Huntington Beach City Council/Public Financing Authority Meeting - June 20, 2023

This special meeting, convened on June 20, 2023, at 4:00 PM (reconvening at 6:00 PM), featured a lengthy public comment period (over six hours) with more than 600 written communications received and approximately 135 speakers registered. The council addressed a range of agenda items, including a controversial proposal to review library materials for obscenity, a resolution denouncing hate, adoption of police union contracts, and a budget continuation. Notable votes included a 4–3 approval for a library policy study and a 5–0–2 resolution condemning specific forms of hate.

Consent Calendar

• Items 6–13 approved unanimously (7–0). These included: approval of minutes (June 6 and June 13, 2023); reappointments to the Environmental & Sustainability Board and Historic Resources Board; professional services contracts for video production (Dorado Creative, Tripepi Smith, Marketworks); a construction contract for the Saybrook Lane Rehabilitation Project ($1,559,316); a cooperative agreement with Orange County Flood Control District for flood wall improvements; a construction contract for a traffic signal at Heil Avenue ($308,008); and three resolutions concerning Measure M2 compliance and a 7-Year Capital Improvement Plan.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Over 135 speakers addressed the council during a public comment period that lasted approximately six hours. The overwhelming majority spoke against Agenda Item 18, arguing it would lead to book banning and censorship, while a smaller number spoke in favor, citing protection of minors from sexually explicit content. Speakers included residents, librarians, educators, clergy, and representatives of community organizations. Many referenced specific books such as "Gender Queer" and "It’s Perfectly Normal," and discussed the proper role of librarians versus the city attorney.
• Many speakers also urged adoption of Agenda Item 19, denouncing antisemitism, white supremacy, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate, citing recent hate incidents in the city.

Discussion Items

• Item 5 – City Attorney’s Update on the Community Prosecutor Program: City Attorney Michael Gates presented a report on the program’s activities, including 990 criminal cases filed in the past year, 153 convictions, and 33 diversion resolutions. The program focuses on quality-of-life crimes and supports homeless outreach.

• Item 14 – FY 2023/24 Budget: Continued to a special meeting on June 26, 2023, at 5:00 PM. The public hearing remained open for that date.

• Item 15 – Future Development of 17642 Beach Blvd.: Withdrawn and continued to a future meeting.

• Item 16 – Proposed MOU with Police Management Association (PMA): Introduced and approved unanimously (7–0) for a three-year contract (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2026) with 5% annual wage increases and other benefit adjustments. Fiscal impact: $1.2 million total over the term.

• Item 17 – MOU with Police Officers’ Association (POA): Adopted unanimously (7–0) via Resolution 2023-31. The three-year agreement includes 5% annual raises and various pay program modifications. Total fiscal impact: $12 million over the term.

• Item 18 – Library Book Screening (Mayor Pro Tem Van Der Mark): After extensive public comment, the council debated a proposal to direct the city manager and city attorney to return with an ordinance making obscene or pornographic materials unavailable to minors, and to explore ending ties with the American Library Association (ALA). Mayor Pro Tem Van Der Mark read explicit excerpts from several books. A motion was made to approve, later modified to request a study session returning in September with options for safeguarding minors from age-inappropriate or obscene content. The substitute motion passed 4–3 (Van Der Mark, Strickland, McKeon, Burns in favor; Kalmick, Moser, Bolton against).

• Item 19 – Denouncing Hate (Councilmembers Kalmick, Bolton, Moser): Original motion sought a minute action denouncing antisemitism, white supremacy, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate. A substitute motion by Mayor Pro Tem Van Der Mark expanded the list to include hatred against numerous other groups (e.g., Catholics, African Americans, Latinos, etc.). The substitute motion passed 5–0–2 (Kalmick absent, Bolton abstained).

Key Outcomes

• Item 18 – Approved 4–3 with modification: City Manager and City Attorney to return in September 2023 with a study session on options to address sexually explicit/obscene materials accessible to minors.
• Item 19 – Approved 5–0–2: Resolution denouncing hate directed at a broad list of groups, including antisemitism, white supremacy, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate.
• Items 16 and 17 – Police union MOUs (PMA and POA) both passed 7–0, implementing 5% annual raises and benefit changes.
• Budget (Item 14) – Continued to June 26, 2023 special meeting.
• City Attorney’s Report – Received and filed.