* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [ CALL TO ORDER:  Mayor Bill Wells]
          [00:00:05]
          WELCOME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN TO THE EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL MEETING. 
          THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CITY CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. 
          WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN 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 CLERK 
          [ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the June 10, 2025, Meeting and the Agenda of the June 24, 2025, Meeting in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.]
POSTED ORDERS OF ADJOURNMENT OF THE JUNE 10TH, 2025 MEETING AND THE AGENDA OF THE JUNE 24TH, 2025 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, CITY COUNCIL, HOUSING AUTHORITY POLICY. 
          UH, THERE ARE NO PRESENTATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, STEPH, I THINK YOU 
          [ AGENDA CHANGES:]
HAVE A COUPLE AGENDA CHANGES. 
          YEAH, MR. MAYOR, WE'D RECOMMEND THAT WE TAKE, UM, AGENDA ITEM 21, WHICH IS THE CLOSED SESSION. 
          UM, AND WE HAVE THAT CONSIDERED AFTER, UM, CONSENT CALENDAR AND PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          UM, AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE SAFER GRANT. 
          IF WE MOVE THAT AHEAD OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, WHICH IS THE BUDGET. 
          'CAUSE THERE'S SOME BUDGET RAMIFICATIONS, RAMIFICATIONS TO THAT DECISION THAT WILL HELP, UH, GUIDE US IN THE BUDGET DISCUSSION. 
          SO THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDED. 
          OKAY. 
          RECOMMENDED CHANGES. 
          UM, COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY CHANGES? ALRIGHT, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THOSE AGENDA CHANGES. 
          SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          WE ARE AT CONSENT ITEMS, CONSENT ITEMS 
          [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.]
AND ROUTINE MATTERS ENACTED BY ONE MOTION ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATION LIST BELOW WITH CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. 
          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, STAFF? NO, SIR. 
          THEN I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS. SIR, I APOLOGIZE. 
          WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER FOR CONSENT ITEM. 
          THANKS FOR TELLING ME. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX, IS MR. RUBEN CLAUDIO. 
          HELLO, SIR. 
          WELCOME. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF. 
          UM, I'M COMING TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT, UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS BID 0 0 5 DASH TWO 60, ADA, A CONCRETE IMPROVEMENTS. 
          WE WERE BID ON THIS CONTRACT, UM, AND WE WERE IN SECOND PLACE. 
          UM, BUT A CRITICAL ASPECT OF THIS CONTRACT WAS THAT IT WAS FUND, IT WAS FUNDED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, WHICH IS, UH, ALSO CALLED SECTION THREE. 
          AND YOU HAD TO FILL OUT THE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SECTION THREE, THE CRITICAL ASPECT OF THIS BID. 
          AND THE LOW BIDDER DID NOT FILL OUT THIS FORM QUESTIONNAIRE CORRECTLY. 
          SO THERE'S FOUR QUESTIONS ON THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. 
          UH, AND IT, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ANSWER YES OR NO TO QUESTIONS ONE THROUGH THREE. 
          AND THEN YES OR NO, IF YOU'VE PROVIDED A QUALITATIVE EFFORTS PLAN AND THE LITERAL SENTENCE THAT IT READS HERE. 
          WELL, PRIOR TO THAT, THE LOW BIDDER SALE CONSTRUCTION ANSWERED NO TO QUESTION ONE, NO TO QUESTION TWO, NO TO QUESTION THREE, NO TO PROVIDING A QUALITATIVE EFFORTS PLAN. 
          AND THEN THE SENTENCE THAT FOLLOWS THAT SAYS, IF YOU DID NOT ANSWER YES TO QUESTIONS ONE TO THREE AND DID NOT SUBMIT A CLEAR AND CONCISE QUALITATIVE EFFORTS PLAN, YOUR BID WILL BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE IT SHOULD END BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MEET THE REQUIREMENT OF SECTION THREE. 
          WE'VE BEEN WAITING. 
          ONCE THE BID WAS ACTUALLY SUBMITTED, WE WERE WAITING FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WHILE THERE WAS A DETERMINATION ON RESPONSIVENESS OF THE BIDDERS. 
          AND WE WERE NOTIFIED ON JUNE 12TH OF THAT BID. 
          EVERY, ALL THE BIDDERS WERE, THERE WAS A LETTER THAT WENT OUT SAYING THERE WAS A NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD TO SAIL CONSTRUCTION. 
          AND WE, WE SUBMITTED OUR PROTEST ON THE DAY OF RECEIPT OF THAT LETTER BECAUSE WE COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT THE LOW BIDDER WAS DEEMED RESPONSIVE WHEN THEY FILLED OUT SECTION THREE INCORRECTLY. 
          SO THEN WE GOT AN EXPLANATION OF IT, AND THIS WAS PROVIDED TO US BY THE CITY STAFF. 
          IT SAYS HERE, THE LOW BIDDER WAS NOTIFIED ON MAY 21ST. 
          [00:05:01]
THEIR BID WAS NON-RESPONSIVE. 
          AND THEN SCC RESPONDED BY SAYING THEY MADE AN ERROR IN THEIR BID SUBMITTAL, BUT HOW COULD THEY RESPOND TO THAT IF EVERY OTHER BIDDER FILLED IT OUT CORRECTLY AND WASN'T, WASN'T EVEN NOTIFIED OF A NON-RESPONSIVE BIDDER, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO EVEN PROTEST IT AT THAT TIME. 
          WE ONLY PROTESTED THE, THE DAY THAT WE RECEIVED NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD. 
          SO THEN IN THE CITY'S LETTER TO ME, IT WAS SAID OUR PROTEST WAS UNTIMELY AND WITHOUT MERIT, BUT WE'RE NOT CERTAIN HOW IT COULD BE DEEMED UNTIMELY IF WE RESPOND TO THE DAY THAT WE RECEIVED THE LETTER OF NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD WHEN WE, THERE WAS NOTHING TO PROTEST PRIOR TO THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RESPONSIVE BIDDER. 
          THERE WAS NO DETERMINATION ON WHAT A RESPONSIVE BIDDER WAS. 
          SO WE'RE WE'RE PRETTY FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS HERE BECAUSE WE FILLED OUT OUR SECTION THREE CORRECTLY. 
          IT WAS A CRITICAL ASPECT 'CAUSE IT'S THE FUNDING OF THIS PROJECT. 
          THE LOW BIDDER FILLED IT OUT INCORRECTLY. 
          THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE. 
          THERE WAS NO REMEDY INSIDE OF THAT BID FOR ALL THE OTHER BIDDERS. 
          EVERYBODY ELSE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION EITHER HAVING THEIR STAFF MEET THE REQUIREMENT, DOING ALL OF THE OUTREACH. 
          THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          SO THERE'S AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE TO ALLOWING THEM TO REMEDY THAT WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE TOOK THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. 
          SO WE'RE JUST ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THAT OUR PROTEST IS WITHOUT MERIT BECAUSE THE SENTENCE LITERALLY SAYS, IF YOU DID NOT ANSWER YES TO QUESTIONS ONE TO THREE AND DID NOT SUBMIT A CLEAR AND CONCISE PLAN, YOUR BID WILL BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE. 
          SO LET'S GO THROUGH THE PROCESS HERE. 
          UH, FIRST OFF, ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, GRAHAM, COULD YOU EXPLAIN ALL THIS TO US AND SEE WHERE WE'RE AT? CERTAINLY THERE IS A SECTION NUMBER THREE THAT IS REQUIRED, UH, TO SUBMIT. 
          UH, IT IS A QUESTIONNAIRE THAT'S SELF-CERTIFIED. 
          UH, THEY DID NOT FILL IT OUT CORRECTLY, BUT THEY DID EVENTUALLY CORRECT IT. 
          ONE OF THE DIRECTIONS THAT, THAT WE'VE TRIED TO IMPLEMENT AT THE STAFF LEVEL IS TO USE REASONABLE, UM, LOGIC, COMMON SENSE WHEN IT COMES TO GOVERNMENT. 
          AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD'VE DONE YEARS AGO IS ABSOLUTELY REJECTED THIS BID. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          WE WOULD'VE ALSO REJECTED BIDS THAT DIDN'T HAVE, THEY MISSED A SIGNATURE PAGE. 
          UM, THEY HAD THE WRONG NUMBERING ON A, ON THE BOTTOM OF A PIECE OF PAPER. 
          UM, AND THE COUNCIL HAS GIVEN US SOME DIRECTION TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE IN THAT AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T CREATE AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE FOR A BUSINESS, WE DO NOT DEEM THAT THEM FILLING OUT THE, THE SELF QUESTIONNAIRE GAVE THEM AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE OVER THE OTHERS. 
          AND LET ME JUST GIVE AN EXAMPLE. 
          UM, THE CITY COUNCIL IN, UH, NOVEMBER 19TH COUNCIL MEETING, UH, APPROVED THE FOLLOWING. 
          THE CITY COUNCIL HEREBY DEEMS THE FAILURE OF THE APPARENT LOW BIDDER, UH, RACK CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING MR. CLAUDIO'S FIRM TO SIGN ITS BID BOND, A MINOR I I IRREGULARITY WITH NO EVIDENCE THAT THE IRREGULARITY PROVIDES THE BIDDER WITH UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. 
          SO WE HAVE A PRECEDENCE WITH MR. CLAUDIO'S FIRM WHERE HE DID NOT, WHERE HE SUBMITTED A BID, FAILED TO INCLUDE THE SIGNED BID, UM, BOND PAPERWORK. 
          BUT THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO REJECT THE BID FOR THAT 'CAUSE IT'S A VERY MINOR ISSUE. 
          IT DIDN'T GIVE HIM AN UNFAIR, UNFAIR ADVANTAGE OVER HIS COMPETITORS. 
          SO WE USE SORT OF COMMON SENSE AND WE RECOMMENDED THE CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU OVERLOOKED THAT IRREGULARITY. 
          THIS IS A VERY SIMILAR SITUATION. 
          IT WAS A A MISTAKE. 
          IT DID NOT GIVE THEM AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. 
          IN THEIR APPLICATION. 
          THEY'VE CORRECTED THE MISTAKE THEY'RE WILLING TO FOLLOW, UM, AND CERTIFY THAT THEY WILL FOLLOW, UH, SECTION THREE OUT OF THE CDBG REQUIREMENT. 
          SO TO US IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THE SAME. 
          YOU, YOU CAN'T HAVE FLEXIBILITY AND NOT FLEXIBILITY, AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE FLEXIBLE, BUT OTHER TIMES YOU'RE NOT FLEXIBLE. 
          I THINK THIS IS A PROTOCOL THAT WE'VE BEEN USING AND I I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO ACCEPT THE BID THAT HAS BEEN PRESENTED BEFORE YOU OKAY. 
          COUNSEL, ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH. 
          DO APPLICANTS HAVE, WHEN YOU TURN IN SOMETHING FOR A BUILDING PERMIT, YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO FIND OUT IF YOU'VE MADE ANY ERRORS BEFORE YOUR SUBMISSION BECOMES FINAL. 
          IN THE SAME WAY, DOES THIS PROCESS ALLOW AN APPLICANT TO HAVE THEIR APPLICATION REVIEWED FOR ANY ERRORS BEFORE IT IS CONSIDERED A FINAL SUBMISSION? IF, IF, IF THAT ERROR IS SUBSTANTIAL, HAS A FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT GIVES THEM AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE, WE WOULD NOT ALLOW THAT. 
          SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE MADE A MATH ERROR AND THEY, THEY MULTIPLIED IT INSTEAD OF DIVIDING IT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEIR BID WAS MUCH LOWER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, 
          [00:10:01]
THEORETICALLY THAT'S THE LOW BID AND WE CAN HOLD THEM TO THAT. 
          UM, THEY DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO GO BACK AND CHANGE THAT. 
          'CAUSE THAT WOULD PUT THEM AT AN UNFAIR FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE. 
          IN THIS CASE, THERE'S NOT A FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE, BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK, SIGN A DOCUMENT, UH, RELABEL THINGS PUT IN THE RIGHT NUMBER IF, IF IT'S NOT SUBSTANTIAL TO THE BID PROCESS. 
          I GUESS MY QUESTION, CAN I RESPOND TO A COUPLE? I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BRING IN IN A SECOND. 
          WE'LL JUST DO IT. 
          I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, BEFORE THE DEADLINE, DOES SOMEBODY HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY, WILL YOU CHECK MY WORK? UM, WE CAN'T CHECK THEIR WORK, BUT SOMEONE, IF, IF THEY SUBMIT A SEALED BID AND THEY CAN SUBMIT A NEW BID BEFORE THE DEADLINE, FOR SURE, THEY CAN SUBMIT A REVISED BID. 
          BUT WE DON'T GO THROUGH AND SORT OF DO A, A CHECK AND SAY, OH, YOU MISSED THIS, YOU MISSED THAT. 
          YOUR MATH DOESN'T ADD UP, OR THIS WILL DISQUALIFY YOU. 
          OR, 'CAUSE THAT WOULD GIVE SOMEBODY AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE POTENTIALLY IF WE SAID, OH, WE'LL HELP CORRECT YOUR MISTAKE. 
          CORRECT. 
          BUT THE OTHER PEOPLE DID IT. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GIVING SOMEBODY AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. 
          CORRECT. 
          WE, IF WE CORRECT A MISTAKE, WE FOUND THE MISTAKE. 
          OR WHEN WE, WE FOUND, WHEN WE DECLARED THEM UNRESPONSIVE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FILL IT OUT CORRECTLY, WHEN THEY GOT THAT NOTICE, THEY SAID, OH MY GOODNESS, I FILLED IT OUT WRONG. 
          LET ME CORRECT THAT. 
          SO THAT WAS THE PROCESS. 
          IT WAS AFTER THE BID WAS OPENED. 
          MY QUESTION NOW IS, YOUR EARLY EXAMPLE WAS LAST NOVEMBER, UH, RAT CONSTRUCTION HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CORRECT AFTER THE FACT 'CAUSE IT WAS DEEMED IMMATERIAL TO THE, UH, OVERALL BID. 
          IS THAT, THAT'S, AM I HEARING THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          ANYBODY ELSE? YES, SIR. 
          SO I CAN SPEAK TO A COUPLE POINTS. 
          UM, THE BID LAST NOVEMBER WAS MUCH DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE THAT, OR IN THE, IN THE FACT THAT THE CITY DEEMED MY BID NON-RESPONSIVE FOR THE SIGNATURE. 
          AND I HAD TO PROVE TO THE CITY THAT IT WAS IMMATERIAL BECAUSE WE BROUGHT CASE LAW TO SHOW YOU THAT THE BIDDER'S BOND, WHICH IS WHAT THE REASON WAS, THAT WHAT WASN'T SIGNED WAS ACTUALLY SECURED. 
          AND IT WAS A BOND THAT SECURED MY BID. 
          SO IT WAS IMMATERIAL TO THE FACT THAT NO BIDDER GOT AN ADVANTAGE BECAUSE ALL THE BIDS ARE SECURED. 
          I'M SUPPOSED TO SIGN THAT BID BOND. 
          THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. 
          WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, BUT IT DID NOT PROVIDE ME AN ADVANTAGE. 
          AND THE CITY DEEMED MY BID NONRESPONSIVE. 
          SO I HAD TO RESPOND TO THE BID, TO THE CITY DEEM MY BID NONRESPONSIVE, WHEREAS, AND THAT WAS SENT OUT TO ALL THE BIDDERS THAT I WAS NONRESPONSIVE. 
          WHEREAS IN THIS CASE, SCC WAS NOTIFIED SOLELY THAT THEY WERE NON-RESPONSIVE AND GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO REMEDY THAT, WHICH IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SITUATION NUMBER ONE. 
          NUMBER TWO, SECTION THREE IS NOT IMMATERIAL, IT'S LITERALLY CRITICAL TO THE FUNDING OF THIS PROJECT. 
          IT'S NOT A SECURE BIDDERS BOND. 
          IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ELEMENT OF THE WHOLE BID AND NOT ALL THE BIDDERS, EVERY BIDDER BID TAKING SECTION THREE INTO CONSIDERATION, OUTREACH, MARKETING, YOU KNOW, TRAINING, WHAT HAVE YOU. 
          SO THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          SO I DON'T, I DON'T UNDERSTAND IN WHY I'M HERE TO TALK IF, FORGIVE MY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OKAY. 
          YOU, YOU HAVE EMOTION IN THIS. 
          I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. 
          IT'S, BUT UNDERSTANDABLE. 
          I FEEL THAT I'M BEING TREATED UN I HATE THE FACT THAT I HAVE TO COME SIT IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS AGAIN BECAUSE MY NAME WAS ALREADY PUT HERE BEFORE. 
          'CAUSE I HAD TO FIGHT FOR THE LAST ONE BECAUSE IT WAS AN IMMATERIAL ONE. 
          AND THEN IN THIS CASE WE'RE  IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE. 
          BUT THE SAME PROCESS DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED LIKE IN THE CITY'S RESPONSE HERE. 
          THEIR BID WAS NON-RESPONSIVE AT THAT POINT. 
          THE LETTER SHOULD HAVE GONE OUT TO ALL THE BIDDERS LIKE IT DID THE FIRST TIME I BID WORK FOR YOU GUYS. 
          AND THEN IF SURE, SCC COULD FILE THEIR PROTEST ABOUT WHY THEY WOULDN'T, WHY THEY SHOULDN'T BE DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE. 
          I APPRECIATE, I, I I I WANNA ASK OUR ATTORNEY, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS? THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          YES. 
          I ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CONTRACTS LIKE THIS FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS AS YOUR CITY ATTORNEY. 
          AND WE HAVE INSTRUCTIONS IN OUR REQUEST FOR BIDS. 
          THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE CLEAR. 
          EVERY BIDDER MUST SIGN THE BID BOND IN THIS CASE OF THE RAC, UH, CORPORATION SHOULD BE, UH, NOTARIZED. 
          AND EVERY SURETY SIGNS THE BID BOND. 
          THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE WANT THE BIDDER TO BE AS RESPONSIBLE ON THE BID AS THE SURETY. 
          AND, UH, WE HAVE INSTRUCTIONS AT THAT SECTION, AND WE DID FOR THE NOVEMBER BID. 
          FAILURE 
          [00:15:01]
TO SIGN THE BID BOND CAN BE GROUND OR GROUNDS FOR BEING NON-RESPONSIVE. 
          THAT'S WHY HE WAS DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE, RESPONSIVE. 
          IN THIS CASE, THE SAME INSTRUCTION IS FOUND ON THE SECTION THREE QUESTIONNAIRE. 
          NOW, BID BOND COSTS MONEY AND WHERE THEY MAKE IT UP WITH A DISCOUNT ON THE ACTUAL BID OR, OR PERFORMANCE AND LABOR MATERIAL BONDS, THAT'S, IT'S IRRELEVANT EVERY BIDDER HAS TO OBTAIN A BID BOND FROM THEIR SURETY IN MR. CLAUDIO, CLAUDIA. 
          YEAH. 
          CLAUDIO CLAUDIA'S CASE. 
          UH, YES, THEY PRESENTED SOME ARGUMENT AS TO WHETHER THAT WAS APPROPRIATE, WHETHER HIS SIGNATURE WAS REQUIRED, AND WE DEEMED THAT EVEN THOUGH WE REQUIRED IT, THE STATE HAS INSURANCE COMPANY, UH, DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE HAS FOUND THAT FOR STATE PROJECTS, IT'S NOT NECESSARY. 
          SO WE PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION TO HIM THAT WE WILL NOW PROVIDE TO EVERYBODY, EVEN THOUGH OUR INSTRUCTIONS WILL ALWAYS SAY THE BIDDER MUST SIGN THE BID BOND. 
          IN THIS CASE, THE QUESTIONNAIRE WASN'T COMPLETED CORRECTLY WHEN WE TOLD, UH, UH, WHEN STAFF WAS TOLD OF THIS, THEY MADE THE CORRECTION. 
          UH, THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN PRICE AND THERE WAS, WE DEEMED, UH, UH, THERE WAS NO ADVANTAGE GIVEN TO THE, UH, LOW BIDDER IN THIS CASE. 
          AND THAT'S WHY THE RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE. 
          AGAIN, OUR INSTRUCTIONS ARE IN THE, OUR DOCUMENTS, NOT CD BGS DOCUMENTS. 
          CDBG DOES NOT SAY YOU MUST BE A SECTION THREE CONTRACTOR BEFORE YOU BID OR WHEN YOU BID ON THIS PROJECT. 
          THEY LEAVE IT UP TO US. 
          AND WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT AS LONG AS THEY ARE A SECTION THREE CONTRACTOR AND THEY ARE, THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO, TO, UH, BE AWARDED THE BID. 
          BUT I TAKE EXCEPTION TO THIS STATEMENT THAT HE FILLED IT OUT INCORRECTLY. 
          HE, HE FILLED IT OUT. 
          WELL, I THINK WE'VE GO, GONE OVER THIS. 
          IS THERE ANY POINT THAT YOU, THAT YOU THINK NO, BUT THAT'S MY POINT IS HE FILLED IT OUT AND THEN THE, THE CITY'S SAYING, WELL, YOU FILLED IT OUT INCORRECTLY. 
          YEAH. 
          LIKE, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S LIKE, HOW IS, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE FOR THE CITY TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION THAT HE FILLED IT OUT INCORRECTLY? WELL, IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT, GRAHAM, BUT LIKE, IF I CHECK THE BOXES ON SOMETHING, THEN WHY WOULDN'T I GET THE QUESTION? LIKE, YOUR NUMBER WAS NOT THE LOW ONE. 
          WELL, I'D RATHER DEFER TO AN EXPERT, BUT WE'RE AT, AT, IN A PRETTY SHORT TIME, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS. 
          I UNDERSTAND. 
          BUT I LIKE THAT STATEMENT IS TROUBLESOME TO ME. 
          COUNSEL WANTS US TO REJECT THE BID. 
          WE'LL START REJECTING ALL BIDS THAT AREN'T CORRECT. 
          AND I CAN TELL YOU, WE GET IN EVERY BID, PRACTICALLY EVERY BID. 
          I CAN'T SAY FOR CERTAINTY EVERY BID ON A PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT, WE GET AT LEAST ONE BIDDER WHO DOESN'T READ THE DIRECTIONS PROPERLY AND FILL OUT THE FORMS CORRECTLY. 
          AND SOMETIMES IT'S IMMATERIAL, SOMETIMES IT'S MATERIAL. 
          SO WE HAVE, AND WE HAVE ASKED TO NOT BE SLAVES TO FORM OVER FUNCTION AND TO, TO BE A SMOOTH ORGANIZATION THAT MOVES FORWARD. 
          SO, THANK YOU, SIR. 
          UM, I'M, WHAT I, I'M, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON, I JUST WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO EVERYBODY. 
          NO, I APPRECIATE, I, I APPRECIATE IT. 
          WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS JUST, I'M GONNA BRING IT UP TO THE COUNCIL. 
          WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I'M SORRY. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. 
          WE ENJOY WORKING FOR THE CITY. 
          THE CITY'S GREAT. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          THIS IS FRUSTRATING, BUT I UNDERSTAND BUSINESS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, SO, UM, WHAT'S UP TO, DO YOU WANNA REJECT THE BID? DOES ANYBODY WANNA REJECT THE BID OR MAKE THE CASE FOR THAT OR MAKE A MOTION TO THAT? I NOBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THEN, UM, I'M JUST GOING TO, UH, VOTE ON THIS ITEM TO APPROVE IT AS IT STANDS. 
          I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION. 
          SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, NOW WE, WE HAVE NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS, RIGHT? NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS. 
          I I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE REST OF THE CONSENT ITEMS. SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          UH, GRAHAM, DO, DO YOU NEED US TO BRING UP YOUR, UH, CLOSED SESSION BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT, OR DO YOU WANT, DO I THINK WE DO PUBLIC COMMENT IF OKAY. 
          YEAH. 
          PUBLIC. 
          ARE WE YES, YES, WE DO. 
          PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST. 
          [ 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.]
OKAY. 
          WE'RE NOT 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 ALREADY BE TAKEN AT THE TIME THAT THE ITEM IS HEARD. 
          STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. 
          HOWEVER, CITY COUNCIL 
          [00:20:01]
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 SPEAKER CARDS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? WE HAVE ONE FROM BRENDA HAMMOND. 
          OKAY. 
          HEY, BRENDA. 
          HI. 
          HOW ARE YOU? I'M GOOD. 
          HOW ARE YOU, BRENDA? I'M ANGRY AGAIN. 
          OKAY, . 
          I'M READY. 
          OKAY. 
           NOT AT YOU. 
          UM, ANGER IS NOT A MENTAL ILLNESS. 
          ANGER IS A NORMAL HUMAN REACTION TO HARASSMENT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S PURPOSELY DONE. 
          SOMETIMES I THINK PEOPLE LIKE TO MAKE OTHERS ANGRY BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO WATCH THE REACTION. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE? THOSE AGITATORS JUST LOVE TO HEAR OTHERS DROP THE F-BOMB BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO AFRAID TO, AND THEY WANNA DROP, THEY WANNA DROP THE F-BOMB THEMSELVES, BUT THEY ARE TOO CHICKEN TO WELL, UM, THEY ARE AFRAID THAT THEY'RE SO-CALLED FRIENDS. 
          WHAT THEY'LL, WHAT THEY WILL THINK, WELL, I'M NOT AFRAID TO DROP THE F-BOMB, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMEBO WHEN IT'S PURPOSELY PROVOKED. 
          THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR BEING YOURSELF. 
          UM, I HEAR WE'RE ON HEIGHTENED ALERT. 
          ARE YOU SURPRISED? I'M NOT. 
          THIS HAS HAPPENED IN EVERY WAR AND CONFLICT THERE'S EVER BEEN, SO I'M NOT PARANOID ABOUT IT. 
          WHAT I DON'T LIKE IS THE PIGGYBACK IDIOTS THAT ARE COME. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO GET YOUR, THEIR MESSAGE OUT. 
          OH, THEY LOVE TO CAUSE HAVOC. 
          AND THEN TURN AROUND AND SAY, OH, CAN WE HELP YOU? UM, ALL FOR MONEY AND JOB SECURITY? SPEAKING OF WHICH, I WAS RECENTLY APPROACHED BY THE COUNTY TWICE IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. 
          UM, THEY WANTED, THEY WANNA ASK ME IF I WANNA GO TO A SAFE PARKING LOT. 
          I SAID, UH, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS THAT NO ONE'S ASKED ME FROM THE COUNTY TO BE SAFE? UM, AND I, I, MY THING IS, IF THERE'S RETALIATION, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE EAST? IF THERE'S RETALIATION, WHY WOULD I WANNA GO TO THAT PARKING LOT RUN BY THAT GROUP IF THERE'S GONNA BE RETALIATION? JUST SAYING, OKAY. 
          SO DROPPING THE F-BOMB IS NOT AGAINST THE LAW. 
          WHAT'S AGAINST THE LAW IS WHEN PEOPLE MESS WITH PEOPLE. 
          SO THEY DROP THE F-BOMB, I'M JUST GONNA DROP THE F-BOMB. 
          BUT SOME, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO GET HURT BECAUSE THEY WANNA DO MORE THAN DROP THE F BOMB. 
          I LOVE YOU. 
          TRUMP LATER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          BRENDA, IS THAT THE LAST ONE? NO OTHER SPEAKER CARD, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          THEN I THINK THAT WE WILL JUMP AHEAD AND GO TO CLOSE 
          [23. CLOSED SESSIONS:]
SESSION. 
          LET ME SEE. 
          UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY TO RETURN ANY, NO. 
          YEAH, YOU, UM, MAYOR, ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU RECITE THE TITLE AND LEAD US TO THE CLOSED SESSION? THANK YOU. 
          I WILL. 
          UH, THE CITY COUNCIL IS GONNA MEET IN CLOSED SESSION FOR A CONFERENCE WITH ITS LEGAL COUNSEL ON ANTICIPATE A LITIGATION. 
          UH, THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE OF LITIGATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH TWO OF SUBDIVISION D OF GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 56 0.9 WITH ONE POTENTIAL CASE. 
          THE DESCRIPTION OF THE, UM, SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, EXPOSURE IS AS STATED ON THE AGENDA. 
          AND, UH, I'LL PARAPHRASE THAT, UH, MR. JAMES MOORE ALLEGED THAT A CITY EMPLOYEE POSTED THE VIDEO OF HIM ON HIS WEBSITE IN INAPPROPRIATELY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I CAN MAKE A MOTION THEN TO ADJOURN THE CLOSED SESSION. 
          SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'LL BE BACK VERY SOON TO CONCLUDE THE MEETING. 
          AND OF COURSE, I'M KIND OF CONFUSED AS WHERE I, LEMME FIGURE OUT STEVE, WHAT DON'T, WHAT ITEM WAS THAT A REPORT, MR. MAYOR OF THE CLOSED SESSION ITEM? YES, PLEASE, PLEASE DO. 
          STATE COUNCIL MET CLOSED SESSION ON ONE ITEM. 
          IT WAS THE CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON AN ANTICIPATED LITIGATION, UH, UNDER, UM, GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 
          [00:25:01]
0.9 D AS IN DAVID TWO. 
          AND, UH, GAVE DIRECTION TO THE CITY'S ATTORNEYS INVOLVED. 
          OKAY. 
          MR. MAYOR, AT THIS POINT I WOULD SUGGEST WE'VE GOT A COUPLE PEOPLE FROM EDCO AND RATHER THAN MAKE THEM WAIT THROUGH AN HOUR'S WORTH OF BUDGET AND, UH, FIRE ENGINE DISCUSSION, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY COMBINE BE AT LEAST AN HOUR. 
          I THINK ITEM ELEVEN'S PROBABLY PRETTY SHORT. 
          YEAH. 
          LET'S, UH, AND, UH, THEY'RE GREAT PARTNERS WITH US. 
          I'M SORRY, PARTNERS IS COLLABORATORS, UH, WITH US. 
          SO, UH, RESPECTING THEIR TIMELY, WE CAN MOVE. 
          YEAH, SURE. 
          ITEM 11, UP ITEM 11 
          [11. City Council Priority Update: Illegal Dumping Near Apartment Complexes RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives the progress report regarding its 2025 City Council Action Priority to address illegal dumping near apartment complexes.]
IS REGARDING ILLEGAL DUMPING NEAR APARTMENT COMPLEXES. 
          AND IF STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO TELL US ABOUT THIS, I'D APPRECIATE IT. 
          AND WE THREW, THREW YOU A CURVE THERE. 
          HEY, DAVID. 
          HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS YOU NOTED. 
          UM, I AM JOINED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM EDCO, UM, ANTHONY AND JOHN HERE IN AUDIENCE. 
          UM, TODAY I AM HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE COUNCIL PRIORITY REGARDING, UH, REDUCING ILLEGAL DUMPING NEAR APARTMENT COMPLEXES IN JANUARY. 
          OOPS. 
          LET'S GO TO THE FULL SCREEN HERE. 
          THERE YOU'RE IN, UH, JANUARY, THE CITY COUNCIL DEVELOPED ITS 2025, UH, CITY COUNCIL ACTION PLAN, WHICH, UH, IDENTIFIED SIX PRIORITIES, CITY BEAUTIFICATION, CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HOMELESSNESS, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND MISCELLANEOUS, UM, ITEMS. AS PART OF THE CITY BEAUTIFICATION PRIORITY, THE CITY COUNCIL IDENTIFIED REDUCING ILLEGAL DUMPING NEAR APARTMENT COMPLEXES AS, UH, A SPECIFIC GOAL TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL. 
          THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IDENTIFIED OR, OR ESTABLISHED, UH, THE FOLLOWING TASKS TO IDENTIFY THE TOP 10, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPS OR DUMPING HOTSPOTS NEAR APARTMENT COMPLEXES, UH, TO COLLABORATE WITH EDCO TO DEVELOP MARKETING MATERIALS TO MEET WITH THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION IN ORDER TO DISCUSS APPROACHES AND OTHER SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS OR MODELS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. 
          MEET WITH ONSITE APARTMENT MANAGEMENT, REASSESS THE HOTSPOTS, AND THEN FINALLY TO GIVE, WRAP BACK AROUND AND GIVE YOU GUYS A FINAL REPORT ON THIS. 
          SO THIS MAP SHOWS THE ORIGINAL, UM, SPOTS IDENTIFIED AS HOTSPOTS, UM, ANECDOTALLY BY OUR STAFF. 
          UH, THEY, UH, PREPARED A LIST OF LOCATIONS THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT. 
          UM, SO THIS HOT SPOT MAP, UM, KIND OF SHOWS WHERE THOSE, UH, ACCOUNTS ARE, AND WE ACTUALLY VISITED 14 SPOTS A DAY OF, UM, JUST BASED ON ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES THAT WE NOTICED THAT NEED SOME ATTENTION. 
          UM, AND SO THAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS MAP AS WELL. 
          THIS MAP SHOWS THE SANITATION AND DEBRIS REQUESTS RECEIVED THROUGH THE CITY'S MY CIVIC APP. 
          UH, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT THERE'S A GENERAL CORRELATION BETWEEN THE ILLEGAL DUMPING NOTED BY STAFF, BY APARTMENT COMPLEXES, AND THE, UH, SANITATION AND DEBRIS REQ CLEANUP REQUESTS THAT WE RECEIVE. 
          SO AFTER IDENTIFYING OUR, UH, TARGET AUDIENCE, IF YOU WILL, UM, WE MET WITH EDCO TO DEVELOP MARKETING AND OUTREACH MATERIALS, UM, AND KIND OF IDENTIFY PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAVE THAT WOULD HELP US, UM, CURB ILLEGAL, UH, DUMPING. 
          UM, SO THIS FLYER PROMOTES THE BULKY ITEM PICKUP PURCHASE, OR, UH, PROGRAM THROUGH EDCO. 
          UM, GENERALLY THAT'S THE TYPE OF ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT WE SEE. 
          UM, ALSO HAS SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HAZARDOUS HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS, UH, WASTE. 
          UM, BUT ESSENTIALLY THIS FLYER PROMOTES THE PROGRAM OR ED CODE'S SERVICES, WHICH ALLOWS FOR FOUR FREE BULKY ITEM PICKUPS EACH YEAR FOR EACH UNIT AT EACH APARTMENT COMPLEX. 
          SO THAT'S A LOT OF FREE TRASH PICKUP SERVICES AVAILABLE. 
          ONCE WE HAD THESE MATERIALS DEVELOPED ON MAY 27TH, WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT AND DID SITE VISITS, UM, CONDUCTED BY CITY STAFF AND , UH, TO PROVIDE PROPERTY MANAGERS WITH EDUCATIONAL 
          [00:30:01]
FLYERS AND GUIDANCE TO, UM, CURB ILLEGAL DUMPING. 
          SO DURING THE SITE VISITS, UH, THREE APARTMENT MANAGERS, UM, INDICATED THAT THEY WERE ALREADY USING THE EDCO BULKY ITEM PICKUP PROGRAM. 
          NINE APARTMENT MANAGERS, UH, WERE PROVIDED WITH SOME FLYERS AND GUIDANCE AT ONE LOCATION. 
          RESIDENTS SHARED THAT THEY OBSERVED, UM, NON APARTMENT RESIDENTS ILLEGALLY DUMPING, UM, BY THEIR PROPERTY. 
          AND THEN AT ANOTHER PROPERTY, STAFF NEEDED TO ENGAGE CODE COMPLIANCE, UM, GIVEN THE CONDITION OF THE PRIVATE PROPERTY PROPERTY. 
          AND HERE'S SOME PICTURES OF THAT PROPERTY. 
          THERE'S ACTUALLY ANOTHER PICTURE THAT'S ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE PROPERTY ON THE, ON THE STREET SIDE. 
          SO OVERALL, UM, I THINK THAT, THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT DID A GREAT JOB IN DOING OUTREACH, UM, AND EDUCATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND WE FEEL THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME POSITIVE IMPACTS ALREADY. 
          UM, SO GOING FORWARD, OUR PLAN IS TO INCORPORATE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH IN OUR APPROACH TO ADDRESSING ILLEGAL DUMPING. 
          UM, SO WHENEVER WE SEE, UM, ILLEGAL DUMPING, WE'LL LEAVE A FLYER WITH THE APARTMENT COMPLEX MANAGER, HOPEFULLY GET A CONVERSATION WITH THEM, SCHEDULE A MEETING, UM, DO SOME FOLLOW UP PHONE CALLS. 
          UM, AND SO WE ALSO PLAN TO CONTINUE EVALUATING THE IMPACTS OF THIS OUTREACH, UH, BY MONITORING SERVICE REQUESTS AND PARTICIPATION IN ED ECHO'S BULKY ITEM PICKUP PROGRAM. 
          SO THAT CONCLUDES, UH, MY FORMAL PRESENTATION. 
          ANY QUESTIONS FOR MYSELF OR EDCO? MICHELLE, GO AHEAD. 
          QUESTION. 
          UM, THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING GIVEN OUT, EITHER BY THE CITY OR BY EDCO, IS THAT DONE IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES? UH, AND IT'S CURRENT FORM, IT'S NOT, UM, IT COULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER GOING FORWARD. 
          I, GIVEN THE, UM, HOTSPOTS AND WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED AND WHERE THE, UM, A HIGH NUMBER OF, UH, RECENT IMMIGRANTS LOCATE, I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE A, A PRUDENT WAY TO GO. 
          UM, I KNOW PERSONALLY THAT I HAVE STOPPED SOMEONE FROM DUMPING A, UH, A SOFA AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE UNDERSTOOD ENGLISH ALL THAT WELL. 
          HE JUST KNEW THE WORD POLICE AND MY PHONE AND HE LOADED IT BACK UP INTO HIS VAN. 
          UM, OF COURSE I WAS YELLING AT HIM TOO. 
          SO, UH, A YELLING WOMAN AT ANY GUY IS PROBABLY GONNA SCARE 'EM OFF. 
          UM, BUT THAT WOULD BE A SUGGESTION IS TO HAVE IT DONE IN, IN SEVERAL LANGUAGES, JUST IN CASE THE APARTMENT MANAGERS DON'T DO IT. 
          I THINK SOMETIMES, UM, AND I'M JUST GUESSING THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE DUMPING AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES JUST BECAUSE THEY ALREADY SEE STUFF THERE, SO THEY'RE GONNA DUMP IT. 
          I KNOW ON MY STREET THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO PUT STUFF OUT FOR FREE, AND YES, AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS IT MIGHT BE GONE OR THE COUCHES ARE DISMANTLED FOR THEIR, UM, FOAM MATERIAL AND THE, THE DISASSEMBLED COUCHES LEFT THERE. 
          UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST DEPARTMENTS, BUT YES, IT IS, IT'S PREVALENT THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          GREAT FEEDBACK. 
          THANKS. 
          UM, THANKS DAM. 
          APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. 
          THIS IS AMAZING. 
          UM, UM, IT'S KIND OF A SIMILAR, UH, IT'S IN THE SAME VEIN, BUT NOT APARTMENT COMPLEXES. 
          SO I HAD A RESIDENT REACH OUT TO ME, MAYBE THIS IS SERENDIPITOUS, UH, MAYBE LIKE A MONTH AGO OR THREE WEEKS AGO, WHERE THEY, IT'S LUKE LANE AND, UH, LUKE LANE AND BROADWAY. 
          THERE'S A PRIVATE ALLEY, UM, THAT LUKE LANE AND I THINK BROADWAY SHARES. 
          AND SO LUKE LANE AND BROADWAY ARE IN THE CITY, BUT THAT ALLEY IS PRIVATELY OWNED. 
          AND SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THE CITY OR EDCO WOULD GO TO THE PRIVATE ALLEY OR WOULD THEY TO PICK THAT UP IF IT'S, IF THE RESIDENTS, IF THEY'RE RESIDENTS OF OKLAHOMA WITHIN THE CITY, WOULD, WOULD THAT STILL COUNT? WOULD THEY STILL BE ELIGIBLE TO PICK, PICK UP THOSE BULKY ITEMS FROM A MULTI-FAMILY IN AN ALLEYWAY? NO, IT'S A SINGLE FAMILY. 
          AND WHAT I, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THERE'S JUST, THE ALLEY IS STREWN WITH BULKY ITEMS AND THE RESIDENT IS SUSPICIOUS THAT HE THINKS IT'S THE ACTUAL RESIDENTS WHO ARE PUTTING IT BACK IN THE ALLEY. 
          UM, AND NOT SOMEONE JUST COMING AND LINING THE ALLEY. 
          AND SO I DON'T, MAYBE THIS IS AN OFF, MAYBE THIS IS A SIDE CONVERSATION, A SIDEBAR CONVERSATION, BUT SOMETHING TO TO THINK ABOUT. 
          YEAH. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          YEAH, WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT. 
          UM, I SUSPECT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME, SOME OPTIONS. 
          ALL THIS, 
          [00:35:01]
THIS PROGRAM WAS TARGETED AT APARTMENT COMPLEXES. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, SO THAT WAS KIND OF OUR FOCUS. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE COULD LOOK AT THAT. 
          I'VE WRITTEN DOWN THAT LOCATION, SO WE'LL GO DOWN THE LINE, STEVE. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          UH, BOY, YOU'VE BOTH DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THIS. 
          THIS IS IT, IT BEAUTIFIES THE CITY. 
          IT'S A COUNCIL GOAL. 
          IT'S SOMETHING WE ALL RECOGNIZE. 
          YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT MATERIALS TO GIVE TO THE APARTMENT MANAGERS. 
          UH, IT'S REALLY, AND YOU HAVE A PLAN GOING FORWARD. 
          THIS WAS REALLY A JOB WELL DONE. 
          THANK YOU HERE. 
          WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK EDCO FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT CORPORATE CITIZEN. 
          I MEAN, I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE THAT I GET, AND WHEN THERE'S A BULK ITEM PICKUP, THEY'RE RIGHT THERE AND OFF IT GOES. 
          BUT MY, MY QUESTION WAS, ARE THESE MOSTLY, UH, UH, SOFAS AND MATTRESSES? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF STUFF IS IT WERE WE TALKING ABOUT? I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE, FROM THE SITE VISIT WE DID, UM, THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY STUFF, BUT THIS ISN'T A RIGHT OF WAY. 
          WE SEE THIS EVERY DAY. 
          UM, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT METRICS, BUT OUR STAFF PICKS UP, UM, TONS AND TONS AND TONS OF DEBRIS OFF OUR STREETS EVERY YEAR. 
          AND SO, I MEAN, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, BARBECUE OR CAR DOOR, UM, A COUCH AND SECTIONAL LOOKS LIKE. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ITEMS THAT WE PICK UP. 
          AND THEN, UM, COULD WE PUT, UH, COULD WE ASK THE APARTMENTS MAYBE TO THE, THE ONES THAT ARE REALLY CAUSING THE PROBLEMS, THE HOTSPOTS? IF THEY COULD PUT UP A SIGN ACTUALLY SOMEWHERE THAT MOST OF THEIR TENANTS WOULD SEE IN MAYBE THREE OR FOUR LANGUAGES THAT WOULD TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, DON'T DO THIS. 
          AND MAYBE IS THERE ANY KIND OF FINE MORGAN THAT IF SOMEONE JUST DUMPED STUFF OUT IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY? WELL, YEAH, THERE IS, BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LOCATE THE PERSON. 
          YOU KNOW, IF YOU REMEMBER ALICE'S RESTAURANT, ARLO GUTHRIE GOT CAUGHT BECAUSE HE HAD AN ENVELOPE UNDERNEATH ONE HALF TON OF GARBAGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, . 
          THAT'S SORT OF LIKE WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE. 
          WE MAY NOT GET THAT ENVELOPE THAT HAS THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO DUMPS IT. 
          RIGHT. 
          BUT, BUT EVEN A WARNING OF A WHATEVER, A HUNDRED DOLLARS FINE OR WHATEVER IT IS, YOU KNOW, MIGHT GET THEIR ATTENTION. 
          THEY MIGHT THINK, WELL, I BETTER NOT DO THAT. 
          AND THEN, UH, HOW MANY, UH, LARGE OR BULKY ITEM PICKUPS, UH, ARE THERE ALLOWED IN A CAR APARTMENT COMPLEX? UH, FOUR PER YEAR PER UNIT, PER APARTMENT COMPLEX? PROBABLY. 
          OH, THERE'S, THERE'S NO REASON. 
          YEAH. 
          IF YOU HAD A HUNDRED, 400 A YEAR. 
          YEAH. 
          I MEAN, THAT'S A LOT. 
          AND SO THERE'S NO REASON FOR SOMEONE JUST TO DUMP THAT STUFF. 
          ALL IT TAKES IS ONE PHONE CALL AND MAYBE WE COULD PUT THE, THEY COULD PUT THE EDCO PHONE NUMBER ON THERE. 
          SO FOR BULKY ITEM PICKUPS, YOU KNOW, AVOID A HUNDRED DOLLARS FINE AND CALL EDCO TO PICK THIS UP FOR FREE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEAH, THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU DAVID. 
          APPRECIATE THAT. 
          UH, EDDIE SPEAKER CARDS SILENT. 
          NO SPEAKER CARD, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT, UH, BACK TO COUNSEL. 
          UM, JUST LOOKING TO RECEIVE THE REPORT. 
          MAYBE I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MESS, UH, MOTION. 
          MOTION TO RECEIVE THE REPORT. 
          SECOND, PLEASE. 
          HOLD. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO GRAHAM, DID YOU WANNA MOVE ITEM NINE? IF WE GO TO GEN 10 BEFORE NINE, THAT'D BE HELPFUL. 
          OKAY. 
          THIS, THIS IS A COGNITIVE TEST FOR ME, ISN'T IT? ? LET'S SEE IF I CAN HANDLE IT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          THIS IS THE, WAIT, THIS IS THE SAFER GRANT? CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          WE 
          [10. Consideration of Submitting a FY 2025 SAFER Grant Application for Staffing of Engine 208 RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council provides direction to staff regarding whether to apply for the FY 2025 SAFER Grant to fund staffing for Engine 208 and, if so, at what level.]
HAVE FOUR ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. 
          ITEM 10 IS THE CONSIDERATION FOR A SAFER GRANT APPLICATION. 
          CITY MANAGER GRANT MITCHELL WILL TELL US ALL ABOUT THIS. 
          THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. 
          WE CAN GET THE PRESENTATION UP. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO, UM, THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS, UH, AGENDA ITEM IS TO UPDATE THE CITY COUNCIL ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE SAFER GRANT. 
          AS YOU RECALL, THE SAFER GRANT IS A GRANT THAT ALLOWS US TO HELP FUND SOME 
          [00:40:01]
OF OUR, UM, FIRE PERSONNEL, THE ADDED FIRE PERSONNEL THAT, THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED THROUGH SEVERAL WORKSHOPS. 
          UH, THERE ARE SOME BUDGET IMPLICATIONS RELATED TO THIS APPLICATION AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THE CITY COUNCIL'S DIRECTION WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE B BUDGET RAMIFICATIONS. 
          AND, AND WE ALSO WANT THE COUNCIL TO GO INTO THIS WIDE, UH, UM, EYES WIDE OPEN. 
          SO, WITH THAT, JUST FOR SOME BACKGROUND, WE APPLIED FOR THE GRANT LAST YEAR. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE WERE NOT AWARDED, UM, THE CURRENT DRAFT BUDGET, WHICH IS PART OF THE AGENDA PACKET, DOES FUND THREE POSITIONS. 
          AS YOU RECALL, WE'RE GONNA FUND ONE THIRD OF THE NINE PERSONNEL THAT'S NEEDED TO OPERATE ENGINE 2 0 8. 
          AND THIS BUDGET ANTICIPATES FUNDING THREE OF THOSE POSITIONS. 
          UH, THE SAFER GRANT DEADLINE IS COMING UP NEXT WEEK. 
          UH, THERE ARE SOME CHANGES THIS YEAR IN HOW THE MATCHING OR THE, THE GRANT MATCHING REQUIREMENTS, THEY'RE ASKING FOR A MATCH OF 25% IN YEARS ONE AND TWO, AND THEN IT KICKS UP TO 65% IN YEAR THREE. 
          AND, UM, THE MA UH, THE GRANT ONLY COVERS WHAT'S CALLED BASE SALARY, SO THAT THAT ENDS UP BEING ABOUT 71% OF THE TOTAL PERSONNEL COSTS. 
          IT DOES NOT INCLUDE FUEL AND OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT'S REQUIRED FOR FIRE ENGINE AS WELL. 
          UM, BUT THAT'S A, IT'S SIGNIFICANT WHEN I SHOW YOU THE NUMBERS OF, OF HOW MUCH WOULD BE APPLYING FOR. 
          UM, SO FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND, UH, TO OPERATE A FULL ENGINE, 2 0 8 PERSONNEL, UH, EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA, IS ABOUT $2.55 MILLION ANNUALLY. 
          DOES NOT, THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE A SINKING FUND TO REPLACE THE FIRE ENGINE. 
          UM, BUT JUST TO OPERATE ANNUALLY FOR A FULL NINE PERSON CREW IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. 
          UM, BECAUSE THE BASE SALARY IS ONLY COVERED BY THE SAFER GRANT, WE DID PULL THAT OUT. 
          THAT ENDS UP BEING ABOUT $1.8 MILLION PER YEAR. 
          UM, AND THEN OVER THE TOTAL THREE YEAR PERIOD, THERE'D BE $5.4 MILLION OF BASE SALARY PAID, NOT INCLUDING THE OTHER EXPENDITURES, THE, THE, THE, UM, UH, BENEFITS AND OTHER, OTHER COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RUNNING AN ENGINE. 
          UM, AS WE SAID BEFORE, THE MATCHING GRANT ONLY COVERS THE BASE SALARY AND, UH, THE CITY WILL COVER 100% OF ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS RELATED TO OPERATING ENGINE 2 0 8. 
          SO, UM, THE STAFF REPORT IDENTIFIES THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO CONSIDER. 
          ONE IS TO APPLY FOR THE ENTIRE NINE PERSON STAFFING FOR THE ENGINE. 
          UM, THAT WOULD COST THE CITY OUR, PER OUR, OUR COST DIRECTLY WOULD BE $4.5 MILLION. 
          OVER THE THREE YEAR PERIOD. 
          THE GRANT WOULD PAY FOR $3.2 MILLION. 
          SO WE WOULD BE PAYING MORE THAN HALF, BUT, BUT $3.2 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY. 
          UM, BECAUSE THE GRANT DOES NOT SUPPLANT PERSONNEL HAVING POSITIONS FUNDED IN THE BUDGET, IN THE CURRENT DRAFT BUDGET SHOULD BE PULLED OUT IF THAT'S THE OPTION THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO TAKE, BECAUSE ONCE THEY'RE IN THE BUDGET, THEY'RE ACTUALLY POSITIONS THAT EXIST AND THEN THEY WOULD NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GRANT. 
          AND SO IF THAT'S THE OPTION YOU TAKE, THEN I WILL GIVE SOME DIRECTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL WHEN WE GET TO ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET, HOW TO PULL THOSE, THOSE, UM, PEOPLE OUT. 
          THE REASON I SAY APPLY FOR EIGHT TO NINE POSITIONS, WE HAVE MADE AN OFFER TO ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PART OF THE THREE PERSON CREW. 
          AND SO WE WOULD NEED TO SEE WHETHER THAT'S THEY'RE AN ELIGIBLE PERSON TO APPLY FOR OR WE MAY HAVE ALREADY HIRED THEM AND THEY MAY NOT BE ELIGIBLE. 
          THAT'S WHY I'VE GIVEN A LITTLE BIT OF LEEWAY BETWEEN EIGHT AND NINE AND NINE POSITIONS. 
          THE OTHER OPTION IS TO FUND THE THREE THAT YOU, THAT ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED IN THE BUDGET THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. 
          AND THEN TO GO AFTER THE GRANT AND APPLY FOR THE SIX ADDITIONAL POSITIONS. 
          UM, AGAIN, THAT WOULD COST, OVERALL IT WOULD INCREASE OUR TOTAL COST. 
          'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA TAKE, UM, WE'RE GONNA PAY 100% OF THOSE THREE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS AND WE'D GET LESS GRANT MONEY. 
          BUT AGAIN, $2.3 MILLION IS SIGNIFICANT MONEY. 
          UH, IT DOES LOWER THE GRANT SHARE, UH, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS MAYBE US TO HIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRATEGICALLY RATHER THAN ALL AT ONE TIME. 
          AND PERHAPS IT MAKES THE GRANT APPLICATION A LITTLE MORE COMPETITIVE 'CAUSE IT'S LESS MONEY. 
          AND IT ALSO SHOWS THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO ALREADY FUNDING THREE POSITIONS. 
          AND THE GRANT WILL HELP US GET A FULLY FUNCTIONAL ENGINE TWO EIGHT. 
          THE OTHER OPTION IS TO, UM, FUND THE THREE POSITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY FOUND IN THE DRAFT BUDGET AND THEN TO NOT APPLY THIS YEAR, KIND OF SEE WHERE IT GOES AND THINK ABOUT APPLYING FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          UM, 
          [00:45:01]
I DON'T KNOW. 
          THE ONLY ADVANTAGE OF THAT WOULD BE ONCE YOU APPLY FOR THE GRANT UNDER EITHER SCENARIO, YOU HAVE COMMITTED, UM, SOME SIGNIFICANT MONEY TO THE GENERAL FUND OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. 
          UH, NOT APPLYING DOESN'T, IT ONLY, UH, DOES NOT, DOES NOT LOCK YOU INTO THOSE EXPENDITURES OVER THE ADDITIONAL THREE YEARS. 
          SO WITH THAT, STAFF'S HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, GET ANY FEEDBACK, BUT IF, UH, WE GOT SOME DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, WE CAN GET A GRAND APPLICATION IN BY THE DEADLINE AND HOPEFULLY BE COMPETITIVE. 
          SO WITH THAT, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          QUESTIONS FOR GRAHAM GARY. 
          SO UNDER NOTES WHERE IT SAYS, UH, REQUIRES REMOVING TWO TO THREE POSITIONS FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET. 
          GOOD. 
          THOSE ARE PROPOSED POSITIONS IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. 
          THOSE WOULD BE THE ADDED POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED ON BY THE COUNCIL IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE WOULDN'T PROPOSE THE, WE WOULD TAKE THAT OUT OF THE BUDGET AND HOPEFULLY WE WOULD GET THE GRANT MONEY TO, TO RESTORE THOSE POSITION OR TO PUT THOSE POSITIONS BACK IN? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M, UH, I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          THAT ALWAYS COMES NUMBER ONE FOR ME. 
          AND I'D FEEL REALLY BAD IF SOMEBODY DIED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS ON DUTY. 
          SO I, I'M, UH, UH, A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO TAKE MONEY THAT'S IN RESERVES ONE TIME MONEY AND USE IT FOR, UH, ONGOING SALARY EXPENSES. 
          BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY IS SO IMPORTANT. 
          UH, I THINK THAT OUTWEIGHS MY RELUCTANCE. 
          SO I, I THINK THAT THE OPTION ONE IS PRUDENT AND MAKES OUR CITIZENS SAFER. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, MICHELLE, I THINK GRAHAM, UM, QUESTION, DIDN'T WE AGREE TO STAFF TWO THIRDS OR TWO OUT OF THE THREE SHIFTS NECESSARY? NO, JUST ONE THIRD. 
          JUST ONE THIRD. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          OKAY. 
          SO ONE THIRD ONLY. 
          AND THAT WOULD BE HOW MANY PEOPLE? THAT'D BE THREE INDIVIDUALS. 
          SO THERE'D BE A, A CAPTAIN, A FIRE ENGINEER, AND A FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC. 
          OKAY. 
          NEXT QUESTION. 
          WHEN WILL WE RECEIVE, UH, ENGINE 2 0 8? SO WE HAVE ENGINE 2 0 8. 
          IT'S, IT'S AVAILABLE, IT'S READY TO GO. 
          UH, JUST MISSING THE PEOPLE ON IT. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, SO WE, AS YOU RECALL, WE STARTED THE PROCESS OF HIRING THE FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDICS. 
          THE TESTING FOR ENGINEERS IS COMING UP LATER THIS SUMMER, EARLY FALL. 
          AND THE TESTING FOR THE CAPTAIN IS SHORTLY THEREAFTER. 
          OKAY. 
          AND HOW LONG, UM, TO GET READY TO DEPLOY IT, IT'LL TAKE US JUST FROM A STAFFING PERSPECTIVE, AT LEAST UNTIL NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER TO HAVE THE ENGINE TWO EIGHT STAFFED WITH THE ONE THIRD LEVELS. 
          AND IF WE APPLY FOR THIS GRANT, WHEN WOULD WE FIND OUT, UH, NOTIFICATION AS ASSUMING THE GRANT SCHEDULE IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF LAST YEAR, WHICH IT HASN'T BEEN THUS FAR, BUT ASSUMING IT WERE, WE WOULD KNOW TOWARDS THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. 
          SO AROUND LATE NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER. 
          UM, AND AS, AS A DOLE OUT THE MONEY, THERE WAS SOME LATE STRAGGLERS THAT WERE EVEN NOTIFIED INTO EARLY JANUARY. 
          SO IN ESSENCE, IF WE APPROVE THIS TODAY, WE COULD HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE DEPLOYED. 
          EVERYBODY HIRED AND DEPLOYED OUT HOPING THAT WE GET THE GRANT? NO, IF, IF WE APPLY FOR THE GRANT UNDER SCENARIO ONE, YOU USE OPTION ONE, WE WOULD HOLD OFF ON ANY HIRING UNTIL WE GOT NOTICE THAT THE GRANT WAS RECEIVED. 
          BECAUSE IF WE WERE TO START HIRING BEFORE THEN, THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE TO BE GRANT PAID FOR. 
          SO EVERYTHING WOULD GO ON HOLD UNTIL WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE GRANT. 
          IF THE, IF OPTION TWO IS TAKEN, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD THE RECRUITMENT FOR THE ONE THIRD OF THE ENGINE COMPANY, UM, WHICH WOULD BE ONGOING. 
          AND AGAIN, WE'D PROBABLY GET IT FILLED AROUND THAT NOVEMBER, EARLY DECEMBER TIME. 
          AND THEN IF WE GOT THE GRANT, THEN WE WOULD BEGIN TO RECRUIT FOR THE OTHER ADDITIONAL SIX POSITIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          SO AS FAR AS BENEFITS TO THE CITY OR TO THE RESIDENTS, IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION 
          [00:50:01]
AS FAR AS WE ALREADY HAVE OUR ENGINE, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. 
          WE'RE GOING TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT, BUT WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          CAN YOU TELL ME PROS AND CONS OR WHAT, WHAT, LET ME REPHRASE THAT. 
          SO, SO OPTION ONE DOES SLOW DOWN THE OVERALL IMPLEMENTATION. 
          SO ENGINE, SO OPTION ONE WOULD TAKE LONGER TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE INDIVIDUAL, OR AT LEAST ONE CREW WORKING ON THE FIRE ENGINE. 
          IT WOULD DELAY IT BY A FEW MONTHS, BUT NOT, NOT SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT BY A FEW MONTHS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, IT, IT ENDS UP, SO I WOULDN'T EVEN MAKE THAT AS A FACTOR TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. 
          I THINK WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS DO YOU WANNA HAVE SOMETHING UP AND RUNNING RIGHT NOW OR SOONER? AND IN EXCHANGE FOR THAT, YOU'RE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE MORE FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO PAY FOR THAT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, OR DO YOU WANNA TRY TO GO FOR THE ENTIRE THING, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THE RUN THE RISK OF NOT BEING FUNDED AGAIN. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT FUNDED AGAIN, THEN WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND WE'RE MONTHS BEHIND WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE. 
          SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE PROS AND CONS. 
          IT, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF HOW MUCH FUTURE GENERAL FUND DOES THE CITY COUNCIL WANT TO ALLOCATE TO ENGINE 2 0 8. 
          THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO. 
          THE LEVEL OF CALLS FOR SERVICE THAT 2 0 8 WOULD BE SERVICING. 
          ARE THEY, ARE THOSE NUMBERS, UM, KIND OF PUSHING TO GET THIS STAFFED AND OUT? THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE ISSUE. 
          AS YOU RECALL, ENGINE OR STATION EIGHT IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST STATIONS IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION. 
          WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL, IS ONCE THAT ENGINE 2 0 8 IS DEPLOYED, ARE WE RESPONDING TO CALLS WITHIN THE CITY OF EL CAJON OR ARE WE HAVING LAKESIDE SAN MIGUEL RESPOND LESS TO EL CAJON? OR ARE WE RESPONDING MORE TO THOSE OTHER JURISDICTIONS? WE DON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL, RIGHT. 
          WE ACTUALLY GET GOING. 
          BUT LOGICALLY WE KNOW THAT ENGINE TWO EIGHT GETS A LOT OF CALLS. 
          WE KNOW THAT WE, WE RECEIVE MORE ASSISTANCE FROM OUTSIDE, UM, AGENCIES AND WE GIVE, RIGHT? AND SO IT SHOULD PROVIDE A GREATER LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR OWN COMMUNITY AND HELP BALANCE OUT THAT TRADE DEFICIT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. 
          RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. 
          UM, IT STILL WON'T FIX AREAS LIKE, FRANKLY WHERE YOU LIVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE ENGINE TWO EIGHT WILL STILL NOT BE THE CLOSEST ENGINE STATION TO YOU. 
          RIGHT. 
          OR ENGINE TO YOU. 
          IT'LL STILL BE MIGUEL 19, SAN MIGUEL. 
          RIGHT. 
          BUT IT'LL HELP COVER THOSE OTHER AREAS THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE LACKING COVERAGE. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND ANYBODY CAN LOOK AT PULSEPOINT AND LOOK AT THE MAP AND SEE IF YOU FOLLOW THE DIFFERENT, UM, FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM THE DIFFERENT CITIES. 
          YOU CAN SEE WHERE, WHERE THE CALLS ARE GOING. 
          UM, SO NUMBER TWO IN YOUR OPINION WOULD BE THE BEST OPTION. 
          I I, I DON'T HAVE A PREFERENCE. 
          I THINK IT, IT COMES DOWN TO AN APPETITE FOR THE COUNCIL OF HOW MUCH GENERAL FUND YOU WANNA COMMIT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO ENGINE 2 0 8. 
          OKAY. 
          I'LL LET SOMEONE ELSE ASK QUESTIONS. 
          STEVE, PLEASE. 
          UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US CHOICES. 
          UH, I HAVE A QUESTION BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON THE, THE OPTIONS, THE GRANT PORTION OF 2.3 MILLION ON OPTION TWO IN AN EARLIER SLIDE YOU SAID, UH, IT'S FOR BASE SALARY ONLY AND FOR NINE FIREFIGHTERS WOULD BE 1.8 MILLION. 
          SO I'M SAYING THAT'S ABOUT 200,000 IN PAY. 
          AND THAT PAYS NOT JUST BASE SALARY, IT'S BASE SALARY PLUS THE TAXES AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST PURE. 
          CORRECT. 
          AND, AND ANY EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVES THAT ARE UNIVERSAL? SOME OF THOSE, OF COURSE, YES. 
          OKAY. 
          SO I'M KIND OF SAYING, SO SIX POSITIONS AT A BASE SALARY WOULD BE 200,000 TIMES SIX POSITIONS WOULD BE 1.2 MILLION PER YEAR THAT WE WOULD GET FROM THE GRANT TIMES THREE YEARS WOULD BE 3.6 MILLION IF I DID MY MATH RIGHT. 
          AND WHEN I SEE 2.3, I'M GOING, I THINK WE'RE GONNA GET MORE MONEY THAN 2.3 MILLION. 
          DO, DO, IS MY MATH OFF? I I'M RELYING ON THE GRANT APPLICATION. 
          I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW. 
          THERE'S A FORMULA THAT GOES INTO IT. 
          OKAY. 
          I I DON'T HAVE THAT MATH BEHIND ME. 
          FAIR ENOUGH. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, I, OPTION THREE I DON'T LIKE BECAUSE IT JUST SAYS, HEY, WE'RE NOT GONNA APPLY FOR A GRANT. 
          AND THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME WHEN THERE'S MONEY OUT THERE. 
          OPTION ONE IS A RISK FOR ME BECAUSE WE COULD SAY NO HIRING, WE'RE GONNA WAIT TILL WE HEAR IF WE GOT THE GRANT AND THAT COULD BE NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER, WHICH MEANS WE DO NOTHING. 
          THAT ENGINE THAT WE HAVE NOW, WE DO NOTHING UNTIL NOVEMBER, DECEMBER. 
          AND IF THEY SAY NO, 
          [00:55:01]
NOW WE'RE REALLY BEHIND BECAUSE WELL NOW WE GOTTA GO OUT AND HIRE THREE OR SIX OR, OR WHATEVER. 
          SO OPTION ONE TO ME WAS TOO MUCH OF A RISK TO WAIT. 
          AND THEN IF IT DOESN'T, WE'RE DONE. 
          OPTION TWO MAKES SENSE TO ME. 
          I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE NUMBERS, BUT, BUT WE COULD, UH, GET THAT GOING SOONER THAN LATER WITH THE THREE THAT COMES OUT OF OUR POCKET. 
          WE CAN APPLY FOR THE REMAINING SIX FOR THE GRANT. 
          IF WE GET IT, GREAT. 
          IF WE DON'T, WE'LL WE'LL JUST GO WITH A THREE TILL WE FIND ANOTHER SOLUTION. 
          THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME BECAUSE YOU GOTTA GET GOING. 
          YOU CAN'T STEER A PARKED CAR AT SOME POINT. 
          YOU HAVE TO START THE ENGINE AND, AND ROLL AND COURSE CORRECT FROM THERE, WHICH IS WHAT OPTION TWO IS FOR ME IN A SENSE, IT, THIS THING IS A PILOT, UH, A PROGRAM WITH THE THREE SAYING, UH, LET'S SEE IF THIS REDUCES RESPONSE TIMES AS THE GOAL IS VERSUS WAITING FOR OTHERS TO COME INTO OUR CITY. 
          AND HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING OUTSIDE OF THE AREA TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO SOMEONE ELSE THAT IS THAT, WHAT ARE THE COSTS, SAVINGS AND WHAT RESPONSE TIMES ARE THOSE TWO? FOR THAT REASON, I'D SAY OPTION TWO, LET'S GO WITH THE THREE NOW AND LET'S ROLL THE DICE ON GETTING SIX IN FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AND GO FROM THERE. 
          GARY, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH, UM, I LIKE OPTION ONE 'CAUSE THE CITY COST IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN OPTION TWO FOR THOSE THREE YEARS. 
          AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND STEVE'S CONCERN ABOUT DELAYING, UH, GETTING MORE FIREFIGHTERS, BUT BOY, WE GET A REALLY GOOD, UH, RETURN HERE IF WE'D GO WITH NUMBER ONE. 
          AND, UH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY BEST CHOICE. 
          I I I WOULDN'T BE, UH, SUPER DISAPPOINTED IF WE WENT WITH NUMBER TWO. 
          BUT, UH, I THINK NUMBER ONE, GIVE US THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK, PHIL. 
          YEAH, THANKS MR. MAYOR. 
          UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE AS, AS A COUNCIL, THERE'S REALLY NO GOOD OPTIONS HERE. 
          YOU KNOW, UM, IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE'D BE ABLE TO FILL POSITIONS AND WE'D HAVE THE BUDGET FOR IT. 
          UM, I'M EXTRAORDINARILY NERVOUS ABOUT PULLING OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND RESERVES. 
          UM, THAT SEEMS MORE OF A RISK TO ME, UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET AND WE ARE CUTTING ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? 5% ISH. 
          WE WE ARE, UM, WE ARE CUTTING ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          HOWEVER, THESE ARE FUTURE EXPENDITURES INTO FUTURE YEARS. 
          UM, I'M NOT SAYING THAT MONEY'S GONNA FALL FROM, FROM HEAVENS, UH, OF $5.35 MILLION, BUT, BUT YOU, YOU MAKE DECISIONS THIS YEAR AND YOU'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE YEARS. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO THAT, I THOUGHT IT'D BE IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL AT LEAST TO BE AWARE OF TWO YEARS FROM NOW AS WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT YOU'LL REMEMBER WHY WE MADE THIS DECISION TODAY BASED ON THE CONVERSATION YOU HAD. 
          SO YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE HARD PART YOU'RE IN AND WHO KNOWS IF, I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL. 
          WE DON'T KNOW IF, YOU KNOW THE FOLLOWING YEARS. 
          WE HAVE TO MAKE EVEN MORE CUTS. 
          COULD BE GREAT. 
          COULD BE HORRIBLE. 
          YEAH. 
          DON'T KNOW. 
          UM, I, I FEEL LIKE I'M LEANING WITH, UH, NUMBER ONE, UM, TO MITIGATE THE FINANCIAL RISK FOR THE FUTURE. 
          UM, AND YOU KNOW, I I, I'M KIND OF LOOKING THIS AT THIS, YOU KNOW, THE GRANT IS DICTATING OUR MOVE, UM, WHICH IS NOT A GREAT PLAN, BUT IT'S REALLY THE, IN MY RESPECT, THE ONLY CARD WE HAVE IS TO STAFF UP. 
          AND SO IF WE'RE GONNA GO FOR A GRANT, WE MIGHT AS WELL GO ALL THE WAY. 
          AND NOT HALF OF IT IS MY THOUGHT. 
          AND THEN, UM, AND ONE OF LABOR'S BIGGEST THINGS WAS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CITY AS BEST AS POSSIBLE. 
          AS LONG AS THERE'S SOME KIND OF VISION AND LONG-TERM GOAL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WILLING TO, TO, TO WORK WITH US. 
          THAT WAS, IT SEEMED LIKE AFTER THE, 
          [01:00:01]
THE WHOLE MEETING AND OUR SUMMIT WORKSHOP, IT WAS, LISTEN, WE, WE, WE LOVE WORKING WITH THE CITY. 
          WE WANNA BE THERE FOR 'EM. 
          AND THE LAST THING THAT THEY SAID WAS, AS LONG AS THERE'S SOME KIND OF VISION FOR IT. 
          AND, UM, I, I FEEL LIKE IF WE'RE GONNA GO FOR THE GRANT, WE SHOULD GO ALL THE WAY. 
          AND I DON'T WANNA STRAP THE CITY INTO MORE MONEY IN THE FUTURE GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE ECONOMY. 
          UM, AND WE'RE GONNA THEN HAVE TO DIG INTO, IF WE DON'T GET THE GRANT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DIG INTO SAVINGS MORE AND MORE FOR AN ONGOING COST. 
          AND UH, I WAS GONNA SAY ONE OTHER THING I FORGOT. 
          UM, OH, THAT'S TWO. 
          IF WE DON'T GET THE GRANT THIS TIME, SO WE'VE APPLIED ONCE, BEEN DENIED, WE'RE GONNA APPLY A SECOND TIME IF WE DON'T GET, UH, THE GRANT AFTER THIS SECOND APPLICATION. 
          , I'VE NEVER APPLIED FOR GRANTS. 
          THIS TYPE OF GRANT. 
          WHAT'S YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION OF DO WE BASE OUR STRATEGY ON GETTING GRANTS MOVING FORWARD? I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT, OH, GRANTS ARE THE, THEY'LL FIX IT ALL RIGHT. 
          JUST APPLY FOR A GRANT. 
          AND THAT RARELY IS THE ANSWER. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, IN, IN THIS CASE, AND I KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS A CONCERN, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE WELL? BUT A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON WHO ELSE IS APPLYING. 
          THAT'S A BIG COMPONENT OF WHO'S APPLYING FROM YEAR TO YEAR. 
          SO IF, IF WE DON'T GET IT, I WOULD NOT DISSUADE US FROM APPLYING AGAIN. 
          UM, HOWEVER, IF IF THE GRANT DIDN'T GO IN, THE CITY COUNCIL DOES ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION TO SAY, OKAY, WE DIDN'T GET IT. 
          LET'S FUND THE THREE THAT WE COMMITTED TO FUNDING ALREADY. 
          YOU'VE ALREADY COMMITTED TO DOING THAT. 
          YOU FUND THOSE AND THEN MAYBE HAVING THE, THE SIX POSITIONS INSTEAD OF THE TOTAL NINE POSITIONS, MAYBE IT MAKES YOU A LITTLE MORE COMPETITIVE. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, I I FEEL LIKE I'M LEANING TOWARDS ONE. 
          UM, I WOULDN'T BE EXTRAORDINARILY DISAPPOINTED WITH TWO, BUT I JUST, I'M, I'M, I DON'T LIKE NOT MAXIMIZING THE GRANT THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR AND THE, THE HIGHER COST. 
          LEMME GO AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE CAN COME BACK AND DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          UH, THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          YEAH, STEVE. 
          SO LET'S SAY THAT WE DID OPTION TWO AND WE SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TRY FOR SIX. 
          DOES THAT PRECLUDE US FROM THE FOLLOWING YEAR FOR APPLYING FOR THE FINAL THREE? AND I UNDERSTAND THE GRANT MEANS IT COULD ONLY BE FOR NEW HIRES. 
          SO LET'S SAY THE ORIGINAL THREE THAT WE START TODAY, THEY MOVE INTO ATTRITION OR SOMETHING ELSE. 
          AND THEN THE, THE SIX PLUS THREE, THE THREE ARE NEW HIRES. 
          IS THAT POSSIBLE? A AS LONG AS, AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT, AS LONG AS THE GRANT IS NOT PAYING FOR A BUDGETED POSITION THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE. 
          SO IF YOU, IF YOU BRING ON THE THREE, FRANKLY, AND THEN LET'S SAY YOU BRING ON THE TWO THIRDS RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TWO THIRDS OF A CREW YOU CAN APPLY FOR THAT THIRD IN, IN A FUTURE YEAR. 
          AND THIS GRANT IS FOR THREE YEARS. 
          SO IN THE FOURTH YEAR, WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR THE WHOLE COST OF WHATEVER WE DECIDE. 
          THAT'S, REGARDLESS OF WHICH OPTION YOU TAKE YEAR FOUR, YOU'RE ON THE HOOK FOR IT ALL. 
          SO IF WE, UM, GET TO YEAR FOUR AND IT'S ALL BEEN FUNDED BY THE SAFER GRANT, THEN IT POTENTIALLY ALL GOES AWAY IN YEAR FOUR. 
          UNLESS WE DIP INTO RESERVES. 
          ASSUMING YOU CAN'T MAKE ROOM IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, RIGHT? YES. 
          YOU WOULD HAVE TO EITHER MAKE THE DECISION OF CUTTING THAT ENGINE COMPANY OR FUNDING IT THROUGH YOUR RE RESERVES. 
          AND I'M NOT A FAN OF FUNDING OPERATIONS THROUGH RESERVES. 
          I THINK RESERVES IS SHORT TERM MONEY. 
          UH, I WOULD JUST HATE TO BE IN A POSITION IN FOUR YEARS TO SAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA GET RID OF THE ENTIRE ENGINE BECAUSE ALL NINE POSITIONS WERE FUNDED BY A GRANT. 
          AND UNLESS WE FIND ROOM IN THE BUDGET, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO DARK. 
          OPTION TWO, FOR ME AT LEAST, SAYS, HEY, AT LEAST WE HAVE THREE TO FUND, UH, THE BUSIEST SHIFT OF THE DAY. 
          I, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE AGAINST ANY OF THESE OPTIONS IF MY COLLEAGUES CHOOSE A DIFFERENT OPTION. 
          'CAUSE I'M NOT GONNA VOTE AGAINST ENGINE 2 0 8, RIGHT? UH, BUT I DON'T LIKE THE MATH UP THERE. 
          BUT IN CONCEPT, UH, I, I'D RATHER LOCK IN THREE. 
          LET'S MEASURE IT. 
          LET'S TEST IT. 
          LET'S LOOK AT RESPONSE TIMES. 
          LET'S LOOK AT MUTUAL AID AND THAT'LL GIVE US GOOD DATA. 
          I'M JUST CONCERNED IF WE FUND THIS WHOLE THING WITH THE GRANT, WE'RE ALL IN AND THEN WE'RE ALL OUT IF IT, IF WE CAN'T DO IT IN THE FUTURE. 
          SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING, STEVE, THAT IT'S GONNA BE EASIER 
          [01:05:01]
TO OFFLOAD THREE INSTEAD OF ALL OF THEM IF WE'RE PUT LIKE YOU'RE THINKING WORST CASE SCENARIO, I'M THINKING, UH, OPTION TWO IS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET, RIGHT. 
          THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO APPROVE. 
          RIGHT. 
          SO WE COULD THEORETICALLY KEEP FUNDING THREE GOING FORWARD, RIGHT? INSTEAD OF HAVING EVERYONE FUNDED BY THE GRANT AND THEN IT'S GONE. 
          AND THEN NOW WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LOW. 
          LET'S FIND ROOM IN THE BUDGET. 
          INSTEAD OF IT GOING LIKE THIS AND LIKE THAT, WE'RE LIKE THIS. 
          YES, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE COFFEE. 
           ROLL TALK DOWN. 
          YEAH, YEAH. 
          NO, I, I, I MEAN THAT I FINISHED MY THOUGHT IS ALL I MEANT TO SAY. 
          BUT LIKE I SAID, THERE'S NO GOOD OPTIONS HERE, YOU KNOW? WELL, UM, I, I AGREE. 
          I, I, I COULD GO FOR ONE OR FOR TWO. 
          I COULD BE PERSUADED EITHER WAY. 
          I, UM, YEAH. 
          I STAFF DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER MORE WISDOM FOR US OR, I, I, I'LL JUST SHARE THIS. 
          I THINK THE DILEMMA IS OPTION TWO, YOU HAVE A BIGGER POTENTIAL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT MM-HMM . 
          BUT YOU DO HAVE A WAY TO MITIGATE THE RISK A LITTLE BIT MORE. 
          SO EVEN THOUGH THE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT MAY BE MORE, THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY TO MITIGATE RISK. 
          THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO PUT IT. 
          BUT THAT'S, BUT THAT'S HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT? LIKE, THAT'S THE BALANCE. 
          CAN, CAN I ASK ANOTHER QUESTION? ON THE SAFER GRANT, DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE AS TO THE AWARDEES THAT ACTUALLY DID RECEIVE IT AND THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC? GREAT, GREAT, GREAT QUESTION. 
          WE ACTUALLY HAVE PULLED UP FOUR AWARD, UH, WINNING AWARDS. 
          YEAH. 
          UH, WE HAVE LOOKED AT OUR APPLICATION, WE LOOKED AT THEIR APPLICATION. 
          UH, FRANKLY, SOME OF THE CITIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ARE FAR WORSE OFF FINANCIALLY THAN EL CAJON, THAT THAT COULD BE A FACTOR THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT BROWNING OUT STATIONS. 
          THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT REDUCING STAFFING, PUBLIC SAFETY, STAFFING, UM, WITH SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DEFICITS. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU'RE NOT AS BAD OFF AS THEY ARE, AND THAT MIGHT BE THE BAD NEWS IS THAT HURTS YOU. 
          I, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S PROBABLY THE REASON WHY IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT HOW WELL RUN WE ARE. 
          AND, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO, IT'S ALSO HELPFUL TO SEE HOW THEY WORDED SOMETHING. 
          SO I THINK WE'VE LEARNED SOME LESSONS FROM SORT OF THE WINNING APPLICATIONS OF HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR APPLICATION MORE COMPETITIVE IN THIS NEXT ROUND. 
          GO AHEAD, STEVE. 
          GIVING YOU SOME CREDIT FOR A CONVERSATION WE HAD, I THINK WHEN WE APPLIED FOR THE SAFER GRANT LAST YEAR, IT WAS TO FUND THE ENTIRE THING, JUST LIKE OPTION ONE IS, AND I THINK YOU FELT WE DIDN'T GET THE GRANT BECAUSE THOSE THAT GOT THE GRANT ALREADY HAD A LITTLE BIT GOING. 
          AND THE SAFER GRANT BOOSTED THAT. 
          AND I THINK THAT WAS MY RASH, ONE OF MY RATIONALES FOR OPTION TWO GET THREE. 
          AND THE SAFER GRANT SAYS, OH, YOU'RE TRYING, YOU'VE MADE A COMMITMENT. 
          LET'S BOOST THAT FOR YOU. 
          AND I THINK THAT WAS A, A POSSIBLE REASON WHY SOME OF THOSE GRANTEES GOT THE GRANT. 
          I THINK IT CERTAINLY MAKES IT MORE COMPETITIVE. 
          'CAUSE I THINK THE GOAL OF THE GRANT IS TO GET MORE FIREFIGHTERS ON THE STREET. 
          SO YOU'VE ALREADY GOTTEN ONE THIRD OF THE WAY THERE. 
          YOU'RE JUST ASKING THE FEDS TO HELP WITH THE OTHER TWO THIRDS. 
          THAT, THAT WOULD BE AN ARGUMENT FOR THAT. 
          AND THAT WOULD BE A, AN ARGUMENT AGAINST SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY, ANY SCHEME IN THE GAME. 
          CAN YOU FUND IT ALL FOR US? WELL, AND I, I DON'T KNOW THAT, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, MAKE A GAME PLAN BASED OFF OF A GRANT ISN'T GREAT, . 
          I DON'T, THAT'S NOT A GREAT OPTION. 
          SO YEAH, I, I'VE, I'M, I'D BE OKAY WITH GIVING STAFF DIRECTION FOR OPTION TWO, UM, BECAUSE AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST KEEP STRIKING OUT, STRIKING OUT, STRIKING OUT YEAR OVER YEAR. 
          IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A MOVE, WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOVE. 
          AND I DON'T THINK IT, I THINK IT'S DISINGENUOUS, UM, TO, TO JUST KEEP STRINGING, STRINGING THIS ALONG. 
          YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME KIND OF A COMMITMENT. 
          AND I, YEAH, I'D BE OKAY WITH NUMBER TWO. 
          YEAH. 
          GARY? YEAH. 
          UM, I THINK STEVE MADE A GOOD POINT I THAT OUR CHANCES WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER WITH NUMBER TWO. 
          SO, UH, I THINK HE MADE A COMPELLING ARGUMENT ON THAT. 
          SO, SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE COME TO A, I'M OKAY WITH, WITH NUMBER, WITH, UH, OPTION TWO. 
          WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? UH, I'LL MOVE THAT WE, UH, GO WITH OPTION NUMBER TWO. 
          SECOND, PLEASE. 
          VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          NOW WE'RE GOING BACK TO NINE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          [01:10:01]
WE 
          [9. Fiscal Year 2025-26 Annual City, Housing Authority, and Successor Agency Budgets RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council, Housing Authority, and the City of El Cajon as Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency hold a joint public hearing to consider the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Proposed Budgets. After closing the public hearing, staff recommends the following: 	Acting as the City Council, individually adopt the following: 	 		Resolution of the City of El Cajon Adopting the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Annual Budget. 		Resolution Approving and Adopting the Annual Appropriations Limit for Fiscal Year 2025-26. 		Resolution Approving Designation of General Fund Balances. 	 	 	Acting as the Housing Authority Board of Directors, adopt Resolution titled: Resolution of the El Cajon Housing Authority Adopting the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget. 	Acting as the Successor Agency to the former Redevelopment Agency Board of Directors, adopt Resolution titled: Resolution of the City Council of the City Of El Cajon as the Successor Agency to the former El Cajon Redevelopment Agency Adopting the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget.]
HAVE ONE PUBLIC HERE TODAY ON TODAY'S AGENDA. 
          ITEM NINE IS FOR THE 25 26 ANNUAL BUDGET. 
          AND STAFF WILL TELL US ABOUT THIS. 
          HI, CLAY. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE MAYOR, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. 
          MY NAME IS CLAY SHANE. 
          I'M THE FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF EL CAJON. 
          WE'RE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE FISCAL YEAR 25, 26, PROPOSED ANNUAL BUDGET. 
          TODAY'S PRESENTATION, WE'LL TRY TO PICK IT UP FROM WHERE WE LEFT OFF ON JUNE 10TH, UH, INCLUDING, UH, CHECKING BACK IN, UH, WITH THE, UH, OVERALL BUDGET, UM, CLOSING THINGS OUT ON THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN DISCUSSING THE WASTEWATER FUND, OTHER CITY FUNDS, CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, ADDRESSING ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION. 
          AND THEN WE WILL SEEK SECURE THE ADOPTION OF THE 26TH BUDGET. 
          WE ARE STILL COMPILING THE FULL BUDGET DOCUMENT, UH, ONCE IT'S AVAILABLE, IT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT EL CAJON GOV SLASH BUDGET, UM, UNTIL IT IS IN AVAILABLE IN ITS ENTIRETY. 
          THE SAME INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED FOR TODAY'S MEETING, UH, WILL BE ON THE WEBSITE. 
          SO, PICKING UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF ON THE 10TH, WE HAVE A TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET OF $285.6 MILLION. 
          UH, PROPORTIONATELY, IT'S DISTRIBUTED ABOUT THE SAME AS WE DISCUSSED THEN, UH, THE NUMBERS HAVE MOVED AROUND A LITTLE BIT, UH, SINCE THEN. 
          IT WAS A DRAFT BUDGET, UH, WE PRESENTED, UM, BUT NOTHING, UH, MATERIAL, OR AT LEAST NOT MATERIAL THAT WE WON'T TALK ABOUT HERE IN A MINUTE. 
          AUTHORIZED FTES IN THIS, IN THIS PLAN HAVE DROPPED FROM 422 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS IN FY 25 TO 409 TOTAL POSITIONS IN FY 26. 
          THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS ONE OF THE HEADLINES IN THE GENERAL FUND, WHICH IS THIS BUDGET, UH, PROPOSAL DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OVER HIRING OF 10, UH, ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS. 
          IT DOES, HOWEVER, INCLUDE THE THREE FTES OR THE ONE THIRD CREW OF THE NEW FIRE ENGINE COMPANY. 
          UM, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY NEW GENERAL FUND CIP FUNDING, AND IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY ADDITIONAL GENERAL FUND VEHICLE REPLACEMENT FUNDING. 
          WHEN WE WERE HERE ON THE 10TH, WE DISCUSSED BEING HAVING A BUDGET THAT WAS OUTTA BALANCE BY $4.2 MILLION. 
          UH, WE HAVE A COMBINATION OF REMEDIES PROPOSED, UM, ONE, UH, SERIES OF CUTS THAT WE'LL GET TO IN A SECOND, AS WELL AS THE USE OF $1.9 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND RESERVES. 
          LIKE I SAID, THE NUMBERS WIGGLED AROUND A LITTLE BIT AS WE WERE FINALIZING THE DOCUMENT. 
          UM, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE'RE ESTIMATING THE FY 26 BEGINNING FUND BALANCE, UH, TO BE $60.6 MILLION. 
          GENERAL FUND REVENUES TOTALING 101.4 MILLION EXPENDITURES OF 103.4, AND WE'RE ESTIMATING AN ENDING GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE AT $58.7 MILLION. 
          ON THE GENERAL, EXCUSE ME, ON THE REVENUE SIDE, UH, WE'RE PROPOSING A, AN ESTIMATED REVENUE BUDGET OF $101.4 MILLION. 
          THIS IS VERY, VERY CLOSE TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED ON THE 10TH. 
          UM, THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN THE MAJOR REVENUE CATEGORIES, HOWEVER, REFERRING BACK TO THIS TABLE, UM, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF MOVEMENT ON THE CATEGORIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS LIST. 
          TOTAL REVENUES WERE ANTICIPATING TO INCREASE FROM THE FY 25 ESTIMATED TOTAL OF $97.8 MILLION. 
          WE EXPECT THAT TO GROW, UH, BY AN ADDITIONAL 3.6 MILLION TO 101.4 MILLION. 
          ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, THAT IS WHERE WE SEE THE MOST, UH, MOVEMENT. 
          UH, WHEN WE WERE HERE ON THE 10TH, WE HAD A DRAFT BUDGET TOTALING $105.4 MILLION. 
          UH, THE PROPOSED PACKAGE HERE, UH, IT TOTALS $103.4 MILLION. 
          PROPORTIONATELY, THIS HAS SHIFTED AROUND A TINY BIT, BUT MORE OR LESS THE DISTRIBUTION IS MORE OR LESS THE SAME AS PRESENTED ON THE 10TH. 
          THIS TABLE DETAILS THE GROWTH, UH, FROM THE 25 AMENDED BUDGET TO THE 26 PROPOSED. 
          UM, WE HAVE SEEN IT GROW OR WE'RE PROPOSING GROWTH OF $1.7 MILLION FROM 101.6 MILLION TO $103.4 MILLION. 
          THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT INCREASE ARE IN THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, WHERE THEY HAVE INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 900 AND $800,000 RESPECTIVELY. 
          UM, DO WANNA POINT OUT THERE ARE SOME UNUSUAL LOOKING INCREASES IN DECREASES BETWEEN THE 
          [01:15:01]
PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING AND PARKS AND REC, UH, DEPARTMENT OR DEPARTMENTS. 
          UM, THAT'S A RESULT OF THE CREATION OF THE NEW PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE REORGANIZATION RELATED TO THAT. 
          IF YOU WERE TO TOTAL THOSE THREE VARIANCES, I THINK THE CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR IS SOMETHING ON THE ORDER OF $40,000 IN TOTAL. 
          THIS LOOKS AT EXPENDITURES IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY. 
          UH, WE'VE SIMPLIFIED THIS PRESENTATION FROM THE 10TH TO SIMPLY, UH, CONTRAST PERSONNEL EXPENSES AGAINST NON-PERSONNEL EXPENSES. 
          AGAIN, TOTALING $103.4 MILLION IN TOTAL, UH, SALARIES, BENEFITS, AND PENSION OBLIGATION BOND PAYMENTS, UH, CONSTITUTE APPROXIMATELY 79% OF THAT TOTAL. 
          SO HOW DID WE GET HERE? THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL INCLUDES A NUMBER OF ACTIONS TAKEN TO BRING US TO WELL, USING $1.9 MILLION OF FUND BALANCE INSTEAD OF 4.2. 
          THIS INCLUDES A HANDFUL OF POSITIONS THAT WERE CUT OUTRIGHT FROM THE BUDGET, A HANDFUL OF FROZEN POSITIONS WHERE WE HAVE INCLUDED THEM AS AUTHORIZED POSITIONS, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO FILL THEM DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, AND THEREFORE THEY'RE NOT FUNDED. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE APPLIED A VACANCY FACTOR. 
          UH, THE BIG TAKEAWAY FROM THIS PARTICULAR FORM OF ADJUSTMENT IS THAT IT DOES REPRESENT A SMALLER WORKFORCE OVERALL THROUGHOUT THE GENERAL FUND. 
          UH, THERE WERE GENERAL CUTS IN ON PERSONNEL COSTS. 
          UM, AND IN THIS CATEGORY, I'M KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE OFFICE SUPPLIES, OPERATING SUPPLIES, UH, SUBSCRIPTIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          IT'S TRIM A LITTLE HERE, TRIM A LITTLE THERE. 
          UM, WE INCLUDED, UH, CUTS TO TRAINING THROUGHOUT THE CITY. 
          UM, ONE THING, UH, I THINK THIS IS NOTEWORTHY, EVEN IF IT'S NOT GENERATING A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH DONE WITH A SMALLER WORKFORCE, WE NEED THEM TO BE AS CAPABLE AS POSSIBLE. 
          AND THAT INCLUDES TRAINING. 
          WE HAVE SUSPENDED OR LIMITED FUNDING TO A NUMBER OF OTHER FUNDS. 
          UM, WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL, BUT I AM SPEAKING ABOUT INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS FOR ONE. 
          AND THEN SECONDLY, THE GENERAL FUND CIP FUND, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL FUND'S VEHICLE REPLACEMENT FUND. 
          THERE WAS A RATHER LENGTHY LIST OF INDIVIDUAL, UH, CUTS INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL. 
          I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THREE HERE JUST TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS. 
          UM, ONE OF OUR CUTS WAS THE ELIMINATION OF THE FIRE RESERVE PROGRAM. 
          I'VE INCLUDED THIS OR HIGHLIGHTED THIS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THIS CITY GAVE A LITTLE TO GET US TO THIS POINT. 
          UM, SOME OF THE CUTS ARE HIGH PROFILE EVENTS LIKE HIGH PROFILE CUTS, INCLUDING THE ELIMINATION OF AMERICA ON MAIN STREET FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          BUT SOME OF THEM ARE LITTLE, THEY FLY UNDER THE RADAR AND THEY DO ADD UP. 
          AND THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE MY EL CAJON NEWSLETTER IN AN ELECTRONIC FORMAT RATHER THAN US POSTAL SERVICE. 
          SO THIS SLIDE I WAS A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT INCLUDING THIS BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IT CONFLICTING WITH THE PREVIOUS ONE. 
          THIS SLIDE COMPARES THE BUDGET, THE DRAFT BUDGET WE BROUGHT IN FRONT OF COUNCIL ON JUNE 10TH VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY. 
          THIS DOES NOT REFLECT THE CHANGES FROM FY 25 TO 26. 
          I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS TO DEMONSTRATE, UM, THE FACT THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE GENERAL FUND HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM WHAT WE HAD ON THE 10TH. 
          UM, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEIR BUDGET DID INCREASE $900,000 FROM FY 25 TO 26, BUT THAT'S 383,000 LESS THAN WHAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE 10TH BUDGET. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT, UH, CHANGE THERE WAS IN THE ENGINEERING SERVICES. 
          AND THAT'S THE RESULT OF CONTRACTING OUT, UH, ENGINEERING INSPECTION SERVICES. 
          ALL IN ALL, THE TOTAL CUTS FROM THE JUNE 10TH MEETING TOTAL, THE $2.1 MILLION THE CITY MANAGER DISCUSSED THEN. 
          UM, AND THAT BRINGS ME TO THE BIG TAKEAWAYS, OR AT LEAST WHAT I THINK ARE THE BIG TAKEAWAYS THROUGH AN FY 25 26 BUDGET. 
          AND I WANT TO, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON THIS SITUATION, BUT THIS BUDGET DOES REPRESENT A STRUCTURAL BUDGET DEFICIT. 
          THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY TRENDY TERM THAT GETS THROWN AROUND A LOT. 
          AND I AM USING IT VERY STRICTLY HERE. 
          AND IN THIS CONTEXT, I MEAN THAT OPERATING EXPENDITURES EXCEED OPERATING REVENUES. 
          UM, WE RELY ON, UH, RESERVES IN THIS BUDGET TO PLUG THAT HOLE AND DOING THAT ON A SHORT TERM BASIS. 
          IT MAKES SENSE LONG TERM. 
          IT'S AN UNSUSTAINABLE MODEL. 
          YOU CAN KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT AS USING THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT TO BUY GROCERIES. 
          ADDITIONALLY, INCLUDED 
          [01:20:01]
IN THIS BUDGET IS A CONDITION THAT WE'VE STARTED DISCUSSING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND IT'S THE SHIFTING BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND OF, UH, THE APPLICATION OF RESOURCES MOVING, UH, INCREASINGLY FROM NON-SAFETY TO SAFETY AND FROM NON PERSONNEL TO PERSONNEL. 
          AND I BRING THIS UP FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. 
          ONE, IT'S BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT FOR DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES WITH LESS AND LESS RESOURCES. 
          SO AT SOME POINT, WE'LL GET TO A BREAKING POINT WHERE SERVICES WILL BEGIN TO SUFFER AS A RESULT OF THESE ACT, THIS ACTION, THIS DIRECTION. 
          AND SECONDLY, SHOULD WE FIND OURSELVES NOT ABLE TO SALES TAX OUR WAY OUT OF THIS CONDITION IF WE DON'T EXPERIENCE THE ECONOMIC BOOM, EXCEED OUR, OUR EXPECTATIONS. 
          UH, AS FAR AS REVENUE GOES, THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT LEFT TO WORK WITH BESIDES FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS. 
          AND LASTLY, UM, UNFUNDED OPERATIONS. 
          UM, I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, UH, THINKING ABOUT INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS. 
          WE HAVE BEEN BUYING SERVICES FROM, UH, OUR INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS AT A DISCOUNT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, LEANING ON THEIR ACCUMULATED FUND BALANCE. 
          UM, THOSE PIGGY BANKS ARE RUNNING DRY, BUT WHAT'S MORE CONCERNING TO ME IS OUR GENERAL FUND, CIEP BUCKET OF MONEY, AS WELL AS OUR VEHICLE REPLACEMENT FUND AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 26. 
          WE'RE ANTICIPATING THE GENERAL FUND CIP BUCKET OF MONEY TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF FIVE AND A HALF TO $6 MILLION IN THE CIP WORLD. 
          THAT'S ONE OR TWO BIG PROJECTS. 
          AND THEN THAT PIGGY BANK'S DRY, UH, ON THE VEHICLE SIDE, IF WE CONTINUE WITH AVERAGE YEARS REPLACEMENTS, WE HAVE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF TWO TO FOUR YEARS WORTH OF VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS STILL ON THAT FUND. 
          I MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE ONCE THOSE FUNDS GO DRY, THEN WE'RE CASH FUNDING THAT ACTIVITY DIRECTLY OUTTA THE GENERAL FUND. 
          AND AT THAT POINT YOU'LL SEE FUND BALANCE DECREASE FAIRLY RAPIDLY. 
          SO AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO CLIMB OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE, UH, STORM CLOUDS OF THE GENERAL FUND AND MAYBE OUT INTO THE SUNSHINE A LITTLE BIT. 
          AND TO DO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE AUTUMN RE BERGER OUR, THE CITY'S PRINCIPAL FISCAL ANALYSTS TO BRING US THE, UH, REST OF THE PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU, CLAY. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNSEL. 
          MY NAME IS AUTUMN RE BERGER, AND I AM THE PRINCIPAL FISCAL ANALYST FOR THE CITY OF EL CAJON. 
          I WILL BE COMPLETING TODAY'S PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSING THE NON-GENERAL FUND FUNDS, BEGINNING WITH THE WASTEWATER FUND. 
          THE WASTEWATER FUND IS THE CITY'S ONLY ENTERPRISE FUND. 
          THIS FUND TYPE IS USED TO MANAGE A SERVICE THAT CHARGES FEES, IN THIS CASE, WASTEWATER OR SEWER FEES. 
          SO IT PAYS FOR ITSELF WITHOUT USING TAX DOLLARS. 
          IT RUNS LIKE A BUSINESS, BUT IT'S OWNED BY THE PUBLIC. 
          FOR THIS FISCAL 20 25, 26 PROPOSED BUDGET. 
          WE HAVE A BEGINNING FUND BALANCE OF 57.2 MILLION WITH AN ANTICIPATED REVENUE OF 35.2 MILLION. 
          AND THOSE ARE COLLECTED FROM FEES. 
          THE EXPENDITURES OF 33 MILLION AND CAPITAL PROJECT EXPENDITURES OF 23.6 MILLION, RESULTING IN AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $35.8 MILLION. 
          SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS ARE USED TO TRACK MONEY THE CITY RECEIVES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES, LIKE A GRANT OR A DEDICATED TAX. 
          SO IT'S ONLY SPENT ON WHAT IT'S MEANT FOR. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, WE COLLECT A TAX JUST FOR STREET REPAIRS. 
          SO THAT MONEY GOES INTO A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND TO MAKE SURE IT'S ONLY USED FOR STREETS. 
          THE TOP FIVE NON MULTI-YEAR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS ARE THE GAS TAX AT 5.8 MILLION. 
          THE LOW MODERATE PROJECTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 2.9 MILLION, MAGNOLIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IS JUST UNDER 950,000 RECREATION SPECIAL PROGRAMS AT APPROXIMATELY 800,000 AND LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS RIGHT AROUND 650,000. 
          A DEBT SERVICE FUND IS USED TO SET ASIDE MONEY TO REPAY THE CITY'S LOANS OR BONDS. 
          BASICALLY, IT'S HOW WE MANAGE AND TRACK PAYMENTS ON OUR LONG-TERM DEBT AND ENSURE WE STAY ON SCHEDULE WITH REPAYMENTS. 
          ALL OF THIS HELPS KEEP OUR FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS TRANSPARENT AND ORGANIZED. 
          WE HAVE ONE SUCH FUND, WHICH IS FOR OUR PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS AT 9.1 MILLION. 
          AN INTERNAL SERVICE FUND IS USED WHEN ONE PART OF THE CITY PROVIDES SERVICE TO ANOTHER, LIKE THE CITY GARAGE, MAINTAINING VEHICLES FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS. 
          IT CHARGES THEM TO COVER THE COSTS. 
          IT HELPS US TRACK THOSE COSTS ACCURATELY AND MANAGE SHARED SERVICES EFFICIENTLY. 
          WE HAVE FIVE INTERNAL SERVICE FUNDS FOR 
          [01:25:01]
THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, VEHICLE REPLACEMENT, SELF-INSURANCE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. 
          CAPITAL PROJECTS FALL UNDER MULTI-YEAR FUNDS. 
          MULTI-YEAR FUNDS ARE USED TO MANAGE PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS THAT SPAN MORE THAN ONE BUDGET YEAR. 
          THIS ALLOWS US TO TRACK FUNDING AND SPENDING CONSISTENTLY OVER TIME OR FOR THE LIFE OF A PROJECT ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. 
          WE CURRENTLY HAVE 49 EXISTING PROJECTS OPEN IN THE SYSTEM WITH A COMBINED PROJECT BUDGET OF $100.7 MILLION. 
          IN THE PROPOSED 20 25, 26 FISCAL YEAR. 
          THERE ARE SIX NEW PROJECTS BEING REQUESTED FOR $8.8 MILLION, AS WELL AS SEVEN PROJECT AMENDMENTS AT 8.3 MILLION IF APPROVED. 
          THIS WILL BRING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ACTIVE PROJECTS TO 55 AND A COMBINED PROJECT BUDGET OF $117.8 MILLION. 
          THIS DOES INCLUDE THE 23.6 MILLION FROM WASTEWATER PROJECTS. 
          THIS IS A LIST OF THE SIX NEW PROPOSED CAPITAL PROJECTS FOR $8.8 MILLION. 
          AS THE PROJECT NAMES SUGGEST, OUR FOCUS HAS RETURNED TO THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          NOW THAT THE INTENSE ACTIVITY SURROUNDING ARPA HAS SUBSIDED A TENTATIVE TIMELINE FOR BUDGET REVIEW AND REPORTING FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR IS NOTED HERE. 
          GIVEN THE INTENSITY OF WORK DURING THIS BUDGET PROCESS, WE ANTICIPATE A SUBSTANTIAL UPDATE IN THE QUARTER ONE REPORT OCCURRING IN THE EARLY FALL OF 2025. 
          ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE THE ANNUAL PENSION REVIEW IN THE FALL OF 2025, AS WELL AS THE FIVE-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN IN THE LATE FALL OF 2025. 
          WE'LL HAVE THE MID-YEAR REPORT EARLY IN 2026, AND WE'LL BACK BE BACK HERE AGAIN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 27 ANNUAL BUDGET IN THE SPRING OF 2026. 
          AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, WE ASK THAT YOU TAKE SEPARATE ACTIONS AS EACH OF THE FOLLOWING ENTITIES, CITY COUNCIL, HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND SUCCESSOR AGENCY. 
          OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ACTING AS THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE FOLLOWING, ADOPTING THE BUDGET, ADOPTING THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION LIMIT, AND APPROVING THE RE-DESIGNATION OF THE FUND BALANCE, THEN ACTING AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO ADOPT THE BUDGET, AND FINALLY ACTING AS THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO ADOPT THE BUDGET. 
          THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          LET ME SEE IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE COUNCIL. 
          I'LL START WITH GARY. 
          YEAH, ON THE VERY FIRST SLIDE. 
          UH, BUT CLAY, THE WASTE, OKAY. 
          UH, THE WASTEWATER, I THINK IT'S CALLED WASTEWATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. 
          OKAY. 
          CAPITAL PROJECT EXPENDITURES AT 23 MILLION, WE, WE'VE DROPPED OUR BILL BEGINNING FUND BALANCE BY ABOUT 40%. 
          DO WE HAVE OTHER BIG PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT, THAT'S PURPOSEFUL? REMEMBER, WE, WE ACTUALLY HAD BEEN SCHEDULED TO DO A LOT OF CAPITAL PROJECTS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS THAT ALL WENT ON HOLD 'CAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THE ARPA PROJECTS. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THOSE MONIES HAVE BEEN BANKED FOR THESE SPECIFIC PROJECTS. 
          TO HAVE, UH, $57 MILLION AS A FUND BALANCE IN THAT FUND IS INAPPROPRIATE UNLESS YOU HAD CAPITAL PROJECTS OKAY. 
          SPECIFICALLY FOR THEM. 
          SO THAT, THAT IS VERY PURPOSEFUL. 
          AND DO, DO WE, UH, IN THE FUTURE, DO WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF CAPITAL APPROVED PROJECTS? OR DOES THAT TAKE CARE OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM? W WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE CAPITAL. 
          I MEAN, WE HAVE A AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, SO THERE'LL ALWAYS BE, SO ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE IS TO CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE SEWER MASTER PLAN AND THEN TO ENSURE THAT THE RATES THAT WE'RE CHARGING OUR RESIDENTS ARE, UM, SUFFICIENT TO FULFILL THOSE MASTER PLAN NEEDS. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE. 
          YEAH. 
          I WANT, WHAT HAPPENED TO US BEFORE IS WE DIDN'T RAISE RATES FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, AND THEN WE HAD TO HAVE A BIG RAISE WHEN WE'RE GOING, HEY, WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA MONEY HERE TO MAINTAIN OUR SEWERS, AND WE DON'T WANT THE SEWAGE TO COME OUTTA MANHOLE COVERS LIKE IT DID A FEW TIMES. 
          AGREED. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU, MICHELLE, THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT. 
          UM, I SEE THAT IF I'M CORRECT, 400, WE WENT FROM 422 FTES TO 4 0 9. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? 
          [01:30:01]
YES, MA'AM. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE LOST 13 JOBS. 
          DID THOSE PEOPLE GO PART-TIME OR DID THEY GET COMPLETELY ELIMINATED? UM, THERE WERE VERY FEW PEOPLE AFFECTED THROUGH THESE CHANGES IN TOTALITY. 
          UM, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NO ONE HAS LOST THEIR JOB. 
          THEY HAVE BEEN OFFERED ALTERNATIVES, AND WE'RE WAITING ON THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE ON WHETHER THEY WANT TO GO HERE OR THERE. 
          UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VACANT POSITIONS IN THE CITY THAT NEED TO BE FILLED ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. 
          SO WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MOVE A LOT OF THOSE ELIMINATED POSITIONS INTO VACANT POSITIONS. 
          OKAY, BECAUSE I JUST WANT, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS WE, AS A COUNCIL, AS WE DISCUSS AS, UH, YOU KNOW, BUDGETS, THAT SOME OF THIS HAS TO IMPACT SOME OF THE, UH, EMPLOYEES. 
          AND, UM, I KNOW THAT I NEVER WANTED TO ELIMINATE JOBS OR SOMEONE LOSE THEIR JOB BECAUSE WE COULDN'T CUT FROM SOMETHING ELSE. 
          UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, START WITH PHIL AND WORK OUR WAY DOWN. 
          WELL, THANK YOU CLAY, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN ALL THE DEPARTMENTS FOR MAKING THE CUTS AND TIGHTENING THEIR BELT. 
          UM, THIS IS MY CURIOSITY, THE EXPENDITURES THAT INCLUDED THE PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS. 
          UM, WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE WE, CAN YOU GO TO THAT SLIDE? IT'S, IT WAS THE PIE GRAPH, UH, KEEP GOING FORWARD. 
          THERE WE GO. 
          SALARIES, BENEFITS, AND PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS ACCOUNT FOR 79%. 
          UM, OF OUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT IS OUR PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS? DO YOU KNOW? THE TOTAL CITYWIDE OBLIGATION FOR THE PABS IS ABOUT $9.1 MILLION OF THAT. 
          THE GENERAL FUND PAYS, I THINK SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 8.6 OR 8.8 MILLION OF IT. 
          OKAY. 
          8 MILLION ANNUALLY? YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          SO ROUGH NUMBER IS EIGHT TO 10%, SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, THIS IS MORE OF A HIGH LEVEL QUESTION. 
          SO FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE PRESENTATION IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE CUT ALL WE CAN CUT WITH REGARD TO NON-EMERGENCY, NON-POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL. 
          IF WE HAVE TO CUT MORE. 
          WE WE'RE, AND THIS, YOU KNOW, THE REVENUES DON'T COME IN. 
          THE NEXT STEP IS POLICE AND FIRE. 
          IS THAT WHAT WE'RE, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE HEARING? YEAH, PROBABLY. 
          I, I'M GONNA STEAL MR. SHANE'S NAME FOR THIS GRAPH. 
          THIS IS REFERRED TO AS PAC-MAN. 
          UM, AND PAC-MAN CONTINUES. 
          THE PAC-MAN IS TO GET THE PERSONNEL AND THEY CONTINUE TO EAT EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          AT SOME POINT, THERE'S NO MORE TO EAT AND IN ORDER TO FULFILL ITS, ITS, UM, NUTRITIONAL NEEDS, IT'LL HAVE TO START EATING ITSELF. 
          RIGHT. 
          UM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY, NON-PUBLIC SAFETY GRAPH LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS. 
          YEAH. 
          IN TERMS OF EXPENDITURES TOO. 
          SO AT, AT SOME POINT, THERE'S JUST NOWHERE ELSE TO GO UNLESS YOU THINK DO THINGS LIKE ELIMINATE PARKS AND RECREATION. 
          BUT AS YOU REMEMBER IT FROM THE, THE TOWN HALLS THAT WE DID FOR, FOR MEASURE J, YOU COULD GET RID OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS. 
          AND THAT STILL DOESN'T MAKE UP, I'M CLOSE SOME BIG OF THE, THE BIG DIFFERENCES THAT'S COMING UP. 
          SO, UM, AND IT, AND AT LEAST THIS IS MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GENERAL FUND RESERVES AND WE HAVE THE DIFFERENT BUCKETS, UM, FOR ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS. 
          AND I THINK WE MADE THAT COMMITMENT TO, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE GENERAL FUND RESERVES IS TO WEATHER THE STORM DURING THESE ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS. 
          UM, I GUESS THE NEXT ITERATION IN THIS SCENARIO WOULD BE, AT WHAT POINT DO WE EITHER RUN OUT OR STOP DIPPING INTO THOSE RESERVES? AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEIGH IN. 
          YOU CAN IF YOU WANT. 
          THE, THE SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE, IF THE DECLINE IN SALES TAX REVENUE CONTINUES, HAVE WE PLAYED OUT SCENARIOS TO SAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO CUT? WHEN ARE WE GONNA CUT IT? WHY ARE WE MAKING THOSE CUTS? AND KIND OF COME UP WITH A GAME PLAN. 
          SO IT'S NOT A SURPRISE IN THE FUTURE. 
          WE CAN ALREADY GO THROUGH THAT MENTAL GAME TO SAY, OKAY, IF OUR REVENUE CONTINUES IN DECLINE BY 5% OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, OR 20% OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, COME UP WITH SOME SCENARIOS TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD DO. 
          THIS IS WHEN THESE BUCKETS WOULD RUN OUT. 
          DO YOU WANT TO GET TO THAT POINT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH. 
          KIND OF PROJECTING ACTION. 
          YOU, YOU AS 
          [01:35:01]
A CITY COUNCIL ARE FAR AHEAD OF THE CURVE BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE DOING THE ANALYSIS RELATED TO MEASURE J YOU KIND OF RAN THROUGH THOSE SCENARIOS. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. 
          AND SO A LOT OF THAT EXERCISE HAS ALREADY OCCURRED. 
          AND SO WE WOULD PROBABLY DUST THAT OFF AND SEE, OKAY, WHERE, WHERE, WHAT DID WE SUGGEST WE WOULD CUT IF WE HAD TO GO $13 MILLION DOWN? YES. 
          WELL NOW WE HAVE TO GO $5 MILLION DOWN. 
          SO OF THAT 13 MILLION, WHERE WOULD WE CUT? SO WE'VE KIND OF DONE THAT. 
          YOU'VE DONE THAT WORK ALREADY. 
          THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. 
          YOU KNOW, RECESSIONS ARE CYCLICAL. 
          UH, WE'VE BEEN IN A TWO YEAR DECLINE IN SALES TAX. 
          WE ARE ACTUALLY PROJECTING SALES TAX TO INCREASE OVER THE LAST YEAR. 
          NOT AT THE SAME RATE WE HAD WANTED TO. 
          UM, SO WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE THE END OF THE CYCLE. 
          SO IT'S PROBABLY PREMATURE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S START CUTTING NOW. 
          BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY DONE THAT WORK PUTS US FAR AHEAD OF MOST CITIES. 
          AND I, I, AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I CAN'T KEEP SPEAK FOR MY COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE IS TAXPAYER DOLLARS. 
          YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT IS ALL OF THE TAXPAYERS. 
          AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE IT TO, I, OF COURSE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT BE SPENT ON SOMETHING BIG THAT CAN LAST FOR DECADES IN THE FUTURE. 
          UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, TO, TO MICHELLE'S POINT, WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US RIGHT NOW. 
          AND I'D BE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO USE THOSE TAX DOLLARS IN RESERVE TO AVOID CUTTING JOBS. 
          I MEAN, OR CUTTING ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT ONCE, BUT I'D, I'D LIKE TO REAFFIRM MY COMMITMENT TO THAT 'CAUSE, UM, ESPECIALLY IF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING THE DECLINE STOP AND MAYBE AN UPWARD TREND IN SALES TAX OR AT LEAST A LEVELING OFF TO GO BACK UP. 
          UM, I DON'T WANT TO, UH, TO LOSE ANY PERSONNEL, ESPECIALLY GOOD PERSONNEL THAT WE'VE HAD FOR A LONG TIME, UM, IF WE'RE, IF WE THINK THAT WE'RE COMING OUT OF THE END OF THIS. 
          SO, YEAH. 
          I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU FOR NUMBERING THE SLIDES. 
          IT HELPS, UH, LET'S GO BACK TO THE SLIDE. 
          I DIDN'T WRITE DOWN THE NUMBER, I'M SORRY, ON THE, UH, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT . 
          I'LL GET USED TO IT NOW THAT I KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR IT. 
          THAT'S HILARIOUS. 
          SO LET'S GO BACK TO FISCAL 21, 22 WHEN WE HAVE, UH, FT. 
          FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT OF 4 0 4. 
          AND THEN WE SAID AS A COUNCIL, HEY, LET'S GO GET SOME OF THOSE COID POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE BEING RE RELEASED BY THEIR AGENCIES. 
          LET'S OVERHIRE TEMPORARILY BY 10. 
          SO THAT 4 21 BEGINNING IN 2223 REALLY IS A DOTTED LINE BECAUSE, BECAUSE THAT 4 21 10 OF THOSE WERE FUNDED BY RESERVES AND THE REST WERE FUNDED BY THE GENERAL FUND INCOME. 
          YOU FOLLOWING ME? YEP. 
          YOU CAN SAY THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT THE 4 21, 4 22, THOSE 10 POSITIONS WERE ALWAYS GONNA BE FUNDED BY RESERVES AND WE COULDN'T DO IT FOREVER. 
          SO THE, THE DROP FROM 4 22 TO 4 0 9 REALLY IS THE END OF THAT ERA. 
          THE END OF THE 10 PERSON OVER HIRE USING RESERVES. 
          SO, UH, IT'S REALLY GOING TO ME FROM FOUR 12 TO 4 0 9. 
          NOW WHERE THOSE THREE, IRONICALLY THEY'RE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MOSTLY. 
          I THINK THE RECORDS DEPARTMENT IS LOSING TWO AND A HALF JOBS. 
          IF I SAW THAT. 
          UM, I THINK THOSE ARE FROZEN POSITIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT, YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT. 
          BUT NONETHELESS, IT'S A REDUCTION IN HEAD COUNT. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          DUE TO VACANCIES OR, OR WHATEVER. 
          AND YET THAT RECORDS DEPARTMENT BUDGET, IT'S GOING UP 27%. 
          AND I ASKED THE GENERAL, THE, UH, CITY MANAGER AND HE SAID, WELL, IT'S ACTUALLY WE'RE HAVING TO CHANGE SOFTWARE TO STOP BAND-AIDING OUR RECORDS RETENTION AND PROGRAM AND THINGS. 
          THE COST OF GOVERNMENT IS GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT SALES TAX IS PROVIDING US TO COVER THOSE COSTS. 
          SO I'M NOT FREAKING ABOUT FREAKING OUT ABOUT FROM 4 22 DOWN TO 4 0 9. 
          IT WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE 10 HIGH FOR THE THREE YEARS THAT IT WAS SHOWN FUNDED BY RESERVES. 
          WE CAN'T FUND THAT FROM RESERVES ANY LONGER. 
          NOW CAN I TALK ABOUT CAPITAL PROJECTS VERSUS OPERATING BUDGET? CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE PRETTY MUCH FUNDED BY GRANTS, CORRECT? NOT FROM THE SALES TAX, NOT FROM PROPERTY TAX, NOT FROM FEES. 
          THEY'RE FUNDED BY SANDAG GRANTS, BY STATE GRANTS BY SP ONE GRANTS. 
          SO IF WE DON'T GET THOSE GRANTS, IT JUST MEANS WE DON'T DO THAT PROJECT. 
          AM I THINKING RIGHT? YOU, I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. 
          I WOULD SAY OUR BIGGEST FUNDERS OF ROUTINE CAPITAL PROJECTS IS WASTEWATER, UH, FEES, UH, TO MAINTAIN THE WASTEWATER SYSTEM. 
          WE ALSO GET A, A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM TRANSNET, RMRA GAS TAX, THINGS LIKE THAT, 
          [01:40:01]
THAT IS RESTRICTED FOR, UH, TRANSPORTATION STREETS, BYWAYS, SIDEWALKS, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          UM, THOSE WITHOUT QUESTION ARE THE BIGGEST PLAYERS IN THE CIP PROGRAM OVERALL. 
          HOWEVER, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, UH, CITY FACILITIES THAT THERE ARE NO ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES FOR, UH, RECREATION CENTER, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          UM, THERE MAY BE GRANTS AVAIL AVAILABLE FOR THAT, BUT ABSENT A GRANT OPPORTUNITY THAT TYPICALLY IS FUNDED BY THE GENERAL FUND AND AND WE CHOOSE WHETHER WE WANT TO, TO FIX THE ROOF USING GENERAL FUND MONEY OR PUT OFF FIXING THE ROOF FOR ANOTHER YEAR. 
          CORRECT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THAT'S THE CAPITAL SIDE. 
          I'M NOT, IF WE DON'T GET THE MONEY, WE DON'T GET THE MONEY, WE DON'T DO THE PROJECT. 
          IF WE GET 95% OF, OF THE GRANT MONEY, WE DO 95% OF THE PROJECT. 
          SO I'M NOT FREAKING OUT ABOUT SERVICE CUTS. 
          'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE COST TO REPAIR A ROAD COST TO FIX AN UNDERGROUND PIPE, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          THE WASTEWATER IS A DIFFERENT FUND. 
          I AGREE THAT THE RESERVE HAS BEEN 58 MILLION. 
          WE'VE DONE THREE YEARS WORTH OF PILING UP ON THAT RESERVE. 
          'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE THE PROJECTS. 
          I GET IT. 
          NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT GENERAL FUND FOR A SECOND. 
          THIS IS THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY. 
          THE SERVICES. 
          I THINK WE'RE OKAY. 
          I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, MR. ORTIZ, THAT UH, THIS IS WHY WE HAVE RESERVES TO, TO CARRY US THROUGH. 
          WHEN YOU GET LAID OFF FROM A JOB, YOU HAVE SAVINGS. 
          HOPEFULLY YOU ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PUT MONEY AWAY, UH, BEYOND WHAT YOU NEED DAY TO DAY. 
          YOU HAVE SAVINGS TO CARRY YOU THROUGH UNTIL YOU GET YOUR NEXT JOB AND RESUME THAT LEVEL OF INCOME. 
          THAT'S THE ANALOGY THAT I'M USING HERE. 
          WE'RE HAVING TO DIP INTO SAVINGS A LITTLE BIT UNTIL OUR EARNINGS GET BACK TO WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE. 
          FORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE TO DIP INTO SAVINGS TOO MUCH TWO TO ABOUT $2 MILLION THIS YEAR. 
          AND IF WE HAVE TO DO THAT FOR THREE YEARS, I'M OKAY TAKING $6 MILLION OUT OF A $58 MILLION BALANCE. 
          THAT'S WHY THE TAXPAYERS TOLD US SAVE MONEY SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CUT SERVICES. 
          AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. 
          UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON A COUPLE OF THE FUNDS. 
          THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, TRANSNET WENT FROM AN ESTIMATED 2.5 MILLION IN SPENDING TO 23.7 MILLION IN SPENDING THE TRANSNET CAPITAL PROJECT FUND. 
          UH, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UH, PAGE B FOUR. 
          B EIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, THAT'S A LITTLE MISLEADING THAT THERE PROBABLY WAS THAT MUCH BUDGET IN 25. 
          THE AMOUNT WE'RE SHOWING THERE IS WHAT WAS EXPENDED AS OF PERIOD 10 FY 25. 
          AND ANY REMAINING BUDGET IS SHIFTED FORWARD INTO 26. 
          SO YOU'RE SAYING A CARRYOVER COULD EXPLAIN THIS? YES. 
          GOOD ENOUGH. 
          YES. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, AND IN FACT, IF WE'RE LOOKING THAT CLOSELY ON THE FUNDS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THAT SCENARIO, THERE'S A LITTLE ASTERISK NEXT TO THEM. 
          AND IT TIES TO THE FOOTNOTE IDENTIFYING THOSE AS MULTI-YEAR FUNDS. 
          SOUNDS GOOD. 
          OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS? I TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER. 
          IF YOU WANNA JUMP IN, CLAY, YOU CAN JUMP IN. 
          WENT FROM 860,000 TO 10.1 MILLION. 
          MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS JUST A RECLASSIFICATION TAKING MONEY OUT OF PAYROLL AND PUTTING IT IN A SEPARATE LINE FOR VISIBILITY. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S SUCH A BIG JUMP. 
          I SHOULD KNOW WHY. 
          WELL, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY ON THE RIGHT TRACK. 
          UM, WE TYPICALLY PAY OUR UAL CONTRIBUTION TO CALPERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR. 
          AND WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY USED OUR PAYROLL CLEARING FUND FOR THAT PURPOSE. 
          WE WERE CONCERNED THAT THAT DOES NOT GIVE US THE VISIBILITY AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY BY HAVING IT, I HATE TO EXPRESS IT THIS WAY, BUT SORT OF IN A FUND THAT'S OFF THE RADAR. 
          SO WE MADE THE MOVE IN 25 FOR THE FIRST TIME TO MAKE THAT ACTIVITY PART OF THE BUDGETED ACTIVITY OF THAT FUND. 
          SO THAT IS HIGHLY VISIBLE AND WE'RE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE MONIES. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT HELPS DO THAT. 
          THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE. 
          THANK YOU FOR AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. 
          AND, UH, AT DOWN AT ANOTHER AGENCY THAT I AM AT, THEY HAVE 42 SLIDES. 
          I SAY IF YOU HAVE 42 SLIDES, THAT'S A MINUTE A SLIDE. 
          AND I'M TELLING YOU, WE ARE THERE FOR 42 SLIDES. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING IT SHORT, GARY. 
          YEAH, WELL I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE STAFF, THE MANAGEMENT AND YOURSELF AND, UH, OUR CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER FOR KIND OF HAVING A CRYSTAL BALL AND ANTICIPATING THIS LATEST RECESSION BY NOT FILLING VACANCIES. 
          AND 
          [01:45:01]
IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR US. 
          'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO LAY OFF A BUNCH OF PEOPLE. 
          I THINK YOU GUYS KIND OF SAW THIS COMING AND YOU SAID, WELL, LET'S NOT REHIRE THE, YOU KNOW, THIS PERSON THAT JUST RETIRED OR, OR LEFT FOR SOME REASON. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S A SPECIAL ABILITY AND THAT NOT ALL CITIES HAVE, AND NOT ALL CITIES STAFFS HAVE. 
          SO I I, I DO APPRECIATE THAT SEEING THING COMING OR, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DOING, TAKING THIS ANALYSIS OF WHAT RISK THERE IS OF AN, OF A RECESSION COMING UP. 
          SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL. 
          SHALL, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS CAN BE ANSWERED BY YOU OR BY, UM, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF. 
          WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS WHAT ARE OUR EFFORTS TO SEEK OUT NEW REVENUE SOURCES OR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS TO BRING IN MORE MONEY? NOT NECESSARILY JUST GETTING ANY BUSINESS IN TO FILL A SPACE, UH, OR, UH, A BUILDING, BUT THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ACTUALLY BRING PEOPLE IN AND BRING IN THE REVENUE THAT WE NEED. 
          UM, I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF DE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE WORKS, BUT I, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE BRINGING IN, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NEED FROM STAFF, IS WHAT WE'RE BRINGING IN. 
          ARE THEY GOING TO BE GOOD STRONG REVENUE SOURCES OR DO WE NEED TO GO OUT AND START LOOKING FOR THE MORE ALTERNATIVE SOURCES THAT SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES HAVE GONE TO, UM, TO BRING IN MORE REVENUE BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE AN ISSUE, WE ARE NOT GETTING THE SALES TAX IN, SO WE'RE NOT GETTING THE MONEY IN THAT NECESSARILY KEEPS US MORE THAN FLUSH FOR THEIR EXPENSES COMING OUT. 
          AND SO JUST LIKE, UH, A HOUSEHOLD, ONE OF US HAS TO GET A SECOND JOB. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M KIND OF LOOKING AT IS WHAT ARE WE DOING, WHAT ARE OUR EFFORTS AND WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES OF BRINGING IN REVENUE SOURCES THAT WILL BRING US THE MONEY AND NOT JUST FILLING BUILDINGS. 
          I I CAN ANSWER THAT. 
          SO, BUT IT'LL HELP ME UNDERSTAND. 
          WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY ALTERNATIVE REVENUE SOURCES, LIKE BUSINESS TO BUSINESS OR, WELL, I MEAN, OKAY, JUST TO BE TRANSPARENT, SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES HAVE GONE TO DISPENSARIES OR TO GROW FARMS. NOW THIS HAS COME UP IN DISCUSSION IN SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THESE ARE REVENUE SOURCES THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE USED. 
          AND IT'S ALWAYS A TOUGH TOPIC BECAUSE THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, IS SPLIT ON THAT PERCEPTION. 
          HOWEVER, WE ALSO ARE IN A CITY THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF SERVICES. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE AND WE NEED TO FUND THOSE, WHETHER IT'S, UH, POLICE AND FIRE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY OR WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, GETTING ENGINEERS AND PLANNING OR WHATEVER IT IS. 
          IF WE'RE NOT BRINGING IN THE MONEY, SOMEONE'S GOTTA GET A SECOND JOB. 
          AND THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. 
          WE MAY HAVE TO STEP OUT OF OUR CURRENT FRAME OF MIND OF DISCOUNTING, WHETHER IT BE MARIJUANA OR WHETHER IT BE, I DON'T KNOW, RACE CARS. 
          I DON'T SOMETHING. 
          BUT JUST LOOKING AT OTHER ALTERNATIVES OTHER THAN JUST BUILDING, FILLING BUILDINGS. 
          GRAHAM FROM AN ECONOMIC YES, SIR. 
          I, I JUST WANT TO CAUTION, IT'S GONNA BE A LONG NIGHT. 
          AND THIS COULD BE A LONG DISCUSSION. 
          IT MIGHT BE BETTER WE HAVE A WORKSHOP OR, OR BRING BACK A SPECIFIC ITEM FOR THIS. 
          BUT GO AHEAD. 
          WELL, SIR, I'LL, I'LL JUST RESPOND TO THIS FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE. 
          WE'RE DOING A COUPLE THINGS. 
          ONE IS WE'RE FOCUSING ON PARKWAY PLAZA, AS YOU KNOW. 
          UH, IN FACT YOU ADOPTED, UH, AN AGREEMENT TODAY TO HELP EXPLORE THAT. 
          GREAT. 
          UM, I THINK BY BRINGING NEW CITY AMERICA IN TO HELP RUN OUR DOWNTOWN, UH, P BID, THAT WILL BE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IF WE CAN GET THE RIGHT, UH, MIX AND THE RIGHT, UH, ASSESSMENT, THEN THAT WILL HOPEFULLY TURN THE TIDE IN GETTING SOME RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT INTO THE DOWNTOWN THAT IS PRI PRIMARY NEEDED IN OUR DOWNTOWN. 
          THE CHALLENGE AND, AND THE MAYOR ACTUALLY RECEIVES SOME QUESTIONS FROM A REPORTER ABOUT THIS, IS, UM, WHY ISN'T THE CITY DEVELOPING MORE HOUSING? CITIES DON'T DEVELOP HOUSING. 
          WE ENCOURAGE HOUSING. 
          IN FACT, MOST OF OUR ZONING ALLOWS FOR SOME SORT OF MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT ALREADY. 
          IF THE MARKET'S NOT THERE, THE MARKET'S NOT THERE. 
          THE CITY OF EL CAJON DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE LONG BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL EVER WAS EVEN CONTEMPLATING THE CITY COUNCIL SAID, WE ARE GONNA BUILD AS MANY APARTMENTS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN FOR WHATEVER REASON. 
          AND THAT, THAT DECISION CONTINUES TO HAMSTRING US YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. 
          THE MAR THE, THE INCLUSION OF MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE THE LAST THING WE SHOULD EVER CONSIDER. 
          WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR HIGH-END HOUSING. 
          I HATE TO BE BLUNT ABOUT IT 'CAUSE WE NEED MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE REGION. 
          UM, OUR 
          [01:50:01]
NEIGHBORING CITIES NEED TO PROVIDE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 
          WE HAVE DONE OUR SHARE. 
          UM, BUT WHEN OUR, WHEN WE HAVE SO MUCH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOUSING, DEVELOPERS ARE SCARED TO DEVELOP AN EL OUTCOME BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GET THE REVENUE OR THE RENTS NEEDED TO MAKE A PROJECT PENCIL. 
          MR. GOBEL, UH, WORKED WITH STAFF ON THE MTS PROJECT, EVEN WITH SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES. 
          A A A PRETTY REPUTABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPER COULD NOT GET THAT PROJECT A PENCIL AT. 
          AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT CAME DOWN TO WE CAN'T CHARGE ENOUGH FOR RENT AND OUR COMMUNITY. 
          SO THAT'S GOTTA BE FIXED. 
          WE'RE HOPING THAT SOME RESURGENCE IN THE DOWNTOWN WILL HELP SHIFT SOME OF THOSE FINANCIAL DYNAMICS. 
          UM, WHEN IT COMES TO ALTERNATIVE FUNDING COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT'S IN YOUR COURT. 
          THAT'S NOT IN OUR COURT. 
          THAT'S FOR YOU TO DIRECT US. 
          SO WE WOULD ENTERTAIN OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE THAT. 
          BUT THAT NEEDS TO COME TO, TO, UH, US FROM THE COUNCIL. 
          ABSOLUTELY AGREE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. 
          SO, UH, WHAT DO YOU PROPOSING? ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A, UH, I, I KINDA LIKE THE WAIT FOR GARY TO COME BACK. 
          SO I'M, I'M, I'M STALLING, STALLING FOR TIME FOR A SECOND. 
          . 
          LET'S JUST WAIT FOR 'EM TO COME BACK, GUYS. 
          BUT IF ANYBODY THAT'S A GOOD TIME TO FLESH OUT ANY IDEAS THAT YOU ALL HAVE. 
          I, I THINK STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF, OF NOT SPENDING THE SAVINGS WE'VE HAD FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          AND THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE A HIGHER RESERVE, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE A SOFTER LANDING, MEANING WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE. 
          IF YOU WOULD'VE SPENT THE MONEY TO CREATE MORE POSITIONS, WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT LAYOFFS TODAY. 
          THAT'S THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS TOO. 
          WE, YOU KNOW, FOR 20 PLUS YEARS, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A, A UNIFIED CITY COUNCIL WITH THE IDEA THAT WE NEEDED TO NOT LIVE BEYOND OUR MEANS. 
          SO I'VE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD OF THAT. 
          AND, AND, AND THAT YOU'VE, BANK SAVINGS MEANS WE HAVE A SOFT LANDING, WHICH MEANS WE MIGHT NOT GET AS MANY PROJECTS DONE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO CUT SERVICES, MEANING PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE THE SERVICES. 
          SO I, I ALSO AGREE. 
          WHO GOES TO YOU ALL? I ALSO AGREE, I ALSO AGREE WITH YOU THAT YOU CAN BE MISERABLY AT SOME POINT WHERE YOU DON'T USE YOUR SAVINGS FOR AN ANALOGY TO PUT THE NEW ROOF ON THE HOUSE. 
          YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T LIVE WITH A LEAKY ROOF WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE MONEY IN THE BANK TO FIX IT. 
          SO, I, I I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT WITH THAT. 
          OH, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MOTION? I AM LOOKING FOR A MOTION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I WILL MOVE THAT. 
          UH, ACTING AS A CITY COUNCIL. 
          WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 26 ANNUAL BUDGET. 
          SECOND, UH, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          I WILL MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS LIMIT FOR 25 26. 
          SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          I WILL MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DESIGNATION OF GENERAL FUND BALANCES. 
          SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES SPAY A UNANIMOUS VOTE, UH, ACTING AS A HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT WE ADOPT THE RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY BUDGET FOR 25 26. 
          SECOND PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES SPAY UNANIMOUS VOTE AND ACTING AS A SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE FORMER REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY THAT WE APPROVE THE 25 26 BUDGET. 
          SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          UH, JUST TO ASK IN THE AUDIENCE, IS ANYBODY HERE FROM LA LARA FOR, FOR THEIR ITEM? UH, LET'S, LET'S GET TO YOURS NEXT. 
          SO YOU'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND WE MIGHT HAVE SOME TIME. 
          WHAT NUMBER IS THAT? I'M TRYING TO FIND, I THINK IT'S UNDER ACTIVITIES UNDER 19, SIR. 
          19. 
          UM, THE JOINT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OH YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK 
          [19. Direction to Analyze Potential Zoning Code Amendments Related to Window Screening for Medical and Healthcare Providers RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council directs staff to analyze potential Zoning Code amendments related to allowing medical and healthcare providers to screen more than 15% of their first-floor windows in Commercial Zones and the Downtown Specific Plan area.]
YOU. 
          UH, SO WE HAVE A JOINT COUNCIL MEMBER REPORT ON TODAY'S AGENDA. 
          I 19 IS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GOBEL AND MYSELF. 
          UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, UH, WE HAVE ORDINANCES THAT TALK ABOUT THE, 
          [01:55:01]
UH, AMOUNT OF WINDOW SPACE THAT CAN BE COVERED. 
          AND THERE'S VERY GOOD REASONS WHY YOU DON'T WANT LIQUOR STORES AND RESTAURANTS AND GROCERY STORES NOT TO BE COMPLETELY COVERED. 
          'CAUSE THE POLICE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE INSIDE WHAT'S HAPPENING. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. 
          WE HAVE A SITUATION NOW WHERE, UM, CLINICS IN IN TOWN WE'RE GETTING MORE OF THESE CLINICS, ESPECIALLY FEDERAL QUALIFIED HEALTH CLINICS, UM, ARE SEEING PATIENTS, ESPECIALLY PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS AND SOME OTHER SENSITIVE AREAS WHERE, UM, THEIR WINDOWS ARE REQUIRED TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT COVERED OR, UH, NOT TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT COVERED AND THEY'D LIKE THEM TO BE BECAUSE OF HIPAA VIOLATIONS. 
          AND SO, UH, STEVE AND I, UH, THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE WORTH HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT AND STARTING THE BALL ROLLING. 
          AND THE, THESE FOLKS ARE FROM LAMA EASTER. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK. 
          AND STEVE, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY BEFORE WE THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. 
          THE ONLY THING I THINK THIS CAME UP IS BECAUSE, UH, THE APPLICANT HAS PURCHASED A PROPERTY WHICH USED TO BE A, A RETAIL FRONTING PROPERTY ON THE EDGE OF EAST MAIN STREET. 
          AND SO IT'S, IT'S JUST, UH, 2025 FEET AWAY FROM THE CURB LINE. 
          AND THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN AN OFFICE THAT IS 50, 60 FEET BEHIND THE CURB LINE. 
          UM, SO, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, GET INTO THIS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR, YOUR BUSINESS AND WHY YOU'RE HERE? YES. 
          SO, UH, MY NAME IS TOM WITH LA MAESTRA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND WE ARE A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER. 
          WE SERVE, UH, COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS SAN DIEGO. 
          WE HAVE SIX SITES IN EL CAJON. 
          WE'VE SERVING EL CAJON FOR FIF 15 YEARS NOW. 
          AND, UM, WE DO HANDLE SENSITIVE MEDICAL INFORMATION EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          THAT'S MEDICAL AND DENTAL INFORMATION. 
          AND WE ARE SUBJECT TO FEDERAL, UH, HIPAA GUIDELINES AS WELL AS STATE GUIDELINES. 
          AND THE STATE GUIDELINES ARE ACTUALLY MORE STRICT THAN THE FEDERAL, UH, GUIDELINES, BUT WE ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN VERY STRICT, UM, PRIVACY REQUIREMENTS, PRIVACY STANDARDS. 
          AND SO ALLOWING PATIENTS TO BE SEEN THROUGH AN UNCOVERED WINDOW, UM, REALLY CREATES A, A SERIOUS RISK OF EXPOSURE, OF UNAUTHORIZED EXPOSURE TO PATIENT INFORMATION. 
          WHETHER THAT'S PATIENTS ARE IN PATIENTS BEING IN THE WAITING AREA, OR PATIENTS BEING IN A CHECK-IN AREA, OR EVEN PATIENTS BEING SEEN DURING A MEDICAL OR DENTAL EXAM. 
          AND SO FOR THIS REASON, WE'RE ASKING FOR A MODIFICATION THAT ALLOWS US TO SCREEN OR COVER A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR WINDOWS, UH, IN ORDER TO REMAIN COMPLIANT WITH, UH, WITH THE LAW AND WITH BEST PRACTICES IN HEALTHCARE. 
          I THANK YOU. 
          DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OH, I THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA. 
          MAYBE, UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR BUSINESSES OR HELP, UH, YOU KNOW, SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THE, TO THIS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR? I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM WOULD DO, IS DIRECT US TO DO SOME ANALYSIS. 
          'CAUSE I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW, NOT JUST LAMA ASTRA, BUT ALL OF IT. 
          YEAH. 
          'CAUSE THIS COULD APPLY, THIS COULD END UP HAVING SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BEYOND YEAH. 
          WHAT SOUNDS REASONABLE RIGHT NOW. 
          SO THE THOUGHT WOULD BE IF COUNSEL WANTED TO GIVE US SOME DIRECTION, WE WOULD BRING BACK AN ANALYSIS YEAH. 
          OF HOW MANY PROPERTIES THIS WOULD AFFECT. 
          WHAT ARE THE PROS, WHAT ARE THE CONS, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES? AND THEN BASED ON THAT ANALYSIS, THE COUNCIL CAN THEN DIRECT US TO TAKE THAT BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO RECONSIDER THAT. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SURE. 
          I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. 
          UM, MY FEELING IS WE COULD, SHOULDN'T WE BE ABLE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE CURRENT ORDINANCE? UM, OR THE ZONING CODE TO INCLUDE HEARING DENTAL, MEDICAL? WELL, I PSYCHOLOGICAL THAT WAS WHAT MY, THAT WAS MY THOUGHT. 
          YEAH. 
          AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD THAT, THAT WE WOULD NOW PASS IT OFF TO STAFF WHO WOULD LOOK AT ALL THOSE OPTIONS AND COME BACK TO WITH, WITH WHAT I THINK WHAT'S REASONABLE AND WHAT'S DOABLE. 
          UH, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE, UM, NOBODY, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY GO TO THE DENTIST AND MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT YOUR NEIGHBOR TO KNOW YOU WENT TO THAT PARTICULAR DENTIST. 
          UM, WHERE'S THIS LOCATION GOING IN AT? JUST CURIOUS. 
          UM, THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION IS 1, 2, 4 2 1, 2, 4, 6 AND 1 2 4 8 EAST MAIN STREET. 
          IT'S A PLAZA. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          WITH THREE BUILDINGS THAT WE'VE RECENTLY OCCUPIED. 
          OKAY. 
          AND WE'VE CONVERTED THEM TO MEDICAL AND DENTAL SITES. 
          OKAY. 
          OUR OTHER SITE IS JUST RIGHT ACROSS THE PARKING LOT AT 1 8, 1 RIA. 
          RIGHT. 
          IT'S A LITTLE BIT WEST OF THE AWAKEN CHURCH. 
          OKAY. 
          GOT IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND WE DO SEE, YOU KNOW, SENSITIVE, UH, UH, UH, PATIENTS WITH SENSITIVE ISSUES, MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE, UH, DOMESTIC ABUSE, WHERE THEIR PRIVACY IS REALLY, UM, REALLY DOES NEED TO BE PROTECTED. 
          AND SO WE, UH, REALLY WANT TO PRESERVE THE DIGNITY AS WELL AS THE PRIVACY OF PATIENTS. 
          YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT AN EXTREME MASK OR, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST FLOOR BEING COVERED. 
          UH, WE DO HAVE THAT IN ALL OF OUR OTHER SITES WHERE IT IS COVERED, UH, THE WINDOW COVERINGS. 
          SO WE'RE 
          [02:00:01]
JUST ASKING FOR JUST, UH, UH, PRIVACY FOR OUR PATIENTS. 
          WELL, SO THE PROCESS WILL BE, IF THE, IF THE COUNCIL, UM, VOTES TO ASK THE STAFF TO GET, COME BACK WITH ANALYSIS, WE'LL SET ANOTHER DATE TO COME BACK FOR THE FINAL VOTE HERE. 
          SO. 
          SOUNDS GOOD. 
          AND OR ALTERNATIVELY, SO THERE'S TWO, THERE'S TWO OPTIONS YOU CAN GO. 
          ONE IS YOU GIVE US SOME DIRECTION TO ANALYZE THIS AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL. 
          IF THE COUNCIL BASED ON THE ANALYSIS, WILL THEN GIVE DIRECTION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          THE ALTERNATIVE IS YOU COULD JUST DIRECT US TO PREPARE ANALYSIS AND TAKE THAT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          AND YOU DON'T SEE IT UNTIL THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS ALREADY MADE A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON STAFF'S ANALYSIS. 
          SO THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU WANNA SEE IT FIRST BEFORE PLANNING COMMISSION OR DO YOU WANNA, IT WOULD SAVE TIME JUST TO GO RIGHT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. 
          RIGHT. 
          YEAH. 
          UNLESS THEY DON'T LIKE THE DIRECTION THAT YOU MAY WANT TO GO, THEN THEY CAN, THEN THEY CAN APPEAL IT AND BRING IT BACK. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          YEAH. 
          I, I, I'M, I'M WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING. 
          UM, LET ME, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE LOGISTICS UP HERE, BUT WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, LEMME SEE IF THERE'S ANY SPEAKER CARDS ON THE SIDE. 
          NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS, SIR. 
          THANK YOU FOLKS. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          UH, GARY, WELL, I THINK THERE'S SOME COMPELLING REASONS WHY WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD IN THIS. 
          AT LEAST GIVE IT BACK, GIVE IT TO STAFF AND FIND OUT ANY GOOD AND BAD POINTS OF THIS. 
          SO, UH, UNLESS MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. 
          WE, WELL, THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THAT I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE A GO FROM HERE, FROM HERE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION INSTEAD OF ANOTHER STOP HERE, AND THEN TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION JUST TO EXPEDITE THIS. 
          'CAUSE THESE THINGS CAN GO FOREVER. 
          YEAH. 
          SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. 
          ALRIGHT, WOULD YOU, THAT'LL BE MY MOTION. 
          OKAY. 
          I'LL SECOND IT. 
          PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY A UNANIM VOTE. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          OKAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK. 
          THERE'S A, THERE'S A WHOLE SECTION WHERE I HAVE TO READ TO YOU FOR A LONG TIME, SO WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND COME BACK AND, UM, POP YOUR POPCORN. 
          GET READY FOR THIS. 
          IT'S GONNA BE AN EXCITING SHOW, . 
          OKAY, WE'RE BACK. 
          MOVING FORWARD. 
          [12. Adoption of a Resolution of Intention to Amend the CalPERS Contract and Introduction of First Reading of Ordinance Amending the CalPERS Contract RECOMMENDATION: In order to provide cost sharing of an additional contribution of one percent by unrepresented police Executive Management CalPERS Classic members, as allowed by Government Code section 20516, that the City Council: 	Adopts the next Resolution, in order, approving its intention to amend the contract between the City of El Cajon (City) and the Board of Administration of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS); and 	Introduces, for first reading, the next Ordinance, in order, amending the contract between the City and CalPERS.]
ITEM 12 IS TO AMEND THE CALPERS CONTRACT WITH AN INTRODUCTION OF AN ORDINANCE. 
          DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, MAREL THORN. 
          I, I'M SORRY. 
          I THINK THAT THIS SUPPOSED TO BE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES MAN. 
          NO, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. 
          I KEEP FORGETTING YOU. 
          CONGRATULATIONS. 
           MAROL WILL TELL US ALL ABOUT THIS. 
          I TAKE MY FOOT OUT MY MOUTH. 
          OKAY. 
          NO, IT'S GOOD. 
          UM, SO THIS IS PART TWO OF A THREE PART PROCESS FOR A CALPERS CONTRACT AMENDMENT. 
          AS YOU RECALL, IN MAY I BROUGHT FORTH A RESOLUTION, UM, FOR OUR EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT, UM, FOR POLICE, WHICH IS ONLY THE CHIEF. 
          AND THAT WAS A RESOLUTION WHICH EXPRESSED AN AGREEMENT THAT THE CHIEF WOULD PAY AN ADDITIONAL 1% INTO CALPERS. 
          SO THAT ALLOWED US TO INITIATE THE CONTRACT AMENDMENT WITH CALPERS. 
          AND SO NOW THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU, AS WELL AS THE ORDINANCE, IS THE INITIATION OF THAT PROCESS. 
          AND UPON ADOPTION, THEN WE'LL, WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY QUESTIONS FOR MARISOL? UH, ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR THIS ITEM? NO SPEAKER CARD, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT, BACK TO COUNSEL. 
          I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO, UH, ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING ITS INTENT, OUR INTENTION TO AMEND THE CONTRACT BETWEEN CITY OF EL CAJON AND THE BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION OF CALPERS, AND INTRODUCE FOR FIRST READING THE ORDINANCE IN ORDER AMENDING THAT CONTRACT, UH, BETWEEN THE CITY AND CALPERS. 
          SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          LET'S, UM, LET'S VOTE AT THIS POINT. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          AND THE TITLE OF THE ORDINANCE IS AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EL CAJON, APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY OF EL CAJON AND THE BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION, CALIFORNIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. THANK YOU. 
          OUR LAST ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT, I'M 13, IS WITH 
          [13. Compensation for Executive and Unrepresented Employees (A-29), City Attorney and City Manager RECOMMENDATION: That the Mayor provides an oral report summarizing recommended changes in compensation for the City’s “local agency executives” and, following the report, that the City Council: 	Approves the changes to City Council Policy A-29 described below and reflected in the attachment; and 	Adopts the next Resolutions, in order, to approve amendments to the employment contracts with the City Attorney and the City Manager, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the amendments, substantially in the forms as presented.]
THE COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVE AND UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEES, A 29 CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY MANAGER. 
          DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AM MARIAL THORN WILL TELL US ABOUT THIS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO CITY COUNCIL POLICY A 29 IS A DOCUMENT THAT DIRECT STAFF ON SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR ALL UNREPRESENTED CLASSIFICATIONS WITHIN THE CITY. 
          [02:05:02]
AND AS SUCH, WE ARE BRINGING IT FORTH. 
          IT'S ONLY A ONE YEAR DOCUMENT. 
          AND THIS YEAR WE ARE RECOMMENDING A 3% COST OF LIVING FOR ALL STAFF. 
          UNDER THIS DOCUMENT, EXCEPT FOR THE POLICE CHIEF, POLICE CHIEF, WE ARE REPRESENT, WE ARE PROPOSING A 4.5 UH, PERCENT INCREASE, WHICH IS THE SAME AS THE MANAGEMENT GROUP. 
          SO THAT KEEPS THE CHIEF IN LINE WITH HIS MANAGEMENT GROUP. 
          WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING A CHANGE IN CAFETERIA ALLOTMENT AFFECTED JANUARY OF 2026, UH, FOR $1,700 A MONTH. 
          THAT ALIGNS WITH THE MID-MANAGEMENT GROUP. 
          ALONG WITH THIS, UM, AGENDA ITEM, WE ARE ALSO BRINGING FORTH CONTRACT AMENDMENTS FOR BOTH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY, BOTH REFLECTING A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE. 
          THANK YOU, MARISOL. 
          FIRST, I NEED TO STATE THAT CALIFORNIA LAW REQUIRES THAT PRIOR TO TAKING FINAL ACTION ON THE SALARY, SALARY SCHEDULES, OR COMPENSATION PAD PAID IN THE FORM OF FRIDGE, BENEFITS OF WHAT ARE KNOWN AS LOCAL AGENCY EXECUTIVES, THE LEGISLATIVE BODY SHALL ORALLY REPORT A SUMMARY OF A RECOMMENDATION FOR SUCH A FINAL ACTION. 
          A LOCAL AGENCY EXECUTIVE INCLUDES ANY EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY WHO IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE MYERS MILLS BROWN ACT, AND WHO IS THE CITY MANAGER, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DEPARTMENT HEAD, OR WHOSE POSITION IS HELD BY AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY ATTORNEY. 
          SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF PURPOSES OF DISCLOSURE, THIS REPORT INCLUDES ACTION ON SALARIES AND COMPENSATION IN THE FORM OF FRINGE BENEFITS. 
          FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCAL AGENCY EXECUTIVES, CITY MANAGER GRAHAM MITCHELL, CITY ATTORNEY MORGAN FOLEY, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, VINCE DIAGGIO, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, MARI L THORN, CITY CLERK, ANGELA CORTEZ, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 
          ANTHONY SHOOT, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING. 
          YASMIN ANO, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, CITY TREASURER, CLAY SCHOEN, DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. 
          SARAH DIAZ, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION. 
          ADAM TRO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. 
          DAVID RICHARDS AND POLICE CHIEF JEREMIAH LARSON. 
          NOW FOR THE PROPOSED CHANGES. 
          FIRST WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE POLICE, CHIEF HAS PROPOSED THAT EACH OF THESE EMPLOYEES RECEIVED A COST OF BENEFIT, A COST OF LIVING BENEFIT OF 3% FOR POLICE CHIEF, A COST OF LIVING INCREASE OF 4.5% IN LINE WITH THE POLICE MANAGEMENT GROUP. 
          THESE INCREASES ARE EFFECTIVE AS OF JUNE 21ST, 2025. 
          THE FOLLOWING ARE PROPOSED MARKET ADJUSTMENTS FOR THESE EMPLOYEES AND ADDITIONAL 5.5% FOR THE CITY CLERK, AN ADDITIONAL 3% FOR THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. 
          SECOND, IT IS ALSO PROPOSED THAT EACH OF THESE EMPLOYEES RECEIVE A MONTHLY CAFETERIA PLAN ALLOTMENT OF $1,700, AN INCREASE OF $150 PER MONTH, BEGINNING IN JANUARY OF 2026. 
          THIS CONCLUDES THE SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO SALARIES AND COMPENSATION IN THE FORM OF FRINGE BENEFITS TO THE CITY'S EXECUTIVES AS IS REQUIRED BY LAW. 
          NOW BEFORE WE MOVE ALONG, IS THERE A REPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER ON THIS MATTER? NO, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU MR. RACHEL. 
          NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL IF YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE ASK FOR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? NO SPEAKER CARD, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, MOVE ADOPTION REGARDING THE CHANGES TO CITY COUNCIL POLICY 8 29, UH, DESCRIBED IN THE STAFF REPORT AND REFLECTED, UH, IN THE SET ATTACHMENTS AND ADOPT THE RESOLUTION TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS AS A CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER, AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE THOSE AMENDMENTS SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE FORMS AS PRESENTED. 
          ALRIGHT, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          WE HAVE NO COMMISSION REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. 
          ITEM 
          [14.  Council Activity Report]
14 IS MY ACTIVITIES REPORT, WHICH IS AS REPORTED. 
          NOW WE'RE 
          [15.  COUNCILMEMBER 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.]
AT THE ACTIVITIES REPORTS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GOBEL AS REPORTED, MAYOR 
          [16.  MAYOR PRO TEM GARY KENDRICK METRO Commission/Wastewater JPA; Heartland Communications; Heartland Fire Training JPA.]
PROAM, KENDRICK, UH, I HAVE TO ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          UH, I HAD A MEETING WITH, UH, DONNY D UH, FROM THE RESCUE MISSION ON, UH, JUNE 18TH. 
          AND, LET'S SEE, I GOT ONE MORE HERE. 
          [02:10:01]
UH, I HAD A MEETING, UH, UH, YESTERDAY, UH, WITH UM, UH, JOSE PESCADO, UH, BOARD MEMBER AT A CHARTER SCHOOL IN EL CAJON. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. 
          [17.  COUNCILMEMBER MICHELLE METSCHEL Harry Griffen Park Joint Steering Committee; METRO Commission/Wastewater JPA – Alternate; Heartland Communications – Alternate; Heartland Fire Training JPA – Alternate.]
COUNCIL MEMBER MITCHELL. 
          AS REPORTED, COUNCIL MEMBER 
          [18.  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.]
ORTIZ. 
          AS REPORTED, THERE ARE NO GENERAL INFORMATION ITEMS AND NO FIRST READINGS ORDINANCES ON TODAY'S REPORT. 
          WE HAVE A 
          [20. Establish Procedures for the Creation of Community Benefit Districts in El Cajon RECOMMENDATION: That Mayor Wells requests the City Clerk to recite the title. An Ordinance to Add Chapter 2.90 to Title 2 of the El Cajon Municipal Code to Establish Procedures for the Establishment of Community Benefit Districts in the City of El Cajon. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT: The proposed enabling ordinance and its implementation are exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) under State Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) in that there is no possibility that the implementation of this ordinance may have significant effects on the environment. Furthermore, this activity is not a project under CEQA as defined in State CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (b)(4) because it adopts a method by which to create government funding mechanisms or constitutes other government fiscal activities which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.]
SECOND READING AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCES ON TODAY'S AGENDA. 
          ITEM 20 IS THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROCEDURES FOR THE CREATION OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS DISTRICTS IN EL CAJON. 
          I'LL ASK OUR CITY CLERK TO READ THE TITLE, BUT FIRST, ANGELA ARE YOUR SPEAKER CARDS FOR THIS ITEM. 
          WE HAVE NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR. 
          THEN WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE TITLE? THE TITLE READS AN ORDINANCE TO ADD CHAPTER 2.90 TO TITLE TWO OF THE EL CAJON MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH PROCEDURES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY BENEFIT DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON. 
          LOOKING FOR A MOTION? SO MOVE SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. 
          MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. 
          WE HAVE ALREADY DONE CLOSED SESSION. 
          SO THIS BRINGS US TO THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE ELCON CITY COUNCIL, EL CAJON HOUSING AUTHORITY SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE EL CAJON REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY HELD THIS 24TH DAY OF JUNE, 2025. 
          IT IS ADJOURNED UNTIL TUESDAY, JULY 8TH, 2025 AT 3:00 PM THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.