OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Special City Council Meeting: Closed Session and Public Comments on Michael Gates (November 21, 2025)

City Council — Friday, November 21, 2025
BodyHuntington Beach, California
SessionCity Council
DateFriday, November 21, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 36:31
Transcript — Verbatim
1:02

I'd like to call this the special meeting of the City of Council and Public Finance Authority to order.

1:09

City Clerk, can I have a roll call, please?

1:12

Councilman Twine?

1:13

Here.

1:13

Councilman Kennedy?

1:14

Here.

1:15

Mayor Pro Tem McKean.

1:16

Here.

1:16

Mayor Burns.

1:17

Here.

1:18

Councilwoman Vandermark.

1:19

Here.

1:19

Councilman Gruel?

1:21

Here.

1:21

Councilman Williams?

1:22

Here.

1:23

All present.

1:24

All right.

1:24

Please stand with me and say pledge allegiance with me.

1:29

Ready?

1:30

Begin.

1:42

Liberty and justice for all.

1:46

What is that saying they always say?

1:54

City Clerk, do we have any supplemental communications?

1:58

Yes.

1:59

We have 41 emails received regarding the agenda item.

2:06

Okay.

2:06

Do we have any?

2:08

Do we have anybody signed up to speak?

2:11

Yes, Mayor.

2:12

We have 40 people signed up to speak.

2:16

40.

2:18

All right.

2:19

Let me remind everybody.

2:21

Oh, City Attorney.

2:23

Uh Mayor, just for the crowd, just so everyone's aware.

2:26

Um, this is a little unique circumstance.

2:28

We're meeting today in closed session to discuss the threat of litigation.

2:32

There's not going to be an open session meeting after that, after we go into closed session to to talk about the threat of litigation.

2:40

So just want the crowd to be aware that there's not going to be an open public meeting today outside of this.

2:48

And comments are supposed to be restricted to the subject matter.

2:53

All right.

2:54

Proper decorum at the city council meeting is imperative in order for the public to remain informed about issues pertaining to the city's business.

3:01

Public comments portion of the meeting is an opportunity for the public to be heard and address these issues in a public forum.

3:07

Disruptive behavior, impeding or delaying our ability to conduct the con council's business will not be tolerated.

3:22

At this time, the city council will receive comments from members of the public regarding the topic, uh, included on the special agenda.

3:30

Individuals wishing to provide a comment may do so by filling out a request of speak form delivered to the city clerk.

3:39

All speakers are encouraged but not required to identify themselves by name.

3:52

Who wants two minutes?

3:54

My God.

3:58

Yeah.

3:59

Okay, that's kind of what we call disruption.

4:03

Uh each speaker is going to get the 30 seconds of volume of speakers warrants reducing the time allowance, which it does.

4:10

Please note that the Brown Act is not allowed discussion or action on topics that are not on the agenda.

4:16

Members of the public who would like to speak directly with a council member on an item not on the agenda may consider scheduling an appointment by contacting the city council's administrative assistant at seven one four five three six five five five three or emailing the entire city council at city.council at surf city-hb.org.

4:38

So city clerk, do it 10 at a time, I guess.

4:44

When your name is called, please come down and use both podiums.

4:48

Brett Bush, Dom, Mark Tom Kanovich, Grace, Chris Byrne, Delane Bailey, Eva Weiss, Dino Ferraro, Lisa Ferraro, Michael Rogers, Michelle Rogers, I should be able to say it, Matt.

5:28

Okay, politics is my name's Brett Bush.

5:31

Politics is not our most important duty, but it helps us to meet our most important duty.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters█████████████████████████████████████████████69%
Procedural█████████████20%
Pending Litigation█████7%
Fiscal Sustainability███4%
Summary of Proceedings

Special City Council Meeting: Closed Session and Public Comments on Michael Gates (November 21, 2025)

The Huntington Beach City Council held a special meeting on November 21, 2025, initially convening in open session to receive public comments regarding the agenda item, then adjourning to closed session to discuss the threat of litigation. No open-session discussion or action on the agenda item took place after public comment. The closed session resulted in no public report, and the council adjourned.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • The City Clerk reported 41 emails received and 40 individuals signed up to speak. Due to the high volume, each speaker was limited to 30 seconds.
  • Supporters of Michael Gates (approximately 25 speakers): Numerous residents urged the council to rehire him, citing his previous work as city attorney, including saving the city $30 million from the state housing dispute, defending the city in lawsuits, and championing conservative policies. Speakers described him as a man of faith, integrity, and a proven leader who helped elect several council members. Many dismissed allegations against him as unsubstantiated "slander" or "hogwash." Specific speakers: Brett Bush, Mark Tankovich, Eva Base, Michelle Rogers, Michael Rogers, Chris (55-year resident), an unnamed speaker who said "many of you in those seats would not be in those seats without Michael Gates' support," a small business owner, Brian Raleigh (40-year DOD employee, who argued that if Gates was terminated, the city should act accordingly), Janet Jacobs, an unnamed speaker who called accusations "evil," Heidi Barlow, Zach McCready (35-year acquaintance), Tim Geddes (argued rehiring would be a "reckless exercise"), and others.
  • Opponents of Michael Gates (approximately 10 speakers): Speakers highlighted his termination for cause from the Department of Justice (DOJ) due to a hostile work environment, including derogatory treatment of female colleagues and objecting to hiring a pregnant woman. They noted that his previous tenure as city attorney cost the city $2.5 million in an age discrimination settlement. Speakers warned of legal and financial liability for the city, and urged the council to conduct an independent investigation before any hiring decision. Specific speakers: Aaron (former librarian), Lindsay Click (government employee), John Carser (55-year resident), an unnamed speaker who read a poem comparing Gates to a snake, Paula Schaefer, Chris Clue, and others.
  • Several speakers asked procedural questions about the timing of Gates' notification of termination, whether the city had a formal contract with him, and why the city would hire someone threatening to sue.

Key Outcomes

  • The council voted unanimously (all seven members present) to adjourn to closed session to discuss the threat of litigation under Government Code 54957.1.
  • After reconvening, the city attorney reported no action from closed session; no decision on the hiring of Michael Gates was announced.
  • The meeting adjourned to the regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, December 25, 2025.

Meeting Transcript

I'd like to call this the special meeting of the City of Council and Public Finance Authority to order. City Clerk, can I have a roll call, please? Councilman Twine? Here. Councilman Kennedy? Here. Mayor Pro Tem McKean. Here. Mayor Burns. Here. Councilwoman Vandermark. Here. Councilman Gruel? Here. Councilman Williams? Here. All present. All right. Please stand with me and say pledge allegiance with me. Ready? Begin. Liberty and justice for all. What is that saying they always say? City Clerk, do we have any supplemental communications? Yes. We have 41 emails received regarding the agenda item. Okay. Do we have any? Do we have anybody signed up to speak? Yes, Mayor. We have 40 people signed up to speak. 40. All right. Let me remind everybody. Oh, City Attorney. Uh Mayor, just for the crowd, just so everyone's aware. Um, this is a little unique circumstance. We're meeting today in closed session to discuss the threat of litigation. There's not going to be an open session meeting after that, after we go into closed session to to talk about the threat of litigation. So just want the crowd to be aware that there's not going to be an open public meeting today outside of this. And comments are supposed to be restricted to the subject matter. All right. Proper decorum at the city council meeting is imperative in order for the public to remain informed about issues pertaining to the city's business. Public comments portion of the meeting is an opportunity for the public to be heard and address these issues in a public forum. Disruptive behavior, impeding or delaying our ability to conduct the con council's business will not be tolerated. At this time, the city council will receive comments from members of the public regarding the topic, uh, included on the special agenda. Individuals wishing to provide a comment may do so by filling out a request of speak form delivered to the city clerk. All speakers are encouraged but not required to identify themselves by name. Who wants two minutes? My God.

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