and
the.
>> All right.
Good morning.
I will now call the city
council meeting of Tuesday
APRIL 14th, 2026 to order.
Clerk please call the roll.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Council
Member Campbell here.
Council Councilmember Whitburn
here.
Council Member Foster here.
Councilmember Von Wilpert
Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
here.
Councilmember Campo here
Council Oliver Moreno.
Council Member Eli Rivera and
Council PRESIDENT LaCava
present.
Thank you.
Also attending the meeting our
chief deputy city attorney
Breitbart a lot of independent
budget analyst Charles Mollica,
Council Affairs Advisor in
the Mayor's office Code advisor
and myself your city clerk
Diana Fuentes.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you.
With that a quorum is now
present.
We will begin this morning with
the land acknowledgment and
the Pledge of Allegiance led by
council member Campbell.
We respectfully acknowledge
that the community nation are
the original inhabitants of
the Unceded land now known as
San Diego.
Despite enduring the horrors of
genocide and colonization,
the community spirit remains
unbroken.
We honor the resilience of
their ancestors who fought to
protect their culture and land.
Today they carry their legacy
forward ensuring that their
traditions continue to thrive
in gratitude and strength.
We stand with the commune
nation connected to our past
and committed to a thriving
future.
Please place your hand over
your heart and repeat
the Pledge of Allegiance to
the flag which changes to
the flag of the United States
of America and to the Republic
for which it stands one nation
under GOD, indivisible with
liberty and justice for all.
>> Clerk Please go over how
the public can offer their
testimony.
>> Thank you.
I'll now highlight the slide on
the screen that reviews how
the public can offer their
public testimony during today's
meeting.
Please note the time
allocations for proclamations
and consent items for meeting
management purposes are one
minute per item to a maximum of
three minutes.
If there are three or more
items in that portion of
the agenda.
The order can be found on
the agenda Summary found online
or at the table in the back of
the room.
If you are in person please
complete a speaker slip located
at the entrance of chambers and
bring it to the front of
the room in the clear box.
Council ambassadors are
available near the entrance and
can assist with questions and
speaker slips.
No further in-person testimony
will be taken once the council
begins Virtual testimony.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT.
Thank you.
We will now dispense with
the approval of
the proclamation items.
Clerk Please proceed with
public testimony.
The public comment period for
the proclamation items is now
open.
Each speaker will have one
minute per item per person.
If you would like to speak on
three or more items you will
have a maximum of three
minutes.
The proclamation items being
approved are items 3332 as 501
as s 500 as 504 and se 505.
We did receive comments on item
31 opposed and one in favor via
our comment form which have
been distributed to
the council.
We do have quite a number of
speakers here starting with
Doris Petar Doris.
You have time ceded to you if
they can please raise their
hand.
Jamal Conch Thank you.
Sayid Jonas Thank you.
Omar Abdel Shawn Nadia Swanson.
Michael Corey.
Jim Roush.
Were you in all tie all day And
Amar Kadam.
Thank you.
You'll have ten minutes.
Please proceed when ready.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
You can go to the higher
microphone right next to you.
Right next to you to the right
that have that microphone there
.
You just step over there.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'll just take this one.
>> Thank you.
Before I begin before the clock
starts, I just want to really
extend an incredible thank you
to the council PRESIDENT Joe
LaCava for making this such a
smooth transition for us to be
here today.
And I want to thank Sandy much
especially.
Thank you.
So my name is Dorothy Tarr.
I am the California coordinator
organizer for the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee.
This presentation brings in
many other kinds of
organizations as well And it's
a long time in coming.
So thank you.
So the first slide shows us
the Arab world at night.
And this is where it is right
now.
It is night time.
And this is also how we think
about it as Arab Americans.
We are uniquely uniquely suited
suited whether we immigrated
recently or from long ago to
become full Americans
contributing in leadership
roles.
And you'll see that as
the presentation goes on.
>> So who are Arab Americans?
We are united by language,
culture and history.
Next slide.
We are also from 22 countries.
And in the light of day you can
see that And these countries
each one although we are united
by language and culture, we
also united by difference.
We celebrate difference and
uniqueness.
Every country is different.
Every village, every town.
Next slide please.
>> The American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee
was created by Senator James
Abbott risk in 1980.
He was senator of South Dakota
and he penned the Indian Child
Protection Act.
You know, when Native Americans
were being put into orphanages
against their wills and put up
for adoption and trying to
diminish their culture, he was
the one who stood for them
After that he decided
Arab-Americans needed more
protection.
He's a Lebanese American and he
created the adc which was a
committee initially in
Washington D.C..
Next slide please.
We've been here a long time.
In the 1500s the first Arabs
were slaves from Arab countries
brought by Spanish explorers.
The first large wave were
largely Christians from Greater
Syria 1875 to 1920 1942 1990s
when my family immigrated from
Lebanon, a second wave of Arab
immigrants mainly Muslims
immigrated for economic
opportunities.
My family was Christian doesn't
matter but we came here for
economic opportunities.
2000 To the present many Arab
Americans have come to
the United States as refugees
because of war.
Thank you.
If I can explain.
About 3.7 million Americans
trace their roots to Arab
countries with 82% born in
the United States.
California has the largest
community and Southern
California is the largest
population.
Los Angeles has the largest
number of Arab-Americans and
San Diego is a second or third
to that.
Five out of ten Arab Americans
have a bachelor's degree or
higher.
Over 20% of Arab Americans have
a postgraduate degree.
Almost double the national
average of 12.
Our incomes are 26% higher than
the national average.
Next please.
Stereotypes versus reality.
I just want to say that
basically minorities in
the Arab world are considered
to be the glue that binds
the cultures together and
allows for trust and innovation
to proceed.
Here are two pictures One of
Palestinian Jews Samaritans
You've heard of the good
Samaritans in Nablus
celebrating.
So could.
And then on the right side,
Egyptian Christian communities
about 14%, half of whom are
Coptic.
So the others are Orthodox
Russian Orthodox, Greek
Orthodox Protestant all
the rest.
Next slide please.
Stereotypes versus reality.
There's a lot to read here so
I'll just pick out a few
things.
Basically the Arab culture
created the modern world we
take for granted now including
finances, banking.
Other things are tariffs made
very famous recently Astronomy,
math grafting and ice cream.
Iraq had the highest success
rate for heart lung transplants
even though it leads for heart
transplants in children.
So before the wars they had
that.
The L.A. Metro was engineered
by Arab Americans.
Here in California as well as
back home because Egypt and
Iraq have very similar terrain.
So it's engineered by Arabs
fully from back home in here.
What else?
There's a lot more to say.
We're very accomplished people
.
Sustainable environmental
discussions began in the 1950s,
for example, even though it's
very trendy now the Arab world
has been engaged in that for
many, many decades.
Okay, next slide please.
I'm not going to get into Arab
architecture.
I'm an artist so I can go here
and we could talk for an hour
just about these two pictures.
But granted these two pictures
symbolize a place that is for
worship for many peoples
Shiite, Muslim, Christian,
Orthodox and Jewish and
Neolithic as well.
I want to go back that far.
That's in Damascus in my
mosque.
Stereotypes versus reality.
Arab women have slightly more
education than Arab men in
the United States and in Arab
countries.
And oh sorry.
Okay.
The first university in
the world was created by Muslim
woman born in Tunisia and
created the university in Fez,
Morocco.
And the university exists
today.
If you look up though,
the first university you only
get one in Europe.
But the first one was 320 years
before that or 230 years before
that.
I don't know why Uncle Sam is
missing there in the middle of
three divas of the Arab world
Just to show you the diversity
on the left side is Suleiman
Mourad an Iraqi Jewish woman
from consumers in the center
center.
She's kind of the goddess but
she's not showing up for some
reason She's Egyptian, Muslim
and Fairouz Lebanese Christian
who is still alive today.
The lower picture is
the cartoon University in
Morocco And then the Astrolabe
navigational instrument was
created by Miriam Astrolabe, a
Syrian Muslim woman.
Okay.
Next slide.
This is the one somber slide a
lot of discrimination has
happened to the Arab-American
community, particularly
Palestinians and particularly
in California, a liberal state
from the past 1985.
There were several bombings
throughout the country.
One of them killed Alex ota.
He was assassinated in Santa
Ana in 1985.
A very good man.
He opened up his office.
It blew up and he was just
about to go to a breakfast with
rabbis very he was an educator
and he had three daughters that
he left behind the eight a year
later that was an issue that
went on for 20 years where
the U.S. Government used
McCarthy era legislation to
harass them.
It took 20 years to resolve.
Of course they won.
They won the case and the adc
was among the people who helped
them.
The adc the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee
is a legal organization Today
the Irvine 11 preceded
the encampments and they were
persecuted for a very long time
and still are over ten years
ago.
We currently have lawsuits
against the state of
California, ucla, uc Irvine and
ucsd to try to rectify
the wrongs that were done
recently.
Also there are blacklists
the canary mission I'm an
academic.
I taught for 30 years and I'm
on this list for saying
something nuanced about
Lebanon, GOD forbid.
So this list has largely harms
young people just graduating.
Basically this list put it puts
a target on our back like the a
that you passed a few weeks ago
that puts a target on our back
And we are collecting hate
incidents and crimes since then
and California legislation 80
715 is going to limit
discussions like we're having
right now This presentation MAY
be forbidden in the future and
that was signed by Governor
Newsom.
A lot going on in California.
Please pay attention.
Next slide please.
Arab-Americans built City
Heights and Balboa Park.
They came as Masons.
They married Mexican women and
they have they have Mexican
culture.
But Arab surnames like
the Hadad Construction Company
you can look it up next one.
>> But that's outrageous your
time allotted.
Do you have anyone else
soliciting your time?
Oh my goodness.
I took two.
Well, can I just get to one
last slide?
I'm sorry.
Okay.
There.
And the waffle cone we created
the waffle cone.
That's a good outdoor I mean in
1904.
Thank you so much.
Your slides will be a part of
the record as well and
distributed.
Thank you.
This is part of our sensitivity
training as well and we'll
follow up with all the council
people.
Thank you.
Our next speaker is Sara about
this Sara if you have time
ceded to you by Maddy or my day
I commit to you.
Please raise your hand.
Thank you.
You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
So everyone And that is Good
morning in Arabic My name is
set up as I'm going to read off
of my phone out here.
My name says it all.
It's As for Syrian air a b as
Arab you have it set up.
I am honored to be an Arab
American.
I have called San Diego my home
for the past 27 years.
When I joined uc San Diego I
was longing for my community
but I didn't find it so I
decided to build it.
In 2023 I helped establish
the Arab American staff and
faculty Association a safe
space on campus to highlight
and promote our rich culture
That includes art, music, dance
language, traditional clothing
and cuisine.
We worked with our university
leadership to recognize APRIL
as Arab American Heritage Month
and we have our own event
happening on Thursday, APRIL
16th.
Everyone is invited.
As an Arab American I proudly
carry my culture wherever I go.
Shukran.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Your final speaker here in
council chambers is Kimberly
Balancing Lee.
Kimberly, you have time ceded
to you and you're speaking on
item 505 by aacta.
All right.
Are you seating time a or
Judah?
No.
Maybe that's not you, Kimberly
Valencia but after people your
time Joanne Johnson thank you
and Gail Kelly aren't all right
thank you.
Maybe you can help me with who
air Oh my apologies.
Angela Hilliard, you will have
four minutes.
Please come up to the mic and
proceed.
Good morning.
Honorable Council PRESIDENT,
council members and
distinguished guest.
My name is Kim Ballantine Lane
and I'm the PRESIDENT Of
the San Diego chapter of
the Links Inc..
It is an honor to stand before
you and accept this
proclamation a proclamation
recognizing the 40th
anniversary of our Links
Achiever program.
We are deeply grateful for this
recognition and for your
commitment to investing in
the future of the community.
The links incorporated was
founded in 1946 rooted in a
commitment to friendship,
service and transformative
impact in the communities we
serve.
The San Diego chapter chartered
in 1957 has carried that
mission forward serving this
community with purpose, passion
and dedication for nearly seven
decades.
For 40 years the Achiever
program has stood as a beacon
of excellence, uplifting
mentoring and preparing young
men to succeed not only
academically but as leaders in
our society.
This program was built with
intention and it was made
possible by two visionary women
who are present with us today
MRS. Peaches Wynn and MRS.
Mildred Neal.
They believed in the power of
early exposure, strong
mentorship and high
expectations because of their
vision.
Hundreds of young men have been
equipped to pursue higher
education, lead in their
communities and step
confidently in their futures.
That is the legacy that you are
recognizing today.
And what makes this moment even
more meaningful is that this
work continues through
the dedication of our members,
our tri chairs and mentors in
our community partners.
We remain committed to
elevating, engaging and
enhancing the lives of young
men we serve.
We are not just celebrating for
years.
We are continuing a legacy that
is actively shaping the future
of San Diego.
To the Council.
City Council.
Thank you for recognizing
importance of this work and for
honoring the legacy of Peaches
Wynn and Milton Leal.
Their vision lives on in every
achievement every opportunity
created in every future
transformed.
And a special thank you to
Councilmember Henry Foster,
the third.
Very near and dear to our heart
because of your engagement of
participation with this program
as well.
Thank you.
That does include public
comment here in council
chambers and going to those
participating remotely.
I've started the five minute
queue starting with
the original If you can please
let me know.
And let me know which item or
items you wish to speak to.
>> Yes.
i don't know the exact number
simply 131 is the Heritage
Month the dispatchers and then
the military child.
Please proceed.
All right.
With the history month I feel
like it's quite a slap in
the face for you guys to bring
forward that I'm sorry item for
antisemitism when Arabs are
Semites and there's many other
Semites that aren't under
the protections of that same
ordinance law and whatever it
is policy.
And it's scary to think about
because those are the type of
people that are actually going
to be punished for speaking And
you know, you want to sit up
here and give them a
proclamation.
But I mean is that just to
smooth over the fact that
you're not including them, that
you're actually discriminating
against them by taking those
actions that you recently have
And with this assembly bill
that you the woman was speaking
about?
It's pretty disgraceful that
you guys are, you know, virtue
signaling and like gaslighting
these people as though you care
about them when if you did you
would include all of them and
not discriminate against them
in your own discrimination you
know, anti-discrimination
shenanigans of the dispatch.
Of course it's important to
have emergency dispatch but
the concern is that when they
dispatch out police fire or
whoever it is, you know, we
have police officers like San
Diego Police Officer Anthony
Warner who upon going on a call
that he was dispatched to
brutally, brutally beat a woman
and is complaining about him
pretending to have gotten beat
and that he had to take off
work He never did a lawful
arrest ever at any point He
never told Andrea Irving that
she was under arrest.
And so anything that were to
happen in an unlawful arrest is
warranted.
Yet they are not saying
the judge is trying to charge
Andrea with a felony.
He should be charged with a
felony.
Anthony Warner should be taken
off of the San Diego Police
Department force and actually
he should be the one in prison
for brutally assaulting a woman
well knowing he should have
de-escalated it.
And for all of this military
child stuff the sad thing is is
that these wars are
manufactured by the powers that
shouldn't be and we fund them
actually and potentially
they're funded on both sides So
it doesn't really matter who
wins And we lose our own people
and we have children that
actually have to suffer
through, you know, losing their
parents or having to move
around to fight wars that we
shouldn't even be in.
No wonder why everybody hates
America and what's going to
happen when you know this nice
little draft comes in.
You know, it's like all of
these things that happen in
the wind What are we going to
give a proclamation for
the people that had to do that?
It's like instead of really
stopping the atrocities that
are happening we get
proclamations to act like
everything is okay when it's
not.
It's absurd that you guys are
doing that to the Arab
community.
You should be ashamed of
yourselves and you should be
moving forward to make sure
that you're inclusive with all
Semites If you're going to do
that it's B.S. You guys are
full of.
>> I'm sick of it Your time.
I think that it next is 8700 If
you can please unmute after
the zoom user and Blair Beekman
8700 please proceed.
Please let me know which item I
wish to speak to.
>> Thank you.
It's 500 and it's 5 or 5
Please.
You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed with Public
safety Dispatcher Week.
Here are my favorite likes from
the transit Public safety
dispatchers demonstrate on
wavering professionalism,
resilience and dedication in
service to our community and
quote I imagine during this
special week there is a time
there is time for special forms
of recognition to these amazing
people are the flowers, hugs
and so forth.
Dear dispatchers I have immense
gratitude, immense gratitude
for you and your service.
Thank you so very much and love
to all.
If I go by if the San Diego
Lynx Achievers Day 40th annual
affair about 850 young men have
been honored in the Achievers
program.
That's a surprise to me.
We such wonderful leadership
and mentorship in the program a
very special shout out to you
Councilmember Foster the third
for this proclamation and for
your involvement in this
invaluable valuable program.
Love to all and celebrate all
people on the proclamation with
today's Thank you.
We do have three speakers left
in the queue.
The five minute timer has
concluded no additional
speakers will be taken.
Zoom user If you can please
unmute and let me know which
item or items you wish to speak
to After that will be blare and
then Andrea then user I can't
remember for you There you go.
>> Please let me know which
items can be here.
I'd like to speak to the 31 and
that's 5 or 1.
>> You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
>> One thing housekeeping.
So when you guys put those
charts on the what you referred
to Arab guys as Arab-American
and the lady referred to
herself as an American Arab.
So maybe on the handouts but
let's have everyone's names
Start with Americans like
Mexican American, Arab American
whatever race or gender got
going have them all listed as
American first and then
the nationality or whatever
this month Good thing to do.
She pointed that out when she
talked about there are people
in San Diego, California
deserve free speech up and down
the board.
This is ridiculous.
Our government our government
is a clown.
Just a communist.
What is it?
Free speech is the number one
thing And the American Arabs in
San Diego in California have
done nothing but good here
They've never seen a and stuff
from liquor stores.
They're not breaking into
the Apple store the upper
echelon of citizens in our
country.
You know, they're doctors,
lawyers, artists.
They are beautiful women.
But one thing on a lighter
note, I grew up here and in
1987 I had this job that I in
all the persons came here of
San Diego.
They took all the beautiful
women They were over in Del La
La Hoya They a lot of mud and
they're going for all the white
shirts and white guy surfer
going out here.
But the Arab guys there they
were scared and all the good
women they had the money but
hopefully their sons and
daughters are joined the Marine
Corps in the military too
because we're going to need
them anyway.
>> Thank you guys for coming
here And you do a great job and
then the city's got a long way
to go.
>> Your time is concluded,
Blair Because if you can please
I mean all right.
I wanted to speak to item 31
and as 500 Please proceed.
>> Go Two minutes.
All right.
Thank you.
Thank you for the proclamations
today.
It was a very interesting
presentation from
the Arab-American Heritage
Month next year.
I hope that with the previous
and recent ira issues that were
brought to the city council
about a month ago now or a few
weeks ago now it can be a long
term community effort and
the woman who spoke today
sounds like she could have a
good voice in what can be a
community process to define
the future of ira which I think
can be an interesting idea and
how we work together in this
country towards democracy and
community and what we can all
be working on together.
What the future of Ira issues.
Thank you.
And for item s 500 I'm sorry.
Very sorry.
National Public Safety
Disclosure Week That is an item
that to me is not just in San
Diego but in cities across
California.
They're having real issues
about response times and that
can be for a number of reasons
going on that I can go into
greater detail at another time
in the work I do with
accountability but just an
overall thank you for the work
of what dispatchers do kind of
what Joyce said earlier They do
a really important job and how
they can do that job as
humanely and as decently as
possible in good humanistic
terms.
I don't know if that's
the right term but to a good
look how they can continue such
good efforts.
They have a very tough job a
lot of the time to practice our
best human values.
Good luck how they can continue
those efforts.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Andrea your last speaker Please
let me know which item or items
you wish to speak to and I will
speak to 3032 and as 500 you'll
have three minutes.
Thank you.
Okay, perfect.
So on for item 30 Steppingstone
of San Diego is 50th
anniversary.
We are in a really serious
situation at this moment in
time in which we're contracting
with the homeless and addiction
service providers are at
the tune of hundreds of
millions of dollars But
the problem just keeps doubling
and tripling and the stats
about it going down are all
just lies.
The overdose stats are all just
lies.
The rehabilitation stats 25%
reduction in addiction Come on.
It's unbelievable what's going
on because the people in power
in our county in our city right
now specifically Summer Stephan
and Todd Gloria and the rico
enterprise that they are
operating are absolutely
involved in opioid
distribution, international
drug smuggling.
When you contract with people
to offer rehab services but
they pump those rehabs full of
the drugs that these people are
addicted to, you're
perpetuating the problem.
We're busing people in from
other states as a home project
and they're homeless here
because they can handle
the weather.
Look, the more we spend on this
and the more we pay attention
to it, the more we give
proclamations to all this stuff
that's just not working.
That's obvious.
It's just an insurance grab for
the Affordable Care Act.
I mean the city falling apart.
What about the children,
the elderly, the disabled?
What about our constituents?
>> What about, you know, using
the funds that were provided
for these programs to move
forward?
But they're not the programs
are not being provided
The services that are being
provided that are promised
the harm reduction case As far
as Kevin Johnson goes, that's
wonderful.
Well, we'll come here.
That's great recommendation but
I recommend you act like a
District seven councilmember
and pay attention to Linda
Vista.
I was beaten severely in front
of 40 children.
That was the second major event
in my life that's taken place
in Linda Vista by a San Diego
police officer.
I haven't heard from your
office one time not in all
the years since my children
protected from District seven.
And also why are there no
working lights or cameras at
the rec center with all
the murders that are taking
place there?
They're moving drugs right
through that rec center and you
haven't got to think about it.
What about the dad that was
picked up at Linda Vista
Elementary School?
We talked to family.
If you talk to the school,
nobody knows you exist.
You're a city attorney that's
trained to protect the city
against its constituents and
that's really unfair.
Okay.
National Public Safety Dispatch
are we great.
Let's dispatch 25 police
officers to watch a woman get
beat down the one that was
doing the beating and the 24
that were standing there on
overtime not doing their job
and laughing while Anthony
Warner beat me up for
whistleblowing about this
kickback situation.
>> Your time has concluded for
those that raise their hand
after the five minute time or
you can submit comments to City
Clerk exactly what occurred and
those will be distributed.
That concludes public comment.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right.
Thank you City Clerk And with
that I'll turn over to my
council colleagues for comments
and entertain a motion and
we'll start with Council member
Foster Thank you Council
PRESIDENT And just really want
to congratulate all of
the proclamation recipients and
acknowledge mints With that I
have quite a few I got to say a
couple that I'm going to give
some comments on So hopefully
I'll go through this very
quickly.
Item 31 Arab-American Heritage
Month month Again, just thank
you to my colleagues and thank
you to the Arab American
Heritage Committee or Arab
community.
Thank you for your
contributions to the city of
San Diego and thank you for
your presentation.
I think that was as you can
hear from the public comment,
there's a lot of education that
needs to take place And so just
thank you for that And
hopefully there's more work
that we can do there In regards
to items 500 National Public
Safety Dispatch dispatcher Week
When people call for help,
dispatchers are the calm on
the other end of the line
guiding them through some of
their hardest moments.
They play a critical role in
making sure help gets where it
needs to go and that our first
responders have the information
they need.
It's work that takes focus
Patients and real strength
often without recognition Their
impact is felt across our city
Every single day.
Thank you to the dispatcher
dispatchers and the work you do
Month of Military of military
Children in San Diego Military
service touches all of us
whether it's family, friends or
neighbors.
This month is about recognizing
the kids who grow up in that
life who move off and adapt
quickly and carry a lot more
than people MAY realize.
They show a level of resilience
and strength that deserves to
be acknowledged.
It's important that we continue
to support and uplift military
families here in our city of
San in the city of San Diego.
>> Item 5 or 4 Don Diego Day in
the city of San Diego.
I want to thank Gloria for
joining me in recognizing
someone truly deserving of this
honor.
Today we're celebrating someone
who not only grew up in
District four but dedicated his
career to serving our city.
Don Diego spent over three
decades with the city
contributing to operations that
keep our neighborhoods running
day to day.
He helped improve processes and
played a role in strengthening
services including the street
sweeping program as it exists
today.
Don As you enter retirement, we
recognize the work you've put
in over the years and wish you
well earned rest in this next
chapter.
Thank you for your years of
steady service to the city of
San Diego.
It was great seeing you at your
retirement gathering and
spending time with those hard
at work on our front lines.
>> Don if you'd like to come up
and say a couple of quick words
and just for clarification as I
say, decades Don has spent 36
years with the city of San
Diego.
So thank you, Don.
Thank you, COUNCILMAN And
Council members.
Mayor, I'm really not a
speaker.
The last time I came and spoke
here was in 2006 when I was
impacted by the rift And now 20
years later now I'm going into
retirement.
GOD had a plan wasn't done with
me.
How do people that I work with
am I getting a respect and a
loyalty to being a servant
serving the community of San
Diego?
And I thank that.
I thank you guys for an
opportunity for opening all
the doors that the city give to
all of the employees that I
work with And then I came
across stormwater.
I just imagine some people that
had a big impact and in my life
Chris McFadden of Bethany b
Zack and Eddie Salinas and my
bosses above me thank you for
everything.
I appreciate it Again, thank
GOD for this opportunity and
thank you guys.
Thank you for that item As 505
San Diego Lynx Achievers Day
I'll do my best to get through
this One of I'm proud to
recognize the San Diego based
Achievers program as it marks
40 years of uplifting and
investing in young black men in
our city.
I came to this program myself
Class of 1989 as did my son as
well Class of 2022 and he will
be graduating from Hampton
University in MAY making us
the first father and son legacy
here in San Diego.
So I've seen firsthand
the impact this program has.
>> The Achievers program builds
leaders instills confidence and
surrounds these young men with
mentorship and support.
For 40 years the San Diego
chapter of the Links
Incorporated have been
intentional about creating a
space where young black men are
seen, supported and celebrated
.
Over 800 young men have come
through this program each
carrying that legacy forward
this Saturday I have the honor
of being one of the emcees for
the 40th annual Affair of Honor
.
As we celebrate the next class
of Achievers, I I'm grateful to
be part of that legacy and
proud to help recognize it here
today to measure speeches win
Just want to thank you Also I
remember MISS MRS. Jewel Kelly
as we were going through our
program chasing us down,
getting us to the dance
rehearsal and making sure we
were prepared for what we were
about to endure.
So I just want to say thank you
from the bottom of my heart I
always say it is the village
that raised me.
And the links are definitely a
part of that village and a big
reason why I can sit here today
as a council member of
the fourth District for
the city of San Diego.
So from the bottom of my heart
thank you and thank you for
your continued service and
contribution to the city of San
Diego.
With that council PRESIDENT
That concludes my comments and
I will move the proclamations.
Thank you very much.
Councilmember Foster will go
next to council member Campbell
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT And thank you
to my esteemed colleague for
his words.
Congratulations to everyone
receiving Bronx today and thank
you all for coming and thank
you for that presentation at
the beginning It was wonderful
and we really appreciate it And
I see that you welcome all
religions and this is truly an
American group.
Thank you so much.
I would like to speak today
especially about item 30.
This is a joint I was joined in
this project by our mayor
Gloria and my colleagues
council members from in
Vancouver.
I want to thank them for that.
This is the 50th anniversary
day for Stepping Stone of San
Diego and I don't know how many
you've heard them but they've
they've just been quietly doing
fantastic work for 50 years,
was founded in 1976 as a
pioneering nonprofit dedicated
to providing substance use
treatment to the lgbtq
community.
In fact, Stepping Stone is one
of the only nonprofits in
the country that specializes in
alcohol and drug recovery
services for the lgbt
community.
I became familiar with Stepping
Stone many years ago during my
time on the board of the Human
Dignity Foundation.
They have always had a small
residential treatment facility
since their founding where they
actually take in homeless
people to give them a roof over
their head as well as to treat
their addiction problems and
their other problems so that
they can go on and live a full
complete life over time they
have dramatically expanded.
They've expanded their
outpatient and residential
treatment for addiction now to
four housing locations for
patients.
They provide 3 to 6 month
programs for homeless addicted
people That is focused on long
term recovery including
permanent housing.
About 90% of their clients who
enroll with them are facing
homelessness.
100% are placed in housing in
recovery six months after they
graduate from their
steppingstone program Over 50
years they have estimated that
they have served 40,000 lives
lives that were actually saved
and transformed these people by
their programs.
Congratulations on this big
milestone.
They are possibly the most
effective homeless organization
in this city in the county, in
the state, in the entire
nation.
But they make such a positive
impact on substance abuse
disease that leads to
homelessness among our lgbtq
community members as well as
other community members.
You are providing the model of
how to solve the public health
problems of homelessness and
addiction And I cannot thank
you enough and I hope that we
will continue to learn from you
because of your great success.
Congratulations on your 50th
year.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
All right, Councilmember
Campbell, can we take that?
I was happy to second all
the products.
Thank you.
So with that we'll go next to
Councilmember Eli Rivera.
>> All right.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
Thank you to my colleagues who
helped bring these
proclamations forward today.
Lots of really good important
stuff here.
I want to say thank you to
COUNCILMAN.
Council PRESIDENT And the other
council member Von Wilpert and
Catherine compete for
recognizing National Public
Safety Dispatcher Week And it's
an extremely important and
stressful line of work that is
quite literally oftentimes
the first step in the process
of addressing people's some of
the stressful and urgent
moments of people's lives And I
appreciate the work that they
do on a daily basis.
Councilor Foster, thank you for
recognizing City links
Achievers Day.
I just I think what I what I
see when I see my colleague
recognize you all is someone
who had love poured into him by
a community And that's a
beautiful thing and it's a
really, really beautiful thing
And so thank you for doing that
as as much of a softie as
Councilmember Foster is, I know
that that doesn't come without
it coming from a real place and
a place that really honors
everyone who poured into him.
I see that on a regular basis
up here on the dais and I love
that The point you make up of
Foster about your son's
graduation meaning that you'll
be the first legacy family here
in San Diego.
That's a beautiful thing as
well and clearly a byproduct of
the work that you would say any
things achievers have done over
the years.
So thank you for that and want
to try I take some time to
recognize Arab American
heritage.
Right.
Thank you everyone who came
down here today.
Thank you for the presentation
.
I'm really glad that we are
recognizing Arab-American
heritage Month this year.
The presentation was great and
I think there's so much history
there that is really important
to share because there's a
flattening of a community and a
history that oftentimes happens
in the way that the Arab
American community is portrayed
in this country And that's not
right.
The 22 countries across
the Middle East and North
Africa that you can trace your
roots back to arriving to this
country in waves often fleeing
war, conscription, persecution
But carrying traditions and
ingenuity and resilience as as
you as every Americans arrived
here and each wave of
immigration and migration to
this country bringing new new
things that are woven into who
America is And that is some
incredible stuff.
The waffle cone is a great
example, a delicious example
And while it didn't start in
the U.S. I will say tacos that
I saw my favorite tacos and
that is also a byproduct of
migration And I think a great
example of of of how our every
Americans arrived contributed
transform things and enrich
things so much.
And I also want to make sure
that I acknowledge the weight
that many American
Arab-Americans are carrying
right now with families with
loved ones in Gaza and Lebanon
and other parts of the world
that are that are watching
family members and people they
love and can use to care about
impacted by war Just know that
we know that We see that We
recognize that We see that
grief and stand with you.
And I also want to acknowledge
the personal My paternal
grandfather was a Sephardic
Jews whose family came from
Syria.
His community is part of that
mosaic of the Arab world,
people of different faiths and
and very, very diverse.
And again that diversity has
often been erased as a result
of conflict and bigotry.
And that story is a reminder
that the region that we're
honoring today is not
monolithic.
The people that we are honoring
today I should say is not
monolithic and never has been
and that those those attempts
to flatten the complexity of
Americans it's going to work
because there's there's too
much there to to to to to raise
.
So we're celebrating
the Arab-American family today
celebrating diversity of
beauty, tenacity and
resilience.
And I'm proud to be one of
the sponsors of that
proclamation.
That concludes my comments.
Council PRESIDENT Right.
Thank you, Council member Eli
Rivera And again we do have a
motion by Councilmember Foster
and second by council member
Campbell.
Next up Yes, Councilmember Von
Wilpert, thank you very much
and thank you to my colleagues
for reading for such wonderful
proclamations As usual, I'm
done here.
Congratulations on your
retirement.
Thank you for your decades of
service to the city.
I thank you for everyone to be
here.
I'll start with item 30 a
stepping stone a city goes 50th
anniversary day.
I am proud to join my
colleagues in recognizing
stepping stone of San Diego 50
years of service.
I believe some of you are here.
If you own stands we can
recognize you Since 1976 they
built a lifeline for people in
recovery providing
compassionate affirming care
and the focus on serving
the lgbtq community ensures
that people feel safe, seen and
supported because there can be
many reasons that folks who are
lgbtq are suffering from
addiction.
Much of it is due to stigma
discrimination harassment
because of who we are.
>> So through medical
treatment, outpatient services
and sober living that help
people achieve lasting recovery
and self-love, this work
strengthens families, build
healthier communities across
the Diego and thank you to
the staff and congratulations
then on the city.
We are so happy to be
partnering with you in helping
to use our opioid settlement
funds from suing opioid
companies who put fentanyl out
onto our streets to actually do
good with it.
So we're very proud that we're
partnering with Steppingstone
to do that good work to do
the healing we need to do And
I'm happy to see what Sackler
family Purdue Pharma any day So
on item 31 I'm looking forward
to the gala by the way on
Friday And item 31
Arab-Americans Arab American
Heritage Month.
Thank you so much for that
incredible presentation.
It was very, very good And
thank you to my colleagues for
bringing for this recognition.
Arab Americans have made
lasting contributions to our
city and country across
education, medicine, business,
public service and the arts and
Latin artists.
We believe in arts here San
Diego is home to a strong and
vibrant Arab-American community
that continues to shape our
region with culture traditions
and a strong sense of family
and community that enrich our
city.
We also recognize
the resilience of this
community and the importance of
stand against discrimination,
harmful stereotypes and hate
and violence.
It's pretty horrible to see
that there were bombings It
centers just to talk about
discrimination.
You know, I've seen I was a
civil rights lawyer in
Mississippi and I know
the history of that.
It's terrible to think that
happened here in California
too.
So it's important that we
educate people on what happens.
But I'm glad that this month
it's a chance to celebrate all
of those who contribute to our
society and our culture and
reaffirm government and
inclusion and respect for all.
I'm proud to recognize Arab
American Heritage Month to
celebrate the many
contributions Arab-Americans
bring across the nation.
So thank you.
And item as 500 National Public
Safety Dispatcher Week I'm very
proud to join my colleague in
recognizing our National Public
Safety Dispatcher Week When
someone calls 911 you are
literally the first voice they
hear in those crucial moment
and you are the calm in
the chaos.
>> So if we have any of our
dispatchers here could you
please stand and let us
recognize you as well?
Thank you so much for for your
incredible work.
You know, I just didn't in 2023
in 2024 alone I don't think we
have the data yet for last year
You all managed a staggering
734,000 calls for 911 averaging
over 2000 now one calls a day
80 491 calls per hour and
almost 1.4 called every minute
When someone is asking for
help, Your team has dispatched
nearly 500,000 calls for
service making sure that our
firefighters, our empties, our
paramedics, our police,
sometimes our lifeguards, you
know, get out the door.
And I've been to the dispatch
center.
I highly recommend everybody go
and visit.
We are also hiring if you want
to be that calm in the chaos
and it is incredible what you
do in the compassion with what
you do it.
And so I also want to remind
you to please take care of
yourself because you also are
hearing so many people go
through the worst days of their
lives every day and helping
them through it.
So please make sure you're
taking care of yourself as
well.
I'm a big proponent of mental
health.
I see a therapist on a regular
basis and I'm proud of it.
We shouldn't be stigmatizing it
So I just want to thank you so
much for your work.
We're very, very, very proud
you're here including I hear
that and I don't mean to steal
my good friend and colleague
Councilmember Campos Thunder
but a District seven intern
started at City Hall and is now
a dispatcher and we're very,
very proud of that.
So thank you for your
professionalism, dedication to
your service.
Thank you to our firefighters,
ems workers and police and
lifeguard as well Items 5a1
finally month of the military
child.
I want to take a moment to
recognize APRIL is the month of
the military child here in San
Diego we are home to one of
the largest military
communities in the nation
including thousands of military
connected kids.
These kids grow up with a lot
of change moving from schools
from time to time and having
parents deployed abroad And
through all of that they show a
level of resilience strength
that really stands out.
You bring so much to our
communities including
leadership perspective, a
strong sense of service and a
global perspective of so many
children of military families
is absolutely amazing and
beautiful.
Same thing with our Foreign
Service officers And you MAY
see many people wearing purple
.
This wanted a simple way to
show support for our military
children.
My own father served in the us
Army during the Vietnam era so
before I was born but very
proud of his service as well
And I'm also proud to recognize
the month of the military child
and impact that you all have in
San Diego.
So thank you very much and
thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right.
Thank you couple number one
Wolpert we'll go next to
councilmember Whitman thank you
that's a PRESIDENT That I too
want to congratulate all of
those who are being recognized
with proclamations today
including DR. Diego for your
retirement congratulations and
thank you for your service to
our city and San Diego Lakes
Achievers Day Councilmember
Foster's testimonial is
evidence of how impactful that
program is and congratulations
on being the first father, said
Graduates I am proud to join my
colleagues in bringing forward
the proclamation Declare a
stepping stone of say Diego
50th Anniversary day.
i have heard many stories over
the years from people of
the lgbtq Plus community who
have benefited from stepping
stone services and those
stories have stayed with me
Stepping stone truly beats
people where they are and that
is so important especially
people who have historically
been underserved or overlooked
in some way and for many of
the lgbtq plus community
finding treatment that is both
effective and affirming hasn't
always been easy.
Stepping stone has filled that
gap for five decades.
What really stands out is that
it's not just about completing
a program it's what comes after
as well.
Stepping Stone has helped
countless individuals rebuild
their lives, find stability
again, reconnect with family,
secure housing and actually
start to feel hopeful about
the path forward.
So congratulations.
It's a stepping stone at 50
years and thank you for
everything that you have done
for our city.
I want to congratulate or thank
Council PRESIDENT Lakota
Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
and Councilmember Isla Rivera
for bringing forward
the proclamation honoring Arab
American heritage.
But it's a time to honor
the rich culture and history of
the Arab American community.
I too thought the presentation
was very informative.
Thank you for sharing that with
us this morning And we are
grateful for everything that
the Arab community contributes
to our city.
Thank you Also to Council
PRESIDENT Lacob, Councilmember
Wilpert and Councilmember Campo
for recognizing National Public
Safety Dispatcher Week.
I also want to take recognize
our public safety dispatchers
who spend their workdays
answering calls for people who
are in crisis many of whom
the regulators or the fire
department or the police
department.
These dispatchers provide a
calm and reassuring voice when
it is needed the most and
provide vital information to
our public safety personnel
that give it its density.
District three has the highest
number of calls for emergencies
service to the city.
So on behalf of my district and
my constituents I want to
express our deep appreciation
for the important role that you
play in protecting the safety
of my constituents.
So thank you very much and
thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you, counsel.
My return will go to council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee then
council PRESIDENT Want to start
off with recognizing that many
of my colleagues have brought
forward proclamations of note
today.
So to Don Diego thank you for
your 36 years and serving
the city of San Diego.
Thank you to all of our
dispatchers in attendance today
and certainly for their work
every single day for the city
And a stepping stone for your
50th anniversary.
Look forward to your
celebration coming up and same
as others.
Thank you to Councilmember
Foster for always taking a
moment to share not just what
we see in the community in
terms of organizations like
Sandy Links with your Achievers
program But the impact that it
truly has on individuals living
here serving on this dais.
I wanted to take a moment to
speak to two proclamations
today.
First is item 31 where I'm
honored to join Council
PRESIDENT LaCava and my
colleague Counsel Mary Lou
Rivera on proclaiming APRIL as
Arab American Heritage Month.
As mentioned, our city is home
to approximately 100,000 Arab
Americans who enrich our
communities through their
culture, language, traditions,
arts.
I think we heard culinary and
their embrace of family and
community.
You've made invaluable
contributions to our region
through your work in education
technology, law, medicine,
government and more.
And you've thought long and
continue to fight for progress
and inclusion in the country.
I want to thank you for
the presentation as well.
I think I know it was cut short
a bit but I imagine that if it
was beneficial for those of us
sitting up here that really
would be beneficial for more of
the public to better understand
what it means to be Arab
American and that when we talk
about that diversity how that
really ties into the fabric of
San Diego.
i think it's important
especially at a time where we
understand that our federal
administration continues to
advance a rhetoric and an
agenda that targets many
immigrant communities including
Arab-American communities in
the countries that those
families are from.
And it's important that here in
San Diego in a space like this
that we take the time to
acknowledge, to honor and to
celebrate the Arab-American
community as an integral part
of what we call the diversity
of San Diego.
Finally, I think those who have
known me know that I have a
background with an organization
called Pacific Arts Movement
which helped to put on
the annual San Diego Asian Film
Festival.
So I want to take a moment to
shout out that this weekend
APRIL 17th through 19th is
the second weekend of the San
Diego Arab Film Festival which
is taking place at the Museum
of Photographic Arts in Double
Park.
So for those who are interested
,please make sure to check
that out.
Second, I want to speak to item
5a1 which is the month of
military child.
And to join my colleagues in
proclaiming APRIL 2026 as
the month of the military child
San Diego is again as
Councilmember Van Wilpert
mentioned, home to one of
the largest military
populations in our country and
our region is shaped in many
ways by our military families.
In District six we have an
especially strong military
presence not just because of
the population of veterans but
also Marine Corps Air station
Miramar which is located within
our district's boundaries.
And those who choose to serve
our country choose to make some
significant sacrifices and that
service extends well beyond
those individuals to
the families that they
represent.
Military children in particular
face unique challenges with
their frequent relocation,
school transitions, parental
deployments and has a huge
impact not just on the child
but on the family that is
looking to support these
children.
And it means that as a city I
think for us in order to
support those families we have
to think about how we actually
support the children and young
children in particular that are
impacted in these really unique
ways.
So we take this month to
recognize the strength of these
families and to share our
gratitude for the service that
they provide to our country.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
Excuse my remarks.
All right.
Thank you.
Potentially we'll go next to
Council Member Hill Thank you
Council PRESIDENT And thank you
to all of the members of
the public who are here those
receiving proclamations.
I want to start off with item
31 Arab-American Heritage
Month.
I want to appreciate
the members of the Arab
community who've come today.
The presentation was very
informative And Art obviously
very beautiful Growing up in
East County some of my closest
friends and many of my
classmates were
Iraqi-Americans, Chaldeans And
so understanding their culture
,their immigration stories,
understanding the small
businesses that they've started
and their flourishing
throughout San Diego.
Very proud to call the Arab
American community friends of
mine for a long, long time And
thank you for being here today
on item 31 Kevin Johnson Day
I'm proud to bring forward this
day as we celebrate the long
awaited opening of the Ruffin
Canyon Trail that connects
Sierra Mesa to Mission Valley
at the Escala community across
from the Costco as project did
not happen by chance It
happened only because Kevin
Johnston never let it go.
So after years of persistence
and advocacy partnership with
my office, he turned that
vision into a real tangible
asset for the Sierra mesa
community.
So I look forward to
celebrating the milestone on
Friday when we will officially
open that trail and invite
everyone out to experience it
And after we've made that hike
enjoy $1.50 cent Costco hotdog
afterwards dollar 67 after tax
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT LaCava
Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
and Council member Von Wilpert
for joining me in proclaiming
APRIL as month of the Military
child We all know that San
Diego is the home of
the largest military community
in our country and that means
that thousands of military
children show strength and
resilience on a daily basis
that goes unrecognized.
My office is proud to partner
with the armed Services ymca in
Tears Santa as well as Hancock
and Millard Miller Elementaries
As we support these children
and ensure they have stability
and resources they need, we we
honor those who serve in
uniform and we must honor their
family members and especially
the children who serve in their
own way.
Their sacrifice is
extraordinary and it is real
and they deserve our
recognition and support.
And finally recognizing public
safety Dispatcher we are
honored to join council members
John Wilburn and Council
PRESIDENT LaCava.
The first voice you hear in an
emergency is the dispatcher.
So right when people pray that
their guardian angel shows up
to help them, the dispatchers
voice is what comes through
the telephone.
They bring in calm and clarity
and direction when it matters
most.
It's a demanding high stakes
job.
It requires constant focus and
resilience and compassion often
goes unseen.
One of my favorite so so-called
ride alongs I wasn't riding
anywhere.
I was sitting in a chair next
to a dispatcher for several
hours and hearing what comes
through the phone.
i would never be able to do
that job myself but proud to
support you all and what you do
And I'll take a moment to
highlight someone from our own
District seven office who
recently stepped into that
role.
Izzy Rojas When I was here MS.
Rojas served as an intern in my
office for a year and since
then grew professionally taking
on roles in the county of San
Diego In the private sector.
She's still passionate about
several things like photography
and somehow chargers football.
I am incredibly proud to see
her continue her public service
as a public safety dispatcher.
So thank you to all
the dispatchers who are here
today and for all you do in
the vital work of keeping San
Diego America's safest big city
.
>> And that will conclude my
comments.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you, Councilmember Campo
.
Since all of my colleagues have
spoken, I'll jump in.
And today for me personally is
a good reminder of why we do
these proclamations an
opportunity to step aside from
our legislative agenda and tell
stories whether it's
congratulate stations or very
personal stories is really an
extraordinary moment.
So thank you to my colleagues
and everybody else involved to
keep the proclamations front
and center and what the city
council can do and thinking My
colleagues for
the proclamations that were
brought forward are
congratulations for everyone
that is being recognized.
I'm going to speak to three of
them and I'm going to take them
in reverse order as 5 or 1
month of the military child as
we many of my colleagues have
spoken, San Diego is home to
one of the largest military
communities in the nation and I
joined Council PRESIDENT Pro
Tem Lee Council member Yvonne
Wolpert and Councilmember Campo
in recognizing one segment of
the military community that
often can be overlooked.
Children of military families
are faced with the challenges
of having to make frequent
relocations to new locations
into a new home and often into
a new school for San Diego has
no shortage of thank you's for
the military members who serve
our country every day we often
forget the sacrifices it takes
to make it happen with their
families.
Today we proclaim the month of
APRIL as the month of
the military child to shine a
light on the members of
the family that continue to
mold to their new environment
without complaint or hesitation
or maybe a little complaint or
hesitation Your resilience and
courage in constantly facing
new challenges is admirable and
we are grateful for supporting
your military parents item as
500 National Public Safety
Dispatcher Week Another group
of people who do amazing work
in San Diego our very own
public safety dispatchers.
Thank you to my council
colleagues, council members
Yvonne Wolpert and
Councilmember Campo And joining
me to celebrate the people who
answer the call that no one
ever wants to make and all
these responders are not at
the scene.
They are present every single
step of the way.
And for providing clearance
struction so simply being a
calm voice in a moment of chaos
they are vital to the San Diego
public safety.
Thank you for your
professionalism, dedication and
commitment to keeping San
Diego's San Diegans protected
and heard And I share this
story in particular because it
is personal.
We had an incident we called
911 and I could not have
expected what that dispatcher
did staying on the phone call
me me and my wife down and
stuck with us at every moment
until the officers first came
up to our door.
It is an experience I will
never forget.
So thank you to the public
safety dispatchers for what you
do for all those people who as
I said make those calls that
nobody wants to make and
closing with item 31 Arab
American Heritage Month I am
joined by my colleagues council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee and
Councilmember Eula Rivera to
proclaim APRIL 2226 as APRIL
American Arab American Heritage
Month making up more than 10%
of San Diego's population.
Arab Americans play a
foundational part in
the diverse culture of our city
from their contributions to
society through technological
advances, medical research,
legal advances and more.
They continue to further push
boundaries in every field of
study and service to
the American Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee.
Thank you for your advocacy
work that you do to continue to
uplift the Arab-American
community in San Diego.
And with that I will invite
the PRESIDENT Of the Arab
American Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee
San Diego chapter Amr Khaldun
if I got that right to take a
couple of minutes to make a few
remarks on behalf of
the chapter Sir Thank you.
>> Council PRESIDENT The cover
of Council members Lee and Ella
Rivera for introducing
the proclamation and esteemed
Council members for recognizing
APRIL as Arab American Heritage
Month.
My name is I'm Mark Jordan.
I'm the acting PRESIDENT For
the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee.
It is a profound honor to
accept this proclamation on
behalf of the community that
considers San Diego its home a
city that has opened its arms
to immigrants from Somalia,
Iraq, Syria and beyond.
The city uses Arabic language
the word Marhaba Hello.
Meet you at the entrance of
this building as a bridge of
communication.
And today we celebrate that
vibrant thread in the fabric of
our city.
However, as with any true
partnership, the relationship
between our community and this
Council must be based on more
than just ceremony.
It must be based on shared
principle.
While we celebrate today we
must also address where
the relationship is strained
first.
Protecting human Lives in San
Diego As we said, we estimate
there are over 100,000 Arabs
and hundreds and hundreds
thousand Muslims.
>> Thank you who usually align
with Arabs who look to this
body for moral leadership.
When our community asked you to
adopt a ceasefire resolution we
were not asking you to change
the course of a war thousands
of miles away.
We were asking you to take a
stand for the sanctity of human
life.
With over 70,000 Palestinians
killed including 20,000
children, the cruelty of
the occupation is a lived
reality for many San Diegans
whose families have faced
ethnic cleansing for over 75
years.
Well before OCTOBER 7th, many
San Diegans lost San Diego and
Palestinians lost more than 200
members of their families in
Gaza.
We ask for a relationship where
our pain is seen and our calls
for peace are heard.
Second, protecting our First
Amendment rights.
The partnership requires
the honest dialog.
A few weeks ago the Council
voted for resolution to define
anti-Semitism in a way that
risks chilling free speech.
We thank COUNCILMAN Al Rivera
for his principled position,
but we remain deeply concerned
that this definition is being
weaponized against those who
support Palestinian struggles.
We cannot have the best city in
the world if certain voices are
silenced or defined out of
existence.
In closing.
We accept this honor today not
as a finished goal but as a
promise.
It takes two to tango.
We want to work with you toward
a more productive, transparent
and inclusive relationship one
where Arab Americans are not
just recognized one month a
year but protected and
respected every single day.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you, sir.
All right.
>> With that we have a motion
by Councilmember Foster and a
second by Councilmember
Campbell to move
the proclamation.
Clerk please call the roll.
>> I'm sorry.
The voting system.
Please cast your vote That
passes unanimously 8 to 0 with
Councilmember Moreno Absent.
>> Thank you, Council
PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you.
With that we'll take a pause
for photos and we'll start with
item 31.
Arab-American Heritage Month
and
.
>> Mm
.
>> Uh
oh.
All right.
Thank you, everybody for MR.
Paley.
And then we will now proceed
with the approval of
the consent item.
>> Are there any requests to
pull an item by the council?
Not seeing any request?
Clerk please proceed with
public testimony.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Please know
each speaker will have one
minute per item per person.
If you would like to speak on
three or more items you will
have a maximum of three
minutes.
The consent agenda includes
items 5100 through 102 and
s502.
We did receive comments on
items for um we did receive
comments on and I don't have
the item number 14 in favor via
our e comment form I will go
back to my notes to know what
item that was.
We do not have any speakers
here in council chambers.
I will start the five minute
timer and go to those
participating online.
If you can please make sure you
let me know which items you
wish to speak for.
Speak on for the record.
Slurpee Men if you can please
On you.
>> Hi.
Right.
First thank you.
Thank you for the proclamations
today.
I wanted to speak to items 51
to 1 and s5o2.
>> You'll have three minutes.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
First to speak to item 54
Contract with Technology Corps
for gasb 87 We software This
software item seems to fit
nicely into its like real
estate software lease things
how those those programs can be
done well and more efficiently
It fits in really well to
the conversation you were
having yesterday On the future
of lease agreements in San
Diego.
A really interesting issue.
I'm really interested how that
can be a full community effort
that we can all be involved in
and wanting to work towards
best goals and practices and
good luck or helping each other
towards those ends.
I think it's important and I
hope that criticisms can be
made within that process too
because I have some that I
would like to make in those
good efforts.
So so thank you for all And to
also quickly mention yeah I'll
mention that at public comment
time I think instead to go on
to item 1 or 1 which is me
going slow here supportive
surplus land mission Bay this
is an item that you know
certain council persons have
been really kind of like hoping
for and really kind of trying
to bring in I hope in doing
that they can develop a
language and an understanding
that's clear and not just kind
of touch a bit of a touch of
the greed about them and how
they're talking about this.
This is really important to
them in a way and I hope they
can learn to address it openly
and not just serving, you know,
a very specific interest that
it can serve.
>> Thanks for hearing me out on
that issue And for item s five
o two, you know learning to be
open and have a broad approach
to the subject, I think it's
important to have that good
luck in those efforts.
Item 502 Emergency services
victim a grant Sub Agreement
Award Sub Award Agreement Thank
you for this.
I don't quite know it's detail
it's a not I.
I wish I did but just on its
surface this is a nice little
thing to have that
the governor's office is
allowed this funding to happen
and it's always needed and it
seems to be going to a really
important good purpose and to
receive money from the state
for such services we're going
to be relying much on to figure
out how to do that well.
>> So thank you for this sort
of item.
Thank you.
Next is 8700 Again this is just
on the consent agenda.
>> If you can please let me
know which item or items you
wish to speak to 50 101 and
excuse me 5502 Thank you.
Please proceed.
Senator 3d3 50 from the eoc
report I g m submitted an e o
in lieu of a workforce report.
It also says this staff will
continue to monitor the firm's
efforts to implement their eeo
plan.
So that's good news.
I did check Google Google this
is a small firm so it seems
appropriate what's happening
with all those equal
opportunity efforts.
So for the first time I started
looking at the slb dash e l b e
and the 20% voluntary on this
item and I didn't go in depth
yet into it but in Google you
know looked at the word
volunteer which is part of this
so it is voluntary and so just
a question on that Does
the volunteering work?
Does it work to help small
businesses?
I certainly hope so.
I wasn't clear on some parts of
the staff report and
the audience yet.
I say yes to amending this
software contract to all on one
on one surplus land.
Wow that's a hot topic these
days isn't it?
And I just we're having some
good dialog on it and I
appreciate that so much.
I wish we could have a real
conversations around the table
where everybody gets to share
their opinions and and
suggestions on that So but it's
important work and I think we
need to do much better work
with it on affordable housing
and things like that.
So it's 502 yes to the grant or
the Family Justice Center a big
thank you to all involved at
the Governor's Office of
Emergency Services and all
others involved with this
grant.
The grant is $312,500.
Doesn't that have a nice ring
to it?
$312,500.
It's so appreciated.
No matching funds are required
and no cost to the city so
that's a big win win all over
the place Live up to all
the original If you can please
unmute and let me know which
item or items you wish to speak
to.
Yes 5100 101 That's 502 Thank
you.
>> You'll have three minutes.
The five minute timer did
conclude there are six speakers
in the queue and no additional
speakers will be taken.
Please proceed.
So when we're engaging in
contracts with software and
entities that are providing
services with that, you know we
need to really be careful with
our data because what happens
is is these different entities
across the board will take our
data and they're investors or
people or entities like
Vanguard, BlackRock and you
know, ones that cannot be
trusted and you know when we
know that data is being sold,
you know there's subscriptions
I mean that's just kind of
the way it is.
Nobody's data is protected
because there's always going to
be a third party that comes in
and has access to it.
And so I think it's very
dangerous when it gets into
the hands of very nefarious
corporations or entities that
don't have our best interests
at heart.
And so we need to be making
sure that our data is protected
and looking into the those that
are providing these services
With the conflict of interest
codes you guys are always, you
know, waiving these things and
it's you know, bad for
business, you know, because
there's conflicts of interests
happening on an astronomical
level and it's very detrimental
to the people and being able to
have our money be spent in a,
you know, manner that is
actually going to be beneficial
and not detrimental And then
anything you guys want to do
with a surplus land you cannot
be trusted especially when you
know you could have built
housing over you know, a 4902
Pacific Highway and you guys
didn't And instead you and Stan
advised people to come across
with Jewish Family Services and
have a bunch of children be
trafficked in humans and have
their organs harvested and
different things like that.
So no, you shouldn't be doing
nothing with the surplus land
Now with the governor's award
this is very terrifying because
of what happens with children
not only in this city,
the county, the state,
the nation and the world.
And you know, it's like from
the offices of emergency
services and for Victim
Services Branch, you know, it's
like a way to exploit victims
to get money because everyone's
always really good at getting
money Like they have no problem
with that.
You guys have no problem with
that But providing the things
that needs to be provided and
actually having the money go to
what it's supposed do never
happens And that's what's so
sad is that you guys always
fall short in that And this
center, your safe place cannot
be trusted And the city
attorney cannot be trusted when
you know they've even engage
with cps and families get their
children taken And I even know
women who have gone there and
have never gotten any help.
So you know, they incentivize
getting children taken and then
those kids go into things like
the Epstein files So good your
time has concluded.
>> Sue Taylor if you can please
unmute and let me know which
item or items you wish to speak
to.
>> Yes I don't want to one 1I1
Please proceed.
You'll have one more.
Yes.
Good morning.
My name is Sue Taylor.
I submitted a written letter on
this with more detail that you
can review but I wanted to
highlight a few key points here
.
The item to exempt Mission Bay
from surface land is a positive
and necessary step and I
appreciate the effort to
address the issue.
However, it highlights a
broader problem The 2020
changes to the Surplus Land Act
now treat lease renewals as
surplus land leasing Public
land is not the same as selling
or disposing of it.
The city retains ownership and
long term control and should be
able to lease its land for
appropriate uses without
triggering a process intended
for permanent disposition.
Mission Bay is the most visible
example but this also affects
other city properties like
Belmore Park, Torrey Pines etc.
So while this exemption is
appropriate, a broader fix is
needed so we don't keep running
into the same problem on other
city properties in the future.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Next is Andrea Epping.
If you can please unmute let me
know which item or items you
wish to speak to You.
This is Andrea being I'm going
to speak to see here
the conflict of interest 100
the surplus information bay 121
and the s5o2 Please proceed.
>> You have three minutes So so
on the conflict of interest I'm
glad that we're coming forward
with any form of conflict of
interest in a contract.
It's really nice to see we have
so many conflicts of interest
taking place within the city
and county at this very moment
in time.
So to see one come forward is a
really good thing.
We should look at the conflict
of interest in the addiction
and homeless services funding
and grant program and
the victims on the other side
of those cases that involve
those parties.
We should also look at
the opioid distribution that is
rampant and actively taking
place All also reported by
these addicts and patients that
visit these facilities that are
flown in from all over
the country then made homeless
and intentionally made
continually addicted to
the drugs so that they return
to the facilities for more
money and more kickbacks.
So that's that The surplus land
on Mission Bay what a shame if
we are known for changing that
landscape we need to protect
and preserve our area.
We had a point in time where we
had a former D.A. Bonnie James
who was a super corrupt Mafia
boss who she's the one that
inserted, inserted and planted
summer stuff in her role as dea
illegally.
And that's because somebody
that would carry out her
agenda.
But I found out that she was
when she was taking that money
from the Mexican billionaire
illegally and somehow was not
charged for it.
They wanted to turn the water
front into South Bay South
Beach, Miami.
So they wanted to take our
landscape and change it And
that was the goal.
A whole bunch of bribery,
corruption and kickbacks
involved.
>> And then somehow when that
came to light a secretary of 27
years was found dead in her
home of the da's office found
dead in her home with her 18
year old daughter of a drug
overdose Despite zero history
of drug use or suicidal
tendencies are being
secretaries that know too much
to turn into Catwoman if you
would step back and move Also
this thing about the Family
Justice Center Casey Quinn, our
former city attorney started
the Family Justice Center.
It is no longer a family
justice center that follows
best practices And Mara Elliott
was one time laundering money
through it.
Here is from Public Records, a
question from the Union-Tribune
to Mara Elliott.
Can you tell me what the city
attorney is directing
charitable contributions to an
entity that is no longer
legally permitted to conduct
business in the state of
California?
>> I went to the Family Justice
Center after I was strangled,
had my head split open and my
children were abducted and they
turned me away three times.
My friend works in the homeless
services industry and they
don't help them they just give
them materials Is a money
laundering facility that's $312
to be tracked.
>> Your time has concluded 8813
If you can please unmute and
let me know which item or items
you wish to speak to.
>> Hi control here So I think
I'm going to speak on
definitely the conflicts of
interest and just touch base on
a bit of all of them.
Well my message will you please
identify the numbers and please
be sure you're speaking on all
of the items?
>> I'm sorry I don't I don't
have the numbers right in front
of me but I believe I can talk
on them.
But I like I said, I'm going to
touch base on each one of them.
But you know the subject
matters for each one of them to
be sure I need you to be
speaking on the item.
>> How about conflicts of
interest?
Okay.
Thank you.
Please proceed on conflicts of
interest.
Okay.
Thank you.
So let's see That in itself is
Oh she can speak for hours on
that.
Okay, so the conflicts of
interest within our city and
our county is disgusting And
the fact that the majority of
the county have no clue where
their money's going and and who
it's benefiting is is a real
shame.
And what are the other items?
I can't name the number but as
far as the people getting help
I mean that's what all your
items are always about, right?
People getting help and you
guys pretend like you guys are
helping but you're really not.
Again, there's no real
intention of curing anybody,
healing anybody helping anyone.
It's just like a you know, it's
kind of like big pharma.
A patient cured is revenue
lost, you know what I'm saying?
So there's really never an
intention to help a person
entirely.
I mean you'll have a has
concluded zoom user if you can
please zoom you and let me know
which item or items you wish to
speak to.
Henry Heard Thank you.
I like to speak to 5100 101 and
502 Thank you.
Please proceed on on the 502I
would say only victim money
going to American citizens No
real legal aliens or green card
guys all need some American
citizens.
You need to put that into a lot
of things and on the 100
the conflict it's interesting
now when the mayor when guys
are cutting budget cuts like
crazy and the mayor doesn't let
you guys investigate the books,
he says you can't have them.
You should call the fbi on that
or the doj because that's total
fraud.
He doesn't let you look at
the paperwork is fbi day.
Listen, this is time to call
the fbi on the matter and then
on the land grab people on
these other common items that
content agendas are very
dangerous.
You guys always try to blow
things to the consent Then just
items.
That's one of the most
dangerous votes that you guys
have.
So we got to end it.
District nine District we have
over 900 leases that nobody
knows where even the money's
collected yet How far behind So
and then even the trash thing
you find out there's 2500 guys
we're picking up trash What
they should have been paying
all along their private
businesses were doing their
trash for even know about that
for decades and picking up guys
trash and they're not even
paying for it that everything
in the city is just like that
So we forget the software just
you know yellow pad inch guy in
each in each council member Who
were the leases Who are they?
What are their names?
Are they current?
How much of the rent and
publish it on the website for
each particular business
there's 100 in my district.
I wonder if they're paying or
we're going to cut the library
fees because we don't collect
the rent.
It's crazy.
You don't need a computer.
You need one guy right?
The guy's name down here is
the money.
Otherwise you're out and you
have to have leases every two
years at them at the maximum
every year Everything else in
the real world is one year
lease all those high rise
buildings.
It's a one year lease.
One year lease.
Well that goes there for four
years without having a lease or
not pay in and just ignore it.
You know that's what the city's
doing.
They're just ignoring
the payments 15 year lease that
one lady was saying one of our
branches that hasn't been
renewed in 15 years the same
rate What's that 100 bucks a
month instead of like 5000 a
month?
You know, it's just it's just
it's ridiculous.
It's it's a clown show Instead
of having a council meeting
let's call it the clown show
meeting.
It's a clown show.
Your time is concluded.
Madison if you can please
unmute let me know which item
or items you wish to speak to
And Kathleen Lippert as our
last caller, I'd like to talk
to us.
502 Please proceed.
You have one minute.
Okay.
So I'd like to express my
support for items 5o2 and
the acceptance of funding for
the San Diego Family Justice
Center.
As a mother and community
member I am deeply grateful for
programs that support victims
of domestic violence, abuse and
trauma.
The Family Justice Center
provides a critical centralized
place where individuals and
families can access safety
planning, legal assistance and
emotional support all in one
location.
That kind of coordinated care
can be life changing and
importantly when support when
we support families in crisis
and create safer, more stable
home environments, we are also
helping prevent teen drug use
and other risky behaviors
before they begin this $300,000
grant from California
Governor's Office of Emergency
Services comes at no cost to
the city and it strengthens a
resource that serves residents
across all districts.
This is a meaningful and
responsible investment in
public safety and community
well-being.
Supporting victims district
families protects individuals.
I thank you for that concluding
comment.
Kathleen Lippert Please unmute
Let me know which item or items
you wish to speak to your final
Speaker Thank you.
Items 100 and 102 Conflicts of
interest And my name is
Kathleen Lippert.
Thank you for letting me speak
Conflicts of interest should
not be negotiable Had the city
looked at the sweetheart lease
that was granted to a former
city employee for the Glen
Airport, a public park where
the fee was getting millions in
revenues and the lease was
never updated to reflect its
true value right item to
surplus lands.
Ostensibly it's just a quote
narrow exemption from the 1962
Surplus Land Act where Mission
Day was voted on by two thirds
vote of qualified electors in
perpetuity.
That term in perpetuity should
be self-explanatory.
The La Hoya Co with another
case where Ellen Browning
Scripps who donated that land
for children's school not for
seals Thank you for letting me
speak.
Thank you.
That is going to public comment
on the consent items.
>> All right Thank you city
clerk and over to council
colleagues for questions
Comments Entertain a motion and
we'll start with council member
Campbell.
>> Thank you so much Council
PRESIDENT I would like to move
the consent items and I would
like to speak on item 101.
This is the resolution in
support of a b 2525 surplus
Lands Mission Bay Park It is
important that our city support
a b 2525 surplus lands and
Mission Bay Park This is a
state bill written by my
Assembly member and former
colleague who I sat next to
Chris Ward and sponsored by
Mayor John Gloria.
That is why my office has
brought forward this resolution
in support of a b 2525 which
provides important clarity to
protect Mission Bay Park, a
park that lies largely within
District to my district mission
Bay Park is the largest manmade
aquatic park in the United
State.
It has long been protected as
dedicated parks base.
There are several items that
protected the state Tidelands
law, the City Charter,
the Mission Bay Park Master
plan.
The voter approved measures all
make clear that this land must
remain devoted as a park space
and that residential
development is not allowed
here.
While the Surplus Land Act
plays an important role in
addressing California's housing
needs, its requirements simply
do not fit in with places like
Mission Bay Park or housing is
prohibited.
Ab 2325 provides the clarity
the land within Mission Bay
Park should not be subject to
the Surplus Land Act and that
mission Bay Park must remain a
protected park for future
generations.
And now I call on our State
Assembly members and senators
to support this bill and get it
to the governor's desk for
signature.
More specifically, I urge
the Assembly Local Government
Committee which is meeting I
believe tomorrow to pass this
bill through their committee
tomorrow at tomorrow's meeting
supporting this bill means
respecting the will of San
Diego voters who have
repeatedly chosen to safeguard
the park and the other multiple
measures that are in the law
that protect the park.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
>> All right.
Thank you, Councilmember
Campbell.
So we do have a motion by
Councilmember Campbell to move
The consent items will go next
to Councilmember Quan Wolpert
Thank you.
I'm happy to second the motion
and I thank you to DR. Jen for
your leadership.
We know we heard it our science
committee about Mission Bay and
they get a across ward for his
leadership as well and
protecting that vital land and
space And also congratulations
to the Family Justice Center,
your safe place.
Thank you for all
the incredible work you're
doing every day And we're very
glad to see this grant coming
in Also the motion.
>> All right.
Thank you.
We have a motion by council
member Campbell second by
council member Yvonne Wolpert
and we'll go next to Council
Member Campo Thank you Council
PRESIDENT And I want to thank
Council Member Campbell for
bringing the item to committee
and her work on that as well as
Assembly Member Ward for
championing it at the state
level.
It was also included in our
city's state legislative
lobbying package heard at Eden
Air and on and by the whole
council As as it's been said,
Mission Bay is unique and
irreplaceable as a public
resource and should be
accessible and protected for
generations to come.
The reason it is so important
to have this bill passes
because of the inherent legal
the inherent linguistic
conflict within the Surplus
Land Act that suggests that we
have to make a good faith
negotiation for housing on a
piece of land that we are
voters And our mission Bay
Master Plan says there won't be
housing.
So this is a really necessary
piece of legislation as well.
I want to thank former council
member Donna Frye for her
continued advocacy and
leadership on this and I will
be in support.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you.
Council member Camp Hill See no
one else in the lights off for
just one comment as well
enjoying everyone and thanking
council member Campbell for
bringing the resolution on ab
2525 You know one of
the criticisms we all forget is
that it's difficult for
the public to understand what
we're doing and how we're doing
it And it's a continuing
challenge to communicate more
clearly.
The Surplus Lands Act I think
is often misunderstood but this
assembly bill is incredibly
important because it does
create the backstop that
prevents Sacramento laws from
overriding what the voters of
San Diego have done both in
the charter as well as
the votes that created
the Mission Bay Master plan
going forward.
So this is just a shield
against Sacramento overreach in
trying to prevent what every
actually everybody has always
said has always agreed to which
is Mission Bay is not the place
for housing.
We have plenty of opportunity
to provide the housing that San
Diegans need not in Mission
Bay.
So again thank you Council
member Campbell and your office
for bringing this item forward.
So with that we have a motion
by Councilmember Campbell and a
second by council member Vaughn
Wolpert.
>> So please call the roll I'm
sorry the voting system Just to
clarify for the record is item
101 that had 14 in favor via
our e comment forms that passes
unanimously 8 to 0 with Council
member Marino absent Thank you
Council PRESIDENT All right
Thank you.
So here is an opportunity for
comment from the mayor's
office, council members, city
attorney in the budget
independent budget analyst or
city clerk not seeing anyone on
the lights.
I'll just do a quick thank you
to the council PRESIDENT Pro
Tem Lee for taking over
yesterday's council session.
I joined a number of service
providers up in Sacramento
yesterday to frankly lobby both
assembly members and Senate of
state senators for continuation
of the budget for at least
the dollar amount in last
year's budget if not more.
There's incredible work being
done in the homeless space.
We've created a strong
foundation in terms of
the action that the mayor's
brought forward.
The council supported.
This is not a time to upset
that we need funding and we
need regular funding every
single year.
So with that we will now take
up non agenda public comment.
Council members respect and
appreciate the public's input
and are fully committed to
protecting every every
participant's free speech
rights at council and committee
meetings Clerk without please
proceed with knowledge for
public comment.
>> Thank you Council President
Pearl 2.7 a public comment is
an opportunity for members of
the public to comment on items
that are not on the agenda but
within the subject matter
jurisdiction of the City
Council.
Each speaker will have two
minutes.
Please note if there are eight
or more speakers on a single
topic the maximum time for
the topic will be 16 minutes.
If you are in chambers please
submit your speaker slip.
If you're joining us virtually
please raise your hand to speak
by tapping the Raise your hand
icon or if you'll call on
Participant Star nine Marissa
Cuevas If you can please come
up to the microphone.
After that we have Anton Turek
and Eric Jensen If you can
please come up to the yellow
reserved seats at the front of
the room.
You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
Good evening.
In 2022 my grandparents voted
for Measure b which would have
made the trash fees between $23
to $29.
Now I'm here because my
grandparents can't be.
My grandma works and my
grandparents are on a fixed
income right now.
But the people approve The 23
to $29 is not what they're
being charged.
In fact the people are being
charged up to $43 a month
almost doubled what they were
told.
Like I said, my grandparents
are on a fixed income.
This is something they have to
account for and consider when
they're dealing with their
personal budget and their own
finances.
The extra cost is a real
concern for the people of this
city in a city that is already
so expensive to live in.
And with cost only going up by
the day the people do not need
the city artificially
increasing or inflating another
cost they have especially when
they voted for the 23 to $29
per month.
I would say right now I've
never experienced, you know, my
day to day life where people
bring up issues with the city.
But I do find this particular
topic as well as the Balboa
parking fee.
People are constantly talking
to me about it.
You know that they're getting a
new trash bin despite them just
paying for a new one or you
know they're getting these
services that they don't It
doesn't seem like there's a
rhyme or reason as to what's
happening and that it's
completely disregarding what
their current need is.
For instance, my grandparents
don't need a large trash bin
because it's only the two of
them.
And you know that's just more
household to have to bring it
out to the curb.
You know, my grandparents are
older so it is a concern of
mine And like I said, they
can't be here because they
don't have that time to come
out and give public comment.
So the city had been saying,
you know, that they increased
the charge because they had
additional fees and revenues.
>> But I urge you to thank me
for that concluding comment.
>> Anton Good afternoon.
PRESIDENT Kennedy once said
that an error does not become a
mistake until you refuse to
correct it.
I like this quote because we
all make errors sometimes in
our day to day lives.
Sometimes you leave your keys
at home.
Sometimes you forget to put
your laundry in the dryer and
sometimes you forget to you
tell the voters of San Diego
that if Measure b passes
the new trash fee would be
somewhere between 23 and $29
per month when in reality you
charge them closer to $43 per
month.
The cost of collecting trash is
projected to increase over
the next four years even though
the number of customers
actually decreased, the initial
cost of service was projected
to be $70 million.
And somehow this number shot up
to $140 million.
These numbers simply do not add
up.
Just last week Judge Oliver
said that these projections
quote appear mathematically
counterintuitive and raise a
triable issue of fact that
the projections MAY be based on
faulty assumptions rather than
actual costs.
These increased fees lose on
paper.
We have all seen what's been
going on with the parking at
Balboa Park and this trash fee
is unfortunately just another
symptom of the city's
mismanagement of the budget.
You're in the middle of
drafting the budget right now.
You have a real chance here to
correct an error before it
becomes a mistake And more
money and more time gets
wasted.
The people of San Diego voted
for 23 to $29 and they would be
happy with 23 to $29.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Next we have Eric Jensen.
>> Hello, Council.
I'm here to speak about
the trash fee because at this
point this is about more than
sanitation.
It's about trust.
After San Diego voters accepted
the measure b trash fee,
the city's numbers came back
far higher than the public had
been led to expect.
What was presented is roughly
23 to $29 per month became fees
as high as $43.60 per month.
These fees are expected to
continue to rise quickly
growing to a monthly fee that
exceeds twice as much as what
voters agreed to pay.
And now a court has said that
there are serious questions
about how the city arrived at
these figures.
Serious enough for a lawsuit to
go to trial.
The court pointed to a basic
problem How can the city
project fewer households
receiving trash service yet
still project costs so much
higher than what voters were
allowed to expect?
The court said quote This
disconnect creates a
fundamental analytical problem
.
San Diego is are hearing all of
this in the context of
everything else They've already
been asked to absorb budget
shortfalls, rising fees, higher
parking costs and growing
financial pressure.
>> Residents understand that
the city faces financial
challenges but they should not
be asked to carry the burden of
mistakes Poor planning or
financial decisions that they
did not make.
The city of San Diego cannot
afford to keep losing
the public trust this way.
At a time when confidence in
public institutions is already
fragile, the city should be
doing everything it can to
restore that trust.
Now we can in the city can
start by making this right and
honoring what voters agreed to
pay.
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
In the five minute time we're
here in council chambers going
to those participating
remotely.
Currently have ten callers in
the queue When the 5 minutes to
5 minute timer concludes.
Additional callers will be
taken The original If you can
please unmute.
>> Point of order I would like
to request the extra two
minutes from last week that was
robbed from the people during
non agenda when the board
negligently had no quorum and
was taken over by me using
Robert's Rules of order.
>> Are you willing to make that
comment?
But we will kindly disagree.
>> All right.
You would disagree.
See that's the problem is that
you guys didn't have a quorum
last meeting.
You actually disenfranchize
the people by not allowing them
to speak during that meeting
And you haven't been making it
up since as shown right now And
I invoked Robert's Rules of
order and you have nothing in
your budget policy or in
the Brown Act that would
determine what to do in a place
like that.
So you kept telling me I made
my point.
I made my point which I did and
you were terrified about.
That's why you were acting
selfishly And I have it on tape
and I should be in charge of
that council.
So it's very sad to see what
you guys do.
How much fraud, waste and abuse
you engage in.
I mean you can't even pay
attention and know when you do
or when you don't have a quorum
because you continued
the business until I said
something Whether or not you
saw it you still allowed
the meeting to continue until I
invoked Robert's Rules of Order
and said I would like to take
over the council.
Then you kept then you
pretended that you saw it and
oh no, now we have to adjourn.
And then you kept saying I made
my point to the point of being
disruptive and you sent
the police out to me.
That's how scared you were
about what I did Because every
look on your guys's face was
terrified because you know what
I did was legit And outside of
that you know that you
disenfranchize all of
the people that were waiting to
speak because you guys can't be
there to do your job.
But what you can do is get
money.
You're always good at that But
when it has anything to do with
the people or holding true to
what is actually happening
which is me taking over that
council, you tried to bury it
under the rug just like
everything else that you guys
do.
Barbara Gordon Your next
speaker if you can please
unmute.
Good afternoon.
I am a public health advocate
with so many needs in the city
and with the budget shortage I
respectfully request the city
to not implement the cannabis
social equity program.
This program is not sustained
over the long term without
impacting the already strained
city resources.
San Diego already has 38
marijuana businesses.
Why are we looking to expand
the number of businesses which
will be a burden to
marginalized communities in
the name of social equity as
the city struggles with
homelessness, many peer review
studies show that marijuana use
contributes to drug abuse and
addiction which is the leading
cause of homelessness.
The latest National Survey on
Drug Use and Health estimate
32% of the 62 million test
marijuana users 12 years and
older in America have cannabis
use disorder.
The profit driven marijuana
industry continues to produce
and promote stronger products
that are addicting millions and
just and disrupting their
lives.
Published in the Journal of
American Medical Association
health form said marijuana use
is though is linked to
the doubling risk of psychotic
and bipolar disorder.
I urge this Council to not
prioritize this industry over
the many needs of the city.
Your focus and responsibility
are public health and safety
not advocating for more
marijuana businesses in
the city.
Thank you for letting me speak
.
>> Our finalists Our next
speaker is Becky Rob.
Please unmute.
>> Good afternoon.
My name is Becky Rapp and I'm
here today to raise also raise
concerns regarding the proposed
such socially equitable
cannabis program and what
appears to be a looming
financial disaster for the city
if it's implemented.
We need to look honestly at
the city's existing framework.
San Diego has already issued
dozens of permits yet a
significant number of those
operators have never opened
their doors.
That's not a sign of a healthy
system and it's more of a
warning that something isn't
working out.
The reality is that opening a
marijuana business in San Diego
is extremely difficult and
expensive.
Between permitting costs,
regulatory compliance, real
estate security and ongoing
taxes, many operators simply
cannot make the numbers work.
Even well-funded applicants
struggle to get to opening day.
So why are we proposing to add
more permits when the current
system is already struggling?
Tomorrow the mayor the mayor's
budget will be released and it
will reflect the priorities of
this governing body.
After the very concerning
conversations just yesterday
surrounding lease agreements
and financial obligations,
the document will be especially
telling of the mayor's
priorities.
There's no denying that
permitting marijuana businesses
have become costly for the city
staff time administrative
overhead program, development
enforcement and potential
subsidies that all come at a
cost.
So I urge this council to pause
this effort and direct staff to
provide a full financial and
operational analysis including
the performance of existing
marijuana businesses.
Thank you.
Next is Madison.
If you can please unmute.
I thank you for the opportunity
to speak again today.
I just wanted to briefly follow
up on the issue of thc and road
safety because it highlights a
serious gap we cannot ignore
even with growing concerns
about marijuana impaired
driving.
We still do not have a reliable
or widely accepted way to
measure real time impairment on
the roadside.
A recent federally funded study
is now working toward a thc
breathalyzer but it's still in
early stages more of a proof of
concept and not something law
enforcement can depend on yet.
At the same time, federal
agencies acknowledge that thc
levels don't clearly correlate
with impairment like alcohol
does.
So we are expanding access to a
substance that impairs reaction
time and judgment without
having the tools to
consistently detect or deter
impaired driving.
That is a public safety risk.
More storefronts would mean
increased normalization
increased use and inevitably
more drivers on the road under
the influence.
Especially in a city as large
and car dependent as San Diego
.
It's irresponsible to continue
promoting the sale of mind
altering drugs when they have
real world consequences for
the majority of people who
choose not to use them.
The impairment is clearly real
and has had plenty of research
proving it makes drivers
unsafe.
If we cannot even reliably
measure the level of impairment
we cannot effectively enforce
against it and that puts every
family on the road at greater
risk.
I urge you to pause and
reconsider any expansion with a
c program that moves faster
than our ability to protect
public safety.
Please prioritize as
the well-being of our
communities and think carefully
about the real world
consequences.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
The five minute timer had
concluded and six people are in
the queue.
No additional speakers will be
taken.
Peggy Walker If you can please
unmute.
>> Thank you.
A council city budget deficit
at 129 million.
I wonder that the marijuana
industry is the biggest con
since big tobacco gets away
with blatantly false medical
claims and tax free so-called
medical sales.
A considerable part of
dispensary marijuana sales are
for pain and anxiety.
At the same time, major medical
institutions including Harvard
,Cleveland and Mayo Clinic's
among others have debunked
industry medical claims stating
their research shows slim to no
evidence that dispensary smoked
or ingested weed has any
medical benefit at all.
So why allow this industry to
continue the medical marijuana
myth in the first place and to
do so without taxation when
legitimate over the counter
meds like aspirin are taxed?
There's no fda approval of
dispensary pot for any medical
condition.
While there are prescription
based cannabis myths like about
Epidiolex.
These have gone through fda
pharmaceutical protocols.
They do not cause a high and
should never be conflated with
dispensary pot.
The fact is the moniker medical
marijuana is a political feint
that allowed the industry to
boost sales and achieve
widespread commercialization.
I know a medical cardholder who
was given quote medical
marijuana for anxiety caused by
driving while high.
This is insanity.
Consider that alcohol and
tobacco are used if one wisely
for anxiety to but are taxed.
>> All dispensary All
dispensary Marijuana should be
highly taxed without exception
and part ways should be highly
taxed too.
Thank you.
>> Next is Andrea.
I think if you can please
unmute.
Hi this is Andrea Ebbing.
First thing I want to say is we
need to have a working
functional lights and cameras
at a rec center where children
are.
We should also have police
officers who are allowed able
to control themselves from
beating women in front of 40
children at those parks But of
course without cameras working
we have to rely on the children
who are recording that beating
brutal beating.
But I did want to say I just
made a finding that everyone
should pay very close attention
to.
There is a site called
Transparent California dot com
that gives financial
information off the tax records
of city and county employees
And everybody's concerned about
the trash fees.
But we need to know as a
community San Diego somebody in
the city office or county
office is manipulating these
transparent California records
as if nobody can go back on
the weight Wayback machine and
find all the data that's been
removed.
But Kenneth Biggers Kenneth
Biggers, District Rescue's
collection supervisor, is one
of the 103 city employees that
I found to have zero regular
pay that's zero salary.
However, he has $146,000 in
other pay and for total pay and
benefits $288,000 for the year
2024.
Again, zero pay their money
laundering and they did this
trash thing on the back of
other pay.
So they're manipulating things.
This is corruption You are
witnessing public corruption.
And when I brought this up
before somebody went back and
they scrambled and they had it
removed but I have screenshots
of everything I exported
the data I have the 103
employees that make $0 and
the Luna and Cheryl Looney
making $397,000 of other pay
for a total of $500,000.
As an admin we are a budget
deficit because of the money
laundering and pay payroll tax
included It when three if you
can please and you after that
Ontarians getting 81 38813 If
you count on me for yours I
can't Omeo for you.
There you go.
>> Okay thank you Consuelo
here.
So yeah I just kind of wanted
to point out well actually to
the first speaker who mentioned
about there's no reason or
rhyme there actually is a
reason for their rhyme.
It's because they do not work
for the people of San Diego.
They work for globalists
Remember this.
Things they do that don't make
sense to us here locally
because they're following
orders from the ones who are
truly calling the shots And
they you know over the years,
especially these past 5 or 6
years they've moved well
they're moving in high speed
But these are the latest I mean
since covid.
But prior to that they were
moving incrementally.
You know, in order to establish
these ideas like roundabouts
and you know,
the implementation of these
unsafe and equitable bike lanes
that are only being utilized by
you know, like I always say
the crackheads because that's
true We all see using those
bike lanes and they're not safe
.
They will continue to penalize
drivers even more in
the future.
We are currently just
experiencing that right now
the high gas speed limit lanes
and paying for parking
everywhere But what's coming
down the line is even worse.
Unfortunately our younger
generations are being
influenced by propaganda of
the carbon crisis and global
warming.
Yet you know we keep seeing
that our seashore hasn't
changed in decades.
It remains the same.
They continue to use fear to
control the people.
I mean talk about con, you know
and unfortunately the people
are too busy to pay attention
to this racket called
government local and federal
and state All of them And but
the silver lining is just exist
And those people who voted for
it like you said the time has
concluded during And Scully, if
you can please unmute.
>> Good afternoon San Diego
City Council My name is
Terrence Gilliam, a parent and
a planning group member who
advocates for financial
policies that enhance good
public health and safety.
Today I'd like to draw
attention to the city tobacco's
retailers Licensure Program
ordinance and the associated
enforcement efforts associated
with it.
As a parent I applaud your
efforts to reduce tobacco
product sales to those under
the age of 21 and to remove
unauthorized tobacco products
from the shelves like illegal
flavored tobacco products and
prosecute those who sell it to
them.
This is money well spent
recently in a school campus
newsletter, a teen reporter
wrote this and I quote The Vape
and Smoke shop is exposing
students to vapes along with
several unapproved and possibly
dangerous drugs And it is to
near my school.
End quote.
Opening a smoke shop next to a
school is unfair especially
considering that schools
already struggle with students
vaping on campus.
I feel we owe it to these
students to take action for
these students to see us take
action and make sure that it
will be easy for residents
parents and school
administrators to file a
complaint with the city.
Perhaps the city's public
relations department or media
could serve us all by providing
the information for filing
complaints.
Thank you for your funding
enforcement actions that affirm
our city's commitment to
healthy and safe young adults.
Thank you for hearing my
concerns this afternoon.
Thank you.
Blair Beckerman If you can
please unmute and then 8700 or
a final speaker.
All right.
Thank you.
Blair Beekman I wanted to do
housecleaning items today.
And I guess first of all I was
at the meeting last week with
the ira at the end of
the meeting.
I interesting comments she
offered I put her words down to
a letter to yourselves in
overall practices we can do
when that sort of item happens
again.
There's a bunch of issues about
quorum We have to be better
addressing that I tried to
address in a letter.
I hope you can read and we can
go over.
It's important.
We have to have quorum in
the future.
You guys can't be We have to
coordinate it.
You can't be ducking out in so
many numbers such large numbers
that you have.
We have to coordinate that
better read the letter and
understand what we could be
doing.
Other items?
Yeah, a whole bunch of stuff I
talked about other items to
think about.
The pib had a really
interesting monthly meeting
last week Thursday that I hope
you can review some of
the items talked about today.
Just basic stuff on you know
internal housekeeping stuff for
your accounting issues.
They talked about it was a
really interesting session and
I think it set a good course
how we what to expect and how
we could be working in 2026
towards best practices of tech
accountability.
So I really invite yourselves
to review that meeting and get
a sense of what's really
the questions being asked by
community what's being worked
on.
Thank you.
Public comment yesterday about
housing issues.
There's a house that you're
going on in downtown.
That person you know wants to
be addressed.
We have to start addressing
those things again in good
terms and not horrible terms.
Good luck What we can be doing
towards those ends It's a
community effort towards
healing Good luck And in doing
that and Councilperson John
Wolpert thanks for her words
today and for everybody's words
thank you in 700 her final
speaker Thank you City clerk 28
joy Senator first a quick shout
out before I speak on
the budget Shout out to MR.
Capshaw your appointment to
the audit committee as public
member is very good news.
Thank you to everyone involved
in that.
Okay.
And the budget.
Easy to do My favorite likes
that So easy to do what I'm
willing to cut.
I find it's not easy to cut
because I'm not in the position
and the public can see
the necessary big picture.
I thought I understood core
services and then I learned of
mandated core services Your
public take a look at that if
you need to mandated core
services that is part of
the detailed big picture I'm
not for now so I am keeping it
simple now they're public and
everyone else Each day that I
am involved you get our city
government.
I look for opportunities where
I can get better at what I do
and where city I also look
where our city and staff can
also get better at what they
do.
That's called getting better
together One people, one family
member I added one family I
love that one.
San Diego love to all Thank
you.
That does conclude the public
comment for this meeting.
You raise your hand after
the five minute timer you can
submit Speak your comments to
City clerk at San diego.Gov and
they will be distributed.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right thank you City Clerk With
that we will now adjourn for
the noon recess and reconvene
open session at 2 P.M. Or
shortly thereafter
And
then
.
>> All right.
Good afternoon.
I will now reconvene the city
council meeting of Tuesday,
APRIL 14th, 2026.
>> clerk Please call the roll.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Council
Member Campbell here Council
Member Whitburn here.
Council Member Foster Council
Member Von Wilpert Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee Council
Member Campion Council Member
Moreno Council Member Ella
Rivera and Council PRESIDENT
LaCava.
Thank you Clerk.
A quorum is now Oh you want to
truth Why don't you just say
here Oh here.
Assistant City Attorney Leslie
Fitzgerald also attending
the meeting independent budget
analyst Charles Mollica,
Council Affairs Advisor in
the Mayor's office, code
advisor and myself your city
clerk Diana Fuentes.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Sorry.
All right.
Now that was my bad.
A quorum is now present with
that clerk.
>> Please introduce item f50
six items 5o6 is a salary
ordinance for fiscal year 2027.
If you'd like to speak on this
item please be sure to submit
your speaker slip to the front
of the room in the clear box If
you are participating remotely
now's the time to raise your
hand by pressing Star nine or
the raise your hand icon.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right Well staff when you
settle in please introduce
yourself for the record and
then let us know how much time
you need.
Good afternoon.
Council PRESIDENT And council
members.
I'm Abby Darrell Wells, Deputy
Director in the Human Resources
Department.
With me today is director Julie
Rascoe, Deputy Director John
Trigger Eric Hansen Senior
Human Resources Officer.
Also with us today are several
members of the Salary Ordinance
Committee Kota Visor from
the mayor's office Rolando
Serval Chief Financial officer
Chief Melendez from the fire
Rescue department.
Tom Brady from the city
attorney's office.
Lisa Burns from the Abby's
office, Cornell Allen from
the risk management department.
Chrystia Davis from
the personnel department and
Chris Purcell from the Finance
Department are presentations
about eight minutes We're here
today to present the fiscal
year 2027 salary ordinance
Before we begin our
presentation we wanted to note
that there were some
clarifications made to
the staff report salary
ordinance attachment to an
exhibit c, f, g and h to
reflect working title updates
which we'll walk through during
the presentation and copies
have been provided to you.
I will now turn it over to Eric
who will walk through
the presentation.
All right.
The salary ordinance is an
annual item that establishes
the compensation schedules for
all employees and officers of
the city per the city charter.
The charter mandates that
the first reading of the salary
ordinance must be presented to
city council by APRIL 15th.
Each year This year's
presentation is broken down
into five sections Those are
salary and wage adjustments,
recommended updates, civil
service recommendations,
minimum wage compliance and
acknowledgment s for salary
wage adjustments salary and
wage adjustments The city is
currently negotiating with all
six Recognize employee
organizations also known as
Oreos and therefore there are
currently no wage increases to
report for employees
represented by the Oreos.
We will be returning to City
council with amendments to
the f y 2027 salary ordinance
to reflect any negotiating as
to wages and benefits when it
comes to wage adjustments for
unrepresented employees, there
are no proposed increases for
unrepresented employees as
contract negotiation seasons
are ongoing.
We will also return to City
council once the negotiations
have concluded with any
recommended adjustments.
Next we'll turn to recommended
updates.
First is position titles and
the following are recommended
updates to titles in order to
align the Fire rescue
department's rank structure
with the National Incident
Management System which is
followed by nearly all fire
departments in the country.
The title changes will be as
follows Assistant Fire Chief
Classification in the Executive
for Category and Exhibit c will
change to Deputy Fire Chief and
the title of the Deputy Fire
Chief classification in
the Managerial c category and
Exhibit c will change to
Assistant Fire Chief.
Next is working titles.
The following are
the recommended updates to
working title.
First is the Assistant City
Manager a position exempted by
the city Charter which has been
operationalized with
the working title of Assistant
Chief Operating Officer which h
is It is proposed to be updated
to Chief of Staff the Assistant
to the City Manager a position
also exempted by the city
charter has been
operationalized with
the working title of Deputy
Chief Operating Officer which
is proposed to be updated to
Chief Officer The Business
Center manager which has a
working title of Assistant
Deputy Chief Operating Officer
is proposed to be updated to
Deputy Chief of Staff.
And finally the assistant to
the city manager which has a
working title of assistant to
the Chief operating officer is
recommended to be eliminated.
Next we have recommended
movements between salary ranges
as requested by the city clerk.
It is recommended to move
the assistant City Clerk
classification from managerial
c to miscellaneous a This will
result in the Assistant City
Clerk classification having
the same salary range as other
Assistant Director positions in
independent city departments in
order to align with the overall
citywide position hierarchy of
the unclassified service it is
recommended to move
the retitled Assistant Fire
Chief along with the Assistant
Police Chief to the Executive
three category.
>> Now I will cover recommended
updates to exhibits f for auto
allowance je for management
administrative leave and h
the four Management Executive
Life Insurance The following
are only working title updates
and do not change the current
benefits received by these
positions for Exhibit f Auto
allowance The recommendation is
to update the assistant to
the City Manager working title
which is currently Deputy Chief
Operating Officer to be Chief
Upper excuse me Chief Officer
and to add Business Center
manager with the working title
of Deputy Chief of Staff for
Exhibit g Management
Administrative Leave.
The recommendation is also to
update the assistant to
the City Manager working title
which is currently Deputy Chief
Operating Officer to be Chief
Officer and to add the Business
Center manager with the working
title of Deputy Chief of Staff
for Exhibit h.
The working title is being
updated for existing Assistant
City Manager to Chief of Staff
and the working title update
for the existing Assistant to
the City Manager which is Chief
Officer for Civil Service
Commission recommendations.
There are three groups of
recommendations.
First are new or reestablished
classifications.
There are seven new or
reestablished classifications
recommended by the Civil
Service Commission through
the annual salary salary review
process Four are represented by
mba and three by Local 145
second or title changes.
There are four title changes
recommended by the Civil
Service Commission through
the annual salary review
process.
Those include Legal Secretary
one and two which are
recommended to be changed to
legal administrative assistants
one and two Senior legal
secretary which will be changed
to senior legal Administrative
Assistant and Principal Legal
Secretary which will be change
a principal legal
administrative assistant.
Third are the deletions.
There are 16 classifications
recommended by the Civil
Service Commission for deletion
.
Nine of these are represented
five or local 127 represented
and to our unrepresented.
Next is the minimum wage
compliance the California
minimum wage increase to $16.90
per hour on JANUARY 1st of 2026
The salary ordinance assuming
the salary ordinance codifies
it Also on JANUARY 1st, 2026,
the city of San Diego minimum
wage increase to $17.75 per
hour according to the salary
tables and exhibits to
the salary ordinance all city
employees will be paid no less
than the local minimum wage of
$17.75 per hour.
Finally we have acknowledgments
While H.R. Is the lead for
the salary ordinance
presentation, it is a team
effort each I'd like to
acknowledge and thank
the following for their input
and help the City Attorney's
Office personnel aba's Office
Department of Finance Risk
Management and the Department
of Information Technology.
This concludes our presentation
and we are happy to take any
questions you MAY have.
>> All right.
Thank you for your
presentation, Clark Let's
proceed with public testimony
on s506 Thank you.
Item s I was six We have one
speaker here in council
chambers and others and
the virtual q l del Mastro if
you can please come forward.
Yes.
You'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
Hi, my name is Al Del Mastro
And um, you know the reason why
I oppose this the salaries is
because how misleading it was
on Prop l that you guys all got
such a large raises over and in
the deal is is that good
leaders lead by example so if
you want to take a salary cut
push it on the public to have a
salary cut like I'm a mom a
small mom and pop Liam Ward and
the restrictions you put on me
over and over again the idea
that this new thing that's
misleading that's being put on
by Sean Isla Rivera this thing
about the empty house law which
I looked it up again yesterday
and after I spoke to MR. Looked
it up I'm not exempt It is
because I live in a five plex
So if my wife dies and I can't
complete an apartment in six
months I'm going to get a
$10,000 fine Or if I get cancer
I'm going to get a $10,000
fine.
Who thinks that's a good He
doesn't think this is
the ugliest law since Jim Crow
and it's really hard that you
guys would approve this against
senior citizens unity.
Can you focus on the salary
ordinance and not it is on So
it's just a misleading part.
That's how I'm putting it.
I'm just as misleading as
the salary ordinance was put in
is how misleading this is being
put in.
You know who would do that to a
senior on 90% of all mom and
pops are between the ages of 55
and 80 years old.
Do you think you should do that
to a senior, Joe?
You think you should give them
a fine if they can't get their
home up in time because of
their grieving or they have
cancer or they have an illness
and not in a long The only
exemption for illness is that
if you're in a long term care
facility that's it I live in in
or exemption If you live in a
property that's less than four
units that's it.
There is no other exemption for
me.
>> Thank you.
I'm sorry.
At the five minute time we're
hearing council chambers going
to those participating remotely
currently have three speakers
in the Kubler Beckman.
If you can please unmute I
thank you for this item.
Thank you for how you're
talking about it.
I just wanted to quickly offer
that at public comment
yesterday a person you know
asked the question if city
council persons and the mayor
can consider taking a cut in
salary.
I thought it was a nice thing
to offer.
I think it's an item we still
have to be considering as
you're deliberating these
issues that are very many right
now for this item.
I hope we really can be
considering the future of
whatever type of salary cut
council can make and definitely
the mayor it's definitely a
goodwill gesture.
It is working in the right
direction and I think it'll
give yourselves a good sense of
how to better address issues
it's sacrificing And I think I
think you're respected and good
things will arise from it.
I hope you can really be
considering I think it's an
important item to consider for
a future and it certainly gives
good faith to the community
that you're trying to look for
answers to.
>> Thanks.
Thank you.
Your next is the original If
you can please unmute with
the failures of the city It's
pretty ridiculous that we
continually talk about giving
raises and with the exorbitant
amounts of money that you guys
make and the mayor makes I mean
it's crazy because there's all
this other pay and kickbacks
that come in and it's like you
guys shouldn't be making more
than Congress.
That's ridiculous.
And you guys are going to
always continually give people
raises instead of making sure
that you guys are providing
everything that the city is
supposed to be providing,
you're failing miserably.
And it's like when you sit here
and you're like reclassifying
different positions at super
suspicious cause is that a way
if somebody like salary was
capped at something and they
couldn't make any more then you
put them into a new position
and they can start making more
and more money.
I mean just the things that you
guys do are fishy and you
should be willing to take a pay
cut.
I mean you guys are the ones
that increase the cost of
living every time that you have
a meeting and you want to sit
here and act like you're going
to go after others who do it,
you're the ones who do it and
the people come to you and like
thank you for it.
It's really sad because it's
like you know looking at how
much money you guys make and
like the normal person just
trying to pay rent It's pretty
crazy And I don't know how you
guys can sit up there and not
see what's going on and that
that's very kind of, you know,
just a slap in the face and
gaslighting of the people to
act like you really care when
you guys are just always giving
raises and you're failing.
I mean no other business would
be like Yeah, we're going to
give you a raise even though
you're not doing what you're
supposed to be doing.
It only happens in government
And it's crazy because
the government gets bigger and
bigger but everything gets
worse and worse and it's just
more control and more like, you
know, meddling into people's
lives.
So like when you guys actually
start providing what needs to
be provided and you put
engaging in fraud, waste and
abuse with our money then maybe
raises can be talked about.
But until then you guys need to
be thinking about how you're
going to cut your salaries.
Our final speaker 8700 If you
can please unmute.
Thank you.
31 days of joy Senator Okay.
On the PowerPoint with the mou
negotiations and the under and
the unrepresented group we
don't have we don't know what
the outcome will be.
So will these figures which
will probably go up affect
the f y 28 budget.
I know there's some sort of it
goes ahead a year or two so I
need clarity on that if
possible.
I don't know if there's another
hearing on the salary
ordinance.
I tried to look at the aba
budget dates and I couldn't
find them either On the aba
website or I lost them in my
pdf file So I need that fire
department adjustments again on
the PowerPoint.
I couldn't get what was
happening there.
It seemed like there was a
title that was taken away and
been given so I don't know what
to do with that.
Do changes involve salary
increases?
Of course they do.
And what is the total
expenditure?
When are we going to know these
things get approved?
How much is going to have to
come out of the citizens
pockets of all our pockets?
So please please clarify that
for us.
And then as far as all of you
council and so with the mayor
getting pay increases, we
really need to talk about that
and be fair for everybody to
thank you for this.
I'll leave it up to you to
decide where to go with it.
I love you all.
Thank you.
That does conclude public
comment on this item.
>> All right.
Thank you, city Clerk And with
that will turn it over to
the council for questions,
Comments and entertain a motion
.
I'm going to go first.
Not anybody else Even though my
staff said go last.
Thank you for the good work as
council PRESIDENT I, I think
I've I feel compelled.
This is a big thing We know
with the date that this has to
be delivered So the number of
changes that happened including
today really makes it tough for
council to go to deliberations.
I think there was a lot of
transparency in that even
though material was being
delivered late and I think some
of it was in response to some
of the questions that were
raised being raised by my
colleagues or their staff going
forward.
But I kind of feel like I have
to say this so we need the time
to digest what you all have
been spending days, weeks,
perhaps months on to
the working titles Now we had
working titles last year when
we approved the salary
ordinance.
There are some changes to
the working titles this year.
Help us understand the whole
purpose of doing working titles
as opposed to saying Let's just
change this classification to
abc instead of saying it's x,
y, z in parentheses Working
title abc What's the logic in
that?
So several of the positions
that are identified expressly
in the salary ordinance are
also identified expressly in
the charter and because they're
identified in the charter they
have to have that position And
working titles can be the way
that you can explain the upper
is ational effectiveness of
that position So a deputy chief
of staff instead of a say an
assistant to the city manager
is that's more in line with
the current practice.
>> Okay.
I think the other thing that
came up that I think we're all
thinking about right now
excluding the minimum wage
because that obviously will pay
some individuals more per hour
to stay consistent with
the minimum wage.
Does the changes indicated on
here have any net impact on our
budget?
>> No, there is no change.
That's why we're noting that
upon conclusion of negotiations
we would come back we would do
an amendment to the salary
ordinance as we have done in
past years that would affect
the budget changes at that
time.
>> Okay.
And just to clarify except for
the minimum wage and except for
whatever MAY happen with
the Orioles and the six
contracts that any of the title
changes any of
the reclassifications any of
the side benefits that are
reference there is no cost with
the action being called for
today Correct?
This is merely title changes no
change in benefits or wages or
salaries for any employees at
this time.
>> Okay.
I wanted to get that on
the record because I know
people will be concerned about
that And then I see our chief
is in the back here flip
flopping assistant Deputy Chief
Logan There's only one chief in
the room so but you've talked
about it with your team in
terms of flip flopping deputy
and assistant positions to be
as I understand consistent with
the National model.
That's correct.
If you look at all the large
cities in California, they're
all reverse.
We've been wrong for a few
decades.
You know, I'm riding the ship,
okay?
No salary increases, no salary.
Okay.
And no new shirts and new
nameplates, new nameplates and
email signatures.
There you go.
Very minimum goals.
Okay.
Thank you for clarifying Just
one I assume that was the case.
I just wanted to double check
with that.
I'm going to move the staff
recommendation and then turn it
over to my colleagues for their
comments.
>> Questions will go to Council
member Whitburn Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT You actually
asked and got the answer to
the question that I had so I am
happy to second the motion.
>> All right.
We have a motion by myself and
a second by Council member
Whitburn to move a staff
recommendation will go to
council member Eli Romero Thank
you Council PRESIDENT.
Thanks for the presentation
here.
I appreciate the questions that
you asked Council PRESIDENT And
the point you made obviously in
a budget environment like
the one that we're in where
we're going to make some very
difficult decisions where we
have working families across
the city struggling to make
ends meet, I think it's
important that the way we
tighten our belt matters I
guess is what I'm trying to
say.
And so I want to make sure that
we're doing that in in a way
that ensures our actions match
our rhetoric.
So I think it's a fair question
about our salaries and I think
it's a I think there's some
misunderstanding about what our
powers are as it relates to
that.
The raises the salaries set in
the salary ordinance in front
of us for the council members
in the mayor are set as a
result of Measure l which was
adopted by the voters in 2018.
>> Correct.
This is for the city Attorney.
Yes, that that is correct.
And and our understanding is
that council members cannot
reject this per the ordinance
per the action that was taken
by the voters, correct?
That's that's correct.
Okay.
Thank you.
The charter doesn't provide any
means for the council members
to refuse to accept the raise
or refuse to accept the salary
.
>> So in order to do that you
would have to have a charter
amendment that permitted that
understood.
Thank you again, very, very
fair question And I've been in
situations where as a position
of leadership where I've pulled
back my own salary because it
was at or workers who were paid
less either willing to be let
go or to receive less And I
wasn't okay with that.
The voters took an action in
2018 and I just want to make
sure it's clear that that's
that is how the table was set
in the way that it is.
On another note, I and I, I
want to simultaneously say that
everyone who works in this city
that works at that work of all
people should be honored.
And I know what this
conversation over the next few
months is going to look like as
it relates to the budget and
that the folks who are most
likely to be impacted by
decisions that are made are
residents of the city and and
lower paid workers in the city
to be quite honest and with
that well I understand a lot of
this is cleanup.
>> I I see stuff in here that
lists and I I'm not okay with
the amount no one's more open
to on the dais changes than I
am.
But this showing up right now
I'm not good with that And what
I saw what was presented to us
were executive and manager
positions that were eligible
for additional perks such as a
$475 monthly automobile
allowance and 80 hours of
management administrative leave
regardless of whether or not
that is cleanup, I am not okay
with putting my name in support
of that given the context of
the moment that we were in and
certainly not given how late
the additional explanation and
materials we were presented
with that are meant to justify
and explain those actions.
So Council PRESIDENT With all
due respect I will not be
supporting motion but it was I
understood.
Thank you for your comments and
observations.
>> We'll go next to Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee Thank
House PRESIDENT Can I just
start by asking that these
materials were different 24
hours ago?
>> Yes.
There was clarification for
the specific position of
Assistant to city manager.
There are two positions
currently in the salary table
that have the title of
assistant city manager but
different working titles.
So to address the cleanup and
clarification that was causing
for confusion, we made sure
that the assistant to city
manager has a working title of
chief officer and that
the business center manager has
the working title of the deputy
chief of Staff so that there
was no ongoing confusion about
the two different responses or
positions.
The pay is not changing it's
merely a title change cleanup.
>> I think it's part of my
struggle of understanding
the pay is not changing.
You're saying the benefits
aren't changing but the title
has to change And yesterday
the title change is different
than the to today which I can't
help but now feel like it's
just an arbitrary decision.
That's what we think the title
is or needs to be because
yesterday was the assistant to
the city manager and today it's
business center manager which
I've perhaps but neither
position currently exists in
our budget This year If you
look at job numbers I don't see
either 2112 which is a business
manager or I believe it was
2127 which was the assistant to
the ceo either as a budget
position or an on budget
position that's currently
filled.
I guess just to continue along
those lines are all the Well
you might have answered some of
that.
Are there other positions that
are within these working title
changes that are currently not
budgeted in this current fiscal
year?
So it's going to be a somewhat
complicated answer.
First of all, there are
hundreds if not thousands of
positions laid out in
the salary ordinance, not all
of which MAY necessarily
correspond to a position that
is currently in the budget.
There are also positions that
are covered in the salary
ordinance where the number of
positions that are currently
filled and the number of
positions that are budgeted are
different.
If you have questions about a
specific position I can try to
answer that.
I'm sure that occurred as well.
But it's a question of where
you want to look in as much as
there There's 13,000 city
employees and many, many, many
classifications.
Yeah.
Thank you Charles.
I think I'll just share that my
frustration as of right now is
that in an area where I think
we're dealing with significant
challenges from a transparency
standpoint that one that
changes I understand that they
needed to be made and
clarifications had to happen
but it's near impossible to
explain that to folks when we
get briefed on an item And
the details of it now are
different Between the briefing
we had not that long ago and
the item actually being
presented at Council think that
that is I mean that's a
challenge especially when
there's going to be fair
questions.
I think from the outside I
think someone looks at
the documents here.
Part of what folks from
the public have inferred is
that we are adding additional
benefits to employees because
that's what the wording search
seems to suggest We're adding
additional auto allowances for
two different classifications I
think I understand from what
has been shared that there's
not a change from the current
practice.
It's because it's a change to
try to reflect specific
positions that I believe are
currently not filled nor
currently in the We haven't
seen the proposed budget yet
but from my understanding not
in the currently proposed
budget that comes out tomorrow
but MAY be used at some point
between now and then hence
the shift in benefits that are
being required for it And to
the public that just looks like
we're adding another auto
allowance for another executive
position when we were
simultaneously as just
reporting the last day or so
asking all of our classified
employees to go where a very
significant number of them have
agreed to take mandatory
furlough next year as part of
the budgetary challenges that
the city is facing And that is
purely a perception issue And I
think when we're put in a
position that's very challenged
to understand what's being
changed, it makes it even more
difficult for us to go and
explain that to the public.
>> For me this also ties back
to the fact that I know that
there are positions highlighted
here in executive management
that this council did not
approve in our budget last
year.
They remain on budget at this
time in this year and there has
been no change made from
the mayor to account for that.
It's a question that we have
all struggled to answer
throughout this year.
Perhaps it's a surprise that we
have not talked more about it
but the council passed a budget
last year that
the administration decided that
was not necessary to fully
enact it and it turns out that
that perhaps they have
the authority to do so.
Those will be added back in for
next year I presume And we're
going to be running around
about in that conversation all
over again And that failure to
have Council's legislative
authority and intent met is
extremely frustrating and I see
it reflected here into
the salary ordinance proposal
especially because of how
confusing it's been presented
with the changes.
So with that I will concur with
my colleague and I will not be
supporting the motion today.
>> All right.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee.
>> We're going back to
Councilmember Lambert.
Thank you.
And I, I honestly feel the same
way as my colleagues about I'm
just unclear about what we're
doing today because materials
are swapped out about half an
hour before this meeting and
I'm reading in the new updated
staff report that I'm going to
page number on the staff
reports.
I don't know what page to tell
people to come to but the title
says Movement of unclassified
classification to different
salary ranges and changes in
unclassified classification
titles, auto allowance and
the administrative management
administrative leave that page
I'm looking at there's a bunch
of bullet points in the first
three Talk about moving
the classification decision
city clerk resulting in
decisions and career
classification having the same
salary as other assistant
director positions in
independent city departments
and to give that an explanation
of why we're making the change
because we want that person to
be able to be paid on board or
paid on par with the similar
employees in other state
departments.
The second one about the fire
department changing the title
of assistant fire chief
classification It goes on and
on and on.
So the title changes will align
the fire rescue department's
rank structure with
the National Incident
Management System which sets
the standard for emergency
command structure and is
followed by all by nearly all
fire department in the country.
Understand I didn't know
beforehand that this change
makes sense to me because an
explanation here of why we're
changing her title because we
need to do it for making
structure for incident command.
Same thing with moving
Assistant Fire Chief Assistant
Police Chief Executive Three
categories states that these
classifications will align
the position of the overall
position hierarchy of
the unclassified service.
Again everything below that has
no explanation about why we're
doing this Eliminating
the Assistant City Manager
changing the title of
the assistant city manager,
changing the business center
manager working title There's
no x Why are we doing all of
that?
Can't we just call our staff
You know the titles of
the working title?
We want them to I know in my
office for example everyone's
actual classification is I
think what assistant what is
the actual classification?
Yeah Every single person in my
office under the city title is
a council rep but I have a
chief of staff.
I have a deputy chief of staff,
I have a senior advisor in
policy.
We don't need to change
the ordinance for me to be able
to give my staff their business
cards based on their title.
So why are we changing all of
these So as I noted earlier,
the charter section has a
specific requirement for
the position so assistant city
manager or assistant city
manager So the current salary
ordinance the salary tables do
you have working titles?
So those have to be brought
into alignment with the current
status of the working titles or
alternatively they can be
removed.
But the position itself is
the position as identified by
the charter.
Okay.
All right.
I think that I'm not going to
be able to support this today
either because it's just it's
very confusing.
How do you get half an hour for
the meeting?
So I my worry is that there
might not be enough votes to
pass this.
I don't know.
But I'm starting to look around
the room and if we don't I
believe that that would set off
some problems with the timing
of our budget.
Is that correct?
If this were not to pass today,
what would be the result?
We'll charter Section 290
requires that something be
passed today.
You don't have to pass
the ordinance in its current
form.
You can make changes to it and
pass it with those changes.
>> So then could we take out
the things that changed this
morning and bring those back at
a further date?
Yes, you could do that.
Okay, sure.
This is only the first reading
and we're gonna have to amend
this ordinance when the mou is
get done with our employees.
So there's plenty of time for
detailed changes to be made.
I'm just getting the sense that
we would like to not I'm not
here to be able to comment that
I would like to not vote on
the title changes that were
just made half an hour before
the meeting until I have a
better understanding But that
does mean they can't be in
the future So that would be my
idea is to just take out these
few that were on the slide.
Brooke recommended updates
the working title and then I
would be comfortable passing
the rest of it but I'll leave
that up to my colleagues.
Thank you.
Thank you Council Mom all But
can you pull up the slide that
she's referring to to make sure
that
it says recommended
updates to working titles And
it said Assistant manager
Assistant to the city manager
Business Center manager I just
was like I think it's it's like
I'm so sorry There's no page
number down here.
So yes, these are the ones that
changed, right?
So the first one did not change
from earlier.
The one that did change was
the 2112 and 21272153 was
already listed there as chief
upper chief officer as well So
2112 which is the assistant
city manager with the working
title of chief of staff was not
new.
We had already presented that
in our presentation And then
the assistant to the city
manager 2.53 was also not new
with the new ones from this
morning or 2112 and 227
changes.
Okay okay Get all of those
Didn't have any explanation of
why we're doing this in
the staff report so I would
just get rid of all those for
now until we come back.
Okay.
I want to hear from
Councilmember Foster but
possibly amend the motion and
figure out how to refer to that
particular slide.
>> I can't remember.
Foster Oh yes.
Thank you, council PRESIDENT.
And I too I mean I'm hesitant
to take a position and if you
can maybe what would help me is
to understand a better
understanding of the charter.
Everything that I received
prior to this simply indicated
that the item had to be
introduced and approved along
with the budget.
So I'm not understanding now We
are here today saying that this
absolutely has to be passed and
yet we are receiving last
minute changes that differ from
I'm going to assume all of
the briefings that we received
and I'm not inclined to try and
make heads or tails of this as
we are sitting at the dais.
I think that's just bad
preparation and irresponsible
of us in not understanding
the true impacts.
So if you can help me to try
and understand or forward me
something someone pull
something make it part of
the back of the record,
something here I think I could
help a little bit here.
Charter Section 290 controls
the salary ordinance.
Okay.
And it says no later than APRIL
15th of each year the council
shall introduce a salary
ordinance and that's what we're
doing today.
Right.
And that the way the process
works is you introduce a salary
ordinance the way you want to
If there are things in here
that the mayor recommended that
you don't like you can remove
it and introduce it as you like
and the process contemplates
it.
Then the salary ordinance that
the council introduces goes to
the mayor and the mayor then
determines whether or not he's
going to accept those changes
or veto it and then it comes
back to the council for
the second reading to pass
either override the veto or
accept the mayor's changes.
That's the process In 290 that
makes me more concerned as this
was generated by the mayor's
office we did not generate said
document already I'm not going
to be voting.
I'm going to be voting no on
this today Again for me and
just for us to receive this
type of information, the volume
of the information for me is
just unacceptable.
I can appreciate the need for
more time but today I'm just
not prepared based on all of
the conversations I had prior
to this meeting to then approve
and put my name on this as we
are dealing with what we were
dealing with.
So thank you.
I guess my response are just to
clarify we're interpret the to
introduce as actually passing
the for our first reading that
we often call it.
Okay thank you for clarifying
that.
I'll have some other feedback.
I'll go first to Councilmember
camp you Thank you Council But
the point I was going to make
right there's introduces a
legal word that doesn't mean to
actually introduce So the next
line that you didn't read MR.
Brady is that the mayor is
the one who proposes it.
So that's a that's a confusing
component of something you just
said.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT All right.
Thank you Council member Carpio
So one other question that I
think Council member Eli Rivera
brought up maybe others did
the auto allowance there was
that perception that the way
the language was written that
somebody would be getting out
of allowance that doesn't
currently get it or a position
of getting out allowance that
doesn't I want to keep this
from an individual but from a
position is getting an auto
allowance that doesn't
currently get auto allowance.
>> No, there's no changes into
the individuals that are
currently in the position that
were what they will be
receiving.
There's no changes to that is
to codify what is currently
happening today.
>> All right.
Well clearly I think everybody
in the room can figure out
counting the five and I don't
think there's five there.
We can all bemoan the language
of the charter that jams this
up right at the end And given
the complexities of where all
the energy is on the budget no
one spent a lot of you guys are
stuck in a heck of a lot of
time on Earth with what you do
every year but bumping up
against it gives us very little
leeway.
I heard a little bit of a
glimmer of of hope to meet
the charter requirements if we
move If I meant my motion to
move the staff recommendation
but not the updates to
the working titles for
211121532112 and 2127 which
were the four on that slide
that make a little more
comfortable.
Are you comfortable with that
council member with Oh yeah
okay Now not everybody has
spoken so if we and I always
like the attorneys to remind me
because as much as I remember
this off if we don't get five
votes then no action has
happened And so we still are
kind of out there still
correct?
I don't think Council Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee Thank
you.
>> Council PRESIDENT I just
want to add one piece of
commentary to here to separate
out just distinguishing what
we're doing relate and as it
relates to existing individuals
because again I understand that
but I think what the salary
ordinance does is a little bit
different than that.
So when you stated that no
existing individuals are
getting new benefits or when I
understand that that is
the case unless we move them to
different positions which could
happen.
But what the salary ordinance
is doing is that it is adding
an additional classification to
receive management
administrative leave as well as
an auto allowance.
And so I think the reason why
it's it's a concern is not
necessarily whether you're
going to move an existing
individual there.
I'm going to note that right
now from what I'm beginning to
see it's likely because there's
an unbudgeted position that
would be moved in that
direction at some point perhaps
in part as a result of
the council's discussions.
But it could also mean that if
that's the salary ordinance
that it's updated moving
forward that gets carried into
the future.
But now we have an additional
position that's receiving these
extra benefits that could be
for someone else in the future
if so chosen And I think that
is important at a time when we
are already asking for cuts
that that is not the kind of
moves that we make.
So consider that I understand
the moment that you've made I
don't know that that fully
addresses those additional
changes as well.
I don't know if it takes
additional time to think about
what would and I appreciate
that you're trying to work
through that.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem
the staff have any response to
the council PRESIDENT Pro Tem I
didn't see any And again I
appreciate what the town has
said.
What actually all my colleagues
have said this is going forward
doesn't take effect JULY 1st
and it really is dependent on a
what proposed budget coming out
tomorrow does and what
the council's reaction to it.
And then third, the reaction by
the council to this coming back
at a second reading.
So this is just something
the charter forces into which
is no excuse to be able to to
support something like that.
I think we're all frustrated by
that.
But I just kind of wanted to
kind of clarify that
Councilmember over there you're
back on the lights.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT I appreciate
the comments of Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee And I
think to that there's a point I
want to make and then a
question and as council
PRESIDENT Was saying, I think
some of this is muddied by some
of the changes that were made
last year and the council's
budget action and then
the implementation of that
budget or lack thereof.
And so one of the things that
I'm trying to understand here
is whether they are existing
people who are already working
at the city or not is whether
there are folks who moved from
titles that were their
political appointees into
operational positions or
operational titles and now
receive benefits that are meant
for folks in operational
positions for example the auto
allowance or the administrative
leave.
And this isn't about any one
individual but the muddying of
those waters between
the political appointees of
the mayor, any mayor and
the folks in operational
positions.
That makes it more challenging
makes all of us more
challenging For me as well.
So the amendment that you made
council PRESIDENT I don't know
this for sure I'm going to ask
Councilperson Pro Tem I think
what you were mentioning that
there's the two additional
positions as well the assistant
to the city manager and
the business center manager
those are the two positions
that create the opening for
what you describe, correct?
Yeah.
I think now that I've looked at
it I think the amendment that's
been proposed is to remove
the working title changes on
that page those four changes
that would only make sense to
also remove any updates to
exhibits actually in h because
those are updates that also tie
in to those working title
changes because that makes
sense and that would that would
resolve all that.
Yeah.
Okay so I don't know if you
have thoughts on that.
I just I would I would feel
much better about where we end
up if that if those those
changes were made as well.
And to COUNCILMAN Final point I
think recognizing this is a
huge undertaking and there are
many, many, many different
positions and classifications
and titles throughout the city
it's a big city with many
workers.
Business center manager sounds
so far from what I understand
this particular person or
people who would do that role
are actually doing something
that sounds a little more even
a little closer to reality
would be really helpful to me.
So I'll stop there.
Thank you.
All right.
i guess the engineer and we
thought that would be a
waterfall by not doing those
four and then it would fall to
15 each.
But to be explicit in there So
let me see if I can get
the language right And I know
City clerk will fix it for me
if I want to move the staff
recommendation but not making
the changes to the work, not
making the updates to
the working titles for
211121532112 and 2127 and also
delete the changes on exhibit f
g h and someone Please check
that there isn't something else
on those exhibits that we don't
really want to change.
Yeah I think so but f right I'm
sorry.
Council PRESIDENT Also exhibit
c Exhibit c as well.
Exhibit c, c c and Cat.
So they want assurances that
the exhibits are going to
change not just the working
titles.
So okay so let me restate that
To move the staff
recommendation with rejecting
the updates of the working
titles for 211121 by 321122127
and eliminate the corresponding
changes and exhibit c as in Cat
Epperson, Frank g.
S and George and h as and
Howard and update and eliminate
the references in section 2.1
and Section ten.
So I think that is now
the universal changes that
every place that changes and
that's it's still the core
thing that counts and everyone
Wolpert wanted to make sure
that every place that those
would show up are also
eliminated.
We have a concern by one of
the council members I don't
know how to do you want to
comes from the mayor's office
or whoever wants to respond to
making these eliminating those
changes and that's fine.
Yes.
Understanding that we're
limited by the charter.
We need to get this done today
We're fine with those minutes.
>> Okay.
So I'll wait or pause briefly
while the city clerk's office
on the second half Well I guess
I just have one question
because I mean we're sort of
workshopping the salary
ordinance on the fly and I want
to be very thoughtful about
doing that.
Is there anything about
the changes that are in front
of us in terms of not changing
the working titles and making
the corresponding changes in
those other sections that
impacts the changes?
Anything about anybody's job
currently?
In other words, if we do what
is it?
Does anything change for any
particular individual by
the making the change that is
in front of us or does
everybody stay exactly the same
right now if if everybody in
the city their situation today
will be the same as our
situation tomorrow if we adopt
this then I'm fine with it.
If this somehow changes things
for somebody at the city I
would want to know that Yeah,
correct.
>> Councilmember It does not
change anything for folks in
their positions currently and
that was the nature of this
item as well as it was a
cleanup item really.
But adds no additional benefits
and does not change the status
quo for folks right now.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
Okay.
Satisfied with that.
Okay.
Thank you.
We're still working on that.
So we'll go next to
Councilmember Bonaparte.
>> Thank you.
I too am trying to figure out
exactly what we're doing but I
appreciate you council
PRESIDENT And council because
that's what I was trying to do.
So thank you for catching that
and putting it in And now I
feel that that was what I was
trying to say.
>> So I appreciate you.
Thank you.
I never make the assumption
that somebody will follow
through with every step of
the way.
>> Councilmember Foster I guess
first I want to say I
appreciate my colleague's
efforts to meet what I guess we
are hearing is the call of
the charter.
However, especially for me as
we are dealing with the issues
that we are dealing with I use
the word accountability quite a
bit and I feel that I have to
continue to take my position to
not support this because I am
still hearing confusion And I
think if we are going to
continue to talk about
accountability from this dais
at some point we have to hold
those accountable And
unfortunately today that would
be the staff that is in front
of us today.
>> And so I am going to
continue with my position to
not support this.
But I will say as we are trying
to improve our city processes
meeting expectations of
the public as we talk about
public trust and transparency,
I think these types of
instances are what erodes those
discussions and that public
trust And so I will pause
there.
I will not be supporting this.
I will have my office fall back
to whatever gets passed and
make sure we see what's
corrected so that we can
continue to look at this and
review this as it we'll have to
go through a second read and as
we deal with the budget.
But today just on principle
alone we on this day did not
create this.
It sounds as if each office has
provided the time to city staff
to go through the briefings and
to try to do this with the size
of organization and potential
implications.
I'm just not comfortable.
Council PRESIDENT So thank you
.
>> Fair enough, sir.
We'll go to Councilmember
Campbell to the H.R. Department
present this take this up and
present and make slides etc..
Yes, the department along with
several departments is a
collective organized collective
group that we work on with our
ordinance committee.
There's representatives of
several department to provide
input but it is the mayor's
proposal and so I take the lead
on that And then the stuff that
you just passed out to us right
as a council meeting began is
different than the stuff that
we were given a few days before
the council meeting online to
go over.
There's only a few changes and
of the ones that we highlighted
with regard to the title
changes you know it's so it's
so confusing even just
the title changes because you
have three titles in there, not
just two.
It's not like saying change
this one to that one just
changing this one which
actually is this one Changing
it to this one makes it very
confusing You know about
the crisis method Keep it
simple stupid.
That is not simple and
especially at the last minute
to get whatever this is and to
try to figure out how does this
change from this and how is
that different from what's
online and stuff we've already
gone over in the briefing How
is that different and what is
you know, it's just this is
huge.
Look at this ordinance.
Look at how long how many pages
it has and leave it as life
insurance.
It has everything in it.
I don't expect this.
I just expect some title
changes or councilmember and
fully recognize the late
editions, the late edits and
how the position that put you
and the council in But
understanding how major and
sizable this ordinance actually
is being able to move forward
with some portions of it today
I think is the best move and
we'll revisit items that were
moved through the amended
motion at a later date.
But I think proceeding today
with some form of this is most
beneficial.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
All right.
Thank you.
Council Mayor Campbell will go
back to Councilmember camp You
Thank you very much Council
PRESIDENT MR. Brady The charter
also doesn't have any
suggestion on what happens if
we don't introduce it by
tomorrow.
So what happens if we don't
introduce a by tomorrow?
Well, we'd be in unchartered
territory.
Let's say I take your point but
charter section 290 just
contemplates that it will be
introduced it will be passed
today and transmitted to
the mayor for his consideration
.
Okay?
Right.
It doesn't say what would
happen if it if it didn't So
the sense you just said there
it's contemplated that it will
just pass today.
That's exactly the approach of
staff is that they just
contemplated this would be
passed today.
I think we have some ideas that
rules Committee about charter
change that might want to fix
some of these data so that we
don't get caught off guard like
this.
That said, when the city
governing document says
the council shall introduce
that's not MAY or MAY not
decide upon that is a order
from the voters of the city of
San Diego that we shall
introduce it by tomorrow.
So though I share some of
the not confusion but
the feeling of strangeness of
last second changes the charter
says shall so I feel compelled
it I have to vote yes and
different branches of
government know that So maybe
we should fix that too.
Thank you.
Council member can't be your
attorney perspective as always
appreciate it.
As a council member of
the Council member Yellow River
apologies can read.
I wanted to thank my colleagues
for the work that was done and
you for making adjustments to
get to a place where we can
move forward as the Charter
requires and also address some
of the concerns we had.
I also just for the sake of
transparency, I do think that
there's an important
conversation to be had again
given the context of the budget
situation that we're in where
we are saying that every dollar
matters.
We are telling our residents
that and what we ask for from
them We are telling our workers
that and what we are asking
them to sacrifice that there
needs to be a conversation
about how those at the upper
upper ranks of
the organization, those who are
being compensated the best
There needs to be some
conversations about where where
there's room for some trimming
there and regardless of who is
getting a new automobile
allowance or not I just I won't
be frustrated.
That'll be part of the budget
conversation that there are
folks who are making or slated
to be eligible to make quite a
bit of a pretty good salary, a
pretty healthy salary who would
still be eligible for those
benefits.
And again in a time we're
asking for sacrifice or for
sacrifice from residents.
We're asking for sacrifice from
folks who do very, very
difficult jobs and barely
barely earn enough to live in
the city if that that's going
to be part of the conversation
at least from my end when it
when the budget conversation
kicks up.
And I just wanted to be
transparent about that.
But thank you again for
the work on this.
I think it's my college opinion
as close of attention as they
get to the details here.
Thank you Council member Eli
Rivera.
And just to kind of wrap up
before I call for the vote and
that the motion is now up on
the screen, I want to thank
the city attorney for adding
some additional language to
make sure that if we didn't
identify everything that
there's a closing statement
that makes sure that it does
get picked up And I know
the city attorney will look at
it very closely to make sure
the I's are dotted and t's are
crossed.
So to speak on that.
So you know what?
I don't often talk like this.
I normally defer to my
colleagues to kind of kick off
the conversation and that's
what my staff wanted me to do.
>> But I knew this was going to
go a little bit south.
You know, I just frankly think
I'm better than everybody else
at doing this kind of nimble
repositioning and listening to
you all very carefully and what
the tenor of your comments are
.
A member of the public this
morning made an interesting
comment about my behavior last
week and said I saw a lot of
fear in your face That wasn't
fear last week.
That was anger.
So in case there's any
confusion, this is anger in my
face today.
You're amazing individuals.
You're working really hard.
These are incredibly complex
things But for the council to
do its job the thing I always
worry about is a good idea
failing or not getting
the support because of how it
was introduced.
I think you all know that and I
really don't need to sound like
I'm lecturing you You know
that.
But as council PRESIDENT I feel
like I have to make that we can
do better.
We can do things we won't
always get no votes but we can
do better.
We can make less confusion by
the public because perception
is as important as the reality
.
So this clearly is falling
victim to that.
We're trusting that this will
get us to where we need to be.
The budget will come out
tomorrow probably reflects all
these changes were anticipated
so everybody should be prepared
for that.
The budget probably will
reflect some of these things
but we get two bites at
the Apple the final budget as
well as the second reading of
the salary ordinance.
So we're all particularly
challenged and we'll go back to
Councilmember open.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT I'm just
looking at the language for
the motion that is in front of
us and I will leave it to
the attorneys But I just want
to make sure that what we say
strike reference to those for
classifications, so on and so
forth and then as well as any
other corresponding references
of the salary audits and
exhibits.
But that doesn't have
the effect of eliminating those
positions.
>> It's just eliminating
the working title.
You're not eliminating
the positions.
Okay.
>> As long as that's on
the record and everybody's
comfortable with it that I a
very good point Councilmember
Webber and it should reference
the reference to the working
title says MR. Reidy noted so
that it's clear we're not
eliminating those
classifications.
>> Okay so let's go ahead and
make that change.
>> Thank you.
Yeah, a lot of sharp eyed
individuals on the dais today
so thank you all.
This is not the way how we want
to do legislation but it's all
important You want to come up
with
an
All right cooler heads got
the and responded to council
member Whitman's concerns with
the changes that you see in
front of us and look like
everybody from the city
attorney's office to H.R.
To the city clerk are
comfortable with that.
Councilmember Whitburn, are you
guys what what?
Make sure you're good with
the changes.
Yes.
Yeah, I'll take you all right
with that.
See nobody else on the lights.
We have a motion there as shown
on the screen.
>> Clerk please call the roll.
>> I'm sorry.
The voting system.
Please cast your vote That
passes 7 to 1 with
Councilmember Foster voting no
and Councilmember Moreno absent
.
All right.
Let me extend my appreciation
to my colleagues for working
through this on the dias to
H.R.
Personnel everybody that worked
so hard to bring this item
forward.
I know there's a lot of work
involved in that so thank you
very much on that.
So and to the public who was
here primarily for a different
reason thank you for your
patience.
So with that clerk please
introduce item s503 Thank you
Council PRESIDENT Item as 503
as amendments of the Rules of
Council for consistency with
State Senate Bill number 707
and recordings of closed
session.
This item is not subject to
the mayor's veto If you'd like
to speak on this item please be
sure to submit your speaker
slip to the front of the room
in the clear box as well as
raise your hand by pressing
Star nine or the raise your
hand icon.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
right with that I right I think
I recognize my staff but please
introduce yourself for
the record and let us know how
much time you need.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT And City
council members.
My name is Abby Reuter.
I am senior policy Advisor to
Council PRESIDENT Joe LaCava.
I will need eight minutes for
this presentation and again
when you're ready State Bill
707 was signed into law in 2025
and modified the Ralph m Brown
Act which governs local
legislative bodies and
the public's right to attend
and participate in local public
meetings.
Local changes to comply with sb
707 must be effective by JULY
first 2026 This presentation
will focus on two provisions of
the Brown Act modified by sb
707.
The first is the same time
allotment for virtual and
in-person speakers and
the second is the policy on
disruption of telephonic or
internet service rule 2.6 and
Rule 2.7 of the Rules of
Counsel are proposed to be
modified in a new rule 2.15 is
proposed to be created.
The changes to Rule 2.6 add in
language for both virtual and
in-person speakers to group
themselves into organized
presentations.
The modifications are intended
to be minimal to provide
flexibility for the Clerk and
Council administration to
adjust after the JULY 1st
deadline based on public
feedback staffing capacity and
technology to facilitate
organized presentations, a
process is proposed recognizing
that it is difficult for public
speakers to gather the correct
number of speakers With our
current meeting management
process, Council agendas will
include a notice indicating
whether public public comment
for that information or
discussion item will be one
minute one minute 30s or two
minutes.
Implementation of this for each
Council committee will be at
the discretion of the Chair of
that committee as meeting
management is the purview of
the Council PRESIDENT For City
Council meetings and committee
chairs for committee meetings.
Organized presentations will be
taken before individual public
comment and will be limited to
a maximum of 15 minutes or
less.
This responds to the feedback
from the public and committee
which was heard at the FEBRUARY
Rules Committee meeting.
Those who wish to have an
organized presentation in
person or virtual would need to
fill out a form provided by
the office of the City Clerk at
least 24 hours before the start
of a regularly scheduled
council or committee meeting as
posted on the meeting agenda
for special meetings that are
posted less than 48 hours in
advance of the meeting.
The form would need to be
submitted 18 hours before
the start of the meeting.
The 24 hour submission window
strikes a balance between
providing sufficient
administrative time for
the clerk or council
administration to facilitate
the presentation with providing
time for the public to
coordinate who would be part of
the organized presentation
Electronic presentation
materials intended to be
displayed during the organized
presentation would be due at
least two hours prior to
the start of the meeting as
posted on the meeting agenda.
This will allow for the clerk
or council administration staff
to upload the electronic file
and scan for cyberthreats prior
to display during the meeting
and troubleshoot if there are
any technical issues separating
the two submission time frames
is intended to provide
the public as much preparation
time as possible.
Electronic files would not be
shared in advance with city
staff council offices or
the public and presentation
materials are not required for
any organized presentation.
The groups MAY opt to do an
organized presentation without
any additional audio or visual
aids.
The organized presentation form
will need to be filled out
properly and every member of
the group must be present.
Whether that be all in person
for an in-person or organized
presented portion or all
virtually for an organized
presentation delivered
virtually during their time to
speak.
City Clerk and Council
administration will work
towards allowing mixed
attendance or a combination of
group members in-person and
virtual.
As technology and staffing
allow if some members of
the group are not present at
the time of the presentation,
the group's time will be
reduced proportionally.
This process would go beyond
Brown Act requirements and also
apply to committee meetings.
For consistency and clarity.
Additionally, this item
proposes a change to Rule 2.7
related to knowledge and public
comment.
This would clarify that the 16
minute maximum per issue
applies separately for
in-person and virtual speakers
.
If there are eight or more
speakers on a specific issue in
person.
The maximum time for that issue
is 16 minutes which is two
minutes per speaker up to eight
speakers.
And this is being clarified to
have a separate maximum of 60
minutes for virtual speakers on
that issue.
Seeding of time would continue
to be prohibited for non agenda
public comment.
This item also proposes a new
rule 2.15 to comply with
the requirement for a policy on
disruption to telephonic or
internet service.
It clarifies the difference
between a disruption prior to
or during closed session versus
open session.
If the disruption affects a
public meeting, council would
recess for an hour or until
services restored whichever is
quicker.
City staff will make good faith
efforts to restore service
including troubleshooting
platform or teleconferencing
software resetting or replacing
audio visual equipment
attempting alternative
connection methods contacting
necessary support staff or
service providers and switching
to backup equipment or
platforms if available and
these restoration efforts will
be documented.
If not restored after one hour,
council MAY either adjourn
the meeting or make findings to
vote it and continue an open
session.
For efficiency this item
proposes to include amendments
to Rule 8.4 which currently
requires transcription of
closed sessions except those
related to personnel matters.
The Brown Act does not require
closed sessions to be
transcribed and it is very
costly to have a court reporter
attend and transcribe these
meetings.
The proposed amendments will
provide for recording closed
sessions allowing for
efficiency in eliminating this
costly requirement.
We provided an informational
presentation to the Rules
Committee in FEBRUARY and
the committee voted to forward
the item to full council in
MARCH.
However, these modifications
would not take effect until
JULY 1st, 2026.
The requested action today is
to adopt an ordinance amending
Chapter two Article two
Division one of the San Diego
Municipal Code relating to
the rules of Council.
Thank you and I'm available for
any questions.
>> All right.
Thank you for the presentation
and all the work you put into
this as well as Clark Fuentes
and her team Tyler Birch and
his team and the city
attorney's office and
responding to the state law
changes and updating our rules
of counsel.
So with that Clark, please
proceed with public testimony
on s5o3.
>> Thank you Counsel PRESIDENT.
Before I begin with the public
testimony here, I would just
like to note that this item did
receive four comments in favor
and zero comments in opposition
of your economic forum which
have been distributed to
the Council.
We have quite a number of
speakers here in council
chambers so I will be going
down to a minute each if we can
have Al Del Mastro, Jeffrey
Shuter and Victoria Lipper So
please come up to the front.
Al de Mastro you can come to
the microphone.
Sure.
Geoffrey Shuter, can you begin
?
>> Yeah.
Thank you.
Council members.
We appreciate the work that was
done by the council presidents
office and the clerk trying to
preserve what we think is an
important ability to testify in
front of the council and make
organized presentations So we
think these are workable
regulations.
The only thing that we would
like to see potentially as we
get used to the new methodology
of things is to have me be able
to speak here for example that
have our time seeders be
virtual.
Otherwise I would have to speak
virtually and I think it's a
better experience for both
sides of the dais to have as
many people be able to come in
chambers.
It's also I think a matter of
of respect if you turn it
the other way asking everybody
to come down here.
Council meetings often run past
two hours.
So you're you're sort of forced
to park in the parking
structure as $18 to come here.
Places like sandag actually
validate and make the process a
lot easier.
So maybe we could try and do
things like that as well.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Victoria.
You have several people sitting
your time if they can please
raise their hand.
>> Deborah Switzer as I call
your name.
Thank you.
Diversity is a Bill Crooks
robber Montana Susan Ward Kelly
a trembling Eric Edelman.
I don't see anybody.
Eric Edelman.
No.
Thomas Marquez.
Susan Baldwin.
Patricia Long.
Thank you.
Felicity Sandusky.
David Swarns.
Bob Link.
David Martin.
Dana Give it to Van Jones and
Matt Driver.
Thank you.
You'll have 15 minutes.
Please proceed.
>> Okay.
Thank you very much.
>> Good afternoon PRESIDENT
LaCava and Council members as
most of you know by now my name
is Victoria Lorenzo and I'm
the chair of the cpc Committee
Planners Committee.
We are the umbrella
organization for your planning
groups.
The community planning groups
are comprised of I don't know
if you know this but over 400
probably close to 500 board
members if you count up all
the community members that are
elected board members through
the city.
>> Thank you for that.
Next slide.
Thank you for the opportunity
to speak today.
I was diligent in distributing
our correspondence for a seat
at the table to your offices
over the past three months and
you should have received
letters from your district CPGs
that have recommended support
for a seat at the table as
well.
>> I would also like to thank
PRESIDENT LaCava staff and
the City Clerk's office for
their work in accommodating sb
7o7 and recognize the balancing
act required with virtual
access.
Our hope is that the following
information will also improve
and potentially alleviate some
of the administrative tasks for
the city clerk's office.
>> Next slide.
So why does a seat at the table
tie directly with sb 707
Quoting directly from our state
lawmakers sb 707 presents an
opportunity to strengthen our
governments and empower
community members to be
engaged.
Ultimately we aim to create
robust public meetings and
increase participation across
the state because a seat at
the table advances the same
objective as sb 707 is
well-suited for consideration.
>> As part of today's procedure
Next slide let's identify
the problem.
Going back in time to 2013 when
PRESIDENT LaCava was chair,
LaCava of the cpc, he put
together a presentation about
CPGs and cpc.
One of the things that stood
out to me in his presentation
was that he recognized that
CPGs had been mischaracterized
as gatekeepers.
>> And as you so eloquently put
it in your past presentation
CPGs are not gatekeepers.
>> Rather they are
the recognized link between
communities and City Hall.
>> It's like in fact today's
diverse cpgs fully acknowledge
the city's goals and the need
for affordable housing and
thoughtful growth.
Their role is not to oppose
development but to ensure that
development aligns with adopted
community plans and
infrastructure realities.
Next slide.
So what does the San Diego
General plan say?
It happens to be very specific
about the reality of planning
groups which have laid out
which are laid out in this
slide.
But putting this in a nutshell,
the general plan ratifies
community participation through
planning groups.
That means CPGs are not just a
courtesy.
They are part of the city's
planning framework.
Next slide.
>> But why are CPGs different
than the general public?
Simply put because community
planning groups were
established and recognized by
you the City Council.
Community planning groups are
democratically elected members
that operate under structural
procedures involved involving
the Brown Act Council policy
and adopted bylaws.
Their positions reflect
deliberation and votes taken in
noticed public meetings.
Distinguishing them from all
other public comment.
>> Next slide.
>> We set a seat at the table
to dsd as they provide meeting
procedures for the Planning
Commission.
While we appreciate that
Director Lowe took the time to
respond to the response she
provided frames the issue that
the public including CPGs
already receive the same amount
of speaking time as project
applicants.
So no changes needed.
Director Lowe's misstep in her
analysis is including CPGs with
the general public.
>> For purposes of public
comment.
Next slide.
In fact, the city's planning
groups should be recognized for
who they are and that they have
the ability to present their
deliberated recommendations in
a structured and predictable
way.
Currently planning group
recommendations are included in
the staff reports when going
before planning Commission and
the City Council.
This is represented in
the graphic on the left side of
the screen.
The tangled funnel however
comments about that about that
vote are often not conveyed by
staff to the deciding body and
can even be tangled into
the staff's recommendation
without true context.
It is imperative that
the community's comments are
untangled from city staff
reports.
This is represented by
the graphic on the right side
of the screen.
The Untangled Ecosystem.
This shows direct communication
by interested party to
the deciding by each interested
party to the deciding body.
Without this process it's clear
that we are missing our seat at
the table.
Next slide.
Right now structural imbalance
is the reality at City Council
Project presenters receive
structured presentation time
and engage with decision makers
.
In contrast, CPGs are not
provided with equitable
representation in city meetings
without going through a
convoluted process to get that
representation.
Even though CPGs are part of
the city's own framework next
life today's proposed changes
including organized
presentations to meeting
procedures required by sb 707
do not solve the inequity
problem as it applies to
planning groups.
As far as preparation,
deliberation, narrative control
and presentation tools, those
boxes are checked for
applicants and city staff.
For CPGs this same the same is
not true.
This framework
disproportionately limits
the community's ability to
provide intelligently organize
input particularly on complex
land use matters where impacts
are significant and where
community recommendations
require explanation and
response to inquiry by
the deciding board or deciding
body.
A fair process requires equal
access to the tools of
deliberation and not just a
stopwatch.
>> Next slide I want to make
sure that cbc is not presenting
the problem without
the solution.
But before we go there, let's
talk about the gymnastics of
current community planning
group participation.
Currently CPGs must rely on
ceded public comment time at
the previous Rules committee
last month.
Once I arrived I knew I had at
least seven time theatrics
which at best gave me 14
minutes If PRESIDENT LaCava
provided two minutes each.
My presentation was close to
ten minutes so I thought it
would be okay until right
before public comments started
and we were informed of the one
minute public comment time
limit which meant leaving out
multiple slides of information
and I had to adjust my
presentation on the fly.
Meanwhile the other presenters
were allowed to choose their
presentation time and converse
back and forth with committee
members.
This is a perfect illustration
as to why a seat at the table
is critical to our community's
.
In the updated staff report I
did notice one proposed change
that would require advance
notice of the public comment
duration.
That is a positive step for
general public comments.
But the City Council also needs
to understand the unique
tension placed on community
planning groups.
The city's advisory bodies with
the desire and expectation to
provide structured meaningful
input without any structured
meaningful way to present it.
Next slide.
>> The seat at the table
proposal is a request for
the City Council Its committees
and the Planning Commission to
establish formal structured
presentation times for
community representatives
Number one equivalent substance
and time grant CPGs Equal
duration to project proponents
on neighborhood specific items
allowing them to use PowerPoint
and present coherent analyzes.
Number two Accessible light
dialog allows cpg presenters to
fill questions and remain
accessible to decision makers
for further engagement during
the hearing.
Number three Citywide
representation Extend these
same procedures to the cpc.
Next slide.
>> This modest procedural
adjustment simply ensures that
the city's recognizes recognize
CPGs can civile respectfully
and productive.
We present their perspective
with the same clarity and time
afforded to staff and project
applicants.
It also provides incentives for
developers to work with
the communities.
It provides better and more
informed decisions for council
members.
It increases transparency and
it restores trust in
the process.
>> Next slide.
>> So what are we specifically
asking for?
We are asking for c.
C.
Or cpg Present a presentation
section in the meeting agendas
.
On this slide is a simple
example of an item presentation
order.
>> Our specific requirements
would be setting a minimum
guaranteed speaking time that
checks the box for preparation
clarity.
Allow decision makers to ask
questions of cpg or cpg
presenters which checks the box
for the delivery process and
allows CPGs to be untangled
from staff's narrative which
checks the box for
the community having control
over its own narrative.
>> Next slide.
>> We believe that this is an
important procedural change
that is in full alignment with
the goals of sb 707 robust
community involvement has been
diminished and the state
lawmakers are helping correct
that.
Amending today's discussion
item and adding the structured
presentation time for CPGs and
cpc is the right course of
action.
>> We appreciate your
consideration of this important
procedural change for your
community planning
representatives.
But before I finished I do want
to provide one more example
that just happened last month
at the Planning Commission and
why and a seat at the table is
is needed.
>> So the Planning Department
recently departed from
recognizing cpg as a main
community advisory body.
Most recently at the MARCH 19th
Planning Commission meeting
the Mid-City Community's Plan
update is currently in review
process.
I was surprised to learn that
the city had created a 16
member working working group.
Working Group described as
inclusive engagement.
However only four of the seats
were allocated to the CPGs at
one seat apiece.
The very groups the city's own
policies identify as
the primary structured voice of
the community.
Instead of prioritizing cpg
input the city placed them in
the minority within a
separately appointed group.
This shifts community input
away from elected accountable
planning groups and toward city
staff controlled structure.
One of the planning
commissioners even described
this approach as disrespectful
to the volunteers who serve on
our planning groups.
And I think that says a lot.
>> Lastly, I want to mention
that we would like to thank
the late Howard Wayne.
He is an important civic
leader.
For his early guidance on this
concept as he was the one that
put this into the mind of Linda
Vista's planning group in
particular Felicity.
So I want to thank you for your
time today and I hope that you
will sincerely consider
the planning groups and our
voices before you our City
Council.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Elder Mastro, if you can
please come forward.
Hi.
My name is El del Mastro.
I think the real importance of
this is that I can remember
JUNE of our JULY of 2024 when
we tried when Shawn Eli Rivera
tried to get rid of virtual
comment and how many people
that are limited in
the community that are disabled
or whatever who couldn't come
and participate this way.
So I'm all for as much input as
possible here and not having
this eye having us cut off from
that.
I'm glad that that wasn't
approved that that time I
remember seeing it was probably
the most embarrassing moment
that I ever saw in this
committee is when I saw 250
people here.
It was pulling off the agenda
and the first 30 people that
cheered as Shawn was PRESIDENT
Scolded all 30 people in
public.
What an embarrassment that was
to the city.
And to see this go on like that
is ugly that we should be
having more open open dialog.
>> Anyway, thank you.
>> I'm sorry the five minute
timer going to those
participating remotely again.
It'll be one minute each
starting with the original.
>> Oh my gosh Joe, you were
angry.
You were totally fearful And so
in this inverted world you're
going to say that Which means
that when you're in anger
you're in fear anyway.
Yeah.
It's funny how in an inverted
world people think that
encroaching on free speech and
putting rules on it gives you
more freedom.
But the world we live in when
that happens it's like freedom
of speech is all you need to
know And yet we have all these
rules and regulations and
policies to come in and you
know, impede on that all while
people say we want to hear from
more of you.
I mean even Joe you were like
oh my gosh, it was so nice
being able to hear like 15
minutes from somebody because
we can actually really hear
what you're saying yet you guys
get people looking at it saying
that you want to hear from what
they have to say.
It's just so sad because you
know you shouldn't be you know
determining either like over
eight people want to speak on
this only on the eight people
can that mean that you're going
to limit like just any other
item to that amount of people
It's just so ridiculous what
you guys do when people call it
freedom.
>> Thank you Tony.
Please unmute.
Yes, hello?
>> Can you hear me?
Yes.
Please proceed.
I think you city council are
you doing.
I just wanted to speak and
comment as a as the vice chair
of the Boulevard Planning
Group.
I want to thank so much group
that presented before us just
now and gave the conversation
about the cpg and
the difficulty that the public
faces in being able to leave a
public comment.
I was just commenting yesterday
and how the last five months
five months I've gotten for
parking tickets just coming
down to express my opinions and
they stated it perfectly how
the sandbox is extremely
limited and it really makes it
super difficult for people to
be able to come in and express
themselves and to give public
comment and to actually help
you all make these decisions
that require public input in
order to be made And so I would
encourage you all to develop
some type of like a parking
return system for parking
included.
>> My apologies Blair Beckman
You can definitely email city
clerk at San diego.Gov.
>> Please proceed.
Blair.
Hi Where Beekman parking
validation is the term.
Yeah.
Really good idea.
Really good public comment from
the first persons.
They've been working a lot on
that.
We're entering a new generation
of how do you talk about public
participation in the process?
It's awesome.
They were doing they're doing
really good because look what
we can be developing.
Good luck that you can have
the you can work more on the 30
ideas of public comment time
This is a perfect time and I
think we could have had 34
items.
What other things?
Oh, I sent you a letter on
working on public meeting
issues overall this past
Thursday.
I hope you can review We could
have chosen the path of of
ending Zoom altogether and
instead we're choosing to to
continue it And thank you for
that sort of ideas Public
accessibility Good luck.
We're working on those concepts
and really want to respect it.
In this post-covid area area we
find good ideas.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
Next is 8813.
You can please unmute and 813d
see that you're on muted but we
did not hear you here in
council chambers.
Not sure if the device that
you're speaking in to me.
Okay.
There you go.
Got it.
Yep.
Okay so control here.
Okay.
So first off I want to start
off by acknowledging
the positive which is
the expanded language access.
That's great.
Okay.
Broader inclusion.
So yeah, on the surface all of
this sounds like progress but
this isn't just expanded
access.
This is control over how
the public is allowed to
participate because when you
when you digitize public
comment you also gain
the ability to mute filter and
remove their comments.
And that brings me to the most
concerning piece is
the expanded authority to
remove so-called disruptive
speakers But who just who
defines disruptive?
Is it someone being loud or
someone being uncomfortable to
listen to Because the people
who get labeled disruptive are
often the ones calling out
the conflicts of interest,
the corruption and the lack of
transparency in you all.
So the one to actually show up
are who this really impacts And
the majority of the public
isn't here.
So there could be either
concluded 8700 if you can
please unmute the five minute
timer has also concluded there
are four speakers in the queue
and no additional speakers will
be taken.
>> Please proceed.
Thank you.
3.8 Joyce and you are to.
This is absolutely wonderful
because this is our world folks
and we're slowly waking up to
the reality that it's happening
and it's exponentially speeding
up.
So belt buckle up your seat
belt because this is just
the beginning.
And zoom will zoom into
the future and where it will go
we do not know.
I'm thrilled that we're going
to be able to speak.
I don't know what our voices
will be in the future and what
these new worlds will be like.
They're going to be something
we can't even see right now.
So thank you.
Thank you for this PRESIDENT Or
Carver Thank you.
Thank you everybody.
That's on board for this I'm
sure we're going to get 100%
vote on this if some people are
missing.
But in any case thank you.
Thank you.
I'm on board Up to all Thank
you.
>> Next zoom user if you can
please unmute and then zoom
user.
>> Thanks for taking my call.
Hey perfect example of seat at
the table happened just in
the last topic you guys said
showing what I would say
the city council doesn't even
have a seat at the table It's
all done in the backroom deals
with the mayor.
The mayor throws this thing in
front of you guys like it's you
got a seat at the table and say
you say yes or we have 30
minutes to decide on this.
We have to do it now That's not
a seat at the table.
That was a backroom deal.
It live on tv.
So anyway we should have a new
amendment to call the mayor
like Bozo the Clown or
something And refer to
the mayor as bozo because once
we have these bargaining things
for the new budget it's going
to be wild man And we could
always have the assistant to
the mayor get him like a
unicycle and a big red nose.
So when it comes to that
meetings you could tell
the mayor that.
>> Thanks a lot.
And Kate, your final speaker.
>> Oh, hi.
Can you hear me?
Yes.
Please proceed.
Okay, great.
So my name is Kate.
I work in District three and
I'm a resident of District
nine.
I am a big fan of Senate Bill
707I think there is tremendous
opportunity to enhance public
participation in these
meetings.
I actually would encourage you
all to send this back to
the city attorney's office
today to comply with Senate
Bill 707 without unnecessarily
burdening public commenters to
the professionalization of
the public comment process.
I believe that community
planning groups deserve to have
a seat at the table and they
should have a way too public to
comment in these meetings
without it.
With that sort of dialog and
those sort of identifying
times.
>> But the practice of seeding
time benefits not just citizens
but also city council it helps
us be more effective in our
public comments And I know that
the incredibly competent office
of the city clerk could figure
out how to do same time
allotment to seed time across
virtual and in-person
platforms.
>> Thank you.
Thank you.
That does conclude public
comment on this item.
All right.
>> All right.
Thank you, City clerk.
I again want to thank my senior
policy adviser Abby Roger for
all the work on this clerk
Quintus and her team Tyler
Birch and his team that
supports this committee and
the city attorney's office for
your collaboration in
responding to the state law
changes.
Before I go on with the rest of
my comments, I want to respond
to several things that were
heard.
One the rules of counsel are
only changing what we need to
change to respond.
Sb 707 actually had many more
changes that were already
embedded in our rules of
counsel so we didn't even touch
that And the allowance for
remote participation was
already embedded in our rules
of counsel.
Not every agency up and down
the state of California allowed
remote and they're now required
to add remote.
The I got a little bit of a
kick out of the comment about
disruption.
The disruption is not about
what we do about someone
disrupting a meeting.
It is when we lose contact with
either Zoom or City tv and
people that want to participate
just watch or even participate
remotely can't.
And so there's very specific
language You just can't blow it
off and say hey, we got a
quorum.
We're just going to keep on
with our meeting.
Strong language itself.
This is what you have to do If
there is a disruption for those
participating remotely it has
nothing to do with behavior in
the public meeting.
To MR. Your comment I can never
remember your day.
>> I'm not going to say it
wrong out loud.
The splitting is something that
we're continuing to entertain.
I don't know if folks
appreciate actually how big of
a lift this is for our city
clerk and for our committee
consultants to make this
fundamental change in due
seating of time remotely.
So this is the first big step
in that process.
We'll continue to monitor it to
see if technology makes it
easier to monitor.
But we wanted to give the city
clerk something solid.
They know they could deliver on
by JULY 1st.
But we're also continuing to
entertain that for for
the reasons that you said.
So we do recognize though I
always I think I said this at
Rules Committee but for
the colleagues that weren't
there, there was nothing more
effective than throwing back at
a council member things they
said in the past.
So kudos to you for doing that
again.
2013 was a much different time.
It is prior to the current
iteration of 624 which
fundamentally changed
the city's relationship with
our community planning groups
going forward.
And I also want to clarify
accessible dialog is on
the table right now.
If some council member wants to
ask a question from anybody in
the public you can say MR.
Moti, come up here and talk to
me about utility boxes as we
did at our working group.
So there's nothing to stop that
from happening.
So that's allowable today.
And you brought back a memory
from what staff said at
the Planning Commission my very
first cpc meeting where I
really didn't know what I was
doing.
Staff was bringing forth
the idea of dumping planning
groups as the primary vehicle
for a community plan update and
institute a committee to do
the community plan update.
i'm not going to talk about mid
city.
I'll let my colleague deal with
that.
But I immediately knew that was
wrong and I spoke up and people
even know who the John Carver
was back then but trying to
defend planning groups back
then.
So I think I covered most of
the issues that I wanted to but
I appreciate everybody who's a
lot of you participated from
the very first Rules Committee.
As I said, the city of San
Diego was a leader in many
aspects of 7 or 7 other
jurisdictions are now having to
catch up.
While I know some people will
complain, I think we do have a
robust system for public
participation.
It does require a little more
work.
I can tell you how many times I
came down here all by myself
and maybe I got a minute or
maybe I got three minutes to
represent my planning group
going forward.
And again, as you heard, these
changes will not take effect on
JULY 1st.
What skills our city clerk and
our committee consultants time
to monitor the feedback and
technological progress to
identify opportunities for
continued further improvement.
So I'm going to leave it there
and see what my colleagues say
but I will move the staff
recommendation and we'll go
next to council member Eli
Rivera.
>> Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT.
Appreciate your work on this
Abby Thank you for all the work
you did.
Council PRESIDENT I know you
worked closely with the clerk
to to bring this forward so
thank you for all the effort.
As I said before, it rules
Committee my entire time
knowing you, you've cared about
public participation,
the ability for the community
to show up and meaningfully
weigh in, not just weigh in how
we got to know each other.
You were just a guy who
continuously showed up to
support community efforts.
And so I know that this was
done with the intent of
obviously abiding by state law
but also doing so in a way that
ensures that meaningful public
engagement is maintained.
So thank you for that.
With that I'm happy to provide
a second.
All right.
Thank you, sir.
We'll go next to council member
So we have motion by myself on
the second by council member
Eli Rivera.
We'll go next to council member
Von Wilbert.
Thank you and thank you for
the work to implement the state
required changes.
I know it's easy when the state
passes a law and then we have
to scramble to implement it.
So I appreciate you very much
for doing that And also to our
city clerk and all the deputy
and assistant clerks it is very
hard to maintain meeting
management with both the online
platform in here and your job
is about to be much more
challenging.
So I just want to appreciate
the fact that you are so kind
and open and invite people in
no matter how hard that's going
to be.
So thank you for your work on
that as well And thank you also
to it Victoria LaRusso and all
the community planning groups
for coming down here and not
only dedicating your time but
also you know, paying for
parking.
You know it is something that
we should think about here now
that the city doesn't have any
budget deficits But it is noted
in in terms of the further
actions I know it would not
before us today whether or not
to include a 30% specified slot
for community planning groups
But I definitely am open to
that discussion and I would
love to hear I know the council
PRESIDENT You've done so much
work on the council
relationship with the planning
group so I think the point is
made and I would be open to
hearing any ideas for
the future about how this could
be implemented.
At the same time yes, as long
as people are here anyone on
this dias can ask anyone in
the audience a question.
You know as well So it doesn't
need to be seated at these
tables.
If anybody is here we can ask
our community member to come up
and respond.
I don't think we've made that
very clear but that is that is
our current protocol.
So but for today I know we're
only talking about these very
specific changes to comply with
7o7 but I would be more than an
open to hearing more for future
ideas to implement some of
these goals.
So thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Council Member one Well we'll
go next to Council member Campo
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Similar to
that Rules Committee I'll be in
support today though I will
I'll reiterate my support for
the suggestion from the CPGs to
have that equal rung in
the ladder of communication.
I do appreciate that we're
working with the city clerk's
office to get the virtual
in-person and virtual mics done
correctly which which will
alleviate a lot of cost and
effort to magnify the voices
and I think that I just need to
reiterate to my five planning
groups in District seven that
you know, we have a close
relationship.
We have people from my staff at
every single meeting and and
beyond in other meetings as
well.
I think that as soon as we are
able to get that hybrid and
in-person mix we will be able
to functionally get very close
to that equal seat in
the table.
But as my constituents know I'm
more than happy to ask any
questions they give me to put
in front of me of any applicant
or city staff at any time And I
appreciate them for their great
efforts.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT For
the good work and thank you
MS..
Rider for your good work on
this as well.
I'll vote in support.
All right.
Thank you Council member I
we'll go next to Council
PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee Thank you
Council PRESIDENT And thank you
and your team the city clerk's
team for their work on this
It's we were just commenting up
here about how we get these
state bills that get passed
with changes which is wonderful
And from an equity standpoint I
think is is actually a
significant advancement in
trying to offer folks equal
time and access.
So that should not be
understated but also recognize
that we were we were uniquely
equipped as a city to be able
to respond to this to adjust
without making significant
changes.
I think of how most of
the jurisdictions within this
county had already eliminated
virtual comment post pandemic
and and to try to re-implement
a new system must be extremely
challenging for many of them.
So thank you city Clerk for
continue to address these
challenges And I think to that
point I don't think we should
under estimate how challenging
it is on the city clerk's and
to try to manage both in-person
public speakers as well as
virtually online and to add
this additional component for
presentations.
So what I do appreciate with
this update is that we've
sought to really strike a
balance in how we can allow
the public as much time as
possible to prepare to gather
the individuals they need to
have a presentation ready and
two hours is not a lot of time
for you to receive some of this
and piece all of it together.
And so that's just something
that I think we all need to
acknowledge and that I imagine
for the city clerk as we
advance in making this even
more accessible that it takes
staffing and time to dedicate
to make sure it's done in a
meaningful way.
I think to that to the point of
our community planning groups
and cbc about having a seat at
the table that's similar to
some of my colleagues that have
mentioned here.
I think what we're going to see
at least in this round of
changes is some better
structure to how presentations
are offered.
It certainly doesn't answer
the whole question that has
been proposed and I think that
is one that's still challenging
logistically to figure out all
nuances of But I appreciate
that that's a conversation
that's continuing in some way
or another because I do think
we recognize that the speeches
do come oftentimes with
feedback on items how they get
their time, how that gets
allotted Again, I think once we
have a blend of virtual and in
person that might help to solve
some of that because it will
remove one of the most
immediate barriers to someone
speaking But having the group
presentations upfront and even
just acknowledging that one of
them is going to be
the committee plan groups or
the cbc I think goes a long
ways in helping to recognize
where in sort of in the order
with the public
the presentations come from.
So so I appreciate the work
that's been done on the item
today, happy to support it,
look forward to future
discussions to see how we can
continue to improve upon
the process that we have.
>> Thank you.
All right.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT Pro tem Not
anybody else in the lights
We're having a motion to move
the staff recommendation motion
by myself and the second by
council member Eli Rivera.
>> Clerk Please call the roll
Just when you guys are saying
nice things about me I'll have
to redo the vote.
>> My apologies.
I'm sorry The vote Please cast
your vote And that does pass
unanimously 8 to 0 with Council
member Marino voting no and
COUNCILMAN Moreno voting
absent.
I really wanted to humble
myself.
>> Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
All right.
Thank you And again thank you
everybody that showed up and
stuck through a long afternoon
.
>> clerk Please introduce item
f507 items 5 or 7 is the Clean
Water srf loan to the storm
water system for the Troy is
green infrastructure and storm
drain improvements projects
This requires six votes
pursuant to Charter Section 99
If you are here and like to
speak on this item please be
sure to submit your speaker
slip to the front of the room
in the clear bin and if you are
online now's the time to raise
your hand by pressing Star nine
or the raise your hand icon.
Thank you.
>> All right with that I see
staff has seated themselves.
Please introduce yourself for
the record and let us know how
much time you need.
Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
And thank you Council member.
My name is Kevin Warner.
I am the financing coordinator
with Department of Finance.
Will need five minutes.
All right, when you're ready I
appreciate it.
The item seeks council approval
to enter into a clean water
state revolving fund financing
for the choice green
infrastructure and storm drain
improvements projects for
background the Clean Water
State Revolving Fund or srf as
it's commonly known offers low
cost loans to help local
agencies construct water
projects affordably throughout
the state.
The program is administered by
the State Water Resources
Control Board.
The program offers low interest
rate loans and favorable
repayment terms.
The city regularly submits
applications for standalone
projects that meet those
requirements and the state has
started capping loans at $50
million per project.
The Choice Green Infrastructure
and Storm Drain Improvement
Project consist of Alfredo and
Rolando Park Storm Drain and
Green Infrastructure and Green
Infrastructure Group 1012 all
in the choice watershed.
This project improves water
quality and flood resistance in
the choice watershed with six
new modular wetland systems and
replaces aging storm drain
pipes and installs 3500 new
feet of new reinforced concrete
drains.
This project is 100% design
complete and is being finalized
for construction and
the estimated cost for this
project is $23.8 million and
it's due to be bid at the end
of of calendar year 2026 with
start of construction in 2027
and finish in calendar year
2029.
>> The Storm Drain revenue Fund
collects approximately $5.7
million annually from the storm
drain fees and the storm drain
revenue fund will be pledged
for the choice projects.
The revenue fund is also
pledged to repay the South
Michigan Beach Clean Water srf
Loan that the city did and
completed in fall of 2024.
The state has offered a $22
million loan plus a potential
$5 million in principal
forgiveness principal
forgiveness meaning more like a
kind of like a grant and could
bring the total of financing to
$27 million The $5 million in
forgiveness decision is
expected in late fiscal year
2026 or early 2027 from
the State Water Resources
Control Board with the current
storm drain revenue fund
capacity this would be the last
clean water srf loan for storm
water coming forward unless
there was a vote of the people
to increase the storm drain
revenue fund The again
the estimated cost is $23.8
million and the loan cap
provides room for future cost
increases if forgiveness of
the principal forgiveness does
not materialize or bids exceed
estimates.
Alternative financing through
wifi or general fact general
fund backed loans would cover
the remainder So there's $27
million in proceeds available
at 2% interest for the $22
million in loans.
The 30 year term that goes from
fiscal year 2030 to 2059
the current estimated debt
service is $975,000 annually on
the $22 million loan.
Again, this is current It could
change in the future.
The first payment would be in
fiscal year 2030.
Repayment only applies to
actual draws.
There is a debt service
coverage component as well and
reserves are required on this
loan And then the storm drain
revenue fund actually also pays
for the operation and
maintenance of these choice
projects And with that we have
the proposed actions on
the screen and I leave it up
for any questions.
>> All right.
Thank you very much for
the presentation.
Clerk Please proceed with
public testimony on f507 Thank
you.
Council PRESIDENT And our
master Elder Master are you
here?
I think he has left.
We're starting the five minute
timer and going to those
participating remotely starting
with the original.
You'll have two minutes.
Yeah it's crazy.
There's a 150 year old problem
in the city according to
Jennifer Campbell And you guys
have a $5 billion storm
infrastructure gap And of
course we want to be spending
money on that.
But it's scary to think about
if you guys are actually going
to complete that because money
has always been reallocated or
diverted somewhere else leading
to the problems that have taken
place.
And you know like with you guys
getting into all these loans,
obviously you're not going to
be able to find that money
under a rock But it's like how
long is the city and the people
going to be in debt due to
the negligence of the city not
keeping up with this
infrastructure?
I mean it's like it's $5
billion Is the gap like how
much more is that going to cost
when you guys are getting into
these loans and how many years
is that going to be?
You know, it's going to be
another 150 years before
the people even see the other
side of this.
It's just really sad because so
many places have been neglected
and so many people have lost,
you know, just their their
livelihoods because of
the negligence and because of,
you know, storming happening
and if they're going to
continue to do this
geoengineering which they will
because it fits perfectly into
your guys's climate change
agenda, then there's going to
be absolute Lee more and more
storms and we're I don't even
know how we're even going to be
able to keep up with what's
coming down the pike And you
know, just I don't know It's
just really sad because there's
so much malfeasance and
mismanagement that goes on that
it's really hard to trust that
you guys are going to really
utilize this and make sure that
because Troy's Creek I mean
it's like that's awesome in
that part of the Promise Zone
and all these promise zones
have actually been left behind
So hopefully you're actually
going to be doing what needs to
be done here in this money's
going to be spent where it is
being allocated to.
But again it's big fear of
thinking about, you know, what
kind of money this is going to
cost the people because of, you
know, mismanagement that's
already taken place.
It's it's a little bit urging
them has concluded bait if you
can please unmute made a cameo
for you and pop up should have
come up There you go I should
have said John pretty sorry
about that.
I am trying to reach you to
talk about stormwater drainage
and basically I wanted to say
we're looking at stormwater as
a problem as opposed to an
opportunity And for example I
used to live on an on Rose
Canyon and we would that if we
were able to block off that
canyon itself we could flood it
during high periods of rain or
whenever there's an intense
storm and then allow that water
to seep into our watershed.
And I suspect that by looking
at canyons that way throughout
the region we probably could
slow down water substantially
as opposed to focusing on
having a rush out to the sea so
that we can evaporate it into
drinkable water through pure
water.
>> Thank you.
8700 If you can please unmute
It is 100.
Thank you.
Thank you City clerk for John
Brady Thank you.
That was a wonderful example of
seizing the opportunity if it's
possible.
I really appreciated that it
was good for our city.
Okay so I love the words clean
water and it's a joyous creek.
I don't even know where
actually is creek but yet I
love Choice Creek because I
have listened for so many it
seems like years having people
speak up to protect and and
enjoy a choice creek the nature
of it and everything.
So I was really happy to see
those words Choice Creek
included.
I know it is broader than that
but it was great to see that So
thank you Public for fighting
for and protecting Choice Creek
So I love the principle of
forgiveness of 5 million from
the state and we'll keep our
fingers crossed so that you
know like a grant okay won't be
required matching funds?
I don't think so.
So not with forgiveness.
So that's good news And I
really like the fact that it
sounds like you have a plan for
all results as to what happens
with the resources of funding
And you know what?
Well you'll have to take what
the opportunities are in case
the grant the forgiveness loan
is not coming forward.
So this is a great item to end
the day with And it was I think
that was the last item.
But thank you everybody.
Hey, we're in this together,
aren't we?
And you know everything is just
supposed to be there and it's
unfolding and we're meeting it
and we're doing our best and
we're doing better.
So thank you everybody and love
to all Thank you.
>> The five minute timer did
conclude we have two speakers
in the queue.
No additional speakers will be
taken Tony if you can proceed
with your comments I think you
City council I just wanted to
thank Bates who spoke earlier.
What he said was really
brilliant about kind of viewing
stormwater instead of doing
stormwater as problematic
viewing it from the perspective
that it's something beneficial
that can help with landscaping
,that can help replenish our
aquifers, it can help replenish
our water table.
I think that we have so much
stormwater that becomes a
problem because we don't have
enough water collections
throughout the city.
I did hear about a program and
met an individual that worked
for a department.
I forget which department it
was that actually had grants
for issuing some of these water
collection tanks But I think
having more of them throughout
the city is would be really
beneficial.
I'm looking into like
permaculture looking into who
go culture mounds looking into
different ways that we can
absorb stormwater naturally And
really what it comes down to is
the fundamental understanding
that we have to choose if we
want to have a society that's
powered I guess or essentially
maneuvered with concrete you
know concrete street tops,
concrete parking lots or if we
want to have a buy organic one
where we can absorb some of
that that stormwater with more
plants and trees planted
throughout the city.
Now it's also a question of
like management and trees and
you know there's issues of like
branches falling and lawsuits
resulting from like tree
branches falling and hitting
people And I know that that's
often cited as an excuse to not
have more trees or to cut down
the few trees that we have.
But as the planet's getting
hotter and we've just had like
the hottest MARCH on record in
like 120 years it's becoming
apparent that we need more
trees.
We need to make a precious
valuable use of our stormwater
and treat it as such and not be
discarding it.
So I appreciate that comment
earlier and I implore all of
you to look into this further.
>> Thank.
And our final speaker is 8813
If you can please unmute your
okay controller here and yes
yep control here and I love
the enthusiasm of that previous
caller And you know what?
It's unfortunate that people
don't realize what is happening
within for example having
the warmest MARCH ever.
It's you know that's all by
design that's all being
controlled whether people want
to acknowledge it or not it
truly is Look into that.
It's called geo engineering.
Tune in to your carb meetings
especially if you're really
interested.
So the previous caller uh what
did I want to say?
Oh um yeah.
And as far as like the whole
planting the trees and having
more trees and cooling down
the planet again.
Yeah that's great.
But the goal is to eliminate
the carbon, right?
So that contributes to it.
So yeah, everything is
backwards as Audra mentions.
So inverted and there really is
an agenda at hand and our
contribution the things that we
have to say, the great ideas
that people have just go down
the toilet because essentially
in the end they do not work for
us.
Reminder they work for
the globalists.
So a happy awakening to Oh I
love you San Diego.
I'm done.
Thank you.
That concludes with a comment
on this item.
All right.
Thank you, City Clerk And with
that we'll turn over to
the council for questions.
Comments Entertain a motion.
We'll start with council member
Isla Rivera.
Oh, how are you doing?
Um, this is a good thing.
This is a good thing.
Um, a community that should
have more investment and its
infrastructure is getting more
investment in its
infrastructure.
We're moving from gray boring,
depressing old outdated to
green vibrant, healthy.
This is good.
We should say so I am glad that
this is happening.
A motion to approve staff
recommendation.
All right.
Thank you.
Councilmember Yellow We have a
motion to move the staff
recommendation.
We'll go next to council member
Bond.
Wilbert thank you very much And
I'm happy to second the Motion
and Echo Council.
You are very kind and this is
very good In fact to the risk
of telling everyone what nerds
we are.
COUNCILMAN Rivera and I often
text each other pictures of
green infrastructure when we
see them in other cities which
is what makes me ask
the question could we have put
more pictures in this
presentation for the public
especially if it is 100% design
phase completed?
You know, explaining to folks
like me about what a modular
wetland stormwater system is,
it would be very helpful to
have more photos for everybody
because it is a success story.
You know if we're getting money
to do an important job for
the environment.
So that would be my request for
the future.
And can you tell me more about
the modular wetlands?
I we have some colleagues from
stormwater that are on online
right now.
They can come and tell you what
the what the wetlands are.
I counted in the third This is
Sara from City of San Diego
Stormwater Department So
the model with an is a type of
the water quality component
that allows runoff and rainfall
to infiltrate within
the engineered water quality
system to filter out
the pollutant from the rainfall
before discharging to our water
body And it's kind of like it
well it's fill up with
different types of the material
combination of the sand and
mulch and different type of
the medial layer and it's
planted on the top so it's
underground and then on
the surface you will see
the plastic and thinking of
runoff we can definitely just
sense a schematic of the module
wetland to you just for to
better understand.
>> Yeah I'd be happy to.
I just we're missing an
opportunity for the public to
also get excited about modular
wetland systems and so I just
thank you This is a great work.
I just in the future I'd love
to have people more engaged in
this because we have seen
catastrophic flooding in San
Diego and we're going to get
our climate action goals.
This is all going to also going
to help reduce untreated
wastewater into our ocean that
this is such a good news item
and I just feel we could
celebrate it even more So thank
you for the good work I'm
taking the motion and glad to
see this is getting off
the ground.
>> All right.
Thank you so we have a motion
by council member Julio Rivera
and the second by council
member Von Wolpert Clerk Please
call the roll I start of
the voting system Please cast
your vote That passes
unanimously 8 to 0 with council
member Moreno absent.
>> Thank you.
All right.
Thank you And thank you for
the good work and bringing that
out before All right today we
have two adjournments in memory
and we'll go to Council member
Foster first, sir.
>> Yes.
Thank you Council PRESIDENT
Give a quick moment for
the slide presentation to be
uploaded And there you go.
Ready?
All right.
Thank you again.
Thank you.
Council PRESIDENT With great
respect we adjourn today's
meeting in memory of Alwyn Ben
Holman, a Navy veteran
trailblazer and leader whose
life reflected service,
perseverance and strength.
MR. Holman passed away on APRIL
3rd, 2026.
His life was celebrated to this
past Saturday APRIL 11th
surrounded by loved ones and
those who carry forward his
legacy.
MR. Holman was born in Alton,
Illinois on DECEMBER 26th,
1925.
He came to San Diego while
serving in the United States
Navy during World War Two.
The city became home a place
where he would leave leave a
lasting mark.
After his military service he
continued serving others as a
mail carrier and later as a
firefighter with the San Diego
Fire Department.
Any time when doors were closed
to many MR. Holman stepped
forward and helped open them.
He became the first black
firefighter in San Diego
assigned outside of Station 19,
breaking through a system that
had long limited opportunity.
That moment mattered not just
for him but for every
firefighter who came after him
because of his courage.
San Diego's fire department
began to change because of his
presence.
Others were able to see what
was possible and because of his
leadership a stronger and more
inclusive department took shape
.
He went on to serve with
distinction for nearly three
decades rising through
the ranks to become the city's
first black deputy fire chief,
retiring in 1983, leaving
behind a legacy of excellence
and determined action.
When we recognize MR. Holman
right here in these chambers on
his 100th birthday we
celebrated a life that mirrored
the progress of our city.
A life defined not only by
personal achievement but by
the opportunities he helped
create for others.
And that impact did not stop
within the fire service.
It extended across industries,
across generations and across
this entire city.
For black San Diego especially,
his life stands as proof of
what is possible and I can say
personally as I sit in this
city today that legacy is not
that that legacy is not lost on
me.
Beyond his career, MR. Holman
was devoted to his family.
He shared 71 years of marriage
with his wife Ruby.
And leaves behind a family who
cared for him, supported him
and now carry his legacy
forward.
His life reminds us that real
change is built over time
through persistence, through
service and through the courage
to stand where others have not
been given the chance.
On behalf of the board Council
district I extend my deepest
condolences to the home and
family.
MAY we honor his legacy by
continuing the work of opening
doors and creating opportunity.
Rest in power MR. Holman.
And this includes my concludes
my comments.
Thank you.
Thank you, Councilmember Foster
And now council member Vaughn
Walker.
For we hard thank you Council
PRESIDENT And thank you Henry
for those beautiful words about
home and it was wonderful to
have him here in chambers
recently.
Today we are also adjourning
our APRIL 14th, 2026 City
Council meeting in memory of
Alex Samantha Libby.
We have a slideshow His I
apologize got some ready to go
up for a second and then it
seemed to glitch very go.
Thank you.
On DECEMBER 26th, 1991
the world was introduced to
Alex Smith.
To know Alex was to feel
welcome and loved.
She loved all people and all
the people loved her.
That's true.
Alex lived with intention.
She found joy in the simple
things that many of us take for
granted.
She reminded us to watch
the sunrise in the sunset to go
to the beach to have meaningful
conversations with friends And
she spent so much time with her
family, her circle of friends
and family.
Though she was born into it
though she chose along the way
.
We're so blessed to have her in
our lives for 34 years.
After graduating from csu she
ultimately found her way to
working for her sister Kim
Miller at Miller Public
Affairs.
As a senior account executive
she loved working in public
affairs.
She loved coming to City hall.
She loved working with many of
us in this building.
And it turns out she loved
organizing speakers in
the chambers and making public
comments.
Bless her.
In her role at npr, Alex was
honored to be a part of
the efforts that helped improve
the lives of others throughout
the San Diego family.
In addition, she volunteered
She supported and engaged
various organizations in her
public affairs work including
odi, the San Diego and Imperial
Labor Council's annual dinner.
And she did food drives and toy
drives for others.
She participated with the San
Diego Future Foundation,
the City Heights edc, the San
Diego Fire Rescue Foundation.
And one of her favorites She
always participated in drives
for Lincoln High School.
Alex Libby was the loveliest
daughter sister auntie these
sister in law, cousin and
friend.
Cancer in Italy took her life
but when she met it with
the same things you do.
But she met that cancer with
the same strength she displayed
when she entered the world only
34 years ago.
Here's a quote from C.S. Lewis.
Remember her graph him like
the sky It spread over
everything but it's always
there.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, Councilmember Bangle
.
We'll MISS Both of them.
With that we would join counsel
to the next regularly scheduled
council meeting on Monday,