[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[1:57] I would like to note that the interpreter for this evening is Jose González. Mr. González, please raise your hand. And you can ask him for a listing devices if you would like interpretation services. On this day, de Yamara, la junta, orden, me gustaría notar que contamos conservicios de interpretación para esta junta, el señor González dasentado atras. I'd like to call this meeting to order for the city council meeting of September 1, 2026. Madam Clerk, can you please call the roll?
[2:27] Council Member Aguilar, here, Council Member Pataya, here, Council Member Soto, here, Mayor Potemploris, here, the Mayor Patina, here.
[2:36] The next item on the agenda is
[2:42] the proclamation for claiming September 20th, 26th, as Library Cards signed up month in the City of Santa Maria.
[2:49] And Council Member Flores will be making that presentation.
[2:52] Thank you, Madam Mayor.
[2:53] It says whereas library card sign-up month was created in 1987 as a national campaign sponsored by the American Library Association, the National Commission Commission on Libraries and Information Science and libraries across the country to emphasize the importance of library cards to a child's education and whereas libraries play a crucial role in the education and development of children, offering a
[3:23] a variety of programs to spark creativity, stimulate an interest in reading, learning, and
[3:29] whereas libraries provide a learning environment that fosters joyful exploration and
[3:36] encourages residents to research subjects that they are curious about.
[3:41] And whereas library cards provide residents with endless possibilities to connect to
[3:47] resources and information, which will positively impact their quality of life.
[3:52] And whereas a library card empowers all people to pursue their dreams,
[3:58] explore new passions and interests and open doors of opportunity.
[4:03] And whereas the Santa Maria Public Library encourages community members to take advantage of the library's many resources,
[4:12] print, electronics, material, database, especially programming and free services to support early literacy skills.
[4:22] and continuing lifelong educational support.
[4:26] Now therefore, I Alice Patino, Mayor of the City of Santa Maria,
[4:30] they're hereby proclaim September, 2026,
[4:34] as library card sign up month.
[4:38] And accepting the proclamation,
[4:45] I didn't have your name.
[4:47] Sorry about that.
[5:17] Good evening, Mayor Patino and council members.
[5:22] My name is Charlene Glines-Bacowicz and I am a member of the Santa Maria Library Foundation.
[5:29] Thank you so much for your recognition and proclamation of September as Library Sign Up month.
[5:36] The theme this year is a library card hits all the right notes.
[5:42] To obtain a free permanent library card and enjoy hitting all those right notes as you read a classic story,
[5:49] Learn a new skill or find your rhythm and music.
[5:53] Discussions or crafts.
[5:55] Community members may sign up at the main library.
[5:59] Or the branch libraries in Orcket, Guadalupe,
[6:03] Los Alamos and Cuoyema.
[6:05] You may also begin an application online
[6:08] to our library's website or sign up with the bookmobile
[6:12] that makes one of its 11 regular weekly stops
[6:16] around our community.
[6:17] A library card is an official credential issued by the public library that grants you
[6:24] borrowing privileges and access to library resources.
[6:29] There are a wide range of resources and public programs for all ages.
[6:34] That includes the very young children, teens, and of course, our adults.
[6:40] These are free and available with your library card.
[6:43] So in addition to the stories that are being read for all ages, early literacy events,
[6:49] the library offers, teens and adults, some very interesting activities as well.
[6:55] There's a youth and teen summer reading program, crafty construction for hands-on building
[7:00] activities, family-friendly concerts and performances, makerspace with 3D printing, art projects,
[7:08] Creative Building, a jumbo scramble,
[7:12] which is a competitive word game for adults and older teens,
[7:16] and the library of things that's card holders check out
[7:21] and try at home items such as violence,
[7:26] sewing machine, digital camera, microscope,
[7:30] telescope, GoPro, and even a Dremel rotary tool.
[7:35] So, in addition to these exciting programs and physical books and material, the library
[7:40] resources and services include help with homework, passport processing, veteran services,
[7:47] and workshops on wheels, trusts, estate planning, and so much more.
[7:52] It's easy to see how a free library card hits all those right notes by helping the community
[7:58] Community members build relationships, share ideas, increase learning, and save time and money on materials, program, and services afforded by the library.
[8:10] So this September, the library does invite all community members that do not have a library card to sign up at their nearest library location.
[8:19] Use the book mobile or course, begin that application online from home.
[8:25] So, thank you.
[8:28] Thank you very much.
[8:30] I don't think people realize this is not the library of the 1950s or the 60s or the 70s.
[8:35] There's so much in this library.
[8:37] And thank you for listing all of that.
[8:40] And I notice when I was reading some of the things for reading for people with dementia also,
[8:45] which I think is very important.
[8:46] A lot of people are digging with that in their homes today.
[8:50] Thank you very much.
[8:51] The
[8:54] next proclamation will be proclaiming the month of September, September, as National Preparedness Month in the City of San Ram, and Council Member Bataya will be presenting.
[9:10] I will read it.
[9:11] Council Member Hernandez will be presenting.
[9:13] Whereas National Preparedness Month is recognized in September to promote disaster and emergency planning throughout the year
[9:18] and whereas all residents organization and businesses are encouraged to take proactive steps to prepare for emergencies,
[9:25] including making an emergency plan, building a disaster kit and staying informed about local hazards
[9:30] and whereas the City of Santa Maria provides emergency preparedness training
[9:34] and guidance to the community with measure you funding.
[9:37] And whereas preparedness relies on the active participation of all residents to enhance their collective resilience and readiness for any disaster or emergency type.
[9:48] And whereas the city of Santa Maria recognizes and is grateful for local first responders, emergency managers, public safety professionals, and community partners who stand ready to serve and protect our community.
[10:00] And whereas the 2026 National Preparedness theme,
[10:04] American Stand Ready serves as a reminder that when Americans take steps to prepare for disasters and keep their family safe,
[10:11] every neighborhood and community is more resilient.
[10:15] Now therefore, Alice Patino, the mayor of Santa Maria, here by public claims September as National Preparedness Month in the city of Santa Maria and encourages all residents, families and local businesses to review emergency procedures.
[10:28] visit Ready.gov for guidance and work together to build a safer and more resilient community.
[10:35] She therefore has here to set her hand and has caused the seal of the City of Santa Maria to be a fix here to this first day of September 2026.
[10:45] And here to accept it is Roy Dugger emergency services specialist.
[10:50] Okay.
[11:08] Sit your clocks. Thank you all. Thank you all for doing the good work briefly. I just want to thank the city, the departments and divisions for all the good work that they're doing to continue to work on emergency response plans and our has mitigation and our continuity of operations plans in association with the city management and the departments were continuing to improve those processes every day. And we're also already started a process for being
[11:37] ready for these winter storms that we will either have or have not depending on what
[11:41] other nature decides, but we're working on it anyway.
[11:44] So thank you all very much, appreciate it, and you all know where to find me.
[11:47] So rather than take time this evening, come see me and I'll address your fears wherever they may be.
[11:54] Thank you.
[11:55] Mr. Dagger, do we still have the least dose program?
[11:59] I have an underground least dose program.
[12:01] Okay.
[12:02] Well, given, for obvious reasons, Spanish language, education, and also outreaching to all
[12:13] segments of our community, some of that needs to be done in a sensitive manner to ensure
[12:18] everybody's safety.
[12:20] So, but I'm working with community partners to ensure that those materials are accessible.
[12:26] I'll also do it in English, of course, on a regular basis.
[12:30] And then we have another program we are actually coordinating with the state.
[12:34] We'll be hosting here in Santa Maria this month, in honor of a rinse per per nurse month.
[12:39] But it will be in Spanish, specifically to serve another segment of our population.
[12:46] Thank you.
[12:49] The next item on the agenda is public comment, and Madam Clerk, can you please read the criteria?
[12:56] Speakers may provide public comment on any matter within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city council each speaker will be limited to three minutes maximum 15 minutes for public comment period unless the majority of the council rejects the mayor may provide speakers more or less time to speak all comments or queries shall be addressed to the council's a body and not to any specific member there have pursued the government code section five four nine five four two eight two the Ralph M Brown Act no action or discussion by the city council shall be undertaken on
[13:25] any item not appearing on the post of the agenda except to briefly provide information,
[13:30] ask for clarification, provide direction to staff, or schedule a matter for future meetings.
[13:35] Those on Zoom and wishing to speak during public comment, please use the raised-your-hand
[13:39] feature for a callers using a phone, press star nine.
[13:44] Thank you.
[13:45] First, I name I have here is Gary Hall, followed by Gwenna Mayor Cannon.
[13:51] Mr. Hall.
[13:51] Good
[14:02] evening, Madam Mayor, Council members, staff, and citizens of Santa Maria.
[14:09] My name is Gary Hall.
[14:11] I am a resident of Ranchal Buena Vista Mobile Estates at 21 and 35 North Railroad Avenue
[14:16] here in Santa Maria.
[14:18] I represent the North Santa Barbara County, Manufactured Homeowners Team, or Nesbit.
[14:25] Nesbit's primary goal, you've heard it all before, remains to provide protection to all
[14:31] Santa Maria Mobile Home Residence presently living in an unregulated rental market.
[14:37] Yes, we continue to ask the city of Santa Maria to stand with us in maintaining affordable
[14:43] housing.
[14:45] Affordable mobile home living is vanishing here in Santa Maria and all across the state.
[14:52] As I have stated previously, I was encouraged at the June 16 meeting.
[14:57] When I heard both council members.
[15:00] Senator Soto and battalion voice support. For bringing forward a discussion of the Mobile
[15:05] Home Model lease and enforcement agreement. And again, I thank you both. I'm remaining
[15:12] hopeful that their action will soon open the door to exposing the flaws that are embedded
[15:18] in the two documents and how far those documents miss the goal of maintaining affordable mobile
[15:25] home housing which of course was what it was intended to do. I continue to believe that
[15:32] now is the time to take action to replace the model ease with a uniform mandatory enforceable
[15:40] mobile home rent stabilization program much like those in our neighboring city and county jurisdictions.
[15:49] On August 4th you unanimously pass the motion introducing the ordinance of mending title 12
[15:55] by adding chapter 12-25b, the SMHP Senior Mobile Home Park Overlay District.
[16:03] You responded to our plea for protection from inappropriate mobile home park conversions.
[16:11] Thank you.
[16:13] On tonight's agenda is your opportunity to adopt the ordinance.
[16:18] Please do so and help save our senior mobile home parks.
[16:23] Thank you.
[16:23] Gwen
[16:26] of Air Cannon.
[16:33] Good evening, Ms. Cannon.
[16:35] Good evening, Your Honor. On my first item I want to talk about is safety.
[16:43] And I think I've been here last year talking about safety.
[16:47] I was actually in a business on the weekend.
[16:52] I was very concerned there was a couple of people in this business who had ankle bracelets on.
[17:00] And they were actually began to actually take from this business.
[17:06] They're actually stealing.
[17:07] My question is that who's monitoring the ankle bracelet?
[17:11] Are these of these bracelets on their ankles to keep them at a certain distance, certain miles, or where they live?
[17:17] Because they have these bracelets on, but whose mind is the probationary on the search or the police department?
[17:26] Because they're still doing crime.
[17:28] And so, I'm just wondering what's the purpose of the ankle break?
[17:31] Maybe it needs to be on their hands.
[17:33] I don't know, but I will like from one of the officers, and I do think the police department for doing such a great job here in this city, but there are just some things that I don't quite understand if they're going to have on these ankle bracelets and they still do climb, I think they should be locked up.
[17:51] I don't think they should be out in the public because I was a little bit concerned with someone and they said let's go, you know, so here this business without two people that was going to purchase in that business.
[18:03] The second thing I have is the
[18:09] hospitals here. I don't know what you as a mayor can do, but it's an overcrowded hospital.
[18:16] have to take someone to the hospital and it was 4 to 5 hour wait and that tells me that
[18:22] we need another hospital, we can't sustain the city with the population.
[18:31] So therefore, something has to be done because there are people in this, in the ER, they
[18:36] were moaning and groaning and, you know, I think that it comes down to saving someone's
[18:42] life.
[18:43] So either someone, I've been trying to talk with this hospital administrator and ask what's
[18:49] your plan for this coming year to alleviate this 4-hour, 5-hour weight and the nurses
[18:57] and the doctors doing the best they can with what they have to work with.
[19:01] So someone is mining that ship and I would love to know who is mining that ship.
[19:06] And the third thing is the library, I love the library, I do go to the library, but I noticed that there used to be some city ranchers kind of posted out there.
[19:19] I don't see them anymore, and I'm wondering because this I used to go about five o'clock maybe before 30 are they.
[19:28] Taken off do you realize that something that's not happening now because you know, it still needs to be some type of security there.
[19:36] especially where the garage area, because it's pretty dark in there.
[19:40] You have people coming in and going, do you have this, you have people there who do not have good intentions coming in going.
[19:48] So I think that if there's funds that was taken away on that project,
[19:55] it should be probably, those funds should be put back into the police department.
[20:01] So for safety reasons.
[20:02] Thank you Mrs. Cannon, I will have Mr. Rollins get a hold of you to answer these questions for you.
[20:08] That's all I have.
[20:09] Thank you.
[20:09] Thank you.
[20:11] Jeffrey Wheeler.
[20:20] Good afternoon council members and Mayor Patino.
[20:24] Good evening Mr. Wheeler.
[20:26] Okay.
[20:27] Why do we drive on parkways and park in driveways?
[20:34] As with our language, sometimes our world seems a little bit upside down.
[20:37] I'd like to talk to you a little bit about parking this evening.
[20:42] Dr. Donald Choup of UCLA wrote a book called The High Cost of Free Parking.
[20:48] He promotes three principles that have been used in many places already.
[20:53] One is called charge for on-street parking at the fair market value.
[21:00] Pricing in residential neighborhoods could be an escalating scale, more for a second or third permit.
[21:07] Allowing and charging more for people from outside the neighborhood.
[21:11] There are many modern and flexible parking management technologies and companies do away with parking minimums.
[21:22] Let the free market and the developers decide how many spaces they want to provide.
[21:31] From the on-street parking income, put it back into the neighborhood that it's generated in.
[21:37] It could go for things like public benches, waste baskets, more patrols, and traffic
[21:45] comming such as curb extensions and more.
[21:51] This year the City Council approved permit parking for the neighborhood just north
[21:55] of Pioneer Valley High School.
[21:58] This is a nice neighborhood with large lots, two and three car garages in driveways.
[22:03] They had a problem with unlicensed teenage drivers parking inappropriately, perhaps partially
[22:10] blocking driveways. They followed the traffic committee's procedure collecting signatures
[22:15] of a majority of the homeowners. Most people didn't park on the street. The ones that did
[22:21] about 15% voted against the permitted parking which would cost them. The homeowners who didn't
[22:28] need the on street parking prevail. They didn't buy any permits. They didn't need them. They could
[22:35] park their cars and their garages in large driveways.
[22:39] They have now essentially reserved their curb space so others can't park there.
[22:44] Only neighborhood residents can park there.
[22:47] Only they can park, can buy permits.
[22:51] Our youth still don't have driver's licenses and still don't know how to park with consideration.
[22:57] The root of the problem isn't solved.
[23:00] What's perhaps ironic is that our city has put out a video this year about how we are not to put traffic
[23:06] cones or other items on the street in order to reserve parking spaces in front of our homes.
[23:12] It tells us that when we bought our house we did not purchase the street pavement.
[23:17] It does not belong to us.
[23:19] The cost of a permit in our city is very low. It's something like $14 for five years.
[23:26] Okay. I'll leave it at that. I'd like to quote our director, Public Works, who once said something like street pavement is our greatest liability and our biggest asset. Let's put it to work for us. Thank you.
[23:41] Thank you, Mr. Wheeler. We will now move to the consent calendar. Does anyone have items they wish to call for discussion?
[23:48] Madam Mayor, let me just ask the caller if they want to speak.
[23:52] I'm sorry, go ahead.
[23:53] So do your note takers caller on Zoom.
[23:56] If you're wishing to speak, please raise your hand.
[24:02] That concludes Madam Mayor.
[24:03] Thank you.
[24:04] Well now I move on to the consent calendar.
[24:06] Does anyone have items they wish to pull for discussion?
[24:15] Item 63 for a separate vote.
[24:23] That's the City Council salaries.
[24:25] Okay.
[24:26] Anyone else have anything they want?
[24:27] Do you
[24:35] want to speak okay that is the separate vote just a separate vote okay I'd
[24:46] like to
[24:47] make a motion that we approve the consent calendar excluding 6 a 3 second
[24:55] I have a motion and a
[24:57] second and the discussion Harry Nunn Madam Clerk can you please call the roll.
[25:01] Council member Aguilera aye.
[25:03] Okay, Councilmember Bataya.
[25:04] All right.
[25:05] Councilmember Rosetta.
[25:06] Aye.
[25:06] Mayor Patina Flores.
[25:08] Aye.
[25:08] Mayor Patina.
[25:09] Aye.
[25:10] Thank you.
[25:11] I will move that we approve item 6A3.
[25:18] I'll second.
[25:20] I have a motion and a second.
[25:22] Any discussion?
[25:24] Very none.
[25:25] Madam Clerk, can you please call the roll.
[25:26] Councilmember Aguilara.
[25:28] Aye.
[25:28] Councilmember Bataya.
[25:29] All right.
[25:29] Councilmember Rosetta.
[25:30] No.
[25:31] Mayor Patina Flores.
[25:32] Aye.
[25:32] Mayor Patina.
[25:33] Aye.
[25:33] All right.
[25:34] Motion carries.
[25:35] Thank you.
[25:36] Thank you.
[25:38] So now, the next we'll go to report by David Rowland, City Manager.
[25:46] Thank you, Madam Mayor and Council.
[25:48] Just today, I want to talk about briefly of a quality of life issue out there.
[25:53] Invested in our future called measure of seeds of housing sales tax.
[25:56] We'll be conducting four town hall meetings on the following dates and locations.
[26:01] Monday, September 14th at the Grogon Community Center.
[26:05] Monday, September 21st, at the Edwards Community Center,
[26:10] Monday, September 28th, at Menami Community Center,
[26:14] and on Monday, October 5th at Shepherd Hall.
[26:17] The meetings will be from 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm.
[26:21] We are using these meetings to provide educational information
[26:24] on measure C, and to answer any questions
[26:27] from the community residents.
[26:29] And Spanish interpretation will be provided,
[26:32] and we will do a press release on this,
[26:33] to put our web page as well to ensure people attend the meeting and that's what I have for tonight, thank you.
[26:38] Thank you.
[26:39] We'll now get the, go over to the oral reports of council members.
[26:45] Go ahead and start getting Madam Mayor.
[26:46] Council Member Flores.
[26:47] Thank you, Madam Mayor.
[26:50] August 27th, I went to a town hall meeting to support council member Bataya.
[26:55] August 26th, the day of hope.
[26:57] I hope August 29th, I was in Lompow for Communify for the Policy and Council Recognition.
[27:05] Thank you.
[27:06] Council Member Betayev.
[27:08] Good Saturday, August 15th, I attended Day of the Hope, I'm sorry, Day in the Park.
[27:13] Sunday, August 16th, I attended the Boys and Girls Club Barbecue.
[27:17] Thursday, August 20th, I attended the Saturday Police Community Academy.
[27:23] Thursday, August 27th, I hosted a town hall meeting in District 1.
[27:27] Thank you.
[27:29] Councilmember Hernandez?
[27:31] Yes. On August 21st, I went to the grand opening of fighting back Santa Maria's center.
[27:37] It's a brand new center where young adults can go and get some resources, which is really
[27:44] great.
[27:45] And then on August 26th, I attended the day of hope.
[27:48] We sold a lot of newspapers on Broadway and Cooke and the community really came out.
[27:56] I mean, I was just, I'm always impressed, but it was really amazing.
[28:01] We don't have car accidents, nobody gets run over, but most importantly, we raise so much money.
[28:08] The entire community from 9 to 12 is all out in different corners, raising money for cancer patients.
[28:14] It's just really amazing to see that in the city of Santa Maria.
[28:18] Thank you.
[28:20] Councilmember Soto?
[28:21] thank you. On Monday, October, October, August 10th, I attended a meeting regarding the Cook
[28:32] Street Apartments potential development project that we've been in discussions on. On Wednesday,
[28:41] August 12th, I attended a closed session city council meeting on Thursday, August 13th. I attended a
[28:50] meeting on affordable housing with the home team of Santa Barbara County and our community development team on Friday.
[29:00] So I keep saying October on Friday, August 21st, I attended the grant opening for fighting back Santa Maria's navigation center.
[29:08] A big congratulations to them.
[29:10] It's a big win for our community and I also attended the 13th annual day of hope.
[29:22] event here on the corner of Cook and Broadway, and thank you so much to all the residents who supported
[29:30] dignity health and mission hope, it was such a great event.
[29:34] And thank you to that very generous donor who gave me a $100 bill for cancer patients.
[29:39] So, congratulations and thank you to the community, that's all Madam Mayor.
[29:43] Thank you.
[29:45] August 6 and 10 at a laugh co meeting, and Cal City's virtual roundtable impacts on SB 357 and city responses on the August 11th attended recreation.
[30:00] Opposition and parks commission meeting. On August 12, I attended the North County Subregional Planning Committee meeting in Solving, and the closed session for city council. On August 13, I attended the Santa Maria Airport Board meeting. On August 18, I attended the YMCA Social. On August 20, I attended SBCA Board of Directors meeting. And I think the one thing that came out of the Board of Directors meeting is important.
[30:28] our call boxes of 135.
[30:31] And SBK will be making the determination whether or not we're going to be keeping call boxes in Santa Barbara County.
[30:38] And it seemed like the people from the South part of the county didn't feel it was necessary.
[30:42] But I do think that, and we may need to put this on an agenda, future agenda,
[30:49] because people don't realize when they go from Santa Maria to Koyama, there's many, many dead zones.
[30:55] And I think just out of safety, we need to keep some of those call boxes open.
[31:02] The cell phones don't, don't, if I'm going to, and I go over there frequently.
[31:07] But if I'm going to make a call, I don't plan on getting anyone.
[31:12] And then I will maybe finish it up when I get to Kuyama, because of the dead zones.
[31:17] So I think that something that people in San Maria need to be aware of.
[31:22] Also, SBKG has put out, we have applications to be on advisory committee for SBKG to talk about 135 and so we will be selecting four people from Santa Maria, four people from the Orchid area and three people at large.
[31:37] So get in your applications to SBKG and I think probably in the middle of September is when all applications need to be done.
[31:45] And so if you bike, if you walk, if you drive a car, if you ride a bus, we need to hear from you and need to know what our needs are.
[31:54] As of Monday, I think we had 40 applicants, so people are interested.
[32:04] That's what I say.
[32:07] That afternoon, I attended the APCD Board meeting on August 21st, I attended the grand opening for
[32:14] for fighting back the Navigation Center.
[32:17] For people who've been following fighting back Santa Maria Valley,
[32:20] we have come a long way in the past 20 plus years.
[32:25] And the Navigation Center is to help young people navigate through their life.
[32:31] And I know we have taken two kids out of the riverbed and
[32:36] place them in housing and make sure that they have something to look forward to.
[32:43] they can go to school or they will help them get a job and that's so important so
[32:49] that we don't see them in the future out on our streets or somebody else's streets.
[32:54] On August 22nd, attended the Day of Hope Car Show and attended the California
[33:01] Women for Ag meeting and on August 25th, it attended Unity Shop Focus Group and August 26th,
[33:12] We're all out there for the annual day of hope at Broadway.
[33:16] Some of us were at Broadway and cooked.
[33:17] Some of us were up in Beterabia and I attended on August 29th, the Santa Maria Natural History Museum, 30th anniversary, which was very nice that was outdoors and so we have nothing else.
[33:36] Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes tonight's council meeting.
[33:39] Have a wonderful night.