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Good afternoon. I, acting city clerk Grace Rocha convened the city of Palm Desert regular meetings of the city council successor agency to the Palm Desert redevelopment and housing authority for Thursday, May 14, 2020.

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Roll call will be taken during the open session at about four o'clock p.m.

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Instructions and options for public participation via email or voicemail for this virtual meeting

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was provided on the agenda. No public comment was received for closed session items. Meeting

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adjourned to closed session at this time. 301 p.m.

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Gina, I see that I'm leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Is it still appropriate to

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ask everybody to stand?

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Well, I hope you know. Okay. All right. Well then, we're ready then. So, I reconvene the

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meetings of the Palm Desert City Council successor agency to the redevelopment agency and housing

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authority meeting for Thursday, May 14th, 2020. Are there any reportable actions from closed session?

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Madam Mayor, I see that we are currently missing the city attorney and I'm going to ask Clay

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if he has the attorney available and if so if he can promote him to a panelist.

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In the meantime we could take roll call. There he is. All

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right can you hear me? Yes we can.

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All right I've been let out of the waiting room I guess. There were no

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reportable actions taken in close session thank you. Okay now we can take a roll call please.

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Councilmember Hartick.

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Here.

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Councilman Jonathan.

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Here.

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Mayor Pertin Kelly.

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Here.

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Councilmember Weber.

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Councilmember Weber, are you muted?

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I think we lost her.

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And Mayor Nistandi.

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Here.

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So I assume we need to wait for Councilmember Weber?

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I think so.

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I learned that Troy and Councilmember Weber are working on it.

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Maybe we can proceed with the pledge while she's working out

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technical issues? I believe I did achieve this.

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Council Member Weber, can you hear us? Well,

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apparently my microphone is not working, so I'm on the computer. Okay. Here you will.

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All present

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for the meeting.

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Okay. With that, Council Member Jonathan, will you lead us in the Pledge of

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Allegiance? Yes. Thank you, Mayor. Would you all stand? Place your hand over your heart

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And join me in honoring our great country. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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Okay, and Council Member Harnick, would you please lead us in a invocation?

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I would be happy to. We all know that this is an extraordinary and unprecedented time

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of confusion and frustration, a little bit of fear of the unknown, and certainly we've

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all seen acts of extraordinary kindness. So we will get through this, and we will heal,

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and we will find opportunity where we haven't found it yet, and I'm sure of that. And

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And I'd like to share a very fitting, one of my favorite quotes of Abraham Lincoln, with

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malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to

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see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation

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wounds.

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Abraham Lincoln.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Council Member Harnick.

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That was very inspirational.

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All right.

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So, we will move on now to oral communications, oh excuse me, awards and presentations, although

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we have none.

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So now we'll move on to oral communications.

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Because this is there.

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Mayor.

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Oh, yes.

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This is the moment where you add, you vote on, to add the item to the agenda.

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Mayor, you are muted.

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Thank you.

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Councilmember Kathleen Kelly would like us to add an emergency motion to discuss

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the wearing of face masks and it requires a four fifth approval added to the agenda

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today. Move to add. Second. I think we all have to vote. So Councilmember

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Harnick. Yes. Councilman Jonathan. Yes. Mayor Parton Kelly. Yes. Councilmember

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councilmember Weber.

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Councilmember Weber. Yes. Mayor Nistandi. Yes. Okay, that motion carries

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five zero to add the item to the agenda and that is request for consideration to adopt

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the city of La Quinta's approach to the issue of facial coverings and social distancing

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when inside stores or businesses and that motion carried. Thank you.

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Okay. All right.

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for communications because this is a virtual meeting posted agenda provided

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instructions for how people can participate via email or voicemail so

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I'll ask the acting city clerk if she has received any public comments yes I

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did I received two to read out loud and one voicemail the first one is from

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Brad Anderson from Rancho Mirage it says dear please Pondesert City

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Council members. Please accept my apologies if this communication is unwelcome by certain

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Council members. The City of Palm Desert has allowed the repeated reappointment of Mr. Doug

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Walker as the representative of the City of Palm Desert to the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector

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Control District. Please be mindful that Mr. Walker is the only original Coachella Valley

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Mosquito and Vector Control Trustee that served on the board while it was investigated by

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the Riverside County Grand Jury and remains the longest seated member currently assigned

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to that board. Since March 2007 to current date, please consider reviewing that appointment

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and or actively allow other well qualified persons to apply for future opening to serve

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on that board. Please consider reviewing methods that the city has mandated for city meetings.

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Addressing the topic of public comment or communications, as is the city requires an email and or voicemail

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to be directed to the city at least one hour prior to the meeting. I urge the city to

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have arrangements available for members of the public to observe and or participate

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paid in the public's business during the actual meeting.

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The public currently has no direct contact or input during open public meetings and has

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no ability to modify their comments to the reactions of other comments that may have

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been submitted.

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If the council members can be actively present during remotely attended public meetings,

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the public should be allowed to have that ability as well.

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Sincerely, Brad Anderson.

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The next one is from Becky Robinson from Cathedral City.

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Dear council members, I live in

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Cathedral City but I shop in Palm Desert. Please pass an emergency ordinance tonight

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requiring face coverings in all stores and follow the lead of Palm Springs,

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Cathedral City, Coachella and Desert Hot Springs. I and most of the people I know will not

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enter into any establishment that does not require mats. In addition, I implore you not

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to sign the letter from Supervisor Manny Perez asking the governor to allow the Board of Supervisors

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to determine when to further open the country rather than following the orders of the state.

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After the supervisors showed that they do not care about the health and safety of our

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residents, by lifting the mandatory orders last Friday, we should not trust them with

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our health and safety.

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Thank you for your consideration, Becky Robinson.

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set.

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And the next one I have to do a share screen to play it.

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I was

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afraid of that but

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that was a voicemail so I'm going to read what I kind of wrote her comments and they're

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from Judith Green who lives on Skyward Way and she is concerned about any lifting of the

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wearing of the mask. She is a retired nurse and who has worked in the field for over 30

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years. The least people can do is continue wearing their mask, which she strongly encouraged

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everyone to do. That was the gist of her message.

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That's it.

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Okay. Thank you, Gracie, for that information and all communications.

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All right. We will move on then to the consent calendar. All matters listed on the consent calendar for each legislative body convening on this date.

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And consider to be routine and will be enacted by one roll call vote as indicated on the first agenda of the regular meetings.

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there will be no separate discussion of these items unless members of the city council,

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successor agency board of directors, closing authority board or members of the public request

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specific items be removed from the consent calendar for separate discussion and action

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under the subsequent section and sense items held over. And I'll start with council member

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Weber. Are there any items you wish to pull? No, I don't need it pulled, but I would

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like to make a comment regarding the minutes. I'd like to extend great thanks to the staff

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for putting together these minutes. These are extremely difficult to do with listening

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to all of us on our, like today I can't use my microphone, which is unfortunate, so that

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means I'm relying on a microphone that cuts in and out. So thank you to staff for taking

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the time and effort to present our minutes because they are a great historic nature.

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That's all. That's I don't have anything to pull though. Thank you.

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Okay mayor pro tem

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Kathleen Kelly. Nothing to. All right, Councilmember Harnick. Nothing. Thank you. Councilmember

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Jonathan. Okay. I'll move approval. Thank you in a second. Second. All right. Let's

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I have a roll call.

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Thank you, Grace.

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Council Member Harnick?

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Yes.

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Councilman Jonathan?

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Yes.

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Mayor Pertin Kelly?

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Yes.

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Council Member Weber?

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Yes.

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Mayor Nescandi?

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Yes.

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Motion carries by zero.

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Okay, we'll move on to ordinances.

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For introduction, we do not have any.

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For adoption, we have ordinance number 1356

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and ordinance of the City Council of the City of Palm Desert, California adding

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section 2.38040 to chapter 2.38 the Palm Desert Municipal Code relating to

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election of City Council members by districts and ranked choice voting.

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Mayors of this members of the City Council this is second reading of a

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proposed ordinance that the council has debated in depth and worked on for

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months now and it would establish two districts for voting for election of City Council members

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beginning in the year 2020. Do we have any emails or voicemails on this issue? No, we

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do not. All right. Then we need a motion. Second?

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All right. City Clerk, please take

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a roll call. Thank you. Councilmember Harnick? Yes.

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Councilman Jonathan? Yes. Mayor Pertinkelly? Yes. Councilmember Weber? Yes. Mayor Nistandi? Yes. Motion carries by zero.

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Okay.

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Then we're

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going to move on to new business. Request for approval? I

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believe that somebody

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That means to mute their microphone.

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There we go.

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Request for approval to initiate proceedings to levy the annual assessment for City of

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Palm Desert Benefit Assessment District No. 1 for fiscal year 2020-2021.

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Is there a staff report?

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Mayor Nistande and members of the City Council, Tom Metz, Deputy City Treasurer of Finance

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Department.

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The staff requests that Council approve the start-up proceedings to levy the annual assessment

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for City of Palm Desert Benefit Assessment District No. 1 for Fiscal Year 2020-2021.

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Staff recommends that Council further waive further reading and adopt Resolution No. 2020-42

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2. Initiating proceedings for the levy and collection of assessments for City of Palm

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Desert Benefit Assessment District No. 1 for Fiscal Year 2020-2021.

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And Resolution No. 2020-43 declaring its attention to levy the annual assessment for City of

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Palm Desert Benefit Assessment District No. 1 for Fiscal Year 2020-21 pursuant to the

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the Benefit Assessment Act of 1982 and appointing a time and place for the public hearing on

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these matters.

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Thank you. Are there any questions of staff? I got on this one, raise your hand if you

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have a question. Seeing none, do we have a motion?

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I move approval. Is that questions?

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No, I don't think we do. I don't see any raised hands.

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I'll move approval, please.

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Second?

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Second.

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We have a second.

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All right, City Clerk we could take a roll call. Councilmember Hardik. Yes. Councilman Jonathan. Yes. Mayor Potemkelly. Yes. Councilmember Weber. Yes. Mayor Nistandi. Yes. Motion carries 5-0.

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Thank you. Moving on, request for approval to initiate proceedings to levy and collect annual

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assessments within and to grant preliminary approval of the engineer's annual levy report

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for consolidated Tom Desert landscaping and lighting maintenance district number one for fiscal

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year 2020-2021. And again, do we have a staff report? Yes, Tom Mets, deputy city treasurer

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Finance. Staff recommends that Council further read and adopt resolution number 2020-44 initiating

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proceedings for the levy and collection of annual assessments for consolidated palm desert

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landscaping and lighting maintenance district number one for fiscal year 2020-2021 and resolution

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resolution number 2020-45 declaring the intent to levy and collect annual assessments within

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and granting preliminary approval of the engineer's annual levy report for consolidated palm

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district landscaping and lighting maintenance district number one for fiscal year 2020

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slash 2021.

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Thank you for that staff report and if there's any questions of staff of the council members

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please raise your hand okay then seeing none do we have a motion to approve approval second

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all right city clerk if we could have a roll call councilmember harness yes councilman

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jonathan yes mayor pertin kelly yes councilmember weber yes mayor nistandy yes motion carries

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5-0.

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Okay, thank you. The next item. Request for award of contract for

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Landscape Maintenance Area Number 16 to Vintage Associates Incorporated in an

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annual amount of $342,000 and include repair work and services for an annual

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amount of $80,000. Contract Number C-39820. Project Number 916-21. Staff

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report please.

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Good afternoon Madam Mayor City Council members this is Randy Chavez the

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landscape supervisor. The staff report you have before you is for LMA 16 which is a reorganization

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of current landscape maintenance park and landscape maintenance areas and I would be more happy to

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answer any questions. I have a question.

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Please. Thank you. I see this as part of

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Homie Adams Park. What is it that we do there?

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Homie Adams Park. We maintain the trash cans, the part shelters.

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We also do some pruning, open, keep the trail ahead free of debris.

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There is a lot of litter, so it's more litter pickup than anything else.

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You know, I'm there a lot and I thank you because I wanted to do that.

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No, I don't. Thank you.

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You're welcome.

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Any, Council Member Jonathan.

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Just quickly, I wanted to thank and commend Randy Chavez and staff for a couple of things that he did. Number one, recognize that often we get artificially low bids with an intention by the bidder to just kind of jack up the prices with change orders and so on and so forth and you've addressed that in your new procedure and I applaud you for doing that.

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And also for adding area number 18 in order to be cost effective and, you know, have a more comprehensive proposal. So you've got the city's back and we appreciate it.

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Thank you. We appreciate it. Thank you.

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Okay. Seeing no other questions, do we have a motion to approve?

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Second.

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Right. City Clerk, please roll call.

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Councilmember Harnick.

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Yes.

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Councilman Jonathan.

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Yes.

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Mayor Patem Kelly.

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Yes.

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Councilmember Weber.

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Yes.

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Mayor Nisdandy.

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Yes.

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Mayor Potion Carries.

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Five zero.

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Thank you.

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All right.

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Next is the Request for Award of Contract for Landscape Maintenance Area Number One for

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Urban Habitat for an annual amount of $211,586.40 and authorized repair work and services

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basis for an annual amount of $45,000 contract number C-39850 project number 901-21. Is there

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a staff report? Good afternoon, Council Members and Mayor Nisdandi, Randy Chavez, Landscape

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Supervisor. Again, this Landscape Maintenance Area Number 1 is a reorganization of current

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landscape maintenance areas. We consolidated landscape area number one, two, and four to create this new landscape maintenance area number one.

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I'll be happy to answer any questions.

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See if we have any questions. Any more questions? Seeing no one, do we have a motion to approve?

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Move to approve.

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Second.

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Second.

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Okay, thank you.

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City Clerk please take a roll call vote. Councilmember Harnick. Yes. Councilman

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Jonathan. Yes. Mayor Patem Kelly. Yes. Councilmember Weber. Yes. Mayor Nistandi.

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Yes. Motion carries five zero. Thank you. Next is the Request for Award of

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Contract for the Monterey Avenue pavement rehabilitation project, the

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construction company in the amount of three million one hundred forty seven

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dollars wait three point one four seven million one hundred fifty three thousand

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contract number C three nine nine two zero project number seven five two dash

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one nine. Is there a staff report?

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I was going to introduce Ryan but now he's on.

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Sorry about that I got dropped. Good evening Mayor and members of City

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Council. This is Ryan Gailer from Public Works Department. The item before you is the award of

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the Payment Rehabilitation Project on Monterey Avenue. This project is going to be a joint project

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with the City of Rancho Maraj and it'll restore this segment of Monterey to brand new.

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You have a report there? Are there any questions?

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I, well, I'll go left to right. We sit on the dais.

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Council Member, I'm glad you were raising your hand.

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Yes, for clarification, I thought we had just done that, like, in the last couple of three

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years, that section on our side.

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It's been about eight or ten years ago.

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It seems like the other day.

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All right, thank you.

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Okay.

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Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Kelly,

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I don't think she has any questions.

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I'll move on to Council Member Harnick.

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And I know, Councilmember Jonathan, you were about to raise your hand.

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So, ask away.

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Thank you, Mayor.

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Ryan, I was just wondering, you know, Monterey is kind of a patchwork when it comes to designated

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bike lanes, and this particular area does not have any, and it's rather dangerous

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and forces cyclists to go on the sidewalk, which is not a good thing in that particular

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area.

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So I'm wondering, since we're repaving and we're going to be redrawing lanes and lines,

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would it be possible to incorporate designated bike lanes throughout Monterey

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as part of this project?

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I'm afraid that it would take a lot more than we have time for.

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There's a lot that goes into designating bike lanes and lane widths.

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We, in this segment, there's a lot of places

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where Monterey Avenue is only four lanes wide,

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you know, two lanes northbound, two lanes southbound.

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And there's not a whole lot of room

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to put those bike lanes in.

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And that would reduce, moderate a one lane in one place.

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This is something that would take a lot more study

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before we would want to pull the trailer

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on something like that.

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I kind of knew that might be your answer,

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but I thought I'd put it out there, Ryan.

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And who knows, you know, on the Rancho Marash side,

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there's a lot of room and a lot of landscaping,

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and they'd probably volunteer to do it on their side,

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I'm sure, at their cost.

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Probably so.

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Okay, thank you for that.

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All right, then if there aren't any more questions,

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do we have a motion to approve?

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So moved.

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In a second?

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Second.

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All right, City Clerk if you would take roll call for us. Thank you. Councilmember Hardik. Yes. Councilman Jonathan. Yes. Mayor Pertip Kelly. Yes. Councilmember Weber. Yes. Mayor Nistandi. Yes. Motion carries 5-0.

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Okay. Thank you. Consideration to staff and purchase a paramedic squad at fire station

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number 71 is part of the fire department's fiscal year 2020-2021 budget request. Staff

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report please.

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Good afternoon, Honorable Mayor, Councilman.

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Can everyone hear me okay?

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I have the microphone right on my mouth so is that better?

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00:28:02,410 --> 00:28:03,110
That sounds good.

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00:28:03,610 --> 00:28:06,210
Okay, I'm going to start off the first of all,

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I'm Steven Arion as the upon desert risk manager.

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I have a presentation on tonight's topic.

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I'd like to share with the council.

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So I'm going to be sharing my screen here.

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So I would like to start off with some comments

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before we delve into the data that I'm about to present.

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I would first like to acknowledge the assistance

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of our two battalion chiefs,

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Chief Brian White and Chief Mike Beverly.

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They were really integral in developing this proposal and helping the many late nights to help form it.

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Little did they know that their jobs would be more statisticians this month than the natural firefighters.

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So a big thank you to them.

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I also want to note that our original budget proposal $14.6 billion does not take into account savings from not having a local

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Fire Marshal Office at City Hall, and I'll touch upon that topic later on in the presentation.

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And our budget is based on, we looked at the fiscal year 2018-19 national expenditures

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and increased it by 3%.

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At the time we did not have the fire cost estimate, so their amount may be different,

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but keep in mind that that schedule they provide us, they budget at the fully burdened

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top step, which is not a true reflection of our costs.

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I also want to note that the Public Safety Commission did have the opportunity to review

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this matter at a virtual Zoom meeting yesterday.

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It was a long and lengthy discussion and a good discussion and I'll touch upon their

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recommendation later in the report as well.

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So the first question that comes to mind for many of you and I'm sure many of the

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people that are watching virtually is what is a paramedic squad?

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in a paramedic squad.

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But is it a medic unit? Is it an engine? The answer actually is neither. And this photo

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shows what the vehicle looks like. It's an advanced life support vehicle with a crew of two staff

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per shift consisting of an engineer and paramedic. That's important to note. It's not just two

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staff. It's two staff per shift. So we're looking at a total of four positions approximately.

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It does not provide patient transport. However, it will supplement existing resources and alleviate demand on the emergency response system.

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The vehicle is an adaptable and lower cost solution in responding to the city's increasing calls for service within station 71's primary response area.

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And I'll frequently refer to this as the PRA, and that's what I mean by PRA, it's the

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primary response area.

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So the PRA of the station is very densely populated, and as you know, it has many subacute and

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skilled nursing facilities, and we went ahead and there's a document within your packet,

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and those are, that shows that total, which is a total of nine of these such facilities.

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And these, the combination of being densely populated with so many of these skilled

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nursing facilities really increases the call volume and response times for this station.

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So although primarily for advanced life support response, the Paramedic Squad can provide additional

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staffing for other emergency incidents. It adds redundancy to the center of the city.

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And in the map I'm going to show you later on, you'll see that that center of the city really

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gets a lot of activity. It's where we see the most emergency incidents happening within

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And this vehicle helped decrease overall response times in that area.

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It really is an all-purpose vehicle with response capabilities for numerous emergency incidents.

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I also do want to point out that as build out in the northern part of the city occurs,

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it's anticipated that a fourth fire station will be required.

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Once this new station is completed, the benefit of having a squad already in place

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is that we can take that staffing that exists and transfer it over and fulfill

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approximately half of the required staffing from the new station. A total

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five staff would be needed for a new station. We can at least cover two of

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those when we look at that whenever that may be.

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So I do want to get into

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this table which shows response times for station 71 as well as our two

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other stations. These are our town center station which is station 33 over

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by the mall and also our what we call our Mesa View fire station which is in the south part of

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the city also known as station 67. So this table shows what has been the response times over the

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last five year for code three responses and to give you an idea what code three calls include

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there they include but are not limited to cardiac emergencies strokes and diabetic

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emergencies. So these are calls you really want to have a fire engine and medic unit

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at your location quickly as possible.

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I do want to note out some discrepancies here.

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You'll notice that for station 71, in 2018,

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you see a slight increase in response times.

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And that wasn't because we had less calls.

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That was actually because there was a remodel

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at Indian Wells Fire Station,

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which required their ambulance

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to be temporarily housed at station 71.

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So this second ambulance accounts for that 3% increase.

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You also see the response times are pretty excellent for Fire Station 33.

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And part of that reason is that there is, if you'll recall, that we have a ladder truck that we share with the city of Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells,

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and that ladder truck is stationed at 33.

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So that helps alleviate some of that engine's calls.

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And you see that's what helps increase those response times similar to what we're trying to do with 71 with the squad vehicle,

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as it's not really cost effective to have a ladder truck at that station.

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And then the last thing I want to note is you'll see 67 doesn't look as good as the S33.

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It looks pretty much on par with 71.

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And it's not that there's so many calls that they can't handle, but that engine and that medic unit responds to numerous calls up Highway 74,

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which increases the time to respond, but it's not really attributable to call volume.

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So, this next slide shows that the total in 2019 of all code 3 calls, these are, you know,

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your cardiac emergencies, your very acute medical care emergencies. Fire Station 71

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was about 639 calls of those code 3 calls were over 5 minutes. And if you look at the two

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other stations we have in the city, combined, they account for 57 percent of Station 71's

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00:35:01,780 --> 00:35:07,800
total calls over five minutes, which really shows you the impact that the call volume is

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having on this station compared to our other two stations.

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These are some interesting statistics here.

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So to provide a comparison of all the different top 10 primary response areas within Riverside

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County, you see that North Palm Desert falls in at number two, so much so that we have

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a higher call volume locally than Desert Hot Springs in India, just in the North Palm Desert.

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And to give you even a further example, this call volume of 5,201 calls for 2019, I looked

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at the two busiest stations in two cities, Minneapolis and in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Those two fire stations have approximately 9,000 to 10,000 roughly calls per year.

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So you're looking that our small station in Palm Desert has about half the calls that a station in Boston and Minneapolis is doing the busiest station, I should say.

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And keep in mind that these other stations, they have three units and have a population in the hundreds of thousands. So that's pretty significant to know right then and there.

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This also shows you the top 10 units overall within the county and engine 71 is right there at the top.

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It's the busiest engine, the busiest resource out of the entire Riverside County,

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and, you know, the state, you know, numbers are great, but I think visuals are a lot better.

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They say they speak volumes, and you'll notice on this map in the center, there's a white dot.

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That is where the Fire Station 71 is located.

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And this is basically a heat density map that shows where all the responses are that they're going to.

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You'll see that part of the pun, the hottest action is a long country club and you'll see

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that it basically is where primarily all the responses are in.

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It also coincides with where we have our skilled nursing facilities.

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You'll notice there's also a little bit of overrun into Rancho Mirage as well and I'll

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get to that in a little bit too.

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So I talked about the impact that the response times have, but another issue and probably just as equally important, if not more important is the growing concern that these elevated response times and the harmful effect it has on our personnel.

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So Station 71 is currently staffed by a total of five personnel per shift.

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So, an average station in the county runs approximately 1,800 calls of service, and they generally spend about three and a half hours per day on an average day responding to calls.

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You'll see in 71, they're actually responding almost 10 hours versus that three and a half hours.

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And the most important number here at the very bottom, you'll see that sleep.

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They're averaging about four hours of sleep.

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And that's not full, continuous uninterrupted sleep.

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That's throughout the day.

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So on average, our staff, they're averaging 12 hours of interrupted sleep over three days.

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And that was going to greatly diminish their operational readiness.

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So we fear that if no mitigating action is implemented at the station,

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There's going to be a real negative effect to the safety of not only the public but also our firefighters.

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So now I'd like to talk a little bit about the startup costs. There was a little bit of confusion during the last Council study session on this item.

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You'll see that the total startup cost is about $1.2 million.

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There are four positions in total we're looking at. We're looking at two firefighter apparatus engineers and two firefighter paramedics.

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You'll see the difference between those positions is about $2,000.

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00:39:09,820 --> 00:39:14,260
It's not much, but it's important to have an engineer in place because they provide

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additional command and control.

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They can help respond to emergency incidents, help alleviate the incident commander.

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So it's important to have that more senior position in this squad.

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And the annual reoccurring cost after our year one estimated cost is about $957,000.

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about $867,000 is going to be your staffing cost for that.

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So I want to talk a little about ancillary services.

455
00:39:46,750 --> 00:39:52,610
So when you look at the police budget, you'll see that they have basic patrol functions,

456
00:39:52,990 --> 00:40:00,430
but they also have these extra special teams, these ancillary services that help contribute

457
00:40:00,430 --> 00:40:02,170
to that overall policing effort.

458
00:40:02,570 --> 00:40:07,210
So we're talking about the special enforcement team, the burglary research fashion team

459
00:40:07,210 --> 00:40:13,210
or motor team, and those are all beneficial in the overall law enforcement program.

460
00:40:14,030 --> 00:40:19,150
Unlike the police department, we don't have that capability really in the fire department.

461
00:40:19,270 --> 00:40:24,270
There's really only two additional services we can look at when looking at reducing the

462
00:40:24,270 --> 00:40:24,510
budget.

463
00:40:24,770 --> 00:40:29,030
The first of those we already have looked at, and that's local direct county fire

464
00:40:29,030 --> 00:40:35,490
marshal staff at City Hall, and the other option is to look at our city provided

465
00:40:35,490 --> 00:40:43,110
emergency medical ambulance response. The city has approximately four ambulances that respond

466
00:40:43,770 --> 00:40:49,770
to the city, and those are additional services that we have above our basic fire prevention,

467
00:40:50,290 --> 00:40:56,790
protection, and rescue services. So I'm going to talk a little about that. So as you see,

468
00:40:56,870 --> 00:41:04,570
the fire marshal office, we're recommending, and the city manager has recommended,

469
00:41:04,570 --> 00:41:06,390
in the council previously considered

470
00:41:07,270 --> 00:41:08,950
eliminating the locally direct

471
00:41:08,950 --> 00:41:10,470
fire marshal office at city hall.

472
00:41:10,810 --> 00:41:12,290
You can see that those positions

473
00:41:12,290 --> 00:41:13,870
we have a deputy fire marshal

474
00:41:13,870 --> 00:41:17,070
that's about 52% paid by the city.

475
00:41:17,410 --> 00:41:19,470
We also share a fire safety specialist

476
00:41:19,470 --> 00:41:20,730
with the city of Indian Wells.

477
00:41:21,150 --> 00:41:22,330
We pay the full cost

478
00:41:22,330 --> 00:41:24,410
for the two system inspectors of one assistant.

479
00:41:24,950 --> 00:41:26,230
So the impact of that,

480
00:41:26,330 --> 00:41:28,030
there'll be an offsite plan review.

481
00:41:28,270 --> 00:41:30,290
So people that contractors, developers

482
00:41:30,290 --> 00:41:31,670
that come here for plan review,

483
00:41:31,710 --> 00:41:32,990
we're gonna have to go offsite

484
00:41:32,990 --> 00:41:36,230
at a location that could be in the county area,

485
00:41:36,410 --> 00:41:39,290
which is near Sun City, or if our two other cities

486
00:41:39,290 --> 00:41:41,530
of Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells and the Cove

487
00:41:41,530 --> 00:41:44,450
decide to bring them in, they could be staffed there.

488
00:41:44,550 --> 00:41:45,170
We don't know yet.

489
00:41:45,530 --> 00:41:47,790
So we are working with the fire department.

490
00:41:47,950 --> 00:41:49,430
We're still waiting for their report

491
00:41:49,430 --> 00:41:52,830
to be forthcoming to kind of see what really impacts

492
00:41:53,490 --> 00:41:55,970
that we may not have considered would happen

493
00:41:55,970 --> 00:41:59,650
without local fire marshal presence at City Hall.

494
00:41:59,890 --> 00:42:01,430
And we hope to have a collaboration.

495
00:42:01,430 --> 00:42:05,070
We already provided a written 120-day notice to the fire chief.

496
00:42:05,790 --> 00:42:10,070
So this will go in effect roughly around late July, early August.

497
00:42:10,630 --> 00:42:16,190
And that will save about a cost reduction of about $500,000 from the fire budget.

498
00:42:18,020 --> 00:42:20,520
So that's one of the ancillary services that we looked at.

499
00:42:21,260 --> 00:42:24,440
The other one, as I noted, is our city-provided ambulances.

500
00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:29,420
And this really is a negative solution.

501
00:42:29,580 --> 00:42:31,280
There is no positive to this solution.

502
00:42:31,280 --> 00:42:36,640
We do not recommend eliminating locally provided emergency medical transport.

503
00:42:37,780 --> 00:42:41,780
You know, if we don't do it, then that service is going to be provided by an outside entity.

504
00:42:42,060 --> 00:42:45,760
We would have no direct control over service quality or response.

505
00:42:46,960 --> 00:42:51,440
Also, our emergency medical services cost recovery program would also terminate

506
00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:57,080
and residents would be charged for EMS response transports by whoever the new provider is.

507
00:42:58,020 --> 00:43:02,080
This year, that program alone is anticipated to bring approximately two and a half million

508
00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:06,880
dollars in cost recovery, and most importantly, we don't bill our residents for that.

509
00:43:07,800 --> 00:43:12,480
The program has kept the annual fire service general fund transfer at about two to three

510
00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:18,720
million dollars, and for fiscal year 2020-2021, we're recommending the use of fund balance

511
00:43:18,720 --> 00:43:22,520
and the fire fund offs at all but about a million dollars of the gap from the total

512
00:43:22,520 --> 00:43:27,520
fire service costs and the projected overall fire fund revenues, which I'm going to talk

513
00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:29,440
about a little bit, actually the next slide.

514
00:43:30,420 --> 00:43:34,900
So the fire revenues that we bring in, they include a couple of things.

515
00:43:35,460 --> 00:43:40,820
We have an annual fire tax credit from the county, which is comprised of structural

516
00:43:40,820 --> 00:43:43,880
fire taxes and estimated redevelopment pass-through funds.

517
00:43:44,920 --> 00:43:51,140
And then back in 1980s, many of you know there's a $60 per dwelling unit fire tax

518
00:43:51,140 --> 00:43:55,980
that was approved by the voters back then for upgrading fire prevention and protection services.

519
00:43:56,480 --> 00:44:01,400
It's not solely for the ambulance. I know many people think it is, but it's actually for the

520
00:44:01,400 --> 00:44:07,260
overall fire prevention and protection for the city. And as we have grown as a city,

521
00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:12,740
we've actually outpaced the money that that brings in. So it covers some costs,

522
00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:18,020
but it doesn't cover all our costs. We also get a reimbursement from our two co-cities,

523
00:44:18,020 --> 00:44:22,900
the Rancher Mirage at Indian Wells for our ladder truck that also offsets the cost of that ladder

524
00:44:22,900 --> 00:44:30,060
truck about a million dollars. So initially when I presented this to the Public Safety Commission

525
00:44:30,060 --> 00:44:37,660
I had some data that showed that in Station 71's primary response area that engine was responding

526
00:44:37,660 --> 00:44:45,480
to three calls about 20% of the time into Rancher Mirage. If I go back here to the map you'll

527
00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:53,680
see that right over here this is Monterey Avenue if you can see my pointer and this this is where a lot of those

528
00:45:01,400 --> 00:45:15,600
So I felt there was a compelling argument or compelling, you know, reason to have a discussion with the city manager of Rancher Mirage on a possible cost sharing, maybe not a 50-50, but a maybe 20% or one position.

529
00:45:16,380 --> 00:45:22,660
That being said, our statistician slash battalion chiefs worked dill and chili last night.

530
00:45:22,660 --> 00:45:31,380
Our city manager had contacted the city manager of Rancher Marajan had a brief discussion and kind of ran this proposal by him and

531
00:45:31,840 --> 00:45:34,360
What they looked at was you know

532
00:45:34,360 --> 00:45:41,280
Initially, I looked at just the primary response area, but we really want to look at the totality. How many times is our

533
00:45:41,940 --> 00:45:46,840
engines going into Rancher Marajan vice versa and if you look at that based upon the

534
00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:51,160
cooperative regional fire protection program we have. It's really almost a

535
00:45:51,160 --> 00:45:55,520
wash. We're talking maybe a one or two percent more but they're coming in just

536
00:45:55,520 --> 00:45:59,480
as much as we're going in. So there really isn't a compelling argument to

537
00:45:59,480 --> 00:46:07,200
have for any type of really salary sharing at this point. That being said

538
00:46:07,200 --> 00:46:11,960
talking to Chief White and Chief Beverly, we do want to keep an eye on the

539
00:46:11,960 --> 00:46:16,080
data and kind of see if we do introduce this paramedic squad. What

540
00:46:16,080 --> 00:46:21,080
What does that do to the overall responses, you know, collectively amongst the cove cities

541
00:46:21,520 --> 00:46:27,140
and see if that shows statistics that reduces their certain call volumes and something that

542
00:46:27,140 --> 00:46:28,520
we could have a further discussion on.

543
00:46:28,740 --> 00:46:30,560
So we're doors not quite yet closed.

544
00:46:30,780 --> 00:46:32,180
It's probably about halfway closed.

545
00:46:32,300 --> 00:46:34,340
So we're we're still keeping that open for the future.

546
00:46:36,200 --> 00:46:45,180
So this next slide shows what our proposed fiscal year 2021, 2021 of buyer budget is

547
00:46:45,180 --> 00:46:51,800
and that's $14.6 million. I do want to say this also includes $200,000 approximately

548
00:46:51,800 --> 00:46:59,340
that we have to pay for a federal program that is required as an EMS provider that builds.

549
00:46:59,580 --> 00:47:06,200
So we have no option for that. And this kind of shows you how the budget has increased

550
00:47:06,200 --> 00:47:11,980
over the last five years. It hasn't been too significant, but it has increased primarily

551
00:47:11,980 --> 00:47:16,100
to minimum wage and other factors.

552
00:47:19,640 --> 00:47:22,640
So how does this proposal play into our strategic plan?

553
00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:27,780
Well, it falls under the public safety and emergency services section of the Pond as a strategic plan,

554
00:47:28,240 --> 00:47:29,720
specifically under priority one.

555
00:47:30,120 --> 00:47:31,980
And you can read what that priority is.

556
00:47:33,000 --> 00:47:37,800
But one of the action steps is to identify public safety needs, including new equipment,

557
00:47:37,980 --> 00:47:42,840
which we feel we have with this paramedic squad that it is a need that will fulfill

558
00:47:42,840 --> 00:47:48,740
a existing problem we're experiencing at station 71 with the increase call.

559
00:47:50,330 --> 00:47:55,670
Now, at the beginning of the presentation, I did note that the Public Safety Commission did review this matter at length.

560
00:47:56,510 --> 00:48:02,930
They did recommend approval of the paramedic squad to the City Council.

561
00:48:03,310 --> 00:48:09,370
That was by a vote of four approved, one no, and two absent.

562
00:48:09,370 --> 00:48:09,930
And

563
00:48:13,510 --> 00:48:15,610
this concludes my presentation.

564
00:48:15,790 --> 00:48:18,710
I'd like to end by saying we really took a collective approach

565
00:48:18,710 --> 00:48:22,390
in developing the public safety budgets, police and fire both

566
00:48:22,390 --> 00:48:24,010
and consider them in their totality.

567
00:48:25,010 --> 00:48:28,230
The adjustments we have for both of them amounts to approximately

568
00:48:28,230 --> 00:48:32,450
$4.4 million with what staff feels is not a negative impact

569
00:48:32,450 --> 00:48:34,110
to overall operational efficiency.

570
00:48:34,850 --> 00:48:38,090
So we'll be discussing what those police modifications are

571
00:48:38,090 --> 00:48:39,590
after this item in further detail.

572
00:48:40,150 --> 00:48:42,330
And at this time, staff respectfully recommends

573
00:48:42,330 --> 00:48:47,010
that the City Council approved moving forward with having a permanent paramedic squad at Station 71.

574
00:48:47,730 --> 00:48:50,950
And the Chiefs and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Thank you.

575
00:48:56,260 --> 00:49:01,200
Thank you. That was a very detailed and wonderful report, and I appreciate it very much.

576
00:49:01,920 --> 00:49:04,420
Does any – let me start left to right again.

577
00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:07,720
Council Member Weber, do you have any questions of staff?

578
00:49:08,180 --> 00:49:10,360
Yes, I have a question for clarification.

579
00:49:12,260 --> 00:49:20,620
I had a question for clarification from Steven when you said that when we build our new station

580
00:49:20,620 --> 00:49:25,920
that we're going to move some of the staff from station 71 over to the new station.

581
00:49:26,420 --> 00:49:34,920
Are you saying that when we do that new station, which I understand is east of Cook on Frank

582
00:49:34,920 --> 00:49:41,600
Sinatra that you believe that they're going, that station will be relieving 71 of some of

583
00:49:41,600 --> 00:49:45,660
the work that they do because I did not see it that way.

584
00:49:45,940 --> 00:49:50,800
So to me, when we finally get our new station, it's because we are going to be in great

585
00:49:50,800 --> 00:49:54,100
need of a new station and they're going to be very busy from day one.

586
00:49:54,460 --> 00:49:57,140
So if you could clarify that for me, I would appreciate it.

587
00:49:57,860 --> 00:49:58,300
Sure.

588
00:49:58,560 --> 00:50:00,580
Let me go back to that map I was referring to.

589
00:50:08,100 --> 00:50:08,360
Okay.

590
00:50:08,560 --> 00:50:08,980
Did I lose it?

591
00:50:09,020 --> 00:50:09,440
There it goes.

592
00:50:09,440 --> 00:50:17,060
So, if you look here where that fourth station would go would be right around this area.

593
00:50:17,300 --> 00:50:22,200
So you can see there is, even though there's not as significant as Country Club, there is

594
00:50:22,200 --> 00:50:27,560
activity within the North Sphere that that fourth station would alleviate and also reduce

595
00:50:27,560 --> 00:50:30,360
the call volume by at station 71.

596
00:50:30,840 --> 00:50:31,360
Okay.

597
00:50:31,440 --> 00:50:31,840
Thank you.

598
00:50:35,730 --> 00:50:35,950
Okay.

599
00:50:36,310 --> 00:50:37,630
Mayor Pro Temm, Kathleen Kelly.

600
00:50:37,830 --> 00:50:38,250
Any questions?

601
00:50:40,820 --> 00:50:41,620
No questions.

602
00:50:42,380 --> 00:50:42,720
Okay.

603
00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:53,400
Councilmember Hartig. Thank you, Mayor. I have a couple of questions. First, I want to thank you very much for including and consulting with the Public Safety Commission.

604
00:50:54,360 --> 00:51:05,480
I think that was important. This is a random question. I know where is it the official boundary line that decides where North Palm Desert starts?

605
00:51:08,240 --> 00:51:16,480
You know, I believe it is just south of the freeway, but I'll defer to Lori the answer

606
00:51:16,480 --> 00:51:16,800
is there.

607
00:51:17,060 --> 00:51:24,380
I thought the north on desert is anything north of Fred wearing bride all the way down

608
00:51:24,380 --> 00:51:26,560
to the 10 freeway.

609
00:51:26,860 --> 00:51:27,380
Yeah.

610
00:51:27,540 --> 00:51:28,940
I'm out south of the freeway, not north.

611
00:51:29,140 --> 00:51:29,480
I'm sorry.

612
00:51:29,480 --> 00:51:43,320
Yeah, there is an app in the packet which shows the jurisdiction, if you will, of each

613
00:51:43,320 --> 00:51:44,360
fire station.

614
00:51:45,100 --> 00:51:47,260
It looks like this.

615
00:51:47,820 --> 00:51:49,120
And I've seen that.

616
00:51:49,240 --> 00:51:51,760
I'm just asking where is that official boundary line?

617
00:51:51,980 --> 00:51:56,800
Because we so often, even in other things than this, we talk of North Palm Desert,

618
00:51:56,980 --> 00:51:58,320
we talk of South Palm Desert.

619
00:51:58,320 --> 00:52:05,120
And I'm just wondering, is there, have we determined at some point where there is an

620
00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:06,620
official boundary line?

621
00:52:07,220 --> 00:52:09,300
It's kind of a big question.

622
00:52:09,480 --> 00:52:09,920
It's not just-

623
00:52:09,920 --> 00:52:15,920
Well, just to comment on how it overall plays, you know, it's important to, of course, that's

624
00:52:15,920 --> 00:52:20,640
important information, but keep in mind how our FHIR program works on a regional collaborative

625
00:52:20,640 --> 00:52:21,020
effort.

626
00:52:21,160 --> 00:52:22,340
We don't really look at boundaries.

627
00:52:22,580 --> 00:52:26,920
We look at overall response bubble, and maybe the chiefs can respond on that a little

628
00:52:26,920 --> 00:52:27,260
bit more.

629
00:52:27,260 --> 00:52:33,560
No, really, this is an overreaching. I just wanted to know, because we talk in so many

630
00:52:33,560 --> 00:52:38,740
subjects, not specific to this, but in so many things, we'll say North Palm Desert.

631
00:52:39,000 --> 00:52:42,760
I'm going, is that Fred Wehring, like the mayor said, or is that Country Club? Where

632
00:52:42,760 --> 00:52:48,200
exactly is that? So, I don't know if we have the real boundary line to get the Fred

633
00:52:48,200 --> 00:52:48,420
Wehring.

634
00:52:48,420 --> 00:52:54,540
We typically refer to area north of Frank Sinatra as being North Palm Desert. But

635
00:52:54,540 --> 00:53:01,160
different people use different standards. It's also generally used for the

636
00:53:01,160 --> 00:53:06,560
undeveloped area, which at this point is typically north of. Probably be good to

637
00:53:06,560 --> 00:53:11,680
have something official because we do use that a lot in all different subject

638
00:53:11,680 --> 00:53:18,380
matter. I have a question right now. Where does Indian Wells and Rancho

639
00:53:18,380 --> 00:53:23,420
Mirage go when they need to review their plans and get them okayed by the

640
00:53:23,420 --> 00:53:24,820
fire marshal

641
00:53:27,190 --> 00:53:29,390
brian or mike could one of you answer that question

642
00:53:34,120 --> 00:53:35,440
yeah good

643
00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:39,820
evening mayor council members and staff currently in rancher mirage they paid

644
00:53:39,820 --> 00:53:44,380
for a inspector so when the plan review needs to happen in ranch mirage

645
00:53:44,380 --> 00:53:50,660
they go to city hall indian wells is dropped off at city hall and part of

646
00:53:50,660 --> 00:53:53,980
sonia's position and one of the positions that you paid for is split

647
00:53:53,980 --> 00:53:57,900
funded our inspector will go over to indian wells do the plan check and

648
00:53:57,900 --> 00:54:02,960
inspection over at their office, and that's how those two are conducted.

649
00:54:05,330 --> 00:54:09,250
So Rancho Mirage has their own fire inspector.

650
00:54:10,970 --> 00:54:15,630
Yes, ma'am, and then as well as Sonia, because she is the deputy fire marshal for the area,

651
00:54:15,650 --> 00:54:18,310
she is split funded amongst the area.

652
00:54:19,090 --> 00:54:23,870
So they have 100% dedicated and then a split funded position.

653
00:54:23,870 --> 00:54:24,630
You

654
00:54:27,220 --> 00:54:33,580
know what, I want to, I am so unclear on that, I want to make sure that I'm clear.

655
00:54:34,020 --> 00:54:38,900
We have Sonya, and she's 100% of the time here in Palm Desert?

656
00:54:41,320 --> 00:54:45,240
No ma'am, she is split funded between the county, Palm Desert, National Mirage, and

657
00:54:45,240 --> 00:54:46,020
the city of Indian Wells.

658
00:54:47,600 --> 00:54:54,600
Okay, so she's not, so when we move her, so she moves physically in between different

659
00:54:55,340 --> 00:54:55,820
locations?

660
00:54:59,180 --> 00:54:59,820
Yes ma'am.

661
00:55:00,080 --> 00:55:00,420
Okay.

662
00:55:00,420 --> 00:55:05,920
Okay. Thank you for, I didn't want to assume and I appreciate your indulgence.

663
00:55:08,260 --> 00:55:09,480
And I think

664
00:55:11,100 --> 00:55:12,900
that's all my questions. Thank you.

665
00:55:16,170 --> 00:55:17,090
Councilmember Donovan.

666
00:55:18,090 --> 00:55:25,230
Thank you, Mayor. I have a few questions. So, Steven, at one point you showed us a slide

667
00:55:25,230 --> 00:55:30,770
that compared response times, I think it was for station 71 compared to a couple

668
00:55:30,770 --> 00:55:37,690
of our other stations. And you may not have this, but in my mind, it's more relevant. How

669
00:55:37,690 --> 00:55:43,930
do we compare it to the larger universe, like the state of California, for example? Do you

670
00:55:43,930 --> 00:55:48,610
have anything that would compare station 71 response time to the state average?

671
00:56:00,750 --> 00:56:01,010
And Stephen,

672
00:56:01,170 --> 00:56:03,790
if you're speaking, you are muted so we cannot hear you.

673
00:56:05,090 --> 00:56:06,390
Can you hear me now?

674
00:56:06,830 --> 00:56:07,070
Yeah.

675
00:56:07,350 --> 00:56:07,790
Okay.

676
00:56:07,890 --> 00:56:08,190
Sorry.

677
00:56:08,770 --> 00:56:12,790
I don't have that information available, maybe either the two chiefs do.

678
00:56:13,010 --> 00:56:17,530
I do know as comparatively as I said, it is the busiest station within the county.

679
00:56:18,010 --> 00:56:18,590
No, no, no.

680
00:56:18,810 --> 00:56:22,350
I'm not asking about how busy it is, but I think we all get how busy it is.

681
00:56:23,190 --> 00:56:27,810
The relevant issue is whether response time suffers for the busy.

682
00:56:28,270 --> 00:56:32,570
And if so, how much and how do we compare not to a couple of other stations in Palm

683
00:56:32,570 --> 00:56:37,670
Desert but to the state. I'm hearing you don't have that. I know but the but the other two

684
00:56:37,670 --> 00:56:42,530
fire chiefs may have an answer to that so I defer to them. Yeah councilmember Jonathan.

685
00:56:43,810 --> 00:56:50,090
So we don't have the statewide response data because you're comparing apples to oranges. The

686
00:56:50,090 --> 00:56:56,050
state is a very large area. Fire stations are not necessarily built geographically the

687
00:56:56,050 --> 00:57:00,970
way that your fire stations are built. We are using the county fire department strategic plan

688
00:57:00,970 --> 00:57:05,530
and their goal is to put fire stations within four minutes of each other.

689
00:57:06,090 --> 00:57:07,830
Previously, you may have seen circles.

690
00:57:08,670 --> 00:57:13,530
Before we had all of this technology available to us, we were using circle maps.

691
00:57:14,270 --> 00:57:16,330
Now we use GIS response data.

692
00:57:16,970 --> 00:57:22,330
It takes into account how many stop signs, how many speed bumps, traffic in the area,

693
00:57:22,590 --> 00:57:27,390
and that's how we now develop our response times and where stations should be located.

694
00:57:27,390 --> 00:57:33,090
within Riverside County, we have several different areas. So you have urban, heavy,

695
00:57:33,190 --> 00:57:39,910
urban, rural, and then outlying. Within each of those areas is kind of a different metric for

696
00:57:39,910 --> 00:57:44,530
our response times. The Riverside County Fire Department has chosen a five-minute response

697
00:57:44,530 --> 00:57:50,670
time. They feel that at the executive level that that's a good representation of a city fire

698
00:57:50,670 --> 00:57:59,510
Department. The national standard of NFPA, which measures like LA, Anaheim, a couple

699
00:57:59,510 --> 00:58:04,910
other agencies just to look at, there in that national standard is a four-minute response

700
00:58:04,910 --> 00:58:10,690
time. So we have those numbers. I can pull all of Riverside County if you would like

701
00:58:10,690 --> 00:58:18,270
or I can look at a city of comparable size. But statewide would be a difficult task

702
00:58:18,270 --> 00:58:21,590
and I don't think that the numbers would be representative of what you're looking for.

703
00:58:21,930 --> 00:58:29,030
Okay. If we can please get the county-wide data so that we can compare 71 to a larger

704
00:58:29,030 --> 00:58:31,130
universe, that would be helpful to me at least.

705
00:58:34,480 --> 00:58:35,500
We can do that, Chief?

706
00:58:37,240 --> 00:58:38,500
Yes, sir. I'm working on it now.

707
00:58:39,120 --> 00:58:43,140
Okay. I mean, no, it doesn't have to be immediate. I mean, if you can't, if you have it handy,

708
00:58:43,140 --> 00:58:47,820
fine, but if not, regardless of the outcome of this agenda item, I'd be interested in seeing

709
00:58:47,820 --> 00:58:55,580
that. Next question. Steven, you showed a slide that had the hours per day, and it was alarming

710
00:58:56,140 --> 00:59:02,840
with only four hours of sleep per day. I'm curious, where did that data come from?

711
00:59:06,560 --> 00:59:11,840
That data came from the battalion chiefs they provided it for me. On average.

712
00:59:12,600 --> 00:59:19,460
Maybe I didn't ask it properly. I apologize. Is that, you know, a gut sense or do

713
00:59:19,460 --> 00:59:22,460
Does the staff keep a time sheet?

714
00:59:23,900 --> 00:59:26,000
How are we coming up with that data?

715
00:59:26,500 --> 00:59:27,780
Is it scientific? Is it empirical?

716
00:59:28,320 --> 00:59:32,360
Yeah, I'll defer to them because they're the ones that provided it,

717
00:59:32,360 --> 00:59:33,460
so I don't want to speak on their behalf.

718
00:59:33,720 --> 00:59:38,820
So the responding to calls for service we used from our CAD dispatching data.

719
00:59:39,320 --> 00:59:43,360
So we were able to see the time from dispatch to the time that the unit

720
00:59:43,360 --> 00:59:45,280
went available to the time that they went in quarters.

721
00:59:45,280 --> 00:59:49,260
and we calculated that out over a one-year period.

722
00:59:50,180 --> 00:59:51,900
Getting fuel is an estimation.

723
00:59:52,760 --> 00:59:53,600
Training...

724
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:05,340
People work and, well, let's look at the policy, everyone. So training is a policy that

725
01:00:05,340 --> 01:00:10,360
required to complete two hours a day. We track that via target solutions or an online training

726
01:00:10,360 --> 01:00:16,820
platform and we look at report cards every month. The state and federally mandated apparatus

727
01:00:16,820 --> 01:00:21,580
and equipment checkout is an average. The DEA requires our paramedics every morning

728
01:00:21,580 --> 01:00:26,760
to open up every narcotic. They have to scan them and account for them. The apparatus

729
01:00:26,760 --> 01:00:32,180
status has a lengthy checklist that needs to be checked every day, so we took an average

730
01:00:32,180 --> 01:00:36,300
of how long the engineers are taking to check their equipment out in the morning.

731
01:00:37,300 --> 01:00:39,620
The mandatory physical training, again, is a policy.

732
01:00:40,660 --> 01:00:45,060
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we asked the crews at the fire stations how long do you

733
01:00:45,060 --> 01:00:48,700
guys basically get, just kind of breaking down the hour of the day.

734
01:00:49,540 --> 01:00:51,760
And that's where the majority of those numbers came from, sir.

735
01:00:51,760 --> 01:01:00,720
Okay. Thank you, Chief. I appreciate that. Steven, I had asked you about the portion of

736
01:01:00,720 --> 01:01:05,300
calls that go outside of Palm Desert, and you provided that. It's not in a slide,

737
01:01:05,380 --> 01:01:10,900
but it's in a supplementary document that we received. And if I'm reading it right,

738
01:01:13,860 --> 01:01:22,940
The calls from station 71 to the city of Palm Desert represent about 3,400 out of 5,000,

739
01:01:23,440 --> 01:01:25,640
which is about 69%.

740
01:01:26,340 --> 01:01:32,080
Would you confirm, is that accurate, that 69% of the calls out of station 71 are for

741
01:01:32,080 --> 01:01:36,880
Palm Desert proper and 31% are for calls outside of our city?

742
01:01:36,960 --> 01:01:38,700
Am I interpreting that document accurately?

743
01:01:39,720 --> 01:01:41,440
Brian, could you comment on that?

744
01:01:41,880 --> 01:01:44,220
You're the statistician that provided it.

745
01:01:46,680 --> 01:01:47,160
Yes, sir.

746
01:01:47,260 --> 01:01:47,480
One more.

747
01:01:47,640 --> 01:01:48,300
Could you repeat your question?

748
01:01:49,240 --> 01:01:49,440
Yeah.

749
01:01:49,580 --> 01:01:56,680
We had a chart given to us that indicated it was unit responses for station 71.

750
01:01:57,100 --> 01:02:04,780
And it indicated that calls for the city of Palm Desert were 3,466 out of a total

751
01:02:04,780 --> 01:02:09,020
of 5,042, which represents about 69%.

752
01:02:09,020 --> 01:02:13,840
And I'm asking for confirmation that I'm interpreting that correctly.

753
01:02:15,750 --> 01:02:16,550
Yes, sir.

754
01:02:16,890 --> 01:02:17,290
Okay.

755
01:02:17,470 --> 01:02:18,270
Thank you.

756
01:02:18,650 --> 01:02:19,650
Final question.

757
01:02:20,290 --> 01:02:21,070
I'm curious.

758
01:02:21,310 --> 01:02:27,370
We obviously have not received minutes from the Public Safety Commission in their discussion.

759
01:02:27,590 --> 01:02:28,970
And Steve and I assume you were there.

760
01:02:29,430 --> 01:02:31,770
Did they take our budget into consideration?

761
01:02:35,980 --> 01:02:38,560
The overall city budget that was not discussed.

762
01:02:39,360 --> 01:02:39,680
Okay.

763
01:02:39,980 --> 01:02:41,440
Well, I take that back.

764
01:02:41,540 --> 01:02:42,040
I take that back.

765
01:02:42,040 --> 01:02:50,580
Actually, our city manager did provide a summary of why we are asking for these reductions,

766
01:02:50,720 --> 01:02:55,440
which included the various fiscal constraints for now experiencing.

767
01:02:56,160 --> 01:02:57,720
So that regards, yes.

768
01:02:58,400 --> 01:02:58,920
All right, sirs.

769
01:02:59,140 --> 01:03:04,800
I guess what I'm getting at in coming up with their vote, their recommendation in

770
01:03:04,800 --> 01:03:10,020
their discussion was that a factor other than what the city manager information that

771
01:03:10,020 --> 01:03:18,280
provided that they have discussion weighing this request against our budget and the projected

772
01:03:18,280 --> 01:03:18,820
losses?

773
01:03:21,710 --> 01:03:29,570
I think more of the discussion was on the impacts that the call volume has on public safety

774
01:03:29,570 --> 01:03:30,690
as well as the staff.

775
01:03:30,810 --> 01:03:31,610
I expected that.

776
01:03:31,710 --> 01:03:36,990
My question was, did they weigh those issues against our budget and the projected deficits?

777
01:03:36,990 --> 01:03:44,190
Let me see if I can address that Councilmember Jonathan. They had extensive discussion on

778
01:03:44,190 --> 01:03:49,910
the impact of the budget and the requested cuts relative to the next item on your agenda

779
01:03:49,910 --> 01:03:56,470
to the policing services. There was not an in-depth discussion of budget and the impact

780
01:03:56,470 --> 01:03:59,610
of the pandemic on the budget for this item.

781
01:04:01,270 --> 01:04:03,550
Okay. Thank you. That's all I have, Mayor.

782
01:04:04,590 --> 01:04:09,650
Mayor, I have one more question, if I may, and it's a little bit of a tangent.

783
01:04:10,430 --> 01:04:20,950
But you talked, Stephen, about the 1980 voter-approved initiative that puts $60 on the tax roll.

784
01:04:21,890 --> 01:04:25,910
And this may just be something that I just have to ask.

785
01:04:26,330 --> 01:04:31,670
Was there any language in there that provided for any automatic increases, or was that

786
01:04:31,670 --> 01:04:37,590
just saying it's $60 and that's it. Well it started actually out at $48 and there

787
01:04:37,590 --> 01:04:44,530
was a one it could go up to $60 without further voter approval so back about 2009

788
01:04:44,530 --> 01:04:50,610
is when we raised it for the only time from 48 to 60 so we're at our maximum

789
01:04:50,610 --> 01:04:55,890
amount now. Okay so we did have that the language included a cap. Yes when I

790
01:04:55,890 --> 01:05:00,230
recall and if we were to raise that we'd have to go back out for a vote.

791
01:05:00,230 --> 01:05:03,530
Okay, so you say as you recall, is there any possibility?

792
01:05:04,070 --> 01:05:04,790
No, no, it is.

793
01:05:04,970 --> 01:05:05,190
It is.

794
01:05:05,250 --> 01:05:05,690
Okay.

795
01:05:05,710 --> 01:05:05,930
Yeah.

796
01:05:06,050 --> 01:05:06,390
Okay.

797
01:05:06,530 --> 01:05:07,110
Thank you.

798
01:05:08,830 --> 01:05:09,390
Okay.

799
01:05:09,610 --> 01:05:12,530
With that, I just had another clarification.

800
01:05:14,130 --> 01:05:19,810
Stephen, as Council Member Donovan pointed out, a lot of discussion wasn't done around

801
01:05:19,810 --> 01:05:20,410
budgeting.

802
01:05:20,950 --> 01:05:27,830
It was done merely around the fact that the members at Station 71 seem to be putting

803
01:05:27,830 --> 01:05:34,590
in an awful lot of hours and this would alleviate some of that plus helping the, you know, the

804
01:05:34,590 --> 01:05:37,050
reply time to those particular calls.

805
01:05:37,470 --> 01:05:42,810
But one of the things I'd like you to clarify for us is that it was pointed out that with

806
01:05:42,810 --> 01:05:49,890
the addition of new people, we need more recliners and we need a bigger dinner table.

807
01:05:50,430 --> 01:05:53,530
And I was wondering how are we going to be paying for that?

808
01:05:53,690 --> 01:05:56,030
Is that going to come along down the road?

809
01:05:56,030 --> 01:06:01,050
do we need more beds for the additional staff members as well? And also it was mentioned

810
01:06:01,050 --> 01:06:06,870
that we're going to have to remodel the station a tiny bit. And did we address the cost of

811
01:06:06,870 --> 01:06:13,330
that? Those items have not yet been looked at. There's been some type of discussion.

812
01:06:14,490 --> 01:06:20,930
Brian, you did look at possibly reconfiguring some of the space there. Was that correct?

813
01:06:22,290 --> 01:06:27,470
Yes, sir, that's correct. We did have for a period of, it was over six months where

814
01:06:27,470 --> 01:06:32,150
the Indian Wells Fire Station was going through their earthquake retrofit and upgrade, and

815
01:06:32,150 --> 01:06:36,090
we moved the ambulance over there, and it was the same staffing configuration, so two

816
01:06:36,090 --> 01:06:43,130
additional people. It is tight. We know that we can do it. There are some recommendations

817
01:06:43,710 --> 01:06:47,330
to, again, the recliners in the tables that I think that we can cover and the

818
01:06:47,330 --> 01:06:53,070
start-up cost that is in the table that's already provided without going into a major

819
01:06:53,070 --> 01:06:58,250
remodel, knowing the constraints that the budgets are currently under because of the pandemic.

820
01:06:59,990 --> 01:07:04,650
Okay, I would like to say thank you again as Council Member Harnick said. We do

821
01:07:04,650 --> 01:07:09,230
thank the Commission for coming together so quickly to do a Zoom meeting on this,

822
01:07:09,590 --> 01:07:14,490
and we were there until what, six o'clock last night working on this, so they took

823
01:07:14,490 --> 01:07:19,070
very seriously they took a responsibility very seriously and as you'll hear when we get to

824
01:07:19,070 --> 01:07:24,110
the next section on the police they had done all their homework and they asked a lot of questions

825
01:07:24,110 --> 01:07:29,570
and so we appreciated this suggestion because this has come up you know in the past a little bit

826
01:07:29,570 --> 01:07:35,790
about how else we can operate this station to be a little bit more effective so I appreciate that

827
01:07:35,790 --> 01:07:44,050
they've come up with this solution and if the mayor is ready for us to make a motion I'll go

828
01:07:44,050 --> 01:07:52,450
there is any other discussion please make a motion okay councilmember Jonathan oh I'm sorry you said

829
01:07:52,450 --> 01:07:56,570
discussion I think I just want to make sure we have an opportunity for discussion following the

830
01:07:56,570 --> 01:08:04,050
motion that's what I do second the motion and then we can have discussion all right

831
01:08:06,520 --> 01:08:08,500
okay are we

832
01:08:08,500 --> 01:08:11,600
going to take a roll call and then discuss no

833
01:08:15,050 --> 01:08:21,100
need to discuss now there can be a discussion

834
01:08:21,780 --> 01:08:28,420
after. Okay, so City Clerk, if you would please take a roll call. Can someone clarify the

835
01:08:28,420 --> 01:08:33,880
motion? Sorry, Mayor, we should have discussion among the council members before the vote

836
01:08:33,880 --> 01:08:34,280
is taken.

837
01:08:36,900 --> 01:08:40,680
That's what I was just saying. Does anybody want to discuss the matter? Yes.

838
01:08:41,660 --> 01:08:42,780
Yes, Council Member Jonathan.

839
01:08:45,270 --> 01:08:45,850
Thank you, Mayor.

840
01:08:48,430 --> 01:08:51,710
Look, I'm not sure that too many people

841
01:08:51,710 --> 01:08:59,250
People would disagree that this is something that would better serve the residents of Palm

842
01:08:59,250 --> 01:09:05,830
Desert and accomplish other benefits.

843
01:09:07,770 --> 01:09:10,370
In my mind, this couldn't happen at a worse time.

844
01:09:11,830 --> 01:09:17,910
We're in this pandemic, we're in this economic crisis, and the depth of that pain is not

845
01:09:17,910 --> 01:09:18,610
yet known.

846
01:09:20,170 --> 01:09:28,610
We are looking at deficits in the 15-month period that will hover around $15 million.

847
01:09:29,370 --> 01:09:35,990
We have a $60 million budget. We're working so hard to cut costs, and here we're being asked to spend $1.2 million.

848
01:09:36,870 --> 01:09:44,370
And not only that, but we're asking to commit to an additional expense of $1 million per year.

849
01:09:44,370 --> 01:09:48,450
That's the staffing and maintenance cost once we get that truck in there.

850
01:09:50,450 --> 01:09:55,370
I am persuaded that we need this, but not right at this time.

851
01:09:55,550 --> 01:10:03,510
And I would like to suggest for your consideration that we not say no, but that we instead table

852
01:10:03,510 --> 01:10:10,730
this matter for six months, let's find out whether literally we can afford to do this.

853
01:10:10,730 --> 01:10:15,350
we want to do this, but just like in our personal budgets, when we want something,

854
01:10:15,490 --> 01:10:20,450
even when we can justify it, it doesn't mean we can afford it. And I'm not sure that we can afford

855
01:10:20,450 --> 01:10:26,330
this at this time. So my suggestion would be not to say no, but to say let's table this for

856
01:10:26,330 --> 01:10:32,950
six months and have a second look when we understand what the financial impact of this

857
01:10:32,950 --> 01:10:39,390
pandemic is on our city and our city's budget. I agree with you on that. And if you'd like,

858
01:10:39,390 --> 01:10:44,010
I'd be happy to pull my motion for you to make another motion for it to be revisited

859
01:10:44,010 --> 01:10:48,690
in six months because, as you said, it's not a matter of do we need this.

860
01:10:48,930 --> 01:10:57,870
Clearly we have those two new buildings opening up south of 71 station right there.

861
01:10:57,970 --> 01:10:58,770
They're ready to open up.

862
01:10:58,850 --> 01:11:02,790
That's a lot of human beings plus all the other places that we are opening.

863
01:11:03,070 --> 01:11:06,490
So it's almost a matter of we have to do this.

864
01:11:06,490 --> 01:11:13,270
And I agree with you to hold off for six months might be much more prudent than saying start tomorrow.

865
01:11:14,390 --> 01:11:20,610
But I'm honestly thinking we really can't avoid doing it down the road.

866
01:11:20,750 --> 01:11:25,590
It just seems an impossible thing. We've just got a lot of need for that additional unit.

867
01:11:26,530 --> 01:11:30,410
So if you like, I'm happy to pull my motion if that's possible.

868
01:11:30,410 --> 01:11:39,330
Why don't we finish discussion and then hedge up what the motion should be.

869
01:11:40,390 --> 01:11:52,610
I guess I define need differently than my two colleagues who have just spoken because to

870
01:11:52,610 --> 01:11:57,230
my way of thinking once we acknowledge that something is

871
01:11:57,230 --> 01:12:01,030
a need that means it's priority.

872
01:12:02,450 --> 01:12:08,390
And I am positive that the people who elected us

873
01:12:08,650 --> 01:12:13,310
would wish for ambulance response time

874
01:12:13,310 --> 01:12:17,670
to receive the highest possible priority.

875
01:12:17,670 --> 01:12:29,190
The benefit of deciding tonight is that then the budget can be structured with this in mind.

876
01:12:29,910 --> 01:12:41,990
Putting it off for six months means that the budget is built without it and it becomes dependent on some windfall income.

877
01:12:41,990 --> 01:12:50,970
Ambulance response time should not be subject to windfall income, period.

878
01:12:53,170 --> 01:12:59,430
So I support taking action tonight.

879
01:12:59,990 --> 01:13:05,030
I think that would be the will of our residents.

880
01:13:05,610 --> 01:13:08,490
It's a very well thought out proposal.

881
01:13:09,370 --> 01:13:16,320
but you understand this is not an ambulance yes I do councilmember

882
01:13:16,320 --> 01:13:17,760
Harnick thank

883
01:13:20,060 --> 01:13:21,400
you mayor I

884
01:13:23,510 --> 01:13:27,610
I understand you know we're in a tough budget time

885
01:13:27,610 --> 01:13:33,530
there's no one who doesn't understand I'm pretty sure of that and whether it's the

886
01:13:33,530 --> 01:13:38,630
worst time ever let's hope this is the worst time this could ever happen but

887
01:13:38,630 --> 01:13:48,890
But the fact is to put people's safety and their health, secondary to money, doesn't

888
01:13:48,890 --> 01:13:52,530
to me align with the values of Palm Desert.

889
01:13:53,770 --> 01:14:04,390
The density that is in the area that Station 71 serves is the result and the product of

890
01:14:04,390 --> 01:14:06,010
zoning and land planning.

891
01:14:09,130 --> 01:14:14,590
And we have a well-thought-out, I believe, it's a well-thought-out presentation.

892
01:14:16,470 --> 01:14:22,270
Does it come at the best time? No, but things like this don't come at the best time. It's just

893
01:14:22,270 --> 01:14:29,290
the way it goes. And I remember when I was first on council and we had a discussion at one of

894
01:14:29,290 --> 01:14:36,570
the conferences I went to and they said when you feel like continuing an item on an agenda,

895
01:14:38,730 --> 01:14:44,610
it's always better to act on it. It sends bad messages when you continue quite often

896
01:14:45,290 --> 01:14:52,170
and we want to reassure our community. And so what you should do rather than continue

897
01:14:52,170 --> 01:14:53,210
value.

898
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:07,200
Anyway, what are your values as a community? Remember what your values are as a community.

899
01:15:08,620 --> 01:15:16,660
And certainly, one of our values is our public safety in Palm Desert. And looking at that

900
01:15:16,660 --> 01:15:22,760
makes me believe so strongly that this is the time to act, not wait. We don't know what

901
01:15:22,760 --> 01:15:29,600
tomorrow is going to bring. We really don't. And the reason we have the community we

902
01:15:29,600 --> 01:15:35,740
do is because of those services we provide and government shouldn't be involved in everything

903
01:15:35,740 --> 01:15:41,000
and government has a short list of things it must do and one of those things is provide for its

904
01:15:41,000 --> 01:15:47,860
public safety of the community members. So I absolutely believe that this is the time to act.

905
01:15:48,120 --> 01:15:50,620
I don't believe that we should kick this down the road.

906
01:15:51,620 --> 01:15:56,200
And Council Member Harnick, you make great points that it's because of the planning and

907
01:15:56,200 --> 01:16:03,900
zoning, we find ourselves in this predicament. And so we can't go back in time and undo it,

908
01:16:04,100 --> 01:16:10,320
can't unring the bell, to say. And, you know, I've come full circle. I've looked at the reports

909
01:16:10,320 --> 01:16:17,360
and, I mean, our fire department is working on, I mean, just doing an amazing job,

910
01:16:17,520 --> 01:16:21,120
almost an impossible job with, you know, sometimes only four hours of sleep.

911
01:16:21,120 --> 01:16:31,020
And so I concur that while it's tough to make budget cuts, I believe we've got to look somewhere else.

912
01:16:33,290 --> 01:16:35,510
Are there any other? Okay, Councilor McJonathan.

913
01:16:36,070 --> 01:16:39,550
Yeah, I just want to clarify my comments based on the comments of my colleagues.

914
01:16:39,710 --> 01:16:43,590
And I understand that, you know, the direction this is probably going in.

915
01:16:43,790 --> 01:16:48,450
And I think like any good council member who's on the losing end of the vote,

916
01:16:48,450 --> 01:16:56,370
I will support publicly and otherwise the will of the majority but I want to clarify my concerns.

917
01:16:57,150 --> 01:17:04,330
You know the word need is not an absolute in some cases you know I might need a new refrigerator

918
01:17:05,010 --> 01:17:10,650
but it can wait a few months and so once we've identified a need it doesn't mean that we have

919
01:17:10,650 --> 01:17:17,590
to have a knee jerk reaction and get it right away. You know the concept of putting safety

920
01:17:17,590 --> 01:17:26,130
over dollars is a rather absurd mischaracterization. I think one of the greatest obligations that

921
01:17:26,130 --> 01:17:33,630
we have as council members is the fiscal oversight that we exercise, because frankly, when a

922
01:17:33,630 --> 01:17:38,310
city runs out of money, then it runs out of choices. And if you think our residents

923
01:17:38,310 --> 01:17:44,690
are in bad shape because of a slightly reduced response time for six months, wait until

924
01:17:44,690 --> 01:17:48,870
we don't have money to, you know, pave the roads, run the sprinklers at the parks and

925
01:17:48,870 --> 01:17:53,490
so forth. And it was said by several of you, we don't know what's coming up. We don't

926
01:17:53,490 --> 01:17:58,970
know how deep this recession is going to go. We don't know how long our TOT revenue and

927
01:17:58,970 --> 01:18:04,230
sales tax revenue will be in decline. So I'm just saying, while I absolutely agree

928
01:18:04,230 --> 01:18:11,010
with the comments made that this is something that we need, I don't think it's causing

929
01:18:11,010 --> 01:18:17,050
a lot of injury to table it for six months simply to make sure that we can afford it.

930
01:18:17,850 --> 01:18:18,430
Thank you.

931
01:18:19,410 --> 01:18:20,090
Thank you.

932
01:18:20,110 --> 01:18:20,390
Thank you.

933
01:18:20,590 --> 01:18:21,230
Council Member Jonathan.

934
01:18:22,810 --> 01:18:23,210
All right.

935
01:18:23,410 --> 01:18:25,450
So, Councilor Mejaniq.

936
01:18:25,870 --> 01:18:26,870
Thank you, Mayor.

937
01:18:27,070 --> 01:18:30,690
And I so appreciate your comments, Council Member Jonathan.

938
01:18:31,570 --> 01:18:35,530
There's a couple of things I'd like us to look at because I take this so seriously

939
01:18:35,530 --> 01:18:38,570
and I think my comments show that clearly.

940
01:18:38,570 --> 01:18:47,310
I would like us, though, because we have stated a couple times about these short-term nursing

941
01:18:48,290 --> 01:18:56,890
centers and the residential type of facilities for short-term or for independent care and

942
01:18:56,890 --> 01:18:57,630
those sorts of things.

943
01:18:57,950 --> 01:19:02,270
We do need to go back and look at how do we recoup some of those funds?

944
01:19:02,470 --> 01:19:04,770
Are there better guidelines that could be put in place?

945
01:19:04,770 --> 01:19:11,370
in the city's interest, in the city's general interest in community members, members' interest

946
01:19:11,370 --> 01:19:17,470
rather than a perhaps someone's business model. So I do want us to go back and look at those.

947
01:19:17,590 --> 01:19:24,010
And I do want the, our fire professionals to continue, statisticians as they are,

948
01:19:24,190 --> 01:19:30,950
to continue working with us to help us find ways to cut this budget. And as we go forward,

949
01:19:30,950 --> 01:19:35,770
because we're going to need their help to do that. But on that, I would like to make the motion

950
01:19:35,770 --> 01:19:44,130
that we accept the staff's recommendation. I have a second. Fairness Sandy. The recommendation

951
01:19:44,130 --> 01:19:52,290
is to provide direction to staff on the staffing and purchase. So I need a formal motion to be

952
01:19:52,290 --> 01:20:03,150
made. Didn't we already have a motion in a second on the table? We did. We actually made the motion

953
01:20:03,150 --> 01:20:13,090
and so Council Member Hartley has seconded it. I'm substituting. Well it's the same motion. That's

954
01:20:13,090 --> 01:20:17,110
right. Okay can someone restate the motion please.

955
01:20:21,460 --> 01:20:24,880
Council Member Weber it's your motion. Well the

956
01:20:24,880 --> 01:20:29,960
The motion was to agree with consideration to staff and purchase a paramedic squad at

957
01:20:29,960 --> 01:20:36,080
fire station number 71 as part of the fire department's fiscal year 2021 budget request.

958
01:20:36,360 --> 01:20:41,180
So this will, by us making this motion, my understanding is that then we will be discussing

959
01:20:41,180 --> 01:20:42,840
this during our budget session.

960
01:20:43,100 --> 01:20:43,760
Is that correct?

961
01:20:49,200 --> 01:20:50,200
I would ask city manager.

962
01:20:51,400 --> 01:20:56,100
What we were asking, what Steph was asking for was direction as to what to include

963
01:20:56,100 --> 01:20:56,600
in the budget.

964
01:20:56,600 --> 01:21:00,240
We've already discussed this in the budget study session.

965
01:21:00,440 --> 01:21:02,960
Our next study session is going to be on different things in the budget.

966
01:21:03,160 --> 01:21:06,680
We're looking at everything that was spelled out in this document.

967
01:21:07,220 --> 01:21:13,120
We are trying to nail down what we're trying to nail down more to include in the budget.

968
01:21:13,380 --> 01:21:15,540
So that we can discuss it at budget, right?

969
01:21:16,300 --> 01:21:19,080
No, this is going to include it now in the budget.

970
01:21:19,260 --> 01:21:22,340
Our next budget study session is discussing other issues.

971
01:21:22,340 --> 01:21:23,480
We've

972
01:21:26,130 --> 01:21:32,710
pretty well discussed this, so staff, staff needs to know what to put in the budget,

973
01:21:33,150 --> 01:21:40,390
which will ultimately come back to us at council meeting, but I'd say this one's been talked

974
01:21:40,390 --> 01:21:40,810
out.

975
01:21:41,250 --> 01:21:47,530
So, is this Fire Apparatus, Engineer, Firefighter II paramedic, paramedic squad vehicle, service

976
01:21:47,530 --> 01:21:57,690
and delivery costs and for inclusion and then are we also accepting the reductions or is

977
01:21:57,690 --> 01:21:58,570
that a separate issue?

978
01:21:58,730 --> 01:21:59,570
No, that's a good point.

979
01:21:59,730 --> 01:22:06,350
I'm not seeing an actual, an amount in writing, it just says let's do this, let's do that

980
01:22:06,350 --> 01:22:07,050
and so forth.

981
01:22:07,110 --> 01:22:08,130
Here's what this is going to cost.

982
01:22:08,410 --> 01:22:12,950
So Stephen, do you want to give me some direction and where I would locate an exact

983
01:22:12,950 --> 01:22:13,390
amount?

984
01:22:15,680 --> 01:22:19,840
Because if we're saying that this is the amount we're going to put in a budget, I thought

985
01:22:19,840 --> 01:22:23,860
we were just moving this over to discuss it in a budget with a dollar amount.

986
01:22:24,200 --> 01:22:24,720
Yeah.

987
01:22:25,000 --> 01:22:32,700
The anticipated dollar amount is listed under fiscal analysis and it's 1 million, about

988
01:22:32,700 --> 01:22:33,460
1.2 million.

989
01:22:34,500 --> 01:22:39,120
That's 1.192,600.

990
01:22:39,740 --> 01:22:39,820
Yes.

991
01:22:39,820 --> 01:22:39,920
Yes.

992
01:22:40,360 --> 01:22:44,840
And recurring costs of $957,600.

993
01:22:45,920 --> 01:22:48,200
That would be for the following fiscal year, yes.

994
01:22:49,220 --> 01:22:49,620
Right.

995
01:22:49,860 --> 01:22:55,600
But, I mean, by adding this unit, obviously, we're not going to take it away the next year.

996
01:22:55,840 --> 01:23:00,880
So as long as we have the unit, we're adding these incremental costs, recurring costs,

997
01:23:01,020 --> 01:23:02,920
of about a million dollars a year.

998
01:23:03,780 --> 01:23:04,180
Correct.

999
01:23:04,480 --> 01:23:08,300
And if I could ask a question of Chief White, Chief White, are these at the

1000
01:23:08,300 --> 01:23:12,400
top step as well, as what you have under the Schedule A that you provide us?

1001
01:23:13,740 --> 01:23:19,540
Yes, sir. Those are the top step numbers. Okay. So it'll be, should be lower than that,

1002
01:23:19,640 --> 01:23:21,060
but it should not exceed that.

1003
01:23:24,200 --> 01:23:25,980
Oh, thank you, Stephen. I'm sorry. These

1004
01:23:25,980 --> 01:23:31,040
are different papers than I was looking at before. So, yes. So then the motion would

1005
01:23:31,040 --> 01:23:33,560
say the million 192, 600.

1006
01:23:36,420 --> 01:23:40,980
And to Councilmember Jonathan's comment that we're not going

1007
01:23:40,980 --> 01:23:43,580
get rid of it next year. We might.

1008
01:23:49,000 --> 01:23:52,020
So we have a motion in a second. Let's do a roll call vote.

1009
01:23:52,960 --> 01:23:55,160
Councilmember Hartick. Yes.

1010
01:23:57,710 --> 01:23:59,730
Councilman Jonathan. No.

1011
01:24:02,100 --> 01:24:03,120
Mayor Patem Kelly.

1012
01:24:06,980 --> 01:24:07,900
Councilmember Weber.

1013
01:24:08,520 --> 01:24:16,180
Yes. Mayor Nisdandy. Yes. Motion carries for zero with Councilman Jonathan Bodino.

1014
01:24:27,070 --> 01:24:27,810
Let me get

1015
01:24:27,810 --> 01:24:28,650
my place again.

1016
01:24:31,770 --> 01:24:37,490
Okay, so moving on consideration of cost reduction options for the fiscal year

1017
01:24:38,050 --> 01:24:43,110
2020-2021 come desert police department budget. Is there a staff report?

1018
01:24:47,100 --> 01:24:51,460
Yes, there is. Is Lieutenant Martello here? I know there's he's going to answer a lot of

1019
01:24:51,460 --> 01:24:57,300
questions too. Yes, I see him here. I'm going to. Hello, uh, Honorable Mayor and

1020
01:24:57,300 --> 01:24:59,620
Council members, Steve Arion again, your risk manager.

1021
01:25:00,400 --> 01:25:02,360
I am going to also do a PowerPoint.

1022
01:25:02,640 --> 01:25:03,780
It's not going to be as lengthy,

1023
01:25:04,140 --> 01:25:07,200
but I do want to go over some of the finer details

1024
01:25:07,200 --> 01:25:08,160
of what we're proposing.

1025
01:25:09,400 --> 01:25:14,120
Stephen, please stay close to your microphone.

1026
01:25:14,940 --> 01:25:17,160
I am literally, I think, eating my microphone

1027
01:25:17,160 --> 01:25:20,260
at this point, but I will definitely do that.

1028
01:25:20,320 --> 01:25:21,860
And please speak up if you cannot hear me.

1029
01:25:23,700 --> 01:25:25,240
You're perfect now, Stephen.

1030
01:25:25,240 --> 01:25:25,960
Okay.

1031
01:25:30,420 --> 01:25:32,820
Okay. Does everyone see the PowerPoint now?

1032
01:25:37,140 --> 01:25:40,540
Does everyone see that up? Is it? Okay.

1033
01:25:40,740 --> 01:25:48,180
You're not a yes. Yes. Okay. Before I begin, I would also like to just give some brief

1034
01:25:48,180 --> 01:25:55,180
comments and I would like to acknowledge that Captain Belay and Lieutenant Martello

1035
01:25:55,180 --> 01:26:02,720
were a really integral part of this budget proposal. We worked very closely and in

1036
01:26:02,720 --> 01:26:07,580
collaboration with them in developing these considerations before you

1037
01:26:07,580 --> 01:26:14,440
tonight. And we look at the different behavioral changes we're seeing in the

1038
01:26:14,440 --> 01:26:20,600
public now. We're not seeing as much traffic currently. Our bars and retail

1039
01:26:20,600 --> 01:26:24,600
operations are seeing obviously reduced traffic with the stay-at-home order

1040
01:26:24,600 --> 01:26:30,520
and which would more likely coincide for many months thereafter. And we

1041
01:26:30,520 --> 01:26:35,800
recognize that some of these changes will have a lasting impact on us. And I do want

1042
01:26:35,800 --> 01:26:43,240
to stress that it's very important that these are potentially temporary actions that we're

1043
01:26:43,240 --> 01:26:47,960
looking at addressing current issues now. We're going to constantly evaluate conditions

1044
01:26:47,960 --> 01:26:52,660
to see if a change is warranted. We're going to look at our data, see if we need to bring

1045
01:26:52,660 --> 01:26:59,020
back some of these positions we're considering temporarily suspending, or do any other different

1046
01:26:59,020 --> 01:27:04,620
course of action for the Council's consideration. And just like the previous item, this also was

1047
01:27:04,620 --> 01:27:09,360
reviewed and discussed by the Public Safety Commission at their virtual Zoom meeting yesterday,

1048
01:27:09,580 --> 01:27:11,160
which I'll get to later on in the meeting.

1049
01:27:16,260 --> 01:27:18,680
So I want to go over the different cost saving

1050
01:27:18,680 --> 01:27:23,820
considerations. And at the very top of the list, it's our patrol hours. We're currently

1051
01:27:23,820 --> 01:27:30,760
operating at 171.4 hours per day of patrol, and we're proposing downshifting that to about

1052
01:27:30,760 --> 01:27:37,540
144 hours a day, excuse me, which is a 16% reduction and we're still going to maintain

1053
01:27:37,540 --> 01:27:41,920
operational efficiency and we're going to do that by increasing our community service

1054
01:27:41,920 --> 01:27:45,480
officer two positions and that will come in later on.

1055
01:27:45,540 --> 01:27:50,180
I'm going to explain how many more positions need for that, but these CSO twos or community

1056
01:27:50,180 --> 01:27:55,900
service officer twos will be able to assist us in patrol by doing certain functions

1057
01:27:55,900 --> 01:28:02,680
such as prisoner transport, doing traffic reports, taking other certain reports,

1058
01:28:03,160 --> 01:28:10,920
where a sworn armed deputy presence is not necessary. And by also reducing the patrol

1059
01:28:10,920 --> 01:28:16,080
hours, it allows us to maintain other critical positions, ones that Lieutenant Martello and

1060
01:28:16,080 --> 01:28:21,640
Captain Belay have indicated are critical for our operational effectiveness, which are our

1061
01:28:21,640 --> 01:28:28,440
special teams, which consists of various functions such as our special enforcement team, our

1062
01:28:28,440 --> 01:28:34,040
business sister team or our motors, those would still continue by having this reduction

1063
01:28:34,540 --> 01:28:39,160
without a negative detriment to overall operational efficiency.

1064
01:28:40,160 --> 01:28:45,060
The next thing we're proposing is also a suspension of our administrative sergeant

1065
01:28:45,060 --> 01:28:45,460
position.

1066
01:28:45,460 --> 01:28:51,320
Now, the duties that normally go with the sergeant would be spread out.

1067
01:28:51,720 --> 01:28:55,740
About 25% of those responsibilities would go to the motor sergeant.

1068
01:28:56,280 --> 01:29:01,040
And Lieutenant Martello, or our dedicated lieutenant, can also assist in those functions.

1069
01:29:02,680 --> 01:29:08,880
The motor teams were currently at six motor officers, and were proposing to go down

1070
01:29:08,880 --> 01:29:09,500
to two.

1071
01:29:09,840 --> 01:29:15,160
There was a previous recommendation by the city manager to go down to five, and

1072
01:29:15,160 --> 01:29:23,700
down one more to a total of four motor officers from six. That cost per position is about $360,000,

1073
01:29:24,140 --> 01:29:29,560
which brings that cost reduction savings to $721,000 approximately.

1074
01:29:31,520 --> 01:29:37,100
Another previous recommendation by the city manager was the suspension of the K-9 team.

1075
01:29:37,980 --> 01:29:43,600
We looked at different statistics for the last year from April through May,

1076
01:29:43,600 --> 01:29:50,600
excuse me, from May through April of 2019 to April of 2020. And based on that, there was 48

1077
01:29:50,600 --> 01:29:52,700
significant incidents and arrests.

1078
01:30:00,370 --> 01:30:08,790
In, it says in Palm Desert, but actually total. And out of those, there was seven in Palm Desert.

1079
01:30:09,470 --> 01:30:17,210
The other 48 were divided between the county as well as other cities. So we feel that the

1080
01:30:17,210 --> 01:30:22,630
department, the Palm Desert Police Department can still utilize the county K-19 and we

1081
01:30:22,630 --> 01:30:27,710
just won't have a dedicated position. Now, there's also a public relations component

1082
01:30:27,710 --> 01:30:35,290
to this as well that when we had originally our own canine team that was part of the reason

1083
01:30:35,290 --> 01:30:41,390
to is to have this PR opportunity to go out to the community specifically schools, homeowners

1084
01:30:41,390 --> 01:30:47,230
associations and other such groups to present I guess lack of a better word an ambassador

1085
01:30:47,230 --> 01:30:52,090
for the police department. Roughly my understanding is this position

1086
01:30:52,090 --> 01:30:59,930
goes to about three PR events, public events per month, so that also would be a consideration

1087
01:30:59,930 --> 01:31:02,550
that would not occur with the county kingine.

1088
01:31:06,640 --> 01:31:09,100
In our business district team, we're currently at

1089
01:31:09,100 --> 01:31:15,460
four positions and we feel we can be effective at three given current conditions. You know,

1090
01:31:15,460 --> 01:31:20,380
these are extraordinary times. So we still feel they're effective at this staffing and that's

1091
01:31:20,380 --> 01:31:22,520
$356,000 reduction.

1092
01:31:24,120 --> 01:31:28,120
The next issue is our school resource officer, our SRO position.

1093
01:31:28,900 --> 01:31:30,340
The city currently has two.

1094
01:31:30,960 --> 01:31:36,160
One is assigned to Palm Desert High School and Desert Sands Unified School District

1095
01:31:36,160 --> 01:31:40,720
does a cost-sharing agreement with the city and pays for 50% of that position.

1096
01:31:42,000 --> 01:31:46,600
The other position is 100% dedicated to the Palm Desert Charter Middle School.

1097
01:31:47,320 --> 01:32:02,280
There is currently no cost sharing at that middle school as there is with the high school staff and city manager has attempted pretty much every year to get some type of cost sharing agreement down even if it's incremental and we have not met much success.

1098
01:32:02,660 --> 01:32:09,660
They have their own governing board separate from the school district so it's not just as easy as going to the district like we did with the high school.

1099
01:32:10,120 --> 01:32:12,020
We would have to approach their governing board.

1100
01:32:12,020 --> 01:32:14,180
who oversees their operations.

1101
01:32:15,300 --> 01:32:20,820
And lastly, we're looking at not reducing, but increasing,

1102
01:32:21,420 --> 01:32:26,220
our community service officers to help with that offset in patrol.

1103
01:32:27,020 --> 01:32:29,940
And by having an additional three CSOs,

1104
01:32:30,160 --> 01:32:35,880
we feel that will result in a more of a positive impact

1105
01:32:35,880 --> 01:32:39,460
to that reduction in patrol to maintain that operational efficiency.

1106
01:32:39,460 --> 01:32:47,480
So this also matches, if you recall, we are working closely with the Sheriff's New Research and Development Unit.

1107
01:32:47,940 --> 01:32:59,100
And they have a similar proposal for where you restructure your patrol, maybe have less patrol, but increase your CSOs, the kind of complexity for that.

1108
01:32:59,540 --> 01:33:07,920
And as you can see, CSOs are a little more cost-effective solution for those non-sworn, non-arm situations where you need a deputy.

1109
01:33:08,620 --> 01:33:13,020
And a CSO position is about 130,000 per position.

1110
01:33:13,640 --> 01:33:18,260
So roughly three CSOs will make up the same cost as one patrol deputy.

1111
01:33:23,820 --> 01:33:30,040
And this over here gives you an idea of what the reduction summary and savings are overall.

1112
01:33:30,740 --> 01:33:32,760
You can see we have everything proposed here.

1113
01:33:33,140 --> 01:33:39,580
So once you look at all the temporary suspensions and the increases in CSO,

1114
01:33:39,580 --> 01:33:43,400
you're looking at a budget reduction of approximately $3.4 million.

1115
01:33:48,440 --> 01:33:53,220
And this shows you our proposed fiscal year 2021 budget.

1116
01:33:53,520 --> 01:33:58,200
I do want to say that originally, when we looked at this,

1117
01:33:58,480 --> 01:34:01,220
and before we had any of these considerations,

1118
01:34:01,740 --> 01:34:03,920
staff was going to bring forward for consideration

1119
01:34:03,920 --> 01:34:07,040
a budget of approximately $23.2 million.

1120
01:34:07,880 --> 01:34:09,800
And we were able to work collaboratively

1121
01:34:10,320 --> 01:34:17,320
to reduce that down to 19.5, which is the budget that you're considering today with these reductions.

1122
01:34:20,640 --> 01:34:23,420
And this is basically the budget seat that I work on every year.

1123
01:34:23,600 --> 01:34:28,800
It gives you kind of an overall understanding of where our costs are derived from.

1124
01:34:29,180 --> 01:34:31,260
And I'll just break it down real briefly for you.

1125
01:34:31,340 --> 01:34:35,580
That top line, line item number one, that's your general law enforcement patrol.

1126
01:34:35,740 --> 01:34:38,840
That accounts for a little over half of your budget.

1127
01:34:38,840 --> 01:34:44,260
That's the basic level of police services that we need to have as a city.

1128
01:34:45,040 --> 01:34:49,860
The other remaining items between 2 and Light Item 2 and Light Item 16, those compose our

1129
01:34:49,860 --> 01:34:50,920
special team positions.

1130
01:34:51,680 --> 01:34:56,220
These are the positions that the captain and the lieutenant have indicated are critical

1131
01:34:56,220 --> 01:35:02,740
for them to maintain the same level of operational efficiency and public safety that our city

1132
01:35:02,740 --> 01:35:03,800
has come to expect.

1133
01:35:03,800 --> 01:35:08,360
In fact, those positions comprise about 38% of our total budget.

1134
01:35:09,220 --> 01:35:25,560
The last items between item line item 19 and 33 are just our basic support costs, and those are 8% and include but are not limited to overtime facility fees we pay any type of mileage costs maintenance costs for our motor units, etc.

1135
01:35:28,520 --> 01:35:33,960
So strategic plan. So again, this matter is related to the same strategic plan as the previous item.

1136
01:35:33,960 --> 01:35:38,640
And that's priority one where we enhance the delivery of public safety services.

1137
01:35:39,160 --> 01:35:50,800
And that's priority strategy is to expand the existing, the perlative services provided by the fire and police departments to address future growth and safety concerns, which we feel this budget adequately does.

1138
01:35:54,700 --> 01:35:58,220
And as noted, the Public Safety Commission did take a good look at this.

1139
01:35:58,800 --> 01:36:03,140
They did move forward with all of staff's recommendations as presented before you tonight.

1140
01:36:03,140 --> 01:36:10,360
The vote was three ayes, one no, and we did have a commissioner that had to leave before

1141
01:36:10,360 --> 01:36:14,600
the final vote, so that's why you see instead of two absences like the previous one you

1142
01:36:14,600 --> 01:36:18,480
got three, but it still was a majority in favor of that.

1143
01:36:22,140 --> 01:36:28,620
And in closing, I want to say again that staff took a collaborative approach in developing

1144
01:36:28,620 --> 01:36:31,620
these public safety budgets and consider them in their totality.

1145
01:36:31,620 --> 01:36:31,740
money.

1146
01:36:32,380 --> 01:36:36,820
The both police and fire represent a significant percentage of our general fund expenditures

1147
01:36:37,480 --> 01:36:41,900
and as public safety costs continue to increase, we're going to remain diligent in reviewing

1148
01:36:41,900 --> 01:36:45,960
and monitoring of these expenditures and revenues, the budget process, and through

1149
01:36:45,960 --> 01:36:49,020
quartered reporting and looking at the data with the public safety commission.

1150
01:36:49,760 --> 01:36:54,880
So we feel the recommended budget supports the policy goal of the general plan to work

1151
01:36:54,880 --> 01:36:58,840
with all available resources and ensuring continued excellent and cost-effectively

1152
01:36:58,840 --> 01:37:00,060
services in Palm Desert.

1153
01:37:00,780 --> 01:37:05,660
I'd be happy to answer any questions you have, and so would Lieutenant Martello, who's joining

1154
01:37:05,660 --> 01:37:06,400
us today virtually.

1155
01:37:07,000 --> 01:37:07,380
Thank you.

1156
01:37:08,340 --> 01:37:14,000
Thank you, Mr. Ariane, for that very, again, detailed report and appreciate all the hard

1157
01:37:14,000 --> 01:37:15,300
work that has gone into it.

1158
01:37:15,340 --> 01:37:18,960
And I want to thank also Lieutenant Martello for his service to our community.

1159
01:37:19,880 --> 01:37:26,620
And with that, I will now ask to see if there's any questions of staff, and I'll

1160
01:37:26,620 --> 01:37:28,360
start with Councilmember Jonathan this time.

1161
01:37:28,360 --> 01:37:29,300
Okay,

1162
01:37:31,370 --> 01:37:32,730
Council Member Hardik.

1163
01:37:36,000 --> 01:37:36,660
Thank you.

1164
01:37:36,720 --> 01:37:37,700
I do have one question.

1165
01:37:38,060 --> 01:37:44,300
And, you know, I wanted to thank Council Member Weber for representing us on the Public Service

1166
01:37:44,300 --> 01:37:44,700
Commission.

1167
01:37:45,000 --> 01:37:48,620
I'm happy that you made that effort and we got them all together.

1168
01:37:49,160 --> 01:37:53,360
I'm sure your presence is really an asset.

1169
01:37:53,980 --> 01:37:55,640
I do have one question.

1170
01:37:56,540 --> 01:37:59,740
Would you do me a favor and I just kind of missed it.

1171
01:37:59,740 --> 01:38:06,020
Can you review the motor position issue? And then during our conversation, would you be so kind

1172
01:38:06,020 --> 01:38:09,640
as to bring up the slide that shows all the costs and all the savings?

1173
01:38:25,580 --> 01:38:26,920
Okay, that's the slide. But

1174
01:38:26,920 --> 01:38:31,380
then would you review, I mean, it was like we had six motors and then there were two and then there's

1175
01:38:31,380 --> 01:38:36,940
five and I got confused. No, I'm sorry. We're basically going from six motor positions down

1176
01:38:36,940 --> 01:38:41,220
to four motor positions with the budget proposal before you today.

1177
01:38:44,820 --> 01:38:46,080
Okay. And I understand

1178
01:38:46,080 --> 01:38:55,340
And that's the budget proposal today but here's why I got a little confused and I'm just asking you to, I just want to make sure I have it straight.

1179
01:38:56,480 --> 01:39:08,300
That you talked about it went to five and then the city managers said, I lost that. So if you could just go over the whole thing on the motors, I would just, I'd really appreciate it.

1180
01:39:08,300 --> 01:39:11,680
Okay, originally, we started at six motors.

1181
01:39:12,980 --> 01:39:30,180
Sometime, I want to say in March, the city manager came with a proposal to initially to address the budget issues we had this year to reduce the motor team by one position and also to suspend the K-9 team.

1182
01:39:30,180 --> 01:39:32,140
That's where that five came from.

1183
01:39:32,700 --> 01:39:40,080
And after reviewing it with Lieutenant Martello and the Captain Deli, we're coming at another

1184
01:39:40,080 --> 01:39:41,780
reduction down to four.

1185
01:39:42,620 --> 01:39:43,260
Okay.

1186
01:39:43,380 --> 01:39:43,920
I'm clear now.

1187
01:39:44,080 --> 01:39:44,440
Thank you.

1188
01:39:51,620 --> 01:39:52,240
And then, could we?

1189
01:39:52,740 --> 01:39:52,920
Okay.

1190
01:39:53,140 --> 01:39:54,060
Let me unmute myself.

1191
01:39:54,720 --> 01:39:55,000
All right.

1192
01:39:55,620 --> 01:39:56,520
Any other questions?

1193
01:39:58,520 --> 01:40:01,560
Councilmember or actually Mayor Pro Tem Kaplan-Kelley?

1194
01:40:03,280 --> 01:40:04,560
No questions.

1195
01:40:04,560 --> 01:40:16,900
I do want to thank Lieutenant Martello and others in the department who worked so thoughtfully

1196
01:40:16,900 --> 01:40:19,140
to bring us these proposals.

1197
01:40:20,660 --> 01:40:22,100
Thank you for those comments.

1198
01:40:22,680 --> 01:40:23,700
And then, Councilmember Weber?

1199
01:40:24,780 --> 01:40:29,940
Yes, again, we want to say thank you very much for the commission for working so diligently

1200
01:40:29,940 --> 01:40:30,720
on this.

1201
01:40:30,720 --> 01:40:35,840
And the questions they asked, as you might imagine, it brought a lot of consternation

1202
01:40:35,840 --> 01:40:43,200
to all of us to suspend the Palm Desert Charter Middle School officer, but apparently this

1203
01:40:43,200 --> 01:40:47,340
has been discussed year after year and they have chosen to say no, they didn't care to

1204
01:40:47,340 --> 01:40:48,500
help support that.

1205
01:40:48,860 --> 01:40:53,120
So when push comes to shove, I guess that's one of the things we had to write off.

1206
01:40:53,560 --> 01:40:59,960
Also one of the commissioners was very vocal on the reduction in patrol hours.

1207
01:40:59,960 --> 01:41:06,620
he felt that instead of decreasing the patrol hours 244 that we should actually increase it,

1208
01:41:06,920 --> 01:41:14,140
increase the patrol hours. So we discussed that at great length and the advantage of having the

1209
01:41:14,140 --> 01:41:21,940
CSOs, which would then free up the patrol officers to actually utilize their 144 hours

1210
01:41:21,940 --> 01:41:28,400
in a more proficient manner. That seemed to be the final solution. Like I said, they

1211
01:41:28,400 --> 01:41:35,000
They spent a lot of time and we really appreciate that they did this and we're really lucky

1212
01:41:35,000 --> 01:41:39,520
to have these commissioners because they have all sorts of broad experiences that they bring

1213
01:41:39,520 --> 01:41:45,760
into the discussion. So, it was a lively discussion with all kinds of things being discussed.

1214
01:41:46,520 --> 01:41:52,900
And then also, it's my understanding and I asked this yesterday is that if, of course,

1215
01:41:52,900 --> 01:41:59,160
Because we all of a sudden have an urgent need, something going on, officers can be brought

1216
01:41:59,160 --> 01:42:03,120
from other areas to assist the officers we have.

1217
01:42:03,520 --> 01:42:08,980
We might get a bill for it, but it's not like we're locked into we only have this many officers.

1218
01:42:09,340 --> 01:42:16,020
We have a contract that allows us to expand if we have a necessity for additional officers.

1219
01:42:16,260 --> 01:42:20,640
And I think that's something that we need to keep in mind when we vote for this.

1220
01:42:21,920 --> 01:42:26,780
And that's the only comment I had to make, but if you're ready for a motion, I'm happy

1221
01:42:26,780 --> 01:42:29,020
to make a motion to accept the...

1222
01:42:29,020 --> 01:42:31,300
Well, I didn't know we were on comments.

1223
01:42:31,740 --> 01:42:35,220
Yeah, let's see if there's any discussion from our council members.

1224
01:42:35,400 --> 01:42:38,320
And it sounds like Council Member Harnick, you have a few points to make?

1225
01:42:38,940 --> 01:42:41,480
Well, I'd like to share a few things.

1226
01:42:42,000 --> 01:42:48,860
And I want to remind everybody and maybe tell us, give some information that some

1227
01:42:48,860 --> 01:42:49,660
of you may not have.

1228
01:42:49,660 --> 01:42:53,820
And it sounds like, before I give you this information, just let me say this, it sounds

1229
01:42:53,820 --> 01:43:01,660
like Lieutenant Martello and Captain Bell, I have come up with solutions for the issue

1230
01:43:01,660 --> 01:43:02,740
with the canine team.

1231
01:43:03,100 --> 01:43:11,180
But I do want to remind that years ago, when we lost band snap, the then city manager's

1232
01:43:11,180 --> 01:43:13,140
solution was not to have a canine.

1233
01:43:14,340 --> 01:43:17,260
And it was not met with community support.

1234
01:43:17,260 --> 01:43:23,640
to the point that one of our community members gave $10,000 to buy real and

1235
01:43:24,560 --> 01:43:29,600
then gave $5,000 to buy real of vest. This is one of our Palm Desert community

1236
01:43:29,600 --> 01:43:34,000
members. So I want you to have that information. You may need it along the

1237
01:43:34,000 --> 01:43:38,860
way but it does sound and I do believe that our canine is a great public

1238
01:43:40,120 --> 01:43:46,120
relations resource for us but it does sound as if our police have come up

1239
01:43:46,120 --> 01:43:52,740
with a solution that will work, although not in a PR fashion, which I do think there is

1240
01:43:52,740 --> 01:43:54,700
a lot of value there.

1241
01:43:55,960 --> 01:44:03,600
The other thing I wanted to mention is the SRO at Palm Desert Charter Middle.

1242
01:44:05,340 --> 01:44:10,960
I'm just going to – this is something else that maybe I'm giving new information.

1243
01:44:11,160 --> 01:44:12,920
Maybe I'm reminding you of this.

1244
01:44:12,920 --> 01:44:20,380
But the principle, at the time we had an initiative that we put on the ballot that to raise our

1245
01:44:20,380 --> 01:44:29,960
TOT because we wanted to make sure with that TOT that we could pay for our public safety.

1246
01:44:30,560 --> 01:44:35,000
And she was first to sign on and to put her name to this initiative.

1247
01:44:35,360 --> 01:44:38,020
Now, I understand we could all say, but TOT is down.

1248
01:44:38,480 --> 01:44:39,480
We're not getting that.

1249
01:44:39,480 --> 01:44:45,300
that, we're not appreciating that increase right now, and I understand that.

1250
01:44:45,720 --> 01:44:52,900
But I do want you to understand that she was a big supporter and helped us get that measure

1251
01:44:52,900 --> 01:44:53,380
You're across.

1252
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:05,280
The board because she recognized how important public safety is and how important the school

1253
01:45:05,280 --> 01:45:13,980
resource officer is. I would propose that additionally the school resource officer at 158 is not

1254
01:45:13,980 --> 01:45:20,080
one of our greatest expenses that we are reducing, but it's really important for our students

1255
01:45:20,600 --> 01:45:25,080
and for their future to have a good relationship with our public safety, with our sheriffs,

1256
01:45:25,900 --> 01:45:32,800
And it gives them, I think, a really positive relationship.

1257
01:45:32,980 --> 01:45:37,760
I think it's really important and hopefully it keeps them going in the right direction.

1258
01:45:38,540 --> 01:45:48,180
I would, if the council is adamant to just do away with that SRO, before that happens

1259
01:45:48,180 --> 01:45:52,960
I would hope that we could talk to the principal and see if maybe at this point,

1260
01:45:52,960 --> 01:45:57,480
maybe there is some cost sharing we could do. And we know that everybody's been hit hard.

1261
01:45:57,880 --> 01:46:03,840
But that's a tough issue. And I think it's so important that we have our youth going in the

1262
01:46:03,840 --> 01:46:08,660
right direction. And I really think our police help point them in a positive direction.

1263
01:46:10,240 --> 01:46:12,520
So those are my comments.

1264
01:46:15,060 --> 01:46:18,660
I hate to see any of this gone. I really think one of our values

1265
01:46:18,660 --> 01:46:23,220
as a community is public safety. And I can see there's been a lot of work done in that.

1266
01:46:23,860 --> 01:46:30,280
I'd like to, if I may, have a better understanding, and I guess this is a Lieutenant Martello question,

1267
01:46:31,180 --> 01:46:34,820
a better understanding of what the administrative sergeant does.

1268
01:46:35,180 --> 01:46:40,020
I don't understand what that person does, and I'm not sure if my colleagues do either,

1269
01:46:40,540 --> 01:46:45,000
but I'd like to understand that. And those are, I guess that should have been a question

1270
01:46:45,000 --> 01:46:50,940
earlier but those are my comments and the question. Okay. Can you guys hear me?

1271
01:46:53,910 --> 01:46:55,730
Yes. Okay.

1272
01:46:56,230 --> 01:47:00,450
It's Lieutenant Martello. Hello, everyone. The answer your question regarding the administrative

1273
01:47:00,450 --> 01:47:07,170
sergeant position. The position is a position that we have here at the station that we

1274
01:47:07,170 --> 01:47:12,370
utilize for most of our reports that are stimulated from patrol and from our special

1275
01:47:12,370 --> 01:47:19,270
teams. He's also a position where he can be used in other areas. For example, when our

1276
01:47:19,270 --> 01:47:23,690
set teams go out for search warranties like that, he's an additional buyer that we can

1277
01:47:23,690 --> 01:47:29,770
use to lead a team because he's a supervisor. He also can help with our traffic team when

1278
01:47:29,770 --> 01:47:38,270
necessary. But most importantly, he assists in all administrative responsibilities for

1279
01:47:38,270 --> 01:47:46,110
the station and for the police department and he assists me with a lot of different things as well.

1280
01:47:47,030 --> 01:47:54,450
You've seen him at our meetings quite frequently and he's able to assist with budget stuff and

1281
01:47:54,450 --> 01:47:58,730
also other areas of responsibility that we need in the field.

1282
01:48:03,030 --> 01:48:05,790
That's a lot. Okay, thank you for

1283
01:48:05,790 --> 01:48:12,970
Thank you for answering that question. Okay. Any other council members? Council member Jonathan.

1284
01:48:14,010 --> 01:48:21,650
Thank you. I'll try to be brief. I too want to express my appreciation to Stephen and to Captain

1285
01:48:21,650 --> 01:48:30,090
Belli and to Lieutenant Martello. This is so huge. You are providing us with solutions. You

1286
01:48:30,090 --> 01:48:36,650
understand the pressure that we're under and you have helped us craft a way that addresses

1287
01:48:36,650 --> 01:48:42,470
our fiscal emergency while at the same time preserving what is perhaps our highest priority

1288
01:48:42,470 --> 01:48:43,950
and that's public safety.

1289
01:48:44,190 --> 01:48:45,650
So thank you so much for that.

1290
01:48:46,590 --> 01:48:51,210
You know, I wish we could have had that kind of success on the fireside, but you know,

1291
01:48:51,230 --> 01:48:52,270
that's a whole different story.

1292
01:48:53,790 --> 01:48:59,270
Yeah, you know, I mean, I completely support this and if Council Member Webber is prepared

1293
01:48:59,270 --> 01:49:05,210
to make the motion. I'll happily second it. You know, we've been having the discussion

1294
01:49:05,210 --> 01:49:12,470
with PDMS since my first year on council and reached out to them and have gotten less than

1295
01:49:12,470 --> 01:49:17,470
the satisfactory response on those occasions when we've even received a response. So maybe

1296
01:49:17,470 --> 01:49:22,430
this will get their attention. And my hope is that we can store our financial well-being

1297
01:49:22,430 --> 01:49:27,750
at some point and have that conversation with them. So what we're doing for this

1298
01:49:27,750 --> 01:49:33,950
coming year is not a forever thing and we're doing the things that we need to do to get

1299
01:49:33,950 --> 01:49:35,390
by and I'm sure that they will as well.

1300
01:49:35,710 --> 01:49:40,190
And then I look forward to the day when we can restart that conversation.

1301
01:49:41,270 --> 01:49:47,390
Yeah, with regards to Rio, I think, you know, I mean, he tugs at everybody's heartstrings

1302
01:49:47,390 --> 01:49:53,870
and I get it, you know, and kind of having the separate emotions from financial decisions

1303
01:49:53,870 --> 01:49:57,210
sometimes takes a level of responsibility that I don't have.

1304
01:49:57,210 --> 01:49:58,750
So that's a tough one for me.

1305
01:49:59,850 --> 01:50:01,070
Those two, I couldn't find them.

1306
01:50:01,990 --> 01:50:02,890
I was ready to answer.

1307
01:50:03,030 --> 01:50:05,130
I had a whole, I got...

1308
01:50:05,130 --> 01:50:05,250
Oops.

1309
01:50:07,530 --> 01:50:08,370
Okay, so...

1310
01:50:08,370 --> 01:50:10,370
Lieutenant Martello, you're not muted.

1311
01:50:11,150 --> 01:50:11,810
Now he is.

1312
01:50:12,490 --> 01:50:13,090
Thank you, Jane.

1313
01:50:14,330 --> 01:50:21,410
So, you know, what's relevant to me is that only 14%

1314
01:50:21,410 --> 01:50:25,430
of the incidents that Rio was involved in are in our city

1315
01:50:25,430 --> 01:50:30,710
And we're paying for 100% of that and the 86% were kind of providing free.

1316
01:50:31,190 --> 01:50:40,090
And I don't think that 86% of 300-some thousand is justified right now for public relations.

1317
01:50:40,870 --> 01:50:43,630
Again, I hope to see the day when we can resume that.

1318
01:50:43,710 --> 01:50:47,990
The good news is that it's not having a K-9 unit or not.

1319
01:50:48,410 --> 01:50:52,230
We'll still have one and we'll just tap into the county's K-9 unit.

1320
01:50:52,230 --> 01:50:57,230
it, and hopefully part of that will include public relations because I agree with you,

1321
01:50:57,870 --> 01:51:01,690
Council Member Harnick, that that is very important to the well-being of our community.

1322
01:51:02,090 --> 01:51:07,950
So I think this represents, all of this represents a reasonable compromise, and I'm willing

1323
01:51:07,950 --> 01:51:12,830
to support what I think will be a motion from Council Member Webber.

1324
01:51:21,340 --> 01:51:21,680
Cotton.

1325
01:51:21,860 --> 01:51:22,600
Mayor, you're muted.

1326
01:51:22,880 --> 01:51:25,160
Council Member Webber, do you wish to start right now?

1327
01:51:25,480 --> 01:51:27,220
I have something I want to say.

1328
01:51:28,140 --> 01:51:28,420
Sure.

1329
01:51:28,420 --> 01:51:34,740
I just wanted to thank, as I did before, I want to thank the captain and lieutenant very

1330
01:51:34,740 --> 01:51:38,200
much for finding a way to work around the K-9 unit.

1331
01:51:38,820 --> 01:51:46,260
I know we're all going to miss Rio and Officer Mishinsky, but you found a way to work around

1332
01:51:46,260 --> 01:51:47,700
it and I appreciate that.

1333
01:51:49,480 --> 01:51:54,580
And especially after the effort and how Rio came into our community and our lives,

1334
01:51:54,580 --> 01:51:56,740
It was significant at the time.

1335
01:51:58,020 --> 01:52:06,020
The other thing I want to say is to your point, Councilmember Jonathan, when you said you

1336
01:52:06,020 --> 01:52:14,040
look forward to opening that conversation, I do believe that given what we're all

1337
01:52:14,040 --> 01:52:16,820
dealing with, I think that conversation could be open now.

1338
01:52:17,080 --> 01:52:21,700
And I'd like to really look at that as soon as possible, because if we could go

1339
01:52:21,700 --> 01:52:27,960
into the budget knowing that we're going to pay half of an SRO and maybe they'll

1340
01:52:27,960 --> 01:52:32,800
pick up or I don't I and off the top of my head I don't know what the financial

1341
01:52:32,800 --> 01:52:36,640
situation of the arrangement we've made with Palm Desert High School or with

1342
01:52:36,640 --> 01:52:42,060
DSUSD as it the case may be and the SRO that we share or that we share the

1343
01:52:42,060 --> 01:52:47,120
cost with but if there would be a way that we could open that discussion now

1344
01:52:47,120 --> 01:52:56,440
And I think principal Fraser would understand that it's the time as we all understand, you know, this is dire circumstances.

1345
01:52:56,980 --> 01:53:04,340
I don't want to have to wait. I think the right thing is to at least attempt to open the conversation. Thank you.

1346
01:53:05,060 --> 01:53:09,120
Okay, thank you, Council Member Harnick. Council Member Webber.

1347
01:53:09,120 --> 01:53:14,640
For clarification, could the city manager tell us when the last time was she discussed this issue with

1348
01:53:14,640 --> 01:53:16,340
Principal Fraser? I'm

1349
01:53:19,760 --> 01:53:25,560
trying to remember exactly. I believe every year that I've been city manager

1350
01:53:26,500 --> 01:53:36,940
and typically some years we get a response after asking persistently and some years we don't

1351
01:53:36,940 --> 01:53:45,400
give responses. So I know that I've at least had the conversation a year ago as we were

1352
01:53:45,400 --> 01:53:52,120
doing the budget and she talks to her board about it or she reports that she talks to

1353
01:53:52,120 --> 01:53:57,880
the board about it and the board is regularly sorry that they are not able to participate

1354
01:53:57,880 --> 01:53:58,920
in any of the costs.

1355
01:53:59,900 --> 01:54:02,360
So we haven't attempted this year.

1356
01:54:04,980 --> 01:54:07,640
Did we write a letter this year?

1357
01:54:08,360 --> 01:54:15,500
Not this year, but they did respond last year, back in June of 2019.

1358
01:54:17,240 --> 01:54:25,320
We suggest that we approve the recommendation of staff has it, but at the same time comply

1359
01:54:25,320 --> 01:54:28,340
with Council Member Harnick's request, which is have the conversation.

1360
01:54:28,340 --> 01:54:33,600
And when we look at the actual budget, if there's new information, we'll consider it.

1361
01:54:34,380 --> 01:54:37,460
We can absolutely will have that conversation again.

1362
01:54:38,000 --> 01:54:42,460
The specific date, we sent him a letter on February 8th, and they responded back in June

1363
01:54:42,460 --> 01:54:47,020
that they're unfortunately their budget does not allow for this added expense at this time.

1364
01:54:47,580 --> 01:54:50,720
That was back in June 30th, excuse me, 20th of 2019.

1365
01:54:51,500 --> 01:54:55,780
I think we have a responsibility to attempt to open that discussion again.

1366
01:54:55,780 --> 01:54:56,960
Okay,

1367
01:54:59,210 --> 01:55:02,070
thank you. So, does somebody want to make a motion?

1368
01:55:03,590 --> 01:55:07,150
It looked to me like Mayor Pro Tem Kelly needed to make another comment.

1369
01:55:07,650 --> 01:55:19,030
Just briefly, I don't usually play the part of the cynic, but I think the only way we're going

1370
01:55:19,030 --> 01:55:25,810
to have a good conversation with them is by accepting this recommendation.

1371
01:55:28,190 --> 01:55:33,030
I believe when we have the conversation saying we're going to cut this out of the budget

1372
01:55:33,030 --> 01:55:38,770
and I understand what you're saying, that's how we couch the fact that we need a conversation

1373
01:55:38,770 --> 01:55:39,530
with them.

1374
01:55:39,750 --> 01:55:42,470
I think we bring everybody to the table with that fact.

1375
01:55:43,050 --> 01:55:54,830
I think Council Member Jonathan at this land I would embrace, which is to accept

1376
01:55:54,830 --> 01:56:01,990
the recommendation and then reach out. All right. Is that a motion?

1377
01:56:07,450 --> 01:56:08,070
You're muted,

1378
01:56:08,250 --> 01:56:12,550
Kathleen. You're muted, Mayor Pro Temp. I think Council Member Weber has been

1379
01:56:12,550 --> 01:56:17,490
waiting patiently to make the motion. Well, of course, I'm really, really happy to

1380
01:56:17,490 --> 01:56:22,570
make the motion and to accept this. It's kind of interesting because I was

1381
01:56:22,570 --> 01:56:30,250
thinking in terms of our so to accept this 19.5 million dollar suggestion for

1382
01:56:30,250 --> 01:56:34,230
our budget I was thinking and apparently erroneously that even though we're

1383
01:56:34,230 --> 01:56:39,710
passing these voting on these tonight that in the whole of our budget is when

1384
01:56:39,710 --> 01:56:44,510
we would ratify this so I didn't really understanding I guess that we are

1385
01:56:44,510 --> 01:56:52,490
actually passing this as a budget line item right now. So, I think, I think the, well,

1386
01:56:53,050 --> 01:56:53,850
clarify that.

1387
01:56:56,050 --> 01:57:00,770
Councilmember Weber, we've had budget study sessions during which the

1388
01:57:00,770 --> 01:57:06,050
police and fire budgets were already discussed. At that time, we did not have a unanimous

1389
01:57:06,050 --> 01:57:10,130
thought or direction or guidance from the City Council. So, we said we would bring

1390
01:57:10,130 --> 01:57:17,830
them back to the City Council for their direction as to how they should be included in the budget.

1391
01:57:18,270 --> 01:57:24,930
That's what this meeting is about. It's true that the entire budget, using this information,

1392
01:57:25,230 --> 01:57:30,950
will be presented to the City Council for their consideration at the second meeting

1393
01:57:30,950 --> 01:57:35,730
in June. So that will be the formal action that is taken. But the direction that

1394
01:57:35,730 --> 01:57:40,630
is given tonight will be included in the preparation of that final budget.

1395
01:57:40,890 --> 01:57:45,670
Thank you for that clarification because that was my understanding, so I appreciate that.

1396
01:57:46,250 --> 01:57:47,290
So I make the motion.

1397
01:57:47,750 --> 01:57:51,090
Council Member Jonathan had something to add.

1398
01:57:51,470 --> 01:57:56,390
I was seconding for the record because I think we had a motion, but we informally have a second.

1399
01:57:56,690 --> 01:57:57,210
So second.

1400
01:57:57,250 --> 01:58:00,150
We have a motion and a second. Let's take roll call, please.

1401
01:58:01,250 --> 01:58:02,350
Council Member Hardik.

1402
01:58:03,270 --> 01:58:03,690
Yes.

1403
01:58:03,690 --> 01:58:04,070
Yes.

1404
01:58:04,950 --> 01:58:05,590
Councilman Jonathan.

1405
01:58:06,610 --> 01:58:06,890
Yes.

1406
01:58:07,610 --> 01:58:08,690
Mayor Pertim Kelly.

1407
01:58:09,630 --> 01:58:09,910
Yes.

1408
01:58:10,570 --> 01:58:11,430
Councilmember Weber.

1409
01:58:12,030 --> 01:58:12,390
Yes.

1410
01:58:13,010 --> 01:58:13,910
Mayor Nistandi.

1411
01:58:14,530 --> 01:58:14,850
Yes.

1412
01:58:15,350 --> 01:58:16,590
Motion carries 5-0.

1413
01:58:17,990 --> 01:58:18,410
Okay.

1414
01:58:18,690 --> 01:58:19,950
Thank you very much.

1415
01:58:20,490 --> 01:58:21,370
The next item,

1416
01:58:23,960 --> 01:58:26,500
request for approval of policy guidelines

1417
01:58:26,500 --> 01:58:29,080
for an emergency rental assistance program

1418
01:58:29,080 --> 01:58:31,920
using Community Development Block Grant,

1419
01:58:33,660 --> 01:58:37,400
CDBG-CV funds. We have a staff report, please.

1420
01:58:44,760 --> 01:58:47,700
Yes, we do. I saw that Chris Gary is here,

1421
01:58:47,880 --> 01:58:55,480
and we'll be providing the staff recommendation for this proposed program. Great council members.

1422
01:58:55,640 --> 01:58:58,060
If you can bear with me one second so I can pull up the presentation.

1423
01:59:02,950 --> 01:59:03,490
And Chris, if

1424
01:59:03,490 --> 01:59:07,770
you can get a little closer to your microphone, that would be helpful as well. Well do.

1425
01:59:07,770 --> 01:59:10,510
I'm just looking for the share screen.

1426
01:59:17,520 --> 01:59:19,160
On mine, it's down at the bottom.

1427
01:59:20,540 --> 01:59:21,560
And there it is.

1428
01:59:21,720 --> 01:59:22,320
Thank you very much.

1429
01:59:34,270 --> 01:59:38,790
Good evening, honorable mayor and councilmembers, Chris Gary with the city manager's office.

1430
01:59:39,850 --> 01:59:44,770
The item presented before you this evening is the consideration of policy guidelines

1431
01:59:44,770 --> 01:59:46,990
for an emergency rental assistance program.

1432
01:59:50,110 --> 01:59:53,030
Tonight, I'd like to discuss the funding source of the proposed program.

1433
01:59:53,030 --> 01:59:53,310
I'm examining.

1434
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:06,380
Identified community needs. Review how the program would operate. Explore some of the potential

1435
02:00:06,380 --> 02:00:11,660
program benefits. And if approved, discuss the steps moving forward to implement the emergency

1436
02:00:11,660 --> 02:00:12,800
rental assistance program.

1437
02:00:16,440 --> 02:00:20,100
Under the CARES Act, the city received a special allocation of approximately

1438
02:00:20,820 --> 02:00:28,000
241,000 in community development block grant funds known as CDBG-CV funds. According to

1439
02:00:28,000 --> 02:00:32,020
the act, the purpose of the funding source is to prevent, prepare for, and respond to

1440
02:00:32,020 --> 02:00:37,420
coronavirus. Notwithstanding, these funds must fit within the framework of the CDBG program,

1441
02:00:38,240 --> 02:00:43,360
which includes meeting the national objective of benefiting low and moderate-income people.

1442
02:00:44,140 --> 02:00:48,960
Finally, in addition to receiving these funds, the Act also included other statutory waivers for

1443
02:00:48,960 --> 02:00:53,340
program flexibility, which will be explained in further detail at the next council meeting.

1444
02:00:56,660 --> 02:01:01,440
In order to determine the highest and best use of funds, our housing staff conducted

1445
02:01:01,440 --> 02:01:06,620
outreached or affordable and market rate rental properties. In regard to affordable housing,

1446
02:01:06,840 --> 02:01:10,680
our housing staff has been in communication with the Palm Desert Housing Authority's property

1447
02:01:10,680 --> 02:01:17,880
manager, RPM, which oversees 15 properties totaling over 1,100 units. According to RPM,

1448
02:01:18,040 --> 02:01:22,860
there has been an increase in considerations given to households as a result of the coronavirus,

1449
02:01:23,500 --> 02:01:28,760
but they may not necessarily – but they haven't necessarily had substantial issues

1450
02:01:28,760 --> 02:01:33,920
with non-payments. To explain, there is an increase in unemployment benefits under the

1451
02:01:33,920 --> 02:01:39,980
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. These benefits, coupled with existing lower rental

1452
02:01:41,940 --> 02:01:47,000
rates, are likely why non-payments have not been an issue in our affordable housing properties.

1453
02:01:48,060 --> 02:01:51,780
In regard to market rate housing, our housing staff contacted seven

1454
02:01:52,540 --> 02:01:58,760
rental properties, market rate rental properties, representing 1,066 total units.

1455
02:01:59,200 --> 02:02:05,280
And of these units, there was approximately, or there was 197 or 18% non-payments or partial

1456
02:02:05,280 --> 02:02:06,420
payments for the month of April.

1457
02:02:07,140 --> 02:02:12,860
Housing staff has subsequently contacted RPM and these market rate rental properties

1458
02:02:13,300 --> 02:02:15,040
regarding non-payments for the month of May.

1459
02:02:15,300 --> 02:02:19,160
And as a result, the statistics were very similar to the prior month and mostly the

1460
02:02:19,160 --> 02:02:22,380
same households mispayments or requested partial payments.

1461
02:02:23,380 --> 02:02:27,280
Therefore, based upon the identified need within the community, city staff has been

1462
02:02:27,280 --> 02:02:31,460
developing this emergency rental assistance program for market rate rental properties for

1463
02:02:31,460 --> 02:02:32,320
council consideration.

1464
02:02:36,480 --> 02:02:41,680
To summarize the proposed operations, the city would select a non-profit organization

1465
02:02:41,680 --> 02:02:45,080
as a typical CDBG subrecipient to operate the program.

1466
02:02:45,900 --> 02:02:50,880
That non-profit would work collaboratively with eligible households and rental properties

1467
02:02:50,880 --> 02:02:55,520
to obtain the appropriate support documentation, provide case management, offer supportive

1468
02:02:55,520 --> 02:02:58,200
services, and make funding recommendations per household.

1469
02:02:58,880 --> 02:03:03,260
While identifying a nonprofit through a competitive process, the city would also conduct outreach

1470
02:03:03,260 --> 02:03:06,180
to rental properties that are duplexes or greater.

1471
02:03:06,900 --> 02:03:10,920
These rental properties would have a limited time to opt into the program for consideration

1472
02:03:11,280 --> 02:03:15,420
to a limited amount of the initial allocation of CDBGCV funds.

1473
02:03:15,420 --> 02:03:20,820
Upon receipt of rental property applications, city staff will make recommendations to the

1474
02:03:20,820 --> 02:03:25,020
outside agency funding committee based upon criteria to be determined in the near future.

1475
02:03:25,440 --> 02:03:29,860
Rental properties that do not receive an allocation may be given consideration if there are additional

1476
02:03:29,860 --> 02:03:32,280
funds allocated towards the program in the future.

1477
02:03:34,510 --> 02:03:38,530
Next, the selected non-profit and rental properties that receive allocations would

1478
02:03:38,530 --> 02:03:42,430
work together on advertising the program to all eligible households that have missed

1479
02:03:42,430 --> 02:03:47,850
payments for the month of April or the month of April or beyond relative to that particular

1480
02:03:47,850 --> 02:03:54,630
property. Households would have a limited time or limited application time to be considered for

1481
02:03:55,490 --> 02:04:00,470
emergency rental assistance. And finally, the nonprofit would recommend and assist eligible

1482
02:04:00,470 --> 02:04:04,250
households in what could likely be a short-term program.

1483
02:04:07,560 --> 02:04:09,000
There are multiple benefits to this

1484
02:04:09,000 --> 02:04:12,900
program. For residents, emergency rental assistance would help them stabilize their

1485
02:04:12,900 --> 02:04:17,600
housing situation. It said that the least expensive way to address homelessness is through prevention

1486
02:04:17,600 --> 02:04:22,240
and this program aligns with that concept. Another benefit is that households will remain

1487
02:04:22,240 --> 02:04:27,560
in their communities and that is by attempting to keep residents stably housed, they're not

1488
02:04:27,560 --> 02:04:31,420
faced with any relocation decisions that can continue to be a part of the fabric of our

1489
02:04:31,420 --> 02:04:35,760
great community. And furthermore, the program creates relationships with low and

1490
02:04:35,760 --> 02:04:39,380
moderate income households who we may not typically interact with in our normal

1491
02:04:39,380 --> 02:04:44,080
course of business. By creating this program and developing these new found relationships,

1492
02:04:44,440 --> 02:04:49,820
we can likely provide additional supportive services that some households were not previously aware of.

1493
02:04:50,780 --> 02:04:56,040
For rental properties, the program secures revenue that would likely be lost if households were

1494
02:04:56,980 --> 02:05:02,980
evicted or recovers revenue sooner than may otherwise be available. In addition, while

1495
02:05:02,980 --> 02:05:08,100
natural turnover is healthy for rental properties, there are costs incurred as well.

1496
02:05:08,100 --> 02:05:14,060
So, generally speaking, some of the most common costs associated with rental apartment turnovers

1497
02:05:14,060 --> 02:05:19,700
include rent loss during vacancies, marketing costs to find new tenants, time and marketing

1498
02:05:19,700 --> 02:05:25,880
costs of screening tenant applicants, maintenance such as repairs and upkeep, paint and carpet

1499
02:05:25,880 --> 02:05:27,060
improvements as well as cleaning.

1500
02:05:28,100 --> 02:05:31,520
So the proposed program can reduce these vacancies and turnover costs as well.

1501
02:05:32,120 --> 02:05:35,900
Other benefits relate to the selected non-profit organization.

1502
02:05:35,900 --> 02:05:41,440
The program creates a funding opportunity for a non-profit in which next council meeting

1503
02:05:41,440 --> 02:05:45,680
you'll be presented information on impacts the coronavirus has had on our non-profit

1504
02:05:45,680 --> 02:05:46,100
community.

1505
02:05:46,640 --> 02:05:50,640
In addition, there are multiple non-profits whose missions organizations align with

1506
02:05:50,640 --> 02:05:53,720
this program, especially as a homelessness prevention activity.

1507
02:05:54,320 --> 02:05:58,300
Some non-profits have great experience in housing assistance and case management,

1508
02:05:58,360 --> 02:06:00,360
which is critical to the operation of this program.

1509
02:06:00,360 --> 02:06:08,500
Also, the program continues to help the city build the city's, excuse me, the program

1510
02:06:08,500 --> 02:06:13,760
helps, continues to help the city build its relationship with the non-profit community.

1511
02:06:14,280 --> 02:06:18,640
This proposed program and non-profit funding recommendations that will be presented next

1512
02:06:18,640 --> 02:06:23,440
council meeting, displays the city's continuous level of commitment to their great work,

1513
02:06:23,560 --> 02:06:25,460
especially during such a challenging time.

1514
02:06:25,460 --> 02:06:33,520
Finally, the program also alleviates the administration for city staff considering these types of programs are typically very labor-intensive.

1515
02:06:38,600 --> 02:06:50,780
If Council is interested in this program, the first step is approving or is recommended to approve the policy guidelines which outlines eligible costs, households, rental properties, as well as prioritization.

1516
02:06:51,540 --> 02:06:58,560
These guidelines allow city staff to begin soliciting applications from the nonprofit community in order to identify a future program operator.

1517
02:06:58,560 --> 02:07:03,500
The guidelines also allow city staff to begin outreach to market rate rental properties.

1518
02:07:04,360 --> 02:07:09,180
On May 28th, the city council would then be presented various HUD documents and plans

1519
02:07:09,180 --> 02:07:12,880
for approval, which includes their emergency rental assistance program.

1520
02:07:14,180 --> 02:07:18,540
If approved by a council, detailed program guidelines that are more operational in

1521
02:07:18,540 --> 02:07:24,780
nature would be recommended to the outside agency funding committee for further consideration.

1522
02:07:24,780 --> 02:07:33,780
And since time is events essence, city staff also recommends the committee be given discretion on selecting the non-profit organization to operate the program.

1523
02:07:34,120 --> 02:07:42,380
And allowing the committee some discretion, let city staff move more expeditiously, but still provide some oversight at the policy level.

1524
02:07:43,700 --> 02:07:49,200
Finally, allowing some discretion of the committee will be included as part of the recommendation on May 28.

1525
02:07:53,000 --> 02:07:55,900
Therefore, city staff recommends approval of the policy guidelines.

1526
02:07:56,560 --> 02:08:00,740
I've been discussing more process rather than the actual policy day, but I'd be happy to

1527
02:08:00,740 --> 02:08:05,280
answer any questions regarding any particular qualifying criteria noted in the guidelines.

1528
02:08:05,960 --> 02:08:11,600
And as previously mentioned, both the outside agency, both the city council and the outside

1529
02:08:11,600 --> 02:08:15,820
agency funding committee will have an opportunity to review and discuss this program again

1530
02:08:15,820 --> 02:08:16,280
in the future.

1531
02:08:17,260 --> 02:08:22,640
And to conclude, I would like to thank our Community Development Director and his excellent

1532
02:08:22,640 --> 02:08:27,640
staff, particularly Jessica Gonzales and Melinda Gonzales on this joint effort.

1533
02:08:28,300 --> 02:08:30,380
And City staff are available for any questions as well.

1534
02:08:30,520 --> 02:08:30,780
Thank you.

1535
02:08:33,770 --> 02:08:34,850
Thank you, Mr. Garrett.

1536
02:08:35,050 --> 02:08:38,930
That was a wonderful detailed presentation and I appreciate all the hard efforts of

1537
02:08:38,930 --> 02:08:39,490
you and staff.

1538
02:08:41,690 --> 02:08:43,870
Do we have any questions of staff?

1539
02:08:44,050 --> 02:08:45,850
If you want to raise your hand, I can see everybody.

1540
02:08:47,570 --> 02:08:49,870
Well, I'll go with Council Member Harnick this time.

1541
02:08:50,910 --> 02:08:52,010
Thank you, Mayor.

1542
02:08:52,470 --> 02:08:53,950
I just have a quick question.

1543
02:08:54,090 --> 02:08:58,110
When we talk about the CDBG funds, have we gotten those?

1544
02:08:58,410 --> 02:09:01,190
Are we sure that amount is what we're getting?

1545
02:09:01,690 --> 02:09:02,470
Where are we on that?

1546
02:09:03,030 --> 02:09:03,230
Sure.

1547
02:09:03,990 --> 02:09:06,650
Council Member Harnick, we are sure we're going to get that amount.

1548
02:09:07,310 --> 02:09:10,590
That is what our allocation is by formula.

1549
02:09:11,210 --> 02:09:13,530
Essentially what we have to do is amend our action plan,

1550
02:09:13,530 --> 02:09:17,810
which I will come back with on the 28th, if that is the direction of counsel.

1551
02:09:18,750 --> 02:09:19,670
Okay, thank you.

1552
02:09:20,810 --> 02:09:23,070
Council Member Jonathan, I saw you raise your hand.

1553
02:09:23,790 --> 02:09:27,450
Yes, thank you, Mayor. I tried to sit outside of the sun over here.

1554
02:09:28,930 --> 02:09:33,850
So, first of all, Chris, thank you and congratulations. Once again, a very creative

1555
02:09:33,850 --> 02:09:35,810
approach and seizing the moment.

1556
02:09:38,010 --> 02:09:40,570
That's just terrific. Great job. Thank you for that.

1557
02:09:42,430 --> 02:09:52,790
I have two quick questions. Number one, I don't see in here, and I'm sure it'll kind of materialize when you create the operational guidelines.

1558
02:09:53,230 --> 02:10:02,930
But can we expect some assurance that the funds will actually be used for rent as opposed to just handing somebody a $5,000 check and then they spend it on whatever they want?

1559
02:10:03,530 --> 02:10:08,870
Absolutely. Council Member Jonathan, with CDBG funds, they consider these, I call them

1560
02:10:08,870 --> 02:10:13,790
my, I forget the term, I think it's subsistence payments or something like that, but one

1561
02:10:13,790 --> 02:10:19,850
of the regulations with CDBG is the funding has to go directly to the property owner, cannot

1562
02:10:19,850 --> 02:10:27,130
go to a resident. Okay. Very good. And my second question is in your attachment

1563
02:10:27,130 --> 02:10:34,330
to your report in category three, one of the bullet points says that eligible properties

1564
02:10:34,330 --> 02:10:39,210
would consist of at least two contiguous rental properties together.

1565
02:10:39,830 --> 02:10:44,470
So in other words, everything other than a single family residence, why would we include,

1566
02:10:44,910 --> 02:10:49,550
why would we exclude a single family residence if it otherwise qualifies?

1567
02:10:50,950 --> 02:10:59,810
You know, just in an attempt to define certain parameters, that was essentially just what

1568
02:10:59,810 --> 02:11:01,050
the recommendation was.

1569
02:11:03,130 --> 02:11:03,510
Okay.

1570
02:11:05,030 --> 02:11:05,810
I'm sorry.

1571
02:11:06,450 --> 02:11:06,850
Oh, no.

1572
02:11:06,950 --> 02:11:12,670
I was going to say, yeah, I just, it was the assumption that it was just a separate

1573
02:11:12,670 --> 02:11:15,370
rental unit rather than a single-family home.

1574
02:11:15,370 --> 02:11:20,670
But beyond that, there's nothing statutorily that regulates that.

1575
02:11:21,090 --> 02:11:27,870
Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of families, especially in our areas that would qualify that live in

1576
02:11:27,870 --> 02:11:31,910
a single-family residence, and sometimes it's multiple generations of families.

1577
02:11:32,170 --> 02:11:35,230
So maybe that one item needs to be rethought.

1578
02:11:35,810 --> 02:11:36,490
Thank you.

1579
02:11:38,390 --> 02:11:44,490
Thank you. That's a very big point you made. And I think Council Member Webber, you had

1580
02:11:44,490 --> 02:11:54,350
a question along that line for clarification. Mr. Gary, you're saying that we have 11,000

1581
02:11:54,830 --> 02:12:00,830
rental units, but we're only going to be able to help approximately 40 with this 241,000.

1582
02:12:00,830 --> 02:12:06,250
Out of that 241,000, do we know an amount that we're going to allocate to city administrative

1583
02:12:06,250 --> 02:12:11,390
cost and do you have an estimated amount that is going to be given to the non-profit

1584
02:12:11,390 --> 02:12:20,970
to handle this and then how much would that leave to distribute to a rent and along council

1585
02:12:20,970 --> 02:12:27,150
member Jonathan's comment for a single family home I would presume that the monthly rent

1586
02:12:27,820 --> 02:12:32,990
would eat up that $5,000 that's the maximum it would go pretty quickly.

1587
02:12:33,510 --> 02:12:39,850
So I understand that you would choose apartments or something like this in thinking that we

1588
02:12:39,850 --> 02:12:43,790
could pay maybe three help them pay at least three months worth or something of that nature.

1589
02:12:44,070 --> 02:12:51,210
So three questions do we have an estimated cost for the the nonprofit to handle it and

1590
02:12:51,210 --> 02:12:57,950
out of the 241,000 how much is the city going to get and is that well you said

1591
02:12:57,950 --> 02:13:01,530
that approximately 40 to 50 households that we might be able to help.

1592
02:13:01,850 --> 02:13:03,430
And that is out of the 1,000?

1593
02:13:03,630 --> 02:13:04,090
Yes or no?

1594
02:13:04,250 --> 02:13:04,710
Thank you.

1595
02:13:05,390 --> 02:13:05,570
Great.

1596
02:13:07,030 --> 02:13:12,690
So, to those questions, in regard to estimated budget, that's a little bit difficult of

1597
02:13:12,690 --> 02:13:16,930
a question to answer that I think will probably be answered next council meeting.

1598
02:13:17,350 --> 02:13:22,350
And for the reason of, although this is CDBGCV funds, there are certain statutory

1599
02:13:22,350 --> 02:13:38,390
These statutory waivers also apply to our 2000 or to our newest allocation as well as any leftover funds from 2019. So it's kind of although we have this 241,000 there's also additional funds and there's also additional activities that impact that total budget.

1600
02:13:38,390 --> 02:13:46,470
it. My personal goal would be somewhere in the neighborhood of at least $200,000 towards

1601
02:13:46,470 --> 02:13:52,370
this program absent of administrative cost or cost towards a non-profit organization

1602
02:13:52,370 --> 02:14:01,230
because that at least at $200,000, at $5,000 per household, which is at that amount, that's

1603
02:14:01,230 --> 02:14:06,430
at least 40 households. I would think to have a goal, I think 40 is probably a minimum

1604
02:14:06,430 --> 02:14:11,070
amount of households to be served. I would like to get it more towards 60 even

1605
02:14:11,070 --> 02:14:16,290
if it's you know filling the gaps of partial payments or something of that

1606
02:14:16,290 --> 02:14:18,830
nature but I think a lot of it depends on really kind of getting the

1607
02:14:18,830 --> 02:14:22,470
applications and really sitting down with the case manager and reviewing them

1608
02:14:22,470 --> 02:14:26,270
and coming up coming up to certain determinations based on different

1609
02:14:26,270 --> 02:14:31,130
properties and income levels. I believe that was one of the questions

1610
02:14:31,130 --> 02:14:35,310
as far as nonprofits I was thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of 20

1611
02:14:35,310 --> 02:14:38,190
to 30,000, I would imagine a non-profit would ask for.

1612
02:14:40,570 --> 02:14:42,690
It's kind of an arbitrary number.

1613
02:14:43,670 --> 02:14:47,290
I'm just thinking that this program is probably short-lived in the terms of three to four

1614
02:14:47,290 --> 02:14:53,610
months because it's paid rental arrears. So, as far as cost, I think

1615
02:15:00,000 --> 02:15:07,580
It's a short-term program. It's really just processing it within the next few months. So, that's probably my best estimate for that amount.

1616
02:15:12,480 --> 02:15:18,960
Okay. Council Member Webber, did you have any of the questions? Okay. Mayor Pro Tem, Kathleen Kelly.

1617
02:15:18,960 --> 02:15:28,740
No questions. I want to add my expression of gratitude for all of the work that's

1618
02:15:28,740 --> 02:15:35,940
gotten into this, and I'm particularly appreciative that this has been pushed

1619
02:15:35,940 --> 02:15:43,760
along very expeditiously to get help to people on a timely basis to keep them

1620
02:15:43,760 --> 02:15:56,760
in their houses to avert real drama to these residents. So thank you very, very much.

1621
02:15:57,620 --> 02:16:05,260
Welcome. Yes, I think your sentiments are shared by all of us and do we need any

1622
02:16:05,260 --> 02:16:11,580
discussion or are we ready to make a motion? May I one moment I'd like to

1623
02:16:11,580 --> 02:16:18,020
follow up on councilmember Jonathan's idea about single family residents because to your point

1624
02:16:18,620 --> 02:16:24,220
Mr. Gary when you said sometimes they may just be supplemental though maybe it's just part of the

1625
02:16:24,220 --> 02:16:31,480
rent. If we can save anybody from being out on the street it's worth it and we may have some

1626
02:16:32,760 --> 02:16:38,180
single family residents that if we you know if it's a thousand dollars or two thousand

1627
02:16:38,180 --> 02:16:42,440
and we keep them current with their rent.

1628
02:16:42,580 --> 02:16:44,340
And I think we need to look at that.

1629
02:16:46,000 --> 02:16:47,640
That's a great point I think

1630
02:16:47,640 --> 02:16:49,360
that Council Member Jennifer made.

1631
02:16:49,800 --> 02:16:50,540
Thank you Council.

1632
02:16:51,770 --> 02:16:55,120
Oh, excuse me, I was just going to build upon that

1633
02:16:55,860 --> 02:17:00,220
because the other related situation

1634
02:17:00,220 --> 02:17:03,100
that's foreclosed by the current language

1635
02:17:03,100 --> 02:17:11,000
which is an ATU that's rented out would not qualify

1636
02:17:11,460 --> 02:17:13,340
under the current language

1637
02:17:13,340 --> 02:17:16,260
because it's not too contiguous units.

1638
02:17:16,840 --> 02:17:20,600
And we could easily have some people in those

1639
02:17:21,120 --> 02:17:26,900
auxiliary dwelling units who could benefit from this program.

1640
02:17:28,920 --> 02:17:30,340
Yeah, all good points.

1641
02:17:30,660 --> 02:17:32,680
Thank you to both of you.

1642
02:17:32,680 --> 02:17:39,900
I would move approval for the request by staff for approval of these policy guidelines, but

1643
02:17:39,900 --> 02:17:48,520
I would remove the limitations on both the ADU and the exclusion of single-family residences.

1644
02:17:49,040 --> 02:17:51,180
That at least gives staff the opportunity.

1645
02:17:51,340 --> 02:17:52,860
I mean, the applications are going to come in.

1646
02:17:52,920 --> 02:17:53,520
You can say yes.

1647
02:17:53,620 --> 02:17:54,380
You can say no.

1648
02:17:54,800 --> 02:18:00,240
But at least you have the ability to review those kinds of situations.

1649
02:18:00,240 --> 02:18:02,140
So that would be my motion.

1650
02:18:03,540 --> 02:18:05,320
I would like to second it.

1651
02:18:05,800 --> 02:18:05,920
Okay.

1652
02:18:06,200 --> 02:18:10,800
And thank you, because I believe it's so meaningful to our community.

1653
02:18:11,200 --> 02:18:11,460
Thank you.

1654
02:18:11,780 --> 02:18:12,520
Thank you.

1655
02:18:12,840 --> 02:18:15,060
Okay, City Clerk, do you want to take a roll call, please?

1656
02:18:26,160 --> 02:18:27,700
Clerk, we're ready to take a roll call.

1657
02:18:27,940 --> 02:18:28,920
We're muted now.

1658
02:18:32,530 --> 02:18:33,710
City Clerk, we're ready.

1659
02:18:33,850 --> 02:18:35,030
I apologize for that.

1660
02:18:35,710 --> 02:18:36,550
Council Member Harnick.

1661
02:18:37,070 --> 02:18:37,270
Yes.

1662
02:18:38,110 --> 02:18:38,810
Councilman Jonathan.

1663
02:18:39,850 --> 02:18:40,330
Yes.

1664
02:18:40,850 --> 02:18:41,730
Mayor Pertin Kelly.

1665
02:18:42,750 --> 02:18:43,110
Yes.

1666
02:18:43,110 --> 02:18:43,350
Yes.

1667
02:18:43,650 --> 02:18:44,490
Councilmember Weber.

1668
02:18:45,010 --> 02:18:45,270
Yes.

1669
02:18:45,690 --> 02:18:46,490
Mayor Nistandi.

1670
02:18:47,090 --> 02:18:47,350
Yes.

1671
02:18:47,690 --> 02:18:48,890
Motion carries 5-0.

1672
02:18:51,690 --> 02:18:52,070
Okay.

1673
02:18:52,570 --> 02:19:00,670
So the next item is request for approval of Tom Desert's 2020 Independence Day Celebration.

1674
02:19:01,270 --> 02:19:03,390
Do we have a report on this?

1675
02:19:09,060 --> 02:19:11,160
I'm Mayor Nistandi and Councilmembers.

1676
02:19:11,220 --> 02:19:14,840
My name is Vanessa Meager and I'm Management Analyst in the Economic Development Department.

1677
02:19:14,840 --> 02:19:21,000
permit. I'm here today because we have before you the 2020 Independence Day Celebrations

1678
02:19:21,000 --> 02:19:26,600
Task Report. And Thomas Cole, our marketing manager and myself are here to answer any questions

1679
02:19:26,600 --> 02:19:27,240
you might have.

1680
02:19:30,870 --> 02:19:35,510
All right. I'll start with, well, let me just look. Does anyone have any questions?

1681
02:19:37,030 --> 02:19:42,150
Looking at my fellow council members, there are no questions. Does anyone want to discuss

1682
02:19:42,150 --> 02:19:44,730
anything? Do we have a motion?

1683
02:19:44,730 --> 02:19:52,870
I have a comment, please. I just have a quick comment. This is a tough, I don't know when

1684
02:19:52,870 --> 02:19:59,990
I've missed the fireworks. I go every year and, you know, for my moment of Americana,

1685
02:20:00,130 --> 02:20:04,450
what makes America great is moments of sacrifice sometimes. And this is one of those things.

1686
02:20:04,730 --> 02:20:09,210
And I know there'll be a lot of people from across our valley who will be disappointed.

1687
02:20:09,210 --> 02:20:17,190
But I am so impressed with the creative approach to really do something special.

1688
02:20:17,910 --> 02:20:22,390
And I really appreciate the effort that's been put into this.

1689
02:20:22,490 --> 02:20:24,130
I think it's a great staff report.

1690
02:20:25,250 --> 02:20:28,710
And I look forward to seeing how this is going to work out.

1691
02:20:28,790 --> 02:20:31,930
And I also look forward to 2021's fireworks.

1692
02:20:34,300 --> 02:20:35,060
Also, Mr. Jonathan.

1693
02:20:36,060 --> 02:20:36,500
Thank you.

1694
02:20:36,940 --> 02:20:38,820
I so agree with Councilmember Harnick.

1695
02:20:38,820 --> 02:20:43,580
we will miss this. I also want to say that Vanessa sure looks bright in front of City

1696
02:20:43,580 --> 02:20:49,160
Hall right now compared to what I'm looking at, but there you go. You know, I want to

1697
02:20:49,160 --> 02:20:53,940
commend staff because rather than just saying, cancelling the fireworks celebration, which

1698
02:20:53,940 --> 02:20:59,300
many cities, if not virtually most, if not all cities are doing, you came up with

1699
02:20:59,300 --> 02:21:05,600
a plan B that maybe will enable our community to celebrate Independence Day in a respectful

1700
02:21:05,600 --> 02:21:09,840
social distancing manner. So thank you for coming up with Plan B. Much appreciated.

1701
02:21:13,540 --> 02:21:17,460
All right. So do we have a motion to approve staff's recommendation?

1702
02:21:18,500 --> 02:21:19,060
So moved.

1703
02:21:20,040 --> 02:21:20,500
Second?

1704
02:21:21,040 --> 02:21:23,420
Well, second.

1705
02:21:25,420 --> 02:21:26,680
I'll give a second to the mayor.

1706
02:21:27,080 --> 02:21:31,660
Okay, thank you. All right, City Clerk, we are ready for a roll call vote.

1707
02:21:32,360 --> 02:21:33,200
Council Member Harnick.

1708
02:21:33,600 --> 02:21:33,800
Yes.

1709
02:21:34,320 --> 02:21:35,020
Councilman Jonathan.

1710
02:21:35,680 --> 02:21:35,980
Yes.

1711
02:21:36,460 --> 02:21:37,380
Mayor Pertin Kelly.

1712
02:21:38,240 --> 02:21:38,620
Yes.

1713
02:21:39,140 --> 02:21:40,000
Council Member Weber.

1714
02:21:40,340 --> 02:21:45,960
Yes, mayor Nisdandy. Yes, motion carries five zero. Thank you.

1715
02:21:47,620 --> 02:21:49,100
Okay, so now

1716
02:21:51,500 --> 02:21:57,210
We have an agenda addendum and it's

1717
02:21:58,110 --> 02:22:04,450
Request for direction from the city council regarding issue with a letter concerning the governor's orders for the COVID-19

1718
02:22:04,450 --> 02:22:09,510
Public health emergency and I believe we all have a copy of the letter

1719
02:22:09,510 --> 02:22:18,270
that has come from the county supervisors office. Thank you mayor. The board of

1720
02:22:18,270 --> 02:22:23,570
supervisors voted to send the letter to the governor expressing several things

1721
02:22:23,570 --> 02:22:27,390
that they were concerned about with recent orders that have been given. In

1722
02:22:27,390 --> 02:22:31,150
particular they're concerned that the benchmarks that are being put forth for

1723
02:22:31,150 --> 02:22:38,070
moving out of stage 2 and into stage 3 simply are not attainable for many

1724
02:22:38,070 --> 02:22:44,950
jurisdictions including the County of Riverside. They also indicated that they respected and would

1725
02:22:46,390 --> 02:22:55,090
appreciate more guidance provided by the state but that they do want additional input into the

1726
02:22:55,090 --> 02:23:01,390
process to make it appropriate for individual and different areas of the state based upon

1727
02:23:01,390 --> 02:23:07,350
their specific conditions. The Board of Supervisors circulated their letter to each of the

1728
02:23:07,350 --> 02:23:13,810
cities within their jurisdiction and ask if the mayors of those cities would like to sign

1729
02:23:13,810 --> 02:23:21,550
on to the letter for support and they ask that the councils discuss authorizing their

1730
02:23:21,550 --> 02:23:26,150
mayor to sign that letter. I'm available to answer any questions you might have.

1731
02:23:28,260 --> 02:23:32,360
Well, I just say I hope my fellow council members will want to sign on to this letter

1732
02:23:32,360 --> 02:23:38,820
so we can present a united front to Governor Newsom because we really need to start being

1733
02:23:38,820 --> 02:23:45,280
a united front and not be so disparate between one city doing this another city doing that

1734
02:23:45,280 --> 02:23:52,280
and the county is our best vehicle to push things forward it's not to say we're going to agree 100

1735
02:23:52,280 --> 02:23:59,020
percent with the county but I think we've got so much more in common than we don't so my intent

1736
02:23:59,020 --> 02:24:05,460
is I really appreciate it if we could just be a united front and I

1737
02:24:08,120 --> 02:24:09,380
muted myself are there any

1738
02:24:09,380 --> 02:24:15,580
questions asked the city manager or should we just go straight to discussion? I

1739
02:24:19,290 --> 02:24:30,230
guess I'll offer some discussion. I would love to be able to respond to your

1740
02:24:30,230 --> 02:24:44,810
plea for a united front, I really would. And if this letter really perfectly matched the

1741
02:24:44,810 --> 02:24:54,730
summary that was just given, I probably could. The problem I'm having is that the letter

1742
02:24:54,730 --> 02:25:07,430
is very, very confusing. As it's written, as I understand it, the county is making a

1743
02:25:07,430 --> 02:25:18,210
push to change the criteria for moving through the stages of reopening so that they better

1744
02:25:18,210 --> 02:25:27,790
knowledge, the conditions of an urban setting. That's good. I also understand that the county

1745
02:25:27,790 --> 02:25:39,310
is making a push for some individualized treatment of distinct regions like the Coachella Valley.

1746
02:25:39,310 --> 02:25:51,530
That's good. But the letter seems to be asking that the state just kind of drop all regulation

1747
02:25:52,280 --> 02:26:02,310
and trust the county to take care of things and be reasonable. That I have a problem with

1748
02:26:02,310 --> 02:26:13,310
after watching two meetings of the County Board of Supervisors, because reason doesn't always seem to prevail.

1749
02:26:14,170 --> 02:26:22,970
And I'm not saying that about our supervisor, who I think was very impressive in his statements,

1750
02:26:22,970 --> 02:26:35,150
But as a body, the actions of the County Board of Supervisors didn't leave me comfortable

1751
02:26:35,630 --> 02:26:45,950
with the notion that that would be the sole location for decision-making and striking the

1752
02:26:45,950 --> 02:26:53,450
balance between public safety and getting our businesses open, which we're all desperate

1753
02:26:53,450 --> 02:27:04,230
to accomplish. So I love the goals that the city manager stated. I'm not comfortable with

1754
02:27:04,230 --> 02:27:10,650
the letter. Thank you for your comment. And I will say I believe they voted five to zero,

1755
02:27:10,650 --> 02:27:16,430
which included our supervisor for reds. So they did vote five to zero. And I can anyone

1756
02:27:16,430 --> 02:27:24,430
else have comments? Councilmember Jonathan. Thank you, Mayor. I understand the concerns

1757
02:27:24,430 --> 02:27:29,950
that you have, Mayor Pro Tem. I don't know that to me, the letter is pretty clear. I

1758
02:27:29,950 --> 02:27:34,930
think the governor, most people would find the thresholds, the benchmarks that were

1759
02:27:34,930 --> 02:27:43,050
set as unachievable and probably unrealistic. So he has allowed individual counties to come

1760
02:27:43,050 --> 02:27:48,290
up with a plan of their own for state approval that would allow those jurisdictions to move

1761
02:27:48,290 --> 02:27:57,430
forward with their own plan that balances health safety along with the economy, and

1762
02:27:57,430 --> 02:28:02,730
it's up to the state to approve it. The governor has approved two counties already.

1763
02:28:02,730 --> 02:28:09,230
country. I would love for Riverside County to be the very next county based on a plan.

1764
02:28:10,530 --> 02:28:16,970
So I think essentially this letter lays the framework, the groundwork for that. It is

1765
02:28:16,970 --> 02:28:21,070
thoughtful and respectful, which I know was a concern with previous correspondents.

1766
02:28:21,370 --> 02:28:25,810
So to me, it kind of checks off all the boxes. I will say that the most compelling

1767
02:28:25,810 --> 02:28:31,310
sentence in the entire letter that I think really speaks to me is the one that says

1768
02:28:31,310 --> 02:28:37,610
by empowering local governments to make decisions based on information unique to local communities,

1769
02:28:38,050 --> 02:28:42,150
we can fundamentally change the course of this depression-headed economy.

1770
02:28:43,010 --> 02:28:44,770
And I think that's what this is all about.

1771
02:28:44,990 --> 02:28:51,650
So I would support a motion authorizing our mayor to co-sign the letter.

1772
02:28:55,560 --> 02:28:55,880
President.

1773
02:28:55,880 --> 02:28:56,540
President Carnick.

1774
02:28:58,640 --> 02:29:01,420
So I think there's a lot of good points I've heard.

1775
02:29:01,420 --> 02:29:09,040
I get concerned with a virus particularly when we talk about local control because it's

1776
02:29:09,040 --> 02:29:10,540
not specifically local.

1777
02:29:11,160 --> 02:29:16,940
And that's why I had even earlier said I'd like to see us do CVAG as a guiding force

1778
02:29:16,940 --> 02:29:23,560
to bring everybody together because Coachella Valley, because of its geographic isolation,

1779
02:29:23,840 --> 02:29:27,360
we do have a different issue than west of the past.

1780
02:29:27,540 --> 02:29:29,100
And I would love to see us work together.

1781
02:29:29,100 --> 02:29:36,280
And what we're seeing in so many other instances in our valley, we're not as effective when

1782
02:29:36,280 --> 02:29:38,000
each city does not work together.

1783
02:29:38,360 --> 02:29:43,080
And we have all these different, it's a checkerboard kind of approach we're taking.

1784
02:29:43,480 --> 02:29:45,240
So I would love to see us work together.

1785
02:29:45,240 --> 02:29:53,550
of what has given me a reason to believe this will be.

1786
02:30:00,000 --> 02:30:06,480
And I think the somewhat successful is the team that has been put together to come up with

1787
02:30:07,280 --> 02:30:16,500
the economic recovery and the thought on this. And we have representatives from our valley

1788
02:30:16,500 --> 02:30:20,900
who will weigh in, and I respect all of them that have been chosen from our valley, and

1789
02:30:20,900 --> 02:30:25,260
I think they'll be great voices for our valley. And I'm sure they'll have a voice

1790
02:30:25,260 --> 02:30:29,760
in this plan that's being put together.

1791
02:30:30,700 --> 02:30:34,520
So I, do I love 100% of the letter?

1792
02:30:35,220 --> 02:30:38,420
No, but I do believe that it's moving us

1793
02:30:38,420 --> 02:30:42,140
in the right direction and helping us,

1794
02:30:42,320 --> 02:30:45,060
one size does not fit all and this is the perfect example.

1795
02:30:45,480 --> 02:30:49,940
So I think we can do better when we deal with our county

1796
02:30:49,940 --> 02:30:51,980
and the regions of our counties separately

1797
02:30:51,980 --> 02:30:54,180
from what the state has mandated.

1798
02:30:55,500 --> 02:31:00,300
Thank you, Council Member Harnick. Council Member Webber, did you want to add to the discussion?

1799
02:31:01,040 --> 02:31:09,500
No, other than to say I fully support you signing this letter, I do not approve of a governor who doesn't live here trying to tell us how to run our city.

1800
02:31:11,200 --> 02:31:12,180
Okay, so.

1801
02:31:12,620 --> 02:31:14,820
Mayor, understanding I have a public comment.

1802
02:31:16,760 --> 02:31:17,900
Let's hear the public comment.

1803
02:31:19,900 --> 02:31:22,740
This one is from Terry Applegate.

1804
02:31:24,690 --> 02:31:29,590
Palm Desert needs a face covering and physical distancing requirement.

1805
02:31:30,110 --> 02:31:33,790
I am not a resident of the city, but I shop at certain businesses there.

1806
02:31:34,230 --> 02:31:37,170
I have greatly curtailed grocery shopping since March.

1807
02:31:37,590 --> 02:31:43,290
Since the County Board of Supervisors lifted these requirements, businesses are responding in their own way.

1808
02:31:43,890 --> 02:31:47,470
Some have lifted the requirement while others are still mandating them.

1809
02:31:48,030 --> 02:31:53,510
Many people pledge to only patronize businesses that require face coverings and physical distancing.

1810
02:31:53,510 --> 02:32:01,690
What happens to businesses that are already hurting by COVID when residents decide to patronize enterprises outside of Palm Desert.

1811
02:32:02,230 --> 02:32:05,630
Tax revenues will drop and more local businesses will close.

1812
02:32:06,070 --> 02:32:08,750
I am opposed to Riverside County reopening plan.

1813
02:32:09,390 --> 02:32:14,170
This county has the second highest COVID caseload and death rate in the state.

1814
02:32:14,930 --> 02:32:21,490
The current trajectory from the public health department shows a rising caseload. It has not peaked or plateaued.

1815
02:32:21,490 --> 02:32:31,650
The state requires counties to have the number of full-time contact tracing staff equal to triple the average number of cases over a 14-day period.

1816
02:32:32,090 --> 02:32:39,050
That's an average of 107 cases per day. We need 320 more contact tracers.

1817
02:32:39,930 --> 02:32:45,090
The county reports that they have 70 tracers with 200 being recruited.

1818
02:32:45,770 --> 02:32:49,170
Being recruited is not the same as being trained and ready to go.

1819
02:32:49,170 --> 02:32:56,530
They want to move to an accelerated stage 2 with 200 fewer contact tracers in place,

1820
02:32:57,290 --> 02:32:58,230
then we are needed.

1821
02:32:59,510 --> 02:33:06,590
The plan lacks concrete plans to keep employees and the public safe.

1822
02:33:07,650 --> 02:33:11,650
Businesses are encouraged to develop safe opening plans rather than required.

1823
02:33:12,530 --> 02:33:17,350
When inserting should or if possible, it negates any requirement to act.

1824
02:33:17,350 --> 02:33:21,970
The county says it is still developing protocols for essential workers.

1825
02:33:22,510 --> 02:33:25,930
There wasn't a paragraph on specific stage two plans.

1826
02:33:26,650 --> 02:33:36,430
Practical methods to expand curbside retail and how high tech, low tech, as restaurant pagers or apps,

1827
02:33:37,110 --> 02:33:39,450
and to no tech can be smartly designed.

1828
02:33:39,450 --> 02:33:44,010
how do you go from still developing protocols for essential workers to

1829
02:33:44,010 --> 02:33:50,210
opening hair and nail salons where physical distancing is impossible? The

1830
02:33:50,210 --> 02:33:54,970
supervisors argue that California requirements make it impossible for the

1831
02:33:54,970 --> 02:34:00,130
county to reopen. No, it is not impossible, but more work is needed to open

1832
02:34:00,130 --> 02:34:05,630
safely both in the Coachella Valley and countywide. Terry Applegate, licensed

1833
02:34:05,630 --> 02:34:16,830
occupational therapist. That's all. Thank you, Gracie. So do we have a motion? I'll move a

1834
02:34:17,470 --> 02:34:24,350
direction to staff or I guess just authorizing our mayor to sign on to the letter. Thank you and

1835
02:34:24,350 --> 02:34:30,530
do we have a second? Let's take a roll call vote please. Council Member Harnick. Yes.

1836
02:34:36,010 --> 02:34:36,570
Councilman

1837
02:34:36,570 --> 02:34:45,690
Partem Kelly. No. Councilmember Weber. Yes. Mayor Nisdandy. Yes. Motion carries for one

1838
02:34:45,690 --> 02:34:47,530
with Mayor Partem Kelly voting no.

1839
02:34:55,420 --> 02:35:07,440
Okay, so now we have the urgency item before us, which

1840
02:35:07,440 --> 02:35:14,000
is the request for consideration to adopt the City of Latina's approach to the issue

1841
02:35:14,000 --> 02:35:20,060
of facial coverings and social distancing when inside stores and businesses.

1842
02:35:20,700 --> 02:35:28,120
I'm sorry, aren't we missing an item, the other agenda item for the economic business?

1843
02:35:28,640 --> 02:35:31,320
I think that's under all business that would be next.

1844
02:35:31,660 --> 02:35:32,200
My apologies.

1845
02:35:32,980 --> 02:35:34,080
We're almost done.

1846
02:35:34,420 --> 02:35:36,160
We have this and then the old business.

1847
02:35:38,300 --> 02:35:42,960
Mayor and members of the City Council, this item was added by, before his vote

1848
02:35:42,960 --> 02:35:49,300
of the council earlier in the meeting. This was presented at the request of Mayor Pro Tem Kelly

1849
02:35:49,300 --> 02:35:55,260
who witnessed what was done recently by the city of La Quinta and wanted the full city council to

1850
02:35:55,260 --> 02:36:02,200
consider taking a similar action. La Quinta recently passed an executive order which would

1851
02:36:02,200 --> 02:36:11,360
continue the county public health officers mandate that was recently rescinded but that

1852
02:36:11,360 --> 02:36:16,280
It requires the use of face covering and social distancing inside a grocery store or inside

1853
02:36:16,280 --> 02:36:17,180
of a drug store.

1854
02:36:17,860 --> 02:36:22,600
It also then goes on and strongly recommends, but does not require, strongly recommends

1855
02:36:22,600 --> 02:36:28,060
that all other businesses within the city require the use of face coverings and social

1856
02:36:28,060 --> 02:36:34,200
distancing and that they post notices conspicuously at their business to let people entering

1857
02:36:34,200 --> 02:36:37,060
their stores know of their respective policies.

1858
02:36:37,740 --> 02:36:45,900
A copy of the order that was recently enacted by the city of Laquinta is

1859
02:36:45,900 --> 02:36:50,960
attached to this report that was, excuse me, attached to the agenda item that was

1860
02:36:50,960 --> 02:36:57,140
circulated earlier this afternoon. It also went on to describe the face

1861
02:36:57,140 --> 02:37:00,860
coverings that they're recommending be worn in grocery stores and drug

1862
02:37:00,860 --> 02:37:10,380
drugstores and be added at the request of business owners for individual business owners, they

1863
02:37:10,380 --> 02:37:20,820
recommended that those be net-gaters, masks, scarves, bandanas, but that they discourage

1864
02:37:20,820 --> 02:37:28,040
people from using personal protective equipment or N95 masks because those are needed for

1865
02:37:28,040 --> 02:37:36,880
medical reasons. This item is up to the City Council for consideration. Enactment of an

1866
02:37:36,880 --> 02:37:43,080
order like this would be consistent with recent actions taken by a number of the other Valley

1867
02:37:43,080 --> 02:37:43,460
Cities.

1868
02:37:47,330 --> 02:37:55,990
Okay, so go ahead, Council Member Harnick. I have a question. I read about it. I did not

1869
02:37:55,990 --> 02:38:02,450
witness the passing of it. My question is why do you suppose in other businesses it's

1870
02:38:02,450 --> 02:38:07,330
not important to wear a face covering but it is in a grocery store? Why, like if you went

1871
02:38:07,330 --> 02:38:12,410
to a computer repair which is an essential business, why wouldn't it be important to

1872
02:38:12,410 --> 02:38:15,410
wear one there? Does anybody know that?

1873
02:38:16,690 --> 02:38:23,330
Well, I think part of it is the jury still out how beneficial face coverings actually

1874
02:38:24,230 --> 02:38:29,850
are. You can go to the, I mean, if you go to the state CDC website, they've got information

1875
02:38:29,850 --> 02:38:35,210
on that. They're strongly suggesting it, but they're not making it mandatory. And I never

1876
02:38:35,210 --> 02:38:42,710
thought I would agree with one thing Governor Newsom is telling us to do, but he is strongly

1877
02:38:42,710 --> 02:38:47,450
suggesting the wearing of face masks, but they're not making it mandatory because

1878
02:38:47,450 --> 02:38:52,190
the science just isn't there. And they're saying the most important thing is social

1879
02:38:52,190 --> 02:39:00,570
distancing, washing your hands, sanitizing and as far as I know every grocery store that I've been

1880
02:39:00,570 --> 02:39:05,110
into and I've been going almost every day has a big sign you must wear face coverings or you

1881
02:39:05,110 --> 02:39:12,610
can't go in. So we're already doing this and my hesitation on voting to approve this is that

1882
02:39:12,610 --> 02:39:19,090
you know the five county supervisors are already taking so much heat as it is in the community

1883
02:39:19,090 --> 02:39:25,450
on Facebook and everywhere else and all that they really did was to say you know

1884
02:39:25,450 --> 02:39:30,950
what we're going to follow state guidelines now and not create these more

1885
02:39:30,950 --> 02:39:36,630
strict guidelines if that's all we're doing is following state guidelines and

1886
02:39:36,630 --> 02:39:42,090
I can't has anyone seen anybody in a grocery store without a face mask I haven't

1887
02:39:42,090 --> 02:39:43,330
and they won't let you in.

1888
02:39:43,930 --> 02:39:49,250
But I just, before we get into discussion,

1889
02:39:50,530 --> 02:39:54,910
I think there are some public comments on this topic.

1890
02:39:55,430 --> 02:39:59,890
And I know you meant to just ask a question,

1891
02:40:00,230 --> 02:40:03,310
but it seemed to take us into discussion.

1892
02:40:03,930 --> 02:40:07,550
So maybe we should get the public comments.

1893
02:40:07,550 --> 02:40:17,700
I don't have any public comments that asked to specifically read them out loud.

1894
02:40:18,280 --> 02:40:21,980
They were delivered to city council members via email.

1895
02:40:22,400 --> 02:40:23,140
All right.

1896
02:40:23,540 --> 02:40:24,600
I understand.

1897
02:40:25,860 --> 02:40:26,540
Thank you.

1898
02:40:27,880 --> 02:40:28,400
All right.

1899
02:40:29,060 --> 02:40:31,140
So we'll go back to Councilman Harnick.

1900
02:40:31,220 --> 02:40:31,700
Were you finished?

1901
02:40:32,440 --> 02:40:34,680
Well, I was finished with questions.

1902
02:40:34,900 --> 02:40:36,320
Are we having discussion now?

1903
02:40:37,820 --> 02:40:42,360
Does anyone else have a question? Seeing none, we're moving into discussion.

1904
02:40:42,720 --> 02:40:50,500
Okay. Thank you, Mayor. My thought on this is, you know, there is a reason when you're

1905
02:40:50,500 --> 02:40:55,560
in an operating room, everybody has a face mask on. And it's not necessarily to protect

1906
02:40:55,560 --> 02:41:03,660
themselves but to protect others. And what we're trying to do, I believe, people are

1907
02:41:04,720 --> 02:41:10,720
upset. There is a level of fear because of this virus. What we're trying to do is instill

1908
02:41:10,720 --> 02:41:16,000
confidence with people. We want them to come back to our businesses. And if we all read

1909
02:41:16,000 --> 02:41:24,120
the communications we received by email, there were a lot that expressed what the last person

1910
02:41:24,120 --> 02:41:30,560
on the last subject said. And all we're trying, if there are people who don't want

1911
02:41:30,560 --> 02:41:37,780
wear masks. I get it, but it's not for yourself. It's for others. We want to raise that feeling

1912
02:41:37,780 --> 02:41:45,200
of safety, of security in our community. And we don't want to create further confusion by,

1913
02:41:45,340 --> 02:41:50,120
is it Indian Wells or is it Palm Desert? Do we wear it here? Don't we wear it there?

1914
02:41:50,580 --> 02:41:56,280
I think it's easy to say when you leave your home, put a mask on, there's no one around.

1915
02:41:56,280 --> 02:41:58,080
You don't have to have a mask on.

1916
02:41:58,280 --> 02:42:02,960
If you're coming in close contact or within what we would believe was the cure of physical

1917
02:42:02,960 --> 02:42:05,380
distancing, put your mask back on.

1918
02:42:05,940 --> 02:42:11,300
I think it makes it easy for people who are trying to raise confidence for our visitors

1919
02:42:11,300 --> 02:42:12,860
and our community members.

1920
02:42:13,220 --> 02:42:17,380
I would absolutely support going actually further than LaQuinta's.

1921
02:42:17,400 --> 02:42:24,600
I think to say, when you go to a drugstore or a grocery store, it doesn't really

1922
02:42:25,280 --> 02:42:30,160
answer all the questions. Why not when you go into the computer repair store? Why

1923
02:42:30,160 --> 02:42:34,600
not when you go pick up your food? Why wouldn't you just do that to create that

1924
02:42:34,600 --> 02:42:39,940
level of confidence? So that's my feeling. I mean you can go on Facebook and

1925
02:42:39,940 --> 02:42:44,100
you can go on all sorts of different things and they say they've got great

1926
02:42:44,100 --> 02:42:49,320
reasons why it's so bad for you and it's you know it's like Abe Lincoln

1927
02:42:49,320 --> 02:42:51,600
can say don't believe everything you read on Facebook.

1928
02:42:52,720 --> 02:42:56,900
So I just, I think what we're trying to do is make our visitors

1929
02:42:56,900 --> 02:43:00,440
and community members feel safe and secure in our community

1930
02:43:00,780 --> 02:43:04,300
and we want them back in our businesses as soon as possible.

1931
02:43:04,440 --> 02:43:07,540
And I think we achieve that goal through face masks,

1932
02:43:07,860 --> 02:43:12,460
face coverings and with respectful physical distancing.

1933
02:43:12,940 --> 02:43:13,320
Thank you.

1934
02:43:15,400 --> 02:43:15,960
Thank you.

1935
02:43:17,980 --> 02:43:19,660
Mayor Pro Tem, Kathleen Kelly.

1936
02:43:19,660 --> 02:43:20,320
Let

1937
02:43:22,460 --> 02:43:30,440
me try to make three points as quickly as I can. First,

1938
02:43:35,620 --> 02:43:38,480
it's important to elaborate

1939
02:43:38,480 --> 02:43:48,320
just a little bit on what Council Member Arnick said as to the objective of wearing a face

1940
02:43:49,780 --> 02:44:00,920
We now know that one of the reasons this virus is so much more problematic than the common

1941
02:44:00,920 --> 02:44:12,780
flu is that people can carry it and give it to others often for five days before they

1942
02:44:12,780 --> 02:44:22,200
have any awareness of illness and one of the paramount ways that the virus is

1943
02:44:22,200 --> 02:44:31,440
spread is through the droplets that emerge when we speak, when we sing, when we

1944
02:44:31,440 --> 02:44:40,200
express ourselves. So the whole purpose of the mask is to prevent the person

1945
02:44:40,200 --> 02:44:50,360
who does not yet know they are a carrier from leaving pathogens in other people's path.

1946
02:44:51,400 --> 02:44:53,640
And that's why we're here.

1947
02:45:00,000 --> 02:45:07,080
We're hearing from so many people who want the assurance that it's mandatory so that when

1948
02:45:07,080 --> 02:45:13,580
they go to an essential business they can be assured that those who have shopped there before

1949
02:45:13,580 --> 02:45:24,500
them have worn the mask so as to restrict the omission of pathogens. Every, to my knowledge,

1950
02:45:24,500 --> 02:45:34,560
such every other city in the Coachella Valley has now addressed this issue by responding

1951
02:45:34,560 --> 02:45:48,100
to that constituent plea or some assurance that folks are required to wear masks at least

1952
02:45:48,100 --> 02:45:56,920
in essential businesses. And so to the extent we're working hard to get the

1953
02:45:56,920 --> 02:46:03,880
state to acknowledge that the Coachella Valley as a unit should be treated as a

1954
02:46:03,880 --> 02:46:12,500
distinct region, we really need to get on board with our sister city so there's

1955
02:46:12,500 --> 02:46:20,480
common practice that gives the state assurance of what's happening here to keep

1956
02:46:20,480 --> 02:46:31,000
the virus under control. Like Councilmember Harnick, I could certainly support

1957
02:46:31,000 --> 02:46:44,780
extending the mandatory policy to all essential businesses. I suggested simply adopting the

1958
02:46:44,780 --> 02:46:53,600
Lakita policy for two reasons. The poor public is confused after death.

1959
02:46:55,640 --> 02:46:59,240
And among the cities

1960
02:46:59,240 --> 02:47:09,100
that border prom desert, Laquinta is probably closest to us in character. We do have a somewhat

1961
02:47:09,100 --> 02:47:18,860
larger population, but demographically, Laquinta is similar, has a similar mix between residences

1962
02:47:18,860 --> 02:47:27,460
and businesses. So I simply thought it would be helpful to the public, since the public

1963
02:47:27,460 --> 02:47:36,060
doesn't pay close attention to where boundary lines are if they could just ingest one policy.

1964
02:47:37,680 --> 02:47:49,380
And our colleagues over on the Lakinda Council worked very hard to hammer this out as a policy

1965
02:47:49,380 --> 02:47:58,940
that wouldn't go further than necessary by way of mandates. They stroke to strike a balance.

1966
02:48:00,100 --> 02:48:11,220
So understanding that we have a diversity of views around this issue, I thought it would be most productive

1967
02:48:11,220 --> 02:48:20,440
to point us toward simply joining our colleagues in La Quinta so that there's some regional

1968
02:48:20,440 --> 02:48:21,520
consistency.

1969
02:48:22,860 --> 02:48:30,420
Well, Mayor Pro Tem, thank you for those comments and I would end though to say in order to

1970
02:48:30,420 --> 02:48:36,840
have unity and less confusion for the public, we should stick with the county orders

1971
02:48:36,840 --> 02:48:48,080
years. And that, I believe, brings the most certainty. And all grocery stores, all pharmacies,

1972
02:48:48,540 --> 02:48:55,120
I've been to several, have the sign that you must wear a mask. And I have not seen anyone

1973
02:48:55,120 --> 02:49:02,020
not wearing a mask. And I know that once we start reopening our businesses, I believe

1974
02:49:02,020 --> 02:49:07,780
most businesses are going to require their employees and customers to wear a mask. And

1975
02:49:07,780 --> 02:49:15,320
I just want to be a united front with the county because we've got bigger issues ahead of us

1976
02:49:15,320 --> 02:49:20,780
with the state and the governor. So I just want us to be a united front and not be taking a couple

1977
02:49:20,780 --> 02:49:26,700
of steps backwards. The five supervisors basically put their necks on the line to try to move us

1978
02:49:26,700 --> 02:49:32,300
forward with the governor. And now here we are, I believe, pulling the rug underneath five supervisors

1979
02:49:32,300 --> 02:49:37,200
saying, well, you know, thank you, but no, thank you. I listened to the meetings, too,

1980
02:49:37,680 --> 02:49:41,500
and that they were deliberative, and there was people on both sides of the issues.

1981
02:49:41,760 --> 02:49:47,160
And there's a lot of people that believe we are violating civil liberties. And I, for one,

1982
02:49:47,560 --> 02:49:51,620
also believe we're crossing that line with civil liberties.

1983
02:49:55,380 --> 02:49:56,520
So is there anyone else?

1984
02:49:56,520 --> 02:50:07,580
I have a question. What cities in our valley, in our little region, require face coverings?

1985
02:50:07,640 --> 02:50:10,880
Does anybody know that? I think Coachella does.

1986
02:50:10,880 --> 02:50:22,960
And it is my belief today that all of them do accept possibly Intio, but the news reported

1987
02:50:22,960 --> 02:50:32,540
today that Cathedral City and Coachella joined the list of those making face cup springs

1988
02:50:32,540 --> 02:50:39,200
mandatory while springs, desert hot springs, Indian wells had already done so.

1989
02:50:39,200 --> 02:50:44,520
And I believe I saw reporting in the deserts on the Trench on Rochester.

1990
02:50:47,120 --> 02:51:00,680
I'm eager to hear from our two other council members, but I'll quickly share it in response to the comments just made.

1991
02:51:01,240 --> 02:51:05,100
One of the fronts where we currently have confusion.

1992
02:51:05,100 --> 02:51:17,400
is that some people are condemning businesses don't have the authority to make face coverings

1993
02:51:17,400 --> 02:51:28,300
mandatory since the county removed the mandate and that's causing some significant disputes

1994
02:51:28,300 --> 02:51:39,500
and consternation. So we're far from having clarity. What what we all agree upon is that we want our

1995
02:51:39,500 --> 02:51:48,860
businesses to be able to open and to do it successfully. We all agree upon that. And we're

1996
02:51:48,860 --> 02:51:56,820
We're hearing from so many people that their sense of comfort coming out and patronizing

1997
02:51:56,820 --> 02:52:06,260
our businesses is going to hinge on whether or not we have a policy such as this in place.

1998
02:52:07,360 --> 02:52:11,280
So it's geared to support our recovery.

1999
02:52:11,280 --> 02:52:20,260
It's geared to support our return to a vibrant economy and I want to be perfectly clear that

2000
02:52:20,260 --> 02:52:28,200
I don't see that as a conflict between the public health and business interests.

2001
02:52:28,760 --> 02:52:40,180
The two are completely in sync on this front because the public has to feel safe in order

2002
02:52:40,180 --> 02:52:43,360
for our businesses to succeed.

2003
02:52:45,400 --> 02:52:47,440
Thank you, Mayor Pro Tem, for your comments. Does

2004
02:52:47,440 --> 02:52:49,880
Council Member Jonathan have any comments to make?

2005
02:52:52,000 --> 02:52:53,860
Yes. I've learned that if I don't

2006
02:52:53,860 --> 02:52:55,380
interrupt, I don't get a chance to talk.

2007
02:52:59,300 --> 02:53:00,900
Susan Marie, would you like to go next?

2008
02:53:01,460 --> 02:53:08,060
Go right ahead. Okay. Actually, when I saw this, I was

2009
02:53:08,060 --> 02:53:15,020
because I honestly still am on the fence because limiting government action is so important

2010
02:53:15,020 --> 02:53:15,660
in my mind.

2011
02:53:15,940 --> 02:53:21,000
In my years on this planet, I find that the more government acts, the worse our lives get.

2012
02:53:22,340 --> 02:53:27,640
So I'm very hesitant to implement a rule that we're not required to.

2013
02:53:29,000 --> 02:53:35,880
On the other hand, the comments that are made are just so cogent because I think

2014
02:53:35,880 --> 02:53:43,220
that in this case requiring face masks does serve the dual purpose of helping to lay the

2015
02:53:43,220 --> 02:53:49,400
foundation for reinvigorating our businesses and at the same time whether it's effective

2016
02:53:49,400 --> 02:53:52,720
or not is a step towards greater personal health.

2017
02:53:54,840 --> 02:53:59,600
So I've just been listening and I'm still a little bit on the fence but I do know that

2018
02:53:59,600 --> 02:54:05,300
But in my mind, to Council Member Harnick's question, probably the reason grocery stores,

2019
02:54:05,440 --> 02:54:09,520
drug stores are being singled out is currently they're the stores with the largest crowds.

2020
02:54:10,740 --> 02:54:15,280
Most other stores like I went to Ace Hardware and so forth, they limit how many people

2021
02:54:15,280 --> 02:54:17,380
can go into their store and you stand in line to get in.

2022
02:54:17,740 --> 02:54:19,940
That's not the case with grocery stores and drug stores.

2023
02:54:20,080 --> 02:54:21,800
So maybe that's the reasoning behind it.

2024
02:54:22,140 --> 02:54:22,900
It is in my mind.

2025
02:54:23,460 --> 02:54:32,660
I think paragraph 2 oddly encourages face masks in the other businesses but doesn't encourage

2026
02:54:32,660 --> 02:54:35,320
face masks and social distancing in public settings.

2027
02:54:35,620 --> 02:54:39,760
And I think that's equally important for walking down the street on El Paseo.

2028
02:54:40,080 --> 02:54:43,660
Personally, I appreciate when the person coming at me is wearing a face mask because I don't

2029
02:54:43,660 --> 02:54:44,580
know if they're sick or not.

2030
02:54:44,940 --> 02:54:47,280
So I think we can perhaps modify that.

2031
02:54:47,280 --> 02:54:54,680
that, I would not be in favor of expanding either the requirement or the encouragement

2032
02:54:55,400 --> 02:54:59,820
beyond that. I mean, I think, and I think maybe it was Mayor Portuncale who said we

2033
02:54:59,820 --> 02:55:06,060
need to find a kind of a bright line, and I wouldn't want to go beyond the restrictions

2034
02:55:06,060 --> 02:55:12,620
in this model, but other than to include face masks and social distancing in public.

2035
02:55:14,020 --> 02:55:18,880
Along those same lines, paragraph three, I just find kind of onerous and unnecessary.

2036
02:55:19,220 --> 02:55:22,440
I don't think we need to start getting into definitions, face masks or face masks.

2037
02:55:23,060 --> 02:55:24,620
People are wearing all different kinds.

2038
02:55:24,960 --> 02:55:27,880
I don't think the signs is clear which ones are effective, which ones aren't.

2039
02:55:28,260 --> 02:55:32,840
And our police force is certainly not going to go into stores to see if somebody's wearing

2040
02:55:32,840 --> 02:55:34,560
an N95 mask or whatever.

2041
02:55:34,820 --> 02:55:39,380
So I think Council Member Harnick earlier in today's meeting said, let's not

2042
02:55:39,380 --> 02:55:43,080
create rules and laws that we can't enforce.

2043
02:55:44,760 --> 02:55:47,640
So if we do move forward with this,

2044
02:55:47,740 --> 02:55:51,860
I would suggest those modifications to paragraph two

2045
02:55:51,860 --> 02:55:54,840
and probably eliminating paragraph three.

2046
02:55:57,270 --> 02:55:57,770
Thank you.

2047
02:55:58,390 --> 02:56:00,650
Also, Jonathan, when you say public places,

2048
02:56:01,130 --> 02:56:03,150
are you also referring to golf courses

2049
02:56:03,150 --> 02:56:06,650
and everything else, whether or not they don't have to,

2050
02:56:07,190 --> 02:56:08,410
you know, if you're outside,

2051
02:56:08,410 --> 02:56:13,470
say you're exercising, you're by yourselves. So public is a very broad word.

2052
02:56:14,290 --> 02:56:18,550
That's such a good point, Mayor. Thank you. I wouldn't touch golf courses. I think they're

2053
02:56:18,550 --> 02:56:22,290
following their own standards based on their national organizations and those have been

2054
02:56:22,290 --> 02:56:28,510
deemed acceptable. When I say public places and maybe staff can help better define it,

2055
02:56:28,530 --> 02:56:33,610
but I'm really referring to like the parks and the streets where people cross each other.

2056
02:56:35,130 --> 02:56:40,410
When I hike, I have something around my neck. When you get to a point when you see somebody

2057
02:56:40,410 --> 02:56:43,950
coming, you just pull it over your face. It's a courtesy thing.

2058
02:56:44,810 --> 02:56:48,390
Yeah, and I agree. And that's what we've been doing this while. I think many people

2059
02:56:48,390 --> 02:56:51,590
do. They have them hanging here. And as soon as they come, they see somebody coming

2060
02:56:51,590 --> 02:56:56,870
at them, they put it up. And I don't think that's too much to ask. But again, it's

2061
02:56:56,870 --> 02:57:02,530
a balance. I'm torn. I get both sides. But I think in this instance, I can support

2062
02:57:02,530 --> 02:57:08,270
this emergency action, as I said, with maybe some of those two revisions.

2063
02:57:11,530 --> 02:57:14,190
Now my turn. Your turn, Council Member Weber.

2064
02:57:14,870 --> 02:57:19,970
Well, yeah, I appreciate what Council Members Harnick and Jonathan are saying, and I agree with that.

2065
02:57:20,330 --> 02:57:31,650
When I'm out in public, I put on my mask. I think my mask is going to prevent me from inhaling any of those floating little things that might be in the air.

2066
02:57:31,650 --> 02:57:38,870
I trust our businesses to make their own decisions on putting up a sign, kind of like when they

2067
02:57:38,870 --> 02:57:42,210
would have the signs up, no shoes, no service, that kind of a thing.

2068
02:57:42,630 --> 02:57:47,750
They can put their signs up to say, we require masks in this business and then I can decide

2069
02:57:47,750 --> 02:57:50,530
whether or not I want to go into that business or not.

2070
02:57:51,030 --> 02:57:55,010
And even if they don't have a sign up, I can wear my own mask.

2071
02:57:55,290 --> 02:57:55,950
I'm an adult.

2072
02:57:56,190 --> 02:57:58,450
I can make my own decision to wear a mask.

2073
02:57:58,450 --> 02:58:06,770
I don't need another level of government involvement to mandate or tell me I have to wear a mask

2074
02:58:06,770 --> 02:58:11,210
on certain businesses, because now we've got government involved and already we're

2075
02:58:11,210 --> 02:58:14,230
starting to say, well, how do I define open space?

2076
02:58:14,490 --> 02:58:15,990
How do I define essential?

2077
02:58:16,570 --> 02:58:17,290
How, how, how?

2078
02:58:17,550 --> 02:58:22,710
We don't need another government level to tell us what to do.

2079
02:58:22,830 --> 02:58:25,090
We already have the county telling us what to do.

2080
02:58:25,330 --> 02:58:26,990
We have people that have their own brains.

2081
02:58:26,990 --> 02:58:30,310
We have businesses that already know what they need to do.

2082
02:58:30,610 --> 02:58:33,190
They don't want their workers ill,

2083
02:58:33,330 --> 02:58:35,470
so they're going to protect their workers.

2084
02:58:35,950 --> 02:58:39,590
They are going to be mindful of the clientele that come in,

2085
02:58:39,770 --> 02:58:41,910
spacing them out, whatever's necessary

2086
02:58:41,910 --> 02:58:43,990
until we get a handle on this.

2087
02:58:44,210 --> 02:58:46,650
But they don't need, and I don't need,

2088
02:58:47,090 --> 02:58:50,670
government telling me that if I'm going to walk down the street,

2089
02:58:50,810 --> 02:58:52,350
I must have my mask on.

2090
02:58:52,450 --> 02:58:54,490
I don't need that government oversight.

2091
02:58:54,490 --> 02:59:00,070
I'm not stupid. If I see another person, I can put on my mask. Same for the other person.

2092
02:59:00,570 --> 02:59:09,010
But I don't support doing another level of this because everything is changing every time

2093
02:59:09,010 --> 02:59:12,890
we turn around. There's another report and something has changed. If we go to all this

2094
02:59:12,890 --> 02:59:17,570
trouble to pass this, then we'd have to go to all the trouble to undo it. It's just

2095
02:59:17,570 --> 02:59:22,630
too much of a complication in what we're trying to do right now. I respect people's

2096
02:59:22,630 --> 02:59:27,770
own intelligence to take care of themselves. They don't need nanny government to come in

2097
02:59:27,770 --> 02:59:31,850
and tell them what to do. And I respect our businesses to make their own decisions.

2098
02:59:32,250 --> 02:59:38,590
If they open up and don't require masks, the people should be sending them an email, not us,

2099
02:59:38,830 --> 02:59:42,490
and saying, I'm not going to go to your business anymore if you don't require masks.

2100
02:59:42,930 --> 02:59:47,310
And then a business will say, for me to stay in business, I will have to require masks.

2101
02:59:47,610 --> 02:59:52,090
But we can leave that decision up to them. And I would encourage all those people that

2102
02:59:52,090 --> 02:59:53,470
sent us e-mails, I strong.

2103
03:00:00,000 --> 03:00:04,320
I strongly encourage them to send the same email to the businesses that they have said to

2104
03:00:04,320 --> 03:00:08,260
us they're not going to go there anymore unless there's a mask. That's who they should send

2105
03:00:08,260 --> 03:00:13,520
the email to. And I trust the business's judgment. I trust the individual's judgment.

2106
03:00:13,980 --> 03:00:18,200
When they see another person to put their mask on, I like it when they wear their mask

2107
03:00:18,200 --> 03:00:23,160
around me. I think that's very respectful. But if they don't, I'm wearing my own for

2108
03:00:23,160 --> 03:00:29,880
my own protection. So I would not support us doing anything like this at all whatsoever.

2109
03:00:30,160 --> 03:00:33,740
I think it's totally wrong. And that's my comment.

2110
03:00:34,200 --> 03:00:39,200
Thank you, Council Member Weber. I agree with you. I say we stick with the county as we

2111
03:00:39,200 --> 03:00:44,360
move forward and we trust our businesses. And I also heard, I don't know if it's

2112
03:00:44,360 --> 03:00:50,600
confirmed yet, but I believe in terms of jurisdiction, I don't know that we can separate

2113
03:00:50,600 --> 03:00:56,360
right out the eastern portion Coachella Valley from Western Riverside. I was told we have

2114
03:00:56,360 --> 03:01:03,020
to do this as a county and we can't break up the county in terms of lifting restrictions.

2115
03:01:03,720 --> 03:01:09,380
So I just want to stay united with our county and of course encourage people to wear face

2116
03:01:09,380 --> 03:01:15,640
masks, let businesses take control. And also at the same time, we are not getting involved

2117
03:01:15,640 --> 03:01:17,600
with people's civil liberties.

2118
03:01:18,320 --> 03:01:21,160
Because we're also getting inundated with people saying,

2119
03:01:21,180 --> 03:01:23,900
why is the city getting involved in our city liberties?

2120
03:01:24,420 --> 03:01:28,300
I believe we look to the county to set the standard.

2121
03:01:32,250 --> 03:01:32,990
I'm some member, Harning.

2122
03:01:33,590 --> 03:01:34,430
Thank you, Mayor.

2123
03:01:35,770 --> 03:01:37,310
I absolutely agree.

2124
03:01:37,450 --> 03:01:39,590
I don't think there is a person on this council

2125
03:01:39,590 --> 03:01:41,330
that likes government overreach.

2126
03:01:41,490 --> 03:01:44,330
I can assure you that that's the case.

2127
03:01:45,290 --> 03:01:51,490
I think, first of all, wearing a mask is not for yourself, it is for other people.

2128
03:01:52,730 --> 03:02:00,810
And I want to once again emphasize the fact that what we're trying to do is build confidence

2129
03:02:01,130 --> 03:02:05,350
of the people who really have a fear of what's happened.

2130
03:02:06,050 --> 03:02:11,730
And we want to give them a safe and a secure feeling when they come to Palm Desert.

2131
03:02:11,730 --> 03:02:19,510
And all we're trying to do is build confidence with, again, our community members and our visitors.

2132
03:02:20,790 --> 03:02:25,790
And we also want to eliminate confusion. It's easy.

2133
03:02:26,410 --> 03:02:32,790
Put that, as every one of us has said, put the mask around your neck when you come near a person. Cover yourself up.

2134
03:02:32,790 --> 03:02:36,030
be respectful in your physical distancing.

2135
03:02:36,530 --> 03:02:38,710
That's what I think we should require

2136
03:02:40,430 --> 03:02:42,610
and remove the confusion

2137
03:02:43,250 --> 03:02:47,570
and replace it with consumer and visitor confidence.

2138
03:02:48,690 --> 03:02:50,430
That's my, that I think is our point.

2139
03:02:50,770 --> 03:02:53,650
I like to remove the confusion.

2140
03:02:54,290 --> 03:02:55,770
I say we stick with the county.

2141
03:02:58,440 --> 03:02:59,400
Council Member Donovan.

2142
03:03:00,840 --> 03:03:03,660
You know, because everything that everybody is saying

2143
03:03:05,360 --> 03:03:11,040
kind of speaks to me I I wonder I'm looking for a middle ground what if we

2144
03:03:11,040 --> 03:03:14,560
implemented this emergency ordinance but put a time limit on and just said we're

2145
03:03:14,560 --> 03:03:18,860
gonna do this till the end of the month and then we're gonna look at it because

2146
03:03:18,860 --> 03:03:25,320
you know this is moving quickly so you know if we do it then as soon as it

2147
03:03:25,320 --> 03:03:29,440
becomes not necessary then I sure want to be able to to cancel the the

2148
03:03:29,440 --> 03:03:33,340
ordinance but Kathleen I see you shaking your head so maybe that's not such a

2149
03:03:33,340 --> 03:03:42,580
good idea. Well the end of the month is nothing. It's going to be here in no time at all. That's

2150
03:03:42,580 --> 03:03:51,440
about two weeks away and our lives are not going to change dramatically in the next two weeks.

2151
03:03:52,940 --> 03:04:01,560
I understand how divergent our views are and of course we perceive divergent views in our

2152
03:04:01,560 --> 03:04:18,880
in Texas as well. And that's why I pointed to the Lakinda policy, which doesn't go as far as some of the other policies adopted by other cities in the Coachella Valley.

2153
03:04:18,880 --> 03:04:32,200
I might suggest that we start with this perhaps even without trying to legislate about sidewalks

2154
03:04:32,200 --> 03:04:40,060
or parks or hiking trails because that will give us some opportunity to experience whether

2155
03:04:40,060 --> 03:04:44,700
self-regulation in those settings is sufficient.

2156
03:04:44,700 --> 03:05:01,600
Of course, this will be revisited and the policy of mandatory phase coverings was initiated

2157
03:05:01,600 --> 03:05:05,240
by Dr. Kaiser as the county health officer.

2158
03:05:05,240 --> 03:05:13,440
he was operating within state guidance which in essence instructed county

2159
03:05:13,440 --> 03:05:23,800
health officers to make those decisions. The progression of the pandemic may

2160
03:05:23,800 --> 03:05:34,560
cause him to adjust his recommendation six weeks from now. The benefit of

2161
03:05:34,560 --> 03:06:01,860
for the designated health professional to say that a change has happened is that that helps address the concern Council Member Arnick has raised if there is a definitive opinion from the county's health officer, that helps everyone feel comfortable with a change in policy.

2162
03:06:01,860 --> 03:06:03,440
So,

2163
03:06:06,900 --> 03:06:17,020
I would, I am bringing before you and urging upon you adoption of the Lakita policy

2164
03:06:17,020 --> 03:06:25,140
with of course the understanding that any of us can ask to revisit that if we see that

2165
03:06:25,140 --> 03:06:31,280
circumstances have changed and obviously a change of policy from the county health

2166
03:06:31,280 --> 03:06:40,120
officer would be the most clear change in circumstances, but there could be other problems.

2167
03:06:41,140 --> 03:06:47,280
As a friendly amendment, can we take on what Council Member Jonathan suggested, just remove

2168
03:06:47,280 --> 03:06:51,160
paragraph three, which gets into the weeds that we don't need to do?

2169
03:06:52,320 --> 03:06:52,920
If that.

2170
03:06:53,480 --> 03:06:58,800
Oh, sorry. I really have to weigh in here. I just, I'm really baffled by what I'm hearing.

2171
03:06:58,800 --> 03:07:04,220
I'm hearing three people say that you're going to tell me what I need to do.

2172
03:07:04,400 --> 03:07:10,720
This says that you're going to require that I wear face covering all the time.

2173
03:07:11,160 --> 03:07:12,560
And I don't understand.

2174
03:07:13,080 --> 03:07:17,880
We already have a government agency that is telling us all what to do.

2175
03:07:18,300 --> 03:07:23,980
I'm absolutely baffled why three people want to say to me, here's what you need to do.

2176
03:07:24,440 --> 03:07:26,640
I think I have sense enough to know what to do.

2177
03:07:26,640 --> 03:07:31,660
I don't think we need to come out with an order telling our

2178
03:07:32,900 --> 03:07:36,780
citizens in the city of Palm Desert, we know what's best for you

2179
03:07:36,780 --> 03:07:38,980
and we're going to require that you cover up your face.

2180
03:07:40,040 --> 03:07:42,540
I don't think our residents are stupid.

2181
03:07:42,680 --> 03:07:47,320
I think they're smart enough to know to put on a face covering when they go out in public.

2182
03:07:47,800 --> 03:07:50,740
I don't think we need to get involved in their private lives

2183
03:07:50,740 --> 03:07:57,460
and I'm frankly, I'm a little insulted that you want to get involved in my private life.

2184
03:07:57,540 --> 03:08:01,840
It's really bothering me and I don't even know how to address it because it just seems

2185
03:08:01,840 --> 03:08:09,080
so, so wrong. I can't even fathom it. And like Mayor Pro Tem Kelly said, we're divergent.

2186
03:08:09,420 --> 03:08:14,360
Well, we're majorly divergent. If you're going to tell me what I have to do, I think

2187
03:08:14,360 --> 03:08:15,820
that's really, truly wrong.

2188
03:08:16,640 --> 03:08:19,140
Let's see. Let's get, I want to assure you.

2189
03:08:19,140 --> 03:08:20,540
I'm going to jump in.

2190
03:08:20,800 --> 03:08:22,660
We can keep going around the horn on this.

2191
03:08:23,880 --> 03:08:27,620
I want to make a motion that we continue to follow the county guidelines.

2192
03:08:27,960 --> 03:08:28,620
That's my motion.

2193
03:08:28,700 --> 03:08:29,400
Do I have a second?

2194
03:08:30,100 --> 03:08:30,480
Second.

2195
03:08:30,880 --> 03:08:37,380
There was already a motion made that wasn't seconded, but that's because you kind of

2196
03:08:37,380 --> 03:08:40,060
jumped in before I had a chance again.

2197
03:08:43,820 --> 03:08:49,540
There's, we can vote on that and if it doesn't pass, we'll make a different motion.

2198
03:08:49,880 --> 03:08:50,540
Thank you.

2199
03:08:51,720 --> 03:08:54,020
Eddie Clerk, may we have a roll call vote?

2200
03:08:57,450 --> 03:08:58,290
Councilmember Harnick.

2201
03:08:58,750 --> 03:08:59,170
No.

2202
03:09:01,830 --> 03:09:02,610
Councilman Jonathan.

2203
03:09:07,300 --> 03:09:07,780
No.

2204
03:09:10,300 --> 03:09:11,380
Mayor Partem Kelly.

2205
03:09:12,580 --> 03:09:12,940
No.

2206
03:09:14,520 --> 03:09:15,440
Councilmember Weber.

2207
03:09:15,960 --> 03:09:16,300
Yes.

2208
03:09:17,660 --> 03:09:18,800
Mayor Nistandi.

2209
03:09:19,380 --> 03:09:19,700
Yes.

2210
03:09:19,700 --> 03:09:28,300
That motion fell on a 2-3 vote with Council Member Weber and Mayor Neshtandi voting yes,

2211
03:09:29,040 --> 03:09:35,080
and Council Member Jonathan, Council Member Harnick, and Mayor Patem Kelly voting no.

2212
03:09:37,690 --> 03:09:43,850
Mayor, if I can insert a comment here at this point before there's consideration

2213
03:09:43,850 --> 03:09:51,350
of possible alternative motions, ordinarily this is the Council's time to talk and debate

2214
03:09:51,350 --> 03:09:58,970
the policy issues and clearly whether or not we establish independent requirements or executive

2215
03:09:58,970 --> 03:10:04,490
orders of our own is a policy decision left to the City Council. The one thing that I would like

2216
03:10:04,490 --> 03:10:15,190
to add is that for the past two months our staff has worked on educating people as to what the

2217
03:10:15,190 --> 03:10:22,970
current regulations are. In our emergency order declaration that the city council approved,

2218
03:10:23,430 --> 03:10:32,450
we indicated that we would not be making medical recommendations or giving technical advice.

2219
03:10:32,810 --> 03:10:35,750
We would defer to the state and the county and their expertise.

2220
03:10:38,290 --> 03:10:39,430
What we have struggled

2221
03:10:39,430 --> 03:10:47,430
with and the largest volume of interaction we have with our constituents is trying to

2222
03:10:47,430 --> 03:10:54,990
explain what the rules de jure are. Unfortunately, the two other agencies that are able to impose

2223
03:10:54,990 --> 03:11:01,970
regulations, the state and the county, have changed those regulations in recent weeks.

2224
03:11:02,990 --> 03:11:12,450
I would urge if there is an implementation of regulations that are specific to Palm Desert,

2225
03:11:12,650 --> 03:11:19,130
if the City Council wants to go that way, that we not look at approaches that we consider trial

2226
03:11:19,130 --> 03:11:24,850
and then perhaps we can adjust it in the future if it doesn't work. So I would urge the City

2227
03:11:24,850 --> 03:11:32,470
Council to contemplate what they believe is right to an act for a period of time, because

2228
03:11:32,470 --> 03:11:39,530
we will need to work to change messaging that we've pushed out to the public based

2229
03:11:39,530 --> 03:11:41,930
upon the decision you made tonight.

2230
03:11:42,670 --> 03:11:44,910
Nice question on that point, Lori.

2231
03:11:46,250 --> 03:11:51,990
If we approve something tonight, it would be an authorization to you, a city manager,

2232
03:11:51,990 --> 03:11:58,170
to issue an executive order. Is that correct? An emergency? Yeah. And so let's just say

2233
03:11:58,170 --> 03:12:04,050
that at some point the county's request to the state for its own implementation plan

2234
03:12:04,050 --> 03:12:14,350
is actually approved and we want to rescind that emergency order. How quickly could we

2235
03:12:14,350 --> 03:12:18,970
do it? I mean, does it have to wait until the next council meeting? What's the procedure

2236
03:12:18,970 --> 03:12:27,830
for that. If the city council passes or enacts an emergency order, they would need to be the

2237
03:12:27,830 --> 03:12:34,610
ones to release that emergency order. We could do it by scheduling a special meeting to consider the

2238
03:12:34,610 --> 03:12:45,810
issue. So here is the problem. I have two problems with setting a time specific.

2239
03:12:47,450 --> 03:12:53,930
One is that intervening

2240
03:12:56,940 --> 03:13:05,780
events are really going to define how long the policy needs to be in place, not the calendar.

2241
03:13:06,780 --> 03:13:15,180
The second and dear concern I have is if we were to say this is in place for a month,

2242
03:13:15,540 --> 03:13:22,200
it just perpetuates hysteria over what's going to happen at the end of that month.

2243
03:13:23,400 --> 03:13:33,820
And unless conditions have changed significantly, we shouldn't be revisiting this and repeating

2244
03:13:33,820 --> 03:13:46,520
this conversation, you know, every other council meeting. So, clearly, emergency orders are

2245
03:13:46,520 --> 03:13:55,240
adjusted when conditions change, but given the input you've just given us, it strikes

2246
03:13:55,240 --> 03:14:02,400
me clear guidance as to what the policy is in Plum Desert is going to be the best

2247
03:14:02,400 --> 03:14:16,720
to help to staff in answering questions. So if the majority, if there is a majority to

2248
03:14:16,720 --> 03:14:25,580
support the Latino policy without paragraph three, I would certainly embrace that.

2249
03:14:27,490 --> 03:14:32,550
I would second that. And I need to make the comment that this isn't about getting

2250
03:14:32,550 --> 03:14:39,950
into anyone's personal life. This is about making people feel secure and confident to come back to

2251
03:14:39,950 --> 03:14:47,710
Palm Desert and to help our businesses succeed. And that's our goal. When things change, we will

2252
03:14:47,710 --> 03:14:51,150
respond accordingly and appropriately as Palm Desert does.

2253
03:15:00,000 --> 03:15:06,800
And I just like to say, I think we all have made our points very clear. And I think it's

2254
03:15:06,800 --> 03:15:13,000
time to take a vote on this motion. If I may, I'd like to just clarify that the

2255
03:15:13,000 --> 03:15:20,800
motion is to adopt the Akita policy minus paragraph three, but also reformatted to be consistent

2256
03:15:20,800 --> 03:15:26,940
with the POM desert codes because the policy is worded, you know, refers to Akita.

2257
03:15:26,940 --> 03:15:32,840
So now it would be better to have Palm Desert statement at them exactly

2258
03:15:37,410 --> 03:15:42,230
We have a motion and a second. Let's do a roll call vote, please with the city clerk

2259
03:15:43,370 --> 03:15:45,310
Councilmember Harnick. Yes

2260
03:15:46,210 --> 03:15:47,370
That's when Jonathan

2261
03:15:48,990 --> 03:15:52,530
Apologies to my libertarian compatriots. Yes

2262
03:15:53,590 --> 03:15:54,910
Mayor Patem Kelly

2263
03:15:55,770 --> 03:15:56,370
Yes

2264
03:15:58,600 --> 03:16:00,580
Councilmember Weber. No

2265
03:16:03,180 --> 03:16:03,800
No.

2266
03:16:04,900 --> 03:16:07,960
Motion carries on a 3-2 vote.

2267
03:16:08,880 --> 03:16:11,140
Councilmember Weber, Mayor Nistandi voting no.

2268
03:16:13,120 --> 03:16:13,660
Okay.

2269
03:16:14,180 --> 03:16:19,180
We have one last item if we can just push through it and then all we'll have left are

2270
03:16:19,180 --> 03:16:19,960
comments.

2271
03:16:20,380 --> 03:16:22,260
It's we're moving into old business

2272
03:16:26,130 --> 03:16:33,110
and there is a request for authorization to repurpose

2273
03:16:33,110 --> 03:16:39,090
the Invest-Com Desert Economic Development Incentive Program to a Unite-Com Desert Business Support

2274
03:16:39,090 --> 03:16:44,430
Program that provides economic relief upon desert businesses and virtually impacted by

2275
03:16:44,430 --> 03:16:46,910
the COVID-19 public health emergency.

2276
03:16:47,530 --> 03:16:48,870
Do we have a staff report?

2277
03:16:53,890 --> 03:16:58,110
Yes, I believe that we have a team of people here to provide the staff report for you.

2278
03:16:58,270 --> 03:17:02,150
We have Martina Alvarez, Wayne Olson, and somewhere, although I'm not seeing

2279
03:17:02,150 --> 03:17:04,650
him yet, is Thomas Sowell.

2280
03:17:06,640 --> 03:17:10,400
Good evening, mayor and council members. I will try to be brief. I know this has been a long meeting

2281
03:17:10,400 --> 03:17:15,900
I'm going to attempt to share a screen here. Can everybody see the presentation for them? Yes

2282
03:17:17,160 --> 03:17:17,520
Okay

2283
03:17:18,900 --> 03:17:20,380
Let me know if you can hear me. All right

2284
03:17:21,820 --> 03:17:22,700
Thank you for

2285
03:17:23,300 --> 03:17:27,240
Hearing this item. I just wanted to acknowledge a couple people and departments

2286
03:17:27,240 --> 03:17:33,500
This is a culmination of efforts from the marketing department the finance department and community development department along with your

2287
03:17:33,500 --> 03:17:38,880
Council members Jonathan and Kelly who serve on the Economic Development Subcommittee who

2288
03:17:38,880 --> 03:17:43,800
also gave excellent questions to staff last week on April 5th which helped develop the

2289
03:17:43,800 --> 03:17:48,540
policy that you're seeing before you tonight. Wanted to do a brief policy framework. My

2290
03:17:48,540 --> 03:17:55,600
presentation won't be very brief. To date the city has been built upon a model of assessing

2291
03:17:55,600 --> 03:18:00,020
the short and mid and long term capital needs of our community. Up till now there's

2292
03:18:00,020 --> 03:18:04,720
been a number of players in the short-term capital arena, including the SVA, the state

2293
03:18:04,720 --> 03:18:09,560
of California, other community development corporations, along with short-term credit

2294
03:18:09,560 --> 03:18:13,620
mechanisms like business lines of credit and personal lines of credit to help support

2295
03:18:13,620 --> 03:18:15,940
our businesses through this difficult time.

2296
03:18:18,330 --> 03:18:24,330
However, some of these programs are becoming oversubscribed, or eligible applicants are

2297
03:18:24,330 --> 03:18:29,690
not being able to get access to the programs as quickly or as sufficiently as we'd like

2298
03:18:29,690 --> 03:18:30,050
them to.

2299
03:18:30,050 --> 03:18:35,090
It seems to be that pressure is mounting for local entities to assist with this mid-term

2300
03:18:35,090 --> 03:18:36,470
and longer-term capital need.

2301
03:18:38,450 --> 03:18:43,290
In January of this year, the Council passed the Invest Palm Desert Incentive Program, which

2302
03:18:43,290 --> 03:18:47,330
was $2 million of capital improvement incentives that we were going to provide to our business

2303
03:18:47,330 --> 03:18:47,790
community.

2304
03:18:48,970 --> 03:18:54,290
During one of the early emergency meetings at the emergence of the pandemic, it was

2305
03:18:54,290 --> 03:18:57,850
suggested that we should place that on hold while the budget was reviewed and

2306
03:18:57,850 --> 03:19:01,330
and whether those dollars could be reprogrammed to a different purpose.

2307
03:19:02,560 --> 03:19:08,470
As that emerging need has arisen, staff is proposing that we propose a Unite Palm Desert

2308
03:19:08,470 --> 03:19:14,210
Economic Relief Program in the form of five focus areas, and I'll review these very briefly

2309
03:19:14,210 --> 03:19:18,370
and happy to take questions either during each focus area or afterwards.

2310
03:19:19,730 --> 03:19:23,910
The first focus area is an emergency loan program that mimics a lot of the other

2311
03:19:23,910 --> 03:19:28,730
programs that we're seeing through the state. There's only one other city in the valley as

2312
03:19:28,730 --> 03:19:33,950
of now that has a program similar to this and that's Laquita. The emergency loan assistance

2313
03:19:33,950 --> 03:19:40,490
program would be a million dollars of reprogramming, excuse me, of a million dollars of the invest

2314
03:19:40,490 --> 03:19:45,410
palm desert monies and prioritizes palm desert business owners and those that employ palm

2315
03:19:45,410 --> 03:19:50,610
desert residents in the form of a zero-interest no payment loan for 24 months. We would

2316
03:19:50,610 --> 03:19:56,250
stipulate a maximum loan of $25,000 based on your FTE count, and that the loan would

2317
03:19:56,250 --> 03:20:02,090
be forgivable so long as the applicant was able to document that funds were used to mitigate

2318
03:20:02,090 --> 03:20:03,270
the impacts due to COVID.

2319
03:20:03,990 --> 03:20:08,270
The uses can include a number of things, working capital, lease payments, equipment

2320
03:20:08,270 --> 03:20:08,850
lease payments.

2321
03:20:09,010 --> 03:20:13,410
The only thing it can't do is we should exclude capital improvement projects at this

2322
03:20:13,410 --> 03:20:17,070
point under this program only because that triggers prevailing wage, and that will

2323
03:20:17,070 --> 03:20:19,550
make things very, very difficult from an administrative standpoint.

2324
03:20:21,030 --> 03:20:25,330
In the staff report, we're proposing that loan applications be reviewed by a city committee

2325
03:20:25,910 --> 03:20:30,730
and would be authorizing the city manager to do the various administrative documents

2326
03:20:31,270 --> 03:20:33,350
that I'll explain in a bit.

2327
03:20:34,710 --> 03:20:36,870
Focus Area 2 is a business outreach effort.

2328
03:20:37,070 --> 03:20:39,570
These are efforts that we've already conducted as a team.

2329
03:20:40,090 --> 03:20:44,830
The business support and viability team was founded at the emergence of the pandemic.

2330
03:20:45,990 --> 03:20:52,510
staff is from code, community development, marketing team, and economic development have

2331
03:20:52,510 --> 03:20:56,830
been working on a number of items already that have helped our local businesses, including

2332
03:20:56,830 --> 03:20:57,550
a banner program.

2333
03:20:57,770 --> 03:20:58,750
You see them all listed here.

2334
03:20:59,370 --> 03:21:01,710
We've waived the banner sign code temporarily.

2335
03:21:02,450 --> 03:21:05,850
We gave 90-day due date extensions for business licenses.

2336
03:21:06,350 --> 03:21:11,870
We formed a hotline, which we had numbers, dozens and dozens of calls towards and

2337
03:21:11,870 --> 03:21:14,010
continue to receive calls from.

2338
03:21:14,690 --> 03:21:16,270
We've had a number of web resources

2339
03:21:16,910 --> 03:21:19,890
and our efforts have been focused on getting the word out,

2340
03:21:20,010 --> 03:21:21,070
informing our local businesses

2341
03:21:21,070 --> 03:21:22,970
where they can access this short-term capital

2342
03:21:23,570 --> 03:21:25,850
and helping them connect to the appropriate services

2343
03:21:26,490 --> 03:21:28,150
in the community like the SBDC

2344
03:21:28,150 --> 03:21:31,090
who is helping assist businesses with loan applications.

2345
03:21:31,690 --> 03:21:32,770
And of course, the marketing team

2346
03:21:32,770 --> 03:21:34,750
has had a very strong social media presence

2347
03:21:35,390 --> 03:21:36,790
on our main COVID webpage.

2348
03:21:38,450 --> 03:21:44,850
The focus area 3 addresses a major sector of our local economy, which is hospitality.

2349
03:21:45,110 --> 03:21:48,530
We're proposing that we earmark $900,000 for this program.

2350
03:21:49,350 --> 03:21:54,690
This focus area is designed to leverage outcomes, which was a major direction from the subcommittee.

2351
03:21:55,230 --> 03:21:56,910
This was originally proposed as a loading program.

2352
03:21:57,030 --> 03:21:59,350
We're shifting it more towards a guest tourist voucher program.

2353
03:22:01,230 --> 03:22:04,770
The program is based on other best management practices from other tourist assassination

2354
03:22:04,770 --> 03:22:10,450
location locations. For example, Sicily, Italy, the town's exotic contributed $50 million to a program

2355
03:22:10,450 --> 03:22:16,670
very similar to this. And Long Beach, actually a more local model has been looking at a hospitality

2356
03:22:16,670 --> 03:22:22,230
program that supports their hospitality industry specifically. So we're here, we're recommending

2357
03:22:22,230 --> 03:22:27,330
that 900,000 of the 2 million be earmarked for this program. And unlike a straight to owner

2358
03:22:27,330 --> 03:22:31,950
loan program that may have limited outcomes for this particular sector, about your program

2359
03:22:31,950 --> 03:22:36,830
can be able to capitalize on the pent-up travel intent and drives room nights. So the idea behind

2360
03:22:36,830 --> 03:22:42,530
this is, for example, buy a certain amount of hotel room nights and get some other amount

2361
03:22:43,230 --> 03:22:47,210
free or discounted, and these dollars would be going towards creating that.

2362
03:22:47,670 --> 03:22:52,590
This focus area needs to be developed further and a concert with the city's marketing team,

2363
03:22:52,690 --> 03:22:55,470
as well as additional input from our city's hospitality professionals.

2364
03:22:56,490 --> 03:23:00,990
We propose that the staff bring back a more formalized program that's time better to

2365
03:23:00,990 --> 03:23:04,830
the reopening of our hospitality sector, but, you know, within the next month or so.

2366
03:23:05,170 --> 03:23:08,990
But we would like this earmark now in order to be able to inform the types of voucher

2367
03:23:08,990 --> 03:23:10,110
programs that we're going to be developing.

2368
03:23:12,860 --> 03:23:18,000
This focus area is regarding priority one C.V. I'm actually speaking to you with two

2369
03:23:18,000 --> 03:23:18,480
hats tonight.

2370
03:23:18,600 --> 03:23:23,020
I'm a staff member of this City of Palm Desert, but I was also named the CEO of Priority

2371
03:23:23,020 --> 03:23:28,960
One C.V., which is our initiative towards securing a standalone four-year campus.

2372
03:23:28,960 --> 03:23:37,360
the council created this 501c4 in March and we have had two board meetings a

2373
03:23:37,360 --> 03:23:41,580
portion of your council is on the board as well as other regional partners and the

2374
03:23:41,580 --> 03:23:45,480
city was gracious enough to fund a hundred thousand dollars of seed capital

2375
03:23:45,480 --> 03:23:49,100
for the program. Our community pledges our community partners that had

2376
03:23:49,100 --> 03:23:52,620
pledged dollars previous to COVID were not able to deliver so this delivers

2377
03:23:52,620 --> 03:23:56,080
another fifty thousand dollars for a total of a hundred fifty thousand

2378
03:23:56,080 --> 03:23:58,560
dollars to help support the priority 1CV initiatives.

2379
03:24:00,220 --> 03:24:05,960
And then finally, we are recommending $50,000 for a partner of businesses. Our community

2380
03:24:05,960 --> 03:24:12,500
partners, you heard earlier from Mr. Gary, he's providing $240,000 of rental assistance.

2381
03:24:12,820 --> 03:24:20,020
In total, we're providing about $850,000 of CDVG slash CV funding to our nonprofit

2382
03:24:20,020 --> 03:24:27,140
off of the community. This $50,000 is to help support other business-focused organizations

2383
03:24:27,140 --> 03:24:32,520
within the community, maybe business improvement districts or chambers for that example, and

2384
03:24:32,520 --> 03:24:36,160
the opportunity to develop other longer-term strategic policy initiatives that are going

2385
03:24:36,160 --> 03:24:41,520
to support that need to support the longer-term capital that's going to be happening, the

2386
03:24:41,520 --> 03:24:45,200
pressures on that within the coming, I'd say, 12 months or so.

2387
03:24:45,840 --> 03:24:52,040
So, this slide summarizes the program. It's a $2 million Unite Palm Desert economic relief

2388
03:24:52,040 --> 03:24:57,140
package. I have an explanation of how we're proposing to fund this program, a million

2389
03:24:57,140 --> 03:25:01,940
dollars for the emergency loan assistance program, $900,000 towards the hospitality

2390
03:25:01,940 --> 03:25:07,020
voucher program, $50,000 to the CSU expansion efforts, and $50,000 to the community

2391
03:25:07,020 --> 03:25:12,720
partners for a total of $2 million. The Economic Development Subcommittee requested

2392
03:25:12,720 --> 03:25:19,100
staff check in with the Invest Palm Desert applicants, which was wise. The responses

2393
03:25:19,100 --> 03:25:23,820
before you, nearly 70% I didn't get a response from or they said simply no, we

2394
03:25:23,820 --> 03:25:26,480
aren't moving forward due to the challenges of the current business

2395
03:25:26,480 --> 03:25:31,160
climate. The area I want you to focus on is the number to the right. The

2396
03:25:31,160 --> 03:25:34,660
applicants that gave me assured yes, meaning we've got our plans. In fact

2397
03:25:34,660 --> 03:25:41,360
one applicant was before the ARC on Tuesday. 13% of the respondents of the

2398
03:25:41,360 --> 03:25:46,780
applicant pool that have indicated they would like to apply were proactively

2399
03:25:46,780 --> 03:25:50,720
stating yes we're moving forward and we have plans those projects are going to

2400
03:25:50,720 --> 03:25:55,720
total about ballpark 200 to 350 thousand dollars and under the current

2401
03:25:55,720 --> 03:25:59,640
and best program the city portion of that would be approximately 100 to 175

2402
03:25:59,640 --> 03:26:03,100
thousand if you recall we were going to match those dollar for dollar and

2403
03:26:03,740 --> 03:26:07,460
again that would assume if we funded those that that would mean that the

2404
03:26:07,460 --> 03:26:15,080
applications are acceptable to the city. If we reprogram the entirety of the 2 million dollars

2405
03:26:15,080 --> 03:26:20,880
from Invest Palm Desert into the Economic Relief Program, it will require that the council identify

2406
03:26:20,880 --> 03:26:27,720
an additional 100,000 to 175,000 to reserve towards the Invest Incent Program. However,

2407
03:26:27,780 --> 03:26:33,960
the recommendation before you is to fully suspend the Invest Palm Desert Incentive Program

2408
03:26:33,960 --> 03:26:38,300
and direct all of the monies towards this economic relief program as I've described it.

2409
03:26:38,780 --> 03:26:43,760
So this is an attempt to give you a quick overhead. The current allocations, you'll see the first

2410
03:26:44,260 --> 03:26:49,760
line is the available economic development reserves is $4 million. Invest Palm Desert passed in

2411
03:26:49,760 --> 03:26:54,400
January was $2 million, and then the priority one support was $100,000. So we have total reserves

2412
03:26:54,400 --> 03:27:01,020
remaining of $1.9 million. Below is just showing you how the math works. We have $1.9 million

2413
03:27:01,020 --> 03:27:06,300
remaining, we would propose to unallocate Invest Palm Desert dollars and suspend the program

2414
03:27:06,300 --> 03:27:12,520
temporarily and fund the entire program of the Unite Palm Desert allocation for $2 million,

2415
03:27:12,780 --> 03:27:20,820
which leaves $1.9 million of economic development reserves, which is, while unallocated, is

2416
03:27:20,820 --> 03:27:22,260
needed for other programs.

2417
03:27:23,500 --> 03:27:27,950
So next steps I would propose is to finalize the administrative and legal documents that

2418
03:27:27,950 --> 03:27:33,110
be primarily associated with the Loan Program Focus Area 1, and then we want to fold this

2419
03:27:33,110 --> 03:27:38,510
in and launch it with our Unite Palm Desert overall campaign. Thomas Sol is our marketing

2420
03:27:38,510 --> 03:27:42,870
manager is here to answer any questions about that, and as well as Martín Alvarez, our

2421
03:27:42,870 --> 03:27:46,530
director of economic development is here to help support the presentation as well.

2422
03:27:47,210 --> 03:27:51,230
So then, of course, we need to administer the Load Program. I think we could maybe

2423
03:27:51,230 --> 03:27:56,730
get it out late June of 2020 and then develop the hospitality program over the

2424
03:27:56,730 --> 03:28:01,350
coming months and deliver something to you in concert with the reopening of our hospitality

2425
03:28:01,350 --> 03:28:01,930
industry.

2426
03:28:02,730 --> 03:28:07,850
So I just want to direct the council's attention to the third item.

2427
03:28:08,410 --> 03:28:14,210
It was brought up in between the time that the report was printed and today this policy

2428
03:28:14,210 --> 03:28:19,510
was developed very quickly over the course of the last two weeks that we need to authorize

2429
03:28:19,510 --> 03:28:23,290
the city manager to implement the program as well so that that would be included in

2430
03:28:23,290 --> 03:28:23,970
the recommendations.

2431
03:28:25,410 --> 03:28:30,570
That's all I have at the moment. I can certainly open up to questions, and staff is available.

2432
03:28:31,890 --> 03:28:39,130
I'm sorry, you took that last slide down before I could even – it's not in our packet, correct?

2433
03:28:40,010 --> 03:28:42,110
The first two recommendations are in your packet.

2434
03:28:43,270 --> 03:28:45,870
Oh, I'm sorry. Are you asking if the slide presentation is in your packet?

2435
03:28:46,150 --> 03:28:51,090
With this particular information, I see the two million thing.

2436
03:28:51,090 --> 03:28:57,110
But let me back up to another slide you showed that is not in my packet, and that's the one where you said applicants

2437
03:28:57,110 --> 03:29:04,190
Check in and you had 70% no response or you said no. Thank you. I don't see that

2438
03:29:04,890 --> 03:29:08,550
Information here, so I'm curious where that came from

2439
03:29:09,370 --> 03:29:11,570
I'm not I'm

2440
03:29:11,570 --> 03:29:19,510
Unfortunately, not sure what packet you were delivered from the clerk the presentation was being developed over the course of the last few days

2441
03:29:19,510 --> 03:29:23,190
this is a refinement of information that the economic development subcommittee requested.

2442
03:29:23,450 --> 03:29:28,330
So perhaps you could explain to me where this information came from because you said applicants

2443
03:29:28,330 --> 03:29:32,010
with no response. So that means you reached out to them?

2444
03:29:32,710 --> 03:29:39,930
Correct. We had about 25 interested parties within the city who were interested in applying

2445
03:29:39,930 --> 03:29:43,990
for the Invest Palm Desert program as it was passed in January of this year.

2446
03:29:43,990 --> 03:29:51,670
70% of those respondents either said no or they weren't, excuse me, 70% of the 25 either

2447
03:29:51,670 --> 03:29:53,650
didn't respond at all or they said no, we aren't.

2448
03:30:00,000 --> 03:30:07,580
Moving forward. 13 percent of those respondents, and frankly, that's two, responded, yes, we

2449
03:30:07,580 --> 03:30:11,760
are moving forward and we have plans and we're working diligently to push our projects forward.

2450
03:30:11,960 --> 03:30:17,740
Clarification, we're only talking about 25 businesses or people who responded in January.

2451
03:30:18,600 --> 03:30:24,120
And when they responded, 70 percent said, no, thank you. And two people said, yes,

2452
03:30:24,400 --> 03:30:26,400
is that what you're saying here?

2453
03:30:26,400 --> 03:30:30,680
The first part is correct. I'm sorry that I'm offering a confusing explanation. The

2454
03:30:30,680 --> 03:30:35,040
first part was correct, that we had about 25 interested applicants in the Invest Palm

2455
03:30:35,040 --> 03:30:41,340
Desert program. The second part was following the April 5 economic development subcommittee

2456
03:30:41,340 --> 03:30:47,820
meeting, council members Jonathan and Kelly recommended that we reach out to those applicants

2457
03:30:47,820 --> 03:30:53,660
to see what was their interest in the Invest Palm Desert program. If you remember, at

2458
03:30:53,660 --> 03:30:57,660
the emergency meeting that was held by the council, it was recommended that we hold these

2459
03:30:57,660 --> 03:31:02,420
dollars, so put a, frankly, an administrative hold on the Invest Palm Desert Program.

2460
03:31:03,220 --> 03:31:07,600
I anticipated that the question from the council would be, well, if we are going to

2461
03:31:07,600 --> 03:31:12,180
reallocate the entire $2 million from the invest to the Economic Relief Program, what

2462
03:31:12,180 --> 03:31:16,600
impact would that have on the current interested applicants for the Invest Palm Desert Program?

2463
03:31:16,920 --> 03:31:18,560
And this is an attempt to explain that.

2464
03:31:19,160 --> 03:31:20,860
Yeah, because I'm very surprised.

2465
03:31:20,860 --> 03:31:24,920
I thought we had a lot of people that were very, very interested in this, and it doesn't

2466
03:31:24,920 --> 03:31:26,360
sound that way at all.

2467
03:31:26,560 --> 03:31:28,040
So I'm a little bit surprised.

2468
03:31:28,560 --> 03:31:32,240
Do you think they're puzzled because they had changed a little bit?

2469
03:31:32,620 --> 03:31:33,120
Or are they?

2470
03:31:33,180 --> 03:31:33,460
No.

2471
03:31:33,820 --> 03:31:34,160
No.

2472
03:31:34,260 --> 03:31:35,180
The interest was strong.

2473
03:31:35,360 --> 03:31:36,240
You're absolutely correct.

2474
03:31:36,360 --> 03:31:38,360
The interest was strong, very strong in the program.

2475
03:31:38,840 --> 03:31:41,880
And I anticipated that we'd have full subscription of the $2 million.

2476
03:31:42,640 --> 03:31:46,140
The problem is COVID hit, and so a lot of those programs were capital improvement

2477
03:31:46,140 --> 03:31:50,560
programs and business expansion programs, and they just simply can't move forward

2478
03:31:50,560 --> 03:31:51,540
in an uncertain future.

2479
03:31:55,360 --> 03:31:56,480
May I ask a question?

2480
03:32:01,930 --> 03:32:03,910
On Council Member Webber's

2481
03:32:04,470 --> 03:32:12,150
questioning, the two projects that it looks like it's a yes. Are they on

2482
03:32:12,150 --> 03:32:17,010
El Paseo or are they on San Pablo? Where are they? One is on 111 and one is on

2483
03:32:17,010 --> 03:32:21,850
what it's the bumping grind plaza and the other one is a business on 111.

2484
03:32:23,100 --> 03:32:30,780
bumping grand plaza. That's the former Tilted Killed and that adjacent building to the south?

2485
03:32:31,580 --> 03:32:36,800
I see. Thank you. Question? This is Mayor Pro Tem Kelly.

2486
03:32:39,520 --> 03:32:45,300
Is there a way to essentially

2487
03:32:45,300 --> 03:32:54,100
and top these recommendations, but stay in conversation with those two businesses long

2488
03:32:54,100 --> 03:33:03,080
enough for staff to reach a conclusion as to whether these projects would really help the city

2489
03:33:03,080 --> 03:33:14,340
emerge positively from the current challenge. Because if we have two businesses that want

2490
03:33:14,340 --> 03:33:22,120
to do something that would help us emerge constructively from present conditions. I

2491
03:33:22,120 --> 03:33:23,740
hate to just drop that.

2492
03:33:26,660 --> 03:33:30,160
If I understood your question correctly, yes. I believe there's

2493
03:33:30,160 --> 03:33:36,540
a way for us to be adaptable to the projects that are being proposed timelines. Keep in

2494
03:33:36,540 --> 03:33:42,380
mind there is also $1.9 million of economic development reserves available that could

2495
03:33:42,380 --> 03:33:44,940
be redirected towards those two individual projects.

2496
03:33:45,640 --> 03:33:51,120
As the program has proposed to you tonight, we're recommending that we unallocate from

2497
03:33:51,120 --> 03:33:57,220
Invest Palm Desert and suspend that program and then redirect those funds towards this

2498
03:33:57,220 --> 03:33:58,460
economic relief program.

2499
03:33:59,640 --> 03:34:03,720
So yes, there's a possibility we could work with those two businesses and find a way

2500
03:34:03,720 --> 03:34:07,460
to present this information to the council closer to the time that they're moving

2501
03:34:07,460 --> 03:34:07,960
forward.

2502
03:34:09,260 --> 03:34:12,500
you know it would be a conversation with the businesses obviously and I'm

2503
03:34:12,500 --> 03:34:18,440
happy to report back to the council what that would look like. I have a lot of

2504
03:34:18,440 --> 03:34:23,720
concern that if we had two businesses that went forward to the point

2505
03:34:23,720 --> 03:34:28,560
that did you say one or both were in front of ARC based on the fact that

2506
03:34:28,560 --> 03:34:34,080
there was a one-to-one match with the city I think we have to find a way

2507
03:34:34,080 --> 03:34:41,840
to make good on our word if they move forward or find a way to at least, you know, work with

2508
03:34:41,840 --> 03:34:46,520
them in some way. And so, as Mayor Pro Tem Kelly said, we got to keep the conversation

2509
03:34:46,520 --> 03:34:46,960
open.

2510
03:34:47,580 --> 03:34:53,300
And then I would just like to ask a question, too. In terms of repurposing this money

2511
03:34:53,300 --> 03:35:01,020
for COVID-related relief, under the impression or understanding, I should say, that FEMA

2512
03:35:01,020 --> 03:35:09,720
will reimburse the city 75 percent. So we can really expand the money that's being repurposed

2513
03:35:09,720 --> 03:35:14,480
because we're going to get 75 percent of it. Is that correct, Mr. Olson?

2514
03:35:16,120 --> 03:35:21,940
Mayor Nassanti, that's a great question. FEMA reimburses the city for expenses related

2515
03:35:21,940 --> 03:35:27,400
to the actual city expenses of typically emergency management, where we may be able

2516
03:35:27,400 --> 03:35:31,100
able to find match dollars for this is through the Economic Development Agency just put out

2517
03:35:31,100 --> 03:35:35,380
a new notice of funding under their grant program, and they have a very strong match program.

2518
03:35:35,520 --> 03:35:39,740
And I believe we could – I think we could construct this program in such a way that

2519
03:35:39,740 --> 03:35:44,900
we would be able to leverage those federal dollars, effectively reimbursing the million

2520
03:35:44,900 --> 03:35:45,260
dollars.

2521
03:35:45,720 --> 03:35:48,460
There'll be a little trick with, if it's forgivable, there's not really technically

2522
03:35:48,460 --> 03:35:50,440
a Revolving Loan Fund, and therefore immatchable.

2523
03:35:50,440 --> 03:35:58,480
but I believe the Economic Development Agency grant would be able to assist us with finding

2524
03:35:58,480 --> 03:36:04,800
some more dollars to direct towards this program and others. I don't know, Martin, I think you

2525
03:36:04,800 --> 03:36:07,520
were on the webinar as well. I don't know if you have anything, any thoughts?

2526
03:36:07,600 --> 03:36:13,820
Mayor, to answer your question, relative to FEMA, and I believe our city attorney is on a call

2527
03:36:13,820 --> 03:36:18,400
as well. I know his firm has done a lot of research and probably can apply on that particular

2528
03:36:18,400 --> 03:36:24,500
option question, but yes, Mr. Olsen is correct. There's possibly some EDA funds, economic

2529
03:36:24,500 --> 03:36:27,180
development agency funds that we're going to be trying to leverage.

2530
03:36:28,580 --> 03:36:33,660
We did get clarification from BB&K on this. They looked into it. We had initially thought

2531
03:36:33,660 --> 03:36:39,840
and hoped that economic development incentive programs would be reimbursable up to 75%

2532
03:36:39,840 --> 03:36:49,460
out of the CARES Act funding or out of FEMA and the final opinion out of BB&K was that that was

2533
03:36:49,460 --> 03:36:56,980
not the case and that it would not be eligible. If I could just add to that. HR6800 is being

2534
03:36:56,980 --> 03:37:01,160
reviewed by the House. I'm sure you all saw the news yesterday that's a stimulus for.

2535
03:37:02,140 --> 03:37:07,200
That will and does have language. I read the bill draft of the bill. It does have language

2536
03:37:07,200 --> 03:37:13,980
that would reimburse cities and rural areas that have populations less than $500,000 for

2537
03:37:13,980 --> 03:37:15,120
COVID-related expenses.

2538
03:37:16,180 --> 03:37:21,640
The U.S. Senate is suspicious of this bill as it's drafted, and so we'll have to wait

2539
03:37:21,640 --> 03:37:23,520
and see how that comes out of the federal government.

2540
03:37:23,600 --> 03:37:27,880
But there's a possibility there'll be another source of funds to reimburse this program as

2541
03:37:27,880 --> 03:37:32,380
well through stimulus for, but again, that's just in the early stages at the federal

2542
03:37:32,380 --> 03:37:32,660
level.

2543
03:37:33,500 --> 03:37:37,880
Also, it was my understanding that under the Original Cares Act, there was an allocation

2544
03:37:39,500 --> 03:37:42,400
through grants that could help fund this program.

2545
03:37:44,300 --> 03:37:49,640
My understanding, Bob, is that that program is for cities above $500,000 for reimbursements.

2546
03:37:50,380 --> 03:37:54,600
And my understanding is that there isn't additional money, and if it is additional

2547
03:37:54,600 --> 03:37:58,380
money, it's directed to the EDA as an administrator of those funds.

2548
03:37:58,380 --> 03:38:02,400
And so we would be, you know, tackling the same pot of funds either way.

2549
03:38:05,240 --> 03:38:07,720
Yeah, I have two questions.

2550
03:38:07,980 --> 03:38:13,780
Could you send your PowerPoint deck to the council members so we have a chance to review

2551
03:38:13,780 --> 03:38:15,020
it as well and have it?

2552
03:38:15,560 --> 03:38:15,980
Yes.

2553
03:38:16,480 --> 03:38:16,760
Okay.

2554
03:38:16,960 --> 03:38:22,380
And the second thing is I was on a phone call with SCAG today with congressman in

2555
03:38:22,380 --> 03:38:24,980
the SCAG area who discussed that bill.

2556
03:38:24,980 --> 03:38:32,220
If it's successful, and, you know, in the House of Representatives, it certainly may be, I don't know.

2557
03:38:32,480 --> 03:38:39,100
There's not even a Senate vote scheduled, and I'm not so sure it's the way it's written today.

2558
03:38:39,660 --> 03:38:41,620
It would be successful.

2559
03:38:42,180 --> 03:38:52,400
But there is an appropriation that would go through Sacramento and go to cities at a per capita formula that the first year would,

2560
03:38:52,400 --> 03:38:59,500
and let's see if I can get this right would give Palm Desert 19.6 the second year 19.6 million

2561
03:38:59,500 --> 03:39:11,420
the second year it would be 9.8 million but that's how it is today I am not so sure that this bill

2562
03:39:11,420 --> 03:39:18,400
as it's written is going to pass so that's all speculation if

2563
03:39:26,820 --> 03:39:29,200
there are any other questions

2564
03:39:29,200 --> 03:39:35,360
do we want to open this up? I don't see somebody. Somebody's raising their hand. The power point

2565
03:39:35,360 --> 03:39:42,340
is in my way. I can't see everybody. I can stop the share on that. Okay. Now I can see everybody.

2566
03:39:42,640 --> 03:39:43,460
Any other questions?

2567
03:39:47,730 --> 03:39:53,410
I don't see any. So having said that, are we open for discussion then?

2568
03:39:54,970 --> 03:40:03,230
Councilmember Jonathan. Thank you. So, first of all, Wayne or Thomas,

2569
03:40:03,410 --> 03:40:08,690
that was one groovy logo. I really dig it, rechanneling my hippie days here.

2570
03:40:11,250 --> 03:40:12,930
So, yeah,

2571
03:40:12,970 --> 03:40:15,910
I know a lot of the discussion was about in Best Palm Desert, but I want to shift the

2572
03:40:15,910 --> 03:40:21,610
focus a little bit to actually the item that's before us. And that's this economic

2573
03:40:22,530 --> 03:40:29,770
development incentive program. And I'm so proud of us. You know, small government is

2574
03:40:29,770 --> 03:40:34,590
able to react and pivot much more quickly than big government. And here we are doing

2575
03:40:34,590 --> 03:40:41,110
it. Invest Palm Desert made a lot of sense when we adopted it. And I really want to get back

2576
03:40:41,110 --> 03:40:44,730
to that program because I think it will be effective once we get through this crisis.

2577
03:40:45,250 --> 03:40:49,850
But to channel those dollars into something that is more impactful on helping our businesses

2578
03:40:49,850 --> 03:40:52,190
this is, I think, the right way to go.

2579
03:40:52,750 --> 03:40:57,250
One of the things that I really like about this program is that it doesn't duplicate

2580
03:40:57,250 --> 03:41:00,110
what's already out there, it supplements it.

2581
03:41:00,830 --> 03:41:06,230
And I think, as you said earlier, Wayne, so I think that that's very important.

2582
03:41:07,390 --> 03:41:14,190
I would support adopting the program, and then the Invest Palm Desert and the two

2583
03:41:14,190 --> 03:41:18,370
current applicants, that's kind of a thorny web because can we really accept two and

2584
03:41:18,370 --> 03:41:22,350
close the door to the others. It's it's a thorny issue. I don't think we need to

2585
03:41:22,350 --> 03:41:26,130
address that tonight. I think staff has heard that we want to continue conversations

2586
03:41:26,130 --> 03:41:31,910
with those applicants if they're standouts like wait if we if we invest in

2587
03:41:31,910 --> 03:41:35,450
them we're gonna have a brand new restaurant operating immediately employing

2588
03:41:35,450 --> 03:41:39,670
20 people or whatever we might say okay let's just do that those ones but

2589
03:41:39,670 --> 03:41:43,630
but otherwise we might not so I think that can just be as Mayor Pro Temps

2590
03:41:43,630 --> 03:41:46,090
to just a separate, I am a separate discussion.

2591
03:41:46,890 --> 03:41:48,390
But as it stands now,

2592
03:41:48,890 --> 03:41:50,710
I think that this is a terrific program.

2593
03:41:50,870 --> 03:41:52,290
I think it'll be very impactful

2594
03:41:52,290 --> 03:41:56,310
and will precisely target economic recovery.

2595
03:41:56,730 --> 03:41:59,290
I really like after our committee's discussion

2596
03:41:59,290 --> 03:42:00,490
what you came up with,

2597
03:42:00,850 --> 03:42:03,050
with regards to the hotel program,

2598
03:42:03,130 --> 03:42:04,550
rather than giving money to hotels

2599
03:42:05,000 --> 03:42:06,870
and wondering, you know, where's it gonna go?

2600
03:42:07,250 --> 03:42:10,110
We're creating a program that incentivizes tourists

2601
03:42:10,110 --> 03:42:13,310
to come back to Palm Desert and that's huge

2602
03:42:13,310 --> 03:42:18,030
because when they're here, they're going to be spending their money again and helping all

2603
03:42:18,030 --> 03:42:24,470
our other businesses and generating TOT and sales tax. So that's brilliant. So this is great.

2604
03:42:24,590 --> 03:42:25,990
I fully support it. Thank you.

2605
03:42:29,810 --> 03:42:34,130
Thank you, Council Member Jonathan of Mayor Pro Tem Kathleen Kelly.

2606
03:42:34,870 --> 03:42:41,310
All of you. Wonderful. I know you've worked hard on it. I appreciate all your hard efforts.

2607
03:42:41,310 --> 03:42:52,630
I just want to reinforce the suggestion that was just made as to the two people who did

2608
03:42:52,630 --> 03:43:02,370
want to move forward with an infest-farm-tessert application that our instruction is to stay

2609
03:43:02,370 --> 03:43:11,030
stay in conversation which means which encourages staff to exercise judgment to

2610
03:43:11,030 --> 03:43:17,850
reach a recommendation as to whether you think these projects really do move the

2611
03:43:17,850 --> 03:43:24,110
ball forward in a sufficiently significant way to come back and propose

2612
03:43:24,110 --> 03:43:26,190
that we dip into the pot.

2613
03:43:29,840 --> 03:43:32,880
Thank you councilmember mayor for Tim

2614
03:43:32,880 --> 03:43:35,280
Kathleen Kelly and I see Council Member Harding.

2615
03:43:35,980 --> 03:43:41,580
Just a couple of comments. I really want to thank Mayor Pro Tem Kelly and Council Member

2616
03:43:41,580 --> 03:43:48,120
Jonathan for all the work. And the economic development team and marketing has done an

2617
03:43:48,120 --> 03:43:53,840
amazing job. And everything that Savvy Jonathan said, everything that Kathleen Kelly said,

2618
03:43:54,060 --> 03:43:59,700
this is so impressive what we're doing and so inspiring. And this is the kind

2619
03:43:59,700 --> 03:44:05,920
thing we need to do right now to create that economic loop so that we generate the tax funds

2620
03:44:05,920 --> 03:44:13,880
that we want back in our city and we help our businesses. This is exciting. And Wayne and

2621
03:44:13,880 --> 03:44:21,560
Martine and Thomas disappeared, but I know he's somewhere there. This is really outstanding.

2622
03:44:21,860 --> 03:44:24,760
And thank you so much for all your hard work on this. Thank you.

2623
03:44:24,760 --> 03:44:25,480
All

2624
03:44:28,520 --> 03:44:36,700
right, with all the comments, are we ready to make a motion to adopt this new repurposing

2625
03:44:37,940 --> 03:44:39,900
of the economic development fund?

2626
03:44:40,740 --> 03:44:41,300
Move approval.

2627
03:44:42,260 --> 03:44:43,180
Do I have a second?

2628
03:44:45,570 --> 03:44:46,510
I'll second it then.

2629
03:44:46,790 --> 03:44:47,130
Okay.

2630
03:44:48,470 --> 03:44:49,410
All right.

2631
03:44:50,170 --> 03:44:52,190
City Clerk, may we please have roll call?

2632
03:45:02,420 --> 03:45:03,200
A roll floor, no.

2633
03:45:03,400 --> 03:45:03,840
A roll floor,軌 sprin.

2634
03:45:03,840 --> 03:45:04,500
Yes.

2635
03:45:05,940 --> 03:45:06,780
Councilman Johnathan.

2636
03:45:07,520 --> 03:45:07,960
Yes.

2637
03:45:09,000 --> 03:45:10,380
Mayor Pertim Kelly.ylci

2638
03:45:12,970 --> 03:45:15,290
Яел leuke ring. Councilmember

2639
03:45:15,670 --> 03:45:16,090
Webber.

2640
03:45:20,480 --> 03:45:20,860
Councilmember

2641
03:45:21,240 --> 03:45:24,260
Webber, you're muted. Yes.

2642
03:45:24,980 --> 03:45:25,400
And Mayor

2643
03:45:25,400 --> 03:45:26,900
Nistandi? Yes.

2644
03:45:27,520 --> 03:45:28,300
Motion carries

2645
03:45:28,300 --> 03:45:31,420
5-0 with the added recommendation, number three.

2646
03:45:34,420 --> 03:45:35,620
Okay, so

2647
03:45:35,620 --> 03:45:38,320
now we'll move on to mayor and council number coming.

2648
03:45:38,140 --> 03:45:39,400
coming.

2649
03:45:38,320 --> 03:45:40,680
comments. Councilmember Harnick?

2650
03:45:43,630 --> 03:45:46,750
I had so much and I wouldn't dare after this length

2651
03:45:46,750 --> 03:45:51,350
of a meeting give it to you right now. So, it was all RCTC and all Southern California

2652
03:45:51,350 --> 03:45:56,130
Association of Governments and there's good news and medium news, but it's all the news

2653
03:45:56,130 --> 03:46:00,970
that you would expect. So, I'll share it another time. Thank you. Councilmember Jonathan.

2654
03:46:02,330 --> 03:46:08,890
In that spirit, none. Thank you. Councilmember Kessling. I'm going to say Mayor Pro Tem

2655
03:46:08,890 --> 03:46:19,670
Captain. There we go. Not, not sensitive about that. I would say none, except I have to share with

2656
03:46:19,670 --> 03:46:32,410
you all that at the last regional council meeting of SCAC, our colleague, Jen Harnick, was chosen to be

2657
03:46:32,410 --> 03:46:42,690
the nominees that will come before the General Assembly to be second Vice President of the

2658
03:46:42,690 --> 03:46:49,190
SKAG Regional Council, which puts her in the line of discussion.

2659
03:46:50,790 --> 03:46:51,290
Congratulations.

2660
03:46:51,590 --> 03:47:02,370
And it's just super to have a prompt desert in such a significant position of influence.

2661
03:47:04,010 --> 03:47:05,790
Congratulations. Thank you.

2662
03:47:06,970 --> 03:47:07,830
Health member Weber.

2663
03:47:09,530 --> 03:47:21,570
Yes, my only comment is that I'm very appreciative of the committees, commissions, and the other organizations that we sit on for coming together so quickly with this marble.

2664
03:47:21,570 --> 03:47:26,910
and Bench and Zoom so that we can have meetings and get back to business because I have found

2665
03:47:26,910 --> 03:47:30,790
it very helpful for us to be getting back to business because time goes by really fast.

2666
03:47:31,310 --> 03:47:36,370
Thank you, Mayor. That's all I have. Thank you. All right. And so Ben,

2667
03:47:36,990 --> 03:47:42,910
are there any City Council requests for action? Just a real quick one. And that's Mayor Pro Tem

2668
03:47:43,810 --> 03:47:47,370
Kelly said it, I think was on last meeting, something about the

2669
03:47:47,370 --> 03:47:58,870
signs at San Luis Rey and El Paseo and it's like it's oh my gosh be careful delays it's

2670
03:47:58,870 --> 03:48:06,790
terrible I think a sign that said temporary four-way stop ahead would be

2671
03:48:06,790 --> 03:48:13,550
sufficient rather than you know portraying terrible delays and awful

2672
03:48:13,550 --> 03:48:16,750
for a voting type of remark.

2673
03:48:17,250 --> 03:48:18,710
So if we could change those,

2674
03:48:18,910 --> 03:48:20,930
just to say four ways stop ahead,

2675
03:48:21,470 --> 03:48:24,090
I think we'd be in better shape, that's it.

2676
03:48:24,770 --> 03:48:25,670
Okay, thank you.

2677
03:48:25,870 --> 03:48:26,450
City Manager.

2678
03:48:27,430 --> 03:48:28,070
No report.

2679
03:48:28,790 --> 03:48:29,470
City Attorney.

2680
03:48:32,610 --> 03:48:33,090
No report.

2681
03:48:33,750 --> 03:48:34,270
City Clerk.

2682
03:48:35,350 --> 03:48:37,390
Just a reminder of the budget study session

2683
03:48:37,390 --> 03:48:40,490
on Tuesday, May 19th, 1 to 5 p.m.

2684
03:48:41,290 --> 03:48:42,910
Okay, moving right along.

2685
03:48:42,910 --> 03:48:48,030
We will move on to the Board of Directors of the Successor Agency to the Palm Desert

2686
03:48:48,030 --> 03:48:49,150
Redevelopment Agency.

2687
03:48:49,570 --> 03:48:57,320
They've already gone through the Consent Calendar and are there any, there's no consent items

2688
03:48:57,320 --> 03:48:57,860
held over.

2689
03:48:58,100 --> 03:49:02,680
Reports remarked, the Successor Agency Board items requiring action, Executive Director.

2690
03:49:03,300 --> 03:49:04,160
No report.

2691
03:49:04,920 --> 03:49:06,920
Chair and members of the Successor Agency.

2692
03:49:09,380 --> 03:49:20,470
Okay, then we'll move on to the common housing authority and the consent calendar we've already gone through. There were no consent items held over.

2693
03:49:20,930 --> 03:49:27,570
Are there any reports, remarks and authority board items requiring action? Executive director.

2694
03:49:28,230 --> 03:49:28,650
No report.

2695
03:49:29,150 --> 03:49:30,610
Chairman and members of the authority.

2696
03:49:33,550 --> 03:49:38,310
Okay. And then lastly, City Clerk, are there any other comments that need to be read into the record?

2697
03:49:38,810 --> 03:49:39,870
None. Thank you.

2698
03:49:39,870 --> 03:49:50,650
with that we will adjourn this meeting thank you thank you everybody and all

2699
03:49:50,650 --> 03:49:56,650
right enjoy that what's rest of enjoy what's the rest of your evening mayor

2700
03:49:56,650 --> 03:50:01,710
your pro tem are we on for tomorrow morning I have a somewhat busy day