Electrification of a building is removal of natural gas burning systems.

So switching from gas furnaces and kitchens to electric systems, which allows us to remove uh greenhouse gas emissions from the environment.

The financing agreement is cash flow neutral.

We're essentially shifting our operating costs from energy bills over to loan repayment across a twenty-five-year term and with no upfront cost to the city.

So from July all the way to November, they were out here trying to get people into some type of shelter option.

So by the time that we came out here, there had already been months of outreach occurring.

So when we came, that was the day where we were actually going to be getting all the trash, all the people, everything out here, so it could go back to being what's supposed to be part of the river.

Since then, uh, park rangers have been out here daily.

It's super rewarding to come out here and see all the wildlife that's that's kind of re-emerged in the area and know that they now have a clean environment to habitate and and live their little happy lives.

So getting all that, but when I see the wildlife that's out here, you see ducks, you see cranes, you see things that we didn't see a year, year and a half ago.

That's one of the ways I know that we did good out here is seeing the wildlife returning.

This work isn't done.

We're still here in the riverbed.

We're still engaging individuals.

I think something that's the larger celebration is that 59 are currently in permanent housing right now, whether it be through diversion efforts all the way to permanent supportive housing, and we have 42 that are continuing to work on identifying next steps in their journey.

I'm proud of the work that our teams did.

We put tax dollars to work, and people are just used to, you know, when you throw tax dollars at something, the problem doesn't necessarily go away.

So I'm happy to see that this area has maintained and that we are putting that money that we use for this to good use.

All right, good morning, everyone.

We're gonna get the council hearing started.

We've got five council members here and ready.

So if you could take your seats and settle down, or take your conversations outside of chambers.

All right.

Let's get this uh public hearing underway.

Good morning.

I will now the call the city council meeting of Tuesday, February tenth, twenty twenty-six to order.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you, Councilmember Campbell.

Councilmember Whitburn.

Councilmember Foster.

Councilmember Von Wilper.

Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Here.

Councilmember Campillo.

Councilmember Moreno.

Present.

Councilmember Elo Rivera.

And Council President Lakava.

Present.

Also attending the meeting are Chief Deputy City Attorney Laura Easton, independent budget analyst Charles Matica, and myself, your city clerk, Deanna Fuentes.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

We will begin this morning with the land acknowledgement and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilmember Moreno.

Please stand.

Today they carry their legacy forward, ensuring that the traditions continue to thrive in gratitude and strength.

We stand with the Kumiai Nation connected to our past and committed to a thriving future.

Please face the flag, put your hand over your heart and repeat after me.

The order can be found on the agenda summary, found online or at the table in the back of the room.

If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and bring it to the front of the room in the clear box.

Council ambassadors are available near the entrance of chambers and can assist with questions and speaker slips.

No further in-person testimony will be taken once the council begins virtual testimony.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

We will now dispense with the approval of the proclamation items.

Clerk.

The public comment period for the proclamation items is now open.

Each speaker will have one minute per item per person.

If you would like to speak on three or more items, you will have a maximum of three minutes.

The proclamation items being approved are items 30 through 33 and item S503.

We do have quite a number of speakers, so if I can please call your names.

You can come up to the yellow reserve seats in the front row of chambers in order to make sure you can make your way up to the speaker podium.

Joshua Dunn, please come up to the uh microphone.

After that, we have um Cecil Shelton, Chavelle Newell Tate, Jonathan J.

Shelby, Samuel Merrill, Jason uh Schallner.

Schallers, my apologies.

Ken uh DeCenza, if you can all please come up to the front row.

Joshua, you'll have a minute.

Please proceed when ready.

This right here is okay.

Thank you for that.

Good morning, Council President, Council members, and community members.

My name is Josh Fadun, and I'm honored to speak today on behalf of County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Step in support of this Black History Month proclamation.

Taking moments to uplift and remember black history is vital in continuing the collective healing.

Some might say that there is no need to reflect and meditate on black history.

Many of us know that when we stop remembering, we historically repeat our offenses.

This is why we must continue now and forever to speak about the travesty of slavery, the racist foundations that some systems still stand on today, and the need to continue to fight for equitable distribution and opportunity and gain.

Let us today recommit ourselves to the unfinished work of justice.

Let us do so with the armor of faith and open hands towards our many brothers and sisters, black, white, Latino, Chicano, Asian, LGBTQIA plus, persons with disabilities, and all those who stand with freedom.

Thank you for those remarks.

Next is um Cecil or Cecil.

Good morning.

Thank you for allowing me to speak this morning to all our council members, especially uh Mr.

Foster for including us.

Uh as we see constantly uh currently in this environment, there's a constant attack uh on our communities.

I just want to make sure that there are opportunities for our voices to continue to be heard.

Uh, this is the inclusion part of the the inclusion that's though I'm important.

I know I've been here over 30 years.

I've first time I've been invited to come down here to speak on on behalf of not only myself, my community, but also Five Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, as well as uh my source here as well, too, from the state of Five Beta Sorry Incorporated.

So, as part of the D9 family, we want to say thank you for the opportunity to come down here.

Um, thank you for this proclamation and including us in this opportunity in San Diego.

It's not many of us, but there's enough of us, so I'm very thankful to be here for this proclamation.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chavelle.

Good morning, Chavelle Newell Tate, District Director of Senator Akeelah Weber Pearson.

On the Senator's behalf, I would like to thank you all for bringing this proclamation forward on the 100th anniversary of celebrating Black History Month.

This month exists because for far too long, the contributions, achievements, and sacrifices of black Americans were ignored, erased, or deliberately distorted.

This month is not about separating history.

It is about telling the full truth.

Black history is American history, and it is essential to understanding who we are as a nation and who we strive to be.

Proclamations like this matter.

It is not just about remembering the past, it is about shaping the future.

They tell black children that their history is worthy of honor.

So on behalf of Senator Weber Pearson, I want to thank uh uh Councilmember Henry Foster for reaching out to our office as well and for bringing this proclamation forward.

And I encourage all San Diegans to take this month to really reflect on what is happening.

Thank you.

Thank you, Jonathan.

Jay Shelby.

Uh this one here.

Uh on behalf of uh San Diego Black Art Cultural District, we like to thank uh the City of San Diego and our partners for seeing us uh for creating space where black art, artists, culture, and history are recognized and valued and affirmed.

Black History Month is not only a time to honor where we come from, but to recognize the living history being created right now.

The exhibit one source many streams, Pan African Unity through art reflects the truth that while African dysphoria is vast and diverse, we are connected by shared roots, resilience, and creative expression.

Events like this matter because representation affirms belonging and belonging strengths community, strengthens community.

These works preserve culture, spark dialogue, and remind us that black history is not separate from civic life.

It is foundational to it.

As we reflect this month, we continue to support black artists, honor our collective story, and commit to unity, uh, equity, and cultural preservation beyond February.

Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Samuel Merrill.

Samuel, you have um you have time seated to you if you can please raise your hands.

Yolanda Kelly.

Please raise your hand.

Thank you.

Cheryl Siprin.

Thank you.

And Sylvia Barramaro.

Thank you.

You will have four minutes.

Please proceed.

Thank you.

Good morning, Council members.

My name is Samuel Merrill.

I'm the vice chair of uh San Diego Bay Pack Foundation.

And I'm also a board member of the um City of San Diego Beckham Players Association.

As we recognize Black History Month, I want to take a moment to reflect on why this observance matters, especially here in the city of San Diego.

Black history is deeply woven into the fabric of American history.

It is foundational.

It is a history marked by resilience, service, and a continued commitment to making our communities stronger, even in the face of significant barriers.

The progress we've made in civil rights, public service, education, and community advocacy exists.

Here in San Diego, black residents, leaders, and city employees have played a vital role in shipping this city.

From serving our neighborhoods and youth to contributing to public safety, infrastructure, culture, and civic engagement.

Their impact is quiet but deeply meaningful.

These contributions remind us that leadership and change often come through everyday service and dedication.

Black History Month is also an opportunity for reflection.

It encourages us to listen, to learn, and to recommit ourselves to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

When we acknowledge lived experiences and honor contributions, we help create a city where people feel valued, and that strengthens that strengthens trust in our institutions and one another.

As we move forward, let this month be more than a commemoration of the past.

Let it be a reminder of our shared responsibility to continue building a San Diego where opportunity is accessible, voices are respected, and contributions are recognized across all communities.

Thank you for taking this time to honor Black History Month and for your continued service to the people of San Diego.

I'll end with a quote from James Baldwin.

History is not the past, it is the present.

We carry our history with us.

We are our history.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jason.

I don't know if I'm supposed to be speaking for Schaller or whoever you guys call, but it's Shanley.

That's why I've been called worse this morning, so it's fine.

I just wanted to uh thank the city council.

Uh I'm Jason Shanley.

I just want to say thank the city council for acknowledging Black History Month.

I believe it's super important.

I would be remiss if I didn't say Dr.

Carter G.

Woodson, a member of the Omega Sci-Fi Fraternity Incorporated, in which I am a new initiate of that fraternity is responsible for Black History Month, started off as Negro History Week.

I think it's important to remember the past.

They talk about if we don't remember our past, we're doomed to repeat it.

And I think it's also important to remember that on our fire department, it wasn't until 1951 that African Americans and others were allowed to work outside of station uh 19 at 36 in Ocean View.

And so we're not talking about two, three hundred years ago.

We're talking about something very recent.

The Jackie Robinson of our fire department is still alive today, and he'll be honored multiple times this month.

We've we've only had three African American fire chiefs since 1889.

It's not a slight on anything, but I think it's important that we keep these things in the forefront of our minds so that we can continue to improve on the legacy that we're trying to create.

God bless.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Ken.

If I can have the following people, please come up to the front row.

Wesley, Kendra, uh Wesley Quad, Kendra Wynne, Hasinta Wong, Tracy Wynne, Laura Garces, and Natasha Salgato.

If you can all please come up to the front row.

Please proceed when ready.

Thank you.

Yes, good morning.

My name is Ken DeSenza.

I'm the treasurer of San Diego County Engineering Council.

And I'm proud to say that we've been celebrating National Engineers Week in San Diego for 75 years.

And uh every year, the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego have given us a proclamation for National Engineers Week.

This year it's uh February 22nd to the 28th.

We celebrate with uh an awards banquet to uh recognize companies and projects and people that uh further the engineering process in in San Diego, but we also have uh education programs for the for the youth in our our community also.

We have engineers stay at the mall, we have math counts.

We are encouraging all uh engineering societies to pursue participate in our engineers week, and we want to thank you, the city for um honoring us this week, February 28th to the 22nd to the 28th.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Wesley Wesley, you have time ceded to you by Alexandra Honor.

Alexander, thank you so much.

You'll have two minutes, please proceed.

Good morning, Council members.

My name is Wesley Quash.

I'm the director of Business Court Enhancements at City Heights C in District 9.

Uh, with me is my daughter Winterfred.

I want to thank the City Council for recognizing the Lunar New Year.

Uh, my family is of Chinese descent, but we came from Vietnam.

Uh, we my parents and grandparents came here after the Vietnam War, and my grandparents in the mid-80s opened a little shop in City Heights.

That's that's all there today.

Uh, that little store helped provide an income for my family, helped put food on the table, help my aunts and uncles through college, and basically help them live the American dream.

Uh, fun fact my grandparents' landlord at the time was the honorable Tom Hong, who was the first Asian American elected to the city council here in 1963.

Um today, City Heights is home to many of our city's API residents and businesses, and uh who also who also celebrate the lunar new year.

Um, I want to wish all of you and the city council uh a lucky, healthy, and prosperous year of the horse.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Uh Kendra Wynne.

Kendra, you have time seated to you by Sylvia Ramirez, if you can please raise your hand.

Thank you.

You'll have two minutes, please proceed.

Good morning, honorable council members.

My name is Kendra Nguyen, and I am the economic development coordinator at City Heights Community Development Corporation and Miss Vietnam San Diego of 2024.

Some of my strongest childhood memories live in City Heights.

Every Saturday, my bad would wake my brother and me up and say, the Kerry Kong, load us into our Toyota van and drive us to City Heights.

Our first stop was always eating fresh Goy Yaoai, a Vietnamese Chinese fried snack, and Jasu, which is Thai tea, from a local Vietnamese restaurant.

My teeth would turn slightly orange every time I would drink the Thai tea, and my dad would always make fun of me every time I smiled.

For so many families, City Heights and Thet or Lunar New Year are where our roots and traditions come together.

Thank you, honorable council members, for supporting our community.

Happy Lunar Happy Lunar New Year and Chipmung Namai.

Thank you.

Hasinto.

Hasinta Wong.

Good morning, members of the City Council.

My name is Jacinta Wong, and I'm honored to be here as a board member for the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of San Diego and the House of China, as well as a proud member of the San Diego API Coalition.

Thank you for recognizing the Lunar New Year, a celebration observed by many communities here throughout our city.

This year we welcome the year of the fire horse, which symbolizes strength, resilience, and forward momentum.

Qualities that I believe resonate deeply with many of our communities in this moment in time.

The Lunar New Year is a time of renewal and reflection, rooted in honoring family, tradition, and the promise of new beginnings.

This recognition affirms the value of the cultural inclusion and the many communities that communic contribute to San Diego's strength and vitality.

On behalf of the organizations I represent, we wish you and all San Diegans a year filled with health, prosperity, and unity.

We hope everyone will join us for the upcoming Balbola Park and downtown Chinese New Year's Fairs this month.

Thank you for that concluding comment.

Tracy.

Good morning, City Council members.

My name is Tracy Wang.

Honored to be here today on behalf of the office of Assembly Member Dr.

Darshnapatel.

Thank you for this proclamation recognizing the lunar year.

This year being the year of the horse, the year I was born.

The year of the horse symbolizes perseverance, high energy, and good fortune, values we hope that will guide and uplift our communities.

San Diego County is San Diego City is the incredibly diverse, and that diversity is one of our greatest strengths.

It is so important that we honor and celebrate the many cultures that make up our communities and continue to create welcoming spaces where families can spend meaningful time together.

These moments of connection are how traditions are passed down, relationships are strengthened, and a sense of belonging is built.

This proclamation allows our community to honor a heritage and rich history history in a meaningful way.

Happy New Year, Happy Black History Month.

And Jeff Mungamoy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Lauren Garcis.

Good morning, honorable council members, city attorney, and staff.

My name is Lauren Balsita Garces, and I'm here with the San Diego Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, representing over 50 plus Asian and Pacific Islander serving organizations across San Diego County to say happy Lunar New Year and Happy Black History Month.

What a beautiful thing it is for our communities to come together to be able to share our histories, our cultures and traditions with each other.

Uh one of the best ways to do that is to come to our community events and celebrations.

Let's support our organizations, our artists, our small businesses.

I'm telling you, we're celebrating for over a month and beyond.

So we welcome you to come to so many places across San Diego County.

We had our very first convoy rising over the weekend, a historic moment in the convoy district that shows how powerful it is in these moments and times when we come together and celebrate each other.

So with that and to share in that spirit, I just want to share with our own Filipino language to add to that celebration.

Mabu Hai, Tayong Lahat, long live all of us, and happy Lunar New Year.

Natasha Salgado.

And you're speaking on items 32 and 30.

So you'll have two minutes, one minute per item.

Please proceed.

Perfect, thank you.

Good morning, Council members.

My name is Natasha Salgado, and I serve as the Vice President of Programs and Strategic Initiatives with City Heights Community Development Corporation.

It is an honor to stand before you today representing a community that is both deeply diverse and profoundly connected.

Our organization is proud to recognize both Black History Month and Lunar New Year, two meaningful observances that reflect the cultural richness that defines our neighborhoods and strengthens strengthens the spirit of City Heights.

This Black History Month, we honor the vibrant Black culture that continues to shape our community through connection, cultural pride, and lasting contributions of our Black entrepreneurs, artists, advocates, and leaders.

Our black communities across the co across the country not only enriches the cultural diversity in communities like City Heights, but also drives innovation, expands economic opportunity, and reinforces community and belonging that makes our neighborhood so strong.

As we welcome the Lunar New Year, we celebrate a time of renewal, resilience, and hope while recognizing the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities whose traditions, small businesses, and multi-generational leadership continue to shape the social and economic fabric of the community of City Heights.

Their legacy is reflected in the thriving corridors, family-owned enterprises, and cultural traditions that bring vibrancy to our community.

While these celebrations hold distinct histories, they share a common thread.

The power of culture, preserv uh perseverance, and collective belonging.

Both serve as important reminders that the strength of City Heights lies in the people who uplift one another and continue to and contribute to a shared vision for the future.

Thank you for your continued partnership and recognizing and celebrating the communities our we are honored to serve and for your commitments to fostering neighborhoods where every culture is valued and every resident has the opportunity to thrive.

Thank you.

And then if I can also have Greg Woods, Cassandra Wong, and Ling Zhu.

I'll come up to the front row.

Please proceed already.

Good morning.

My name is Tri Lu.

I'm a board director for the Vietnamese American Youth Alliance.

Uh, or VIA.

It's a mouthful, I know.

Today I stand here with the support of the Miss Vietnam San Diego court and staff representing something very simple but yet very powerful.

For 21 years, the Vietnamese American Youth Alliance has brought our community together through San Diego's largest that festival, not just to celebrate culture, but to pass it on, to share it, and maybe to have some fun in our beer garden doing so.

VIA has become a bridge, a bridge between generations, between cultures, between where we come from and who we are beginning becoming.

This proclamation recognizes the city's commitment to that culture.

And on behalf of VIA, I accept this proclamation with deep gratitude, but also with responsibility.

And so with that in mind, we invite you all to join our festival on February 20, 21st, and 22nd at Liberty Station because your support gives us the bricks with which we use to build this bridge and build we shall.

Thank you, Greg Woods.

Hello, I'd like to uh thank the city council and especially uh council member Foster and the Fourth District Office for continued support of the uh Black History Month celebration.

I remember when there's a time when we did not do this, but they've consistently over years have uh invited public employees and citizens to participate in this.

And this is something that we can't take for granted anymore when we look at like in Florida where public institutions are prohibited from using words like black women or DEI and their public announcements at the risk of losing uh public funds.

Um, this is just important that to me and I'm sure all of us that you guys are still standing up strong and and and and toe in the line and recognizing black history month and the value of it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Cassandra.

I'd like to thank the members of City Council for recognizing the Lunar New Year.

My name is Cassandra Wong, and I'm the principal of Chinese School of San Diego.

Today we gather as a community to honor one of the most one of the world's most cherished traditions, the Lunar New Year.

This year we welcome the year of the horse.

In Chinese culture, the horse is more than a symbol of speed and strength.

It represents perseverance, vitality, and the courage to move forward no matter the obstacles.

It is a time to celebrate our diversity, honor our cultural heritage, and strengthen the bonds that make our communities vibrant and resilient.

As we celebrate this special day, let us carry the spirit of the horse into our daily lives, moving forward with confidence, lifting each other up, and building a community where every person can thrive.

As we celebrate our hundredth anniversary this year, the Chinese School of San Diego wishes you and your loved ones a year filled with happiness, health.

Thank you very much.

Ling Zhou.

Good morning.

Uh it's honored to be here.

Uh I'm uh board chair with the San Diego Hua Chiang Chinese School.

Uh we are a nonprofit organization founded uh in 1997, which is now about uh uh over uh 700 students.

So our mission is to provide uh nurturing and stimulating learning environment for students to acquire skills of uh comprehension, communication, reading, and the writing reminding Chinese, when you still awareness of the Chinese uh heritage, creating uh programs to introduce Chinese cultures to community and to promote merch understanding between different ethnic groups.

Uh I would like to appreciate uh the office of the council president of Pro Tem uh Kennedy to invite me here to bring the uh uh the year of the horse with uh proclaiming uh of the city hall.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment here in Council Chambers, going to those participating remotely.

I've started the five-minute timer, starting with Blair Beekman.

If you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Um, all of the items.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

Thank you.

I won't need three minutes.

I I'll just need one minute.

Um thank you for uh really good public comment today.

It was just nice to listen and learn.

And um, everybody's public comment was really uh interesting for myself today.

Uh thank you for uh your proclamation items today and everybody who's attended uh the meeting this morning.

It was uh nice to be around.

I need it right now in my life, and uh I think what we all do, and uh a good affirmation of what we can be doing in uh San Diego.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That concludes uh public comment on the proclamations.

All right, thank you, City Clerk, and thank you to everyone that took the time to come down and speak.

We'll turn it over to my council colleagues for questions, comments, and entertain a motion, and we'll start out with councilmember Henry Foster, the third.

Thank you.

Um Council President.

Um I'd like to provide comments um briefly on items 30, 31, and 32.

Uh, first, starting with item um 30, uh Black History Month.

I want to first sincerely thank my colleagues, Council President Pro Tim Lee, Councilmember Ilo Rivera, Councilmember Moreno, and Mayor Ta Gloria for bringing this proclamation forward uh with me.

Today I speak with deep pride and a full heart to present this Black History Month proclamation.

This year is especially meaningful because we are making marking 100 years of Black History Month, 100 years of intentionally telling the stories that were too often left out, overlooked, or erased.

Black History Month began in 1926 as Negro History Week, created by Dr.

Carter G.

Woodson to ensure that black contributions to this country were recognized and remembered.

And today that mission and purpose is still relevant because black history is American history.

It is a history of not only resilience, but also one where we celebrate the brilliance, leadership, creativity, and innovation.

In San Diego, Black history lives in our neighborhoods, our families, our churches, our small businesses, and our culture.

Black history lives strongly in District 4 and across Southeastern San Diego and the various neighborhoods.

I celebrate this month proudly and unapologetically.

I had the pleasure of visiting Bayview Baptist Church, and they have a very um what I call uh significant Black History Month agenda.

And first Sunday, I just have to say, and and and I'll paraphrase my good friend Pastor Brooks.

He said today this month, we get to celebrate, celebrate blackness, and everything is black, black, black, and more black.

And so there you go, right.

Um with that, I would like to uh cede a couple of my minutes so we can share a short video from Dr.

Luche Sharp Collins, Assembly Member for California 79th District and member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, and that will be followed by Diamond Brandon for a spoken word presentation as we continue to honor Black History and Excellence.

Hi I am Assemblymember Dr.

LaShea Sharp Collins, and I am here to support the resolution that's coming before the City Council in honor of Black History Month.

2026 marks 100 years of acknowledging the rich history and culture and also the resilience of black people within this country.

The history of black people across the United States is something that folks are trying to erase and don't want to teach the true story about the overall struggle and how blacks have gotten to this country.

I want you to know that being a person of color, being a black African American is something that so many of us are extremely proud of.

Everything that we've done in this country should continue to be celebrated, should continue to be elevated, and also acknowledged.

The work that we have done has continued to provide the overall support for DEIA, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.

Black history is everybody's history.

And as I've always told people before, as long as I am black, I am historic.

I am a part of history.

So as long as you are black, you are also historic.

So always remember who you are, where you've come from, how you've contributed to today's society, but no one understand that you stand on the shoulders of so many.

So many people who have come before you, and there would be others that will stand on your shoulders right after you.

So this resolution that is coming forth today is something that is truly needed, especially in the trying time when you have an administration that's doing everything it can to rip us apart.

Continue to acknowledge black history.

The history that is true, just and right, the history of blacks in this country.

I can also project them very loud.

My apologies.

No, it was uh it was muted over here.

Try it again.

Try it again.

Okay.

Hello.

That was my mistake.

No worries.

Happy Black History Month.

Wonderful.

So I am going to share a little spoken word.

If you like what you hear, you can snap.

I know they like quiet chambers.

You can wave your hands.

But I hope that whoever this message is for, that it reaches you and it carries you to whatever journey you are on and empowers you to live in your purpose.

We began with a week.

Seven small days to hold a civilization's worth of brilliance, seven polite boxes to check off before returning to business as usual, but our history has never fit inside of margins, never bowed to clocks, or waited to be approved.

Black history was not born small.

It was forged, hammered out in survival, carried forward by people fighting to breathe despite the world's hands around their throats, holding hostage their heir.

I come from a lineage that turned chains into language that bent sorrow into song and stitched prayers into blueprints and called it freedom.

I come from Harriet, who trusted the sky more than the law and turned the North Star into a road map for escape from sojourner who stood in the face of denial and made truth their worst nightmare from Ida, who sharpened her pen into shank, piercing through America's lies with everywhere written, she restored our faith.

I come from the brilliance of WEB, the fire of Malcolm, the moral thunder of Martin, the worn hands of Ella who taught me that movement survive when power is realized in individuals, not idolized in one.

I ascend from Fannie Lou's weary body and unbreakable will from Septima's classrooms where reading became rebellion and ballads became our breakthrough.

I come from ancestors who built universities from dust, families from fracture, and futures from faith alone, and even now still building.

And Tony reminds me, our story is not decoration.

It's doctrine.

Excellent enough to climb it.

I am the student who sat down so others could stand tall.

The child who marched before knowing the cost, the young one who refuses inheritance steeped in injustice and chooses instead to rewrite the rules.

Still has work to do.

Black history is not behind me.

It is the breath in my lungs, the drums in my steps, the prayers in my elders' mouths, dreams in my children's hands, a hundred years after it was named, and I am still naming myself, still defining freedom, still daring to believe that someday this country will become everything it pretends to be.

And I'm not asking for permission.

I'm reclaiming what was always mine.

I am excellence without apology, resistance shaped by love.

I am imagination sharpened by purpose.

I am the descendant of people who survived the unimaginable and still chose to build, to love, to lead.

So let this be more than remembrance.

Let it be reckoning, let it be return.

Let it be responsibility, because black history is not a chapter.

It is a living force, an inevitable truth.

And I and we are all the reclamation.

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

Um, Diamond.

Um, just quickly before I move on, I just want to do some quick acknowledgments.

Um I'd like to acknowledge our very own Queen Mother, Kathleen Harmon, for being here with us today.

We talk about a journey and her fight.

Um, it is truly endless.

Um, also like to thank all of the Divine Nine that came to speak and to represent.

Um, would like to thank our assembly member, um, our senator, our supervisor, um, and I know Secretary of State is here with us today.

Um, also like to thank Chief Logan for being here.

I see we have the executive director from the San Diego Urban League.

And lastly, um, I just want to acknowledge um someone that I see in the room, my good brother Herman Collins.

If you would please stand so we could acknowledge your presence.

For those that don't know, Herman Collins had the privilege to serve in the District 4 office as the chief of staff to the legendary George Stevens.

Thank you for coming out and thank you for everything that you continue to do for our community.

Um, so again, um, just thank you so much, and I'll leave you with this.

As it was said, we've had three black fire chiefs in the city of San Diego since its inception.

We have not had not one black chief of police.

And I'm not going to rest until we make sure that that happens.

So, with that, I will move on to National Engineers Week.

Thank you for sharing uh.

Uh-oh.

Um, also want to comment on National Engineers Week.

Um, Council President, thank you for bringing forward this proclamation recognizing National Engineers Week.

Engineers play a foundational role in advancing innovation, solving complex challenges, and applying science and technology in ways that improve daily life.

Their work often happens behind the scenes, but the impact is lasting and shapes systems and opportunities across generations.

And I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to, especially, especially during Black History Month to bring recognition, to acknowledge the National Society of Black Engineers.

Nesby has been instrumental in supporting black engineers and scientists, helping create pathways, mentorship, and community in fields where representation has been has not been equitable.

During Black History Month, it's important we recognize and uplift organizations like NESBY that both honor the legacy of Black Engineers in STEM, but also actively invest in the next generation.

Lastly, I'd like to speak on item 32.

As we recognize the year of the horse, I would like to thank Council President Jolikava, Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee, and Councilmember Sean Ilo Rivera for recognizing the importance of this celebration.

The lunar year is a is a deeply meaningful tradition for millions of people across many cultures and communities, reflecting the traditions, histories, and values that so many families carry with them across District 4 and communities throughout San Diego.

Many families welcome the lunar new year as a time of reflection, tradition, and connection.

I appreciate the opportunity to recognize and honor cultures and histories that continue to shape our shared community.

And with that, I will move the proclamations.

All right.

Thank you, Councilmember Foster.

So we have a motion by the Council Member to move the proclamation items.

We'll go next to Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Thank you, Council President.

And I'll go ahead and second the proclamations agenda.

And I'm going to focus on speaking to items 30 and 32.

First off, I'm honored to join my colleagues, Councilmembers Foster, Moreno, and Ilo Rivera, as well as Mayor Gloria in proclaiming this February as Black History Month in our city.

Thank you to Councilmember Foster for sharing the background of Black History Month, which has now been commemorated for over a hundred years.

And through the founding of the Association for the Study of African American life and history, Dr.

Woodson and fellow scholars worked to correct the exclusion and misrepresentation of African American contributions and the broader American narrative.

And as Councilmember Foster declared, Black history is American history.

Each February Black History Month gives us the opportunity to uplift and reflect on the history, culture, sacrifices, and immeasurable contributions of Black Americans throughout throughout our nation's history and here in our own communities.

Well, it's been a hundred years.

I think we find ourselves in a moment when the foundations of our country's history are being intentionally erased or hidden.

Vulnerable and marginalized communities continue to face injustice, and the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion are constantly being challenged.

We must acknowledge that the work continues, and therefore our commitment to equity, justice, and the preservation of historical truth requires ongoing effort.

I think as many have shared in the audience and will share up here on this dais, Black History Month is both a celebration of achievement, but also a reminder of the continuing struggles for freedom, dignity, and equality.

And as the city, it ref it allows us to re reaffirm our shared responsibility when it comes to protecting truth, democracy, and inclusive storytelling.

So to all those celebrating, happy Black History Month.

On item 32, I want to thank Council President Lakava and Councilmembers Ilo Rivera and Councilmember Foster for joining me in proclaiming February 17th, 2026 through February 5th, 2027 as the year of the horse in the city of San Diego.

Next Tuesday, the moon will be going through its new moon phase and bringing with it a new year for more than two billion people around the world, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, and other Asian and Asian American communities.

As someone of Chinese American descent, but whose parents were born in Vietnam and in Burma, this is certainly a holiday that has been celebrated by my family and many others throughout our region.

For many of those families, it's one of the most important holidays.

It's a time to gather, to reunite, to celebrate and welcome what is hopefully a prosperous new year.

In San Diego, Lunar New Year has been celebrated for over a century, dating back to the 19th century and the formation of the region's first Asian Asian American communities.

If you follow the Chinese Zodiac, this new year is represented by a fire horse, bringing bold action, growth, and forward momentum.

People born in Horse Ears are believed to be hardworking, warm-hearted, and independent.

A shout out to our chief of policy in the D6 office, Angeli Hoyos, who certainly shares these characteristics.

While 2025 was the year of the wood snake, which represented a time to reflect, to shed what didn't serve us, and to strategize, the year of the fire horse is associated with passion, ambition, and social shifts, encouraging decisive action while also reminding us to remain grounded as impulsiveness can be a challenge.

Although this year is beginning with continued unrest and instability within our communities and abroad, the year of the horse reminds us that even in turbulent times, opportunities for evolution, progress, and positive change remain.

I want to thank all the organizations who work year-round to recognize and uplift the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community.

This past Sunday, the convoy area, which I have the honor to represent, hosted its first ever convoy rising lunar new year celebration.

Uh, and my family and I have the opportunity to attend.

I want to take a moment to thank our arts and culture commissioner Dennis Dizidwan and the Doan Foundation, uh, Lauren Garcis of Social Artistry, she's here today, and the entire Up to You Cafe team for their collective effort to present a beautiful community moment with some of the best line dancing presentations that we've ever seen in the San Diego region.

We also have a number of organizations that are here in attendance today.

You heard from some of them during public comments, so I won't name all of them, but many of them are hosting lunar new year celebrations throughout this month and throughout the city, and they range from downtown to city heights from Liberty Station to Babo Park and many more.

And so to those who may not have had an opportunity to celebrate this holiday, I would encourage you to support these local events.

Uh, bring red envelopes or they'll provide you some at them.

Uh, just bring some cash, and you get to feed some lucky lions uh in the hopes that it will bring you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous year ahead.

Uh, with that, I will wish everyone a happy lunar new year.

Jokmung Nam Moy, uh Sing Yan Kwaila Sunin Failup.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

So we have a motion by Council Member Foster and a second by Council President Pro Tem Lee to move approval of the proclamation items.

We'll go next to Councilmember Moreno.

Thank you.

I have comments on item number uh 30 and 33.

Uh item number 30 is recognizing Black History Month in the City of San Diego.

Uh, I want to thank Council Members Foster, Lee Ilo Rivera, and Mayor Gloria for joining onto this proclamation and presenting the Black History Month Proclamation.

This month, we honor the leadership and cultural impact of Black communities that are often achieved in the face of adversity.

The story of our nation cannot be told without acknowledging the central role black Americans have played in shaping our economy, strengthening democracy, governance, and most importantly, advancing civil rights for all.

Their legacy continues to inspire programs and unity in our communities.

And I'm very happy that we are celebrating this day today.

Moving on to item 33 is Soy Loca So Loca Day.

I'm honored to stand before you to recognize and celebrate a truly special establishment that has helped shape the city of San Diego's creative culture and environmental future.

And that's so so Loca.

Founded in 2013 in the heart of Barrio Logan community, so Loca is a sustainable fashion studio that embodies innovation, care, and community.

It's a woman minority owned business, proudly led by co-founder Claudia Rodriguez Bozinski, who's here in the in the audience with us, and Manny Buzinski, whose vision and leadership have made a lasting impact here in San Diego and beyond.

For the past 13 years, Soloca has been a force in San Diego's sustainable fashion movement.

Through hands on education and sewing, mending, upcycling, and conscious consumption, they have transformed the way thousands of San Diegans think about their clothing.

Over the years, Soloca has educated more than 2,500 students, diverting thousands of pounds of textile from local landfills, revitalizing traditional textile art, and creating a bl replicable reprocable model for sustainable fashion education that has gained national recognition.

So Loca also built meaningful partnerships with schools, libraries, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout our state city, fostering economic opportunity, creative entrepreneurialship, and accessible sustainability education, particularly for historically underserved communities.

Beyond all of this, Soloca is an integral part of Barrio Logan's culture and creative essence.

They contribute to the neighborhood's identity as a center of art, innovation, and environmental leadership, and they do so with heart, purpose, and deep community roots.

So February 13th marks Souloka's 13th anniversary, 13 years of celebrating love for our planet, our community, and the value of caring for the items we already own.

It's my honor to proclaim February 13th, 2026 as Soy Loca Day in the City of San Diego, and congratulations to the whole team and thank you for your incredible work here in the city of San Diego.

Moving right along to the year of the horse, I want to say happy lunar new year.

I surely will be wearing my red on Tuesday, making sure that the year of the horse is a good one.

And that can and happy National Engineers Week.

And just congratulations to all the proclamation recipients today.

That concludes my comments.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Moreno.

We'll go next to Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

All right.

Thank you, Council President.

Let me start by uh thanking uh everyone who's here today to recognize and be recognized.

Um I'll start with Black History Month.

Um, thank you, Councilmember Foster, um, for including um for allowing us to join you in proclaiming February 2026 to be Black History Month.

Um it's already been so well said why um this is so important.

Um so I did want to just add a couple of things.

Um I always like to look at the way that the Association for the Study of African American Life and History talks about this month and and and what it means in the particular moment that we're in.

Um I I think there were some words in uh on their website that um really spoke to me.

Um the final paragraph, which says to understand the modern world, especially nations where black people form a significant population, one must grapple with the impact that the public observances have had on the past and the present.

This year, when we are commemorating the 250th anniversary of the of the United States independence, it is important to tell not only an inclusive history, but an accurate one.

We have never had more need to examine the role of Black History Month and when we do when forces wary of democracy seek to legislate seek to use legislative means and book bans to excise black history from America's schools and public culture.

Black history's value is not its contribution to mainstream historical narratives, but its resonance in the lives of black people.

Um thank you for bringing up who you brought up today, Councilman Foster.

Thank you for the role you are playing in Black History in this city.

Um thank you to all the um the elected officials who participated.

It's I think uh obvious, but also worth noting that our state legislators, our county supervisor and secretary of state, um, black women who are demonstrating black excellence on a uh daily basis in an incredibly important roles of leadership.

Um and then Diamond, thank you for the um very powerful words that were shared.

Um I will just say that in the moment that we are in.

It is incredibly important uh for me at least to draw inspiration from people's from peoples who have overcome great adversary adversity.

And um there was a line in Diamond's um poem, I think she said uh people who survived the unimanaged unimaginable and chose to build and to love.

Um if that lesson that that is possible in all moments, uh no matter how terrible they may seem.

If that lesson's not important right now, then I don't know uh when it would be.

Um so um again, thank you for allowing me uh to join you in this proclamation, and um I hope this month is as um joyous and impactful as as it is it should be.

Uh Council President Pro Tem Lee, thank you for uh joining, allowing me to join in recognizing Year of the Horse.

Um it's one of um I love I love my district and I love City Heights being in my district.

And um, one of the reasons I love that is the way that we uh come together as diverse communities and recognize um different celebrations and folks who um maybe never been exposed to certain celebrations and um and uh uh growing up kind of just seeing through the divides and recognizing that joy is joy and appreciating when another people are finding a moment to celebrate um their history, their heritage.

Um that will play out um over the next um over the next uh several weeks uh in in our community um and across the city, and I very much appreciate that and appreciate every time I have an opportunity to be invited in to those spaces and be part of the celebration.

Um and then last but not least, um I just can't help but kind of reflect on um the power of Black History Month and the recognition of Year of the Horse in this moment in time again when the history of this nation's diversity is attempted to be erased, when the idea itself that um we cannot celebrate one another, we cannot celebrate our backgrounds, our history, our heritage, um when that is being attempted to be imposed upon us, and that and the ideas that celebrating those things and recognizing our history is un-American.

Um I very much appreciate that we are using this space in these chambers to show the exact opposite that the exact opposite is true.

Um so um thank you again to my colleagues for the recognition of of everything that we um are celebrating today, uh, and thank you to everyone in the community for being here and being part of this.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Ila Rivera talking about perseverance and overcoming challenges.

Welcome to chambers, Councilmember Von Wolbert.

Thank you very much, Council President.

Um thank you to my colleagues.

I apologize for being late.

You may have heard there was an overturned trailer and a police standoff on the 15 freeways, so I have been in there for about two hours.

We are here.

The freeway is still shut down, so please avoid 15 if you can.

Um but everyone is safe.

So thank you, everybody, for the wonderful proclamations as usual.

Um with item 30.

Thank you for my colleagues in bringing forth Black History Month.

Uh, it's an incredible month that we have to continue to recognize given that the federal administration is trying to take our history down.

Uh, black history is American history, and the contributions of African Americans have helped shape the social, cultural, and civic fabric of our country and city.

I could not have said it better than Diamond.

Your poem was absolutely beautiful.

And here in San Diego, black leaders, advocates, educators, and families continue to strengthen our communities and inspire future generations.

I am proud to stand with my colleagues in recognizing February's Black History Month and honoring the lasting impact of African Americans, Sandy and beyond.

And many of us have celebrated this Saturday morning for the Women of Color War Breakfast.

I saw Ms.

Harman there and many other leaders.

It was a beautiful occasion, and I look forward to celebrating it every year.

Um item 30, happy National Engineers Week.

Uh, engineers are our problem solvers who turn our ideas into reality, designing the bridges we cross, the water systems we rely on, the clean energy we're building, and the technologies that keep our community safe and connected.

Uh, city engineers, your work touches every part of our daily lives, often behind the scenes.

And this week we celebrate all of you who use your creativity, precision, and public spirit and innovation to build a stronger, more resilient future for all of us.

And I'm wondering if there's any in city engineers with us today.

Can we please give them a round of applause?

Thank you.

And item 32, uh year of the horse.

Happy Lunar New Year.

Thank you to my colleagues for bringing this proclamation forward as well.

As we welcome the Year of the Horse, we celebrate a symbol of strength, resilience, and forward momentum.

Uh wishing everyone a year filled with good health, prosperity, and new opportunities.

I'm looking forward to celebrating this year as I have last year as well.

And hopefully I'll get to feed the Lucky Dragons with uh Councilman Lee again.

It was a great great event.

Finally, on item 31, uh Chief McFarland.

I'm very, very honored to be celebrating your retirement today, although very sad to see you're leaving the city.

Um today it is my honor to recognize Chief uh Charles Chuck McFarland for a remarkable career dedicated to protecting the people of San Diego.

For more than four decades, he has served as a helicopter pilot and the other 40 years in the fire service.

Chief McFarland has demonstrated extraordinary leadership, professionalism, and commitment to public safety.

Since joining the San Diego Fire Rescue Department, he has helped lead one of the nation's premier municipal fire aviation programs, strengthening our ability to respond quickly and effectively to wildfires, emergency and rescue operations.

His focus on safety, advanced training, operational excellence, has not only protected our residents, but has also supported the firefighters and first responders who rely on these critical resources.

Chief McFarland's expertise is recognized nationwide, and his work has helped shape the future of public safety aviation far beyond our city.

As we saw last year in January, when we had five fires, and we used aerial apparatus on every single one.

It's a huge game changer for our city.

And as one of uh Chief McFarland's um last services to our city, he did fly all the way to Virginia and flew back with our latest helicopter all the way across the country.

So we appreciate you very much, sir.

Uh, I'd love to invite you to come up and invite Deputy Chief Lozano to come up and say a few words.

Uh Council President Lacaba and City Council members and uh council member Von Wolpert, thank you very much for the recognition.

Recognition.

Um it's been a true honor.

Um I'm humbled to be here today.

And I want to thank uh the my colleagues that are in the audience, uh, Fire Chief Logan and his command staff and all the men and women of Air Operations and all the fire department.

It's it's been an honor beyond belief to serve the city.

And I want to thank all the other departments I got to work with to make all this happen.

And the support I had from four fire chiefs.

Uh they kind of gave me free reign to do a lot of things, uh, soul sourcing helicopters and doing a lot of things to save the city money.

So it's been a true honor, and I need to say thank you to my wife, Cindy, uh, who I've been married to since I was 18 years old.

Without her support, I never could have done this.

So thank you very much.

I'm not gonna look at you.

So just to add on to the uh to the proclamation, the great job that lays out Chuck's career.

Um I wanted to oh, sorry, I'm I'm Steven Lozano, Deputy Chief of Special Operations.

So I'm the chief for Chuck McFarland, but I've always said Chuck doesn't really have chiefs or bosses.

He has collaborators, and so that's what I've been for the past couple of years.

Um Chuck has been the foundation of our air operations program.

He has innovated this program, and on a selfish point for this patch and for this city.

We have the premier air operations firefighting element in the nation, and that's due to him.

On a local level, Chuck has always been the guy for um Calfire, for U.S.

forestry, for um uh local law enforcement.

Chuck is the aviation's guy that everybody calls.

On a state level, he's run uh committees for fire scope.

He's part of Cal Chiefs, uh, which has been instrumental throughout the state.

On a national level, he's worked with the IAFC, the Forest Service to implement their flight their era air operations programs.

And on an international level, I've actually been with Chuck when he was propositioned by other companies to come and teach aerial firefighting in France and in Greece.

Who gets that?

Who who gets that opportunity?

So on that level, I just wanted to say Chuck, thank you for your service to the city.

Thank you for everything you've done for us.

We are the premier organization because of you.

Chuck retires on February, Friday, February 13th, which if you know Chuck was probably planned.

Um, but he is uh amazing, he will be missed.

But the one thing about Chuck that we've all seen is when it's when you need him, he's there.

It's sometimes some part in the conversation when something's trying to be figured out, especially in the fire department or in special operations.

A lot of times it ends up with has anybody called Chuck.

So thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, and thank you.

And Chief Logan, I know you hear as well.

Is there anything else you'd like to add, or we have it covered?

We have it covered.

Okay, all right.

Thank you very much for all of your work.

I appreciate you so much, and thank you, Council President, for uh the time, and I'm glad to be here.

Glad you make it.

Um, all right, everybody, uh all my colleagues have spoken, so I'll add a few words to kind of begin to wrap this up.

Um, I'll thank you to the my colleagues for bringing these various proclamations and the eloquence of your words as well as those who spoke today on a variety of the proclamations.

You know, this is such a unique opportunity in chambers to really recognize a number of organizations, events, cultural uh individuals who are retiring in a very, very special way, and I'm so honored that we continue that proud tradition here at Council.

I'll speak to a couple of items.

Um surprise, 31 National Engineers Week.

It's certainly one of my favorite proclamations of the year as we recognize week of February 22nd through 28th as National Engineers Week in the City of San Diego.

Highlighting those whose work impacts every part of our daily lives, the transformative work done by engineers across the city and the country continues to shape safer and more resilient communities for generations to come.

Engineers develop systems and solutions from the roads we drive on to the invisible infrastructure that supports our city.

Without the dedication and precision of an engineer, none of it would be possible.

Your hard work and expertise keeps everyone safe and able to rely on the systems that serve us all.

To all the City of San Diego engineers and those who are joining us in chambers today from various city departments, from one engineer to another, thank you for your service.

And I also want to welcome Chief Community Service Services Officer and City Engineer, Ron Yamen, and Engineering and Capital Projects Director, Elief Setin, uh, to make their remarks.

Ranya, good mor good morning, Council Presidents and members of the City Council.

Thank you, Council Presidents, for bringing forward this proclamation, recognizing National Engineer Week.

Uh, on behalf of our entire engineering team as a city engineer, uh, we truly appreciate the acknowledgement of this important work being done across our city.

Uh, engineering is more than technical expertise, and my humble opinion, it's a public service uh from designing and maintaining road infrastructures uh to delivering major capital improvement project.

Our engineers work every day to ensure public safety, resiliency, and long-term sustainability.

I'm proud of the dedicated professionals who serves the communities with innovation, integrity, and accountability.

Thank you for your continued support of our infrastructure investment uh and for recognizing the engineer who helped uh uh keep our cities trunk and moving forward.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

Oh, Leaf is good.

Uh, and I'll close those remarks.

Uh, speaking to those in high school or even entering college.

I'm very proud of engineering as an incredibly important career path, no matter who you are, no matter what your background are uh it is a way to serve the public and provide community service and have an excellent job.

So I would hope that people that are not discouraged by some of the rhetoric that we hear.

We need engineers in every aspect of engineering to continue the good work uh that our predecessors did that our current engineers are doing every day.

And come up and sign up for the city of San Diego.

We're a great place to work.

So with that, let me move on to uh 32 year of the horse.

I joined my colleagues in celebrating the year of the horse in the city of San Diego.

Lunar New Year holds deep significance, bringing together friends and family in celebration of reflection and renewal, marking the beginning of a new year.

2025, as you heard, was the year of the fire horse, which symbolizes confidence, amplifying honest intentions and engagement.

Being born in the year of the horse myself, I hope to bring forward these expectations with me into the lunar new year, and I wish you all happy lunar new year, filled with happiness, prosperity, and good health.

And I'll close with item 30, Black History Month.

Uh, my colleagues were so eloquent and as well as the public, so I'll offer this thought.

Um, in this time that we are facing for those who purport to be national leaders in these conversations that are running so scared about our history that seek to ignore it, to seek not to learn from it, that seek to erase it, does not make us a great country.

And we do that also by celebrating the very good moments of who we are as a country.

So to those who want to be a community leaders, let's embrace who we are as a country, acknowledge, learn, and continue to move forward.

Every American from the past, who are living today in the next generations deserve no less.

So with that, I will close a shout out to the Chief of McFarland for your service over the years.

Okay, we're not done with proclamations.

We're going to pause for some photos, and we're going to start with item thirty, Black History Months.

All right, we're gonna wait for that one council member to return before we get on with the rest of the morning.

Council agenda for the morning session.

Before we proceed with the approval of the consent agenda, we will first return item S five oh one item sixty back to staff per their request.

So are there any requests to pull any other item by my council colleagues?

Not seeing any requests.

Like Keona Wilson, this is a $10 million settlement for alleged wrongdoing by a police officer who provided these perpetrators with large paddles to beat these children.

And a fire department volunteer who allegedly didn't report witnessed uh child abuse.

These these first of all, these settlements, it's been two months since you made this settlement in closed session.

The city attorney for some reason must think I'm I'm on opponents council refuses to explain why you didn't report out this settlement.

And most importantly, two of you voted against this settlement.

Councilwoman Moreno and Councilwoman Campbell.

I please all of you explain to the public why you voted the way you did.

Thank you.

Thank you for that concluding comment.

There are no other public speakers here in Council Chambers.

Going to those participating remotely, starting with uh Michael Schmidt.

Michael, did you want to speak on the consent agenda or on non-agenda public comment?

Michael Schmidt.

I cannot unmute for you.

There should be a pop-up that came up.

I will have to move on to the next speaker.

Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Hi, uh Blair Beekman.

Uh I'd like to speak to items 50 through 54 and 102.

Uh items 103 and 104 and 108.

Thank you.

Please proceed.

You'll have three minutes.

Okay, thank you.

Uh Blair Beekman.

To first speak to items uh 108 and 103.

Um oh eight is uh a new uh commissioner for uh lead commissioner for the convention center.

Um that's the exact title.

I'm sorry if I got the title there wrong.

Uh Board of Director.

Um, yeah, uh we're really trying hard to work on uh convention center issues, uh fix it repairs.

There's a whole bunch of work that can be done.

Uh a holistic approach.

I hope tech accountability is a part of that process.

I've always been saying if you offer good tech accountability to visitors and they understand that.

I think that's building the the best friend San Diego we're trying to look for.

And uh it's important work, uh tech accountability.

Good luck in in making an open, clear process of community participation for all of this.

Uh that builds community harmony and and and friendships.

Uh to go on to items uh the 103 item about uh uh commission funds, uh uh uh a commission that works on funding uh issues.

Thank you for that commission and their reporting.

Uh it's it sounds like an interesting commission that reports on city funds and and their practices.

Thank you.

Uh uh always bring that to uh council.

I hope we can bring more commission reports to council in the future.

Thank you.

Uh item 104 is uh police association lateral and recruitment incentive programs.

My goodness gracious.

Have you guys been learning that with all the we've been bringing down violent crime a lot in local communities?

Uh police deaths of uh uh citizens, uh people of cities is actually rising since George Voyd's incidents.

Uh you guys clear on that.

So uh these lateral recruitment moves, although helpful, we have to be very mindful of it.

And I hope you're having good safeguards in place for the process.

We can't just hire anyone.

We have to really mind and note who we're hiring and what that process is about.

Um we have to be mindful of power police are working at this time.

Uh, I know they can be separate from my good luck that we we offer best practices as we are headed in a uh time of war.

We really have to practice peace.

Good luck in those efforts.

And finally, about pure water issues.

Uh as important as it is that we're working towards uh you know community participation on the future of water board issues.

Uh city council has to be more clear how much pure water is adding to water rate increases overall.

And just to be clear and accountable on that subject, it isn't a gotcha moment.

It's it's offering best practices for ourselves that we're building the pure water system well.

So good luck that we were open and accountable here.

Your time has concluded.

Uh 8700, if you can please unmute after that is 7499 and then 1384.

8700, if you can please let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Yes, thank you.

Uh 50 through 56 and 101 and 102, please.

You'll have three minutes, please proceed.

Thank you so much.

Heads up, first of all, I may there's a chance I'll get a knock on the door uh for maintenance in my apartment, and I may have to just zoom right out when I'm speaking.

So uh it's just a chance it might happen.

Okay.

So on uh 50 through 53, these are all pure water.

And um I I you know, yes to pure water.

I'm on board finally, I think about a year and a half ago, and I'm really really excited about the historic product uh project that this is, and uh looking forward to provision on it.

Uh it is under I looked at the uh AOC reports, and there is some underrepresentation, especially I think on the uh company on number 50.

And I I will say this again later.

I'm I have a concern regarding the San Diego County Water Authority and their system quality and uh the collaboration and relationship between all parts of that.

Now on 54, the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant and permits and so forth.

Wow, this this is just so crucial.

And um I I'm following it pretty closely, the history of it and where we're headed, and it looks like at the end of 26 this year, there will be a deadline that that we will have to meet on that um the permit uh issue.

So it's probably more complicated than that, but uh I'm just holding my breath on that and and actually saying a prayer.

So, yes, on 55 for the ACE parking, uh, but I did want to say that this is uh the contract in the EOC, there's underrepresentation there.

Uh I know somebody that worked at ACE parking uh for years, and he really uh felt comfortable there and spoke well of it.

On uh yes to uh 56, which is Highland Software.

Um City Clerk, I didn't have a chance to really get into the backup well.

But I the one thing that really doesn't work for me in our system is uh the public comments.

I I just cannot work with that at all on any computer, and I think that's Granicus uh how you say that related.

And the other thing I have concern with, and it doesn't really, I think relate to you, the City TV and getting into the archives and doing the replay.

On uh yes to 100, the contract on the hydrogen sulfide uh order control.

Uh every time I see a cost of 10 figures, it just catches my breath.

Chemicals, chemicals, chemicals.

We can't live with them, and we have to be careful because they can really hurt us.

So using less chemicals can be cost effective, yet never at the cost.

My apologies, your time has concluded.

And for public comments, you can also just email them to City Clerk at Sandiego.gov if you're having problems with the web form.

7499, if you can please unmute Bob Kazuski here.

I'd like to speak on items 55, 56, and 100.

Three minutes, please proceed.

Uh item 56, Highland Software.

Last night a friend and I watched the 2004 film version of Manchurian Candidates, starring Denzel Washington and Merrill Street.

The atrocities in that version resulted from a business referred to as Manchurian Global, which operated in concert with elements of the United States government.

I mention this because I continue to see this city using relationships with private businesses to subvert citizens' rights.

We saw that with the red light cameras run by a private business back during the Sanders administration.

Fortunately, that particular practice was stopped by Mayor Filner.

But similar examples exist to this day.

For years now, citizens had to go to the website at HighlandCloud.com in order to access the agendas for this meeting.

Since my recent comments on this, I do now see that the current city council agendas on the city clerk's website.

So thank you to City Clerk Fuentes for fixing that.

But all of the previous agendas and public comments continue to be provided only via HighlandCloud.com.

I'm not opposed to an outside business being hired to perform services for the city, but those services should services should not require citizens to interact with or do business with those outside businesses.

Item 55, ACE parking.

As I mentioned in a previous comment, the ACE parking business has had an unfortunate history of not accepting cash payments for parking in our city parking structure.

Fortunately, Darnell from ACE ACE Management has made provisions to accept cash, and I do thank him for that.

But that provision needs to be specified in this contract to protect any citizens' rights to operate independently of any private financial institution or credit card business.

I want to hear from this council whether that provision is in this item or not.

Finally, it's an insult that you're limiting citizens to one minute per item when you spent most of this morning on your own PR photo opportunities.

Shame on this council.

Thank you.

Next is phone number ending in 1384.

If you can please unmute 1384 Thank you.

Ernie Castle, La Jolla Senior Resident Evil.

Okay.

Please proceed.

You'll have three minutes.

Yeah, Ernie Casco, La Jolla Senior Resident Pilot.

Uh concerning all the items in poor city council decisions, including Tory Pines Glad report.

It is February 10th.

Your leaseholder is currently blocking me out of the glider port completely under threat of violence, forcing residents to sign an illegal contract to use Torrey Pine's glider port.

It is well documented.

The complaint is on your desk, and it needs to stop today.

Your leaseholder claims to be doing his job that nobody complained or stopped them.

When it's your job, Todd Gloria and Joe Lacava to protect our constitutional recreational rights and freedoms.

It's time to stop the war and control over Torrey Pine's glider port cash cow purse.

Your leaseholders' access pass and waiver conflicts with residents and free pilots, constitutional recreational rights and freedoms, fighting over employment, money, power, profit, and control of the glider port.

This needs to end.

I reported serious allegations directly to your office and San Diego police.

Most recently to City Council Real Estate Assets Department.

While under threat of violence, I have been paying your leaseholder that refuses to provide a copy of the access pass and waiver in question.

The truth is also coming out at University Community Planning Group.

Where are the police reports for the victims who have been damaged?

Why haven't you taken action when you have a proven legal solution on your desk?

It's time to stop the crime.

Revise the permanent reinstatement of the Tory Pines advisory board and implement the proposed San Diego recreational waiver as a proven solution that ends the dispute.

I challenge City Council to come up with a better legal solution that's proven and ready to go.

It's a win for city council liability.

It restores our recreational rights and freedoms for years to come.

It's the best decision, Jolacava, that the city council could make.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment, but I would like to note for the record the potential appointments and reappointments that are on the agenda this morning.

Item 108 is a potential appointment of Carlos Cota to the San Diego Convention Center Corporation Inc.

Board of Directors.

Item 109 is a potential reappointment of Joseph Anthony Wustamante and Nicole Howard to the Citizens Equal Opportunity Commission and item S504 is a potential appointment of Lydia Bartel to the San Diego Convention Center Corporation Board of Directors.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

With that, we'll turn it over to my council colleagues' questions, comments, and or tetail motion.

We'll start with Councilmember Von Wolford.

Thank you very much.

And I wanted to one say thank you to everyone who's being appointed today to serve on our boards and commissions.

Thank you, Carlos, for your continued service on the convention center board.

Um I do hope that you will uh join the call to leverage the new funding we have with Measure C to maybe have a long-term bond.

Something that we can actually, you know, provide uh long-term uh relief for the infrastructure of the convention center.

But thank you for your service.

It's very exciting.

Um also uh on item um hundred.

Uh I'm very excited to be able to point out something that very rarely happens up here on this dais is that we are approving a contract with substantial cost savings from the previous contract.

Um this is for our water system to make sure that we can have drinkable and clean water in this new contract estimates uh about 27% cost savings to the city per gallon for hydrogen peroxide and 17% per dry ton cost savings for ferrous chloride.

And so that is just huge news.

I know that the PUD has been working on this for a while to reduce cost is something we never see.

And I just want to say thank you very much for this great work on it and uh let us know how we can continue to uh leverage it in bulk by any whatever you did to do this, thank you.

Uh so congratulations on this great work.

Um and I will move the consent agenda.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Von Wolpert.

We have a motion to move the consent agenda, which does not include item 60 or S501.

We'll go next to Councilmember Foster.

Uh yes, thank you.

Um, Council President, I will um second the um consent agenda.

Um but just a couple of comments.

Um item 104.

Um I know we talked about this um quota um in regards to recruitment retention.

Um this does um directly speak to um the concerns um that continue to come from this council regarding overtime.

Um but also I just want to make sure that we um are doing everything we can to budget appropriately.

Um you know, having things come in after the fact as we know processes have started in place.

Um I just we're only as good as the information that we get at the time as we are going through the development process.

So just just want to reiterate the importance of making sure um we're getting accurate information and and folks are projecting accordingly.

Um also um in regards to item S 500.

You know, this item authorizes a 10 million dollar settlement.

Um and just following the recent 30 million um settlement regarding Konoa Wilson.

Um together these cases represent 40 million in liability in a short time frame.

Forty million dollars in a matter of weeks.

Not only does this represent a growing financial risk to the city, but also highlights the need for reform and a culture change within our San Diego police department.

To date, the City of San Diego since 2017 has spent roughly a hundred million dollars in San Diego Police Department litigation and settlements.

And that's very concerning as the liability fund is supported by the general fund.

And with that, um Coda, if I can um have a commitment from the mayor's office, I would formally request that risk and San Diego PD docket an item at the budget and government um or budget um and government efficiency committee to bring an item to have a public conversation about these settlements uh going back to 2017.

Um and also would like to know what steps we are putting in place to mitigate um these types of um litigations and misconducts.

Can I have that commitment from the mayor's office?

Yes, council member.

Uh, we'll likely also work with City Attorney's Office to make sure um you know what we're discussing is allowed under through closed session matters, but yes, you have the commitment to docket something a budget uh with risk and uh Sandy Coast Department.

Thank you.

I appreciate that, and that concludes my comments.

And I can take that as a second.

All right, so we have a motion by Councilmember Von Wolpert and a second by Councilmember Foster to move the consent items, which again do not include item 60 or S501.

We'll go next to Councilmember Elo River.

Thank you, Council President.

Um I'll start with item uh 100 actually.

I appreciate Councilmember Von Wolpert um bringing this up.

Uh a couple of years ago, I believe we had a contract come to us um for um chemicals uh uh use to the for water.

Um and there was a conversation at that time about the way in which it seemed as though the pandemic and the war in Ukraine were continuously being used as uh excuses by companies that we depend on to, in my opinion, gouge the city um for for essential items.

Um it is not a choice as to whether or not we treat um our water or our wastewater.

Um it seemed very much like the city was being taken advantage of.

Um I've actually pointed to the to these chemicals as examples of some of the costs that the city um has seen significant increases in in conversations with community members in explaining um why the budget has grown in some of the ways that it has.

There's other reasons as well for sure, but this was an example of um a thing that we needed to pay for that had significantly increased in cost.

And I share uh Councilmember Von Wolpert's appreciation that uh we've dug in and and and worked harder to negotiate a better price uh for San Diegans.

Um so I just want to express my appreciation for that.

I want to say congratulations to Mr.

Coda um for your reappointment to the Convention Center Corporation Board of Directors.

Um obviously you bring um a wealth of experience.

Um that's not my way of calling you old.

That's just my way of recognizing that you've seen some things and you've been at the convention center for some very important changes, especially as it relates to how the workers at the convention center are treated and ensuring that they're treated with the dignity that they deserve and receive uh the pay that they deserve as well.

So thank you for that work.

Um I uh will now pivot to um to item 500 as well.

Um I will start by saying that I don't think there is a single thing that I have heard as a council member that has been more horrifying and disappointing to me as a leader in this uh as a person who's charged with with the responsibility of leadership in this city than the details of this lawsuit.

Uh I believe that our most sacred duty is to protect our young ones.

And the city, the county, the rock church, and the community as a whole failed in that duty, and we failed Arabella McCormick and her young sisters.

I'm gonna read some of the detailed details from the reporting because I I think it's extremely important that we do not run from these details, as horrifying as they are.

Um and this is from CBS 8's reporting.

Arabella was reported just 40 pounds when sheriff's deputies arrived at the family's Spring Valley home in August 2022 on a report of a child in distress.

McCormick, just 11 years old at the time, died shortly after from heart failure.

Her young her sisters both appeared younger than their ages due to underdevelopment.

They suffered from refeeding syndrome, a phenomenon identified following World War II when prisoners of war were provided with food after a prolonged period of starvation and subsequently died from cardiac failure.

Uh they had to be nourished gradually.

They were hospitalized and received treatment that saved their lives, thank God.

In addition to her role at the Rock Church, the girl's adoptive mother, Letitia McCormick also volunteered as a crisis intervention specialist for the San Diego Police Department.

McCormick's parents, the girls' adoptive grandparents, Stanley and Adela Tom also volunteered with the department.

To add to the horror, the legal complaint alleges that McCormick worked alongside a San Diego police officer who visited the family's home and witnessed the parents prohibiting the girls from eating food, and when they did, forced them to chew their food very slowly.

That officer was alleged to have given her friend paddles to be used on the young girls.

That officer was alleged to have given her friend paddles to be used on the young girls.

There are no words or amount of money that can make amends for the way Arabella and her sisters were failed.

I support the settlement because it is what the representatives of the surviving victims believe, because the representatives of the surviving victims believe the money paid by the city will help ensure the girls have the security they need to heal from the hardship from the abuse and loss of their eldest sister.

My sincere hope is the settlement and the settlements of the other institutions involved will help provide the surviving victims the resources necessary to overcome what has been inflicted upon them.

And I am so so sorry.

That nobody came to their aid earlier.

So, Coda, uh just and this is rhetorical right now, but I do mean this.

Um what steps are the mayor and the chief taking to ensure the culture and practices of SDPD prioritize the protection of children before the unwritten rules of protecting their own.

And finally, in a moment when the city is royaled in a conversation with the way resources are allocated.

We must acknowledge that this 10 million dollar settlement plus the settlement with the family of Kanoa Wilson puts the city at over 40 million dollars paid out on settlements in just the last couple of months, triggered by the acts and failures to act by the San Diego Police Department, which resulted in the deaths of two minors, babies.

Things must change.

They must change because our sacred duty to our young ones demand that they change.

They must change because the values of justice and safety demand it, and things must change because we literally cannot afford for them not to.

So thank you, Councilmember Foster, for uh uh your comments and making the request that you did.

I think that's an incredibly important conversation when it comes to the financial stewardship of the city and um COTA.

And Coda, I uh do very much hope that the council and the public um will have an opportunity to hear the ways in which, again, um we can know that action is being taken to do everything in our power to ensure that something like this never happens again.

And I say that with the humility of knowing that we cannot control for the acts of all people and people do terrible, terrible things.

But what I also know is it is completely not okay for people wearing the badges of this city, the seal of this city to fail children in the way that these children were failed.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, uh, Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

We'll go back to Councilmember Von Wolpert.

Um thank you, Council President, for the time.

And I usually don't speak on pending litigation because as a former deputy city attorney, I understand the need to let the city attorney's office speak for this.

Um, but I do want to in this case talk about the settlement with uh Arabella's surviving younger sisters.

The entire city, county, Rock Creek Church, and even a charter school failed these little girls.

They were charter school teachers in her home twice a week, every week for five years who didn't report this abuse.

The county investigators from CPS who were charged with protecting her, didn't report this abuse.

And one of the San Diego police officers who is named in this lawsuit contributed to this.

As I told my colleagues in closed session, I have used all the political pressure I have to make sure that this officer no longer has a badge or a gun.

I understand she has due process rights and they are going through it, but every single week I have called on the police department to get her off the force every week with her due process rights.

I'm not trying to get ahead of that.

She's no longer being able to use her badge or her gun, is my understanding, and they are going through the process now to complete their investigation.

But Coda, I do have a request going forward.

In cases such as this, which are completely egregious, which are not life and death decisions in the middle of a 9-1-1 emergency, this was a long-term case of abuse.

I think it is incumbent upon the police department to act quicker.

They do not need to wait for a civil case or a criminal case to come down to do their own internal investigation into conduct disagregus.

This officer could have had her badge and gun removed years ago.

So I'm hoping that the police department going forward will take action sooner when conduct like this emerges.

Understanding POBAR, understanding everyone's due process rights, that is fine.

But we do need to protect the public.

The county will also be settling this lawsuit.

Rock Creek Church will also be settling this lawsuit.

The charter school will be settling this lawsuit, and these poor young girls who survived.

The money they're getting is never going to fix this.

But holistically, our society failed these little girls.

And I will continue to use every part of the pressure I can to make sure that we do better going forward.

So thank you.

All right.

Thank you, Councilmember Von Wolpert.

We'll go back to Councilmember Elo Rivera.

Thank you, Council President.

I just wanted to say thank you to Councilmember Von Wilpert for those comments and the request that you just made and the commitment that you you've made.

Um that part I think is it's really, really bothered me.

Um that idea that someone could could keep the uniform on.

Um I I don't know how to look folks in the face in the community and say that they can trust us and trust officers if it is the belief and understanding of the community that this sort of thing can happen.

And you get to keep your badge.

So I think it's incredibly important.

I appreciate um uh your your comments and your commitment to stay on this.

Um that's all, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

Uh, not seeing anybody else in the lights.

Um, I will thank Councilmember Foster, Councilmember Elo Rivera, and Councilmember Von Wolpert for their comments on this horrific item.

Um my comments uh that the member of the public was asking for a different time and place.

Um I will uh some of the items that were mentioned um by the public uh during uh public comment on the consent items.

Uh one individual questions that have been asked, they have been answered.

I know you don't like those answers.

But your recreational uh waiver that you've introduced over and over again has been thoroughly vetted and rejected by the city.

I know you don't agree with that, um, but I feel like we have done our job.

Um for the good work for the good folks at PUD.

I think you've done a very good job both not only bringing these multiple items uh on consent, uh, really on the verge of completion of the biggest infrastructure project the city is ever going to do.

Um I never thought coming into office how many times I would have to remind people why we're doing pure water.

Um but thank you for that good work.

We're still under the council's authorization, so we're under budget on that.

Um I think PUD has done its job in terms of disclosing how pure water affects our our water rates.

Um you need to listen in when we have those unpleasant conversations and raising water rates, but I think there's been a lot of disclosure.

Um I'll conclude on an upbeat note, or hopefully upbeat on item 103, which is updating council policy 000-26, City Funds Commission reports.

I want to thank the Treasurer, Parks and Recreation and Library Department for working with my office to bring this council policy up to date and provide the additional information to the public on the use of these funds and endowments.

And with that, we have a motion by Councilmember Von Wilbert and a second by Councilmember Foster to move the consent items, which do not include again item 60 and S501.

Clerk, please call the roll.

I started the voting system, please cast your vote.

That passes unanimously 6 to 0 with Councilmember Campio, Councilmember Whitburn, and Councilmember Campbell absent.

Thank you.

All right.

We've had a very busy moment uh morning, but we still have a few things to do.

So are there any comments from the mayor's office, city council members, city attorney, independent budget analyst, or city clerk.

City clerk.

My apologies, I'll be quick, but I did just want to make an announcement that our upcoming community listening session, part of the city clerk's ongoing part of my efforts, part of my ongoing efforts to connect with residents and gather feedback through our public engagement survey.

Please join us on Thursday, February 19th, 2026, at 5.30 p.m.

at the Tierrasanta Recreation Center.

This session will be held in person and on Zoom at Sandiego.gov slash listening, listening.

Visit Sandio.gov slash city clerk to take the survey and stay informed.

Together we can strengthen communication, expand access, and help shape the future of our city.

With that being said, any of our appointees that came in today, please go to the rear of the chambers and a member of my staff will be there to complete your oath of office before you leave for today.

Thank you and congratulations.

All right.

Thank you, City Clerk.

Um I'll make a comment as well, one of one that uh the public and my colleagues will hear often.

Um last year, Sacramento passed uh Senate Bill 707, which made a number of amendments to the Brown Act.

Um they fall essentially into two buckets.

Uh one bucket required compliance by January 1st of 2026, and I want to thank the City Clerk and the Office of the City Clerk for taking care of those items.

So we're in compliance with that.

There is a second bucket that requires compliance by July 1st, 2026.

Um it speaks to not only the languages in which the agenda has to be published, but it also talks about how we compare public comment from those who are in person versus those that are participating remotely.

And while I think the city clerk has done a remarkable job of trying to balance how we take that public comment uh and doing what I think is an excellent job, uh SB 707 says, yeah, we're gonna change that uh and has set a much different bar that we have to now uh comply with.

Uh we will have the first conversation um about what that means to us as a city, a city council operations in chambers at the rules committee on February 18th.

That will only be an information item to introduce uh what the SB 707 means and some initial ideas looking for public feedback and of course feedback from the committee members.

Uh but ultimately we will have to adopt changes to the role of council prior to July 1st in order to be compliant with SB 707 and how it amended the Brown Act.

Seeing no one else in the lights, we will now take up the morning discussion agenda.

Clerk, please introduce item S502.

Thank you, Council President.

Item S502 is the request for an extension of the construction contract number K21 1961 DBB3 with BERTEC Pipeline Incorporated for the construction of the sewer and water group 812 replacement project.

Six votes are required pursuant to Charter Section 99.

If you'd like to speak on this item, please be sure to submit your speaker slip to the front of the room in the clear box, or if you're participating remotely.

Now is the time to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

Given the hour, I don't want to make the assumption.

Is Council interested in a presentation or are you interested in waiving the presentation?

I'm happy to waive the presentation.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh Romain there for any questions or comments.

Actually, why don't you introduce yourselves for the record just so that we know?

I'm Catherine Dunca, Assistant Deputy Director with Engineering Capital Projects Department.

Here with me is Donnie Girardi, also assistant deputy director with engineering capital department uh in the construction branch.

All right.

Well, thank you for for the good work to bring this item forward and being available for any questions, but clerk, please proceed with public comment.

Okay.

There is a public comment here in Council Chambers going to those participating remotely.

Michael Schmidt.

Would you like to speak on this item?

I'm I'm want to speak for the non-agenda.

Sorry, I'm not sure.

Okay, we'll come back to you.

Sorry.

No worries.

Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute.

All right.

Um, thank you for this item.

Thank you for the efforts of uh sewer infrastructure work.

It's always really important uh, especially at this time in our lives in San Diego.

Uh thank you.

Thank you for the words of council uh uh Chair Lacaba, uh President Lacaba stating you know the broad conversations you have had on pure water issues.

Uh I'll comment more on the subject later.

Uh thank you for his words on the subject also.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

That does conclude public comment on this item.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

We'll turn it over to council members for questions, comments, entertain a motion, and I'll move the staff recommendation to get things started.

Can I get a second?

Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

Not seeing anyone else on oh, Councilmember Foster.

Um thank you, um, Council President.

Just a quick question.

I guess when we talk about the delays, can you help me to understand the reason behind the delays a little more?

Um we normally come in way earlier before the contract expires.

Um, as part of our uh effort to abandon sea remains in the canyon private properties behind um the houses.

Um we have to investigate to make sure there's no active lateral connected to the main that we are abandoning behind the houses.

Um recently the contractor observed um water um in the manhole, which means that there could be still active laterals connected to the main that we are abandoning.

So we had to request for a direct docket, and then I would like to thank uh council member Lakava for approving this.

Um, this extension is primarily to give us um PUD and um CT staff to investigate if to ensure there's no serve active service laterals.

If there is an if there is an active service lateral, we need to investigate, prepare the design for that realignment of sewer lateral that we call replumb.

Basically, you know, installing the new sewer lateral, connect to the properties uh sewer sewer system, and reconnecting then that lateral to the new main industry.

So that requires also coordinating the work with the property owner.

Um we had to prepare the design and passes a replumb agreement to ensure that we're installing the lateral per plan and also to make sure the owner understands that the lateral will be turned over for them for future maintenance.

Thank you.

Um thank you for that.

I guess my follow-up question would be how is it that we do not understand our current conditions on site.

Oh, we we do have uh televising report, and it was part of our um presentation.

We have televising report, we do have as builds, but unfortunately, this active this laterals are not shown, they're not documented.

We have as builds for the existing water, existing sea were sea room behind the properties, and each lateral for each home has been accounted.

However, um there could be some uh we're just assuming that there could be lateral connections that were not submitted for review and approval, and we wanted to make sure those are addressed and properly reconnected to the C Remain so we can complete the project, abandon the C Remain, and you know we we have the director from field.

Can you help me to understand is it's my understanding that yes, we always as we as we uh monitor our projects that at closeout we do have as builds, which should be accurate, and also it's my understanding before we um as we are doing installation of piping, that there is an inspection process before pipes are per se covered and in in just as we talk about overall process because so can you help me to understand how we do not have accurate information regarding our current conditions.

Thank you, Councilman Foster.

Uh, this is Myrna Dayton and uh assistant director for engineering capital projects, and this is one of these unusual cases.

Um there have been a lot of unforeseen laterals that have were not documented.

The laterals, unfortunately, are not usually televised, and we actually have laterals attached to laterals.

So we're not allowed to abandon, so we had to do some extra testing that required dyes per homes, and we still have one more lateral that we're not sure where it's coming from.

So hence we need the extension to be able to wrap it up.

All right, understood.

Sounds like there's just some more work that needs to be done as we are.

Uh I'll put this under the the QAQC category as we are conducting our or or um completing our projects and making sure we have accurate information, right?

Because it makes me want to think we shouldn't have released retention or done certain things if we are not getting the appropriate documentation on the back end.

So all right, thank you.

That concludes my question.

All right, thank you, sir.

Not seeing anyone else in the lights.

We have a motion by myself and a second by Councilmember Elo Rivera to move the staff recommendation.

Clerk, please excuse me, please call the roll.

I'm sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

Councilmember Ila Rivera, I'm not sure if your system's working or not.

Thank you.

That does pass unanimously, six to zero with council member um Campio, Councilmember Whitburn, and Councilmember Campbell absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

Um so in terms of meeting management, I want to do a time check.

There's only six of us here.

Yeah, so six of us here.

We need five for quorum, as you know.

Um I want to do a time check.

It's 1215.

There are people in the audience that are patiently waiting for non-agenda public comment.

I definitely want to get to them.

Do we want to kick remote till at the end of this afternoon session?

Because you have other obligations thinking we would be wrapped up at noon, right?

Okay, so we'll take uh up non-agenda public comment for those of you that have been patiently waiting in chambers, and for those who want to offer non-agenda public comment remotely, we will do it at the end of the afternoon session.

I hope that does not cause any inconvenience.

So, with that, uh the council members respect and appreciate the public's input and are fully committed to protecting every participant's free speech rights at council and committee meetings.

Clerk, please proceed with public comment for those that are in chambers right now.

Thank you.

Per rule 2.7 on agenda public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on items that are not on the agenda, but within the subject matter jurisdiction of the city council, each speaker will have two minutes.

The following speakers are Sandy.

If you can please come up to the podium after that is Paul Kruger and then Jason Moore.

If you can please come up to the yellow reserve seats at the front.

All right.

Uh this will be my fifth and final two-minute presentation of a total of 10 minutes.

Uh uh regarding our unconstitutional allocated express activity areas uh for artists which violate our first amendment free speech rights.

I hope I'm not spinning my wheels here, uh deluding myself that uh what I do here can possibly make a difference, but to not make a choice is still a choice, so I choose to make to at least try.

But to not make a choice is still a choice, so I choose to make to at least try.

Um, and again, I'm gladly to make myself available for any constructive input.

Identity.

We all express ourselves and identify as someone.

Sometimes that identity comes from our job, passion, or our beliefs.

But we are all human.

As artists, we are entertainers, painters, jugglers, musicians, magicians, escape artists, human statues, and bubble artists, all of which are covered under the First Amendment for us to express.

Public parks, squares, and other public areas are meant to be enjoyed by everyone.

This includes the right to express our freedom of speech in First Amendment, following a common rule of not hurting ourselves, the equipment, or anyone else.

San Diego should take pride in uh in its local talent.

Songs have been written about buskers, the rubber bandman by the spinners, Chicago, Saturday in the park, which I will now finish with a little ditty.

I hope you don't mind my out of tune.

It goes like this.

Flies the colors of the day.

A brown man still can tell stories his own way.

Listen, children, all is not lost.

All is not lost.

Oh, no, no.

Thank you.

Thank you, Paul Krueger.

Thank you.

I'd like to thank the three council members for comments about the settlement.

And again, I so respect you, Councilwoman Moreno, but I wish we could hear from you on this.

Um I'm here to talk again about parking and about um my disappointment uh with a lack of action of those of you who oppose paid parking in assuring that the public has a forum to speak out.

It appears to me that based on the compromise that the mayor made with the council president and council member Elo Rivera, that this issue is dead as far as this council goes, unless one of you is who opposes it is willing to bring it up again.

And that now any action rests with is a political somewhat political uh situation with Richard Bailey and um Shane Harris.

Um and I want to say uh that it's important for us to call out um misstatements when they occur.

And I have spoken several times about the mayor's misstatements that this money is somehow a um dedicated stream of funding for improvements in Balboa Park.

And I know, Councilwoman von Wilpert, you referred to that, and I believe you were completely misled.

And the mayor did it again yesterday when he said this program provides a dedicated funding stream for Babola Park operations and maintenance.

Um we've lacked for decades.

Let's all be very clear when we talk about that.

This money goes to the general fund.

That's its destination.

This money does pay for uh the line items related to the park, but it's fungible.

Somebody taught me that word.

It's fungible money, it goes to every uh general fund payment we should not forget that.

Comment Jason Moore.

Uh good afternoon, Council President Lacava and Council members.

I just wanted to briefly note that this morning I submitted a ballot proposal to City Clerk Fuentes under City Policy 000-21.

Um what I understand, it'll be sent to the rules committee consultant and then uh sent to the appropriate rules committee uh body, which based on a Cliff Notes version of it.

It's a uh three and three-quarters percent to four and one-quarter percent surcharge on rideshare rides originating within the city limits.

Um, so I believe it will go to the act of transportation and infrastructure committee, which is headed by um Councilmember Whitburn, and then also joined by uh Councilmember Foster III, Von Wilpert, and Lee.

Um just wanted to note that because I'm sure you get a lot of submissions in your inbox, and I wanted to make sure that there was at least um myself here to say that I did send it in.

Um I also I did submit that um in a slightly alternative nexus cost-based recovery format to the mayor's office a couple Fridays ago, which turned out to be quite the Friday from what I understand.

Um I think it will be much easier to pass on a general November ballot because it will require simple majority as opposed to a two-thirds majority.

And I also believe that legal challenges would be substantial to arguing that simple rideshare rides are somehow um producing a cost for the city, whereas people then just going to the grocery store doing normal things, then would also supposedly be incurring costs to the city.

So I just wanted to let you know that I did submit that, and I appreciate the time to be able to tell you that.

So have a wonderful day.

Thank you.

That does conclude non-agenda public comment for today's meeting in person.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Uh as I mentioned a few moments ago, uh, we will defer remote non-agenda public comment until the uh end of this afternoon's uh session.

And with that, we are now adjourned for the noon recess and reconvene open session at 2 p.m.

or shortly thereafter.

Thank you, Councilmember Whitburn.

Here.

Councilmember Foster.

Here.

Councilmember Von Wolper.

Council President Pro Tim Lee.

Councilmember Campillo.

Councilmember Moreno.

Councilmember Sean Eli Rivera.

And Council President Lacava.

Present.

Also attending the meeting are assistant city attorney Leslie Fitzgerald, independent budget analyst Charles Modica, Council Affairs Advisor in the Mayor's Office, Coda Seiser, and myself, your city clerk, Deanna Fuentes.

Thank you, Council President.

All right.

Thank you, City Clerk.

Uh quorum is now present.

Before we start today's meeting, I want to remind everyone about the city's practices and procedures for public comment at city council meetings.

The city welcomes public participation at our city council meetings.

Speakers may address the council during public comment and also in connection with a specific item of business on the agenda.

However, the city must make sure that no one person or group of people disrupt the meeting in a way that prohibits other speakers from expressing their ideas and opinions.

Excessive yelling, screaming or speaking beyond one's allotted time or examples of behavior that disrupt the meeting.

So to make sure that everyone here has an opportunity to address the council, I will alert an individual or individuals if I think their conduct becomes disruptive.

If the disruption continues, I will roll the individual out of order and issue a warning.

If disruption continues further, I will declare a recess so we can restore order.

At that point, I will direct the individual to leave chambers.

If the individual refuses to leave, police will escort the individual out of the building.

If we have to repeat this process of warning and recessing the meeting, all members of the public will be excused from the council chamber, credential media will be allowed to remain.

Once again, we have these practices and procedures to protect the rights of other speakers who wish to address the council and to allow the council to conduct the public's business.

Oh, three three one.

Okay.

Um so um first, as a reminder, we are trailing virtual or remote non-agenda public comment at from this morning's session.

We will be hearing virtual non-agenda public comment at the end of this afternoon session.

We're gonna make a slight change in the order of the items.

And we are going to start with item 331.

Uh, because as you see, we only have five council members uh on the diet, and so we're gonna defer the items that require six votes until a sixth council member shows up, or at least six council members show up.

So um if staff for item 331, the the fiscal 2025 annual comprehensive financial report, effectually known as ACFER, could kick off the conversation.

And with that, I step on your toes, City Clerk.

Please introduce item 331.

You did a beautiful job introducing it, Council President.

Item 331 is the fiscal year 2025 annual comprehensive financial report, the ACFR.

If you'd like to speak to this item, please be sure to submit a speaker slip here in council chambers to the front of the room in the clear box, or if you participating remotely, star nine or the raise your hand icon, please press it at this time.

I like to be against this matter right here.

I'd like to put it in the staff will speak with you over there.

Thank you.

All right, staff.

Um please introduce yourselves for the record and let us know how much time you need for the presentation.

And thank you for taking it out of order.

Of course.

My name is Jeff Peel, and the chief accountant in the Department of Finance.

I'm here with William Wiseman, a financial operations manager.

Uh also here is Kathy Lye, the partner with Crow LLP, and we'll need about uh 10 10 to 12 minutes for the presentation.

All right, begin when you're ready.

Okay.

We are to here to present the fiscal year 2025 annual comprehensive financial report, the ACFER.

Um let me the ACFR is prepared based on accounting standards established by a governmental accounting standards board for all state and local governments.

Entities are required to follow these standards for consistency and comparability to other governments.

The main users of this document are investors and rating agencies.

This document helps the city in issuing bonds, commercial paper, and other financing mechanisms.

Rating agencies develop credit ratings based on information in the ACFR.

And the document also provides a starting point for the budget.

I'm sorry to interrupt you.

Can you keep your voice down?

So we can't broke the law here.

Turn this slip and you can speak on the item.

So I'm sorry to interrupt.

Please continue.

Yep.

And the document also provides a starting point for the budget development process.

The ACFR is very different from the budget monitoring reports.

These are the financial statements as of June 30, 2025.

It is a backward looking document that provides a snapshot of the city's finances as well as critical disclosures that supplement those numbers.

Management is responsible for the monitoring and internal controls over financial reporting.

The city has put into place many controls to reduce the risk over financial reporting, such as multiple reviews based on materiality, checklist, department director certification, as well as certification from the disclosure practices working group, DPWG.

The ACFR is made up of three sections.

The first section is the introductory section, which includes the letter of transmittal, the LOT.

The LOT provides details about the city, major accomplishments, and economic trends that have happened within the fiscal year.

This section also includes the certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting for FY24, making this the 11th consecutive year for the city has received this honor.

Our department has submitted the FY25 ACFAR to GFOA for consideration of this award.

Next is this financial section, which includes the city's external auditors' opinion, the management discussion and analysis, or MDNA, financial statements, and no disclosures.

The MDNA details material variances within the government-wide statements.

The third section is the statistical section, which provides data to help users assess the city's economic condition.

The data includes financial trends, revenue and debt capacity, demographic statistics, and economic information.

The city had two new GASB standards that were implemented for FY25.

This was a change in how we value our compensated absence balances.

There's no change in the disclosure, just how the liability balance is calculated.

Prior to implementation, our compensated absences was comprised of annual leave and compensatory time off.

Under the new standard, we also pick up annual leave, department discretionary leave, parental leave, and our encyclical leave, as well as defined contribution pensions associated with these with these amounts.

This helps kind of capture the total liability to to the employee and standardized reporting between entities.

This was a statement that was implemented retrospectively, which required a restatement at the beginning of the fiscal year.

So that restatement was 18.1 million in governmental funds and 4.5 million for business type funds, respectively.

The second statement implemented this year was GASB statement number 102 for certain risk disclosures.

GASB number 102 requires disclosure of certain risks that could impair the city's ability to provide to provide services or meet financial obligations.

Typically, where you have concentration of risk and a primary employer, something that would materially impact the city's ability to receive resources to provide government services.

So this is did not have an impact on financial reporting this year, but is something that we'll need to continue to evaluate through throughout the course of the year as facts and circumstances become known as well as during um our ACFAR prep process.

So to give some general um major fund highlights, the consolidated general fund ended the year with a balance of 414.6 million.

That includes emergency reserves of 107.6 million and stability reserves of 99.5 million.

Uh the water and sewer funds were were pretty stable.

The water fund ended with a total net position of 2.3 billion, uh, which represented a decrease of less than 1% compared to FY24.

Uh the sewer fund ended with a net position of 2.8 billion, which represents an increase of about 1% over FY24.

Our external crow our external auditor Crow completed their audit on December 17th and found no significant deficiencies and no material weaknesses in internal controls.

It was a clean audit opinion.

That concludes our presentation, and we will pass it over to Kathy Lye, a partner with Crow for their part of the presentation.

All right.

Again, uh, if you could announce your names for the record.

Good afternoon again for the record.

My name is Kathy Lye, and I'm the lead audit partner from Crow on the City of San Diego audit.

Pleasure to be with you here today.

I've also had uh Joseph Ojaya, he's our lead senior manager on the audit to accompany me uh for today's presentation.

I've got a brief presentation established here for you to do today.

First, I'll cover the audit objectives to remind the council what we were engaged to perform for the city.

Second, I'll cover the audit results, and then third, I'll wrap up with the required communications.

So, first up with respect to our engagement objectives.

Crow was hired by the city to express an opinion on whether or not those financial statements for the city as a whole are fairly stated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Uh, we conducted our audit as auditors in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, as well as government auditing standards.

Those are our responsibilities.

It's also report important to note management's responsibilities.

Management is responsible for the fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

They're also responsible for the internal controls over financial reporting as well.

Moving on to our audit results.

I'm pleased to report that we have issued an unmodified opinion.

Essentially, our opinion states that the financial statements are fairly stated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

And so if that statement is unmodified, it's actually excellent news.

It's the highest level of assurance.

I'll go ahead and move on to our required communications.

Our auditing standards required to certain cover certain areas with those charged with governance.

And the first one is in relation to significant accounting policies.

Second is the management's judgments and accounting estimates.

Certainly, every set of financial statements include estimates.

A great example of that would be your post-retirement health care benefits or your pension liabilities.

Management utilizes actuaries to come up with estimates, which is uh very common in this area.

We have reviewed the estimates and we have no comment in that area.

On the next slide here, um, and Will had already alluded to this.

The city is required to look at new accounting standards that are issued by the governmental accounting standards board every year.

And this year they issued two standards, GASB 101 and 102, uh, related to compensated absences and certain risk disclosures.

Uh we've reviewed uh management's uh implementation of those standards and believe them to be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

On the next slide here, um, except with with respect to the implementation of the new accounting standard.

We did not note any material corrected or uncorrected misstatements to bring to your attention today.

And then last but not least, uh, we did not note any of these items that are listed here on the slide.

In fact, it was quite the opposite.

Management was very cooperative throughout our audit, and we certainly appreciate their cooperation uh during that time.

And then last but not least, I did want to confirm that Crow is independent of the city of San Diego, which is obviously very important to our role as your independent auditors.

With that, I'm happy to address any questions you might have.

All right, thank you for both uh presentations.

We appreciate the good work that you do and the independence and with which you do it.

So, clerk, please proceed with public comment.

Tangelo, if you can please come up to the podium for item 331.

You will have to get to speak on the other one, too, right?

The other one.

Yes, you'll get to speak on each item.

Good morning, everybody.

I just want to come to the city of people under God as the charge of the head of the of the nation.

Uh, just want to say hello, everybody.

Thank you to see y'all.

Hopefully, we can get everything back in order on this information right here.

Always do what's faithful, always do what's righteous.

Always do what continues to produce love, okay?

Um whatever's going on in a financial situation is forgiven through God.

Um they've they've held God's funds captive, so they starve in the people having been able to give me the opportunity to assist and assist the people like I need to.

I'll be speaking on about the matter here shortly, but I'm here today to take up my city and my seat in this as the head of God's church and to continue to do good things for the city of San Diego and to be honest about all my financial and all of my ways under God, I shall be faithful.

Um, the faithful act of receiving things through great faith, I have done what I have done because God led me through that way.

Not to get over on the people, but to capture the people who are in high seats demanding um treacherous ways on my people to make funds off of them.

I have proof of it.

I've been very honest.

I'm honest in my ways, I've turned it over, and hopefully, by that honesty, I can remain who I am as a trustee of the city of the of the nation of the nation of the United States of America.

Uh I am your all servant, not the one above, y'all.

And I'm just want to let y'all know that I'm here to be let that be known today.

If you're analyzing your um if you're analyzing your funds correctly, then God knows.

Always be faithful.

Thank you.

That concludes public comment here in Council Chambers, one of those participating remotely.

We currently have two speakers in the queue.

Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute.

Blair Beekman.

There you go.

Hi.

Um, yeah.

Sorry, it took a minute there.

Hi, Blair Beekman.

Uh, thanks a lot for this item.

You had a similar item yesterday, talking about uh budget issues you have to continue to work on.

Uh they have to be out uh ready to go by mid-April, I think.

Um yeah, and so I I talked yesterday uh in the important of looking for creative solutions uh for upcoming budget issues, and this is to kind of put a perspective on that, I think.

I've been talking about Oakland, uh, who only has uh a deficit in debt larger than San Diego in the state of California of local cities.

So you guys are pretty similar in in your budget situations at this time.

Oakland made it a really important point to still be able to fund its social services.

Um that was pretty high on the list of how they had to be working on on working on their budget issues, so much so that they were willing to take a cut in their credit rating.

You know, they and so I've been asking yourselves what can be creative answers.

Well uh can we can we work towards more creative answers at this time in San Diego?

That's what Oakland did, and that's tough.

I mean, that I'm and that's the kind of tough decisions.

I don't hope we have to be that drastic, but it it is to come up with creative solutions.

It does have to be some tough decisions that have to be made, and then I feel we can put things off for a few years.

We don't have to say everything has to be done in a year, uh deficit-wise.

We can we can parse it out over time, and um I think those are important factors to consider with this sort of item.

Losing a credit rating is hard, but maybe can that be a uh a creative answer to work towards uh solutions for very difficult separate questions at this time and uh learning how to judge that is important and being honest, like about what the parking issues.

You gotta be honest with the public, how the budget process is going.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Zoom user, and then 7499, 7 Zoom user.

If you can please unmute.

All right, hi.

So Henry.

Hey, uh, God is gonna forgive us all, but the Trump train is rolling into town with the vice president looking for fraud.

They compared the California fraud, making the Somali guys in Minnesota look like a kindergarten class.

There's rampant fraud all the way through the systems.

The NGOs in San Diego stop paying them money, open up the books.

They need to see their books.

11,000 people fraudulently made up stories about the PPP loans and other loans.

I got all their information, food stamps, illegal aliens, ABC paying those guys money.

So the Trump train is rolling into town, and with with a vice president, man, who's looking for all these different fraudulent monies, and God'll forgive us, but the jails are not God's jails, they're uh the feds.

So all you guys that got your name on these programs, check the list of the guys that they're dying already.

They got the names of all these people that had fake businesses and collected all the money, and they're coming after them, and they're probably already still working.

And NGOs that are working in San Diego.

You know, once they get the money pit, they go out different angles.

Even the Somali guys in San Diego are definitely suspects.

Those guys are tribal.

They figure out one guy knows there's a million bucks.

It's all throughout our books, man.

No wonder we're in dead.

They've been trying to kill me.

You know, because they're giving away the money left right.

So uh anyway, let's see, what else?

So uh anyway, let's see what else.

Okay.

JD Vance, I call him up and get the books out and let him see the books without having having to subpoena them.

It makes you look a little more uh honest.

Yeah.

So thanks for taking my call.

Thank you.

Second warning.

7499, if you can please unmute after that, 1384, 7499.

Bob Kazuski here.

Every time I hear about budget issues, I am reminded that the Tory Pines glider port business was documented as bringing in 1.4 million dollars every year over a decade ago.

That's how long ago that they were documented as bringing in 1.4 million dollars.

That was in I think 2010.

And you can imagine with inflation, it's a lot more than that now.

That was on a free lease of our city land.

Free lease.

Now the city turned around and decided to charge them some pittance.

I think it's something like three thousand dollars a year now.

But they're still bringing in that much money and probably more with no oversight.

And yet Joe Lacava refuses to reactivate the free Tory Pine City Park Advisory Board, which would help this city understand what's going on at that glider port and oversee the operations at that glider port.

So what is Joe Locava trying to hide in his district that he will refuses to allow any citizen oversight through something like the Tory Pine City Park Advisory Board?

It's it's an obvious question.

And uh starting to wonder about it.

Thanks for your time.

And 1384, if you can please unmute.

1384, there you go.

Ernie Casco, senior resident pilot at Tory Pines Gliderport, former assistant flight director, Tory Pine's glider port complaint is on your desk.

Allowing this crime to continue as a violation of your oath of office, an automatic forfeiture of your chair, Jo Lakava.

We have a proven solution known as the San Diego recreational waiver that would end in the dispute.

This would effectively split the tandem school operation from public recreational free flight.

The waiver would stop the illegal mandatory access pass and waiver in question.

Your city leaseholder would pay for their own insurance that is required by law and pay their own oversight as needed for public safety.

If you're retracting or rejecting the San Diego recreational waiver, it's time for transparency to stop the corruption with their own within your own administration.

I should not be forced to sign a waiver when city liabilities are already covered by California recreational laws.

The proposed San Diego recreational waiver only serves as a second certificate, ensuring city liabilities are uh are not uh or you're not liable, which includes pilot rating uh skills needed to fly safely, which is recognized uh globally.

It's time to stop the crime by revising the permanent reinstatement of Tory Pine's uh glider port advisory board and implementation of the proposed San Diego recreational waiver as a proven solution that ends the dispute.

I challenged city council to come up with a better legal solution that secure city liability, restores recreational freedom, and addresses victims and witnesses who have been damaged and assaulted by uh within a timely fashion.

It's a win for city council liabilities, restores our recreational rights and freedoms for years to come.

If you're gonna want me to walk away, we should at least address the victim and witnesses who have been assaulted and damaged.

Thank you.

That concludes public comment on this item.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

We'll turn it over to Councilmembers questions, comments, entertain on motion.

We'll start with the chair of the audit committee, Councilmember Moreno.

Thank you, and thank you for the presentation.

Um at the January 21st audit uh committee meeting.

I asked a series of questions directed to the independent auditor crow and also city staff.

I don't want to re-ask all those questions, so I'll reference um that committee.

Uh, but part of what I did um bring up was the city of San Diego, San Diego accurately depositing revenue into correct accounts and how that impacts our internal control um if it impacts internal control failures.

Um it was answered there.

Um I was happy with the answer, but I also want to take the opportunity uh to think um our financial management.

I think staff continues to do a great job at producing the act for each year.

And I greatly appreciate the commitment you guys have to ensuring this document is is complete and accurately reflects the financial conditions of the city.

And thank you also to Crow.

I think we had a robust conversation in the committee.

Please reference it.

But with that, I would like to move to receive and file the report.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you, Councilmember Moreno.

So we do have a motion.

We'll go next to Councilmember Whitburn.

Thank you, Council President.

I'm happy to second Councilmember Moreno's motion, and I just want to congratulate the finance team on the award received for the last fiscal years, the uh year that ended June 30th, 2024 for the certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting uh awarded by the government finance officers association.

The city has received that award for a number of years consecutively now, uh, which speaks highly of uh your team and uh just want to congratulate on that.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember.

Uh so we have a motion by Councilmember Moreno and a second by Councilmember Whitburn to receive and file the fiscal year 2025 annual comprehensive financial report.

Um since this topic comes up, how many years of clean audits and clean actors have we had now?

It's it has been a number of years.

I I don't know exactly, but it's been it's been at least five or six.

Okay.

Thank you.

Very good.

It's good to be reminded.

Um, Councilmember Von Wolpert, sorry.

Thank you.

I just want to thank the auditor for being here as well to also um independently state that we are getting clean audits from uh your from Crow and I want to thank our Department of Finance for the excellent work in doing all of this.

It's a very hard budget to balance and to see, and so thank you for your work and thank you also for the clean audit, and thank you to the audit committee for thoroughly reviewing this before I got to council, but I appreciate everyone's work.

All right.

Uh seeing no one else in the lights.

We do have a motion by Councilmember Moran, a second by Council Member Byrne to receive and file the 2025 ACR.

Please call the roll, clerk.

The voting system, please cast your vote.

That passes unanimously seven to zero with Councilmember Campio and Councilmember Campbell absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

With that, so we'll go back to the regular order.

Uh clerk, please introduce item 330.

Item 330 is a state revolving fund loan to the city of San Diego sewer system for the Alvarado Trunk Sewer Phase 4 project package A.

Six votes are required pursuant to Cal to Charter Section 99.

If you are here in Council Chambers and wish to speak to this item, please submit a speaker slip to the front of the room in the clear box if you're participating remotely, star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you.

All right, staff.

I see as you're settling in, uh please introduce yourselves for the record and let us know how much time you need for your presentation.

Hello, Council President and Council members.

Thank you for having us today.

My name is Kevin Warner.

I'm a financing coordinator with the Department of Finance.

To my right, I have uh Jothie Pantalouche, she's the assistant director of Department of Finance.

Uh also on the phone, we have Adam Jones, who is the public utilities department uh finance uh deputy director.

Uh he's on the Zoom.

Um we need about seven minutes for our presentation.

All right.

When you're ready.

Thank you.

Uh, this uh presentation is for the state revolving fund loan to the City of San Diego sewer system for the Alvarado Trunks Sewer Phase 4 project package A.

For a little bit of background, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, or SRF as it's commonly known, offers low-cost loans to help local agencies affordably construct wastewater projects throughout the state.

This program is administered by the State Water Resources Control Board.

The program offers low interest rate options uh for loans and favorable repayment terms.

The city regularly submits applications for standalone projects that meets eligibility requirements.

The state has recently limited loans to $50 million per project.

For the Alvarado Trunks tour phase four package A, the project will increase sewer capacity by replacing outdated trunk sewer infrastructure.

The city can receive a SRF loan up to 50 million dollars.

Now, full disclosure, we have not gone out to bid yet for this particular project, so we are asking for the full amount of the SRF loan for 50 million dollars.

Or at the beginning of fiscal year 2027, and is estimated to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2029.

The current interest rate uh for these SRF loans is 2.2 percent.

That the rate that rate is uh set by the state water board based on a benchmark of 50 percent of the interest rate on California's average general obligation rate obtained by the state treasurer.

The loan will have a senior lien position.

Uh principal repayment begins after construction is done, and we will have a 30-year repayment term.

We estimate the cost for a $50 million loan to be $2.3 million annually.

I would like to denote though that interest rate and debt service could is subject to change based on when the loan is finalized.

The existing loan and bond obligations of the sewer system require the sewer system to meet certain additional debt affordability tests when entering into a new debt obligation.

Under the anticipated language and the loan agreement, the sewer system will be required to maintain a senior debt service coverage ratio of 1.2 times outstanding maximum annual debt service and aggregate debt service coverage ratio of 1.1 times, outstanding maximum and annual annual debt service.

The loan is supported by currently approved rates.

So for proposed action, we are uh asking for the authorization for the mayor to implement the SRF loan, authorize the city to pledge net revenues for this uh from the sewer revenue fund for this loan, and authorize the CFO to create a new fund and appropriate and expend for this particular project.

And with that, that concludes our presentation.

We're open for any questions.

All right.

Thank you for the work to bring us forward in the presentation.

With that, uh please proceed with public comment.

Tangel, if you can please come forward.

Yeah, we'll go ahead and fund them.

It's very necessary for the uh sewer companies to have what they need so they can continue to keep it clean for everybody here in San Diego.

Main focus is water, food, housing, those things.

So uh we'll maybe don't think they need so much.

But anything that got to do with water fund until I figure out what's going on and retract it all and give it to the people freely.

That concludes public comment here in Council Chambers.

Going to those participating remotely, Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute.

All right.

Yeah, hi.

Blair Beekman, hopefully you can hear me.

Um can relate to uh pure water issues.

Uh I mean you've had a lot of pure water items lately, and uh you had an environment committee to really review how the pure water program is going.

We review the uh late January uh environment committee meeting on pure water issues that this seems to relate to.

Um really good luck how he can address this issue, and to be talking to uh Tijuana uh about pure water issues and versus uh detalinization for their future as well.

Thank you.

Thank my apologies.

That concludes well the comment.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

I'll turn it over to my council colleagues.

Questions, comments, and retain a motion.

And not seeing anybody on the lights.

Um I'll make the motion to move the staff recommendation.

Uh just a couple of questions.

This will be fully ensconced in the sewer and water rates and PUD, right?

This does not affect the general fund.

Is that correct?

Yes, that is correct.

This would be just a sewer utility pledge.

Okay, and then I think we recently got a five-year projection.

This was anticipated in that projection.

That is correct.

And these are sick uh the thank you for pursuing this, it's significantly below what uh the private market interest rates would be uh for that.

Um thank you for the good work.

That's very much appreciated.

So again, I'll move the recommendation.

We'll go to council member von Wolbert.

Thank you very much for the work and the presentation.

I do have one question.

Uh since the project has not yet been bid, so don't we usually vote on these after we have an awardee?

A construction awardee.

Councilmember, this uh this authorization is for the loan agreement.

So uh the state requires us to have this ordinance approved in order to enter into the loan agreement.

And uh it's ideal if the contract has been awarded exactly in conjunction with the loan.

But typically what happens is we uh in this scenario, we would likely execute this loan by the end of this fiscal year.

Uh if any amount uh needs to be adjusted for the loan, we have that ability to do it with the state after we receive the bids on the contract, and if any changes need to be made, we have that ability to do that.

Uh but yes, as Kevin noted, the loan is maxed out at 50 million at this point.

Understood.

So then once the loan is executed and we have the money and we got to bid, will we then have a chance to vote on the actual award of the contract and know who the contractor is and all that?

Um I think we have Adam Jones here to answer the questions on that.

Thank you, Councilmember Adam Jones, Deputy Director of Finance for Public Utilities.

Uh it is correct that if the contract, I believe, is over 30 million dollars, it will need to come back to city council.

Uh, I do know that there has been some streamlining measures that have happened since then, but I believe the threshold is 30 million dollars.

So, in the event the uh amount is above 30 million dollars, it will come back to council for approval before we enter into the uh construction contract.

Okay, and this is not part of Pure Water, correct?

That is correct.

Okay, then it is a lower threshold, so it will go back to council.

Okay, all right, thank you.

I will do you need a second.

I'll second the motion.

Yes, please.

Thank you, Councilmember Von Wolbert.

Um, and you won't pull the money until you actually advance the design and get ready to go out to bed.

That is correct.

Yeah, okay.

All right, so and seeing no one else in the lights, we have a motion by myself and a second by council member von Wilpert to move the staff recommendation.

Please call the roll.

I'm sorry, the voting system please cast your vote.

That passes unanimously 720 with Councilmember Campio and Councilmember Campbell absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, again, thank you for the good work.

Uh with that, clerk, please introduce item S505.

Item S505 is the second amendment to the as needed landscape architectural services agreement with Schmidt Design Group, Inc.

contract number H166714.

Six votes are required.

Pursuant to California to charter section 99.

I really want to say California today.

Uh if you're here, please submit your speaker slip to the front of the room in the clear box.

Or if you're participating online, now's the time to raise your hand.

Star and I know the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, as you settle in, please introduce yourselves for the record and let us know how much time you need.

Uh we'll need about 10 minutes.

All right.

Okay.

Uh hello, good afternoon.

My name is Parita Amherlan with the Engineering and Capital Projects Department.

I'm here with Project Officer 2, Darren Genova, also with ENCP.

Um, we are coming to you to request approval of a second amendment to the uh as needed agreement with Schmidt Design Group for the buyer park development project.

Oh yes.

Uh here's a summary of our requested actions.

With approval, the as needed agreement would be extended by three years and would add $300,000 capacity.

263,221 of that $300,000 would be allocated to Schmidt Design, which would provide for services during construction, um, such as reviewing RFIs, construction submittals, monitoring progress, and providing as built plans.

The location is in San Yasidro, uh, and the scope includes a play area for kids, a skate park, picnic areas, shade structures, a dog park, bathroom, security lighting, walking trails, uh, on-site parking, and 14 acres of habitat restoration.

So here's um, I'd like to just give a brief history of the project.

The scope I just described was for the entire buyer park development.

When we completed 90% design, the project was split into two phases due to availability of funding.

We progressed with phase one while pursuing funding for phase two.

We started construction on phase one and we plan to finish up this summer, knock on wood.

Um, we have since secured additional funding, and we were given the go-ahead for phase two.

If this action is approved, we will finish up phase two design and hopefully put it out to bid late this year so we can start construction the following spring.

So here is a summary of the design services schedule.

A task for this as needed agreement was issued to SMIT design in 2017 for the buyer park general development plan.

In March of 2022, we executed the first amendment to extend the contract until March of 2026 to move forward with the construction of phase one.

After splitting the project into two phases, we will begin construction on phase two after the completion of phase one.

As for funding, we are working with the parks and rec recreation department to be fully funded by July 1st.

And now I'll turn it over to Darren Genova to talk about amendment number two and the and the progress.

The good news uh on that we've made on phase one.

Good afternoon, Darren Genova, Project Officer 2, Engineering and Capital Projects.

So, yeah, why are we here?

Uh the contract with Schmidt Design Group expires in March, and we still have about three to four months remaining of construction of phase one.

So we need the ongoing support for that.

Subsequently, as we are wrapping up on work on phase one, we are getting ready to move forward on phase two.

And so we do need the consultant to be on board in order to finalize those plans for phase two, complete permitting for that and get them ready to advertise for construction of phase two.

So what has been completed, uh, we want to highlight some of the progress that's already been made on phase one.

You can see the image on the left shows the undeveloped site prior to construction.

On the right, you can see the large promenade that bisects the play areas.

Uh two large playgrounds for separated for ages two to five and five to twelve.

Uh, one of the really great features on the right side, you can kind of see it peaking out of the photo is a fairly large rock climbing wall that's gonna be a really interesting, really unique feature in one of our playgrounds.

Um there's also two picnic areas with shade structures you can see in the background there of the image.

Those are providing picnic opportunities for families near the playground, and also when phase two gets constructed, you can see the slope in the background with the green uh erosion fencing that uh is where the ball fields will be constructed in phase two.

Also in phase one, already completed our amphitheater seating walls that kind of match the strata of the geology out there, as well as 80% of the walkways.

Here's some more images of of what's been completed so far on phase one.

Uh, we also have a campfire ring on the image on the left.

You can see off of that meandering walkway, a little area meant to emulate sort of an informal area for school groups or boy scouts, girl scouts to get together and um appreciate nature.

There's lighted basketball courts.

You can see on the left-hand image in the background.

Uh, we've also completed 80% of the utility work, and the irrigation is set to be completed in March, which will be a big milestone uh to get us plants in the ground and and get ready to wrap construction up on phase one.

So, what's remaining?

Planting, um, completion of the public art, furnishings, and energizing utilities.

Uh finally, one one more image we would share of the skate park.

I I don't know if I mentioned that.

The skate park is also one of the big amenities getting constructed in phase one, large, really cool skate park at the top of the hill with that central promenade and staircase leading up to it.

Uh for the EOC requirements, the original contract again was three million dollars.

Uh we are requesting $300,000 to finish out the plans for phase two and complete CA services of phase two.

Uh the contract had a goal of 20%.

Current SLBE participation was at 10%, although we should note that the prime consultant Schmidt Design was an SLBE when the contract was signed originally in 2017, and with that, that brings their percentages quite a bit higher.

They lost that certification in 2023, but up until then their participation was much higher.

So to summarize again the actions we are requesting is uh the second amendment to the as needed agreement with Schmidt Design Group to extend the contract an additional three years to get us through phase two, completion of phase two of Buyer Park, as well as authorizing 263, 221 dollars to be used for those services, as well as a little bit extra capacity for future needs.

Approval of these actions will allow us to complete construction support for phase one as mentioned, and also final design permitting construction support on phase two.

Phase one is set to be completed this summer, and phase two with approval of this amendment would proceed to final permitting and advertisement of the construction contract within 2026.

Phase two is expected to take approximately 24 months to complete from award of the construction contract.

And that concludes our presentation.

Thank you.

All right, thank you for the good work and the presentation.

Clark, please proceed with public comment.

I'm here to speak on anything that I do not and have not been um giving the information about.

I've been held in for the people who I've been dealing with has held all the information about what I am to do, what how am I supposed to do it?

And they've held that information for me, so they're putting it in defaults on my end because they never gave me the responsibility.

The bank never gave me the responsibility of what is badly.

I was supposed to be doing as a trustee, and he did not tell me about these certain things that I was supposed to be doing because he was holding the trustee account, knowing that I didn't know exactly what to do.

And so I just want to, like I said, he's ratifying the second amendment.

You know, I want to extend a contract with US bank, and I want to come in the first amendment under God with great faith and recover and also redeem my account that they just try to cut off again.

Um and I want to speak about that on on here because I have the US bank trust and investment account under God, and they just try to defuse it this morning because they had two bankloads of trucks dropped off with money this morning because I struck the uh the stock market two days ago on my account and uh got 50, 50, 50,000 on one, 26 plus on the other, and eight the six thousand on the six thousand plus on the other.

Uh I will always turn in my financial information.

I've turned in my financial information.

I've been scammed by about four banks.

Uh Wells Fargo, U.S.

Bank, uh Green Dot, National Bankers Association, MBA have been uh scammed by um uh Navy Federal, all of them did a scam.

They all took me as a deposits knowing that they were gonna file the FDIC and commit a fraud and uh take this take the government God's money so that I couldn't assist and uh obeyed the people that needed to help the most, which is the poor.

And um, like I said, as I am disabled uh of under accommodation, this shall be changed under the 504 if rules are that I did not add up to it, but I'm recovering my account and I'm here to do it today under God.

And uh all things good for the keyboard.

Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute.

All right, thank you.

Uh Blair Beekman.

Um thanks a lot for this item.

Um I guess this is part of the park system ideas that uh Council President Moreno has been trying to discuss that that needs help.

Uh I guess would be the lead.

I I suppose there'd be uh a park or two more that she wants uh put into place in this fire park would be the lead example, I would imagine.

So good luck.

This is going well.

Um I know I can be a bit anecdotal in my words, but I try to make connections between different items that uh can be related.

And um that's my words for previous items.

For this particular item, um I in the past few years, uh, you know, when starting with Memorial Park, you had a new way to talk about Memorial Park lighting issues uh that you started talking about uh, you know, it has you have to deal with the lighting issues of the park, and then you turned it into uh sports lighting issues, and that became a subject of conversation that to me almost became something of a dog whistle.

But you couldn't talk exactly about the surveillance tech involved with sports lighting, but you were trying to elude very quietly and and politely.

And it was uh a bit uncomfortable, and I felt that was taking over the conversation.

I don't know that could have been my own mistake on how to better understand the item, how you were talking, how you were trying to address it.

But you started talking about sports field lightings for other parks too, and uh in your memo for the fire park, you you say uh working on phase two, you're working on security lighting and sports lighting, multi-purpose turfields, a whole bunch of other items.

Thank you that you take security lighting.

If we just clear with each other that we're having conversations about our park issues and the future of security lighting that's taking place, you know, and that you're building that's the conversation, and that's the goal of life at this time in our local communities.

Thank you.

Zoom user, if you can please unmute.

That's why I took my license back in.

Hello.

Good good afternoon.

Can you hear me okay?

Yes, we can hear you.

You have two minutes.

Please proceed with your comments.

Okay, excellent.

Well, I timed it, so it should be perfect.

Okay.

Uh, thank you for having me and um have a heart this Valentine's Day.

I have a poem I would like to read to all of the city council members.

You're talking about non-agenda public comment.

Um, that time has not come when that comes, you can raise your hand.

It will be after the conclusion of this item.

That concludes public comment on this item, Council President.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Uh, we'll turn it over to the council members' questions, comments, and an entertainable motion.

We'll turn it first to council member Moreno.

Uh thank you for the presentation.

Uh Bear Park was promised to San Isidro residents more than 30 years ago.

So for decades, the community waited simply for this project to break ground um today.

We're no longer uh talking about promises.

We're actually talking about a park that is near completion.

And that is amazing.

I just I want to just pause and and let that sink in.

Um we've had now a total of four parks that have been fully funded uh in district eight.

Um this was an open lot where residents were promised uh a park many moons ago that was never delivered to them.

Um that's not even talking about the parks that we've refurbished, which is a whole nother um um positive note on what's happening in the park system, particularly uh for district eight.

Um, as was mentioned, phase one of Bayer Park is uh approximately 80% complete with full construction scheduled to be completed this summer.

Community, as I'm sure you guys know, is is very um eager and um would love to have a celebration, a community celebration to commemorate um that achievement.

Uh major amenities such as the skate park, play areas, picnic shelters, and basketball courts are already substantially completed.

Um, and um I will say that the strongest uh lobbying I've ever received was from the skater kids of San Isidro.

Um Caesar Solis Park, which is my local park where I take my daughter, um, is always just completely packed.

Um, and I I know of people that come from um other parts of district eight just to go skate there.

So this uh skating facility is absolutely going to be uh very well received.

Um you didn't show the view, but the view is just spectacular.

I don't think there's another maybe Kate Sessions is is a close uh but um that view is gonna be amazing.

Um and I would be remiss if I didn't thank Casa Familiar, uh, our local nonprofit there in San Isidro who has been steadfast um to get uh this park to come to fruition.

And also um I often um very critical of the mayor's office and of the mayor, and this is one of the things that um I commend him on.

Uh him and I very much align when it comes to parks.

Um, Walt in the mayor's office is doing a fantastic job.

I keep on pushing.

Certain audits showed that we need to push more.

And and I think this is uh an example of of um how we need to continue to push more, and residents need to continue to ask us for more, um, especially when it comes to the Prop 68 funding, which this park will receive.

Um so this contract amendment is critical to maintaining momentum uh by extending the contract and increasing capacity.

The city's gonna be able to advertise Bio Park Phase 2 this summer with construction anticipated to be completed in summer of 2028.

Um I think I've said enough.

I'm just overjoyed uh that this park is gonna um just actually happen, uh, which I'm very excited about.

So I'm very uh proud to move this item forward um and take another step towards fully delivering Bayer Park for the San Isidro community.

So that was a motion, Council President, and that concludes my comments.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

So we do have a motion by Council Member Moreno to move the staff recommendation, and I think Councilmember Foster had his finger up first.

So we'll give the second to Councilmember Foster.

And not seeing anybody else on the lights.

We have a motion by Council Member Moreno, second by council member foster to move the staff recommendation.

Please call the roll, clerk.

Sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

And that passes unanimously seven to zero with council member camp you and council member Campbell absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

I don't think I've seen staff with bigger smiles on their face than this afternoon.

Well deserved.

Well done.

All right, as a reminder, we took public non-agenda public comment in person this morning.

So now we will go to virtual non-agenda public comment.

They said I wouldn't be able to do it.

I just want to give that's what they made me turn it in earlier before because they lied to me and said it was no actions this morning, which is a violation of my rights to be able to do what I had to do today this morning.

That's why I went back there and put it on there.

But I have to put in this motion under God so that I can do what I have to do and go home.

Okay, we took in person, not agenda public comment.

Like I explained to them very nicely, and I can't.

Okay, sir.

I understand.

Putting in my preamble.

And I have a right.

So put in my solvent solvent three.

You can remove this right here, and you cannot stop me from being able to do it.

Yes, I can, sir.

That's why I'm saying you're breaking the law.

I'm not breaking the law.

Sir, I'm not going to have this conversation.

I've already spoken with them to go and say it though.

So what are you talking about?

Why would you come over here and come right here and tell me that's what I would be doing?

You don't remember that?

We can take some stuff and you can definitely call in virtually to non-agenda public comment, or we can take your comments that are written down and we can distribute it to the council.

That is all that we can do, sir, because it wouldn't be fair to everybody else.

I will need to continue.

We can have you call in virtually.

This is only virtual or remote.

I don't need to, I'm right here.

What I'm asking for in accommodation under disability that I have to be here in person under the ADA.

I'm asking under the 504 because it's not causing any hardship to anyone that you change your policies under the United States ADA.

I'm asking you to allow me to do it because online is not appropriate for me because I'm just able to do it on in person.

And if you fail to stop, make your two okay.

Stop.

Make your two minute comment and let us get on with the rest of the meeting.

This is your third warning.

Listen, you're not warning me.

I'm just being honest.

I'm being good today, okay?

No, you're not.

I'm in here putting in an amendment right now, and this is what it is.

I'm going to play it for you.

One second, just one minute, because you didn't tell me I was to get ready.

So I'll wait on that.

I'll be here.

Because I have to turn my phone on because I was trying to burn out my battery.

I'm here putting right here.

My name is Tangelo Bonner in the name of Jesus.

I deny myself and come here in the name of Jesus.

And under the Church of God is the Holy See one.

And the owner of Tangelo B11 at uh iCloud.com and the owner of Tangelo, aka Orange Juice, and the son of God, Tangelo, here I am.

I will be putting in this motion to the Congress of the United States, the President of the United States, to the nation, and to the people.

As the head of God's church, I minister to the people.

California government code section 5495 zero.

In enacting this chapter, the legislator finds and declares that the public commissions, boards, and councils, and the other public agencies in this state exist only to aid in the conduct of the people's business.

It is the intent of the law that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly.

God is not a business.

The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to agencies which serve them.

The people in delegating authority do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is good for the people to not know.

This chapter shall be known as the Rouse M.

Brown Act.

Do you understand?

The power to do everything in a state without accountability to make laws to execute and to apply them to impose and collect taxes and levy contributions to make war on peace to form treaties of alliance.

We are now going to non-agenda public comment virtual, starting the five-minute timer here in Council Chambers.

We currently have 10 speakers in the queue, starting with Becky Rapp.

If you can please unmute.

Good afternoon.

My name is Are you leaving?

Becky, if you can wait one second.

Yes, it does.

Okay, gentlemen.

Take them out.

Okay.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Uh my name's Becky Rapp, and I'm here to talk about the marijuana tax revenue and accountability.

San Diego has raised marijuana taxes, yet the city continues to shortfall on projected revenues and faces ongoing budget deficits.

Before asking residents or other sectors to pay more, the public deserves a clear answer to a basic question.

Are we actually collecting the taxes already owed?

Marijuana remains largely a cash-based industry that relies heavily on self-reporting.

That creates real challenges for transparency and enforcement.

How does the city verify that all sales are being reported accurately?

And if businesses are not paying what they owe are penalties and back taxes being fully collected and counted towards the budget.

When an industry is cash heavy and oversaturated, it becomes far too easy to sell out the front door and the back door.

The city should also take an honest look at whether the marijuana market in San Diego is overlicensed and oversaturated, which strains enforcement resources and undermines revenue.

San Diego cannot rely on a cash only self-reporting industry to help balance its budget without oversight and that means regular public audits transparent reporting on unpaid taxes and penalties demonstrating to the public that marijuana taxes are being fully collected enforced and accounted for thank you.

Next is Terry Ann Skelly if you can please unmute after Terry Ann Skelly it's Blair and then Madison.

Please proceed Hello good afternoon my name is Terry Ann Skelly I'm a planning group member of parent and a community volunteer with school programs that serve youth especially those in need.

Since we've completed the first semester of the school year already and we have begun the second semester we have a good understanding of our needs of our young people we recognize the indications of mental health struggles of our students and hopefully the most severe form of mental health struggle student suicide ideation.

Personal mental health resources have been written more robustly into the school district's budget budgets these days it will take these dedicated resources and commitment from everyone at school and in the community including the decisions made at the city council level now more than ever we need the city council to make a commitment to youth we need enforcement of our laws against tobacco stores, vape shops and marijuana storefronts who selling flavor products which is against your laws and the states students need clear messages from all levels of city government regarding how to best handle problems that are not short-term solutions.

An example of such a message drugs are never the answer not alcohol not tobacco not vaping not marijuana or abuse of prescription drugs.

This would show your commitment to prevention and to our youth perhaps an example of this commitment would be the removal of marijuana billboards around the city thank you for hearing my concerns this afternoon thank you nexus Blair Beakman if you can please unmute after that Madison and Michael Schmidt Blair.

All right thank you Blair Beekman thanks for the meeting today.

Thank you for the patience uh you had with uh the public speaker uh I felt he actually asked in very legal terms and you guys uh responded nicely and really patiently thank you for that uh I hope as he was uh escorted out today that he can be uh it can be safe for him to leave and he can be okay uh he has the skills to practice the process here and I hope we can it takes a lot of effort to how to how to practice it and good luck that uh he can be willing to want to work within our practices and um that way we all can be open to uh trying to work together it takes effort and uh I uh a time to thank uh council president uh for his patience with myself that I am a little broad and anecdotal uh he does ask for specifics and I try to offer those specifics and uh it's nice to go back and forth figuring out that middle ground between us uh thank you uh and our continued efforts to find that um I wanted to comment that Paul Kruger offered some really important public comment earlier today at the uh live session or uh in person session that really impressed me that uh he said uh parking is simply going to general fund issues that he's been saying that for months now we have to be really honest and clear how government talks the community about our issues I say the same things with tech accountability um you know it's a practice we have we're at a time and a place to practice that more easily and clearly and more trustingly and to not fear it and so good luck we do that together it's really important to share good clear information between each other and to have good facts that's how you build public safety that's how you build best budget practices uh and a happy community uh good luck we really are are working towards those efforts and uh thanks for all everyone's efforts today thank you thank you next is Madison if you can please unmute after that a zoom user and then third thank you for the opportunity to speak today I'm a mother of young children and like many parents when I buckle my kids into the car I assume that the road around us is reasonably safe but the science on cannabis impaired driving tells us that assumption is becoming harder to make a major review published just this month in the journal Current Addiction Reports examined the most recent research on how cannabis affects driving the findings were clear and consistent cannabis products containing THC impair driving performance this isn't speculation or outdated data it's based on control

But the science on cannabis impaired driving tells us that assumption is becoming harder to make.

A major review published just this month in the journal Current Addiction Reports, examined the most recent research on how cannabis affects driving.

The findings were clear and consistent.

Cannabis products containing THC impair driving performance.

This isn't speculation or outdated data.

It's based on controlled experimental studies conducted over the last five years.

The review found that impairment occurs quickly, most strongly within the first hour after use, and can last four to five hours after inhalation.

During that time, drivers show reduced reaction time, impaired attention, and poorer lane control.

Skills that are critical to preventing crashes.

Even more concerning, participants in these studies often felt ready and willing to drive shortly after using cannabis, despite objective evidence that their driving ability was impaired.

In other words, people don't reliably perceive when they are unsafe to drive.

The risks increase further when cannabis is combined with alcohol.

The review found additive effects, meaning the impairment is worse than either substance alone.

This combination significantly amplifies danger on the road.

As access to high potency cannabis products expands, our policies must keep pace with the science.

Protecting public safety, especially children, pedestrians, and other drivers requires a system to measure impairment levels from cannabis use, which unfortunately doesn't exist yet.

This could be something you could look into for our road safety.

Thank you.

Thank you, Zoom user.

If you can please um mute after that 1384 and then Judy String.

All right.

Hello, everyone.

I hope I can lighten the mood.

That was a lot.

I'm not here to cause any problems, and I really just hope I can make your day better.

Um, my name is Eve, and I would like to read you a poem that we wrote.

Um, have a heart this Valentine's Day.

Roses are red, violets are blue.

We are San Diegans just like you.

We are seniors, disabled families with kids just trying to get by.

Moved into RRVs when the rents got too high.

We are drowning in tickets we can't afford to pay, nor pay the gas to drive to H barracks each day.

You knock at 3 a.m., give us a fright.

We want just want respect not to be ticketed at night.

Please don't take our RVs and put us in the streets.

Please don't take our food.

We too need to eat.

We are Sandy Aegans, just like you.

It's no crime to be poor for our children's futures.

Have some compassion we implore.

We ask you to listen and treat us through.

What if this happened to your family?

Could you put your foot in the other's shoe?

I just would like to tell you our demands.

We would like no ticketing for nighttime parking if designated lots are unreasonable or inaccessible for an individual RV resident.

Number two, no excessive fines for parking citations we can't afford to pay.

Number three, no more poverty toes of our vehicle homes.

Number four, nothing about us without us.

Number five, it really would be great if we could have a seat at the table to delegate.

You know, I'm in the trenches every day living in my little travel trailer, and I've lived outside, I've eaten out of trash cans, I slept on the streets under stairwells, and I came back from all of that.

And now I'm being ticketed and criminalized for living in my little 13-foot scamp.

All I want to do is see my daughter and be with her.

That's all I want to do.

Thank you for your time.

We also made you homemade Valentine's.

So thank you, and I hope you enjoy them.

Thank you.

1384, if you can please unmute after that, Judy String, and then Zoom user.

Hi, Ernie Casco, senior La Jolla resident pilot.

Tory Pine's glider port.

We have a proven solution known as San Diego Recreational Waiver that would end the dispute.

If you're rejecting the San Diego recreational waiver, Joe La Kavla, it's time for transparency to stop the corruption within your own administration.

Your leaseholder is caught.

It is illegal to turn our freedom into a privilege for a license and a fee under any terms, circumstances, or conditions.

I should not be forced to side a leaseholder waiver when your city liability is already covered by California recreational laws.

The proposed San Diego recreational waiver only serves as a second certificate, ensuring the city is not held liable, which includes a pilot trait rating skill needed to fly safely, which is recognized globally.

The San Diego recreational waiver stops the city at leasehold their internal corruption by revising the permanent reinstatement of this Tory Pines glider port advisory board as a proven solution that is needed for oversight and public safety that ends the dispute.

The San Diego recreational waiver secures city liabilities, restores recreational freedom, and addresses the victim and witnesses who have been damaged and assaulted within a timely fashion.

It's a win for city liability, restores our recreational rights and freedoms for years to come.

And then at least the best decision that city council and you can make Joe La Cava if you want me to walk away while you blatantly rob America.

City Council is still liable and needs to address the victim and witnesses who have been damaged and assaulted.

Thank you.

Next is Judy String, if you can please unmute.

Judy String, then Zoom user, then 7499.

Yes.

Hello.

Good afternoon, San Diego City Council.

Thank you for your kindnesses to those of us who are speaking to you today.

It didn't go unrecognized by me.

I wanted to add to the proclamations that February is American Heart Month.

And that the county yesterday just proclaimed their Love Your Heart campaign, something they've done for the last 15 years.

And they tried to make uh available blood pressuring pressure measuring machines to people, especially those in particular need.

They point out that heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States and in Mexico, and the second leading cause of death here in San Diego County.

And the numbers of people involved here in San Diego County have with heart disease has risen over the last year.

They point out that unfortunately this greatest burden of heart disease is carried by our black residents.

And it's important to remember that one of the very important conditions that causes heart disease is smoking and vaping.

American Heart put out in their journal yesterday this information.

Smoking and vaping cannabis poses significant risk to cardiovascular health, with studies showing that chronic use reduces blood vessel function to a level comparable to tobacco smoking.

Cannabis insulation, regardless of the method, is associated with increased heart rate, blood pressure, and arterial stiffness.

Let me share this information regarding the value of good health heart health this month.

Thank you, Zoom user.

If you can please unmute.

And then 7499, and our last speaker is Christine.

Thanks for taking my call.

Oh, Henry here.

That was a touching poem by that homeless lady, man.

That was very cool.

Yeah, I think on public safety on parks.

Um I wonder if you guys could install dog drinking fountains and all the new drinking fountains you have.

Because a lot of the parks now are the older parks.

The dogs drink out of the human drinking fountains.

They get up there and start licking on it and stuff, and everybody has dogs.

The county has those dog drinking fountains down below.

The water goes in them, push the button, and the dogs can drink out of there.

That'd be kind of a good thing to future parks.

Maybe the buyer park can get some of those dog drinking parks.

And also, I wonder, you know, Mission Bay Park was made by guys after World War II.

We diverted the San Diego River and made a big channel and made a huge park.

It's all man-made.

How about if we take the Tijuana open sewer and make that to San Yasedro Bay Park?

We'll slip a big uh canal right into the ocean and emulate Mission Bay Park right in San Yosidro down there.

It'll be great.

We'll give a lot of the land to the guys that live in San Isidro.

They'll work it, they'll dredge it out.

Because it's a mess, man.

All the sand in there.

We use for concrete.

We're looking for gold down there.

And we'll name the we'll name the thing in the middle instead of Fiesta Island.

Hopefully they'll name it Gringo Island.

Name it for cultural thing instead of Fiesta Island.

It'll be Gringo Island full of sand, and they can do dirt bikes and it would be beautiful down there.

The real estate would go like crazy.

You know, that'd be a jewel 30 years from that Bayer Park.

We could do that in three years if you really got it together and did it.

Anyway, have a good day, bud.

Goodbye.

Thank you, 7499.

If you can please unmute.

And then our final speaker will be Christine 7499.

My apologies.

Bob Kazuski here.

During this morning's session, Mr.

Casco again asked about the implementation of a waiver at the Tory Pines glider port.

And Joe LaCava replied something to the effect that the city rejected that waiver.

Wow.

When did that happen, Joe LaCava?

Was there a city council meeting about the glider port waiver that I missed?

And exactly who rejected that waiver, Joe La Cava?

Did this council hold some kind of a backdoor meeting or communication in violation of the Brown Act?

Is there a shadow government making these decisions behind our backs?

Let the record show that the county of Los Angeles has been using a hang gliding waiver at Dockweiler State Beach since 2017.

That will be a decade next year.

In fact, both Mr.

Casco and myself have flown under those Dockweiler waivers, and we've both written our proposed Tory Pines waivers patterned exactly after that highly successful Dockweiler waiver.

The Dockweiler waiver was approved by the Los Angeles County Legal Department back in 2017, and our proposed Torrey Pines waivers are almost word for word identical to it.

But somehow Joe Locava announces today that the proposed Torrey Pines waivers have been quote unquote rejected.

How did that happen, Joe La Cava?

Where is the record of this city council rejecting a Tory Pines waiver?

And which council members voted for or against that waiver, Joe La Cava?

You Joe La Cava know the answers to those questions.

You know that there is no record of such a rejection because it never happened.

Instead, you, Joe La Cava have just pocket vetoed that proposed waiver because it's not aligned with your own agenda to keep a private business in 100% control of our public city park.

Are you the Manchurian candidate in San Diego, Joe La Cava?

Your comments?

And that concludes on agenda public comment for this meeting.

Thank you.

We will now adjourn council to the next regularly scheduled council meeting on Monday, February 23rd, 2026 at 10 a.m.