Much in San Diego, but when there's a storm in the forecast, the city of San Diego goes into action.

The job of the city of San Diego is to prepare for storm weather conditions year-round.

Before any storm, the city employees clean and clear storm drains.

During the storm, city employees monitor storm drains for any issues.

We have a critical drain in our area that we have to go inspect and monitor.

When it rains, uh, water starts flowing down this alley.

Together, we can work to reduce flood risk in San Diego.

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 25-year term and with no upfront cost to the city.

Hi, I'm Bethany Bizak.

It takes a lot to keep the eighth largest city running.

A lot of buildings, roads, sidewalks, street lights, parks and reservoirs, and a lot of vehicles.

In fact, San Diego has more than 5,000 vehicles in its fleet.

Think trash trucks, fire engines, and police cars.

All of these vehicles need fuel and regular maintenance.

But over the past several years, fuel prices have continued to rise, and that's directly impacting San Diego's budget.

In fact, for every one cent increase per gallon at the pump, the city's monthly fuel costs rise by 10,000.

We know that San Diegans are also feeling the rising impact of prices at home.

It's not just our vehicles.

Construction and insurance costs have increased dramatically over the past several years, and our city revenues have not kept pace with those rising costs.

As we face some difficult budget decisions, we want San Diegans to know that we're listening.

All right, good morning.

I'll I'll call the city council meeting of Tuesday, April 14th, twenty twenty-six to order.

Clerk, please call the role.

Thank you, Council President.

Councilmember Campbell?

Here.

Councilmember Whitburn.

Here.

Councilmember Foster.

Here.

Councilmember Von Wilpert.

Council President Pro Tem Lee?

Here.

Councilmember Campillo.

Here.

Councilmember Moreno.

Councilmember Ila Rivera.

And Council President Lacava.

Present.

Thank you.

Also attending the meeting are Chief Deputy City Attorney Brett Bartelata, Independent Budget Analyst, Charles Matica, Council of Affairs Advisor and the Mayor's Office, Coda Zeiser, and myself, your city clerk, Deanna Fuentes.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

With that, a quorum is now present.

We will begin this morning with the land acknowledgement and the pledge of allegiance led by Councilmember Campbell.

We respectfully acknowledge that the Kumyai Nation are the original inhabitants of the unceded land now known as San Diego.

Despite enduring the horrors of genocide and colonization, the Kumiyai spirit remains unbroken.

We honor the resilience of their ancestors who fought to protect their culture and land.

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

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

Please place your hand over your heart and repeat.

Pledge of allegiance.

Thank you.

I'll now highlight the slide on the screen that reviews how the public can offer their public testimony during to meet today's meeting.

Please note the time allocations for proclamations and consent items for meeting management purposes are one minute per item to maximum of three minutes if there are three or more items in that portion of the agenda.

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 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.

Thank you.

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

Clerk, please proceed with public testimony.

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 32, S501, S S500, S504, and S505.

We did receive comments on item 30, one opposed and one in favor via our e-comment form, which have been distributed to the council.

We do have quite a number of speakers here, starting with Doris Batar.

Doris, you have time seated to you.

If they can please raise their hand.

Okay.

You can go to the higher microphone right to next to you.

Right next to you to the right.

That high that microphone's higher.

You just step over there.

I want my computer to be here.

I'm sorry.

I'll just take this one.

Thank you.

Before I begin, before the clock starts, I just want to really extend an incredible thank you to the uh council president Joe Lakava for making this such a smooth transition for us to be here today.

And I want to thank Sandy Mach, especially.

Thank you.

So my name is Doris Bitar.

I am the California coordinator, organizer for the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

This presentation brings in many other kinds of organizations as well, and it's a long time in coming.

So thank you.

So the first slide shows us the Arab world at night, and this is where it is right now.

It is nighttime.

And this is also how we think about it as Arab Americans.

We are uniquely suited, whether we immigrated recently or from long ago, to become full Americans contributing in leadership roles, and you'll see that as the presentation goes on.

So who are Arab Americans?

We are united by language, culture, and history.

Next slide.

And in the light of day, you can see that.

And these countries, each one, although we are united by language and culture, we're also united by difference.

We celebrate difference and uniqueness.

Every country is different, every village, every town.

Next slide, please.

The American Arab and Discrimination Committee was created by Senator James Aberisk in 1980.

He was Senator of South Dakota, and he penned the Indian Child Protection Act, you know, when Native Americans were being put into orphanages against their wills and put up for adoption and trying to diminish their culture.

He was the one who stood for them.

After that, he decided Arab Americans needed more protection.

He's a Lebanese American, and he created the ADC, which was a committee initially in Washington, DC.

Next slide, please.

We've been here a long time.

The 1500s, the first Arabs were slaves from Arab countries brought by Spanish explorers.

The first large wave were largely Christians from Greater Syria, 1875 to 1920.

1940s and 1990s, when my family immigrated from Lebanon, a second wave of Arab immigrants, mainly Muslims immigrated for economic opportunities.

My family was Christian.

Doesn't matter, but we came here for economic opportunities.

2000 to the present, many Arab Americans have come to the United States as refugees because of war.

Thank you.

Next slide.

About 3.7 million Americans trace their roots to Arab countries, with 82% born in the United States.

California has the largest community, and Southern California is the largest population.

Los Angeles has the largest number of Arab Americans, and San Diego is a second or third to that.

Five out of ten Arab Americans have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Over 20% of Arab Americans have a postgraduate degree, almost double the national average of 12.

Our incomes are 26% higher than the national average.

Next, please.

Stereotypes versus reality.

I just want to say that basically minorities in the Arab world are considered to be the glue that binds the cultures together and allows for trust and innovation to proceed.

Here are two pictures.

One of Palestinian Jews, Samaritans, you've heard of the good Samaritans, in Nablus, celebrating Sukkut, and then on the right side, Egyptian Christian communities, about 14%, half of whom are Coptic.

So the others are Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Protestant, all the rest.

Next slide, please.

Stereotypes versus reality.

There's a lot to read here, so I'll just pick out a few things.

Basically, the Arab culture created the modern world we take for granted now, including finances, banking, other things are tariffs made very famous recently, astronomy, math, grafting, and ice cream.

Iraq had the highest success rate for heart lung transplants.

Even now it leads for heart transplants in children.

So before the wars, they had that.

The LA's Metro was engineered by Arab Americans here in California as well as back home, because Egypt and Iraq have very similar terrain.

So it was engineered by Arabs fully from back home and here.

What else?

There's a lot more to say.

We're very accomplished people.

Okay, next slide, please.

I'm not gonna get into Arab architecture.

I'm an artist, so I can go here and we could talk for an hour just about these two pictures.

But granted, these two pictures symbolize a place that is for worship for many peoples Shi'ite, Muslim, Christian, Orthodox, and Jewish, and Neolithic as well.

If we want to go back that far.

It's in Damascus, the Umayyad Mosque.

Stereotypes versus reality.

Arab women have slightly more education than Arab men in the United States and in Arab countries.

And oh sorry.

Okay.

The first university in the world was created by a Muslim woman born in Tunisia and created the university in Fez, Morocco.

And the university exists today.

If you look up though, the first university, you'll only get ones in Europe.

But the first one was 320 years before that, or 230 years before that.

I don't know why Umkul Sum is missing there in the middle.

Three divas of the Arab world, just to show you the diversity.

On the left side is Salima Murad, an Iraqi Jewish woman.

Umkulsoom is in the center center.

She's kind of the goddess, but she's not showing up for some reason.

She's Egyptian Muslim.

And Feiruz, Lebanese Christian, who is still alive today.

The lower uh picture is the Al Qairun um university in Morocco, and then the Astrolabe, a navigational instrument, was created by uh Miriam Ashtrolabi, a Syrian Muslim woman.

Okay, next slide.

Um this is the one somber slide.

A lot of discrimination has happened to the Arab American community, particularly Palestinians, and particularly in California.

Our liberal state.

Um from the past, 1985, there were several bombings throughout the country.

One of them killed Alex Oda.

He was assassinated in Santa Ana in 1985.

A very good man.

He opened up his office, it blew up, and he was just about to go to a breakfast with rabbis.

Very he was an educator, and he had three daughters that he left behind.

Um the LA 8 a year later, that was a an issue that went on for 20 years, where the U.S.

government used McCarthy era legislation to harass them, and it took 20 years to resolve.

Of course, they won, they won the case.

Uh and the ADC was among the people who helped them.

The ADC, the American Arab and Discrimination Committee, is a legal organization.

Um today, the Irvine 11 preceded the encampments, and they were persecuted for a very long time and still are over 10 years ago.

Um we currently have lawsuits against the state of California, UCLA, UC Irvine, and UCSD, to try to rectify the wrongs that were done recently.

Um also there are black lists, the Canary Mission.

I'm an academic, I've taught for 30 years, and I'm on this list for saying something nuanced about Lebanon, God forbid.

So this list uh has largely harms young people just graduating.

Basically, this list put it puts a target on our back, like the IHRA that you passed a few weeks ago.

That puts a target on our back, and we are collecting hate incidents and crimes since then.

Um and California legislation AB 715 is going to limit discussions like we're having right now.

This presentation may be forbidden in the future, and that was signed by Governor Newsom.

A lot going on in California.

Please pay attention.

Next uh slide, please.

Arab Americans built city heights and Balboa Park.

They came as masons, they married Mexican women, and they have they have Mexican culture, but Arab surnames, like the Haddad Construction Company, you can look it up.

Next one.

That does your slide your time allotted.

Do you have anyone else that was seating your time?

Oh my goodness.

I took two.

Well.

I'm sorry, I do have to be fair.

And the waffle cone.

We created the waffle cone in 1004.

I mean in 1904.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Uh your slides will be a part of the record as well and distributed to the country.

Thank you.

This is part of our sensitivity training as well, and we'll follow up with all the council people.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Sarab Aziz.

So Rob, you have time ceded to you by Maddy Armade Agamata.

Can you please raise your hand?

Thank you.

You'll have two minutes, please proceed.

Sabah, everyone, and that is good morning in Arabic.

My name is Sadab Aziz.

I'm gonna read off of my um phone notes here.

Um my name says it all.

Uh it's S for a Syrian, ARAB as Arab.

You have it set up.

I am honored to be an Arab American.

I have called San Diego my home for the past 27 years.

When I joined UC San Diego, I was longing for my community, but I didn't find it.

So I decided to build it.

In 2023, I helped establish the Arab American Staff and Faculty Association, a safe space on campus to highlight and promote our rich culture that includes art, music, dance, language, traditional traditional clothing, and cuisine.

We worked with our university leadership to recognize April as Arab American Heritage Month, and we have our own event happening on Thursday, April 16th.

Everyone is invited.

As an Arab American, I proudly carry my culture wherever I go.

Shukran, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Our final speaker here in Council Chambers is Kimberly Balantine Lane.

Kimberly, you have time ceded to you, and you're speaking on item S505 by Argda Hillera.

Are you seating time?

ARGDA?

No, maybe that's not.

You you're you Kimberly Balancing, but I have people seeding you time.

Joanne Johnson, thank you.

And Gail Collie Arendt Arendt.

Thank you.

Maybe you can help me with who AR.

Angela Hilliard.

Oh, my apologies, Angela Hilliard.

Um, you will have four minutes.

Please come up to the mic and proceed.

Good morning, honorable council president, council members, and distinguished guests.

My name is Kim Ballantyne Lane, and I'm the president of the San Diego chapter of the Lynx Incorporated.

It is an honor to stand before you and accept this proclamation proclamation recognizing the 40th anniversary of our Lynx Achiever program.

We are deeply grateful for this recognition and for your commitment to investing in the future of the community.

The Lynx Incorporated was founded in 1946, rooted in a commitment to friendship service and transformative impact in the communities we serve.

The San Diego chapter, chartered in 1957, has carried that mission forward, serving this community with purpose, passion, and dedication for nearly seven decades.

For 40 years, the Achiever Program has stood as a beacon of excellence, uplifting, mentoring, and preparing young men to succeed, not only academically, but as leaders in our society.

This program was built with intention, and it was made possible by two visionary women who are present with us today.

Mrs.

Peaches Wynne and Mrs.

Mildred Neil.

They believed in the power of early exposure, strong mentorship, and high expectations because of their vision.

Hundreds of young men have been equipped to pursue higher education, lead in their communities, and step confidently in their futures.

That is the legacy that you are recognizing today.

And what makes this moment even more meaningful is that it this work continues through the dedication of our members.

And mentors and our community partners, we remain committed to elevating, engaging, and enhancing the lives of young men we serve.

We are not just celebrating 40 years.

We are continuing a legacy that is actively shaping the future of San Diego.

To the council, city council.

All of you, thank you for recognizing the importance of this work and for honoring the legacy of Peaches Wynn and Mildred Neal.

Their vision lives on, and every achiever, every opportunity created, and every future transformed.

And a special thank you to Councilmember Henry L.

Foster III.

Very near and dear to our heart because of your engagement and participation with this program as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment here in Council Chambers.

I'm going to those participating remotely.

I'm sorry, the five-minute cue starting with the original.

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

Yes, I don't know the exact numbers.

I believe one's 31 is the Arab Heritage Month, the um dispatchers, and then the military child.

Please proceed.

All right, with um Arab History Month, I feel like it's quite a slap in the face for you guys to bring forward that IHRA item for anti-Semitism when Arabs are Semites and there's many other Semites that aren't under the protections of that same um ordinance, law, and whatever it is, policy.

And it's scary to think about because those are the type of people that are actually going to be punished for speaking.

And you know, you want to sit up here and give them a proclamation.

But I mean, is that just to smooth over the fact that you're not including them, that you're actually discriminating against them by taking those actions that you recently have and with this um assembly bill that the woman was speaking about.

Um it's pretty disgraceful that you guys are you know, virtue signaling and like gaslighting these people as though you care about them when if you did, you would include all Semites and not discriminate against Semites in your own discrimination, you know, anti-discrimination shenanigans.

Uh the uh dispatch.

Um, of course, it's important to have emergency dispatch, but the concern is that when they dispatch out police, fire, whoever it is, you know, we have uh police officers like San Diego police officer Anthony Warner, who, upon going on a call that he was dispatched to, brutally brutally beat a woman, and it's complaining about him pretending to have gotten bit and that he had to take off work.

He never did a lawful arrest ever at any point.

He never told Andrea Ebbing that she was under arrest, and so anything that were to happen in an unlawful arrest is warranted, yet they are not saying the judge is trying to charge uh Andrea with a felony.

He should be charged with a felony.

Anthony Warner should be taken off of the San Diego police department force, and actually he should be the one in prison for brutally assaulting a woman, damn well knowing he should have de escalated it.

And for all of this military child stuff, the sad thing is is that these wars are manufactured by the powers that shouldn't be, and we fund them actually, and potentially they're funded on both sides.

Um, so it doesn't really matter who wins, and we lose our own people, and we have children that actually have to suffer through, you know, losing their parents or having to move around to fight wars that we shouldn't even be in.

No wonder why everybody hates America.

And what's gonna happen when you know this nice little draft comes in?

You know, it's like all of these things that happen in the wind.

What are we gonna give a proclamation for the people that had to do that?

It's like instead of really stopping the atrocities that are happening, we give proclamations to act like everything is okay when it's not.

It's absurd that you guys are doing that to the Arab community.

You should be ashamed of yourselves, and you should be moving forward to make sure that you're inclusive with all Semites if you're gonna do that.

It's BS.

You guys are full of shit.

I'm sick of it.

Your time is concluded.

Next is 8700.

If you can please unmute.

After that is Zoom user and Blair Beekman.

8700, please proceed.

Please let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Thank you, uh, F500 and F505, please.

You'll have two minutes.

Please proceed.

National Public Safety Dispatcher Week.

Here are my favorite likes from the Where As.

Public safety dispatchers demonstrate unwavering professionalism, resilience, and dedication in service to our community.

And quote.

There is time for special forms of recognition to these amazing people.

I.

Thank you so very much, and love to all.

Uh S505, FD San Diego Lynx Achievers Day, 40th annual affair, about 850 young men have been honored in the Achievers Program.

That's no surprise to me with such wonderful leadership and mentorship in the program.

A very special shout out to you, Councilmember Foster the Third for this proclamation and for your involvement in this valuable, valuable program.

Love to all, and I celebrate all people on the uh proclamation list today.

Thank you.

We do have three speakers left in the queue.

The five-minute timer has concluded.

No additional speakers will be taken.

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

After that will be Blair and then Andrea Zoom user, I can't unmute for you.

There you go.

Please let me know which items.

Henry here.

I'd like to speak to the 31 and the S501.

You'll have two minutes.

Please proceed.

One thing, housekeeping thing.

When you guys put those charts on the internet, you refer to the Arab guys as Arab American.

And the lady referred to herself as an American Arab.

So maybe on the on the handouts, put up have everyone's name start with American, like Mexican, American Arab, American, whatever race or thing they got going.

Have them all listed as American first and then their nationality or whatever they're from.

That'd be a good thing to do.

She pointed that out when she talked.

And uh there are people in San Diego and California deserve free speech up and down the board.

This is ridiculous.

Our governor, our governor's a clown.

You know, it's just uh either communist or I don't know what he is, but free speech is the number one thing.

And the American um Arabs in San Diego and California have done nothing but good here.

You've never seen them stealing stuff from liquor stores, they're not breaking in at the Apple store, they're the upper echelon of citizens in our country.

You know, they're doctors, lawyers, they're artists.

They have beautiful women.

Well, one thing on the lighter note, uh, I grew up here, and when 1980, 79 when we had the Shah got done, and all the Persians came here to San Diego, they took all the beautiful women.

They were over in the Almar, they were in La Jolla, they had a lot of money.

As they were going for all the white chicks, man.

I don't know white guys, surfer growing up here.

But those Arab guys, they were they were scamming all the good women because they had the money.

But anyway, hopefully their sons and daughters are joined the Marine Corps and get into the military too, because we're gonna need them.

Anyway, thank you guys for coming here and you're doing a great job.

And then the city's got a long way to go.

Your time has concluded, Blair Beekman.

If you can please unmute all right, Blair Beekman.

I wanted to speak to items 31 and uh S500.

Please proceed, you'll have two minutes.

All right, thank you.

Um, thank you for the proclamations today.

It was a very interesting presentation from the uh Arab American Heritage Month.

Uh nice to hear.

I hope that with the previous um and recent IRA issues that were brought to the city council uh about uh a month ago now or a few weeks ago now.

Um, it can be uh a long-term community effort.

And the the woman who spoke today sounds like she could have a good voice uh in what can be uh a community process to to define the future of IRA, which I think can be an interesting idea in how we work together in this country towards democracy and community, and good luck what we can all be working on together with the future of IRA issues.

Um thank you.

And for item S500, um very sorry.

Uh National Public Safety Dispatcher Week.

Um, that is an item that um to me is um we uh not just in San Diego but in cities across California, they're having real issues about response times, and that can be for a number of reasons going on that I can go into greater detail at another time in the work I do with tech accountability.

But um just an overall thank you for the work of what uh dispatchers do, kind of what uh Joyce said earlier.

Um they do a really important job and how they can do that job as humanely and as decently as possible in good humanistic terms.

I don't know if that's the right term, but uh good luck how they can continue such good efforts.

They have a very tough job a lot of the time to practice uh our best uh uh human values.

Uh good luck how they can continue those efforts.

Thanks.

Thank you, Andrea Ebbing.

You're our last speaker.

Please let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Hi, this is Indrea Ebbing, and I will speak to 30, 32, and S500.

You'll have three minutes, thank you.

Okay, perfect.

So um for item 30, um, stepping stone of San Diego's 50th anniversary.

We are in a really serious situation at this moment in time, um, in which we're contracting with these homeless and addiction service providers, uh at the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, but the problem just keeps doubling and tripling, and the stats about it going down are all just lies.

The overdose stats are all just lies.

The rehabilitation stats, 25% reduction in addiction.

Come on.

It's unbelievable what's going on, because the people in power in our county, in our city right now, specifically Summer Stefan and Todd Gloria and the Rego Enterprise that they are operating, are absolutely involved in opioid distribution, international drug smuggling.

When you contract with people that offer rehab services, but they pump those rehabs full of the drugs that these people are addicted to, you're perpetuating the problem.

We're busting people in from other states as like a home project, and they're homeless here because they can handle the weather.

Look, the more we spend on this, and the more we pay attention to it, the more we give proclamations to all this stuff that's just not working, and it's obvious it's just an insurance grab for the Affordable Care Act.

I mean, the city's falling apart.

What about the children, the elderly, the disabled?

Um, what about our constituents?

What about you know, using the funds that were provided for these programs to move forward, but they're not.

The programs are not being provided.

The services aren't being provided that are promised.

Look at the harm reduction case.

Um, as far as Kevin Johnston case, they go, that's wonderful.

Raul Campio, that's a great recommendation, but I recommend you act like a district seven um council member and pay attention to Linda Vista.

I was beaten severely in front of 40 children.

That was the second major event in my life that's taken place in Linda Vista by a San Diego police officer.

I haven't heard from your office one time, not in all the years since my children were abducted from District 7.

And also, um, why are there no working lights or cameras at the rec center with all the murders that are taking place there?

They're moving drugs right through that recenter, and you haven't done a thing about it.

What about the dad that was picked up at Linda Vista Elementary School?

Have you talked to the family?

Did you talk to the school?

Nobody knows you exist.

You're a city attorney that's trained to protect the city against its constituents, and that's really unfair.

Okay.

National Public Safety Dispatcher Week.

Great.

Let's dispatch 25 police officers to watch a woman get beat down.

The one that was doing the beating, and the 24 that were standing there on overtime, not doing their job and laughing while Anthony Warner beat me up for whistleblowing about this kickback situation.

Your time has concluded.

For those that raise their hand after the five-minute timer, you can submit comments to city clerk at Sandiego.gov, and those will be distributed.

That concludes public comment.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

And with that, we'll turn it over to my council colleagues for comments and entertain a motion, and we'll start with council member Foster.

Thank you, um, Council President.

And just really want to congratulate all of the proclamation recipients and acknowledgments.

Um, with that, I have quite a few.

Uh I'm gonna say a couple that I'm going to um give some comments on, so hopefully I'll go through this very quickly.

Um, item 31, Arab American Heritage Month month.

Um, again, just thank you to my colleagues.

Um, and thank you to the Arab American Heritage commun or Arab community.

Thank you for your contributions to the city of San Diego.

Um, and thank you for your presentation.

I think that was, as you can hear from the public comment.

There's a lot of education that needs to take place.

Um, just thank you for that, and hopefully there's more work that we can do there.

Um, in regards to item S500, National Public Safety Dispatch Dispatcher Week.

When people call for help, dispatchers are the calm on the other end of the line, guiding them through some of their hardest moments.

They play a critical role in making sure help gets where it needs to go, and that our first responders have the information they need.

It's work that takes focus, patience, and real strength, often without recognition.

Their impact is felt across our city every single day.

Thank you to the dispatcher dispatchers and the work you do.

Month of military child uh of military children.

In San Diego military service touches all of us, whether it's family, friends, or neighbors.

This month is about recognizing the kids who grow up in that life, who move often, adapt quickly, and carry a lot more than people may realize.

They show a level of resilience and strength that deserves to be acknowledged.

It's important that we continue to support and uplift military families here in our city of San Diego in the city of San Diego.

Item S504, Don Diego Day in the city of San Diego.

I want to thank Mayor Gloria for joining me and recognizing someone truly deserving of this honor.

Today we're celebrating someone who not only grew up in District 4, but dedicated his career to serving our city.

Don Diego spent over three decades with this city, contributing to operations that keep our neighborhoods running day to day.

He helped improve processes and played a role in strengthening services, including the street sweeping program as it exists today.

Don, as you enter retirement, we recognize the work you've put in over the years and wish you a well-earned rest in this next chapter.

Thank you for your years of steady service to the city of San Diego, and it was great seeing you at your retirement gathering and spending time with those hard at work on our front lines.

Don, if you'd like to come up and say a couple of quick words.

And just for clarification, as I say decades, Don has spent 36 years with the city of San Diego.

So thank you, Don.

Thank you, Councilman, Councilmembers, Mayor.

I'm really not a speaker.

And now 20 years later, now I'm going into retirement.

God had a plan.

He was he wasn't done with me.

All the people that I work with, I gained their respect and their loyalty to being a servant, serving the community of San Diego.

And I thank that.

I thank you guys for the opportunity for opening all the doors that the city give to all the employees that I work with and that I came across Stormwater, just to mention some people that had a big impact in my life.

Bethany Bizak and Eddie Salinas and my bosses above me.

Thank you for everything.

I appreciate it.

Again, thank God for this opportunity and thank you guys.

Thank you for that.

And um item S505, San Diego Lynx Achievers Day.

I'm gonna do my best to get through this one.

Um I'm proud to recognize the San Diego Lynx Achievers Program as it marks 40 years of uplifting and investing in young black men in our city.

I came through this program myself.

Class of 1989.

As did my son as well, class of 2022.

And he will be graduating from Hampton University in May, making us the first father and son legacy here in San Diego.

So I've seen firsthand the impact this program has.

To um Mrs.

Speechers Wynn.

Just want to thank you.

Also, I remember Ms.

Mrs.

Jewel Kelly as we were going through our program, chasing us down, getting us to dance rehearsal, and making sure we were prepared for what we were about to endure.

I mean, so I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Um I always say it is the village that raised me.

And the links are definitely a part of that village and a big reason why I can sit here today as a council member of the Fourth District for the City of San Diego.

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you, and thank you for your continued service and contribution to the city of San Diego.

With that, Council President, that concludes uh my comments, and I will move uh the proclamations.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Foster.

Uh, we'll go next to Councilmember Campbell.

Thank you, Council President.

And thank you to my esteemed colleague for his words.

Congratulations to everyone receiving procs today.

And thank you all for coming and thank you for that presentation at the beginning.

It was wonderful, and we really appreciate it.

And I see that you welcome all religions, and this is truly an American group.

Thank you so much.

Uh I would like to speak today, especially about item 30.

Uh this is uh uh joined.

I was joined in this proc by our Mayor Gloria and my colleagues, Councilmembers Whitburn and Von Wilpert, and I want to thank them for that.

This is the 50th anniversary day for Stepping Stone of San Diego.

And I don't know how many of you have heard of them, but they've they've just been quietly doing fantastic work for 50 years.

Was founded in 1976 as a pioneering nonprofit dedicated to providing substance use treatment to the LGBTQ community.

In fact, Stepping Stone is one of the only nonprofits in the country that specializes in alcohol and drug recovery services for the LGBTQ community.

I became familiar with Stepping Stone many years ago during my time on the board of the Human Dignity Foundation.

They have always had a small residential treatment facility since their founding, where they actually take in homeless people to give them a roof over their head as well as to treat their addiction problems and their other problems so that they can go on and live a full complete life.

Over time, they have dramatically expanded.

They've expanded their outpatient and residential treatment for addiction now to four housing locations for patients.

They provide three to six month programs for homeless addicted people that is focused on long-term recovery, including permanent housing.

About 90% of their clients who enroll with them are facing homelessness.

Over 50 years, they have estimated that they have served 40,000 lives, lives that were actually saved and transformed these people by their programs.

Congratulations on this big milestone.

They are possibly the most effective homeless organization in the city and the county and the state in the entire nation.

They make such a positive impact on substance abuse disease that leads to homelessness among our LGBTQ community members, as well as other community members.

Thank you, Council President.

All right.

Thank you, Councilmember Campbell.

Can we take that as a second?

Happy to second all the procs.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

So with that, we'll go next to Councilmember Elo Rivera.

All right.

Uh, thank you, Council President.

Um, thank you to my colleagues who helped uh bring these uh proclamations forward today.

Lots of really good important stuff here.

I want to make sure I say thank you to Councilmember Council President Lacava, Councilmember Von Wilpert, and Councilmember Campbell for recognizing National Public Safety Dispatcher Week.

That's an extremely important and stressful line of work that is quite literally oftentimes the first step in the process of addressing people's some of the most stressful and urgent moments of people's lives.

And I appreciate the work that they do on a daily basis.

Councilmember Foster, thank you for recognizing San Diego Lynx Achievers Day.

And that's a beautiful thing.

So thank you for that.

And I want to make sure I I take some time to recognize Arab American Heritage Month.

Thank you for everyone who came down here today.

Thank you for the presentation.

The presentation was great, and I I think it it there's so much history there that is really important to share because there's a flattening of a community and a history that oftentimes happens in the way that the Arab American community is portrayed in this country, and that's not right.

Arriving to this country in waves, often fleeing war, conscription, persecution, but carrying traditions and ingenuity and resilience as as you as Arab Americans arrived here.

And each wave of immigration and migration to this country bringing new new things that are woven into who America is.

And that is some incredible stuff.

And while it didn't start in the US, I will say tacos al pastor are my favorite tacos, and that is also a byproduct of Arab migration, and I think a great example of how Arab Americans arrive, contribute, transform things, and enrich things so much.

And I also want to make sure that I I acknowledge the weight that many American Arab Americans are carrying right now with families with loved ones in Gaza and Lebanon and other parts of the world that are that are watching family members and people they love and communities they care about impacted by war.

Just know that we we know that, we see that, we recognize that.

We see that grief and um stand with you.

Um and I also wanted to acknowledge something personal.

My paternal grandfather um was a Sephardic Jew whose family came from Syria.

Um his community is part of that mosaic of the uh Arab world of people of different faiths and um and and very very diverse.

Um again, that diversity has often been erased, but both um as a result of of conflict and bigotry.

Um and that story is a reminder that um the region that we're honoring today um is not monolithic.

The people that we are honoring today, I should say, is not monolithic, never has been.

Um, and that um those those attempts to flatten the complexity of Arab Americans, um it's not gonna work because there's there's too much there to to um to uh uh to uh to erase.

Um so um we're celebrating the Arab American community today, um, celebrating diversity, beauty, uh tenacity and resilience, and um proud to uh be um one of the sponsors um of that proclamation that concludes my com comments, Council President.

Okay, right.

Thank you, Councilmember Ila Rivera.

Again, we do have a motion by Councilmember Foster and a second by Councilmember Campbell.

Next up is Council Member Von Wilbert.

Um thank you very much, and thank you to my colleagues for bringing forth such wonderful proclamations as usual.

Um, Don, huge congratulations on your retirement.

Thank you for your decades of service to the city.

Uh thank you for everyone to be here.

I'll start with item 30, a stepping stone of San Diego's 50th anniversary day.

I'm proud to join my colleagues in recognizing Stepping Stone of San Diego's 50 years of service.

I believe some of you are here if you went stand, so we can recognize you.

Since 1976, they've built a lifeline for people in recovery, providing compassionate, affirming care.

And the focus on serving the LGBTQ community ensures that people feel safe, seen, and supported.

Because there can be many reasons that folks who are LGBTQ are suffering from addiction.

Much of it is due to stigma, discrimination, harassment because of who we are.

Uh so through residential treatment, outpatient services, and sober living.

They have helped people achieve lasting recovery and self-love.

Uh, this work strengthens families, build healthier communities across San Diego, and thank you to the staff and congratulations.

And on the city, we are so happy to be partnering with you in helping to use some of our opioid settlement funds from suing these opioid companies who put fentanyl out into our streets to actually do good with it.

So we're very proud that we're partnering with Stepping Stone to do that good work to do the healing we need to do.

Um, and I'm happy to sue uh the Sacra Family or Purdue Farm any day.

So on item 31, I'm looking forward to the gala, by the way, on Friday.

On item 31, Arab America Arab American Heritage Month.

Thank you so much for that incredible presentation.

Um it was very, very good.

And uh thank you to my colleagues for bringing forward this recognition.

Arab Americans have made lasting contributions to our city and country across education, medicine, business, public service, and the arts.

I'm glad you're an artist.

We believe in arts here.

Uh San Diego is home to a strong and vibrant Arab American community that continues to shape our region with culture, traditions, and a strong sense of family and community that enrich our city.

We also recognize the resilience of this community and the importance of standing against discrimination, harmful stereotypes, and hate and violence.

It's pretty horrible to see that they were bombings at centers just to talk about anti-discrimination.

Um, you know, I've I've seen it.

I was a civil rights lawyer in Mississippi, and I know the history of that, and it's terrible to think that happened here in California too.

So it's important that we educate people on what happens.

But I'm glad that this month is a chance to celebrate all of those who contribute to our society and our culture and reaffirm commitment and inclusion and respect for all.

I'm proud to recognize Arab American Heritage Month to celebrate the many contributions Arab Americans bring across San Diego.

So thank you.

On item S500, National Public Safety Dispatcher Week.

I'm very proud to join my colleagues in recognizing our National Public Safety Dispatcher Week.

When someone calls 911, you are literally the first voice they hear in those crucial moments, and you are the calm in the chaos.

So do we have any of our dispatchers here?

Could you please stand and let us recognize you as well?

Thank you so much for for your incredible work.

You know, uh just in in 2023 and 2024 alone.

I don't think we have the data yet for last year.

You all manage a staggering 734,000 calls to 911, averaging over 2,000 901 calls a day, 8491 calls per hour, and almost 1.4 calls every minute when someone is asking for help.

Um your team has dispatched uh nearly 500,000 calls for service, um, making sure that our firefighters, our EMTs, our paramedics, our police, uh, you know, sometimes our lifeguards, you know, get out the door.

And I've been to the dispatch center.

I highly recommend everybody go and visit.

We are also hiring if you want to be that calm in the chaos.

And it is incredible what you do and the compassion with which you do it.

And so I also want to remind you to please take care of yourselves because you also are hearing so many people go through the worst days of their lives every day and helping them through it.

So please make sure you're taking care of yourselves as well.

I'm a big proponent of mental health.

I see a therapist on a regular basis, and I'm proud of it.

We shouldn't be stigmatizing it.

Um so I just want to thank you so much for your work.

We're very, very, very proud you're here, including I hear that and I don't mean to steal my good friend and colleague Councilmember Campillo's thunder, but a district seven intern started at City Hall and is now a dispatcher.

Um, and we're very pretty proud of that.

So thank you for your professionalism, dedication to your service.

Thank you to our our firefighters, EMS workers, and police and lifeguard as well.

Um on item S501, finally, month of the military child.

I want to take a moment to recognize April is the month of the military child here in San Diego.

We are home to one of the largest military communities in the nation, including thousands of military connecting kids.

These kids grow up with a lot of change, moving from schools from time to time, and um having parents deployed abroad.

And through all of that, they show a level of resilience, strength, and that really stands out.

You bring so much to our communities, including leadership, perspective, a strong sense of service.

Uh, the global perspective of so many children and military families is absolutely amazing and beautiful.

Same thing with our foreign service officers.

Um you may see many people wearing purple this month.

It's a simple way to show support for our military children.

Um, my own father served in the U.S.

Army um during uh the Vietnam era, so before I was born, uh, but very proud of his service as well.

And I'm also proud to recognize the month of the military child and impact that you all have in San Diego.

So thank you very much, and thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Von Wolpert.

We'll go next to Councilmember Whitburn.

Thank you, Council President.

And I too want to congratulate all of those who are being recognized with proclamations today, including Don Diego for your retirement.

Congratulations, and thank you for your service to our city.

Uh and San Diego Lakes Achievers Day, Councilmember Foster's testimonial is evidence of how impactful that program is.

And congratulations on being the first father-son graduates.

I am proud to join my colleagues in bringing forward the proclamation declaring stepping stone of San Diego, 50th anniversary day.

I have heard many stories over the years uh from people in the LGBTQ plus community who've benefited from Stepping Stone's services, and those stories have stayed with me.

Uh stepping stone truly beats people where they are, and that is so important, uh, especially people who have historically been underserved or overlooked in Subway.

Uh and for many of the LGBTQ plus community, finding treatment that is both effective and affirming has it always been easy.

Uh Stepping Stone has filled that gap for five decades.

Uh what really stands out is that it's not just about completing a program, it's what comes after as well.

Uh stepping stone has helped countless individuals rebuild their lives, find stability again, reconnect with family, secure housing, and actually start to feel hopeful again about the path forward.

So, congratulations to Stepping Stone on 50 years and thank you for everything that you have done for our city.

I want to congratulate uh or thank uh Council President Lakava, Council President Proteb Lee, and Councilmember Ila Rivera for bringing forward the proclamation honoring Arab American Heritage Month.

It's a time to honor the rich culture and history of the Arab American community.

I too thought the presentation was very informative.

Thank you for sharing that with us this morning, and we are grateful for everything that the Arab community contributes to our city.

Thank you also to Council President Lacava, Councilmember Vod Wilpert, and Councilmember Campillo for recognizing National Public Safety Dispatcher Week.

I also want to thank and uh recognize our public safety dispatchers who spend their work days answering calls for people who are in crisis, uh many of whom need an ambulance or the fire department or the police department.

These dispatchers provide a calm and reassuring voice when it is needed the most.

Provide vital information uh to our public safety personnel.

It given its density, uh District 3 has the highest number of calls for emergency service in the city.

So, on behalf of my district and my constituents, I want to express a deep appreciation for the important role that you play uh in protecting the safety of my constituents.

So thank you very much, and thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Whitburn.

We'll go to Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Thank you, Council President.

Uh, I want to start off with uh recognizing that many of my colleagues have brought forward proclamations uh of note today.

Uh so to Don Diego, thank you for your 36 years uh in serving the city of San Diego.

Uh thank you to all of our dispatchers in attendance today, uh, and certainly for their work every single day for the city.

Um and the stepping stone for your 50th anniversary, uh, look forward to your celebration coming up.

Uh and and same as others.

Uh thank you to Councilmember Foster for um always taking a moment to share uh not just what we see in the community in terms of uh organizations like uh San Diego Lynx uh uh with your Achievers program, um, but the impact that it truly has on um individuals even here serving on this dais.

Um, I wanted to take a moment to speak to two proclamations uh today.

First is uh item 31, where I'm honored to join Council President Lacaba and my colleague, Council Maria Rivera in proclaiming April as Arab American Heritage Month.

As mentioned, our city's home to approximately 100,000 Arab Americans who enrich our communities through their culture, language, traditions, arts.

I think we heard culinary, um, and and their embrace of family and um community.

Uh you've made invaluable contributions to our region uh through your work in education, technology, law, medicine, government, uh, and more.

And you've fought long and continue to fight for progress and inclusion in the country.

I think I know it was cut short a bit, but I imagine that if it was beneficial for those of us sitting up here, that really would be beneficial for more of the public to better understand what it means to be Arab American and that when we talk about that diversity, how that really ties into the fabric of San Diego.

I think it's important, especially at a time where we understand that our federal administration continues to advance uh a rhetoric and an agenda that targets many immigrant communities, uh, including Arab American communities and the countries that those families are from.

Um and it's important that here in San Diego, in a space like this, that we take the time to acknowledge, to honor, and to celebrate the Arab American community as an integral part of what we call the diversity of San Diego.

Um finally, I think those who have known me know that uh I have a background with an organization called Pacific Arts Movement, uh, which helped to put on the annual San Diego Asian Film Festival.

So I want to take a moment to shout out uh that this weekend, April 17th through 19th, is the second weekend of the San Diego Arab Film Festival, uh, which is taking place at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park.

So for those who are interested, please make sure to check that out.

Um, second, I want to speak to item S 501, which is the month of the military child, uh, and to join my colleagues in proclaiming April 2026.

It's the month of the military child.

Um, Sandy Home is, again, as Councilmember von Wolpert mentioned, home to one of the largest military populations in our country, and our region is shaped in many ways by our military families.

In District 6, we have an especially strong military presence, uh, not just because of the population of veterans, but also Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, uh, which is located within our district's boundaries.

Uh, those who choose to serve our country um choose to make some significant sacrifices, and that service extends well beyond those individuals to the families uh that they represent.

Military children in particular face unique challenges with their frequent relocations, school transitions, parental deployments.

Um, it has a huge impact uh not just on the child, but on the family that is looking to support uh these children.

And it means that as a city, I think for us, um, in order to support those families, uh, we have to think about how we actually support uh the children, young children in particular, that are impacted in these really unique ways.

Um we take this month to recognize the strength of these families and to share our gratitude for the service that they provide to our country.

Uh thank you, Council President.

That concludes my remarks.

All right, thank you for Templi.

We'll go next to Councilmember Campill.

Thank you, Council President, and thank you to all of the members of the public who are here, uh, those receiving proclamations uh want to start off with item 31, Arab American Heritage Month.

I want to appreciate the members of the Arab community who've come today.

The presentation was very informative and the art obviously very beautiful.

Growing up in East County, some of my closest friends and many of my classmates uh were Iraqi Americans, Chaldeans, uh, and so understanding their culture, their immigration stories, understanding the small businesses that they've started and their flourishing throughout San Diego.

Uh, very proud to call the Arab American community friends of mine for a long, long time.

And thank you for being here today.

On item 31, Kevin Johnson Day, I'm proud to bring forward this day as we celebrate the long-awaited opening of the Roughing Canyon Trail that connects Sarah Mesa to Mission Valley at the Escala community across from the Costco.

This project did not happen by chance.

It happened only because Kevin Johnston never let it go.

So after years of persistence and advocacy partnership with my office, he turned that vision into a real tangible asset for the Sarah Mesa community.

So I look forward to uh celebrating the milestone on Friday when we will officially open that trail and invite everyone out to experience it.

And after we've made that hike, enjoy a dollar fifty cent Costco hot dog afterwards, $1.67 after tax.

Uh thank you, Council President Lakava, Council President Uh Pro Tem Lee, and Councilmember Von Wilper for joining me in proclaiming April as month of the military child.

We all know that San Diego is the home of the largest military community in our country, and that means that thousands of military children show strength and resilience on a daily basis that goes unrecognized.

My office is proud to partner with the armed services YMCA and Tira Santa, as well as Hancock and Militant Miller Elementaries, as we support these children and ensure they have stability and resources they need.

We honor those who serve in uniform, and we must honor their family members and especially the children who serve in their own way.

Their sacrifice is extraordinary and it is real, and they deserve our recognition and support.

And finally, recognizing public safety dispatcher uh week, honored to join Councilmember Zon Wilburton and Council President Lakava.

Uh the first voice you hear in an emergency is the dispatcher.

So, right when people pray that their guardian angel shows up to help them, the dispatcher's voice is what comes through the telephone.

They bring in calm and clarity and direction when it matters most.

It's a demanding high-stakes job.

It requires constant focus and resilience and compassion.

It often goes unseen.

One of my favorite so so-called ride-alongs.

I wasn't riding anywhere.

I was sitting in a chair next to a dispatcher for several hours and hearing what comes through the phone.

Uh, I would never be able to do that job myself, but proud to support you all and what you do.

And I'll take a moment to highlight someone from our own district seven office who recently stepped into that role, uh, Izzy Rojas, who I know is here.

Uh, Miss Rojas served as an intern in my office for a year, and since then grew professionally, taking on roles in the county of San Diego in the private sector.

Uh, she's still passionate about several things like photography and somehow Chargers Football.

Uh, I am incredibly proud to see her continue her public service as a public safety dispatcher.

So thank you to all the dispatchers who are here today and uh for all you do in the vital work of keeping San Diego America's safest big city.

And that will conclude my comments.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Campio.

Uh, since all of my colleagues have spoken, I'll jump in.

Uh, and today, for me personally, is a good reminder of why we do these proclamations, an opportunity to step aside from our legislative agenda and tell stories, whether it's congratulations or very personal stories, uh, is really an extraordinary moment.

So uh thank you for my colleagues uh and everybody that's involved that to keep the proclamations uh front and center and what the city council can do.

Um and thank you to my colleagues for the proclamations that were brought forward.

Uh congratulations uh for everyone that is being recognized.

I'm gonna speak to three of them and I'm gonna take them in reverse order.

Uh S501, month of the military child, uh, as we've many of my colleagues have spoken.

Sandy goes home to one of the largest military communities in the nation, and I joined uh Council President Pro Tem Lee, Council Member Von Wolpert, and Councilmember Campio in recognizing one segment of the military community that often can be overlooked.

Children of military families are faced with the challenges of having to make frequent relocations to new locations, into a new home, and often into a new school.

Though San Diego has no shortage of thank yous for the military members who serve our country every day, we often forget the sacrifices it takes to make it happen with their families.

Today we proclaim the month of April as a month of the military child to shine a light on the members of the family that continue to mold to their new environment without complaint or hesitation.

Well, maybe a little complaint or hesitation.

Your resilience and courage in constantly facing new challenges is admirable, and we are grateful for supporting your military parents.

Item S500, National Public Safety Dispatcher Week, another group of people who do amazing work in San Diego, our own very own public safety dispatchers.

Thank you to my council colleagues, Council members von Wolpert and Councilmember Campio in joining me to celebrate the people who answer the call that no one ever wants to make.

And though these responders are not at the scene, they are present every single step of the way.

And for providing clear instructions to simply being a calm voice in a moment of chaos, they are vital to San Diego's public safety.

Thank you for prov your professionalism, dedication, and commitment to keeping San Diego's San Diegans protected and heard.

And I share this story in particular because it is personal.

We had an incident.

It is an experience I will never forget.

So thank you to the pub public safety dispatchers for what you do for all those people who, as I said, make those calls that nobody wants to make.

In closing with item 31, Arab American Heritage Month.

I'm joined by my colleagues, Council President Pro Tim Lee and Councilmember Elo Rivera to proclaim April 2026 as April American, Arab American Heritage Month, making up more than 10% of San Diego's population.

Arab Americans play a foundational part in the diverse culture of our city.

From their contributions to society through technological advances, medical research, legal advances, and more.

They continue to further push boundaries in every field of study and service.

To the American Arab Antidiscrimination Committee, thank you for your advocacy work that you do to continue to uplift the Arab American community in San Diego.

And with that, I will invite the president of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, San Diego chapter, Amar Kadan, if I got that right, uh, to take a couple of minutes to make a few remarks on behalf of the chapter.

Sir, thank you, Council President uh Lakava.

Um Councilmember Lee and uh Elo Rivera for introducing uh the proclamation and esteemed council members for recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month.

My name is Amar Kadan.

I'm the acting president for the American Arab Antidiscrimination Committee.

However, as with any true partnership, the relationship between our community and this council must be based on more than just ceremony.

It must be based on shared principle.

While we celebrate today, we must also address where the relationship is strained.

First, protecting human lives.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

All right.

With that, we have a motion by Councilmember Foster and a second by Councilmember Campbell to move the proclamations.

Clerk, please call the roll.

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

That passes unanimously eight to zero with Council Member Moreno absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

With that, we'll take a pause for photos and we'll start with item thirty-one, Arab American Heritage Month.

All right.

Thank you, everybody for participating in that.

We will now proceed with the approval of the consent items.

Are there any requests to pull an item by the council?

Not seen any request.

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

If you can please make sure you let me know which items you wish to speak for speak on for the record.

Um this software item seems to fit nicely into uh it's like real estate software lease things, uh how those those programs can be uh done well.

Um and uh more efficiently.

It fits in really well to the conversation you're having yesterday on the future of lease agreements in San Diego.

Uh a really interesting issue.

I'm really interested how that can be a full community effort that we can all be involved in and wanting to work towards best goals and practices and uh good luck we're helping each other uh towards those ends.

I think it's important.

And I hope the criticisms can be made within that process too, because I have some that I would like to make in those good efforts.

Uh so thank you uh for uh oh, and to also quickly mention um, yeah, the uh I'll mention that at public comment time, I think instead.

Uh to go on to um item 101, which is uh me going slow here, support of surplus land, mission bay.

This is an item that uh you know, certain uh council persons uh have been really kind of like hoping for and really kind of trying to bring in.

I hope in doing that, they they can develop a language and an understanding that's clear and not they they just got a touch a bit of a touch of the greed about them and how they're talking about this.

This is really important to them in a way, and uh I I hope they can learn to address it openly and not just um serving you know a very specific interest that it can serve.

Um thanks for my hearing me out on that issue.

And uh for uh item S502, you know, learning to be open and have a broad approach to the subject.

I think it's important to have that.

Uh good luck in those efforts.

Uh, for item S502, uh emergency services, uh victim uh uh uh uh uh grant subagrement award, sub award agreement.

Thank you for this.

I don't quite know its detail.

It's a nice I I wish I did, but just on its surface, this is a nice little thing to have uh that uh the governor's office has allowed uh this funding to happen, and it's always needed, and it it seems to be going to a really important good purpose.

And um to receive money from the state uh for such services, uh, we're gonna be relying much on to figure out how to do that well.

So thank you for this sort of item.

Thank you.

Next is 8700.

Again, this is just on the consent agenda.

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

50101 and excuse me, uh 5025.

Thank you, please proceed.

Uh Julie Sunyata, CD3 on 50 from the EOC report, IGM submitted an EEO in lieu of a workforce report.

It also says this.

Staff will continue to monitor the firm's efforts to implement their EEO plan.

So that's good news.

Uh I did check Google, Google.

This is a small firm, so uh it seems improve appropriate what's happening with all those equal opportunity efforts.

So for the first time, I started looking at the SLBE-ELBE and the 20% voluntary on this item.

And uh I didn't go in depth yet into it, uh, but in Google, you know, looked at the word voluntary, which is part of this.

So it is voluntary, and uh so just a question on that.

Does the voluntary work?

Uh does it work to help uh small businesses?

I certainly hope so.

I wasn't clear on some parts of the staff report and the ordinance, yet I say yes to amending this software contract love to all.

On 101, uh surplus land, um wow, that's a hot topic these days, isn't it?

And uh I I just we're having some good dialogue on it, and and I appreciate that so much.

I wish we could have uh real conversations around a table where everybody gets to share their uh opinions and and suggestions on it.

So, but uh it's important work, and I think we need to do much better work with it on affordable housing and things like that.

So S502, yes to the grant or the family justice center.

A big thank you to all involved at the governor's office of emergency services and all others involved with this grant.

The grant is 312,500.

Doesn't that have a nice ring to it?

312,500.

That's so appreciated.

No matching funds are required and no cost to the city.

So that's a big win-win all over the place.

So up to all the original, if you can please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Yes, um 50 100.

Um 101 S502.

Thank you.

You'll have three minutes.

The five minute timer did conclude.

There's six speakers in the queue.

No additional speakers will be taken.

Please proceed.

So when we're engaging in contracts with software and entities that are providing services with that, you know, we need to really be careful with our data because what happens is is these um different entities across the board um will take our data, and their investors are people or entities like Vanguard, BlackRock, and you know, ones that cannot be trusted.

And you know, when we know that data is being sold, um, you know, there's subscriptions.

I mean, that's just kind of the way it is.

Nobody's data is protected because there's always going to be a third party that comes in and has access to it.

And so I think it's very dangerous when it gets into the hands of very nefarious corporations or entities that uh don't have our best interest at heart.

And so we need to be uh making sure that our data is protected and looking into the those that are providing these services.

Um with the conflict of interest codes, you guys are always you know waiving these things, and it's you know, bad for business.

Um, you know, because there's conflicts of interest happening on an astronomical level, and it's very detrimental to um the people and being able to have our money be um spent in a you know manner that is actually going to be beneficial and not detrimental.

Um, and then anything you guys want to do with surplus land, you cannot be trusted, especially when um you know you could have bit um housing over um you know at 4902 Pacific Highway, and you guys didn't, and instead you and um incentivized people to come across with Jewish family services and have a bunch of children be trafficked in humans and have their organs harvested and different things like that.

So no, you shouldn't be doing nothing with the surplus land now with the governor's award, this is very terrifying because of what happens with children, not only in this uh city, the county, the state, the nation, and the world, and you know, it's like from the offices of emergency services and for victim services branch, you know, it's like a way to exploit victims to get money because everyone's always really good at getting money, like they have no problem with that.

You guys have no problem with that, but providing the things that needs to be provided and actually having the money go to what it's supposed to never happens.

Um, and that's what's so sad is that you guys always fall short in that, and this center um your safe place cannot be trusted, and the city attorney cannot be trusted when you know they even engage with CPS and families get their children taken.

And I even know women who have gone there and have never gotten any help.

So, you know, they incentivize getting children taken, and then those kids go into things like the upstein files.

So good job.

Your time has concluded.

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

Uh, yes, item 101.

101, please proceed.

You'll have one minute.

Uh good morning.

My name is Sue Taylor.

I submitted a written letter on this with more detail that you can review, but I wanted to highlight a few key points here.

Uh the item to exempt mission bay from surplus land is a positive and necessary step, and I appreciate the effort to address the issue.

However, it highlights a broader problem.

The 2020 changes to the surplus land act now treat lease renewals as surplus land.

Leasing public land is not the same as selling or disposing of it.

The city retains ownership and long-term control and should be able to lease its land for appropriate uses without triggering a process intended for permanent disposition.

Mission Bay is the most visible example, but this also affects other city properties like Balbaugh Park, Tory Pines, etc.

So while this exemption is appropriate, a broader fix is needed so we don't keep running into the same problem on other city properties in the future.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is Andrea Ebbing, if you can please unmute.

Let me know which item or items you wish to speak to.

Okay, I'm gonna.

This is Andrea Ebbane.

I'm gonna speak to um C here.

The conflict of interest 100, the surplus land for Mission Bay 101, and um the S502.

Please proceed to have three minutes.

Okay, so um so on the conflict of interest.

I'm glad that we're uh coming forward with any form of conflict of interest in a contract.

It's really nice to see.

Um we have so many conflicts of interest taking place within um the city and county at this very moment in time.

So to see one come forward uh is a really good thing.

We should look at the conflict of interests in the um addiction and homeless services funding and grant programs and the victims on the other side of those cases uh that involve those parties.

We should also look at the opioid distribution that is rampant and actively taking place, all also reported by these addicts and patients that visit these facilities that are flown in from all over the country, then made homeless and um intentionally made continually addicted to the drugs so that they return to the facilities for more money and more kickbacks.

So um that's that.

The surplus land on Mission Bay, what a shame if we are known for changing that landscape.

We need to protect and preserve our area.

Um we had a point in time where we had a former DA named Bonnie Dunamis, who was a super corrupt mafia boss, who she's the one that inserted inserted and planted Summer Stefan in her role as DA illegally.

Um, and that's because somebody that would carry out her agenda.

But I found out that she was when she was taking that money from the Mexican billionaire um illegally, and and somehow was not charged for it.

Um they wanted to turn the waterfront into South Bay, um, South Beach, Miami.

So they wanted to take our landscape and change it, and that was the goal.

A whole bunch of bribery, corruption, and kickbacks involved.

And then somehow when that came to light, a secretary of 27 years was found dead in her home of the DA's office, found dead in her home with her 18-year-old daughter of a drug overdose, despite zero history of drug use or suicidal tendencies.

Uh, and secretaries that know too much turn into catwoman if you've got Batman movie.

Um, also this thing about the um family justice center.

Casey Gwynn, our former city attorney started the Family Justice Center.

It is no longer a family justice center that follows practices.

And uh Mara Elliott was one time wandering money through it.

Here is from public records, a question from the Union Tribune to Mara Elliott.

Can you tell me why the city attorney is directing charitable contributions to an entity that is no longer legally permitted to conduct business in the state of California?

Um I went to the Family Justice Center after I was strangled and had my head split open, and my children were abducted, and they turned me away three times.

My um friend works in the homeless services industry, and they don't help them, they just give them materials.

It's a money money laundering facility that $312 to be tracked.

Your time has concluded, 8813.

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

Hi, Gonfollow here.

So I think I'm gonna speak on um definitely the conflicts of interest and just catch base on a bit of all of them.

Please identify the numbers.

And please be sure you're speaking on all of the items.

I'm sorry, I don't I don't have the numbers right in front of me, but I believe I can talk on them.

But I like I said, I'm gonna touch base on each one of them.

But you know the subject matters for each one of them to be sure.

I need you to be speaking on the other.

Okay, how about conflicts of interest?

Okay, okay, please proceed.

Okay, thank you.

So let's see, that in itself is um gosh, you can speak for hours on that, eh?

Um, the conflicts of interest within our city and our county is disgusting, and the fact that uh the majority of the county um have no clue where their money is going and and who it's benefiting is is a real shame.

Um of the other items, I can't name the number, but as far as um the people getting help.

I mean, that's what all your items are always about, right?

People getting help, and you guys pretend like you guys are helping, but you're really not.

Um again, there's no real intention of curing anybody, healing anybody, helping anyone.

It's just like a, you know, it's kind of like big pharma, a patient cured is revenue law.

You know what I'm saying?

So there's really never an intention to help a person entirely.

I mean, you'll have time has concluded.

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

Henry Hurt, thank you.

I'd like to speak to 50, 100, 101, and 502.

Thank you.

Please proceed.

Now I'm on the 502.

I would say only victim money going to American citizens.

No illegal aliens or green car guys, only American citizens.

You need to put that into a lot of things.

And on the 100, the conflict of interest thing.

Now, when the mayor guys are cutting budget cuts like crazy, and the mayor doesn't let you guys investigate the books and says you can't have them.

You should call the FBI on that, or call the DOJ, because that's total fraud.

He doesn't let you look at the paperwork.

Go off.

It's FBI day.

This is F time to call the FBI on the mayor.

And then on the land grab, even on these other common items, the consent agendas are very dangerous.

You guys always try to blow things through the consent advantage uh items.

That's one of the most dangerous votes that you guys have.

So we got to uh at each district, there's nine districts.

We have over 900 leases that nobody knows where even the money's collected yet.

How far they're behind.

So and then the trash thing, you find out there's 2,500 guys were picking up trash work that should have been paying all along.

They're private businesses.

We're doing their trash for them.

Look at even know about that for decades.

We've been picking up guys' trash, and they're not even paying for it.

Everything in the city is just like that.

So we we forget the software.

Just get a yellow pad.

Each guy in each in each council member.

Where are the leases?

Who are they?

What are their names?

Are they current?

How much is the rent?

And publish it on the website.

Each particular business.

There's a hundred in my district.

I wonder if they're paying.

Oh, we're gonna cut the library fees because we don't collect the rent.

It's crazy.

Uh you don't need a computer.

You need a one guy, write the guy's name down, give us the money.

Otherwise, you're out.

And you have to have leases every two years at the at the maximum.

Every year, everything else in the real world is one year lease.

All those high-rise buildings, it's a one-year lease, one year lease.

Don't let guys live there for four years without having a lease or not paying and just ignore it.

You know, that's what the city's doing.

They're just ignoring the payments.

15-year lease, that one lady was saying one of her ranches that hasn't been renewed in 15 years, the same rate.

What's that?

100 bucks a month instead of like 5,000 a month.

You know, it's just it's just it's ridiculous.

It's it's a clown show.

Instead of having a council meeting, let's call it the clown show meeting.

It's a clown show.

Your time is concluded, Madison.

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

And canceling Lippett is our last caller.

Hi, I'd like to talk to S502.

Please proceed.

You'll have one minute.

Okay.

So I'd like to express my support for item S502 and the acceptance of funding for the San Diego Family Justice Center.

As a mother and community member, I am deeply grateful for programs that support victims of domestic violence, abuse, and trauma.

The Family Justice Center provides a critical centralized place where individuals and families can access safety planning, legal assistance, and emotional support, all in one location.

That kind of coordinated care can be life-changing.

And importantly, when support, when we support families in crisis and create safer, more stable home environments, we are also helping prevent teen drug use and other risky behaviors before they begin.

This $300,000 grant from California Governor's Office of Emergency Services comes at no cost to the city, and it strengthens a resource that serves residents across all districts.

This is a meaningful and responsible investment in public safety and community well-being.

Supporting victims and strict families protects individuals.

That's the question.

Thank you for that concluding comment.

Kathleen Lippett, please unmute and let me know which item or items you wish to speak to your final speaker.

Thank you.

Items 100 and 102.

Conflicts of interest.

My name is Kathleen Lippert.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Conflicts of interest should not be negotiable.

Had the city looked at the sweetheart lease that was granted to a former city employee for the glider port, a public park, where the LEC was getting millions in revenues and police was never updated to reflect its true value.

Right, item two, surplus lands.

Ostensibly, it's just a quote, narrow exemption from the 1962 surplus land act, where Mission Bay was voted on by two-thirds vote of qualified electors in perpetuity.

That term in perpetuity should be self-explanatory.

The Lo Jolla Co.

is another case where Ellen Browning scripts donated that land for children's school, not for SEALs.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment on the consent items.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

So I'll turn it over to Council colleagues for questions, comments, entertain a motion, and we'll start with Councilmember Campbell.

Thank you so much, Council President.

I would like to move the consent items, and I would like to speak on item 101.

This is the resolution in support of AB 2525, surplus lands, Mission Bay Park.

It is important that our city support AB 2525, surplus lands in Mission Bay Park.

This is a state bill written by my Assembly member and former colleague who I sat next to, Chris Ward, and sponsored by Mayor Todd Gloria.

That is why my office has brought forward this resolution in support of A B 2525, which provides important clarity to protect Mission Bay Park, a park that lies largely within District 2, my district.

Mission Bay Park is the largest man-made aquatic park in the United States.

It has long been protected as dedicated park space.

There are several items that protect it.

The state tide lands law, the city charter, the Mission Bay Park Master Plan, the voter-approved measures, all make clear that this land must remain devoted as park space, and that residential development is not allowed here.

While the Surplus Land Act plays an important role in addressing California's housing needs, its requirements simply do not fit in with places like Mission Bay Park, where housing is prohibited.

AB 2525 provides the clarity that land within Mission Bay Park should not be subject to the Surplus Land Act, and that Mission Bay Park must remain a protected park for future generations.

And now I call on our state assembly members and senators to support this bill and get it to the governor's desk for signature.

More specifically, I urge the assembly's local government committee, which is meeting, I believe, tomorrow, to pass this bill through their committee tomorrow at tomorrow's meeting.

Supporting this bill means respecting the will of San Diego voters who have repeatedly chosen to safeguard the park and the other multiple measures that are in the law that protect the park.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Campbell.

So we do have a motion by Councilmember Campbell to move the consent items.

We'll go next to Councilmember Von Wolpert.

Um, thank you.

I'm happy to second the motion and uh thank you to Dr.

Jen for your leadership.

We know we heard it uh CNS committee about Mission Bay, and thank you to Chris Ward for his leadership as well in protecting that vital land and space, and also congratulations to the Family Justice Center, your safe place.

Thank you for all the incredible work you're doing every day.

And we're very glad to see this grant coming in.

So I'll second the motion.

All right, thank you.

We have a motion by Councilmember Campbell, second by Council Member Von Wolpert.

We'll go next to Councilmember Campio.

Thank you, Council President.

And I want to thank Councilmember Campbell for uh bringing the item to committee and her work on that, as well as Assemblymember uh Ward for championing it at the state level.

Um, it was also included in our city's state legislative lobbying package heard at EDNIR and on and by the whole council uh as it's been said, Mission Bay is unique and irreplaceable as a public resource and should be accessible and protected for generations to come.

Um, I the reason it is so important to have this bill pass is because of the inherent legal, the inherent linguistic conflict within the surplus lands act that suggests that we have to make a good vote negotiation for housing on a piece of land that we our voters and our mission bay master plan says there won't be housing.

So this is a really necessary piece of legislation as well.

I want to thank uh former Councilmember Donna Fry for her continued advocacy and leadership on this, and I will be in support.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Campillo.

Um seeing no one else in the lights offer uh just one comment as well uh enjoying everyone and thanking Councilmember Campbell for bringing the resolution on AB 2525.

Um one of the criticisms we all forget is that it's difficult for the public to understand what we're doing and how we're doing it.

Um it's a continuing challenge to communicate more clearly.

Uh the Surplus Lands Act, I think is often misunderstood.

Uh but this um assembly bill is incredibly important because it does create the backstop that prevents sacramental laws from overriding what the voters of San Diego have done uh both in the charter as well as the votes that created the Mission Bay Master Plan going forward.

So this is just a shield against uh Sacramento overreach uh in trying to prevent what every actually everybody has always said, has always agreed to, which is Mission Bay is not the place for housing.

We have plenty of opportunities to provide the housing that San Diegans need, not in Mission Bay.

Uh so again, thank you, Councilmember Campbell and your office for bringing this item forward.

So with that, uh we have a motion by Councilmember Campbell and a second by Councilmember Vaughn Wilpert.

So please call the roll.

Sorry, the voting system, just to clarify for the record is item 101 that had 14 in favor via our e-comment forms.

That passes unanimously eight to zero with councilmember Moreno absent.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

So here is an opportunity for a comment from the mayor's office, council members, city attorney, independent but independent budget analyst or uh city clerk.

Not seeing anyone on the lights.

I'll just do a quick thank you to the council president pro tem Lee for taking over yesterday's council session.

Uh I joined a number of service providers up in Sacramento yesterday to frankly lobby um both assembly members and Senate uh state senators uh for continuation of the HAP budget for at least uh the dollar amount in last year's budget, if not more.

Uh there's incredible work being done in the homeless space.

We've created a strong foundation in terms of the action that the mayor's brought forward.

The council has supported.

Uh this is not time to upset that.

Uh we need funding and we need regular funding every single year.

So with that, um, we will now take up non-agenda public comment.

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

Clerk, with that, please proceed with non-agenda public comment.

Thank you, Council President.

Per rule 2.7 non-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.

Please note if there are eight or more speakers on a single topic.

The maximum time for the topic will be 16 minutes.

If you are in chambers, please submit your speaker slip.

If you're joining us virtually, please raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you'll call in participants, star nine.

Marissa Cuevas, if you can please come up to the microphone after that, we have Anton Turrik and Eric Jensen.

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

You'll have two minutes, please proceed.

Good evening.

In 2022, my grandparents voted for measure B, which would have made the trash fees between $23 to $29.

Now I'm here because my grandparents can't be.

My grandma works and my grandparents are on a fixed income.

Right now, what the people approve, the 23 to 29 dollars is not what they're being charged.

In fact, the people are being charged up to $43 a month, almost doubled what they were told.

Like I said, my grandparents are on a fixed income.

This is something they have to account for and consider when they're dealing with their personal budget and their own finances.

The extra cost is a real concern for the people of the city.

In a city that is already so expensive to live in, and with cost only going up by the day, the people do not need the city artificially increasing or inflating another cost they have, especially when they voted for the 23 to 29 dollars per month.

Um I would say right now I've never experienced um you know my day-to-day life where people bring up issues with the city.

Um, but I do find this particular topic, as well as the Balboa parking fee, people are constantly talking to me about it.

You know, that they're getting a new trash bin, despite them just paying for a new one, or you know, they're getting these services that they don't it doesn't seem like there's a rhyme or reason as to what's happening, um, and that it's completely disregarding what their current need is.

Um, for instance, my grandparents don't need a large uh trash bin um because it's only the two of them.

And you know, that's just more hassle to have to bring it out to the curb, you know, my grandparents are older.

Um, so it is a concern of mine, and like I said, they can't be here because they don't have that time to come out and give public comment.

Um so the city had been saying, you know, that they increased um the charge because they had additional fees and revenues.

Um but I urge you to thank me for that concluding comment.

Antonio Good afternoon.

President Kennedy once said that an error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it.

I like this quote because we all make errors sometimes in our day-to-day lives.

Sometimes you leave your keys at home, sometimes you forget to put your laundry in the dryer, and sometimes you forget to um you tell the voters of San Diego that if measure B passes, the new trash fee would be somewhere between 23 and 29 dollars per month, when in reality you charge them closer to 43 dollars per month.

The cost of collecting trash is projected to increase over the next four years, even though the number of customers actually decreased.

The initial cost of service was projected to be 70 million dollars, and somehow this number shot up to 140 million dollars.

These numbers simply do not add up.

Just last week, Judge Oliver said that these projections, quote, appear mathematically counterintuitive and raise a tribal issue of fact that the projections may be based on faulty assumptions rather than actual costs.

These increased fees lose on paper.

We have all seen what's been going on with the parking at Balboa Park, and this trash free is unfortunately just another symptom of the city's mismanagement of the budget.

You're in the middle of drafting the budget right now.

You have a real chance here to correct an error before it becomes a mistake, and more money and more time gets wasted.

The people of San Diego voted for 23 to 29 dollars, and they would be happy with 23 to 29 dollars.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next we have Eric Jensen.

Hello, council.

Uh I'm here to speak about the trash fee uh because at this point, this is about more than sanitation.

Uh it's about trust.

Uh after San Diego voters accepted the measure B trash fee, the city's numbers came back far higher than the public had been led to expect.

Uh what was presented is roughly 23 to 29 dollars per month, became fees as high as 43.60 cents per month.

Uh these fees are expected to continue to rise, quickly growing to a monthly fee that exceeds twice as much as what voters agreed to pay.

Uh and now a court has said that there are serious questions about how the city arrived at these figures.

Serious enough for a lawsuit to go to trial.

The court pointed to a basic problem.

How can the city project fewer households receiving trash service yet still project costs so much higher than what voters were led to expect?

The court said, quote, this disconnect creates a fundamental analytical problem.

San Diegans are hearing all of this in the context of everything else they've already been asked to absorb.

Budget shortfalls, rising fees, higher parking costs, and growing financial pressure.

Residents understand that the city faces financial challenges, but they should not be asked to carry the burden of mistakes, poor planning, or financial decisions that they did not make.

The city of San Diego cannot afford to keep losing the public's trust this way.

At a time when confidence in public institutions is already fragile, the city should be doing everything it can to restore that trust, not weaken it.

The city can start by making this right and honoring what voters agreed to pay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, the five-minute timer here in Council Chambers going to those participating remotely.

Currently have 10 callers in the queue.

When the five minutes five minute timer concludes, no additional callers will be taken.

The original, if you can please unmute.

Right.

You would disagree.

See, that's the problem is that you guys didn't have a quorum last meeting.

You actually disenfranchise the people by not allowing them to speak during that meeting, and you haven't been making it up since, as shown right now.

And I invoked Robert's rules of order, and you have nothing in your board policy or in the Brown Act that would determine what to do in a place like that.

So you kept telling me I made my point, I made my point, which I did, and you were terrified about.

That's why you were acting so fishy, and I have it on tape, and I should be in charge of that council.

So it's very sad to see what you guys do, how much fraud, waste, and abuse you engage in.

I mean, you can't even pay attention and know when you do or when you don't have a quorum because you continued the business until I said something.

Whether or not you saw it, you still allowed the meeting to continue until I invoked Robert's rules of order and said I would like to take over the council.

Then you kept saying then you pretended that you saw it, and oh no, now we have to adjourn.

And then you kept saying I made my point to the point of being disruptive, and you sent the police out to me.

That's how scared you were about what I did, because every look on your guys' face was terrified because you know what I did was legit.

And outside of that, you know that you disenfranchised all of the people that were waiting to speak, because you guys can't be there to do your job.

But what you can do is get money.

You're always good at that.

But when it has anything to do with the people or or holding true to what is actually happening, which is me taking over that council.

You tried to bury it under the rug just like everything else that you guys do.

Barbara Gordon, your next speaker, if you can please unmute.

Um, good afternoon.

I am a public health advocate with so many needs in the city and with the budget shortage.

I respectfully request the city to not implement the cannabis social equity program.

This program is not sustainable long term without impacting the already strained city resources.

San Diego already has 38 marijuana businesses.

Why are we looking to expand the number of businesses which will be a burden to marginalized communities in the name of social equity?

As the city struggles with homelessness, many peer reviewed studies show that marijuana use contributes to drug abuse and addiction, which is the leading cause of homelessness.

The latest national survey on drug use and health.

Estimate 32 percent of the 62 million past marijuana users, 12 years and older in America have cannabis use disorder.

The profit-driven marijuana industry continues to produce and promote stronger products that are addicting millions and just and disrupting their lives.

Published in the Journal of American Medical Association's health form, said marijuana use is the is linked to the doubling risk of psychotic and bipolar disorder.

I urge this council to not prioritize this industry over the many needs of the city.

Your focus and responsibility are public health and safety, not advocating for more marijuana businesses in the city.

Thank you for letting me speak.

Our final next speaker is Becky Rapp, please unmute.

Good afternoon.

My name is Becky Rapp, and I'm here today to raise also raise concerns regarding the proposed socially equitable cannabis program.

And what appears to be a looming financial disaster for the city if it's implemented.

San Diego has already issued dozens of permits, yet a significant number of those operators have never opened their doors.

That's not a sign of a healthy system.

And it's more of a warning that something isn't working out.

The reality is that opening a marijuana business in San Diego is extremely difficult and expensive between permitting costs, regulatory compliance, real estate, security, and ongoing taxes.

Many operators simply cannot make the numbers work, even while funded applicants struggle to get to opening day.

So why are we proposing to add more permits when the current system is already struggling?

Tomorrow, the may the mayor's budget will be released and it will reflect the priorities of this governing body.

After the very concerning conversations just yesterday surrounding lease agreements and financial obligations, the document will be especially telling of the mayor's priorities.

There's no denying that permitting marijuana businesses have become costly for the city.

Staff time, administrative overhead, program development, enforcement, and potential subsidies that all come at a cost.

So I urge this council to pause this effort and direct staff to provide a full financial and operational analysis, including the performance of existing marijuana businesses.

Thank you.

Next is Madison, if you can please unmute.

Hi, thank you for the opportunity to speak again today.

I just wanted to briefly follow up on the issue of THC and road safety, because it highlights a serious gap we cannot ignore.

Even with growing concerns about marijuana impaired driving, we still do not have a reliable, widely accepted way to measure real-time impairment on the roadside.

A recent federally funded study is now working toward a THC breathalyzer, but it's still in early stages, more of a proof of concept and not something law enforcement can depend on yet.

At the same time, federal agencies acknowledge that THC levels don't clearly correlate with impairment like alcohol does.

So we are expanding access to a substance that impairs reaction time and judgment without having the tools to consistently detect or deter impaired driving.

That is a public safety risk.

More storefronts would mean increased normalization, increased use, and inevitably more drivers on the road under the influence, especially in a city as large and car dependent as San Diego.

It's irresponsible to continue promoting the sale of mind altering drugs when they have real world consequences for the majority of people who choose not to use them.

The impairment is clearly real and has had plenty of research proving it makes drivers unsafe.

If we cannot even reliably measure the level of impairment, we cannot effectively enforce against it.

And that puts every family on the road at greater risk.

I urge you to pause and reconsider any expansion with the seed program that moves faster than our ability to protect public safety.

Please prioritize the well-being of our communities and think carefully about the real world consequences.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The five-minute timer had concluded.

Six people are in the queue.

No additional speakers will be taken.

Peggy Walker, if you can please unmute.

Thank you.

A considerable part of dispensary marijuana sales are for pain and anxiety.

At the same time, major medical institutions, including Harvard, Cleveland, and Mayo Clinics, among others, have debunked industry medical claims, stating their research shows slim to no evidence that dispensary smoked or ingested weed has any medical benefit at all.

So why allow this industry to continue the medical marijuana myth in the first place and to do so without taxation when legitimate over-the-counter meds like aspirin are taxed?

There's no FDA approval of dispensary pot for any medical condition.

While there are prescription-based cannabis meds like uh epidielects, these have gone through FDA pharmaceutical protocols.

They do not cause a high and should never be conflated with dispensary pot.

The fact is the moniker medical marijuana is a political feint that's allowed the industry to boost sales and achieve widespread commercialization.

I know a medical cardholder who was given, quote, medical marijuana for anxiety caused by driving while high.

This is insanity.

Consider that alcohol and tobacco are used if unwisely for anxiety too, but are taxed.

All dispens all dispensary marijuana should be highly taxed without exception, and pot waste should be highly taxed too.

Thank you.

Thank you, Nexus.

Hi, this is Andrea Ebbing.

First thing I want to say is we need to have working functional lights and cameras at a rec center where children are.

We should also have police officers who are allowed able to control themselves from beating women in front of 40 children at those parks, but of course, without cameras working, we have to rely on the children who are recording that beating.

But of course, without cameras working, we have to rely on the children who are recording that beating.

Um brutal beating.

But I did want to say I just made a finding that everyone should pay very close attention to.

There is a site called transparentcalifornia.com that gives uh financial information off the tax records of city and county employees.

And everybody's concerned about the trash fees.

But we need to know as a community San Diego, somebody in the city office or county office is manipulating these transparent California records as if nobody can go back on the way way back machine and find all the data that's been removed.

But uh Kenneth Biggers, Kenneth Abe Biggers, district refuse collection supervisor, is one of the 103 city employees that I found to have zero regular pay.

That's zero salary.

However, he has uh 146,000 in other pay.

And for total pay and benefits, 288,000 for the year 2024.

Again, zero pay.

They're money laundering.

And they did this trash thing on the back of other pay.

So they're manipulating things.

This is corruption.

You are witnessing public corruption.

And when I brought this up before, somebody went back and they scrambled and they had it removed.

But I have screenshots of everything.

I exported the data.

I have the 103 employees that make zero dollars, and the Luna Sarah Looney making 397,000 of other pay for a total of 500,000 as an admin.

We are in a budget deficit because of the money laundering and pay payroll.

Time has concluded 8813.

If you can please unmute.

After that is Terry Ann Skelly, 8813.

8813, if you can't unmute for you, so I can't unmute for you.

There you go.

Okay, thank you.

Gonfuelo here.

So yeah, I just kind of wanted to point out well, actually, to the first speaker who mentioned about there's no reason or rhyme.

There actually is a reason for their rhyme.

Uh, it's because they do not work for the people of San Diego.

They work for globalists.

Remember this.

Things they do that don't make sense to us here locally, is because they're following orders from the ones who are truly calling the shot.

And um they they, you know, over the years, especially these past five or six years, they've moved um, well, they're moving in high speed.

Uh these uh the latest um, I mean, since COVID.

But prior to that, they were moving incrementally.

Um, you know, in order to establish these bullshit ideas like roundabouts and um, you know, the implementation of these unsafe and equitable bike lanes that are only being utilized by, you know, uh we say the crackheads because that's truly all I see using those uh bike lanes, and they're not safe.

Um, they will continue to penalize drivers even more in the future.

We are currently just experiencing the um right now the the high gas fees, limited lanes and paying for parking everywhere.

Uh but what's coming down the line is even worse.

Unfortunately, our younger generations are being uh influenced by propaganda of like the carbon crisis and global warming.

Yet, you know, we keep seeing that our seashore hasn't changed in decades.

It remains the same.

They continue to use fear to control the people.

I mean, it's talk about con, you know, and unfortunately the people are too busy to pay attention to this bullshit racket called government, local and federal and state, all of them.

And but the silver lining is just uh is this as those people who voted for like the people who voted for.

Good afternoon, San Diego City Council.

My name is Terry Ann Skelly.

I'm a parent and a planning group member who advocates for financial policies that enhance good public health and safety.

Today, I'd like to draw attention to the city tobacco's retailers licensure program ordinance and the associated enforcement efforts associated with it.

As a parent, I applaud your efforts to reduce tobacco product sales to those under the age of 21 and to remove unauthorized tobacco products from the shelves, like illegal flavored tobacco products and prosecute those who sell it to them.

This is money well spent.

Recently, in a school campus newsletter, a team reporter wrote this, and I quote, the vape and smoke shop is exposing students to vapes along with several unapproved and possibly dangerous drugs, and it is too near my school.

End quote.

Opening smoke shop next to a school is unfair, especially considering that schools already struggle with students vaping on campus.

I feel we owe it to these students to take action for these students to see us take action and make sure that it will be easy for residents, parents, and school administrators to file a complaint with the city.

Perhaps the city's public relations department or media could serve us all by providing the information for filing complaints.

Thank you for your funding enforcement actions that affirm our city's commitment to healthy and safe young adults.

Thank you for hearing my concerns this afternoon.

Thank you.

Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute and then 8700, your final speaker.

All right, thank you.

Uh Blair Beekman.

I wanted to do uh house cleaning items today.

Um I guess first of all, uh I was at the meeting last week with DRA at the end of the meeting.

Uh I interesting comments she offered.

I put her words down to a letter to yourselves, uh, and overall practices we can do when that sort of item happens again.

There's a bunch of issues about quorum we have to be better addressing that I tried to address in a letter.

I hope you can read and we can go over.

Uh it's important.

Uh, we we have to have quorum in the future.

You guys can't be uh we have to coordinate it.

You can't be ducking out uh in so many numbers, such large numbers that you have.

We have to coordinate that better.

Good luck in the to read the letter and understand what we could be doing.

Uh, other items.

Uh yeah, a whole bunch of stuff I talked about.

Uh, other items to think about.

The PAB had a really interesting uh monthly meeting uh last week, uh Thursday, that I hope you can review.

Some of the items talked about today, just basic stuff on uh um, you know, uh internal housekeeping stuff for your accounting issues.

They talked about uh it was a really interesting session, and I think it said a good course how we what to expect and how we could be working in 2026 towards best practices of tech accountability.

So I really invite yourselves to review that meeting and get a sense of what's really the questions being asked by community, what's being uh worked on.

Thank you.

Uh good public comment yesterday about housing issues.

Uh there's unhoused issues going on in downtown that uh person, you know, wants to be addressed.

We have to start addressing those things again in good terms, uh not harmful terms.

Uh good luck what we can be doing towards those ends.

Um it's a community effort towards healing.

Good luck in doing that.

And uh Council Person Bone Wilpert, uh, thanks for her words today and for everybody's words.

Uh thank you.

8700, your final speaker.

Uh thank you, uh City Clerk Fuentes, uh Joy Sanyata.

Uh, first a quick shout out before I speak on the budget.

Um shout out to Mr.

Capsuri.

Your reappointment to the audit committee as public member is very good news.

Thank you to everyone involved in that.

Okay, on the budget.

Easy to do my favorite likes.

Not so easy to do what I am willing to cut.

I find it's not easy to recut because I am not in a position as a public to see the necessary big picture.

I thought I understood core services, and then I learned of mandated core services.

Dear public, take a look at that if you need to.

Mandated core services.

That is part of the detailed big picture.

I'm not seeing now.

So I am keeping it simple now, dear public and everyone else.

Each day that I am involved with our city government, I look for opportunities where I can get better at what I do and where our city, I also look where our city leaders and staff can also get better at what they do.

That's called getting better together.

One people, one family.

Remember, I added one family.

I love that.

Thank you.

That does conclude with an unagenda public comment for this meeting.

If you raise your hand after the five minute timer, you can submit speaker your comments to City Clerk at San Diego.gov, and they will be distributed.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

With that, we will now adjourn for the new recess and reconvene open session at two PM or shortly thereafter.

In fact, San Diego has more than five thousand vehicles in its fleet.

All of these vehicles need fuel and regular maintenance.

But over the past several years, fuel prices have continued to rise, and that's directly impacting San Diego's budget.

In fact, for every one cent increase per gallon at the pond, the city's monthly fuel costs rise by ten thousand dollars.

Construction and insurance costs have increased dramatically over the past several years, and our city revenues have not kept pace with those rising costs.

All right.

Good afternoon.

I will now reconvene the City Council meeting of Tuesday, April 14th, twenty twenty six.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Thank you, Council President.

Councilmember Campbell.

Here.

Councilmember Whitburn.

Here.

Councilmember Foster.

Councilmember Von Wilbert.

Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Here.

Councilmember Campillo.

Councilmember Moreno.

Councilmember Ela Rivera.

And Council President Lacava.

Thank you, Clerk.

Quorum is now.

Oh, do you want to introduce Well, I just need to say here.

Oh, here.

Assistant City Attorney Leslie Fitzgerald, also attending the meeting.

Independent budget analyst Charles Modica, Council of Affairs Advisor in the Mayor's Office, Coda Zeiser, and myself, your city clerk, Tiana Fuentes.

Thank you, Council President.

Sorry.

All right, no, that was my bad.

Quorum is now present.

With that, clerk, please introduce item S506.

Item S506 is a salary ordinance for fiscal year 2027.

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.

If you are participating remotely, now's the time to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President.

All right.

Well, staff, uh, when you settle in, please introduce yourself for the record and then let us know how much time you need to.

Good afternoon, Council President and Council members.

I'm Abby Geralveld, Deputy Director in the Human Resources Department.

Um, with me today is Director Julie Rasco, Deputy Director John Twilliger, Eric Anson, Senior Human Resources Officer.

Um also with us today are several members of the salary ordinance committee.

Coda Zeizer from the Mayor's Office, Rolando Charvel, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Melendez from the Fire Rescue Department, Tom Brady from the City Attorney's Office, Lisa Burns from the IBA's office, Quinn Ellen from the risk management department, Christya Davis from the personnel department, and Chris Purcell from the Finance Department.

Our presentation is about eight minutes.

We're here today to present the fiscal year 2027 salary ordinance.

Before we begin our presentation, we wanted to note that there were some clarifications made to the staff report, salary ordinance attachment to an exhibit C F G and H to reflect working title updates, which we'll walk through during the presentation, and copies have been provided to you.

I will now turn it over to Eric, who will walk through the presentation.

All right, the salary ordinance is an annual item that establishes the compensation schedules for all employees and officers of the city per the city charter.

The charter mandates that the first reading of the salary ordinance must be presented to city council by April 15th each year.

This year's presentation is broken down into five sections.

Those are salary and wage adjustments, recommended updates, civil service recommendations, minimum wage compliance, and acknowledgments.

For salary wage adjustments, uh salary and wage adjustments, the city is currently negotiating with all six recognized employee organizations, also known as REOs, and therefore there are currently no wage increases to report from police represented by the REOs.

We will be returning to City Council with amendments to the FY 2027 salary ordinance to reflect any negotiated changes to wages and benefits.

When it comes to wage adjustments for unrepresented employees, there are no proposed increases for unrepresented employees as contract negotiations are ongoing.

We will also return to City Council once the negotiations have concluded with any recommended adjustments.

Next, we'll turn to recommended updates.

First is position titles, and the following are recommended updates to titles.

In order to align the fire rescue department's rank structure with the national incident management system, which is followed by nearly all fire departments in the country, the title changes will be as follows.

Assistant fire chief classification in the executive four category in exhibit C will change to Deputy Fire Chief.

And the title of the Deputy Fire Chief classification in the Managerial C category in Exhibit C will change to Assistant Fire Chief.

Next is working titles.

The following are the recommended updates to working titles.

First is the assistant city manager, a position exempted by the city charter, which has been operationalized with the working title of assistant chief operating officer, which is put it is proposed to be updated to chief of staff.

The assistant to the city manager, a position also exempted by the city charter, has been operationalized with a working title of deputy chief operating officer, which is proposed to be updated to chief officer.

The business center manager, which has a working title of assistant deputy chief operating officer, is proposed to be updated to deputy chief of staff.

And finally, the assistant to the city manager, which has a working title of assistant to the chief operating officer, is recommended to be eliminated.

Next, we have recommended movements between salary ranges.

As requested by the city clerk, it is recommended to move the assistant city clerk classification from managerial C to miscellaneous A.

This will result in the assistant city clerk classification having the same salary range as other assistant director positions in independent city departments.

In order to align with the overall citywide position hierarchy of the unclassified service, it is recommended to move the retitled assistant fire chief along with the assistant police chief to the executive three category.

Now I'll cover recommended updates to exhibits F for auto allowance, G for management administrative leave, and H that uh for management executive life insurance.

The following are only working title updates and do not change the current benefits received by these positions.

For exhibit F, auto allowance.

The recommendation is to update the assistant to the city manager working title, which is currently deputy chief operating officer to be chief opera uh chief officer, and to add business center manager with the working title of deputy chief of staff.

For exhibit G, management administrative leave, the recommendation is also to update the assistant to the city manager working title, which is currently deputy chief operating officer to be chief officer, and to add the business center manager with the working title of deputy chief of staff.

For exhibit H, the working title is being updated for existing assistant city manager to chief of staff, and the working title update for the existing assistant to the city manager, which is chief officer.

For civil service commission recommendations, there are three groups of recommendations.

First are new or reestablished classifications.

There are seven new or re-established classifications recommended by the Civil Service Commission through the annual salary re salary review process.

Four are represented by MEA and three by local 145.

Second are title changes.

There are four title changes recommended by the Civil Service Commission through the annual salary review process.

Those include Legal Secretary 1 and 2, which are recommended to be changed to legal administrative assistants one and two, senior legal secretary, which will be changed to senior legal administrative assistant, and principal legal secretary, which will be changed to principal legal administrative assistant.

Third are the deletions.

There are 16 classifications recommended by the Civil Service Commission for deletion.

Nine of these are MEA represented, five are local 127 represented, and two are unrepresented.

Next is the minimum wage compliance.

The California minimum wage increased to $16.90 per hour on January 1 of 2026.

The salary coordinates, uh excuse me, the salary ordinance codifies that also on January 1, 2026, the City of San Diego minimum wage increased to $17.75 per hour.

According to the salary tables and the exhibits to the salary ordinance, all city employees will be paid no less than the local minimum wage of $17.75 per hour.

Finally, we have acknowledgments.

While HR is the lead for the salary ordinance uh presentation, it is a team effort.

HR would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their input and help: the city attorney's office, personnel, the IBA's office, department of finance, risk management, and the department of information technology.

This concludes our presentation, and we are happy to take any questions you may have.

All right, thank you for your presentation.

Uh clerk, let's proceed with public testimony on S506.

Thank you.

Item SI06, we have one speaker here in Council Chambers and others and the virtual queue, Al Del Mastro.

If you can please come forward.

Yes, you'll have two minutes, please proceed.

Hi, my name is El Del Mastro, and um, you know, the reason why I oppose the salary is because how misleading it was on Prop L that you guys all got such large raises over.

And uh, and the deal is is that good leaders lead by example.

So if you want to take a salary cut, uh push it on the public to have a salary cut, like I'm a mom, a small mom and pop landlord, and the restrictions you put on me over and over again.

The idea that this new thing that's misleading that's being put on by Sean Ela Rivera, this thing about the uh empty house law.

Would I looked it up again yesterday and after I spoke to Mr.

Looked it up?

I'm not exempt to this because I live in a five plex.

So if my wife dies and I can't complete an apartment in six months, I'm gonna get a ten thousand dollar fine.

Or if I get cancer, I'm gonna get a ten thousand dollar fine.

Who thinks that's a good?

Who doesn't think this is the ugliest law since Jim Crow?

And it's really hard that you guys would approve this against seniors in the community.

Can you focus on the salary ordinance and not on the other hand?

It is on all it's just a misleading part.

That's how I'm putting it on it.

Just as misleading as the salary ordinance was put in, is how misleading this is being put in.

You know, who would do that to a senior?

90% of all mom and pops are between the ages of 55 and 80 years old.

Do you think you should do that to a senior Joe?

You think you should give them a fine if they can't get their home up in time because of their grieving or they have cancer or they have an illness, and not in a long the only exemption for illness is that if you're in a long-term care facility.

That's it.

I live in a five or exemption if you live in a property that's less than four units.

That's it.

There is no other exemption for me.

Thank you.

Sorry, the five-minute timer here in Council Chambers going to those participating remotely.

Currently have three speakers in the Cube.

Blair Beekman, if you can please unmute.

Hi, thank you for this item.

Thank you for uh how you're talking about it.

Um I just wanted to quickly offer that uh at uh public comment yesterday.

A person, you know, asked the question if uh city council persons and the mayor can consider taking uh a cut in salary.

I thought it was a nice thing to uh to offer.

I think it's an item we still have to be considering uh as you're t deliberating these issues uh that are very the many right now for this item.

I hope we really can be considering the future of um whatever type of uh salary cut uh council can make, and definitely the mayor, it's definitely a goodwill gesture.

It it it is working in the right direction, and I think it'll give yourselves uh uh a good sense of how to better address issues.

It's sacrificing, and I think I think you'll respect it.

I and good things will arise from it.

I I hope you can really be considering, I think it's an important item to consider for our future, and it certainly gives good faith to the community that you're trying to look for answers to.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Next is the original.

If you can please unmute with the failures of the city, it's pretty ridiculous that we continually talk about giving raises, and with the exorbitance amounts of money that you guys make and the mayor makes.

I mean, it's crazy because there's all this other pay and kickbacks that come in, and it's like you guys shouldn't be making more than Congress.

That's freaking ridiculous.

And you guys are gonna always continually give people raises instead of making sure that you guys are providing everything that the city's supposed to be providing.

You're failing miserably, and it's like when you sit here and you're like reclassifying different positions, that's super suspicious.

Because that is that a way if somebody's like salary was capped at something and they couldn't make any more, then you put them into a new position and they can start making more and more money.

I mean, just the things that you guys do are fishy, and you should be willing to take a pay cut.

I mean, you guys are the ones that increase the cost of living every time that you have a meeting, and you want to sit here and act like you're gonna go after others who do it.

You're the ones who do it, and the people come to you and like thank you for it.

It's really sad because it's like, you know, looking at how much money you guys make and like the the normal person just trying to pay rent, it's pretty crazy.

And I don't know how you guys can sit up there and not see what's going on, and that that's very kind of, you know, just a slap in the face and gaslighting of the people to act like you really care when you guys are just always giving raises and and you're failing.

I mean, no other business would be like, yeah, we're gonna give you a raise, even though you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing.

It only happens in government, and it's crazy because the government gets bigger and bigger, but everything gets worse and worse, and it's just more control and more like you know, meddling into people's lives.

So, like when you guys actually start providing what needs to be provided, and you put engaging in fraud waste and abuse with our money, then maybe raises can be talked about.

But until then, you guys need to be thinking about how you're gonna cut your salaries.

Our final speaker, 8700, if you can please unmute.

Thank you, uh Clark Plantes.

Uh Joy Sunnyata.

Okay.

On the PowerPoint.

With the MOU negotiations and the under and the unrepresented group.

Uh we don't have we don't know what the outcome will be.

So will these figures which will probably go up affect the FY28 budget?

I know there's some sort of uh it goes ahead a year or two, so I need clarity on that if possible.

I don't know if there's another hearing on the salary ordinance.

I tried to look up the IBA uh budget dates, and I couldn't find them either on the IBA website or I lost them in my PDF file.

So need that.

Uh fire department adjustments again uh on the PowerPoint.

It I I couldn't get what was happening there.

There was a title that was taken away and didn't given.

So I don't know what to do with that.

Uh do changes involve salary increases?

Of course they do.

And what is the total expenditure?

When are we gonna know these get if these get approved, how much is gonna have to come out of the citizens' pockets out of all our pockets?

So um uh please please clarify that for us.

And then as far as all of you uh counsel and so forth the mayor getting pay increases, we really need to talk about that and be fair for for everybody.

So thank you for this.

Uh I'll leave it up to you to decide where to go with it.

Uh love to all.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment on this item.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

And with that, we'll turn it over to the council for questions, comments, and entertain a motion.

Um I'm gonna go first.

Uh not seeing anybody else, even though my staff said go last.

Um thank you for the good work.

Um as council president, I I think I've I I feel compelled.

This is a big thing.

We know at the date that this has to be delivered, so the number of changes that happened, including today, really makes it tough for council uh to go to deliberations.

I think there was a lot of transparency in that, even though material was being delivered late.

Uh and I think some of it was in a response to some of the questions about were raised, being raised by my colleagues or their staff going forward.

But I kind of feel like I have to say this.

So we need the time to digest what you all have been spending days, weeks, perhaps months on.

Um, to the working titles.

Now we had working titles last year when we approved the salary ordinance.

There's some changes to the working titles this year.

Help us understand the whole purpose of doing working titles as opposed to saying let's just change this classification to ABC instead of saying it's XYZ and parentheses, working title ABC.

What's the logic in that?

So several of the positions that are identified expressly in the salary ordinance are also identified expressly in the charter.

And because they're identified in the charter, they have to have that position, and working titles can be the way that you can explain the authorizational effectiveness of that position.

So a deputy chief of staff instead of a saying assistant to the city manager, is that's more in line with the current practice.

Okay.

Uh I think the other thing that came up uh that I think we're all thinking about right now, excluding the minimum wage, because that obviously will pay some individuals more per hour uh to stay consistent with the minimum wage.

Does the changes indicated on here have any net impact on our budget?

No, there is no change.

That's why we're noting that upon conclusion of negotiations, we would come back, we would do an amendment to the salary ordinance as we have done in past years, that would affect the budget changes at that time.

Okay, just to clarify, except for the minimum wage, and except for whatever may happen with the REOs and the six contracts, that any of the title changes, any of the reclassifications, any of the side benefits that are referenced, there is no cost with the action being called for today.

Correct.

This is merely title changes, no change in benefits or wages or salaries for any employees at this time.

Okay.

Um I wanted to get that on the record because I know people will be concerned about that.

And then I see our chief is in the back.

You're flip-flopping assistant and deputy chief Logan.

There's only one chief in the room.

There's only one chief in the room, so but you've talked about it with your team in terms of flip-flopping deputy and assistant positions to be, as I understand, consistent with the national model.

That's correct.

If you look at all the large cities in California, they're all reverse.

We've been wrong for a few decades.

And I'm I'm riding the shift.

Okay.

No salary increases.

No salary.

Okay.

I know new shirts and new uh nameplates.

New nameplates and email signatures.

There you go.

Very minimal calls.

Okay, thank you for clarifying.

Just one.

I assume that was the case.

I just wanted to double check.

Um with that, I'm going to move the staff recommendation and then turn it over to my colleagues for their comments.

Questions.

We'll go to council member Whitburn.

Uh thank you, Council President.

You actually uh asked and uh got the answer to the question that I had, so uh I am happy to second the motion.

All right, we have a motion by myself and a second by council member Whitburn to move the staff recommendation.

We'll go to Councilmember Ila Rovero.

Thank you, Council President.

Um thanks for the presentation here.

Um appreciate the questions that you asked, Council President and the points you made.

Uh obviously, in a budget environment like the one that we're in uh where we're going to make some very difficult decisions where we have working families across the city struggling to make ends meet.

Um I think it's important that the way we tighten our belt matters, I guess is what I'm trying to say.

Um so I want to make sure that we're doing that in a way that um ensures our actions match our our rhetoric.

Um so I think it's a fair question about our salaries, and um I think it's a I think there's some misunderstanding about what our powers are as it relates to that.

The raises the salaries set in the salary ordinance in front of us for the council members and the mayor, are set as a result of measure L, which was adopted by voters in 2018.

Uh, correct?

And this is for this city attorney.

Yes.

That's it.

That is correct.

And our understanding is that um council members cannot reject this per the ordinance per the action that was taken by the voters, correct?

That's that's correct, council member.

The the the charter doesn't provide any means for the council members to uh refuse to accept the raise or refuse to accept the salary.

So you in order to do that, you would have to have a charter amendment that permitted that.

Understood.

Thank you.

And it's again very, very fair question.

And um I've been in situations where as a in a position of leadership where I've pulled back my own salary because um it was that, or workers who were paid less um either would need to be let go or um need to receive less, and I wasn't okay with that.

Um the voters took an action in 2018.

Um, and I just want to make sure that it's clear that that's um that is how the table was set in the way that it is.

Um another note, I I and and I want to simultaneously say that everyone who works in this city um that work should that work of all people should be honored.

And I know what this conversation over the next few months is going to look like as it relates to the budget, and that the folks who are most likely to be impacted by decisions that are made are residents of the city and um and lower paid workers in in this city, to be quite honest.

And with that, while I understand a lot of this is cleanup, I I see stuff in here that lists and I am I'm not okay with the amount.

No one's more open to on the dais um uh changes than I am, but this showing up right now, I'm not good with that.

And what I saw what was presented to us were um executive and management positions that were eligible for additional perks, such as a 475 dollar monthly automobile allowance, and um 80 hours of management and administrative leave.

Regardless of whether that that is cleanup, I am not okay with putting my name in support of that, given the context of the moment that we were in, and certainly not given how late the additional explanation and materials we were presented with that are meant to justify and explain those actions.

So council president, with all due respect, I will not be supporting the motion in front of us.

All right, understood.

Thank you for your comments and observations.

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

Thank you, Council President.

Can I just start by asking these materials were different 24 hours ago?

Yes, there was clarification for the specific position of assistant to city manager.

There are two positions currently in the salary table that have the title of assistant city manager, but different working titles.

So to address the cleanup and clarification that was causing for confusion, we made sure that the assisted to city manager has a working title of chief officer, and that the business center manager has the working title of the deputy chief of staff.

So that there was no ongoing confusion about the two different responsible positions.

The pay is not changing, it's merely a title change cleanup.

I think that's it's part of my struggle of understanding the pay's not changing.

You're saying the benefits aren't changing, but the title has to change.

And yesterday the title change is different than the title change today, which I can't help but now feel like it's just an arbitrary decision as what we think the title is or needs to be, because yesterday it was this assistant to the city manager and today it's business center manager, which I'll ask the IBA perhaps, but neither position currently exists in our budget this year.

Um if you look at job ID numbers, I don't see either 2112, which is the business center manager, or I believe it was 2127, which was the assistant to the COO.

Um either as a budgeted position or an unbudgeted position that's currently filled.

Um I guess just to continue along those lines.

Are all the well, yeah, you might have answered some of that.

Are there other positions that are within these working title changes that are currently not budgeted in this current fiscal year?

So it's gonna be a somewhat complicated answer.

First of all, there are um hundreds, if not thousands of positions laid out in the salary ordinance, not all of which may necessarily correspond to a position that is currently in the budget.

Um there are also positions that are covered in the salary ordinance, where the number of positions that are currently filled and the number of positions that are budgeted are different.

Um if you have questions about a specific position, I can try to answer that.

I'm sure the HR could as well.

But it's a question of where you want to look in as much as there's 13,000 city employees and many, many, many classifications.

Yeah, uh, thank you, Charles.

Um I think I'll just share that my frustration as of right now is that in an era where I think we're dealing with significant challenges from a transparency standpoint that one, the changes.

I I understand that they needed to be made and clarifications had to happen, but it's near impossible to explain that to folks when we get briefed on an item and the details of it now are different between the briefing we had not that long ago and the item actually being presented at council.

That that is, I mean, that's a challenge, especially when there's going to be fair questions, I think, from the outside.

I think when someone looks at the documents here, um, part of what folks from the public have inferred is that we are adding additional benefits to employees because that's what the wording seems to suggest.

We're adding additional auto allowances for different classifications.

I think I understand from what has been shared that that is not a change from the current practice.

It's because it's a a change to try to reflect specific positions that I believe are currently not filled, nor currently in the we haven't seen the proposed budget yet, but from my understanding, not in the currently proposed budget that comes out tomorrow, but may be used at some point between now and then, hence the shift in the benefits that are being required for it.

Um and to the public, that just looks like we're adding another auto allowance for another executive position when we are simultaneously, as just reported in the last day or so, um, asking all of our classified employees to take a or a very significant number of them have agreed to take mandatory furlough next year as part of the budgetary challenges that the city is facing.

And that is purely a perception issue.

And I think when we're put in a position that's very challenged to understand what's being changed, it makes it even more difficult for us to go and explain that to the public.

They remain unbudgeted at this time in this year, and there has been no change made from the mayor to account for that.

Um it's a question that we have all struggled to answer throughout this year.

Perhaps it's a surprise that we've not talked more about it.

But the council passed the budget last year that the administration decided that was not necessary to fully enact it.

And it turns out that that perhaps they have the authority to do so.

Those will be added back in for next year, I presume.

And we're gonna be uh running roundabout on that conversation all over again.

Um and that failure to have council's legislative authority and intent met is extremely frustrating, and I see it reflected here in today's salary ordinance proposal, especially because of how uh confusing it's been presented with the changes.

Uh so with that I uh will concur with my colleague and uh it will not be supporting the motion today.

All right, thank you, Council President Pro Dam Lee.

We'll go next to Council Member Bon Wilbur.

Thank you.

Um and I've I honestly feel the same way as my colleagues about I'm just unclear about what we're doing today because materials were swapped out about half an hour before this meeting, and I'm reading um in this new updated staff report.

There's not even a page number on the staff report, so I don't know what page to tell people to come to, but the title says movement of unclassified classifications to different salary ranges and changes in unclassified classification titles, auto allowance and management and strength management administrative leave.

It's that page I'm looking at, and there's a bunch of bullet points.

And the first three talk about moving the classification of the assistant city clerk, um resulting in the assistant city clerk classification having the same salary rates as other assistant director positions in independent city departments.

And so it gives us an explanation of why we're making the change because we want that person to be able to be paid on pard or paid on par with the similar employees in other city departments.

The second one about the fire department changing the title of the assistant fire chief classification, it goes on and on and on.

It says the title changes will align the fire rescue department's rank structure with the national incident management system, which sets the standard for emergency command structure and is followed by all n by nearly all fire departments in the country.

Understand, I even met with the chief beforehand.

This this change makes sense to me because there's an explanation here of why we're changing their title because they need to do it for rank and structure for incident commands.

Same thing with moving the assistant fire chief and assistant police chief to executive three category.

It states that these classifications will align the positions with the overall position hierarchy of the unclassified service.

I get it.

Everything below that has no explanation about why we're doing this.

Eliminating the assistant to city manager, changing the title of the assistant to city manager, changing the business center manager, working title of there's no ex why are we doing all that?

Can't can't we just call our our staff, you know, the titles of the working titles we want them to?

I know in my office, for example, everyone's actual classification is I think what assistant what what is the actual classification in ours?

Yeah, every single person in my office under the city title is a council rep.

But I have a chief of staff, I have a deputy chief of staff, I have a senior advisor in policy.

We don't need to change the ordinance for me to be able to give my staff their business cards based on their titles.

So why are we changing all of these?

So as I noted earlier, the charter section has a specific requirement for the position.

So assistant to city manager, assistant city manager.

So the current salary ordinance, the salary tables do have working titles.

So those have to be brought into alignment with the current status of the working titles, or alternatively, they can be removed.

But the position itself is the position as identified by the charter.

Okay.

All right, I think that I'm not gonna be able to support this today either because it's just it's very confusing.

I know you guys understand it, but half an hour before the meeting, so I might worry is that there might not be enough votes to pass this.

I don't know, but I'm starting to look around the room.

And if we don't, I believe that that would set off some problems in the timing of our budget.

Is that correct?

If this were not to pass today, what would be the result?

Well, Charter Section 290 requires that something be passed today.

You don't have to pass the ordinance in its current form.

You can make changes to it and pass it with those changes.

So then could we take out the things that changed this morning and bring those back at a further date?

Yes, you could do that.

Sure, sure.

Because this is only the first reading.

And we're gonna have to amend this ordinance when the MOUs get done with our employees.

So there's plenty of time for these title changes to be made.

I'm just getting the sense that we would like to not.

I'm not saying we I'll speak for my that I would like to not vote on the title changes that were just made half an hour before the meeting until I have a better understanding.

But that doesn't mean they can't be made in the future.

So that would be my idea is just take out these few that were on the slide recommended updates to working title, and then I would be comfortable passing the rest of it.

But I'll leave that up to my colleagues.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Councilmember Baumwalper.

Can you pull up the slide that she's referring to to make sure that it says recommended updates to working titles and it says assistant standing manager, assistant to the city manager, business center manager?

I think it's a slide.

I'm so sorry, there's no page numbers on here.

Yes, these are the ones that changed, right?

So the first one did not change from earlier.

The one that did change was the 2112 and 2127.

2153 was already listed there as chief offer chief officer as well.

So 2112, which is the assistant city manager with the working title of chiefs of staff was not new.

Um we had already presented that in our presentation.

And then the assistant to the city manager 2153 was also not new.

The new ones from this morning are 2112 and 2127 changes.

Okay.

Okay.

Yet all of those didn't have any explanation of why we're doing this in the staff report, so I would just get rid of all those for now until we're we come back.

Okay.

Uh I want to hear from Councilmember Foster about possibly them amend the motion.

Um figure out how to refer to that particular slide.

Uh councilmember Foster.

Uh yes, thank you.

Um, Council President, and I too um and has it I I'm hesitant to um take a position.

Um and if you can, and maybe what would help me is to understand um a better understanding of the charter.

Um, everything that I received prior to this simply indicated that the item had to be introduced and approved along with the budget.

So I'm not understanding now we are here today saying that this absolutely has to be passed, and yet we are receiving last minute changes that differ from I'm going to assume all of the briefings that we received.

Um in I'm not inclined to try and make heads or tells of this as we are sitting at the dais.

Um I think that's just bad preparation and irresponsible of us in in not understanding the true impacts.

Um so if you can help me to try and understand or forward me something, someone pulls something, make it part of the backup, the record, something.

Sure, I can I think I could help a little bit here.

Charter Section 290 controls the salary ordinance, okay?

And it says no later than April 15th of each year, the council shall introduce a salary ordinance.

And that's what we're doing today, right?

And that the way the process works is you introduced a salary ordinance the way you want to.

If there are things in here that the mayor recommended that you don't like, you can remove it and introduce it as you like.

And the process contemplates it then the salary ordinance that the council introduces goes to the mayor.

Okay, and the mayor then determines whether or not he's gonna accept those changes or veto it.

And then it comes back to the council for the second reading to pass.

Either override the veto or accept the mayor's changes.

That's the process in 290.

That makes me more concerned as this was generated by the mayor's office.

We did not generate said document.

Um ready.

I I'm not going to be voting.

I'm going to be voting no on this today.

Again, for me, um in just for us to receive this type of information, the volume of the information for me is just unacceptable.

I can appreciate the need for more time.

But today I'm just not prepared based on all of the conversations I had prior to this meeting to then approve and put my name on this as we um are dealing with what we are dealing with.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Foster.

And just to clarify, we're interpreting the word introduce as actually passing the for our first reading that we often call it.

Okay.

Thank you for clarifying that.

I'll have some other feedback, but go first to Councilmember Campillo.

Thank you, Councilman.

That's the point I was going to make right there.

Introduce is a legal word that doesn't mean to actually introduce.

So the next line that you didn't read, Mr.

Brady, is that the mayor is the one who proposes it.

So that's a that's a confusing component of something you just said.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Campillo.

Um so um one other question uh that I think Councilmember Ilo Rivera brought up and maybe others did.

The auto allowance, there was that perception that the way the language was written that somebody would be getting auto allowance that doesn't currently get it, or a position is getting auto allowance that doesn't.

I want to keep this from an individual but from a position is getting auto allowance that doesn't currently get auto allowance.

No, there's no changes into the individuals that are currently in the positions that were of what they would be receiving.

There's no changes to that is to codify what is currently happening today.

All right.

Um well clearly I think anybody in the room can figure out counting to five, and I don't think there's five there.

Um we can all bemoan the language of the charter that jams this up right at the end, and given the complexities of where all the energy is on the budget, no one's spending a lot of you guys are spending a heck of a lot of time on this um with what you do every year, but bumping it up against gives us very little leeway.

Um I heard a little bit of a glimmer of hope um to meet the charter requirements.

Um if we uh move, if I amend my motion to move the staff recommendation uh, but not the updates to the working titles for 211, 2153, 2112, and 2127, which were the four on that slide.

Um does that make it a little more comfortable.

Are you comfortable with that?

Councilmember Whitburn?

Oh yeah.

Okay.

Now not everybody has spoken, so um if we and I always like the attorneys to remind me because as much as I remember this stuff, if we don't get five votes, then no action has happened.

And so we still are kind of out there still.

That is correct.

Okay.

Um council uh council president Pro Tem Lee.

Um thank you, Council President.

Um I just want to add one piece of commentary to hear um to separate out just distinguishing what we're doing relate and as it relates to existing individuals, because I I again I understand that, but I think what the salary ordinance does is a little bit different than that.

So when you stated that no existing individuals are getting new benefits or whatnot, I I understand that that is the case unless we move them to different positions, which could happen.

But what the salary ordinance is doing is that it is adding an additional classification to receive management administrative leave as well as um an auto allowance.

And so I think the reason why it it's it's a concern is not necessarily whether you're gonna move an existing individual there.

I'm gonna note that right now from what I'm beginning to see, it's likely because there's an unbudgeted position that would be moved in that direction at some point.

Um perhaps in part as a result of the council's discussions, but it does also mean that if that's the salary ordinance that is updated moving forward that gets carried into the future, then now we have an additional position that's receiving these extra benefits.

That could be for someone else in the future, if so chosen.

And I think that is important at a time when we are already asking for cuts, that that is not the kind of move that we make.

So Council President, I understand the amendment that you've made.

I I don't know that that fully addresses those additional changes as well.

Um I don't know if it takes additional time to think about what would and I appreciate that you're trying to work through that.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Council President.

Uh pro tem.

Did staff have any response to the buttons Council President Pro Tem had?

I didn't see any.

And again, I appreciate what the Pro Tim has said, what actually all my colleagues have said.

This is going forward.

Doesn't take in fact until July 1st.

And it really is dependent on a what the proposed budget coming out tomorrow does and what the council's reaction to it, and then third the reaction by the council to this coming back at a second reading.

Um this is just something the charter forces into, which is no excuse to be able to support something like that.

I think we're all frustrated uh by that, but I just kind of wanted to kind of clarify that.

Uh Councilmember Ilo Rivera, you're back on the lights.

Thank you, Council President.

I appreciate the comments from Council President Pro Tem Lee.

Um I think to that there's a point I want to make and then a question.

And as Council President Purden was saying, you know, I think some of this is muddied by some of the changes that were made last year and the council's budget action and then the implementation of that budget or lack thereof.

And so one of the things that I'm trying to understand here is whether they are existing people who are already working at the city or not, is whether there are folks who moved from titles that were that are political appointees into operational positions or operational titles and now receive benefits that are meant for folks in operational positions.

For example, the auto allowance or the administrative leave.

And this isn't about any one individual, but it the the muddying of those waters between the the political appointees of the mayor, any mayor, and the folks in operational positions, that makes it more challenging, makes all of this more challenging for me as well.

So the amendment that you made um, council president.

And I don't know this for sure, I'm gonna ask Council President Pro Tem.

I I think what you were mentioning is there's the two additional positions as well, the assistant to the city manager and the business center manager.

Those are the two positions that create the opening for what you described, correct?

Yeah, I I think now that I've looked at it, it I I think if the amendment that's being proposed is to remove the working title changes on that page, those four changes, then it would only make sense to also remove any updates that exhibits F, G, and H, because those are updates that also tie into those working title changes, if that makes sense.

And that would that's correct.

That would resolve all of that.

Yeah.

So council, I don't know if you have have thoughts on that.

I just I I would I would feel much better about where we end up if that if those those changes were made as well.

Um and to Councilmember Von Ulper's point, I think recognizing this is a huge undertaking, and there are many, many, many different positions and and uh classifications and titles throughout this city.

It's a big city with many workers.

Um business center manager sounds so far from what I understand this particular person or people who would do that role are actually doing.

Um something that lands a little bit more re uh a little closer to reality would be really helpful to me.

Um so um I'll I'll stop there.

Thank you.

All right.

Um I guess the engineer in me thought there would be a waterfall by not doing those four, and then it would fall to F G and H, but to be explicit um in there.

So uh let me see if I can get the language right, and I know city clerk will fix it for me if I don't to move the staff recommendation uh, but not making the changes to the work not making the updates to the working titles for 211, 2153, 2112, and 2127, and also delete the changes on exhibits F, G, and H.

And someone please check that there isn't something else on those exhibits that we don't really want to change.

Yeah.

Right.

Sorry, Council President.

Also exhibit C.

Exhibit C as well.

Exhibit D.

C.

C as in C.

Oh, C as in Cat.

So they want assurances that the exhibits are going to be changed, not just the working titles.

So okay, so let me restate that.

So move the staff recommendation with uh rejecting the updates to the working titles for 211, 2153, 2112, 2127, uh, and eliminate the corresponding changes in exhibits C as in Cat FS and Frank, G as in George, and H is in Howard.

And eliminate the references in section 2.1 and section 10.

So I think that is now the universal changes of every place that changes.

And that's it's still the core thing that Councilmember Von Wolpert wanted to make sure that every place that those would show up are also eliminated.

We have a concern by one of the council members.

I don't know, Coda, do you want since this comes from the mayor's office or whoever wants to respond to making these eliminating those changes at this point?

Fine.

Yeah.

Uh understanding that we're limited by the charter, we need to get this done today.

Um we're fine with those amendments.

Okay.

So we'll wait, we'll pause uh briefly while um the city clerk's office now.

The second or hasn't well, I guess I just have one question because I mean we're sort of workshopping the salary ordinance on the fly, and I want to be very thoughtful about doing that.

Is there anything about the changes that are in front of us in terms of not changing the working titles and making the corresponding changes in those other sections that impacts that changes anything about anybody's job currently in other words if we do what isn't does anything change for any particular individual by making the change that is in front of us, or does everybody stay exactly the same right now if if everybody in the city their situation today will be the same as their situation tomorrow if we adopt this, yes, then I'm fine with it.

If this somehow changes things for somebody at the city, I would want to know that.

Yeah, correct, Councilmember.

It does not change anything for folks in their positions currently.

Um that was the nature of this item as well.

It was it was a cleanup item really, um, but adds no additional benefits and does not change the status quo for folks right now.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, that I'm fine with it.

Okay, thank you.

Uh we're still city clerk's still working on this, so we'll go to next to council member von Wilbert.

Thank you.

I too and trying to figure out exactly what we're doing, but um I appreciate you, uh Council President and Council President Ratem, because that's what I was trying to do.

So thank you for catching that and including it in.

And now I feel that that was what I was trying to say.

So I appreciate you.

Thank you.

Uh never make the assumptions that somebody will follow through in every step of the way.

Councilmember Foster.

Um I I guess I want to say I appreciate my colleagues' efforts to meet what I guess we are hearing is the call of the charter.

However, um, especially for me, um, as we are dealing with the issues that we are dealing with, um, I use the word accountability quite a bit.

And I feel that I have to continue to take my position to not support this, because I am still hearing confusion.

And I think if we are going to continue to talk about accountability from this dais at some point, we have to hold those accountable.

And unfortunately, today that would be the staff that is in front of us today.

And so I am going to um continue with my position to not support this.

But I will say as we are trying to improve city processes, meeting expectations of the public as we talk about public trust and transparency.

I think these types of instances are what erodes those discussions and that public trust.

And as we deal with the budget.

But today, um, just on principle alone, um, we on this dice did not create this.

It sounds as if each office has provided the time to city staff to go through the briefings and to uh try to do this with the size of organization and potential implications.

Um I'm just not comfortable, Council President.

So thank you.

Fair enough, sir.

Uh, we'll go to council member Campbell.

Do the HR department present this, type this up and present it, make slides, etc.

Yes, the HR department along with several departments.

It's a collective organiz uh collective group that we work on, the salary ordinance committee.

There's representatives of several departments that provide input, but it is the mayor's proposal, and so HR takes the lead on that.

And then this stuff that you just passed out to us right as a council meeting began, is different than the stuff that we were given a few days before the council meeting online to go over.

There's only a few changes, and those are the ones that we highlighted with regard to the title changes.

You know, it's so it's so confusing, even just the title changes, because you have three titles in there, not just two.

It's not like saying changing this one to that one to see changing this one, which actually is this one, changing it to this one, makes it very confusing.

You know about the KISS method, keep it simple, stupid.

This is not simple.

Especially at the last minute to get whatever this is and to try to figure out how does this change from this, and how is that different from what's online and stuff we've already gone over in the briefing?

How is that different?

And what is, you know, it's just this is huge.

Look at this ordinance.

Look at how long, how many pages it has annual leave, it has life insurance, it has everything in it.

I don't expect this, I just expect some title changes.

Heard council member, and fully recognize the late editions, the late edits, um, and how the position that puts you in um the council in.

Uh, but understanding how major and sizable this ordinance actually is, being able to move forward with some portions of it today, I think is is the best move.

Um, we'll you know, revisit the uh the um items that were removed through the amended motion at a later date, uh, but I think proceeding today with some form of this is uh most beneficial thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Campbell.

We'll go back to Councilmember Campio.

Thank you very much, Council President.

Mr.

Brady, uh the charter also doesn't have any suggestion on what happens if we don't introduce it by tomorrow.

So what happens if we don't introduce it by tomorrow?

Well, we'd be in unchartered territory, let's say I I I take your point, but Charter Section 290 just contemplates that it will be introduced, it will be passed today and transmitted to the mayor for his consideration.

Okay.

You're right, it doesn't say what would happen if it if it didn't.

So the sentence you just said there, it's contemplated that it will just pass today.

That's exactly the approach of staff is that they just contemplated this would be passed today.

I think we have some ideas at rules committee about charter change that might want to fix some of these dates up so that we don't get caught off guard like this.

Uh that said, when the city governing document says the council shall introduce, that's not may, may not decide upon that is a order from the voters of the city of San Diego that we shall introduce it by tomorrow.

So though I share some of the not confusion, but the feeling of strangeness of last second changes.

Uh the charter says shall.

So I feel compelled that I have to vote yes, and different branches of government know that.

So maybe we should fix that too.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Council Marpercampio.

Your attorney perspective is always appreciated as is Councilmember Von Wolpert.

Um Council Maro Rivera.

Apologies, Council President.

I I wanted to uh thank my colleagues for the work that was done and and you for making adjustments to get to a place where um it we can move forward as the charter um requires and also address some of the the concerns that we had.

I I also just for the sake of transparency, I do think that there's an important conversation to be had again given the context of the budget situation that we're in, where we are saying that every dollar matters.

We are telling our residents that and what we ask for from them.

We are telling our workers that and what we are asking them to sacrifice that there needs to be a conversation about how those at the upper uh uh upper ranks of the organization, those who um are being compensated the best.

There needs to be some conversations about where there's room for some trimming there, and regardless of of who is getting a new automobile allowance or not.

I just I want to be transparent that that's gonna be part of the the budget conversation.

That there are folks who are making or slated to be eligible to make quite a bit of uh a pretty good salary, a pretty healthy salary, who would still be eligible for those benefits.

And um, again, in a time when we're asking for sacrifice for sacrifice from residents, we're asking for sacrifice from uh folks who do very, very difficult jobs and barely if it barely earn enough to to live in the city if that um that's gonna be part of the conversation um at least from my end when the when the budget conversation kicks up, and I just wanted to be transparent about that.

But thank you again for the work on this.

Uh thanks for my colleagues for paying as close of attention as they did to the details here.

Um that's it.

Uh thank you, council member uh Ila Rivera.

Um, just to kind of wrap up before I call for the vote, uh, and that the motion is now up on the screen.

Uh I want to thank the city attorney for adding some additional language to make sure that if we didn't identify everything that there's a closing statement that makes sure that it does get picked up.

And I know the city attorney will look at it very closely to make sure the I's are dotted and t's are crossed, so to speak, on that.

So um, you know, I what I don't often talk like this, and I normally defer to my colleagues to kind of kick off the conversation.

Uh and that's what my staff wanted me to do, but I knew this was gonna go a little bit south, and I just frankly think I'm better than everybody else at doing this kind of nimble repositioning in listening to you all very carefully and what the tenor of your comments are.

Um a member of the public this morning made an interesting comment about my behavior last week and said I saw a lot of fear in your face.

That wasn't fear last week, that was anger.

So, in case there's any confusion, this is anger in my face today.

Um you're amazing individuals, you're working really hard, these are incredibly complex things.

But for the council to do its job, the thing I always worry about is a good idea failing or lack not getting the support because of how it was introduced.

I think you all know that, and I really don't need to sound like I'm lecturing you, you know that, but as council president, I feel like I have to make that.

We can do better, we can do things.

We won't always get 9-0 votes.

Um, but we can do better.

We can make less confusion by the public.

Um, because perception is as important as as the reality.

So uh this clearly is falling victim to that.

Um, we're trusting that this will get us to where we need to be.

The budget will come out tomorrow.

Probably reflects all these changes, we're anticipated.

So everybody should be prepared for that.

The budget probably will reflect some of these things.

Um, but we get two bites at the apple, the final budget as well as the second reading of the salary ordinance.

So we're all particularly challenged.

And uh, we'll go back to Council Member Woodburn.

Thank you, Council President.

I'm just looking at the language of the motion that is in front of us, and I will leave it to the attorneys, but I just want to make sure that when we say strike reference to those four classifications, so on and so forth, and then as well as any other corresponding references of the salary ordinance that exhibits, but that doesn't have the effect of eliminating those positions.

Okay, well, as long as that's on the record and everybody's comfortable with it, then fine.

It should reference the reference to the working titles as Mr.

Brady noted so that it's clear we're not eliminating those classifications.

Okay, so let's go ahead and make that change.

Thank you.

All right.

Cooler has got the other and uh responded to council member Whitburn's concerns with the changes that you see in front of us.

It looked like everybody from the city attorney's office to HR to the city clerk are comfortable with that.

Councilmember Whitburn, are you Council Whit?

Make sure you're good with uh the changes.

Yes.

Yeah.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh with that, seeing nobody else on the lights, we have a motion there as shown on the screen.

Uh clerk, please call the roll.

Sorry, the voting system, please cast your vote.

That passes seven to one with council member foster voting no, and council member Moreno absent.

All right.

Uh let me extend my uh appreciation to my colleagues for working through this on the diet.

Uh to HR personnel, everybody that works so hard to bring this item forward.

Um I know there's a lot of work involved in that, so thank you very much on that.

So the public who was here primarily for a different reason.

Thank you for your patience.

So with that, um clerk, please introduce item S five oh three.

Thank you, Council President.

Item S five oh three is amendments to the rules of council for consistency with Sen State Senate bill number seven oh seven and recordings of closed session.

This item is not subject to the mayor's veto.

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, as well as raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you, Council President.

All right.

Uh with that, um, I right I think I recognize my staff, but please introduce yourself for the record and let us how much know how much time you need.

Thank you, Council President and City Council members.

My name is Abby Reuters.

I am senior policy advisor to Council President Joe Lacava.

I will need eight minutes for this presentation.

State Bill 707 was signed into law in 2025 and modified the Ralph M.

Brown Act, which governs local legislative bodies and the public's right to attend and participate in local public meetings.

Local changes to comply with SB 707 must be effective by July first, 2026.

This presentation will focus on two provisions of the Brown Act modified by SB 707.

The first is the same-time allotment for virtual and in-person speakers.

And the second is the policy on disruption of telephonic or internet service.

Rule two point six and rule two point seven of the rules of counsel are proposed to be modified, and a new rule two point one five is proposed to be created.

The changes to rule two point six add in language for both virtual and in-person speakers to group themselves into organized presentations.

Recognizing that it is difficult for public speakers to gather the correct number of speakers with our current meeting management process.

Council agendas will include a notice indicating whether public public comment for that information or discussion item will be one minute, one minute thirty seconds, or two minutes.

Organized presentations will be taken before individual public comment and will be limited to a maximum of 15 minutes or less.

This responds to the feedback from the public and committee, which was heard at the February Rules Committee meeting.

Those who wish to have an organized presentation in person or virtual would need to fill out a form provided by the Office of the City Clerk at least 24 hours before the start of a regularly scheduled council or committee meeting as posted on the meeting agenda.

For special meetings that are posted less than 48 hours in advance of the meeting, the form would need to be submitted 18 hours before the start of the meeting.

The 24 hour submission window strikes a balance between providing sufficient administrative time for the clerk or council administration to facilitate the presentation with providing time for the public to coordinate who would be part of the organized presentation.

Electronic presentation materials intended to be displayed during the organized presentation would be due at least two hours prior to the start of the meeting as posted on the meeting agenda.

This will allow for the clerk or council administration staff to upload the electronic file and scan for cyber threats prior to display during the meeting and troubleshoot if there are any technical issues.

Separating the two submission time frames is intended to provide the public as much preparation time as possible.

Electronic files would not be shared in advance with city staff, council offices, or the public.

And presentation materials are not required for any organized presentation.

The group may opt to do an organized presentation without any additional audio or visual aids.

The organized presentation form will need to be filled out properly, and every member of the group must be present, whether that be all in person for an in-person organized presentation or all virtually for an organized presentation delivered virtually during their time to speak.

City clerk and council administration will work towards allowing mixed attendance, a combination of group members in person and virtual, as technology and staffing allow.

If some members of the group are not present at the time of the presentation, the group's time will be reduced proportionally.

This process would go beyond Brown Act requirements and also applied to committee meetings for consistency and clarity.

Additionally, this item proposes a change to rule 2.7 related to non-agenda public comment.

This would clarify that the 16-minute maximum per issue applies separately for in-person and virtual speakers.

If there are eight or more speakers on a specific issue in person, the maximum time for that issue is 16 minutes, which is two minutes per speaker up to eight speakers.

And this is being clarified to have a separate maximum of 16 minutes for virtual speakers on that issue.

Seating of time would continue to be prohibited for non-agenda public comment.

This item also proposes a new rule 2.15 to comply with the requirement for a policy on disruption to telephonic or internet service.

It clarifies the difference between a disruption prior to or during closed session versus open session.

If the disruption affects a public meeting, council would recess for an hour or until service is restored, whichever is quicker.

City staff will make good faith efforts to restore service, including troubleshooting platform or teleconferencing software, resetting or replacing audiovisual equipment, attempting alternative connection methods, contacting necessary support staff or service providers, and switching to backup equipment or platforms if available, and these restoration efforts will be documented.

If not restored after one hour, council may either adjourn the meeting or make findings to vote and continue an open session.

For efficiency, this item proposes to include amendments to Rule 8.4, which currently requires transcription of closed sessions except those related to personnel matters.

The Brown Act does not require closed sessions to be transcribed, and it is very costly to have a court reporter attend and transcribe these meetings.

The proposed amendments will provide for recording closed sessions, allowing for efficiency in eliminating this costly requirement.

We provided an informational presentation to rules committee in February, and the committee voted to forward the item to full council in March.

However, these modifications would not take effect until July 1st, 2026.

The requested action today is to adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 2, Article 2, Division 1 of the San Diego Municipal Code relating to the rules of council.

Thank you, and I'm available for any questions.

Thank you, Council President.

Before I begin with the public testimony here, I would just like to note that this item did receive four comments in favor and zero comments in opposition of your e-comment form, which have been distributed to the council.

We have quite a number of speakers here in Council Chambers, so it will be going down to a minute each if we can have Al Del Mastro, Jeffrey Hutter, and Victoria Labruzo, please come up to the front.

Al Domastro, you can come to the microphone.

Sure.

Jeffrey Hooter, can you begin?

Yeah, thank you, Council members.

Um we appreciate the work that was done by the council president's office and the clerk trying to preserve what we think is an important ability to testify in front of the council and make present organized presentations.

So we think these are workable regulations.

The only thing that we would like to see potentially as we get used to the new methodology of things is to have me be able to speak here, for example, but have our time seeders be virtuals.

Um otherwise I would have to speak virtually, and I think it's a better experience for both sides of the dais to have as many people be able to come in chambers.

It's also I think a matter of of respect.

If you turn it the other way, asking everybody to come down here.

Um council meetings often run past two hours, so you're you're sort of forced to park in the parking structure.

It's $18 to come here.

Um, places like Sandeg actually validate and make the process a lot easier, so maybe we could try and do things like that as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Victoria.

You have several people seeding your time, if they can please raise their hand.

Deborah Suisa.

As I call your name, thank you.

Deborah Caesar Bill Crooks, Robert Montana, Susan Ward, Kellia Tremling, Eric Edelman.

I don't see anybody.

Eric Edelman.

No?

Yeah.

Thomas Marquez.

Susan Baldwin.

Patricia Law.

Patricia Law.

Thank you.

Uh Felicity Sonoski.

David Swarrens.

Bob Link.

David Mani.

Dana Givitt.

Yvonne Jones.

And Matt Driver.

Thank you.

You'll have 15 minutes.

Please proceed to Okay, thank you very much.

Uh good afternoon, President Lacava and Council members.

As most of you know by now, my name is Victoria Labruzzo, and I'm the chair of the CPC Community Planners Committee.

Uh we are the umbrella organization for your planning groups.

Um the community planning groups are comprised of, I don't know if you know this, but over 400, probably close to 500 board members, if you count up all the community members that are elected board members through the city.

Um thank you for the oh, next slide.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

I was diligent in distributing our correspondence for a seat at the table to your offices over the past three months.

And you should have received letters from your direct district CPGs that have recommended support for a seat at the table as well.

I would also like to thank President Glakava's staff and the city clerk's office for their work in accommodating SB 707 and recognize the balancing act required with virtual access.

Our hope is that the following information will also improve and potentially alleviate some of the administrative tasks for the city clerk's office.

Next slide.

So why does a seat at the table tie directly with SB 707?

Quoting directly from our state lawmakers.

SB 707 presents an opportunity to strengthen our governments and empower community members to be engaged.

Ultimately, we aim to create robust public meetings and increase participation across the state.

Because a seat at the table advances the same objective as SB 707.

It is well suited for consideration as part of today's procedure.

Next slide.

Let's identify the problem.

Going back in time to 2013, when President Lacava was Chair Lakaba of the CPC.

He put together a presentation about CPGs and CPC.

One of the things that stood out to me in his presentation was that he recognized that CPGs had been mischaracterized as gatekeepers.

And as you so eloquently put it in your past presentation, CPGs are not gatekeepers.

Rather, they are the recognized link between communities and city hall.

Next slide.

In fact, today's diverse CPGs fully acknowledge the city's goals and the need for affordable housing and thoughtful growth.

Their role is not to oppose development, but to ensure that development aligns with adopted community plans and infrastructure realities.

Next slide.

So what does the San Diego General Plan say?

It happens to be very specific about the reality of planning groups, which have laid out in which are laid out in this slide.

But putting this in a nutshell, the general plan ratifies community participation through planning groups.

That means CPGs are not just a courtesy.

They are part of the city's planning framework.

Next slide.

But why are CPGs different than the general public?

Simply put, because community planning groups were established and recognized by you, the City Council.

Community planning groups are democratically elected members that operate under structural procedures involved involving the Brown Act, Council policy, and adopted bylaws.

Their positions reflect deliberation and votes taken in noticed public meetings, distinguishing them from all other public comment.

Next slide.

We sent a seat at the table to DSD as they provide meeting procedures for the Planning Commission.

While we appreciate that Director Lowe took the time to respond, the response she provided frames the issue that the public, including CPGs, already received the same amount of speaking time as project applicants, so no changes needed.

Director Lowe's missed step in her analysis is including CPGs with the general public for purposes of public comment.

Next slide.

In fact, the city's planning groups should be recognized for who they are, and that they have the ability to present their deliberated recommendations in a structured and predictable way.

Currently, planning group recommendations are included in the staff reports when going before planning commission and the city council.

This is represented in the graphic on the left side of the screen, the tangled funnel.

However, comments about that about that vote are often not conveyed by staff to the deciding body and can even be tangled into the staff's recommendation without true context.

It is imperative that the community's comments are untangled from city staff reports.

This is represented by the graphic on the right side of the screen, the untangled ecosystem.

This shows direct communication by interested party to the deciding by each interested party to the deciding body.

Without this process, it's clear that we are missing our seat at the table.

Next slide.

Right now, structural imbalance is the reality.

At City Council, project presenters receive structured presentation time and engage with decision makers.

In contrast, CPGs are not provided with equitable representation in city meetings without going through a convoluted process to get that representation, even though CPGs are part of the city's own framework.

Next slide.

Today's proposed changes, including organized presentations to meeting procedures required by SB 707, do not solve the inequity problem as it applies to planning groups.

As far as preparation, deliberation, narrative control, and presentation tools, those boxes are checked for applicants and city staff.

For CPGs, this same the same is not true.

This framework disproportionately limits the community's ability to provide intelligently organized input, particularly on complex land use matters where impacts are significant and where community recommendations require explanation and response to inquiry by this deciding board or deciding body.

A fair process requires equal access to the tools of deliberation and not just a stopwatch.

Next slide.

Currently, CPGs must rely on seated public comment time.

At the previous rules committee last month, once I arrived, I knew I had at least seven time seaters, which at best gave me 14 minutes if President Lacava provided two minutes each.

My presentation was close to 10 minutes, so I thought it would be okay until right before public comment started, and we were informed of the one-minute public comment time limit, which meant leaving out multiple slides of information, and I had to adjust my presentation on the fly.

Meanwhile, the other presenters were allowed to choose their presentation time and converse back and forth with committee members.

This is a perfect illustration as to why a seat at the table is critical to our communities.

In the updated staff report, I did notice one proposed change that would require advanced notice of the public comment duration.

That is a positive step for general public comments.

But the city council also needs to understand the unique tension placed on community planning groups.

The city's advisory bodies with the desire and expectation to provide structured, meaningful input without any structured, meaningful way to present it.

Next slide.

The seat at the table proposal is a request for the city council, its committees, and the planning commission to establish formal, structured presentation times for community representatives.

Number one, equivalent substance and time, grant CPGs equal duration to project proponents on neighborhood specific items, allowing them to use PowerPoint and present coherent analyses.

Number two, accessible dialogue.

Allow CPG presenters to field questions and remain accessible to decision makers for further engagement during the hearing.

Number three, citywide representation, extend these same procedures to the CPC.

Next slide.

So what are we specifically asking for?

We are asking for CPC or CPG presentation section in the meeting agendas.

On this slide is a simple example of an item presentation order.

Our specific requirements would be setting a minimum guaranteed speaking time that checks the box for preparation clarity.

Allow decision makers to ask questions of CPG or CPZ presenters, which checks the box for the deliberation process, and allows CPGs to be untangled from staff's narrative, which checks the box for the community having control over its own narrative.

Next slide.

Amending today's discussion item and adding the structured presentation time for CPGs and CPC is the right course of action.

We appreciate your consideration of this important procedural change for your community planning representatives.

But before I finish, I do want to provide one more example that just happened last uh month at the planning commission.

Uh and why a seat at the table is is needed.

So the planning department recently departed from recognizing CPG as a main community advisory body most recently at the March 19th planning commission meeting.

The mid-city communities plan update is currently in review process.

I was surprised to learn that the city had created a 16-member working working group working group described as inclusive engagement.

However, only four of the seats were allocated to the CPGs at one seat apiece.

The very groups the city's own policies identify as the primary structured voice of the community.

Instead of prioritizing CPG input, the city placed them in the minority within a separately appointed group.

This shifts community input away from elected, accountable planning groups and towards city staff controlled structure.

One of the planning commissioners even described this approach as disrespectful to the volunteers who serve on our planning groups, and I think that says a lot.

Lastly, I want to mention that we would like to thank the late Howard Wayne.

He is an important civic leader for his early guidance on this concept, as he was the one that put this into the mind of Linda Vista's planning group in particular, Felicity.

So I want to thank you for your time today, and I hope that you will sincerely consider the planning groups and our voices before you are city council.

Thank you very much.

Al Del Mastro, if you can please come forward.

Hi, my name is El Del Mastro.

Um, I think the real importance of this is that I can remember June of uh or July of 2024 when we tried when Sean E.

La Rivera tried to get rid of um virtual comment, and how many people that are limited in the community that are disabled or whatever who couldn't come and participate this way.

So I um I'm all for as much input as possible here.

I and not having this.

I um having um us cut off from that.

I'm glad that that wasn't approved at that time.

I remember seeing it was probably the most embarrassing moment that I ever saw in this committee is when I saw 250 people here, it was pulling off the agenda, and the first 30 people that shared as Sean was president scolded all 30 people in public.

What an embarrassment that was to the city.

And uh to see this go on like that is ugly.

Uh that we should be having more open open dialect.

Anyway, thank you.

I'm sorry, the five-minute timer going to those participating remotely again.

It'll be one minute each, starting with the original.

Oh my gosh, Joe, you were angry.

You were totally fearful.

And so in this inverted world, you're gonna say that, which means that when you're in anger, you're in fear.

Anyway, yeah, it's funny how in an inverted world people think that encroaching on free speech and putting rules on it gives you more freedom.

What a world we live in when that happens.

Because it's like freedom of speech is all you need to know.

And yet we have all these rules and regulations and policies to come in and you know impede on that.

All while people say, we want to hear from more of you.

I mean, even Joe, you were like, oh my gosh, it was so nice being able to hear like 15 minutes from somebody because we can actually really hear what you're saying.

Yet you guys give people a minute saying that you want to yeah, hear from what they have to say.

It's just so sad because you know, you shouldn't be, you know, determining either, like, oh, if eight people want to speak on this, only only eight people can.

That means that you're gonna limit like just any other item to that amount of people.

It's just so ridiculous what you guys do when people call it freedom.

Thank you, Tony.

Please unmute.

Yes, hello.

Can you hear me?

Yes, please proceed.

Hi, thank you, City Council.

How are you doing?

Um, I just wanted to speak to and comment.

Um, as a as the vice chair of the Boulevard Planning Group, uh, I I want to thank so much the group that presented before us just now and gave the conversation about uh the CPGs and the difficulty uh that the public faces in being able to leave a public comment.

I was just commenting yesterday in how the last five month five months I've gotten four parking tickets, just coming down to express my opinions, and they stated it perfectly uh how the sandbox is extremely limited, and it really makes it super difficult for people to be able to come in and express themselves and to uh give public comment and to uh actually help you all make these decisions that require public input uh in order to be made.

And uh so I would encourage y'all to develop some type of like a uh parking uh uh uh return system uh parking.

My apologies, Blair Beekman.

You can definitely email city clerk at Sandigo.gov.

Please proceed, Blair.

Hi, Blair Beekman.

Um parking validation is the term.

Yeah, really good idea.

Really good public comment from the first uh persons.

Uh they've been working a lot on that.

We're entering a new generation of how to talk about public participation uh in the process.

It's awesome.

They were doing they're doing really good.

Good luck what we can be developing.

Good luck that you can have the uh you can work more on the minute 30 ideas of public comment time.

This is a perfect time.

I think we could have uh had minute 30 for items.

Um what other uh things?

Oh, I sent you a letter on working on public meeting issues overall uh this past Thursday.

I hope you can review.

Um we could have chosen a path of uh uh dis of ending Zoom altogether, and instead we're choosing to to continue it.

And thank you for that sort of ideas of public accessibility.

Good luck.

We're working on those concepts and really want to respect it uh in this post-COVID area era.

We find good ideas.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next is 8813.

If you can please unmute 8813, I do see that you're unmuted, but we do not hear you here in council chambers.

Not sure if the device that you're speaking into maybe.

There you go.

Got it.

Yep.

Okay, so Gwensella here.

Okay, so first off, I want to uh start off by acknowledging the positive, which is um uh the expanded language access.

That's great.

Okay, broader inclusion.

Uh so yeah, on the surface, all of this sounds like progress, but um this isn't just expanded access.

Um, this is control over how the public is allowed to participate.

Uh, because when you just when you did digitize public comment, you also gain the ability to mute, filter, and remove their comments.

And that brings me to the most concerning piece is um the expanded authority to remove so-called disruptive speakers, but who does who defines disruptive?

Is it someone being loud or is it someone being uncomfortable to listen to?

Because the people who get labeled disruptive are often the ones calling out the conflicts of interest, the corruption, and the lack of transparency in you all.

So the ones who uh actually show up are who this really impacts.

And the majority of the public isn't here, so there's a five minutes.

The five-minute timer has also concluded.

There are four speakers in the queue.

No additional speakers will be taken.

Please proceed.

Uh thank you, uh, City Clerk Fuentes.

Uh Joy Sanyata.

This is absolutely wonderful because this is our world, folks.

And we're slowly waking up to the reality that it's happening and that it's exponentially speeding up.

So, belt buckle up your seat belt because this is just the beginning.

And Zoom will zoom into the future, and where it will go, we do not know.

I'm thrilled that we're going to be able to speak.

I don't know what our voices will be in the future and what these new rules will be like.

They're going to be something we can't even see right now.

So thank you, thank you for this.

President Lakava, thank you.

Uh thank you, everybody that's on board for this.

I'm sure we're gonna get a hundred percent vote on this.

Uh, that some people are missing.

Uh, but in any case, thank you, thank you.

I'm on board up to all.

Thank you.

Next is Zoom user.

If you can please unmute and then Kate, Zoom user.

Thanks for taking my call.

A uh perfect example of seat at the table happened just in the last uh topic you guys had shown.

Well, I would say the city council doesn't even have a seat at the table.

It's all done in the back room deals with the mayor.

The mayor like throws this thing in front of you guys like it's you got a seat at the table and say you say yes, or we have 30 minutes to decide on this.

You have to do it now.

That's not a seat at the table.

That was a backroom deal in live on TV.

So anyway, we should have a new amendment to uh call the mayor like Bozo the clown or something and refer to the mayor as bozo because once we have these bargaining things for the new uh budget, it's gotta be wild, man.

And we could always have the assistance, the mayor give him like a uh unicycle and a big red nose so he when he comes into the meetings, he could tell the mayor that.

Thanks a lot.

And Kate, your final speaker.

Oh, um, can you all hear me?

Yes, please proceed.

Okay, great.

Uh so uh my name is Kate.

I uh work in District 3 and I'm a resident of District 9.

Um, I am a big fan of Senate Bill 707.

I think there is um tremendous opportunity to enhance public participation in these meetings.

Um, I actually would encourage you all to send this back to the city attorney's office today uh to comply with Senate Bill 707 without unnecessarily burdening public commenters through the professionalization of the public comment process.

I believe that community planning groups deserve to have a seat at the table, and they should have um a way to public to comment in these meetings without it with that sort of dialogue and those sort of um identified times, but the practice of seeding time benefits not just citizens but also city council.

Um it helps us be more effective in our public comments, and I know that the incredibly competent office of the city clerk could figure out how to do same-time allotment to seed time across virtual and in-person platforms.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That does conclude public comment on this item.

All right.

All right, thank you, City Clerk.

Um, I again want to thank um my senior policy advisor, Abby Reuters, for all the work on this.

Uh Clerk Quintus and her team, Tyler Birch and his team that supports us at committee and the city attorney's office for your collaboration in responding to the state law changes.

Um before I go on with the rest of my comments, I want to respond to several things that were heard.

One, the rules of council are only changing what we need to change to respond.

SB 707 actually had many more changes that were already embedded in our rules of council.

So we didn't even touch that.

And the allowance for uh remote participation was already embedded in our rules of council.

Not every agency up and down the state of California allowed remote.

They're now required to add remote.

Um I got a little bit of the kick out of the comment about disruption.

The disruption is not about what we do about someone disrupting a meeting, it is when we lose contact with either Zoom or City TV, and people that want to participate, just watch or even participate remotely, can't.

And so there's very specific language, you just can't blow it off and say, hey, we got a quorum, we're just gonna keep on with our meeting.

Strong language that says this is what you have to do if there is a disruption for those participating remotely.

Uh it has nothing to do with the behavior uh in the public meeting.

Um Mr.

Your comment, because I can never remember your name, but I've got to I'm not gonna say it wrong out loud.

Um the splitting is something that we're continuing to entertain.

Um I don't know if folks appreciate actually how big of a lift this is for our city clerk and for our committee consultants to make this fundamental change and do seating of time remotely.

So this is the first big step in that process.

We'll continue to monitor it uh to see if technology makes it easier to monitor.

Uh, but we wanted to give the city clerk something solid they know they could deliver on uh by July 1st, but we're also continuing to entertain that for the reasons that you said.

So we do recognize that.

Um I always I think I said this at rules committee, but for the colleagues that weren't there, um there was nothing more effective than throwing back at a council member things they said in the past.

So kudos to you for doing that again.

Uh 2013 um was a much different time.

It is prior to the current iteration of 600-24, which fundamentally changed the city's relationship with our community planning groups uh going forward.

And I also want to clarify accessible dialogue is on the table right now.

If some council member wants to ask a question uh from anybody in the public, you can say, Mr.

Modi, come up here and talk to me about uh utility boxes as we did at our working group.

So there's nothing to stop that from happening.

So that's allowable uh today.

Um and you brought back a um memory from uh what staff said at the planning commission.

My very first CPC meeting where I really didn't know what I was doing.

Staff was bringing forth the idea of dumping planning groups as the primary vehicle for a community plan update and instituting um a committee uh to do the community plan updates.

I'm not gonna talk about mid-city.

I'll let my colleague deal with that.

But I immediately knew that was wrong.

Um, and I spoke up and people didn't even know who the hell Joe Lacava was back then, but um trying to defend planning groups back then.

So I think I covered most of the issues that I wanted to.

Um but I appreciate everybody's who's a lot of you participated from the very first rules committee.

Uh as I said, City of San Diego is a leader in the many aspects of 707.

Uh other jurisdictions are now having to catch up.

Um while I know some people will complain, I think we do have a robust system for public participation.

It does require a little more work.

Um I can tell you how many times I came down here all by myself, and maybe I got a minute or maybe I got three minutes uh to represent my planning group uh going forward.

Um and again, as you heard, these changes will not take effect to July 1st, which gives our city clerk and our committee consultants uh time to monitor the feedback and technological progress uh to identify opportunities for continued further improvements.

So I'm gonna leave it there and see what my colleagues say, but I will move the staff recommendation.

And we'll go next to Councilmember Ilo Rivera.

Thank you, Council President.

Um appreciate uh your work on this.

Abby, thank you for all the work you did.

Uh Council President, I know you worked closely with the clerk um to to bring this forward.

Um so thank you for all the effort.

Um as I said before, rules committee, uh, my entire time knowing you.

You've cared about uh public participation, the ability for the community to show up and uh meaningfully weigh in, not just weigh in.

Um how we got to know each other.

Um you were just a guy uh who uh continuously showed up to support community efforts.

Um so I know that this was done with the intent of obviously abiding by state law, but also doing so in a way that ensures that meaningful public engagement is maintained.

So uh thank you for that.

With that, I'm happy to provide a second.

All right, thank you, sir.

Uh we'll go next to council member.

So we have a motion by myself and a second by council member Eloh Rivera.

We'll go next to Councilmember Von Wolpert.

Um thank you, and thank you for the work to implement the state required changes.

I know it's not easy when the state passes a law and then we have to scramble to implement it.

So I appreciate you very much for doing that, and also to our city clerk uh and all the deputy and assistant clerks, it is very hard to maintain meeting management with both the online platform and here, and your job is about to be much more challenging.

So I just want to appreciate the fact that you are so kind and open and invite people in um no matter um how hard that's gonna be.

So thank you for your work on that as well.

And um thank you also to um Victoria Labruzo and all the community planning groups for coming down here and not only dedicating your time but also you know paying for parking.

You know, it is something that we should think about here, now that the city doesn't have any budget deficits, but uh it is noted.

Um, and in terms of the further actions, I know it would not before us today whether or not to include you know a a certain speci specified slot for community planning groups, but I definitely am open to that uh discussion.

And I would love to hear I know the council president, you've done so much work on the council um relationship with the planning group.

So um I think the point is is made and um I would be open to hearing any ideas for the future about how this could be implemented.

At the same time, um, yes, as long as people are here, anyone on this diet can ask anyone in the audience a question, you know, uh as well.

So it doesn't need to be seated at these tables.

If anybody is here, we can ask a community member to come up and respond.

I don't think we've made that very clear, but that is um that is our current protocol.

So uh but for today I know we're only talking about these very specific changes to comply with 707.

Um, but I would be more than open to hearing uh more for future ideas to implement some of these goals.

So thank you.

Right, thank you, Councilmember Vaughn Wolberg.

We'll go next to Councilmember Campion.

Thank you, Council President.

Um, similar to that rules committee, I'll be in support today.

Um, though I will I'll reiterate my um support for the suggestion from the CPGs uh to have that equal uh wrung in the ladder of communication.

Um I do appreciate that we're working with the city clerk's office to get the virtual um the the in-person and virtual mix done correctly, which which will alleviate a lot of cost and effort to magnify the voices uh and um I I think that uh I I just need to reiterate to my five planning groups in in district seven that uh uh you know we have a close relationship.

We have people from my staff at every single meeting and uh and beyond and other meetings as well.

Um I think that uh as soon as we are able to get that hybrid and in-person mix, we will be able to functionally get uh very close to that equal seat in the table.

Um but uh as my constituents know, um, I'm more than happy to ask any questions they give me to put in front of me of any applicant or city staff at any time, and I appreciate them for their great efforts.

Thank you, Council President, for the good work, and thank you, Ms.

Rider, for your good work on this as well.

I'll vote in support.

All right, thank you, Councilmember Campio.

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

Thank you, Council President, and and thank you uh and your team of the city clerks team for their work on this.

It's um we were just commenting up here about how we get these state bills that get passed with changes, which is wonderful.

Um and from an equity standpoint, I think is is actually uh a significant advancement in trying to offer folks equal time and access.

Um so that should not be understated.

Um, but to also recognize that we were we were uniquely equipped as a city um to be able to respond to this, to adjust without making significant changes.

I think of how most of the jurisdictions within this county had already eliminated virtual comment post-pandemic and um and to try to re-implement a new system uh must be extremely challenging for many of them.

So thank you, City Clerk, for uh continuing to address these challenges.

And and I think to that point, I I don't think we should underestimate how challenging it is on the city clerk's end to try to manage both in-person public speakers as well as um virtually online and to add this additional component for group presentations.

So what I do appreciate with this update is that we've sought to really strike a balance and how we can allow the public as much time as possible to prepare to gather the individuals they need to have a presentation ready, and and two hours is not a lot of time for you to receive some of this and piece all of it together.

And so um that's just something that I think it we all need to acknowledge, and that I imagine for the city clerk as we advance um in making this uh even more accessible that it takes staffing and time uh to dedicate to make sure it's done in a meaningful way.

Um I think to that uh to the point of um our community planning groups and the CPC about having a seat at the table to similar to some of my colleagues that have mentioned here.

I think what we're gonna see at least in this round of changes is some better structure to how group presentations are offered.

It certainly doesn't answer the full question that has been proposed, and I think that is one that's still challenging logistically to figure out all the the nuances of, but I appreciate that that's a conversation that's um continuing uh in some way or another because I I do think we recognize that the CPGs do come oftentimes with um feedback on items, how they get their time, how that gets allotted.

Again, I think once we have a blend of virtual and in person, that might help to solve some of that because it will remove one of the most immediate barriers to someone speaking.

Um, but having the good presentations up front and even just acknowledging that one of them is gonna be the community planning groups or the CPC, I think goes a long ways in helping to recognize um where and sort of in the order with the public um those presentations come from.

So um so I appreciate the the work that's been done on the item today.

Happy to support it.

Look forward to future discussions to see how we can continue to improve upon the process that we have.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Council President Pro Tem.

Uh, not seeing anybody else in the lights.

Uh, we're having a motion to move the staff recommendation.

Uh motion by myself and a second by council member Ilo Rivera.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Just when you guys are saying nice things about me.

I'll have to redo the vote.

My apologies.

I've started the vote, please cast your vote.

And that does pass unanimously eight to zero with Councilmember Moreno voting no.

I mean, Councilmember Moreno voting absent.

I really wanted to humble myself.

Thank you, Council President.

All right, thank you.

And again, thank you, everybody that showed up and stuck through a long afternoon.

Uh clerk, please introduce item F 507.

NMS 507 is the clean water SRF loan to the stormwater system for the Choyas Green Infrastructure and Storm Drain Improvements Projects.

This requires six votes pursuant to Charter Section 99.

If you are here and like to speak on this item, please be sure to submit your speaker slip to the front of the room in the clear bin.

And if you are online, now's the time to raise your hand by pressing star nine or the raise your hand icon.

Thank you.

All right.

With that, I see staff have seated themselves.

Uh please introduce yourself for the record.

Let us know how much time you need.

Uh thank you, Council President, and thank you, Councilmember.

My name is Kevin Warner.

I am the financing coordinator with the Department of Finance.

We'll need five minutes.

All right.

When you're ready.

I appreciate it.

Uh the item seeks uh council approval to enter into a clean water state revolving fund financing for the Choice Green Infrastructure and Storm Drain Improvements projects.

For background, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, or SRF as it's commonly known, offers low-cost loans to help local agencies construct water projects affordably throughout the state.

The program is administered by the state water resources control board.

The program offers low interest rate loans and favorable repayment terms.

The city regularly submits applications for standalone projects that meet those requirements.

And the state has started capping loans at 50 million dollars per project.

The Choyas Green Infrastructure and Storm Drain Improvement Projects consist of El Cerrito and Rolando Park Storm Drain and Green Infrastructure and Green Infrastructure Group 1001 to all in the Choyas watershed.

This project uh improves uh water quality and flood resistance in the Choice watershed with six new modular wetland systems.

It replaces aging storm drain pipes and installs 3,500 new uh feet of new reinforced concrete drains.

This project is uh 100% uh design complete and is being finalized for construction.

The estimated cost for this project is 23.8 million dollars, and it's due to be bid at the end of uh calendar year 2026 with start of construction in 2027 and finish in calendar year 2029.

The storm drain revenue fund collects approximately 5.7 million dollars annually from the storm drain fees, and the storm drain revenue fund will be pledged for the Choy Us uh projects.

The the revenue fund is also pledged to repay the South Mission Beach Clean Water SRF loan that the the city did uh and completed in fall of 2024.

The state has offered a 22 million dollar loan plus a potential five million dollars in principal forgiveness, principal forgiveness meaning more like a kind of like a grant, and could bring the total financing to 27 million dollars.

The five million dollars in forgiveness decision is expected in late uh fiscal year 2026 or early 2027 from the state water resources control board.

With the current storm drain revenue fund capacity, this would be the last clean water SRF loan for stormwater coming forward, unless there was a vote of the people to increase the uh storm drain revenue fund.

The again, the estimated cost is 23.8 million dollars, and the loan cap provides room for future cost increases.

If forgiveness, if the principal forgiveness does not materialize or bids exceed estimates, alternative financing through WiFi A or general fact general fund backed loans would cover the remainder.

So there's $27 million in uh in proceeds available uh at 2% interest for the $22 million in loans at a 30-year term that goes from fiscal year 2030 to 2059.

The current estimated debt service is 975,000 annually on the 22 million dollars loan.

Again, this is current, it could change in the future.

The first payment would be in fiscal year 2030.

Repayment only applies to actual draws.

There is a debt service coverage uh uh component as well that and reserves are required on this loan.

And then the storm drain revenue fund actually also pays for the operation and maintenance of these Choyos projects.

With that, we have the proposed actions on the screen, and I leave it up for any questions.

All right, thank you very much for the presentation.

Clerk, please proceed with public testimony on S507.

Thank you, Council President.

Al Del Mastro.

Aldo Mastro, are you here?

I think he has left.

We uh starting the five-minute timer and going to those participating remotely, starting with the original.

You'll have two minutes.

Yeah, it's crazy.

There's a hundred and fifty-year-old problem in the city, according to Jennifer Campbell.

And you guys have a five billion dollar storm infrastructure gap.

And of course we want to be spending money on that, but it's scary to think about if you guys are actually going to complete that because money has always been you know reallocated or diverted somewhere else, leading to the problems that have taken place.

And you know, like with you guys getting into all these loans, obviously you're not gonna be able to find that money under a rock, but it's like how long is the city and the people gonna be in debt due to the negligence of the city not keeping up with this infrastructure.

I mean, it's like it's five billion dollars is the gap, like how much more is that gonna cost when you guys are getting into these loans and how many years is that gonna be, you know.

It's gonna be another 150 years before the people even you know see the other side of this.

It's just really sad because so many places have been neglected and um so many people have lost um you know just their their livelihoods because of the negligence and because of you know storming happening, and if they're gonna continue to do this geoengineering, which they will, uh, because it fits perfectly into your guys' climate change agenda, then there's going to be absolutely more and more storms, and we're I don't even know how we're even gonna be able to keep up with uh what's coming down the pike.

And um, you know, just uh I don't know, it's just really sad because there's so much malfeasance and mismanagement that goes on that it's really hard to trust that you guys are going to really um utilize this and make sure that because Choice Creek, I mean, it's like that's part of isn't that part of the promise zone, and all these promise zones have actually been left behind.

So hopefully you're actually gonna be doing uh what needs to be done here, and this money is going to be spent where it is being allocated to.

Um, but again, it's uh big fear of thinking about you know what kind of money this is gonna cost the people because of you know mismanagement that's already taken place.

It's it's uh terrifying to think about.

Bait, if you can please unmute.

Bait, I can't unmute for you.

Pop-up should have come up.

There you go.

I uh should have said John Brady, sorry about that.

Uh I am trying to reach uh you to talk about stormwater drainage.

And basically, I wanted to say we we're looking at stormwater as a problem as opposed to an opportunity.

And for example, I used to live on on Rose Canyon, and we would that if we were able to block off that canyon itself, we could flood it during high periods of rain or whenever there's an intense storm and then allow that water to seep into our watershed.

And I suspect that by looking at canyons that way throughout the region, we probably could slow down water substantially as opposed to focusing on having it rush out to the sea so that we can uh evaporate it into drinkable water through pure water.

Thank you.

Thank you.

8700, if you can please unmute.

8700, thank you.

Uh thank you, City Clerk Fuentes.

Uh John Brady, uh, thank you.

That was a wonderful uh example of seizing the opportunity if it's possible.

I really appreciated that.

That was good for our city.

Okay, so I love the words uh clean water.

And uh Choyos Creek, I don't even know Choyas Creek, but yet I I love Choyas Creek because I have listened for so many, it seems like years, uh, having people speak up to protect and and uh you know enjoy uh Choyas Creek, the nature of it and everything.

So I was really happy to see those words Choyas Creek included.

I never know if it's broader than that, but it was great to see that.

So thank you, public for fighting for and protecting Choice Creek.

So I love the uh principle of forgiveness uh of five million uh from the state, and we'll keep our fingers crossed so that uh you know, like a grant.

Hope there won't be required uh matching funds.

I don't think so.

So uh not with forgiveness.

Uh so uh that's good news, and I really like the fact that it sounds like you have a plan for you know all results as to what happens with the resources of funding and you know what well you'll have to take what the opportunities are in case uh the grant, the forgiveness loan is not uh coming forward.

So um this is a great item to end the day with.

And it was, I think that was the last item.

Um, but thank you, everybody.

Uh hey, we're in this together, aren't we?

And uh, you know, everything is just supposed to be there, and it's unfolding, and we're meeting it, and we're doing our best and we're doing better.

So thank you, everybody, and love to all.

Thank you.

The five-minute timer did conclude.

We have two speakers in the queue.

No additional speakers will be taken.

Tony, if you can proceed with your comments.

Hi, thank you, City Council.

Uh, I just wanted to thank Bates who spoke earlier.

Uh, what he said was really brilliant about um uh kind of viewing stormwater of uh instead of viewing stormwater as problematic, viewing it from the perspective that it's something beneficial that can help with landscaping, that can help replenish our aquifers, that can help replenish our water table.

Um, I think that we have so much stormwater that becomes a problem because we don't have enough water collection throughout the city.

Um I did hear about a program and met an individual that worked for a department, uh I forget which department it was, uh, that actually uh had grants for issuing um some of these water collection tanks, but I think having more of them throughout the city um is would be really beneficial.

Um looking into like permaculture, uh looking into Hugo culture mounds, um, looking into different ways that we can absorb stormwater naturally.

Um, and really what it comes down to is the fundamental understanding that we have to choose if we want to have a society that's uh uh powered, I guess, or essentially maneuvered with concrete, you know, uh concrete street tops, uh, concrete parking lots, or if we want to have a bioorganic one where we can absorb uh some of that that stormwater um with more plants uh and trees uh planted throughout the city.

Now, uh it's also a question of like management of trees, and you know, there's issues of like branches falling and uh lawsuits resulting from like uh tree branches falling and hitting people, and I know that that's often cited as an excuse to not have more trees or to cut down the few trees that we have, but um, as the planet's getting hotter, and you know, we've just had like the hottest march on record in like 120 years.

Um it's becoming apparent that we need more trees.

We need to make uh precious, valuable uh use of our stormwater and treat it as such and not be discarding it.

uh lawsuits resulting from like uh tree branches falling and hitting people and i know that that's often cited as an excuse to not have more trees or to cut down the few trees that we have but um as the planet's getting hotter and you know we've just had like the hottest march on record in like 120 years um it's becoming apparent that we need more trees we need to make uh precious valuable uh use of our stormwater and treat it as such and not be discarding it um so I appreciate that comment earlier and I I implore all of you to look into this further thing and our final speaker is 8813 if you can please unmute you are okay and yes uh yep here and I love the enthusiasm of that uh previous caller and um you know but it's unfortunate that people don't realize what is happening within uh for example having the warmest march ever it's you know that's all by design that's all being controlled whether people want to acknowledge it or not it truly is look into that uh it's called geoengineering um tune in to your uh carb meetings especially if you're really interested for the previous caller uh what else did I want to say oh um yeah and as far as like the whole uh planting the trees and having more trees and cooling down the planet again yeah that's great but the goal is to um eliminate the carbon right so that's uh contributes to it so yeah everything is backwards as um Audra mentions it's so inverted and there really is uh an agenda at hand and our contribution the things that we have to say the great ideas that people have just go down the toilet because um essentially in the end they do not work for us reminder they work for the globalists so uh happy awakening to all I love you San Diego I'm done thank you that concludes with a comment on this item all right thank you City Clerk and with that uh we'll turn over to the council for questions comments and ortain a motion we'll start with council member Ilo Rivera how you doing um this is a good thing this is a good thing um a community that should have more investment in its infrastructure is getting more investment in its infrastructure we're moving from gray boring depressing old outdated to green vibrant healthy this is good we should say so um I am glad that this is happening I have motion to approve staff recommendation all right thank you council member Ilo Rivera so we have a motion to move the staff recommendation we'll go next to council member von Wilbert.

Thank you very much and I'm happy to second the motion and echo Council Iovera's comment that this is very good.

In fact the risk of telling everyone what nerds we are Councilman I and I often text each other pictures of green infrastructure when we see them in other cities um which is makes me ask the question um could we have put more pictures in this presentation for the public especially if this is a hundred percent design phase completed you know explaining to folks like me about what a modular wetland stormwater system is it would be very helpful to have more photos for everybody because it's a is it a success story you know we're getting money to do an important job for the environment so that would be my request for the future um and can you tell me more about the modular wetlands uh I we have some uh colleagues from stormwater that are on online right now they can uh come and tell you what uh what the wetlands are council member this is Sarah from City of San Diego Stormwater Department so the module wetland is uh the type of the water quality component that allows to runoff and rainfall to infiltrate within the um engineered uh water quality system to filter out the pollutant from the rainfall before discharging to our water body and it's kind of like a um well it uh it's filled up with the different types of the material combination of the sands and mulch and um different type of the medial layer um and it's uh planted on the top so it's underground and then on the surface you will see that the the planting um that collectinke runoff um we can definitely just send a uh good eschematic of the module wetland to you just for the better understanding yeah I'd be happy to I've just we're missing an opportunity for the public to also get excited about modular wetland systems and so um I just thank you this is great work I just in the future we'd love to have people more engage in this because we have seen catastrophic flooding in San Diego and you know this is going to meet our climate action goals this is all gonna also gonna help reduce um untreated wastewater into our oceans and this is such a good news item and I just feel we could celebrate it even more so thank you for the good work um I'm second the motion and glad to see this is getting off the ground all right uh thank you so we have a motion by council member Ilo Rivera and a second by council member von Wolpert clerk please call the roll I started the voting system please cast your vote

This is all gonna also gonna help reduce um untreated wastewater into our oceans, and this is such a good news item, and I just feel we could celebrate it even more.

So thank you for the good work.

Um, I'm seconding the motion and glad to see this is getting off the ground.

All right, uh, thank you.

So we have a motion by Councilmember Elo Rivera and a second by Councilmember von Wolpert.

Clerk, please call the roll.

I've started the voting system.

Please cast your vote.

That passes unanimously, eight to zero with Councilmember Moreno absent.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, and thank you for the good work in bringing that item forward.

All right, today we have two enjoyments in memory, and we'll go to Councilmember Foster first.

Sir, yes, thank you.

Um, Council President.

Give a quick moment for the uh slide presentation to be uploaded.

There you go.

Ready?

All right, thank you.

Um again, thank you, Council President.

With great respect, we adjourn today's meeting in memory of Alwyn Ben Holman, a Navy veteran, trailblazer, and leader whose life reflected service, perseverance, and strength.

Mr.

Holman passed away on April 3rd, 2026.

His life was celebrated this past Saturday, April 11th, surrounded by loved ones and those who carry forward his legacy.

Mr.

Holman was born in Alton, Illinois on December 26th, 1925.

He came to San Diego while serving in the United States Navy during World War II.

The city became home, a place where he would leave leave a lasting mark.

After his military service, he continued serving others as a mail carrier and later as a firefighter with the San Diego Fire Department.

Any time when doors were closed to many, Mr.

Holman stepped forward and helped open them.

He became the first black firefighter in San Diego assigned outside of Station 19, breaking through a system that had long limited opportunity.

That moment mattered, not just for him, but for every firefighter who came after him.

Because of his courage, San Diego's fire department began to change.

Because of his presence, others were able to see what was possible.

And because of his leadership, a stronger and more inclusive department took shape.

He went on to serve with distinction for nearly three decades, rising through the ranks to become the city's first black deputy fire chief, retiring in 1983, leaving behind a legacy of excellence and determination.

When we recognize Mr.

Holman right here in these chambers on his 100th birthday, we celebrated a life that mirrored the progress of our city, a life defined not only by personal achievement, but by the opportunities he helped create for others.

And that impact did not stop within the fire service.

It extended across industries, across generations, and across this entire city.

For black San Diegans, especially, his life stands as proof of what is possible.

And I can say personally, as I sit in this seat today, that legacy is not that that legacy is not lost on me.

Beyond his career, Mr.

Holman was devoted to his family.

He shared 71 years of marriage with his wife Ruby and leaves behind a family who cared for him, supported him, and now carry his legacy forward.

His life reminds us that real change is built over time through persistence, through service, and through the courage to stand where others have not been given the chance.

On behalf of the fourth council district, I extend my deepest condolences to the Holman family.

May we honor his legacy by continuing the work of opening doors and creating opportunity.

Rest in power, Mr.

Holman, and this includes my com concludes my comments.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Foster.

Uh and now Councilmember Von Wilbert.

Excuse me.

Thank you, Council President.

And thank you, Henry, for those beautiful words about Ben Holman.

It was wonderful to have him here in Chambers recently.

Today we are also adjourning our April 14th, 2026 City Council meeting in memory of Alex, Samantha Libby.

You can bring up the slideshow, please.

I did go up for a second, and then it seemed to glinch.

There we go.

Thank you.

On September 26, 1991.

The world was introduced to Alex, Samantha Libby.

To know Alex was to feel welcomed and loved.