[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
OKAY.UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, OKAY.
COULD WE QUIETEN DOWN? AND IF YOU'RE OUT IN THE HALLWAY, YOU CAN'T STAND IN THE DOORWAY AND BE TALKING 'CAUSE EVERYONE HEARS YOU IN HERE.
UM, THE, UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, JUST QUICK ROUND RULE, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF SPEAKERS FOR TONIGHT.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE NON AGENDA ITEM WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE, AND THEN ON AGENDA ITEMS, TWO MINUTES.
JUST TO GIVE EVERYONE FAIR WARNING ON THAT.
UM, WITH THAT, BEFORE WE, UH, START, IF WE COULD GET OUR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM OUR INTERPRETER.
NATIONAL CITY OF, AND THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND A REMINDER, IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE SILENCE ANY OF THEIR CELL PHONES OR ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER DEVICES, UH, IN THE CHAMBER THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL WITH THAT.
CALL, THE MEETING TO ORDER AND A LIVE WEBCAST.
SO THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE 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, IN THE COUNCIL MEMBER BY SUBMITTING ONE OF THESE LITTLE SLIPS LIKE THESE THAT ARE AT THE BACK OF THE, UH, AUDITORIUM VIA ZOOM.
BY PRE-REGISTERING ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, NO LATER THAN TWO HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING, OR BY EMAILING NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING.
ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
WITH THAT, CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT, VICE MAYOR BUSH.
WITH THAT, CAN WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? REMAIN STANDING FOR THE INVOCATION.
UH, MAYOR YAMANI, WOULD YOU LEAVE READY? BEGIN THE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH THAT ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'M PASTOR ANGEL CARRASCO, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GOD FIRST FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
ALSO THE MAJOR AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND BOWING YOUR HEADS WITH ME.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU TODAY SEEKING YOUR WISDOM, GUIDANCE, AND GRACE.
AS I GATHER TO SERVE COMMUNITY FATHER, GRANT THEM THE ABILITY TO LISTEN WITH UNDERSTANDING, LEAD WITH INTEGRITY, AND MAKE DECISIONS THAT PROMOTE JUSTICE, UNITY, AND THE WELLBEING OF ALL.
BLESS THE CITY, HIS LEADERS, HIS PEOPLE WITH PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
MAY OUR EFFORTS REFLECT YOUR LOVE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.
[6.1 Proclamation: Carmen Peralta Day]
POINT, I AM GOING TO TAKE OUT OF ORDER.WE'LL DO OUR PROCLAMATIONS, UH, FIRST BEFORE WE GO INTO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND SO WITH THAT, UH, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA.
AND, UH, SHE HAS A, UH, UH, VERY SPECIAL PROCLAMATION THAT, UH, WANTS TO PRESENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR MORRISON.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO HAVE, UH, THIS VERY SPECIAL TIME TO CELEBRATE ONE OF OUR LONGTIME MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, MS. GARMEN PERALTA.
AND SHE'S GOING TO BE JOINING US UP AT THE MICROPHONE SO THAT I CAN HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER 100 AND ALMOST 101 YEARS HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
[00:05:01]
WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE HERE, BUT I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE ITEMS ON HERE.MS. GARMAN ATTENDED THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UH, LOCATED ON 16TH STREET.
SHE CONTINUED HER EDUCATION, UH, AT NATIONAL CITY JUNIOR HIGH, SWEETWATER HIGH SCHOOL AS A CHILD.
SHE WAS A PART OF THE COMMUNITY OF ELDERS WHO, UM, ALWAYS LIVED ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, MS. CARMEN FONDLY REMEMBERS THE DAYS WHEN KIMBALL PARK HAD THE PLUNGE, A POOL DISTINCT FROM THE NA FROM THE MISSION BAY POOL.
UM, WE ALSO HAD TENNIS COURTS, SOFTBALL GAMES, THE ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY FESTIVAL WHERE ST.
ANTHONY CHURCH, UH, ALWAYS WAS A PARTICIPANT.
UM, IN 1952, MISS GARMEN MARRIED ENRIQUE PERALTA AT OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
AND THEY NOW, THEY HAD, UM, THEY RAISED THREE DAUGHTERS.
MERCEDES, CHRISTINA, AND MARIA DEL CARMEN WHO JOINS MS. CARMEN AT THE MICROPHONE.
I, THERE'S A LOT MORE INFORMATION ON HERE AND IT IS MY HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH YOUR FAMILY HERE IN NATIONAL CITY ON THE WEST SIDE.
MS. CARMEN, THE NATIONAL CITY.
THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR OF NATIONAL CITY, MR. RON MORRISON.
UH, IT IS HIS AUTHORITY VESTED BY THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY TO PROCLAIM TODAY, GARIN PERALTA DAY IN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY? I OUS IT.
YOU DO YOU WANNA SAY WHAT NATIONAL? TELL THEM WHAT NATIONAL CITY HAS MEANT TO YOU.
I'VE BEEN HERE A HUNDRED YEARS AND I HOPE I CAN DO A LITTLE BIT MORE.
LET ME JUST, LET ME JUST, UH, UH, SAY IT IS, YOU KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR PROCLAMATIONS.
A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, MY, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, MY 70TH BIRTHDAY OR, YOU KNOW, AND, BUT OUR TRADITION IS ANYONE WHO IS A NATIONAL CITY RESIDENT WHO HITS 100 YEARS, THAT IS WHAT WE GIVE A PROCLAMATION FOR.
AND SO, UH, IT'S A VERY SPECIAL TIME.
SO ONCE AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR CITY.
WE'RE GONNA HOLD OFF ON THE OTHER PROCLAMATIONS.
WE DO WANT TO GET THAT ONE OUTTA THE WAY RIGHT NOW.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT (Part 1 of 2)]
THEN WE'RE GONNA GO INTO, UH, NOW INTO PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN WE'LL PICK UP THE, UH, THE REMAINDER OF THEM, UH, AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT.UM, SO WE ARE GOING TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THOSE THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE AND, UM, UH, AS I SAY, WE'RE GONNA BE LIMITED IT TO ONE MINUTE.
IF WE GET TO 30 MINUTES, ANYONE THAT'S STILL LEFT AT THAT POINT WILL GO TO THE END OF THE COUNCIL MEETING BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF BUSINESS ON THE COUNCIL MEETING ITSELF THAT NEEDS TO BE ATTENDED TO.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CALL UP THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE AUTOMATICALLY GET OVER INTO THE AISLE SO IT GOES AS, AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
THAT WOULD BE AWESOME IF YOU COULD, IF YOU COULD COOPERATE AND DO THAT.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM JUST A MOMENT TO, FOR ALL OF HER FAMILY MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT THROUGH THERE.
I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK WE CAN WAIT A FEW SECONDS FOR SOMEONE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, UH, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE SPEAKERS.
FIRST UP WILL BE YOLANDA CONTRERAS, FOLLOWED BY AUDREY CASTILLO, FOLLOWED BY MCGRADY.
MICHAEL YOLANDA CONTRERAS, FOLLOWED BY AUDREY CASTILLO, FOLLOWED BY MCGRADY.
MICHAEL, WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE
[00:10:01]
THEN.UH, BRIAN CLAPPER, OR I PULLED IT.
YO, UH, WHO, WHO, WHO, WHICH ONE? WHAT YOU CALL FRANK YOLANDA.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I AM HERE REGARDING THE LAS PALM POOL.
I WAS HERE BACK IN OCTOBER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE POOL WILL BE CONTINUED AND IT WOULD BE OPEN IN MARCH.
UM, WE WANNA KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING? WE KNOW THERE'S MONEY FOR THIS POOL.
UM, TODAY ACTUALLY IS WATER AEROBIC DAY? I LOOKED IT UP.
IT WAS ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA.
THE WATER WAS SO GOOD FOR ME, YOU KNOW, FOR MY ARTHRITIS, MY BACK, MY SOLDIER, MY SHOULDERS.
SO WHERE IS THE MONEY? OKAY, DO WE HAVE, CAN WE GET AN ANSWER PLEASE? OKAY.
WE, WE'LL GET AN ANSWER FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
CAN ANYONE ELSE HAS? UH, BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, WE ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK.
I KNOW ON LIKE THE PUMPS AND EVERYTHING.
THE PART YOU DON'T SEE, THERE HAS BEEN NO WORK DONE.
BUT THERE'S ALSO GETTING READY TO INSTALL ALL THE NEW BATHROOMS, THE NEW SHOWERS AND EVERYTHING.
BUT IF WE COULD HEAR JUST A, JUST A FIVE SECOND REPORT ON WHAT, WHAT OUR TIMETABLE IS FROM OUR CITY ENGINEER AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
AND, AND SPEAKER, UH, STEVE MANGENELLE, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING PUBLIC WORKS.
THE MAIN REASON FOR THE CLOSURE IS WE HAD TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE, UM, REPAIRS AND UPGRADES TO THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT IN THE POOL THAT'S BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
UM, WE WE'RE REQUIRED TO ORDER PARTS AND REPLACE EQUIPMENT.
WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO COMPLETING ALL THE REQUIRED WORK.
AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE REOPENING THE POOL NEXT MONTH IN APRIL.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
THE WATER'S THERE SHINING, YOU KNOW, ALL THE GLITTER IN IT.
BUT WHY ARE YOU GONNA BE, WHY HAVEN'T, WHY HAS NOT THE POOL, THE, THE HEATER AND ALL THAT, AND ALL THE ME MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT BEEN REPAIRED BE IT'S BEFORE.
IT'S LIKE DOING A, AN ENGINE, WATCHING THE CAR, HAVING YOUR, HAVING YOUR CAR RUNNING WITHOUT ENGINE.
WE WE'RE GETTING IT DONE IN STAGES.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? SO WE SHOULD HAVE IT OPEN FOR YOU NEXT MONTH.
BUT WITHOUT ALL THE PUMPS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE POOL IS NOT SAFE TO BE IN.
AND UNTIL THIS CHULA VISTA, UH, THE YMCA'S.
YOU WE'RE SCHEDULED TO TRY TO GET IT OPEN THIS NEXT MONTH IN APRIL FOR YOU.
MAYBE DON'T GET YOU APART FOR EITHER.
AUDREY CASTILLO TO BE FOLLOWED BY MCGRADY.
THE POOL IS SO IMPORTANT TO US.
TO US, YOU KNOW, SENIOR CITIZENS AND, AND EVERYBODY IN THE LAP FOR THE YOUNGER PEOPLE.
NOT JUST US OLDER PEOPLE, BUT I MEAN, IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE WITHOUT IT, WE HAVEN'T BEEN, WE HAVEN'T HAD THE POOL FOR WHAT, THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THREE MONTHS MAYBE? MM-HMM
BECAUSE I GOTTA, I GO GET THE POOL ANYMORE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE THINK WE HAVE.
WE THINK WE HAVE TO GO TO GO AS COMMUNITY AS OUR FAMILY.
YOU GUYS DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH YOUNG.
SO THAT'S WHERE OUR PLACE TO GO.
WE GET MORE THAN JUST EXERCISE.
YOU'RE GONNA OPEN TWO WHAT? NEXT MONTH? YOU SAID
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TRY OUR BEST TO STAY WITH THAT.
MCGRADY MICHAEL TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDDIE PEREZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY TED GODSHAW.
UM, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT THE POOL.
I MEAN, Y'ALL INTELLIGENT FOLK UP THERE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU PAINT THE CAR WITHOUT FIXING THE ENGINE.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, Y'ALL, IT'S IN Y'ALL'S CONTROL AND WE ARE THE PEOPLE IF WORKING FOR US, LET'S GET THE POOL OPEN.
IT'S BEEN OVER, IT WAS CLOSED FOR FOUR YEARS.
WHILE ALL THIS COULDN'T GET DONE IN THAT TIME, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
MAYBE MORE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
JUST LIKE THE READING RIGHT THERE.
MAYBE WE SHOULD GET A BULLETIN.
PUT IT UP ON THE BOARD FOR US TO CHECK OR SOMETHING.
BUT I WILL BE BACK IF MY POOL DON'T GET OPEN.
EDDIE EZ TO BE FOLLOWED BY TED GODSHAW.
NOW JUST REAL QUICK, I JUST WANNA SAY BECAUSE THAT, UM, THE POOL IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT FOUR, SO I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT AND TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE.
SO I DO HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT I DON'T WANNA PREJUDGE
[00:15:01]
OUR STAFF BECAUSE I DO KNOW THERE'S SOME LEGIT REASONS, BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOME INEFFICIENCIES OR SOMETHING.AND SO I'VE, UH, REACHED OUT TO OUR, OUR CITY MANAGER, UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET A, A MEETING SET UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH YOU ALL SO WE CAN GO OVER THAT AND THEN MAYBE THERE'S IMPROVEMENTS LIKE WITH COMMUNICATION OR SOMETHING WE COULD DO.
SO YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS COMING DOWN AND LETTING US KNOW.
SO I'LL JUST STICK TO ONE ITEM RIGHT NOW.
LUIS MOLINA, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
A MEMBER OF THE OT C FOUNDATION.
UH, STRONG ADVOCATE FOR OLD TOWN NATIONAL CITY RESIDENTS, THE WHOLE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
BUT AT A PREVIOUS MEETING YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS COULDN'T BE HELD AT THE CA SALU BECAUSE INTERFERENCE WITH YOUTH.
THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY THEY CAN ALLOW YOU TO HAVE THAT MEETING.
WE HAD 40 KIDS A NIGHT AND THE KIDS WERE PART OF THAT MEETING.
THEY GOT TO HEAR IT, THEY GOT TO SEE IT.
THEY WERE, WELL EDDIE, WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE? IT WAS OT C FOUNDATION PLANNING OUR ANNUAL OT C REUNIONS.
SO OT AND C
JUST LIKE, LIKE, UM, UH, ELON.
IN YOUR DISTRICT TO SAY YOU CAN'T HAVE A MEETING THERE WITH YOUR RESIDENTS.
DON'T HAVE A COME ON, COME ON.
BUT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A MEETING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR RESIDENTS TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, COME OVER HERE.
I KNOW IT'S NOT THAT FAR, BUT SOME CAN'T MAKE IT.
PLEASE GO BACK TO HAVING YOUR MEETINGS OVER THERE.
YOU, UH, TED GODSHAW BE FOLLOWED BY PAUL W NOW, EXCUSE ME, FOLLOWED BY B AVENUE RESIDENT.
THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES I'VE BEEN HERE, I READ TO YOU FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT THE DANGERS OF MARIJUANA, CANNABIS, THE EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA SOLD IN DISPENSARIES.
TONIGHT I'M ADDRESSING THE CHANGES IN REGULATIONS THAT YOU PUT ON, THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT IN PLACE.
WHEN IT WAS FIRST ADOPTED, THE ARGUMENT WENT THAT THE STATE WAS GONNA COME IN AND FORCE THE CITY AND ALL CITIES TO ALLOW CANNABIS SALES AND GIVE MORE TO THE INDUSTRY THAN A CITY WOULD PREFER.
NOW, THE STAFF AND THE CHIEF AND THE CHIEF PROPONENT OF THIS CHANGE, MR. BUSH CLAIMED THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ALIGN THIS HYPOCRISY.
SECOND, MR. BUSH AND THE WEED BAR OPERATORS CLAIM THAT THE EXPANDED HOURS ALLOW THE NATIONAL CITY BAR TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER SELLERS.
THE IDEA OF HELPING SESSIONS BE COMPETITIVE IS SIMPLY RIDICULOUS WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE CITY HAS ALLOWED TWO OTHER DISPENSARIES ON THE SAME STREET.
YOU AND THE OPERATORS HAVE COMPETITION ALREADY AND YOU KNOW THAT.
SO DON'T USE AN ARGUMENT THAT SUPPORTS A FARCICAL CLAIM.
UH, PAUL WADOWSKI, THERE HE IS TO BE FOLLOWED BY B AVENUE RESIDENT.
CAN WE FLIP THE ORDER? IS THAT COOL, PLEASE? HUH? CAN WE FLIP THE ORDER WITH WHO? WE'RE GONNA DO B AVENUE AND OH, OKAY.
UH, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF.
UH, WE ARE THE RESIDENTS OF B AVENUE BETWEEN 21ST AND 22ND STREET.
SO, UM, WE HAVE A FLOODING ISSUE ON OUR WEST SIDE OF OUR STREET THAT'S, UM, ANNUAL.
UH, WE WERE LUCKY THIS YEAR THAT WATER DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE HOUSES.
UH, THIS TIME THOUGH IT HAS IN THE PAST.
UM, OF COURSE WE DIDN'T GET A HIT AS HARD AS FOLKS DID, YOU KNOW, LAST, LAST YEAR IN JANUARY MM-HMM
UM, BUT IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING LIKE LOOMING ON OUR BLOCK AND ESPECIALLY GOING AROUND, UH, HEADING WEST ON 22ND TOWARDS A AVENUE, UH, BECAUSE ALL THE WATER GOES DOWNHILL AND THERE'S ONLY ONE BIG STORM DRAIN AND IT GETS OVERWHELMED, UM, EVERY TIME.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, UM, IS MAYBE JUST, UH, TO START THINKING ABOUT SOME KIND OF LONG-TERM SOLUTION.
WHETHER IT'S REROUTING WATER TO ANOTHER STORM DRAIN OR ADDING ONE PERHAPS.
LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN A REAL POSSIBILITY, BUT, YOU KNOW, I DID SEE ON THE WARRANT, UH, REGISTER THAT THAT MONEY WAS, UH, PAID TO REPLACE A STORM DRAIN ON PALM.
UM, SO MAYBE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO DO SOMETHING THERE, BUT, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS ANXIOUS WHEN IT COMES RAINY SEASON BECAUSE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT OUR GARAGES ARE GONNA, ARE GONNA GET FLOODED OUT
'CAUSE IT'S PRETTY MUCH HAPPENS EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, LONG TERM SOLUTION.
UH, AND ALSO WE MAYBE IF WE COULD, UH, CLOSE THE STREET OFF BECAUSE CARS COME THROUGH AND THEN THEY SEND THE WAVES OF WATER AND THAT'S WHEN ALL THE WATER GOES THROUGH OUR PROPERTIES.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I'LL REACH OUT TO, TO YOU LU, UM, FOR A SOLUTION THERE.
UM, AGAIN, MAN, I DON'T HAVE TIME.
I CAN'T BE HERE LATER, SO I'M GONNA JUST TALK ABOUT 12 ONE REALLY QUICK.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT UNDER THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M, WHAT'S THAT? CAN'T DO THAT UNDER THE PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M AFRAID.
[00:20:01]
CAN I GET THROUGH AS MUCH AS I CAN? FORGET ABOUT 12 ONE, I'M JUST GONNA, NO, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT 12 ONE REALLY QUICK.GENERALLY, I THINK GENERALLY, UH, ANY KIND OF INVESTIGATION, UH, NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH NEUTRALITY.
AND I DON'T THINK IT'S POSSIBLE BASED ON, UH, WHAT SOME FOLKS WANT IS, I GUESS MY ONLY COMMENT.
BECAUSE NOBODY THINKS THAT THERE IS, UH, NEUTRALITY EXISTING, UM, ON A, ON AN ITEM LIKE THIS.
UM, GLORIA, CAN WE GET THE TRANSLATION ON THAT PLEASE? CARLA CARLOS? YES.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING REPRESENTING OLDER ADULTS IN NATIONAL CITY AS WELL, AS WELL AS OTHER RESIDENTS TO TELL YOU THAT WE'RE URGENTLY NEED THE POOL TO BE REOPENED.
WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS FOR THEM TO URGENTLY, UH, GET A PART.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT FAR AWAY COUNTRY THEY'RE GETTING IT FROM.
THAT IT'S TAKEN TWO YEARS TO GET THE PART IN THE LAS PALMAS POOL HAS EXISTED FOR OVER 60 YEARS AS PART OF OUR HISTORY.
IT IS A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND IT PROVIDES FOR PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SOCIAL HEALTH.
WE GOT FUNDING THREE YEARS AGO AND IT'S STILL NOT PROPERLY FIXED.
AND I GET NO ANSWERS FROM ANYONE AT CITY COUNCIL.
UH, WE NOW GO TO, UH, THE, UH, SPEAKERS ON ZOOM.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS BECKY RAPP AND I'M A PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATOR CONCERNED FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AS INTOXICATING HEMP PRODUCTS ARE CONTINUING CONTINUALLY BEING SOLD IN SMOKE SHOPS ALL OVER OUR CITY.
UM, IN SEPTEMBER, 2024, GOVERNOR NEWSOM ENACTED EMERGENCY REGULATIONS BANNING THE SALE OF THESE INTOXICATING HEMP PRODUCTS.
AND THIS EMERGENCY BAN WAS SET FOR 18 MONTHS AND WILL EXPIRE ON MARCH 31ST.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HAS BEEN NO ENFORCEMENT SURROUNDING THIS EMERGENCY BAN AS NEARLY HALF OF ALL SMOKE SHOPS ARE STILL STILL SELLING THESE PRODUCTS ILLEGALLY.
UH, TWO, TWO SHOPS WITHIN ONE MILE OF MY HOME HAVE BEEN WARNED MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT CONTINUE TO SELL THE PRODUCTS AS IF THEY'RE NOT AFRAID OF ANY RAMIFICATIONS.
WITH THIS EMERGENCY ORDER ABOUT TO EXPIRE, THE GOVERNOR AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH HAVE FILED TO EXTEND THE ORDER THROUGH JUNE, 2025.
THIS IS GOOD NEWS, BUT ONLY IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO ENFORCE IT.
UM, TODAY I URGE THE CITY TO TAKE A PROACTIVE STANCE, YOUR COMMENT IN PROTECTING OUR CITY, ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN, BY CREATING THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT THAT BANS THE SALE OF INTOXICATING EATING HEMP PRODUCTS.
HELLO, GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
TONIGHT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT FROM OUR NEIGHBORING CITY OF EL CAJON THAT I BELIEVE THAT NATIONAL CITY SHOULD FOLLOW.
LAST WEEK, EL CAJON MADE HISTORY BY BECOMING ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES TO BAN THE SALE OF VAPING DEVICES DISGUISED AS EVERYDAY ITEMS LIKE PENS, SMART WATCHES, AND EVEN THIN FIDGET SPINNERS.
THIS NEW LAW, WHICH COULD BE THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION, IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND ENSURE THEY'RE NOT EXPOSED TO VAPING DEVICES HIDDEN IN SEEMINGLY HARMLESS OBJECTS.
[00:25:01]
LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT THE ISSUE POINTING OUT THAT THESE DEVICES ARE BEING USED BY KIDS AS YOUNG AS MIDDLE SCHOOLERS.AND WHAT'S EVEN MORE ALARMING IS THAT THESE DEVICES AREN'T JUST FOR NICOTINE.
THEY CAN ALSO BE USED TO VAPE CANNABIS.
CAJONS LAW CARRIES SIGNIFICANT PENALTIES FOR VIOLATORS WITH FINES OF UP TO $2,500 PER OFFENSE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSING A TOBACCO RETAILER'S LICENSE FOR REPEATED VIOLATIONS.
THESE TOUGH MEASURES ARE INTENDED TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THIS BEHAVIOR WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
GOOD EVENING, NATIONAL CITY, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR MORRISON.
THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL FACTS WEEK.
IT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT FOCUSED ON THE SCIENCE OF ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OTHER DRUG USE AND ADDICTION.
ITS GOAL IS TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER YOUTH TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES TO THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND IMPORTANT ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA AND OTHER DRUG.
FACT IS THAT DRIVERS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 21 AND 24 ACCOUNT FOR 27% OF ALL FATAL ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND DRUG IMPAIRED CRASHES FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY 25 TO 35 YEAR OLDS AT 25% OF SPECIAL CONCERN TO ME.
AND OTHER PARENTS OF YOUNG ADULTS ARE HIGHLY CONCENTRATED INTOXICATING MARIJUANA PRODUCTS, WHICH ARE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY THE TYPE OF PRODUCTS SOLD AT MARIJUANA STOREFRONTS AND USED IN CONSUMPTION LOUNGES.
IT'S HARD TO MAKE, TO TAKE ANY MARIJUANA BUSINESS SERIOUSLY WHEN THEY CARE ABOUT, UH, YOUNG PEOPLE AND HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIES WHEN IT IS THE PRODUCT CURRENTLY BEING MANUFACTURED AND SOLD AND AGGRESSIVELY ADVERTISED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ENLARGED BILLBOARDS AROUND OUR ROADWAYS.
OKAY, MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENTS IN ZOOM.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO STAY ON WELL UNDER THE 30 MINUTES.
UM, WITH THAT, WE NOW GET INTO OUR, UM, PROCLAMATIONS AND WE GOT A BUNCH OF 'EM HERE.
AND
DID I LEAVE THE ONE OVER THERE? THAT WAS THE, THE COMMON ONE.
[6.2 Proclamation: Women's History Month]
FOR BASIC WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, AND WE DO THIS EVERY MARCH.UH, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR GENERATIONS OF TRAILBLAZING WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO HAVE BUILT OUR NATION, SHAPED OUR PROGRESS, AND STRENGTHENED OUR COLLECTIVE IDENTITY.
AND, UH, SO ON THIS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, WE REFLECT UPON THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS ACROSS THE CENTURIES AND PAY TRIBUTE TO THE PIONEERS WHO HAVE PAVED THE WAY.
LET US RECOMMIT TO THE ONGOING FIGHT FOR E UH, EQUALITY.
STRIVE TO FULFILL THE DEEPLY AMERICAN VISION OF A MORE EQUAL SOCIETY WHERE EVERY PERSON HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THE AMERICAN DREAM.
IN DOING SO, WE WILL ADVANCE THE ECONOMIC GROWTH, IMPROVE OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY AND BOER THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION AND THE WORLD.
THAT'S THE ONE I WAS LOOKING FOR.
AND, UH, SO IT WAS MY HONOR TO GO AHEAD AND PRESENT.
AND EACH YEAR WE PICK OUT A DIFFERENT GROUP OF WOMEN THAT ARE, UH, EITHER LIVE IN NATIONAL CITY OR ARE, ARE DOING DYNAMIC THINGS WITHIN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY.
AND WE PRESENT TO THEM A PROCLAMATION IN HONOR OF THEIR, WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD BY THEIR, THEIR ACTIONS, BY THEIR ATTITUDES, BY THEIR VERY LIFE ITSELF.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CALL UP SOME DIFFERENT LADIES HERE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, MARIBEL GARY.
[00:30:01]
MIN, UH, MINTEL MONTEL HERE.I SAW HER OUT THERE SOMEWHERE A MOMENT AGO.
AND, UH, I KNOW LORI IS OUT OF TOWN.
UH, ALSO DO WE HAVE CONNIE
SO THAT, THOSE ARE NOT, SO I DO HAVE ONE FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
AND SO ANGEL, YOU AND FOR CONNIE IS NOT HERE.
WE DO HAVE ONE FOR ELLEN, NO PLACE.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE LILIANA ARMA LILY.
LILY AND, UH, LORIANNE PEOPLES IS NOT, NOT HERE THIS EVENING.
UH, MARIBEL THE COACH BEHIND THE COACH RIGHT THERE.
AND, UH, RANDY CASTLE SALGADO.
SO YOU COME RIGHT IN FRONT THE PODIUM SO THE PODIUM DOESN'T BLOCK YOU OUT.
HAVE THE OTHER ONE OVER HERE, WHICH CONNIE, PUT THAT OVER HERE.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT (Part 2 of 2)]
JUST FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE I'VE GOT A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SLIPS HERE, SPEAKER SLIPS, AND I'M TRYING TO KEEP 'EM ALL DONE.AND I MISSED ONE UNDER GENERAL COMMENT.
AND SO, UH, EDO, YOU'VE GOT ONE MINUTE.
SO, UM, DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE ASPECTS ARE DOING WELL IN BASKETBALL RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS, UM, FORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, I COME BACK AND I HAVE TO POUND ON THESE POINTS EVERY TIME I COME HERE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, YOU KNOW, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE DON'T HAVE A COST ALLOCATION PLAN.
HERE WE ARE IN MARCH, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU WOULD'VE COME DOWN TO THE END OF THE YEAR? WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT'S, IT'S NOT RIGHT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE FED, YOU KNOW, THERE'S IN THE NEWSPAPER, ALL THIS FEDERAL FUNDING'S BEING CUT.
IT'S AFFECTING PEOPLE'S JOBS, OUR, OUR, OUR GRANTS, YOU KNOW, AND I LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE CITY HAS TO SAY ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK AS A CITIZEN FROM MY END, WE'RE GETTING THAT INFORMATION.
I HOPE SINCE FORTH, YOU KNOW, WE START COMING UP WITH THIS INFORMATION AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS THAT HAVE TO DO.
I KEEP, YOU KNOW, I LIKE BEN, BUT YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED.
I ONLY, FORTUNATELY, I ONLY HAVE ONE MINUTE, SO I'M GONNA GET RIGHT TO IT, YOU KNOW, THAT, UM, WE DON'T WANT TO BE TALKING ABOUT DIPPING INTO OUR RESERVES.
[00:35:01]
THANK YOU.REAL QUICK, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, BEN, BECAUSE I DID ASK YOU AND THANK YOU MR. NIETO FOR EXPLAINING THE COST, UH, RECOVERY, UM, ISSUE TO ME.
AND THEN I DID ASK, UM, OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR FINANCE, UH, DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK, UH, UH, THE DIRECT COST, THE REIMBURSEMENT A HAVING A PLAN, AS I UNDERSTAND, WE DON'T, WE HAVE ONE FOR, UM, FOR CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS, BUT NOT ALL ENCOMPASSING, RIGHT? SO CAN YOU AT LEAST CLARIFY THAT? THANK YOU.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA UPDATE YOU THAT UPDATE YOU ON THAT BRIEFING ON THAT THURSDAY SINCE YOU ASKED A QUESTION.
AND WE DO HAVE A CAST CAL COST ALLOCATION, UH, STUDY THAT IS ALMOST PREPARED.
AND WE WILL BE LAUNCHING THAT IN THE, IN THE NEW YEAR.
BUT THAT'S A VERY, VERY BRIEF UPDATE.
I, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE THAT'S FINE.
PROVIDE MORE UPDATE AT, AT A LATER TIME.
NO, I, I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
SO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP MR. NIETO.
I'LL, I'LL, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN THAT MEETING IS.
I WOULD INVITE YOU TO THAT MEETING.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK OR STAFF QUESTIONS AND JUST ASK THAT YOU HELP US OUT IF, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, UH, HAVE THINGS YOU WANNA IDENTIFY.
SO, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT WITH YOU.
[7.1 Parks, Recreation, and Senior Citizen's Advisory Committee Annual Report to City Council]
WITH THAT THEN WE GET INTO, UH, PRESENTATION.THIS IS ON PARKS RECREATION, UH, SENIOR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THEIR ANNUAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, OUR CHAIR, THE CHAIR THAT WAS GOING TO DO THIS PRESENTATION, UM, WAS NOT AL ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING TONIGHT.
SO WE'RE ASKING IF WE CAN CONTINUE THIS ITEM.
[8. REGIONAL BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS]
GO TO REGIONAL BOARDS AND, UH, COMMITTEE REPORTS.I'LL START DOWN HERE ON MY LEFT.
THANK YOU, MR. WE HAD A SANDAG SHORELINE PRESERVATION WORK, UH, GROUP MEETING CANCELED EARLIER THIS MONTH.
THE GOVERNING BOARD TOOK A SUPPORT POSITION ON SENATE BILL 4 5 4 MCNAMEE HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE RELATING TO WATER.
UM, SENATE BILL 4 9 6 HERTADO, UM, ADVANCED GREEN FLEETS REGULATION.
THIS BILL WOULD EXPAND EMERGENCY VEHICLE EXEMPTION UNDER THE ADVANCED CLEAN FLEETS REGULATION AND ASSEMBLY.
BILL 2 5 9 BLANCA RUBIO ON ACT AMENDED REPEAL SECTIONS.
UM, THAT'S, UH, RELATING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SWEETWATER AUTHORITIES COMMITTED TO KEEPING YOU INFORMED ABOUT PEAR AND POLYFLOR ALK KILL SUBSTANCES KNOWN AS PAS, WHICH ARE MANMADE CHEMICALS FOUND IN COMMON HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT CAN MAKE THEIR WAY INTO WATER SOURCES.
PFAS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE THAT WATER PROVIDERS GLOBALLY ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS DUE.
ITS DUE DUE TO ITS PREVALENCE IN SOCIETY.
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE US UM, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ARE IMPLEMENTING NEW REGULATIONS TO ADDRESS PFAS AND DRINKING WATER.
RECENT STATE AND FEDERAL REGULATORY CHANGES REQUIRE WATER PROVI PROVIDERS, INCLUDING SWEETWATER AUTHORITY TO INCREASE MONITORING EFFORTS BY 2027 AND COMPLY WITH NEW STANDARDS BY 2029.
SWEETWATER AUTHORITIES COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY AND SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
UM, SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY.
UM, WE ARE, UM, LOOKING AT, UM, SIGNIFICANT BUDGET RATE AND DIS UH, DISCUSSIONS AT OUR NEXT MEETING ON THURSDAY, MARCH 27.
WE WERE PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON STRATEGIC PLANNING GOALS FOR 26 28.
UM, THAT WILL ALSO BE PRESENTED TO US, TO THE FULL BOARD ON MARCH 27TH FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
UM, NO REPORTABLE ITEM FOR, UH, WASTEWATER, UH, JPA.
UH, CAL, UH, CALTRANS SANDAG, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT SANDAG MET LAST FRIDAY ON, UH, MARCH 14TH.
UH, WE COVERED A LOT OF TOPICS.
I WILL BE, UM, HIGHLIGHTING JUST A FEW CALTRAN WILL BE MOVING FORWARD WITH AN AUDIT OF SANDAG.
THIS WILL COVER THE PERIOD FROM DECEMBER 21ST, 2021, UH, THROUGH DECEMBER, 2024.
UM, FEDERAL GRANTS, UH, YOU KNOW, DUE TO THE, UH, SITUATION FROM THE, UM, EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THERE IS A PAUSE ON EIGHT PROJECTS AT SANDAG DUE TO, UM, A LACK OF FUNDING THAT IS FLOWING FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
A COUPLE OF THESE PROJECTS THAT I HAVE BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON INCLUDE THE VESTA STREET, UM,
[00:40:01]
UH, PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY THAT IS PART OF THE HARBOR DRIVE 2.0 PROJECT THAT CALTRANS IS, UH, INVESTING A LOT OF MONEY IN.UH, THERE IS AN $11 MILLION PAUSE ON THE FUNDING FOR, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT.
AND IT, IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA KEEP AN EYE ON, UH, AS WELL.
THERE IS, UM, PARTS OF THE OTAI MESA EAST PROJECT, ABOUT 150 MILLION THAT, UH, IS NOT YET FUNDED BECAUSE OF THE PAUSE ON FEDERAL GRANTS.
THE, THE OTHER 0.0, TWO MORE THINGS.
ONE IS BIKE ANYWHERE DAY, UH, IS HAPPENING.
MAY 15TH, PLEASE BIKE, USE YOUR BICYCLE BIKE ANYWHERE ON MAY 15TH, TAKE PICTURES, PUT THEM ONLINE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE DISCUSSED, UM, HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION ON THE DOWNTOWN STOP OVER, UM, IN, UH, DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A PLAN FOR BUSES TO HAVE A, UH, PLACE TO BE STATIONARY FOR, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, BUT SEVERAL HOURS, UH, OR MAYBE A SHORT TIME.
THIS GIVES THE BUS DRIVERS A, UH, ABILITY TO TAKE A BREAK AS THEY SHOULD.
UH, RIGHT NOW, THE LACK OF CURB SPACES AS WELL AS THE ENDLESS CONSTRUCTION THAT HAPPENS DOWNTOWN HAS MADE IT A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION FOR THE CURRENT PLAN IN PLACE RIGHT NOW FOR BUSES TO BE IDLE, UH, ALONG THE CURB.
SO THE DOWNTOWN STOPOVER PROJECT, UM, WILL BRING EVENTUALLY A LAYOVER FACILITY OFF OF THE STREET, UM, FOR, UH, A BRAKE AREA FOR THE DRIVERS, UH, LIKE MAINTENANCE ON SOME OF THE VEHICLES.
AND, UM, LASTLY, THE OFFICE MOVE FOR THE ENTIRE BUILDING FOR, FOR THE, UH, UH, REGIONAL BUILDING OR, UM, FOR SANDAG.
WE HAVE OUR OCCUPANCY PERMIT NOW, AND WE WILL BEGIN AT THE WEST BUILDING DOWNTOWN.
WE WILL BEGIN HOLDING OUR MEETINGS THERE, UH, BEGINNING IN APRIL.
JUST REAL QUICK, AND IT'S SIMILAR TO THE UPDATES I GAVE LAST TIME FOR, UH, METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEM, MTS.
WE, AGAIN, WENT OVER SOME BUDGET UPDATES.
UH, WE, UH, DID GET SOME, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING FOR TRANSIT THAT, UM, IN THIS LAST, UH, BUDGET, UH, THE FEDERAL BUDGET, UH, RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED.
SO, SO IT'S LOOKING, UH, GOOD.
NOT GREAT, BUT GOOD BECAUSE WE STILL NEED A MORE, UH, MORE STATE FUNDING.
UH, AND, UH, WE ALSO HAD A REVIEW OF OUR, UH, PROCUREMENTS PROCESS AND, UM, UH, HOW WE AWARD CONTRACTS TO WOMEN, MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES, ET CETERA.
AND, UH, MY REPORT FROM SWEETWATER AUTHORITY, WE ALSO GOT LEGISLATIVE UPDATES THIS WEEK.
UH, LAST WEEK WAS THE LAST WEEK TO GET IN, UH, NEW PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
OVER 2,500 BILLS WERE INTRODUCED.
ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THOSE ARE WHAT THEY CALL SPOT BILLS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SUBSTANCE TO 'EM.
AND, UH, SO, AND EVEN SOME OF THE BILLS THAT AREN'T SPOT BILLS THAT HAVE SUBSTANCE TO 'EM, THEY CAN BE CHANGED AROUND LATER.
SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE, UH, BECAUSE IT CAN CHANGE ON THE DROP OF A HAT.
AND SO, UM, SO ANYWAY, A LOT OF BILLS, UH, GOING THROUGH AND A LOT OF 'EM HAVING A LOT OF THINGS TO DO WITH OUR EVERYDAY LIVING.
AND, UH, AND YET THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF HOLD UP BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM.
THEY DON'T GET A WHOLE LOT OF, UH, OVERSIGHT.
SO SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON WITH THAT.
[9. CONSENT CALENDAR (Part 1 of 2)]
WE GO INTO CONSENT CALENDARS.I'VE GOT RE PUBLIC REQUEST ON 9 2 9 3 9 4 9 5 9 6, 9 11 AND NINE 12.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WANTED TO BE PULLED? OTHERWISE WE COULD GET A MOTION TO DO THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
[9.2 Approval for Mayor Ron Morrison and Josie Flores-Clark to attend the 2025 Mission to Washington, D.C. on April 6-9, 2025.]
WITH NINE TWO.THIS IS APPROVAL FOR MAYOR RON MORRISON AND JOSIE FLORES CLARK TO ATTEND THE 2025 MISSION TO WASHINGTON, DC ON APRIL THE SIXTH THROUGH THE NINTH.
UH, THIS WOULD BE THROUGH THE, UH, REGIONAL SAN DIEGO REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
WE DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS, UH, THOMAS REICH AND THEN EDWARDO.
I'LL MAKE, I'LL MAKE THIS, I'LL MAKE THIS SHORT.
THE COST OF THE, THE COST OF THE WASHINGTON TRIP IS $6,402,
[00:45:03]
AND THE TRIP IN THE TRIP TO IS 6,400 DEAD DOLLARS.UH, EDWARD GETTO, HERE'S AN EXERCISE TO CONSIDER.
NOT TO SAY YOU HAVE TO DO IT, AND THERE'S GONNA BE ARGUMENTS NOT TO DO.
YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE AND HOW IS IT RELATED TO THE CITY? I THINK WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE THAT, AND THE ANSWER WILL HELP STRENGTHEN WHETHER, WE CAN ARGUE WHETHER THIS COST CAN BE ALLOCATED AND WE CAN GET REIMBURSED FOR IT.
PEOPLE THINK, WELL, NO, THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY YOU CAN'T.
WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS WE CHALLENGE THAT AND ASK CAN, WHY CAN'T WE GET REIMBURSED FOR IT? WHY CAN'T WE SPREAD IT TO OUR FUNDING SOURCES? IF THE, IF THE, IF THE, UH, PURPOSE OF THE TRIP IS PROPERLY, UH, DOCUMENTED AND RELATES TO THE FUNDING SOURCE, EVERY PENNY COUNTS.
UM, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS A, A MISSION TRIP THAT GOES ON BY THE SAN DIEGO REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
A GOOD NUMBER OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS GO AND THE BUSINESS LEADERS FROM THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
UH, WE HAVE, THERE'S NORMALLY A SERIES OF MEETINGS.
I'VE NEVER BEEN ON THIS ONE BEFORE, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
UH, THE, UH, UH, BUT THERE'S A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH BOTH AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL, CONGRESSIONAL LEVEL, AND THEN WE SET UP A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEETINGS DEALING WITH MORE LOCAL ISSUES, ESPECIALLY DEALING WITH OUR FUNDING.
AND RIGHT NOW, IN PARTICULAR, GETTING IN PEOPLE'S FACES BACK THERE CONCERNING OUR FUNDING, UH, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A HOLD ON A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES, BUT IT'S A HOLD FOR THE MOST PART.
AND WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW THERE'S WASTEFUL SPENDING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LET 'EM KNOW THAT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, HOW THAT THEY DEFINITELY AFFECT PEOPLE'S LIVES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO WITHOUT, WITHOUT THAT KIND OF REPRESENTATION, WE DON'T GET OUR MESSAGE OUT THERE.
AND, UH, SO WE DID HAVE, WHEN WE DID THE, UH, UH, THIS LAST YEAR, THE TRIP TO MEXICO CITY WITH THE REGIONAL CHAMBER, AT THAT POINT, WE WERE SAYING THAT WE WOULD BE PUTTING THOSE, THOSE TRIPS ON OUR ACCEPTED LIST.
BUT THE TIME OF YEAR HASN'T COME UP FOR THAT ACCEPTED LIST.
THAT'S THE REASON WE HAD TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.
AND THIS WOULD COME DIRECTLY OUT OF THE, UH, THE MAYOR'S BUDGET, UH, TO DO THIS.
SO, UH, ANY OTHER THROUGH THE CHAIR? YES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR PART AS ELECTED, PAID FOR BY THE CHAMBER AND ALL YOU'RE DOING IS TO, UM, TAKE CARE OF YOUR FLIGHT AND YOUR RIGHT.
SO I UNDERSTAND HOW WE AS ELECTEDS GO TO, UM, MEET WITH, UM, OUR LEGISLATORS MM-HMM
UM, TO, UM, YOU AND SHOW OUR FACES SO THEY WON'T FORGET, FORGET US WHEN THERE ARE FUNDINGS AVAILABLE FOR US.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO GET THE, UH, THE, UH, JUSTIFICATION OF WHY, UM, YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE YOUR EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.
WELL, THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT, UM, I MEAN, SORRY.
UH, WHILE, WHILE WE'RE BACK THERE ON TRIPS LIKE THIS, THIS THING HAPPENS VERY FAST, FURIOUS, SETTING UP THE APPOINTMENTS, GETTING THE ARRANGEMENTS GOING, UH, THINGS, THINGS CHANGE ON A HAT BACK THERE.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU, YOU NEED NORMALLY ON THESE THINGS, EVERY, EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL NORMALLY TAKES A, A BLAME ENTOURAGE WITH THEM.
UH, BUT I DO KNOW HOW FAST AND FURIOUS THIS IS GONNA GO OVER A FEW DAYS.
AND SO HAVING, HAVING A PERSON WITH THE EXPERTISE, UH, PROFESSIONALISM THAT LIKE A, UH, UH, JOSIE FLORES CLARK HAS, WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN, IN A SITUATION.
ALONG THIS LINE, THROUGH THE CHAIR, CAN WE BIFURCATE THIS AGENDA ITEM UP TO YOU? I MOVE TO BIFURCATE THIS FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT ANALYST.
THERE'S, I WILL TAKE THAT MOTION A SECOND AS WE WANNA DO THAT.
WHAT, WHY ARE WE, SO YOU WANT TO BI OH, BIFURCATE THE DECISION ON IT? YES.
I, SO FOR, FOR ME, I'M GONNA VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE MAYOR'S STAFF GOING, SO WE HAD, OR I HAD MY STAFF GO TO, UH, THE LAST TRAINING, UM, THAT WAS IN, WAS THAT JANUARY, UM, THE LEAGUE OF CITIES TRAINING.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR STAFF TO GO AND TO ASSIST US.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT.
SO, BUT I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON IT BECAUSE I THINK FOR THIS TRIP, I THINK HE GAVE A FINE
[00:50:01]
EXPLANATION FOR IT.SO, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES EITHER WITH, UH, YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ANI YOU BRINGING YOUR STAFF, SO, UH, TO TRIP.
SO THAT'S, YEAH, I JUST, I'M, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I DON'T THINK, MAYOR, YOU GUYS HIT THE BUTTONS.
I'LL JUST STATE, UH, SOMETHING REALLY QUICK.
MR. MAYOR, I, I AM GENERALLY IN SUPPORT OF ANY OF US GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE FUNDING AND FOR BILLS THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE, UH, UH, OF NATIONAL CITY.
BUT CONSIDERING THE DYNAMIC WITH THE COMMUNITY AND YOUR OFFICE MANAGER, I WILL BE VOTING NO ON THE ITEM.
WELL, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UH, IN THIS CASE, MS. CLARK HAS, HAS WORKED IN MY OFFICE FOR 18 YEARS.
ONLY ONE OTHER TIME AS SHE WENT ON ONE, IT WAS ONE, ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS ON THESE LARGE MISSION DRIPS AND WHEN SHE WAS ENTIRELY INVALUABLE DURING THAT.
AND SO, UH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I DO LIGHTLY AND THEN SAY IN 18 YEARS, ONLY THE SECOND TIME.
UH, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF MISSION THAT THIS IS.
SO WITH THAT, UH, MOTION OF SECOND, AND DID YOU GUYS PUSH YOUR BUTTONS IN TO BIFURCATE IT? THIS IS A MOTION.
DO WE HAVE TO PUT THIS ONE? YES.
UM, MOTION FAILS BY THREE TO TWO.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL, I'LL SECOND THAT.
CAN WE GET A REPORT FOR THIS FROM YOUR MANAGEMENT ANALYST, PLEASE? AFTER THE, AFTER THE, UH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, SO, YOU KNOW, MORE DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION PASSES BY FOUR TO ONE VOTE.
[9.3 Approval for Vice-Mayor Marcus Bush and Daniel Gonzalez to attend the 2025 APTA Mobility Conference on April 6-9, 2025.]
GO TO ITEM 9.3.THIS IS APPROVAL FOR VICE MAYOR MARCUS BUSH AND DANIEL GONZALEZ TO ATTEND THE 2025, UH, APTA MOBILITY CONFERENCE ON APRIL 6TH THROUGH NINTH.
HAPPENS TO BE THE SAME DATES, BUT A DIFFERENT DIFFERENT PLACE.
SO WITH THAT, I'VE GOT THOMAS REICH AND EDO, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT YOUR MEETING IN SANTA TO SAN, NO, AUSTIN, TEXAS IS GONNA COST $1,918 AND MTS IS GONNA, THE ME METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY IS GONNA CONTRIBUTE TO IT.
IS THAT RIGHT? THEY'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT.
AND YOUR ASSISTANT, IT'S GONNA GET ONE 7,204.
UH, HOW MANY, WHEN IS APRIL? WHEN IS APRIL 6TH AND THE NINTH? IS THAT TWO WEEKS AWAY, OR THREE WEEKS AWAY? IT'S ABOUT ABOUT THREE WEEKS AWAY.
AND EDWARDO, THAT WAS A, A GOOD DISCUSSION.
UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT THOSE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED.
THE THING IS THAT I, AND EVERYBODY HAS TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR WHATEVER THEY DO.
BUT THE THING IS, AND THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION, IF YOU COULD GET A REPORT NOW, HOW DOES THE REPORT FIT IN? WOULD THAT BE DOCUMENTED ENOUGH SO THAT WE COULD CLAIM IT TO OUR FUNDING SOURCE THAT'S GONNA BE ALLOCATED AND THERE'S HOOPS TO BE JUMPED THROUGH, AND IF THOSE TROOPS ARE JUMPED THROUGH PROPERLY, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THAT.
AND IS THE COST FOR THESE TRIPS GENERAL FUND, OR IS IT NOT GENERAL FUND? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT.
HEY, UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS FOR HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE, ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
UH, TO MR. NIKO'S POINT, WHAT IS THE TRIP FOR IT'S TRAINING? IT'S, UH, IDENTIFYING FUNDER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
IT'S, UH, LEARNING, UH, FROM A HOST OF TOPICS LIKE ELECTRIC, UH, BUSES, UM, FUNDING, UH, TOPICS WITH THE FEDERAL, UH, GOVERNMENT, UH, RELATIONSHIPS, UM, AND COMMUNICATION WITH DIFFERENT, UH, AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE FUNDING AND THAT WE WORK WITH, UH, MANUFACTURERS.
UH, MY GOAL IS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ART GRANTS BECAUSE WE HAVE A PROJECT, UM, ADDRESSING GRAFFITI ON 24TH STREET, WHICH IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA'S DISTRICT, AND TO THE QUE.
UH, AND, AND I WANT TO BRING MY COUNCIL REP BECAUSE HE'S MY COUNCIL REP, AS I SAID EARLIER.
SO THIS IS A TRAINING LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM FOLLOW UP, INCLUDING THE REPORT AFTER.
AND THE QUESTION, MR. NIETO, UH, CAN IT BE REIMBURSED? I, UH, VIA THE COST, UM, OTHER DIRECT COST
[00:55:01]
COST ALLOCATION? I, I DON'T KNOW.AND I WOULD PUT THAT TO, UH, BEN AND OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, BRUCE, IF WE CAN KIND OF HAVE IN OUR MINDS TO BE PREPARED TO MAYBE LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE IT IS A COMPLEX FORMULA THAT HONESTLY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO IF I CAN GET SOME HELP WITH THAT, UM, MY PART OF THE TRIP IS REIMBURSED BY MTS AND I WILL BE REQUESTING MTS STAFF.
I WILL BE, UH, REQUESTING MTS STAFF FOR REIMBURSEMENT ON, ON MY ASSISTANT.
THAT ISN'T THROUGH, AND THAT'S NOT GUARANTEED, BUT THAT'S WHAT I, UH, DO AND INTEND TO DO.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE NO, I DON'T.
UH, NO, WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION ON THIS.
I SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND SEEING THE DISCUSSION.
OH, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH, NO, NO DISCUSSION.
NO, HE WAS REACHING FIRST BUTTON.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
[9.4 Acceptance of Annual Grant Funds to Support the Regional Realignment Response Group (R3G) Operations in the Amount of $67,000.]
GO TO NINE FOUR.ACCEPTANCE OF ANNUAL GRANT FUNDS AND SUPPORT OF THE REGIONAL REALIGNMENT RESPONSE GROUP OPERATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $67,000.
AND THOMAS RECH, EXCUSE ME, THOMAS REICH? YES.
ACCEPTANCE OF AN ANNUAL GRANTS FUND TO SUPPORT A REGIONAL ALIGNMENT RESPONSE GROUP OPERATIONS AMOUNT FOR $67,000, WHICH WE DON'T REALIZE YOU, THAT IS, THIS IS GO, THIS IS GOING TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE THE PEOPLE AWARE THAT THIS IS FOR, UH, LET'S SEE, FOR FOLLOWING PROBATE PROBATIONERS AND PEOPLE FROM GOING FROM PEOPLE FROM GETTING OUT OF PRISON.
AND IT'S, AND I THINK IT'S, I THINK WE'RE BECOMING A POLICE STATE IN THAT WAY, BUT I'LL JUST, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
THAT'S THE ONLY SPEAKER WE HAVE ON THAT ITEM.
WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE, MR. CHAIR? OKAY.
SO YOU, NO MORE DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION APPROVED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, VICE MAYOR, UH, BUSH ABSENT.
[9.5 Agreement Amendment with Devaney Pate Morris & Cameron, LLP, for Legal Services in the Specialized Area of Land Use and Business Matters Regarding the San Diego Unified Port District.]
GO TO NINE FIVE AG AGREEMENT AMENDMENT WITH DEVANEY PATE MORRISON CAMERON, UH, LLC FOR LEGAL SERVICES, SPECIALIZED AREA OF LAND USE AND BUSINESS, UH, MATTERS REGARDING THE SAN DIEGO COURT DISTRICT.UH, MR. THOMAS REICH BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARDO COURT DISTRICT.
AND I WAS READING THE THINGS THAT THE, THAT THE, THE, WE PAY THE GO, WE PAY THE LAWYERS $400 AN HOUR.
NOW THE, THE $400 AN HOUR STARTS WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR OFFICE, WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR OFFICE AND COME TO NATIONAL CITY AND TRY TO FIND A PLACE TO PARK BEHIND THE POLICE STATION OR SOMEPLACE BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO FIND A PLACE TO PARK PARKLAND.
AND THE I, THIS ONE IS ALL RIGHT, BUT THEIR OFFICE IS DOWNTOWN, BUT THE OTHER OFFICE IS IN TEMECULA.
SO IF THEY DRIVE AT $400 AN HOUR FROM TEMECULA TO HERE AND WE PAY FOR IT, THAT'S PART OF THE THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY.
BUT ON THIS, ON THIS, ON THIS, UH, DELANEY, DELANEY AND CAMERON, THEY'RE GETTING 25,000 TO 50,000 GOING TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
NOW THERE'S 60,000 PEOPLE IN UNITED, IN NATIONAL CITY, CALIFORNIA.
SO THAT'S A DOLLAR FOR EACH PERSON GOING TO DEVANEY.
DEVANEY, PEYTON, MORRIS AND CAMERON.
AND THIS ONE, I LIKE TO VOTE NO.
UH, AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THIS IS ADDING MONEY TO AN AMENDMENT FOR, FOR, UH, SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING.
WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE THIS, UH, THE MSA ISSUE, A WHITE PAPER'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND WE HAVEN'T, WE SPENT MONEY AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE AN MMSA AGREEMENT.
[01:00:01]
YOU KNOW, I'VE TALKED ABOUT, I TALKED TO DR.UNGA, YOU KNOW, AND HE, UM, HE'S TOLD ME THAT THE PORT HAS ASKED FOR INFORMATION AND TO THE BEST OF HIS KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVEN'T PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION.
SO WHAT'S THE HANGUP? I MEAN, WE HAVE TO BUDGET DEFICIT.
THIS POTENTIALLY HAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO, THAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE NOW.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DRAGGING OUR FEET AND THAT'S A MANAGEMENT ISSUE AND THAT'S A LAWYER ISSUE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND I LIKE AN EXPLANATION BECAUSE THIS IS MONEY THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S NOT A NEW ISSUE.
IT'S AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED.
COUNSEL, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE ON 9.5? MR. MAYOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT 9.5.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, JUST MENTION SOMETHING REALLY QUICK.
UH, I KNOW IT MAY SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MONEY TO PAY FOR LEGAL FEES AND IT IS, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE US TO MAYBE TAKE A MOMENT, UM, AT A SEPARATE TIME AND LOOK AT THE SCOPE OF THE SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE MAKING SURE THAT OUR, UM, UH, UH, WE GET OUR FAIR SHARE FROM OUR PORT DISTRICT, THAT WE WORK WITH OUR CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION IN DEVELOPING OUR PORT TIDELANDS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, OUR, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN DEVELOPED, UM, AND THE BAYFRONT DEVELOPED.
AND SO I THINK ALL THIS IS THE, IT'S THE POINT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DEVELOP THESE PROPERTIES IN ORDER TO BRING ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE CITY.
SO I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES IT IS, UH, UH, DIFFICULT TO TAKE ON SOME OF THESE COSTS AND LEGAL FEES, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE COVER ALL OF OUR BASES AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AT THE PORT, BECAUSE DEVELOPMENT THERE WILL BRING IN JOBS AND WE'LL BRING IN REVENUE TO THE CITY IN FORMS OF TAXES, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE DESPERATELY NEED.
SO I, I THANK YOU, UH, ATTORNEY SCHULTZ FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD AND VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO A LOT OF THIS WORK.
UM, YOU, I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO BE, UH, TAKING LONGER, BUT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THINGS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS IN THAT WHITE PAPER AND THAT WHITE PAPER BECAME MORE INVO, YOU KNOW, MORE, MORE, UM, INVOLVED WITH REGARDS TO EACH, UM, OF OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, WHAT THEY'RE PROVIDING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PORT, OUR MAYOR AND OUR DISTRICT ONE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH, UM, THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO.
SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THOSE REPORTS AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE, WE GET THE SHARE THAT WE SAID WE HAVE TO GET.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? YES.
SO, UM, AND, AND STEPH, WE DON'T HAVE, I ASKED EARLIER, BUT WE DON'T HAVE RALPH AVAILABLE OR PRESENTATION OR ANYTHING WITH THIS, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
I WASN'T ASKED TO HAVE HIM THERE, BUT AS YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE MET WITH HIM PERSONALLY AT YOUR REQUEST.
UM, I WILL MAKE ONE LITTLE COMMENT IS THAT IT'S NOT $400 AN HOUR
AND I THINK YOU WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANOTHER FIRM IN THIS COUNTY.
PROVIDING AN HOURLY RATE OF $250.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING I'LL SAY IS THAT, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE MSA AND, AND THAT WAS THE PREPARATION OF THE WHITE PAPER.
UM, HE ALSO NEGOTIATED US THROUGH THE SURPLUS LANDS ACT PROCESS WITH THE STATE, THE HCD, WHICH IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
THAT NOW ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO PUT OUR PROPERTIES OUT FOR AN RFP FOR POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM ON OUR TEAM.
UM, HE HAS SOME VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.
UM, HE ACTUALLY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO'S LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT.
HE UNDERSTANDS THOSE DYNAMICS.
HE WAS AN ECONOMIC DIRECTOR FOR THE PORT OF LA.
HE IS VERY EXPERIENCED ON THE PUBLIC TRUST DOCTRINE, WHICH IS A DOCTRINE THAT THE PORT CONTINUES TO PUT IN OUR FACE EVERY TIME WE TRY TO DO SOMETHING.
SO HE'S BEEN ABLE TO HELP US STRATEGICALLY THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UM, IN TERMS OF HIS SCOPE OF WORK, IT IS LAID OUT IN, UH, YOUR BACKGROUND MATERIAL.
I WILL SAY YOU, YOU'VE APPROVED THIS CONTRACT TWICE.
UM, I HAVE MADE AVAILABLE TO AT LEAST COUNCILMAN BUSH ALL OF THE INVOICES SO THAT HE COULD LOOK AND SEE THE DESCRIPTION OF WORK.
NOW, WE DON'T DO THAT PUBLICLY BECAUSE THAT'S ATTORNEY
[01:05:01]
CLIENT PRIVILEGE, BUT I DID PROVIDE THAT TO COUNCILMAN BUSH AT HIS REQUEST.SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE, THE BACKGROUND.
SO I HAVE, UM, SO, AND I DO WANNA CONFIRM AND APPRECIATE, UH, BARRY FOR CONNECTING ME WITH RALPH.
I'M GONNA BE VOTING NO ON THIS.
WHAT I'M DISAPPOINTED BY WAS THE PROGRESS TO THIS POINT.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR AT LEAST FOUR, THREE, AT LEAST THREE YEARS.
THREE ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE TO FOUR YEARS.
UM, AS I DID ADDITIONAL RESEARCH AFTER, UH, I THINK TWO WEEKS AGO IS WHEN I HAD THE, UH, PHONE CONVERSATION, UH, WITH RALPH.
AND SO, UM, THERE SEEMS TO BE A GOOD PLAN MOVING FORWARD.
FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD EXPECT JUST MOVING FORWARD FROM STAFF, SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHERE YOU'RE REQUESTING MONEY, PLEASE HAVE PREPARED WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
SO YOU DID THAT VERBALLY, BUT JUST FOR NEXT TIME, I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, RALPH, THE CONSULTANT SHOULD BE THERE SO THEY CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH PROGRESS SINCE THEN.
AND I DID SHARE THOSE CONCERNS WITH, UM, WITH MR. HICKS.
UM, I, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS SOMEWHAT OF A PLAN MOVING FORWARD, BUT EVEN IN THIS LAST TWO WEEKS, I HAVEN'T SEEN, UH, MUCH MOVEMENT.
AND I WILL SAY I DID TALK TO, UH, COMMISSIONER UNGA TO SEE HOW THAT PROCESS IS MOVING.
HE HAD NO, UH, CRITICISMS OF RALPH, UH, SPECIFICALLY, BUT HE DID SAY HE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS BEING STALLED WITH THE MSA.
AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THIS, THIS IS A BIG BUDGET ITEM.
WE SHOULD HAVE THIS BY, WE NEED TO BE HAVE IT READY BY JULY.
SO I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA MEET THE DEADLINE AND WE LOSE OUT ON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO I FEEL LIKE THIS ISN'T BEING PRIORITIZED.
UM, AND I, I ALSO HAD SOME QUESTIONS ON, UH, CONTRACTS THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO ADDRESS WITH STAFF.
LIKE IN ONE OF THE SCOPE OF WORK, IT WAS UPDATED.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROTECTIONS WAS REMOVED FROM THE SCOPE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS INTENTIONAL OR NOT, BUT, SO I HAVE SOME OTHER, UH, CONCERNS WITH IT.
UM, BUT I, I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THE BANG FOR OUR BUCK, OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN THIS.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.
AND LEMME TELL THE PUBLIC WITH THE PORT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.
THIS THERE'S, AND I HAVE MY OWN CONCERNS WITH POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST HERE, EVEN ON THIS DICE AND IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE OF RELATING TO HOW WE KICKED OFF OUR REPORT COMMISSIONER AND HOW THIS PROCESS CONTINUES TO BE STALLED.
ALL THESE WEIRD COINCIDENCES I'VE SEEN.
I JUST WANNA BE HONEST WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT MY CONCERNS.
BUT I, UH, SO I, I JUST FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT AND THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A, UM, A PROJECTED DEFICIT, I WANNA BE MORE MINDFUL OF HOW WE'RE PAYING THESE OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN I THINK THAT OUR STAFF NEEDS TO BE DOING MORE TO PUSH THIS STUFF.
ALRIGHT, WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
MOTION APPROVED BY THREE TO TWO VOTE.
UM, JU JUST DUE TO THE DISCUSSION, I, AND WE DO HAVE AN MSA SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF OF DISCUSSION, I'D JUST LIKE TO GIVE A VERY BRIEF GENERAL UPDATE.
THAT GENERAL UPDATE IS THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH COSMO AND ASSOCIATES, WE ARE PURSUING MEA NEGOTIATIONS.
THE, THE COSMO NEEDS TO PREPARE, ESSENTIALLY THE REPORT, WHICH IS KIND OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE WHITE PAPER.
THEY'RE WE'RE PUSHING THEM AS FASTLY FAST AS THEY COULD GO TO COMPLETE IT.
IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE PORT, KEEPING THEM ABREAST THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING ON THIS, THEY FULLY AWARE AND OUR COMMISSIONER AS WELL, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THIS.
WE HOPE TO HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT FOR THE MSA SUB COMMITTEE EARLY, UH, NEXT MONTH, UM, MARCH, APRIL.
SO, UM, IT IS A HUGE PRIORITY OF MINE.
UM, WE'RE PUSHING IT AS FAST AS IT CAN GO.
ITS A VERY COMPLICATED ANALYSIS, SO IT TAKES TIME.
I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
SO IF YOU CAN CONTINUE, 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT I STILL HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, I STILL JUST WANT TO KEEP THINGS MOVING FORWARD.
SO JUST ASK THAT, UM, STAFF WORK ON THAT AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
[9.6 Second Amendment to the Agreement between the City of National City and Hamrick & Evans, LLP, for a New Not-to-Exceed Amount of $250,000.]
WE GO TO, UH, 9.6.THIS IS THE SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY AND HAMMOCK AND EVANS L UH, LLP FOR NOT EXCEED AMOUNT OF $250,000.
THIS IS FOR LEGAL EXPENSES DEALING WITH, UH, THE FLOOD SITUATIONS.
AND, UH, WE DO HAVE TWO SPEAKERS ON THIS ALSO.
[01:10:02]
ON THIS ONE.I THINK THESE ARE ALL THIS LAWYERS REPRESENTING NATIONAL CITY FOR PEOPLE OR SUING THEM FOR MAYBE POLICE ACTION OR OTHER ACTIONS? NO.
EDO, YOU'RE GONNA SKIP THIS ONE.
UM, CAN I JUST CLARIFY FOR MR. WRIGHT? YES.
UM, MR. WRIGHT, THIS LAW FIRM IS REPRESENTING THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY IN THE LITIGATIONS INVOLVING FLOOD CLAIMS. SO NOT POLICE, BUT FLOOD CLAIMS FROM THE, FROM THE RES IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.
UM, WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE ON 9.6? SO, CHAIR.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, BEFORE WE GO ON TO THE NEXT TWO ITEMS, I DO, WE DID VOTE ON THE, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR AS THE REMAINDER OF IT.
[9.8 In-Person Translation / Interpreter Cost Analysis (Part 1 of 2)]
DEAL IS 9.8, THE IN-PERSON TRANSLATION AND WHERE IT RECOMMENDS US, UH, A PURCHASING SYSTEM, UH, WE FOUND OUT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, THAT SYSTEM WAS HERE, SO WE DON'T NEED TO PURCHASE IT.SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT VOTE, UH, TO TAKE IT OFF.
I'M GOING LOOK TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, SORRY, ON THE 9.8 ABOUT THE, UH, TRANSLATION THAT WE DID.
WE SHOULD GO BACK TO REVISIT THAT, TO TAKE THAT VOTE OFF SINCE WE ARE NOT GONNA BE PURCHASING THAT.
LET'S FINISH OFF THE LAST TWO ITEMS, THEN WE WILL GO OFF ON THAT.
UH, CAN, CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT, MR. MAYOR? I WAS NOT BRIEFED.
DURING OUR BRIEFING THIS MORNING ABOUT IT, MY, UH, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, UM, THE PURPOSE OF DECIDED WAS TO BUY THE, THE, THE HEARING DEVICES.
SO, SO FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN SITTING, IN HEARING THE AUDIENCE AND THE CHAMBERS, LISTEN, LISTEN TO THE TRANSLATION.
IT WAS GONNA COST ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WE FOUND OUT JUST TODAY OR YES, EARLIER TODAY, THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THE DEVICES, SO FROM YEARS AGO.
SO WE DON'T NEED TO PURCHASE THE EQUIPMENT.
AND DO WE KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC TO UTILIZE? UH, I, I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER.
I DON'T WANNA, THEY SHOULD BE AVAILABLE THE NEXT MEETING.
MONEY, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK AND ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE I SHOULD HAVE PULLED IT EARLIER.
[9.11 Warrant Register #29 for the Period of 1/10/25 through 1/16/25 in the Amount of $2,974,177.99]
THAT WE GO TO NINE 11, WHICH IS WARRANT REGISTRY NUMBER 29.AND WE HAVE, UH, MR. UH, THOMAS REICH, I FLED.
I'VE READ, UH, WARRANT NUMBER 29.
AND THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT I THINK ARE INTERESTING.
UH, JOHN HELMER, PHASE ONE OF CITY LOCAL PLAN AMENDMENT 712 75 4,350.
SO THAT'S ABOUT 5,500 I THINK.
AND THE NEXT ONE I THINK IS DICK MILLER INCORPORATED.
EAST SIDE OF COMMUNITY GREENBELT, 8 0 5 390 3,762 TH $752.
I, SO MEDICAL ARE ECU EVENT FLOW SENSOR CONNECTOR, 30,433, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, ED RANTA.
I THINK THOMAS AND I SHOULD BE A, A TAG TEAM HERE.
SO ANYWAY, UM, SO WHAT I WANTED TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, I'VE LOOKED AT THIS WARRANT REGISTER, AND LAST TIME I LOOKED AT THIS THING, IT'S LIKE HALF OF IT'S, UH, UH, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESSES, CREDIT CARDS, A LOT OF CREDIT CARDS PURCHASES HERE.
YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITIES ARE, ARE KNOWN FOR LOOSE CONTROLS ON CREDIT CARDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THESE CONTROLS OVER THE, THESE, THESE CREDIT CARD ISSUES.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST DON'T THINK WE, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT MANY.
AND MAYBE JUST NOT, NOT TO SAY THE EXPENDITURES AREN'T LEGITIMATE, BUT
[01:15:01]
JUST THE CONTROLS OVER THE, THE EXPENDITURES NEED TO BE, UH, BE STRENGTHENED.I'M SURPRISED THE AUDITORS HAVEN'T SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
UM, WE DO HAVE A PRC, UH, PURCHASE REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT ALL OF US GO THROUGH MR. NIETO.
UM, SO WE HA WE DO HAVE A REVIEW.
UM, AND JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, CREDIT CARDS ARE THE, UH, INSTITUTIONAL FINANCIAL, UM, WAY FOR OUR INSTITUTION TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DEBIT CARD INSTEAD OF A CHECK.
UM, BUT DO WE DO HAVE A PURCHASING REVIEW, UH, UH, REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR THIS? AND, AND BELIEVE ME, MR. NIETO, I LOOKED INTO THAT TODAY.
SO I CAN ASSURE YOU IT'S BEING LOOKED AT.
UM, IF IT'S, UM, OKAY WITH YOU, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR POLICY FOR PURCHASE, THE USE OF PURCHASE CARDS AND CREDIT CARDS.
I MADE THIS QUESTION MYSELF JUST, UM, A FEW WEEKS BACK AND THEN AGAIN, UH, JUST THIS WEEK.
AND HE DID PROVIDE AN UPDATE AS FAR AS THE PROCEDURE, THE POLICY.
UM, MR. MARTINEZ, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT ON THIS? I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY CAN ADD TO THIS.
BUT I, I'VE INSTRUCTED OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TO UPDATE OUR CREDIT CARD POLICY.
UM, SO, UH, IT IS SOMETHING, UH, KIND OF OVERDUE, SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DO.
WE'RE IN PROCESS OF DOING THAT, AND I HOPE TO HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT UPDATED POLICY IN, UM, APRIL TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
YES, I JUST SAY AGAIN, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE COMMENTS.
MR. NIE THOUGH, FOR ME, I'M LEARNING ABOUT, UM, A LOT OF THIS TOO.
AND I, I, I'M LOOKING AT THIS PURCHASING MANUAL.
WE DEFINITELY NEED TO, BECAUSE I'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS EVEN LAST YEAR WITH SOME CREDIT CARD CHARGES.
SO, SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT.
WE JUST, WE DO NEED MORE OVERSIGHT.
I, I WILL SAY IN BEN'S, UH, DEFENSE, THIS WAS ALSO BEFORE, UH, HIM TOO.
AND THERE'S ONLY ONE OF US ON HIS DIOCESE HAS BEEN HERE DECADES SINCE IT, UH, WAS ADOPTED.
JUST SAYING MAYOR, JUST SAY, AND, AND THE ONE WHO DOESN'T USE THE CREDIT CARD.
BUT, UH, UH, AND, AND I WILL SAY IT WAS BROUGHT UP THE PRC, WHICH IS, UH, THIS COMMITTEE, UH, BUT THAT'S ONLY FOR PURCHASES OVER $500.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT, SO THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE CONTROLS THAT WE HAVE.
AND I KNOW I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY ON THE IDEA OF CREDIT CARD USE.
'CAUSE I'M THE ONE THAT HAS TO OVERSEE THE EXPENSES THROUGH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL'S OFFICE.
AND, AND SO I WAS RATHER CRITICAL ON, ON THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO, WE GO THROUGH A RIGHT PROCESS.
UH, REAL QUICK, I, I ALSO FORGOT TO SAY I DO APPRECIATE, I DID SPEAK TO FULL DISCLOSURE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER IMANI, ABOUT THIS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING INTO MORE OF THESE ACCOUNTING THINGS 'CAUSE THESE WERE, UH, THINGS THAT HONESTLY, I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE BEFOREHAND.
SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU TEACHING ME YES.
AND BEING, UH, UH, VOCAL AND ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, WITH THIS.
ITEM NINE 11, THE, UH, WARRANT REGISTRY.
UH, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? SO MOVED, MR. CHAIR.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, NOT SEEING ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
[9.12 Warrant Register #30 for the Period of 1/17/25 through 1/23/25 in the Amount of $1,319,231.93]
12.UH, THIS IS ANOTHER WARRANT REGISTRY.
AND, UH, MR. THOMAS RECH, I FOUND THESE ARE THE ONES I FOUND IN NINE 30 THAT PUT MY INTEREST TO THE TS SIGN COMPANY COMP COMPANY POLO SHIRT FOR NEW HIRE.
I DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY EXCEPT MINE ALSO FOR $1,170.
A ERGONOMIC CHAIR FURNITURE FOR THE HUMAN RELATIONS STAFF.
AND ALSO I FOUND 1,703 SEVEN THOUSAND ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY ONE DOLLARS AND 60 CENTS FOR THE SAN SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK, CASO CASA, FALL BREAK PROGRAMS. THE LAST ONE I SAW WAS AROUND $3,200 FOR, UH, FOR THE POLICE.
FOR THE POLICE HOTEL BILLS IN YORBA LINDA.
NOW MY SUGGESTION IS, MY SUGGESTION IS WHY NOT HAVE THE INSTRUCTOR COME TO COME TO
[01:20:02]
COME TO NATIONAL CITY INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF YOR? BELINDA F IS YOR BELINDA IN, IN, UH, LA BASICALLY, YES.WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE ON WARRANT REGISTER? UH, NINE 12 WARREN REGISTER NUMBER 30, MR. CHAIRMAN.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.
AND, UH, WITH THAT I'M SEEING ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
[9.8 In-Person Translation / Interpreter Cost Analysis (Part 2 of 2)]
WE DO NEED TO GO BACK AND REOPEN ITEM NUMBER 9.8.AND THIS IS ONE THAT BASICALLY NEEDS TO BE PULLED OFF THE AGENDA BECAUSE WE'RE, THERE'S NO NEED TO MAKE THE PURCHASE.
UM, CITY ATTORNEY, HAVE YOU GOT, UM, SO I THINK YOU, YOU DID TAKE A VOTE EARLIER AND YOU APPROVED A NUMBER OF CONSENT ITEMS, INCLUDING THIS ONE.
SO I THINK TECHNICALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS DO A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION.
UM, IF THAT PASSES, THEN YOU CAN DO YOUR MOTION OVER, RIGHT.
WITHOUT THAT BEING INCLUDED IN THE, IN THE MOTION.
SO THIS WOULD'VE BEEN FOR THE REMAIN, WE DO IT FOR THE REMAINDER, CORRECT.
'CAUSE IT WAS CAUGHT, BUT THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
SO CAN WE HAVE A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION FOR THE, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THE REMAINDER OF THE, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR? SO, MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
[9. CONSENT CALENDAR (Part 2 of 2)]
HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE, UH, CONSENT CALENDAR.[10.1 Public Hearing - Street Vacation of a Portion of Orange Street Cul-de-Sac West of Euclid Avenue. (Case File No. 2022-24 SV)]
OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND PULL UP ALL MY PAPERWORK HERE REAL QUICK.SO, ON THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, THIS IS ITEM 10.1.
AND SO THIS IS, UH, THE TIME FOR IN PLACE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER BE CONSIDERED MOST PERSON WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING ANY ITEM AND TONIGHT'S PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA, FILL OUT THE SPEAKER SLIP.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY, ANYONE FILED OUT TO SPEAK THAT? I DON'T HAVE ANYONE OVER HERE FOR 10.1.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MARTIN READER, THERE YOU ARE OVER HERE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF, AND THE PUBLIC MARTIN READER, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THE, UH, THE LAST STEP IN THE THREE STEP PROCESS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH ON THIS, UH, STREET VACATION REQUEST.
AS YOU RECALL, IT'S A REMNANT PARCEL OF ORANGE STREET THAT WAS CUT OFF, UH, IN, UH, BY EUCLID AVENUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
IT'S PART OF A UNDEVELOPED END OF A CUL-DE-SAC SEPARATED FROM EUCLID AVENUE BY AN EMBANKMENT AND A FENCE.
SO IT'S, UH, NOBODY GETS DOWN THERE EXCEPT, UH, THERE WERE SOME SECURITY ISSUES DURING COVID, WHICH IS WHY THE APP APPLICANT, WHICH IS THE PROPERTY IMMEDIATELY LEFT OF HERE, IS ASKING FOR THIS REQUEST.
SO THIS WAS INITIATED BY THE CITY COUNCIL BACK IN FEBRUARY.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD A MEETING AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH RELATED TO THE, UH, GENERAL PLANNING CONSISTENCY, WHICH THEY DID FIND THIS REQUEST IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE GENERAL PLAN.
THERE'S A COUPLE OF QUICK SITE PHOTOS HERE SHOWING THE AREA, UH, IN QUESTION, UH, IF VACATED, THERE WOULD BE A SDG AND E EASEMENT THAT WOULD REMAIN SO THAT THEY CAN STILL GET AHOLD OF THEIR UTILITIES IN THAT AREA.
THERE ARE NO OTHER UTILITIES THERE.
UH, I'VE SHOWN YOU THE PLAT MAP BEFORE.
SO THE AREA IS NOT USED AS, AS THOROUGHFARE EITHER FOR PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLES, OR FOR VEHICLES.
AND THIS WOULD ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO, UH, BUILD A FENCE TO SECURE THE SIDE OF THEIR PROPERTY, BUT ALSO TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE CONDITIONS TO AVOID TRACKING MUD INTO THE STREET AND, UH, DAMAGING THEIR DRIVEWAY.
SO, UH, I HAVE GIVEN YOU THE STAFF REPORT.
I'LL, I'LL CONCLUDE THERE 'CAUSE IT'S PRETTY, UH, BASIC REQUEST.
AND, UM, AGAIN, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS FOUND GENERAL PLAN CONFORMANCE IN THAT THE STREET SEGMENT IS NOT BEING USED.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING ORDERING OF THE VACATION AND IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
UH, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON
[01:25:01]
THIS.UH, SO I'M GOING TO, UH, ASK FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UH, FULL DISCLOSURE, I WANT TO VISIT THE, UH, THE LOCATION.
MOVE TO CLOSE, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
PLEASE PUSH IN YOUR BUTTONS ON THAT EDIT.
ARE YOU, DID YOU PUT, OH, THERE IT GOES.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
SO, NO, DON'T SEE ANY DISCUSSION.
MOTION TO APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ORDER OF VACATION OF THE PORTION OF ORANGE STREET CUL-DE-SAC WEST OF EUCLID AVENUE.
THAT'S RIGHT OFF OF 16TH STREET THERE.
UM, WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE A, DO WE HAVE A MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE THAT? OKAY.
ANY DISCUSSION BEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
[11.1 California Daylighting Law, AB 413 – Parking Restrictions at Intersections to Enhance Pedestrian Safety.]
WE GO ON TO STAFF REPORTS.FIRST ONE IS ON THE CALIFORNIA DAYLIGHTING LAW, AB FOUR 13, WHICH IS PARKING RESTRICTIONS AT INTERSECTIONS TO ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
UH, STEVE MANGENELLE, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS IN ENGINEERING.
UH, THIS EVENING WE'RE GONNA GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON A NEW LAW CALLED THE DAY LIGHTING LAW, UM, INVOLVING PARKING RESTRICTIONS AT INTERSECTIONS TO ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
UH, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA COVER TONIGHT, STARTING WITH, UM, WHAT, WHAT'S INVOLVED WITH THE LAW ALL THE WAY THROUGH? UM, OUR PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION, COMMUNITY OUTREACH ENFORCEMENT, ESSENTIALLY, WHAT IS DAYLIGHTING? UM, IT'S A GOOD PHOTO HERE, UH, SHOWING WHAT'S INVOLVED.
ESSENTIALLY, THOUGH, THE IDEA IS THAT IF, UH, YOU ARE RESTRICTING PARKED VEHICLES OR OTHER OBJECTS, UM, AT A CROSSWALK, IT, IT, IT, IT IMPROVES VISIBILITY.
SO, ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE BEFORE THE LAW CARS COULD PARK AT, AT A CROSSWALK, UH, VISIBILITY IS LIMITED WITH THE NEW LAW.
IT'S ILLEGAL FOR A VEHICLE TO PARK WITHIN 20 FEET OF THE APPROACH OF A CROSSWALK.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S STATED HERE.
UH, THIS BILL, UH, CAUSED THE CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE SECTION 22 500, UH, FOR VE UH, STOPPING STANDING.
AND, UM, AND, AND NO PARKING TO BE AMENDED BY ADDING, UM, SUBSECTION N AS AS INDICATED HERE.
UH, AGAIN, I WE WANNA INCLUDE A DEFINITION OF WHAT A CROSSWALK IS.
'CAUSE I THINK THERE IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT IF THERE'S NO STRIPING ACROSS, UM, THE STREET AT AN INTERSECTION, IT'S NOT A CROSSWALK.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE, DOES NOT NEED TO BE STRIPED.
SO IF YOU HAVE TWO ROADS THAT INTERSECT, THERE IS A LEGAL CROSSWALK ESTABLISHED, WHETHER IT IS STRIPED OR NOT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP NOTE.
UH, EASIEST WAY TO EXPLAIN THIS IS THIS EXAMPLE.
HERE'S, UM, AN INTERSECTION IN NATIONAL CITY.
UM, THE NORTH SOUTH STREET IS CONTROLLED BY A YIELD SIGN, AND THEN THERE'S NO CONTROL ON EAST WEST STREET.
THIS IS THE ZONE FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSING.
AND WITH THE NEW LAW, UM, VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE ABLE, UH, THEY ARE, WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL FOR A VEHICLE TO PARK WITHIN 20 FEET.
UH, ONE THING I WILL NOTE THAT AS THE LAW IS WRITTEN AND, AND AS IT'S CODIFIED IN A VEHICLE CODE, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO PAINT THE CURB RED.
IT IS ILLEGAL WHETHER THAT CURB IS PAINTED RED OR NOT, UM, OR WHETHER A SIGN IS INSTALLED OR NOT TO PARK WITHIN 20 FEET, UM, OF THE APPROACH TO A CROSSWALK.
THAT BEING SAID, WE DO WANT TO BE MINDFUL THAT WHEN WE HAVE, UM, AREAS THAT HAVE A HIGHER, UM, VOLUME OF PEDESTRIAN
[01:30:01]
AND TRAFFIC, UH, THERE IS SOME VALUE IN, IN MAKING AN INVESTMENT AND PROVIDING SOME NOTIFICATION TO THE PUBLIC BY PAINTING CURBS RED.SO WHAT OUR, OUR PLAN IS, IS TO FOCUS ON OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE HAVE A CAPITAL PROJECT, UH, OUT, UH, WE'RE DOING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STREET, WE CAN PAINT THE CURBS RED.
UH, WE WANT TO FOCUS ON AREAS AROUND SCHOOLS AND PARKS, UH, AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, MAY HAVE A HIGHER PROPENSITY FOR, FOR SENIORS, OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS, WHICH TEND TO HAVE HIGHER PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITIES AND OTHER LOCATIONS WITH HIGH PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE, UH, CONFLICTS WE DID, UM, GOING BACK TO SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME COORDINATING, UM, WITH RONNIE SORIANO, WHO'S OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES MANAGER AND HIS TEAM, UH, THEY OVERSEE THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT FOR THE CITY.
AND WE, UH, TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC OF THIS NEW LAW.
UM, THAT AS OF JANUARY 1ST, IT'S NOW, UM, WE NOW HAVE THE ABILITY TO ISSUE CITATIONS.
SO HERE'S SOME, UM, SOME METHODS OF NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC USING INFORMATIONAL FLYERS.
WE'VE ALREADY, UH, PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND I THOUGHT ONE OF THE GREAT IDEAS THAT, THAT RONNIE AND HIS TEAM CAME UP WITH IS, UM, WHEN THEY ARE ISSUING WARNINGS, THAT THEY WILL GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE AN INFORMATIONAL FLYER, UH, ON THE WINDSHIELD AS WELL.
FROM AN ENFORCEMENT STANDPOINT.
UH, THE INITIAL PHASE, AND, AND THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED, IS ISSUING WARNINGS WITH INFORMATIONAL FLYERS.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING, THEY'RE LOOKING AT TARGETED ENFORCEMENT AROUND SCHOOLS AND, AND BUSINESS DISTRICTS.
UM, ONE OF THE, THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS WHEN THEY GET CALLED OUT, UH, MAYBE IF THERE'S A VEHICLE THAT IS, IS, UH, PARKED FOR MORE THAN 72 HOURS AND THEY GO OUT TO DO THEIR ENFORCEMENT, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE NOTE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY VEHICLES PARKED AT A NEARBY INTERSECTION.
AND THEN AGAIN, ISSUE A WARNING WITH THE INFORMATIONAL FLYER.
UH, REALLY THEIR GOAL IS, IS TO PROVIDE A GRACE PERIOD BY EDUCATING THE, THE PUBLIC, UH, THROUGH WARNINGS AND INFORMATIONAL FLYERS.
AND THEN THEY'VE TARGETED, UH, BY JUNE 1ST TO ACTUALLY START ISSUING CITATIONS.
SO JUST TO RECAP ON OUR SCHEDULE, UH, WE DID PRESENT THIS IN, UH, ITEM TO THE TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE LAST MONTH.
WE STARTED, UM, A MORE FORMAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN, IN MARCH WITH TONIGHT'S STAFF REPORT TO COUNSEL.
THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE TO, UM, CODIFY THIS IN OUR MUNICIPAL CODE.
SO WE PLAN TO COME BACK, UH, AT THE TWO MEETINGS IN APRIL, UM, TO INTRODUCE AND ADOPT, UM, RESO UH, ORDINANCES, AMENDING THE APPROPRIATE SECTION OF OUR MUNICIPAL CODE SO THAT IT'S VERY TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC IN CASE THEY'RE NOT UP TO SPEED ON THE CHANGE TO THE VEHICLE CODE.
AND THEN, UM, ONCE THAT GOES INTO EFFECT, VIA OUR MUNICIPAL CODE, COME MAY, WE WILL START, UM, WORKING THROUGH OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS CREWS TO DO, UM, SOME INSTALLATION OF RED CURB IN THOSE TARGETED AREAS.
AND AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, UH, PARKING ENFORCEMENT WILL BEGIN ISSUING CITATIONS IN IN JUNE.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS.
MEMBER HALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, ENGINEER MANGANELLO.
I WAS, UM, VERY HAPPY TO GET MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY, UH, RONNIE SORIANO.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, MR. SORIANO.
AND HE WAS ABLE TO ANSWER A LOT OF THE INFORMATION YOU DIDN'T PRESENT TONIGHT.
UM, HE, UH, ADDRESSED IN MY QUESTIONS, INCLUDING THE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY FOR THE RESIDENTS RIGHT.
WE ALREADY KNOW PARKING IS DIFFICULT.
SADLY, IT IS GOING TO GET MORE DIFFICULT.
SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY NEEDING TO ADHERE TO THIS LAW.
THIS IS A STATE LAW THAT IS, UH, PUTTING THESE MEASURES IN PLACE FOR GREATER SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS.
WE OFTEN GET COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THERE IS, UM, UNCONTROLLED SPEEDING ON OUR ROADS AND THIS AND THAT.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS GEARED TOWARDS SAFETY.
ONE FINAL COMMENT THAT MR. SONO SHARED WITH ME IS THE CITATION AMOUNT IS $25, UH, AND THAT THE GRACE PERIOD IS FROM NOW UP UNTIL JUNE
[01:35:01]
ONE.UH, AND, UM, HE DID MENTION THE ENFORCEMENT APPROACH WILL REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT PRACTICES.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT SURE.
MAKE THAT, UH, MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE ABOUT THESE PRACTICES.
AND I DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND YOUR STAFF, UH, TO KEEP US COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW.
UM,
BUT, UM, YOU SAID THAT WE DON'T NEED TO PAINT THE 20, UM, 20 FEET, 20 INCHES, THE CURB.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED TO DO, UH, TO ISSUE CITATIONS AND DO ENFORCEMENT.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED TO ISSUE CITATION.
CAN WE, UH, PULL IT BACK UP JUST SO I CAN GO BACK TO THE EXHIBIT? NO, NO PROBLEM.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS CORRECT.
IT, IT IS NOT RE A REQUIREMENT TO ISSUE CITATIONS.
OH, SO THEY CAN STILL PARK THERE EVEN IF IT'S AGAINST THE LAW? NO, THEY'RE TAKE CITATION TO ISSUE.
IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE MARKED.
SO, SO HOW CAN WE PUT THAT OUT THERE? I THINK IT'S AN EDUCATION, A PIGGYBACK ON, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE, UM, EDUCATE OUR, UM, OUR, UH, RESIDENTS BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW IT'S, YOU SEE NEIGHBORS FIGHTING ABOUT PARKING, RIGHT? AND THAT'S NOT REALLY GOOD WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING.
AND THEN YOU SEE OUR RESIDENTS FIGHTING BECAUSE OF THAT ONE PARKING.
SO IF THERE IS NO RED, UH, MARKINGS THERE, AND THEN OUR PD WILL CITE THEM.
UH, I WANT A PD OR I WANT OUR, UM, PARKING OFFICERS TO CITE THEM BECAUSE THAT'S REVENUE GENERATING FOR US.
RIGHT? UM, BUT WE NEED TO INFORM THEM MM-HMM.
SO THEN THERE IS NO, UM, THERE IS NO ANIMOSITY THAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
I THINK EDUCATING THEM VERY WELL WITH THIS NEW LAW WILL ALLEVIATE THOSE, UM, ANIMOSITIES.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT DIRECTOR.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE I CAN, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT JUST CAME UP RIGHT NOW, DON'T WE? WE DON'T HAVE A JAKE WALKING LAW RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT? IS THAT, IS THAT WHY WHEN YOU SAID THAT, WHAT'S IT, WHAT'S, UM, THIS DAYLIGHTING IS ONLY ON FOUR ON THE, UM, INTERSECTIONS.
LIKE THERE'S FOUR, UH, LIKE BULL, YOU KNOW, THOSE, UM, CROSS CROSSWALKS.
AGAIN, IT, UH, I I MIGHT'VE MISHEARD, BUT, UM, DID YOU SAY JAYWALKING OR DAY DAY LIGHTING? WELL, I JUST, SO YOU SAID, BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED TO PUT THAT MARK THE YELLOW STRIPES THAT IT'S, UH OH YES.
YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE THING ABOUT STRIPING FOR CROSSWALKS IS THERE ARE, UM, ENGINEERING GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES.
AND THEY'RE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR EVERY SINGLE INTERSECTION OR ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SPEEDS OF THE ROADWAY, OTHER PREVAILING CONDITIONS, YOU TYPICALLY NEED OTHER ENHANCEMENTS.
BUT YES, THIS WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU DO NOT NEED TO PUT STRIPES ON THE GROUND TO HAVE, UH, A DESIGNATED CROSSWALK.
SO REALLY THE EASIEST WAY IN, IN WHAT WE WILL BE PUTTING IN THE, THE FLYERS THAT WE SEND TO EVERY PRO, WE ARE GONNA SEND TO EVERY PROPERTY IN NATIONAL CITY.
AND WE'RE ACTUALLY, UM, STEALING YOUR METHOD OF OUTREACH.
WE'VE, WE'VE STARTED TO INCORPORATE THESE, UH, VERY HIGH RESOLUTION.
UM, THEY'RE LIKE, UH, STOCK CARDS, THEY'RE ON CARD STOCK.
IT'S A BIG BRIGHT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY SIX BY EIGHT BY SIX CARD STOCK.
UM, ONE SIDE ENGLISH, ONE SIDE SPANISH, THAT WILL HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS EXHIBIT IN A FEW BULLET POINTS.
UM, THAT'LL GO TO EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY IN NATIONAL CITY.
IN ADDITION, AS WE MENTIONED, AS THE PARKING REGULATION OFFICERS ARE ISSUING WARNINGS, WE'LL BE INCLUDING THOSE, THOSE SAME, UM, FLYERS WITH, UH, ON THE VEHICLE SO PEOPLE WILL KNOW.
UM, BUT YES, AGAIN, I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF LOCATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS WHERE WE WILL LIKELY NOT HAVE RED CURB AT EVERY SINGLE INTERSECTION.
SO INFORMING THE RESIDENTS IS DEFINITELY A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS STRATEGY DIRECTOR.
THEY, THEY, UH, PUT UPON US A LAW AB FOUR 13, BUT THEY DIDN'T GRANT US ANY FUNDING TO, UM, OKAY.
[01:40:01]
KNOW, I MEAN, AGAIN, I THINK THE EDUCATION TO OUR RESIDENTS IS VERY IMPORTANT.UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF THE LAW, BUT IT'S GONNA BE VERY CONFUSING.
UH, 'CAUSE I EVEN LOOK AT, I'M LOOKING AT THE, THE CHARTS HERE AND I'M STILL NOT A HUNDRED SURE.
IN THE INTERSECTION WHERE IS GONNA BE ALLOWED PARKING AND NOT MM-HMM
UM, AND SO I WOULD HOPE, AND I KNOW IT'S A HUGE JOB TO DO ALL THE RED CURVING, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD TRY TO PUT THAT WITHIN OUR WORK PRODUCT TO TRY TO GET AS MANY OF THESE, UH, DONE AS POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE EVEN IF WE DO IT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS HAVE A VISITOR COME UP AND THEY SEE A PARKING SPOT THERE AND THERE'S NO RED CURB.
AND HERE THEY'RE GONNA PULL UP AND THEN WE GIVE 'EM A TICKET BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW.
AND I KNOW SAN DIEGO, I THINK IS ALREADY, I THINK THEY'RE ALREADY STARTING EITHER THERE.
THEY'RE STARTING THE 1ST OF APRIL ACTUALLY GIVING OUT TICKETS.
AND I MEAN, ALL THE CITIES ARE GONNA HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME, YOU KNOW, MEETING THIS THING.
BUT, UH, BUT IT'S A HUGE TASK AND I DON'T WANT US TO LOOK LIKE AS IF THAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO TRAP PEOPLE.
AND, UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I REALIZED THE HUGE JOB IT WOULD BE TO HIT EVERY, EVERY INTERSECTION IN THIS CITY AND DOING, DOING THE RED CURBING, UH, YOU KNOW, IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT, UH, I SAY I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT WOULD BE A PART OF OUR WORK PRODUCT TO DO AS MANY OF THOSE AS WE CAN, AS FAST AS WE CAN.
AND, UH, AND TO HAVE A TENDENCY MORE TO THE ONES THAT ARE NOT RED CURBED, TO GIVE MORE WARNINGS, YOU KNOW, BE A LITTLE BIT MORE LEANING ON THE WARNINGS, UH, THAN WE ARE OF THOSE THAT ARE, ONCE THEY GET RED CURBED, IT'S RED CURBED.
BUT, AND WE CAN, WE WILL CERTAINLY PASS THAT ALONG TO, UH, TO RONNIE AND HIS TEAM.
AND, AND WE WILL BE LOOKING, UM, LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND, AND TRYING TO ESTIMATE, UH, WHAT, HOW MUCH WE CAN GET DONE EACH YEAR.
'CAUSE KEEP IN MIND, NOT, YOU DON'T JUST PAINT 'EM ONCE AND THAT'S IT.
WE HAVE TO GO BACK AT LEAST ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS AND REPAINT.
THAT'S OUR TYPICAL SCHEDULE FOR CURBS.
DIRECTOR, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE CROSSWALKS WE HAVE? WELL, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A HUNDRED, WE HAVE 106 CENTER LINE MILES OF ROADS IN NATIONAL CITY.
IT'S A OLD FASHIONED GRID SYSTEM.
SO EVERY BLOCK ALMOST IN THE CITY HAS AN INTERSECTION.
SO I DON'T KNOW OFFHAND HOW MANY INTERSECTIONS, BUT IF, IF YOU LOOK AT, NOW, IF YOU TAKE ABOUT, WE'RE ABOUT THREE MILES BY THREE MILES.
SO IF YOU SAY 30 INTERSECTIONS, ONE DIRECTION, 30, THE OTHER, THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT NINE.
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 900 AND A THOUSAND INTERSECTIONS.
PROBABLY AT LEAST A THOUSAND INTERSECTIONS DIVIDED BY FOUR.
BY FOUR BY, AND THEN FOUR TIMES AT EACH INTERSECTION, PLUS THE THREE YEAR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE.
AND AGAIN, I I WILL JUST SAY THAT, UH, I THINK THESE ARE, THESE ARE EXCELLENT POINTS.
UH, IN THE PERFECT WORLD, WE'D WANT TO GET EVERY SINGLE INTERSECTION DONE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
'CAUSE I TOTALLY AGREE WITH SEDIMENTS OF THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO TRAP PEOPLE.
BUT SAME TIME, WE NEED TO BE REALISTIC.
IT'S ABOUT IMPROVING VISIBILITY, ENHANCING SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS AT INTERSECTIONS.
BUT, UM, THERE, IT DIDN'T COME WITH FUNDING.
SO WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND THEN I DO HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH STEVE FOR TAKING THIS ON, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE BRIEFING.
UM, NOT MUCH OF A QUESTION, JUST MORE OF A STATEMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, SACRAMENTO DOES THINGS SOMETIMES THAT IMPACT A LOT OF THINGS THAT IMPACT US LOCALLY, WHICH IS WHY I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADVOCATE AND SUPPORT OR AGAINST PROJECTS AND, AND INITIATIVES THAT ARE GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST, UH, SAW THIS ON, UH, ON TV, UH, ABOUT A MONTH AGO REALIZED THAT SAN DIEGO'S ALREADY GIVEN TICKETS.
UM, AND I'M, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH AND TRYING TO LET COMMUNITY KNOW BEFOREHAND AND GIVING WARNINGS, BUT THIS IS INEVITABLY GOING TO IMPACT EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND, AND IT'S OUR JOB TO, TO, UH, KEEP THEM INFORMED.
IT'S ALSO VERY MUCH, UH, MUCH SAFER, WHICH IS THE POINT OF, OF, OF THESE CHANGES.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH, UM, THE NEED FOR US TO PLAY A MORE SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE STATE, UM, WITH THESE BILLS.
'CAUSE THEY INEVITABLY HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT LOCAL IMPACT.
CARISSA, I'M AFRAID TO SAY YOUR LAST NAME.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CARISSA CARILLO.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IN REGARDS TO NOT BEING ABLE TO PAINT CURBS, I KNOW FROM LIKE A MARKETING PERSPECTIVE, JUST WITH ONE AREA ZIP CODE, IF SAY WE WERE TO PUT SOMETHING IN SOMETHING AS INEXPENSIVE AS, SAY THE PENNY SAVER FOR HALF PAGE AD, IT WOULD BE SOMETHING AS SMALL AS ABOUT $3,000.
[01:45:01]
SO IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING LIKE HEAVY CARD STOCK MAILERS TO ALL OF THE HOMES IN NATIONAL CITY, THAT WOULD BE QUITE A LARGE SUM.AND IF WE WERE JUST TO DO SOME OF THE CORNERS WITH MARKING THEM OFF IN RED, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THERE WOULDN'T EVENTUALLY BE SOME UNREST AND QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE MM-HMM
UM, WHERE THEY WOULDN'T START FEELING LIKE IT WOULD BE SOME FORM OF TICKETING SCHEME AND ENTRAPMENT.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE AND HOPE THAT THERE WOULD BE, UM, MORE PLANNING AND CONSIDERATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO NOT FEEL AS IF WE ARE BEING, UM, CHARGED MORE TO LIVE WHEN ALREADY WE'RE HAVING DEVELOPMENTS BEING PUT UP, LESS PARKING, AND EVEN JUST ME BEING A RESIDENT AND MY CUL-DE-SAC AND THERE'S TRASH CAN WARS TO HAVE PARKING SPACES, UM, BEING SAVED.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT BUDGET WAS FOR THOSE CARD STOCK MAILERS MM-HMM
UM, AND HOW THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ALLOCATED TO HAVE A BETTER PLAN FOR RED, UM, CURBING.
LET ME JUST, UH, THROW THE CHAIR JUST A SECOND.
UM, I WISH THAT WE KNEW THAT THE STATE IS GONNA, YOU KNOW, I MEAN BANDAID US TO DO THIS, UM, BUT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
AND SO WE HAVE TO ALSO INFORM EVERYBODY HERE, THE 60,000 RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM ENOUGH WARNING SO THEN THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MANDATE THAT WE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, ENT THRUST UPON US, UM, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I WISH WE CAN PAINT THOSE RED.
I WISH WHEN THEY MANDATED THEY GAVE US FUNDING TO PAINT THOSE CURVES RED, BUT WE DON'T, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO INFORM EVERYONE THAT THIS IS A LAW THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
AND I, I WOULD SAY THE OTHER THING IS PART OF THE LAW PUT A LIMIT ON WHAT THE, WHAT THE FINE COULD BE.
IT'S $25 AND IT COST US, IT COSTS THE CITY ABOUT $25 TO PROCESS A TICKET.
SO THERE'S NO MONEY MADE BY THE CITY AT ALL ON THIS.
AND SO IT'S, SO IT'S NOT A MONEY MAKER FOR THE CITY.
AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S A LAW PUT OUT BY THE STATE.
IT'S A STATEWIDE LAW AND WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY IT.
AND WE'RE KIND OF CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE HERE.
AND, UH, YET AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANNA UNNECESSARILY BE GIVING TICKETS OUT TO OUR RESIDENTS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE INTERSECTIONS ARE SAFE.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF BALANCING ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER.
WITH THAT, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE THE, UH, STAFF REPORT? SO RIGHT, WE HAVE MOTION AND SECOND, CAN YOU PUT THE MOTION IN? DID YOU I DID.
SEEING NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE.
[11.2 City Council Expenditure Report: July 2024 through January 2025]
NEXT WE GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL EXPENDITURE REPORT.AND, UH, THIS WAS CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING, AND SO IT'S, UH, COVERING THE PERIOD FROM JULY, 2024 THROUGH JANUARY 25 AND, UH, UH, TO EITHER RECEIVE IT OR TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION TO STAFF.
UM, WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER ON THIS ONE.
YEAH, THIS IS ONE I CUT OUT LAST TIME BECAUSE OF THE CHICKEN, UH, THING
SO ANYWAY, UM, THIS REPORT HERE IS, I, I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD ACCEPT IT.
IT DOESN'T DE IT'S NOT DETAILED ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT, IT, IT'S, IF YOU ALL LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS THE, THE THRUST HERE IS HAVING TO DO WITH OUR BUDGETS IN A DISTRICT BUDGETING.
AND IT IS JUST INSUFFICIENT DETAIL.
I MEAN, THERE'S, IN, YOU KNOW, ALL, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT? ALL IT TELLS YOU IS, IS, IS CHARGES.
IT DOESN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL PURPOSE OF THE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DID WE GET FOR OUR DISTRICT BUDGETING.
YOU KNOW, AT LEAST YOU COULD LIST, YOU KNOW, YOUR VIDEO PROJECTS AND LIST HOW MANY WERE THEY WORTH? THEY WERE, AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME? WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE, UM, EXPECTED RETURN ON THIS? YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE HERE FOR THIS BUDGET, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEFINED RETURN ON IT.
I'M NOT SAYING ALL YOUR THINGS YOU'D HAVE DONE WITH THIS BUDGET, BUT ARE NOT DEFINED.
BUT THERE'S BEEN QUITE A BIT OF THEM.
AND YOU LIST THEM, YOU SHOULD LIST THEM.
YOU KNOW, I HEARD RON ONE TIME SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, JOSIE DOES A LOT OF THINGS AND HE'LL MATCH IT UP AGAINST WHAT OH, RODRIGUEZ DOES.
[01:50:01]
DO THAT AND ON FACEBOOK.AND I HAVEN'T HEARD A RESPONSE, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING.
SO I LIKE TO CHALLENGE 'EM ONE MORE TIME.
LIST WHAT YOU DO, LIST WHAT YOU DO, AND LET'S SEE IT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAY PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY JUDGE WHAT WE GOT OUT OF THIS DISTRICT BUDGETING.
AND THAT NOT ONLY GOES FOR THESE TWO, THAT GOES FOR EVERYONE.
I ALSO WAS RATHER DISAPPOINTED IN THE INFORMATION IN THIS REPORT.
UH, WE HAVE SEEN BITS AND PIECES VIA THE WARRANT REGISTERS AS FAR AS, UH, WHAT THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED FOR.
AND I HAVE ASKED TO COMPILE THIS IN ONE REPORT.
I'M NOT GOING TO APPROVE THE REPORT PRESENTED TO US TONIGHT BECAUSE IT ISN'T REPORTING REALLY, UM, THE DETAIL THAT WE NEED THAT THE PUBLIC DESERVES TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE FUNDS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
UM, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT TOTALS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ANNUALLY.
IN FACT, I HAVE SEEN MY OWN REPORT.
THANKFULLY, UH, CITY ATTORNEY OR CITY MANAGER MARTINEZ PROVIDED IT TO ME.
AND THE LEVEL OF DETAIL IN MY OWN EXPENDITURE REPORT IS, UH, SATISFACTORY.
SO I HAVE ASKED HIM TO PLEASE PROVIDE THAT SAME REPORT BASED ON EVERYBODY ELSE'S SPENDING.
UH, AND, UM, I JUST, MY, UM, INTEREST HERE IS NOT TO GET PEOPLE IN TROUBLE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AT OUR DISPOSAL NOW WE HAVE TO SHOW HOW WE ARE UTILIZING THAT MONEY.
I'M NOT INTERESTED IN GETTING PEOPLE IN TROUBLE.
I'M INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING ACCOUNTABILITY, ESPECIALLY FOR A PROCESS, WHICH IS THE COUNCIL BUDGET SPENDING THAT HAS VERY MINIMAL OVERSIGHT.
AT THE VERY LEAST, WE NEED A REPORT THAT DETAILS THE SPENDING HERE.
ANOTHER, I I ALSO WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE REPORT AND, UH, DO BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE DETAIL BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY TELL YOU ANYTHING.
UM, THE OTHER THING I KNOW I'VE ALSO ASKED WITH STAFF IS TO GET MORE ACCURATE, UH, DETAILS ON WHERE BUDGETS ARE AT.
BECAUSE I'M, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE TO DO IS, AS MAYOR AND HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT, I HAVE TO APPROVE A LOT OF THESE.
AND, AND AS THE STUFF COMES BEFORE ME, IF I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THEIR BUDGET, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING OVER BUDGET OR NOT.
AND SO THAT, THAT INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE GIVEN.
AND MATTER OF FACT, I HAD ONES HERE JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT WERE INVOICES BACK FROM AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
WELL, THOSE WEREN'T, WEREN'T ON THE BOOKS YET.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT CORRECTED OUT.
UH, THE OTHER THING BEING IS THAT WE, OUR, OUR BUDGETS ARE SET UP ACCORDING TO CATEGORIES.
AND IF YOU HIT THE TOP OF A CATEGORY, UH, YOU NEED THE IBAR AND THERE'S A PER PROCEDURE TO IBAR TO MOVE OUT FROM ANOTHER CATEGORY IF YOU NEED MORE IN THAT, IN THAT DIVISION.
WE DO HAVE A POLICY ON I BARS AND WE NEED TO, NEED TO FOLLOW IT TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS SO THAT WE'RE NOT OVERSHOOTING THOSE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES WITHIN, WITHIN OUR BUDGETS.
UM, WITH THAT, UH, WHAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION, MR. CHAIR? YES.
MOVE TO PULL THIS ITEM FOR FURTHER.
UM, YOU, I MEAN, UM, REVIEW BY OUR CITY MANAGER.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND FOR THE RECORD, THERE WERE TWO WRITTEN COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM.
THAT'LL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
WERE THERE ANY OTHER STAFF REPORTS? I HAVE NONE, MAYOR.
[12.1 POLICY 105 REQUEST - Establish an Ad-Hoc Committee to Investigate the Facts and Circumstances of the Sweetwater Road Gas Station Project - Requested by Councilmember Rodriguez]
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT, UH, WE HAVE OUR POLICY 1 0 5 REQUEST.THIS IS A ESTABLISH AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE SWEETWATER ROAD GAS STATION PROJECT.
REQUESTED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
UH, COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ONTO THAT? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
UH, NOT MUCH TO ADD OTHER THAN WHAT'S ALREADY WRITTEN.
UM, THIS IS AN ASK TO ESTABLISH AN AD HOC OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE SWEETWATER ROAD GAS STATION PROJECT.
AS IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE COMMITTEE WOULD BE COMPRISED OF TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, ALTHOUGH THE PROJECT RECEIVED CONSIDERABLE OPPOSITION AND DENIAL FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, WHICH WAS, UH, PERCEIVED AS A PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY PLACED ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION.
[01:55:01]
IT IS PERCEIVED THAT THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT STRONGLY INFLUENCED THE PROJECT.THIS AD HOC OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WOULD BE WORKING TO INVESTIGATE THE ACCUSATIONS.
UM, SO THAT IS THE WRITTEN REQUEST THAT I PLACED AS A POLICY 1 0 5.
UH, ANY STAFF REPORTS ON THIS BEFORE WE QUESTION? HUH? IS THIS QUESTIONS? HUH? IS THIS A QUESTION? YOU CAN, WE DO HAVE A GOOD NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, BUT, UH, YEAH, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU GOT A CLARIFICATION QUESTION YEAH.
SO I HAD, UH, CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
SO YOU SAID, UM, WRITTEN AND THEN, AND VERBALLY THAT IT WAS IMMEDIATELY PLACED ON COUNSEL AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION.
SO CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT EXACTLY YOU SAW WRONG WITH THAT PART OF THE PROCESS? I THINK IT'S ON, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT 1 0 5 REQUESTS, WE DON'T, UH, GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THE REQUEST ITSELF.
UM, IF WE ARE WANTING TO SET THAT POLICY ASIDE, WE CAN, BUT, UM, I MEAN, I I, I WOULD REVERT TO OUR ATTORNEY.
WELL, UH, LEMME JUMP IN AND SAY YOU MADE THE REQUEST, AND THIS IS, I'M JUST GOING OFF WHAT YOU WROTE HERE.
SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR YOU TO CLARIFY WHAT WHAT PART IS.
I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE DETAILS, I'M JUST ASKING WHICH POLICY OR WHAT PART OF WHAT THAT STATEMENT RIGHT THERE.
WHAT, WHAT DID YOU SEE, WHAT THE WRONG DOING OR ISSUE? UH, I THINK THERE IS PERCEPTION AS, AS IT'S WRITTEN ON HERE, THERE IS PERCEPTION OF THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT STRONGLY INFLUENCING THE PROJECT.
WHEN THE PROJECT WAS DENIED AT PLANNING, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY PLACED ON COUNCIL A PROCESS THAT USUALLY TAKES MONTHS TO OCCUR.
IT USUALLY DOES NOT TAKE A WEEK.
AND SO THAT WAS THE PERCEPTION FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M INTERESTED IN HAVING AN AD HOC COMMITTEE LOOK INTO.
SO DID YOU HAVE, BECAUSE THIS WASN'T INCLUDED ON HERE, UH, SO DID YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE OF WRONGDOING DOCUMENTATION, UH, SPECIFIC VIOL POLICIES VIOLATED ANY OF THAT? I, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE, WHICH IS WHY I'M ASKING FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AD HOC TO LOOK INTO THIS.
BUT I WILL SAY, UM, THAT, UH, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT BROUGHT THIS FORWARD ARE VERY WELL-RESPECTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE HAD A LONG STANDING POSITIVE HISTORY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT IS ALARMING TO CONTINUE TO HEAR THIS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO YOU SAID NO EVIDENCE, BUT YOU DID SAY PERCEPTION.
SO FOR NOW, THIS ISSUE AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, IS PERCEPTION WITHOUT EVIDENCE ENOUGH TO, FOR A CITY COUNCIL TO CALL AN INVESTIGATION INTO A COUNCIL LED INVESTIGATION IS PERCEPTION WITHOUT EVIDENCE, DO YOU THINK THAT THAT'S ENOUGH TO CALL FOR A PUBLIC COUNSEL INVESTIGATION? I THINK THE MOMENT WE HAVE A LAWSUIT AHEAD OF US AS A RESULT OF THIS BECAUSE THERE'S, UH, BEEN A-A-P-R-A REQUEST THAT SEEMINGLY HAS NOT BEEN FULFILLED, I THINK IT'S OUR DUTY AS COUNSEL TO LOOK INTO IT SO THAT WE'RE NOT BLINDSIDED BY THESE ACCUSATIONS AS THEY'RE CONTINUING TO COME IN THE COMMUNITY AND THIS LAWSUIT IS GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN A QUESTION TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, DID YOU REVIEW THE 1 0 5 REQUEST AND DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH IT OR HAVE A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION? UM, YES, I DID REVIEW IT UNDER THE 1 0 5, UM, POLICY PROCEDURE.
UH, MY REVIEW IS WITH THE CITY MANAGER SOLELY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE ITEM WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE OPEN AGENDA OR THE CLOSE AGENDA.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NO OTHER, UM, AUTHORITY FOR ME TO REVIEW OR COMMENT ON THE 1 0 5.
AND AS WE INDICATED, THE 1 0 5 TONIGHT IS SIMPLY FOR THE COUNCIL TO TAKE A VOTE AS TO WHETHER THEY WANT TO DISCUSS IT ON AN AGENDA AND THAT THE ACTUAL DISCUSSION OF THE ITEM IS MINIMAL.
SO CITY STAFF IS ABLE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, CITY ATTORNEY IF, UH, LIKE I'LL JUST GET MORE SPECIFIC, DO YOU THINK, IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION? 'CAUSE YOU'RE HERE TO ADVISE US.
SO DO YOU THINK THAT PERCEPTION ALONE WITHOUT EVIDENCE IS ENOUGH FOR US ON THE DAAS TO CALL FOR A COUNSEL LED INVESTIGATION SPECIFICALLY INTO PERSONNEL? UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO EXPRESS AN OPINION ON THAT.
THAT'S F SOMETHING FOR YOU GUYS TO DECIDE.
UM, AND I, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING YOUR OPINION.
THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
I DO HAVE CHAIR, JUST ONE COMMENT.
UM, IT SAYS HERE TO INVESTIGATE, SO WE'RE GIVING THIS AD HOC THE POWER TO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT PARAMETERS HAS NO POWER, NO IDEA.
IS THERE ANY 'CAUSE I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU.
I MEAN, IF THERE IS A, UH, LAWSUIT BEFORE US AND WE ARE TO INVESTIGATE, DO WE HAVE THE POWERS TO INVESTIGATE THIS, THIS ITEM? COUNSEL, WHAT I CAN TELL
[02:00:01]
YOU IS THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IF IN FACT YOU DECIDE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.UM, SO TONIGHT'S NOT THE NIGHT TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, BUT YES, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES ABOUT WHETHER THERE'S A PROPER AUTHORITY, HOW WOULD WE BE STRUCTURED, ET CETERA, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AT, IF YOU GUYS DECIDE TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
AGAIN, TONIGHT IS SIMPLY THE QUESTION IS DO YOU WANT TO PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION? AND AT THAT TIME, IF YOU DO, THEN WE CAN HAVE A FULL DISCUSSION ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST.
UM, MR. MAYOR, CAN WE HEAR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M WAITING ON RIGHT NOW.
ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA BE NAMING OFF THREE PEOPLE AT A TIME.
PLEASE STEP OUT INTO WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED INTO THE, UH, WALKWAY SO THAT YOU CAN IMMEDIATELY COME UP AND YOU'LL SAVE A LOT OF TIME.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, MARA SALINAS, LILIANA ARMA, AND RAY JUST SAYS RAY, I DON'T HAVE A LAST NAME.
SO WE HAVE MARA SALINAS, LILIANA ARMENTA, AND RAY MAYOR.
HOW MUCH TIME PER SPEAKER? UH, THESE ARE TWO MINUTES.
THEN, UH, LIANA, WOULD YOU COME UP AND THEN WE WILL, IF ANYONE'S MISSING AT THE END, WE'LL CALL THEIR NAMES AGAIN JUST IN CASE.
UM, YOU TRIED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS REQUEST WAS ABOUT, UM, JUST, UH, IN THE PAST FEW MINUTES, UH, HEARING YOU ALL TALK ABOUT THIS JUST CONFUSED ME EVEN MORE.
UM, IF THERE IS GOING TO BE AN AD HOC, WHICH I HOPE THERE ISN'T, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST FOR COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ TO NOT BE ON THERE AND BE PART OF THE AD HOC, UH, OBVIOUSLY FOR PERSONAL REASONS, BUT, UM, JUST ON THE VOICE OF SAN DIEGO HERE, ARTICLE, YOU KNOW, UH, PUTTING, UH, QUOTING COUNCILMAN RODRIGUEZ, UM, HE SAYS, AS, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR JOB AS COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE AND DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC.
UH, I FEEL HE HAS NOT DONE THAT.
UM, AND I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THESE 1 0 5 REQUESTS, BUT I WOULD BE A BIG ADVOCATE ABOUT EDUCATE, NOT INVESTIGATE AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
I LOOK TO YOU GUYS TO BE EDUCATED, TO GUIDE US NOT TO BE INVESTIGATING THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE LAWYERS, BUT THERE'S A LAWYER OR THERE'S LEGAL STUFF.
BUT PLEASE COUNSEL, EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON PROCESSES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN ALL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING INSTEAD OF INVESTIGATING.
YOU DIDN'T PUT YOUR LAST NAME.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THAT RAY
OH, I KNOW THE, I KNOW YOUR LAST NAME.
UH, TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARD NETTO.
THANK YOU MAYOR VICE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
AND, UH, MY CONCERN AGAIN IS THE, UH, THE AD HOC, AD HOC COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT UP, UH, I MYSELF AND, AND THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, THE MAIN, UH, PEOPLE THERE IN THAT AREA, UH, I THINK THAT THE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF QUESTIONS THAT, THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT UP, THAT A, UH, AD HOC COMMITTEE WOULD BE RECOMMENDED ON MY PART.
AND I THINK AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT A TIME WHERE, UH, SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK AS HISTORY AS THE PAST, BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY MAKING HISTORY NOW.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE INTEGRITY OF OUR HISTORICAL LANDMARKS AND OUR COMMUNITY BE KEPT AND PRESERVED IN ANY DECISION THAT WE MAKE NOWADAYS, ESPECIALLY.
SO, I, I, I RECOMMEND THAT WE DO LOOK INTO THIS, THIS AREA, THIS, THIS PROJECT OF SWEETWATER AND REALLY CONSIDER THE, UH, HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AREA AND THE COMMUNITY IN THAT AREA, THE COMMUNITY, UH, UH, RESIDENTS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WANT TO
[02:05:03]
ASK YOU, UH, TO DEMONSTRATE BY YOUR COMMITMENT TO, FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE CITY'S PLANNING PROCESS, THAT WE GO THROUGH IT AND, AND WE SEE ALL THE ANGLES AND ALL THE PERSPECTIVES.SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON.
AND DON'T FORGET, GET ON YOUR BIKES, BROTHER.
LET'S DO SOME BIKING, SOME SERIOUS BIKING.
THANK YOU AGAIN, EDWARD NETTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY BRIAN CLAPPER, BE FOLLOWED BY HECTOR AND I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO DEAL WITH THAT NAME.
SAN DIEGO GOT SAN DIEGO STATE LOST REALLY BIG TIME.
SO I'M, I'M SORT OF IN A PISSY MOOD RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, WHAT I WANNA START THIS OFF IS THAT, UM, ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY SAID, IT MAKES ME THINK INVESTIGATION BY PERCEPTION.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INTEGRITY.
HOW CAN YOU, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, AND A LAWYER CAN'T VOICE HIS OPINION ON THAT ISM, NOT A LAWYER.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'M NOT GONNA INVESTIGATE SOMEBODY JUST BASED ON PERCEPTION.
IF THAT WAS THE CASE, I WOULD'VE BEEN HERE AND PUSHING RODRIGUEZ TO GET INVESTIGATED ALL THE TIME.
I HAVEN'T DONE THAT IN TERMS OF SAYING JUST BY PERCEPTION.
I'VE DONE IT BASED ON FACTS AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MORE I CAN SAY ABOUT THAT.
ALRIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE BRIAN CLAPPER TO BE FOLLOWED BY HECTOR.
LAST NAME STARTS WITH AN M AND I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO GO BEYOND THAT POINT.
SO HECTOR, AND THEN AFTER THAT, CARISSA.
MAYOR MORRISON, UH, CITY MANAGER, ATTORNEY AND STAFF.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST SAY THAT, UH, I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A, AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED IS, IS BEING INFORMED AND THIS IS DOING THE RIGHT THING WITH THE TOWN HALLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE SURE IT WAS RIGHT.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY ALSO, WHY DID THE STAFF RECOMMEND A DEFECTIVE PROJECT? GRANTING THE PERMIT WOULD CONS WOULD CONSTITUTE A NUISANCE OR BE IN INJURE US AND DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE, OR WELFARE OR MATERNAL IN INJURIOUS TO PERSONS GRANTING THE PERMIT WOULD BE IN INJURIOUS TO THE PERSON'S PROPERTY OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VICINITY AND ZONE TO PROTECT THE PROPERTY THAT IS LOCATED.
UH, IS BRIAN CLAPPER HECTOR IS HE HERE? HECTOR? LAST NAME STARTS WITH M UH, THEN I'LL GO WITH CARISSA.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO START THAT I WAS, UM, BOTH AMUSED AND STARTLED BY YOUR GUYS' BANTER.
COULD YOU TALK DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC? I WOULD LIKE TO START THAT I WAS BOTH AMUSED AND STARTLED BY YOUR GUYS' BANTER WITH ONE ANOTHER AS MY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, SO IN ESTABLISHING AN AD HOC COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE SWEETWATER ROAD GAS STATION PROJECT, UM, I FEEL THIS IS ENSURING OUR CITY'S PLANNING PROCESSES ARE TRANSPARENT, ACCOUNTABLE, AND TRUSTWORTHY.
UM, AND QUITE FRANKLY, I FIND IT EGREGIOUS TO SEE BLAME BEING CAST.
UM, AS A COUNCIL, IT IS MEANT TO BE.
YOU GUYS ARE MEANT TO BE KEEPING CHECKS AND BALANCES AT ALL STAGES OF THE PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THE END.
AND IT SEEMS AS IF AT THE END STAGE NOW WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE WE ARE CASTING BLAME AND WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE IS COMING, UM, FORTH.
OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER FROM THE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO TOUT, THEY SERVE THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVE WITHIN.
THIS IS THE SAME, UM, COMMUNITY.
YOUR CHILDREN BREATHE THE AIR, THE SAME ROADS YOU DRIVE.
UM, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO THE 2026 ELECTIONS.
UM, I, IN ESTABLISHING A AD HOC COMMITTEE, IT WILL ENABLE INDEPENDENT REVIEW TO JUST RESTORE THE PUBLIC TRUST BY THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATING THE, THE HANDLING OF THIS PROJECT AND WHATEVER THOSE OUTCOMES MAY BE.
I HOPE THAT THERE IS NEUTRALITY IN WHO SITS ON THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE, MEANING THAT THERE IS NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST REGARDLESS OF WHOSE FEELINGS AND WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.
SO I DO HOPE THAT JOSE, UM, MARCUS BUSH, UM, NONE OF YOU ARE A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE AND THERE'S COMPLETE NEUTRALITY IN HOW THAT IS BEING INVESTIGATED
[02:10:01]
FULLY.UH, AND THEN WE HAVE JENNIFER ZUNI AND THEN MICHAEL LEGI
WILL YOU HAVE THE TRANSLATION PLEASE? CARLOS? I APOLOGIZE FOR THE PAUSE AGAIN.
HI, I AM SALVADOR KANDIA AND I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE MAYOR.
I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR 10 YEARS AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL WITH RON BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS HELPED, UH, THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY A LOT.
WE ALWAYS SAY THAT WHENEVER WE INVITE HIM TO COME TO SOME EVENT AT THE COMMUNITY, HE ALWAYS AGREES AND HE'S ALWAYS THE FIRST TO SHOW UP AND THE LAST TO LEAVE.
AND WE'VE SEEN THE GREAT WORK THAT RON HAS DONE.
UH, FRANKLY, I, AS A SPANISH SPEAKING PERSON, HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED THIS.
AND JUST ASK YOURSELVES WHY HE KEEPS GETTING, GETTING REELECTED.
THERE'S GOTTA BE A REASON, RIGHT? SO ALL OF US IN THE HISPANIC, UH, UH, AND AND MEXICAN COMMUNITY ARE GRATEFUL FOR HIS WORK AND WHAT HE'S DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO HE IS VERY BELOVED AMONGST THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY AND AT JOSIE AS WELL.
AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF HIS GREAT TEAM AND, UM, EVERYONE THAT RON SUPPORT.
SO, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK, UM, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN A CHANGE AS FAR AS HOW MUCH SUPPORT OUR, UH, COMMUNITY HAS HAD.
AND ANOTHER THING THAT I LOVE IS THAT HE'S ALSO, UH, ADOPTED MEXICAN CUISINE, LIKE MINUTO AS HIS OWN.
SO AS A MEXICAN, I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT HE ALSO LOVES OUR FOOD BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S PART OF OUR MEXICAN CULTURE.
SO ANYWAY, UM, HE KNOWS HE'LL ALWAYS HAVE A SUPPORT.
OKAY, UH, NEXT WE HAVE JENNIFER ZUNI TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL LEGI TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UM, MCKAYLA POLANCO PRESTON IN OPPOSITION TO INVESTIGATE MAYOR RON MORRISON AND HIS EXECUTIVE JOSIE FLORES CLARK.
UM, IN 2012, I WAS, I CAME ACROSS RON MORRISON, UM, AND I STARTED LEARNING ABOUT HIM AS MAYOR.
UM, I ACTUALLY ASKED HIM FOR $20 BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A CREDIT CARD TO PAY FOR MY NIECES AND NEPHEW, HOT DOGS AND NACHOS AT A SUMMER EVENTS, UH, SUMMER NIGHTS EVENT.
AT, UM, LAS PALMAS PARK AND BEING A MAYOR AND GIVING ME $20, I'M LIKE, WELL, LET'S SEE.
HIS LEADERSHIP, I WAS GOING TO SCHOOL.
I WAS IN OUR SCHOOL COUNCIL, AND I KIND OF WANTED TO SEE, I WANTED TO SEE HIS SERVANT LEADERSHIP, AND HE PROVED IT.
UM, FROM THEN HE HAD BEEN INVITING PEOPLE TO A CHRISTMAS PARTY, THE COMMUNITY TO GO.
AND I TOOK MY NIECES TO SHOW THEM WHAT REAL LEADERSHIP WAS.
AGAIN, THIS WAS A MAYOR AND WHO OPENS THEIR HOUSE TO STRANGERS IN THE COMMUNITY JUST TO GO, BECAUSE THEY WERE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
I BARELY INVITE MY OWN FAMILY 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA CLEAN 'EM UP AFTER THEM
SO THIS WAS A HUGE, UH, AMAZING, UM, SERVANT LEADER THAT I'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
I DECIDED TO COME AND DO AN INTERNSHIP IN 2014 FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AFTER GRADUATING SOUTHWESTERN
[02:15:01]
COLLEGE BECAUSE OF THAT ACT OF KINDNESS.UM, FROM THAT POINT, JOSIE, I, I NEEDED SOME HELP.
JOSIE HELPED ME GET INTO A SOBER LIVING.
I ENDED UP GOING BACK INTO THE GOVERNMENT AND I CREATED A PEER SUPPORT TEAM FOR 700 OF OUR OFFICERS.
I GRADUATED MY, WITH MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE, AND I'M HERE SUPPORTING THEM BECAUSE THEY'VE CHANGED MY LIFE BECAUSE OF THEIR SERVANT LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE OF THEIR INTEGRITY, BECAUSE OF THEIR SERVICE TO PEOPLE.
UM, MY LIFE IS CHANGED BECAUSE OF THEM.
AND SO I'M JUST HERE PROOF THAT THEY ARE CHANGING LIVES.
AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF RIDICULOUS THAT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE POOR SPORTSMANSHIP WITHOUT EVIDENCE.
I COME FROM THE GOVERNMENT, I'VE SEEN THIS, THIS IS WHAT THEY TRY TO DO TO ME, AND I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MICHAEL GERRY TO BE BY, FOLLOWED BY MICKEL POLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JESSE NOVATO.
IN JURY DUTY, YOU LEARN THAT THERE'S CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE KNOWN AS INDIRECT EVIDENCE, AND THERE'S DIRECT EVIDENCE.
IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT A PROJECT WAS RECOMMENDED BY A VERY PROFESSIONAL GROUP OF PLANNING STAFF MEMBERS THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED ON ITS FACE.
AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOGNIZED THAT AND SAID IT WAS AN ABUSE, IT WAS A NUISANCE.
IT NETS YOUR CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE.
THEN YOU GO BACK AND YOU SAY, WELL, IS THERE ANY DIRECT EVIDENCE THAT THE MAYOR AND HIS ASSISTANT WERE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT BEFORE IT CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION? AND WE KNOW ON APRIL 22ND, WE HAVE THE EMAIL RIGHT HERE.
THE MAYOR, HIS ASSISTANT, WAS, UH, EMAILED BY THE PROPONENTS OF THE PROJECT AND WAS PROVIDED THE ARCHITECTURAL PLANS AND WAS THANKED.
THEN THE MAYOR MADE THE ADMISSION THAT HE DOES HELP IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ALLEGATION.
HE DOES HELP DEVELOPERS, MEANING HE DID HELP THIS DEVELOPER.
BUT IT WAS JUST LIKE WHEN I HELPED MS. PO, MS. POLANCO, WHO HAD SOMETHING GOING ON AT LA VISTA.
YOU DON'T COMPROMISE YOURSELF BY HELPING SOMEONE PUSH THROUGH A PROJECT WITH YOUR CITY, BECAUSE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IMPARTIAL WHEN YOU MAKE PLANNING DECISIONS.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IMPARTIAL.
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO ALREADY HAVE PREJUDGED IT.
UH, MICHEL POLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY JUSTIN NAVARRO, TO BE FOLLOWED BY JASON DELS.
I BELIEVE IT'S GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I JUST WANNA LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT ATTACKING THE MAYOR OR JOSIE.
WE ARE NOT HERE TO ATTACK ANYBODY.
THE MAYOR HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS THROUGH THE YEARS, AND SO HAS JOSIE.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ATTACK HERE IS A SITUATION AND A PROBLEM THAT HAS CAUSED A LOT OF HAVOC.
UH, WHO STARTED THIS HAVOC? WHO STARTED THE HAVOC? THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELVES.
THIS HAVOC STARTED BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDING SUCH A BAD PROJECT TO GO FORWARD.
NOW, THE PLANNING, UH, DEPARTMENT HAS, MARTIN READER HAS DAVID WELSH HAS STEVE, WHICH ARE ENGINEERS.
THEY'RE STUDIED, WHAT DO THEY STUDY? TO ADHERE TO ALL MUNICIPAL CODE REQUIREMENTS AND ALSO TO FOLLOW ALL LAND USE REGULATIONS.
AND WHERE A PROJECT PROJECT DOES NOT MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS, THEY ARE TO SAY NO.
NOW, THEY OBVIOUSLY, WHY DID THE STAFF RECOMMEND A DEFECTIVE PROJECT THAT WAS REJECTED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION? THAT IS OUR QUESTION.
WE WANT TRANSPARENCY ON THE PROCESS OF WHY DID BEN MARTINEZ AUTHORIZED IT? WHY DID BARRY SCHULTZ AUTHORIZE IT? YOU HAVE PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THAT WE'VE ALREADY GIVEN YOU WHERE ALL OF THESE HAD DO INFLUENCE ON THE PROJECT, AND WE MUST REMAIN IMPARTIAL WHEN YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE TO MAKE IMPORTANT DECISION UP IN THE DAAS.
NOW, WHY DID THE PLANNING STAFF RECOMMEND APPROVAL DESPITE THIS MAJOR UNRESOLVED DEFICIENCIES IN THE PROJECT?
[02:20:01]
I DON'T KNOW WHO CONVINCED THE PLANNING STAFF WHO INITIALLY IDENTIFIED MAJOR DEFICIENCIES TO SHIFT TO CONSIDERING THESE AS MINOR ADJUSTMENTS AND SUBSEQUENTLY RECOMMENDING APPROVAL WITH A CQ EXEMPTIONS.JESSE NOVATO, FOLLOWED BY JASON DEVO VO, I THINK I BELIEVE IS, UH, FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA TERAN.
GOOD EVENING, UH, HONORABLE MAYOR.
THE SAME W COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY ATTORNEY.
UH, I COME TO YOU WITH SOME SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE, UH, UH, 45 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC SAFETY, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INCLUDING 15 YEARS, UH, AS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WORKING WITH EVERY MAYOR AND EVERY CITY COUNCIL IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, AND INCLUDING SUPPORTING A LOT OF THE MAYORS, A LOT OF THE CITY COUNCIL, A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE OVER HERE.
UH, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, I LOOKED INTO THIS MATTER, AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS, UH, MR. RODRIGUEZ, FOR YOU TO PROPOSE AN AD HAVE COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE SOMETHING, KNOWING, KNOWING FOR A FACT THAT THERE IS NOTHING, THERE IS NOTHING TO INVESTIGATE.
IF YOU'RE DOING IT SIMPLY FOR THE REASON OF, UH, OF PERHAPS, UH, PROMOTING YOURSELF EVENTUALLY TO BECOME THE MAYOR, THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.
BUT THERE IS NO SUBSTANCE TO IT IN INVESTIGATING THE MAYOR AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR SIMPLY BECAUSE OF PERCEPTION.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH MANY INVESTIGATIONS, SUPPORTED MANY MAYORS AND CITY COUNCIL, BUT ALSO I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN INVESTIGATIONS THAT INVESTIGATED AND REMOVED AND, UH, FILED CHARGES ON ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I BEG OF YOU, MR. RODRIGUEZ AND THE REST OF YOU, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ACT PROPERLY AND NOT TARNISH THE REPUTATION OF THIS GREAT CITY, OF NATIONAL CITY.
UH, PATRICIA TAHAN, AND ISABEL, GOOD EVENING.
JUST TO TAKE EMOTIONS OUT OF THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, WHY DID, WHY WAS IT RECOMMENDED AGAINST THE CA THE PLANNING COMMISSION? AND I THINK IF WE JUST TAKE ALL THE EMOTIONS OUT AND WE THINK ABOUT THIS PROJECT, WE THINK ABOUT IT AS, OKAY.
UH, THE PUBLIC HAS, IS, IS NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS.
THE PUBLIC IS, IS SCARED OF THE EXCESSIVE NOISE.
UH, AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD MENTIONED, UM, CODING VERBATIM FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, GRANTING THE PROJECT MAY PRODUCE EXCESSIVE NOISE.
GENERAL NUISANCES RELATED TO OVERCONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL AS MENTIONED ABOVE, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR NOXIOUS ODORS RELATED TO THE SALE OF GASOLINE.
ALSO, BASED ON THE FINDINGS, PUBLIC CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY WILL NOT BE SERVED BY OFFSITE SALE OF ALCOHOL BEVERAGES PURSUANT TO THE LAW.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, UH, WALKED AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ASKED QUESTIONS TO THE NEIGHBORS WHERE THIS, UH, PUBLIC, UH, WHERE THIS GAS STATION AND TOBACCO SALES, UH, WOULD BE BUILT.
AND, UH, ALL THE CUSTOMER, ALL ALL EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THERE IS VERY, VERY CONCERNED.
THE PEOPLE THAT, THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, ASKING THAT QUESTION OR ASKING THESE QUESTIONS ARE A GOOD IDEA.
NEXT, WE HAD, UH, PATRICIA TRAHAN BE FOLLOWED BY ISABEL.
AND BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, LUISA MCCARTHY.
UH, GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR LISTENING TO MY OPINION.
UH, MY CONCERN HERE IS IF DU INFLUENCE WAS USED AGAINST NATIONAL CITY PLANNING STAFF, BECAUSE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER AND HIGH RANKING CITY OFFICIALS DURING THE PROJECTS REVIEW PROCESS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT UNDO INFLUENCE.
UM, OUR SUPREME COURT REQUIRES COURT IMPARTIALITY OF THE EDUCATORS.
THEREFORE, THERE IS A RIGHT TO IMPARTIAL ADJUDICATORS, UM, AS IN THE APPLE BOMB VERSUS BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN 1980.
AND THE CALIFORNIA APPEAL, UH, SUPREME COURT DISTRICT THIRD, 6, 48, 57, AND 58.
SO COURTS HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT COURT, AN INDIVIDUAL HAS THE RIGHT TO A TRIBUNAL
[02:25:01]
WHICH MEETS STANDARDS OF IMPARTIALITY.EVEN THE PROBABILITY OF UNFAIRNESS HAS TO BE AVOIDED IN COURT.
AND THEN THE DEFINITION OF, UH, UE INFLUENCE IS THAT TAKING AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE OF ANOTHER'S WEAKNESS OF MIND.
AND THIS IS WRITTEN IN THE CIVIL CODE SECTION 1 5 7 5.
AND THE REASON WHY WE ARE HERE IS BECAUSE WE THINK THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE, UM, BY NOT PRODUCING PUBLIC RECORDS OF THIS CASE.
IT IS THAT WE ARE NOT BEING GIVEN THE RIGHT TO HAVE THAT EVIDENCE.
SO IT IS THAT, IT'S NOT THAT IT DOES NOT EXIST, IT'S THAT WE ARE BEING STOPPED FROM HAVING IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING HERE, THE RIGHT TO PRODUCE THOSE PAPERS SO THEY CAN BE PUBLIC.
AND THERE'S TRANSPARENCY FOR EVERYBODY.
IF, IF WE ARE WRONG, WE ARE WRONG, BUT WE BELIEVE WE ARE NOT.
NEXT WE HAVE ISABELLE BE FOLLOWED BY LUISA MCCARTHY TO BE FOLLOWED BY FRANK RIVERA RODRIGUEZ UNIVERSITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. MORRIS, FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
CIA, ISABEL, LATINOS, YOU HAVE THE TRANSLATION PLEASE, CARLOS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE.
I HAVE HAD, UH, GREAT REFERENCE FROM ROSA RODRIGUEZ PRIOR TO NOW, BUT TODAY WE COME HERE, UH, FROM THE NGO FOR RE LATINOS, UH, NONPROFIT, UM, BASED OUT OF CHULA VISTA.
AND EVERY YEAR WE HOST THAT EVENT CALLED CHRISTMAS IN SEPTEMBER.
AND WELL, WE CHANGE THE NAME EVERY YEAR.
BUT, UM, THE POINT IS THAT THANKS TO THE SUPPORT, THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM RON MORRISON AND JOSEPH FLORES CLARK, WE WERE ABLE TO HOST OUR EVENT IN NATIONAL CITY.
SO WHY DID THE WELCOME US IN? WELL, BECAUSE THEY WANT US TO OFFER THESE BENEFITS TO NATIONAL CITY CHILDREN.
WE DID IT OVER AT THE PARK AT FAIRMONT AND UNIVERSITY, AND WE, WHAT IT IS, IS THAT WE HAVE THIS DRAWING FOR BICYCLES THAT WE CAN BRING SOME JOY TO CHILDREN A FEW MONTHS PRIOR TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON SO THEY CAN GET A LITTLE BIT OF EXCITEMENT AND HAPPINESS, PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE CHILDREN WHO MAY NOT, UH, BE ABLE TO GET A TOY OR A BICYCLE.
I WOULD'VE DIED FOR A BICYCLE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING THAT DREAM COME, COME TRUE NOW TO MAKE CHILDREN HAPPY.
AND WE BROUGHT THE EVENT TO NATIONAL CITY.
AGAIN, THANKS TO ALL OF THAT SUPPORT.
WITHOUT KNOWING US, HE OPENED THE DOORS TO NATIONAL CITY, TO US AND PROVIDED HIS SUPPORT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
UH, MR. GRACIA, FORRES, LATINOS.
NEXT WE HAVE LUISA MCCARTHY, FOLLOWED BY FRANK RIVERA, FOLLOWED BY CAMILLA BADILLA.
HOW DID THE PROJECT GET ON CITY COUNCIL CONSENT AGENDA, EVEN AFTER PLANNING COMMISSION, FOUND IT TO BE A PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE AND DENIED IT IN THE FACE OF MASSIVE COMMUNITY OPPOSITION.
A CONSENT CALENDAR IS A LIST OF ROUTINE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT UNAWARE, ROUTINE, NON-CONTROVERSIAL
[02:30:01]
ITEMS THAT ARE GROUPED TOGETHER AND APPROVED WITH A SINGLE MOTION AND VOTE, SAVING TIME AND STREAMLINING MEETING PROCEDURES IN MY HAND.I HAVE AN EMAIL FROM ONE OF YOUR OWN STAFF THAT ARE CONFUSED AS TO WHY THIS IS BEING PUSHED THROUGH THE AGENDA.
AND ON THE EMAIL, IT IS DIRECTED TO DAVID WELCH, CARLOS AGUIRE, MARTIN REEDER, AND MS. SHELLY CHAPEL, WHICH IS ON ZOOM, PROBABLY FROM TEXAS RIGHT NOW.
THE AGENDA ITEM SAYS, NOTICE OF DECISION.
I'M REVIEWING THE SUBJECT AGENDA ITEM, AND IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHETHER STAFF IS STILL RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT OR IS THE PC'S DECISION FINAL.
IN SUCH CASES, IT SEEMS THAT THE EXPLANATION SHOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION ON NEXT STEPS FOR THE APPLICANT, OR THE CC IF THERE ARE ANY.
SORRY FOR MY LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IN THIS AREA.
AND THEN MARTIN REEDER RESPONDS AND GIVES HER A, A SENTENCE, SHE RESPONDS AGAIN AND SAYS, HI, DAVID.
I CAN ADD THAT SENTENCE, BUT WHAT SHOULD, WHAT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY A STATEMENT OF THE FACTS CAN BE CONSIDERED A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
WHAT IS THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN THE PC UH, PLANNING COMM COMMISSION DENIES AN APPLICANT REQUEST? HERE IT IS.
SO YOU WANT PROOF? THERE IT IS.
AND MY FINAL THOUGHT IS, UH, HERE WE GO.
A CITY COUNCIL AD HOC COMMITTEE CAN HELP ANSWER THE MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.
YOU WILL NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS IF YOU DO NOT INVESTIGATE REGARDING THE SWEETWATER ROAD GAS STATION PROJECT, YOUR COMMENT.
OKAY, FRANK RIVERA, UH, KA PADILLA.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I AM A LICENSED CIVIL ENGINEER AND A LICENSED TRAFFIC ENGINEER WITH OVER 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND A LOT OF IT WITH LAND DEVELOPMENT.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PROJECT LIKE THIS BEFORE.
FIRST OF ALL, HOW IS IT THAT A PROJECT WHICH WAS OVERWHELMINGLY OPPOSED AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING BY 35 OF 39 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DUE TO PUBLIC HEALTH SAFETY OR MATERIALLY INJU INJURIOUS TO PERSONS PROPERTY OR IMPROVEMENTS TO AND EMISSIONS OF HAZARDOUS FUMES, HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED BY YOUR TECHNICAL STAFF? YET THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD SO MANY QUESTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD THAT IT WAS DENIED.
THE PLANNING COMMISSIONERS ARE ON RECORD STATING THEY WOULD NOT WANT THIS PROJECT IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SECONDLY, HOW IS IT THAT A PROJECT THAT CREATES ABOUT 2000 NEW VEHICLE TRIPS INTO A COMMUNITY AND HAS A TECHNICAL TRAFFIC ANALYSIS STUDY RECOMMENDING A NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL AS PART OF THE PROJECT, YET THE RESOLUTION PREPARED BY STAFF WOULD'VE ALLOWED THE PROJECT TO BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME PRIOR TO ANY TRAFFIC SIGNAL BEING IN PLACE AT A LOCATION WHERE A FATALITY HAS ALREADY OCCURRED.
SQL MITIGATION FOR IMPACTS CREATED BY A PROJECT TO PUT THE PUBLIC AT RISK LIKE THAT.
THIRDLY, HOW IS IT THAT A PROJECT THAT REPLACES FOUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH 12 PUMP FUELING STATION, A CONVENIENCE STORE LARGER THAN THE SEVEN 11 STORE ACROSS THE STREET, AND WITH A PROPOSED BASEMENT DOUBLING THE SIZE OF THE STORE, A DRIVE THROUGH CAR WASH, A VACUUM CLEANER, DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANT COFFEE SHOP TWO, DRIVE THROUGH QUEUES, ACCOMMODATE 50 VEHICLES ON SITE AT ONCE IN A FUELING TRUCK, AND FIVE RESIDENTIAL UNITS THAT NEEDED ALL THESE VARIANCES FROM YOUR OWN MUNICIPAL CODE TO BE ABLE TO FIT ON THE PARCELS.
AND HOW IS IT THAT ANOTHER LIQUOR LICENSE IS ALREADY NEEDED IN AN AREA THAT HAS TWICE THE RECOMMENDED LIQUOR LICENSES IN LESS THAN ONE MILE SEGMENT? THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE STILL NEED ANSWERS TO.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, MARIA SEVERSON, AND THEN RANDY, UH, CASTLE SALGADO.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING I SUPPORT POLICY 1 0 5, UM, TO INVESTIGATE THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE SWEETWATER ROAD GAS STATION PROJECT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN THIS BY SAYING THAT I THINK THERE COULD BE MUCH MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS SPACE TO BE BUILT.
FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW MANY PEOPLE AT MY SCHOOL CURRENTLY WHO HAVE ACCESS TO ALCOHOL, TO VAPES.
AND I THINK THAT SOMETHING SO DAMAGING THAT I DON'T THINK IS VERY CONVENIENT TO HAVE A SPOT THAT COULD OFFER THIS TO THE YOUTH IN NATIONAL CITY.
I THINK THIS SPOT COULD BE USED FOR MUCH MORE BETTER STUFF, LIKE THEY MENTIONED EARLIER, LIKE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY BETTER OPPORTUNITY RATHER THAN HAVING STUFF LIKE THAT, LIKE A LIQUOR STORE, GAS STATION, I REALLY DO THINK THIS SPACE COULD BE USED FOR MUCH MORE CONVENIENT PROJECTS.
[02:35:01]
VERSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY RANDY CASTLE SALGADO TO BE FOLLOWED BY CAM MARAN.GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MAYOR, CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT HOW WE GOT HERE.
THERE WAS THIS GAS STATION PROJECT THAT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS IN 2024, THE, THERE'S EMAILS GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE MAYOR STAFF, THE PLANNING STAFF, AND IT'S ALL DOCUMENTED HERE IN A REPORT.
SO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH, WHEN YOU SAY, YOU KNOW, WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE? I, I HOPE YOU READ THIS.
NOW, THERE WAS A PLANNING COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 2ND, UH, MEETING.
THE OVERWHELMINGLY DENIED BECAUSE THERE WAS NUISANCE AS TO NOISE.
THERE WAS NUISANCE AS TO TRAFFIC.
THERE WAS NUISANCE AS TO ALCOHOL BEING SERVED FROM 6:00 AM TO 2:00 AM.
HOW DID THIS GET MOVED FORWARD? WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT THE EMAILS, WE SEE THAT EVEN DURING THE YEAR BEFORE IT GOT TO THE COMMISSION, THAT THERE WAS, OH, YOU NEED CS.
OH, NORMALLY WE CHARGE X AMOUNT FOR EACH CUP.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S LIKE A BOGO.
BUY ONE, GET ONE, ACTUALLY GET TWO FOR THE PRICE.
GET THREE FOR THE PRICE OF ONE.
THEN IT WAS PUT ON PLANNING COMMISSION DENIED IT DECEMBER 2ND.
HOW IS IT A WEEK LATER? IT'S ON DECEMBER 10TH WITH THE STAFF RECOMMENDING IT.
AND I WAS HERE THAT DAY ON DECEMBER 10TH, AS MANY PEOPLE WERE.
AND THE ONLY REASON IT GOT PULLED WAS BECAUSE WE DID PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? YOU KNOW, SOMETHING'S ROTTEN IN DENMARK.
HERE, THERE, THE CITY, UH, THE MANAGER, I'M SORRY.
THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT HAS, UH, HER DAUGHTER'S WEDDING GOES OUT AND THANKS.
THE DEVELOPER OF THE PROJECT SAYING THIS DAY WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HELP.
AND THEN CITES TO THE, THE DEVELOPER.
OKAY, THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.
WE HAVE RANDY CASTLE SALGADO, FOLLOWED BY CAMILA MARRAN, AND THEN JOHN LEE, UH, CALL YOU THAT.
UM, AS WE HAVE ALL STATED BEFORE, FACTS MATTER, THIS PROJECT WAS DENIED.
THE DUE PROCESS WORKED, BENEFITING THE PUBLIC.
DECEMBER 2ND, I MADE A SITE VISIT TO THE PROPOSED LOCATION TO SEE THE SIZE AND PROXIMITY TO RESIDENCES.
WHEN I WAS THERE, IT WAS UNCLEAR WHICH LOTS WERE BEING PROPOSED.
AND I MADE A CALL TO COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH AS THIS WAS HIS DISTRICT, AND HE ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FENCES AND THE LOTS THAT WERE INCLUDED.
PLANNING COMMISSION DENIED THE PROJECT LOCATED AT ORANGE AND SWEETWATER.
THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT RAISED SERIOUS CONCERNS BY PLACING HOUSING ON TOP OF A GAS STATION, PRESENTS ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH RISKS, NOT TO MENTION OUTDATED STATE LAW AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, AS CALIFORNIA IS ACTIVELY MOVING TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION WITH THE STATE SET TO BAN THE SALE OF NEW GASOLINE POWERED VEHICLES BY 2035, APPROVING NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT TIE COMMUNITIES TO OUTDATED INFRASTRUCTURE, CONTRADICT STATE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
DECEMBER 10TH, 2024, NOTICE OF PLANNING COMMISSION'S DENIAL WAS GIVEN TO COUNCIL.
WITH THIS SAID, I HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED BY MAYOR MORRISON OR JOSIE FLORES.
AND TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, NONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS WERE CONTACTED.
AND OUR DECISION MADE ON THIS PROJECT WAS UNBIASED.
SO TO SAY THIS WAS BEING PUSHED THROUGH, BUT NO CONTACT WITH COMMISSIONERS JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY, THIS PROJECT HAD A PRIOR APPROVAL, PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN 2019, BUT WITHOUT HOUSING AND GAS FOR THE RECORD AND FOR CLARIFICATION ON PUTTING THIS NOTICE OF DENIAL SO SOON, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THIS FACT AS WELL.
DECEMBER 2ND, PLANNING ALSO MADE A DECISION ON ANOTHER ITEM.
THAT ITEM AND DECISION WAS BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL.
DECEMBER 3RD, THE FOLLOWING DAY.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, CELIA MARRAN.
LOOKS LIKE C-A-M-I-L-A MARRAN.
OKAY, WE'LL CALL THESE BACK AT THE END.
UH, NEXT WE END UP WITH, UH, DONNELLY, Y-A-N-E-L-I.
[02:40:01]
WE'LL CALL THOSE AT THE END.UH, NEXT WE GO WITH, UH, ALFREDO CALDERON.
WE HAVE ALFREDO CALDERON IN THE AUDIENCE.
UH, NEXT WE GO WITH ALICIA MORRISON.
M-A-R-I-N GOT A BIG CIRCLE OVER THE EYE, SO I THINK THAT'S JUST SUPPOSED TO BE AN I.
MY MESSAGE TODAY IS TAKEN FROM WHAT YOU HAVE TOLD VOTERS, YOU WERE ELECTED TO SERVE THIS COUNCIL BY THE VOTERS OF NATIONAL CITY.
YOU WERE DRIVEN TO SERVE NATIONAL CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS HAVE A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED YOU.
SO HOLD TRUE TO UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT THE INVESTIGATION OF THE SWEETWATER ROAD PROJECT, UH, GAS STATION PROJECT.
HOW CAN YOU CLAIM TO STAND WITH WORKING FAMILIES AND FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITHOUT SEEING HOW WE HAVE BEEN PLEADING FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH THIS ENTIRE GAS STATION PROJECT THAT WAS PLACED ON THE DECEMBER 10TH SPECIAL MEETING CONSENT CALENDAR AFTER THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DENIAL OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT ON DECEMBER 2ND.
WHEN YOU HAVE ANIMOSITIES TOWARD ONE ANOTHER, HOW CAN YOU CLAIM THAT YOU STRIVE TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS COLLABORATIVELY WITH FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND NOT SUPPORT THE INVESTIGATION? THE ENTIRE GAS STATION PROJECT? IF YOUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE THAT OF THE RAMIREZ FAMILY DAYCARE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN RUINED, HAVE THAT PROJECT GONE THROUGH ON DECEMBER 10TH, THEN YOU NEED TO SUPPORT THIS INVESTIGATION.
YOU CLAIM TO PUT NEIGHBORHOODS FIRST AND CHAMPION THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITY ABOVE SPECIAL INTERESTS.
DOES THAT INCLUDE YOUR OWN PERSONAL AGENDAS? IF YOU WANNA MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF US, THEN SUPPORT THIS ITEM FOR INVESTIGATION.
YOU CLAIM TO HAVE BATTLED CITY HALL REGULARLY, A COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND DECIDED NOT TO THROW STONES AT CITY HALL, BUT TO WORK FROM THE INSIDE TO GIVE CITIZENS A VOICE, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR POSITIVE CHANGE FROM WITHIN CITY GOVERNMENT.
HELP RESTORE TRUST TO THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WILL FILL YOUR DOPE VOTERS WITH DOUBT IN YOUR ABILITY TO SERVE THEM.
LET YOUR WORDS BE MEANINGFUL TO YOUR VOTERS.
PLEASE SUPPORT AND PLA THIS ITEM, THE FACTS THAT THE ENTIRE GAS STATION YOU FOR.
I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING IN SPANISH.
WE HAVE THE TRANSLATION, PLEASE.
I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS POLICY 1 0 5 REQUEST.
I, I'M SPEAKING AS A MOTHER TONIGHT BECAUSE I FEEL THAT NATIONAL CITY DOESN'T NEED ANY MORE PLACES WHERE OUR CHILDREN ON TEENS CAN EASILY OBTAIN ALCOHOL CIGARETTES.
AND WHAT THEY NEED IS MORE PLACES LIKE PARKS AND MORE EVENTS LIKE WHAT MS. PALAO MENTIONED THAT BRING SOME JOY AND SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO OUR, OUR CHILDREN.
THE SWEETWATER ROAD GAS STATION PROJECTS, UH, IS AT A LOCATION IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT.
IT IS AT A LOCATION WHERE A LOT OF CHILDREN AND, UM, ADOLESCENTS WALK THROUGH UNDERWAY TO SCHOOL.
SO IT'D BE BETTER TO PERHAPS HAVE A PARK THERE OR SOME OTHER PLACE WHERE THEY
[02:45:01]
CAN GET TOGETHER INSTEAD OF A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO ALCOHOL AND OTHER HARMFUL SUBSTANCES.BECAUSE IF WE WANT A BETTER SOCIETY, WE NEED TO PROTECT THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR YOUTH.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY MIKE MONTOYA, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE KRUG.
I SUPPORT THE, THIS INVESTIGATION FOR MANY REASONS, BUT I ONLY HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF THE REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION AND ALSO THE INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT.
UH, YOUR POLICY 4 0 2 A FIVE, THE REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS, SUBMISSIONS TO THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE SHALL REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND SHALL, UH, REJECT IT IF IT IS INACCURATE OR INCOMPLETE FOR PROCESSING.
WHEN BOTH THE APPLICATION AND AGREEMENT ARE DETERMINED BY THE CITY TO BE COMPLETE, THEN IT SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE SECRETARY OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND PLACED ON THE COMMISSION AGENDA.
SO WHY WAS THIS EVER BROUGHT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION? BECAUSE STAFF IDENTIFIED, UH, THAT THE DEVELOPER JUST KEPT RESUBMITTING AND NOT ADDRESSING THE STAFF'S CONCERNS.
AS FOR THE INDEM INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT, THE LAST LINE IN, IN THAT AGREEMENT, UH, FOR THE SWEETWATER AND ORANGE PROJECT READS, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THE APPLICANT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO PAY OR PERFORM ANY SETTLEMENT UNLESS SETTLEMENT IS APPROVED BY THE APPLICANT.
I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW THERE'S NO EVIDENCE.
I MEAN, HOW CAN A HOW, HOW CAN YOU HAVE THAT IN, IN YOUR INDEMNITY AGREEMENT? YOU'RE BASICALLY GIVING 'EM CARD BLANC TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, THIS AD HOC INVESTIGATION REALLY NEEDS TO BE APPROVED.
HOW CAN YOU NOT INVESTIGATE IT? THANKS.
MIKE MONTOYA, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE KRUG, FOLLOWED BY JOAN REONE.
AND, UM, INTERESTING ARTICLE CAME OUT FOUR HOURS AGO ON THE VOICE OF SAN DIEGO, SOUTH COUNTY REPORT LAWSUIT.
AGAIN, REAL INTERESTING READING.
UM, I WILL SAY ONE THING, MR. RODRIGUEZ.
HERE IS A GUY THAT IS ALWAYS LOOKING TO GET SOMETHING ELSE.
YOU REMEMBER THAT? WHAT WAS IT CALLED? PROPOSITION R.
THE LAST, UH, WE HAD TO TAX THE HOMEOWNERS OF NATIONAL CITY SO THEY COULD BUILD LOW INCOME HOUSING.
NOW IN THE EIGHT YEARS THAT IT'S BEEN SINCE, SINCE YOU WERE MAYOR, AND WE HAD THE OTHER LADY AS A FEMALE MAYOR, AND HE WAS HERE, ALL THESE BEAUTIFUL APARTMENTS ALL OVER NATIONAL CITY.
I MEAN, WHEN I WENT BY THE SWAP, WHO, HOW, WHERE DO THOSE BUILDINGS COME FROM? NONE OF RASA CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN THOSE, BUT NOW HE WANTS LOW INCOME.
AND THIS PROJECT THAT'S TALKING ABOUT THE DEVELOPERS LEFT AND THE CEMETERY, DON'T THEY CREMATE THOSE ASHES MIGHT GET IN YOUR EYES NOW? I AGREE WITH THOSE RESIDENTS.
AND THEN THE FEW PEOPLE THAT SAID ALCOHOL AND THIS AND THE FUMES.
WELL, NEWSOM MAKES SURE THAT YOU'VE GOT A NOZZLE THAT GOES IN YOUR CAR THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY FUMES COME OUT, SMOG, EVERYTHING.
SO I HATE TO HEAR ALL THAT SILLY STUFF.
'CAUSE THERE IS NO CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND IF YOU REALLY WANNA KNOW HOW THINGS WORK AND HOW MR. HERE WORKS, READ THE BOOK OF JOB IN THE BIBLE.
I KNOW HOW HE IS BECAUSE HE MADE THE MISTAKE OF TELLING ME ABOUT THAT LOW INCOME THING.
I WENT TO EVERY HOMEOWNER ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND I LIVE WHERE MARCUS'S DISTRICT IS ON THE TOP OF STOCKMAN STREET.
MY OLD HELICOPTER SQUADRON FLIES OVER EVERY DAY.
'CAUSE I USED TO BE IN THE MARINES, AND HE DID SOMETHING NICE AT THE BOTTOM DOWN THERE WHERE THEY MADE AT THE BOTTOM, BEFORE YOU GO INTO PLAZA BONITA, HE PUT A NICE ARROW.
AND NOW WE CAN TURN AGAINST THE RED.
SOMETIMES THIS COUNCIL COMES THROUGH FOR US.
BUT WHEN A ONE GUY WANTS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT SO BAD.
MICHELLE KRUG TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOAN RACON.
UM, IT SEEMS THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY SALIENT POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THUS FAR THIS EVENING.
UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS, AND THAT IS EVIDENCE THAT IS NOT PERCEPTION.
THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED.
UM, THIS SEEMS VERY CALCULATED FROM THE MOMENT IN 2019 THAT THAT PROPERTY WAS ANNEXED INTO NATIONAL CITY.
AND THERE HAS BEEN, THERE'S SO
[02:50:01]
MUCH EVIDENCE ABOUT THAT BEING A CONTINUUM, A CONTINUUM OF, UM, HOW THINGS ARE STARTING TO BE DONE IS BY THE ANNEXATION.BUT THEN THERE'S ALL OF THE EVIDENCE ABOUT HOW THIS PROCESS HAS GONE ON.
WHY NOT BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT? UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT SHOULD BE DONE BY THE COUNCIL, BY A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COUNCIL.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION.
BUT I DO THINK THAT TO MAKE CITIZENS TRUST THE PROCESSES THAT THIS CITY IS PUTTING THEM THROUGH, THAT THIS INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE DONE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN HAVE THAT, GET THAT CONFIDENCE BACK.
I'M, I'M SORRY, JOAN REONE LOOKED AT THE WRONG SLIP.
HERE ARE THE RESULTS OF MY INVESTIGATION.
YOU CAN LOOK AT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2 0 1 9 2 4 6 1.
THAT WAS PASSED IN JUNE OF 2019.
AND THAT IS THE ORDINANCE THAT CONVERTED THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY FROM A RESIDENTIAL TWO TO A MAJOR MIXED USE PROPERTY.
NOW, IF YOU GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JUNE 18TH, 2019, AND YOU LISTEN TO THE VIDEO OF ITEMS 28, 29, 30 AND 31, YOU'LL SEE THE CITY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME LED BY MAYOR ALEJANDRA SOLI, APPROVE A VERY SIMILAR PROJECT TO THIS.
AND THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME SPENT AN HOUR AND FIVE MINUTES ON THAT, AND IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED.
NOW, ON BOTH OF THOSE OCCASIONS, OF COURSE, STAFF WAS ALSO RECOMMENDING IN FAVOR.
WELL, JUST PRIOR TO THAT COUNCIL MEETING ON JUNE 3RD, 2019, THERE WAS A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING.
UH, AND THE GAP THERE IS STANDARD.
OF COURSE, THERE WAS ONLY 15 DAYS IN BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE COUNCIL MEETING.
SO AT THAT TIME, THE CITY, EXCUSE ME, THE PLANNING COMMISSION SPENT AN HOUR AND 45 MINUTES ON A PROJECT VERY SIMILAR TO THIS, AND THEN SUPPORTED IT SIX VOTES TO ONE.
THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO SPOKE IN OPPOSITION AT THAT PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF JUNE 3RD, 2019.
NOBODY ELSE SPOKE IN OPPOSITION TIME WENT ALONG SOME OF THE PERMISSIONS THAT WERE GRANTED TO THE LANDOWNER BECAUSE THAT DID NOT INVOLVE EDDIE BRICO IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
THIS COUNSEL, INCLUDING MR. BUSH AND MR. RODRIGUEZ RENEWED THOSE PERMISSIONS.
THAT PLAN FELL APART AND THE PROJECT WAS REPUBLISHED ON THE INTERNET ON JULY 14TH, 2023.
THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION HERE WAS IN 2017, AND THIS PROJECT WAS RATTLING AROUND FOR AT LEAST THANK YOU, SIX YEARS BEFORE MR. BRICO EVEN GOT INVOLVED.
UH, THAT'S ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
DO WE HAVE ANYONE ON ZOOM? YES, WE DO HAVE ONE, UM, PERSON ON ZOOM.
HER NAME IS JENNIFER BUSTAMANTE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SUPPORTED THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ALL THE BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS.
I AM A, UM, A VERY STRONG SUPPORTER OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND OVER THE LAST YEARS, I HAVE SEEN TREMENDOUS GROWTH, POSITIVE CHANGE, AND REAL PROGRESS IN THIS CITY.
NATIONAL CITY IS FLOURISHING, AND THAT'S NOT BY ACCIDENT.
IT'S A RESULT OF HARD WORK, THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP, AND A SHARED COMMITMENT.
I HAVE SEEN THE MAYOR AND MR. BUSH AND SOME OF THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS REALLY COMMITTED TO THE CITY, AND I HATE TO SEE IT BE TAINTED BY INDIVIDUAL INTEREST.
THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ FOR AN APO COMMITTEE PRESENTS A CHALLENGE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POLICY OR WHAT'S BEST FOR RESIDENTS.
INSTEAD, HIDDEN AGENDA DRIVEN TACTICS THREATENED TO UNDERMINE THE TRUST AND PROGRESS OF THE CITY.
EVEN MORE CONCERNING, THESE CLAIMS ARE CLEARLY DESIGNED TO DAMAGE THE PERSONAL CHARACTER OF MAYOR RON
[02:55:01]
MORRISON AND CHIEF OF STAFF, JOSIE FLORES, CLARK, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIFE'S WORK TO THE CITY, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHOWN THROUGH YEARS OF SERVICE, THAT THEY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT NATIONAL CITY AND ITS FUTURE, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE STOOD UP TO THE AGAINST THEM.I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO NOT APPROVE THIS COMMITTEE AND STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT TRULY MATTERS AND PROTECT NATIONAL CITY FROM BEING DRAGGED INTO THE MUD AT A TIME WHEN IT IS RISING.
THAT CONCLUDES THE ZOOM COMMENTS.
I, THE ONES WHO DID NOT ANSWER, I'M JUST GONNA CALL OFF THEIR NAMES REAL QUICK JUST IN CASE THEY ARE BACK IN THE AUDIENCE.
ALFREDO CALLED THERON, UH, YLI, Y-A-N-E-L-I, I'M SORRY.
UH, C-A-M-I-L-A, UH, HECTOR, LAST NAME STARTING WITH AN M, MAURA SALINAS.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE.
MAR AND TWO WRITTEN COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED ON THIS ITEM.
AND THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE IN, IN THE RECORD.
AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT HAVE PUT IN, UH, SLIPS, BUT SAY THEY DO NOT WANT TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.
AND SO THOSE WILL BE ENTERED INTO THE RECORD ALSO.
SO I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP NOW AND WHOEVER WANTS TO GO WITH IT, MR. MAYOR.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AS WE LISTEN, AS I LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO SPOKE BEFORE US, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE ARE OPPOSITION AND THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, FOR, FOR THIS ITEM TO BE PUT IN THAT, IN THE AGENDA FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS, I AM JUST HAVING A HICCUP ON TWO THINGS.
ONE, UM, THE WORD INVESTIGATION TWO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S REALLY NO PROJECT TO INVESTIGATE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE CAN MODIFY THIS AND SAY YOU AND, UM, REVISIT THE PROCESS OF HOW THAT WENT.
I WAS IN PLANNING COMMISSION DURING THIS TIME.
YOU KNOW, I THINK MS. JOAN RINCON HAD SAID THAT PROJECT WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED, UM, BY, UH, UH, AN ENTITY.
SO I WAS THE DISSENTING VOTE AND I'M, I'M
I'M, I'M NOT ASHAMED OF THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT WAS MY OPINION.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I WENT TO THE COUNCIL, UM, AND IT WAS APPROVED FOR, FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND THEN IT GOT STAGNANT, AND THEN IT WAS BOUGHT, IT WAS BOUGHT AGAIN AND TRANSFERRED INTO A, THAT IS NOT A, A, A, A PROPERTY OF THE CITY.
SO WE CANNOT REALLY DO ANYTHING.
IT'S BY RIGHT? ACTUALLY, IF, IF YOU, UM, LOOK AT THE, UH, THE OWNERSHIP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN BY RIGHT, AS A, AS A CITY WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE IF THE PROJECT THAT WAS BEFORE US ARE, UM, ARE, UH, AG AGREEABLE TO, OR, OR COMPLYING WITH THE, UH, GOVERNMENT CODE ON, ON, UM, UH, PRACTICES ON HOW, UM, THIS PROJECT IS DEVELOPED.
SO I THINK I WOULD, UM, SUPPORT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THIS, UM, TO BE, TO BE DISCUSSED BETTER, BUT ON A, UH, ON A MODIFIED BASIS, IF, UH, MR. RODRIGUEZ WOULD, UM, WOULD AGREE.
I THINK THE WORD INVESTIGATION, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE, WHAT DO WE DO? YOU KNOW? I MEAN, FIRE THE PEOPLE.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT JURISDICTION.
IT'S, UM, THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY MANAGER.
BUT IF WE LOOK AT THE PROCESSES AND THERE ARE, UH, THERE ARE PROOFS OR, OR WE CAN, THERE ARE FINDINGS THAT, UM, THAT THE CITY MANAGER WOULD AGREE, THEN YOU NOMINEES GOT THE RIGHT TO SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MAYBE WE, WE HAVE TO REVISE THIS, THIS PROCESSES, SO THEN IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, UM, I JUST DON'T, DON'T AGREE WITH THIS LAWSUIT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? MS. LISA, UH, MS. LOUISA MCCARTHY AS A COOL WOMAN OF THE, OF THE GIRL SCOUT, AS A GIRL SCOUT, I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE THIS.
THIS IS NOT US, RIGHT? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SAY, OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
SO THEN THIS THINGS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE, THERE, THERE ARE PERCEPTION OF WRONGDOING.
LET'S SEE IF THAT'S REALLY THERE.
[03:00:01]
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T WANNA ACCUSE ANYONE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS IS MY MAYOR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, HOWEVER, WE DON'T AGREE.SOMETIMES I RESPECT HIM AS MY MAYOR, RIGHT? SO LET US, LET US MAKE SURE THAT WE GO THROUGH THIS IN A VERY, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, IN A VERY, UM, RESPONSIBLE WAY OF MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE A PARAMETER, HAVE A PARAMETERS ON WHAT IS THIS GROUP? WHAT ARE WE, WHAT IS THIS AD HOC GOING TO, TO DO? UM, WHAT ARE THEIR PARAMETERS? WHAT POWER DO THEY HAVE? UM, SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE FIVE OF US WILL AGREE FOR THIS TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT I JUST DON'T WANT THE FIVE OF US HERE ALLOWING ANYONE TO ACCUSE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WITHOUT THIS PROPER FINDINGS, WE WILL FIND OUT, BUT LET US DO IT THE PROPER WAY.
AND SO I ASK MR. RODRIGUEZ, I, I AM GOING TO SECOND YOUR, YOUR, UM, YOUR REQUEST, BUT I NEED TO REQUEST YOU TO MODIFY THIS IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE ARE NO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, ACCUSATIONS OF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN WRONGDOING, BECAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS VERY DESCRIPTIVE.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE TO HAVE THAT PERCEPTION.
I DON'T WANNA WORK WITH SOMETHING THAT IS PERCEPTION OR APPEARANCE.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS YOU.
I MEAN, IT IS, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MIKA POLANCO SAID THEY HAVE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, SHOW US.
SO THEN WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS AND WE CAN PUT IT TO REST.
AND, AND IF THERE ARE, IF THERE ARE ANYTHING THAT'S WRONGDOING, WE WILL, I WILL CASTIGATE OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY AS ONE OF THE, AND I'M SURE MY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE, IF THEY SEE THAT THEY DID SOMETHING WRONG, OF COURSE WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF IT.
BUT IT IS JUST HEARTBREAKING FOR ME, WHO WORKS SO HARD TO SIT IN THIS CHAIR TO BE ACCUSED OF THINGS LIKE THIS.
AND, AND SO WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, A PROCESS TO, TO, TO REVISIT WHAT HAPPENED, RIGHT? WHAT HAPPENED THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REVISITING A PROJECT THAT'S DEAD, OKAY? BUT THEN THERE WILL, THERE THERE IS AN OWNERSHIP THERE THAT MAY WANNA DEVELOP AGAIN, BUT AT LEAST WE NOW HAVE A PROCESS THAT IS CORRECT AND PROPER.
THAT'S MORE, MORE, MORE DILIGENCE.
AND I'M SURE THIS IS ALSO A LESSON FOR OUR STAFF WHO, WHO, YOU KNOW, MAY MAYBE OVERLOOKED BECAUSE OF, OF, OF ALL THE, OF THE, UM, THE, THE RULES OR REGULATION.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, LET'S JUST REVISIT THIS AND LET'S NOT FINGER POINT.
UM, I'M SURE THAT, UM, AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO LOVE OUR CITY VERY MUCH, JUST LIKE ALL THE, ALL THAT WE DO, WE CAN MAKE THIS Y AND WE CAN MAKE THIS, UM, GO AWAY BY MAKING SURE THAT WE DO THE RIGHT PROCESS.
AND THEN, UM, Y AND LET'S ASK, LET'S SEE.
WE SAID, WE, WE, WE, WE PROVIDED EVERYTHING.
THEY HAVE SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T PRO PROVIDED.
MAYBE WE CAN SIT DOWN IN A BIG ROOM AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVEN'T PROVIDED, AND SO WE CAN TAKE CARE OF IT BECAUSE THIS BACK AND FORTH THING IS NOT GOOD FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I AM VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE COMMENTERS, UH, FOR THAT THAT CAME BEFORE US TONIGHT, AND THAT APPROACH US ALL THE TIME.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN TIME FROM YOUR BUSY LIVES TO SPEND HOURS WITH US.
I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR YOUR COMMENT.
AND, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, UH, HOPEFULLY I HAVE PRESENTED MYSELF AS A PERSON THAT, UH, SEEKS INTEGRITY IN EVERYTHING THAT I DO.
AND I DO HOLD MYSELF AND OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I THINK THAT IT IS NECESSARY FOR THERE TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY IN EVERY
[03:05:01]
STEP OF THE PROCESS THAT IS DONE, UH, BY, BY CITY, UH, BY THE CITY.IT IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE TO CALL FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE INVESTIGATORS IN AN AD HOC COMMITTEE.
UH, ONE, I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF US HERE HAVE ANY QUALIFICATION TO INVESTIGATE SOMETHING OF, OF THIS, UH, SEVERITY.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, CALLING FOR AN INVESTIGATION MUST INCLUDE SOME TYPE OF STANDARD OF IMPARTIALITY.
AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE IF THIS INVESTIGATION IS DONE BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THERE IS A LOT OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE CAN SUPPORT, UH, BEING UNBIASED, UH, OR PROOF THAT WE ARE UNBIASED OR WE ARE GOING TO REMAIN NEUTRAL.
SO THEREFORE, IT IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE TO GO IN THIS DIRECTION.
I AM VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE PUBLIC.
I HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS TOO, AND I'M GOING TO SEEK ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
BUT DOING IT THROUGH AN AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT IS INVESTIGATING, UH, THIS PROCESS, I HAVE NO FAITH THAT THAT IS THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO GET TO THE TRUTH.
THEREFORE, I CANNOT APPROVE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE IN THIS FASHION.
ANYTHING ELSE? I AM OPEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI TO, UH, TO SUGGESTIONS.
UM, I WILL SIMPLY ASK, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL IF WE ARE ABLE TO MODIFY THE 1 0 5 REQUEST AS IT WOULD BE, UH, VOTED ON.
UM, AS I SAID, I THINK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE HEARING, UNDER YOUR 1 0 5 PROCESS, THE ONLY OPTIONS YOU HAVE IS TO VOTE UP OR DOWN ON THE 1 0 5 REQUEST.
THAT'S BEFORE THE COUNCIL CAN BE
I'M, YOU KNOW, I AM, I'M SORRY.
CAN BE, CAN I BE MODIFIED? YEAH.
I WOULD BE, UM, OPENING COUNCIL MEMBER TO, UH, UH, IF MOVING FORWARD, MAYBE WE COULD, AS WE DISCUSS IT, THEN WE COULD MODIFY IT AT OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IF THE ITEM MOVES FORWARD.
UM, BECAUSE THIS IS SIMPLY HAVING A DISCUSSION IN THE FUTURE.
NOT NECESSARILY, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT VOTING THIS UP OR DOWN THIS, THIS IS JUST TO PUT IT ON AN AGENDA TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AT WHICH POINT IT CAN BE MODIFIED.
WE CANNOT, YOU WANT THIS LANGUAGE TO BE DISCUSSED.
LA THE, THE PART OF THE LANGUAGE THAT I CANNOT AGREE HERE IS THE WORD INVESTIGATE.
BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THAT, WE DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO, UM, WE MAY REVISIT AND CHECK ON THE PROCESSES, BUT WHEN YOU INVESTIGATE, WHEN YOU SAY YOU INVESTIGATE, THEN THERE IS A, THERE IS A RESULT OF, OKAY, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT INVESTIGATION? SO GOING CALL, CALL FOR THE QUESTION, RIGHT? WE, WE'VE BEEN BELABORING THIS FAR ENOUGH.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE STUCK TO THE PROCESS, WHICH IS TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, VOTE ON DISCUSSING THIS IN TWO WEEKS.
SO I'M CALLING, CALLING THE QUESTION, WELL, IF WE STILL HAVE SPEAKERS, YOU STILL HAVE TO ALLOW THEM TO GO THROUGH.
I'M GONNA SPEAK VERY BRIEFLY ON THIS.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION OF OUR HR DIRECTOR.
COULD THIS INVESTIGATION PROCEED AS IT'S BEING OUTLINED HERE? FROM AN HR PERSPECTIVE, MAYOR MORRISON, UM, ACCORDING TO CITY COUNCIL POLICY, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER EMPLOYEES.
THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS THE AUTHORITY IS THE CITY MANAGER.
AND IT WOULD BE UP TO HIM TO ADVISE ME TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION AGAINST MS. FLORES CLARK AS SHE'S A CITY EMPLOYEE.
SIR, YOU ARE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
AND THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DISCUSS WITH ATTORNEY SCHULTZ.
[03:10:01]
ON THIS, BECAUSE IF THIS IS VOTED ON TONIGHT, I GUARANTEE YOU THERE WILL BE INTERVIEWS WITH TV STATIONS TOMORROW BASED ON THIS US.SO ONE OF THE THINGS WAS, IT SAYS, TALKING ABOUT THE MEETING OF DECEMBER THE SECOND, THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED TO DENY THE PRO THE, THE PROJECT AS WAS MENTIONED, ONE OF THOSE, UH, DECISIONS WAS ON THE NEXT NIGHT'S AGENDA FOR THE COUNCIL.
THIS ONE WENT ON THE AGENDA THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND BY STATE LAW, ALL DECISIONS MADE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE TO GO ONTO THE COUNCIL AGENDA AT THE NEXT AVAILABLE TIME PERIOD.
NOW, SO IT WENT ON THE 10TH, BUT WHAT DID IT GO ON AS? AND I'VE GOT A COPY OF IT HERE OF THE AGENDA.
AND IT WENT ON AS A NOTICE OF DECISION FOR DENIAL.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE THAT NIGHT.
SO IF IT STAYED ON CONSENT, IT WAS DENIED.
AND IT WAS DONE WITH THIS, THIS IS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THAT A DECISION IS MADE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE DONE IF IT GOT PULLED OFF OF CONSENT, WE COULDN'T DISCUSS IT.
NOW, THIS SAYS WE WAS PUT ON THERE FOR DISCUSSION.
IT WAS BECAUSE THE ONLY THING YOU COULD DO IF YOU PULLED IT OFF IS EITHER HAVE A MOTION FOR THE DENIAL OR SET IT FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE WAS NOT GONNA BE ANOTHER COUNCIL MEETING UNTIL JANUARY 21, 6 WEEKS LATER.
IT WAS UNREASONABLE TO PUT, TO HOLD IT OFF THAT LONG.
MR. RODRIGUEZ MAKES A, MADE THE CLAIM THAT NORMALLY IT TAKES MONTHS TO DO THAT.
HE'S BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS.
IT GOES ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE COUNCIL MEETING.
ALL THE DECISIONS OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION GO ON THE NEXT ONE.
BUT THIS WENT ON THERE AS A NOTICE OF DENIAL.
WE COULD NOT CHANGE IT THAT NIGHT IF WE WANTED TO.
SO THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF STUFF THAT'S BEING THROWN OUT THERE.
AND, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, THEY ALSO, THEY, THEY KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, 2019 WITH THE, OH, UH, UH, BRINGING THAT PROPERTY INTO NATIONAL CITY.
THE OWNER OWNED ALL FIVE LOTS AND HE WAS WANTING TO DEVELOP IT.
THREE LOTS WERE ALREADY HAD HISTORICALLY BEEN PART OF NATIONAL CITY.
HE DID NOT WANT TO TRY TO DEVELOP THINGS THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
SO HE PUT 'EM ALL WITHIN THE NATIONAL CITY.
SO IT WASN'T, THE WHOLE LOT WAS PUT INTO NATIONAL CITY.
IT WAS TWO OUT OF THE FIVE LOTS.
AND I HEARD, HEARD THE LAWYER GET UP HERE TO NORMAL LAWYER, EASES PUT SOME WORDS IN MY MOUTH AND TAKES THINGS OUTTA CONTEXT.
OUR JOB IS, AND I, EVERY WEEK I HAVE DEVELOPERS COME IN INTO THE OFFICE AND I DO TRY TO HELP THEM WITH THE PROCESS TO LET 'EM KNOW THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
WHETHER IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR PROJECT, BUT SAYING, BECAUSE I, THE LAST THING I WANNA DO IS THEM WASTE THEIR TIME OR OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT WASTING OUR TIME.
AND THAT DRAGS OUT PROJECTS LONGER.
SO IT IS OUR JOB TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS.
DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE PREJUDGING THEM AT ALL.
MEREDITH, WHY DID YOU PULL THE ITEM? OKAY.
WHY DID YOU PULL THE ITEM IF IT WAS GONNA GO OVER THE
WHY WAS THE ITEM PULLED? THE, THE AGENDA I FOUND OUT FROM THE CITY MANAGER, AND I'M NOT GONNA TAKE MORE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE, BUT I FOUND OUT FROM THE CITY MANAGER WHEN WE CAME INTO THE MEETING THAT THE DEVELOPER HAD PULLED THE ITEM.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER BIT OF MISINFORMATION.
SO WITH THAT, I AM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY AT THIS POINT.
THERE'S A LOT TON OF MISINFORMATION GOING OUT THERE.
AND AS I'VE SAID FROM DAY ONE, IF THERE WAS AN OUNCE OF EVIDENCE BROUGHT FORWARD, I WOULD SAY BRING, BRING ON AN INVESTIGATION.
I HAVE NOT SEEN A, UH, OUNCE OF EVIDENCE.
THIS IS MY 32ND YEAR IN, IN OFFICE, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN 32 YEARS, TRY TO FIND ANOTHER LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL, FIRST TIME THAT MY INTEGRITY HAS EVER EVEN BEEN QUESTIONED.
AND OF COURSE, THIS IS PUT ON BY MEMBER R RODRIGUEZ.
I DON'T THINK IN HIS FOUR YEARS IN OFFICE, HE CAN STATE THAT ABOUT HIMSELF.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, I'M GOING TO END THE COUNT.
SO, MR. MAYOR, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I I JUST WANNA CLARIFY SOMETHING.
IT IS NOT NORMAL TO HAVE, UM, RESPECTED BUSINESS LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAVE BEEN YOUR FRIENDS FOR DECADES TO COME FORWARD AND PRESS A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE, UM, YOU AND YOUR ASSISTANT HAVE
[03:15:01]
NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT WITH PRA REQUEST.AND THE ONLY TIME THAT YOU WERE TRANSPARENT WAS WITH THREAT OF LITIGATION.
IT'S NOT NORMAL TO CRAM PROJECTS THROUGH WITHOUT GOING THROUGH DUE PROCESS.
I CERTAINLY SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPERS TO DEVELOP IN OUR CITY.
BUT THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THAT, RIGHT? IT MEANS THAT A PROJECT AS DISRUPTIVE AS THIS NEEDS TO GO THROUGH THE PROPER PROCESS OF HAVING COMMUNITY MEETINGS, HAVING STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, THEY WERE NOT HELD.
AND IT, IT, IT HAS BECOME INCREDIBLY CLEAR THAT YOUR OFFICE BECAME VERY INVOLVED WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT EVEN BEFORE THIS WENT FORWARD.
AND SO, I, I THINK IT'S, UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, GOOD TO POINT OUT THAT IT IS, UM, INCREDIBLY UNUSUAL.
AND I, I KNOW YOU'D LIKE TO SIMPLY POINT THE FINGER AT ME AND SAY, THIS IS A POLITICAL HIT PIECE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
WELL, DREW, I, I DO HAVE THE, UH, WILL TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
AND I'VE HEARD FROM COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WORDS LIKE TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, EVEN THE PERCEPTION OF WRONGDOING.
I'VE HEARD THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN OVER THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS.
RIGHT? BUT IT'S SO EASY AND CONVENIENT TO JUST LET THOSE THINGS SLIDE BECAUSE IT'S THE MAYOR AND MAYOR'S ASSISTANT AND SEEMINGLY HAVE, UH, A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES.
AND SO IT, IT IS WHY I PUT THIS FORWARD.
IT IS COMING FROM PLACE WHERE IT, THESE ACCUSATIONS WERE TO BE MADE FOR ANY OTHER ASSISTANT IN HER OFFICE.
THE RESPONSE WOULD BE DIFFERENT.
AND, AND NOBODY SHOULD OPERATE WITHIN A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I PUT THESE OKAY.
I WILL MAKE THE FINAL STATEMENT.
AND THAT IS BASICALLY ANOTHER MIS MISREPRESENTATION, I'LL SAY THAT JUST PUT OUT, HE SAID THEY NEED TO HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS BECAUSE THEY HAD NONE.
THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO HAVE ONE COMMUNITY MEETING.
THEY HAD TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
SO ONCE AGAIN, IT'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION GOING OUT THERE.
AND, AND WHAT WE DID, WE DID OUR JOBS, AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SHOW ANYTHING THAT WE DID NOT DO IN OUR JOBS.
AND YOU CAN HOLD ALL THE PIECES OF PAPER UP IN THE WORLD, BUT WHEN PEOPLE TAKE A LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE, THEY SAY THAT IT'S REALLY NOT THERE.
SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE, DO WE, OKAY, I I DO HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT THE PRA.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ SAID THAT THE PRA WASN'T RESPONDED TO, UM, FROM WHAT I HEARD FROM STAFF, INCLUDING WHEN I DIRECTLY ASKED THE MAYOR.
AND WHEN I DIRECTLY ASKED JOSIE, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED.
FULL DISCLOSURE, I DID, UH, MEET WITH, UH, LUISA, WITH MIKA.
I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, UH, MR. AGUIRE.
SO JUST WANT TO, UH, DISCLOSE THAT.
AND THEY DID TELL ME, UM, THAT, UH, THEY DIDN'T RECEIVE SOME OF THAT.
SO I, I, I DO, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING TOLD TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, WHICH MAKES THIS CONFUSING.
SO CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT ABOUT OUR CITY'S RESPONSE TO THE PRA? YES, I CAN, I CAN CLARIFY THE RESPONSE THAT THE CITY MADE TO THE PRA.
WE PROVIDED A, A RESPONSE, A WRITTEN RESPONSE, UM, 10 DAYS AS REQUIRED INDICATING THAT WE WOULD BE PROVIDING OR GATHERING THE DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDING THEM.
AND WE SET A 60 DAY TIMEFRAME FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WHICH IS VERY COMMON UNDER PUBLIC RECORDS ACT.
PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE 60 DAYS, UM, THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED CLAIMING THAT NO DOCUMENTS HAD BEEN PRODUCED.
UM, AT THE 60 DAY POINT, WE DID PROVIDE DOCUMENTS.
I MEAN, THE, THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT THAT WE DIDN'T PROVIDE DOCUMENTS, THEY'RE CLAIMING THAT THE DOCUMENTS WE'VE PROVIDED DON'T INCLUDE ALL OF THEM, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.
THEY WAIVE A REPORT, THE INTERIM REPORT, WHICH IS CONTAINED ALL THE DOCUMENTS WE GAVE THEM.
I MEAN, THAT'S THEIR CASE, BUT THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH THE WAY THE PROJECT WAS PROCESSED.
THE LAWSUIT IS STRICTLY ON THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT.
DID WE PRODUCE ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS? AND I WILL TELL YOU, I BELIEVE, AND MR. AGUIRE, I THINK WILL AGREE IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MEDIATE THAT, AND WE WILL GO TO MEDIATION AND WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION AND THEY'LL TELL US WHAT THEY THINK IS MISSING.
AND MAYBE WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK THAT OUT.
BUT THAT'S THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT.
THAT CLARIFICATION WAS HELPFUL, UH, BARRY, AND THEN TO CARLOS, ABOUT THE POINT THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES FROM THE MAYOR AND FROM ONE OF OUR PLANNING COMMISSIONERS, UH, MS. CASTLE, ABOUT THE PROCESS OF WHEN IT COMES ON CONSENT.
AND I DID HEAR THAT A LOT TONIGHT.
SO CAN SOMEONE FROM STAFF CLARIFY WHAT THE PROCESS IS FROM PLANNING COMMISSION AND WHEN IT GET PLA GETS PLACED, UH, TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL AGENDA BASED ON OUR MUNICIPAL CODE? BUT IT WAS A SPECIAL MEETING
[03:20:01]
MEETING.PLEASE, UH, YOU GUYS FROM THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE LET THEIR STAFF RESPOND.
WE'RE NOT ACCEPTING ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, VICE MAYOR, UH, BUSH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TAKE, WE, WE CARRY A HEAVY WEIGHT AS, AS, AS A PLANNING, UH, AS A PLANNING BODY, AS, AS, AS, AS, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS.
WE ALWAYS, WE, WE TRY NOT IN EVERY WAY, MAKE SURE THE PROCESS, THE THE PROCESS IS RESPECTED AND THAT WE ARE DILIGENT.
BECAUSE IN DEVELOPMENT, THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
AND IN THE, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVELOPERS ARE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURES TO PERFORM.
SO FROM POINT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DILIGENT WITH THE PROCESS AND THAT WE'RE EXPEDITING, UM, PROJECTS SO THAT THEY'RE HEARD IN A TIMELY MANNER, YOU CAN GO AND LOOK AT THE TREND LINES FOR OTHER PROJECTS.
IT'S VERY CONSISTENT WITH HOW, HOW WE TRY TO COME BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT PROJECTS ARE DEALT WITH SO THAT WE'RE RESPECTFUL OF TIMELINE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINES.
I, I THINK THE MAYOR MADE THE POINT AND, UM, I'M GLAD HE MADE IT.
THE, THE, THE NOTICE ON, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WAS A NOTICE OF DENIAL.
IT WASN'T A NOTICE OF APPROVAL OR NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION APPROVAL.
AND THE REASON WHY IT WAS ON CONSENT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS A NOTICE OF DENIAL.
ALSO ON THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE, ON, ON THE RECOMMENDATION COMPONENT.
THE RECOMMENDATION WAS PAST TENSE AS IT CAME TO, AND TRANSPARENT AS IT CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
SO IT WAS THAT STAFF RECOMMENDED THE RECOMMENDATION WAS NOT CARRIED FORWARD.
SO CONSISTENT WITH EVERY PROCESS, WE'VE DONE IT, IT, IT'S THERE IN, IN, IN WRITING.
AND WE JUST, WE WENT THROUGH OUR PROCESS, SO THANK YOU.
SO I DIDN'T GET, I ASKED CLARIFICATION, UH, COMMENTS THIS ENTIRE TIME, BUT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO STATE MY POSITION.
UM, AND I DO WANNA MOVE THIS, YOU KNOW, UM, CONTINUE THIS, UH, DISCUSSION FORWARD.
'CAUSE IT'S, UM, YEAH, IT'S GOING ON LONG, BUT I THINK IT'S, UH, NECESSARY.
UM, SO I WANNA BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT I KNOW AND MY OPINION, WHAT I BELIEVE THE FACTS.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, UM, FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
WE SHOULD ALL BE ACCOUNTABLE, UH, FOR THAT.
AND THIS, UM, I ALSO WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND MINDFUL THAT THIS IS ALSO, WE'RE NOW BRINGING IN PERSONNEL.
WE ARE EXPOSING OURSELVES AS A CITY TO LIABILITY AND LAWSUITS.
NOW BY BRINGING THIS, THIS ABOUT PERSONNEL.
SO I WANT TO ADDRESS THE PUBLIC RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT OUR PROCESSES AND SOME OF THE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS THE PUBLIC HAS.
BUT I ALSO NEED TO RESPECT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND NOT JUST MS. FLORES CLARK, BUT ALSO OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ANY OTHER CITY STAFF.
SO THAT'S WHY INHERENTLY I'M NOT GONNA SUPPORT THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, APPROPRIATE.
SO I, I, SO JUST FULL DISCLOSURE, I, I HAD A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROJECT.
I WAS LEANING TOWARDS OPPOSING THE PROJECT.
I HADN'T GIVEN, GIVEN THE APPLICANT.
I DIDN'T SPEAK TO THE APPLICANT.
I DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO TALK IN, IN DETAILS WITH THEM ABOUT IT.
BUT I DID TALK IN, IN DETAIL BEFORE, UM, IT CAME TO COUNCIL WITH, UM, WITH LA VISTA MEMORIAL CEMETERY WITH, UM, SOME OF THE RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE DAYCARE.
I HAD SO MUCH CONCERNS WITH THE GAS STATION PART OF IT, UH, WITH THE CAR WASH BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE NOISE, WITH THE LACK OF THE SE A DECLARATION, UM, AND THE LACK OF FINDINGS OF DENIAL.
SO, JUST TO BE TRANSPARENT, THOSE WERE LEGITIMATELY MY THREE AREAS OF CONCERN THAT I DID ADDRESS WITH, UH, MR. READER.
AND THEN THE ITEM, UH, BUT JUST BEFORE IT CAME TO COUNCIL, GOT PULLED.
AND ACCORDING TO OUR CITY STAFF, THE DEVELOPER DID REQUEST, UM, TO, UM, TO PULL IT.
SO I, UM, THE, THE PROJECT IS LIKE DEFINITELY HAD CONCERNS, BUT IT WASN'T, IT, I DON'T WANT TO NAME OR BLAME JUST, I DON'T WANNA BLAME THE MAYOR OR HIS ASSISTANT AND POINT THE FINGER WITHOUT, WITHOUT ENOUGH EVIDENCE.
AND, AND ALSO BECAUSE IT INVOLVES STAFF.
BUT I, I DO WANNA SAY, I DO AGREE WITH, UH, UH, LUISA, WITH MIKA, WITH MIKE AND, UH, MS. AMIA, OR, OR MARIA, SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCED HER NAME.
THAT, UM, IT'S A VALID QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS, DID THE MAYOR
[03:25:01]
AND THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT IMPROPERLY INFLUENCED THE PROCESS THAT I'M WILLING AND I COMMIT TO INVESTIGATING THAT, BUT I'M NOT GONNA COMMIT TO A PUBLIC INVESTIGATION, UM, BECAUSE OF THE RISKS.SO I THINK THAT SHOULD BE, UM, A CLOSED SESSION BECAUSE THE EVIDENCE WE SAW, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MR. GEAR SAID, THAT'S CIRCUMSTANTIAL.
YEAH, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH.
I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH TO CALL FOR AN INVESTIGATION.
HOW DID THIS PROJECT GET APPROVED? THAT'S LEGITIMATE.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT TO PROTECT THE CITY AND CLOSE SESSION, NOT LIKE, UH, OPEN SESSION BECAUSE IT'S A, UM, IT'S A S SLIPPERY SLOPE.
SO MY OPINION, UM, I THINK THIS IS POLITICAL, MR. RODRIGUEZ.
I, I ABSOLUTELY THINK IT'S POLITICAL.
THAT'S WHY I FEEL, AND WHY DO I FEEL THAT? I FEEL THAT BECAUSE WE'RE LAUNCHING, OR YOU'RE PROPOSING TO LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE AND ON, UH, AND WITHOUT, UM, A PLAN, WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION, AND THE, THE PART, THE EVEN THE DESCRIPTION IS FACTUALLY INCORRECT.
AND IT SUGGESTS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND OUR OWN PROCESS.
BECAUSE AS YOU HEARD STAFF SAID, AND THE MAYOR AND MYSELF FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, IT GOING ON CONSENT, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SAID, THAT THAT WAS A PROBLEM.
AND FOR ME, FOR THAT ALONE, THAT 1 0 5 REQUESTS SHOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I FEEL IT WAS POLITICAL.
AND LET ME SAY THIS, IF WE WANNA TALK ABOUT POLITICAL CONFLICTS AND ALL THAT, I SUPPORTED YOU, JOSE, POLITICALLY IN THREE OF YOUR LAST FIVE CAMPAIGN CYCLES HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
I HAVE SUPPORTED RON ONCE IN 2014.
UM, I SUPPORT, AND I JUST SUPPORTED YOU IN YOUR REELECTION.
I SUPPORTED YOU FOR MAYOR AGAINST RON.
SO I'M NOT POLITICALLY BIASED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS APPROACH.
IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS, I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT NOT, UH, THIS, UH, THIS APPROACH.
SO, UM, I THINK, UH, AND, AND THEN FINALLY, I THINK THAT, UM, UH, THE OTHER REASON I THINK IT'S POLITICAL IS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD, I HAVE A LOT OF OTHER INVESTIGATIVE ISSUES, BUT I DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, BRING IT UP PUBLICLY.
I GO THROUGH A PROCESS AND WHEN THERE HAS BEEN EMPLOYEES AND MEA MEMBERS THAT HAVE GONE TO YOU ABOUT SERIOUS ISSUES, PERCEPTIONS, AND PERCEPTIONS, EVEN WITH EVIDENCE, YOU HAVE DECLINED THEIR, UM, THEIR REQUEST TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL LIKE THIS IS POLITICAL.
SO I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS APPROACH.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THE LIABILITY PART OF IT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES IN, IN LIABILITY WITH THIS.
AND, UM, I DON'T, AND I DON'T EVEN AGREE THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
SO I I DO DISAGREE WITH CITY STAFF ABOUT THAT.
NOW, LAST THING I WANNA SAY, JUST RESPONDING TO THE COMMENTS.
'CAUSE I DO APPRECIATE, UH, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE, OF THE PUBLIC THAT CAME AND SPOKE.
I, I DO THINK THERE IS A MISUNDERSTANDING OF OUR CITY'S CURRENT PROCESS.
THERE HAS BEEN, I WILL SAY, MIKE, I EXPLAINED IT TO YOU ON THE PHONE A COUPLE DAYS AGO, AND YOU STILL REPEATED THE SAME THING, WHICH IS FACTUALLY INCORRECT.
I RESPECT YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PUSH FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL DOING OTHER AGENCIES.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA HAVE SOME TRANSPARENCY AND WE ARE GONNA FIND OUT THE TRUTH.
I JUST REALLY DISAGREE WITH YOUR FOCUS ON THAT PART OF IT, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S OTHER PARTS THAT ARE LEGITIMATE THAT WE SHOULD INVESTIGATE, BUT IN, IN CLOSED SESSION.
SO I THINK THERE'S A MISUNDERSTANDING PROCESS.
PS I THINK I APPRECIATE, UH, MR. UM, BARRY FOR, UM, STATING THAT BECAUSE LIKE, JUST THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, AND, UH, FRANK'S, UH, FRANK'S COMMENTS.
I FORGOT WHERE FRANK, OH, FRANK, MR. RIVERA, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS AND IS A REPUTABLE, UH, TRAFFIC ENGINEER FROM THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA.
UM, I, I DISAGREE AGAIN WITH THAT, WITH YOUR CONSENT COMMENT.
I DO AGREE WITH YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS.
SO I AM HAPPY AND I HAVE ASKED ABOUT IT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT FARTHER.
UM, I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS COMING TO TALK TO, UM, SPEAK, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT MAYOR MORRISON'S CHARACTER OR EVEN, UM, HIS ASSISTANCE CHARACTER.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
SO, 'CAUSE I HEARD THAT AT JOSE CHER TOO, A BUNCH OF PEOPLE COMING, OH, THIS IS A GREAT GUY.
THE ISSUE ISN'T WHETHER ANYONE'S GOOD OR BAD.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT ARE THE FACTS? WHAT HAPPENS SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ACTION? SO, UM, AND SO I'M JUST GONNA CONCLUDE, I THINK THIS ITEM RECKLESS, UM, AND I COMMIT TO INVESTIGATING.
ALRIGHT, DO WE HAVE A, WE DO NOT HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR THROUGH, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK, AGAIN, I WILL ASK, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MY COLLEAGUE HERE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I WILL NOT, I CAN'T, IT, IT, IT, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS REQUEST WHEN THAT WORD INVESTIGATE
[03:30:01]
IS THERE, AND WHEN THERE ARE PERSONAL ISSUES THAT I POINT THAT OUR CITY MANAGER WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THAT.SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AGAIN, THAT PROJECT DIED, BUT THE OWNER MAY STILL GO FORWARD WITH ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT.
BUT NOW WHAT I'M SAYING IS MAYBE YOU, WE CAN REVISIT THE PROCESSES, UM, IN ORDER FOR THIS NOT TO HAPPEN AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'RE JUST BEATING THE BUSH.
OH, THERE'S A PROJECT, THIS PROJECT THAT, OKAY, I'M SORRY THAT DIED.
BUT THERE'S STILL, UH, UH, UH, THERE'S STILL THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT EVENT THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THIS OWNER OF THIS PIECE OF LAND WILL DEVELOP.
SO THEN AT LEAST WHEN WE DO THE PROCESSES, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE CAN REVISIT THAT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HAVE THIS WITH THIS POLICY.
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THIS POLICY WILL, WILL NOT GO THROUGH COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ.
MAYBE YOU CAN COME BACK WITH A BETTER LANGUAGE THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN PERSONNEL AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND ACCUSATION TO PEOPLE, WE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT FOLLOWS, WHEN WE DO THE PROCESSES, WHEN WE DOUBLE CHECK THE PROCESSES, THOSE WILL FOLLOW, WILL BE FOLLOWED THROUGH BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE WILL SEE THOSE THINGS.
BUT WITH REGARDS TO, OH, UM, MS YOU KNOW, I MEAN JOSEPH FLORES, CLARK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, UM, DID SOMETHING HERE.
LET'S DO THE DEVELOPERS, LET'S SIT THEM THERE AND THEY TALK, RIGHT? SO, SO WHAT I'M ASKING COUNCIL MEMBER IS LET'S KILL THIS POLICY AND COME BACK WITH A BETTER LANGUAGE THAT DOESN'T HAVE, THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE INVESTIGATION PART.
WE REVISIT THE PROCESSES BECAUSE THE PART THAT WE ARE SAYING, LET'S INVESTIGATE DIED, THAT THAT PROJECT WITH REGARDS TO PERSONNEL, LET'S HAMMER OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR HR, WHAT ARE THE PROCESSES FOR THIS? THAT'S WHAT I DO.
I THINK EVERY DAY I GO TO BARRY AND BEN SAY, WHAT HAPPENED HERE? RIGHT? AND SO, SO THERE ARE PROCESSES, BUT I I, I DON'T AGREE WITH THE WORD INVESTIGATE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY.
PLEASE, LET'S KILL THIS ONE AND COME BACK WITH A BETTER LANGUAGE TO IT.
LET ME ASK NOW, DO WE HAVE A MOTION SO WE CAN MOVE THIS THING FORWARD? PLEASE WITHDRAW IT.
YEAH, I DO HAVE, DO HAVE, HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
THERE WAS NO, I DON'T THINK SO, DO WE? NO, THERE'S NOT.
I, I DO LOOK FORWARD WITH, UM, IF THIS ITEM WILL NOT PASS, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING, UH, A DIFFERENT 1 0 5 REQUEST FORWARD.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU MARK AS COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CONTINUE TO STATE IT'S POLITICAL.
HOW ELSE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BRING IT UP? THIS IS THE PROCESS IN WHICH COUNCIL MEMBERS BRING UP ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION.
OKAY, HOW ELSE AM I TO DO IT? WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS IN DIFFERENT FORMATS.
WELL, THAT THIS IS THE WAY TO DO IT.
SO DO, DO WE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE CLARITY AND UNDERSTAND THAT US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO BRING ITEMS UP IF NOBODY ELSE IS ACTING UPON THEM.
AND SEEMINGLY THEY'RE IMPORTANT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS MR. MAYOR, PLEASE LET NA I UNDERSTAND.
PLEASE LET ME FINISH BECAUSE I'M RESPONDING TO SOMETHING YOU'RE JUST EXPELLING THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER MENTIONED.
AND SO IT IS THE WAY IN WHICH WE BRING ITEMS UP.
AND SO I, I UNDERSTAND IT MAY SEEM POLITICAL, BUT I, I DO JUST, UM, HOPE THAT YOU WOULD BE AS OPEN-MINDED ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH IT FEELS POLITICAL, BECAUSE I PARTICULARLY BRING IT UP, I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ISSUES THAT THEY BRING FORTH THAT ARE VERY REAL.
SO THE MESSENGER YOU MAY NOT LIKE AND BE ON BOARD WITH, WHICH IS FINE, IT'S OKAY, BUT I, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT YOU ACTUALLY KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND LISTEN TO COMMUNITY THAT BRING UP VERY VALID REASONS, WHICH WE'RE FRIENDS WITH MORRISON FOR DECADES.
AND, AND SO I THINK, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
AND ALSO, MARCUS, I SUPPORT YOUR CAMPAIGN TOO, BRO.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA ASK NOW FOR EMOTION.
OTHERWISE, THIS THING DIES FOR LACK OF MOTION.
I, I, I DO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM 12.1.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL ASK ONE MORE TIME.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? THE ITEM DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND.
I MAKE A, UM, SO, UM, AND JUST REAL QUICK TO RESPONSE, I AM OPEN-MINDED.
SO I I, AND I DO AGREE THIS WASN'T PERSONAL, JOSE.
IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU, UH, DID IT.
AS I EXPLAINED, IT'S BECAUSE THE PROCESS WAS WRONG.
AND WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE WAS TALK TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND HAD THIS BE A CLOSED SESSION.
SO THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.
AND I THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR SECOND TERM.
[03:35:01]
FOR, BECAUSE I DO WANNA ADDRESS THIS AND I DO WANNA GO BACK.I KNOW THIS, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE.
I KNOW THIS IS UNCOMFORTABLE AND KIND OF CONFRONTATIONAL, BUT I DO THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS A GOOD CONVERSATION.
THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WE DO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW OUR CITY OPERATIONS ARE RUN PROCESS, UH, THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND WHAT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS A GOOD PROJECT WITH THE GAS STATION, SO I HAD CONCERNS, BUT I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS AND ISSUES.
SO I MAKE A MOTION FOR A CLOSED SESSION MEETING, EITHER SPECIAL ONE OR THE NEXT COUNCIL AGENDA TO DISCUSS INVESTIGATING ALL POTENTIAL ETHICS CONCERNS OF THE MAYOR, OF THE COUNCIL, OF THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE TALK ABOUT, I DON'T THINK, UH, INVESTIGATION FROM COME FROM COUNCIL.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE LIKE AN ETHICS COMMITTEE OR AN ETHICS, UM, AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC BODY.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE SOME COMMITTEES.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S MY MOTION THAT IF THAT WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION, EITHER SPECIAL ONE OR THE NEXT TO DISCUSS, UM, INVESTIGATING ALL POTENTIAL ETHICS CONCERNS OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE ATTORNEY.
SO I, I THINK THAT THAT'S AN IMPROPER MOTION.
UM, THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA WAS THE 1 0 5.
UH, IT DIED FOR A LACK OF SECOND.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION LIKE THAT, I THINK YOU HAVE TO BRING IT BACK AS A 1 0 5.
OKAY? THAT'D BE THE PROPER WAY.
[12.2 POLICY 105 REQUEST - Update City Council Policy No. 105 for Efficiency - Requested by Councilmember Molina]
GO TO OUR LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.THIS IS ANOTHER POLICY 1 0 5 REQUEST.
THIS ONE WAS REQUESTED BY MEMBER MOLINA FOR AN UPDATE ON THE CITY TO UPDATE THE CITY COUNCIL POLICY ON ONE OH FIVES.
DO YOU WANT TO EXP EXPOSE ANY ON THAT? NO.
SO DO WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO BRING THIS TO AGENDA THIS ITEM AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, LET ME JUST, DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THAT? SECOND.
OKAY, LET ME JUST ASK TO BRING, WOULD IT BE ENOUGH TIME FOR, FOR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO PUT, PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER FOR THE TWO WEEKS OR DO YOU NEED, UH, AN ADDITIONAL MEETING? I, I THINK, UM, I THINK THE ISSUE IS, GIVEN THE WAY THAT THE 1 0 5 IS DRAFTED, WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK ON THE AGENDA AND THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT ISSUES, WHAT REVISIONS, ET CETERA, BEFORE WE START.
SO THEN DON'T WE NEED TO STILL VOTE ON OH YEAH.
BRINGING IT, WE STILL NEED TO VOTE ON THIS, ON BRINGING IT BACK, RIGHT? YES.
IF I MAY ASK, WHAT'S 10 SENSITIVE TO WIN NEXT? WHAT IN PARTICULAR? MAYOR.
MAYOR, NO ONE CAN HEAR THE DISCUSSION OF THIS HERE.
COULD WE PLEASE HAVE SOME QUIET IN THE BACK THERE? WE CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING UP HERE.
IF I MAY ASK, UM, SEEN AS THE LAST POLICY IN 1 0 5, WE DISCUSSED MORE THAN
AND I'M HAPPY TO EXPAND ON THAT WHEN WE BRING IT BACK FOR DISCUSSION.
WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY, AND I, I REQUEST THIS.
I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PRACTICE.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA, IF YOU COULD, UM, HELP, UH, WORK WITH STAFF FOR THE STAFF REPORT AND, AND COME WITH SPECIFIC POLICIES OR IDEAS THAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS, THAT WOULD BE MY REQUEST.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WILL BE AN OUTCOME OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING RELATED TO THE NEED TO REVISE THIS 1 0 5 POLICY.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE POLICIES.
BEFORE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS IT.
SO I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS RELATED TO MY INTENT AND HOW I WANNA CHANGE THE POLICY WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, WHICH IS AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
OKAY, SO COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU SAID TIME SENSITIVE.
WHAT DATE ARE YOU LOOKING AT? I'M INTERESTED IN HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME I'VE SAID THIS.
SO IS THERE STILL, IS THAT STILL UNCLEAR? OKAY, THAT'S APRIL 1ST.
COULD COULD WE, COULD WE PUSH OUR, THERE WERE BUTTONS FOR THE MOTION.
MAYOR, I BELIEVE YOU MAY HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT.
OH, I'M, WE DO, MATTER OF FACT, ED, TO TURN IN TWO, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET TO HAVE FOUR MINUTES.
SO YOU ONLY GET ONLY ONE OF THESE COUNT.
NOW I KNOW I TRIED TO SNEAK IN AN EXTRA TWO MINUTES.
NO, ACTUALLY, UM, I THINK YOUR DISCUSSION, THIS IS GOOD DISCUSSION AND UM, I GUESS YOU USE THIS AS A BUILDING TOOL.
ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE DONE WRONG, YOU CAN ADDRESS AND USE 'EM AS EXAMPLES OF WHY YOU SHOULD DO
[03:40:01]
IT FORWARD.AND UM, I THINK THE WORDING TO THIS PREVIOUS ONE OBVIOUSLY WAS POORLY WORDED AND CAUSE A LOT OF CONFUSION AND ULTIMATELY WE WASTED A LOT OF TIME, I THINK.
I IT WAS, YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS BENEFICIAL.
'CAUSE NOW I THINK WE'RE GONNA USE THAT TO GO FORWARD AND SAY NOT TO YOU.
AND YOU TOO, MARCUS AND EVERYBODY.
IF YOU GUYS COULD, UH, THE MIC OR THE MOTION AND THE SECOND, COULD YOU PUSH YOUR, UH, PUSH THE BUTTONS IN FOR THAT? I, I, I, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO CLARIFICATION AND HOPEFULLY COUNCIL MEMBER MO IS OPEN TO HAVING A GO FIRST DIALOGUE AT SOME POINT IN THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO HEAR.
UM, WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE AND, AND APRIL 1ST, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, WE, THERE WAS A TIME WE DIDN'T HAVE A 1 0 5 AND SO WE DID IT IN ORDER TO GET AWAY FROM THE PREVIOUS PROCESS, WHICH IS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A PROCESS.
WE SIMPLY BROUGHT THINGS UP AT THE END OF THE AGENDA AND THEN WE PUT IT AT A FUTURE AGENDA DATE.
SO WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD CREATE STRUCTURE AND SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION TO POTENTIALLY MODIFY GOING FORWARD.
WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND, UH, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE.
[13. ELECTED OFFICIALS REPORT]
WILL HAVE COUNSEL COMMENTS.I'LL START DOWN HERE ON MY LEFT.
JUST A REMINDER, SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE REMINDED ME EARLIER.
THERE'S A GRANGER HALL COMMUNITY CLEANUP ON SATURDAY AT 10:00 AM LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING.
UM, YEAH, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, THE WORK IN DOING SO.
I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY TO GO TO GRANGER HALL AND CLEAN IT UP ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT, UH, THANK YOU TO THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY THAT CONTINUES TO DO THAT WORK.
I WOULD LIKE A REPORT ON, UH, THE PARKING, UH, PARKING SITUATION IN, IN OUR, UM, CITY.
WHAT BENEFIT DO WE GET THERE? I WOULD LIKE A REPORT FOR HOMELESS TEAM REPORT.
UM, WHAT IS THE, UH, WHAT IS THE, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT DELIVERABLES WERE, WERE, UM, RECEIVED OR HOW, WHAT'S OUR METRICS THERE? WHAT'S OUR WINS AND OUR, WHAT'S OUR LOSSES? UM, TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX.
UM, AND, UM, APRIL 19TH, PLEASE, UM, RESERVE THE DATE.
SAVE THE DATE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING FOR DISTRICT THREE AT ELON.
AND THAT'S ALSO A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR A PROJECT, UH, THAT'S FULLY GRANTED.
THE ELON PROJECT, UH, THE ELON PARK PROJECT.
UM, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS? UM, 5.6 PROP 68.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S, UH, ALSO THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY.
UM, TEAM STEVEN MANGANELLO IS HEADING THAT ONE, BUT, UH, THAT'S APRIL 19TH ALSO.
ARE YOU GONNA DO THE GROUNDBREAKING ON THE DISTRICT THREE SIDE OF THE PARK OR THE DISTRICT TWO SIDE OF THE PARK?
THAT'S THE ONLY PART THAT, THE PART OF THE PARK THAT'S OPEN MAYOR.
AND AFTER THIS, WE'RE CLOSING IT.
ALRIGHT, I
UH, DOWN HERE ON THE RIGHT, UH, MEMBER BELINA.
I INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO MY NEXT TOWN HALL MEETING.
UH, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE BEFORE ME, BUT WE DO HAVE, UH, A SESSION PLANNED WHERE WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THE, UM, BROWNFIELDS PROJECT, UH, AND, AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT FROM DR. BARTLETT.
SO PLEASE, UH, LOOK OUT FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENTS ON OUR CITY CALENDAR AND OUR, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
I INVITE YOU TO COME OUT 6:00 PM AT, UM, RIGHT NEXT DOOR, UH, HERE AT CITY HALL.
UH, I HAVE, UM, IT'S NOT REALLY FOR THE PUBLIC, IT'S MORE FOR EMPLOYEES, BUT, UM, WE, UM, I THINK WE, AND PLEASE, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT YOU DID SEND OUT A MESSAGE ABOUT, UM, ABOUT TRASH AND US BEING SHORT STAFFED ON, ON, ON JANITORS.
SO I, I JUST WANNA REITERATE LIKE THAT AS LONG AS I'M CORRECT THAT IF WE CAN HAVE DIRECTORS AND PEOPLE YES.
PICK UP THEIR TRASH OR HELP OUT OUR, OUR STAFF, I THINK THAT WAS THE MESSAGE.
BUT IF YOU CAN, UH, CLARIFY THAT.
'CAUSE I JUST WANT OUR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE, UH, KNEW ABOUT THAT AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE ISSUE WAS.
I THINK WE'VE MADE A LITTLE PROGRESS.
STEVE, DO YOU WANNA GET A UPDATE ON THAT? WE GOT SOME GOOD PROGRESS ON THAT.
YEAH, I HAD ASKED OUR CITY MANAGER IF THEY CAN PUSH THAT OUT THROUGH ALL USERS.
UM, WE, UH, AT THE TIME WE WERE, WE HAD, UH, THREE VACANCIES IN OUR JANITORIAL STAFF.
[03:45:02]
WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR 20 FACILITIES, UM, AND FACILITIES SUCH AS CITY HALL, THE LIBRARY, POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, NEED A LOT, LOT OF WORK ON A DAILY BASIS.SO REALLY IT'S JUST ABOUT SUGGESTIONS OF HOW WE CAN ALL HELP OUT TO, UM, FREE UP SOME TIME SO OUR JANITORS CAN, CAN FOCUS ON THE PUBLIC AREAS AND, AND GET THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN, UH, LACKING DUE TO SOME, UH, VACANCIES.
GOOD NEWS IS WE ARE STARTING TO FILL THOSE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY JUST HAD, UM, ONE ACCEPTED OFFER, UM, TODAY, IN FACT.
UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT AND YOUR PATIENCE.
PLEASE IF, IF THINGS ARE BEING NEGLECTED, PLEASE, PLEASE LET OUR, OUR TEAM KNOW AND WE WILL, WE'LL ADDRESS IT.
UH, MAYOR, CAN I GO BACK REAL QUICK? UM, THE NEXT TOWN HALL IS NEXT MONDAY, MARCH 24TH.
PLEASE COME OUT 6:00 PM RIGHT NEXT DOOR HERE AT CITY HALL.
UM, JUST REAL QUICKLY, UH, I WILL SAY THE, UH, THE LADY THAT'S BEEN DOING THE JANITORIAL WORK, I KNOW IN THE COUNCIL OFFICES, AWESOME JOB.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T GET TO SEE THE JANITORIAL SERVICES IN ALL THE DEPARTMENT, BUT I GET TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN OURS.
LADY JUST WORKS AND JUST GETS EVERYTHING.
JUST, I MEAN, SHE'S RIGHT ON THE, HER NAME IS BLANCA MAYOR BLANCA.
SHE IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD, REALLY IMPRESSED.
UM, AND AS I SAY, WE, WE'VE GOT GREAT WORKERS ALL, ALL OVER.
UH, I, UH, SAW A COUPLE POSTINGS THIS WEEK ABOUT, UH, COMPLAINING ABOUT CITY WORKERS AND EVERYTHING, BUT IT WAS AMAZING.
IT WAS JUST, THE STUFF WAS JUST SAID IN TOTAL IGNORANCE.
AND SO IT IS GREAT WHAT SOME PEOPLE CAN GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SAY IT'S EASY TO SAY THE STUFF WITHOUT ANY, WITHOUT ANY BACKUP.
AND, UH, UM, THERE WAS EVEN A COMMENT ABOUT THE ONE, UH, POLICE SERGEANT WHO HAD AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT IN THE RAIN AND SOME PERSON WENT OFF ON HIM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS GUY WAS, SHOULD BE FIRED.
AND HE WAS A TOTAL, YOU KNOW, TOTAL IDIOT.
AND THEN OF COURSE SOMEONE ELSE DID BRING UP, HE SAYS, WELL, NO, IT WAS RAINING AND SOMEONE RAN OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND HE HAD TO TRY TO AVERT A PEDESTRIAN RUNNING OUT.
AND SO HE HIT A, A, A BOX ELECTRIC BOX INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF HITTING A PERSON.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT PEOPLE SAY THESE CRAZY THINGS SOMETIMES AND, AND, UH, BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT'S NICE TO HAVE THE FACTS BEFORE YOU, BEFORE YOU JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS.
UM, BUT AS I SAY, WE GOT A GREAT STAFF AND, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WORK HARD AND WE NEED TO CONSTANTLY BE APPRECIATING THEM.
[14. CITY ATTORNEY REPORT]
THAT, I'M GONNA TURN OVER TO CITY ATTORNEY AND HE CAN GIVE A LONG REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION.OH, LET ME GET MY NOTES READY,
SO WE HAD ONE ITEM FOR CLOSED SESSION.
IT WAS CONFERENCE WITH, UH, OUR LABOR NEGOTIATORS.
UM, THESE INVOLVE THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS AND COUNCIL GAVE DIRECTION TO, UH, OUR LABOR NEGOTIATOR.
WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED TO OUR NEXT MEETING OF APRIL THE FIRST.