[ CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells]
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EVERYONE, WELCOME TO THE THREE O'CLOCK MEETING OF THE ELCON CITY COUNCIL ON THIS DAY, TUESDAY.
I'M GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND ASK THE CITY CLERK TO CALL THE RULE MAYOR WELLS IS ABSENT.
WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? MY PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, STATES OF AMERICA REPUBLIC STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
[ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the March 28, 2023, Meeting and the Agenda of the April 11, 2023, Meeting in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.]
THE CITY CLERK POSTED AT ORDERS OF ADJOURNMENT OF THE MARCH 28TH, 2023 MEETING IN THE AGENDA OF THE 11 APRIL 11TH, 2023 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY POLICY.[ PRESENTATIONS: National Public Safety Telecommunications' Week]
GOT A PRESENTATION FOR TODAY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK.WE HAVE CHIEF MILTON AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER CRAIG GRO.
UH, MR. UH, DEPUTY MAYOR, IF WE COULD PULL UP THE POWERPOINT, UH, AS THEY COME DOWN.
I'LL JUST KIND OF SAY A FEW WORDS.
UM, AS YOU SAID, IT IS, UH, NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK OR, OR DISPATCHERS WEEK, DISPATCHERS APPRECIATION WEEK.
UH, THIS YEAR THE THEME IS THE FIRST FIRST RESPONDERS, UM, AND THEY REALLY ARE, THEY ARE THE FIRST AT, AT THE TIP OF THE SPEAR.
AND, UM, IT'S AMAZING TO SEE THE LEVEL OF COOPERATION THAT THEY HAVE, NOT ONLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THEN WITH OUR, OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
AND AS THEY TRANSFER CALLS TO THE FIRE DE FIRE DISPATCH, THE COOPERATION THERE.
AND I HAD A CHANCE TO, TO LISTEN TO SOME CALLS JUST TO KIND OF HEAR WHAT THEIR, THEIR TYPICAL DAY LOOKS LIKE.
AND IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY BALLS ARE JUGGLING AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
UM, LAST YEAR'S WAS, UH, DISPATCHERS NERVES OF STEEL, HEARTS OF GOLD, AND THEY REALLY DO HAVE TO HAVE A REAL THICK SKIN.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY, THEY ARE TALKING TO PEOPLE AT THEIR ABSOLUTE WORST MOMENTS AT TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE HORRIFIED.
I HEARD CALLS OF, UH, A PLANE CRASH FROM SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND, UH, THINGS FALLING FROM THE SKY AND, AND PEOPLE LIVING THEIR WORST NIGHTMARES.
AND THE 9 1 1 CALLER, OR THE 9 1 1 DISPATCHER WAS CALM AND COLLECTED, GATHERING THE, THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO HELP DIRECT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO, TO EXACTLY WHERE TO GET TO.
UM, WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM OF DISPATCHERS.
WE HAVE OUR POLICE DISPATCH CENTER.
UH, CRAIG GROHL IS THE MANAGER OF THAT CENTER.
UH, BUT WE ALSO, WE, WE RELY ON A JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY FOR ALL OF OUR FIRE DISPATCH WITH A LOT OF OTHER CITIES IN EAST COUNTY AND OTHER, OTHER PARTS.
SO WE ALSO RELY ON THEM AS WELL.
BUT, BUT, UH, CRAIG AND HIS TEAM ARE OUR EMPLOYEES AND I WANT TO, UH, THANK THEM.
AND, UH, CRAIG HAS SOME AMAZING, UH, SUPERVISORS THAT WORK WITH HIM.
AND THEN, UH, A STAFF OF BETWEEN 11 AND 13, DEPENDING ON HOW FULL WE ARE AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF DISPATCHERS THAT ARE HANDLING EVERY CALL IMAGINABLE.
SO, WITH THAT, I'M JUST GONNA TURN THE TIME OVER TO CHIEF MOLTEN TO, UH, ISSUE A PROCLAMATION.
DEPUTY MAYOR COUNSEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE OUR COMMUNICATION STAFF.
AND, UH, LIKE THE CITY MANAGER POINTED TO, THEY'RE OFTEN NOT SEEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 'EM IN A ROOM ANSWERING CALLS AND, AND TALKING TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS OUT THERE, BUT, BUT THEY ARE JUST AS VITAL, YOU KNOW, TO THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY AS, AS OUR OFFICERS ARE.
WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS 9 1 1 SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER END IS ANSWERING, TAKING THAT INFORMATION AND RELAYING IT ONTO OUR, UH, POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS IN THE FIELD.
SO, SO IT'S, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO RECOGNIZE 'EM CUZ THEY OFTEN DON'T GET THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE, OBVIOUSLY.
SO I GRABBED THIS PROCLAMATION AND REALIZED I DID NOT HAVE MY READERS, SO I WILL NOT READ ALL OF IT, BUT I WILL READ, UH, THE, THE FINE POINTS.
UH, WHEREAS THE CITY OF EL CAJON PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE APPREHENSION OF CRIMINALS, SUPPRESSION OF FIRES AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS.
EACH DISPATCHER HAS EXHIBITED COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, AND PROFESSIONALISM DURING THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR JOB IN THE PAST YEAR.
NOW, THEREFORE, UH, BILL WELLS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON, TOGETHER WITH THE CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 9TH THROUGH 15TH 2023 TO BE NATIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATORS WEEK IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON, IN HONOR OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE DILIGENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM KEEP OUR CITY AND CITIZENS SAFE AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER CRAIG GRILL.
YOU WANNA HAVE A, THANKS CRAIG, YOU SPEAK FOR A LIVING.
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WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE OF WORDS?AND, UH, THEY'RE THE BEST TEAM AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH THEM AND, AND HAVE THEM ON MY SIDE.
SO A LAST MEETING, I THINK IT WAS, I THINK WE HEARD THE NUMBER OF ABOUT 190,000 CALLS COMING INTO THE DISPATCH CENTER EACH YEAR.
THAT'S, IF, IF MY MATH IS GOOD, IF MY, MY CALCULATOR IS RIGHT, THAT'S ABOUT A 520 A DAY.
UH, WHICH IS PROBABLY MORE THAN 20 AN HOUR THAT YOU HAVE TO KIND OF FILTER AND TURN INTO ABOUT A THIRD OF THOSE OR EVEN CALLS FOR SERVICE.
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE A, A JUMBLED HEAD OF, OF WORDS IN YOUR HEAD? UH, THE, THE PRESSURE, THE, THE FILTERING THE DECISION.
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU DO IT? UH, IT TAKES A LOT, UH, TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND, AND KEEP EVERYTHING STRAIGHT.
UH, TECHNOLOGY HAS COME A LONG WAYS FROM THE TIME THAT I STARTED WHEN WE, WHEN I STARTED, EVERYTHING USED TO BE DONE ON A NOTE CARD AND WRITE UP THE ROOM ON A CONVEYOR BELT.
NOW WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN SEVEN TO 10 COMPUTERS, UH, PER WORKSTATION THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE MANAGING TO KEEP ALL THE, UM, CALLS AND INFORMATION STRAIGHT.
AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF TOOLS AND THINGS THAT THEY CAN USE TO HELP IDENTIFY WHERE CALLERS ARE, ARE COMING FROM AND TO HELP THEM, UH, GET AID TO WHERE THEY NEED TO.
SO IT TAKES A LOT OF TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS NOWADAYS TO, TO DO THE JOB.
AND SO IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO DO IT.
THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.
BEFORE YOU GO, LET ME SEE IF ANY THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
UH, DEPUTY MAYOR LITERALLY TOOK EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY ABOUT THE 190,000 CALLS, 520 A DAY, ALMOST TWO CALLS PER PERSON, 1.75 CALLS PER PERSON IN THE CITY.
UM, I'D PUT OUR DISPATCH UP AGAINST ANYBODY.
I DUNNO IF THERE'S DISPATCH OLYMPICS, BUT I, I THINK WE'D GET THE GOLD IF THERE WAS ONE.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY NEW TECHNOLOGY EMERGING THAT WOULD ENHANCE YOUR JOB OR MAKE IT BETTER, PLEASE RUN IT UP THE FLAGPOLE BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT OF CALLS AND WE WANNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT YOU.
AND PLEASE TELL YOUR STAFF WE APPRECIATE THEIR SKILL, THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND, AND CERTAINLY THE SAFETY THEY PROVIDE TO OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS AND THE RECOGNITION.
[ AGENDA CHANGES:]
MOVING ON TO, UH, AGENDA CHANGES STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA CHANGES? TODAY'S AGENDA? YES, MR. MAYOR, WE'VE ADDED AN AGENDA, UM, OR, UH, WE'VE, WE'D LIKE TO ADD AN AGENDA ITEM ENTITLED, DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY FOR STORM DRAIN SYSTEM REPAIRS AND CONTINUATION OF EMERGENCY FOR WELLS PARK RESTROOM CONDITIONS.UM, IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA, WE WOULD RECOMMEND ADDING IT, UM, AFTER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS THE DEBRIEF ON MEASURE P AS PART OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS.
I THINK I'LL CALL THAT SEVEN B, UH, FOR THE AGENDA PURPOSES.
UH, COUNSEL, ANY CHANGES FROM THE AGENDA? NOPE.
SO I BELIEVE MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CHANGED AGENDA.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED AND A SECOND.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.
[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.]
THAT TAKES US ON TO CONSENT ITEMS. CONSENT ITEMS OF ROUTINE MATTERS ENACTED BY ONE MOTION.ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, A COUNCIL MEMBER OR A PERSON IN ATTENDANCE MAY REQUEST DISCUSSION OF A CONSENT ITEM AT THIS TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WISH, DO YOU WISH TO POLL ANY CONSENT ITEMS? NO.
STAFF, DO YOU WISH TO PULL ANY CONSENT ITEMS? NO, SIR.
AND BEFORE WE VOTE, ANGELA, DO WAIV ANY SPEAKER CARDS ON AGENDA ITEMS? YES, SIR.
WE HAVE TWO CARDS, UH, FOR ITEM THREE AND FOUR, BOTH BY THE SAME, UM, PERSON.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE THAT PERSON COME ON UP.
AND I'M BACK HERE AGAIN, MOSTLY BECAUSE BILL INVITED ME TO RETURN.
SO IT'S ALL HIS FAULT THAT YOU HAVE TO HEAR ME, BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE HAVE NUMBERS EXPERT.
SO NOW BACK TO SERIOUS BUSINESS MODE, HOPEFULLY MORE JOKES LATER.
FIRST, I NOTICED THAT FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT ITEM THREE IS NOT IN THE AGENDA.
IT'S ONLY MENTIONED AS A CONSENT ITEM.
LUCKILY, I KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS KIND OF ITEM BECAUSE I'VE ENCOUNTERED IT BEFORE AT OTHER CITY COUNCILS.
ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? THIS IS AN UNETHICAL ITEM THAT PROPOSES TO APPROVE ORDINANCES ON THE AGENDA BY ONLY READING THE TITLE, WAIVING THE STATE LAW REQUIREMENT TO READ THEIR CONTENTS IN FULL.
THE PUBLIC WILL INEVITABLY BE DECEIVED INTO THANKING YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS PASS SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT MAYBE IN NAME ONLY BECAUSE WITHOUT THE FINE PRINT, THEY'LL NEVER KNOW.
A BOOK NAIVELY JUDGED BY ITS COVER.
A CONTRACT WITH CITY GOVERNMENT SIGNED WITHOUT HAVING A CLUE AS TO WHAT'S REALLY IN IT.
[00:10:01]
EXCUSE OFTEN GIVEN FOR THIS NEW UNETHICAL DIRECTION IS THAT QUOTE, SUCH READING COULD SUBSTANTIALLY DELAY THE MEETING AND LIMIT THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR A DISCUSSION OF ITEMS. AND QUOTE, IF THE READING OF ORDINANCES REALLY LAST TO THAT LONG, WHICH Y'ALL KNOW IT DOESN'T, THEN IT'S CLEAR THAT THE ORDINANCES ARE TOO LONG FOR THE PUBLIC AND YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE PASSING IN THE FIRST PLACE.DID YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? I ASK HOW DID GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH TURN INTO GIVE ME CONVENIENCE AND GIVE ME DEATH IN JUST A COUPLE HUNDRED YEARS? SHOUT OUT AGAIN TO BRYANT FOR THAT LINE.
MOST TIMES, THE HARD ROAD OF EXTRA WORTH AND EXTRA TIME SPENT IS WORTH IT TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE DONE RIGHT.
AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF EL CAJONS LIVES AND FUTURES AT STAKE, WHY WOULDN'T YOU COMMIT TO ENSURING DUE DILIGENCE FOR THEM? IT'S ALSO SAID THAT STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT ORDINANCES BE READ AND FULL EITHER AT THE TIME OF INTRODUCTION OR AT THE TIME OF PASSAGE.
BUT HONESTLY, EVEN READING IT ONLY AT THE TIME OF PASSAGE IS A RATHER CROOKED STATE LAW.
SO I ASK WHY WOULD YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT ANYONE TO EVEN REMOTELY SUSPECT THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING BY NOT READING AN ORDINANCE TO CONTENTS? IT'S BETTER TO REJECT THIS ITEM AND GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO TRUST YOUR WORDS, ACTIONS AND ETHICS.
SO THAT'S AN OFFICIAL SEAL OF DISAPPROVAL FOR THE RECORD OF THE MINUTES.
OKAY, BEFORE WE GO ONTO ITEM FOUR, UH, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, UH, WHAT'S YOUR, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? WELL, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE PUBLISHED OUT THERE, BUT I DISAGREE WITH TRUTH, AND THAT'S THE PART I DON'T WANT OUT THERE, IS THAT I DISAGREE WITH THE, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER.
UH, BUT THE FACT IS WE CAN ADOPT THIS.
THE ORDINANCES WE CAN READ, UH, WAVE READING OF, OF THE ENTIRE ORDINANCE AND, AND DIRECT READING BY TITLE, IT'S NOT ONLY COMMONPLACE IS ACCEPTABLE AND IT'S LEGAL AND I WOULDN'T CHANGE THE PROCEDURE.
SOME OF THE ORDINANCES THAT MAY BE, UH, SOME MAY SAY ARE TOO LONG.
THEY PROBABLY HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS IN THEM, DON'T THEY? TO TO BECOME A LEGAL ORDINANCE, YES, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ENACTING CLAUSE, AND IT'S IN OUR CHARTER, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE WE ARE A CHARTER CITY, WE CAN DO THINGS A BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN THE GENERAL LAW THAT APPLIES TO MOST OTHER CITIES.
BUT, UH, WE DO HAVE AN ENACTING CLAUSE THAT HAS TO BE IN PLACE.
WE DO HAVE, UH, TIME LIMITATIONS ON WHEN WE CAN PASS AND ADOPT, UH, AN ORDINANCE, UH, FROM INTRODUCTION TO ADOPTION.
UH, OUR CHARTER ALSO DEALS WITH, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE EXCEPTION FOR HAVING A SECOND READING ON CERTAIN ORDINANCES TOO.
UH, AND BEAR IN MIND THAT SOMETIMES ORDINANCES WILL GO FOR 50 PAGES IF IT'S LIKE WE, WE HAVE EVERY YEAR CHANGES TO A ZONING ORDINANCE, UH, OR THE ZONING CODE.
AND, UM, MS. CORTEZ WOULD NOT BE A HAPPY CAMPER IF SHE HAD TO READ ALL 50 PAGES OF, OF THAT ORDINANCE EACH YEAR.
UH, COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? NOPE.
I LIKE, I LIKE THE DISAGREEMENTS.
I STILL DISAGREE
THIS ITEM AUTHORIZES CITY MANAGER GRAHAM TO APPLY FOR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS LOCAL EARLY ACTION PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM TO TRY AND GET 500,000 IN STATE DEBT DOLLARS.
THE STATE'S LEAP GRANT IS GIVEN OUT TO CITIES AND COUNTIES WHO AGREE TO ACCELERATE THE STATE'S HOUSING PRODUCTION GOALS.
THAT'S WHATEVER GOVERNOR NEWCOMB WANTS, WHICH NEVER SEEMS TO BE WHAT IS GOOD FOR ANY CITY OR ANY COUNTY IN CALIFORNIA.
ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? REGARDLESS, THIS POTENTIAL $500,000 IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THE CITY OF ELCON CAN RECEIVE BASED ON POPULATION.
IT WILL BE USED TO INITIATE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND DESIGN FOR THE PROPOSED ROUNDABOUT AT ELK HOME BOULEVARD AND WASHINGTON AVENUE.
THIS ITEM ALLEGES THAT THIS ADDITION WILL IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW, EMERGENCY RESPONSE, AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
BUT IT'S REALLY JUST ANOTHER STATE APPROVED IMPLEMENTATION.
ALIGN WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S COMPLETE STREETS PLAN.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT COMPLETE STREETS, IT INCLUDES ROUNDABOUTS, SLOWER DRIVING SPEEDS, EXTRA CROSSWALKS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, MORE SUSTAINABLE SLIME, GREEN BIKE LANES, NARROWER CAR LANES, FEWER CAR LANES, WIDER BULB OUT CURBS THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YET, BUT WAIT TILL YOU SEE 'EM AND MORE ALL TO PRIORITIZE WHAT'S CALLED ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, THAT'S BIKING AND WALKING AND TO DE-INCENTIVIZE DRIVING.
THE REALITY IS THAT THERE ARE BAD TOTALITARIANS THAT DON'T WANT ANY OF US TO OWN OR DRIVE CARS.
TRUTH BE TOLD, THE COUNTY IS ALSO INCORPORATING THIS COMPLETE STREETS PLAN VIA THEIR REGIONAL DECARBONIZATION FRAMEWORK THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT, BUT IT WILL DESTROY THE ENVIRONMENT AND ATMOSPHERE WITH TOXIC LITHIUM MINING FROM THE SALTON SEA.
[00:15:01]
THE REGIONAL DECARBONIZATION FRAMEWORK HAS THE AIM OF DESTROYING THE ECONOMY ALONG THE LINES OF THE SOCIALIST GREEN NEW DEAL.SO EVERYONE NEEDS TO START DOING THE RESEARCH ON WHAT'S COMING.
BUT ROUNDABOUTS IN PARTICULAR HAVE BEEN UNCOMMON IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ITALY.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS, WE HAVE BIGGER CARS, FASTER SPEEDS, AND WIDER ROADS FOR NOW, ROUNDABOUTS DON'T REALLY FIT.
AND FOR $500,000, I DON'T EVEN THINK THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD WAY TO SPEND MONEY WHEN IT'S ONLY GOING TO FRUSTRATE DRIVERS.
SO I EXPRESSED DUE APPROVAL OF THIS ROUNDABOUT PLANNING, DESIGN, AND IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, COUNSEL, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? WE DO HAVE A ROUNDABOUT IN THE CITY THAT EXISTS TODAY, AND IT'S AT THE TOP OF MAIN STREET, UH, WHERE MURRAY DRIVE AND, UH, WEST WIND AND A COUPLE OTHER STREETS, UH, COMBINED THAT IT'S BEEN THERE, I THINK FOR AT LEAST 20 YEARS, AND I THINK IT'S HELPED, UH, SLOW DOWN TRAFFIC AND REDUCE ACCIDENTS.
SO CERTAINLY THEY'RE ALREADY HERE IN EL CAJON AND DOING WELL.
I, I DO, UH, HEAR OFTEN ABOUT SPEEDING IN ELOC CAJON, THE SAFETY AND CERTAINLY THESE ROUNDABOUTS ARE INDEED AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION TO HELP MANAGE THE SPEEDS AND SAFETY IN AN AREAS.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE OF US NOT ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF EL CAJON TO ACCEPT $500,000 IN GRANT MONEY TO HELP ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS.
SO, UH, I SUPPORT STAFF'S, UM, RECOMMENDATION ON THIS ITEM.
OKAY, COUNSEL, UH, I THINK WE'VE HAD ALL THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT LAST MINUTE? NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, SIR? SOUNDS GOOD.
I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE SHALL JUST PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.
[ 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.]
GOOD.NOW IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AT ANY TIME, ANY PERSON MAY ADDRESS A MATTER WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE ELK OAKLAND REDEVELOPMENT THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
COMMENTS RELATED TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ARE TO BE TAKEN AT THE TIME OF THE ITEM IS HEARD.
STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTIONS ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS MAY BRIEFLY RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
ANY ITEM MAY BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, SIR.
OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE HERE, AND I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS SOMETHING TO SAY THAT ALWAYS SCARES ME.
BUT, UH, GOOD ARGUMENT, STEVE.
WHO DOESN'T WANT $500,000? RIGHT.
I'D ARGUE THAT'S A BIASED ENTITY TO CONDUCT SUCH A REPORT.
THE RECORD OF COVERED UP MISCONDUCT AND EVEN THE SETTLEMENTS OVER EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE ARE DISTURBING.
I JUST READ THREE CASES IN THE LAST WEEK.
I WOULD SUGGEST AN INDEPENDENT STUDY INSTEAD.
BUT ONTO THE NEXT TOPIC, A NEGATIVE POINT ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE WORST I COME UP WITH.
THE AGENDA IS POSTED WITH ONLY FOUR DAYS TO READ AND WORK THROUGH IT.
THAT'S NOT NEARLY ENOUGH TIME UNLESS THE NUMBER OF AGENDA ITEMS IS VERY FEW.
AND LUCKILY TODAY IT WAS, UH, WOULDN'T YOU PREFER WELL THOUGHT OUT INFORMED AND INTELLIGENT PUBLIC COMMENTS? AND TO AVOID THE PUBLIC FROM BEING INTIMIDATED BY A DAUNTING AGENDA WHERE THEY STAY HOME CIVICALLY, UNENGAGED.
THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FIFTH MEETING SO FAR THIS WEEK.
IT'S GREAT THAT THE MEETING VIDEOS ARE ALL AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AND AVAILABLE RATHER QUICKLY.
IT'S EL CAJON, RIGHT? UM, SO NEXT, THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.
BY THE TIME I MADE IT THERE, I WAS STARVING.
I ATE BEFORE THE MEETING, BUT SPEAKING ALWAYS BURNED SO MANY CALORIES.
SO I ENJOYED THAT HUMMUS WITH CARROTS QUITE A BIT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T CATCH MUCH OF BILL'S SPEECH, BUT I DID AGREE THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN LOOKING UP HERE IN EL CAJON CLEAN STREETS AND THE PREVIOUSLY EMPTY BUILDINGS ARE NOW OPEN AS NEW GOOD BUSINESSES.
UM, AND BILLY, HE'S NOT HERE, BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW THIS, BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE STOOD UP FOR HIM AT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BEFORE IT GETS NATHAN FLETCHER'S EYES.
AND LASTLY, I WANT TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THE SANTEE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE HAVING THEIR MEETING TOMORROW.
I GUESS IT'LL BE MY SIXTH MEETING.
IT'S A GOOD TIME TO ASK THEM ABOUT THE FACT THAT ON APRIL 4TH, EAST COUNTY SUPERVISOR JOEL ANDERSON JUST GAVE THE Y M C A $70,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO ENSURE PRIVACY FOR PATRONS AT THE Y M A IN SANTEE.
IT'S VAGUE, I'M ASSUMING THAT MEANS ALTERING THE LOCKER ROOMS TO ALLOW FOR MEN WHO IDENTIFY AS WOMEN TO CONTINUE TO USE THE WOMEN'S AND GIRLS' LOCKER ROOM.
[00:20:01]
THE SAN CITY COUNCIL HAS YET TO EVEN PROPERLY ADDRESS THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED WITH 17 YEAR OLD REBECCA PHILLIPS AND TRANSGENDER CHRIS WOOD.SO ANYONE THAT WANTS TO ASK THEM ABOUT THE SAN Y M C A, GETTING THAT $70,000 FROM JOEL, THE SAN CITY HALL ADDRESS IS TEN SIX OH ONE MAGNOLIA AVENUE, AND THAT'S TOMORROW AT 6:30 PM OR YOU CAN ASK JOEL DIRECTLY AT HIS COMMUNITY COFFEE TOWN HALL, ALSO TOMORROW AT FIVE 30 TO 7:00 PM SO THAT'S BEFORE AT THE CARLTON OAKS COUNTRY CLUB AND SANTI.
ANY OTHER SPEAKER CARDS? NO OTHER CARDS, SIR.
THERE ARE NO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS AND NO PUBLIC EARRINGS.
ON TODAY'S AGENDA, WE'VE GOT, UH, 1, 2, 3 ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS.
[6. Authorization to Submit an Application for the San Diego River Conservancy Direct Grant Program RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopts the next Resolution, in order, to authorize the City Manager, or approved designee, to submit an application for the San Diego River Conservancy (SDRC) Direct Grant Program.]
ITEM SIX IS A APPLICATION FOR SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY DIRECT GRANT PROGRAM.I'LL ASK STAFF TO PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THIS.
UH, DEPUTY MAYOR, I'M SORRY,
UH, THIS ITEM IS BASICALLY A, A, A GRANT APPLICATION THAT WE'RE REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION FOR, AND IT'S THE SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY DIRECT GRANT PROGRAM.
AND THE PRO, UH, THE PROJECT NAME IS, UH, TRASH CAPTURE DEVICES FOR STORM DRAIN INLETS.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ABOUT THE SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY.
IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU RECALL, THEY'RE A, A NON-REGULATORY STATE AGENCY ESTABLISHED TO RESTORE AND ENHANCE THE SAN DIEGO RIVER AREA.
AND THEY'RE COMPRISED OF 17 MEMBERS OF, OF, OF GOVERNING BOARD LOCATED, UH, CONSISTENT OF STATE AND LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES.
AND THIS CALL FOR PROJECT WILL FULFILL THAT GOAL OF, FOR THE CONSERVANCY BY PROTECTOR ITS NATURAL RESOURCES, UH, IN THE SAN DIEGO RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES, INCLUDING FORSTER CREEK AND ALL THE OTHER CHANNELS.
THE TRASH CAPTURE DEVICE PROJECT COMPLIES WITH THE STATE RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD TRASH REDUCTION IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM, WHICH CITIES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE FULL COMPLIANCE BY 2030.
AND THIS MAP IS KINDA HARD TO SEE, BUT, UH, IN THE CITY WE HAVE OVER 1500, UH, STORM, STORM DRAIN INLETS.
AND THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR IS WITHIN THE 350, UH, LOCATIONS WITHIN THE DISADVANTAGED AREA, UH, DISADVANTAGED, UH, UM, COMMUNITIES AND ABOUT 250 ARE PLANNED FOR THAT AREA.
SO IT'S JUST A SAMPLE SCHEMATIC OF A TRASH CAPTURE DEVICE.
AND, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BUILT PER LOCATION.
AND, UM, JUST GONNA SHOW YOU ANOTHER PICTURE OF A BEFORE AND AFTER, UH, INSTALLATION HERE.
IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE, BUT YOU CAN SEE ALL THE SEDIMENT THAT'S COLLECTED IN INLETS, UH, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE BEFORE AND AFTER THEY DO THE MAINTAIN MAINTENANCE.
UH, THAT ON THE RIGHT IS, UH, AFTER THE, UM, UH, INLET HAS, UH, BEEN CLEANED.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME, UH, CONTEXT, THIS IS OUR PROPOSAL.
WE'RE FOR 358 TRASH CAPTURE DEVICES.
WE HAVE ABOUT 500,000, UH, UH, PUBLIC MATCH FOR A CALL FOR $5 MILLION FROM THE SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY.
AND THAT, UH, COVER US FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS FOR 350.
AND THAT INCLUDES ALL DESIGN, UH, IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THESE, UH, STORM DRAIN INLETS OR TRASH CAPTURE DEVICES.
AND OUR RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF IS A AUTHORIZING TO SUBMIT GRANT APPLICATION TO THE SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL BE OPENING UP TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
LET ME SEE IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSEL.
UH, THE FIRST ONE, HOW MANY DEVICES WERE WE LOOKING AT PURCHASING? 350.
AND THOSE ARE BASICALLY A LONG, UM, DID I SEE THE ONE IN THAT MAP RIGHT THERE IN THE DIS THEY'RE ALL OKAY.
SO THEY'RE ALL GOING ALONG THE EIGHT OR IS IT ALL, WERE ALL THE, UM, YEAH, ALL THROUGH ALL THE LITTLE RED DOTS, ALL THE LITTLE RED DOTS WITHIN THE YELLOW, UH, OUTLINE.
SO IT'S JUST ALONG THE EIGHT, UM, DOWN OFF OF CHASE, WASHINGTON, UHHUH,
JUST, THEY'RE SCATTERED EVERYWHERE.
NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, WE'RE JUST GETTING THE GRANT.
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I'M GONNA SNEEZE.WE'RE JUST GETTING THE GRANT AND WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THOSE DEVICES, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND THEN, UM, HOW STRONG ARE THESE DEVICES? AND I KNOW THIS MAY SEEM KIND OF MORBID, BUT SAY THERE WAS LARGE OBJECTS OR A BODY, WOULD THEY CAPTURE THAT? YES.
IT'S A, IT'S A 12 GAUGE, UH, STEEL.
SO IT'S GONNA CAPTURE, HOPEFULLY CAPTURE THE IT HAPPENS, YEAH.
BUT IT, IT HAPPENS, BUT THEY'RE MORE OR LESS, THEY'RE NOT GONNA FIT IN A CURB INLET.
AND SO ARE WE BUYING ALL THREE STYLES OR IS THERE ONE DIFFERENT, ALL DIFFERENT STYLES? CORRECT.
BECAUSE IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE LOCATION AS TO WHAT TYPES OF STYLE EXACTLY GOES IN THERE.
AND LET'S SEE, AND THESE ARE, DID WE, WE ARE BUYING THESE FROM WHERE? WELL, ACTUALLY, WE, WE WOULD DESIGN THE PROJECT AND PUSH IT OUT FOR A REQUEST FOR ADVERTISEMENT OR REQUEST FOR BIDS FROM A CONTRACTOR FOR AN RFQ WILL GO OUT.
AND THEN WE WOULD, UH, SPEC OUT THE, THE TRASH CAPTURE DEVICES AND IF THE CONTRACTOR HAS AN EQUIVALENT, UH, AND IF IT'S APPROVED BY US, WE THEN WE CAN GO WITH THAT AS WELL.
AND HOW, HOW SOON DO YOU THINK WE CAN IMPLEMENT THESE PURCHASE, YOU KNOW, QUOTE, PURCHASE, INSTALL? PROBABLY AFTER THE GRANT, AFTER THE GRANT GETS APPROVED AND SIGNED OFF, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS.
AND, UM, DOES THIS GO OUT IN CONJUNCTION? WILL THIS BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UM, SOME OF THE, UM, PIPE REPLACEMENT THAT WE'RE DOING IN ALIKE? IT'S INDEPENDENTLY DONE.
UH, WE HAVE A SEPARATE, UH, WASTEWATER FUND FOR, UM, REPLACING STORM DRAINS THAT HAVE FAILED AND, AND, UM, MAINTENANCE AND RELINING STORM DRAINS AS WELL.
SO IT'S A SEPARATE, SEPARATE FUNDING SOURCE.
CAN YOU JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF INSTALLING THESE TRASH CATCHING DEVICES WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC WORKS AND OUR STORM WATER CHANNELS AND HOW IT'S GONNA BENEFIT THE YEAH, I HAVE SOME STATISTICS THAT WE, WHAT WE, UH, COLLECT IN A YEAR, WE COLLECT OVER 56 TONS, 57 TONS OF TRASH ANNUALLY.
AND, UM, SO, UH, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST, UH, JUST AN ONGOING MAINTENANCE, UH, PROJECT.
IS, IS THIS GONNA ALLOW US TO, IS THIS GONNA ALLOW US TO REMOVE THAT DEBRIS QUICKER BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT.
IN ESSENCE, YOU'LL HAVE CLEANER WATER DOWNSTREAM.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE GOAL OF THE OKAY.
THE CONSERVANCY ON THIS PROJECT.
THE, THE OTHER THING TO MENTION THAT UNDER THE REGIONAL WATER CALL A CONTROL BOARD'S MANDATES ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THIS IS GOING, THIS IS A REQUIREMENT.
WE, WE HAVE TO DO THIS PROJECT, WHETHER IT'S GRANT FUNDED OR NOT AT SOME POINT.
SO THE FACT THAT WE FOUND SOMEBODY TO HELP FUND IT, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
UM, SO IT HELPS US TO FRAY THOSE COSTS.
BUT AS YOU SAID, MR. ORTIZ WILL ACTUALLY HELP DOWNSTREAM, NOT ONLY KEEP THE WATER CLEANER, TO ACTUALLY SAVES TIME AND IN CLEAN, BRINGING A BULLDOZER INTO THE STORM CHANNELS.
AND REMOVING THOUGH THAT WAY, IS THIS GOING TO, IS THIS FUNDING GOING TO GIVE US ALL OF THE CATCHES THAT WE NEED IN, IN THE CITY, OR IS THIS JUST, ARE WE 50% THERE? WE'RE ABOUT, WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT 25 TO 30% THERE.
AND THEN THE REST WE'LL HAVE TO FIND OTHER FUND FUNDING SOURCES.
SO THE 350 ONLY GETS US TO ABOUT 15 TO 20% THERE.
EDUCATION, SO A LOT OF THIS IS PICKING UP, UM, TRASH THAT GETS INTO THE WATERWAYS.
ANY TALK OF EDU, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUT EDUCATION, MAYBE ON MAYBE SOCIAL MEDIA WOULD BE GOOD TO PUT OUT EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT LITTERING? I MEAN, IT SEEMS SIMPLE.
OH, YEAH, WE, BUT A REMINDER, YEAH.
OUR, OUR STORM WATER STAFF, UH, WE USUALLY GO THROUGH ALL THE COMMUNITY EVENTS WILL BE AT, UH, AMERICA ON MAIN STREET.
WE'LL HAVE A BOOTH AND WE TRY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND WE DO THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
ONE MORE, UM, ONE MORE QUESTION.
I KNOW, UM, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES PATROLS IN THE STORMWATER CHANNELS.
IS THIS GONNA INHIBIT THEIR ABILITY TO GO THROUGH STORM WATER BECAUSE THESE CAGES ARE GONNA BE THERE PERMANENTLY INSTALLED? DO WE KNOW IF THAT'S GONNA STOP THEM OR, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE TO MODIFY PATROL.
YEAH, WE'D HAVE TO DO IT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT 'EM ON IN FRONT OF A CULVERT, BUT THESE ARE JUST INLETS.
THESE ARE MORE OF LIKE WHERE THE STORM, WHERE
[00:30:01]
THE GUTTER GOES, COME IN THE STORM DRAIN, NOT THE MAIN CHANNEL WHERE WE PATROL.DO WE USE SENSORS AT ALL TO FIND OUT WHEN THEY'RE SUB BLOCKAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WE HAVE SENSORS THAT, UH, MONITOR OUR SEWER.
BUT ALL OUR SEWER LOCATIONS, WE HAVE SENSORS AND MONITOR THE FLOW OKAY.
FOR, UH, ANY OVER OVERFLOWS AND SO FORTH.
DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS ITEM? WE HAVE ONE SIR.
UH, GREAT MORBID QUESTIONS, MICHELLE.
A GRANT APPLICATION FOR 5 MILLION IN STATE DEBT DOLLARS FOR THE SAN DIEGO RIVER WATERSHED WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO DESIGN, INSTALL, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN STRUCTURAL CONTROLS TO REMOVE ALL TRASH ENTERING THE STORM WATER CONVEYANCE SYSTEM WITH 350 TRASH RECEPTACLES, THE CITY WILL THEN BE REQUIRED TO MATCH THAT MONEY BY 10%.
THAT'S $500,000 FROM THE CITY WASTEWATER PROGRAM FUND WITH PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED BY THE SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY.
WHAT I LEARNED WITH A LITTLE BIT OF MY USUAL DEEP DIVING IS THAT THE SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY AIMS TO CONSERVE LAND OPEN SA SPACE, WILDLIFE HABITATS, AND WETLANDS.
THOSE AIMS ARE VERY MUCH UNITED NATIONS AGENDA.
BUT THAT'S NOT SURPRISING BECAUSE THE CONSERVANCY'S GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS WERE ALL HANDPICKED BY GOVERNOR NEWCOMB CHAIR BENJI CLAY PROVIDED LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION FOR THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, AND THE COUNTY MEMBER ANN HADAD WORKED IN WASHINGTON DC IN THE FIELD OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
MEMBER BRIAN CASH WORKED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.
MEMBER JOHN DONNELLY SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF WILDLIFE LANCE AND REALTY SPECIALIST AND AFFILIATE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERNATIONALISM ON THE SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY BOARD.
THE ONLY MEMBER THAT SEEMED OKAY WAS FORMER COUNCILMAN SCOTT SHERMAN, AND IT SAID ON THE SAN DIEGO RIVER CONSERVANCY WEBSITE THAT ALL PROJECTS MUST MEET AT LEAST ONE OF THE GOALS OF CALIFORNIA'S WILDFIRE AND FOREST RESILIENCE ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS AN 84 PAGE DOCUMENT.
OF COURSE, I HAD TO DEEP DIVE THIS.
HERE'S SOME INTERESTING LINES FROM IT.
QUOTE, NUMEROUS FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AGENCIES AND NGOS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PLAN.
THE STATE HAS INVESTED 1.4 BILLION IN CALIFORNIA CLIMATE INVESTMENTS.
COMMUNITY AND HOME HARDENING AND BUILDING RESTRICTIONS ARE KEY.
THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT OWNS 1.2 MILLION ACRES OF FOREST AND WOODLANDS.
FOREST LANDS OWNERSHIP IN CALIFORNIA STATE LANDS 3% PRIVATE LANDS, 40% FEDERAL LANDS, 57%.
END QUOTE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWNS MOST OF THE LAND IN CALIFORNIA.
THAT MEANS THEY'RE WAY OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONSTITUTIONALLY LIMITED AREA OF DC.
BUT GETTING BACK TO THE SMALLER PICTURE HERE, I THINK 5 MILLION TO CLEAN UP STORMWATER TRASH IS A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT.
THE STATE GIVING OUT THESE AMOUNTS FROM THIN AIR IS EXACTLY WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM THIN AIR, BUT THE THIN AIR IS GOING TO FINANCIALLY DESTROY THIS COUNTRY.
THE MORE PAPER MONEY THE FEDERAL RESERVE PRINTS, THE HIGHER OUR INFLATION WILL GO.
HOWEVER, I WILL SAY I DON'T DISAGREE WITH GRAHAM'S POINT ABOUT THE STATE EVENTUALLY FORCING THE CITY'S HAND, BUT FOR ME, I HAVE TO PERSONALLY REJECT THE STATE'S OFFERS BECAUSE WE'RE ALL GOING TO SUFFER IN THE FUTURE FOR HAVING ACCEPTED THEM TODAY.
ANY OTHER SPEAKER CARDS? NO OTHER CARDS, SIR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR WOULD SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? YEAH, I'LL MOVE TO AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER, UH, TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM.
SECOND, AND I THINK WE ALSO NEED, UH, ADOPTING A RESOLUTION.
YOU WANNA ADD THAT TO YOUR MOTION? YEAH.
ADOPT THE NEXT RESOLUTION IN ORDER TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO S D R C FOR THE DIRECT GRANT PROGRAM.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.
[7. Debrief on the Defeat of Measure P RECOMMENDATION: This is an informational report. No action is required from the City Council.]
LET'S GO ON TO, UM, ITEM SEVEN, DEBRIEF ON THE DEFEAT OF MEASURE P I THINK MR. DIMAGGIO, YOU ARE THE MAN FOR THIS ITEM.UM, CAN I GET THE POWERPOINT PLEASE? SO, WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE POWERPOINT TO COME UP, AS YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAD, UM, MEASURE P WAS AN ITEM THAT THE COUNCIL PLACED ON THE, UH, BEFORE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT BEFORE THE VOTERS.
[00:35:14]
OKAY.SO THE CITY COUNCIL PLACED THE ITEM, UH, ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT BEFORE THE VOTERS.
AND SO THE CITY MANAGER AND I, FOLLOWING THE FAILURE OF MEASURE P TO, UH, RECEIVE ENOUGH YES VOTES BY A SUBSTANTIAL MARGIN, WE DE WE DID A, UH, A IN-DEPTH STUDY OF WHAT THE ISSUES COULD HAVE BEEN THAT WOULD'VE AFFECTED ITS DENIAL.
AND WE CAME UP WITH A LIST LIKE THIS.
THIS IS MY SCRATCH PAPER LIST OF OVER 30 ITEMS THAT WE FELT WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO IT.
AND I WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH, UM, A, A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THE MAJOR ITEMS THAT WE FEEL WERE THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS, AND THEN SOME OF THE LESSER CONTRIBUTOR, UH, UH, ITEMS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO, UM, ITS DEFEAT.
SO WE'LL START WITH, UH, THE BACKGROUND AND THEN THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, AND THEN I HAVE A MAP TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT GOES PRECINCT TO PRECINCT, UM, IN TERMS OF HOW THE VOTE, UM, WAS, UM, DISTRIBUTED.
SO, I'M SORRY, THIS, THIS FIRST SLIDE IS A BIT DIFFICULT TO READ.
AS YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND MEASURE P WAS TO TALK ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT OF PROPOSITION J AND PROPOSITION J WAS ADOPTED IN IN 2008.
IT'S A HALF CENT SALES TAX MEASURE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS AND ITS SUNSETS IN 2028.
IT, IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND REVENUE TO THE CITY THAT FUNDS THE VITAL CITY SERVICES, UM, THAT, THAT WE RELY ON TO PROVIDE TO THE RESIDENTS.
IN, IN JUNE, 2022, WE LOOKED AT TRYING TO JUST DETERMINE THERE WAS NO INTENT OF GOING TO THE ELECTORATE, BUT JUST DETERMINE WHAT THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT WAS.
AND SO WE HIRED POLSKI AND A RESEARCH TO CONDUCT POLLING ON WHAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT WAS OUT THERE.
NOW, BEFORE I GO ON, I WILL SAY THAT IT'S MY FEELING ANECDOTAL AS IT MAY BE, BUT IT'S MY FEELING THAT ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL PROBLEMS THAT, THAT WE HAD WITH MEASURE P WAS, IN MY BELIEF, FAULTY POLLING.
THERE HAD TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE POLLING.
YOU, YOU CAN'T DENY THAT BECAUSE IN THREE MONTHS WE SAW SWING OF 21 POINTS, AND I'LL GO INTO THAT.
WE, WE LOOKED AT THE, UM, THE SURVEY RESULTS, AND THEY WERE SHOCKINGLY GOOD, AL ALMOST SUSPICIOUSLY GOOD.
AND GRAHAM AND I BROUGHT A PRESENTATION TO YOU, AS YOU RECALL, IN AUGUST, 2022, SHOWING THE 60% SUPPORT OVERALL FOR A 1 CENT, UH, SALES TAX, A BIT LESSER SUPPORT FOR A HALF CENT SALES TAX, BUT NONETHELESS, STRONG SUPPORT.
THIS, THIS WAS SURPRISING TO US.
AND SO IT GOT US INTO A MODE OF MAKING A STAFF RECOMMENDATION, UM, TO THIS BODY, ENCOURAGING YOU TO PUT IT BEFORE THE VOTERS, WHICH YOU AGREED WITH AND DID.
AND THEN IN NOVE NOVEMBER, 2022, UM, WE OF COURSE GOT THE RESULTS OF IT NOT PASSING.
SO WHY, WHAT WERE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS? FIRST OFF, THERE WAS A FAIRLY SHORT WINDOW TO CONVEY THE SIGNIFICANCE OF, OF MEASURE P, BUT, YOU KNOW, HAD THE VO HAD THE POLLING DATA BEEN RELIABLE, THE SHORT TIMEFRAME WOULD'VE NOT BEEN AS BIG OF A CONCERN, UM, BECAUSE THE POLLING DATA INDICATED THERE WAS SUCH STRONG SUPPORT FOR IT.
WE DIDN'T FEEL IN OUR ANALYSIS THAT A 60 DAY WINDOW BETWEEN, UH, PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT AND HAVING THE VOTERS CONSIDER IT WAS, WAS ALL THAT BAD BECAUSE THE BASELINE SUPPORT WAS ALREADY THERE.
HAD THE POLLING BEEN MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE ACTUAL OUTCOME THAT WE SAW, WHICH WAS, UH, ONLY 39%, UH, OF PEOPLE IN SUPPORT OF IT, THE CITY MANAGER, AND I WOULD NOT HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT YOU PUT IT ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE WE WOULD'VE BEEN THAT THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TIME TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE THAT WE WOULD'VE NEEDED TO CONVEY.
ALSO, DURING THAT SAME TIME, AS WE PUT IT, AS, AS THIS COUNCIL TOOK THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, WE SAW A BIG DETERIORATION IN THE ECONOMY.
UM, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BEGAN IN MAY TO RAISE THE PRIME LENDING RATE, UH, AND FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER WITH 6 75 BASIS POINT HIKES, YOU SAW THE PRIME LENDING RATE GO FROM 4% TO 7%.
SO THAT WAS REALLY UNPRECEDENTED IN MONETARY POLICY OVER THE LAST 40, 43 YEARS.
[00:40:01]
UM, WE ALSO SAW DURING THAT VERY SAME PERIOD OF TIME WHERE INFLATION PEAKED AT 9.1% IN JUNE, IT DID DROP TO 2%.IT DROPPED 2% TO 7.1% IN FEBRUARY, OBVIOUSLY, AS A RESULT OF THE FED'S ACTIONS.
BUT WHAT, WHAT THIS DID EFFECTIVELY WAS CREATE THIS PERFECT ECONOMIC STORM FOR THE FAILURE OF A TAX MEASURE LIKE THIS.
THIRD, A THIRD CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, WE FEEL, WAS THAT ALSO RIGHT AROUND, UH, THE, THE FALL OF 2022 WERE CONFLICTS WITH THE COUNTY CONCERNING THE MOTEL VOUCHER PROGRAM.
THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE WE, WE, DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, LEARNED THE SCOPE AND SCALE OF THE VOUCHER PROGRAM.
UM, IT LED TO SOME TENTS RELATIONS BETWEEN CITY AND COUNTY, CITY AND COUNTY STAFF, CITY AND COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UM, AND IT CON IT, IT, IT TOOK UP ALL THE OXYGEN IN THE ROOM, SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET OUR MESSAGE OUT THERE ABOUT HOW MEASURE P WOULD ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.
UM, WHEN THE MOTEL VOUCHER PROGRAM WAS TAKING UP ALL OF THE NEWS, UM, AND, AND THE DIFFERENCES IN, IN METHODOLOGY BETWEEN THE CITY AND COUNTY, MORE, MORE FACTORS TO CONSIDER HERE WAS JUST, UM, WHAT WE SAW ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
THE, THE MOST COMMON MESSAGE THAT WE SAW GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT SOCIAL MEDIA WAS THERE WAS NO EXPIRATION DATE FOR THE TAX.
SO DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE INCLUDED PRETTY UNIQUE TAXPAYER SAFEGUARDS, THE, THE MAJOR ONE BEING THAT THIS COUNCIL CAN SUSPEND OR LOWER THE TAX, DEPENDING UPON THE REVENUE STREAM THAT WAS COMING INTO THE CITY IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, THAT WASN'T CONVINCING ENOUGH.
PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE MEASURE.
UH, PROP J WAS SUPPORTED IN MOST CASES BECAUSE THERE, THERE IS AN EXPIRATION DATE, 2028, PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING'S GOING TO COME TO AN END.
THERE WAS ALSO A DIVISION IN LOCAL REPUBLICAN POLITICS.
NOW, ALL, ALL FIVE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE REPUBLICAN.
THEY ARE IN TUNE WITH THE LOCAL SITUATION WITH REGARD TO REVENUES, THE NEED FOR PROP J, AND ITS EVENTUAL REPLACEMENT.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE WHEN YOU EXPAND OUT TO THE REGIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTY, WHICH SPOKE AGAINST THIS MANY TIMES ON RADIO AND TELEVISION AND HAD THE BULLHORN TO DO IT WHEN YOU'RE ON RADIO AND TELEVISION SO FREQUENTLY.
AND SO IN, IN REGIONAL REPUBLICAN POLITICS, THERE WAS THIS SCHISM BETWEEN, IT'S A NEW TAX, WE DON'T SUPPORT THAT, THAT'S NOT OUR PARTY'S PLATFORM, BUT THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE PART OF THE SAME PARTY, BUT REALIZE THAT FROM A LOCAL STANDPOINT, THIS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, BUT IT WAS WHAT WE REALLY HAD TO DO.
AND THAT, THAT DIVIDE WAS, UM, PART OF, I THINK THE MESSAGING THAT WENT OUT TO THE ELECTORATE.
AND, AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T MESSAGE FOR EITHER LONG ENOUGH OR PROPERLY THE IMPLICATIONS OF NOT RENEWING, UH, PROP J WHAT HAPPENS IF THE HALF CENT SALES TAX GOES AWAY? WE TRIED, THERE WERE MANY, WE HAD THREE CONSULTANTS IN IT.
NOW I'M GONNA SPEAK TO THAT IN JUST A MINUTE.
WE HAD THREE CONSULTANTS EACH TRYING TO MESSAGE THIS, BUT IT WASN'T A COHESIVE MESSAGE.
AND SO THE PUBLIC STILL DOESN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS IF PROP J GOES AWAY OR WHEN PROP J GOES AWAY IN 2028.
AND THAT WILL HAVE TO BE A MESSAGE THAT'S COMMUNICATED IF, IF THIS CITY PURSUES, UH, A RENEWAL OF, OF A PROP J OR A MEASURE P OR, OR WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE.
ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WE SAW WAS THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION, WHICH DID TREMENDOUS WORK, I MEAN, NO DOUBT I CAN'T SPEAK, UH, MORE HIGHLY OF THE FIREFIGHTERS UNION AND HOW I WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID TO PUSH THIS, UH, OVER THE FINISH LINE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER INVOLVEMENT BY ANY OTHER EMPLOYEE UNIONS.
AND VERY FEW UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS.
UH, MUCH UNLIKE THE STORIES THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD ABOUT, UH, PROP J WHERE YOU HAD UNION MEMBERS ON TELEPHONES, MAKING PHONE CALLS, URGING PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR IT, TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
THERE WAS A FULL COURT PRESS OF EMPLOYEE UNION INVOLVEMENT IN 2008 DURING THE PROP J.
THERE WASN'T THAT TYPE OF INVOLVEMENT IN THIS, IN THIS INSTANCE.
AND AS I MENTIONED, ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS WE HAD MULTIPLE CONSULTANTS.
WE HAD THE FIRE SAFETY UNION CONSULTANT.
WE HAD A CONSULTANT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE HAD POLSKI AND, UH, RESEARCH THAT WAS INVOLVED.
[00:45:01]
HAD THREE CONSULTANTS EACH PUTTING OUT THEIR OWN MESSAGE, EACH NOT REALLY COORDINATING WITH EACH OTHER.IN ONE CASE, THERE WAS A, PER A SIGNIFICANT PERSONALITY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO OF THE CONSULTANTS THAT DIDN'T WANNA WORK TOGETHER.
UM, IT WAS NOT, IT, IT DIDN'T MAKE FOR A GOOD STRATEGY TO MOVE, UH, THE PROJECT FORWARD, TO MOVE THE INITIATIVE FORWARD.
SOME MINOR FACTORS THAT WE F WE FEEL, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A, IT WAS A BALLOT IN AN OFF YEAR, A MIDTERM ELECTION.
SO THAT, THAT TYPICALLY HAS VERY LOW VOTER TURNOUT.
NOBODY'S REALLY INTERESTED IF IT'S NOT A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, UM, IT RAINED HEAVILY ON ELECTION DAY.
IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE, IF YOU DIDN'T FILL OUT YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOT OR YOU JUST LIKED TO GO TO THE POLLING PLACE, WHICH MANY PEOPLE DO JUST FOR THE EXPERIENCE, PRETTY MUCH WEREN'T GONNA DO IT ON THAT DAY.
IT WAS, IT WAS A BAD WEATHER DAY.
UM, THERE WAS NO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE CAMPAIGN.
THERE WAS, UH, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY, UH, REAL SENSE, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL EAST COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
UH, COUNCIL DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY REASONABLE SENSE.
SO THERE WAS NO REAL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER GROUPS, SOCIAL GROUPS, UH, FRATERNAL GROUPS, UM, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AGAIN, TIMING COULD HAVE PLAYED A FACTOR THERE.
UM, NEXT, THERE WAS NO, AGAIN, DEMOCRATS ARE TYPICALLY THE ONES, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PAINT A BROAD BRUSH HERE, BUT DEMOCRATS ARE THE ONES THAT TYPICALLY SUPPORT TAX INITIATIVES.
UM, BUT THERE WAS NO DEMOCRAT OR DEMOCRATIC ISSUE OR CANDIDATE ON THE BALLOT THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE DEMOCRAT DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT TO THE POLLS.
SO THE, THE, THE, THE POPULATION YOU'RE USUALLY RELYING ON TO CONSIDER A TAX MEASURE IN A FAVORABLE CONTEXT DIDN'T NEED TO TURN OUT, SO WHY VOTE? UM, AND SO THEY DIDN'T.
UM, AND THEN OUR APPROACH WAS, OUR APPROACH TO AGGRESSIVE WAS 1 CENT TOO AGGRESSIVE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO DO SO MUCH MORE WITH $28 MILLION THAN HOLDING THE LINE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE TRY AND DO WITH THE $14 MILLION THAT, THAT BACKFILLS THE BUDGET THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
WE WANTED TO DO A LOT OF THINGS WITH, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE MONEY THAT WE WERE, UM, THAT W THAT WOULD'VE BEEN RAISED BY IT.
NOW I WANT TO SHOW YOU THE MAP, AND I HOPE YOU CAN SEE IT.
IN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DARK, THE ALMOST THE MAROON COLOR, THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE PRECINCTS WHERE OVER 70% OF THE VOTERS VOTED NO.
AND THEN IN THE RED, THE TRUE RED, UH, BOTH ON THE, IN THE EAST SIDE OF THE MAP, NORTH AND SOUTH, THOSE ARE 65 TO 70% NO VOTES OVER, OVER THE YES VOTES IN THE PINK AREAS, THOSE ARE BETWEEN 60 AND 65% NO VOTES.
SO AGAIN, DISTRIBUTION EAST AND WEST, THE WHITE AREAS ARE ALL PRECINCTS THAT VOTED BETWEEN 50 AND 60%.
NO, WHICH IS THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY, QUITE FRANKLY.
AND THEN THE GREEN WERE THE ONLY PRECINCTS THAT VOTED YES OVER NO, IN VARIOUS PERCENTAGES.
WE DIDN'T, I DIDN'T BREAK THAT DOWN, BUT THOSE ARE VARIOUS PERCENTAGES, YES.
OVER, NO THE VALLEY FLOOR VERSUS, UM, THE VARIOUS HILLS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF, OF HOW THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE STUDIED THIS ISSUE.
UM, WHAT WE CAME AWAY WITH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS THAT COULD HAVE, UH, CONTRIBUTED TO IT.
I JUST DECIDED TO HIGHLIGHT THE ONES THAT, THAT REALLY MADE THE MOST SENSE, THE LARGER ONES THAT MADE THE MOST SENSE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY POINT TO AND SAY, YEAH, THAT PROBABLY HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.
BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS AND, AND I'M NOT A POLLSTER, SO, UM, I ACTUALLY HATED STATISTICS IN SCHOOL AND, AND SO DIDN'T WANT TO EVEN BO THAT'S WHY I HIRE PEOPLE TO DO THIS STUFF FOR ME.
BUT, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT GIVES US A ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE.
IF, IF WE WANT TO BRING SOMETHING TO YOU IN THE FUTURE TO ADDRESS PROP J'S EXPIRATION, WE HAVE A ROADMAP TO DO IT.
AND WE WOULD DO IT WITH FAR MORE RUNWAY, FAR MORE TIME TO GET OUT A MESSAGE, FAR MORE, UH, INVOLVEMENT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EXERCISE.
SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, COUNSEL, ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS? OKAY, ANGELA, ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS? I HAVE ONE TRUTH.
SO I'D SAY TALK ABOUT REFRESHING TO HEAR ANY ELECTION RESULT BEING EVEN SLIGHTLY
[00:50:01]
QUESTIONED.SO THIS ITEM SAYS THAT LAST YEAR, POLSKI RESEARCH CONDUCTED POLLING TO GAUGE THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR A 1 CENT SALES TAX KNOWN AS MEASURE P TO REPLACE PROP J.
THE POLLING SHOWED SOLID SUPPORT AT 60%, ALONG WITH SUPPORT FOR INVESTING IN PUBLIC SAFETY, POLICE AND FIRE, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT REMEDIATION AND HOMELESS INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND DESPITE THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT, THE NOVEMBER ELECTION RESULT WAS ALMOST EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE POLLING HAD INDICATED.
MEASURE P WAS NOT EXPECTED TO CRATER AND REVERSE INTO A DEFEAT.
WELL, IT'S THANKS TO PEOPLE AT THE CORRUPT REGISTRAR OF VOTERS LIKE MICHAEL VU, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE'VE HAD IT DIGITAL CRATERS ALL OVER OUR ELECTIONS PROCESS UNDER VU AND KAKA COUNTY, OHIO, THEY HAD ABSENTEE BALLOTS INVALIDATED BECAUSE THEY WERE COUNTED TWICE SHORTAGES OF BALLOTS, MISPLACED BALLOTS AND VOTES CAST BY UNREGISTERED VOTERS.
SO NOT ONLY CRATERS, BUT VOTES CAN END UP IN BLACK HOLES.
SO ON THIS ITEM INSISTS THAT THE POLLING METHODOLOGY HAD TO BE FLAWED.
IT'S A PATTERN HERE, AND WHEN STAFF GOES FURTHER TO SAY THE FEDERAL RESERVE CURVED INFLATION, AND THAT 2022 WAS THE PERFECT ECONOMIC STORM TO KILL A TAX MEASURE, I HAVE TO CORRECT THAT FLAWED STATEMENT AND SAY THAT THE FEDERAL RESERVE ACTUALLY CAUSES INFLATION BY CONTINUALLY PRINTING MORE PAPER MONEY BACKED BY NOTHING.
AND THAT'S THE ECONOMIC STORM WE'RE IN THE EYE OF.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE END OF IT YET.
THE SOCIALIST HANDOUTS THAT USED AND ARE STILL USING THE EXCUSE OF COVID, HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO PEOPLE NO LONGER SPENDING MONEY THEY NEVER ACTUALLY HAD IN THE FIRST PLACE.
HENCE, WHY I LIKE TO CALL ARPA THE AMERICAN DESTRUCTION PLAN ACT AS ITEM ALSO MENTIONS LACK OF SUPPORT BY UNIONS OTHER THAN THE PUBLIC SAFETY UNIONS.
MOST OF THE UN OTHER UNIONS ARE JUST POLITICAL FRONT ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE MINIONS.
HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU AS FAR AS THE COUNTYWIDE REPUBLICAN ESTABLISHMENT, OPPOSING MEASURE P I HAVE TO QUOTE GOVERN AMERICA RADIO AND SAY THAT DESTROYING AMERICA IS A BIPARTISAN AFFAIR.
WHAT I DO AGREE WITH IS THAT ANY TAX MEASURE NEEDS TO HAVE A CLEAR TIMEFRAME AND CLEAR GOALS FOR USE OF THE PEOPLE'S MONEY.
GENERALLY, I'M NOT A FAN OF ANYONE TRYING TO SWAY VOTERS LIKE THIS ITEM SUGGEST.
IF PEOPLE VOTE, THEY NEED TO VOTE EDUCATED ON THE MEASURE AFTER THEY'VE DONE THEIR OWN RESEARCH.
IT'S NOT REALLY THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB TO CONVINCE PEOPLE.
IF THE PEOPLE ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND INVOLVED CIVICALLY ENGAGED AS BILL CALLED IT LIKE THEY SHOULD BE, THEN A GOOD MEASURE WILL CATCH THEIR ATTENTIVE EYES AND EARS.
UNLESS ALL THE VOTING'S RIGGED, THEN THE NEWS WILL SAY TONIGHT AT 11.
UH, COUNSEL, ANY COMMENTS? MICHELLE? SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? WHAT'S, WHAT, WHAT IS, JUST REAL BRIEFLY, CUZ THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT DOES ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UM, AS TO WHAT HAPPENED, THERE WAS A LOT WORKING AGAINST US.
UM, BUT HOW DO WE, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE AND HOW CAN WE, I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA LEARN FROM THESE PAST MISTAKES, BUT I MEAN, WE'RE COMING UP.
WE NEED A PLAN SOON BECAUSE MONEY'S GOTTA COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO EVEN PROGRESS, WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE MONEY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S GONNA BE IN TAXES.
WELL, BARRING A SPECIAL ELECTION, OF COURSE WE HAVE THREE, THREE OPPORTUNITIES REMAINING 20 24, 20 26, AND 2028.
UM, I, I THINK THE CITY MANAGER AND I ARE BOTH IN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD NOT COME TO YOU IN 2028 AND HOPE EVERYTHING GOES WELL AND THEN HAVE, HAVE IT NOT GO WELL.
YOU, YOU, YOU SHOULD, YOU SHOULD GET RID OF US AT THAT POINT.
UM,
I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO, UM, DECIDE W WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING TO YOU NEXT AND AS FAR AS A RECOMMENDATION IS CONCERNED.
AND, AND IF WE DO THAT, W WE WILL DEFINITELY PROGRAM IN, UH, A LONG TIMEFRAME TO ACTUALLY GET MESSAGING OUT THERE IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY.
I'VE GOT, UH, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
UM, WHEN YOU BRING IT BACK, I THINK WE HAVE TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE AS FIRST TIMING.
THE REASON IS SANDBAGS TRANSPORTATION PLAN COUNTS ON THREE QUARTER CENT TAX INCREASES OVER THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS OR SO.
MTS FACING AN 50 MILLION STRUCTURAL DEFICIT PROBABLY WILL COME WITH ITS OWN QUARTER CENT SALES TAX.
AND THIS IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT SANDAG WOULD
[00:55:01]
LIKE TO DO WITH THE VMT OF 4 CENTS A MILE OR SO.AND I GUESS NOT TO DEFEND SANDAG, UH, BUT TO SAY THE STATE IS PLACING THESE KIND OF FINANCIAL BURDENS ON THE PEOPLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, THIS GREEN GOAL, IT'S EXPENSIVE AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR IT AT THE END.
AND THAT IS A VOTE ON THE STATE'S REQUIREMENT, WHICH IS BEING PUSHED DOWN THROUGH SANDI, THROUGH MTS AND THINGS.
SO SINCE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US STRUCTURALLY, I THINK WE NEED TO COME BACK AT THE NEXT ELECTION.
OUR GENERAL BUDGET IS AROUND 85, 90 MILLION.
AM I CLOSE TO THAT? WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO A HUNDRED MILLION RIGHT NOW.
SO IT, IT'S EASILY 15% OF OUR BUDGET.
IT'S, IT'S NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
IT, IT'S, IT'S ENOUGH TO FUND A FIRE DEPARTMENT, FOR INSTANCE.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE MY, MY QUESTION ON THE OR RECOMMENDATION AND THE TIMING.
UM, AS FAR AS A LIMITED INVOLVEMENT, I THINK THE, THE COUNCIL PUT HANDCUFFS ON ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, THE, THE LABOR UNIONS, THE CHAMBER, THE EC D C, WE VOTED TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT IN 60 DAYS.
SO WE GOTTA OWN, WE DIDN'T HELP ANYBODY OUT.
IT, IT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK, UH, SUPPORTERS.
YOU HAVE 60 DAYS TO COME TOGETHER AND PUT TOGETHER A PLAN AND CONVINCE PEOPLE THIS IS REALLY GOOD.
I THINK WHAT WE THOUGHT FROM THE POLLING COMPANY WAS THEY'VE NEVER, I'VE NEVER, WE'VE NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF SUPPORT BEFORE FOR THIS KIND OF A MEASURE.
YOU WOULD BE NEGLIGENT NOT TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.
AND WE SAID, OKAY, LET'S DO IT.
EVEN IF THERE'S WIGGLE ROOM, WE CAN STILL REACH OUR, OUR TARGET, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY 60 DAYS.
SO I WILL FALL ON THE SWORD FOR OUR, UH, LABOR UNIONS, FOR OUR CHAMBER, OUR EC D C BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HELP THEM BY SAYING, LET'S GO 60 DAYS, LET'S GO.
UM, I DID MY OWN MAP, UH, NUMBER CRUNCHING AFTERWARDS.
I FOUND LIKE YOUR MAP, UH, I DID HOW MANY MORE NO VOTES WERE THERE THAN YES VOTES.
AND ABOUT A THIRD, NO HALF OF THE NO VOTES CAME FROM FLETCHER HILLS.
THE SPREAD, I SHOULD SAY MADE A 4,500 VOTE SPREAD.
HALF OF THAT, OR 2000 WAS IN FLETCHER HILLS.
SO I HAVE TO ASK MYSELF, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.
WAS THIS A FLETCHER HILLS ISSUE VERSUS THE VALLEY FLOOR ISSUE? DO FLETCHER HILLS PEOPLE SAY WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME KIND OF IMPACT OF HOMELESSNESS OR LACK OF RESPONSE TIMES THAT PEOPLE ON THE VALLEY FLOOR DO? AND DO WE WANNA FUND THE VALLEY FLOOR TO IMPROVE HOMELESSNESS WHEN IT'S NOT AN ISSUE FOR US? UP THE HILL IN FLETCHER HILLS, DOES FLETCHER HILLS CONSIDER THEM A DIFFERENT KIND OF EL CAJON? AND THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT I'M ASKING, BUT IT, IT SEEMED LIKE WITH SO MANY MORE NO VOTES IN FLETCHER HILLS, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT FLETCHER HILLS MORE THAN THE ECONOMY, MORE THAN THE PRIME RATE, MORE THAN THESE THINGS.
IT, UH, COINCIDENTALLY, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER BIGGEST SPREAD OF NOVOS WERE OUT IN GRANITE HILLS, THE FAR EDGE OVER BY SHADOW MOUNTAIN, UH, DOWN IN HORIZON HILLS AND OUT IN NORTHEAST EL CAJON, WHICH IS OUT BY THE NEW MAIN RANCH AREA.
UH, SO REALLY OUTLYING AREAS WERE WHERE THIS FAILED.
THE VALLEY FLOOR SAID YES, BUT HALF OF THOSE SPREAD CAME FROM FLETCHER HILLS.
I THINK WE GOTTA THINK ABOUT FLETCHER HILLS, PERHAPS WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF ISSUES THAN ALL OF EL CAJON LUMP TOGETHER MIGHT BE SOMETHING THERE.
UH, THIS WAS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM, O ONLY ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? YES, WELL, STEVE, I THINK YOU MAKE REALLY GOOD POINTS.
UH, BEING A RESIDENT OF FLETCHER HILLS AND I'M ON THE LOWEST PART OF THE FLETCHER HILLS THAT HAS THE TILE ROOFS.
SO WE WILL OCCASIONALLY HAVE HOMELESS PEOPLE COME UP ON MY STREET AND TRY AND STEAL MAIL OR PACKAGES.
BUT AS YOU GO FURTHER UP INTO FLETCHER HILLS, THAT APPARENTLY ISN'T A PROBLEM.
AND AT LEAST THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UH, I THINK THERE'S ONE THING THAT THE FLETCHER HILLS RESIDENTS, UH, THINK IS IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S PARAMEDICS AND FIRE, CUZ THAT TEND TO BE AN OLDER GROUP OF PEOPLE LIVING IN, YOU KNOW, MILLION DOLLAR HOMES.
AND THEY'VE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE AND I THINK, UH, THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF SOMEONE HAS A HEART ATTACK, THE PARAMEDICS ARE THERE.
AND, BUT, YOU KNOW, I I, LOOKING AT
[01:00:01]
THE CITY AS A WHOLE, YOU KNOW, WE GET OUR REVENUE REALLY FROM THE VALLEY FLOOR, FROM PARKWAY PLAZA AND ALL THE CAR DEALERSHIPS.SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, ALSO THAT EVERYBODY IS SAFE THERE AND PEOPLE FEEL SAFE GOING DOWN THERE AND BUYING A CAR ARE GOING INTO THE BUSINESSES.
NOT A, A WHOLE LOT OF BUSINESSES UP IN FLETCHER HILLS.
IT'S, IT'S MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL.
SO THE, SO COUNCILMAN GOBEL IS EXACTLY RIGHT IN SAYING THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT CONCERNS BETWEEN FLETCHER HILLS AND I AND I THINK MOST OF THE OTHER HILLS SURROUNDING AS YOU GO UP IN ELEVATION, UH, THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE HOMES, UH, THEY MAKE MORE MONEY AND THEY TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT OLDER.
AND, UH, BUT WHEN I GO DOWN, LIKE ON LEXINGTON AND SOME OF THE VALLEY FLOOR STREETS, I DO SEE A LOT OF HOMELESS THERE AND LOOKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
A LOT OF THEIR COMPLAINTS ABOUT, ABOUT THE HOMELESS.
SO THERE'RE DIFFERENT ISSUES DOWN ON VALLEY, FLORIDA.
I THINK IT'S MOSTLY, MOSTLY THE HOMELESS ISSUE AND UP WHEN WE GET INTO THE HILLS, IT'S MOSTLY ISSUES REGARDING, UM, PARAMEDIC SERVICES.
THERE, THERE PROBABLY AREN'T A, I SUSPECT THERE ARE HARDLY ANY POLICE CALLS, UH, UP IN THE HILLS.
SO, STEVE, I I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON THAT ONE.
OH, UM, YEAH, I COULD SAY A LOT.
I THINK THAT THE ONE THING, UM, IF THIS DOES COME UP AGAIN, I THINK TOWN HALLS ENGAGING NOT ONLY TO DEPUTY MAYOR GO'S POINT, ENGAGING THE GROUPS, BUT ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY DIRECTLY.
I MEAN, WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT FOR OUR HOMELESS TOWN HALL THE FIRST TIME.
I'M EXPECTING SIMILAR ATTENDANCE ON THE NEXT ONE.
UM, AND TO OUR SPEAKERS, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKERS POINT TRUTH, UM, ALLOWING THE, UH, THE PUBLIC TO BE ENGAGED TO DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH.
AND, AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, TELLING THE STORY OF, OF THE NEED FOR THIS.
I MEAN, WE JUST HAD THE, THE PRESENTATION FROM DISPATCH SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 190,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT'S TWO PER RESIDENT PER DAY.
UM, WHEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS FAILING US, AND I BELIEVE IT'S ON THE WAY TO BE A FAILED STATE.
UM, AND SMALLER CITIES ARE TRYING TO KEEP LAW IN ORDER FOR ITS RESIDENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE PUBLIC.
I KNOW, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR GOBEL AND I HAD TOWN HALLS, I THINK ONE YOURS WAS ATTENDED BY A, UH, WHOPPING ONE PERSON, AND MINE WAS ATTENDED BY ONE PERSON.
I THINK THE TIMEFRAME MIGHT HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THAT BECAUSE IT WAS SO QUICK, QUICKLY DONE.
UM, BUT, UM, YEAH, A CLEAR TIMEFRAME AND GOALS, UM, OF WHERE THE MONEY'S SPENT, I THINK, UM, NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATED ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BUT, UM, ENGAGING, UM, THE PUBLIC DIRECTLY, NOT JUST THE GROUPS, I THINK IS, IS ALSO IMPORTANT.
MR. GOBEL, I MEAN, UM, MS. MITCHELL ASKED THE QUESTION NOW, WHAT, UH, WHAT'S NEXT? SO AS PART OF THE BUDGET, WE WILL BE INCLUDING SOME FUNDING FOR SOME POLLING DATA TO GET A SENSE OF, OF WHERE TO GO.
I THINK MR. GOBEL IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
I THINK IT, IT PROBABLY HAS TO BE THE NEXT ELECTION.
I THINK THE DECISION HAS TO BE MADE SOONER SO WE HAVE MORE RUNWAY TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGE WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS ABOUT WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE AND WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, STAFF IS HANDCUFFED IN TERMS OF THE CAMPAIGN.
WE CANNOT BE INVOLVED WITH THE CAMPAIGN.
SO THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT, THAT WE WISH WE COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED WITH, BUT I THINK IF THERE WAS MORE TIME, THOSE THINGS WOULD'VE BEEN WORKED OUT ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT US HAVING TO VIOLATE THE LAW.
UM, WE THINK THAT, UH, AS WE PULL, WE THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA ONLY FOCUS ON EXTENDING THE PROPOSITION.
AND I THINK THE BIG QUESTION THAT WE HAVE TO ANSWER AS PART OF THE POLLING DATA IS, DO WE GO FOR A GENERAL SALES TAX MEASURE, WHICH ONLY REQUIRES A 50% THRESHOLD TO FOR APPROVAL, OR DO WE CONSIDER A SPECIAL SALES TAX THAT WOULD FOCUS ON PUBLIC SAFETY OR THE ISSUES THAT THE, THE COMMUNITY REALLY WANTS, WHICH REQUIRES A TWO-THIRDS.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE SOME REASONS WHY YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THE TWO-THIRDS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO FLUSH THAT OUT WITH SOME DATA.
I THINK WE NEED TO SEE WHERE THERE'S A PENDING BALLOT MEASURE COMING UP ON THE 2024 STATEWIDE PROPOSITIONS THAT WILL REQUIRE ALL THINGS TO HAVE THAT EVEN RETROSPECTIVELY.
[01:05:01]
CURVE AND, AND START CONSIDERING THAT ALREADY.SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE STARTING TO THINK ABOUT RIGHT NOW THAT WE NEED TO GET IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL PROBABLY BY THE END OF THE SUMMER, AT LEAST HAVING SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE TO GO.
UH, DOESN'T THAT HALF CENT SALES TAX PROP J FUND OUR ENTIRE P UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT? WELL, IT EQUIVALENT OF THAT, IT GENERATES ABOUT 14 MILLION.
SO IF YOU WERE TO TAKE, UM, WELL, WE TRY TO LOOK FOR THE MOST EQUIVALENT NICE ROUND NUMBER OF WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE FUNDED WITH 14 MILLION.
IT'S OUR ENTIRE REC DEPARTMENT AND OUR ENTIRE GENERAL FUND PORTION OF PUBLIC WORKS.
SO, COMBINED, COMBINED, THAT'S A, THAT'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT, THAT 14 MILLION FUNDS IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON, I, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE FIRE BUDGET IS, BUT, UM, THAT MAY BE CORRECT.
SO I THINK THAT ONE THING WE NEED TO CONSIDER, UM, WHEN WE START PUTTING THIS OUT AGAIN, IS WE'VE GOTTA GO AGAINST SOME VERY LOUD POLITICAL PUNDITS, IF YOU WILL, LIKE YOU SAID, ON RADIO AND TELEVISION.
UM, WE AS A COUNCIL TOOK A LOT OF CONDEMNATION FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OR THOSE WHO ARE, UM, UM, HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
AND WE TOOK A LOT OF CONDEMNATION ABOUT THAT, AND IT, IT WAS LIKE, WE NEVER REALLY GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DEFEND OURSELVES.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALL CONSERVATIVE HERE AND WE ALL DON'T WANT TAXES.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA RAISE TAXES, BUT WE'RE ALSO ELECTED TO HELP RUN, YOU KNOW, TO RUN THIS CITY.
AND WE NEED THE MONEY TO DO THAT.
AND WHEN YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE WITH LOUD VOICES AND A, UM, A PLATFORM THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR EVERYBODY TO HEAR IT, IT JUST WORKED AGAINST US.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
UM, OTHER THAN MAYBE INVITING THOSE PEOPLE WHEN IN PARTICULAR, UM, TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS, BE A PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND, AND BECAUSE HE HAD SPOUTED THAT GIVE HIM WHAT AN HOUR, AND HE COULD SOLVE ALL OF THIS, AND WE WOULDN'T NEED TO RAISE TAXES.
SO MAYBE HE MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE, UM, ABUSE, UM, GIVING HIS PAST POLITICAL, UM, INVOLVEMENT IN THE COUNTY.
BUT I THINK THAT WE, THE ONE RED, DARK RED AREA UP IN THAT AREA WAS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THOSE NEIGHBORS ARE, UM, HOMEOWNERS.
A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE, UH, IN THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, IT'S AN OLDER NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, KIND OF LIKE GARY'S, YOU KNOW, JUST OLDER HOMES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO.
WE CAN'T CAMPAIGN, BUT THEN WE ALSO NEED TO EDUCATE.
AND THEN THERE WERE A COUPLE OF, UH, OTHER DETRACTORS, UM, THAT I, WE JUST NEED TO COME UP WITH A BETTER PLAN.
WELL, JUST TO CLARIFY A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU SAID.
UM, THE LAST ONE BEING YOU CAN'T CAMPAIGN YOU AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN, OKAY.
THE STAFF CANNOT ADVOCATE ACTIVELY ON WORK HOURS FOR THIS.
UM, BUT, BUT CITY COUNCIL CERTAINLY CAN, IF THEY OKAY.
IF THEY WANT TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THIS.
I THINK IT'S A, IT'S, THERE'S JUST GONNA BE SOME PEOPLE THAT VOTE NO BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA VOTE NO.
UM, BUT EDUCATING PEOPLE IN TERMS OF HOW OUR BUDGET WORKS AND WHERE THE 14 MILLION GOES AND, AND LOSING IT HERE ARE THE PRACTICAL, UH, IMPACTS OF THAT.
THO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT MESSAGES THAT, THAT WE NEED THAT TIME TO CONVEY.
SO WE NEED TO GET STARTED LIKE NOW.
YEAH, I, I THINK WE ALSO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASES FOR, UH, RAPID TRANSIT THAT I DON'T THINK VERY MANY PEOPLE IN EL CAJON USE.
AND IT'S INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE PER PERSON THAT RIDES ON THE TROLLEYS AND A MAJOR THAT KEEPS OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONING.
AND THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS GONNA CHOOSE PUBLIC SAFETY OVER A, UH, MORE MONEY FOR A TROLLEY THAT I HAVEN'T USED IN 10 YEARS.
[01:10:01]
THE TROLL OR CLOSE TO THE END OF THE TROLLEY LINE, WHEN I SEE THREE PEOPLE ON A TROLLEY, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, HALF 'EM ARE HOMELESS.UM, I THINK THAT, UH, WE HAVE TO SHOW THE CITIZENS THAT THEY GET A REALLY BIG BANG FOR THE BUCK WHEN TH THERE'S MONEY FOR POLICE AND FIRE AND PARAMEDIC PROTECTION.
THIS ITEM IS, UH, INFORMATION ONLY COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS, STAFF.
I THINK THAT GIVES YOU SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT GOING FORWARD.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO ON TO, UH, ITEM SEVEN B, WHICH IS THE, UH, DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY FOR STORM DRAIN SYSTEMS. MR. MITCHELL, WHO DO WE LIKE TO, UH, TELL US ABOUT THIS, MR. GOBEL? I'LL, I'LL TAKE THIS.
SO BEFORE YOU, THIS, THIS AFTERNOON IS A RESOLUTION THAT YOU FIND ON YOUR DESK THAT DOES TWO THINGS.
ONE, IT, UH, PROCLAIMS THE CONTINUATION OF THE EMERGENCY FOR THE WELLS PARK RESTROOM CONDITIONS, AS THE STAFF REPORT INDICATES DEMOLITION IS ALREADY COMPLETED.
SO, SO WORK IS BEING WORKED ON, UH, DONE SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THE PERIMETER WALL, WHICH WILL BE, UM, GO UP SOON, IS PREPPED AND PRIMED AND READY FOR THAT TO OCCUR.
UH, THE OTHER THING THAT THE RESOLUTION DOES, IT DECLARES OR RATIFIES THE EMERGENCY THAT I DECLARED.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, ON UH, APRIL 4TH, A RESIDENT CONTACTED STAFF ABOUT WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE BEGINNINGS OF A SINKHOLE ON A PRIVATE STREET.
UH, WE INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS BEING CAUSED BY, UH, A CORRUGATED, A DETERIORATED CORRUGATED METAL PIPE THAT WAS CONVEYING STORM WATER.
UM, THAT'S, THAT IS CITY PROPERTY OR CITY MAINTAINED STORM DRAIN, UH, SEVERAL DAYS LATER.
THIS ACTUALLY ON, ON SUNDAY THE NINTH, FURTHER DOWN THE LINE FROM THAT SAME PIPE, ANOTHER, UM, SINKHOLE BEGAN TO FORM ON GRANITE HILLS IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, UH, SAME EXACT PIPE.
SO IT'S CLEAR AFTER WE HAVE SCOPED IT WITH A CAMERA, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DETERIORATION THAT THE PIPE IS FAILING.
AND IF WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF IT SOON, THERE'LL BE NOT ONLY THE, THE GROWTH OF THOSE TWO SINKHOLES, BUT OTHER SINKHOLES AND OTHER DAMAGE TO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY.
SO BECAUSE OF THAT, I DECLARED AN EMERGENCY TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR WORK IMMEDIATELY.
SO THIS RESOLUTION WOULD RATIFY THAT EMERGENCY AND ESTABLISH A BUDGET OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF STORMWATER OR WASTEWATER OPERATION BUDGET TO MAKE THAT REPAIR.
SO WITH THAT, STAFF'S HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, PUBLIC WORKS IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE PIPE ITSELF.
BEFORE WE GET TO, UH, COUNSEL QUESTIONS, UH, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, THIS IS OKAY TO PUT ON THE AGENDA HAVING NOT BEEN PUBLISHED 72 HOURS IN ADVANCE BECAUSE IT'S AN EMERGENCY.
DEPUTY MAYOR GOBEL, UM, WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PUT IT AS A PART OF THE MOTION, OR AT LEAST TO RECOGNIZE IT, BUT IT WAS IN THE REPORT THAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN GIVEN THAT, UH, IN ORDER TO ADD IT TO THE AGENDA, YOU HAVE TO MAKE FINDINGS.
AND, AND THOSE WERE PRESUMED THAT, UM, SOMETHING CAME UP AFTER THE POSTING AGENDA.
THERE ISN'T TIME FOR US TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT MEETING.
AND, UH, YOU NEEDED TO HAVE A FOUR FIFTHS VOTE OF THE MEMBERS, WHICH IS UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR THE FOUR OF YOU TO ADD IT TO THE AGENDA, AND YOU COMPLIED WITH EACH OF THOSE ELEMENTS, UH, EAR EARLIER TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
NOW, YOU'LL NEED TO, UH, RATIFY IT, I THINK, AGAIN, BY THE G SAME FOUR FIFTHS VOTE.
WE'RE ALL IN GOOD GRACES HERE, COUNSEL.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, THE FIRST QUE THERE WASN'T ANY CURRENT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY OR LIFE RIGHT NOW.
WITH THAT IS THERE, I'LL LET MS. AO RESPOND TO SOME OF THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
UH, DEPUTY MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS? YES.
ACTUALLY, I HAVE SOME PICTURES, UM, UM, THAT I COULD SHARE WITH YOU.
UM, NO, NO DAMAGE, UH, REPORTED TO PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND, UM, SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE AREA, UM, WHERE WE HAD THE, THE TWO SINKHOLES AND, UM, SO SITE A WAS REPORTED, UH, UH, SOME DAYS AGO.
AND, UH, SITE B ON SUNDAY, SUNDAY NIGHT, UM, STAFF VIDEO THE PIPELINE.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE, THE BOTTOM IS, IT'S THE PIPE, THE MATERIAL OF THE PIPE IS CORRUGATED METAL PIPE.
SO, WHICH, UH, IS SUPPOSE PROBABLY INSTALLED IN THE SEVENTIES.
AND, UM, UH, AS, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BOTTOM HAS BEEN IS CORRODED.
[01:15:01]
WORK, UM, STARTED THIS MORNING AND, UH, THE TRENCH HAS BEEN, UH, DOCKED SOME OF THE, UM, MATERIAL, UH, THE PIPELINE, UH, REMOVED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS YOU CAN SEE.AND, UH, SO THIS IS THE PIPELINE.
I ALSO HAVE SOME PICTURES ON, UH, WELLS PARK, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM.
UM, I'D IMAGINE THE RAINS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING THAT'S CORRECT.
ARE CONTRIBUTING TO A LOT OF THIS.
DO WE HAVE A SCHEDULE TO PROBE OUR OTHER STORM WATER AND, AND, AND WE'RE GOING METICULOUSLY GOING THROUGH THE CITY, OR CAN YOU TALK, SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? HOW, HOW THAT WORKS? YES, YES.
SO PUBLIC WORKS HAS A ROBUST, UM, INSPECTION SYSTEM.
WE TRIED TO, UM, IN INSPECT ALL OF OUR PIPES WITHIN 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
AND, UM, SO BECAUSE OF THE RAINS THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, WE, THIS, THIS PIPE WAS ACTUALLY IN OUR WATCH LIST.
AND, UH, ONE SECTION OF THIS PIPE HAD ALREADY BEEN, UH, PIPELINED.
AND, UM, SO THIS WAS ALREADY ON OUR LIST FOR, TO ADDRESS.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR.
I'LL, I'LL SHARE SOME OF THE PICTURES FROM THE, UH, WORK ON WELLS PARK.
UH, OKAY, I BELIEVE THAT, PLEASE ME SIT BACK TO COUNSEL IF ANY MORE DISCUSSION, OR DOES SOMEBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? DO YOU HAVE A SLIDE THAT SAYS THE COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON IT BY CHANCE? UH, YEAH, I, I MOVED TO PROCLAIM THE CONTINUATION OFER OF EMERGENCY FOR WELLS PARK RESTROOM AND ESTABLISHED A DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY FOR STORM DRAIN SYSTEM REPAIRS, DETERMINING THAT PUBLIC INTEREST NECESSITY REQUIRE IMMEDIATE EXPENDITURE, PUBLIC MONEY, SAFEGUARD LIFE, HEALTH OR PROPERTIES REQUIRED IN PUBLIC CONTRACT CODE 22 0 5 0.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU READ SOME ORDINANCES NEXT TIME OR SOMETHING.
YOU DO THAT SO WELL, YOU'RE GONNA PUT ME TO WORK
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.
THAT TAKES US TO, UH, ACTIVIES REPORTS.
UH, MAYOR WELLS SAYS ITEM EIGHT IS HIS ACTIVITIES AS REPORTED.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KENDRICK AS REPORTED COUNCIL
[11. COUNCILMEMBER MICHELLE METSCHEL Harry Griffen Park Joint Steering Committee; METRO Commission/Wastewater JPA – Alternate; Heartland Communications – Alternate; Heartland Fire Training JPA – Alternate.]
MEMBER MITCHELL AS REPORTED.AND I HAVE, UM, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TO MAKE.
ONE I WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY ABOUT THE, UM, HOMELESS TOWN HALL THAT'S SAYS SATURDAY AT HILLSIDE PARK IN THE GYM.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE A PA SYSTEM, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO COME OUT.
ALSO, UM, THIS FRIDAY IS THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE IS HOSTING A MEET WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER, CHRIS WARD, AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE.
AND THIS IS REGARDING SHELTER AND HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN, UH, ASSEMBLY MEMBER CHRIS WARD'S DISTRICT, UM, YOU CAN MEET HIM.
WE'VE, THEY'VE GOT AN HOUR SKETCHED OUT FOR HIM AND, UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
[12. 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.]
COUNCIL MEMBER ORTIZ? UH, MINE IS AS REPORTED AND I JUST WANNA THANK STAFF FOR FACILITATING THAT HOMELESS TOWN HALL.I MEAN, THAT WAS ONE OF THE MORE ENGAGING EVENTS I'VE BEEN AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE QUESTIONS I THOUGHT WERE FANTASTIC HAVING OUR, UM, NONPROFIT PROVIDERS THERE TO FACILITATE THE DISCUSSION.
I MEAN, YEAH, THAT WAS FANTASTIC.
I MEAN, GREAT THING TO BUILD ON, UM, AND, UH, YEAH, GREAT SUGGESTIONS FROM THE CROWD.
UM, SO I THINK, UM, IF WE CAN MODEL THAT FORM FORMAT IN FUTURE, WHATEVER IT IS, WHATEVER THE TOPIC IS, I THINK, UM, YEAH, IT'LL BE A STRONG, STRONG EVENT.
[9. DEPUTY MAYOR 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.]
GONNA, UH, GIVE MY REPORT AND THEN I'LL ASK IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS ON ANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS.UH, MY REPORT, UH, WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION, UH, AN ACTION FROM THE MTS BOARD LAST WEEK THAT YOU ALL KNOW.
WE TOOK, UH, ACTION TO INITIATE AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION USING OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
UH, WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT MR. FLETCHER IS STILL A MEMBER OF THE MTS BOARD.
HE IS STILL THE PRIMARY VOTING MEMBER FOR THE COUNTY.
SO HE COULD RETURN AT ANY TIME AND CAST A VOTE AS AN MTSS COUNTY MEMBER.
SO I'M LOOKING FOR THE COUNTY TO CHANGE ITS SLATE OF WHO THE PRIMARY IS AND WHO THE ALTERNATE IS.
AND BY LAW, BY PUBLIC UTILITIES CODE, IT MUST BE MR. FLETCHER'S DISTRICT AND MS. VARGAS'S DISTRICT.
IT CAN ONLY BE THOSE TWO SUPERVISORS BECAUSE OF PUBLIC UTILITIES.
[01:20:01]
MR. FLETCHER'S PRIMARY MS. VARGAS IS SECONDARY.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COUNTY REVERSE THOSE, UH, WOULD BE GREAT.
THIS PAST TUESDAY, BOY, I HAD A GREAT TREAT GOING TO THE CALIFORNIA PARKS AND REC SOCIETY CONVENTION, NATIONAL CONVENTION, UH, DOWN HERE AT THE SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER.
OUR OWN FRANK CARSON HAS SERVED THE PAST YEAR AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO, UH, WE, WE OFTEN DON'T TALK ABOUT, UH, PARK AND REC, BUT TODAY'S PARK AND REC DAY, SO YOU GOTTA KIND OF LIVE WITH THAT.
UH, THERE'S 482 CITIES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, MANY WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, MR. CARSON HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING LEADER, NOT ONLY TO THE CITY, BUT TO THE STATE AS WELL.
UH, SO HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB FOR THE PAST YEAR AS PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE ENTIRE STATE GROUP, UH, BUT ALSO TO OUR CITY.
IT WAS GREAT JUST TO BE PART OF THEIR EXPERIENCE FOR A HALF A DAY, GO TO GO TO, UH, SOME SPEAKERS AND THINGS.
UH, HE'S ALSO BEEN DEVELOPING LEADERS HERE IN EL CAJON AND OUR OWN, HEATHER CARTER IS OVER HERE, AND SHE WON A STATEWIDE RISING PROFESSIONAL AWARD.
SO HEATHER, WOULD YOU STAND AND, AND LET US CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR ACHIEVEMENT.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT LEADERS, NOT ONLY AT THE CITY LEVEL, BUT AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND WE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THE EXCELLENCE.
BUT OUR PARK AND REC DEPARTMENT DOES STATEWIDE, MR. MITCHELL, I, I DON'T THINK MANY KNOW THIS, BUT AS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MR. CARSON COMMITTED TO WHEN HE BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA PARKS AND RECREATION SOCIETY, IS THAT HE WAS GONNA VISIT EVERY SINGLE AREA, AND THE STATE IS SPLIT UP INTO DIFFERENT AREAS.
FOR MOST PART IT'S BY COUNTY, BUT HE VISITED EVERY SINGLE REGION AND HE DID A 5K RACE IN EACH OF THOSE REGIONS, WHETHER IT WAS, UH, ALREADY AN ORGANIZED 5K OR HE ORGANIZED IT AND JUST BROUGHT SOME PEOPLE OUT TO RUN WITH HIM.
SO, MR. CARSON, HOW MANY FIVE KS DID YOU RUN AS IN THE COURSE OF THAT LAST YEAR? THERE YOU GO.
THERE ARE NO JOINT COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS.
NO GENERAL INFORMATION ITEMS. NO.
EXCUSE ME, SIR, WE, OH, SORRY.
FOR ITEM 12, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO KNOW A PRO TIP, WHAT YOU DO IS YOU SIGN UP FOR WHATEVER THE LAST ITEM IS, AND YOU CAN HAVE THE LAST SAY SO.
THAT MEANS IT'LL EITHER BE NORA, UH, SORRY.
I MEAN, IT WILL BE NORA AT MTS AND SANDAG.
UM, AND STEVE, YOU WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT I DIDN'T SPEAK ON SEVEN B.
1, 2, 3, 4, 7 B GRAHAM DECLARED A STORMWATER EMERGENCY.
WHAT'S STORMWATER? OKAY, SO PHIL, YOUR IDEA OF TOWN HALL SOUNDED GOOD, BUT ONLY ONE PERSON SHOWING UP, MAN, I, I, I GUESS I WOULD RECOMMEND AN AGGRESSIVE SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN.
GET ON THERE, START CAUSING A RIOT.
MAYBE THAT'LL GET PEOPLE AWAKE.
SO YESTERDAY, PHIL, YOU ATTENDED A LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITY'S MEETING.
HERE'S SOME INFO ABOUT THAT ORGANIZATION.
THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES PUSHES MORE FRAUDULENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN WHAT IS CALLED INFILL AREAS.
AND WHEN THOSE SOVIET STYLES, SUSTAINABLE SLATE, GRAY STACK AND PACK PRISON AND BLOCK HOUSING PROJECTS DO GET BUILT, WHICH IS VERY RARE, THEY LOOK LIKE LANDFILL AREAS BECAUSE THEY'RE UGLY.
THE LEAGUE ALSO PUSHES WHAT IS CALLED ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS A NICE WAY OF SAYING THAT THEY PLAN TO DE-INCENTIVIZE DRIVING AND PRIORITIZE BIKING AND WALKING, OR MAYBE THOSE TROLLEYS NOBODY'S ON.
AND THE LEAGUE ALSO PUSHES FOR CAP AND TRADE EXTORTION PROGRAMS WHERE BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE WILL BE FORCED TO PAY FOR NATURALLY OCCURRING CARBON BECAUSE CLIMATE, THEY DON'T CARE THAT PLANTS NEED CARBON TO CREATE OXYGEN FOR ALL OF US TO BREATHE.
THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES ALSO TRAINS MAYORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY ATTORNEYS, CITY CLERKS, WHERE THEY GET TO HOBB KNOB AT FANCY DINNER SEMINARS AND LEARN HOW TO IMPLEMENT THEIR NONSENSE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IN ORDER TO TRANSFORM THE COUNTRY ONE STEP AT A TIME.
THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITY SPONSORS INCLUDE AMAZON, AT AND T, COMCAST, COX, GENENTECH, KAISER PERMANENTE, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON, SO CALGAS OWNED BY SEMPRA STATE FARM, VERIZON, AND WELLS FARGO.
MOST OF THOSE SPONSORS BEING WORLD ECONOMIC FORM PARTNERS AS WELL.
SO THOSE IDEOLOGIES GETTING PROMOTED ARE SOMEBODY'S GLOBAL GOALS BEING IMPLEMENTED LOCALLY INSTEAD OF LOCAL GOALS THAT WOULD BE BEST FOR EACH RESPECTIVE COMMUNITY SUCH AS EL CAJON.
SO PHIL, YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT ORGANIZATION, WHETHER YOUR INPUT HAS ANY
[01:25:01]
WEIGHT THERE AT ALL, OR IF IT JUST SERVES AS TAXPAYER FUNDED TRIP WHERE YOU CAN KEEP EYES ON WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE TOXIC PIPELINE.NOW I CAN SAY THERE ARE NO JOINT COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS, NO GENERAL INFORMATION ITEMS, NO FIRST OR SECOND READINGS OF ORDINANCES ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
[23. CLOSED SESSIONS:]
BRINGS US TO THE CLOSED SESSION PORTION OF THE AGENDA, AND I'LL LET THE CITY ATTORNEY RECITE THE TITLE AND LEAD US INTO CLOSED SESSION.DEPUTY MAYOR GOBEL, UH, CITY COUNCIL WILL BE MEETING IN TWO ITEMS IN CLOSED SESSION.
ITEM 13 IS ONE, UH, WITH A CONFERENCE OF LEGAL COUNSEL AND EXISTING LITIGATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH ONE OF SUBDIVISION D, GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 0.9.
THE NAME OF THE CASE IS WILLIAM ANDERSON VERSUS THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
AND THE SECOND ITEM 14 IS A CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 7 0.6.
THE NEGOTIATORS ARE LISTED ON THE AGENDA.
UH, AND THE, THE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED ARE THE EL CAJON MID-MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES GROUP, AS WELL AS THE, THE ELKO MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION.
DO I HAVE OR RECESS THE CLOSED SESSION? DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT.
ALRIGHT, LADIES AND AND GENTLEMEN ARE GONNA BREAK PROBABLY FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES OR SO, I IMAGINE, AND WE'LL BE BACK WHEN WE'RE DONE.
LADIES AND AND GENTLEMEN, WERE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
I'LL ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REPORT ON ACTIONS TAKEN IN THE CLOSED SESSION.
DEPUTY MAYOR GOBEL, THE CITY COUNCILMAN IN CLOSED SESSION FOR TWO ITEMS OF, FIRST WAS A CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON EXISTING LITIGATION AS DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA IN THAT ACTION, THE, IN THAT ITEM, THE CITY COUNCIL GAVE DIRECTION TO OUR LEGAL COUNSEL INVOLVED IN THE CASE.
ON ITEM 14, THEY MET IN CLOSED SESSION FOR A CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS FOR, UH, TWO EMPLOYEE GROUPS AS IT LISTED ON THE AGENDA AND GAVE DIRECTION TO THESE CITY'S DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES, UH, IN, INVOLVED IN THE LABOR NEGOTIATIONS.
THAT BRINGS US TO ADJOURNMENT OF THE REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL, EL CAJON HOUSING AUTHORITY AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE EL CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY.
HELD THIS 11TH DAY OF APRIL, 2023, AND IT'S ADJOURNED TO TUESDAY, APRIL 25TH, 2023 AT 3:00 PM THANK YOU.