Thank you, Ms. Leigh. On behalf of the City of Lincoln Hills, I want to thank everyone for attending this meeting and welcome you all to this
of Gunna Hills City Council regular meeting for today to stay February 23rd. It is now 7 o'clock PM and I'm calling this meeting to order.
We will begin with the pledge of allegiance led by Council Member Wheeler, Mr Wheeler.
Thank you, Mr Wheeler. Ms. Leigh, may we please have the roll call?
Let the record show we have a quorum with all council members present in chamber.
Thank you, Ms. Leigh. Tonight, our first presentation will be our Laguna Hills student liaison report from Daria Artaholene.
Ms. Artaholene, would you please approach the podium and provide your report.
Hello, Laguna Hills City Council members. My name is Daria Artaholene and I am one of your student liaison for this spring semester.
I am so excited to provide you all with a brief overview of the current happenings at Laguna Hills High School.
And I hope you will gain some insight into the lives of our students.
So far, all LHHS students are continuing to learn through a fully online or hybrid platform.
Even though campus life has dramatically altered from the norm, students and staff have found creative ways to stay safe and bring about school activities.
First up, LHHS fall sports has been moved to winter during January through March while some to spring march through June.
After 11 months, a pause athletics for LHHS cross country are own hot carriers hosted their first knee of the season at her own iconic Kevin Demsey Cross Country course at LHHS.
With determination and grit, our boys won a victory of 27 to 30 against Beckman High School.
Next up, LHHS academic clubs and electives have found creative ways to keep up with their scheduled normal activities in an adaptable manner for the pandemic.
The California Scholarship Federation Board CSF continues to keep up with their promise of tutoring LHHS students.
The CSF members strive weekly to help those who need guidance with school work each weekday from 12pm to 145pm.
Also, LHHS MUN just had their first annual conference last Saturday on the 20th.
Our MUN students have been working so hard since November specifically preparing for this new online platform MUN command.
For this year's conference, LHHS MUN students virtually hosted over 10 different high schools.
LHHS students had the option of leading their own student committees at home or at school socially distance with masks in the classroom.
The conference was a hit and LHHS chairs received a lot of positive feedback further organization on this new online platform.
Lastly, the LHHS Arts Department has been working hard trying to find ways to still pursue normal arts activities in a safe manner.
Just recently, LHHS theater had auditions for their spring musical Little Shop of Forest.
Questions arose on how rehearsals would be instructed.
But our drama teacher Mrs. Lorrick has been working closely with our school staff to make sure that rehearsals will be in small groups socially distance outside and with masks.
Furthermore, sections of the show itself will be filled on different weekdays during April to then be edited together in May for the virtual recording presentation.
Although this musical will not have in-person seating, LHHS theater students are optimistic for the result of this new experience to be just as memorable.
In general, the hardships of this pandemic, LHHS students and staff have remained diligent and optimistic to continue their normal high school activities but in a creative way.
I hope I was able to give you an inclusive look into the lives of students at Laguna Hills High School.
Go Hawks.
Thank you, Ms. Art Alley.
Now, we would like to take the time to recognize our interim city manager, slash assistant manager, public service directors, slash city engineer, or 25 years of wonderful service with the city of Laguna Hills.
Do I have a motion to move staff's recommendation to adopt the proposed resolution?
I will move it.
Thank you, Mr. Hunt.
Do I have a second?
Second.
Second by Council Member Wheeler.
Okay, that all those in favor, I opposed that motion passes unanimously.
And I would like to pass the floor on to Mayor Pro Tem, such a way because I feel that he has served the city longer than all of us Council members to provide some information about Mr. Rosenfield.
Sure, I'd be happy to do that.
It's quite an accomplishment and not the norm nowadays for one to stay with the organization as loyally and as faithfully as Kim Rosenfield has for the city of Laguna Hills.
25 years is pretty close to as long as this city has been around.
And so much of the quality of life that we enjoy in the city is in part a reflection of the efforts that Mr. Rosenfield has made on our behalf.
And so as a representing our city council, I'd just like to just mention a few things that Ken has done throughout the years and of course as we know he now leads us as our interim city manager.
He's the first employee director of public services and city engineer for the city.
During his tenure, he managed the department responsible for all the streets, the traffic signals, storm drainage, street sweeping parks, maintenance, landscape maintenance, tree maintenance, graffiti removal, the operations responsibilities are second only to police services in budgeted work.
Mr. Rosenfield's also been responsible for the budgeting and execution of the city's capital improvement program.
He's personally managed over 120 capital improvement projects during his tenure with the city representing over $122 million of investment into this city.
He was the project in construction manager for the Community Center and the sports complex and was a part of the management team for the construction of this city center in which we had this meeting.
Mr. Rosenfield's also been active outside of the city by way of being the past president of the Orange County City Engineers Association, twice being the chair of the Orange County Transportation Authority Technical Advisory Committee.
Responsible for procedures and guidelines, development for the implementation of both measure M and measure two.
Mr. Rosenfield's been active in his professional organization, the American Society of Civil Engineers where he currently serves and the director for region nine the state of California representing over 18,000 civil engineer members.
So we are grateful to have Mr. Rosenfield lead our city currently in his capacity as our sort of our CEO, our city.
And but also over the past 25 years in maintaining our city's physical structures and capacity and the beauty of our city for as long as he has.
And the fact that you might ask yourself, well, probably didn't have much to do because we just don't have a lot of graffiti in the city, well, we do because we have something to clean it up.
Or you know, our streets said they're already so nice. We don't really need to work on our streets very much. They're nice because Mr. Rosenfield.
So same can be said about parks and many of the other items that we have the city center, the community center.
There really are a model for other cities and much of that is due to his time and efforts. So we thank him.
Thank you Mayor Pritim Sedrick. So on behalf of the city of Laguna Hills, I want to provide you with the certificate of recognition for your 25 years of service.
We appreciate everything you do.
Thank you.
I just wanted to say that I was elected in 2016 and I remember Ken received his 20 year award right around this time in 2017.
And I remember thinking, oh my gosh, this city has a lot of longevity and it says a lot about the city and, you know, the quality of people that come to work here.
And I just want to say I've thoroughly enjoyed working with you and definitely excited about you moving up to the city manager position.
So congratulations.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Yes. Councilmember Weenler.
Yeah, I want to make a few comments too.
I was watching Dean Martin Rose the other night. I was thinking, man, that would be something nice to do tonight, but I guess we probably can't do that.
Maybe we should have got a broom maybe, and we could have given it to you with an engrave or something to clean up.
When I first started with city and got involved, I was a traffic commissioner and kind of guided me in and taught me the ropes and where they're all the camps that the lights and all kind of stuff like that.
Great guy does a great job. I really appreciate him.
Thank you for all he does.
Thank you very much.
Well, if everybody's going to say something, I guess.
So I had the good fortune of meeting Ken a little over 20 years ago now, believe it or not when I served on parks and racks.
And what I want to know is how he looks the same today as he looked back then.
But really he's a great guy, a very calm, major guy, a true pro and we're lucky to have him as the city manager.
Thanks.
Thank you very much.
Appreciate it.
Okay. Since everyone has provided a comment, I will mention this.
As a new council member, I served on a committee and Mr. Rosenfeld.
He appeared at this committee as well.
And I will tell you that everyone who I spoke to said you're so fortunate to have Mr. Rosenfeld, you're so fortunate.
He is responsible for this organization. He's done this.
I mean, I couldn't believe I was overwhelmed.
So it is very nice to have Mr. Rosenfeld assisting us with the city right now.
So thank you.
Thank you, Mayor.
So now is the time for public comments.
Any member of the public may address the city council on any matter not listed on the agenda that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city council.
Public comments are limited to three minutes per person and overall time limit of ten minutes for any one subject and a total time limit of 30 minutes.
Ms. Lee, are there any email comments to be announced?
Madam Mayor, we did receive two email comments that were reported to the council in advance of the meeting.
Tish Chamberlain sent an email regarding public profanity and Lori Becker sent an email asking for action from the city council.
Thank you, Ms. Lee.
Is there anyone in the chamber who would like to address the city council on items not listed on the agenda tonight?
Madam Mayor, we have five public speakers wishing to address the council.
We will start with Mike Maureen.
If you could approach the podium.
Thank you for listening to my issue.
Mike Maureen, a resident of Laguna Woods in near vicinity of St. George church of the corner of El Toro on CO5.
The church has events every weekend with extremely loud speakers that always go past eight o'clock
and even at times at ten o'clock at night.
Many residents in the neighborhood are quite disturbed by this.
We have contacted the church event department, but they brutally reject our complaint.
We have contacted the police several times that are successfully stopped them.
But the problem exists.
I am wondering if they have a permit for this event and if they do whether they are violating the term of that permit.
Thank you.
Mr. Maureen, at this time the item is not on the agenda.
However, if you do provide your contact information, I can have our city manager contact you with your questions.
Linda Williams, if you'd have approached the podium?
I live in Laguna Village, condominium complex, and they sent out a thing today to suggest we come
because our street and like maybe 150 residents were affected by the mailbox, break-ins,
where they used crowbars and broke up in the backs of them and took the mail out,
whatever, but mostly it was like for two months at least of not being able to really even get the mail
because when you went to the post office, they wouldn't give it to us, and then we got a PO box
and they wouldn't forward it there either. So it was quite a hassle, so we're just hoping for,
I think we do have security but increased patrols for that and a lot of cars getting broken into
and even that street and front were people's speed still. So that's about it.
Thank you, Ms. Williams.
Don Ford, if you'd have approached the podium?
Good evening.
Madam Mayor and all of the city council.
I'm here because there's been like a lot of climb throughout Laguna Hills, different things.
Cadillet converters being taken off cars, breaking into cars, just stealing chains.
Just numerous things, like the slopes that are on a leash apart away.
They're just getting really run down. The homeowners are not like taking care of the property,
so when you look on one side of a leash up between the sale of the Valencia and Casto,
on the right hand side going towards the freeway, it just really looks awful because they're not
trimming the trees. There's like major pine trees that are like really leaning.
There's ice plant that's growing on the sidewalk that's blocking half the sidewalk.
And like some of them have a chain length fence, some don't.
I mean, it's just, I don't know what you guys can do because I know those homeowners, you know,
on that side of the property, but on the other side of the leash that they don't,
and it's like, I mean, you're different when you're driving up and down the leash and parkway.
The post office, that's another major concern.
I don't know how you guys can put up with it.
It's like next to the hospital, next to where patients go in for their, you know,
their physicals to see their doctors.
And it's on a main drag and everyone sees it and it represents our city.
Those palm trees, I don't think they've been cut in at least five to eight years.
There's palm funds that are completely dried that are laying on the ground.
The amount has been actually went over there on Sunday to go put them in our van and do like three van loads of them,
but it's just a dinner and look like we did a dent and they're like,
Matt sticks because they're so dry.
Like, I don't know who's supposed to maintain that.
I know it's supposed to be federal property, but it should be maintained to where it's a nice place where we can go and drop off our mail.
And the other thing is just little things like in Costa Park, basketball hoop and the net.
It was broken and it hasn't been replaced.
Clarence and Park, there's like a cement pillar.
It's been broken and it hasn't been fixed.
This is things like that numerous street lights that I've called in and told to be fixed and they're still not fixed.
In Mandaville Park, there is one light that's on the walking path.
That's out and it should be fixed.
And the other thing, the major thing is ridge route behind the DMP.
Dragon between on molten and Santa of Victoria, I think it's called.
One lane has been asphalted, but the three other lanes going back and forth and in all those communities is just absolutely horrible.
I mean, I'm driving my car. It's not good for the suspension.
And a lot of people have complained about that.
I'm actually on a Facebook page and I run it for residents of Lagone Hills.
And so they can go on their own voice, whatever they want or they want to get advice or they see someone do on something.
So I asked them, do you guys see things around our cities, what's going on?
So that's when people have given me some complaints.
And over on the by path, that's a lease over by the community center going into the aromas.
There was one man that was riding a bike.
And he got on the accident ended up in the hospital last July because there's two routes that are lifting up the bike path over there.
And it still has not been fixed.
And there's just cracks inside walks like in a El Conejo park.
And actually on balance, that behind Lomerania school, when they're coming down the stairs, a woman had tripped over there when she was getting her grandkids from school.
So just things like that.
I'm just thinking that our money should be going towards some of this stuff for safety.
I mean, because some of these things are going to end up in lawsuits through the city.
And I hate to see that happen when some of this stuff is like little stuff to be done.
And I think that's about it.
I have a list that I can submit after the meeting.
Thank you, Ms. Ford.
If you provide us with your information, I will have our city manager contact.
Okay, thank you so much for your time.
Have a good evening.
David, I'll flank her if you would have approached the podium.
Hello, everyone.
Thank you for hearing me.
I appreciate all of your time.
Thank you.
25 years.
Thank you.
The reason I'm here is I live in Laguna Village.
I'm sorry.
Little nervous.
Laguna Village off the Mill Creek and Ridge Road.
I'm kind of in the back of that area.
And as you've probably heard, we've had a rash of crime over the past few months.
Our mailboxes have all been broken into cars.
Some cars can't vandalize things like that.
I have the opportunity of my condo is right on the edge of Mill Creek Road.
So when I look out my window, I see Mill Creek Road.
And it used to be an asset and sometimes it still is.
It's a beautiful road.
Lot of trees.
It's very nice.
But sometimes it's a liability.
And over the past year, I've seen a lot of, I guess, craziness is a best way I could put it on Mill Creek Road.
Mostly at night.
And it's cars that are, a lot of people sleeping in their cars at night on Mill Creek Road.
I've contacted the police department in a few times.
They've been very good.
They go out there.
I, because of my location, there's a small pathway that leads right down into Laguna Village.
And I have had strange folks.
They used, I used to have out around that chair as right outside my bedroom window.
Those are gone because they're sitting out there in their smoking.
Because they're sitting on, they sleep in their car on Mill Creek Road.
And they come down and have a cigarette or whatever.
They've used our area like a personal dump.
I've seen cigarettes pitched out into our community, which concerns me because it is high brush.
There is, palm trees that, it's a fire hazard.
I guess it's what I'm trying to say.
I have photos.
During the day, it's not too bad.
There might be one car.
One specific car that I have seen for the past year that just parks there on Mill Creek Road.
It doesn't bother me.
I'm not accusing anyone.
But there seems to be a correlation between all the cars that are building up.
And also we're getting this fresh occurring.
It's simple to go right down this pathway.
Do what you gotta do.
Go up the pathway, hop in your car and be out.
So I've noticed though, when, I guess it would be great if a little more police patrol.
A little presence would be wonderful.
That helps a lot.
You know, if they see someone sleeping in their car.
I still doubt for these people.
I'm not trying to, you know, I have sympathy.
But at the same time, you know, I'm seeing things that look like drug transactions.
But I don't know.
I don't want to accuse anyone.
But again, I can't help but notice because it's my living room window.
It overlooks it.
The other part of it is I now have my wife that's working from home.
Due to COVID, by herself for a day and she won't open the blinds.
Because she's too intimidated by, you know, we almost know which cars they are.
Occasional RVs, RVs are really bad for a while too.
It's gotten a little better.
I get it.
It's a public road and I get it.
Everyone has the right to park there.
I have no problem with that.
It's the cars that park there and don't leave or spend the night.
And the other cars are coming up to them.
And then weird stuff's happening.
And it's happening 30 feet from my bedroom window.
So that's where I get concerned.
So yeah, that's that's why I'm here.
It's just a bring it to your attention.
And maybe a little more fleece pleasant at night.
I think would go a long way.
And then the other part of it is I do notice that we get street sweeping on Sunday nights.
And it just misses milk.
The last part of milk creek right.
I live because all these cars are parked there.
I notice some of the neighboring streets have the signs that say,
you know, no parking on Friday between 8 a.m.
to 12 p.m.
due to street sweeping.
We get our streets sweeping between eight to 12 on Sunday.
Sunday evenings.
If people knew that, maybe they wouldn't.
Loiter there.
Maybe if they saw some signage saying that street sweeping will take place on Sunday.
I hate to see the expense of the street sweeper come by.
Which I appreciate.
But they have to go around all these cars that don't move.
Have to car's hair is stored.
I mean, I could point them out to you.
I live there.
But again, a sign for that is a beautiful road.
And I just want it.
It's not bad yet.
I don't want it to turn into something bad.
Like an encampment or something like that.
It seems like it's starting to happen.
So I just want to bring that to you guys to your attention.
And that's it.
But thank you very much for hearing me out.
And again, thank you for your 25 years of service.
I appreciate it.
Thank you.
I will have our city manager contact you.
I'm if you leave your information with us.
Okay.
Thank you very much.
Danielle Bellinger.
If you'd approach the podium.
Can I take this?
I'm done six year away.
Okay.
Good evening, everybody.
Thank you, Madam Mayor, for inviting us to this evening.
My name is Danielle Bellinger.
I am the general manager for Laguna Village on our association.
On behalf of our 914 unit, condominium association.
The second largest community in Laguna Hills.
We are seeking support and solution from the Laguna Hills City Council.
In my six years as an association manager, I've never had to step in and attend
the City Council meeting to explain producery duty in such a way as to point out
the safety of our citizens should always take priority over personal gain.
If the council is opening up funding, the priority should be the city's safety.
And not the council members perks.
It is my understanding that the license plate readers have been an item of discussion for approximately two years.
Had these plate readers been in place.
Even a year ago, law enforcement would have caught the career criminals who started the atrocity
that dramatically affected our community.
In the last year, the crime leave that has taken hold of our city has affected our members greatly.
Two thirds of our mailbox clusters were broken into affecting approximately half of
the community which equates to nearly 1,000 members.
Two vehicles have been stolen.
Six vehicles have been broken into and or severely vandalized.
Our gym was broken into which resulted in the thefts of all of our free weights.
Please know that we too are doing our part to keep our members safe.
We employ patrol and security company.
We have upgraded our camera security system.
We follow our active community neighborhood watch on next door.
And we did bring our concerns to the city council at the January Council meeting.
And lastly, we have had 6, 6, 6, 6 down.
Takes a minute to get out.
Conversations with local representative law representatives.
We are asking the council to prioritize the safety of our citizens.
By installing license plate readers to stop career criminals.
To run continuing to target our city.
To provide more officers to show an increase in law enforcement.
And to install stop signs on Santa Victoria to prevent accidents from speeding.
We are requesting that safety solutions be added to the next agenda as a topic for discussion.
Thank you all for your attention to our city safety.
And who do I get my card to for contact?
Yes, please provide it to us, Lee.
And I will have Mr. Residential contact to you.
Thank you.
That is all the public speakers.
Thank you, Miss Lee.
And we will now move on to our consent calendar.
All matters listed under consent calendar are considered to be routine.
And we will be enacted by one motion of proving the recommendation listed on the agenda.
There will be no separate discussion unless members of the city council or staff request specific items to be removed from the consent calendar.
Would any of our fellow council members like to remove an item from the consent calendar?
Yes, I would like to remove about 3.8.
I would like to remove 3.9.
Okay.
Move the bell.
Thank you. Second, okay, the item has been moved by mayor approach and such, and seconded by council member Hunt, all those in favour, aye, aye, opposed.
That motion passes unanimously. We will now move to item 3.8, council member Wheeler, you have the floor.
Yes, 3.8 on the consent count is tied very heavily to an item later in the agenda, which is 6.2.1.
I know the background on it, but I'm not sure if all the council members know the type between these.
I spoke to Mr. Rosenfield earlier yesterday, and I'd like to, you know, if the council like entertain delaying the consideration until after 6.2.1.
So that you can sort of hear the basis of why this one is on and being done the way it is.
Sure?
We need a motion for that.
Do you want to make that motion?
So make a motion that we delay 3.8 until after 6.2.1.
I'll second it.
The mayor can just, if you want to do that on the agenda, if you have consensus by everybody, you can move the item on it to discuss it later.
Okay, I would like, would it be all right if we heard from Mr. Rosenfield?
Sure.
Thank you, Mayor, members of the city council.
Item 3.8 is would be considered a relatively routine extension of a current consulting services agreement for the firm called economics, which helps us with our trash and waste requirements that the state imposes on the city.
Item 6.2.1 is an explanation of some of the regulations that are coming from the state that economics is working on.
So they are related in that nature.
Staff does not object if you want to delay the action until after 6.2.1.
But we would ask that you do act on it today because it is timely.
Thank you, Mr. Rosenfield.
So I see we move the item as directed by councilmember Wheeler.
And do we need a vote for that?
If you have a consensus of everybody just with a nods, then it's okay just to do it that way.
Okay, thank you.
Okay, councilmember Heft 3.9.
Yes.
The reason I moved this is I just wanted to actually commend staff.
I looked through the General Plan progress report and one of the most important things to me,
you know, besides obviously safety and things that we should all be concerned about as councilmembers is our business.
I think business is small businesses, especially are the heartbeat of America and they're the heartbeat in the backbone of our city here in Laguna Hills.
And I just wanted to read part of this because I just was really happy to see our staff actively promoting a business-friendly environment that we're welcoming businesses into our city and that we are welcoming them with open arms.
And it says new business.
In an effort to promote a business-friendly environment, the city has emphasized providing resources and support for the local business community and to businesses looking to locate
in the city.
Consequently, the community development department has met with several commercial property owners and has maintained a regular dialogue regarding issues that impact parking, leasing, uses, and signage.
In addition, staff has assisted several owners in evaluating conceptual plans from remodeling activities.
With a support of the community development department, several businesses have been able to locate in the city, including story-makery that sounds like a fun business.
Laguna golf carts, BBK, psychotherapeutic services, and bare self preservation systems among others.
By providing assistance to businesses regarding best practices and obtaining zoning permits, necessary to begin tenant renovations, staff has contributed to processes that support businesses.
And I just wanted to commend staff for the hard work because that's what we're all about making sure we are upholding our businesses here in our city.
And with that, I will go ahead and move that item.
There are no more comments.
Thank you.
Do we have any comments from any other council members regarding this item?
All second.
All right.
The item has been moved by council member Heft and seconded by Mayor Pritem Sedgewick, all this in favor.
Say aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
That motion passes unanimously.
I will now recess the city council meeting and call to order the regular meeting of the planning agency of the city of Laguna Hills.
Miss Lee.
May we please have the roll call?
Let the record show we have a quorum with all agency members present in chamber.
Thank you, Miss Lee.
Now is the time for planning agency public comments.
Are there any email comments to be announced, Miss Lee?
Madam Chair, we received no email comments.
And I have no in person public comments for the planning agency.
Thank you, Miss Lee.
We will now move on to item 4.3.1.
Do I have a motion to prove the minutes of February 9th?
Second.
The item has been moved by Mayor Pritem Sedgewick and seconded by council member Heft, all this in favor.
Aye.
Opposed.
That motion passes unanimously.
We do not have any planning agency administrative reports or public hearing schedule tonight.
So I will now adjourn the planning agency and reconvane to the city council meeting.
We also do not have any city council public hearings.
So we will continue on to administrative reports.
And currently the city manager has now administrative reports.
So we will move on to item 6.2.1.
Deputy City Manager Community Service Director, Mr. Reynolds, you have the floor.
Yes, thank you.
Madam Mayor, members of the city council.
It was April 2019 when staff presented the presentation on SB 1383, the organics waste reduction regulations.
Caler cycle has spent time with public workshops, including working with haulers, the waste industry to gather comments.
On these regulations, it's been a long process.
Caler cycle has approved finalized these regulations as of November of last year.
And before I go any further with this, I would like to introduce two individuals.
To my right, we have Trevor Blyth, who is a principal with economics.
And we also have Craig Dibli, who is the senior sustainability supervisor with CNR.
If there are questions that they can answer, they'd be more than happy to do so during this presentation.
So what I would like to achieve with the city council is to provide a review of SB 1383 regulations.
And then also provide a summary of the work efforts that we have to endeavor in 2021 to accomplish the regulations that are dictated by the state in terms of organic recycling.
I need this.
The goals of SB 1383 are first to reduce 50% reduction in statewide disposal of organic waste by 2020.
The second goal as stated in the regulations is to provide a 75% reduction in statewide disposal of organic waste by 2025.
And then 20% of currently disposed edible food must be recovered for human consumption by 2025.
This is stated within the regulations.
I want to clarify that.
I know that it created some alarm in 2019.
We're not talking about recovering food from containers at the curbside that's already been disposed.
We're talking about implementing programs for food service businesses to donate edible foods to food recovery organizations to get this food to people that really need it.
There are definitely some food and securities across the state.
And the other point that I want to make is with these goals.
These are statewide goals. They're not set on particular jurisdictions.
It's not that Laguna Hills per se has to divert 75% of its organics from from the waste stream or from landfills by 2025.
Collectively, it's the entire state.
What is organic waste? The slide here and in the staff report, it's defined as food waste.
Rain waste, landscape and pruning waste, food soil paper, mixed with food waste and non hazardous wood waste.
I'd like to point out on this slide that we were aware of the state's push for organic recycling and rolling this into legislation for many years.
As a matter of fact, the city of Laguna Hills implemented the first pilot commercial food waste recycling program in southern Orange County in 2011.
In October of 2014, the city council executed amendment number one to the current franchise agreement with CRNR, which established a permanent commercial food waste recycling program to all commercial waste generators.
Later that same month, the then Governor Brown signed AB 1826, the mandatory commercial organic recycling into law.
We've been working diligently with implementing the tiered approach of AB 1826 for mandatory commercial organic.
This is mandatory for for businesses to recycle and also with that legislation, the burden fell on local jurisdictions to conduct education and outreach to implement programs working with these businesses and to monitor the progress.
But this legislation can only go so far.
In hence the genesis of SB 1383, it provides more teeth into the regulations for governments to implement commercial organic recycling and also residential, which I'll speak to in a second.
Why the focus on organic waste?
Number one, it's the largest waste stream in California.
Overall waste generation in California was estimated to be approximately 77.000 tons in 2019 and organic waste comprises two-thirds of that waste stream.
Also, California throws away 5.6 million tons of food waste every year.
Food recovery means collecting edible food that would otherwise go to waste and redistribute as I mentioned before into the hands of people that need it.
According to Caler cycle's last waste characterization, food waste comprises about 18% of what we dispose of the waste stream, what we dispose in landfills.
And then the final reason of why organic waste produces methane gas in landfills.
And it's evident that solid waste legislation is tied closely to greenhouse gas reduction legislation, specifically SB 32, that establishes a goal to lower statewide greenhouse gas emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.
SB 1383 is part of the state's short-lived climate, pollutants reduction strategy under the umbrella of SB 32.
So those are the sum of the reasons why.
Which leads to a summary of the specific regulations and I would be remiss if I didn't start with what is the biggest impact which is to the generators in our community residents and the commercial sector.
By January 1, 2022.
Each jurisdiction or a designated name, which means the Haler, must provide an organic waste collection service to all residential and commercial generators.
And in turn, residents and businesses are required to subscribe to that provided service.
Next, continuing on with the regulations.
The local jurisdictions like Laguna Hills must adopt an enforceable ordinance.
We, as written in the staff report, must procure organic waste products that are produced as a process of the waste material that's collected, such as biofuel for vehicles.
Maltch compost to name a few.
And to roll that back in to service in Laguna Hills.
For instance, with our landscape contractor, we would say.
We set up a situation where, after the organic waste is collected by CRNR, it would be processed into compost and mulch, in which we can use in service on our landscaping.
We also must implement inspection and compliance programs, conduct annual audits of the commercial and residential sector to make sure that there's no contamination with disposal of organics.
Which was resolved in the imposition of penalties for non-compliance.
And penalties per the regulations begin January 1st of 2024.
We must establish an edible food recovery program.
Also conduct public outreach education which we've done since day one with all of these state legislation related to recycling.
And also plan for capacity.
And what I mean by that is there's a need for more facilities to process organic waste.
This car recycle estimates that to stay on the goal of bringing us to 75% organic waste reduction by 2025.
There would need to be an expansion of facilities by 50 to 100 new facilities to meet the school.
I'd like to point out that the county takes that lead.
I'll see, waste recycling is the host of the county's landfills, which we all share.
And they already have taken steps to establish pilot composting sites.
Which is important in the long run because when you have local facilities, it's going to reduce the overall cost of service to residents and the commercial sector.
And then with the regulations.
And I hope that I paint a picture that this is extensive.
There's an extensive work effort.
And even after we have adopted in the organs, even after we have done all the work to get us to that point.
There's going to be ongoing work required for enforcement compliance as well as maintaining records and reports that we have to submit to calorie cycle.
And this is just a list on this slide of all of the records and reports that we would need to keep track of and to submit to calorie cycle in our review of compliance.
Well, ship gears here a bit and go into the collection of the organic waste and the other waste streams.
Counter-cycle recognizes a cafeteria plan if you will based on how jurisdictions across the state may process that material and he's based constraints that they have at the curb site.
So they offer several or actually three options.
The first being a one container collection service where a black container will collect all waste.
And then it must be sent to a high diversion or a high recovery facility.
That's going to recover all the content and put it into its right stream for reuse and recycling.
This is tad though with a stringent recovery standard of 75% so that facility must guarantee that it can recover organic content of 75% otherwise they lose that designation.
The two container collection service takes it under step where one container is set for the collection of segregated waste and the other would be for mixed waste.
And in this example with a green and the black cart the green would collect the organic waste.
The black would be for all the non-organic waste and the non-organic recyclables which would be sent to a facility to recover other recyclables.
And it is also tagged with the stringent recovery standard of 75%.
This leads to the three container collection service.
It is source separation.
It is shifting the burden on to the generators.
The residents, the commercial businesses, to separate waste.
This is the most popular, most I would say, prominent service across the state.
It's what we use in here in Laguna Hills and this surrounding communities are using the three container collection service.
Organics under this model are prohibited from the black container.
Organics would be segregated for collection and the green container and recyclables, non-organic recyclables would be segregated for collection and the blue container.
So carrying this forward a little bit further.
There is a colder standards that the state wants uniform for all local jurisdictions.
And that is a green container for the collection of organics which is limited to food waste, the yard waste, green waste and other organic materials.
The blue container standard is for all the non-organic recyclables such as traditional bottles, cans, plastic paper and cardboard recycling.
And the grey container is limited to waste that is not organic or recyclable.
With the intent of lessening the amount of material that is going in that container which will end up in the landfill.
So on this slide, I thought it would be a good idea to compare the state standards with what we currently have in service in Lebanon Hills.
The state standards, 1, 2, and 3, starting with the green container organics.
The language here is the specific from SBTHwork 133 regulations, where it provides some leverage for jurisdictions.
So using just for an example of the green container which is collection of organics only, the lid of the container is green in color.
The body of the container is green in color and the lid is green, grey or black in color.
Now looking at what we have in service in Laguna Hills, we have a green container which is good.
I just like to point out that it is collecting only green waste, not food waste at this point.
The next requirement for non-organic recyclables is a blue container.
We currently have a brown container in service for the collection of recyclables.
So we would need to address this for compliance in the long run with SBTHwork 133.
The great container is a collection of all non-organic waste.
We're collecting, we're using that color arrangement for our current cart that's collecting MSW waste.
MSW is municipal solid waste.
It is defined in our franchise agreement. It includes pitrucible waste and non-potrucible waste.
So you have the organics material food waste that ultimately most likely in the black container.
That's the goal to get out of that container.
When we look at the commercial collection service, the same comparison I did for the residential service.
I'd like to point out a few things commercial because of space constraints,
and also the huge generation of these properties of waste per week.
I have the options for a cart service, 35, 65, 90 gallon cart services, as well as a bin service.
So looking at the standards green container, this most likely would work.
The body of the bin is white and the lid is a line green.
The cart is green and body color and with a line green lid.
This is collecting currently collecting food waste, as I mentioned before.
We already have a program in place, which is required by AB 1826.
The commercial non-abcanic recyclable containers will need some work.
The bin color body is white with black lid and the container of the cart is brown and color.
So we would need some work to address this.
The great container, the bin and the cart image.
The cart image is fine with the black standard.
Technically speaking, I believe that the blue bin would be fine technically speaking,
because it has a black lid, but it is confusing, especially if we're going with a standard.
We would be to change the body of the bin from blue to a black or gray or something of that effect,
so that it wouldn't be confused with a non-organic recyclable.
I wanted to put this slide on here.
Just to show the innovation of the trash industry and how it's evolved through time.
And also how we have to address the space constraints in the commercial sector.
There are certain defined space and trash enclosures.
And when we start segregating waste, there's more containers that are needed.
If we put out three, four cubic yard bins to handle all the waste streams, it may be difficult.
So the waste hauling industry, specifically CEO and I came up with a method of the split bin,
where one four cubic yard bin, in this case, is split into two cubic yards for the trash, two cubic yards for the recyclable.
There's a locking bar on top of the lid, so that when the front loader comes.
If they're collecting trash, they're on the trash route.
They put the locking bin bar on top of the recycle portion of the bin and dump it in the way they go.
So I wanted to point that out, I guess I'm kind of geeky with trash, I guess I don't know.
I'd like to move now away from the collection of organics and the service for residents and commercial to another requirement.
Because it is a goal I can mention to recover edible food.
We need to establish an edible food recovery program.
These are the entities listed on the slide that represent the service.
It includes food banks, food service, delivery services, the health department.
What Calversycle means about us establishing a program is continued education, monitoring of the businesses, making sure that they have access to food service providers.
We're in good hands, and if there's any specific questions with edible food recovery program.
Mr. Blythe with economics serves on a local committee with a county that is in charge with implementing a lot of the edible food programs to be compliance with SB 1383.
So questions may be directed to him.
This is the fun slide, and we have to do it or else.
But I'm sure that council knows that directors come down from the state and we have to abide by them.
Pardon me one second.
The points that I wanted to make on this slide is that Calversycle will begin enforcement actions against jurisdictions that aren't in compliance beginning January 1st of 2022.
And the penalty structure within the regulations of SB 1383 group them into minor.
It's a moderate violations which are deviations from the regulations, but you know let's say they did.
CDX didn't implement or adopt an ordinance but it doesn't go to full length.
That may be a minor or moderate violation and there's a certain penalty class for that.
For drama and dramatic effect to illustrate that we have to do this.
This lists on this slide the major category of violations which can be at a minimum $7,500 per day or $10,000 per day if we used to do anything.
We don't implement an ordinance, we don't implement an enforcement program, we don't.
We fail to implement or have an implementation record and you can see from the list it's pretty extensive.
So we're charged to definitely roll on this.
So that was really the quick fly by with with SB 1383.
The document of the regulations is about a 127 page document.
It's pretty detailed and extensive to implement.
I wanted to summarize for the City Council's benefit.
Let work effort staff will be working on conjunction with its consultant and CNR.
The first is the negotiation of a new amendment to the contract with CNR.
Our current contract with CNR expires in June of 2024.
Well, after we have to have SB 1383 regulations in place by January 1st 2022.
The big ticket item that we saw is a residential program.
We currently do not have that service.
So that's definitely a deal point that we need to negotiate with CNR.
I can tell you that rates will increase.
They will.
In the commercial sector and the resume.
The National Secretary and for a comparison, I know of four cities recently that have gone through a amendment process to their existing franchise or have gone through a competitive procurement process.
And the rate for a three-part system, source separated with organics included the price for months ranges from $18 to $24 per month.
For a comparison, the city of Logan Hills for our three-part system is paying $15.17 somewhere around there.
So, the negotiation terms that proposed rates, that's, you know, are proposed to us.
We need to notify the public through a prop to 18 notification process, working with the city attorney's office and making sure that that goes through the appropriate
channels with the public hearing and notifying the public on that. So, we have that process.
We also have to adopt SB 1383 ordinance, which will include looking at our existing municipal code chapters related to solid waste and recycling to make sure it's in sync with the proposed ordinance on SB 1383 enforcement.
And again, public education and outreach is essential in this endeavor and a definite work effort for 2021.
So, taking this workload and providing what the target dates are, and I want to caution by putting these dates is that they may move depending on our workloads and what we're working on.
But right now, we're targeting June 22nd to bring the first reading in the proposed SB 1383 ordinance to the city council.
And then July 13th, we would plan on bringing the negotiation results and the proposed rates to the city council for its review.
And we'll have discussion on that, and if things go well, a direction for on the city council to direct staff to bring back an amendment to the contract.
And this will also trigger prop to 18 notification process.
That same meeting in July 13th, because a timing would be the second reading in the proposed SB 1383 ordinance.
With that ordinance going into effect, it's forecasted on August 13th, 2021.
September 28th, we would bring to the city council for its approval and amendment to the franchise agreement with C.O.N.R.
So, I've put this slide here to illustrate that we're not alone.
Actually, no jurisdiction is alone across the state because we all have to do this.
But locally, these cities in Orange County have, for several reasons, why they've implemented it.
These cities listed have a residential, organic collection program in place.
And they include Aliso Viejo.
Goes to Mesa Dana Point.
We're going to again, Orange.
Rancho Santa Margarita.
Sanco Mini.
San Juan Capustrano.
Tustan.
And West Minister.
I would like to just conclude my presentation by saying SB 1383 is a game changer in terms of the state.
I would equate it to the Waste Management Act of 1989, AB 939, which established a goal to divert 50% of recyclables from our ways from landfills by the year 2000.
Prior to that, the industry was set on collecting from the curb side and taking the waste directly to the landfill.
AB 939, that Waste Management Act of 1989, really was the catalyst to create and establish the three cart system that we're using today.
And had it change the industry to establish material recovery facilities to recover material.
Similarly, SB 1383 is a game changer because now the focus is on organics.
You have an aerobic digestive facilities being established a lot of other facilities that need to be established.
You have the edible food recovery programs that are being established.
So it is a definite changer.
It will result in increased rates.
But every city, it will be dealing with this in some nature.
The recommendation this evening for this is to simply have a city council receiving files presentation and that concludes my presentation.
And I'd be happy to answer any questions that you might have.
Thank you, Mr. Reynolds.
Do we have any questions for staff?
Yes, Mr. Councillor Miller.
Excuse me.
Yeah, this is I want to point out with the reason that I pulled three eight is because three eight asks for an increase in funding.
And this is one of the big reasons of why that's happening to the screen.
There's a big reason of why.
I want to point out also.
And I've corrected my wrong answer.
We get no money from the state for doing this, correct?
Madam Mayor, as you can also.
Essentially, that's correct.
They're going to have some grants to come out.
And there's competitive grants that jurisdictions can move forward on for specific things.
But for the implementation of this.
No.
Okay, thank you.
I just want to point that out because the public.
We've had some discussion about crime and around the.
The Goon Village area and why we can't report more money to it.
It's things like this that we get mandated by the state to do.
We have to do it, or you saw on the penalty page.
We penalized up to $10,000 a day.
Just like that.
$300,000 a month.
If we don't comply, but we have no choice.
Thanks.
We have to.
It really stives the money.
I encourage you to be careful who you put in Sacramento.
One question.
I heard it clearly.
Our race you think will increase by $15 a month.
Average.
President.
I'm going to.
Madam Mayor.
Members.
The city council.
What I said was that the current rate that we're paying for our service is $15.
And $17.
It's around there.
And other cities that have recently gone down the path with.
With current negotiations.
The range for that residential.
Service is between $18 to $24.
So at the low end it would be an increase of $3 per month.
I want to say that's per year then.
It's per month.
$3 per month.
No $3 per month.
Yes.
Okay.
But that's on the low end.
I got $18, $24 per month.
Okay.
$3 per month.
Okay.
And one last question.
How many cans will a resident have now.
After this goes into effect.
Madam Mayor.
Members.
The council has a great question.
It would still be the three court system where the current green.
Green waste.
Cart.
That collects only green waste.
Yard waste.
Would also collect the food waste.
And then you'd have another container.
A blue container that would collect the non-organic recyclables.
And then finally the third black or gray container.
Would collect all the other stuff.
The trash.
So we're still three.
We're still three.
Okay.
All right.
Thank you.
Council member.
Pepp.
Yes.
Thank you.
Well, thank you.
Mr. Reynolds for your presentation.
It was a very thorough and obviously you put a lot of work into it.
And a lot of very, very good information for a city.
A couple of questions.
The first one is just kind of practical.
You mentioned that the goal is or the mandate rather is 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.
You've been doing this a long time in your professional opinion.
Is that feasible?
Is that something we can do as a city easily?
That seems very stringent.
Madam Mayor.
Members to the council.
That is an air quality standard.
So I'll be honest.
I don't want to touch it.
It's all the way to recycling.
I'd be more comfortable to discuss.
We do have economics with maybe able to provide information on that.
That is a greenhouse gas goal.
If we'd be difficult for me to answer specific to SB 32.
Okay.
Got it.
Thank you.
And my second question.
It has to do with you'd mention penalties for jurisdictions for cities.
What about the penalties that would fall on the residents themselves?
If they were not to comply.
I mean, are we going to have a situation where now the CNR.
Guys that go out and collect the garbage every week are going to jump out of the truck and inspect all of the cans each time?
I mean, it seems very, you know, how do you police that?
Madam Mayor, members of the city council.
That is a good question.
And first, we would never charge our hauler to do the inspection.
They're in charge of collection.
So the enforcement mechanism will need to fall on staff or perhaps we arranged for a consultant to perform that task.
We will have to have a code enforcement arm as a product of SB 33.
The penalties on the waste generators.
Well, first start with the violation notice.
As a matter of fact, the first two years of SB 33.
When it starts January 1, 2022, we will provide a violation notice, but follow it up with education for the first two years.
There isn't the requirement in SB 1383 to assess penalties on a resident or a commercial entity until January 1, 2024.
And come January 1, 2024 when we're in that boat.
And we have to provide notice of the violation.
There's like a code enforcement process, a certain duration of 45 days or so for them to correct that.
And if they don't, then they're being assessment of the penalty, which I believe I don't have an in front of me would be 50 to $100.
For a first violation, and then it goes up.
And I think that Mr. Gregson Moni and may have some more on that.
Yeah, the first violation, the amount of the base penalty will be in the range of 50 to $100.
The second is in the range of 100 to 200.
And a third or subsequent violation, the base penalty will be increased through between $250 and $500.
So to kind of add to that, you would said that CRNR is not going to be doing inspecting.
So are we going to have random consultants going out to random garbage cans around the city during trash collecting day and looking to see what's in them?
Is that how it's going to work?
None of their members of the City Council, the short answer is yes.
It may be staff doing that or it may be consultants.
All right, thank you.
Councillor Neberhan.
You missed a round of questions.
So on the price hike, if I understand this correctly, we already have three container system, which is taking solid ways which is going into the black.
Can now I'm putting you with the greenways.
So I mean, how does that affect rates, right?
It's the same stuff that's just going into a different can.
Madam Mayor, members of the City Council, that is a good question.
If you keep in mind the food waste, the organics is currently going into the black cart, which is going directly to landfill.
And when, and you'll see this, when a hauler proposes rates, it's broken down into three components.
The transportation cost, the processing costs, and the disposal costs.
So for a cart that goes directly to the landfill, there is no processing cost.
There's nominal transportation cost, but there is disposal cost with that because of the gate fee to pay it to get into the landfill to dispose of that.
So now that we're creating another waste dream that needs to be processed, which is the organics, there's a processing component and that is what the increase is.
Also, I made mention of capacity planning and how important it is to get local facilities.
There aren't a lot within Orange County.
So the haulers have to go to Yuma to other places that have these facilities.
So the transportation cost component of that service goes up.
Those are the cost increases.
Thank you.
I have one other question.
That was on AB 939.
You mentioned that I had a goal of a 50% reduction in whatever was collected.
Did they actually achieve that?
Madam Mayor, Madam Mayor, I'm published.
Madam Mayor, members of the City Council.
It's much talking I can do with the mask before my glasses fog up, but anyway.
The answer to your question is no.
They fell short of that goal and why, during 2020, we were pressured by Calercycle to implement more commercial organic recycling programs under the auspices of AB 1826.
AB 1826 started back in, I believe, 2014, it started with the peer approach where first out of the gate, we needed to reach out and require businesses that generated eight cubic yards of organics per week and require them to recycle organics.
Then a year later, that was reduced to a generation of four cubic yards per week organics.
Then they increased the umbrella to four cubic yards of MSW, which not only includes the organics, but includes recyclables and trash.
Well, because statewide, we didn't reach that goal of 50% reduction by the year 2020, Calercycle imposed what was already in the AB 1826 regulations, which was to institute a two cubic yard generation of MSW, which meant that we had to reach out to more businesses.
And they did that in September of 2020, which was problematic, because we're an pandemic.
We had really our programs were curtailed because we couldn't reach out to businesses, conduct the site visits because of the pandemic.
That I guess is a long answer to your question, know that it came close, but not all the way.
So I'm wondering, I mean, I don't know if this is an oversight issue or, you know, the goal wasn't realistic, but how do we know the current goals are realistic then.
If we haven't even met our past goals.
Madam Mayor, members of the council, that was a good question, and I would say that the state has established these goals.
They care about us achieving them, but they care more about the infrastructure being in place and setting the markets and moving the state in a certain direction.
So it's like green numbers for trash basically.
Thank you, Mr. Reynolds.
Yes.
Any other council members?
I have just some comments that I would like to provide.
And first, I want to thank you for the thorough presentation.
It is very nice to see this presentation and how well it was executed.
The next thing I would like to mention is that I think this is, we have a great opportunity to utilize social media and videos and try to encourage as many people to understand this.
And so I think this is a perfect opportunity for that.
And so with that, do we have, Miss Lee, do we have any public comments regarding this item?
I received no public comments on this item.
Thank you.
Do I have a motion to receive and file this presentation?
Second.
Okay.
The motion has been moved by Mayor Protemsechwick and seconded by council member Hunt, all those in favor say aye.
Aye.
Any opposed?
The motion passes unanimously.
Now prior to moving to seven point one, we do have a public comment.
Somebody is here, Miss Lee.
Yes.
I apologize.
We do have one public speaker that we missed on a non-agenda item.
Madam, if you'd like to approach the podium and state your name.
Okay.
Are you?
Who are you?
Well, we're kind of going backwards, but it's going to go back to Laguna Village.
I've been there since 1979.
And it's been increasingly getting full of crime, speeding, drag racing.
And this is the embarrassing part, and I apologize for this, but I call it Irvine to take care of it.
We're going to help us doesn't take care of it.
So, I just wanted to bring that up to you guys as attention.
You already heard everything going on here.
I think that you guys already know, because I've talked to a lot of people in law enforcement.
They already know.
And I hope that some of the budgets that you were talking about does go towards that area.
People are hurting.
And they really need you guys.
Okay.
That's it.
Thank you.
Now we are going to move to three item three point eight.
Council number.
We are.
Yeah, I just pulled us so we have discussions about one of the prime drivers for the cost of three point eight.
So we would put understand.
That's all I wanted to to bring it.
Also, I want to point out that the money that's going to be used as the increase in three eight is not going to be out of the budget.
And this is a correct way to go wrong here.
But it will be assessed via the increase cost that this paid to see or an R, which will then in terms pay to the city.
So it was kind of worried it was like a quarter of a million dollar additional cost.
I found out that that will not be a cost of the city for our budget.
Unfortunately, it would be a cost for all of this budget.
Now that's all I wanted to bring up.
I'm moved to go ahead and pass.
Three eight.
Okay, three of a second.
Okay, the motion is moved by council member hunt or excuse me, we're we're in seconded by council member hunt.
All those in favor.
Aye.
Any opposed.
The motion passes unanimously.
Now we'll move to matters agendaist and presented by council members item seven point one point one.
Council member hunt.
Thank you.
All right, good evening, everyone.
Tonight, I am proposing that we can we reconsider our decision last July to suspend our long time
Memberships in our four regional organizations.
The League of Cities, the ACCOC, Skag and O'Cog.
Back then, and it was July 7, 2020, we thought of it as a way of
achieving a relatively small savings in our overall budget.
And we did not predict any major repercussions on leaving these organizations.
Since then, a lot of things have changed.
Several major crisis has struck our city, including having a homeless problem for the first time in our city, being hit with very high
green and numbers for housing that we're all fighting.
And a second wave of COVID-19 hit us this last Christmas.
And new lockdowns that have been devastating for our businesses and our residents.
These are all regional problems and regional problems need a regional solution.
And now some proposed new legislation in Sacramento, which we've talked about, SB 9 and SB 10,
for threatened to change the very nature of our city by allowing single-family residents to be transformed into multi-family complexes.
This is where our advocacy partners place such a vital role.
And I can tell you that these organizations are playing a huge role in pushing back on these issues.
We cannot fight these battles alone.
We need our regional partnerships now more than ever.
So first, I would like to make a motion to reconsider, which is simply so we can discuss the matter
and allow the representatives of the organizations to make their presentations.
Several of which drove all the way here to speak to us in person, including our long time former city manager, Bruce Channing, I see here.
And afterward, if you agreed, this is a relatively small but absolutely critical investment for our city,
then motion can be made for us to pay our dues and be back in good standing with our regional partners.
So I would like to go ahead and move at this time that we bring this item back for reconsideration.
Do I have a second?
The item has been moved in second and at this time, do we discuss?
Yes, we have a discussion among council members.
Do we have a discussion among council members to open this up to reconsider?
Do I have to give speakers first to the motion for reconsideration first to decide whether you're going to hear this?
Oh, the discussion would be on the reconsideration with the motion.
Excuse me, can you repeat that, Mr.
No?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
So you can discuss a question about the motion.
Okay.
So we will move to the vote.
Okay.
The motion has been moved by council member, heft and seconded by council member Wheeler, all those in favor.
Aye.
All those opposed.
Aye.
The motion passes however the motion was not unanimous.
So much.
I appreciate that.
I mentioned back in July of 2020 when my colleagues and I voted to suspend our memberships in the regional organizations.
None of us knew what lay ahead.
We've now been through a second lockdown that has devastated even more businesses and put more people in the gunna hills out of work.
And the first time in our city's existence, we have a homeless problem, which I've mentioned before.
We are also more than aware that our huge rena numbers that we will be forced to reckon with are still here and we're still fighting them.
If you recall my proposal, opposing SB 9 and SB 10 out of our last city council meeting,
the governor of our state is actually setting up a special organization.
Whose only purpose is to spy and listen in on our future council meetings to monitor if we are complying with those housing demands from Sacramento.
And even imposing penalties and fines on our city if we do not implement these unsustainable almost 2,000 new units in our city.
It's interesting because it sounds a lot what Mr. Reynolds was talking about in terms of the fact that Sacramento is breathing down our next, they are forcing things on cities taking away local control.
And I will say that these organizations are all about making sure we keep local control in our cities.
And we all know about the incredible burden that these housing units will put us on as a city.
Laguna Hills has been built out for a long time.
And without physically repurposing a large number of properties or adding ADUs left and right or converting single family residences into multi-family units.
Just like SB 9 and 10 want us to do, the plan is simply not feasible and we need to be able to fight back as a city to keep our local control.
And if we don't have $28,000 out of an annual budget of $22,000,000, that's 0.001.
What does that say to the other cities that remain faithful members even during such hard times is these?
They're going to fight our battles for us?
The League of Cities is taking the lead in getting cities to actively oppose SB 9 and 10 and to put pressure on our governor and the legislature to stop multi-family complex is to be built in our single family neighborhoods.
The ACCCOC helps create the OC Housing Finance Trust that will serve as a way for cities to fund their housing needs.
Just on this issue of housing alone, it would be a reason to stay in that organization as this will very soon be our city's number one battle.
OCOC, which is the Orange County Council of Governments, has been actively fighting for lower-reena numbers.
Marny Primer, who will be joining us online. She is the executive director. She's been at the forefront of that fight.
And OCOC also serves as the regional hub for transportation issues, which is vital to us here in Laguna Hills, where the five freeway runs virtually the entire length of our city.
We have five exits.
Our Skag representative, Wendy Bucknam, who is our colleague in Mission Geho, has personally fought for us during the Reena appeal process and has been a strong voice to reduce these massive housing numbers that are being imposed upon us.
These four organizations are made out of our city council colleagues from all over Orange County and they've been absolutely fantastic in pushing back on these issues.
Remember, just last year, when a dozen of us South County mayors testified in front of the Orange County Board of Supervisors to ask for the CARES Act funds to be finally distributed to our small businesses who were being devastated by the lockdowns.
It makes a big difference when a bunch of cities come together as one.
People in elected office actually listen, and as they say, there are strengths and numbers.
They're able to secure a $10,000 grant for 60 businesses and 15 non-profits for a total of $750,000 for a businesses and our non-profits in the city.
And I've said this before, but it bears repeating, we're not an island.
As cities were all hurting and trying very hard to find solutions for our residents and businesses.
And it's in a year like this that we need our regional partners.
More than ever, and we can't wait until next year, those decisions would be made this year, and so it is critical that we pay our dues so that we can be reinstated and be represented again, or those decisions will simply be made without us.
This is only approximately 0.001 of our budget, 28,000 in a budget of 22 million, but it is an absolutely critical investment in our city.
And that is why in last year's budget, staff did not include cutting our regional membership in the tiered one cuts.
There are things we can cut, and there are things that are essential for our city, and these regional relationships, which were always important, are absolutely critical this year.
And at this time, I'd like to point out a few important things in the supporting materials that were provided to you in your packet.
Attachment A has information about the Association of California City, otherwise known as the ACC of C.
On the first page, it shows all the different dues for the city's city of Lagone Hills was 9341 last year.
It has been reduced 10% because the ACC understands everybody's tightening their budgets to 8407.
The second page I really wanted to include because I was shocked when I first saw it.
There are a bunch of cities listed here, you probably can't see it, but out of all these cities, we're the only one that's no longer listed as being a member.
Every other single city is making sure they maintain their relationships and their memberships.
The next piece is a memo from Bruce Channing, and I don't want to steal his thunder, but I just want to point out one of the important things that a lot of us probably don't know.
The ACC of C, it says it was founded in 2011, one of our founding council members, Alan Songstad, who served on the council for 20 plus years, was one of the founders of the ACC of C, so we were an integral part of the group for a long time.
I also want to point out that we received a letter from our new Assemblywoman Lori Davies, and I do want to read what she said in part here.
As I now have a new role serving the 73rd Assembly District, including your city, I can see firsthand the effects bad policy has on those you represent.
We know that one size doesn't fit all, especially when it comes to housing, homelessness, and small businesses.
Having the ACC of C, representing you at both a county and state level is imperative to the health and wellbeing of your community.
If there was ever a time to have a place at the table when it comes to local control and making sure your city receives its fair share at both the county and state level, it's now.
You know the same, if you're not at the table, you are on the menu.
With that said, I ask you to consider rejoining the ACC of C.
We also received a letter from the current chairman of the Orange County Council of Governments, Trevor O'Neill, who serves on the City Council for Anaheim.
And something he says here, the O'Cog focuses on five policy areas, water, energy, air quality, housing, land use, and transportation.
O'Cog provides leadership opportunities to elected officials from across the county.
Each board member of O'Cog also represents their district on the Southern California Association of Governments, which is gag.
And the O'Cog Board of Directors appoints the subregions 12 policy committee representatives to stack, ensuring that our county has a voice and the regional decision making.
In fact, there are three current openings for elected leaders to step into a policy committee role at Skag, and I was actually approached by Councilman O'Neill that this might be an opportunity for a city as well to step up into leadership.
There is another letter, and this has to do with O'Cog and Skag, and this is from our fellow council member, Wendy Bucknam, who is mayor pretend for the city of Mission Viejo.
And I'll read in part.
As we all know, the past two years with the state-mandated renaplanning process was a challenging one.
The planning process shed light on how vast the Skag region is and how different counties have distinct and different perspectives on how best to plan for the region.
But what Orange County brings to the table as members of O'Cog and Skag is a unified position and a show of strength that has made a difference in counters in a rubber stamping of regional policy positions.
I would hope that the city of Luguni Hills could carefully consider rejoining O'Cog and Skag.
As individual jurisdictions, we must work together collectively to continue to push for a voice of reason against one size fits all directives, coming down from Sacramento and impinging upon local control at the regional and county levels.
Through O'Cog and through Orange County's representation on Skag committees and the governing board, we can continue to be a watchdog.
And the squeaky wheel that continues to question and provoke to ensure that the issues and concerns of our cities and of Orange County in general are respected and considered.
We could not achieve this without the solidarity of our Orange County jurisdictions.
And then the last thing I want to point out before I introduce our speakers tonight is there is a chart that I included and I do not.
But, uh, profess to know all the details about this, but this is for the League of California cities.
The League of California cities is our oldest advocacy organization.
It was originally formed in 1898, so it's 123 years old.
And out of 482 cities in California, 476 members.
It's 98.7% very impressive.
All right, before I introduce our members, I do also want to let the council know this is something I was not aware of, but I guess the mayor has taken the time to prepare a PowerPoint presentation to oppose this proposal.
And this is a surprise, I was not aware of that, but it's, it's unusual something that's a 0.01% of our budget.
I'm hoping she will listen with open ears and eyes to what our speakers are saying tonight.
So without further ado, as they say, I would like to go ahead and introduce, give him first place, our former 26 years old.
Former 26 year city manager, Bruce Channing, from the ACC of C.
I think he's all.
Thank you.
I'm dying here.
We're good evening.
It's nice to see all of you.
Mr. Simone, it's been too long.
And it's a pleasure to be back in this room.
My name's Bruce Channing.
I'm the executive director of ACC OC.
Last time I was here, I was sitting in Ken's chair.
And it's kind of funny sitting on the other side here.
A lot of councilmember Hunt congratulations.
Nice to see you sitting up there.
And we didn't get a chance to work together there, but happy to see you here for the last couple of years now.
And it's been a pleasure, frankly, to have the chance to listen to Mr. Reynolds wax,
eloquently about trash collection.
I brought back so many fond memories of how Wound Kenny talk on that subject.
And be so enthusiastic about it too, right?
Dave, you cured in so many of for me tonight.
Thank you for that.
And it's amazing.
You know, things just don't change, right?
I'm going back to the 80s when we first started into the whole recycling
and the removal of waste in three cart bins and all the rest of that.
And we're still talking about it today.
And who knew that we needed the state of California to tell us what color the trash had to be?
What color been it had to be put in?
Because I'm sure the CR and our trash guy can't figure it out if he's getting paid to collect it.
But I digress.
These are the fun things we think about in our business.
And, you know, here I am.
A couple of years after retirement and I'm back involved in a limited capacity as the executive director of ACCOC.
And I came back to do this work because I had been a strong believer in the value of these associations,
whether it's the League of Cities or ACCOC.
O'Cog.
Councilmember Huff said it all very well.
The value that is derived from being a part of those organizations as each in its own way is representing the collective interest of the cities here in Orange County.
And attempting to the best of its ability to represent your interest in a way that serves everyone here in the county.
And it solves problems.
And the unique part about ACCOC, if you don't know, as we have a number of affiliate members that are both special districts, water districts, and a number of private sector companies.
And it's in those relationships.
The companies that are members are generally ones that are service providers to cities.
And have a interest in seeing the good public policy is made at these council diocese.
And the respect of cities across the county.
And the problems are solved in a way that works well.
Not only for those who are delivering the service in their private capacity, but for you and your residents as well.
So ACCOC puts its energies into education, into advocacy, into collaboration.
And I think it's been achieving those goals quite successfully.
And as I came on board and recognized that it was important to hold the budget of this organization down to make it more palatable for the cities to be members, continue to be members.
We've done that.
We eliminated our offices in the city of Orange.
We scaled back.
We have a small office in City Hall at Mission VA House City Hall.
And we work on a pretty lean staff just as we set it up here.
That's what we do at the ACCOC as well.
And that's what made it easier for us to lower everybody's dues this year by 10%.
But I got to tell you, like any organization, and especially one like these and the league and others.
It's what you put into it is what you get out of it in terms of the benefit.
If you're involved and active and engaged, you're going to find it to be very useful and beneficial.
We're happy to have Mr. Councilmember Wheeler and Councilmember Heft in recent times, both very active.
Councilmember Heft, as you may know, is in the leadership chairs.
She's the second vice president now.
We're going to make transition in leadership in April, so she would move up to first vice president.
It's been great to work with her in that capacity.
It'd be a disappointment to lose having her in that role.
Again, I'd be happy to answer any questions.
But thank you for giving me the opportunity to be with you tonight.
Do we have any questions for Mr. Channing?
Thank you, Mr. Channing.
A few minutes.
Sure.
So I know you have a long history with this city.
You have the inside track, probably still.
Are you aware of why this decision was made to begin with you at the back story?
That's why.
I'm aware of what I read in your staff report and have a reasonable sense that it was a decision you had to make,
or felt you needed to make a bounce about it back in July when you were looking at ways to increase the budget for your holiday program.
Would you say that joining an organization like ACCOC is in necessity for a city like ours?
Or is it something that would be better to us for us to spend our money on if we weren't hurting other areas,
like say public safety or park maintenance or street maintenance, these types of things?
Again, those are the tough choices that you get.
The big dollars to decide, you're the ones who are making those budgetary decisions.
I have always thought I've long been a supporter of the associations, whether it's the league or ACCOC, O'Cog and others.
And I think they serve a very valuable purpose in helping keep your budgets and their costs in a reasonable place.
If you will by being out there advocating on your behalf, when as council member HIFT,
so I'll quickly present it.
You have the state regularly now trying to make it more expensive for you to provide services.
So I do agree with that, but what does ACCOC have a lobby in?
For example, like what exactly are they doing to combat these green and numbers, for example?
Yeah, so we're very close in partnership with O'Cog on that matter in specific.
Pacific, I participate on both the O'Conc technical advisory committee and a morregular attendor of their board meetings,
Marty Permanor, their executive director, and is also on our board, Tony Cardness, and I also work closely together on advocacy matters.
So it's a joint effort. I mean, it's a significant fight as you might certainly recognize and appreciate
to convince, in this case, the state and Skag that those reading numbers are really absurdly high and unachievable in my humble opinion.
They're not even properly calculated in the context of the law.
But you have to have a uniform voice. You got to have a lot of, in this case, all of us coming together speaking with one voice on our objections to what is being voices upon you.
And to the extent that you're not there, we're going to speak on your behalf anyway.
You know, that's not going to prevent or in any way dissuade us from speaking on behalf of the interests of all Orange County cities.
We don't say we're here to represent, you know, this number of cities in Orange County and list them, we're here to represent all cities in Orange County.
So you get the benefit one way or the other. We just think that we're a strong reorganization when we're all there at the table working together, linking arms and addressing these problems.
Together. So also there's another way we can participate in a CCLC then besides just becoming a member. I mean, I just became a new council member. I was able to take new council member training the F, you're trying to cost us $50.
Right. So I mean, and at a time we're hurting if we can use the cafeteria approach can use organizations like yours at a significantly reduced price.
I mean, that might be the best thing here in the city, particularly when we're hurting a lot of other areas.
Well, we try to make it reasonable to get as many people the opportunity to participate in our programs as we can, and so that's why that was a nominal cost.
And we do, we oftentimes have different pricing for members versus non members. In this past year, we're almost everything's been done on Zoom.
It's pretty hard to push for any significant difference in cost or pricing, I should say, for our activities and events. When we get back to the time,
where we can come together in person, one of the real strengths that ACC is always offered is the networking component.
And we would do that on a regular basis in person, where we'd come together here speakers and have the opportunity for council members to meet and talk with one another share problems and concerns and information with each other.
In those circumstances, we would have a significantly different price for non member to attend versus a member.
But at this present time, we're really not focused on that.
Thank you.
Any other questions?
Thank you. I just want to say, while you're here, I want to say, you have done a fantastic job in setting the city up.
So, I really appreciate all of your efforts. I see all of the things that you have done and I respect and honor for you for everything that you've done in the city and it's an honor to be able to see you and be able to see that.
So, thank you for everything.
Well, you're very kind.
But thank you. It's great to be here again. Good to see you all.
Thanks.
Thank you very much.
Bruce, I really appreciate you coming all the way down from yourble into here.
All right. At this time, I would like to call our other in-person speaker.
And that is Tony Cardenas. He is the Orange County Public Affairs Manager for the League of California Cities.
You can probably explain that chart a lot better.
Yes, I could. I'm going to leave my masculine because my mom told me to. So, that's okay.
I'm Tony Cardenas, I'm the Public Affairs Manager for the League of California Cities. I managed the Orange County Division.
Thank you for this opportunity.
When the League of California Cities formed in 1898, our mission then is the same as it is now.
And that is to protect your city's local control and authority.
The proof of this is included in some documents that I provided for the Council.
Those two documents, they highlight recent wins at the League of Cities.
One, both at the legislature and at the ballot box.
As a member of the League of Cities, you inherit a legislative lobbying team that basically serve as your boots on the ground.
In Sacramento to quickly take action on bills.
Of all the bills that are introduced in the legislature, I believe this year we have 2,100 bills that were introduced.
On average, we take action on 70% of the bills.
So that means of all the bills introduced. 70% of the bills we take on a pose and a support, neutral position depending on how it impacts your city.
And that's the day and day out out of the kissy that we do.
If you want more specifics on the bills that we've engaged in, we have an electronic 2020 legislative report that I did email to you.
You can see all the bills that we've engaged in last year.
But without doing too much in the past, over the past 15 years, the League of Cities we once had significant constitutional ballot measure battles for you on behalf of the Guna Hills.
These are constitutional protections for vending the state from coming in and taking your local revenue, your sales tax, TLT dollars, property tax.
It was an era and not the long ago where city councils tried to deal with this on a regular basis and not so because of these ballot measures that we've passed and protected.
On page 2661 of your packet, you should have a return on investment matrix.
And what this does is it basically quantifies dollar for dollar, the investment that the city made with the league and what that investment yielded back to the city.
And going back to fiscal year 2015-16, if you look at all the categories, it's 161 to 1 ratio.
That's a very healthy return.
And I just want to be very clear, this isn't for Orange County, this is specifically for the Guna Hills.
And of course, when the relevant question is asked, is it worth membership?
Well, this helps with that question and dollars for dollars.
But we don't just get involved with the legislature or the ballot box, we also have a legal advocacy program where we get involved in the judiciary.
And that's just another form that we get involved in.
And in terms of what we're doing now, we're actually getting involved on that legal front.
There's a new case you will be hearing about, if you haven't already, it's called Rileyverse.
The city of West Covina where an employee was terminated, the employee wanted to contest that termination through the city's process.
Drop that half way to suit the city.
And now it's this, it's this score case.
We're supporting the city of West Covina through an amicus brief.
How does that relevant to the Guna Hills?
Well, if we protect that city process from West Covina, we potentially protect any process this city has.
And hopefully defend against increase the litigation.
In terms of what we're doing now for the city in Washington, DC, we're fighting to secure federal funding.
COVID-19 relief funding that is direct and flexible that would go directly to the city from the federal government.
There's $65 billion that are being, it's being proposed.
It's in the, it's in the house.
And what we were asking all the cities to join us and get this, this funding pass.
And if this is successful, this could be potentially millions of dollars for the Guna Hills.
That money is going to be allocated through the CDBG of formula.
And for, I believe the Guna Hills is under 50,000 residents.
So we're actually going to host the webinar to help cities under 50,000 had to navigate through that process.
So that is new, that is new funding.
It's, it's not secured.
We're going to need all the King's horseman and all the King's men when it gets into the Senate.
But that is, that is a current fight and advocacy that we're in.
There's, there's other bills.
I won't get too much into the weed of all the bills we're dealing with.
But you just heard a great presentation on SB 1383.
That was a very clear example of how an idea in Sacramento can impact the city in your bottom line.
Our position in cities need more flexibility with that bill.
Cities need more time.
And I'd like to announce right here that we are working with a Senator Laird.
He's going to introduce the bill SB 619 to provide city of regulatory relief and hopefully a little bit more time.
Those amendments and negotiations are still happening, but that's something where
Luguna Hills could be at the table giving us direct feedback and navigating some of those discussions.
We're also fighting some of the housing legislation that was originally discussed at SB 9.
We do have an opposed position on that bill.
And that is a lot of splitting bill that would impact single family residents.
With that, I manage the Orange County division.
We meet the second Friday of the month.
Our next meeting is March 12.
All our cities are on archives on our website.
And we do have special training for city elected officials on March 26.
With that, I'm just going to conclude my presentation by saying.
If we remain a member, I would strongly encourage you to get involved.
There's it's been a couple of years since direct elected official from this council has been involved in the league.
You get the most rang out of your book.
We are engaged in current fights.
And we would encourage your city to be a part of the league, remain a part of the league and as a member.
And without all this conclude and pause for any questions.
Thank you.
Do we have any questions from fellow council members?
Council member.
I just have one, Mr. Kennedy.
Thanks for coming.
I appreciate it.
I'm curious if you got any insight as to why we cancelled these members here to begin with.
Same answer as my predecessor.
Redist staff report.
I understand the city was saving trying to save some money for a holiday program for some
flights.
And that was the reason it was a budgetary reason.
That's what I understand.
Thanks.
Yes, sir.
Any other questions?
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Tony really appreciate you coming tonight.
Now I do believe we have two more speakers and they are
going to be online.
Do we have Ms. Primer, the executive director from O'Cog?
I am on.
Okay.
Great.
Okay.
So I guess we can't see you, but we can hear you.
So go ahead and give us your presentation, please.
Thank you.
I'm sorry about the lack of a video.
Apparently I needed to download something first in order to make it.
First in order to make the video work in order to do that.
I would have to close out.
So I didn't want to miss any of the conversation.
Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to address to you this evening.
Madam Mayor and members of the council.
My name is Martin Primer.
I'm the executive director for the Orange County Council of Governments.
O'Cog.
And I want to echo a couple of the comments that I've heard tonight.
And then put it to you in a way to hopefully make sense.
So all of the organizations of which you are currently a member are part of an ecosystem of support for you as a city.
And we partner together.
So O'Cog is a joint powers authority.
We're a voluntary organization right now.
We have every one of our cities in Orange County as well as all of the special districts.
The Orange County Transportation Authority the TCA Orange County Water District Orange County Sanitation District.
At the table.
In addition, we also have ex officio non voting partners from the private sector that and from the public sector that provided additional voices and advisory input into our board as they are making policy decisions.
And having the development community having the business community having the nonprofit housing community.
Our partners at ACCOC and the league at the table with us BIA of C at the table with us informing our board of directors as they're making decisions on year behalf.
And really lending their shoulders to the wheel when it comes to supporting.
The efforts of the O'Cog.
It's it's a very powerful voice and I believe because we do have this.
Level of participation from our member jurisdictions were able to exert a level of influence in regional decision making that is unparalleled even within.
The sky region but certainly even looking at larger counties like Los Angeles Orange County is far more engaged and far more unified in our approach.
We have excellent technical staff at the city level that is engaged on a volunteer basis to attend.
To attend sky meetings and work with sky staff in terms of the planning documents that are required of us the four year cycle for the regional transportation plan and sustainable community strategy and the eight year reign a cycle.
And I've heard tonight that you have some significant concerns about that.
And I want to reassure you that O'Cog has been at the table.
We have been well represented by O'Conve members fighting the good fight. Even when we lose the battle, we are still there taking our, taking our licks and getting our bruises and making sure that Orange County's perspective is heard.
More often than not, however, Orange County is successful in carrying the day and communicating our perspective to Skag is a regional body and influencing the decision-making of policymaking that goes on at the regional level.
There are, and I know Kome will touch on this, 196 jurisdictions that are members of Skag. O'Conve has 34 of those jurisdictions, excuse me, 35 when you include the county of Orange as well as our 34 cities.
And so having a delegation that is able to coordinate its advocacy with groups like ACC and the lead and be engaged on a policy level through O'Conve and through active involvement with the policy committees and the regional council at Skag really does make a huge difference for our county.
So when we're talking about, you know, a $3,500 membership in O'Conve, please know that the investment that you're making is well taken, not only by myself, but by my partners that are here tonight.
And in terms of leveraging that investment for giving you a voice in decision-making that is interwoly impacting your residents in your jurisdiction.
I want to give you an example of a program that O'Conve has right now.
In partnership with Skag to support our local jurisdictions for producing their housing elements and reacting to those high read and numbers that every jurisdiction throughout the Skag region has been allocated.
This funding is coming to you Orange County, it's $3.2 million and it is directly supporting staff augmentation new online GIS based tools for helping you to choose the right sites for your arena.
mandates it includes support for you if you're considering any use such as pre-approved designs and plans tools for you to communicate to your public new videos explaining housing law and.
explaining the arena itself so that as you're getting pushed back from your community members you have tools in your toolkit to be able to communicate with them effectively actually and combat some of the misinformation or resistance to.
to change that we are going to you know need to address and then there's also support for our housing trust included in this this grant program as well.
every month the O'Conve pack meets to discuss important planning issues facing your city and your planning staff is actively involved you have opportunities to.
potentially be a member of the O'Conve Board of Directors district 13 of which you are part is for reelection this spring there currently three policy committee openings.
at for Orange County at Skag that the O'Conve Board of Directors will be appointing this week and so there are opportunities for you is council members to be.
more involved and have a role in a regional leadership forum and then there's also those opportunities I mentioned for your staff.
and we're hosting a series of webinars on housing related topics leading up to our general assembly which we post on to the following that will all be able to be together in person.
your membership views as a member of O'Conve have not been increased in a decade.
we are charging the same today that we charged 10 years ago and delivering even more value for you every year again I really want to thank council number.
and so I can't be there in person we had a little child here mix up today so I had to do it remotely but I'd be happy to answer any questions that you have and provide any additional details that you think would be helpful to you as you make this difficult decision.
thank you do we have any questions.
okay thank you.
miss me do we have any other.
yes.
all right thank you so much morning I really really appreciate you taking the time believe me I understand the child care issues that one is near and dear.
last of our speakers say certainly not least is Jonathan Hughes he is the regional affairs officer for skag and just so everyone knows skag stands for the Southern California Association of Governments.
and he's here with us now we actually have video so Jonathan if you want to go ahead and give us your presentation.
thank you so much council member have mayor and members of the council I'm not she pleased to turn it over to our executive director.
Mr coming as you say coming.
thank you John and good evening madam mayor and council members.
my name is coming as you say I'm the executive of Skag Jonathan I would love to be there with you tonight but we're still under the mandatory work at home.
I'm a situation at work and could not be there but we really appreciate the time you've given us to participate tonight.
as you consider whether or not to continue the membership with this for organizations like let me just say very strongly that.
I encourage the council to to to move in favor of this especially as it pertains to stag.
we consider these organizations that you are looking at today but I've spoken to you ahead of me today to be partners in our work together as we seek to advance.
what's really what's better what's a better future for Southern California in general.
now you may know that the good news is no stranger to Skag some of your former colleagues have served at Skag.
we had council member Barbara Cogerman and council member.
button sugar I think both served in the past at Skag and we're pleased to also have engaged council member willer during our elected official briefing for.
I just we just adopted last year membership in Skag in that is a.
in addition to many other benefits that it provides is an opportunity for and this has been mentioned by my three discreters it's not particularly to serve on on regional policy making bodies.
we as Skag are not an island on to ourselves were really a a a collaborative that involves all of our local jurisdictions in South California which gives us the boys that we have.
both Ocarg and Skag governmental entities that provide significant value for the cost of membership.
the use that you pay at Skag really have a huge return among the benefits you get opportunity to help guide policy and decisions on matters of regional importance like housing.
the economy transportation air quality.
you get to be part of a regional voice advocacy at state and federal level we have a legislative communication membership committee.
that syncs up all of our local needs local entity needs and we roll that into a legislative advocacy that we take to Sacramento.
and and to DC and we are actually doing that on a weekly basis I am part of meeting with several different legislators and trying to posit with them.
the interest of of our cities and counties in Southern California.
membership involves eligibility for millions of dollars in annual grants such as the go human pedestrian bicycle safety program.
and you know this this is a program that's been successful across the region in addition to that you have access to technical support and assistance.
software licenses that is of support and grants these are various just a few other things that we we do at Skag.
you know one of the one of the products that we put out every two years it's the is a local profile which is the densest data reach book.
on each city that you'll ever see anywhere and we're very proud of ourselves doing that that's something that we always feel like.
we couldn't we couldn't produce enough of them because of the interest would get on them and then you also participate in our general assembly and the economic summit.
you know, Skag I think Marty already talked about it we fund a lot of our activities through sub regional entities like O card.
the funds that we got for you to want to one at the state half of those funds were pushed out through entities like O card to do work with each city in their jurisdiction to try and get some production and housing this year through Skag.
we are through our regional data platform we're providing no cost licenses to to GIS tools that's validated about $6,000 that's that's almost twice the cost of the fee that you would that you would pay anyway.
so just with that one to alone you would have made you made returns on on the fees so even without the incredible assistance on that one to you could see the benefit that being a Skag provides.
as an example.
today Skag provides providing training I will provide training to city staff related to local housing data and and and the housing element parcel tool which we call Alpha this is a tool that we have that allows cities to be able to in a more efficient way locate.
also that will be relevant to the housing element development I should say tomorrow I am meeting with the director of the housing committee government department in Sacramento to talk about arena numbers because that's been brought up several times but beyond just arena how do we help cities to actually produce housing because that's that's really the ultimate.
so I encourage the council to give full consideration to this important item brought before you and I want to thank council member have for.
for the privilege of being able to be part of this conversation there are many issues that can be resolved at the local level and and we always believe at Skag that the best government is local government city government.
because it does provide services to people directly and it was it was really I'd say fun to listen to the discussion on on solid waste management earlier on because these are really issues that that people are dealing with.
however there are issues that may change in or larger than anyone city to deal with that's where the regional regional scale comes into play and the regional scale really is city's coming together like Skag like oakhog to solve those problems so as partner agencies have already eloquently pointed out.
we including the honor of going to book them she is a dynamic voice on Skag it's important that we hear from all voices all jurisdictions within a first vast and diverse region so again I want to thank you for the privilege of being able to join you tonight and hope that we get a positive ruling from you without I will be I'll be quiet and see if there any questions or Jonathan if you want to say something.
Thank you so much come in I'll just I'll just add one one quick thing in addition to everything that that that calling mentioned Skag also funds a number of programs through OCTA you're familiar with the Center for demographic research at Cal State Fullerton and of course Oakhog I see mentioned a couple examples that serve all of Orange County including the city of Laguna Hills and lastly coming mentioned the helper tool which is our.
land use analysis tool that we're that we're helping our jurisdictions with just today literally today on February 23rd our staff had a meeting with the city of Laguna Hills staff providing some technical assistance with that tool so just wanted to provide that very tangible anecdote and again thank you for the opportunity to share with you this evening.
I wanted to ask a question gentleman you'd mentioned something and I think it'd be good for us to know as a council a little bit more about this you said there was a no cost license for GIS maybe you could get a little bit more.
detailed about that what that means for us is cities and the value is about $6,000 like maybe a little more information.
So absolutely so over at Skag we had been working on this notion of big data open data of Skag's data is what every city relies on to get work done for the most part but it doesn't come cheap you hire consultants that will come to us and get our data.
And then use it to produce materials for you what we've tried to do is to make that data more accessible in a way that's I think a little more efficient to get work done.
I almost no cost by least reduce cost and so we have to be spending some time working with as we to develop this regional data platform and it's a really sophisticated tool and it's not done yet but we're beginning to see some some outcomes from the work that's been done so far we've been working on it.
We did as we for the last year and a half or so and so there are things that tools are beginning to emanate from it one of them is this helper tool for example and the intent is to provide each city with.
The elections are often articulated by conscience.
You can imagine most of our citizens, 90, 90, 90 is schools, and most of our cities are
small cities. People tend to think LA and LONGBREE cars, but most of our cities are small
speeds.
the capacity to go out and invest in this licenses.
So it was really a kind of a scale for us at Skag
to do that on behalf of all cities so that at least every single city
can play at that same level of technical competence.
And that's what this tool is.
The value of the licenses is next to us of $6,000.
You know, I do, I'm going to use the last time,
was about 3,800.
We actually reduced those dues because of we
knew there was an impact last year on everybody by 20%.
And so we know that you do get value out of that,
just the license fee alone that alone the technical support
that came out of it, the work that was done today,
that Jonathan described with your staff,
is along the lines of using that tool.
Thank you so much.
And so you did mention, I just wanted to reiterate,
along with the ACC of C, lowering their dues.
Skag has given the option for cities to pay a 20% less fee for their dues.
So we go from about 35 and some change down to about 28 and some changes.
That correct, gentlemen.
That's right. That's right.
Great. Okay.
Thank you so much.
Mayor, any questions?
Yes. Any questions, council members?
Okay. Council members, are there any questions for council
member have there's staff?
Okay.
Mayor Paton.
Let me ask a question and Mr. Rosenfield.
When we made the decision to take kind of a year high at us from these organizations
last summer, when we were trying to find ways to reduce some expenditures,
in the middle of the pandemic, we were having to cut quite a few staff revenues were significantly reduced.
And your predecessor, Mr. White, had at least intimately expressed to us that he didn't think
that it was going to be much of an impact to do that from the city's perspective to take a COVID break.
As kind of the way that it was kind of described today, we heard that, you know, we used a
scag for one of the resources today, we've heard that there's grants, you know, grants that sometimes
we're able to take advantage of and aside from the from the lobbying, we have a lobbyist to
mean that type of stuff. What about just from a practical nature from our city's staff's point of view?
What would be the impact? Would it be something that would be cutting our nose off to spider face,
that there's actually some great savings and tools that are very much worth the money
that we would actually maybe not be saving money if you consider all of the benefits?
Want to get your perspective on that?
Thank you, Mayor Protown, I'm such a wick and members of the city council.
It's not a simple question to answer, but I'm going to give you a little bit of flavor and I'm going to
give you responses that will appear to be contradictory, but they're appropriate for you to consider.
The first, as a general response, a little bit beyond your question, I would advise the city council
that I do recommend in support that the city be members of regional organizations because coalitions
have beneficial impacts. We've seen that over the years and that's why these organizations exist.
Most of these organizations have existed long before the city did, so there's some recent history behind that.
At the same time, we can only participate in what we can afford to participate in.
And the COVID-19 pandemic has had serious impacts on the city's budget and for the members who are on the council
at the July 7 special meeting, I would simply recall for you that the city implemented at the city manager's
direction tier 1 cuts in order to deal with anticipated revenue reductions because of COVID-19.
And at the time on July 7, the anticipated reduction in general fund revenues was $2.3 million.
And the anticipated value of the tier 1 cuts was approximately $1.7 million.
So in other words, our cuts were not matching the revenues and we have a net reduction over the projected
budget that was adopted two years ago coming June. And I've had some opportunity to do some work on this
with the finance director in the last couple of weeks because we're getting ready for our budget process again this spring.
And those predictions of a loss of revenue of about 2.3 million are looking like they're pretty accurate.
I mean, they're going to vary a little bit. Maybe $50,000,000, $100,000, $1,000,000,000, $1,000,000.
Some revenues are coming in exactly the expected summer coming in higher and summer coming in lower.
But overall it was pretty impressive estimation back on July 7.
Having said that, I would also remind the council that the savings that could be accrued by
not being members of these organizations was not included in the tier 1 cuts.
But also the staff in the following agenda item on that same July 7 did not recommend entering into the contract
for the holiday lights and decorations. So we're talking about something that was requested that wasn't recommended
and something that was removed, it wasn't recommended. And the council was, of course,
appropriate to make those recommendations and we made adjustments accordingly.
One last general comment and then I'll specifically respond to your answer and that is the best time to consider
budget issues is at the budget development time where all priorities of the city can be laid out at
the front of the council at the same time and the council can collectively decide the relative priorities
of one thing versus another. So returning to your question about the specific value
of these organizations, of course, Skag's been around a long time and deals with a lot of high-level regional
issues and they're important. And O-Cog then disaggregates that down to the more local levels.
So that's even more important for us. They give us a lot of data that helps us. The League of California
cities is likely the longest serving organization and I go to that website frequently to look up
information because they're a great resource and you can go to that website whether you remember or not.
I'm just telling you that they offer a lot of resources, particularly bill analysis, access to legislation,
bill analysis and recommendations, which is important for us. ACC O-C offers training and opportunities
for networking for council members, but that's the organization I'm least personally familiar with.
So specifically, you know, at a cost today in this current budget cycle of approximately $28,000
if all four entities were to be rejoined, I couldn't say that we would exactly get $28,000 or more
in return dollar for dollar, but we get resources, we get education, we get peers to talk to
that I'm not putting dollar amounts to, but are important. Scag in particular has offered GIS support
services in the past. We've taken advantage of those. We've paid for some of those as well, but at a reduced rate
over what we would have paid. We have our own GIS system, which is expensive and if there's an opportunity
to benefit from maybe some new global licensing, I would be interested in finding out about that.
There could be a net savings there. And we'll look into that over time. So it's really
difficult to pin down and answer to your question other than the general statements I've made.
I can't give you a dollar for dollar recommendation, and I'd be happy to answer more details about the
budget if there are other questions. Thank you. Any other questions?
I have a couple of questions, Mr. Roosevelt. So you mentioned that we did have to reduce staff.
Were we able to add any of those staff back since those reductions?
Thank you. Council member Hunter for the question. Interestingly enough, in the July 7th
staff report, there was the identification that we laid off approximately 32 part-time staff because
all the recreation programs were closed down and we also reduced one part-time staff number here in the
Civic Center. But the report anticipated that the crystal ball at the time was that COVID would likely
get under control in the fall and then probably by January of 2021 we could reintroduce the recreation
program and hire some or all of those people back and be back up and running. Of course that didn't happen
we're all familiar with the reach of the pandemic and so no we have not retained any other staff back.
We have also not added, so that's an expense if you add them back but we've also not started the
programs again and not received the revenue that in some form supports those staff it's not a one to one ratio
but so we don't have the expense we don't have the revenue.
So I have a question. Mr. Rosenfield, I'm trying to piggyback on what council member Hunter said
in terms of when we furloughed those staff members, there was an obvious reason for that and that was there
was no work. There were no recreational activities and so that was just a natural occurrence of what had happened
with COVID. If there's nothing to present and offer to the residents in terms of activities you can't
have those staff members right that's the whole micro rectum. Yes that was the purpose for the layoffs.
Okay so this Mr. Rosenfield, I have an additional question. We are currently encountering many challenges
at our community center when the pickleball court opened and where it has created problems and we don't
have the staff to sort of manage this problem. Is this correct? Yes that's correct. Thank you.
Miss Lee, do we have any public comments? Madam Mayor, we did receive 20 electronic public
comments that were afforded to the City Council in advance of the meeting. Joy Chen, Larry
Bremer, Sydney Harrington, David Harrington, Jofuzanne, Fay Chekoway, Jim Annada, chatwell, Rosemary
Boosta, Doris Rodriguez, Tom Burns, Connie George, Mario, Mario and Daniele Vasquez, Dawn Ford,
Susan Willem, Ann Taylor Lockron, Stephen Blife, Richard and Ginger Rivera, Robin Jocams,
and Gary Heerman, each sent an email opposing reconsideration of the memberships, and Jonathan Hughes
on behalf of Komi Agis, Executive Director of Skag, sent an email in favor of reconsideration of
the memberships. We also have two public speakers wishing to address the council. We will start with
Dawn Ford if you could approach the podium. Are there madam Mayor and City Council members?
As I talked before, I had all these issues about things being fixed and maintenance in Laguna
Hills, and I think for us residents, we should see those items being done for our view and our eyes.
We don't see what's really being done with these memberships. Right now, it's like, I do not feel
that now is the time to reinstate the city membership and regional organizations. We are still in a pandemic
and everything is pretty much an idle mode. We're really stuck at what we can do. There is no crystal
ballroom or actually going to be out of this. So getting advice on what to do, it's like how
we're going forward. We already have things we have to fix. Let's just work on what we have right now.
And I think we should have better safety and repairing the items, doing the maintenance on things that
need to be done. And the pathways should be fixed. The broken sidewalks. I mean, we don't need advice for that.
We know how to do that. Those are easy repairs. And I think that most of us residents
would like more share of controlling the neighborhoods because we have so much crime going on
that these rain cameras are catching these people. But what is it doing?
And you just see a person break into your car or whatever. It's not really catching them. So they come back. And in my neighborhood, they come back almost like every other weekend, breaking in the cars. And people know, don't leave your car in lock, but they still do. And then people go in there and they break in there. And it just brings them back. So they can come back again and find that unopened car again. And I think that the money that we should be spent towards as a visual effects for the residents to see in our community.
Just fixing ridge route drive and repaving that for the North Laguna Hills residents over there. It seems like that there for gotten, I mean, I never even knew that street like existed until people complained to me about it and went over there. And I'm like, wow, there's not other streets in Laguna Hills that even compares to that street.
And all of the damage and the bumps and the crevices that are there that that should be like number one priority because all of those residents over there in that area.
They're going through so much by their mailboxes being broken into and they're not just being broken into, they're being destroyed. And those complexes over there have to pay for new mailboxes, let alone all of the mail that's stolen from those people. So at least you can do is give them a street to go back and forth on so they can go to their jobs and pay their bills.
And many of us residents who live here now, that's what we should see the money going for. The members, the memberships are working.
Obviously are not working because the advice you're receiving on building the structures to replace our mall is not working. I mean nothing's being built. Now we have the construction of the five freeway going through.
So people are just driving past the zone of hills. There's nothing here for them to offer. No reason why for them to stop.
So in my opinion, it's kind of like going to Disneyland. Would you rather talk to the characters and go hang out with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck?
Would you rather ride the rides and know that you got the most free money that was spent?
I hope that all of you will make the right decision and as residents are relying on you to do the best with our money. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Ford.
Danielle Belinger, you'd approach the podium?
Nice to see you all again. It's been a minute.
I understand that the council's reconsideration to reinstate the membership in regional organizations would absolutely benefit the council and the council member, but not our city.
Prioritizing funds for the council to be a part of memberships.
Over our city's safety is a gross misappropriation of funds, especially considering the memberships cost about $28,000, which would equate to at least 14 license plate leaders throughout our community to curb the crime.
I implore you to consider our city's safety over these memberships.
The attention is not to take funds away from SB 1383's ordinances, but to ensure the funds that are made available not go to memberships to organizations that regardless of our fees will continue to fight the good fight, which was self-proclaimed this evening.
Local times and with technology today, there should be an alternative to fee-based groups to assist community institutions amongst the Orange County cities.
Thank you.
If I may, I know this, I don't know if this is usual or not, but we've had a pretty impressive lobbying effort by the political class here tonight, and we have 20 public comments from people in the community here in Laguna Hills.
I wonder if it'd be appropriate to read those into the record so that we could hear from the people who actually live here on this issue.
I don't believe anybody that's focused here tonight so far except for the last two, or members of the community, so I would propose that we read these all 21 of them into the record.
Any issues with that?
That's not normal for our policy.
I mean, we would need to implement a policy across the board if we were to do something like that, and that would be something that I would think should affect every council meeting and not just pick and choose a council meeting.
So I would, I guess, I would defer to our city attorney to ask him what would be appropriate because if we decide on one council meeting to read.
These letters into the record, but we don't for other, that doesn't seem to be a fair across the board.
Yes.
Good evening, Mayor.
Members of the city council.
The council currently has a COVID-19 policy.
It's printed on the front of the agenda.
It indicates that e-commence will be received, and they won't not be read into the record.
However, the name and the general subject matter will be recognized.
However, having said that, it is the council's prerogative if there is disagreement amongst council members.
The recommendation would be that you call for a vote on whether or not to read each of these 21 or 23 e-commence into the record for this agenda item only.
Thank you.
I could comment for the middle, Mayor.
Yes.
I just think it's important here.
I mean, look, we've had a pretty impressive display of people that were called in.
I don't think that's usual, too, on every event.
But nobody who's spoken on this event so far.
A resident of the city, we should hear what the people who put us up here have to say before we make a decision on an important issue like this.
Before we even get into the discussion on how we got here in the first place, which I think we need to have as well.
So I would propose that we do read the comments of the people who took the time, who may not be city council members from other states,
or members of these communities that are looking for membership do, but have a stake in our community.
Is that your motion?
Yes.
Okay.
Only the second.
I will second that motion.
I want to reiterate that with this item, we've had more comments from residents than we have in a long period of time.
This suggests that the public is watching and very involved.
And I want our council to know that I've been contacted by more residents regarding this matter.
And my phone line has been flooded.
So with that, I would like to have the vote and I am seconding.
So the motion, the item has been moved by council member.
Hunt and seconded by me.
Mayor Pazel.
All those in favor.
You should ask for some discussion first.
Yes.
Okay.
Excuse me.
Sorry.
May we have.
Do we have a discussion?
Council member.
I just want to ask you for are the letters all alike or primarily alike?
They are all similar in nature.
Some are longer and more in depth and more specific than others.
Okay.
Also I'd like to comment that the people with the letters, at least most of them, except for the few that are here tonight,
did not hear the other side of the coin.
These organizations benefit our city.
I know it's important to go roads and safety.
I'm going to bring that later about the safety thing.
We have to consider what is good for staying long run.
We could hire another person to finish the road and put it back towards.
This is not going to affect that.
It's not like we're losing one thing to gain another.
These organizations are stretched beyond our borders.
These organizations affect what's going to combat our communities.
The thing that was mentioned like, you know, they can take the house next to 80 years and turn it into a six-plex.
And there's nothing you can do about it.
Those are the kind of more advanced issues and higher level issues that we're continuing with.
It's a two, you know, heighters are ahead of the same.
I do not think it's appropriate.
We really have to consider that.
And be mindful we're not throwing out the things that are wanted by the people at night.
The things that Mr. Ford mentioned.
There's no reason we're not going to do this.
I'm going to bring it up a little later.
And I will do that.
It's not like we're losing all of those.
It's not like this $28,000.
It's going to impact everything else in the city.
It's important that we do not hide or hit the sand.
If we deserve these organizations now that are defending us and helping us.
What's going to happen next time when something happens here and we need defending us.
Hey, you guys wouldn't even be on the team.
And now you want to come and help you.
It's not just that.
Well, and I just think we need to be involved in the world.
We can't hide ourselves here.
And the losing hell is not being involved.
And it's a pitence of a talk of a cause.
And it's not going to affect other things.
And anything.
Council member.
You're not in favor of the comments being read.
That's what you're saying.
The.
Well.
We.
Um.
Council member.
Yeah.
I just wanted to piggyback on what.
Um.
Council member Hunt said earlier.
He was making a comparison between politicians and the residents of Lookin Hills.
And I think that's unfair.
Also, what.
Council member Wheeler said earlier is that.
Yes.
Um.
These comments were made.
But they were made before the presentation was heard.
And I believe there are two sides to every story.
And, you know, you can say that.
Oh, these are politicians just, you know, pandering for their money.
No.
It's way beyond that.
You said it's right.
We have right now.
Sacramento.
And they are breathing down our throats.
They want to force you.
To have apartments instead of your single family residents.
You worked hard all your life to get to where you are right now.
And Sacramento doesn't like that.
They want to make sure that they can force you to do what they want you to do.
We have a governor right now that says, I'm going to have a spine group that's going to come to
each city, each board of supervisors and each committee.
And basically say that you better do what we're telling you to do.
We have 1980 units in our six square miles city of 32,000 people.
That they're saying we have to implement in just a few years.
We have to either change some of our buildings.
We have to like literally repurpose them.
Or we have to have 80 use everywhere.
Or some of these places will actually become multi family units next door to somebody's house.
I'm sorry.
This is a very serious situation.
And I kind of take a sense when I hear it common.
I believe common about what's politics.
No.
This is not politics.
This is good business sense.
This is good sense that we as a council need to be considering.
And I also take a sense the fact that this is a 0.001% of our budget.
We have argued over many, many other things besides this.
This is a drop in the bucket people.
And I'm getting very frustrated because I feel like we're arguing over something that is extremely important for our city.
If we are not at the table, we are on the menu.
So those are my comments.
I feel very strongly about this.
And I understand that the.
The average Lagone Hills citizen is not going to be aware of all of the things that happen on a city council level.
And when I was elected in 2016, I had no idea what was awaiting me.
And the depth that I would be going is in terms of just the education and understanding everything.
And it is a very difficult thing to make these decisions in terms of balancing our budget and all of these things.
I would also probably ask Mr. Rosenfield to speak because I think there was a comment about how.
You know, we need to have more sheriffs and we need to have more people policing and I heard all those comments tonight.
And I absolutely think that's true.
We've had an increase in crime in the last year that's been terrible.
And I think we need to make an advantage of that.
Council member have to.
We're voting.
We're trying to discuss whether or not we're going to.
Okay.
And so.
And so there were.
And this was a public comment that was made.
So I'm actually responding to that public comment.
43% a lot of people don't know.
43% of our entire annual budget is spent on our sheriff protecting us.
We are.
I would say definitely devoted and dedicated to that as much as possible.
And we're hearing this, but this is something different and license plates readers, all these things.
These are definitely things to consider, but these all have different areas of the budget.
This is something that.
Our regional relationships are very important because that way we can make sure that we protect our city and we're protecting you.
Thank you.
Mayor.
I'll withhold my comments about the issue of restoring these memberships for when we're supposed to talk about those things.
Right now we're talking about whether or not we should read in the emails.
I read all of the emails.
They're not identical.
They are similar.
They're valuable to me.
But I think that if I think maybe what this discussion is done is it's shown light on that policy that maybe we should revisit that.
Maybe it doesn't give the residents a good enough voice, especially during COVID when they're only able to send an email and be and have it stated that they sent an email about this particular topic.
And I think it.
It may short change.
They're freedom of speech.
And I think that that is a good topic for future consideration. I don't think it would be appropriate for us to, at this time, read those in, because we either support it, or reject it, as far as the message goes, or because we feel strongly about this issue, or even because there's a greater number of them, that means that we should read them all.
I just think that this has shown light on something that we should, everyone knew the rules of what was going to happen if they were to take that route and send an email, that that's how it would be treated.
I don't know if it would be even fair to the other side, who maybe didn't send it knowing that it wouldn't be read in public.
So I think that we just have to, I just think that it's something that we should address as a topic to discuss whether that's a good policy, but I think it would be inappropriate to just all of a sudden decide to treat these ones differently, and then we have over the past few months.
I don't know if I can sort of sort of sort of in between, so judge whether it applies to the email or the other thing.
I get I want to emphasize that because we're spending this money, just not negate all the things that are mentioned I need to be done, and I personal help all of you that comment on things that need to fix in getting them fixed.
But we passed the thing tonight on the 3-8, the one that I pulled, to get a better education for you, but it ended on it.
In that 3-8, it was in the consent calendar, which means that they passed these things with, you just sort of pass them in bulk, you don't talk about me, you don't discuss them.
That is just do it real quick.
The increase in 3-8 was approximately a quarter of a million dollars.
We passed that, you know, it's just off the cup, you know, in that consent calendar.
This is only 28,000 dollars max, and we're getting some discounts.
I haven't that up all the numbers.
It's about the email.
Sorry.
I said, I don't know if it's about the email.
It's about the emails right now.
That's the motion on the table.
Well.
Okay.
We can talk about that when we talk about that.
Okay.
I say council member.
Hi.
We need to talk about that.
This is good to do this.
Did you pull it?
No.
I.
So.
This is my client's point for this issue on the emails.
So, we need to be consistent.
Like the mirror point it out.
Like the mirror because I'll point it out.
We haven't had this many public comments on this item.
I don't know if it's fine.
You know, the arguments on the other side.
Well, you know, they had a chance to read.
Well, they had a chance to read everything that was in the staff report on this thing too.
The only people whose voice isn't being heard here in this public hearing.
There's people live in this community.
And I'm sick.
And that's who we're here to represent.
Their voice is on the camera.
Council member Hunt.
There are a number of residents who are listening to this meeting.
Can you please go to this next.
Mike, Mike, please.
It is very important.
My only point is that we're going to have a fair hearing on this thing.
Everybody's opinion should be heard.
The only people who haven't been heard are the people live in this community that took the time to submit these comments on this issue.
And I'll stop with that.
Thank you.
All right.
Are we have we concluded our discussion regarding whether or not to conclude it this discussion.
And I have.
The item has been moved to read the public comments for this item moved by council member Hunt and seconded by me.
All those in favor.
Say aye.
Aye.
All those opposed.
Say now.
Is there a roll call?
Yeah.
Is there a roll call?
Yeah.
Because you know it's exploit.
You have been through that for a while.
Okay.
Maybe not.
Madam clerk.
Maybe please have a roll call.
There.
Paisal.
Aye.
Council member Wheeler.
Aye.
What is that?
Council member Hunt.
Aye.
Council member Heft.
No.
Mayor Potem Segerick.
No.
Council member Wheeler.
That motion fails with mayor Paisal and Council member Hunt voting yes.
And Mayor Potem Segerick and Council members Hunt Heft.
Excuse me.
And Wheeler voting no.
Thank you.
So now is the time for us to have a discussion regarding this item.
And I will open the floor to Council members mayer.
I would like to comment on this item.
I will.
Okay.
Any other comments?
Council member Hunt.
I'll comment.
So.
We've heard a lot of discussion here tonight.
I want to say for us that foremost.
I don't have any.
Any bias or problem with these type programs.
I'm sure they're great in the right circumstance.
What I have a problem with is how we got here to begin with.
Bad policy is bad politics and that's how we got here.
We heard Councilman Haft earlier today.
I want to say a lot about how some things are essential.
And some things should be cut.
The reason we're in this position is because last year.
Council member Haft wanted to divert funds that were not available to increase the
allotment for Christmas lights.
And a time that money was so scarce in the city that we were laying people off.
And that that $30,000 was so consequential that they made a decision.
A five-old decision to cancel those memberships.
And once you got that, she brings it right back and is trying to undo it.
Actions have consequences.
We made a commitment here.
And the old council made a commitment to look out for this community.
Okay.
And that's what we should be doing.
There's no reason to revisit this at this time.
Like our city manager said, we should be visiting revisiting this at the budget time.
It was a five-old vote.
It's inappropriate.
Now let's talk about what's going on in this city.
I just got our city manager as nice enough to give us updates on a weekly basis.
And he just talked about a shade structure removal in the north and in the city
that has become dilapidated given its age, water damage, and turn my damage.
I wonder what $30,000 would have done to repair that.
You know what's going to be left there now for our residents.
A concrete pad, a bench, and a trash can.
Because that thing's going to be torn down.
We haven't had a crime prevention specialist in the city.
And almost a year, I believe.
We're down on police services.
You just heard a lot of people come in here and talk about crime in their neighborhoods.
There's problems in their communities.
We're not putting enough people on the street to take care of those problems.
Our parks are a mess.
We're not receding our parks.
Our park fences are resting.
You know, when I was on, when I was fortunate enough to be on the parks and wrecks commission 20 years ago,
we were revitalizing those parks.
We don't even have the money to treat the, I don't know what stuff called the rubber playground material that protect kids.
So they're, they're all getting damaged.
They're becoming ruined.
You know, we heard, here, somebody referred to this as a pittance.
This is $30,000 of taxpayer money.
Tax payer money.
That's what it is.
It should be going to the people in this community.
We shouldn't be pulling things out of budgets mid year and putting them to a pet projects.
And then when we get what we want, turning around and putting the pressure on everybody else.
To, to reinstate those programs.
It's, it's, it's bad policy and no offense.
But at this time, we don't need training in networking and, and, and, uh,
Ancillary boards to make our politicians look good throughout this county.
What we need is the services for this community.
Police to protect our streets.
Man, one of the things that we put on hold here is, uh, is cameras in license plate readers.
You hear about these mailbox laughs and these types of things.
We heard somebody talk, uh, today about the, I think, was, uh, council member half talk about the five freeway access.
We should have license plate readers at those access.
So we know who comes in out of this city.
I bet we could do that for pretty close to $30,000.
I mean, you know, if you make a bad decision,
you got to live with the consequences.
This council made a decision, uh, for a period of time, and they should stick with it.
And we should be diverting any funds we have to getting our facilities back up and running,
funding our police and taking care of this community.
And then when we have the time and the money and the resources down the road,
we can do these things.
But now is not the time.
Thank you.
Any other comments?
Yes.
I definitely want to respond to that.
On July 7th last year, we had a special meeting.
And that special meeting was specifically to consider whether we were going to
contract with the vendor who did our Christmas lights in 2019 again.
And one of the things we needed to consider was, was that something important for a city.
And I would beg to differ with my colleague, Mr Hunt.
One of the things said tonight by one of the public speakers was,
well, you know, what do we see?
What do we get out of this?
You can go to Mission Viejo.
You can go to Lagoon and Igale.
You can go to Irvine.
And you will see during Christmas time.
You will see holiday lights.
You will see Christmas lights.
You will see beautiful ornaments.
And we went through hell last year.
As mayor seemed like I was constantly trying to do damage control.
All the things that were happening to our city and the things that I was fighting for.
And one of the reasons that I think that those lights are vital is because we had an increase in crime that was talked about.
We had an increase in depression.
Among our teenagers, we had an increase in drug use and alcohol abuse and domestic violence.
And frankly, even suicide.
And to be able to say to the residents of Lagoon and Hills.
Well, sorry, we're just going to cancel Christmas too.
That didn't seem like a good way to be able to give back to them because people needed a little bit of hope.
People needed a little bit of joy.
And to take that away, which this item was budgeted.
It had been budgeted.
And this was something that at the time mayor pretend count came up with saying we need to sacrifice something.
And out of the blue decided, hey, let's sacrifice these memberships that were not part as Mr. Rosenfeld said earlier of the tier one cuts that were proposed.
They obviously staff thought.
Enough of them that they did not put them in those cuts.
And I just want to say that obviously we're going to have to agree to disagree here.
But I stand by that decision.
I do not believe it was a bad decision.
I think when it comes down to it, you don't see a lot of things that go on in terms of our council decisions.
But you do see something that you can bring your family to that you can be happy.
Maybe with your masks on or whatever.
But you've just something that gave you a little bit of joy in this awful year that we had in 2020.
Those are my comments.
Thank you.
I would like to, I would like to provide a PowerPoint presentation.
So before I start the PowerPoint presentation, I just want everyone to know that I have spent countless hours since I've been on the city council driving around our city.
I go to every single park multiple times a year.
People wave at me and know who I am.
I drive around and I listen.
I listen to the constituents.
I take my job seriously as I did on an HOA board.
And in the community.
And I have been told for two years.
We can't do this.
We can't do that.
Behind the scenes.
I receive comments and comments.
And I'm always communicating to residents.
We can't do this.
But we can do the holiday lights.
And I understand the importance of it.
But I also understand when you're telling residents that our city is is primary.
When you're telling residents who think why don't we have the readers yet.
We've asked for readers.
And you're talking to a new number of people.
People think, hey, I'll help you respond for it.
Let's try and get this in.
For me to have to continuously communicate to residents.
And then to see that the city council would like to reintroduce.
Now I understand these memberships can be valuable.
I do understand that.
But right now we're triaging.
We have a bleeding area.
And I will say this.
When I lived in Arizona.
There were I was woken up at three o'clock in the morning.
To 20 people are surrounding my house.
And I couldn't get the cops over.
The fear that I encountered at that moment with my house being surrounded by people was immense.
And I have never felt that until last week.
week. When a number of people casing my house and the similar signs have happened, we have career criminals
that were facing in Sacramento right now. Career criminals stalking our properties. My friends just
had $68,000 stolen from their house. They were stalked for two weeks. This stuff is happening
currently right now. This is something that's our fiduciary duty, and I mentioned to myself I will
never live in a city with that sort of crime, and I'm feeling that way right now. For me to feel that way.
So I will move to the PowerPoint presentation.
So I don't have the clicker, however this is the introduction page. Thank you.
So I want to provide everyone with a brief history. The City of Laguna Hills was already facing a
tremendous loss of revenue prior to COVID-19 from the loss of tax revenue from the former Laguna
Hills Mall. It's approximately 1.5 million already. Our city was repeating before COVID-19.
We already went through a series of cuts. I witnessed inside the back room our city manager
talking to each person saying how are you going to cut. And thank God we did that because we would
be an enormous trouble at this time. Thank God we had great city managers and we continue to have a great
city manager who think about budgets. Then the world was hit by the pandemic of epic proportions COVID-19.
Causing the city council to have various meetings to combat revenue losses. The money was just flying out
but we were already hit. We were already under. We were already putting projects on hold. We were putting
millions of dollars on hold. In order to save money staff provided the option to cancel the holiday
light display and the city council had a special meeting, a special meeting to discuss this.
The staff had recommended. And so if you look on the option to cancel the 2020 holiday light display
and not execute the agreement with T.K.C. The staff's recommendation is that the city council
cancelled the light display to help dampen the negative financial impacts of COVID-19. The staff
anticipates a significant shortfall in revenue of over $2 million. Staff has analyzed
operating expenditures to find savings within the budget to help offset the deficit in revenues.
The cancellation of the holiday light display was a proposed tier one cut. This cut. It was significant.
The budget for the holiday decoration plan was $100,000. The total cost of it was
$99,000. So I'm looking at this and I'm thinking to myself we have no money,
but how do we provide the cheer? The discussion that council members had at that time
regarding the $2 million loss of revenue prior. We furloughed 30 or so employees. We're
halting everything, halting projects, halting stuff, everything went to a screeching halt in our city.
And we had many discussions on how we were going to handle the budgets.
So the council who were supporting the holiday light competition, they were excuse me, the holiday
light. They knew that people needed cheer at the time as council member have mentioned.
And it was mentioned. I went to the meeting. I rewinded the meeting. I went back to it to listen to it.
And if you want we can listen to that meeting when we had that discussion. Residents
were appreciated the holiday light so it made sense. It was something that the community wanted.
Just as now the community is wanting something else. Council members should, so I mentioned,
council members should sacrifice. Because I thought, okay, let's provide some cheer. Let's
provide something to the residents. But let's show the residents that if we're going to provide this,
we're going to give something up, offset the costs. It only makes sense to offset costs.
So the motion was made to move options to in the staff report, as well as include a one-year
membership suspension one year. We're just saying one year during COVID guys we need a break. We're hit.
We have bleed, we have a lot of problems with inner city. And it was for Skag, O'Cog, ACC,
Lee of Cities. It was just a one-filth swoop. Just to say, okay, we'll save some money to pay for the lights.
That was our sacrifice to pay for the lights. At the time council member,
Frederick Responded, or it's used me, he provided the motion, and it was seconded by myself.
And the motion was passed unanimously. Everyone except for council member Hunt voted on this to put it on
hold. So right now, council member Heft has brought the options to discuss, notwithstanding,
the vote was a five of a vote, and it hasn't been a year yet. It hasn't been a year yet. Nothing is changed.
We're still in COVID-19. We still have the emergency order today. Last I checked it's still on the agenda.
Revenue's have not improved. They're actually going to get worse. The TOT. I mean, you see that there are companies
going into bankruptcy right now. Big hotel companies. TOT is going to go extremely low.
So budget cuts are still significant. There's no equilibrium in the city. We need equal
livery in our budgets to function. The money has already been spent on the holiday likes to say
display. It has already been spent. So if it's already been spent, we should be focusing on the residents.
I mean, this is something where we need to have the residents feel safe in our community. They're not
feeling safe, and I know how they're feeling. Some changes, which happened since COVID-19,
the city council encountered a devastating event, an avoidable event, which costs or city,
$300,000 if not more. The city is encountering career criminals, trying, and our success one
committing crimes. Now more than ever, the city needs to focus on the needs of the community. Now,
I mentioned fiduciary duty. I don't know if it's been in any training at any ACCOC event,
or any League of Cities event. A fiduciary is a person who holds a legal or ethical relationship
of trust with one or more other parties or person or group of persons. Typically a fiduciary
predominantly takes care of money. That's what we do. We currently take care of money or other assets
for another person which is the people. A fiduciary duty is the highest standard of care in equity,
or law. A fiduciary is expected to be extremely loyal to the person of whom he owes the duty.
Such that there must be no conflict of duty between fiduciary, no conflict,
and principle, and fiduciary must not profit from their position as a fiduciary.
The city, this city council of Laguna Hills has been impacted by the loss of the mall,
in addition to COVID. We are more of a financial crisis than any other city.
It is absolutely, it's terrible. It is our duty as council members to take our fiduciary duty seriously.
We need to focus on finite resources. Safety is of utmost importance to us. The community needs
strategic measures to combat the crime, the potential crimes within our city, other cities,
are taking action. Stanton is placing license plate readers, other cities Laguna Beach,
they're all savvy and up and saying, how do we combat this crime? And it's combative, very affordable
cost. This is something we need to have a discussion about. They're seeing quite, they're seeing
a positive reaction in the city of Stanton, 25 stolen cars were recovered.
Then you also have the fact that it has solved crimes. It's an O.C. register article. They're fundamental.
And now the criminals are coming into other cities which we're dealing with the outpour of.
The maintenance, the city has a significant areas that have been deferred. Assets are not being
placed, replaced as council member Hunsett. And why we have a, we pay for a lobbyist. We actually pay
for a lobbyist. That's something that was never mentioned in all these discussions. We have our own
lobbyist that goes to Sacramento and provides us the legislation, provides us what we need to do,
and we can contact them at any time. We have a lobbyist. Unfortunately, I mean, these are the discussions
that I didn't want to have at this time, but I feel compelled that we need to now have it in public.
These are the things I've had to say privately. Do everything privately. I don't want to be talking
about how we don't have the kind of resources. I don't want to have these discussions. I love our
city. I love Laguna Hills. And so now is the time that we need to focus on the needs of our residents
and spend our finite resources and focus on the city of Laguna Hills needs first. So that I, so
with that, I will open the floor to other council member discussions. Council member Hun, or you
have you? Well, I would say one other thing, you know, we heard earlier what other cities did with the
Christmas lights and so on. But one thing that has always made Laguna Hills unique is that they did
things differently. You know, when every city was raising their retirement rates up,
that ended in this immabitable pension crisis, this city is undergoing or the state is undergoing,
Laguna Hills didn't do that. They restructured their retirements so that they could avoid that problem.
And as a result, we don't have very much unfunded pension liability. And that's what I'm saying.
We, there was a decision made by this council to cover funds that were moved from one area to another
mid budget. We should honor that because it was done to make sure that we didn't have a short fall.
There's no reason for this thing to come up right now. Certainly, I'm not with all the problems we have.
It can wait until the budget process, that's the appropriate place for it. And I think we need to
honor our commitments and think about this city first, like Mayor Pazel said.
Thank you, council member. Yes. I actually took the time to watch the meeting as well.
I went back, I think it was about an hour long discussion going back and forth.
And when, at the time, Mayor Pretem Pazel brought up the possibility of
jettisoning our memberships with these regional organizations, no, I wasn't in for that.
But, at the same time, I wanted to show a united front. And I knew that it was very important to me.
And I would think to the residents of the city to be able to have something beautiful in their city,
especially in a time like this. I think that's one of the ways we give back.
I think that is how the tax dollars actually do really benefit a city as well.
And I did reluctantly vote. I guess you could say I fell on my proverbial sword
because I didn't expect to have strings attached to something like this that was important.
And the council did vote to fund the Christmas lights.
But the reason we call something emotion for reconsideration is because it exists.
There is emotion for reconsideration in parliamentary procedure.
And it is something that can be brought up again. And I have planned to bring this up again because I think
it's important that we make it decision as a city. And things have changed.
Some of the things that have changed is that we had, like I mentioned, in my presentation,
I don't want to be a dead horse, but COVID obviously has been really tough on us as a city.
Excuse me.
Rina, housing. We need these relationships. I think it's important.
And no, I will say that I do believe it's a small amount in terms of our entire budget.
We do have funds that we can expend. The way the mayor talks about our city, it sounds like we're just working
into the red and we can't afford a donut. No, we can't. And we have to be sensible in terms of
how we make our decisions to spend money. But at the same time, this is such a small amount in terms of
everything else. And I will emphasize that. It's a small amount. I did the math. It's $28,000 for
four memberships out of a $22 million annual budget. It's a 0.001. Like my fellow councilman
Wheeler said, we just voted on something else, didn't even blink an eye. And it seems like this one is,
I don't know what it is, but I'm trying to understand that.
Also, I need to make a point. It's been made several times. We laid off people. We laid off people. They didn't have a job because there was no job to do. So it wasn't like we said, oh, we're just going to go ahead and lay you all off. And you're not going to have a job and we just made this decision. No, there was this community center was shut down because of COVID. There were no positions. And so as far as I'm concerned, that's not a viable argument. The other thing I would say, and I've said it before, we're not an island.
The state was made by the mayor that we're in the worst position of a city of anybody, please. We're one in 34 cities. There are cities that are hurting. That's how I, you know, check Disneyland hasn't been open for about a year. That's killing Anaheim.
This is real. All of us are in this fight. And this is not just about our city.
The license fee was something that was mentioned. I am absolutely in favor of that. I think that would be excellent. The license plate readers rather.
That was something that was mentioned at a budget meeting. I think two years ago, and it was something we were going to move forward on and certain things got put on hold. But when it comes to safety, absolutely.
I would be your advocate and say, we do need to protect, you know, you from the car breakings and from the, the mailboxes being broken into and just the theft and the pity crime and all these things absolutely.
This is, to me, this is a non-secret or they don't go together because one is completely separate from the other. One has to do with protecting you in a different way. And that has to do with what we've been saying all night long.
Sacramento is not your friend. They want to force things down your throat, whether you like it or not. Just look at S.B. 1383, isn't that going to be delightful?
We're now, we've got people inspecting our garbage coming up. I mean, this is a real situation and I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have these relationships when it comes to the fight that we are in,
in the South County City. My mother taught me the thing in a long time ago and that was you never want to be penny-wise and pound-full-ish.
And I believe from the bottom of my heart, that's exactly what this is if we do not pass this tonight. Thank you.
Thank you.
We took a little bit and it's been mentioned many times it was five o'clock to delay it.
There has been a delay. We were delaying to see what the impacts of COVID were going to do and think like that.
So this isn't appropriate time to reconsider. It was a long time ago. That's what I agreed to put it on hold. It was not even on the original Tier 1 cuts that I understand.
It was recommended to keep my staff.
Let me exaggerate for a second. In getting rid of representation of these organizations, it was mentioned sacrifice, which I think is a total misnomer.
If you don't sacrifice position on these boards and things, you'd go to these boards to help the city.
So that's a total mischaracterization. Let me exaggerate.
Back in these organizations, somebody can't be saying, okay, we're not going to send our members to Congress because the cost is too much to put on housing and pay their perdiands and all the expense of the good of Congress.
There's enough people in Washington to say, here are the things. We'll just stay home and we'll use that money to go and hire another policeman.
I hope you understand the, you know, that doesn't work. But in addition to a total misdirection is being implied that we're taking this 30,000, 20,000 dollars, and we're going to sacrifice roads and fixing street lights and hiring more police and taking care of the theft and the problem with that.
It's a total misdirection. We're not going to ignore that.
We're going to take that seriously and we're going to help out in those situations too. We're just saying, we need some representation in a Congress to have our words brought out and spoken.
The two have nothing to do with each other.
Mr. President, sit joint.
Well, this is a tough one for me. On one hand, I completely understand what council member Hunt has brought out about.
You know, we've made a decision. We made a decision on this one and I hate to establish any sort of a precedent that, you know, whenever there's a vote that doesn't go away that somebody wants it or that a couple people want or whatever that we decide to revisit it before we have our, you know, before it's actually taken place, you know, and whether it's the next meeting or a month later.
So that part of it is difficult for me to, you know, to revisit things that we've already had discussions on and voted on.
Having said that, I, we're here and we're revisiting it and there's a couple of questions that I have now.
It was brought out earlier that we were the only city in Orange County that's not in ACCC, is that correct? That's not correct.
How many cities in Orange County are not in ACCC?
About 10. Okay. So there's, there's a significant amount of cities that are not in ACCC.
Don, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that I meant to say out of the people that are members, we are the only one not on that list. So my apologies.
On, on the list, on what list?
I'm sorry, on the list, I presented earlier. I wanted to make sure that I clarified that no, the 27, I think I think it might be out of 34 cities.
We're the only one that is not on that list as members. That's what I meant.
Not all 34 cities are members. There are some that aren't.
Okay. But I did want to, to say that I also don't like the argument that it's a pittance that it's only 20,000, but it's meaningless compared to our budget or whatever.
I think that we need to look at it for its merits.
And, and I also had a problem with the discussion that talked about that I didn't have merit.
And I really do believe that these regional relationships are important. And just, I wouldn't want to do it unless there was a practical reason for it. I certainly wouldn't want to do it because there's some sort of, I don't know,
the various reason for doing it for personalities or for for for individual city council members or anything like that.
I would just look at it. And that's why I asked my very first question was to, to Mr. Rosenfield is about what kind of practical benefit do we get out of these organizations and really weigh it for what it is.
What do we get out of it? And in a year when budget, when our budget is really tied, we've had to make some difficult decisions.
You know, it's something that we should consider to think that, you know, we're sacrificing our law enforcement.
When, you know, 43% of our budget, you know, it's been on law enforcement and we're talking about 10% of one percent on this.
Those aren't, those aren't very good in relationships to draw, but I do think that we should look at it as far as well.
In a year when we're tied in a hair belt was it appropriate for us to get rid of it all. And when there are certainly benefits of not only the regional, you know, organizations were part of them.
We heard all the different things that they do, but even just just maintaining relationships with other members of that are close by other cities that are close by and I've seen that happen over and over.
And I've been grateful that we've had good relationships with some of our neighboring cities. For example, we recently put together this animal shelter with Mission Viejo and a few other cities rather than, you know, the one that we were part of.
You know, we years ago we formed the, the JPA for the Orange County Fire Authority with other cities that we had good relationships with and that we worked together.
And it's through organizations like this that we developed those relationships. We talked about even with the sheriff that we had to reduce.
We even looked at going on and doing a JPA of our own for the sheriff or or some other types of solutions where we teamed up with a few neighboring cities to share a lieutenant and different things.
And where we worked together in on a regional basis. And my thought is this.
Perhaps we could, we could reduce it significantly from $30,000 without completely getting out. You know, could we still keep our foot in the water by maintaining just ACC for this year and then revisit at the end of the year.
The other organizations, the League of Cities, the Skagga. I know they all have benefits in a different way, but at least there we could maintain our relationship with the other cities in our county.
It was mentioned early on, by Mr. Channing, you kind of get what you put into these organizations.
And that's what that's what led me to think about this because in, we're not very, we're not very involved in the League or in O'Connor, Skagga.
In the ACC of C, we not only have someone who from our city who would likely become, you know, the president soon, which would give us a very big influence in that organization.
We would get a lot out of that organization, but we also have the executive director who, intimately, knows our city better than I do.
And, and also shares the values and the mission that our city has. And if that's what, you know, and I know that knowing that the executive director is that way and is advocating for the county.
Of course, not for legal and health, but for the county's cities, but knowing that that's our executive director also.
Not to pay any favors or anything like that to Mr. Channing, which we own on.
But just on a very practical nature of getting what you put into it and knowing what is there. And I think that if I was going to just choose one organization for right now that I would support saying,
Okay, rather than throwing out the entire thing, keeping our connection with other members of our, at least the members of our county who are also members of O'Connor and Skagga.
And we know, I could go through the list of several members of these orange county cities that are part of ACC of C, who are also very influential in Skagga and O'Connor, that we would still be part of that.
Yeah, they're part of it is just that, you know, it's it's part of what we've done with some of these lawsuits. We've been part of it with the homeless lawsuit in such where we thought we've had discussions about.
Doing our part to keep an organizational life or doing our part to.
For example, when we knew that there was some advocacy for homelessness or there's some advocacy going on for local control and we had debates about whether we wanted to join those lawsuits and pay our share of it.
Or just let some other cities do it because they're going to do it anyway. Those are difficult decisions when you're having to tighten your belt.
But if it's possible to try and do your part to be part of those groups when it's going to be benefiting us, I think we should. I support taking a year hiatus.
I think it was a good decision that we made. I would I would support just staying in one organization and then revisiting the rest of them at the end of the year.
Thank you, Mayor.
Any other comments? Yes.
Yeah, thank you for your comments. Mayor.
And I guess just point of information or clarification on this.
In terms of when we say the end of the year, we were to stay in the ACC of C, which I do definitely support.
Then the end of the year, the end of our fiscal year is June 30th. Is that correct, Mr. Rosenfield?
Yes.
All right. So I would be in favor of that as a substitute knowing that the goal would be in my mind to bring these.
Membership's back as soon as possible within our new budget.
My substitute motion would simply be to reinstate ACC of C.
We don't even have a motion. So that would be a motion like could I make that motion right now?
To stay with it.
Without having been agendas. I mean, the agendas is closely associated enough with it to do it.
Okay. So my motion would be to just reinstate ACC of C and for right now. That's all.
Without without anything else attached.
I will second that.
I would like to make a substitute motion.
You might have to go to the other microphone.
I would like to make a substitute motion that we maintain the budget as is until the upcoming budget cycle.
And then we can revisit all of these memberships in their proper perspective.
I'll second that.
So we need to have.
Okay. Now we have a discussion for this revised motion.
The reason I'm doing that is this.
We already have it as we've heard here today in a long discussion.
We are already participating in regional groups.
We have a member on the TCA board.
TCA board here. The fire authority board here.
The watershed board here at the library.
We're participating regional groups.
This being proposed.
Like we're not. What we're talking about here, and this is a matter of resources, money, money's
tight. That's why we're in this boat to begin with. This council made a decision that was
responsible. One council member got what they wanted and they're trying to change the game with
taxpayer money. And we can justify it how often we want. But when we can't, when we're
down in police service, the public safety is a number one responsibility of government taking care of
our streets and our parks. That's closely second. We need to be responsible. You know, we can
justify these things all day long, right? But this isn't some emergency situation that we need to
go out of cycle and deal with this thing. We can wait until June and July and deal with this
thing the way it should be dealt with. So I just think we need to be responsible if we make good
decisions. We stick to those good decisions. We're not up here to cater to one or the other
council members, whims. We're up here to do the right thing for the city of Laguna Hills.
That starts with making good, sound, economic decisions. And this is a $30,000 economic
decision. We need to make it right.
Councilmember Hatt, were you first done? All right. Councilmember Hunt just mentioned the water
shed committee and the library committee. Last time I checked those committees are not going to
help us when it comes to protecting us as homeowners. That's nice. And it's good that we're involved
in that way, but I'm talking about a completely different animal. And I would say that I am
in favor of Mr. Sedgwick's, you know, my philosophy is, if you can't get the whole loaf, hopefully
you get some loaf that you tried to negotiate. And I would be in favor of this because I hold
the ACCOC in very high regard. I was absolutely thrilled when Bruce decided to prove his
hat into the ring as the new executive director in the time that I spent on the council with
him from 16 to 18. I was just thoroughly impressed. You mentioned that mayor-pazzled earlier. He brings
so much to the table in terms of experience and background and the ability to lead and organization
with grace and wisdom. And the thing about the ACCOC that I really like, I got involved by way
of former councilwoman and former mayor Barbara Coveman, she asked me to step up and become the fifth district
representative. And so I kind of did my toll on the water and I got involved. And then I was told
would you like to get more involved in leadership and that led to a position as third vice president
and now second vice president. And over the years what I really have come to appreciate about and I
will say it is the Association of California City's Orange County. That's what ACCOC stands for.
We have a lot of people in the audience who want to make sure I'm not throwing Lingo at you.
Is that it's Orange County based? It's Orange County centered. It's Orange County focused and that's
really important. And while I understand all of these other organizations are also focused on that,
that's something that I appreciate about the ACCOC. It was founded again by one of our council members
that and obviously some other council members, but from our city back in 2011. So it's an integral
part of our history and I am in favor of that motion by Councilman Sejwik.
Thank you. Councilmember Heft, I will say that one of the things that I have experienced. My husband's
a corporate bankruptcy attorney and I definitely understand budgets. We've been through a lot of
under every socioeconomic situation and I have myself encountered times where we had to tighten belts
in my own house and to be fair there were times when my husband was working 10 times harder
because he's corporate bankruptcy but you take one for the team. And in this situation we canceled everything.
Even though a gym membership is healthy, we canceled gym membership. Even though even though
there are certain things that you want, we had to make the cuts in our household. There are times as
adults we need to make cuts. We need to be responsible and we need to focus a resources in the right
directions. What are we teaching our residents? We're our heads are at. I mean come on. What we're saying is
I mean our residents are calling me and contacting me on a daily basis about problems that we're
having. Problems. And so what we're saying is okay well as long as you bring it on. I mean we've had
numerous residents come forward with issues. I don't want to teach our residents that this is okay.
This is not what I stand for as a person who is using who is a fiduciary to resources. These are
resources that benefit me. I'm talking about benefits the whole right now. I have no I think that
these these groups are fantastic. I think they're great. I learned so much with the ACCOC. This has nothing
to do with wanting something or another. I think when we have the mind we do it. That's simple,
plain and simple but we have we have been hit council member heft. We have been hit harder and the reason
why is because we lost the mall. We lost a significant revenue source and then we were hit again
it's like being hit in a city with two tsunamis. Two tsunamis have hit our city. We don't have this
luxury. I wish we did. It's like then using a credit card to pay your bills. I mean I just I'm sorry.
I can't justify it. I can't justify telling every resident. Hey you know what we can't fix the
those slopes. We can't fix those broken up pieces. We can't fix this. Why? We because we have a significant
budget hit. I just so that's where I'm at with this. So that's why I'm sticking to this council
member hunt because I understand and for me I was a voted by the people and I am sticking with the
people. So Miss Lane maybe we have a roll call vote on the substitution.
Mayor Paisal. Hi. Councilmember Wheeler. Councilmember Hest.
Mayor Paisal. Mayor Paisal and Councilmember Hunt. Councilmember Hunt.
Hi. That motion fails with Mayor Paisal and Councilmember Hunt's voting yes and Mayor
Paisal and Councilmember Hest and Wheeler voting no. All right may we have a discussion with this item.
On with the motion the first motion council. Mayor Paisal would be significantly reducing
something that we've had in our city for all the years that we've been a city and we're taking it
from about thirty thousand dollars to about seven or eight thousand dollars. So it would still be a
significant reduction. Only change of thought that I've had is that I don't know if we want to be
one hundred percent out of these organizations. So that's the second thought that I reluctantly.
I see the value in it. I don't see any problem with the value of the dollars that we're spending.
The only issue my only reluctance is just that it's the timing of it. But I think that we could
I find with reducing as much as we have and not supporting the original request to reinstate all of them.
Councilmember Wheeler. I'm not sure if this is possible or not. I know with the, at least I've
one of the representative here. I'm curious if we can, if we assume we pass this one and only keep one
of the four. If we can maintain a an advisory or participation in the other organizations for the time being
till we decide the budget I guess and the engine, I might ask it. Is that possible? I don't know about the other two
of their online stuff. No, at the last point. Yes, please.
Speaking on behalf of the League of Cities that that's certainly possible. I'm more than happy to
continue to keep a line of communications with the city, whichever council member says you can see what
we're actually doing. Come June 30th to reevaluate membership with the League and what we've done
from now until then. So the answer to the question is yes. Thank you.
I don't think we have the other two. I'm going to assume their answer is going to be similar that we
can still participate. So that would at least be.
I'm sorry. Sorry.
This is Marty Primer from the Orange County Council of Governments. Yes.
There are some opportunities for non-member jurisdictions to engage with O.C. but I do want to be very clear
at the grant program that I talked about earlier that provides staff augmentation that would provide
GIS tools for your use for site selection and tools for support with regards to planning activities,
model ordinances, ADU, pre-approved plans and communications tools. Those will not be available to you as a
non-member jurisdiction. So I do want to just put that out there for you. We'll do our very best to
work with your budgetary constraints. And if you'd like to maintain a membership and talk about pushing
back payment of back dues, we can certainly consider that. And be as flexible as possible within your
financial constraints. We really value having you at the table. But it wouldn't be fair for me to make
those things available to you. One, my other members are paying for that access.
Okay. Thank you very much. For clarification. I think that since we can't keep.
I'm going to call the question.
Okay. All right. Do we have any other discussion?
When you call the question, you don't have any further discussion. You have the vote.
All right.
Have the number have?
Please restate the motion.
The motion to reinstate the membership into ACC only for now.
Thank you. I will vote aye.
Councilmember Wheeler?
Yes.
Councilmember Hunt?
No.
Mayor of Potemsecret?
Aye.
Mayor Paisel?
No.
That motion passes with Mayor Potemsecret and Councilmembers have been Wheeler voting
Yes. And Mayor Paisel and Councilmember Hunt's voting.
All right.
Now is the time for councilmember comments.
Would any of my fellow councilmembers like to comment?
For any councilmember Hunt?
I know probably everybody started hearing me from you tonight.
But I did want to take a moment to commend the State of South Carolina.
So last Wednesday, they're legislator joined the growing list of states to pass a heartbeat bill
mandating ultrasounds and banning abortion after a heartbeat has been detected.
Earlier this month, you may know marked the tragic anniversary of the passing of Roe versus Wade
making abortion illegal in the United States and have been more than 61 million abortions.
Since the horrendous passing of Roe, Wade in 1973.
Our declaration of independent states, we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are
created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among
these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Listed first among those rights is life.
If we don't defend the lives of the most innocent among us, we don't deserve the others.
Sadly, the California legislature continues to embrace the culture of death.
If you want to get involved in the fight for life, there's a prayer group that meets over at the
intersectional of a puzzle, the present year-round on Wednesdays at noon, and now during the season of
Lent, you can go there every day of the week. If you want to find out how you can get involved,
you can go to 40 days for Lent.com. That's 40 days for Lent.com.
God bless all the America and may he have mercy on us. Thank you.
Thank you. Councilmember Wheeler?
Yes, I have several things. I don't think Mr. Brinkard is still here. There have been a lot of people tonight
that have talked about the fact that all the kind of criminal activity in the Rinaloo
good evaluation. Maybe it spreads further. And there's a request indirectly maybe to put on the agenda.
I would like to make a motion to put that on the honor of the motion. I'd like to put that in a agenda for next meeting.
We have a discussion about that.
I'll agree with that.
Okay.
Madam Mayor, may I make the comment?
Yes, please.
So I, in accordance with City Council policy 120, the procedure has been followed to agenda is something
whether or not it can be on the next agenda. We'll be dependent upon the agenda load for next meeting.
And it's likely to be there, but I need to reserve the right to schedule the agenda items that are pre-insistated to be on there before we add new items.
And I'll let all the council members know and advance what that schedule is going to be.
Thank you.
Okay. Next on my list.
I actually spoke to Ms. Ford who I also think is gone.
We discussed some of these items that she mentioned tonight.
And I promised her that I would bring them up, and so I'm going to.
The first thing was the post.
The first thing was the post office.
She mentioned about that being an eye store and landscaping.
And I promised that I would speak with the City Manager about where the City could write a letter, asking that they fixed up their place and get some gardeners that actually did some work I guess.
And then I would also speak with the postmaster over there.
I just speak with the postmaster.
And they agreed that the place was a mess.
And they are elevating that up to their next level.
The local level doesn't have control over the money.
Money problems there too.
The money for the maintenance there.
So that is proceeding.
It is a federal property.
So we don't have much jurisdiction there or influence.
Maybe.
But we can request that and do what we have.
We have.
And I do had.
I did take about 10 pictures.
When I was there.
It is a mess.
There is debris all over the place.
Like they mentioned.
The palm trees haven't done it.
I'm not a palm tree expert.
I don't know.
What the last thing was that.
It appears that there was a homeless.
Slight there.
I started taking pictures.
I realized that may be just debris.
So I'm not sure about that.
Maybe the sheriff's laws can take a look into that.
The second I was going to bring this up.
They mentioned street lights were out.
And I didn't relay this to the city manager.
At the city of Valencia and Erexon.
And also at the city of Valencia and Hillary.
And so that will be, I guess, looked into appropriately.
Also mentioned the Kustopark basketball backwards.
I also mentioned that in the city manager.
And correct me if I go wrong.
Mr. Risenfield.
There's a problem with the backboard.
And that they have a special design of some kind.
Which we are still working on getting the matching.
Equip it to be able to put up there.
And that will be done this.
As soon as we can manage that.
We also talked about memberships.
We share that.
So we have enough discussion on that for the night.
So.
So I, but I didn't want to mention that it was broader.
I didn't want additional thing that we passed something in the consent counter, which I don't
Maybe paid a whole lot of attention to.
About changing the procedure in the meetings.
And things done that were fine.
I had a couple of the additions, but they weren't exactly procedures.
So I didn't bring them up in the meeting.
But as mentioned, I want the people to have a word in the council also.
And sometimes politicians or people like I hate comments on politicians.
I don't think I saw them once.
When people get up here, you know, we don't always have access to everything on the public.
So I was going to throw us my ideas there.
Just for people to think about me about bringing up more formally later.
One would be to have a situation for putting something on the agenda.
By a method of petition by the citizens.
Maybe you have ex-citizens.
But we want this on the agenda.
And it doesn't have to be okay by the council members.
Or something that the people want to hear about.
So that was one idea.
The other thing.
Turn my news here.
This was an effort to speed up things.
Since I joined the council, I've been very frustrated because things don't only move slowly.
They move collationally.
And one thing.
If I think of something after the night.
I think of tomorrow.
I think of something.
That would be great to put on the video.
I have to wait till the next meeting.
To this point on the meeting.
To bring it up.
And then get another council member to agree with me.
My idea was to that would take the next week.
A whole week for that.
And then it would take another week.
The minimum of three weeks.
Could be as much as almost four weeks.
The idea that I want to throw out is that we have another mechanism.
Where the two council members.
And I keep it with our policy right now.
Two council members.
They come up with the idea.
We put dmg into the big piece thatыт the agenda.
I don't want to put the staff in any and a burdening.
So any support material or discussion or text will be
Their responsibility of those bringing it up.
So that the only burden on the staff immediately to
take the Excel or Word file on and unplunk it in there to
Vib in the job.
So that shouldn't be a burden.
To something that we could, we could get these people's support and people
thatthey can say it's half saint to the city.
and also make it a mis sculpture.
I would like to provide some comments.
First of all, I would like to receive support from the council member because I think
at this time we need to concentrate funds and talk about the license plate readers as many
as possible.
I would like to try to do something about this.
And I also want to thank every person who has been involved in speaking and providing
comments.
I'm listening and I am providing information to our city manager, although not publicly.
I am providing it to the city manager directly.
And so I would like to let everyone know that I am dedicating myself to fixing the
problems in the best capacity that we have.
And I would also like to request a conversation at some point to figure out where we're
out with the rooted campaign, where we receive donations and volunteers
here's plant plants within the city to beautify the city.
So with that, do any other council members of comments?
Yes.
I did want to comment on what councilman Wheeler said.
That's something that I've discussed at length with Mr. Rosenfield in terms of policy
1, 2, 0.
And I would be in favor of revisiting that because glacially is about right, especially when we have
something that has a time frame attached to it.
Like, say, for instance, last year, proposition 15, which is something we ended up opposing
5O as a council, which had to do with a split tax roll, which would have put businesses in a
terrible position in Orange County.
And to be able to do that, we had to make sure that we could get it on and agenda quick enough
that we could show our opposition and obviously help the fight for that proposition.
So there are definitely time-sensitive matters.
And I do understand about staff's time.
I do understand that something we want to be sensitive about as well.
So I would definitely be in favor of revisiting policy 1, 2, 0, and seeing if we can streamline it and help
us be able to get things on the agenda in a more efficient way.
That's the first thing I was going to say.
And the second thing I just want to say, I know that council member Hunt, we are not always on the same
side of a lot of issues that we discuss here on the dias, but I will tell you I support you 100
percent with what you just said about the unborn and about our responsibility, I think for the
end-born and the fact that we could be out there helping out in this.
So I support you 100 percent on that.
Does my comments?
Madam Mayor, if I can just briefly comment.
Yes.
Thank you.
I just want to say council to know that we are researching what other agencies do with regards to council members
bringing matters onto the agenda.
We started that a few weeks ago.
And I do intend to bring that topic back policy 120 to the city council.
Like we had a study session at some time before the end of the fiscal year.
I have some views on it, and we need to have a vibrant discussion about it so that we can do what's best for the
operations of the city and information to be provided to the public about what's going to be discussed.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Rosenkel.
Any other comments?
All right.
The next regular meeting of the city council planning agency will be March 9th, 2021.
We are now adjourned.