Jun 11, 2024 City Council Meeting 3pm

HELLO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

[00:00:01]

THE

[ CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells]

ALRIGHT.

WOULD YOU ALL STAND WITH ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THE REMAIN STANDING FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE AFTERWARDS? 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.

THE CITY

[ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the May 28, 2024, Meeting and the Agenda of the June 11, 2024, Meeting in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.]

UH, BEFORE WE CONTINUE WITH THE MEETING, I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR COMMUNITY TO ATTEND ONE OF OUR FOUR TOWN HALLS THAT THE CITY IS HOSTING TO DISCUSS PROPOSITION J AND ITS IMPACTS ON THE CITY BUDGET.

AS THE SALES TAX ENGINEERS IS EXPIRATION, YOUR INPUT IS CRUCIAL.

LET'S COME TOGETHER TO EXPLORE THE IMPACT, CONSIDER OPTIONS, AND SHAPE A PATH FORWARD.

THE FIRST TOWN TOWN HALL WILL BE THIS THURSDAY AT THE BOSTON RECREATION CENTER FROM SIX O'CLOCK TO 8:00 PM FLYERS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER FOR THE COMPLETE LIST OF DATES, TIMES, AND LOCATIONS.

AND THIS INFORMATION COULD ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE.

WE

[ PRESENTATIONS: The Wall That Heals Tyler Excellence Award]

THE FIRST PRESENTATION IS FOR THE WALL THAT HEALS.

I'D LIKE TO INVITE PARKS AND RECREATION, DEPUTY DIRECTOR ADAM TRO, TO SHARE WITH US ABOUT THIS.

ADAM, NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.

WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE WE HAD FOR AT THE WALL, THAT HEELS ON TUESDAY, MARCH 19TH.

THE THE WALL HAULER ARRIVED AND WAS ESCORTED THROUGH EL CAJON.

THERE WERE 93 MOTORCYCLES, FOUR AND 14 VEHICLES ESCORTING THE HAULER.

UH, THIS CONSISTED OF FIRST RESPONDERS AND VOLUNTEERS.

BOY SCOUT TROOP 3 6 2 PUT OUT THE AMERICAN FLAGS ON MAIN STREET IN SUPPORT OF THIS EVENT.

AND CITY, CITY STAFF, ALONG WITH THE COMPUTE COMMUNITY, UH, CHEERED.

THE ARRIVAL WHEN ASSEMBLED THE WALL IS 328 FEET LONG, AND, UH, 85 FEET DEEP.

EACH WING IS 185, UH, FEET LONG AT IT AT, UH, UH, CONNECTING TO THE APEX.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE LOWER RIGHT HAND PHOTO, THAT IS THE LAST PIECE OF THE WALL GOING IN, UH, BEING INSTALLED.

AND THAT IS THE APEX OF THE WALLET AT ITS HEIGHT.

OUR TEAM BUILT THIS IN SEVEN HOURS.

VERY PROUD OF THAT.

UH, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE OTHER PHOTO, THERE ARE TWO OFFICERS THAT ARE CARRYING A PIECE OF THE WALL TO INSTALL.

I'D LIKE TO THANK THE EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.

FROM THE MINUTE THE WALL ARRIVED UNTIL IT WAS PACKED UP AND MOVING ON TO THE NEXT LOCATION, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED SAFETY AND SECURITY TO THE WALL AND THE COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL.

A FEW STATISTICS TO SHARE ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTED THIS GREAT EVENT.

UH, DURING THE MEETINGS WITH THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FUND, UH, PRIOR TO THE EVENT, THE WALL EL CAJON COMMITTEE WAS TOLD THAT TO EXPECT ABOUT 7,000 VISITORS, THEY ESTIMATED THAT WE HAD OVER 10,000 OF THE FOUR LOCATIONS THAT THE WALL VISITED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

WE HAD THE MOST ATTENDED AND SUPPORTED EVENT.

UH, THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT THE WALL HAS BEEN IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

AGAIN, THIS IS THE MOST ATTENDED AND SUPPORTED EVENT.

AND YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH, UH, VOLUNTEER SHIRTS ON.

UH, THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THOSE INCREDIBLE VOLUNTEERS.

THE WALL WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR 100 HOURS, AND THERE WERE 201 VOLUNTEER SLOTS TO FILL.

THIS DID NOT INCLUDE THE BUILD DAY VOLUNTEERS OR THE TAKE DOWN VOLUNTEERS.

EVERY SINGLE SLOT WAS FILLED, INCLUDING THE OVERNIGHT SLOTS.

ON SATURDAY, MARCH 23RD, WE GOT A SURPRISE VISIT FROM MEDAL HONOR, MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT JOHN BACCA.

HE WAS SO GRACIOUS WITH HIS TIME AND SPENT SEVERAL HOURS WITH VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, UH, TELLING STORIES.

AND IF I COULD REFER YOU TO THE PHOTOS ON THE LOWER LEFT, UH, OUR OWN, UH, FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AUTUMN BERGER, WHO WAS ALSO A VERY ACTIVE VOLUNTEER, IS THERE WITH, WITH MR. BACCA.

AND ON THE RIGHT HAND

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UM, AND AGAIN, HE WAS JUST SO GRACIOUS.

IT WAS A REALLY INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE TO GET TO MEET HIM.

UH, THAT EVENING, WE HAD A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL, AND IT WAS HELD IN MEMORY OF THE 400 VIETNAM VETERANS FROM CALIFORNIA THAT HAD PASSED AWAY IN THE LAST YEAR.

ALL NAMES WERE READ AT THIS CEREMONY TO HONOR THEM.

DESPITE THE CONTINUED WEATHER CONCERNS THAT WE HAD, UH, SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR THE CLOSING CEREMONIES.

AND WITH THAT INCLEMENT WEATHER, WE WERE REALLY CONCERNED THAT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE WOULD, UH, SHOW UP TO HELP TAKE THE WALL DOWN.

UH, BUT AGAIN, OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTED.

WE HAD OVER 50 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE TO WHAT THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FENCE STAFF CALLED ONE OF THE SMOOTHEST TAKE DOWNS EVER.

, EXCUSE ME.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE TO THANK.

UM, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTOS HERE, I HAVE, UH, SOME OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND THEN OUR, UH, HEARTLAND FIRE WAS OUT THERE SUPPORTING AT THE CEREMONIES IN DIFFERENT TIMES.

UH, AND THAT PICTURE IS, UH, THE PICTURE OF THE, OF THE APEX WITH THE STAFF IS THE BUILD TEAM.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE VETERANS COALITION MEMBERS THAT ALSO, UH, IS LICENSED TO FLY A DRONE.

AND HE, HE TOOK THOSE PIC, THOSE PICTURES.

SO, UM, THERE WERE JUST SO MANY PEOPLE TO TO, TO THANK FOR THIS GREAT EVENT.

THE SUPPORT OF OUR MAYOR AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALL OF OUR CITY STAFFS AND ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS WAS INVALUABLE.

BUT THIS WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IF IT WASN'T FOR THE WALL EL CAJON COMMITTEE AND THE VISION AND LEADERSHIP OF JEFF MUELLER.

AND I'D LIKE TO CALL HIM UP NOW.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU ADAM.

UH, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.

I CAN'T POSSIBLY EXPRESS HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO ALL OF YOU FOR NOT JUST HELPING OUT, BUT HOW SMOOTHLY EVERYTHING WENT.

EVERYBODY HEARS ABOUT THE HORROR STORIES ABOUT GETTING ANYTHING DONE THROUGH GOVERNMENT, AND THIS WAS, UH, ASTONISHING TO ME.

UH, JUST HOW EASILY THIS WAS SUPPORTED, HOW WELL THIS WAS SUPPORTED.

THE, THE COMMUNITY JUST CAME OUT IN DROVES.

UM, I WAS CONCERNED LEADING UP TO IT WITH THE KIND OF THE LACK OF MEDIA COVERAGE THAT WE HAD COMING UP THAT ARE LEADING UP TO THE BEGINNING OF THE EVENT THAT WE WOULDN'T BE VERY WELL ATTENDED.

AND HISTORICALLY, APPARENTLY, SAN DIEGO EVENTS HAD NOT BEEN VERY WELL ATTENDED FOR VVMF.

AND, UH, STARTING WITH THE DAY THAT, THAT, UH, THE HAULERS SHOWED UP, UH, THE CAMERAS WERE THERE, THE TV CREWS WERE THERE, UM, AND WORD OF MOUTH JUST SPREAD.

AND I WAS JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY'S, EVERYBODY'S INPUT.

I WAS SO, SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY'S TIME THAT THEY SPENT INTO PUTTING INTO THIS, SPECIFICALLY ALL THE RED SHIRTS YOU SEE OUT HERE, AND THE, UH, THERE WERE OVER 200 OF THEM.

UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE DID MULTIPLE SHIFTS, AND THIS WAS A 24 HOUR THING.

WE HAD SHIFTS FROM 3:00 AM TO 6:00 AM THEY MAY NOT HAVE SEEN VISITORS THAT SHOWED UP, BUT WE HAD VOLUNTEERS THERE IN CASE THEY WERE THERE.

AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE VIETNAM VETERANS PREFER TO SHOW UP WHEN IT'S QUIETER, WHEN THERE'S NOT AS MANY PEOPLE THERE.

AND THAT'S WHEN THEY LIKE TO BE THERE TO REFLECT.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE SUPPORTED, AND THEY ABSOLUTELY WERE.

UM, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR BEING PART OF THIS.

UH, ELCO PD WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

THEY JUST EPITOMIZED WHAT, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

ELCO FIREFIGHTERS, UH, ALL OF OUR SPONSORS, UH, ALBERTSONS, OUR, OUR TITLE SPONSOR, THEY WERE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THEY WERE ON WITH US.

AND THAT WAS OUTSTANDING.

PSSI, RICE CITY CHURCH, DIXIE LINE, EL CAJON.

UM, AND ULTIMATELY ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS, THE VOLUNTEERS ARE THE ONE THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, I PUT A GROUP OF GUYS TOGETHER, THOSE, THOSE GUYS AND, AND, AND LADIES PUT, UH, PUT TOGETHER A BUNCH OF VOLUNTEERS, AND THE VOLUNTEERS ALL MADE IT HAPPEN.

SO, JUST 'CAUSE I, I SPARKED IT.

EVERYBODY ELSE IS ONE THAT MADE THIS THING, UH, MADE THIS THING HAPPEN.

SO, UH, SOME LASTING EFFECTS THAT I'VE SEEN.

UH, MY MOM ACTUALLY TOLD ME SHE WORE HER HER VOLUNTEER SHIRT TO DIXIE LINE, EL CAJON.

AND ONE OF THE, UH, THE, UM, THE CHECKERS THERE WAS, OH, I WAS THERE.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS I'VE EVER BEEN.

AND THAT WAS A COMMON THEME THAT I HEARD THROUGH CITY STAFF THROUGH VOLUNTEERS, WAS THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST FULFILLING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES OF VOLUNTEERISM THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, BE A PART OF.

SO, AGAIN, SO GRATEFUL FOR, FOR, FOR ALL OF YOU AND FOR ALL OF, UM, EVERYBODY THAT WAS PART OF THAT.

UM, I'VE HEARD OF FRIENDS THAT WERE DISCOVERING OTHER FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT SERVED IN VIETNAM THAT THEY FORMALLY DID NOT EVEN KNOW HAD SERVED IN VIETNAM.

I PERSONALLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH MY FORMER FATHER-IN-LAW, WHO I TOLD HIS STORY AT OUR OPENING CEREMONIES.

I'VE HAD BREAKFAST WITH HIM A COUPLE OTHER TIMES AND GOT A LOT MORE STORIES FROM HIM.

AND HE'S NOT IN GREAT HEALTH.

SO UNFORTUNATELY, UM, HE DOESN'T HAVE THAT MANY, HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT.

AND SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERY TIME I'M ABLE TO, EVERY BIT OF TIME THAT I'M ABLE TO HAVE WITH HIM.

UM, THE REMAINING MY ONE, MY, MY ONE REMAINING RESPONSIBILITY IS TO FIND, UH, A LOCATION THAT IS CAPABLE OF CURATING AND POSSIBLY DISPLAYING THE ITEMS THAT WERE LEFT AT THE BASE OF THE WALL THAT HEALS.

UM, I'VE REACHED OUT TO A COUPLE DIFFERENT

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UM, I'VE REACHED OUT TO SUPERVISOR ANDERSON'S OFFICE WHO'S HELPING ME TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY AS WELL.

BUT, UM, IF ANYBODY HAS, UH, A LEAD OR ANY KIND OF, UH, AN IDEA OF WHERE THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAPPEN, THEN THEY CAN REACH ME AT THE WALL, EL CAJON AT GMAIL.

UM, AND I ALSO HAVE A LIST ALSO OF ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE LEFT THERE, THERE WERE SOME ENVELOPES THAT WERE LEFT THERE.

IF YOU WERE THERE AND YOU SAW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I SPOKE TO VVMF AND THEY SAID THAT IT'S, IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO OPEN THOSE AND, AND READ THOSE.

AND I DID AN ACCOUNTING OF THOSE, AND I DO HAVE A FULL ACCOUNTING OF, UH, OF THAT WRITTEN OUT IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT.

UM, AND FINALLY, I THINK I'M, I'M JUST, AGAIN, THIS IS KIND OF OFF THE CUFF, SO I APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

UH, THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.

AND I DID PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE, UH, SLIDESHOW.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

UH, I WILL BE POSTING THIS VIDEO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO, TO SEE THAT.

AGAIN, I'LL HAVE IT ON THE, THE WALL, EL CAJON, UH, DOT COM, AS WELL AS OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

AND I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.

THAT, THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

THANK YOU.

UM, LEMME SEE, I'M SURE THAT SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

START WITH MICHELLE.

JEFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

UM, IT WAS AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO HAVE BEEN THERE EVERY DAY, UM, SEEING IT, THE COMMENTS THAT I'VE SEEN FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND MOVING EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAD HAD.

AND SO IT WAS, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY A GREAT EVENT.

IT WAS A COMMUNITY UNITER.

AND, UM, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN BRING IT TO ELON AGAIN, THANK YOU AGAIN, AND TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS.

YEP.

JEFF, THANK YOU AGAIN.

I SAID THIS DURING THE OPENING FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR VISION OF BRINGING THIS TO EAST COUNTY OR CITY.

UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITTEE THAT YOU BROUGHT TOGETHER AND THEN BRINGING IN ALL THE VOLUNTEERS.

EVERYBODY WITH A RED SHIRT, EVEN IF YOU VOLUNTEER WITHOUT A RED SHIRT, WE'RE STILL RECOGNIZING YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

UM, ADAM, GREAT WORK.

I KNOW YOU WERE, UH, 24 HOURS A DAY, IT SEEMED LIKE YOU WERE WORKING TO SET THIS THING UP.

SO I APPRECIATE THE EXTRA EFFORT THERE.

AND HOPEFULLY THIS BROUGHT A MEASURE OF HEALING TO SOME VETERANS.

UM, AND CLOSURE, UM, EDUCATION.

I KNOW MY KIDS GOT AN EDUCATION MEETING, A MEDAL, MEDAL OF HONOR, AWARDEE, THAT'S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY, UM, MEETING SOME VETERANS FROM VIETNAM.

WE HAVE SOME IN THE CROWD.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND PASS ON THAT HERITAGE, OUR AMERICAN HERITAGE OF HONORING OUR VETERANS AND HONORING THEIR SACRIFICE AND MAKING SURE IT, IT MOVES ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SERVICE HERE.

JEFF, THANKS FOR JUST A GREAT EFFORT.

OVER MANY, MANY MONTHS, IT'S BEEN SAID THAT NO ONE HAS FORGOTTEN AS LONG AS YOU SAY THEIR NAME AND TELL THEIR STORY.

INDEED, YOU DID POST A LOT OF NAMES AND TELL A LOT OF STORIES, SO THANK YOU TO THE VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.

HOW MUCH SPACE DO YOU NEED FOR THE ARTIFACTS THAT YOU HAVE, AND HOW LONG WOULD YOU LIKE THAT TO BE CURATED? UM, IT WILL INDEFINITELY, HONESTLY, IS WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE CURATED

[00:15:01]

WE ONLY NEED A SMALL CABINET SPACE TO BE ABLE TO, A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WAS LEFT WAS STUFF THAT WAS UNFORTUNATELY DAMAGED BY THE RAIN.

SO I DIDN'T, DIDN'T KEEP THE STUFF THAT WAS SO DAMAGED THAT YOU COULDN'T READ IT.

UM, BUT THE, LIKE THE, YOU SAW THE, UH, LIKE THE SHADOW BOX THAT WAS THERE WITH A COUPLE OF HATS FROM ED FRANK, UH, JUNIOR AND SENIOR, UM, AND, AND A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS THAT IT REALLY WOULDN'T TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SPACE.

UM, AND I CAN SHARE WITH, WITH ANYONE THAT, THAT ANY ORGANIZATION I CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU A BETTER ACCOUNTING TO OF, OF HOW MUCH SPACE.

THAT'S GOOD.

THANKS.

YEAH.

JEFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND ORGANIZING THIS.

YES, SIR.

AND I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE VIETNAM WAR, AND I SAW THE SACRIFICES THAT OUR VETERANS MADE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU REMINDING EVERYONE OF, OF THOSE SACRIFICES.

AND I HOPE THAT HEALS A LOT OF PEOPLE.

THANK YOU.

ME TOO.

THANK YOU, JEFF.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I THINK, UH, GRA OUR CITY MANAGER, GRAHAM MITCHELL, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS? I JUST, COULD YOU, UH, HELP US TRY TO FIGURE OUT A APPROPRIATE PLACE TO YEAH, I, I MEAN, I, THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE OF THE CURATED ITEMS NOT BEING IN A CITY FACILITY BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND IF THERE'S PLACES WHERE IT WOULD BE SEEN MORE READILY, READILY, I'D LOVE IT THERE.

HOWEVER, I THINK WORST CASE SCENARIO, I THINK OUR LOBBY, WE COULD PROBABLY ACCOMMODATE SPACE IN OUR LOBBY.

AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS THAT COME HERE.

AND IF THAT WOULD DRAW MORE PEOPLE TO CITY HALL, I THINK WE COULD ACCOMMODATE THAT.

IF YOU COULD JUST COME BACK TO US WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS, I'D APPRECIATE THAT.

MM-HMM.

, WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT.

THEY, I WANT JUST SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO'S INVOLVED.

UM, I THINK WHAT MADE THIS REALLY SO SPECIAL WAS HE, I COULD TELL HOW SPECIAL IT WAS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

UH, IT WAS MEANINGFUL TO THE COMMUNITY, AND I THINK IF YOUR GOAL WAS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT SERVED AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE SACRIFICES, THE JOB WELL DONE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU P ALL RIGHT.

NOW WE HAVE A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE TYLER EXCELLENCE AWARD.

I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR DIRECTOR OF IT, SARAH DIAZ, TO COME AND TELL US ABOUT THIS.

HI, SARAH MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I COME WITH AMAZING NEWS.

UM, OUT OF THE THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS FOR TYLER TECHNOLOGIES, UH, EL CAJON WAS ONE OF FOUR SELECTED FOR A TYLER EXCELLENCE AWARD.

WE'LL GO THROUGH WHAT THAT AWARD IS AND WHAT IT MEANS.

UM, BUT WE WERE SELECTED FOR OUR WORK WITH, UH, THE MAY EL CAJON APP AND SPECIFICALLY THE POTHOLE CHALLENGE.

SO FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR, I KNOW THE DIOCESE IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE MAY EL CAJON APP, BUT FOR THOSE WATCHING ON THE INTERNET, UM, MAY EL CAJON IS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TOOL.

IT IS AN APP THAT WORKS ON APPLE AND ANDROID, UM, AND IT'S A PLACE TO GET INFORMATION QUICKLY AND EASILY.

IT ALSO PROVIDES A QUANTIFIABLE, UH, METRICS SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE AND CAN PROPERLY STAFF AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE NEEDS ARE TAKEN CARE OF QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

UM, ANOTHER INTERESTING THING, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR MAY EL CAJON.

UM, I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.

YES, IT'S MORE EFFICIENT, A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT IT'S ALSO CRITICAL IN STREAMLINING OUR PROCESSES OF REDUCING DOUBLE DATA ENTRY.

SO EACH STAFF, THEIR TIME IS GOING FARTHER AND THEY'RE ABLE TO SOLVE MORE PROBLEMS FOR OUR CITIZENS BECAUSE OF IT.

SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAKES MY CAJON SPECIAL.

THE POTHOLE CHALLENGE OCCURRED IN, UH, APRIL OF 2023.

UH, IT STARTED BY A COUNCIL PRIORITY WITH FOR MORE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.

AND SO IT STARTED FROM YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU.

UM, AND WHAT IT WAS WAS A CALL TO ACTION, UM, PROMOTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA, LOCAL NEWS, EVEN, UM, EVEN UH, AMERICA WIDE, UH, BUT A PROMOTION THAT SAID, HEY, UH, WE'VE HAD RECORD AMOUNT OF RAINS LAST YEAR, AND RECORD AMOUNT OF RAINS MEANT RECORD AMOUNT OF POTHOLES.

UH,

[00:20:01]

SO IT WAS A CALL OUT TO ACTION FOR OUR CITIZENS.

TELL US WHERE THOSE ARE AND WE'LL GET 'EM FIXED.

SO, UH, THE MEDIA, UH, WAS AMAZING.

ALL OF YOU PARTICIPATED IN IT, SO THANK YOU AGAIN.

UM, BUT WE HAD, UH, NATIONAL NEWS, UH, EVERY, UM, LOCAL STATION WAS OUT THERE, RIDE ALONGS, UH, INTERVIEWS IN STATION.

YOU GUYS DID AN AMAZING JOB.

OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE DID AN AMAZING JOB OF GETTING THE WORD OUT THROUGH OUR MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER.

UM, HE DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOB THAT WE ENDED UP WITH A YEAR'S WORTH OF POTHOLES THAT NOW NEEDED TO BE FILLED IN FIVE DAYS .

UM, SO THAT GETS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF WHY THE POTHOLE CHALLENGE WAS SPECIAL, IS, UH, IT REALLY CAME DOWN AND SHOWED ABOUT OUR EFFICIENCY IN THE BACK OFFICE THAT OUR CITIZENS DON'T SEE.

UM, OUR PUBLIC WORK STAFF HAVE IPADS, UH, IN THEIR VEHICLES.

UH, THEY ARE LEARNING ABOUT NEW INCIDENTS IN REAL TIME, WHICH IS WHY THE MAJORITY OF OUR INCIDENTS ARE CLOSED WITHIN 48 HOURS, WHICH I DON'T KNOW ANY CITY CAN TOUCH THAT RIGHT NOW.

OUR, UH, PUBLIC WORKS OPS STAFF DOES AN AMAZING JOB, BUT PART OF THAT IS THEY DON'T GET THEIR ASSIGNMENTS IN THE MORNING, AND THAT'S IT.

AS THINGS ARE COMING UP, THEY'RE HANDLING THEM IN THE FIELD.

UM, THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS, UM, WE ALL, IT WAS TOO MUCH WORK FOR THEM TO DO THEMSELVES.

AND SO MANY OF YOU, MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE, EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT HAD REPRESENTATIVES THAT WENT OUT AND HELPED FILL THOSE POTHOLES.

I HAD NEVER FILLED ONE.

THERE'S ME ON, ON THAT DAY.

I HAD MY LITTLE VEST AND THEY WERE MAKING SURE I WASN'T GETTING RUN OVER AND THAT I WAS SAFE.

AND WE WERE OUT THERE DOING SOMETHING.

I REMEMBER ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES TALKING ABOUT HOW SORE SHE WAS THE NEXT DAY, AND I WAS REALLY SCARED.

'CAUSE I KIND OF WENT LATER IN THE WEEK.

SO IT WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.

UH, I FEEL THAT I GOT TO KNOW, UH, THE PEOPLE FROM PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS, UH, AT A DEEPER LEVEL.

I WAS OUT IN THE TRUCK SPENDING MULTIPLE HOURS WITH THEM.

IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.

THE OTHER THING IS, AND THIS IS A QUOTE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ORTIZ WHEN HE WAS, UM, SPEAKING, UH, IT REALLY SHOWS THIS IS HOW GOOD GOVERNMENT WORKS.

YOU TELL US WHAT YOU NEED AND WE'RE TAKING CARE OF IT.

AND IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO IT, WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT.

AND I THINK THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE ENTIRE, UH, STAFF.

UM, NOT JUST STAFF, BUT ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, WORKING STAFF, VOLUNTEERS.

UH, WE SHOW UP AND WE SHOW UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND IT, SO IT WAS, YOU FELT GOOD DOING IT.

WE WERE DOING WHAT THAT CALL TO SERVICE THAT MANY OF US AT WORK IN GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TYLER EXCELLENCE AWARD.

IT WAS A ESTABLISHED TO ACKNOWLEDGE CLIENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE IN DEVELOPING, DEPLOYING, AND MAINTAINING TYLER SOLUTIONS IN NEW WAYS, BECAUSE OUR CLIENTS ARE A BIG PART OF WHY OUR SOLUTIONS ARE SO SUCCESSFUL.

SO, UH, WE WON ON, UH, FOUR POINTS OF MERIT.

UH, WE RECORDED A 500% INCREASE IN SERVICE REQUESTS SINCE THE MY CIVIC IMPLEMENTATION.

YES, 500%.

UM, IT'S AMAZING HOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE KEEPING UP WITH IT.

UH, THEY COMPLETED A YEAR'S WORTH OF POTHOLE REPAIRS IN FIVE DAYS.

UH, THE BREAKDOWN OF DEPARTMENT SILOS AS STAFF PAT, UH, PITCHED IN TO HELP AND IT SHOWED THE COMMUNITY THE IMPACT OF MAKING SERVICE REQUESTS.

THEY SAW THAT IF THEY PUT SOMETHING IN, WE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

SO, UH, WE RECEIVED THIS AWARD AT THE TYLER CONFERENCE IN FRONT OF ABOUT 5,000 PEOPLE.

UM, THOSE ARE, UH, IT'S CHRIS BERG, A MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER, UH, DIRECTOR DAVE RICHARDS OF PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS.

UH, TWO BIG WIGS FROM TYLER THAT I DON'T KNOW THEIR NAME.

, THAT'S ME.

YOU CAN RECOGNIZE THE DRESS .

AND THEN WE'VE GOT AARON JONES, WHO'S AN OPS MANAGER OVER, UH, AT THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD.

UM, SO WE WERE ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE, NOT JUST TO LEARN HOW TO RUN OUR TYLER SOFTWARE BETTER, BUT ALSO TO CELEBRATE THIS AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

BEFORE YOU RUN OFF, LEMME SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

GREAT WORK, SARAH.

A GREAT WORK, EVERYBODY ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

UM, FRANK CARSON IS USUALLY KNOWN FOR GETTING A LOT OF AWARDS,

[00:25:01]

IT IS COMING FOR YOU.

SO CITY, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY OTHER WEEK WE'RE GETTING A, A NEW AWARD NATIONALLY.

SO GREAT WORK, SARAH AND, AND THE WHOLE TEAM.

MR. ORTIZ, I WAS GONNA COMMENT ABOUT NO, FRANK DID NOT GET THIS AWARD.

SO , IT'S, IT'S GREAT TO SPREAD THE LOVE.

YEAH.

YEAH.

OUR, THE ENTIRE IT TEAM IS VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

WE LOVE BEING INNOVATIVE.

WE LOVE HAVING, UM, NOT ONLY THE FREEDOM, BUT THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO INNOVATE.

SO, THANK YOU.

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT YOUR SOFTWARE IS IT'S INTUITIVE.

IT, IT, IT THINKS LIKE PEOPLE THINK MM-HMM.

, ONE OF THE MOST FRUSTRATING THINGS WE ALL EXPERIENCE IS WHEN WE GET A PIECE OF SOFTWARE AND WELL, WHAT DO I GOTTA CLICK NOW? AND NOW I GOTTA, I'M JUST, I JUST WANT TO DO, THIS IS WHAT WE ALL SAY WHEN WE GET TO THE SOFTWARE.

AND THIS IS GREAT SOFTWARE BECAUSE WITHIN REALLY THREE OR FOUR TAPS YOU CAN SUBMIT GRAFFITI, UH, TRASH, UH, POTHOLE.

IT, IT JUST, THE INTUITIVE PART IS JUST SO WELL DONE.

AND THAT MAKES EVERYONE'S JOB EASIER.

AND IT'S REALLY A TESTAMENT TO THE PUBLIC HOW MUCH THEY USE IT.

YES.

SAYS HOW GOOD OF A SOFTWARE THIS IS AND WORTHY OF AN AWARD.

SO GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU, SARAH.

YOU'RE A LADY OF MANY TALENTS FROM IT FIXING MY COMPUTER AND FILLING POTHOLES.

YEAH, I DO IT ALL.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.

I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH EL CAJON AND IT'S 'CAUSE WE'RE ALWAYS DOING REALLY INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE THINGS FOR, FOR RELATIVELY MODERATE SIZED CITY.

I, I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY LEAD THE WAY IN SO MANY AREAS.

SO THANKS FOR TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

CONGRATULATIONS.

ALRIGHT, BECAUSE I LIKE YOU, I SEE ALL THOSE PEOPLE IN RED SHIRTS OUT THERE.

YOU ARE WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL MEETING.

THERE IS PROBABLY NO MORE BETTER BANG FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT DOLLAR THAN TO TO BE AT A COUNCIL MEETING, BUT IF PER CHANCE YOU HAVE OTHER PLACES YOU HAVE TO GO, YOU WILL NOT OFFEND ME OR THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IF YOU TAKE OFF.

SO THANKS VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT.

AGENDA CHANGES.

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

COUNSEL.

ALRIGHT.

THAT BRINGS US TO CONSENT

[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.]

COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WISH TO PULL ANY OF THE CONSENT ITEMS? OKAY, STAFF? NO, SIR.

ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR CONSENT ITEMS? NO.

SPEAKER CARD, SIR.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS. SECOND, PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.

THAT BRINGS US TO PUBLIC COMMENT.

[ PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, any person may address a matter within the jurisdiction of the City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency that is not on the Agenda. Comments relating to items on today’s docket are to be taken at the time the item is heard. State law prohibits discussion or action on items not on the Agenda; however, Council, Authority and Agency Members may briefly respond to statements or questions. An item may be placed on a future Agenda.]

COMMENTS RELATING TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ARE TO BE TAKEN AT THE TIME THAT THE ANIMUS HEARD STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

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

ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? WE ONLY HAVE ONE SIR FROM BRENDA HAMMOND.

HELLO, BRENDA.

WELCOME.

HI.

HI GRAHAM.

MR. MITCHELL.

SO THIS WAS GREAT, THE VOLUNTEERS.

THAT'S AWESOME.

UM, I, I USED TO DRIVE THE VETERANS TO THEIR POOL TOURNAMENTS WITH THEIR, UM, WITH THEIR CARS.

SO I GET TO DRIVE THE BIG CADILLACS AND EVERYTHING.

CAN YOU IMAGINE ALL THESE DRUNK PEOPLE IN THE BACK OF A BIG CADILLAC ? NO.

WE HAD FUN.

SO, UM, SO THAT'S WHY I'M GLAD I BROUGHT THIS DOLLAR STORE.

VERY NICE.

AND MY CONCERN THOUGH IS I DID, WHEN I DID WAS DOING HOME HEALTH.

I TOOK CARE OF A LOT OF VETERANS AND I DID RESPITE CARE FOR VETERANS THAT WERE TAKING CARE OF THEIR WIVES SO THAT THEY COULD TAKE OFF FOR BREAKFAST OR WHATEVER.

MY CONCERN HERE TONIGHT

[00:30:01]

SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH THAT.

UM, THE MONIES THAT THEY'RE COLLECTING ARE GOING TO A CAMPAIGN REELECTION.

I DON'T AGREE WITH SOME OF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

GRAHAM .

SO HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I LOVE THE CONCERTS.

GOD IS SO GREAT.

SO I'M NOT GONNA CRACK .

AND THIS IS WHAT'S LEFT OF MY DRESS, BUT I HAVE ANOTHER ONE.

SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE CONCERTS AND FOR THE FUN AND THANKS FOR, UM, ALWAYS HONORING THE VETERANS.

THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT.

I HAVE FAMILY THAT'S VETERANS AND HAVE LOST VETERANS AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING.

BRENDA.

NO OTHER SPEAKERS, SIR, THERE ARE NO, EXCUSE ME.

THERE ARE NO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS OR PUBLIC HEARINGS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

WE HAVE TWO ADMINISTRATIVE

[16. Fiscal Year 2024-25 Preliminary Annual Budget RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council, Housing Authority, and the City of El Cajon, as Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency, receives information related to the proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 Preliminary Annual Budget.]

ITEM 16 IS REGARDING THE 24 25 PRELIMINARY BUDGET.

I'LL ASK OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, CLAY SCHONE, TO PLEASE INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.

HELLO, CLAY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE PRELIMINARY ANNUAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.

WAITING FOR THE COMPUTER TO CATCH UP TO ME HERE.

THERE WE GO.

SORRY ABOUT THE DELIGHT.

TODAY'S PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE A SUMMARY OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.

BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THE STATUS OF THE ECONOMY, UH, PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE CITYWIDE BUDGET.

WE'LL GO INTO SOME DETAIL ON THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN WE'LL ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION THAT YOU HAVE.

I'LL SHOW THIS SLIDE AGAIN AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, BUT IT'S JUST TO REMIND YOU THAT THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM ONLY.

WE ARE NOT REQUESTING ANY ACTION.

JUMPING RIGHT INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.

THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS USUALLY STARTS WITH THE FIVE YEAR BUSINESS PLAN.

THIS IS OUR LONG-TERM PROJECTION WORK.

TRY TO GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH WHERE THE CITY CURRENTLY IS, AS WELL AS THE DIRECTION WE ARE HEADING.

BASED ON THE INPUT THERE, THE DEPARTMENTS PREPARE THEIR REQUESTS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

WE WILL REVIEW, COMPILE, AND BALANCE THOSE REQUESTS, SUBMIT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION.

AND THIS IS FOR THE BUDGET THAT TAKES EFFECT JULY 1ST.

WE WERE JUST HERE WITH THE FIVE YEAR BUSINESS PLAN JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.

UM, SO NOT A WHOLE LOT HAS CHANGED ON THE ECONOMY SINCE THEN.

UM, DO WANT TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF LITTLE POINTS THOUGH THAT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT POINT IN TIME.

UM, JUST PRIOR TO THAT MEETING, THE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS RELEASED THE FIRST QUARTER ESTIMATE FOR GDP.

AT THE TIME THEY WERE ESTIMATING FIRST QUARTER GDP TO GROW AT 1.6%.

THEY JUST RECENTLY RELEASED THEIR SECOND ESTIMATE AND THEY HAVE REVISED IT TO 1.3% WHILE IT'S STILL POSITIVE.

AND I SUPPOSE THAT'S GOOD.

IT'S A, A REVISION IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

UM, UNEMPLOYMENT HAS SOFTENED OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

UH, IT HAS DROPPED FROM 3.1% LAST YEAR TO 3.5% AND THIS IS ALSO, UH, A LITTLE BIT HIGHER IN BOTH CALIFORNIA AND LOCALLY.

UH, CALIFORNIA UNEMPLOYMENT IS 4.8% AND, UH, LOCALLY, UH, 4.1 HOUSING IS INTERESTING.

UH, KIND OF A MIXED BAG.

UH, HOUSING STARTS, UH, IS RELATIVELY FLAT OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

UM, TECHNICALLY IT'S DOWN 0.6%.

UM, HOWEVER, NEW HOME SALES HAVE DROPPED DRAMATICALLY, UH, DROPPED

[00:35:01]

UM, I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF THREE FACTORS.

ONE INVENTORY ALWAYS HAS AN IMPACT.

UM, HOWEVER, ALSO, UH, THE, UH, CONTINUALLY INCREASING HOUSING PRICES AS WELL AS MORTGAGE RATES I THINK ARE, UH, HAVING AN IMPACT.

AND THEN LASTLY, INFLATION REMAINS ELEVATED ABOVE THE 2% GOAL OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE.

THIS IS THE COVER OF THE FISCAL YEAR 25 PRELIMINARY BUDGET.

UH, I HEARD HER NAME MENTIONED IN OUR OPENING PRESENTATION, BUT AUTUMN BERGER WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR THE WALL THAT HEALS ALSO IS OUR CITYWIDE BUDGET COORDINATOR AND DESIGNED THE COVER.

UM, THIS EVENT WE FELT WAS A PRETTY SERIOUS MATTER AND A KIND OF A BIG DEAL FOR THE CITY OF ELCON AND WE WANTED TO SHOW IT ON THE, UH, COVER OF THE BUDGET.

UM, WE TRIED TO DO SO, UH, IN AS CLASSY AND RESPECTFUL WAY AS POSSIBLE, AND I THINK SHE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH THAT.

UM, WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FINISH UP THE DOCUMENT ITSELF.

WE'RE DOTTING OUR T'S AND CROSSING OUR I'S AND EXPECT TO HAVE THAT READY FOR PUBLICATION WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

ONCE IT IS AVAILABLE, IT WILL BE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

UM, EL CAJON.GOV/BUDGET.

OVERALL, THIS IS A, AN APPROXIMATE $268 MILLION SPENDING PLAN.

UH, THE LARGEST COMPONENT OF WHICH IS THE GENERAL FUND, UH, WITH EXPENDITURES TOTALING $101 MILLION.

HOWEVER, WE ALSO HAVE $47 MILLION PROGRAMMED IN OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

THESE ARE FUNDS THAT HAVE UNIQUE FUNDING SOURCES AND AND ARE RESTRICTED IN PURPOSE.

WE HAVE $45.7 MILLION PROGRAMMED IN CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDS.

ONE WHO, UH, POINT OUT THAT THESE ARE GOVERNMENTAL, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS.

UH, WASTEWATER CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE WASTEWATER FUND BUDGET, UH, WHICH TOTALS $49 MILLION NEXT YEAR.

OUR SOLE DEBT SERVICE FUND, UH, IS $9.1 MILLION.

THAT, OF COURSE, IS THE DEBT SERVICE ON OUR PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS.

AND LASTLY, WE HAVE $15.7 MILLION BUDGETED FOR OUR INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS.

THESE ARE FUNDS THAT, UH, SERVICE OTHER FUNDS OF THE CITY PEOPLE AS USUAL CONSTITUTE A HUGE PART OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET.

UM, THIS BUDGET INCLUDES 422 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE LARGEST COMPONENT OF WHICH IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UM, THE GENERAL FUND, UH, HAS 86% OF THOSE POSITIONS IN TOTAL.

UM, AND PUBLIC SAFETY HAS 62 OF THE TOTAL.

THIS TABLE IS A 10 YEAR HISTORY OF FTES.

UM, REALLY WANNA POINT OUT THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVE VIRTUALLY ZERO GROWTH IN OVERALL POSITIONS.

WE HAVE FTE TOTALS OF FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE, FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO AND 422 OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.

AS WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE GENERAL FUND BEFORE WE START, UH, DIGGING INTO FY 25, UH, WANTED TO TOUCH IN, UH, TOUCH CHECK IN AGAIN ON OUR PROJECTED FY 24 RESULTS.

UM, WE ARE CONSISTENTLY AND REGULARLY UPDATING OUR PROJECTIONS AND THESE NUMBERS HAVE MOVED A LITTLE BIT SINCE MIDYEAR.

UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY PROJECTING REVENUES AT APPROXIMATELY $95 MILLION AGAINST EXPENDITURES OF APPROXIMATELY 97.8 MILLION.

THIS IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN WE PROJECTED JUST A LITTLE BIT AGO.

UM, WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH APPROXIMATELY $62.2 MILLION OF FUND BALANCE AND EXPECT TO END 24 WITH 59.4 MILLION AS WE SHIFT OUR FOCUS TO FY 25.

UM, WANNA BRING US BACK TO THAT MID-YEAR FIVE-YEAR PROJECTION.

UM, AT WHICH TIME WE WERE STARTING TO DISCUSS A SERIES OF FUNDING SHORTFALLS THAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

UH, FIRST OF WHICH WAS FY 25.

WE WERE PROJECTING A SHORTFALL OF $3.3 MILLION.

THE BUDGET WE PRESENT HERE DOES INCLUDE A $2.9 MILLION USE OF GENERAL FUND RESERVES.

HOWEVER, THESE ARE, UH, VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSES.

$2 MILLION OF WHICH IS, UH, THE CONTINUATION OF THE 10 OVER HIRE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS, UH, TWO CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTED FUNDING FROM RESERVES LAST YEAR.

THAT JUST WILL NOT REACH COMPLETION BY JUNE 30TH.

AND THIS IS THE MECHANISM TO CARRY IT FORWARD.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT MEANS OUR OPERATING REVENUES AND OPERATING EXPENDITURES, EXCLUDING THOSE ITEMS, UH, ARE

[00:40:01]

AND WE HAVE DONE THAT THROUGH A SERIES OF SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS.

UH, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF WHICH IS A HIRING SLOWDOWN, UM, THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE IN PLACE, AT LEAST IN AT THE BEGINNING OF FY 25.

THESE ARE UNSUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN.

HOWEVER, WE FELT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO TAKE THOSE ACTIONS AT THIS TIME SO WE COULD BE A LITTLE MORE DELIBERATE WITH LONGER TERM SOLUTIONS.

UH, THE FIRST OF WHICH I EXPECT WE PROBABLY WILL START ROLLING OUT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, PULLING THE, UH, CURTAINS BACK A LITTLE BIT, MAYBE AS EARLY AS THE FIRST QUARTER REPORT THIS FALL.

THE BIG HIGHLIGHT HERE FOR FY 25 THOUGH IS WE'VE MANAGED TO GET TO THIS POINT WITH NO PERMANENT REDUCTIONS IN STAFFING LEVELS AND NO PERMANENT REDUCTIONS IN SERVICES.

UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE HIRING SLOWDOWN WILL AFFECT IT, BUT AS I SAID, IT'S A TEMPORARY SOLUTION OVERALL.

FY 25 BUDGET INCLUDES, UH, APPROXIMATELY $98.1 MILLION OF ESTIMATED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES OF $101 MILLION.

UM, THAT WILL UH, BRING OUR STARTING FUND BALANCE OF $59.4 MILLION TO APPROXIMATELY 56.5 AT FISCAL YEAR END.

AS WE DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THE DETAILS OF THE GENERAL FUND, THIS PIE CHART SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF OUR REVENUE SOURCES, THE 98.1 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BIGGEST CHUNKS BY FAR ARE THE TWO SALES TAX CATEGORIES.

THESE TWO CATEGORIES MAKE UP JUST A LITTLE SHY OF HALF OF THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

UM, PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE RED WEDGE THERE.

THAT IS, UH, PROP J SALES TAX AT $13.2 MILLION AND APPROXIMATELY 13.5% OF TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

PROPERTY TAXES AND SALES TAX COMBINED, UH, COMPRISES APPROXIMATELY 75% OF GENERAL FUND REVENUES.

THIS IS ROUGHLY THE SAME INFORMATION, UH, SUBMITTED IN TABLATURE FORM.

I WON'T READ THE NUMBERS TO YOU.

I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE BOTTOM LINE HOWEVER, THAT WE ARE EXPECTING REVENUES TO GROW FROM THE ESTIMATED TOTALS OF 95 MILLION IN FY 24 TO 98.1 IN FY 25.

THIS IS A $3 MILLION INCREASE OR JUST OVER 3.2%.

WE'RE EXPERIENCING THIS GROWTH, PRETTY ORDINARY GROWTH IN ALMOST ALL CATEGORIES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TWO SALES TAX CATEGORIES.

GROWTH IN THOSE TWO CATEGORIES ARE LESS THAN 1%.

UM, AND THAT REALLY IS THE BIG STORY ON THE REVENUE FRONT IS THAT SALES TAX, WE CONTINUE TO EXPECT IT TO BE RELATIVELY FLAT IN FY 25.

MOVING TO THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, UM, TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE $101 MILLION FOR FY 25.

UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, IS JUST OVER HALF OF THAT TOTAL WITH THE COMBINED PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.

APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND SPENDING.

THIS IS THE DETAILS SUPPORTING THAT PIE CHART.

UM, HERE AGAIN ON THE BOTTOM LINE YOU CAN SEE THAT TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE ANTICIPATED TO GROW, UH, FY 24 BUDGET TO 25 BUDGET BY APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION OR 1%.

UM, THE MOST OF THIS GROWTH OR ALL OF THIS GROWTH IS REALLY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH INCREASED $1.8 MILLION OR 3.7%.

UM, VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS A REDUCTION SUPPORTING THAT.

UM, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE DO SHOW A GROWTH IN THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT CATEGORY.

UM, HOWEVER THAT IS ELECTION EXPENSES.

THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR.

UM, WE TYPICALLY HAVE THOSE COSTS INCLUDED IN THAT YEAR'S BUDGET.

UM, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WELL RIGHT AROUND $270,000.

UM, WERE IT NOT FOR THAT, THEY WOULD BE NEGATIVE AS WELL.

LOOKING AT THAT SAME EXPENDITURE TOTAL IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY, THIS IS BY CATEGORY.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, SALARY AND BENEFIT COSTS ARE APPROXIMATELY 70% OF THE TOTAL.

UM, HOWEVER, THERE'S SOME INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS THAT CAN COME OUT OF A PARTY CHART LIKE THIS 'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT THE SAME DOLLAR.

THAT SAME DOLLAR CAN BE CATEGORIZED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN THIS PARTICULAR CHART.

I'LL POINT OUT THE GREEN SLICE, WHICH IS, UH, CAPITAL OUTLAY AND TRANSFERS.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT IS TRANSFER.

AND THAT IS THE MOVEMENT OF MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE, UH, DEBT SERVICE FUND FOR PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS.

AND THAT JUST AS EASILY COULD BE CONSIDERED A PERSONNEL EXPENSE

[00:45:02]

ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT THE SAME INFORMATION, HOWEVER, IS TO PULL OUT THAT UAL EXPENSE, WHICH ORDINARILY IS CONSIDERED A COMPONENT OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS, UH, ALONG WITH THE PENSION OBLIGATION TRANSFER.

UH, AND LOOK AT THAT AS A SEPARATE COMPONENT.

AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF WISDOM IN LOOKING AT IT THAT WAY.

UM, ONE, THE OTHER THREE WEDGES, THE RED, THE GREEN, THE BLUE, THOSE ARE ONGOING OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE GENERAL FUND.

THAT IS THE EXPENSE OF PROVIDING A SERVICE RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW TO OUR ACTIVE AND OUR ACTIVE EMPLOYEES IN THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.

THAT PURPLE WEDGE, THE UAL AND POB IS STILL PAYING THE BILL FROM PREVIOUS YEARS SERVICES.

UM, THIS GOT ME THINKING A LITTLE BIT MORE AND I PLAYED WITH THIS DATA ANOTHER WAY BECAUSE I THINK IT BEGS ANOTHER POINT THAT'S WORTH CONSIDERING AND THAT'S LOOKING AT IT THIS WAY.

THAT SAME PURPLE WEDGE PULLED OUT AS RED IN THIS CASE WITH ALL OTHER EXPENSES AS OPERATING EXPENSES OR OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES.

AND I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK AS WE BEGIN TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE POTENTIAL FUNDING SHORTFALLS WE SEE IN THE UPCOMING YEARS, AS WELL AS THE SUN SETTING OF THE PROP J SALES TAX MEASURE, I THINK WE KIND OF HAD LET A FALSE NARRATIVE ESCAPE A LITTLE BIT THAT WE NEED TO FIND A WAY OF REPLACING $13.2 MILLION OF REVENUE OUT OF $101 MILLION.

BUT THAT'S A LITTLE MISLEADING BECAUSE 17 MILLION OF THAT WE'RE KIND OF HANDS OFF AND WE HAVE TO PAY NO MATTER WHAT.

ANYWAYS, THAT UAL PAYMENT AND THE POB PAYMENT.

SO REALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING THAT $13.2 MILLION HIT, IT'S OUT OF 83.8 MILLION, WHICH IS A MUCH SMALLER PIE.

ALRIGHT, SHIFTING FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND LOOKING FORWARD A LITTLE BIT, WE WILL BE HERE AGAIN AT OUR VERY NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO PRESENT THE REST OF THE BUDGET.

UH, WE'LL START WITH UPDATES AND CHANGES FROM TODAY'S MEETING.

UM, WE'LL ALSO PRESENT INFORMATION REGARDING THE WASTEWATER FUND, OTHER CITY FUNDS, CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND WE WILL SEEK ADOPTION OF THE FY 25 BUDGET.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL WE HAVE GOING ON, THAT'S BUDGET RELATING.

UM, AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, UH, WE HAVE A SERIES OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS.

UH, THESE ARE EDUCATIONAL FORUMS, UH, ADDRESSING THE, UH, PROP J UH, SAFETY SALES TAX MEASURE, NOT SAFETY SALES TAX MEASURE SALES TAX MEASURE.

UM, THAT WILL BE SUN SETTING IN THE UPCOMING COUPLE OF YEARS.

UM, THESE FORUMS ARE TO HELP UNDER HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE USING THIS FUNDING FOR AND WHAT'S IN JEOPARDY IF THIS SALES TAX MEASURE IS NOT REPLACED AND IS ALLOWED TO SUNSET.

UM, WE ALSO ARE SOLICITING INPUT THROUGH A INTERACTIVE BUDGET ACTIVITY.

UM, THIS FLYER, UH, IS AVAILABLE THROUGH A NORM NUMBER OF SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS AS WELL AS THE CITY'S WEBSITE, EL CAJON.GOV.

UH, FIRST OF WHICH IS THIS THURSDAY NIGHT, 6:00 PM AT BOSTON RECREATION CENTER.

I WILL CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, UH, WITH THE RECOMMENDED ACTION, WHICH IS SIMPLY TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THE FY 25 BUDGET AND WITHOUT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.