[00:00:03]
WELCOME TO THE EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
[ CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells]
IS CALLED TO ORDER, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY CLERK TO CALL THE ROLL.ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT NOW.
YOU MAY NOTICE I HAVE THIS HANDHELD MICROPHONE AND IT'S NOT 'CAUSE I'M GONNA DO MY FRANK SINATRA IMPRESSION.
IT'S, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING A TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA ROLL WITH IT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT WE'RE ALL GONNA HAVE TO, TO SHARE ONE MICROPHONE UP HERE.
SO, UM, BEAR WITH US AND WE'LL, WE'LL DO THE BEST WE CAN.
WOULD Y'ALL STAND WITH ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THE REMAIN STANDING AFTERWARDS FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE,
[ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the July 11, 2023, Meeting and the Agenda of the July 25, 2023, Meeting in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.]
THE CLERK POSTED ORDERS OF ADJOURNMENT OF THE JULY 11TH, 2023 AND THE AGENDA OF THE JULY 25TH, 2023 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY[ PRESENTATIONS:]
POLICY.WE HAVE NO PRESENTATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WELL, DON'T WE HAVE WE HAVE THE MISS EL CAJON FOLKS HERE.
AREN'T THEY PART OF THE PRESENTATION? THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UH, THEY HAVE AN A CONSENT ITEM.
OH, YOU HAVE A, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? COME YOU, YOU CAN BE, WE NEED A PRESENTATION, SO COME ON UP.
NO, IT'S JUST WE DON'T GET BEAUTY QUEENS IN, IN THE, WELL I TAKE IT.
NO, NO, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE, OH, YOU NEED TO BORROW THIS MICROPHONE TOO.
I'M PHIL STER, THE DIRECTOR OF THE MISS EL CAJON PASSION, WHICH WAS HELD THIS PAST FRIDAY AT GREENFIELD THEATER.
UM, ALL OF OUR GIRLS AREN'T HERE YET, BUT WE'RE HERE TO INTRODUCE THE ONES THAT ARE HERE.
IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME COMING TO THE CHAMBERS.
SO I'VE HAD A CALL OF A COUPLE THAT ARE WANDERING AROUND.
SO, BY THE WAY, THIS WAS THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CROWNING OF MISS EL CAJON.
AND NO, I HAVE NOT BEEN HERE FOR 60 YEARS.
HI, I'M KATIE REED AND I'M MISS TEEN EL CAJON.
I'M AMELIA RA, AGE 12, AND I AM MISS JUNIOR TEEN EL CAJON.
I'M ACTUALLY MISS RANCHO SAN DIEGO.
I AM 18 YEARS OLD AND I'M GONNA BE STUDYING AT SS D S U THIS FALL.
UH, I SEE MICHELLE WAS AT THE PAGEANT AND WE ENJOYED HAVING HER THERE VERY MUCH.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 22 GIRLS THIS YEAR.
NO ONE WAS CHARGED A FEE TO TAKE PART IN THE PAGEANT.
WE HAD WORKSHOPS THAT THE GIRLS ATTENDED TO PREPARE FOR THE PAGEANT.
THOSE WORKSHOPS WERE FREE OF CHARGE TO THE GIRLS ALSO.
[00:05:01]
HI, WHO ARE YOU? INTRODUCTION.I'M 19 YEARS OLD AND I GO TO INNOVATION HIGH SCHOOL.
THE GIRLS ALREADY HAVE AN AGENDA.
THEY WILL BE, UH, HELPING OUT AT EL CAJONS NIGHT OUT, WHICH IS COMING UP AUGUST 1ST.
THEY WILL ALSO BE ASSISTING THE SAN DIEGO EAST COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BY WELCOME ME, UH, STAPLES TO RANCHO SAN DIEGO.
SO IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE THE GIRLS' ASSISTANCE AT YOUR EVENT, YOU MAY PREACH US AT C Y E@COX.NET.
UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE MEETING, UM, THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL DOG THAT USED TO COME AND VISIT US, ALMOST EVERY COUNCIL MEETING A A BEAUTIFUL AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD WHOSE NAMED SONNY.
AND, UH, WE, UH, ARE SAD TO SAY THAT HE PASSED AND HIS FATHER'S HERE TODAY.
AND, AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST AND PRAYERS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
ALRIGHT, THE CITY CLERK POSTED ORDERS OF ADJOURNMENT OF THE JULY 11TH, 2023 AND THE AGENDA OF THE 20 25, 20 23 MEETING, I'M SORRY, OF THE JULY 25TH, 2023 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY POLICY.
[ AGENDA CHANGES:]
UM, AGENDA CHANGES.STAFF, DO YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA CHANGES? NO SIR.
WE HAVE NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA COUNSEL.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO, WELL,
[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.]
NO, WE'RE ON CONSENT ITEMS. UH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT CONSENT ITEMS. CONSENT ITEMS ARE ROUTINE MATTERS ENACTED BY ONE MOTION ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATION LISTED BELOW WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.COUNCIL MEMBER OR PERSON IN ATTENDANCE MAY RE REQUEST A DISCUSSION OF A CONSENT ITEM AT THIS TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WISH TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? OKAY.
STAFF, DO YOU WISH TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? NO, SIR.
ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR CONSENT ITEMS? NO.
THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS IF SOMEBODY ALRIGHT.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
[ PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, any person may address a matter within the jurisdiction of the City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency that is not on the Agenda. Comments relating to items on today’s docket are to be taken at the time the item is heard. State law prohibits discussion or action on items not on the Agenda; however, Council, Authority and Agency Members may briefly respond to statements or questions. An item may be placed on a future Agenda.]
WE'RE NOW PUBLIC COMMENT.AT THIS TIME, ANY PERSON MAY ADDRESS A MATTER WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE ELCON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
COMMENTS RELATING TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ARE TO BE TAKEN AT THE TIME THAT THE ADAMUS HEARD STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
HOWEVER, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS MAY BRIEFLY RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS, AND AN ITEM MAY BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA.
ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, SIR.
THE FIRST ONE IS, UM, BROTHER STEVEN SLOSKY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BELOVED MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF EL CAJON STAFF AND WONDERFUL CITIZENS.
I'M LAY BROTHER STEVEN GERARD.
DELIGHTED TO BE BACK BECAUSE, WELL, I WAS IN ARIZONA DOING WONDERFUL PRO-LIFE TALKING, AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF HOT OUT THERE.
AND, UH, I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SAN DIEGO, UH, MISSION THIS YEAR FOR THE BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS.
SO COMPASSION AND PRAYERS TO YOU BELOVED, SIR, BECAUSE WE BLESS GOD'S CREATURES.
UH, I THINK THIS IS MY SECOND TIME SPEAKING BEFORE YOUR CITY COUNCIL.
[00:10:01]
UH, I EXPECT TO BE IN THE AREA FOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS, BELOVED MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.I'VE LEFT YOU A NEW POSSIBILITY CALLED A PERSONHOOD RESOLUTION ON THE BACK AND ALSO THE LEGAL DOCUMENTS.
UH, I WOULD WELCOME SPEAKING AT A FUTURE ENGAGEMENT WITH ANY OF YOU ONE-ON-ONE ABOUT HOW CITIES, BECAUSE OF THE DOBBS DECISION OF LAST YEAR, IS MOVING OUR COUNTRY INTO THE NEW DIRECTION OF CITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH CHARTERS TO BECOME PERSONHOOD CITIES.
SO I GO AROUND THE COUNTRY SPEAKING ABOUT THIS NEW POSSIBILITY AND YOU YOURSELVES, UH, MAY HAVE A GREAT LOVE FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, ANY CHILD PEACEFULLY DEVELOPING IN THE MOTHER'S WOMB HAS THE RIGHT TO BE BORN SO THEY CAN BECOME YOUR FUTURE EL CAJON PAGEANT PRINCESS, SO TO SPEAK, OR MAYBE ONE OF THE USHERS TO HELP GUIDE THEM ALONG THE JOURNEY OF LIFE.
EVERY CHILD PEACEFULLY DEVELOPING ANOTHER MOTHER'S WOMB.
THEIR PERSONS JUST LIKE WE'RE PERSONS TODAY.
AND WE WERE PERSONS OURSELVES IN OUR MOTHER'S WOMB.
IF I GET TOGETHER WITH ALL OF YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF INFORMATION.
YOU'RE GONNA GET A PERSONHOOD STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN WHERE YOUR CHURCHES COME TOGETHER AND GALVANIZE AND ESTABLISH AN INTERFAITH COALITION OF COVENANT CHURCHES TO HELP AMPLIFY PERSONHOOD.
THERE ARE MANY THINGS WE CAN DO THAT OUR CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES PERMITS US TO MOVE IN THIS NEW DIRECTION.
SO HOWEVER YOU FEEL ABOUT THE TOPIC OF THE SANCTITY OF LIFE, EVERYBODY SHOULD AT LEAST LISTEN AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU SOMEBODY WHO'S DONE TONS OF RESEARCH ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
I'VE ALSO DID MY M B A AT XAVIER UNIVERSITY, MY ENGINEERING AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY, AND I WAS A STUDENT FOR LIFE AT XAVIER UNIVERSITY.
AND I HAVE EXTENSIVE SIDEWALK COUNSELING SPEAKING, I MIGHT BE RUNNING LOW ON TIME.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LISTENING EARS AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO DEVELOPING AN AMPLIFYING A FUTURE EL CAJON PERSONHOOD CITY.
THE LAST SPEAKER IS EVANGELINA WILLIAMS. HELLO? HELLO.
OH, SO WHEN I KNOW BROTHER IS STEVE FOR PROBABLY EIGHT YEARS.
UH, I NEVER SPOKE LIKE THIS BEFORE.
I KNOW FATHER IS, UH, BROTHER IS STEVE FOR FIVE, SIX YEARS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND HE REALLY, WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT LIFE.
UH, AND THAT REALLY CONNECTS ME WITH HIS, UM, UM, MY ENGLISH OKAY.
UH, BUT HIS PHILOSOPHY BECAUSE I HAD A SON WHO HAVE A CEREBRAL PALSY AND, UH, HE DIED, UM, WHEN HE BECAME 2037.
SO SINCE THEN I BECAME MORE AWARE OF, UH, AN EMPATHY ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES, BUT ESPECIALLY ABOUT UNBORN BABIES.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN MANY PLACES FOR THIS.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I AM OVER HERE BECAUSE I SAW YOU ON TELEVISION AND YOU REALLY TOUCHED MY HEART.
UH, I LIVE IN MEESA, I GO TO GOOD SHEPHERD AND I'VE BEEN IN MANY DIFFERENT RALLIES OR PRO-LIFE, BUT ALSO PRO ANYTHING GOOD FOR THIS COUNTRY OKAY.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY, BUT THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND, UM, AND I HOPE WHATEVER BROTHER IS DOING, IT REALLY GOES ALL OVER THE WORLD BECAUSE I REALLY MISS MY SON.
IT USED TO BE VERY HARD FOR ME TO SPEAK ABOUT HIM, BUT MY HEALING IS, IS UM, THE TIME IS HEALING MY, MY, MY HEART.
AND HE WAS A VERY SPECIAL PERSON IN MY LIFE AND HE LO HOW DO YOU SAY, I LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS FROM HIM.
AND YEAH, I'M SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
BUT I KNOW HE'S IN A GOOD PLACE,
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
ANGELA, ANY MORE SPEAKER CARDS? NO OTHER SPEAKER, SIR.
[00:15:01]
THERE ARE NO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS AND NO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.WE HAVE TWO ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
[9. Update on Homeless Programs and Services RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives the homeless programs and services report and, if desired, provides feedback, recommendations, and direction on homeless-related programming and funding.]
NINE IS AN UPDATE ON HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, AND I'LL ALLOW STAFF TO PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THIS ITEM.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M JOSE DURVA, HOUSING MANAGER IN THE CITY, UM, OF OKLAHOMA'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS AFTERNOON WE'LL BE PROVIDING A HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES UPDATE FROM THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
I'LL INTRODUCE JAN PELA, BRIDO HOUSING SPECIALIST, WHO WILL BE PROVIDING TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AS L MENTIONED, I'M GONNA BE, UM, REPORTING ON AN UPDATE ON HOMELESS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THE CITY'S ENGAGED IN TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS HERE IN EL CAJON.
THIS TABLE SHOWS, UM, A COVERAGE OF THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
THAT IS FROM JANUARY, 2020 TO JUNE, 2023.
SINCE JANUARY, 2020, THE CITY HAS ALLOCATED A BIT MORE THAN $4.1 MILLION, UM, WITH DIFFERENT, UH, FUNDING SOURCES.
THESE FUNDING SOURCES INCLUDE LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSING, C D B G C D B G, CARESS ACT AND THE GENERAL FUND.
AND AGAIN, THOSE SOURCES ARE TO FUND THESE, UH, SERVICES AND PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESSNESS.
THIS TABLE SHOWS EXPENDITURES AND RESULTS FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS.
WITH THE 10 ACTIVE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, A TOTAL OF $519,914 HAVE HAS BEEN SPENT.
THAT'S FROM JANUARY TO JUNE, 2023.
AND WITH THAT MONEY, WE WERE ABLE TO ASSIST 1,176 INDIVIDUALS OF THAT TOTAL 71 WERE PERMANENTLY HOUSED.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS PERMANENTLY HOUSED, UH, FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS BETWEEN TWO OF THE C'S PROGRAMS. THAT'S A WAY BACK HOME PROGRAM PROVIDED BY THE SALVATION ARMY AND EL CAJON HOMELESS OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDED BY HOMESTART IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS.
TOGETHER, THEY PERMANENTLY HOUSED 48 INDIVIDUALS SINCE JANUARY, 2020.
TOGETHER THEY HAVE HOUSED 252 INDIVIDUALS.
AS A RESULT OF THE DATA PROVIDED TODAY, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONTINUE FUNDING NINE OUT OF 10 ACTIVE HOMELESS SERVICES PROGRAMS AND TO SUNSET THE CITY'S FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION TO EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE.
WE DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK ALL OF OUR CURRENT PROGRAM PROVIDERS FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AND HELPING OUR HOMELESS POPULATION HERE IN EL CAJON.
I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE OTHER UPDATES ON NEW, UH, FUNDING SOURCES THAT WERE RECEIVED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
IN JUNE OF 2023, THE PERMANENT LOCAL HOUSING ALLOCATION FUNDING REQUEST WAS ACCEPTED.
THIS PROVIDES THE CITY A BID OVER $2.1 MILLION TOWARDS HOMELESS SERVICES AND ADMIN COST.
CURRENTLY THERE IS A POSTING FOR A NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
THIS IS REQUESTING APPLICATIONS FROM SERVICE PROVIDERS.
THESE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE, UM, BY AUGUST 11TH BY 5:00 PM ONCE STAFF RECEIVES APPLICATIONS AND REVIEWS THEM, WE WILL RETURN IN THE NEXT REPORTING PERIOD WITH FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS AND UPDATES DATES FOR THE HOME ARP FUNDING, WHICH IS A HOME AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
STAFF WILL ALSO WORK ON SOLICITING PROPOSALS FROM ELIGIBLE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
AGAIN, THIS IS TO ALLOCATE THAT FUNDING THAT WAS RECEIVED.
ONCE WE DO RECEIVE THOSE PROPOSALS, STAFF WILL RETURN TO CITY COUNCIL WITH FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND LASTLY, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK, GRANT, C D B G CITY COUNCIL APPROVED $185,000 TOWARDS AN OUTREACH AND HOMELESS SERVICES PROGRAM.
THAT PROGRAM, UH, DID BEGIN EARLIER THIS MONTH, JULY, 2023.
AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT ON, ON OUR NEXT REPORTING PERIOD.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION FOR TODAY'S STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
AND WE DO ALSO HAVE STAFF FROM E C T L C AND HOMESTAR AVAILABLE AS WELL.
[00:20:01]
I CAN HEAR YOU.AND I CAN REPEAT THE QUESTIONS SO THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR.
THE, THE EASIEST, RATHER GOING BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH.
UM, QUESTIONS OF STAFF ASK AND KEEP IT BRIEF SO HE CAN, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY FUNDING FOR EC UH, EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE IS BEING SUNSETTED.
WHY? SO MS. MITCHELL ASKED THE QUESTION, WHY IS STAFF RECOMMENDING THAT, UM, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING SUNSETTING THE $5,000 TO THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE? UH, I'LL ANSWER THAT.
SO, UM, I THINK THERE WAS A TIME WHERE I, I STILL DO THINK THAT OUR INTERESTS AND THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE INTERESTS DO ALIGN, BUT OVER TIME THAT ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN SHIFTING.
I THINK WHEN THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE WAS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT GAVE A LOT OF VALUE TO THE ORGANIZATION, AND IT'S THE REASON WHY I RECOMMENDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE FUND THE $5,000 IS BECAUSE WE HEARD LOTS OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND VOICES.
THERE WAS CLEARLY A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE ON THE TASK FORCE.
THERE WAS A HOMELESS ADVOCACY PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS A FAITH-BASED PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE, THERE WAS A CITY PERSPECTIVE.
I DON'T HEAR THOSE PERSPECTIVES ANYMORE.
I I DON'T SEE LAW ENFORCEMENT ENGAGED WITH THE ORGANIZATION VERY MUCH.
I SEE VERY FEW BUSINESS INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
AND IN SOME WAYS I FEEL, UM, LIKE THE TASK FORCE IS WORKING AGAINST THE CITIES.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST EL CAJON, BUT ALL OF THE EAST COUNTY CITIES INSTEAD OF ASSISTING US.
UM, ONE OF THEM HAS TO DO WITH THE INUNDATION OF MOTEL VOUCHER INDIVIDUALS THAT THE COUNTY HAS PLACED IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
IT'S, IT'S A CONCERN WHEN OVER 50% OF THOSE THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE VOUCHER PROGRAM ARE BEING PLACED IN EAST COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY THE CITY OF EL CAJON AND THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE HAS BEEN VERY QUIET ON THE MATTER AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO HAVE LOBBIED ON BEHALF OF THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT THAT, UM, BURDEN WAS SPREAD MORE EVENLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE ROLE FOR THEM TO PLAY.
THE OTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS THEIR LACK OF RECOGNITION OF THE THINGS THAT THE EAST COUNTY CITIES HAVE DONE.
AND I DON'T SEE A LOT OF CELEBRATION OF THE SUCCESSES THAT WE HAVE HAD.
I FEEL LATELY IT'S BEEN MORE OF CHITTING OF OUR FAULTS OR WHAT WE HAVE NOT YET ACCOMPLISHED.
AND I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO THINK MORE, UM, POSITIVELY ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING, ESPECIALLY IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
SO WITH THAT, UM, STAFF, I THINK SAW THE VALUE OF THE TASK FORCE AT ONE POINT, BUT AS THEIR ALIGNMENT HAS SHIFTED AND AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF GOOD THINGS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO RE REEVALUATE THE VALUE OF THAT $5,000 BEING SPENT.
AND THAT, THAT'S JUST STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE.
SO ADDITIONAL QUESTION THEN, HAS, UM, HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION WITH EAST HOMELESS TASK FORCE TO, UM, BRING THESE CONCERNS UP BEFORE WE CUT THE MONEY OFF? SO THE QUESTION IS, HAVE WE RAISED THESE CONCERNS WITH THE TASK FORCE? UM, NOT AS OF LATE.
IN FACT, ALL THE EAST COUNTY CITIES BROUGHT UP SOME ISSUES AND, UH, ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAD IS WHAT IS OUR R O I? WHAT'S OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT? ARE WE, ARE WE GETTING THE VALUE THAT WE NEED? AND I NEVER REALLY GOT A GREAT ANSWER THAT WE WERE GETTING TREMENDOUS VALUE TO THE CITY THAT I COULD SAY TO THE COUNCIL, THIS IS MONEY WISELY SPENT.
SO IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE PAST, IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, IT HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT UP.
UM, GRAHAM, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE VOUCHER PROGRAM RUN BY THE COUNTY? HAVE THERE BEEN ANY PROBLEMS? WELL, I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME, I THINK WE HAVE A SLIDE.
I, SO THIS, UM, THE COUNTY DOES SHARE WITH, WITH THE CITY THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT THAT ARE PLACED IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, OVER TIME, THERE'S BEEN THIS INCREASING INCREASED NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM IN SPECIFICALLY EL CAJON MOTELS.
UM, THAT REACHED 134 INDIVIDUALS AT THE PEAK ON FEBRUARY 8TH OF THIS YEAR.
[00:25:01]
THEN IT STARTED DYING DOWN A LITTLE BIT, I THINK, WHILE THE CITY WAS LOOKING AT SOME POLICY CHANGES.AND WE WERE LOOKING AT ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE OCCURRING AT SOME OF THE MOTELS, THERE BEGAN TO BE A DECLINE.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, THERE'S BEEN AN UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS PLACED IN THE CITY.
UH, WE'RE AT 133 RIGHT NOW, SO WE'RE ONE SHY OF WHERE WE PEAKED IN, UH, BACK IN FEBRUARY.
AND ARE THESE, UH, PEOPLE ON THE VOUCHER PROGRAM OR THEIR FRIENDS CAUSING CITY PROBLEMS? WELL, WE DID A PRESS RELEASE RECENTLY.
WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAD STOLE A VEHICLE AND THEN WAS HELD UP IN A ROOM, UM, NOT A MEMBER, NOT A PARTICIPANT IN THE VOUCHER PROGRAM, BUT WAS STAYING IN A ROOM THAT WAS BEING, UH, RENTED ON BEHALF OF A VOUCHER PARTICIPANT.
SO THERE CONTINUES TO BE SOME CHALLENGE.
THAT'S THE MOST RECENT ONE, BUT THERE CONTINUES TO BE SOME CHALLENGES WITH THAT.
UH, GRANT, I ANOTHER QUESTION.
DO YOU KNOW IF THE OTHER CITIES CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY TO THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE? SO, MR. GOBEL ASKED THE QUESTION IF, IF I KNOW OF OTHER CITIES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING FINANCIALLY TO THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE, UH, MR. GOBEL, I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE.
I KNOW AT ONE POINT THAT THERE WAS SOME CONTRIBUTION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LEVELS WERE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TO DATE.
UH, SECOND QUESTION, THE SLIDE ON THE NEW FUNDING, IS THAT NEW INFORMATION OR IS THAT WHAT, HOW NEW IS NEW? SO THE, UH, MR. GOBEL ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW NEW IS THIS, THIS FUNDING SOURCE, IS IT BRAND NEW OR HAS IT BEEN AROUND A LITTLE BIT? I'LL LET STAFF ADDRESS THAT.
SO THIS FUNDING SOURCE, UM, FOR THE P L H A SPECIFICALLY, IT'S FUNDING THAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE, UM, SINCE 2019 THROUGH SB TWO.
HOWEVER, UH, WE DIDN'T APPLY FOR IT UNTIL, I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST YEAR.
WE DID APPLY FOR IT AND WE DID, UH, RECEIVE IT AND IT WAS APPROVED AS OF JUNE OF 2023.
SO NOW THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE, UM, TO PROVIDE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, UH, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS FUNDING SOURCE.
AND IS THIS, ARE THESE FUNDS SPECIFICALLY FOR HELPING PEOPLE GROW HOMELESS? UH, YES.
SO PART OF IT IS, UH, TO ASSIST HOMELESSNESS AND, UM, YEAH, SO PART OF IT, IT IS FOR, UM, ASSISTING HOMELESSNESS.
SO SOME ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES WOULD BE STREET OUTREACH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
AND THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE 2.1 MILLION THAT IS WRITTEN THERE.
DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OF THE OTHER PEACE COUNTY CITIES RECEIVED SIMILAR FUNDS? L LET, LET ME REITERATE THE QUESTION FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO, MR. GOBEL ASKED THE QUESTION, DO WE KNOW IF OTHER EAST COUNTY CITIES RECEIVED THE P L H A FUNDING? I BELIEVE SOME CITIES DID RECEIVE P L H A FUNDING.
UM, ARE THE, UM, IS THERE A REPRESENTATIVE, THE EAST COUNTY TASK FORCE HERE TODAY? I, I DON'T SEE ONE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS.
UM, HOW ABOUT SPEAKING QUESTION? YES, SIR.
WE HAVE ONE, ONE SPEAKER AND THAT WOULD BE DR.
HAYDEN, HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING GOOD, THANK YOU.
I'M THE NEW C E O OF EAST COUNTY TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER.
SO MOSTLY I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE MYSELF SO I'M AVAILABLE TO YOU AND JUST THANK YOU BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO OFFER EMERGENCY HOUSING TO FAMILIES AT OUR LOCATION, PARTLY BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT.
SO JUST THANKING YOU FOR THAT AND JUST OPENING IT UP.
ALSO, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I HAVE IVAN BEHIND ME TOO, IN CASE I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS YET BECAUSE I AM BRAND NEW.
BUT I'M VERY OPEN TO COLLABORATE.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW NEEDS, IF THERE ARE NEEDS THAT ARE NOT GETTING MET AND WE CAN SUPPORT IN THAT AREA AND JUST GET TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION WITH HOMELESSNESS IN EL CAJON.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE FOR ME, UH, I'D LOVE TO ANSWER THEM AND DO MY BEST IN THE FUTURE, UH, SUPPORTING OUR CITY.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, HOW MANY, UH, HOMELESS BEDS ARE AVAILABLE CURRENTLY? SO LET,
[00:30:01]
CAN I, CAN I RE-ASK THAT QUESTION SO THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR IT? SO, THE QUESTIONS FROM MR. KENDRICK WAS HOW MANY BEDS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE? IS THAT RIGHT? YOU OPEN AVAILABLE OR AVAILABLE IN GENERAL? UH, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? SO WE, WE CAN HOUSE ABOUT 70 FAMILIES AT ANY GIVEN TIME, BUT RIGHT NOW I THINK WE HAVE ONE OPEN BED THAT WILL BE FILLED BY THE TIME I GET BACK.AND THEN FOR SINGLES, WE CAN USUALLY COUNT, I'D SAY ABOUT 300 ALTOGETHER, TOP AND BOTTOM.
UH, SO ABOUT 300 BEDS FOR SINGLES.
AND WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE SINGLE BEDS NOW, SO PROBABLY ABOUT 40 WE'D HAVE AVAILABLE.
SO IF WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S ON THE STREETS CAMPING IN A TENT, THE THE CITY CAN MAKE AVAILABLE ONE OF THOSE ROOMS. ABSOLUTELY.
SOMETIMES THERE'S OTHER BARRIERS OF WHY THEY DON'T COME.
WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THAT.
UH, BUT WE'RE AVAILABLE NOW FOR A SINGLE MALE OR FEMALE PRETTY MUCH RIGHT AWAY.
I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT SINCE JEREMY FIRST OF 2016, I'VE ALWAYS HAD TWO OR THREE ROOMS THAT, UH, ARE AVAILABLE TO GRADUATES OF E CTLC.
AND IN FACT, I GOT A NEW ONE MOVING IN, UH, JUST IN A COUPLE DAYS.
AND I'VE HAD VERY, VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH, WITH THEM.
AND I ENCOURAGE, UH, ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED IN THAT TO CONTACT TRANSITIONAL.
'CAUSE PERMANENT HOUSING IS THE NEXT DIFFICULT FEAT.
SO I WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK FROM ANYBODY ON THAT SITUATION TOO, IF, WELCOME TO MM-HMM.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ONE AVAILABLE FAMILY ROOM, AND IF WE HAVE TWO FAMILIES IN EL CAJON THAT NEED A PLACE TO STAY, UH, I THOUGHT OUR AGREEMENT WAS THE EL CAJON PEOPLE DO FIND A PLACE TO STAY.
WE'RE GONNA LOOK TO THE SAME MANAGER TO SAY, WE CERTAINLY WELCOME P C T L C SERVING PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF OKLAHOMA OUTSIDE.
BUT CERTAINLY, I THINK PART OF THE PROCESS WAS THERE WAS A PRIORITY TO PEOPLE LC HOME.
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL, THAT, UH, WE COULDN'T SAY, NO, I'M SORRY.
WE'VE BEEN HELPING THESE PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE A SPACE FOR SOMEBODY INSIDE THE CITY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT HELP FOR PEOPLE INSIDE THE CITY.
IS THAT A PROCESS THAT'S STILL SO, SO MR. GOBEL ASKS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE'S AVAILABILITY OF ONE FAMILY DESIGNATED ROOM, WHAT IF THERE ARE TWO FAMILIES IN EL CAJON THAT NEED HOUSING? WHAT HAPPENS AT THAT POINT? UM, AND, AND YOU HEARD THE RESPONSE, WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE REMINDED THAT THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT BY WHICH E C T L C OPERATES UNDER, ACTUALLY IS PRETTY SPECIFIC.
THAT THEY ARE NOT TO ACCEPT INDIVIDUALS FROM ANYWHERE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF ELON.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT BEEN HAPPENING AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ON MODIFYING THEIR CONDITION OF USE PERMIT.
HOWEVER, ONE OF THE THINGS JUST, WE'LL NEGOTIATE TOTAL TRANSPARENCY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STAFF WILL BE PUSHING FOR THAT STAFF WILL BE RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS THAT ELON ALWAYS HAS FIRST RIGHTS.
AND IF THERE ARE, THERE'S NO AVAILABLE SPACE AND THERE'S INDIVIDUALS BEING BROUGHT IN FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE SHELTERS THAT RELY ON EL CAJON FOR SHELTER SPACE, THAT THOSE INDIVIDUALS BE ASKED TO LEAVE AND AN EL CAJON INDIVIDUAL BE ALLOWED TO BE HOUSED THERE.
IT WOULD, OF COURSE, THE LAST THING WE WE WOULD WANT IS SOMEONE BOOTED ON THE STREET OF WHEREVER THEY CAME FROM.
SO IT'D BE WORKING WITH THE NETWORK WITH WITHIN SAN DIEGO COUNTY TO FIND ANOTHER SHELTER SPACE FOR THEM.
SO WE'LL KEEP COMMUNICATION OPEN.
I'D LOVE TO OPEN MY DOOR TO HAVE MORE COMMUNICATION ON HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK.
ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES IS KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE SOMEONE'S COMING FROM.
SO THE TREND DOES SEEM TO BE A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES ARE COMING FROM EL CAJON.
THEY'RE RIGHT THERE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S GOOD IN SOME WAYS BECAUSE THE NEEDS THERE AND WE'RE ABLE TO MEET IT.
UM, BUT IN THE CASES WHERE WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM, THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO FIND, FIND A GOOD PATH FOR THAT.
HAY MORE? UH, NO OTHER SPEAKER, SIR.
[00:35:01]
FURTHER DISCUSSION OR WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO PROCEED WITH A MOTION, UH, UNDER DISCUSSION? UH, THIS QUESTION IS FOR THE CITY MANAGER.IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT CAJON SPENDS MORE ON HOMELESS THAN ALL THE OTHER EAST COUNTY CITIES COMBINED.
UH, COULD YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT, PLEASE? WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN, EVEN EL CAJON DOESN'T HAVE A, A BUDGET ITEM THAT SAYS HERE IS OUR HOMELESS BUDGET.
BUT WE DID LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND WE LOOKED AT OTHER CITY BUDGETS, AND WE THINK ON A PER CAPITA BASIS, WE DO SPEND MORE PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER EAST COUNTY CITY AND PROBABLY MORE THAN ANY CITY IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
I I THINK ONE OF THE SENSITIVITIES THAT OUR PUBLIC MENTIONED TO US DURING THE TOWN HALLS IS WE CERTAINLY WELCOME ANYBODY WHO NEEDS HELP INTO EL CAJON, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED THAT IF THEY FALL OUT OF A PROGRAM, WHETHER IT'S HOME START, WHETHER IT'S E C T L C, WHETHER IT'S A WAY BACK HOME, WHETHER IT'S CRISIS HOUSE, THAT, UH, THAT EL CAJON DOESN'T CONTINUE TO HAVE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT ON THE STREET FOR THEIR SERVICES.
THAT SAYING, WE'RE WELCOMING TO PEOPLE TO GET HELP, BUT IF YOU FALL OUT OF THE PROGRAM, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM.
WE JUST CAN'T ABSORB, UH, AN INCREASE OF PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREET BECAUSE THEY FALL OUT OF A PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO OUR PARTNERS IN THESE OTHER CITIES TO, TO MAKE THEIR OWN SHELTERS.
THEY, I'VE HEARD THEY'VE RECEIVED FUNDING FOR THIS, SO I'M HOPING THAT THEY PROVIDE SOME SHELTER SOLUTIONS.
UH, I AWARE THAT OTHER CITIES ARE USING E T T L C AND ARE USING HOMESTART AND, AND, AND MERIDIAN AND, UH, FOR THEIR, UH, BOISE COMPLIANCE.
THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING, UH, WE HAVE SHELTER SPACE IN EL CAJON AND THAT ALLOWS US TO DO ENFORCEMENT ON THE STREETS OF THEIR PARTICULAR CITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S, I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, PROVIDE THEIR OWN SHELTER, RATHER THAN, I THINK THE PEOPLE OF EL CAJON WOULD SAY, FIND SHELTER WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN DEPEND ON EL CAJON TO BE YOUR HOUSING FOR YOUR ENFORCEMENT.
AS FAR AS THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE, THEY HAVE DONE GOOD THINGS.
THEY HAD IN A, A, UH, FORUM IN APRIL WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER WARD AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR JUNE TASK FORCE LETTER SAID, UH, THEY APPRECIATE THE THINGS DONE IN OCEANSIDE AND VISTA, BUT WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE EAST COUNTY CITIES HADN'T DONE ANYTHING.
I, THAT WAS VERY DISHEARTENING TO ME AFTER SEEING MILLIONS SPENT.
AND, AND WE HAVE PROBABLY THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SHELTERS TO NOT GET THAT KIND OF ADVOCACY, UH, FROM EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE.
WE ARE NOT WITHDRAWING OUR SUPPORT FROM THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE.
WE'RE PARTICIPATING, WE'RE CONTINUING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
BUT IF THE TAXPAYERS OF EL CAJON ARE SAYING, WHAT ARE WE GETTING FOR THAT WHEN WE'RE NOT BEING ACKNOWLEDGED FOR OUR EFFORTS, UH, I THINK PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD SENSE TO QUESTION THAT USE OF MONEY.
I WOULD, UM, FIRST, UH, AGREE WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS, ALL OF THEM.
AND I WANT TO THANK HOMESTART AND E C T L C.
YOU TWO ORGANIZATIONS ARE ALL STARS.
AND, UM, SPEAKING, UH, I'VE SAID THIS, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY DOZENS OF TIMES FORMERLY HOMELESS, UM, SPEAKING FROM SOMEONE WHO WAS HOMELESS AND CAME OUT OF THAT, UM, YOUR MODEL IS FANTASTIC.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, AND WITH REGARD TO THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE, YOU KNOW, I WAS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WHEN THE TASK FORCE CAME IN, IN, UH, INTO BEING, AND THE CHAMBER WAS SUPPORTING IT.
AND I FOUGHT FOR FUNDING FOR THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE, UH, THROUGH THE CHAMBER, THAT THE CHAMBER WOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO, UM, STAND ON THEIR OWN TWO FEET WITH FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, AND THAT WAS AN AVENUE THAT I FELT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO SEND RESIDENTS WHO WANTED TO GET MORE INVOLVED.
UM, IF YOU WANTED TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN SOLVING HOMELESSNESS OR BEING IN A RESOURCE WITH YOUR TIME TOUT AND TREASURE GO TO THESE COUNTY, EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE, THEY CAN PLUG YOU IN.
AND AS OF LATE, THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE HUB OF WHERE, UM, PEOPLE LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY TO ARE GOING.
UM, I THINK THEIR FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING WAS THE ONE AT GRIFFIN IN A LONG TIME.
UM, THAT, THAT YOU REFERENCED COUNCILMAN GOBEL.
UM, THAT WAS THE FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING FOR A LONG TIME.
AND SO I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THAT.
THE OTHER THING I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED ABOUT WAS, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE DISCUSSION THAT OCCURS IS ONLY
[00:40:01]
CENTERED AROUND HOUSING.AND IF WE WANT TO BE HONEST ABOUT THE HOMELESS ISSUE IN CALIFORNIA, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HOUSING.
YOU CANNOT IGNORE THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT OR THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ASPECT OF IT.
AND I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED, UM, THAT VIRTUALLY IT WAS NOT TALKED ABOUT DURING THESE, DURING THESE MEETINGS.
UM, I'M NOT WITHDRAWING SUPPORT, BUT IF THE TASK FORCE CHOOSES TO BRING IN A LARGER GROUP, A MORE WIDESPREAD GROUP OF OPINIONS, UM, AND BRING IN DIFFERENT OPINIONS TO, UM, SEE ALL SIDES OF THE HOMELESS, UM, THE HOMELESS PROBLEM WE HAVE HERE, UM, THEN, THEN MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE WOULD, I WOULD RECONSIDER, UM, SUPPORTING THEM FINANCIALLY.
BUT AT THIS POINT, UM, GIVEN ALL THOSE, THOSE REASONS, UM, I WOULD SUPPORT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
UM, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ACCEPT STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, BUT I THINK UNTIL WE SIT DOWN AND HAVE AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION WITH THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE AND TELL 'EM, LOOK, THESE ARE THE, THE SHORTCOMINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH.
AT LEAST GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECTIFY SOME OF THESE ISSUES BEFORE WE PULL THEIR FUNDING.
OR MAYBE WE GIVE THEM ONLY HALF OF IT, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN, THEY HAVE BEEN HELPFUL IN THE PAST.
THEY'VE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN HELPING WITH, UM, INFORMATION.
AND THEN I THINK THAT IT'S, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM BEFORE WE PULL THAT FUNDING BECAUSE THEY ARE DEPENDING ON THAT.
AND WITH THE CAVEAT, LOOK, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO NEED TO GET SUPPORT FROM OTHER CITIES.
WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF EVERY SINGLE THING THAT COMES ACROSS OUR DESK FOR HOMELESS.
SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE.
THAT'S MY ID, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE ACCEPT EVERYTHING THAT STAFF SAYS EXCEPT DON'T PULL THE FUNDING FROM EAST, UH, THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE AND TELL, WE SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND TELL 'EM WHAT WE'RE HAPPY OR NOT HAPPY WITH.
THIS IS ACTUALLY WORKING OUT PRETTY WELL.
UM, SO, UH, I THINK EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
UM, I THINK MY COLLEAGUES MADE ALL THE POINTS I WOULD'VE MADE.
SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING, BUT I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION AT THIS POINT.
UH, I'LL MOVE TO ACCEPT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
ANYBODY WANNA SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
SO THE, UH, MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER KENDRICK AND COUNCIL MEMBER ORTIZ.
MOTION CARRIES BY A FOUR TO ONE VOTE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL VOTING.
[10. City Hall Building: Opportunities & Considerations RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council provides feedback on options presented in the agenda report.]
THE SECOND ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT, ITEM 10 IS REGARDING THE CITY HALL BUILDING.AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY MANAGER TO PLEASE INFORM US ABOUT THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I, UM, LEMME JUST PULL UP THE PRESENTATION.
EVERY PHYSICAL STRUCTURE HAS A LIFESPAN.
THERE'S A LIFE EXPECTANCY TO EVERYTHING THAT WE BUILD.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS TO BR TO BEGIN JUST THE THINKING PROCESS ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE OF CITY HALL IS AND TO THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
UH, CITY HALL IS TURNING, UM, 50 SOON.
IT'S, IT'S, UM, AND IT WAS DEDICATED IN 1976.
SO IT'S 50TH BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP SOON.
AND, UH, ARCHITECTS LIKE TO SAY THAT WHEN BUILDINGS ENTER INTO THIS PHASE OF AGE, THEY MOVE INTO A MIDLIFE CRISIS YEARS.
AND SO IT'S TIME TO START THINKING STRATEGICALLY ABOUT SOME THINGS.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, WE HAVE A, A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR THAT'S TURNING 50 TOMORROW, SO, UM, HE'LL BE MOVING INTO THAT MIDLIFE CRISIS STAGE AS WELL.
SO THANKS MR. SHANE, FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
[00:45:01]
SO, SO WE WANTED TO THINK RATHER PROACTIVELY, RATHER THAN REACTIVELY IN THIS, AND THIS IS A VERY EARLY CONVERSATION.THERE'S NO DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE TODAY.
IN FACT, IT'D BE INSANE TO MAKE A, A BIG DECISION, BUT THIS IS JUST TO GET THE THOUGHT PROCESS MOVING FORWARD AND TO SEEK SOME DIRECTION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL ON, ON MAYBE SOME NEXT STEPS.
SO IN, IN ANALYZING OUR EXISTING FACILITY, WE THINK THAT THE BONE, THE, THE STRUCTURE OF CITY HALL, UH, AN ALRICH BUILDING IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE, WE THINK.
WE HAVEN'T DONE, UH, GEOTECHNICAL STUDIES ON IT OR, OR STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS, BUT WE THINK THE INTEGRITY OF SOUND, UM, AND WE THINK THE BUILDING PROBABLY COULD LAST ANOTHER A HUNDRED YEARS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE, AT LEAST THE EXTERIOR PART.
BUT THE BUILDING, LIKE ALL BUILDINGS, ITS AGE, ARE STARTING TO SHOW SOME SIGNS OF AGING.
UH, CLEARLY THERE'S SOME MECHANICAL ISSUES.
THERE'S SOME, UH, LEAKY WINDOWS, ROOF LEAKS, PERIODICALLY.
UH, ALMOST EVERY SINK HAS SOME PLUMBING ISSUES.
AND WE SEE SOME OF THESE EMERGING ISSUES, UH, MORE FREQUENTLY.
UH, ALSO IF THE USE OF SPACE ON THE FLOORS IS PRETTY INEFFICIENT, IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN JUST A MATTER OF MOVING SOME DESKS AROUND IT'S DESIGN.
IT WAS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT WAS KIND OF AN ANTIQUATED WAY OF OFFICES BEING ESTABLISHED IN THE 1970S, WHICH OFFICES WERE WORKING IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY NOW.
SO THERE'S SOME EFFICIENCY ISSUES.
UH, THE BUILDING IS NOT UPDATED, UH, DOES NOT HAVE A VERY, I GUESS YOU'D SAY, UH, POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE NATURAL LIGHT WITHIN THE BUILDING.
AND WE KNOW STATISTICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY THAT NATURAL LIGHT HAS A, HAS A PROFOUND IMPACT ON WORK PRODUCTIVITY.
AND LASTLY, THE BUILDING WASN'T REALLY DESIGNED, AT LEAST IN OUR THOUGHT, THINKING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN MIND, THERE WASN'T THIS THINKING ABOUT WILL THIS BUILDING MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY? IT WAS REALLY MORE FOCUSED ON, UM, THE NEEDS OF, OF THE CITY AT THE TIME, AND OF THOSE THAT WERE INHABITING THE BUILDING AT THE TIME.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT IS, IS FAR MORE THAN JUST LET'S, LET'S REPLACE SOME OFFICE SPACE OR LET'S, LET'S REDO SOME OFFICE SPACE.
BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT NOW TO THINK BIGGER PICTURE, TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE GET, HOW DO WE GET THE BEST VALUE? WHAT ARE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY? AND HOW CAN THIS BUILDING MEET THOSE COMMUNITY NEEDS? HOW CAN THIS PROJECT BE A CATALYST FOR NOT ONLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN, BUT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN? HOW CAN WE CREATE ONGOING REVENUE STREAMS THROUGH A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OR A REHABILITATION PROJECT? AND THEN ULTIMATELY, HOW CAN WE MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY USE THE SPACE THAT'S WITHIN THE CITY HALL BUILDING? TO THAT END, UH, THE CITY HAS EXPLORED KIND OF THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
INITIALLY, ONLY TWO OF THEM ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE STAFF REPORT.
THE ONE OPTION OPTION THAT IS NOT IDENTIFIED IN THE STAFF REPORT IS TO FIND AN EMPTY BUILDING IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON AND LEASE THAT SPACE OUT.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CITY OF EL CAJON HAS VERY LITTLE OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE FOR RENT.
THERE'S VERY FEW OFFICE SPACES.
UM, THEN COMPOUND THE FACT THAT WE USE A BI LOTTO OFFICE SPACE.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT WOULD MEET OUR SPACE NEEDS.
AND THEN THIRD, ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD LEASE WOULD PROBABLY COST US MORE TO LEASE THAN WE COULD LEASE OUT OUR EXISTING BUILDING, GIVEN ITS CURRENT AGE AND AND CONDITION.
SO FINANCIALLY IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO WE DID, WE DID LOOK AT THAT AS AN OPTION THOUGH.
SO THE REALLY, THE TWO OPTIONS THAT WE PRESENTED IN THE STAFF REPORT WERE TO RENOVATE THE EXISTING STRUCTURE OR TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING.
AND I'M GONNA KINDA WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE PROS AND CONS AND WHAT THOSE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
I'M GONNA SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TALKING ABOUT THE RENOVATION OPTION ONLY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PHYSICAL BUILDING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AND, AND EXPLORE OR A NEW OPTION.
I WOULDN'T WANNA PRESUPPOSE THE CITY COUNCIL'S THOUGHT PROCESS AND START DESIGNING A, A BUILDING ON OUR OWN.
BUT I WANTED TO START OUT BY SHARING THIS IS, UH, JUST SORT OF AN AERIAL VIEW OF, OF THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I'M GONNA MAKE SOME REFERENCES BACK TO THIS SPACE OVER THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS GRAPHIC ACTUALLY SHOWS WHO OWNS WHAT IN THIS AREA, THE AREAS THAT ARE NOT IN ANY COLOR OR PRIVATELY OWNED, BUT THE AREAS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED ARE OWNED BY THE CITY.
UH, THE COUNTY OWNS THE AREA IN BLUE, THAT PARKING STRUCTURE IN THE PARKING LOT JUST TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF US.
AND THEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OWNS THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE.
THESE ARE SORT OF THE AREAS I THINK THAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON EITHER HOW TO BEST UTILIZE THE SPACE, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FINANCING AS FINANCING ASPECTS.
THE FIRST AREA IS THE LARGE COMMERCIAL OR THE LARGE PARKING LOT ALONG MAGNOLIA ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE POLICE STATION.
THERE ARE SOME UNDERLYING COVENANTS RELATED TO
[00:50:01]
THAT PARKING LOT.UH, WHEN THE CITY PURCHASED IT FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, IT WAS REQ.
IT IS REQUIRED TO BE MAINTAINED AS A PARKING LOT IN PERPETUITY.
DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN BE DEVELOPED, IT CAN BE DEVELOPED, BUT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THAT PUBLIC PARKING SOME MEANS.
THERE'S ALSO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER, A VERY LARGE, UH, CONVEYANCE PIPING THAT THAT CARRIES A LOT OF, UH, FOREST OR CREEK FOR THE MOST PART UNDERNEATH THAT AREA.
SO, UH, THERE'S AN AREA THAT CANNOT BE DEVELOPED ON THAT.
SO THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME CONSTRAINTS THERE.
WE ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT THE AREA BETWEEN THE POLICE STATION AND THE COURTYARD FOR A JOINT PROJECT THERE WITH INCLUDING A PARKING STRUCTURE.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR EXISTING CITY HALL FACILITY, INCLUDING THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
SO LET ME, LET ME SHARE SOME IDEAS ABOUT RENOVATING CITY HALL.
UH, YOU ALL KNOW WHAT WE LOOK LIKE, WHERE WE'RE AT ANOTHER IMAGE OF THE CITY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS BUILDING, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THIS BUILDING HERE, ALTHOUGH THIS BUILDING IS WIND WINDOW FULL.
AND, UM, BUT IT WAS BUILT IN ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A LOT, A LARGE, EXPANSIVE SORT OF EMPTY SPACE AROUND ITS BOTTOM FLOOR.
AND THIS IS A VERY TYPICAL TYPE OF BUILDING BUILT IN THE 1970S THAT ARE STARTING TO HAVE THAT 50 YEAR AGING.
UM, I'M GONNA SHOW A COUPLE IMAGES IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES THAT SHOW HOW THIS BUILDING COULD BE REDESIGNED AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF IMAGINE HOW A A CITY HALL COULD ALSO BE REIMAGINED A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE FIRST IS REALLY FOCUSING ON THE, THE STREET LEVEL, UH, THE AREA AROUND CITY HALL, ACTIVATING IT, OPENING UP THE BUILDING, CREATING A LITTLE BIT MORE LIFE IN THAT AREA.
ANOTHER THING THAT, UM, A LOT OF ARCHITECTS ARE LOOKING AT HOW TO REPURPOSE OR HOW TO REDESIGN BUILDINGS IS FOCUSING ON THE ROOF AREA.
HOW TO UTILIZE SIGNIFICANT SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT, FOR THE MOST PART JUST GOES UNDER U UN UN NOT EVEN UNDERUTILIZED, BUT COMPLETELY UNUTILIZED.
WE CURRENTLY USE OUR ROOF FOR LAUNCHING POLICE DRONES, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I DO HAVE A, I DO HAVE A LAWN CHAIR UP THERE AND SOMETIMES I GO UP THERE AT LUNCHTIME AND EAT AND CATCH A LITTLE SUN.
SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, ME AND THE DRONE, THAT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT USES THE, THE ROOF FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S SORT OF THIS COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION WHERE YOU'RE OPENING UP THE BUILDING AND COMPLETELY TAKING THE EXISTING STRUCTURE AND THOSE BONES OF THAT BUILDING, BUT RESCULPTING IT AND LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO UTILIZE IT.
IN SUMMARY, THERE'S KIND OF REALLY KIND OF FOUR BIG AREAS THAT, THAT WE COULD EXPLORE IN A RENOVATION TO CITY HALL.
ONE IS FOCUSING ON THE GROUND LEVEL.
IN MY MIND, THE IDEA WOULD BE TO CREATE SOME MORE, UH, NATURAL BASED LIFE THERE.
REMOVE A LOT OF THAT HARDSCAPE THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
UH, UPGRADE THE BUILDING SYSTEMS. JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN CITY HALL COUNCIL, BUT THERE ARE SOME ODD LOCATIONS OF DESKS IN A LOT OF OFFICES.
PARTLY IT'S BECAUSE ALL OF THE ELECTRICITY IS CHANNELED IN THE CEMENT FLOORS OF CITY HALL.
AND SO IN ORDER TO MOVE A DESK, IT REQUIRES CITY STAFF TO JACK HAMMER UP THE CITY HALL FLOOR TO MOVE THE CONDUIT OF ELECTRICITY.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE ANTIQUATED NESS OF THE BUILDING.
SO THERE'S SOME REAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE, INCLUDING SOME OF THE FAILING OR THE BEGINNING TO FAIL MECHANICAL STRUCTURES IN THE BUILDING.
AGAIN, A FOCUS ON THE ACTUAL FLOORS OF CITY HALL TO CREATE EFFICIENCIES TO INFUSE TECHNOLOGY.
AND THEN, THEN TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR UTILIZING ROOF SPACE.
SO YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF HARDSCAPE.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM THAT HARDSCAPE INTO SOMETHING THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY MORE THAN IT CURRENTLY DOES.
VERY FEW INDIVIDUALS SPEND TIME HERE AT ALL.
IF ANYBODY, IT'S MORE OF A, AN AREA THAT PEOPLE PASS THROUGH, BUT IT'S NOT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COME TO ENJOY.
IT'S A WONDERFUL PUBLIC SPACE, AND IF IT WERE DESIGNED THE RIGHT WAY, IT COULD BE UTILIZED BY THE COMMUNITY.
ALSO, THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO OPEN UP THE LOBBY AREA TO MORE OF NATURAL AIR AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF USUALLY THE GOOD WEATHER THAT THE CITY OF EL CAJON, UH, BENEFITS FROM.
NOW, DON'T MIND THE HORRIBLE ART RENDITION.
THIS IS MY, UH, ATTEMPT TO DRAW WITH, WITH POWERPOINT.
BUT YOU COULD IMAGINE IF YOU ADDED SOME WINDOW SPACE, YOU ACTUALLY OPENED UP SOME ONE OF THE FLOORS AND CREATED MORE OF AN ATRIUM OR A, A SEMI-OPEN BALCONY FOR CONFERENCE ROOM SPACE.
THERE'S SOME, SOME LOW LYING FRUIT THAT COULD BE UTILIZED OR BE PICKED THAT WOULD REALLY TRANSFORM THE BUILDING AND BRING IT INTO THAT, THAT NEXT CENTURY AND KIND OF MOVE IT BEYOND THE, AS MR. DIMAGGIO LIKES TO REFER TO.
AND I'VE HEARD THE MAYOR TOO, SOVIET STYLE, UM, ARCHITECTURE, YOU JUST SAY SOVIET BLOCK, SOVIET BLOCK, LITERALLY BLOCK.
[00:55:01]
AND THERE'S ALSO JUST A LOT MORE OF EFFICIEN EFFICIENCIES THAT COULD, UH, BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE BUILDING.WHAT REALLY OPENED OUR EYES TO THIS, AS, AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE CITY LEASES THE SIXTH FLOOR TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO.
THE DA'S OFFICE UTILIZES THAT.
AND IF THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE A TOUR OF THEIR SPACE, THEY'VE COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED THEIR SPACE, SPENT A LOT OF MONEY PER SQUARE FOOT, BUT IT, IT IS A, IT'S ONE, THEY'VE DOUBLED THE, THE CAPACITY THAT THEY HAD IN THERE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING ABLE TO BE HOUSED THERE BECAUSE OF EFFICIENCIES.
AND IT'S JUST A MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.
SO, UM, IN SUMMARY, IF WE WERE CONSIDERING ANY REED CHANGES TO CITY HALL, I THINK WE WOULD LOOK AT HOW TO CREATE A MORE NATURAL OR INVITING, USABLE SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC, REMOVING SOME OF THAT HARDSCAPE AND REPLACING IT WITH SOME MORE NATURAL LANDSCAPE, MORE OF A PARK-LIKE ATMOSPHERE, HOW TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCIES IN THE BUILDING, AND THEN ULTIMATELY ADDRESSING THE AESTHETICS OF THE BUILDING.
IN TERMS OF THE, THE PROS, I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER THE CONS OR THE, THE DISADVANTAGES, BUT IN TERMS OF THE, THE ADVANTAGES, RE REDESIGN IS USUALLY A LITTLE BIT, UH, LESS TIME CONSUMING THAN A, A COMPLETE NEW BUILD.
UM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING TOOK FIVE, A LITTLE MORE THAN FIVE YEARS FROM ONCE.
ONCE WE INKED A DEAL WITH THE ARCHITECT, THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE TIME IT TOOK TO GET THE ARCHITECT.
SO IT'S QUITE A LENGTHY PROCESS.
NOT SAYING THAT A DESIGN OF THE RE RENOVATION WOULD BE MUCH FASTER, BUT IT'D BE SLIGHTLY FASTER.
IT ALSO PRESERVES THE HISTORIC PRESENCE OF THE EXISTING CITY HALL.
WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 50 YEARS.
UM, I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE CITY HALL WAS PRIOR TO THIS CITY HALL BEING BUILT.
MAYBE IT WAS OLD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING OVER THERE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE OPTIONS WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A SECOND.
SO WE'VE HAD A HISTORIC PRESENCE IN THE DOWNTOWN THAT WOULD PRESERVE THAT.
IT WOULD ALSO, UM, FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE, PER DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOT, IT'S A LITTLE BIT CHEAPER.
NOT TREMENDOUSLY CHEAPER 'CAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE DEALING STILL WITH A PRETTY COMPLICATED BUILDING.
BUT I THINK THE, THE ONE AREA THAT IS AN ADVANTAGE, IF, IF WE WERE TO BUILD A NEW CITY HALL, WE WOULD THEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEASE OUT THAT BUILDING AND CREATE REVENUE OFF OF IT.
BUT WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO DO ALL THE MECHANICAL UPGRADES THAT THE BUILDING CURRENTLY NEEDS.
AND SO THERE WOULD BE ALMOST AS DUPLICATIVE OF COST.
SO THERE'S SOME COST CONSIDERATIONS THERE.
AND THEN LASTLY, IT WOULD RESERVE THE LAND WHERE, WHERE A FUTURE CITY HALL COULD GO AND WE COULD UTILIZE THAT FOR DEVELOPMENT PURPOSES, WHICH COULD HELP FINANCE THE NEW CITY HALL OR THE RENOVATED CITY HALL.
SO MOVING TO SORT OF THE, THE NEW CITY HALL IDEA, UM, I THINK IN TERMS OF EFFICIENCIES, UM, IT'S FAR MORE EFFICIENT TO BUILD A BRAND NEW BUILDING THAN IT IS TO RENOVATE A BUILDING.
UH, YOU CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN ONE BUILDING WHILE YOU BUILD A BRAND NEW BUILDING.
ONCE THE NEW BUILDING'S COMPLETED, YOU TURN OFF THE LIGHTS IN THE ONE BUILDING AND YOU TURN THE LIGHTS ON THE OTHER BUILDING.
SO THERE'S SOME, SOME REAL EFFICIENCIES THERE.
AND, AND UPGRADING THE TECHNOLOGY AND BUILDING IT TO, TO SUIT HAS A LOT OF VALUES.
UM, THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONSOLIDATE SOME SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED TO THE COMMUNITY.
RIGHT NOW, IF CITY HALL WOULD BE, WERE TO BE RENOVATED, THERE WOULD NOT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY BRING IN A ANOTHER LARGE COMMUNITY SERVICE LIKE A LIBRARY.
UH, THE COUNTY LIBRARY HAS IN IT OR THE COUNTY HAS IN ITS BUDGET MONEY TO REBUILD THAT LIBRARY OR REHAB THAT LIBRARY RATHER THAN PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY INTO AN OLDER BUILDING AS WELL.
MAYBE THERE'S SOME VALUE OF ACTUALLY BUILDING A JOINT CITY LIBRARY, CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER.
HAVE ONE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER, HAVE A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OFFICE THERE SO PEOPLE CAN DO REALLY ONE STOP SHOPPING IN THE COMMUNITY.
A RENOVATED BUILDING DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT.
A BRAND NEW BUILDING GIVES YOU THE CAPACITY OF THE, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO THINK ABOUT THOSE, THOSE, UM, CONSOLIDATIONS.
UM, BECAUSE OF THOSE CONSOLIDATIONS, MAYBE THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP SOME LEASING OPPORTUNITIES HERE AND THEN ALSO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY TO BUILD SOMETHING.
SO IF, IF THE CITY, NEW CITY HALL AND A LIBRARY REQUIRED A PARKING STRUCTURE, PERHAPS THE COUNTY WOULD HELP PAY FOR THAT PARKING STRUCTURE THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO BUILD ON ITS OWN.
SO THERE MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE SOME RESOURCES.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, A LOT OF IT COMES AGAIN DOWN TO COST CONSIDERATIONS.
JUST LIKE THE RENOVATED BUILDING.
IS IT MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING? YES IT IS.
BUT WILL WE GET MORE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, MORE LIFE OUT OF A BRAND NEW BUILDING THAN WE WOULD THE EXISTING BUILDING? NOW I CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT IN SOME WAYS OUR VERY OLD CITY
[01:00:01]
HALL HAS SOME BETTER FUNCTIONALITY THAN OUR VERY BRAND NEW PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY.AND SO SOMETIMES NEW BUILDS AREN'T ALWAYS BETTER BUILDS, BUT WE WOULD HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE THAT AND TO SEE IF, IF IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO PUT GOOD MONEY TOWARDS A LONGER TERM SOLUTION.
SO BACK TO THIS PICTURE OF, OF WHO OWNS WHAT.
THIS, THIS PICTURE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT 'CAUSE I INCLUDE THE AREA AROUND THE RONALD REAGAN COMMUNITY CENTER WHERE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS LOCATED.
AND AS MR. FOLEY REMINDED ME, THAT'S WHERE CITY HALL USED TO BE LOCATED.
SO IN, IN LOOKING AT POSSIBLE LOCATIONS OF A NEW CITY HALL STAFF HAS LOOKED AT, UH, THE AREA AGAIN, THAT MAGNOLIA PARKING LOT, THE AREA, UM, ADJACENT TO THE RONALD REAGAN COMMUNITY CENTER, AND THEN ALSO THE AREA IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY OR THE CITY HALL BUILDING.
AND ALL, ALL THREE OF THESE COULD ACCOMMODATE SOME ADDITIONAL SPACE WITH THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, SUCH AS A LIBRARY.
SOME MAY BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN OTHERS, BUT THEY ALL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STAFF WOULD NOT WANNA RECOMMEND IS THAT THE COUNCIL DEPLETE ITS GENERAL FUND RESERVES FOR THIS PROJECT OR TO, UM, ISSUE, UH, TAX SALES TAX, UH, PAID FOR BONDS TO PAY FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE'D LIKE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE CAN MONETIZE EXISTING ASSETS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE SITTING FALLOW THAT HAVE NOT BEEN UTILIZED TO GENERATE REVENUE.
UH, REFER YOU BACK TO THIS, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHICH OPTION IS TAKEN, THE CITY DOES HAVE LAND THAT IT CAN DEVELOP.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH A CITY CAN FINANCE NEW CONSTRUCTION, UH, OR RE REHABILITATED CONSTRUCTION OFF OF THIS ONE WOULD BE, WE COULD POTENTIALLY LEASE THAT LAND IN LONG-TERM LEASES AND GENERATE REVENUE.
UH, WE WOULD PAY FOR ANY POTENTIAL DEBT OR PAY THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE BACK WITH THAT REVENUE.
UM, ONE WE COULD, OR SECOND WE COULD SELL THAT PROPERTY STRAIGHT UP AND USE THOSE PROCEEDS.
I, I WOULD ALWAYS RECOMMEND IF WE CAN HOLD ONTO LAND AS LONG AS WE CAN, THAT'S PROBABLY A BETTER SOLUTION THAN TO SELL LAND.
BUT, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS AN OPTION.
THE THIRD OPTION IS ENTERING INTO A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLE OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH ALONG WITH THE PORT OF LONG BEACH AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, THE COURTHOUSE THERE, THEY HAD A LOT OF LAND RIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THE THREE ENTITIES CAME TOGETHER AND THEY MARKETED THEIR PROPERTIES TO DEVELOPERS AND SAID, WE WILL GIVE YOU THIS LAND TO DEVELOP.
YOU CAN BUILD UP TO THIS AMOUNT OF DENSITY.
UH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY US A DIME IN 50 YEARS, THAT PROPERTY WILL THEN REVERT BACK TO US, BY THE WAY.
UM, SO, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN MAKE AS MUCH MONEY OFF OF THAT AS YOU WANT.
AND BY THE WAY, YOU'RE GONNA BUILD US A BRAND NEW CITY HALL, A BRAND NEW COURTHOUSE, AND A BRAND NEW, UH, PORT OF PORT OF LONG BEACH HEADQUARTERS.
AND SO IN EXCHANGE FOR THE QUOTE UNQUOTE FREE LAND, THOSE THREE ENTITIES GOT NEW BUILDINGS.
AND SO THAT WAS THE WAY THAT THEY WORKED IT.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO WORK THESE P THREE AGREEMENTS OUT, BUT IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING I THINK THAT'S WORTH EXPLORING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS TO HAPPEN PRIOR TO ANY CONVERSATION WITH ANY DEVELOPER ABOUT ANY KIND OF USE OF CITY LAND IS THE, THE, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA REQUIRES THE CITY TO OFFER THAT LAND UP TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPERS.
AND THERE'S A PROCESS CALLED THE CALIFORNIA SURPLUS LAND ACT.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY ENGAGED WITH A CONSULTANT, COSMO AND ASSOCIATES, AND THEY ARE DUE TO PRESENT SOMETHING TO THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE NEXT MEETING THAT GETS THAT BALL ROLLING AND HAS SOME CONSIDERATIONS AND WILL WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HOW WE'LL ENGAGE WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ALLOW US TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT ALSO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE THE SS L A.
UM, AND THEN ONCE WE'VE, WE'VE CLEARED THAT HURDLE STAFF, UM, WITH THIS COULD PRESENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THIS CONCEPT OF A REQUEST FOR INTEREST OR WHICH WOULD THEN LEAD INTO A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL THAT WOULD GO OUT TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND IDENTIFY WHICH TOOL WOULD WORK BEST FOR THE CITY.
IT WOULD BE NICE, HELPFUL AT SOME POINT BEFORE WE GO TOO FAR WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO HAVE A SENSE OF WHERE THE COUNCIL MAY WANT TO GO OR MAYBE WHERE THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO GO.
BUT ALL OF THESE THINGS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT HAVING A DEFINITIVE, DEFINITIVE DECISION MADE AT THIS TIME.
SO AT THIS TIME, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I'LL, I'LL REITERATE.
THIS IS VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS, NO DECISION IS BEING ASKED OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
[01:05:01]
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THIS GROUP, AT THIS SETTING.A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT NEEDS TO OCCUR STILL.
THIS IS A MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE YEAR PROJECT TO EVEN GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN LAUNCH INTO SOMETHING.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE THOUGHT IT'S BETTER TO START ON THIS PROJECT SOONER THAN LATER.
WE WOULDN'T WANNA GET TO THE POINT WHERE STATE LAW CHANGES WHEN IT COMES TO SS L A REQUIREMENTS.
WE WOULDN'T WANNA GET TO THE POSITION WHERE, UM, WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY WITH CITY HALL AND NOW WE'RE FORCED TO BE REACTIVE AND PROACTIVE WITH THE BUILDING.
SO I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COUNCIL'S, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE IN TERMS OF OVERALL OBJECTIVES.
UH, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE TWO OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TODAY AND IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FROM STAFF? WE CAN COME BACK AND IF YOU HAVE A, A PREFERENCE, THEN WE CAN START AT LEAST FOCUSING OUR ENERGY ON ONE OF THOSE PREFERENCES OR, UM, WE CAN SPLIT OUR TIME BETWEEN THOSE.
SO WITH THAT STAFF'S HERE TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS AND WE'D LOVE TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK.
UH, GRAHAM, DOES THE CURRENT CITY HALL MEET EARTHQUAKE AND HEALTH AND SAFETY CODES? I I, I DON'T KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT'S, WE HAVEN'T EVEN ANALYZED THAT.
I I KNOW IT MEETS CURRENT CODES AS OF THEY STAND TODAY.
NOW, IF WE WERE TO DIG INTO THE BUILDING AND DO RENOVATIONS, WOULD IT TRIGGER BUILDING CODE THAT IS NEW? PROBABLY, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME UPGRADES THAT WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR THAT I DON'T KNOW.
THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE OVERALL ASSESSMENT.
THERE'S SOME COSTS WITH THAT AND THAT'S WHY WE'D HAVE TO GET IN A GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER TO HELP US UNDERSTAND SOME OF THAT.
DOES THE CALIFORNIA SURPLUS LAND ACT ONLY TRIGGERED IF YOU WANT TO SELL THE PROPERTY? YEAH, I I THINK IT'S ANY UTILIZATION OF SO LONG-TERM LEASE SELL SALE BECAUSE IT, IT ALL ACCOMPLISHES THE SAME THING IN THE STATE'S MIND.
AND SO IF THEY REQUIRE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, PEOPLE TO HAVE FIRST SHOT AT IT, IS THERE A PERCENTAGE THAT, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THE REST CAN BE SOMETHING ELSE? YES.
YOU, YOU, STATE LAW REQUIRES WHEN A PIECE OF LAND IS AVAILABLE, YOU HAVE TO MARKET IT TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMUNITY FIRST.
BUT YOU CAN DICTATE SOME PARAMETERS AND THERE'S SOME CERTAIN LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY THAT YOU CAN DICTATE WITH THAT.
UM, AND, AND MANY TIMES THE MARKET JUST DOESN'T PENCIL FOR THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
AND SO THEN THEY CAN JUST CLEAR THAT HURDLE AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STEP.
BUT THERE IS A PROCESS AND THE CITY DOES HAVE SOME DISCRETION OVER THE RATE OF AFFORDABILITY.
UM, MY QUESTION IS REGARDING WHAT DO WE DO? SO LET'S SAY WE DO MOVE TO ANOTHER LOCATION TO BUILD A NEW CITY HALL COMPLEX, BUT WE STILL HAVE THE CURRENT BUILDING AND IT'S DETERIORATING RAPIDLY.
WHAT WE STILL HAVE THAT PROBLEM WITH THAT BUILDING THAT'S DETERIORATING.
SO HOW DO WE, HOW DO YOU RECTIFY BUILDING A NEW ONE? AND WE STILL HAVE THIS OLD BUILDING THAT NEEDS RENOVATION.
SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE OLD BUILDING? SO, SO IF YOU LOOK AT, I MEAN, WE'VE RUN SOME BASIC NUMBERS 'CAUSE WE LOOKED AT WHAT IF WE WERE TO CONSOLIDATE, UM, THE FIFTH FLOOR OF CITY HALL AND LEASE IT OUT TO THE COUNTY AND HOW MUCH REVENUE THAT WOULD GENERATE, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS COULD WE MAKE TO THE REST OF CITY HALL? UM, WE COULD MAKE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT RENOVATIONS TO THE, THE LOBBY, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO I THINK WE WOULD JUST BE TRADING OUT RENT FOR UPGRADES SO IT WOULDN'T NET REVENUE.
UM, BUT IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T LOSE REVENUE.
BUT THE, ANY PROCEEDS THAT WOULD BE GAINED FROM THE LEASE WOULD BE PUMPED BACK INTO THE BUILDING TO TO TO BRING IT, TO KEEP IT UP TO STANDARD, TO KEEP IT UP TO DATE AND KIND OF STEP BY STEP, FLOOR BY FLOOR RENOVATE AS YOU GO.
AND, AND PROBABLY, I MEAN, YOU'D PROBABLY HAVE, I MEAN, FRANKLY YOU, UM, IF YOU WERE CASH STRAPPED, WHAT YOU'D PROBABLY DO IS GO OUT AND GET SOME PUBLIC PRIVATE OR SOME PUBLIC PLACEMENT FINANCING AND SECURE IT WITH THE LEASE OF, LET'S SAY THE COUNTY WERE TO LEASE IT.
YOU COULD SECURE THAT LOAN WITH THE LEASE MONEY AND SO YOU WOULD HAVE THAT MONEY ALL UP FRONT.
SINCE WE HAVE SUBSTANTIAL MONEY IN OUR GENERAL FUND RESERVE, IT'D BE CHEAPER JUST TO USE THE FUND, GENERAL FUND RESERVE TO DO THAT WORK UP FRONT AND THEN PAY OURSELVES BACK WITH THAT MONEY.
UM, IT, IT, SO THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU REFERENCED WITH REGARD TO LONG BEACH, I'M ASSUMING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT THERE FOR OTHER LOCATIONS
[01:10:01]
LIKE OUR PROPERTY, RONALD REAGAN CENTER, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN THE COUNTY LIBRARY.W WOULD THOSE OPPORTUNITIES STILL EXIST OUTSIDE OF THE, THAT BEING THE LOCATION FOR THE CITY HALL? SO LET'S SAY WE CHOSE TO REHAB THIS BUILDING, WOULD THE, WOULD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT STILL BE AT OUR PROPERTY? YEAH, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IF WE, IF THE OPTION WERE TO EITHER BUILD CITY HALL OR TO RENOVATE THAT WE WOULD USE THO THOSE PROPERTIES, THE ASSETS THAT CAN BE MONETIZED, MONETIZED AS A WAY TO FINANCE EITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS.
UM, AND, AND, AND THE BEAUTIFUL THING IS THAT THEN IT BECOMES THIS CATALYST PROJECT IN THE DOWNTOWN, RIGHT? AND SO NOW IT'S, WE'RE SITTING ON THIS, THIS LAND THAT COULD BE UTILIZED TO SPUR MORE DEVELOPMENT AND WE COULD BE THE ONES THAT SHOW THE WAY FORWARD ON WHAT DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED.
JUST LIKE THE COURTYARD, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT WAS CITY PROPERTY.
WE, WE SOLD IT TO MARRIOTT AND WE SHOWED THEM THE VISION, THE REST OF THE DOWNTOWN OF WHAT DOWNTOWN COULD LOOK LIKE.
AND I THINK IT DOES A GREAT JOB.
SO I THINK WHAT WE HAD HOPED IT HAD, 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN HUGE INVESTMENT AFTER THE FACT, BUT MAYBE WE'RE THE NEXT PROJECT THAT, THAT CAN HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S FITTING THAT WE'RE IN A 50 YEAR OLD BUILDING AND LIKE YOU STATED, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RENOVATING THE REASONS WHY AND THE ONE TIME OUR MICROPHONES GO OUT IS WHEN WE'RE BEING PRESENTED, WE GOTTA REHAB OUR BUILDINGS.
SO IT'S VERY FITTING THAT THE MICROPHONES DECIDED TO GO OUT.
NOTHING HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT COUNCIL MEMBER
SO, UM, I PROMISE I WOULD NEVER MANIPULATE THE COUNCIL THAT WAY.
WELL, YEAH, I, UM, THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE NOW.
SO IT WOULD BE, WE NEED TO GET COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEWHAT OF A CONTEST, YOU KNOW, A, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING WHATEVER, AT SAN DIEGO STATE, WHICH IS OUR LOCAL UNIVERSITY NEARBY, MAYBE GROSSMONT.
SEE WHO CAN DRAW UP THE, THE BEST PLANS.
LET'S HAVE A CONTEST OF, OF WHAT THEY IMAGINE CITY HALL WOULD LOOK LIKE GIVEN THE PARAMETERS.
GIVE THEM WHAT WE WANT TO SEE WHERE, SO THEY COULD HAVE AN IDEA OF LOCATION AND, AND WHAT THE VIEWS WOULD BE.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY FLOORS, HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE BASICS.
AND THEN LET THEM GO AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH.
IT WOULD BE KIND OF COOL TO SEE MAYBE SOMEBODY LOCALLY WOULD HAVE AN IDEA AND THEN, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH BUILDING, THEN WE HAVE THIS NEW AND INNOVATIVE, UH, BUILDING THAT WAS DESIGNED.
'CAUSE AT ONE TIME I THINK WE HAD A CONTEST FOR OUR LOGO FOR THE CITY LOGO.
THIS WAS BACK IN THE EIGHTIES.
WE HAD A CONTEST FOR THE LOGO.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT FOR THE BUILDING AS WELL.
ANYWAY, I'VE GOT COMMENTS LATER.
I'LL, I'LL, MY COMMENTS ARE I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD SAY, UH, IF YOU'VE GOT GOOD BONES OVER THERE, USE IT.
I THINK AT THE PORT OF SAN DIEGO BUILDING USED TO BE CALLED THE ROCK.
IT'S GOT, IT HAD NO, LIKE THIS NO WINDOWS OR ANYTHING AND THEY, THEY MADE IT WORK AND IT'S STILL THERE AND IT'S DOING FINE.
I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD SAY, HEY, IF YOU'VE GOT GOOD BONES IN A BUILDING AND THAT'S THE MOST AFFORDABLE OPTION, GOOD WAY TO GO.
YOU CAN PUT SOME WINDOWS AND STUFF.
THE VALUE OF TODAY'S REAL ESTATE IS GOING UP.
'CAUSE WE'RE KIND OF BUILT OUT.
THE VERY ROOM THAT WE SIT IN COULD GO UP AND WE COULD PUT WHAT I CALL WORKFORCE HOUSING.
UH, NOT NECESSARILY LOW INCOME HOUSING, NOT NECESSARILY MARKET RATE HOUSING, BUT WHAT WE CALL WORK FOR HOUSING, WHICH IS OFTEN 80 TO 120% OF A M I.
SO WE'VE STILL GOT FOUR OR FIVE STORIES ABOVE US THAT WE COULD USE FOR HOUSING FROM A DEVELOPER THAT COULD PAY FOR THE THINGS THAT WE WANNA DO TO THE PLACE NEXT DOOR.
I, I LOVE THE IDEA OF A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF BUILDINGS.
I KNOW THE FIRE STATION OVER BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE THAT NEEDS TO BE REHABBED.
I'VE SEEN THEIR IN THE BASEMENT, THEIR, UM, CALL CENTER.
I MEAN, IT, THERE'S, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE WALKING INTO A CAVE.
I KNOW THEY, THEY NEED, THAT BUILDING NEEDS TO BE REHABBED AND WE COULD DO SO MUCH WITH THAT BLOCK, MAYBE PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, AND I WOULD, I WOULD SAY I NEED, I THINK WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ON
[01:15:01]
BOTH I, ON BOTH OPTIONS, UM, TO MAKE A INFORMED DECISION.SO HOW BAD IS THIS BUILDING? AND IF WE WERE TO REHAB IT, HOW LONG WOULD IT LAST US? UM, AND WHAT'S THE COST IN THAT? AND THEN I LIKE MICHELLE'S IDEA.
LET'S ENLIST THE BRIGHT MINDS OF OUR COLLEGES IN THE AREA AND MAKE IT A CONTEST AND PIT THE COLLEGES AGAINST EACH OTHER.
UM, AND, UM, AND THEN LET'S LOOK AT, LET'S EXPLORE THE PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OTHER LOCATION, WHETHER THAT BE FOR BUILDING A NEW CITY HALL AT THAT LOCATION OR JUST REDOING THAT WHOLE AREA, HOUSING LIBRARY.
BUT IT'S HARD TO MAKE A DECISION AND WEIGH ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WITHOUT HAVING SOME HARD NUMBERS TO GO OFF OF.
AND I THINK DEDICATING THE STAFF TIME IS WORTH IT BECAUSE IT'S A BIG, IT'S A BIG DECISION.
AND SO I THINK THE, THE, UM, THE MORE METHODICAL WE ARE AND THE MORE INFORMATION WE HAVE, I THINK IS, IS THE BEST.
NEITHER OF 'EM ARE BAD OPTIONS.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE BECAUSE WE HAVE BUILDINGS THAT ARE FALLING IN DISREPAIR, AND I THINK THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE MORE EXPENSIVE IT'S GOING TO GET.
UM, SO I THINK ACTION IS NEEDED.
UM, BUT I, I JUST, I THINK LET'S, I WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE MAKING A DECISION OR MOVING IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION WITH MORE INFORMATION, WITH REGARD TO PRICE AND VIABILITY AND, AND, UM, DURATION OF HOW LONG THESE BUILDINGS WILL LAST TO, TO THAT POINT, MS. ORTIZ, WE STAFF WOULD NOT BE READY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, AT LEAST FOR MAYBE TWO YEARS, UNLESS THE COUNCIL SAID, GO REALLY HARD ON THIS PROJECT.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT THAT HAS TO BE DONE, BUT THE INTENT, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, WAS JUST TO GET THE BALL ROLLING AND GETTING ANY, ANY OF YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS IS HELPFUL.
I'VE ALREADY GATHERED A LOT OF NOTES I KNOW I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM EVERYBODY YET.
THAT WILL BE HELPFUL IN OUR ANALYSIS.
SO THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION OR AT LEAST DISCUSSING WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE.
I'VE THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED TO DO THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE.
YOU KNOW, I GO TO SKYLINE CHURCH AND WE'VE RECENTLY BUILT A BEAUTIFUL NEW CHURCH THERE.
THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER.
AND THEN AT ABOUT EIGHT YEARS IN THE, UM, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS DECIDED THEY WANTED TO HAVE A SUBSTATION THERE, AND THEY WANTED TO BUY A BUNCH OF OUR PROPERTY AND, AND BUILD A SUBSTATION.
ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD ALL THIS CASH THAT THEN OPENED UP ALL KINDS OF DOORS AND JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE COST OF BUILDING WENT DOWN RIGHT ABOUT THAT TIME AND INTEREST RATES WERE DOWN AND EVERYTHING KIND OF COALESCED TOGETHER AND GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD.
I, I THINK WE NEED, UM, SOME REALISTIC NUMBERS.
MAYBE NOT HARD NUMBERS, BUT YOU KNOW, SOME IDEA OF WHAT OPTION A LOOKS LIKE VERSUS OPTION B.
UM, I TELL YOU, I I'M USUALLY SO CAREFUL WITH MONEY AND, AND I, I'M USUALLY THE ONE TO TRY TO FIX THE OLD THING, BUT WITH THIS BUILDING, I AM, I'M, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT CREATIVE OPTIONS.
I SEE THE GRAPHIC YOU SHOWED US SHOWED SO MANY DIFFERENT PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE CONTROL OVER.
NOT TO MENTION IN, YOU KNOW, THIS BUILDING HERE AND THE BUILDING THAT WE MAY BE ABANDONING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME REAL THOUGHT PUT IN THE CREATIVE WAYS THAT WE COULD FIND OTHER PEOPLE TO HELP PAY FOR THIS PROJECT IN WAYS THAT DIDN'T REALLY, UH, SET THE, THE CITY BACK IN A, IN A BAD POSITION.
BUT IF THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE AND, AND THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, THEN IT MIGHT JUST MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO, TO PUT NEW WINDOWS IN, IN THE OLD BUILDING AND, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO I, I GUESS MY ENCOURAGEMENT WOULD BE TO SET YOUR MINDS LOOSE ON THE PROJECT.
UM, BE VERY CREATIVE, BE BOLD, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN, UH, COME UP WITH AND COME BACK, YOU KNOW, IN A YEAR OR A YEAR AND A HALF AND LET'S, UH, HAVE A WORKSHOP ABOUT IT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SPEND SOME TIME.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A CONVERSATION, UH, VINCE AND I ACTUALLY SPENT SOME SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TALKING WITH THE COUNTY, UH, WITH THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ABOUT HOW TO REDEVELOP THIS WHOLE AREA TOGETHER.
THE REALITY IS WHAT WE COULD DEVELOP IN THE RED AREA IS JUST A FRACTION OF, OF WHAT COULD OCCUR IF WE WERE TO COMBINE OUR PROPERTIES AND DO AN OVERALL DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING BUILDING A NEW, BUILDING, A NEW COURTHOUSE.
VINCE AND I ALMOST GOT STUCK IN THE ELEVATOR THAT WAS ACTUALLY RESERVED FOR THE JUDGES.
AND SO IT WAS A PRETTY SCARY SITUATION.
UM, AND, AND HALF THE BUILDING'S
[01:20:01]
ABANDONED ALREADY.UM, IT'S IN, IT'S IN REAL DISTRICT REPAIR, UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S LIST OF COURTHOUSES.
IT'S ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE IN TERMS OF, OF WHERE IT FITS IN PRIORITIES.
SO IT'S A VERY LOW PRIORITY WHERE THE STATE WANTS TO SPEND ANY MONEY ON.
BUT IMAGINE IF THE COUNTY, THE STATE, AND THE CITY CAME TOGETHER, YOU COULD DO ONE AMAZING PROJECT, UH, AND, AND PROBABLY ACCOMPLISH FAR MORE THAN WE COULD EACH INDIVIDUALLY DO.
UH, I'VE, I'VE ENGAGED WITH, UH, COUNTY STAFF AT MULTIPLE LEVELS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.
I THINK THEIR CONCERN IS THAT FIRST STEP AND WANTING TO BE PART OF THAT FIRST STEP.
I THINK IN MY MIND, IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH WHATEVER OPTION THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH AND THEN PRESENT THEM, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE RATHER THAN, UM, WE WANT YOUR THOUGHTS, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE OPTION A, B, OR C I THINK THEY WOULD BE A PARTICIPANT IN ONE, IN ONE FORM OR THE OTHER OF SOME REDEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA.
SO DO YOU NEED MORE DIRECTION TO THAT? I THINK THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED.
AND WE WILL, UM, OVER TIME RUN WITH SOME OF THESE BIG THOUGHTS.
AS I SAID, WE WILL BE BRINGING BACK THE CALIFORNIA SURPLUS LAND ACT ITEM AT YOUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, JUST 'CAUSE THE TIMING OF THAT IS RIGHT TO DO, TO CLEAR THAT HURDLE, AND THEN IT OPENS UP SOME DOORS OF HOW WE EXPLORE THE OTHER PARCELS TO CONSIDER.
WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, UH, SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS ITEM.
COUNSEL, DID YOU ANYBODY WANNA MAKE ANY MORE STATEMENTS BEFORE WE YEAH, GARY DOES.
I, UH, REALLY LIKE COUNCILMAN GOEBBELS SUGGESTION ABOUT PUTTING RESIDENTIAL ABOVE THIS BUILDING.
UH, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SOURCE OF INCOME AND, UH, WOULDN'T, UH, INHIBIT COUNCIL MEETINGS IF WE EITHER HAD TO BUILD IT ON TOP LIKE THEY DID WITH THE FOX THEATER OR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BUILD IT AROUND AND THEN UP OR BUILD NEW COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
BUT I, I, I, I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
YEAH, I AGREE THAT'S ONE OF THE CREATIVE, UH, KINDA SOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO I HAVE, UH, FAITH IN OUR STAFF THAT ARE GONNA COME BACK WITH SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING.
ALRIGHT, ITEM 11 IS MY ACTIVITIES REPORT IS AS REPORTED NOW.
I'M ASKING FOR ACTIVITIES REPORTS FOR DEPUTY MAYOR STEVE GOBEL
[12. 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.]
AND AS REPORTED COUNCIL MEMBER GARY KENDRICK[13. COUNCILMEMBER GARY KENDRICK METRO Commission/Wastewater JPA; Heartland Communications; Heartland Fire Training JPA.]
AS REPORTED COUNCIL MEMBER[14. COUNCILMEMBER MICHELLE METSCHEL Harry Griffen Park Joint Steering Committee; METRO Commission/Wastewater JPA – Alternate; Heartland Communications – Alternate; Heartland Fire Training JPA – Alternate.]
MICHELLE MITCHELL AS REPORTED AND[15. 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 PHIL ORTIZ.AS REPORTED, THERE ARE NO JOINT COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS TODAY.
NO GENERAL INFORMATION ITEMS AND NO FIRST READINGS OF ORDINANCES ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WE HAVE A SECOND READING OF AN ADOPTION OF AUDIENCE ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
[16. Review and Approve Amendments to Ord 5119; Renewing and Approving Policy 706 Military Equipment Use, 2023 Edition RECOMMENDATION: That Mayor Wells requests the City Clerk to recite the title. An Ordinance Reviewing and Approving Ordinance 5119 to Renew Restrictions Relating to Purchase of Military Equipment, Supplies, or Other Property for Law Enforcement Use; Approving the El Cajon Police Department's Annual Military Equipment Report for 2023 and Approving Policy 706 Military Equipment Use, 2023 Edition. The proposed action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with CEQA Guidelines section 15378. Adoption of an ordinance authorizing the police department’s use of current and budgeted equipment does not meet CEQA's definition of a “project,” because such administrative action does not have the potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.]
MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE.AND I'LL ASK OUR CITY CLERK TO READ THE TITLE.
BUT FIRST, ANGELA, ARE THERE, ARE THERE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR THIS ITEM? WE HAVE NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR, WOULD YOU THEN PLEASE REC RECEIPT, RECITE THE TITLE, AN ORDINANCE, REVIEWING AND APPROVING ORDINANCE 5 1 1 9 TO RENEW RESTRICTIONS RELATING TO PURCHASE OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, OR OTHER PROPERTY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE, APPROVING THE EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ANNUAL MILITARY EQUIPMENT REPORT FOR 2023 AND APPROVING POLICY 7 0 6 MILITARY EQUIPMENT USE 2023 EDITION.
I, I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE, UH, ORDINANCE.
SECOND WHO, SECONDLY, PHIL ORTIZ, SECONDED BY PHIL ORTIZ, PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
THERE ARE NO CLOSED SESSIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
AND THIS BRINGS US TO THE ADJOURNMENT, THE ADJOURNED REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL.
EL CAJON HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY AGENCY TO THE OKLAHOMA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY.
HELD THIS 25TH DAY OF JULY, 2023 IS ADJOURNED TILL TUESDAY, AUGUST 8TH, 2023 AT 3:00 PM THANK YOU ALL MUCH.