[ CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells]
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[ RESENTATIONS: Proclamation: German American Month Proclamation: National Fire Prevention Week: 10/9/22 - 10/15/22 Proclamation: Parkway Plaza 50th Anniversary]
ONE OF OUR, OUR, OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND, AND A DIRECTOR.AND MONICA PAR AND HI, SHE IS OUR, UM, AMBASSADOR.
SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE DOWN THERE SETTING THINGS UP AND I THINK THE BEER WAS DELIVERED TODAY AND CHAIRS WERE DELIVERED TODAY AND YESTERDAY AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A LOT OF THINGS DOWN THERE.
IS THERE A BAND COMING IN FROM GERMANY? THEY SHOULD BE COMING IN TOMORROW NIGHT.
THEY ARE COMING IN FROM GERMANY.
THEY'VE BEEN, I BELIEVE THIS IS THEIR 25TH YEAR OF COMING.
SO I THINK YOU HAD A COUPLE OF 'EM.
WERE WERE SICK LAST YEAR, RIGHT? SO YOU, YOU HAD LIKE A HALF BAND.
I, WE COULD ONLY GET TWO OF 'EM HERE BECAUSE, UH, THEY WEREN'T SICK.
THEY JUST WEREN'T ALLOWED IN THE COUNTRY.
THEY'RE REALLY EXCITED CUZ IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS.
COULD YOU TELL US, TELL PEOPLE WHERE TO GO AND HOW TO GET TICKETS? AND YOU CAN GO ONLINE AT UH, GERMAN CLUB.ORG OR JUST OCTOBERFEST IN EC.COM.
DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT ONE AND, UM, UH, WE CAN, YOU CAN ORDER 'EM ON THERE.
IT'S OCTOBERFEST EL CAJON.COM AND YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND GET TICKETS THERE.
WE START, UH, SATURDAY, SORRY, FRIDAY AT FOUR O'CLOCK TO 10 AND WE HAVE OUR OPENING, GRAND OPENING PARADE.
I HOPE WE, WE'LL HAVE SOME OF YOU, IF NOT ALL OF YOU GOT YOUR IN INVITATIONS THAT YOU'LL BE THERE.
AND, UH, THAT'S I BELIEVE AT SIX 30 WE WILL DO A TAPPING OF THE WOODEN CAKE.
WE BRING THAT OUT AND, UM, JUST ALL THE KIND OF THE, THE, UH, PUMP CIRCUMSTANCE YOU'D EXPECT FROM, FROM, UH, US AT OCTOBER FEST.
AND THEN SATURDAY AT 10, OH SORRY, NOON TO 10:00 PM SUNDAY NOON TO 9:00 PM AND THAT'S TWO WEEKENDS.
SO WHAT TIME'S THE PARADE ON SATURDAY? ABOUT SIX 30 IN THE EVENING.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS SIR? NO, ANYBODY? UH, WELL THANKS MIKE, THAT THAT SOUNDS SHOULD WE COME, SHOULD WE MAKE SURE WE EAT BEFORE WE COME? CUZ THERE'S NO FOOD THERE.
RIGHT? THERE IS SO MUCH FOOD THERE.
AND WE, OUR SPECIALTY, OF COURSE, WE HAVE ALL THE BRAW AND, UH, KIVAS AND POTATO PANCAKES AND, AND, UH, POTATO SALAD.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE WHAT WE CALL OX ONUS SPIT.
AND THAT IS, UH, PUT ON ABOUT MIDNIGHT THE NIGHT BEFORE, BIG 70, 80 POUND CHUNKS OF, UH, BEEF.
AND THEY ROAST IT ON A SPIT ALL NIGHT LONG.
IT'S ABOUT SEVEN OR 800 POUNDS AT A TIME.
AND WE GO THROUGH IT ALL EVERY NIGHT.
YOUR FRIENDS WANNA SAY ANYTHING OR CHANCE TO MAKE A SPEECH? UH, ACTUALLY I'M A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER AND I WANTED TO THANK THE CITY EL CAJON, THEIR FIRE, UH, PREVENTION BUREAU.
AND IT'S KIND OF A HAND OFF TO, UH, THE NEXT PRESENTATION YOU'RE DOING, BUT THE CITY'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
WHAT AGENCY WERE YOU? UH, SAN DIEGO CITY.
OH, THAT'S, BUT I WORKED A LOT WITH THE, UH, THE FIRE CHIEF T SWEENEY AND I DID A NUMBER OF DEPLOYMENTS FOR URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WHAT, WHAT YEARS DID YOU WORK? I WORKED FOR THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, 83 THROUGH, UH, 90, UM, 2019.
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WONDERFUL.UH, HELLO, MY NAME IS MONICA PALM.
UH, MY HOMETOWN IS HEIDELBERG AND I CAME ABOUT, UH, 25 YEARS AGO TO THE UNITED STATES.
UM, I WORKED FOR SUBSIDIARY IN GERMANY OF GENERAL ATOMICS, AND THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT ME HERE AND AT THE CLUB.
I'M THE AMBASSADOR, AS MIKE ALREADY MENTIONED, AND MEMBERSHIP AND SEVERAL OTHER JOBS.
AND, UH, WE ARE ALL, SO WORKING ONLY WITH VOLUNTEERS.
SO IF EVERYBODY, ANYBODY WANTS TO VOLUNTEER, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
DO YOU STILL HAVE A QUEEN OF THE, UH, OF THE UH, TO FELD? ACTUALLY FELD IS JUST AROUND HEIDELBERG.
JUST THE PARTNER CITY OF OUR CLUB.
YEAH, THAT'S, IT'S, THAT'S IT.
WE HAVE, UH, PROCLAMATION WITH THEM.
SO WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR YOU? YES, SIR.
THAT ONE THING, THE ACTUALLY OCTOBER BETWEEN MY DAUGHTER.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THE WHOLE THING, BUT THE, THE LAST PART OF IT SAYS, NOW, THEREFORE, I BILL WELLS BEAR THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
TOGETHER, THE CITY OF COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, 2022 TO BE GERMAN AMERICAN MONTH.
WE CALL UPON ALL THE RESIDENTS TO RECOGNIZE THE VITAL ROLE GERMAN AMERICANS HAVE PLAYED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CITY AND NATION.
AND FURTHERMORE, EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR PRO PROMOTING TRADITIONAL GERMAN CULTURE WITH LIVE MUSIC FOLK DANCES, GAMES, AND CONTESTS AT THE OF OCTOBERFEST IN EL CAJON.
PLEASE JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CAJON CLUBHOUSE SIGN THIS 27TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2022.
AND MIKE, BEFORE YOU GO AWAY, UHOH OUR POLICE WANNA TALK TO YOU.
UH, NO, WE HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU, MIKE.
WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE ALL THE HARD WORK YOU'VE DONE AND PROVIDED US FOR SO MANY YEARS.
AND IN RECOGNITION OF 26 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE CAJON COMMUNITY, THROUGH YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE GERMAN AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO, AS THE OCTOBERFEST CHAIRMAN, THIS AWARD WINNING FESTIVAL HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF THE EAST COUNTY'S FAVORITE ANNUAL EVENTS WITH THE AUTHENTIC GERMAN TRADITION.
THE CITY OF ELON APPRECIATES THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU HAVE PERSONALLY DEDICATED TO THE EAST COUNTY COMMUNITY AND BEYOND.
AND WE HAVE OUR PROCLAMATION FOR YOU.
COUNCIL, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? YEAH, VERY QUICKLY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, MIKE AND YOUR WHOLE COMMITTEE, ALL YOUR VOLUNTEERS, OCTOBERFEST AND EL CAJON IS SUCH A FUN EVENT.
YOU GUYS RUN A TIGHT SHIP OVER THERE.
IT'S, UH, A, UH, YOU WORK WITH THE CITY, UH, TREMENDOUSLY AND I HOPE WE WORK WELL WITH YOU AND WE GET YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED AND IT'S A SAFE EVENT.
THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANYTHING THAT I WOULD BRING, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT.
IT'S BEEN FANTASTIC FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO REALLY, YOU GUYS PUT THE EXTRA EFFORT IN TO MAKE IT A, AN OUTSTANDING EVENT.
AND IT'S AUTHENTICALLY GERMAN, IT'S NOT A STREET FAIR, WHICH SOME PEOPLE THINK, OH, IT'S OCTOBERFEST, YOU'RE GONNA SEE ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, OTHER TYPES OF THINGS THERE.
IT'S A TRULY OCTOBERFEST EVENT AND I'LL BE, I'LL BE VOLUNTEERING THERE THIS YEAR.
I VOLUNTEER ONE THING TO SAY ABOUT THE, UH, OCTOBERFEST
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO, MIKE.
NEXT WE HAVE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK.
I'D LIKE TO ASK CHIEF SWED TO THE PODIUM TO TELL US ABOUT THOSE AND TO RECEIVE HIS PROCLAMATION.
WE ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE, UH, CHIEF BENKO, UH, JOINING US.
CHIEF IS ACTUALLY TAKING SOME WELL DESERVED REST.
I WAS HOPING TO INVITE OUR FIRE MARSHAL OVER HERE SINCE IT'S A FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, AND HE'S THE LEADER OF OUR FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU.
AND AS THE CITY MANAGEMENT GRAND MITCHELL MENTIONED, MY NAME IS BEN CO.
I'M DIVISION CHIEF OF OPERATIONS FOR HEARTLAND FIRE AND RESCUE.
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UH, OUR FIRE MARSHALS, SEAN AND RICHARDSON.AND ALSO WE HAVE OUR TRUCK SIX CREW HERE TO SUPPORT US.
OH, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE TO THE GUYS? YES.
CAPTAIN JEREMY CRAS ENGINEER, UH, JOSH STEWART AND FIREFIGHTER DANNY PADILLA.
SO WE'VE GOT A PROCLAMATION FOR YOU AND, UM, I'M GONNA SKIP DOWN TO THE END AND READ THE END PART FOR YOU NOW.
THEREFORE, I BILL WELLS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON, TOGETHER WITH THE CITY COUNCIL DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 9TH THROUGH 15TH 2022 TO BE FIRE PREVENTION WEEK IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
AND THANKS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
I, YOU KNOW, WE, GRAHAM I DON'T, WILL YOU TELL YOU THIS PER CAPITA, WE'RE THE SECOND BUSIEST FIRE DEPARTMENT IN, IN THE COUNTRY.
WELL, I THINK WE HAVE ONE OF THE BUSIEST ENGINE COMPANIES IN THE COUNTRY IN THE TOP 50, I BELIEVE.
YOU KNOW, AND, UH, I SPENT MY LIFE WORKING IN HEALTHCARE AND IT'S WELL KNOWN THAT, UH, HEARTLAND FIRE JUST DOES AMAZING WORK IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE AND FIRE PREVENTION AND FIREFIGHTING.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY PROUD.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT COUNCIL.
DID YOU WANNA SAY IT? GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND ALL THE ENGINES, FRANKLY.
UM, YOU KEEP US SAFE AND YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE BALL, UH, CONSTANTLY OUT THERE.
I HEAR HIM ALL THE TIME,
APPRECIATE AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, UM, AN INVITE TO ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND.
WE'RE HAVING OUR FIRE PREVENTION OPEN HOUSE WEEK AT HERE AT STATION SIX 100 EAST LEXINGTON ON SATURDAY THE EIGHTH FROM TO NOON.
AND OCTOBER 8TH, BRING YOUR FRIENDS.
NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO ACCELERATE PARKWAY PLAZA'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY, AND I LIKE TO INVITE MARKETING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, PETRO RICH AND GENERAL MANAGER DAISY MOLINA TO THE PODIUM.
OH, ONCE, ONCE IT'S, UH, CLEAR TO FIREFIGHTERS.
UM, WE ARE SUPER EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF PARKWAY PLAZA BEING A STAPLE EAST COUNTY'S PREMIER SHOPPING DESTINATION FOR EL CAJON AND BEYOND.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
WE ARE HAVING OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION THIS SATURDAY FROM ONE TO 4:00 PM WE'RE THROWING A HUGE CARNIVAL ALL THROUGHOUT THE MALL, SO WE'LL HAVE CARNIVAL GAMES, JUGGLERS, STILT WALKERS, UM, BALLOON ARTISTS, FACE PAINTING, ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND WE'LL ALSO BE DOING A Q AND A WITH OUR LOVELY DEPUTY MAYOR SITTING HERE AND WOULD ALSO EXTEND THE INVITE, UM, TO ANY OF YOU WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT AND CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE DOING A 50 YEARS AND 50 MINUTES SORT OF DEAL.
WE'LL BE TAKING QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, JUST GIVE YOU GUYS A CHANCE TO CONNECT AND TALK ABOUT THE PAST 50 YEARS AND THEN WHAT THE FUTURE OF EL CAJON AND PARKWAY PLAZA LOOKS LIKE AS WELL.
SO, WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ANY OF YOU, IF YOU HAVE SOME TIME, UM, SATURDAY, AGAIN FROM ONE TO 4:00 PM AT THE SHOPPING CENTER.
IT'S A FREE EVENT, SO BRING YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS, KIDS, GRANDKIDS, WHOEVER.
UM, AND WE'LL BE CELEBRATING ESSENTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
WE'RE ALSO HOSTING A LARGE CULINARY COMPETITION ON THE 15TH CALLED TASTE HER THE SPACE.
UM, MAYOR WELLS IS ACTUALLY SET TO BE ONE OF OUR JUDGES, SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM ON BOARD.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO OF COURSE BE DOING OUR REGULAR HALLOWEEN TRIGGER TREATING EVENTS AND THEN ROLLING RIGHT INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
SO DAISY AND I HAVE BOTH BEEN AT PARKWAY PLAZA NOW FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND ARE JUST REALLY EXCITED TO BE BRINGING SOME NEW ENERGY AND UPDATING AND REVAMPING THINGS IN THE SHOPPING MALL SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE OPERATING FOR ANOTHER 50 YEARS AS EAST COUNTY'S PREMIER SHOPPING DESTINATION.
WHAT DATE WAS THAT TASTE FOR THE SPACE? TASTE FOR THE SPACE IS OCTOBER 15TH.
MAYOR WELLS, WE TRIED TO MAKE SURE
I I I HAVE TO CHECK
SO IF IT'S HERE, I'LL MAKE IT PERFECT.
WE BE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AND I'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH MORE DETAILS AGAIN.
YEAH, I THINK WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR YOU.
DO SOMEBODY HAVE THE PROCLAMATION? HERE IT IS.
UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THE, THE END OF IT NOW.
THEREFORE, I BILL WELLS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF
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ALCON, TOGETHER WITH THE CITY COUNCIL TO HEREBY PROCLAIM MONDAY, OCTOBER 3RD, 2022 AS PARKWAY PLAZA DAY IN THE CITY OF ALCON, AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO APPRECIATE AND CELEBRATE THE SIGNIFICANCE THIS ADVANCEMENT MADE TO EAST COUNTY, THE CITY OF EL CAJON ECONOMY AND ITS HISTORY.SO SIGN THIS 28TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2022.
YOU, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
AND GRAHAM, I THINK YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR US.
UH, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE A REPRESENTATION OR A REFLECTION OF NOT ONLY THE CITY OF LC HOME, BUT ACTUALLY THE COMMUNITY.
I'M PROUD WHEN OUR STAFF IS CALLED UPON BY OTHERS IN THE REGION, BOTH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR EXPERTISE AND ADVICE.
UM, AND I THINK THE COUNCIL RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OR THE ROLE OR THE TALENT THAT OUR STAFF HAS, AND I RECOGNIZE IT, BUT IT'S REALLY SPECIAL WHEN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS RECOGNIZE THAT TALENT AS WELL.
AND WE COULD GO ON A LONG LIST OF PEOPLE THAT WE COULD RECOGNIZE, BUT I WANTED TO FOCUS ON ONE INDIVIDUAL TODAY.
UH, I'D LIKE TO HAVE SARAH DIAZ COME UP FORWARD, BE PREPARED TO SAY SOMETHING, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, SARAH, OUR, OUR DIRECTOR OF IT WAS RECENTLY HONORED AT THE SAN DIEGO TOP TECH AWARDS AS A GOVERNMENT HONOR.
THIS IS A HUGE HONOR FOR THE CITY AND FOR HER.
AND I WANTED TO SHARE A VIDEO THAT WAS SHOWN AT THE AWARD CEREMONY.
UM, I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT, UH, PROMO OF NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT FRANKLY WHAT SHE DOES AND WHAT SHE DOES FOR NOT ONLY THE CITY OF EL CAJON, BUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEN AFTER IT'S DONE, SARAH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A WORD OR TWO, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU SAY A WORD OR TWO.
DIAZ IS THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE CITY OF EL CAJON, A FULL SERVICE CITY THAT RELIES ON ITS ABILITY TO CONDUCT ROUTINE UNINTERRUPTED BUSINESS.
A CITY THAT, LIKE MOST CITIES, FACED AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AS THE PANDEMIC REARED ON A CITY WITH MORE THAN A HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTS AND AN INCOMMENSURATE BUDGET.
YET FOR SARAH DIAZ EQUIPPED WITH A GENEROUS SENSE OF RESOURCEFULNESS AND MORE THAN AMPLE CREATIVITY AND SKILL, NONE OF THE PREVAILING ISSUES PROVE TOO HEAVY TO BEAR.
UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, THE CITY PIVOTED TO A CITIZEN SELF-SERVICE TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE SOLUTION THAT REPLACED A QUILT WORK OF HOMEGROWN SOLUTIONS AND ENABLES THE AUTOMATED PROCESSING OF ONLINE PERMIT PLANS AND OTHER LAND MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES THROUGH SARAH DIAZ'S ABILITY TO HARNESS SYNERGIES FROM ACROSS MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES.
THE CITY OF EL CA HOME NOW ENJOYS A 9% INSPECTION RATE WITH 42% OF PERMIT TRANSACTIONS OCCURRING ONLINE, TOTALING MORE THAN $80,000 IN WHAT MAY HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN UNREALIZED FEES.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, EL CAJON HAS A MORE NIMBLE, LESS COSTLY, CUSTOMER FRIENDLY APPROACH TO SERVING ITS CITIZENS.
WOW, THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
UM,
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THOUGH, THAT NO ONE PERSON CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT THE IT DEPARTMENT HAS DONE OVER THE PAST YEARS.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOT AN AMAZING TEAM THAT, UM, ALL CONTRIBUTE.
ALSO, I WAS REALLY HAPPY THAT THE VIDEO FOCUSED ON ALL THE DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE, ESPECIALLY CITIZEN SELF-SERVICE OR PACO, LIKE WE LIKE TO CALL IT, HAS BEEN A PASSION OF MINE FOR A WHILE, BUT IT INVOLVES ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK AND IMPROVE AND AUTOMATE AND ALL OF EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE AND EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT HAS CONTRIBUTED.
SO, UM, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL.
UH, WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE ANY OF THIS CUZ IT ALL COMES BACK TO FUNDING AND, AND PROJECT APPROVAL.
WELL, BEFORE YOU RUN AWAY, I MEAN, PHIL, WELL, I THINK WE'RE ON TRACK.
IT'S, I SAID IT BEFORE, SEEMS LIKE EVERY OTHER COUNCIL MEETING, WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM OUR STAFF GETTING A, A REGIONAL OR STATE AWARD AND NOW IT HAS ONE.
AND I JUST GOTTA THANK YOU SO MUCH, SARAH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU STREAMLINE OUR GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND IT SAVES US THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.
IT, IT HELPS THE PROJECTS GET THROUGH QUICKER.
I MEAN, UM, YOU PIVOTED VERY QUICKLY WITH COVID.
UM, I MEAN, I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS AND I'VE SEEN YOU MAKE A LARGE IMPACT, SO I HOPE YOU STICK AROUND HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND GET FIVE MORE AWARDS, SO, OH, YEAH, I'M, I'M HERE FOR
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FIVE MORE.UM, I'M, I'M SO HAPPY THAT, UH, YOU'VE WON THIS AWARD BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE DONE A, AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF WORK TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING DONE, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE AND BETTER PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT THE PHONE APP THAT WE ROLLED OUT MM-HMM.
UH, ANY CITIZEN CAN DOWNLOAD IT TO THEIR PHONE.
THEY CAN REPORT A BROKEN SIDEWALK, A LAMP POST, A STREET SIGN, ANYTHING, AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING CAN BE REPORTED ON THEIR PHONE.
AND YOU GUYS ARE VERY RESPONSIVE, AND THAT IN PART IS BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING SYNERGISTICALLY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT POLICE, THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB OF GETTING THROUGH THOSE TICKETS.
I GET THE STATS EVERY DAY AND I'M JUST BLOWN AWAY.
SO IT'S AMAZING WHAT, ONCE YOU EMPOWER THE CITIZENS, WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UM, MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
SO IT'S, IT'S VERY REWARDING WORK.
ANY BEST? WELL, I DON'T KNOW ALL THE THINGS YOU DO, BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN MY IPHONE DOESN'T WORK OR MY MY EMAIL DOESN'T WORK, I SOMEHOW I LEAVE THE PHONE WITH YOU AND IT COMES BACK WORKING, SO.
[ AGENDA CHANGES:]
CHANGES.STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA CHANGES? MR. MAYOR? WE WOULD RECOMMEND ACTUALLY CHANGING ONE ITEM ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS.
UH, WE THINK WE SHOULD BE, SHOULD BE BUMPED TO AFTER AGENDA ITEM 13.
[7. CONSENT ITEMS: Consent Items are routine matters enacted by one motion according to the RECOMMENDATION listed below. With the concurrence of the City Council, a Council Member or person in attendance may request discussion of a Consent Item at this time.]
OKAY, THAT BRINGSS US TO CONSENT ITEMS, CONSENT ITEMS OR ROUTINE MATTERS ENACTED BY ONE MOTION ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATION LISTED BELOW WITH THE OCCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, A COUNCIL MEMBER OR PERSON AND ATTENDANCE MAY REQUEST DISCUSSION OF A CONSENT ITEM AT THIS TIME.COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WISH TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? STAFF? NO, SIR.
ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR CONSENT ITEMS? WE DO NOT, SIR.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO PROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS. SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES MY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, any person may address a matter within the jurisdiction of the City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency that is not on the Agenda. Comments relating to items on today’s docket are to be taken at the time the item is heard. State law prohibits discussion or action on items not on the Agenda; however, Council, Authority and Agency Members may briefly respond to statements or questions. An item may be placed on a future Agenda.]
WE'RE NOW AT PUBLIC COMMENT.AT THIS TIME, ANY PERSON MAY ADDRESS A MATTER WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
COMMAS RELATING TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ARE BE TAKEN AT THE TIME THAT THE ADAM IS HEARD.
STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS MAY BRIEFLY RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS, AND AN ITEM MAY BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? WE DO SERVE.
THANK YOU, MARY WELLS AND, UH, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M A POLICY ADVISOR, UH, TO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISOR JOEL ANDERSON ON ISSUES RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO INFORM YOU AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO'S ISSUING, UH, A SECOND ROUND OF, UH, OF FUNDING FOR THE CAPITAL EMERGENCY HOUSING SOLUTIONS GRANT PROGRAM APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THIS SPRING.
THE AIM OF THIS 10 GRANT PROGRAM OF WHICH 5 MILLION IS LEFT, IS TO HELP AND ENCOURAGE LOCAL CITIES LIKE YOURS, UH, IMPLEMENT SHELTER SOLUTIONS OF THEIR OWN OR EXPAND EXISTING SHELTER CAPACITY.
WHILE THE COUNTY WOULD PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, FUNDING CAN BE USED FOR PROJECT MODELS THAT MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO EMERGENCY SHELTERS, SAFE PARKING LOTS, SLEEPING CABINS, OR THE EXPANSION OF SHELTER CAPACITY.
I'VE PROVIDED A ONE PAGER THAT GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS, UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE APPLICATION PACKAGE EVALUATION CRITERIA AND OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION.
I'VE ALSO PROVIDED, UM, A BREAKDOWN OF THE, UH, FAQS, WHICH, UH, MOST OF YOU, I'M SURE WOULD HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS PROGRAM.
UH, THE DEADLINE FOR THIS PROGRAM IS OCTOBER 11TH, 2022.
AND COUNTY STAFF WILL ACTUALLY BE HOLDING A CITIES ONLY, UH, NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC LISTENING SESSION EXCEPT FOR THIS UPCOMING THURSDAY AT 2:00 PM THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME DIRECTLY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS ON THE, UH, ONE PAGER.
IF THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU? QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THANKS.
[00:25:03]
NO MORE SPEAKERS, SIR.THERE ARE NO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, NO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
ON TODAY'S AGENDA, WE HAVE THREE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS AND ITEM 11, WE'RE GOING TO PUSH OFF TO THE END, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
[12. Update on The Magnolia's Financial Performance RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives an update on The Magnolia’s financial performance. ]
12 IS AN UPDATE ON MAGNOLIA FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE.I'D LIKE TO HAVE STAFF COME AND TELL US ABOUT THIS.
ONE SECOND WHILE I GET LOADED UP HERE.
NORMALLY MY COMPUTER DOESN'T TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO THINK TODAY IT IS.
IF YOU, IF YOU WERE IN YOUR OFFICE BY YOURSELF, IT WOULD WORK PERFECTLY.
CAN YOU GUYS SEE THAT? OH, YOU CAN SEE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, TODAY I'M HERE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE MAGNOLIA'S FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE SINCE IT'S OPENING IN SEPTEMBER, 2019.
UH, FOLLOWING MY BRIEF PRESENTATION, PARIS LANDON THE MAGNOLIA'S, UH, GENERAL MANAGER, IS GONNA STEP UP, TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE, UH, RECENT SHOWS THAT WE'VE HAD AND ALSO SOME OF THE EXCITING SHOWS COMING UP, AND SOME PROVIDE SOME INSIGHTS ABOUT OUR CUSTOMERS.
BEFORE I DIVE INTO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, I WANTED TO PROVIDE, UM, A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE WERE BACK IN 2009.
PRIOR TO CLOSING THE EAST COUNTY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER BACK IN 2015, UH, WE, THE CITY SIGNED A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH ART BEAT MANAGEMENT, A SUBSIDIARY OF THE CHRISTIAN YOUTH THEATER.
AS PART OF THE AGREEMENT, ART BEAT AGREED TO PROVIDE TED 10 HEADLINER ACTS, UH, PER YEAR.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THE GROUP FELL SHORT OF THAT GOAL.
IN 2006, THE TARGET WAS AMENDED OUT OF THE AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THE GROUP CITING HIGH COSTS AND ITS INABILITY TO COMPETE WITH THE TICKET PRICES AT LOCAL CASINOS.
UM, AT THE TIME, THE CITY WAS CONTRIBUTING ROUGHLY $600,000 A YEAR TO KEEP THE FACILITY OPEN WITH VERY FEW CONCERTS AND, UH, PROFIT GENERATED.
THE GROUP ULTIMATELY DEFAULTED ON THE TERMS OF ITS AGREEMENT, AND THEN DUE TO THE RECESSION AND THE ONGOING SUBSIDY COSTS, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CLOSE THE THEATER IN 2009.
SO THE CITY RECOGNIZED THAT IF WE WANTED A DIFFERENT RESULT, THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK FOR A DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR THE THEATER.
IN 2017, UM, THE CITY BEGAN NEGOTIATING WITH LIVE NATION, THE WORLD'S, UH, LEADER IN LIVE ENTERTAINMENT.
AND IN 2019, THE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED SHORTLY AFTER EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS BEGAN AND THE VENUE WAS RENAMED THE MAGNOLIA.
BEFORE WE CHAT NUMBERS, I THOUGHT IT'D KIND OF BE FUN TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS OF THE RENOVATION.
UM, CUZ FROM OUR STANCE, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY AMAZING TO SEE HOW THIS VENUE IS TRANSFORMED INTO A WORLD CLASS, UM, MUSIC VENUE.
SO THIS FIRST PHOTO PHOTO IS OF THE GREEN ROOM.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THE MAGNOLIA IS THAT, UM, WHEN WE'RE RENOVATING THE FACILITY, WE REALLY PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THE ARTIST EXPERIENCE TO KIND OF GET THAT, UM, REPUTATION WITH THE ARTIST AND THE MANAGERS AS WELL.
AND THIS PHOTO IS OF THE VIP LOUNGE BEFORE AND AFTER.
SO THE V IP LOUNGE BEFORE IT IS WHAT IT IS, WAS A SOUND BOOTH.
AND SO, UM, WE OPENED THAT UP INTO THE THEATER AND IT'S KIND OF A REALLY COOL SPACE NOW.
AND THEN THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE CONCESSION STAND, UM, THAT WE USED TO HAVE.
AND THEN WE RENOVATED THE, THE CONCESSION STAND IN A NEW LOCATION AND MADE THIS ENTRY STATION BAR OR ENTRY AREA BAR.
NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AT THE MAGNOLIA.
THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH LIVE
[00:30:01]
NATION ESTABLISHED SEVERAL GOALS OR TARGETS FOR THE MAGNOLIA.UH, THE FIRST TARGET IS A NUMBER OF EVENTS PER YEAR.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE TARGETS, UH, TARGET VERSUS ACTUAL NUMBER OF SHOWS AT THE MAGNOLIA FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.
OH, THERE'S THE BIG SCREEN COMING UP.
UH, THIS IS BECAUSE THE MAGNOLIA WAS CLOSED IN MARCH, 2020, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND STATE MANDATED CLOSURES IN SEPTEMBER, 2021.
UH, THE FACILITY WAS FINALLY ALLOWED TO REOPEN, ALBEIT SLOWLY AS, AS ARTISTS WERE SKEPTICAL, THE SCHEDULE SHOWS AND SEVERAL SHOWS WERE CANCELED OR RESCHEDULED.
UM, DUE TO LAST WINTER'S SURGE.
DESPITE, DESPITE THE SLOW RETURN TO NORMAL LIVE NATIONS STILL MANAGED TO EXCEED THE TARGET NUMBERS OF EVENTS BY THE THIRD YEAR.
THE FOURTH YEAR IS, UM, DISPLAYS THAT ORANGE BAR.
THERE IS ACTUAL CONFIRMED SHOWS FOR THE LAST HALF OF, UH, 2022 OR THE FIRST HALF OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY TO, UM, EXCEED THIS YEAR'S TARGET OF 60 EVENTS.
UM, AT LEAST MEET, IF NOT EXCEED BY A BUNCH.
THE SECOND TARGET ESTABLISHED IN THE AGREEMENT WAS IN THE FORM OF, UH, PROFORMA OR FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR THE FACILITY.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS, UH, THE MAGNOLIA'S AOI OR ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME.
THE AOI IS WHAT REMAINS AFTER WE DEDUCT THE SHOW EXPENSES AND FIXED EXPENSES FROM OUR REVENUES.
WHEN THE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED, UH, WE ANTICIPATED THAT THE FACILITY WOULD OPERATE WITH THE NEGATIVE CASH FLOW FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PERFORMA, UH, THE BLUE BARS ON THE GRAPH SHOW THAT THE PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS, UM, WITH A NEGATIVE AOI OF ROUGHLY $325,000 ANNUALLY.
THE ORANGE BAR REPRESENTS THE FACILITIES ACTUAL AOI PERFORMANCE.
YOU CAN SEE THE IMPACTS OF THE FIRST AND SECOND YEAR, UM, CAUSED BY COVID, UM, SOME, UH, OPENING COSTS.
AND THEN IN THE THIRD YEAR WE HAD A SLOW STARTUP.
BUT IN THE THIRD YEAR, YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT THE AOI ACTUALLY OUTPERFORMED EXPECTATIONS BY $600,000.
TO PUT THAT SIMPLY, THE FACILITY OPERATED AT A PROFIT OF $300,000, UM, LAST YEAR.
THE FOURTH YEAR IS BASED ON PROJECTIONS FOR THE FIRST SIX HALF OR SIX MONTHS OF THE HALF OF THE YEAR AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO THE AOI, UH, THE CITY ALSO PAYS A MANAGEMENT FEE $375,000 A YEAR, AS WELL AS UTILITIES AND MAINTENANCE AT THE FACILITIES AMOUNTING TO $250,000 ANNUALLY.
ELECTRICITY ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 50% OF THE VENUES UTILITY EXPENSES.
SO THIS FINAL SLIDE SHOWS THE CITY'S NET FINANCIAL POSITION.
AFTER ALL THE EXPENSES AND PROFITS ARE ADDED TOGETHER, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR TREND LINE IS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, AND FISCAL YEAR 20 21, 22, OUR NET POSITION WAS ABOUT $350,000.
UM, AND THE FOURTH YEAR, OF COURSE IS BASED ON PROJECTIONS.
UM, SO YET TO BE SEEN WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, BUT PRETTY SURE WE'RE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION FOR RIGHT NOW.
I'M GONNA ASK PARIS TO COME UP, WHO HAS MORE EXCITING STUFF THAN NUMBERS TO TALK ABOUT? THANKS.
SO LAST YEAR WAS OUR FIRST FULL OPERATING YEAR.
SO VERY EXCITING FOR THE VENUE.
UM, WE HAD LOTS OF BIG ARTISTS, EDDIE, BETTER FROM PEARL JAM, LINDSAY BUCKINGHAM FROM FLEETWOOD MAC, UM, ALSO SOME GREAT COMEDIANS, SALVA CONNO FROM POPULAR TV SHOW, UM, PRACTICAL JOKERS.
WE HAD TWO NIGHTS OF NICK KROLL, UM, AND ALSO JAMIE FOX WITH HIS BOOK TOUR.
UM, JOE JACKSON, WHICH IS A HUGE NAME.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD SOME FUN EVENTS.
UH, WE HAD THE ZURICH WORK, WHICH WAS A COLLECTION OF, UM, IRAQI COMEDIANS.
UM, AND THEY TOLD US THAT WE HAD THE NUMBER ONE COMEDIAN FROM IRAQ.
SO JUST REALLY FUN STUFF THERE.
OBVIOUSLY A GOAL OF OURS IS TO INCREASE AWARENESS, NOT JUST OF THE VENUE, BUT FOR THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
SO THIS IS A HEAT MAP SHOWING WHERE TICKET SALES WERE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UM, FROM THE LAST FISCAL CALENDAR YEAR.
SO THIS COVERS, UM, 29,000 TICKETS AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE STRETCHING ALL THROUGHOUT THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ALL THE WAY UP TO LA INTO TIJUANA.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY REACHING A LOT OF DIFFERENT TICKET PURCHASERS AND BRINGING THEIR ATTENTION TO THE MAGNOLIA AND TO THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
[00:35:04]
THE SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM HAS BEEN VERY BUSY OVER OUR LAST YEAR.UM, THIS IS A GREAT REVENUE STREAM FOR THE VENUE, UM, SINCE WHEN YOU HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ARE LIKELY TO REBOOK INTO THE NEXT YEAR AND KEEP GENERATING REVENUE FOR YEARS TO COME.
UM, AND OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM, I BELIEVE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL CUZ WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF EVENTS REBOOK.
UM, EVERYTHING FROM CHILDREN'S DANCE COMPETITIONS, ADULTS DANCE COMPETITIONS, THE NUTCRACKER, THE CITY OF EL CAJON, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT HAD THEIR SUMMER SCHOOL WITH US.
EVEN MAYOR WELLS PERFORMED ON OUR STAGE AS A BENEFIT FOR THE EAST COUNTY TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER.
AND A LOT OF THESE EVENTS, UM, ALREADY HAVE DATES LATER THIS YEAR OR INTO 2023.
SO WE'RE SEEING PETE BUSINESS, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
NOT ONLY HAVE WE RECEIVED POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE ARTISTS COMING TO OUR VENUE AND EXPERIENCE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE'VE ALSO GOTTEN A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM GUESTS.
WE HAVE ONE USHER WHO ASK PEOPLE WHEN SHE SCANS THEIR TICKETS, IS IT YOUR FIRST TIME HERE? AND SO MANY PEOPLE SAY YES AND IT'S THEIR FIRST INTRODUCTION TO THE VENUE AND THEY STOP OUR STAFF OR THEY STOP ME TO TELL US WHAT A GOOD TIME THEY HAD.
UH, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE GOOGLE REVIEWS, WE'RE AT 4.7 STARS, SO PRETTY HIGH.
AND WE'VE JUST RECEIVED A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM GUESTS AS A COMPANY.
LIVE NATION ALSO PERFORMS AN INTERNAL SURVEY, SO WE SEND THIS OUT TO ANYONE WHO'S PURCHASED THE TICKETS AND I ASK THEM AN ARRAY OF QUESTIONS FROM, DID YOU LIKE THE RESTROOM? DID YOU LIKE THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE OFFERED? HOW WAS THE STAFF? HOW WAS YOUR SEAT? SO YOU CAN SEE WE'RE REACHING A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, WE'RE GETTING OVERWHELMINGLY GOOD SCORES.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SOMETIMES HAVE A LITTLE FEEDBACK FOR US, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE REVIEWS ARE POSITIVE AND PEOPLE ARE HAVING A GREAT TIME AT OUR VENUE.
WE'RE EXCITED FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
UM, THE FIRST YEAR BACK, WE OBVIOUSLY STILL HAD SOME CONCERNS FROM COVID, AS DAVID MENTIONED, SOME PEOPLE CANCELING SOME TOURS CANCELING.
SO I FEEL THAT THIS UPCOMING YEAR WILL BE REALLY STRONG.
UH, VARIETY OF EVENTS, EVERYTHING FROM BOY MEETS WORLD PODCASTS, UM, TO HUGE ACTS LIKE MARCUS MUMFORD FROM MUMFORD AND SONS, TWO NIGHTS OF MORRIS C WHICH JUST IS HUGE FOR OUR VENUE.
AND A LOT OF UPCOMING COMEDIANS TOO.
WE HAVE, UM, KATHLEEN MATAGA, ALTON BROWN, BRIAN REAGAN, UH, NICK SSON.
SO A LOT OF FUN STUFF COMING TO THE VENUE.
AND DIFFERENT EVENTS TOO, LIKE DISNEY, JUNIOR PEP PIG.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE AN ARRAY OF VENUES COME TO THE VENUE, I'M SORRY, AN ARRAY OF EVENTS COME TO THE VENUE.
AND OVERALL, WE'RE JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE, HAPPY TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE LOVE SEEING THE SHOWS COME THROUGH.
OUR STAFF LOVES WORKING HERE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, LET ME SEE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU NOW? I GUESS YOU COVERED IT ALL.
YOU KNOW, I GOTTA TELL YOU, IT, IT'S A GREAT VENUE.
I'VE SEEN PROBABLY SIX DIFFERENT CONCERTS THERE THIS YEAR AND IT'S, IT'S FUNNY, EVERYBODY USUALLY STANDS UP THE WHOLE TIME.
AND IT'S FUNNY, A LOT OF THE ACTS BRING OUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE GRAY HAIRED FOLKS LIKE ME AND IT, BUT IT DOESN'T LIKE CHANGE THE ENERGY OUT.
EVERYBODY'S YELLING AND SCREAMING THE WHOLE TIME WAS, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF FUN.
YEAH, YOU SEE THAT, THAT THAT'S HARSH, THAT
WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO ASK PHIL WHAT HE THINK.
HE'S PART OF THE YOUNGER CROWD, BUT NO, THANKS.
UM, THE ENERGY IS JUST REALLY NICE AND I THINK, AND I HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE COME UP AND TALK TO ME ANECDOTALLY TELLING ME HOW HAPPY THEY ARE ABOUT THE WHOLE VIBE OF THE FACILITY AND HOW MUCH FUN THIS TO SEE A SHOW THERE.
UH, IF YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STUFF, UM, SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GOOD STEVE.
I THINK EVERYONE WAS CONCERNED WHEN WE STARTED THIS VENTURE YEARS AGO THAT WOULD, THIS AGAIN NEED $600,000 OF CITY MONEY TO, TO KEEP IT AFLOAT AND THE, IT'S JUST RUN VERY WELL THAT WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND YES, IT COSTS THE CITY $300,000, BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT OUR BUSINESSES HERE ARE SOME OF THE BIG GENERATORS OF INCOME TO THE CITY THROUGH SALES TAX.
SO I THINK IT'S A VERY APPROPRIATE USE OF $287,000 THIS YEAR TO HELP THOSE BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN GROW EVEN MORE.
[00:40:01]
OUTSIDE OF THE CITY COME INTO THE CITY.DO YOU SEE A TIME IN THE FUTURE WHERE WE MAY BREAK EVEN OR COME CLOSE TO THAT? I MEAN, THERE'S A, UM, IT'S ANTICIPATED IN THE MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
UM, AT SOME POINT, WE'LL, IN OUR PROFIT SHARING PERIOD, UM, WHEN WE'RE COVERING ALL THE OPERATION COSTS ON THE CITY SIDE AND THE THEATER SIDE, SO UTILITIES PLUS THE AOI, AND THEN AT THAT POINT WE'LL BE IN THE PROFIT SHARING, WHICH IS LIKE A 70 30.
SO STILL THE MAJORITY GOING TO THE CITY WHEN YOU ANTICIPATE THAT BASED UPON PROJECTIONS, DON'T KNOW WHAT COVID GRAHAM, IF YOU WANNA CHIME IN.
YEAH, I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE A FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT WITH LIVE NATION, TWO OF THOSE YEARS REALLY WERE NON NONFUNCTIONAL YEARS.
SO WE'RE WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT, UM, AN EXTENSION OF THE AGREEMENT, AT LEAST A SHORT TERM TO GET THROUGH THOSE TWO YEARS THAT WE SORT OF MISSED.
THAT THEY MISSED, THAT WE MISSED.
I THINK THAT'LL BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO START LOOKING AT THE LONG TERM PROJECTIONS.
I MEAN, THE REALITY IS WE ALWAYS, I THINK, ASSUME THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME COST CUZ THERE'S A BENEFIT THAT OF BRINGING PEOPLE INTO THE CITY.
IT'S JUST PART OF THE COST OF RUNNING A CITY.
UM, SO IS IT GONNA BE A, A MASSIVE MONEY MAKER? PROBABLY NOT.
BUT IF WE CAN GET TO THAT BREAK EVEN, I THINK THAT'S THE GOAL THAT WE'RE STRIVING FOR.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE A HUGE WIN.
PHIL, UM, YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, BUT WITH REGARD TO THE OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE MAGNOLIA, IT SEEMED LIKE THE ELECTRICITY COSTS WERE THE LION SHARE OF THAT SOMEWHERE AROUND 50%.
YOU'VE PROBABLY THOUGHT OF SOLAR.
IS THAT SOMETHING, A PROJECT IN THE FUTURE THAT YOU'VE LOOKED AT TO OFFSET THAT COST? OR IS THE ROOF NOT BIG ENOUGH TO TO, TO TAKE THAT ON? WE, WE HAVE LOOKED AT IT.
IT'S DECEPTIVE UNTIL YOU GET UP ON THE ROOF.
UM, SO THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES THERE.
IT'S AN OLDER FACILITY, SO THERE'S SOME ENGINEERING CHALLENGES.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE THOUGHT ABOUT.
I MEAN, ULTIMATELY BECAUSE THE CITY HAS ONE BIG BILL, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHERE THAT SOLAR IS, IS RIGHT.
AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON A PROJECT RIGHT NOW WITH SOLAR ARRAYS ON THE POLICE STATION AND OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE PARKING LOT.
AND SO AS THOSE COME ONLINE, THAT WILL, IT WON'T BE DIRECTLY DEFRAYING THE COST OF THE MAGNOLIA, BUT IT JUST GOES INTO THE OVERALL POT.
THANKS EVERYBODY FROM LIVE NATION AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
[13. Update on County of San Diego's Motel Voucher Program and City of El Cajon's Response RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives the report and appoints two members of the City Council to serve on a subcommittee to assist in drafting regulatory policy for motels operating with homeless vouchers. ]
SO WE'RE GOING TO 13.ITEM 13 IS AN UPDATE OF THE SAN, OF THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO'S MOTEL VOUCHER PROGRAM.
AND, UH, I'LL ASK OUR CITY MANAGER TO TELL US ABOUT THIS ITEM.
MR. MAYOR MEMBERS THE COUNCIL, LET ME GET MY PRESENTATION LOADED HERE.
UM, THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S AGENDA IS REALLY JUST TO UPDATE THE, THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO'S MOTEL VOUCHER PROGRAM AND REALLY ITS IMPACT ON THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
AND THEN THE CONCLUSION OF THE AGENDA PRESENTATION STAFF DOES HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR CONSIDERATION, BUT JUST AS AN OUTLINE, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT TO THIS PROGRAM AND TO WHAT THE CITY OF EL CAJONS BEEN DOING.
SO I WANTED JUST TO SPEND A FEW MINUTES TALKING ABOUT THE POINT IN TIME COUNT DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED IN THE, BY THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE ON HOMELESSNESS OR ON THE HOMELESS.
I WANTED TO BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT THE CITY'S SUCCESSES IN HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION AND OVERCOMING THAT CHALLENGE FOR MANY PEOPLE.
TALK ABOUT THE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY IMPACT THAT THE COUNTY'S VOUCHER PROGRAM IS HAVING ON THE CITY.
AND SHARE SOME DATA TO, TO BACK THAT STATEMENT UP.
UM, AND THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT THE CITY'S DOING TO MITIGATE THESE IMPACTS.
AND THEN FINALLY WE'LL END WITH THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO START WITH SOME CONTEXT BY SHARING DATA FROM THE POINT IN TIME COUNT IN 2020.
AND THIS IS UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESS.
THERE WERE 310 INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY COUNTED IN THAT COUNT IN 2022.
BY THE WAY, 2021, THERE WAS NO COUNT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE DATA FOR 2021, BUT IN TWENTY TWENTY TWO, A HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE INDIVIDUALS WERE COUNTED.
IN FACT, THIS IS A 40, A LITTLE OVER 40% REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF UNSHELTERED HOMELESS ON THE STREETS OF EL CAJON.
THIS IS REALLY, UM, A HIGHLIGHT OF THE CITY'S PROGRAM AND OF ITS SUCCESS.
AND THERE ARE NOT MANY CITIES IN THE COUNTY THAT CAN BOAST THIS LEVEL OF, OF SUCCESS.
BUT LET'S SHIFT TO SHELTERED INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BASED ON THE POINT IN TIME COUNT.
UH, EL KAJO HAS TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHELTERS.
ES STANDS FOR EMERGENCY SHELTER.
THAT'S, UM, TYPICALLY MOTEL VOUCHERS.
UH, ROOMS THAT WE HAVE AT E C T L C, UH, ARE INTERFAITH NETWORK, INTERFAITH, UH, UH, ROTATING NETWORK PROGRAM.
[00:45:01]
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, WHICH ARE LONGER TERM 24, TYPICALLY 24 UP TO 24 MONTH SHELTER FOR THOSE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH A PROGRAM.Y M C A, FOR EXAMPLE, RUNS A PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO HELPING THOSE THAT WERE IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM TRANSITIONING INTO NOR, UH, PERMANENT HOUSING THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF, OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.
SO BASED ON THE POINT IN TIME COUNT, AND THIS IS A NUMBER WE DON'T DERIVE, THIS IS FROM THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE ON THE HOMELESS, UH, THEY SAID THAT WE HAD 301 UNITS IN 2020 MOVING TO 2022.
ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD 683 EMERGENCY SHELTER SPACES IN 440 TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SPACES, OVER A THOUSAND SPACES.
AS YOU RECALL, WHEN THIS NUMBER WAS PUBLISHED, STAFF WAS A BIT SHOCKED AND TRIED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS, WHERE THIS NUMBER CAME FROM.
AND FRANKLY, WE NEVER REALLY GOT A GREAT ANSWER.
UM, THERE WAS SOME CONVOLUTED ANSWERS AND SOME CONESS, BUT HOW WE DERIVED AT 316% INCREASE IS STILL UNCLEAR TO STAFF OF HOW THAT OCCURRED.
HOWEVER, IT DOES BEG THE QUESTION, DID THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THIS NUMBER? AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THIS BECAUSE YOU HAVE, AS A COUNCIL, HAVE RECEIVED LETTERS RECENTLY FROM THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE ON HOMELESSNESS CITING THIS NUMBER, AND I'D EVEN SAY USING THEIR NUMBER AS AS A CLUB OR ALMOST WEAPONIZED AGAINST THE CITY OF EL CAJON, AS HAVE AS HAVE COUNTY LEADERS.
UM, IF THIS NUMBER IN PART IS CREATED BY THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, IT'S STAFF'S OPINION THAT IT'S AWFULLY DISINGENUOUS TO USE THAT NUMBER AGAINST THE CITY.
I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW 683 EMERGENCY SHELTER SPACES WERE CALCULATED BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU TAKE ALL OF OUR MOTEL ROOMS, THAT WOULD MEAN THE MAJORITY MORE THAN HALF OF THE MOTEL ROOMS IN THE COUNTY OF SAN OR IN EL CAJON WERE CONVERTED INTO MOTEL SHELTER OR EMERGENCY SHELTERS, WHICH I JUST DON'T THINK WERE THE CASE.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME CLARIFICATION OR SOME CLARITY OF HOW THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE CAME UP WITH THIS NUMBER, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S GONNA BE USED IN, UH, PRESS CONFERENCES AND IN LETTERS CITING TO THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
THE OTHER THING I DID IS I LOOKED AT WAS, WAS 2022 OR 2020, JUST AN ANOMALY.
SO I, I WENT BACK AND I LOOKED AT A LONGER TERM PERSPECTIVE AND, UH, LOW AND BEHOLD THERE WAS CLEARLY, AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT OUR NUMBERS, THESE ARE REGIONAL TASK FORCE ON HOMELESS NUMBERS.
THERE WAS CLEARLY A SPIKE IN 2021, IN 2022 OF EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
AND I HAVE TO THINK THAT A LOT OF THOSE WAS THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE COUNTY'S VOUCHER PROGRAM.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHEN CONTRACTS WERE SIGNED, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME CRIME DATA, YOU'LL NOTICE THE CORRELATION.
I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT, DIVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THESE SHELTERED SPACES THAT WE HAVE AND KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ON A PER CAPITA BASIS.
HOW DOES THE CITY OF EL CAJON COMPARE TO OTHER CITIES IN THE REGION REALLY TO SEE IS EL CAJON BEING A TEAM PLAYER WHEN IT COMES TO HOMELESS SOLUTIONS? AND I THINK YOU CAN SAY THAT EL CAJON IS NOT ONLY A TEAM PLAYER, FRANKLY, EL CA SHOULD BE THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM.
WE HAVE 10.9 HOMELESS PEOPLE SHELTERED IN ELK CONE FOR EVERY 1000 RESIDENTS.
AND AND BY THE WAY, THEY'RE SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS TO UNDERSTAND HOW ON EARTH THEY HAVE THAT MANY.
UM, BUT LET'S SAY THEY'RE AN ANOMALY AND USE THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO.
UM, NOBODY CAN SAY TO THE CITY OF EL CAJON THAT YOU NEED TO DO MORE.
UM, I'D LIKE YOU TO NOTICE THAT IN THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY AREA OR THE AREAS OF UNINCORPORATED EL CAJON OR UNINCORPORATED SAN DIEGO COUNTY THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER, THAT THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO HAS CONTROL OVER THERE ARE ZERO SHELTERED INDIVIDUALS DURING THE, THE LAST POINT IN TIME COUNT.
SO I ALSO LOOKED AT SORT OF THIS IDEA OF UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS AS A RATIO TO SHELTERED INDIVIDUALS.
SO IF A CITY HAD THE EXACT SAME NUMBER OR EQUAL NUMBER OF SHELTERED VERSUS UNSHELTERED, YOU WOULD HAVE A RATIO OF ONE.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE A, A RATIO ABOVE ONE, IT MEANS YOU HAVE MORE UNSHELTERED ON THE STREETS AND YOU DO IN SHELTERS.
AND IF YOU HAVE A RATIO BELOW ONE, IT MEANS YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE SHELTERED THAN YOU HAVE UNSHELTERED.
SO I THINK THE GOAL REGIONWIDE IS TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN SHELTERS THAN UNSHELTERED.
UM, THERE ARE TWO CITIES THAT HAVE BELOW THE ONE RATIO ONLY EL CAJON AND SAN EE.
AND I DIDN'T EVEN INCLUDE ALL THE OTHER CITIES.
I, I'D LIKE TO ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO SHELTERED SPACE, HAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST RATIO IN THE ENTIRE
[00:50:01]
COUNTY.UM, BASED ON THE DATA, ONE COULD SAY THEY'RE THE LEAST QUALIFIED TO COORDINATE HOMELESS ACTIVITIES IN THIS REGION.
SO LET'S SHIFT TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST 25.
IN THE LAST 2.52, TWO AND A HALF YEARS, UH, WE'VE FUNDED OR PARTICIPATED IN 12 DIFFERENT HOMELESS PROGRAMS TO, TO REACH 12 DIFFERENT TYPES OF GROUPS.
WE'VE ALLOCATED ALMOST 3 MILLION IN FUNDING TO HO TOWARDS ENDING HOMELESSNESS.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS CONTINUED TO PUSH FOR PERMANENT HOUSING AS ITS, AS ITS FOCUS.
AND THESE ARE ALL THE AGENCIES THAT WE FUND OR WORK WITH THAT HAVE HELPED PLACE PEOPLE INTO HOMELESS SHELTER OR INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, OUT OF HOMELESS SHELTERS INTO LONG TERM STABLE PERMANENT HOUSING 740 IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S A CITY IN THIS COUNTY THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL.
SO LET'S SHIFT TO THE IMPACTS THAT THE, THE VOUCHER PROGRAM IS HAVING.
ON THE CITY OF EL CAJON, I'LL, I'LL FOCUS ON SOME PUBLIC SAFETY DATA.
WE'VE NOTICED A SPIKE IN NOT ONLY, UM, FIRE CALLS FOR SERVICE, BUT ALSO POLICE FIRES, UH, POLICE CALLS FOR SERVICE.
AND WE LOOKED AT NOT ONLY THE PROPERTIES OF THE EIGHT PARTICIPATING MOTELS THAT ARE IN THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, BUT IN THE, THE EXACT BLOCK AROUND THEM.
SO WE DIDN'T GO MUCH BEYOND THAT AREA.
AND WE LOOKED AT, WE SAW THOSE CALL VOLUMES.
THIS LOOKS AT THAT DATA GRAPHICALLY.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN 2021, WE HAD A MASSIVE SPIKE IN CALLS.
IT'S ACTUALLY LEVELED OFF A LITTLE BIT IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
BUT BASED ON THE, THE CURRENT ARREST RATES THAT ARE COMING OUT OF, AROUND THE AREAS AROUND THE MOTELS AND SOME OF THE RECENT ACTIVITY IN DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS WE'RE SEEING, I DO FEAR THAT WE'RE IN FOR ANOTHER 2020 OR 2000, 2021 TYPE FISCAL YEAR IN TERMS OF CALL VOLUMES MORE CONCERNING TO US THAN THE CALL VOLUMES IS WHAT IS OCCURRING, WHAT TYPES OF CRIMES ARE OCCURRING.
AND WE LOOKED AT THE CRIME DATA AND LOOKED AT, UM, WHEN WEAPONS WERE EITHER CONFISCATED DURING, FOUND, OR UTILIZED IN THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME, WE FOUND THAT PRE VOUCHER YEARS THERE WAS 39 WEAPONS CONFISCATED OR COLLECTED OR USED POST VOUCHER 91, UH, GUNS.
SPECIFICALLY, IT WENT FROM EIGHT TO 19.
THOSE ARE 133% INCREASES OR 138% INCREASES IN WEAPONS ON THE STREETS OF EL CAJON THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT IN THAT WE, THAT WE THINK ARE CORRELATED TO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
CLEARLY EL CAJON IS NOT AS SAFE AS IT WAS PRE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT EITHER THE VALUE OF PROPERTY DAMAGE OR STOLEN IN THE COMMISSION OF CRIMES IN THE TWO YEARS PRECEDING THE VOUCHER PROGRAM AND THE TWO YEARS, OR AT FOLLOWING THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, AGAIN, A 24% INCREASE IN PROPERTY DAMAGE OR STOLEN GOODS.
AGAIN, WE THINK THERE'S A STRONG CORRELATION THAT THERE IS A NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT THE VOUCHER PROGRAM'S HAVING ON THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
NOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, THE CITY USES VOUCHER PROGRAMS WHERE YOU THINK THERE'S SOME VALUE THERE.
THE ONLY THING WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO DO IS TO SPREAD THAT WEALTH TO BE MORE EQUITABLE IN ITS PLACEMENT OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO STOP IMPORTING PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTY OR OUTSIDE THE CITY OF EL CAJON, INTO EL CAJON AND TO DO A BETTER JOB MANAGING THE PROPERTIES THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO IT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD TO TO COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE, BUT I THINK IT BEGS THE QUESTION, WHAT WHAT IS A CITY OF EL CAJON DOING ABOUT IT? UM, WE'VE MET WITH THE MOTEL OPERATORS AND THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE WE ISSUED CITATIONS OR NOTICES OR WARNING NOTICES FOR ZONING VIOLATIONS, WHICH WE STILL CONTEND EXIST.
UM, WE MET WITH, UH, EACH OF THE MOTEL OPERATORS LAST FRIDAY, VERY FRUITFUL CONVERSATION.
I THINK THEY HAVE AS MUCH FRUSTRATION WITH THE PROGRAM AS WE DO.
UM, LIKE ANYBODY, THEY ASSUMED THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO WAS IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE CITY OF EL CAJON AND WE'RE SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT THIS AFTER THE FACT.
UM, THEY ALSO ASKED FOR SOME HELP FROM THE CITY AND FROM THE COUNTY TO HELP VET THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMING TO THE CITY OF EL CAJON THROUGH THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
WE'VE ALSO ASKED A SERIES OF QUESTIONS OF THE COUNTY THAT WAS ASKED ALMOST A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.
UM, AND THOSE QUESTIONS ARE, ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR STAFF REPORT, UM, STAFF AS OF THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING.
IN FACT, DURING THE PRESENTATIONS, I CHECKED MY EMAIL, HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER TO THOSE QUESTIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME, UM, TO MAKE AMENDS WITH A COUNTY STAFF PERSON, SPECIFICALLY DURING ONE OF THE PRESS CONFERENCES.
I SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THAT BARBARA JIMENEZ HAD NOT BEEN RESPONSIVE TO THE CITY.
AND I GOTTA SAY THAT I WAS WRONG IN SAYING THAT.
[00:55:01]
VERY RESPONSIVE TO THE CITY, HAS ALWAYS GOTTEN BACK TO ME.UM, WE, UH, WE ARE QUESTIONING WHY IT'S TAKEN THIS LONG TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT WE ASKED FOR.
UM, BUT, BUT MS. JIMENEZ HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO THE CITY AND IS AN ALLY TO THE CITY.
WE'VE ALSO TAKEN AN EFFORT TO USE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOLS TO ENSURE THAT LAWS ARE BEING ABIDED BY NOT ONLY FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT FRANKLY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
SO IN THE LAST, UM, WEEK OR SO, WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME SPECIFIC DETAILS AND HAVE YIELDED SOME MASSIVE RESULTS.
FIRST I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE, TO NOTE THAT THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF EL CAJON HAS NOT REPEAT, HAS NOT GONE DOOR TO DOOR AS IS PORTRAYED BY SOME INDIVIDUALS AND INCLUDING IN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE'S LETTER TO THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
UM, WE THINK THAT THIS FALSE NARRATIVE IS A WAY TO BESMIRCH THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT GIVE THEIR LIVES THAT ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE ALL TO THE RESIDENTS OF EL CAJON.
AND I THINK IT'S AN EFFORT TO CONJURE UP ANTI-POLICING FEELINGS.
UM, AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTS IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL WAY.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE IN DEALING WITH DRUG DEALERS, UH, DUI ARRESTS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE CALLED US FOR ASSISTANCE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA SHY AWAY FROM THAT.
WE'VE MADE AN OVER A THREE DAY PERIOD, 40 ARRESTS IN OR AROUND THE MOTELS.
WE THINK THAT WE BELIEVE THAT 23 OF THEM ARE CONNECTED SOMEHOW TO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
EITHER THEY OWN OR POSSESS A VOUCHER OR THEY ARE STAYING IN THE ROOM, WHICH BY THE WAY, IS AGAINST THE VOUCHER RULES.
UM, AS, AS A GUEST OF SOMEBODY WITH A VOUCHER, UH, CHIEF MOTON JUST INFORMED ME THAT TODAY WE MADE SEVEN MORE ARRESTS WITH SOME MORE COMING IN AND ABOUT HALF OF THEM ALSO HAVE CONNECTIONS TO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
LASTLY, I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN REGULATE OUR MOTELS MORE EFFECTIVELY.
THE CITY OF EL CAJON A COUPLE YEARS AGO ESTABLISHED A DEEMED APPROVED PROGRAM FOR THE MOTELS.
I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME NEED TO EITHER LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT HOW WE DEFINE A SHELTER, LOOK AT HOW WE DEFINE A MOTEL.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO DIVE INTO OUR CURRENT ZONING PROGRAM, UH, TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK THERE'S SOME VALUE IN VETTING THROUGH A LOT OF IDEAS, INCLUDING TALKING TO THE MOTEL OPERATORS, TALKING TO HOMELESS PROGRAM OPERATORS, AND HAVING A, A ROBUST DISCUSSION.
AND THAT WOULD AND STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE BE BEST OCCUR WITH A CITY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AS AN OUTCOME OF THIS PRESENTATION IS THAT THE COUNCIL IDENTIFY TWO OF ITS INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE ON A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WOULD WORK WITH PLANNING STAFF IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO LOOK AT SOME LONGER TERM ZONING OR POLICY AREAS THAT WILL HELP PROTECT THE CITY IN THE FUTURE FROM THIS KIND OF INTRUSION FROM THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.
SO WITH THAT STOPS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
QUESTIONS? ANYBODY WANNA START, PHIL? JUST A COUPLE CLARIFYING ONES.
UM, WITH REGARD TO ARRESTS AND PROPERTY DAMAGE WEAPONS THAT, UM, SLIDE THOSE CRIMES WHEN WE'RE PULLING THAT DATA, THAT'S FROM IN AND AROUND THOSE MOTEL AREAS, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ACTUAL MOTEL, THE EIGHT MOTEL PROPERTIES OR IN THE VICINITY BLOCK.
AND UM, WE, WHAT WAS MY OTHER QUESTION.
WE HAVE, WE'VE, WE HAVE EXISTING HOTEL PROGRAMS WHERE WE PARTNER WITH, WITH HOTEL OWNERS TO TRY AND REHAB THEM AND GET THEM TO HAVE BEST PRACTICE STANDARDS.
WE'VE HAD IT FOR A WHILE, HAVEN'T WE? CORRECT.
THAT'S THE DEEMED OF PROOF PROGRAM.
SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S A PROGRAM THAT SAYS IF A MOTEL HAS AN EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF CALLS FOR SERVICE OR AN EXCESSIVE NUMBER OF CODE VIOLATIONS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE THEM INTO A PLANNING COMMISSION AND TO LOOK AT EITHER THEIR EXISTING CU CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IF THEY HAVE ONE OR PLACE THEM UNDER UNCONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME VALUE OF, OF LOOKING AT THAT, THAT ORDINANCE AND SAYING, ARE THERE SOME DIFFERENT THRESHOLDS THAT WE NEED TO OPERATE BY? RIGHT.
AND SO, AND THERE'S BEEN SUCCESS WITH THOSE.
I I THINK THERE'S A HANDFUL OF HOTELS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, HAVE REALLY TURNED IT AROUND IN THE PAST IT HASN'T THERE.
WE, WE'VE NEVER HAD TO EXECUTE THE ACTUAL DEEMED TO PROVE WE'VE GOTTEN CLOSE TO A FEW AND A COUPLE OF THEM BECAUSE OF THAT HAVE TRANSFERRED INTO DIFFERENT USES.
THERE ARE THREE MOTELS IN ELCON THAT ARE NOW OPERATING AS A DIFFERENT USE HOUSING ACTUALLY.
AND IT'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING TOO.
AND THE, AND THE CALLS FOR SERVICE, ALL THAT HAS GONE DOWN THAT SURPRISING, NOT SURPRISINGLY, HAS DROPPED
[01:00:01]
ALMOST TO NOTHING.UM, AND THEN, UM, EIGHT, I THINK IN THE STAFF REPORT IT SAID OF THE 18 HOTELS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY THAT ACCEPT, UM, HOTEL MOTEL VOUCHERS, EIGHT OF THEM ARE IN EL CAJON.
IS THAT RIGHT? IF, IF GLEANING FROM THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO IS PRESS RELEASES, ASSUMING THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THEN ALL THE OTHER DATA THAT YOU WERE SAYING WAS WITH REGARD TO EMERGENCY SHELTERS, UM, UH, PER CAPITA SHELTERED RESIDENTS COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES, THAT WAS ALL POINT IN TIME COUNT DATA.
THAT'S ALL RAW DATA FROM THE POINT TIME COUNT.
WE'RE JUST GETTING IT FROM THE COUNTY WE'RE USING.
WELL, THE OR THE REGIONAL TASK FORCE, REGIONAL TASK FORCE THE HOMES.
THAT'S ALL THE CLARIFICATION QUESTIONS I HAD.
DO WE KNOW WHERE THE OTHER 10 MOTELS ARE IN THE COUNTY? UM, ACCORDING TO THE PRESS RELEASE, I RECALL THERE ARE ONE IN SANT, TWO IN ESCONDIDO, TWO OR THREE IN CITY OF SAN DIEGO, A COUPLE IN OCEANSIDE.
I, I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY, BUT THOSE WERE THERE.
I THINK THE GOAL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACT IS TO HAVE A MOTEL OR A MOTELS IN EACH REGION.
AND SO I THINK THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED THAT.
IT'S JUST THE SUPER HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF MOTELS IN EL CAJON.
SO WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY EVEN TRIED TO CONTACT MO THE 10 MOTELS IN A NEARBY CITY, FOR INSTANCE, DO THAT.
IF THEY MADE THAT EFFORT, WE DO NOT KNOW THAT.
UM, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE, UH, ARRESTED THE 23 ARREST OR SO, WERE ANY OF THOSE FOR OUTSTANDING WARRANTS? I BELIEVE SO.
IF WE'RE GONNA GET INTO SOME DATA AROUND ARRESTS, I'D INVITE CHIEF MOLTEN TO COME UP TO PROVIDE SOME, TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
WHILE CHIEF IS COMING UP, WHAT ABOUT THE FIRE RESPONSE? UH, WAS THERE INCREASED LEVEL OF CALLS FOR SERVICE RELATED TO MEDICAL ISSUES OR THINGS LIKE THAT? SO I LOOKED AT THE DATA.
IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE IN RESPONSIVE TO ASSIST WITH POLICE OFF LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY.
THAT WAS KIND OF A, SEEMED TO BE A SPIKE IN CAUSES.
UM, I LOOKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS, UH, A SPIKE IN OVERDOSE.
THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF OVERDO INCREASE IN OVERDOSE, BUT NOT A DRAMATIC AMOUNT, BUT IT WAS JUST GENERAL CALLS FOR SERVICE.
ALMOST TYPICAL 9 1 1 CALLS WHERE THE PARAMEDICS ARE OPERATING AS AN EXTENSION OF AN ER.
I I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBERS.
WE CAN CERTAINLY GET THE THOSE FOR YOU.
BUT THERE WERE CERTAINLY PEOPLE WITH FELONY WARRANTS THAT WERE ARRESTED.
THERE WERE PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR FELONY DRUG DEALING, UH, OTHER FELONY RELATED CRIMES.
WHAT I'M KIND OF CURIOUS IS IF THEY BROUGHT SOMEBODY INTO THE CITY WHO HAD AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT FOR THEIR ARREST, THE ANSWER THAT AS YES.
THAT'S, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE LATER ON DURING THE COMMENT TIME.
ANYBODY ELSE? DO YOU KNOW, UM, MR. CITY MANAGER? DO YOU KNOW WHY THE COUNTY'S BEEN UNRESPONSIVE OR, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'VE EMAILED AND CALLED, AND IS, IS, THAT'S SPECULATION, BUT I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS TO THAT? I, I MEAN, I, I THOUGHT OUR CITY STAFF HAD A REALLY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH COUNTY STAFF, AND I ACTUALLY THINK HIGHLY OF COUNTY STAFF.
I I THINK PART OF IT IS WHAT I CALL THE SACRAMENT ATION OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY, WHERE EVERYTHING'S HIGHLY POLITICIZED.
E EVEN IN FACT, IN ONE OF THE PRESS RELEASES, IT TALKED ABOUT, UH, WE'RE DOING THE BIPARTISAN WORK OF REDUCING HOMELESSNESS.
I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THAT'S INTERESTING.
THE CITY OF EL CAJON DOES NONPARTISAN WORK ON HOMELESSNESS? WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE BIPARTISAN? WHY IS IT SO POLITICIZED? AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT COUNTY STAFF MAY BE OPERATING UNDER A REGIME OR A SYSTEM IN WHICH THEY CANNOT SPEAK FREELY BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS INVOLVED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, THANK YOU, GRAHAM, I APPRECIATE, UM, THE REPORT.
ANGELA DID RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM? WE DID, SIR.
WELCOME AND THANK YOU COUNCIL.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S BEEN A HOT TOPIC THE LAST TWO WEEKS, UM, SINCE YOU LAST MET.
AND SO I HAVE, UM, A FEW THOUGHTS AND THEN SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL THAT I, I THINK ARE JUST MORE FACT BASED QUESTIONS I, I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.
UM, SO FIRST I AGREE WITH THE MANAGE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT THAT THE CITY HAS PRIORITIZED HOMELESSNESS.
YOU'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS ON THAT.
I THINK WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE CITY PRIORITIZE THAT AS A TOP ISSUE.
THE, THE RECENT SURVEY RESULTS SHOW THAT'S ISSUES NUMBER ONE, TWO, AND THREE FOR THE CITY.
[01:05:01]
THE COUNCIL, WERE, WERE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS BRIEFED ON THE DECISION TO HAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE LAST, UM, 13 DAYS AGO, UM, THE DAY AFTER A COUNCIL MEETING.AND AT WHAT POINT WERE COUNCIL BRIEFED ON THE DECISION TO ISSUE THE NOTICES TO THE HOTEL OPERATORS? NUMBER TWO, DOES THE CITY SUPPORT THE CITY'S, DOES THE COUNCIL AT LARGE SUPPORT THE ACTIONS, UH, APPROACH AND RHETORIC OF THE CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS AS IT RELATES TO THIS PROGRAM? WHAT IS THE CITY'S GOALS? UM, I THINK WE'VE KIND OF HEARD THAT, THAT IT'S REGARDING THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
UM, IS IT TO BAN IT, IS IT TO CAPITA 15% AS SOME OF THE NOTICES MENTIONED? IS IT TO ALLOW IT SOMETHING ELSE, A MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTION? I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL IF COUNCIL COULD CLEARLY STATE THE, THEIR POLICY AND GOALS.
UM, AND NOW MORE PERSONALLY, UM, MY FEEDBACK ON THE PROGRAM, I DON'T THINK THE APPROACH, UM, EITHER IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCES OR TONIGHT IS HELPFUL TO, UM, BUILDING THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE NEED WITH THE REGIONAL PARTNERS, UH, THE COUNTY AND OTHER ACTORS.
UM, I THINK IT'S BEEN BOMBASTIC, UH, AND ILL THOUGHT OUT AND SHORTSIGHTED.
UM, SO I ENCOURAGE THE CITY AT LARGE COUNCIL AND OTHERS TO, UM, PROCEED WITH A MORE PARTNERED APPROACH WHILE STICKING UP FOR THE INTEREST OF THE CITY AND, UM, STILL ARTICULATING THE DESIRE THAT IT OUGHT TO BE A REASONABLY SHARED APPROACH ACROSS THE REGION.
I THINK SOME OF THE DATA PRESENTED TONIGHT AND OTHERWISE DOES SHOW THAT IT'S A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN AND ALLOT MEANT BEING PLACED ON THE CITY.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT WITHOUT, UM, QUESTIONING OR ASSUMING THE MOTIVES, UM, AND INTENT OR POLITICIZATION OF THOSE ACTORS.
NUMBER TWO, UM, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE POLICE WAS NOT GOING DOOR TO DOOR AS I HAD BEEN HURT REPORTED, I HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT IT'S NOT THE CASE.
UM, AND I DO SUPPORT THE ACTIONS TO POLICE THAT THE AREAS, IF THEY'RE CAUSING CRIME AND ADDRESS THAT.
UM, AND I'LL SPEAK, UH, LATER ON THE AGENDA ITEM 19, THE CLOSED CONFERENCE, ABOUT THE LEGALITY AND CONCERNS THAT I HAVE ABOUT THAT.
BUT I DO JUST WANNA NOTE NOW THAT I DO HAVE BROAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY'S ACTIONS, ABOUT THE ZONING VIOLATION NOTICES THAT IT ISSUED.
ANY QUESTIONS? OR THANKS, PATRICK.
I CAN RESPOND TO THE ONE QUESTION.
WHEN, WHEN THE CITY, WHEN CITY STAFF ISSUES A, A CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION, WE NEVER GET THE CITY COUNCIL'S PERSPECTIVE ON IT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE REALM OF STAFF.
WE SAW A CLEAR VI MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATION.
IT'S BLACK AND WHITE, SO WE ISSUED NOTICES FOR THAT, SO WE WOULD NOT GET COUNCIL APPROVAL PRIOR TO ISSUING NOTICES.
ANYBODY, ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? NO MORE SPEAKERS, SIR.
UM, SO GRAHAM, I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A MOTION LOOKING FOR, UH, TWO, TWO PEOPLE TO BE NOMINATED, BE ON A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT WOULD WORK WITH, UH, PLANNING STAFF AND CITY MANAGEMENT STAFF.
OH, YOU KNOW, UM, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION ITEMS THEY WANNA BRING UP ABOUT THE TOPIC? ABOUT THE TOPIC? YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THAT OUTTA THE WAY, AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK TO THE, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE AT THE END OF THIS.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ISSUE ABOUT THE MOTEL LAND USE OF, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS A LOT OF OPTIONS TO, WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, VOUCHER HOUSING.
I, I HAVE A, UH, BELIEF THAT THE, UH, FAIR HOUSING LAWS PROBABLY PROTECT THOSE, ESPECIALLY IN CALIFORNIA.
THERE'S TO CARVE OUT FOR SOURCES OF INCOME, AND YOU CANNOT DENY A PERSON A, UH, A PLACE TO STAY BASED ON WHO'S PAYING FOR THE ROOM.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT VOUCHER.
IT JUST MEANS YOU CANNOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON THAT VOUCHER.
WE KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, NOT ALL LANDLORDS MUST ACCEPT SEX CHECK SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS.
IF THEIR RENT IS $3,000 A MONTH AND THE VOUCHERS 2000, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE A THOUSAND DOLLARS DISCOUNT.
SO, BUT THERE IS THE LAND USE AND THE THAT KIND OF FAIR HOUSING LAW, I THINK THE CITY'S, UH, OPTIONS ARE LIMITED IN THOSE AREAS.
SO I'M NOT TOO FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE SQUEEZE THIS FROM A LAND USE POINT OF VIEW PERSONALLY.
UH, WHAT I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT IS, IS THE, THE VETTING WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR CITY AND OUR PEOPLE.
AND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE SENDING SOMEBODY, AND WHEN A CONTRACTOR IS SENDING SOMEBODY INTO THE CITY WHO HAS AN OUTSTANDING WARRANT, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
AS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, I HAD TO GO THROUGH A BACKGROUND CHECK.
[01:10:01]
I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE DOJ SYSTEM.SO ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ME, IF WE'RE USING PUBLIC FUNDS, WHY AREN'T WE VETTING PEOPLE FOR OUTSTANDING WARRANTS? THAT SEEMS LIKE A NO BRAINER OF AN OPERATION FOR A CONTRACTOR.
UH, THE OTHER ISSUE IS THESE MOTEL OPERATORS SEEM TO BE USING THE POLICE IN THIS TOWN AS THEIR SECURITY FORCE.
THEY'RE BRINGING IN, UH, SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, NOT ALL OF THEM.
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE BAD HABITS WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS AND THINGS THAT WE SAW IN A, IN A PUBLIC RELEASE ON, ON DOI AND CHILD ENDANGERMENT AND PACKAGING SUPPLIES AND SCALES IN ROOMS. AND THERE'S PEOPLE DOING, THEY'RE DOING BAD THINGS, AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ARRESTS.
AND SO, I HAVE A CONCERN WHEN THIS IS A PUBLIC PROGRAM, THAT, THAT THE PROFIT GOES TO ONE PERSON AND THE COST OF SECURITY GOES TO THE TAXPAYERS.
UH, I ALSO NOTICED THERE'S ZERO MOTELS IN THE AREA OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE AT THE COUNTY WHO HAVE BEEN THE MOST VOCAL CRITICS.
AND I, I'M CURIOUS WHY THERE ARE ZERO MOTELS IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS.
FINALLY, I THINK THIS WHOLE MOTEL VOUCHER BUSINESS IS KIND OF A POISONED MODEL BECAUSE ONCE YOU START ACCEPTING MORE AND MORE VOUCHERS, YOU CHASE AWAY NON VOUCHER BUSINESS.
I WAS TOLD THE OTHER DAY, A FAMILY SHOWED UP TO STAY AT A NEARBY MOTEL, AND AS SOON AS THEY SAW WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT WAS LIKE, THEY CHECKED OUT RIGHT AWAY.
SO EVENTUALLY, IF YOU GET A REPUTATION FOR BEING A VOUCHER BASED MOTEL, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THE TOURIST BUSINESS, THE, THE TRAVELING BUSINESS, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO SEE THE ENVIRONMENT OF THIS MOTEL, AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY, THIS IS NOT FOR ME.
THERE'S ONE MOTEL OWNER I LISTENED TO, I DIDN'T TALK TO, I LISTENED TO FOR QUITE A WHILE.
70% OF HIS BUSINESS IS FROM VOUCHERS.
AND WE KNOW THAT A COUPLE OTHER MOTELS WERE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT RECENTLY.
HOW DO YOU CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS MODEL FROM A VOUCHER BASED BUSINESS AND ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEWS THAT GO WITH THAT TO RETURN TO A TOURIST BASED BUSINESS? I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DO IT.
I THINK IT'S A, I THINK YOU CAN OFFER VOUCHERS FOR A FEW ROOMS LIKE WE DO, PROBABLY LESS THAN 10%, PROBABLY LESS THAN 5% OF THE ROOMS LEAVING THE OTHER 95% FOR NON VOUCHER BUSINESS TOURIST TRAVELERS.
BUT THIS IS A BAD MODEL TO USE THESE MOTELS FOR VOUCHERS FOR TEMPORARY.
A BIG QUESTION I HAVE IS AT THE END OF 28 DAYS, WHERE DO THEY GO? DO THEY GET THE CONTRACT, SAYS EQUIS HAS TO SAY WHERE THEY GOT PICKED UP, WHAT DATE, WHAT TIME, HOW, WHERE THEY GOT DROPPED OFF TO, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CONTRACT THAT SAYS WHEN THE CONTRACT IS OVER, WHAT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTRACTOR? ARE THERE RETURNS TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE PICKED UP? WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CONTRACT.
THAT'S A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE FACTOR IN THAT CONTRACT.
I KNOW THAT THE, THE SHELTERED COUNT WENT UP SO MUCH BECAUSE IT WENT FROM 3.2 MILLION IN 2020 TO 18 MILLION IN 2022.
ALMOST A NINEFOLD INCREASE TO THIS CONTRACTOR.
SO OF COURSE, THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO PLACE MORE PEOPLE IN MOTELS.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO AT LEAST 350 PER NIGHT ACCORDING TO THE CONTRACT.
BUT THE MOTEL THING IS A BAD MODEL.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE HAD, UH, MOTEL OWNERS IN EL CAJON, UH, THINK THIS WAS GONNA BE A GOOD FOR THING, GOOD THING FOR THEM IN THE LONG TERM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY MAKE MONEY AND STAY IN BUSINESS WITHOUT KEEPING ACCEPTABLE VOUCHERS.
ANYBODY ELSE? I TALKED TO HER MOM THE OTHER DAY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SHE'S A MOM WITH A, UH, TEENAGE GIRL WHO'S DISABLED AND SHE'S LIVING IN ONE OF THE MOTELS DOWN THE STREET ON MOLLISON, ABOVE A LIQUOR STORE.
NO, MOM SHOULD HAVE TO BE THERE IN A CRAPPY HOTEL.
SHE CAN'T FIND ANY OTHER PLACE TO BE.
BUT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO TRY AND HELP HER.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A BIG OBLIGATION TO THE RESIDENTS.
NO RESIDENT SHOULD HAVE THEIR, UH, CHILD'S BICYCLE STOLEN BY THE THIEVES THAT ARE LIVING IN THE MOTELS ON A VOUCHER PROGRAM THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT HERE OUTSIDE OF EL CAJON.
THEY HAVE NO SENSE OF COMMUNITY WHEN THEY'RE COMING IN FROM OUT OF THE CITY.
I TALK TO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME THAT ARE, ARE HOMELESS AND ASKING THEM, TRYING TO GET THEM INTO E C
[01:15:01]
T L C, TRYING TO GET THEM HELP.THE VOUCHERS ARE A GOOD IDEA IN THE BEGINNING, BUT IT'S GOTTEN OUT OF HAND.
AND WE CAN'T JUST BRING EVERYBODY AND THEIR BROTHER FROM AROUND THE COUNTY TO EL CAJON BECAUSE WE HAPPEN TO HAVE THE MOST MOTELS.
HOW IS THAT FAIR TO THE RESIDENTS HERE? BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS BEING IMPACTED.
THE THEFT, THE TRASH, THE DRUGS.
THERE'S A YOUNG WOMAN WHO IS MISSING RIGHT NOW.
SHE'S BEEN MISSING SINCE FEBRUARY.
WHO KNOWS WHERE SHE'S BEEN TRAFFICKED BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HAD A GIRL FROM SANT THAT WAS TRAFFICKED AT THE NORTH MAGNOLIA ENCAMPMENT.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THIS IS NOT A NIMBY IDEA BECAUSE MOST OF YOU KNOW, I WAS HOMELESS AS A TEEN.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE WHY I DON'T WANT THEM IN MY BACKYARD.
EVERYONE ON THIS COUNCIL DOES SOMETHING IN REGARDS, IN A POSITIVE MANNER FOR HOMELESS.
WE WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT GOOD SOLID MOVES ARE MADE TO MITIGATE THESE ISSUES.
BUT WE CAN'T JUST BRING IN MORE PEOPLE THAN WE CAN HANDLE.
IF THE COUNTY HAD SAID, HEY, WE NEED 50, 60 BEDS IN EL CAJON, CUZ WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, AND BY THE WAY, WE'LL GIVE YOU X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS TO HELP WITH THE EXTRA RESOURCES THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE CALLS, THE FIRE CETERA.
WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE, I AMENABLE, BUT JUST TO BRING THEM IN.
AND I'VE BEEN TOLD WE DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WE'RE BRINGING THEM IN.
THAT'S NOT WORKING IN A NON OR A BIPARTISAN MANNER.
THAT IS, WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU, OR MATTER OF FACT, WE'RE NOT GONNA TELL YOU THAT WE'RE BRINGING THEM IN.
WE'RE JUST GONNA BRING THEM IN AND WE DON'T CARE.
AND IF YOU PUSH US ON THIS, WE'LL DO SOMETHING ELSE.
I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT BY A COUNTY PERSON, A, A COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE A STAND ON THIS.
WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE HOMELESS THAT ARE RIGHT HERE IN THIS CITY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO HELP OUT.
AND CTLC HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THAT.
AND WE CAN'T BE THREATENED BECAUSE SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE THE OPTICS OF IT.
WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG.
WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT OURSELVES IN A LEGAL BIND BY DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE A POLITICAL ISSUE.
AND I THINK THAT THE POLITICS NEED TO STEP OUT.
UM, I I HAD A QUICK QUESTION BEFORE I GO ON TO COMMENT TO OUR CITY MANAGER.
UM, AND IT WAS FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GLOBAL'S THE COUNTY PROGRAM WITH REGARD TO VOUCHERS.
CAN THEY, AFTER, AFTER THAT 28 DAYS IS UP, WHAT'S THE RULE? CAN THEY JUMP INTO ANOTHER 28 DAYS AT ANOTHER, UH, HOTEL? IS IT, IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING? I IF THEY SECURE ANOTHER VOUCHER, THEY WOULD BE, THEY WOULD BE TRANSPORTED BY THE VENDOR TO ANOTHER MOTEL.
SO, SO ANECDOTALLY, I'VE SPENT TIME SPEAKING TO FOLKS, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SPOKE TIME SPENT, TIME SPEEDING FOLKS, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT DID.
WE HEARD STORIES OF PEOPLE BEING SHUTTLED BACK AND FORTH EVERY 28 DAYS BETWEEN BETWEEN TWO MOTELS IN EL CAJON.
AND IN ONE CASE, SOMEONE HAS BEEN FOR FIVE MONTHS BEING SHUTTLE BETWEEN TWO MOTELS IN EL CAJON AND ONE IN CHULA VISTA.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE PROTOCOL, I THINK TO MR. GOLD'S QUESTION IS, WELL, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE VOUCHER RUNS OUT AND THERE'S NO NOT A RENEWAL, THE VOUCHER? WHERE DO THEY GO? MY SENSE IS THEY PROBABLY GO TO THE CURB IN FRONT OF THE MOTEL.
UM, SO FOR THE PUBLIC'S SAKE, I WANNA MAKE SOME DISTINCTIONS.
UM, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE, AND THIS IS FROM OUR NONPROFIT EXPERTS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS FOR DECADES.
I WANNA MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN SITUATIONALLY HOMELESS AND CHRONIC HOMELESS.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, HOMELESSNESS, WE NEED TO MAKE THESE DISTINCTIONS TO IDENTIFY WHO WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT.
CHRONIC HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE STREETS FOR MONTHS, IF NOT YEARS, THE LARGE MAJORITY DEALING WITH ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
[01:20:01]
GOT EVICTED, LOST YOUR JOB, SINGLE MOM, WHATEVER IT IS.UM, THERE ARE PROGRAMS AND THERE ARE, WE WANT TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE HERE IN EL CAJON WHO ARE HOMELESS.
IF YOU NEED HELP, WE HAVE THE PROGRAMS TO HELP YOU.
AND I THINK OUR RECORD STATES THAT 740 FORMALLY HOMELESS, UM, PERMANENTLY HOUSED IN TWO YEARS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S GREAT WORK.
UM, SO MAKING THOSE DISTINCTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, THE CRI CRIMINAL ELEMENT HERE, THAT WE ARE, AT LEAST MY COMMENTS.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL'S COMMENTS ARE STATING AND TALKING ABOUT THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT WITH REGARD TO CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS.
NOT THE SINGLE MOMS, NOT THE PEOPLE DOWN ON THEIR LUCK.
WE NEED TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION.
UM, I THINK IT'S COMPLETE A COMPLETELY REASONABLE APPROACH TO LOOK AT OUR, UM, ZONING LAND USE LAWS AND SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, THESE HOTELS, WHICH WE ISSUED A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR, UM, WE'RE INTENDED TO BE HOTELS, NOT LONG TERM STAY, NOT DEFACTO HOMELESS SHELTERS.
IT'S COMPLETELY REASONABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AND SAY, WE NEED TO SHIFT THIS BECAUSE THE BURDEN OF THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT IS NOT OKAY.
IT'S VICTIMIZING OUR RESIDENTS, OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE BEEN THREATENED BY, BY CRIMINAL ELEMENTS AT THESE HOMELESS OR AT THESE MOTEL, UM, AT THESE MOTELS.
SO IT IS COMPLETELY RE RE REASONABLE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY AND SAY, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME EQUITY WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBER OF HOTELS THAT ARE ACCEPTING VOUCHERS AND HAVE, UH, A BETTER PROPORTION DISTRIBUTED.
BECAUSE THIS IS A, IF WE'RE, IF WE WANNA WORK TOGETHER, THIS IS A REGIONAL ISSUE.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE REGIONAL, UH, UH, APPROACHES AND SOLUTIONS.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE, THE SOLUTION IS EL CAJON BECAUSE WE'RE SO GOOD AT, AT PERMANENTLY HOUSING HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.
THAT'S BEEN THE, THE, AT LEAST THE SOLUTION THAT I'VE SEEN IS WE'RE SO GOOD AT IT GIVEN TO EL CAJON.
AND THAT'S UNFAIR IN MY RESPECT.
I WOULD LOVE FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR, UM, NONPROFIT PARTNERS TO HAVE A MEETING WITH COUNTY AND OTHER CITIES AND SAY, LOOK AT OUR SUCCESSES.
UM, AND, AND THERE'S BEEN ACCUSATIONS THAT WE'RE NOT COMPASSIONATE.
UM, AND I'M GONNA GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SPEAK FOR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES.
MICHELLE MITCHELL, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I'VE EXP AND SOME OF MY VERY CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN HOMELESS LIVING OUT OF, UM, STORAGE UNITS.
UM, I WAS HOMELESS IN COLLEGE FOR ABOUT FIVE MONTHS.
UM, I, UH, UH, STEVE GOK BROUGHT THE TINY HOME VILLAGE TO EL CAJON, A RE A BETA TEST TO SHOW PROOF OF CONCEPT FOR A REGIONAL APPROACH.
UM, AND HE'S AT EVERY SINGLE, UM, REGIONAL TASK FORCE, HOMELESS, UM, MEETING, VOLUNTEERING.
HE SPENDS HIS SATURDAYS, BUILDING THEM WITH HIS, WITH HIS HANDS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GARY KENDRICK HAS HOMELESS PEOPLE LIVING IN HIS HOUSE IN EMPTY ROOMS. HE DOESN'T SAY THAT, BUT FORMERLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, HE OPENS UP HIS OWN HOUSE WITH HIS SPARE BEDROOMS TO GIVE THEM A PLACE TO LIVE.
I HAVEN'T DONE THAT, AND I'D BE HARD PRESSED TO KNOW THAT ANY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE STATE HAS DONE THAT.
AND OUR, AND, UM, OUR MAYOR, BILL WELLS HAS WORKED WITH, UM, AS A, UH, PSYCHOLOGIST AND A NURSE IN ERS WORKING WITH, UM, HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, DRUG ADDICTION, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, UM, FOR DECADES, I'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANOTHER BODY, MUNICIPAL BODY WITH THE EXPERTISE, THE COMPASSION, AND THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND ANYONE THAT SAYS THAT WE'RE NOT COMPASSIONATE ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, IT'S CONJECTURE AND IT'S JUST FALSE AND IT'S A CHEAP SHOT.
IT, IT'S COMPLETELY UNCALLED FOR.
SO, UM, THAT BEING SAID, I I WOULD FULLY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF, UM, RELOOK THE SUBCOMMITTEE, UM, LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT HOMELESS, UM, REHAB, UH, PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND, UH, I SUPPORT WITH REGARD TO GOALS.
WHAT ARE THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS SAID? WHAT ARE OUR GOALS? I THINK SCREENING IS ONE OF THEM.
IF, IF PEOPLE ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM AND YOU'RE GETTING NAMES AND YOU'RE SITTING DOWN WITH A SOCIAL WORKER AND YOU, YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THEM SERVICES, I MEAN, IT'S GONNA TAKE TWO SECONDS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A WARRANT.
THEY DO IT AT A TRAFFIC STOP, POLICE OFFICERS DO IT, A TRAFFIC STOP.
I'M SURE OUR, OUR CHIEF AND OUR OUR, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT BE HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH EQUIS TO SAY, HEY, SEND US YOUR NAMES.
WE'LL DO A QUICK SCREENING AND, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT CRIMINAL ELEMENTS AREN'T TAKING UP RESOURCES, THAT ACTUAL HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT NEED THEM,
[01:25:01]
THAT NEED THEM.WE, THIS IS, THIS IS A, THIS IS AN EASY FIX.
AND IF WE HAVE THE PARTNERSHIPS, AND I KNOW OUR STAFF IS COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH, UM, THE COUNTY, UM, I, I, I, I'M, I'M POSITIVE THAT EVERYONE HERE WANTS TO WORK, UM, AS A TEAM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE DOING IT ALONE.
UM, SO WE WOULD LOVE SOME SUPPORT, UM, IN THAT.
UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE, I KNOW YOU'RE ALL TIRED OF HEARING ME TALK, SO I'M GONNA MAKE IT REAL FAST.
I, COUPLE OF THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT.
ONE OF OUR BIG CONCERNS WAS NOT THE FACT THAT THE HOMELESS VOUCHER PROGRAM WAS IN EXISTENCE.
AND THERE'S BEEN MANY PEOPLE SAYING THAT WE WANT TO DESTROY THE HOMELESS VOUCHER PROGRAM.
EL CAJON, LITTLE OLD EL CAJON, A HUNDRED THOUSAND RESIDENTS CARRIES THE BURDEN OF 45% OF THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
LA MESA HAS ZERO AND SANITA HAS ZERO.
CARAMEL MOUNTAIN RANCH HAS ZERO, LOA HAS ZERO.
SAN DIEGO, 12, 13 TIMES OUR SIZE HAS TWO OF THE HOTELS.
AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS I WANNA REDEFINE WHAT OUR JOB IS.
MY JOB AS THE MAYOR, THESE PEOPLE'S JOB AS THE CITY COUNCIL, THESE PEOPLE'S JOB AS THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON, OUR JOB IS NOT TO FIX THE REGIONAL HOMELESS PROBLEM.
OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF EL CAJON.
SO WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR RESOURCES.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE LIVABILITY OF THE STREETS.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM CRIME.
WE HAVE TO PE PROTECT, PROTECT PEOPLE FROM FILTH.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE TO DO THEIR WORK IN THIS TOWN.
AND ALL OF THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE A REASONABLE EXPECTATION TO ASK QUESTIONS WHEN PEOPLE ARE BRINGING NEW RESIDENTS INTO THE CITY OF EL CAJON, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO HOMELESS PEOPLE, BECAUSE WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, WHETHER OR NOT IT, IT'S CONSIDERED NOT POLITE FOR ME TO SAY.
HOMELESS PEOPLE OFTENTIMES BRING A MEASURE OF CRIME, DRUG ADDICTION, MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, FILTH OF THIS, OF THE STREETS AND ALL THAT ARE THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE OF CAJON ARE WORRIED ABOUT.
WE DID A, WE RECENTLY DID A SURVEY.
80% OF THE PEOPLE IN CAJON SAID THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
NUMBER ONE CONCERN WAS HOMELESSNESS ON THE STREETS OF CAJON.
THAT TELLS ME PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS.
IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.
SO I WANT TO KEEP IT CLEAR THAT WHEN THE, WHEN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO THROWS UP THEIR HANDS AND SAYS, WE'VE GOT THIS HUGE HOMELESS PROBLEM, YOU ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH.
NUMBER ONE, I THINK THE STATISTICS SHOW THAT WE'RE DOING WAY MORE THAN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING, BUT FRANKLY, IT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM.
WE HAVE OUR OWN HOMELESS PROBLEM, AND WE'RE TAKING CARE OF THAT PROBLEM AS BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WE DON'T NEED THE REST OF THE COUNTY'S PROBLEM TO BE PLACED UPON US AND TO MAKE THIS A BIGGER PROBLEM.
AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T NEED OUR CITY OR OTHER CITIES TO BE DESIGNATED AS A HOMELESS DUMPING GROUND TO CREATE HOMELESS GHETTOS.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE OF EL CAJON AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO OUR JOBS IN PROTECTING THEM.
SO STEVE, AS WELL SAID, I, I THINK IT'S IRONIC TO ME THAT THERE'S A PROGRAM FOR 37 MILLION IN HOUSING VOUCHERS AND 10 MILLION FOR SHELTERS.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT, ODDLY, THE OTHER WAY, THE LONG TERM SOLUTION FOR THIS IS NOT MORE MOTEL ROOMS, IT'S SHELTER ROOMS, IT'S TREATMENT FACILITIES, IT'S ALL ALSO OF PLACES WHERE THEY CAN BE HOUSED AND, AND GET THOSE SERVICES ON SITE.
YOU CAN'T GET THAT IN A MOTEL.
BUT YOU CAN GET IT AT A SHELTER.
WE'RE, WE'RE GOING ONLINE FRIDAY WITH SIX BEAUTIFUL EMERGENCY CABINS OUT AT MERIDIAN BAPTIST CHURCH THAT WILL HOUSE HOMELESS WOMEN OR HOMELESS WOMEN WITH CHILDREN.
THERE WILL BE AN ONSITE PLACE FOR THEM TO GET TREATMENT.
THAT'S THE LONG TERM SOLUTION FOR HOMELESSNESS IS MORE SHELTER SPACE AND, AND LESS VOUCHER SPACE.
AND TO YOUR POINT MIRROR, WE'VE, OUR SHELTER SPACE IS FIVE TO 10 TIMES MORE THAN WE NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO COME UP AND MEET US WITH THOSE RESOURCE ROOMS AS WELL.
[01:30:01]
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.SO, UM, TALK ABOUT THE SUB SUBCOMMITTEE.
IS THERE ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE? I FIGURED STEVE WOULD BE.
UM, UM, WELL, WHY DON'T WE GO STEVE AND PHIL AND, UM, UNLESS EVERYBODY HAS ANY OBJECTION, AND DO YOU NEED US TO VOTE ON THAT? YES, SIR.
I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT STEVEN PHIL SERVE ON OUR SUBCOMMITTEE SECOND, MOVING SECOND, OR PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE NEED, NEED TO GO BACK TO 11.
BUT LET ME GO AHEAD AND READ MY LITTLE THING FOR A, YOU GOT AHEAD OF ME.
[11. Update on Potential Annual Sewer Charge Postponement Program RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives the report and staff recommendation and provides direction to staff on whether to proceed with drafting guidelines for a City-run program for the postponement of annual sewer charges for qualified property owners.]
AN UPDATE ON POTENTIAL ANNUAL SEWER CHARGE POSTPONE PROGRAM.AND I'LL ASK STAFF TO TELL US ABOUT THIS, PLEASE.
I'M THE ASSOCIATE ENGINEER WITH THE WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT IN PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, SO THE, WHAT STAFF HAD ASKED, UM, WELL, WHAT WAS DIRECTED TO STAFF, UH, WAS TO LOOK INTO THE STATE PROPERTY TAX POSTPONEMENT PROGRAM AND WHETHER THE CITY OF EL CAJON SHOULD IMPLEMENT AND MANAGE A SIMILAR, UH, PROGRAM FOR THE ANNUAL SEWER CHARGES THAT WE HAVE NOW PUT ONTO THE PROPERTY TAX, UM, EACH YEAR.
SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO FIRST KIND OF GO THROUGH THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED OF STAFF AND THEN GIVE ANSWERS TO EACH OF THOSE TO KIND OF OUTLINE, UM, HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS AND HOW, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE REALLY ADVERTISE MORE THE STATE PROGRAM AS THE, THE PRIMARY, UH, RESOURCE FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO GET ASSISTANCE.
SO, UM, WOULD THIS PROGRAM BE PROMOTED ACTIVELY? AND STAFF WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE APPROACHED, UM, THE, THE STATE AND WE HAVE GOTTEN THEIR OKAY TO ACTUALLY PROMOTE THEIR OWN PROGRAM.
UM, THEY ARE VERY HAPPY TO, TO HEAR THAT WE'VE TAKEN INTEREST IN IT.
SO THE CITY IS ALREADY, UM, ADVERTISING ON OUR WEBSITE IN ONE SPACE.
THIS PROGRAM LINKS TO THE STATE PROGRAM, UM, AND WE PLAN TO EXPAND THAT INTO OTHER PAGES.
UM, EVEN TALK TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT MIGHT, UM, BENEFIT FROM THIS SIMILAR PROGRAM.
UM, SO WE ALSO ANTICIPATE DOING, UM, SOME PRINTED NOTIFICATIONS FROM THE STATE PROGRAM AND HAVING THOSE AVAILABLE IN CITY HALL, THE LOBBY.
UH, WE ALSO WOULD ADVERTISE ON THE ACTUAL ANNUAL SEWER NOTICES FOR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS, UM, TO, TO SAY, IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE AND, UM, YOU MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE, PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROGRAM.
UH, AND THEN AS FAR AS QUALIFYING ANY APPLICANTS, IF WE WERE TO DO OUR OWN PROGRAM, UH, PUBLIC WORK STAFF WOULD BE THE ONE TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS.
WE ARE THE ONES THAT SET THE ANNUAL SEWER CHARGES.
UM, AND THEN IF WE WERE TO DO A SEWER POSTPONEMENT, IT WOULD BE WITH A LIEN.
SO COUNCIL WOULD BE THE FINAL, UM, CERTIFICATION OF THOSE LIENS TO PUT THEM ON THE PROPERTIES.
UM, THEN PUBLIC WORKS WOULD ALSO BE THE ONE TO MONITOR THE AWARDEES FOR THE PROGRAM.
WE WOULD KEEP A LIST ON HAND OF THE LIENS, AND WE WOULD ALSO TRACK THE BALANCES WITHIN, UM, PUT POTENTIALLY OUR NEW IMMUNO SYSTEM.
UH, DOES THE STATE PROGRAM COVER ALL ITEMS ON THE PROPERTY TAX BILL MAKING THIS ALREADY COVERED? THE GOOD NEWS IS YES, THE STATE ACTUALLY COVERS THE ENTIRE TAX BILL.
THEY MAKE A PAYMENT ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER.
SO CITY OF EL CAJON SEWER CHARGES WOULD BE COMPLETELY COVERED BY THIS PROGRAM.
UH, WOULD A, FOR A CITY PROGRAM, WOULD A LIE BE FILED BY THE CITY AGAINST THE PROPERTY? YES.
[01:35:01]
WAY TO SECURE A DEBT AGAINST A PROPERTY.AND THIS WOULD BE THE, THE BEST WAY, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT A PROPERTY COULDN'T BE SOLD OR, UM, A REVERSE MORTGAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ENTERED INTO, UH, WITHOUT THE CITY BEING NOTIFIED AND POTENTIALLY RECOUPING ITS COSTS.
UH, IF, AND THEN AS FAR AS THE LIENS GO, IF FILED BY THE CITY, WOULD IT BE SUBORDINATE TO ANOTHER LIEN? AND THAT IS A POTENTIALITY, BUT PART OF THE VETTING PROCESS OF EACH YEAR WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS ENOUGH EQUITY IN THE PROPERTY THAT IF OUR LEAN WAS SUBORDINATE TO ANOTHER, THERE WOULD STILL BE ENOUGH COVERAGE THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT IT.
UM, WHAT ABOUT LIMITED EQUITY IN MOBILE HOME OR MANUFACTURED HOMES? WE WOULD NOT BE ENTERING INTO A SEWER POSTPONEMENT PROGRAM WITH A OWNER OF A MOBILE HOME ON LEASE LAND.
UH, NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE GENERALLY EVERY SITUATION LIKE THAT IS COVERED BY AN HOA FOR THE LARGER PROPERTY.
AND THE CITY OF EL CAJON ACTUALLY DIRECTLY BUILDS THE HOA.
SO WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
UH, WOULD THE INTEREST RATE FOR OUR PROGRAM BE THE SAME 5% AS THE STATE PROGRAM? THAT'S DEFINITELY A POSSIBILITY.
UM, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE SET UP WHERE IT COULD FLUCTUATE ANNUALLY BASED ON STANDARD INDUSTRY FACTORS SUCH AS CPI, UM, DIFFERENT CHANGES.
UM, BUT THERE WOULD BE THE POTENTIAL FEES OF ABOUT 250 TO $300 PER ACCOUNT PER YEAR OF ADMINISTRATION.
THIS INCLUDES LEAN COSTS, BUT MOSTLY IT WOULD BE THE REVIEW OF APPLICATION MATERIAL, STAFF TIME, THAT SORT OF THING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO COVER, WHICH MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE OUR OWN PROGRAM.
UH, SO THAT WAS THE, THE ORIGINAL, UM, MARCHING ORDERS THAT WE WERE GIVEN BY COUNCIL.
BUT TO KIND OF COVER THE, THE STATE PROGRAM A LITTLE MORE THOROUGHLY, UM, THERE, WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE FOR THIS STATE PROGRAM, WHICH IS MANAGED BY THE STATE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE.
UM, THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE NOW AS A LINK, BUT IT'S WWW.SC.CA.GOV FORD SLASH A R DT A X UNDERSCORE P R O P UNDERSCORE T A X UNDERSCORE POSTPONEMENT DOT HTML.
OR PEOPLE CAN GO ONTO WWW.SC.CA.GOV AND DO A SEARCH FOR POSTPONEMENT.
THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO FIND IT.
UM, AGAIN, SO THIS IS ADMINISTERED BY THE STATE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, AND IT'S BEEN MAKING POSTPONEMENTS SINCE 2017.
NOW, UH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY A DEFERRED LOAN PROGRAM WHERE THE STATE MAKES A FULL PAYMENT OF THE TAX BILL AND THEN PLACES A LEAN ON THE PROPERTY AND CREATES THEIR OWN ACCOUNT WITH SIMPLE INTEREST ADDED ANNUALLY.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE HAS REPORTED THAT THEY HAVE $10 MILLION AVAILABLE TO ELIGIBLE PROPERTY OWNERS.
UH, THE APPLICATION PERIOD ACTUALLY STARTS NEXT WEEK, OCTOBER 1ST THROUGH FEBRUARY 10TH.
AND THEY GENERALLY SEND APPROVAL OR DENIAL NOTICES WITHIN SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS, UM, UPON RECEIPT OF AN APPLICATION AND IF THE APPLICATION IS APPROVED.
UM, BUT PROPERTY TAXES ARE ALREADY PAID SINCE THE FIRST PAYMENT IS GENERALLY NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER.
UM, THE STATE WILL ACTUALLY PAY THE COUNTY AND A FULL REFUND WILL BE MADE BY THE COUNTY TO THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR THOSE PREVIOUSLY PAID TAXES.
UH, AND CURRENTLY THE PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY SELF-FUNDED BY THE STATE, UM, THROUGH REPAYMENTS OF THE EXISTING PDP LOANS.
AND APPROXIMATELY 1300 TO 1500 ANNUAL APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED, AND OVER 1100 HAVE BEEN APPROVED IN EACH OF THE LAST TWO YEARS.
UM, AND THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY FUNDING SHORTAGES, UM, SINCE THE 2017 INCEPTION.
UM, SO AS FAR AS ELIGIBILITY GOES, THE STATE PTP A PROPERTY OWNER MUST BE AT LEAST 62, UM, BLIND OR HAVE A DISABILITY OWN AND OCCUPY THE HOME AS THEIR
[01:40:01]
PRIMARY RESIDENTS HAVE A TOTAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME, INCLUDING ANY OTHER OWNER, UM, OF $45,810 OR LESS, HAVE AT LEAST 40% EQUITY IN THE PROPERTY, HAVE NO REVERSE MORTGAGE ON THE PROPERTY, AND THEY, THE STATE WILL NOT COVER ANY DELINQUENT OR DEFAULTED TAXES.BUT IF PREVIOUS DELINQUENT OR DEFAULTED TAXES ARE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, THEY STILL MAY QUALIFY FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.
UM, THE STATE PTP ALLOWS FOR PARTIAL PAYMENTS OR FULL PAYMENT OF THE ENTIRE BALANCE AND REQUIRES FULL PAYMENT WITH THE INTEREST, UH, UPON, UM, AN OWNER MOVING FROM THE PROPERTY SELLING OR CONVEYING TITLE TO THE PROPERTY.
UH, IF AN OWNER PASSES AWAY AND DOESN'T HAVE A SPOUSE REGISTERED DOMESTIC PARTNER OR OTHER QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL WHO CONTINUES TO RESIDE AT THE PROPERTY.
UM, AND THEN, UH, YOU ALSO MUST MAKE FULL PAYMENT IF YOU HAVE FUTURE PROPERTY TAXES OR OTHER SENIOR LIENS THAT BECOME DELINQUENT OR IF THERE'S A REFINANCE OR A REVERSE MORTGAGE FOR THE PROPERTY THAT'S CREATED.
SO AS FAR AS LIMITATIONS GO WITH ANY POTENTIAL, UM, PROGRAM THE CITY WOULD DO FOR STRICTLY THE, UM, SEWER, ANNUAL SEWER COSTS, UH, THE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THE STAFF ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ARE ESTIMATED TO MOVE ABOUT $250 TO $300 FOR EACH APPLICATION, WHICH WOULD REALLY ONLY COVER ABOUT FIVE TO $800 OF ANNUAL SEWER COSTS, WHICH MAKES IT PRETTY COST PROHIBITIVE AS A PROGRAM TO BENEFIT, UM, SENIORS AND THOSE WITH A QUALIFYING DISABILITY.
UM, ALSO THE PROGRAM WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SUBSIDIZED BY THE WASTEWATER FUND DUE TO PROP 18 RESTRICTIONS, WHERE A PROGRAM WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE AVAILABLE TO ALL RATE PAYERS AND NOT THIS SPECIFIC SUBSET.
UM, HOWEVER, WE COULD ACTUALLY CREATE A GENERAL FUND ACCOUNT IF, UH, COUNCIL DECIDES TO SET THAT UP WHERE WE COULD REIMBURSE, UM, THE ACTUAL PROGRAM FOR THE ADMINISTRATION COSTS AND JUST, UM, DO A 5% INTEREST OR HOWEVER, UM, IT MIGHT BE SET UP.
UM, AND THEN THROUGH THIS GENERAL FUND ACCOUNT, THE ADMINISTRATION COSTS WOULD BE REIMBURSED.
WE WOULD TRACK EACH OF THE POSTPONED AND INTEREST CHARGES, AND THEN ALL PAYMENTS WOULD BE APPLIED.
UM, EVERY YEAR THE ANNUAL SEWER CHARGES THAT WOULD BE POSTPONED WOULD BE, UM, COVERED BY THIS GENERAL ACCOUNT INTO THE WASTEWATER ACCOUNT SO THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS HAVE, UM, THE WASTEWATER ACCOUNT BROUGHT TO, TO FULL.
UH, IF A PROGRAM WERE TO BE SET UP, THE CITY COULD ALSO DECIDE TO DO A, UM, MUCH QUICKER APPLICATION PERIOD IF WE JUST ALLOWED, UM, THOSE RESIDENTS WHO MET THE STATE REQUIREMENTS, UM, AND WERE SHOWN BY, BY THE STATE THAT THEY WERE ELIGIBLE, BUT THE STATE NO LONGER HAD MONEY, WE COULD TAKE THAT LETTER AS PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY AND THEN THROUGH OUR OWN PROGRAM AT LEAST OFFSET THE, THE SEWER CHARGES.
UM, BUT THERE IS A TIMING ISSUE FOR OUR PROGRAM.
EACH YEAR WE ASSESS THE ANNUAL SEWER CHARGES IN AUGUST, BUT THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT START APPLICATION PERIOD UNTIL OCTOBER.
SO BY THE TIME WE MIGHT OFFSET THE SEWER CHARGES, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO APPLY TO THE STATE MONTHS LATER AND GET THE ENTIRE BILL COVERED.
SO, WHICH WOULD'VE INCLUDED THE, THE SEWER CHARGES.
SO THAT'S WHY THE, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS TO PROMOTE THE STATE PROGRAM, WHICH DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WELL KNOWN, UM, WITH ONLY 1100 APPLICATIONS, UM, OR 1300 TO 1500 APPLICATIONS PER YEAR THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE.
UH, IT, IT DEFINITELY DOESN'T, IT SEEMS
[01:45:01]
TO BE A UNTAPPED RESOURCE, AND I THINK WE WOULD HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS THAT WOULD BE VERY, UM, HAPPY TO RECEIVE THESE FUNDS.SO, UM, YEAH, THERE'S, WITH THIS REPORT, THERE'S NO CURRENT FISCAL IMPACT, BUT, UH, THERE DEFINITELY WOULD BE SOME NEED TO LOOK INTO A GENERAL FUND TO COUNT IF WE WERE TO PROCEED WITH ANY, UM, PROPOSAL OF OUR OWN.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TO RESIDENTS FOR GOING TO THIS PROGRAM? UH, THE BENEFIT IS THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO POSTPONE THIS TAX BILL UNTIL WHAT THE TIME THAT THEY WOULD SELL A PROPERTY OR BASICALLY OFFSET THESE FUNDS WITH THAT PROPERTY SALE.
SO THEY HAVE, THEY FREE UP THE MONEY THAT THEY HAVE DURING THE YEAR NOW THAT THEY NEED, AND THEN IN THE FUTURE WHEN THEY ACTUALLY ARE GOING TO SELL THE PROPERTY AND HAVE THAT MONEY TO PAY THE PAST TAX BILLS, IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S MUCH LESS OF AN IMPACT.
AND SO, UM, I WROTE THIS QUESTION BEGINNING IN THE BEGINNING OF YOUR PRESENTATION AND I THINK YOU ANSWERED IT.
SO THIS IS STRICTLY A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO NOT OPT IN NOW, BUT MAYBE IN FIVE YEARS THINGS KIND OF CHANGED, MAYBE THEIR SITUATION AT HOME, CHANGED MONEY, DECREASED, WHATEVER.
UM, BUT THEY KNOW THEY HAVE THE EQUITY IN THE HOME, SO THEY WOULD, THEY COULD ALWAYS OPT IN LATER.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT IF THE STATE RAN OUT OF MONEY THAT UH, IF THEY HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE STATE MEETING THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, UM, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO USE OUR MONEY.
HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE FOR SEWER CHARGE POSTPONEMENT? WE DON'T KNOW.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SET UP THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND.
SO RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THAT PROGRAM.
AND, UM, EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE, IN YOU TALKED TO ABOUT INTEREST, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THAT MEANS? RIGHT, SO THE, THE STATE PROGRAM IS BASICALLY A DEFERRED, UM, DEFERRED LOAN.
UH, AND THE, THEY BASICALLY COVER THE ENTIRE TAX BILL.
THEY SET THAT AMOUNT ASIDE IN AN ACCOUNT, UM, OR AT LEAST THE BALANCE DUE.
AND THEN EVERY YEAR UNTIL IT'S PAID OFF, THEY JUST ADD A SIMPLE, UH, 5% ANNUAL INTEREST CHARGE SO THAT WHEN THE ENTIRE BALANCE IS PAID OFF, THERE'S STILL A LITTLE INTEREST THAT THE STATE GETS BACK SORT OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE TYPE DEAL.
UM, BUT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT'S AN EXTREMELY LOW PERCENTAGE OF HOMEOWNERS WITHIN CALIFORNIA THAT ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.
MR. MR. KENDRICK, I BLAKE DOESN'T KNOW THIS, BUT I ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS THEY HAVE AVAILABLE AND I KIND OF EXTRAPOLATED WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IN ALGON? AND IF, ASSUMING WE ARE THE SAME AS THE REST OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WE'D HAVE ABOUT 4.5 HOMEOWNERS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM.
I THINK TO BLAKE'S POINT, IF WE WERE TO PROMOTE THIS, COUNT THE STATE'S EXISTING PROGRAM AND DOUBLE THAT, THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY BIG WIN.
UH, THANKS FOR THE REPORT, BLAKE.
APPRECIATE, UM, ALL YOUR WORK ON IT.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, I THINK WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS TO STAFF, WE WERE OPERATING UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT MAYBE OUR, UH, SEWER WATER CHARGES WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE STATE PROGRAM.
WE FIND OUT IT IS COVERED BY THE STATE PROGRAM.
SO TO CREATE OUR OWN PROGRAM WOULD BE A REDUNDANCY NOT NEEDED.
SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK IT'S THE REC I WOULD AGREE WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION IN PROMOTING THIS, UH, TAX PROPERTY TAX POSTPONEMENT PROGRAM.
IF WE RUN INTO ANY ONE ANECDOTALLY LOOKING FOR HELP, OR I DON'T KNOW, DO WE GET THE PROP PROPERTY TAX BILLS THAT WE COULD PUT A LITTLE FLYER IN THERE? YEAH, WE, WE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT WHEN WE DO OUR PROPERTY TAX OR OUR, OUR SALES TAX NOTE OR SALES TAX, OUR SEWER BILL NOTICING.
YEAH, WE'LL PUT THAT IN THERE.
AND THEN YAMA, I WERE JUST TALKING RECENTLY THAT INCLUDING IN THE EDCO NEWSLETTER.
THAT'S ANOTHER, THAT'S ANOTHER PLACE.
SO, UH, WE'LL HIT IT IN OUR CITY NEWSLETTER AND ALSO SOCIAL MEDIA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DIGGING INTO THAT, BLAKE.
[01:50:02]
ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.ANGELA, ANY SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS? NO SPEAKERS, SIR.
UM, WE ONLY NEED DIRECTION ON THIS SIDE AND THE MOTIONS REQUIRED IF ANYBODY HAS ANY THOUGHTS.
WELL, UH, I USED TO BE THE GUY FROM THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE THAT WOULD GO OUT TO THE MOBILE HOME CO-OPS AND EXPLAIN THIS PROGRAM, AND WE STILL DIDN'T GET VERY MANY PEOPLE THAT, UH, WOULD APPLY FOR IT.
BUT AS COUNCIL MEMBER ORTIZ SAID THIS, THIS IS, UH, JUST DUPLICATING A PROGRAM THAT ALREADY EXISTS AND IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
AND THEY DID RUN OUTTA MONEY IN ABOUT 2009 AND THEY STOPPED IT CUZ I DID THIS IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
BUT DURING THE GREAT RECESSION, HOPEFULLY WE'LL NEVER HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAIN.
BUT WHEN THE STATE RUNS OUTTA MONEY, USUALLY WE RUN OUTTA MONEY.
SO, AND I, I THINK THE OVERHEAD WOULDN'T JUSTIFY HELPING OUT, YOU KNOW, FIVE PEOPLE OR MAYBE DOUBLE THE, THE CALIFORNIA RATE 10 PEOPLE.
SO, AND IT'S, IT'S STILL THERE WITH THE STATE.
IT DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO AND IT'S EASY.
SO I, I THINK WE JUST PASS THIS ONE ON BY.
ANYBODY OPPOS TO THAT? YOU TAKE THAT AS DIRECTION.
THERE ARE NO JOINT COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS.
OH, SORRY, I THINK I MISSED SOMETHING HERE.
UM, THERE ARE NO COMMISSION REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
[14. ACTIVITIES REPORTS/COMMENTS OF COUNCILMEMBERS:]
IS MY ACTIVITIES REPORT[13. ACTIVITIES REPORTS/COMMENTS OF MAYOR WELLS SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments) Board of Directors; SANDAG – Audit Committee, San Diego Division; LAFCO.]
AS, AS REPORTED COUNCIL MEMBER GLOBAL[15. COUNCILMEMBER STEVE GOBLE MTS (Metropolitan Transit System Board); East County Advanced Water Purification Joint Powers Authority Board; Chamber of Commerce – Government Affairs Committee; SANDAG – Board of Directors – Alternate; SANDAG Public Safety Committee – Alternate.]
AS REPORTED.AND THE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS OPEN HOUSE WAS A GREAT DAY TO LEARN ABOUT ALL SORTS OF NEW THINGS.
SO, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THAT DEPARTMENT COUNCIL MEMBER METRO AS REPORTED AND PUBLIC WORKS.
AGAIN, UH, GIVE THEM KUDOS TO COUNCIL MEMBER ORTIZ,
[18. COUNCILMEMBER PHIL ORTIZ League of California Cities, San Diego Division; East County Economic Development Council; MTS (Metropolitan Transit System Board) – Alternate; East County Advanced Water Purification Joint Powers Authority Board – Alternate; Chamber of Commerce – Government Affairs Committee – Alternate.]
UH, AS REPORTED, AND I JUST ONE NOTE, I ATTENDED THE SAN T CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UM, LAST WEDNESDAY.THEY APPROVED THE PITA RANCH HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO NOTE FOR ELCO AND RESIDENTS THAT PART OF THE STIPULATION OF THE PROJECT IS THAT BEFORE, UH, ONE UNIT IS LEASED OR SOLD ON THAT WHOLE DEVELOPMENT, UM, THE DEVELOPER HAS COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THE 52 FREEWAY, UM, FROM SANTO ROAD DOWN TO WHEREVER THE BRIDGES ARE.
I'M FORGETTING THE EXIT FAST MAED.
UM, SO THOSE TWO LANES GOING TO THREE OVER THE BRIDGE, WHICH IS A HUGE BENEFIT TO ELK CONE RESIDENCE AS WELL MYSELF, BECAUSE I SIT IN TRAFFIC
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL GET THROUGH ALL OF THE, UH, HOOPS THAT NEED TO GET DONE THROUGH CALTRANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT, UM, THERE IS HOPE FOR EXPANDING THE 52 COUNCIL MEMBER KENDRICK AS REPORTING.
[19. Closed Session - Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation - Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to subdivision (b) of Government Code section 54956.9: One (1) potential case - Facts and circumstances: In response to warnings issued to seven (7) motels that they are violating the City’s zoning code by exceeding the maximum amount of accessory use by establishing emergency shelters in their facilities through the use of County of San Diego motel vouchers, the State of California Department of Justice, Office of Attorney General, has notified the City that such actions violate the State’s Fair Employment and Housing Act]
CLOSED SESSION.THE CITY ATTORNEY WILL RECITE THE TITLE AND LEAD US IN THE CLOSED SESSION.
SIR, UH, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER FOR THIS ITEM.
OH, I'M SORRY FOR, UH, A CLOSED SESSION.
I SWEAT IT CAUSE THIS IS MORE ABOUT, UH, WHAT I UNDERSTAND TO BE THE LEGAL MATTER.
UM, SO, UM, WHEN I READ THIS IN THE AGENDA, ADDENDUM OR REPUBLISHING LAST FRIDAY, I, I TOOK GREAT NOTICE OF IT AS I'M SURE MANY IN THE PUBLIC DID AS IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE AGS OFFICE WAS TAKING AN INTEREST IN THE MATTER.
UM, I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE ACTIONS, UM, TAKEN OF THE, THE ZONING CODE ENFORCEMENT.
I DON'T THINK IT, I THINK IT RAN AFOUL OF THIS STATE'S, UH, FAIR HOUSING AND APPOINTMENT, UM, LAW AND SPECIFICALLY AS COUNCIL MEMBER GOLDWELL NOTED, UH, THE SOURCE OF INCOME.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL IN ITS DELIBERATIONS, ENC CLOSED SESSION, UH, TO DIRECT STAFF TO, UH, CEASE ISSUING SIMILAR NOTICES, UM, AND TO PUBLICLY, UH, STATE THAT THOSE NOTICES HAVE BEEN RESCINDED.
UH, MAYBE THEY'VE DONE THAT AND I'VE MISSED IT, BUT THAT WAS ALL, I THINK THAT'S ALSO APPROPRIATE TO LIMIT THE CITY'S LEGAL LIABILITY AND POTENTIAL FINANCIAL CULPABILITY BECAUSE OF THAT.
UM, AND AND MORE BROADLY, I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW AS WELL, UH, TO WHAT EXTENT, IF AT ALL THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WAS INVOLVED IN THE REVIEW OF, UM, THE DETERMINATION TO MAKE THAT ACTION, THE CONTENT OF THOSE NOTICES, UM, AND WHAT THE ADVICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WAS IN THAT REGARD AS WELL.
[01:55:01]
COUNCIL IS GOING TO RECESS TO CLOSE SESSION ON ONE ITEM OF, UM, WE WOULD REFER TO AS ANTICIPATE LITIGATION SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE LITIGATION PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION B OF GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 0.91 CASE.THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES ARE IN RESPONSE TO WARNINGS ISSUED TO SEVEN MOTELS, THAT THEY ARE VIOLATING CITY ZONING CODE BY EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF ACCESSORY USE BY ESTABLISHING EMERGENCY SHELTERS IN THEIR FACILITIES.
THROUGH THE USE OF COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO MOTEL VOUCHERS, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS NOTIFIED THE CITY THAT SUCH ACTIONS VIOLATE THE STATE'S FAIR EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING ACT.
ALL RIGHT, MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE CLOSE SESSION.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
LISTEN, JIM WILL BE BACK IN A FEW MINUTES, RIGHT, LIZ JIMMO.
I WILL HAND IT OVER TO THE ATTORNEY, THE REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION.
THE CITY COUNCILMAN, CLOSED SESSION FOR AN ITEM ANTICIPATED LITIGATION AS DESCRIBED IN THE CITY, UH, IN THE AGENDA, UH, DIRECTION WAS GIVEN TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
THIS BRINGS US TO ADJOURNMENT, THE ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEANING OF THE CAJON CITY COUNCIL.
CAJON HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY.
HELD THIS 27TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2022 IS ADJOURNED UNTIL TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 2022 AT 3:00 PM.