Aug 08, 2023 City Council Meeting 3pm

[ CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells]

[00:00:04]

THEON CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

THE MEETING IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER.

I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY CLERK TO CALL THE ROLE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE STAND WITH ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND REMAIN STANDING AFTER THAT? FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SOLACE, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU.

[ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the July 25, 2023, Meeting and the Agenda of the August 8, 2023, Meeting in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.]

WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA, BUT THE PRESENTATION FOR CAMP RUN MUD HAS BEEN MOVED TO SEPTEMBER 12TH MEETING.

SO

[ PRESENTATIONS: Camp Run-a-Mutt: Dog Days of Summer National Night Out Review]

I'D LIKE TO INVITE MARKETING MANAGER CHRIS BERG TO TELL US ALL ABOUT THIS.

HI, CHRIS.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

COULD WE SWITCH OVER ON THE, SO, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT THIS YEAR, UH, IS AN EVENT THAT IS TO PROMOTE THE POSITIVE INTERACTION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY.

UH, THIS WAS ONE THAT WE FELT WOULD BE A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY EXPLOIT AN EL CAJON, BOTH FOR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS FOR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS TO SHOW, UH, WHAT A GREAT INTERACTION THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS HERE.

UH, SO WE HAD A, UH, TREMENDOUS SUCCESS WITH THIS.

SO, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK THESE TWO GUYS.

UH, I HAVE NEVER WORKED AN EVENT WITH A POLICE DEPARTMENT BEFORE, AND I CAME TO THEM WITH A HAIR-BRAINED IDEA TO, UH, WORK WITH AMANDA ON, AND THEY LET ME IN AND LET ME HELP RUN WITH IT.

UH, WE HAD THE SUCCESS OF IT WAS, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, A LOT OF INTERACTION.

WE WERE, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO SHOWCASE WHAT WE DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, UH, TEACH THEM ABOUT OUR DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, HAVE A LOT OF POSITIVE INTERACTION, AS WELL AS A LOT OF PR, WHICH IS DEFINITELY GONNA HELP WITH OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS GOING FORWARD.

UH, I DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE ON ME.

NOT THAT MY BOSS IS GENERALLY INTIMIDATING, BUT HE DID SHOW UP LIKE THIS TO THE EVENT.

UH, DID, DID SHAKE ME A LITTLE BIT.

UM, AND, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE HAD A, JUST AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL TURNOUT.

UM, WE HAD A, A GREAT CROWD TO SEE ALL THE DEMONSTRATIONS PARTICIPATE IN THE RAFFLES.

UH, DELENA BENNETT, WHO'S A LOCAL, UH, RADIO SHOW HOST WHO LIVES HERE IN EL CAJON.

SHE'S VERY PROUD TO BE IN EL CAJON.

AND SO SHE VOLUNTEERED HER TIME AS THE MC FOR THE EVENT.

UH, THAT BROUGHT OUT A LOT OF HER LISTENERS AS WELL.

WE HAD A, UH, A GREAT SHOWING OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO WE HAD ALL THE DIFFERENT VEHICLES THERE.

KIDS, FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH THOSE, TAKE PICTURES.

WE HAD ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.

UM, PARTICULARLY THE SWAT TEAM WAS ALWAYS A, A GREAT ATTRACTION, JUST SHOWING ALL THE, THE FUN TOOLS THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH.

UH, WE HAD OUR CANINE UNIT, WHICH DID THREE DIFFERENT DEMONSTRATIONS THROUGH THE EVENING.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT POOR MALAD DID IN A PAST LIFE, BUT I'VE SEEN HIM IN THAT BITE SUIT FOR SEVERAL YEARS OF NATIONAL NIGHT OUT .

UH, WE HAD OUR, UH, MOUNTED UNIT, WHICH EVERYONE, UH, REALLY SEEMS TO ENJOY GOING UP AND TALKING TO THOSE GUYS.

OUR DRONE DISPLAY ALSO, UH, REALLY FUN.

UH, GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION WHERE PEOPLE COULD SEE ON THE MONITORS ON THE SIDE OF THE VAN, WHAT THOSE DRONES DO, AND THE TOOLS THAT THEY ARE USED FOR, UH, FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO KEEP US SAFE.

WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT PARTNER AGENCIES.

UH, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL CAME OUT, UH, HAD A GREAT DISPLAY THERE.

SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY.

UM, THE US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL DID AN AMAZING JOB.

THEY HAD SUCH AN INTERACTIVE BOOTH FOR A, A PARTNER AGENCY THAT WAS THERE.

REALLY GOT A LOT OF ATTRACTION.

UH, OUR MILITARY WAS THERE DOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT FITNESS COMPETITIONS, ENGAGING, UH, OUR RESIDENTS, AND THEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

SO WE HAD THE SAN DIEGO WAVE THAT CAME OUT.

UH, HAD SOME GAMES THERE FOR PEOPLE TO PLAY AND INTERACT WITH.

THE HOME DEPOT, AN AMAZING PARTNER FOR THIS EVENT.

UH, THE MANAGER THERE, THEY'VE ALWAYS TAKEN PART IN THIS BY DOING KIDS CRAFTS.

THEY HAD NO IDEA THE, UH, AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE WERE GONNA HAVE THIS YEAR.

AND THE STORE MANAGER KEPT SENDING EMPLOYEES BACK TO GET MORE CRAFTS.

THEY ENDED UP DOING CRAFT PROJECTS FOR OVER 500 KIDS THAT NIGHT.

YES.

UH, WE HAD DIFFERENT

[00:05:01]

WE HAD WALMART SPONSORED OUR FIRST RESPONDER, UH, CHALK ART COMPETITION WHERE THEY HAD DONATED ALL THE SUPPLIES AND A TON OF PRIZES FOR ALL THE KIDS.

WE HAD MANY DIFFERENT FOOD VENDORS, UH, LOCAL BUSINESSES.

UH, ONE IN PARTICULAR I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO IS JOY, WHO IS THE OWNER NOW OF, UH, MAIN STREET, UH, DONUTS AND DELIS.

SHE HAD CALLED ME THE NIGHT BEFORE AND WAS LIKE, HEY, DO YOU THINK 500 COOKIES IS ENOUGH? AND I SAID, WELL, I WILL APPRECIATE 500 COOKIES, BUT NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S ENOUGH.

AND, UH, SHE STAYED UP TILL THREE THAT MORNING MAKING 1500 COOKIES FOR US, UH, DUNKING DONUTS.

I MADE THE MISTAKE OF TRYING TO WORK ON A POLICE EVENT WITHOUT INVITING A DONUT VENDOR.

AND I GOT CALLED ON THAT.

UH, SO I WENT TO THEM THE DAY BEFORE, AND WITH THAT ONE DAY'S NOTICE, THEY CAME OUT WITH A THOUSAND OF THEIR LITTLE MUNCHKINS TO, UH, TO DONATE.

SO JUST A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FROM OUR BUSINESSES.

UH, WE HAD FACE PAINTERS, BALLOON ARTISTS.

UM, THE MERCEDES HAD SPONSORED OUR NINJA NATION FITNESS COMPETITION, WHICH WAS AWESOME.

UH, THAT HAD A LONG LINE THE ENTIRE EVENING.

AND WE HAD HARDCORE FITNESS, WHICH IS A LOCAL GYM HERE, THAT THEY CLOSED THEIR GYMS THAT NIGHT, SENT OUT ALL THEIR TRAINERS TO BE THERE TO HELP KIDS GET THROUGH THE OBSTACLES AND WORK WITH THAT.

SO YOU RIDGE THE BAND THAT CAME OUT AND PLAYED.

WE HAD A DANCE FLOOR LINE DANCING.

UH, AGAIN, THE RAFFLE WITH, UH, DELENA HAD HOSTED THAT.

WE HAD GREAT RAFFLE PRIZES FROM DIXIE LINE, FROM HOME DEPOT, WALMART, UH, DICK'S SPORTING GOODS, HARDCORE FITNESS, MANY OTHERS.

AND, UH, IT WAS NOT JUST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, OBVIOUSLY WORKING ON THIS.

WE HAD, THIS WAS BECAME A CITY-WIDE EVENT FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY STAFF.

UM, OUR PARKS AND WORK DEPARTMENT.

UH, THEY WERE OUT THERE STARTING AT TWO IN THE MORNING, POWER WASHING STREET, SWEEPING THE PARKING LOT, UH, HELPING TO ASSIST SETTING UP OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY WORKED SO FAST, THEY WERE LIKE NINJA SPEED THAT WITH THREE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS.

WE DIDN'T GET A PICTURE OF ANY OF THEM THERE.

UH, BUT THEY WERE ALSO OUT THERE HELPING TO SET UP ALL THE TABLES, THE CANOPIES.

UH, SO REALLY GREAT SUPPORT THERE.

UM, AND THEN JUST AGAIN, FROM OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, WE HAD, UH, MANY OF THE CAR DEALERSHIPS WERE OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS OF THIS EVENT.

UH, MERCEDES, TOYOTA, HONDA, B M W FORD, UM, AND THEN JUST SO MANY OTHER, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT CAME IN TO BE A PART OF THIS EVENT.

SO IT WAS, IT WAS OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, IT WAS OUR BUSINESSES AND THOUSANDS OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER FOR A FUN NIGHT QUESTION.

THE SUPPORT WAS, WAS SO GOOD FROM SO MANY VENDORS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO CREATE LITTLE PLAQUES, UH, FOR THESE VENDORS THAT YOU DESIGNATE SO THEY COULD TAKE BACK AND SHOW IN THEIR BUSINESSES.

UH, IT'S, IT'S GOOD BUSINESS FOR A BUSINESS TO SHOW THAT THE CITY APPRECIATES THEM.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO, I, I, THE COST OF BLACKS IS NEXT TO NOTHING, AND I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS GOOD RELATIONS.

ALRIGHT.

UH, THANK YOU CHRIS, FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

I KNOW YOU WERE POUNDING THE PAVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, LOOKING FOR DONATIONS FROM BUSINESSES TO SPONSOR THE EVENT.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAFF AND, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT, UM, MADE THIS EVENT GREAT.

I, I CAN'T REMEMBER A BETTER NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE CITY.

SO YOU'VE REALLY SET THE STANDARD PRETTY HIGH.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN, WE CAN COME UP NEXT, NEXT YEAR.

CHRIS, YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB.

THANK YOU.

IT WAS GREAT WORKING WITH YOU THAT MORNING, GETTING EVERYTHING SET UP.

AND, UM, THE ONLY THING I THINK WE NEED TO DO IS TO MAYBE PARTNER WITH A PARTY RENTAL PLACE MM-HMM.

AND GET SOME, AND GET SOME TENTS OVER, LIKE THE DANCE FLOOR, EXTRA TABLES, THAT TYPE OF DEAL.

YEAH, IT'S A WARM TIME OF THE YEAR TO DO AN EVENT.

SO DEFINITELY, WE UNFORTUNATELY, SHADE, UNFORTUNATELY, DON'T NEED THE SHADE.

DON'T, WE CAN'T CONTROL THE WEATHER AND WE CAN'T CONTROL THE DATE.

BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.

I TALKED TO MANY, MANY RESIDENTS AND THEY WERE HAVING A BLAST.

UM, REALLY ENJOYED ALL OF THE EVENTS, ENJOYED EVERYTHING THAT HAD TO OFFER.

AND SO KUDOS TO YOU FOR GETTING ALL OF THIS STARTED.

AND KUDOS TO THE STAFF WHO HELPED YOU OUT, AND I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

IT'S A GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS HERE.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN.

[ AGENDA CHANGES:]

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

COUNCIL MEMBERS,

[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.]

[00:10:01]

COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONSENT ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PULL? NO STAFF, NO, SIR.

OKAY, THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN.

TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS. PLEASE VOTE.

AND FOR THE RECORD, SIR, THERE ARE NO, UH, UH, SPEAKER CARDS FOR CONSENT ITEMS. THANK YOU.

AND 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.]

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 AGENDA ALREADY RETAINING AT THE TIME THE ITEM IS HEARD.

STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

HOWEVER, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS MAY BRIEFLY RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS AND, AND ITEM MAY BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA.

ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? YES, SIR.

WE DO.

WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKER CARDS.

THE FIRST ONE IS BRENDA HAMMOND.

HI, BRENDA.

HI GRAHAM.

MR. MITCHELL, BRENDA HAMMOND, UM, EAST COUNTY.

SO BEFORE I SAY WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE, I GOT A BOX OF CRAYONS.

40 CENTS AT WALMART, BY THE WAY.

SO IN THIS BOX OF CRAYONS, THERE'S UM, THREE PRIMARY COLORS.

THERE'S YELLOW, RED, AND BLUE.

AND THEN THERE'S BLACK, WHITE, AND BROWN.

SO BLACK, WHITE AND BROWN ARE NOT PRIMARY COLORS, BUT THEY'RE USED TO MAKE DIFFERENT COLORS.

THEY'RE, THE WHITE IS USED TO LIGHTEN COLORS.

THE BLACK IS USED TO DARKEN.

THE BROWN IS BROWN .

SO JUST, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.

SO THERE'S NO SUPERIOR COLOR, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.

BLACK AND WHITE AND BROWN IS NOT, THERE'S, THEY'RE NOT SUPERIOR.

SO, AS I SAID AT THE LAST, LAST TIME I WAS HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, I'VE BEEN ASSAULTED ONCE AGAIN BY BLACK WOMEN.

THIS MAKES SEVEN TIMES IN 10 YEARS.

I WILL NOT GET INTO THE DETAILS.

AS I FILED THE LATEST COMPLAINT IN LA MESA, I APPRE I APPRECIATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE NOT FOLLOWED UP WITH ME ON ASSAULTS BECAUSE, UM, THEY SAID I WASN'T PARANOID.

THEY'RE CORRECT.

THAT AREA OF MY BRAIN WAS TAKEN OUT TO STOP THE SEIZURES I USED TO HAVE.

SO WHEN THE BLACK, SO WHEN THE LATEST BLACK WOMEN CAME UP TO ME PUSHING AND PROBING ME AND SAYING, SHE'S SCARED, SHE'S SCARED THEY WERE WRONG.

I BELIEVE THEY'RE HARASSING ME BECAUSE THE SURGERY WAS DONE BY A BLACK MAN FINISHING HIS RESIDENCY AT U C S D.

I WAS HIS LAST PROJECT BEFORE HE GRADUATED.

HE AND DR.

NEY, WHO WAS DEAN OF MEDICINE AT THE TIME, DID THE SURGERY BACK TO H H S.

THEY NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB VENT VETTING THE PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER FOR THEM, BECAUSE THE WOMEN THAT MESSED WITH ME, , WHERE AM I, UM, ARE VOLUNTEERS FOR THEM TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND HELP PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.

I THINK THEY CREATE MENTAL ILLNESS TO, SO THEY HAVE A JOB, YOU KNOW, JOB SECURITY, UM, MAYOR WELLS, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THESE WOMEN CAME TO LEMON GROVE LIBRARY LAST SATURDAY TO DO A PRESENTATION, A MEET AND GREET FOR, UM, UP TO US SAN DIEGO.

I'M SHUTTING THEM DOWN.

THANK YOU.

THOSE ARE THE WOMEN THAT MESSED WITH ME AT A RESTAURANT IN LA MESA.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING.

NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL BARNES.

HI, UH, MY NAME IS MIKE BARNES.

UH, I'VE LIVED, UM, ON ORANGE STREET DOWN THE STREET HERE FOR 24 YEARS.

I'VE LEARNED TO CO-EXIST WITH THE HOMELESS SITUATION.

I'VE HAD FACES IN MY WINDOW WITH A CONVICTED CHILD, UH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

MY CONCERN IS THE BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET THAT THEY'RE GONNA BUILD, UH, THE, UM, EAST

[00:15:01]

UM, WHAT HAPPENED, BASICALLY WITH ME, I WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

I, I FOUND OUT FROM SOMEBODY THAT LIVED IN FLETCHER HILLS THAT THIS WAS GOING DOWN.

SO THE NOTIFICATION WAS KIND OF LATE.

UH, AT THAT POINT.

I DID AN UNOFFICIAL PETITION.

I WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I GOT A HUNDRED SIGNATURES STATING PEOPLE WERE NOT IN, IN FAVOR OF THE PROGRAM OR THE BUILDING.

UM, AND 90% OF 'EM DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT WAS GOING ON.

SO I'VE BEEN WALKING THE STREETS TRYING TO INFORM PEOPLE THAT THIS IS GOING ON.

I'VE DONE MEETINGS, UM, ET CETERA.

THEY HAD A MEETING IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE BUILDING.

THEY SUGGESTED I GO TO OCEANSIDE TO CHECK OUT A NEW FACILITY THAT WAS BUILT UP THERE.

I DID THAT.

UM, I WENT INTO THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT I NEEDED TO TALK TO.

NOBODY HAD ANY ANSWERS.

A GUY CAME OUT, YOUNG KID CAME OUT, SOCIAL WORKER.

I'M NOT THE GUY YOU NEED TO TALK TO.

HE'LL BE IN WEDNESDAY.

I'LL HAVE HIM GIVE YOU A CALL.

NO COMMUNICATION WHATSOEVER.

UM, UM, BASICALLY I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FOLLOW THIS UP AND, UM, MY CONCERN, MY CONCERNS OF THIS, THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.

I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S AT, BUT WHAT I'M SEEING IS IT'S NOT THERE.

OKAY.

UM, AND I'M HERE JUST 'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA WAIT TILL IT'S TOO LATE.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THAT PARKING LOT OF THE COUNTY LAND AND THEY GO ONTO THE SIDEWALKS OF EL CAJON.

THE RESPONSIBILITY SHIPS.

SOON AS THEY WALK OUT THAT PARKING LOT, THE COUNTY, IT'S NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY ANYMORE.

SO IF SOMEBODY DECIDES THEY WANNA LEAVE AND THEY'VE SOBERED UP, IT'S THREE 30 IN THE MORNING, I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE GONNA BE RELEASED.

HOW ARE WE GONNA HANDLE THIS TRANS TRANSFER PEOPLE SO THAT THEY'RE NOT STAYING ON OUR STREETS? BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND I KNOW I'VE BEEN TO HOMELESS MEETINGS, I SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES HERE.

AND, UH, SO IT'S, I KNOW IT'S A CONCERN.

BUT AS FAR AS THE NEW BUILDING, WE ALREADY HAVE TWO REHABS OVER THERE RIGHT NEXT TO IT.

ONE'S A DAYCARE, ONE'S ANOTHER THING.

UM, SO ANYWAYS, I JUST, WHAT I'M DOING HERE IS TO JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW.

'CAUSE THE PEOPLE OUT THERE, THEY DON'T KNOW.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, SIR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I JUST WANNA SEE IF ANYBODY HAD ANY QUESTIONS.

YEAH, I JUST WANT, IF THERE'S MORE MEETINGS COMING UP ON HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OLD HO HOME FED BUILDING? PARDON ME? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OLD HOME FED BUILDING? I CAN'T HERE, I'M SORRY.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE OLD HOME HOME FED BUILDING? NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE OLD, UH, CITY TAX BUILDING.

ASSESSOR ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.

YEAH.

OKAY.

I I THINK IT WAS A HOME FED BUILDING BEFORE IT WAS THE ASSESSOR'S BUILDING.

YEAH.

I'M SORRY.

THE ARCHITECTURE LOOKS OKAY.

I LIKE THE BUILDING.

SO IF I CAN MAKE YOU FEEL A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

UM, THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A DETOX CENTER.

THIS IS, UM, A PLACE WHERE IT'S A CENTRAL PLACE TO BRING PEOPLE THAT ARE ON PSYCHIATRIC HOLDS.

AND THE IDEA IS TO GET THEM FROM HERE OUT TO THE APPROPRIATE HOSPITAL AND NOT IMPACT THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

OKAY.

THERE YOU GO.

AND I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS 'CAUSE I, I WORKED IN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS FOR A LONG PART OF MY LIFE AND I WAS ACTUALLY PUSHING THIS IDEA FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

SO I'M, I'M GLAD THEY'RE ADOPTING IT.

IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA MAKE IT EASIER FOR FOLKS TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

UH, THE ONE THING WE WERE WORRIED, WORRIED ABOUT, AND GRAHAM AND I MET WITH THEM, WAS THAT THEY WOULD BE RELEASING PEOPLE TO THE STREETS.

THEY'VE ASSURED US THAT THEY'VE GOT TRANSPORTATION, SO NOBODY'S GONNA BE RELEASED TO THE STREETS.

THESE PEOPLE EACH, I MEAN, IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT THAT WAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REVISIT IT.

BUT WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US VERY ADAMANTLY IS THAT EACH PERSON'S GONNA BE TAKEN BACK TO THEIR RESIDENTS, OR THEY'RE GONNA BE TAKEN TO THE SHELTER WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE, OR THEY'RE GONNA BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE ADMITTED.

AND I THINK A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE ADMITTED IN, IN THE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.

'CAUSE TO GET PUT ON A 72 HOUR HOLD AND TAKEN A FACILITY LIKE THIS, THE CHANCES ARE YOU GOING TO THE HOSPITAL ARE PRETTY GOOD.

SO I THINK WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME HERE, THEY'RE GONNA BE EVALUATED, THEY'RE GONNA GET A FEW HOURS OF TREATMENT, AND THEN IT'S BE ADMITTED TO GROSSMONT OR BE ADMITTED TO THE SCRIPTS, OR BE ADMITTED TO PARADISE VALLEY.

SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO RESULT IN PEOPLE BEING BROUGHT IN FROM OUT OF THE COUNTY AND THEN FILTERED BACK OUT INTO OUR CITY IF I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD FOUGHT IT TOOTH AND NAIL.

SO, UM, AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT UP.

AND THEY WENT UP THERE AND THE PEOPLE, I, I COULDN'T GET ANY ANSWERS.

I WENT AND TALKED TO BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STREET AND THEY SAID DEFINITELY THAT THERE TRAFFIC HAD INCREASED SINCE THAT BUILDING WENT UP.

SO THAT KIND OF GAVE ME A RED ALERT AND I JUST WANTED TO

[00:20:01]

UH, SO I DID YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? OH, THAT'S REASSURING.

AND I'M SURE THERE'S ANY NEWSLETTERS, THERE'S FURTHER GOING ON.

THEY'RE STARTING TO, UH, THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THAT BUILDING DOWN IN SEPTEMBER.

IT WAS JULY.

AND WHEN THEY START DOING THE DEMO AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, IT'S THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

THAT'S, YOU KNOW, GRAHAM, I ASSUME THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME COMMUNICATION.

THE, THE COUNTY'S ACTUALLY BEEN RELATIVELY HELPFUL AND PROVIDING COMMUNICATION ON THIS.

AND IN FACT, WHEN WE COMPLAINED ABOUT SOME OF THE, THE, SOME TRANSIENTS ACCESSING THEIR BUILDING, THEY IMMEDIATELY PUT UP A FENCE.

INITIALLY THEY WERE NOT GONNA PUT UP THE FENCE UNTIL CONSTRUCTION STARTED, AND THEY PUT IT UP IMMEDIATELY.

SO I I, I'VE BEEN REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THEY'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE.

THE OTHER CONCERN, I MEAN, MR. BARNES IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

WE WERE EXACTLY CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE EXACT SAME THINGS.

UH, THAT'S WHY THE COUNTY MET WITH EACH OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ABOUT THIS.

BUT I ALSO REACHED OUT TO THE CITY MANAGERS OF VISTA AND OCEANSIDE WHERE THERE ARE SIMILAR FACILITIES TO ASK WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACT, UH, CALLS FOR SERVICE.

AND THEY SAID TO THIS POINT, THERE'S BEEN ZERO IMPACT IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S BEEN A POSITIVE THING FOR THEM.

THE ONLY, THE ONLY IMPACT HAS BEEN, UH, MUCH LESS WALL TIME FOR OFFICERS TO GET TO DROPPING OFF AN INDIVIDUAL.

AND SO THEY CAN DROP THE INDIVIDUAL OFF MUCH FASTER THAN AT A HOSPITAL SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE THE CITY.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE MEANS BY THAT? PARDON ME? DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE MEANS BY THAT WALL TIME? SO WHEN A PARAMEDIC OR A POLICE OFFICER TAKES A, A PATIENT TO THE HOSPITAL, IF THE A BED IS NOT READY, THAT POLICE OFFICER OR PARAMEDIC HAS TO HUG THE WALL WITH HIS PATIENT FOR SOMETIMES 6, 7, 8 HOURS, THAT MEANS THIS PROGRAM'S GONNA BE HELPFUL TO US BECAUSE OUR POLICE OFFICER'S GONNA BE ABLE TO DROP SOMEBODY OFF AND GET OUT AND BACK TO BUSINESS.

AND SO THAT'S, WE SEE THAT AS A, AS A, A NET POSITIVE.

I SAID I GOT DIFFERENT WORDS FROM THE PEOPLE THAT THE BUSINESSES, BUT THAT MIGHT BE THEIR NORMAL CROWD.

I'M NOT GONNA DISPUTE THAT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING FOR BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY NEEDS TO DO THEIR PART BECAUSE OF THE HUGE ISSUE DOWN IN EL CAJON AND EVERYWHERE.

UM, SO I WILL TAKE THAT FOR AT A, IT'S A GO, I GUESS.

YEAH.

.

WELL, LET'S, LET'S WAIT AND SEE, YOU KNOW, LIKE RONALD REAGAN SAID, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT MORE AND THE COMMUNITY'S INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.

'CAUSE IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THE PROCESS IS GONNA HAPPEN.

WE, WE WANNA TRUST BUT VERIFY.

SO LET'S, UH, YEAH, LET'S REVISIT IT ONCE IT OPENS UP.

YEAH.

PHIL, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND LEAVING YOUR CONTACT INFO, I'LL DO MY BEST.

'CAUSE YOU REFERENCED THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.

I'LL REACH OUT TO OUR COUNTY SUPERVISOR, JOEL ANDERSON, AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME KIND OF A MEETING OR TOWN HALL WITH THE RESIDENTS.

I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING BACK FROM HIM, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE.

YEAH.

SO IF YOU WANNA LEAVE YOUR INFO WITH THE CITY CLERK AND THEN I'LL DO MY BEST TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU.

MAYBE SET SOMETHING UP.

I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA WAIT UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE.

OH, YEAH.

AND IT, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS CONCERN.

SO I'LL, I'LL DO MY BEST TO REACH OUT AND MAYBE THE COUNTY CAN DO A PRESENTATION FOR THE RESIDENTS.

OKAY, GREAT.

AND BUSINESSES SURROUNDING IT.

IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL CARTWRIGHT SENIOR.

HELLO, MR. CARTWRIGHT.

HOW YOU DOING? MOST OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WHO I AM.

I CAME TO CAJON WHEN I WAS EIGHT DAYS OLD.

.

THAT'S GREAT.

IT'S, I LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE.

UH, I'M GLAD TO SEE THEY HAD A PROGRAM.

WE USED TO HAVE A FRIENDSHIP FESTIVAL.

I DUNNO IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS JOAN SHOEMAKER.

OH, YEAH.

WE HAD A LOT OF PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS NOW, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE CITY COUNCIL RAN THE CITY MANAGER, NOT THE CITY MANAGER, RUNNING THE CITY COUNCIL THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO.

I WROTE, I WANTED TO SEE YOU GUYS ABOUT, I'M A MEMBER OF WOW, WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS.

I'VE BEEN A WIDOW NOW FOR SIX YEARS.

56.

WELL, ALMOST 60 YEARS AGO, I SENT MY WIFE HOME FROM BOSTON TO MY HOME.

OKAY.

AND SHE PASSED AWAY SIX YEARS AGO.

A COUPLE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS AGO, I FOUND A GROUP.

OKAY.

WE, WE HAVE THIS MEETING ONCE A WEEK OR ONCE A MONTH.

UH, IT WAS AT A LUTHERAN CHURCH AND IT GOT SOLD.

SO THEY CAN'T MEET THERE ANYMORE.

AND THEY HAVE A GAME.

THEY PLAY A MEXICAN TRAIN.

IT'S LIKE DOMINOES.

ANYHOW, I REQUESTED TO TALK FOR YOU TO SEE IF WE COULD GET ONE OF THE PARK CENTERS FOR ONE DAY A WEEK, A MONTH RATHER, TO DO HAVE THIS.

I WAS TOLD INSTEAD IT'S GONNA COST $24 AN HOUR MINIMUM OF FOUR, UH, THREE HOURS.

AND MY THING IS, I GOT MONEY, THAT'S FINE.

BUT A LOT OF THESE WIDOW DON'T, 90 OR 95% OF 'EM ARE WOMEN.

[00:25:01]

AND I, I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED WHEN I'M CODED CRISIS WIDOWS AND WIDOWS, AND MOST OF 'EM, BY THE WAY, LIVE IN EAST COUNTY.

UH, WE, THE LUTHERAN CHURCH WAS ON JOHNSON STREET.

WE HAVE A HAPPY HOUR OVER OFF OF, UH, 77 HAMSHAW.

IT'S A, A BAR OR A RESTAURANT.

AND I LIVED OVER ON BOWOOD STREET.

I LIVED ON THAT STREET FOR 66 YEARS.

I WENT TO MERIDIAN AT FIVE.

I WENT, GRADUATED FROM GRAND HILLS AT 16 AND A HALF, WAS IN THE MILITARY AT 17.

I WAS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ALL OVER THE WORLD.

UM, I, I WAS JUST, I I, 10 YEARS AGO, I DROPPED OUT OF POLITICS.

BUT I WAS KIND OF SURPRISED WHEN I SUBMITTED REQUEST TO HEAR FROM BEFORE YOU GUYS ABOUT THESE, THE WOW GROUP.

INSTEAD THEY SENT ME AN EMAIL.

I'M NOT VAGUE ON EMAILS, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE AN EMAIL.

I MAY CHECK IT ONCE EVERY COUPLE MONTHS, BUT I SURE GET LETTERS FROM YOU GUYS WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU.

WE ELK SECOND STREET COULD HAVE BEEN BOUGHT BY MY DAD FOR $1,860 IN 1950.

HOW'S THAT FOR PROPERTY? AND WE CALL THIS A VALUE OF OPPORTUNITY.

WHAT, WHAT OPPORTUNITY IS THERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE FRIENDSHIP? I THOUGHT WE USED TO BE FRIENDLY.

THAT'S NOT MUCH.

WELL, SIR, I'M REALLY SORRY YOU'VE HAD SUCH A BAD EXPERIENCE.

UM, CAN YOU LEAVE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR INFORMATION? OH, OH, SHE'S GOT IT.

I WANNA SIT AND TALK ABOUT THE OPTIONS.

I THERE MUST BE SOME WAY TO HELP YOU.

WELL, LIKE I SAID, I CAN AFFORD IT.

THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM.

NO, NO, I UNDERSTAND.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE STANDING UP FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AND THAT'S, THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.

WE SHOULD HAVE COMMUNITY SPACES FOR, FOR PEOPLE HAVING GROUPS LIKE THIS.

IT'S, IT'S COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE.

SO LET ME SEE WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU VERY SOON.

OKAY.

IF THAT'S OKAY.

OH, WE'LL HAVE TO BE.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS FOR COMING, SIR.

OUR LAST SPEAKER IS ROLAND SLATE.

HEY, ROLAND.

WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY STAFF.

AND SHE SAID, I'M ROLAND SLATE.

I'M A LEAD PASTOR OF MERIDIAN SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN EL CAJON.

AND TODAY I'M HERE IN MY ROLE AS THE CHAIR OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, ON BEHALF OF THE TASK FORCE, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

EL CAJON STEPPED FORWARD AND INVESTED IN US EARLY ON.

AND FOR THAT WE ARE THANKFUL.

WE ARE A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS ACROSS THE EAST REGION WITH A PART-TIME COORDINATOR THAT HELPS COORDINATE AND PUBLICIZE OUR EFFORTS.

EL CAJONS DONATIONS HAVE HELPED THE TASK FORCE FACILITATE, FACILITATE PUBLIC MEETINGS, BRING PEOPLE ACROSS THE REGION TOGETHER FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

AND YOU COLLECTIVELY TOOK A CHANCE ON A NEW FLEDGLING ORGANIZATION AND GAVE US FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

YOU DID WHAT OTHER CITIES WOULD NOT DO.

AND SO WITH THE CITY'S FUNDING, WE'LL LET YOU KNOW THAT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND MONITORED AND RESPONDED TO LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTED THE UNHOUSED POPULATION AND ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

WE FACILITATED COLLABORATION TO BRING EMERGENCY AND, UM, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO THE EAST REGION.

WE'VE CHAMPIONED HOUSING AND SERVICES POLICIES, UH, TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL RESIDENTS.

AND WE'VE AMPLIFIED EAST COUNTY HOUSING AND SHELTER NEEDS INTO COUNTY AND STATEWIDE DISCUSSIONS AND POLICIES.

WE'VE, UH, COLLECTIVELY USED THE RESOURCES TO ESTABLISH THE EAST ECA ASSIST.ORG WEBSITE, WHERE, UM, WE PUBLICIZED RESOURCES FOR THE CITY AND FOR ALL OF THE CITIES OF EAST COUNTY.

AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS USE THIS FOR THEIR CLIENTS AND RESIDENTS SEARCHING FOR SERVICES.

WE, UH, ALSO HAVE PRODUCED THE PRINTED POCKET GUIDES THAT UPDATE AND, AND THEIR, THEIR UPDATED AND THEIR DISTRIBUTED, AGAIN THROUGH EAST COUNTY CITIES IN THE UNINCORPORATED NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE COORDINATED A, A PANEL DISCUSSION ABOUT HOMELESSNESS IN LEMON GROVE.

WE ESTABLISHED THE SAN DIEGO HOUSING FEDERATION'S HEAL NETWORK IN EAST COUNTY.

AND OUR VOLUNTEERS, UM, WE PARTNERED AND STAFFED AND MANAGED THE POINT IN TIME DEPLOYMENT SITE.

AND SO WHERE WE'RE GOING FROM HERE, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, CASA IS NOW OUR FISCAL AGENT.

THEY HAVE BEEN OUR FISCAL AGENT SINCE JANUARY

[00:30:01]

PREVIOUSLY IT WAS THE EAST COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE, THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE NEVER OFFICIALLY STATED THAT IT SUPPORTS HOUSING FIRST.

SO WE WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR.

AND SO OUR VISION IS A RANGE OF HOUSING OPTIONS FOR, UH, EAST COUNTY COMMUNITIES ENSURING THAT EVERYONE WHO LIVES HERE HAS A PLACE TO CALL HOME.

SO EACH OF YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS AND ABOUT THE CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS, AND WE AGREE WITH YOU MOVING FORWARD.

WE HOPE TO ENGAGE AND INFORM AND ADVOCATE FOR A CRISIS RESPONSE PREVENTION AND LONG-TERM AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

BUT THE THING THAT I WANT TO MAKE PERFECTLY CLEAR TODAY IS THAT WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THANK YOU, ROLAND.

UM, LET ME SEE IF THERE'S, THERE MIGHT BE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

ROLAND.

STEVE, GO AHEAD.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE HEARD THE MILESTONES THAT THE TASK FORCE HAS ACHIEVED.

AND A YEAR AGO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SUSPENDING THE $5,000 IN FUNDING, WE SAID, WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT VALUE THE EL CAJON TAXPAYERS WERE GETTING FOR THE MONEY.

AND THAT WAS A YEAR AGO.

SO TO, FOR A YEAR TO GO PASS.

AND, AND WHAT WE DID HERE WAS, UH, VISTA AND OCEANSIDE ARE, ARE DOING GREAT.

IF ONLY THE EAST COUNTY CITIES COULD DO BETTER.

WE'RE THINKING, WHAT ARE WE CHOPPED LIVER? AND SO WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING HERE IS THE IS OVERDUE.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT YOU'VE DONE THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND THIS.

I'M OPEN TO REFINANCING OUR SUPPORT IF THERE'S A COMMITMENT FOR THE TASK FORCE TO TELL THE PEOPLE OF EL CAJON WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FOR THEIR TECH DONATIONS BECAUSE THE OTHER CITIES AREN'T DOING IT.

AND, AND TOMORROW I'M MEETING WITH DONNIE D FROM RESCUE MISSION.

HE WANTS A PLACE IN EL CAJON BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WILL DO IT.

AND WE'RE A LITTLE BELEAGUERED AT PEOPLE COMING TO ASK US, WILL YOU HELP? WILL YOU HELP? AND WE DON'T KNOW THE VALUE NOW.

I KNOW.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING AND TELLING US THE VALUE.

I'M OPEN TO REFUNDING THAT IF THERE IS A COMMITMENT TO REPORT TO THE COUNCIL, PERHAPS SEMI-ANNUALLY, THIS IS WHAT THE PEOPLE OF EL CAJON ARE GETTING.

I'M OPEN TO REFUNDING THAT.

WELL, I, I CAN TELL YOU, STEVE, THAT WE WILL, UH, WE, WE ARE WILLING TO REPORT.

IN FACT, THERE'S SOME, SOME OF THE VOLUNTEERS AND THE AGENCIES ARE HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT WE CAME TO SAY THANK YOU AND TO LET YOU KNOW THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING.

WE HAVEN'T DONE ALL THE THINGS THAT MAYBE YOU HAD EXPECTED US TO DO, BUT NOW WE ARE, WE'RE COMING TO SHARING WHAT WE HAVE DONE, AND WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE.

I, I APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE SPIRIT IN WHICH YOU ALL HAVE COME.

WE ALSO, IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE THING, WE ALSO DON'T INTEND FOR EL CAJON TO CO TO, YOU KNOW, AS A PREACHER, I'M JUST GETTING, GETTING WARMED UP.

WE DON'T EXPECT EL CAJON TO CARRY THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE.

IT'S THE EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE, NOT THE EL CAJON HOMELESS TASK FORCE.

SO WE IMPLY WE PLAN TO TALK TO OTHER CITIES AND OTHER CITY COUNCILS ABOUT THIS.

DO DOES THE TASK FORCE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM ANY OTHER EAST COUNTY CITY? WE DO RECEIVE SOME FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF SANT.

JUST SANT.

JUST SANT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE? SO ROLAND, WE'RE WE'RE OLD FRIENDS, SO I'LL JUST BE STRAIGHT WITH YOU.

IT WAS DISAPPOINTING FOR US IN, IN THE SENSE THAT WE FEEL THAT EL CAJON IS DOING AN EXEMPLARY JOB WITH THE HOMELESS.

SO WE, WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND WE ARE SPENDING MORE MONEY PER CAPITA THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THE, IN THE REGION, INCLUDING SAN DIEGO, INCLUDING CHULA VISTA, NASHVILLE CITY.

UH, WE, UM, HAVE BEEN INNOVATIVE IN TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT REALLY HELP PEOPLE, NOT JUST KIND OF SHUFFLE PEOPLE THROUGH THE SYSTEM, BUT, YOU KNOW, PLACES LIKE THE EAST COUNTY TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER, WHICH GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET FOR MAYBE TWO, THREE YEARS AT A TIME, HELP THEM GET SOBER TO REESTABLISH A A PLACE.

AND WE'VE BEEN IN AN ONGOING BATTLE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND, AND, AND SPECIFICALLY THE COUNTY.

AND HONESTLY, WHAT WE FELT HAS BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR CITY AND, UH, PUTTING AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THE CITY OF EL CAJON AND TELLING US THAT THEY DON'T EVEN WANNA TALK ABOUT IT.

THAT, THAT IT'S, UH, SHUT UP AND TAKE IT.

AND WE WOULD EXPECT OUR HOMELESS, OUR EAST COUNTY HOMELESS TASK FORCE TO STAND UP AND RALLY BEHIND US AND, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, EL CAJONS A GREAT PLACE.

THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.

WE, WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING

[00:35:01]

AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'VE HEARD.

WHAT, WHAT WE'VE HEARD IS A LOT OF CRITICISM OF EL CAJON AND A LOT OF TAKING UP THE, THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT.

AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE JUST KIND OF THREW UP THEIR HANDS AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHAT'S, WHAT OUR, WHAT WE'RE GETTING FOR OUR MONEY.

THEY, THEY'RE, THEY DON'T LIKE US.

THEY SAY BAD THINGS ABOUT US IN THE PRESS.

THEY MAKE OUR OUR JOBS HARDER.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT US TO WHERE WE WERE LAST WEEK.

AND I'M WITH STEVE, I'M, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MAKE UP AND, AND, UH, GET ALONG, BUT, UM, AND, AND YOU'RE YOUR OWN ORGANIZATION.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SHILL FOR US, BUT WE WOULD LIKE, WE WOULD LIKE AN HONEST AND FAIR, UH, VISION THAT GOES OUT TO THE WORLD ABOUT EL CAJON.

AND, UM, I, I THINK THOSE ARE THOSE, THOSE ARE THE POINTS OF CONTENTION.

I THINK WE CAN GET PAST THOSE THEN THERE.

I, I, AT LEAST FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I'M WILLING TO RE-LOOK AT IT.

WELL, I, I THINK THAT I CAN SPEAK FOR THE, FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TASK FORCE THAT ARE HERE TODAY.

WE CAN'T GET PAST THAT.

WE'RE, WE'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT AND TO STEP UP AND, AND BE MORE VOCAL AND TRY TO, TRY TO, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BE PEACEFUL, UM, IN DEALING WITH THE COUNTY AND AT THE OTHER CITIES.

IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I GUESS THE BEST WAY TO EXPLAIN IT, YOU KNOW, I USED TO HAVE BLACK HAIR, NOW I HAVE WHITE HAIR, , AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GETTING CLOSER TO THE FINISH LINE AND NOW'S THE TIME TO JUST, YOU KNOW, GO, GO ALL OUT AND, AND REALLY TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND WE REALLY THINK THAT WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

WE THINK THAT THE CITY OF EL CAJON HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE AND HAS BEEN AN EXAMPLE.

I KNOW THAT FIRSTHAND AT WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER TO DO AT MERIDIAN.

AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO STEP INTO THAT ROLE WITH, AS A CHAMPION IN OTHER CITIES IN THE EAST REGION.

SO, UM, ANYBODY ELSE? WHAT, WHAT I'LL TELL YOU I'LL DO IS I'LL, I'LL ASK OUR CITY MANAGER TO RE TO IZE THIS ITEM AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

CAN I ASK YOU A FAVOR? YOU COULD ASK ME ANYTHING.

CAN YOU WAIT ON DOING THAT UNTIL YOU HAVE, UNTIL YOU'RE SATISFIED THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WE SAID WE'D DO? WELL, IT'S GONNA TAKE, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO GET IT ALL ON THE AGENDA.

WHY DON'T WE GET, WE START THE PROCESS AND YOU COME UP WHEN, WHEN YOU COME AND YOU'LL HAVE A PLAN AND, AND, AND I THINK WE WILL, THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET THAT SQUARED AWAY.

OKAY.

OKAY.

I, I'M WILLING TO DO THAT.

I JUST WANT, BUT I JUST WANT IT TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT'S NOT WHY I CAME TODAY.

I UNDERSTAND.

I CAME TODAY BECAUSE WE NEED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID.

I APPRECIATE IT.

WELL, I ASSUME THAT MOST OF THIS WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION AND MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT VISION AND ABOUT, ABOUT, UH, WHERE, WHERE EVERYBODY WAS AT WITH THIS AND THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, NOT MY FAMILY, BUT OTHER FAMILIES I HEAR WILL, WILL, WILL ARGUE ABOUT THINGS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO COME TO THE TABLE AND, AND, UH, FIX IT.

SO, OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU SIR.

THANK YOU.

ANYMORE.

NO OTHER SPEAKERS, SIR.

OKAY.

UH, THERE ARE NO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

THERE ARE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

AND WE HAVE FOUR ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

I, AND BY THE WAY, YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE TO STAY THROUGH ALL THIS STUFF IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, YOU'RE FREE TO GO.

GO .

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YEAH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

I KNOW YOU'RE BEING POLITE.

YOU'RE LIKE, HOW LONG WILL THIS MEETING BE, ?

[8. Presentation from Kosmont Companies on the Surplus Land Act Requirements for Civic Center Redevelopment RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council receives the report from Kosmont Companies and provides appropriate direction to staff.]

ITEM EIGHT IS A PRESENTATION REGARDING THE SURPLUS LAND ACT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CIVIC CENTER REDEVELOPMENT.

I'LL ASK ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER VINCE DIAGGIO, TO PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THIS.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

AS YOU RECALL ON, UH, THE JANUARY, UH, EXCUSE ME, JULY 25TH MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM THE CITY MANAGER OUTLINING SEVERAL OPTIONS, UH, REGARDING REDEVELOPMENT OF CITY OWNED PARCELS IN THE CIVIC CENTER AREA.

VIRTUALLY ANY OF THE OPTIONS THAT YOU CHOOSE TO DIRECT US TO PURSUE IS GONNA REQUIRE COMPLIANCE WITH THE SURPLUS LAND ACT, WHICH IS A, A STATE, UH, STATE LAW.

AND AS YOU ALSO KNOW, WE HAVE WORKED WITH, UH, COSMO COMPANIES FOR ABOUT THE LAST YEAR AS OUR CONSULTANTS ON VARIOUS ITERATIONS OF POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT OPTIONS WITHIN THIS AREA PRIOR TO YOU RECEIVING THE PRESENTATION AT THE LAST MEETING.

UH, WITH US HERE TODAY IS BRIAN MONCRIEFF.

HE'S THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF COSMO COMPANIES.

HE'S, UH, THE PREEMINENT EXPERT, UH, ON THE SURPLUS LAND ACT.

AND WE FELT THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU RECEIVE THAT PRESENTATION ON WHAT EXACTLY IS REQUIRED IN THE SURPLUS LAND ACT FOR US TO PURSUE ONE OF THESE OPTIONS IF THE COUNCIL WANTS US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH REDEVELOPMENT OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY WITHIN THE CIVIC CENTER AREA.

SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE BRIAN.

UM, HE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS

[00:40:01]

AND, UH, SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UH, TO BRIAN.

THANK YOU VINCE.

HI BRIAN.

THANK YOU.

UH, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

GOOD EVENING.

BRIAN MONCRIEF, UH, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT WITH COSMO AND COMPANIES.

UH, TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, UM, IS BRIEF AND IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY, 'CAUSE SOME OF IT'S A LITTLE BIT IN DEPTH, UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STOP ME.

UM, BUT I'M ALSO HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AT THE END.

LET'S SEE HERE.

LET'S FIRST START RETURNING THIS ON, SHALL WE THANK YOU.

THE SPACE BAR.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO, AS, UH, AS, UH, MR. DIMAGGIO MENTIONED, TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION IS REALLY TO GO OVER SOME OF THE STATUTORY REQUIRED PROCESSES, PROCEDURES REGARDING THE SURPLUS LAND ACT, GIVING AN OVERVIEW OF THOSE PROVISIONS, THE MANDATES, AND, UH, GIVE YOU GUYS A SENSE ON WHAT WE BELIEVE AT THE END OF THIS REALLY ARE THE PRIMARY NEXT STEPS.

THIS IS JUST, UH, ILLUSTRATIVE, UH, FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

THIS IS REALLY YOUR CIVIC CENTER WITH, UH, ADJACENT OWNERSHIP, UH, JUST TO SET THE STAGE FOR, UH, THE REST OF THE SLIDES IN THE PRESENTATION.

SO WHAT IS THE SURPLUS LAND ACT? WELL, IT'S BEEN ON THE BOOKS SINCE ABOUT THE LATE SIXTIES, 1960S, UH, BUT WAS MODIFIED RECENTLY IN 2020 TO REALLY EXPAND, UH, THE PROVISIONS OF IT TO INCLUDE MORE PUBLIC AGENCIES TO RAMP UP ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS AS WELL AS SORT OF TAKE AWAY WHAT WE KNEW UNDER REDEVELOPMENT AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE FOR REVENUE GENERATING PURPOSES AND OTHER SPECIFIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES.

SO A LOT OF THAT CHANGE IN THIS BILL THAT SORT OF USURPS WHAT WE KNEW BACK IN THE REDEVELOPMENT DAYS AS A REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO.

SO UNDER THIS NEW STRUCTURE, ALL THE PUBLIC AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA REALLY NEED TO FOLLOW A PRESCRIBED SET OF RULES AND REGS BEFORE IT DECIDES TO EMBARK ON SELLING OR LEASING A PIECE OF PROPERTY.

SO, AS FAR AS THE OVERVIEW AND CONTEXT OF THIS BILL, I MEAN THE ORIGIN, IT REALLY IS, IS THE STATE'S MASSIVE PUSH TO TRY TO ADJUST THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.