[00:00:02]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
RIGHT.I'D LIKE TO CALL THE, UH, MEETING TO ORDER A, UH, LIVE WEBCAST OF THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY'S WEBSITE INFORMS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, EITHER IN PERSON WITH ONE OF THESE SALMON COLORED SLIPS, EMAILING NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, LIVE SPANISH, UH, TRANSLATION FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT.
IF YOU DO NEED A HEADSET, AND YOU CAN EITHER BE IN THE OTHER ROOM, UH, AND LISTEN TO IT OFF HEADSET, OR IF YOU NEED A HEADSET, PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OR DESK IMMEDIATELY.
ALL WRITTEN, UH, COMMENTS RECEIVED WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND DISTRIBUTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
WITH THAT, COULD WE HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
MAYOR, WOULD YOU LIKE THE INTERPRETER TO ALSO MAKE YOUR STATEMENT? OH, YES, PLEASE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER IMANI HERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER MOLINA PRESENT, VICE MAYOR BUSH HERE, MAYOR MORRISON.
UH, PRESENT AND WE'LL NOTE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ IS ABSENT.
YEAH, HE'LL BE A, HE'LL BE A LITTLE BIT LATE.
WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM AND IF WE COULD ALL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AND, UM, MEMBER MOLINA, WOULD YOU PLEASE I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, FOR LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
ALRIGHT, WE DO, UH, UH, LET'S SEE.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENT]
WILL HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEM SPECIFIC TO THIS AGENDA.THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING, SO THEREFORE, ANY DISCUSSION, UH, PUBLIC, UH, COMMENTS HAVE TO BE ONLY TO THIS ITEM AND THIS ITEM ONLY.
UM, WITH THAT, SINCE WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF SPEAKERS TONIGHT, AND WE ARE WAITING ON ONE OF OUR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SHOW UP, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES, UH, THIS EVENING.
ALRIGHT? AND, UH, WITH THAT, UM, AND I SAY I'M GONNA CALL YOU IN GROUPS OF THREE, PLEASE COME UP INTO THE MIDDLE AISLE, SO THAT WAY WE, UH, DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME BETWEEN SPEAKERS.
UH, FIRST WE HAVE LUISA MCCARTHY, FOLLOWED BY EDWARD NETTO TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER
WELCOME TO SESAME STREET, WHERE EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR OWN THING.
CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO OVERSEE ANY WASTE ABUSE OF POWER AND FRAUD.
EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE MAYOR AND HIS ASSISTANT USE UNDUE INFLUENCE TO PRESSURE PLANNING STAFF AND RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
LIKE AN EXAMPLE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE PROJECT, THERE'S MUCH DYSFUNCTION HERE.
YOU HAVE THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT WHO NEVER SEEMS TO BE DISCIPLINED FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, ASKING MEMORIAL PARK TO PARTICIPATE IN WRONGFUL DOINGS INVOLVING A CITY CONTRACTOR.
HERE, SHE, SHE SLAPS THE CITY STAFF MEMBER IN THE BUTTOCKS.
PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO SEE IF FINALLY SOMEONE WILL TAKE ACTION.
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE RELATIONSHIP THE MAYOR HAS WITH HIS ASSISTANT.
THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM IS THE MAYOR AND HIS ASSISTANT RUN A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP.
PLEASE DO YOUR JOB SET OUT BY THE MUNICIPAL CODE, NOT BY FAVORS.
THOSE TWO ASK OF YOU, I DON'T EVEN NEED THE EXTRA TUBE BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S JUST A SAD SITUATION HERE IN NATIONAL CITY.
[00:05:01]
UP.IT HAS POTENTIAL, BUT SADLY, PEOPLE TURN A BLIND EYE TO THE WRONGFULNESS THAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
I'VE ENCOURAGED YOU TO DO A PROGRESS REPORT, A 360 OF EVERY EMPLOYEE IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, AND MAKE IT ANONYMOUS.
AND THE REASON I ASK YOU TO DO IT ANONYMOUS IS BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID.
I KNOW PEOPLE FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE GOOD TO GO.
POLICE, THERE'S PROBLEMS. HELLO, $10 MILLION LAWSUIT.
YOU HAVE YOUR CITY CLERK DOING ZOOM FROM TEXAS.
WHY DON'T YOU ASK MS. TANYA, HOW DO SHE FEEL ABOUT THAT? MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE, HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT? IS THAT NORMAL TO BE FROM, UH, ZOOM NOT BEING HERE PRESENTLY? WELL, NO WONDER YOU DON'T TURN IN YOUR PUBLIC RECORDS BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANYBODY HERE IN HOUSE TO DO IT.
AND THEN YOUR STAFF OUTSIDE WORKING THE STREETS AND CLEANING THEM UP AND ALL THE WEATHER, COLD, HOT RAIN, THEY DON'T GET RAISES LIKE THE OUTRAGEOUS RAISES THAT THE MAYOR MAKES UP NEW POSITIONS FOR HIS ASSISTANT.
THAT, BY THE WAY, IS HARDLY EVER HERE.
ASK AROUND, IS SHE ACTUALLY HERE? WHAT DOES SHE DO FOR THE CITY? WHO DOES SHE MANAGE OTHER THAN THE BUSINESSES THAT SHE SAYS SHE HAS THE CONSULTING BUSINESS? IS THAT NOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? WHAT DOES SHE CONSULT? WHAT DOES SHE DO? AND ALL THE PRESIDENCIES THAT SHE HAS IN THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
WELL, WHERE DOES SHE FIND THE TIME TO WORK FOR THE CITY? THERE YOU GO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, ED NIETO, AND, AND PLEASE COME UP INTO THE AISLE WHEN YOUR NAME IS ALREADY CALLED.
ALEXANDER OOD, AND THEN ALICIA MORRISON.
YOU'RE THROWING ME OFF WITH THAT ONE MINUTE, THREE MINUTES,
UM, ED NIETO, LONG TIME, A LONG TIME CITY, CITY RESIDENCE.
I SUPPORT THE APPOINTMENT OF SCOTT, WHO HE'S, UH, A PROVEN, STEADY EXPERIENCE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR, AND THAT'S WHAT THE CITY NEEDS RIGHT NOW.
UM, AS A I, YOU KNOW, AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN WHO ATTENDS THESE MEETINGS TO COMMENT, I'M, I'M REQUIRED TO, I'M NOT REQUIRED TO FILE, UH, A FORM 700 TO DISCLOSE MY FINANCIAL, UM, INTEREST, YOU KNOW, BUT I WANNA STAY CLEARLY HERE TO ALL.
I HAVE NO FINANCIAL TIES TO SCOTT.
I HAVE MET HIM AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
THE OTHER THING IS, JOSIE, YOU KNOW, I BARELY KNOW JOSIE YET, LAST FRIDAY, MICAH GEARY COMES OVER AND I'M, I'M, I'M TRYING TO GET CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON THE WEIGHT OF THIS TWO PIECES OF A PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO DOG IN THIS GAME, BUT HE MADE A COMMENT THAT I REFUSE TO UNDERSTAND, UH, THE WEIGHT OF HIS EVIDENCE, AND I REFUSE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN HE MADE THE COMMENT THAT, UM, THAT, UH, HE'S, HE'S GONNA INVESTIGATE ME FOR, UM, HAVING TIES WITH JOSIE.
THEN AT THE SAME TIME, THE MEETING, I HEAR THAT THERE'S A, A WAKE OF A, A, A PUBLIC REFERENCE TO A CON UH, A SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT.
IT'S QUESTIONABLE HOW THE COMPLAINT EVEN GOT TO THE ATTENTION OF THIS PERSON.
AND, YOU KNOW, MUCH LESS THE SENSITIVITY OF SHARING SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN PUBLIC.
MY POINT IS THIS, I AGREE, I AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER.
SO SOMEHOW WE'RE STANDING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FENCE.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TOO MUCH DRAMA.
UH, A POINT, SCOTT, GET ON WITH FOCUSING ON WHAT THE IMMEDIATE, CRITICAL NEEDS OF THE CITY.
DON'T BUY INTO THE DRAMA, GET THE JOB DONE.
YOU HAVE MORE PRESSING ISSUES RIGHT NOW.
GOD, I FEEL SORT OF WEIRD HAVING MORE TIME.
I'M SORRY THAT WE GO TO ALEXANDER, UH, GUT.
HOPE I DIDN'T MESS UP TOO MUCH.
AND THEN, UM, UH, MIKA BLANCO.
GOOD AFTERNOON AS A NEW CITY MANAGER, MR. HO, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO INVESTIGATE WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE ON DECEMBER 5TH IN A TEXT MESSAGE, A GROUP CHAT BETWEEN THE FORMER CITY MANAGER, THE MAYOR, HIS TEAM, AND THE PROJECT DEVELOPERS, WHERE THEY SAY WE NEED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE EXISTING CUP FOR SWEETWATER IN ORANGE.
WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO RENEW IT
[00:10:02]
ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 IN AN EMAIL, THE PROJECT DEVELOPERS STATE, WE WILL PLACE IT, THE PROJECT ON HOLD FOR NOW TO REVISE THE PROJECT AND COME BACK TO MEET THE CITY STAFF TO SEE HOW WE CAN FIND A PROJECT THAT WILL WORK AT THE INTERSECTION.AS A NEW CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO INVESTIGATE THIS WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE.
ALICIA MORRISON BE FOLLOWED BY, UH, MIKA BLANCO TO BE FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S NICE HAVING A POLICE OFFICE HERE, HERE AT THE MEETING.
UM, I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT ONE WASN'T PROVIDED AT THE LAST MEETING.
UM, HEAVEN FORBID, SOMETHING SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
SO, UM, CHAPTER 2.01, CITY MANAGER, 2.0 1.020 POWER DUTIES, CITY MANAGER DUTIES.
THE CITY MANAGER SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO DISCIPLINE OR REMOVE ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY TO EXERCISE CONTROL OVER ALL EMPLOYEES BEFORE YOU HIRE MR. HU.
DOES HE UNDERSTAND HE WILL NEED TO INVESTIGATE THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT REGARDING THE PUBLIC NUISANCE PROJECT AT SWEETWATER IN ORANGE.
OKAY, UH, MIKA BLANCO, FOLLOWED BY DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL AGIRI.
UM, I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
I WANTED TO, UH, TALK ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER, AND I KNOW HE'S GONNA BE INTERIM, AND I'M HOPING THAT, UM, AS HE COMES IN, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO LEADING HIM, LEADING THE CITY WITH ETHICS, MORALS, AND RIGHTEOUS PRINCIPLES FOR ALL OF US AS A GOOD LEADER.
UM, WE EXPECT HIM TO CARRY THE INVESTIGATION IN THE UNDUE INFLUENCE OF THE, UH, OF PUSHING THE NUISANCE PROJECT THROUGH.
AND, UH, AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, THE, MY MOST PRESSING PROBLEM IS HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU HAVE A PLANNING STUFF? RECOMMEND THIS FOR APPROVAL.
WHEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAID THIS, GRANTING THE PERMIT WOULD CONSTITUTE A NUISANCE OR BE INJURIOUS OR DETRIMENTAL TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST, HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE, OR WELFARE, OR MATERIALLY INJURIOUS TO PERSONS PROPERTY OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VICINITY AND ZONE IN WHICH THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED.
BECAUSE THE INTENSITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE MAY RESULT IN PUBLIC SAFETY, WE ARE GOING TO COUNT ON HIM TO HAVE INDE AN INDEPENDENT MIND AND NOT JUST DO AS THE MAYOR AND HIS ASSISTANT ASK HIM TO DO.
AND I HOPE THAT THAT'S THE CASE.
UH, WE NEED TO REMAIN IMPARTIAL.
AND ACCORDING TO YOUR POLICIES AND POLICIES, ONE, UH, OH NINE, THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
AND ALSO THERE'S GIFTS AND FAVORS THAT THEY, UH, MENTION IN HERE, AS WELL AS US NOT BEING, UH, UH, ABLE, WERE ABLE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES WITHOUT THE FEAR OF GOVERNMENT CENS CENSORSHIP.
AND I'M SO HAPPY TO HEAR TODAY THAT WE HAVE THREE MINUTES VERSUS THE TYPICAL ONE MINUTE.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND THAT OUR CITY WILL GET PAST THIS.
I'M PRAYING AND THAT I'M HOPING THAT THIS WILL BE BEHIND US SOON BECAUSE IT IS TAXING FOR OURSELVES, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I DON'T LIKE ANYTHING NEGATIVE IN MY LIFE.
I WORK AT A CEMETERY WHERE WE'RE CONSTANTLY PRAYING FOR PEACE OF OUR SOULS TO DEPART.
BUT BY US NOT MOVING FORWARD AND DOING AN INVESTIGATION OF THE UNDUE INFLUENCE THAT HAS OCCURRED, AND WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THIS UNDUE INFLUENCE, AND YET NO INVESTIGATION HAS COME ABOUT.
WE HAVE ASKED AND ASKED AND ASKED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.
AND YET, WHEN IT GETS STARTED, THE PERSON GETS FIRED.
I WANNA SEE WHAT FIRING, UH, PROCEDURES YOU HAVE IN PLACE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR ORGANIZATIONS FOR OVER THREE DECADES, AND WE NEVER FIRE ANYBODY IN SUCH A, A WAY THAT YOU DID.
UH, IT'S NOT NORMAL TO FIRE SOMEBODY IN SUCH A WAY, UH, THAT, THAT IT WAS DONE.
AND I, YOU KNOW, HE MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT HE COULD HAVE BEEN DISCIPLINED AND NOT FIRED.
DOYLE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL GEARY, FOLLOWED BY
[00:15:01]
MARIA SEVERSON.I, I GUESS IT'S NOT USED TO SOMEONE BEING SO TALL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED NEXT TO THAT CEMETERY ALMOST MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND IT'S NOT THE RESIDENCE OF THE CEMETERY WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
UM, USUALLY IT'S THE NEIGHBORS.
THEY'RE PRETTY QUIET OVER THERE.
UM, AS A CITY COUNCIL HIRING A NEW CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE TO ASK, WILL THE CITY MANAGER UNDER 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 LOOK FOR WASTE ABUSE AND FRAUD REVIEW AS NEEDED.
LIKE IN THE CASE OF THE CITY PLANNING STAFF RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE SWEETWATER ROAD AND ORANGE STREET GAS AND LIQUOR PROJECT, THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOUND IT TO BE A SAFETY AND HEALTH NUISANCE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, I LIVE RIGHT NEXT TO THEIR, TO THAT, UM, PROPERTY.
AND ALTHOUGH I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED, I THINK RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO HAPPEN THERE.
WE NEED A RESPONSIBLE CITY MANAGER TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS TO NATIONAL CITY.
NOT MORE POLLUTION TO ADD TO WHAT'S EXISTING, LIKE ROAD POLLUTION FROM THE I 8 0 5 AND THE 54 FREEWAYS.
NOT TO MENTION SWEETWATER ROAD IS A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.
THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC, THERE'S A LOT OF POLLUTION WHEN CARS STACK UP, WHEN, WHEN, UM, THE FREEWAY IS STOPPED, WE GOT A LOT OF POLLUTION.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS FREEWAY POLLUTION SHOULD MAKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY UNDERSTAND THAT WE DON'T WANT CUMULATIVE POLLUTIONS ADDED TO THE RESIDENTS OF NATIONAL CITY IN THAT AREA.
AND THE RESIDENTS OF LINCOLN ACRES, WHICH BOTH THE COUNTY PLAN, GENERAL PLAN AND THE CITY GENERAL PLAN, UM, DICTATE THAT THEY COMMUNICATE WITH THE NEIGHBORS WHEN THEY'RE DOING PLANNING THAT BOTH, UM, PLANS ARE ADHERED TO.
SO I ASK THAT YOU GUYS LOOK TOWARDS THE CITY MANAGER AND MAKE SURE THAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE TAKEN.
THAT LOOKS OUT FOR EVERYONE, NATIONAL CITY AND THEIR NEIGHBORS.
UH, MICHAEL AGUIRE TO BE FOLLOWED BY MARIA, UH, SEVERSON.
YOU KNOW, MAYOR, YOU AND I, I CAN REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE BOTH YOUNG YEARS AGO.
YOU CAN REMEMBER THAT LONG AGO.
UH, YES, I CAN REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE VERY DEEPLY IN SOMETHING THAT DR. KING USED TO CALL REDEMPTIVE GOODWILL.
AND I'M HOPING TO INTERPRET LAST NIGHT'S VERY PRODUCTIVE CITY OR, UH, NATIONAL CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING WHERE WE RECEIVED VERY GOOD AUDIENCE, UH, AND WE WERE ABLE, UH, WITH THE HELP OF THE ACTING CHAIR TO GET THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS ADOPTED IN DECEMBER.
MAYOR, I'M ALSO ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT YOU WERE MAGNANIMOUS ENOUGH TO EXTEND US THREE MINUTES.
UH, IT'S HARD TO HEAR, IT'S HARD TO BE PILLARED, UH, FOR ONE MINUTE, THREE MINUTE IS, YOU KNOW, ALMOST UNBEARABLE.
I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN FIND THE LEADERSHIP TO GET US OUT OF THIS PREDICAMENT.
MY CLIENTS, THE PEOPLE TO WHOM I AM SINGULARLY DEVOTED, CANNOT ALLOW A PROJECT THAT WILL RENDER THEIR CEMETERY IN OPERABLE FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE CANNOT CONTINUOUSLY COME DOWN AND BE AT LOGGERHEADS.
THERE'S ANOTHER THING I WANT TO SAY, BECAUSE I MISREAD MY DEAR FRIEND BEN MARTINEZ, AND I APOLOGIZE TO HIM.
I WISH I WOULD NOT HAVE SAID A SINGLE WORD ADVERSE TO HIM, BECAUSE I MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS REALLY TAKING PLACE.
SO, WITH THAT IN MIND, I'M ASKING YOU TO, WE HAVE A MEDIATION COMING UP THAT WILL GIVE US A CHANCE TO TRY TO FIND A RESOLUTION.
AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE HAVE, MY CLIENTS HAVE ONE AND ONLY ONE GOAL, AND THAT
[00:20:01]
IS TO SAVE THEIR BUSINESS.AND IF YOU CAN HELP US DO THAT, WE CAN FIND A WAY TO GET THIS CASE RESOLVED.
AND I PROMISE NOT TO COME BACK HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
BUT, YOU KNOW, REMEMBER REDEMPTIVE GOODWILL, I, I WAS RAISED A CATHOLIC.
I BELIEVE IN, UH, WHAT JESUS BELIEVED IN, WHICH IS TO FORGIVE.
UH, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AS WELL.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, LET'S KEEP BUILDING ON WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT AND WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WITH THE MAYOR IN THE THREE MINUTES, AND LET'S FIND A WAY TO GET OUT OF THIS PROBLEM.
NEXT, UH, MARIA VERSON, FOLLOWED BY MARISSA CUEVAS, FOLLOWED BY PAUL WADOWSKI.
UH, AND THAT WAS WHEN THE CITY HAD ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE REVIEWING THE CITY MANAGER, WHICH IS CODE FOR FIRING THE CITY MANAGER.
WHEN WE APPEARED, THEN WE HAD TALKED ABOUT HOW IT REALLY SEEMED LIKE THE CITY MANAGER WAS BEING FORCED OUT BECAUSE HE DID NOT DO WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THIS, UH, COUNCIL WANTED HIM TO DO.
HE WOULD NOT DO AN INVESTIGATION OR, OR AT LEAST TRY TO COVER UP THE INVESTIGATION, I SHOULD SAY.
THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER PROBLEM WHERE THE DECISION TO OUST THE CITY MANAGER WAS DONE IN VIOLATION OF THE BROWN ACT BECAUSE IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN A COLLECTIVE CONCURRENCE REACHED BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL MET ON THE 18TH.
NOW, IN LOOKING AT YOUR REPORT TODAY, WE SEE SOME MORE OF THE SAME PROBLEMS. UM, THEN IT SAYS THE CITY REACHED OUT TO MR. HUFF.
WHEN WAS THAT ON EASTER? WELL, LIKE, WHEN WAS THAT? WHO? AND IT SAYS, INTERESTINGLY, IT SAYS THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER AGREED BEFORE, BUT THEN WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT WHO REACHED OUT, IT JUST SAYS THE CITY, WHICH APPEARS TO BE PURPOSELY VAGUE.
SO WE'LL WANT YOU TO KEEP YOUR COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT ALL THAT, BECAUSE THEY WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF A PUBLIC, UH, RECORD REQUEST.
IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT HOW RECRUITMENT OPENED ON MONDAY, YESTERDAY, AND BY TODAY YOU ALREADY HAVE A FULLY NEGOTIATED CONTRACT WITH TERMS AND, YOU KNOW, HOURS.
SO ONCE AGAIN, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE HERE AFTER A COLLECTIVE CONCURRENCE HAS BEEN REACHED WITH SOME OF YOU ANYWAY.
SO, UH, WE'LL WANNA BE SEEING THE RECORDS ON THAT.
I'M ALSO REALLY SURPRISED NOT TO SEE THE PROPOSED CITY MANAGER HERE.
I WANTED TO, UH, SAY HELLO AND, AND MEET HIM AND, UH, SEE WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING SINCE HE LEFT DELMAR.
I ASSUME HE'S WATCHING ON, ON THE SCREEN THERE.
SO, AND IF HE IS, AND I'M SURE HE'LL WATCH THIS AFTERWARDS, IF, IF HE ISN'T RIGHT NOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE AMNESIA ABOUT THE PROJECT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS PERSON IS NOT BROUGHT IN TO THEN DO A WHITEWASH WITHOUT HAVING ALL THE BASIC FACTS.
SO WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU PROVIDE HIM WITH THE, AND THAT HE READS THE INTERIM REPORT ONE AND TWO, AND THAT YOU'LL ALLOW HIM TO DO HIS JOB AND TO DO IT INDEPENDENTLY AND NOT DO IT AT THE DIRECTION AND, AND WILL OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MATTERS REACHED OUTSIDE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS WHEN THEY REALLY SHOULD BE A, UH, A CONCURRENCE IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC.
SO, UH, WE HOPE HE DOES THAT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING HIM ONCE, ONCE YOUR COLLECTIVE CONCURRENCE IS CONFIRMED.
UH, MARISSA CUEVA, FOLLOWED BY PAUL WADOWSKI.
THIS BOARD RIGHT HERE SHOWS TEXT MESSAGES ON OCTOBER 23RD, 2024, IN WHICH THE APPLICANT SENDS A TEXT MESSAGE TO THE TEAM, THE MAYOR, THE FORMER CITY MANAGER, AND HE ASKS, HOW ARE YOU GUYS LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT 2:00 PM IS ANYONE FROM PLANNING GOING TO BE SITTING IN ON OUR MEETING? THERE WAS SO MUCH PRESSURE THAT THE DEVELOPER FELT HE NEEDED TO TAKE IT UPON HIMSELF TO ASK IF PLANNING STAFF WAS GOING TO BE AT THE MEETING.
SO MUCH PRESSURE FOR HIM TO ASK THAT.
THAT'S HOW MUCH PRESSURE AND THAT NEEDS TO BE UNDERSTAND.
WE EXPECT MR. HOOF TO INVESTIGATE THESE ISSUES OF CORRUPTION, AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NATIONAL CITY TO RECTIFY THIS UNDUE INFLUENCE.
AS CITY MANAGER, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO NATIONAL CITY CONSTITUENTS TO INVESTIGATE THIS.
PLEASE TAKE CORRECT ACTION, WHICH SO MANY HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING CONTINUOUSLY.
[00:25:01]
WADOWSKI.PAUL WADOWSKI HERE, RESIDENT CIVIL SERVICE CHAIR.
UH, MAN CITY HALL HAS KIND OF FALLEN APART HERE.
THIS, THIS IS PRETTY WILD TIMES.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, ROTTING FROM THE TOP, BOTH STAFF AND ELECTEDS, UM, DEFICIT WORKER FRUSTRATIONS, UH, AND IN SEEMINGLY NO DIRECTION.
UM, AND SO THIS IS WHY I'M SUPPORTING, UH, SCOTT HO.
UH, HE'S NOT TANGLED UP IN IN THE OBVIOUS INFIGHTING.
UH, WE NEED ACTUAL MANAGEMENT AND NOT POLITICAL WINDOW DRESSING, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN FAR TOO MUCH OF.
UH, AND LAST WEEK, MAN WAS A SERIOUS RED FLAG, AS, AS A PUBLIC SPEAKER REFERENCED A CONFIDENTIAL COMPLAINT DURING PUBLIC PORTION OF CLOSED SESSION.
NO ACCIDENT THERE, A CLEAR LEAK TO INFLUENCE THE PUBLIC NARRATIVE.
UH, GOVERNMENT CODE 5 4 9 6 3 IS CLEAR ABOUT CLOSED SESSION CONFIDENTIALITY.
SO A TRANSPARENT VIOLATION FOR POLITICAL GAIN.
SO THE GAMES NEED, THE GAMES NEED TO STOP, UM, AND PLACING A, A, A RESIDENT CENTERED MANAGER AT THE TOP IS THE FIRST STEP AND, AND PURGING THE REST OF THE BAD ACTORS AND CORRUPTED FOLKS SHOULD FOLLOW.
THAT IS ALL WE HAVE ON PUBLIC COMMENT.
MAYOR, WE DO HAVE ONE ON ZOOM.
LILIANA, LILIANA ARMA? YES, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR PHONE.
SHE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THERE, MAYOR.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT WE GO INTO ITEM,
[5. STAFF REPORT]
UH, FIVE ONE, THE, UH, STAFF REPORT, WHICH IS WHAT WE JUST HEARD PUBLIC COMMENT ON.AND, UH, I'M GONNA TURN THIS OVER TO OUR, UH, UH, HUMAN SOURCES, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR.
I'LL GET THAT RIGHT IN A MOMENT.
UH, MY NAME IS LYDIA FLORES HERNANDEZ, THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES, UM, TO PROVIDE YOU ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE HIRING OF RETIRED ANNUITANT SCOTT HOOTH.
SO, CALPERS RULES DO INDICATE THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO BRING THIS ITEM TO PUBLIC SESSION TO BE VOTED ON BY THE COUNCIL.
UM, AS A CALPERS RETIREE, HE HAS ALREADY BEEN RETIRED MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, 180 DAYS.
UM, HE HAS PRIOR EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR THE CITY OF DEL MAR.
ADDITIONALLY, HE PREVIOUSLY SERVED THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY, SO HE DOES UNDERSTAND OUR END WORKINGS.
UM, WE WOULD BE PAYING HIM AT THE RATE OF A HUNDRED DOLLARS, $130 AND 88 CENTS PER HOUR, UH, WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUS SALARY OF MR. MARTINEZ.
ONCE AGAIN, CALPERS RULES STATE THAT THIS MUST BE VOTED ON IN A PUBLIC FORM.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
JUST, JUST A COUPLE, JUST MORE CLARIFICATION.
UH, WHEN YOU SAY THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT, IT SOUNDS LIKE, WHOA, A STICKER SHOCK.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME AS I UNDERSTOOD, AND YOU EXPLAINED THESE RULES TO ME YESTERDAY, I GUESS IT WAS, IS THAT THE CALPERS RULES ARE THAT YOU CANNOT GO HIGHER THAN WHAT THE, THE, THE HIGHEST SALARY BAND IS, OR YOU CANNOT GO LOWER.
IN THIS CASE, CITY MANAGERS DOESN'T HAVE SALARY BANDS, IT'S JUST A CONTRACT.
SO IT'S THE AMOUNT THAT THE CURRENT, OR THE FORMER, I SHOULD SAY CITY MANAGER WAS MAKING.
SO THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE SAME IN OTHER WORDS.
YES, BY LAW WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO, UH, WHAT WAS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND PUBLISHED MM-HMM
SO THAT IS WHY THAT IS THAT ONE SET DOLLAR AMOUNT, WHICH WAS THE PREVIOUS SALARY OF THE CITY MANAGER.
NOW, MS. UH, MR. HO WOULD BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF 960 HOURS FOR EACH FISCAL YEAR.
SO HE WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR 960 HOURS THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
AND THEN HIS HOURS WOULD RESET FOR JULY ONE.
AND THE OTHER THING, THE OTHER BIG PART OF A COST THERE IS ON THIS THING IS BENEFITS.
THERE ARE NO BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
HE IS ALSO NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANY VACATION OR SICK LEAVE THAT IS ALSO STATUTORY LAW BY CALPERS OR, OR NO.
OR RETIREMENT PAYMENTS CORRECT.
[00:30:01]
GET THAT CLEAR SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS.'CAUSE OTHERWISE WE THROW THAT ONE NUMBER OUT AND IT'S, UH, UH, YES, THIS IS NORMALLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, UM, THIS HIGH OF A LEVEL POSITION OCCURS.
UH, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DO THIS TO FILL IN A TEMPORARY BASIS WHILE AN EXECUTIVE SEARCH IS COMPLETED TO FILL THE POSITION MM-HMM
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, HOW MANY HOURS, UH, DO WE EXPECT OUR INTERIM, UH, CITY MANAGER TO WORK A WEEK? IS THERE A STANDARD BY CALPERS? THERE IS NO STANDARD.
UM, BUT AT THIS TIME, BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, HE COULD WORK UP TO 40 HOURS A WEEK AT THIS TIME.
AND WHAT ABOUT AFTER JUNE OR JULY 1ST WHEN IT RESETS, I, I GUESS I'M STARTING TO THINK HOW MANY MONTHS WILL WE HAVE HIM HERE, UH, BASED ON THOSE AMOUNT OF HOURS? UM, WELL, A NORMAL YEAR IS 2080 HOURS, SO WE WOULD BE LIMITED TO THAT 960 HOURS.
AND OF COURSE THOSE HOURS WOULD BE SET BY THE COUNCIL AS TO HIS WORK SCHEDULE.
SO ASSUMING THAT IT'S 40 HOURS A WEEK, THAT'S ROUGHLY SIX MONTHS.
OH, IT'S ACTUALLY LESS THAN THAT.
IT COULD POSSIBLY LESS THAN SIX MONTHS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MANY HOURS HE WORKS PER WEEK.
YEAH, BECAUSE HE, HE WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR SICK LEAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HE MIGHT HAVE TAKEN IF HE WAS A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, IT WOULD BE HIS SCHEDULE BASED OFF OF YOUR WISHES.
UM, I WOULD AT SOME POINT APPRECIATE A CONVERSATION REGARDING, UM, A PERMANENT HIRE AND WHAT THAT PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE AND OPENING UP THE PROCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS, LOCAL AND NATIONWIDE TO APPLY IN THE PROCESS.
JUST REAL QUICKLY, IF I GIVE CLARIFICATION.
SO AT 40 HOURS A WEEK, 960 HOURS, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S 24 WEEKS.
IF SO, IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU WORKED A FULL 40, 40 HOUR WEEK, SO AFTER JULY 1ST, HE'D BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANOTHER 24 WEEKS AT THAT, AT THAT LEVEL.
SO JUST BASICALLY HALF YEAR? YEAH, A LITTLE LESS.
YOU WERE DOING THE MATH TOO? YES.
UH, ANYBODY ELSE? MAYOR, I DO HAVE THAT SPEAKER, UH, AVAILABLE ON ZOOM NOW IF YOU'D LIKE TO ALLOW THAT.
YOU, YOU GET HER BACK ON? YES, SIR.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND HEAR FROM HER.
UM, HELLO MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M LILIANA, HAVING PROUDLY SERVED 20 YEARS IN OUR GREAT NAVY.
THERE IS A SAYING THAT HAS ALWAYS STUCK WITH ME, LOOSE LIPS, SINK SHIPS.
AND RIGHT NOW OUR SHIP, THIS CITY IS TAKING ON A LOT OF WATER.
DURING THE PUBLIC PORTION OF A CLOSED SESSION, A SPEAKER REFERENCE, WHAT WAS CLEARLY A CONFIDENTIAL SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT.
THAT INFORMATION SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PUBLIC.
SO I ASKED HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? WHO LEAKED IT? THIS IS SERIOUS.
IT APPEARS TO BE A VAL, A VIOLATION OF GOVERNMENT CODE 5 4 9 6 3, WHICH PROHIBITS ANYONE IN A CLOSED SESSION FROM DISCLOSING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
AND IF IT WAS LEAKED FOR, FOR POLITICAL GAIN, THAT CROSSES INTO GOVERNMENT CODE 1 0 9 8, WHICH MAKES IT A MISDEMEANOR FOR A PUBLIC OFFICIAL TO USE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION FOR PERSONAL ADVANTAGE BEYOND THE LEGAL EXPOSURE.
IT'S A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF TRUST AND THE REAL DAMAGE IT'S TO THE VICTIMS. WHEN CONFIDENTIAL COMPLAINTS ARE TURNED INTO POLITICAL WEAPONS, IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT HARASSMENT ISN'T TAKEN SERIOUSLY, THAT IT'S JUST ANOTHER TACTIC, AND THAT'S COMPLETELY WRONG.
SO I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNSEL TO INVESTIGATE THE LEAK, IDENTIFY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE, AND TAKE STEPS TO MAKE SURE EVERY INTERNAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT IS HANDLED PROFESSIONALLY, CONFIDENTIALLY, AND WITH THE SERIOUSNESS IT DESERVES NOT TO AVOID THE, UH, NOT TO AVOID THE LIABILITY, BUT TO PROTECT VICTIMS AND RESTORE TRUST.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
I SUPPORT THE APPOINTMENT OF SCOTT HOOD AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
I SAW HIS TRACK RECORD IN DEL MAR CORONADO AND RIGHT HERE IN OUR CITY WHEN HE SERVED AS DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
HE'S HERE TO NOT CHASE HEADLINES, BUT HE'S
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HERE TO LEAD LIKE SO MANY RESIDENTS.I'M TIRED OF THE DRAMA, THE DISTRACTIONS, AND THE BUDGET ISSUES THAT NEVER GET ADDRESSED.
SCOTT BRINGS STEADY HANDS, REAL EXPERIENCE AND NO POLITICAL BAGGAGE.
APPOINT S SCOOT HOT, INVESTIGATE THE LEAK, TAKE HARASSMENT COMPLAINTS SERIOUSLY, AND STEER THE CITY BACK TOWARDS INTEGRITY AND STABILITY.
THAT TAKES CARE OF ALL OF THOSE.
SO WAS THERE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MEMBER IMANI.
UM, UM, WHEN DID YOU REACH OUT TO, UH, MR. HUTH? I'M SORRY ABOUT THIS, ABOUT THIS APPOINTMENT.
YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, ONE OF US SHOULD, WOULD HAVE REACHED OUT TO MR. HUTH ABOUT THIS APPOINTMENT, RIGHT? WHEN DID YOU DO THAT? THAT WAS DONE OVER THE WEEKEND.
IT WAS AFTER, AFTER OUR MEETING AND THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN OUT ON FRIDAY, OVER THE WEEKEND.
ANYTHING ELSE? IF NOT, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
I SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
DID WE HIT OUR BUTTONS? UH, FOR THE MOTION AND SECOND PLEASE.
SO I WANNA ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT, UH, SCOTT HO, UM, FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT GOING ON THIS WEEK, A LOT SERIOUS THAT WE CAN'T NECESSARILY DISCLOSE BECAUSE OF PERSONNEL ISSUES THAT LED US TO THIS DECISION.
THIS SWIFT DECISION, I'LL SAY FROM SCOTT, HE INTERVIEWED FOR THIS POSITION TWO YEARS AGO.
ALL OF US ON THIS DAIS HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO BRING HIM ON.
I'M REALLY EXCITED, UH, TO HAVE HIM ON.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, TWO YEARS AGO, HE, HE DID FANTASTIC IN HIS INTERVIEW AND I SHOULD HAVE HIRED HIM THEN.
AND THAT WAS THE SINGLE WORST DECISION I'VE MADE HERE ON THIS DIOCESE TO NOT HIRE HIM BACK THEN.
SO I SEE THIS AS MAKING IT RIGHT, IT'S TEMPORARY, IT'S TO STEER THE SHIP, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT THAT IS WRONG ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION, BUT I KNOW THAT MOVING FORWARD NOW WE CAN FIX IT.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BRING SCOTT ON.
UM, AND THE LAST THING, UH, I'M GOING TO SAY IS IN RESPONSE TO, UH, COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ MADE PUBLICLY.
AND WHAT HE SAID WAS THAT THE REASON THAT I, HE SAID ACCUSED THE MAJORITY, BUT I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF, THE ACCUSATION WAS THAT THE REASON THAT I GOT RID OF, OR THAT I WANTED TO SEPARATE FROM BEN, THAT I MADE THE CHOICE TO SEPARATE FROM BEN WAS IN RETALIATION FOR CALLING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MAYOR'S ASSISTANT.
AND I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY FALSE.
THAT IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST LIE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ HAS EVER TOLD ON THIS DIOCESE.
AND I CAN GO INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL, UM, BECAUSE I HAVE THE RECEIPTS THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE.
SO I JUST WANTED THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
IF WE WANNA RE-LITIGATE THAT, WE CERTAINLY CAN BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT MORE CONCERNS, INCLUDING ABOUT, UH, WHAT SEEMS TO BE LEAKS OF OUR, UH, CLOSED SESSION IN THE DISCUSSION.
UH, BUT FOR NOW, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BRING SCOTT ON AND I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
UM, EVEN THE ONES THAT I MAY BE UPSET WITH THAT I FEEL LIKE ARE CAUSING UNNECESSARY DRAMA.
BUT AT THE, THEIR CORE, WHAT THEIR COMMENTS TODAY ABOUT NEEDING TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, I AGREE WITH FULLY.
AND I THINK, UH, I ASK YOU ALL TO GIVE SCOTT AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DO THAT, TO WRITE THE SHIP.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER EVEN WHEN WE DISAGREE OR WE DON'T LIKE EACH OTHER, LET'S WORK TOGETHER.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE CAN DO IT AS A TEAM THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK, UM, ACTING CITY MANAGER STEVE MANGANELLO FOR, UM, HOLDING THE FORTH
UM, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN WE HAD TO HAVE THAT LEADERSHIP WITH, UM, THE ORGANIZATION, UM, ON THE STAFF LEVEL.
AND SO THANK YOU STEVE FOR ALWAYS TAKING ON.
HE HASN'T FINISHED THE DAY YET.
UM, I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES AS WE'RE SETTING UP THESE SEEMINGLY SPECIAL MEETINGS TO MAKE VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS TO PLEASE LISTEN TO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS' SCHEDULES.
WE DID MENTION THAT SOME OF US WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
I MENTIONED I WASN'T AVAILABLE HERE TODAY AT THREE 30, AND YET THE MEETING WAS HELD AT THREE 30.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
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DECORUM, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING VERY SMART AND GOOD DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY TO ACTUALLY WORK WITH PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES TO BE AVAILABLE AND NOT JUST SCHEDULE A SPECIAL MEETING TO SELECT SOMEBODY WHO HAS ALREADY PRESELECTED.I DON'T HAVE, UM, ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT, UM, UH, NOW, UH, UH, INTERIM, UH, OR I GUESS AFTER WE VOTE INTERIM, MR. SCOTT YOUTH, I THINK HE DID A DECENT JOB WHEN HE WAS HERE A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
I DID HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING WITH HIM EARLIER TODAY.
I THINK HE'LL DO A, A GOOD JOB FOR US.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, UM, UH, THE WAY THIS WAS HANDLED WAS EXCEEDINGLY POOR, TO SAY THE LEAST.
WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS THAT WE ARE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND THAT WE HAVE PUBLIC DISCOURSE AS WELL AS PRIVATE DISCOURSE.
AND THAT'S VERY, VERY UNFORTUNATE.
IT'S EXCEEDINGLY UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THE LAST TIME WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS LIKE THIS, WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH A PROCESS.
OKAY, WAIT, I ASKED YOU THIS LAST TIME, MR. COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH, PLEASE STOP DOING THAT.
AND I'M GONNA CALL IT OUT EVERY SINGLE TIME.
ONE, ONE PERSON HAS A MIC AT THE TIME.
IT'S HARD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE FOR DECORUM AND THEN YOU KEEP DOING IT.
PLEASE STOP LYING AND I'LL STOP BECAUSE, OKAY.
TRUTHFULNESS AND INTEGRITY IS PART OF DECORUM, SO I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO CALL IT OUT.
SO LAST TIME WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF SELECTING A NEW CITY MANAGER, WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE WE DISCUSSED IT THOROUGHLY FOR ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.
WE WENT, WE HAD LONG THOROUGH DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION TO MAKE.
AND WE TREATED EVERYBODY WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT AND ALLOWED PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY, UH, HAD A SERIES OF EXPECTATIONS WHEN DOING THEIR JOB.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY COULD, SHOULD BE AWARDED THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY.
THIS IS NOT PERTAINING TO BEN OR ANYBODY IN PARTICULAR.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT HAVING A SPECIFIC PROCESS GOING FORWARD BECAUSE I COULD TELL YOU, UM, UH, AT LEAST FOR ME, I WAS NOT AWARE WE WERE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION LAST TUESDAY.
MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE NOT AWARE.
WE WERE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION LAST TUESDAY.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE.
WE SHOULDN'T SPRING UP A DECISION LIKE THAT OR A DISCUSSION LIKE THAT WHEN, WHEN TALKING ABOUT VERY IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING UP HERE.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK.
PLEASE, UM, BE CONSIDERATE OF THAT AND, AND CREATE WELL THOUGHT OUT PROCESSES AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I DO HAVE A COMMENT, MAYOR.
UH, CALLING IT IMPULSIVE, UH, IS, IS ABSURD.
UH, IT IGNORES MONTHS OF DYSFUNCTION.
UH, IF YOU'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, IT, IT'S ABSURD TO THINK THAT THE ANY OF THIS WAS IMPULSIVE OR THAT YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED.
THE DYSFUNCTION, CALLING IT IMPULSIVE IS IT BAFFLES ME.
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? UH, THERE HAVE BEEN MONTHS OF GROWING DYSFUNCTION AND GROWING CONCERN AT THIS POINT.
INACTION WOULDN'T HAVE PRESERVED ANY TYPE OF STABILITY.
UH, INACTION WOULD HAVE PROLONGED POOR PERFORMANCE.
IT WOULD'VE CONTINUED TO ERODE STAFF MORALE AND IT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO STALL PROGRESS THAT OUR COMMUNITY SO DESPERATELY IS ASKING FOR.
IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? THIS IS NOT, THIS WAS NOT AN IMPULSIVE DECISION.
IT WAS A NECESSARY STEP TOWARD, UH, RESTORING SOME TYPE OF STABILITY, SOME TYPE OF MORALE FOR OUR STAFF, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY IN NATIONAL CITY.
WE HAVEN'T BEGUN BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, BUT WE HAVE AT LEAST GOTTEN A BREADTH OF WHAT, UH, THE UH, UH, UH, UH, UM, A BIT OF INPUT INTO WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO GO INTO FOR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOOD.
OUR CITY IS GRAPPLING WITH QUESTIONABLE BUDGET DECISIONS, OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES, PLUMMETING STAFF MORALE AND COUNCIL MANIC INTERFERENCE.
ALL OF THIS UNDER THE TENURE OF THE PAST CITY MANAGER, THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE ARE SOLVABLE.
ALL WE NEED IS AN EXPERIENCED CITY MANAGER, AN EXPERIENCED LEADER.
AND I AM WILLING TO PASS THE BATON TO MR. SCOTT, WHO, WHOM I AM HOPING IS GOING TO HELP US WITH THE MANY ISSUES WE HAVE AT HAND, UH, USING THE EXPERIENCE THAT HE WILL BRING TO NATIONAL CITY.
AND I AM FAITHFUL AND I ASK STAFF TO BE FAITHFUL WITH ME.
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QUICK COMMENTS AND THEN I'LL BE ASKING FOR A VOTE.THE, UH, UM, COUPLE OF THINGS.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD TO WORK IN VERY SHORT TIME PERIODS AND, UH, UM, INTERESTING.
I READ IN THIS MORNING'S PAPER, ANOTHER CITY HERE LOCALLY IS DOING THE EXACT SAME THING.
SANTEE UH, JUST WENT THROUGH THE SAME THING THIS WEEKEND.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY HAD A SPECIAL MEETING ON EASTER EVENING.
UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, SO SOMETIMES THESE TIME CRUNCHES GET BEYOND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO BE.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME AND TRYING TO DEAL WITH EVERYONE'S SCHEDULES, EVERYTHING ELSE, WE ONLY HAD A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE THAT EITHER AT THE FRONT END, THREE 30 BACK END WAS FIVE O'CLOCK TODAY.
SO FOR THAT REASON, UH, WE DID START AT THREE 30.
BUT AS MANY OF YOU KNOWS HERE LATELY ON A NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD THAT ARE CLOSED SESSION MEETINGS THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR ONE HOUR FOR A CLOSED SESSION MEETING, IT'S BEEN 45 MINUTES BEFORE WE COULD GET IN THERE BECAUSE OF ALL THE COMMENTS.
UM, SO WE STARTED AT THREE 30, BUT THAT WAS THE REASON WHY I GAVE EVERYONE THREE MINUTES BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS THAT WE HAD.
IF YOU'D HAD MORE SPEAKERS, I WOULD'VE TAKEN THAT DOWN A BIT TO GET US TO FOUR O'CLOCK SO THAT, UM, MR. RODRIGUEZ COULD BE HERE.
'CAUSE HE'D ALREADY SAID HE COULD BE HERE BY FOUR O'CLOCK.
AND, UH, SO WE TRIED TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE'S SCHEDULES AS BEST AS IS POSSIBLE AND TO MAKE, MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN SO THAT EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A CITY MANAGER, THERE'S ALL TOO OFTEN IN SOME OF THESE JOBS, PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, JUST ANYBODY CAN DO THESE THINGS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS, YOU NEED GENUINE MANAGEMENT SKILLS, THINGS ALONG THIS LINE, THE EXPERIENCE OF KNOWING HOW TO, HOW TO WORK WITH THIS AND HAVE THE REPUTATION TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE, DIFFERENT ASPECTS AND DIFFERENT TYPE OF CONFLICTS.
AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THIS INDIVIDUAL.
AS YOU LOOK THROUGH HIS, HIS PAST AND HIS, HIS DEALING WITH OTHER CITIES AND HIS REPUTATION AMONG ALL OF OUR LOCAL CITIES.
UM, THAT'S WHAT KIND OF MADE THIS, THIS MORE OF A NATURAL.
AND OF COURSE, HIM AS HAVING ALSO BEEN INVOLVED FOR SOME TIME WITH OUR CITY IN THE NEAR PAST.
SO HE HAS A REAL GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE WE'RE AT ALREADY.
THE LAST THING YOU WANNA DO IS BRING IN SOMEONE IN WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT US, NOTHING ABOUT ANYTHING HERE, AND HAVE, HAVE THEM GO THROUGH A BIG LONG LEARNING CURVE.
UM, SO THIS ONE FITS EXTREMELY WELL.
UH, THE ONE OTHER THING I WILL SAY IS YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN CUT THROUGH ALL OF THE, THE FOG AND DEAL WITH FACTS, DEAL WITH WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT IS ACTUALLY BEFORE 'EM.
YOU KNOW, UH, WE HEAR EVERYONE COME UP DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND PUBLIC COMMENT IS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE CAN COME UP AND KIND OF SAY WHAT THEY WANT.
IN THIS CASE IT'S TO A SPECIFIC, SPECIFIC SUBJECT, BUT THEY CAN KIND OF SAY WHAT THEY WANT AND THEY CAN SAY ASSUMPTIONS AND THEY CAN SAY ALLEGATIONS AS IF THEY'RE FACTUAL.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM FACTUAL.
AND SO THAT'S STILL, THAT FACT FINDING HAS TO BE DONE.
AND THIS IS, I THINK, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS HAD THE, THE KIND OF INTEGRITY THAT WILL DO THAT WITHOUT BIAS FOR ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER, BUT WILL BE TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT ARE THE ACTUAL FACTS AND ON ANY AND ALL SUBJECTS AND, AND HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR.
SO, UH, TO ME, THAT'S WHY THIS BECAME A RATHER EASY DECISION, UH, TO MAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.
SO WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE VOTE.
SO, UM, STEVE, YOU STILL GOT IT FOR THE DAY.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT DONE YET.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DEAL WITH ALL THIS, BUT, BUT I, I DO, UH, ECHO, UH, THE, UH, SENTIMENTS OF, UH, REMEMBER YAMANI, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S ONLY BEEN A FEW DAYS, BUT, UH, BUT YOU DID A, A YEOMAN'S JOB AND REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT AND, UH, REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, WITH THAT WE ADJOURN THE MEETING AND, UH, WE WILL BE COMING BACK FOR OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING, WHICH WILL BE ON, UH, MAY THE SIXTH.