[8:46] and
[9:56] the.
[9:56] >> All right.
[9:57] Good morning.
[9:57] I will now call the city
[10:00] council meeting of Tuesday
[10:01] APRIL 14th, 2026 to order.
[10:05] Clerk please call the roll.
[10:06] Thank you.
[10:06] Council PRESIDENT Council
[10:07] Member Campbell here.
[10:10] Council Councilmember Whitburn
[10:11] here.
[10:11] Council Member Foster here.
[10:16] Councilmember Von Wilpert
[10:17] Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
[10:17] here.
[10:18] Councilmember Campo here
[10:21] Council Oliver Moreno.
[10:21] Council Member Eli Rivera and
[10:25] Council PRESIDENT LaCava
[10:25] present.
[10:26] Thank you.
[10:26] Also attending the meeting our
[10:27] chief deputy city attorney
[10:31] Breitbart a lot of independent
[10:31] budget analyst Charles Mollica,
[10:32] Council Affairs Advisor in
[10:33] the Mayor's office Code advisor
[10:35] and myself your city clerk
[10:35] Diana Fuentes.
[10:35] Thank you.
[10:36] Council PRESIDENT.
[10:36] All right.
[10:37] Thank you.
[10:37] With that a quorum is now
[10:39] present.
[10:40] We will begin this morning with
[10:41] the land acknowledgment and
[10:41] the Pledge of Allegiance led by
[11:01] council member Campbell.
[11:06] We respectfully acknowledge
[11:07] that the community nation are
[11:11] the original inhabitants of
[11:12] the Unceded land now known as
[11:12] San Diego.
[11:16] Despite enduring the horrors of
[11:17] genocide and colonization,
[11:17] the community spirit remains
[11:21] unbroken.
[11:22] We honor the resilience of
[11:22] their ancestors who fought to
[11:26] protect their culture and land.
[11:26] Today they carry their legacy
[11:31] forward ensuring that their
[11:32] traditions continue to thrive
[11:33] in gratitude and strength.
[11:37] We stand with the commune
[11:37] nation connected to our past
[11:41] and committed to a thriving
[11:42] future.
[11:42] Please place your hand over
[11:46] your heart and repeat
[11:52] the Pledge of Allegiance to
[11:52] the flag which changes to
[11:56] the flag of the United States
[11:56] of America and to the Republic
[12:00] for which it stands one nation
[12:00] under GOD, indivisible with
[12:07] liberty and justice for all.
[12:08] >> Clerk Please go over how
[12:12] the public can offer their
[12:13] testimony.
[12:13] >> Thank you.
[12:14] I'll now highlight the slide on
[12:15] the screen that reviews how
[12:17] the public can offer their
[12:17] public testimony during today's
[12:18] meeting.
[12:18] Please note the time
[12:19] allocations for proclamations
[12:23] and consent items for meeting
[12:23] management purposes are one
[12:26] minute per item to a maximum of
[12:27] three minutes.
[12:27] If there are three or more
[12:28] items in that portion of
[12:28] the agenda.
[12:31] The order can be found on
[12:32] the agenda Summary found online
[12:32] or at the table in the back of
[12:36] the room.
[12:37] If you are in person please
[12:37] complete a speaker slip located
[12:38] at the entrance of chambers and
[12:42] bring it to the front of
[12:42] the room in the clear box.
[12:43] Council ambassadors are
[12:43] available near the entrance and
[12:47] can assist with questions and
[12:47] speaker slips.
[12:48] No further in-person testimony
[12:48] will be taken once the council
[12:51] begins Virtual testimony.
[12:52] Thank you Council PRESIDENT.
[12:52] Thank you.
[12:53] We will now dispense with
[12:56] the approval of
[12:56] the proclamation items.
[12:57] Clerk Please proceed with
[12:57] public testimony.
[13:01] The public comment period for
[13:02] the proclamation items is now
[13:02] open.
[13:03] Each speaker will have one
[13:06] minute per item per person.
[13:07] If you would like to speak on
[13:08] three or more items you will
[13:08] have a maximum of three
[13:08] minutes.
[13:12] The proclamation items being
[13:15] approved are items 3332 as 501
[13:16] as s 500 as 504 and se 505.
[13:22] We did receive comments on item
[13:22] 31 opposed and one in favor via
[13:26] our comment form which have
[13:27] been distributed to
[13:27] the council.
[13:28] We do have quite a number of
[13:32] speakers here starting with
[13:32] Doris Petar Doris.
[13:33] You have time ceded to you if
[13:38] they can please raise their
[13:38] hand.
[13:39] Jamal Conch Thank you.
[13:42] Sayid Jonas Thank you.
[13:43] Omar Abdel Shawn Nadia Swanson.
[13:47] Michael Corey.
[13:47] Jim Roush.
[13:53] Were you in all tie all day And
[13:57] Amar Kadam.
[13:57] Thank you.
[13:58] You'll have ten minutes.
[13:59] Please proceed when ready.
[14:02] Okay.
[14:02] I'm sorry.
[14:03] You can go to the higher
[14:08] microphone right next to you.
[14:09] Right next to you to the right
[14:12] that have that microphone there
[14:12] .
[14:13] You just step over there.
[14:14] Oh, I'm sorry.
[14:15] I'm sorry.
[14:21] I'll just take this one.
[14:22] >> Thank you.
[14:22] Before I begin before the clock
[14:26] starts, I just want to really
[14:26] extend an incredible thank you
[14:27] to the council PRESIDENT Joe
[14:32] LaCava for making this such a
[14:33] smooth transition for us to be
[14:33] here today.
[14:37] And I want to thank Sandy much
[14:38] especially.
[14:38] Thank you.
[14:43] So my name is Dorothy Tarr.
[14:43] I am the California coordinator
[14:47] organizer for the American-Arab
[14:48] Anti-Discrimination Committee.
[14:52] This presentation brings in
[14:53] many other kinds of
[14:53] organizations as well And it's
[14:58] a long time in coming.
[14:58] So thank you.
[15:03] So the first slide shows us
[15:03] the Arab world at night.
[15:04] And this is where it is right
[15:04] now.
[15:08] It is night time.
[15:09] And this is also how we think
[15:10] about it as Arab Americans.
[15:13] We are uniquely uniquely suited
[15:14] suited whether we immigrated
[15:19] recently or from long ago to
[15:20] become full Americans
[15:20] contributing in leadership
[15:24] roles.
[15:25] And you'll see that as
[15:28] the presentation goes on.
[15:34] >> So who are Arab Americans?
[15:35] We are united by language,
[15:35] culture and history.
[15:39] Next slide.
[15:44] We are also from 22 countries.
[15:49] And in the light of day you can
[15:50] see that And these countries
[15:50] each one although we are united
[15:54] by language and culture, we
[15:55] also united by difference.
[16:00] We celebrate difference and
[16:00] uniqueness.
[16:01] Every country is different.
[16:02] Every village, every town.
[16:08] Next slide please.
[16:09] >> The American-Arab
[16:10] Anti-Discrimination Committee
[16:14] was created by Senator James
[16:15] Abbott risk in 1980.
[16:19] He was senator of South Dakota
[16:19] and he penned the Indian Child
[16:20] Protection Act.
[16:24] You know, when Native Americans
[16:25] were being put into orphanages
[16:30] against their wills and put up
[16:31] for adoption and trying to
[16:35] diminish their culture, he was
[16:36] the one who stood for them
[16:36] After that he decided
[16:40] Arab-Americans needed more
[16:41] protection.
[16:42] He's a Lebanese American and he
[16:46] created the adc which was a
[16:46] committee initially in
[16:48] Washington D.C..
[16:54] Next slide please.
[16:55] We've been here a long time.
[16:55] In the 1500s the first Arabs
[17:00] were slaves from Arab countries
[17:01] brought by Spanish explorers.
[17:04] The first large wave were
[17:08] largely Christians from Greater
[17:12] Syria 1875 to 1920 1942 1990s
[17:13] when my family immigrated from
[17:17] Lebanon, a second wave of Arab
[17:18] immigrants mainly Muslims
[17:18] immigrated for economic
[17:19] opportunities.
[17:23] My family was Christian doesn't
[17:23] matter but we came here for
[17:28] economic opportunities.
[17:29] 2000 To the present many Arab
[17:29] Americans have come to
[17:30] the United States as refugees
[17:34] because of war.
[17:34] Thank you.
[17:35] If I can explain.
[17:38] About 3.7 million Americans
[17:39] trace their roots to Arab
[17:42] countries with 82% born in
[17:43] the United States.
[17:43] California has the largest
[17:48] community and Southern
[17:48] California is the largest
[17:49] population.
[17:50] Los Angeles has the largest
[17:53] number of Arab-Americans and
[17:54] San Diego is a second or third
[17:54] to that.
[17:59] Five out of ten Arab Americans
[18:00] have a bachelor's degree or
[18:00] higher.
[18:04] Over 20% of Arab Americans have
[18:04] a postgraduate degree.
[18:08] Almost double the national
[18:09] average of 12.
[18:09] Our incomes are 26% higher than
[18:13] the national average.
[18:13] Next please.
[18:14] Stereotypes versus reality.
[18:18] I just want to say that
[18:19] basically minorities in
[18:20] the Arab world are considered
[18:24] to be the glue that binds
[18:25] the cultures together and
[18:25] allows for trust and innovation
[18:30] to proceed.
[18:31] Here are two pictures One of
[18:36] Palestinian Jews Samaritans
[18:37] You've heard of the good
[18:37] Samaritans in Nablus
[18:37] celebrating.
[18:42] So could.
[18:43] And then on the right side,
[18:46] Egyptian Christian communities
[18:47] about 14%, half of whom are
[18:47] Coptic.
[18:48] So the others are Orthodox
[18:52] Russian Orthodox, Greek
[18:52] Orthodox Protestant all
[18:53] the rest.
[18:57] Next slide please.
[18:58] Stereotypes versus reality.
[19:03] There's a lot to read here so
[19:04] I'll just pick out a few
[19:04] things.
[19:09] Basically the Arab culture
[19:09] created the modern world we
[19:10] take for granted now including
[19:10] finances, banking.
[19:14] Other things are tariffs made
[19:15] very famous recently Astronomy,
[19:20] math grafting and ice cream.
[19:20] Iraq had the highest success
[19:26] rate for heart lung transplants
[19:27] even though it leads for heart
[19:27] transplants in children.
[19:28] So before the wars they had
[19:32] that.
[19:32] The L.A. Metro was engineered
[19:33] by Arab Americans.
[19:37] Here in California as well as
[19:38] back home because Egypt and
[19:44] Iraq have very similar terrain.
[19:44] So it's engineered by Arabs
[19:48] fully from back home in here.
[19:49] What else?
[19:50] There's a lot more to say.
[19:54] We're very accomplished people
[19:54] .
[19:55] Sustainable environmental
[20:01] discussions began in the 1950s,
[20:01] for example, even though it's
[20:02] very trendy now the Arab world
[20:06] has been engaged in that for
[20:07] many, many decades.
[20:07] Okay, next slide please.
[20:12] I'm not going to get into Arab
[20:12] architecture.
[20:13] I'm an artist so I can go here
[20:14] and we could talk for an hour
[20:14] just about these two pictures.
[20:18] But granted these two pictures
[20:19] symbolize a place that is for
[20:23] worship for many peoples
[20:24] Shiite, Muslim, Christian,
[20:25] Orthodox and Jewish and
[20:30] Neolithic as well.
[20:31] I want to go back that far.
[20:32] That's in Damascus in my
[20:32] mosque.
[20:35] Stereotypes versus reality.
[20:36] Arab women have slightly more
[20:42] education than Arab men in
[20:43] the United States and in Arab
[20:43] countries.
[20:47] And oh sorry.
[20:48] Okay.
[20:48] The first university in
[20:53] the world was created by Muslim
[20:54] woman born in Tunisia and
[20:54] created the university in Fez,
[20:55] Morocco.
[20:59] And the university exists
[21:00] today.
[21:00] If you look up though,
[21:04] the first university you only
[21:05] get one in Europe.
[21:08] But the first one was 320 years
[21:09] before that or 230 years before
[21:09] that.
[21:15] I don't know why Uncle Sam is
[21:19] missing there in the middle of
[21:20] three divas of the Arab world
[21:21] Just to show you the diversity
[21:21] on the left side is Suleiman
[21:25] Mourad an Iraqi Jewish woman
[21:26] from consumers in the center
[21:26] center.
[21:31] She's kind of the goddess but
[21:32] she's not showing up for some
[21:32] reason She's Egyptian, Muslim
[21:37] and Fairouz Lebanese Christian
[21:38] who is still alive today.
[21:38] The lower picture is
[21:43] the cartoon University in
[21:44] Morocco And then the Astrolabe
[21:44] navigational instrument was
[21:49] created by Miriam Astrolabe, a
[21:50] Syrian Muslim woman.
[21:50] Okay.
[21:55] Next slide.
[21:56] This is the one somber slide a
[22:01] lot of discrimination has
[22:01] happened to the Arab-American
[22:02] community, particularly
[22:03] Palestinians and particularly
[22:08] in California, a liberal state
[22:12] from the past 1985.
[22:13] There were several bombings
[22:13] throughout the country.
[22:17] One of them killed Alex ota.
[22:18] He was assassinated in Santa
[22:19] Ana in 1985.
[22:19] A very good man.
[22:24] He opened up his office.
[22:25] It blew up and he was just
[22:26] about to go to a breakfast with
[22:30] rabbis very he was an educator
[22:31] and he had three daughters that
[22:34] he left behind the eight a year
[22:35] later that was an issue that
[22:36] went on for 20 years where
[22:41] the U.S. Government used
[22:41] McCarthy era legislation to
[22:42] harass them.
[22:46] It took 20 years to resolve.
[22:46] Of course they won.
[22:47] They won the case and the adc
[22:51] was among the people who helped
[22:51] them.
[22:52] The adc the American-Arab
[22:53] Anti-Discrimination Committee
[22:57] is a legal organization Today
[22:58] the Irvine 11 preceded
[22:58] the encampments and they were
[23:04] persecuted for a very long time
[23:08] and still are over ten years
[23:08] ago.
[23:09] We currently have lawsuits
[23:14] against the state of
[23:15] California, ucla, uc Irvine and
[23:20] ucsd to try to rectify
[23:20] the wrongs that were done
[23:21] recently.
[23:21] Also there are blacklists
[23:26] the canary mission I'm an
[23:27] academic.
[23:27] I taught for 30 years and I'm
[23:28] on this list for saying
[23:32] something nuanced about
[23:33] Lebanon, GOD forbid.
[23:34] So this list has largely harms
[23:38] young people just graduating.
[23:39] Basically this list put it puts
[23:45] a target on our back like the a
[23:46] that you passed a few weeks ago
[23:47] that puts a target on our back
[23:48] And we are collecting hate
[23:51] incidents and crimes since then
[23:56] and California legislation 80
[23:57] 715 is going to limit
[24:02] discussions like we're having
[24:03] right now This presentation MAY
[24:04] be forbidden in the future and
[24:04] that was signed by Governor
[24:08] Newsom.
[24:09] A lot going on in California.
[24:09] Please pay attention.
[24:10] Next slide please.
[24:14] Arab-Americans built City
[24:15] Heights and Balboa Park.
[24:15] They came as Masons.
[24:20] They married Mexican women and
[24:21] they have they have Mexican
[24:21] culture.
[24:22] But Arab surnames like
[24:27] the Hadad Construction Company
[24:27] you can look it up next one.
[24:32] >> But that's outrageous your
[24:33] time allotted.
[24:33] Do you have anyone else
[24:34] soliciting your time?
[24:38] Oh my goodness.
[24:38] I took two.
[24:43] Well, can I just get to one
[24:43] last slide?
[24:43] I'm sorry.
[24:44] Okay.
[24:44] There.
[24:48] And the waffle cone we created
[24:49] the waffle cone.
[24:49] That's a good outdoor I mean in
[24:50] 1904.
[24:54] Thank you so much.
[24:55] Thank you so much.
[24:56] Your slides will be a part of
[24:56] the record as well and
[24:57] distributed.
[24:57] Thank you.
[25:00] This is part of our sensitivity
[25:01] training as well and we'll
[25:02] follow up with all the council
[25:02] people.
[25:07] Thank you.
[25:08] Our next speaker is Sara about
[25:08] this Sara if you have time
[25:13] ceded to you by Maddy or my day
[25:14] I commit to you.
[25:14] Please raise your hand.
[25:15] Thank you.
[25:15] You'll have two minutes.
[25:18] Please proceed.
[25:19] So everyone And that is Good
[25:24] morning in Arabic My name is
[25:25] set up as I'm going to read off
[25:30] of my phone out here.
[25:30] My name says it all.
[25:36] It's As for Syrian air a b as
[25:36] Arab you have it set up.
[25:41] I am honored to be an Arab
[25:41] American.
[25:42] I have called San Diego my home
[25:45] for the past 27 years.
[25:46] When I joined uc San Diego I
[25:51] was longing for my community
[25:52] but I didn't find it so I
[25:57] decided to build it.
[25:58] In 2023 I helped establish
[25:59] the Arab American staff and
[26:04] faculty Association a safe
[26:04] space on campus to highlight
[26:09] and promote our rich culture
[26:10] That includes art, music, dance
[26:15] language, traditional clothing
[26:16] and cuisine.
[26:22] We worked with our university
[26:22] leadership to recognize APRIL
[26:28] as Arab American Heritage Month
[26:28] and we have our own event
[26:29] happening on Thursday, APRIL
[26:29] 16th.
[26:34] Everyone is invited.
[26:35] As an Arab American I proudly
[26:40] carry my culture wherever I go.
[26:41] Shukran.
[26:41] Thank you very much.
[26:42] Thank you.
[26:47] Your final speaker here in
[26:48] council chambers is Kimberly
[26:48] Balancing Lee.
[26:49] Kimberly, you have time ceded
[26:53] to you and you're speaking on
[26:54] item 505 by aacta.
[27:01] All right.
[27:02] Are you seating time a or
[27:02] Judah?
[27:03] No.
[27:05] Maybe that's not you, Kimberly
[27:05] Valencia but after people your
[27:10] time Joanne Johnson thank you
[27:15] and Gail Kelly aren't all right
[27:15] thank you.
[27:16] Maybe you can help me with who
[27:21] air Oh my apologies.
[27:21] Angela Hilliard, you will have
[27:22] four minutes.
[27:27] Please come up to the mic and
[27:27] proceed.
[27:28] Good morning.
[27:28] Honorable Council PRESIDENT,
[27:29] council members and
[27:33] distinguished guest.
[27:34] My name is Kim Ballantine Lane
[27:34] and I'm the PRESIDENT Of
[27:35] the San Diego chapter of
[27:35] the Links Inc..
[27:39] It is an honor to stand before
[27:40] you and accept this
[27:44] proclamation a proclamation
[27:44] recognizing the 40th
[27:45] anniversary of our Links
[27:45] Achiever program.
[27:49] We are deeply grateful for this
[27:49] recognition and for your
[27:50] commitment to investing in
[27:51] the future of the community.
[27:54] The links incorporated was
[27:55] founded in 1946 rooted in a
[27:56] commitment to friendship,
[28:01] service and transformative
[28:02] impact in the communities we
[28:02] serve.
[28:03] The San Diego chapter chartered
[28:06] in 1957 has carried that
[28:07] mission forward serving this
[28:08] community with purpose, passion
[28:13] and dedication for nearly seven
[28:13] decades.
[28:14] For 40 years the Achiever
[28:14] program has stood as a beacon
[28:18] of excellence, uplifting
[28:19] mentoring and preparing young
[28:19] men to succeed not only
[28:24] academically but as leaders in
[28:24] our society.
[28:25] This program was built with
[28:29] intention and it was made
[28:30] possible by two visionary women
[28:31] who are present with us today
[28:35] MRS. Peaches Wynn and MRS.
[28:35] Mildred Neal.
[28:36] They believed in the power of
[28:42] early exposure, strong
[28:42] mentorship and high
[28:43] expectations because of their
[28:43] vision.
[28:44] Hundreds of young men have been
[28:47] equipped to pursue higher
[28:48] education, lead in their
[28:48] communities and step
[28:49] confidently in their futures.
[28:53] That is the legacy that you are
[28:54] recognizing today.
[28:54] And what makes this moment even
[28:58] more meaningful is that this
[28:58] work continues through
[29:04] the dedication of our members,
[29:05] our tri chairs and mentors in
[29:10] our community partners.
[29:11] We remain committed to
[29:11] elevating, engaging and
[29:12] enhancing the lives of young
[29:16] men we serve.
[29:17] We are not just celebrating for
[29:18] years.
[29:18] We are continuing a legacy that
[29:22] is actively shaping the future
[29:23] of San Diego.
[29:24] To the Council.
[29:24] City Council.
[29:30] Thank you for recognizing
[29:31] importance of this work and for
[29:32] honoring the legacy of Peaches
[29:32] Wynn and Milton Leal.
[29:34] Their vision lives on in every
[29:35] achievement every opportunity
[29:36] created in every future
[29:36] transformed.
[29:41] And a special thank you to
[29:42] Councilmember Henry Foster,
[29:42] the third.
[29:46] Very near and dear to our heart
[29:47] because of your engagement of
[29:47] participation with this program
[29:48] as well.
[29:53] Thank you.
[29:53] Thank you.
[29:54] That does include public
[29:54] comment here in council
[29:55] chambers and going to those
[29:56] participating remotely.
[30:00] I've started the five minute
[30:00] queue starting with
[30:01] the original If you can please
[30:01] let me know.
[30:02] And let me know which item or
[30:05] items you wish to speak to.
[30:05] >> Yes.
[30:08] i don't know the exact number
[30:09] simply 131 is the Heritage
[30:10] Month the dispatchers and then
[30:15] the military child.
[30:16] Please proceed.
[30:16] All right.
[30:17] With the history month I feel
[30:21] like it's quite a slap in
[30:22] the face for you guys to bring
[30:22] forward that I'm sorry item for
[30:28] antisemitism when Arabs are
[30:29] Semites and there's many other
[30:29] Semites that aren't under
[30:33] the protections of that same
[30:34] ordinance law and whatever it
[30:34] is policy.
[30:39] And it's scary to think about
[30:40] because those are the type of
[30:40] people that are actually going
[30:41] to be punished for speaking And
[30:45] you know, you want to sit up
[30:46] here and give them a
[30:46] proclamation.
[30:47] But I mean is that just to
[30:51] smooth over the fact that
[30:51] you're not including them, that
[30:52] you're actually discriminating
[30:57] against them by taking those
[30:58] actions that you recently have
[30:59] And with this assembly bill
[31:02] that you the woman was speaking
[31:03] about?
[31:04] It's pretty disgraceful that
[31:04] you guys are, you know, virtue
[31:09] signaling and like gaslighting
[31:10] these people as though you care
[31:11] about them when if you did you
[31:11] would include all of them and
[31:15] not discriminate against them
[31:16] in your own discrimination you
[31:17] know, anti-discrimination
[31:22] shenanigans of the dispatch.
[31:27] Of course it's important to
[31:28] have emergency dispatch but
[31:28] the concern is that when they
[31:29] dispatch out police fire or
[31:33] whoever it is, you know, we
[31:34] have police officers like San
[31:35] Diego Police Officer Anthony
[31:39] Warner who upon going on a call
[31:40] that he was dispatched to
[31:45] brutally, brutally beat a woman
[31:45] and is complaining about him
[31:46] pretending to have gotten beat
[31:51] and that he had to take off
[31:52] work He never did a lawful
[31:56] arrest ever at any point He
[31:57] never told Andrea Irving that
[31:58] she was under arrest.
[31:58] And so anything that were to
[32:03] happen in an unlawful arrest is
[32:03] warranted.
[32:04] Yet they are not saying
[32:08] the judge is trying to charge
[32:08] Andrea with a felony.
[32:09] He should be charged with a
[32:09] felony.
[32:14] Anthony Warner should be taken
[32:15] off of the San Diego Police
[32:15] Department force and actually
[32:19] he should be the one in prison
[32:19] for brutally assaulting a woman
[32:20] well knowing he should have
[32:25] de-escalated it.
[32:26] And for all of this military
[32:27] child stuff the sad thing is is
[32:27] that these wars are
[32:31] manufactured by the powers that
[32:32] shouldn't be and we fund them
[32:33] actually and potentially
[32:37] they're funded on both sides So
[32:38] it doesn't really matter who
[32:38] wins And we lose our own people
[32:39] and we have children that
[32:43] actually have to suffer
[32:43] through, you know, losing their
[32:44] parents or having to move
[32:45] around to fight wars that we
[32:49] shouldn't even be in.
[32:49] No wonder why everybody hates
[32:50] America and what's going to
[32:51] happen when you know this nice
[32:54] little draft comes in.
[32:55] You know, it's like all of
[32:56] these things that happen in
[32:57] the wind What are we going to
[33:00] give a proclamation for
[33:01] the people that had to do that?
[33:02] It's like instead of really
[33:02] stopping the atrocities that
[33:03] are happening we get
[33:06] proclamations to act like
[33:07] everything is okay when it's
[33:07] not.
[33:08] It's absurd that you guys are
[33:09] doing that to the Arab
[33:09] community.
[33:13] You should be ashamed of
[33:13] yourselves and you should be
[33:14] moving forward to make sure
[33:15] that you're inclusive with all
[33:19] Semites If you're going to do
[33:20] that it's B.S. You guys are
[33:20] full of.
[33:21] >> I'm sick of it Your time.
[33:25] I think that it next is 8700 If
[33:26] you can please unmute after
[33:31] the zoom user and Blair Beekman
[33:31] 8700 please proceed.
[33:32] Please let me know which item I
[33:37] wish to speak to.
[33:37] >> Thank you.
[33:38] It's 500 and it's 5 or 5
[33:39] Please.
[33:39] You'll have two minutes.
[33:46] Please proceed with Public
[33:47] safety Dispatcher Week.
[33:52] Here are my favorite likes from
[33:53] the transit Public safety
[33:58] dispatchers demonstrate on
[33:59] wavering professionalism,
[34:04] resilience and dedication in
[34:05] service to our community and
[34:06] quote I imagine during this
[34:10] special week there is a time
[34:11] there is time for special forms
[34:17] of recognition to these amazing
[34:17] people are the flowers, hugs
[34:22] and so forth.
[34:27] Dear dispatchers I have immense
[34:28] gratitude, immense gratitude
[34:33] for you and your service.
[34:34] Thank you so very much and love
[34:35] to all.
[34:40] If I go by if the San Diego
[34:44] Lynx Achievers Day 40th annual
[34:45] affair about 850 young men have
[34:52] been honored in the Achievers
[34:52] program.
[34:56] That's a surprise to me.
[34:57] We such wonderful leadership
[34:58] and mentorship in the program a
[35:02] very special shout out to you
[35:03] Councilmember Foster the third
[35:09] for this proclamation and for
[35:09] your involvement in this
[35:10] invaluable valuable program.
[35:14] Love to all and celebrate all
[35:14] people on the proclamation with
[35:21] today's Thank you.
[35:21] We do have three speakers left
[35:22] in the queue.
[35:23] The five minute timer has
[35:26] concluded no additional
[35:27] speakers will be taken.
[35:27] Zoom user If you can please
[35:28] unmute and let me know which
[35:33] item or items you wish to speak
[35:33] to After that will be blare and
[35:34] then Andrea then user I can't
[35:38] remember for you There you go.
[35:39] >> Please let me know which
[35:39] items can be here.
[35:43] I'd like to speak to the 31 and
[35:44] that's 5 or 1.
[35:45] >> You'll have two minutes.
[35:50] Please proceed.
[35:50] >> One thing housekeeping.
[35:51] So when you guys put those
[35:55] charts on the what you referred
[35:56] to Arab guys as Arab-American
[35:57] and the lady referred to
[36:01] herself as an American Arab.
[36:02] So maybe on the handouts but
[36:07] let's have everyone's names
[36:08] Start with Americans like
[36:08] Mexican American, Arab American
[36:13] whatever race or gender got
[36:18] going have them all listed as
[36:18] American first and then
[36:19] the nationality or whatever
[36:20] this month Good thing to do.
[36:24] She pointed that out when she
[36:24] talked about there are people
[36:25] in San Diego, California
[36:30] deserve free speech up and down
[36:30] the board.
[36:31] This is ridiculous.
[36:31] Our government our government
[36:36] is a clown.
[36:37] Just a communist.
[36:42] What is it?
[36:43] Free speech is the number one
[36:44] thing And the American Arabs in
[36:49] San Diego in California have
[36:49] done nothing but good here
[36:50] They've never seen a and stuff
[36:54] from liquor stores.
[36:54] They're not breaking into
[36:55] the Apple store the upper
[36:59] echelon of citizens in our
[36:59] country.
[37:00] You know, they're doctors,
[37:05] lawyers, artists.
[37:06] They are beautiful women.
[37:07] But one thing on a lighter
[37:12] note, I grew up here and in
[37:13] 1987 I had this job that I in
[37:18] all the persons came here of
[37:18] San Diego.
[37:19] They took all the beautiful
[37:25] women They were over in Del La
[37:25] La Hoya They a lot of mud and
[37:26] they're going for all the white
[37:30] shirts and white guy surfer
[37:31] going out here.
[37:31] But the Arab guys there they
[37:32] were scared and all the good
[37:35] women they had the money but
[37:36] hopefully their sons and
[37:41] daughters are joined the Marine
[37:42] Corps in the military too
[37:43] because we're going to need
[37:47] them anyway.
[37:48] >> Thank you guys for coming
[37:48] here And you do a great job and
[37:49] then the city's got a long way
[37:55] to go.
[37:55] >> Your time is concluded,
[37:56] Blair Because if you can please
[37:59] I mean all right.
[38:01] I wanted to speak to item 31
[38:04] and as 500 Please proceed.
[38:04] >> Go Two minutes.
[38:05] All right.
[38:05] Thank you.
[38:09] Thank you for the proclamations
[38:10] today.
[38:10] It was a very interesting
[38:11] presentation from
[38:15] the Arab-American Heritage
[38:15] Month next year.
[38:20] I hope that with the previous
[38:21] and recent ira issues that were
[38:22] brought to the city council
[38:27] about a month ago now or a few
[38:28] weeks ago now it can be a long
[38:33] term community effort and
[38:34] the woman who spoke today
[38:34] sounds like she could have a
[38:39] good voice in what can be a
[38:40] community process to define
[38:45] the future of ira which I think
[38:45] can be an interesting idea and
[38:46] how we work together in this
[38:51] country towards democracy and
[38:51] community and what we can all
[38:52] be working on together.
[38:57] What the future of Ira issues.
[38:57] Thank you.
[39:01] And for item s 500 I'm sorry.
[39:08] Very sorry.
[39:09] National Public Safety
[39:10] Disclosure Week That is an item
[39:14] that to me is not just in San
[39:20] Diego but in cities across
[39:20] California.
[39:21] They're having real issues
[39:21] about response times and that
[39:25] can be for a number of reasons
[39:26] going on that I can go into
[39:27] greater detail at another time
[39:27] in the work I do with
[39:32] accountability but just an
[39:32] overall thank you for the work
[39:33] of what dispatchers do kind of
[39:37] what Joyce said earlier They do
[39:38] a really important job and how
[39:42] they can do that job as
[39:43] humanely and as decently as
[39:43] possible in good humanistic
[39:44] terms.
[39:44] I don't know if that's
[39:49] the right term but to a good
[39:49] look how they can continue such
[39:50] good efforts.
[39:51] They have a very tough job a
[39:55] lot of the time to practice our
[39:55] best human values.
[39:56] Good luck how they can continue
[39:56] those efforts.
[40:01] Thanks.
[40:01] Thank you.
[40:02] Andrea your last speaker Please
[40:03] let me know which item or items
[40:08] you wish to speak to and I will
[40:12] speak to 3032 and as 500 you'll
[40:12] have three minutes.
[40:12] Thank you.
[40:13] Okay, perfect.
[40:17] So on for item 30 Steppingstone
[40:21] of San Diego is 50th
[40:22] anniversary.
[40:23] We are in a really serious
[40:28] situation at this moment in
[40:28] time in which we're contracting
[40:33] with the homeless and addiction
[40:34] service providers are at
[40:35] the tune of hundreds of
[40:40] millions of dollars But
[40:41] the problem just keeps doubling
[40:42] and tripling and the stats
[40:46] about it going down are all
[40:46] just lies.
[40:47] The overdose stats are all just
[40:47] lies.
[40:51] The rehabilitation stats 25%
[40:52] reduction in addiction Come on.
[40:52] It's unbelievable what's going
[40:57] on because the people in power
[40:58] in our county in our city right
[41:04] now specifically Summer Stephan
[41:04] and Todd Gloria and the rico
[41:05] enterprise that they are
[41:09] operating are absolutely
[41:10] involved in opioid
[41:10] distribution, international
[41:11] drug smuggling.
[41:12] When you contract with people
[41:16] to offer rehab services but
[41:16] they pump those rehabs full of
[41:17] the drugs that these people are
[41:22] addicted to, you're
[41:23] perpetuating the problem.
[41:23] We're busing people in from
[41:27] other states as a home project
[41:28] and they're homeless here
[41:29] because they can handle
[41:29] the weather.
[41:34] Look, the more we spend on this
[41:34] and the more we pay attention
[41:35] to it, the more we give
[41:36] proclamations to all this stuff
[41:36] that's just not working.
[41:39] That's obvious.
[41:40] It's just an insurance grab for
[41:41] the Affordable Care Act.
[41:44] I mean the city falling apart.
[41:45] What about the children,
[41:46] the elderly, the disabled?
[41:51] What about our constituents?
[41:52] >> What about, you know, using
[41:52] the funds that were provided
[41:57] for these programs to move
[41:57] forward?
[41:58] But they're not the programs
[41:59] are not being provided
[41:59] The services that are being
[42:03] provided that are promised
[42:04] the harm reduction case As far
[42:05] as Kevin Johnson goes, that's
[42:09] wonderful.
[42:10] Well, we'll come here.
[42:11] That's great recommendation but
[42:12] I recommend you act like a
[42:14] District seven councilmember
[42:14] and pay attention to Linda
[42:15] Vista.
[42:19] I was beaten severely in front
[42:20] of 40 children.
[42:20] That was the second major event
[42:21] in my life that's taken place
[42:26] in Linda Vista by a San Diego
[42:27] police officer.
[42:28] I haven't heard from your
[42:28] office one time not in all
[42:32] the years since my children
[42:32] protected from District seven.
[42:33] And also why are there no
[42:38] working lights or cameras at
[42:39] the rec center with all
[42:40] the murders that are taking
[42:40] place there?
[42:41] They're moving drugs right
[42:46] through that rec center and you
[42:46] haven't got to think about it.
[42:47] What about the dad that was
[42:48] picked up at Linda Vista
[42:48] Elementary School?
[42:49] We talked to family.
[42:50] If you talk to the school,
[42:51] nobody knows you exist.
[42:51] You're a city attorney that's
[42:52] trained to protect the city
[42:56] against its constituents and
[42:56] that's really unfair.
[42:57] Okay.
[42:57] National Public Safety Dispatch
[43:02] are we great.
[43:03] Let's dispatch 25 police
[43:04] officers to watch a woman get
[43:08] beat down the one that was
[43:09] doing the beating and the 24
[43:09] that were standing there on
[43:14] overtime not doing their job
[43:14] and laughing while Anthony
[43:15] Warner beat me up for
[43:16] whistleblowing about this
[43:21] kickback situation.
[43:22] >> Your time has concluded for
[43:22] those that raise their hand
[43:23] after the five minute time or
[43:24] you can submit comments to City
[43:27] Clerk exactly what occurred and
[43:28] those will be distributed.
[43:29] That concludes public comment.
[43:29] Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[43:30] right.
[43:30] Thank you City Clerk And with
[43:32] that I'll turn over to my
[43:33] council colleagues for comments
[43:34] and entertain a motion and
[43:34] we'll start with Council member
[43:38] Foster Thank you Council
[43:39] PRESIDENT And just really want
[43:44] to congratulate all of
[43:44] the proclamation recipients and
[43:51] acknowledge mints With that I
[43:52] have quite a few I got to say a
[43:53] couple that I'm going to give
[43:56] some comments on So hopefully
[43:57] I'll go through this very
[43:57] quickly.
[43:58] Item 31 Arab-American Heritage
[44:03] Month month Again, just thank
[44:04] you to my colleagues and thank
[44:04] you to the Arab American
[44:08] Heritage Committee or Arab
[44:08] community.
[44:09] Thank you for your
[44:10] contributions to the city of
[44:14] San Diego and thank you for
[44:14] your presentation.
[44:15] I think that was as you can
[44:16] hear from the public comment,
[44:20] there's a lot of education that
[44:21] needs to take place And so just
[44:22] thank you for that And
[44:22] hopefully there's more work
[44:26] that we can do there In regards
[44:26] to items 500 National Public
[44:32] Safety Dispatch dispatcher Week
[44:32] When people call for help,
[44:33] dispatchers are the calm on
[44:34] the other end of the line
[44:38] guiding them through some of
[44:38] their hardest moments.
[44:39] They play a critical role in
[44:40] making sure help gets where it
[44:44] needs to go and that our first
[44:44] responders have the information
[44:45] they need.
[44:45] It's work that takes focus
[44:50] Patients and real strength
[44:50] often without recognition Their
[44:51] impact is felt across our city
[44:56] Every single day.
[44:57] Thank you to the dispatcher
[44:58] dispatchers and the work you do
[45:03] Month of Military of military
[45:04] Children in San Diego Military
[45:04] service touches all of us
[45:09] whether it's family, friends or
[45:09] neighbors.
[45:10] This month is about recognizing
[45:11] the kids who grow up in that
[45:14] life who move off and adapt
[45:15] quickly and carry a lot more
[45:16] than people MAY realize.
[45:16] They show a level of resilience
[45:21] and strength that deserves to
[45:22] be acknowledged.
[45:22] It's important that we continue
[45:23] to support and uplift military
[45:28] families here in our city of
[45:28] San in the city of San Diego.
[45:33] >> Item 5 or 4 Don Diego Day in
[45:38] the city of San Diego.
[45:38] I want to thank Gloria for
[45:39] joining me in recognizing
[45:40] someone truly deserving of this
[45:43] honor.
[45:44] Today we're celebrating someone
[45:45] who not only grew up in
[45:45] District four but dedicated his
[45:50] career to serving our city.
[45:51] Don Diego spent over three
[45:52] decades with the city
[45:55] contributing to operations that
[45:56] keep our neighborhoods running
[45:57] day to day.
[45:57] He helped improve processes and
[46:02] played a role in strengthening
[46:02] services including the street
[46:03] sweeping program as it exists
[46:07] today.
[46:08] Don As you enter retirement, we
[46:09] recognize the work you've put
[46:09] in over the years and wish you
[46:13] well earned rest in this next
[46:13] chapter.
[46:14] Thank you for your years of
[46:15] steady service to the city of
[46:19] San Diego.
[46:20] It was great seeing you at your
[46:21] retirement gathering and
[46:21] spending time with those hard
[46:25] at work on our front lines.
[46:26] >> Don if you'd like to come up
[46:36] and say a couple of quick words
[46:37] and just for clarification as I
[46:42] say, decades Don has spent 36
[46:42] years with the city of San
[46:43] Diego.
[46:43] So thank you, Don.
[46:44] Thank you, COUNCILMAN And
[46:47] Council members.
[46:48] Mayor, I'm really not a
[46:48] speaker.
[46:49] The last time I came and spoke
[46:54] here was in 2006 when I was
[46:59] impacted by the rift And now 20
[47:00] years later now I'm going into
[47:00] retirement.
[47:04] GOD had a plan wasn't done with
[47:04] me.
[47:05] How do people that I work with
[47:11] am I getting a respect and a
[47:11] loyalty to being a servant
[47:12] serving the community of San
[47:17] Diego?
[47:17] And I thank that.
[47:18] I thank you guys for an
[47:18] opportunity for opening all
[47:22] the doors that the city give to
[47:23] all of the employees that I
[47:23] work with And then I came
[47:29] across stormwater.
[47:30] I just imagine some people that
[47:34] had a big impact and in my life
[47:35] Chris McFadden of Bethany b
[47:41] Zack and Eddie Salinas and my
[47:42] bosses above me thank you for
[47:46] everything.
[47:47] I appreciate it Again, thank
[47:47] GOD for this opportunity and
[48:15] thank you guys.
[48:22] Thank you for that item As 505
[48:26] San Diego Lynx Achievers Day
[48:27] I'll do my best to get through
[48:33] this One of I'm proud to
[48:34] recognize the San Diego based
[48:38] Achievers program as it marks
[48:39] 40 years of uplifting and
[48:42] investing in young black men in
[48:48] our city.
[48:49] I came to this program myself
[48:53] Class of 1989 as did my son as
[48:59] well Class of 2022 and he will
[49:00] be graduating from Hampton
[49:09] University in MAY making us
[49:09] the first father and son legacy
[49:10] here in San Diego.
[49:15] So I've seen firsthand
[49:16] the impact this program has.
[49:16] >> The Achievers program builds
[49:21] leaders instills confidence and
[49:22] surrounds these young men with
[49:28] mentorship and support.
[49:28] For 40 years the San Diego
[49:29] chapter of the Links
[49:29] Incorporated have been
[49:33] intentional about creating a
[49:34] space where young black men are
[49:39] seen, supported and celebrated
[49:39] .
[49:40] Over 800 young men have come
[49:45] through this program each
[49:46] carrying that legacy forward
[49:51] this Saturday I have the honor
[49:52] of being one of the emcees for
[49:56] the 40th annual Affair of Honor
[49:57] .
[49:57] As we celebrate the next class
[49:58] of Achievers, I I'm grateful to
[50:03] be part of that legacy and
[50:03] proud to help recognize it here
[50:09] today to measure speeches win
[50:15] Just want to thank you Also I
[50:21] remember MISS MRS. Jewel Kelly
[50:22] as we were going through our
[50:22] program chasing us down,
[50:26] getting us to the dance
[50:27] rehearsal and making sure we
[50:28] were prepared for what we were
[50:33] about to endure.
[50:34] So I just want to say thank you
[50:38] from the bottom of my heart I
[50:39] always say it is the village
[50:39] that raised me.
[50:44] And the links are definitely a
[50:45] part of that village and a big
[50:46] reason why I can sit here today
[50:50] as a council member of
[50:51] the fourth District for
[50:51] the city of San Diego.
[50:52] So from the bottom of my heart
[50:56] thank you and thank you for
[50:57] your continued service and
[50:58] contribution to the city of San
[50:58] Diego.
[51:02] With that council PRESIDENT
[51:02] That concludes my comments and
[51:03] I will move the proclamations.
[51:09] Thank you very much.
[51:09] Councilmember Foster will go
[51:10] next to council member Campbell
[51:11] Thank you.
[51:17] Council PRESIDENT And thank you
[51:18] to my esteemed colleague for
[51:19] his words.
[51:24] Congratulations to everyone
[51:24] receiving Bronx today and thank
[51:25] you all for coming and thank
[51:30] you for that presentation at
[51:30] the beginning It was wonderful
[51:31] and we really appreciate it And
[51:36] I see that you welcome all
[51:36] religions and this is truly an
[51:37] American group.
[51:41] Thank you so much.
[51:42] I would like to speak today
[51:47] especially about item 30.
[51:48] This is a joint I was joined in
[51:53] this project by our mayor
[51:54] Gloria and my colleagues
[51:54] council members from in
[51:55] Vancouver.
[51:58] I want to thank them for that.
[51:59] This is the 50th anniversary
[52:04] day for Stepping Stone of San
[52:05] Diego and I don't know how many
[52:06] you've heard them but they've
[52:09] they've just been quietly doing
[52:10] fantastic work for 50 years,
[52:14] was founded in 1976 as a
[52:15] pioneering nonprofit dedicated
[52:15] to providing substance use
[52:21] treatment to the lgbtq
[52:21] community.
[52:22] In fact, Stepping Stone is one
[52:26] of the only nonprofits in
[52:27] the country that specializes in
[52:27] alcohol and drug recovery
[52:33] services for the lgbt
[52:33] community.
[52:34] I became familiar with Stepping
[52:34] Stone many years ago during my
[52:40] time on the board of the Human
[52:40] Dignity Foundation.
[52:41] They have always had a small
[52:45] residential treatment facility
[52:46] since their founding where they
[52:46] actually take in homeless
[52:51] people to give them a roof over
[52:52] their head as well as to treat
[52:52] their addiction problems and
[52:58] their other problems so that
[52:59] they can go on and live a full
[53:03] complete life over time they
[53:03] have dramatically expanded.
[53:04] They've expanded their
[53:05] outpatient and residential
[53:09] treatment for addiction now to
[53:10] four housing locations for
[53:14] patients.
[53:15] They provide 3 to 6 month
[53:20] programs for homeless addicted
[53:21] people That is focused on long
[53:24] term recovery including
[53:30] permanent housing.
[53:31] About 90% of their clients who
[53:32] enroll with them are facing
[53:37] homelessness.
[53:38] 100% are placed in housing in
[53:43] recovery six months after they
[53:43] graduate from their
[53:47] steppingstone program Over 50
[53:48] years they have estimated that
[53:52] they have served 40,000 lives
[53:53] lives that were actually saved
[53:58] and transformed these people by
[53:59] their programs.
[54:04] Congratulations on this big
[54:04] milestone.
[54:05] They are possibly the most
[54:05] effective homeless organization
[54:10] in this city in the county, in
[54:11] the state, in the entire
[54:11] nation.
[54:15] But they make such a positive
[54:16] impact on substance abuse
[54:17] disease that leads to
[54:22] homelessness among our lgbtq
[54:22] community members as well as
[54:27] other community members.
[54:28] You are providing the model of
[54:28] how to solve the public health
[54:33] problems of homelessness and
[54:34] addiction And I cannot thank
[54:39] you enough and I hope that we
[54:40] will continue to learn from you
[54:40] because of your great success.
[54:45] Congratulations on your 50th
[54:45] year.
[54:46] Thank you.
[54:46] Council PRESIDENT.
[54:47] All right, Councilmember
[54:51] Campbell, can we take that?
[54:52] I was happy to second all
[54:53] the products.
[54:53] Thank you.
[54:53] Thank you.
[54:57] So with that we'll go next to
[54:57] Councilmember Eli Rivera.
[54:58] >> All right.
[54:58] Thank you.
[55:02] Council PRESIDENT.
[55:03] Thank you to my colleagues who
[55:04] helped bring these
[55:09] proclamations forward today.
[55:10] Lots of really good important
[55:10] stuff here.
[55:11] I want to say thank you to
[55:15] COUNCILMAN.
[55:16] Council PRESIDENT And the other
[55:16] council member Von Wilpert and
[55:17] Catherine compete for
[55:21] recognizing National Public
[55:21] Safety Dispatcher Week And it's
[55:22] an extremely important and
[55:26] stressful line of work that is
[55:27] quite literally oftentimes
[55:27] the first step in the process
[55:32] of addressing people's some of
[55:33] the stressful and urgent
[55:37] moments of people's lives And I
[55:38] appreciate the work that they
[55:43] do on a daily basis.
[55:44] Councilor Foster, thank you for
[55:45] recognizing City links
[55:49] Achievers Day.
[55:50] I just I think what I what I
[55:54] see when I see my colleague
[55:55] recognize you all is someone
[56:01] who had love poured into him by
[56:01] a community And that's a
[56:02] beautiful thing and it's a
[56:06] really, really beautiful thing
[56:07] And so thank you for doing that
[56:08] as as much of a softie as
[56:13] Councilmember Foster is, I know
[56:13] that that doesn't come without
[56:14] it coming from a real place and
[56:18] a place that really honors
[56:24] everyone who poured into him.
[56:25] I see that on a regular basis
[56:26] up here on the dais and I love
[56:31] that The point you make up of
[56:31] Foster about your son's
[56:34] graduation meaning that you'll
[56:35] be the first legacy family here
[56:35] in San Diego.
[56:36] That's a beautiful thing as
[56:41] well and clearly a byproduct of
[56:41] the work that you would say any
[56:42] things achievers have done over
[56:42] the years.
[56:46] So thank you for that and want
[56:47] to try I take some time to
[56:52] recognize Arab American
[56:52] heritage.
[56:52] Right.
[56:53] Thank you everyone who came
[56:53] down here today.
[56:58] Thank you for the presentation
[56:58] .
[56:59] I'm really glad that we are
[56:59] recognizing Arab-American
[57:04] heritage Month this year.
[57:04] The presentation was great and
[57:09] I think there's so much history
[57:09] there that is really important
[57:10] to share because there's a
[57:15] flattening of a community and a
[57:16] history that oftentimes happens
[57:16] in the way that the Arab
[57:20] American community is portrayed
[57:21] in this country And that's not
[57:21] right.
[57:22] The 22 countries across
[57:23] the Middle East and North
[57:27] Africa that you can trace your
[57:28] roots back to arriving to this
[57:33] country in waves often fleeing
[57:33] war, conscription, persecution
[57:39] But carrying traditions and
[57:40] ingenuity and resilience as as
[57:44] you as every Americans arrived
[57:50] here and each wave of
[57:51] immigration and migration to
[57:56] this country bringing new new
[57:57] things that are woven into who
[57:57] America is And that is some
[58:02] incredible stuff.
[58:02] The waffle cone is a great
[58:03] example, a delicious example
[58:08] And while it didn't start in
[58:08] the U.S. I will say tacos that
[58:09] I saw my favorite tacos and
[58:14] that is also a byproduct of
[58:15] migration And I think a great
[58:20] example of of of how our every
[58:25] Americans arrived contributed
[58:25] transform things and enrich
[58:32] things so much.
[58:32] And I also want to make sure
[58:33] that I acknowledge the weight
[58:34] that many American
[58:38] Arab-Americans are carrying
[58:39] right now with families with
[58:39] loved ones in Gaza and Lebanon
[58:43] and other parts of the world
[58:44] that are that are watching
[58:45] family members and people they
[58:49] love and can use to care about
[58:50] impacted by war Just know that
[58:51] we know that We see that We
[58:56] recognize that We see that
[58:56] grief and stand with you.
[59:02] And I also want to acknowledge
[59:02] the personal My paternal
[59:03] grandfather was a Sephardic
[59:04] Jews whose family came from
[59:07] Syria.
[59:08] His community is part of that
[59:12] mosaic of the Arab world,
[59:13] people of different faiths and
[59:18] and very, very diverse.
[59:19] And again that diversity has
[59:20] often been erased as a result
[59:24] of conflict and bigotry.
[59:25] And that story is a reminder
[59:31] that the region that we're
[59:31] honoring today is not
[59:32] monolithic.
[59:32] The people that we are honoring
[59:33] today I should say is not
[59:37] monolithic and never has been
[59:38] and that those those attempts
[59:43] to flatten the complexity of
[59:48] Americans it's going to work
[59:49] because there's there's too
[59:55] much there to to to to to raise
[59:55] .
[59:56] So we're celebrating
[59:56] the Arab-American family today
[1:00:00] celebrating diversity of
[1:00:01] beauty, tenacity and
[1:00:01] resilience.
[1:00:05] And I'm proud to be one of
[1:00:06] the sponsors of that
[1:00:06] proclamation.
[1:00:07] That concludes my comments.
[1:00:12] Council PRESIDENT Right.
[1:00:12] Thank you, Council member Eli
[1:00:13] Rivera And again we do have a
[1:00:16] motion by Councilmember Foster
[1:00:17] and second by council member
[1:00:17] Campbell.
[1:00:18] Next up Yes, Councilmember Von
[1:00:21] Wilpert, thank you very much
[1:00:22] and thank you to my colleagues
[1:00:22] for reading for such wonderful
[1:00:23] proclamations As usual, I'm
[1:00:23] done here.
[1:00:26] Congratulations on your
[1:00:27] retirement.
[1:00:27] Thank you for your decades of
[1:00:28] service to the city.
[1:00:29] I thank you for everyone to be
[1:00:29] here.
[1:00:32] I'll start with item 30 a
[1:00:33] stepping stone a city goes 50th
[1:00:34] anniversary day.
[1:00:34] I am proud to join my
[1:00:35] colleagues in recognizing
[1:00:39] stepping stone of San Diego 50
[1:00:40] years of service.
[1:00:41] I believe some of you are here.
[1:00:41] If you own stands we can
[1:00:55] recognize you Since 1976 they
[1:00:55] built a lifeline for people in
[1:00:56] recovery providing
[1:01:00] compassionate affirming care
[1:01:00] and the focus on serving
[1:01:01] the lgbtq community ensures
[1:01:06] that people feel safe, seen and
[1:01:06] supported because there can be
[1:01:07] many reasons that folks who are
[1:01:08] lgbtq are suffering from
[1:01:11] addiction.
[1:01:12] Much of it is due to stigma
[1:01:12] discrimination harassment
[1:01:17] because of who we are.
[1:01:18] >> So through medical
[1:01:18] treatment, outpatient services
[1:01:19] and sober living that help
[1:01:22] people achieve lasting recovery
[1:01:23] and self-love, this work
[1:01:24] strengthens families, build
[1:01:25] healthier communities across
[1:01:28] the Diego and thank you to
[1:01:29] the staff and congratulations
[1:01:30] then on the city.
[1:01:30] We are so happy to be
[1:01:31] partnering with you in helping
[1:01:34] to use our opioid settlement
[1:01:35] funds from suing opioid
[1:01:35] companies who put fentanyl out
[1:01:40] onto our streets to actually do
[1:01:40] good with it.
[1:01:41] So we're very proud that we're
[1:01:42] partnering with Steppingstone
[1:01:42] to do that good work to do
[1:01:45] the healing we need to do And
[1:01:46] I'm happy to see what Sackler
[1:01:47] family Purdue Pharma any day So
[1:01:51] on item 31 I'm looking forward
[1:01:52] to the gala by the way on
[1:01:52] Friday And item 31
[1:01:56] Arab-Americans Arab American
[1:01:57] Heritage Month.
[1:01:58] Thank you so much for that
[1:01:58] incredible presentation.
[1:01:59] It was very, very good And
[1:02:02] thank you to my colleagues for
[1:02:03] bringing for this recognition.
[1:02:03] Arab Americans have made
[1:02:04] lasting contributions to our
[1:02:07] city and country across
[1:02:08] education, medicine, business,
[1:02:09] public service and the arts and
[1:02:09] Latin artists.
[1:02:13] We believe in arts here San
[1:02:14] Diego is home to a strong and
[1:02:15] vibrant Arab-American community
[1:02:15] that continues to shape our
[1:02:19] region with culture traditions
[1:02:20] and a strong sense of family
[1:02:21] and community that enrich our
[1:02:21] city.
[1:02:25] We also recognize
[1:02:25] the resilience of this
[1:02:26] community and the importance of
[1:02:27] stand against discrimination,
[1:02:30] harmful stereotypes and hate
[1:02:31] and violence.
[1:02:31] It's pretty horrible to see
[1:02:32] that there were bombings It
[1:02:36] centers just to talk about
[1:02:37] discrimination.
[1:02:38] You know, I've seen I was a
[1:02:38] civil rights lawyer in
[1:02:41] Mississippi and I know
[1:02:42] the history of that.
[1:02:42] It's terrible to think that
[1:02:43] happened here in California
[1:02:43] too.
[1:02:44] So it's important that we
[1:02:47] educate people on what happens.
[1:02:48] But I'm glad that this month
[1:02:49] it's a chance to celebrate all
[1:02:52] of those who contribute to our
[1:02:53] society and our culture and
[1:02:54] reaffirm government and
[1:02:54] inclusion and respect for all.
[1:02:59] I'm proud to recognize Arab
[1:02:59] American Heritage Month to
[1:03:00] celebrate the many
[1:03:00] contributions Arab-Americans
[1:03:05] bring across the nation.
[1:03:05] So thank you.
[1:03:06] And item as 500 National Public
[1:03:07] Safety Dispatcher Week I'm very
[1:03:10] proud to join my colleague in
[1:03:11] recognizing our National Public
[1:03:11] Safety Dispatcher Week When
[1:03:14] someone calls 911 you are
[1:03:15] literally the first voice they
[1:03:16] hear in those crucial moment
[1:03:20] and you are the calm in
[1:03:20] the chaos.
[1:03:21] >> So if we have any of our
[1:03:22] dispatchers here could you
[1:03:22] please stand and let us
[1:03:36] recognize you as well?
[1:03:37] Thank you so much for for your
[1:03:37] incredible work.
[1:03:42] You know, I just didn't in 2023
[1:03:43] in 2024 alone I don't think we
[1:03:44] have the data yet for last year
[1:03:47] You all managed a staggering
[1:03:52] 734,000 calls for 911 averaging
[1:03:56] over 2000 now one calls a day
[1:03:57] 80 491 calls per hour and
[1:03:57] almost 1.4 called every minute
[1:04:01] When someone is asking for
[1:04:02] help, Your team has dispatched
[1:04:06] nearly 500,000 calls for
[1:04:06] service making sure that our
[1:04:07] firefighters, our empties, our
[1:04:12] paramedics, our police,
[1:04:12] sometimes our lifeguards, you
[1:04:13] know, get out the door.
[1:04:14] And I've been to the dispatch
[1:04:14] center.
[1:04:17] I highly recommend everybody go
[1:04:18] and visit.
[1:04:18] We are also hiring if you want
[1:04:19] to be that calm in the chaos
[1:04:22] and it is incredible what you
[1:04:23] do in the compassion with what
[1:04:23] you do it.
[1:04:24] And so I also want to remind
[1:04:25] you to please take care of
[1:04:28] yourself because you also are
[1:04:29] hearing so many people go
[1:04:30] through the worst days of their
[1:04:33] lives every day and helping
[1:04:34] them through it.
[1:04:35] So please make sure you're
[1:04:35] taking care of yourself as
[1:04:35] well.
[1:04:36] I'm a big proponent of mental
[1:04:39] health.
[1:04:40] I see a therapist on a regular
[1:04:40] basis and I'm proud of it.
[1:04:41] We shouldn't be stigmatizing it
[1:04:45] So I just want to thank you so
[1:04:45] much for your work.
[1:04:46] We're very, very, very proud
[1:04:46] you're here including I hear
[1:04:50] that and I don't mean to steal
[1:04:51] my good friend and colleague
[1:04:51] Councilmember Campos Thunder
[1:04:52] but a District seven intern
[1:04:55] started at City Hall and is now
[1:04:56] a dispatcher and we're very,
[1:04:56] very proud of that.
[1:04:57] So thank you for your
[1:04:58] professionalism, dedication to
[1:05:01] your service.
[1:05:01] Thank you to our firefighters,
[1:05:02] ems workers and police and
[1:05:07] lifeguard as well Items 5a1
[1:05:07] finally month of the military
[1:05:08] child.
[1:05:08] I want to take a moment to
[1:05:09] recognize APRIL is the month of
[1:05:12] the military child here in San
[1:05:12] Diego we are home to one of
[1:05:13] the largest military
[1:05:14] communities in the nation
[1:05:17] including thousands of military
[1:05:18] connected kids.
[1:05:19] These kids grow up with a lot
[1:05:19] of change moving from schools
[1:05:22] from time to time and having
[1:05:23] parents deployed abroad And
[1:05:24] through all of that they show a
[1:05:28] level of resilience strength
[1:05:28] that really stands out.
[1:05:29] You bring so much to our
[1:05:29] communities including
[1:05:30] leadership perspective, a
[1:05:34] strong sense of service and a
[1:05:35] global perspective of so many
[1:05:36] children of military families
[1:05:39] is absolutely amazing and
[1:05:40] beautiful.
[1:05:40] Same thing with our Foreign
[1:05:41] Service officers And you MAY
[1:05:44] see many people wearing purple
[1:05:45] .
[1:05:45] This wanted a simple way to
[1:05:46] show support for our military
[1:05:46] children.
[1:05:47] My own father served in the us
[1:05:50] Army during the Vietnam era so
[1:05:51] before I was born but very
[1:05:51] proud of his service as well
[1:05:55] And I'm also proud to recognize
[1:05:56] the month of the military child
[1:05:57] and impact that you all have in
[1:05:57] San Diego.
[1:05:58] So thank you very much and
[1:06:01] thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[1:06:02] right.
[1:06:02] Thank you couple number one
[1:06:03] Wolpert we'll go next to
[1:06:06] councilmember Whitman thank you
[1:06:07] that's a PRESIDENT That I too
[1:06:08] want to congratulate all of
[1:06:08] those who are being recognized
[1:06:11] with proclamations today
[1:06:11] including DR. Diego for your
[1:06:12] retirement congratulations and
[1:06:13] thank you for your service to
[1:06:17] our city and San Diego Lakes
[1:06:17] Achievers Day Councilmember
[1:06:21] Foster's testimonial is
[1:06:22] evidence of how impactful that
[1:06:23] program is and congratulations
[1:06:26] on being the first father, said
[1:06:27] Graduates I am proud to join my
[1:06:28] colleagues in bringing forward
[1:06:31] the proclamation Declare a
[1:06:32] stepping stone of say Diego
[1:06:32] 50th Anniversary day.
[1:06:36] i have heard many stories over
[1:06:37] the years from people of
[1:06:37] the lgbtq Plus community who
[1:06:41] have benefited from stepping
[1:06:42] stone services and those
[1:06:43] stories have stayed with me
[1:06:46] Stepping stone truly beats
[1:06:47] people where they are and that
[1:06:48] is so important especially
[1:06:51] people who have historically
[1:06:52] been underserved or overlooked
[1:06:53] in some way and for many of
[1:06:58] the lgbtq plus community
[1:06:58] finding treatment that is both
[1:06:59] effective and affirming hasn't
[1:07:02] always been easy.
[1:07:03] Stepping stone has filled that
[1:07:03] gap for five decades.
[1:07:08] What really stands out is that
[1:07:08] it's not just about completing
[1:07:09] a program it's what comes after
[1:07:13] as well.
[1:07:14] Stepping Stone has helped
[1:07:14] countless individuals rebuild
[1:07:18] their lives, find stability
[1:07:19] again, reconnect with family,
[1:07:20] secure housing and actually
[1:07:24] start to feel hopeful about
[1:07:24] the path forward.
[1:07:25] So congratulations.
[1:07:28] It's a stepping stone at 50
[1:07:28] years and thank you for
[1:07:29] everything that you have done
[1:07:29] for our city.
[1:07:33] I want to congratulate or thank
[1:07:34] Council PRESIDENT Lakota
[1:07:38] Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
[1:07:38] and Councilmember Isla Rivera
[1:07:39] for bringing forward
[1:07:39] the proclamation honoring Arab
[1:07:43] American heritage.
[1:07:43] But it's a time to honor
[1:07:44] the rich culture and history of
[1:07:48] the Arab American community.
[1:07:49] I too thought the presentation
[1:07:49] was very informative.
[1:07:50] Thank you for sharing that with
[1:07:53] us this morning And we are
[1:07:54] grateful for everything that
[1:07:54] the Arab community contributes
[1:07:55] to our city.
[1:07:58] Thank you Also to Council
[1:07:59] PRESIDENT Lacob, Councilmember
[1:08:00] Wilpert and Councilmember Campo
[1:08:03] for recognizing National Public
[1:08:04] Safety Dispatcher Week.
[1:08:08] I also want to take recognize
[1:08:09] our public safety dispatchers
[1:08:09] who spend their workdays
[1:08:10] answering calls for people who
[1:08:14] are in crisis many of whom
[1:08:15] the regulators or the fire
[1:08:15] department or the police
[1:08:16] department.
[1:08:18] These dispatchers provide a
[1:08:19] calm and reassuring voice when
[1:08:23] it is needed the most and
[1:08:24] provide vital information to
[1:08:27] our public safety personnel
[1:08:28] that give it its density.
[1:08:29] District three has the highest
[1:08:33] number of calls for emergencies
[1:08:34] service to the city.
[1:08:35] So on behalf of my district and
[1:08:35] my constituents I want to
[1:08:38] express our deep appreciation
[1:08:39] for the important role that you
[1:08:40] play in protecting the safety
[1:08:44] of my constituents.
[1:08:45] So thank you very much and
[1:08:45] thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
[1:08:46] All right.
[1:08:46] Thank you, counsel.
[1:08:49] My return will go to council
[1:08:50] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee then
[1:08:51] council PRESIDENT Want to start
[1:08:54] off with recognizing that many
[1:08:55] of my colleagues have brought
[1:08:55] forward proclamations of note
[1:08:56] today.
[1:08:59] So to Don Diego thank you for
[1:08:59] your 36 years and serving
[1:09:00] the city of San Diego.
[1:09:04] Thank you to all of our
[1:09:04] dispatchers in attendance today
[1:09:05] and certainly for their work
[1:09:08] every single day for the city
[1:09:09] And a stepping stone for your
[1:09:09] 50th anniversary.
[1:09:14] Look forward to your
[1:09:14] celebration coming up and same
[1:09:15] as others.
[1:09:18] Thank you to Councilmember
[1:09:18] Foster for always taking a
[1:09:19] moment to share not just what
[1:09:20] we see in the community in
[1:09:24] terms of organizations like
[1:09:24] Sandy Links with your Achievers
[1:09:29] program But the impact that it
[1:09:30] truly has on individuals living
[1:09:33] here serving on this dais.
[1:09:34] I wanted to take a moment to
[1:09:35] speak to two proclamations
[1:09:35] today.
[1:09:38] First is item 31 where I'm
[1:09:39] honored to join Council
[1:09:39] PRESIDENT LaCava and my
[1:09:42] colleague Counsel Mary Lou
[1:09:43] Rivera on proclaiming APRIL as
[1:09:44] Arab American Heritage Month.
[1:09:48] As mentioned, our city is home
[1:09:48] to approximately 100,000 Arab
[1:09:49] Americans who enrich our
[1:09:52] communities through their
[1:09:53] culture, language, traditions,
[1:09:53] arts.
[1:09:57] I think we heard culinary and
[1:09:58] their embrace of family and
[1:09:58] community.
[1:10:02] You've made invaluable
[1:10:03] contributions to our region
[1:10:03] through your work in education
[1:10:07] technology, law, medicine,
[1:10:08] government and more.
[1:10:12] And you've thought long and
[1:10:13] continue to fight for progress
[1:10:13] and inclusion in the country.
[1:10:14] I want to thank you for
[1:10:17] the presentation as well.
[1:10:18] I think I know it was cut short
[1:10:19] a bit but I imagine that if it
[1:10:22] was beneficial for those of us
[1:10:23] sitting up here that really
[1:10:24] would be beneficial for more of
[1:10:27] the public to better understand
[1:10:28] what it means to be Arab
[1:10:28] American and that when we talk
[1:10:32] about that diversity how that
[1:10:33] really ties into the fabric of
[1:10:33] San Diego.
[1:10:37] i think it's important
[1:10:37] especially at a time where we
[1:10:38] understand that our federal
[1:10:42] administration continues to
[1:10:42] advance a rhetoric and an
[1:10:43] agenda that targets many
[1:10:47] immigrant communities including
[1:10:47] Arab-American communities in
[1:10:48] the countries that those
[1:10:49] families are from.
[1:10:52] And it's important that here in
[1:10:53] San Diego in a space like this
[1:10:54] that we take the time to
[1:10:54] acknowledge, to honor and to
[1:10:57] celebrate the Arab-American
[1:10:58] community as an integral part
[1:11:02] of what we call the diversity
[1:11:02] of San Diego.
[1:11:03] Finally, I think those who have
[1:11:07] known me know that I have a
[1:11:08] background with an organization
[1:11:09] called Pacific Arts Movement
[1:11:09] which helped to put on
[1:11:11] the annual San Diego Asian Film
[1:11:12] Festival.
[1:11:12] So I want to take a moment to
[1:11:15] shout out that this weekend
[1:11:16] APRIL 17th through 19th is
[1:11:17] the second weekend of the San
[1:11:17] Diego Arab Film Festival which
[1:11:21] is taking place at the Museum
[1:11:21] of Photographic Arts in Double
[1:11:22] Park.
[1:11:25] So for those who are interested
[1:11:26] ,please make sure to check
[1:11:26] that out.
[1:11:29] Second, I want to speak to item
[1:11:30] 5a1 which is the month of
[1:11:30] military child.
[1:11:33] And to join my colleagues in
[1:11:34] proclaiming APRIL 2026 as
[1:11:35] the month of the military child
[1:11:38] San Diego is again as
[1:11:39] Councilmember Van Wilpert
[1:11:40] mentioned, home to one of
[1:11:40] the largest military
[1:11:43] populations in our country and
[1:11:44] our region is shaped in many
[1:11:45] ways by our military families.
[1:11:46] In District six we have an
[1:11:49] especially strong military
[1:11:49] presence not just because of
[1:11:50] the population of veterans but
[1:11:53] also Marine Corps Air station
[1:11:53] Miramar which is located within
[1:11:57] our district's boundaries.
[1:11:58] And those who choose to serve
[1:11:59] our country choose to make some
[1:12:02] significant sacrifices and that
[1:12:03] service extends well beyond
[1:12:03] those individuals to
[1:12:07] the families that they
[1:12:07] represent.
[1:12:08] Military children in particular
[1:12:12] face unique challenges with
[1:12:12] their frequent relocation,
[1:12:13] school transitions, parental
[1:12:17] deployments and has a huge
[1:12:17] impact not just on the child
[1:12:18] but on the family that is
[1:12:21] looking to support these
[1:12:22] children.
[1:12:23] And it means that as a city I
[1:12:23] think for us in order to
[1:12:26] support those families we have
[1:12:27] to think about how we actually
[1:12:27] support the children and young
[1:12:31] children in particular that are
[1:12:32] impacted in these really unique
[1:12:32] ways.
[1:12:36] So we take this month to
[1:12:36] recognize the strength of these
[1:12:37] families and to share our
[1:12:41] gratitude for the service that
[1:12:42] they provide to our country.
[1:12:42] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
[1:12:43] Excuse my remarks.
[1:12:43] All right.
[1:12:46] Thank you.
[1:12:47] Potentially we'll go next to
[1:12:48] Council Member Hill Thank you
[1:12:50] Council PRESIDENT And thank you
[1:12:51] to all of the members of
[1:12:52] the public who are here those
[1:12:54] receiving proclamations.
[1:12:55] I want to start off with item
[1:12:56] 31 Arab-American Heritage
[1:12:56] Month.
[1:12:57] I want to appreciate
[1:13:00] the members of the Arab
[1:13:00] community who've come today.
[1:13:01] The presentation was very
[1:13:04] informative And Art obviously
[1:13:05] very beautiful Growing up in
[1:13:06] East County some of my closest
[1:13:06] friends and many of my
[1:13:09] classmates were
[1:13:10] Iraqi-Americans, Chaldeans And
[1:13:14] so understanding their culture
[1:13:15] ,their immigration stories,
[1:13:15] understanding the small
[1:13:16] businesses that they've started
[1:13:19] and their flourishing
[1:13:19] throughout San Diego.
[1:13:20] Very proud to call the Arab
[1:13:20] American community friends of
[1:13:24] mine for a long, long time And
[1:13:25] thank you for being here today
[1:13:28] on item 31 Kevin Johnson Day
[1:13:29] I'm proud to bring forward this
[1:13:29] day as we celebrate the long
[1:13:30] awaited opening of the Ruffin
[1:13:33] Canyon Trail that connects
[1:13:34] Sierra Mesa to Mission Valley
[1:13:34] at the Escala community across
[1:13:37] from the Costco as project did
[1:13:38] not happen by chance It
[1:13:39] happened only because Kevin
[1:13:42] Johnston never let it go.
[1:13:43] So after years of persistence
[1:13:43] and advocacy partnership with
[1:13:47] my office, he turned that
[1:13:48] vision into a real tangible
[1:13:48] asset for the Sierra mesa
[1:13:49] community.
[1:13:51] So I look forward to
[1:13:52] celebrating the milestone on
[1:13:52] Friday when we will officially
[1:13:53] open that trail and invite
[1:13:56] everyone out to experience it
[1:13:57] And after we've made that hike
[1:14:00] enjoy $1.50 cent Costco hotdog
[1:14:05] afterwards dollar 67 after tax
[1:14:05] Thank you.
[1:14:06] Council PRESIDENT LaCava
[1:14:07] Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee
[1:14:10] and Council member Von Wilpert
[1:14:11] for joining me in proclaiming
[1:14:11] APRIL as month of the Military
[1:14:12] child We all know that San
[1:14:15] Diego is the home of
[1:14:15] the largest military community
[1:14:16] in our country and that means
[1:14:17] that thousands of military
[1:14:20] children show strength and
[1:14:21] resilience on a daily basis
[1:14:21] that goes unrecognized.
[1:14:25] My office is proud to partner
[1:14:26] with the armed Services ymca in
[1:14:26] Tears Santa as well as Hancock
[1:14:29] and Millard Miller Elementaries
[1:14:30] As we support these children
[1:14:31] and ensure they have stability
[1:14:34] and resources they need, we we
[1:14:35] honor those who serve in
[1:14:36] uniform and we must honor their
[1:14:39] family members and especially
[1:14:39] the children who serve in their
[1:14:40] own way.
[1:14:40] Their sacrifice is
[1:14:43] extraordinary and it is real
[1:14:44] and they deserve our
[1:14:44] recognition and support.
[1:14:45] And finally recognizing public
[1:14:49] safety Dispatcher we are
[1:14:50] honored to join council members
[1:14:50] John Wilburn and Council
[1:14:53] PRESIDENT LaCava.
[1:14:54] The first voice you hear in an
[1:14:55] emergency is the dispatcher.
[1:14:58] So right when people pray that
[1:14:58] their guardian angel shows up
[1:14:59] to help them, the dispatchers
[1:15:03] voice is what comes through
[1:15:03] the telephone.
[1:15:04] They bring in calm and clarity
[1:15:05] and direction when it matters
[1:15:05] most.
[1:15:08] It's a demanding high stakes
[1:15:08] job.
[1:15:09] It requires constant focus and
[1:15:12] resilience and compassion often
[1:15:12] goes unseen.
[1:15:13] One of my favorite so so-called
[1:15:17] ride alongs I wasn't riding
[1:15:17] anywhere.
[1:15:18] I was sitting in a chair next
[1:15:18] to a dispatcher for several
[1:15:22] hours and hearing what comes
[1:15:22] through the phone.
[1:15:23] i would never be able to do
[1:15:27] that job myself but proud to
[1:15:27] support you all and what you do
[1:15:28] And I'll take a moment to
[1:15:32] highlight someone from our own
[1:15:32] District seven office who
[1:15:33] recently stepped into that
[1:15:33] role.
[1:15:37] Izzy Rojas When I was here MS.
[1:15:38] Rojas served as an intern in my
[1:15:38] office for a year and since
[1:15:41] then grew professionally taking
[1:15:42] on roles in the county of San
[1:15:43] Diego In the private sector.
[1:15:43] She's still passionate about
[1:15:46] several things like photography
[1:15:47] and somehow chargers football.
[1:15:51] I am incredibly proud to see
[1:15:52] her continue her public service
[1:15:52] as a public safety dispatcher.
[1:15:53] So thank you to all
[1:15:54] the dispatchers who are here
[1:15:57] today and for all you do in
[1:15:58] the vital work of keeping San
[1:16:01] Diego America's safest big city
[1:16:01] .
[1:16:02] >> And that will conclude my
[1:16:02] comments.
[1:16:03] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
[1:16:03] All right.
[1:16:05] Thank you, Councilmember Campo
[1:16:06] .
[1:16:06] Since all of my colleagues have
[1:16:07] spoken, I'll jump in.
[1:16:11] And today for me personally is
[1:16:12] a good reminder of why we do
[1:16:12] these proclamations an
[1:16:15] opportunity to step aside from
[1:16:16] our legislative agenda and tell
[1:16:17] stories whether it's
[1:16:21] congratulate stations or very
[1:16:21] personal stories is really an
[1:16:22] extraordinary moment.
[1:16:26] So thank you to my colleagues
[1:16:27] and everybody else involved to
[1:16:30] keep the proclamations front
[1:16:31] and center and what the city
[1:16:35] council can do and thinking My
[1:16:36] colleagues for
[1:16:36] the proclamations that were
[1:16:37] brought forward are
[1:16:40] congratulations for everyone
[1:16:41] that is being recognized.
[1:16:41] I'm going to speak to three of
[1:16:42] them and I'm going to take them
[1:16:45] in reverse order as 5 or 1
[1:16:50] month of the military child as
[1:16:51] we many of my colleagues have
[1:16:51] spoken, San Diego is home to
[1:16:52] one of the largest military
[1:16:56] communities in the nation and I
[1:16:56] joined Council PRESIDENT Pro
[1:16:57] Tem Lee Council member Yvonne
[1:17:00] Wolpert and Councilmember Campo
[1:17:00] in recognizing one segment of
[1:17:01] the military community that
[1:17:05] often can be overlooked.
[1:17:05] Children of military families
[1:17:06] are faced with the challenges
[1:17:09] of having to make frequent
[1:17:10] relocations to new locations
[1:17:11] into a new home and often into
[1:17:15] a new school for San Diego has
[1:17:15] no shortage of thank you's for
[1:17:16] the military members who serve
[1:17:20] our country every day we often
[1:17:20] forget the sacrifices it takes
[1:17:24] to make it happen with their
[1:17:24] families.
[1:17:25] Today we proclaim the month of
[1:17:25] APRIL as the month of
[1:17:26] the military child to shine a
[1:17:29] light on the members of
[1:17:30] the family that continue to
[1:17:30] mold to their new environment
[1:17:34] without complaint or hesitation
[1:17:35] or maybe a little complaint or
[1:17:38] hesitation Your resilience and
[1:17:39] courage in constantly facing
[1:17:40] new challenges is admirable and
[1:17:43] we are grateful for supporting
[1:17:48] your military parents item as
[1:17:48] 500 National Public Safety
[1:17:49] Dispatcher Week Another group
[1:17:53] of people who do amazing work
[1:17:53] in San Diego our very own
[1:17:54] public safety dispatchers.
[1:17:58] Thank you to my council
[1:17:58] colleagues, council members
[1:17:59] Yvonne Wolpert and
[1:18:00] Councilmember Campo And joining
[1:18:02] me to celebrate the people who
[1:18:03] answer the call that no one
[1:18:03] ever wants to make and all
[1:18:07] these responders are not at
[1:18:07] the scene.
[1:18:08] They are present every single
[1:18:08] step of the way.
[1:18:12] And for providing clearance
[1:18:13] struction so simply being a
[1:18:13] calm voice in a moment of chaos
[1:18:14] they are vital to the San Diego
[1:18:16] public safety.
[1:18:17] Thank you for your
[1:18:18] professionalism, dedication and
[1:18:22] commitment to keeping San
[1:18:22] Diego's San Diegans protected
[1:18:23] and heard And I share this
[1:18:26] story in particular because it
[1:18:26] is personal.
[1:18:30] We had an incident we called
[1:18:31] 911 and I could not have
[1:18:36] expected what that dispatcher
[1:18:36] did staying on the phone call
[1:18:40] me me and my wife down and
[1:18:41] stuck with us at every moment
[1:18:43] until the officers first came
[1:18:44] up to our door.
[1:18:45] It is an experience I will
[1:18:47] never forget.
[1:18:48] So thank you to the public
[1:18:49] safety dispatchers for what you
[1:18:54] do for all those people who as
[1:18:54] I said make those calls that
[1:18:55] nobody wants to make and
[1:18:59] closing with item 31 Arab
[1:18:59] American Heritage Month I am
[1:19:03] joined by my colleagues council
[1:19:04] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee and
[1:19:06] Councilmember Eula Rivera to
[1:19:07] proclaim APRIL 2226 as APRIL
[1:19:08] American Arab American Heritage
[1:19:11] Month making up more than 10%
[1:19:12] of San Diego's population.
[1:19:15] Arab Americans play a
[1:19:16] foundational part in
[1:19:16] the diverse culture of our city
[1:19:17] from their contributions to
[1:19:20] society through technological
[1:19:21] advances, medical research,
[1:19:22] legal advances and more.
[1:19:26] They continue to further push
[1:19:26] boundaries in every field of
[1:19:27] study and service to
[1:19:30] the American Arab
[1:19:31] Anti-Discrimination Committee.
[1:19:31] Thank you for your advocacy
[1:19:35] work that you do to continue to
[1:19:36] uplift the Arab-American
[1:19:36] community in San Diego.
[1:19:40] And with that I will invite
[1:19:40] the PRESIDENT Of the Arab
[1:19:41] American Arab
[1:19:45] Anti-Discrimination Committee
[1:19:46] San Diego chapter Amr Khaldun
[1:19:50] if I got that right to take a
[1:19:51] couple of minutes to make a few
[1:19:51] remarks on behalf of
[1:19:54] the chapter Sir Thank you.
[1:19:55] >> Council PRESIDENT The cover
[1:20:00] of Council members Lee and Ella
[1:20:04] Rivera for introducing
[1:20:04] the proclamation and esteemed
[1:20:05] Council members for recognizing
[1:20:09] APRIL as Arab American Heritage
[1:20:09] Month.
[1:20:10] My name is I'm Mark Jordan.
[1:20:13] I'm the acting PRESIDENT For
[1:20:13] the American-Arab
[1:20:14] Anti-Discrimination Committee.
[1:20:18] It is a profound honor to
[1:20:18] accept this proclamation on
[1:20:22] behalf of the community that
[1:20:23] considers San Diego its home a
[1:20:27] city that has opened its arms
[1:20:27] to immigrants from Somalia,
[1:20:28] Iraq, Syria and beyond.
[1:20:32] The city uses Arabic language
[1:20:33] the word Marhaba Hello.
[1:20:36] Meet you at the entrance of
[1:20:37] this building as a bridge of
[1:20:37] communication.
[1:20:41] And today we celebrate that
[1:20:42] vibrant thread in the fabric of
[1:20:42] our city.
[1:20:46] However, as with any true
[1:20:47] partnership, the relationship
[1:20:48] between our community and this
[1:20:51] Council must be based on more
[1:20:52] than just ceremony.
[1:20:56] It must be based on shared
[1:20:56] principle.
[1:20:57] While we celebrate today we
[1:20:57] must also address where
[1:21:00] the relationship is strained
[1:21:01] first.
[1:21:01] Protecting human Lives in San
[1:21:05] Diego As we said, we estimate
[1:21:06] there are over 100,000 Arabs
[1:21:11] and hundreds and hundreds
[1:21:11] thousand Muslims.
[1:21:14] >> Thank you who usually align
[1:21:15] with Arabs who look to this
[1:21:16] body for moral leadership.
[1:21:20] When our community asked you to
[1:21:21] adopt a ceasefire resolution we
[1:21:24] were not asking you to change
[1:21:25] the course of a war thousands
[1:21:25] of miles away.
[1:21:29] We were asking you to take a
[1:21:30] stand for the sanctity of human
[1:21:30] life.
[1:21:34] With over 70,000 Palestinians
[1:21:37] killed including 20,000
[1:21:38] children, the cruelty of
[1:21:39] the occupation is a lived
[1:21:43] reality for many San Diegans
[1:21:44] whose families have faced
[1:21:48] ethnic cleansing for over 75
[1:21:48] years.
[1:21:53] Well before OCTOBER 7th, many
[1:21:53] San Diegans lost San Diego and
[1:21:56] Palestinians lost more than 200
[1:21:57] members of their families in
[1:21:57] Gaza.
[1:22:02] We ask for a relationship where
[1:22:02] our pain is seen and our calls
[1:22:03] for peace are heard.
[1:22:05] Second, protecting our First
[1:22:06] Amendment rights.
[1:22:10] The partnership requires
[1:22:11] the honest dialog.
[1:22:12] A few weeks ago the Council
[1:22:15] voted for resolution to define
[1:22:16] anti-Semitism in a way that
[1:22:17] risks chilling free speech.
[1:22:21] We thank COUNCILMAN Al Rivera
[1:22:25] for his principled position,
[1:22:26] but we remain deeply concerned
[1:22:27] that this definition is being
[1:22:27] weaponized against those who
[1:22:30] support Palestinian struggles.
[1:22:31] We cannot have the best city in
[1:22:35] the world if certain voices are
[1:22:36] silenced or defined out of
[1:22:40] existence.
[1:22:40] In closing.
[1:22:41] We accept this honor today not
[1:22:42] as a finished goal but as a
[1:22:45] promise.
[1:22:45] It takes two to tango.
[1:22:46] We want to work with you toward
[1:22:50] a more productive, transparent
[1:22:50] and inclusive relationship one
[1:22:51] where Arab Americans are not
[1:22:55] just recognized one month a
[1:22:55] year but protected and
[1:22:58] respected every single day.
[1:23:00] >> Thank you.
[1:23:01] >> Thank you, sir.
[1:23:06] All right.
[1:23:07] >> With that we have a motion
[1:23:11] by Councilmember Foster and a
[1:23:11] second by Councilmember
[1:23:12] Campbell to move
[1:23:12] the proclamation.
[1:23:14] Clerk please call the roll.
[1:23:14] >> I'm sorry.
[1:23:15] The voting system.
[1:23:19] Please cast your vote That
[1:23:19] passes unanimously 8 to 0 with
[1:23:24] Councilmember Moreno Absent.
[1:23:25] >> Thank you, Council
[1:23:25] PRESIDENT.
[1:23:25] All right.
[1:23:26] Thank you.
[1:23:26] With that we'll take a pause
[1:23:27] for photos and we'll start with
[1:23:28] item 31.
[1:23:37] Arab-American Heritage Month
[1:25:37] and
[1:26:07] .
[1:28:08] >> Mm
[1:31:56] .
[1:33:29] >> Uh
[1:33:29] oh.
[1:33:30] All right.
[1:33:37] Thank you, everybody for MR.
[1:33:37] Paley.
[1:33:38] And then we will now proceed
[1:33:38] with the approval of
[1:33:39] the consent item.
[1:33:40] >> Are there any requests to
[1:33:40] pull an item by the council?
[1:33:44] Not seeing any request?
[1:33:44] Clerk please proceed with
[1:33:49] public testimony.
[1:33:49] Thank you.
[1:33:50] Council PRESIDENT Please know
[1:33:50] each speaker will have one
[1:33:53] minute per item per person.
[1:33:54] If you would like to speak on
[1:33:55] three or more items you will
[1:33:56] have a maximum of three
[1:33:56] minutes.
[1:33:59] The consent agenda includes
[1:34:02] items 5100 through 102 and
[1:34:02] s502.
[1:34:03] We did receive comments on
[1:34:08] items for um we did receive
[1:34:08] comments on and I don't have
[1:34:12] the item number 14 in favor via
[1:34:13] our e comment form I will go
[1:34:14] back to my notes to know what
[1:34:17] item that was.
[1:34:17] We do not have any speakers
[1:34:18] here in council chambers.
[1:34:21] I will start the five minute
[1:34:21] timer and go to those
[1:34:22] participating online.
[1:34:25] If you can please make sure you
[1:34:26] let me know which items you
[1:34:27] wish to speak for.
[1:34:27] Speak on for the record.
[1:34:33] Slurpee Men if you can please
[1:34:33] On you.
[1:34:33] >> Hi.
[1:34:34] Right.
[1:34:34] First thank you.
[1:34:35] Thank you for the proclamations
[1:34:35] today.
[1:34:43] I wanted to speak to items 51
[1:34:47] to 1 and s5o2.
[1:34:48] >> You'll have three minutes.
[1:34:48] Please proceed.
[1:34:52] Thank you.
[1:34:56] First to speak to item 54
[1:34:57] Contract with Technology Corps
[1:34:59] for gasb 87 We software This
[1:35:04] software item seems to fit
[1:35:05] nicely into its like real
[1:35:09] estate software lease things
[1:35:10] how those those programs can be
[1:35:14] done well and more efficiently
[1:35:19] It fits in really well to
[1:35:19] the conversation you were
[1:35:20] having yesterday On the future
[1:35:21] of lease agreements in San
[1:35:24] Diego.
[1:35:25] A really interesting issue.
[1:35:25] I'm really interested how that
[1:35:28] can be a full community effort
[1:35:29] that we can all be involved in
[1:35:30] and wanting to work towards
[1:35:34] best goals and practices and
[1:35:34] good luck or helping each other
[1:35:38] towards those ends.
[1:35:39] I think it's important and I
[1:35:40] hope that criticisms can be
[1:35:44] made within that process too
[1:35:45] because I have some that I
[1:35:46] would like to make in those
[1:35:49] good efforts.
[1:35:50] So so thank you for all And to
[1:35:54] also quickly mention yeah I'll
[1:35:55] mention that at public comment
[1:35:58] time I think instead to go on
[1:36:02] to item 1 or 1 which is me
[1:36:07] going slow here supportive
[1:36:07] surplus land mission Bay this
[1:36:12] is an item that you know
[1:36:12] certain council persons have
[1:36:17] been really kind of like hoping
[1:36:18] for and really kind of trying
[1:36:19] to bring in I hope in doing
[1:36:22] that they can develop a
[1:36:23] language and an understanding
[1:36:26] that's clear and not just kind
[1:36:27] of touch a bit of a touch of
[1:36:28] the greed about them and how
[1:36:31] they're talking about this.
[1:36:32] This is really important to
[1:36:36] them in a way and I hope they
[1:36:36] can learn to address it openly
[1:36:41] and not just serving, you know,
[1:36:42] a very specific interest that
[1:36:45] it can serve.
[1:36:46] >> Thanks for hearing me out on
[1:36:51] that issue And for item s five
[1:36:51] o two, you know learning to be
[1:36:54] open and have a broad approach
[1:36:55] to the subject, I think it's
[1:36:56] important to have that good
[1:37:00] luck in those efforts.
[1:37:02] Item 502 Emergency services
[1:37:08] victim a grant Sub Agreement
[1:37:08] Award Sub Award Agreement Thank
[1:37:12] you for this.
[1:37:13] I don't quite know it's detail
[1:37:14] it's a not I.
[1:37:15] I wish I did but just on its
[1:37:17] surface this is a nice little
[1:37:18] thing to have that
[1:37:18] the governor's office is
[1:37:22] allowed this funding to happen
[1:37:23] and it's always needed and it
[1:37:27] seems to be going to a really
[1:37:28] important good purpose and to
[1:37:31] receive money from the state
[1:37:32] for such services we're going
[1:37:32] to be relying much on to figure
[1:37:36] out how to do that well.
[1:37:37] >> So thank you for this sort
[1:37:37] of item.
[1:37:40] Thank you.
[1:37:41] Next is 8700 Again this is just
[1:37:45] on the consent agenda.
[1:37:46] >> If you can please let me
[1:37:47] know which item or items you
[1:37:54] wish to speak to 50 101 and
[1:37:55] excuse me 5502 Thank you.
[1:38:00] Please proceed.
[1:38:07] Senator 3d3 50 from the eoc
[1:38:11] report I g m submitted an e o
[1:38:16] in lieu of a workforce report.
[1:38:17] It also says this staff will
[1:38:21] continue to monitor the firm's
[1:38:25] efforts to implement their eeo
[1:38:26] plan.
[1:38:31] So that's good news.
[1:38:32] I did check Google Google this
[1:38:36] is a small firm so it seems
[1:38:37] appropriate what's happening
[1:38:37] with all those equal
[1:38:41] opportunity efforts.
[1:38:42] So for the first time I started
[1:38:46] looking at the slb dash e l b e
[1:38:49] and the 20% voluntary on this
[1:38:54] item and I didn't go in depth
[1:38:59] yet into it but in Google you
[1:39:00] know looked at the word
[1:39:01] volunteer which is part of this
[1:39:05] so it is voluntary and so just
[1:39:05] a question on that Does
[1:39:08] the volunteering work?
[1:39:09] Does it work to help small
[1:39:10] businesses?
[1:39:10] I certainly hope so.
[1:39:14] I wasn't clear on some parts of
[1:39:15] the staff report and
[1:39:15] the audience yet.
[1:39:19] I say yes to amending this
[1:39:23] software contract to all on one
[1:39:23] on one surplus land.
[1:39:28] Wow that's a hot topic these
[1:39:28] days isn't it?
[1:39:33] And I just we're having some
[1:39:33] good dialog on it and I
[1:39:34] appreciate that so much.
[1:39:37] I wish we could have a real
[1:39:37] conversations around the table
[1:39:42] where everybody gets to share
[1:39:42] their opinions and and
[1:39:46] suggestions on that So but it's
[1:39:47] important work and I think we
[1:39:52] need to do much better work
[1:39:53] with it on affordable housing
[1:39:54] and things like that.
[1:39:56] So it's 502 yes to the grant or
[1:39:57] the Family Justice Center a big
[1:40:01] thank you to all involved at
[1:40:02] the Governor's Office of
[1:40:02] Emergency Services and all
[1:40:06] others involved with this
[1:40:06] grant.
[1:40:10] The grant is $312,500.
[1:40:11] Doesn't that have a nice ring
[1:40:15] to it?
[1:40:15] $312,500.
[1:40:20] It's so appreciated.
[1:40:20] No matching funds are required
[1:40:24] and no cost to the city so
[1:40:25] that's a big win win all over
[1:40:30] the place Live up to all
[1:40:30] the original If you can please
[1:40:31] unmute and let me know which
[1:40:32] item or items you wish to speak
[1:40:33] to.
[1:40:46] Yes 5100 101 That's 502 Thank
[1:40:46] you.
[1:40:46] >> You'll have three minutes.
[1:40:47] The five minute timer did
[1:40:50] conclude there are six speakers
[1:40:51] in the queue and no additional
[1:40:52] speakers will be taken.
[1:40:54] Please proceed.
[1:40:55] So when we're engaging in
[1:40:59] contracts with software and
[1:41:00] entities that are providing
[1:41:01] services with that, you know we
[1:41:04] need to really be careful with
[1:41:05] our data because what happens
[1:41:09] is is these different entities
[1:41:10] across the board will take our
[1:41:14] data and they're investors or
[1:41:15] people or entities like
[1:41:19] Vanguard, BlackRock and you
[1:41:20] know, ones that cannot be
[1:41:24] trusted and you know when we
[1:41:25] know that data is being sold,
[1:41:28] you know there's subscriptions
[1:41:29] I mean that's just kind of
[1:41:29] the way it is.
[1:41:33] Nobody's data is protected
[1:41:33] because there's always going to
[1:41:34] be a third party that comes in
[1:41:37] and has access to it.
[1:41:38] And so I think it's very
[1:41:39] dangerous when it gets into
[1:41:42] the hands of very nefarious
[1:41:43] corporations or entities that
[1:41:43] don't have our best interests
[1:41:47] at heart.
[1:41:48] And so we need to be making
[1:41:49] sure that our data is protected
[1:41:52] and looking into the those that
[1:41:56] are providing these services
[1:41:57] With the conflict of interest
[1:41:58] codes you guys are always, you
[1:42:02] know, waiving these things and
[1:42:02] it's you know, bad for
[1:42:03] business, you know, because
[1:42:06] there's conflicts of interests
[1:42:07] happening on an astronomical
[1:42:11] level and it's very detrimental
[1:42:16] to the people and being able to
[1:42:17] have our money be spent in a,
[1:42:18] you know, manner that is
[1:42:22] actually going to be beneficial
[1:42:22] and not detrimental And then
[1:42:26] anything you guys want to do
[1:42:27] with a surplus land you cannot
[1:42:31] be trusted especially when you
[1:42:32] know you could have built
[1:42:37] housing over you know, a 4902
[1:42:37] Pacific Highway and you guys
[1:42:41] didn't And instead you and Stan
[1:42:42] advised people to come across
[1:42:45] with Jewish Family Services and
[1:42:46] have a bunch of children be
[1:42:50] trafficked in humans and have
[1:42:51] their organs harvested and
[1:42:51] different things like that.
[1:42:54] So no, you shouldn't be doing
[1:42:55] nothing with the surplus land
[1:42:56] Now with the governor's award
[1:42:59] this is very terrifying because
[1:43:00] of what happens with children
[1:43:01] not only in this city,
[1:43:05] the county, the state,
[1:43:05] the nation and the world.
[1:43:10] And you know, it's like from
[1:43:10] the offices of emergency
[1:43:11] services and for Victim
[1:43:14] Services Branch, you know, it's
[1:43:15] like a way to exploit victims
[1:43:16] to get money because everyone's
[1:43:19] always really good at getting
[1:43:20] money Like they have no problem
[1:43:20] with that.
[1:43:21] You guys have no problem with
[1:43:24] that But providing the things
[1:43:25] that needs to be provided and
[1:43:29] actually having the money go to
[1:43:29] what it's supposed do never
[1:43:33] happens And that's what's so
[1:43:34] sad is that you guys always
[1:43:34] fall short in that And this
[1:43:38] center, your safe place cannot
[1:43:39] be trusted And the city
[1:43:43] attorney cannot be trusted when
[1:43:44] you know they've even engage
[1:43:48] with cps and families get their
[1:43:48] children taken And I even know
[1:43:49] women who have gone there and
[1:43:52] have never gotten any help.
[1:43:53] So you know, they incentivize
[1:43:54] getting children taken and then
[1:43:58] those kids go into things like
[1:43:59] the Epstein files So good your
[1:43:59] time has concluded.
[1:44:00] >> Sue Taylor if you can please
[1:44:02] unmute and let me know which
[1:44:03] item or items you wish to speak
[1:44:08] to.
[1:44:09] >> Yes I don't want to one 1I1
[1:44:10] Please proceed.
[1:44:10] You'll have one more.
[1:44:12] Yes.
[1:44:12] Good morning.
[1:44:13] My name is Sue Taylor.
[1:44:16] I submitted a written letter on
[1:44:17] this with more detail that you
[1:44:17] can review but I wanted to
[1:44:21] highlight a few key points here
[1:44:21] .
[1:44:22] The item to exempt Mission Bay
[1:44:23] from surface land is a positive
[1:44:26] and necessary step and I
[1:44:27] appreciate the effort to
[1:44:27] address the issue.
[1:44:28] However, it highlights a
[1:44:31] broader problem The 2020
[1:44:31] changes to the Surplus Land Act
[1:44:32] now treat lease renewals as
[1:44:36] surplus land leasing Public
[1:44:36] land is not the same as selling
[1:44:41] or disposing of it.
[1:44:41] The city retains ownership and
[1:44:42] long term control and should be
[1:44:43] able to lease its land for
[1:44:46] appropriate uses without
[1:44:46] triggering a process intended
[1:44:51] for permanent disposition.
[1:44:51] Mission Bay is the most visible
[1:44:52] example but this also affects
[1:44:53] other city properties like
[1:44:56] Belmore Park, Torrey Pines etc.
[1:44:56] So while this exemption is
[1:45:00] appropriate, a broader fix is
[1:45:01] needed so we don't keep running
[1:45:02] into the same problem on other
[1:45:05] city properties in the future.
[1:45:05] >> Thank you.
[1:45:06] Thank you.
[1:45:06] Next is Andrea Epping.
[1:45:11] If you can please unmute let me
[1:45:11] know which item or items you
[1:45:15] wish to speak to You.
[1:45:16] This is Andrea being I'm going
[1:45:22] to speak to see here
[1:45:26] the conflict of interest 100
[1:45:30] the surplus information bay 121
[1:45:34] and the s5o2 Please proceed.
[1:45:38] >> You have three minutes So so
[1:45:39] on the conflict of interest I'm
[1:45:43] glad that we're coming forward
[1:45:44] with any form of conflict of
[1:45:48] interest in a contract.
[1:45:49] It's really nice to see we have
[1:45:52] so many conflicts of interest
[1:45:53] taking place within the city
[1:45:54] and county at this very moment
[1:45:54] in time.
[1:45:58] So to see one come forward is a
[1:45:59] really good thing.
[1:45:59] We should look at the conflict
[1:46:02] of interest in the addiction
[1:46:03] and homeless services funding
[1:46:07] and grant program and
[1:46:08] the victims on the other side
[1:46:12] of those cases that involve
[1:46:13] those parties.
[1:46:14] We should also look at
[1:46:17] the opioid distribution that is
[1:46:18] rampant and actively taking
[1:46:22] place All also reported by
[1:46:23] these addicts and patients that
[1:46:23] visit these facilities that are
[1:46:24] flown in from all over
[1:46:27] the country then made homeless
[1:46:28] and intentionally made
[1:46:32] continually addicted to
[1:46:33] the drugs so that they return
[1:46:33] to the facilities for more
[1:46:37] money and more kickbacks.
[1:46:38] So that's that The surplus land
[1:46:42] on Mission Bay what a shame if
[1:46:43] we are known for changing that
[1:46:48] landscape we need to protect
[1:46:48] and preserve our area.
[1:46:53] We had a point in time where we
[1:46:53] had a former D.A. Bonnie James
[1:46:54] who was a super corrupt Mafia
[1:46:58] boss who she's the one that
[1:46:58] inserted, inserted and planted
[1:47:02] summer stuff in her role as dea
[1:47:02] illegally.
[1:47:06] And that's because somebody
[1:47:07] that would carry out her
[1:47:07] agenda.
[1:47:08] But I found out that she was
[1:47:11] when she was taking that money
[1:47:12] from the Mexican billionaire
[1:47:17] illegally and somehow was not
[1:47:17] charged for it.
[1:47:21] They wanted to turn the water
[1:47:22] front into South Bay South
[1:47:23] Beach, Miami.
[1:47:23] So they wanted to take our
[1:47:26] landscape and change it And
[1:47:27] that was the goal.
[1:47:27] A whole bunch of bribery,
[1:47:28] corruption and kickbacks
[1:47:31] involved.
[1:47:31] >> And then somehow when that
[1:47:36] came to light a secretary of 27
[1:47:37] years was found dead in her
[1:47:40] home of the da's office found
[1:47:41] dead in her home with her 18
[1:47:42] year old daughter of a drug
[1:47:45] overdose Despite zero history
[1:47:45] of drug use or suicidal
[1:47:46] tendencies are being
[1:47:49] secretaries that know too much
[1:47:50] to turn into Catwoman if you
[1:47:51] would step back and move Also
[1:47:55] this thing about the Family
[1:47:56] Justice Center Casey Quinn, our
[1:47:58] former city attorney started
[1:47:59] the Family Justice Center.
[1:48:00] It is no longer a family
[1:48:00] justice center that follows
[1:48:03] best practices And Mara Elliott
[1:48:08] was one time laundering money
[1:48:08] through it.
[1:48:09] Here is from Public Records, a
[1:48:09] question from the Union-Tribune
[1:48:13] to Mara Elliott.
[1:48:14] Can you tell me what the city
[1:48:14] attorney is directing
[1:48:15] charitable contributions to an
[1:48:17] entity that is no longer
[1:48:18] legally permitted to conduct
[1:48:19] business in the state of
[1:48:22] California?
[1:48:23] >> I went to the Family Justice
[1:48:24] Center after I was strangled,
[1:48:24] had my head split open and my
[1:48:27] children were abducted and they
[1:48:28] turned me away three times.
[1:48:31] My friend works in the homeless
[1:48:32] services industry and they
[1:48:33] don't help them they just give
[1:48:36] them materials Is a money
[1:48:36] laundering facility that's $312
[1:48:37] to be tracked.
[1:48:40] >> Your time has concluded 8813
[1:48:41] If you can please unmute and
[1:48:42] let me know which item or items
[1:48:48] you wish to speak to.
[1:48:48] >> Hi control here So I think
[1:48:52] I'm going to speak on
[1:48:53] definitely the conflicts of
[1:48:58] interest and just touch base on
[1:48:58] a bit of all of them.
[1:49:02] Well my message will you please
[1:49:03] identify the numbers and please
[1:49:06] be sure you're speaking on all
[1:49:07] of the items?
[1:49:08] >> I'm sorry I don't I don't
[1:49:11] have the numbers right in front
[1:49:12] of me but I believe I can talk
[1:49:13] on them.
[1:49:13] But I like I said, I'm going to
[1:49:16] touch base on each one of them.
[1:49:17] But you know the subject
[1:49:18] matters for each one of them to
[1:49:22] be sure I need you to be
[1:49:22] speaking on the item.
[1:49:23] >> How about conflicts of
[1:49:23] interest?
[1:49:24] Okay.
[1:49:24] Okay.
[1:49:24] Thank you.
[1:49:27] Please proceed on conflicts of
[1:49:27] interest.
[1:49:27] Okay.
[1:49:28] Thank you.
[1:49:32] So let's see That in itself is
[1:49:33] Oh she can speak for hours on
[1:49:35] that.
[1:49:36] Okay, so the conflicts of
[1:49:40] interest within our city and
[1:49:41] our county is disgusting And
[1:49:45] the fact that the majority of
[1:49:45] the county have no clue where
[1:49:49] their money's going and and who
[1:49:50] it's benefiting is is a real
[1:49:54] shame.
[1:49:55] And what are the other items?
[1:49:56] I can't name the number but as
[1:49:59] far as the people getting help
[1:50:00] I mean that's what all your
[1:50:00] items are always about, right?
[1:50:03] People getting help and you
[1:50:04] guys pretend like you guys are
[1:50:08] helping but you're really not.
[1:50:09] Again, there's no real
[1:50:13] intention of curing anybody,
[1:50:14] healing anybody helping anyone.
[1:50:18] It's just like a you know, it's
[1:50:18] kind of like big pharma.
[1:50:22] A patient cured is revenue
[1:50:23] lost, you know what I'm saying?
[1:50:24] So there's really never an
[1:50:27] intention to help a person
[1:50:28] entirely.
[1:50:33] I mean you'll have a has
[1:50:33] concluded zoom user if you can
[1:50:34] please zoom you and let me know
[1:50:36] which item or items you wish to
[1:50:41] speak to.
[1:50:42] Henry Heard Thank you.
[1:50:45] I like to speak to 5100 101 and
[1:50:45] 502 Thank you.
[1:50:49] Please proceed on on the 502I
[1:50:54] would say only victim money
[1:50:54] going to American citizens No
[1:50:59] real legal aliens or green card
[1:50:59] guys all need some American
[1:51:00] citizens.
[1:51:01] You need to put that into a lot
[1:51:04] of things and on the 100
[1:51:08] the conflict it's interesting
[1:51:09] now when the mayor when guys
[1:51:09] are cutting budget cuts like
[1:51:13] crazy and the mayor doesn't let
[1:51:14] you guys investigate the books,
[1:51:18] he says you can't have them.
[1:51:18] You should call the fbi on that
[1:51:22] or the doj because that's total
[1:51:22] fraud.
[1:51:23] He doesn't let you look at
[1:51:28] the paperwork is fbi day.
[1:51:32] Listen, this is time to call
[1:51:33] the fbi on the matter and then
[1:51:37] on the land grab people on
[1:51:37] these other common items that
[1:51:38] content agendas are very
[1:51:41] dangerous.
[1:51:42] You guys always try to blow
[1:51:45] things to the consent Then just
[1:51:46] items.
[1:51:46] That's one of the most
[1:51:47] dangerous votes that you guys
[1:51:50] have.
[1:51:51] So we got to end it.
[1:51:54] District nine District we have
[1:51:55] over 900 leases that nobody
[1:52:00] knows where even the money's
[1:52:04] collected yet How far behind So
[1:52:05] and then even the trash thing
[1:52:10] you find out there's 2500 guys
[1:52:11] we're picking up trash What
[1:52:14] they should have been paying
[1:52:15] all along their private
[1:52:16] businesses were doing their
[1:52:19] trash for even know about that
[1:52:20] for decades and picking up guys
[1:52:23] trash and they're not even
[1:52:24] paying for it that everything
[1:52:28] in the city is just like that
[1:52:29] So we forget the software just
[1:52:33] you know yellow pad inch guy in
[1:52:34] each in each council member Who
[1:52:39] were the leases Who are they?
[1:52:39] What are their names?
[1:52:40] Are they current?
[1:52:42] How much of the rent and
[1:52:43] publish it on the website for
[1:52:44] each particular business
[1:52:48] there's 100 in my district.
[1:52:48] I wonder if they're paying or
[1:52:52] we're going to cut the library
[1:52:52] fees because we don't collect
[1:52:53] the rent.
[1:52:57] It's crazy.
[1:52:58] You don't need a computer.
[1:53:01] You need one guy right?
[1:53:01] The guy's name down here is
[1:53:02] the money.
[1:53:06] Otherwise you're out and you
[1:53:06] have to have leases every two
[1:53:10] years at them at the maximum
[1:53:11] every year Everything else in
[1:53:12] the real world is one year
[1:53:15] lease all those high rise
[1:53:16] buildings.
[1:53:16] It's a one year lease.
[1:53:17] One year lease.
[1:53:21] Well that goes there for four
[1:53:21] years without having a lease or
[1:53:25] not pay in and just ignore it.
[1:53:26] You know that's what the city's
[1:53:27] doing.
[1:53:27] They're just ignoring
[1:53:31] the payments 15 year lease that
[1:53:31] one lady was saying one of our
[1:53:34] branches that hasn't been
[1:53:35] renewed in 15 years the same
[1:53:38] rate What's that 100 bucks a
[1:53:39] month instead of like 5000 a
[1:53:39] month?
[1:53:43] You know, it's just it's just
[1:53:43] it's ridiculous.
[1:53:44] It's it's a clown show Instead
[1:53:49] of having a council meeting
[1:53:49] let's call it the clown show
[1:53:50] meeting.
[1:53:53] It's a clown show.
[1:53:54] Your time is concluded.
[1:53:55] Madison if you can please
[1:53:58] unmute let me know which item
[1:53:59] or items you wish to speak to
[1:54:00] And Kathleen Lippert as our
[1:54:03] last caller, I'd like to talk
[1:54:06] to us.
[1:54:07] 502 Please proceed.
[1:54:07] You have one minute.
[1:54:08] Okay.
[1:54:11] So I'd like to express my
[1:54:11] support for items 5o2 and
[1:54:12] the acceptance of funding for
[1:54:15] the San Diego Family Justice
[1:54:16] Center.
[1:54:16] As a mother and community
[1:54:20] member I am deeply grateful for
[1:54:21] programs that support victims
[1:54:22] of domestic violence, abuse and
[1:54:25] trauma.
[1:54:25] The Family Justice Center
[1:54:26] provides a critical centralized
[1:54:27] place where individuals and
[1:54:30] families can access safety
[1:54:30] planning, legal assistance and
[1:54:33] emotional support all in one
[1:54:34] location.
[1:54:34] That kind of coordinated care
[1:54:38] can be life changing and
[1:54:39] importantly when support when
[1:54:43] we support families in crisis
[1:54:43] and create safer, more stable
[1:54:44] home environments, we are also
[1:54:48] helping prevent teen drug use
[1:54:49] and other risky behaviors
[1:54:51] before they begin this $300,000
[1:54:52] grant from California
[1:54:53] Governor's Office of Emergency
[1:54:57] Services comes at no cost to
[1:54:58] the city and it strengthens a
[1:54:58] resource that serves residents
[1:55:02] across all districts.
[1:55:02] This is a meaningful and
[1:55:03] responsible investment in
[1:55:06] public safety and community
[1:55:07] well-being.
[1:55:07] Supporting victims district
[1:55:11] families protects individuals.
[1:55:12] I thank you for that concluding
[1:55:12] comment.
[1:55:13] Kathleen Lippert Please unmute
[1:55:16] Let me know which item or items
[1:55:17] you wish to speak to your final
[1:55:20] Speaker Thank you.
[1:55:21] Items 100 and 102 Conflicts of
[1:55:25] interest And my name is
[1:55:26] Kathleen Lippert.
[1:55:26] Thank you for letting me speak
[1:55:30] Conflicts of interest should
[1:55:31] not be negotiable Had the city
[1:55:35] looked at the sweetheart lease
[1:55:36] that was granted to a former
[1:55:36] city employee for the Glen
[1:55:40] Airport, a public park where
[1:55:41] the fee was getting millions in
[1:55:42] revenues and the lease was
[1:55:45] never updated to reflect its
[1:55:50] true value right item to
[1:55:50] surplus lands.
[1:55:54] Ostensibly it's just a quote
[1:55:58] narrow exemption from the 1962
[1:55:59] Surplus Land Act where Mission
[1:56:02] Day was voted on by two thirds
[1:56:03] vote of qualified electors in
[1:56:07] perpetuity.
[1:56:08] That term in perpetuity should
[1:56:12] be self-explanatory.
[1:56:13] The La Hoya Co with another
[1:56:13] case where Ellen Browning
[1:56:17] Scripps who donated that land
[1:56:18] for children's school not for
[1:56:21] seals Thank you for letting me
[1:56:22] speak.
[1:56:22] Thank you.
[1:56:23] That is going to public comment
[1:56:27] on the consent items.
[1:56:28] >> All right Thank you city
[1:56:28] clerk and over to council
[1:56:31] colleagues for questions
[1:56:32] Comments Entertain a motion and
[1:56:33] we'll start with council member
[1:56:33] Campbell.
[1:56:36] >> Thank you so much Council
[1:56:36] PRESIDENT I would like to move
[1:56:37] the consent items and I would
[1:56:41] like to speak on item 101.
[1:56:42] This is the resolution in
[1:56:46] support of a b 2525 surplus
[1:56:50] Lands Mission Bay Park It is
[1:56:51] important that our city support
[1:56:54] a b 2525 surplus lands and
[1:56:58] Mission Bay Park This is a
[1:56:59] state bill written by my
[1:57:00] Assembly member and former
[1:57:03] colleague who I sat next to
[1:57:04] Chris Ward and sponsored by
[1:57:08] Mayor John Gloria.
[1:57:08] That is why my office has
[1:57:09] brought forward this resolution
[1:57:12] in support of a b 2525 which
[1:57:16] provides important clarity to
[1:57:17] protect Mission Bay Park, a
[1:57:17] park that lies largely within
[1:57:21] District to my district mission
[1:57:22] Bay Park is the largest manmade
[1:57:26] aquatic park in the United
[1:57:26] State.
[1:57:27] It has long been protected as
[1:57:31] dedicated parks base.
[1:57:32] There are several items that
[1:57:36] protected the state Tidelands
[1:57:37] law, the City Charter,
[1:57:37] the Mission Bay Park Master
[1:57:38] plan.
[1:57:41] The voter approved measures all
[1:57:42] make clear that this land must
[1:57:46] remain devoted as a park space
[1:57:47] and that residential
[1:57:50] development is not allowed
[1:57:50] here.
[1:57:51] While the Surplus Land Act
[1:57:55] plays an important role in
[1:57:56] addressing California's housing
[1:57:56] needs, its requirements simply
[1:58:00] do not fit in with places like
[1:58:01] Mission Bay Park or housing is
[1:58:05] prohibited.
[1:58:06] Ab 2325 provides the clarity
[1:58:09] the land within Mission Bay
[1:58:10] Park should not be subject to
[1:58:10] the Surplus Land Act and that
[1:58:14] mission Bay Park must remain a
[1:58:15] protected park for future
[1:58:15] generations.
[1:58:19] And now I call on our State
[1:58:20] Assembly members and senators
[1:58:24] to support this bill and get it
[1:58:24] to the governor's desk for
[1:58:25] signature.
[1:58:25] More specifically, I urge
[1:58:29] the Assembly Local Government
[1:58:30] Committee which is meeting I
[1:58:33] believe tomorrow to pass this
[1:58:34] bill through their committee
[1:58:35] tomorrow at tomorrow's meeting
[1:58:39] supporting this bill means
[1:58:39] respecting the will of San
[1:58:40] Diego voters who have
[1:58:44] repeatedly chosen to safeguard
[1:58:48] the park and the other multiple
[1:58:49] measures that are in the law
[1:58:50] that protect the park.
[1:58:53] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT.
[1:58:54] >> All right.
[1:58:54] Thank you, Councilmember
[1:58:55] Campbell.
[1:58:59] So we do have a motion by
[1:59:00] Councilmember Campbell to move
[1:59:01] The consent items will go next
[1:59:01] to Councilmember Quan Wolpert
[1:59:04] Thank you.
[1:59:05] I'm happy to second the motion
[1:59:05] and I thank you to DR. Jen for
[1:59:06] your leadership.
[1:59:09] We know we heard it our science
[1:59:09] committee about Mission Bay and
[1:59:10] they get a across ward for his
[1:59:11] leadership as well and
[1:59:13] protecting that vital land and
[1:59:14] space And also congratulations
[1:59:15] to the Family Justice Center,
[1:59:15] your safe place.
[1:59:18] Thank you for all
[1:59:18] the incredible work you're
[1:59:19] doing every day And we're very
[1:59:20] glad to see this grant coming
[1:59:24] in Also the motion.
[1:59:24] >> All right.
[1:59:24] Thank you.
[1:59:25] We have a motion by council
[1:59:26] member Campbell second by
[1:59:26] council member Yvonne Wolpert
[1:59:28] and we'll go next to Council
[1:59:29] Member Campo Thank you Council
[1:59:30] PRESIDENT And I want to thank
[1:59:32] Council Member Campbell for
[1:59:33] bringing the item to committee
[1:59:34] and her work on that as well as
[1:59:37] Assembly Member Ward for
[1:59:38] championing it at the state
[1:59:38] level.
[1:59:39] It was also included in our
[1:59:42] city's state legislative
[1:59:42] lobbying package heard at Eden
[1:59:43] Air and on and by the whole
[1:59:46] council As as it's been said,
[1:59:47] Mission Bay is unique and
[1:59:48] irreplaceable as a public
[1:59:51] resource and should be
[1:59:52] accessible and protected for
[1:59:52] generations to come.
[1:59:55] The reason it is so important
[1:59:56] to have this bill passes
[1:59:57] because of the inherent legal
[2:00:01] the inherent linguistic
[2:00:01] conflict within the Surplus
[2:00:02] Land Act that suggests that we
[2:00:03] have to make a good faith
[2:00:06] negotiation for housing on a
[2:00:07] piece of land that we are
[2:00:07] voters And our mission Bay
[2:00:08] Master Plan says there won't be
[2:00:11] housing.
[2:00:11] So this is a really necessary
[2:00:12] piece of legislation as well.
[2:00:16] I want to thank former council
[2:00:17] member Donna Frye for her
[2:00:17] continued advocacy and
[2:00:18] leadership on this and I will
[2:00:18] be in support.
[2:00:19] Thank you.
[2:00:21] Council PRESIDENT.
[2:00:22] All right.
[2:00:22] Thank you.
[2:00:23] Council member Camp Hill See no
[2:00:25] one else in the lights off for
[2:00:25] just one comment as well
[2:00:26] enjoying everyone and thanking
[2:00:30] council member Campbell for
[2:00:34] bringing the resolution on ab
[2:00:35] 2525 You know one of
[2:00:35] the criticisms we all forget is
[2:00:36] that it's difficult for
[2:00:39] the public to understand what
[2:00:40] we're doing and how we're doing
[2:00:41] it And it's a continuing
[2:00:44] challenge to communicate more
[2:00:45] clearly.
[2:00:45] The Surplus Lands Act I think
[2:00:49] is often misunderstood but this
[2:00:50] assembly bill is incredibly
[2:00:54] important because it does
[2:00:55] create the backstop that
[2:00:56] prevents Sacramento laws from
[2:00:59] overriding what the voters of
[2:01:00] San Diego have done both in
[2:01:04] the charter as well as
[2:01:04] the votes that created
[2:01:05] the Mission Bay Master plan
[2:01:05] going forward.
[2:01:09] So this is just a shield
[2:01:10] against Sacramento overreach in
[2:01:14] trying to prevent what every
[2:01:15] actually everybody has always
[2:01:19] said has always agreed to which
[2:01:19] is Mission Bay is not the place
[2:01:20] for housing.
[2:01:23] We have plenty of opportunity
[2:01:24] to provide the housing that San
[2:01:25] Diegans need not in Mission
[2:01:25] Bay.
[2:01:28] So again thank you Council
[2:01:29] member Campbell and your office
[2:01:30] for bringing this item forward.
[2:01:34] So with that we have a motion
[2:01:34] by Councilmember Campbell and a
[2:01:35] second by council member Vaughn
[2:01:38] Wolpert.
[2:01:39] >> So please call the roll I'm
[2:01:40] sorry the voting system Just to
[2:01:44] clarify for the record is item
[2:01:45] 101 that had 14 in favor via
[2:01:48] our e comment forms that passes
[2:01:48] unanimously 8 to 0 with Council
[2:01:53] member Marino absent Thank you
[2:01:53] Council PRESIDENT All right
[2:01:54] Thank you.
[2:01:55] So here is an opportunity for
[2:01:58] comment from the mayor's
[2:01:59] office, council members, city
[2:01:59] attorney in the budget
[2:02:03] independent budget analyst or
[2:02:03] city clerk not seeing anyone on
[2:02:04] the lights.
[2:02:07] I'll just do a quick thank you
[2:02:08] to the council PRESIDENT Pro
[2:02:09] Tem Lee for taking over
[2:02:12] yesterday's council session.
[2:02:13] I joined a number of service
[2:02:17] providers up in Sacramento
[2:02:18] yesterday to frankly lobby both
[2:02:23] assembly members and Senate of
[2:02:23] state senators for continuation
[2:02:27] of the budget for at least
[2:02:28] the dollar amount in last
[2:02:32] year's budget if not more.
[2:02:32] There's incredible work being
[2:02:33] done in the homeless space.
[2:02:36] We've created a strong
[2:02:37] foundation in terms of
[2:02:37] the action that the mayor's
[2:02:38] brought forward.
[2:02:41] The council supported.
[2:02:42] This is not a time to upset
[2:02:46] that we need funding and we
[2:02:47] need regular funding every
[2:02:47] single year.
[2:02:51] So with that we will now take
[2:02:52] up non agenda public comment.
[2:02:56] Council members respect and
[2:02:56] appreciate the public's input
[2:02:57] and are fully committed to
[2:02:57] protecting every every
[2:03:01] participant's free speech
[2:03:02] rights at council and committee
[2:03:02] meetings Clerk without please
[2:03:07] proceed with knowledge for
[2:03:08] public comment.
[2:03:09] >> Thank you Council President
[2:03:09] Pearl 2.7 a public comment is
[2:03:11] an opportunity for members of
[2:03:12] the public to comment on items
[2:03:13] that are not on the agenda but
[2:03:13] within the subject matter
[2:03:16] jurisdiction of the City
[2:03:16] Council.
[2:03:17] Each speaker will have two
[2:03:17] minutes.
[2:03:18] Please note if there are eight
[2:03:21] or more speakers on a single
[2:03:21] topic the maximum time for
[2:03:22] the topic will be 16 minutes.
[2:03:23] If you are in chambers please
[2:03:26] submit your speaker slip.
[2:03:27] If you're joining us virtually
[2:03:28] please raise your hand to speak
[2:03:30] by tapping the Raise your hand
[2:03:31] icon or if you'll call on
[2:03:32] Participant Star nine Marissa
[2:03:35] Cuevas If you can please come
[2:03:36] up to the microphone.
[2:03:36] After that we have Anton Turek
[2:03:40] and Eric Jensen If you can
[2:03:41] please come up to the yellow
[2:03:42] reserved seats at the front of
[2:03:44] the room.
[2:03:45] You'll have two minutes.
[2:03:45] Please proceed.
[2:03:46] Good evening.
[2:03:48] In 2022 my grandparents voted
[2:03:49] for Measure b which would have
[2:03:53] made the trash fees between $23
[2:03:54] to $29.
[2:03:58] Now I'm here because my
[2:03:59] grandparents can't be.
[2:04:00] My grandma works and my
[2:04:00] grandparents are on a fixed
[2:04:04] income right now.
[2:04:07] But the people approve The 23
[2:04:08] to $29 is not what they're
[2:04:08] being charged.
[2:04:12] In fact the people are being
[2:04:13] charged up to $43 a month
[2:04:17] almost doubled what they were
[2:04:17] told.
[2:04:18] Like I said, my grandparents
[2:04:18] are on a fixed income.
[2:04:22] This is something they have to
[2:04:23] account for and consider when
[2:04:26] they're dealing with their
[2:04:27] personal budget and their own
[2:04:28] finances.
[2:04:31] The extra cost is a real
[2:04:31] concern for the people of this
[2:04:35] city in a city that is already
[2:04:36] so expensive to live in.
[2:04:37] And with cost only going up by
[2:04:40] the day the people do not need
[2:04:41] the city artificially
[2:04:45] increasing or inflating another
[2:04:46] cost they have especially when
[2:04:50] they voted for the 23 to $29
[2:04:50] per month.
[2:04:54] I would say right now I've
[2:04:55] never experienced, you know, my
[2:04:55] day to day life where people
[2:04:59] bring up issues with the city.
[2:05:00] But I do find this particular
[2:05:04] topic as well as the Balboa
[2:05:04] parking fee.
[2:05:05] People are constantly talking
[2:05:05] to me about it.
[2:05:08] You know that they're getting a
[2:05:09] new trash bin despite them just
[2:05:09] paying for a new one or you
[2:05:10] know they're getting these
[2:05:13] services that they don't It
[2:05:13] doesn't seem like there's a
[2:05:17] rhyme or reason as to what's
[2:05:18] happening and that it's
[2:05:18] completely disregarding what
[2:05:22] their current need is.
[2:05:23] For instance, my grandparents
[2:05:24] don't need a large trash bin
[2:05:28] because it's only the two of
[2:05:28] them.
[2:05:29] And you know that's just more
[2:05:29] household to have to bring it
[2:05:30] out to the curb.
[2:05:32] You know, my grandparents are
[2:05:33] older so it is a concern of
[2:05:34] mine And like I said, they
[2:05:34] can't be here because they
[2:05:37] don't have that time to come
[2:05:38] out and give public comment.
[2:05:42] So the city had been saying,
[2:05:42] you know, that they increased
[2:05:43] the charge because they had
[2:05:47] additional fees and revenues.
[2:05:48] >> But I urge you to thank me
[2:05:49] for that concluding comment.
[2:05:55] >> Anton Good afternoon.
[2:06:00] PRESIDENT Kennedy once said
[2:06:01] that an error does not become a
[2:06:04] mistake until you refuse to
[2:06:05] correct it.
[2:06:05] I like this quote because we
[2:06:06] all make errors sometimes in
[2:06:09] our day to day lives.
[2:06:09] Sometimes you leave your keys
[2:06:10] at home.
[2:06:14] Sometimes you forget to put
[2:06:14] your laundry in the dryer and
[2:06:15] sometimes you forget to you
[2:06:19] tell the voters of San Diego
[2:06:20] that if Measure b passes
[2:06:22] the new trash fee would be
[2:06:23] somewhere between 23 and $29
[2:06:24] per month when in reality you
[2:06:28] charge them closer to $43 per
[2:06:28] month.
[2:06:29] The cost of collecting trash is
[2:06:33] projected to increase over
[2:06:34] the next four years even though
[2:06:34] the number of customers
[2:06:38] actually decreased, the initial
[2:06:38] cost of service was projected
[2:06:41] to be $70 million.
[2:06:44] And somehow this number shot up
[2:06:45] to $140 million.
[2:06:46] These numbers simply do not add
[2:06:46] up.
[2:06:50] Just last week Judge Oliver
[2:06:51] said that these projections
[2:06:55] quote appear mathematically
[2:06:55] counterintuitive and raise a
[2:06:56] triable issue of fact that
[2:07:00] the projections MAY be based on
[2:07:00] faulty assumptions rather than
[2:07:01] actual costs.
[2:07:05] These increased fees lose on
[2:07:05] paper.
[2:07:06] We have all seen what's been
[2:07:07] going on with the parking at
[2:07:10] Balboa Park and this trash fee
[2:07:11] is unfortunately just another
[2:07:12] symptom of the city's
[2:07:15] mismanagement of the budget.
[2:07:16] You're in the middle of
[2:07:17] drafting the budget right now.
[2:07:20] You have a real chance here to
[2:07:21] correct an error before it
[2:07:21] becomes a mistake And more
[2:07:24] money and more time gets
[2:07:25] wasted.
[2:07:28] The people of San Diego voted
[2:07:29] for 23 to $29 and they would be
[2:07:32] happy with 23 to $29.
[2:07:32] >> Thank you.
[2:07:35] Thank you.
[2:07:40] Next we have Eric Jensen.
[2:07:41] >> Hello, Council.
[2:07:42] I'm here to speak about
[2:07:45] the trash fee because at this
[2:07:46] point this is about more than
[2:07:47] sanitation.
[2:07:50] It's about trust.
[2:07:51] After San Diego voters accepted
[2:07:55] the measure b trash fee,
[2:07:56] the city's numbers came back
[2:07:57] far higher than the public had
[2:08:00] been led to expect.
[2:08:03] What was presented is roughly
[2:08:04] 23 to $29 per month became fees
[2:08:07] as high as $43.60 per month.
[2:08:07] These fees are expected to
[2:08:11] continue to rise quickly
[2:08:12] growing to a monthly fee that
[2:08:13] exceeds twice as much as what
[2:08:17] voters agreed to pay.
[2:08:18] And now a court has said that
[2:08:18] there are serious questions
[2:08:22] about how the city arrived at
[2:08:22] these figures.
[2:08:23] Serious enough for a lawsuit to
[2:08:23] go to trial.
[2:08:26] The court pointed to a basic
[2:08:31] problem How can the city
[2:08:31] project fewer households
[2:08:32] receiving trash service yet
[2:08:36] still project costs so much
[2:08:36] higher than what voters were
[2:08:37] allowed to expect?
[2:08:41] The court said quote This
[2:08:41] disconnect creates a
[2:08:46] fundamental analytical problem
[2:08:46] .
[2:08:47] San Diego is are hearing all of
[2:08:47] this in the context of
[2:08:50] everything else They've already
[2:08:50] been asked to absorb budget
[2:08:51] shortfalls, rising fees, higher
[2:08:55] parking costs and growing
[2:08:56] financial pressure.
[2:08:56] >> Residents understand that
[2:08:59] the city faces financial
[2:09:00] challenges but they should not
[2:09:01] be asked to carry the burden of
[2:09:05] mistakes Poor planning or
[2:09:05] financial decisions that they
[2:09:06] did not make.
[2:09:09] The city of San Diego cannot
[2:09:10] afford to keep losing
[2:09:11] the public trust this way.
[2:09:14] At a time when confidence in
[2:09:15] public institutions is already
[2:09:16] fragile, the city should be
[2:09:16] doing everything it can to
[2:09:20] restore that trust.
[2:09:21] Now we can in the city can
[2:09:21] start by making this right and
[2:09:25] honoring what voters agreed to
[2:09:25] pay.
[2:09:26] Thank you.
[2:09:26] Thank you.
[2:09:26] I'm sorry.
[2:09:29] In the five minute time we're
[2:09:30] here in council chambers going
[2:09:30] to those participating
[2:09:30] remotely.
[2:09:33] Currently have ten callers in
[2:09:36] the queue When the 5 minutes to
[2:09:37] 5 minute timer concludes.
[2:09:38] Additional callers will be
[2:09:38] taken The original If you can
[2:09:41] please unmute.
[2:09:42] >> Point of order I would like
[2:09:46] to request the extra two
[2:09:46] minutes from last week that was
[2:09:47] robbed from the people during
[2:09:51] non agenda when the board
[2:09:52] negligently had no quorum and
[2:09:59] was taken over by me using
[2:09:59] Robert's Rules of order.
[2:10:00] >> Are you willing to make that
[2:10:00] comment?
[2:10:03] But we will kindly disagree.
[2:10:03] >> All right.
[2:10:04] You would disagree.
[2:10:08] See that's the problem is that
[2:10:08] you guys didn't have a quorum
[2:10:13] last meeting.
[2:10:14] You actually disenfranchize
[2:10:14] the people by not allowing them
[2:10:18] to speak during that meeting
[2:10:19] And you haven't been making it
[2:10:23] up since as shown right now And
[2:10:24] I invoked Robert's Rules of
[2:10:27] order and you have nothing in
[2:10:28] your budget policy or in
[2:10:29] the Brown Act that would
[2:10:33] determine what to do in a place
[2:10:33] like that.
[2:10:37] So you kept telling me I made
[2:10:37] my point.
[2:10:38] I made my point which I did and
[2:10:39] you were terrified about.
[2:10:43] That's why you were acting
[2:10:43] selfishly And I have it on tape
[2:10:46] and I should be in charge of
[2:10:47] that council.
[2:10:48] So it's very sad to see what
[2:10:51] you guys do.
[2:10:52] How much fraud, waste and abuse
[2:10:53] you engage in.
[2:10:54] I mean you can't even pay
[2:10:57] attention and know when you do
[2:10:58] or when you don't have a quorum
[2:10:58] because you continued
[2:11:01] the business until I said
[2:11:02] something Whether or not you
[2:11:06] saw it you still allowed
[2:11:06] the meeting to continue until I
[2:11:07] invoked Robert's Rules of Order
[2:11:11] and said I would like to take
[2:11:12] over the council.
[2:11:12] Then you kept then you
[2:11:15] pretended that you saw it and
[2:11:16] oh no, now we have to adjourn.
[2:11:17] And then you kept saying I made
[2:11:20] my point to the point of being
[2:11:21] disruptive and you sent
[2:11:21] the police out to me.
[2:11:25] That's how scared you were
[2:11:26] about what I did Because every
[2:11:29] look on your guys's face was
[2:11:30] terrified because you know what
[2:11:31] I did was legit And outside of
[2:11:34] that you know that you
[2:11:35] disenfranchize all of
[2:11:36] the people that were waiting to
[2:11:39] speak because you guys can't be
[2:11:40] there to do your job.
[2:11:41] But what you can do is get
[2:11:44] money.
[2:11:45] You're always good at that But
[2:11:45] when it has anything to do with
[2:11:49] the people or holding true to
[2:11:49] what is actually happening
[2:11:50] which is me taking over that
[2:11:54] council, you tried to bury it
[2:11:55] under the rug just like
[2:11:55] everything else that you guys
[2:11:59] do.
[2:11:59] Barbara Gordon Your next
[2:12:00] speaker if you can please
[2:12:00] unmute.
[2:12:03] Good afternoon.
[2:12:04] I am a public health advocate
[2:12:08] with so many needs in the city
[2:12:09] and with the budget shortage I
[2:12:09] respectfully request the city
[2:12:13] to not implement the cannabis
[2:12:13] social equity program.
[2:12:18] This program is not sustained
[2:12:18] over the long term without
[2:12:19] impacting the already strained
[2:12:23] city resources.
[2:12:23] San Diego already has 38
[2:12:24] marijuana businesses.
[2:12:27] Why are we looking to expand
[2:12:28] the number of businesses which
[2:12:32] will be a burden to
[2:12:33] marginalized communities in
[2:12:34] the name of social equity as
[2:12:37] the city struggles with
[2:12:38] homelessness, many peer review
[2:12:41] studies show that marijuana use
[2:12:42] contributes to drug abuse and
[2:12:43] addiction which is the leading
[2:12:47] cause of homelessness.
[2:12:47] The latest National Survey on
[2:12:51] Drug Use and Health estimate
[2:12:51] 32% of the 62 million test
[2:12:56] marijuana users 12 years and
[2:12:57] older in America have cannabis
[2:13:01] use disorder.
[2:13:01] The profit driven marijuana
[2:13:02] industry continues to produce
[2:13:05] and promote stronger products
[2:13:06] that are addicting millions and
[2:13:10] just and disrupting their
[2:13:11] lives.
[2:13:11] Published in the Journal of
[2:13:15] American Medical Association
[2:13:16] health form said marijuana use
[2:13:17] is though is linked to
[2:13:21] the doubling risk of psychotic
[2:13:21] and bipolar disorder.
[2:13:22] I urge this Council to not
[2:13:26] prioritize this industry over
[2:13:26] the many needs of the city.
[2:13:31] Your focus and responsibility
[2:13:31] are public health and safety
[2:13:35] not advocating for more
[2:13:36] marijuana businesses in
[2:13:36] the city.
[2:13:40] Thank you for letting me speak
[2:13:40] .
[2:13:41] >> Our finalists Our next
[2:13:42] speaker is Becky Rob.
[2:13:45] Please unmute.
[2:13:46] >> Good afternoon.
[2:13:47] My name is Becky Rapp and I'm
[2:13:50] here today to raise also raise
[2:13:51] concerns regarding the proposed
[2:13:54] such socially equitable
[2:13:55] cannabis program and what
[2:13:56] appears to be a looming
[2:13:59] financial disaster for the city
[2:14:00] if it's implemented.
[2:14:00] We need to look honestly at
[2:14:04] the city's existing framework.
[2:14:05] San Diego has already issued
[2:14:05] dozens of permits yet a
[2:14:09] significant number of those
[2:14:10] operators have never opened
[2:14:10] their doors.
[2:14:14] That's not a sign of a healthy
[2:14:14] system and it's more of a
[2:14:15] warning that something isn't
[2:14:19] working out.
[2:14:20] The reality is that opening a
[2:14:20] marijuana business in San Diego
[2:14:24] is extremely difficult and
[2:14:24] expensive.
[2:14:25] Between permitting costs,
[2:14:29] regulatory compliance, real
[2:14:29] estate security and ongoing
[2:14:33] taxes, many operators simply
[2:14:34] cannot make the numbers work.
[2:14:35] Even well-funded applicants
[2:14:38] struggle to get to opening day.
[2:14:39] So why are we proposing to add
[2:14:43] more permits when the current
[2:14:44] system is already struggling?
[2:14:47] Tomorrow the mayor the mayor's
[2:14:48] budget will be released and it
[2:14:49] will reflect the priorities of
[2:14:49] this governing body.
[2:14:53] After the very concerning
[2:14:53] conversations just yesterday
[2:14:54] surrounding lease agreements
[2:14:57] and financial obligations,
[2:14:58] the document will be especially
[2:15:02] telling of the mayor's
[2:15:02] priorities.
[2:15:03] There's no denying that
[2:15:06] permitting marijuana businesses
[2:15:07] have become costly for the city
[2:15:08] staff time administrative
[2:15:11] overhead program, development
[2:15:12] enforcement and potential
[2:15:16] subsidies that all come at a
[2:15:16] cost.
[2:15:17] So I urge this council to pause
[2:15:21] this effort and direct staff to
[2:15:22] provide a full financial and
[2:15:26] operational analysis including
[2:15:27] the performance of existing
[2:15:27] marijuana businesses.
[2:15:33] Thank you.
[2:15:33] Next is Madison.
[2:15:37] If you can please unmute.
[2:15:38] I thank you for the opportunity
[2:15:39] to speak again today.
[2:15:42] I just wanted to briefly follow
[2:15:43] up on the issue of thc and road
[2:15:47] safety because it highlights a
[2:15:47] serious gap we cannot ignore
[2:15:51] even with growing concerns
[2:15:52] about marijuana impaired
[2:15:52] driving.
[2:15:56] We still do not have a reliable
[2:15:57] or widely accepted way to
[2:15:58] measure real time impairment on
[2:16:01] the roadside.
[2:16:02] A recent federally funded study
[2:16:03] is now working toward a thc
[2:16:07] breathalyzer but it's still in
[2:16:08] early stages more of a proof of
[2:16:11] concept and not something law
[2:16:12] enforcement can depend on yet.
[2:16:13] At the same time, federal
[2:16:16] agencies acknowledge that thc
[2:16:17] levels don't clearly correlate
[2:16:21] with impairment like alcohol
[2:16:21] does.
[2:16:22] So we are expanding access to a
[2:16:25] substance that impairs reaction
[2:16:26] time and judgment without
[2:16:26] having the tools to
[2:16:31] consistently detect or deter
[2:16:31] impaired driving.
[2:16:35] That is a public safety risk.
[2:16:36] More storefronts would mean
[2:16:36] increased normalization
[2:16:40] increased use and inevitably
[2:16:41] more drivers on the road under
[2:16:44] the influence.
[2:16:45] Especially in a city as large
[2:16:49] and car dependent as San Diego
[2:16:50] .
[2:16:50] It's irresponsible to continue
[2:16:51] promoting the sale of mind
[2:16:54] altering drugs when they have
[2:16:55] real world consequences for
[2:16:55] the majority of people who
[2:16:59] choose not to use them.
[2:16:59] The impairment is clearly real
[2:17:00] and has had plenty of research
[2:17:04] proving it makes drivers
[2:17:04] unsafe.
[2:17:05] If we cannot even reliably
[2:17:08] measure the level of impairment
[2:17:09] we cannot effectively enforce
[2:17:10] against it and that puts every
[2:17:11] family on the road at greater
[2:17:14] risk.
[2:17:14] I urge you to pause and
[2:17:15] reconsider any expansion with a
[2:17:19] c program that moves faster
[2:17:20] than our ability to protect
[2:17:20] public safety.
[2:17:24] Please prioritize as
[2:17:24] the well-being of our
[2:17:25] communities and think carefully
[2:17:26] about the real world
[2:17:29] consequences.
[2:17:30] >> Thank you.
[2:17:30] Thank you.
[2:17:31] The five minute timer had
[2:17:31] concluded and six people are in
[2:17:32] the queue.
[2:17:34] No additional speakers will be
[2:17:34] taken.
[2:17:35] Peggy Walker If you can please
[2:17:38] unmute.
[2:17:39] >> Thank you.
[2:17:41] A council city budget deficit
[2:17:42] at 129 million.
[2:17:43] I wonder that the marijuana
[2:17:47] industry is the biggest con
[2:17:48] since big tobacco gets away
[2:17:52] with blatantly false medical
[2:17:52] claims and tax free so-called
[2:17:56] medical sales.
[2:17:57] A considerable part of
[2:17:58] dispensary marijuana sales are
[2:18:02] for pain and anxiety.
[2:18:03] At the same time, major medical
[2:18:07] institutions including Harvard
[2:18:07] ,Cleveland and Mayo Clinic's
[2:18:11] among others have debunked
[2:18:12] industry medical claims stating
[2:18:16] their research shows slim to no
[2:18:17] evidence that dispensary smoked
[2:18:21] or ingested weed has any
[2:18:22] medical benefit at all.
[2:18:26] So why allow this industry to
[2:18:27] continue the medical marijuana
[2:18:28] myth in the first place and to
[2:18:31] do so without taxation when
[2:18:32] legitimate over the counter
[2:18:36] meds like aspirin are taxed?
[2:18:37] There's no fda approval of
[2:18:41] dispensary pot for any medical
[2:18:41] condition.
[2:18:42] While there are prescription
[2:18:46] based cannabis myths like about
[2:18:47] Epidiolex.
[2:18:51] These have gone through fda
[2:18:52] pharmaceutical protocols.
[2:18:52] They do not cause a high and
[2:18:56] should never be conflated with
[2:18:57] dispensary pot.
[2:19:01] The fact is the moniker medical
[2:19:02] marijuana is a political feint
[2:19:03] that allowed the industry to
[2:19:06] boost sales and achieve
[2:19:07] widespread commercialization.
[2:19:11] I know a medical cardholder who
[2:19:11] was given quote medical
[2:19:16] marijuana for anxiety caused by
[2:19:17] driving while high.
[2:19:21] This is insanity.
[2:19:21] Consider that alcohol and
[2:19:22] tobacco are used if one wisely
[2:19:27] for anxiety to but are taxed.
[2:19:28] >> All dispensary All
[2:19:32] dispensary Marijuana should be
[2:19:33] highly taxed without exception
[2:19:37] and part ways should be highly
[2:19:37] taxed too.
[2:19:38] Thank you.
[2:19:42] Thank you.
[2:19:43] >> Next is Andrea.
[2:19:44] I think if you can please
[2:19:44] unmute.
[2:19:46] Hi this is Andrea Ebbing.
[2:19:48] First thing I want to say is we
[2:19:48] need to have a working
[2:19:52] functional lights and cameras
[2:19:53] at a rec center where children
[2:19:56] are.
[2:19:57] We should also have police
[2:19:58] officers who are allowed able
[2:20:01] to control themselves from
[2:20:02] beating women in front of 40
[2:20:06] children at those parks But of
[2:20:07] course without cameras working
[2:20:08] we have to rely on the children
[2:20:11] who are recording that beating
[2:20:12] brutal beating.
[2:20:13] But I did want to say I just
[2:20:17] made a finding that everyone
[2:20:17] should pay very close attention
[2:20:18] to.
[2:20:18] There is a site called
[2:20:22] Transparent California dot com
[2:20:22] that gives financial
[2:20:23] information off the tax records
[2:20:27] of city and county employees
[2:20:28] And everybody's concerned about
[2:20:29] the trash fees.
[2:20:32] But we need to know as a
[2:20:33] community San Diego somebody in
[2:20:37] the city office or county
[2:20:38] office is manipulating these
[2:20:39] transparent California records
[2:20:39] as if nobody can go back on
[2:20:43] the weight Wayback machine and
[2:20:44] find all the data that's been
[2:20:44] removed.
[2:20:45] But Kenneth Biggers Kenneth
[2:20:48] Biggers, District Rescue's
[2:20:49] collection supervisor, is one
[2:20:53] of the 103 city employees that
[2:20:54] I found to have zero regular
[2:20:58] pay that's zero salary.
[2:21:03] However, he has $146,000 in
[2:21:04] other pay and for total pay and
[2:21:08] benefits $288,000 for the year
[2:21:08] 2024.
[2:21:12] Again, zero pay their money
[2:21:13] laundering and they did this
[2:21:17] trash thing on the back of
[2:21:17] other pay.
[2:21:18] So they're manipulating things.
[2:21:19] This is corruption You are
[2:21:22] witnessing public corruption.
[2:21:23] And when I brought this up
[2:21:24] before somebody went back and
[2:21:28] they scrambled and they had it
[2:21:29] removed but I have screenshots
[2:21:31] of everything I exported
[2:21:32] the data I have the 103
[2:21:33] employees that make $0 and
[2:21:37] the Luna and Cheryl Looney
[2:21:38] making $397,000 of other pay
[2:21:41] for a total of $500,000.
[2:21:42] As an admin we are a budget
[2:21:46] deficit because of the money
[2:21:47] laundering and pay payroll tax
[2:21:53] included It when three if you
[2:21:54] can please and you after that
[2:22:02] Ontarians getting 81 38813 If
[2:22:02] you count on me for yours I
[2:22:03] can't Omeo for you.
[2:22:05] There you go.
[2:22:05] >> Okay thank you Consuelo
[2:22:06] here.
[2:22:10] So yeah I just kind of wanted
[2:22:14] to point out well actually to
[2:22:14] the first speaker who mentioned
[2:22:15] about there's no reason or
[2:22:20] rhyme there actually is a
[2:22:20] reason for their rhyme.
[2:22:21] It's because they do not work
[2:22:24] for the people of San Diego.
[2:22:25] They work for globalists
[2:22:29] Remember this.
[2:22:30] Things they do that don't make
[2:22:35] sense to us here locally
[2:22:35] because they're following
[2:22:36] orders from the ones who are
[2:22:40] truly calling the shots And
[2:22:45] they you know over the years,
[2:22:46] especially these past 5 or 6
[2:22:46] years they've moved well
[2:22:51] they're moving in high speed
[2:22:56] But these are the latest I mean
[2:22:57] since covid.
[2:22:57] But prior to that they were
[2:22:58] moving incrementally.
[2:23:01] You know, in order to establish
[2:23:02] these ideas like roundabouts
[2:23:06] and you know,
[2:23:07] the implementation of these
[2:23:12] unsafe and equitable bike lanes
[2:23:13] that are only being utilized by
[2:23:14] you know, like I always say
[2:23:18] the crackheads because that's
[2:23:19] true We all see using those
[2:23:22] bike lanes and they're not safe
[2:23:23] .
[2:23:23] They will continue to penalize
[2:23:24] drivers even more in
[2:23:24] the future.
[2:23:28] We are currently just
[2:23:28] experiencing that right now
[2:23:29] the high gas speed limit lanes
[2:23:33] and paying for parking
[2:23:34] everywhere But what's coming
[2:23:35] down the line is even worse.
[2:23:35] Unfortunately our younger
[2:23:39] generations are being
[2:23:40] influenced by propaganda of
[2:23:44] the carbon crisis and global
[2:23:45] warming.
[2:23:45] Yet you know we keep seeing
[2:23:50] that our seashore hasn't
[2:23:50] changed in decades.
[2:23:51] It remains the same.
[2:23:52] They continue to use fear to
[2:23:56] control the people.
[2:23:57] I mean talk about con, you know
[2:23:57] and unfortunately the people
[2:24:01] are too busy to pay attention
[2:24:01] to this racket called
[2:24:02] government local and federal
[2:24:07] and state All of them And but
[2:24:08] the silver lining is just exist
[2:24:14] And those people who voted for
[2:24:14] it like you said the time has
[2:24:15] concluded during And Scully, if
[2:24:20] you can please unmute.
[2:24:21] >> Good afternoon San Diego
[2:24:21] City Council My name is
[2:24:26] Terrence Gilliam, a parent and
[2:24:27] a planning group member who
[2:24:27] advocates for financial
[2:24:31] policies that enhance good
[2:24:31] public health and safety.
[2:24:32] Today I'd like to draw
[2:24:33] attention to the city tobacco's
[2:24:36] retailers Licensure Program
[2:24:37] ordinance and the associated
[2:24:41] enforcement efforts associated
[2:24:42] with it.
[2:24:43] As a parent I applaud your
[2:24:43] efforts to reduce tobacco
[2:24:48] product sales to those under
[2:24:48] the age of 21 and to remove
[2:24:49] unauthorized tobacco products
[2:24:53] from the shelves like illegal
[2:24:54] flavored tobacco products and
[2:24:58] prosecute those who sell it to
[2:24:58] them.
[2:24:59] This is money well spent
[2:25:04] recently in a school campus
[2:25:04] newsletter, a teen reporter
[2:25:05] wrote this and I quote The Vape
[2:25:09] and Smoke shop is exposing
[2:25:10] students to vapes along with
[2:25:10] several unapproved and possibly
[2:25:15] dangerous drugs And it is to
[2:25:15] near my school.
[2:25:15] End quote.
[2:25:16] Opening a smoke shop next to a
[2:25:21] school is unfair especially
[2:25:21] considering that schools
[2:25:22] already struggle with students
[2:25:26] vaping on campus.
[2:25:27] I feel we owe it to these
[2:25:28] students to take action for
[2:25:32] these students to see us take
[2:25:33] action and make sure that it
[2:25:33] will be easy for residents
[2:25:37] parents and school
[2:25:38] administrators to file a
[2:25:38] complaint with the city.
[2:25:43] Perhaps the city's public
[2:25:44] relations department or media
[2:25:44] could serve us all by providing
[2:25:49] the information for filing
[2:25:49] complaints.
[2:25:50] Thank you for your funding
[2:25:54] enforcement actions that affirm
[2:25:55] our city's commitment to
[2:25:56] healthy and safe young adults.
[2:26:01] Thank you for hearing my
[2:26:01] concerns this afternoon.
[2:26:02] Thank you.
[2:26:02] Blair Beckerman If you can
[2:26:04] please unmute and then 8700 or
[2:26:10] a final speaker.
[2:26:10] All right.
[2:26:11] Thank you.
[2:26:15] Blair Beekman I wanted to do
[2:26:15] housecleaning items today.
[2:26:20] And I guess first of all I was
[2:26:20] at the meeting last week with
[2:26:21] the ira at the end of
[2:26:21] the meeting.
[2:26:25] I interesting comments she
[2:26:26] offered I put her words down to
[2:26:31] a letter to yourselves in
[2:26:32] overall practices we can do
[2:26:32] when that sort of item happens
[2:26:33] again.
[2:26:33] There's a bunch of issues about
[2:26:37] quorum We have to be better
[2:26:38] addressing that I tried to
[2:26:38] address in a letter.
[2:26:39] I hope you can read and we can
[2:26:42] go over.
[2:26:42] It's important.
[2:26:43] We have to have quorum in
[2:26:43] the future.
[2:26:48] You guys can't be We have to
[2:26:48] coordinate it.
[2:26:49] You can't be ducking out in so
[2:26:53] many numbers such large numbers
[2:26:54] that you have.
[2:26:54] We have to coordinate that
[2:26:55] better read the letter and
[2:26:56] understand what we could be
[2:26:56] doing.
[2:26:59] Other items?
[2:27:00] Yeah, a whole bunch of stuff I
[2:27:01] talked about other items to
[2:27:05] think about.
[2:27:05] The pib had a really
[2:27:06] interesting monthly meeting
[2:27:11] last week Thursday that I hope
[2:27:11] you can review some of
[2:27:12] the items talked about today.
[2:27:17] Just basic stuff on you know
[2:27:18] internal housekeeping stuff for
[2:27:18] your accounting issues.
[2:27:23] They talked about it was a
[2:27:24] really interesting session and
[2:27:24] I think it set a good course
[2:27:28] how we what to expect and how
[2:27:28] we could be working in 2026
[2:27:29] towards best practices of tech
[2:27:30] accountability.
[2:27:34] So I really invite yourselves
[2:27:34] to review that meeting and get
[2:27:35] a sense of what's really
[2:27:39] the questions being asked by
[2:27:40] community what's being worked
[2:27:40] on.
[2:27:41] Thank you.
[2:27:42] Public comment yesterday about
[2:27:46] housing issues.
[2:27:47] There's a house that you're
[2:27:47] going on in downtown.
[2:27:51] That person you know wants to
[2:27:52] be addressed.
[2:27:53] We have to start addressing
[2:27:53] those things again in good
[2:27:58] terms and not horrible terms.
[2:27:59] Good luck What we can be doing
[2:28:03] towards those ends It's a
[2:28:03] community effort towards
[2:28:04] healing Good luck And in doing
[2:28:09] that and Councilperson John
[2:28:09] Wolpert thanks for her words
[2:28:14] today and for everybody's words
[2:28:15] thank you in 700 her final
[2:28:25] speaker Thank you City clerk 28
[2:28:26] joy Senator first a quick shout
[2:28:31] out before I speak on
[2:28:32] the budget Shout out to MR.
[2:28:36] Capshaw your appointment to
[2:28:37] the audit committee as public
[2:28:43] member is very good news.
[2:28:43] Thank you to everyone involved
[2:28:44] in that.
[2:28:44] Okay.
[2:28:49] And the budget.
[2:28:49] Easy to do My favorite likes
[2:28:55] that So easy to do what I'm
[2:28:55] willing to cut.
[2:29:01] I find it's not easy to cut
[2:29:02] because I'm not in the position
[2:29:06] and the public can see
[2:29:07] the necessary big picture.
[2:29:08] I thought I understood core
[2:29:13] services and then I learned of
[2:29:14] mandated core services Your
[2:29:18] public take a look at that if
[2:29:23] you need to mandated core
[2:29:24] services that is part of
[2:29:30] the detailed big picture I'm
[2:29:31] not for now so I am keeping it
[2:29:35] simple now they're public and
[2:29:36] everyone else Each day that I
[2:29:37] am involved you get our city
[2:29:41] government.
[2:29:41] I look for opportunities where
[2:29:48] I can get better at what I do
[2:29:49] and where city I also look
[2:29:53] where our city and staff can
[2:29:54] also get better at what they
[2:29:54] do.
[2:29:59] That's called getting better
[2:30:00] together One people, one family
[2:30:04] member I added one family I
[2:30:05] love that one.
[2:30:11] San Diego love to all Thank
[2:30:11] you.
[2:30:12] That does conclude the public
[2:30:13] comment for this meeting.
[2:30:16] You raise your hand after
[2:30:16] the five minute timer you can
[2:30:17] submit Speak your comments to
[2:30:19] City clerk at San diego.Gov and
[2:30:20] they will be distributed.
[2:30:21] Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[2:30:21] right thank you City Clerk With
[2:30:22] that we will now adjourn for
[2:30:26] the noon recess and reconvene
[2:30:26] open session at 2 P.M. Or
[2:34:28] shortly thereafter
[2:36:29] And
[2:39:16] then
[2:39:56] .
[2:40:00] >> All right.
[2:40:01] Good afternoon.
[2:40:02] I will now reconvene the city
[2:40:02] council meeting of Tuesday,
[2:40:04] APRIL 14th, 2026.
[2:40:05] >> clerk Please call the roll.
[2:40:06] Thank you.
[2:40:10] Council PRESIDENT Council
[2:40:11] Member Campbell here Council
[2:40:11] Member Whitburn here.
[2:40:15] Council Member Foster Council
[2:40:16] Member Von Wilpert Council
[2:40:19] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee Council
[2:40:20] Member Campion Council Member
[2:40:24] Moreno Council Member Ella
[2:40:24] Rivera and Council PRESIDENT
[2:40:30] LaCava.
[2:40:31] Thank you Clerk.
[2:40:32] A quorum is now Oh you want to
[2:40:33] truth Why don't you just say
[2:40:34] here Oh here.
[2:40:35] Assistant City Attorney Leslie
[2:40:35] Fitzgerald also attending
[2:40:39] the meeting independent budget
[2:40:39] analyst Charles Mollica,
[2:40:40] Council Affairs Advisor in
[2:40:41] the Mayor's office, code
[2:40:44] advisor and myself your city
[2:40:45] clerk Diana Fuentes.
[2:40:45] Thank you.
[2:40:46] Council PRESIDENT Sorry.
[2:40:46] All right.
[2:40:46] Now that was my bad.
[2:40:48] A quorum is now present with
[2:40:49] that clerk.
[2:40:52] >> Please introduce item f50
[2:40:53] six items 5o6 is a salary
[2:40:56] ordinance for fiscal year 2027.
[2:40:57] If you'd like to speak on this
[2:40:58] item please be sure to submit
[2:41:01] your speaker slip to the front
[2:41:01] of the room in the clear box If
[2:41:02] you are participating remotely
[2:41:05] now's the time to raise your
[2:41:06] hand by pressing Star nine or
[2:41:07] the raise your hand icon.
[2:41:10] Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[2:41:10] right Well staff when you
[2:41:14] settle in please introduce
[2:41:15] yourself for the record and
[2:41:15] then let us know how much time
[2:41:35] you need.
[2:41:35] Good afternoon.
[2:41:36] Council PRESIDENT And council
[2:41:36] members.
[2:41:37] I'm Abby Darrell Wells, Deputy
[2:41:39] Director in the Human Resources
[2:41:39] Department.
[2:41:40] With me today is director Julie
[2:41:44] Rascoe, Deputy Director John
[2:41:44] Trigger Eric Hansen Senior
[2:41:48] Human Resources Officer.
[2:41:49] Also with us today are several
[2:41:50] members of the Salary Ordinance
[2:41:54] Committee Kota Visor from
[2:41:55] the mayor's office Rolando
[2:41:57] Serval Chief Financial officer
[2:41:58] Chief Melendez from the fire
[2:41:58] Rescue department.
[2:41:59] Tom Brady from the city
[2:41:59] attorney's office.
[2:42:03] Lisa Burns from the Abby's
[2:42:03] office, Cornell Allen from
[2:42:04] the risk management department.
[2:42:07] Chrystia Davis from
[2:42:08] the personnel department and
[2:42:09] Chris Purcell from the Finance
[2:42:12] Department are presentations
[2:42:12] about eight minutes We're here
[2:42:15] today to present the fiscal
[2:42:16] year 2027 salary ordinance
[2:42:17] Before we begin our
[2:42:21] presentation we wanted to note
[2:42:21] that there were some
[2:42:22] clarifications made to
[2:42:22] the staff report salary
[2:42:26] ordinance attachment to an
[2:42:27] exhibit c, f, g and h to
[2:42:31] reflect working title updates
[2:42:31] which we'll walk through during
[2:42:32] the presentation and copies
[2:42:36] have been provided to you.
[2:42:37] I will now turn it over to Eric
[2:42:37] who will walk through
[2:42:40] the presentation.
[2:42:40] All right.
[2:42:41] The salary ordinance is an
[2:42:42] annual item that establishes
[2:42:44] the compensation schedules for
[2:42:45] all employees and officers of
[2:42:46] the city per the city charter.
[2:42:50] The charter mandates that
[2:42:50] the first reading of the salary
[2:42:51] ordinance must be presented to
[2:42:52] city council by APRIL 15th.
[2:42:55] Each year This year's
[2:42:56] presentation is broken down
[2:42:59] into five sections Those are
[2:42:59] salary and wage adjustments,
[2:43:03] recommended updates, civil
[2:43:04] service recommendations,
[2:43:05] minimum wage compliance and
[2:43:09] acknowledgment s for salary
[2:43:09] wage adjustments salary and
[2:43:13] wage adjustments The city is
[2:43:14] currently negotiating with all
[2:43:14] six Recognize employee
[2:43:18] organizations also known as
[2:43:18] Oreos and therefore there are
[2:43:19] currently no wage increases to
[2:43:24] report for employees
[2:43:24] represented by the Oreos.
[2:43:25] We will be returning to City
[2:43:28] council with amendments to
[2:43:29] the f y 2027 salary ordinance
[2:43:33] to reflect any negotiating as
[2:43:34] to wages and benefits when it
[2:43:34] comes to wage adjustments for
[2:43:38] unrepresented employees, there
[2:43:39] are no proposed increases for
[2:43:40] unrepresented employees as
[2:43:43] contract negotiation seasons
[2:43:44] are ongoing.
[2:43:44] We will also return to City
[2:43:47] council once the negotiations
[2:43:48] have concluded with any
[2:43:52] recommended adjustments.
[2:43:53] Next we'll turn to recommended
[2:43:53] updates.
[2:43:57] First is position titles and
[2:43:58] the following are recommended
[2:44:02] updates to titles in order to
[2:44:03] align the Fire rescue
[2:44:03] department's rank structure
[2:44:06] with the National Incident
[2:44:07] Management System which is
[2:44:07] followed by nearly all fire
[2:44:11] departments in the country.
[2:44:12] The title changes will be as
[2:44:13] follows Assistant Fire Chief
[2:44:16] Classification in the Executive
[2:44:17] for Category and Exhibit c will
[2:44:21] change to Deputy Fire Chief and
[2:44:22] the title of the Deputy Fire
[2:44:23] Chief classification in
[2:44:26] the Managerial c category and
[2:44:27] Exhibit c will change to
[2:44:31] Assistant Fire Chief.
[2:44:31] Next is working titles.
[2:44:32] The following are
[2:44:32] the recommended updates to
[2:44:36] working title.
[2:44:37] First is the Assistant City
[2:44:37] Manager a position exempted by
[2:44:41] the city Charter which has been
[2:44:42] operationalized with
[2:44:42] the working title of Assistant
[2:44:46] Chief Operating Officer which h
[2:44:47] is It is proposed to be updated
[2:44:50] to Chief of Staff the Assistant
[2:44:51] to the City Manager a position
[2:44:52] also exempted by the city
[2:44:55] charter has been
[2:44:56] operationalized with
[2:44:57] the working title of Deputy
[2:45:00] Chief Operating Officer which
[2:45:01] is proposed to be updated to
[2:45:05] Chief Officer The Business
[2:45:06] Center manager which has a
[2:45:06] working title of Assistant
[2:45:10] Deputy Chief Operating Officer
[2:45:11] is proposed to be updated to
[2:45:11] Deputy Chief of Staff.
[2:45:15] And finally the assistant to
[2:45:16] the city manager which has a
[2:45:17] working title of assistant to
[2:45:19] the Chief operating officer is
[2:45:23] recommended to be eliminated.
[2:45:24] Next we have recommended
[2:45:29] movements between salary ranges
[2:45:29] as requested by the city clerk.
[2:45:30] It is recommended to move
[2:45:33] the assistant City Clerk
[2:45:34] classification from managerial
[2:45:38] c to miscellaneous a This will
[2:45:39] result in the Assistant City
[2:45:40] Clerk classification having
[2:45:43] the same salary range as other
[2:45:44] Assistant Director positions in
[2:45:47] independent city departments in
[2:45:48] order to align with the overall
[2:45:49] citywide position hierarchy of
[2:45:53] the unclassified service it is
[2:45:53] recommended to move
[2:45:54] the retitled Assistant Fire
[2:45:57] Chief along with the Assistant
[2:46:00] Police Chief to the Executive
[2:46:01] three category.
[2:46:02] >> Now I will cover recommended
[2:46:05] updates to exhibits f for auto
[2:46:06] allowance je for management
[2:46:09] administrative leave and h
[2:46:10] the four Management Executive
[2:46:14] Life Insurance The following
[2:46:15] are only working title updates
[2:46:16] and do not change the current
[2:46:20] benefits received by these
[2:46:20] positions for Exhibit f Auto
[2:46:24] allowance The recommendation is
[2:46:25] to update the assistant to
[2:46:26] the City Manager working title
[2:46:29] which is currently Deputy Chief
[2:46:30] Operating Officer to be Chief
[2:46:34] Upper excuse me Chief Officer
[2:46:35] and to add Business Center
[2:46:35] manager with the working title
[2:46:39] of Deputy Chief of Staff for
[2:46:39] Exhibit g Management
[2:46:40] Administrative Leave.
[2:46:43] The recommendation is also to
[2:46:44] update the assistant to
[2:46:45] the City Manager working title
[2:46:49] which is currently Deputy Chief
[2:46:49] Operating Officer to be Chief
[2:46:54] Officer and to add the Business
[2:46:55] Center manager with the working
[2:46:58] title of Deputy Chief of Staff
[2:46:59] for Exhibit h.
[2:46:59] The working title is being
[2:47:03] updated for existing Assistant
[2:47:04] City Manager to Chief of Staff
[2:47:04] and the working title update
[2:47:08] for the existing Assistant to
[2:47:09] the City Manager which is Chief
[2:47:13] Officer for Civil Service
[2:47:14] Commission recommendations.
[2:47:15] There are three groups of
[2:47:18] recommendations.
[2:47:19] First are new or reestablished
[2:47:22] classifications.
[2:47:23] There are seven new or
[2:47:24] reestablished classifications
[2:47:24] recommended by the Civil
[2:47:27] Service Commission through
[2:47:28] the annual salary salary review
[2:47:32] process Four are represented by
[2:47:35] mba and three by Local 145
[2:47:36] second or title changes.
[2:47:37] There are four title changes
[2:47:40] recommended by the Civil
[2:47:41] Service Commission through
[2:47:41] the annual salary review
[2:47:45] process.
[2:47:46] Those include Legal Secretary
[2:47:47] one and two which are
[2:47:47] recommended to be changed to
[2:47:50] legal administrative assistants
[2:47:50] one and two Senior legal
[2:47:51] secretary which will be changed
[2:47:55] to senior legal Administrative
[2:47:56] Assistant and Principal Legal
[2:47:56] Secretary which will be change
[2:47:57] a principal legal
[2:48:00] administrative assistant.
[2:48:01] Third are the deletions.
[2:48:04] There are 16 classifications
[2:48:05] recommended by the Civil
[2:48:09] Service Commission for deletion
[2:48:09] .
[2:48:10] Nine of these are represented
[2:48:10] five or local 127 represented
[2:48:16] and to our unrepresented.
[2:48:17] Next is the minimum wage
[2:48:21] compliance the California
[2:48:22] minimum wage increase to $16.90
[2:48:26] per hour on JANUARY 1st of 2026
[2:48:29] The salary ordinance assuming
[2:48:30] the salary ordinance codifies
[2:48:31] it Also on JANUARY 1st, 2026,
[2:48:34] the city of San Diego minimum
[2:48:35] wage increase to $17.75 per
[2:48:39] hour according to the salary
[2:48:39] tables and exhibits to
[2:48:40] the salary ordinance all city
[2:48:44] employees will be paid no less
[2:48:44] than the local minimum wage of
[2:48:49] $17.75 per hour.
[2:48:50] Finally we have acknowledgments
[2:48:51] While H.R. Is the lead for
[2:48:53] the salary ordinance
[2:48:54] presentation, it is a team
[2:48:54] effort each I'd like to
[2:48:55] acknowledge and thank
[2:48:58] the following for their input
[2:48:59] and help the City Attorney's
[2:49:03] Office personnel aba's Office
[2:49:03] Department of Finance Risk
[2:49:04] Management and the Department
[2:49:08] of Information Technology.
[2:49:08] This concludes our presentation
[2:49:09] and we are happy to take any
[2:49:15] questions you MAY have.
[2:49:15] >> All right.
[2:49:16] Thank you for your
[2:49:17] presentation, Clark Let's
[2:49:21] proceed with public testimony
[2:49:22] on s506 Thank you.
[2:49:25] Item s I was six We have one
[2:49:25] speaker here in council
[2:49:26] chambers and others and
[2:49:27] the virtual q l del Mastro if
[2:49:37] you can please come forward.
[2:49:38] Yes.
[2:49:38] You'll have two minutes.
[2:49:39] Please proceed.
[2:49:42] Hi, my name is Al Del Mastro
[2:49:43] And um, you know the reason why
[2:49:47] I oppose this the salaries is
[2:49:48] because how misleading it was
[2:49:49] on Prop l that you guys all got
[2:49:52] such a large raises over and in
[2:49:53] the deal is is that good
[2:49:57] leaders lead by example so if
[2:49:57] you want to take a salary cut
[2:50:01] push it on the public to have a
[2:50:02] salary cut like I'm a mom a
[2:50:06] small mom and pop Liam Ward and
[2:50:07] the restrictions you put on me
[2:50:08] over and over again the idea
[2:50:12] that this new thing that's
[2:50:12] misleading that's being put on
[2:50:16] by Sean Isla Rivera this thing
[2:50:17] about the empty house law which
[2:50:21] I looked it up again yesterday
[2:50:22] and after I spoke to MR. Looked
[2:50:23] it up I'm not exempt It is
[2:50:26] because I live in a five plex
[2:50:27] So if my wife dies and I can't
[2:50:30] complete an apartment in six
[2:50:30] months I'm going to get a
[2:50:34] $10,000 fine Or if I get cancer
[2:50:35] I'm going to get a $10,000
[2:50:35] fine.
[2:50:36] Who thinks that's a good He
[2:50:39] doesn't think this is
[2:50:40] the ugliest law since Jim Crow
[2:50:40] and it's really hard that you
[2:50:45] guys would approve this against
[2:50:46] senior citizens unity.
[2:50:46] Can you focus on the salary
[2:50:49] ordinance and not it is on So
[2:50:50] it's just a misleading part.
[2:50:51] That's how I'm putting it.
[2:50:52] I'm just as misleading as
[2:50:54] the salary ordinance was put in
[2:50:55] is how misleading this is being
[2:50:55] put in.
[2:50:59] You know who would do that to a
[2:50:59] senior on 90% of all mom and
[2:51:03] pops are between the ages of 55
[2:51:04] and 80 years old.
[2:51:08] Do you think you should do that
[2:51:09] to a senior, Joe?
[2:51:09] You think you should give them
[2:51:14] a fine if they can't get their
[2:51:14] home up in time because of
[2:51:15] their grieving or they have
[2:51:18] cancer or they have an illness
[2:51:19] and not in a long The only
[2:51:19] exemption for illness is that
[2:51:23] if you're in a long term care
[2:51:23] facility that's it I live in in
[2:51:28] or exemption If you live in a
[2:51:29] property that's less than four
[2:51:29] units that's it.
[2:51:31] There is no other exemption for
[2:51:31] me.
[2:51:36] >> Thank you.
[2:51:36] I'm sorry.
[2:51:37] At the five minute time we're
[2:51:38] hearing council chambers going
[2:51:40] to those participating remotely
[2:51:41] currently have three speakers
[2:51:42] in the Kubler Beckman.
[2:51:46] If you can please unmute I
[2:51:46] thank you for this item.
[2:51:47] Thank you for how you're
[2:51:50] talking about it.
[2:51:51] I just wanted to quickly offer
[2:51:55] that at public comment
[2:51:55] yesterday a person you know
[2:52:00] asked the question if city
[2:52:00] council persons and the mayor
[2:52:04] can consider taking a cut in
[2:52:05] salary.
[2:52:05] I thought it was a nice thing
[2:52:06] to offer.
[2:52:08] I think it's an item we still
[2:52:09] have to be considering as
[2:52:10] you're deliberating these
[2:52:14] issues that are very many right
[2:52:14] now for this item.
[2:52:18] I hope we really can be
[2:52:19] considering the future of
[2:52:23] whatever type of salary cut
[2:52:24] council can make and definitely
[2:52:28] the mayor it's definitely a
[2:52:28] goodwill gesture.
[2:52:29] It is working in the right
[2:52:30] direction and I think it'll
[2:52:33] give yourselves a good sense of
[2:52:38] how to better address issues
[2:52:39] it's sacrificing And I think I
[2:52:42] think you're respected and good
[2:52:43] things will arise from it.
[2:52:44] I hope you can really be
[2:52:48] considering I think it's an
[2:52:49] important item to consider for
[2:52:50] a future and it certainly gives
[2:52:52] good faith to the community
[2:52:53] that you're trying to look for
[2:52:53] answers to.
[2:52:54] >> Thanks.
[2:52:56] Thank you.
[2:52:57] Your next is the original If
[2:53:06] you can please unmute with
[2:53:06] the failures of the city It's
[2:53:11] pretty ridiculous that we
[2:53:12] continually talk about giving
[2:53:15] raises and with the exorbitant
[2:53:16] amounts of money that you guys
[2:53:17] make and the mayor makes I mean
[2:53:21] it's crazy because there's all
[2:53:21] this other pay and kickbacks
[2:53:25] that come in and it's like you
[2:53:26] guys shouldn't be making more
[2:53:26] than Congress.
[2:53:27] That's ridiculous.
[2:53:30] And you guys are going to
[2:53:30] always continually give people
[2:53:34] raises instead of making sure
[2:53:35] that you guys are providing
[2:53:35] everything that the city is
[2:53:36] supposed to be providing,
[2:53:39] you're failing miserably.
[2:53:40] And it's like when you sit here
[2:53:41] and you're like reclassifying
[2:53:41] different positions at super
[2:53:46] suspicious cause is that a way
[2:53:46] if somebody like salary was
[2:53:50] capped at something and they
[2:53:51] couldn't make any more then you
[2:53:51] put them into a new position
[2:53:52] and they can start making more
[2:53:54] and more money.
[2:53:55] I mean just the things that you
[2:53:56] guys do are fishy and you
[2:53:59] should be willing to take a pay
[2:53:59] cut.
[2:54:00] I mean you guys are the ones
[2:54:00] that increase the cost of
[2:54:04] living every time that you have
[2:54:05] a meeting and you want to sit
[2:54:06] here and act like you're going
[2:54:09] to go after others who do it,
[2:54:10] you're the ones who do it and
[2:54:11] the people come to you and like
[2:54:11] thank you for it.
[2:54:14] It's really sad because it's
[2:54:14] like you know looking at how
[2:54:15] much money you guys make and
[2:54:18] like the normal person just
[2:54:19] trying to pay rent It's pretty
[2:54:23] crazy And I don't know how you
[2:54:24] guys can sit up there and not
[2:54:25] see what's going on and that
[2:54:28] that's very kind of, you know,
[2:54:29] just a slap in the face and
[2:54:30] gaslighting of the people to
[2:54:33] act like you really care when
[2:54:34] you guys are just always giving
[2:54:38] raises and you're failing.
[2:54:38] I mean no other business would
[2:54:39] be like Yeah, we're going to
[2:54:40] give you a raise even though
[2:54:40] you're not doing what you're
[2:54:42] supposed to be doing.
[2:54:43] It only happens in government
[2:54:43] And it's crazy because
[2:54:44] the government gets bigger and
[2:54:47] bigger but everything gets
[2:54:47] worse and worse and it's just
[2:54:52] more control and more like, you
[2:54:53] know, meddling into people's
[2:54:53] lives.
[2:54:57] So like when you guys actually
[2:54:57] start providing what needs to
[2:54:58] be provided and you put
[2:55:02] engaging in fraud, waste and
[2:55:03] abuse with our money then maybe
[2:55:03] raises can be talked about.
[2:55:07] But until then you guys need to
[2:55:08] be thinking about how you're
[2:55:11] going to cut your salaries.
[2:55:12] Our final speaker 8700 If you
[2:55:16] can please unmute.
[2:55:22] Thank you.
[2:55:25] 31 days of joy Senator Okay.
[2:55:30] On the PowerPoint with the mou
[2:55:35] negotiations and the under and
[2:55:35] the unrepresented group we
[2:55:39] don't have we don't know what
[2:55:40] the outcome will be.
[2:55:40] So will these figures which
[2:55:44] will probably go up affect
[2:55:45] the f y 28 budget.
[2:55:49] I know there's some sort of it
[2:55:50] goes ahead a year or two so I
[2:55:51] need clarity on that if
[2:55:54] possible.
[2:55:54] I don't know if there's another
[2:55:55] hearing on the salary
[2:55:55] ordinance.
[2:55:59] I tried to look at the aba
[2:55:59] budget dates and I couldn't
[2:56:03] find them either On the aba
[2:56:04] website or I lost them in my
[2:56:08] pdf file So I need that fire
[2:56:09] department adjustments again on
[2:56:13] the PowerPoint.
[2:56:13] I couldn't get what was
[2:56:14] happening there.
[2:56:15] It seemed like there was a
[2:56:17] title that was taken away and
[2:56:18] been given so I don't know what
[2:56:19] to do with that.
[2:56:22] Do changes involve salary
[2:56:23] increases?
[2:56:23] Of course they do.
[2:56:26] And what is the total
[2:56:27] expenditure?
[2:56:27] When are we going to know these
[2:56:32] things get approved?
[2:56:33] How much is going to have to
[2:56:33] come out of the citizens
[2:56:36] pockets of all our pockets?
[2:56:37] So please please clarify that
[2:56:41] for us.
[2:56:42] And then as far as all of you
[2:56:43] council and so with the mayor
[2:56:46] getting pay increases, we
[2:56:47] really need to talk about that
[2:56:51] and be fair for everybody to
[2:56:51] thank you for this.
[2:56:52] I'll leave it up to you to
[2:56:56] decide where to go with it.
[2:56:56] I love you all.
[2:56:57] Thank you.
[2:56:57] That does conclude public
[2:57:01] comment on this item.
[2:57:01] >> All right.
[2:57:02] Thank you, city Clerk And with
[2:57:03] that will turn it over to
[2:57:03] the council for questions,
[2:57:07] Comments and entertain a motion
[2:57:07] .
[2:57:13] I'm going to go first.
[2:57:14] Not anybody else Even though my
[2:57:15] staff said go last.
[2:57:17] Thank you for the good work as
[2:57:18] council PRESIDENT I, I think
[2:57:19] I've I feel compelled.
[2:57:22] This is a big thing We know
[2:57:23] with the date that this has to
[2:57:24] be delivered So the number of
[2:57:27] changes that happened including
[2:57:28] today really makes it tough for
[2:57:32] council to go to deliberations.
[2:57:33] I think there was a lot of
[2:57:34] transparency in that even
[2:57:37] though material was being
[2:57:38] delivered late and I think some
[2:57:42] of it was in response to some
[2:57:42] of the questions that were
[2:57:43] raised being raised by my
[2:57:47] colleagues or their staff going
[2:57:47] forward.
[2:57:48] But I kind of feel like I have
[2:57:51] to say this so we need the time
[2:57:52] to digest what you all have
[2:57:52] been spending days, weeks,
[2:58:00] perhaps months on to
[2:58:00] the working titles Now we had
[2:58:01] working titles last year when
[2:58:05] we approved the salary
[2:58:05] ordinance.
[2:58:06] There are some changes to
[2:58:09] the working titles this year.
[2:58:10] Help us understand the whole
[2:58:11] purpose of doing working titles
[2:58:14] as opposed to saying Let's just
[2:58:15] change this classification to
[2:58:19] abc instead of saying it's x,
[2:58:20] y, z in parentheses Working
[2:58:22] title abc What's the logic in
[2:58:26] that?
[2:58:27] So several of the positions
[2:58:31] that are identified expressly
[2:58:32] in the salary ordinance are
[2:58:33] also identified expressly in
[2:58:33] the charter and because they're
[2:58:36] identified in the charter they
[2:58:37] have to have that position And
[2:58:38] working titles can be the way
[2:58:41] that you can explain the upper
[2:58:42] is ational effectiveness of
[2:58:43] that position So a deputy chief
[2:58:43] of staff instead of a say an
[2:58:47] assistant to the city manager
[2:58:47] is that's more in line with
[2:58:51] the current practice.
[2:58:51] >> Okay.
[2:58:52] I think the other thing that
[2:58:53] came up that I think we're all
[2:58:56] thinking about right now
[2:58:57] excluding the minimum wage
[2:58:58] because that obviously will pay
[2:59:02] some individuals more per hour
[2:59:02] to stay consistent with
[2:59:03] the minimum wage.
[2:59:06] Does the changes indicated on
[2:59:11] here have any net impact on our
[2:59:12] budget?
[2:59:16] >> No, there is no change.
[2:59:16] That's why we're noting that
[2:59:17] upon conclusion of negotiations
[2:59:18] we would come back we would do
[2:59:21] an amendment to the salary
[2:59:22] ordinance as we have done in
[2:59:22] past years that would affect
[2:59:26] the budget changes at that
[2:59:26] time.
[2:59:27] >> Okay.
[2:59:27] And just to clarify except for
[2:59:28] the minimum wage and except for
[2:59:30] whatever MAY happen with
[2:59:31] the Orioles and the six
[2:59:31] contracts that any of the title
[2:59:35] changes any of
[2:59:35] the reclassifications any of
[2:59:39] the side benefits that are
[2:59:40] reference there is no cost with
[2:59:41] the action being called for
[2:59:44] today Correct?
[2:59:45] This is merely title changes no
[2:59:46] change in benefits or wages or
[2:59:48] salaries for any employees at
[2:59:49] this time.
[2:59:49] >> Okay.
[2:59:50] I wanted to get that on
[2:59:51] the record because I know
[2:59:54] people will be concerned about
[2:59:55] that And then I see our chief
[2:59:55] is in the back here flip
[2:59:59] flopping assistant Deputy Chief
[2:59:59] Logan There's only one chief in
[3:00:03] the room so but you've talked
[3:00:04] about it with your team in
[3:00:09] terms of flip flopping deputy
[3:00:09] and assistant positions to be
[3:00:10] as I understand consistent with
[3:00:13] the National model.
[3:00:14] That's correct.
[3:00:15] If you look at all the large
[3:00:15] cities in California, they're
[3:00:16] all reverse.
[3:00:19] We've been wrong for a few
[3:00:19] decades.
[3:00:23] You know, I'm riding the ship,
[3:00:23] okay?
[3:00:24] No salary increases, no salary.
[3:00:24] Okay.
[3:00:28] And no new shirts and new
[3:00:34] nameplates, new nameplates and
[3:00:34] email signatures.
[3:00:35] There you go.
[3:00:35] Very minimum goals.
[3:00:36] Okay.
[3:00:38] Thank you for clarifying Just
[3:00:39] one I assume that was the case.
[3:00:40] I just wanted to double check
[3:00:40] with that.
[3:00:43] I'm going to move the staff
[3:00:43] recommendation and then turn it
[3:00:44] over to my colleagues for their
[3:00:49] comments.
[3:00:50] >> Questions will go to Council
[3:00:50] member Whitburn Thank you.
[3:00:53] Council PRESIDENT You actually
[3:00:53] asked and got the answer to
[3:00:56] the question that I had so I am
[3:00:57] happy to second the motion.
[3:00:57] >> All right.
[3:01:01] We have a motion by myself and
[3:01:01] a second by Council member
[3:01:02] Whitburn to move a staff
[3:01:03] recommendation will go to
[3:01:05] council member Eli Romero Thank
[3:01:06] you Council PRESIDENT.
[3:01:06] Thanks for the presentation
[3:01:10] here.
[3:01:11] I appreciate the questions that
[3:01:12] you asked Council PRESIDENT And
[3:01:16] the point you made obviously in
[3:01:19] a budget environment like
[3:01:19] the one that we're in where
[3:01:24] we're going to make some very
[3:01:24] difficult decisions where we
[3:01:25] have working families across
[3:01:26] the city struggling to make
[3:01:29] ends meet, I think it's
[3:01:29] important that the way we
[3:01:33] tighten our belt matters I
[3:01:34] guess is what I'm trying to
[3:01:34] say.
[3:01:35] And so I want to make sure that
[3:01:38] we're doing that in in a way
[3:01:44] that ensures our actions match
[3:01:44] our rhetoric.
[3:01:45] So I think it's a fair question
[3:01:49] about our salaries and I think
[3:01:50] it's a I think there's some
[3:01:53] misunderstanding about what our
[3:01:54] powers are as it relates to
[3:01:54] that.
[3:01:58] The raises the salaries set in
[3:02:04] the salary ordinance in front
[3:02:04] of us for the council members
[3:02:05] in the mayor are set as a
[3:02:09] result of Measure l which was
[3:02:12] adopted by the voters in 2018.
[3:02:12] >> Correct.
[3:02:17] This is for the city Attorney.
[3:02:18] Yes, that that is correct.
[3:02:22] And and our understanding is
[3:02:23] that council members cannot
[3:02:32] reject this per the ordinance
[3:02:33] per the action that was taken
[3:02:33] by the voters, correct?
[3:02:34] That's that's correct.
[3:02:34] Okay.
[3:02:38] Thank you.
[3:02:39] The charter doesn't provide any
[3:02:43] means for the council members
[3:02:43] to refuse to accept the raise
[3:02:48] or refuse to accept the salary
[3:02:48] .
[3:02:49] >> So in order to do that you
[3:02:50] would have to have a charter
[3:02:50] amendment that permitted that
[3:02:52] understood.
[3:02:53] Thank you again, very, very
[3:02:58] fair question And I've been in
[3:02:58] situations where as a position
[3:03:03] of leadership where I've pulled
[3:03:04] back my own salary because it
[3:03:09] was at or workers who were paid
[3:03:10] less either willing to be let
[3:03:11] go or to receive less And I
[3:03:13] wasn't okay with that.
[3:03:18] The voters took an action in
[3:03:18] 2018 and I just want to make
[3:03:22] sure it's clear that that's
[3:03:23] that is how the table was set
[3:03:23] in the way that it is.
[3:03:32] On another note, I and I, I
[3:03:32] want to simultaneously say that
[3:03:39] everyone who works in this city
[3:03:40] that works at that work of all
[3:03:45] people should be honored.
[3:03:45] And I know what this
[3:03:46] conversation over the next few
[3:03:49] months is going to look like as
[3:03:50] it relates to the budget and
[3:03:51] that the folks who are most
[3:03:51] likely to be impacted by
[3:03:54] decisions that are made are
[3:03:59] residents of the city and and
[3:04:00] lower paid workers in the city
[3:04:04] to be quite honest and with
[3:04:05] that well I understand a lot of
[3:04:06] this is cleanup.
[3:04:10] >> I I see stuff in here that
[3:04:16] lists and I I'm not okay with
[3:04:17] the amount no one's more open
[3:04:20] to on the dais changes than I
[3:04:20] am.
[3:04:26] But this showing up right now
[3:04:27] I'm not good with that And what
[3:04:28] I saw what was presented to us
[3:04:34] were executive and manager
[3:04:35] positions that were eligible
[3:04:38] for additional perks such as a
[3:04:38] $475 monthly automobile
[3:04:42] allowance and 80 hours of
[3:04:48] management administrative leave
[3:04:48] regardless of whether or not
[3:04:53] that is cleanup, I am not okay
[3:04:53] with putting my name in support
[3:04:58] of that given the context of
[3:04:58] the moment that we were in and
[3:05:03] certainly not given how late
[3:05:03] the additional explanation and
[3:05:04] materials we were presented
[3:05:09] with that are meant to justify
[3:05:09] and explain those actions.
[3:05:10] So Council PRESIDENT With all
[3:05:14] due respect I will not be
[3:05:14] supporting motion but it was I
[3:05:15] understood.
[3:05:16] Thank you for your comments and
[3:05:19] observations.
[3:05:19] >> We'll go next to Council
[3:05:20] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee Thank
[3:05:24] House PRESIDENT Can I just
[3:05:24] start by asking that these
[3:05:27] materials were different 24
[3:05:32] hours ago?
[3:05:33] >> Yes.
[3:05:34] There was clarification for
[3:05:34] the specific position of
[3:05:37] Assistant to city manager.
[3:05:38] There are two positions
[3:05:38] currently in the salary table
[3:05:43] that have the title of
[3:05:44] assistant city manager but
[3:05:44] different working titles.
[3:05:45] So to address the cleanup and
[3:05:49] clarification that was causing
[3:05:49] for confusion, we made sure
[3:05:50] that the assistant to city
[3:05:54] manager has a working title of
[3:05:55] chief officer and that
[3:05:55] the business center manager has
[3:05:59] the working title of the deputy
[3:06:00] chief of Staff so that there
[3:06:01] was no ongoing confusion about
[3:06:05] the two different responses or
[3:06:05] positions.
[3:06:06] The pay is not changing it's
[3:06:11] merely a title change cleanup.
[3:06:12] >> I think it's part of my
[3:06:13] struggle of understanding
[3:06:15] the pay is not changing.
[3:06:16] You're saying the benefits
[3:06:17] aren't changing but the title
[3:06:21] has to change And yesterday
[3:06:22] the title change is different
[3:06:25] than the to today which I can't
[3:06:26] help but now feel like it's
[3:06:27] just an arbitrary decision.
[3:06:28] That's what we think the title
[3:06:32] is or needs to be because
[3:06:32] yesterday was the assistant to
[3:06:33] the city manager and today it's
[3:06:37] business center manager which
[3:06:38] I've perhaps but neither
[3:06:39] position currently exists in
[3:06:45] our budget This year If you
[3:06:51] look at job numbers I don't see
[3:06:51] either 2112 which is a business
[3:06:54] manager or I believe it was
[3:06:55] 2127 which was the assistant to
[3:06:59] the ceo either as a budget
[3:07:00] position or an on budget
[3:07:01] position that's currently
[3:07:05] filled.
[3:07:06] I guess just to continue along
[3:07:10] those lines are all the Well
[3:07:11] you might have answered some of
[3:07:11] that.
[3:07:12] Are there other positions that
[3:07:16] are within these working title
[3:07:17] changes that are currently not
[3:07:18] budgeted in this current fiscal
[3:07:21] year?
[3:07:27] So it's going to be a somewhat
[3:07:27] complicated answer.
[3:07:28] First of all, there are
[3:07:29] hundreds if not thousands of
[3:07:32] positions laid out in
[3:07:33] the salary ordinance, not all
[3:07:33] of which MAY necessarily
[3:07:34] correspond to a position that
[3:07:37] is currently in the budget.
[3:07:38] There are also positions that
[3:07:39] are covered in the salary
[3:07:43] ordinance where the number of
[3:07:44] positions that are currently
[3:07:44] filled and the number of
[3:07:48] positions that are budgeted are
[3:07:49] different.
[3:07:49] If you have questions about a
[3:07:54] specific position I can try to
[3:07:55] answer that.
[3:07:56] I'm sure that occurred as well.
[3:07:59] But it's a question of where
[3:08:00] you want to look in as much as
[3:08:03] there There's 13,000 city
[3:08:04] employees and many, many, many
[3:08:08] classifications.
[3:08:09] Yeah.
[3:08:09] Thank you Charles.
[3:08:10] I think I'll just share that my
[3:08:14] frustration as of right now is
[3:08:15] that in an area where I think
[3:08:16] we're dealing with significant
[3:08:19] challenges from a transparency
[3:08:19] standpoint that one that
[3:08:20] changes I understand that they
[3:08:20] needed to be made and
[3:08:21] clarifications had to happen
[3:08:24] but it's near impossible to
[3:08:25] explain that to folks when we
[3:08:29] get briefed on an item And
[3:08:30] the details of it now are
[3:08:31] different Between the briefing
[3:08:36] we had not that long ago and
[3:08:36] the item actually being
[3:08:37] presented at Council think that
[3:08:41] that is I mean that's a
[3:08:42] challenge especially when
[3:08:42] there's going to be fair
[3:08:43] questions.
[3:08:43] I think from the outside I
[3:08:47] think someone looks at
[3:08:47] the documents here.
[3:08:48] Part of what folks from
[3:08:49] the public have inferred is
[3:08:53] that we are adding additional
[3:08:54] benefits to employees because
[3:08:54] that's what the wording search
[3:08:55] seems to suggest We're adding
[3:08:58] additional auto allowances for
[3:08:59] two different classifications I
[3:08:59] think I understand from what
[3:09:04] has been shared that there's
[3:09:05] not a change from the current
[3:09:05] practice.
[3:09:06] It's because it's a change to
[3:09:10] try to reflect specific
[3:09:11] positions that I believe are
[3:09:11] currently not filled nor
[3:09:15] currently in the We haven't
[3:09:16] seen the proposed budget yet
[3:09:17] but from my understanding not
[3:09:17] in the currently proposed
[3:09:21] budget that comes out tomorrow
[3:09:21] but MAY be used at some point
[3:09:26] between now and then hence
[3:09:27] the shift in benefits that are
[3:09:28] being required for it And to
[3:09:31] the public that just looks like
[3:09:32] we're adding another auto
[3:09:33] allowance for another executive
[3:09:33] position when we were
[3:09:34] simultaneously as just
[3:09:38] reporting the last day or so
[3:09:39] asking all of our classified
[3:09:40] employees to go where a very
[3:09:44] significant number of them have
[3:09:44] agreed to take mandatory
[3:09:49] furlough next year as part of
[3:09:50] the budgetary challenges that
[3:09:51] the city is facing And that is
[3:09:51] purely a perception issue And I
[3:09:54] think when we're put in a
[3:09:55] position that's very challenged
[3:09:55] to understand what's being
[3:09:56] changed, it makes it even more
[3:10:00] difficult for us to go and
[3:10:00] explain that to the public.
[3:10:01] >> For me this also ties back
[3:10:06] to the fact that I know that
[3:10:07] there are positions highlighted
[3:10:07] here in executive management
[3:10:13] that this council did not
[3:10:13] approve in our budget last
[3:10:13] year.
[3:10:14] They remain on budget at this
[3:10:15] time in this year and there has
[3:10:17] been no change made from
[3:10:18] the mayor to account for that.
[3:10:19] It's a question that we have
[3:10:23] all struggled to answer
[3:10:23] throughout this year.
[3:10:24] Perhaps it's a surprise that we
[3:10:25] have not talked more about it
[3:10:25] but the council passed a budget
[3:10:28] last year that
[3:10:29] the administration decided that
[3:10:29] was not necessary to fully
[3:10:34] enact it and it turns out that
[3:10:35] that perhaps they have
[3:10:36] the authority to do so.
[3:10:36] Those will be added back in for
[3:10:40] next year I presume And we're
[3:10:41] going to be running around
[3:10:42] about in that conversation all
[3:10:46] over again And that failure to
[3:10:46] have Council's legislative
[3:10:47] authority and intent met is
[3:10:51] extremely frustrating and I see
[3:10:52] it reflected here into
[3:10:52] the salary ordinance proposal
[3:10:57] especially because of how
[3:10:57] confusing it's been presented
[3:10:58] with the changes.
[3:11:03] So with that I will concur with
[3:11:03] my colleague and I will not be
[3:11:04] supporting the motion today.
[3:11:04] >> All right.
[3:11:05] Thank you.
[3:11:10] Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee.
[3:11:10] >> We're going back to
[3:11:11] Councilmember Lambert.
[3:11:11] Thank you.
[3:11:15] And I, I honestly feel the same
[3:11:16] way as my colleagues about I'm
[3:11:20] just unclear about what we're
[3:11:21] doing today because materials
[3:11:22] are swapped out about half an
[3:11:25] hour before this meeting and
[3:11:26] I'm reading in the new updated
[3:11:33] staff report that I'm going to
[3:11:34] page number on the staff
[3:11:34] reports.
[3:11:35] I don't know what page to tell
[3:11:38] people to come to but the title
[3:11:39] says Movement of unclassified
[3:11:40] classification to different
[3:11:40] salary ranges and changes in
[3:11:44] unclassified classification
[3:11:45] titles, auto allowance and
[3:11:45] the administrative management
[3:11:50] administrative leave that page
[3:11:51] I'm looking at there's a bunch
[3:11:51] of bullet points in the first
[3:11:52] three Talk about moving
[3:11:57] the classification decision
[3:11:58] city clerk resulting in
[3:11:58] decisions and career
[3:11:59] classification having the same
[3:12:03] salary as other assistant
[3:12:04] director positions in
[3:12:04] independent city departments
[3:12:08] and to give that an explanation
[3:12:09] of why we're making the change
[3:12:10] because we want that person to
[3:12:10] be able to be paid on board or
[3:12:15] paid on par with the similar
[3:12:15] employees in other state
[3:12:16] departments.
[3:12:16] The second one about the fire
[3:12:17] department changing the title
[3:12:21] of assistant fire chief
[3:12:21] classification It goes on and
[3:12:22] on and on.
[3:12:23] So the title changes will align
[3:12:23] the fire rescue department's
[3:12:26] rank structure with
[3:12:27] the National Incident
[3:12:28] Management System which sets
[3:12:28] the standard for emergency
[3:12:29] command structure and is
[3:12:33] followed by all by nearly all
[3:12:34] fire department in the country.
[3:12:35] Understand I didn't know
[3:12:39] beforehand that this change
[3:12:39] makes sense to me because an
[3:12:40] explanation here of why we're
[3:12:41] changing her title because we
[3:12:44] need to do it for making
[3:12:45] structure for incident command.
[3:12:46] Same thing with moving
[3:12:46] Assistant Fire Chief Assistant
[3:12:50] Police Chief Executive Three
[3:12:50] categories states that these
[3:12:51] classifications will align
[3:12:52] the position of the overall
[3:12:52] position hierarchy of
[3:12:55] the unclassified service.
[3:12:56] Again everything below that has
[3:12:56] no explanation about why we're
[3:13:01] doing this Eliminating
[3:13:02] the Assistant City Manager
[3:13:02] changing the title of
[3:13:03] the assistant city manager,
[3:13:07] changing the business center
[3:13:08] manager working title There's
[3:13:09] no x Why are we doing all of
[3:13:09] that?
[3:13:13] Can't we just call our staff
[3:13:14] You know the titles of
[3:13:14] the working title?
[3:13:19] We want them to I know in my
[3:13:20] office for example everyone's
[3:13:20] actual classification is I
[3:13:22] think what assistant what is
[3:13:28] the actual classification?
[3:13:29] Yeah Every single person in my
[3:13:30] office under the city title is
[3:13:35] a council rep but I have a
[3:13:35] chief of staff.
[3:13:36] I have a deputy chief of staff,
[3:13:37] I have a senior advisor in
[3:13:37] policy.
[3:13:40] We don't need to change
[3:13:41] the ordinance for me to be able
[3:13:42] to give my staff their business
[3:13:42] cards based on their title.
[3:13:43] So why are we changing all of
[3:13:53] these So as I noted earlier,
[3:13:53] the charter section has a
[3:13:54] specific requirement for
[3:13:55] the position so assistant city
[3:13:58] manager or assistant city
[3:13:59] manager So the current salary
[3:14:00] ordinance the salary tables do
[3:14:05] you have working titles?
[3:14:06] So those have to be brought
[3:14:06] into alignment with the current
[3:14:07] status of the working titles or
[3:14:10] alternatively they can be
[3:14:11] removed.
[3:14:11] But the position itself is
[3:14:12] the position as identified by
[3:14:16] the charter.
[3:14:17] Okay.
[3:14:17] All right.
[3:14:18] I think that I'm not going to
[3:14:23] be able to support this today
[3:14:24] either because it's just it's
[3:14:24] very confusing.
[3:14:25] How do you get half an hour for
[3:14:29] the meeting?
[3:14:30] So I my worry is that there
[3:14:30] might not be enough votes to
[3:14:31] pass this.
[3:14:31] I don't know.
[3:14:32] But I'm starting to look around
[3:14:35] the room and if we don't I
[3:14:36] believe that that would set off
[3:14:36] some problems with the timing
[3:14:37] of our budget.
[3:14:40] Is that correct?
[3:14:41] If this were not to pass today,
[3:14:42] what would be the result?
[3:14:46] We'll charter Section 290
[3:14:46] requires that something be
[3:14:47] passed today.
[3:14:51] You don't have to pass
[3:14:52] the ordinance in its current
[3:14:52] form.
[3:14:53] You can make changes to it and
[3:14:58] pass it with those changes.
[3:14:59] >> So then could we take out
[3:15:00] the things that changed this
[3:15:04] morning and bring those back at
[3:15:05] a further date?
[3:15:05] Yes, you could do that.
[3:15:06] Okay, sure.
[3:15:10] This is only the first reading
[3:15:11] and we're gonna have to amend
[3:15:11] this ordinance when the mou is
[3:15:12] get done with our employees.
[3:15:14] So there's plenty of time for
[3:15:15] detailed changes to be made.
[3:15:16] I'm just getting the sense that
[3:15:22] we would like to not I'm not
[3:15:22] here to be able to comment that
[3:15:23] I would like to not vote on
[3:15:24] the title changes that were
[3:15:24] just made half an hour before
[3:15:27] the meeting until I have a
[3:15:28] better understanding But that
[3:15:28] does mean they can't be in
[3:15:29] the future So that would be my
[3:15:33] idea is to just take out these
[3:15:33] few that were on the slide.
[3:15:39] Brooke recommended updates
[3:15:40] the working title and then I
[3:15:40] would be comfortable passing
[3:15:41] the rest of it but I'll leave
[3:15:42] that up to my colleagues.
[3:15:45] Thank you.
[3:15:46] Thank you Council Mom all But
[3:15:47] can you pull up the slide that
[3:15:48] she's referring to to make sure
[3:16:18] that
[3:16:26] it says recommended
[3:16:27] updates to working titles And
[3:16:28] it said Assistant manager
[3:16:28] Assistant to the city manager
[3:16:37] Business Center manager I just
[3:16:37] was like I think it's it's like
[3:16:40] I'm so sorry There's no page
[3:16:41] number down here.
[3:16:41] So yes, these are the ones that
[3:16:42] changed, right?
[3:16:47] So the first one did not change
[3:16:47] from earlier.
[3:16:51] The one that did change was
[3:16:52] the 2112 and 21272153 was
[3:16:52] already listed there as chief
[3:16:57] upper chief officer as well So
[3:16:58] 2112 which is the assistant
[3:16:59] city manager with the working
[3:17:03] title of chief of staff was not
[3:17:04] new.
[3:17:04] We had already presented that
[3:17:05] in our presentation And then
[3:17:09] the assistant to the city
[3:17:09] manager 2.53 was also not new
[3:17:10] with the new ones from this
[3:17:12] morning or 2112 and 227
[3:17:13] changes.
[3:17:13] Okay okay Get all of those
[3:17:14] Didn't have any explanation of
[3:17:19] why we're doing this in
[3:17:20] the staff report so I would
[3:17:20] just get rid of all those for
[3:17:25] now until we come back.
[3:17:25] Okay.
[3:17:26] I want to hear from
[3:17:26] Councilmember Foster but
[3:17:30] possibly amend the motion and
[3:17:31] figure out how to refer to that
[3:17:32] particular slide.
[3:17:32] >> I can't remember.
[3:17:33] Foster Oh yes.
[3:17:37] Thank you, council PRESIDENT.
[3:17:42] And I too I mean I'm hesitant
[3:17:48] to take a position and if you
[3:17:49] can maybe what would help me is
[3:17:54] to understand a better
[3:17:55] understanding of the charter.
[3:17:55] Everything that I received
[3:18:00] prior to this simply indicated
[3:18:00] that the item had to be
[3:18:01] introduced and approved along
[3:18:05] with the budget.
[3:18:06] So I'm not understanding now We
[3:18:12] are here today saying that this
[3:18:12] absolutely has to be passed and
[3:18:18] yet we are receiving last
[3:18:18] minute changes that differ from
[3:18:23] I'm going to assume all of
[3:18:24] the briefings that we received
[3:18:25] and I'm not inclined to try and
[3:18:30] make heads or tails of this as
[3:18:30] we are sitting at the dais.
[3:18:31] I think that's just bad
[3:18:35] preparation and irresponsible
[3:18:36] of us in not understanding
[3:18:40] the true impacts.
[3:18:41] So if you can help me to try
[3:18:48] and understand or forward me
[3:18:48] something someone pull
[3:18:49] something make it part of
[3:18:49] the back of the record,
[3:18:53] something here I think I could
[3:18:54] help a little bit here.
[3:18:58] Charter Section 290 controls
[3:18:59] the salary ordinance.
[3:18:59] Okay.
[3:19:04] And it says no later than APRIL
[3:19:05] 15th of each year the council
[3:19:05] shall introduce a salary
[3:19:06] ordinance and that's what we're
[3:19:11] doing today.
[3:19:11] Right.
[3:19:12] And that the way the process
[3:19:13] works is you introduce a salary
[3:19:16] ordinance the way you want to
[3:19:17] If there are things in here
[3:19:17] that the mayor recommended that
[3:19:22] you don't like you can remove
[3:19:23] it and introduce it as you like
[3:19:24] and the process contemplates
[3:19:24] it.
[3:19:28] Then the salary ordinance that
[3:19:29] the council introduces goes to
[3:19:30] the mayor and the mayor then
[3:19:34] determines whether or not he's
[3:19:35] going to accept those changes
[3:19:40] or veto it and then it comes
[3:19:41] back to the council for
[3:19:42] the second reading to pass
[3:19:42] either override the veto or
[3:19:45] accept the mayor's changes.
[3:19:52] That's the process In 290 that
[3:19:52] makes me more concerned as this
[3:19:53] was generated by the mayor's
[3:19:56] office we did not generate said
[3:20:02] document already I'm not going
[3:20:02] to be voting.
[3:20:07] I'm going to be voting no on
[3:20:08] this today Again for me and
[3:20:14] just for us to receive this
[3:20:14] type of information, the volume
[3:20:15] of the information for me is
[3:20:20] just unacceptable.
[3:20:21] I can appreciate the need for
[3:20:21] more time but today I'm just
[3:20:26] not prepared based on all of
[3:20:26] the conversations I had prior
[3:20:27] to this meeting to then approve
[3:20:32] and put my name on this as we
[3:20:33] are dealing with what we were
[3:20:33] dealing with.
[3:20:34] So thank you.
[3:20:38] I guess my response are just to
[3:20:39] clarify we're interpret the to
[3:20:42] introduce as actually passing
[3:20:43] the for our first reading that
[3:20:43] we often call it.
[3:20:44] Okay thank you for clarifying
[3:20:44] that.
[3:20:45] I'll have some other feedback.
[3:20:49] I'll go first to Councilmember
[3:20:50] camp you Thank you Council But
[3:20:50] the point I was going to make
[3:20:54] right there's introduces a
[3:20:54] legal word that doesn't mean to
[3:20:55] actually introduce So the next
[3:20:56] line that you didn't read MR.
[3:21:00] Brady is that the mayor is
[3:21:01] the one who proposes it.
[3:21:02] So that's a that's a confusing
[3:21:02] component of something you just
[3:21:03] said.
[3:21:03] Thank you.
[3:21:06] Council PRESIDENT All right.
[3:21:07] Thank you Council member Carpio
[3:21:13] So one other question that I
[3:21:13] think Council member Eli Rivera
[3:21:18] brought up maybe others did
[3:21:19] the auto allowance there was
[3:21:19] that perception that the way
[3:21:24] the language was written that
[3:21:25] somebody would be getting out
[3:21:25] of allowance that doesn't
[3:21:26] currently get it or a position
[3:21:30] of getting out allowance that
[3:21:30] doesn't I want to keep this
[3:21:31] from an individual but from a
[3:21:35] position is getting an auto
[3:21:36] allowance that doesn't
[3:21:37] currently get auto allowance.
[3:21:42] >> No, there's no changes into
[3:21:42] the individuals that are
[3:21:43] currently in the position that
[3:21:44] were what they will be
[3:21:44] receiving.
[3:21:45] There's no changes to that is
[3:21:47] to codify what is currently
[3:21:47] happening today.
[3:21:47] >> All right.
[3:21:54] Well clearly I think everybody
[3:21:54] in the room can figure out
[3:21:55] counting the five and I don't
[3:21:58] think there's five there.
[3:21:58] We can all bemoan the language
[3:22:03] of the charter that jams this
[3:22:04] up right at the end And given
[3:22:09] the complexities of where all
[3:22:10] the energy is on the budget no
[3:22:11] one spent a lot of you guys are
[3:22:12] stuck in a heck of a lot of
[3:22:15] time on Earth with what you do
[3:22:16] every year but bumping up
[3:22:17] against it gives us very little
[3:22:21] leeway.
[3:22:22] I heard a little bit of a
[3:22:30] glimmer of of hope to meet
[3:22:31] the charter requirements if we
[3:22:37] move If I meant my motion to
[3:22:38] move the staff recommendation
[3:22:43] but not the updates to
[3:22:47] the working titles for
[3:22:48] 211121532112 and 2127 which
[3:22:54] were the four on that slide
[3:22:54] that make a little more
[3:22:55] comfortable.
[3:22:55] Are you comfortable with that
[3:22:59] council member with Oh yeah
[3:23:00] okay Now not everybody has
[3:23:05] spoken so if we and I always
[3:23:06] like the attorneys to remind me
[3:23:06] because as much as I remember
[3:23:10] this off if we don't get five
[3:23:11] votes then no action has
[3:23:16] happened And so we still are
[3:23:17] kind of out there still
[3:23:17] correct?
[3:23:18] I don't think Council Council
[3:23:22] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee Thank
[3:23:22] you.
[3:23:23] >> Council PRESIDENT I just
[3:23:24] want to add one piece of
[3:23:28] commentary to here to separate
[3:23:28] out just distinguishing what
[3:23:29] we're doing relate and as it
[3:23:35] relates to existing individuals
[3:23:36] because again I understand that
[3:23:36] but I think what the salary
[3:23:37] ordinance does is a little bit
[3:23:38] different than that.
[3:23:40] So when you stated that no
[3:23:41] existing individuals are
[3:23:42] getting new benefits or when I
[3:23:46] understand that that is
[3:23:46] the case unless we move them to
[3:23:47] different positions which could
[3:23:51] happen.
[3:23:52] But what the salary ordinance
[3:23:53] is doing is that it is adding
[3:23:58] an additional classification to
[3:23:58] receive management
[3:24:03] administrative leave as well as
[3:24:04] an auto allowance.
[3:24:05] And so I think the reason why
[3:24:06] it's it's a concern is not
[3:24:10] necessarily whether you're
[3:24:11] going to move an existing
[3:24:11] individual there.
[3:24:12] I'm going to note that right
[3:24:13] now from what I'm beginning to
[3:24:16] see it's likely because there's
[3:24:17] an unbudgeted position that
[3:24:17] would be moved in that
[3:24:22] direction at some point perhaps
[3:24:22] in part as a result of
[3:24:23] the council's discussions.
[3:24:28] But it could also mean that if
[3:24:28] that's the salary ordinance
[3:24:29] that it's updated moving
[3:24:30] forward that gets carried into
[3:24:30] the future.
[3:24:35] But now we have an additional
[3:24:35] position that's receiving these
[3:24:36] extra benefits that could be
[3:24:37] for someone else in the future
[3:24:40] if so chosen And I think that
[3:24:41] is important at a time when we
[3:24:41] are already asking for cuts
[3:24:46] that that is not the kind of
[3:24:47] moves that we make.
[3:24:47] So consider that I understand
[3:24:48] the moment that you've made I
[3:24:50] don't know that that fully
[3:24:51] addresses those additional
[3:24:57] changes as well.
[3:24:58] I don't know if it takes
[3:24:59] additional time to think about
[3:24:59] what would and I appreciate
[3:25:00] that you're trying to work
[3:25:01] through that.
[3:25:03] Thank you.
[3:25:03] All right.
[3:25:04] Thank you.
[3:25:04] Council PRESIDENT Pro Tem
[3:25:08] the staff have any response to
[3:25:09] the council PRESIDENT Pro Tem I
[3:25:15] didn't see any And again I
[3:25:16] appreciate what the town has
[3:25:16] said.
[3:25:17] What actually all my colleagues
[3:25:21] have said this is going forward
[3:25:21] doesn't take effect JULY 1st
[3:25:27] and it really is dependent on a
[3:25:27] what proposed budget coming out
[3:25:28] tomorrow does and what
[3:25:33] the council's reaction to it.
[3:25:34] And then third, the reaction by
[3:25:37] the council to this coming back
[3:25:44] at a second reading.
[3:25:44] So this is just something
[3:25:45] the charter forces into which
[3:25:49] is no excuse to be able to to
[3:25:50] support something like that.
[3:25:51] I think we're all frustrated by
[3:25:51] that.
[3:25:52] But I just kind of wanted to
[3:25:57] kind of clarify that
[3:25:58] Councilmember over there you're
[3:25:59] back on the lights.
[3:25:59] >> Thank you.
[3:26:01] Council PRESIDENT I appreciate
[3:26:02] the comments of Council
[3:26:02] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee And I
[3:26:07] think to that there's a point I
[3:26:07] want to make and then a
[3:26:13] question and as council
[3:26:14] PRESIDENT Was saying, I think
[3:26:18] some of this is muddied by some
[3:26:19] of the changes that were made
[3:26:20] last year and the council's
[3:26:24] budget action and then
[3:26:25] the implementation of that
[3:26:30] budget or lack thereof.
[3:26:31] And so one of the things that
[3:26:31] I'm trying to understand here
[3:26:36] is whether they are existing
[3:26:37] people who are already working
[3:26:42] at the city or not is whether
[3:26:43] there are folks who moved from
[3:26:49] titles that were their
[3:26:49] political appointees into
[3:26:50] operational positions or
[3:26:54] operational titles and now
[3:26:55] receive benefits that are meant
[3:27:01] for folks in operational
[3:27:02] positions for example the auto
[3:27:03] allowance or the administrative
[3:27:10] leave.
[3:27:11] And this isn't about any one
[3:27:12] individual but the muddying of
[3:27:15] those waters between
[3:27:16] the political appointees of
[3:27:22] the mayor, any mayor and
[3:27:23] the folks in operational
[3:27:23] positions.
[3:27:24] That makes it more challenging
[3:27:24] makes all of us more
[3:27:28] challenging For me as well.
[3:27:34] So the amendment that you made
[3:27:35] council PRESIDENT I don't know
[3:27:40] this for sure I'm going to ask
[3:27:41] Councilperson Pro Tem I think
[3:27:44] what you were mentioning that
[3:27:44] there's the two additional
[3:27:45] positions as well the assistant
[3:27:46] to the city manager and
[3:27:50] the business center manager
[3:27:51] those are the two positions
[3:27:52] that create the opening for
[3:27:56] what you describe, correct?
[3:27:57] Yeah.
[3:27:58] I think now that I've looked at
[3:27:58] it I think the amendment that's
[3:28:03] been proposed is to remove
[3:28:04] the working title changes on
[3:28:05] that page those four changes
[3:28:05] that would only make sense to
[3:28:10] also remove any updates to
[3:28:10] exhibits actually in h because
[3:28:11] those are updates that also tie
[3:28:12] in to those working title
[3:28:15] changes because that makes
[3:28:16] sense and that would that would
[3:28:17] resolve all that.
[3:28:22] Yeah.
[3:28:23] Okay so I don't know if you
[3:28:23] have thoughts on that.
[3:28:27] I just I would I would feel
[3:28:28] much better about where we end
[3:28:28] up if that if those those
[3:28:34] changes were made as well.
[3:28:35] And to COUNCILMAN Final point I
[3:28:36] think recognizing this is a
[3:28:39] huge undertaking and there are
[3:28:40] many, many, many different
[3:28:40] positions and classifications
[3:28:41] and titles throughout the city
[3:28:45] it's a big city with many
[3:28:46] workers.
[3:28:46] Business center manager sounds
[3:28:51] so far from what I understand
[3:28:52] this particular person or
[3:28:57] people who would do that role
[3:28:58] are actually doing something
[3:28:59] that sounds a little more even
[3:29:03] a little closer to reality
[3:29:03] would be really helpful to me.
[3:29:09] So I'll stop there.
[3:29:09] Thank you.
[3:29:09] All right.
[3:29:10] i guess the engineer and we
[3:29:11] thought that would be a
[3:29:15] waterfall by not doing those
[3:29:16] four and then it would fall to
[3:29:16] 15 each.
[3:29:20] But to be explicit in there So
[3:29:21] let me see if I can get
[3:29:22] the language right And I know
[3:29:27] City clerk will fix it for me
[3:29:27] if I want to move the staff
[3:29:32] recommendation but not making
[3:29:33] the changes to the work, not
[3:29:33] making the updates to
[3:29:37] the working titles for
[3:29:42] 211121532112 and 2127 and also
[3:29:43] delete the changes on exhibit f
[3:29:49] g h and someone Please check
[3:29:49] that there isn't something else
[3:29:52] on those exhibits that we don't
[3:29:57] really want to change.
[3:30:21] Yeah I think so but f right I'm
[3:30:21] sorry.
[3:30:22] Council PRESIDENT Also exhibit
[3:30:22] c Exhibit c as well.
[3:30:32] Exhibit c, c c and Cat.
[3:30:32] So they want assurances that
[3:30:33] the exhibits are going to
[3:30:34] change not just the working
[3:30:37] titles.
[3:30:38] So okay so let me restate that
[3:30:39] To move the staff
[3:30:44] recommendation with rejecting
[3:30:45] the updates of the working
[3:30:54] titles for 211121 by 321122127
[3:30:54] and eliminate the corresponding
[3:30:55] changes and exhibit c as in Cat
[3:30:56] Epperson, Frank g.
[3:30:59] S and George and h as and
[3:31:10] Howard and update and eliminate
[3:31:15] the references in section 2.1
[3:31:15] and Section ten.
[3:31:16] So I think that is now
[3:31:22] the universal changes that
[3:31:23] every place that changes and
[3:31:24] that's it's still the core
[3:31:24] thing that counts and everyone
[3:31:28] Wolpert wanted to make sure
[3:31:29] that every place that those
[3:31:30] would show up are also
[3:31:34] eliminated.
[3:31:40] We have a concern by one of
[3:31:40] the council members I don't
[3:31:41] know how to do you want to
[3:31:42] comes from the mayor's office
[3:31:45] or whoever wants to respond to
[3:31:46] making these eliminating those
[3:31:51] changes and that's fine.
[3:31:51] Yes.
[3:31:52] Understanding that we're
[3:31:53] limited by the charter.
[3:31:53] We need to get this done today
[3:31:57] We're fine with those minutes.
[3:31:58] >> Okay.
[3:32:03] So I'll wait or pause briefly
[3:32:04] while the city clerk's office
[3:32:08] on the second half Well I guess
[3:32:08] I just have one question
[3:32:09] because I mean we're sort of
[3:32:14] workshopping the salary
[3:32:15] ordinance on the fly and I want
[3:32:15] to be very thoughtful about
[3:32:16] doing that.
[3:32:19] Is there anything about
[3:32:20] the changes that are in front
[3:32:25] of us in terms of not changing
[3:32:26] the working titles and making
[3:32:31] the corresponding changes in
[3:32:32] those other sections that
[3:32:37] impacts the changes?
[3:32:38] Anything about anybody's job
[3:32:43] currently?
[3:32:44] In other words, if we do what
[3:32:45] is it?
[3:32:49] Does anything change for any
[3:33:01] particular individual by
[3:33:02] the making the change that is
[3:33:02] in front of us or does
[3:33:04] everybody stay exactly the same
[3:33:17] right now if if everybody in
[3:33:22] the city their situation today
[3:33:23] will be the same as our
[3:33:24] situation tomorrow if we adopt
[3:33:29] this then I'm fine with it.
[3:33:30] If this somehow changes things
[3:33:35] for somebody at the city I
[3:33:36] would want to know that Yeah,
[3:33:36] correct.
[3:33:37] >> Councilmember It does not
[3:33:37] change anything for folks in
[3:33:40] their positions currently and
[3:33:41] that was the nature of this
[3:33:42] item as well as it was a
[3:33:42] cleanup item really.
[3:33:47] But adds no additional benefits
[3:33:48] and does not change the status
[3:33:48] quo for folks right now.
[3:33:48] >> Okay.
[3:33:49] Thank you.
[3:33:52] Okay.
[3:33:53] Satisfied with that.
[3:33:53] Okay.
[3:33:54] Thank you.
[3:33:54] We're still working on that.
[3:33:55] So we'll go next to
[3:33:58] Councilmember Bonaparte.
[3:33:58] >> Thank you.
[3:33:59] I too am trying to figure out
[3:34:00] exactly what we're doing but I
[3:34:05] appreciate you council
[3:34:06] PRESIDENT And council because
[3:34:07] that's what I was trying to do.
[3:34:07] So thank you for catching that
[3:34:10] and putting it in And now I
[3:34:11] feel that that was what I was
[3:34:11] trying to say.
[3:34:12] >> So I appreciate you.
[3:34:12] Thank you.
[3:34:16] I never make the assumption
[3:34:16] that somebody will follow
[3:34:17] through with every step of
[3:34:17] the way.
[3:34:27] >> Councilmember Foster I guess
[3:34:28] first I want to say I
[3:34:29] appreciate my colleague's
[3:34:35] efforts to meet what I guess we
[3:34:40] are hearing is the call of
[3:34:40] the charter.
[3:34:46] However, especially for me as
[3:34:52] we are dealing with the issues
[3:34:53] that we are dealing with I use
[3:34:54] the word accountability quite a
[3:35:03] bit and I feel that I have to
[3:35:04] continue to take my position to
[3:35:09] not support this because I am
[3:35:16] still hearing confusion And I
[3:35:16] think if we are going to
[3:35:22] continue to talk about
[3:35:23] accountability from this dais
[3:35:23] at some point we have to hold
[3:35:28] those accountable And
[3:35:28] unfortunately today that would
[3:35:34] be the staff that is in front
[3:35:34] of us today.
[3:35:39] >> And so I am going to
[3:35:40] continue with my position to
[3:35:45] not support this.
[3:35:46] But I will say as we are trying
[3:35:51] to improve our city processes
[3:35:57] meeting expectations of
[3:35:58] the public as we talk about
[3:36:03] public trust and transparency,
[3:36:03] I think these types of
[3:36:09] instances are what erodes those
[3:36:10] discussions and that public
[3:36:15] trust And so I will pause
[3:36:15] there.
[3:36:16] I will not be supporting this.
[3:36:21] I will have my office fall back
[3:36:21] to whatever gets passed and
[3:36:22] make sure we see what's
[3:36:26] corrected so that we can
[3:36:27] continue to look at this and
[3:36:32] review this as it we'll have to
[3:36:32] go through a second read and as
[3:36:33] we deal with the budget.
[3:36:37] But today just on principle
[3:36:38] alone we on this day did not
[3:36:39] create this.
[3:36:44] It sounds as if each office has
[3:36:45] provided the time to city staff
[3:36:49] to go through the briefings and
[3:36:50] to try to do this with the size
[3:36:54] of organization and potential
[3:36:55] implications.
[3:36:55] I'm just not comfortable.
[3:37:01] Council PRESIDENT So thank you
[3:37:01] .
[3:37:02] >> Fair enough, sir.
[3:37:02] We'll go to Councilmember
[3:37:07] Campbell to the H.R. Department
[3:37:13] present this take this up and
[3:37:14] present and make slides etc..
[3:37:15] Yes, the department along with
[3:37:20] several departments is a
[3:37:20] collective organized collective
[3:37:21] group that we work on with our
[3:37:22] ordinance committee.
[3:37:24] There's representatives of
[3:37:25] several department to provide
[3:37:26] input but it is the mayor's
[3:37:26] proposal and so I take the lead
[3:37:31] on that And then the stuff that
[3:37:32] you just passed out to us right
[3:37:36] as a council meeting began is
[3:37:37] different than the stuff that
[3:37:37] we were given a few days before
[3:37:42] the council meeting online to
[3:37:42] go over.
[3:37:43] There's only a few changes and
[3:37:44] of the ones that we highlighted
[3:37:44] with regard to the title
[3:37:48] changes you know it's so it's
[3:37:54] so confusing even just
[3:37:55] the title changes because you
[3:38:00] have three titles in there, not
[3:38:00] just two.
[3:38:01] It's not like saying change
[3:38:03] this one to that one just
[3:38:03] changing this one which
[3:38:04] actually is this one Changing
[3:38:05] it to this one makes it very
[3:38:10] confusing You know about
[3:38:10] the crisis method Keep it
[3:38:11] simple stupid.
[3:38:15] That is not simple and
[3:38:15] especially at the last minute
[3:38:16] to get whatever this is and to
[3:38:22] try to figure out how does this
[3:38:22] change from this and how is
[3:38:23] that different from what's
[3:38:27] online and stuff we've already
[3:38:28] gone over in the briefing How
[3:38:28] is that different and what is
[3:38:29] you know, it's just this is
[3:38:34] huge.
[3:38:35] Look at this ordinance.
[3:38:35] Look at how long how many pages
[3:38:39] it has and leave it as life
[3:38:40] insurance.
[3:38:40] It has everything in it.
[3:38:41] I don't expect this.
[3:38:45] I just expect some title
[3:38:45] changes or councilmember and
[3:38:46] fully recognize the late
[3:38:52] editions, the late edits and
[3:38:53] how the position that put you
[3:38:57] and the council in But
[3:38:57] understanding how major and
[3:38:58] sizable this ordinance actually
[3:39:02] is being able to move forward
[3:39:03] with some portions of it today
[3:39:04] I think is the best move and
[3:39:08] we'll revisit items that were
[3:39:09] moved through the amended
[3:39:09] motion at a later date.
[3:39:10] But I think proceeding today
[3:39:12] with some form of this is most
[3:39:18] beneficial.
[3:39:19] Thank you.
[3:39:19] Council PRESIDENT.
[3:39:20] All right.
[3:39:20] Thank you.
[3:39:21] Council Mayor Campbell will go
[3:39:25] back to Councilmember camp You
[3:39:25] Thank you very much Council
[3:39:26] PRESIDENT MR. Brady The charter
[3:39:30] also doesn't have any
[3:39:30] suggestion on what happens if
[3:39:31] we don't introduce it by
[3:39:36] tomorrow.
[3:39:36] So what happens if we don't
[3:39:42] introduce a by tomorrow?
[3:39:42] Well, we'd be in unchartered
[3:39:43] territory.
[3:39:48] Let's say I take your point but
[3:39:49] charter section 290 just
[3:39:54] contemplates that it will be
[3:39:54] introduced it will be passed
[3:39:55] today and transmitted to
[3:40:00] the mayor for his consideration
[3:40:00] .
[3:40:00] Okay?
[3:40:00] Right.
[3:40:01] It doesn't say what would
[3:40:06] happen if it if it didn't So
[3:40:07] the sense you just said there
[3:40:07] it's contemplated that it will
[3:40:08] just pass today.
[3:40:12] That's exactly the approach of
[3:40:13] staff is that they just
[3:40:14] contemplated this would be
[3:40:14] passed today.
[3:40:15] I think we have some ideas that
[3:40:18] rules Committee about charter
[3:40:19] change that might want to fix
[3:40:19] some of these data so that we
[3:40:20] don't get caught off guard like
[3:40:23] this.
[3:40:24] That said, when the city
[3:40:30] governing document says
[3:40:30] the council shall introduce
[3:40:31] that's not MAY or MAY not
[3:40:36] decide upon that is a order
[3:40:36] from the voters of the city of
[3:40:41] San Diego that we shall
[3:40:42] introduce it by tomorrow.
[3:40:45] So though I share some of
[3:40:52] the not confusion but
[3:40:57] the feeling of strangeness of
[3:40:58] last second changes the charter
[3:40:59] says shall so I feel compelled
[3:41:03] it I have to vote yes and
[3:41:04] different branches of
[3:41:05] government know that So maybe
[3:41:09] we should fix that too.
[3:41:09] Thank you.
[3:41:09] Thank you.
[3:41:10] Council member can't be your
[3:41:11] attorney perspective as always
[3:41:16] appreciate it.
[3:41:16] As a council member of
[3:41:17] the Council member Yellow River
[3:41:21] apologies can read.
[3:41:22] I wanted to thank my colleagues
[3:41:22] for the work that was done and
[3:41:26] you for making adjustments to
[3:41:32] get to a place where we can
[3:41:32] move forward as the Charter
[3:41:33] requires and also address some
[3:41:38] of the concerns we had.
[3:41:39] I also just for the sake of
[3:41:44] transparency, I do think that
[3:41:45] there's an important
[3:41:45] conversation to be had again
[3:41:46] given the context of the budget
[3:41:49] situation that we're in where
[3:41:50] we are saying that every dollar
[3:41:50] matters.
[3:41:51] We are telling our residents
[3:41:56] that and what we ask for from
[3:41:57] them We are telling our workers
[3:42:01] that and what we are asking
[3:42:02] them to sacrifice that there
[3:42:07] needs to be a conversation
[3:42:08] about how those at the upper
[3:42:14] upper ranks of
[3:42:15] the organization, those who are
[3:42:21] being compensated the best
[3:42:21] There needs to be some
[3:42:26] conversations about where where
[3:42:27] there's room for some trimming
[3:42:33] there and regardless of who is
[3:42:33] getting a new automobile
[3:42:39] allowance or not I just I won't
[3:42:40] be frustrated.
[3:42:40] That'll be part of the budget
[3:42:41] conversation that there are
[3:42:44] folks who are making or slated
[3:42:45] to be eligible to make quite a
[3:42:46] bit of a pretty good salary, a
[3:42:46] pretty healthy salary who would
[3:42:50] still be eligible for those
[3:42:51] benefits.
[3:42:51] And again in a time we're
[3:42:54] asking for sacrifice or for
[3:42:54] sacrifice from residents.
[3:43:01] We're asking for sacrifice from
[3:43:01] folks who do very, very
[3:43:02] difficult jobs and barely
[3:43:08] barely earn enough to live in
[3:43:08] the city if that that's going
[3:43:09] to be part of the conversation
[3:43:14] at least from my end when it
[3:43:15] when the budget conversation
[3:43:15] kicks up.
[3:43:15] And I just wanted to be
[3:43:16] transparent about that.
[3:43:20] But thank you again for
[3:43:20] the work on this.
[3:43:21] I think it's my college opinion
[3:43:22] as close of attention as they
[3:43:25] get to the details here.
[3:43:26] Thank you Council member Eli
[3:43:26] Rivera.
[3:43:31] And just to kind of wrap up
[3:43:32] before I call for the vote and
[3:43:33] that the motion is now up on
[3:43:36] the screen, I want to thank
[3:43:37] the city attorney for adding
[3:43:38] some additional language to
[3:43:38] make sure that if we didn't
[3:43:43] identify everything that
[3:43:43] there's a closing statement
[3:43:48] that makes sure that it does
[3:43:49] get picked up And I know
[3:43:50] the city attorney will look at
[3:43:50] it very closely to make sure
[3:43:51] the I's are dotted and t's are
[3:43:51] crossed.
[3:43:55] So to speak on that.
[3:43:55] So you know what?
[3:44:00] I don't often talk like this.
[3:44:01] I normally defer to my
[3:44:02] colleagues to kind of kick off
[3:44:07] the conversation and that's
[3:44:07] what my staff wanted me to do.
[3:44:08] >> But I knew this was going to
[3:44:09] go a little bit south.
[3:44:12] You know, I just frankly think
[3:44:13] I'm better than everybody else
[3:44:13] at doing this kind of nimble
[3:44:18] repositioning and listening to
[3:44:18] you all very carefully and what
[3:44:23] the tenor of your comments are
[3:44:24] .
[3:44:24] A member of the public this
[3:44:25] morning made an interesting
[3:44:26] comment about my behavior last
[3:44:26] week and said I saw a lot of
[3:44:29] fear in your face That wasn't
[3:44:30] fear last week.
[3:44:30] That was anger.
[3:44:31] So in case there's any
[3:44:35] confusion, this is anger in my
[3:44:35] face today.
[3:44:36] You're amazing individuals.
[3:44:37] You're working really hard.
[3:44:41] These are incredibly complex
[3:44:42] things But for the council to
[3:44:43] do its job the thing I always
[3:44:47] worry about is a good idea
[3:44:48] failing or not getting
[3:44:53] the support because of how it
[3:44:54] was introduced.
[3:44:54] I think you all know that and I
[3:44:55] really don't need to sound like
[3:44:58] I'm lecturing you You know
[3:44:59] that.
[3:44:59] But as council PRESIDENT I feel
[3:45:00] like I have to make that we can
[3:45:00] do better.
[3:45:04] We can do things we won't
[3:45:05] always get no votes but we can
[3:45:05] do better.
[3:45:10] We can make less confusion by
[3:45:11] the public because perception
[3:45:15] is as important as the reality
[3:45:16] .
[3:45:16] So this clearly is falling
[3:45:17] victim to that.
[3:45:18] We're trusting that this will
[3:45:22] get us to where we need to be.
[3:45:23] The budget will come out
[3:45:24] tomorrow probably reflects all
[3:45:28] these changes were anticipated
[3:45:29] so everybody should be prepared
[3:45:29] for that.
[3:45:29] The budget probably will
[3:45:30] reflect some of these things
[3:45:34] but we get two bites at
[3:45:35] the Apple the final budget as
[3:45:36] well as the second reading of
[3:45:36] the salary ordinance.
[3:45:41] So we're all particularly
[3:45:42] challenged and we'll go back to
[3:45:46] Councilmember open.
[3:45:47] Thank you.
[3:45:47] Council PRESIDENT I'm just
[3:45:48] looking at the language for
[3:45:49] the motion that is in front of
[3:45:51] us and I will leave it to
[3:45:52] the attorneys But I just want
[3:45:53] to make sure that what we say
[3:45:56] strike reference to those for
[3:45:57] classifications, so on and so
[3:45:58] forth and then as well as any
[3:46:03] other corresponding references
[3:46:03] of the salary audits and
[3:46:04] exhibits.
[3:46:04] But that doesn't have
[3:46:05] the effect of eliminating those
[3:46:15] positions.
[3:46:15] >> It's just eliminating
[3:46:16] the working title.
[3:46:16] You're not eliminating
[3:46:17] the positions.
[3:46:20] Okay.
[3:46:20] >> As long as that's on
[3:46:21] the record and everybody's
[3:46:31] comfortable with it that I a
[3:46:32] very good point Councilmember
[3:46:32] Webber and it should reference
[3:46:33] the reference to the working
[3:46:37] title says MR. Reidy noted so
[3:46:37] that it's clear we're not
[3:46:38] eliminating those
[3:46:38] classifications.
[3:46:42] >> Okay so let's go ahead and
[3:46:43] make that change.
[3:46:48] >> Thank you.
[3:46:49] Yeah, a lot of sharp eyed
[3:46:49] individuals on the dais today
[3:46:54] so thank you all.
[3:46:54] This is not the way how we want
[3:46:57] to do legislation but it's all
[3:48:37] important You want to come up
[3:50:36] with
[3:53:51] an
[3:56:17] All right cooler heads got
[3:56:18] the and responded to council
[3:56:22] member Whitman's concerns with
[3:56:23] the changes that you see in
[3:56:24] front of us and look like
[3:56:24] everybody from the city
[3:56:27] attorney's office to H.R.
[3:56:28] To the city clerk are
[3:56:34] comfortable with that.
[3:56:34] Councilmember Whitburn, are you
[3:56:37] guys what what?
[3:56:37] Make sure you're good with
[3:56:38] the changes.
[3:56:38] Yes.
[3:56:41] Yeah, I'll take you all right
[3:56:42] with that.
[3:56:43] See nobody else on the lights.
[3:56:46] We have a motion there as shown
[3:56:47] on the screen.
[3:56:50] >> Clerk please call the roll.
[3:56:50] >> I'm sorry.
[3:56:51] The voting system.
[3:56:59] Please cast your vote That
[3:57:05] passes 7 to 1 with
[3:57:05] Councilmember Foster voting no
[3:57:08] and Councilmember Moreno absent
[3:57:09] .
[3:57:09] All right.
[3:57:10] Let me extend my appreciation
[3:57:14] to my colleagues for working
[3:57:15] through this on the dias to
[3:57:15] H.R.
[3:57:19] Personnel everybody that worked
[3:57:20] so hard to bring this item
[3:57:20] forward.
[3:57:24] I know there's a lot of work
[3:57:25] involved in that so thank you
[3:57:25] very much on that.
[3:57:29] So and to the public who was
[3:57:29] here primarily for a different
[3:57:31] reason thank you for your
[3:57:36] patience.
[3:57:37] So with that clerk please
[3:57:42] introduce item s503 Thank you
[3:57:43] Council PRESIDENT Item as 503
[3:57:43] as amendments of the Rules of
[3:57:46] Council for consistency with
[3:57:47] State Senate Bill number 707
[3:57:51] and recordings of closed
[3:57:52] session.
[3:57:52] This item is not subject to
[3:57:53] the mayor's veto If you'd like
[3:57:56] to speak on this item please be
[3:57:57] sure to submit your speaker
[3:57:57] slip to the front of the room
[3:58:00] in the clear box as well as
[3:58:01] raise your hand by pressing
[3:58:02] Star nine or the raise your
[3:58:02] hand icon.
[3:58:05] Thank you Council PRESIDENT All
[3:58:10] right with that I right I think
[3:58:10] I recognize my staff but please
[3:58:11] introduce yourself for
[3:58:12] the record and let us know how
[3:58:15] much time you need.
[3:58:15] Thank you.
[3:58:16] Council PRESIDENT And City
[3:58:16] council members.
[3:58:17] My name is Abby Reuter.
[3:58:20] I am senior policy Advisor to
[3:58:20] Council PRESIDENT Joe LaCava.
[3:58:21] I will need eight minutes for
[3:58:25] this presentation and again
[3:58:25] when you're ready State Bill
[3:58:29] 707 was signed into law in 2025
[3:58:30] and modified the Ralph m Brown
[3:58:34] Act which governs local
[3:58:34] legislative bodies and
[3:58:35] the public's right to attend
[3:58:36] and participate in local public
[3:58:39] meetings.
[3:58:39] Local changes to comply with sb
[3:58:43] 707 must be effective by JULY
[3:58:48] first 2026 This presentation
[3:58:48] will focus on two provisions of
[3:58:49] the Brown Act modified by sb
[3:58:49] 707.
[3:58:53] The first is the same time
[3:58:53] allotment for virtual and
[3:58:57] in-person speakers and
[3:58:57] the second is the policy on
[3:58:58] disruption of telephonic or
[3:59:02] internet service rule 2.6 and
[3:59:02] Rule 2.7 of the Rules of
[3:59:03] Counsel are proposed to be
[3:59:07] modified in a new rule 2.15 is
[3:59:11] proposed to be created.
[3:59:12] The changes to Rule 2.6 add in
[3:59:13] language for both virtual and
[3:59:16] in-person speakers to group
[3:59:17] themselves into organized
[3:59:17] presentations.
[3:59:21] The modifications are intended
[3:59:22] to be minimal to provide
[3:59:23] flexibility for the Clerk and
[3:59:26] Council administration to
[3:59:27] adjust after the JULY 1st
[3:59:27] deadline based on public
[3:59:29] feedback staffing capacity and
[3:59:34] technology to facilitate
[3:59:35] organized presentations, a
[3:59:39] process is proposed recognizing
[3:59:40] that it is difficult for public
[3:59:40] speakers to gather the correct
[3:59:41] number of speakers With our
[3:59:43] current meeting management
[3:59:44] process, Council agendas will
[3:59:45] include a notice indicating
[3:59:48] whether public public comment
[3:59:49] for that information or
[3:59:52] discussion item will be one
[3:59:53] minute one minute 30s or two
[3:59:53] minutes.
[3:59:57] Implementation of this for each
[3:59:58] Council committee will be at
[3:59:58] the discretion of the Chair of
[4:00:01] that committee as meeting
[4:00:02] management is the purview of
[4:00:03] the Council PRESIDENT For City
[4:00:03] Council meetings and committee
[4:00:06] chairs for committee meetings.
[4:00:07] Organized presentations will be
[4:00:11] taken before individual public
[4:00:12] comment and will be limited to
[4:00:13] a maximum of 15 minutes or
[4:00:13] less.
[4:00:16] This responds to the feedback
[4:00:17] from the public and committee
[4:00:17] which was heard at the FEBRUARY
[4:00:20] Rules Committee meeting.
[4:00:21] Those who wish to have an
[4:00:25] organized presentation in
[4:00:26] person or virtual would need to
[4:00:26] fill out a form provided by
[4:00:30] the office of the City Clerk at
[4:00:30] least 24 hours before the start
[4:00:31] of a regularly scheduled
[4:00:35] council or committee meeting as
[4:00:35] posted on the meeting agenda
[4:00:36] for special meetings that are
[4:00:40] posted less than 48 hours in
[4:00:40] advance of the meeting.
[4:00:43] The form would need to be
[4:00:44] submitted 18 hours before
[4:00:44] the start of the meeting.
[4:00:47] The 24 hour submission window
[4:00:48] strikes a balance between
[4:00:49] providing sufficient
[4:00:52] administrative time for
[4:00:52] the clerk or council
[4:00:53] administration to facilitate
[4:00:57] the presentation with providing
[4:00:57] time for the public to
[4:00:58] coordinate who would be part of
[4:00:59] the organized presentation
[4:01:02] Electronic presentation
[4:01:02] materials intended to be
[4:01:03] displayed during the organized
[4:01:07] presentation would be due at
[4:01:07] least two hours prior to
[4:01:08] the start of the meeting as
[4:01:11] posted on the meeting agenda.
[4:01:12] This will allow for the clerk
[4:01:12] or council administration staff
[4:01:16] to upload the electronic file
[4:01:17] and scan for cyberthreats prior
[4:01:18] to display during the meeting
[4:01:21] and troubleshoot if there are
[4:01:21] any technical issues separating
[4:01:22] the two submission time frames
[4:01:26] is intended to provide
[4:01:27] the public as much preparation
[4:01:27] time as possible.
[4:01:31] Electronic files would not be
[4:01:32] shared in advance with city
[4:01:32] staff council offices or
[4:01:36] the public and presentation
[4:01:36] materials are not required for
[4:01:37] any organized presentation.
[4:01:40] The groups MAY opt to do an
[4:01:41] organized presentation without
[4:01:41] any additional audio or visual
[4:01:45] aids.
[4:01:46] The organized presentation form
[4:01:46] will need to be filled out
[4:01:50] properly and every member of
[4:01:51] the group must be present.
[4:01:51] Whether that be all in person
[4:01:52] for an in-person or organized
[4:01:55] presented portion or all
[4:01:56] virtually for an organized
[4:01:56] presentation delivered
[4:02:00] virtually during their time to
[4:02:00] speak.
[4:02:00] City Clerk and Council
[4:02:01] administration will work
[4:02:02] towards allowing mixed
[4:02:05] attendance or a combination of
[4:02:05] group members in-person and
[4:02:06] virtual.
[4:02:09] As technology and staffing
[4:02:10] allow if some members of
[4:02:10] the group are not present at
[4:02:14] the time of the presentation,
[4:02:15] the group's time will be
[4:02:16] reduced proportionally.
[4:02:16] This process would go beyond
[4:02:20] Brown Act requirements and also
[4:02:20] apply to committee meetings.
[4:02:24] For consistency and clarity.
[4:02:25] Additionally, this item
[4:02:28] proposes a change to Rule 2.7
[4:02:29] related to knowledge and public
[4:02:29] comment.
[4:02:32] This would clarify that the 16
[4:02:33] minute maximum per issue
[4:02:33] applies separately for
[4:02:37] in-person and virtual speakers
[4:02:37] .
[4:02:38] If there are eight or more
[4:02:39] speakers on a specific issue in
[4:02:39] person.
[4:02:42] The maximum time for that issue
[4:02:43] is 16 minutes which is two
[4:02:45] minutes per speaker up to eight
[4:02:46] speakers.
[4:02:46] And this is being clarified to
[4:02:49] have a separate maximum of 60
[4:02:50] minutes for virtual speakers on
[4:02:50] that issue.
[4:02:53] Seeding of time would continue
[4:02:54] to be prohibited for non agenda
[4:02:58] public comment.
[4:02:59] This item also proposes a new
[4:02:59] rule 2.15 to comply with
[4:03:03] the requirement for a policy on
[4:03:04] disruption to telephonic or
[4:03:04] internet service.
[4:03:08] It clarifies the difference
[4:03:09] between a disruption prior to
[4:03:09] or during closed session versus
[4:03:10] open session.
[4:03:13] If the disruption affects a
[4:03:14] public meeting, council would
[4:03:14] recess for an hour or until
[4:03:18] services restored whichever is
[4:03:18] quicker.
[4:03:19] City staff will make good faith
[4:03:22] efforts to restore service
[4:03:23] including troubleshooting
[4:03:24] platform or teleconferencing
[4:03:27] software resetting or replacing
[4:03:28] audio visual equipment
[4:03:29] attempting alternative
[4:03:29] connection methods contacting
[4:03:33] necessary support staff or
[4:03:33] service providers and switching
[4:03:34] to backup equipment or
[4:03:37] platforms if available and
[4:03:38] these restoration efforts will
[4:03:38] be documented.
[4:03:43] If not restored after one hour,
[4:03:44] council MAY either adjourn
[4:03:45] the meeting or make findings to
[4:03:45] vote it and continue an open
[4:03:50] session.
[4:03:50] For efficiency this item
[4:03:51] proposes to include amendments
[4:03:54] to Rule 8.4 which currently
[4:03:54] requires transcription of
[4:03:59] closed sessions except those
[4:03:59] related to personnel matters.
[4:04:00] The Brown Act does not require
[4:04:01] closed sessions to be
[4:04:04] transcribed and it is very
[4:04:04] costly to have a court reporter
[4:04:05] attend and transcribe these
[4:04:06] meetings.
[4:04:08] The proposed amendments will
[4:04:09] provide for recording closed
[4:04:10] sessions allowing for
[4:04:10] efficiency in eliminating this
[4:04:16] costly requirement.
[4:04:16] We provided an informational
[4:04:17] presentation to the Rules
[4:04:18] Committee in FEBRUARY and
[4:04:21] the committee voted to forward
[4:04:22] the item to full council in
[4:04:22] MARCH.
[4:04:23] However, these modifications
[4:04:26] would not take effect until
[4:04:26] JULY 1st, 2026.
[4:04:30] The requested action today is
[4:04:31] to adopt an ordinance amending
[4:04:34] Chapter two Article two
[4:04:35] Division one of the San Diego
[4:04:35] Municipal Code relating to
[4:04:36] the rules of Council.
[4:04:39] Thank you and I'm available for
[4:04:40] any questions.
[4:04:40] >> All right.
[4:04:41] Thank you for the presentation
[4:04:45] and all the work you put into
[4:04:46] this as well as Clark Fuentes
[4:04:49] and her team Tyler Birch and
[4:04:49] his team and the city
[4:04:50] attorney's office and
[4:04:53] responding to the state law
[4:04:54] changes and updating our rules
[4:04:55] of counsel.
[4:04:58] So with that Clark, please
[4:04:59] proceed with public testimony
[4:04:59] on s5o3.
[4:05:04] >> Thank you Counsel PRESIDENT.
[4:05:05] Before I begin with the public
[4:05:05] testimony here, I would just
[4:05:06] like to note that this item did
[4:05:07] receive four comments in favor
[4:05:08] and zero comments in opposition
[4:05:08] of your economic forum which
[4:05:12] have been distributed to
[4:05:12] the Council.
[4:05:13] We have quite a number of
[4:05:14] speakers here in council
[4:05:18] chambers so I will be going
[4:05:18] down to a minute each if we can
[4:05:19] have Al Del Mastro, Jeffrey
[4:05:22] Shuter and Victoria Lipper So
[4:05:23] please come up to the front.
[4:05:24] Al de Mastro you can come to
[4:05:29] the microphone.
[4:05:29] Sure.
[4:05:33] Geoffrey Shuter, can you begin
[4:05:33] ?
[4:05:34] >> Yeah.
[4:05:34] Thank you.
[4:05:39] Council members.
[4:05:40] We appreciate the work that was
[4:05:40] done by the council presidents
[4:05:44] office and the clerk trying to
[4:05:44] preserve what we think is an
[4:05:48] important ability to testify in
[4:05:49] front of the council and make
[4:05:53] organized presentations So we
[4:05:53] think these are workable
[4:05:54] regulations.
[4:05:54] The only thing that we would
[4:05:58] like to see potentially as we
[4:05:58] get used to the new methodology
[4:06:02] of things is to have me be able
[4:06:03] to speak here for example that
[4:06:07] have our time seeders be
[4:06:07] virtual.
[4:06:08] Otherwise I would have to speak
[4:06:09] virtually and I think it's a
[4:06:12] better experience for both
[4:06:12] sides of the dais to have as
[4:06:16] many people be able to come in
[4:06:16] chambers.
[4:06:17] It's also I think a matter of
[4:06:21] of respect if you turn it
[4:06:21] the other way asking everybody
[4:06:22] to come down here.
[4:06:25] Council meetings often run past
[4:06:26] two hours.
[4:06:27] So you're you're sort of forced
[4:06:27] to park in the parking
[4:06:30] structure as $18 to come here.
[4:06:31] Places like sandag actually
[4:06:36] validate and make the process a
[4:06:36] lot easier.
[4:06:37] So maybe we could try and do
[4:06:37] things like that as well.
[4:06:40] Thank you.
[4:06:41] >> Thank you, Victoria.
[4:06:46] You have several people sitting
[4:06:46] your time if they can please
[4:06:47] raise their hand.
[4:06:50] >> Deborah Switzer as I call
[4:06:51] your name.
[4:06:51] Thank you.
[4:06:52] Diversity is a Bill Crooks
[4:06:55] robber Montana Susan Ward Kelly
[4:06:59] a trembling Eric Edelman.
[4:07:00] I don't see anybody.
[4:07:04] Eric Edelman.
[4:07:04] No.
[4:07:05] Thomas Marquez.
[4:07:08] Susan Baldwin.
[4:07:14] Patricia Long.
[4:07:14] Patricia Long.
[4:07:15] Thank you.
[4:07:18] Felicity Sandusky.
[4:07:18] David Swarns.
[4:07:23] Bob Link.
[4:07:24] David Martin.
[4:07:28] Dana Give it to Van Jones and
[4:07:28] Matt Driver.
[4:07:29] Thank you.
[4:07:30] You'll have 15 minutes.
[4:07:35] Please proceed.
[4:07:35] >> Okay.
[4:07:40] Thank you very much.
[4:07:41] >> Good afternoon PRESIDENT
[4:07:46] LaCava and Council members as
[4:07:46] most of you know by now my name
[4:07:47] is Victoria Lorenzo and I'm
[4:07:48] the chair of the cpc Committee
[4:07:50] Planners Committee.
[4:07:51] We are the umbrella
[4:07:51] organization for your planning
[4:07:55] groups.
[4:07:55] The community planning groups
[4:07:56] are comprised of I don't know
[4:07:59] if you know this but over 400
[4:08:00] probably close to 500 board
[4:08:01] members if you count up all
[4:08:04] the community members that are
[4:08:05] elected board members through
[4:08:09] the city.
[4:08:10] >> Thank you for that.
[4:08:10] Next slide.
[4:08:11] Thank you for the opportunity
[4:08:11] to speak today.
[4:08:15] I was diligent in distributing
[4:08:15] our correspondence for a seat
[4:08:19] at the table to your offices
[4:08:19] over the past three months and
[4:08:20] you should have received
[4:08:24] letters from your district CPGs
[4:08:24] that have recommended support
[4:08:25] for a seat at the table as
[4:08:25] well.
[4:08:28] >> I would also like to thank
[4:08:28] PRESIDENT LaCava staff and
[4:08:29] the City Clerk's office for
[4:08:32] their work in accommodating sb
[4:08:33] 7o7 and recognize the balancing
[4:08:34] act required with virtual
[4:08:38] access.
[4:08:38] Our hope is that the following
[4:08:39] information will also improve
[4:08:43] and potentially alleviate some
[4:08:43] of the administrative tasks for
[4:08:44] the city clerk's office.
[4:08:47] >> Next slide.
[4:08:48] So why does a seat at the table
[4:08:51] tie directly with sb 707
[4:08:52] Quoting directly from our state
[4:08:55] lawmakers sb 707 presents an
[4:08:56] opportunity to strengthen our
[4:08:57] governments and empower
[4:09:00] community members to be
[4:09:01] engaged.
[4:09:01] Ultimately we aim to create
[4:09:05] robust public meetings and
[4:09:06] increase participation across
[4:09:07] the state because a seat at
[4:09:11] the table advances the same
[4:09:11] objective as sb 707 is
[4:09:13] well-suited for consideration.
[4:09:18] >> As part of today's procedure
[4:09:19] Next slide let's identify
[4:09:19] the problem.
[4:09:24] Going back in time to 2013 when
[4:09:24] PRESIDENT LaCava was chair,
[4:09:28] LaCava of the cpc, he put
[4:09:29] together a presentation about
[4:09:33] CPGs and cpc.
[4:09:34] One of the things that stood
[4:09:34] out to me in his presentation
[4:09:37] was that he recognized that
[4:09:38] CPGs had been mischaracterized
[4:09:42] as gatekeepers.
[4:09:43] >> And as you so eloquently put
[4:09:44] it in your past presentation
[4:09:47] CPGs are not gatekeepers.
[4:09:48] >> Rather they are
[4:09:48] the recognized link between
[4:09:52] communities and City Hall.
[4:09:53] >> It's like in fact today's
[4:09:57] diverse cpgs fully acknowledge
[4:09:58] the city's goals and the need
[4:10:02] for affordable housing and
[4:10:03] thoughtful growth.
[4:10:03] Their role is not to oppose
[4:10:07] development but to ensure that
[4:10:08] development aligns with adopted
[4:10:08] community plans and
[4:10:12] infrastructure realities.
[4:10:13] Next slide.
[4:10:13] So what does the San Diego
[4:10:17] General plan say?
[4:10:17] It happens to be very specific
[4:10:18] about the reality of planning
[4:10:21] groups which have laid out
[4:10:22] which are laid out in this
[4:10:22] slide.
[4:10:23] But putting this in a nutshell,
[4:10:26] the general plan ratifies
[4:10:27] community participation through
[4:10:27] planning groups.
[4:10:31] That means CPGs are not just a
[4:10:32] courtesy.
[4:10:32] They are part of the city's
[4:10:34] planning framework.
[4:10:39] Next slide.
[4:10:40] >> But why are CPGs different
[4:10:41] than the general public?
[4:10:45] Simply put because community
[4:10:45] planning groups were
[4:10:46] established and recognized by
[4:10:49] you the City Council.
[4:10:50] Community planning groups are
[4:10:54] democratically elected members
[4:10:54] that operate under structural
[4:10:55] procedures involved involving
[4:10:59] the Brown Act Council policy
[4:11:00] and adopted bylaws.
[4:11:04] Their positions reflect
[4:11:05] deliberation and votes taken in
[4:11:05] noticed public meetings.
[4:11:09] Distinguishing them from all
[4:11:09] other public comment.
[4:11:14] >> Next slide.
[4:11:15] >> We set a seat at the table
[4:11:15] to dsd as they provide meeting
[4:11:16] procedures for the Planning
[4:11:19] Commission.
[4:11:20] While we appreciate that
[4:11:20] Director Lowe took the time to
[4:11:21] respond to the response she
[4:11:24] provided frames the issue that
[4:11:25] the public including CPGs
[4:11:29] already receive the same amount
[4:11:29] of speaking time as project
[4:11:30] applicants.
[4:11:30] So no changes needed.
[4:11:33] Director Lowe's misstep in her
[4:11:34] analysis is including CPGs with
[4:11:38] the general public.
[4:11:38] >> For purposes of public
[4:11:39] comment.
[4:11:42] Next slide.
[4:11:43] In fact, the city's planning
[4:11:47] groups should be recognized for
[4:11:48] who they are and that they have
[4:11:48] the ability to present their
[4:11:52] deliberated recommendations in
[4:11:53] a structured and predictable
[4:11:53] way.
[4:11:54] Currently planning group
[4:11:57] recommendations are included in
[4:11:58] the staff reports when going
[4:11:59] before planning Commission and
[4:12:02] the City Council.
[4:12:02] This is represented in
[4:12:03] the graphic on the left side of
[4:12:03] the screen.
[4:12:07] The tangled funnel however
[4:12:08] comments about that about that
[4:12:11] vote are often not conveyed by
[4:12:12] staff to the deciding body and
[4:12:13] can even be tangled into
[4:12:16] the staff's recommendation
[4:12:17] without true context.
[4:12:17] It is imperative that
[4:12:21] the community's comments are
[4:12:22] untangled from city staff
[4:12:22] reports.
[4:12:23] This is represented by
[4:12:26] the graphic on the right side
[4:12:27] of the screen.
[4:12:28] The Untangled Ecosystem.
[4:12:31] This shows direct communication
[4:12:31] by interested party to
[4:12:32] the deciding by each interested
[4:12:35] party to the deciding body.
[4:12:36] Without this process it's clear
[4:12:40] that we are missing our seat at
[4:12:40] the table.
[4:12:41] Next slide.
[4:12:45] Right now structural imbalance
[4:12:46] is the reality at City Council
[4:12:50] Project presenters receive
[4:12:51] structured presentation time
[4:12:55] and engage with decision makers
[4:12:55] .
[4:12:56] In contrast, CPGs are not
[4:12:57] provided with equitable
[4:12:59] representation in city meetings
[4:13:00] without going through a
[4:13:01] convoluted process to get that
[4:13:04] representation.
[4:13:05] Even though CPGs are part of
[4:13:06] the city's own framework next
[4:13:12] life today's proposed changes
[4:13:17] including organized
[4:13:17] presentations to meeting
[4:13:20] procedures required by sb 707
[4:13:21] do not solve the inequity
[4:13:21] problem as it applies to
[4:13:25] planning groups.
[4:13:26] As far as preparation,
[4:13:30] deliberation, narrative control
[4:13:30] and presentation tools, those
[4:13:31] boxes are checked for
[4:13:35] applicants and city staff.
[4:13:36] For CPGs this same the same is
[4:13:36] not true.
[4:13:40] This framework
[4:13:40] disproportionately limits
[4:13:41] the community's ability to
[4:13:45] provide intelligently organize
[4:13:46] input particularly on complex
[4:13:50] land use matters where impacts
[4:13:50] are significant and where
[4:13:51] community recommendations
[4:13:55] require explanation and
[4:13:55] response to inquiry by
[4:13:56] the deciding board or deciding
[4:14:00] body.
[4:14:01] A fair process requires equal
[4:14:01] access to the tools of
[4:14:05] deliberation and not just a
[4:14:06] stopwatch.
[4:14:10] >> Next slide I want to make
[4:14:11] sure that cbc is not presenting
[4:14:11] the problem without
[4:14:12] the solution.
[4:14:14] But before we go there, let's
[4:14:15] talk about the gymnastics of
[4:14:16] current community planning
[4:14:19] group participation.
[4:14:20] Currently CPGs must rely on
[4:14:24] ceded public comment time at
[4:14:24] the previous Rules committee
[4:14:25] last month.
[4:14:28] Once I arrived I knew I had at
[4:14:29] least seven time theatrics
[4:14:32] which at best gave me 14
[4:14:32] minutes If PRESIDENT LaCava
[4:14:33] provided two minutes each.
[4:14:37] My presentation was close to
[4:14:37] ten minutes so I thought it
[4:14:41] would be okay until right
[4:14:42] before public comments started
[4:14:42] and we were informed of the one
[4:14:43] minute public comment time
[4:14:45] limit which meant leaving out
[4:14:46] multiple slides of information
[4:14:50] and I had to adjust my
[4:14:51] presentation on the fly.
[4:14:51] Meanwhile the other presenters
[4:14:52] were allowed to choose their
[4:14:55] presentation time and converse
[4:14:56] back and forth with committee
[4:14:57] members.
[4:15:02] This is a perfect illustration
[4:15:02] as to why a seat at the table
[4:15:05] is critical to our community's
[4:15:05] .
[4:15:06] In the updated staff report I
[4:15:07] did notice one proposed change
[4:15:11] that would require advance
[4:15:11] notice of the public comment
[4:15:12] duration.
[4:15:15] That is a positive step for
[4:15:16] general public comments.
[4:15:16] But the City Council also needs
[4:15:20] to understand the unique
[4:15:20] tension placed on community
[4:15:21] planning groups.
[4:15:25] The city's advisory bodies with
[4:15:25] the desire and expectation to
[4:15:26] provide structured meaningful
[4:15:30] input without any structured
[4:15:30] meaningful way to present it.
[4:15:37] Next slide.
[4:15:38] >> The seat at the table
[4:15:39] proposal is a request for
[4:15:41] the City Council Its committees
[4:15:42] and the Planning Commission to
[4:15:43] establish formal structured
[4:15:46] presentation times for
[4:15:47] community representatives
[4:15:48] Number one equivalent substance
[4:15:51] and time grant CPGs Equal
[4:15:52] duration to project proponents
[4:15:56] on neighborhood specific items
[4:15:57] allowing them to use PowerPoint
[4:16:01] and present coherent analyzes.
[4:16:02] Number two Accessible light
[4:16:06] dialog allows cpg presenters to
[4:16:06] fill questions and remain
[4:16:10] accessible to decision makers
[4:16:11] for further engagement during
[4:16:11] the hearing.
[4:16:14] Number three Citywide
[4:16:15] representation Extend these
[4:16:17] same procedures to the cpc.
[4:16:22] Next slide.
[4:16:23] >> This modest procedural
[4:16:23] adjustment simply ensures that
[4:16:27] the city's recognizes recognize
[4:16:28] CPGs can civile respectfully
[4:16:32] and productive.
[4:16:33] We present their perspective
[4:16:34] with the same clarity and time
[4:16:38] afforded to staff and project
[4:16:38] applicants.
[4:16:41] It also provides incentives for
[4:16:42] developers to work with
[4:16:42] the communities.
[4:16:43] It provides better and more
[4:16:47] informed decisions for council
[4:16:47] members.
[4:16:48] It increases transparency and
[4:16:51] it restores trust in
[4:16:52] the process.
[4:16:56] >> Next slide.
[4:16:57] >> So what are we specifically
[4:16:58] asking for?
[4:16:58] We are asking for c.
[4:17:02] C.
[4:17:02] C.
[4:17:03] Or cpg Present a presentation
[4:17:06] section in the meeting agendas
[4:17:07] .
[4:17:07] On this slide is a simple
[4:17:08] example of an item presentation
[4:17:11] order.
[4:17:12] >> Our specific requirements
[4:17:12] would be setting a minimum
[4:17:16] guaranteed speaking time that
[4:17:17] checks the box for preparation
[4:17:17] clarity.
[4:17:21] Allow decision makers to ask
[4:17:22] questions of cpg or cpg
[4:17:23] presenters which checks the box
[4:17:26] for the delivery process and
[4:17:27] allows CPGs to be untangled
[4:17:31] from staff's narrative which
[4:17:31] checks the box for
[4:17:32] the community having control
[4:17:34] over its own narrative.
[4:17:39] >> Next slide.
[4:17:40] >> We believe that this is an
[4:17:41] important procedural change
[4:17:44] that is in full alignment with
[4:17:45] the goals of sb 707 robust
[4:17:49] community involvement has been
[4:17:49] diminished and the state
[4:17:50] lawmakers are helping correct
[4:17:54] that.
[4:17:54] Amending today's discussion
[4:17:55] item and adding the structured
[4:17:58] presentation time for CPGs and
[4:17:59] cpc is the right course of
[4:18:03] action.
[4:18:03] >> We appreciate your
[4:18:07] consideration of this important
[4:18:08] procedural change for your
[4:18:09] community planning
[4:18:09] representatives.
[4:18:13] But before I finished I do want
[4:18:16] to provide one more example
[4:18:18] that just happened last month
[4:18:24] at the Planning Commission and
[4:18:24] why and a seat at the table is
[4:18:25] is needed.
[4:18:26] >> So the Planning Department
[4:18:28] recently departed from
[4:18:29] recognizing cpg as a main
[4:18:33] community advisory body.
[4:18:34] Most recently at the MARCH 19th
[4:18:38] Planning Commission meeting
[4:18:38] the Mid-City Community's Plan
[4:18:39] update is currently in review
[4:18:39] process.
[4:18:42] I was surprised to learn that
[4:18:43] the city had created a 16
[4:18:44] member working working group.
[4:18:47] Working Group described as
[4:18:48] inclusive engagement.
[4:18:49] However only four of the seats
[4:18:53] were allocated to the CPGs at
[4:18:53] one seat apiece.
[4:18:57] The very groups the city's own
[4:18:58] policies identify as
[4:19:02] the primary structured voice of
[4:19:02] the community.
[4:19:03] Instead of prioritizing cpg
[4:19:07] input the city placed them in
[4:19:07] the minority within a
[4:19:11] separately appointed group.
[4:19:12] This shifts community input
[4:19:16] away from elected accountable
[4:19:17] planning groups and toward city
[4:19:18] staff controlled structure.
[4:19:21] One of the planning
[4:19:22] commissioners even described
[4:19:23] this approach as disrespectful
[4:19:26] to the volunteers who serve on
[4:19:26] our planning groups.
[4:19:30] And I think that says a lot.
[4:19:38] >> Lastly, I want to mention
[4:19:39] that we would like to thank
[4:19:39] the late Howard Wayne.
[4:19:44] He is an important civic
[4:19:44] leader.
[4:19:45] For his early guidance on this
[4:19:48] concept as he was the one that
[4:19:49] put this into the mind of Linda
[4:19:52] Vista's planning group in
[4:19:52] particular Felicity.
[4:19:53] So I want to thank you for your
[4:19:57] time today and I hope that you
[4:19:58] will sincerely consider
[4:19:58] the planning groups and our
[4:20:02] voices before you our City
[4:20:02] Council.
[4:20:06] >> Thank you very much.
[4:20:07] >> Elder Mastro, if you can
[4:20:16] please come forward.
[4:20:16] Hi.
[4:20:21] My name is El del Mastro.
[4:20:22] I think the real importance of
[4:20:25] this is that I can remember
[4:20:29] JUNE of our JULY of 2024 when
[4:20:30] we tried when Shawn Eli Rivera
[4:20:34] tried to get rid of virtual
[4:20:35] comment and how many people
[4:20:35] that are limited in
[4:20:36] the community that are disabled
[4:20:39] or whatever who couldn't come
[4:20:40] and participate this way.
[4:20:44] So I'm all for as much input as
[4:20:45] possible here and not having
[4:20:49] this eye having us cut off from
[4:20:49] that.
[4:20:50] I'm glad that that wasn't
[4:20:54] approved that that time I
[4:20:54] remember seeing it was probably
[4:20:55] the most embarrassing moment
[4:20:56] that I ever saw in this
[4:20:59] committee is when I saw 250
[4:20:59] people here.
[4:21:03] It was pulling off the agenda
[4:21:04] and the first 30 people that
[4:21:07] cheered as Shawn was PRESIDENT
[4:21:08] Scolded all 30 people in
[4:21:08] public.
[4:21:09] What an embarrassment that was
[4:21:12] to the city.
[4:21:13] And to see this go on like that
[4:21:17] is ugly that we should be
[4:21:18] having more open open dialog.
[4:21:21] >> Anyway, thank you.
[4:21:22] >> I'm sorry the five minute
[4:21:23] timer going to those
[4:21:27] participating remotely again.
[4:21:27] It'll be one minute each
[4:21:31] starting with the original.
[4:21:32] >> Oh my gosh Joe, you were
[4:21:32] angry.
[4:21:33] You were totally fearful And so
[4:21:36] in this inverted world you're
[4:21:37] going to say that Which means
[4:21:38] that when you're in anger
[4:21:41] you're in fear anyway.
[4:21:42] Yeah.
[4:21:42] It's funny how in an inverted
[4:21:43] world people think that
[4:21:46] encroaching on free speech and
[4:21:47] putting rules on it gives you
[4:21:47] more freedom.
[4:21:51] But the world we live in when
[4:21:51] that happens it's like freedom
[4:21:55] of speech is all you need to
[4:21:56] know And yet we have all these
[4:22:00] rules and regulations and
[4:22:01] policies to come in and you
[4:22:02] know, impede on that all while
[4:22:05] people say we want to hear from
[4:22:05] more of you.
[4:22:06] I mean even Joe you were like
[4:22:09] oh my gosh, it was so nice
[4:22:10] being able to hear like 15
[4:22:11] minutes from somebody because
[4:22:11] we can actually really hear
[4:22:15] what you're saying yet you guys
[4:22:16] get people looking at it saying
[4:22:19] that you want to hear from what
[4:22:19] they have to say.
[4:22:20] It's just so sad because you
[4:22:24] know you shouldn't be you know
[4:22:25] determining either like over
[4:22:26] eight people want to speak on
[4:22:29] this only on the eight people
[4:22:29] can that mean that you're going
[4:22:30] to limit like just any other
[4:22:31] item to that amount of people
[4:22:33] It's just so ridiculous what
[4:22:33] you guys do when people call it
[4:22:36] freedom.
[4:22:36] >> Thank you Tony.
[4:22:41] Please unmute.
[4:22:46] Yes, hello?
[4:22:47] >> Can you hear me?
[4:22:47] Yes.
[4:22:47] Please proceed.
[4:22:48] I think you city council are
[4:22:50] you doing.
[4:22:51] I just wanted to speak and
[4:22:52] comment as a as the vice chair
[4:22:55] of the Boulevard Planning
[4:22:56] Group.
[4:23:00] I want to thank so much group
[4:23:01] that presented before us just
[4:23:01] now and gave the conversation
[4:23:05] about the cpg and
[4:23:06] the difficulty that the public
[4:23:07] faces in being able to leave a
[4:23:10] public comment.
[4:23:11] I was just commenting yesterday
[4:23:13] and how the last five months
[4:23:14] five months I've gotten for
[4:23:15] parking tickets just coming
[4:23:18] down to express my opinions and
[4:23:19] they stated it perfectly how
[4:23:19] the sandbox is extremely
[4:23:23] limited and it really makes it
[4:23:24] super difficult for people to
[4:23:28] be able to come in and express
[4:23:28] themselves and to give public
[4:23:29] comment and to actually help
[4:23:33] you all make these decisions
[4:23:34] that require public input in
[4:23:39] order to be made And so I would
[4:23:39] encourage you all to develop
[4:23:48] some type of like a parking
[4:23:49] return system for parking
[4:23:49] included.
[4:23:50] >> My apologies Blair Beckman
[4:23:53] You can definitely email city
[4:23:54] clerk at San diego.Gov.
[4:23:54] >> Please proceed.
[4:23:54] Blair.
[4:23:58] Hi Where Beekman parking
[4:23:58] validation is the term.
[4:23:59] Yeah.
[4:24:02] Really good idea.
[4:24:03] Really good public comment from
[4:24:04] the first persons.
[4:24:04] They've been working a lot on
[4:24:07] that.
[4:24:08] We're entering a new generation
[4:24:09] of how do you talk about public
[4:24:12] participation in the process?
[4:24:12] It's awesome.
[4:24:13] They were doing they're doing
[4:24:16] really good because look what
[4:24:17] we can be developing.
[4:24:18] Good luck that you can have
[4:24:21] the you can work more on the 30
[4:24:22] ideas of public comment time
[4:24:22] This is a perfect time and I
[4:24:26] think we could have had 34
[4:24:26] items.
[4:24:27] What other things?
[4:24:31] Oh, I sent you a letter on
[4:24:32] working on public meeting
[4:24:32] issues overall this past
[4:24:33] Thursday.
[4:24:38] I hope you can review We could
[4:24:39] have chosen the path of of
[4:24:43] ending Zoom altogether and
[4:24:44] instead we're choosing to to
[4:24:48] continue it And thank you for
[4:24:48] that sort of ideas Public
[4:24:49] accessibility Good luck.
[4:24:53] We're working on those concepts
[4:24:54] and really want to respect it.
[4:24:55] In this post-covid area area we
[4:24:58] find good ideas.
[4:24:59] >> Thank you.
[4:24:59] Thank you.
[4:25:00] Next is 8813.
[4:25:11] You can please unmute and 813d
[4:25:12] see that you're on muted but we
[4:25:12] did not hear you here in
[4:25:13] council chambers.
[4:25:14] Not sure if the device that
[4:25:17] you're speaking in to me.
[4:25:17] Okay.
[4:25:18] There you go.
[4:25:18] Got it.
[4:25:18] Yep.
[4:25:20] Okay so control here.
[4:25:20] Okay.
[4:25:21] So first off I want to start
[4:25:22] off by acknowledging
[4:25:25] the positive which is
[4:25:25] the expanded language access.
[4:25:26] That's great.
[4:25:26] Okay.
[4:25:30] Broader inclusion.
[4:25:31] So yeah, on the surface all of
[4:25:34] this sounds like progress but
[4:25:35] this isn't just expanded
[4:25:35] access.
[4:25:39] This is control over how
[4:25:40] the public is allowed to
[4:25:41] participate because when you
[4:25:44] when you digitize public
[4:25:45] comment you also gain
[4:25:45] the ability to mute filter and
[4:25:50] remove their comments.
[4:25:50] And that brings me to the most
[4:25:54] concerning piece is
[4:25:55] the expanded authority to
[4:25:55] remove so-called disruptive
[4:25:56] speakers But who just who
[4:25:59] defines disruptive?
[4:26:00] Is it someone being loud or
[4:26:01] someone being uncomfortable to
[4:26:04] listen to Because the people
[4:26:05] who get labeled disruptive are
[4:26:06] often the ones calling out
[4:26:09] the conflicts of interest,
[4:26:10] the corruption and the lack of
[4:26:11] transparency in you all.
[4:26:14] So the one to actually show up
[4:26:15] are who this really impacts And
[4:26:20] the majority of the public
[4:26:20] isn't here.
[4:26:21] So there could be either
[4:26:23] concluded 8700 if you can
[4:26:24] please unmute the five minute
[4:26:25] timer has also concluded there
[4:26:27] are four speakers in the queue
[4:26:28] and no additional speakers will
[4:26:28] be taken.
[4:26:32] >> Please proceed.
[4:26:32] Thank you.
[4:26:36] 3.8 Joyce and you are to.
[4:26:37] This is absolutely wonderful
[4:26:41] because this is our world folks
[4:26:45] and we're slowly waking up to
[4:26:46] the reality that it's happening
[4:26:50] and it's exponentially speeding
[4:26:50] up.
[4:26:51] So belt buckle up your seat
[4:26:55] belt because this is just
[4:26:56] the beginning.
[4:27:01] And zoom will zoom into
[4:27:02] the future and where it will go
[4:27:05] we do not know.
[4:27:06] I'm thrilled that we're going
[4:27:06] to be able to speak.
[4:27:10] I don't know what our voices
[4:27:10] will be in the future and what
[4:27:14] these new worlds will be like.
[4:27:15] They're going to be something
[4:27:16] we can't even see right now.
[4:27:16] So thank you.
[4:27:20] Thank you for this PRESIDENT Or
[4:27:20] Carver Thank you.
[4:27:21] Thank you everybody.
[4:27:25] That's on board for this I'm
[4:27:26] sure we're going to get 100%
[4:27:29] vote on this if some people are
[4:27:30] missing.
[4:27:30] But in any case thank you.
[4:27:31] Thank you.
[4:27:34] I'm on board Up to all Thank
[4:27:35] you.
[4:27:36] >> Next zoom user if you can
[4:27:38] please unmute and then zoom
[4:27:39] user.
[4:27:39] >> Thanks for taking my call.
[4:27:44] Hey perfect example of seat at
[4:27:45] the table happened just in
[4:27:49] the last topic you guys said
[4:27:49] showing what I would say
[4:27:50] the city council doesn't even
[4:27:54] have a seat at the table It's
[4:27:54] all done in the backroom deals
[4:27:55] with the mayor.
[4:27:59] The mayor throws this thing in
[4:27:59] front of you guys like it's you
[4:28:03] got a seat at the table and say
[4:28:04] you say yes or we have 30
[4:28:05] minutes to decide on this.
[4:28:08] We have to do it now That's not
[4:28:09] a seat at the table.
[4:28:09] That was a backroom deal.
[4:28:13] It live on tv.
[4:28:14] So anyway we should have a new
[4:28:18] amendment to call the mayor
[4:28:18] like Bozo the Clown or
[4:28:23] something And refer to
[4:28:24] the mayor as bozo because once
[4:28:28] we have these bargaining things
[4:28:28] for the new budget it's going
[4:28:32] to be wild man And we could
[4:28:33] always have the assistant to
[4:28:34] the mayor get him like a
[4:28:38] unicycle and a big red nose.
[4:28:39] So when it comes to that
[4:28:40] meetings you could tell
[4:28:42] the mayor that.
[4:28:42] >> Thanks a lot.
[4:28:47] And Kate, your final speaker.
[4:28:47] >> Oh, hi.
[4:28:48] Can you hear me?
[4:28:51] Yes.
[4:28:52] Please proceed.
[4:28:52] Okay, great.
[4:28:53] So my name is Kate.
[4:28:56] I work in District three and
[4:28:56] I'm a resident of District
[4:28:56] nine.
[4:28:59] I am a big fan of Senate Bill
[4:29:00] 707I think there is tremendous
[4:29:01] opportunity to enhance public
[4:29:04] participation in these
[4:29:05] meetings.
[4:29:05] I actually would encourage you
[4:29:06] all to send this back to
[4:29:09] the city attorney's office
[4:29:10] today to comply with Senate
[4:29:11] Bill 707 without unnecessarily
[4:29:15] burdening public commenters to
[4:29:15] the professionalization of
[4:29:16] the public comment process.
[4:29:19] I believe that community
[4:29:19] planning groups deserve to have
[4:29:20] a seat at the table and they
[4:29:24] should have a way too public to
[4:29:25] comment in these meetings
[4:29:25] without it.
[4:29:29] With that sort of dialog and
[4:29:30] those sort of identifying
[4:29:30] times.
[4:29:34] >> But the practice of seeding
[4:29:34] time benefits not just citizens
[4:29:38] but also city council it helps
[4:29:39] us be more effective in our
[4:29:39] public comments And I know that
[4:29:43] the incredibly competent office
[4:29:44] of the city clerk could figure
[4:29:44] out how to do same time
[4:29:47] allotment to seed time across
[4:29:48] virtual and in-person
[4:29:48] platforms.
[4:29:52] >> Thank you.
[4:29:53] Thank you.
[4:29:53] That does conclude public
[4:29:54] comment on this item.
[4:29:57] All right.
[4:29:58] >> All right.
[4:29:58] Thank you, City clerk.
[4:30:02] I again want to thank my senior
[4:30:03] policy adviser Abby Roger for
[4:30:06] all the work on this clerk
[4:30:07] Quintus and her team Tyler
[4:30:08] Birch and his team that
[4:30:12] supports this committee and
[4:30:12] the city attorney's office for
[4:30:16] your collaboration in
[4:30:16] responding to the state law
[4:30:17] changes.
[4:30:21] Before I go on with the rest of
[4:30:22] my comments, I want to respond
[4:30:22] to several things that were
[4:30:26] heard.
[4:30:26] One the rules of counsel are
[4:30:30] only changing what we need to
[4:30:31] change to respond.
[4:30:31] Sb 707 actually had many more
[4:30:35] changes that were already
[4:30:35] embedded in our rules of
[4:30:36] counsel so we didn't even touch
[4:30:40] that And the allowance for
[4:30:41] remote participation was
[4:30:46] already embedded in our rules
[4:30:46] of counsel.
[4:30:47] Not every agency up and down
[4:30:50] the state of California allowed
[4:30:50] remote and they're now required
[4:30:55] to add remote.
[4:30:56] The I got a little bit of a
[4:30:57] kick out of the comment about
[4:30:59] disruption.
[4:31:00] The disruption is not about
[4:31:01] what we do about someone
[4:31:01] disrupting a meeting.
[4:31:04] It is when we lose contact with
[4:31:09] either Zoom or City tv and
[4:31:10] people that want to participate
[4:31:13] just watch or even participate
[4:31:14] remotely can't.
[4:31:15] And so there's very specific
[4:31:15] language You just can't blow it
[4:31:19] off and say hey, we got a
[4:31:19] quorum.
[4:31:20] We're just going to keep on
[4:31:20] with our meeting.
[4:31:23] Strong language itself.
[4:31:24] This is what you have to do If
[4:31:25] there is a disruption for those
[4:31:28] participating remotely it has
[4:31:29] nothing to do with behavior in
[4:31:33] the public meeting.
[4:31:38] To MR. Your comment I can never
[4:31:38] remember your day.
[4:31:39] >> I'm not going to say it
[4:31:42] wrong out loud.
[4:31:43] The splitting is something that
[4:31:44] we're continuing to entertain.
[4:31:47] I don't know if folks
[4:31:48] appreciate actually how big of
[4:31:49] a lift this is for our city
[4:31:52] clerk and for our committee
[4:31:53] consultants to make this
[4:31:53] fundamental change in due
[4:31:56] seating of time remotely.
[4:31:57] So this is the first big step
[4:31:57] in that process.
[4:32:01] We'll continue to monitor it to
[4:32:02] see if technology makes it
[4:32:06] easier to monitor.
[4:32:07] But we wanted to give the city
[4:32:08] clerk something solid.
[4:32:11] They know they could deliver on
[4:32:11] by JULY 1st.
[4:32:12] But we're also continuing to
[4:32:15] entertain that for for
[4:32:16] the reasons that you said.
[4:32:20] So we do recognize though I
[4:32:21] always I think I said this at
[4:32:25] Rules Committee but for
[4:32:26] the colleagues that weren't
[4:32:27] there, there was nothing more
[4:32:27] effective than throwing back at
[4:32:30] a council member things they
[4:32:31] said in the past.
[4:32:31] So kudos to you for doing that
[4:32:32] again.
[4:32:34] 2013 was a much different time.
[4:32:39] It is prior to the current
[4:32:43] iteration of 624 which
[4:32:44] fundamentally changed
[4:32:44] the city's relationship with
[4:32:48] our community planning groups
[4:32:48] going forward.
[4:32:49] And I also want to clarify
[4:32:53] accessible dialog is on
[4:32:54] the table right now.
[4:32:55] If some council member wants to
[4:32:58] ask a question from anybody in
[4:32:59] the public you can say MR.
[4:33:00] Moti, come up here and talk to
[4:33:03] me about utility boxes as we
[4:33:03] did at our working group.
[4:33:07] So there's nothing to stop that
[4:33:07] from happening.
[4:33:12] So that's allowable today.
[4:33:12] And you brought back a memory
[4:33:16] from what staff said at
[4:33:17] the Planning Commission my very
[4:33:21] first cpc meeting where I
[4:33:22] really didn't know what I was
[4:33:22] doing.
[4:33:23] Staff was bringing forth
[4:33:26] the idea of dumping planning
[4:33:27] groups as the primary vehicle
[4:33:28] for a community plan update and
[4:33:31] institute a committee to do
[4:33:36] the community plan update.
[4:33:37] i'm not going to talk about mid
[4:33:37] city.
[4:33:38] I'll let my colleague deal with
[4:33:41] that.
[4:33:42] But I immediately knew that was
[4:33:46] wrong and I spoke up and people
[4:33:47] even know who the John Carver
[4:33:48] was back then but trying to
[4:33:51] defend planning groups back
[4:33:51] then.
[4:33:52] So I think I covered most of
[4:33:56] the issues that I wanted to but
[4:33:56] I appreciate everybody who's a
[4:34:00] lot of you participated from
[4:34:01] the very first Rules Committee.
[4:34:01] As I said, the city of San
[4:34:05] Diego was a leader in many
[4:34:06] aspects of 7 or 7 other
[4:34:06] jurisdictions are now having to
[4:34:09] catch up.
[4:34:10] While I know some people will
[4:34:11] complain, I think we do have a
[4:34:15] robust system for public
[4:34:15] participation.
[4:34:16] It does require a little more
[4:34:19] work.
[4:34:20] I can tell you how many times I
[4:34:21] came down here all by myself
[4:34:24] and maybe I got a minute or
[4:34:24] maybe I got three minutes to
[4:34:28] represent my planning group
[4:34:29] going forward.
[4:34:30] And again, as you heard, these
[4:34:34] changes will not take effect on
[4:34:34] JULY 1st.
[4:34:35] What skills our city clerk and
[4:34:38] our committee consultants time
[4:34:38] to monitor the feedback and
[4:34:39] technological progress to
[4:34:43] identify opportunities for
[4:34:44] continued further improvement.
[4:34:47] So I'm going to leave it there
[4:34:48] and see what my colleagues say
[4:34:49] but I will move the staff
[4:34:52] recommendation and we'll go
[4:34:53] next to council member Eli
[4:34:53] Rivera.
[4:34:54] >> Thank you.
[4:34:57] Council PRESIDENT.
[4:34:58] Appreciate your work on this
[4:34:59] Abby Thank you for all the work
[4:35:02] you did.
[4:35:03] Council PRESIDENT I know you
[4:35:03] worked closely with the clerk
[4:35:07] to to bring this forward so
[4:35:07] thank you for all the effort.
[4:35:11] As I said before, it rules
[4:35:12] Committee my entire time
[4:35:16] knowing you, you've cared about
[4:35:16] public participation,
[4:35:17] the ability for the community
[4:35:21] to show up and meaningfully
[4:35:26] weigh in, not just weigh in how
[4:35:27] we got to know each other.
[4:35:31] You were just a guy who
[4:35:31] continuously showed up to
[4:35:36] support community efforts.
[4:35:36] And so I know that this was
[4:35:37] done with the intent of
[4:35:41] obviously abiding by state law
[4:35:42] but also doing so in a way that
[4:35:42] ensures that meaningful public
[4:35:46] engagement is maintained.
[4:35:47] So thank you for that.
[4:35:49] With that I'm happy to provide
[4:35:50] a second.
[4:35:50] All right.
[4:35:51] Thank you, sir.
[4:35:52] We'll go next to council member
[4:35:56] So we have motion by myself on
[4:35:56] the second by council member
[4:35:57] Eli Rivera.
[4:35:57] We'll go next to council member
[4:35:59] Von Wilbert.
[4:36:00] Thank you and thank you for
[4:36:00] the work to implement the state
[4:36:01] required changes.
[4:36:04] I know it's easy when the state
[4:36:04] passes a law and then we have
[4:36:05] to scramble to implement it.
[4:36:08] So I appreciate you very much
[4:36:09] for doing that And also to our
[4:36:13] city clerk and all the deputy
[4:36:14] and assistant clerks it is very
[4:36:14] hard to maintain meeting
[4:36:15] management with both the online
[4:36:18] platform in here and your job
[4:36:19] is about to be much more
[4:36:19] challenging.
[4:36:20] So I just want to appreciate
[4:36:22] the fact that you are so kind
[4:36:23] and open and invite people in
[4:36:27] no matter how hard that's going
[4:36:27] to be.
[4:36:28] So thank you for your work on
[4:36:32] that as well And thank you also
[4:36:33] to it Victoria LaRusso and all
[4:36:36] the community planning groups
[4:36:37] for coming down here and not
[4:36:37] only dedicating your time but
[4:36:41] also you know, paying for
[4:36:42] parking.
[4:36:42] You know it is something that
[4:36:46] we should think about here now
[4:36:47] that the city doesn't have any
[4:36:48] budget deficits But it is noted
[4:36:51] in in terms of the further
[4:36:52] actions I know it would not
[4:36:53] before us today whether or not
[4:36:56] to include a 30% specified slot
[4:36:57] for community planning groups
[4:37:02] But I definitely am open to
[4:37:03] that discussion and I would
[4:37:03] love to hear I know the council
[4:37:06] PRESIDENT You've done so much
[4:37:07] work on the council
[4:37:07] relationship with the planning
[4:37:11] group so I think the point is
[4:37:16] made and I would be open to
[4:37:16] hearing any ideas for
[4:37:17] the future about how this could
[4:37:17] be implemented.
[4:37:21] At the same time yes, as long
[4:37:22] as people are here anyone on
[4:37:22] this dias can ask anyone in
[4:37:23] the audience a question.
[4:37:25] You know as well So it doesn't
[4:37:26] need to be seated at these
[4:37:26] tables.
[4:37:30] If anybody is here we can ask
[4:37:31] our community member to come up
[4:37:31] and respond.
[4:37:32] I don't think we've made that
[4:37:34] very clear but that is that is
[4:37:35] our current protocol.
[4:37:36] So but for today I know we're
[4:37:38] only talking about these very
[4:37:39] specific changes to comply with
[4:37:44] 7o7 but I would be more than an
[4:37:44] open to hearing more for future
[4:37:45] ideas to implement some of
[4:37:45] these goals.
[4:37:49] So thank you.
[4:37:49] All right.
[4:37:50] Thank you.
[4:37:51] Council Member one Well we'll
[4:37:53] go next to Council member Campo
[4:37:53] Thank you.
[4:37:54] Council PRESIDENT Similar to
[4:37:55] that Rules Committee I'll be in
[4:37:58] support today though I will
[4:37:58] I'll reiterate my support for
[4:38:03] the suggestion from the CPGs to
[4:38:03] have that equal rung in
[4:38:08] the ladder of communication.
[4:38:08] I do appreciate that we're
[4:38:09] working with the city clerk's
[4:38:13] office to get the virtual
[4:38:14] in-person and virtual mics done
[4:38:18] correctly which which will
[4:38:19] alleviate a lot of cost and
[4:38:19] effort to magnify the voices
[4:38:26] and I think that I just need to
[4:38:27] reiterate to my five planning
[4:38:30] groups in District seven that
[4:38:31] you know, we have a close
[4:38:31] relationship.
[4:38:32] We have people from my staff at
[4:38:34] every single meeting and and
[4:38:35] beyond in other meetings as
[4:38:35] well.
[4:38:40] I think that as soon as we are
[4:38:44] able to get that hybrid and
[4:38:45] in-person mix we will be able
[4:38:49] to functionally get very close
[4:38:50] to that equal seat in
[4:38:50] the table.
[4:38:54] But as my constituents know I'm
[4:38:55] more than happy to ask any
[4:38:59] questions they give me to put
[4:39:00] in front of me of any applicant
[4:39:01] or city staff at any time And I
[4:39:04] appreciate them for their great
[4:39:04] efforts.
[4:39:05] Thank you Council PRESIDENT For
[4:39:06] the good work and thank you
[4:39:06] MS..
[4:39:07] Rider for your good work on
[4:39:07] this as well.
[4:39:09] I'll vote in support.
[4:39:09] All right.
[4:39:10] Thank you Council member I
[4:39:10] we'll go next to Council
[4:39:14] PRESIDENT Pro Tem Lee Thank you
[4:39:15] Council PRESIDENT And thank you
[4:39:15] and your team the city clerk's
[4:39:18] team for their work on this
[4:39:19] It's we were just commenting up
[4:39:20] here about how we get these
[4:39:21] state bills that get passed
[4:39:23] with changes which is wonderful
[4:39:27] And from an equity standpoint I
[4:39:28] think is is actually a
[4:39:29] significant advancement in
[4:39:32] trying to offer folks equal
[4:39:33] time and access.
[4:39:33] So that should not be
[4:39:37] understated but also recognize
[4:39:38] that we were we were uniquely
[4:39:38] equipped as a city to be able
[4:39:41] to respond to this to adjust
[4:39:42] without making significant
[4:39:42] changes.
[4:39:43] I think of how most of
[4:39:46] the jurisdictions within this
[4:39:47] county had already eliminated
[4:39:48] virtual comment post pandemic
[4:39:52] and and to try to re-implement
[4:39:53] a new system must be extremely
[4:39:54] challenging for many of them.
[4:39:56] So thank you city Clerk for
[4:39:57] continue to address these
[4:39:57] challenges And I think to that
[4:40:01] point I don't think we should
[4:40:01] under estimate how challenging
[4:40:02] it is on the city clerk's and
[4:40:05] to try to manage both in-person
[4:40:06] public speakers as well as
[4:40:10] virtually online and to add
[4:40:11] this additional component for
[4:40:11] presentations.
[4:40:15] So what I do appreciate with
[4:40:15] this update is that we've
[4:40:16] sought to really strike a
[4:40:20] balance in how we can allow
[4:40:20] the public as much time as
[4:40:21] possible to prepare to gather
[4:40:25] the individuals they need to
[4:40:25] have a presentation ready and
[4:40:26] two hours is not a lot of time
[4:40:30] for you to receive some of this
[4:40:30] and piece all of it together.
[4:40:34] And so that's just something
[4:40:35] that I think we all need to
[4:40:36] acknowledge and that I imagine
[4:40:36] for the city clerk as we
[4:40:40] advance in making this even
[4:40:40] more accessible that it takes
[4:40:44] staffing and time to dedicate
[4:40:45] to make sure it's done in a
[4:40:46] meaningful way.
[4:40:49] I think to that to the point of
[4:40:50] our community planning groups
[4:40:53] and cbc about having a seat at
[4:40:54] the table that's similar to
[4:40:55] some of my colleagues that have
[4:40:55] mentioned here.
[4:40:58] I think what we're going to see
[4:40:59] at least in this round of
[4:41:00] changes is some better
[4:41:04] structure to how presentations
[4:41:04] are offered.
[4:41:05] It certainly doesn't answer
[4:41:09] the whole question that has
[4:41:10] been proposed and I think that
[4:41:10] is one that's still challenging
[4:41:13] logistically to figure out all
[4:41:14] nuances of But I appreciate
[4:41:15] that that's a conversation
[4:41:18] that's continuing in some way
[4:41:19] or another because I do think
[4:41:23] we recognize that the speeches
[4:41:24] do come oftentimes with
[4:41:29] feedback on items how they get
[4:41:29] their time, how that gets
[4:41:30] allotted Again, I think once we
[4:41:33] have a blend of virtual and in
[4:41:34] person that might help to solve
[4:41:34] some of that because it will
[4:41:35] remove one of the most
[4:41:38] immediate barriers to someone
[4:41:38] speaking But having the group
[4:41:39] presentations upfront and even
[4:41:43] just acknowledging that one of
[4:41:43] them is going to be
[4:41:44] the committee plan groups or
[4:41:45] the cbc I think goes a long
[4:41:48] ways in helping to recognize
[4:41:49] where in sort of in the order
[4:41:51] with the public
[4:41:52] the presentations come from.
[4:41:53] So so I appreciate the work
[4:41:53] that's been done on the item
[4:41:57] today, happy to support it,
[4:41:58] look forward to future
[4:41:58] discussions to see how we can
[4:41:59] continue to improve upon
[4:42:01] the process that we have.
[4:42:02] >> Thank you.
[4:42:02] All right.
[4:42:03] Thank you.
[4:42:03] Council PRESIDENT Pro tem Not
[4:42:06] anybody else in the lights
[4:42:07] We're having a motion to move
[4:42:08] the staff recommendation motion
[4:42:12] by myself and the second by
[4:42:13] council member Eli Rivera.
[4:42:21] >> Clerk Please call the roll
[4:42:22] Just when you guys are saying
[4:42:22] nice things about me I'll have
[4:42:24] to redo the vote.
[4:42:29] >> My apologies.
[4:42:33] I'm sorry The vote Please cast
[4:42:34] your vote And that does pass
[4:42:39] unanimously 8 to 0 with Council
[4:42:39] member Marino voting no and
[4:42:40] COUNCILMAN Moreno voting
[4:42:40] absent.
[4:42:45] I really wanted to humble
[4:42:45] myself.
[4:42:46] >> Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
[4:42:46] All right.
[4:42:50] Thank you And again thank you
[4:42:51] everybody that showed up and
[4:42:55] stuck through a long afternoon
[4:42:55] .
[4:42:56] >> clerk Please introduce item
[4:42:59] f507 items 5 or 7 is the Clean
[4:43:00] Water srf loan to the storm
[4:43:00] water system for the Troy is
[4:43:03] green infrastructure and storm
[4:43:04] drain improvements projects
[4:43:08] This requires six votes
[4:43:09] pursuant to Charter Section 99
[4:43:10] If you are here and like to
[4:43:14] speak on this item please be
[4:43:14] sure to submit your speaker
[4:43:15] slip to the front of the room
[4:43:18] in the clear bin and if you are
[4:43:18] online now's the time to raise
[4:43:19] your hand by pressing Star nine
[4:43:20] or the raise your hand icon.
[4:43:22] Thank you.
[4:43:23] >> All right with that I see
[4:43:24] staff has seated themselves.
[4:43:25] Please introduce yourself for
[4:43:27] the record and let us know how
[4:43:28] much time you need.
[4:43:28] Thank you, Council PRESIDENT
[4:43:29] And thank you Council member.
[4:43:31] My name is Kevin Warner.
[4:43:32] I am the financing coordinator
[4:43:33] with Department of Finance.
[4:43:33] Will need five minutes.
[4:43:36] All right, when you're ready I
[4:43:37] appreciate it.
[4:43:37] The item seeks council approval
[4:43:38] to enter into a clean water
[4:43:41] state revolving fund financing
[4:43:42] for the choice green
[4:43:42] infrastructure and storm drain
[4:43:46] improvements projects for
[4:43:46] background the Clean Water
[4:43:50] State Revolving Fund or srf as
[4:43:51] it's commonly known offers low
[4:43:52] cost loans to help local
[4:43:52] agencies construct water
[4:43:56] projects affordably throughout
[4:43:56] the state.
[4:43:57] The program is administered by
[4:43:58] the State Water Resources
[4:44:00] Control Board.
[4:44:01] The program offers low interest
[4:44:02] rate loans and favorable
[4:44:02] repayment terms.
[4:44:05] The city regularly submits
[4:44:05] applications for standalone
[4:44:06] projects that meet those
[4:44:10] requirements and the state has
[4:44:13] started capping loans at $50
[4:44:14] million per project.
[4:44:14] The Choice Green Infrastructure
[4:44:15] and Storm Drain Improvement
[4:44:19] Project consist of Alfredo and
[4:44:20] Rolando Park Storm Drain and
[4:44:23] Green Infrastructure and Green
[4:44:24] Infrastructure Group 1012 all
[4:44:28] in the choice watershed.
[4:44:29] This project improves water
[4:44:33] quality and flood resistance in
[4:44:33] the choice watershed with six
[4:44:37] new modular wetland systems and
[4:44:38] replaces aging storm drain
[4:44:40] pipes and installs 3500 new
[4:44:41] feet of new reinforced concrete
[4:44:42] drains.
[4:44:46] This project is 100% design
[4:44:47] complete and is being finalized
[4:44:51] for construction and
[4:44:51] the estimated cost for this
[4:44:55] project is $23.8 million and
[4:44:56] it's due to be bid at the end
[4:45:00] of of calendar year 2026 with
[4:45:03] start of construction in 2027
[4:45:04] and finish in calendar year
[4:45:08] 2029.
[4:45:09] >> The Storm Drain revenue Fund
[4:45:11] collects approximately $5.7
[4:45:12] million annually from the storm
[4:45:13] drain fees and the storm drain
[4:45:17] revenue fund will be pledged
[4:45:17] for the choice projects.
[4:45:21] The revenue fund is also
[4:45:22] pledged to repay the South
[4:45:23] Michigan Beach Clean Water srf
[4:45:27] Loan that the city did and
[4:45:30] completed in fall of 2024.
[4:45:34] The state has offered a $22
[4:45:35] million loan plus a potential
[4:45:36] $5 million in principal
[4:45:39] forgiveness principal
[4:45:40] forgiveness meaning more like a
[4:45:41] kind of like a grant and could
[4:45:44] bring the total of financing to
[4:45:45] $27 million The $5 million in
[4:45:49] forgiveness decision is
[4:45:49] expected in late fiscal year
[4:45:53] 2026 or early 2027 from
[4:45:54] the State Water Resources
[4:45:58] Control Board with the current
[4:45:58] storm drain revenue fund
[4:45:59] capacity this would be the last
[4:46:03] clean water srf loan for storm
[4:46:04] water coming forward unless
[4:46:04] there was a vote of the people
[4:46:08] to increase the storm drain
[4:46:09] revenue fund The again
[4:46:12] the estimated cost is $23.8
[4:46:12] million and the loan cap
[4:46:13] provides room for future cost
[4:46:16] increases if forgiveness of
[4:46:17] the principal forgiveness does
[4:46:18] not materialize or bids exceed
[4:46:21] estimates.
[4:46:22] Alternative financing through
[4:46:22] wifi or general fact general
[4:46:24] fund backed loans would cover
[4:46:29] the remainder So there's $27
[4:46:33] million in proceeds available
[4:46:34] at 2% interest for the $22
[4:46:37] million in loans.
[4:46:38] The 30 year term that goes from
[4:46:39] fiscal year 2030 to 2059
[4:46:42] the current estimated debt
[4:46:46] service is $975,000 annually on
[4:46:47] the $22 million loan.
[4:46:48] Again, this is current It could
[4:46:51] change in the future.
[4:46:52] The first payment would be in
[4:46:52] fiscal year 2030.
[4:46:56] Repayment only applies to
[4:46:56] actual draws.
[4:46:57] There is a debt service
[4:47:01] coverage component as well and
[4:47:02] reserves are required on this
[4:47:06] loan And then the storm drain
[4:47:07] revenue fund actually also pays
[4:47:07] for the operation and
[4:47:08] maintenance of these choice
[4:47:11] projects And with that we have
[4:47:11] the proposed actions on
[4:47:15] the screen and I leave it up
[4:47:15] for any questions.
[4:47:16] >> All right.
[4:47:16] Thank you very much for
[4:47:17] the presentation.
[4:47:20] Clerk Please proceed with
[4:47:21] public testimony on f507 Thank
[4:47:21] you.
[4:47:25] Council PRESIDENT And our
[4:47:26] master Elder Master are you
[4:47:26] here?
[4:47:29] I think he has left.
[4:47:30] We're starting the five minute
[4:47:31] timer and going to those
[4:47:34] participating remotely starting
[4:47:35] with the original.
[4:47:35] You'll have two minutes.
[4:47:39] Yeah it's crazy.
[4:47:40] There's a 150 year old problem
[4:47:40] in the city according to
[4:47:43] Jennifer Campbell And you guys
[4:47:43] have a $5 billion storm
[4:47:44] infrastructure gap And of
[4:47:48] course we want to be spending
[4:47:49] money on that.
[4:47:49] But it's scary to think about
[4:47:50] if you guys are actually going
[4:47:53] to complete that because money
[4:47:54] has always been reallocated or
[4:47:55] diverted somewhere else leading
[4:47:58] to the problems that have taken
[4:47:59] place.
[4:48:00] And you know like with you guys
[4:48:03] getting into all these loans,
[4:48:04] obviously you're not going to
[4:48:04] be able to find that money
[4:48:05] under a rock But it's like how
[4:48:08] long is the city and the people
[4:48:09] going to be in debt due to
[4:48:12] the negligence of the city not
[4:48:13] keeping up with this
[4:48:13] infrastructure?
[4:48:17] I mean it's like it's $5
[4:48:17] billion Is the gap like how
[4:48:18] much more is that going to cost
[4:48:21] when you guys are getting into
[4:48:22] these loans and how many years
[4:48:23] is that going to be?
[4:48:25] You know, it's going to be
[4:48:26] another 150 years before
[4:48:26] the people even see the other
[4:48:30] side of this.
[4:48:31] It's just really sad because so
[4:48:31] many places have been neglected
[4:48:35] and so many people have lost,
[4:48:39] you know, just their their
[4:48:39] livelihoods because of
[4:48:40] the negligence and because of,
[4:48:41] you know, storming happening
[4:48:44] and if they're going to
[4:48:44] continue to do this
[4:48:45] geoengineering which they will
[4:48:49] because it fits perfectly into
[4:48:49] your guys's climate change
[4:48:50] agenda, then there's going to
[4:48:54] be absolute Lee more and more
[4:48:55] storms and we're I don't even
[4:48:56] know how we're even going to be
[4:48:59] able to keep up with what's
[4:49:00] coming down the pike And you
[4:49:04] know, just I don't know It's
[4:49:04] just really sad because there's
[4:49:05] so much malfeasance and
[4:49:08] mismanagement that goes on that
[4:49:09] it's really hard to trust that
[4:49:14] you guys are going to really
[4:49:14] utilize this and make sure that
[4:49:15] because Troy's Creek I mean
[4:49:16] it's like that's awesome in
[4:49:18] that part of the Promise Zone
[4:49:19] and all these promise zones
[4:49:19] have actually been left behind
[4:49:22] So hopefully you're actually
[4:49:23] going to be doing what needs to
[4:49:24] be done here in this money's
[4:49:27] going to be spent where it is
[4:49:27] being allocated to.
[4:49:32] But again it's big fear of
[4:49:33] thinking about, you know, what
[4:49:33] kind of money this is going to
[4:49:37] cost the people because of, you
[4:49:37] know, mismanagement that's
[4:49:38] already taken place.
[4:49:40] It's it's a little bit urging
[4:49:45] them has concluded bait if you
[4:49:50] can please unmute made a cameo
[4:49:55] for you and pop up should have
[4:49:56] come up There you go I should
[4:49:59] have said John pretty sorry
[4:50:00] about that.
[4:50:04] I am trying to reach you to
[4:50:05] talk about stormwater drainage
[4:50:09] and basically I wanted to say
[4:50:10] we're looking at stormwater as
[4:50:11] a problem as opposed to an
[4:50:14] opportunity And for example I
[4:50:15] used to live on an on Rose
[4:50:19] Canyon and we would that if we
[4:50:20] were able to block off that
[4:50:24] canyon itself we could flood it
[4:50:25] during high periods of rain or
[4:50:25] whenever there's an intense
[4:50:29] storm and then allow that water
[4:50:30] to seep into our watershed.
[4:50:33] And I suspect that by looking
[4:50:34] at canyons that way throughout
[4:50:34] the region we probably could
[4:50:38] slow down water substantially
[4:50:39] as opposed to focusing on
[4:50:39] having a rush out to the sea so
[4:50:43] that we can evaporate it into
[4:50:44] drinkable water through pure
[4:50:44] water.
[4:50:48] >> Thank you.
[4:50:48] >> Thank you.
[4:50:52] 8700 If you can please unmute
[4:50:53] It is 100.
[4:50:58] Thank you.
[4:50:59] Thank you City clerk for John
[4:51:02] Brady Thank you.
[4:51:06] That was a wonderful example of
[4:51:07] seizing the opportunity if it's
[4:51:11] possible.
[4:51:12] I really appreciated that it
[4:51:13] was good for our city.
[4:51:17] Okay so I love the words clean
[4:51:22] water and it's a joyous creek.
[4:51:23] I don't even know where
[4:51:25] actually is creek but yet I
[4:51:26] love Choice Creek because I
[4:51:30] have listened for so many it
[4:51:30] seems like years having people
[4:51:35] speak up to protect and and
[4:51:35] enjoy a choice creek the nature
[4:51:39] of it and everything.
[4:51:40] So I was really happy to see
[4:51:41] those words Choice Creek
[4:51:45] included.
[4:51:46] I know it is broader than that
[4:51:47] but it was great to see that So
[4:51:49] thank you Public for fighting
[4:51:50] for and protecting Choice Creek
[4:51:54] So I love the principle of
[4:51:55] forgiveness of 5 million from
[4:51:59] the state and we'll keep our
[4:52:00] fingers crossed so that you
[4:52:04] know like a grant okay won't be
[4:52:05] required matching funds?
[4:52:05] I don't think so.
[4:52:09] So not with forgiveness.
[4:52:10] So that's good news And I
[4:52:10] really like the fact that it
[4:52:15] sounds like you have a plan for
[4:52:18] all results as to what happens
[4:52:19] with the resources of funding
[4:52:20] And you know what?
[4:52:24] Well you'll have to take what
[4:52:24] the opportunities are in case
[4:52:28] the grant the forgiveness loan
[4:52:29] is not coming forward.
[4:52:34] So this is a great item to end
[4:52:34] the day with And it was I think
[4:52:38] that was the last item.
[4:52:42] But thank you everybody.
[4:52:43] Hey, we're in this together,
[4:52:43] aren't we?
[4:52:47] And you know everything is just
[4:52:48] supposed to be there and it's
[4:52:52] unfolding and we're meeting it
[4:52:53] and we're doing our best and
[4:52:53] we're doing better.
[4:52:54] So thank you everybody and love
[4:52:57] to all Thank you.
[4:53:00] >> The five minute timer did
[4:53:01] conclude we have two speakers
[4:53:02] in the queue.
[4:53:02] No additional speakers will be
[4:53:03] taken Tony if you can proceed
[4:53:06] with your comments I think you
[4:53:06] City council I just wanted to
[4:53:10] thank Bates who spoke earlier.
[4:53:10] What he said was really
[4:53:14] brilliant about kind of viewing
[4:53:15] stormwater instead of doing
[4:53:19] stormwater as problematic
[4:53:20] viewing it from the perspective
[4:53:21] that it's something beneficial
[4:53:24] that can help with landscaping
[4:53:25] ,that can help replenish our
[4:53:25] aquifers, it can help replenish
[4:53:29] our water table.
[4:53:30] I think that we have so much
[4:53:31] stormwater that becomes a
[4:53:31] problem because we don't have
[4:53:34] enough water collections
[4:53:35] throughout the city.
[4:53:35] I did hear about a program and
[4:53:36] met an individual that worked
[4:53:39] for a department.
[4:53:40] I forget which department it
[4:53:44] was that actually had grants
[4:53:45] for issuing some of these water
[4:53:48] collection tanks But I think
[4:53:49] having more of them throughout
[4:53:50] the city is would be really
[4:53:50] beneficial.
[4:53:53] I'm looking into like
[4:53:54] permaculture looking into who
[4:53:58] go culture mounds looking into
[4:53:59] different ways that we can
[4:54:03] absorb stormwater naturally And
[4:54:04] really what it comes down to is
[4:54:05] the fundamental understanding
[4:54:08] that we have to choose if we
[4:54:08] want to have a society that's
[4:54:12] powered I guess or essentially
[4:54:13] maneuvered with concrete you
[4:54:17] know concrete street tops,
[4:54:18] concrete parking lots or if we
[4:54:19] want to have a buy organic one
[4:54:22] where we can absorb some of
[4:54:23] that that stormwater with more
[4:54:27] plants and trees planted
[4:54:27] throughout the city.
[4:54:28] Now it's also a question of
[4:54:32] like management and trees and
[4:54:33] you know there's issues of like
[4:54:36] branches falling and lawsuits
[4:54:37] resulting from like tree
[4:54:37] branches falling and hitting
[4:54:42] people And I know that that's
[4:54:42] often cited as an excuse to not
[4:54:46] have more trees or to cut down
[4:54:46] the few trees that we have.
[4:54:47] But as the planet's getting
[4:54:51] hotter and we've just had like
[4:54:51] the hottest MARCH on record in
[4:54:55] like 120 years it's becoming
[4:54:56] apparent that we need more
[4:54:56] trees.
[4:54:57] We need to make a precious
[4:55:00] valuable use of our stormwater
[4:55:01] and treat it as such and not be
[4:55:05] discarding it.
[4:55:06] So I appreciate that comment
[4:55:06] earlier and I implore all of
[4:55:11] you to look into this further.
[4:55:11] >> Thank.
[4:55:12] And our final speaker is 8813
[4:55:22] If you can please unmute your
[4:55:26] okay controller here and yes
[4:55:27] yep control here and I love
[4:55:28] the enthusiasm of that previous
[4:55:32] caller And you know what?
[4:55:33] It's unfortunate that people
[4:55:36] don't realize what is happening
[4:55:41] within for example having
[4:55:41] the warmest MARCH ever.
[4:55:46] It's you know that's all by
[4:55:46] design that's all being
[4:55:47] controlled whether people want
[4:55:51] to acknowledge it or not it
[4:55:51] truly is Look into that.
[4:55:55] It's called geo engineering.
[4:55:56] Tune in to your carb meetings
[4:56:00] especially if you're really
[4:56:00] interested.
[4:56:05] So the previous caller uh what
[4:56:05] did I want to say?
[4:56:06] Oh um yeah.
[4:56:09] And as far as like the whole
[4:56:10] planting the trees and having
[4:56:14] more trees and cooling down
[4:56:14] the planet again.
[4:56:15] Yeah that's great.
[4:56:19] But the goal is to eliminate
[4:56:19] the carbon, right?
[4:56:24] So that contributes to it.
[4:56:29] So yeah, everything is
[4:56:30] backwards as Audra mentions.
[4:56:33] So inverted and there really is
[4:56:38] an agenda at hand and our
[4:56:39] contribution the things that we
[4:56:43] have to say, the great ideas
[4:56:44] that people have just go down
[4:56:48] the toilet because essentially
[4:56:49] in the end they do not work for
[4:56:50] us.
[4:56:50] Reminder they work for
[4:56:54] the globalists.
[4:56:55] So a happy awakening to Oh I
[4:56:58] love you San Diego.
[4:56:59] I'm done.
[4:56:59] Thank you.
[4:57:00] That concludes with a comment
[4:57:00] on this item.
[4:57:04] All right.
[4:57:04] Thank you, City Clerk And with
[4:57:05] that we'll turn over to
[4:57:05] the council for questions.
[4:57:07] Comments Entertain a motion.
[4:57:08] We'll start with council member
[4:57:12] Isla Rivera.
[4:57:15] Oh, how are you doing?
[4:57:21] Um, this is a good thing.
[4:57:21] This is a good thing.
[4:57:25] Um, a community that should
[4:57:26] have more investment and its
[4:57:30] infrastructure is getting more
[4:57:31] investment in its
[4:57:31] infrastructure.
[4:57:32] We're moving from gray boring,
[4:57:36] depressing old outdated to
[4:57:41] green vibrant, healthy.
[4:57:41] This is good.
[4:57:46] We should say so I am glad that
[4:57:47] this is happening.
[4:57:47] A motion to approve staff
[4:57:52] recommendation.
[4:57:52] All right.
[4:57:53] Thank you.
[4:57:53] Councilmember Yellow We have a
[4:57:54] motion to move the staff
[4:57:57] recommendation.
[4:57:58] We'll go next to council member
[4:57:58] Bond.
[4:57:59] Wilbert thank you very much And
[4:58:01] I'm happy to second the Motion
[4:58:02] and Echo Council.
[4:58:02] You are very kind and this is
[4:58:07] very good In fact to the risk
[4:58:07] of telling everyone what nerds
[4:58:08] we are.
[4:58:10] COUNCILMAN Rivera and I often
[4:58:11] text each other pictures of
[4:58:11] green infrastructure when we
[4:58:15] see them in other cities which
[4:58:15] is what makes me ask
[4:58:16] the question could we have put
[4:58:20] more pictures in this
[4:58:21] presentation for the public
[4:58:21] especially if it is 100% design
[4:58:25] phase completed?
[4:58:26] You know, explaining to folks
[4:58:27] like me about what a modular
[4:58:31] wetland stormwater system is,
[4:58:31] it would be very helpful to
[4:58:32] have more photos for everybody
[4:58:35] because it is a success story.
[4:58:36] You know if we're getting money
[4:58:36] to do an important job for
[4:58:37] the environment.
[4:58:40] So that would be my request for
[4:58:40] the future.
[4:58:41] And can you tell me more about
[4:58:45] the modular wetlands?
[4:58:46] I we have some colleagues from
[4:58:46] stormwater that are on online
[4:58:47] right now.
[4:58:49] They can come and tell you what
[4:58:55] the what the wetlands are.
[4:58:56] I counted in the third This is
[4:59:00] Sara from City of San Diego
[4:59:01] Stormwater Department So
[4:59:04] the model with an is a type of
[4:59:05] the water quality component
[4:59:09] that allows runoff and rainfall
[4:59:09] to infiltrate within
[4:59:14] the engineered water quality
[4:59:14] system to filter out
[4:59:19] the pollutant from the rainfall
[4:59:19] before discharging to our water
[4:59:23] body And it's kind of like it
[4:59:24] well it's fill up with
[4:59:25] different types of the material
[4:59:29] combination of the sand and
[4:59:30] mulch and different type of
[4:59:34] the medial layer and it's
[4:59:35] planted on the top so it's
[4:59:35] underground and then on
[4:59:40] the surface you will see
[4:59:41] the plastic and thinking of
[4:59:45] runoff we can definitely just
[4:59:46] sense a schematic of the module
[4:59:51] wetland to you just for to
[4:59:51] better understand.
[4:59:52] >> Yeah I'd be happy to.
[4:59:53] I just we're missing an
[4:59:55] opportunity for the public to
[4:59:55] also get excited about modular
[5:00:00] wetland systems and so I just
[5:00:00] thank you This is a great work.
[5:00:01] I just in the future I'd love
[5:00:05] to have people more engaged in
[5:00:06] this because we have seen
[5:00:07] catastrophic flooding in San
[5:00:10] Diego and we're going to get
[5:00:11] our climate action goals.
[5:00:11] This is all going to also going
[5:00:12] to help reduce untreated
[5:00:15] wastewater into our ocean that
[5:00:16] this is such a good news item
[5:00:17] and I just feel we could
[5:00:18] celebrate it even more So thank
[5:00:20] you for the good work I'm
[5:00:21] taking the motion and glad to
[5:00:22] see this is getting off
[5:00:22] the ground.
[5:00:22] >> All right.
[5:00:26] Thank you so we have a motion
[5:00:27] by council member Julio Rivera
[5:00:27] and the second by council
[5:00:30] member Von Wolpert Clerk Please
[5:00:31] call the roll I start of
[5:00:31] the voting system Please cast
[5:00:35] your vote That passes
[5:00:36] unanimously 8 to 0 with council
[5:00:41] member Moreno absent.
[5:00:42] >> Thank you.
[5:00:42] All right.
[5:00:43] Thank you And thank you for
[5:00:43] the good work and bringing that
[5:00:46] out before All right today we
[5:00:47] have two adjournments in memory
[5:00:49] and we'll go to Council member
[5:00:50] Foster first, sir.
[5:00:50] >> Yes.
[5:00:55] Thank you Council PRESIDENT
[5:00:59] Give a quick moment for
[5:00:59] the slide presentation to be
[5:01:20] uploaded And there you go.
[5:01:20] Ready?
[5:01:20] All right.
[5:01:24] Thank you again.
[5:01:25] Thank you.
[5:01:26] Council PRESIDENT With great
[5:01:26] respect we adjourn today's
[5:01:30] meeting in memory of Alwyn Ben
[5:01:31] Holman, a Navy veteran
[5:01:35] trailblazer and leader whose
[5:01:36] life reflected service,
[5:01:40] perseverance and strength.
[5:01:41] MR. Holman passed away on APRIL
[5:01:42] 3rd, 2026.
[5:01:46] His life was celebrated to this
[5:01:47] past Saturday APRIL 11th
[5:01:48] surrounded by loved ones and
[5:01:52] those who carry forward his
[5:01:52] legacy.
[5:01:53] MR. Holman was born in Alton,
[5:01:56] Illinois on DECEMBER 26th,
[5:01:57] 1925.
[5:02:01] He came to San Diego while
[5:02:02] serving in the United States
[5:02:02] Navy during World War Two.
[5:02:06] The city became home a place
[5:02:07] where he would leave leave a
[5:02:07] lasting mark.
[5:02:12] After his military service he
[5:02:12] continued serving others as a
[5:02:13] mail carrier and later as a
[5:02:17] firefighter with the San Diego
[5:02:18] Fire Department.
[5:02:18] Any time when doors were closed
[5:02:22] to many MR. Holman stepped
[5:02:23] forward and helped open them.
[5:02:24] He became the first black
[5:02:27] firefighter in San Diego
[5:02:28] assigned outside of Station 19,
[5:02:33] breaking through a system that
[5:02:34] had long limited opportunity.
[5:02:34] That moment mattered not just
[5:02:38] for him but for every
[5:02:39] firefighter who came after him
[5:02:39] because of his courage.
[5:02:43] San Diego's fire department
[5:02:44] began to change because of his
[5:02:44] presence.
[5:02:45] Others were able to see what
[5:02:49] was possible and because of his
[5:02:50] leadership a stronger and more
[5:02:55] inclusive department took shape
[5:02:55] .
[5:02:56] He went on to serve with
[5:02:56] distinction for nearly three
[5:02:57] decades rising through
[5:03:00] the ranks to become the city's
[5:03:04] first black deputy fire chief,
[5:03:05] retiring in 1983, leaving
[5:03:05] behind a legacy of excellence
[5:03:09] and determined action.
[5:03:10] When we recognize MR. Holman
[5:03:14] right here in these chambers on
[5:03:14] his 100th birthday we
[5:03:15] celebrated a life that mirrored
[5:03:19] the progress of our city.
[5:03:19] A life defined not only by
[5:03:20] personal achievement but by
[5:03:24] the opportunities he helped
[5:03:24] create for others.
[5:03:25] And that impact did not stop
[5:03:26] within the fire service.
[5:03:29] It extended across industries,
[5:03:30] across generations and across
[5:03:31] this entire city.
[5:03:36] For black San Diego especially,
[5:03:36] his life stands as proof of
[5:03:41] what is possible and I can say
[5:03:41] personally as I sit in this
[5:03:42] city today that legacy is not
[5:03:46] that that legacy is not lost on
[5:03:46] me.
[5:03:47] Beyond his career, MR. Holman
[5:03:51] was devoted to his family.
[5:03:52] He shared 71 years of marriage
[5:03:53] with his wife Ruby.
[5:03:57] And leaves behind a family who
[5:03:58] cared for him, supported him
[5:03:58] and now carry his legacy
[5:03:58] forward.
[5:04:03] His life reminds us that real
[5:04:03] change is built over time
[5:04:04] through persistence, through
[5:04:08] service and through the courage
[5:04:09] to stand where others have not
[5:04:09] been given the chance.
[5:04:13] On behalf of the board Council
[5:04:14] district I extend my deepest
[5:04:15] condolences to the home and
[5:04:15] family.
[5:04:19] MAY we honor his legacy by
[5:04:19] continuing the work of opening
[5:04:20] doors and creating opportunity.
[5:04:25] Rest in power MR. Holman.
[5:04:25] And this includes my concludes
[5:04:26] my comments.
[5:04:26] Thank you.
[5:04:29] Thank you, Councilmember Foster
[5:04:30] And now council member Vaughn
[5:04:35] Walker.
[5:04:41] For we hard thank you Council
[5:04:42] PRESIDENT And thank you Henry
[5:04:43] for those beautiful words about
[5:04:46] home and it was wonderful to
[5:04:47] have him here in chambers
[5:04:47] recently.
[5:04:48] Today we are also adjourning
[5:04:52] our APRIL 14th, 2026 City
[5:04:53] Council meeting in memory of
[5:04:53] Alex Samantha Libby.
[5:05:14] We have a slideshow His I
[5:05:14] apologize got some ready to go
[5:05:15] up for a second and then it
[5:05:21] seemed to glitch very go.
[5:05:22] Thank you.
[5:05:31] On DECEMBER 26th, 1991
[5:05:32] the world was introduced to
[5:05:32] Alex Smith.
[5:05:33] To know Alex was to feel
[5:05:33] welcome and loved.
[5:05:37] She loved all people and all
[5:05:37] the people loved her.
[5:05:38] That's true.
[5:05:38] Alex lived with intention.
[5:05:42] She found joy in the simple
[5:05:43] things that many of us take for
[5:05:43] granted.
[5:05:44] She reminded us to watch
[5:05:47] the sunrise in the sunset to go
[5:05:48] to the beach to have meaningful
[5:05:49] conversations with friends And
[5:05:53] she spent so much time with her
[5:05:53] family, her circle of friends
[5:05:54] and family.
[5:05:55] Though she was born into it
[5:05:58] though she chose along the way
[5:05:58] .
[5:05:59] We're so blessed to have her in
[5:06:00] our lives for 34 years.
[5:06:04] After graduating from csu she
[5:06:05] ultimately found her way to
[5:06:06] working for her sister Kim
[5:06:06] Miller at Miller Public
[5:06:06] Affairs.
[5:06:10] As a senior account executive
[5:06:10] she loved working in public
[5:06:11] affairs.
[5:06:11] She loved coming to City hall.
[5:06:16] She loved working with many of
[5:06:16] us in this building.
[5:06:17] And it turns out she loved
[5:06:18] organizing speakers in
[5:06:21] the chambers and making public
[5:06:22] comments.
[5:06:22] Bless her.
[5:06:23] In her role at npr, Alex was
[5:06:24] honored to be a part of
[5:06:28] the efforts that helped improve
[5:06:28] the lives of others throughout
[5:06:29] the San Diego family.
[5:06:33] In addition, she volunteered
[5:06:33] She supported and engaged
[5:06:34] various organizations in her
[5:06:35] public affairs work including
[5:06:39] odi, the San Diego and Imperial
[5:06:40] Labor Council's annual dinner.
[5:06:41] And she did food drives and toy
[5:06:41] drives for others.
[5:06:45] She participated with the San
[5:06:45] Diego Future Foundation,
[5:06:46] the City Heights edc, the San
[5:06:50] Diego Fire Rescue Foundation.
[5:06:51] And one of her favorites She
[5:06:52] always participated in drives
[5:06:52] for Lincoln High School.
[5:06:55] Alex Libby was the loveliest
[5:06:56] daughter sister auntie these
[5:06:57] sister in law, cousin and
[5:06:57] friend.
[5:07:02] Cancer in Italy took her life
[5:07:02] but when she met it with
[5:07:03] the same things you do.
[5:07:07] But she met that cancer with
[5:07:08] the same strength she displayed
[5:07:08] when she entered the world only
[5:07:09] 34 years ago.
[5:07:15] Here's a quote from C.S. Lewis.
[5:07:16] Remember her graph him like
[5:07:16] the sky It spread over
[5:07:19] everything but it's always
[5:07:19] there.
[5:07:19] Thank you so much.
[5:07:25] Thank you, Councilmember Bangle
[5:07:26] .
[5:07:26] We'll MISS Both of them.
[5:07:27] With that we would join counsel
[5:07:30] to the next regularly scheduled
[5:07:30] council meeting on Monday,