Jan 24, 2023 City Council Meeting 3pm

CLERK POSTED ORDERS OF ADJOURNMENT OF THE JANUARY 10TH, 2023 MEETING AND THE AGENDA OF THE JANUARY 24TH, 2023 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY POLICY.

THE CITY

[ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the January 10, 2023, Meeting and the Agenda of the January 24, 2023, Meetings in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.]

WE HAVE TWO

[ PRESENTATIONS: Fire Chief Bent Koch Teddy the ECPD Wellness Dog]

PRESENTATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

THE CITY MANAGER WILL TELL US ABOUT THE FIRST PRESENTATION, PRESENTATION FOR, UH, CHIEF CO.

IS CHIEF CO HERE? THERE HE IS.

CHIEF CO.

COME ON DOWN.

SO, UM, BEN CO HAS BEEN A DIVISION CHIEF FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, HEARTLAND FIRE AND RESCUE FOR THE LAST HOW MANY YEARS? BENT LAST FOUR YEARS.

AND, UH, AS CHIEF SWEENEY RETIRED, THE CITY MANAGERS THAT REPRESENT HEARTLAND FIRE GOT TOGETHER AND, UH, WE DID AN INTERVIEW WITH CHIEF CO.

AND WE WERE IMPRESSED WITH HIM BEFORE, BUT AFTER TALKING TO HIM, WE'RE EVEN MORE IMPRESSED IN, IN, FROM THAT INTERVIEW, WE, WE OFFERED HIM THE, THE CHIEF JOB.

TYPICALLY YOU'RE USED TO SWEARING IN FIRE CHIEFS, BUT, UH, CHIEF CO ACTUALLY IS AN EMPLOYEE FOR THE CITY OF LA MESA, AS YOU RECALL.

WE ROTATE THOSE AROUND.

SO, UM, HE HAD HIS OFFICIAL SWEARING IN AT THE CITY OF LA MESA CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

BUT I WANTED TO PRESENT HIM HERE TODAY.

UH, I, I'M JUST GONNA SAY ONE THING ABOUT HIM.

I'LL, THEN, I'LL LET HIM SAY A FEW THINGS.

WHEN, WHEN I WENT ON A, A VISIT, UH, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND I DID SOMETHING CALLED THE VALUE AND CULTURES TOUR, WHERE WE WENT AND TALKED TO SMALL GROUPS OF CITY EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.

WE TALKED TO EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE IN GROUPS OF ABOUT 10.

AND AS WE MADE OUR ROUNDS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I, I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW'S IT GOING WITH, WITH UPPER MANAGEMENT? RIGHT? AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, I HEARD OUR FIRE STAFF SO GRATEFUL FOR CHIEFS COS AND HIS COMMUNICATION AND JUST BEING RECEPTIVE AND WANTING TO HEAR WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE AND COMMUNICATING BACK AND MAKING SURE EVERYONE IS IN THE, IN THE KNOW.

AND I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S AN IMPORTANT VALUE THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITH OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM, AND HE FITS IN WELL WITH OUR TEAM.

SO, WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO FORMALLY INTRODUCE CHIEF CO TO THE, NOT ONLY THE COUNCIL, BUT ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO, THANK YOU, CHIEF.

ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY I AM EXTREMELY HUMBLED AND HONORED AND TO BE TRUSTED WITH THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR CITIZENS, AND, UH, LIVES ON MEN AND WOMEN ON HARLAND PINE RESCUE.

FIRST, AND I HAVE TO TELL THE PUBLIC THAT A, A LONG TIME AGO, BEFORE I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL, CHIEF AND I WERE IN THE SAME LEADERSHIP CLASS THROUGH THE EAST COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AND ONCE A MONTH FOR ABOUT A YEAR, WE'D GET TOGETHER AND WE WOULD GO AROUND AND LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF EAST COUNTY VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.

I THINK WE ACTUALLY HAD TO PAY IN ORDER TO GO THROUGH IT.

AND I GOT TO KNOW HIM VERY, VERY WELL, AND HE GOT TO KNOW ME.

THIS WAS BEFORE, I GUESS WE HIT THE BIG LEAGUES UP HERE, .

BUT, UH, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR, I MEAN, THE FACT THAT YOU DID THAT PROGRAM VOLUNTARILY TO GET TO KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY, UM, ON TOP OF ALL YOUR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES SHOWS, UH, YOUR CHARACTER AND YOUR TYPE OF DEDICATION TO THIS COMMUNITY, JUST EAST COUNTY AS A WHOLE.

SO, UH, I, I THINK, UH, EXCELLENT JOB CHOOSING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD FOR YOU, UH, TO TAKE THE HELM AS YOU ALREADY HAVE AND, AND, UH, CONTINUE TO LEAD OUR DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANYBODY ELSE? JUST WELCOME, CHIEF.

MAYOR WELLS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT TEDDY, THE E C P D WELLNESS DOG.

AND I THINK SERGEANT MURPHY'S HERE TO TELL US ABOUT TEDDY

[00:05:08]

IT HAS BEEN A YEAR SINCE TEDDY HAS FIRST CAME TO THE ELCON POLICE DEPARTMENT AS PART OF OUR WELLNESS UNIT.

SINCE THAT TIME, TEDDY HAS WORKED OVER A THOUSAND HOURS PROVIDING COMFORT, NOT ONLY TO OUR EMPLOYEES AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT AT CITY HALL PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS.

TEDDY HAS PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO THE INVESTIGATORS BY SITTING ON INTERVIEWS.

MOST NOTABLY, DURING A DA INTERVIEW OF AN AUTISTIC CHILD WHO WAS A VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, HE SAT WITH THE CHILD FOR OVER AN HOUR, NEVER MOVING.

WHILE SHE PROVIDED HER STATEMENT, THE DA WHO HAD SPOKEN TO THIS VICTIM PREVIOUSLY COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW TEDDY HAD MADE HER CALM AND HOW SHE WAS ABLE TO ARTICULATE WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER.

NONE OF THIS THOUGH WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF TEDDY'S OWN OWNER.

PATRICIA DIPSEY, WHO'S HERE TODAY, FOUNDER OF LOVE HEALS CANINE PARTNERS.

LAST YEAR I WAS APPROACHED BY ECP D STAFF MEMBERS ASKING HOW WE COULD GET A DOG LIKE THE FIRE STATIONS.

YES, ONCE AGAIN, WE WERE TRYING TO BE LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ONLY HAVING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT POLICE DOGS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM BITE.

I STARTED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ABOUT, UH, FACILITY DOGS.

THROUGH THAT RESEARCH, I MET PATRICIA THROUGH MY WIFE'S COWORKER, AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH PATRICIA A FEW TIMES ON THE PHONE, SHE PROPOSED THE PERFECT DEAL FOR US IN OUR CITY.

SHE HAD TEDDY WHO WAS TRAINED AND INSURED, AND A FACILITY DOG THAT NEEDED TO WORK.

PATRICIA WANTED TO DONATE HIS SERVICES TO US FREE OF CHARGE.

A DOG LIKE TEDDY COULD COST IN EXCESS OF $20,000 TO TRAIN, NOT TO COUNT YEARLY VET FEES, FOOD, INSURANCE, AND OTHER MAINTENANCE ITEMS. SO I PROPOSED THIS TO CHIEF MOLTEN, WHO QUICKLY APPROVED THE USE OF TEDDY, AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

HE HAS BECOME A PART OF THE ELCON FAMILY, AND WE JUST WANTED TO THANK AND RECOGNIZE PATRICIA FOR SUPPORT TO THE CITY AND OUR DEPARTMENT.

SO, AND SHE'S HERE TODAY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.

THANK YOU, PATRICIA.

IT'S REALLY NICE YOU TO, TO LET, LET US USE THE DOG LIKE THAT.

I'M SURE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REALLY APPRECIATES THAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.

Y YOU KNOW, DOGS, THEY REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING, DON'T THEY? , HOW NEAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AGENDA CHANGES.

STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA CHANGES? NO, SIR.

HOW ABOUT COUNSEL? ALL

[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.]

RIGHT.

CONSENT ITEMS. NOW.

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.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WANNA PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? I DON'T NEED TO PULL, BUT I'LL JUST MAKE A COMMENT ON NUMBER FIVE WHEN THE TIME COMES.

UH, STAFF, DO YOU WANNA PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? NO, SIR.

GO AHEAD, STEVE.

YOU KNOW, UH, NUMBER FIVE, THE STAFF REPORT REALLY TOLD A A MUCH BETTER STORY THAT, UH, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ROUTINELY HAS A SCHEDULE OF, OF, UH, CAMERA, UH, INSPECTING OUR SEWER SYSTEM.

AND THROUGH THAT REGULAR PROGRAM, THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND TWO, UH, LOCATIONS IN WHICH THERE WAS SOME KIND OF BREAK OR LEAK IN THE PIPE.

AND THE, UH, THERE WAS A MOISTURE IN THE DIRT AROUND THE PIPE.

AND SO AS A RESULT, UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY IDENTIFY THESE TWO BREAKS IN THE SEWAGE BEFORE THEY BECAME SINK HOLES, WHICH WOULD BE THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP IN SEWAGE, JUST GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE GROUND AND NOT IN THROUGH THE PIPE.

SO, UH, THE FACT THAT IT ONLY ONLY COSTS US $80,000 TO REPAIR PROBABLY COULD HAVE BEEN A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE HAD THERE BEEN A SINKHOLE.

SO, UH, THE TAXPAYERS SHOULD KNOW OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS REALLY ON THE BALL ON THIS PUBLIC, UH, SEWER IN INSPECTION PROGRAM.

BOY, PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE IS SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN FIXING A PROBLEM.

THANK YOU, STEVE.

GOOD.

SO I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

UH, ITEMS SECOND.

ALL RIGHT, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.

YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T ASK YOU, JEN, DID WE HAVE ANY, UH, COMMENT CARDS FOR OUR ITEMS? NO COMMENT.

CARDS WERE RECEIVED FOR THIS.

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.

UH, WE'RE NOW AT PUBLIC COMMENT.

[ 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.]

COMMENTS RELATING TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ARE TO BE TAKEN AT THE TIME OF THE END IS HEARD.

STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION

[00:10:01]

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.

JEN, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD FROM KEVIN KLEIN.

YOU CAN COME UP TO JAVIER SPEAK.

NICE TO MEET YOU ALL.

UM, MY NAME'S KEVIN.

I DON'T THINK I NEED TO SPEAK INTO THAT, CUZ I'M, I'M SURE YOU ALLOWED TO SPEAK, ACTUALLY, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SPEAKING INTO IT.

WE WE'RE ACTUALLY ON TV AND OKAY.

HOW'S THAT? I'LL TRY TO TONE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, PROBABLY GOOD ENOUGH.

YEAH, THANKS O OKAY.

UM, MY, MY CONCERN IS, UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'M KEVIN KLEIN.

I'VE LIVED IN EL CAJON FOR 32 YEARS OR MORE.

I'VE OWNED MY HOUSE FOR 31.

I LIVE OVER OFF OF BRADLEY AND WOODBURN NEXT TO THE CHARTER SCHOOL RIGHT THERE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE COME TO DISCUSS.

UM, THE, THE, THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 2001.

IT'S BEEN, IT'S A GREAT SCHOOL FOR WHAT I'VE READ AND WHAT I, MY KIDS NEVER WENT THERE, BUT I RAISED THREE CHILDREN THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN EL CAJON.

SO I HAVE A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE ON IT.

UM, WHAT I'M HERE TO REALLY SPEAK ABOUT IS THE SAFETY OF THOSE CHILDREN, OKAY.

AND THE PEOPLE AROUND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

BRADLEY IS A 35 MILE AN HOUR STREET.

UH, THE CARS HAVE TO STAND IN LINE TO GO PICK UP THEIR CHILDREN.

THEY LIKE TO USE WOODBURN AND PEPPER VILLA AS DROP OFF AND PICKUP POINTS, WHICH IS VERY UNSAFE.

UH, CARS HAVE TO PASS ON THE RIGHT TO GET AROUND THESE CARS, AND IT'S REALLY NOT A SAFE THING TO DO.

WE CAN'T GET IN OR OUT OF OUR STREETS.

AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAYS WHEN THE, THE SCHOOL IS PICKING UP AND LETTING OFF AND BACK IN 2001 AND WHEN THIS SCHOOL STARTED, IT LITERALLY WAS A SCHOOL FOR MAYBE 300 KIDS.

AND THEN THEY'VE EXPANDED, THEY'VE GOT MORE BUILDINGS, THEY'VE GOTTEN BIGGER.

SO I'M, I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK INTO MAYBE 25 MILE AN HOUR SPEED ZONES NOW, AND KEEPING OUR STREETS CLEAR SO WE CAN GET IN AND OUT OF OUR STREETS AND NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE 30 MINUTES FOR THE TRAFFIC TO CLEAR IT.

IT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR TO US.

AND I PAY A LOT OF TAXES.

I PAID A LOT OF TAXES IN THIS CITY, AND, AND I'M JUST BEGGING THAT BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN EVEN CONFRONTATIONS WITH SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS, MYSELF INCLUDED, THAT PEOPLE PARKING IN OUR DRIVEWAY, WE CAN'T GET IN OR OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY BECAUSE THEY'RE DROPPING OFF OR PICKING UP THEIR CHILDREN.

SO, SO AGAIN, IT'S JUST NOT SAFE.

AND, AND I'VE MADE THAT, OR I'VE ASKED THAT PRINCIPAL, AND I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS TO, YOU KNOW, LOOK INTO, THEY, THEY WERE LETTING THE KIDS JUST WALK ON THEIR OWN HOME AND I MADE THEM, NO, THAT'S, IT WASN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE THAT TYPE OF SCHOOL IN THE BEGINNING.

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, YOU DROP YOUR KID OFF, YOU PICK 'EM UP INSIDE THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.

NOW IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME.

SO I'M LOOKING AT, AND I'M, I'M, I'M BEGGING YOU GUYS BEFORE A KID GETS HURT OR EVEN KILLED, THAT WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT.

LET ME SEE IF THERE'S, UM, ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU? NO.

UM, GRAHAM, DO YOU THINK THAT, UH, WE CAN WORK WITH THE SCHOOL TO TRY TO DEVELOP A, A SAFETY PLAN THAT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD? CERTAINLY WE CAN ANALYZE IT.

WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST.

I KNOW WITH CHASE ELEMENTARY THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND WE LOOKED AT IT AND OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERS SUGGESTED A DIFFERENT ROUTE FOR PICKUP AND DROP OFF.

AND IT SEEMS TO BE DOING BETTER.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE RESIDENT BRINGS UP IS, IS FRANKLY ONE THAT EXISTS IN EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY IN EVERY CITY IN THE UNITED STATES.

BECAUSE EVERY SCHOOL THAT IS DESIGNED, UH, AT LEAST MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO, WHICH IS EVERY SCHOOL IN OUR, IN OUR CITY, WAS DESIGNED WITH THE THOUGHT THAT 90% OF THE KIDS WOULD BE WALKING TO SCHOOL.

AND AS WE KNOW, 90% OF THE KIDS ARE NOW DROPPED OFF IN A CAR TO SCHOOL.

AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S A HIGH SCHOOL IN, UM, IN, UH, CHULA VISTA OR IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN EL CAJON, EVERY COMMUNITY IS FACING THIS AS AN ISSUE.

WE'LL, UH, SO BEING EFFICIENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT IT FROM A TRAFFIC ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE.

WE'LL LOOK AT SOME FOR SOME SAFETY OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.

WE'LL WORK WITH THE SCHOOL AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE.

EXCUSE ME.

I I AM FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

I LIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM YOU.

SO I LIVE RIGHT OFF MOLLISON AND I DO SEE THAT, AND I AM SENSITIVE TO THE ISSUE BECAUSE, UM, WE CAN'T GET OUT OF OUR CUL-DE-SAC ON MOLLISON, UM, DURING

[00:15:01]

THOSE TIMES.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED ANY HELP IN, IN GETTING, UM, THE ISSUE RESOLVED.

AND I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME OUT AND TALK TO SOMEONE IF THEY NEED TO.

BUT I AM AWARE OF THAT SITUATION AND I HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT LIVE ON BRADLEY RIGHT THERE, UM, CADDY CORNER FROM THE SCHOOL.

IF THERE WASN'T A BACK WAY INTO OUR PROPERTY, WE COULDN'T EVEN GET INTO OUR PROPERTY.

RIGHT.

SO, AND I KNOW IT'S VERY LIMITED RIGHT THERE BECAUSE YOU HAVE PEPPER AND YOU HAVE FIRST, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, NOTHING GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

UM, SO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU NEED SOME ADDITIONAL HELP.

WELL, I'M ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE PEOPLE PASSING ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE CARS.

RIGHT.

THAT ARE ZOOMING DOING 30, 35.

ALLS IT TAKES IS SOMEBODY TO OPEN A DOOR ON THAT'S PARKED OVER THERE.

DONE.

THEY'RE DONE.

WELL, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY START THAT WIDENING PROJECT ON BRADLEY, HOPEFULLY, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE, THE TRAFFIC WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE REGULATED BECAUSE THERE WILL BE STOP LIGHTS THERE.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN A PROJECT WORKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

THAT IS TRUE.

IT'S BEEN FOREVER IN A DAY.

UH, AND, AND ALL I'M THINKING OF IS I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT CONTROLS THE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS THE PRINCIPAL, HAS LITERALLY BEEN THROUGH A TRAFFIC SAFETY COURSE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN HIM YELL AT PEOPLE.

SO, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOMETHING NOT GOING RIGHT.

WELL, I THINK THE CITY MANAGER WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, FACILITATE SOMETHING FOR YOU.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION.

YOU MIGHT WANNA LEAVE YOUR, UM, PHONE NUMBER WITH THE STAFF SO THEY CAN GET A HOLD OF YOU.

OF COURSE.

THANKS.

AND LISTEN, IF IT, YOU'RE WELCOME.

IF, IF THIS DOESN'T RESOLVE YOUR ISSUES, COME BACK AND VISIT US AGAIN.

I'LL, I'LL BE BACK.

ALRIGHT.

I JUST KINDA LIKE CROSS .

OH, GOOD .

HAVE SIX ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE? NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.

ALL THERE ARE NO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA, AND WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

[6. Downtown El Cajon Business Partners' Annual Report RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives the Downtown El Cajon Business Partners' annual report and financial statements and provides feedback.]

ITEM SIX IS THE DOWNTOWN EL CAJON BUSINESS PARTNERS ANNUAL REPORT.

I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY MANAGER TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM, PLEASE.

HONORABLE MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THIS ITEM IS ACTUALLY A CARRYOVER FROM DECEMBER 13TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND IT'S A PRESENTATION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DOWNTOWN EL CAJON BUSINESS PARTNERS FOR SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

BACK IN 2011, THE CITY APPROVED A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE DOWNTOWN EL CAJON BUSINESS PARTNERS TO IMPLEMENT AND MANAGE THE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH AN ASSESSMENT DISTRICT THAT PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE DOWNTOWN JURISDICTIONAL AREA PAY.

AS PART OF THAT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT, THE, THE PARTNERS ARE TO PRESENT AN ANNUAL REPORT ONCE A YEAR FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL, AND THEN ALSO ARE THERE TO PRESENT, UH, BUDGETS AND, AND AUDITS.

AND SO AT TONIGHT'S MEET, OR THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, UH, MS. KATHY ZEMAN AND STEVE FITCH FROM THE DOWNTOWN EL CAJON BUSINESS PARTNERS ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE ANNUAL PLAN AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAY HAVE ABOUT IT OR ABOUT THE, THE MOST RECENT AUDIT, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE STAFF REPORT, AS WELL AS A QUARTERLY PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENT FROM JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 2022.

SO WITH THAT, UM, I'M GONNA TURN THE TIME OVER TO MS. EMAN AND THEN, UH, AT THE END, I'LL, I'LL, UH, CONCLUDE WITH SOME REMARKS.

SO, UM, I THINK YOU'VE GOT OUR ANNUAL REPORT.

IT SHOWS THE, WHAT WE'VE DONE DURING THE, UH, THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

UM, SOME OF OUR, UM, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENTS LAST YEAR WAS GETTING A PERMANENT STAGE BUILT, UH, IN THE PROMENADE.

AND SO NOW OUR CONCERTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN THERE HAVE A, HAVE A PERMANENT STAGE.

AND, UM, THEN WE'VE CONTINUED WITH OUR CLEAN AND SAFE PROGRAM, WHICH IS DONE THROUGH E C T L C, AND WE HAVE OUR NIGHTTIME SECURITY PATROLS, WHICH ARE CONTINUING TO, UM, TRY TO KEEP PRIVATE PROPERTY CLEAR DURING THE EVENINGS.

UM, AND WE HAVE OUR CONCERTS AND CAR SHOWS, WHICH ARE OUR, UH, EVENT SEASON IS JUST STARTING TO KICK OFF.

SO OUR CAR SHOWS START ON APRIL 12TH, AND THE CONCERTS, I BELIEVE ARE THE, THE FOURTH OR FIFTH, WHICHEVER THAT FRIDAY IS THE FIRST FRIDAY OF MAY.

JEN, DID WE RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS FOR THIS ITEM? YES.

LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.

[00:20:01]

WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD FROM RICH FRALE.

BLESS SIR.

WELCOME.

BLESS YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS.

OH, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S REVIEW THE HISTORY OF THE P BID.

FIRST OF ALL, IT STARTED, UH, PRIOR TO 2011.

THAT WAS THE C D C.

AND OF COURSE, WE KNOW THE SUPREME COURT, UH, CALIFORNIA STATE SUPREME COURT SAID YOU CAN'T HAVE A C D C, SO YOU'VE GOT A P A P BID DISTRICT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED TO DO CAR SHOWS, WHICH IT WAS DOING.

AND THAT'S HOW I BECAME INVOLVED IN, UH, IN MY, UH, RELATIONSHIP WITH THE P BID.

I WAS WORKING FOR CHARGER STEVE AT THE TIME, PROVIDING A SUBCONTRACTING SERVICE FOR THE MUSIC.

SO FROM THAT POINT ON 2003, UP UNTIL ABOUT THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO, I WAS WORKING.

I KNEW, I KNEW ALL ABOUT HOW IT WAS SET UP.

NOW, WHEN THE P BID WAS FORMED, THE FIRST THING THAT I WOULD, I HAVE NOTICED ABOUT IT IS THAT WE HAVE THE SAME MEMBERSHIP, THE SAME LEADERSHIP.

THERE'S NO TERM LIMITS FOR THE, THE, UM, THE, UH, P BID.

THE REAL PROBLEM THAT I SEE WITH THAT IS THAT THEY LOOK AT IT, IT'S THEIR PRIVATE LITTLE PIGGY BANK.

FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS NO BIDDING FOR THE CAR SHOW, UH, CHARGER.

STEVE HAS GOT A LOCK ON IT.

AND AS FAR AS MIKE NOBLE GOES, HE HAS A LOCK ON PROVIDING THE ENTERTAINMENT.

NOW, THEY, THEY HELD THESE MEETINGS AND THEY'VE HAD BEEN HOLDING THESE MEETINGS FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE P BID IN VIOLATION OF THE BROWN ACT.

THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE ATTENDING.

AND THEY'RE, THEY WERE UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT IN ORDER TO BE IN INVOLVED IN THE MEETING, YOU HAD TO BE A PROPERTY OWNER IN THE DISTRICT.

I WENT THERE, I WAS, IN FACT, I RENTED SPACE IN THAT BUILDING SPECIFICALLY SO I COULD GO TO THE MEETING SO THAT I COULD ATTEMPT TO BID.

AND THE MORE I LOOKED INTO IT, THE MORE I REALIZED THIS WAS A CLOSED SHOP.

THERE IS NO OPEN BIDDING.

AND THAT THE, UH, PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO TERM LIMITS AT ALL CONTINUE TO MAKE MONEY EVERY YEAR OFF OF, OFF OF THE P BID.

THEY RENT SPACE, THEY RENT, UH, OFFICE SPACE, STORAGE SPACE.

THEY, UH, OFFSET SOME OF THEIR EMPLOYEE COSTS THAT WAY.

SO THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THEY RUN IT.

NOW, MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS THE BROWN ACT.

I WENT TO THEM, I TOLD 'EM, YOU'RE IN VIOLATION.

THEY SAID, NOPE, SORRY, WE'RE NOT.

SO I GOT A LAWYER, MY LAWYER, UH, COREY BRIGGS SAYS, OH YEAH, THEY ARE SENT 'EM A LETTER.

THEY SAID, NOPE, WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE.

WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE.

WE DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE IN VIOLATION.

WE SUED THEM.

WE HAD DEPOSITIONS.

AND IN FACT, YOUR, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS UNDER OATH, MS. SEAMAN TOLD ME THAT SHE DID NOT REVIEW THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SHE WASN'T SURE WHO PREPARED THEM.

AND IN FACT, I REALLY WONDER WHO'S RUNNING THE PB BASED ON MY DEPOSITIONS IN IT, WE HAVE SETTLED WITH THEM.

THEY HAVE AGREED THAT THE BROWN ACT DOES APPLY.

SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THEIR REPORT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

ONE, THE REPORT WAS DONE WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.

THERE IS NO REPORTS, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR WHERE THEY WERE DISCUSSING THESE ITEMS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS GOT INPUT TO IT.

NUMBER TWO, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.

WE NEED TO TAKE THE, UH, THE, UH, DOWNTOWN BUSINESSMEN ASSOCIATION, THANK THEM FOR THEIR BUSINESS AND PUT IT OUT FOR BIDS FOR OTHER NONPROFITS.

I'VE TALKED TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND IF YOU PUT UP SOME SPECIFICATIONS FOR IT, I THINK THEY WOULD DO IT.

AND I THINK THEY WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER FIT FOR RUNNING THE CD, UH, THE P BID THAN THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE.

I, UH, YOU, THE DEPOSITION ITSELF IS AN EMBARRASSMENT ABOUT HOW POORLY RUN IT IS.

BUT AT ANY RATE, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THEIR REPORT AND THAT YOU LOOK INTO WAYS TO RELIEVE THEM OF THEIR, THEIR DUTIES AND GIVE IT TO SOMEONE WHO A, HAS TERM LIMITS.

THE REAL REASON IN THIS THAT WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM IS WE HAVE THE SAME PEOPLE MAKING THE SAME DECISIONS.

AND BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THERE, THEY NEVER CHANGE.

LEMME SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

QUESTIONS.

I'M JUST, UM, YOU BRING UP THE, THE BROWN ACT.

YES.

UM, ARE YOU UNDER THE BELIEF THAT WE HAVE SOME JURISDICTION IN THAT THE BROWN ACT APPLIES TO ANY TAXING AUTHORITY? SO IF YOU HAVE TAXING I AGREE.

I I AGREE WITH YOU.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE P BID IN REGARD TO WHETHER OR NOT, OR NOT THERE VIOLATING THE BRAND ACT OR NOT.

IS IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU, SOME ACTION YOU WANTED US TO TAKE IN REGARD TO THAT? BECAUSE I NO, MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT WOULD BE AN F PPP C COMPLAINT.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS THEY HAVE SETTLED WITH, WELL, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SETTLING.

THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY HAVE VIOLATED THE BROWN ACT, AND WE ARE NOW MAKING SURE THAT THEY WILL CON, THEY WILL NO LONGER VIOLATE THE BROWN ACT.

SO IN THAT RESPECT, I, I'VE A SMALL VICTORY FOR, FOR THE PEOPLE.

SO THAT, THAT PART OF THE COMPLAINT IS NOT AN ISSUE TODAY.

THAT'S, THAT IS NOT A NO, THE ISSUE IS THE FACT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE, HAVE NOT BEEN TERMED OUT AND THAT THEY USE IT LIKE THEIR OWN PIGGY BANK AND THEY FUND THEIR FRIENDS.

THAT'S WHAT I REALLY FIND OPPRESSIVE ABOUT IT.

ALSO DON'T HAVE ANY, UH, JURISDICTION IN WHETHER OR NOT THE CDC HAS, UH, TERM LIMITS.

IT WOULD BE MY UNDERSTANDING.

[00:25:01]

TH THAT'S CORRECT.

AND I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, UH, WE SHOULDN'T CONFLATE LAWSUIT OR ANY CRITIQUES OF THE WAY THEY OPERATE WITH THE ANNUAL REPORT.

WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE ANNUAL REPORT ON ITS OWN MERIT AND DETERMINE WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING, A PLAN THAT YOU WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH.

I'M JUST KIND OF TRYING TO UNPACK THIS MO CURRENTLY, SPECIFICALLY FOR EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE, CUZ I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE IGNORING SOMETHING OR NOT DEALING WITH SOMETHING.

IT'S JUST WE LITERALLY DON'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY.

I UNDER YOU HAVE BEEN MORE THAN KIND TO ME.

YOU'VE LISTENED TO ME POLITELY AND LIKE I SAID, OF ALL THE CITY COUNCIL AND I HAVE A BEARD BEFORE A LOT OF CITY COUNCILS IN MY LIFETIME.

I LIKE THIS ONE THE BEST.

IT'S FRIENDLY.

IT'S, IT'S REAL LOOSE AND YOU GUYS REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR CITY.

SO THERE WAS THE THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THERE'S THE BROWN ACT.

THERE WAS THE, UM, TERM LIMITS.

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE OTHER, OH, NOT ACCEPTING THE REPORT.

YEAH, NO, I DON'T WANT YOU TO ACCEPT THE REPORT.

I THINK YOU SHOULD SEND IT BACK TO THEM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PREPARE THE REPORT WITH ANY INPUT FROM, FROM THE COMMUNITY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? STEVE? WHY, WHY WOULD THE PUBLIC BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE INPUT TO A FINANCIAL AUDIT? IT'S NOT A MATTER OF REQUIREMENT, IT'S A MATTER OF, UH, APPEARANCES.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY RIGHT NOW.

THEY'D MAKE THE DECISION WITHOUT PUTTING IT OUT.

I'VE BEEN TO MANY, MANY BOARDS LIKE THIS AND THEY WANT PUBLIC INPUT.

THIS AGENT, THIS PARTICULAR GROUP, I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE QUITE LIKE THIS GROUP IN THEIR, THEIR ATTEMPTS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC OUT OF THEIR MEETINGS.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ANNUAL REPORT AND THE NARRATIVE OF THE PERFORMANCE, NOT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

CORRECT.

UH, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, I'M NOT REALLY PLEASED WITH EITHER, BUT YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

I'M NOT, I DON'T MAKE A BIG ISSUE.

WE, I'M, I'M MORE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THEY'RE GONNA HANDLE THE SETTLEMENT ISSUE IN THEIR FINANCIAL REPORTS.

BUT RIGHT NOW, THE FINANCIAL REPORTS I DON'T CARE ABOUT.

I'M MORE INTERESTED IN THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT OPENING IT UP TO THE PUBLIC.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF MY INVOLVEMENT IN THIS, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE, THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT ON.

DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIR? NOT REALLY.

I'M SORRY.

I, I, I I JUST NEED A SHORT ANSWER.

DO YOU ACCEPT THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, YES OR NO? YES.

YES.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE ARE, UH, TASKED WITH DOING IS TO RECEIVE THE REPORT.

IS THAT CORRECT? OUR SCOPE IS LIMITED TO RECEIVING.

WELL, THE P BID IS ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY, BY ACTION, BY A VOTE OF THE, THE PROPERTY OWNERS.

AND THE LAW REQUIRES THAT THEY PRESENT THE REPORT ANNUALLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF EXACTLY IS APPROVAL OR JUST RECEIVE, BUT IN ANY EVENT, THIS, UH, IS A, A DAY SET FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND SAY WHETHER THEY AGREE WITH IT OR NOT.

MR. REAL HAS SAID HE DOES NOT AGREE WITH IT, AND NOW IT'S YOUR UP TO YOU WHETHER YOU WILL ACCEPT IT.

THAT, THAT, THAT'S OKAY.

I MEAN, THAT, YOU'RE RIGHT.

THIS IS A TIME TO VOICE YOUR OPINION, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

ANYBODY ELSE, UH, IN YOUR TIME, ARE THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESSES OR ORGANIZATIONS, UM, THAT HAS COME TO YOU WITH ISSUES? YEAH, MANY OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE CALIANS HAVE TALKED TO ME ABOUT IT, AND WE'VE ALL, WE'VE ALL DECIDED, UH, AND, AND I, I BOUGHT THIS UP AT THE, UH, CHAMBER, AT THE CHAMBER MEETINGS, THAT THERE ARE, I THINK, MUCH BETTER WAYS TO SPEND THE MONEY IN PROMOTING THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

AND I THINK THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR USEFULNESS.

I DON'T THINK THEY'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB, BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A, UH, THE ABILITY TO CRITIQUE THEM.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING.

WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK IN THE GRAHAM? I'LL GET BACK TO YOU NO FURTHER SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.

THEY'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON AN ANALYSIS OF THE PBIT AND GENERALLY WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THE OPPORTUNITIES BEING MISSED, OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE HITTING.

GRAHAM.

SO STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT, UH, THE COUNCIL DOES APPROVE THE PLAN.

THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE P BID THAT, THAT WE COMMITTED TO DO.

FOR EXAMPLE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH THOSE MONIES, UH, KEEPING THE AREA CLEAN, DOING AC ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES LIKE, LIKE WHETHER IT BE A CAR SHOW OR, OR FARMER'S MARKET, WHATEVER IT IS.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE PLAN DOES HIT THOSE MARKS.

IT DOES ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.

AND, UM, JUST AS A REMINDER TO THE COUNCIL, AS PART OF YOUR GOAL SETTING SESSION OF ALMOST A YEAR AGO, YOU ESTABLISHED A GOAL TO DO AN ANALYSIS OF THE P BID AND TO SEE IF THE ASSESSMENTS BEING COLLECTED ARE BEING MAXIMIZED.

ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF THE PBI D AS YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO RFP, UH, TWO FIRMS DID RESPOND TO DO THE ANALYSIS.

WE SELECTED ONE OF THOSE FIRMS. WE RECENTLY ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM, AND

[00:30:01]

AND, UH, THAT REPORT SHOULD BE BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL IN A, UM, COUPLE MONTHS FROM NOW.

THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW.

UM, ONE QUESTION I HAVE, UH, LET'S SAY THAT, UM, EVERYTHING THE GENTLEMAN SAID WAS CORRECT, AND THERE'S A REAL BIG PROBLEM WITH THE PEA BID.

HOW WOULD, HOW WOULD THE PUBLIC GO ABOUT RECTIFYING A PROBLEM LIKE THAT ONE, WANTING TO CHANGE THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CHANGE THE BYLAWS, ET CETERA? WELL, YOU LOOK AT, YOU LOOK AT WHO ARE THE CONSTITUENTS OF THE P PBIT, FOR EXAMPLE, IF I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE WAY THAT THE CITY OF LA MESA CITY COUNCILS HANDLING THEMSELVES, I, I'M NOT A JURISDICTION.

I DON'T VOTE IN LA MESA.

I'M NOT A, I'M NOT A CONSTITUENT OF THE CITY OF LA MESA.

THE, THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS IN EL CAJON ARE NOT CONSTITUENTS OF THE PBIT.

IT'S ACTUALLY THE PROPERTY OWNERS, NOT EVEN THE BUSINESS OWNERS.

IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT OWN PROPERTY THAT ARE PAYING THE ASSESSMENT.

THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT HA THE CONSTITUENCY OF THE P BID.

AND THAT'S WHO WE SHOULD BE MAKING SURE IT HAS A VOICE IN MAKING DECISIONS.

IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY, SO LIKE WE, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, A PHYSICIAN THAT COMPLAINED RECENTLY ABOUT, ABOUT THE P BID, AND HE WANTED TO REDRESS SOME OF HIS ISSUES.

WHAT IS HIS PROCESS FOR RED REDRESSING THOSE ISSUES? SO A, A PROPERTY OWNER'S REDRESS WOULD BE TO GO BEFORE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS, WHICH, WHICH WE HAVE A MEMBERSHIP ON AS A, AS A, AS A PARTICIPATING TAX TAXING ENTITY.

WE HAVE A OPPORTUNITY TO BE, HAVE A BOARD MEMBER.

MR. DIMAGGIO IS OUR CITY REPRESENTATIVE.

HE, HE CAN GO BEFORE THEM AND EXPRESS CONCERN SOME OF THE, IN, IN THIS CASE, HE ASKED FOR HIS ASSESSMENT TO BE REDUCED.

THE CHALLENGE IS THAT THAT ASSESSMENT IS ESTABLISHED BY THE VOTE.

AND SO TO CHANGE THAT ASSESSMENT, IT WOULD TAKE A, ANOTHER VOTE TO DO THAT.

BUT THEY COULD, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS COULD DIRECT THE SAFETY TEAM OR THE CLEAN TEAM TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS TO HELP THAT INDIVIDUAL.

BUT THAT WOULD BE THE COURSE OF ACTION.

SO LET, LET'S SAY 90% OF THE PEOPLE IN THE PED THINK THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE CHANGED, BUT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE P BID DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE CHANGED.

AT, AT WHAT POINT DO THOSE 90% HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THE, CHANGE THE LEADERSHIP OR CHANGE THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE TO GET WHAT THEY WANT? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? I, I DON'T KNOW.

IT, I'D, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR, BOTH OUR MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT AND ALSO THE, THE ORDINANCE THAT ESTABLISHED THE P BID TO SEE IF THERE'S A, A WAY TO DO THAT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE PROCESS OF THAT WOULD BE.

WELL, THERE, THERE IS A LIFE TO THE P BID.

IT DOES COME UP FOR RENEWAL, SO IT DOES COME UP SOON.

BUT THINK YOU'RE SAYING IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S A, A DEMAND FOR LEADERSHIP CHANGE, HOW WOULD YOU AFFECT YOU? I MEAN, IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE WHAT I'M DOING, THEY CAN RECALL YOU WAIT TILL AN ELECTION, THEY CAN RECALL ME OR THEY CAN VOTE ME OUTWARDS.

CORRECT.

I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE BESIDES WAITING IT OUT, BUT I'LL, I'LL FIND OUT.

AND IS THERE ANY SENSE AS BEING A MEMBERS OF THE PED THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TO MEETINGS AND MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD? I, I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT BEFORE.

THE, THE MEETINGS IN MY EXPERIENCE ARE PUBLICLY NOTICED AND PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE MEETINGS.

THANKS FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS, STEVE.

SO TO BE CLEAR, IT'S THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO HAVE STANDING IN THIS DISTRICT.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

NOT LESSEE, NOT AGENTS.

UNLESS THE OWNER HAS GIVEN A PROXY OF SOME KIND.

THAT'S CORRECT.

UH, OKAY.

SO PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, I NOTICED THAT THE AGENDA ITEM SAYS TO RECEIVE, AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RECEIVE AND APPROVE.

SO I'M OKAY FOR RECEIVING IT.

I, I THINK RECEIVING WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, BUT THERE NEEDS, THERE SHOULD BE A VOTE TO RECEIVE.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE, UH, THE GOALS HERE AND THINGS, BUT, BUT THIS IS TO RECEIVE, I'LL, I'LL GO AND MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RECEIVED THE DOWNTOWN OAKLAND BUSINESS.

WAS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTED TO SPEAK? UH, OKAY.

YEAH, PLEASE.

SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.

ITEM SEVEN IS A REPORT ON AMERICA ON MAIN STREET 2023 STAFF.

[7. America on Main Street 2023 RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council accepts the report and provides feedback.]

YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS, PLEASE.

AND THERE HE IS.

GIMME A SECOND TO GET SET UP IF YOU WANTED THE, UH, NEW COMPETITIONS OR AWARDS LATELY.

I KIND OF LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH YOU .

UH, I'M RUNNING A 4, 4 48 IN MARCH, SIR.

A WHAT? IT'S FOUR MILES EVERY FOUR HOURS OR 48 HOURS.

YEAH, I DO THAT ALL THE TIME.

[00:35:01]

THAT'S IT.

SO HOW DID IT END WITH THE BODY, UH, SURFING COMPETITIONS? I HAVEN'T DONE ANY SINCE LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS RANKED 15 IN THE STATE, BY THE WAY, NICE.

I WAS, UH, BY ATTRITION THOUGH.

YOU KNOW, THE MORE YOU SHOW UP TO THE HIGHER YOU GET, IT'S NOT THAT I WAS ANY GOOD.

RANCH THERE, UH, AS WELL AS OUR TRADITIONAL NATURALIZATION CEREMONY.

WE GOOD? HOPEFULLY, LET'S TRY THAT ONE.

LET'S TRY THIS ONE.

I'LL JUST GET STARTED WITH IT.

SO OUR AMERICAN ON MAIN STREET EVENT WILL BE MAY 20TH, 2023.

IT'S A SATURDAY.

THAT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE ARMED FORCES DAY AS THE PREVIOUS YEARS.

ALONG WITH THAT, UH, WE'RE GOING WITH A PATRIOTIC THEME.

WE HAVEN'T FULLY EMBRACED WHICH THEME, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A PATRIOTIC THEME BEING THAT IT IS ALSO ON, UH, ARMED FORCES DAY.

UM, AS IN YEARS PAST, WE'VE HAD AVENT, WHICH IS A NATURALIZATION CEREMONY.

SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO CONTINUE WITH THAT.

AND OUR INITIAL TALKS WITH THE, WITH THE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT ACTUALLY OPERATES, THAT THERE IS INTEREST IN THAT.

IT'S JUST, THERE'S SOME LEGWORK THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET THAT DONE.

UM, THE EVENT WILL BE FROM 3:00 PM TO, OH, ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S FUN.

UH, THE EVENT WILL ALSO BE HAVE FOOTY FEST, WHICH IS THE EVENT WITHIN THE EVENT.

AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE AS PREVIOUS YEARS, FREE RIDES, FREE GAMES, FREE ATTRACTIONS.

UH, I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS IS A COMPLETELY FREE EVENT.

BEING THAT THERE IS FOOTY FEST, THERE WILL BE A CHARGE, UH, PER ENTRY.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A $20 ADULT CHARGE PER ENTRY, JUST SO WE CAN RECOVER A LITTLE COST TO PAY THE VENDORS TO ACTUALLY COME.

WE'RE PROJECTING ANYWHERE FROM 2000, $2,500 PER RESTAURANT ESTABLISHMENT, OUR FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY TO ACTUALLY SHOW UP AND GIVE TASTERS AS PART OF IT.

UH, WE DO HAVE TWO NEW LOGOS.

THIS IS THE FIRST OF THE LOGOS, SO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SPIN FROM OUR PREVIOUS ONE.

A LITTLE BIT MORE FUN TO IT.

UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT KIND OF SHOWS THE, THE PENNANTS, THE FOOD AND THE MUSIC WITH, ALONG WITH AMERICA ON MAIN STREET.

AND THEN WE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO ALSO ADD A SECONDARY WITH A LITTLE TAGLINE.

SO FOODIE FEST AND FAMILY FUN, JUST SO WE CAN ALSO HAVE THAT LITTLE ASSOCIATION FROM OUR PREVIOUS FOODIE FEST POST COVID, THAT EVENT.

TYING INTO THAT, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE WE, WELL, LET ME GO BACK TO THIS SLIDE.

SO I DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT IN MY WRITE UP, BUT WHAT, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS JUST LIKE WHAT YOU SEE IN OTHER INDUSTRIES IS A HUGE SPIKE IN COST TO RENT, SPECIAL EVENT EQUIPMENT, UH, RENT GENERATORS.

UH, SO WE'VE HAD TO BECOME VERY CREATIVE.

UH, SO WE'VE WORKED WITH ONE SPECIFIC VENDOR, UM, A LOT FOR OUR EVENTS.

THAT IS PROBABLY LIKE THE BIGGEST SPECIAL EVENT MEETING SUPPLY VENDOR.

AND WE'RE MOVING AWAY FROM THEM JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING STAFF TO EVEN BE AT OUR EVENT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO A DIFFERENT VENDOR.

AND THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF THE RIDES.

SO THIS IS ONE THAT IS LIKE A, A BUNGEE RUN.

UH, THIS IS JUST TYPICAL AIR JUMP.

THIS ONE'S LIKE A CLIFF DIVE SLIDE THING.

UM, WE WERE GONNA HAVE THE GDIA PETTING ZOO

[00:40:01]

WE WILL LOOK TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR IF THEY WANNA SPEAK.

THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME.

AS A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT, UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH CHRISTIAN AMUSEMENT RIDES TO GET LARGE SCALE AMUSEMENT RIDES.

THAT WILL BE FREE ALSO.

SO WE HAVE THE ROUNDUP HERE, AS WELL AS POTENTIALLY A FERRIS WHEEL AND A GIANT SLIDE TO GO ALONG WITH IT.

UM, AS IN YEARS PAST, WE'VE HAD A DR.

DIVERSE ARRAY OF ENTERTAINMENT.

SO LIKE THE NARU AND TY TAIKO DRUMMERS, THEY'RE ALWAYS VERY ENTERTAINING.

IT'S FUNNY, THE, THE ACTUAL RUNS THE 5K IS WHAT I'M DOING.

I SEE THEM PLAYING AS I'M RUNNING BY.

I'M LIKE, HEY.

SO THEY'RE DEFINITELY EVERYWHERE.

UH, WE'LL HAVE FREE FACE PAINTING.

I WOULD RECOMMEND, IF YOU DON'T WANNA WAIT 45 MINUTES, IF NOT LONGER, COME RIGHT AT 3:00 PM OR AT THE TIME THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE FACE PAINTING.

I WANNA SAY IT'S THREE 30 AT THE ACTUAL TIME FOR THE FACE PAINTING.

UM, THIS IS A PICTURE FROM OUR FOODIE FEST EVENT, WORKING ALONG WITH OUR DOWNTOWN ELKO AND BUSINESS PARTNERS.

THIS WAS THEIR SEATING AREA.

AND TALKING WITH KATHY TODAY ALSO JUST CONFIRMING THAT WE'RE GONNA GO WITH PATRIOTIC THEME.

SHE'S GOING TO BRING A LOT OF ATTRACTIONS IN HER AREA ON THAT STAGE OF THE PRESCOTT PROMENADE.

WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY LOOKING AT PUTTING FOODIE FEST BACK TO PROMENADE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING AT OTHER LOCATIONS POTENTIALLY DOWN HERE, THE WD HALL, JUST SO THAT GROUP CAN BREAK DOWN SOONER.

SO THEY CAN BE DONE BY 6:30 PM THOSE RESTAURANTS, AND THEY CAN GET OUT SO THEY'RE NOT STUCK.

SO ONCE IT STARTS GETTING DARK, WE'LL HAVE A TRANSITION OF, OF A CROWD THERE.

SO REALLY FOODIE FEST WOULD BE THREE 30 TO SIX 30, THE EVENT WITHIN THE EVENT.

AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO SELL MORE THAN 800 TICKETS FOR FOODIE FEST RIGHT NOW, JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT BIG OF AN IMPACT ON OUR, OUR FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY.

THAT ACTUALLY IS GONNA BE COMING OUT.

SO I DON'T HAVE A FANCY MAP, BUT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF OUR INTERNAL MAP THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH IN TERMS OF OUR FOOTPRINT.

THE BIG YELLOW AREAS ARE REALLY LIKE THE ENTERTAINMENT OR THE AMUSEMENT RIDES TYPE OF THING.

UH, THERE ARE LITTLE TEENY GREEN SQUARES THAT YOU SEE THAT'S FOOD RELATED IN, IN TERMS OF PAID REGULAR FOOD, FOOD TRUCKS OR FOODIE FESTS, WHICH YOU SEE DOWN AT WD HALL.

UM, AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO SHOWCASE WHAT THEY HAVE.

AND THAT'LL BE DOWN TOWARDS MAINE AND MAGNOLIA.

UH, SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE GEARING UP TO BE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND ALSO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE WIDE RANGE OF THE DIVISIONS THAT THEY SUPPORT WITHIN THE CITY.

UH, WE'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOT ONLY PROVIDE SECURITY, BUT ALSO HAVE ENGAGING PIECES AT THE EVENT WITH THEM AS WELL.

UH, WITH THAT, I'D TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK FROM COUNSEL AT THIS TIME.

QUESTIONS, SO TO CONFIRM, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO ATTEND THE VOLUNTARY FOODY FEST EVENT, THERE ARE OTHER FOOD OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

THERE ARE GONNA BE OTHER FOOD OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

THAT WAS THE DIRECTION WE RECEIVED.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE TRIED TO HAVE FOODY FEST SECURELY DOWN IN WD HALL, AND THEN OTHER FOOD OPTIONS ALONG, UM, MAIN STREET WHERE WE TRADITIONALLY HAVE THEM ALL AS PREVIOUS EVENTS.

AND THOSE ARE PAYS YOU GO OR PAYS.

THOSE ARE PAY AS YOU GO.

SO THE QUESTION COMES UP NOW, ARE WE GONNA HAVE A COOKIE CONTEST AGAIN THIS YEAR? UM, I THINK I WILL.

I I DON'T KNOW YET BECAUSE I, IT'S WHATEVER YOU, IT'S WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANNA DO.

THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR ACTIVITY.

I, I PLAN ON BEATING THEM AGAIN THIS YEAR WITH MY COWBOY COOKIES.

GAMES ARE ALL FREE MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT.

BUT, SO, UH, WHO MAKES THE RULES FOR THE, THE COOKIE JUDGING ? CAUSE I GOT SOME GRIEF LAST TIME THAT THERE WEREN'T ACTUAL COOKIES.

SOME PEOPLE BROUGHT OTHER THINGS.

SO, YOU KNOW WHAT? I GOT IT APPROVED.

EVERYBODY AGREES.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL STICK TO REGULAR COOKIES THIS YEAR.

WANTS TO TAKE ME UP ON THE CHALLENGE.

YEAH, I DON'T SEE IT.

, I TASTED HER COOKIES.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD.

OKAY, MORE QUESTIONS.

THANKS, FRANK.

APPRECIATE IT.

UM, JEN, DID WE GET ANY UH, COM PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.

ALRIGHT, THEN.

UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT, WHAT OUR ACTION ITEM NEEDS TO BE HERE JUST TO ACCEPT.

I THINK WE'RE JUST LOOKING, SIR, FOR ANY FEEDBACK AND JUST GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.

SO THERE'S NO ACTION REQUIRED.

FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU, YOU THOUGHT IT THROUGH AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT EVENT.

I, ANYBODY, NO, THE NATURALIZATION IS MY FAVORITE PART.

UM, IT'S ONE THE COOLEST MOMENTS, SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE DON'T GET RID OF THAT.

WHATEVER WE GOTTA DO, LET'S MAKE SURE WE KEEP IT PART OF THE EVENT.

I THINK IT JUST BLENDS SO NICELY.

CULMINATES, RIGHT? WELL, IT CREATES AN AUDIENCE, RIGHT? THAT THE EVENT STARTS.

SO THAT REALLY HELPS US ALSO.

YEAH, THE ONE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT IF THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE THE, THE MONEY TO SPEND AT, AT THE FOOD FEST, THEY, THEY CAN DO OTHER THINGS WITHOUT, WITHOUT SPENDING ANYTHING.

ALL RIDES, ATTRACTION

[00:45:01]

THE ONLY THING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO PAY FOR IS OUR FOOD AND DRINK.

SORRY, I DID HAVE A QUESTION.

GO.

DO WE HAVE LIKE TABLES AND I KNOW TIGHT.

IT'S TIGHT PACKED AND IT'S GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER.

WE, WE HAVE A VARIETY.

SO ALONG MAINSTREAM AROUND THE FOOD COURTS, WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED BELLY UP.

AND THEN ALSO ON SOME GRASS AREAS, WE HAVE PICNIC TABLES AS WELL AS OKAY.

OTHER SEATING, UH, ALONG THE AREA.

UH, PRESCOTT PROMA.

THERE'LL ALSO BE THE CONCRETE SEATING THAT THEY HAVE.

YEAH, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH.

BUT YEAH, SOMETHING BRIAN.

ALL RIGHT, THE FOURTH ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

ITEM NINE IS AN UPDATE ON HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

AND I'LL ASK STAFF TO TELL US ABOUT THIS.

ACTUALLY, MARY, YOU GOT THE NUMBER EIGHT, THE THIRD ITEM ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT.

[8. Veterans Memorial Update RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council accepts the report and provides feedback.]

EIGHT IS AN UPDATE FOR THE VETERANS MEMORIAL AND OUR STAFF TO TELL US ABOUT THIS.

AND FRANK, I SEE YOU STILL STANDING THERE, SO YES, SIR.

IT'S BACK TO BACK.

JUST BECAUSE WE WERE TARGETING VENDOR COMMUNITY WHEN WE'RE TAKING THESE AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, IN TALKS PRIMARILY WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS.

SO THIS IS MORE OF AN UPDATE FOR THE VETERAN MEMORIAL, AND IT'S, UH, PRELIM TO NEXT TUESDAY'S COUNCIL'S WORKSHOP THAT WE'LL BE DOING AT THE RONALD REAGAN CENTER.

BUT WE WANTED TO AT LEAST BRING THIS BEFORE YOU, BEFORE WE GET, COME TO YOU WITH MORE FORMAL, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND SO WE CAN GET YOUR FEEDBACK TO PROVIDE THAT FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL.

SO, UH, JUST A QUICK REVIEW.

THE MEMORIAL THAT YOU SEE OUT HERE WAS DEDICATED ON VETERAN'S DAY, NOVEMBER 11TH, 2000.

AND THAT WAS WORKING ALONGSIDE THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 3 0 3.

UM, THAT'S JUST A, A SCAN COPY OF THE PLAQUE THAT THEY GAVE US AS PART OF IT THAT WE HAVE HERE AT CITY HALL.

AS A REMINDER OF THAT DEDICATION, THE FIVE-SIDED OIS AND THE FLAG LATER ON IN 2014, THE LARGER FLAG WITH THE P O W MIA, A FLAG WAS ADDED TO THAT IN 2014.

UH, IN OUR MEETINGS OR STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, THE STAFF HAS HAD, UH, THE FIRST TIME WE CAME BACK TO COUNCIL, WE GOT FEEDBACK SAYING THAT THERE SHOULD BE SPACE FORCE INVOLVED.

SO IT'S SIX BRANCHES NOW.

AND THEN LATER ON, UH, LATE LAST YEAR, NOVEMBER MEETING WITH ONE OF OUR MEETINGS WITH THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 3 0 3, 1 MEMBER ADDED, AND THEN THEY ALL CONCURRED THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE ADDED A SEVENTH, WHICH WOULD BE THE UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINES.

AND THAT'S THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO ME IN THAT CONVERSATION WAS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE CRITICIZED FOR HAVING IT, BUT YOU MAY BE CRITICIZED FOR NOT ADDING IT.

SO, AND THEY, THEY DID SERVE GREATLY IN WORLD WAR II.

THAT'S WHAT THOSE MEMBERS RECOMMENDED.

SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING SEVEN BRANCHES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IN, IN, IN, IN TOTAL CAPACITY.

UM, SO WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH DIFFERENT MEMBERS.

THESE ARE THE 5 0 1 19.

SO THE VENO SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS BASED HERE IN EL CAJON LISTED AS WELL AS WE HOSTED FOUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GOBEL AND METRO CAME TO DIFFERENT ONES.

COUNCIL MEMBER GOBEL KIND OF SAT THERE AND, AND LISTENED TO THE FEEDBACK I WAS GETTING.

AND I THINK HE WAS HAPPY, THE FACT THAT I WAS GETTING THE FEEDBACK AT THE TIME, AND HE, HE, HE COULD JUST WATCH, WATCH THE MOMENT, AND APPRECIATE HE SAID SOMETHING TO ME AFTERWARDS.

SO YES, IT WAS, THESE WERE REALLY GOOD MEETINGS, MOSTLY BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO EDUCATING THE PUBLIC.

WE HAD, I, I WAS TAKING FEEDBACK FROM YOUTH AGE, AGE SIX, ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR AGING COMMUNITY JUST TO GET FEEDBACK FROM INDIVIDUALS.

UH, WE HAD ALSO TAKEN SURVEYS, UM, AT A VARIETY OF THE EVENTS.

SO EVERY COMMUNITY MEAN THAT I HOSTED.

WE HAD THE SURVEYS, THE VETERANS DAY EVENT, WE HAD SURVEYS.

SO WE COLLECTED A TOTAL OF 154 SURVEYS.

UM, 82% KNEW OF ONE VETERAN MEMORIAL, AND I'M GOING TO ASSUME THEY KNEW OF THAT.

ONE 14% KNEW OF A SECOND VETERAN MEMORIAL.

AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS, IT'S AT THE TOP OF FLETCHER HILLS RIGHT NEXT TO NAVAJO ROAD ON A MEDIAN.

AND THAT WAS PLACED THERE IN 19, IN 1969, I WANNA SAY.

THAT WAS THE YEAR WITH, UM, EDDIE MURPHY.

HE, HE WAS A POW IN NORTH KOREA ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ON HIS SHIP.

UH, AND THEY WERE TAKING CAPTIVE, UH, AS POWS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.

SO THE FLETCHER HILLS COMMUNITY WORKING WITH THE CITY OF EL CAJON ESTABLISHED THAT FLAG PULLED THERE.

UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A SECOND VENDOR'S MEMORIAL UP THERE.

JUST EDUCATE COUNCIL.

UH, 96% AGREE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A NEW VENDOR'S MEMORIAL.

AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS, IS YOU DO WANT TO ASK, SHOULD THERE BE ONE? BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH STAFF THINK THAT WE SOMETIMES KNOW EVERYTHING, WE DON'T.

AND SO WE, WE DO NEED TO GET THAT COMMUNITY INPUT BECAUSE SOMETIMES MAYBE PEOPLE DON'T WANT THAT.

UH, SO IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THAT 96% AGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A NEW VENDOR'S MEMORIAL.

I MIGHT HAD A SKEWED SURVEY

[00:50:01]

THERE WAS RECOMMENDATIONS, THE REYES CIRCLE THAT YOU SEE, THE ROUNDABOUT DOWN HERE, SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT THAT WAS SUGGESTED.

UH, WE HAVE SOMETHING RIGHT HERE IN CENTENNIAL PLAZA.

SO NEXT TO THE ONE THAT WE HAVE, BUT MORE IN THE CENTENNIAL PLAZA AREA.

PRESCOTT PROMINA HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP BY ONE VETERANS COALITION MEMBER, UM, VERY VOCALLY ABOUT IT.

UH, IT'S BEEN RECOMMENDED BY STAFF, ONE STAFF MEMBER, UH, OR TWO STAFF MEMBERS.

JUDSON PARK, WHERE YOU SEE THE GAZEBO THERE ON PARK AND MAGNOLIA, LIKE RIGHT BY THAT.

POTENTIALLY, UH, SOMETHING AT PARKWAY PLAZA, A PUBLIC PRIVATE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT THERE, I DON'T WANNA SAY PARTNERSHIP AND OR, UM, ALSO THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING RIGHT HERE IN FRONT IN EL CAJON.

UM, I, I DID MENTION IN THE REPORT, I WAS PRETTY SPECIFIC ABOUT THIS.

SO YOU HAVE THE 4 5 0 1 NINETEENS AT THE CHAMBER STREET ADDRESS, THE VETERANS MEMORIAL HALL.

AND I WROTE IN MY, MY REPORT THAT THEY ARE MORE INTERNALLY FOCUSED, AND I'M NOT CRITICIZING THEM AT ALL.

UH, THEY'RE JUST MORE INTERNALLY FOCUSED FOR THEIR MEMBERS, AND THAT'S WHAT THEIR FOCUS IS.

AND WE'VE MET WITH, AND THIS IS MARK GOODMAN.

HE'S THE POST COMMANDER OF AMERICAN LEGION POST 3 0 3.

HE'S ALSO THE 2019 VETERAN OF THE YEAR FOR EL CAJONS.

SO I WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF WHO HE IS IN THAT PHOTO.

BUT, UM, IN TALKING WITH THEM, I'VE, I'VE MET WITH THEM FOUR TIMES, AND I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER AND ORTIZ AND I NEED TO MEET WITH THEM ONE MORE TIME TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INPUT.

UM, BUT THEY, WE'VE RAN THROUGH ALL POTENTIAL LOCATIONS AND EVEN MORE SO, UM, AND THEY LIKE THE LOCATION THAT'S IN FRONT OF PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING THE MOST.

UM, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT USE THE CURRENT VETERAN MEMORIAL FOR THEIR GATHERINGS ON MEMORIAL DAY VETERANS DAY, AS WELL AS OTHER TIMES THEY'RE, THEY'RE THAT GROUP.

UH, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE EXTERNALLY FOCUSED.

SO THEIR INPUT HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON ME.

OUR VETERANS, OUR VETERANS COALITION, THAT IS PART OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON.

UH, THEIR IMPACT ALSO DOES AND CONTINUES TO HAVE IMPACT ON STAFF, BUT THEY'RE, IT'S, IT'S NOT A CONSISTENT VOICE.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE DIFFERENT MEMBERS.

SO DIFFERENT MEMBERS SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY, AND THEY'RE, UM, THEY HAVE VERY STRONG VIEWPOINTS ON THINGS.

SO I HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE BALANCED ON HOW I DO THAT.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I, I HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT WHO'S THE END USER WHO'S USING IT, AND IT IS GONNA BE THE AMERICAN LESION POST 3 0 3.

UH, I WANT THE OTHER GROUPS TO DO IT, BUT THEY ALSO ARE MORE INTERNALLY FOCUSED.

SO I HAVE TO GO, OKAY, WHO, WHO DO I NEED TO MAKE SURE I, I EXPRESS THE FEEDBACK TO, TO COUNCIL.

SO THE AMERICAN POST 3 0 3, THEY, THEY REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT IT'S ACCESSIBLE FOR ADA ACCESSIBILITY.

THEY LIKE THAT THERE'S A PARKING LOT RIGHT NEXT TO IT, UM, AND THAT IT CAN BE SAFE AND SEEN THAT THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING, UM, FROM THIS POINT, FEEDBACK AND NEXT STEPS.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME LEVEL OF FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL TODAY IF WE COULD, AND EVEN POTENTIALLY NEXT WEEK AT THE WORKSHOP, IF, IF, IF IT WAS A GOOD TIMING FOR THAT.

UM, FROM THERE, STAFF WOULD COME BACK WITH A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION.

AFTER A FEW MORE MEETINGS WITH SOME STAKEHOLDERS, UH, STILL NEED TO MEET WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, THEIR, THEIR VECA GROUP AS WELL.

UM, BUT STEPH WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK AT SOME POINT WITH A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION.

ONCE WE RECEIVE ALL THE FEEDBACK AND WE GET FEEDBACK FROM YOU BEFORE WE COME TO YOU WITH A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION, UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE, THERE'S GOING TO BE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE NOT GONNA BE HAPPY NO MATTER WHAT IS RECOMMENDED.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALSO HAVE TO EXPRESS TO COUNCIL.

UM, WE WILL AT, AT SOME POINT, EITHER THIS FISCAL YEAR OR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, START SEEKING REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS AND QUALIFICATIONS.

UM, ALSO GET FURTHER INPUT ONCE WE START GOING DOWN THAT ROAD FROM OUR VETERANS COALITION ON DESIGN, UH, GREATER VETERAN COMMUNITY INPUT ON DESIGN, THEN COME BACK TO COUNCIL ALSO FOR THIS IS THE INPUT WE HAVE, WHAT IS YOUR, WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION FOR STAFF? AND THEN FINALLY, WE'LL NEED TO SEEK FUNDING SOURCES FOR THIS.

ALL RIGHT, FRANK, THANK YOU.

QUESTIONS, OH, COMMENT.

IF THAT'S OKAY.

YEAH, FRANK, I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU, FRANK, UM, FOR TAKING THE TIME AND CARE IN SOLICITING ADVICE AND INPUT FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS.

I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A, IT WAS A LARGE TASK.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHEN THESE GROUPS ARE GIVING THEIR INPUT, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THEIR FRIENDS AND BUDDIES THAT THEY LOST OVERSEAS AND OR THE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WERE LOST.

AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF EMOTIONS AND A LOT OF OPINIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE CARE THAT YOU'VE TAKEN IN APPROACHING

[00:55:01]

EACH ORGANIZATION MULTIPLE TIMES AND RECEIVING THAT INPUT.

BECAUSE IT IS A SENSITIVE TOPIC.

AND, UM, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT A STATUE.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT A, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE MEMORIAL WHEN PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THEIR LOVED ONES.

AND SO I REALLY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME AND ATTENTION YOU'VE TAKEN TO IT.

SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT PUBLICLY.

UM, I THINK, UM, YEAH, WE WANT TO DEFINITELY MEET WITH VECA.

THAT'S A HUGE GROUP OF VETERANS THAT'S KIND OF S SPROUTED IN THE LAST YEAR.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE ATTACHED TO IT.

AL ALSO BUSINESS OWNERS, VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES THAT ARE ATTACHED TO VECA AS WELL.

UM, I KNOW TOUR KNIVES IS A VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS.

HE ONLY HIRES VETERANS, AND HE'S RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY.

UM, AND THEY ATTEND THAT MEETING.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF, I KNOW YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THE MARATHON THAT YOU'RE USED TO DOING MARATHONS PHYSICALLY, BUT NOT LIKE THIS.

UM, BUT I THINK MEETING WITH VECA IS ANOTHER ONE.

UM, BUT YEAH, THE, UH, THE NEXT STEPS YOU, YOU'VE PROPOSED, I THINK YOU'RE FANTASTIC.

AND I WOULD AGREE, UM, THE BEST SPOT IN MY OPINION MIGHT BE IN FRONT OF, UH, THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING.

UM, EVERYTHING ELSE, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S TOO MANY VARIABLES.

UM, AND FOR REASONS THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE GIVING, UM, THE, YOU'RE GIVING THE, THE MEMORIAL, THE, THE AMOUNT OF RESPECT THAT IT DESERVES.

SO IT'S NOT IN PARKS WHERE PEOPLE CAN DESECRATE IT OR JUST KIND OF NOT SHOW THAT.

UM, YOU WANT THE ENVIRONMENT TO BE KIND OF LIKE A CEMETERY.

I MEAN, I, I KNOW WHEN I GO TO THE WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL IN, WHEN I WENT TO IT IN WASHINGTON, DC THERE WAS A RANGER THERE AND THERE WAS SOMEONE KIND OF JUMPING AROUND AND HE KIND OF WENT OVER THERE AND SAID, HEY, LET'S MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF RESPECT.

AND I THINK WE CAN MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF RESPECT OVER BY THE PUBLIC, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING.

SO THANK YOU.

SO I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UM, TO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT TO PUT INTO IT.

I KNOW THAT YOU SAT IN THOSE COMMUNITY ROOMS GOING, COME ON, COME ON.

DO YOU WANT A FREE DONUT? AND, UM, SO IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

UH, I ALSO AGREE WITH MS. ORTIZ THAT WE NEED TO WORK WITH BECCA, UM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO A FUNDING SOURCE, LIKE I'VE HAVE TOLD BECCA, AND, AND I WILL TELL YOU PUBLICLY THAT, UM, IF WE WERE TO PUT TOGETHER A BENEFIT CONCERT, AND I'VE TALKED TO MR. MITCHELL ABOUT THIS, THAT I HAVE A, UM, A DIRECT LINK TO THE LIEUTENANT DAN BAN.

HMM.

GARY SINISE, MY NEIGHBOR'S SON WAS HIS DRUMMER.

SO WE, WE'VE GOT A BAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD DRAW CROWDS AND THAT WOULD HELP WITH, UM, RAISING MONEY JUST TO NAME DROP .

ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU, FRANK.

APPRECIATE IT.

ANY, UM, COMMENT CARDS ON THIS? NO SPEAKER CARDS WERE RECEIVED, SIR.

WELL, I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOME, UH, DIRECTION, FRANK IS, YEAH, I WOULD JUST SAY IT SEEMS LIKE YOU CA, I MEAN, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS ABOUT THIS.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT VISION.

I WOULD SAY, UM, LET'S FINISH UP THE MEETINGS.

UM, AND THEN WE CAN START SOLICITING FOR INPUT WITH REGARD TO YOUR OTHER POINTS, DESIGN AND, AND, AND, AND WHATNOT.

AND THEN WE CAN GO OUT FOR RFP AND, OKAY.

AND, UM, YEAH, COMPLETE THE MISSION CARRY ON .

I THINK NEXT WEEK WILL BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL.