THROUGH, WELL, LARRY RULY WAS, I I WASN'T INVOLVED IN THE, IN HIS TIME, BUT WHEN, UH, JESS VANNER CAME IN AND THEN, UH, BUDKE.
UM, SO I'VE SEEN HOW THEY HAVE BEHAVED WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AND I'VE SEEN THAT THERE'S BEEN A RELATIONSHIP OF THE SOUTH BAY CITIES AND THE THREE SAN DIEGO COMMISSIONERS.
BUT SOMETIMES THESE ALLIANCES HAVE TO BE MADE.
THAT'S WHY I SAY THE WORD COMPROMISE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE COMPROMISE HERE TOO, AND I HOPE TODAY WE'RE GONNA GET A UNANIMOUS VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE NEWSPAPER REPORTER SAY A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR THE PORT COMMISSIONER.
SO, SO LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT.
UM, MY EXPERIENCE AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT, THIS BAY, MY GRANDFATHER GOT PICTURES OF MY GRANDFATHER AS WAS POINTED OUT.
THE FIRST TERMINAL, THE, THE PIER HERE WAS WAS FRANK KIMBLE'S AT 19TH STREET.
UM, I, I, I'M, UH, ONE OF THE TRUSTEES AT THE, THE NATIONAL CITY TRAIN DEPOT.
SO THAT'S NOT A PORT FACILITY, BUT IT'S, WE SEE PORT THINGS GOING ON AND JUST REALIZED THE OTHER DAY WORKING AT THE DEPOT, AMAZON'S GONE.
MY OFFICE USED TO BE ACROSS THE STREET HERE AND BEING AT THE DEPOT, I, I SEE ALL THESE, THESE CHEMICAL SMELLS THAT COME IN.
THE, THE ONE DOWN HERE WAS FROM THE PAINT SHOP ACROSS THE STREET, BUT ALL THIS STUFF COMING IN.
SO I'VE BEEN PART OF THESE POLLUTION ISSUES.
BUT AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT, MAINLY IN CHULA VISTA WITH THEIR BAYFRONT, BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME RAW LAND TO DEAL WITH.
AMP POINTED OUT, WHAT'S DONE IS DONE AND WE HAVE TO WORK WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT.
BUT THE BALANCED PLAN HAS SOME OPPORTUNITIES TRYING TO CRAM THOSE CONTAINERS IN, UH, ALONG THE SOUTHWAY WALL.
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE RAILROADS IN THIS AREA RIGHT NOW, I'M IN THE, I'M THE, UM, THE BIOLOGIST FOR A MINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT.
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BUY THE RAILROADS TO GET THE EAST LINE BACK IN.
SO WITH TWO RAILROADS COMING IN, I HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE.
'CAUSE A PORT WITHOUT A RAILROAD DOESN'T WORK.
THAT'S WHY FRANK KIMBALL GAVE HALF, THREE QUARTERS OF HIS PROPERTY TO GET THE RAILROAD HERE.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY AND THEN ALSO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT NATIONAL CITY WILL BE FACING IN ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY? AND HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING A POSITIVE FORCE IN DEALING WITH THESE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES? THE PORT HAS THE SAME ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY.
THEY HAVE SOME, SOME SH SOME THEY MAY NOT BE FALLON NOW, BUT THEY HAD A FACILITY THAT WAS TAKING TRONA, WHICH IS A, A SODA ASH FROM THE DESERT LOADING.
AND IT HAD A BIG TRAY CONVEY SYSTEM.
IT JUST SAT THERE WAS IDLE FOR YEARS.
AND WHEN WE CAME AT THE RAILROAD TRYING TO GET THEM TO DO SOMETHING, THEY WERE, THEIR HANDS WERE TIED BECAUSE THEY'D GOTTEN A LEASE AND NOTHING WAS HAPPENING.
SO WE NEED TO USE ALL THE PORT LANDS THAT THEY HAVE.
THAT'S, THAT'S IN SAN DIEGO, RIGHT? BUT THE PORT IS A SYSTEM.
UM, SO MY GRANDFATHER, PICTURES OF HIM WITH, WITH, UH, WISER THE SPORTING GOODS STORY, ALL KINDS OF DEAD BIRDS.
THEY SHOT DOWN THE SOUTH, SOUTH PART OF THE SOUTH BAY WILDLIFE REFUGE.
[01:40:01]
COMING OUT AT THE, AT THE, UH, AT THE, THE, UH, HOT WATER AT THE, UH, SOUTH BAY, UH, ELECTRICAL FACILITY.UM, WE USED TO WATER SKI ACROSS SAN DIEGO BAY BEFORE PARADISE CREEK.
YOU HAD TO GET THERE, HIGH TIDE TO GET THE BOAT IN AND GO ACROSS.
AND I HAD ALL THESE BROWN TROUT FLOATING OUT IN THE BAY.
'CAUSE THEY'RE JUST DUMPING THE SEWAGE IN THE BAY.
SO THERE'S CHANGES THAT I'VE SEEN AND I SEE CHANGES NOW WITH ALL THESE CARS.
ALL THE DEALERS ARE SEEING THAT PROBLEM.
SO WE HAVE TO DIVERSIFY THE PORT'S REVENUES BECAUSE WE BENEFIT FROM THAT.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PORTS DIVERSIFICATION.
SO WE HAVE EMPLOYMENT, THAT'S EMPLOYMENT STATUS AS POINTED OUT.
WE WANT PEOPLE IN OUR CITY TO WORK THERE.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A NATURAL TO DO THAT.
THE LAST THING IS NOT THE LAST THING, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS SEA LEVEL RISE.
THERE'S THIS LINE THAT GOES DOWN TIDELANDS AVENUE.
ISN'T THAT FUNNY? THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THAT.
AND IT GOES THROUGH THE, THE MARINA.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH TIDAL INUNDATION IF THE, IF THE GREENLAND ICE SHEET GOES, GOES, WE AT 20 FEET.
I MEAN, OUR LIBRARY'S GONNA HAVE BOATS TO GET, YOU GOTTA HAVE A MARINA TO GET INTO THE LIBRARY.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE FUTURE IS COMING TO US AND DIVERSIFY WITH THE PORT SYSTEM OVER.
YOU HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE AND A HALF LEFT IF YOU'D LIKE TO USE UP THAT TIME.
WELL, I WOULD JUST HOPE THAT WHEN YOU MAKE A DECISION CLEARLY, WELL, I, NOT CLEARLY, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A DIVERTED DI DIVERSE VOTE, BUT I, I HOPE IT WOULDN'T, WON'T BE.
BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, I WOULD ASK PROBABLY MAYBE SOMEBODY MOVE TO CAST IN THE UNANIMOUS BALLOT TO SHOW THAT THIS AGENCY IS TOGETHER ON THIS ISSUE.
YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF INPUT FROM A VERY POPULAR PERSON, AND HE IS, IT IS FROM A GREAT FAMILY.
I THINK I CAN HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
JUST COMING IN, IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET USE OF THESE AGENCIES.
TOOK ME THREE MONTHS TO GET MTDB UNDER CONTROL.
IF IT WEREN'T FOR BYRON WEIR, YOU KNOW, I'D BE DRINKING SODAS.
THAT FINISHES OUR, THE INTERVIEWS.
I THINK I CAN SPEAK, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL OF US UP HERE, THAT WE, HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE FIVE WHO PUT THEIR NAMES FORWARD.
UH, THAT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO DO IN A PUBLIC, PUBLIC FORUM AND PUT YOU AND YOUR LIFE OUT THERE.
AND, UH, BUT WE APPRECIATE THAT THE, UH, UH, WHAT WE WILL GO FORWARD WITH IS THERE WILL BE A, UH, VOTING PROCESS.
THERE WILL BE THE, THERE WILL BE A, UM, A SHEET THAT WILL BE GIVEN OUT TO EACH ONE OF THE SEATING COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WILL HAVE THE FIVE NAMES ON IT.
EACH ONE, EACH PERSON ONLY GETS TO VOTE FOR ONE.
YOU'VE GOT FIVE PEOPLE HERE, AS YOU KNOW, SOMEONE MENTIONED VERY GOOD PEOPLE.
YES, VERY GOOD, VERY HONORABLE PEOPLE.
AND, AND, AND EACH ONE WITH THEIR OWN, UH, ABILITIES, TALENTS THAT ARE VERY SPECIAL.
AND, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, AND TOO BAD YOU CAN'T HAVE A COMBINATION OF ALL FIVE OF THOSE KIND OF COME TOGETHER, MAKE ONE, ONE PERSON AND THAT'D BE GREAT.
SO, UH, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY THEN FOR US EACH TO VOTE THOSE.
THEN WE WILL VOTE AND ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND WE WILL SIGN THE PIECE OF PAPER.
SO THIS WILL BE A SECRET NON-SEC BALLOT BECAUSE WE WILL BE PASSING THOSE OVER TO OUR CITY CLERK.
AND AFTER THEY'RE RECEIVED BY THE CITY CLERK AT THAT POINT, THEN, UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH, UH, THAT'S UP THERE, UP ON OUR WALL WILL BE, UH, THEN HE WILL GIVE AN INDICATION ON WHO HIS CHOICE IS.
'CAUSE HE WILL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE REST OF US VOTED ON.
AND THEN OUR INDIVIDUAL VOTES WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THAT POINT, IF ANYONE RECEIVES ON THAT FIRST BALLOT, BECAUSE THERE'LL BE FIVE VOTES IF ANYONE RECEIVES THREE OR MORE VOTES, THAT WILL BECOME THE PERSON WHO IS SELECTED.
UM, IF THERE IS NOT, IF THERE IS DIVISION OF VOTES, THEN THAT WILL GO TO A SECOND ROUND.
UH, BUT YOU HAVE TO RECEIVE AT LEAST ONE VOTE ON THE FIRST BALLOT TO GO TO THE SECOND BALLOT.
UM, AND THEN ON THE SECOND BALLOT, ONCE AGAIN, IT WOULD GO DOWN THE LINE.
IF THAT WAS TO CON NEED TO CONTINUE.
WHEN, WHENEVER THERE IS A POINT TO WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER IT'S ON THE FIRST BALLOT OR THE SECOND BALLOT OR THIRD BALLOT, SOMEONE RECEIVES A MAJORITY OF VOTES, THAT PERSON WILL BE THE NOMINATION, WILL BE THE NOMINEE.
THERE WILL, AT THAT POINT, THEN I TRY NOT TO MAKE THIS TOO COMPLICATED.
BUT AT THAT POINT, THEN THERE WILL BE, HAVE TO BE MADE UP HERE A VOTE.
SO IF SOMEONE MAKE A, A MOTION AND A SECOND TO HAVE THAT PERSON BE OUR PORT COMMISSIONER, AND THEN THAT WOULD MOVE FORWARD AT THAT POINT.
AM I DESCRIBING THAT RIGHT, UH, MR. ATTORNEY AS
[01:45:01]
CLEARLY AS THAT LONG PROCESS CAN GET? YES, I KNOW, I KNOW.SO, UM, AT THIS POINT, UM, WE HAVE, HUH, UM, GENERAL COMMENTS.
IF YOU GUYS WANNA MAKE GENERAL COMMENTS, WE WILL ALLOW THOSE.
I, I REALLY JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE APPLICANTS, UH, TO PUT YOURSELF THROUGH THIS.
IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT, UM, TASK.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STEPPING UP AND WANTING TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR SHOWING UP AND, UH, SUPPORTING YOUR RESPECTIVE CANDIDATES.
I KNOW YOU ALL DEEPLY CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND I ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS OF THE MAYOR.
UM, EVERY ONE OF YOU ARE, ARE VERY GOOD AND QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE AT THE PORT.
UH, WE DO HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE AT THE MOMENT, BUT, UH, BUT I REALLY WANNA COMMEND YOUR EFFORTS.
AND LET ME JUST STATE FOR THE RECORD, THE VOTE TONIGHT IS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS TERM, BASICALLY TILL THE END OF THIS, UH, THIS YEAR.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE CANDIDATES FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO SERVE.
OUR GOAL NOW, AS MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, IS TO CHOOSE WHO IS THE PERSON WHO WILL BEST REPRESENT OUR CITY, OUR PEOPLE IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT PARTNER AGENCY, LET US SET ASIDE POLITICS AND TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE PLEDGE AND WHO WE IN, WHO WE PLEDGE TO, TO SERVE OUR CITY AND OUR PEOPLE.
I HAVE EXPRESSED THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, SOMETIMES HARD DECISIONS ARE MADE.
WE HAVE A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR AND BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT AND WITH ALL PARTNER AGENCIES.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WHO WE APPOINT TONIGHT UNDERSTANDS THE DYNAMICS OF DOING BUSINESS WITH THE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AGENCIES WE WORK WITH.
WE HAVE ONE GOAL HERE TONIGHT, AND THAT IS TO PUT OUR CITY FIRST, WHO WILL REPRESENT US IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITY.
UH, I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE CANDIDATES TONIGHT.
UH, I AM SO PROUD OF NATIONAL CITY.
UH, THE WAY THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING US TONIGHT IS WE, NATIONAL CITY IS SO VERY SPECIAL BECAUSE OF, UH, THE DIVERSITY, THE, UH, INTELLIGENCE OF OUR CANDIDATES.
I, I ABSOLUTELY SEE YOUR HEART IN WANTING TO SERVE THIS PRECIOUS CITY OF OURS.
UM, THE CANDIDATES, THE, THE CALIBER OF THE CANDIDATES IS, IS, UH, WELL DEMONSTRATED.
I FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THIS DECISION AS I'M SURE THAT, UH, YOU ALSO FEEL THAT WEIGHT.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE AND, UH, WANTING TO DO THE BEST FOR NATIONAL CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
COUNCILMAN BUSH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? UH, YEAH.
UH, AGAIN, THANK ALL THE CANDIDATES.
MR. BEACHUM, MR. MATTHEWS, MR. FERNANDEZ, MR. UM, UH, MAYOR, UH, ENZA, DR.
UM, UNGA, I THINK EACH OF EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR APPLYING, FOR GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, FOR PUTTING YOURSELVES OUT THERE.
'CAUSE IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT EASY.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CALL TO SERVICE.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST BACKGROUND FOR, FOR FOLKS, AND I'M KIND OF TALKING TO MY COLLEAGUES TOO ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
WE'RE HERE BECAUSE, UM, THE PORT AND BECAUSE OUTSIDE GROUPS WHO EXTRACT FROM NATIONAL CITY AND WHO HAVE DONE SO HISTORICALLY, UM, THOSE WHO BENEFIT FROM, FROM NATIONAL CITY AND BENEFIT FROM THE CURRENT STATUS QUO OF US BEING ONE OF THE MOST POLLUTED CITIES ON THE BAY FRONT OF US, GENERATING MORE REVENUE PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER CITY.
UM, SO THEY PRESSURED US AND PUSHED US TO GET RID OF OUR STRONGEST FIGHTER FOR NATIONAL CITY WHO WAS SENDING THAT ON, UH, SUPPORT COMMISSIONER.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE LOST, I THINK A, A GREAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE, AND THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR ME IS ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, JUSTICE.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANYONE IN THIS ROOM THINKS THAT, UM, OR THAT ROOM, I SHOULD SAY
AND, YOU KNOW, WE DISAGREE ON, UM, ON STRATEGY AND APPROACH.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT OUR DISAGREEMENT HAS BEEN WITH THE PORT A LOT OF TIMES.
BUT WE'RE UNIFIED AS A CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO GET, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, THAT WE GET OUR FAIR SHARE FROM THE PORT ON OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DOLLARS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, UH, FOR, UH, THIS CANDIDATE, UH, TONIGHT.
UM, A A FIGHTER FOR NATIONAL CITY AND, AND, AND SOMEONE WHO'S GONNA BE A CHAMPION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
UM, AND SO I, I APPRECIATE AGAIN, EACH AND EVERY ONE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MR. BEACHAM AND MR. AND, AND MAYOR AND, AND ZZA.
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EXPERIENCE, WHICH I THINK, UH, WE NEED.BUT I AM LOOKING MORE FOR SOMEONE NEW AND SOMEONE TO KEEP THINGS, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
I WANNA LOOK MORE TO, TO THE FUTURE.
SO I, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING, UH, EITHER OF YOU.
I THINK, UH, MR. FERNANDEZ, I SHOULD SAY, UH, YOU WERE INCREDIBLE.
UM, I, I LIKE, I LIKE THAT, JUST THAT ENERGY AND YOU SEEM LIKE A FIGHTER AND YOU SEEM TO LOVE, UH, NATIONAL CITY.
AND I, I MET YOU A COUPLE TIMES AND LONGSHOREMAN.
SO HAVING THAT, UM, IN YOUR BACKGROUND, I, I, I APPRECIATE, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, AND, UM, MR. UH, MATTHEWS, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE SEEN YOU WORK AT THE CHAMBER FOR A BIT.
UM, AND SO YOU WERE INCREDIBLE TOO, BUT AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY FOR ME, I WILL BE CASTING MY VOTE FOR WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, DOCTOR.
WAIT, YOU, YOU CAN'T, WE, WE, WE HAVEN'T VOTED YET.
SO THAT, THAT YOU'LL GET TO DO IN A MOMENT.
BUT I WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO MY COLLEAGUES I, AND ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO SUPPORT DR.
I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO, THAT'S WHAT I, I'VE MADE UP MY MIND ON THIS.
OKAY, SO NO, I'M, THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA CAST MY VOTE.
BUT YOU'LL GET TO DO A VOTING IN A MOMENT, ALL OF US TO DO IT.
WELL, WELL LET ME ASK YOU THIS, UH, MAYOR.
SO WILL I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN WHY? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE PUBLIC HAS THAT, I MEAN, I ALREADY HAVE THIS RUSH PROCESS.
I DON'T, WE'RE DOING IT WITH THAT
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING GETS THE VOTE.
I'M GONNA ASK FOR EVERYONE TO FILL OUT THEIR SLIP.
YOU HAVE TO PRINT YOUR NAME ON THERE.
AFTER YOU, UH, CHECK OFF A CA ONE, ONLY ONE CANDIDATE.
YOU HAVE TO PRINT YOUR NAME AND SIGN IT.
SO LOOK ABOUT THIS SIZE, AND THEN WE PASS THOSE DOWN AND WE WILL PASS THOSE OVER TO, UH, OUR CITY CLERK.
AND THEN WE WILL ASK, UH, COUNCILMAN BUSH.
SO SINCE WE DON'T KNOW HOW HE'S GONNA VOTE, IF
WE CAN DO THIS IF GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UH, IF, IF HE WOULD, IF HE WOULD, UH, UM, PUT VOCALIZE HIS HIS CANDIDATE BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE OTHER SLIPS.
NOW IF WE COULD GO WITH THE, WITH THE OTHER SLIPS, AND NOT ONLY THE, THE NAME OF THE CANDIDATE, BUT THE COUNCIL MEMBER, HOW MEMBER EACH PERSON VOTED.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA VOTED FOR GIL ANTHONY UN UNGA.
MAYOR MORRISON VOTED FOR GIL ANTHONY UNGA.
BB COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ VOTED FOR NICHOLAS AND ZZA.
EVERYONE'S GOT, GOT THE RIGHT TO VOTE, RIGHT? VICE MAYOR YAMANI VOTE VOTED FOR NICHOLAS AND ZZA.
THEY HAVE A MAJORITY VOTE FOR GIL ANTHONY ANGA WITH BUSH MOLINA AND MAYOR MORRISON.
WITH THAT, WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A NOMINATED PERSON, UH, WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTES.
SO NOW WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT TO ACTUALLY PUT THE PERSON IN THE POSITION.
MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CANDIDATE DR. ANTHONY UNGA AS OUR PORT COMMISSIONER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS TERM, UH, FOR 2024.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
WE DO HAVE TO, UH, DO THIS BY VOICE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WILL, UH, TURN THIS OVER TO OUR, UH, DEPUTY CITY CLERK AND IF YOU WILL SURE.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY WITH THAT.
UH, SO WITH THAT, OUR, OUR NEW PORT COMMISSIONER WILL BE, UH, GIL ANTHONY UNGA.
HE WILL NEED TO BE, HE WILL NEED TO BE SWORN IN BY OUR, BY OUR CLERK.
AND THEN HE WILL ALSO NEED TO BE SWORN IN BY THE CLERK AT THE, UH, AT THE PORT AUTHORITY.
SO YOU'LL BE, BE SWORN OUT MORE THAN ONCE AND PROBABLY BY THE END OF THIS TERM, A LOT MORE TIMES THAN THAT.
BUT, UH, UH, SO WITH THAT, UM, WE
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ARE BASICALLY ADJOURNED.HE GETS, HUH? HE GETS, UH, NO, NORMAN, NORMAN IS NOT, NOT AT THIS CERTAIN, WE, I, UH, WE, WE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
I DUNNO IF SHE'S PREPARED TO DO THAT RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT HE'S GONNA BE THE
UH, LET, LET ME JUST SAY THAT.
IF I CAN'T, UH, HE WILL NOT BE SWORN IN RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT.
HE CAN COME IN AND BE SWORN IN ANYTIME IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO.
AND THEN HE WOULD BE SWORN IN WITH THE PORT, EITHER BY, EITHER ON THE 18TH OR BEFORE THAT 18TH, WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST MEETING, UH, THE NEXT MEETING OF THE PORT.
AND I, I WOULD, UH, I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO MAKE THAT CONTACT WITH THE PORT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
POSSIBLY WE CAN GET THE SWEARING IN DONE TOMORROW AND THEN GET THAT DONE WITH THE PORT AND SO THAT HE'S, UH, AVAILABLE FOR AVAILABLE TO SERVE, UH, NEXT TUESDAY.