* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:02] I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. [1. CALL TO ORDER] WE HAVE A LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S NATIONAL CITY WEBSITES INFORM 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. IN PERSON, UH, IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS BY SUBMITTING ONE OF THESE SALMON COLORED SLIPS OR EMAILING NO LATER THAN TWO HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING, UH, ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY WEBSITE IF, UH, RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE. THE, UM, WITH THAT, IF WE COULD HAVE THE, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT. MAYOR MORRISON PRESENT. AND WE'LL NOTE THAT, UH, VICE MAYOR BUSH IS ABSENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WOULD, UH, NOW ASK, UH, IF WE'D ALL STAND AND, UH, ASK MEMBER MOLINA IF SHE WOULD LEAD US IN THE, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH SAYS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALRIGHT, THIS IS A, UH, SPECIAL MEETING AND [4. PUBLIC COMMENT] AS SUCH, WE WILL NOW HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT ARE ITEMS SPECIFIC TO THE AGENDA. THERE'S ONLY ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, AND THAT IS LABOR NEGOTIATIONS. AND SO, UM, WITH THAT WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS AND I'M GONNA LIMIT IT TO TWO MINUTES. UM, AND SO WITH THAT, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENTS ON ZOOM? WE DO NOT HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON ZOOM. OKAY. SO EVERYTHING IS ON IN HOUSE. ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, UM, I WILL NAME ALL PEOPLE THREE AT A TIME. PLEASE GO UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND AS I SAY, ANY, ANY, UH, COMMENTS AT THIS POINT HAVE TO BE ON THE AGENDA ITEM ONLY. SO WITH THAT, UH, FRANK RIVERA TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICKEL POLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY LUISA MCCARTHY. OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, I AM A RETIRED SCIU LOCAL 2 2 1 UNION MEMBER PASS, SCIU LOCAL 2 2 1. UNION EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER AND CHULA VISTA, MID MANAGER, PROFESSIONAL LOCAL CHAPTER PRESIDENT. I HAVE NEGOTIATED MANY LABOR CONTRACTS, BUT IN FULL DISCLOSURE, NOT PART OF THE NATIONAL CITY MEA BARGAINING TEAM. I'M HERE TODAY IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU TO ENCOURAGE NATIONAL CITY TO NEGOTIATE FAIRLY AND EFFICIENTLY SINCE THE CURRENT MEA CONTRACT ENDS IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS, AND I FULLY SUPPORT MY UNION BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN OBTAINING A FAIR AND DECENT CONTRACT. THE CURRENT MOU COVERS A THREE AND A HALF YEAR PERIOD FROM JANUARY OF 2022 THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR. DUE TO A RECENT SIX MONTH EXTENSION, INFLATION HAS REALLY PICKED UP BOTH SIDES AND, AND PICKED UP, AND BOTH SIDES NEED TO DILIGENTLY WORK TO GET A NEW MOU TO COUNCIL FOR THEIR JUNE 17TH, 2025 MEETING. TO RATIFY THAT IS ONLY 90 DAYS AWAY FROM TODAY. I KNOW BUDGETS ARE TOUGH TO BALANCE, BUT A FAIR AND EQUITABLE CONTRACT IS NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO DO, CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT A LOCAL AGENCY NEEDS TO DO FOR THE BENEFIT OF ITS CITIZENS. EMPLOYEES ARE YOUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE. ALSO, MORE IMPORTANTLY IS TO ENSURE THAT SCARCE PUBLIC FUNDS ARE NOT WASTED NEEDLESSLY ON UNNECESSARY MATTERS. YOU AS THE ELECTED COUNSEL, NEED TO CONSTANTLY LOOK FOR THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTERESTS IN THE MOST COST EFFICIENT MANNER IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, BECAUSE A DOLLAR WASTED IS A DOLLAR THAT CANNOT BE USED FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD. SHOULD NEGOTIATIONS EXTEND BEYOND THE EXPIRATION OF THE CURRENT CONTRACT, BENEFITS AND PAY RAISES SHOULD BE RETROACTIVE TO JULY 1ST, 2025. EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT BE WORKING WITHOUT A NEW CONTRACT AFTER BEING IN THE CURRENT CONTRACT FOR SO LONG. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MICHAELA POLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY LUISA MCCARTHY TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, NIA DELGADO. GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. GOOD MORNING, BEN MARTINEZ. BARRY SCHULTZ. MY NAME IS MIKAELLA POLANCO AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE UNION. WE HAVE A 3.4 3.5 DEFICIT IN OUR CITY, AND THAT IS ALARMING, UH, TO ME AND TO THE CONSTITUENTS OF THIS CITY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE COULD APPLY SOME OF THAT MONEY [00:05:01] TOWARDS A BETTER, A BETTER USE FOR OUR CITY. WE'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY THIS LAST SEVEN MONTHS IN THE ONION PROJECT WITH CITY STAFF AND ALSO WITH, UH, THE PRA LAWSUIT THAT HAS, COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. IF WE WOULD'VE HAD THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY DO THEIR JOB, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED 100%. WOULD YOU PLEASE TALK ABOUT THE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS AS THE AGENDA ON THAT? AND, AND THAT'S, WELL, THIS IS PART OF THE LABOR, UH, NEGOTIATIONS, UH, MR. MAYOR BECAUSE THIS IS MONEY WASTED. AND THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MONEY THAT COULD HAVE GONE TO, UH, INCREASE THE LABOR, UH, WAGES. THIS COULD HAVE, THIS MONEY COULD HAVE GONE TO THE LABOR UNION WORKERS. THIS COULD HAVE GONE TOWARDS THEIR RETIREMENT, TOWARDS THEIR PENSION, TOWARDS, UH, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE LABOR UNION. AND THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. I'M JUST SAYING THAT THERE COULD BE A BETTER MANAGEMENT OF OUR RESOURCES IN THIS CITY. AND DON'T TAKE, I'M NOT TAKING ANYTHING PERSONAL AT THIS POINT. I'M JUST LOOKING FOR THE OVERALL HEALTH OF THE ENTIRE CITY AND FOR PEOPLE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I'M TIRED OF SEEING OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, PRETEND THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING. THERE'S A WHITE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AND NOBODY WANTS TO SEE IT. EVERYBODY JUST LOOKS THE OTHER WAY. WE HAVE TO BE HONEST AND WE HAVE TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY CHOOSE THE BEHAVIOR OF NOT MAKING THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE AND OVER LOOKING THE OTHER WAY. YOUR COMMENT, THEN THEY HAVE THEIR THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THEY HAVE TO HAVE CONSEQUENCES. THANK YOU. MCCARTHY, ELENA DELGADO, AND THEN JUANITA CASTANEDA. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS LISA MCCARTHY AND I WANNA ALSO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT MIKAELA MENTIONED. I'M IN FULL SUPPORT WITH, UH, NEGOTIATIONS WITH, UH, THE UNION WORKERS, WHICH IS FIRE POLICE AND MEAI THINK ABOUT OUR GROUNDS CREW. THEY MAINTAIN OUR PARK. THEY'RE OUT IN THE COLD IN THE RAIN, SEVERE WEATHER. UH, POLICE PROTECT US. FIRE ALSO PROTECT US BECAUSE IT AT LA VISTA, BEING COUNTY WHO HELPS US, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE IN NATIONAL CITY. SO THEY NEED TO HAVE COMPETITIVE SALARIES, UH, AND UTILIZE YOUR BEST RESOURCES. YOU'RE GONNA LOSE GREAT PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU'RE GIVING THEM PENNIES TO THE DOLLAR IN THIS TIME, IN ALL THE TRAINING THAT YOU INVESTED. WHAT ANOTHER CITY WILL PICK THEM UP LIKE NOTHING. SO I FEEL THAT THE MONEY SPENT ON FRIVOLOUS OUTSIDE COUNSEL SHOULD BE SPENT ON THE HARDWORKING PEOPLE THAT HAVE YOUR BACK AND MAKE THIS CITY LOOK AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT DOES TODAY, AND COULDN'T BE A WHOLE LOT BETTER. IF MISMANAGEMENT, MR. MARTINEZ, YOU'D PAY A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION TO YOUR JOB AND MAKE SURE THAT CHECKS AND BALANCES ARE DONE CORRECTLY. AND THAT'S ALL BECAUSE AS A BUSINESS STANDPOINT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK INTO WHAT IS GOING OUT, WHAT IS COMING IN, WHAT CAN WE CUT? WHAT ARE THINGS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL TO THE, TO THE CITY THAT WE CAN USE AND USE INTERNAL HELP. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE WITH A LOT OF EDUCATION. MR. BARRY, YOU SHOULD MAKE SOME REALLY GOOD DECISIONS FROM NOW FORWARD, OR THIS SHOULD BE A BIG EYEOPENER AS TO HOW THIS CITY IS BEING MANAGED. IT'S EMBARRASSING. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE ILENA DELGADO, FOLLOWED BY JUANITA CASTANEDA, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE KRUG. GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BEN. HI. UM, WE KNOW TIMES ARE TOUGH. MY NAME IS ANA DELGADO AND I AM WITH THE MEA UNION, UH, RECREATION SUPERVISOR. AND WE KNOW TIMES ARE TOUGH, BUT WE HOPE THAT YOU VALUE THE PASSIONATE AND DEDICATED MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US THAT ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND THAT WANT TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONAL CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT WAS JUANITA CASTANEDA, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE KRUG, FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON. HI, MY NAME IS JUANITA CASTANEDA WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HAVING ME HERE. UM, I'M JUST HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT ALL OF YOUR MEA EMPLOYEES ARE STILL WORKING HARD, UH, OUT THERE THROUGH ALL THE WEATHER CONDITIONS. AND REGARDLESS OF THE CHAOS AND THE LOW WAGES IS SO ESPECIALLY YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT TEAM, YOUR FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES ARE STILL SERVING THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC EVEN THROUGH ALL THE UNKNOWNS THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. OKAY, UH, MICHELLE KRUG BE FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON. [00:10:04] GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UM, MICHELLE KRUG, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU, AS PREVIOUS SPOKE, PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE SAID TO PLEASE NEGOTIATE QUICKLY, EFFECTIVELY, AND FAIRLY. UM, THIS CONTRACT ENDED DECEMBER 31ST. I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE DELAYS AND THAT'S WHY THE SIX MONTH EXTENSION, BUT THIS CAN BE DONE SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE AT. UM, I CAME STRAIGHT OFF THE STRIKE LINE OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE CRITICALITY OF HAVING YOUR WORKERS, KNOWING THAT THEY ARE APPRECIATED, THAT THEIR WORK IS VALUED, AND THAT THEY THEMSELVES AS INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE IS VALUED. SO PLEASE NEGOTIATE THIS AS QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY AS AND FAIRLY AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU, UH, DOYLE MORRISON TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON TO BE FOLLOWED BY, HOPEFULLY I DON'T MESS UP HIS NAME. CORP KAMAYA. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. UH, A COUNCIL AND MAYOR, UH, STAFF. UM, MY NAME IS DOLE MORRISON AND I'M HERE TO SUPPORT, UH, UH, NEGOTIATIONS. FAIR, UH, QUICK NEGOTIATIONS, UM, WITH THE UNIONS. UM, I, MYSELF AM A UNION MEMBER OF IBEW, INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRIC WORKERS, LOCAL 5 6 9 AND A FT. AND I RECENTLY, UM, WAS INVOLVED IN SOME NEGOTIATIONS FOR OUR CONTRACT IN IBEW. AND WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT, UM, IF YOU DON'T TREAT YOUR GOOD PEOPLE, UM, WITH FAIR AND, AND, UM, LIVING A FAIR LIVING WAGE, THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA MOVE ON. THEY'RE GONNA GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND SO, UM, IT SEEMS A LITTLE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE THAT YOU WOULD BE GIVING THEM AN INCREASE, UM, WHEN YOU HAVE A DEFICIT. BUT LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A FAIR AND LIVING WAGE. THEY HAVE HEALTHCARE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THEY HAVE, UM, UH, A A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD. THEY, THEY'RE, THEYRE HAPPY, THEY WANT TO COME TO WORK, THEY WANT TO DO GOOD. THEIR PRODUCTIVITY LEVEL IS HISTORICALLY GONE UP. AND, UM, THEY HAVE A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE THERE AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE HAPPY. AND, AND THAT HAPPINESS TURNS INTO PRODUCTIVITY AND THAT PRODUCTIVE PRODUCTIVITY TURNS INTO SAVINGS FOR, FOR THE, WOULD BE FOR THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY. SO, UM, ALSO WHEN, UM, MYSELF, I'M 40 YEARS IN AND I'M, UH, APPROACHING RETIREMENT AND THAT ALSO WOULD GIVE THEM DIGNITY IN RETIREMENT. SO THEY WOULD STAY HERE IN NATIONAL CITY AND ALSO CONTRIBUTE AFTER RETIREMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, ALICIA MORRISON FOLLOWED BY, IS IT MARCO KAMAYA AND THEN RAINA FOUR 10. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I AM A WIFE OF A UNION MEMBER, MY HUSBAND DOYLE, IBEW 5 69. AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE TWO MEMBERS ON YOUR COUNCIL THAT WERE VERY ACTIVE IN THEIR UNION. UM, BUT TIMES ARE HARD. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL STEP FORWARD IN THE NEGOTIATIONS AND BE FAIR, UM, TO COMPENSATE THEM ACCORDING TO WHAT THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX IS ON WHAT OUR ECONOMY IS DOING. UM, YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR PEOPLE, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF YOU. SO I, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL, UH, MAKE THIS A FAST NEGOTIATION AND SUPPORT WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. THANK YOU. OKAY, MAR KAMARA. SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME THERE. FOLLOWED BY, UH, RAINA FORTE AND THEN MICAH GARY. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR MAYOR. MY NAME IS MARI CAR KAMAYA. MY PRONOUNS ARE THEY THEM AND I WORK AT OUR LIBRARY AND I'M ALSO AN SEIU MEMBER. I'M HERE TO ALSO ASK FOR A STRONG CONTRACT FOR ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AT OUR LIBRARY. OUR PART-TIME WORKERS ARE A MAJORITY OF THE STAFF AND IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH THEM. THEY WORK HARD AND TAKE PRIDE IN THE WORK THEY DO TO OFFER SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND WHAT I'M ASKING FOR FROM COUNCIL IS TO RETURN THE VALUE THAT THEY OFFER AND GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND RETURN IT BACK TO THEM WITH AN INCREASED SALARY. RIGHT NOW, MANY OF OUR POSITIONS DON'T EVEN MEET MEDIAN SALARY FOR OTHER CITIES. UM, IT'S EXPENSIVE TO LIVE HERE, AS WE ALL KNOW. SO LET'S SEE SOME CHANGES IN THIS UPCOMING [00:15:01] CONTRACT. BILINGUAL PAY FOR OUR PART-TIME STAFF WHO'VE BEEN CARRYING ON THAT EXTRA LABOR FOR YEARS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION, THAT'S ALSO UNFAIR. SO AGAIN, LET'S SEE, CHANGES TO THAT IN THIS CONTRACT. EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS. SO OUR PART-TIME STAFF HAVE SOME ABILITY TO GET HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS. THAT WOULD BE NICE TOO, AS WELL AS HEALTHCARE. RIGHT NOW, I KNOW MANY OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED, HAVE MEDI-CAL MEDICARE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY. WE'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME SUPPORT AND AN OPTION FOR HEALTHCARE FROM OUR CITY. SO AGAIN, I'M PROUD TO WORK FOR OUR LIBRARY. I'M PROUD TO WORK FOR THE CITY AND JUST ASK YOU TO RETURN THAT SUPPORT BACK TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME WITH A STRONGER CONTRACT, WHICH INCLUDES INCREASED AND FAIR WAGES FOR ALL OF US AND GOOD BENEFITS. THANK YOU. OKAY, UH, RANYA FOR 10. AND THEN MICHAEL GEARY. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. I'M HERE TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE CITY EMPLOYEES AND LABORERS MORE MONEY. HOWEVER, THAT MONEY WAS WASTED FOR SEVEN MONTHS ON AN ILL-CONCEIVED PROJECT. IT WAS WASTED ON HIRING OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR A PUBLIC RECORDS CASE. IT WAS WASTED ON STONEWALLING PRODUCTION OF RECORDS. AND TODAY I JUST ASK HOW MUCH MORE WILL BE TAKEN FROM THE POCKETS OF YOUR WORKERS WHO DESERVE IT MORE? THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, AND LAST SPEAKER, MIKE A GEARY. GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, AS A FORMER LAWYER FOR THE UNITED STATES OR FOR THE UNITED FARM WORKERS UNION, UH, AND A LONG TIME LABOR SUPPORTER, I'D LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR LABOR. WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES IS DEPENDENT ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE, HOW YOU CHOOSE TO SPEND YOUR MONEY HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON WHETHER YOU HAVE MONEY FOR YOUR LOYAL EMPLOYEES. WE HAVE A CONCEPT IN PUBLIC SERVICE, IN PUBLIC POLICY AND ECONOMICS CALLED OPPORTUNITY COST. WHAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY COST? IF I SPEND OR YOU SPEND MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT'S WASTEFUL, THE OPPORTUNITY COST IS THAT MONEY'S NOT AVAILABLE TO PAY YOUR EMPLOYEES. IF YOU HIRE PEOPLE FOR UNNECESSARY WORK AND PAY THEM HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AN HOUR, YOU'VE TAKEN THAT MONEY AWAY FROM THE POCKETS OF YOUR LOYAL EMPLOYEES. SO OPPORTUNITY COSTS IS A CONCEPT THAT I HOPE THAT YOU'LL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, ESPECIALLY NOW BECAUSE WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, WE DISAGREE AMONGST OURSELVES. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF DISAGREEMENTS AMONGST OURSELVES, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE UNIFIED IN ONE WAY. WE ARE AT THE BULLSEYE, ESPECIALLY A CITY LIKE NATIONAL CITY THAT HAS A LARGE LATINO POPULATION, A LARGE LATINO WORKFORCE, A LARGE LATINO MEXICAN POPULATION, AND WE ARE CENTER STAGE IN WHAT IS UNFORTUNATELY HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON. SO I JUST ASK YOU TO DO THIS. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SPENDING MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT'S NOT REALLY ESSENTIAL, IT'S NOT REALLY GOOD FOR THE SENATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE HAVE, UH, ONE ITEM FOR CLOSED SESSION THIS AFTERNOON. WE'LL CONVENE IN MEETING INTO CLOSED SESSION AND THERE'LL BE A VIRTUAL PAUSE AND THEN WE WILL RETURN. THERE WILL BE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE AT THE END OF COUNCIL MEETING. AND WITH THAT AS A, UH, RETIRED UNION MEMBER OF LOCAL 2020, [5. CLOSED SESSION] I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO LEAD US INTO CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU MAYOR. WE HAVE ONE ITEM FOR CLOSED SESSION. THIS CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS. UH, THE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED ARE THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL CITY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, AND THE UNREPRESENTED GROUPS. ALRIGHT, WE ARE IN CLOSED SESSION. ALL RIGHT. I'M CALLING THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. WE ARE OUT OF CLOSED SESSION. WE'LL RE WE'LL BE REPORTING OUT AT THE END OF THE, UH, COUNCIL MEETING. AND THIS PART IS ADJOURNED. THEY HAVE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SWITCH OVER, UH, SWITCH OVER FROM THIS MEETING TO THERE ON THE COMPUTER AND THEN WE WILL GET STARTED. WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS THAT ARE WANTING TO SPEAK. [00:20:01] I GUESS THEY'RE WANTING TO SPEAK ON, UH, HOME OWNERSHIP. UH, SO WE WILL, UH, BUT WE'LL BE LIMITING YOU TO ONE MINUTE BECAUSE OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE'RE CUTTING INTO THESE ONE HOUR, UH, MEETINGS THAT WE'RE GIVING. NO TIME TO GET INTO THE MEETING. WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED. AND YOU CAN SWITCH ON OVER. LET AS SOON AS YOU'RE READY, LET ME KNOW. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.