Good morning. Good morning. I will now call the city council meeting of Tuesday, June 16, 2026 to order. Clerk, please call the roll.
Thank you, council president. Council member Campbell. Council member Whippburn. Council member Foster here. Council member von Wilbur. Council president, pro-temling.
Here. Council member Campio. Council, Marino. Council member Ilor Rivera.
And council president LaCava.
A quorum is now present. We will begin this morning with the land acknowledgement and the pledge of allegiance left by council member Marino.
Thank you, please stand.
We respectfully acknowledge that the Kumi A Nation are the original inhabitants of the unseded land now known as San Diego.
Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and colonization, the Kumi A spirit remains unbroken.
We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land.
Today, they carry their legacy forward ensuring that their traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength.
We stand with the Kumi A Nation connected to our past and committed to a thriving future.
Please face the flag, put your hand over your heart and repeat after me.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.
One nation under God in the invisible with the liberty and justice for all.
Clerk, when this, please go over how the public can offer their testimony.
Thank you, council president. I like to highlight the slide on the screen that reviews how the public can offer their public testimony during today's meeting.
Please note that time allocations for proclamations and consent items for meeting management purposes.
The order can be found on the agenda summary found online or at the table in the back of the room.
If you're in person, please complete speaker slip. Please complete the speaker slip look at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room in the clear box.
Council ambassadors are available near the entrance of chambers and can assist with questions and speakers slips.
No further in person testimony.
We'll be taken once the council begins virtual testimony. Thank you, council president.
All right. Thank you. So we will begin this morning by dispensing with the approval of the proclamation items.
Clerk, please proceed with public comment.
Thank you. The public comment period for proclamations is now open. Each speaker will have one minute per item per person.
If you'd like to speak on three or more items, you will have a maximum of three minutes.
The proclamation items being approved are items 30 through 32 and S503.
If I can have Jacob Lewis Edwards, please come forward to the microphone.
And then after that is Joyce and Yada.
And then after that, we have Samuel Merrill, Stephen Lundy, Ronnie Gillett and Johnny of Sega.
If you can all please come up to the front row in the yellow reserve seats.
Jacob, you're speaking on the item 3031 and 32. So you'll have three minutes. Please proceed.
Good morning, men and women of city council and everybody in council chambers.
Thank you for allowing me standing in front of you today to speak.
Proclamation days are very important that to recognize days of recognition.
This is a city. This is a country of the melting pot for the people by the people.
I would like to address our African-American friends, neighbors, loved ones, community members,
that African-American folk were done horribly wrong in past history.
And that needs to be recognized for what's going on in our country, though, is unjust for everybody.
I spoke in front of city council a couple months back and I posted it on YouTube.
If you look up Jacob Edwards speaks on YouTube and you'll see that short clip.
Since that speech, what is occurred is very concerning.
Our country had been hijacked by the Italian mafia and we allowed that in our country.
Chinese espionage was only the entire time from the jump and they have capitalized on it.
They are positioned in ready to take over our government in our country.
The deal they made with the Federal Reserve families to clear their debt to the Chinese is very disturbing.
To eliminate the best of the best in our country.
So their best of the best can come in.
Taking our country over.
This is being covered up.
Some are going along with this.
Some who are aware are too afraid to confrarning and running from it.
I encourage everybody in anybody that can please stand up.
We stand up for ourselves.
We stand up for each other.
And we stand up for our country.
And it's time to do so, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you for allowing me to speak in front of you and God bless the city of San Diego.
God bless you in the United States.
I'll be speaking again.
Thank you.
Dr. Sanyada, if you can please come forward.
Here's again item 30 and S503.
So you'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
30 Jewish American Heritage Month.
The Jewish people have existed for over 3,000 years coming from all races, backgrounds and countries across the world.
Perhaps there is only one family tree growing on our beautiful earth.
Then we could say, one people, one family, one world.
Love to all the members of that beautiful family tree.
All right.
S503, June 20, 20, 26, day.
Perhaps the roots of the family tree that I just spoke of.
That I just spoke up for the Jewish people are the roots of freedom for all peoples.
Just imagine how strong that tree would be.
How beautiful that tree would be with all family members living in freedom and that coming from the very roots of that tree.
When I Googled the movie roots, an image of a young black boy with heavy manacles on his wrist appeared.
It wasn't the manacles that stood out to me.
It was the piercing look of struggle and suffering in his eyes that looked out at me.
And it was really, really tough for me to keep my look into his eyes.
Love all of you.
Thank you very much for coming.
Sorry for your struggles.
But we're together in redoing it.
Okay.
Love to all.
Thank you, Samuel Merrill.
You have Johanna Harret.
Please raise your hand.
Thank you.
Oh, Jonathan.
Sorry.
You'll have two minutes on item S503.
Please proceed.
Thank you.
Good morning, council members.
I'm Samuel Merrill.
As we celebrate June 10th, we honor a defining moment in American history.
Today, when the last is saved, the last is saved African Americans learned of their freedom.
June 10th reminds us that freedom to lay is freedom to lie.
And that progress often comes only through persistence, sacrifice, and struggle.
Today, as a city, we acknowledge that historical inequities helped shape many other disparities.
We continue to see in our communities.
We have recognized the importance of pursuing equity in our policies, our budgeting decisions,
and our investments in communities that have too often been overlooked.
While progress has been made, the work is not complete.
June 10th is not only a celebration of black heritage, resilience, and achievement.
It is also a call to action.
It reminds us that justice and equity are ongoing pursuits that require our commitment and accountability.
As we reflect on its significance of June 10th, let us celebrate how far we have come,
while we manage committed to the work that lies ahead.
May this observers encourage us to continue pursuing justice,
expanded opportunity, and building a city where equity is a reality for all.
Thank you.
Next, we have Stephen Lundy for item 31.
Good morning, city council chambers.
I'd like to thank the council and particular council members,
Whitburn and Compilo, for their sponsorship, the Parcumation,
Recognizing the San Diego Scotch Island Games and Gathering Clans,
for its 50th holding of the Highland Games in San Diego and San Diego County.
The Games, as we refer to it, is similar to a seven-ring circus with several events
and competitions running concurrently.
The competitions are heavy athletics.
The various classes and athletes are throwing heavy things for distance or height,
whether it be a hammer, the Bermar Stone, a cornsheet, and of course, the Caver,
where a perfect score is given for turning and landing the Caver to have a clock
straight in front of the Thore.
The origins of the Scotch athletics is before the modern Olympics.
Highland dancing, dancers compete in classes of age and proficiency.
They perform the Highland Fling with arms up like a glorious tag.
The sword dance over cross-sauce to celebrate a victory in battle.
The shantries and old trousers, another celebration kicking off them,
damn trousers after the high-to-prescription was lifted.
Thank you for that concluding sentence.
I'm sorry, it is one minute.
But if you have written comments, you can definitely give them to my staff
and they can pass it around for the council to continue reading them.
Thank you.
Do you like to leave here?
Ronnie, Gillette.
You have people see the new time.
Stay in Jenny?
Yes.
I would like to call Jenny for a trusting thing for me for our large community.
And then Berlin, Assemblyam?
Thank you.
You'll have three minutes.
Please proceed.
Good morning.
I have distinguished guests, erected professionals, community leaders,
clergy, members, friends, and members of the Asian community.
On behalf of our community,
it is my great honor and privilege to welcome you to the special edition
of Eritage Monge Celebration.
We don't do our community,
it's with a great honor and an immense privilege
that I wish you the best in this celebration special
of you.
Thank you.
I would like to express our sense of gratitude to the members of the City Council.
Community organization, volunteers, sponsors, and all those who work tirelessly
to make this Assembly.
I would like to express our sense of gratitude to the members of the City Council.
Community organization, volunteers, sponsors, and all those who work tirelessly
to make this Assembly possible.
The support of the most rate, the value of diversity, inclusion,
and community partnership in the City of San Diego.
We especially thank the City Council for recognizing the contribution of the
Asian American community and for providing opportunities that strengthen
humanity among all people.
The commitment to honoring cultural heritage helps preserve the stories, traditions,
and values that enrich our city.
Our commitment to honor our cultural heritage,
contribute to preserve the stories, traditions, and values that enrich our city.
Today, we especially thank the City Council for the support of the Asian community.
Today, we are not particularly aware of the language of the city,
and we are not particularly aware of the language of the city of San Diego.
This recognition reflects years of faithful leadership, community service,
and unwavering, commitment to helping others.
This recognition reflects the years of faithful leadership of the community and
to engage in understanding the others.
Pastor Johnny O. Ceda serves not only as a spiritual leader, but also as a mentor,
Advocate and British Builder within our community.
The Pastor Johnny O. Ceda serves not only as a leader, but also as a member
as a defensive and basic leader of our home, to teach our community.
Communité grâce à son dévouement, de non-Bruise-Famie, on trouve un couragement orientation et squire.
Son leadership nous rappelle que la véritable influence ne se ne se measure pas, par la politique, mais par le service, il a constamment démontré la compagion, l'intégrité des exercensières, des velles autres, ces efforts renforcées, les relations aussi de la communauté à ici, à favoriser la collaboration avec l'ensemble de la communauté de San Diego.
Des bords de San Diego community, à l'Azession, nous prévons et à l'Eritage, et à l'Eritage Marc, by Courage, perseverance, faith et freedom.
Aujourd'hui, non c'est les bons, c'est value à travers l'exemple de l'île que le pastor Dr. Johnny Occida, Dr. Occida aujourd'hui, nous vous remercions pour votre dévouement, votre
vision et votre engagement aussi en vis du peuple de Dieu et de notre colonité.
On a l'air de l'Eritage, on a l'air de l'État de l'Eritage, et on a l'air de l'État de l'État de la
But interestingly, I think the flag day in the very least can be able, having it here, can at least allow us to ask those questions that we're asked today.
And in that sense, we can have a more open, broad conversation. And thanks for the conversation we had.
For item S 503 Juneteenth, 2026 day. Thank you for this. And for the history lesson I learned today, it was explained very nicely how to consider a sense of freedom, even when there's freedoms available, even when we don't think we have them.
And it's nice that we acknowledge that and that we can work for a sense of what our better selves are, and build up how we can find that, and how that relates to the Jewish American heritage month.
We're at an important time in San Diego and across the country, how to address our relationship between Israel, the Middle East, and what's that relationship with America, and I think we're learning in San Diego important lessons over things like the Iraq contract that was recently.
The item we had yesterday at Council on Somali is used, people are feeling fearful of their own belief systems and need help.
And I hope in San Diego, we can learn to take that, it's not an isolated story, but a real process of working together towards answers, and I hope people with the Irish issues can be open to suggestions and ideas, and that we build it as a form of democracy in San Diego.
And I know that that's uncomfortable to people of the Jewish faith right now, towards the concepts that are called democracy, because it often involves a lot of good Muslim ideas and Muslim input, but I hope that's that's our, that's our good point here in America, we can do together.
And that I think can give great examples to Israel for the future, what we can do well here together in this country, so I hope we work on our things, we're going to sign which is needed as a full community.
It's a lot of research concluded, Kathleen Lipid, if you can please unmute, and then Judy String.
Thank you, good morning council, it's it is important to recognize all groups have members who are, I'm sorry, what items are items that you want to speak to?
30, 31, and as 503.
Okay, thank you, please proceed.
It is important to recognize that all groups have members who are unethical and immoral, but there are always good people within those groups.
Jews have contributed greatly despite contributions representing a very small number of their population.
40% of Nobel laureates in economics, 26% of physiology, medicine, 24, and physics.
Dr. Edith Eckert, though, was one of the most important of him, Gary and born Jewish Holocaust survivor.
She became renowned psychologist celebrated for her expertise on trauma recovery and resilience for those suffering from PTSD of all origins.
Her philosophy, from which we all can benefit, was that suffering is inevitable, victimization is a choice.
She asserted that people can heal by letting go of hatred. She died this last April.
Her memoir, The Choice, is her journey from Auschwitz to find freedom in her mind and it is a powerful message for all of us today.
Regarding S503 Juneteenth, I agree with the earlier comment that it is important to recognize the rights we have and celebrate reminders of telegraph those rights.
Sometimes we are not aware of them, sometimes we make false assumptions and so clarifying the record isn't the important.
And regarding 31, five decades of Scottish heritage tradition music, but Scottish contributions were also for law's first discoveries and Smith, Alexander Graham Bell, James Kirk Maxwell, Robert Burns,
Lowest Robert Lowest Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott, Alexander James Kirk Maxwell, all of our individual populations have such remarkable people like these.
We should never broaden brush each other. It is an unfair, it's very unfair.
Okay, thank you. That's all I want to say.
Thank you, Judy Strang, if you can please unmute.
Good morning, I'm just speaking to item 31. I felt as a strang by marriage that I had to salute also the Scottish tradition of dancing and singing and having a good time.
They are deeply known for their fierce patriotism and the rich story telling, and they are famous for intervention.
One was mentioned previously, but I also would add the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell, the television by John Logan Bart,
and penicillin, my husband, the pharmacist reminds me, discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming, and of course the steam engine that changed the rest, developed by James Wat.
Thanks for this opportunity to call attention to the mix of people we have across the United States, the company countries that had wonderful traditions that enriched us all when they brought them here to America.
Thank you.
That does include public comment on the proclamations.
Thank you, Mr President.
All right, thank you, City Clerk.
I'll turn it over to my council colleagues for comments and entertain a motion and we'll start with council member Campbell.
Thank you, council president. I would first like to make a motion that we pass all the proclamations.
I'd like to speak about item 30 S503 and item 31.
Briefly on item 31, since I am a Campbell, a huge clan in Scotland.
Even though I married the name, I am just delighted with being a Campbell.
And so I want to thank you for that proclamation and enjoy the Highland Games.
I'd like to speak also on Juneteenth. It's so important that we remember forever that day.
This reminds me of Passover.
We Jewish people celebrate our liberation from Egypt's slavery.
Back thousands of years when Moses led us out of slavery.
And I think of the spiritual go down Moses.
I think of the connection between black people and Jewish people.
And there are many black people who actually aren't Jewish.
And I'm just so honored that we are celebrating Juneteenth.
And that has never forget that day ever.
Thousands of years from now let us all celebrate Juneteenth. It's so important to remember.
And I also want to speak on item 30.
Jewish American Heritage Month was last month in May, but we had so many breaks that we weren't able to give this proclamation at that time.
This is a time when we honor the Jewish American community which has been in America since the very beginning of our nation.
Judaism teaches us nothing of what that person spoke of.
That is a lie and that is completely anti-Semitic and wrong and incorrect.
The Jewish religion teaches us that we are all one people, all of us.
Shamaya's rail, I don't know how you know, hero Israel, the Lord is one.
The Jewish people brought the concept of one God to the world.
It is our responsibility as Jews and as all of us to care for our communities and to uplift each other.
When a Jewish synagogue and powerway was targeted in 2019, resulting in one woman who died from her injuries and three other people injured,
all the San Diego residents of all backgrounds and faith came around the Jewish community and helped including the Muslims.
And last month our city and our city three men were murdered.
At the Islamic Center of San Diego in a hate crime, just because they are of the Muslim religion.
This is so wrong.
And remember that Judaism is a religion, not a race.
All races contain Jewish people.
It is an ancient, ancient religion.
And it is a religion that respects all of our brothers and sisters and teaches us that everyone is a brother and sister.
The golden rule, all of these things came from Judaism.
And we support our Muslim brothers and sisters.
And I want to say that you should not conflate the Jewish people of America with Israel.
We have nothing to do with the political system or the problems in Israel.
We are Americans and we believe in the separation of church and state.
And I believe if they did that they'd be better off.
But that's my opinion because I'm an American and that's what we practice here.
I think I'm about six or seven generation.
And we go way further back to it.
So let us not forget that American Jews are American.
That American blacks are American.
We are all Americans.
And we are living.
We are living our freedom.
So thank you so much for all of these proclamations.
Remember that hate prejudice, hate speech has no place in this city.
Thank you.
All right.
Thank you, Councilmember.
So we do have a motion by Councilmember Campbell to move the proclamation.
And we'll go next to Councilmember Campio.
Thank you, Council President.
Second the motion.
And thank the members of the public for their participation today and for coming down to city hall.
I'm proud to join my colleagues in recognizing Jewish American heritage month.
So celebrating the countless contributions of Jewish Americans who have made our city in our country an amazing place.
Council District 7 is home to vibrant Jewish communities, particularly in Del Cero.
We have three important congregations.
Temple of Manuel, the Hobbat of East County, and congregation to Faireth Israel.
And soon moving to St. Carlos's Temple Beth Jacob as well.
And of course these institutions help strengthen our neighborhoods through worship and education.
Community service and cultural leadership.
And I just want just for of many, many Jewish institutions around our city.
They're doing amazing work.
And so I'm very proud to bring that forward with my colleagues.
I'm also proud to join Councilmember Whippern and recognizing San Diego Scottish Highland Games day.
Celebrate the many individuals and organizations who help put that longstanding tradition together and make it possible here in San Diego.
And members of the public who said all of the contributions of Scotland and the Scottish people to the world.
Events like these bring people together and strengthen community connections and highlight the rich cultural diversity that makes San Diego such a special place.
So I want to thank everyone involved for their dedication and volunteerism and continued contributions to our city.
And I'd like to finally thank my colleagues for bringing forward the Proclamation for Juneteenth.
As we honor the resilience and achievements and enduring contributions of African-Americans while reflecting on the significance of freedom and the ongoing pursuit of equality even today.
The members of the public who are here today said it better than I could.
But I do definitely want to thank in particular the Cooper family for their longstanding recognition of this tradition.
Well before governments recognized it here in San Diego and across our country so I thank them in particular.
Finally just recognizing this day helps ensure the lessons of the history continuing to inform our efforts to build the inclusive future that I know we all want and are all trying to achieve.
So thank you very much council president and that conclude by second.
All right thank you sir.
So we have a motion by council member Campbell second by council member Kempio to move the proclamations and with that we'll go to council member Whitford.
Thank you council president.
Thank you to council president of post have Lee and council members foster burrito and yellow Rivera for bringing forward the proclamation recognizing.
Juneteenth 2026 day.
We celebrate the resilience contributions and enduring legacy of black Americans here in San Diego and across our country.
As we honor this important day and reflect on our history we also reaffirm our commitment to advancing opportunity and equity and justice for all.
And thank you to council members foster edelo Rivera for bringing forward the proclamation honoring Haitian flag day.
San Diego's Haitian community is a vital and vibrant part of the fabric of our city.
Today we celebrate not only a flag but a legacy of resilience and pride and incredible contributions to our shared hope.
I'm pleased to join council members Campbell, Campio, Edelo Rivera and recognizing Jewish American heritage month.
It's an opportunity not only to celebrate the Jewish community's contributions to the community but also to reflect on the importance of protecting religious freedom, diversity and human dignity.
At a time when anti-Semitism continues to rise it is important that we stand with our Jewish community and against hatred in all of its forms.
And finally happy to join council member Campio and council member Campbell in bringing forward San Diego Scottish Highland Games day recognizes an organization that is spent more than five decades celebrating Scottish culture traditions and heritage in our region.
Since it's a corporation in 1974, the San Diego Scottish Highland Games has grown into one of the region's largest cultural festivals bringing together an average of 17,000 attendees each year.
As we heard earlier from Stephen Leddee, the chiefs of the San Diego Scottish Highland Games, the festival celebrates many aspects of Scottish heritage and tradition.
It ran out before you had to chance to finish his remarks, but he did provide the rest of his comments to us up here.
It goes on to say that, quote, for education purposes, we have whiskey.
Malt barley at how aging a different previously used oak barrels changes the notes at the erobas of the grain.
So if you're interested in attending for educational purposes, this year's Highland Games will take place Saturday
to 20th at Sunday, June 21st at Mission Valley River Park. Thank you, Council President.
All right. Thank you, Council Member Whitburn. Not seen anybody else up Council Member ELO Rivera.
Thank you, Council President. All right.
Before I speak to some of the specific proclamations, I want to acknowledge why a couple of them are here today rather than last month.
Council Member Campbell alluded to this as well. We postponed two of these proclamations out of respect to make room for the community to grieve after the shooting at the Islamic Center.
Our Jewish and Haitian communities, I appreciate your patience, grace and understanding.
Your willingness to wait so we can hold space for another group's pain reflects the values that we are aiming to honor here today.
And I think that there is a thread that I see in the Haitian flaggedly proclamation, Jewish American Heritage Month Proclamation and Juneteenth Proclamation.
And that's that liberation is not given through words alone. It's one and it takes work. Haitian flag day marks the birth of a flag that was stitched together by people who refused to remain in chains.
The people who wage the only successful slave revolution to found a free nation and built the first black Republic in the world.
Their freedom was not granted to them. They took it and that same spirit I'm proud to see it growing here in San Diego and in my district, which is home to a growing Haitian community whose faith, resilience and contributions are making our city stronger.
I want to say thank you to leaders like Pastor Johnny, who carry that legacy forward in our neighborhoods and show so much support for other communities as well.
Jewish American Heritage Month honors people, my people whose own story begins with liberation and who carry an enduring commitment to repair what's broken in the world.
That part of that heritage is the part that I hold closest and take most pride in and has demonstrated itself in multiple ways throughout the years.
From Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her long successful fight to expand the promise of equality to women.
To the freedom of summer in 1964 were two young Jewish activists Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner or murdered in Mississippi alongside their black colleague James Cheney for the work of registering black Americans to vote.
They died side by side in the same cause fighting for liberation and freedom.
And gentlemen, thank you for your comments about making this about Jewish American Heritage Month.
That's what this is about, nothing else, no matter country, Jews here in America and the contributions that have been made.
And finally, I'll turn to June 10 which might be the most powerful reminder of all of that notion that liberation is not given through words.
The emancipation of proclamation was historic and necessary but a proclamation is words and words on a page did not break the chains of bondage for more than two years after it was signed.
People in Texas remained enslaved until troops reached Galveston and did the work of carrying that freedom into the world and enforcing it.
Freedom declared is not the same as freedom delivered.
This is the tension woven into our nation since it's founding.
The space between the promises that were written on paper and the freedom that people are actually living.
We declare that all people are created equal while millions were held in bondage.
Closing that gap has been an ongoing effort and has required people willing to do the work.
So with all three of these proclamations, they certainly are a reason to celebrate, but there are also a reason to recommit to the work of freedom.
Thank you, Councillor President.
All right, thank you, Councillor member.
We'll go next to Councilmember Morano.
Thank you.
I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the recipients of proclamations today.
I do have comments on item S503, which is June 10th, 2026 date.
It's an honor to join Councilmember Foster, Councilmember Ilo Rivera, and Councilmember Lee in recognizing an important moment in our nation's history.
And also to reflect on the significance of June 10th.
Juneteenth reminds us of the perseverance and resilience of the black community, and also the long struggle to ensure that freedom and equal rights.
We're not only promised, but actually made a reality.
We honor those who continue to advocate for justice even after emancipation was declared, recognizing that progress often requires more than the passage of Allah.
One of the lessons Juneteenth teaches us is that policy is not enough, meaningful change requires implementation, accountability and enforcement.
And as public servants, we have a responsibility to ensure that the commitments we make are carried out in a way that delivers real results for the communities that we serve.
I'm proud to recognize Juneteenth and the ongoing contributions of the black community to our city towards state and to our nation.
I did see as the melon here, women of color roar, and the Cooper family foundation.
I have been a strong supporter of the Cooper family foundation that will be celebrating.
Did you say 50th anniversary?
50th anniversary.
June 20th at Memorial Park in District 8.
I do want to tie it in with our budget that we just passed.
Every single year we allocate funding, ACCF, to Juneteenth celebration, because I recognize the importance that that celebration has not only to the black community, but also to the district eight community.
Just in general. I think if Mr. Sydney Cooper were to go out and go out this Saturday, he would just be blown away by community coming together.
And also by the fact that you guys still give out free lunches to kids.
That is powerful and profound and all the family activities that are free and are available to the residents.
So tying it back to the budget, this council did restore ACCF funding.
So we will be there one more year.
And thank you guys for what you do.
I know it is quite the event, right?
It's a lot.
So thank you for what you do.
And for what a lot of folks in this room do.
And I'm sorry if I don't recognize you.
But Cooper families and D8, so I will always uplift D8 events.
But with that council president, I'm happy to support the motion before us today. Thank you.
All right. Thank you, councilmember.
Right now. We'll go to council president.
Program Lee.
Thank you, council president.
And thank you to my colleagues for a number of recommendations today.
Starting off with Jewish American Heritage Month, I do want to thank my colleagues.
I want to thank the councilmember, Ilou Rivera, and councilmember Campbell.
For taking a moment to move this recognition given the circumstances of the last month.
And still taking this opportunity to recognize Jewish American community here in San Diego.
Thank you for the recognition of the Haitian flag day as well.
And councilmember Whitburn, you had me at educational.
Thank you for that. That and best wishes as you put on the San Diego Spanish Highland Games.
I'll speak to item S503 and I'm honored to join councilmember's foster Marano and Ilou Rivera to proclaim Juneteenth in the city of San Diego.
And recognize this important moment in our nation's history.
We all know the history of why Juneteenth has come to be.
And I think what it serves to this day as a reminder of the path deliberation.
Even when delayed can be achieved through the enduring power of resistance and resilience.
And the recognition of Juneteenth as a federal holiday in 2021 certainly represented an important acknowledgement of a chapter of American history that has too often been forgotten.
Not forgotten, but perhaps overlooked.
And I think we especially need to thank now.
Candice supervisor Monica Montgomery step for helping to bring this forward at that time to ensure that the city of San Diego also recognized Juneteenth as an official holiday.
To this day, Juneteenth invites us to celebrate the strength leadership in countless contributions.
And it reminds us that history has to be recognized and learned from.
And it's a challenge I think to this day for us to grapple with the pains of that history and to also make a men's.
Not just as a society as a country, but also in the ways that we can hear the city of San Diego.
So certainly I look forward not only to celebrating Juneteenth with many of you, but to continue using that as an opportunity of the reminding.
Of the continual work when it comes to delivering justice within our communities.
Thank you, Councillor.
All right, thank you, Councillor President.
We'll go next to Councilmember Foster.
Yes, thank you.
Council president.
And just thank you to my colleagues for all of the proclamations and the recognition.
You know, Jewish American heritage month.
Just thank you for bringing this forward.
Again, as you have heard from my colleagues, you know, with the time that we are in.
I think we need to do everything we can to uplift and to celebrate once heritage, culture and things of the sort.
And thank you to the Jewish American community for all the contributions to the city of San Diego.
Haitian flag day.
I'm proud to bring this proclamation forward along with my colleague, Councilmember Sean Ello Rivera.
But I just want everyone to understand.
This is about recognizing a day rooted in freedom.
Brute it in unity and the belief that dignity belongs to everyone.
And I must say, I'm a little appalled that we have to hear comments about bringing in item such as Haitian flag day to be recognized.
And so I just want to make sure that with the Haitian community, just thank you for everything that you do.
Your contribution to the city of San Diego.
And thank you for continuing to share your culture to share what unity is.
How important it is to unify as a people and to make sure our future generations understand the significance and understand the traditions, the practices of one's culture.
So thank you for that Juneteenth 2026 day.
Thank you to the Cooper family for everything that you do.
And I'll say this, they're in district eight.
There's a reason they're in district eight.
That's where we were allowed to live.
So I want to make sure everyone understands that as we talk about the significance of Juneteenth.
And I'm a young man then I said this before on this diet that attended Hampton University.
For five years, every day, every day.
I saw the emancipation oak.
Every time I go back to this day, I go to that location.
And I remember my time at Hampton.
I remember what I learned about the importance and the significance of that oak tree.
And here we are today to continue to celebrate.
And for me, this is about resolve.
This is about taking a moment to celebrate black greatness, to celebrate that no matter what has happened to us.
No matter what we continue to go through, we can take time out to celebrate us.
To look at each other and say, I love you.
Things will get better.
We will make sure things get better.
Because no one's going to take better care of us than us.
So thank you for those continued efforts.
Thank you for continuing to reflect on the significance of the black community to the success of the city of San Diego.
It's one of the reasons we established the San Diego Black Arts and Culture District.
I truly believe there would be no San Diego.
If it were not for the contributions of black Americans to the city of San Diego.
So thank you so much. Let's continue to celebrate.
But let's also make sure we have a lot of work to do.
Also, I just have to close with this.
And I'm going to need just a little more time when that alarm goes off.
The past few months.
Have been very, very difficult. We have seen hate and we have seen it consistently and one thing
that we cannot do and one thing that we must not do is fall subject to the divisiveness and the
hate that is coming from the President of the United States and the White House. We cannot
allow that to happen. That is not San Diego. When we talk about progress, the civil rights act of
1964 is under attack. It is under continued attack. The voting rights act of 1965.
If you hear what is being said, it is being said, people of color they do not want us to vote.
We cannot fall subject to this rhetoric and this hate coming to this diet or coming to
give comment and to have the audacity to tell a culture that they should not celebrate their flag.
That is wrong. We start every meeting in this chambers, doing the pledge of allegiance.
With all of its flaws that the United States of America has, we were founded on what I feel is one of the most
probably the most egregious acts in this world. We are still feeling the impacts today.
We are 5% of the population in the city of San Diego but we make a 30% of the homeless population.
I have our board of trustee here today. Sharon Whitehurst Payne with San Diego Unified School District.
She has the fight every day to get the resources to get the attention that our young students need to
learn how to read and write. We were told we had no business understanding how to read and write.
To this day we just went through a $6 billion budget and we have the fight to keep libraries open.
Why are we fighting to keep an institution where we learn? Learn how to read, learn how to write,
learn how to prepare our young folks to be successful in this very, very challenging world that we call the United
States of America. And I know we are here to celebrate. We're going to do a flag raising
for Juneteenth. I'm going to be out at the Cooper Family Foundation. I invite everyone in the
city of San Diego, the County of San Diego, come and celebrate Juneteenth, come and celebrate Black
Independence Day. Come and understand what it looks like when we love on one another. When we
celebrate family, when we could take all that bad and set it to the side for the day and say,
we are good people. We are a value. We have contributed to this United States of America.
And I think it's something that we all need to continue to strive. And I will say this and I appreciate
the proclamations. But some time has passed where the state of California took some time out to put
together the reparations task force. It was groundbreaking work. It set the path forward. But we need to
make sure that we not only look at that document, that we don't only sit here and acknowledge
days such as Juneteenth or the Haitian flag day. We need to do more. We need to take action
and we need to actually correct the harm. And everyone needs to understand that and hear that.
And again, we need to fight hate. Hate has no place, no place in the city of San Diego. And no one
should feel that they are unsafe based on the color of their skin. They're religious beliefs and who they are.
But we must be respectful. We can agree to disagree, but we must be respectful.
And so with that council president that will conclude my comments. Again, thank you for everyone
to the public for coming out. Let's make sure we take some time out to celebrate all these significant
proclamations and let's be the best San Diego that we can be. Let's not fight each other.
Let's embrace our diversity. Let's embrace our culture.
We truly want this to be the greatest city. We must do better. We must must do better. And we must
open our arms and we must receive our brothers and sisters and we must celebrate each other.
And we must uplift and support each other. So thank you, council president. I will conclude there.
All right. Thank you, sir.
You asked for more time. I gave you three minutes. You used it very, very well.
All wrapped things up. Thank you to my colleagues for bringing forth these proclamations that celebrate
who we are in San Diego in the diversity that makes our city special. And to those of you who
showed up for the first time, perhaps the only time and spoke from the heart about a proclamation that
met something to you, whether it's your nationality or belief or cultural heritage. Thank you for
taking the time to come out and share your thoughts, your feelings with us this morning.
So with that, we have a motion by council member Campbell and a second by council member
Compio to move the proclamations clerk. Please call the roll. Thank you, council president. I
started the voting system. Please cast your vote.
And that passage unanimously, seven to zero with council member.
Marty Bonooper and council member Campbell absent. Thank you, council president. All right. Thank you.
With that, we will now pause for photos and we will start with S503 Juneteenth, 2026 state.
S503 Juneteenth
.
All right, as a friendly realinter to our colleagues, we're going to go to do the consent item, some of the items require six votes.
I'm not telling you how to vote, but we need to hold, there's only six of us left, so if there's any, no pressure, but we need to have at least six votes, six individuals here with the possibility of the votes, not telling you how to vote.
So we will now proceed with the approval of the consent items. Are there any requests to pull an item?
Yes, there are. There is item. If we could get a presentation on item S501, the proposed fiscal year 27, RAC Center Fund Budget, Opportunity Fund Budget, and 2025, come play outside report, please.
Okay, so we'll do the consent items and then we'll have her here that item next.
Not seeing the other requests, clerk, please proceed with public comment on the consent item. On the remainder of the consent item.
Thank you, Council President. If I can have Jacob Lewis Edwards, please come up to the front after that. We have Maximilian Schmidt, Allegedly Audra, and then Anthony Dang, Joyce and Yada, Claudia Rodriguez, Jocelyn, Estrada and Sherry Jones.
You can all please come forward to the front row that would really facilitate meeting management. Now you're speaking on three items, Jacob, so you'll have three minutes, 5100 and 101, please proceed.
Thank you very much. I'd like to start by thanking Council, one that can Campbell for comments about the anti-Semitic rhetoric and chambers that free speech is important.
I'd like to speak out against such rhetoric. Thank you to her for that, and thank you for Council Foster's comments. He couldn't have said it any better. That was amazing how he put that.
Now I'm going to speak upon the consent agenda items. All these agenda items we go over are very important. However, I think that we could put agenda items forth to confront some serious stuff.
It was years ago, my mom's brother Danny Towers position at the Department of Homeland Security was hijacked by the Italian mafia. That led to them hijacking our federal government agencies.
I was encouraging the co-strenostra over a year ago, please hand the keys back. This could be your demise as well.
The foreign country, Ravisari, could capitalize on this, and that was what was transpiring the entire time.
Chinese espionage was on it from the jump. For what's going on now, what is led to?
As a genocide, federal reserve families, oh, China, a lot of money. To settle their debt, they could a deal with China that they can't take our government and our country over.
And upon that agreement to eliminate profiles of folks, the Chinese do not want the best of our country. So they're best of the best can swoop in.
It's completely unacceptable. We stand up for ourselves, we stand up for each other, and we stand up for our country.
I want you to check out the YouTube clip that's posted under Jacob Edward Speaks, where I spoke right here at this microphone.
What is transpired since the deal that the Federal Reserve Families cut with the Chinese is completely unacceptable in this country.
I think the coastal nostril would even agree, and I think I still encouraged them to step back, fight with us, and let's all work together.
It was work together that the Chinese should not over-throw our government take our country over.
Genocide is completely unacceptable in this country. We stand against it.
Did everybody need to work together, fight for ourselves, fight for each other, and fight for our country?
I say God bless San Diego, and God bless United States of America.
I'm supposed to speak as public comment, but I'm going to refrain.
Maximilian Schmidt.
You're speaking on items 100, 106, and 107.
Hi, I researched the previous fiscal year 27 San Diego tourism marketing district report of activities, and 56 million dollars of our tax dollars are being used to try to encourage support, develop tourism in San Diego.
I just wanted to say that nowhere do they support maybe Christian tourism, because I know San Diego has a long history of Catholic missions, and beautiful Christian churches all across San Diego.
I thought maybe if we're going to have a Jewish heritage month and a Haitian flag day and Juneteenth, maybe we could do something for Christianity.
Instead, everyone talks about hate speech, and the truth is they're trying to tie the word Christian into the word hate speech by calling us white Christian nationalist.
And I'm supposed to be, and they're going to probably call me nationalist, just because I said I don't support Haitian flag day, because it's the most corrupt country.
And the entire Western hemisphere, thus has the poorest people's population in the Western hemisphere, and then we have a whole day commemorated, they said for thousands and thousands of years, let us commemorate the Haitian flag on this special day.
And it's also, I'm sorry, it's a communist government too, and I feel like there's communist elements to San Diego's, to San Diego too.
For example, a neuro linguistic programming has become a problem, and I hate to say that, but it's true.
On the San Diego trolley, every time the trolley makes an announcement, uses neuro linguistic programming to try to read my mind, and make me nervous, it does that, because someone who did pagan rituals and became telepathic is actually controlling the trolley.
They'll even slam on the brakes or accelerate in conjunction with my movements, and they can do that, because the third eye is real.
It's called camping out and someone's consciousness, they can literally access your consciousness and the trolley driver can drive the car and it's called sensation.
You can slow it down and speed it up with my movements and in the trolley intercom, so I'm just saying, $56 million that we're spending on tourism.
Meanwhile, we've got the roots of communism are starting to grow out of San Diego from everything from public transit to walking down the street and buildings making bizarre, high pitch noises.
So $56 million is hard earned money from that you're taking from property tax and cannabis tax from the people of San Diego, and you're taking that $56 million.
And you're trying to say, we want to increase tourism, almost no transparency to the report.
Meanwhile, there's communism going on in San Diego.
Next is allegedly Audra, you're speaking on several items, $5,150,102,105,108,110,110,110,110,1010S-501, you'll have three minutes, please proceed.
Yeah, I find it interesting that talking about pedaphilia is considered anti-symmetic and hate speech, and being a victim of a pedophile for nine years,
That's like, me talking about it is hate speech against bird ticker sin, who did that to me.
And it's like not a problem that those things happen because those are very true, what I spoke about.
They do oral suction on babies who have been circumcised.
And to have sex with a child, a little girl who's three years old and one day is making give consent.
And so it's like, hateful for me to say those things.
Yes, I hate pedophilia, I do, as a victim.
Because it continues, and there is no justice, because of things like this being buried, and being considered hate speech that I talk about it.
And Jewish Americans go to Israel because it's a sanctuary for pedophilia.
And there's so much pedophilia that has been exposed, but it's like acceptable.
Everybody accepts it, and it's like for people who have children that is so concerning to me that you would say it's hateful for me to talk about that.
When I think we should protect your children from things like that happening.
It happened to me in a daycare.
I was taken to this house every day where this man would abuse me.
And I called him on the phone at the police station when I was 12 years old and got him to admit it.
And nothing happened, because the judge said that if when I said he said, what do you think should happen?
I said, you know what? I think you should go to jail for a year. That sounded like a really long time as a 12 year old.
And he said that he would be worse off if he went to jail.
Yeah, he probably dead. Good.
Then he won't abuse any more children like he continues to do for the last 30 something years.
Because there's shit like this.
And for those of you who have children, shame on you for calling that hate speech, because I feel like that is hate speech.
To victims who are going, why is this acceptable? Why can people stand in a crowd of people and watch a man suck a little boy's penis and clap and celebrate it?
Our world runs off of this kind of evil.
And that is why we are supposed to remove it, not go into it and accept it.
And like, brush it under the rug.
Or while we have children and we just basically play Russian roulette with them.
And these people run rampant because of this.
Your time is included in Anthony Dane.
You're speaking on, I don't 100, you'll have one minute. Please proceed.
Thank you. Good morning. My name is Anthony Dane.
I'm a climate action campaign where we're building an affordable 100% clean and reliable energy future.
Cindy begins already pay the highest electricity rates in the nation of 45 cents per kilowatt hour,
which is more than two times the national average with the typical monthly bill of over $300 for a single family home.
Rating squeeze by the affordability crisis at every corner.
SDG needs is followed at general rate case request yesterday afternoon or requesting 3.8 billion starting in 2028.
If approved, this would add an extra $22 and 48 cents per month on the average family's gas and electric bill.
That is almost an additional $270 a year every San Diego family would be handing over to SDG and E.
That's exactly, excuse me, that's exactly why today's energy affordability and accountability resolution matters.
And we hope that the full council can pass this resolution. Thank you.
Trice on you out of you can please come forward. You'll have three minutes to speak on 100-104-103-105.
One was given an S502, please proceed.
Thank you. To quickly thank you for the dignity of listening.
That was very beautiful, very beautiful.
Okay, I have a bunch of them and they're not going to be an orders.
How about that? Most of them are.
So on 100, while this is exciting, 10 bills addressing utility affordability.
I mean, it's this happy moment or what.
And for Dr. Campbell, because she spoke of the CPU, C and affordability on the rates,
it's changing folks. There's an article in the UT on that.
We got to bring it and read it, but there's changes happening in the C.P.U.C., which is going to really help affordability on rates.
So for the labor agreement with MEAA Union, the good-faced negotiation process, I love those words.
So a big thank you for the excellent leadership of Michael Zuket and the rest of his team.
They're absolutely important and what they do is, so it just helps all of us.
So along with that labor item, there's 103 and S5L5, which is Deputy City Attorney's and the AFSCME, it's a long wording there.
I want to say to everybody, the unions, I love you. We need you. You're just a part of the fabric of our city. You're a powerful force.
So now that your process is coming to a close, we need you to jump on board in another way. You need to help us with our budget in all other areas.
We really need your help to help us figure out with our priorities and where we're heading with that. Okay? Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you and love you for that extra help. On 107, the TMD, the last time they presented to us and they talked about storytelling.
I just loved it. I couldn't believe the TTMB uses storytelling for their marketing tool.
So I really like the TMD. We're a tourist community and we really rely on them. So I thank them very much.
And then on 502, a big yes to the CPPS funding for CD4. That's an underserved community. We are doing better.
Hey folks, this is life right here and isn't it beautiful? And we're doing it together and I am so honored to be here with you celebrating the miracle that life itself is loved to all.
Claudia Rodriguez.
Thank you. Good morning on our role council members. My name is Claudia Rodriguez.
I'm a resident in small business owner in Barrio Logan in district eight.
I run soloca as a sustainable fashion studio on Logan Avenue where we teach sewing, celebrate local culture and create handmade garments that tell stories of our community.
Visitors to San Diego find their way to our businesses like ours and when they do it matters.
Currently I'm currently part of the 2000 and 26 cohort for the San Diego Tourism accelerated program which gives us real tools to grow and connect with our wider audience.
This program exists because of TMD funding allocated to the tourism authority. I urge the city to approve the TMDs proposed budget.
It supports not just the big hotels but small business communities rooted businesses that make San Diego worth visiting. Thank you.
Thank you.
Hello, good morning. Honorable councilman.
My name is Johnson Estrada and I'm a resident in business owner in district four.
I own a custom cake and dessert business called viscaras macarons and more.
And investments in attracting visitors to San Diego directly benefit local businesses like mine.
Not only do we benefit from the visitors who come and spend money. We also feel supported by the tourism industry itself.
We're currently a part of the San Diego Tourism Authority Accelerator program.
And that program among other efforts is made possible because of the tourism marketing district funds that are allotted to San Diego tourism authority.
So I hope that the city approves a TMDs proposed budget to keep bringing visitors to San Diego and supporting our local small businesses like myself.
Thank you. Thank you and Sherry Jones.
Also, my name is one of seven.
Good morning council members.
My name is Shree Jones and I'm a resident in business owner in district four.
I'm the co-founder of Black San Diego, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting residents and visitors with black with black owned businesses, culture events and community experiences throughout San Diego County.
Over the past decade, Black San Diego has grown into a platform that reaches nearly 50,000 community members and visitors while keeping helping to spotlight more than 600 black owned businesses to our region.
We are currently participating in the San Diego Tourism Authority Accelerator program, which is helping us better understand how to connect visitors with rich cultural experiences, small businesses and unique communities that make San Diego such a special destination.
Investments into attracting visitors will benefit local businesses and organizations like the ones we support.
When visitors come to our city, they spend money at local restaurants, shops, hotels, attractions and events.
We appreciate the city and continue partnership with San Diego Tourism and help the EU.
Thank you.
That doesn't have to be public comment hearing council chambers started the five minute timer.
Going to those participating remotely, starting with Blair Beekman.
If you can please unmute.
Hi.
Blair Beekman.
Please let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.
Yeah, I have several 50, 100, 102, 103, 104, 105, 105, 105, 105, 105, 105, 105.
That's 500.
Thank you.
I have three minutes.
Please proceed.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Go into the first item.
I don't 100 Senate Bill supporting a dressing utility affordability and accountability.
I'm hopeful.
This item in all it's good that it's doing can well address the future of community energy.
And that even though we've had recent conversations coming to the energy is still about 10 years away.
Really functioning well in San Diego.
Can we start making the steps now and just make that a regular conversation in our energy dialogue?
I hope we can do that.
We all feel better.
I think by doing that.
To go on to item 102 County San Diego County detention facilities.
This was an item brought to committee a few weeks ago.
Council person Whitburn actually asked some pretty nice questions about the item.
I hope that's being better addressed.
There is a significant number of deaths happening in our county detention facilities each year.
What are we doing to address that?
It has to be worked on.
Santa Clara has been having similar problems.
Can we put our two minds together to work on these things?
We should be able to come up with solutions and good luck how we can.
Going on to items 103 through 104.
These are the 10th of agreements with employee associations.
I've said previously maybe too late now.
I hope you can still consider the idea that you can actually take some very small pay cut.
Whatever small pay cut you take as employees of the city and city council persons.
It just is that concept of building trust with the community and.
Good faith efforts and I hope you guys want to consider life in those terms and I think it would open up.
Better ways to look and be the budget issues.
So I hope I hope that's a consideration.
Believe it or not, Oakland.
They're having trouble with their employee issues.
More than San Diego so they're not absolutely perfect in how they work.
Good luck and comfort in creating compromise with Oakland issues as well.
105.
I learned in Oakland over time issues.
If we offer department of transportation to work on traffic citation issues,
that can greatly reduce the amount of effort that's put in by the police department currently in Oakland anyway.
On traffic citation things say put in a large percentage of overtime on that.
Good luck how you can work on that if it's in a different department of transportation.
If that can help with overtime issues.
And it can include the issue about.
Council person on Wilpert is missing a lot of council meetings like today.
Also, and it's becoming a bit.
Purple.
I really missed her voice and John L. Everett voice at the time of the shooting issues.
I need their voices and good luck how you can appear.
Thank you.
Thank you next is.
Two four four four six one for number running in four four six one please on you.
And let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.
I for item 107.
You'll have one minute please proceed.
Hi. Yeah. I'm a proud President of San Diego. My name is David and I wanted to add my support to the approval of this year's.
I work with the T&D.
The T&D is the sole source of funding to market San Diego and keep us if the top choice for travelers when they decide where they want to spend their vacation.
Also, for events, the T&D provides all of the important marketing funds to help drive hotel room nights.
So since San Diego benefits from the T&D investment through the TOT.
The stronger tourism is the stronger San Diego is.
Thank you.
Next is Mark Neville.
If you can please unmute Mark Neville.
Thank you. And this is for item 107.
Thank you. Please proceed.
Good morning honorable council members. My name is Mark Neville and the CEO of Sports San Diego.
The nonprofit group charged with recruiting, supporting and hosting tourism driving sports events to our community.
On behalf of our Board of Directors, I respectfully urge your approval of the fiscal year.
2027 TMD report of activities and the authorization of related expenditures.
As a nonprofit organization with no other city funding mechanism, TMD support is essential to everything we do.
It is what made possible this week's NASCAR San Diego weekend.
And what brought Manchester United, the New Zealand all blacks and scores of other world-class tourism driving events to our destination.
There's also what sustains beloved annual traditions like the holiday bull and the rate each children's invitation.
These events don't just fill hotel rooms.
They support jobs, create tax revenues, and fuel small businesses, restaurants, local attractions, and our broader economy.
We sincerely hope the council vote favorably.
Thank you for that concluding sentence, Kathy.
And let me know if you can please unmute and let me know which item our items you wish to speak to.
50.
And.
Five.
Two.
Please.
I'm sorry.
I'm burning something on the stove.
I'm going to have to come back and apologize.
Okay.
Well, you are a file speaker, but you can always send in comments.
That does conclude public comment on the consent agenda.
All right.
I hope this will be the okay.
So with that, I'll turn it over to my colleagues for any questions, comments, and entertain a motion.
And not there we go.
Council member, ELO of Air, we'll start off with you.
Thank you, council president.
I will start by moving approval of the consent agenda.
And just thank you for your partnership.
On our resolution.
I'll keep it short since we're running long.
Thank you, council president.
All right.
Thank you.
So we have a motion by council member ELO Rivera to move the consent items.
Except for S 501, which will be heard next.
And I'll go ahead and I guess second the motion.
To move the consent items.
Just a couple of comments on my part.
I want to thank you council member ELO Rivera for bringing the resolution on item.
Number 100.
The city's support of these bills in our collective advocacy with our nonprofit partners, including climate action campaign.
Make sure that we have a stronger voice in Sacramento.
We are further in conversation around utility affordability and lowering the bill for San Diego's.
Then item 102.
I've always had a question in the back of my mind about prop.
172 and why we have to spend our dollars given how much the county gets for public safety.
Based on the old prop 172, but I'll leave that for another day.
So with that not seen anybody else in the lights.
We have a motion by council member ELO Rivera.
We have a second by myself to move the consent items.
Except for S 501.
Clerk, please call the vote.
I'm sorry.
The voting system.
Please guess your vote.
And that passes unanimously.
7 to 0 with council member Van Wilpert and council member Campbell.
Absent. Thank you, council president.
All right. Thank you for that.
And congratulations to our three REOs.
We got those.
MOUs done.
And with that, we'll invite staff to come up and make a presentation on S 501.
But first, let me have the city clerk introduce that item.
Thank you, council president.
Item S 501 was pulled from the consent agenda.
And it is the proposed fiscal year 2027 recreation center.
Fund budgets, opportunity fund budgets and 2025.
Complete outside report.
Thank you, council president.
If you'd like to speak on this item.
Please raise your hand or submit a speaker slip now.
All right.
With that, please introduce yourselves for the record.
And let us know how much time you need.
Thank you.
Good morning.
Today we're here to present proposed fiscal year 2027 recreation center fund.
Budget, as well as the opportunity fund budget and an overview of the 2025
Complete outside report.
The department has 62 recreation center funds.
One for each recreation center.
In addition to one for the therapeutic recreation.
Services program and our age well services program.
We also established an opportunity fund in 2022 through council policy 748.
Recreation center fund.
Our special revenue funds, they're designated to enhance program offerings across the communities, as well as community events and minor maintenance projects.
They supplement basic recreation services offered through the general fund. They are developed each year in the fall by department site supervisors with input from community recreation groups,
or in the absence of a community recreation group. They seek input from the public attending their facilities through programs passing by or through community events.
The proposed fiscal year 2027 budget has a range varying from 23,000 up to a high up just under 1 million with our average at 154,000 dollars.
These variations occur based on the amount of activity occurring at a recreation center, the size and amount of space they have available to permit and or program, as well as the number of parks and facilities in the community in which they are permitting.
Budget revenue generates from program registration fees either through cost recoverable contract services or through minor fees charge for staff led programs in addition to the permit fees that I mentioned earlier.
In addition, they receive contributions through the opportunity fund on an annual basis and may do fundraising through community events.
Expenses go directly towards recreation programming as I mentioned contract service providers, jerseys, trophies, equipment supplies, mat, etc., special events they go towards vendors, supplies, equipment, and again those minor maintenance projects such as gym floor resurfacing field maintenance renovation, etc.
This year we are anticipating having an ending balance in fiscal year 26 of just over $9.7 million.
We project revenue in fiscal year 27 of just over $5.4 million this year we did identify $555,000 in opportunity funds to allocate, which is a 38% increase from last year and we are proposing to expend just over $9.5 million collectively across all recreation center funds.
This slide shows a glimpse of how recreation center funds have bounced back from the pandemic you'll see on the far left that was our pandemic year in which we didn't spend or generate much funding.
And we are currently at a point where we have exceeded our pre-pendemic revenue and expenditure thresholds.
The opportunity fund allocation process that as I mentioned earlier the fiscal year 2027 available funds for allocations $555,000.
That's a 38% increase from FY26 and is a direct result of the fee increases that took place in April of 2025.
In addition to the donations from the Carmel Valley Recreation Center fund of $25,000 in the Canyonside Recreation Center fund of $10,000.
The opportunity fund as I mentioned is governed through Council Policy 748 each year the Department nominates six department staff to form a committee and this year we added our San Diego Parks Foundation co-chair to participate in this process.
They review the policy, the budgets, the proposals, the methodology, historical recommendations from the council and they analyze through a scoring matrix.
A scoring system based on the available funds of each Recreation Center.
The proposed budgets, the proximity of that Recreation Center to a community of concern whether it being directly in a community of concern or servicing a community of concern.
And if there is an aquatic facility in the area that also shares within those Recreation Center funds.
In addition per recommendation from Council District 9 we also require that Recreation Center funds requesting a fund from an allocation from the opportunity fund.
Spend their budget down about down to $5,000 because that allows for the opportunity fund to spread to more facilities and or provide a larger budget.
This year the opportunity fund committee was able to identify 14 sites eligible for allocation with a target of providing each of them a budget of $85,000.
This is an increase from last year where you'll see we were able to allocate 11 sites a budget of $65,000.
And the year prior 10 sites a budget of $50,000 and our inaugural year six sites received $84,000.
So in total since the opportunity fund was established 15 sites that would be including this upcoming fiscal year will have benefited from the opportunity funds receiving over $1.7 million.
I will add the department has taken a multi-prong approach to establishing funding sources for sites in underserved communities.
Whether that be through the opportunity fund through grants and through our philanthropic partners.
And Solomon will talk more to that shortly on the complete outside funding that helps support programs across the city.
Here are the 14 sites that are proposed to receive opportunity funding.
Azalea Stockton, Caesar Solis, Penethletic, Willie Henderson, Kalina Del Sol, Park Day La Cruz, Skyline Hills, Mountain View, Bay Terraces, Choice Lake, City Heights, Southwest and in Canto.
This slide will show you their opportunity fund score, the higher their score, the higher their financial need.
And again, those other factors, whether they are residing in a community of concern and if they have an aquatic facility, those also boost points.
And you'll see that budget baseline of $85,000.
There are some sites here that are anticipated to receive HUD funding this fiscal year.
The committee still felt that it was important to continue providing these opportunity fund allocations to those sites in the event that the HUD funding is pulled for any reason.
And with that, these are the actions that we are requesting of the council this year.
And I will hand it over to Solomon to go over the complete outside report and then we'll take any questions you may have.
Thank you.
So this year I'm just going over a quick summary of the complete outside program that we offered in 2025 in our accomplishments.
The program began as a part of the mayor of Tol, Mayor Todd Gloria Summer for all of us initiative.
This program targets a youth and historically understood communities and aims to provide equitable access to a variety of recreation activities and events for all to attend.
Since the inception of the program we're proud to announce that we've reached over 208,000 youth adults and seniors.
Over the past five years, a programming participation in funding has fluctuated as seen on the table below.
And that's just due to the changes in programming that's being offered or the funding available year after year to be able to have those programs.
This year we had less level up camps and less deep sea fishing trips, which resulted in lower participation.
But overall we did sitting in increase in funding from contributors in 2025 programming and our goal every year is to increase participation in funding as much as possible.
I'll just ask for an additional three minutes.
Thank you.
The complete outside program and events are supported through a combination of city funding grants and donations.
We appreciate all funders that help support this program including the San Diego Parks Foundation.
The county of San Diego, feeding San Diego, San Diego Foundation, our own local San Diego PD, prevent drowning foundation and the CEK Foundation.
In 2025, more than 2.1 million in contributions were utilized to support the complete outside programs and this was across all of our historically underserved communities.
Since the inception the department has received over 9.5 million in total contributions.
The next slides here will just go over a brief summary of what those programs look like and the attendance participation.
So far we've expanded the programs in 2025 to 36 recreation centers and four aquatic facilities during the months of May through September, which are peak summer months.
With the target investment in council districts for eight and nine but we did expand to council districts three and seven as well.
The primary focus for the programming was based on documented gaps in access to recreational enrichment opportunities and our staff actually works alongside the site supervisors to determine where the need is to enhance their programs as needed.
So overall we've reached over 54,476 participants through 1,418 programs that were offered total.
So here you'll see and I won't go over all of these but you'll just see an overview of all the programs that were offered so kudos to all our staff that work a day in and day out over the summer to put on these programs.
But you'll see high level this this is over the last five years the attendance of participation numbers for our day camps our specialty camps nature camps T nights and left to write you'll see the numbers from 2021 to 2021 to 2025 and how the program has grown.
As mentioned we see some of the fluctuation in the amount of specialty camps specialty camps are these are the gymnastics the karate the stem the drone programs that you'll see that are being offered out in your communities.
And we saw a reduction in the level out camps which dropped the participation nature camps are offered by the staff they they this program rotates around year after year to different communities.
To be able to offer every community the opportunity for nature camps based programming and field trips.
The T night programs are always really great thanks to the staff they work diligently to coordinate all of the activities for youth ages 13 to 17 overall really great program and partnership with the San Diego PD or free food is offered activities, games sports and field trips and we were able to increase numbers in our team participation from.
So 3,500 last year to a little over 4,200 this year.
In addition you'll see our parks after dark program that just kicked off this summer as well.
Again another very successful program that we are offering at five locations this is every Thursday Friday and Saturday from 5 to 8 total of 99 events that were offered last year with 3 over 36,000 participants.
We did go from eight weeks to seven weeks only because we had to adopt the program with the school schedule that got out earlier and did later.
But overall a very great successful event if you haven't been out we encourage you to come out 3 meals for the kids community resources and all kinds of youth activities and entertainment as well.
We saw an increase in aquatic programs with our free learn to swim program and free swimming that was offered at a park after dark locations which is City Heights Memorial.
We have our beloved movie and the parks events that also kicked off this summer with a lot of great events that are being enhanced by the San Diego Parks Foundation as well.
So we appreciate their contributions and all the way did say that we did see a reduction in deep sea fishing trips.
We did identify other funding to bring back those programs this year as well.
With that said that's just a brief overview we invite you to read the full report to see all the great details of the programs that we've offered.
But our commitment to provide equal access to enjoyable fulfillment recreation opportunities for our residents will continue our efforts include expanding programming opportunities and types of programs.
Reassessing community needs through feedback seeking additional funding resources and grants.
Our community recreation needs assessment should be coming out in the next month or two and we'll take the recommendations and the results from that assessment and be able to put those into action moving forward in this next year.
Including how to allocate those funding's moving forward.
So with that that's the end of my presentation and we open it up to any questions that you may have. Thank you.
All right. Thank you for the presentation.
Clerk please proceed with public comment.
I do not see any speaker slips here and council chambers.
Do you want to come to the microphone?
I think it was in the consent.
Yeah. Another paper because it was in.
We'll get it from you.
Well, we'll get it. We need another one since it was pulled from consent.
Yeah. I'm going to put this in it.
So I'd like to know because there's these camps and children are, you know, engaging in different things here.
I would like to know what you guys are doing to ensure that you're not hiring pedophiles because not all pedophiles are labeled as sex offenders at this point.
Because they have not been convicted and they walk around in suits and look like everyday people.
And they go where children are.
And so I mean in schools or hiring instructional aids down in San Yesedro and hiring that from the parents and there's children.
It's like happening during nap time and because it's being hidden.
There's children who are scared to take naps, but yet there's no other victims.
So I just would like to know what checks and balances you guys are doing to make sure that you're not putting children in danger. Again, I was at a daycare.
And it was the woman's son.
That doesn't fit public comment here in council chambers, but I was participating remotely.
Blair Beekman, you'll have one minute to speak to item S501.
Hi. Thank you. Blair Beekman.
Thanks for the words at DRA. She's described her life a lot recently.
I'll be beside him. So thank you for those efforts and what we can be doing to address the issues she's talking about.
For this item, I am interested.
It was originally a committee a few weeks ago.
It's now here within this past month, I guess.
It's now here. I'm interested in the REC Center portion and the funding ideas.
I've talked a lot about, you know, I think there's been some really heavy conversations going about on about the future of biometric tech in REC centers, but it's been a quiet conversation.
How is that conversation going?
And I just wanted to remind it, does that be a part of these funding questions?
And how can we be more clear that we can talk openly about biometric tech and it shouldn't
be a fearful subject? It's a matter of fact part of our everyday lives now. We have to be
more open and clear. Good luck how you can can be. Thank you. Thank you. Your time and
that concludes public comment on this item. All right. Thank you, City Clerk. So with that, we'll
turn it back to our council colleagues, for questions, comments, and entertain a motion. And we
will start with council member Morano. Thank you. And thank you for the presentation. I want to
start off by saying that park and wreck is one of my most favorite departments. And also by saying
that we very much associate with the park and wreck in all their activities. We were just at parks after
dark on Friday. We got there an hour late. And my daughter didn't get to get a what is
it called a risk band because they were all out, which she was sad, but this is exactly what we want,
right kids engaged and climbing walls so kudos to that. Can you quickly explain what the
opportunity fund is and why it was created? Yes, thank you for the question. The opportunity
fund is a special revenue fund that collects revenue via permit fees and it was created to help expand
equitable programming and access in our underserved communities. Thank you. And how does the money get allocated?
Excuse me, each year the department nominates a committee of department staff, they're nominated
via their division deputy directors. This year we had six departments staff comprising of various
analysts through the department, an area manager, district manager, park ranger. And we also invited
our San Diego Parks Foundation co-chair to join the process this year. Got you. So this was the director
of the deputy director who got to choose the opportunity fund committee. The deputy directors
nominated staff from their division. And who ultimately chose somebody was nominated. So who chose
the nominees? The deputy directors and ultimately our program equity manager approved the slate. Okay,
I'm very disappointed to see that in the list of 15 parks and rec centers that are to receive
opportunity funds only Caesar Solis and Southcrest Park and district date are receiving funds this year.
In district nine five parks are receiving a total of 243,000 this fiscal year last year for parks and
in d nine received 160. In district four seven parks were allocated a total of 242,000 last year
they received about $157,000. How much opportunity funds did district date receive this year?
Sorry.
55,000 for Caesar Solis and 13,929 for Southcrest. I'll do the math right here. 55,000 for Caesar Solis and
how much? 55,814 and 13,929. I'll put 13,000 since I didn't get that. So roughly around 70 something
thousand dollars. Does that sound equitable to you when district date received about 75,000 dollars
compared to the 250,000 that d nine and d four receive this year? And let me point to you that last year
district date only received $49,000 in opportunity funds while d nine received 160 and d four received
157. So I ask you again does that sound equitable to you? Yeah I appreciate your concern and bringing
that to our attention. The committee focuses on the scoring matrix and again sites that have higher revenue
fund balances. I'm sorry. Recreation center fund balances have more funding available to put
towards programming. So when they set a baseline of $85,000 as a budget for a recreation center fund,
those were the sites that had a fund balance less than $84,85,000. Excuse me. So per say it was not
a council district focused decision. It was based on the available funding they had. Got you. All of these
are communities of concern that we're talking about and they're not being treated equitable.
And that's why I'm bringing this up. It's not fair that my communities continue to be left
behind yet again when there are programs such as the opportunity fund to help get equity back a park
and wreck. So you're saying that the reason that district date did not receive funds is because
it's fund balance in each park and wreck was not expended. Why are these parks in district date not
spending their funding? Yeah that's a great question. As I mentioned earlier we have multiple funding
sources that are supporting the expansion of equitable programming across our underserved communities.
And that includes the 2.1 million we just discussed and come play outside funding which about 1.8 million
came from the San Diego Parks Foundation. And so we've seen a growth in our fund balances across a
lot of the underserved communities because the San Diego Parks Foundation has began to contribute
and pour so much funding into supporting a lot of the primary programming that's going on at these
facilities. So because parks after dark was at silver wing they did not receive funding. That's what
you're telling me. They do have grant funding source as well as funding from the San Diego Parks
Foundation that help support their programs such as their day camps, their nature camps as well as their
enhanced programs and services that are being offered as well. I also heard you said say that there's
fund balances that are not being expended which to me was absolutely shocking. That was extremely shocking.
Montgomery Waller also known as Lucky Waller has been requesting a score board for their base
ball field. Lucky Waller has a very long history. It was the first baseball league in the South Bay.
They contacted my office and there's an invoice of $34,000 that they sent to me regarding their score board.
Montgomery Waller has a total of $320,000. And once again I asked why was this funding not
expended? Memorial Park, the San Diego American Memorial Little League can't play baseball because
their field isn't leveled and bleachers and dugouts don't have covers and yet I'm being told that
they're not these park and wrecks are not expending their funds. So that to me is just mind-boggling.
I hear you when you say that there are other funds that are being received in these park and
wreck facilities but I don't think that should be a deterrent for spending opportunity funds in this
community, in my community for instance. Oftentimes we have been left behind for many years and many
administrations and it's going to take a lot. It's going to take more funding and it's going to take more
focus and more money and I've shared with my colleagues that it's going to take more money for us to get
back on the same track to have programming as other communities, as other park and wreck communities.
Did you guys know about the little league Montgomery Waller requesting a score board at the tune of $34,000
and with a $300,000 budget, why was that not spent out? I unfortunately just learned of that in the
recent weeks and we prepared these budgets several months ago so this is definitely something we can
consider for use the Montgomery Waller funds to support that score board. I just think that the way
the process, the way that this is being handled is not equitable. I haven't gotten a good explanation
as to why opportunity funds are being expanded at such a, I can't do math as fast as I could speak
and the percentage that district data is receiving in opportunity funds is just I would be doing
a disservice to my constituents if I didn't stand up and say I'm not going to vote for this. This is
absolutely not equitable. This is not what the intention was for these opportunity funds and I would
call the question the committee that is being formed and how they're choosing. Oftentimes I understand
this is the process but I will tell you on the record this process is absolutely flawed especially
when a council member knows more about what the community what the park and wreck needs than what the
director needs. That to me is just it's shocking. My residents would greatly appreciate
further funding allocations to their park and wrecks and district aid. So residents of my community
are able to enjoy more quality programming in parks near their neighborhoods. We don't want to drive
past the 94. We don't we don't to go and have a movie you know to go have any type of programming
to have oil painting or whatever the case is. I strongly disagree with the decision that has been presented
because district aid deserves way more than what the city of San Diego is giving it with the
opportunity funds and I would urge my colleagues to send this back to staff and to fix this so it's a
more equitable. It's more equitable the district aid. So thank you.
Councilmemberina before you wrap your comments and you feel on the line you might want to hear his comments
have done a response. Thank you council president and thank you councilmemberino for your very
important comments. Yes our department is aware of the issues that you've described both at Memorial
and at Lucky Waller. We've been working with the memorial little league in fact on that very scoreboard.
The main problem with the scoreboard is that the scoreboard itself lacks a ability to use your cell phone
to activate it. So one of the things working with the little league on is how we can get that corrected.
We don't know if it's a full on replacement of the entire scoreboard but we're in the process
of determining that now and that's where we think some of the fun balance that's available with Memorial
will be very helpful to achieve that replacement. So we are actively working on that as well.
At Lucky Waller we understand those concerns and what a significant piece of the action there is
is that we need to actually establish some capital projects to address various issues with the existing
lighting system as well as addressing the area around the recreation center including the play areas.
So we are aware of those issues too. The recreation center funds are continuing to be an area of resource
for us to address these long needed repairs. You're absolutely right about that and you have our commitment
that we can to spend those monies down so that we can be very much more in line with the methodology.
Now a question was raised earlier about who serves on the committee and what the committee
methodology is. The methodology is truly based on how much money is available to spend in each of the
different communities that are historically underserved. It just happens that there's been more money that's been
accumulated in the district date locations when compared to the others. But that's also part of a long-term
trajectory to push the opportunity fund into all of the areas and get all of them up to where they can
actually achieve some of the very outcomes that you're seeking to achieve here. So please know that we're
all in as far as trying to address this and to fix this as best we can and you have our apologies on any miscommunication
or misunderstanding. We are as Ms. Rosso mentioned in a transitionary period,
Ms. Rosso will be assuming the leadership role for the southern parks of San Diego in the near future
and that's as a result of some of the budgetary changes that are being implemented currently.
But we would love to be with your office and have further discussions together, solve these many
problems that have been outlined today. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that and I just I just want to
close by saying I heard a few things here. I heard that my community is not receiving
opportunity funds this year because one we don't have, they get too much non-profit funding.
And the second one that I heard was we haven't formulated, I don't want to call it a capital improvement project,
but we haven't formulated a needs assessment and that's why you guys did it know that Montgomery Waller
needs a scoreboard and it hasn't worked for years yet they're sitting on $300,000. So this is staff not
being prepared to spend all the funding that a park and rec has. Once again my issue with this is
my community is very much in need. We very much need programming at our park and recs that is why
I fight tooth and nail every single year to make sure that we get the funding.
This is not equitable and the way that you guys are scoring these park and recs is not equitable either.
So like I said I would request and I would ask my colleagues to please send this back and find a
that it would be fine if it was one.
One year. It's one year. We messed up. That's fine. But this is two years now that district date has been left behind
and I'm not going to stand for it. So that concludes my comments. Thank you.
All right. Thank you, Kieltsamar Marino. Between Andy and Kota, June is typically budget. We do a lot of budgets.
How do we address the concern? I don't see anybody else jumping in a light, so I think there's some level of support here.
I think looking forward, we can absolutely go back to the committee that selects the opportunity fund allocations to maybe incorporate more council feedback and take it.
Maybe outside of just the department. I applaud the parks and department for bringing in an external philanthropic partner to help score.
But I think a council perspective would also be helpful.
These are the dollars that fund much of the summer programming and all resellers in all of your districts.
And so we do need to move ahead with some action before the end of this fiscal year. So we have maybe two weeks left.
I do caution against going back to the committee to reallocate the funds.
Because I don't think that process would be able to be done in time prior to July 1 when these funds would be necessary.
And council member, I completely understand your concern here and I realize that the dollar amount proposed in this current allocation is far less than what D4 and D9 and last year as well.
You are going into the FY27 with $1.2 million in total funds, which is more than both D4 and D9 hence I think the lower allocation.
Yeah, because staff didn't spend it.
Yeah, how do I look at a D8 residents? How do I look at a kid at at the Montgomery at the memorial and tell them, you can't play baseball because staff didn't spend the money.
You just said we have $1.2 million.
I hope the little leagues are listening to this and I hope all the news is listening to this as well.
This is really, really, really making me angry. There's no justification to this.
All right, council member.
Is 100% of the opportunity fund allocated?
The projected amount, yes.
Well, I see council member Ello Rivera on the lights and see what thoughts you might have.
Yeah, I think there's a, I get similarly frustrated when we don't get money at the door in the kingdom.
We have this conversation all the time.
If we create equity policies and then those policies on paper don't result in equity on the ground, it makes us look like,
it's just full of it.
And when we start talking to communities about, they're talking about not having programs for their kids.
And when we start talking about the very cool policy that we passed, they look at us on a different planet.
And that's because kind of our, they care about what's happening in their communities, not about the paper that we're pushing around on the dias.
So there's a policy part of this conversation and there's an operations part of this conversation.
We're not going to change the policy here on the fly.
The quickest lever to pull is on the operation side.
And I guess what I'm trying to understand is hearing council member Ello's frustration with knowing that there's funds on sitting in an account.
And that being the reason for the lack of investment or at least part of the reason for lack of investment that would come via the opportunity fund.
The most important thing to do in this moment it would seem is to get the money out in a way that provides the intended benefits to the community.
So I don't, I'm trying to be careful here because it's district eight that we're talking about because it's the primary impact of community.
But again, we've had moments where in district nine.
Similar situations that is incredibly frustrating.
So I don't know if you have thoughts on how to speak to the immediate frustration that I'm hearing, which is.
Getting the money out the door.
So the community can feel that benefit.
Yeah, let's get the dollars out the door.
Council member.
And so I think the task for parking rack is to figure out what our work plan is to get these dollars out quickly.
So we don't run up in the same situation next year where you don't get the opportunity funds because you have too much fund balance.
So it looks great on paper that you're walking into FY28 next year with a high fund balance.
But what does that actually mean for your residents?
And so I think the task for parking rack may be prior to the start of the fiscal year is what the financing of work plan is for each of the wreck owners.
I think you have seven or eight in your in your district on how to spend those dollars down and what the programming.
And activities look like for so you can communicate them out to your residents.
So pen to paper get the dollars out the door.
But to sorry, it's one more one more question on that front.
There's a communication piece to this as well whether it's whatever district is is benefiting from opportunity fund resources.
If if they're not getting out for one reason or another, we need to know that because it allows us the opportunity to work with you to say.
Here are a whole I would imagine that if you asked any of us on the diets ways to get dollars out the door.
For opportunity fund eligible expenses we could come up with a long list very quickly.
Too long of a list very quickly.
But we can't do that if we don't know that that's that's happening and so that communication piece is just incredibly important.
So I will ask it in the future.
If this issue is arising.
Much sooner rather than later because the last thing it should be doing is impacting scoring in the next year because to count from what I was point that does start.
It's like pushes an inequitable domino forward and that producing inequitable results in the ground for a program that was designed to do the exact opposite.
Thank you council president.
All right. Thank you sir. We'll go back to councilmember marino.
Thank you. I would I would ask staff to go back with this opportunity fund and find a more equitable way to disperse the funding that is a request I'm making.
And it was brought to my attention as we were doing the proclamations by the Cooper family that staff at memorial is not allowing them to hook up to water and or and electricity for a free bubble machine.
We got 1.2 million dollars sitting in DA coffers that it's just it's just the math is not mapping and so that would be my request is I think we have one more what next week's meeting and that this we brought back and that the committee find a way their city staff right and they work for you.
I think it could play the ask them to come together and find a more equitable way to disperse the opportunity funds. Thank you.
Thank you councilmember marino go back now go to councilmember foster.
Yes, thank you council president and I do appreciate my colleagues comments and concerns.
I also do understand fund balance and continuing to to receive funds where we are not.
Deploying set funds and so I think what would really be I think the main cause of the heartburn is.
Why are we not expanding funds and having an acceptable response to that because the purpose of establishing this opportunity fund was to make sure communities were.
I think we will be able to program and have the resources and utilize the facilities for their needs and so I think number one we need to make sure that we answer that question.
What is the plan moving forward how are we going to expand those funds and how we are going to have the appropriate timeline associated with that and I think that's.
The heart of what she is indicating because if we're just want to leave fund balance if we're just going to leave fund balances no one will get the benefit of and the intent of what the opportunity.
Fund is so I think I would request that as we move forward and just even as we appreciate what comes back or potentially what could come back.
I think we need to put this in as part of our budget monetary process and highlight this specifically because even with district four we have a big uncertainty on HUD funding.
And as I say hey we don't even know if we may get it it may get pulled x, y and z so I think this uncertainty and again I'll go back to the federal level that is creating a lot of the.
Concern and issues that we are falling into and so I think if we can put this into our monitoring process and highlight this to make sure that we are truly meeting the intent.
I would also ask the IBA I think the IBA should kind of use the if we can utilize the.
Department of Race and equity to further dive into this to look at.
The the concerns that were brought up in regards to the the the panel the selections.
What's on the table is we are looking at and and having these discussions and looking to.
The IBA is a.
I think accordingly I think if we can utilize the office of the IBA as well to be a part of this and to work with city staff I think we will.
Hopefully see some progress and be in a position to move things forward.
My concern of course would be just as my colleagues concern is we have the dollars allocated we went through our budget discussions but making sure that we get these.
I think that's the.
I think that's my.
My desire I don't mind.
You know if we are going to.
Bring this back next week council president I think that would be.
Your call is you you do run the docket.
But I think the main question that needs to be answered is how are you going to deploy.
I don't know if the fund balance that has been sitting and I don't know I'm assuming has been sitting for.
Right, which I which I would agree that is very very difficult to take.
If we are not moving those funds and if there are issues just even.
Convane conveying the the issues to to the offices of that folks are informed.
They can try to help find a resolution and know how to communicate with constituents right those are very well why is it.
Why is it the council members obligation to go out and explain to constituents where she's she has no sign in authority on the.
The fund balance she truly hasn't she can't put a contract in place she can't there's so much as she cannot do.
But yet she needs to go out and explain to her constituents why this has been sitting for two years or whatever that case may be so.
Just think we need to do one of those things we need to clean up.
Operations and make sure we are moving forward and meeting the intent of what the opportunity fund is.
Charles do you want to.
Before I go to the program.
To council member foster is question correct me if I'm wrong.
The opportunity fund is a zero sum.
There's extra number of dollars and you're going to figure out how to allocate them.
So for district eight to get more funding district four and nine will have to give up some.
So if there is going to be a motion to ask for a reallocation.
I want that from the council members.
I want equity I want equity on the opportunity funds of twenty twenty seven.
That's what I'm asking.
I'm just I figure how we get there.
So districts four and nine would have to give up some money to get a bigger allocation for district eight.
So to bring it back for that purpose.
I would need to hear from the two of you because you're the two of that are going to be affected by that.
I hate to ask that question but it is a zero.
So that's how we have to puzzle it out.
I'm sorry council president but.
If I may.
That sounds like hunger games.
That sounds like you're putting us all in a position to.
Have a conversation amongst ourselves where.
Awesome we put I don't have a fund balance at that is that significant.
And so I think city staff needs to come back and determine how they are going to.
Be more efficient and resolve the outstanding issues and to take care of.
Expending.
The dollars.
I don't I'm not in a in a position to say hey I'm going to give something up where.
I didn't create this situation.
And clearly there's dollars that need to be deployed.
Sounds like an operational.
Concern.
And our knowledge was an awful thing for me to ask.
But I'm thinking about what can be done in a week.
That's right.
And if I might be.
Yes, there's some larger questions that I'll speak to and perhaps the program will speak to.
But yes, go to go.
We we need this done by July one for the start of the new fiscal year.
We can target maybe June 29th or June 30th by us a little bit more time to meet both the council members.
Concerns and then understanding that yes it is zero sun.
And so I think spending more time with the other offices that may be impacted.
But trying to maybe buy us another week to put together a more holistic package.
I'm so hopefully targeting the end of the month rather than next week.
I think is.
The better path is possible. Okay, and I think what we saw during the budget and my apologies for the
program, but some of the creative thinking in terms of legal interpretations about funding,
where we can get funding, that may make the conversation a little bit easier. I do not know if there
is any opportunity there, but for everybody, but you're thinking cap saw and it looks things a little
bit differently. I'll have more comments, but let me go to council president, pro-tamely. Thank you
for your patience. Thank you, Councillor President. I actually thank you, Councillor Morener,
for bringing this topic off of consent to have this discussion, because I think it's easy for us
to see these comments go each year without actually looking into the specifics. And to council
Murr Foster's point, I understand that I think everyone gets this as a zero-sum game, so at the end of the day,
there's only a limited number of funds that are allocated into opportunity funds. But I think the
feedback that's coming back isn't who needs to give up what? It's that if the calculation's
based off of something that's off to begin with, then the problem is only what it is because it's
now been identified. If it was calculated differently, no one would be losing money, just would have
been calculated differently. I think that's all I think the discussion needs to be at this point is
is some kind of understanding that fund balances just because they've been sitting there on
spent, shouldn't count against the community. If there's a reason why this funds should be spent.
And I don't know what the solution to that is. I will note that when you look at the rexenter funds
across the chart, and you look at the ones based on the lowest amount of revenue that's collected
from recreational programming, that sort of matches up pretty heavily with the list of
rexeners that receive rexenter opportunity fund funding as well. There's got to be some way to
correlate that and not just base that off of balances if that would make some sense.
Another thing I would note is that this is an interesting conversation because they think it
each of our communities, especially in parks surrounding rexeners. Some of the older ones often have
playground equipment and other things that are falling apart and we're often scrounging for a
couple of thousand dollars here or there to fix a couple of things. And then yes, it is very difficult to
go look at a chart like this and find that there's tens of thousands of not hundreds of thousands of dollars
sitting in a fund that isn't utilized. The spark and entire memory of mine, I was at the
Little League closing day in Mermesa where they literally have the cities get it done.
Link on a QR code at their snack shop to remind every person buying something to report that
a set of shale saids, shades have been out of commission for the better part of the entire season,
and they get everyone to submit requests thinking that's going to be taken care of.
And those are the kinds of things where I think we're usually trying to find funding elsewhere to resolve.
So for me, beyond this discussion, I think there's an opportunity to think about how we
approach this in the next year. I also would really benefit from understanding how the actual budgets
are determined per rexenner fund and how this budget is being allocated because they're very different.
There are some that have a huge amount in terms of programming funds that exceed the programming revenue
that's being received. And so this year we're actually spending down balances across the entire city
by a couple of million dollars. But I don't imagine that's sustainable. And so I'm trying to understand
what does that mean in a year or two when those balances aren't going to support that level of spending.
Are we heavily subsidizing recreational programs at the moment? And we're going to find ourselves in a
tough spot in two years. That's something that's stuck out to me. There are some rexenner funds that have a huge amount
being allocated towards maintenance. And others had a very little. And again, and some that have a huge amount
for contingency or other expenses. I think those kinds of details actually would help us in individual
rexenners because again we get these requests from community members. And sometimes they're simple little things.
And I think we need to be able to understand where to point them towards in terms of opportunities to
get things fixed in the city. We've all talked about how wonderful it is to build new parks and playgrounds
that we're not, but there's a lot in this city and a lot in each of our districts that
is in disrepair that needs to be taken care of. And that's where we're seeing funding,
sitting around does certainly hurt. So that was my two cents. Thank you, council president.
All right. Thank you. We'll go back to council member here over there. All right. Thank you,
council president. So one of the things that we did during this past this, I guess, current fiscal year,
that was meant to grow the pie for opportunity fund was require that the leaseholders of the
Polo fields pay a $100,000 to be used specifically for opportunity funds. That, as I understand,
it is not included in the allocations for this year that payments supposed to come in January.
That's correct. Is there a reason why we wouldn't be able to apply and all look to the IBA on this,
don't want to be a responsible here. But if we know we're getting $100,000 in January,
why we wouldn't be able to bank on that and use that so that we're not battling each other for
wreck centers. I mean, I'm thinking, stocked in wreck centers when it comes to mind for me.
And that one is this really benefited from this.
Senior Services Financial Literacy, Zumba Classes, Youth Programme, and this is in a community that
that wreck center was starved for resources to the point of, you know, like really kind of like
barely having a pulse. Opportunity fund has revived the wreck center and the community is it is one
of the few places where they can be where they can feel safe and enriched. They've gone on hikes together.
It's a beautiful, beautiful thing. And the idea that we're going to be pulling funds from one program that
doesn't like that to ensure that other kids in this city have access to the resources they should have.
If there's any way to avoid that, I'd like to do that, especially if we know that there's money coming in during the next fiscal year.
In response to your question, Council Member, in general, if there's a reasonable expectation that dollar
will be coming in the door, it's fine and appropriate to budget those. As you are preparing your final budget,
which you already have, which is essentially allocates dollars towards, that may or may not
kind of allow for cash flow needs, but those would be a specific kind of departmental questions on when
dollars would be out the door and if I understand that the issue is the dollars are not going out the door fast enough right now.
So I would want any specific allocation to be informed by the department and the council officer's expectation
of what the needs are, but if you have a reasonable expectation that dollars will be coming in, I'll begin with them at this point makes sense.
Yeah, so I guess what I would say is this, because I think this is where Council President Frotem was going.
What would the math look like? What does the scoring look like? If the dollars have got out the door, like I think we all agree that they should.
And then, once we answer that question, or either way, if there's resources that we know are dependable,
I was really glad when that happened. That was, I think, a really good example of again of leaning into the things that San Diego
takes a lot of pride in, but don't necessarily benefit everyone across the city and making it work for the folks who
often are left behind. So if that's, if we can figure out problem one first, which is how are these dollars
going to get out the door, then we can then make sure that with the any reassessment of scoring that would
bake in those dollars being out the door, that there's resources there to support it to districts that have
objectively been funded in an equitable way in the past. Don't, again, and up in a situation where we're battling each other for those funds.
Thank you. That is great point that we do have the funding coming in January. I will caution each year we budget the opportunity fund based on the dollars we've collected in the year prior.
And so if we utilize the $100,000 in FY27, that will be the $100,000 last we'll have for FY28.
Granted, we haven't utilized that funding yet, but I just want to make sure that that's clear.
But we could certainly look to utilizing all or part of that funding as part of reanalyzing the FY27 opportunity fund allocation.
And I do want to state that, as Andy mentioned earlier, with the merge of the community parts two division and the citywide
recreation services division, there'll be more oversight and connectivity as an awareness of what's going on across both of those divisions.
Now that they'll become one and there will be more oversight in the expenditure of the recreation center funds. I will add that in the spring of this past year we established a team that is
working directly with each of the center directors across the department for this exact reason as to ensure that they are looking at their budgets.
They're spending their budgets. They're expanding their programming based on community feedback and this was also an anticipation of the community recreation needs assessment that we will be receiving the summer.
We want to be as prepared as we can be to ensure that our very green recreation center directors are ready to launch programming based on what that community feedback was.
And so you do have my commitment that we will be monitoring closely expenditures of these funds so that they are going to the purpose that they're intended to serve in that is programming for the community.
Thank you. So maybe we need a motion, right? Before we deal, we're going to take a two minute pause.
I like to avoid surprising people. Give it a go, council number, you'll over there.
All right. So I'm going to do my best here on the fly.
Raise yourselves.
We can just return this to staff. But I want to be specific about what we're asking for to come back. I think that's the part because it needs to come back.
I think the thing that we want is a plan for how fund balances will be spent, a assessment of the scoring if the fund balances
were to have been spent down in the way that we agree they should have been. And then I think we should be tapping into those polo fields funds.
I understand that it's different than the way that the other funds have flowed into into the opportunity fund, but we're far from, we're far from overflowing the coffers of our rec centers.
So I think if we have those things in place, when the item comes back, we'll be in a place where we can get to the resolution that I think we all want.
Does that work as a motion for you, council president?
So I think that's direction to staff and my suggestion is we just return this to staff.
And we'll re-docket it probably on June 29th. I want to make sure the council number marina could attend that.
But you have sufficient direction. Others may have others. But again, there's a two-week window to actually get something that can be approved.
And maybe not totally fix. I think there's a larger conversation. I'll have some additional thoughts as well.
But I think you have enough direction of what council marina is not in your head as well.
All right. So we're not actually having a motion on the table. We'll just return it to staff.
Can I get a verbal commitment then? Yes, council member, you have our commitment.
Okay. And then Charles Dune, do we, is there anything else that would accompany the use of those funds that would need to be
docited adjacent to this item in order to pull the levers necessary to make that possible?
I don't believe so. If there is, we'll certainly work with the administration and staff to make sure.
No, I don't think council president to make sure it ends up being docited. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. All right. Thank you. So we'll go to council member Whitburn.
Thank you, council president. It's certainly happy to go in this direction. However, districts eight, nine, four, one, a handle it.
I would say, you know, understanding that there's a broader concern around
getting the expenditures out the door and perhaps taking a look at how things are scored.
If we do run into a challenge getting something across the finish line, I don't see the district eight
is going to go through, you know, a million plus dollars right away.
More power to you if you do. But getting to, getting to my point, I would, I would be supportive,
somewhere along the way, just allocating $100,000 in general fund to make up the gap from what you
otherwise would have been allocated ahead. What's that? Okay. Well, all right, so maybe there's
a whole other issue there. But I mean, we could, you know, do some allocation for the general fund to
make up the equity gap there if we read it, at least I would be supportive of that. So yeah.
All right. Thank you, council member. Go back to council president. I'm pro-demally.
Again, two full questions. Just ask one is that in the final budget action that the council took,
there were restorations, of course, to a number of rec centers. Is that,
do that impact any of the budgets that ultimately are seen?
And here, presumably the 20 hours in addition at number of vacciners would adjust the programming availability
and expectations for revenue and expenditures. I just to note to the positive for the negative.
Yes, thank you for the question. We do have some of the sites that are receiving reduced hours that we are
currently working with our department director on on how we can potentially utilize these funds if it all
within Proposition 26 to support the operations of those locations. But, oh yeah, I don't mean that.
In particular, I know that idea was brought up and I, for one, am not a huge fan of utilizing the existing funding,
I mean, some vacciner's crisis, they don't have fund balances to utilize for hours.
Others might be utilizing it for programming in other ways, et cetera. So yeah, I don't think that was the goal, but in the final budget,
we did restore hours at a number of vacciners. And so I assume that changes the budget assumptions,
because these were put together prior to the final budget being adopted. And so I think that's the question is,
how does that change some of these numbers happening in the day, given they're already a little bit out of date,
I assume, because we already adjusted the hours at, I believe it was like nine vacciner's capacity.
Yeah, if there's sites with reduced hours, they won't be generating the revenue,
if they don't have the additional programming taking place, because of the reduced hours,
which means they won't have those expenditures going out associated with those programs.
So were these, were these budgets built off of the proposed budget with reduced hours?
No, these budgets were built prior to the general fund budget season.
And Council President Prochem, if I may jump in just real quick, when it comes to the recreation center fund and the opportunity fund,
a great deal of that money is derived from permit revenue.
Permit revenue is primarily sourced from the rental of rooms and from the rental of fields.
And honestly, most of the permit revenue that we see is focused on the field rentals.
And so as the field rentals are not affected by recreation center hours of operation,
we do anticipate that the recreation centers will still, or just me, the fields will be able to generate enough revenue
to be able to keep what we think is going to occur in the opportunity fund,
within the same general range that it's been over the last several years.
If we had closures of fields and things like that, then I think we would see a bigger challenge in front of us
with respect to the generation potential of permit revenue.
Thanks.
Got it.
Thank you, Andy.
And then I assume that means what little revenue was being generated by room rentals,
that was definitely impacted by closures.
That final impact is not assumed here.
Okay.
And then my last question is around special event budgets.
Each of these rentals have special events.
Funding budgeted.
Is that largely to support events that the rent center itself is putting on,
or are they ones that they are doing at times in partnership with the community?
And I mentioned this, Andy, if you remember at Stanley,
RECCenter, we had a discussion two years ago,
but an annual October fest event held as a support for local schools,
that ultimately, that was being supported as a sponsored event
through the RECCenter for a number of years,
and then suddenly was not, and they canceled,
because permit fee suddenly went through the roof.
That's where I'm looking to understand how special event budgets fill in the gap there as well.
Don't have to answer all that now,
but I just want to flag it as something that we might follow up on.
Totally happy to have a follow-up discussion with you on that.
Thank you.
All right.
I don't see anybody else in the light,
so I'll be brief in my comment.
This is kind of stuff I love.
A tiny red flag that opens up a conversation that everybody thinks is just kind of a routine business.
And we do this every year, so let's just pass it every year.
I do want to thank the two of you.
I want to thank Andy for jumping in,
and as a quick reminder opportunity fund,
it's just a few years old.
It was built from scratch.
I think some of the things that we're discussed today,
at least to me, shows that maybe it's time to re-look at the opportunity fund.
I took a quick glance at the policy and it's pretty broad and it's scope
when as I compare to 800-14 for our CIPs,
that's incredibly detailed with what the matrix is and what the priorities are.
And I imagine for my colleagues that when they look at what the budget is,
they don't actually know where that money's being spent.
Not that it isn't being allocated or budgeted correctly or appropriately,
but I think it leaves a lot of questions and questions,
lead to more questions and concerns going forward.
So the department might want to think about how to communicate better
of if for a Recreation Center.
This is what the funding is, what that funding is being spent on,
because I suspect somewhere in a deeper spreadsheet
that information is actually sitting there,
whether it's programming or a capital improvement or a maintenance,
and that might answer a lot of questions in advance of an item like this coming forward.
But I do want to recognize that this is something new that we tried.
It was a problem we recognized everybody in the end to create this program.
Can the opportunity fund be expanded as a reward?
Dollars that can be shifted from Recreation Centers in higher opportunity areas?
Our things that I think we ought to be looking at in the year ahead,
not in the next two weeks, but going forward.
So with that, as a reminder, this is being returned to staff.
I anticipate that we'll doctor this on Monday, June 29th,
to hear the feedback from the department that was offered
by Councillor Marraine, I think the other council members as well.
So that we can meet our budgetary deadlines and get this documented.
So July 1st, everybody knows what kind of funding they have available.
So you have a little bit of work ahead of you.
Thank you very much for your ongoing effort.
Thank you, Dakota, for helping us navigate this going forward.
All right.
So that concludes S501.
Are there any mayoral council, city attorney, independent budget analyst,
or city clerk comments?
Not seeing anybody lights.
Thank you for that.
Given the hour, we will take not agenda public comment for those individuals in person,
and we will take remote comments starting at the two o'clock session.
So just the in person, not agenda public comment.
I was respect for people that sat patiently and waited.
And we'll take the remote and virtual call in at 2 p.m.
With that, the council members respect and appreciate the public
input and fully committed to protecting every participants.
Free speech rights at council and committee meetings.
Clerk, please proceed with the in person public comment.
Again, deferring the virtual public comment till the two o'clock session.
Thank you.
Perl 2.7.
Public comments.
Thank you for members that are here in chambers to speak.
As noted, those will be trailed for the virtual.
Joyce and Yada.
Maximilian Schmidt.
And allegedly, Audra, if you can please come forward.
Joy, you'll have two minutes.
Please proceed.
There.
There has been a lot of a good fighting in each chambers lately.
Each agenda item had a purpose and a focus unique to it.
Whether it was budget, cash fees, parking fees, hate crimes and more.
It, in my opinion, something is missing.
Something that brings the beautiful tapestry.
Thank you.
Council member Ello Revere.
Together.
As one.
Yes.
Council president, pro.
Tam Lee.
Words do matter.
So, in my opinion, we need the words of a new vision for San Diego.
A noble vision for the great city we want to become.
This would be the kickstart we need for the boldness we need to unravel and solve what is not working at our city's structural core.
Dear public, you are all of you, all of us at the very top of our city's organization chart.
Let's work together as one to create a noble vision for our beautiful city.
Now, it's been a absolutely beautiful morning.
Thank you everybody and love to all.
Maximilian Schmidt.
In California every year, there are hundreds of suicides and thousands of overdoses.
And I want to open Pandora's box that a lot of them are due to the lie that human beings cannot read another human beings mind.
But there's an underground genocide going on against normal white Christians like myself.
That's been going on since the time of Christ.
And it's called Zerzitsung, where I live in a city owned and city operated homeless shelter.
Then I go to a city operated library to look for jobs.
And then I take the city operated trolley in between places and everywhere I go.
There's something reading my mind. For example, say like, you have to, like, I'm thinking of using the restroom right now.
Someone will stand behind me saying that the second I think of using the restroom.
They'll say, oh, I just checked out a book from the library or something and they'll say, like, what book you checked out.
Even if the person can't see it, they'll say, all sorts of disturbing things, basically trying to make you subconsciously paranoid all the time.
And it's coupled with buildings, making high pitch noises, all the time throughout the day it's called a noise campaign noise harassment.
And people are being depopulated under the table, underground in America, and especially patriots like myself who kind of found themselves stranded in liberal cities.
I'm from Northern Kentucky, Southern Ohio. I'm just a normal average person who was living homeless in Arizona and had to come here to try to get a job.
And now I'm experiencing this modern day fifth generation warfare is what they're calling it.
And it makes you go crazy.
When there's constantly someone using neural and gistics to read your mind at non-stop, whether it's the homeless shelter on the trolley,
it makes you crazy and it turns people intentionally to drugs and suicide, and that free mason's are depopulating Christians and underground genocide happening.
Your time has to go.
Your time has concluded.
Allegedly, Audrey, if you can, please come up to the microphone.
May the China does the same thing to its beat.
Your time has concluded, sir.
It's in joy, sweet, she gave me a rose, she says sweet.
My middle name is Joy, how fun.
Yes, Henry, this is the Hunger Games.
You realize that you guys are in districts.
You know what I'm saying? Look at what happens.
This is for real.
They don't just put those things in movies for no reason.
But let's talk about some more real stuff.
Let's talk about we're doing pedophiles 101 because I need you guys to be aware of the things that are going on so that we can protect children.
Because this is a serious issue.
And you know, we have things like Scott Weiner bringing in bills that are saying that like if, you know, this person that is abusing you as ten years older than you than basically you're consenting.
So that would mean the guy that was abusing me for nine years because he's ten years older than me.
Hey, I can send you to it, right?
It's those types of things are dangerous.
We need to be really seriously not just condoning this stuff.
It's like everyone wants to brush, oh, that's okay.
No problem.
That man has sex with children.
That's a problem.
And we allow them to bring in bills.
Like it's the fact that nobody wants to talk about these things,
but you know, God is good because our mess becomes our message.
And that's why it's important when he's calling you to talk about things that nobody wants to talk about to talk about it.
So I'm always the bear of bad news, but it's like, I mean,
Are you guys aware of Dr. Kinsey and the experiments he would do on children to see how many orgasms that they could have?
Like these are the types of things that happen in the world today.
And again, in schools, you can go to the doctor, you can go to be a gymnastic, go to gymnastics.
You can go and see a coach, I mean police officers.
The police officer that was watching the roller rink was having sex with children where I grew up.
And it's like, I guarantee you there's a bunch of people in your staff that are potentially people who like child porn.
So just know that it is everywhere and these are.
The hunger time has concluded that does conclude not agenda in person for this meeting.
All right, thank you, City Clerk.
And again, as a reminder, the virtual not agenda public comment will be taken immediately at the beginning of the afternoon session.
So we are now adjourned for the noon recess and reconvene open session at 2 p.m.
Or shortly thereafter.
Thank you.