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THANK YOU.[ 1. CALL TO ORDER]
CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER A LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, A NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY'S WEBSITE INFORM A MEMBER 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.IN PERSON IN THE, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBER BY SUBMITTING ONE OF THESE SALMON COLORED, UH, SLIPS, WHICH YOU CAN GET AT THE BACK OF THE, UH, UH, AUDITORIUM.
UM, THAT, OR ALSO VIA ZOOM BY PRE-REGISTERING ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
NO LATER THAN ONE HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING OR EMAILING NO LOUDER, NO LATER THAN ONE HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING.
ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED, UH, ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE IF RECEIVED DURING THE DEADLINE.
UM, WITH THAT, IF WE COULD HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT, VICE MAYOR YAMANI.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, IF WE COULD PLEASE STAND BY THE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION.
AND, UH, MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, WOULD YOU LEAD US? PLEASE PLACE THE RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
PLEASE GRACIOUS LORD, IN THE HEART OF THANKSGIVING, AS MANY OF US CELEBRATED JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR 2024, THE CITY, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, AND THOSE IN CHARGE, THOSE THAT HAVE PLEDGED TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
WE ARE THANKFUL, LORD, FOR THE GOOD TIMES AND PRAY THAT WE LEARN FROM THE BAD TIMES AS WE GROW.
AND GRACIOUS LORD, AS WE LOOK TO 2025, I PRAY FOR THOSE THAT REMAIN ON THE COUNCIL OR THOSE WHO ARE ADDED TO THE COUNCIL, AND THOSE THAT MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS OF THIS GREAT CITY, NASHVILLE CITY, THE 9 1 9 5 0.
MAY EACH PERSON RECOGNIZE AND REALIZE THE RESPONSIBILITY AS YOU ARE THE GIVER OF AUTHORITY AND ALL THAT THEY DO.
MAY THERE BE CONTINUITY, MAY BE THEIR COHESIVENESS.
MAY THEY MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS.
I PRAY FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CHIEF AND ALL THOSE AT WORK UNDER HIM.
THE FIGHTER PERSONNEL AND ALL THOSE THAT WORK ON THE HIM AND THOSE THAT CALL NATIONAL CITY, THEIR HOME.
AND WHAT DO THEY WORSHIP HERE? WORK HERE, LIVE HERE.
WE JUST ASK A SPECIAL BLESSING IN 2025.
AND MAY IT BE A, A TIME OF JUST GREAT GROWTH AND NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND.
AND WE ALL COME AS ONE TO MAKE THIS A GREAT CITY.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE GO IN AND, UH, WE ARE GONNA BE SAYING GOODBYE TO ONE OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
[Proclamation - Ruble "Mitch" Beauchamp, City Treasurer]
PROCLAMATION UHCL FOR MITCH BEAM, IF HE COULD COME FORWARD.HEY, MITCH AND I HAVE SOMETHING TOO.
OH, HE'S PULLING OUT A SPEECH.
AND, UH, IT'S AN END OF THE END OF AN HOUR.
AND, UH, BUT ANYWAY, MITCH, OF COURSE, HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITHIN OUR CITY FOR LITERAL DECADES AND IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, A LOT OF DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
AND WAY BACK IN, IN 85, HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO I TELL YOU HOW FAR THIS GOES BACK, HE WAS DIRECTOR WITH SAN DIEGO TROLLEY.
UH, HE WAS ON THE, UH, MTDB BOARD AND BEFORE IT WAS MTS BOARD, UH, BACK IN 95 THROUGH 2002.
UH, HE WAS ALSO ON THE SWEETWATER AUTHORITY.
HE WAS A CITY COUNCILMAN HERE FROM 94 UNTIL 2002.
AND THEN IN 2008, HE BECAME THE CITY TREASURER FOR LIFE, FOR LIFE
AND SO, UH, AND OF COURSE NOW WE, WE NO LONGER HAVE AN ELECTED, THIS IS THE FUNERAL.
AF AFTER TONIGHT, WE NO LONGER HAVE AN ELECTED CITY TREASURER.
AND SO, UM, THEREFORE WE WANT TO, UH, PROCLAIM TODAY MITCH BEAM DAY IN THE
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CITY OF NATIONAL CITY FOR ALL OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ALL OF HIS SERVICES.AND THIS REALLY, BY ITSELF, CAN'T DO ENOUGH FOR ALL THE YEARS THAT YOU'VE PUT IN, UH, IN SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO OUR CITY.
UM, WE ALSO, UM, HAVE LIKE DOWNSTAIRS, UH, WHERE IT WAS THE CITY TREASURER'S OFFICE.
WE HAVE, OF COURSE, THE PICTURES OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR TITLES.
SO WE TOOK THIS OFF THE WALL AND I WAS JOKINGLY TALKING WITH DOWNSTAIRS.
I WAS TALKING WITH HIM DOWN THERE.
I SAID, YOU CAN'T, WE CAN'T USE THOSE PICTURES.
THAT'S THE ONES YOU GUYS USE AS DARTBOARDS.
AND THEY ALL LAUGHED ABOUT IT, BUT THEN THEY, THEY BROUGHT UP HIS PICTURE AND IT DOES LOOK LIKE AS IF THERE WAS A DART RIGHT ON HIS FOREHEAD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS ALL ABOUT.
BUT, UH, ANYWAY, BUT WE ALSO WANNA PRESENT YOU WITH THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT HUNG DOWN THERE FOR HUNG DOWN THERE FOR MANY YEARS.
AND THEN WE KNOW THAT YOU CONSTANTLY COME BEFORE US TELLING US THAT WE GOTTA WATCH OUR NICKELS AND OUR DIMES AND OUR PENNIES.
SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD GET YOU AS A GOING AWAY PRESIDENT IS A NATIONAL CITY COIN BANK,
AND NOW, YES, NOW YOU CAN LECTURE US
WELL, YOU WENT THROUGH THE HISTORY OF MY, UH, MY SERVICE.
BUT JUST TO, TO, TO PUT SOME NAMES THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE US MM-HMM
OR STILL WITH US, BUT SERVED IN THIS, I KNEW IDA MAKE HER WHEN SHE WAS TREASURER.
AND IN FACT, SHE WENT TO THE CHURCH WHERE I WAS THE ORGANIST FOR A WHILE BEFORE SHE PASSED ON.
GEORGE HOOD ENDORSED ME BACK 16 YEARS AGO TO KEEP SOME OTHER PEOPLE OUT THAT WERE GONNA CAUSE SOME TROUBLE.
SO THOSE PEOPLE, AND THEN TO BE INVOLVED WITH MAYORS, KYLE MORGAN WAS AT OUR, THE BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE I WAS THE ORGANIST AND, YOU KNOW, CONGREGANT.
AND THEN, UM, IN 1964, WHEN THIS BUILDING WASN'T THIS WAY, IT WAS THIS WAY.
MAYOR GUTOW GAVE ME, UH, THE MUNICIPAL YOUTH RECOGNITION AWARD FROM, AS MY GRADUATED FROM SWEETWATER CLASS OF 64, THE WONDERFUL CLASS OF 64.
SO TODAY THERE WAS ONE OF OUR MAYORS, GEORGE H. WATERS, AND HE HAD A, A A A TRADITION.
AND WHEN HIS WIFE CALLED ME UP, SHE SAYS, I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING I CAN DO WITH THESE THINGS.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT DONE ANYMORE.
SO FOR THE NEW, THE NEW RENEWED COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH
AND IF YOU WILL TAKE A LOOK ON YOUR PROCLAMATION, YOU WILL SEE THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE ON THERE.
THERE IS THE KEY TO THE CITY ON THERE.
I CAN'T PUT IT ON MY T TECH THOUGH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MY, MY FAMILY HAS DONE IN NATIONAL CITY IS, HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH SERVICE.
MY GRANDFATHER, UM, UH, ROBERT F MILLIGAN WAS ON THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEER AT THE TIME.
AND THE GREAT FIVE, THE PICTURE OF THE GREAT MACARONI FIRE FACTORY.
UH, HE'S ON THE BACK OF THE FIRETRUCK.
UM, MY, OH MY, UM, I'LL LEARN
MY UNCLE PHILIP MILLIGAN, THE LATE PHILIP MILLIGAN WAS A CITY, UM, POLICE OFFICER.
AND SO I HAD THIS AFFILIATION WITH THE, THE POLICE BECAUSE OF THAT, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNCIL, THERE WERE SO MANY NEW PEOPLE THAT I, I DIDN'T KNOW WHO, WHO, WHO WAS WHOM.
AND, UM, SO THEY MADE A PICTURE DOWN IN THE BALBO PARK, BALBO PARK, KIMBALL PARK, KIMBALL PARK, UM, OF ALL THE POLICE FORCE AT THE TIME.
SO IT MAY BE A DUPLICATE, PROBABLY IS, BUT I ASKED, UH, CHIEF DE AT THE TIME, CAN YOU GIVE ME A, A LIST OF ALL THESE NAMES, BECAUSE AS I DO HISTORICAL, I, I'M, I PROBATING A WILL AND GO THROUGH ALL THESE PHOTOS, AND YOU TURN TO THE BACK AND THERE'S NO NAME.
THAT'S A THING TO TALK ABOUT ALL YOUR PHOTOS AS FAMILIES.
PUT WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT PERSON, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S TRASH.
AND AS AN ARCHIVIST FOR THE BALBOA, UH, THE IN BALBOA PARK, THE SPRECKELS ORGAN SOCIETY, SOUTH BAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND PERHAPS NATIONAL CITY HISTORICAL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO THAT.
SO I WANT TO GIVE THIS PERSON SHOWN ON THE CHART HERE IS OFFICER HERNANDEZ
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THE DECODER, IF THE TRICK YOU HAD MADE UP.SO, IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO REMIND THOSE ON THE COUNCIL.
THERE'S A THING CALLED INSURANCE, AND THERE'S RESERVES.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FINANCES WE HAVE IN THIS CITY, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT'S IN THE BANK, JUST EARNING INTEREST.
IT'S NOT PAVING ROADS, IT'S NOT, BUT IT'S GIVING US SECURITY.
IF THERE'S A DISASTER AND YOU SAW THE DISASTER, YOU GOT MUDDY IN IT, YOU SAW WHAT CAN HAPPEN.
SO WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR THESE THINGS.
SO THESE RESERVES ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
SO I'LL BE AROUND, I'LL BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE GOOD.
NOW, TODAY, WE'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF BAD.
AND IT HAPPENED TO ME TOO WHEN I WAS ON SWEETWATER AUTHORITY.
IN FACT, THE GUY THAT GOT ME OUTTA HOT WATER IS HERE TODAY,
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.
YOU'RE GONNA STAY AND YOU'RE GONNA GIVE LEADERSHIP TO THIS COMMUNITY, BOTH OF YOU, GENTLEMEN.
HUH? YEAH, ACTUALLY, YEAH, WE'D LIKE TO GET A, GET A PICTURE WITH YOU, WITH THE COUNCIL.
YEAH, WE DON'T RECOGNIZE YOU WITHOUT THE HAT.
SO, YEAH, IT IS HARD WHEN YOU LEAVE OFFICE.
IT REALLY IS EMOTIONALLY A BAD THING, BEING ON THE COUNCIL, HAVING RECOGNITION, BEING ABLE TO DO THINGS FOR PEOPLE.
BEING THE TREASURER, WATCHING HOW MONEY IS SPENT ADVISING PEOPLE, THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING TO DO.
LET'S THINK ABOUT IT THIS WAY.
SO IF I LOOK DEPRESSED, THAT'S WHY
ALRIGHT, MITCH, A MOMENT THERE.
[6.1 Reciting the Fact of the General Municipal Election held Tuesday, November 5, 2024, Declaring Results.]
GO INTO OUR STAFF REPORT.AND THIS IS, UH, TO OUR CITY CLERK.
CITY CLERK, COUNCIL STAFF, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
IT'S MY HONOR TONIGHT TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT A RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE RESULTS OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION CONDUCTED ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024.
AS THE ELECTIONS OFFICIAL, I DECLARE THAT THE NOTICE OF ELECTION WAS GIVEN.
THE ELECTION WAS CONSOLIDATED WITH THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO REGISTRAR VOTERS.
THE VOTES WERE CAST, WERE RECEIVED, CANVASSED, AND AS REQUIRED BY LAW.
THE ELECTION HELD ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING TWO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR DISTRICTS TWO AND FOUR.
EACH OF THEM ARE FOR A FOUR YEAR TERM.
THE BALLOT ALSO INCLUDED MEASURE RA CITIZEN INITIATED MEASURE FOR A SPECIAL PARCEL TAX FOR STREETS AND PARKS.
THE OFFICIAL CANVAS WAS CERTIFIED BY THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY REGISTRAR VOTERS ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, PROVIDED TO MYSELF.
AND THE RESULTS ARE BEING PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING.
BASED ON THE WHOLE NUMBER 28,255 OF THE ELIGIBLE NATIONAL CITY REGISTERED VOTERS, A TOTAL OF 15,337 VOTES WERE CAST, RECEIVED, AND CANVASSED AS REQUIRED BY LAW.
THIS ELECTION HAS CONCLUDED THE CONSOLIDATION INTO DISTRICTS.
THE CITY, UH, NOW HAS A COUNCIL MEMBER VOTED INTO OFFICE, UH, BY THE VOTERS FOR EACH DISTRICT.
WE NOW HAVE FOUR DISTRICTS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS BEING ELECTED, ALTERNATING EVERY TWO YEARS.
DISTRICTS ONE AND THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE UP FOR REELECTION.
NOVEMBER, 2026, DISTRICT TWO REGISTERED VOTERS, 6,885 WITH A TOTAL OF 3,516 VOTES WERE RECEIVED.
THE VOTES WERE AS FOLLOWS, JOSE RODRIGUEZ RECEIVED 2,578 VOTES, OR 73.32%.
RANDY CASTLE SALGADO RECEIVED 938 OR 26.68%.
VOTERS REELECTING JOSE RODRIGUEZ,
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DISTRICT FOUR REGISTERED VOTERS, 7,379 WITH A TOTAL OF VOTES OF 3,966 WERE RECEIVED.THE VOTES WERE AS FOLLOWS, MARCUS BUSH RECEIVED 1,736 OR 43.77%.
VICTOR M OLA RECEIVED 1,509 OR 38.03%.
AND DANIEL PEREZ RECEIVED 721 VOTES, UH, OR 18 POINT 18% VOTERS REELECTING MARCUS BUSH.
THE CERTIFIED CANVAS COMPLETED BY THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS DECLARES THAT JOSE RODRIGUEZ RECEIVED THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES.
JOSE RODRIGUEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH ARE ELECTED AS MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR DISTRICTS TWO AND FOUR TO SERVE FOR YOUR TERM ENDING NOVEMBER, 2028, MEASURE R NATIONAL CITY SPECIAL PARCEL TAX FOR STREETS AND PARKS FAILED BY VIRTUE OF HAVING RECEIVED A HIGHER NUMBER OF VOTES OF NO VOTES RECEIVED.
WERE 10,145 FOR NO 5,192 FOR YES.
STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE OFFICIAL CANVAS, IS THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT RESOLUTION, RECITING THE ELECTION RESULTS AND RECORDING INTO THE OFFICIAL RECORD.
I WOULD BE, I WOULD LIKE TO BE THE FIRST TO CONGRATULATE COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH AND COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ ON THEIR REELECTION.
AND THIS CONCLUDES THE STAFF'S REPORT.
AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR CITY CLERK.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL? MOVE TO ACCEPT RESOLUTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, COULD YOU, COULD YOU PUSH A BUTTON FOR THE SECOND? YES.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE.
SO THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION HAVE BEEN, UM, HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED AND RECOGNIZED.
[7. ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE]
WHAT IS YOUR NEXT OBLIGATION,AND I ADMINISTERED THE OATH OF OFFICE TO COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH AND COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, UH, EARLIER SO THAT THEIR FAMILY COULD, UM, ADMINISTER THE OATH CEREMONIAL CEREMONIALLY TONIGHT.
GREG ROBINSON, MEMBER OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTION OR EDUCATION, EXCUSE ME, REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE AND THE RODRIGUEZ FAMILY.
PLEASE JOIN COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ AT THE PODIUM.
UM, I, I, JOSE RODRIGUEZ, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I SUPPORT AND DEFEND THAT I SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME.
THAT I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY.
THAT I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION, WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION.
AND THAT I WILL WELL, AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES.
DISCHARGE THE DUTIES UPON WHICH I AM ABOUT TO ENTER, WHICH I'M ABOUT TO ENTER.
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WE TAKE THE PICTURE.AND WE'RE GONNA DO THE SAME THING WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH AND HIS MOTHER, UH, JULIA GONZALEZ.
PRICE, PLEASE MEET US AT THE PODIUM.
YOU READY? PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND, THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME, TO THE SAME.
THAT I TAKE THE OBLIGATION FREELY.
THAT I TAKE THE OBLIGATION FREELY WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION, WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION.
AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES.
DISCHARGE THE DUTIES UPON WHICH I, UPON WHICH I AM ABOUT TO ENTER.
I'M GONNA TAKE SOMETHING A LITTLE OUTTA ORDER RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE UP THE, UH, OUR NEWLY ELECTED OR REELECTED INDIVIDUAL, THEIR COMMENT.
SO, UH, WE'LL ALLOW THEM TO MAKE THEIR, THEIR COMMENTS AT THE STAGE.
UM, AND THANK YOU, UH, SHELLY, UH, FOR CONDUCTING EVERYTHING, UH, AS OUR, AS OUR CLERK.
AND REALLY THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY FOR REELECTING ME.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TO SERVE ANOTHER FOUR TERMS OR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS, UM, IN THE SECOND TERM THIS TIME REPRESENTING, UH, DISTRICT FOUR.
AND, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK MY PARENTS, UM, JULIA GONZALEZ PRICE AND ROSCOE BUSCH JR.
UH, IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU GUYS SWEAR ME IN AND,
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AND BE HERE WITH ME.IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME, AND I WOULDN'T BE HERE IF IT WEREN'T FOR YOU GUYS.
UM, MY WIFE, UH, LENE, UH, MANANO.
UH, FORTUNATELY SHE COULDN'T BE HERE.
UM, BUT I ALSO WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT HER LOVE SUPPORT AND HER TAKING CARE OF THE FAMILY.
UM, AND MY, AND MY THREE KIDS, UH, LETICIA, JULIAN AND, UH, AMAR, UH, AND, AND MY, UH, UH, LETICIA AND, AND, UH, JULIAN COULDN'T BE HERE, SO THEY HAD, UM, THEIR, THEIR SPORTS AND THEY'RE WITH THEIR MOM.
BUT, UH, I LOVE THEM AND I APPRECIATE ALL THEIR SUPPORT.
AND, UH, AND OF COURSE, THE BABY AMMAR, HE IS MAKING SOME NOISE.
SO, AND I, I WOULDN'T BE HERE.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE, UH, A CHILD AND TO RAISE, UH, I WAS RAISED BY I FEEL LIKE A VILLAGE.
SO, UH, ALL MY TEACHERS, ALL, UM, JUST COMMUNITY MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS, MY MY FAMILY FRIENDS, THAT, THAT'S WHO I AM.
IT'S A COMBINATION OF, OF EVERYTHING AND ALL THE DIFFERENT LESSONS, UH, THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN TAUGHT.
SO I JUST WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT THEM.
SO, UM, SO JUST, JUST THANK YOU EVERYONE.
UM, IN DISTRICT FOUR, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, IT'S A DISTRICT I GREW UP IN.
UH, I TECHNICALLY GREW UP IN LINCOLN ACRES ON FENTON PLACE.
UH, AND IT'S THE SOUTHEAST PART OF NATIONAL CITY.
IT'S EVERYTHING BASICALLY EAST OF HIGHLAND AND, UH, SOUTH OF 16TH STREET.
SO I WENT TO LINCOLN ACRES, GRANGER, AND I GOTTA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR, OUR POLICE CHIEF ALEX HERNANDEZ.
HE'S MY SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER, UH, AT THE TIME.
AND THEN, UH, GRADUATED FROM SWEETWATER 2006.
UH, AND, UH, I, IT, IT'S JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE, UH, GROWING UP HERE.
IT'S NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
UH, I WAS ELECTED IN 2020 AND, UH, 2020, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS A CRAZY YEAR.
UH, WE'VE MADE SO MANY CHANGES THIS LAST FOUR YEARS THAT'S ON THE, UH, DAAS STAFF.
AND EVEN WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND ESPECIALLY OUR, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES HERE.
UH, WE MADE SOME BIG SYSTEMS CHANGES.
UH, WE'VE DID SOME REALLY KEY OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY.
ONE OF MY PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT MY COLLEAGUES, WAS REPEAL OF OUR, UH, NO CRUISING ORDINANCE.
SO OUTREACH TO THE LOW RIDER COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY THAT HAD FACED A LOT OF STEREOTYPES AND, UM, OPPRESSION.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT EVEN THOUGH IT'S SYMBOLIC, RIGHT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S CRUISING.
IT'S, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF A RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY.
THAT'S WHO WE ARE AS A CITY AND AS A CULTURE.
AND THAT'S ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT US IN NATIONAL CITY, IS EMBRACING WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE AND AS A CULTURE.
BLACK, A BROWN, URBAN, UH, JUST ALL, ALL COLORS, ALL KINDS OF DIVERSITY.
IMMIGRANT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ACTUALLY ARE ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES TO HAVE AN IMMIGRANT BORN POPULATION HERE.
SO THE MAJORITY OF US ON THE DAAS WERE BORN OUT OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES, IN MEXICO, IN THE PHILIPPINES.
AND IT'S SOMETHING I'M SO PROUD OF.
UH, AND FOR THIS NEXT FOUR YEARS, UH, I, I, I JUST HAVE SO MUCH HOPE AND OPTIMISM.
I GOTTA SAY, FOR, FOR ME, THIS, THIS LAST YEAR, 2024, IT DEFINITELY HAD SOME CHALLENGES, UM, PERSONALLY, FINANCIALLY, UH, CHALLENGES, UH, JUST WITH, WITH, WITH WORK, WITH, UH, OUR ORGANIZATION AS A, UH, AS A, AS A CITY.
AND I'M SO GLAD THAT WE'VE WENT THROUGH ALL THESE CHALLENGES.
I WENT THROUGH ALL THESE CHALLENGES BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU GROW.
THEY'VE BEEN GROWING PAINS, BUT IT ALSO MAKES US STRONGER.
AND I, I'M SO OPTIMISTIC FOR THIS NEXT FOUR YEARS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I REALLY DEEPLY KNOW EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES.
AND OF COURSE, WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE.
OF COURSE, WE'VE GOTTEN INTO FIGHTS.
UM, AND I'VE DISAGREED AND, YOU KNOW, HAD MY TIPS WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
BUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, ALL OF YOU, AND, AND FROM STAFF, I, AND I SAID THIS LAST MEETING, I REALLY DO LOVE YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE DEDICATION AND THE SACRIFICE YOU ALL BRING.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT ALWAYS AGREEING, BUT IT IS ABOUT, UH, HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THAT, THAT TO ME IS LOVE, IS TELLING EACH OTHER WHAT, NOT WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR, BUT WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR.
AND I'M HERE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU ALL AS MY COLLEAGUES AND TO THE PEOPLE OF NATIONAL CITY AND TO THE EMPLOYEES.
SO I'M REALLY, AGAIN, REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS NEXT FOUR YEARS, US WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, BECAUSE YES, WE'RE AN UNDER-RESOURCED CITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH THE PORT, WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, WITH OUR BUDGET.
BUT I KNOW THAT TOGETHER, UM, AND WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, WITH THE OUTREACH, WITH, WITH US, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO YOU ALL AND INVITING YOU INTO OUR SPACE MORE THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU AND HONOR TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
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MAYOR.UM, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
UH, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME TO BE IN THIS POSITION, UM, HUMBLED AND HONORED, AND IT'S BEEN THE PRIVILEGE OF MY LIFE TO BE SERVING AS A COUNCIL MEMBER FOR NATIONAL CITY.
UM, I ESPECIALLY WANNA THANK MY, UH, WIFE, SANDRA.
UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR ENDLESS SUPPORT, OUR BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, ALI, ALICIA, ANA ALIYA.
I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE AND THAT THERE ARE NO CEILINGS TO WHAT YOU CAN DO.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, MY IN-LAWS, UM, FOR THE GREAT GROUP OF FRIENDS THAT WE HAVE AND SUPPORTERS, UM, FOR WORKING FAMILIES AROUND THE REGION THAT BELIEVE IN US.
OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CHALLENGES IN OUR CITY AND OUR CITY AS EVERYTHING ELSE CONTINUES TO CHANGE.
UM, WHETHER IT'S ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHETHER IT'S MANAGEMENT, WHETHER IT'S JUST THE WAY OUR CITY LOOKS, WE WANDER AROUND OUR CITY, IT JUST LOOKS DIFFERENTLY.
AND, AND, UH, CHANGE IS CONSTANT.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO HAVE A VISION OF THE FUTURE OF WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT POLICIES DICTATE WHAT WE WANT OUR FUTURE TO LOOK LIKE.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I, UM, VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO.
AND IN THAT SPIRIT OF LOOKING BACK, UM, AND, UH, I'M A MAN OF FAITH, I PRAY AND I REFLECT A LOT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A GREAT MANY CONTROVERSIES, UM, AROUND ME, AROUND MY CAMPAIGN, UH, ONE IN PARTICULAR, UM, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND AN APOLOGY TO.
MS. MENTA, UH, FOR AN EMAIL THAT WAS SENT OUT.
THE EMAIL THAT WE SENT OUT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO ATTACK ANYBODY.
IT WAS ONLY INTENDED TO ADDRESS, UM, OH, SORRY.
NO NAMES OF THE HOUSEHOLD WERE INCLUDED.
IT WAS ONLY INTENDED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, THAT MY POLITICAL OPPONENT, UH, HAS SURROUNDED HERSELF WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHICH I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE WITH ON A GREAT MANY ISSUES THAT I THINK WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE ADVERSE EFFECT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UM, UH, IT WAS THE INTENT OF OUR CAMPAIGN.
UM, I HAVE SPOKEN TO, UH, UH, MANY INDIVIDUALS IN MY CAMPAIGN, MY CAMPAIGN STAFF, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MINDFUL AS WE'RE MAKING FORWARD, UH, WHAT, WHATEVER IT IS, WHETHER IT'S MAIL PIECES OR EMAIL PIECES GOING OUT IN THE FUTURE.
AND I THINK IN THAT SPIRIT, UM, I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE NEIGHBORS, THAT WE SEE EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME, WHETHER IT'S AT THE GROCERY STORE, WHETHER IT'S PICKING UP OUR KIDS, WHETHER OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO THE SAME SCHOOL, SAME CLASSROOM, UM, UM, WE ARE HERE AND WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
AND SO I THINK IT'S, UH, IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE PAST AN ELECTION CYCLE WHERE THINGS GOT VERY TUMULTUOUS AND HEATED AND DISTURBING AT TIMES.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK FORWARD FOR THE BETTERMENT OF US AS A COMMUNITY, FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR REGION.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER ON A GREAT MANY ISSUES THAT WE DO HAVE.
AND YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED THIS A COUPLE TIMES ALREADY, BUT THERE'S A BEAUTY IN DEMOCRACY THAT WE HAVE OUR SAY, HOWEVER IT IS THAT WE SEE IT.
BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISAGREE, BUT ALSO NOT BE DISAGREEABLE.
UM, AND I, I HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH MANY INDIVIDUALS, AND I WISH TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERYBODY BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IN OUR DEMOCRACY TO HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEWS, BUT NOT GO TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE COMPLETELY DISAGREEABLE, WHERE WE CANNOT POSSIBLY EVER HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR, OUR DISAGREEMENTS.
SO I, IN THAT SPIRIT, UH, I RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
UM, I HAVE TAKEN A BRUNT OF THE CRITICISM FOR STAFF AND THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE HIRED, WHICH IS WHY I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER WHAT OUR STAFF DOES IN THEIR FREE TIME.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONFLICTS OR PERCEIVED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, UM, IN ANYTHING WE DO OUTSIDE OF OUR OFFICIAL ROLES.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING THAT STEP AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS HERE, UH, THERE'S NO PERCEPTION, UM, UH, OF ANY, ANY, UH, WRONGDOING WHATSOEVER.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES IN THE COMING MONTHS.
UM, YOU KNOW, MR. MITCH, WHERE'S HE, DID HE ALREADY LEAVE? OH, COME ON, MITCH
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU, MITCH.
[00:35:01]
AND THE CONSTANT HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE BUDGET OF NATIONAL CITY AND HOW IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST, AND HOW, UH, WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHERE WE CAN BE IN THE FUTURE.I VERY MUCH, UM, LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE IN ORDER TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOURSELF WITH YOUR HISTORY AND NATIONAL CITY, PROVIDE A MENTORSHIP TO, TO US, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STEERING THE CITY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET.
UM, OUR BUDGET PAYS FOR EVERYTHING WE DO, WHETHER IT'S OUR STAFF, WHICH CONSTANTLY DESERVE RAISES, UH, WE JUST HAD ANOTHER ASSESSMENT.
AND MANY OF OUR STAFF ARE 20% UNDERPAID REGIONALLY.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR STAFF AND CONTINUE TO GROW OUR STAFF SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICES THAT OUR COMMUNITY DESPERATELY DESERVES.
UM, UH, WE HEAR THIS OFTEN THE HOME OWNERSHIP RATE IN OUR CITY.
IT IS THE LOWEST IN THE COUNTY.
PART OF THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE NEED TO BUILD HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO I AM VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING A VERY AGGRESSIVE APPROACH AND WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BUILD HOME OWNERSHIP.
IT IS A CORNERSTONE OF BUILDING WEALTH IN THIS COUNTRY, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT TO EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE ALSO NEED TENANT PROTECTIONS.
WE WENT THROUGH THIS, UM, UH, UH, AGREEMENT, A 10 YEAR AGREEMENT FOR MOBILE HOME PARK TENANTS.
WE NEED PROTECTIONS TO THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN WE SAY THAT WE DON'T MEAN A MINORITY, WE ACTUALLY MEAN AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY FACING EVICTION NOTICES ON A REGULAR BASIS, UH, UH, CONSTANTLY HAVING, UM, UNDUE FAIR INCREASES TO THEIR RENT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT COMMUNITY CARE ABOUT.
AND I, I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON IT.
UM, WE, WE NEED TO KEEP AFFORDABLE.
WHAT'S ALREADY AFFORDABLE I THINK IS CRITICAL TO MAINTAIN AFFORDABLE, AND WE NEED TO BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
AND LASTLY, UM, CLEANING UP OUR AIR AND HAVING A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY AND EXPANDING TREE CANOPY, TREE CANOPY AROUND THE CITY.
AND FOR THOSE HOMEOWNERS, BY THE WAY, IT INCREASES PROPERTY VALUE.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.
IT GENERALLY MAKES OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE, AND IT GIVES US FREE CLEAN AIR.
AND SO WE HAVE A GREAT MANY ISSUES.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, UM, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO MAKE THESE ISSUES A PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL.
AND ALSO LISTEN TO WHAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS SAY AND WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE SO WE CAN WORK ON THEM TOGETHER.
ULTIMATELY, IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD, AND WE'RE GONNA STAY LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES TO COME.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT EVERYTHING IN SPANISH, BUT VERY BRIEF,
[00:40:02]
ALRIGHT.AT THIS POINT, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO A RECESS HERE IN A MOMENT FOR THE RECEPTION.
THERE IS, THERE IS, UH, DRINKS AND CAKE AND EVERYTHING, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO SOME CUTTING OF THE CAKE FOR THE TWO, UH, NEWLY ELECTED OF OFFICIALS, UH, NEXT DOOR.
UH, BUT BEFORE WE DO, ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA ANNOUNCE THAT ITEM 13.1, WHICH IS THE, UH, SWEETWATER ROAD, UH, GASOLINE STATION PROJECT.
THAT PROJECT HAS BEEN, THEY HAVE WITHDRAWN THE APPLICATION.
SO THAT PROJECT NO LONGER EXISTS, SO IT WILL NOT BE ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
SO JUST SO, UM, SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA BREAK, WE'RE GONNA BREAK FOR 15 MINUTES.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLEASE, 15 MINUTES, AND THEN WE GOTTA, THEN WE WILL COME BACK, AND THEN WE WILL DO THE OFFICIAL BUSINESS THAT WE, THAT WE STILL HAVE TO DO TONIGHT.
[8. RECESS FOR RECEPTION]
IN RECESS.I'D LIKE TO, UH, CALL THE, UH,
[9. CALL TO ORDER]
MEETING BACK TO ORDER.AND, UH, IF WE COULD HAVE A SILENT ROLL CALL WITH ALL MEMBERS PRESENT AT THE DAAS.
[11. PUBLIC COMMENT]
NEXT GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.THESE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA, AND WE HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF SPEAKERS.
I'M GONNA LIMIT IT TO, UH, TWO MINUTES.
AND IF WE COULD ASK NEXT DOOR,
ALRIGHT, SO THESE ARE ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT AN AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW, UH, SPEAKERS.
UH, I'M GOING TO, UH, LIMIT IT TO, UH, TWO MINUTES AND PER, PER PERSON.
ALRIGHT? AND WITH THAT, I WILL CALL THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME.
IF, WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, IF YOU'LL COME OUT INTO THE, UH, INTO THE, UH, HALLWAY AREA HERE, UH, THE AREA BEHIND THE, THE, UH, PULPIT.
AND THAT WAY YOU CAN COME RIGHT UP AND SPEAK.
THEY'LL SAVE A LOT OF TIME INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR EACH PERSON TO, UH, TO COME UP.
SO WITH THAT, UH, WE HAVE LUISA MCCARTHY, WE HAVE, UH, JUANITA CASTANEDA, AND WE HAVE ERNESTO, UH, ELA.
SO IF ALL THREE OF YOU WOULD PLEASE COME UP AND, OKAY.
UM, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL.
I'M THE RECREATION SUPERVISOR FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES.
ONE OF THE RECREATION SUPERVISORS.
AND I AM HERE TODAY WITH ELIANA DELGADO, ANOTHER RECREATION SUPERVISOR AND RADO.
MY PRONOUNS ARE SHEA, ALSO A SUPERVISOR.
AND WE ARE ACTUALLY HERE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO OUR EVENT HAPPENING THIS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14TH AT CAMPBELL PARK, TWO TO 8:00 PM AND IT IS OUR SIGNATURE WINTER EVENT, A KIMBALL HOLIDAY.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES.
WE HAVE A 25 FOOT FERRIS WHEEL, THREE LANE SNOW HILL, A WONDERFUL CAR SHOW WITH LIVE BANDS, THREE TRACK LIST TRAINS THIS YEAR.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES IN SANTA'S VILLAGE.
AND WITH A GRINCH, UH, LED DANCE FLOOR WITH DJ DANNY STAGED WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY PERFORMANCES, RESOURCE BOOTS, A TASTE OF THE HOLIDAYS, AND OF COURSE, OUR 6:00 PM TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY.
AND OF COURSE, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE, POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR SPONSORS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL TIERS OF OUR SPONSORS THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE PREMIER LEVEL AND WE HAVE CO COX COMMUNICATION, PARADISE VALLEY HOSPITAL, CHUA, BRANDAND, FIRST FIVE SWAN, SWEETWATER AUTHORITY, SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY POWER SALVADOR TOTE RESTORATION.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A GOLD LEVEL.
EDCO WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT US AT THE GOLD LEVEL.
WE HAVE MILD CARS SUPPORTING US AT THE SILVER LEVEL AND NEIGHBORHOOD NATIONAL BANK AND CHICK-FIL-A AT THE FRIEND LEVEL.
COMMUNITY SERVICES, TEAM, FACILITIES, PARKS, STREETS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, FINANCE, POLICE DEPARTMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, CITY ATTORNEY'S, OFFICE, CITY MANAGER'S, OFFICE RISK MANAGER'S, OFFICE, THE IT TEAM, AND YOU ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR SUPPORTING THIS EVENT AND SHARING EVENT INFORMATION WITH THE COMMUNITY.
NOW WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT KIMBO PARK ON DECEMBER 14TH FROM TWO TO 8:00 PM THANK YOU.
[00:45:01]
YOU.ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE LOUISA MCCARTHY, FOLLOWED BY ERNESTO ESQUELA, FOLLOWED BY MARIA BUTLER.
WHAT'S LEFT OF MY VOICE? 'CAUSE I'VE MADE A, BEEN MAKING A LOT OF PHONE CALLS.
TODAY I AM ACCOMPANIED OR NOT BECAUSE, UH, SOMETHING WAS TAKEN OFF THE AGENDA BY RESIDENTS OF EVERY DIVISION OF NATIONAL CITY, LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS AND LA VISTA MEMORIAL PARK, AND MORTUARY STAFF AND FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE.
WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS OF THREE MUSLIM COMMUNITIES, THE HORN OF AFRICA, MUSLIM COMMUNITY CENTER OF GREATER SAN DIEGO, IMAM TAHA HASS FROM THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF SAN DIEGO.
AND DEAR FRIENDS, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING WHEN PEOPLE UNITE FOR WHAT'S RIGHT.
I'D LIKE THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO PLEASE STAND, TO BE RECOGNIZED, AND THERE'S PEOPLE OUTSIDE.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN BRUTAL FOR ME PERSONALLY.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF LOSS AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF BETRAYAL.
I'M NOW MOURNING A FRIENDSHIP THAT I ONCE HAD WITH MAYOR RON MORRISON.
I DON'T HAVE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE GAVE YOU IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
WHAT I GAVE YOU WAS INVALUABLE.
AND THAT WAS MY HEART ONTO THE NEXT CHAPTER.
OKAY, WE HAVE ERNESTO ESQUELA, MARIA BUTLER, AND ALICIA MORRISON.
ANYONE OF THOSE THREE IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND THEN BE FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON.
SO I HEARD THIS FROM THE TODAY SHOW AT ONE TIME, TWO WOLVES, AN OLD CHEROKEE IS TEACHING HIS GRANDSON ABOUT LIFE.
A FIGHT IS GOING ON INSIDE ME.
HE SAID TO THE BOY, IT'S A TERRIBLE FIGHT.
HE IS ANGRY, ENVY, SORROW, REGRET, GREED, ARROGANCE, SELF-PITY, GUILT, RESENTMENT, INFERIORITY, LIES, FALSE, PRIDE, SUPERIORITY, AND EGO.
HE IS JOY, PEACE, LOVE, HOPE, SERENITY, HUMILITY, KINDNESS, BENEVOLENCE, EMPATHY, GENEROSITY, TRUTH, COMPASSIONATE FAITH.
THE SAME FIGHT IS GOING ON INSIDE YOU AND INSIDE EVERY OTHER PERSON TOO.
THE GRANDSON THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE, AND THEN HE ASKED HIS GRANDFATHER, WHICH WOLF WILL WIN? THE OLD CHEROKEE SIMPLY REPLIED, THE ONE YOU FEED.
OKAY, DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY EDDIE BRACA MONTE, FOLLOWED BY SANDY SCHULER, MAYOR MORRISON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALLOWING US TO SPEAK IN THIS FORUM.
UH, DEMOCRACY IS ALIVE AND, AND AWAKENED.
I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF YOU AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE DOCUMENT EVERYTHING SO THAT WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, SO THAT WE CAN ALL BE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND MEMBERS OF THIS PROCESS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UM, HEARING ME WHEN I COME AND BE A PART OF THIS DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
AND I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR INPUTS, UM, WHEN THINGS COME BEFORE THE BOARD, BECAUSE IT'S ENLIGHTENING.
AND, UM, IT HAS THE ABILITY FOR EVEN THE, EVEN THE YOUNGEST, YOUNGEST PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WISH TO BE PART OF THIS DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
EDDIE ANTE, FOLLOWED BY SANDY SCHULER, FOLLOWED BY MICKEL POLANCO.
I WAS INVITED HERE TODAY, TONIGHT WITH, BY MY GOOD FRIENDS LUISA MCCARTHY AND MIKA POLANCO.
THEY SAID THEY NEEDED SOME MUSCLE HERE.
[00:50:01]
SO WITH THAT SAID, MORE ALCOHOL IS NOT NEEDED AND PROPOSES HARM TO THE COMMUNITY WITH A SEVEN 11 ALREADY SERVICING THE COMMUNITY WITH ALCOHOL, SALES, ALCOHOL ACROSS THE STREET, AND THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER LOCATION WILL BE AN ALCOHOL MAGNET.IS THAT WHAT WE REALLY NEED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SANDY SCHULER TO BE FOLLOWED BY MA UH, MICHAELA POLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JAMES KIM.
WELL, I BROUGHT MY BODYGUARD,
UM, MAY I HAVE IT REALLY QUIET FOR A MINUTE? AND THE REASON I WANTED THAT SILENCE IS BECAUSE THAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED TO THE PERSON WHO, THE APPLICANT WHO WOULD'VE HAD HIS PROPERTY.
AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FAIR TO HIM TO HAVE COMPLETE SILENCE, BOYCOTTING AND, AND, AND NOT LETTING HIM THRIVE IN A BUSINESS.
SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE APPLICANT, WHAT I THINK ABOUT IS THAT I KIND OF HAVE TO GIVE HIM A THANK YOU.
I WANNA GIVE HIM A THANK YOU BECAUSE HE SHOWED STRENGTH TO THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT HE ALSO DID IS HE SHOWED PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW YOU ARE.
AND WHEN I LOOK BEHIND YOU, MAYOR, WHO I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR, I SEE THE SIGN THAT SAYS 1887.
THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE HISTORICAL.
NOBODY, NOBODY CAN DO THIS IN SAN DIEGO, LIKE NATIONAL CITY.
AND, AND RIGHT NOW, THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE THE THANKSGIVING THAT THEY WANTED BECAUSE OF THE STRESS.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S GET THROUGH THIS CHRISTMAS AND TO YOU.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SEE YOUR STRENGTH.
MCKAYLA POLANCO, JAMES KIM, AND LAURA FLORES.
OKAY, MAYOR COUNCIL, CONGRATULATIONS RODRIGUEZ.
CONGRATULATIONS BUSH FOR BEING REELECTED.
I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA DO SOME AMAZING THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY UP AND COMING FOUR YEARS.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS ON BEHALF OF THE A LOCAL 2, 2, 1, THE MIA, THE MEA FOR, FOR THE, UH, RECONSIDERING THE 2% TO 6% FOR, FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT.
I WASN'T ONE OF 'EM, BUT HEY, THEY, THE MAJORITY RULES.
BUT ANYWAYS, WITH THAT SAID, WE HAVEN'T NEGOTIATED YET.
BUT YET AGAIN, WE'RE NOT USING OUR FUNDS CORRECTLY.
MAYOR, YOU'RE HAVING AN ASSISTANT THAT YOU WANT TO PUT INTO MANAGEMENT.
WHO IS SHE GONNA MANAGE? SHE'S ONE PERSON.
YOU WANNA PUT HER, PROMOTE HER TO A MANAGEMENT.
AND THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL $28,000 FOR THAT PERSON, INCLUDING PERS AND EVEN, YOU KNOW, UH, AND, AND, AND OTHER, OTHER BENEFITS THAT SHE'S, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO QUALIFY.
MEANWHILE, WE ARE STRUGGLING HERE TO GET TO THE MEDIAN OVER HERE AS EMPLOYEES.
WE GAVE HIM $50,000, ALMOST $50,000 FOR ONE PERSON.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT $50,000 DO FOR US WORK EMPLOYEES? THAT'S STUFF THAT GETS THREE OF OUR WORKERS UP TO THE MEDIAN.
YOU'RE GIVING MONEY TO A PERSON THAT'S GONNA BE ONE, AND SHE'S ALREADY A TOP OR HER TIER, AND YOU WANNA CONSIDER GIVING HER MORE.
HERE WE GO AGAIN, NOT USING THE RIGHT WAY OF USING OUR MONEY, MAYOR.
AND THE THING IS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
WE WANNA CONTINUE TO GET THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE 19% TO THE MEDIAN, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND YOU'RE TRYING TO PROMOTE, YOU KNOW, YOUR ASSISTANT TO A MANAGEMENT LEVEL, WHICH SHE HAS NOBODY TO MANAGE.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL YOU GUYS.
WE HAVE LAURA FLORES IN THE AUDIENCE, NOT, UH, CARLA RAISE.
SEE HERE, THERE SHE'S THOSE THAT DID NOT RESPOND BEFORE.
I WILL NAME, I'LL CALL 'EM OFF ONE MORE TIME AFTER THIS.
MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS CARLA PEGGI.
I'VE BEEN A CITY EMPLOYEE FOR 22 YEARS NOW.
WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS COME AND GO.
AND, UM, ON BEHALF OF THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, OH, I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT FOR REPRESENTING OF MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE MARCUS JOSE, FOR YOUR NEXT FOUR TERMS THAT YOU HAVE IN THE CITY.
[00:55:01]
VISION.WE SEE YOUR PASSION, WE SEE YOUR DEDICATION.
WE SEE THAT YOU CARE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE BEING COMPENSATED.
IF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE COMPENSATED, WE CAN AFFORD TO HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT CAN BE DEVELOPED, THAT CAN BE PREPARED IN THEIR POSITIONS.
BECAUSE WE CANNOT FORGET THE GOAL THAT WE HAVE AS MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES IS TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST EMPLOYEES TO BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS, TO BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR BUSINESSES, TO BE ABLE TO SERVE PATRONS.
AND WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT WITH THE SUPPORT OF COUNCIL TO ASSURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO WORK.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO JUST MAKE THIS CITY A BETTER PLACE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, I'LL CALL FOR MARIA BUTLER.
OKAY WITH THAT, THAT IS ALL OF OUR, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON THAT.
[13. CONSENT CALENDAR]
GO INTO CONSENT CALENDAR.AS I SAY, 13.1 IS NO LONGER ON OUR, UH, ON OUR DOCKET FOR TONIGHT.
UM, SO CONSENT CALENDAR WOULD CONSIST OF 13.2 AND 13 THREE.
DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON EITHER ONE OF THOSE.
WHAT IS THE COUNCIL'S PLEASURE? I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM 13.2 AND 13.3 I SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALRIGHT, THAT IS THE, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR THAT WE HAVE.
[14.1 Appointments of City Councilmembers to Regional Boards and Committees for Outside Agencies]
REPORTS.OUR FIRST ONE IS, LEMME GET ALL MY STUFF OUTTA THE WAY.
THIS IS OUR APPOINTMENTS OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEES FOR OUTSIDE AGENCIES AND CITY CLERK.
DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS BEFORE WE MOVE AHEAD? I DON'T.
I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY.
UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE DO HAVE A CHART IN OUR, UM, IN OUR AGENDA, AND I'LL JUST DO THAT IN ORDER SO IT'LL BE EASIER FOR US TO, TO FOLLOW.
AND THAT'S ON PAGE, UH, 2 23 AND 2 24 AND 2 25.
UH, NOW SEVERAL OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY DO ARE, UH, THEIR TERMS ARE NOT UP FOR 2024.
SO THOSE, OF COURSE, WE WILL BE, WE WOULD BE SKIPPING, UH, FIRST OF ALL FOR, UH, WE HAVE THE ASSOCIATION, UH, SAN DIEGO ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SANDAG.
UH, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION FOR, UH, MEMBER MOLINA TO CONTINUE MYSELF AS SECOND ALTERNATE.
AND MEMBER BUSH IS THE THIRD AS, I MEAN MYSELF AS THE FIRST ALTERNATE.
AND MEMBER BUSH IS THE SECOND ALTERNATE.
AND COULD WE CLEAR, THESE ARE A ROLL CALL VOTE HUH? THESE WILL BE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
AND, UH, NO WONDER, NO WONDER WE COULDN'T PUSH OUR BUTTONS.
I, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I HAVE TOO MUCH ON MY PLATE.
I WOULD NOT LIKE TO WISH TO NOT BE CONSIDERED ON THE SECOND ALTERNATE.
THEN I WOULD, I WOULD AMEND THAT TO, UH, MEMBER YAMANI AS THE SECOND ALTERNATE.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, COULD WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? IS THE SECOND OKAY WITH THE CHANGE? OKAY.
UM, LEAGUE OF UH, LEAGUE OF CITIES, UM,
[01:00:01]
THIS IS BASICALLY THE MEETING THAT HAPPENS ONCE A MONTH.UM, AND, UH, THAT WOULD BE THE PRIMARY WOULD BE MYSELF WITH THE ALTERNATE, UH, MEMBER MOLINA.
IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE, IT'S GOOD.
THAT'S, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH? YES.
MOTION PASSES FOR METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEM BOARD.
UH, PRIMARY BE, UH, MEMBER BUSH ALTERNATE WOULD BE, UH, MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
UH, REGIONAL SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION.
THAT'S A QUARTERLY, BASICALLY A QUARTERLY MEETING, UH, MYSELF AS THE PRIMARY ALTERNATE WOULD BE.
JPA, THIS WOULD BE, UH, UH, PRIMARY WOULD BE, UH, MEMBER YAMANI.
AND THEN ALTERNATE, UH, WOULD BE, UH, MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
UH, COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY THAT, THAT ONLY HAS A PRIMARY, DOES NOT HAVE AN ALTERNATE.
AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, MEMBER YAMANI.
MOTION PASSES THE OTAI SWEETWATER RIVER, UH, WATERSHED PANEL.
UH, THAT WOULD BE, UH, PRIMARY WOULD BE MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
AND THE ALTERNATE WOULD BE MEMBER BUSH.
WHAT WERE YOU GONNA SAY? WHO WAS THE SECOND? YES.
UH, SWEETWATER AUTHORITY IS A FOUR YEAR APPOINTMENT, SO THAT DOESN'T COME UP TILL 26.
SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY POWER, UH, THAT IS, UH, PRIMARY WOULD BE MEMBER YAMANI AND THE ALTERNATE WOULD BE, UH, UH, MEMBER BUSH.
SO MOVE, IS THIS FOR THE SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY POWER? YES.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE MYSELF FROM CONSIDERATION FROM THE BEING THE ALTERNATE THERE AS WELL.
YOU MUCH THEN I WOULD DO, UM, UM, REMEMBER RODRIGUEZ AS THE ALTERNATE, I, I AM ACTUALLY QUITE BUSY.
I DON'T THINK I CAN MAKE THE MEETING.
UH, IF ANYONE ELSE IS WANTING IT.
IN THAT CASE, I'LL JUST PUT MY NAME ON THERE AS ALTERNATE.
I DON'T THINK IT'LL EVER BE USED.
AND, UH, JUST SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE IN, I MEAN, I, I IF IT'S TRUE, I I CAN KEEP IT AS IS.
UH, SO IT'LL CONTINUE TO BE, UH, THAT'S FINE.
VER BACK TO HOW IT WAS WITH ALTERNATE BEING BUSH.
UM, THEN WE HAVE THE OTHER ONE, WHICH HAS, CAN WE VOTE? WE NEED TO VOTE ON THAT ONE.
MOTION PASSES THE, UH, OH, WE HAVE THE SHORELINE PRESERVATION WORKING GROUP.
THAT'S A AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, UH, MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, UH, AS A PRIMARY.
AND, UH, MARCUS BUSH IS THE ALTERNATE.
SO DO WE NEED TO VOTE FOR THOSE AS A PACKAGE OR DO, CAN WE JUST HAVE WE DONE 'EM INDIVIDUALLY? THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF BEEN DISBANDED, LIKE, YEAH, SO, AND I DON'T EVEN, I DON'T EVEN, WHERE'S, I DON'T EVEN SEE THAT ON OUR LIST.
[01:05:04]
SHOULD WE VOTE ON IT? JUST IN CASE THIS IS A PRECAUTION.UH, THIS IS THE THIRD ONE DOWN ON YOUR AGENDA REPORT.
AND, UM, THIRD, THIRD ONE, THIRD ONE DOWN IS, UH, LEAGUE OF CITY, OR, I'M SORRY, METRO METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEM.
NO, SHE'S TALKING ON YOUR OH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THIS LIST? YEAH.
SHORELINE IS ON THE BACK PAGE OF YOUR CHART.
WE GOT, WE GOT THE MOBILITY WORKING GROUP, BUT THAT'S NOT SHOWING AS A OKAY.
YEAH, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT ONE.
BUT YOU TALKED ABOUT THE BAYSHORE BYPASS PATH.
YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE BAY SHORE BYPASS ON IT.
AND SO WE JUST DID, THAT'S THE ONE WE JUST DID.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GET COMMUNICATION GOING HERE YET,
ALRIGHT, SO THAT FINISHES ALL OF THAT.
[14.2 Selection of a Vice-Mayor for 2025. ]
WE GO ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS 14 TWO.THIS IS SELECTION OF VICE MAYOR AND, OKAY.
HUH? AND WE DO HAVE SOME SPEAKERS TOO.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING FIRST AS, UH, YOUR OUTGOING, UM, VICE MAYOR FOR 2024 MM-HMM
UM, IT'S A GREAT PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS YOUR VICE MAYOR FOR 2024 AS A MEMBER OF COUNCIL.
LOOKING BACK IN THE PAST 23 MONTHS, IT HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY.
WE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE SUCCESSION OF EVENTS AND SITUATIONS, MANY OF WHICH ARE STILL UNFOLDING.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT HAS BEEN MOST EVENTFUL THROUGHOUT, AT TIMES CHALLENGING, BUT MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
I DO NOT INTEND TO MENTION ALL THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.
I BELIEVE THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, BUT RATHER I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER MY THOUGHTS ON HOW THINGS HAVE FARED IN OUR WORKPLACE.
WHAT COMES TO MIND FIRST IS THE STRONG AND ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT IN PROMOTING AND PROTECTING OUR CITY AND OUR PEOPLE.
FIRST, WE HAVE SHOWN IN FACE OF SITUATIONS WHENEVER THERE IS A UNITY OF PURPOSE AND THE STRIVE FOR CONSENSUS, WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ACT, TO ADDRESS THE SITUATIONS IN A TIMELY AND CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER.
BUT STILL, WE NEED TO DO MORE.
OUR ENGAGEMENT MUST BE MORE THAN JUST AN EXERCISE.
WE NEED TO ENSURE COMMON RESOLUTION THAT WE HAVE EXPRESSED OR FOLLOWED UP WITH CONCRETE ACTIONS TO PRODUCE MEANINGFUL IMPACTS AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS OF OUR CITY.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE READY WITH NEEDED TOOLS AND RESOURCES IN ADDRESSING DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH SITUATION.
WE NEED TO DEVELOP A STRONGER AND MORE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THIS COUNCIL THROUGH CONSULTATION AND CONSENSUS BUILDING.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT BUILDING OF BRIDGES AND THE FORGING OF COMMON GROUNDS AND ENGAGEMENT OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING ALL OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, WILL DETERMINE OUR SUCCESS IN CARRYING OUT A RESPONSIBILITIES ENTRUSTED UPON US BY THE PEOPLE.
ONE OF THE MAIN CHALLENGES, I BELIEVE, IS THAT OUR EFFORTS MUST BE FLEXIBLE WITH A SENSE OF REALITY.
RECOGNIZING EITHER OUR DIVERSITY AND HAVING MUTUAL RESPECT FOR DIFFERENT VIEWS AND OPINIONS NEED TO BE AT THE HEART OF THE CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION THAT WE SEEK WITHIN THIS BODY.
REFLECTING ON THE PAST 23 MONTHS, I HAVE ALSO ASKED MYSELF, WHAT COULD WE HAVE DONE BETTER? I WISH THAT WE COULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME CONCENTRATING ON THE MAIN ISSUES, OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES TO OUR PEOPLE TO HELP IN OUR OPERATIONS IN SERVING OUR PEOPLE, AND TO HAVE BEEN MORE DILIGENT WITH OUR FISCAL PO POSITION, WHICH IS THE HEARTBEAT OF THIS ORGANIZATION.
RATHER THAN ENTERTAINING BUREAUCRACY AND MAKING THINGS POLITICAL THAT BUG US DOWN.
I WISH THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIALOGUE AMONGST THIS COUNCIL TO PROCESS AND PRODUCE POSITIVE OUTCOME.
THE EXERCISE ITSELF AND THE FRANK AND OPEN DISCUSSIONS ON ALL THE KEY ISSUES MAY HAVE PROVEN TO BE A WORTHWHILE UNDERTAKING.
AND I BELIEVE WOULD HAVE HELPED US TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO CONSTANTLY STRIVE FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE WORK AND FUNCTION OF THIS BODY.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS SOME OF MY HOPES FOR THE NEXT 24 MONTHS OF MY TERM.
I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO HAVE OUR RETREAT ON STRATEGIC PLANNING AND ADDRESS THE THREE MAIN QUESTIONS.
CAN WE DO BETTER IN TERMS OF MAKING THIS COUNCIL MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT? WITH THE FOUR DISTRICTS OFFICIALLY REPRESENTED, CAN WE DO BETTER IN TERMS OF PROVIDING OUR SERVICES TO OUR PEOPLE AND HAVING REAL POSITIVE IMPACTS TOWARDS OUR BOTTOM LINE? CAN WE DO BETTER IN DEALING WITH EMERGENCY SITUATIONS IN A TIMELY AND CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER? THIS
[01:10:01]
ISSUES REMAIN VERY IMPORTANT.I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WITH ENGAGEMENT AND RESOLVE ON THE PART OF ALL OF US COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, STAKEHOLDERS, AND PARTNERS.
THE ANSWER IS INDEED YES WE CAN.
LET ME CONCLUDE WITH A NOTE OF THANKS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, BEN MARTINEZ, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY BARRY SCHULTZ, FOR THE GREAT TEAMWORK AND FOR YOUR INVALUABLE SUPPORT AND CONTINUED ADVICE THROUGHOUT.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL DIRECTORS AND THEIR TEAMS AND THEIR WORKFORCE FOR TAKING ON A TOUGH TASK, FOR CARRYING IT OUT WITH GREAT DEDICATION.
MY SINCE THANKS TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS, COMMISSIONERS, AND CONTRACTORS WHO PROVIDE THEIR TIME AND TALENTS FOR OUR CITY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE TO DO TO FACILITATE OUR WORK THE WAY WE KNOW EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY IN RUNNING THIS COUNCIL.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU TO ALL MY DISTRICT THREE CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS ALL STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST THAT YOU HAVE PLACED IN ME.
AND LASTLY, I'M GRATEFUL FOR MY FAMILY, FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO.
AND THAT IS TO BE OF SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE.
IT'S AN HONOR TO WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL OF YOU.
I AM HUMBLED, I PLEDGE TO CONTINUE TO BE DILIGENT IN ASKING QUESTIONS SO I GET THE ANSWERS TO BETTER SERVE OUR CITY AND OUR PEOPLE.
AFTER ALL, THAT IS MY OATH IN OFFICE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ING, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
AND LEMME JUST SAY THANK YOU VICE MAYOR YAMANI.
SO NOW WE MOVE ON WITH THIS ITEM AND WHICH IS OUR, UH, SELECTION PROCESS FOR OUR VICE MAYOR.
I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE WAIVE POLICY NUMBER ONE 20, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN OUR DECISION.
AND, UH, STILL KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT OF ONE 20, BUT, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BE STUCK, STUCK TO EVERY PARTICULAR WITHIN IT.
UM, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT, MAYOR? OKAY.
THERE'S, UM, ONE 20 BASICALLY SAID, AND WE CHANGED IT AROUND BECAUSE IT USED TO BE VERY POLITICAL AND SO THE DEAL IS THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER DURING THEIR TERM, IN OFFICE, WOULD GET ONE YEAR DURING THAT TERM AND IT WOULD ROTATE.
AND SO, BUT THERE'S SOME SPECIFICS ABOUT ROTATION AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT WAS WHAT WE COULD, WE COULD ADDRESS WITH THAT.
WHAT IS THE POLICY STATE, MAYBE AS A FORM OF CLARIFICATION.
I WOULD HAVE TO OVER YOU, THE TWO OF THE CITY CLERK, OR I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE.
POLICY ONE 20 PROVIDES THE SELECTION IF MADE ON A BASIS OF THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT A MEMBER HAS SERVED ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND WHETHER OR NOT THE MEMBER HAS PREVIOUSLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
THE POLICY PROVIDES THAT THE POSITION OF THE VICE MAYOR SHALL BE ROTATED AMONG COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER SERVES ONE YEAR AS VICE MAYOR DURING THEIR FOUR YEAR TERM.
PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS VICE MAYORS ON THE DAIS.
2021 JOSE RODRIGUEZ, 2022, MARCUS BUSH, 2023, LUZ MOLINA, 2024 DEJA ANI.
UM, UH, IS THERE A DIRECTION AS TO WHO THE NEXT VICE MAYOR SHOULD BE? LET ME LOOK HERE FOR YOU.
SO, UNDER PO THE POLICY, UM, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE VICE MAYOR SHALL BE THE COUNCIL MEMBER WITH THE MOST SENIORITY WHO HAS NOT BEEN VICE MAYOR IN THE LAST THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
IN THE EVENT, TWO OR MORE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE EQUAL SENIORITY AND HAVE NOT BEEN VICE MAYOR IN THE LAST THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS, THE COUNCIL MEMBER WITH THE MOST VOTES
[01:15:01]
IN THEIR LAST REGULAR GENERAL ELECTION SHALL SERVE AS VICE MAYOR.SO WHAT ARE YOU STRIKING, MR. MAYOR? WELL, THAT WE WOULD STILL STAY, THAT EVERYONE STILL GETS A, A TERM, WELL, I MEAN, WITHIN THEIR TERM, EVERYONE WOULD STILL GET, GET TO SERVE A YEAR.
SO IT'S, BUT THEN, BUT THAT WE'RE NOT STRIKING THAT I'M, THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF, OF ONE 20.
SO, UH, JUST FOR POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THE TWO REELECTED POSITIONS ARE COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH AND COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
AND AS PER POLICY, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN MAYOR ONE IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT THEY HAVE ONCE IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT THEY HAVE SURVIVED, SIR.
SO FOUR, UM, UH, I MEAN FIVE IS THAT, UM, UM, THE, THE PERSON WHO GETS THE MOST VOTE, I THINK THAT WAS WHAT WE FOLLOWED WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER, MELINA AND MYSELF, UM, CAME IN IN 22.
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THIS IS THE POLICY THAT YOU WANTED TO REVISE OR YOU WANTED TO REVISING WAIVE, YEAH, WAIVE IN, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
SO WE HAVE A POLICY THAT WE WAIVE BECAUSE US WELL, I THINK WE CAN DISCUSS THAT ONCE WE SEE IF WE WANNA WAIVE IT OR NOT.
SO THERE WAS A MOTION, THERE WAS A SECOND.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, MAYOR, CORRECT? RIGHT.
SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF US WAIVING THIS POLICY? TO GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY IN OUR, IN OUR CHOICES.
AND WHAT IS THAT FLEXIBILITY, MR. MAYOR? WELL, OUR FLEXIBILITY, WE DON'T HAVE TO STAY IN THAT EXACT SAME ORDER.
WHOEVER GETS, BECAUSE THERE'S TWO THAT HAS, THAT ARE THE SAME.
SENIORITY HAVE, UH, BEEN REELECTED.
THE OTHER ONE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JUST LIKE ME.
SO WHAT IS YOUR, WHAT IS YOUR, UM, WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ASK, MAYOR? THAT VICE, THAT THE VICE MAYOR POSITION WILL GO TO ONE INSTEAD OF THE ONE WHO GOT THE VOTE? THE VOTES.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MAYOR? YEAH.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN THE, THE EXACT SAME ORDER WE JUST DID.
AS LONG AS EVERYONE WITHIN THEIR TERM IS AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE VICE MAYOR.
SO, UM, I, I AM, I'M, I HAVE ADOPTED THIS POLICY.
I CAME IN AND I HAVE TO RESPECT IT.
SO NOW THERE'S A POLICY THAT YOU, AS OUR MAYOR WANTED TO SAY, LET'S WAIVE IT.
UM, AND SO GO AHEAD, MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE A FIRST, DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? AND YOU SAID WAIVE IT.
WELL, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER ON THE ITEM.
SO LET ME LET, UH, ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER, UH, LILIANA ARMA, GOOD EVENING.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND FELLOW RESIDENTS, I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO DISCUSS THE SELECTION OF OUR NEXT VICE MAYOR.
UM, HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS WRITTEN HERE.
UM, I ACKNOWLEDGE THE APOLOGY.
THERE IS STILL, I BELIEVE THERE'S STILL MORE HOPEFULLY TO COME AND A LOT OF HEALING BECAUSE YOU APOLOGIZE FOR, UM, THE IMAGES, BUT NOT FOR THE WORDS ON THE FLYER, NOR THE WORDS THAT YOU SPOKE DURING THE PAST TWO COUNCIL MEETINGS AND YOU DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY DAUGHTER.
THIS ROLE OF VICE MAYOR IS CRUCIAL TO, AS IT EMBODIES THE LEADERSHIP AND INTEGRITY REQUIRED TO POTENTIALLY STAND IN FOR MAYOR AND TO REPRESENT ALL RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY.
THE ROLE OF VICE MAYOR REQUIRES A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO BRINGS COHESION, MUTUAL RESPECT, AND THE FULL CONFIDENCE AND SUPPORT OF THEIR PEERS.
WHICH COUNCIL? WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ, FOLLOWING HIS, HAS TO START SHOWING US, YOU THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO OVERRIDE OR AMEND ITS OWN POLICIES.
AS CIRCUMSTANCES OR COMMUNITY PRI PRIORITIES EVOLVE THE COUNCIL'S DECISION IN SELECTING THE NEXT VICE MAYOR, WHERE GREATLY IN INFLUENCED PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF OUR CITY'S GOVERNANCE, APPOINTING A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS BEEN CENSURED AND SHOWS NO SIGN OF ACCOUNTABILITY WILL HARM PUBLIC TRUST AND THE CREDIBILITY OF THIS COUNCIL, I APPEAL TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO USE YOUR JUDGMENT AND CONSIDER THE BROADER IMPLICATIONS OF APPOINTING A CENSURED COUNCIL MEMBER AS VICE MAYOR,
[01:20:01]
THAT CHOOSE A LEADER WHO NOT ONLY RESPECTS A POLICY, BUT ALSO EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF SERVICE AND INTEGRITY DEMANDED BY OUR COMMUNITY.I URGE YOU TO VOTE FOR COUNCILMAN BUSH AS THE NEXT VICE MAYOR.
YEAH, SO FOR ME, UM, THIS IS THE PROCESS THAT I DISCUSSED WITH THE, UM, CITY ATTORNEY.
AND SO FOR ME, BASED ON THE CENSURE, I DO THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY.
I APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR APOLOGY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT I, I DO THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS ACCEPTABLE WHAT YOU DID AND THE CONDUCT, UH, IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS A CONDUCT THAT WAS BECOMING OF SOMEONE WHO WOULD REPLACE THE MAYOR.
WHEN THE MAYOR'S NOT, UM, THE MAYOR'S NOT THERE.
SO THAT'S WHY, FOR ME, THAT'S WHY I WANNA WAIVE THE POLICY.
AND, UM, AND THEN THE NEXT PERSON IN ORDER WOULD BE ME AND THEN FOLLOW FOLLOWING THE ORDER.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS MOTION.
SO YOU SEE THIS IS A REOCCURRING THEME WITH THIS MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL.
WE HAVE POLICIES THAT ARE DIRECTED TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS SERVE IN POSITIONS, AND YOU JUST DECIDE TO WAVE THEM ON A WHIM BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE SOMEBODY.
I'M GONNA CUT, I'M GONNA CUT YOU OFF BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO REALLY HURRY THIS UP.
I JUST TOLD YOU IT IS BECAUSE YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY MARCUS COMMENT.
RIGHT, MARCUS? UH, WE, WE, WE COULD DISCUSS BACK AND FORTH OUR, UM, UH, CONDUCT.
'CAUSE I COULD POINT AT A MILLION THINGS AROUND YOU, BUT THIS IS NOT THE SPACE AND TIME FOR IT.
I THINK IF WE HAVE A POLICY AND AN INDIVIDUAL IS SUPPOSED TO SERVE, WE SHOULD FOLLOW THAT POLICY.
THE VOTERS IN OUR DISTRICTS VOTED LOUD AND CLEAR WHO THEY WANT TO REPRESENT THEM, AND WE GOT THE MOST VOTES.
THAT IS WHAT THE POLICY STATES BY DOING.
BY, BY, UM, TRYING TO REMOVE US AWAY FROM THIS POLICY AND TRYING TO PUT IT ASIDE, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY TELLING VOTERS OF NATIONAL CITY, YOUR VOTE DOESN'T MATTER.
UM, UH, JUDGE OF CHARACTERS OR JUDGE OF ELECTIONS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TELLING PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU WANNA SERVE AS VICE MAYOR.
SO LOOK, I THINK THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF, UH, THIS CONTINUED DIRECTION OF TRYING TO SHIFT POLICY WHENEVER IT'S CONVENIENT, UH, OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND I THINK IT'S A DISSERVICE.
UM, I WAS HOPING THAT WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD, BUT CLEARLY SOME FOLKS ARE NOT VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN THAT.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US, AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXPRESS, UH, WILLINGNESS TO WORK TOGETHER IN COHESION IN ORDER TO ADDRESS OUR CITY'S ISSUES, WHICH ARE A GREAT MANY.
AND SO I, I, UH, DISAGREE WITH THE POLICY, NOT, NOT ONLY BECAUSE I WOULD BE SERVING AS VICE MAYOR, BUT WE HAVE FOLLOWED THIS POLICY SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND SINCE BEFORE, UH, IT WAS IMPLEMENTED.
I MEAN, WHEN, WHEN IT WAS FIRST IMPLEMENTED IN 2017.
SO FOR YOU TO JUST CHANGE IT UNILATERALLY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE MAJORITY UNION SERVICE VICE MAYOR SEEMS, UM, UH, RATHER SELFISH AND SEEMS LIKE WE ARE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT THE VOTERS ACTUALLY WANTED.
HUH? UM, JUST A COMMENT WITH REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THIS POLICY BEING WAIVED, YOU KNOW, I MEAN WE, SO WE CAN JUST WAIVE A POLICY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO.
UM, SO WHAT WOULD BE THE POLICY THAT WOULD BE WAIVED NEXT? UM, I THINK THAT, UM, BEFORE ME, UM, THE PRIOR, UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL HERE ON THE DICE IN 2018 HAVE ADOPTED THIS POLICY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TO PUT ORGANIZATION AND TO PUT THE PROCESS.
UM, SO I I I REALLY DO NOT AGREE THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEGATE A POLICY THAT HAS BEEN, UM, THAT HAS BEEN, UM, VETTED BY, BY, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN YOU WERE THERE AND I THINK THIS WAS IN 2018.
SO, UM, I WILL NOT AGREE FOR US TO, UM, NEGATE A POLICY THAT, UM, HAS BEEN IN PLACE.
'CAUSE, UH, WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT POLICY THAT WE WILL NEGATE? WE HAVE TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
UH, NOT THE FIRST ONE TO BREAK THE RULES.
I'LL JUST MAKE A QUICK STATEMENT AND THEN WE'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE.
I WAS HERE WHEN WE CHANGED IT BECAUSE BEFORE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DID NOT GET TO SERVE AS A VICE MAYOR DURING THEIR TERM.
AND THAT WAS THE MAIN THING, WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND THEY REALIZED IT WAS A ROTATIONAL THING, AND SO THAT EVERYONE WOULD GET AN OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THEIR TERM TO BE A VICE MAYOR FOR ONE YEAR.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S, THAT WAS THE MAIN THRUST
[01:25:01]
OF THIS POLICY.THEN AFTER THAT THEY GO, WELL, HOW, HOW DO WE DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ORDER TO MAKE SOME KIND OF ORDER? AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE SECONDARY THING ON THAT.
SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A MOTION, AND THAT IS MAYOR, JUST FOR CLARITY'S SAKE, THIS IS DRIVEN BY A STATE LAW THAT EVERY MUNICIPALITY SHOULD FOLLOW IT.
IT ISN'T NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY TO USE.
IT'S ACTUALLY A STATE LAW THAT IS ASKING CITIES TO DO THAT WELL AND, AND, AND ENCOURAGING CITIES TO FOLLOW THIS POLICY.
SO DON'T, LET'S NOT, LET'S NOT ACT LIKE THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU OR ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER FROM THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY BROUGHT UP IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT MOST CITIES THAT ARE GENERAL LAW CITIES FOLLOW BECAUSE OF STATE LAW.
THERE IS A STATE LAW THAT SAYS AFTER AN ELECTION, THE VICE MAYOR WILL BE CHOSEN BEYOND THAT POINT AS FAR AS THE METHOD OF IT THAT IS NOT IN STATE LAW.
WITH THAT WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO VOICE, VOICE, VOICE VOTE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH, I MAKE A, I MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO, UM, UH, KEEP THE ACTUAL, UM, POLICY AND HAVE US FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE AS, UH, DICTATED BY OUR POLICY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
OKAY, WE GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
WE COULD HAVE ROLL CALL ON THAT.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, MY, MY MOTION WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD GO IN THE ORDER OF, WE WOULD GO ONTO THE NEXT PERSON, WHICH WOULD BE MEMBER BUSH, THEN IT WOULD GO MEMBER MOLINA, MEMBER YAMANI, AND THEN MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
SO ALL DURING THEIR TERM WOULD ALL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.
I'M JUST GONNA MAKE A QUICK COMMENT.
AND THAT IS, WITH ALL THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH HERE IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE FOR US ON LAST WEEK'S, UM, AGENDA TO DO A CENSURE AND THEN THE NEXT WEEK PUT THAT PERSON, YOU KNOW, INTO A VICE VICE MAYOR POSITION, I THINK IS DISINGENUOUS.
AND SO THIS STILL ALLOWS EVERYONE TO DO IT WITHIN THEIR TERM, BUT IT GIVES US A TIME PERIOD TO KIND OF WORK OUT, WORK OUT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE BUGS THAT WE'VE HAD, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS LAST YEAR.
AND, UH, SO WITH THAT, THAT IS MY MOTION.
UM, CAN, JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, CAN WE DICTATE WHAT NEXT YEAR'S COUNSEL WILL DO IN TERMS OF SELECTING A VICE CHAIR OR A, A VICE MAYOR? ONLY IF THEY WAIVE THE POLICY AT THAT POINT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE STICKING WITH, WE STICK WITHIN THE POLICY.
THE ONLY THING WE'RE CHANGING HERE IS JUST THE ORDER IN WHICH WE WE'RE DOING IT, BUT, BUT I DON'T BUT THINK, BUT YOU'D STILL HAVE TO ALLOW EACH COUNCIL MEMBER TO, WITHIN THEIR TERM HALF A YEAR.
RIGHT? I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, DO WE, UM, WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING YOUR MOTION IS, YOU ARE DICTATING WHAT NEXT YEAR AND THE FOLLOWING YEARS VICE MAYOR WILL BE? I, AND I THINK WHAT I AM SAYING IS RIGHT.
I THINK WHAT I'M SAYING IS I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN ACTUALLY DICTATE THAT.
AS A CITY ATTORNEY, YOU ARE DEALING WITH A CITY COUNCIL POLICY, AND SO YOU HAVE THE DISCRETION, UM, BASED ON A MAJORITY VOTE TO WAIVE IT AS YOU'VE DONE AND TO IMPLEMENT IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH, UH, YOUR DESIRE TO WAIVE IT.
AND, AND I WOULD SAY THAT, THAT, AS I UNDERSTAND THE MOTION, THERE WOULD BE THIS, THIS DESIRE TO FOLLOW THE, UM, UH, THE PROGRESSION THAT WAS INDICATED.
UM, BUT IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU GET THERE, UM, NO, THAT, THAT COUNCIL WOULD NOT BE DE BEHOLDEN TO THAT.
THERE WOULD STILL BE THE DISCRETION JUST AS YOU HAVE THE DISCRETION TONIGHT.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE JUST WAIVING POLICY WHENEVER IT BENEFITS THE MAJORITY.
I THINK SOMETHING THAT IS NOT INTENDED FOR THE POL LIKE TO FOLLOW POLICY FOR THE POLICY ITSELF.
WE HAVE ROLL CALL COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH? YES.
WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, STAFF REPORTS? I HAVE NONE, MAYOR.
[Additional Item]
[01:30:01]
WILL GO WITH, UH, COUNCIL REPORTS.WE GO DOWN HERE WITH, UH, MEMBER.
UM, AFTER ALL, A VERY LONG YEAR, I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS TO SELECT US YET AGAIN AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HERE IN DISTRICT TWO, WE WON BY THE WIDEST MARGIN ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY IN A CONTESTED CITY COUNCIL RACE.
AND I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS TO GIVE ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AGAIN.
UM, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US, UH, BUT TONIGHT WE NEED TO CELEBRATE.
SO IF ANYBODY IS FREE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STOP BY THE OLIVE WOOD CLUBHOUSE OVER ON 24TH STREET TO CELEBRATE, UH, THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THIS YEAR'S, THIS YEAR'S ELECTION.
UH, COUNCIL AND STAFF AND EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP TONIGHT.
UM, I, THIS WAS AGAIN, A CHALLENGING YEAR.
WE'VE HAD OUR UPS AND DOWNS, BUT I'M SO EXCITED AND OPTIMISTIC FOR, UM, FOR, UH, THIS 2025 COMING UP.
WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE CHALLENGES.
UH, ACCOUNTABILITY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
SO I PLEDGE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE AS VICE MAYOR AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO 2025.
SO I THINK THIS IS THE LAST MEETING OF, OF THE YEAR.
SO MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE.
HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT, NEXT YEAR.
UH, I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS DOWN D AVENUE, UH, THAT HAVE DECORATED THEIR HOMES.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT IS, UH, IN THE, YOU KNOW, SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS.
I WANNA WISH EVERYBODY A, UH, VERY WONDERFUL TIME.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GO TOO FAR.
WE'RE GONNA BE BACK IN JANUARY, BUT, UH, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
FEL, UM, TO EVERYBODY THAT CELEBRATES, UH, HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND I AM EVER HOPEFUL FOR ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE TO COME TO NATIONAL CITY, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.
TRYING TO WRITE SOMETHING AND TALK AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO INFORM MY COLLEAGUES THAT, UM, CHAIRMAN SERRANO OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY HAS APPOINTED ME AS VICE CHAIR FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO THAT WILL BE, I WILL BE SERVING, UM, IN THAT CAPACITY.
THEN I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UM, INCLUDE THE ANNOUNCEMENT, UM, COLLEAGUES OF, UH, FROM SWEETWATER AUTHORITY ABOUT A, UH, ABOUT A WORKSHOP, UH, WITH REGARDS TO THE PFAS TESTING AND EDUCATION ON DECEMBER 12TH AT 5:00 PM AT THE, UM, AT THE, UH, SWEETWATER, UM, HEADQUARTERS.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING FOR THE YEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UM, EVERYONE FOR YOUR, UM, DEDICATION, UM, STAFF DEDICATION TO, TO HELPING US SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.
UM, AGAIN, I WILL ECHO WHAT I SAID FROM OUR CHRISTMAS PARTY.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.
A NUMBER OF THINGS REAL QUICKLY.
UH, IT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE EVENING, BUT WE WILL MENTION IT AGAIN NOW, LADIES.
WE DO HAVE THE KIMBALL HOLIDAY, UH, COMING UP AND YAY, UH, CELEBRATION.
UH, WEAR YOUR, UH, UH, RUBBER UNDERWEAR OR WHATEVER BECAUSE WHEN YOU SLIDING DOWN THAT HILL, YOU WILL GET WET.
AND, UH, SO, UH, WE'LL HAVE THE SNOW, WE'LL HAVE THE SNOW ON THE HILL AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON.
AND, UH, MAKE SURE YOU SIGN YOUR WAIVER, GET YOUR WRIST.
AND, UH, SO YEAH, A WHOLE LOT OF FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.
THE NICE THING IS IT'S ALL, IT'S FREE.
ALSO, A LOT OF, LOT OF GREAT ACTIVITIES, RIDES, EVERYTHING ELSE GOING ON.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT GET ALL THE FAMILY OUT THERE, WE GOT GONNA HAVE THE, UH, LOW RIDERS, GOT ALL KINDS OF, ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES FOR LITTLE BIT OF EVERYONE OUT THERE.
AND THAT'LL BE THIS SATURDAY AND STARTING IN THE AFTERNOON AND GOING ON AND GOING ON INTO THE EVENING.
SO, AND OF COURSE WE HAVE THE TREE LIGHTING ITSELF.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, WE GOT ONE OF THESE BIG, ONE OF OUR BIG TREES HERE THAT'S NEXT TO CITY HALL.
THAT ONE IS GOT THE LIGHTS ALL IN IT, AND IT MAY NOT BE A CHRISTMAS TREE, BUT IT WORKS FOR US.
AND SO THAT THING, WE'LL, WE'LL BE SETTING THAT OFF ON, UH, ON SATURDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK.
THE, UH, UH, THE OTHER THING IS THE, UM, WAS MENTIONED ON SWEETWATER AUTHORITY.
WE'LL BE HAVING A, A PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON
[01:35:01]
THE PAS.THIS, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT PFAS IS, THAT IS A CONTAMINANT, WHAT THEY CALL SOME OF THE FOREVER CONTAMINANTS.
AND THEY'RE HUMAN CAUSED AND A LOT OF WATER DISTRICTS.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS JUST KIND OF COME UP ON EVERYBODY'S RADAR SCREEN, BOTH AT THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
AND, UH, WE HAVE FOUND SOME LEVELS OF IT IN SWEETWATER RESERVOIR.
AND SO, UH, AND SO RIGHT NOW THE ONLY THING WE NEED TO DO IS JUST REPORT IT.
AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE A STUDY FOR A FEW YEARS TO FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE LEVELS ARE.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO A DIFFERENT TIME STATE YEAR AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND TO FIND OUT IF THAT'S ALL WE NEED TO DO OR DO WE NEED TO DO MORE.
AND IF YOU HAVE TO DO MORE AND REMOVE THE PFAS OUTTA THE WATER, THEN IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND THAT'LL JUMP OUR RATES UP AND THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN STOP THAT.
UH, FORTUNATE THING IS VAST MAJORITY OF NATIONAL CITY WATER COMES OFF OF OUR NATIONAL CITY WELLS AND THE DESAL PLANT.
AND SO THAT WE, WE GET, THAT'S OUR MAIN SOURCE OF WATER THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN ISSUE.
UH, LOVELAND LAKE, OUR OTHER BIG RESERVOIR, IT DOESN'T HAVE AN ISSUE, BUT WHAT IS DONE, THE OTHER ONE IS, IS A LOT OF RUNOFF AND THERE'S A LOT OF OLD LANDFILLS AND DUMPING SITES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND IT PICKS IT UP ALONG THE WAY.
SO THAT WILL BE THIS THURSDAY.
THEN SATURDAY MORNING, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP AT 9:00 AM AND THAT IS GONNA BE ON THE IDEA OF THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC UNITS FLOATING ON SWEETWATER RESERVOIR.
UH, THIS, THERE IS NO FLOATING PHOTOVOLTAIC UNITS ON ANY DRINK, ANY DRINKING WATER LAKE IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THIS WOULD BE, THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, BUT THAT'S, THAT IS GONNA BE A DISCUSSION FOR SATURDAY MORNING.
SO WE DO HAVE, HAVE THAT ALSO.
AND THAT WILL ALSO BE AT, UH, SWEETWATER AUTHORITY OVER ON H STREET AND SHULA VISTA.
UH, THE OTHER THING IS WE WILL BE GOING, CITY HALL WILL BE GOING ON FURLOUGH AND WE WILL BE SHUTTING DOWN CITY HALL ITSELF.
UH, EMERGENCY SERVICES WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE ON EVERYTHING, AND WE'LL HAVE EMERGENCY NUMBERS ALSO IF YOU NEED OTHER, OTHER SERVICES.
UH, AND THAT STARTS ON, OUR LAST DAY WILL BE ON THE, WAS IT THE 19TH? AND WE COME BACK ON JANUARY 7TH.
WE'LL BE RETURNING AS FAR AS CITY HALL OPEN.
SO SOME OF THE IN-HOUSE SERVICES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.
EMERGENCY SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE ALL DURING THAT TIME.
AND ANY, ANYTHING THAT COMES UP, WE WILL RESPOND ALSO.
SO WE'LL HAVE A NUMBER THAT, SO THERE'S SOMEONE THAT WILL ALWAYS, YOU CAN BE ABLE TO CONTACT SOMEBODY IF ANYTHING'S NEEDED.
SO DO WANNA DO THAT WITH THAT.
OUR COMMUNITY BREAKFAST ON SATURDAY, ALSO FROM NINE O'CLOCK TO 11, SAME TIME AUTHORITIES
AT THE, UH, UH, COMMUNITY HALL OF THE NATIONAL CITY HALL? NO, AT THE LIBRARY.
COMMUNITY HALL OF THE NATIONAL CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND, UH, AND THEN, UM, JUST, JUST TO PIGGYBACK AGAIN, MAYOR SWEETWATER AUTHORITIES WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK AND MEETS ALL CURRENT STATE AND FEDERAL GUIDELINES.
THERE'S NOTHING TO GET SCARED ABOUT THIS, THEY JUST, IT'S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO PUT THAT OUT.
SO DON'T EVERYONE THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG, YOU KNOW, BIG PROBLEM.
AND, UH, UH, WITH THAT, I WANT TO WISH EVERYONE AND MERRY, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND, UH, AND WE ALL CAN TAKE A BREATHER.
SO, UH, AND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OFF.
[Additional Item]
I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY ON ANYTHING, UH, REPORTING OUT A CLOSED SESSION.WE HAD ONE, UH, ITEM ON CLOSED SESSION INVOLVING A WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIM, UH, SHANAHAN VERSUS CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, AND THERE'S NO REPORTABLE ACTION.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED TO OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING, WHICH IS JANUARY THE 21ST.