* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. HI THERE. [00:00:01] ALRIGHT. [1. CALL TO ORDER] GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER A LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT, UH, AND THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY'S WEBSITE INFORM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM, A NUMBER OF WAYS SALMON COLORED SLIPS, OR BY EMAILING NO MORE THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING. ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE. WITH THAT, CAN WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI HERE. THANK YOU. UH, WE'LL NOTE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ IS NOT AS ABSENT. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT. THANK YOU. WE'LL NOTE THAT VICE MAYOR BUSH IS ABSENT. MAYOR MORRISON, UH, PRESENT. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A QUORUM. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT, IF WE COULD PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND, UH, MEMBER MOLINA, IF YOU WOULD DO THIS, PLEASE. ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD. INVISIBLE WOULD NEVER BE A JUSTICE. ALRIGHT. OKAY. WE WILL, UH, [4. PUBLIC COMMENT] WE WILL NOW BE HEARING, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THESE ARE, UH, THESE CAN BE COMMENTS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE AGENDA ITEM ONLY. AND, UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER AND WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF TO COVER DURING CLOSED SESSION, SO IT'S GONNA BE LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE. UM, WITH THAT, WE WILL START WITH FIVE, ONE, AND FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE MICHAEL AGAR TO BE FOLLOWED BY EDWARD NETTO, TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON. AND PLEASE GET READY TO COME UP SO WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT AS MUCH TIME WAITING FOR EVERYONE TO COME ON UP. THEN. MR. SCHULTZ, YOU RECEIVED THIS EMAIL AT SOME UNDISCLOSED DATE WITH DOCUMENTS THAT YOU SAID DIDN'T EXIST. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US THE DATE OF THE EMAIL THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM MARTIN READER? LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY IS REFUSING TO IDENTIFY. NO, HE'S NOT. THIS IS YOUR TIME TO MAKE A COMMENT, NOT TO HAVE DISCUSSION. AS I SAID, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY IS DECLINING. TO ANSWER MY QUESTION OF THE DATE IN WHICH HE RECEIVED THE LETTER THAT HE SAID DIDN'T EXIST REPEATEDLY. AND YOU TOO, MAYOR, YOU BOTH SAID THE RECORDS DIDN'T EXIST. THIS WAS PRODUCED LAST FRIDAY. YOU OWE EVERYONE AN APOLOGY. THANK YOU. THAT'S YOUR, OKAY, HERE'S YOUR POINT. THANK YOU. UM, NEXT EDWARDO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON TO BE FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON. THAT'S, UH, ONE MINUTE PER TOPIC. RIGHT ON. YEAH. ON THIS FIVE ONE. OKAY. OKAY. FIVE ONE. UH, OKAY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, THIS ITEM'S ABOUT THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S EVALUATION, THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS FAILED IN THE CITY, THE CITY IN MANY WAYS. I'VE, UH, TALKED ABOUT THIS MANY TIMES, SEVERAL ISSUES. SO THIS IS NOT NEW. THE GUIDANCE THAT HE PROVIDED IS NOT, IS NOT UP TO PAR. UH, WE, I'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HIS STARTING OFF WHEN I GUESS THE WRONG FOOT HERE WITH, UH, WHEN HE, UM, ASKED, UH, , WHEN RODRIGUEZ ASKED HIM, YOU KNOW, UH, IF HE'S JETTED THE EXPENDITURES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST. AND, UH, HE, HE SAID, HEY, THERE'S AN APPROPRIATION LINE THAT'S MINIMAL. THAT'S, THAT'S NOTHING THAT, THAT'S NOT AN, UH, AN ATTORNEY'S, UH, THAT LEVEL, THAT'S JUST AN ACCOUNTANT. I'M AN ACCOUNTANT. THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. UH, HE CHECKED, UH, HE, HE TURNED A BLIND EYE TO THE RODRIGUEZ'S. UH, UH, MANY ABUSES THE ONE THAT'S HAVING TO DO WITH NEPOTISM. I CAN GO ON AND ON. BUT HERE'S THE THING IS THAT, UM, AS I GO ON AND ON, IT, IT, IT'S ABOUT THE PERCEPTION OF IMPROPRIETY. IT'S ABOUT THE IMP PERCEPTION OF IMPROPRIETY, AND HE'S GIVEN EXAMPLES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, UH, IMPROPRIETY OVER AND OVER AGAIN. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALICIA MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY, UM, MCKAYLA, UM, AMLA, UH, POLANCO. I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE HOW UNETHICAL IT IS FOR MR. SCHWARTZ TO HIRE HIS FORMER LAW OR CURRENT LAW FIRM, UH, TO REPRESENT, UH, NATIONAL CITY IN SOME OF THESE CASES. I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR, ONE OF YOUR OWN COUNSEL MEMBERS TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE BAR SHOULD REFLECT ON HIS PERFORMANCE. AND, [00:05:01] UH, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I PRETTY MUCH CAN ECHO A LOT OF WHAT MR. EDWARD HAD SAID. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. UM, DOYLE MORRISON BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MICALA POLANCO AND TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, LAURA WILKERSON. HELLO EVERYBODY. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW 5.1, AND I WANNA BRING UP ANOTHER THING THAT JUST STANDS OUT HORRIBLY IN MY MIND. UM, WITH THE SWEETWATER AND ORANGE PROJECT, THE INDEMNIFICATION, UM, LETTER OR THE IN, IN INDEMNIFICATION, THE LAST LINE OF IT SAID THAT THE DEVELOPER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ANY FIS FINES AND FEES, BUT ONLY IF THOSE FINES AND FEES ARE AGREEABLE TO THE DEVELOPER. AND I THINK THAT LEAVES NATIONAL CITY IN A VULNERABLE SPOT. OKAY. YOU'RE TALKING TO FIVE ONE, WHICH IS A DEAL ABOUT THE CITY ATTORNEY. NOT, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CITY ATTORNEY, SIR. OKAY. AND THE REASON WHY I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT WE SHOULD NOT GIVE THE CITY ATTORNEY A POSITIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEW WITH INFORMATION THAT I JUST GAVE YOU AND WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE. AND I THINK THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD THINK ABOUT ALL OF THAT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW. THANK YOU. OKAY. POLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY LAURA WILKERSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY BILL NOSO. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO ALL OF YOU THAT, UH, ON THE PERFORMANCE OF, UH, BARRY SCHULTZ, I THINK THAT WITH THE RECENT LAWSUITS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON, YOU NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL OF HOW YOU EVALUATE HIS PERFORMANCE. UM, I KNOW IN THE LAST SESSION WE DID, UH, I BROUGHT UP THE WRONGFUL CONDUCT OF JOSIE FLORES CLARK, AND HE WANTED EVIDENCE. SO TODAY I BROUGHT THE EVIDENCE THAT SHE DID ASK ME TO REWRITE THOSE CONTRACTS FOR THE $7,000. I DON'T THINK THAT'S VERY ETHICAL BEHAVIOR ON AN EMPLOYEE, UH, OF THE CITY. UH, SHE'S MAKING OVER $110,000 A YEAR. HER HUSBAND'S MAKING OVER $250,000 A YEAR. UH, SHE SHOULDN'T BE ASKING EDCO FOR MONEY. SHE SHOULDN'T BE ASKING, UH, MYSELF FOR MONEY OR A COMPANY FOR MONEY. SHE SHOULD DEFINITELY NOT BE ASKING THE BRICO TO HELP WITH HER FUNERAL AND CEMETERY SERVICES AS SHE DID ON NOVEMBER 25TH WHEN I MET WITH HER. UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN HER AND HER HUSBAND, THEY MAKE $400,000 FOR HER TO BE GETTING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. UH, SIDEKICKS. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE LAURA WILKINSON TO BE FOLLOWED BY BILL NOEL TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIA SILVERSON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE CITY ATTORNEY ENABLED AND DEFENDED A FRAUDULENT SYSTEM IN THE CANNABIS LICENSING. HE FAILED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND FOLLOWED THE LAWS OF NATIONAL CITY AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. IN OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL. HE WAS THE ACTING CITY ATTORNEY AND HE REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS MISTAKES IN THERE BY REFUSING OUR LEGAL RIGHTS TO QUESTION WITNESSES AND THE CONSULTANT IN THE PROCESS. HIS CONDUCT IS UNBELIEVABLE ON THIS. HE ALSO KNOWS THAT THERE WAS FRAUD ON HIS WATCH DURING ELEMENT SEVEN WITH ROSE JASSO COMING PUBLICLY, HE ACTUALLY GAVE ELEMENT SEVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CURE THEIR FRAUDULENT APPLICATION. AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT'S AUDITED THE OTHER APPLICATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABIDING BY THE LAW AND BY THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER OF NATIONAL CITY'S REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT. HE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST RULE OF HOLES IS WHEN YOU'RE IN ONE STOP DIGGING, HE HAS BREACHED HIS FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY, EXERCISED TERRIBLE JUDGMENT THAT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WOULD RESULT IN HIS TERMINATION. AND I SUGGEST THAT BETWEEN THAT AND A POTENTIAL 10 90 VIOLATION BY MR. SCHULTZ, HAVING THE CITY PAY HIS PERSONAL LEGAL BILLS REGARDING HIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION THINGS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THIS IS NOT A FAILURE OF PAPERWORK, IT'S A FAILURE OF ETHICS, OVERSIGHT, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THANK YOU. BY MARIA EVERSON. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNSEL, I WANNA SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THE STAFF REVIEWS THAT ARE BEING, UM, OVERSAW. THREE YEARS AGO YOU WERE THEN, COUNCIL MEMBER PREDICTED FRAUD IN THE CANNABIS APPLICATION PROCESS. NOBODY DID ANYTHING. STAFF IGNORED IT. TWO YEARS AGO, MULTIPLE LAWSUITS, MINE INCLUDED, WERE FILED AGAINST CITY BECAUSE OF THAT FRAUD. NOTHING HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. SIX MONTHS AGO, ROSE JASSO MAJORITY OWNER OF ELEMENT SEVEN, ADMITTED FRAUD TO THIS COUNCIL AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. THE DO NOTHING POLICY EXTENDS TO ALMOST COLLUDING WITH THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTING FRAUD. AND I QUOTE ROSE, ROSE JASO WAS SENT AN AN, AN EMAIL FOLLOWING HER ADMISSION SAYING THE CITY HAD NO REASON TO QUESTION THE VALIDITY OF THOSE DOCUMENTS REFERRING TO HER APPLICATION. SHE GAVE YOU REASON TO QUESTION IT. THEN THE CITY WENT ON TO SAY, STAFF SAID, FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A CONTRACTUAL DISPUTE BETWEEN MS. JASO AND ELEMENT SEVEN AND DOESN'T INVOLVE THE CITY ADMITTED FRAUD TO GAIN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. OKAY, IS NOT, [00:10:01] IS A CITY PROBLEM. NEXT WE HAVE MARIA . THANK OR GOOD AFTERNOON, ITEM FIVE. MY APOLOGIES. ITEM 5.1 IS THE FOR REVIEWING THE CITY ATTORNEY'S POSITION, THE CITY ATTORNEY ON A GARDEN VARIETY PUBLIC RECORDS CASE, THE MOST BASIC TYPE OF FUNCTION THAT THE CITY HAS TO DO, WHICH IS HAVE OPEN GOVERNMENT AND PRODUCE RECORDS. WHEN ASKED THE CITY HIRED MR. SCHULTZ LAW FIRM, DEVANEY PATE, MORRIS, AND CAMERON, THEN I LOOK AT WHAT'S ALSO ON THE AGENDA HERE LATER ITEMS 5 3 5, 4, 5, 5, 3 SEPARATE, UH, LITIGATIONS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE PUBLIC RECORDS, BUT IT'S ALSO HIS FIRM. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY WHEN I PULL UP THE DEVANEY PAID MARTHA AND CAMERON WEBSITE, 2025, IT SHOWS YOUR PICTURE. DO YOU STILL WORK THERE? DO YOU GET MONEY FROM THE FIRM? DO YOU HAVE PENSION BENEFITS WHERE IF THEY MAKE MONEY, YOU MAKE MONEY? I THINK ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCLOSED. WHY IS YOUR PICTURE STILL ON IT? THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALRIGHT, NEXT WE GO TO 5.2. UM, ED NIETO BE FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MICHAEL AGUIRE. UH, THIS IS ABOUT BEN. UM, I'VE SPOKEN SEVERAL TIMES FROM THE ACTIONS I'VE SEEN IN THESE PAST TWO YEARS THAT RELATE TO BEN'S ACTIONS. BEN'S, UH, THUMPIN HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE, ALL OVER THESE, UH, CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. I THINK IT'S, IT'S ALL STARTED WHEN, UH, WHEN AITA AND JOSE WERE WELCOMED HIM TO THE, TO THE NEW POSITION AND SAYING, HOW BAD DO YOU WANT THIS POSITION? YOU KNOW? AND I THINK AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, BEN, THE SIGNAL IS SET. YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GOTTA DO WHAT I WANNA DO TO KEEP THIS JOB . THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DONE. AND HE SAID, AND I THINK HE'S DISREGARDED THE CITIZENS. HE'S NUMEROUS TIMES HE'S MADE BAD JUDGMENT. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T THINK IT, IT'S, IT, IT'S EVIDENT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE RESULT OF WHAT'S HAPPENED FROM ALL THOSE TIMES. UH, WE'VE HAVE A FI WE DON'T HAVE A FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, WE HAVE A BUDGET, WE HAVE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF, UH, PERPETUAL CONTROVERSIES GOING ON. NO, MSA, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE ON HIS WATCH. YOU KNOW, I DON'T ONLY HAVE A MINUTE, BUT WE HAVE $6 MILLION LOOKING DOWN THE BUDGET. THAT'S HIS WATCH. WE HAVE TO HANDLE OUR, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR FISCAL HEALTH IS DOWN THE TOILET. THANK MORALE IS, IS DOWN. OKAY, THANK YOU. IS ANYONE FROM PLANNING GOING TO BE AT THE MEETING, THE MEETING THAT WAS HELD WITH THE DEVELOPER? ANYONE GONNA BE THERE? MANAGER WAS THERE, CITY MANAGER WAS THERE. THE CITY MANAGER OF COURSE, WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE RESPECT OF A OFFICIAL TO PAY ATTENTION, BUT HE'S BUSY, UH, ON HIS PHONE. BUT THINK WHAT THAT MEANS. HOW FAR, MAYOR, MAYBE YOU WERE MISLED. MAYBE YOU DID SOME THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE, BUT THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THE DEVELOPERS OF THIS PROJECT WITHOUT HAVING AT LEAST THE PLANNING STAFF THERE. I MEAN, THIS IS ABSURD AND IT'S GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE THE DEEPER THAT WE DIG. AND WE'RE NOT GETTING ANYTHING BACK FROM YOU. THIS MAN NEEDS TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. WITH HIS BEHAVIOR. NEXT, WE HAD, UH, ALICIA MORRISON BE FOLLOWED BY LUISA MCCARTHY. MARCH 31ST, 2025. I SENT BEN MARTINEZ, UH, EMAIL REGARDING THE ABANDONED PROPERTY AT 2305 SWEETWATER ROAD. UH, THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY HAD WEEDS. IT HAS BROKEN WINDOWS THAT ARE BORDERED UP AND, UH, HE REFERRED IT OVER TO THE CODE ENFORCEMENT. WELL, THEY CAME AND THEY, THEY PULLED THE WEEDS JUST FINE, BUT THE BUILDING STILL REMAINS ABANDONED, WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF CODE 7.0 6.04, ABANDONED BILLINGS, NUISANCE ABATEMENT. WHY IS THERE A PERFECTLY GOOD HOUSE SITTING VACANT THAT SOMEBODY CAN RENT? THEY SAY THAT THERE'S A HOUSING SHORTAGE. WHY HAS THIS HOUSE BEEN VACANT FOR OVER TWO YEARS? SINCE THE, SINCE THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, HAD THAT PROPERTY ANNEXED INTO THE CITY AND NATIONAL CITY. THAT HOUSE USED TO BE LONG IN LINCOLN ACRES. AND SINCE THAT PERSON LEFT, IT HAS SAT VACANT AND ABANDONED AND NEGLECTED. UH, LOUISA MCCARTHY BE [00:15:01] FOLLOWED BY MICKEL POLANCO. YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO OVERSEE WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE OF POWER, CLEARLY BRINGING UP UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR. YOU ALL, NOT ALL MY RESPECTS TO RODRIGUEZ WANNA TURN A BLIND EYE AND SAY IT'S PERSONAL. NO, THIS IS NOT THE KIND OF STAFF YOU HAVE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES. WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE CITY. STAFF SHOULD REVIEW YOU AND DO A 360 REPORT WITHOUT YOUR HANDS ON IT SO YOU KNOW EXACTLY HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT YOU. THEY ARE DISGUSTED, EMBARRASSED, AND THANKING US IN MANY WAYS BECAUSE WHY? YOU GET, IF YOU GET MAD AT THEM AND THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, YOU DEMOTE THEM. UH, YOU RETALIATE, YOU FIRE, YOU MAKE THEIR LIFE A LIVING HELL. WELL, YOU NEED A LITTLE PIECE OF THAT YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE NOT DOING YOUR PART. THANK YOU LANCO. WE FOLLOWED BY LAURA WILKERSON. WE FOLLOWED THEM BY BILL NOEL. BEN, I JUST, UH, WANNA TELL YOU THAT IN MY PERSONAL, OVER THREE DECADES OF RUNNING ORGANIZATIONS, YOU REALLY HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ENTIRE STAFF AND THE LONG-TERM PLANS OF OUR CITY BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPORTANT CITY THAT WE ALL LOVE AND THAT WE ALL CARE ABOUT. BUT YOU HAVE A HUGE ROLE TO PLAY IN IT. AND IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AT THIS POINT IN OUR, UH, HISTORY OF GOING THROUGH ALL THESE TURMOILS AND LAWSUITS THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE NOT, UH, BEING DEGRADED AND FEEL, UH, FEARFUL OF TALKING TO YOU. AND YOU NEED TO NOT BE SO, UH, NONCHALANT AND WHATEVER ATTITUDE LIKE THE MAYOR HAS, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, THEY FISH FOR YOUR COMMENT FROM THE HEAD DOWN. ALRIGHT, LAURA WILKINSON BE FOLLOWED BY BILL NOEL. I HAVE COME TO THIS DIET FOR THE LAST EIGHT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS IN A ROW TO ASK MR. MARTINEZ, THE CITY MANAGER FOR UPDATES ON THE CANNABIS LICENSING. I HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING LAST OCTOBER BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL INSISTED THAT HE HAD THAT HE MEET WITH US. UH, JACQUELINE RENOSO AND I MET WITH HIM AND STILL GOT NO INFORMATION. HE PROMISED A FOLLOW UP. HE IS NOT THAT HE, HE'S REFUSED TO GIVE PUBLIC INFORMATION AND TWO YEARS LATER, ONLY THE LOUNGE IS OPEN. IF HE HAD FOLLOWED THE LAWS, KELLY MOTA AND LIKELY BCD WOULD BE OPEN AND LIKE VISTA, YOU WOULD HAVE MILLIONS IN TAX REVENUE AT THIS VERY MOMENT WHEN YOU NEED TO FILL THAT GAP. INSTEAD, MR. MARTINEZ WON'T EVEN RESPOND TO US. HE WON'T SHARE WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC INFORMATION. AND HE HAS SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF LEGAL MONEY FIGHTING HONEST LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE WHO REALLY DESIRE AND DESERVE TO OPERATE A BUSINESS IN THIS CITY. UM, HE PUTS YOU AT TREMENDOUS RISK BY SHARING UNEVEN INFORMATION AND SHARING UNEVEN ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. HE HAS DENIED ALI MOTA THAT WHILE MEETING WITH SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE AND IT PUTS YOU AT CIVIL RISK FOR LITIGATION AS WELL. BILL NOEL, THANK YOU TO CONTINUE. CITY STAFF STATING TO PEOPLE THAT IT'S NOT A CITY ISSUE. WHEN FRAUD HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO GAIN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE AND AN APPLICATION PROCESS, THE CITY IS PROCESSING IS COLLUSION TO THAT FRAUD. SO FOR STAFF TO EVEN, AND THEY PUT IT IN WRITING, THIS WILL BE USED IN OUR COURT CASE. I QUESTION IF YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO REACT TO BUSINESSES THAT OTHER BUSINESSES THAT SUBMIT FRAUD. THIS HAS BEEN A COMPLETE INJUSTICE. YOU HAVE PEOPLE FIGHTING A KNOWN FRAUD, DEFENDING KNOWN FRAUD, AND COLLUDING WITH PEOPLE WHO COMMIT IT. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? ONLY CORRUPT STAFF WOULD DO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT WE GO ON TO FIVE THREE AND WE END UP WITH, UH, LET'S GO DOWN THROUGH THE NAMES HERE. UH, REYNA 14 TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MARISSA LAVAS. AND THEN ALEX, I'M GONNA TRY MISPRONOUNCE THE LAST NAME ON THAT ONE. SORRY, GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. SO ON APRIL 24TH, 2024, THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT AND THE CITY MANAGER MET WITH THE PROPONENTS OF THE PROJECT, YET NOT A SINGLE RECORD WAS PRODUCED FROM THAT MEETING. [00:20:01] WOULDN'T THERE BE CALENDAR ENTRIES OR NOTES OR SOME RECORD FROM THIS MEETING? IT IS REQUIRED BY THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT THAT NATIONAL CITY NEEDS TO PRODUCE THESE RECORDS. THANK YOU. OKAY. MARISSA BE FOLLOWED BY ALEX TO BE FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON. GOOD EVENING. I'M A CON CONCERNED FOR THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONAL CITY BECAUSE WHY ARE YOU NOT RELEASING RECORDS? CITY PLANNER DAVID WELCH SENT AN INCOMPLETE LETTER TO THE DEVELOPER OF THE PROJECT SAYING STAFF IS UNABLE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ON THE LEVEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE THAT WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THIS PROJECT UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT. AND THEN THE NEXT DAY ON MAY 30TH, 2024, THAT SAME INCOMPLETE LETTER WAS FORWARDED TO THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT FROM THE DEVELOPER. WHY WAS THAT? WHAT DID SHE HAVE TO DO WITH THE PROJECT AND THE INCOMPLETE LETTER AND THE STAFF NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION ON CQA? WHAT ATION QUALIFICATIONS DID SHE HAVE TO ASSIST THE STAFF WITH THAT? WHY WOULD SHE EVEN NEED THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE? AND WHERE ARE THE RECORDS FOR THIS? WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY RECORDS AND THOSE RECORDS NEED TO BE RELEASED. THANK YOU. OKAY. WE HAD ALEX FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY LOUISA MCCARTHY. GOOD AFTERNOON. ON AUGUST 6TH OF LAST YEAR, STAFF SENT ANOTHER INCOMPLETE LETTER TO THE DEVELOPERS OF THE PROJECT AND LIKE CLOCKWORK, ON AUGUST 15TH, THE DEVELOPERS OF THE PROJECT FORWARDED THE INCOMPLETE LETTER TO THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT, MS. FLORES CLARK. AGAIN, NO RECORDS OF DISCUSSIONS OF CALENDARING, NOTHING WERE PRODUCED. WHERE ARE THE RECORDS? THANK YOU. AND DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY LUIS MCCARTHY. FOLLOWED BY CORINA FLORES. OKAY, SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING FOR MISSING DOCUMENTS FROM AUGUST 22ND TO OCTOBER, UH, NINTH OF 2024. AND, UH, THERE WAS COMMUNICATION FROM JOSEPH BRICO TO JOSEPH FLORES CLARK. AND IT SAID, PLEASE SEE THE RESPONSES BELOW. WHERE ARE THOSE RESPONSES AND WHY HAVEN'T WE SEEN THOSE? THOSE SHOULD BE UNDER THE PUBLIC, UH, RECORDS ACT AND YOU GUYS SHOULD PRODUCE THOSE. UM, ALSO DAVID WELCH, UM, HAD A COMMUNICATION WITH THOMAS MORGAN, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND, AND A DEVELOPER. AND IT SAYS, UH, REVIEW MY NOTES. THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR VARIANCES WITHOUT FURTHER MODIFICATIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, ALONG WITH A PLANNING SUBMITTAL FOR VARIANCE REQUESTS. WE NEED TO, UH, HAVE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR REQUESTED VARIANCES. I RECOMMEND REVIEWING, REQUIRING FINDING AND VARIANCES IN SECTION 18 12 1 20 E FOR GUIDANCE ON WHAT INFORMATION IS IS NEEDED IN A JUSTIFICATION. WHERE ARE THOSE RECORDS FOR THAT? THANK YOU. LOUISA MCCARTHY, FOLLOWED BY CORINA FLORES, FOLLOWED BY FRANK RIVERA. WHERE ARE MY MANNERS? GOOD EVENING. YOU SAY THE DEVELOPERS NEEDED HELP WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS. THEY ARE SEASONED DEVELOPERS. THEY'VE DONE IT MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE OR EVEN FAR MORE. DO YOU REALLY NEED TO HOLD THEIR HAND? THERE'S CLEAR UNDUE INFLUENCE HERE. THE GROUP TEXT SAYS IT ALL. TEAM MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, JOEY AND EDDIE. THAT SAYS IT RIGHT THERE. FOLKS, YOU SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED TO EVER HAVE A VOTE IN THE FUTURE, THIS TIME IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT DEAD FOR ANY OF THE ANY DEVELOPER DEVELOPING PROJECT FROM THESE PARTICULAR FRIENDS OF YOURS. COULD YOU SHOW THE PUBLIC FOR ME PLEASE, ALEX? THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHO DOES A TEXT? WOW, YOU GUYS ARE LIKE THAT. REAL CLOSE FRIENDS. THANK YOU. OKAY, CORINA FLORES, FRANK RIVERA, UH, ALICIA MORRISON. GOOD EVENING. NOW, UH, TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO ADDRESS AN ISSUE THAT THREATENS THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR COMMUNITY CORRUPTION WITHIN OUR CITY COUNCIL. WHEN PUBLIC OFFICIALS ACCEPT MONEY AND GIFTS TO AUTHORIZED PERMITS, THEY BETRAY THE TRUST OF PEOPLE THEY'RE SWORN IN TO SERVE. THIS BEHAVIOR UNDERMINES FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY, AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. SO AS ACTION PRIORITI, PRIORITIZE PERSONAL GAIN OVER THE WELLBEING OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, LEADING THE DECISION THAT ARMS OUR COMMUNITY AND DISREGARD THE VOICES OF RESIDENTS, WE DESERVE LEADERS WHO CAN ACT IN THE PUBLIC'S BEST INTEREST, NOT THOSE WHO EXPLOIT THEIR POSITION FOR PROFIT. I URGE EACH OF YOU TO DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY [00:25:01] FROM OUR CITY COUNCIL. TOGETHER WE CAN STAND AGAINST CORRUPTION AND ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY REMAINS A PLACE WHERE FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE PREVAIL. THANK YOU. OKAY. FRANK RIVERA, FOLLOWED BY ALICIA MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY MICHAELA POLANCO. OKAY. AFTER HALF A YEAR OF, UH, THE PLAN SUBMITTAL, WE GO THROUGH ANOTHER PLAN REVIEW CYCLE, AND THEN THE PLANS, THE, AN EMAIL GETS FORWARDED TO THE, UH, MAYOR'S ASSISTANT ON THE, UH, PROJECT. IS THIS STANDARD PRACTICE, IS THIS A ONE-WAY CONVERSATION? WHERE ARE THE RECORDS THEN? AT THE END OF OCTOBER, WE HAVE THE ASSOCIATE PLANNER EMAILING TO THE DEVELOPER TEAM THAT HE IS HOPEFUL HE CAN BE READY FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING OF THE 18TH OF NOVEMBER. PLANNING PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES NEED TO BE SENT OUT IN ONE WEEK. A WEEK LATER, HE SENDS ANOTHER EMAIL TO THE TEAM THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES ARE GONNA BE SENT OUT THIS WEEK. UH, THE SIXTH OR THE SEVENTH, THEN THE APPLICANT FORWARDS THE EMAIL TO THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT. AGAIN, WHY? AND THERE'S NO RESPONSE. IS THIS ANOTHER ONE WAY CONVERSATION? ARE WE MISSING ANY RESPONSES? WHY AREN'T WE RECEIVING ALL THE RECORDS? WHAT'S GOING ON BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER AND THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT? WHERE ARE THE MISSING RECORDS? THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. ALICIA MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY KEL BLANCO, FOLLOWED BY KYLIE ROCO. NOVEMBER 18TH DOLE AND I WENT TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO ASK IF WE COULD SHOW AN AERIAL PHOTO OF THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION THAT BUILDS UP AT THE CORNER OF SWEETWATER IN ORANGE. DAVID WELCH TOLD US, OH, THAT ITEM IS NOT GONNA BE ON TONIGHT'S MEETING THAT'S BEEN MOVED TO DECEMBER 3RD. DECEMBER 3RD WAS A CITY COUNCIL MEETING. IT WASN'T A PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WAS ON NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER 2ND. MM-HMM . SO ON, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE, COMMISSIONER CASTLE AND SANCHEZ SHOW UP TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THAT ITEM NUMBER FOUR WAS BEING PULLED FROM THE AGENDA UNTIL THEY WERE SITTING DOWN. WE HAD 19 PEOPLE SHOW UP IN OPPOSITION AND THEY FELT THAT THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM, FROM THE ITEM BECAUSE THEY FELT PEOPLE SHOWED UP. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HEARD. WELL ON NOVEMBER 24TH, THOMAS MORGAN SENDS DAVID WELCH AN EMAIL, YOUR OBSERVATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS REGISTERS CONCERNS ABOUT THE HIGHLAND AVENUE PROPERTY, CPU, UH, OR CUP APPLICATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. BILL POLANCO, FOLLOWED BY KYLIE ROCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAELY. NO, I WANT THEM TO SEE IT. , GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M, UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, I'M STILL VERY CONFUSED ABOUT THIS PROJECT. UH, I DON'T KNOW. UM, ON THIS, UH, TEXT HERE WE HAVE THE, UH, ON PAGE 12 OF THE REPORT THAT WE GAVE YOU, YOU HAVE A TEXT THAT THE BRICO WANNA RENEW IT. AND THEN ON DECEMBER 6TH, I GET AN EMAIL FROM MARTIN THAT THE APPLICANTS WANNA APPEAL IT AND THEN, UH, THE MAYOR KEEPS SAYING THAT THE ITEM IS DEAD. AND THEN WE JUST GOT AN EMAIL, UH, LAST WEEK RIGHT HERE SAYING THAT THE ITEM IS ON HOLD, THE APPLICANT IS ON HOLD, THE APPLICATION IS ON HOLD. SO WHICH IS IT? YOU KEEP TELLING, THE MAYOR KEEPS TELLING THE MEDIA THAT THE ITEM IS DEAD WHEN IN FACT THE ITEM IS NOT DEAD. NOW THE OTHER THING THAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THE PROJECT VANISHED WITHOUT ANY CITY COUNCIL TAKING ANY MOTION. I WANNA KNOW WHY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT AND IT'S ALL IN THIS REPORT AND I HOPE YOU GET A CHANCE TO READ IT. KYLIE ROCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL LAGER, FOLLOWED BY MARIA SEVERSON. GOOD EVENING. UM, YOU'VE SEEN THE EVIDENCE AND YOU NEED TO TURN OVER THE RECORDS. THE EMAILS ARE INCOMPLETE. AND WHERE ARE THE REST OF THE CONVERSATIONS? UH, WHAT WAS DISCUSSED? WHERE ARE THE CALENDAR MEETINGS, TEXTS, EMAILS. I THINK YOU OWE THE PEOPLE SOME ANSWERS. OKAY. MICHAEL AGUE TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIA SEVERSON. SO LAST FRIDAY AFTER WE RECEIVED THIS LETTER LAST FRIDAY AFTER THE MAYOR SAID THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE AFTER IT WAS CLEAR THAT IT WENT TO BARRY, THE CITY ATTORNEY, I THEN TODAY CALLED THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND WE SENT A LETTER. I SHOULDN'T SAY I DID, UH, MR. UH, ALEX AND MY OFFICE DID. [00:30:01] AND WE ASKED, ARE YOU WITHHOLDING RECORDS BASED ON AN EXEMPTION? ARE YOU WITHHOLDING RECORDS BASED UPON ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE? SHE REFUSED TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS. AND THIS SUGGESTS TO ME ONE OF THE DEVICES PEOPLE USE SOMETIMES TO HIDE RECORDS IS THEY'LL TAKE AN EXISTING RECORD, THEY'LL SEND IT TO THEIR ATTORNEY LIKE MR. SCHULTZ, WHO APPARENTLY HAS RECEIVED THIS. AND UH, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY OTHERS. AND THEY'LL SAY, OH, BECAUSE IT WAS SENT TO ME, NOW IT'S ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE. THAT DOESN'T CREATE AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE. IF THAT DOCUMENT, THIS DOCUMENT HERE WAS WRITTEN BACK IN DECEMBER 10TH AND IT WAS WRITTEN FROM SOMEONE, UH, THAT WAS NOT PROTECTED BY THE ATTORNEY CLIENT. AND SO HERE'S THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU. WHEN YOU KEEP SAYING THAT YOU PRODUCED ALL THE RECORDS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. OKAY, MARIA VERSON, THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUIRES THAT WHEN A DOCUMENT PRODUCED BY THE PUBLIC ENTITY IS REDACTED, IT MUST IDENTIFY BY NAME AND TITLE. EACH PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECISION OF REDACTING ON FRIDAY. THIS RECORD WAS JUST PRODUCED DECEMBER 10TH AND IT SHOWS MARTIN REEDER TO COUNSEL AND YET IT LEAVES OUT THE ACTUAL DATE OF THE, UH, ENTRY. THAT IS NOT A FULL DISCLOSURE AND THERE WAS NO IDENTIFICATION. AGAIN, THIS IS A GARDEN VARIETY PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST. COUNSEL SHOULD KNOW BETTER BOTH IN BOTH CITY ATTORNEY AS WELL AS OUTSIDE COUNSEL COMPLY. OKAY. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT WE GO ON TO ITEM FIVE FOUR. AND UH, IS THAT GONNA BE WITHDRAWN FROM POST SESSION? OKAY. OKAY, WE'RE HEAR IT. OKAY. UH, LAURA WILKERSON, FOLLOWED BY BILL NOEL. THANK YOU CALI MOTA'S. MICRO BUSINESS OPERATIONS IN OUR APPLICATION STATE WILL GENERATE MORE THAN $11,504,960 AND 51 CENTS OF ECONOMIC COMMUNITY BENEFITS IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF OPERATION. THAT'S OUR PLEDGE TO YOU. THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM TAXES AND FEES, DIRECT DONATIONS, SERVICES PROVIDED TO RESIDENTS, LOCAL NONPROFITS IN KIND DONATIONS AND DRIVES. AND YET WE HAVE TO, TO LITIGATE TO TRY AND GET THE CITY TO FOLLOW ITS OWN LAWS. WE HAVE ALSO PUT IN GOOD FAITH OFFERS OF SETTLEMENT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY, NOT EVEN THE COURTESY OF A REPLY, WHICH MAKES US FEEL THAT THE CITY IS DEALING IN BAD FAITH. WE DO HAVE A SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE COMING UP IN JUNE WITH THE CITY. IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME TO THAT. WE'RE READY. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THAT WE'RE SITTING ON THE LIST RIGHT NOW. WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE FALLEN OUT. WE KNOW HALF OF THE PEOPLE THAT APPLIED HAVE DISSOLVED THEIR LLCS AT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. WE'RE THE ONES DOING THE RESEARCH AND IT SHOULD BE THE CITY MANAGER IN CITY STAFF AND CITY ATTORNEY DOING THIS RESEARCH. WHY DO WE HAVE TO WORK SO HARD TO OPEN A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS HERE? THAT'S ALL WE WANNA DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. WELL AND YOU CAN AFTER YOU FINISH THIS, YOU CAN STAY FOR FIVE. FIVE, OKAY. OKAY. UM, FURTHER TO LAURA'S COMMENTS, WE'RE NOT OUT HERE TO FIGHT AND ARGUE ABOUT THE OTHER APPLICANTS. WE KNOW THERE'S FRAUD. IT'S BEEN ADMITTED FRAUD. THE CITY IS FIGHTING LAWSUITS LEFT AND RIGHT, LOSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SETTLING THOSE LAWSUITS BECAUSE THEY TAKE BAD POSITIONS. THIS LAWSUIT WILL CONTINUE. WE FEEL CONFIDENT WE'LL PREVAIL, BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO COME TO THAT. WHY SPEND MONEY WHEN YOU CAN BE GENERATING INCOME? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADDING TWO MORE OPERATIONS THAT WILL BE PER THE LOCAL OWNER, WHICH IS WHAT SUPPOSEDLY WAS INTENDED BUT HAS YET TO BE FULFILLED. THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION TO RESOLVE. I URGE YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER THAT INSTEAD OF JUST SPENDING A BUNCH OF MONEY, WIN, LOSE OR DRAW, THERE'S JUST GONNA BE WASTED MONEY VERSUS INCOME FOR THE CITY. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THAT IS ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS. DO WE HAVE ANYONE ON ZOOM? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. [5. CLOSED SESSION] WITH THAT, UM, WE HAVE FIVE ITEMS FOR CLOSED SESSION AND I WILL TURN THAT OVER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU MAYOR. THE FIVE ITEMS ARE 5.1 IS PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION. THE POSITION TO BE REVIEWED IS THE CITY ATTORNEY. 5.2 PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION POSITION TO BE REVIEWED. CITY MANAGER 5.3 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. [00:35:01] EXISTING LITIGATION NAME OF THE CASE IS MICALA, UH, POLANCO VERSUS THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY. 5.4 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. EXISTING LITIGATION, A CASE INVOLVED IS CALI MOTA VERSUS CITY OF NATIONAL CITY AND 5.5 EXISTING LITIGATION. THE CASE NA NAME IS B-C-D-L-L-C VERSUS THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY. OKAY. WITH THAT WE ARE IN A CLOSED SESSION. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.