[00:00:02]
LIKE TO EVERYONE, DO YOU FIND A SEAT SEAT? I KNOW.
UM, OKAY, WE CAN QUIETEN DOWN.
ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE PROCEED, I REQUEST THAT THE INTERPRETER TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPLAIN THE CITY'S INTERPRETATION SERVICES THAT WILL BE OFFERED FOR THIS EVENING CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, WE WILL BEGINNING WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS IN SPANISH, AND I'LL BE BACK WITH INSTRUCTIONS IN ENGLISH.
THE NATIONAL CITY CITY COUNCIL PROUDLY OFFERS INTERPRETATION SERVICES FOR THIS MEETING.
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FEATURE, CLICK ON THE INTERPRETATION ICON AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN AFTER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, AND CLICK ENGLISH AS YOUR LANGUAGE BEFORE ANY REASON YOU DO NOT SEE THE ICON, SIMPLY CLICK ON MORE THE THREE DOTS, THEN ENGLISH AS YOUR LANGUAGE FOR INTERPRETATION.
WITH THAT, I'D ALSO ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE SILENCE ALL CELL PHONES OR ANY OTHER DEVICES IN THE CHAMBER SO WE ALL START GETTING UP AND DANCING TO WHATEVER MUSIC YOUR RINGTONE IS.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER A LIVE WEBCAST.
A MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY'S WEBSITE INFORMS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
ONE IS IN PERSON IN THE CHAMBERS BY SUBMITTING ONE OF THESE SLIPS OVER TO OUR CITY CLERK, UH, EITHER BY ZOOM, UH, PRE-REGISTERING AT LEAST ONE HOUR BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING, OR BY EMAILING NO LATER THAN ONE HOUR BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING.
ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY WEBSITE IF, UH, IF THEY ARE RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
WITH THAT, IF WE COULD HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE.
CAN WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION.
AND, UH, UH, MEMBER IVANNI, COULD YOU READ US PLEASE? PLEASE STAND.
BEGIN ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
SEE, AND BOBBY DOMINGUEZ, IS HE THERE SOMEWHERE? I WAS TOLD HE WOULD BE HERE.
WITH THAT, UH, WE WOULD NOR NORMALLY NOW GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE IT A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER AND, UH, INSTEAD I'M GONNA GO DOWN TO OUR,
[7.1 Presentation of 2025 Storm Water Calendar]
UH, PRESENTATION, WHICH IS OUR PRESENTATION OF THE 2025 STORMWATER CALENDAR.MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THOSE JOINING US TONIGHT.
I'M EVELYN MOLINA, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY FOR THE ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
I'M A LITTLE ELZA GONZALEZ, OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR OUR DEPARTMENT IS ASSISTING ME TONIGHT.
I'M SO EXCITED TO BE BACK HERE TO PRESENT OUR ANNUAL STORMWATER CALENDAR, OUR CONTEST PROGRAM, AND THE WINNER FOR THIS YEAR'S 2025 CALENDAR.
LAST SCHOOL YEAR, LOCAL THIRD GRADE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE CONTEST WITH A THEME.
BY KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN, WE CAN KEEP OUR CREEKS, BAY, AND OCEAN CLEAN.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTEST IS TO PROMOTE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT WHILE EDUCATING CHILDREN ON HOW TO PROTECT OUR WATER WASTE THROUGH ARTWORK.
THE PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS IN CLASSROOMS ASKED STUDENTS TO SUBMIT ORIGINAL DRAWINGS TO OUR ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, WHERE A STAFF COMMITTEE REVIEWED AND CHOSE ARTWORK FROM 16 STUDENTS TO BE IN THE 2025 CALENDAR.
WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WINNERS AND PRESENT THEM WITH CERTIFICATE, CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION, AND A GIFT CARD FROM WALMART.
[00:05:01]
RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE EDCO FOR THEIR GENEROUS SPONSORSHIP AND THESE GIFT CARDS WERE PURCHASED WITH THEIR KIND DONATION.I ALSO LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THEM FOLLOWING PEOPLE FOR THEIR SUPPORT FROM THE NATIONAL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BOARD MEMBERS, MS. ALO, MS. CASTANERA, MS. GATES, MS. RA, MS. MENTO, NSD STAFF MEMBERS CATHERINE ESE AND SARAH AL PANDO.
AND THANK YOU MS. HAYES WITH KIMBALL SCHOOL FOR THE SUPPORT.
WITH THE INTEGRATION OF THE CONSCIOUS INTO THE THIRD GRADE CURRICULUM, WE ALSO APPRECIATE ALL THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND ASSOCIATED STAFF AND TEACHERS.
WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT, THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE WINNERS, A FEW NOTES TO BE AWARE OF CALENDARS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE SCHOOLS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ECHO, AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THE FIRST WEEK OF JANUARY.
ALSO, SOME OF THE ARTWORK SUBMITTED FOR THE 2025 CALENDAR IN WHICH DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE CALENDAR, WILL BE ON DISPLAY HERE AT CITY HALL FOR OUR VISITORS TO ENJOY STARTING NEXT YEAR.
AS MAYOR MORRISON ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS, THEIR WINNING ARTWORK WILL BE DISPLAYED ON THE SCREENS.
PLEASE, STUDENTS COME UP AND SHAKE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER'S HANDS AND THEN WAIT TO TAKE A GROUP PICTURE ON HERE TO THE RIGHT.
MAYOR MORRISON, WILL YOU PLEASE DO THE HONORS TO INTRODUCE AND AWARD THESE INCREDIBLE STUDENT ARTISTS, WHICH MAKE UP THE 2025 WATER CALENDAR.
UH, JUST TO ADD AS WELL, NATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A SUSTAINABLE DISTRICT AS RECOGNIZED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
I DO BELIEVE THESE ARE, THAT'S, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE WE GOT SOME KIND OF ORDER HERE TO THESE THINGS.
YEAH, BECAUSE I THINK THESE ARE THE LAST HALF.
THAT'S SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER.
THIS MUST BE DECEMBER AND I, I THINK THEY JUST FLIPPED ONE DEAL HERE.
AND THIS ONE CALENDAR PAGE WINNER AND I THINK THEN WE GO TO JANUARY.
I THINK WE GOT 'EM IN ORDER NOW.
AND, OKAY, THEY'RE IN ORDER FOR THIS LIST? YES.
I THINK THIS ONE, THIS ONE GETS SWITCHED.
IN SOME CASES I MAY ONLY GIVE THE FIRST NAME AND THE SCHOOL.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA BUTCHER SOME OF THESE NAMES.
AND, UH, UH, I BELIEVE LIAM FROM EL TOON, WE HERE NOW YOU CAN COME RIGHT OVER HERE.
NOW HIS IS ACTUALLY THE COVER PHOTO, SO YEAH.
AND YOU GET, YOU GOT ONLY A CERTIFICATE, BUT YOU GET $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE.
YOU WANNA SAY RIGHT DOWN THROUGH THERE? WE GOT THE CUP.
NEXT FROM, AND ALSO FROM ELTO Y WE HAVE PENELOPE.
AND YOU GOT ONLY A CERTIFICATE, BUT YOU ALSO GET A $30 GIFT CERTIFICATE.
WE GOT TWO DIFFERENT SPELLINGS HERE.
NEXT FROM, UH, CENTRAL ELEMENTARY, WE HAVE, UH, MIA, NICOLE, THERE'S THAT.
AND YOU GET A $30 GIFT CERTIFICATE
[00:10:03]
FROM EL TOON.WE HAVE, UH, SCARLET JUMP STARTED SILENT WAY TO GO.
AND FROM OLIVE WOOD, WE HAVE LARISSA.
HEY, FROM PALMER WAY, WE HAVE MIA.
THOSE ALL SEEM TO BE IN ORDER, BUT THAT THIS ONE'S OUT.
WE'RE HUNTING FOR SOMEONE HERE.
WE MAY BE MISSING A CERTIFICATE.
DO YOU HAVE ONE THERE? NO, I DON'T HAVE ONE.
UH, WE HAVE WITH, UH, FROM RANCHO.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU.
WE'LL GET THAT OVER TO YOUR SCHOOL.
AND FROM EL TOON, WE HAVE MONTS ALL CONGRATULATIONS.
AND NEXT FROM RANCHO DEONE, WE HAVE ADRIANA.
CONGRATULATIONS, MISS ADRIANA.
AND THOSE YOU GET TO KEEP GOOD.
AND FROM PALMER WAY, WE HAVE AUDREY.
AND WE NEXT WE HAVE FROM EL TOON, WE HAVE, UH, ETHAN, THERE'S GO.
IT'S GOING TO PARIS WITH YOUR PRIZE.
AND ANOTHER ONE HERE FROM RANCHO NAONE.
[00:15:01]
AND THERE YOU ARE.AND, AND FROM EL TOON, WE COME UP WITH DIEGO.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, FROM PALMER WAY, WE HAVE MOLINA.
AND DO WE HAVE ONE OF THE TEACHERS OR PRINCIPAL, ANYTHING FROM RANCHO
WOULD YOU MIND TAKING THIS ONE FOR, FOR VICTORIA? OKAY.
HAVE, HAVE HIM RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM.
I'M LIKE, YOU'RE DROPPING MONEY.
WANT ABOVE IN FRONT HERE? YEAH.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY, THEY GET LOST BEHIND THIS.
WE'RE GONNA LINE UP THIS WAY SO YOUR PARENTS CAN TAKE PICTURES THIS WAY.
AND WE DO HAVE ONE FOR, UH, KILA.
WE WILL GET, WE WILL GET YOU A, UH, CERTIFICATE.
WE'LL HAVE YOU COME OVER HERE AND STAND RIGHT HERE.
AND COULD WE ASK FOR THE, UH, ANY BOARD MEMBERS? I SEE AT LEAST ONE BOARD MEMBER AND, UH, AND YEAH.
YOU GUYS ARE WELCOME TO GO BACK.
NATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT FOLKS, THEY WANNA MAKE SURE WE KEEP A LANE OPEN FOR THE FIRE.
THE FIRE LANE MUST BE OPEN, SO IF YOU'RE IN HERE, THERE ARE NO MORE SEATS.
WE'LL HAVE TO EITHER TAKE SEATS THAT ARE VACANT OR GO OVER TO THE OVERFLOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HONORING THE KIDS.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT FOR THE CALENDARS.
I JUST WANNA SAY ONE MORE TIME.
WE'LL GIVE EVERYONE JUST A MOMENT TO, UH, MOVE ON OUT SO WE CAN KEEP GOING.
PLEASE TRY TO CLEAR OUT ON IT BACK INTO THE HALLWAY.
YOU SEE THOSE PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
[00:20:01]
YOU DON'T NEED TO.ALRIGHT, PAPERWORK ALL HERE REAL QUICK.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT]
WE NOW GO INTO PUBLIC ORAL COMMUNICATION AND WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON, UH, ON ZOOM.SO WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THEM FIRST.
WE DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS THIS EVENING, SO I'M GONNA PUT A LIMIT OF TWO MINUTES.
I'M A PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCATE AND IN LIGHT OF NATIONAL IMPAIRED DRIVING AWARENESS MONTH THIS DECEMBER, I WANTED TO REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT THE ILL EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA USE ARE WELL KNOWN, SPACED OUT BEHAVIOR, IMPAIRED JUDGMENT, CLOUDED SENSES, A DISTORTED SENSE OF TIME, SLOW REACTION, AND COGNITIVE DECLINE.
WE DON'T WANT THOSE UNDER MARIJUANA TO INFLUENCE DRIVING OUR ROADS.
WITH THIS IN MIND, I URGE THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT NON-USERS RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED AS MUCH AS THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO GET HIGH ON MARIJUANA AND DRIVE.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WITH A MARIJUANA LOUNGE LOOMING ON THE HORIZON HERE.
NON-USERS SHOULD NOT BE PUT AT RISK BY THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE.
ONE CONCERN IS THAT WHILE TESTS FOR ALCOHOL IMPAIRED DRIVING ARE PRETTY MUCH STANDARDIZED, THOSE FOR TESTING MARIJUANA ARE NOT.
AND I WONDER HOW THE CITY IS ADDRESSING THIS.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT UNLIKE WITH ALCOHOL, BLOOD LEVEL OF CANNABIS IS NOT DIRECTLY CORRELATED TO IMPAIRMENT LEVEL.
SOMETIMES DETERMINING MARIJUANA IMPAIRMENT IS CONDUCTED BY OFFICERS VIA STEP-BY-STEP EVALUATIONS.
BUT THAT CAN BE A COMPLICATED PROCESS AND THE DEGREE OF INTOXICATION IS OFTEN UP TO AN OFFICER'S PERSONAL EVALUATION.
AS SUCH, I URGE YOU TO ENSURE A HIGH DEGREE OF TRAINING FOR THOSE DOING THIS JOB.
AND I WONDER ALSO IF THERE WILL BE TRAINING FOR CANNABIS WORKERS TO DETERMINE WHEN SOMEONE HAS OVER IMBIBED MARIJUANA.
AGAIN, IT'S COMPLICATED, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT DRIVER SAFETY CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THESE CONCERNS.
GOOD EVENING, NATIONAL CITY, CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR MORRISON.
I'M A PARENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR.
LAST WEEK, SURGEON GENERAL REPORT ENTITLED, ELIMINATING TOBACCO RELATED DISEASE AND DEATH RESEARCHERS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE ADDED THEIR THOUGHTS TO THIS REPORT HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
STAN GLANCED FACULTY MEMBER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN THE DIVISION OF CARDIOLOGY, STATED IN A QUOTE, ALLOWING CANNABIS USE INDOORS LIKE YOU WOULD FIND IN A MARIJUANA LOUNGE, WILL UNDERMINE THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE OVER THE DECADES TO PROTECT PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE EMPLOYED IN JOBS IN HOSPITALITIES IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR FROM EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND TOBACCO SMOKE.
AND THIS CONTRIBUTES TO HEALTH DISPARITIES.
HE CONTINUES AND I QUOTE, PROTECTING OUR POPULATIONS FROM EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND TOBACCO SMOKE, INCLUDING EXPOSURE TO CANNABIS.
SMOKE IN ALL INDOOR SETTINGS SHOULD REMAIN A PRIORITY.
A WORD WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REVIEW CONCLUDED THAT EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT CANNABIS SMOKE IS A CARCINOGEN.
CALIFORNIA ADDED CANNABIS SMOKE TO ITS LIST OF CARCINOGENS
[00:25:01]
AS REQUIRED UNDER CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65, CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARD ASSESSMENT STUDIES SUGGEST THAT MANY OF THESE SAME CONSTITUENTS OF TOBACCO SMOKE ARE PRESENT IN CANNABIS SMOKE.NOW WOULD BE THE BEST TIME FOR OUR CITY TO CONSIDER AN EMERGENCY BAN OF MARIJUANA AND TOBACCO SMOKING AND VAPING IN THE WORKPLACE AND RECONSIDER THE PERMITTING OF MARIJUANA LOUNGES.
LET'S KEEP NATIONAL CITY SMOKE FREE AND VAPE FREE.
JUST LIKE THE KIDS PRESENTATION, THEY WANT CLEAN PARKS.
WE WANT SMOKE FREE AND VAPE FREE CITIES.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING MY CONCERN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH YOUTH, I'M HERE TO HIGHLIGHT THE URGENT PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF MARIJUANA AND THE STRIKING PARALLELS WITH THE TACTICS OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY, BOTH OF WHICH CONTINUE TO TARGET CHILDREN AND YOUTH.
RECENT RESEARCH FROM UC SAN DIEGO REVEALED A SHOCKING DISREGARD FOR LAWS MEANT TO PROTECT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM FLAVORED TOBACCO AND NICOTINE PRODUCTS.
DESPITE FEDERAL AND LOCAL REGULATIONS, MORE THAN TWO THIRDS OF ONLINE RETAILERS SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED FLAVORED VAPING PRODUCTS.
EVEN IN CITIES LIKE NATIONAL CITY WHERE THESE SALES ARE EXPLICITLY BANNED.
EQUALLY ALARMING, 93% OF THESE DELIVERIES BYPASS THE REQUIRED AGE VERIFICATION PROCESS.
TOBACCO COMPANIES HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF USING A PALING FLAVORS, ATTRACTIVE PACKAGING AND ONLINE PLATFORMS TO HOOK YOUNG PEOPLE.
THEY'RE NOT JUST SELLING PRODUCTS, THEY'RE PURPOSEFULLY ENCOURAGING AND BANKING ON LIFELONG ADDICTIONS.
WE'RE SEEING MARIJUANA COMPANIES MIMIC THESE PREDATORY PRACTICES USING EDIBLES FLAVORED PRODUCTS AND ADVERTISING TACTICS THAT APPEAL DIRECTLY TO KIDS.
ENFORCEMENT ALONE CANNOT COUNTERACT THE STRATEGIES OF INDUSTRIES THAT PROFIT FROM ADDICTION.
WE NEED STRONGER OVERSIGHT, BETTER PROTECTIONS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO RECONSIDER THE EXPANSION OF MARIJUANA COMMERCIALIZATION IN OUR CITY.
THE PARALLELS WITH THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY ARE TOO OBVIOUS TO IGNORE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR MORRISON AND COUNCIL.
I'M A PARENT AND A PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR HERE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT DECEMBER IS NATIONAL IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH WITH THANKSGIVING WEEK BEHIND US AND THE CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS END, THE HOLIDAY SEASON QUICKLY APPROACHING, RESIDENTS MUST TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION WHEN DRIVING PRESIDENT BIDEN RELEASED A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THAT TOO MANY FAMILIES KNOW THE PAIN OF LOSING A LOVED ONE TO DRUNK OR DRUG IMPAIRED TRAFFIC CRASHES.
EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 10,000 AMERICANS LOSE THEIR LIVES IN THESE PREVENTABLE CRASHES.
AND IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT DRIVERS ONLY DRIVE SOBER TO KEEP THE ROADS SAFE.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY SHERIFF KELLY MARTINEZ STATED THAT SO FAR IN 2024, NEARLY 900 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING.
A DUI DOESN'T MEAN JUST BOOZE.
PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS AND MARIJUANA CAN ALSO IMPAIR DRIVING ABILITIES.
A RECENT STUDY PUBLISHED IN JAMA LOOKED AT MARIJUANA INVOLVEMENT IN EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS FOR TRAFFIC INJURIES.
THE STUDY FINDS THAT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD DOCUMENTED MARIJUANA IN THEIR SYSTEM AND WERE INVOLVED IN TRAFFIC RELATED EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS, 49.5% OF THEM WERE ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND 21% OF THEM WERE ADMITTED, ADMITTED TO THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.
IN COMPARISON, ONLY 6% OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A GENERAL TRAFFIC IN INJURY VISIT TRAFFIC INJURY VISITS, EXCUSE ME, GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND ONLY 1.8% GO TO THE ICU.
THIS SHOWS DRIVING HIGH ON MARIJUANA AS YOU'RE 20 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE ADMITTED TO THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT WHEN INVOLVED IN A TRAFFIC CRASH.
THOSE WHO SELL MARIJUANA PRODUCTS MUST BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
PLEASE CONSIDER A POLICY MANDATING DUI PREVENTION INFORMATION PRESENTED AT POINT OF PURCHASE SALES AT LOCAL MARIJUANA RETAILERS.
MY NAME IS ARMANDO SEPULVEDA II.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SOUTH BAY AND AM CURRENTLY WORKING AS A PREVENTION SPECIALIST FOR SAY, SAN DIEGO.
I STUDIED POLITICAL SCIENCE AT SDSU, UH, TO POSITIVELY IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY.
AND AS A PREVENTION SPECIALIST, I WORK IN PREVENTION WITH YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND LEAD OUR REGULATORY EFFORTS WITH SMOKE SHOPS WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
I SPEAK TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CREATION OF A TOBACCO
[00:30:01]
RETAILER LICENSE FOR NATIONAL CITY DUE TO THE NEED TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR YOUTH WITHIN SOUTH BAY.ACCORDING TO THE CAL CALIFORNIA TOBACCO ASSESSMENT TOOL FROM STANFORD UNIVERSITY, 81% OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITHIN NATIONAL CITY, OR 13 OUT OF THE 16 ARE LOCATED WITHIN A THOUSAND FEET OF A, OF A TOBACCO RETAILER.
A STUDY ON ADOLESCENT USE AND COUSE OF TOBACCO AND CANNABIS IN CALIFORNIA, UH, SHOWS THAT, UM, SMOKE SHOPS NEAR YOUTH SENSITIVE SPACES INCREASES YOUTH ACCESS TO SAID PRODUCTS.
THE SAN DIEGO SMOKE-FREE PROJECT CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF TOBACCO RETAILERS IN NATIONAL CITY, WHICH INCLUDED 34 CONVENIENCE STORES OR GAS STATION SLASH MINI MARTS, 12 LIQUOR STORES AND FOUR SMOKE SHOPS.
THEY FOUND THAT NEARLY 18% OF THE AFOREMENTIONED STORES SOLD TOBACCO TO AN UNDERAGE INVESTIGATOR WITHOUT CHECKING FOR ID, 26% OF THE STORES FAILED TO CHECK ID FOR OF THE UNDERAGE INVESTIGATOR, INCLUDING IN 44% OF THE UNDERAGE SALES THAT OCCURRED IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
FURTHER HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE TRL WITHIN THE CITY.
I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROTECT YOUTH FROM THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY, ADVOCATING FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE TRL PROGRAM AND TO PROMOTE THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR YOUTH.
VAPE VAPING ONLY CONTINUES TO RISE AS AN EPIDEMIC AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WILL ONLY EXACERBATE THE HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG SOUTH BAY RESIDENTS IN REGARDS TO RESPIRATORY ILLNESS AND ADDICTION.
AS SOMEONE WITH ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCE RELATING TO SMOKE SHOPS, I CAN ATTEST THAT SOME OF THEM ARE SELLING PRODUCTS SUCH AS HALLUC, ENERGETIC GUMMIES, INTOXICATING HEMP FLAVORED TOBACCO, AND MORE ITEMS WHICH SHOULD BE CUT AWAY FROM OUR YOUTH AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
I THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AND FOR PRIORITIZING THE HEALTH OF OUR YOUTH IN NATIONAL CITY.
UM, AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, I AM HERE TONIGHT TO URGE THE CITY TO ENACT LOCAL CONTROLS ON MARIJUANA PACKAGING OF HIGH POTENCY THC PRODUCTS.
WE NEED WARNING LABELS AND BETTER CONTROL OVER THIRD PARTY DELIVERIES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PURCHASING MARIJUANA.
PROP 64 WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT KIDS FROM ADDICTIVE MARIJUANA PRODUCTS.
HOWEVER, THE DATA FROM THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND CORONER SHOWS THAT PROTECTION HAS FAILED.
OUR KIDS AT SEVERAL RECENT COMMUNITY FORMS, SAN DIEGO DOCTORS NATALIE LOB OF RADY'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND ER DOCTOR RON LEFF SHARED WHAT THEY SEE EVERY DAY REGARDING THE HARMS OF MARIJUANA TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS.
THEY POINT TO A HUGE INCREASE IN HOSPITAL AND ER ADMISSIONS DUE TO MARIJUANA USE.
BOTH DOCTORS CONCLUDED THAT A HIGHER 90% CONCENTRATION OF THC PRODUCTS IS LIKELY BEHIND THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
THE INCREASE IN PSYCHOSIS EPISODES ARE DUE TO MARIJUANA USE AND THE AVAILABILITY OF THESE PRODUCTS.
THE FASTEST GROWING AGE GROUP USING MARIJUANA ARE FEMALES 11 TO 13 YEAR OLDS.
THE CORONER REPORTS MARIJUANA IS THE NUMBER ONE DRUG ASSOCIATED WITH SUICIDE IN THOSE UNDER 25.
AGAIN, I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY THAT THE CITY AND ACTS LOCAL CONTROL OF MARIJUANA, PACKAGING OF HIGH THC PRODUCTS.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
AND MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR ZOOM COMMENTS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE TWO WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM MARY BADER AND PAUL WAKI.
WE WILL NOW GO TO AUDIENCE SPEAKERS AND I'M GONNA CALL UP THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME.
SO WHEN I CALL FIRST PERSON TO BE UP AT THE MIC, THE NEXT TWO BE IN THE AISLE.
THAT WAY IT'LL GO, GO NICE AND QUICK THAT WAY.
UM, ROSEANNE RODRIGUEZ, JO CHAA DOMINGUEZ, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE BRIAN ANGEL RODRIGUEZ.
HI, MY NAME IS ROSEANNE JOSO AND I'M HERE TO VOICE THAT I'M A VICTIM OF FRAUD LINK CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN CANNABIS COMPANY ELEMENT SEVEN AND THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY ILLEGALLY USING MY SIGNATURES FOR PROFITABLE GAIN.
IN EARLY 2022, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE APPROACHED IN OUR PLACE OF WORK, UNSOLICITED BY GREG MORENO MORENO CLAIMED TO BE AN OWNER OF HOLISTIC MARIJUANA CLINIC FOR VETERANS.
HE STATED THAT IN ORDER FOR HIM TO OPERATE IN THE CITY, THAT IT WAS REQUIRED BY NATIONAL CITY TO GIVE BACK 1% TO A LOCAL NATIVE MORENO KNOWINGLY MISREPRESENTED THE NATURE OF, OF HIS AGREEMENT, CLAIMING IT WAS FOR CHARITY IN COMPLIANCE WITH CITY REGULATIONS.
[00:35:01]
DUE TO PERSISTENT HARASSMENT AND DECEPTION, I WAS MANIPULATED INTO SIGNING DOCUMENTS WITHOUT TRUE DISCLOSURE OF THE CONTRACTS.LATER DISCOVERING I WAS LISTED AS 51% OWNER.
I NEVER HAD COMMUNICATION WITH ELEMENT SEVEN OWNERS, BOBBY DEVITO, JOSH BLACK, NOR WITH ANY CITY OFFICIALS FOR A MEETING OF THE MINES DURING ANY APPLICATION PHASES TO CONFIRM ANY CONTRACT, AUTHENTICITY AND OR UNDERSTANDING OF NOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VETO LEADING ME TO CONCLUDE THAT MY SIGNATURES WERE OBTAINED BY PREMEDITATED CORRUPTION.
MY SIGNATURES WERE PROSTITUTED TO OUTSIDE HIGH PROFILE MONEY, THIRSTY CRIMINALS WITH INTENTION TO OPERATE A MILLION DOLLAR CANNABIS STOREFRONT BY PROFITEERING ON MY NAME.
MY SIGNATURES WERE SET, WERE SOLD OUT BY THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY FOR A FINANCIAL LUER.
I CALLED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND AN INVESTIGATION FOR THE EXTREME NEGLIGENCE DISPLAYED THROUGHOUT THE LICENSING PROCESS.
THERE IS A BLACK HOLE IN YOUR APPLICATION POLICY.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE ARE HERE.
THIS IS MISAPPROPRIATION OF IDENTITY.
CITY COUNCIL HAS SEATED HIGHLY EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS WHERE THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED.
I HAVE BEEN EXPLOITED BY A SHADY BUSINESS DEAL, WHICH HAS CAUSED ME SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS.
AND I AM VERY UPSET THAT THIS, THE CITY COUNCIL'S UNJUSTIFIABLE NEGLIGENCE, ALONG WITH ELEMENT SEVEN, HAS VIOLATED MY PEACE AND A RIGHT TO PUBLICITY.
PLEASE, THIS IS INTENTIONAL, NOT ACCIDENTAL.
THIS IS UNJUST AND VERY SHAMEFUL THAT YOU SIT THERE PENCIL PUSHING, DEALING WITH MAFIAS, WITH DIPLOMAS, AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
YOU JUST WORE AN O TO PROTECT.
I JUST WANNA SAY YOU HAVE YOU GUYS HAVE MOTHERS, SISTERS, WIVES, PERHAPS EVEN DAUGHTERS.
WOULD YOU STAND SILENT IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN TO THEM, OR WOULD YOU STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH? IF YOUR WISDOM GLEANS AS BRIGHT AS YOUR DEGREES, YOU'LL KNOW WHAT YOU DID WAS WRONG.
AND YOU'LL FIX THIS IMMEDIATELY.
WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THE DARK WILL ALWAYS BE REVEALED IN THE LIGHT.
NEXT, WE HAVE BRIAN TO BE FOLLOWED BY DUKEY VALDERRAMA TO BE FOLLOWED BY BILL NOEL.
A UM, I REMEMBER AT ONE TIME IN POINT, REPUTATION WAS HIGHLY ESTEEMED AMONGST ANYBODY HERE BACK EARLY IN THE 19 HUNDREDS, EVEN THE FOREFATHERS OF THIS NATION, RIGHT? MY RESPECT FOR YOU HAS BEEN TAINTED.
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER OF SECOND CHANCES, BUT I'M UPSET, DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED HAPPENED UNDER YOUR WATCH.
I DON'T HAVE TO BE BABIED INTO UNDERSTANDING SOMETHING.
MY WIFE SPENT CALCULUS OF WEEKS, HOURS AT NIGHT FIGURING IT OUT, ME DOUBTING, SAYING, OH, YOU'RE JUST OVERTHINKING STUFF.
BUT NOW IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
THERE'S TRUTH TO BE TOLD, AND I DON'T NEED YOU GUYS HIDING BEHIND YOUR CONFIDENCE TO ESCAPE A REAL CONSEQUENCE.
THIS IS DISTURBING AND THIS IS UPSETTING.
AS A NATIONAL CITY NATIVE FROM THE CITY, I ASKED YOU, RON MORRISON TO STEP UP AND AND FIGURE IT OUT.
YOU'RE HELD, YOU'RE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
I EXPECT YOU GUYS TO FIGURE IT OUT AND START DOING WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO DO, PERIOD.
IF IT'S FRAUDULENT, IT'S FRAUDULENT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WEAR MASK AND HIDE BEHIND OUR SEATS.
HIDE BEHIND THE CONFIDENCE TO ESCAPE THIS TRUE CON CONSEQUENCE FOR WHATEVER ACTIONS TOOK PLACE.
AND I DON'T LIKE MY WIFE TO BE UPSET.
AND IF ANYTHING'S REASONABLE, BE REASONABLE.
I HOPE YOU GUYS DO THINK ABOUT IT AND TAKE CARE OF IT BECAUSE WE WILL PUSH THE ISSUE.
UH, DO RA FOLLOWED BY BILL NOEL TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MAUI GARCIA.
YEAH, MY NAME IS DUKEY VALVAR.
I'M A LIFETIME RESIDENT OF NATIONAL CITY.
UM, IN MY PROFESSIONAL, UH, CAREER, I OWN FIVE COMPANIES.
I'VE DONE OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS OF WORK.
AND SO I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BUSINESS BACKGROUND AS FAR AS HOW A BUSINESS SHOULD OPERATE IN MY ENTIRE BUSINESS CAREER.
[00:40:01]
I HAVE NEVER SEEN WHERE AN EXISTING ORGANIZATION WOULD COME INTO A COMMUNITY LIKE NATIONAL CITY FINANCE, AN ORGANIZATION 100% OUT OF THEIR POCKET, AND GIVE A LOCAL OWNER LIKE ROSE, 51% CONTROL OF, OF THAT COMPANY.SO ROSE ROSE'S, I, I'VE MET WITH HER, SHE HASN'T WORKED SINCE JUNE BECAUSE OF, OF WHAT HAS THE PRESSURE THAT HAS BEEN PUT UPON HER BY ELEMENT SEVEN.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE INDICATING THAT THERE'S FRAUD GOING ON.
YES, SHE DID SIGN SOME DOCUMENTS, BUT THEY TOLD HER THEY WERE GIVING HER 1% INTEREST OF THE COMPANY.
THAT'S FAR FROM THE, THE APPLICATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THIS CITY.
THIS CITY IDENTIFIED ROSE AS A 51% OWNER WITH A 51% OWNERSHIP.
THAT MEANS YOU CONTROL THE BUSINESS.
WHEN I MET WITH ROSE, SHE INDICATED THAT SHE HAS NEVER MET WITH A CITY REPRESENTATIVE TO VERIFY HER 51% OWNERSHIP INTEREST, NOT TILL SHE MET WITH THE MAYOR.
JUST LAST WEEK, I, IN I, I SAID, LET'S MEET WITH THE MAYOR BECAUSE SHE SAYS, HEY, I'M READING ALL THESE DOCUMENTS AND IT SAYS I HAVE 51% OWNERSHIP INTEREST, BUT THEY'RE TELLING ME I HAVE ONE.
EVERY DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT YOU HAVE HAS INDICATED THAT THESE NEW COMPANIES THAT ARE COMING IN ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOCAL OWNER CONTROLLING 51% OWNERSHIP INTEREST.
THE SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THIS SITUATION IS NONE OF THESE 51% OWNERSHIP INTERESTS HAVE EVER BEEN VET VETTED BY THE CITY STAFF.
IF THE CITY STAFF HAD VETTED ROLES, THEY WOULD'VE FOUND OUT THAT NO, SHE, SHE, SHE WOULD'VE HEARD THEIR POSITION, HER POSITION, THAT THEY WERE ONLY GIVEN HER 1% INTEREST.
SO MY POSITION IS THE CITY NEEDS TO LOOK HARD AT THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN WITH A LOCAL OWNER.
DO THESE PEOPLE REALLY OWN 51% OF THE BUSINESS? IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, THEN OUR CITY HAS BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE BY BIG MONEY AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE EXPENSE OF OUR CITIZENS, OUR CITIZENS.
THAT IS, I FEEL FOR THIS YOUNG LADY.
SHE'S, SHE'S TOLD ME SHE'S LOST HER HAIR.
SHE CAN'T WORK BECAUSE THE CITY NEVER VETTED HER.
OKAY, PLEASE, PLEASE SUMMARIZE.
SO ALL I ASK IS, PLEASE, BEFORE YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE LOCAL COMMUNITY, 51% OWNERS, YOU VET THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE TRUE.
51% OWNERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU BILL NOEL TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MAUI GARCIA TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHERRY GOGI.
MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
MY NAME IS BILL NOEL, UH, BORN AND RAISED IN NATIONAL CITY.
FAMILY'S BEEN HERE FOR OVER 70 YEARS, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN A CANNABIS OPERATOR AROUND THE, AROUND THE STATE HAVING ON MANY LICENSES.
I QUIT APPLYING FOR 'EM BECAUSE THEY WERE IN EVERY CITY.
THERE WAS CORRUPTION, THERE WAS MANIPULATION.
IT WASN'T UNTIL NATIONAL CITY SOMEONE APPROACHED ME.
I WON'T SAY WHO ASKED ME TO GET INVOLVED.
THEY, I READ THE, THE, UH, LOCAL OWNER AGREEMENT AND IT SAID WHAT THEY WERE OFFERING WOULD'VE MADE ME SIGN THAT FRAUDULENTLY.
I TURNED IT DOWN INSTEAD THOUGH, BECAUSE I LIKED WHAT WAS WRITTEN.
I BELIEVED THE CITY WAS TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
I PARTNERED WITH DUKEY, WHO HAPPENS TO BE A LONG-TERM FRIEND OF MINE, AS WELL AS A EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBER.
AND WE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, A BUNCH OF THINGS LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO ROSE, WHICH I KNOW THOSE OPERATORS, IT'S NOT JUST LIMITED TO ROSE.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT GOT APPLICATIONS PASSED.
NOT FOR WHAT I JUST GAVE THE CITY CLERK TO PASS TO YOU GUYS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ONE THAT FITS THE RULES THAT APPLY IN THAT SHEET.
A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I ASKED YOU TO SLOW THE PROCESS, INTERVIEW THESE PEOPLE, TALK TO 'EM, GOT VOTED DOWN, DIDN'T DO IT THEN EITHER.
NOW YOU'VE GOT CITIZENS BEING HARASSED BECAUSE THEIR BUSINESS FELL APART AND PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING WHAT THEY WANT.
AND THERE'S INTERNAL FIGHTING.
SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES HAVEN'T FALLEN APART, BUT TRUST ME, THEY STILL DON'T HAVE LOCAL OWNERSHIP
[00:45:02]
TAKING MY MONEY.YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN THE MONEY, YOU'VE PROCESSED THE APPLICATIONS.
YOU HAVEN'T DONE WHAT'S LISTED ON THAT SHEET THAT YOU SAID YOU WOULD DO THAT THE STAFF WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.
INTERVIEW PEOPLE, VALIDATE THE OWNERSHIP AND KNOW YOUR OWNERS.
DO YOU KNOW YOUR LOCAL OWNERS? PLEASE SUMMARIZE.
AND I'M JUST ASKING YOU TO, I'LL READ ONE LAST THING.
THE NOTICE THAT WAS GIVEN SAYS THIS NOTICE IS TO CLARIFY THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE QUALIFICATION FOR LOCAL OWNERSHIP BY ESTABLISHING THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS TO MITIGATE AGAINST POTENTIAL PREDATORY PRACTICES.
YOU WROTE THAT IN YOUR AFFIDAVIT AND THEN YOU DIDN'T PROTECT THE PEOPLE AGAINST THE PREDATORY PRACTICES.
UM, MORY GARCIA, FOLLOWED BY SHERRY GOGI TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARD NETTO.
UH, I KNOW MOST OF YOU ON THE CITY COUNCIL HERE, AND I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR ALL OF YOU AS HUMAN BEINGS, AS PEOPLE, AS FRIENDS, AND AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BUT I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF MY COUSIN ROSE.
UM, I, I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS DO THE RIGHT THING, OKAY? PROTECT PEOPLE LIKE HER, PROTECT PEOPLE LIKE WHO KNOWS HOW MANY OTHER VICTIMS ARE OUT THERE.
THEY JUST HAVEN'T COME FORWARD.
AND, UH, LET'S PUT A STOP TO THIS.
OKAY? LET'S CLEAR THINGS UP AND LET'S TRY TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE MY COUSIN WHO ARE BEING VICTIMIZED.
UH, SHERRY GOGI TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDO, TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRIAN CLAPPER IN AMERICAN DONATO.
TWO MINUTES OF QUICK TIME TO GET THROUGH WHAT I HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
FIRST OFF, UH, ADRIAN'S RAISED HAVING A BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER AT THE AMERICAN NEEDS ON SATURDAY.
IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT BREAKFAST, SO WE'LL SEE YOU THERE.
SECOND, UM, RANGE OF COMING PEOPLE I'M BRINGING BACK UP TO MY FLOOD.
WE ARE FLOODED OUTTA OUR HOME ON JANUARY 22ND.
WE OFFICIALLY FINISHED OUR HOME ON NOVEMBER 25TH, 10 MONTHS OF LIVING IN TURMOIL.
WE'VE BEEN DISPLACED AND GONE THROUGH THIS.
YOU HAVE HIRED THE SAME CONTRACTORS TO WORK ON THE DITCH UP THE STREET FROM WHERE WE ARE DOING THE SAME THING THEY DID.
WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT'S NOT GONNA FLOOD? ENGINEERING IS WRONG ON THIS.
PLEASE HELP US PROTECT OUR HOME.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS NOW THE WATER'S COMING ON THE STREET, IT WILL BYPASS ALL THAT AND COME INTO THE STREET RIGHT TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AGAIN, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY WAY ONE WAY TO GO IS DOWNHILL AND WE'RE THERE, THERE'S FIVE RESIDENTS IN THERE.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO DO THIS AGAIN.
I'M ASKING YOU PLEASE, FOR TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN ASKING YOU, LOOK, TAKE THE GRATE OUT.
IT'S BEEN UP SINCE THE FLOOD, BUT THE MINUTE SOMETHING COMES THROUGH, IT'S GONNA BLOCK BECAUSE IT STILL BLOCKS IN THE TOP.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE TELL ME THEY CAN TAKE IT OFF.
THEY HAVE SOME WELDING EQUIPMENT, WHATEVER.
PLEASE GET THE CITY WORK ON THAT.
NOBODY HAS DONE NOTHING BUT CUT WEEDS IN THE LAST YEAR.
UH, EDWARD NTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRIAN CLAPPER AND AMERICA DONATO.
YOU HAD TWO BIG ISSUES, BOMBS.
I HOPE YOU GUYS TAKE CARE OF IT.
BUT HERE, I'M, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENT THAT WAS PRESENTED AT THE LAST MEETING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I THINK IT'S, IT WAS A GOOD THING.
IT ACTUALLY HAS REVENUE EXCEEDING EXPENDITURES.
BUT HERE'S THE THING, IT'S LATE AND YOU, IT CAN'T BE LATE.
AGAIN, THIS IS INFORMATION THAT YOU USE ON A TIMELY AND ACCURATE MANNER.
THIS IS THE INFORMATION THAT YOU DEPEND ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, I NOTICED THAT THE NEW FINANCE MANAGER SAID, IS IT GONNA, YOU ASKED HIM IF IT COULD, IS GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN? HE SAID, YES, IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA DIG FOR THE UNDERLYING REASONS WHY IT'S GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN.
DID YOU PROVIDE ENOUGH RESOURCES FOR THIS? GIVE THEM A HAND.
YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT PRI TOP PRIORITY, YOU SHOULD MAKE IT TOP PRIORITY BECAUSE THE FINANCES ARE THE BLOOD OF WHAT, HOW YOU GET THINGS DONE AND YOU'RE NOT DOING IT.
[00:50:01]
MANAGEMENT, CITY MANAGEMENT.BRIAN CLAPPER AND AMERICAN DONATO, FOLLOWED BY MELISSA ARAGON.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY.
WE'RE HERE FROM THE NATIONAL CITY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND WE'VE GIVEN YOU GUYS ALL A FLYER ABOUT OUR EVENT THAT'S COMING UP ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
WE'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS OUT THERE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE SINGING SOME VENDORS.
SANTA WILL BE THERE FOR PICTURES.
IT'S OUR FIRST ONE AND WE HOPE TO DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I'M TAKING PICTURES RIGHT NOW, MAKING SURE LOOKING FOR, BUT WE'RE REAL EXCITED ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, IT'S GONNA BE FROM THREE TO EIGHT.
PLEASE HELP US SHARE AND GET THE KIDS THAT WANT TO TAKE PICTURES OF SANTA AND THERE'LL BE A LOT OF SINGING AND LIKE I SAID, FOOD.
SO WE'D REALLY LIKE TO HAVE Y'ALL COME THERE.
LOOKS LIKE SANTA'S BEEN WORKING ON HIS BEARD.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE RADO AND TAMALES TOO.
OH, THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY.
I, I WASN'T GONNA COME, BUT NOW I AM.
UH, MELISSA GON BE FOLLOWED BY TRUTH TO BE FOLLOWED BY RON POWELL.
HI, UH, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, SO TODAY WHAT BRINGS ME IN IS A, A HUGE CONCERN FOR THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
I THINK IT'S BEEN WELL OVERLOOKED FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND IT'S GETTING WORSE AND WORSE EVERY DAY.
UM, I TRY TO GO OUT AND DO MY PART AS A CITIZEN AS, UH, THE BIBLE SAYS, AND I HATE TO BRING RELIGION INTO IT.
YOU MUST LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
UM, EACH ONE OF US CAN DO A SMALL PART IN HELPING TO ALLEVIATE THIS ISSUE, BUT, UM, I SEE IT A HUGE FAIL
UM, WE HAVE TONS OF RESOURCES HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
I'M AWARE OF THE ALPHA PROJECT.
THEY OFFER A VOUCHER PROGRAM TO HELP THEM GET IDS.
UM, BUT IN DOING SO, YOU ALSO NEED A MAILING ADDRESS.
UM, THE MAIL, THE POST OFFICE HAS A PS FORM 10 93 THAT VERY LITTLE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ARE AWARE OF.
BUT THE RIGMAROLE OF THE WHOLE PROCESS IS SO CONFUSING.
THERE'S NO OUTREACH TEAM AND FORMING THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT THIS IS HOW THEY CAN GO ABOUT GETTING THEIR IDENTIFICATION IN ORDER TO SIGN UP FOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE GREATLY NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE LAS THOMAS PARK, UM, SHOWERS THAT COULD BE, THEY COULD HAVE A VOUCHER PROGRAM FOR THAT TO SHOWER AND CLEAN UP.
UM, YOU COULD HAND OUT TRASH BAGS.
I MEAN, THE TRASH IS JUST ACCUMULATING IN SPADES.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WHEN I GO OUT AND HELP THEM, THEY ASK FOR TRASH BAGS.
THEY WANT TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES.
UM, THEY'RE BEING RAN AROUND BY THE TRAFFIC COPS BACK AND FORTH, LIKE NOMADS.
THEY CAN BARELY CARRY WHAT THEY CAN CARRY.
AND HALF THE TIME WHAT YOU GIVE THEM, THEY LOSE.
OKAY, IN ADDITION, BUS TOKENS, WATER ACCESSIBILITY, AND MAYBE A NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD PANTRY.
UM, WOULD BE SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO TAKE INTO, UM, ACCOUNT.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE TRUTH FOLLOWED BY RON POWELL, FOLLOWED BY SANDY SCHULER.
ALL RIGHT, MARCUS, I APPRECIATE YOUR INNOVATIVE OUTREACH EFFORTS.
I'VE SEEN THE NEWSLETTER AND LISTENED TO THE PODCAST, AND I ACTUALLY KNOW HOW HARD THAT IS.
I'VE REALLY APPRECIATED GETTING SOME CITY PORT HISTORY FROM ALL OF YOU.
UM, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT NATIONAL CITY AND IMPERIAL BEACH SHOULD ALLY TOGETHER ON PORT ISSUES BECAUSE BASED ON ALL OF THE INFORMATION I'VE LEARNED, IT SEEMS NEITHER CITY IS GETTING THE SAME BENEFITS AS THE OTHER MEMBER CITIES.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COALITION VOLUNTEER QUESTION, CORRUPTION WITHIN AND ONE EASY ANSWER.
THEY'VE GOTTEN FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY.
AND SPEAKING OF THAT FOR THE RECORD, BECAUSE TONIGHT'S AGENDA REFERENCE DAY CASE, I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS A DIFFERENT NORRA VARGAS WHO SUED THE CITY AND GOT THOUSANDS IN SETTLEMENT MONEY.
I ASKED THAT SANDAG AND NORRA SEEMED TO TELL THE TRUTH ON THAT ONE.
LAST MEETING, JOSE BROUGHT UP THE CALIFORNIA FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION.
MANY FIND THEM TO BE HIGHLY BIASED AND CORRUPT IN THEIR DECISIONS.
THEY'RE A USELESS ORGANIZATION.
I'VE SEEN MUCH CORRUPTION IN MY ALMOST
[00:55:01]
THREE YEARS OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.NOWHERE WORSE THAN AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
I'VE SEEN POLITICAL PUPPETS FALL AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE IN PUBLIC OFFICE WITH AN INFLATED SENSE OF SELF IMPORTANCE.
SOMETIMES IT COMES TO THE FORM OF QUESTIONABLE SPENDING, ARROGANCE, PARANOIA, AND ENTOURAGE CENSORSHIP, IGNORED EMAILS, OR OPEN DISRESPECT OF PEOPLE WHO TAKE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO SPEAK.
ALL OF THIS MISBEHAVIOR MUST BE ADDRESSED EVERYWHERE, EVERY TIME.
AND GOOD PEOPLE MUST STEP UP AND CHANGE THINGS.
AND THAT'S WHY I ACTUALLY WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY WHO COME TO THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY THINK THEY'RE SOME OF THE MOST INTELLIGENT PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY WHO ARE WILLING TO DIG DEEPER ON ALL THE ISSUES.
AND WITH ONLY 15 SECONDS TO GET THIS IN THE EIGHTH STREET TROLLEY STATION, YOU NEED A BETTER PATHWAY TO IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME INVESTMENTS, SOME ART, SOME SIGNS FIX, SOME OF THE SIDEWALK ISSUES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A BEACON STREETLIGHT OR A STOPLIGHT AT THE FREEWAY ENTRANCE THAT YOU CROSS.
RON POWELL, FOLLOWED BY SANDY SCHULER, FOLLOWED BY, UH, LOUISA MCCARTHY.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR MORRISON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, AND THE RESIDENTS OF NATIONAL CITY IS REALLY GREAT TURNOUT.
TONIGHT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY GOOD.
NEXT WEDNESDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 11TH, THE PORT WILL HOLD ITS FIFTH ANNUAL SOUTH BAY CELEBRATION AT THE AQUATIC CENTER RIGHT ACROSS FROM PEPPER PARK FROM FIVE TO 8:00 PM NOW, THIS IS A FREE EVENT, AND IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL THE KIDS OUT TONIGHT BECAUSE THIS EVENT IS REALLY FOR THE KIDS.
SO WE WANNA HAVE A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND ENJOY, AND IT'S FREE OF CHARGE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE KIND OF EVENTS, ALL PEOPLE HAVE TO DO IS SHOW UP AND ENJOY IT.
SO WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO WHEN THEY GET THERE? THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE PHOTOS WITH SANTA.
THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET FREE FOOD, FREE DRINKS, SOFT DRINKS, NO HARD DRINKS, SOFT DRINKS.
AND THERE'LL BE DRAWINGS FOR GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM BYTA SUPERMARKET.
THERE'LL BE FREE GIVEAWAYS LIKE SCARVES, T-SHIRTS, AND KETTLE CORN.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THIS, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DRIVE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A FREE SHUTTLE FROM THE LIBRARY OVER TO THE AQUATIC CENTER.
UH, THAT WILL OPERATE THE ENTIRE TIME THAT THIS IS GOING ON.
AND I'VE INVITED ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME.
I HOPE Y'ALL GUYS ALL CAN COME.
AGAIN, THIS IS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING FUN FOR THE COMMUNITY TO THANK THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
UH, HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND AGAIN, PLEASE COME OUT TO OUR EVENT.
OH, I'VE GOT FLYERS OUT FRONT JUST LIKE THIS.
THEY'RE RIGHT OUTSIDE ON THE TABLE, SO THANK YOU GUYS.
SANDY SCHULER WILL BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, LOUISA MCCARTHY TO BE FOLLOWED BY MIKA POLANCO, MY FAVORITE MAYOR, HOW YOU DOING? WE'RE DOING GOOD.
UM, WHAT DID WE SEE TODAY IN THE SLIDES? DID YOU NOTICE THE CHILDREN WHO DID TRADITION OF NATIONAL CITY, THE GREEN GRASS, AND HOW BEAUTIFUL AND CLEANING UP AND IT, IT WAS REALLY AMAZING.
AND IF YOU WERE HERE YESTERDAY, WHAT DID WE LEARN? WE LEARNED ABOUT PRIDE.
WE LEARNED ABOUT PASSION, AND WE LEARNED ABOUT PERSEVERANCE OF A SMALL COMMUNITY KNOWN AS LA VISTA, OR KNOWN AS, UM, LINCOLN ACRES, WHERE THE, UM, UM, DEBATE IS GOING ON ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THE PROPERTY WHERE THEY WANNA PUT A LIQUOR STORE AND THEY WANNA PUT A, UH, UH, A CAR WASH AND THEY WANNA PUT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING.
ITS ITS OWN CITY IN NEXT TO A CITY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SCARED ME THE MOST WHEN WE WERE LISTENING TO ROBERT ZHAR WAS THAT HE WANTED TO DO WHAT WAS CALLED COMPETITION.
AND IF YOU LISTEN TO THAT, UM, IN YESTERDAY'S HEARING, I DON'T THINK NATIONAL CITY IS ABOUT COMPETITION.
IT'S ABOUT TRADITION, YOU KNOW, TRADITION, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
AND, AND WHEN WE LOOK AT TRADITION, WE SEE, I MEAN, LOOK AT THIS, LOOK AT THE SIGN BEHIND YOU, MAYOR 1887.
THINK ABOUT THE MORTUARY 1868, AND TO SIT HERE AND DISRUPT THAT WHOLE AREA BECAUSE
[01:00:01]
OF ONE PERSON.AND WHAT WE LEARNED YESTERDAY WAS THE STRENGTH OF THIS INCREDIBLE SMALL COMMUNITY, BUT IT WAS A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH.
SO I'M ASKING YOU TO BE SO KIND AND WATCH YESTERDAY'S PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN BY THE, UM, COMMISSIONERS AND STUFF.
IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY AMAZING.
AND, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY TO ROBERT ZHAR, IF YOU WANT COMPETITION, PICK ON SOMEBODY YOUR OWN SIZE, GO AFTER MIKE TYSON.
BUT PLEASE DON'T GO AFTER THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY.
UH, MY NAME IS LISA MCCARTHY, REPRESENTING LA VISTA MEMORIAL PARK.
UH, YESTERDAY I ALSO ATTENDED THAT PUBLIC HEARING IN THIS VERY ROOM, WE TALKED ABOUT A PROPOSAL TO BUILD A MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT NEXT TO A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
OUR CONCERNS FOCUSED ON AIR POLLUTION, NOISE AND SAFETY.
THIS, UH, PROPOSAL IS TO BE ON ORANGE STREET AND SWEETWATER ROAD, THAT VERY NARROW LITTLE TINY STREET.
THERE WAS A HUGE PRESENCE OF RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES AS YOUNG AS THE YOUNG LITTLE ONES THAT WERE HERE TODAY.
UH, SHE WAS A TINY LITTLE ONE AND SPOKE ABOUT HER CONCERNS FOR SAFETY AND HER FAMILY AND GENERATIONS OF FAMILY MEMBERS WERE HERE.
IT WAS DEFINITELY SPECIAL BECAUSE IT WAS A KIND REMINDER OF HOW WHEN YOU OCCUPY THAT SEAT THAT YOU'RE SITTING IN, YOU HAVE BIG DECISIONS TO MAKE.
AND OF COURSE, YOU LOOK INTO THE BETTERMENT OF ALL RIGHT, IN THIS CASE, YESTERDAY WAS A HUGE PRESENTATION OF HOW THE COMMISSION CARED ABOUT ITS PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE.
SO, WITH THAT SAID, MY ONLY, UH, REASON TO BE HERE IS TO CONGRATULATE THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
A SPECIAL WARM THANK YOU TO MS. FOREMAN WHO TOOK THE LEAD.
BUT NONETHELESS, IT WAS, UM, A BEAUTIFUL WITNESS OF HOW THE COMMISSION DID THE RIGHT THING.
SO IT MIGHT POP UP LATER, LATER DOWN THE LINE, BECAUSE I'M SURE THE DEVELOPER IS NOT HAPPY TODAY AND MAY COME BACK, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY OKAY TO LOOK AT THE PROS AND THE CONS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE FOR.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS MIKAELA POLANCO.
I'M THE OWNER OF LA VISTA CEMETERY.
I PURCHASED A CEMETERY IN 2005.
I DID A LOT OF HISTORY, UH, RESEARCH ON LA VISTA WITH THE NATIONAL CITY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE NATIONAL CITY, UH, HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS, UM, HELPING US WITH OPPOSING THIS PROJECT.
AND THE REASON WE ARE OPPOSING THE PROJECT IS BECAUSE ORANGE STREET IS A VERY, VERY NARROW STREET.
AND, UH, CURRENTLY IT'S ABOUT 25 FEET.
UM, AND THEY ANNEXED, UH, THE, UH, THOSE FOUR, UH, LOTS ON THE CORNER ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SEVEN 11 TO NATIONAL CITY.
THEY WANNA, THEY'RE PROPOSING TO WHITEN THAT STREET, BUT ONLY ABOUT, UM, A PORTION OF THE WAY INTO THAT ORANGE STREET.
BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS FROM ORANGE ALL THE WAY TO LA VISTA, IT'S CONTINUES TO BE NARROW BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE COUNTY.
NOW, THE COUNTY WASN'T NOTIFIED OF ANY OF THESE, NEITHER WAS I.
UH, SO I DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THESE UNTIL THIS WEEK BECAUSE ONE OF THE, UH, FAMILY MEMBERS ACTUALLY CAME IN TO DO A MARKER.
AND THEN THEY GAVE ME A, UM, A FLYER, UH, TELLING ME THAT THIS WAS GOING ON.
I WAS QUITE UPSET BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS A FRIEND OF, UH, RON'S AND A, A FRIEND OF JOSIE'S.
BUT
AND THEY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS LAID TO REST THERE.
A LOT OF, UH, UH, FAMILIES THAT LIVE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY HAVE THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS LATE TO REST THERE AT LA VISTA.
NOW EACH PROCESSION AVERAGES ANYWHERE FROM 50 CARS TO 150, SOMETIMES 500 CARS IF IT'S A LARGE, UH, UH, FUNERAL PROCESSION.
THE PROBLEM WITH SUCH, UH, SERVICES, IF, IF YOU HAVE 300 TO 500 BURIALS OR FUNERAL SERVICES A YEAR, DO THE NUMBER.
WE HAVE OVER 50, A HUNDRED THOUSAND CARS ALREADY GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE CEMETERY.
[01:05:01]
BIG TRUCKS PUTTING A DIESEL INTO THAT GAS STATION, PUTTING, UM, UH, THE CAR WASHES GOING IN THERE, THE DRIVE THROUGH OF THAT RESTAURANT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, THE, UH, RENTAL, UH, FAMILIES THAT ARE GONNA LIVE THERE.AND THEN ANY FAMILY MEMBERS THAT MIGHT GO VISIT THEM.
THE, THE PARKING IS GONNA BE A DISASTER.
MY CON MY CONCERN IS THE ALCOHOL AND MY CONCERN IS ALSO MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHAT IS GONNA DO TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING, UM, THERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR.
MY NAME IS IDON LAZARUS ABUNDEZ, AND I'M A 12TH GRADE STUDENT OF THE SWEETWATER UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
A PROUD MEMBER OF SAN DIEGO YOUTH ADVOCATES.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A NECESSITY FOR VAPING AND NICOTINE TO STOP AMONG OUR YOUTH, HAVING SEEN AN EPIDEMIC ON THE HORIZON.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
EVERY DAY AT SCHOOL, I WITNESS STUDENTS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION, SOME VAPE IN BATHROOMS, OTHERS VAPE ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL.
AND DESPITE KNOWING THE RISKS WITH THEIR BIG, BOLD FONT, PACKAGING THESE PRODUCTS, ACCESSIBILITY AND ENTICING FLAVORS SUCH AS WATERMELON OR STRAWBERRY, HAVE TRAPPED MANY OF MY PEERS IN AN ADDICTIVE CYCLE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS GOES UNENFORCED AT MANY SCHOOLS.
NICOTINE HAS PROFOUND NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON DEVELOPING BRAINS.
ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION.
NICOTINE CHANGES THE WAY YOUR BRAIN DEVELOPS DIMINISHING MEMORY, CONCENTRATION, AND MOOD REGULATIONS.
STUDIES ALSO SHOW THAT VAPING INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF TRADITION OF TRANSITIONING TO TRADITIONAL CIGARETTES, A GATEWAY TO LIFELONG ADDICTION AND SHORTENED LIFESPAN.
LOCALLY, NEARLY 31.4% OF YOUTH IN NATIONAL CITY REPORT HAVING TRIED VAPING AND OF THE STORE SELLING IT, ONLY ONE SMOKE SHOP IN THE ENTIRETY OF NATIONAL CITY HAD A SIGN STATING THAT IT WAS 21 AND ABOVE.
THIS EPIDEMIC HITS CLOSE TO HOME.
I'VE SEEN FRIENDS PRIORITIZE VAPING OVER SCHOOL, SPORTS AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS ALONG WITH FRIENDS OF FRIENDS BEING SENT TO JUVENILE PRISON.
IT'S HEART WRENCHING TO SEE HOW ADDICTION CHANGES THEIR BEHAVIOR, CREATES CONFLICT AT HOME, AND EVEN JEOPARDIZES THEIR FUTURE.
THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSE PROGRAM, YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL, WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
TODAY, TRL PROGRAMS HOLD RETAILERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ILLEGAL SALES TO MINORS BY IMPOSING REGULATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT.
SIMILAR PROGRAMS HAVE REDUCED YOUTH ACCESS TO NICOTINE IN MANY OTHER CITIES, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THEIR PREDICTION THAT THEIR PROTECTION WOULD HOLD ITSELF AS TRUTH IN THE SWEETWATER UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
PROTECTING OUR AND FUTURE GENERATIONS FROM NICOTINE ADDICTION SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER WE DO NOT FINISHES PUBLIC COMMENT.
[6.1 Introduction of New City Employees]
INTO OUR INTRODUCTION OF NEW CITY EMPLOYEES AND, UH, LET'S SEE.FIRST WE HAVE LIBRARIAN WHO'S GONNA BE DOING THAT.
ALRIGHT, WELL I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THIS IS OUR BRAND NEW CHILDREN'S LIBRARIAN, KIM STINSON.
SO KIM HOLDS A BACHELOR'S AND A MASTER'S IN HISTORY AS WELL AS A MASTER'S IN LIBRARY SCIENCE.
UH, SHE JOINED THE NASHVILLE CITY TEAM THREE YEARS AGO AS A PART-TIME LIBRARIAN, AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER AS OUR FULL-TIME LIBRARIAN NOW.
UH, SHE HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS.
UH, SHE'S DEDICATED TO FOSTERING THE LOVE OF, UH, LEARNING IN CHILDREN.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER.
SHE WAS PART-TIME AND NOW SHE'S FULL-TIME AND SHE'S PART OF OUR TEAM.
AND SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO PROMOTE SOMEBODY FROM WITHIN.
UM, I JUST WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY HOW EXCITED AND GRATEFUL I AM FOR THIS CHANCE TO BETTER SERVE MY COMMUNITY.
UH, THANKS FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE LIEUTENANT, UH, SPRINGER HERE.
UH, HE IS NOT HERE, BUT, UM, HE'S VERY HAPPY THAT HE GOT PROMOTED, GOT PROMOTED.
LIEUTENANT
HE'S OUR, UH, DEPARTMENT PHOTOGRAPHER AS WELL.
[01:10:01]
UH, NEXT WE GO OVER TO ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS.STEVE MANGANELLI, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, THIS EVENING I'M PLEASED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THREE OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR WELL-DESERVED PROMOTIONS, UH, DO THEIR WORK SCHEDULES.
THEY'RE UNABLE TO BE HERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON EACH OF THEM.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE JAMES BEECHER.
JAMES BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH THE CITY AND NATIONAL CITY IN JULY, 2005 AS A RECREATION AIDE.
HIS DEDICATION AND HARD WORK LED TO A TRANSFER TO THE PUBLIC WORKS PARKS DIVISION AS A SEASONAL PARK AIDE.
OVER THE YEARS, JAMES HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED HIS VALUE TO THE TEAM, EARNING PROMOTIONS TO PARK CARETAKER, SENIOR PARK CARETAKER, TREE TRIMMER, AND NOW PARK EQUIPMENT OPERATOR.
THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE WITH THE PARKS DIVISION, JAMES HAS DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL ABILITY TO WORK UNDER PRESSURE, A WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT SPECIAL PROJECTS, AND PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL EVENTS, AND AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.
HIS STRONG WORK ETHIC, KINDNESS, AND PROFESSIONALISM HAVE EARNED HIM THE RESPECT AND ADMIRATION OF HIS COLLEAGUES.
WITH HIS TRANSITION TO PARK EQUIPMENT OPERATOR, JAMES' LOYALTY, DEDICATION, AND PASSION FOR HIS WORK WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR PARKS DIVISION EVEN BETTER.
DAVID BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A MAINTENANCE WORKER WITH THE NATIONAL CITY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IN 2018.
HE HAS WORKED EXTREMELY HARD OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS TO HONE HIS SKILLS, WHICH INCLUDE EARNING HIS CLASS A LICENSE TO OPERATE HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND OBTAINING THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATIONS TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SEWER SERVICE COMPANIES, INCLUDING PIPELINE ASSESSMENT, CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, LATERAL ASSESSMENT, CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, AND MANHOLE ASSESSMENT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
IN ADDITION TO SEVERAL OTHER CREDENTIALS, DAVID CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE A STRONG WORK ETHIC AND EXEMPLIFIES BEING A TEAM PLAYER.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR DAVID TO FURTHER EXPAND HIS SKILLSET AS AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE ESTEBAN ROJAS BAN JOINED NATIONAL CITY PUBLIC WORKS AS A MAINTENANCE WORKER IN APRIL OF 2022.
HE BRINGS 22 YEARS OF EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN CONCRETE FINISHING AND FORM SETTING.
HE ALSO HAS EXPERTISE, UM, INCLUDING 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN ASPHALT REPAIR AND FIVE YEARS IN THERMOPLASTIC ROAD MARKING AND STRIPING.
SINCE JOINING OUR TEAM, HE HAS EARNED HIS CLASS A LICENSE TO OPERATE HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND OBTAIN NUMEROUS CERTIFICATIONS.
STAUN HAS BEEN A HUGE ASSET TO OUR STREETS AND WASTEWATER DIVISION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIS CONTINUED SUCCESS AS AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR.
[8. REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS.I'LL START DOWN HERE ON THE, MY FAR LEFT.
WE DO HAVE A, UH, SANDAG MOBILITY WORKING GROUP MEETING NEXT THURSDAY.
AND, UH, REMEMBER BUSH? NOTHING.
UH, THE SANDAG BOARD OF DIRECTORS MET, UH, NOVEMBER 22ND.
WE, UM, UH, SPOKE ABOUT, UM, TYPICAL THINGS THAT WE SPEAK ABOUT AT SANDAG, INCLUDING THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, THE OTAI, MESA EAST, UH, BOARD OF ENTRY.
WE ACTUALLY GOT A VERY CLEAR, UH, EXPLANATION FOR SOME OF THE DELAY THAT IS HAPPENING.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THAT HERE.
UM, THERE IS A NEED FOR A BINATIONAL APPROACH, UH, STRENGTH AND COORDINATION AND, UH, PLANNING FOR, UH, TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES AND, AND THAT IS ACTIVELY HAPPENING.
UM, MY NOTES ARE A LITTLE MESSY, BUT, UM, WE WILL BE MEETING AGAIN, UH, THIS COMING FRIDAY.
THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO ATTEND.
AND AS WELL ALL OF THE MEETINGS ARE ON YOUTUBE.
UH, SO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, METRO, UM, WASTEWATER, JPA.
UM, OUR MEETING IS TOMORROW, MR. MAYOR, UM, FOR SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY POWER.
OUR MEETING IS ON THE 12TH FOR, UH, SWEETWATER AUTHORITY.
UH, THERE'S NOTHING TO REPORT THERE, MR. MAYOR, UH, FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY.
UM, UM, ONE THAT, UH, IMPACTS OUR CITY, UM, IN A TINY BIT IS THE VOTER VOTE ENTITLEMENT RESOLUTION FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025.
[01:15:01]
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD, UM, WITH REGARDS TO ESTABLISHING THE VOTE AND REPRESENTATIVE ENTITLEMENTS OF EACH MEMBER AGENCY EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2025.SO OUR REPRESENTATION DID NOT CHANGE.
UH, COUPLE OF THINGS ON SWEETWATER AUTHORITY.
WE WILL BE, UH, MATTER OF FACT, AFTER THIS MEETING, UH, OVER THE, I GOT A TWO AND A HALF HOUR DRIVE UP TO DESERT, UH, SPRINGS AND OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA WATER ASSOCIATIONS.
UM, THE, UH, ALSO COMING UP ON, I'M GETTING, I'M LOOKING AT MY DATES HERE.
UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
ONE WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS WEEK, AND I HADN'T BEEN ANNOUNCED YET.
UH, ONE THAT JUST CAME OUT IS ON, UH, SATURDAY THE 14TH.
THAT MORNING OF THE NINE O'CLOCK, THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC MEETING ABOUT THE, UH, PUTTING, UH, SOLAR PANELS ON THE SWEETWATER RIVER, ACTUALLY, OR SWEETWATER DAM.
HUH? DECEMBER, OR WHAT DID I SAY? OKAY.
YEAH, JUST DECEMBER 14TH, 9:00 AM AND SO THESE ARE FLOATING SOLAR PANELS ON THE RESERVOIR, AND THAT'S GONNA BE DISCUSSED, AND IT'S, UH, UH, SOMETHING KIND OF NEW AND DIFFERENT.
AND, UH, SO, UH, SOMETHING FOR US ALL TO BE, BE INFORMED ABOUT, UH, THAT ONE COMING UP NOW, SAY THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER THIS WEEK.
ANOTHER, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING, INFORMATIONAL MEETING WITH, YES.
SO, UH, ON NOVEMBER 21ST AND 22ND, I ATTENDED THE HIGH AMBITION, UH, CLIMATE COLLECTIVE, UH, PORTS FALL CONVENING AND WORKSHOP.
IT WAS HOSTED BY THE PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO.
UM, IT WAS MY FIRST TIME BEING, UH, AT THE FERRY BUILDING AT THE PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO.
IT WAS A GREAT, UM, EXPERIENCE, UM, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK AND LEARN FROM THE PORT LEADERS ACROSS, UH, FROM THE US AS FAR AS BARCELONA.
SO THERE WAS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO.
UH, OUR COMMISSIONER, GIL UNGA WAS PRESENT, SO I APPRECIATE HIM BEING THERE.
PORT OF LA, PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO, PORT OF OAKLAND, SEATTLE, EVEN, UH, WALLA WALLA IN US COAST GUARD.
SO THEY REALLY FOCUSED ON, UM, ENERGY RESILIENCY ON, UM, SOLUTIONS, INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CRISIS, UM, UH, SHIPPING, WHICH IS RELEVANT FOR, UH, OUR PORT AND, UM, SUSTAINABLE FUELS LIKE EVEN AMMONIA AND THE PLUSES AND, AND MINUSES OF, OF, UM, THAT, THAT KIND OF FUELS AND POWER LEASES.
SO IT'S, UH, REALLY HELPFUL AND I'M, I'M GLAD THAT OUR, OUR COMMISSIONER WAS THERE TO GET, TO GET TO HEAR AND SHARE EXPERIENCES FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
AND THEN, UM, FOR, IN MY ROLE AT, UH, AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT, UM, WE ARE, UH, FOCUSING AND PRIORITIZING RESPONSE TO THE SEWAGE, UH, CRISIS.
UH, WE'VE INSTALLED, UH, AIR MONITORING, UH, SYSTEMS, UH, THAT ARE GEARED, UH, TOWARDS THE, THE ODORS, UH, SPECIFICALLY THE HYDROGEN SULFIDE AND POTENTIAL, UH, HEALTH IMPACTS THERE.
UM, AND IT WAS INTERVIEWED BY THE LA TIMES AND QUOTED AN ARTICLE DATED, UM, UH, NOVEMBER 27TH.
UH, WE'RE PUSHING, UH, GOVERNOR NEWSOM AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO DECLARE, UM, AN, AN EMERGENCY.
SO I DID, UH, MAKE COMMENTS, UM, ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND SO WE CONTINUED TO, AND I'VE CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR THE DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY, PURSUING A SUPERFUND SITE, UH, ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP, UM, ADDRESS THIS REGIONAL CRISIS.
AND I DID APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER.
I DID TOUR THE, UM, THEIR, UH, THE, THE TREATMENT FACILITY ON THE US SIDE OF IT.
SO THAT WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU CITY MANAGER FOR, UH, JOINING ME ON THAT.
AND, UM, AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO REPORT.
[9.1 Appointments: City Boards, Commissions and Committees – City Council Appointment to the Port Commission.]
WITH THAT, WE GO ON TO ITEM NINE, WHICH IS OUR INTERVIEWS AND APPOINTMENTS.WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, AND THIS IS THE COUNCIL APPOINTMENT TO THE COURT COMMISSION.
AND WE HAVE ONE, UH, APPLICANT THAT IS BEFORE US, AND THAT IS, UH, GIL ANTHONY UNGA.
AND, UH, GIL, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS YOU NOTICE I'VE SAID A FEW
WELL, UM, MAYOR MORRISON AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR, UM, LETTING ME VOLUNTEER AND CONTINUE MY WORK AT THE PORT.
UM, GROWING UP HERE, MY WHOLE LIFE IN NATIONAL CITY, I HEARD THIS CROWD FIVE MONTHS AGO LAST WEEK ON VIDEO.
WE CARE ABOUT HEALTH EQUITY AND WE CARE ABOUT A FAIR SHARE.
MEN OF US FEEL LIKE WE DIDN'T GET THAT FAIR SHARE.
AND SO THAT HAS BEEN MY MISSION FOR YOU GUYS AT, AT THE PORT.
AND I, I THINK EVERYBODY FOR SAYING GOOD WORDS ABOUT ME.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK FORWARD.
AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND THE NEXT YEAR.
THE FIRST ISSUE I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS THE MCAS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS KNOW I'M STEADFAST FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS AND IMPROVING
[01:20:01]
THE AIR QUALITY SO THAT EVERYBODY IN NATIONAL CITY HAS EQUITY AND QUALITY OF GOOD AIR AS THOSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAY.SECOND, IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T NOTICED, WE HIRED A NEW CEO AND THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR US IN OUR MSA NEGOTIATIONS.
WE HIRED NOT ONLY THE, THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE, WE ALSO HIRED A CANDIDATE.
I THINK THAT WILL GIVE US A FAIR NEGOTIATION, AND MY ROLE WOULD BE TO WORK WITH HIM AND OUR OUTGOING CEO RANDA.
AND WE'LL GO AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A FAIR A THIS TIME.
THE ONLY WAY FOR US REALLY TO SEE ECONOMIC GROWTH IS THE ADVANCEMENT OF BALANCE PLAN.
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME HOLDUPS.
AND SO I'LL BE HIRING A, HIRING A, A CONSULTANT ON THE PORT SIDE SO I CAN MAKE SURE ON MY END THAT I CAN SUPPORT YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WERE NEVER GIVEN BEFORE WITH OUR PORT.
BUT REALLY, I REALLY WANT TO LOOK FORWARD AND I REALLY NOW WANT TO MOVE, MOVE FORWARD.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, BEING WILLING TO TAKE ON THIS TASK.
JUST LIKE YOU SAID, THIS IS A VOLUNTEER POSITION, UH, AND IT IS A LOT OF WORK.
SO I DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UH, WHAT YOU HAVE SUMMARIZED TODAY FOR US IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE COMING YEARS, UH, WORKING WITH THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO, UH, AND BEING A PARTNER IN ALL OF THOSE, UM, ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE WANT TO SEE TOGETHER.
UNGA, IS CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU HAVE FORMED, UH, WITH YOUR FELLOW PORT COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF? UM, THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE I AM VERY INTERESTED IN, UH, HEALING FROM SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST YEAR.
AND I WANT A GOOD POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PORT MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UM, WALKING INTO THE SITUATION WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE RELATIONSHIP WAS, WAS REALLY, UM, WAS TROUBLED.
BUT, UM, I'VE BEEN A CARDIOLOGIST AND CARDIOLOGISTS ARE NOT VERY GOOD PEOPLE, NICE PEOPLE.
AND SO I FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH CARDIOLOGISTS,
AND SO THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'RE BUILDING, THAT WE ARE BUILDING, IT'S NOT BUILT.
IT'S REALLY THERE TO HELP SOLIDIFY OUR GOALS.
YOU HAVE FOUR VOTES, YOU'LL GET YOUR BALANCED FUND, YOU HAVE FOUR VOTES, YOU'LL GET YOUR MS AGREEMENT.
BUT I THINK THAT MY EXPERIENCE, UM, IN BUSINESS WITH MY, AS WELL AS MY EXPERIENCE AS A CARDIOLOGIST, HAS REALLY HELPED ME TO DO THAT FOR YOU.
NOW, I DO NEED SOMETHING FROM YOU GUYS IN RETURN, AND THAT IS, I NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
AND I NEED THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY COME OUT TO THE CHRISTMAS PARTY, UH, NEXT WEEK SO THAT PEOPLE
BUT HONESTLY, THE THING IS, LIKE I COME FROM A BIG FILIPINO FAMILY, AND GETTING ALONG IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL HAD TO LEARN.
AND MY EFFORT REALLY IS TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
SO I CAN GIVE YOU GUYS WHAT YOU GUYS NEED.
UM, I THINK YOUR WORDS RIGHT NOW OF BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP MOVING FORWARD AND, UM, CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUR FAIR SHARE AS A CITY IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SEE THE FIVE OF US AS YOUR SUPPORT.
WE DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS, AND, UH, THANK YOU.
UM, RANDY CASTLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY TRUTH, TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDWIN NETTO, COUNSEL MAYOR.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I AM COMING OUT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF DR.
OUR PORT, OUR PORT COMMISSIONER, DR.
UM, GIL GREW UP HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, AND HE HAD THE OPTION TO LEAVE, AND HE WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE.
HE WENT AND HE GOT HIS CARDIOLOGIST DEGREE.
AND WHAT DID HE DO? HE CAME BACK TO NATIONAL CITY TO SERVE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HE KNEW WERE UNDERSERVED.
SO I THINK TO CONTINUE HIS SERVICE AS A RETIRED
[01:25:01]
CARDIOLOGIST AND STILL SERVING THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY WITH KNOWLEDGE AND A DEGREE UNDER HIS BELT, AND HAVING THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HE HAS HERE IN NATIONAL CITY IS IMPORTANT.I AM COMING OUT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF HIS, UH, RE RE REELECTION, RE RENEWAL.
UH, TRUTH FOLLOWED BY EDWARDO, FOLLOWED BY LILIANA ARMA.
SORRY TO SAY I DO NOT SUPPORT APPOINTING GUILD TO REPRESENT THE CITY AS PORT COMMISSIONER.
IF I WAS LYING, I'M NOT, I JUST KIDDING.
I DO SUPPORT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY REASON NOT TO KEEP 'EM ON.
AND THEN I EVEN DID SOME LAST MINUTE RESEARCH.
I'M LIKE, JUST, JUST LET ME DOUBLE CHECK.
AND SO, JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT MARCUS HAD PREVIOUSLY SAID, QUOTE, THE VACANCY WAS CAUSED BY ACTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE MEETING OF TUESDAY, MAY 7TH, 2024, TO REMOVE SANDY NANO AS PORT COMMISSIONER PER CITY COUNCIL POLICY NUMBER 1 0 7.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REAPPOINT WITHOUT CONSIDERING OTHER APPLICANTS.
SO JUST SO THE NAYSAYERS UNDERSTAND AND HAVE NO EXCUSES WHY THEY CAN'T POTENTIALLY HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE ON THIS DECISION.
UH, EDO FOLLOWED BY LILIANA ARMENTO, FOLLOWED BY DEBBIE SB.
I HAD WRITTEN ALMOST THE WHOLE PAGE OF SUPPORT FOR GUILD, BUT I THINK CALLED THE PEOPLE WHO'VE TALKED BEFORE AND HAVE SAID, THIS IS A GOOD CANDIDATE.
THIS IS THE BEST CANDIDATE, THIS IS THE BEST CANDIDATE WE'VE EVER HAD EVEN CONSIDERED.
THIS IS A CANDIDATE WHO'S BEEN VETTED AND, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST GOTTA TELL YOU THAT, UM, IT'S JUST A GOOD THING FOR NATIONAL CITY.
UH, WE CAN'T HAVE A HIGHER QUALITY CANDIDATE THAN THIS IS SO, SO MUCH FOR MY WHOLE PAGE.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, STAFF.
UH, I DO NOT KNOW HIM PERSONALLY, BUT I'VE SEEN HIM AROUND, AND I, I'VE BEEN READING UP ON HIM.
AND WHAT, UM, PROPELLED FOR ME TO BE HERE IS, UM, I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THAT.
I'M A RECENT GRADUATE OF THE, UM, PORTSIDE COMMUNITY ACADEMY.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I LEARNED A LOT.
I LEARNED, UM, SO MUCH THAT THE PORT DOES.
BUT THEN WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING I LEARNED? WHAT NATIONAL CITY DOES NOT HAVE? MM-HMM.
AND FROM THOSE CLASSES, AND READING HIS BACKGROUND AND WHAT HE HAS DONE IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, UH, AS A MOTHER, AS A RESIDENT, I THINK THAT, UM, HIS DIVERSE BACKGROUND, UH, BEING PART OF THE PORT COMMISSION IS WHAT WE NEED.
HE ASKS QUESTIONS, AND NOT ONLY DOES HE ASK QUESTIONS, BUT HE ASKS ON THAT GIVES US ACTION.
I'M, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY YOU CONSIDER HIS REAPPOINTMENT.
PI AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ASIAN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.
WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS OVER 33,000 BUSINESSES, ASIAN BUSINESSES ACROSS SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
UM, A GOOD PORTION, UH, WE HAVE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, MOSTLY FILIPINO AMERICAN OWNED.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO, UM, LET YOU KNOW THAT A LETTER HAD BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE ASIAN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION SUPPORTING THE REAPPOINTMENT OF, UM, DR.
HE HAS BEEN A PILLAR, AN EXEMPLARY, UM, PERSON, AND A GOOD COMMUNICATOR FOR THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY AT THE PORT, AS WELL AS IN THE COMMUNITY ITSELF.
AND SO, I SEE NO OTHER REASON WHY, UH, WE WOULD NOT, UM, SUPPORT OR WHY YOU WOULD NOT SUPPORT, UM, REAPPOINTING HIM.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS THE MOST HONORABLE ADI DECASTRO.
THE ONLY TIME YOU'LL EVER HEAR ME SAY THAT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
GIL UNGA FOR PORT COMMISSION FOR AS A PORT COMMISSIONER.
UM, AND I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN PRETTY INVOLVED WITH NATIONAL CITY, HAVING BEEN RAISED HERE AND INVOLVED IN OTHER THINGS.
[01:30:01]
OF YOU PERSONALLY AND CONSIDER YOU MY FRIEND.UM, THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY WAS VERY PROUD OF, OF HAVING A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY APPOINTED TO THE PORT COMMISSION.
UM, AND I SAY THAT AS THE HONORARY COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE THAN JUST ABOUT THE FILIPINO AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT HAVING DIVERSITY AND HAVING SOMEBODY WHO'S INDEPENDENT SUPPORT COMMISSION THAT WILL SUPPORT NATIONAL CITY.
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I NO LONGER LIVE HERE, I STILL LOVE THIS CITY.
THIS IS LIKE A SECOND HOME TO ME.
UM, ONE THING I WANT TO ILLUSTRATE IS HOW HE CAN OPEN DOORS IS, UM, TOMORROW MY TEAM IN LOS ANGELES, THE LOS ANGELES CONSULATE GENERAL, AND I WILL BE MEETING WITH THE PORT COMMISSION TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN PROMOTE BY NATIONAL TRADE BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY, AND SPECIFICALLY NATIONAL CITY.
SO I THINK THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW HAVING SOMEBODY LIKE HIM OPENS DOORS.
AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I, I HAVE NEVER HAD BEFORE, UM, IN MY ROLE AS THE, AS THE CONS.
SO I, I WOULD JUST URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER REAPPOINTING HIM, UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS AS EVIDENCE THAT HE CAN WORK WITH PEOPLE.
I'VE KNOWN GIL FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, AND THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME EARLIER THAT WE DIDN'T LIKE EACH OTHER
AND, AND NOW WE'RE GOOD FRIENDS.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, AND I URGE FOR HIS REAPPOINTMENT.
UM, AND, UH, WE ALSO HAD, UH, WRITTEN COMMENTS, UH, FROM, UH, PAUL WADOWSKI AND TED GODSHAW IN SUPPORT.
UH, SO WITH THAT, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? YES, MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO REAPPOINT DR.
GIL UNGA TO, UH, A FOUR YEAR TERM FOR AS OUR NATIONAL CITY, UH, PORT COMMISSIONER TO SAN DIEGO PORT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, SO, UH, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME AND SPOKE, UH, IN FAVOR OF OUR COMMISSIONER.
UNGA FOR YOUR SACRIFICE, YOUR, YOUR WORK.
YOU'VE BEEN HARDWORKING, UH, YOU WERE THROWN INTO THIS AND YOU JUST HIT THE GROUND, UH, RUNNING AND PICKED UP WHERE, UH, COMMISSIONER NARANJO, UH, LEFT OFF.
AND I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WHEN THIS PROCESS STARTED.
AND HONESTLY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS PUSHING MY FRIEND AIDA, AIDA CASTANEDA, WHO'S, WHO'S BEEN IN NATIONAL CITY AND WHO'S, WHO'S ALSO VERY WELL QUALIFIED.
AND SO WHEN I MET WITH YOU, I WASN'T EXPECTING TO, UH, TO SUPPORT YOU.
AND I WAS SO IMPRESSED, NOT JUST BY, LIKE THE FOLKS HERE SAID, YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND.
AND, UM, AND YOU COMING BACK TO NOT JUST YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND, BUT YOU COMING BACK TO NATIONAL CITY, YOUR HEART, YOUR PASSION, YOUR DRIVE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND IT SHOWS UP IN YOUR WORK WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN PRESSURED BY THE PORT, BY OTHER MONEYED INTERESTS THAT TAKE FROM NATIONAL CITY AND HAVE TAKEN FROM NATIONAL CITY FOR DECADES.
AND IT TAKES A STRONG PERSON TO STAND UP AND ENDURE AND, AND STILL FIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME HAVING TACKED AND BALANCING RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, AND I, I REALLY APPRECIATE JUST ALL, ALL YOUR HEART THAT YOU PUT INTO IT.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO A GOOD JOB, UH, KEEPING FORWARD WITH THAT.
AND I REALLY HOPE THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S BEEN A YEAR OF, UH, TURMOIL.
AND I DO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO RON IN THE, UH, RON IN THE AUDIENCE TOO.
'CAUSE HE IS A PORT STAFFER, SO IT'S NOT PERSONAL.
WE HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE STAFFERS LIKE HIM.
HE'S BEEN INCREDIBLE FOR, UH, NATIONAL CITY IN, IN HELPING US.
BUT THE SYSTEM ITSELF HAS DRAINED NATIONAL CITY.
AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW THAT WE, IN NATIONAL CITY, WE JUST DID THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE, UM, AGREEMENT STUDY ON OUR POLICE, OUR FIRE, EVEN OUR, OUR PUBLIC WORKS.
WE SUBSIDIZE PORT PUBLIC SAFETY OPERATIONS TO THE TUNE OF AN ESTIMATED 8 MILLION.
SO, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PARK SPACE, THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RECREATION, WE'RE THE ONLY CITY WITHOUT A BEACH.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE FIVE CITIES, YOU LOOK AT CORONADO, IMPERIAL BEACH, SAN DIEGO, CHULA VISTA, WE GET THE LEASE BACK AND WE GET THE MO, WE GET THE MOST, UH, NEGATIVE IMPACTS, THE MOST POLLUTION, SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF ASTHMA AND CANCER.
AND THAT IS NOT BY ACCIDENT, THAT WAS BY DESIGN.
IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR DECADES.
THERE'S A LOT OF US WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THAT, INCLUDING, UH, MAYOR MORRISON AND I, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, UM, ON HAVING THESE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS.
AND THE PORT HAS HISTORICALLY PLAYED DIVIDE AND CONQUER AMONGST OUR COUNCIL, AMONGST OUR COMMUNITY, AMONGST DIFFERENT, UM, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, WHETHER IT'S LABOR OR ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS.
AND SO I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT THAT IS GONNA STOP.
I WANT ALL OF US AS A COMMUNITY, EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TO UNITE FROM CITY STAFF, OUR, UH, US ON, ON THE DAIS.
UM, WE, WE, WE HAVE TO GET OUR FAIR SHARE BECAUSE AT THE END OF OF THE DAY, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHY WE'RE AN UNDER-RESOURCED CITY, WHY WE DON'T
[01:35:01]
HAVE, UM, SOME OF THE AMENITIES OTHER COMMUNITY HAS, WHETHER IT'S, UH, PARKS, UH, SOME OF OUR FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE, WE HAVE THIS RESOURCE, UH, WHICH IS VERY PRECIOUS.IT'S THE WATER AND IT'S THE, IT'S THE BAY.
WE HAVE PCIA, WHICH WE SUPPORT OUR INDUSTRY.
WE SUPPORT, UM, THE AUTO, AUTO IMPORTING.
THEY GENERATE AN ESTIMATED 14 MILLION.
WE GET ZERO IN REVENUE FROM THAT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.
SO IT'S TIME FOR US TO STAND UP AS A COMMUNITY AND CALL THAT OUT.
AND I THINK WITH GIL, UH, WITH DR.
UN'S HELP WITH, UH, UNITED COUNCIL AND UNITED CITY STAFF THAT THIS YEAR WE CAN GET OUR FAIR SHARE.
SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMMUNITY, FOR COMING OUT.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A VERY CHALLENGING YEAR FOR YOU AS WELL.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR PORT STAFF FOR BEING HERE AND BEING VERY SUPPORTIVE, UH, AT ALL TIMES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR HAVING A BETTER DIALOGUE AND COMMUNICATION.
UM, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND WORDS, DR.
UM, I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD IN HELPING NATIONAL CITY GET OUR FAIR SHARE.
AND SO I THINK, UH, THE MAJORITY OF US ARE, UH, ALL OF US ARE WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT OF THAT.
SO I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO, TO START WORKING TOGETHER, UM, MORE AND COLLABORATIVELY AND TO GET THINGS DONE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH DR.
UNGA AT THE BINATIONAL TRIP IN MEXICO.
AND AS NEW AS HE IS IN THAT, UM, IN THE, IN THE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE WERE IN, I'D SEEN HOW HE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, UM, CREATED OR DEVELOPED THOSE RELATIONSHIP.
THEY, HE, HE KNOWS SOME OF 'EM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BEING IN, IN ALL THE OTHER, UM, ELECTEDS AND LEADERSHIP IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY, PLUS THE, UH, BINATIONAL LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE, UM, MET IN, IN MEXICO.
I HAD SEEN HOW HE INTERACTED WITH THEM, HOW HE REALLY PROMOTED OUR CITY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I WAS PULLING HIM LEFT AND RIGHT TO
AND, AND I BELIEVE, UH, WITH HIS, UM, EFFORT TO CONTINUE THAT, UH, BUILDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE, WITH THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT HE WILL BE ABLE TO REPRESENT US EFFECTIVELY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT IS THE, UH, THAT IS THE TASK FOR DR.
BUT YET, BUT THEN AGAIN, I SAY THAT YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THIS DA TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A VOICE THERE THAT IS LOUD, IF NOT LOUDER.
WITH THAT, I AM GONNA ASK THAT THE CLERK, UH, CALL THE ROLE.
YEAH, FOR SOME REASON THEY ASK FOR ROLL CALL.
[10. CONSENT CALENDAR]
UH, WITH THAT WE GO TO CONSENT CALENDAR.UH, I DO HAVE REQUEST ALREADY FOR THE POLL ITEM TEN THREE, TEN SIX.
WERE YOU WANTING, UH, TEN EIGHT PULLED STRONGLY? NO.
YOU JUST, YOU JUST SHOWED YOUR, UM, VIEWPOINT ON, OKAY.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE MR. MAYOR PULLING, UH, 10.4 PLEASE.
SEEING NONE, OTHERS? CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR? SO MOVED, MR. MAYOR.
YOU'RE GOING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE RECORD.
IT WON'T LET ME, DOESN'T LIKE YOU.
WE'LL TRY IT ONE MORE TIME HERE.
WELL, THAT'S GOING RIGHT TO THE VOTE NOW.
[01:40:01]
IT AGAIN.SO THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE WANTING TO MAKE COMMENT ON TEN SIX.
[10.3 Acceptance of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Award of $40,000 to the National City Police Department to Perform Operations Sponsored by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Minor Decoy/Shoulder Tap Grant Project.]
TEN THREE.TEN THREE JUST HAD VERBAL COMMENT.
HUH? TEN THREE HAD VERBAL COMMENT ON ONLY.
WE HAVE A ZOOM COMMENT ON THIS ONE.
LET ME SEE IF SHE'S STILL THERE.
COULD WE HAVE A, UH, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE ON TEN THREE? THAT'S ACCEPTING AN AWARD OF $40,000 TO BASICALLY TO DO, UH, YOUR, UH, MINOR DECOY SHOULDER TAP, UH, GRANT PROGRAM.
[10.4 Second Amendment to the Maintenance and Operating Agreement Between the City of National City and A Reason to Survive (ARTS)]
OKAY.TEN FOUR IS THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY AND A REASON TO SURVIVE OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ARTS.
UM, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH OUR CITY MANAGER WITH REGARDS TO THIS CONTRACT, OUR COUNCIL, AND OUR, UM, OUR, UH, WHERE'S BRUCE? OUR, UH, UM, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.
AND, UM, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS HERE THAT, UH, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME BACK TO US IN ORDER FOR US TO REVISIT THIS, UH, LANGUAGE OF THE CONTRACT AND SOME, UM, ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT, UM, THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT, THAT I HAVE REQUESTED AND THAT WASN'T READY FOR THEM TO PRESENT.
YOU'RE, YOU WANT TO TABLE IT? OH, ON THE TABLE IT OR, UM, FOR THE NEXT AGENDA.
HOLD IT OVER FOR THE NEXT AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT'S TIME SENSITIVE ON THIS? UM, IT DEPENDS IF WE, IF WE, IF WE TOOK IT ON DECEMBER 10TH, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE TIMELY.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THOSE REPORTS, CORRECT.
COULD, UM, VICE MAYOR, WOULD YOU CONSIDER MAYBE, UM, LIKE HAVING IT BROUGHT BACK JAN JANUARY FOR A FULL REPORT INSTEAD OF THE DECEMBER MEETING? SO MAYBE A ONE MONTH, AND BECAUSE THE CONTRACT EXPIRES DECEMBER, UH, 31ST, I BELIEVE.
BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE INFO AND MORE OF AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ABOUT PROJECTS, PROGRAMS. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE A TWO MONTH EXTENSION? SO WE CAN COME BACK IN EITHER JANUARY OR FEBRUARY AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, THAT CONTRACT, WHEN I READ IT HAS OPTION TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TO BE EXTENDED UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT THERE'S A NEW CONTRACT THAT WILL BE, UM, THAT WILL BE, UH, ADOPTED.
BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A, A MORE IN DEPTH LOOK AT, AT THIS JUST TO SEE.
BUT I, I THINK THAT WOULD TAKE, TAKE MORE TIME.
AND I THINK WE, WE, THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PREPARE AND FULL DISCLOSURE, I SUPPORT ARTS.
I, I THINK THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I YES, BUT I, I JUST WANT TO RE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THIS.
SO ABOUT THE SECOND MEETING OF FEBRUARY.
I, I THINK WE CAN BRING IT BACK IN THE FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY OR THE SECOND FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO STAFF TO, OR OKAY.
SO NO, MAKE A MOTION TO, SO MAKE A MOTION TO EXTEND, TO EXTEND, UM, EXTEND THE CONTRACT TO FEBRUARY THE CONTRACT AND HAVE IT UNDER IN THE AGENDA ON THE, THE SECOND MEETING OF FEBRUARY.
UH, YOU GUYS PUSH YOUR BUTTONS ON THAT? YEAH.
WE GOTTA PULL THE PRESENTATION DOWN.
WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE BUTTONS TONIGHT.
[10.6 Extension of Agreement with EXOS Community Services LLC (EXOS) for Las Palmas Pool Operations.]
TEN SIX IS AN EXTENSION OF THE AGREEMENT WITH EXOS COMMUNITY SERVICES, LLC OF LAS[01:45:01]
PROMISE, UH, POOL OPERATIONS.UH, WE DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS ON THAT.
AND, UH, LET'S GO WITH, UH, YOLANDA CONTRERAS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, MARELLA SMITH NEXT.
I UNDERSTAND THEY WANT TO CUT OUT OUR, UM, AQUATIC CLASSES.
AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT DYLAN AND CARLA, WHICH ARE, WHO ARE OUR SWIMMING INSTRUCTORS, OUR QUALITY CLASSES FOR US.
UM, THESE CLASSES ARE SO IMPORTANT TO US SENIORS ESPECIALLY.
WELL, WHILE I SPEAK FOR MYSELF, IT HAS HELPED ME.
UM, IT HAS HELPED MY BLOOD PRESSURE, IT HAS HELPED MY BACK, MY SHOULDER.
IT JUST MAKES ME FEEL TERRIFIC.
YOU KNOW, IT GIVES ME MORE ENERGY WHEN I GET HOME AND I, IT IS SO SAD THAT THEY DO CUT THESE PROGRAMS OUT.
ALSO, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY WANTS TO TAKE OVER THE POOL AGAIN 'CAUSE IT'S CONTRACTED OUT.
AND WHEN THE CITY TAKES OVER THE POOL, IT CLOSES DOWN.
AND IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE THE POOL IS FOR THIS US PEOPLE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE POOL SINCE I WAS NINE YEARS OLD.
AND, UM, I JUST DON'T, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE SHUT DOWN.
UH, MARCELLA SMITH BE FOLLOWED BY, I THINK IT'S MICHELLE MARCELA, UH, BUT A MICHELLE GRAVY.
PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE THE PROGRAM TO CONTINUE.
IT THEN LOWER MY BLOOD PRESSURE.
UH, IT'S A PROGRAM I BELIEVE THAT'S NEEDED BEING THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY MUNICIPAL POOL IN NATIONAL CITY.
UH, JUST HERE TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO, UH, RUN IT, UH, DYLAN AND CARLA, AND JUST WANNA KEEP THEM ALONG AND KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING.
PUT MY WORD IN AND LIKE THEY SAY, IF YOU DON'T PUT YOUR WORD IN, WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS? PEACE AND BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL.
DO WE HAVE, UH, UH, MARELLA SMITH? SHE'S ALREADY GONE.
UH, I THINK YOU HAD, YOU SAID YOU HAD A COMMENT, A YES OR NO NOW, OR YEAH, WE WILL.
JUST A MOMENT IN A MINUTE AFTER THE DISCUSSION.
UM, SO, AND, AND THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, FOR, FOR COMING.
WE, WE KNOW HOW, HOW POPULAR THE, UM, THE POOL IS, ESPECIALLY THE, THE HISTORY AND NOW THE REOPENING AND ALL THE MONEY WE'VE INVESTED.
SO, UH, I, THE REASON I WANTED TO HAVE A, A MORE OF A DISCUSSION ON THIS, I SUPPORT THE CONTRACT, UM, EXTENSION.
WHAT I'VE EXPRESSED TO OUR STAFF, UM, AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I'VE CALLED FOR TWO YEARS AGO, IS, UM, IN PRINCIPLE, I, I REALLY WANT US AS A CITY TO BRING IN OUR CITY ASSETS TO, TO RUN THEM, OPERATE THEM IN HOUSE, INSTEAD OF PAYING AN OUTSIDE OUT OF STATE CONSULTANT COMPANY, WHICH THAT IN THE LONG RUN, THAT COSTS US MORE MONEY.
AND SO I, I DO HEAR THE CRITICISMS, AND I HAVE IN THE PAST THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THE CITY OPERATES THINGS THAT IT'S INEFFICIENT.
BUT THAT'S A QUESTION OF POOR MANAGEMENT AND POOR OVERSIGHT ON OUR PART.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD JUST ACCEPT THAT, OH, WE CAN'T RUN IT.
WE HAVE THE TALENT IN OUR WORKFORCE HERE IN HOUSE.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M WILLING TO EXTEND THIS AND TAKE SOME TIME.
BUT I REALLY THINK IN PRINCIPLE, WE NEED TO STOP HIRING CONSULTANTS.
AND WE NEED, WE HAVE TALENT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE CAN BRING IN HOUSE DYLAN, I GOTTA GIVE A SHOUTS TO HIM.
UM, AND I HOPE TOO, WHEN THIS COMES BACK, THAT WE HAVE A BIGGER DISCUSSION ON, UM, HOW WE CAN BUILD ON, ON THE ASSET ITSELF.
SO HAVING MORE PRIVATE PARTIES, HAVING MORE FUN EVENTS, AND USING IT TO BETTER GENERATE REVENUE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T, UH, LOOKED AT, UM, AS MUCH IN, IN THE PAST.
SO I, I WANT US TO BE OPEN ABOUT THAT.
AND I'LL, AND I'LL SAY IT, I'VE HAD THE DISCUSSION IS CONTROVERSIAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING ALCOHOL PERMITTED FOR EVENTS, OBVIOUSLY IT'S A LIABILITY AND IT'S, UH, THERE COULD BE SOME ISSUES, BUT IT ALSO COULD GENERATE REVENUE.
AND AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR BUDGETS, WE ALSO, AS A CITY, WE NEED TO BE GENERATING REVENUE.
AND THERE'S A WAY TO BALANCE OFF FOLKS SAFETY AND, UM, UH, AND OUR LIABILITY AS OUR, OUR CITY ATTORNEY REMINDED ME TODAY, HEY, THE LIABILITY.
AND SO I, AND I GET THAT, I AGREE WITH THAT, THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO BE CREATIVE ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS TO, TO MAKE, TO MAKE REVENUE AND TO LIKE, UTILIZE OUR ASSETS WHEN THE POOL IS NOT BEING USED.
AND I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR, UM, OUR, OUR COUNCIL AND OUR STAFF TO JUST LOOK AT HOW WE CAN BE CREATIVE AND O OPEN THE
[01:50:01]
POOL MORE ON OFF HOURS AND EVENTS.CAN I SAY ONE MORE THING? HYDRO HI IS, IT'S A MORE INTENSE A PRODUCT CLASS, 30 SECONDS.
'CAUSE WE'RE OVERTIME AND DYLAN AND DYLAN IS, IS OUR INSTRUCTOR AND HE'S AMAZING.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE NOT, OUR LAST CLASS WAS THE 20TH OF NOVEMBER UNTIL HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE IT.
WHETHER THAT I HAVE NOTHING TO DO ON MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.
I MEAN, I CAN WALK, BUT I HAVE A HARD TIME WALKING, BUT I CAN, YOU KNOW, THE POOL JUST MAKES ME JUST SO GREAT.
MAKES ME FEEL ACTUALLY, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO MAJOR MINE INNOVATIONS THERE.
AND SO IT'LL ACTUALLY BE SHUT DOWN FOR, BUT SEE, IT'S, THAT'S ALWAYS THE PROBLEM.
IT'S ALWAYS SHUT DOWN FOR THIS AND FOR THAT.
WELL, YEAH, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WELL BE, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHUTTING IT DOWN NOW IS A LOT OF TIMES THE PUMPS ARE GOING OUT, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE OLD.
WE'RE REPLACING AND REJUVENATING ALL THE LIKE PUMPS.
WE'RE PUTTING IN NEW BATHROOMS, WE'RE PUTTING IN NEW SHOWERS.
SO THAT'S THE REASON IT WOULD'VE TO BE SHUT DOWN DURING THAT, DURING THAT CONSTRUCTION.
WE ARE GONNA MAKE IT JUST AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING, UM, A, UH, SWIMMING CLASS.
I WAS MORE LIKE AN AEROBICS, UH, CLASS A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND, UH, IT DEFINITELY FELT LIKE A PARTY AND A GREAT ENVIRONMENT AND, UH, I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS, ESPECIALLY TO A LOT OF THE SENIORS.
AND SO WE'RE VERY, UH, FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS ASSET IN OUR COMMUNITY AND DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, NEXT YEAR'S RENOVATIONS AND HOPEFULLY OPENING UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THAT.
YEAH, I DON'T APPRECIATE THE LANGUAGE THAT ARE GOING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE SHUTTING OFF PROGRAMS. NO, WE ARE GONNA MAKE IT BETTER.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, UM, FROM THE LAST TWO MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE HAD.
AND OUR CITY ENGINEER, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS OUR CITY MANAGER.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THE, THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LEADERSHIP STAFF HERE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT POOL OPERATES THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE DON'T WANT THOSE WORDS THAT ARE GOING OUT THAT WE'RE CUTTING OFF THIS CUTTING OFF.
NO, WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT BETTER, BUT WE NEED TO REVISIT AND WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE BEST WE CAN IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ADD MORE PROGRAMS FOR THAT POOL TO BE USED AT ITS HIGHEST AND BEST.
SO DO WE HAVE FOR THIS ONE, TEN SIX? DO WE HAVE A, DO WE ACT, HAVE A MOTION A SECOND YET? NO, I DIDN'T THINK SO.
SO THIS IS, I I MOVE TO APPROVE THE EXTENSION.
BUT THE EXTENSION IS TO THE POINT OF BRINGING IT BACK.
THE SECOND MEETING IN FEBRUARY, THE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POOL? NO, NO, THAT WAS THE PRIOR MOTION.
SO I, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXOS CONTRACT FOR, NO, THIS IS FOR TWO YEARS.
I, I, I MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, BRING THE, UM, TO EXTEND THE, UM, EXOS CONTRACT FOR TWO YEARS, BUT TO HAVE STAFF COME BACK IN SIX MONTHS WITH A REPORT ON POTENTIALLY BRINGING IN-HOUSE AND OTHER PROGRAMS AND EXPANSIONS JUST AS AN OPTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[10.11 Authorize the Purchase of a Camera Van for the Engineering & Public Works Street and Wastewater Division]
10 11.AND THIS IS AUTHORIZED IN THE PURCHASE OF A CAMERA VAN FOR THE ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS AND WASTEWATER DIVISION, UH, THOMAS PIKE.
UH, THIS VAN IS FROM THE, THIS VAN IS $296,000.
AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT DID, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER, IS THIS REPLACING A VAN? IT IS REPLACING A VAN.
UH, THAT IS 10 11 AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF THE CAMERA VAN, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S PUT IN ACTUALLY FOR AN ITEM THAT WE ALREADY VOTED ON, UH, IN THE CONSENT ITEM, BUT I'M GONNA LET HIM SPEAK ON 10.
[01:55:05]
BERNARDO GARCIA.HE LITERALLY JUST DROP, BROUGHT IT UP HERE.
UM, NEXT WE GO ON TO, AS THAT 10, 10 HAD ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON.
[10.21 Warrant Register #17 for the Period of 10/18/24 through 10/24/24 in the Amount of $5,763,144.78]
UH, 21.AND THIS IS A WARRANT REGISTERED NUMBER 17.
WE FOLLOWED BY TRUTH, I AM REFERRING TO THE PAYMENTS FROM FOREIGN REGISTERS NUMBER NUMBER 17 AND THE ONES THAT, UH, ACCE UNIFORM SAMIR MORRISON'S WINTER JACKET FOR $362.
UH, LET'S SEE THE OTHER ITEMS I SOUGHT THAT OLCC OH LC, CADA LOG LOGGING MADISON 13 META DATA SUBSCRIPTION, $13,353.
UH, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHICH ONE THAT IS? OKAY.
WE CAN, WE CAN, WE CAN GET YOU THE ANSWER ON THAT.
I JUST, I'LL JUST, THE NEXT ONE IS THE PARADISE VALLEY WATER, PARADISE CREEK WATER QUALITY $484,000.
AND IS THAT, IT SAYS QUALITY, IS THAT, IS THAT, IS THAT STREAMING OR IS THAT JUST THE WATER IN THE CREEK? OKAY.
UH, I'M GONNA LOOK TOWARD OUR CITY ENGINEER.
YEAH, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE, THE DETAIL IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I LEE, I BELIEVE THAT'S ONE OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO, UH, IMPROVE THE PARADISE CREEK, UH, CHANNEL SYSTEM.
AND WHAT WAS THAT DONE ON GENERAL FUND OR WAS THAT DONE WITH A GRANT? THAT'S GRANT FUNDED.
YEAH, THAT'S IT'S GRANT FUNDED.
AND THE, THE NEXT, THE OTHER, THE LAST ONE IS THAT THE UNION TOWER, UH, YOU'RE PAYING $2,681,809.
THAT'S WHAT YOU MADE A PAYMENT TO THE UNION TOWER, WHICH IS A SEMI-PRIVATE OR UNION.
I'M GONNA LOOK RIGHT OVER HERE.
I THINK WE GOT AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
YES, CARLOS, A GREAT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A LOAN OF $8 MILLION TO UNION TOWER TO BUILD 94 UNITS, UH, AT THE NATIONAL CITY PARK APARTMENT SITE.
THIS IS A PAYMENT ON THAT $8 MILLION.
IT'S A LEVERAGE, LEVERAGE LOAN FOR A PROJECT THAT'S WORTH OVER, UH, $90 MILLION.
AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NATIONAL CITY SHOOT.
THE, UH, WHY COULDN'T THEY HAVE DONE IT BY PRIVATE INDUSTRY? YOU KNOW, THE, THE MONEY IS LEVERAGED AND, UH, WITH OTHER FUNDING SOURCES INCLUDING TAX CREDITS.
SO IT'S ONLY, UH, REALLY ABOUT 10% OF THE TOTAL, UH, AMOUNT OF THE PROJECT.
WE USE HOUSING AUTHORITY FUNDS, SO THEY'RE NOT GENERAL FUNDS.
SO THEIR, THEIR MONEY'S DESIGNATED SPECIFICALLY FOR HOUSING IN NATIONAL CITY.
DO YOU GUYS KNOW THAT THERE'S WATER HERE? THERE'S A PUDDLE OF WATER.
YOU KNOW, I, I I CAR PROBABLY COULD HAVE BOUGHT A NAPKIN UP HERE, YOU KNOW.
UH, WITH ALL THE ANSWERS, I ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS A GAME SHOW.
$38 FOR SOME POWDERED GLOW IN THE DARK SLIME.
AND I WOULD SAY SOMETIMES THE MEETINGS THEY GIVE OFF THAT FOR FREE IF YOU STICK AROUND LONG ENOUGH.
UH, THAT'S THE LAST SECOND JOKE.
SO THAT $362, UH, JACKET, RON'S PRETTY PRICEY.
UM, HOPEFULLY IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A CITY LOGO PATCH ON IT.
TRIMMED IN METALLIC PURPLE, THAT TWO JACKETS.
[02:00:01]
IT GIVES OUT THE WRONG THING WHEN I'M READING THE AGENDA PACKET.OKAY, SO THAT'S FOR KEN AND THANKS.
OUR CITY CLERK WITH HER BOUNTY, UH, WIPE THERE.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THAT? ON THE, THE BOARD, SO OF MR. MAYOR.
[10.22 Warrant Register #18 for the Period of 10/25/24 through 10/31/24 in the Amount of $2,153,037.03]
NEXT WE GO TO 10 22.MR. REICH, AGAIN, YOU LEAVE OUT.
OR, OR, OR DID YOU COVER IT WITH THAT LAST ONE? THAT WAS, THAT WAS OKAY.
YOU, YOU, YOU COVERED BOTH OF 'EM.
OKAY, WELL IN THAT CASE, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM 10 22 THEN? SO MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, THE SWAT TEAM ON ITEM 22, THE SWAT TEAM SPENT $25,000 FOR TRAINING.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S QUITE A, THAT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE I THINK.
AND RECENTLY WE HAD A, UH, A, UH, ALTERCATION WHERE A PERSON WAS KILLED.
WAS YOU REMEMBER IN THE NEWS ABOUT THAT? YEAH.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'LL SAY.
ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS ON, UH, ITEM 10 22.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UM, SEEN WITH A DISCUSSION.
[11.1 Second Reading and Adoption of the Ordinance Establishing Speed Limits Based on Engineering and Traffic Surveys]
TO OUR CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING.UH, IT IS A SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING SPEED LIMITS BASED ON ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC STUDIES.
UM, AT THIS POINT I WOULD, UM, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS? WE DO NOT.
THEREFORE, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
SECOND BUTTONS TONIGHT ARE WORSE THAN I KNOW.
BUTTONS ON MY, WHAT'S ON REMOTE? ON MY TV.
THIS IS TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND NOW, UH, WE NEED A MOTION FOR ADOPTION.
WHOEVER GETS WHOEVER GETS THE, OH, THERE IT IS.
[12.1 Update on the Establishment of a Short-Term Rental Ordinance.]
OUR, UH, STAFF REPORTS AND, UH, 12 ONE.THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, VICE MAYOR COUNCIL STAFF FROM THE PUBLIC, MARTIN READER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND I'M GONNA MAKE A SHORT PRESENTATION TONIGHT ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
A SUBJECT THAT HAS BEEN ON, UH, THE COMMUNITY'S MINE AND STAFF'S MIND FOR SOME TIME.
UH, IN FACT, STAFF HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO SHORT TERM RENTALS SINCE NOT LONG AFTER THE, UH, AIR, THE AIRBNB CRAZE ABOUT FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO.
UH, WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME COMPLAINTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, PRIMARILY RELATED TO NOISE PARTIES, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VBO OR VACATION RENTAL BY OWNER OR AIRBNB, HOWEVER YOU KNOW IT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CURRENT REGULATIONS.
THE CITY DOES REQUIRE A BUSINESS LICENSE FOR PEOPLE THAT RENT THEIR HOMES FOR MONTH, UH, YOU KNOW, ON A MONTH BASIS OR A PER YEAR BASIS AS ANY, ANY OTHER RENTAL OR PROPERTY OWNER, BUT NOT TO DO WITH SHORT TERM RENTALS AS LESS THAN 30 DAYS.
SO, UH, ON TOP OF SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD RELATED TO PERMITTING, WHICH I'LL GET INTO, WE ARE ALSO LOSING POTENTIAL REVENUE.
[02:05:01]
AIRBNBS OR VRBO, SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THE CITY BASED ON OUR SEARCHES ONLINE.AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, IN PARTICULAR OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE IN THEIR ORDINANCES RELATED TO SHORT-TERM RENTALS, IS THE COLLECTION OF TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX, OR TOT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD PAY ON A NIGHTLY STAY IN A HOTEL.
SO WE ARE NOT, WE ARE MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY AT THE MOMENT TO GAIN THAT.
NOW, WHILE SHORT-TERM RENTALS ARE NOT ALLOWED, THAT GENERALLY MEANS THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED.
THAT HASN'T REALLY STOPPED, UH, NATIONAL CHAINS SUCH AS AIRBNB AND SO FORTH FROM, UH, ORGANIZING RENTALS IN HERE IN THE CITY.
SO, AS FAR AS MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS GO, WE HAVE ALREADY, UH, OUR STAFF HAS ALREADY DETERMINED THAT THERE ARE VENDORS THAT OPERATE PERMITTING PROGRAMS, UH, FOR FOUR CITIES SUCH AS OURS, WHERE THEY WILL TAKE CHARGE OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS, COLLECTING THE FEES, ISSUING THE PERMITS, AND, UH, ROUTING THE TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX OR TOT TO THE CITY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH DOES REQUIRE THE COLLECTION OF TOT AS DO OTHER CITIES.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY A POTENTIAL REVENUE STREAM TO BOLSTER OUR GENERAL FUND.
IT WILL ALSO HELP US TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CONCERNS BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A PERMITTING PROCESS AND COMMON COMPLAINTS SUCH AS NOISE, UH, PARKING, AND THE LIKE.
THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN OTHER SHORT-TERM RENTAL, UH, ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SO IF THERE IS A PERMIT AND THERE, THERE IS A RISK OF LOSING A PERMIT, WE HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GAIN MORE COMPLIANCE FROM PROPERTY OWNERS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE A FRAMEWORK OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS, UH, HOW WE, UM, GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO, UH, GET INFORMATION ON THAT THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, KNOW WHERE TO GO TO TO GET THAT PERMIT, HAVE A STAFF OR A LIAISON PERSON AVAILABLE TO FIELD QUESTIONS, ET CETERA.
SO, AS FAR AS ENHANCED OVERSIGHT, SO OBVIOUSLY THESE COMPANIES MAKE A LIVING OUT OF, UH, HELPING C SUCH AS OURS, UH, ISSUE THE PERMIT.
SO THEY'LL HAVE A LOT OF DATA THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, DERIVE FROM.
UM, AS WELL AS DOING THE COMPLIANCE MONITORING ENFORCEMENT AS WELL.
OBVIOUSLY, UH, SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS WILL GO THROUGH THEM AND THEN COME THROUGH THE CITY THROUGH OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, BUT THAT WILL GIVE US ADDITIONAL AVENUES IN THAT REGARD.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE VENDOR MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
SO THAT WILL OF COURSE REDUCE THE, THE BURDEN ON STAFF.
SO WE, WE HAVE VERY LITTLE STAFF THAT WILL BE ABLE TO DO THIS ON A FULL-TIME BASIS.
OF COURSE, THE CITY GETS MONEY IN RETURN, SO WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING, UH, MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK AND WE'RE HAVING LESS WORK.
WE'RE GETTING SOME OF THE MONEY.
THE CITY WILL GET THE TOT AND THE LICENSING FEES THAT WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ALL THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL OPERATORS.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL, UH, RESULT IN A SEAMLESS, UH, TAX COLLECTION FOR THE TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX.
AS FAR AS ZONING CONSIDERATIONS, WE'VE SEEN VARIOUS, UH, THEMES IN OTHER ORDINANCES, BUT PRIMARILY WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT THIS WOULD LIMIT IT, OF COURSE, THE SINGLE FAMILY ZONES WHERE THAN APARTMENTS OR MULTI-FAMILY WHERE THE, UH, ANY ISSUES RELATED TO NUISANCE OR COMPOUNDED.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN, IN PUBLIC.
THERE HAVE BEEN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS ALREADY, OR AT LEAST ONE THAT I CAN RECALL.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK IN GENERAL TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COLLECTING, UH, ALL THE APPROPRIATE DATA SO WE CAN HAVE A, A GOOD ROBUST ORDINANCE.
UH, AS WITH ANY OTHER ORDINANCE, AND I'LL GET INTO WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR IN A MINUTE, BUT AS WITH ANY ORDINANCE, IT WILL GO THROUGH A PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS.
SO THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY TO COMMENT.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A PHASED APPROACH.
SO THIS FIRST PHASE IS GETTING AN ORDINANCE, IS WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO.
UH, THEN WE WOULD DO THE WORK WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, VENDORS OR THE, UH, CHOOSE A VENDOR.
WE ALREADY HAVE THREE IN MIND THAT WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO.
WE'LL LOOK AND SEE IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE MORE APPROPRIATE AND, UH, SOLICITS, UM, UH, INFORMATION FROM THEM ON HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST AND SO FORTH.
AND WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR PAYMENT WOULD BE, WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS CAN BE.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL OF COURSE MONITOR TO SEE HOW THAT GOES.
AND HOPEFULLY WE ARE ABLE TO ASSUAGE ANY OTHER CONCERNS THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH.
SO AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS, SO WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE, UH, INPUT TONIGHT, BUT THE PRIMARY, UH, REASON FOR THIS PROCESS IS TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO INITIATE THE, UH, AN ORDINANCE PROCESS.
SO ASKING STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN ORDINANCE ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS SO THAT WE CAN GAIN THAT DATA AND CREATE AN ORDINANCE TO COME BACK FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, UH, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR.
SO, UH, AS FAR AS SOLICITING COMMENTS, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT TONIGHT.
UH, STAFF WILL BE DOING THE RESEARCH IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, UH, GIVEN THE SHUTDOWN, WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY FEBRUARY BEFORE WE COME BACK AND STAFF WILL COME BACK TO, TO
[02:10:01]
THE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE FOUND AND WHAT WE THINK MAY BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY.THEN WE WOULD OF COURSE DRAFT THE ORDINANCE OR BRING THAT FOR A FIRST READING AT A PUBLIC HEARING WHERE WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UH, FROM THE PUBLIC.
THE PUBLIC CAN ALWAYS CONTACT STAFF SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD THIS PROCESS TO KEEP SO WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE APPRISED OF, OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND WE WOULD INTEND TO COME BACK MOST LIKELY IN MARCH OF NEXT YEAR, FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR WITHOUT ORDINANCE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AFTER THAT ORDINANCE IS IN PLACE, OR PROBABLY DURING THAT, UH, LAST COUPLE OF PHASES, WE WOULD BE EVALUATING THE DIFFERENT, UH, PROPOSALS FROM VENDORS RELATED TO SHORT TERM RENTALS.
SO THAT DOES CONCLUDE STAFF'S REPORT, AND I'M READY FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE OR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I DO WANT TO, UH, MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE INFORMATION WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SEEING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE STAFF REPORT.
UM, THE, IN FACT, THE ONE PAGE STAFF REPORT FOR THIS ITEM TONIGHT HAS NONE OF THIS INFORMATION.
SO, UH, I, I FEEL A LITTLE BIT, UH, CAUGHT OFF GUARD AS FAR AS, UH, WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY NOW, WHICH IS MOVING TOWARDS CREATING A POLICY REGARDING SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS.
NOW, UM, I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A TOPIC THAT CITY STAFF HAS BEEN LOOKING AT FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.
UM, AND I DO KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, A FEW COMMUNITY MEETINGS RELATED TO THIS TOPIC.
UM, SO I WISH WE HAD BEEN BETTER PREPARED TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
UM, AS PART OF THE, UM, INFORMATION THAT, UH, YOUR TEAM WILL BE LOOKING FOR, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW MANY SHORT TERM VACATION RENTALS THERE ARE IN NATIONAL CITY AND, UH, HAVE A BALLPARK UNDERSTANDING OF, IN FACT, WHAT TYPE OF REVENUE ARE WE LOOKING TO GAIN FROM THAT.
UM, ARE THESE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OR APARTMENTS OR PERHAPS EVEN SINGLE ROOMS IN, UH, SOMEBODY'S RESIDENCE? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THE BREAKDOWN IS BY, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT, UM, AS FAR AS WHERE THE CONCENTRATION OF THESE VACATION RENTALS ARE WITHIN OUR CITIES.
UM, THE INFORMATION THAT I DID RECEIVE DURING MY BRIEFING SPOKE TO, UM, UH, LET'S SEE, THE FACT THAT SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS ARE ACTUALLY NOT PERMITTED IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
THAT'S WHAT I HEARD FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY, THAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY ILLEGAL.
AND SO I I I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ARE WE CONSIDERING THIS IF THEY'RE NOT BEING PERMITTED OR, OR UP UNTIL THIS POINT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PERMITTED.
SO, UM, THAT DOESN'T FIT WELL IN MY HEAD.
UM, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND IS CURRENTLY, IS THERE ACTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS? OR ARE, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING THAT WE WILL BE CREATING? UM, OR ARE WE ONLY ADDRESSING PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE BRIEFING IS THAT SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS IN NATIONAL CITY TO DATE HAVE BEEN A CAUSE FOR CONCERN OF PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
AND THIS IS, UH, CLEAR, UH, BY REPORTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM PD.
SO AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T FIT IN MY HEAD HEARING YOU SAY, IN FACT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE HAVE, HOW DO WE MAKE SHORT TERM VACATION RENTALS WORK IN NATIONAL CITY? SO, UM, YEAH, THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED THERE.
UH, ANOTHER PIECE OF INFORMATION I GOT DURING MY BRIEFING IS THAT, UH, THERE, THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL UNDERTAKING AND THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE SOMETHING LIKE A HUNDRED HOURS OF STAFF TIME TO RESEARCH AND, AND, AND, AND, AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD IMPLEMENT.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, HOUSING IS A TOP ISSUE IN NATIONAL CITY.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF HOMES THAT SHOULD BE A PART OF OUR RENTAL MARKET.
THIS IS EVIDENT THE, UH, HOUSING UNIT THAT'S GOING UP ACROSS THE STREET, UH, FOR UNDER 200 UNITS.
UH, I HAVE MY NUMBERS, UH, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT IT WAS REALLY CLEAR.
MANY RENTERS ARE LOOKING FOR RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO, UM, SETTING ASIDE THESE, WHAT WOULD BE OTHERWISE SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTALS, UH, FOR SPECULATION, I DON'T THINK IS THE RIGHT STEP THAT OUR CITY SHOULD BE TAKING.
UH, THIS IMPACTS OUR OVERALL RENTAL MARKET, AND IT IS MY BELIEF THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO INCENTIVIZE THE OWNERS TO RENT, NOT TO SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTERS, BUT TO THE LONG-TERM RENTER, RENTERS, UH, THE FAMILIES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO LIVE.
[02:15:01]
UM, IF THE GOAL IS INCREASING REVENUE, I WOULD PREFER THAT WE SPEND THE HUNDRED HOURS OF STAFF TIME LOOKING FOR REVENUE GENERATORS THAT WOULD NOT NEGATIVELY AFFECT OUR STRESSED HOUSING MARKET.UM, MY FINAL QUESTION IS THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE AND THE PHASED APPROACH, DOES THAT MEAN, IS THE CITY GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PIECE OF, OF THIS PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE JUST PROPOSED 10 MINUTES AGO? THANK YOU, MR. RITA.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UH, A LOT OF THAT DATA, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST FEW THINGS, WE'LL CERTAINLY BE BRINGING THAT DATA BACK.
UM, IN, IN THE EFFORT, IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT ON, ON, UH, PROCESSES.
OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO, UM, ENSURE THAT THE PROCESS STARTS IS INITIATED.
WE CAN'T CREATE AN ORDINANCE WITHOUT DIRECTION EITHER FROM SOMEONE THAT WISHES TO PAY TO DO AN ORDINANCE OR THROUGH MINUTE ACTION OF THE COUNCIL AS WE'RE ASKING.
AND THEN WE'LL CERTAINLY GET ALL OF THAT, UH, DATA, WHICH WILL OF COURSE TAKE TIME AND, AND, UH, STAFF TIME AS FAR AS YOUR COMMENTS RELATED TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE ILLEGAL, YES, WE DO HAVE A PERMISSIVE LAND USE CODE.
SO IF IT'S NOT EXPRESSLY, UH, STATED IN THE LAND USE CODE, IT IS SPECIFICALLY NOT ALLOWED.
AND YOU'RE CORRECT, THOSE ARE ILLEGAL, BUT WE'RE HAVING, YOU KNOW, JUST INITIAL SEARCHES HAVE COME UP WITH 200 IN SOME CASES FOR US TO SPEAK IN THE STAFF TIME.
IF WE'RE GONNA PROSECUTE 200 CASES, THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF, UH, STAFF POWER.
SO WE'RE, WE AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN ILLEGAL SITUATION AND WE ARE POTENTIALLY REWARDING BAD BEHAVIOR BY ISSUING PERMITS, BUT THIS WILL ALLOW US TO START WITH A CLEAN SLATE TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY IS GETTING THE BENEFIT FROM THE, FROM THE MONEY.
UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT YOUR OTHER COMMENTS RELATED TO RENTAL NEEDS, HOUSING NEEDS AND SO FORTH.
UH, PUBLIC SAFETY IS OF COURSE, TOP OF MIND.
MOST OF THE ISSUES THAT MY DEPARTMENT HAS DEALT WITH ARE RELATED THIS NUISANCE, PARTICULARLY NOISE AND, AND PARKING.
SO THAT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S UNDER MY PURVIEW.
I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR, UH, ISSUES THAT ARE RELATED TO SHORT TERM RENTALS FROM PD, BUT, UM, THIS WILL, YOU KNOW, ALLOW US TO HAVE A MORE, TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE AND TO HAVE, UH, MORE THE ABILITY TO HAVE A MUCH MORE ROBUST APPROACH AND, UM, CONTACT WITH, WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE RULES.
SO, UH, YEAH, STAFF TIME CAN VARY DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH INFORMATION IS REQUESTED IF WE DO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS.
BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS AND WE DON'T ALWAYS COME TO COUNCIL WITH EVERYTHING IMMEDIATELY.
SO I, YOU KNOW, I, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR POSITION AND I'LL CERTAINLY ENDEAVOR TO, TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT AGAIN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS ON THE BACK BURNER AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY COME UP, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.
BUT SHOULD WE INITIATE, WE'LL ABSOLUTELY GET YOU THE INFORMATION YOU NEED.
WE WILL SOLICIT ALL THE ADDITIONAL INPUT THAT WE, WE CAN GET FROM THE COUNCIL AND, UH, THE COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY.
SO, UM, OTHERWISE, YEAH, HOPEFULLY THAT IS GOOD RESPONSE.
CAN I, CAN I CHIME IN JUST A LITTLE BIT? YES, PLEASE.
UH, YEAH, I THINK OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, UH, FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, UH, UH, A POLICY, UH, WITH REGARDS TO POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT, UH, THE COLLECTION OF, UM, OF, UH, TRANSIT OCCUPANCY TAX, UM, DOT, UH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH IN ORDER TO KIND OF RIGHTSIZE THE APPROACH.
UH, TWO THINGS TO BE MINDFUL OF.
I THINK WHAT MADE THIS, UM, ISSUE MORE IMMEDIATE NOW IS AS OUR, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS, HAS DEVELOPED A TASK FORCE, A CITYWIDE TASK FORCE WITH REGARDS TO, UH, THE ISSUES OF PROSTITUTION, ET CETERA.
WE WE'RE, WE'RE NOTICING THE USE OF, OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THAT PROCESS.
AND, UM, FIGURING OUT THAT SHORT-TERM RENTALS ACCOUNT.
NOW, IN TERMS OF THE ESTIMATES WE, WE'VE RECEIVED, AND WE WILL, UH, CONFIRM IN, IN THE FUTURE, IT'S ABOUT 125 TO 200 UNITS.
THEY REALLY, THE, THE COMPANIES THAT GIVE US THIS INFORMATION GO BY ADVERTISEMENTS, SO THEY'RE NOT CONFIRMED, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE ADVERTISING IS ABOUT 200, UM, SHORT TERM RENTALS IN NATIONAL CITY, AND IT'S ABOUT 1% OF THE HOUSING STOCK OR EVEN LESS THAN THAT.
SO FROM A HOUSING PERSPECTIVE, WE THINK THERE IS A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO, TO REGULATE, BETTER, REGULATE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, IF THEY'RE GONNA, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER POP UP BECAUSE THERE'S A VERY IMMEDIATE MARKET FOR THEM THROUGH, UH, THE INTERNET THAT WE HAVE A BETTER GRASP AND USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY POTENTIALLY FOR REVENUE.
SO, UM, THIS IS AN INITIATION.
IT'S REALLY KIND OF A PROCESS TO REALLY GRAPPLE DOWN, GRAPPLE DOWN ON THE ISSUE, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, SO DURING MY BRIEFING, I ASK, UM, HOW MANY
[02:20:01]
OF THOSE, UM, UNITS, UH, DO WE HAVE IN NATIONAL CITY? AND, UM, I THINK, UM, IT, IT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY NOT GOOD FOR US NOT TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE BECAUSE HOW CAN WE MITIGATE PUBLIC SAFETY IF EVEN OUR PUBLIC, OUR NATIONAL POLICE DEPARTMENT DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS, UM, LOCATIONS ARE.AND I THINK PUTTING A, UH, STRICT COMPLIANCE ON THESE BUSINESSES THAT ARE POPPING INTO OUR CITY, UM, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, THAT WILL ALSO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY, NUMBER ONE.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JUST LIKE WHAT, UM, UM, DIRECTOR CARLOS SAID THAT, UM, THIS WILL, YOU KNOW, THIS STUDY WILL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF, UM, IT'S REALLY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY PURPOSES.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, FOR OUR PD TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE USING FOR, FOR THE ECONOMIC, UM, IMPACT TO THE CITY.
I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE, THE REPORT OR THE STUDY WILL GIVE US THOSE, UM, REPORTS.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S WORTH, UM, LOOKING AT IT, IT'S WORTH, UM, STUDYING THIS, UM, PROCESS IN ORDER FOR US TO, UH, BE ABLE TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD OR NOT WITH AN ORDINANCE, UH, WITH REGARDS TO THIS SDRS.
UM, I KNOW YOU'VE ANSWERED THEM IN, IN KIND OF DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT ARE THERE SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE AROUND THE REGION? UH, THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER THROUGH THE CHAIR.
YES, THERE ARE, UH, CITY OF CHULA VISTA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS ONE.
WE, WE HAVE LOOKED AT, I THINK THE COUNTY AND CITY OF SAN DIEGO ALSO HAVE, UM, HAVE REGULATIONS.
SAN DIEGO AND CHULA VISTA ARE THE MOST, UM, SIMILAR IN US, BUT THE, I THINK THE COUNTY'S FAIRLY, UH, BROUGHT IN THEIR ALLOWANCE.
BUT, UH, THERE ARE SPECIFIC ONES IN, UH, THE CHULA VISTA ONE WE FOUND IS, IS MORE APPROPRIATE.
'CAUSE THEY'RE A SIMILAR SIZE COMMUNITY AS OPPOSED TO SAN DIEGO THAT HAS THE BEACH COMMUNITIES.
THEY HAVE DOWNTOWN AND SO FORTH.
AND THEY HAVE VERY SPECIFIC REGULATIONS.
AND TO, UM, AGAIN, REITERATE, HOW MANY RENTALS ARE THERE IN THE CITY? SHORT TERM RENTALS, APPROXIMATE, I KNOW WE WENT OVER THIS IN PREVIOUS PRESENTATION.
IT VARIES EACH TIME WE LOOK, BUT IT'S BEEN UP TO 200.
JUST BY LOOKING AT AIRBNB AND VRBL.
AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT, UM, SOME OF THESE SHORT-TERM RENTALS FACE? UH, THE ONE WE HEAR MOSTLY IS, IS NOISE AND PARTIES AND, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENT NUISANCE ISSUES THAT ARE MAKING IT HARD FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND RESIDENTS TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE.
IS THE ISSUE OF PROSTITUTION ALSO, UM, APPEARING AT SOME OF OUR SHORT TERM RENTALS? I, WELL, I, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA DEFER TO PD ON THAT ONE.
'CAUSE I, I'M NOT SURE OF ANY PARTICULAR INSTANCES, BUT I HAVE HEARD THAT THAT'S, UH, AN ISSUE.
I GUESS THAT, I GUESS IT PASS BATON TO YOU, MR. ALU
UH, I'M GONNA REFRAIN FROM GETTING INTO SPECIFIC INVESTIGATIONS, BUT, UH, UH, YES, THEY ARE A PROBLEM.
AND, UM, IN OTHER REGIONAL ORDINANCES, UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT COULD HELP SOME OF OUR MORE PROBLEMATIC, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL ISSUES? UH, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT, UH, AT CHULA VISTA, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR PARKING, WHICH IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S COME UP RECENTLY, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CHANGES IN THE STATE RULES RELATED TO THE PARKING NEED FOR, FOR HOUSES.
YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR CITY IS WITHIN A, A HIGH TRANSIT AREA, SO PARKING IS NOT REQUIRED FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT IN MOST OF THE CITY, WHICH IS A PROBLEM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE HAVING MULTIPLE PEOPLE SHOWING UP TO A PLACE AND HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE PARTIES, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT'S GONNA PUT A BURDEN ON PARKING, SPEAKING TO PARTIES.
UM, SO ENSURING AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF ON, UH, ON SITE OR OFF STREET PARKING WILL HELP TO ASSUAGE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
UM, OTHER ONES INVOLVE, UH, HAVING 24 HOUR, UH, A PHONE NUMBER THAT IS GOOD FOR 24 HOURS AND ANY CALL HAS TO BE RESPONDED TO WITHIN AN HOUR.
AND, UH, HAVING QUIET TIME HOURS, YOU KNOW, AFTER 9:00 PM NO NOISE, ET CETERA.
SO THE FAIRLY BROAD, OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE GOING TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THE BAD ACTORS ARE STILL GONNA BE BAD ACTORS, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS A, A, AN ECONOMIC HARDSHIP PLACED ON THE PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE THEY GET THEIR PERMIT PULLED, I THINK THAT WILL, THAT WILL HELP TO OFFSET SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
AND THAT WAS GONNA BE MY QUESTION.
WHAT HAPPENS IF WE HAVE REGULAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT SOME OF THESE, IF, IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE POLICY? I GUESS WHAT HAPPENS
[02:25:01]
IN THE CASE OF THE PROPERTY OWNER IF, UM, THESE ISSUES CONTINUE TO COME UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOKING AT OTHER ORDINANCES, RIGHT? LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROGRESSIVE STEPS? WELL, MOST OF THE ORDINANCES, ORDINANCES, EXCUSE ME, ARE FAIRLY BROAD AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T REALLY GO INTO ENFORCEMENT AS MUCH.UH, BUT THAT'S, AND THAT'S PART OF THE, WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT.
BUT, UH, IN GENERAL, THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'LL LOSE YOUR LICENSE AND IF YOU OPERATE WITHOUT THAT LICENSE OR THAT PERMIT, THEN YOU'LL BE SUBJECT TO CITATION AND FINE.
AND ULTIMATELY, WE CAN ALWAYS PROSECUTE ON A PUBLIC NUISANCE IF WE NEED TO.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, ENSURE SOME FORM OF, OF COMPLIANCE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE HAVE TO GET INVOLVED.
'CAUSE HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE PERMITTING, THE, THE THIRD PARTY VENDOR WE INTEND TO, TO HIRE WOULD BE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING AFTER THE PERMITS.
AND THEY WOULD BE DOING THE RESEARCH ONLINE TO SEE HOW MANY WE HAVE, HOW MANY ARE SHOWING UP AND DOING THE, THE DATA WORK ON HOW MANY OF THESE HAVE LICENSES AND HOW MANY DON'T.
AND IN THE CASE OF CHULA VISTA, HOW MUCH IS THE APPLICATION FEE FOR SOMEBODY TO APPLY FOR A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT? UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT'S, IT'S LESS THAN, I THINK IT WAS AROUND A HUNDRED DOLLARS, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE.
AND IN OTHER CITIES, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA? UH, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT INFORMATION OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
YEAH, I'VE FOUND THAT ON THE, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS, I MEAN, THERE'S, THEY COME IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMS. UH, SOME OF IT IS NAVY PERSONNEL, AND SO WHEN THEY GO OUT ONTO SEA OR SOMETHING ALONG THAT LINE, THEY'RE GONNA BE OUT FOR A COUPLE MONTHS.
THEY WILL, UH, USE THEIR PLACE A SHORT TERM RENTAL JUST TO BASICALLY PAY THEIR RENT AND KEEP THEIR PLACE UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND SO YOU HAVE STUFF ALONG THAT LINE, BUT THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE SPECULATORS WHO BUY UP SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES AND JUST USE THEM JUST FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY REPUTABLE AND SOME OF 'EM MAYBE NOT SO MUCH.
WE'VE ALSO, I KNOW SOME THAT, THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, AND I KNOW THIS CAME UP PARTICULARLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH THE PROSTITUTION PROBLEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME USES THERE ALSO.
SO, I MEAN, IT COMES IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORMS. SO THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW, COMES UP RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE NOT REALLY LEGAL IN OUR, ACCORDING TO OUR BOOK.
SO WE EITHER WE NEED TO ENFORCE THAT OR WE NEED TO PUT SOMETHING INTO PLACE TO CONTROL IT AND TO HAVE SOME KIND, SOME TYPE OF A CONTROL AND SOME TYPE OF OVERSIGHT.
SO, UM, SO ANYWAY, SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANYTHING AT THIS STAGE? SO YOU, OH, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, JUST THE, I I APPRECIATE, UM, YEAH, JUST THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM STAFF, UM, I MOVING FORWARD, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME.
THE, UM, THE, THE STAFF REPORT, THERE'S NOTHING IN IT.
SO, MOVING FORWARD, NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR ME, BUT, UH, I UNDERSTAND IT'S AN ISSUE THE STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING ON.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR WORKING ON THIS FOR SOME TIME.
AND TO KIND OF, UH, PIGGYBACK OFF OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA'S, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, THE, THE WORKLOAD AND THE EFFORT IT WOULD TAKE, I, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BRING BACK IF WE DO A RETREAT IN JANUARY THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT SO THAT WE CAN SET ASIDE THE, THE TIME FOR A FEW MONTHS BECAUSE IT IS AN ISSUE THAT WE DO NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME CREATIVE WAYS WE CAN ADDRESS IT.
SO I, I DEFINITELY WANNA TAKE SOME ACTION ON IT.
JUST, UM, WANTING TO, BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION, HAVE SUFFICIENT INFORMATION AND ALSO, UM, MAKING SURE WE'RE BALANCING IT OFF WITH OUR OTHER PRIORITIES AND WE KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE COST IS AND IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS WE COULD DO IF THERE'S NOT LOOKING AT OTHER ORDINANCES OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, WHETHER IT'S WORKING OR NOT.
SO I, I DEFINITELY THINK THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD ADDRESS.
BUT, UH, I, I WANT US TO DISCUSS IT IN, IN JANUARY.
LIKE I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD.
BUT I'D RATHER US TALK ABOUT HOW I, I WOULDN'T WANNA SPEND TOO MUCH STAFF TIME ON IT WITHOUT US HAVING THE INFORMATION ON IT.
UM, I'D RATHER US, UM, THE STAFF BRING IT BACK IN A RETREAT OR KIND OF A, A STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION WHERE WE CAN BALANCE OFF WHAT OUR, OUR PRIORITIES ARE IN A FEW MONTHS.
I JUST WANT US TO BE ORGANIZED AND STRATEGIC ABOUT IT.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT BRINGING SOME MORE MATERIAL BACK TO US, YOU SAID LIKE MAYBE FEBRUARY? IS THAT WHAT I HEARD? UH, YES, MAYOR, UH, ALTHOUGH WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN, YOU KNOW, THE ORDINANCE PROCESS TO BE INITIATED, WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UM, SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL TO PURSUE THIS RESEARCH, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE WE DO.
UM, AND WE'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO COME BACK.
WE'D CERTAINLY BE, UM, WILLING TO COME BACK IN A RETREAT SETTING TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
OR I CAN PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, UM, ANOTHER STAFF REPORT WITH, WITH MORE OF THIS DATA THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR AT A LATER DATE.
YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT IN FEBRUARY.
SO, YEAH, IT'LL LIKELY BE FEBRUARY.
'CAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ONLY GOT A COUPLE MORE THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
[02:30:01]
UH, ANNUAL REPORTS AND SUCH.SO I WOULD SAY THAT FEBRUARY WE'D HAVE ALL THE DATA THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
YEAH, BECAUSE I, I THINK BEFORE WE REALLY DECIDE TO KIND OF GO GUNG-HO ON THIS THING OR PUT BOTH FEET IN THERE, I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT PEOPLE WANNA KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE ISSUE, HOW OTHER CITIES ARE KIND OF DEALING WITH THIS AND HOW EFFECTIVE, YOU KNOW, OR, YOU KNOW, UH, IS IT REALLY, IS IT WORKING, UH, AND WHAT THINGS WORK AND WHAT THINGS DON'T.
UM, AND I SAY, I KNOW THIS IS PRIMARILY MORE ON, IN LIKE BEACH COMMUNITIES IN PARTICULAR.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT MISSION BEACH AND OCEAN BEACH AND THEM, THEY, THEY'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF ISSUES WITH THIS, BUT, UH, BUT YEAH, BUT STILL, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE MONEY WE JUST SPENT AND WE PUT INTO A PROJECT OVER HERE FOR 200 UNITS, AND THEN AS, UH, COUNCIL MOLINA BROUGHT UP, IF YOU'VE GOT 200 UNITS HERE THAT ARE TAKEN OUTTA THE RENTAL MARKET, AND, UH, AND YET WE JUST SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, TO SUPPORT A, A, UH, 200 UNIT COMPLEX, KIND OF GREAT KIND OF COMES UP, KIND OF A WASH.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, UM, FOR, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UM, MAKE A, UH, UH, INTELLIGENT DECISION.
UH, WHEN YOU SEE THE MAP OF WHAT THEY HAD SHOWN ME, IT'S, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S 200, UM, STRS IN OUR CITY.
IT LOOKS LIKE CHICKEN POX, IT'S EVERYWHERE.
AND I LIKE THE REQUEST, THE REQUEST OF COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA TO DO IT BY DISTRICT.
I THINK AS WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY DISTRICTED REPRESENTED BY EACH OF US.
UM, I WOULD LIKE THAT DATA, UM, TO COME BEFORE US.
UM, AND THEN THIS WOULD ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MAKE THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS BE MORE RESPONSIBLE, UH, OF THEIR PROPERTIES.
UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S EVERYWHERE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO TO GO AFTER.
SO THIS STUDY THAT YOU'RE GONNA BRING BEFORE US, UM, WILL, WILL, UM, YOU, I MEAN, WILL TARGET THOSE, UM, THE, THOSE AREAS, UM, FOR OUR QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? NOPE.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, THANK STAFF FOR HAVING ONGOING DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION ON THIS.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
AND MAYOR, I DO THINK THAT THEY'RE WELL RECEIVED AND, UH, I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED A LOT MORE INFORMATION AS WE DECIDE TO GO FORWARD WITH IT.
UM, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO ALSO LOOK AT OTHER, UH, CITIES, UM, THAT ARE COMPARABLE TO US AND NOT COMPARABLE TO US TO SEE WHAT IT, YOU KNOW, TO SEE HOW IT WORKS.
UM, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, A FEW DOZEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER THE PAST MONTH AND A HALF, THERE ARE SOME VERY SERIOUS ISSUES AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS.
AND, UH, ONE IN PARTICULAR, UM, UH, THERE WAS A SHOOTING ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.
UH, AND, AND THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITY IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO CLEAN UP OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND IF WE HAVE TO HAVE A TOUGH POLICY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS SAFE, THEN I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO.
AND SO, I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO AN ONGOING DIALOGUE ON THIS SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE.
ALRIGHT, SO STAFF HAVE ENOUGH ENOUGH TO GO ON? YES, SIR.
UM, ANY OTHER STAFF REPORTS? AND JUST FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, WHEN DO WE THINK THAT REPORT WOULD COME BACK TO US? UH, WE'LL HAVE THAT DATA READY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, PROBABLY BY FEBRUARY, I'D IMAGINE.
AND WE CAN LET YOU KNOW AND WE CAN DETERMINE HOW WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH PROCESSING AND DISCUSSING THAT INFORMATION.
UM, ANY OTHER STAFF REPORTS? I, I HAVE NONE, MAYOR.
[14. ELECTED OFFICIALS REPORT]
OFFICIALS REPORTS, AND, UH, WE HAVE ITEM 14 ONE.THIS IS A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON A CSU OF COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF SPEAKERS ON THIS, LET YOU KNOW, AND LIKE MORE COMING IN.
UH, I BROUGHT THIS FORWARD AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN, BEEN KIND OF ON THE BURNER FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND, UH, BUT FELT THAT, THAT THIS IS THE ONLY AVENUE THAT WE AS A COUNCIL HAVE OF ADDRESSING THESE TYPE ISSUES.
SO THERE IS, IN OUR, IN OUR AGENDA, THERE'S A MEMO AND IT CONTAINS THAT THERE'S, AND SO, AND I'LL JUST READ OFF THE, THE TITLE ON IT.
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF THE COUNCIL, UH, OF THE CITY OF NATIONAL, CITY OF A ASURE OF COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE RODRIGUEZ, FOR A PATTERN OF VIOLATIONS OF CITY COUNCIL POLICIES ONE 19, SPECIFICALLY
[02:35:01]
POLICIES NUMBER THREE DASH 1, 2, 3, AND 10.AND THE CODE OF FAIR, UH, CAMPAIGN PRACTICES SECTION ONE AND TWO.
AND THEN THERE ARE SIX DIFFERENT AREAS OF CONCERN.
AND SO WE WILL, UH, BRING THESE UP INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, THE FIRST IS THE USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES IN THE COURSE OF ACTIONS OF HIS OFFICE WITH THROUGH GIVEAWAYS, TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENTS, THE USE OF CITY FUNDED RESOURCES ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGN MEDIA SITES.
ALSO, THE APPEARANCE, IF NOT REALITY OF THE USE OF CITY CONTRACTORS AND CITY HIRED STAFF UNDER HIS DIRECT CONTROL FOR THE USE OF CAMPAIGNING.
UH, ALSO THE USE OF MEDIA TO CAUSE A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY IN THE FORM OF BULLYING AND NON-INCLUSIVE INTIMIDATION THAT HAS CAUSED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A CITY COMMISSIONER, TO FEEL THAT THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE THREATENED.
UH, THE APPEARANCE OF HIRING PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN HIS CAMPAIGN AS IS CITY STAFF, STAFF, EXCUSE ME, THE CONTINUING MEDIA ATTENTION CONCERNING HIS CHARACTER AND ACTIONS, WHICH REFLECT UPON THE CITY'S REPUTATION AS WELL.
AND A TOTAL LACK OF REMORSE OR CHANGE IN ACTIONS WHEN CONCERNS OF HIS CHARACTER AND ACTIONS ARE BROUGHT TO HIS ATTENTION.
NOW, REALIZING CENSURE IS THE ONLY AVENUE THAT A CITY, UH, COUNCIL HAS.
WE ARE, WE DO NOT HIRE OR FIRE EACH OTHER.
THAT IS, THAT IS LEFT UP TO THE CITIZENS.
AND, UH, BUT WITHIN OUR INTERACTION, THIS IS THE ONE THING THAT IS ALLOWED.
AND, AND, UH, TAKE IT RIGHT OUT OF, UH, POLICY ONE 19.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON MEMBERS WHOSE CONDUCT IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ETHICAL STANDARDS AS SET FORTH.
THOSE SECTIONS MAY INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO REPRIMAND, FORMER CENSURE REMOVAL FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE JUST A BRIEF, UM, KINDA REPORT ON THIS, ON SUMMIT TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE DIFFERENT ISSUES.
AND, AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS HERE, A LOT OF TIMES WITH CSU WHEN IT'S BROUGHT UP, IT IS BECAUSE OF A SPECIFIC ITEM, SOMETHING, ONE THING HAPPENED, AND THAT BECOMES THE WHOLE, THAT BECOMES THE WHOLE DEAL.
THIS IS NOT THAT THIS IS OVER A PATTERN OF SEVERAL THINGS THAT BY THEMSELF MAY NOT HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, A MATTER FOR C BUT SINCE THERE'S A PATTERN GOING OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, THAT'S THE REASON THIS IS BEING BROUGHT UP.
NOW, THEN THE DISCUSSION WOULD BE, UH, FIRST OF ALL WE WILL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC, BUT THEN THE, THE DISCUSSION WILL BE AMONG THE COUNCIL TO DECIDE DOES THIS MERIT A CENSURE? AND IF, AND THEN TO WHAT DEGREE.
AND, UH, AND AS I MENTIONED ON THE, WHAT WE CAN DO, SENSORS CAN BE EVERYTHING FROM BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DECIDE TO A SENSOR, BASICALLY A LIGHT SLAP ON THE, ON THE, THE HAND UP TO.
AND THE ONLY OTHER THINGS YOU REALLY CAN DO IS DEALING WITH YOUR, UM, UH, YOUR, BASICALLY YOUR APPOINTMENTS AND, UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND REMOVAL, POSSIBLE REMOVAL FROM BOARDS, UH, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS AND ANY, ANY, UM, LATITUDE YOU HAVE IN THOSE.
SO I'M GONNA, AND I WILL HOLD UP A NUMBER OF THINGS HERE.
I'M GONNA BE GIVEN A COPY OF THESE TO OUR CITY CLERK SO THAT THESE, THESE ARE ALL PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT ARE NOT PUBLIC, UH, THEN THAT CAN, UM, WE CAN PUT ON THE, UH, UH, PUT INTO THE RECORD SO ANYONE ELSE CAN LOOK AT 'EM ALSO.
UM, SO WE HAD, BACK IN 23, WE HAD THE, THE ISSUE WITH THE, UH, THE TURKEYS.
THIS IS ONE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, UH, TURKEY GIVEAWAYS HAVE HAPPENED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN IT.
AND THE DIFFERENCE IS THEY NEVER USE PUBLIC FUNDS TO DO IT.
AND THIS WAS MENTIONED BY, BY SEVERAL PEOPLE TO, UM, UM, COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ.
AND HE DID BRING THESE TURKEYS TO AN EVENT THAT WAS NOT ADVERTISED AS A TURKEY GIVEAWAY.
AND, UH, UM, AND THERE WAS, WAS DONE, WHICH WAS FINE.
BUT THEN HE SUBMITTED A BILL TO THE CITY SO THOUGH THAT THE TAXPAYERS WOULD PAY FOR HIM TO THE TUNE OF $7,143.
SO THIS WAS, THIS WAS KIND OF A START ON, ON SOME OF THE DEALS WITH THE REIMBURSEMENTS.
THERE WAS ALSO THEN A REQUEST FOR WARRANT.
AND THIS WAS TO GO UP TO SACRAMENTO FOR, FOR ONE NIGHT TO THE SAN DIEGO LABOR IN SACRAMENTO.
AND, UH, AND SO IT WAS FOR A ONE NIGHT, UH, ONE NIGHT EVENT.
[02:40:02]
AND THE INTERESTING THING IS THEY DIDN'T CHARGE A FEE.THEY ASKED FOR A DONATION OF $450.
AND, UH, SO THE $450 WAS ASSIGNED AND ALSO A LITTLE OVER ABOUT $1,250 FOR THAT ONE NIGHT TO GO UP THERE FOR, UH, SAN DIEGO LABOR IN SACRAMENTO.
AND WHETHER IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE WARRANTED.
AND THEN OF COURSE, ALSO THE FIRE UP $450 WAS AS A DONATION TO THE, UH, TO THE LABOR COUNCIL.
THEN ALSO THIS LAST, UM, RECENTLY WE HAD A SITUATION TO WHERE THERE WAS ALSO, UH, THIS WAS ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, AND IT INVOLVED SEPTEMBER 3RD, AND IT ALSO INVOLVED, UH, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER 3RD.
WE HAVE A POLICY THAT CERTAIN THINGS ARE, UH, YOU CAN GO TO CERTAIN EVENTS, CERTAIN, UH, CONFERENCES OR WHATEVER, AND YOU, YOU CAN DO THOSE AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT GETTING COUNSEL PERMISSION.
IF YOU'RE NOT ON THAT LIST, THEN YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO IN ADVANCE GET COUNSEL PERMISSION AND IT COMES ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA.
AND THEN YOU GO AHEAD AND YOU GET PERMISSION TO DO THAT.
FOR THAT ONE, UH, MEMBER MOLINA AND MYSELF ON THE THIRD PUT IN FOR, FOR A, AN EVENT THAT WAS NOT ON OUR LISTED PRE-APPROVED LIST, UH, AT THE TIME, MEMBER RODRIGUEZ CAME OUT AND BASICALLY SAID THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAD DONE THAT.
AND THAT BASICALLY FOR MYSELF AND MEMBER MOLINA TO DO THAT WAS HYPOCRITICAL.
THAT WAS ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS GONNA BE IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE WERE ASKING FOR IT IN ADVANCE.
THEN WE FOUND OUT HE HAD JUST DONE THE SAME THING ON AUGUST THE 14TH, BUT NEVER ASKED PERMISSION AND WE DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT UNTIL HE PUT IN A REQUEST TO BE REIMBURSED.
SO, SO EVEN IF IT'S A LAST MINUTE DEAL, YOU AUTOMATICALLY DISCLOSE IT AND PUT IT UP ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
AND TO GET APPROVAL WAS NOT DONE.
BUT ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, IT WAS HYPOCRITICAL FOR US TO DO IT, BUT HE'D ALREADY, HE'D ALREADY WENT OUT BUT NOT EVEN TELL ANYBODY OR ASKED PERMISSION.
WE FOUND OUT ONCE, ONCE IT WAS PUT IN FOR INVOICE, THEN WE HAD THE SITUATION OF CONSULTANTS.
AND WELL, BEFORE I DO THAT, I'LL ALSO DO THE OTHER ONE HERE.
WELL, IT'S GONNA GO WITH CONSULTANTS.
SO WE HAD TWO CONSULTING CONTRACTS.
ONE OF IT WAS FOR, UM, WAS IT $48,000 AND THE OTHER ONE WAS FOR $15,000.
AND, UH, WHEN WE LOOKED OVER THE STUFF, THERE WAS CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAD TO BE DRAWN BACK 'CAUSE THEY WEREN'T UNDER THE CONTRACT.
AND SO IT WENT DOWN TO 42,000 AND THE $15,000 ONE WENT DOWN TO 87, 80 $700.
BOTH THESE ARE, THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD WORKED ON HIS CAMPAIGN, BUT NOW THEY BECAME CONSULTANTS FOR THE CITY UNDER HIS DIRECTION.
THE MATERIALS, THE MATERIALS THAT WERE BEING FILMED AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
VIDEOGRAPHY, UH, WAS GOING ON WEBSITES, INCLUDING, I HAVE A PICTURE OF IT HERE, THE JOSE RODRIGUEZ CITY COUNCIL WEBSITE OR, UH, I'M SORRY, FACEBOOK SITE, WHICH IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, IT VERY CLEARLY STATES THAT HERE, UM, RODRIGUEZ FOR MAYOR 2022 IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PAGE.
SO IT WAS A POLITICAL SITE THAT HE WAS TAKING STUFF THAT WAS, THAT THE CITY WAS PAYING TO HAVE DONE AND PUTTING IT ON A POLITICAL SITE.
SO THIS IS JUST, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER, ANOTHER ONE OF THE ISSUES THEN WE GO INTO FROM THAT POINT, THEN WE GO INTO WITH THIS NEW YEAR.
SO THOSE CONSULTANTS WERE HIRED FOR, BASICALLY IT WAS APRIL, MAY, AND JUNE WAS ONE OF IT FOR TWO AND A HALF MONTHS, AND THE OTHER ONE WAS FOR THREE MONTHS.
UH, FOR THAT COMBINED, UH, AMOUNT, THE 42,000 AND THE $8,700, UH, WAS FOR THOSE TWO CONSULTANTS.
BASICALLY WORKED ON CAMPAIGN ISSUES.
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR WORK PRODUCT, IT WAS ALL THE ISSUES THAT HE WAS PART OF HIS CAMPAIGN, UH, LATER ON IN THE YEAR.
THEN WITH THE NEW YEAR BEING JULY 1ST, THEN IT WAS THE IDEA OF NOW HIRING PEOPLE AND TO ACTUALLY BECOME PART OF STAFF, NOT CONSULTANTS, BUT STAFF.
[02:45:01]
OF THE, HE, SO HE HIRED THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS, PART-TIME, AND THEN ONE PERSON THAT WAS A PAID INTERN.AND SO ENDED UP WITH FOUR PEOPLE WORKING IN HIS OFFICE.
AND THIS WAS ALL FOR THE PERIOD, HONESTLY, RIGHT BEFORE ELECTION.
UM, THE PAID INTERN, WE GOT TO SEE A LOT, SAW HIM CONSTANTLY WORKING.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THREE, GOT TO SEE HER A FEW TIMES, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
THE OTHER TWO BASICALLY NOT AT ALL.
AND YET ALREADY HE'S SPENT FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, WAS IT $37,000? UH, THIS WAS ALL, THIS WAS ALL UP TO LAST, LAST MONTH UP TO THE ELECTION, UM, QUOTE UNQUOTE WORKING, BUT NOBODY SAW THE WORK.
SO, SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE APPEARANCE.
'CAUSE THAT IS A PERCEPTION WITHOUT, AND SO THERE'S NO WAY TO HAVE EVIDENCE OF THAT WITHOUT WATCHING, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY TRACKING THE PEOPLE OR, YOU KNOW, STALKING 'EM OR WHATEVER, WHICH WE DIDN'T DO AND WE'RE NOT DOING.
UM, BUT ALL, YOU START ADDING ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER AND THERE COMES UP THE PROBLEM.
THEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT ARTICLES THAT HAVE COME OUT, AND THESE ARE LENGTHY ARTICLES.
THESE ARE NOT, THESE ARE NOT THE, THE LITTLE QUICK ONES.
AND ALL THESE WILL BE, WILL BE GIVEN OVER TO THE CITY CLERK, UH, THAT HAVE ALL BROUGHT NEGATIVE ATTENTION TO OUR CITY ON, ON A LOT OF, A LOT OF THINGS THAT NORMALLY IF IT WAS BROUGHT UP TO YOUR ATTENTION, YOU GO, WAIT A MINUTE, I CAN SEE HOW THAT GOT PERCEIVED THAT WAY.
LET ME CHANGE THE WAY I DO THINGS.
SO IT DOES NOT GET PERCEIVED AS SOMETHING, BUT NO, THERE WAS, IT WAS NO CHANGE.
IT WAS JUST THAT I CAN DO THIS.
UM, SO THAT, THAT WAS THAT PART.
THEN THE OTHER ONE IS DURING THE ELECTION AND DURING THE ELECTION THERE WAS, AND WHICH A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED DURING ELECTIONS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES THERE'S EXAGGERATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE SUN THAT HAPPENS DURING ELECTIONS.
ANY OF US WHO'VE BEEN IN A CAMPAIGN KNOWS THAT A LOT OF TIMES GLOVES COME OFF, BUT YOU SIGN YOUR, YOU, YOU CAN SIGN AS A CANDIDATE, YOU CAN SIGN A DOCUMENT THAT BASICALLY, AND A CODE OF FAIR, UH, CAMPAIGN PRACTICES.
AND HERE'S THE ONE THAT HE SIGNED SAYING HOW YOU WILL CONDUCT YOURSELF IN A CAMPAIGN.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE, DURING THE CAMPAIGN AND AS SAY IT DOES, THEY, THEY HAPPEN.
UH, BUT ONE THAT WAS EXTREMELY TROUBLING, IN FACT THERE WAS A COUPLE, ONE OF IT WAS A, UH, AN ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER THAT WAS SENT OUT, QUOTE UNQUOTE FROM THE, FROM THE, THE, UH, OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE RODRIGUEZ.
BUT THEN IT WAS VOTE FOR JOSE RODRIGUEZ.
SO THAT WAS NOT FROM A CITY OFFICE, THAT WAS FROM A CAMPAIGN THEN.
THEN WE ALSO HAD THIS ONE THAT WENT OUT.
AND THIS IS NOT SAYING, THIS IS NOT DEALING WITH CANDIDATES FOR, OR, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE FOR OR AGAINST 'EM.
BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE YOU DO HERE IS YOU DON'T GET OVERLY DIVISIVE TO THE POINT OF SAYING THAT OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE, IF THEY ARE DOING, IF THEY HAVE A POLITICAL VIEWPOINT AND THEY ARE PUTTING IT ACROSS IN A NON-VIOLENT WAY, IF THEY'RE DOING IT IN, YOU KNOW, IN A SAFE WAY, THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE A DIVERSITY OF THOUGHTS WITHIN A CITY AND WITHOUT A DIVERSITY OF THOUGHTS.
WE SHOULD HAVE A DIVERSITY OF THOUGHTS.
SO HERE GOES OUT, THIS IS PART OF THE PAGE, AND THE PAGE GOES DOWN A LITTLE FARTHER HERE IN A MOMENT, BUT THE HEADLINE IS, NO TRUMPERS IN OUR BACKYARD.
NOW THIS IS NOT SAYING FOR AGAINST, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP.
THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS ISSUE IS.
BUT THEN THE CANDIDATE WAS PUT DOWN, DOWN HERE AND AS BEING A, YOU KNOW, NOT ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE SHE USED TO BE A, A REPUBLICAN BEFORE IN 2017, SHE BECAME A DEMOCRAT RIGHT AFTER THE WHOLE ISSUE WITH DONALD TRUMP.
[02:50:01]
PICTURES OF PEOPLE'S HOMES HERE IN NATIONAL CITY, INCLUDING A COMMISSION, ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS WHO DID HAVE A TRUMP SIGN ON THEIR, ON THEIR HOUSE AND ALSO HAD A SIGN FOR HIS OPPONENT.AND THEY SHOULD HAVE, RIGHT? I KNOW OF SOME HOUSES WHERE THE PEOPLE SUPPORTED DONALD TRUMP AND HAD HIS SIGN ON THEIR HOUSE.
I MEAN, SO THAT SHOULDN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
BUT THE IDEA WAS THEN THE IDEA THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE, AND THE COMMENT WAS ACTUALLY MADE, THESE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE MAKING DECISIONS IN OUR CITY.
YOU KNOW? NOW WHETHER, IF YOU LIKE, THIS IS NOT ABOUT DONALD TRUMP, THIS IS ABOUT THE IDEA OF HAVING DIVERSITY AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF ACCEPTANCE AND NOT BULLYING OR THREATENING PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT COULD CAUSE HARM.
SO THERE IS, UH, AS SAY A WHOLE SERIES OF THINGS HERE, IT'S NOT ONE THING BY ITSELF, BUT IT'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS ADDED UP AND WITHOUT A CHANGE IN THE, IN THE ACTIONS OR THE ATTITUDE OR THE WAY, UH, THE WAY IT'S WORKING.
UH, AND THIS IS, UH, AND I SAY I'VE HEARD FROM MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HERE AT CITY HALL AND EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT HOW THIS IS GETTING TO BE VERY UNWORKABLE WHEN YOU HAVE THIS TYPE TYPE OF DEAL THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, RULES DON'T APPLY.
I DON'T HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS AND I CAN JUST KIND OF DO WHAT I WANT.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO PART OF THE DEAL IS, IS THAT, WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S PO POLITICAL.
IF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN POLITICAL, WE WOULD'VE DONE IT TWO MONTHS AGO.
SO IF WE'D HAVE DONE THIS TWO MONTHS AGO, IT WOULD'VE BEEN YELLED, THIS IS POLITICAL 'CAUSE IT'S CAMPAIGN COMING UP.
SO NOW WE DO IT AFTER CAMPAIGNS ALL OVER, AND IT'S POLITICAL, SO IT'S LIKE, WHEN IS IT EVER TIME? WHEN IS THERE EVER GONNA BE A TIME TO ASK FOR SOME ACCOUNTABILITY WITHOUT IT BEING AUTOMATICALLY LABELED AS BEING QUOTE UNQUOTE POLITICAL? UM, AND SO THAT WAS THE REASON WHY IT'S BEING BROUGHT UP AT THIS TIME AND, UH, TO BE DEALT WITH.
SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
I'M GONNA LET THEM SPEAK AND THEN WE WILL ALLOW, ALLOW DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, YEAH, I, I I'LL LET YOU FULL TIME, FULL TIME TO SPEAK.
UM, I'M NOT TOO SURE ABOUT THE LAST NAME.
I'M TRYING TO CATCH A COUPLE OF THOSE LETTERS.
LORENZO STARTS WITH MAG, GARRIS.
LORENZO, ARE YOU IN
TO BE FOLLOWED BY RANDY CASTLE, SALGADO TO BE FOLLOWED BY TRUTH.
WE, WE STILL HAVE THE INTERPRETER ONLINE.
IF WE COULD GET THE TRANSLATION PLEASE.
I AM HERE TO SUPPORT MR. JOSE RODRIGUEZ BECAUSE I FEEL THAT HE'S BEEN SOMEONE WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY CLOSE TO US, TO OUR PEOPLE DURING SOME OF THE MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH.
I, UM, UH, DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT, UM, THE, THESE ISSUES ABOUT, UH, FUNDS THAT YOU SAY HE SPENT, BUT I SPECIFICALLY THINK THAT HE'S BEEN SOMEONE THAT HAS HELPED THE COMMUNITY A LOT THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE DURING THE MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS.
AS I SAID, LIKE DURING THE FLOODS AND OTHER ISSUES THAT WE HAVE FACED.
HE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN HELPING OUR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.
[02:55:02]
OKAY.WE GET THE TRANSLATION ON THAT.
MY APOLOGIES, UH, WAS HAVING A HARD TIME UNMUTING.
NOW, ANOTHER ITEM THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS FOR 18 YEARS.
I, I LIVE AT KEYSTONE TRAILER PARK, UH, AND FOR 18 YEARS, AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING AND WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANY OF YOU COME AND VISIT US EXCEPT FOR, UH, UH, NICK AND SOA AND, UH, ALEJANDRO SOTELO SOLI.
THOSE WERE THE ONLY OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, COME, UH, TO SEE US WHEN WE'VE NEEDED IT.
MOST ES THANK YOU, UH, RANDY CASTLE, SALGADO TRUTH AND HILDA GAMMA.
HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ HAS PLAGUED NATIONAL CITY WITH TROUBLING ETHICAL VIOLATIONS THAT HAVE NOT ONLY COST TAXPAYERS, BUT DISSOLVED PUBLIC TRUST.
7,200 TURKEY GIVEAWAY REIMBURSEMENT, WHICH RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER PUBLIC FUNDS WERE IMPROPERLY USED FOR WHAT ESSENTIALLY AMOUNTS TO A GIFT GIVING CAMPAIGN EMITTED BY CITY ATTORNEY.
TWO, MULTIPLE TRIPS TO SACRAMENTO TO LOBBY FOR UNION ORGANIZATIONS, EXPENSES THAT SEEM MORE ABOUT PERSONAL POLITICAL ALLIANCES THAN SERVING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
RODRIGUEZ AWARDED $47,000 AND $15,000 CITY CONTRACTS TO HIS CAMPAIGN STAFF FROM 2020 AND 2022.
ELECTIONS BLURRING THE LINES BETWEEN PUBLIC SERVICE AND CAMPAIGN WORK.
IF, AS IF THAT WEREN'T ENOUGH, HE THEN HIRED THE SAME, NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT FOUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS, THREE OF WHOM HAD ALREADY BEEN ON LUCRATIVE TAXPAYER FUNDED CONTRACTS AT AN HOURLY RATE PAID BY THE CITY.
THESE STAFFERS APPEARED TO BE MOONLIGHTING AS PERSONAL AIDS AND CAMPAIGN OPERATIVES RAISING THE QUESTION, WHO ARE THEY REALLY WORKING FOR? THE TAXPAYERS OR COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, POLITICAL CAREER.
WHERE ARE THE METRICS USED TO MEASURE THE ROI THE CITY HAS RECEIVED FROM THESE WORKSHOPS? THIS PATTERN OF FINANCIAL GAIN AT THE PUBLIC'S EXPENSE ISN'T JUST WASTEFUL.
IT'S A BETRAYAL OF THE PUBLIC TRUST AND IT'S TIME THAT WE HOLD OUR LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE.
THE TAXPAYERS DESERVE A LEADER WHO WORKS FOR THEM, NOT ONE WHO WORKS THE SYSTEM FOR PERSONAL AND POLITICAL GAIN, ADDING INSULT TO INJURY, THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY SEEM TO KEEP TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THE UNETHICAL ACTIONS.
IT'S TIME TO STEP UP, SERVE THE CITY, NOT JUST ONE COUNCIL MEMBER.
AS WE HAVE HEARD OUT OF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS PRIOR, THE TREATMENT IS NOT THE SAME ACROSS THE BOARD.
IT'S TIME TO BREAK THIS CYCLE, RESTORE FAITH IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THE APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY ACTION.
TRUTH FOLLOWED BY HILDA GAMMA, FOLLOWED BY VOTES.
GOT, UM, LOVELY TRUST ALL VOTES.
HEY, I, WHO'S TALKING? OKAY, THE ONLY, ONLY TIME YOU CAN TALK IS THAT THE MICROPHONE.
I DID HAVE A NAPKIN FOR THE PUDDLE, BUT IT WAS CLEAN.
SO JOSE, THIS WILL BE FOR YOU.
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED TO QUESTION JOSE'S TURKEY JOSE'S ACTIONS ANY FURTHER.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONING 'EM FOR TOO LONG.
WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING A VERY LONG TIME.
IN FACT, I'M GONNA BE VERY REAL.
ONE OF THE REASONS I STARTED COMING TO THIS COUNCIL WAS BECAUSE OF YOUR ACTIONS, JOSE.
THEY WERE ALREADY MAKING ME QUESTION.
AND IT'S JUST BEEN BUILDING AND BUILDING UNTIL THIS POINT.
NATIVE NEGATIVE ACTIONS DESERVE A NEED EQUAL CONSEQUENCES.
ACCENTURE DOESN'T REALLY ACHIEVE WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, BUT IT IS SYMBOLIC, AND THAT'S A LONG OVERDUE START.
SO I DON'T NEED TO ADD TO WHAT RANDY SAID.
I PERSONALLY HAVE NOTHING AGAINST USA AS A PERSON.
I'M ALSO NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF HATING ON ANYBODY, JUST 'CAUSE I AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THEIR BELIEFS OR VOTES.
I COULD SAY NOTHING BAD REGARDING HOW YOU'VE TREATED ME.
I WOULD EVEN SAY YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN CIVIL.
UM, BUT SOMETHING I ALSO HAD TO SAY IN THE CITY OF LEMON GROVE IS THAT ETHICS
[03:00:01]
INCLUDES AUTHENTICITY.PRETENDING TO BE A GOOD PERSON WHILE ENGAGING IN QUESTIONABLE ACTIONS IS ALSO UNETHICAL AND FAKE.
I ALSO WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WARN AGAINST ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OR THE PUBLIC FOSTERING THE PRO WRESTLING ENVIRONMENT THAT WE SEE NATIONALLY.
PRO WRESTLERS MAY BE ROLE MODELS OF PHYSICAL STRENGTH AND ENTERTAINMENT, BUT THAT DOES NOT QUALIFY AS ROLE MODELS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, NOT SELF-SERVICE.
ONE MUST ALWAYS BE PROFESSIONAL, COURTEOUS, RESPECTFUL, AND CONSIDER THE EFFECTS OF ALL OF THEIR ACTIONS, INCLUDING ALL THE NICKELS AND DIMES UNDER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY THAT DO NOT BELONG TO THEM, BUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO PAID THE TAXES.
AND BECAUSE SANCTIONS ARE NOT LIMITED TO REPRIMAND, CENSURE, AND REMOVAL FROM BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES, I ALSO RECOMMEND PERSONALLY CHARGING JOSE FOR ANY POTENTIAL FUTURE QUESTIONABLE SPENDING WITH CITY TAX DOLLARS.
AND IF MISBEHAVIORS CONTINUE, THEN I'D LIKE TO SEE DE SAYS GIANT BANNER RETURN AND ANOTHER BANNER PURCHASE THAT WHEN INSTEAD SHOW A PICTURE OF JOSE FROWNING AND IN ALL THE WORD C OVER IT.
EDWARD YTO, FOLLOWED BY ALFREDO ANON.
I BELIEVE IT'S, I FIRST WANNA SAY I DON'T HATE RODRIGUEZ, YOU KNOW, AND I, AND THIS IS NOT, HE'S GONNA USE THE KEY WORDS, A POLITICAL HIT JOB.
THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL HIT JOB.
I TELL YOU THAT, UM, THE KEY WORDS THAT RON USED IS THE PERCEPTION OR THE, UH, THE PERCEPTION OF, OF, OF IMPROPRIETIES.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT RODRIGUEZ DID.
AND ALL HIS HIRING, ALL HIS SPENDING IS THE PERCEPTION OF, OF, OF, OF, OF IMPROPRIETIES.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE KEY HERE.
UM, THERE'S SOMETHING, WE, THERE'S SOMETHING REDEEMING ABOUT HIM.
THE POLICY STATES THAT UNDER THE PROFESSIONAL PERSONAL CONDUCT OF A MEMBER MUST BE ABOVE APPROACH AND EVEN AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY WHEN THE PUBLIC, UM, THE PUBLIC CALLS OUT ON, WAIT, HOLD ON HERE.
THE, THE, THE SUPPORT OF, I SUPPORT THE CENSORSHIP OF RODRIGUEZ IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY.
UM, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL HIT JOB.
THE ISSUE HAS TO DO WITH HIS BEHAVIOR OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
I HOPE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE DON'T JUST SHOW UP TODAY, BUT GO BACK AND REVIEW WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
WE'VE BEEN CONSTANTLY BOMBARDED BY HIS MISSPENDING, HIS MISJUDGMENT, HIS MISDIRECTION TO THE CITY, TO THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
THERE'S MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO.
THESE POOR PEOPLE BACK HERE COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER SERVED IF RODRIGUEZ HAD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
BUT HE'S DONE THIS WITH SELF-CENTERED, WITH SELF-CENTERED, UH, DECISIONS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, HE TAKES, HE TAKES AWAY.
HE'S SO SELF-CENTERED, HIS COMMENTS THAT IT, THAT HE DOESN'T SHOW A REAL GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE MEANING OF CENSORSHIP, UH, THAT WE ARE, YOU'RE REALLY DISCUSSING.
SO I, I I HOPE YOU GUYS, UH, SUPPORT THE CENSORSHIP.
I HOPE BEN AND BARRY, YOU GUYS GOT REALLY THINK ABOUT WHO YOU'RE FOLLOWING HERE.
I CAN'T SEE THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
TO ME, IT APPEARS THAT BOTH OF YOU ARE REPORTING TO RODRIGUEZ INSTEAD OF THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE AND NOT ENFORCING POLICIES.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY HERE.
IT IS, UH, TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHERRY GOGI.
MY NAME IS ALFREDO DALON AND I LIVE IN THE CITY, NATIONAL CITY.
TODAY, I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT A MAN WHO HAS TRULY MADE A DIFFERE IN OUR COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE RODRIGUEZ.
WHEN WE NEEDED HELP THE MOST, HE WAS THE ONE WHO STOOD BY US.
HE WAS THERE WALKING THROUGH OUR STREETS, GETTING HIS SHOES DIRTY, AND TRULY UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH.
MR. RODRIGUEZ AS SHOWED THROUGH HIS ACTIONS, HIS COMMITMENT TO US.
HE HAS NOT ONLY BEEN PRESENT, BUT HAS PROVED TO BE A MAN OF IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT HE WAS THE ONE WHO HELPED US CONTROL THE RENTS HERE IN OUR MOBILE HOME PARK WHERE I HAVE LIVED FOR OVER TWO DECADES.
WE HAD NEVER RECEIVED THAT KIND OF SUPPORT BEFORE.
NO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HAD TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO PROTECT US FROM RENT ABUSE.
NOW, I FINALLY FEEL REPRESENTED.
MR. RODRIGUEZ, AS THE CONSUL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT TWO HAS DONE WHAT NO ONE ELSE HAS.
HE HAS GIVEN US A VOICE AND TRUE SUPPORT.
[03:05:01]
THE YEARS I HAVE LIVED HERE, I NEVER FELT REPRESENTED BY THOSE OF YOU WHO AND BEEN IN, EXCUSE ME, POLITICS FOR SO LONG.BUT HE HAS CH THAT WE ARE NO LONGER INVISIBLE WITH HIM.
SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, INSTEAD OF ATTACKING HIM, WHY NOT SUPPORT HIM? THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS.
THIS IS SIMPLY DOING WHAT IS RIGHT TO SUPPORT THE ONES WHO HAS TRULY BEEN HERE FOR US.
UH, SHERRY GOGI BE FOLLOWED BY ANGELICA GIAN.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, BEING AT ONE, BEING ONE OF THE FLOOD VICTIMS. AND YES, JOSE WAS AT MY HOME.
THERE'S JUST SO MANY QUESTIONS.
I'M APPALLED ABOUT YOUR ACTIONS, JOSE, TO SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
THERE'S SO MANY NUMEROUS AC ACCUSATIONS AND YOU'VE TOLD ME TO MY FACE, THERE ARE LIES.
HOW MANY LIES CAN BE OUT THERE? THERE'S TOO MANY.
YOU HAVE TAKEN THE TRUST OF THEIR CITY BECAUSE IF YOU ARE BEING A, A CONGENIAL PERSON, RESPECTFUL OF THE MOST PEOPLE, AND, AND RUINED IT POINT IN CASE MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN FIRST AVENUE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE PASSED LILIANA ARMOS HOUSE, THE ONE YOU POSTED ON AND TARGETED AS A TRUMPSTER.
SHE CALLED ME BEFORE I GOT THE SECOND HOUSE.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT'S GOING ON? WE WERE JUST GOING HOME.
WHY? SHE'S AFRAID SHE LUCKS OUT HER WINDOW CONSTANTLY.
SHE HAS BEEN TARGETED IN HER HOME.
THAT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF YOU DID NOT DO THAT.
AND YOU DID IT FOR YOUR POLITICAL GAIN.
IT'S, IT'S, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS OUR RES RESIDENTS NEED TO BE, FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS.
WHATEVER IT IS, WHETHER YOU AGREE OR NOT, YOUR POSITIONS ARE NONPARTISAN.
DOESN'T MEAN YOU DISAGREE WITH YOUR FRIENDS.
YOU AGREE WITH EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY AND YOU DON'T EVER TARGET ONE, ESPECIALLY MY FRIEND WHO'S A SINGLE MOM ON OUR PLANNING COMMISSION, AND SHE'S A VETERAN AND SHE HAS A 14-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER LIVING AT HOME AND PUTTING TWO THROUGH COLLEGE, AND SHE HAS TO LOOK OUT HER WINDOW EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE SHE'S AFRAID THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE.
I
JULIAN, I THINK IT'S PRONOUNCED, UH, TO BE FOLLOWED BY LILIANA ARM, UH, TRANSLATOR, INTERNATIONAL CITY.
CARLOS, CAN YOU TRANSLATE PLEASE? GOOD EVENING.
[03:10:01]
MAN ANGELICA AND I AM A RESIDENT OF NATIONAL CITY.AND I AM HERE, UH, TO EXPRESS MYSELF AGAINST THE CSU OF COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ WAS THERE WHEN WE HAD THE FLOODING.
I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WAS IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS AND WE WERE GOING TO BE DISPLACED.
AND, AND HE WOULD NOT ALLOW IT.
AND THE REST MADE ME FEEL HUMILIATED AND DISSOLUTIONED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF EMPATHY AND, UH, THE LACK OF POLITICAL PROFESSIONALISM.
HE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS THERE FOR US WHEN WE COME TO MEETINGS.
AND I DON'T SEE THEN EVERYTHING HE'S DONE AS SOMETHING THAT WAS SOMEHOW POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.
HE'S BEEN OUT THERE HELPING THE COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HE'S SHOWN TO BE TRULY CONCERNED FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND NOW YOU WANT TO CENSURE HIM.
IT SEEMS VERY UNFAIR BECAUSE ALL HE'S EVER DONE IS HELP HIS COMMUNITY.
HE IS OUR VOICE AT THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE HE ACTUALLY LISTENS TO US.
SO VOTING TO CENSURE, UH, MR. RODRIGUEZ IS LIKE VOTING THE 73% OF PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR HIM.
OKAY, WE HAVE, UH, LILIANA ARMENTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, JULIANA.
I'VE HEARD COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE RODRIGUEZ SAY, NO, PA BUT GUESS WHAT, FOR EVERYBODY THAT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE THAT SPEAK SPANISH, THAT IS MY DAUGHTER.
MY DAUGHTER IS THE ONLY ONE HERE, AND SHE IS GOING TO SPEAK ON HER FEELINGS.
AND I HOPE THAT GETS TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH SO EVERYBODY ELSE CAN UNDERSTAND.
I STAND BEFORE YOU, NOT JUST AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER OF NATIONAL CITY, BUT AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, A NAVY VETERAN, AND A VOICE OF EVERY RESIDENT WHO BELIEVES IN THE SANCTITY OF DEMOCRATIC VALUES AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ LAST YEAR, COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ, YOU PERSONALLY GAVE ME GUIDANCE.
YOU ENCOURAGED ME TO BE A PLANNING COMMISSIONER.
I HAVE TEXT MESSAGES FROM THAT.
I LOOKED UP TO YOU AND WHAT HAPPENED? THE ROLE WAS BESTOWED UPON ME TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITY'S DEVELOPMENT WITH INTEGRITY AND IMPARTIALITY.
HOWEVER, THE VERY PRINCIPLES OF IMPARTIALITY AND REPRESENTATION FOR ALL HAVE BEEN UNDERMINED BY ACTION THAT SHOULD HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR CITY'S GOVERNANCE.
ON NOVEMBER 19TH, DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING, I SPOKE OUT NOT JUST FOR MYSELF AND NOT JUST FOR MY DAUGHTER, BUT FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL WHO FEELS MARGINALIZED FOR THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS, THAT FREEDOM TO EXPRESS AND REPRESENT DIVERSE VIEWS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
YES, I FIND MYSELF HERE TODAY COMPELLED TO ADDRESS THIS GRAVE CONCERN FOR THE USE OF ONE'S OFFICE TO FOSTER A CLIMATE OF FEAR AND DIVISION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY IN MY HOME.
PLEASE SUMMARIZE, COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ.
THE ACTIONS ATTRIBUTED TO YOU SENDING OUT AN EMAIL WITH A PICTURE OF MY HOUSE SIMPLY BECAUSE TRUMP FLAGS ADORNED MY HOME IN MY FRONT YARD AND STATING THAT NO TRUMPERS SHOULD MAKE ANY DECISIONS IN NATIONAL CITY, NOT ONLY ATTACKED MY FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, BUT INTENSIFIED, FEARED AMONG MY FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.
OKAY, THESE ACTIONS QUESTION THE VERY ETHOS OF WHO WE ARE AS A CITY AND WHAT WE STAND FOR AS A COUNCIL.
OKAY, JULIANA, BE FOLLOWED BY SYLVIA GARNER.
OKAY, GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JULIANA AND I'M HERE TO SHARE HOW THE ACTIONS OF COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ HAVE DEEPLY AFFECTED ME AND MY FAMILY.
RECENTLY, A COUNCIL MEMBER TOOK PICTURES OF OUR HOME AND SENT THEM TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN THE CITY, ALONG WITH THE MEN, ALONG WITH THE MESSAGE NO TRUMPERS IN OUR BACKYARD.
THIS WAS NOT ONLY AN INVASION OF OUR PRIVACY, BUT ALSO FELT LIKE A PERSONAL ATTACK ON MY FAMILY FOR EXPRESSING THEIR BELIEF BELIEFS.
[03:15:01]
POLITICAL VIEWS, NO ONE DESERVES TO FEEL TARGETED OR UNSAFE IN THEIR OWN HOME.THIS INCIDENT HAS LEFT ME FEELING VULNERABLE AND SINGLED OUT IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY.
OUR HOME IS SUPPOSED TO BE A PLACE OF COMFORT AND SAFETY, BUT NOW IT FEELS LIKE A SPOTLIGHT HAS BEEN PLACED ON US IN A WAY THAT IS NEITHER NOR, THAT IS NEITHER FAIR NOR APPRECIATE APPROPRIATE.
IT HAS CAUSED STRESS FOR MY FAMILY AND MADE US QUESTION WHETHER OUR RIGHTS TO EXPRESS OURSELVES ARE TRULY RESPECTED.
I BELIEVE THAT AS A LEADER, YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY AND RESPECT FOR ALL CITIZENS RE REGARD REGARDLESS OF THEIR BELIEFS.
ACTIONS LIKE THIS CREATE DIVISION.
INSTEAD OF FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF SUCH BEHAVIOR AND TO HOLD THOSE IMPOSITION OF POWER ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAINTAINING PROFESSIONALISM AND FAIRNESS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING, FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
SYLVIA GARNER TO BE FOLLOWED BY JENNY.
WHAT? HUH? WHAT'D YOU SAY? I THINK IT WAS MY NAME ON THE LIST, BUT I DIDN'T, I THINK YOU, YOU SAY NEXT.
DID YOU CALL HILDA MAYOR? YEAH.
MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE THE TRANSLATION ON THAT LAST? YES.
CAN WE GET A TRANSLATION ON THAT? LEMME TAKE A LOOK HERE.
I AM HERE TO THANK JOSE RODRIGUEZ BECAUSE HE HAS ALWAYS, UH, HELPED US.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE HAD THE THE FLOODING NATIONAL CITY, WE DIDN'T SEE ANYONE ELSE THERE.
NONE OF YOU AS SOMEONE ELSE SAID EARLIER, NOBODY, NOT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, NOT THE RED CROSS.
UH, THEY WEREN'T GETTING HELP FROM ANYBODY EXCEPT FROM HIM AND OTHER PEOPLE HE HAD WITH HIM.
AND THE REASON I CAME TO SAY THIS TODAY, TODAY IS BECAUSE I WAS THERE NOW, I DIDN'T LIVE THERE.
I WAS GOING THERE TO GIVE THESE PEOPLE WATER BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE WATER OR FOOD.
AND AGAIN, HE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS THERE.
AND I'LL BE HONEST, I WOULDN'T WISH WHAT I SAW THESE PEOPLE GOING THROUGH ON ANYONE.
AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAN UNDERSTAND IT IS THE PEOPLE THAT WENT THROUGH IT.
AND THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY THERE.
[03:20:01]
IT WAS HORRENDOUS.AND I CANNOT JUDGE WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY HE DID OR DIDN'T DO BECAUSE POINTING A FINGER AT HIM IS POINTING A FINGER AT MYSELF.
BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR HIM ARE DOING SO BECAUSE HE IS THE ONE THAT HAS RESPONDED, UH, WHEN WE NEED IT THE MOST, AS TO RESIDENTS.
AND HE'S BEEN THERE FROM THE BEGINNING, EVERY TIME WE'VE NEEDED HELP FOR, UH, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HE HAS GOTTEN FIXED.
AND NOW I HEAR FROM PEOPLE THAT THE PEOPLE HERE SUPPORTING HIM WERE BOUGHT OUT.
WE'VE GOTTEN NOTHING FROM HIM, BUT HELP, JUST HELP THAT NO ONE ELSE WAS PROVIDING WHEN WE NEEDED IT.
WHEN YOU GET THE, UH, TRANSLATION, CARLOS NEXT TO, UH, JENNY, UH, BE FOLLOWED BY JANET.
OH, MY APOLOGIES, UH, FOR SPEAKING OVER YOU.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CENTER, I'M SORRY, OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
I THINK THIS IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ HAS DONE NOTHING BUT GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY AND I HAVE SEEN THE RESULTS DURING THE YEARS THAT HE'S BEEN IN OFFICE.
UH, MY NEIGHBORS HAVE, UH, TOLD ME SO AS WELL.
FOR US, IT IS AN INDIGNATION TO HEAR SOME OF THESE COMPLAINTS ABOUT, UH, UH, SOMETHING HE MAY HAVE PAID FOR.
AND THESE NICKEL AND DIME ISSUES THAT I THINK THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED BETWEEN ANY COUNCIL MEMBER AND A MAYOR.
IF THEY WERE, UH, IN AGREEMENT, IF THEY WERE ON THE SAME PAGE AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WOULD BE EASILY FIXED.
[03:25:01]
THE OTHER HAND, NO ONE HAS SHOWN THE DEDICATION AND SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT HE HAS SHOWN.HE'S WORKED ON, UH, RENT CONTROL.
HE'S STABILIZED THE RISING COST OF HOUSING.
HE ALSO WORKED ON RENT CONTROL FOR OLDER ADULTS.
HE'S, HE WAS THERE DURING THE FLOODS, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID BEFORE ME.
UM, HE WAS THERE AND HE WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS TRUE.
AND WE SENT HIM AN EMAIL WHEN IT HAPPENED AND WITHIN AN HOUR HE WAS THERE SEEING WHAT WAS GOING ON AND TRYING TO, TO SEE WHAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH WITH ALL THE WATER AND ALL THE ISSUES THAT IT COST.
AND THEN IN THE AFTERMATH, UH, MR. RODRIGUEZ, UH, TOOK ACTION SO THAT WE COULD FEEL SAFER AT THE HOTELS AND THAT WE HAD FOOD BECAUSE WE COULDN'T COOK.
AND HE EVEN MADE IT ACCESSIBLE SUCH THAT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE PETS COULD TAKE OUR LITTLE LOVED ONES WITH US AS WELL.
SO HIS COMMITMENT TO US HAS BEEN A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND AGAIN, 73, 70 4%, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, VOTED IN FAVOR OF REELECTING HIM.
REGARDLESS WHAT YOU SAY, I THINK THAT THIS CENSURE IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED BECAUSE HE WAS REELECTED.
AND CONGRATULATIONS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
VEO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JANET CERVANTES.
I AM JENNY IJO AND I AM ALSO HERE TO SUPPORT MR. RODRIGUEZ.
I ALSO WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT THE FACT THAT WE DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH, OR RATHER THE FACT THAT WE ONLY SPEAK SPANISH, DOES NOT MEAN THAT OUR TAXES AREN'T WORTH THE SAME AS WHAT OTHERS PAY.
BUT AS SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE, SEVERAL OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE SAID, I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THE SAME COMMUNITY FOR 25 YEARS AND NO ONE HAS EVER, EVER, EVER COME TO MY HOUSE.
[03:30:01]
ASKING ME HOW I'M DOING, ASKING ME IF I NEED ANYTHING.AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MR. JOSE RODRIGUEZ DID DO.
I AM ANTI POLITICIANS BY THE WAY.
SO THE FIRST TIME HE CAME OUT I THOUGHT, AH, HE JUST WANTS TO HELP BECAUSE HE WANTS MY VOTE.
AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT, EH, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL TURN MY BACK ON HIM.
BUT THEN I SAW HIM ONE DAY DURING THE FLOODS, HIS SHOES COVERED IN MUD FROM WHILE IT WAS RAINING, AND THERE FROM EARLY IN THE MORNING TO LATE IN THE EVENING, JUST SEEING WHAT THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THE FLOOD NEEDED.
THAT'S WHEN HERE, IN MY RESPECT, AND THE DAY I SAW HIM COMING OUT OF AN APARTMENT THAT WAS ON FIRE, I SAID, WHAT? AND THIS MAN WAS A, A FATHER WENT BACK NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE, THREE TIMES, HE WENT INTO THE, THAT APARTMENT THAT WAS ON FIRE WITH NO OTHER MOTIVATION THAN TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SUFFERING FROM THAT FIRE.
THAT IS HONORABLE, THAT IS HEROIC.
AND THAT EARNED NOT JUST MY RESPECT, BUT THE RESPECT OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS WHY HE GOT 74% OF OUR VOTE BECAUSE OUR VOTE COUNTS TOO.
UH, JANICE, JANICE ANTES TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOAN RACON.
OKAY, WELL I'M GONNA SPEAK IN SPANISH
SO I KNOW THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE ENGLISH PART.
SO I'M JUST GONNA SAY IN SPANISH PARK AND ME, NATIONAL CITY, I COULD TRANSLATE THIS IF YOU WANT.
I'M A RESIDENT AT HAPPY HOLLOW TRADER PARK.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE COUNCILMAN ASSISTED US WITH FLOATING ISSUES AND ADVOCATED FOR RENT CONTROL IN OUR TRAILER COMMUNITY.
HE ALSO PROVIDED PHYSICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE APARTMENT RESIDENT NEXT DOOR.
WHEN THE BUILDING CAUGHT FIRE, THE COUNCIL MEMBER PROVIDED US WITH THE HUMANITY AND LEADERSHIP NEEDED TO MAKE THE CITY BETTER, GIVING US A VOICE AND THE COURAGE TO SEND UP.
I, UM, I FEEL EVEN PROUDER, PROUDER OF MY CITY AND COMMUNITY FOR EMPOWERING US.
UM, ADDITIONALLY OBSERVING THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION HAS MADE A CITY A MUCH BETTER PLACE.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, THAT'S ALL.
UH, JOAN RACON BE FOLLOWED BY ADRIANA HUERTA.
THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT ASSISTING TRAILER PARKS OR SERVING THE COMMUNITY THAT REQUIRES ONGOING ETHICAL VIOLATIONS, SUCH AS THESE ACCEPTING THOUSAND DOLLAR DONATIONS FROM PEOPLE WITH FAKE NAMES, AS HE DID ON APRIL 20TH, 2022, WHEN HE TOOK A THOUSAND DOLLARS THIS MONDAY, HE HAD BEEN DEAD FOR THREE YEARS, BOOSTING SOMEBODY FOR PORT COMMISSIONER WHO HE KNEW DARN GOOD.
ANDWELL DID NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY BASED ON HIS OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, EXPENSING A HOTEL BILL FOR ONE NIGHT, STAY IN SACRAMENTO WITH A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH OF ROOM CHARGES ON IT, DISREGARDING ALL OF THE CITY RULES ABOUT PER DIEM LIMITS WHEN TRAVELING, UH, CONSTANT FAVORS AND ADVOCACY FOR BRIDGET BROWNING, WITHOUT DISCLOSING THAT HER HUSBAND WAS HIS 2024 CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT USING A CITY EMAIL LIST IN FALL 2023 AND OTHER CITY RESOURCES TO CIRCULATE A NEWSLETTER THAT PROMOTED A SALES PITCH BY CINDY LOPEZ FOR HER FOR, FOR-PROFIT COMPANY CALLED OVERFLOW FIRM AND REPRESENTED IT AS BEING A CITY
[03:35:01]
FINANCIAL SEMINAR USING THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER AND A CITY CONTRACTOR AND OTHER RESOURCES TO PROMOTE A SPECIFIC REAL ESTATE AGENT WHOSE SISTER AND REAL ESTATE PARTNER AND HUSBAND CONTROL THE IS OF NATIONAL CITY WEBSITE, RESULTING IN POSTS THAT WERE AGAINST HIS CAMPAIGN BEING TAKEN DOWN FROM THAT.FAILING TO DISCLOSE ON FORM 700, AN INCOME GENERATING BUSINESS CALLED LACIE DE INDIO, LLC, EVEN THOUGH THE BID BUSINESS IS HEADQUARTERED IN NATIONAL CITY, ACCEPTING IN KIND USE OF THE CORONE DEL BARRIO SPACE FROM NICK AND ZZA FOR A CAMPAIGN EVENT.
AND THEN FAILING TO DISCLOSE THAT ON HIS FPPC FORMS AND ACCEPTING INKIND DONATIONS FROM JOEL CHABA IN THE SAME REGARD.
IT'S TOO BAD WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
THERE SHE IS, FOLLOWED BY MONICA.
I BELIEVE A COUPLE OF THOSE LETTERS AGAIN, REVELO.
I'M BILINGUAL, SO I'M GONNA DO BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH MYSELF.
UH, MY NAME IS ADRIANA ERTA AND I AM A RESIDENT OF NATIONAL CITY FOR 16 YEARS.
AND, UM, I'M HERE TO, UH, SUPPORT AND DEFEND JOSE JOSE RODRIGUEZ.
NOT ONLY AS A HUMAN BEING, BUT ALSO AS A POLITICIAN AND A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, FOR THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN LIVING IN NATIONAL CITY, I SEEN MANY CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS IN INCLUDING MS. MOLINA WHEN SHE KNOCK ON MY DOOR WHEN SHE WAS RUNNING.
AND VERY DISAPPOINTING NOW THAT SHE, THAT SHE'S NOT SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY THAT SHE PROMISED TO PROTECT AND SUPPORT.
AND ALSO, ONCE WE TALK ABOUT RESOURCES AND MISMANAGEMENT OF MONEY, WE GOTTA CALL IT THAT WAY, WE CAN ALSO EMPHASIZE AND WE CAN NOT FOCUS, AND ONLY 7,000 WORD OF TURKEYS PROVIDING FOOD FOR OUR POOR FAMILIES IN NATIONAL CITY WHEN WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING HOW THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY CONTINUES TO HOLD THE CONTRACT WITH ANGELO'S TOWING TRUCK COMPANY THAT IS AFFECTING THE FINANCES OF OUR RESIDENTS WHEN THEY HAVE AN INCIDENT WITH THEIR CAR OR AN ACCIDENT.
AND THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH ADVISED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO USE THAT, UM, TOWING COMPANY, WHICH HAS A CONTRACT SIGNED BY, UH, MR. MAYOR MORRISON.
SO IF WE REALLY ADDRESS HOW PEOPLE IS MANAGING MONEY OR OUR TAX PAYING RESOURCES WRONG, WE NEED TO START FROM THERE.
AND TO ME IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE STAND FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO'S DEFENDING US.
YOU, ALL OF YOU SITTING THERE, YOU WORK FOR US FOR OUR TAX PAYING MONEY.
AND THE ONLY PERSON THAT WE HAVE SEEN OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY REALLY GETTING DIRTY, FIGHTING AND FEEDING THE COMMUNITY IS JOSE.
I KNOW, AND I HEARD THAT IT WAS ANOTHER TURKEY DISTRIBUTION EVENT RECENTLY, WHICH I WAS NOT EVEN AWARE OF THAT I KNOW THAT MR. MORRISON HANDLED WITH THE ANGELO'S TOWING COMPANY, UM, TOWING TRUCK COMPANY.
SO TO ME, THAT'S ALSO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, THAT WE NEED TO RECEIVE AS A RESIDENT OF NATIONAL CITY AND HOW THIS CONTRACT IS BEING HANDLED.
AND WHY ARE WE FAVORING THIS COMPANY NATIONAL, UH, IN, UM, PARTNERSHIP WITH MORRISON.
[03:40:01]
OKAY.TO BE FOLLOWED BY DAVID JIMENEZ.
IF WE COULD HAVE TRANSLATION PLEASE.
SORRY, I HAVE A LOT OF BUTTONS TO CLICK.
WELL, I'M HERE REPRESENTING PARK VI, THIS, THOSE ARE THE APARTMENTS WHERE I LIVE AND I AM HERE.
AND MORE THAN ANYTHING TO SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, BECAUSE HE IS SOMEONE WHO HAS TRULY HELPED MY FRIENDS, MY NEIGHBORS, AND MY COMMUNITY AT PARK VS.
WHO WENT THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION DURING THE JANUARY FLOODS.
THEY WANTED TO KICK PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
BASICALLY, THEY WERE GIVING THEM PAPERS SAYING, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE BY X STATE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY HAD ANOTHER PLACE TO LIVE, WHETHER THEY HAD FOOD, WHETHER THEY HAD CHILDREN, NONE OF THAT.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE PARK LAST RESIDENTS HAS A DAUGHTER WHO CAN'T WALK, WHO CAN'T SPEAK, WHO CAN ONLY BE FED THROUGH A TUBE.
AND I SAW HER CRYING IN HER TRUCK, AND I CAME UP TO HER AND I ASKED HER WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND SHE SAID, THEY'RE THROWING ME OUTTA MY HOUSE.
AND I SAID, WELL, THAT CAN'T HAPPENED.
IT MUST BE A MISTAKE, BUT IT WASN'T A MISTAKE.
IT TURNS OUT WE STARTED LOOKING INTO IT AND PARKVILLE IS WAS DOING IT ON THE DOWN LOW, BUT THEY WERE DOING IT.
SO WE IMMEDIATELY REACHED OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
AND THAT SAME DAY THAT WE REACHED OUT TO HIM, HE CAME TO PARK VS.
AND HE TOLD EVERYONE, I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP YOU AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOMES.
HE WAS THERE DAY IN AND DAY OUT, SEEING WHAT WE NEEDED AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.
AND SO WE ARE ALL VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST WORDS, IT WAS ACTION.
AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID, HE HAS ACTED.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT EITHER FROM SOMEONE IN PUBLIC OFFICE.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALWAYS TOLD AND PROMISED MANY THINGS, BUT NOBODY FOLLOWS THROUGH.
HE, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS A TRULY HONEST PERSON, A TRULY HUMANE PERSON.
[03:45:01]
WHAT PEOPLE FEEL.AND WE TRULY NEED MORE JOSE RODRIGUEZ IN OUR CITY, AND NOT JUST IN OUR CITY, IN OUR STATE.
WHY NOT IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY? THANK YOU.
I HAVE DAVID JIMENEZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL, AND I THINK IT'S RIOS.
UM, I DON'T GOT MUCH TO SAY 'CAUSE UM, MOST OF THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY SAID THE, THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THIS MAN.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY ABOUT, UH, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT, UM, I, I LIVE IN PARK VS WITH MY MOM.
AND, UM, WE'VE BEEN THERE FOR AROUND 10 YEARS AND THE FIRST TIME OF A BIG FLOOD.
AND, UH, PEOPLE WERE GETTING KICKED OUTTA THEIR HOMES LIKE NOTHING, NO MONEY, NO, NO FINANCE, NOTHING.
THEY, THEY JUST LET HIM TO BE OFF OF THE STREETS.
AND THIS MAN, HE, HE DIDN'T, HE DIDN'T LET THAT SLIDE.
HE, HE WANTED TO GIVE THEM A HOME, GIVE THEM THEIR RIGHTFUL HOMES BACK.
AND, UM, I'VE HEARD A LOT, I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS GUY.
HE, HE JUMPED INTO A FIRE THREE TIMES.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S A MISTAKE TRYING TO GET HIM OUT OF THIS POSITION.
AND, UM, I THINK, UH, EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE, IT'S, IT'S A SYMBOL AND ALSO A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT EVERY SINGLE GOOD PERSON HERE SHOULD BE DOING.
AND I, I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU, UM, WHAT YOU'RE, WELL NOT ASK YOU, BUT I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU'RE TRYING TO DO ABOUT THIS, YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THIS MAN OUT OF THE POSITION, AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
MICHAEL, AND I THINK IT'S RIOS.
WELL, I'M NOT A BIG SPEAKER, BUT, OKAY.
JUST WANNA MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.
YOU'RE IN A THREAT AND YOU'RE IN A BULLY IN NAAU CITY.
YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR F*****G YEARS.
I USED TO LIVE IN NASO CITY FOR 15 YEARS.
I LEFT NELSON CITY 'CAUSE OF YOU.
SO I LIVE IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO FOR ANOTHER F****D UP MAYOR TODD GLORIA.
AND NOW YOU HAVE A F*****G PUPPET RIGHT HERE.
MELINA, FOLLOWING YOUR BEHAVIOR.
SHE'S BECOMING A PIECE OF S**T.
SHE'S NOT RUNNING BASED ON WHAT SHE RAN FOR.
HE'S BEEN THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THE ELECTION RESULTS WERE OFFICIAL TODAY.
TODAY'S THE OFFICIAL DATE THAT THEY BECAME OFFICIAL.
RIGHT? WHICH PROVES MY VOICE MIGHT NOT MATTER, BUT THE ELECTION RESULTS MATTER.
THE VOICE OF NATIONAL CITY, 73.32% VOTED FOR HIM.
WHY? BECAUSE HE EARNED OUR TRUST.
HE SUPPORTS OUR CITY, A NATIONAL CITY.
EVERYBODY KEEPS SAYING THAT HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT SHOWED UP FOR US FOR THE FLOOD.
MARCUS BUSH CONTACTED ME TOO TO CHECK ON ME TO MAKE SURE WE WERE OKAY, AND THE COMMUNITY WAS OKAY.
SO HE WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT CALLED AND CHECKED ON US.
DITA SHOWED UP TO THE RAMADA HOTEL.
SHE GAVE ME HER CONTACT INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE WE WERE OKAY.
I MADE YOU STAND THERE TO HEAR ME, BUT YOU DIDN'T WANNA F*****G HEAR ME.
YOU DIDN'T WANNA SPEAK TO ME, MOLINA.
I NEVER SEEN HER DURING THE FLOOD TIME.
IT'S FUNNY HOW YOU'RE THE ONLY TWO THAT DIDN'T F*****G SHOW UP AND YOU'RE THE TWO THAT'S ATTACKING HIM, BUT YOU'RE THE THREAT AND YOU'RE THE BULLY IN NATIONAL CITY.
ONCE YOU LEAVE THE MAYOR SEAT, I WILL MOVE BACK TO NATIONAL CITY.
I HAVE A GREAT COUNCIL MEMBER, HENRY FOSTER.
I LOVE SAN DIEGO, BUT I LOVE NATIONAL CITY ALSO.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR, BUT WHAT WALMART DO I GO TO NATIONAL CITY WALMART.
BEFORE I CAME HERE TONIGHT, I AT JOLLY ON PLAZA BOULEVARD, I DRIVE TO NATIONAL CITY TO EAT AND DO MY SHOPPING.
'CAUSE I LOVE NATIONAL CITY, BUT I DON'T LOVE YOU AS THE F*****G MAYOR OF NATIONAL CITY.
YOU'RE A PIECE OF S**T AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A PIECE OF S**T.
NEXT WE GO WITH, AND I'M GONNA TRY TO, IT LOOKS LIKE Z IT LOOKS LIKE ZALO VASQUEZ MELIN.
I THINK THE FIRST NAME IS ARLO.
[03:50:36]
DEAR MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AS A CONSTITUENT, A FIRST TIME VOTER IN THE RECENT ELECTIONS WHERE I CASTED MY VOTE FOR COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, I FEEL COMPELLED TO EXPRESS MY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT WITH YOUR RECENT ACTIONS.SPECIFICALLY YOUR DECISION TO USE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF CITY FUNDS FOR POLITICAL GAIN, UH, AND YOUR CONDUCT IN USING, UH, YOUR POSITION TO BULLY AND POLITICAL CONSTITUENTS AS UNACCEPTABLE.
WHILE SOME MAY ARGUE THAT SUCH ACTIONS ARE PROTECTED UNDER FREE SPEECH, AS AN ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO UPHOLD THE HIGHER STANDARDS AND RESPECT AND INTEGRITY TOWARDS YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND NEIGHBORS.
YOUR ACTIONS HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF THESE EXPECTATIONS, UNDERMINING TRUST IN YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMMEND COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARCUS BUSH FOR PRIORITIZING THE CITY'S INTEREST ABOVE POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS.
THEIR LEADERSHIP SERVES AS A REMINDER OF WHAT POLITICAL SERVICE SHOULD BE AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, COUNCIL.
I'M A REGIONAL GOVERNOR MARY DAVIS, GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG, AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN YOUR CHAMBER.
UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY AS I'M CURRENTLY SEEKING A CENSURE OF AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN ANOTHER CHAMBER.
UM, BUT HEARING THE ITEMS, UH, THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT AGAINST YOUR COLLEAGUE OR OF GRAVE CONCERN, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE, UH, POSTING THE PICTURES OF FOR THE PUBLIC OFFICIAL OF HER HOUSE.
UH, BECAUSE A RECENT NEWS ARTICLE SHOWED THREATS AGAINST, UH, OFFICIALS ARE UP AND ARE ACTUALLY A GRAVE BARRIER, ESPECIALLY FOR WOMEN CANDIDATES, MANY WHO HAVE DROPPED OUT THROUGH SO AN EQUITY LENS THAT IS ESSENTIAL.
UM, WHAT I'M REALLY HERE TONIGHT, THOUGH, TO TELL YOU IS I WANNA REMIND YOU WHAT THIS ITEM IS AND IS NOT A CSU SHOULD NOT BE A MECHANISM FOR POLITICAL ACTS WRITING AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD NOT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE POLITICAL COVER TO A PERCEIVED ALLY, ALLY AND TURN PARTISAN OSTRICH.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A MECHANISM THAT SHOULD APEX AND SERVE THE INTERESTS OF WE THE PEOPLE FOR TOO LONG, TROUBLING BEHAVIOR, UH, IN SHENANIGANS HAVE ABOUNDED IN THIS COUNTY.
WE'VE SEEN IT AT THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO TWO YEARS AGO, THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, AND MOST RECENTLY THE CITY OF SHULA VISTA.
YOU, ALL OF YOU UP ON THAT DAAS ARE THE GUARDRAILS AND THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE FOR WE THE PEOPLE AND OUR INTERESTS.
SO PLEASE WEIGH THE EVIDENCE AND THE FACTS THAT HAVE BEEN LAID OUT.
PUT ANY POLITICAL ACTS AS AWAY AND TAKE ANY PARTISAN HEADS OUT OF THE SAND.
UH, LIVE UP TO YOUR OATH OF OFFICE AND ASSESS YOUR PEER, HONESTLY.
SEE IF HE HAS SERVED THE INTERESTS OF WE, THE PEOPLE OR HIMSELF.
ALRIGHT, UH, THAT IS ALL THE SPEAKERS WE HAVE.
WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO FILLED OUT SLIPS, UH, WANTING TO REGISTER THEIR POSITION, BUT DID NOT WANNA SPEAK.
WE HAVE A MANUEL ANDRATI, UH, FURMAN, UH, JIMENEZ, BOTH SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE, UH, UH, WANTS TO SPEAK.
HUH? IT'S ONE OF THOSE HE WANTS TO SPEAK.
WERE YOU WANTING TO SPEAK? YES.
WELL, YOU CHECKED THE DEAL SAYING THAT YOU DID NOT WANNA SPEAK.
YOU NEED TO PROBABLY EDIT THAT BETTER.
ARE, ARE YOU, UH, MANUEL? THAT MEAN IAN? OKAY.
YOU MEAN, PLEASE? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM HERE, UM, AGAINST THE CENSURE OF COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE RODRIGUEZ.
UM, I STARTED WITH HIM FROM THE BEGINNING, UH, WHEN HE FIRST RAN.
AND I BELIEVE HE'S A, HE'S A VERY GOOD PERSON AND ALSO IS VERY INTERESTED IN OUR WELLBEING.
NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE, HE LIVES IN NATIONAL CITY, BUT BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS HE'S WALKED THE WALK AND HE'S BEEN THERE.
UM, I AM ALSO TOO A NAVY VETERAN.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT IF I PUT A BANNER ON MY HOUSE, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT BECAUSE THAT IS MY PROPERTY, RIGHT? SO, UH, TO THE PERSON THAT,
[03:55:01]
OR TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL THIS STUFF, UH, BEING POSTED ONLINE, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S THAT MUCH OF A BIG ISSUE, I MEAN, I POSTED A POST ABOUT YOU WHEN YOU WERE RUNNING FOR MAYOR, AND YOU ACTUALLY WERE, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WERE DOING IT, BUT YOU WERE MANAGING THE RED LIGHTS, RIGHT? EXACTLY.ON THE EXIT WHERE, UH, DUNKIN DONUTS IS AND MCDONALD'S IS.
AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHY THERE WAS SO MUCH TRAFFIC UNTIL I SAW YOU.
AND I TOOK A PICTURE AND I POSTED IT ONLINE TOO, AND I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANYTHING AND YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE ANYTHING.
BUT NOW HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE RODRIGUEZ.
HUH? UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S TRUE OR NOT, BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST SAYING THINGS, YOU HAVEN'T POSTED ANY OF IT, OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT HE IS BEEN, HE'S BEEN THERE FOR THE PEOPLE.
OBVIOUSLY, ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE ARE PASSIONATE, INCLUDING MYSELF,
BUT THEN WHAT HE REPRESENTS THE DISTRICT, HE REPRESENTS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
74% HAS TO MEAN SOMETHING FOR Y'ALL.
YOU REPRESENT A DISTRICT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.
PLEASE, PLEASE SUMMARIZE ALL OF YOUR TIME.
AND, UM, I JUST, I REALLY WANT YOU TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT THE FACTS.
YEAH, THE FACTS MATTER, BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VOTED HIM FOR HIM, WHO TRUSTED HIM, WHO KNOW HIM, WHO'VE WALKED WITH HIM, OKAY.
SO WE DID HAVE, WE DID HAVE THOSE THAT JUST, THAT DID NOT WANNA SPEAK, BUT WANTED TO GET THEIR, UH, THEIR VIEWPOINT ACROSS.
UH, MANUEL ANDREI, UH, WAS OPPOSED.
AND THEN WE HAD, UH, GABBY, UH, CADWELL, UH, WAS IN FAVOR.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S IKA OR MONICA FLORES.
UH, IN FAVOR, UH, MARIA MAHAS, UH, IN FAVOR, KATHY FLORENTINO IN FAVOR, DEBORAH GONZALEZ IN FAVOR.
AND WE HAD, WE WERE, HAD TWO LETTERS SUBMITTED IN FAVOR, PAUL WADOWSKI AND, UH, TED GOTCH.
SO THAT IS ALL OF OUR, ALL THE SPEAKERS AT THIS POINT.
THEN I WILL, UH, OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS, UH, AT THIS STAGE.
RIGHT? I CAN, I, YEAH, WE COULD START.
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE, UH, FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND FOR SPEAKING AND FOR HEARING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON? I, UM, UM, UH, UM, UM, UM, UM,
[04:00:10]
IN MY OPINION, CODE OF ETHICS, TRUMP OR, UM, HARRIS.SO, SO, UM, SO, AND, AND I'LL SAY THAT IN ENGLISH.
WHAT I ASK FOR PEOPLE, UH, UH, SPEAKING, JOSE HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, UH, IN HIS RES UH, FLOOD RESPONSE IN WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, WHAT I'M WANTING TO TALK ABOUT IS, WHAT I'VE SEEN IS VIOLATIONS OF OUR POLICY.
AND JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE, JUST BECAUSE ANY OF US DO GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY OR HELP OTHER PEOPLE OUT, DOESN'T GIVE US THE RIGHT TO CAUSE HARM TO OTHERS, OR TO VIOLATE OUR POLICIES OR OUR RULES IN OTHER WAYS, IT, IT DOESN'T.
AND SO, UM, AND I'M SOMEONE, BY THE WAY, THAT HAS SUPPORTED JOSE OUT OF THE FIVE ELECTION CYCLES THAT HE'S RAN IN SINCE 2016.
I'VE SUPPORTED HIM IN THREE OF THE FIVE ELECTIONS.
SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT FOR ME, ABOUT WHO VOTES FOR WHO, IF ANY, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, UH, INCLUDING MYSELF, ALL OF US.
THIS CONVERSATION HERE TONIGHT IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND WE ALL HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO SOMEONE.
AND, AND I'M GONNA SAY THIS TOO, UH, EVEN THOUGH I'M MIGHT NOT SOMETIMES LIKE OR AGREE WITH JOSE, I DO LOVE HIM AS A HUMAN BEING.
JUST LIKE I LOVE RON MORRISON, EVEN THOUGH I REALLY DON'T AGREE WITH HIM A LOT OF THE TIMES, OR DITA ANI OR LU.
I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF, UH, THESE PEOPLE.
AND I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS IN THIS ROOM, EVEN THOUGH I MAY NOT KNOW SOME OF YOU GUYS, I DO HAVE LOVE FOR YOU GUYS, BUT TRUE LOVE ISN'T JUST TELLING A FRIEND OR A LOVED ONE WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR, BUT IT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAR.
AND IN THIS CASE, I HAVE THINGS I NEED TO TELL, UH, JOSE.
AND, BUT WE, THE ONLY WAY WE DO IT IS A CENSURE.
IT IS A FORMAL DECLARATION OF WHAT'S RIGHT OR WHAT'S WRONG.
I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS JOSE, POINT BY POINT, THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN.
I HAVE THREE MAIN THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN, UH, STARTING WITH, UH, THE INCIDENT, UH, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WITH A LILIANA ARMENTA AND HOW I THINK THAT THAT VIOLATED OUR POLICY, OUR CODE OF CONDUCT IN INCLUDING OUR CAMPAIGN PLEDGE.
THE SECOND AREA IS THE PERCEPTION PART OF IT, AND, AND THE SPENDING OF YOUR BUDGET FROM THE TURKEYS TO THE CONSULTANTS, INCLUDING HAVING, UM, CINDY LOPEZ, UH, WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR OFFICE AND A PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB BEING A CONSULTANT ALONG WITH, UH, THREE OTHER, THREE OTHER FOLKS.
SO THAT, THAT PERCEPTION THERE AND HOW THAT LOOKS, UH, AND THEN THE, THE THIRD.
AND THE THIRD MAIN THING I HAVE IS JUST A LACK OF DISCLOSURE IN YOUR APPROACH.
SO YOU RECEIVING CAMPAIGN DONATIONS FROM THE PORT, NOT DISCLOSING THAT, NOT DISCLOSING YOUR CAMPAIGN DONATIONS, UH, THAT YOU RECEIVED OF NICK, FROM NICK AND ZZA, VOTING FOR NICK AND ZZA, AND THEN VOTING AGAINST NATIONAL CITY INTEREST, SPECIFICALLY VOTING AGAINST CONSIDERATION OF AB 27 83, A BILL THAT WOULD'VE REGULATED THE PORT VOTING AGAINST, UH, LKO.
EVEN A DISCUSSION OF LKO, OVERSIGHT OF THE PORT, UH, VOTING, UH, A A AGAINST, UH, UH, TO REMOVE OUR PORT COMMISSIONER SANJO.
THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THE PORT WANTED.
THE PORT GAVE YOU CAMPAIGN DONATIONS, AND YOU VOTED, IN MY OPINION, AGAINST NATIONAL CITY INTERESTS.
THAT IS BEHAVIOR THAT I WANT TO CHANGE.
AND IT ABSOLUTELY IMPACTS THE REST OF THE CITY AND OUR BUDGET.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE ISSUES I HAVE.
I'M WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, TO TALK ABOUT IT.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK I GOT WRONG ON THE FACTS, I'M HAPPY TO, TO DISCUSS THAT.
BUT I, BUT MY POINT, UM, FOR THI THIS DISCUSSION IS A PUBLIC STATEMENT THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH IT.
I WANT THE BEHAVIOR TO CHANGE.
I WANT THOSE ACTIONS TO CHANGE.
AND, UH, I DO WANT US TO MOVE FORWARD AS, AS A BODY, AS AND AS A COUNCIL.
BUT ONE, ONE OF THE THING I WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, THAT I WANNA BRING THIS TO IS THE POLICY, POLICY ONE 19.
THIS IS OUR CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS, COUNCIL APPOINTED OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES.
AND WE ADOPTED IT, UM, AS, AS A BODY, UM, IN, UH, 2018.
AND SO, THE PUR THE PURPOSE, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED A CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT FOR ALL NATIONAL CITY ELECTEDS APPOINTED, UM, OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF BOARDS, COMMITTEES, TO
[04:05:01]
ASSURE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE INTEGRITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.AND ITS EFFECTIVE AND FAIR OPERATION THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY EXPECT PUBLIC OFFICIALS BOTH ELECTED AND APPOINTED TO COMPLY WITH BOTH THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW.
AND THEN GOING ON DOWN THE THIRD PARAGRAPH, THE CONSTANT THEME THROUGHOUT THE CODE IS RESPECT AND CIVILITY.
AND THAT'S THE PART THAT I DON'T THINK WAS FOLLOWED IN THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT AGAINST, UH, LILIANA, ONE OF OUR, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT I HAVE A CONCERN WITH, THAT I THINK IS BEHAVIOR THAT IS WORTH US SAYING WE DON'T AGREE WITH THIS.
UM, AND THAT WE AS A, AS A CITY, AS AN ORGANIZATION SHOULDN'T TOLERATE THAT AND SHOULDN'T ACCEPT IT.
UM, MOVE ON TO ADDRESS IT HERE, HERE, YOUR SIDE OF IT.
UM, AND THE LAST, LAST THING I'LL SAY, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT WAS GOOD HOW YOU RESPONDED LAST TIME.
IF WE HAVE TWO NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS, ONE OF WHOM IS A, A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, AND WE HAVE A MINOR, WE HAVE A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL COMING TO THIS DAIS AND SAYING THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID MAKES HER FEEL UNSAFE, I FELT YOUR RESPONSE WAS VERY CALLOUS AND VERY UNCARING.
AND YOU SAID THEY'RE NOT VICTIMS. AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IS, UH, APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR FROM AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
AND I'M HERE TO SAY, I WANT IT TO STOP AND I WANT IT TO CHANGE.
I WILL ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WERE SAID BY THE, UH, JUST TO MAKE THE RECORD CLEAR.
AND I'M NOT GONNA GO START DEFENDING A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT STUFF, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE A RECORD CLEAR.
THERE WAS SOME DEAL OF IMPROPRIETY THAT BECAUSE I HAD SIGNED A CONTRACT FOR A TOWING COMPANY, AS BY LAW, AS MAYOR, EVERY THESE WERE JUST HANDED TO ME.
I'VE GOTTA SIGN ALL THESE TONIGHT.
SO EVERY RESOLUTION, EVERY CONTRACT, MINUTES, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS PASSED BY THE COUNCIL BY LAW AS MAYOR, I SIGN IT.
THAT THAT'S NOTHING PERSONAL, YOU KNOW? SO, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A, UH, UM, KIND OF A CRAZY THING.
THE OTHER THING IS, THIS ISN'T ABOUT THINGS THAT PEOPLE DO THAT ARE NICE.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNEW THAT, UH, JOSE HEADED RIGHT DOWN.
IT WAS DOWN THERE AT HAPPY HOLLOW AND WAS WORKING LIKE CRAZY.
HAPPY HOLLOW WAS NOT THE ONLY PLACE IN NATIONAL CITY THAT WAS HIT BY THE FLOODS, YOU KNOW? AND THAT'S, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT.
AND SO, FOR ALL OF US TO RUN DOWN TO HAPPY HOLLOW, WHAT WOULD THAT DO FOR THE REST OF THE CITY THAT WAS ALSO FLOODED? THERE WAS HOUSES BEING HAVE TO BE MUCK OUT.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS PEOPLE THAT WAS, THAT WAS STRANDED UP ON THEIR, I KNOW THERE WAS ONE GRANDMOTHER STRANDED UP ON HER, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, KITCHEN COUNTER BECAUSE THE WATER WAS UP TO THE KITCHEN COUNTER, AND SHE COULD NOT WALK WITHOUT A WALKER, BUT SHE GOT HERSELF LAID UP ON TOP THERE TO TRY TO KEEP THEM GETTING OUTTA THE WATER.
I MEAN, THOSE WERE THE, WE WERE DOING THOSE IN HOUSES ALL OVER, UH, PARTICULARLY THE NORTH END OF NATIONAL CITY.
AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF, I MEAN, WE WERE MUCKING OUT STUFF.
WE WERE, SAME TIME WE WERE RUNNING OVER TO WALMART TO GET BEDDING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
'CAUSE ALL THESE PEOPLE'S BEDDING HAS BEEN RUINED.
AND, UH, TO GET INTO HOUSES THAT WAS HAPPENING ALL OVER.
AND THERE WAS PEOPLE DOING THAT AT ALL OVER THE TOWN.
SO INDEED, YOU GOT TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT HAPPY HOLLOW.
YOU DIDN'T GET TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE ELSE.
YOU DIDN'T GET TO SEE WHEN THE PEOPLE, UH, WERE BEING SENT TO MISSION VALLEY FOR HOUSING TO GO INTO PLACES DOWN THERE COMPLETELY OUTTA THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND WE WENT AND TALKED TO THE RAMADA OVER HERE AND GOT THEM TO, TO OPEN UP THAT HOTEL AT A GREATLY REDUCED RATE SO THAT MORE PEOPLE COULD GET HOUSING TO GET IN THERE.
I MEAN, THERE WAS THIS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.
YOU DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE.
AND I CONGRATULATE HIM FOR DOING THAT THERE IN HAPPY HOLLOW.
BUT THERE WAS ALL THESE OTHER AREAS THAT WAS HAPPENING.
WE WERE PULLING OUT EVERYTHING.
WE HAD, UH, ONE FAMILY, LITERALLY THEIR BOTTOM FLOOR.
THE WATERMARK WAS ABOVE MY HEAD AND RUINED EVERYTHING THEY HAD.
AND WE HAD TO MUCK ALL THAT STUFF OUT.
WE DID ONE HOUSE AFTER ANOTHER LIKE THAT.
WE WERE ALL OUT THERE GETTING DIRTY.
WE WERE ALL OUT THERE GETTING MUDDY.
AND THAT'S NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM ANYTHING THAT COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ WAS DOING, BUT HE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE.
YOU DIDN'T SEE THE WHOLE, YOU DIDN'T SEE EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT ON THAT ONE.
UH, AND AS SAY, UH, THE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO BROUGHT UP THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY JOSE WRIGHT, WELL, THIS IS NOT TAKEN AWAY.
[04:10:01]
THIS IS A, A CENSURE DOES NOT REMOVE A PERSON FROM OFFICE.THE ONLY PERSON, THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT CAN REMOVE A PERSON FROM OFFICE IS THE VOTERS.
IF THEY'RE CONVICTED OF A FELONY, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT CAN REMOVE A PERSON FROM OFFICE.
AND SO, BUT THIS IS SAYING THERE ARE ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON THAT CAN'T CONTINUE, AND IT'S BEEN A PATTERN OF ONE ACTION AFTER ANOTHER.
WE ALL DO DUMB THINGS, AND THEN WE LEARN FROM THEM.
AND THEN WE SHOW REMORSE AND WE SAY, OKAY, I WANNA DO BETTER.
THAT, THAT HAS NOT BEEN, THERE'S BEEN MORE OF THIS LACK OF REMORSE AND A LACK OF CHANGE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS, BECAUSE WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE, UH, TO WORK ON THESE THINGS.
WE SAID, IT'S THE APPEARANCE OF IT.
AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TRUST EACH OTHER.
AND SO, BECAUSE WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT INTO EVERY, EVERY AREA OF WHAT ANOTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL IS DOING.
SO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TRUST THEM WHEN THEY SAY, THIS IS WHAT I'M DOING.
BUT WHEN YOU END UP WITH SO MANY OF THESE THINGS ON, ON APPEARANCE LEVEL, THAT JUST ONE AFTER ANOTHER, IT ERODES THE TRUST.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BUILD BACK THAT TRUST.
WE'VE GOT FIVE INDIVIDUALS UP HERE.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT SERVICE LEVELS, EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND WE, BUT WE GOTTA FIND A WAY THAT WE TRUST EACH OTHER AND WE WORK TOGETHER WITH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENCES, WITH OUR DIFFERENT IDEAS, WITH OUR DIFFERENT, UH, SECTIONS OUT THE DEAL.
AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ELECTABILITY.
AND SO THAT WE GET THAT BACK IN LINE, AND THEN WE CAN GO ON AND WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND MAKE, MAKE THESE THINGS, MAKE OUR CITY THAT MUCH BETTER.
AND WE CAN WORK TO GET ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT AS LONG AS IT'S FRACTURED AND WE DON'T HAVE A TRUST IN EACH OTHER, AND THEN THAT MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
AND THE C IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN EVEN MAKE THAT, THAT IN THE FORM OF AN EXPRESSION.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT THAT'S BEING ADDRESSED AT THIS WAY AT THIS TIME.
WITH THAT, ANYONE ELSE? UH, MEMBER MOLINA.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR STAYING UP WITH US SO LATE.
UH, I HAVE, UH, MENTIONED TO THE RESIDENTS THAT SPOKE EARLIER TODAY.
I THANK THEM FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.
I APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC, BUT IT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE, THERE IS MORE, UH, THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMATIC ISSUES HERE BEYOND THE ACTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER TOOK IN YOUR DISTRICT TO HELP YOU.
I'M NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM THAT ACTION, BUT I'M TRYING TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE OTHER, ALL OF THE OTHER STUFF BEFORE US.
UH, ONE OF OUR EARLIER SPEAKERS HERE, UH, EARLIER THIS EVENING STATED THAT WE OCCUPY A SEAT UP HERE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE BIG DECISIONS.
UM, TO CENSURE ONE OF OUR OWN IS NOT A DECISION THAT I AM TAKING LIGHTLY WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
OUR BEHAVIOR REQUIRES A HIGH STANDARD.
THERE ARE MUNICIPAL AND STATE ETHICS LAWS THAT APPLY TO US.
UM, IT HAS BEEN SAID, UH, THE, THE FIRST SLIDE IN OUR ETHICS COURSE THAT IS REQUIRED OF ALL ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS.
ITS STATES QUOTE, WHILE CERTAIN CONDUCT MAY NOT VIOLATE THE ETHICS LAWS, YOU SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ENGAGING IN IT IF IT CREATES EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY.
THE ACTIONS OF COUNCIL MAN RODRIGUEZ, AS DETAILED TODAY, SUGGEST THAT HE IS NOT BOTHERED BY THIS OR PLAINLY DOESN'T CARE, OR IS INCAPABLE TO RISE TO THIS MINIMUM STANDARD.
THE COUNCILMAN LIKES TO PLAY AGAINST THE LETTER OF THE LAW BY EXPLOITING THE GRAY AREAS AND LOOPHOLES BY TESTING COUNCIL AND STATE POLICIES BY BENDING THEM FOR PERSONAL POLITICAL GAIN.
REPEATEDLY, I HAVE ASKED THE COUNCILMAN AND CITY STAFF FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON THESE TROUBLING MATTERS.
SO HAVE MANY OF THE MEMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES FOR AND BY OUR
[04:15:01]
COMMUNITIES.THE JOB UP HERE IS TO BRING FORWARD POLICIES FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE CITY.
IT PUTS US IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE AND AWKWARD POSITION OF HAVING TO ANTICIPATE NOT JUST THE POLICY THAT WE NEED TO ENACT, BUT HOW THAT POLICY CAN BE MANIPULATED IN BAD FAITH BY A COLLEAGUE.
THE COUNCILMAN'S ACTIONS HAVE BEEN QUESTIONABLE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.
THERE IS NO ADMISSION OF ERROR OR WRONGDOING.
IN FACT, THERE HAS BEEN DOXING AND GASLIGHTING OF HIS TARGETS LASHING OUT TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND FELLOW COLLEAGUES, AND PLAYING THE VICTIM.
THIS ERODES THE PUBLIC'S TRUST IN THE WORK THAT WE DO FOR OUR CITY.
RODRIGUEZ REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE HAS DONE ANYTHING WRONG.
IT HAS COME TO THE POINT WHERE THIS COUNCIL MUST TAKE FORMAL ACTION IN THE FORM OF A CENSURE.
IT HAS BEEN EXHAUSTING TO REIGN HIM IN OTHERWISE.
GOD KNOWS I HAVE TRIED FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS AT THIS POST, UH, AS TRUTH CALLED IT, PRO WRESTLING.
I AM NOT INTERESTED IN KEEPING UP THIS SAME MODE FOR MY NEXT TWO YEARS.
LASTLY, I REJECT THE OPINION THAT THIS CENSURE ACTION IS JUST A FINGER WAG.
IT IS MY HOPE THAT THIS CENSURE SENDS A MESSAGE TO THE COUNCILMAN AND TO THE CITY STAFF THAT THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL IS LOOKING FOR A NEW APPROACH.
AND WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY MORE UNETHICAL ACTIONS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE.
AND I WANT TO, UH, REITERATE WHAT MAYOR MORRISON SAID.
THIS IS ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER AND TRUSTING THAT WE EACH HAVE OUR BEST, UH, THE BEST OF US FORWARD.
AND THAT IS HOW I WANT TO PROCEED FOR MY NEXT TWO YEARS, IS BEING ABLE TO TRUST AND BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND IF THIS CENSURE IS THAT MESSAGE, THEN IT ACCOMPLISHES THE TASK FOR ME.
ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, RODRIGUEZ.
UH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY COMING OUT.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T SUPPORT ME, AND THOSE THAT DO, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT SUPPORT THE CENSURE AND THOSE THAT DON'T.
I GENUINELY APPRECIATE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IT IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR DEMOCRACY, AND WE ALL DESPERATELY NEED IT.
AND WE ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO OUR OWN OPINION.
IT'S A GOOD THING IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S A GOOD THING IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WE ALL HAVE THAT, RIGHT? I COME TO THE CONCLUSION THIS IS A POLITICAL HIT PIECE YET AGAIN, LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU GUYS, PLEASE KEEP IT DOWN.
WE VIOLATED NO LOSS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE ACTIONS OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, ANYTIME I MADE A DECISION, I SPOKE TO OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AND OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM.
AND THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR WERE ALSO APPRISED OF SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE.
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS CONTRACT THAT WE GAVE OUT, WHICH WE WORKED ON FOR FOUR MONTHS.
THIS ISN'T A SURPRISE THAT WAS SPRUNG UP ON ANYBODY.
WE ALL KNEW, BUT WE JUST WENT THROUGH AN ELECTION CYCLE.
AND IN TYPICAL TRUMP FASHION, SOME PEOPLE CANNOT ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION.
YOU KNOW, LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU THAT THE, THE BEAUTY ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY IS THAT WHEN SOMEBODY LOSES YOU, SAY YOU GIVE A PERSON A CALL AND YOU SAY, HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CITY, OF OUR COUNTY, OF OUR STATE OF OUR COUNTRY? I KNOW BECAUSE I'VE RAN SOME CAMPAIGNS WHERE WE HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S OUR JOB AND OUR DUTY AS INDIVIDUALS RUNNING FOR OFFICE TO ALWAYS EXTEND, UH, OUR HAND, WANTING TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS, THAT WERE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE IN ORDER TO MOVE OUR AGENDA FORWARD.
AND SO LAST YEAR, UM, STARTED, STARTED A YEAR AGO THROUGH THE KITCHEN SINK AT OUR ACTIONS.
IT WAS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S THE TURKEY, WHETHER IT WAS THIS OR THAT, ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER, AFTER ANOTHER, AFTER ANOTHER WITH THE INTENT FOR THIS ELECTION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE WON BY 73% OF THE VOTE.
YOU KNOW, OUT OF THOSE POINTS, I DON'T KNOW WHO WROTE THEM, BUT THERE'S ABOUT THREE OR FOUR THINGS THAT REPEAT THEMSELVES OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
IT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN IN A SHORTER PARAGRAPH.
BUT THE BIGGEST POINT IS THAT WE SUPPOSEDLY MISUSE PUBLIC FUNDS FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES.
SOME PEOPLE CALL 'EM CAMPAIGN.
[04:20:01]
I CALL 'EM DOING MY JOB.LET ME TELL YOU HOW WE UTILIZE THOSE RESOURCES OF ASSISTANCE.
WE HELP PEOPLE IN TIMES OF NEED.
PEOPLE THAT WERE DEVASTATED BY THE FLOOD.
WE HELP THEM BY PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR THEM IN A TIME OF NEED.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HELD AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKSHOPS, A SERIES OF THEM.
WE KNOW THAT INDIVIDUALS WANTED RENT CONTROL ON MOBILE HOME PARKS BECAUSE WE SAW EGREGIOUS INCREASES.
SO YES, WE HELD A SERIES OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHERE WE WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND ASKED THEM, WHAT DO YOU WANT? AND WE WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAD FORUMS. PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T EVEN, WEREN'T EVEN LIVING IN DISTRICT TWO, THEY COULDN'T EVEN VOTE FOR ME.
BUT I WAS ELECTED IN 2020 CITYWIDE.
SO I SPOKE TO INDIVIDUALS OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT BECAUSE I KNEW THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT IMPACTED THEM AS WELL.
AND WE HELD COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND WHERE THEY WERE INFORMATIONAL ITEMS THAT WE BROUGHT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS FROM OTHER CITIES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION HOW RENT CONTROL WORKS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SOME PEOPLE CALL THAT CAMPAIGNING.
WE HAD HOME OWNERSHIP WORKSHOPS.
UM, WE HAD DOZENS OF PEOPLE GO THROUGH THESE WORKSHOPS AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE DOING THEM.
ACTIVELY REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY, HELPING THEM BECOME HOMEOWNERS.
YOU KNOW, OUR SENIORS SPOKE TO THEM THREE, FOUR MONTHS AGO AND WE SCHEDULED A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH THEM 'CAUSE THEY HAD ISSUES AT OUR SENIOR CENTER.
I WAS HAVING A MEETING WITH CONSTITUENTS, MANY OF WHICH DON'T LIVE IN MY DISTRICT.
BUT THE POINT WAS TO LISTEN TO COMMUNITY AS THEY REACH OUT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND TO WORK ON THEM.
AND WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS, THANK YOU FOR CITY STAFF AND THANK YOU FOR COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT, TO MAKE OUR JUUL, WHICH IS, UH, THE NUTRITION CENTER, A BETTER PLACE.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU TALK ABOUT KIND OF, UH, UH, REGIONAL APPOINTMENTS.
I SAT ON SANDAG FOR TWO YEARS AS AN ALTERNATE.
AND PART OF THAT, UM, I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH A COALITION OF NONPROFITS, UH, VICE MAYOR, THEN VICE MAYOR, DITO YAMANI, CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, CITY OF SAN DIEGO, AND SANDAG TO APPLY FOR A, UM, $25 MILLION STATE GRANT TO RECONNECT COMMUNITIES.
AND OUT OF THREE COMMUNITY STATEWIDE, WE WERE SELECTED.
AND THAT MADE ME, MAKES ME VERY PROUD BECAUSE NOW THE CORNER OF DIVISION AND PALM, WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THAT CORNER THAT HAS BEEN BLIGHT FOR OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
THAT IS THE POWER OF BEING IN COMMITTEES AND BEING WILLING TO WORK AND PUT PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HAVE LEADERSHIP TO BRING RESOURCES TO NATIONAL CITIES.
SOME PEOPLE CALL THAT CAMPAIGNING.
AND FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.
YOU KNOW, IN THIS PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAD A BUDGET CYCLE, TWO DIFFERENT BUDGET CYCLES.
AND IN SPITE OF SOME INDIVIDUAL'S SUPPORT OR LACK THEREOF, WE MOVED IT FORWARD.
THESE WERE HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE NOW, WE'RE GONNA BE HIRING NEW POLICE OFFICERS, NEW FIREFIGHTERS, UH, TREE TRIMMERS, DISPATCHERS AMONG MANY OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED IN THE COMMUNITY.
YES, I ENGAGED COMMUNITY DURING THIS ISSUE.
YES, WE UTILIZE CITY RESOURCES TO HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH THEM.
SOME FOLKS LOOK AT THAT AS CAMPAIGNING.
IT'S OUR JOB TO SEEK OUT ADVICE.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A REOCCURRING THEME, TALKING ABOUT THE STAFFERS, RIGHT? UM, I DON'T WANNA CALL THEM BY NAME, BUT, UM, TWO OF THEM LIVE WITHIN NATIONAL CITY.
ONE OF 'EM IS A BUSINESS OWNER.
DOES WELL NOW AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
THEY'VE DONE FANTASTIC WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE ACTIVELY REACHED OUT AND THEY CARE BY HOSTING ALL THESE, ALL THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS TOGETHER.
SO I'M REALLY HAPPY AND PROUD OF THE WORK THEY'VE DONE.
AND TO BE VERY CLEAR, TWO OF THOSE STAFFERS HELPED ME CREATE ONE VIDEO IN THE ELECTION CYCLE IN 2022, WHICH DIDN'T COST MORE THAN $800 ONE VIDEO.
ARE YOU TELLING ME YOUR ASSISTANT MAYOR HAS NEVER WORKED ON YOUR CAMPAIGNS? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING RIGHT NOW? NOBODY CAN SAY THAT.
SO TO POINT THE FINGER AT ME, LIKE SOMEBODY SAID, YOU CAN POINT THE FINGER AT SOMEBODY, RIGHT? FOR HAVING TWO ASSISTANTS THAT HELPED YOU IN ONE CAMPAIGN TO DO ONE MAIL PIECES.
MEANWHILE, YOU'VE USED RESOURCES OF YOUR OWN STAFFER FOR CAMPAIGNS FOR MANY YEARS.
OKAY, BUT SHE'S HELPED YOU THROUGHOUT CAMPAIGNS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
WELL, ON WEEKENDS, ON HER OWN TIME, YES.
SO SHE HAS, YOU SEE, THIS IS THE DOUBLE STANDARD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, RIGHT? FOR SOME FOLKS, OH, IT'S ONLY ON THE WEEKEND FOR OTHERS.
NO, YOU'RE UTILIZING BAD PUBLIC RESOURCES.
[04:25:01]
YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE.SO I CAN OVER WHY ALL? SO I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO FOCUS ON ADDRESSING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ISSUES.
INSTEAD OF WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, WHICH THIS IS ON BASELESS ACCUSATIONS IN THE TIME, LOOK, THE ELECTION IS OVER, GUYS, LET'S MOVE, LET'S MOVE ON.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ONLY A NATIONAL CITY CAN SOMEBODY BE DISCUSSED TO BE CENSURED FOR ACTUALLY PROVIDING FOOD FOR NATIONAL CITY FAMILIES.
AND THE SAME INDIVIDUALS ALSO VOTED TO GIVE MAYOR MORRISON'S ASSISTANT A $23,000 RAISE JUST TWO WEEKS AGO.
WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH? IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH EVERYTHING.
AND I LET YOU SPEAK, LET YOU SPEAK.
BUT LOOK, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY RESOURCES, YOU'RE SO CONCERNED ABOUT FEEDING THE COMMUNITY FOR $7,000, BUT YOU'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT GIVING SOMEBODY A $23,000 RAISE THAT ISN'T GONNA MANAGE ANYBODY.
WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST POLITICAL, RIGHT? IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY, IT'S JUST POLITICS.
IT'S JUST POLITICAL, UNFORTUNATELY.
KEEP IT, KEEP IT, KEEP IT DOWN, FOLKS, PLEASE.
SO, AGAIN, WE DISAGREE WITH OUR OPINIONS.
AND GUESS WHAT? THIS IS A DEMOCRACY.
WE ALL GET TO HAVE OUR OPINIONS, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.
THAT INCLUDES EVERY ONE OF US.
AND SO I DO, AND I HAVE SAID MANY, MANY TIMES ABOUT, UM, UH, I STAND AGAINST MASS DEPORTATIONS.
AND IT'S THE BIGGEST REASON WHY IT TOOK A STAND AGAINST TRUMP.
WE GOT IN A MILLION ARGUMENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THIS, UH, WITH SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE HERE IN THE ROOM.
AND I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE MY DISAGREEMENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHO'S TRULY SCARED THE DAY AFTER HE WAS ELECTED? PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE SCARED OF BEING DEPORTED, PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT ARE SCARED LEFT AND RIGHT, BECAUSE THEIR FAMILIES ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE NOW BEING THREATENED TO BE TORN APART.
KIDS WHO DON'T KNOW IF THEIR PARENTS ARE GONNA BE SEPARATED FROM THEIR HOUSEHOLD, RIGHT? SO TALK TO ME ABOUT FEAR.
THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE FEAR.
THAT IS THE FEAR THAT WE ARE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW.
AND MAYBE WE LIVE IN OUR OWN BUBBLES, BUT WE SHOULD GO KNOCK ON DOORS AND ACTUALLY ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, TO SOME OF THE POINTS THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, THIS TOWING CONTRACT, MR. MORRISON MENTIONED THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG.
I I WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE C WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE TOPIC AT HAND? WHAT DOES ANGELA'S TOWING HAVE? LET'S, LET'S STICK TO THE ISSUE.
NO, I'M GONNA INTERRUPT YOU NOW BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TOTALLY OFF TRACK.
NO, BECAUSE THESE ARE THINGS YOU JUST STATED EARLIER.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO? WHAT DOES A TOWING CONTRACT HAVE TO DO WITH ANY OF THE ISSUES AT HAND? HAND, LET ME SPEAK.
ALRIGHT, BECAUSE HE MENTIONED THAT EARLIER YOU LEFT.
I HAVE THE RIGHT TO RESPONSE TO WHAT HE SAID.
SO, SO THEY, THEIR CONTRACT CAME UP IN 2021.
GUESS WHO SUPPORTED THEIR CONTRACT WHOLEHEARTEDLY? MAYOR MORRISON.
RIGHT? GUESS WHO GETS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF, OF, UH, TURKEYS WORTH, WORTH OF TURKEYS TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY? MAYOR MORRISON, DOES HE ACTUALLY DISCLOSE THAT? WE HAVEN'T SEEN IN ANY DISCLOSURES.
BUT YOU SOLICIT THE FUNDS, RIGHT? SO YOU SEE IT IS APPLICABLE.
AND TO SOME OF YOUR POINTS, MARCUS, YES, I DID RECEIVE THE SUPPORT OF THE PORT TENANTS ASSOCIATION, BUT TO BE FAIR, YOU INTERVIEWED FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND THE PORT COMMISSIONERS YOU INTERVIEWED FOR THAT AS WELL.
THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT YOUR CAMPAIGN, BUT YOU INTERVIEWED.
SO DON'T COME AROUND AND TELL ME, OH, YOU, YOU WERE SUPPORTED BY THE PORT.
DON'T COME AROUND AND TELL ME ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING OF CIVILITY AND RESPECT, WHEN YOU LITERALLY CALL THEM DISGUSTING, AND IT WAS QUOTED ON THE UT YOU LITERALLY CALLED THE PORT COMMISSIONERS DISGUSTING.
AND IT WAS QUOTED ON THE UT DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT CIVILITY.
'CAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN, NOT BEEN THE ONE THAT IT CONTINUES TO, UH, JUMP THIS BOUNDARY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND SO AGAIN, THIS TURKEY CONVERSATION, MARCUS, YOU WERE THERE.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? YOU DID.
YOU RECEIVED A TURKEY, YOU RECEIVED FOOD, YOU RECEIVED TACOS THAT WE MADE.
AND THAT'S A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE MADE THEM FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES IN NATIONAL CITY.
NO, AND THAT IS A GOOD AND POSITIVE THING.
SOME FOLKS DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS A DEMOCRACY AND WE ALL GET TO HAVE OUR SAY.
IF WE DISAGREE, GUYS, THIS IS JUST THE TRUTH.
AND SO I, I DO THINK THIS IS JUST A, A LITTLE POLITICAL HIT JOB, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN OUR CITY AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
[04:32:03]
IS THE, UH, LOS[04:35:04]
ANOTHER ENGLISH TRANSLATION.I LITERALLY HAVE THE SAME POINTS.
I'M, I'M GONNA AGREE WITH ONE THING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ SAID, AND THAT IS THE ELECTION IS OVER, BUT ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT.
AND SO THERE YOU HAVE, YOU, THE ELECTION IS OVER.
BUT THERE HAS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND I THINK WHAT WE JUST SAW WAS A, A GREAT PERFORMANCE IN DEFLECTION.
IN OTHER WORDS SAYING, I'M NOT GONNA TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING.
I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, UH, CHANGE ANY OF MY PATTERNS.
I'M JUST GONNA DEFLECT ONTO EVERYBODY ELSE AND, AND, AND TRY TO SPREAD IT AROUND AND NOT DO ANYTHING.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAS CAUSED US SO MUCH PROBLEM.
HUH? MY TURN NOW YOU CAN HAVE A TURN.
WE WE'RE GONNA TRY TO WRAP IT UP HERE IN A FEW MINUTES.
OH, NOW YOU'RE GONNA WRAP ME UP? NO, NO.
I SAID IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT YOU, YOU CAN WRITE IT OFF.
SO LET'S DO JEFF, PLEASE KEEP QUIET.
WE NEED A, DON'T WE? UH, CAN I MOVE? OKAY.
MAY I INTERRUPT YOU VICE MAYOR? I'M VERY SORRY.
WE NEED A MOTION TO KEEP GOING 'CAUSE IT'S PAST 10 30.
OKAY, SECOND MOVE TO CONTINUE.
WHO DID SOMEONE SECOND THAT? UM, MARCUS, MARK STATE.
I THOUGHT YOU MADE THE MOTION.
SO, OKAY, SO, UM, MAYOR IN THIS, UH, 14.1, YOU RAISED SIX, UM, ISSUES.
UM, I WAS READING AND REVIEWING THEM AND WE AGREED THAT NUMBER ONE IS ON ITS OWN.
NUMBER TWO AND FOUR ARE THE SAME.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE THEM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, SHAKE HANDS.
AND THEN NUMBER THREE, FOUR AND FIVE, UH, THREE, FIVE AND SIX ARE SAME ISSUES, KIND OF.
SO IT'S ALL ABOUT MEDIA COMMUNICATION AND REPUTATION.
SO, SO I, IT GOES DOWN TO THREE TO THREE MAJOR ISSUES, RIGHT? THOSE COULD BE COMBINED.
SO DO YOU AGREE THAT COMBINING THEM, WE GO, WE DROP IT DOWN TO THREE ISSUES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SIMILAR, RIGHT? YEAH.
TO, TO ME, ALL THE ELEMENTS ARE ALL THERE.
NOW IF YOU WANNA COMBINE 'EM, THAT'S FINE.
BUT, BUT THE SAME ELEMENTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE JUST DON'T WANNA BE REDUNDANT.
[04:40:01]
OKAY, MAYOR.SO NUMBER ONE, USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THOSE ARE TURKEYS.
UM, GIVEAWAYS, TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT AND USE SUBSIDY FUNDED RESOURCES ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGN MEDIA SITES.
OKAY, SO THE TURKEYS, 300 OF 'EM PAID.
I WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID OUR DISTRICT TWO AND THREE, UM, THANKSGIVING, UH, THAT WE ALSO HAVE LAID OUT THE EL TOON, UM, PARK, UM, IMPROVEMENT.
SO THERE'S 300, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AFTER THAT EVENT WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS A, AN INVOICE THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UM, WITH THE CONSENSUS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT POLICY YET THAT WE, BOTH OF US DID.
SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, 300 TURKEYS.
I'M SURE JOSE DIDN'T EAT ALL THOSE TURKEYS, RIGHT? THEY WERE ALL GIVEN AWAY.
'CAUSE WE SEEN IT BEING GIVEN AWAY DURING THAT DAY.
THE REIMBURSEMENT, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, OUR CITY MANAGER, UM, CHECKING IN WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY HAD CHECKED ALL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THE UNDERLYING, UM, THE UNDERLYING, UM, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS, UH, PROCESS FOR THAT REIMBURSEMENT TO BE REIMBURSED.
OKAY? SO THAT WAS IN, UM, AND BECAUSE AT THAT TIME WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE AUGUST, THE, THE SACRAMENTO TRIP, WE DON'T HAVE THAT POLICY YET, RIGHT? WE HAD THAT POLICY AFTER THAT.
WE DON'T OH, THE POLICY APPLIED.
'CAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE DID THAT, COUNSEL, THE AUGUST ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE EARLIER ONE HE DID IN APRIL, THAT'S THE, UM, THAT'S THE SACRAMENTO TRIP RIGHT THERE.
THERE WAS A, THERE WAS THE OTHER ONE IN, UH, IN AUGUST, SEPARATE ONE.
SO THAT WAS THE REIMBURSEMENT THAT AGAIN, UM, YOU, I MEAN WE'RE, WERE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN PROCESS, WERE, WERE CHECKED.
SO DID YOU, ARE YOU THINKING OF, YOU KNOW, MEAN, DO YOU ALREADY HAVE A RESOLUTION ON WHAT KIND OF ACCENTURE YOU'RE THINKING MAYOR? BECAUSE WE JUST WANTED TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
OKAY, SO NUMBER TWO, THOSE TWO ISSUES, THE APPEARANCE OF THE USE OF CONTRACTORS AND CITY HIRED STAFF UNDER HIS DIRECT CONTROL FOR THE USE OF CAMPAIGNING, THE APPEARANCE OF HIRING PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN HIS CAMPAIGN, KIND OF SIMILAR, TWO AND FOUR.
CORRECT? SO THOSE ARE OUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS HAPPEN TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BE SMARTER THAN US.
HE GOT FOUR INSTEAD OF TWO INSTEAD OF ONE.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN EACH, OR, OR SO THAT AGAIN, CONTRACTS ABOUT CONSULTANTS RUN THROUGH THE TWO PEOPLE THAT WE TRUST, OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO CHECK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, CHECK AND BALANCES.
WE HIRED THEM RIGHT? TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
SO THEY CHECKED THAT MAYOR AND THEY SAID, OKAY, IT CHECKED OFF.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN THE CONSULTANTS WENT.
YOU, YOU CHECKED THE CONSULTANTS.
IT WENT DOWN TO 42 YOU SAID, AND CHECKED TO 87.
THAT'S YOUR PART OF BEING THE OVERSIGHT FOR THE CITY, FOR THE, UM, OFFICE OF THE MA MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
DO YOU, YOU KNOW, MEAN WITH REGARDS TO THE EXACT, UH, ACCOUNT, THE EAS OUR EAS, YOU SAID YOU DON'T SEE THEM, RIGHT? YOU DON'T SEE THEM.
YOU WANT THEM TO BE ON TIME CLOCK.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK BECAUSE TIME CLOCKS FOR ALL OUR EAS.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO, WE CAN DO THAT.
RIGHT? SO, UM, THE, THE THREE, FIVE AND SIX, THESE ARE ALL MEDIA.
THESE ARE ALL HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, THESE ARE ALL MEDIA TENSION.
THESE ARE ALL LACK OF REMORSE, YOU KNOW, UM, MEDIA, UM, FOR THOSE POLITICAL ITEMS WITH REGARDS TO, UM, MISAPPROPRIATION OR, OR USING SOME KIND OF, UM, OF, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS? UM, NOT REPORTING OR STUFF LIKE THAT.
ALL THOSE POLITICAL, UM, ITEMS. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK THERE IS A POLITICAL, A FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICE COMMISSION THAT WILL LOOK INTO THAT.
[04:45:01]
CAN, WE CAN SEND THEM THAT LETTER AND ASK THEM TO CORRECT OR, OR SEE IF HE WENT ANY OF THOSE, UM, OF THOSE, UM, AND HE CROSSED ANY ETHICS THERE OR ANY, UM, POLITICAL, UM, ETHICS OR ANY POLITICAL VALUES THAT, UM, WE SAID IN THIS ISSUES THAT TWO, FIVE AND SIX WITH REGARDS TO THE, UM, THE, UM, INTIMIDATION OR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, UM, BULLYING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, UH, MAYBE WE CAN ASK 'EM, RIGHT? IS THAT REALLY BULLYING OR IS THAT POLITICS, YOU KNOW, CAMPAIGN.WE'RE ON THE STREET MAKING EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, VOTE FOR US DURING, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, DURING THOSE TIME.
AND SO MAYBE WE CAN, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN HAVE, WE CAN, WE CAN SEE, OKAY, HOW WERE, THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE AFRAID TO LIVE IN THEIR OWN HOUSE BECAUSE OF THIS, BECAUSE OF THAT.
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THAT? MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION SO THEN WE CAN RECTIFY IT SO THEN IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
YOU KNOW? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT C ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT? TWO, FIVE, AND SIX? 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE ARE THREE POINTS HERE THAT I WANTED US TO WIGGLE DOWN TO THREE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO BE REDUNDANT.
SO YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE RAISED THESE ISSUES, YOU KNOW, I MEAN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS ITEMS AND DO YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION, MAYOR, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA BE STAYING HERE AFTER MIDNIGHT.
YOU'RE NOT MANY, BLAH, BLAH, ABOUT OUR ISSUES AND CONCERNS, BUT WITH NO RESOLUTIONS.
I, IF I MAY, I, BECAUSE I DO WANNA HURRY THIS UP.
SO I'M GOING TO, UM, DIVIDE THIS INTO PARTS.
I DO AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, VICE MAYOR, THAT SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, COULD BE THE LANGUAGE COULD BE, UH, FINAGLED.
SO I THINK, UM, LET'S START WITH THE FIRST ISSUE, WHICH IS THE EMAIL AGAINST LILIANA ARMENTA, UM, AND, UH, AND RANDY CASTLE.
SO I, THAT VIOLATES OUR POLICY.
I THINK IT IS INTIMIDATION AND INAPPROPRIATE RHETORIC.
SO IT VIOLATES OUR, THE CAMPAIGN PLEDGE.
UM, SO SPECIFICALLY CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES, WHICH WAS SIGNED BY ALL OF US AS CANDIDATES, AND BY JOSE AUGUST, UH, 7 20 24.
AND SO PART OF WHAT IT READS ARE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF DECENCY, HONESTY, AND FAIR PLAY, WHICH EVERY CANDIDATE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE HAS A MORAL OBLIGATION TO OBSERVE.
AND NUMBER TWO IS, I SHALL NOT USE OR PERMIT THE USE OF CHARACTER DEFAMATION, WHISPERING CAMPAIGN LIABLE SLANDER, SCURRILOUS ATTACKS ON ANY CANDIDATE OR HIS OR HER PERSONAL OR FAMILY LIFE.
I THINK THAT TAKING A PICTURE OF THE EXTERIOR OF SOMEONE'S HOUSE ISN'T APPROPRIATE.
THAT I DON'T THINK THAT'S ACCEPTABLE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT IS, UM, THAT'S A VIOLATION RIGHT THERE.
AND THAT'S ON THE CODE OF CAMPAIGN FAIR PRACTICES.
THAT'S ONE OF OUR DOCUMENTS THAT'S ADOPTED.
SO THE OTHER DOCUMENTS IS, THE OTHER DOCUMENT IS PART OF THAT, IT'S OUR CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND THAT IS, SO THE RELEVANT CODE POLICIES ON THERE THAT WE HAVE, THAT I THINK THAT THOSE ACTIONS VIOLATED THAT IT'S NUMBER ONE USE OF OFFICE.
IT'S NUMBER THREE ROLE MODELS.
IT'S NUMBER FOUR, POSITIVE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT, AND NUMBER 11, ADVOCACY.
LET ME GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE AND WHY I THINK THAT THOSE VIOLATE THE PO THE POLICY.
THAT'S FOR TWO, FIVE AND 6, 2, 5 AND SIX.
WHAT DO WE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ITEM OR THREE, FIVE AND SIX.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT FOR THE MAYORS? NO, NO.
FOR WHAT? WHAT GOING OFF OF WHAT THE MAYOR WROTE? MM-HMM.
BECAUSE WE, WE, UH, DO YOU WANNA PUT YOUR MIC ON TOO? OH, SORRY.
HELLO? MM-HMM,
ONE IS ON ITS OWN TWO AND FOUR IS NUMBER TWO, AND THEN THREE, FIVE AND SIX ARE THE SAME.
SO THAT'S, I THINK THERE'S SIMILAR.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO SEE IT IN WRITING.
SO WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS WE DISCUSS THIS AND THEN WE TAKE A RECESS AND THEN WE CONVENE AND WE CAN WRITE THIS OUT.
OR LIKE, OR WE, YOU KNOW, SO WE COULD DO IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT I DO THINK, TO YOUR POINT, THE WRITING PART OF IT, THAT WHAT THE LANGUAGE SAYS.
SO, SO WE'RE DOING THIS, LIKE THE PROPER WAY IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE, SO LIKE I SAID, THE POLICIES ON THIS IS NUMBER ONE, USE OF OFFICE NUMBER TWO, THE, UM, OUR SECTION ON CONDUCT NUMBER THREE, ROLE MODELS, NUMBER FOUR, POSITIVE, UH, WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT, NUMBER 11, ADVOCACY.
[04:50:01]
THIS TO THE DAIS YES.YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION, MAYOR, OF THIS, OF THIS THREE ITEMS THAT WE, THAT WE ARE TAKING ON.
MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE VOTE TO SEE, WE WANT TO DO A CENSURE.
I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST THING.
AND THEN THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE IN THIS, IF THAT'S WHAT, WHAT KIND OF CENSURE? MAYOR, THERE'S ONLY ONE KIND OF CENSURE.
BUT WE CANNOT REMOVE HIM FROM OFFICE.
WHAT KIND OF CENSURE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WELL, A CENSURE SAYING YOU'RE NOT AGREEING WITH THE CONDUCT AND THAT OKAY.
BUT, BUT THERE IS A, UH, THERE'S A PENALTY TO THAT CENSURE.
WHAT IS, WHAT IS YOUR RESOLUTION TO THAT? OKAY.
WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN DO AS FAR AS IF YOU WANNA CALL IT THE MAYOR, CAN YOU SPEAK AGAINST YOUR MIC? OH, I'M SORRY.
THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CAN DO, UH, AS FAR AS TO CARRY THROUGH THAT, BESIDES JUST THE WRITING OF THE CENSURE ITSELF, IS BY, UH, YOUR IDEA OF COMMITTEES AND ASSIGNMENTS.
NOW, THAT WOULD BE, TO ME, IT WOULD BE KIND OF IDIOTIC TO DO THAT TONIGHT, BECAUSE NEXT WEEK'S AGENDA ON THE 10TH, WE HAVE ASSIGNMENTS OF COMMITTEES AND ASSIGNMENTS, SO THAT IF WE WAS TO DO A CENSURE TONIGHT, THEN WE COULD JUST TAKE THAT INTO EFFECT TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE MAKE THOSE NEXT WEEK.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU ELIMINATE HIM FROM ANYTHING OR ANYTHING ELSE ALONG THAT LINE, BUT YOU CAN TAKE IT INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS.
AND, UH, SO THAT COULD BE DONE AT THAT STAGE AS FAR AS A, NORMALLY YOU HAVE A CENSURE LETTER, WHICH WOULD BE LIKE, WHAT WE WOULD THINK WOULD BE USED AS A RESOLUTION.
AND IF WE LEAVE THE POINTS TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, LET THE CITY ATTORNEY PUT, PUT THE, THOSE POINTS TOGETHER IN THE FORM OF A LETTER.
SO, SO THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET UP HERE AND SPEND THE NIGHT WORDSMITHING AND, UH, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, TO DO THAT.
IF THAT IS, IF WE DECIDE TO GO AHEAD WITH THE CENSURE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT, THAT THE FIRST, FIRST POINT.
WHAT ELSE MAY, HUH? WHAT ELSE? THAT'S, THAT'S BASICALLY IT.
AND SO, UH, AND AS I SAY, IF WE, IF WE MOVE AHEAD WITH THE CENSURE, THEN NEXT WEEK IS WHEN WE HAVE ALREADY HAVE ON OUR AGENDA, IT'S THE TIME OF YEAR TO DO IT FOR THE, UH, UH, APPOINTMENTS.
UH, ALL THE APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE, REGIONAL APPOINTMENTS, ALSO THE VICE MAYOR, ALL OF THAT IS ALL DONE NEXT WEEK.
THAT WOULD, WE COULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT AT THAT POINT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU ELIMINATE, YOU'VE ELIMINATED ANYONE OR ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT LINE.
UH, AND, UH, TO BE HONEST, WE GET THIS THING GOING.
I'LL MAKE THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THE FORM? OKAY.
THAT WE DO CARRY THROUGH WITH A CENSURE OF, UH, COUNCILMAN JOSE RODRIGUEZ FOR THE, UH, FOR THE REASONS LISTED, UH, IN OUR AGENDA, UH, THAT WE HAVE.
AND WE WOULD INSTRUCT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PUT THAT IN A LETTER FORM, UH, THAT CAN BE, UH, CAN BE DELIVERED.
AND THAT, UH, THAT AS FAR AS FOR THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, ALL THAT KINDA STUFF, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD ALL BE DEALT WITH NEXT WEEK.
I SAY IT'S ALREADY ON OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK.
IF WE WAS, I'LL SECOND, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, FINAGLE THE LANGUAGE A LITTLE BIT, BUT I'LL SECOND FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION.
SO CAN, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE MOTION? A LETTER? HUH? A LETTER DUDE.
YEAH, THAT, THAT THE, UH, THIS IS TO, UH, FOR A VOTE FOR A CENSURE, AND SO THAT IT WOULD COME IN THE FORM OF A LETTER THAT WOULD PUT TOGETHER THE POINTS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR AGENDA.
AND SO THAT'S BASICALLY, I MEAN, C BY ITSELF IS, IS NOTHING MORE THAN BASICALLY A, A, YOU KNOW, LIGHT, LIGHT TAP ON THE, ON THE, IT'S A PUBLIC STATEMENT OF DISAPPROVAL, BUT, BUT IT'S A PUBLIC STATEMENT OF DISAPPROVAL.
AND, AND TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN, UH, IN ACTIONS OR WHATEVER ELSE.
IT'S NOT SAYING THAT THINGS THAT HE HAS NOT DONE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE BAD.
THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL.
BUT THAT'S SAYING THAT WHEN WE HAVE OUR CODES OF CONDUCT AND OUR PROCEDURES, EVERYTHING ELSE, IF THEY'RE CONSTANTLY BEING VIOLATED AND NOT BEING TAKEN, YOU KNOW, UH, TAKEN SERIOUSLY, THEN WE LOSE, WE LOSE ALL, UH, ALL CONTROL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND WE CAN'T DO THAT.
SO, AND, AND TO CLARIFY, UNDER YOUR PROPOSAL, THEY WOULD, THE LETTER WOULD COME TO COUNCIL WHEN IT, IT WOULD BE DELIVERED TO YOU AND NOT COMING TO COUNCIL AFTERWARDS, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL, OR WHAT DO YOU THINK IF IT SHOULD COME BACK NEXT, NEXT WEEK OR? YEAH, THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION.
JUST GIVEN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, I'D WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO BE COMFORTABLE AS A GROUP THAT, THAT IT REFLECTS COUNSEL.
THEY SAID THEY CANNOT HEAR YOU, BUT YOUR MOUTH LIKE THIS.
COULD YOU SHOW ME THAT AGAIN LIKE THIS, SIR? I LIKE THAT.
[04:55:01]
YES, I WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WITH THE DRAFT BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR NEXT WEEK.THE DRAFT, DRAFT OF THE LANGUAGE.
AND, AND NEXT WEEK AND, AND NEXT WEEK IS A SPECIAL MEETING.
AND WHAT HAPPENS AT THE SPECIAL MEETING? YOU ARE GONNA BE, OKAY.
YOU AND MARCUS WILL BE TAKING OATH, TAKING AN OATH OF OFFICE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO, SO THE INTENT ISN'T JUST TO ISSUE THIS, IT'S TO MAKE THIS AT THE TIME OF THE SWEARING IN.
WELL, AND IN TYPICAL TRUMP STYLE, AGAIN, I WAS, I WASN'T EVEN ACCEPTING THE ELECTION RESULTS.
GUYS, THIS ELECTION'S OVER, IF YOU'RE GONNA WEAR AEN, JUST VOTE FOR IT.
JUST ACCEPT THE RESULTS, GUYS.
I, I WASN'T EVEN PUSHING TO PUSH THAT OVER THE NEXT WEEKEND.
SO I, I HAVE SOME DRAFT LANGUAGE HERE, SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO USE THAT, AND WE CAN MAKE COPIES, AND IT'S ALL WRITTEN HERE, AND I ALREADY WORKED WITH YOU, MAYOR, AND I SHOWED IT TO YOU, AND IT BROUGHT, BROKE IT DOWN INTO FOUR POINTS AND CITED THE RELEVANT CODE POLICY.
SO I WOULD JUST, OR SUGGEST WE USE THAT INSTEAD OF, AND THEN IF WE HAVE FURTHER ISSUES, THEN WE CAN BRING IT BACK FOR A DISCUSSION AFTER THE SPECIAL MEETING, BECAUSE I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU, UM, JOSE, THAT YEAH, WE SHOULDN'T REALLY BRING THIS ON THE DAY WE'RE SWORN IN.
SO I WOULD, CAN, SO I WOULD, I WOULD DRAW THIS SUPPORT OF THE SECOND MOTION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
SO I, I MOVE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CENSURE OF JOSE FOR ISSUES, FOR VIOLATIONS OF CODE OF ETHICS AND, AND CONDUCT.
UM, AND FOR THE FOUR ISSUE AREAS, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND QUESTIONABLE AGREEMENTS.
NUMBER ONE, MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
NUMBER TWO, INTIMIDATION AND APPROPRIATE RHETORIC.
AND THEN NUMBER FOUR, IMPROPER USE OF CITY RESOURCES.
SO THE, ON THOSE FOUR ITEMS. AND SO I CAN GO OVER THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE VERBALLY OF EACH ONE, BUT, UM, SO WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THAT? SHOULD I READ THAT ONTO THE RECORD? I, I CAN, AND I KIND OF RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THAT.
UH, I'D REMEMBER ONE, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND QUESTIONABLE AGREEMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ HAD THE CITY ENTER INTO TWO AGREEMENTS WITH THE BUSINESS OWNER WHO PREVIOUSLY MANAGED THEIR POLITICAL, HIS POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, AND CURRENTLY SERVES AS A POLITICAL PARTY PRESIDENT IN NATIONAL CITY.
CINDY DID HE NEVER WORKED AT CAMPTON.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
THE SECOND BULLET, THE FIRST AGREEMENT LACKED IN AUDIT OR VERIFICATION.
THE CONSULTING AGREEMENT LACKED IN AUDIT OR VERIFICATION OF THE COMPLETION OF THE STATED SCOPE OF WORK, RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND PUBLIC SPENDING, RELEVANT CODE POLICIES.
NUMBER ONE, USE OF OFFICE NUMBER FOUR, POSITIVE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT.
NUMBER 10, USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST ISSUE AREA.
THE SECOND MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
COUNCIL MEMBER USED FUNDS TO DISTRIBUTE FROZEN TURKEYS DURING A PUBLIC EVENT.
THIS ACTIVITY, WHILE BEING PHILANTHROPIC, BYPASSED ESTABLISHED PRACTICES SUCH AS SEEKING DONATIONS OR UTILIZING PERSONAL FUNDS, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN MORE APPROPRIATE AND ETHICAL.
IN ADDITION, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ ALSO INDIVIDUALLY DISTRIBUTED THE LEFTOVER TURKEYS TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES.
NO FORMAL VERIFICATION OR ACCOUNTING WAS DONE BY THE CITY STAFF TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS LEFT OVER THE RELEVANT CODE POLICIES ON THAT.
NUMBER FOUR, NUMBER 10, PUBLIC USE OF RESOURCES.
NUMBER THREE, INTIMIDATION AND INAPPROPRIATE RHETORIC.
COUNCIL MEMBER USED THREATENING AND INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC TO DISPARAGE A RESIDENT WHO SUPPORTED A DIFFERENT POLITICAL FIGURE DURING THE RECENT ELECTION CYCLE.
THIS BEHAVIOR UNDERMINES THE PRINCIPLES OF RESPECT, FAIRNESS, AND IMPARTIALITY EXPECTED OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
THE RELEVANT POLICY IS THERE, NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE, NUMBER FOUR, AND NUMBER 11.
FINALLY, NUMBER FOUR, IMPROPER USE OF RESOURCES.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN UTILIZING THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO UNILATERALLY APPROVE ACTIONS THAT CIRCUMVENT ESTABLISHED ETHICAL GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES IN CITY OPERATIONS.
THIS MISUSE OF AUTHORITY COMPROMISES THE INTEGRITY OF THE CITY'S ADMINISTRATION PROCESSES, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES, RELEVANT CODE POLICIES THERE.
NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE, NUMBER FOUR, AND NUMBER 10.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, RIGHT? SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
ARE YOU GONNA SECOND THAT? UH, I'LL SECOND IT.
UM, WITH THOSE 3, 1, 2, AND THREE, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ONE AND THREE.
I CONCUR WITH YOU WITH NUMBER TWO WITH REGARDS TO THE, UM, THE DISRESPECT, OR CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? I, YEAH, THE INTIMIDATION, THAT'S NUMBER THREE.
[05:00:01]
AND INAPPROPRIATE RHETORIC.AND I CAN DISTRIBUTE THESE TOO.
THAT'S WHY IT, WE, I MEAN, I KNOW PEOPLE WANT TO GO, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO JUST CLOSE THIS OUT.
AND JUST, SO THAT'S NUMBER THREE.
THAT'S, THAT'S ITEM NUMBER THREE.
THAT'S ITEM NUMBER THREE IS INTIMIDATION AND INAPPROPRIATE RHETORIC FOR THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED WITH PLANNING COMMISSIONER LILIANA ARMENTA.
SO, UM, I, I WILL HAVE, I WILL HAVE TO AGREE WITH THAT.
NUMBER THREE, UM, MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ AND PLANNING COMMISSIONER LILIANA ARMA WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION SO THEN THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN, THEY CAN AGREE.
HOW ABOUT AN APOLOGY? YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT? THEY, THEY CAN, THEY CAN TALK.
HOW ABOUT ADMISSION TO AN ERROR AND APOLOGIZE? I MEAN, DO YOU SEE ANY ISSUES WRONG WITH WHAT YOU DID, GUYS? NO, NO, NO.
DO YOU SEE, THIS IS, YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS JUST, JOSE, ANSWER THE QUESTION, DO YOU THINK IT WAS APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR OVER AGAIN? IF IT'S NOT ONE THING, IT'S, DO YOU THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE, THOUGH? NO, BUT I'M ASKING YOU, DO YOU THINK THAT WAS APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR WHILE YOU DID? YOU SHOULD JUST VOTE.
MARCUS, YOU CLEARLY ALREADY HAD AN AGENDA.
YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A WHILE.
LET'S NOT CONTINUE TO DRAG THIS OUT.
SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA ANSWER THE QUESTION.
WE HAD A WHOLE QUESTION, QUESTION ABOUT THIS OVER.
ALRIGHT, YOU NEVER ANSWERED NO, YOU, YOU, WHAT YOU DID, JOSE, WAS YOU BROUGHT UP OTHER ISSUES, BUT NEVER WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, GENTLEMEN? YES.
MARCUS, CAN YOU, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR THROUGH THE CHAIR.
CAN WE, CAN WE JUST, UH, CLARIFY WHAT NUMBER ONE AND TWO IS? COUNCIL MEMBER, PLEASE? SO NUMBER ONE IS CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND QUESTIONABLE AGREEMENTS.
SO THE FIRST BULLET POINT, WHICH, UH, COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ DISPUTED.
SO I'M OPEN TO ADJUSTING LANGUAGE ON THIS, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN QUESTIONABLE AGREEMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER HAD THE CITY ENTER INTO TWO AGREEMENTS WITH THE BUSINESS OWNER WHO PREVIOUSLY MANAGED THEIR POLITICAL CAMPAIGN AND CURRENTLY SERVES AS A POLITICAL PARTY PRESIDENT IN NATIONAL CITY.
NUMBER TWO, UH, UH, THE, ON THE BULLET POINT OR THE, NO, YOU SAID THERE ARE THREE ITEMS. OH, NUMBER TWO, MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.
OKAY, SO, UM, THE COFFEE, AND THAT WAS ABOUT THE, UH, TURKEY DISTRIBUTION SPECIFICALLY.
SO, AND THE DELIVERY OF THOSE LEFTOVER TURKEYS, INDIVIDUAL DELIVERY OF THOSE TURKEYS.
AND THEN THE NUMBER THREE IS THE, UH, THE, THE NUMBER THREE WAS THE INCIDENT WITH COMMISSIONER LILIANA ARMENTO WITH INTIMIDATION AND INAPPROPRIATE RHETORIC.
UM, MY COMMENT IS I WILL NOT AGREE WITH NUMBER ONE AND TWO, BECAUSE THERE ARE, THERE ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE ASKED OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY HOW THEY DID THAT PROCESS AND THEY FOLLOWED THE PROCESS OF YOU AND BUSINESS PROCEDURES ON HOW TO APPROVE THOSE.
AND THEN NUMBER THREE, I HAVE A, YOU MEAN I HAVE A QUESTION WITH THAT? MAYBE YOU MEAN COMMISSIONER, UM, MENTA AND THE VICE AND, AND, UH, UM, FUTURE.
I WAS GONNA SAY FUTURE VICE MAYOR, SORRY.
UM, BUT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, WE, WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE AN APOLOGY, MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S, IT'S CAMPAIGN SEASON THEN, RIGHT? EVERYBODY IS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IN THAT CAMPAIGN ZONE, UH, YOU'VE BEEN THIS, IN THIS D YOU WANTED, SO CAN YOU PLEASE KEEP QUIET? THANK YOU.
SO, UM, THERE ARE, THERE ARE THOSE ITEMS. SO I, I WILL NOT AGREE WITH THE ONE AND TWO, BUT I WILL HAVE A CONSIDERATION ON NUMBER THREE.
WE, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
UH, YOU, YOU NEED A PUSH IN YOUR BUTTON? OKAY.
UM, YES, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY WAS HOPEFUL.
BUT, UH, SADLY, JOSE, I AM WALKING AWAY FROM HERE WITH NO CONFIDENCE THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO UPHOLD THE RESPECT THAT THIS OFFICE REQUIRES.
PLEASE, PLEASE, I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU, BUT NOT IF YOU CONTINUE THIS BEHAVIOR.
[05:05:01]
IS 14.1.WE HAVE ON ELECTED OFFICIALS REPORTS.
YOU THINK RECORD THE WORK CONTINUES, GUYS, THE ELECTION'S OVER.
THIS NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE HOSTING MORE HOME OWNERSHIP WORKSHOPS, WHICH ARE CRITICAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE WILL BE HAVING MORE WORKSHOPS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE'LL BE PROACTIVELY REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE WE DO THE BASIC THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE ALL THAT WORK IS DONE AND CONTINUED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STAFF FOR STAYING HERE FOR SO LONG AND, UH, LET'S KEEP WORKING FORWARD.
UM, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY.
UH, WE'LL CATCH HIM MAYBE WHEN HE COMES BACK.
I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE KIMBALL HOLIDAY CELEBRATION.
UH, I THINK THAT'S OUR TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY IN AT KIMBALL PARK.
UH, BEFORE YOU DO, UH, JUDE, ARE YOU STILL OUT THERE? THERE YOU GO.
COME BACK IN JUST FOR A MOMENT.
UH, JUST FOR A FEW MORE SECONDS, JUST, OKAY, GO AHEAD.
UM, FOR THE CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO DIRECT MY QUESTIONS TO OUR CITY MANAGER.
I WOULD LIKE A BRIEFING ON THOSE CANNABIS CONTRACTS.
I LIKE TO PULL ALL THOSE CONTRACTS, PLEASE.
UM, NUMBER TWO, I WOULD LIKE TO GET A REPORT ON THE CRATE, OR GREAT, MOST, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT, RE BEHIND THAT FIVE UNITS, UM, HOMELESSNESS.
THEY, UM, THEY SAID IT EARLIER.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, UM, THAT OUR HOMELESSNESS TEAM, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO'S ALWAYS OUT THERE BY THE WAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK O ONE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS HERE DID NOT KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE OUTREACH TEAM, SO MAYBE WE CAN LET HER KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN OUTREACH TEAM THAT'S WORKING EVERY DAY, UM, YOU KNOW, IN OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE CARE THOSE, UM, OUR, UM, OUR UNHOUSED, UM, INDIVIDUALS.
AND THEN I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PULL THE CONTRACT FOR ANGELA STOWING, UH, CITY MANAGER.
AND I'LL SEE YOU ALL ON DECEMBER 14TH, UM, TWO TO EIGHT AT KIMBALL PARK.
UM, COUNCILMAN BUSHES AND BACK YET.
SO I WILL, JUST ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I DID ASK JUDE TO COME BACK IN.
UH, JUDE JUST JOINED MY OFFICE THIS LAST WEEK.
HE'S A VOLUNTEER, UH, INTERN AND, UH, AND SAY JUST, UH, JUST JOINED THE, UH, THE OFFICE THIS WEEK.
AND SO HE JUST GOT, UH, THIS IS, THIS WAS HIS BAPTISM FOR A COUNCIL MEETING.
AND, UH, UH, THEN ANOTHER THING IS, UH, THIS MORNING IT WAS ANNOUNCED, I GUESS IT WAS YESTERDAY, BUT IT WAS IN THIS MORNING'S PAPER.
UH, SOMEONE WHO HAS REALLY DONE A HUGE AMOUNT OF STUFF FOR THIS REGION.
JERRY SANDERS, UH, IS RETIRING, UH, AT THE END OF THIS MONTH AND, UH, AND LITERALLY GONNA RETIRE.
I KNOW HE, HE, I KNOW HE KIND OF RETIRED AS POLICE CHIEF AND HE RETIRED AS MAYOR.
BUT YEAH, THIS IS, THIS IS TOTAL RETIREMENT NOW.
AND, UH, SO, UH, YEAH, HE'S GONNA BE, UH, BE GREATLY MISSED.
AND, UH, UH, AND I WILL SAY THAT SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, UH, WE DID HAVE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT DID A, UM, A, UH, UM, TURKEY AND FOOD DRIVE AND WORKING WITH THAT, WITH THE MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION, EVERYTHING ELSE, DID A GREAT JOB ON THAT, GETTING THOSE INTO HOMES.
UH, EVERY YEAR, UH, UH, FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS, UH, MY OFFICE HAS HELPED ORGANIZE, WE DON'T SPONSOR IT, BUT WE ORGANIZE A, UH, UH, TURKEY DRIVE AND, UH, THANK YOU.
UM, AND SO ON, WHAT WAS IT? THE 26TH? YEAH, IT WAS NOT TUESDAY, THE 26TH, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO DO, UH, 1400 FAMILIES.
AND IT WAS THE SPONSORS THAT BUY THE TURKEYS, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAND THEM OUT.
ANYONE GETS A TURKEY, THEY ALL HAVE TO BE PICKED.
I DON'T HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PICKING.
IT WAS ALL THE SCHOOLS INDIVIDUAL PICK OUT FAMILIES, MOST NEEDED BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, UH, NAVAL BASE, UH, THE SENIOR CENTER ALL PICK OUT.
AND, UH, BUT WE WAS ABLE TO DO 1100 FAMILIES.
AND SO, AND ONCE AGAIN, NO, UM, AS USUAL FOR MOST ALL THESE CIRCUIT DRIVES, NO, NO CITY FUNDS USED.
UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE A MEETING, A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT WEEK ON, UH, ON THE 10TH.
[15. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT]
CITY ATTORNEY.NO, I, UH, THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING OUT HERE SO LATE.
I WANTED TO PROMOTE A FEW, UH, ARTISTS AND, AND SOME, UH, LOCAL AND, AND REGIONAL, UH, ARTISTS.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF PROMOTING THE ARTS IN, IN THE COMMUNITY.
[05:10:01]
JUST RELEASED HIS ALBUM.HIS NAME IS, UH, HE GOES BY ZACH NOVA.
HE'S ONE OF OUR, UH, COMMUNITY POLICE RELATIONS COMMISSIONER, ZACHARY GOMEZ.
HE WORKS AT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COALITION, LIVES IN NATIONAL CITY.
I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, THAT HE'S AN ARTIST, A MUSICIAN.
AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE SHOULD, UM, PROMOTE THAT MORE.
HE HAS THIS ALBUM TRANSCENDENCE, SO HE IS, HE IS AN INCREDIBLE ARTIST.
AND SO I JUST ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, TO LOOK 'EM UP AND LET'S SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.
UM, ANOTHER ONE IS, UH, THE SACRED SOULS.
I FEEL LIKE THEIR MUSIC IS VERY TIED TO NATIONAL CITY.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY, UM, TWO OF THEM ARE LOCAL FROM, UH, CHULA VISTA, IMPERIAL BEACH.
EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT NATIONAL CITY, A LOT OF THEIR MUSIC IS, IS, IS, IS OLDIES.
AND IT'S, UH, THE STYLE THAT I FEEL LIKE IS REALLY OUR, OUR CULTURE.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE LAST ONE, I ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO, TO LISTEN TO 'CAUSE OF SOCIAL, JUST JUSTICE.
AND, UH, I THINK IT'S VERY, UM, ABOUT OUR, OUR, OUR CULTURE AND WHO WE ARE, UH, EVEN THOUGH IS FROM LA IS, UH, KENDRICK LAMAR HAS A NEW ALBUM OUT.
AND SO I, AGAIN, I WANT US TO, TO BE MORE, UM, EMBRACING OF THE ARTS, OF, OF CULTURE AND, AND, AND PROMOTING THAT.
AND, UM, KENDRICK LAMAR, HE'S, UM, HE'S A PULITZER, UH, PRIZE WINNER.
UM, HIS, HIS MUSIC, I FEEL LIKE, UM, HE'S, HE'S FROM COMPTON, WHICH IS VERY URBAN.
IT'S LA UM, AND HE PROMOTES LOW RIDER CULTURE.
HE TALKS ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT, THAT HE, YOU KNOW, ONE DAY COULD COME AND TOUR HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
SO, UM, AND I HOPE THAT WE, THAT WE, EM EMBRACE, LIKE I SAID, THE ARTS AND LOCAL ARTISTS, AND FOR ME IS PERSONAL AS A, AS A, AS A BLACK ARTIST AND TALKING ABOUT HIS STRUGGLE.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THOSE ARTISTS.
AND IF KENDRICK'S LISTENING, I HOPE HE, HE DOES COME TO NATIONAL CITY, SO YEAH.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, WE DO A, A REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION.
UH, WE DID HAVE A CLOSED SESSION.
THERE WERE THREE ITEMS, ONE INVOLVING OUR LABOR NEGOTIATIONS, UM, AN EXISTING LITIGATION UMANA VERSUS CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, AND THE, UH, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER.
AND THERE ARE NO REPORTABLE ACTIONS.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, CAN I SAY ONE, ONE MORE THING I WANT TO SAY, SORRY, ONE LAST THING THAT, UM, JUST, JUST MY MESSAGE TO EVERYONE HERE.
UM, UH, JUST ABOUT THE CENTER, JUST, JUST EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON IN THIS ORGANIZATION.
I THINK WE NEED TO OPERATE WITH ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
AND I ASK FROM THIS ORGANIZATION, WE MADE A STATEMENT TONIGHT AND WE MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND IT GETS UNCOMFORTABLE AND IT GETS CONTENTIOUS.
IT GETS DIVISIVE, BUT I THINK IT, THOSE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS NEED TO HAPPEN AMONGST ALL OF US.
AND IT'S NOT A TARGETING ABOUT TARGETING ONE INDIVIDUAL.
UM, JOSE BROUGHT UP SOME POINTS THAT HE HAS CONCERNS WITH.
SO IF THOSE ARE VALID, IF YOU REALLY HAVE THOSE, AND LET'S BRING IT BACK AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE, LET'S REFORM ETHICS.
IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN WITH HOW MAYOR MORRISON DOES HIS TURKEY DRIVES, THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT THE POLICY TO REFORM THAT.
BUT MY EXPECTATION HERE, WE MADE A STATEMENT AS A, AS A BODY, WE'RE THE HEADS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND SO MY EXPECTATION FROM EACH AND EVERY STAFFER FROM THE TOP, ALL THE, ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM IS THAT WE OPERATE WITH INTEGRITY, WITH TRANSPARENCY, WITH ACCOUNTABILITY.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT'S WRONG, I DON'T CARE IF IT'S YOUR FRIEND OR WHO IT IS, THEN SPEAK UP ON IT.
YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH IT, BUT AT LEAST GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND WHAT WE DID HERE TONIGHT IS WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS, A PUBLIC PROCESS THAT HONESTLY, I WOULD PREFER IT BEING CLOSED SESSION AND CLOSED DOORS.
BUT THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, IS WE HAVE TO DO IT PUBLICLY.
AND IT'S DIFFICULT, IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN AT TIMES.
AND SO I, I JUST WANNA SEND THAT MESSAGE TO ALL, ALL OF OUR STAFF.
UH, WE, WE HAVE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS.
WE, WE, YOU KNOW, MIGHT DISAGREE, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT AS THAT NOW, WHAT I HOPE IS THAT WE MOVE ON, ESPECIALLY GROWING UP FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
AND I, AND I COMMIT TO DOING THAT, TO WORKING WITH JOSE, WITH DITAS, WITH LU, WITH RON, WITH, UM, OUR, OUR TWO APPOINTEES, WHICH IS BARRY AND BEN.
SO I WANT US TO ALL, UH, WORK TOGETHER AND I EXPECT, UH, STAFF TO DO THAT WELL.
BUT ABOVE ALL, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND, AND SERVING THE CITY'S INTEREST.
AND WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING THAT'S NOT RIGHT, THEN WE NEED TO SPEAK.
IT'S OUR DUTY TO SPEAK UP ABOUT IT.
AND WITH THAT WE'RE ADJOURNED.