[3:19] Mr. Mayor, we are live.

[3:24] Thank you, Rigo. Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the regular meetings of the

[3:29] Wooder City Council, the Wooder redevelopment successor agency, and the Wooder Utility Authority

[3:34] for Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025, which are now called to order. Rigo, please call the roll.

[3:41] Yes, thank you, council member Warner. Council member Pateco, council member Deutra,

[3:47] Mayor Pro Tem Martinez.

[3:49] Here.

[3:49] Mayor of Initari.

[3:51] Here.

[3:51] You have a corner.

[3:51] Thank you.

[3:53] This evening, the Pleasure Allegiance will be led by the Vice Mayor Mayor Pro Tem.

[4:02] Octavio Martinez.

[4:03] Let's all stand, please.

[4:09] Please remove your hats or covers.

[4:12] The veterans you may salute.

[4:13] End of your heart.

[4:15] Ready, begin.

[4:41] Tonight, once again very, very cool, we get to recognize the Sernah Goff team for their

[4:59] to make it special and make sure that we acknowledge you. So let me introduce a couple people.

[5:05] First of all, we're going to start with the superintendent, Dr. Monica Oviedo. Monica, you're there.

[5:16] Let's see here, Monica, I see Russell from the high school district where Russell

[5:25] Kassaneta Kayeros. You're here. Thank you for being here also.

[5:33] And from the high school,

[5:35] we have Mrs. Grisolda Castro. She's the principal.

[5:44] We have Randy Castillo, the assistant principal,

[5:52] and we have the coach, right? Jared Zavala.

[6:00] And we got the, of course, the golf team.

[6:02] guys, if you would.

[6:10] So what I'm going to do is I'm going to come on down to the

[6:14] lectern and we've got a couple things we want to say.

[6:38] So let's do this. The guys come on up.

[6:44] Coach come on over here.

[6:51] So I want to make sure that we see a couple things about what you all have

[6:56] I mean CIF, right?

[7:00] Yeah.

[7:00] Vision one, right?

[7:02] Yeah.

[7:03] You're the best, right?

[7:06] Yeah.

[7:07] So, so they've won the 2020-25 CIF Southern Section Division 1 title on May 19th against Santa Margarita.

[7:17] And you won by one stroke?

[7:19] We did.

[7:19] Is that cool or what?

[7:21] Yeah, one stroke.

[7:22] A little bit of pressure.

[7:23] A lot of pressure.

[7:24] A lot of pressure.

[7:24] Exactly. Team score of 360. Okay. Yeah. And this is for for the team. This is a first ever

[7:35] Southern section CIF championship in school history, right?

[7:40] For division one. Yeah.

[7:44] I think coach. We've had some division. What wins in the past?

[7:51] but never individual one never for the school for the district for the district. Okay, so what I'd like you to do is

[7:58] come up and give us a couple remarks and I see some things here and I've also got some certificates for everyone.

[8:06] So come on up, tell us a little bit about what this was all about how this happened.

[8:14] Okay, well I

[8:16] we started out the year winning league, the real league championship,

[8:22] we have, well, let me finish

[8:24] how we finished the year. So after Del Real League, we went to CF individuals. We had one player

[8:31] tied for first, that would be just a good tier, is he tied for first at CF individuals, which

[8:35] was really tough, over 120 golfers there. Then we went to the next round and we qualified for

[8:43] for the Southern California Regional.

[8:46] And the Southern California Regional,

[8:49] Championship is San Diego, their section.

[8:53] It's LA city schools, it's central section,

[8:57] and then it's Southern section, and we won that too.

[8:59] So, and I think that's the first time we've ever won that.

[9:04] So, and that's, you know,

[9:06] winning division once you have to as a huge accomplishment,

[9:08] but then you're now you're playing against the best teams

[9:10] in all the sections.

[9:11] And so, then we went to state and we got to go to Pebble Beach, yeah, pretty cool.

[9:18] And we ended up playing at Poppy Hills and we did well, we ended up, so we ended up fourth

[9:23] at state.

[9:24] But the way I look at it is we're the number one seed from Southern California and we're

[9:29] or champs, division one champs and all that.

[9:32] So do you want me to introduce me to you?

[9:34] Yeah, I wanted to introduce everyone, if you would and then I see some plaques over here, I want

[9:39] you to hold them up so we can look at them.

[9:40] Okay, for sure, for sure.

[9:42] Okay, so last, oh, boy.

[9:45] So the team consisted last year,

[9:48] the six individuals that you see,

[9:50] five juniors and one sophomore.

[9:52] So the whole team is returning this year.

[9:54] So hopefully we'll be back next year.

[10:01] So to the left, we have Jacob Torres.

[10:07] And then next to Jacob Torres,

[10:09] Jacob's a senior and are only sophomore in the team

[10:12] after and this year is a junior as Hill Wayne.

[10:17] And then Tyler Yao, next on his right,

[10:23] and Andrew Rodriguez,

[10:29] Jacob Polymaris,

[10:33] and then we have Joseph Gutierrez.

[10:37] And then if I, if I, another accomplishment, you know, it's great winning championships, but I think at the end of the day, you just want the kids to be successful beyond, you know, not only on the golf course, but in the classroom and so forth.

[10:50] So we do have, it looks like we have four, maybe five commits for next year, after the

[10:57] graduate.

[10:58] So I think this is right, Joseph's verbally committed to West

[11:02] content.

[11:04] Do you know where?

[11:07] Okay.

[11:08] So Jacob Pumaras, he's got two offers from D2 schools, right?

[11:13] So he's going to make a decision, probably, in the near future.

[11:18] Andrew has verbally committed to Long Beach State, so he'll be local, which is full.

[11:24] Tyler has an offer to play at the Naval Academy, so he's in the process of going through

[11:29] that and then if that works out then it looks like he'll be playing possibly at the Naval

[11:34] Academy.

[11:38] And although Hill is only a junior this year, he's already verbally committed to pepper

[11:43] So he'll be looking at it on the table.

[11:48] And Jacob, grade wise, he probably could go to a lot of different colleges.

[11:53] You know, you're planning on applying to, or going to.

[11:58] Full of Jukeham, so Fullerton, maybe possibly continuing off.

[12:03] Cool.

[12:04] Okay.

[12:06] That's totally cool.

[12:07] What was what I do?

[12:08] We got some certificates for you.

[12:11] And Coach, I'm going to give this to you.

[12:14] And then Hill, come over here.

[12:19] It won and Joseph Gutierrez, here we go.

[12:24] Andrew Rodriguez,

[12:29] Jacob

[12:33] Torres.

[12:39] Hi there, yeah.

[12:43] Okay, so what we want you to do is all of you come on up here and stand in front of the city council.

[12:49] You would, let's have people from the district and the school come on up also.

[12:53] And we're just gonna come around here.

[14:55] I'm so excited to be able to.

[15:00] Our students, and we've had lots of recognitions this year in sports, et cetera. So it's great to have them here this afternoon or this evening.

[15:12] Let's go ahead and go to the agenda, any changes to the agenda.

[15:17] Hearing none, have a motion?

[15:18] I'll make it, please.

[15:21] Second somebody?

[15:23] Second, second.

[15:23] Second, okay we got a second.

[15:24] All of those of you.

[15:25] C'mon.

[15:25] I post.

[15:26] Thank you.

[15:27] With that, we're going to go to public comments.

[15:30] We're going to have general public comments.

[15:33] We'll also be hearing comments, regarding closed session.

[15:35] Items.

[15:36] Commence, for you.

[15:36] The public hearing items.

[15:38] We heard at that time during that public hearing.

[15:41] Members of the public who wish to provide general public comment, please sign up behind

[15:46] the lectern to take an accounting of the number of

[15:48] speakers and members of the public on Zoom who wish to provide public comment, please raise

[15:55] your hand to take an accounting of the number of speakers that we have on Zoom.

[16:00] And with that, Rigo, what's it look like?

[16:06] You're not standing maybe could raise your hand so we have an idea about it in the people.

[16:21] This is a mirror between Zoom and in person looks like we have about 14 speakers.

[16:26] Okay,

[16:30] with that, then what we'll be doing is, because we have 14 speakers, we will follow

[16:39] our protocol of three minutes each, and you're invited to come in on a city business,

[16:45] agenda items, and a digital, of course, we'll show how much time is left during your

[16:50] with an audio notification, which will sound at the one minute mark, and at the conclusion of the time,

[16:57] your microphone will be muted, and the next speaker then may commence.

[17:02] And with that, our first public speaker is Tom over here.

[17:10] What's again speaking in behalf of these

[17:14] like a trees and uptown woodier?

[17:16] I'm sorry, is it on?

[17:19] Oh.

[17:20] Oh.

[17:20] Is it on?

[17:21] All right.

[17:22] Speaking in behalf of the other,

[17:23] thank you.

[17:25] I'm a green leaf between Wordmen and Hadley.

[17:28] Uptown woodier.

[17:31] The city council is voted three to one to have them cut down.

[17:35] And there's over 7,000 petitioners that don't want them cut down.

[17:42] And everybody I have to talk to just about doesn't want them cut down.

[17:47] So all of you people out in the audience, Sarah, and home, pray to an image, Jesus Christ,

[17:55] that the trees don't get cut down.

[17:59] But not only that, they want the trees on Philadelphia cut down.

[18:03] They want the trees on a baby street cut down.

[18:05] You want to trees in a part of a park, good down over 150,000 and they want to have the palm trees at five points, good down and some trees on Broadway were cut down.

[18:19] I mean, where does it end? Where does it end?

[18:22] Anyway, that's all I have to say.

[18:28] Thank

[18:32] you.

[18:32] Monica, thank you.

[18:36] Good evening. Mayor and members of the City Council.

[18:40] My name is Monica Sennan and I live on Laundra Avenue in Whittier.

[18:46] Victor Gordo is the mayor of Pasadena.

[18:50] When ICE came to town and started abducting people from Pasadena and Whittier,

[18:58] and a variety of other places in L.A. County,

[19:02] what Mayor Gordo and several other elected officials went to the Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles.

[19:14] They were denied admission.

[19:19] But in that process, Mayor Gordo ran into a very distraught woman from Bermona.

[19:27] And she was distraught because her husband was in the detention center and he did not have his critical heart medication.

[19:38] What Mayor Gordo did, the way he got admissions into the detention center,

[19:46] is he became the man's lawyer.

[19:49] And that's how he got in and was able to deliver that medication.

[19:56] Mayor Gordo,

[20:02] this is the type of mayor I would like to have in Whittier and if you think,

[20:08] oh you like Mayor Gordo so much, why don't you move to Pasadena? I don't want to move to Pasadena.

[20:16] Whittier is my home, I love Whittier. A better idea I think would be for our mayor to act more like Mayor Gordo.

[20:25] Thank you.

[20:32] This is on. Hello City Council members. My name is Brandon or Saga and I wanted to

[20:38] explain to all of you about what's going on. You know, the corruption corruption is still going down,

[20:47] but we can't let them momentum stop. The FBI investigation is in the case of the lawyers.

[20:55] They're intending to let the corruption start continuing, but I need the corruption to be

[21:03] and right now because this is a war, and when if the war becomes unsuccessful, we will

[21:11] lose everything.

[21:13] Now the government is taking away the first amendment.

[21:16] The first amendment protects the freedoms of speech, press, religion, assembly, and the

[21:22] to petition the government for a red dress of grievances, preventing Congress from making laws

[21:30] that infringe upon these rights. It was adopted in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights.

[21:37] It prohibits the government from establishing a religion, restricting the free exercise of religion,

[21:44] of bridging freedom, of speech, or the press, and interfeeling, interfering with the right

[21:51] of peaceably, a symbol of petition, or petition the government. If the first amendment was taken

[22:00] away, that's violating the first amendment. We need to accept and learn how to listen what

[22:09] to 27 amendments in the Constitution. You know, we can violate those amendments. Now, I want the

[22:17] reward to be successful and we want the corruption to end now. This is a time of change and history

[22:24] is made every day. Remember, during a French and Indian war, France was forced to give up all the

[22:37] And during the American Revolution, the British lost 13 colonies and that made King George

[22:45] the third mad.

[22:48] And when the American Revolution ended in 1783, George Washington did not declare as kings.

[22:56] All presidents are not kings, because George Washington was not interested to become a king

[23:05] of the United States.

[23:06] currently we're in the Republic. This country is a Republic and we need to make the country

[23:13] better than ever. Period. Before I let you guys go, I love you guys.

[23:26] Good evening. My name is Alicia Stewart. I live on a Dell Avenue. Can you hear me? Okay.

[23:33] My comments tonight are in support of improving civil discourse and civility in our

[23:38] public meetings and all interactions with one another, regardless of which side or political

[23:43] aisle we hold.

[23:45] It is difficult to understand why many people in American culture cannot choose to fully

[23:51] comprehend the magnitude and depth of the phrase freedom of speech.

[23:55] This belief is not a cliche that should be taken lightly.

[23:59] It is a cornerstone upon which our other deeply held American values are based.

[24:03] Journalists and social media influencers throw around terms like left-wing extremist and right-wing radicals

[24:10] so loosely. However, these terms do nothing to build unity within a community, but rather divide us

[24:17] more into

[24:19] predetermined tribes.

[24:21] This causes people to forget the human traits. They have in common and the real human problems all sides wish to solve.

[24:28] It reduces each side's viewpoints to simple slogans, derogatory labels and

[24:33] and emotional helpers of angry words and threats.

[24:36] In this environment, nothing productive can be achieved.

[24:39] In the aftermath of the tragic murder of prominent Christian apologists, author and activist Charlie Kirk,

[24:45] I think we all need to stop and consider how inflammatory words can cause more harm in our

[24:50] communities and good. Mr. Kirk's short life and purpose was to engage people from opposite viewpoints to

[24:56] civil discourse and debate. It was to that end that he, Charlie gave his last full measure of

[25:03] a microphone to young people who had different views from him was not an evil endeavor.

[25:07] It was in fact the most patriotic and American thing that I have seen anyone attempt to

[25:12] do on college campuses in my lifetime.

[25:15] You may not have agreed with his views, but I believe we should all agree on his right

[25:19] to do it freely and without fear of loss of life or livelihood.

[25:23] A free speech day is proposed for October 14th.

[25:27] You can go to change.org to sign up and show your support for this important and necessary

[25:32] reminder of our common American values and civil discourse. Thank you.

[25:44] Yes, are we on a closed session? I asked Mr. Mayor. Are we on a closed session?

[25:51] No, this is probably a common time.

[25:54] This is for a regular meeting now.

[25:55] Yeah. So, there was no report on closed session.

[25:59] This for open and closed session, please begin. Thank you.

[26:02] All right.

[26:03] Well,

[26:06] fuck, fucking notorious fat fuck Mayor Gordo Pasadena and that other fucking terrible

[26:11] from El Moni, a lawyer from Los Angeles.

[26:15] I want to point out the court order under 24 STCV 1500 0 2, a preliminary injunction against

[26:24] the irreparable harm by this fucking asshole for $7 million of worthless bullshit having

[26:33] parties in an area where we like peace. Why is that? Why the fuck would some dickhead spend

[26:41] $7 million in a neighborhood to fuck it all up for residents of Whittier?

[26:51] Well, the reason why

[26:52] Joseph, Joseph, the reason why I'm trying to speak out loud now is because under Watts versus

[27:03] the United States venomous, caustic language is free speech. Now Joseph, if you don't

[27:14] cease to insist this kind of behavior, you're allowing my civil rights, my constitutional

[27:20] right, a free speech to be just rubbed it by hacklers in this meeting. I'm going to hold

[27:27] the city of Wittier, accountable. I'm going to hold the Wittier, a accountable because

[27:32] Joe. This fucking shit needs a stop. You need to get order and control. Let me talk about Brandon Burke versus Ohio. You know that case. You know that supreme ruling.

[27:45] You know why I say a dirty nigger because it's part of the case. It's a part of the case, Joe. Sir. And I plan to save America based on court.

[27:55] please don't appreciate to understand the first amendment in addition to that Joseph Joseph

[28:05] Joseph I'm sorry now Joseph I'm being threatened during the podium where I have a

[28:11] right to be heard and speak at one minute you can hold my time

[28:15] I'm sorry man would you please go sit down please sit down you're out of order you're

[28:21] order. You're out of order, man. You're out of order, man. You're out of order, man.

[28:31] Okay, so here's what we're going to do. Here's what we're going to do.

[28:37] If we continue

[28:38] to be out of order, we are going to have to leave. We're going to have to leave and go off the

[28:44] us. So, let's allow him to, I've asked him, I've asked him to watch his language. Let's

[28:52] have him finish up and you all please sit down, you're out of order. You're out of order.

[29:00] Okay.

[29:11] Okay, so here's what we're going to do, here's what we're going to do, we are going to step down,

[29:18] we are going to step down from the dius because we are out of order, we are out of order,

[29:26] and we cannot do the people's business.

[29:30] So sit down, please.

[29:33] Sit down, please.

[29:35] Sit down, please.

[29:37] Miss, please sit down.

[29:39] Please sit down.

[29:40] Please sit down, ma'am.

[29:43] Please sit down.

[29:44] We're gonna have the gentleman finish.

[29:47] The man needs to finish what he has to say, and we'll move on.

[29:51] Okay, if we're gonna continue on, then we're gonna step off.

[30:06] Okay, we're going to go ahead, you're going to step down, you're out of order, we're going to step down because we're not able to do the people's business here. So we're going to be stepping down and we'll be back.

[1:15:42] Mr. Mayor, we are live. Thank you, Rigo. So we took a break and we've asked City Attorney to set forth the penal code.

[1:15:57] Mr. City Attorney, would you let us know what the law says? Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'd just like to remind the public that government code section 54957.95 authorizes the presiding member of the City Council to remove.

[1:16:11] or cause the removal of any individual who is disrupting the meeting, any individual who fails

[1:16:17] to leave the meeting once ordered to leave can be arrested for violating penal code section

[1:16:21] 403.

[1:16:23] Thank you.

[1:16:25] Okay, let's start back on public comments, so I think you had one more minute.

[1:16:31] If you would,

[1:16:48] ma'am, ma'am, you're disrupting the meeting again, please just go ahead

[1:16:57] and send a back, let him finish his one minute so we can get to the next person.

[1:17:02] So thank you very much.

[1:17:04] So here we go.

[1:17:07] So you're disrupting the meeting.

[1:17:11] You're disrupting the meeting.

[1:17:13] You heard, you heard the city attorney, some man, man.

[1:17:19] This is your first time here at the city.

[1:17:22] So we're going to ask you, please, to stop.

[1:17:23] We have to decorum.

[1:17:25] So sir go ahead go ahead and finish your comments please with respect sir. Thank you

[1:17:34] Go ahead to keep going

[1:17:40] Man we've art man we've already said please sir sir go ahead and finish your comments, please

[1:17:49] Please please please please please finish your comments

[1:17:53] Let's respectful, please go ahead, sir, sir around, please finish, please finish, please finish your comments, okay, we're going to go ahead and start the time right now, start the time.

[1:18:15] versus Ohio 395 444-1969.

[1:18:20] Hall-Far is the Nigger going to, yeah.

[1:18:23] This is what we're going to do to the Nigger's a dirty Nigger.

[1:18:28] Send the Jews back to Israel.

[1:18:30] Let's give them back to the dark guard.

[1:18:33] Okay.

[1:18:34] Please, gentlemen.

[1:18:35] Let's go.

[1:18:36] That's right.

[1:18:37] I'm going to-

[1:18:38] I'm going to-

[1:18:39] We're going to-

[1:38:24] Mr. Mayor, we're back. Thank you. We go. We're back. And the city attorney is the same to make. Yes, thank you, Mr. Mayor. For the record, the council chambers have been cleared to a disturbance by members of the public. The disturbance could not be removed by removing the individuals causing the disturbance.

[1:38:46] And so government code 5495757.9 authorizes the city council to continue its meeting in the absence of members of the public.

[1:38:55] So long as members of the press who are not causing a disturbance are allowed back in.

[1:38:59] So we invite members of the press to return to the council chambers if they desire to do so.

[1:39:06] Lastly, members of the public may participate in this meeting via Zoom and that's the extent of my statement.

[1:39:13] Thank you.

[1:39:14] Thank you.

[1:39:16] And we do we have members of the public on Zoom?

[1:39:20] Yes, thank you.

[1:39:20] If members of the that are on Zoom and wish to participate,

[1:39:23] if you would please raise your hand.

[1:39:27] We'll give just a brief moment to see if they have any comments.

[1:39:37] Okay, last call to raise your hand for a public comment on Zoom.

[1:39:44] Okay, that concludes public comment Mr. Mayor.

[1:39:46] Okay. Thank you, Rigo.

[1:39:50] Conal is there a city manager report.

[1:39:53] No mayor in council. There is not.

[1:39:56] Okay. With that we will, I note that we have consent calendar that we've been asked to go into closed session.

[1:40:11] Okay. So let's go ahead and stick with the consent calendar. Are there any questions?

[1:40:16] This, right as the Council like to remove from the consent calendar for individual consideration,

[1:40:23] any recusals.

[1:40:25] Okay.

[1:40:27] Let's do this.

[1:40:29] We have a number of items here on the consent calendar and hearing no individual requests or

[1:40:39] recusals.

[1:40:40] With that, would somebody like to make a motion?

[1:40:42] I'll move the approval of the consent calendar.

[1:40:45] I'll second.

[1:40:47] Okay.

[1:40:48] Free go.

[1:40:50] Yes.

[1:40:51] I'll start off with some titles, including adoption of ordinance, number 3167, approving

[1:40:58] zoning code amendment, number ZCA-25-01 to comply with new state laws pertaining to accessory

[1:41:04] dwelling units, and junior accessory dwelling units, and finding that the action is exempt

[1:41:08] under California environmental quality act known as sequence.

[1:41:11] The option of ordinance number 3168 approving zoning code amendment number ZCA-2502 to comply with new state laws pertaining to unit housing developments and urban law explicit and finding that the action is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act.

[1:41:27] adoption of ordinance number 3170 adding chapter 9.24 targeted residential picketing to title 9 public piece memorials and welfare

[1:41:38] of the Weader Municipal Code establishing distance requirements for targeted residential picketing.

[1:41:44] Adoption Resolution number 2025-47 amending the fiscal year 2025-26 budget with a supplemental appropriations in the amount of $250,000 for temporary staffing services.

[1:41:56] Adoption Resolution number 2025-48,

[1:42:00] amending the fiscal year 2025-26 budget

[1:42:03] to accept a grant from the California State Library

[1:42:05] in the amount of $6,701.59 for the California State

[1:42:11] Groundwork Grant, Adoption Resolution number 2025-49.

[1:42:16] Amending the fiscal year 2025-26 budget to accept a grant

[1:42:19] from the California State Library in the amount of $11,520.

[1:42:24] for the California State Library Zipbook Grant.

[1:42:27] Adoption of Resolution number 2025-50,

[1:42:30] I'm ending the fiscal year 2025-26 budget,

[1:42:33] to accept $130,000 in grant funds.

[1:42:39] And adoption of Resolution number 2025-51,

[1:42:42] establishing a two-way stop control intersection

[1:42:44] for the North and South approaches of Redmond Avenue,

[1:42:50] and with that I'll call the roll.

[1:42:52] Councilmember Warner.

[1:42:54] Councilmember Pecheco.

[1:42:55] Hi.

[1:42:56] Mayor Pro Tem Martinez.

[1:42:57] Yes.

[1:42:57] Hi.

[1:42:58] We're Benetary.

[1:42:59] Hi.

[1:42:59] Motion carries.

[1:43:02] Thank you.

[1:43:04] Let's check on something right now before we could.

[1:43:09] Okay.

[1:43:11] Okay.

[1:43:12] So, we talked about next time.

[1:43:16] I'm sorry.

[1:43:17] Next time on the agenda was closed session.

[1:43:19] But if there's a desire to go forward on the public hearing item, we can do that.

[1:43:28] That's the caper report.

[1:43:30] We all good with that, and Mr. City Attorney, we can go forward on that.

[1:43:36] Yes, we can move forward with every item on the agenda.

[1:43:40] With that, then let's go to Mr. McNamara and next item public hearing.

[1:43:47] Thank you, Mayor.

[1:43:48] Our Council item 13A is your 2024-25 consolidated annual performance and evaluation report.

[1:43:54] We know as the caper, Mr. Pungetti can give a presentation and respond to any questions

[1:43:59] you might have.

[1:44:00] Thank you for the introduction, Connell Good evening, Mayor.

[1:44:03] Members of the City Council, the caper reports on what the City utilized the home

[1:44:07] money for and the CDBG money for in the prior fiscal year.

[1:44:11] So this one closes out last fiscal year.

[1:44:15] And this report is due to HUD in the next 15 days

[1:44:19] or their ballots.

[1:44:21] It really reports on about $933,000 that we received

[1:44:25] from HUD over the course of the last year.

[1:44:29] And it actually closes out our final five-year con plan,

[1:44:34] that five-year period that was covered in the prior con plan

[1:44:37] we're now in a new consolidated plan year. Generally the city made accomplishments as kind

[1:44:46] of forecast in the action plan, which comes before you as you'll recall in May of every year.

[1:44:52] various residential rehab programs,

[1:44:56] code enforcement, public services.

[1:45:00] Including graffiti removal, as well as funding some operations of the 139-bed Whittier Navigation Center, and various other programs designed to meet the needs of Whittier seniors, homeless, and lower income individuals.

[1:45:18] The funds address in the caper are unique to HUD projects, and we do report back to HUD on some of the other funding that we use, including general fund and Whittier Housing Authority Dollars.

[1:45:30] Over the last year, and the bulk of those dollars were spent out of general fund for the Salvation Army Facility, the Navigation Center, the 139-bed Navigation Center.

[1:45:43] Tonight's meeting was published in the Wittier Daily News on September 5th,

[1:45:48] a part of the requirements of HUD, and we have the public hearing before you tonight.

[1:45:52] That concludes staff's presentation, but happy to answer any questions the Council may have.

[1:45:56] Do we have questions of staff?

[1:46:01] Okay.

[1:46:02] With that, any disclosures or re-cusals from the Council on this particular item?

[1:46:08] Okay.

[1:46:09] Let's go ahead and open the public hearing.

[1:46:13] And what we'll do is members of the public on Zoom who wish to provide public comment

[1:46:19] if you would please raise your hand.

[1:46:23] Ms. Thank you.

[1:46:23] Many members on Zoom would like to participate on this item.

[1:46:26] Please raise your hand at this time.

[1:46:34] Okay, seeing no one raising their hand, Mr. Mayor, that concludes public comments.

[1:46:38] Thank you. Any questions or comments, concerns for staff to address?

[1:46:52] Let me just make a comment. Thank you for this report, because it's very definitive

[1:46:58] every year. You need a good chance of seeing what direction we're going and we're meeting

[1:47:03] the grade. We're doing it a lot of places, so I just want to say to the staff, thank you

[1:47:07] for putting this together.

[1:47:12] I want to thank that the staff met with me so that we could actually go through all of the sections of the report.

[1:47:21] My only comment is that I am concerned that there are still some funds that we have not been able to expand and I did have some suggestions about possible ways to address that.

[1:47:37] My greatest fear is that if we continue to not expend the funds that we will lose that in the future.

[1:47:44] And I think that there are enough needs, particularly in the programs that allow for rehabilitation and improvements,

[1:47:56] particularly the ones that are small for small home owners to take advantage of.

[1:48:03] I just want to make sure that we don't lose that funding and that we continue to make sure that people know that these programs are available.

[1:48:12] So in addition to my not wanting the money to go back, I also want to make sure that we continue to really let the residents know that they can get assistance through these funds and through the general fund money that the city is providing.

[1:48:30] in order to make sure that their homes are safe

[1:48:34] and that they actually are places where they feel comfortable.

[1:48:40] So thank you for going through everything with me.

[1:48:43] I think it took us two hours.

[1:48:46] But I think that it's really important for me

[1:48:50] to understand everything that's there.

[1:48:52] Because I want to make sure that the people,

[1:48:54] particularly in district one,

[1:48:55] who I think could really benefit from some of these programs,

[1:48:58] know about them and that if there are any hurdles to spending the money that we do come up with

[1:49:05] some ways so that we can take care of that because they are needed, they're very definitely

[1:49:11] needed and in the map that showed where some of the funds really are targeted, it was

[1:49:16] you could easily overlay district one. So I'm particularly interested in making sure that the

[1:49:22] homeowners there in that part of district one, especially south of the Boulevard, have the

[1:49:26] opportunity to access these programs.

[1:49:30] Thank you.

[1:49:31] Someone to make a motion on this item?

[1:49:33] Sure.

[1:49:33] I'll move it.

[1:49:35] Second please.

[1:49:37] First and second.

[1:49:38] Here we go.

[1:49:39] Yes.

[1:49:39] Thank you.

[1:49:39] Councilmember Warner.

[1:49:41] Councilmember Pecheco.

[1:49:44] Mayor Pro Temmartinaz.

[1:49:46] Mayor Ben Terry.

[1:49:48] Motion carries.

[1:49:49] Thank you.

[1:49:50] Okay.

[1:49:51] With that.

[1:49:53] We have closed session items.

[1:49:56] We also have council comments, you want to, what you're thinking, council?

[1:50:04] I certainly, if the council can afford the three or four minutes to get through final council

[1:50:08] comments and on to close session, we could do it that way, but it's really up to the council.

[1:50:13] Let's go ahead and do that if we could Kathy anything?

[1:50:16] I'm going to pass on comments tonight.

[1:50:18] We've had a lengthy evening and I'll just save mine for next time.

[1:50:23] Thank you.

[1:50:24] Yeah, I'll do the same thing too. Let's hurry in. I'm sorry.

[1:50:27] Yeah, I as well, right now my mind is racing with other matters to really go back and look to see what has been going on.

[1:50:35] I just would say that all of us would agree that there are very positive, wonderful things happening in the city of Quidier.

[1:50:44] And I hope that we have more time so that we can actually talk about them.

[1:50:48] So that the members of the public will know that what is a good city to live in, that it is a good place to have your family and that the city itself is made up of very good people doing good things and whatever capacity that they are in.

[1:51:10] So rather than go through all of the stuff that all of us have been involved in.

[1:51:14] I just want to make sure that there is that general statement so that everybody knows that all

[1:51:17] your council members work very hard on your behalf, try very hard to listen to you.

[1:51:24] I think our honesty enough to tell you when they have questions or they don't agree with you.

[1:51:29] And I think it's important that everyone recognizes that that really is the job of elected officials

[1:51:34] within an elected democracy, a republic like ours. And that at times it is uncomfortable for council

[1:51:41] members, it times it is uncomfortable for the members of the public. But as long as those

[1:51:48] comments are made within the context of reaching a common goal and display the kind of

[1:51:53] civility and respect that I believe is inherent in our society. Then we can have differences,

[1:52:00] we can have passion,

[1:52:03] and yet do the work of the good people of Twitter who are doing the best that

[1:52:09] can in their lives, for themselves and for their families, just as everyone who was associated

[1:52:15] with the city, I believe, also was doing.

[1:52:19] And I did feel that we needed to say that out loud, not just for the record, but because

[1:52:24] and I'm being presumptuous that I'm speaking on my half of my colleagues, but I do think

[1:52:28] that it's important.

[1:52:29] This was not a typical city council meeting.

[1:52:33] It was painful.

[1:52:37] I will admit, it was painful.

[1:52:39] However, I continue to believe in democracy.

[1:52:42] I continue to believe in dissent.

[1:52:44] I continue to believe in dialogue.

[1:52:47] I just think that there's a difference between dissent and disruption.

[1:52:51] And I think that is important.

[1:52:52] We keep the two separate.

[1:52:55] Thank you.

[1:52:57] I tell you you're good.

[1:52:58] Yes, sir.

[1:52:59] Okay.

[1:53:00] Two things for me.

[1:53:04] When we were at the ICSC and May,

[1:53:08] I saw a really interesting concept, a company that does temporary ice skating rinks and got

[1:53:16] thinking, you know what, what if we had an ice skating rink at Christmas time here in

[1:53:21] Wittier and so I'd like us to, it's a very, very family friendly, the things that we saw

[1:53:28] really, very cool. So what I'd like to do is ask the staff to look into

[1:53:36] skating ring for the Thanksgiving Christmas time and I'd quite sure what it looks like,

[1:53:42] cost, how long, who we might partner with, where it might be uptown, the quad, the Whitwood,

[1:53:51] and I'd like the staff to come back with that information to us and see what it looks like

[1:53:57] if we could make some a little bit of holiday magic,

[1:54:00] especially on an evening like this.

[1:54:03] So we all good with that.

[1:54:05] Just have some come back and do that.

[1:54:08] Okay, thank you.

[1:54:09] And lastly, tonight was a difficult night.

[1:54:14] And there are lots of good, good, good, great things going on

[1:54:18] that we all went to the last two weeks.

[1:54:22] But tonight was disappointing to say the least.

[1:54:24] And I'm just hopeful that we will get on to an even keel and people will be civil and understand that we're going to agree to disagree sometimes, but we don't need to be disagreeable in our disagreement.

[1:54:44] So with that, we appreciate everyone tuning in and we're going to go to close session. Thank you very much.

[1:55:37] The time is now 924 p.m.

[1:55:41] There is nothing to report out of close session.

[1:55:44] Thank you.

[1:55:45] And tonight, the meeting is adjourned.

City Council

Agenda

Transcript