* 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. [00:00:03] LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, [ CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Bill Wells] WELCOME TO THE ALCOHOL AND CITY COUNCIL MEETING. THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER. I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY CLERK TO PLEASE CALL THE ROLE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. GREAT. WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN AFTERWARDS REMAIN STANDING FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OF SILENCE, 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 [ POSTINGS: The City Clerk posted Orders of Adjournment of the July 22, 2025, Meeting and the Agenda of the August 12, 2025, Meeting in accordance to State Law and City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency Policy.] CITY CLERK POSTED ORDERS OF ADJOURNMENT OF THE JULY 22ND, 2025 MEETING AND THE AGENDA OF THE AUGUST 12TH, 2025 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY POLICY. THERE ARE NO PRESENTATIONS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. STAFF, DO [ AGENDA CHANGES:] YOU HAVE ANY AGENDA CHANGES? MR. MAYOR? I, I WOULD ACTUALLY RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE UP A COUPLE ITEMS OUT OF ORDER. UM, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA, UH, ITEM NUMBER NINE AND 10. AND WE ALSO HAVE AGENDA ITEM 11, WHICH IS THE ELCON VETERANS MEMORIAL, UM, AWARD. UH, AND WE HAVE A, A WHOLE BUNCH OF FOLKS FROM OUR LOCAL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS. I WOULD, GIVEN THE, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENTS UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT, I WOULD RECOMMEND WE MOVE THOSE THREE AGENDA ITEMS UP EARLY IN THE AGENDA AND THEN GO BACK TO OUR NORMAL AGENDA. OKAY. LET ME, UM, FIRST OFF, COUNSEL, DO YOU WANNA MAKE ANY CHANGES? ALRIGHT. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO, UH, ACCEPT THE AGENDA CHANGES OUTLINED BY OUR CITY MANAGER. SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. ALRIGHT, WE'RE NOW [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.] CONSENT ITEMS. CONSENT ITEMS OF ROUTINE MATTERS ENACTED BY ONE MOTION ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATION LISTED BELOW WITH CONCURRENCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER OR PERSON IN ATTENDANCE MAY RE REQUEST DISCUSSION OF A CONSENT ITEM AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU WISH TO PULL ANY CONSENT ITEMS? STAFF? NO, SIR. OKAY. I'LL MAKE, UM, ARE THEY SPEAKER CARDS FOR CONSENT ITEMS? NO. SPEAKER CARD, SIR. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ITEMS. SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. OKAY. LET'S [9. Convert an Existing Three-Unit Residential Development Addressed as 1415, 1419, and 1421 Oakdale Avenue into a Common Interest Development RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council: Opens the public hearing and receives testimony; Closes the public hearing; Moves to adopt the next Resolution, in order, APPROVING the CEQA Determination of Exemption; Moves to adopt the next Resolution, in order, APPROVING Planned Unit Development No. 2024-0001, subject to conditions; and Moves to adopt the next Resolution, in order, APPROVING Tentative Parcel Map No. 2024-0010, subject to conditions.] GO TO AGENDA. ITEM NINE, I ADMIRE IS TO CONVERT AN EXISTING THREE UNIT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT INTO A COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENT STAFF. WILL YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS, PLEASE? YEAH, PLEASE. SORRY. THANK YOU. YEAH, YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT, . THANK YOU. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS SPENCER HAYES FLORES. I'M THE ASSOCIATE PLANNER WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. UH, THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, UH, PROPOSES TO CONVERT AN EXISTING RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TO A COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENT. THE PROJECT INCLUDES A PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND A TENTATIVE PARCEL MAP, SO THAT'S A PUD AND A TPM, WHICH WOULD CONVERT, UH, THREE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL RENTAL UNITS TO FOUR SALE UNITS. UH, THE SUBJECT HOMES ARE DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY STYLE HOMES, UH, AND THE PROJECT INCLUDES THE CREATION OF THREE SUB LOTS, INCLUDING AN ACCESS AND UTILITIES EASEMENT TO REACH THOSE LOTS. THE SUBJECT SITE IS ADDRESSED AS 1415 TO 1421 OAKDALE AVENUE, WHICH IS ON, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET BETWEEN NORTH SECOND STREET AND EAST MAIN STREET. THE PROJECT IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO OTHER PLANNED DEVELOPMENTS, AS WELL AS OTHER MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN AND ZONING DESIGNATIONS. THE THREE EXISTING HOMES ARE APPROXIMATELY 2200 SQUARE FEET AND INCLUDE TWO, UH, [00:05:01] CAR GARAGES THAT WHICH ARE ATTACHED. THERE'S ALSO AMPLE PARKING IN FRONT OF THOSE GARAGES IN PRIVATE DRIVEWAYS. HERE ARE A COUPLE IMAGES OF THE SUBJECT SITE. UH, AND JUST A QUICK NOTE THAT THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL DO INCLUDE REHABILITATED LANDSCAPING ALONG THE PROJECT FRONTAGE, UH, AND ALONG THE PRIVATE ACCESS DRIVEWAY. HERE'S THE PROPOSED TENTATIVE MAP. UH, THE PROPOSED SUB LOTS ARE OUTLINED IN BLUE, AND THE PROPOSED ACCESS AND UTILITIES EASEMENT IS INDICATED IN RED. THE PUD PERMIT REQUIRES THAT THE UNITS HAVE SEPARATE GAS AND ELECTRIC METERS, WHICH ARE ALREADY PROVIDED AT THE SITE. UH, AND FINALLY, THE UNITS HAVE SEPARATE WATER METERS AND SHARE A COMMON SEWER LATERAL, UH, TO MAIN, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ZONING CODE REQUIREMENTS. ONE OF THE MAIN REQUIREMENTS TO CONVERT TO COMMON INTEREST IS A PHYSICAL ELEMENTS REPORT OR A PER. THE PER IS AN OVERALL, OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT CONDITIONS OF THE SITE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT THE UNITS, UH, THAT ARE EVENTUALLY SOLD ARE FREE OF ANY MAJOR ISSUES OR DEFECTS. THE PER NOTES THAT THE UNITS ARE IN OVERALL GOOD CONDITION, BUT DOES RECOMMEND SOME H-V-A-C-H-V-A-C REPAIR WORK, UH, VINYL WINDOWS AND REPAIRS TO PATIO COVERS AMONG OTHER MINOR CHANGES. THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE INCLUDED AS PROPOSED CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL FOR THIS PROJECT. UH, IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT OTHER MODIFICATIONS, UH, WOULD OCCUR, UH, SOME THAT ARE CONDITIONS ARE AND SOME THAT ARE PROPOSED BY THE APPLICANT. UH, THOSE ITEMS INCLUDES INCLUDE UPDATED CABINETRY AND FLOORING, WHICH, UH, DO NOT REQUIRE BUILDING PERMITS, UH, AND A UPDATED DRIVEWAY ENTRY FROM THE PUBLIC STREET, UH, TO MEET CURRENT STANDARDS. AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT OF THE COMMON INTEREST DEVELOPMENT IS A, IS TO RECORD COVENANTS CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS OR CCNRS AND THE FORMATION OF AN HOA HOME HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION. UH, THE HOA IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN COMMON FACILITIES SUCH AS THAT ACCESS DRIVEWAY PROJECT, FENCING AND WALLS, UH, COMMON UTILITIES, AND OTHER OPEN SPACES. IN ADDITION, UH, THE CONVERSION TO COMMON INTEREST REQUIRES CERTAIN TENANT NOTIFICATIONS. SO IN THIS CASE, UH, THE EXISTING RENTERS WERE NOTIFIED OF THIS PROCESS TO CONVERT. UH, THEY WOULD ALSO, UH, BE OFFERED A 90 DAY RIGHT TO CONTRACT TO PURCHASE, UH, AND THAT RIGHT TO PURCHASE WOULD BE OFFERED AT THE SAME OR MORE FAVOR OR MORE BENEFICIAL TERMS TO THOSE OFFERED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHEN THOSE UNITS ARE FOR SALE. IT'S PROPOSED THAT THIS PROJECT IS EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 15 3 0 1 AND 15 3 15 OF THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT GUIDELINES. UH, THOSE ARE FOR EXISTING FACILITIES AND FOR DIVISIONS OF LAND MINOR DIVISIONS, DIVISIONS OF LAND. UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AT THE PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON JULY 15TH, 2025, UH, CONFIRMED THE PROJECT FINDINGS AND VOTED FIVE ZERO RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVE THE SUBJECT PROJECT. UH, THEY CITED THAT THE PROPOSAL IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, AS IT INCREASES HOME OWNERSHIP, HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY. UH, AT THE MEETING, THE PROJECT OWNER, UH, SPOKE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, UH, AND INDICATED THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THE PROPOSED CONDITIONS, UH, AND STAFF DID NOT RECEIVE ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT. FOR THIS ITEM, ITS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE, UH, COUNCIL RECEIVES PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND ADOPTS THE NEXT RESOLUTIONS IN ORDER APPROVING, UH, THE REQUEST SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS. THAT CONCLUDES OUR REPORT, AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. THANKS. I'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON THE COUNCIL. UH, NOBODY HAS A QUESTION. APPARENTLY. YOU DID A VERY GOOD JOB. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. ANY, ANY SPEAKER? OH, WELL, I WANNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK IF WE HAD ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR THAT ITEM. THERE ARE NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR. THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. GREAT. YES. UH, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT. IT CHECKS ALL THE BOXES FOR ME, AND IT MOVES FORWARD, UH, THE PLANS WE HAVE FOR ELCA TO INCREASE HOME OWNERSHIP. SO, I'M, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY, I'M GONNA MOVE. UH, WE RECOMMEND THE STAFF REPORT. SECOND. ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE THE SECOND. PLEASE. VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT PIECE OF BUSINESS, I SEE ALL OF THE YOUNG LADIES FROM THE MISS EL CAJON ARE, ARE YOU HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? WHY DON'T YOU COME UP AND, AND JUST TELL US REAL QUICK WHY, WHY YOU'RE HERE AND WE CAN GET YOU ON YOUR WAY TO VARIOUS EVENTS AND RIBBON CUTTINGS AND ALL THE THINGS YOU GUYS DO. ALRIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR. [00:10:01] COUNCIL CHAMBERS. UM, MY NAME'S DONNIE MARS. I'M A, UM, BOARD MEMBER FOR CYE COUNCIL FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT. UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO WE WERE HERE AND INTRODUCE, UM, LAST YEAR'S TITLE HOLDERS. SO I WANTED TO COME AND THANK YOU ONE FOR THE GENEROUS DONATION TO OUR PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS, UH, GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO THESE YOUNG LADIES. AND, UM, UM, JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE THEM AND ALSO A THANK YOU AND HOPEFULLY GET A PICTURE WITH YOU ALL. I, I SEE IT'S QUITE BUSY, BUT ANYWAYS, UM, WE CAN GET A PICTURE. THAT'S FINE. I JUST WANTED THE LADIES TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE, THESE ARE OUR NEW TITLE HOLDERS FOR 25 2025 TO 2026. THEY'LL BE REPRESENTING EL CAJON FOR THE NEXT YEAR, SO I JUST WANTED THEM TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. CAN YOU SAY ? DID, DID YOU GUYS WANNA SAY, DO YOU GIRLS WANNA SAY ANYTHING? HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CARTON DONAHUE AND I AM VERY EXCITED TO REPRESENT OUR WONDERFUL COMMUNITY AS YOUR MISS EL CAJON, 2025 THROUGH 2026. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL OF OUR REALLY FUN EVENTS THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY. AND IF YOU SEE ANY OF US, FEEL FREE TO STOP BY AND SAY HI. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME'S NATALIE SANCHEZ FLORES, AND I'M YOUR TEAM. MISS EL CAJON, 20 25, 20 26. AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HELPING AROUND IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KRISA COOPER. I'M YOUR JUNIOR TEEN. MISS AON. THANK YOU. DID YOU WANT COME AND TAKE A PIC? TAKE A PICTURE, EVERYBODY. LET'S GO DOWN AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH THEM. I, I'VE ALSO BROUGHT SOME PROGRAMS FROM OUR PAGEANT. UH, THESE LADIES WILL COMPETE IN CYU STATE PAGEANT IN NOVEMBER. I'VE BROUGHT SOME PROGRAMS FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AND JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA. IT'S CERTAINLY NOT WHAT YOU SEE ON TV. UM, BUT JUST WANTED HIM TO COME SAY HI. ALRIGHT, LADIES, STAND IN FRONT OF ALL OF US, US OLD TIMERS, ALL IN FRONT. UH, I'M SHORT. MICHELLE CAN MOVE. I'LL STAND RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. UM, ITEM [10. Appeal of the Planning Commission’s Decision Revoking Conditional Use Permit No. 2115 for a Restaurant with On-Site Alcohol Sales, Live Entertainment, and Ancillary or Occasional Banquet Use at 143 E. Main Street RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council: Opens the public hearing and receives testimony; and Adopts the next Resolution, in order, to deny the appeal; or Continues the hearing to a date to be determined; or Sends the item back to the Planning Commission for reconsideration.] 10 IS APPEAL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION THAT REVOKED CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 2, 1 1 5. STAFF, YOU PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THIS. HI, NOAH. YES, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH, NOAH ALVY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. UM, AGAIN, THIS ITEM IS AN APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO REVOKE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UH, NUMBER 2 1 1 5. AND THAT IS FOR THE PALMS RESTAURANT AND BANQUET HALL. SO THE PALMS RESTAURANT AND BANQUET HALL IS LOCATED AT, UH, 1 4 3 EAST MAIN STREET, UH, SOUTH SIDE OF EAST MAIN STREET BETWEEN, UH, MAGNOLIA AND PRESCOTT PROMENADE. UM, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE PALMS RESTAURANT AND BANQUET HALL WAS, UH, FIRST APPROVED BACK IN 2010. UM, AT THAT TIME IT WAS APPROVED AS A RESTAURANT WITH ALCOHOL SALES, UH, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, AS WELL AS OCCASIONAL OR ANCILLARY BANQUET HALL USE. UM, THE INTERESTING THING TO NOTE AT THAT TIME, UH, IN 2010, UH, THE APPLICANT HAD ORIGINALLY PROPOSED TO, UH, HAVE IT BE A BANQUET HALL. UM, IT WENT TO A CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING, AND AT THAT TIME, UH, COUNCIL WAS EXPRESSING SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONDUCT OF THE BANQUET HALL. IT WAS EVENTUALLY A RETURN BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THE FINAL APPROVAL WAS FOR ONLY OCCASIONAL OR ANCILLARY BANQUET USE. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THE COUNCIL DID DISCUSS, UH, DURING THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT A RESTAURANT USE AT THIS LOCATION, UH, WAS REALLY IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO PROMOTE A VERY BUSY AND ACTIVE RETAIL CORRIDOR ALONG THAT PORTION OF EAST MAIN STREET. SO, FOR BACKGROUND, WHEN IT COMES TO THE CURRENT PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, UM, A CEP REVIEW WAS INITIATED ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2023. UH, THAT WAS BECAUSE, UH, THE BUSINESS WAS NOT OPERATING AS A RESTAURANT AS REQUIRED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, A TOTAL OF SIX PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS WERE CONDUCTED OVER TWO THOU DURING 2024 AND 2025. UM, DURING THAT TIME, WE REALLY HAD MULTIPLE OPERATORS AND SPEAKERS, UH, REPRESENTING THE BUSINESS, UH, COME, AND THEY MADE PROMISES TO BRING THE PROPERTY INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. BUT, UH, EVENTUALLY, UH, THE, UH, STAFF NEVER SAW, UH, THAT, UH, BROUGHT INTO COMPLIANCE. SO, FOLLOWING THE APRIL 1ST, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, THE, UH, STAFF MADE ABOUT 20 SITE VISITS, UH, OVER THOSE 20 SITE VISITS. UH, EIGHT OF THOSE TIMES STAFF DID, UH, NOTE THAT THERE WERE, UH, NONPUBLIC EVENTS THAT WERE GOING ON PRIVATE EVENTS. UM, AS AN EXAMPLE HERE, UH, WE'RE SHOWING AN IMAGE FROM, [00:15:01] UH, UH, MAY 17TH, 2025. THAT WAS WHEN AMERICA ON MAIN STREET WAS OCCURRING. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE, UM, THE LOCATION HERE IS NOT SET UP AS A RESTAURANT AND IS IN PREPARATION FOR, UH, A PRIVATE EVENT LATER ON IN THE EVENING. SO, FOR ALL THE TIMES THAT STAFF VISITED, UM, APPROXIMATELY 40% OF THOSE TIMES, UH, WERE, UH, PRIVATE EVENTS WERE OCCURRING. SO WHAT STAFF FOUND WAS THAT THE, UM, THE BUSINESS WAS NOT OPERATING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. UM, JUST A SECOND, UH, IMAGE HERE, UM, OF THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT STAFF ENCOUNTERED WHEN VISITING THE BUSINESS. UH, THIS IS AN IMAGE OF PRIVACY SCREENS. IT WAS TAKEN ON JUNE 9TH, 2025 AT 5:30 PM SO PERIODICALLY STAFF WOULD, UH, SEE THOSE SCREENS PUT UP, UH, WHEN EVENTS WERE TAKING PLACE, UH, INSIDE THE BUSINESS. SO ON JUNE 17TH, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID FIND THAT THE PERMIT WAS BEING EXERCISED. UH, CONTRARY TO THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, UM, THEY VOTED TO REVOKE, UH, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT ON A THREE TWO VOTE. UH, THE TWO DISSENTING PLANNING COMMISSIONERS, UH, WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACTS THAT A CLOSED BUSINESS ON EAST MAIN STREET, UH, WOULD HAVE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. SO IT WAS A SPLIT VOTE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION. UM, I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT AFTER, UM, THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION TO REVOKE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, UH, THE APPLICANT DID COME FORWARD AND SUBMIT FOR A NEW CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. UM, THE NEW CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS PROPOSING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PRIVATE EVENTS THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE BEYOND THAT ANCILLARY OR 15%, UH, MAXIMUM THAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE. UM, THAT IS SCHEDULED TO GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, NEXT TUESDAY. UM, SO THAT PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE, UH, MOVING FORWARD NEXT TUESDAY. SO, FOR TODAY, TODAY'S APPEAL HEARING, UH, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL REALLY HAS MULTIPLE OPTIONS. SO THE FIRST OPTION WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE NEXT RESOLUTION IN ORDER, UH, DENYING THE APPEAL, UH, FROM THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE. UM, ALTERNATIVELY, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL COULD CONTINUE, UH, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE NEW CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT THE APPLICANT HAS SUBMITTED. AND THEN THE THIRD OPTION WOULD BE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL COULD RETURN THIS BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION AND TO WORK WITH THE, UH, BUSINESS OPERATOR. UM, THE APPLICANT'S, UH, REPRESENTATIVE IS, UH, VINCENT CATULA. UH, HE SUBMITTED AN EMAIL, UH, THIS AFTERNOON TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. UM, HE WASN'T ABLE TO BE, UH, PRESENT FOR TODAY'S HEARING, UH, BUT THE CLERK, UH, DID AGREE TO READ HIS COMMENTS INTO THE RECORD, AS WELL AS HIS RECOMMENDATION BASED ON THE OPTIONS THAT, UH, COUNSEL HAS, UH, BEEN PROVIDED. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. UH, YEAH, BEFORE WE READ THAT STATEMENT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE QUESTIONS. MICHELLE? THANK YOU MR. ALVY. UM, GOOD REPORT QUESTION. THE NEW CUP, LET ME WRITE THIS DOWN. THE NEW CUP IS FOR WHAT THE NEW CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WOULD BE TO BASICALLY HAVE A PRIVATE EVENT CENTER, SO MORE PRIVATE EVENTS THAN THE OCCASIONAL PRIVATE EVENTS THAT COUNSEL PREVIOUSLY APPROVED. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANKS. UH, GO WITH PHIL AND THEN STEVE. UH, THANK YOU MR. ALVI. MY QUESTION FOLLOWS, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, MITCHELL'S, TO WHAT DEGREE IS THERE PRIVATE EVENTS GOING TO INCREASE? IS IT STILL GONNA OPERATE AS A REGULAR, TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT, OR DO WE NOT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR YET? I THINK WE HAVE A PROJECT DESCRIPTION THAT'S PROPOSING, UH, UPWARDS OF 30%, 40% OF PRIVATE EVENTS. UM, I WOULD SAY THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION IS STILL, UH, A LITTLE BIT IN FLUX BECAUSE THE, UH, APPLICANT IS WORKING WITH, UH, MARK RY AND THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERS ON KIND OF REFINING THAT PROJECT DESCRIPTION. OKAY. SO I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF WAITING FOR, TO SEE HOW THIS HEARING GOES BEFORE THEY FINALIZE THEIR PROJECT DESCRIPTION. GOT IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. WHAT'S THE ZONING FOR THE PROPERTY? IT'S A GENERAL COMMERCIAL. I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERS. BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, UM, ANY OBJECTIONS TO READING THE STATEMENT FROM MR. ULA AND THEN BRINGING THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERS UP? OKAY. NO, I THANK YOU. MM-HMM . UM, YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND READ THAT STATEMENT FROM MR. CATULA. THANK YOU, SIR. BEFORE YOU START, YOU MIGHT WANNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS. THANK YOU. UM, YEAH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. THANK YOU. UH, THE STATEMENT FROM MR. CATULA READS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WILSON, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS VINCENT CATULA AND I REPRESENT THE SOON TO BE OWNERS OF THE PALMS RESTAURANT IN BANQUET HALL IS AND RM INC. I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF BY APOLOGIZING THAT DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES OUTTA MY CONTROL, I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS HEARING IN PERSON. HOWEVER, TWO MEMBERS OF THE NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP, JEFF AND RAMON MONSOUR, ARE IN THE AUDIENCE AND CAN RESPOND TO ANY SPECIFIC [00:20:01] BUSINESS RELATED QUESTIONS. I'M ALSO WATCHING THIS HEARING REMOTELY AND CAN RESPOND TO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS VIA PHONE THROUGH JEFF OR RAMON. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME INQUIRIES INTO THE PREVIOUS OPERATION OF THE PALMS RESTAURANT AND BANQUET HALL, WHICH HAS ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVOKING THE EXISTING CUP DUE TO NONCONFORMANCE WITH AN EXISTING CONDITION THAT RESTRICTS A NUMBER OF PRIVATE EVENTS. SINCE THE JUNE PC REVOCATION, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING TOGETHER WITH STAFF AND STAKEHOLDERS IN PREPARING AND SUBMITTING A NEW CUP, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP TO HOLD UP TO 10 INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE EVENTS PER MONTH. I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT, TO INFORM YOU ALL THAT YESTERDAY EVENING, I SPOKE WITH MARCO LAMONDRE OF NEW CITY AMERICA, WHO INDICATED TO ME THAT CONCEPTUALLY OUR CUP PROPOSAL WOULD HELP IN THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN EL CAJON, AND THAT HIS FORMAL COMMENTS WILL FOLLOW PENDING A MEETING WITH ME TO FLUSH OUT FINE DETAILS. THE NEW OWNERSHIP INTENDS ON INVESTING $800,000 IN DOWNTOWN EL CAJON THROUGH THIS BUSINESS. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO CLOSING ESCROW AND MAKING THIS SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, THE NEW CUP, WHICH IS A CRUCIAL PART OF THE BUSINESS PLAN, WILL NEED TO BE APPROVED BY THE PC, WHICH IS SLATED TO BE PRESENTED NEXT WEEK ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 19TH. OUR REQUEST TODAY IS THAT YOU SELECT THE FIRST OPTION AS PART OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS TO CONTINUE THE APPEAL UNTIL AFTER THE PLANNING COMMISSION HOLDS A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PALMS NEW CUP REQUEST. WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF EL CAJON SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THE NEW PALMS RESTAURANT BEING THE ANCHOR OF THE NEW AND REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN EL CAJON. THANKS, VINCE. CATULA, CEO THANK YOU. UM, IS THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP. DO THEY HAVE SOMEBODY HERE? NO. ALRIGHT. ANY, UH, ANY SPEAKER CARDS? NO OTHER SPEAKER CARDS, SIR? JUST IN CASE YOU HAD QUESTIONS. OH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP? COME ON UP. YOU, YOU'RE IT. HELLO. UH, MY NAME IS RAMON MONSOUR. UH, UH, IT, I PUT A SPEAKER CARD IN CASE YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY, UH, COMMENTS YOU NEED. ANY FEEDBACK, STEVE? ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. MANSUR? GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UH, YOU WERE FIRST NOTICED ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN DECEMBER OF 2023, QUITE A WHILE AGO. UH, IT'S GONE THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS. DO YOU THINK THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS FAIR IN GIVING YOU THE EXTENDED TIME? SO, UH, OF COURSE, THE, UH, THE, THAT TIME WE, WE WEREN'T INVOLVED IN, IN ANY CAPACITY. UM, WE ONLY KIND OF, UH, WENT TO PURCHASE THE BUSINESS, UH, THIS YEAR, AND WE TOOK OVER. WE'RE, WE'RE STARTED ESCROW AND WE ARE STILL CURRENTLY IN ESCROW, UM, ONLY A FEW MONTHS AGO. AND WE REALLY GOT TO LEARN THE EXTENT TO WHICH, UM, HOW MUCH THE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAD ISSUES WITH THE PRIOR OWNERSHIP. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE SPOKE WITH THE CITY PLANNING AND, AND EXPLAINED TO THEM, LOOK, WE, WE UNDERSTAND AND WE, WE, WE HAVE PLANS WITH THIS BUSINESS. WE REALLY, TRULY BELIEVE THAT, UM, IF, IF WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OVER THE BUSINESS, UM, IMPLEMENT THE, THE STRATEGY THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT THIS PLACE WOULD SUCCEED. AND WE ALSO REALLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE DON'T, AND THEY LOSE THE, THE COP AND THEY DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO OPERATE, TO OPERATE A, A BUSINESS TO CAN HANDLE THAT SIZE OF A BUILDING, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN EMPTY BUILDING AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER, ANOTHER PROBLEM. PROBLEMATIC BUILDING RIGHT THERE IN THE HEART OF THE, DO YOU THINK THE RESTAURANT IS THE ONLY USE OF THAT PROPERTY? I'D SAY SO. AND I'D SAY SPECIFICALLY WITH, WITH THE GAME PLAN THAT WE HAVE. SEE, THE PROBLEM IS IT'S 7,000 SQUARE FEET. IT HAS, UH, THERE'S NO PARKING, SO IT ONLY HAS A PARKING IN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING THAT DOESN'T BELONG TO THAT BUILDING. IT BELONGS TO THE NEIGHBOR. AND, UH, THE DEAL THAT THE AGREEMENT THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD WAS THAT WE RENT OUT THAT PARKING SPACE AT NIGHT, UH, WHICH IS FROM, FROM FIVE 6:00 PM ONWARD, WHERE THE OTHER BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED BY THEN. AND SO IT LEAVES A, A, UH, ENOUGH SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO PARK THERE THAT WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, TO HANDLE THE, YOU KNOW, THE CUSTOMERS THAT IT NEEDS TO HANDLE A, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF RENT. 7,000 SQUARE FEET [00:25:01] IS A BIG PLACE. UM, IT'S HARD TO DIVVY UP, BUT, YEP. SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THE RESTAURANT IS THE ONLY USE OF THAT SPACE? WELL, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT JUST THE RESTAURANT. IT'S, IT'S THE, THE BUSINESS PLAN THAT WE PROPOSED, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A RESTAURANT SLASH BANGAL HALL. LIKE, IT'S LIKE, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN, IT'S CALLED THE PALMS BANK RESTAURANT IN BANGAL HALL. BUT IT'S, UH, IT'S A COMBINATION OF THINGS THAT WE THINK IT NEEDS TO, IN ORDER TO SUCCEED. UM, IT NEEDS, UH, UH, FOOD TO GO, IT NEEDS CATERING, IT NEEDS BANQUET HALL, UM, TO SUCCEED. AND SO THE DEAL WAS, OKAY, UM, GO BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH A, A NEW CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. UH, THAT'S AMENDED. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THEM ON TO DO IS, IS GETTING AMENDED TO CUP, UM, WITH THE VISION. AND FOR US, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE OWN MULTIPLE BUSINESSES IN EL CAJON. WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN IN EL CAJON PRACTICALLY OUR ENTIRE LIFE. WE LOVE THE CITY. AND, UM, AND IT'S NOT OUR FIRST RESTAURANT CONCEPT. UM, WE THINK WE CAN SUCCEED, BUT WE WANNA DO IT WITH, WITH YOUR BLESSINGS. WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO DO IT WITHOUT IT. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S KIND OF IN CONTINGENT RIGHT NOW, OUR, OUR, UH, OUR ESCO. AND SO IT'S LIKE WE, WE WANT THE BLESSINGS FROM IN, IN, IN AN AMENDED CUP. AND THEN WE'D GO IN AND, AND FUND THIS PROJECT, CONTINUE WITH THE PURCHASE AND, AND, AND INVEST, MAKE THIS REALLY, REALLY A, UH, A, A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE, TO THE DOWNTOWN. UM, IN, IN, IN LINE WITH, WITH WHAT THE, WHAT THE PROJECT IS WITH THE, WITH THE, THE, THE DOWNTOWN GROUP. AND, UH, WE, WE THINK WE CAN DO IT SUCCESSFULLY, BUT WE WANT, WE WANT YOUR BLESSINGS. SO TODAY'S HEARING IS AN APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO REVOKE THE CUP. DO YOU FEEL THE PLANNING COMMISSION GAVE YOU DUE PROCESS? WE, WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY SAID, AND, BUT WE ALSO TOOK THEIR, UM, RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GO THROUGH WITH THE, WITH THE APPEAL TO GET ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO, UH, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM TO GET A, A, A CONDITIONAL OKAY. USE PERMIT. THAT'S AMENDED. WE'VE GOT 'EM ALL. WE, WE, WE, WE COMMUNICATED REALLY WELL WITH THEM AND, UH, TO JUST MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT WOULD ALLOW OUR BUSINESS. AND, AND THEN THAT WOULD GIVE US THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH WITH THE PURCHASE, GO THROUGH WITH THE INVESTMENT. IT'S NOT A SMALL INVESTMENT. IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A HEFTY ONE. AND, UH, ONE WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO DO, WE WANT TO PURSUE, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S WITH YOUR BLESSINGS. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH. UM, SO LET'S START WORK OUR WAY DOWN. MICHELLE FIRST. THANK YOU MR. MENSER FOR COMING IN. UM, SO MY COMMENTS ARE BASICALLY WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE CURRENT CUP, THE CURRENT CUP. YOU HAVE NOT UP UPHELD THAT. CUP WE WANTED A RESTAURANT AND THE BANQUETS WERE THE PRIVATE EVENTS. WERE JUST AS A SIDE, WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER BANQUET HALL IN EL CAJON IN DOWNTOWN EL CAJON. THIS WILL MAKE FOUR. I I THINK THAT YOUR BUSINESS, WHAT YOU WANNA DO, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE PRETTY BUSY 'CAUSE YOU WANT TO INCREASE THOSE PRIVATE EVENTS. SO MAYBE THIS IS NOT THE SITE FOR THIS. SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS REVOKING THE CURRENT CUP, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE A RESTAURANT. NOW, I HAVE A MENU HERE THAT I PICKED UP THIS, I'M SORRY. AND I MEAN, NO DISRESPECT, BUT THIS IS NOT A MENU FOR A RESTAURANT. AND SO IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT THE CITIZENS OF EL CAJON TO COME IN AND GO, OH, IT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT A MENU THAT I COULD ORDER FROM. 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT COMES WITH THE JUDGE GEEK. WHAT COMES WITH THIS, WHAT COMES WITH THAT? AND SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF PROMISES. WE'VE HAD THREE DIFFERENT ENTITIES, AS MR. GOBEL MENTIONED, COME TO US AND IT'S ALWAYS, WE'RE DOING THIS, AND THEN NEXT TIME WE BRING YOU UP, WE GET A NEW OWNER. AND THEN, SO THEN WE MAKE A DECISION, WE GIVE YOU TIME, AND THEN THE NEXT TIME IT COMES UP, NOW WE HAVE THE MANSOURS. SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE A LITTLE HESITANT TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS GONNA COME IN AND DO WHAT WE WANTED ORIGINALLY WITH THE, THE CUP. AND YOU HAVE NOT, NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THAT. I THINK AT THIS TIME, FRANKLY, I WOULD HAVE TO UPHOLD THE [00:30:01] REVOCATION. I WOULD MAKE A SUGGESTION. I'M NOT A BUSINESS PERSON, BUT JUST SOMEONE WHO'S LIVED HERE FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, I WOULD MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE INVESTED YOUR MONEY INTO MAYBE ROYAL PALACE. ROYAL PALACE HAS A HUGE SPOT, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BUSINESS SITUATION IS, BUT THAT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT SPOT FOR YOUR BUSINESS. 'CAUSE YOU'RE PRETTY BUSY. WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER BANQUET HALL IN DOWNTOWN ALCOHOL. AND I UNDERSTAND MR. LARI IS WORKING WITH YOU, BUT AS A RESIDENT AND HAVING TO MAKE THIS DECISION ON THE COUNCIL, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY I'M SORRY, BUT I, I WOULD HAVE TO UPHOLD THE PLANNING COMMISSION. AND I, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO STAY IN BUSINESS, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PUT A BUSINESS IN WHAT YOU WANNA DO. YOU REALLY DON'T WANNA DO RESTAURANT, BECAUSE IF YOU DID, THERE'D BE SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS MENU. SO IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO DO A RESTAURANT, YOU WOULD'VE DONE IT ALREADY. AND THE OTHER OTHER OWNERS WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALREADY. AND THEY HAVE NOT. AND THEY WANT A BANQUET HALL. YOU WANT A BANQUET HALL. IT'S OKAY TO SAY, WE JUST WANT A BANQUET HALL. IT'S OKAY TO SAY THAT, BUT WE DON'T NEED IT IN DOWNTOWN. SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND I'LL VOTE WHEN WE COME TO VOTE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I, UH, THANK YOU. WHEN, UH, WHEN WAS THAT MENU PICKED UP? UM, WHEN DID WE HAVE, I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT OF, I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT OF THE CAR SHOW. SO THAT WAS IN JUNE. JUNE OF THIS YEAR. MM-HMM . YEAH. WE, WE, WE'VE HAD A, SINCE WE TOOK OUR, I GOT LAMINATED ONE FIRST MM-HMM . AND THEN WHILE I WAS TALKING TO THE ORGANIZER OF THE CAR SHOW, UM, THE LADIES CAME OUT AND GAVE US THIS AS, UH, AS A MENU TO TAKE AWAY, EVEN IF AS A TAKEAWAY MENU, THIS DOES NOTHING FOR ME. GOTCHA. JUST WITH ALL DUE RESPECT THAT THAT'S NOT OUR, THAT'S NOT OUR CURRENT MENU. AND, AND WE HAVE, YOU CAN LOOK US UP ON DOORDASH. WE'VE GOT A FULL MENU THERE. WE, WE'VE CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS SINCE WE'VE TAKEN OVER SINCE JUNE. I CAN'T, SINCE APRIL, SINCE, UH, AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE GUYS BEFORE US. I HONESTLY CAN'T. I UNDERSTOOD. SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE COME IN WITH SINCERE, UH, UH, PLANS. AND, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, WE, WE, WE HOPE FOR YOUR BLESSINGS ON WHAT, WHAT WE, AND I, AND I UNDERSTAND, AND IT'S FRUSTRATING. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S FRUSTRATING TO WORK WITH THE CITY, BUT YOU ASK FOR OUR OPINION, AND YOU ASK FOR US TO, WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR THE CITY AND WHAT IS BEST FOR US. AND WE WANT TO ACCOMMODATE BUSINESS OWNERS, AND WE TRY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR BUSINESS OWNERS. BUT WE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HAS TO BE WHAT IS THE BEST THING FOR THE CITY. YEAH. AND, AND SORRY. AND ALSO TO ADDRESS WHAT WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A, A, A BALLROOM OR, OR A HALL THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S MATTER OF FACT IN INDY, UM, IN OUR BUSINESS PLAN, WORKING WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE'RE, WE'RE CHANGING THE NAME. IT'S CALLED, IT'S GONNA BE CALLED THE PALMS. AND IT'S GONNA HAVE, IT'S GONNA BE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AND, UM, AND, AND THE ONLY THING THAT WAS THE, THE, THE COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WAS, UH, THAT WE WANTED TO AMEND IN THERE WAS TO ALLOW FOR OCCASIONAL, UM, PRIVATE EVENTS, WHICH WE THINK IS, IS A PART OF IT THAT'S CRUCIAL JUST TO HELP PAY THE EXPENSES AND, AND KEEP A BUSINESS ALIVE IN DOWNTOWN EL CAJON, WHICH IS, IT'S, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT. NOW, I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND. IT'S, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU'VE SEEN DOWNTOWN, IT'S HARD TO KEEP A BUSINESS OPEN THERE, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT'S 7,000 SQUARE FEET. IT'S A BIG PLACE. WE WANT TO GO IN AND RENOVATE IT AND MAKE IT LOOK REALLY GOOD INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WITH, WITH, WITH SINCERE. YOU GOT, YOU GOT A, A FAMILY THAT'S READY AND WILLING TO BETTER DOWNTOWN EL CAJON. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA DO. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S WITH YOUR BLESSINGS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MAYOR WELLS. MAY I JUST RE REMIND THE COUNCIL, THIS IS A QUESTION OF WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO GRANT THE APPEAL OR OVERTURN AND OVERTURN THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION TO REVOKE THE COP, NOT THE NEW COP. SO, WHILE IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THIS PERSON, UH, WHO DOESN'T OWN THAT BUSINESS RIGHT NOW, THE QUESTION SHOULD BE RELATED TO REVOCATION, THE REVOCATION DECISION MADE BY THE, THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WHETHER YOU WOULD SUPPORT THEIR DECISION OR OVERTURN THEIR DECISION. JUST TO CLARIFY, ONE, ONE OF THE OPTIONS THOUGH IS, IS TO, UM, I, I'M THINKING OF THE RIGHT WORD TO PUSH, PUSH THIS OFF, UH, TO ANOTHER DATE. YOU COULD CONTINUE IT IF YOU'D LIKE. CONTINUE. THINK. I COULDN'T REMEMBER THE WORD . SO YEAH, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, RIGHT? YES. YES IT IS. BUT, BUT I'D BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T START PRESUPPOSING THE [00:35:01] PLANNING COMMISSION 'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE CONSIDERING THE, THE, UH, APPLICATION FOR THE CUP. AND IF THE COUNCIL STARTS OPINING ON YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT, THAT THAT DOES PRESUPPOSE THEIR DECISION. OKAY. PHIL, WELL, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR STAFF. SO DOES THE CUP BELONG TO THE BUSINESS OR DOES IT BELONG TO THE PROPERTY OWNER? IT RUNS WITH THE LAND. SO, UH, ACQUISITION OF THE PROPERTY WOULD COME WITH THAT COP. AND SO, MR. MANSOUR ARE, ARE YOU PURCHASING THE BUSINESS OR THE LAND? JUST THE, JUST THE BUSINESS. JUST THE BUSINESS. SO I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE SPEAKING TO THE LANDOWNER AND NOT THE BUSINESS. WELL, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE A USE RUN BY A TENANT, AND THE TENANT GETS THE, UH, COMMITMENT OF THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER TO SUPPORT IT. AND SO WE DON'T MAKE DECISIONS ONLY BECAUSE A TENANT SHOWS UP. OTHERWISE, THERE WOULDN'T BE A LOT OF THINGS IN THIS CITY THAT WERE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCILS WHEN A TENANT CAME IN WANTING TO BUILD A CAR DEALERSHIP WANTING TO PUT IN, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME APARTMENTS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO, UH, YOU JUST, JUST CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS ALREADY REVOKED IT. RIGHT. THE, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, THIS GENTLEMAN WANTS TO, HAS, UH, SET FOR A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION NEXT WEEK. A DIFFERENT, NOT AN AMENDED, BUT A DIFFERENT CUP. AND THE QUESTION NOW IS BECAUSE THEY APPEALED THE REVOKED CUP OR THAT ACTION, DO YOU SUPPORT THAT REVOCATION OR DO YOU SUPPORT, UH, OVERTURNING THAT REVOCATION? RIGHT, RIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, STEVE, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY? GO AHEAD. WELL, ACTUALLY, UH, MORGAN, UH, ANSWERED MY QUESTION. GO, STEVE. UM, HERE'S WHERE I'M LEANING. I'M LEANING TOWARDS DID THE PLANNING COMMISSION GET THIS WRONG, THAT WE SHOULD OVERTURN IT? AND, AND MY THOUGHT IS NO, THEY DIDN'T. I THINK THEY'VE HEARD IT A YEAR AND A HALF WORTH OF CONTINUANCES. THEY'VE, THIS, UH, ISSUE HAS BEEN EXTENDED SINCE DECEMBER OF 2023 UNTIL JUNE OF 2025 WHEN THEY MADE A DECISION. DID THE PLANNING COMMISSION GET IT WRONG? I, THE ANSWER TO ME IS NO. SO I, I WILL VOTE TO REVOKE THE PERMIT, BUT HERE'S WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT IT'D BE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, THE REVOCATION THAT WILL GIVE YOU A CHANCE ON NEXT WEEK TO COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION. MY CONCERN IS, IF WE OVERTURN THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE'RE NOW GOING TO KICK THIS FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND WE NEED TO CREATE A SENSE OF URGENCY. AND, UH, BACK IN FEBRUARY, YOUR ATTORNEY SAID, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM A LITTLE MORE TIME TO DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY'RE GOING TO DO. THIS WAS IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. AND IF THEY DON'T, YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO REVOKE THAT. CUP SAID, THE ATTORNEY AND I MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO THEM AS WELL. I MEAN, I THINK THEY'RE FINALLY TAKING THIS VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY. AND THAT'S WHY THEY HIRED US. DON'T JUST PRETEND IT'S A RESTAURANT. YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA TRY. AND I THINK THEY UNDERSTAND. THIS IS YOUR OWN COUNSEL BACK IN FEBRUARY. HERE WE ARE SIX MONTHS LATER. UH, I'M GOING TO VOTE TO REVOKE, MAKE IT EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST TO GIVE YOU TIME TO REACH A DEAL WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION NEXT WEEK. WELL, I THINK I'M NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM YOU, STEVE, BUT I, THEY'RE ASKING FOR A CONTINUANCE. I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL SINCE 2008. I CAN'T REMEMBER A TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T ALLOW SOMEBODY TO HAVE A CONTINUANCE IF THEY NEEDED SOME MORE TIME. I DON'T SEE HOW THAT HURTS ANYTHING IN THIS PROCESS. SO I, I'M, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE MY HEAD'S AT. LET'S, LET'S GIVE THEM A CONTINUANCE AND LET THEM, LET THEM GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THEY'LL HAVE, WE'LL HAVE ALL, HAVE MORE INFORMATION WHEN THEY COME BACK WITH IT. SO YOU'RE SAYING WHILE THEY, WHILE THE APPEAL IS GOING ON WITH THE REVOCATION, THEY CAN COME UP WITH A NEW CUP THAT WOULD SUPERSEDE THE ACTIVE ONE? WELL, I THINK THAT STEAL AN APPEAL. IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? THAT WHAT YOU CAN, WHAT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT PROCESS IS ALREADY IN PROCESS AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR SOME MORE TIME TO BRING THAT BEFORE THE, THE, UH, PLANNING COMMISSION. I, I DON'T REALLY SEE WHAT THE BIG OBJECTION TO THAT IS. AND JUST ONE THING, I, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT WE WANT TO BE TURNING AWAY VIABLE BUSINESSES. I I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THERE'S SOME MORATORIUM ON, ON BANQUET HALLS. I, I JUST, I'M NOT CONVINCED OF THAT. AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A NEW CULTURAL ELEMENT IN TOWN, AND WE SHOULD BE OPEN TO THEIR CULTURAL NEEDS. SO TO ME, MICHELLE'S GOT HER OPINION, BUT SHE DOESN'T [00:40:01] SPEAK FOR ME IN THAT RESPECT. I, I THINK FOR ME, UH, IT'S A ZONE GENERAL COMMERCIAL. THERE ARE MANY THINGS THEY CAN DO, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS HAVE THEY FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CUP, YES OR NO? AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAID NO, THEY HAVEN'T MM-HMM . THEY HAVEN'T FULFILLED THE, THE REQUIREMENTS OF OPERATING AS A RESTAURANT WITH BANQUETS AS A ANCILLARY USE. UH, THERE ARE OTHER DISCUSSIONS FOR WHAT SHOULD THEY DO WITH THE PROPERTY, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. AND, AND THAT CAN BE FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO WEIGH IN ON. MAY I JUST ADD SOMETHING OR TRY TO CLARIFY SOMETHING? THE PLANNING COMMISSION WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AS MR. GOBEL INDICATED OF A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPEALS. THIS GENTLEMAN WASN'T A PART OF THAT, THOSE APPEALS PROCESS BECAUSE HE WASN'T THE OWNER OF THE BUSINESS. BUT AS A RESULT OF ALL THOSE HEARINGS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION VOTED TO REVOKE THE CUP END OF TUNE. THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO APPEAL THAT TO YOU. SO THINK OF THIS AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION BEING THE TRIAL COURT. YOU ARE THE APPELLATE COURT. DO YOU SU DO YOU AGREE WITH THE TRIAL COURT'S DECISION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION OR NOT? AND FOR WHAT REASONS DO YOU NOT AGREE WITH THAT? THEY, THERE WAS A PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE TODAY THAT TONIGHT, THERE, TODAY THERE'S A PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE OF WHY THAT ACTION WAS TAKEN. IF YOU WANTED TO STAY THE ORDER, SO TO SPEAK, UH, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REVOCATION, UH, OR THE DENIAL OF AN APPEAL, YOU COULD DO THAT, BUT YOU'RE REALLY NOT, UM, CHANGING THE REVOCATION NA THE NATURE OF THE REVOCATION. NOW, THE FACT THAT IT, IT WAS REVOKED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UNLESS YOU OVERTURN THAT DECISION AND CONTINUE, WOULD NOT CHANGE THAT EITHER, WOULD IT? THE THE REVOCATION STILL STANDS, AND IT THAT'S CORRECT. C CAN THEY OPERATE WHILE THE APPEAL IS STILL ONGOING? YES. OKAY. SO I I, TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S POINT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE STAYING FOCUSED ON WHAT THE TOPIC IS, THE BODY OF EVIDENCE IS SAYING THAT THE OWNER, NOT THESE NEW BUSINESS, NOT THAT PEOPLE, THESE NEW PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA RUN THE BUSINESS, BUT THE OWNER HAS NOT FULFILLED, UH, THE TERMS OF THE CUP. UM, AND SO IF WE'RE VOTING THAT WAY, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO EVIDENCE TO OVERTURN IT. HOWEVER, UM, I AGREE WITH OUR MAYOR IN THAT WE NEED TO, AS A COUNCIL, BE SENSITIVE TO WHAT THE MARKET AND WHAT THIS ECONOMY WILL SUSTAIN, UM, WITH REGARD TO BUSINESS. AND JUST LIKE, UM, WITH OUR, WITH EVERYTHING IN DOWNTOWN, WE WANNA REVITALIZE IT, BUT WE SHOULDN'T TAKE SOMETHING AWAY BEFORE WE REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING ELSE. AND I DON'T WANNA, SO MAYBE IT WOULD BE, I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE REAPPLYING FOR A NEW CUP TO, TO FIT WHAT THE ACTUAL OPERATIONS CAN SUSTAIN BASED OFF THE ECONOMY AND, AND WHAT'S THERE. IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET, UH, RHODE GRILL IN, UM, A NEW, A NEW RESTAURANT. UM, AND SO I DON'T, I WANNA BE CAUTIOUS OF NOT TRYING TO CONTROL, UM, WHAT WE WANT DOWNTOWN TO LOOK LIKE, UM, WITH REGARD TO BUSINESSES, IF THE, IF THE MARKET ISN'T GOING TO SUSTAIN IT. AND SO MAYBE IT WOULD BE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. UM, AND I'D LIKE, LIKE, UH, COUNCILMAN BUR GARY KENDRICK SAID, I LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING, UH, NEW CITY AMERICA, THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PARTNERS WEIGH IN ON THIS. UM, IS THIS, IS IT VIABLE TO HAVE ANOTHER FULL-TIME RESTAURANT THERE? UM, IS THE MARKET GONNA, IS THERE GONNA BE ENOUGH PEOPLE GOING THERE TO DO TO, TO SUSTAIN IT? UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS NEW GROUP HAS BEEN WORKING IN EL CAJON FOR YEARS. UM, SO THEY HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF IT. SO, UM, I I, I THINK I SAY THAT AS A WORD OF CAUTION TO OUR PLANNING COMMISSION. WHO'S GONNA BE, UH, WELL, MR. ORTIZ, SORRY, MAY I INTERRUPT? PLEASE, PLEASE. YOU'RE REALLY TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT ISN'T GOING THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS. OKAY. THEY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT. OKAY. IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO THE PUBLIC IF YOU ARE TO SUGGEST APPROVAL TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, LET THEM DO THEIR JOB, AND IF THEY DID THEIR JOB PROPERLY, IN YOUR MINDS, THERE'LL BE A NEW COP FOR THAT PROPERTY. AND IF THEY DENY IT, CAN THAT DENIAL COME TO US? [00:45:01] YES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. THAT'S GREAT. THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION. I JUST DON'T WANT YOU ALL YES. MAKING OP SUGGESTIONS TO A SUBORDINATE BODY SURE. ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE. THANK, THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT A CONTINUANCE DOES NOT MAKE YOU A SUGGESTION. WELL, SENDING A MESSAGE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE CONTINUANCE DOES, MAYOR. UH, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN REVOKED, AND IF AN NEW COP IS GRANTED FOR WHATEVER PURPOSES THAT THAT REQUIRES, CUP, THAT OLD CUP IS NOT REVIVED. SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY A CONTINUANCE WOULD HELP, UH, EXCEPT TO PERHAPS PERSUADE PEOPLE WHEN MAKING DECISIONS NEXT WEEK. CONTINUANCE SEEMS PRETTY NEUTRAL TO ME. UM, AND WE GENERALLY ALLOW CONTINUANCES WHEN PEOPLE REQUEST 'EM TO HAVE MORE TIME. I, I, I DON'T SEE THE HARM IN IT. I I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GOEBBELS PROPOSAL OF, UH, DENYING IT, BUT HAVEN'T IT BE EFFECTIVE, WHAT WAS YOUR DATE? SEPTEMBER 1ST? SEPTEMBER 1ST, MATERIALLY, WHAT DOES THAT DO? DOES THAT DO ANYTHING? THE RESOLUTION WOULD GO TO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE ENFORCED. SO THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNTIL SEPTEMBER ONE, IS MY SUGGESTION HERE. UH, QUESTION FOR MORGAN. SO IF WE GO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GOEBBELS SUGGESTION, DOES THAT SEND A MESSAGE THAT WE WOULDN'T WANNA SEND TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION? I MEAN, IS IT PROCEDURALLY CORRECT FOR US TO DO THAT? I, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IF MR. GO'S SUGGESTION IS, IS WHAT'S ADOPTED, YOU'VE, UH, AFFIRMED THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION. ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO GET TO THIS POINT, YOU'RE TELLING 'EM YOU MADE THE RIGHT DECISION. YOU'RE ALSO TELLING THEM, WE'RE GONNA WAIT TO ENFORCE THIS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER 1ST, SUCH AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S PUBLIC HEARING NEXT WEEK, THAT WOULD TAKE EFFECT AFTER IT'S BEEN, UH, APPROVED OR MODIFIED OR, OR NOT APPROVED. SO, YOU KNOW, I IT, THE DELAY TILL, UH, SEPTEMBER ONE I SEE AS MORE OF AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO A WAY TO NOT MAKE A DECISION ON THIS ADVERSE TO THESE PEOPLE. I'LL TELL YOU WHY I SAID SEPTEMBER 1ST, BECAUSE IT, IT, IT MAKES A DECISION. IT, IT MAKES A DECISION ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S ACTION, NUMBER ONE. BUT NUMBER TWO, IT GIVES THE APPLICANT TIME TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER 1ST. AND WE KNOW THEY'RE COMING WITH A SOLUTION NEXT WEEK TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. THERE ARE TWO WAYS THAT CAN GO. THE PLANNING COMMISSION SAYS, I LIKE YOUR NEW PLAN, LET'S APPROVE IT. THAT WILL TAKE EFFECT AFTER SEPTEMBER 1ST. OR THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAY SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MORE OF THE SAME AND IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE ANYTHING. AND SO SEPTEMBER 1ST IS THE LAST DAY. IT PUTS A LITTLE MORE URGENCY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO WORK THAT HAS BEEN DRAGGING ON FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. UH, QUESTION, UH, FOR THE CITY MANAGER, WASN'T THIS IN THE CON UH, ADDITIONAL USE PERMIT INITIALLY PASSED BACK IN 2010? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. I WAS HERE IN 2000, AND THAT'S 15 YEARS . THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER. IN MY MIND. THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THEY'RE VIOLATING, VIOLATING THE TERMS OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. SO, UH, I COULD, UH, I COULD LIVE WITH, UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN MEMBER GOBEL IS PROPOSING, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY IS OKAY WITH THAT FROM A LEGAL POINT OF VIEW. YEAH. AS I SAID, WE TO, TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF AN A REVOKED COP. WHAT YOU'RE, WE ARE SAYING IS WE WILL NOT ENFORCE IT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST, BECAUSE THE, THE, THE ENTIRE ACTION BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. IT'S A WHOLE NEW CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. AND IT SHOULDN'T REFLECT, YOU SHOULD NOT REFLECT UPON THAT IN MAKING THIS DECISION WHERE IT MIGHT TRY TO PERSUADE OTHER, YOUR SUBORDINATE DECISION MAKERS, THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN HEARING THE EVIDENCE AND CONDUCTING THE PUBLIC HEARING NEXT TUESDAY AND TAKING ACTION ON THAT CUP, I MEAN, I'M ALL FOR THIS BUSINESS SUCCEEDING. AND THERE'S, THERE'S A NEW OWNERSHIP. THAT'S GREAT. WHAT YOU DECIDE TO DO IS WHAT YOU BRING BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION. UM, I, I HAVE MY THOUGHTS, BUT THAT'S [00:50:01] NOT TO GIVE THE PLANNING COMMISSION RIGHT NOW. UH, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER CARD? YES. JEFF MANER. COME ON. MR. ER. HELLO EVERYBODY. I'M JEFF MANER. I'M ONE OF RAMONE'S BROTHER. SO AS YOU KNOW, VINCE CATULA IS THE ONE THAT'S BEEN HANDLING THIS. AND HE'S OUR ADVISOR. AND HE'S BEEN LEADING THIS AND HE'S BEEN WORKING WITH THE STAFF. AND AS YOU KNOW, HE'S HAD A SURGERY AND HE HAD ISSUES. HE COULDN'T MAKE IT TO THE, AS THEY SAID IT, BUT FOR US, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK OVER THIS BUSINESS NOT TAKING OVER PLANNING TO TAKE OVER THIS BUSINESS A FEW MONTHS AGO. AND WE OPENED ESCROW. BUT THE ESCROW, AS RAMON SAYS, CONTINGENT ON GETTING APPROVAL. AND WE STUDIED THE BUSINESS. WE ARE BUSINESS PEOPLE. WE'RE PLANNING TO INVEST ALMOST $800,000 INTO THIS BUSINESS IN THE CITY TO IMPROVE THE CITY. AND WE THINK WE CAN DO IT, BUT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. THE WAY THE BUSINESS IS RUNNING RIGHT NOW, IF YOU WANNA SAY THAT, IT'S GONNA BE RESTAURANT ONLY. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. WE CAN'T DICTATE A BUSINESS. IT'S IS THE BUSINESS WILL DETECT ITSELF. 7,000 SQUARE FOOTAGE. I'VE NEVER SEEN A RESTAURANT AT 7,000 SQUARE FOOTAGE. IT'S A BANQUET HALL AND A RESTAURANT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA DO. WE WANNA IMPLEMENT THE RESTAURANT IN THERE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT NEED A BANQUET HALL. THE CURRENT CUP THAT WE HAVE DOESN'T ALLOW US TO DO THAT. SO WE, WE WORK WITH THE STAFF. THE STAFF SAYS, YOU NEED TO AMEND THE CUP, YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES INTO CUP SO THAT THE NUMBERS WORK OUT. INSTEAD OF HAVING A CONDITION ONLY ONCE A WEEK, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA DO HAVE PRIVATE EVENTS TWICE A WEEK. WE COULD DO IT IN THE WEEKEND. QUINCEANERAS, THERE'S A LOT OF DEMAND IN THE AREA. WE DO QUINCEANERAS, PRIVATE PARTIES, BIRTHDAY PARTIES, WEDDINGS, DOWNTOWN. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A DOWNTOWN THAT DOESN'T HAVE A, UH, A A A HALL DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO HAS A HALL, YOU KNOW, EVERY PLACE YOU GO, YOU GOT, WE WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD A DOWNTOWN. WHAT IS WRONG WITH A DOWNTOWN, WITH A HALL? WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT? 7,000 SQUARE FEET. IT'S NOT A 2007. SO WE KNOW WE ARE THE BUSINESS PEOPLE. WE KNOW WHAT IT NEEDS. AND WE'RE HERE TO TELL YOU THAT WE PLEASE LET US DO WHAT WE DO AND GIVE US A CHANCE TO PROVE IT. WHAT'S THE WORST THING? IF IT DOESN'T WORK, SHUT US DOWN. I MEAN, WE'RE THE ONES INVESTING THE MONEY, RIGHT? YEAH. WE'RE THE ONES PUTTING OUR MONEY IN THERE TO INVEST IN THE CITY THAT WE LOVE. EL CAJON. GO LOOK AT DOWNTOWN EL CAJON. IT'S HALF OF IT IS CLOSED. WE ARE THE, WE'RE THE ONES THAT PUTTING THE MONEY IN INTO IT TO MAKING IT GREAT. SO ALL WE ASKING IS A CONTINUANCE. IT MAKES SENSE. SO THAT WE GIVES US A CHANCE TO SPEAK, TO WORK WITH THE STAFF, TO SEE HOW DO WE AMEND THE, GET A NEW CUP SO THAT IT WORKS FOR US. IT WORKS FOR THE CITY. IT WORKS WITH THE, UM, UH, DOWNTOWN, UM, PARTNERS. PARTNERS. 'CAUSE WE'RE SPEAKING WITH HIM. THE GUY SAYS, YES, I LIKE THE IDEA. WE MET WITH HIM. HE SAID, IT'S GREAT. AND WE HAVE PLANS IN THE FUTURE TOGETHER. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO. WE'RE BUSINESS PEOPLE. AND I'M SURE HE IS GONNA NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE US TO, TO, TO UM, COMPLETE HIS, UM, DOWNTOWN FUTURE. TO, TO COMPLETE, TO MAKE DOWNTOWN EL CAJON ELEVATE THE WAY THAT THAT LITTLE ITALY IS LIKE DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO. IT'S LIKE OTHER PLACES. THAT'S, THAT'S US. SO I DON'T, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. AND I KNOW VINCE IS NOT HERE. THIS IS OUR INTENTION. THIS IS OUR PLAN. THIS IS WHAT WE WANNA DO. AND WE'RE JUST ASKING GIVE US CHANCE TO WORK WITH THE STAFF TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING. SO, I MEAN, IF, IF, IF WE GIVE A SEPTEMBER 1ST, THAT'S KIND OF PUTS A LITTLE BIT OF, OF, UH, PRESSURE ON US. WHAT IF THE CITY HASN'T, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR THEM TO DECIDE EXACTLY HOW WE'RE GONNA WORK THIS, AND WE WANNA MEET WITH DOWNTOWN, UM, PARTNERS SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. WHAT DO YOU THINK? 30% IS FAIR? YES, IT'S FAIR. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO DOWN TO 20. BUT WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS OUR GOAL AND THAT IS OUR PROJECT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT. AND I'M SORRY, VINCE WAS NOT HERE. 'CAUSE THIS, THAT'S WHAT HE WAS GONNA SAY. AND THIS IS OUR PLAN. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STAFF FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS. EVERY DAY WE'LL GO TALK TO GRAHAM. WE TALK TO NOAH, WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO EACH OTHER, TRYING TO FIGURE THINGS OUT. AND THEY SAID THERE'S A, THERE'S A PROCESS. AND THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS, MR. MORGAN. SO THE, THE VOTE TODAY IS JUST ON THE CURRENT CUP. IF WE UPHELD, IF WE UPHOLD THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S REVOCATION, THAT IS ON THAT, THEY ALREADY HAVE A SUBMISSION FOR A NEW CUP. THAT'S GREAT. SO WE'RE NOT TELLING YOU, WE DON'T, I'M NOT A BUSINESS PERSON. SO MY OPINION DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO WHETHER YOU SHOULD BE IN THAT POSITION OR WHETHER YOU SHOULD BE DOWN [00:55:01] THE STREET. IT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS AS A RESIDENT. OKAY? BUT WE'RE HERE TO VOTE JUST TO UPHOLD THE REVOCATION BECAUSE THE BUSINESS HAS NOT BEEN OPERATING UNDER THE CURRENT CUP. YOU'VE GOT A NEW CUP COMING, RIGHT? THIS SHOULD BE A NO BRAINER IN THE SENSE OF WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ON THE OLD ONE. THE OLD ONE ISN'T WORKING RIGHT. AND SO IF WE REVOKE THAT ONE YOU'VE GOT NEXT WEEK TO COME UP WITH YOUR NEW ONE. I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE AN A PROBLEM WITH THIS. 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT SAYING WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE. WE JUST, THIS ISN'T WORKING. AND WE ALREADY HAVE THREE OTHER BANQUET HALLS IN DOWNTOWN, IF, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE GOT PRESTIGE CRYSTAL AND THE OTHER ONE AROUND THE CORNER. RIGHT. BUT THERE'S, YEAH. AND, AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, AS, AS, AS WE WERE SAYING, THE MARKET HAS CHANGED. THERE'S, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF DEMAND, YOU KNOW? ABSOLUTELY. LIKE I SAID, IT DICTATES WHAT WE DO THE BUSINESS. ABSOLUTELY. BUT OUR, OUR DISCUSSION TODAY SHOULD ONLY BE ABOUT THE CURRENT CUP. RIGHT. NOT TOMORROW. RIGHT. NOT NEXT WEEK, NOT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO. BUT RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE VOTING ON, IS JUST THE CURRENT CUP. YOU'RE NOT STICKING TO IT. AND NO ONE HAS FOR AT LEAST SINCE 2023. RIGHT. AND WE GAVE HIM THE CUP IN 2010 AND IT TOOK TILL 2023 TO ANYTHING TO COME UP. 'CAUSE IT HAS NOT BEEN RUNNING AS A RESTAURANT. OKAY. WE ALL KNOW THAT. OKAY. SO THAT'S ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST SAY THIS CURRENT CUP IS NOT GOOD, IT'S NOT VALID, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVOKED IT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON. NOT NOT TO CONDEMN YOUR BUSINESS OR ANYTHING ELSE, OR WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT WEEK. GOT IT. IS IS THAT WHAT THIS, IS THAT WHAT VIN IS THAT THE PART OF THE, UM, STRATEGY? IS THAT PART OF THE, UH, IS THAT WHAT VINCE WANTED? IS IS THAT, IS THAT HOW IT WORKS? I I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS OF IT. LIKE IF YOU WERE, IF WE REVOKE THIS LICENSE TODAY, AND THEN LET'S SAY WHEN WE ARE APPLYING FOR NEW CUP AND SOMEHOW, UM, IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, DOES THAT MEAN THAT'S WE, WE JUST LOST THE BUSINESS? WE CAN JUST CLOSE DOWN. IS THAT HOW THAT WORKS? THE REVOCATION IS OCCURRED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION. YOU HAVE APPEALED. OKAY. THIS IS THE APPEAL BEING PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. GOT IT. IF THEY DENY YOUR APPEAL, THEN THE COP, THEY, THEY'VE, THEY HAVE SUSTAINED THE DECISION TO REVOKE THE COP YOU, THE BUSINESS. THAT PROPERTY DOES NOT HAVE THE ABILITY, THE LEGAL RIGHT TO OPERATE AS IT IS. RIGHT. YOUR FUTURE PLAN IS UP FOR DISCUSSION NEXT WEEK AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION. RIGHT. SO IF IT'S REVOKED AND IT'S A REVOKED EFFECTIVE TODAY, THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER OPERATION OF THE BUSINESS IN THAT LOCATION UNDER THAT CUP. IT DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE. RIGHT. SO, SO, SO THAT MEANS IF THEY REVOKE IT TODAY, I HAVE TO TOMORROW CLOSE DOWN. YES. YEAH. SO THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. SO TO AMEND THE NEW, THE NEW CUP ALLOW US TO WORK FOR THE NEXT, LET'S SAY COUPLE MONTHS OR A MONTH. AS LONG AS WE'RE WORKING, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE STAFF TO SEE WHEN WE CAN GET THE NEW COP. SIR. THE CUP WAS NOT TO RUN TO, TO REVOKE THE RIGHT TO RUN A RESTAURANT THAT'S PERMITTED UNDER THE, THE CODE. IT WAS TO OPERATE A BANQUET HALL IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT RESTAURANT. RIGHT. SO FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME, FOR ONE WEEK UNTIL THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION MAKES A, UH, DECISION, IT COULD BE AS SOON AS NEXT TUESDAY, YOU COULDN'T OPERATE AS A BANQUET HALL, RIGHT. IF, IF THEY VOTE TO AFFIRM THAT DECISION. YES. SO, BECAUSE IT'S A PART OF, BECAUSE IT'S A BANQUET HALL, THERE'S ALREADY A CALENDAR WHERE PEOPLE'S PARTIES ALREADY SET FOR NEXT COUPLE WEEKENDS. WHETHER IT'S THEIR, YOU KNOW, CONS, LIKE I WAS SAYING, RAS AND OTHER KIND OF PARTIES, WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JEOPARDIZE THAT AS WELL. SOMEBODY'S ALREADY PLANNING TO DO A PARTY IN THREE WEEKS AND WELL, THAT'S NOT YOUR BUSINESS YET, RIGHT? HUH? IT'S NOT YOUR BUSINESS YET, IS IT? NO, WE'RE IN ESCO, BUT STILL, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT IS. WE WE'RE KIND OF REPRESENTING ALSO THE TOGETHER WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE OWNERS AS WELL. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, WE HERE TO REPRESENT EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE'RE BUYING IT FROM THEM. SO WE'RE TELLING 'EM, HEY, WE, WE ARE THE ONES PRESENTING WITH THE IDEAS. WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY. WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE WORKING FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS, UM, BUSINESS. SO ULTIMATELY, MY, MY OLIVE BRANCH IS TO, TO STAY ENFORCEMENT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1ST TO LET EVENTS CONTINUE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1ST. BUT THERE IS AN URGENCY [01:00:01] FOR YOU TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION. OKAY. WHATEVER YOU GUYS THINK IS THE BEST IDEA JUST FROM VINCE MESSING TO, TO, TO SEE IF WE CAN GET IT OCTOBER 1ST SO THAT CAN WE DO OCTOBER 1ST? OCTOBER 1ST? YEAH. SORRY. LIKE I SAID, THE, THE IDEA IS, IS ME WITH THE CITY PLANNING TO SEE IF WE CAN WORK OUT THIS CUP AND IF IT HAS TO COME BACK TO YOU GUYS, THE CITY TO GET, IF WE WERE TO DO IT ON OCTOBER 1ST, YOU'D HAVE A CHANCE TO AT HEAR IT OUT. UM, AND, AND SO AT MINIMAL BETWEEN, AND, AND IT'S NOT JUST WHETHER A FEW PRIVATE PARTIES THAT WERE ALREADY RESERVED AND PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR PLANNING AND THIS AND THAT, BUT IT'S ALSO IF IT GETS REVOKED, THAT'S THE ALCOHOL LICENSE IS TIED INTO THAT. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JEOPARDIZING THE ENTIRE BUSINESS OVER THIS DECISION WHEN ALL WE'RE ASKING IS A CONTINUANCE. YOU'VE GOT LEGITIMATE BUSINESS GUYS, I THINK, YOU KNOW WE OWN MULTIPLE BUSINESSES HERE. WE, WE, WE HAVE SINCERE, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS FOR THE CITY. AND WHEN I NOT ASKING YOU TO MAKE A DECISION, WE'RE ASKING YOU FOR A CONTINUANCE TO UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST. YOU CAN ENFORCE IT OCTOBER 1ST. YOU'LL HAVE YOUR DEADLINE THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, ALLOWS US TO MEET WITH THE CITY PLANNING. AND IF IT APPEALS, IT ALLOWS YOU TO AT LEAST HEAR IT ON THE, IN THE NEXT MEETING, THAT SMALL WINDOW. AND THEN WE, WE CAN PLAN FOR, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST WE'RE NOT JEOPARDIZING PEOPLE'S, YOU KNOW, PARTIES AND A BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN EL CAJON. IT'S A SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS. SO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S NOT OUR BUSINESS YET. WE TOOK OVER APRIL, WE TOOK OVER OPERATIONS SINCE APRIL. THAT'S WHY YOU SEE US HERE. BUT WE WON'T CLOSE ESCROW UNTIL, UNTIL WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE CAN HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO, TO MOVE FORWARD. BUT OCTOBER 1ST WOULD HELP US. THANKS, MR. MR. SIR, I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, GRAHAM, I WANNA ASK A QUESTION. UM, IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE WITH THIS, WHEN WOULD IT, WHEN WOULD IT COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL? YOUR NEXT MEETING WOULD BE THE FIRST MEETING OF SEPTEMBER. THAT'S THE FIRST TIME YOU COULD BRING IT BACK IF, UH, UNLESS YOU WANTED TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING. SO THAT'S SEPTEMBER. NO, WE DON'T, WE HAVE A, WE GO DARK SECOND MEETING IN SECOND. IN AUGUST. IN AUGUST. YEAH. SO WE'RE, WE'RE IN AUGUST, SO YEAH. SO IT'D BE THAT SEPTEMBER 9TH, NINTH MEETING AS AN OPTION. OR THE 20TH, 23RD. 23RD. ALRIGHT. WELL WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT. UM, I STILL THINK THAT THERE, IT'S, THERE'S DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A COMPELLING REASON NOT TO GIVE A CONTINUOUS TILL SEPTEMBER, BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT WE SHOULD PROBABLY JUST VOTE ON IT 'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S, YEP. WELL, UH, STEVE, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH OCTOBER 1ST REVOCATION, NOW THAT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT WE THINK THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MADE THE RIGHT CALL. 'CAUSE THEY DID. THAT'S WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS US. THERE'S, I DON'T THINK THERE, THERE'S ANY EVIDENCE THAT SHOWS THAT THEY WERE OPERATING PRIMARILY AS A RESTAURANT AND THEN MAYBE TO GET THINGS FIXED ON TUESDAY. UH, IF WE, IF WE REVOKE IT BEFORE THAT, UH, AS THE APPLICANT SAID THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS WITH WEDDINGS AND QUINTANE AND, YOU KNOW, AFFECT THE COMMUNITY. SO I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REASONABLE COMPROMISE. I'M OKAY WITH OCTOBER 1ST AS WELL, BECAUSE THERE ARE EVENTS THAT ARE BOOKED, PLANNED, IMPORTANT EVENTS, MILESTONE EVENTS FOR PEOPLE. BUT THE STAFF REPORT SAYS SINCE APRIL 1ST, THE HEARING ON APRIL 1ST, THE NEW BUSINESS OPERATOR INDICATED THEY WOULD COMPLY WITH THE CUP OR APPLY WITH THE CUP AMENDMENT. THAT WAS FOUR MONTHS AGO. SO IT'S GO TIME. OKAY. OCTOBER 1ST IS TWO MONTHS AWAY. IT'S GO TIME. OKAY. IT'S NOT, I NEED ANOTHER 90 DAYS BECAUSE THIS OR THAT. UH, THE, SO I, I GUESS HERE'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO. UH, IF, IF I CAN MAKE A MOTION SURE. UH, I WILL. SEEING THAT, TO ME THIS ISSUE IS ABOUT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION AND THE APPEAL. I FIND THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION MADE THE RIGHT DECISION. UH, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO AFFIRM. WE PROBABLY NEED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. OH YEAH. MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING. SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO AFFIRM THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION. I THINK THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME LISTENING TO THE EVIDENCE AND THINGS. I THINK THEY, I SEE NO REASON TO OVERTURN THEIR DECISION. HOWEVER, I WOULD MAKE ENFORCEMENT OF [01:05:01] THE REVOCATION DELAYED UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST. THIS GIVES YOU TWO MONTHS TO COME UP WITH SOME PLAN WITH THE CITY. THAT WILL BE RIGHT FOR DOWNTOWN. A BANQUET HALL IS OKAY, BUT WHAT ELSE? UH, SO THAT IS MY MOTION. SECOND. ALRIGHT, MOVE. AND SECOND, PLEASE VOTE. MOSHA CARRIES BY A FOUR ONE VOTE WITH MAYOR WELL'S. VOTING NO. ALRIGHT. WE HAVE FOUR ADMINISTRATIVE [11. Award of RFP No. 007-26 – El Cajon Veterans Memorial Artistic and Architectural Services RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopts the next Resolution, in order, to: Appropriate $48,000 of General Fund reserves to increase the Parks & Recreation (101600) annual budget for the purpose of transferring funding to the City Capital Improvement Program Fund (501) for the capital project discussed in this report; Appropriate $48,000 of transfer revenue for the purpose of establishing the El Cajon Veterans Memorial (263877PWCP) project; and Enter into an agreement with Monument Warehouse, LLC (MWLLC), in an amount not to exceed $48,000 for a one-year term.] REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. ITEM 11 IS FOR THE CAJON VETERANS MEMORIAL ARTISTIC AND ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES STAFF. WILL YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS? GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR, COUNCIL AND STAFF. ADAM TRON, RU, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION. AND I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU ON THE VETERANS MEMORIAL. SO A LITTLE BIT OF A PROJECT TIMELINE. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, CITY COUNCIL SELECTED THE VETERAN'S MEMORIAL LOCATION TO BE IN FRONT OF THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY. AND THEN IN JULY OF 2024, A COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF FOUR CITY STAFF, ONE VETERAN, AND ALSO A VETERAN'S COALITION MEMBER, SELECTED THREE QUALIFIED ARTISTS TO MOVE ON TO THE RFP PHASE. IN FEBRUARY, CITY COUNCIL PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON A TENTATIVE BUDGET AND AN RFP WAS RELEASED TO THE QUALIFIED ARTISTS, EXCUSE ME. UH, TWO PROPOSALS WERE SUBMITTED AND STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT MONUMENT WAREHOUSE IS AWARDED. SO JUST KIND OF WANTED TO SHOW SOME OF THE WORK THAT MONUMENT WAREHOUSE HAS DONE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE EXAMPLES. THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY MEMORIAL IN FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS IS A KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL IN NORTH WALES, PENNSYLVANIA, . AND THIS IS CALLED A WAR AT HOME MEMORIAL. AND THIS IS IN THE CITY OF BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA. AND AS YOU CAN SEE BY THESE EXAMPLES, UH, MONUMENT WAREHOUSE HAS A DEEP SKILLSET AND THEY ALSO HAVE A DIVERSE ABILITY TO DO DIFFERENT TYPES OF DESIGN. THIS IS SOME CONCEPT ART THAT MONUMENT WAREHOUSE SUBMITTED TO THE, TO IN THEIR RFP TO THE COMMITTEE. AND THE COMMITTEE REALLY LIKED THIS DESIGN. A LOT OF IT WAS BECAUSE OF HOW IT FIT WHERE CITY COUNCIL HAD SELECTED TO HAVE THE, HAVE THE MEMORIAL, JUST HOW IT FLOWS AND FITS AROUND THE AREA. AND IF YOU CAN SEE THERE TO, TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE, OF THE ACTUAL MONUMENTS, UH, THERE IS A WOMAN STANDING NEXT TO ONE TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, WHAT THE SIZE LOOKS LIKE. SO THIS, THESE MONUMENTS WOULD BE ALL OF THE MILITARY BRANCHES WITH THE FLAGS, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES A-P-O-W-M-I-A, UH, MONUMENT. IN ADDITION, THIS IS SOME ADDITIONAL CONCEPT ART. IT SHOWS A DAY VIEW WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITY IN THE BACKGROUND. AND THEN, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMITTEE REALLY LIKED WAS THE NIGHT VIEW WITH THE UPLIGHTING AROUND THE MONUMENTS. JUST REALLY FELT LIKE IT GAVE JUST A NICE TOUCH. AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, THE ACTUAL MONUMENTS THAT YOU SEE THERE, THIS WOULD BE WHAT WOULD BE ON THE FRONT OF EACH OF THE MONUMENTS. SO WHAT THEY DID WITH EACH OF THE MONUMENTS IS THEY HAD ONE FOR EACH OF THE MILITARY BRANCHES AND ALSO A-P-I-P-O-W-M-I-A MONUMENT. AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE A PHRASE OR A MOTTO THAT WOULD IDENTIFY WITH EACH OF THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES A SERVICE. SO THIS IS THE ARMY, P-O-W-M-I-A AND THE AIR FORCE. THIS IS SPACE FORCE MERCHANT MARINES AND THE COAST GUARD. THIS IS THE MARINE CORPS AND THE NAVY. AND SO STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROPRIATE $48,000 OF GENERAL FUND RESERVES TO INCREASE PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET AND TRANSFER FUNDS TO CITY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FUND, THEN APPROPRIATE 48,000 OF TRANSFER REVENUE TO ESTABLISH THE ELCO AND VETERANS MEMORIAL PROJECT. AND FINALLY ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE MONUMENT WAREHOUSE LLC [01:10:01] IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 48,000 FOR A ONE YEAR TERM. THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANKS. NICE PRESENTATION COUNSEL. QUESTION, UH, YOU MENTIONED, UH, THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS, UH, IN CHARGE OF REVIEWING THIS IS THIS, UH, INCLUDED THE VETERANS, UH, COALITION. YES, THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE HAD FOUR CITY STAFF. ONE OF THE STAFF WAS A VETERAN, AND THEN WE ALSO INVITED A VETERANS COALITION MEMBER TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE. AND THEY ALSO REPRESENT AMERICAN LEGION POST 3 0 3. SO WE KIND OF GOT TWO TWO WITH ONE STONE ONE. AWESOME. AND I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT A LOT OF OUR, UH, AMERICAN LEGION MEMBERS ARE HERE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE SEVERAL VETERANS COALITION MEMBERS HERE TOO. THANK YOU. I'D LOVE TO HEAR IF DURING PUBLIC COMMENT IF THEY HAD ANY, UH, OPINIONS. ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT. THANKS. GREAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. ANY SPEAKER CARDS ON THIS ITEM? SIR, WE HAVE ONE FROM STAR BALES. HEY, STAR, WELCOME. HELLO EVERYONE. , HOW YOU DOING? IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. UM, MY GOOD FRIEND, STAR BALES, WHO'S THE MOST PATRIOTIC PERSON I'VE EVER MET. HOW COULD I NOT? I MEAN, HONESTLY, IF YOU LIVED MY LIFE AT, TO THE AGE OF 17, 18, WHEN I MOVED IN AS AN IMMIGRANT, I'M A FIRST GENERATION IMMIGRANT. IF YOU WERE TO LIVED IN ANOTHER WORLD BEFORE YOU COME HERE AND THEN YOU COME HERE, YEAH, YOU WOULD BE HER HOUSE MORE THAN I AM. YOU'D BE MORE PATRIOTIC THAN I AM. SHE WAS A TRANSLATOR IN IRAQ. YES. FOR THE US FORCES. PROUDLY. I WALKED AND THE SNIPERS ALWAYS GO FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, TRANSLATORS. YES. I, I, I DID. UM, THEY NEEDED HELP. AND, UM, HOW COULD I SAY NO, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FROM HUMAN TO HUMAN. UM, SO I AM HERE TODAY. UH, I, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL, GARY, STEVE, PHIL, AND MICHELLE. I WANNA THANK YOU, UH, FOR SERVING OUR CITY. UH, IT'S THRIVING, MEAN REALLY THRIVING. SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE, THE EFFORT YOU PUT INTO IT. NOW, MR. MAYOR, THE PEOPLE OF OUR CITY LOVE YOUR ENERGY BECAUSE YOU ARE PRESENT. YOU ARE THERE WHEN THEY WANNA REACH OUT TO YOU. VERY EASY TO REACH OUT TO YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT THEIR ISSUES OR THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY HAVE. AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR, FOR THE CITIZENS OF ANY CITY, ANY, ANY STATE. YOU ARE INTELLIGENT PERSON AND YOU ARE VERY KIND. THE COMBINATION OF THESE TWO FEATURES IN ANYONE, ANYBODY MAKES THEM A GREAT LEADER. SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU, SIR. WE WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK ON YOUR UPCOMING, UM, ELECTION. SO WE HOPE YOU WIN. SO TODAY I AM HERE IN SUPPORT FOR OUR VETERANS, UM, WITH A GROUP OF, OF FRIENDS, OF VETERANS OF MINE, UH, SITTING OVER THERE, . UM, AND SOME ARE FROM POST 3 0 3. SO, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE VETERANS MEMORIAL PROJECT TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING THAT I LEARNED FROM OUR VETERANS. UM, I HAVE LEARNED FROM OUR VETERANS. AND IT IS HOW, HOW DO WE MEASURE LOVE? SOMEBODY SAYS TO YOU, I LOVE YOU. HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT LOVE? REALLY? HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE ME? HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT? I LEARNED HOW TO MEASURE THAT FROM OUR VETERANS, AND IT IS BY THE DEGREE OF THEIR SACRIFICE. THAT'S, THAT'S IT. HOW FAR CAN THEY GO? THEY LOVE ME. I, I HAD LEARNED THAT IN A VERY HARD WAY BECAUSE RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES, I WATCHED VETERANS DIE, [01:15:01] LITERALLY DIE. I WATCHED THEM WITH MY BARE EYES. I WATCHED THEM GIVE THEIR LIVES GIVEN ALL FOR OUR FREEDOM. THAT'S IT FOR OUR FREEDOM. YOU KNOW HOW HAPPY IT MAKES ME, I DON'T CARE IF I AGREE OR DISAGREE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE THEIR SPEAKING. YOU KNOW, SOME CAN AGREE, SOME DON'T AGREE, IT DOESN'T MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS THE FREEDOM THAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN COME TO THE CITY. I MEAN, WE'RE RIGHT HERE. THIS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, ONE OF THE SIDES WOULD NOT MAKE IT A LIFE OUT OF THAT DOOR. I GUARANTEE YOU THAT. WHERE I CAME FROM ONE SIDE, PERHAPS NOT, BUT HOLD, HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I I I'M GONNA LET HER CONTINUE. SHE'S REPRESENTING THIS WHOLE GROUP. UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY OBJECTIONS, WE'VE RUN, WE'VE RUN PAST THREE MINUTES. BUT ANY OBJECTIONS? THE YEAH. UH, SIR, I, I HATE TO DO THIS. WE WE'RE RUNNING OUT, OUT OF TIME. SO CAN, IF YOU CAN JUST GET, GET TO THE TOPIC, I APPRECIATE. OKAY, I'LL, I'LL BE BRIEF. I'LL BE BRIEF. I'LL FINISH REAL QUICK, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. IS THAT COOL? SURE. OKAY. IT IS BECAUSE OF OUR VETERANS, WE ARE FREE. THEIR ULTIMATE SACRIFICE IS THE REASON WE ARE EVEN HERE TODAY ENJOYING LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY. IT'S NOT JUST OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR VETERANS, BUT OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS. OKAY? UM, THEY, THEY RISK THEIR LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY. THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR SAFETY. CAN YOU IMAGINE? WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULD HAVE NO SAFETY. THINK OF A WORLD WITHOUT POLICE OR FIREFIGHTERS. IT WOULD BE DISASTER. IT WOULD NOT BE A PLACE ANYONE WOULD WANT TO LIVE. SO I SAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, IT IS BECAUSE OF ALL OF OUR HEROES. WE THANKFULLY ENJOY AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL. AND THEN, UH, JUST ONE MORE THING, MR. RAM. MAYOR, PLEASE. SURE. UM, THE AMERICAN FLAG THAT WE HAVE OUTSIDE, UH, THAT WE CHANGED YEARS AGO, WE CHANGED IT. IT WAS SMALLER, SO WE MADE IT, I I I CALL IT, UH, SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZE. NOW, UH, AS THE CITIZEN OF THE ALCOHOL CITY, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT FLAG. BIGGER, TALLER, BIGGER. WE REALLY DO. WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE PERHAPS SEE IT, UH, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WE WANNA SEE THAT FLAG. I'LL GO ON FLAG. IT WOULD BE GREAT. UM, AND OUR TOURISTS CAN SEE THAT TOO WHILE THEY'RE DRIVING, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SEE OUR FLAG THAT REPRESENT OUR VETERANS, BASICALLY. WELL, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE VETERANS MEMORIAL. THANK YOU. STANDING TALL AND BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE THIS MEMORIAL, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, IS GOING TO BE EL CAJON CITIES SYMBOL OF FREEDOM. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. WE HAVE A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS HERE. THAT'S THE SYMBOL OF OUR FREEDOM. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. SIR, WE DID RECEIVE ONE MORE SPEAKER CARD. SURE. MR. RIN CORBELL. UH, THANK YOU. MY NAME IS RINN CORBE. I'M A RESIDENT OF LAKESIDE. UH, I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF THE VETERANS MEMORIAL, AND I COMMEND, UH, THAT PROJECT AND, UM, I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH AND TO ALL THE SERVICE MEMBERS, UH, ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, A LITTLE, UH, YEAH, MY COMMENTS ARE INFORMED BY THE CURRENT, UH, STATE, THE CURRENT CLIMATE IN OUR COUNTRY WHERE THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAS DIRECTED THE PENTAGON AND OF, UH, THE OFFICER CORPS TO PURGE, UH, TO PURGE OUR MILITARY, THE PENTAGON OF ANY INDICATION OF, OF, UH, SERVICE BY PER, BY SERVICE MEMBERS OF COLOR AND WOMEN. UM, IT'S A, IT'S A TRAVESTY IN MY FIELD, IN MY VIEW, TO, UH, POLITICIZE, UH, THAT THE, THE CONTRIBUTIONS, THE SACRIFICES OF ALL THESE PEOPLE IN SERVICE OF THE CORRUPT FELON IN CHIEF WHO RUNS OUR COUNTRY, UM, [01:20:04] WHEN HE DIRECTS PEOPLE TO REMOVE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, UH, OUR, UH, WONDERFUL, COURAGEOUS COMMANDER COLIN POWELL, UH, RENAMES, UH, ARMY BASES IN SUPPORT OF TRADERS, CONFEDERATE GENERALS AND, UH, SOLDIERS WHO WERE COMMITTED TREASON AGAINST OUR COUNTRY. UH, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, THIS MEMORIAL TO BE MINDFUL OF THE SERVICE OF PEOPLE, OF COLOR, OF WOMEN, OF ALL MINORITIES WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED, WHO'VE MANY OFTEN GIVEN THEIR LIVES, THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY. AND TAGGING ON WHAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER JUST SAID, WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS OUR COUNTRY AND WHAT IS THE S WHAT ARE, WHAT IS OUR MILITARY TRYING TO DEFEND AND PROMOTE FREEDOM FOR ALL? THANK YOU. OKAY. IT'S BACK TO CITY COUNCIL. SOMEBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. YEAH. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATIONS OUTLINED IN THE AGENDA. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE. [ PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, any person may address a matter within the jurisdiction of the City Council/Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency that is not on the Agenda. Comments relating to items on today’s docket are to be taken at the time the item is heard. State law prohibits discussion or action on items not on the Agenda; however, Council, Authority and Agency Members may briefly respond to statements or questions. An item may be placed on a future Agenda.] WE'RE GONNA BE GETTING IN THIS INTO, UM, PUBLIC SPEAKING RIGHT NOW, AND, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT. AND IT MAY GO FOR SEVERAL HOURS. SO THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T HAVE BUSINESS ANY LONGER WITH THE COUNSELOR, I, YOU WON'T OFFEND ME IF YOU GET UP AND GO. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, WE NOW HAVE 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. DOES NOT ON THE AGENDA COMMENTS RELATING TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA ALREADY BE TAKEN AT THE TIME THAT THE AM IS HEARD. STATE LAW PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, CITY COUNCIL AND HOUSING AUTHORITY MEMBERS MAY BRIEFLY RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS, AND AN ITEM MAY BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA. ANGELA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKER CARDS TONIGHT, SIR? WE HAVE 29 SPEAKERS. 29. OKAY. AND THE FIRST SPEAKER IS CHRIS FORD. HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRIS DISTRICT ONE. IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH OF THIS YEAR, THIS COUNCIL PASSED RESOLUTIONS FOR EL CAJON POLICE TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH ICE IN SPITE OF SB 54. AND IN SUPPORT OF A COLORADO CONGRESSMAN'S DRAFT BILL TO FURTHER UNDERMINE SANCTUARY STATES SUCH AS CALIFORNIA RESPECTIVELY, I AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO PROTEST BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THIS CHAMBER UNTIL THE RESOLUTIONS ARE RESCINDED. YES? YES. ON THIS TOPIC, I WILL ADDRESS COMMENTS FROM THE LAST COUNCIL SESSION, MAYOR WELLS, YOU'VE REPEATED THE TIRED AND LAZY WHAT ABOUTM OF WHAT ABOUT OBAMA? NUMBER ONE, I DON'T LIKE OBAMA. HE'S AS MUCH AS A PUPPET AS YOU'RE TRYING TO BE. I DIDN'T LIKE HIM THEN. I DON'T LIKE HIM NOW. HOWEVER, HE'S NOT THE PRESIDENT TRUMP IS BRINGING UP. OBAMA DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS CURRENT INJUSTICES OTHER THAN TO LAZILY SHIFT BLAME AND RESPONSIBILITY. BUT LET'S ENTERTAIN YOUR LOGICAL FALLACY. DID OBAMA IGNORED TO PROCESS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR LEGAL SYSTEM DURING HIS DEPORTATIONS? DID OBAMA SEEK TO UNDO THE 14TH AMENDMENT? NO. DID OBAMA STICK THE NATIONAL GUARD AND THE MARINES IN CALIFORNIA? NO. THERE ARE A MILLION REASONS AS TO WHY SOMEONE MIGHT NOT HAVE PROTESTED AN ADMINISTRATION FROM EIGHT YEARS AGO. NONE OF THOSE REASONS MATTER. WHAT MATTERS IS HOW WE FIGHT TODAY TO ENSURE A BETTER TOMORROW. IF I HEAR YOU BRING UP OBAMA AGAIN, I'LL KNOW IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE AN ARGUMENT. MR. GOBEL, YOU REPORTED THAT THE RAID ON ST. PAUL'S WAS NOT THE PRESENCE OF ICE, BUT WAS IN FACT AN ICE IMPERSONATOR AFTER WHICH YOU GAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT. DOES THE PRESENCE OF AN ICE IMPERSONATOR NOT [01:25:01] DEEPLY ALARM YOU? THIS IS HOW I KNOW THAT YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY IS A FARCE. ICE IS MASKING UP IN UNMARKED CARS, REFUSING TO GIVE IDENTIFICATION AND TAKING PEOPLE AWAY. CRIMINAL KIDNAPPERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND HERE ARE DOING THE SAME THING. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OUR POLICE, WHO I'M TOLD ARE STRETCHED THIN, DON'T SHOW UP TO VERIFY THAT IT'S ICE OR NOT RESOLUTIONS LIKE YOURS THREATEN PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE IT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO MASQUERADE AS LAW ENFORCEMENT. MR. ORTIZ, YOU STILL SEEM CONFUSED ABOUT SB 54. SB 54 DOES NOT PROTECT FELONS SECTIONS ONE THROUGH THREE Z EXPLICITLY ALLOW OUR POLICE TO HAND UNDOCUMENTED FELONS OVER TO IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES. AS I HAVE PROVEN FOR EVERYTHING ELSE, INCLUDING MISDEMEANORS, LIKE A DUI, THERE IS NOTHING STOPPING OUR POLICE FROM PUTTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN JAIL. IF YOU STILL SEE A GAP SOMEWHERE, I WILL YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME SO YOU CAN ASK A QUESTION. APPRECIATE YOU STICKING AROUND THIS TIME. I MEAN THAT NO, I RE NO. THA THANK, THANK YOU. I, I I, I'M PLANNING ON MEETING WITH A HANDFUL OF YOU AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO, I KNOW JOSE HAS REACHED OUT TO ME, SO IF HE'S, UH, IF YOU'RE IN TOUCH WITH JOSE, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE I FEEL THE GAPS OF S SP 54 ARE. YEAH. THANKS CHRIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIA ANDREWS. HELLO, UM, MY NAME IS JULIA ANDREWS AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN, UM, OR JUST SUPPORT OF PHIL ORTIZ'S. RECALL, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, LATINOS IN ION FOR, UH, COLLECTING SIGNATURES AND PUTTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE BECAUSE OF, UH, THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU BILL AND PHIL AND STEVE SEEM TO THINK IS A GOOD IDEA FOR EL CAJON. UM, I BELIEVE THAT EL CAJON, WHERE A THIRD OF THE POPULATION WAS NOT BORN IN THE US SHOULD NOT HAVE LEADERS THAT DON'T ADVOCATE FOR THEM WHILE VOLUNTEERING WITH LATINOS IN ION FOR THE RECALL EFFORT, I NOTICED THAT FEAR OF SIGNING THE PETITION WAS STRONGEST AMONGST IMMIGRANTS. EVEN THOSE HERE LEGALLY WHO ARE CITIZENS, MANY ARE HESITANT TO SIGN DESPITE BEING RES REGISTERED VOTERS ONLY BECAUSE THEY FEARED THAT ICE MIGHT GET A HOLD OF DOCUMENTS. UM, IT'S CLEAR THAT AT LEAST A PORTION OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS FEEL UNSAFE, AND YET YOU SIT HERE AND UNDERMINE THEIR FEAR BY SAYING, POLICE AREN'T WORKING WITH ICE AS IF WE DIDN'T SEE THE RAID IN NORTH PARK. AS IF WE DON'T KNOW THAT THE PROVISION THAT YOU HELPED WRITE COULD CAUSE THE EXACT SAME THING TO HAPPEN HERE. AND I'M SURE IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME FOR ONE OF THESE LOCAL RESTAURANTS TO BE RATED TOO. WHY COLLABORATE WITH ICE AND GAMBLE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY SAFETY? AND WHY WOULD YOU GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEPORT OR DETAIN SOMEONE BECAUSE OF AN ACCUSATION OF A CRIME? THIS IS WHAT THE PROVISION WILL ALLOW FOR. AN ACCUSATION IS ALL THAT IT WILL TAKE FOR ANYONE WHO SEEMS LIKE AN ILLEGAL TO BE DETAINED OR DEPORTED FIRST AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER, LIKE, WHAT'S HAPPENING? YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE BULLIED BY WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND THOSE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT YOU DON'T THINK WILL FALSELY ACCUSE INDIVIDUALS TO TRY TO GET THEM DEPORTED. PHIL, YOU STATE THAT THE PROVISION WAS ONLY ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU LISTED CRIMES SUCH AS DUI, DRUGS, BATTERY THEFT, ARSON, AND I AGREE THAT PEOPLE WHO COMMIT THOSE CRIMES KNEW NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE ACTIONS. BUT SINCE WE KNOW, LIKE CHRIS JUST SAID, THAT SB 54 DOES NOT PREVENT ANY OF THOSE MISDEMEANORS OR FELONIES, UH, TO BE, UH, ANY OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO BE ARRESTED. IT'S JUST SHOWING THAT, UH, THIS PROVISION IS AN ATTEMPT TO PERPETUATE THE LIE. AND THE IDEA THAT ANYONE HERE WHO IS UNDOCUMENTED IS ALREADY A CRIMINAL OR MORE APT TO BECOME A CRIMINAL OR COMMIT A CRIME BECAUSE OF THEIR CITIZENSHIP STATUS. DATA SHOWS THAT 53% OF THE DEPORTATIONS WITHIN SAN DIEGO ALONE THIS YEAR HAVE OCCURRED, THAT HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THE SIX MONTHS, UM, WHERE PEOPLE WITH, WITH NO CRIMINAL RECORD, WHEN YOU DON'T ACTIVELY STAND UP AGAINST THE MISTREATMENT OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT THE HANDS OF ICE AND INSTEAD WRITE A PROVISION THAT ASSISTS THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THAT THIRD OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. IT'S PROVEN THAT THOSE WITHOUT CLEAR RESIDENCY REPORT CRIMES LESS FOR FEAR OF DEPORTATION. AND ALL YOUR PERMISSION PROVISION DID WAS SOLIDIFY THAT FEAR. WHEN YOU MAKE ETHNOCENTRIC STATEMENTS SUCH AS DIFFERENT CULTURES ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, AND CHRISTIAN CULTURE IS THE BEST CULTURE ON A PODCAST, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE ALSO GETTING READY TO REOPEN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS. UNLIKE YOU, I BELIEVE THAT INTEGRATION IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE PROCESS, FOR THE PROGRESS OF ALL COMMUNITIES, NOT ASSIMILATION. THAT, UM, INCLUDES UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS AND PEOPLE WHO DO NOT PRACTICE RELIGIONS OR PEOPLE WHO DO PRACTICE RELIGIONS OTHER THAN CHRISTIANITY. WE DON'T BELIEVE YOU WHEN WE SAY, UH, WHEN YOU SAY THAT WE'RE NOT WORKING WITH ICE BECAUSE YOU MADE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO WRONGFULLY DETAIN MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. BABY YOUR TIME'S UP. I'M SORRY, I GAVE YOU A LITTLE EXTRA. [01:30:09] NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS IN THE BEGINNING. HOW LONG DID SHE GET TO SPEAK FOR? YEAH, IS THERE ANOTHER SPEAKER? THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MAUREEN BRANDHAM. LOVE BILL WILSON. SO MUCH HAM AFTER MS. BRANDHAM. IF MR. ZACH ASHMORE AND KELSEY ZAN WOULD MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN IN THAT ORDER DOWN THE AISLE, PLEASE. WHAT WERE THE NAMES? UH, ZACH ASHMORE AND KELSEY ZAN. THANK YOU. DID YOU SAY TARA ASHMORE. ZACH ASHMORE. ZACH ASHMORE AND KELSEY CRAN. MA'AM, GO AHEAD. OH, THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME UP HERE REALLY QUICK AND, UM, SAY THAT, UM, I'M REALLY SURPRISED THAT THIS MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP TODAY. I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS BILL. PHIL, STEVE, I, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND REALLY TAKE NOTE OF WHAT THE PEOPLE IN AT LEAST PHIL'S DISTRICT, UM, ARE SAYING. 'CAUSE WE HAVE BEEN OUT HERE AND WE'VE BEEN WALKING NOW. THANK YOU PHIL, FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, TAKING JOSE'S CALL. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I THINK IT'S FINALLY TIME THAT WE DO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION BECAUSE I ALSO FEEL THAT THERE'S LIKE SOME CONFUSION IN YOUR CHURCH COMMUNITY AS TO WHY WE'RE DOING THIS RECALL. AND I JUST REALLY WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE REASON WHY WE STARTED THIS RECALL IS BECAUSE DISTRICT FOUR IS THE ONLY DISTRICT THAT'S PAINTED BLUE IN THE ENTIRE CITY OF EL CAJON. AND HAVING SAID THAT, I MEAN, WE BROUGHT OUT QUITE A BIT OF PEOPLE AND JUST IN THE DISTRICT ALONE, THERE ARE 15 JUAREZ'S. MY MAIDEN LAST NAME IS JUAREZ, AND THAT'S JUST IN YOUR DISTRICT, PHIL. THAT'S 15 PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT BECOME YOU, US CITIZENS, WHICH I'M ENCOURAGING THEM TO NOW SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN THIS DISTRICT. BUT I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE TALK ABOUT WHY YOU'RE BEING RECALLED AND THAT REALLY IS ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T LISTEN TO WHEN WE CAME TO TALK TO YOU. AND SO I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE I DO WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT HAS REALLY NOTHING TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE FROM OR WHAT CHURCH YOU GO TO. THOSE COMMENTS CAME TO ME. I DIDN'T WANNA GET TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT YOU FURTHER OTHER THAN YOUR JOB HERE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COME TO ME AND DISCLOSE THINGS ABOUT THIS CHURCH THAT I HAD NEVER EVEN HEARD OF. AND I MEAN, IT'S ALARMING. AND SOME THINGS I WAS JUST THOUGHT WERE WEIRD AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS FOR. WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE CAME. I ASKED TO MEET WITH YOU BEFOREHAND. I THOUGHT, LIKE I SAID, WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION. WE DIDN'T GET ANYWHERE. YOU IGNORED MY EMAIL AND LIKE, THAT'S WARRANT, THAT WARRANTS A RECALL. AND SO I JUST WANT YOUR FRIENDS OR THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW TO KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT WHY WE'RE COMING AFTER YOU IS YOUR AFFILIATION OR ANYBODY'S AFFILIATION. UM, IT'S JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE YOUR CONSTITUENTS CAME, WE SHOWED UP, WE, WE ASKED YOU TO VOTE NO AND YOU DIDN'T. THAT'S IT. BUT WE'LL TALK SOON. HELLO, MY NAME IS ZACH. I AM A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER VOLUNTEERING FOR THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS ALONGSIDE LATINOS AND AXION AND THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA. I HAVE COLLECTED SIGNATURES TO RECALL PHIL ORTIZ, THE VERY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO FLIPPED HIS VOTE EARLIER THIS YEAR, PASSING A RESOLUTION THAT STRIPPED EL CAJON OF ITS SANCTUARY CITY STATUS GOING DOOR TO DOOR. I HAVE MET MANY RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT FOUR FIELDS'S DISTRICT WHO ARE EAGER TO SUPPORT OUR CAUSE BECAUSE THEY'RE AWARE OF THE DANGERS POSED WHEN CITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE ALLOWED TO COLLABORATE WITH ICE. BUT I HAVE ALSO WITNESSED TWO TRENDS WHEN CANVASSING THAT I FIND VERY TROUBLING, FEAR AND DESPAIR, FEAR OF PUTTING ONE'S NAME ON A PETITION, A BASIC RIGHT THAT ANY CITIZEN SHOULD HAVE TO USE THE PEN AS A BASIS FOR FREE SPEECH. THIS COINCIDES WITH A FEAR [01:35:01] THAT IS STOKED BY THE CAPITALIST CLASS THROUGH CORPORATE OWNED MEDIA TO INSTILL DISTRUST IN UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE. THE SAME CAPITALIST CLASS THRIVES ON EXPLOITING UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS USING THE THREAT OF DEPORTATION TO KEEP PEOPLE IN LINE. AND THE DESPAIR I'VE WITNESSED COMES IN THE FORM OF A PESSIMISM THAT NOTHING CAN CHANGE. WHERE MONEYED INTERESTS ARE PRIORITIZED OVER THE VERY PEOPLE, THE WORKING CLASS WHO MAKE THIS CITY GREAT REGARDLESS OF THEIR CITIZENSHIP STATUS. I FOUND THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT FEAR AND DESPAIR IS BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY. BECAUSE WHAT IS A COMMUNITY IS WHEN PEOPLE LOOK BEYOND THEMSELVES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BASIC COMMUNITY WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORS, REGARDLESS IF THOSE NEIGHBORS WERE BORN IN THIS COUNTRY OR NOT. COMMUNITIES WHEN PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO DEFEND THEIR NEIGHBORS WITH THE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS WILL DO THE SAME FOR THEM. SO JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO I REGISTERED SOME NEW VOTERS. THE VERY FIRST THING THESE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY DID AS NEWLY REGISTERED VOTERS WAS SIGN THE PETITION TO RECALL PHIL ORTIZ. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOLUNTEER. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOLUNTEER WITH THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION. SO THESE FIVE EXCLUDED, YOU CAN TALK TO ME AFTER THIS MEETING AND WE'LL CONTINUE STRENGTHENING THIS COMMUNITY AS WE PRESSURE EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL TO RESPECT SB 54 AND RETURN EL CAJON SANCTUARY CITY STATUS ICE OUT OF EL CAJON. AFTER, AFTER MS. KELSEY ZAN, IF COLLEEN ARDI AND CONNIE ELDER COULD PLEASE MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN. HELLO, UH, MARY WELLS IN COUNCIL. MY NAME IS KELSEY ZAN. I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER HERE, UH, FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. AND I'M ALSO A MOTHER OF TWO BABIES UNDER THE AGE OF THREE. UM, MY FAMILY, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN AND YOU'LL FIND US ONCE A WEEK AT THE LOCAL LIBRARY DOING MOMMY AND ME CLASSES, ALL THAT TO SAY THAT I AM HERE ONLY BECAUSE I LOVE MY NEIGHBORS AND MY STUDENTS AND MY COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHY I FELT COMPELLED TO SPEAK FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT, UH, A COUNCIL THAT MAKES DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF ITS CONSTITUENCY SHOULD DO IT ROOTED IN THE DESIRE OF THE CONSTITUENTS AND ALSO IN DATA. AND I SEE NO EVIDENCE THAT THE COUNCIL MET THOSE BURDENS WHEN SNUBBING SB 54 MR. WELLS IN INTERVIEWS AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. I'VE SEEN YOU GIVE SOME REASONS ABOUT SNUBBING SB 54, UH, SAYING THAT IT MAKES OUR COMMUNITY LESS SAFE, BUT WE KNOW STATISTICALLY THIS IS UNTRUE. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY STUDIES ABOUT SANCTUARY CITY POLICIES THAT ACTUALLY MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. IN SAN DIEGO, ICE HAS ARRESTED MORE PEOPLE WITHOUT CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS THAN THOSE WITH CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS. SO SURELY THAT IS NOT MAKING OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. AND THERE ARE DANGERS THAT WE FACE IN SUPPORTING ICE OR BORDER PATROL MAKING THESE, UM, ARRESTS. MANY DEATHS OF BOTH MIGRANTS AND INNOCENT BYSTANDERS HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY TRAFFIC COLLISIONS FROM HIGH SPEED CHASES. RECENTLY, WITHIN THE PAST FEW YEARS, A 19-YEAR-OLD US CITIZEN WAS KILLED AFTER BEING CHASED BY BORDER PATROL AND FLIPPING HIS CAR AND DYING ON SECOND AVENUE. THIS IS WHAT CONSTITUENTS WANTED, RIGHT, BECAUSE THEY PRIMARILY VOTED FOR TRUMP. BUT AS WE KNOW, RECENT STATE AND NATIONWIDE POLLS SHOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS DISAGREE WITH TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION POLICIES. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS DECISION MAY HAVE ON OUR STUDENTS. WHILE OTHER DISTRICTS IN SAN DIEGO SAW DECLINES IN ENROLLMENT, CAHUN VALLEY SAW AN INCREASE IN 1500 STUDENTS AND ALMOST 60% OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE NEW TO THE UNITED STATES. MR. WELLS, THE DISTRICT LCAP, WHICH IS THE THREE YEAR PLAN, UH, THAT SHOWS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S, UH, PLAN FOR OUR STUDENTS. THE FIRST LINE IS COONE VALLEY COMMUNITY IS COMPOSED OF BEAUTIFUL DIVERSITY. THE GOALS FOR THE LCAP ARE ABOUT ASSISTING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND ABOUT ADDRESSING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. AND WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN CALIFORNIA AS OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE COMPLIED WITH HELPING ICE THEIR ABSENTEEISM WENT UP 22%. SO IF THIS IS NOT ABOUT MAKING US SAFER AND IT'S NOT ABOUT PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN, IT'S OPENING US FOR, UH, CIVIL LAWSUITS, WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO US. I THINK MAYBE IT'S MORE ABOUT MR. WELLS, YOU'RE MEETING WHAT THE BORDERS ARE FROM TRUMP. I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY YOUR PERSONAL POLITICS THAT ARE GETTING IN THE WAY OF WHAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WANT, AND YOU HAVE A DUTY. THIS IS A LOW LEVEL OF FASCISM THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND YOU HAVE A DUTY TO STEP IN MR. WELLS. THIS IS FASCIST BEHAVIOR AND I EXPECT BETTER FROM MY REPRESENTATION. THANK YOU. [01:40:11] GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DONNA AND I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER, SO I AM SPEAKING FROM MY HEART. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ASKING THE EL CAJON POLICE TO HELP WITH THE ICE IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THEM HERE, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE HUMAN TOLL. THAT ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO TAKE ON ALL OF US, THE POLICE WHO DO THANKLESS JOBS EVERY DAY, THAT THEY GO TO WORK, THAT GIVE UP THEIR LIVES TO HELP US, THE CITIZENS OF EL CAJON, NOT TO BE USED AS ANYBODY'S POLICE FORCE. AND IT IS JUST HORRIBLE THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING TAKEN OFF THE STREET JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE HISPANIC LOOKING OR WHATEVER, OR BROWN. WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? WALK AROUND WITH OUR BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND PASSPORTS? WE ALREADY WALK AROUND WITH OUR ID ON US ANYWAY, SO WHY PUT EVERYBODY THROUGH THIS? SO EL CAJON HAS, WE'RE NOT A RICH CITY AND WE HAVE MANY, MANY PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, LIKE THE HOMELESS SITUATION, WHICH IS GOING TO GET WORSE WITH THE ECONOMY. WE ALL KNOW THAT SENIOR CITIZENS AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE. SO WHAT I'M SEEING MORE AND MORE SENIORS OUT ON THE STREET, WHICH IS HEARTBREAKING. NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THE LAW IS ABOUT ANY OF THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, INDUCING OUR POLICE, PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE AFRAID TO EVEN CALL THEM. SO IF ICE DOES COME HERE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA STOP AT RESTAURANTS OR HOME DEPOTS OR WALMART'S OR ANY OF THOSE BIG PLACES. THEY WILL GO TO OUR SCHOOLS, EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO TRY TO ARREST THE CHILDREN JUST TO GET TO THE PARENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW WHEN THE KIDS ARE LET OUTTA SCHOOL. I LIVE BY THE REKA SCHOOL AND IF THEY COME BY THERE BETWEEN ELLISON AND FIRST STREET, THERE'S A LOT OF HOUSES, THERE'S AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THERE'S A CHURCH. AND EVEN THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE WHEN THERE'S A TRAFFIC JAM AND THERE IS BY THOSE LIGHTS BECAUSE ALL THE PARENTS COME AND DROP OFF THEIR KIDS AT SCHOOL, THE RESIDENTS, WE CAN'T EVEN GET OUT. SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, NOBODY CAN GET OUT OF THAT STREET BECAUSE THE THREE COURTS THAT ARE THERE, YOU CAN'T GET OUT. ALL WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO IS DON'T THINK AS OF THIS ISSUE AS A POLITICAL PARTY, THINK OF IT AS WHAT IS HUMANE. DO YOU WANNA BE KNOWN FOR THE HUMANE CITY COUNCIL OR DO YOU WANNA BE PART OF THE PROBLEM? BECAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU AND YOU, YOU'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK YOURSELVES IN THE MIRROR EVERY DAY. YOU'RE ALL GONNA HOPEFULLY GET SLEEP AT NIGHT. MAYBE YOU DO, MAYBE YOU DON'T BECAUSE YOU'RE SENDING THESE PEOPLE INTO ABYSS BECAUSE THEY'RE KIDNAPPED OFF THE STREETS OR WHATEVER. MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS UP, I'M SORRY. SO PLEASE THINK WITH THE BRINGS THAT GOD GAVE YOU, NOT JUST POLITICAL PARTIES. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. COLLEEN GERARDI AND CONNIE ELDER. HELLO, MY NAME IS COLLEEN GARRITY. I'M A 24 YEAR RESIDENT OF EL CAJON AND I HAVE TO SAY I'M REALLY EMBARRASSED THAT EL CAJON IS ONE OF ONLY TWO CITIES IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAS VOTED, UM, TO ALLOW THE LOCAL POLICE TO HELP. IT'S SHAMEFUL AND ALL OF YOU HAVE A SHAMEFUL LEGACY FOR ENDORSING THAT. UM, ENDORSING THAT. UH, I WANNA ALSO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN, UM, CANVASSING WITH LATINOS AND ION AND, UH, MORE THAN DESPAIR OR FEAR. WHAT I'VE SEEN IS ANGER. PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY ANGRY ABOUT THIS. AND I THINK ALL OF YOU, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE COMING UP FOR REELECTION SOON SHOULD TAKE NOTE OF THAT. MM-HMM . AF AFTER MS. ELDER, CAN WE PLEASE HAVE MR. GIO CONTI AND PATRICIA BURNT? UH, LINE UP PLEASE. I HAVE SOME MATERIALS, UH, SOME LETTERS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY EL CAJON RESIDENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL. I'M CONNIE ELDER. WHY, WHY WOULD THIS COUNCIL PASS A RESOLUTION ASKING THE EL [01:45:01] CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO COOPERATE WITH ICE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS POSSIBLE UNDER CALIFORNIA SB 54? THIS RESOLUTION IS MEANINGLESS. IT IS TOOTHLESS. IT IS JUST SILLY. WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THE POLICE CAN FOLLOW CALIFORNIA LAW AND THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE NOT TO BREAK CALIFORNIA LAW. SO WHY WOULD THE COUNCIL INTRODUCE SUCH A HATEFUL, DIVISIVE RESOLUTION THAT REALLY SAYS NOTHING AND DOES NOTHING? A RESOLUTION THAT HAS RENDERED UP TO A THIRD OF ITS CONSTITUENTS FEARFUL TO OPEN THEIR DOORS OR SHOP AT LOCAL BUSINESSES, A RESOLUTION THAT KEEPS CHILDREN AWAY FROM OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY RESULT IN A DECREASE IN YOUR SCHOOL BUDGETS. IN THE LAST DECADE OR SO, THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO IMPROVE THE REPUTATION AND ATTRACTIVENESS OF EL CAJON MOVING THRIFT STORES AWAY FROM DOWNTOWN, BRINGING IN NEW UPSCALE RESTAURANTS, ERECTING NEW SIGNS, SPANNING MAIN STREET, WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION. THIS RESOLUTION THREATENS TO NEGATE ALL OF THAT WORK. PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COUNTY THAT AREN'T GONNA BE COMING TO THE COOL NEW RESTAURANTS IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS DECLARED ITS ALLEGIANCE WITH ICE. THE ONLY, THE ONLY ANSWER I CAN COME UP WITH IS THAT YOU WANTED TO BE THE MOST MEGA OF ALL CITIES IN CALIFORNIA. LOOK, LOOK AT SANTEE LAKESIDE, RAMONA. THEY DIDN'T INTRODUCE THIS KIND OF RIDICULOUS RESOLUTION. SOMEBODY IMPORTANT IS BOUND TO NOTICE YOU, RIGHT? MAYBE EVEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL NOTICE. MAYBE HE WILL NOTICE BILL WELLS AND STEVE GOBLE AND MAYBE YOUR FUTURE POLITICAL AMBITIONS, WHATEVER THEY ARE, WILL BE REALIZED. YOU RETURNED FROM THAT CONVENTION IN ARIZONA, STOKED AND READY TO STAND UP AND STAND OUT IN YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO THE PRESIDENT. YOU DIDN'T DO THIS FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOU DIDN'T DO THIS FOR EL CAJON. I BELIEVE YOU DID THIS AS AN ACT OF RAW AND EXTREME EGOTISM AND AMBITION. YES. WHO BESIDES THE THREE OF YOU BENEFITS FROM THIS RESOLUTION? NOBODY ALCOHOL. MR. WELLS, BEFORE MY TIME BEGIN NEXT TIME. CAN YOU START WITH THE GENERAL COMMENTS? BECAUSE THE PEOPLE FROM TV ARE HERE, YOU KNOW, LISTENING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN TALK THE OTHER, UH, THE OTHER MATTERS AFTER THE GENERAL COMMENT BECAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US AND FOR THE TB PEOPLE. THEY NEED TO BE AT 6:00 PM IN THE NEWS. OKAY? IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. MAA AND NO COUNCIL MEMBERS, I GREET YOU IN ARABIC TODAY. NOT JUST A SUGGESTION, INCLUSION INCLUSION, BUT A REMINDER THAT LANGUAGE IS NOT A THREAT IN THIS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. TODAY, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS ASKING TO THE SUPREME COURT THAT SPEAKING SPANISH IS NOW A JUSTIFICATION TO BE DETAINED ICE. IF YOU ARE HERE, I WILL KEEP SPEAKING SPANISH UNTIL I DIE. IT'S A LANGUAGE OF MY GRANDFATHER AND MY FATHER, AND I'M PROUD TO SPEAK SPANISH AND I WISH YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHEN I SPEAK SPANISH TO YOU. MY NAME IS SERGIO CONTI AND I REPRESENT HU EL CAJON. I STAND BEFORE YOU ONLY, NOT ONLY AS AN ADVOCATE, AS A VOICE OF THOUSAND OR HISPANIC FAMILY WHO LIVE OR CALL THIS CITY A HOME. AS YOU WELL KNOW, 30,000 LATINO RESIDENT LIVE IN EL CAJON. ACCORDING WITH THE CENSUS 2020, WE THE LATINO DESERVE DIGNITY, RESPECT, AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY, CATALYST OF LANGUAGE, RACE, GENDER, OR IMMIGRATION STATUS. BECAUSE WE ARE ALSO HUMAN BEING. YOU WERE ELECTED TO SELL, TO SERVE TO ALL THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST [01:50:01] THE WEALTHY, NOT JUST THE PRIVILEGED, AND CERTAINLY NOT JUST THE WHITE. LET ME BE CLEAR. IF YOU CAN TREAT SOMEONE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT, THEN GET OUT. YOU CAN TEACH SOMEONE, MEN OR WOMEN WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT, THEN GET OUT. YES. IF YOU DEMEAN SOMEONE FOR THE COLOR OF THE SCHEME OR THE LANGUAGE THEY SPEAK, THEN YOU NEED TO GET OUT. YES. THIS IS NOT MY WORDS. THEY WERE SPOKEN BY LI, LIEUTENANT GENERAL J SILVER IN THE US AIR FORCE ACADEMIC, BUT THEY PLAY HERE TOO BECAUSE THE CITY BELONGS TO ALL OF US. AND DIGNITY IS NOT AN OPTION. IT'S NOT OPTION ON MR. ORTIZ, THE IMMIGRANT DE CAOL WORK HARD PAY TAXES, RAY FAMILY AND DURING OUR ECONOMY. AND THEY ARE OFTEN DENIED BASIC SERVICE AND EXCLUDED, LET'S BE HONEST, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT DON'T GET WELFARE, NO FOOD STAMP OF FREE HEALTH. THEY CONTRIBUTE AND THEY DON'T RECEIVE THE BENEFITS. SO WHY YOU ARE COMPLAINING, IT IS NOT ABOUT THE LEGALITY, IT IS ABOUT OUR LANGUAGE AND OUR SKIN COLOR. I NEED TWO MORE MINUTES BECAUSE I WANT TO ASK YOU. NO SIR, I'M NOT. I YOU I LOVE YOU, BILL. WELL, I'M NOT. I LOVE YOU, BILL. WELL, I APPRECIATE IT. I LOVE YOU. WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT SO MANY PEOPLE SPEAKING, YOU NEED TO CREATE A LATINO CENTER IN EL CAJON. WE DON'T HAVE A LATINO CENTER IN THE CA HOME. I PUT SOME MONEY INSTEAD OF MAKING MEMORIAL MONUMENT, PUT MONEY TO HELP THE LATINO PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONUMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKERS, NEXT SPEAKERS, PLEASE IF WE CAN HAVE PATRICIA BURNT JOANNE PASTOR AND TARIQ S FOUR, PLEASE. OKAY. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL. UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU WHO ARE TRYING TO DO YOUR BEST FOR ALL OF US. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE DOING THAT, MY NAME IS PATRICIA BURNT. I'M A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT AND I WORK FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL, NOT IN THE GOVERNMENT CAPACITY. SO I LIVE BY A CODE OF ETHICS AND WHAT'S RIGHT BY THE LAW. OKAY? SO IN DOING SO, I WORK WITH, UH, TITLES UNDER US FEDERAL LAWS. AND I LOOKED UP ONE FOR IMMIGRATION OF THE TITLE EIGHT CODE SECTION 1373. IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE TO GIVE ANY MONEY TO THE SANCTUARY JURISDICTIONS. WELL, THAT SOUNDS REAL SCARY. AND BILL WELLS, YOU'VE PUT THAT FEAR IN US THAT IF WE DON'T FOLLOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, YOU'RE ALL GONNA GET ARRESTED. OKAY, WELL, LET ME TELL YOU, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T GIVE THESE GRANTS OUT ANYWAY, SO, SO WHO CARES? SO THIS IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO FOLLOW THE FEDERAL LAW. WE NEED TO FOLLOW CALIFORNIA LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. OKAY? OTHER PEOPLE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE SENATE BILL 54. OKAY? SO, OKAY, I'M GONNA SHOW THIS CHART FIRST. THIS IS THE CHART OF IMMIGRATION THAT ARE REMOVED OVER TIME FROM THE ICE.GOV. IT'S ICE.GOV/STATISTICS. I'VE LOOKED AT THIS MANY TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND YOU'LL SEE OVER HERE'S TRUMP OVER HERE. YOU SHOW IT TO THE CROWD. OKAY? THIS IS THE, YEAH, ORANGE. THE ORANGE SHOWS THAT THOSE ARE NONVIOLENT PEOPLE, NONVIOLENT IMMIGRANTS. THE BLUE SHOWS, THESE ARE THE VIOLENT, AND THIS IS OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION. OBAMA, OBAMA, OBAMA, TRUMP. AND YOU'VE GOT HIM. HE'S NOT EVEN GONNA MAKE UP FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. OKAY, PHIL AND BILL, BOTH OF YOU, I'M DISAPPOINTED, I'M DISAPPOINTED AT FOOTHILLS CHURCH. I JUST WATCHED A SERMON OF MAKING MEN MASCULINE AGAIN. WELL, YOU HAD BRUCE JENNER. YOU HAD BRUCE JENNER UP THERE AND YOU HAD CAITLYN JENNER UP THERE AND YOU TOLD THE PEOPLE, NOT YOU. UH, NEIL HOFFMAN MIN DON'T BE LIKE BRUCE JENNER. HE'S THE EVIL GUY. OKAY, SO YOU GUYS COME FROM THE FOOTHILLS ENVIRONMENT. YOU DO A LOT OF SPEECHES THERE. YOU'RE A CO-PASTOR THERE. THAT CHURCH IS AWFUL. IT'S ALL FULL MAGA. OKAY? SO ALSO YOU'RE PUTTING FEAR INTO ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE. UM, STEVE GOBEL, I WANNA CONGRATULATE YOU ON EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE CITY. I READ YOUR RESUME. YOU DO A GREAT JOB. YOU'RE THE ONE PERSON I HOPE WHO WILL TURN YOUR VOTE BACK THE WAY IT WAS. YOU EVEN WROTE TO ME, WHICH I APPRECIATE. ALL OF YOU HAVE TALKED TO ME, THAT YOU FIND IT'S VERY PERFORMATIVE AND DRAMATIC. THERE'S REALLY NO NEED FOR THIS SB 54, UH, BEING IN AGAINST IT. BILL, YOU SAID YOU HAVE EMPATHY. YOU HAVE EMPATHY, AND YOU ALSO HAVE, UH, BRAIN SPACE. I'D LIKE YOU TO PUT SYMPATHY WITH YOUR EMPATHY AND HEART SPACE, WITH YOUR BRAIN SPACE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT TO OFFER THE HOMELESS. YOU HAVE A LOT TO OFFER THE CITY. YOU'RE A BEAUTIFUL MUSICIAN. LET'S WORK TOGETHER IN LOVE AND UNITY. OKAY, LET'S GET RID OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. LET'S CONFORM WITH [01:55:01] CALIFORNIA SB 54, PLEASE. OKAY, LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO HELP THE HOMELESS. I WANNA HELP YOU. I WORKED WITH NAMI FOR MANY YEARS AT SAN DIEGO BOARD AND WITH THE HOMELESS HUNDREDS OF TIMES I'VE GONE TO DOWNTOWN WITH RON NEWKIRK, PASTOR OF A FOOTHILLS. HE WAS A TEACHER OF FOOTHILLS. I KNOW AM WILLING TO HELP, TO HELP PEOPLE GET TO HELP YOU. WE'LL HELP YOU, ALL OF US, BUT WE DON'T NEED THIS, UH, SUPPORTING A PEDOPHILE RAPIST. NARCISSIST. A CHEATER. THIS IS A GUY COVERING FOR OVER 1000 CHILDREN. OKAY, THAT HAVE BEEN RAPED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HI, I'M JOANNE. I'M A GRANDMA OF EIGHT SIX LIVE IN EL CAJON AND NEARBY ON THIS PAST SUNDAY, WE WENT TO SEAWORLD AND I SAW THE OPPOSITE OF ICE RAIDS. I SAW KINDNESS AND COMPASSION, LOVE, CARE, FAIRNESS, EQUITY, RESPECT, JUSTICE AND FUN. WHAT I SEE WITH ICE THOUGH IS SMASHING CAR WINDOWS, EXTREME FORCE BRUTALITY, BEATINGS, GANGS OF MEN WITH MASKS ON AND NO IDS, THREATS OF FORCE NEAR CHILDREN IN A PARK. DO WE WANT THIS IN EL CAJON? NO. NO. OBVIOUSLY OUR AMERICA IS BROKEN, BUT IT CAN'T BE REPAIRED BY DIVIDING IT WITH EVEN MORE DIVISION. DIVISION CAUSES MORE DIVISION. WHAT DOES IT SAY OF AMERICAN PEOPLE WHEN WE BUILD MORE CONCENTRATION CAMPS CALLED ALCATRAZ OR ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ TO TORTURE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITHOUT DUE PROCESS, WITHOUT A TRIAL? WE NEED INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING AND CARE, NOT MORE PUNISHMENT AND NEGLECT. EVERY KINDNESS CAN RIPPLE OUT TRANSFORMING OUR CULTURE FROM ONE OF DIVISION INTO ONE OF COMPASSION, RESPECT, CARING. WE CAN KEEP OUR BORDERS SECURE WITHOUT BECOMING TRUMPIAN MONSTERS BECAUSE BULLYING AND LYING ARE NOT AMERICAN VALUES. WE HAVE GREAT FAMILY VALUES IN EL CAJON, NO ICE IN EL CAJON. WOO. I HAVE ONE MORE STORY AND IT'S A VERY PERSONAL STORY. MY IN-LAWS CAME FROM GERMANY. THEY IMMIGRATED IN 1954. MY FATHER-IN-LAW WAS A PRISONER OF WAR IN SIBERIA, AND HE WALKED FROM SIBERIA AT THE END OF THE WAR TO GERMANY. HE MADE IT. HE ONLY WEIGHED 62 POUNDS WHEN HE FINALLY GOT TO GERMANY, BUT HE IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES EIGHT AND HE, HE COULDN'T LIVE WITH WHAT HE HAD SEEN. IT WAS SO HARD ON HIM THAT HE CREATED A WALL FROM HIS FAMILY. HE READ THE NEWSPAPER ALL THE TIME AND JUST KEPT IT IN FRONT OF HIM. AND WE DON'T WANT THAT FOR ANYONE HERE. DON'T MAKE A WALL. IT'S RID OF YOUR OWN FAMILY THAT YOU CAN'T BE THERE FOR THEM. DON'T WORK FOR ICE. DON'T LET ICE IN, MA'AM. I'M, I'M SORRY, BUT IT'S BEEN A WHILE. WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT IN EL CAJON. WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT IN THE UNITED STATES. EXCUSE ME. AFTER MR. S FOUR, CAN WE PLEASE HAVE TAYLOR ABI AND MARIANNE MEYER? OKAY, FIRST I WANT TO THANK GOD SECOND EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE. I'M A, I AM TAREK . I'M A US ARMY VETERAN AND A GLOBAL MINISTRY LIAISON OF JERUSALEM. AS I KNOW FOR A FACT, OUR BELOVED PALESTINIAN JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH WOULD BE ASHAMED AS [02:00:01] WE HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO ASK FOR FULL SUPPORT OF SB 54. AS MANY OF OUR RELATIVES AND THEIR FRIENDS LIVING HERE IN EL CAJON ARE NOW TERRIFIED AND SCARED FROM ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ICE, WHO WERE PROMISED PATH TO CITIZENSHIP WITH THEIR FAMILIES AS THEY ASSISTED YEARS OF YEARS OF US SERVICE AND MEN AND WOMEN TO BE KIDNAPPED NOW, AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT AS THEY SEE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT JUST DRIVING BY THEM, DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS? THEY'RE LOOKING OUT THROUGH THEIR WINDOWS NOW. THEY'RE IN TERROR. THEY'RE IN FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES, FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THEY HAVE BEEN LIED TO. MR. PHIL ORTIZ, YOU ARE A MINISTER. JUST AS I AM. MAKE A CHOICE. EITHER BECOME A MINISTER OR A POLITICIAN. YOU CANNOT DO BOTH. BECAUSE OUR JOB IS IN THE STREETS HELPING THE PEOPLE, HELPING THE POOR. THAT'S OUR JOB NOT TO SIT UP HERE AND SIDE AGAINST THE PEOPLE, TEAR THEM APART FROM THEIR FAMILIES. THAT IS NOT OUR JOB. HAVE A GOOD DAY, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. I'VE SUPPORTED SOME OF YOU IN THE PAST AND AS A RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER, I'VE PERSONALLY BENEFITED FROM YOUR DIRECT HELP IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS OUT OF A DEEP CONCERN FOR JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFELY AND MORAL INTEGRITY THAT I NOW URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR POSTURE OF COOPERATION WITH ICE. NOT BECAUSE I OPPOSE LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN MORAL LEADERSHIP. AS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CHRISTIAN LEADERS, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO RESIST INJUSTICE AND DEFEND THE VULNERABLE. RIGHT NOW, COOPERATION WITH ICE DOES THE OPPOSITE. THE POLICIES ICE CONTINUES TO OPERATE UNDER ARE NOT JUST FLAWED. THEY ARE UNJUST. MILLIONS LIVE IN LEGAL LIMBO WITH NO VIABLE PATH TO RIGHT PAST WRONGS OR OBTAIN LEGAL STATUS DUE TO STALLED IMMIGRATION REFORM. DESPITE RHETORIC ABOUT CRIMINALS, ICE IS ROUTINELY TARGETING PEACEFUL PEOPLE, AFGHAN ALLIES, IRANIAN CHRISTIANS, STUDENTS AND LONGSTANDING NEIGHBORS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THE DATA IS CLEAR. 71% OF ICE DI DETAINEES HAVE NO CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS, AND A MERE 7% HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF VIOLENT CRIMES. MULTIPLE STUDIES FIND THAT CITIES LIMITING ICE COOPERATION SHOW NO INCREASE IN CRIME AND SOME SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN PUBLIC SAFETY. THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS REPORTS LOWER CRIME AND STRONGER ECONOMIES IN SANCTUARY CITIES. SO PARTNERING WITH ICE DOESN'T BETTER PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS POLITICAL POSTURING AT THE EXPENSE OF TRUE JUSTICE EL CAJONS. RECENT RESOLUTION WHILE CLAIMING TO TARGET ONLY VIOLENT CRIMINALS WITH SB WITHIN SB 50 FOURS BOUNDS STILL RISKS ENABLING ICE, BROADER PATTERN OF TARGETING NON-CRIMINALS WHO POSE NO THREAT. THIS COOPERATION, EVEN IF LIMITED, UNDERMINES OUR COMMUNITY'S TRUST AND SAFETY. I UNDERSTAND THE TENSION BETWEEN STATE AND FEDERAL LAW, BUT THE QUESTION ISN'T WHAT IS LEGAL, BUT WHAT IS RIGHT? CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY HAS LONG HELD THAT WHEN CIVIL LAWS ARE UNJUST AND FAIL TO PROTECT THE VULNERABLE, THEY MUST BE OPPOSED. OUR FOUNDERS BELIEVED THE SAME. THIS NATION WOULD NOT EXIST EVEN IF, IF THEY HAD NOT DEFIED UNJUST LAWS. AS JEFFERSON WROTE, ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. HE DIDN'T CARVE OUT EXCEPTIONS FOR UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE. AND THE CONSTITUTION AFFIRMS THAT NO PERSON SHALL BE DEPRIVED OF LIFE, LIBERTY, OR PROPERTY WITHOUT DUE PROCESS OF LAW. THIS SPECIFICALLY INCLUDES THOSE WHO ARE NOT LEGAL CITIZENS. FOR THOSE OF US WHO FOLLOW JESUS, THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE ARE UNAMBIGUOUS. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, WELCOME THE STRING GER, ACT JUSTLY, LOVE MERCY, AND WALK HUMBLY. IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT JESUS WAS NOT CRUCIFIED BY CRIMINALS, BUT BY LEGAL AUTHORITIES CARRYING OUT INJUSTICE. WHEN A FOREIGNER RESIDES AMONG YOU, YOU MUST NOT MISTREAT THEM. LOVE THEM AS YOURSELF IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. ICE UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS TRAMPLED ON THESE VALUES. IF YOU ACTIVELY SEEK TO COOPERATE FURTHER WITH THIS MORALLY COMPROMISED AGENCY, YOU ARE COMPLICIT. THIS IS NOT AMERICAN AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT CHRISTIAN. SO I ASK, WHAT KIND OF LEADERS WILL YOU BE? WILL YOU CAVE TO TRIBAL POLITICS AND PARTY LOYALTY OR DO WHAT IS RIGHT [02:05:01] AND TRUE IN THE TRUE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE FOR ALL. SURE, IF YOU COULD FINISH UP, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. UM, IT IS NOT LEGAL COMPLIANCE THAT DEFINES US. IT IS MORAL COURAGE. NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO LEAD WITH BOTH. INSTEAD OF COOPERATING WITH ICE LEAD, BY STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY TRUST, UPHOLD SB 50 FOUR'S PROTECTIONS ADVOCATE FOR REAL IMMIGRATION REFORM AND SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT HELP IMMIGRANTS NAVIGATE THE LEGAL PROCESS WITHOUT RISKING DETENTION AND DEPORTATION. THANK YOU. AFTER, AFTER MS. OSTER MEYER, CAN WE PLEASE HAVE MARY DAVIS AND NOEL BTI? DEAR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS, I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A VERY GRATEFUL CONSTITUENT RELATING TO PREVIOUS INTERACTIONS WITH YOU, WITH THE LEADERS OF EL CAJON. I AM THANKFUL FOR YOUR PRESENT SUPPORT AND COME TODAY IN PEACE. BUT LET'S TALK ICE AND THE EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT INVOLVEMENT ICE OFFICER WILL BE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY WITHOUT MAJOR KINDS OF TRAINING. THERE IS NO AGE REQUIREMENT BECAUSE AGE DOES NOT MATTER TO THE RECRUITERS AS FAR AS THE UPPER AGE LIMIT. OKAY. OUR TAKE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING THEM UP TO A SIX FIGURE SALARY. THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE GETTING A VERY LARGE SIGNING BONUS. STUDENT LOANS, FORGIVENESS IS ON THE BO IS ON THE TABLE, AND HEFTY OVERTIME IS BEING OFFERED FOR DEPORTATION OFFICERS. WITH ALL THIS MONETARY INFUSION, $150 BILLION, THIS ADMINISTRATION IS PUTTING IN PLACE TO RECRUIT AND IMPLEMENT ICE ACTIVITIES. WHY SHOULD OUR CITY SACRIFICE THE INTEGRITY, COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND OVERALL MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS? HOW FAIR, EXCUSE ME, HOW FAIR IS IT THAT WE ARE ASKING OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO DO THE JOB OF ICE OFFICERS? HAVE YOU OFFERED BONUSES TO THE NEW RECRUITS OF POLICE? HAVE, HAS THE CITY OF EL CAJON OFFERED FREE LOAN? YOU KNOW, FORGIVENESS? I DON'T THINK SO. SO WHY ARE WE FIVE OF YOU MAKING THE DECISION THAT WE SHOULD BE HAVING OUR EL ELON POLICE OFFICERS DO THE JOB OF ICE? IT'S JUST, I JUST, IT'S MIND BOGGLING. OKAY. OUR OFFICERS ALL THE TIME DEAL WITH A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND THEY DO A DAMN GOOD JOB OF DEF OF DIFFUSING SOME PRETTY VOLATILE SITUATIONS. YEAH. WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER JEOPARDIZING THESE RELATIONSHIPS? THEY'VE WORKED SO HARD OVER TIME TO BUILD, DEVELOP THIS, WALK WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITIES. LISTEN TO THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN. EL CAJON IS NOT A WHITE COMMUNITY. OKAY. I MEANT THAT'S THE REALITY. YOU SAW BUSINESS OWNERS HERE WHO HAVE INFUSED A LOT OF MONEY TO HELP THE CITY OF EL CAJON. SO I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR LOGIC AT ALL. WHY WOULD YOU PLACE OUR OFFICERS IN AN EMOTIONALLY BAD SITUATION AS FAMILIES ARE BEING SEPARATED? SERIOUSLY? ICE OFFICERS SIGN UP FOR THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. EL CAJON POLICE OFFICERS DO NOT. EL CAJON POLICE OFFICERS HAVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING. THEY DO. AND YOU KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU SEE ALL THE APPLICATIONS. ICE OFFICERS DON'T HAVE THIS SAME TRAINING. WHY WOULD YOU PUT THEM ON THE FRONT LINE WITH ICE OFFICERS? I JUST DON'T GET IT. SUPPOSEDLY WE'LL HAVE A $3 MILLION DEFICIT NEXT YEAR IN OUR CITY. WHY WOULD WE USE OUR MONEY TO FINANCE ICE? YOU ALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL ARE PROBLEM SOLVERS. I HAVE SEEN HOW YOU CAN RESOLVE PROBLEMS. SO I ASK WHY YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE OUR EL CAJON POLICE BE THE LACKIES OF ICE? WHY WOULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER PUTTING OUR OFFICERS IN PLAY TO HELP ICE DO THEIR JOBS? YEAH. COULD YOU WRAP UP? THIS IS NOT EL CAJON POLICE OFFICERS JOBS. THEY HAVE FAR TOO MUCH TO DO. INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF BEING THE THE PERSON PEOPLE HELPING OUT ICE, THEY HAVE A GIGANTIC BUDGET. MA'AM, WE HAVE TO STOP, WHICH WE TAXPAYERS WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PAY OFF. MA'AM, I'M SORRY. I JUST DON'T GET IT. I'M SORRY. WE HAVE TO STOP NOW. OKAY. ONE LAST COMMENT. MANY OF YOU SAY BLUE LIVES MATTER. YOUR VOTE LAST TIME SHOWED YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT BLUE LIVES MATTER. GO AHEAD. EXCUSE ME. KAZMAN KENRICK WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING. I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT MICHELLE MITCHELL AND I VOTED AGAINST THE RESOLUTION. IT WAS A THREE TWO, I HOPEFULLY ALL OF YOU RECEIVED THAT. MAYOR. HI. YES. UH, BEFORE I GET STARTED, JUST A FEW OBSERVATIONS. SO THERE WAS, UH, AND I WANNA PUT THIS ON THE RECORD FOR THE ARCHIVAL, UH, VIDEO [02:10:01] THAT DURING THAT FIRST SPEAKER STAR THAT IT WAS A GREAT IRONY. THE SB 54 PEOPLE THAT ARE AGAINST IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT WERE CRYING OUT FOR THE THREE MINUTE, UH, TIME LIMIT ENFORCEMENT TO BE. SO THAT WAS KIND OF A, A PARALLEL IRONY. AND THEN ALSO FOR THE, UM, SOCIALISTS THAT SPOKE EARLIER, I'M NOT SURE IF WE HAVE ANY MORE SOCIALISTS IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT I'M IN THE MINORITY OPINION HERE AND I WOULD APPRECIATE A MINUTE OF YOUR TIME. SO IS ANYBODY WILLING, A SOCIALIST WILLING TO GIMME A MINUTE? NO. OKAY. UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, I WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT THERE WAS A PRESS CONFERENCE BEFORE THIS. WE HAVE THE MEDIA HERE. WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER THAT CALLED OUT ABOUT, UM, NOT LETTING THEM, THE THEM GO FIRST. AND SO WHILE THIS APPEARS VERY ORGANIC, IT'S COMPLETELY ASTROTURF AND IT SEEMS MORE, A LOT MORE OF AN ODE TO TDS THAN TO ANY TYPE OF IMMIGRATION. NOW I'LL GET TO MY SPEECH AND INTRODUCING MYSELF, MARY DAVIS. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I I DON'T SEE A TIMER. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, GO AHEAD. NO, NO, NO. YOU CAN TAKE A MINUTE OFF. I'LL DO TWO MINUTES HERE. MARY DAVIS, GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG AND STEWARD, DEFENDER OF SOVEREIGNTY, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE SOVEREIGNTY HAS NO SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP OR WELL-FUNDED POLITICAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE TO STAND UP FOR IT. AND YET IT'S A CORE OF OUR COUNTRY'S SECURITY AND IT'S OUR VERY EXISTENCE AS A NATION. YES, WE ARE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS. BUT WHAT IS TOO FREQUENTLY GLOSSED OVER IS THE UNSPOKEN WORD, LEGAL IMMIGRANTS. THERE HAS LONG BEEN A FAIR AND PROPER WAY TO OBEY OUR LAWS AND TO ENTER THE COUNTRY LEGALLY. AND THAT IS ALL WE ARE ASKING FOR US FIRING IMMIGRANTS. THERE IS A, YEAH, IS STILL A PRO. MARY, YOU, YOU GOTTA LET EVERYBODY SPEAK. I KNOW MOST PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING ON YOUR BEHALF, BUT SHE'S GOT A DIFFERENT OPINION. LET'S HEAR HER OUT. GO AHEAD MARY. RIGHT. AND AGAIN, THAT JUST SPEAKS TO TOLERANCE, DOESN'T IT? UH, THERE IS A REAL COST DUE TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, ON OUR HEALTHCARE AND OUR HOUSING AND THE SAFETY TO RESIDENTS ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER. MANY WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS THEMSELVES, MANY IN THE AUDIENCE SEEM TO BE AGAINST ANY TYPE OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT PERIOD. IN FACT, WHEN I SPOKE AT THE SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL AND I ASKED THEM, WHERE DO YOU WANT IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT TO HA TO HAPPEN? NOBODY CAN SEEM TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER. LACKS ENFORCEMENT BEGETS MORE ILLEGAL ENTRY ENFORCEMENT IS A DETERRENT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT SAVES LIVES. LIVES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED HAD ENFORCEMENT SUCH AS SAMARA, SAMANTHA, AND SAMIA, MORA GUTIERREZ IN SACRAMENTO, OSCAR OR OMAR HERNANDEZ IN PALMDALE OR MORE, MORE RECENTLY, MARIA PLATTES AND HER 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, DIANARA CORTEZ, WHO WERE KILLED IN NEW JERSEY BY A DRUNK DRIVER OF NOTE IS THAT SHE WAS AN IMMIGRANT HERSELF. HER REMAINS ARE GOING TO BE EXPATRIATE TO EL SALVADOR. AND, UH, HER LIFE AND HER AMERICAN DREAM WAS CUT SHORT FOR LACK OF ENFORCEMENT. THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHO SHOULD BE THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE OF DIFFERENT POLICIES? AND YOU WANT TO SAVE THE QUOTE, HOUSEKEEPER AND GARDENER, WHICH I BELIEVE IS A RACIST TROPE UNTO ITSELF. WHILE I WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE WHO ARE NO LONGER HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES. UM, LASTLY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UH, THERE IS A DIRE CONSEQUENCE IN OUR OWN CITY. MY FRIEND SHARI, HER DAUGHTER WAS TRAFFICKED AT THE MAGNOLIA ENCAMPMENT. SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AND ABUSED AND DRUGGED FOR DAYS. THERE IS A PRICE. WHERE IS YOUR OUTCRY FOR THAT? IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU JUST WANT TO GET POLITICAL COVER. AND I AM STANDING UP FOR THE VICTIMS THAT CANNOT STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES AND THEY DEMAND ENFORCEMENT SO THAT WE CAN BE SAFE, ALL OF US. AND THAT INCLUDES THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE IMMIGRANTS ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WHERE AS AFTER MR. BTI? IF WE CAN PLEASE HAVE SHERRY MIN AND GABRIEL MEDINA, PLEASE. HELLO, SIR. MAYOR WELLS COUNCIL AFTERNOON, GARY. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE OUR PAST CROSS AT COMMUNITY COVENANT CHURCH. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. UH, IN THE FALL AND WINTER OF 2020 TO 2021, MY CHURCH COMMUNITY COVENANT CHURCH IN EL CAJON WAS GRAPPLING WITH THE DILEMMA OF HOW TO BE THE CHURCH IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AND THE TURMOIL THAT OUR SOCIETY WAS FACING. IN THAT PROCESS, WE REACHED OUT TO THE EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND I WAS PUT IN TOUCH WITH CAPTAIN ROB RANDS WEILER, WHO AT THE TIME WAS THE CAPTAIN IN CHARGE OF PUBLIC OUTREACH IN EL CAJON. WE STARTED A CONVERSATION. THAT CONVERSATION LED THEN TO A SUNDAY MORNING IN MAY OF 2021 WHEN CAPTAIN ROB AND REVEREND CHUCK [02:15:01] PRICE, WHO IS THE CHAPLAIN FOR THE DEPARTMENT, CAME TO COMMUNITY COVENANT. AND AFTER OUR MORNING SERVICE, PRESENTED SOME THOUGHTS, SHARED SOME PERSPECTIVE ON HOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS TRYING TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN ANSWERED QUESTIONS FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS. AT THE END OF THAT EVENT, CAPTAIN ROD CAME OVER AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RESTARTING A PROGRAM HERE IN EL CAJON THAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE. IT'S CALLED THE CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY. IT'S WHERE CITIZENS COME. IT'S SIX WEDNESDAY NIGHTS, ONE SATURDAY MORNING, AND A RIDE ALONG WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GET TO KNOW THE DEPARTMENT BETTER AND FOR US TO GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER AND TO DEEPEN THAT RELATIONSHIP. SO IN THE WINTER OF 2022, I ATTENDED THAT ACADEMY AND COUNCIL IN MITCHELL. I BELIEVE WE WERE IN THE SAME CLASS TOGETHER. AND MORE RECENTLY, I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEND TIME WITH MEMBERS IN YOUR RETIRED SENIOR VOLUNTEER PATROL PROGRAM, THE RSVP PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDED A RIDE ALONG WITH SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS. IN ALL OF THOSE ENCOUNTERS, IN ALL OF THOSE ENGAGEMENTS, ONE MESSAGE CAME THROUGH LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE WANT TO BE SEEN AS A POSITIVE PRESENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANNA BE PEOPLE THAT WHEN WE ROLL INTO A SITUATION, WHEN WE COME INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD, PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT US AND THEY'LL KIND OF TAKE A SIGH. AH, THEY'RE HERE. THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU HAVE PASSED DESTROYS ALL THAT. IT CREATES A CLIMATE OF FEAR THAT INCREASES DAY BY DAY AS OUR NATIONAL CLIMATE OF FEAR INCREASES, AND IT PUTS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION IN TERMS OF TRYING TO RELATE TO OUR COMMUNITY. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO ROLL BACK THIS RESOLUTION AND BRING EL CAJON BACK INTO COMPLIANCE WITH SB 54, YOU'LL SEND A POWERFUL POSITIVE MESSAGE TO THIS COMMUNITY. YOU'LL SAY THE CITY GOVERNMENT LISTENS, THE CITY GOVERNMENT RESPONDS, AND THE CITY GOVERNMENT CARES. AND YOU WILL SEND A POWERFUL, POWERFUL MESSAGE OF SUPPORT TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR SERVICE IN THE EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU SHERRY MINOX AND GABRIEL MEDINA. I AM SHERRY MINNICK. I'M HERE TO ADMONISH YOU FOR YOUR DECISION TO COOPERATE WITH ICE. IT'S DISGUSTING. IN 2020, WE HAD THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. TRUMP TOLD AMERICANS TO DRINK BLEACH. HE DISREGARDED VACCINATIONS, MASKS, AND THE ADVICE OF DR. FAUCI. THEN ALONG COMES 2025, WE HAVE A NEW AND MUCH MORE DANGEROUS DISEASE IN PANDEMIC SURFACED IN THE UNITED STATES CALLED FASCISM. THE MOST PROMINENT CARRIER OF THIS DISEASE IS DONALD TRUMP. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS DISEASE IS THAT IT'S VERY SUBTLE, AS DEMONSTRATED IN THE PAST BY SEVEN OTHER FASCIST COUNTRIES. THE PUBLIC DOESN'T SEE IT COMING, AND THEY CAN'T GRASP OR APPRECIATE WHAT IS HAPPENING UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN CHILE, SPAIN, ITALY, AND GERMANY. BY THAT TIME, THE DAMAGE IS HORRIFIC AND ATROCIOUS AT SOME POINT DOWN THIS FASCIST ROAD. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN EVERY AUTHORITARIAN COUNTRY IS FIRING THE SQUADS. I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU WANT THAT IN EL CAJON OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT IF YOU DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, IF WE DON'T GET RID OF TRUMP, THAT'S WHAT'S COMING. YOU MAY BE WONDERING, WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL? WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, BY BREAKING THE LAW AND NOT ADHERING TO SB 54, YOU ARE ALSO A CARRIER OF THIS FAST ASIAN DISEASE TO WHICH YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE. BY COLLUDING WITH ICE, YOU'VE BEEN INFECTED WITH THIS DISEASE. NOT ONLY ARE YOU COMPLICIT IN THIS GROSS, ATROCIOUS CORRUPTION OF THE TRUMP REGIME, IF YOU DO NOT STOP, IT WILL DESTROY YOU. CITIZENS IN EL CAJON ARE AFRAID OF BEING UNLAWFULLY TARGETED, AND THEY ARE FRIGHTENED. MANY DO NOT LEAVE THEIR HOMES TO CONDUCT NECESSARY ACTIVITIES OR CALL THE POLICE WHEN CRIMES HAPPEN. THIS UNDERMINES PUBLIC SAFETY AND DETERIORATES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POLICE AND CITIZENS OF EL CAJON. I SUSPECT AND PREDICT THAT EVENTUALLY THIS FEAR WILL TURN TO ANGER, AND I THINK IT ALREADY HAS AND REVOLT AGAINST THIS REGIME LED BY TRUMP, WHO IS ALL OF THE FOLLOWING, A PROLIFIC PATHOLOGICAL, PATHOLOGICAL LIAR, [02:20:01] AN EXTORTIONIST, A RAPIST, A PEDOPHILE, A RACIST, A THIEF, A CONVICTED FELON, A CHEAT ADJUDICATED, SEXUAL ABUSER, AND MORALLY VACANT SOCIOPATH. THE TRUMP REGIME IS SET TO INCINERATE THOUSANDS OF TONS OF FOOD, MEDICINE, AND BIRTH CONTROL THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR AFRICAN COUNTRIES, CAUSING THE DEATH OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND MORE UNWANTED BIRTHS. UNLESS YOU DELIGHT IN THE PROSPECT OF A CIVIL WAR, I SUGGEST THAT YOU ADHERE TO SB 54 AND ALL THE LAWS OF CALIFORNIA AND THE UNITED STATES. AND STOP ENCOURAGING MA'AM, THE GIRLS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WRAP IT UP HERE. LAWLESSNESS, YOU'RE FINISHED OF ICE. I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO SAY TO QUOTE JASMINE CROCKETT. OKAY. STATEMENT TO CLARENCE THOMAS, POWER IS RENTED AND THE PEOPLE ARE THE LANDLORDS. THANK YOU MUCH AFTER. AFTER MR. MEDINA, WE HAVE 10 MORE SPEAKERS, AND IF I CAN PLEASE HAVE TOM WEST AND ASHKIN JONES. LINEUP PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS GABRIEL MEDINA AND I COME HERE AS, AS I COME HERE TODAY AS A MEMBER, NOT AS A MEMBER OF THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, BUT AS AN AMERICAN WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BE LATINO. I WAS BORN HERE AND MY PARENTS WERE BORN HERE, SO WERE MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS. I'M A FIFTH GENERATION AMERICAN, AND YET I'M AFRAID. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY. I'M AFRAID FOR MY LIBERTY, MY FREEDOM BECAUSE OF WHAT ICE IS DOING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND ACROSS THE NATION. MAYOR WELLS, AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, YOU ASKED US IF WE WERE ALL PROTESTING LIKE THIS WHEN OBAMA WAS DEPORTING PEOPLE. SO YOU REALLY GOT ME THINKING, AND I HONESTLY ASKED MYSELF, WHAT'S DIFFERENT NOW IN 2025, HERE'S WHAT I CAME UP WITH. NUMBER ONE POLICY IS BEING SHAPED BY WHITE NATIONALISM. STEPHEN MILLER, WHO'S AN EXPRESSED AND DEEP HOSTILITY TOWARDS LATINOS NOW DRIVES IMMIGRATION POLICY. UNDER OBAMA, WE DIDN'T HAVE WHITE NATIONALISTS SHAPING IMMIGRATION POLICY NUMBER TWO, APPEARANCE BASED TARGETING ON JULY 11TH, TRUMP'S BORDERS ARE. TOM HOLMAN SAID THAT AGENTS CAN DETAIN SOMEONE BASED ON HOW THEY LOOK. HE SAID IT ON FOX NEWS, AND THAT MEANS AMERICANS LIKE ME ARE NOW AT RISK. NUMBER THREE, EXTREMIST RHETORIC. ON JUNE 30TH, LAURA LOOMER, A TRUSTED TRUMP ADVISOR, TWEETED THAT ALLIGATORS WOULD HAVE 65 MILLION MEALS IF WE STARTED. NOW THERE ARE 65 MILLION LATINOS IN AMERICA. WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO INCLUDE AMERICAN CITIZENS LIKE ME? NUMBER FOUR, ON AUGUST 5TH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY S UH, TWEETED, SERVE YOUR COUNTRY. DEFEND YOUR CULTURE. NO UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE REQUIRED, BUT WHAT CULTURE ARE WE DEFENDING? SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S CULTURE IS LATINO CULTURE. WE WERE HERE WHEN CALIFORNIA, BEFORE IT WAS CALIFORNIA, WHEN THIS WAS MEXICO. AND BEFORE THAT NEW SPAIN, OUR FOOD, OUR LANGUAGE, AND OUR TRADITIONS ARE THE FABRIC OF THIS PLACE. AND NOW ICE HAS LOWERED HIRING STANDARDS. THEY'RE SENDING IN MASS, POORLY TRAINED AGENTS WHO HIDE BADGE NUMBERS, SKIP WARRANTS, AND DETAIN CITIZENS EVEN WITH PROOF, JUST SO THEY CAN HIT THEIR ARREST QUOTAS. FAMILIES ARE LEFT SEARCHING FOR LOVED ONES WHO VANISH INTO THE SYSTEM. THIS ISN'T ABOUT CRIMINALS ANYMORE. THIS IS ABOUT FEAR AND ERASURE. AND NUMBER FIVE, FINALLY, THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF SAID THAT HE WANTS TO GO AFTER HOMEGROWNS HOMEGROWNS MEANING US CITIZENS. YES, THAT'S US. MAYBE IN FEBRUARY YOU BELIEVE THAT PARTNERING WITH ICE WOULD HELP, BUT TODAY IT'S CLEAR THIS PARTNERSHIP IS HARMING YOUR CITIZENS, AMERICAN CITIZENS IN EL CAJON, IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND ALL ACROSS THIS NATION. I ASK YOU TO REPEAL YOUR DECISION TO WORK WITH ICE AND PROTECT ALL MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT TOO LATE. YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AFTER MR. TOM WEST, IF I COULD PLEASE HAVE ASHKIN JONES AND TRICIA LUKE. HI, MY NAME. HI, MY NAME IS TOM WEST. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT HERE IN EL CAJON FOR OVER 41 YEARS. I SUPPORT SB 54. AND I JUST WANNA MAKE A SIMPLE STATEMENT. I DON'T THINK LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE USED TO FACILITATE THE POLICIES OF AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I BELIEVE MR. JONES HAS LEFT THE CHAMBER. MS. TRICIA, LUKE AND [02:25:01] JESSE STANSKA, MAYOR WELLS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF, AND FELLOW CITIZENS. AT THIS MEETING TWO WEEKS AGO, MY FRIEND CONNIE ELDER EXPRESSED HER OUTRAGE OVER THE RACIAL PROFILING THAT ICE IS USING TO KIDNAP PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS. AND SHE PROTESTED THAT HERE IN EL CAJON YOU ARE VIOLATING SB 54. AS SHE LEFT THE PODIUM, SHE WAS SHAKING WITH OUTRAGE AS SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE AND, AND AS SHE WAS STANDING HERE, SHE WAS SHAKING WITH OUTRAGE AS SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE DANGERS AND THE FEAR THAT THIS POLICY IS INJECTING INTO THE COMMUNITY. BUT AS SHE WALKED BACK TO HER SEAT, MAYOR WELLS, YOU ASKED HER THE SNARKY QUESTION, DID YOU PROTEST IN THE STREETS WHEN OBAMA WAS DEPORTING IMMIGRANTS? OBAMA WAS SHAME. FOR SHAME. FOR SHAME. THERE WAS NOTHING TO PROTEST. AS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION CONDUCTED DEPORTATIONS LEGALLY USING DUE PROCESS, WHICH BY THE WAY IS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT. YES, ALL OF US. YES, THOSE, THE, THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION PURSUED AND DEPORTED KNOWN CRIMINALS AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT THEY DISCOVERED DURING LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATIONS. THEY HAD WARRANTS, THEY USED DUE PROCESS AND THE DETAINEES WERE TREATED HUMANELY. THOSE ICE OFFICERS AT THAT TIME WORE THEIR CREDENTIALS IN PLAIN SIGHT OR SHOWED THEM WHEN THEY WERE ASKED YOUR COMMENT TO CONNIE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE WAS SO EMOTIONAL AFTER EXPRESSING HOW SHE FELT WAS UNCALLED FOR AND SIMPLY MEAN. AND YOU OWE HER AN APOLOGY, I'M SORRY, I POINTED OUT HER HYPO HYPOCRISY. THE MASKED KIDNAPPERS. YOU OWE THE MASKED KIDNAPPERS IN COMBAT GEAR WITH AUTOMATIC RIFLES THAT ARE DEPLOYED NOW TO CARRY OUT THE BRUTAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL POLICIES. THE BROODS WHO USE MALLETS TO BREAK CAR WINDOWS AND DRAG HAPLESS MOTHERS INTO THE STREET EAT SHOULD NOT BE SUPPORTED BY LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS. I AM HERE AND WE ARE HERE TO CALL ON YOU TO REPEAL YOUR VOTE THAT VIOLATES SB 54. LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND SERVE YOUR PEOPLE. ALL OF YOUR PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY MAKE THE CHOICE TO RESTORE ORDER AND SANITY IN EL CAJON. YES, I YIELD MY TIME. MR. JESSE STANKO AND DEB FARRIN, JESSE CONSTAN AND DEB FARRIN. UH, YEAH. I WANNA FIRST START OUT BY, UH, LETTING YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW THIS, THAT YOU'RE FAILING TO HONOR YOUR WORD TO REPRESENT ALL CITIZENS. I'VE BEEN TO PLENTY OF THESE MEETINGS AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WORDS THAT I CONSISTENTLY HEAR THE COUNCIL SAY. THAT WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT ALL OUR CITIZENS. AND THAT'S JUST NOT, NOT, NOT THE CASE. WHAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING TERRORIZED FOR SPEAKING OR NOT SPEAKING GOOD ENOUGH ENGLISH. AND THIS IS DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE BY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE TRAIN EAR TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING PROPER ENGLISH OR NOT. NOT ONLY THAT, THERE'S A REAL MISCONCEPTION THAT SOMEHOW IF YOU DON'T SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH, YOU'RE NOT AN AMERICAN. BUT ENGLISH IS NOT EVEN THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF THIS COUNTRY. CHECK IT OUT. AS WE LOOK AROUND THE WORLD, WE SEE THAT ETHNIC CLEANSING IS THE NEW COLONIALISM. A SYSTEM TO DESIGNED TO DIVIDE US. WHILE THE RICH ROBBERS BLIND, WE REALIZE THAT, THAT YOUR VOTE WAS NOT ABOUT TRYING TO SUPPORT SUPPORT RESIDENTS, BUT RATHER ABOUT PROTECTING YOUR INTEREST, YOUR POLITICAL CAREER. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO SEE THAT YOU'RE NEVER ELECTED AGAIN TO ANY PUBLIC POSITION, NOT EVEN DOG CATCHER. YOU ARE AIDING AND ABATING AND THE TERRORIZING OF WORKING FAMILIES THAT MAKE THIS CITY WHAT IT IS. DO THE RIGHT THING. OVERTURN YOUR BACKWARD RESOLUTION THAT CAN ONLY LEAD TO CHA MORE SHAME FOR THE CITY. HISTORY HAS TOLD US HISTORY WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE. YOU WILL SOMEDAY HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO YOUR GRANDCHILDREN WHETHER YOU STOOD WITH THE [02:30:01] HAVE NOTS OR THE HAVE YACHTS, AND WHY YOU DIDN'T END UP WITH ONE DURING YOUR LAST VOTE. DURING YOUR LAST VOTE. YOU HAD NO IDEA WHAT, WHAT THIS ISSUE WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. YOU'VE NOW SEEN THE RESISTANCE IN LOS ANGELES, AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU IT'S COMING YOUR WAY. SOMEONE ASKED EARLIER, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU MEASURE LOVE? WE MEASURE LOVE BY OUR ACTIONS. YOUR ACTIONS ARE NOT SHOWING LOVE. YOUR ACTIONS ARE SHOWING HATE. IF YOU WONDER WHERE I GET OFF SAYING SUCH PROMISES THAT YOU WILL NOT BE ELECTED. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PAID ATTENTION TO THE LITTLE IMPROMPTU MARCH THAT WE DID PRACTICALLY IN, IN A DAY AND A HALF. PUT THAT MARCH TOGETHER. THAT MARCH WAS FULL OF A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WON A VOICE WHO WANT TO SEE JUSTICE, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING ON. ANYTIME SOON, WE WILL MOUNT A VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN THAT YOU HAVE NOT SEEN SINCE THE REAL CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. I GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THAT YOU HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS WOULD UNFOLD THE WAY THAT IT HAS UNFOLDED. YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO REDEEM YOURSELF, OVERTURN THE RELU RESOLUTION AFTER. AFTER MS. FARRIN, CAN I PLEASE HAVE JOSE CORTES AND RIN CORDE? HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON TO OUR MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND OUR CITY MANAGER. I KNOW YOU'RE ALL WORKING REALLY HARD. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT SINCE I WAS LIKE SEVEN. AND UH, SO I WENT TO, AT EL I WENT TO HIGH ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL HERE. UH, I OWN MY OWN HOUSE AND I'VE OWNED IT FOR 45 YEARS. SO I AM YOUR CONSTITUENT. I HAVE THREE THINGS I WANNA TELL YOU. NUMBER ONE, ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, THE SAME CHURCH AS KYLE BTI, UH, AT THE COMMUNITY COVENANT CHURCH. WE STARTED TO HELP SUDANESE REFUGEES. AND I HAVE BEEN HELPING SUDANESE RES REFUGEES FOR 20 YEARS. THESE CHILDREN, THESE YOUNG LITTLE KIDS YOU SEE HERE, OR THESE YOUNG LITTLE TEENAGERS YOU SEE THERE HAVE NOW GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE. THEY HAVE LIVED. THESE YOUNG ADULTS ARE AFRAID TO COME HERE TODAY. WHY? WHY ARE THESE YOUNG ADULTS MY GODCHILDREN, AT LEAST 15 OF THESE CHILDREN ARE MY GODCHILDREN. WHY ARE THEY AFRAID TO COME? THEY WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE WHERE THEY THINK SOMEBODY MIGHT ACCIDENTALLY PULL THEM OFF THE STREET. THAT IS HEARTBREAKING TO ME. DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT THE BOOGEYMAN. YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT A REAL THREAT AND YOU SUPPORTING IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. AM I RIGHT? ONE OF THESE YOUNG WOMEN GRADUATED FROM UCLA, ONE FROM UCSB ONE, FROM POINT LOMA NAZARENE. AND, UH, THE LAST ONE, UH, THEY JUST GO TO COLLEGE EVERYWHERE. I'VE GOT SOME MOUNTAINS, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE, CHRISTIAN COLLEGE OUT IN ARIZONA. ONE OF THEM JUST GRADUATED THIS LAST SUMMER AT USD AS AN ATTORNEY. SHE JUST TOOK THE BAR, FELT PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THE ESSAY PART, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS. I ASKED HER, COME AND SPEAK TO CITY COUNCIL TODAY. YOU'RE A REFUGEE, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. SHE SAID, NO, I DON'T WANT THEM TO HAVE MY FACE. I DON'T WANT THEM TO HAVE MY NAME. SO I'M NOT TELLING YOU THEIR NAMES. I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS. ANYBODY, ANYBODY WHO IS BLACK, BROWN OR DIFFERENT WILL BE RACIALLY PROFILED BY ICE. AND I NEED MY EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO STAY NEUTRAL ON THAT ISSUE. YES. THE NUMBER TWO THING I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU TODAY, THE VERY LAST, UH, SEMESTER, THE LAST I, I'M SORRY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WRAP IT UP. I, I'VE THOUGHT IT, I THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I'M GIVE YOU A FEW SECONDS, LEMME TELL YOU HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS. I DROVE KIDS TO EL CAJON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL THIS LAST YEAR. I NEED YOUR CITY MANAGER. I NEED YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND A MAYOR TO TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT THE TRAFFIC ON RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL. RIGHT NEXT DOOR IS A, THE, THE VERY PLACE THAT ALL OF OUR REFUGEES GO TO. BY THE WAY, I'VE WORKED MOST RECENTLY WITH SYRIAN REFUGEES. AFGHANI [02:35:01] REFUGEES. THANK YOU FOR TELLING US THE HAITIAN REFUGEES. IF I HAD TIME, I WOULD TOO. I HAD HAITIAN KIDS AT MY POOL ON 4TH OF JULY BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID TO GO OUT. AND MAYBE YOU COULD COME BACK ANOTHER TIME AND TELL US ABOUT THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. RIGHT, JESS, I'M SORRY, SAY IT AGAIN. MAYBE YOU COULD COME BACK ANOTHER TIME AND TELL US ABOUT THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. ALRIGHT, I'LL COME BACK ON THE TRAFFIC. BUT MEANWHILE, YOU'RE GONNA LOSE KIDS AT ELKO VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THERE'S NO MARKED CROSSWALK RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF. AND WE HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL. EVERYBODY'S TIME. THANK YOU. I'LL COME BACK. THANK, I'VE GOT TIME TO COME BACK. BUT YOU NEED TO AMEND YOUR VOTE ON HOW YOU SUPPORT. WAIT, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE CAN'T DO THE, YOU CAN'T DO THIS. IF YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO, TO BREAK THE RULES, I, I'M HAPPY, I'M HAPPY TO PUT PUT THIS ON HOLD FOR HALF AN HOUR. LET YOU WAIT. SO YOUR FLAG BILL, MA'AM, YOU GOTTA SIT DOWN. THANK YOU. I'D BE GLAD TO SIT DOWN. GOOD AUTHORITARIAN RIGHT THERE. AM I NEXT? YEAH, YOU'RE NEXT I THINK. OKAY. HELLO EVERYBODY. CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, STAFF. UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, THE MAJORITY OF THE BODY HAS BEEN MADE UP OF CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE VERY ENERGIZED AROUND THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN POINTED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES TO BE REALLY LIKE, NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY OR THE PEOPLE OF EL CAJON, BUT REALLY IT SEEMS TO BE JUST A MISCALCULATED POLITICAL VENTURE TO TRY AND FURTHER A VERY SELECTIVE CAREER. SO I REALLY WANTED TO TAKE MY TIME TODAY 'CAUSE YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK. I'M IN DISTRICT THREE. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 35 YEARS. I PLAN ON LIVING HERE FOR ANOTHER 35 MORE. MY FAMILY ALL LIVE HERE IN EL CAJON. AND THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD TO COME SINCE FEBRUARY AND HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH FACTS, WITH DATA APPEALING TO NOT ONLY JUST THE MORALITY AND THE HUMANITY OF THE THREE PEOPLE, I WANNA MAKE SURE TO, YOU KNOW, CARVE OUT THE PEOPLE WHO DID VOTE WITH THEIR CONSCIOUS. AND IN THE INTEREST OF EL CAJON, UH, YOU KNOW, AT MINE, THE TWO PEOPLE, UH, MICHELLE AND GARY. BUT I MEAN, IT'S GOTTEN TO THE POINT NOW WHERE EVEN JUST REACHING OUT TO, TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO GET A MEETING, TO, TO HAVE THESE COMMUNITY LEADERS, FAITH LEADERS, PEOPLE, ONLY TWO OF THE FOUR THAT I REACHED OUT TO ACTUALLY RESPONDED. AND I THINK THAT THE FACT THAT LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE CAN SHOW UP, HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE ARE PAID AC YOU KNOW, ACTIVISTS? NO ONE. HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE LIKE MYSELF, LIVE FROM IN EL CAJON? OH, OKAY. LIKE, WE COULD SEE THE FACTS. WE COULD SEE THE REALITY. THIS IS NOT LIKE AN OUTSIDE ASTROTURF MOVEMENT. IF ANYTHING, YOU'RE THE ONE ASTROTURFING OUR NEEDS BY STEPPING OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT OUR INTERESTS ARE. SO PLEASE, FOR THOSE WHO RESPONDED, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD AND I WANT TO GIVE PEOPLE THE GRACE. WE'RE ALL FROM EAST COUNTY. I WANT TO HAVE THAT GOOD FAITH SIT DOWN AND CONVERSATION. FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T, PLEASE CONSIDER HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THESE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES. 'CAUSE WE DESPERATELY NEED TO ROLL BACK THIS RESOLUTION AND GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS AT HAND. AND FOR THOSE WHO LIKE OF AGREED WITH US, WE WILL DESPERATELY NEED YOU TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA. BECAUSE IF WE CAN GET PHIL OR STEVE, WE DON'T EVEN, I'M NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT BILL BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING, FACT OR FIG, WHATEVER THAT WILL CHANGE HIS MIND. HE'S, HE'S MADE HIS BED AND HE'S WILLING TO SLEEP IN IT REGARDLESS IF WE ALL GO DOWN WITH THE SHIP OR NOT. BUT IF ONE OF YOU TWO IS BRAVE ENOUGH TO DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ELGON, WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF MY MOM AND THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR FAMILIES AND OUR FRIENDS, THEN WE, WE NEED YOU TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. WE NEED YOU TO, TO JUST GET THIS OUTTA THE WAY SO WE CAN GO BACK TO THE HARD WORK. SO WE CAN GO BACK TO ORGANIZING OUR COMMUNITIES. THAT'S WHAT WE DESPERATELY NEED. WE DON'T NEED MORE GRANDSTANDING. WE DON'T NEED MORE, YOU KNOW, FALSE EQUIVALENCIES. WE DON'T NEED MORE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, UH, OF THESE FALLACIES BEING PRESENTED BY BILL WELLS. WHAT WE NEED IS REAL ACTION ON THIS. WE NEED REAL COMING TO THE TABLE. AND WE NEED TO SEE WHAT'S THE BIG PICTURE, NOT JUST THE WHAT'S GONNA IMPRESS TOM HOLMAN, WHAT'S GONNA IMPRESS DONALD TRUMP. WE NEED TO SEE, LIKE, WHEN THAT'S ALL OVER, HOW ARE WE ALL SUPPOSED TO LIVE TOGETHER IF WE CAN'T EVEN AGREE THAT PEOPLE DESERVE HUMAN DIGNITY AFTER? AFTER MR. CORDE, IF I CAN PLEASE HAVE STEPHANIE KON AND KARINA AVILES. THANK YOU. I I THINK YOU CALLED MY NAME. I'M PART OF HEARING, BUT RYN CORBET. THANK YOU. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR LISTENING TO US, THE PEOPLE. A YEAR OR SO AGO WHEN I NEEDED HELP, SOME HELP WITH BRUSH REMOVAL AND SOME POURING SOME CONCRETE STEPS ON MY PROPERTY. ON ONE OF MY MANY TRIPS TO THE HOME DEPOT IN EL CAJON, I WAS APPROACHED IN THE PARKING LOT [02:40:01] BY A YOUNG MAN. HE ASKED ME IN HALTING ENGLISH IF I HAD ANY WORK FOR HIM BECAUSE MY SPANISH IS VERY POOR. AND I DETECTED A HINT OF ANOTHER LANGUAGE IN HIS SPEAKING. I BROUGHT UP MY 50-YEAR-OLD FRENCH FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE STRUCK A DEAL FOR HIM TO HELP ME WITH SEVERAL DAYS OF HEAVY LIFTING IN RETURN FOR A DECENT HOURLY WAGE. I NEVER ASKED HIM FOR HIS IMMIGRATION STATUS OR DOCUMENTATION, BUT HE DID SHARE THAT HE WAS FROM PORT-AU-PRINCE AND HAD LEFT A GOOD JOB AS A UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY PROFESSOR BECAUSE GANGS HAD THREATENED HIM, HIS PARENTS, AND HAD ATTACKED HIS YOUNGER SISTER. SO HE FLED HAITI, THE FAILED STATE WITH HIS BROTHER IN THE HOPES OF BUILDING A NEW LIFE FOR HIMSELF AND ONE DAY HELPING HIS FAMILY REACH SAFETY. WHEN THE CORRUPT FELON CURRENTLY OCCUPYING THE WHITE HOUSE SENT HIS SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY, THE DEPARTMENT TASKED WITH ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE UNITED STATES, AN UNQUALIFIED AND HEARTLESS PUPPY KILLER TO DIRECT IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, TO TEAR LAW ABIDING PEOPLE, MANY WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR DECADES, RAISING FAMILIES, BUILDING COMMUNITIES, AND LOVING RELATIONSHIPS, TEAR THEM FROM THEIR, THEIR HOMES, THEIR SCHOOLS, PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT AND HALLS OF JUSTICE. AND WAS AFRAID FOR MY FRIENDS AND HELPERS FROM HAITI. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THEM OR EVEN COMMUNICATE WITH THEM FOR WEEKS. FOR ALL I KNOW THEY ARE IN A PRISON CAMP IN EL SALVADOR OR A FLORIDA SWAMP. CAMILLE, THEIR ONLY CRIME WAS BEING UNDER ATTACK IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY, BEING BLACK AND NEEDING TO WORK. I AM ASHAMED OF MY COUNTRY. THANK YOU. THANK, HELLO THIS, MY NAME IS STEPH KOHAN AND, UM, OVER THE YEARS I'VE WORKED FOR DIFFERENT, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROMOTE PEACE AND JUSTICE. AND I'M HAPPY TO BE WORKING WITH LATINOS AND ION SINCE THIS, UH, PROBLEM HAS STARTED IN EL CAJON. UM, SO I WANNA RESTATE AGAIN, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER, UH, TO, TO, UH, INTRODUCE RESOLUTION TO RESCIND, UH, THE RESOLUTION. AND I REALLY DO EXPECT THAT EITHER MR. GOBEL OR MR. ORTIZ WILL CO-SPONSOR IT. AND I WANNA THANK MR. KENDRICK AND MS. MICHELLE FOR YOUR STEADFASTNESS SUPPORT IN, IN THE FACE OF A LOT OF OPPOSITION, UH, OF THE COMMUNITY. UM, AND THEN I'M GONNA ALSO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THINGS HAVE REALLY CHANGED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE THAT MUCH OF WHAT WE PREDICTED IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY HAS BEEN HAPPENING AND, UH, THAT IT'S REALLY CLEAR THAT THE ARGUMENTS THAT WERE PRESENTED FOR THE RESOLUTION WERE UNTRUE. UM, SO I'M GOING TO, UH, REVISIT SB 54. I KEEP BRINGING UP WHEN I COME, UH, TO VISIT Y'ALL. THE, THE STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN 2019 AND FINALIZED IN 2021. AND I'LL MAKE SURE THIS EVENING, I EMAIL IT TO Y'ALL AGAIN, WHICH I HAD DONE IN THE PAST. AND ASK YOU TO MAKE SURE YOU AT LEAST FLIP DOWN TO THE COLORED CHART THAT SO SHOWS THAT'S, UH, EL CAJON WAS AMONG A HANDFUL OF CITIES THAT WERE NOT IN COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW AS OF 2021 IN TERMS OF HAVING WRITTEN POLICIES TO IMPLEMENT IT. NOW I WENT BACK TO IT AND LOOKED AT IT AGAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND AGAIN, THIS WAS, UM, MR. MITCHELL, THIS I WILL GIVE, LEAVE YOU WITH MY COPY 'CAUSE YOU WERE QUESTIONING IT THE LAST TIME I SPOKE ON IT. AND, UH, IT WAS A, A, A CONSORTIUM OF IMMIGRANT RIGHT GROUP AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, BUT THEY GOT THE INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO, UH, AS I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW YOUR CITY MORE, I REALIZE, OH, WE HAVE A NEW POLICE CHIEF. AND I TRUST THAT THAT POLICE CHIEF, HE'S ALREADY RESPONDED TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SAID, YES, WE ARE FOLLOWING SB 54. HOWEVER, IN 20 20 19 WHEN THEY, UH, LOOKED AT EL CAJON, ELGON ONLY HAD LESS THAN HALF OF THE WRITTEN POLICIES TO IMPLEMENT IT. TWO YEARS LATER, CITIES SUCH AS EL CAJON NATIONAL CITY, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WERE A HUNDRED, A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, COMPLIANT. AND EL CAJON STILL ONLY HAD SIX OUT OF 14 OF THOSE POLICIES IN, IN WRITTEN. SO I'M HOPING NOW THAT, UH, WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE CAN HEAR BACK, UH, BECAUSE I MADE A REQUEST TODAY WITH, UH, THE, UH, POLICE [02:45:01] CAPTAIN THAT WE CAN HEAR BACK AND SEE THAT WE DO HAVE NOW THE WRITTEN POLICIES TO IMPLEMENT, UH, SB 54 FULLY. THE CALIFORNIA VALUES ACT. 'CAUSE AS WE'VE HEARD, IT DOES MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME'S KARINA. I'VE BEEN AN EL CAJON RESIDENT FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS NOW. UM, SO THIS NEW RESOLUTION TO WORK WITH FEDERAL IMMIGRATION OFFICERS IS ALARMING AND DISAPPOINTING. ICE LACKS HUMANITY, RESPECT AND DIGNITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS MAKING IT EASIER FOR THEM TO ACT WITH IMPUNITY. YOU MAY THINK THAT THIS RESOLUTION KEEPS THE COMMUNITY SAFE, BUT REALLY IT JUST PROMOTES RACIAL PROFILING AND FEAR AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I AM A SOCIAL WORKER WHO HAS HEARD MANY PARENTS SAY THAT THEY HAVE STOPPED GOING TO THE DOCTOR, TAKING THEIR CHILDREN TO THE DOCTOR. FEEL YOU HAVE KIDS. MAYBE YOU MIGHT RESONATE WITH THAT. LIKE, IMAGINE IF YOU HAD TO STOP TAKING YOUR KIDS TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE YOU'RE AFRAID OF GETTING TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM. I KNOW YOU LOOK SO ANNOYED AND OVER THIS, BUT THIS IS PART OF YOUR JOB. UM, TAKING THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. TAKING THEIR CHILDREN ON OUTINGS AND RUNNING ANY OTHER ERRANDS BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID THEY'LL BE ABDUCTED OR EVEN WORSE, BEING ABDUCTED IN FRONT OF THEIR CHILDREN. THIS RESOLUTION IS CREATING BARRIERS TO ACCESS AMONG OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT RECEIVING THE MEDICARE THEY NEED, UH, THE MEDICAL CARE THEY NEED THAT MANY CANNOT GO TO COLLEGE BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID TO GO TO THE DMV TO GET AN ID. AND I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK UP FOR THEM. IT IS SO FRUSTRATING THAT IT IS MY JOB TO TRY AND HELP PEOPLE, TO CONNECT THEM WITH RESOURCES. AND I CAN'T BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS WORKING AGAINST US, OKAY? EVEN MYSELF AS A CITIZEN AM AFRAID AT TIMES THAT THE LINES BECOME, THAT THE LINES, LINES WILL BECOME SO BLURRED THAT CITIZENS WILL BE DEPORTED TOO. YESTERDAY I WAS ARRIVING AT A CLIENT'S HOME AND I REALIZED THAT THIS COP CAR CAME UP BEHIND ME OUT OF NOWHERE, AND INSTANTLY I JUST FELT THIS TIGHTNESS IN MY CHEST. AND LUCKILY HE JUST DROVE BY. AND THEN I FELT THIS IMMENSE RELIEF, LIKE EVEN MYSELF WHO WAS BORN HERE AND I'VE LIVED HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE IN SAN DIEGO. I WAS JUST SO AFRAID OF IN THAT MOMENT. AND IT'S JUST CRAZY TO ME THAT THAT'S, THAT IS ACTUALLY A REAL FEAR. ANY WHOM? IT'S TERRIFYING TO THINK THAT A SIMPLE ERRAND TO THE STORE COULD END WITH BEING ABDUCTED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE WEARING UNOFFICIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT VESTS AND OR UNIFORMS. AND BEING TAKEN TO DETA DETAINMENT CENTERS. OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES NOT NEED TO ACT AS IMMIGRATION AGENTS. SB 54 ALREADY ALLOWS FOR THESE TWO AGENCIES TO WORK TOGETHER. WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE WITH FELONIES. I'M SURE THE COUNCIL CAN FIND A BETTER WAY TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE. THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO VOTED AGAINST THE RESOLUTION. AND STEVE, PLEASE CHANGE YOUR MIND ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE. OKAY, THANK YOU. FIGHT THE POWER. THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS ARE ABEL MARTINEZ AND FABIOLA CONTI. START ONE MORE TIME. HI THERE. MY NAME IS ABEL MARTINEZ. I'VE LIVED WITH THE THOUGHT THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE KIND, JUST AND RIGHTEOUS MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING THEY COULD TO FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT. A THOUGHT THAT HAS DISAPPOINTED ME, UNFORTUNATELY, AND NOTICE HOW I SAY PEOPLE, I DON'T SAY CITIZENS. I DON'T SAY WORKERS. I DON'T SAY SPECIAL INTERESTS. I SAY PEOPLE BECAUSE THAT'S WHO YOU REPRESENT. WHEN POLITICIANS ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE FAMILIES TORN APART, TO HAVE RIGHTS TAKEN AWAY, TO HAVE PEOPLE TREATED WITH INDECENCY. DO YOU THINK WE CARE AS CITIZENS IF THEY ARE DOCUMENTED OR UNDOCUMENTED? NO, WE CARE THAT THEY'RE PEOPLE BECAUSE A NAME BEHIND THE VICTIM IS WHAT WE CARE ABOUT. WE CARE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE CARE THAT WE'VE KNOWN THESE PEOPLE. WE SEE THESE PEOPLE AT THE GROCERY STORE. WE SEE THESE PEOPLE WORKING WITH US. WE TALK TO THESE PEOPLE REGULARLY BECAUSE THEY'RE PEOPLE. WE, THE PEOPLE DO NOT EXPECT A COUNCILMAN MEMBER TO LIFT THE HEAVENS AND EARTH. WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HIDE AND HOLD A BLIND EYE TO CONCERNED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. BUT THE POINT COMES WHERE YOU MUST MAKE A DECISION WHETHER TO LIE DOWN AND LET THE PEOPLE SCREAM OUT IN PAIN OR TO TAKE ACTION. AND IF YOU DO NOTHING, NOTHING FOR THEM, NOTHING FOR US. IT SETS A PRECEDENT THAT YOU DO NOTHING FOR [02:50:01] EVERYONE. AND I THINK SOME MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL FORGET THAT YOU ARE PART OF THAT. EVERYONE IN THAT SCENARIO. I'M A SENIOR IN COLLEGE GOING INTO THE JOB MARKET, AND I'M PART OF A GENERATION THAT HAS HAD THEIR FUTURE STOLEN FROM THEM. AND HAS THE FUTURE BECOMES, BECOMES HARDER AND HARDER FOR US FOR OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU HAD THAT I NO LONGER HAVE. AND I JUST WANNA SAY ONE THING. WE ARE WATCHING, WE'RE WATCHING YOU, YOUR ACTIONS, YOUR INACTIONS, AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU STAND FOR, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ONCE YOU'RE DONE. BECAUSE ONCE YOU STEP DOWN, IT'S NOT YOUR PROBLEM ANYMORE. AND THAT YOU GUYS, AS MUCH AS YOU GUYS GUYS CAN TRY TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OKAY, I CAN LET THAT GO. THIS IS OKAY. THIS IS PEOPLE LIVES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THIS IS PEOPLE'S LIVES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO PLEASE, FROM MY GENERATION, FROM EVERYONE HERE, DO NOT DISAPPOINT US. THANK YOU. HI, MR. . NICE. I'M SO PROUD TO SPEAK IN SPANISH. IT'S MY FIRST LANGUAGE. AND I CAME INTO THIS COUNTRY AND I LEARNED TO SPEAK IN ENGLISH IS IT WAS HER, AS YOU CAN TELL. UH, BUT I LOVE TO BE A NURSE. I'M A HOSPICE NURSE, AS YOU KNOW ALREADY. I DECIDE TO SPEAK TODAY IS TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS WEEK, ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST THREE DAYS, I HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION INFORM FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE ABOUT SIGHTING OF ICE AGENTS IN, IN VARIOUS AREAS OF ELON. I RECEIVED MESSAGE THAT THEY WERE ON MAGNOLIA, PROBABLY CAN BE HUNTING ANSWERS, PROBABLY CAN BE AGENT ICE. I RECEIVED MESSAGE THAT THEY WERE ON WASHINGTON STREET. I RECEIVED MESSAGE THAT THEY WERE ON ANSA STREET TODAY ON THE MOBILE PARK. REMEMBER, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER THE, THE MOBILE PARK ON AN SIDE STREET CLOSE TO, UH, MANOLOS. THEY WERE BACK THERE. THIS INDIVIDUALS HAVE RETRY BEING THE TINY, HARDWORKING PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR A DREAM. THEY ARE NOT CRIMINALS. AS THE WOMAN SITTING HERE, THEY ALREADY LEFT SAY THE CRIMINAL IS THE ONE ON THE WHITE HOUSE, THE ONE WITH FELONS, THE ONE WHO RAPED MINORS AND IS STILL IN THE WHITE HOUSE. AND NOT SCARED TO SAY THAT I STAND HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO, MR. MB? WHICH, ON WHICH SIDE OF THE HISTORY DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED? DID I, DID I SAY IT WELL, YES. ON WHICH PART OF THE HISTORY DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED? IN THE FACE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING UNDER AN ADMINISTRATION THAT IS CAUSING SO MUCH HARM TO ENTIRE FAMILIES, TO SO MANY CHILDRENS WHOSE LIVES AND HOMES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE LA UM, I FORGET TO SAY THE LAEL, THE, THE GEL ON LA AS YOU KNOW, THERE IS MAIN NORTH BEING RETAINED THERE. AND DOESN'T MATTER THAT DRAIN OUT, THEY ARE COVERED IN THE ENTRANCE. WE ALREADY KNOW. BECAUSE EVERY NIGHT MANY ACTIVISTS ARE THERE. MAYBE YOU DIDN'T SAW ON THE NEWS, BUT IT IS ON ALL OVER ON SOCIAL MEDIA HAPPENING. THE REALITY, BECAUSE IT'S ON LIFE. IT IS NOT VIDEOS, IT IS NOT FAKE. IT'S THE REALITY. ICE AGENTS ARE ALSO STARTING TO USE FACIAL RECOGNITION. MAAM, THEY ARE STANDING. I I, LEMME FINISH. I HAVE GUITAR. I HAVE TO WRAP IT UP. GO AHEAD AND MAKE ONE MORE POINT, BUT LET GIMME ONE MINUTE. YOU LET OTHER TO SPEAK A LITTLE MORE. NO, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY. YOU COULD, YOU COULD WRAP IT UP. YOU, YOU CAN SAY ONE MORE LAST THING, BUT LET WE JUST, OKAY. WE CAN'T, WE GOTTA KEEP ORDER IN THIS CHAMBER. [02:55:06] SO DO YOU WANNA FINISH OR PRESIDENT TRUMP SAY THAT WE CAN SPEAK SPANISH? I WILL CONTINUE SPEAKING SPANISH. AND I ASK YOU AGAIN ON WHAT PART OF THE HISTORY YOU WANT TO BE. DO YOU WANNA BE THE SIDE OF THE, OF THE, THIS PRESIDENT THAT IS A RAPIST OR YOU WANNA BE THE ONE THAT TRIED TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT PEOPLES? BECAUSE PROBABLY YOUR FAMILY IS ALSO AN IMMIGRANT THAT KING HIM AND IT IS THE REASON YOU ARE HERE. OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT WAS OUR LAST SPEAKER. THAT'S IT. OKAY. ITEM [12. Award of RFP No. 004-26 – Main Street – Green Street Phase 2 Design Services RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopts the next Resolution, in order, to enter into an agreement with Chen Ryan Associates, Inc. (CRAI), in an amount not to exceed $625,000 for a one-year term.] 12. THIS IS FOR THE AWARD OF RFP NUMBER 0 0 4 THROUGH TWO TWO . GO AHEAD. UH, I HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MORGAN. UH, AM I ABLE IN THIS PUBLIC MEETING TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY WOULD, UH, CALL ME IF THEY WANNA RECONSIDER? I GUESS YOU JUST DID SO YOU SHOULDN'T, OH, CAN I DO THAT? I SAID YOU SHOULDN'T, BUT YOU JUST DID. OH, OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S IT. OKAY. I'M GONNA GO BACK TO BUSINESS THEN. ITEM 12 IS THE AWARD OF RFP NUMBER 0 0 4 THROUGH 26 MAIN STREET, GREEN STREET, PHASE TWO DESIGN SERVICES STAFF. YOU TELL US ABOUT THIS, PLEASE. WE DID THAT ONE TIME. I REMEMBER DUPLICATE. YEAH, I'VE GOT IT. COOL. GOING FOR THE DAY. I THINK HE JUST WENT TO TAKE YOU JUST WENT TO THE BATHROOM. OKAY. MY BACK IS LIKE, FINE. YOU GOTTA GO. YEAH, GO AHEAD. HOLD ON A SECOND, MARIO. UM, GARY HAS TO LEAVE, SO THAT'S, HE DOESN'T FEEL WELL. HE DOESN'T FEEL WELL. HE WANTS TO GO HOME. GARY, I WENT TO USE THE RESTROOM. OKAY, MARIO, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CLEAR A ROOM. , I GUESS THEY'RE NOT AS EXCITED ABOUT YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION. WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. ALL RIGHT. UM, CAN I GET STARTED? ALRIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MARIO SANCHEZ. I'M THE CITY ENGINEER OF ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE MAIN STREET, GREEN STREET PHASE TWO PROJECT. UM, LONG TIME COMING FOR THIS PROJECT. SO WHY MAINE AND DOUGLAS AND ELON BOULEVARD? SO IN 2018, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE TRANSIT DISTRICT SPECIFIC PLAN, ALSO KNOWN AS THE TDSP REZONING HUNDREDS OF PROPERTIES WITH A DETAILED PLAN TO REVITALIZE THE AREA THROUGH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT. A SAMPLE OF THESE PROJECTS INCLUDE THE 300 ELK HOME BOULEVARD TOWN HOME DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ADJACENT TO EL CA HOME BOULEVARD AND JOHNSON AVENUE INTERSECTION. ALSO THE ELK HOME BOULEVARD JOHNSON, A AVENUE STREETSCAPE PROJECT AND THE MAIN STREET, GREEN STREET PHASE ONE PROJECT ARE ESSENTIALLY, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED. SO ALL OF THESE PROJECTS WERE HIGHLIGHTED AND APPROVED IN THE TDSP. SO AGAIN, WHY MAINE AND DOUGLAS AGAIN? SO IN FALL OF 2022, STAFF SUBMITTED [03:00:01] A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE CALTRANS ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION GRANT PROGRAM. UH, IT'S A GRANT PROGRAM THAT'S ENCOMPASSES SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, SB ONE AND OTHER, OTHER PROGRAMS THAT FACILITATE TRANSPORTATION IN THE STATE. SO WE, WE, UH, APPLIED FOR THIS GRANT SINCE THERE, SINCE THERE WAS A NEED TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF CRASHES THAT WERE OCCURRING AT THIS INTERSECTION. SO THIS SLIDE DEPICTS THAT MOST OF THESE COLLISIONS ARE FROM VEHICLES TRAVELING AT AN UNSAFE SPEED AND COLLIDING WITH THE RACE CONCRETE MEDIAN ON THE WEST LEG AS THEY FAILED TO NEGOTIATE THE CURVE THERE. HIGHLIGHT RIGHT, RIGHT THERE. THIS INTERSECTION ALSO HAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY AND THERE ARE THREE SCHOOLS WITHIN A HALF MILE TO A THREEQUARTER MILE RADIUS OF THIS INTERSECTION. THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO INSTALL WIDER SIDEWALKS AND CONTINUE THE EXISTING CLASS FOUR BI BICYCLE PATH FROM JOHNSON AVENUE. SO OUR EXISTING CONDITIONS, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME, UH, INFORMATION ON WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY. THE SLIDE SHOWS A PHOTO AS YOU APPROACH THE INTERSECTION OF, UH, FROM THE WEST AND ALSO ANOTHER AERIAL VIEW. SO THE, THE STAR ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS WHERE MOST OF OUR COLLISIONS ARE OCCURRING. AND WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE HAD POLES BEEN KNOCKED, SIGNAL POLES BEING KNOCKED DOWN AND SO FORTH. SO THERE WERE ABOUT 14 RECORDED CRASHES FROM, UH, 2017 AND 2021. AND HALF OF THESE INVOLVED HITTING THE RAISED MEDIAN ON THE WEST LEG OF THE INTERSECTION. SO I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF A MODERN ROUNDABOUT. UM, THE RAIN, THE MAIN STREET, GREEN STREET PHASE TWO PROJECT WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING INTERSECTION WITH THE ROUNDABOUT. AND THIS IS JUST A CONCEPT PLAN, UH, THE EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNAL, UH, WITH A NEW ROUNDABOUT. IN ADDITION TO REV VITALIZING, THE TDSP OF OUR CITY, THE ROUNDABOUT AIMS TO INCREASE THE SAFETY OF THE INTERSECTION. AND STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT ROUNDABOUTS CAN DECREASE COLLISION RATES FROM 35 TO 50%. AND, UH, SERIOUS, UH, CRASHES BY 70 TO 80%. IT ALSO ELIMINATES THE COST OF ROUTINE TRAFFIC, SIGNAL MAINTENANCE AND OTHER, UM, BENEFITS LIKE REDUCED STORMWATER RUNOFF AND MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING. SOME MORE FEATURES. THE ROUNDABOUT KEEPS TRAFFIC MOVING BY DECREASING BOTH SPEEDS AND TRAVEL TIMES. AND THE ROUNDABOUT DESIGN. THIS DESIGN WILL ACCOMMODATE ALL EMERGENCY VEHICLES, SEMI, UH, TRAILER TRUCKS, BUSES, AND PASSENGER CARS. AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE WIDENED SIDEWALKS AND DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTED PARKWAYS AND DECORATIVE STREET LIGHTING. SO THE LESSONS LEARNED WILL, UM, FROM OUR ROUNDABOUT THAT WE JUST INSTALLED AT ELK HOME BOULEVARD IN JOHNSON, WE'LL TAKE THAT, WHAT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED AND, UM, PUT THIS, UH, PUT THOSE TO THIS DESIGN. SO THIS SLIDE TALKS ABOUT OUR GRANT AND OUR LOCAL FUNDING MATCH. SO IN MARCH, 2023, THE CITY WAS AWARDED A CALTRAN TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $5.984 MILLION. AND THE CITY PROVIDED A LOCAL MATCH OF TRANSNET FUNDS OF $816,000 FOR A TOTAL PROJECT AMOUNT OF $6.8 MILLION. I WANNA MENTION THAT THIS WAS A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE GRANT PROCESS AND THE CITY OF EL CAJON WAS ONLY ONE OF FIVE LOCAL AGENCIES IN THE COUNTY THAT RECEIVED FUNDING FROM CALTRANS AND SANDAG. SO THIS IS OUR TIMELINE OF RECOMMENDATION. SO BACK IN MAY, STAFF SOLICITED PROPOSALS FROM CIVIL ENGINEERING DESIGN FIRMS ON THE CITY'S ON-CALL CONSULTANTS LIST. AND THREE PO PROPOSALS WERE RECEIVED AND SCORED BY AN EVALUATION COMMITTEE. THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS RECEIVED, OR THAT RECEIVED THE HIGHEST SCORE WAS FROM SHEN RYAN ASSOCIATES BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH SIMILAR STREETS, SCAPE AND ROUNDABOUT PROJECTS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. AND THE PROJECT SCHEDULE IS AS FOLLOWS. UM, BEGINNING SEPTEMBER, 2025, THE JUNE, 2026 DESIGN ACTIVITIES WILL OCCUR, INCLUDING PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETINGS. CONSTRUCTION IS TENDERLY SCHEDULED TO OCCUR IN OCTOBER 26 AND CONCLUDE IN JUNE OF 2027. SO WITH THAT, THE CITY COUNCIL STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL [03:05:01] ADOPTS THE NEXT RESOLUTION IN ORDER TO ENTER AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DESIGN FIRM, SHEN RYAN ASSOCIATES, IN THE AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $625,000 FOR A ONE YEAR TERM. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. UM, WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK AND DISCUSSION. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, QUESTION? YEAH, MICHELLE, MR. SANCHEZ. THANK YOU. UM, QUESTION, HOW CLOSE IS THIS ROUNDABOUT TO THE ONE ON ELK HOME BOULEVARD? 'CAUSE I'M TRYING TO PICTURE MY MIND WHERE DOUGLAS COMES OUT ON MAIN STREET. WHAT IS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BUSINESSES AROUND THERE? SO SOME OF THE BUSINESS, THERE'S A GAS STATION IN, IN THE SOUTH, EAST CORNER. WHOOPS. GOLDEN CORRAL. OH, OKAY. GOLDEN CORRAL AND EL CAJON BOULEVARD. AND LEXINGTON IS THIS DIRECTION ABOUT QUARTER OF A MILE, HALF MILE. OKAY. I GOT IT NOW. YEAH. YEAH. I, I JUST COULDN'T THINK OF WHERE IT WAS AT. OKAY. UM, ALRIGHT, SO QUESTION IS, WE, WE LEARNED A LOT FROM OUR LAST PROJECT ON, ON ELCO BOULEVARD AND THE ISSUES THAT AROSE FROM SOME OF THAT. WE'RE GONNA TAKE THOSE LESSONS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS PROJECT AND ANY, UM, LEGAL ISSUES THAT COULD COME UP? THAT'S CORRECT. WELL, I MEAN, WE CAN, UH, VET THAT OUT ONCE WE GET A CONTRACTOR AND, UH, RIGHT. UM, WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PANS OUT. BUT, UH, WE'LL BE IN, HOPEFULLY IN THIS DESIGN PROCESS, WE'LL, UH, HAVE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND GET CITIZENS INPUT, UH, NOTIFY ALL THE BUSINESSES AND SO FORTH. I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE TIMELINE BECAUSE WE HAD, IT WAS A LOT, UH, MORE EXTENDED TIMELINE WITH THE OTHER ONE. BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WITH THIS PARTICULAR ONE, SINCE WE ALREADY WENT THROUGH THE FIRST ROUNDABOUT AND THE CHANGES THERE AND THE CHALLENGES WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESSES, THAT WE DON'T REPEAT THOSE SAME, UM, ISSUES THAT WE HAVE. GOT IT. THAT'S, THANK YOU. JUST WANNA MAKE SURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MARIO. UH, COUPLE OF THINGS. AS WE DO, UH, OUTREACH TO THE BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY, IN THE AREA, I, WE GET FEEDBACK ABOUT ROUNDABOUTS. THEY SEEM LIKE THEY'RE A NEW INVENTION TO SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS, BUT WE'VE HAD THEM IN THE CITY FOR A WHILE. AND SO I THINK THESE BULLET POINTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE NEED TO BE PUSHED TO OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, 17, 18, 19, 20 TIMES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO, SO THEY CAN, UH, A LOT OF IT'S EDUCATION, BUT, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN HOMELESSNESS, THE BIGGEST THING WE HEAR IS SPEEDING ON OUR STREETS. UM, AND THESE ROUNDABOUTS NATURALLY SLOW PEOPLE DOWN. ABSOLUTELY. UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT EDUCATION PIECE IS, IS A BIG PART OF MAKING SURE NOT ONLY THAT THIS PROJECT PROJECT IS SUCCESSFUL MATERIALLY, BUT UM, TO THE PUBLIC. THE, UH, THE OTHER, UH, QUESTION I WAS GONNA ASK WAS WITH, THERE WAS A TERM YOU USED, BUT, UH, I KNOW A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS ARE GONNA BE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, ENCAMPMENTS POPPING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. AND SO SOME KIND OF IN, UH, UM, STRUCTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPE DESIGN TO, UH, DISSUADE, YOU KNOW, ENCAMPMENTS IN THAT NICE, BEAUTIFUL GREEN AREA WOULD BE PART OF THAT, UM, BIDDING PROCESS. SO YEAH. OKAY. WE'LL INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE DESIGN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MARIO. GOOD CONCISE PRESENTATION. UH, CARLSBAD, I THINK IT IS, IS UNDOING SOME OF THEIR ROUNDABOUTS FOR REASONS I DON'T FULLY KNOW. UH, THE CAJON BOULEVARD AND JOHNSON. ASIDE FROM THE CONSTRUCTION ISSUES, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT ROUNDABOUT VERSUS THE OLD CONFIGURATION? YEAH, THE, THE LEARNING PORTION. I, I, I MEAN, WHAT I WOULD, WHAT I SEE IS, UH, INITIAL AFTER YOU PUT THE PROJECT IN, AFTER A YEAR OR TWO YEARS, PEOPLE GET MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE ROUNDABOUT AND THEY START TO SLOW DOWN. THEY'RE MORE AWARE OF THEIR, WHERE THEY'RE DRIVING, WHAT THE SIGNAGES OUT THERE. AND THAT'S WHAT I KINDA SEE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THIS ROUNDABOUT AS WELL AS THE ROUNDABOUT THAT'S BEEN UP AT ELK. I MEAN, AT MAIN STREET, UH, AND MURRAY DRIVE, IT'S A FIVE LEGGED INTERSECTION THAT'S BEEN IN FOR OVER 30 YEARS. SO IT TAKES PEOPLE FAMILIAR WITH THE ROUNDABOUT KNOW HOW TO YIELD AS THEY GO THROUGH IT, BUT IT'S STILL AN EDUCATION PROCESS. I THINK THE, THE PROVEN CRASH REDUCTION, 35 TO 50 IS A GOOD INDUSTRY THING, BUT THE PUBLIC WOULD ASK, HEY, BEFORE YOU PUT ANOTHER ONE [03:10:01] IN, TELL US WHAT EL CAJON AND JOHNSON HAS DONE TO REDUCE CRASHES. WHAT'S THE, THEY'RE GONNA WANNA KNOW WHAT'S THE CRASH REDUCTION FOR THAT INTERSECTION SINCE IT'S BEEN OPEN? YEAH. WE'RE, WE'RE ACCUMULATING DATA. WE'RE DOING THE BEFORE AND AFTER STUDY AND WE, WE WILL ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE, UH, TO GET MORE CRASH DATA AS IT AS IT OCCURS AT JOHNSON AVENUE AND HAS WITH SPEEDING DATA THAT HAS THE MOST RELEVANCE I THINK, TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND, UH, DIFFUSES LOCAL ANXIETY. SURE. CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? THE OTHER ASPECT YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS INTERSECTIONS IN EL CAJON. YOU DRIVE THROUGH 'EM IN, IN THE EVENING, THE NEXT MORNING THERE'S DONUT, THERE'S TIRE MARKS FOR DONUTS ALL, ALL AROUND THEM. THIS IS GONNA ALL BUT GET RID OF THAT RECKLESS DRIVING ELEMENT AS WELL. SO, YEAH. AND WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE BIKE LANE CHANGES? THE BIKE LANE CHANGES? SO ON WEST MAIN STREET WE HAVE A WIDER SIDEWALK TO, UH, ACCOMMODATE A BICYCLE LANE. SO THAT'LL BE EXTENDED FROM JOHNSON ALL THE WAY TO DOUGLAS AS PART OF THIS PROJECT. AND DOES THIS MEAN BICYCLES GO THROUGH THE ROUNDABOUT ALSO? YEAH, THE BICYCLES CAN GO THROUGH THE ROUNDABOUT AS WELL. OKAY. YEAH. . UM, WHAT KIND OF, UH, EDUCATION PLAN DO YOU HAVE OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR, UH, WHEN YOU DO PUBLIC OUTREACH AND LIKE WHAT, WHAT DO YOU HAVE, UH, PLANNED FOR, UH, CONTACTING THE PUBLIC, EDUCATING THEM? ARE WE HAVING YEAH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETING. I THINK THE DESIGNER'S GONNA HAVE, UH, WE'RE GONNA SET UP A WEBPAGE ON OUR CITY WHITE WEBSITE, DO A PUBLIC QUESTIONNAIRE AND ALSO DO A, UH, A FORMAL PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETING. OKAY. THAT'S IN THE PLAN. OKAY. WILL THAT BE SUPPORTED BY THE CITY? SO THAT LIKE, IF, IF IT COMES ON THE CITY WEBPAGE, UM, OR LIKE SAY SOCIAL MEDIA, THEN I CAN GO AHEAD AND FORWARD THAT TO SURE. ALL OF MY GROUPS. OKAY. PERFECT. YEP. UM, WHERE'S THE FUNDING COMING FROM THIS? IT'S COMING FROM CALTRANS AND SANDAG. SO IT WAS, UH, THE PROJECT THAT WE APPLIED FOR GOES THROUGH THE STATE AND THEN THE STATE DOES A A, A REGIONAL POOL AND, AND SANDAG AND MINISTERS THE REGIONAL POOL IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. SO WE APPLIED FOR THE REGIONAL CALL PROCESS. ANY OF OUR FUNDS GOING INTO THIS? WHAT'S THAT? ANY OF OUR DIRECT FUNDS GOING INTO THIS? NO. JUST OUR TRANSNET DOLLARS THAT WE USE FOR ALL OUR STREET PROGRAM OR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM. IS THE BIKE LANE PART OF THIS PART OF THIS DEAL? IS IT THIS YES, IT IS. SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE BIKE LANES YES. IN ORDER TO GET IT? YES. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IN MY OPINION, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF BIKE LANES. YEAH. YEAH. CAN WE DISENFRANCHISE OURSELF FROM THE BIKE LANES ? UM, NOT, NOT A PART OF THIS GRANT. IT'S AN, IT'S CALLED AN ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION GRANT. SO YOU'RE TRYING TO ENCOMPASS ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION PEDESTRIANS, LIKE BICYCLISTS AND VEHICLES. HAVE YOU DONE ANY KIND OF POLLING TO SEE HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT ROUNDABOUTS? NO, I HAVEN'T DONE THAT ANECDOTALLY. I, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT ROUND ROUNDABOUTS. IT'S, I'D BE INTERESTING TO, TO KNOW WHAT, WHAT PEOPLE REALLY THOUGHT. YEAH. I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WITHOUT IT DOING A POLL. OKAY. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE BOTH SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM. ALRIGHT. PEOPLE FOREIGN AND AGAINST THEM. UM, SO LET'S SEE IF ANGELA HAS ANY SPEAKER CARDS FOR THIS ITEM. NO SPEAKER CARD SIR. IT'S BACK TO CITY COUNCIL. UM, THANKS MARIO, I APPRECIATE IT. YOU'RE WELCOME. I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION. ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH CHEN RYAN ASSOCIATES. SECOND. ALRIGHT, PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT. ITEM 13 [13. 405 E. Lexington Avenue Tenant Improvements RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council adopts the next Resolution, in order, to: Appropriate $25,000 of available City Capital Improvement Program (501) fund balance for the purpose described in this report; and Establish 405 E Lexington Ave Tenant Improvements (263878PWCP) project with a total project budget of $588,420.] IS REGARDING THE 4 0 5 LEXINGTON AVENUE TENANT IMPROVEMENTS. AND I'LL ASK STAFF TO TELL US ABOUT THIS. I AFTERNOON MAYOR. JUST WAITING FOR THE POWERPOINT TO COME UP. HERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF. I'M SINAN KACI OF THE CITY'S ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT. ITEM 13 BEFORE YOU. TODAY IS TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING A NEW CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECT FOR WORK AT 4 0 5 EAST LEXINGTON AVENUE. SO AS YOU RECALL, THIS PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED BY THE CITY IN EARLY 2024 AND IS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF AVOCADO AVENUE AND LEXINGTON AVENUE. THE CITY'S TENANT IS THE CHALDEAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL OR CCC, WHICH PRIMARILY OPERATES ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND PROVIDES VARIOUS SOCIAL SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. THE CCC WILL ALSO OPERATE THE SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR ON THE SECOND FLOOR. STAFF [03:15:01] WILL NOW OVERSEE THE BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS AND MANAGE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION. SOME OF THE WORK INCLUDES COMPLETE REPLACEMENT, REPLACEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL ROOF, SIX NEW HVAC UNITS, BRINGING THE STRUCTURE UP TO BUILDING CODE AND A DA COMPLIANCE. THIS IS THE FUTURE ENTRANCE TO THE BUSINESS INCUBATOR WHERE CCC STAFF WILL WELCOME AND INTAKE NEW CLIENTS. SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, OUR SCOPE INCLUDES TENANT IMPROVEMENTS OR INTERIOR RENOVATIONS AND SETTING UP OFFICE SPACES FOR MOST OF THE SECOND FLOOR. THE CCC CURRENTLY OPERATES A SMALL STUDIO THAT PROVIDES RADIO AND TV SHOWS FOR THEIR CLIENTS. IN THIS IMAGE, WE HAVE SOME POTENTIAL CODE ISSUES CONCERNING A DA ACCESSIBILITY. THEIR DESIRE IS TO EXPAND AND RELOCATE THE STUDIO WITHIN THE BUILDING. SO MOST OF WHAT YOU SEE WILL BE REMOVED. THE BUDGET DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALLOW FOR A NEW STUDIO, BUT WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO PREPARE THE EXISTING SPACE FOR FUTURE WORK BY THE CCC. HERE'S OUR PROPOSED SCHEDULE AND BUDGET FOR THE COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION. STAFF HAS ALREADY MET WITH THREE OF OUR ON-CALL ARCHITECTS AT THE SITE. SO PENDING COUNCIL'S DIRECTION TODAY, WE, WE ESTIMATE HAVING AN ARCHITECT ONBOARD AND UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE CITY BY OCTOBER DESIGN AND PERMITTING PROCESS WILL TAKE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED WITH A COMPETITIVE BID. SO THAT PUTS CONSTRUCTION STARTING BY LATE SUMMER OF NEXT YEAR. SO THIS REALISTIC SCHEDULE ALLOWS US TO EXP EXPAND EXPEND ARPA FUNDS BY OUR DEADLINE OF DECEMBER OF 2026. KEEP IN MIND, THE ORIGINAL ARPA GRANT TO THE CCC WAS JUST OVER $600,000. THEY USED SOME OF THOSE FUNDS ALREADY TO BEGIN SOME OF THE DEMOLITION WORK THAT YOU SAW IN SOME OF THE PREVIOUS PHOTOS. WE ANTICIPATE NEEDING ABOUT 10 TO 15% OF THE 563,000 SHOWN FOR THE ARCHITECT. SO THAT LEAVES US WITH JUST ABOUT $490,000 FOR CONSTRUCTION. THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROPRIATE 25,000 OF AVAILABLE CITY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, 5 0 1 FUND BALANCE OR GENERAL FUND, AND ESTABLISH 4 0 5 EAST LEXINGTON AVENUE TENANT IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WITH A TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET OF 588,000. AND THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. QUESTIONS? NO, I GUESS YOU ANSWERED ALL THE QUESTIONS. UM, UM, I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. OH YEAH, SORRY. UH, COUNCILMAN GIVE UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, FREQUENTLY WHEN WE O START OPENING UP THINGS IN BUILDINGS, IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORLD, WHEN YOU OPEN UP BUILDINGS, YOU SEE MORE PROBLEMS. UM, IS THE $588,000 IN ARPA FUNDS, IS THAT THE TOTALITY OF THE ARPA FUNDS THAT WE'RE EXHAUSTING? AND THEN IF ANYTHING ELSE COMES UP, IS COMING OUT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND? IS THAT THE GENERAL PLAN? SO WE'RE GONNA DO OUR ABSOLUTE BEST TO NOT TOUCH ANY GENERAL FUND FOR THIS PROJECT. OKAY. UM, AND THE INTENT IS, UH, OUT OF THAT 5 88, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT FOUR 90 EARMARKED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PIECE. OKAY. AND WE'LL KEEP THAT DESIGN RIGHT AROUND $400,000 SO THAT THOSE THINGS ALWAYS DO COME UP. OKAY. WE HAVE THOSE CONTINGENCY DOLLARS. GREAT. YEP. PERFECT. THANK YOU. BUT MR. ORTIZ, THAT'S WHY WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THE BUILDING'S INTEGRITY FIRST AND THE WHISTLES AND BELLS, THE STUDIOS, THE FURNITURE. IF, IF WE'VE DEPLETED THE MONEY, THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO COME OUT OF SOMEONE ELSE'S POCKET AND OUR MINDS, IT WOULD BE THE TENANTS. STEVE, UM, DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA HOW MUCH OF THE MONEY IS TO UNDO ILLEGAL WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE? I DON'T HAVE A FIGURE, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE BUILDING IS IN, IN CODE COMPLIANCE TERMS IN GOOD SHAPE. I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE RADIO WAS ILLEGAL WORK DONE. WE HAVE TO PAY TO UNDO THAT. HOW MUCH OF THE 500,000 IS TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT, THE ROOF, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT ILLEGAL WORK. THE STAIR WHATEVER. IT'S NOT ILLEGAL WORK. UNDOING ILLEGAL IMPROVEMENTS. ANY IDEA WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL? I DON'T KNOW THE PERCENTAGE, BUT I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE INITIALLY DOING SOME, WHEN WE DID SOME LOOK AT IT, WE SAW THERE WAS SOME ILLEGAL ELECTRICAL WORK DONE. THERE WERE SOME UPGRADES TO THE BATHROOMS THAT NEEDED TO MEET A DA REQUIREMENTS THAT HA HAD NOT BEEN DONE AS IMPROVEMENTS OCCURRED, THERE WAS AN ILLEGAL GAZEBO INSTALLED, BUT THAT'S NOW BEEN TAKEN OUT ALREADY. THE STUDIO THAT YOU MENTIONED, I RECALL IT WAS AROUND 40 TO $50,000, BUT THAT WAS ALSO AN EARLY ESTIMATE BEFORE ARCHITECTS WERE INVOLVED, SO. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. UM, IS P CARDS FOR THIS ITEM? NO SPEAKER CARDS, SIR. OKAY. I'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE, UH, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS OUTLINED IN THE AGENDA. SECOND, [03:20:01] PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY A UNANIM VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT. THANKS, SIR. THE [14. Evolving Legal Standards and Policy Impacts on Mental Health Response Calls RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council receives the report.] LAST ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT, ITEM 14, IS ABOUT THE EVOLVING LEGAL STANDARDS AND POLICY IMPACTS ON MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE CALLS. UH, OUR CITY MANAGER WILL TELL US ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. LET ME PULL UP THE PRESENTATION. HERE WE GO. THANK YOU. UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S RECEIVED SOME MEDIA ATTENTION AND FRANKLY, SOME ATTENTION FROM SOME IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO ABOUT HOW THE ELCON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS FOR SERVICE STAFF HAS MET. UH, AND WHEN I SAY STAFF, THE, THE POLICE CHIEF AND I HAVE MET WITH THE COUNTY CA CAO'S OFFICE. I KNOW OUR POLICE CHIEF HAS MET WITH THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR ABOUT THIS. UH, WE FELT THAT WE WERE AT A GOOD PLACE AND THAT THERE WAS A GOOD UNDERSTANDING. BUT, UH, BASED ON SOME RECENT COMMENTS, WE ARE SENSING THAT WE'RE NOT IN A PLACE THAT THE COUNTY IS COMFORTABLE WITH US RIGHT NOW. WE THINK THAT SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED ARE UNFOUNDED AND PREMATURE, BUT WE THINK THAT THE INTENT OF THIS AGENDA ITEM IS TO, ONE, TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND TO THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT, UM, AND THEN TO ALLOW THE CITY COUNCIL TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS. UH, BUT LET ME SAY THIS FIRST. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING TIME TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. THE REALITY IS THAT THE CITY OF EL CAJON CANNOT EFFECTUATE MASSIVE CHANGE IN HOW WE RESPOND TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS AS ONE LITTLE CITY IN THIS ENTIRE STATE, IN THIS ENTIRE NATION. THIS NEEDS TO BE A SOCIETAL CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO WE ADDRESS MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE UNITED STATES? UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, HOW DO WE EXPECT POLICE OFFICERS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO RESPOND TO THESE THINGS? WE HAVE, UH, AND YOU'LL SEE A QUOTE I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU IN A MINUTE. WE HAVE THROWN SO MUCH BURDEN ON THEIR RESPON, ON THEIR BACKS, AND THERE IS CLEARLY A SOCIETAL MOVEMENT TO NOT DO THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE STILL STUCK BECAUSE THERE'S NO OTHER SOLUTION. SO NO ONE WANTS 'EM TO RESPOND, BUT THERE'S NO OTHER PEOPLE TO RESPOND. SO THEY'RE SORT OF STUCK RESPONDING. SO WE'RE GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. I THINK IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN EVERY COMMUNITY AROUND THE UNITED STATES, AND WE'D LIKE TO START WITH THE OTHER COMMUNITIES, AT LEAST IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND WITH THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO. UM, AGAIN, THIS ITEM IS TO PRESENT SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, AND, AND IF THE COUN PUBLIC WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS TO GET SOME ANSWERS, UH, WHAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO GIVE DIRECTION TO STAFF ON HOW THEY WOULD LIKE ANY POLICY OR PROCEDURAL CHANGES TO OCCUR. IF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE THAT, WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA AT A FUTURE TIME. UM, SO LET ME JUST KIND OF TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO. UH, UH, CAPTAIN MACARTHUR, KEITH MACARTHUR IS GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT THE COUNTY PROGRAMS ARE, THE, THE PERT PROGRAM AND THE MCRT. UM, I'M GONNA GO OVER REALLY HIGH LEVEL, WHAT DOES THE SCOTT V. SMITH NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS MEAN TO US AND HOW THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. UH, UH, CAPTAIN MACARTHUR WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CITY'S PROCEDURAL CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE, AND THEN WE'LL JUST DIVE INTO SOME BACKGROUND DATA THAT I THINK WILL BE USEFUL, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD. UM, LEMME START WITH THIS AS, AS QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ISSUE CAME ABOUT, I, I, MY MIND QUICKLY WENT BACK TO A QUOTE I HEARD FROM THE THEN POLICE CHIEF OF DALLAS IN 19, IN 2016. THIS IS A LONG TIME AGO, PRE PRE GEORGE FLOYD, AND HE SAID, WE ARE ASKING COPS TO DO TOO MUCH IN THIS COUNTRY. EVERY SOCIETAL FAILURE, WE'VE PUT IT OFF ON THE COPS TO SOLVE, NOT ENOUGH MENTAL FUNDING, NOT ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING, LET THE COPS HANDLE IT. POLICING WAS NEVER MEANT TO SOLVE ALL THOSE PROBLEMS. AND I, I THINK THAT I REMEMBER THAT QUOTE WHEN IT WAS SAID, AND I THINK ABOUT THAT OFTEN. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT QUOTE IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS CONVERSATION. UM, ALSO SHORTLY AFTER GEORGE FLOYD'S DEATH, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION, UH, AROUND THE UNITED STATES ABOUT THE ROLE OF POLICING, AND SPECIFICALLY IN OUR COUNTY. IT'S REALLY WHEN THE MCRT PROGRAM STARTED REALLY PUSHING FORWARD. AND AS THEN SUPERVISOR OR CHAIR OF THIS, UM, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, NATHAN FLETCHER WAS TALKING WITH KPBS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM. HE SPECIFICALLY SAID, AND, AND THIS RESONATES WITH ME AS WELL. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE PRESENCE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF ESCALATING A SITUATION WHEN WE NEED TO DEESCALATE. AND WHAT YOU'LL HEAR FROM CAPTAIN MACARTHUR IS A LOT OF TIMES WE ARE ASKED TO GET INVOLVED IN A SITUATION IN WHICH OUR PRESENCE BY NATURE ESCALATES THE PROBLEM. AND, AND WE'LL GET INTO ALSO THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT AND WHY THAT'S AN ISSUE TOO. SO I'M GONNA TURN THE TIME OVER TO, UH, CAPTAIN MACARTHUR TO EXPLAIN THE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM, OR THE, THE PERT [03:25:01] AND AS WELL AS THE MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM AND HOW WE WORK WITH THEM ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. UM, SO I'M GOING TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH POLICY LATER, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE SNEAK PREVIEW. AND THAT IS WITHIN OUR POLICY. THERE'S A PLACE IN THERE THAT SAYS WE'RE FEASIBLE THAT WE WILL WORK WITH, UM, MENTAL HEALTH BEHAVIORAL, UH, SPECIALISTS TO RESOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, NOW I'M GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS. SO THE FIRST ONE IS PERT, WHICH IS A PSYCHIATRIC PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM. UM, AND PERT FROM THEIR OWN WEBSITE DEFINES THEMSELVES AS THE PROGRAM, UH, IS BASED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM THAT PAIRS ITSELF WITH A LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WITH AND PAIRS THEM WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER DEPUTY. THE TEAMS RIDE TOGETHER IN THE FIELD FOR THEIR ENTIRE SHIFT, AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ASSIST IN MENTAL HEALTH RELATED EMERGENCIES THAT ARE BROUGHT TO LAW, ENFORCE LAW ENFORCEMENT'S ATTENTION. UM, PERTS A GREAT PROGRAM. WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THEM FOR A VERY LONG TIME. UH, WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESSES. UH, THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS TO PERT PERT DOES NOT PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS. PERT CLINICIANS DON'T RESPOND TO CALLS FOR SERVICE WITHOUT AN OFFICER OR DEPUTY. AND PERT IS NOT AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY DUE TO STAFFING LIMITATIONS. UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE ONE CLINICIAN ASSIGNED TO THE EL CAJON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY WORK TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING UNTIL 5:00 PM. UM, AFTER THAT, WE CAN CHECK AROUND THE COUNTY IF THERE IS A PER CLINICIAN AVAILABLE. UM, THEY WILL SEND SOMEBODY TO US FROM ANOTHER JURISDICTION IF THEY HAVE SOMEBODY WORKING. UH, SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PERT. THE SECOND PARTNER THAT WE UTILIZE IS, UH, THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED THE MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM, OR MCRT. AND HERE'S SOME, UH, SO THE MCRT MODEL IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. RATHER THAN BEING ASSIGNED WITH AN OFFICER, THEY RESPOND INDEPENDENTLY AND THEY SEND OUT A GROUP OR A TEAM OF THREE PEOPLE, WHICH CONSISTS OF A MENTAL HEALTH CLINICIAN, A CASE MANAGER, AND A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST. UH, THERE'S NO LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTACT. UH, THEY ARE AVAILABLE 24 HOURS, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. AND, UH, THE ONLY LIMITATIONS THAT THEY REALLY HAVE IS THAT THEY CANNOT HELP WHEN THERE'S THREATS OF VIOLENCE OR MEDICAL EMERGENCIES. SO THEY WILL NOT GO TO THOSE CALLS. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO MAIN, UH, PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE IN MENTAL HEALTH SITUATIONS. AND I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU. UH, SO I, I HAD PREPARED KIND OF A REALLY HIGH LEVEL, UM, SUMMARY OF THIS CASE, BUT WE'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. SO I'LL GIVE YOU A REALLY, REALLY HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY. BUT IN THIS CASE, THERE WAS, UH, TWO POLICE OFFICERS. THEY ENGAGED WITH THE MAN THAT WAS MENTALLY ILL HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN LAS VEGAS. UH, HIS LAST NAME WAS SCOTT. UH, ONE OF THE OFFICERS NAME WAS SMITH. UM, WHAT OCCURRED IS THROUGH THAT INTERACTION, MR. SCOTT PASSED AWAY, AND MR. SCOTT'S SISTER SUED NOT ONLY THE LAS VEGAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF LAS LAS VEGAS, BUT ALSO THE POLICE OFFICERS INDIVIDUALLY. THE CITY MADE THE ARGUMENT THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE OPERATING UNDER THEIR DUTIES AS POLICE OFFICERS, THEY HAD WHAT'S CALLED QUALIFIED IMMUNITY, MEANING THAT THEY ARE PROTECTED FROM PERSONAL LIABILITY WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB. UH, THE NINTH, UH, CIRCUIT, UH, OF APPEAL, UM, SAID THAT IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, THOSE OFFICERS DO NOT HAVE QUALIFIED IMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY FOUND THAT MR. SCOTT WAS MENTALLY ILL, THAT HE WAS NOT SUSPECTED OF COMMITTING A CRIME WHEN THEY WERE INTERACTING WITH HIM. THAT HE DID NOT INITIALLY POSE A THREAT TO THEM WHEN THEY STARTED THEIR INTERACTION, BUT IN THE COURSE OF THEIR INTERACTION DID POSE A THREAT TO THEM. AND THAT'S WHEN LETHAL LETHAL FORCE WAS USED BECAUSE THEY ENGAGED WITH HIM AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS NOT A CRIME. UM, AND HE WAS NOT POSING A THREAT TO OTHERS OR THE POLICE OFFICERS, THEY LOST THEIR QUALIFIED IMMUNITY. SO WHEN YOU SEE THE DATA AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WE INTERACT WITH ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, THAT'S A SCARY PROPOSITION TO PUT OUR POLICE OFFICERS INTO. THIS OPINION REALLY PLACES A REAL HEAVY BURDEN, NOT ONLY ON CITIES AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS, BUT ACTUALLY ON THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS THAT ARE GOING AND RESPONDING AND MAKING SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS THAT, UM, ARE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH WITH MENTALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS. THAT'S, UM, A BAD POSITION TO BE IN. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE STARTED LOOKING AT, UM, HOW, HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND TO THESE CASES IN THE FUTURE. UM, WE'RE NOT THE FIRST [03:30:01] AGENCY TO DO THIS. UH, BACK IN FEBRUARY, THE SACRAMENTO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY ISSUED A MANDATE THAT NO POLICE OFFICER OR DEPUTY WOULD RESPOND TO ANY MENTAL HEALTH CALL. UM, UH, SHERIFF JIM COOPER SAID, BEING MENTALLY ILL IS NOT A CRIME, AND WE CANNOT BE THE ANSWER. AND IT'S, IT'S CREATED SOME CONSTERNATION IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY BETWEEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. UM, AND WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE CAME ABOUT, UH, THE PRACTICE CHANGES THAT WE LOOKED AT WERE ACTUALLY MUCH LESS DRAMATIC THAN WHAT WAS OCCURRING IN SACRAMENTO. I'M GONNA LET THE CAPTAIN EXPLAINED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING STARTING IN MARCH OR SO TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE RISKS TO OUR OFFICERS. GRAHAM, REALLY QUICK, WHEN DID THE NINTH CIRCUIT, UH, JUDGMENT COME DOWN? I BELIEVE IT WAS LATE 2024. OKAY, THANK YOU. SO I THINK I'D LIKE TO START WITH, UH, REALLY NOT A LOT HAS CHANGED. OUR POLICY HASN'T CHANGED. WE DIDN'T CHANGE. WE LOOKED AT IT, WE ANALYZED IT. AND, UM, I'LL GIVE YOU A A BRIEF RUNDOWN OF THAT. SO, POLICY 4 0 9 PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR INTERACTING WITH THOSE WHO MAY BE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH OR EMOTIONAL CRISIS. INTERACTION WITH SUCH INDIVIDUALS HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR MISCOMMUNICATION AND VIOLENCE. IT OFTEN REQUIRES AN OFFICER TO MAKE A DIFF MAKE DIFFICULT JUDGEMENTS ABOUT A PERSON'S MENTAL STATE AND INTENT IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY AND LEGALLY INTERACT WITH THE INDIVIDUAL. THAT'S THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE. THE ACTUAL POLICY IS 4 0 9 0.2, AND IT SAYS, THE ELCO POLICE DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING CONSISTENT, HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND RECOGNIZES THAT PERSONS IN CRISIS MAY BENEFIT FROM INTERVENTION. THE DEPARTMENT WILL COLLABORATE WHERE FEASIBLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO DEVELOP AN OVERALL INTERVENTION STRATEGY TO GUIDE ITS MEMBERS' INTERACTIONS WITH THOSE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. THIS IS TO ENSURE EQUITABLE AND SAFE TREATMENT OF ALL INVOLVED. SO THAT'S THE POLICY AS IT READS, AS THE CITY MANAGER POINTED OUT, UM, IT SAYS THAT THE PERSON MAY BENEFIT FROM INTERVENTION, BUT IT MAY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. AND THERE'S NO WAY TO DETERMINE THAT WITHOUT BEING THERE, WITHOUT HAVING A COMPLETE HISTORICAL, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PERSON OR WHAT THEIR DIAGNOSIS IS. AND SO OFTENTIMES, THE MERE PRESENCE OF A POLICE OFFICER CAN ESCALATE A SITUATION WHERE IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE. AND SO, UM, THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THAT, THE COLLABORATION PART. YOU'LL NOTICE IT SAYS WE'RE FEASIBLE. WELL, THE PART THAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THIS COURT DECISION IS WHEN IS IT FEASIBLE? AND IT'S FEASIBLE WHEN THERE'S A CRIME BEING COMMITTED, WHEN THERE HAS BEEN A CRIME COMMITTED, OR WHEN THERE'S A THREAT TO SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE PUBLIC. UM, THOSE ARE WHEN WE DETERMINE THAT IT'S FEASIBLE FOR US TO BE THERE AND, UM, AND TO MAKE THAT INTERACTION. UM, SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE PUT JUST ONE MORE CHECKBOX IN PLACE TO GIVE THE OFFICERS A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, LEEWAY AND HELP IN MAKING THIS DECISION. WE DECIDED THAT OUR SERGEANTS, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT STARTS REALLY IN OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER. WE HAVE SOME OF THE BEST COMMUNICATION OPERATORS, UM, IN THE COUNTY. THEY'RE VERY SKILLED AT WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT FILTERING OUT WHAT INFORMATION NEEDS TO GET TO THE, UH, SERGEANTS IN THE FIELD. SO IT STARTS THERE. AND NOW IF THEY HAVE A CALL THAT IS A MENTAL HEALTH CALL THAT IS NOT AN IMMEDIATE KNIFE OR DEATH EMERGENCY, THEY SEND IT TO THE FIELD SERGEANTS AND THE FIELD SERGEANTS DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S A REASON FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GO. AND WHAT WE'VE TOLD THEM IS, LOOK FOR A REASON THAT WE CAN LEGALLY BE THERE TO GO. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, HAVE THE OFFICERS RESPOND. AND IF YOU DON'T SEE THAT, THEN, THEN DON'T DO THAT. SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. IT'S BEEN WORKING. UM, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME STA STATISTICS THAT SHOW THAT MCRT IS A GREAT MODEL. IT WORKS WELL. I THINK IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE HAD THIS STEADY DECLINE IN OUR RESPONSES TO MEDICAL HEALTH EMERGENCIES SINCE WE'VE BEEN USING MCRT. AND, UH, AND REALLY I THINK THAT JUST ADDING THIS STEP IS BOTH ASSURANCE FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE OFFICERS RESPONDING. UM, IT REALLY GIVES THEM A LITTLE BIT OF SECURITY AS TO, OKAY, WE SHOULD REALLY BE INVOLVED IN THIS VERSUS WHEN SHOULD WE NOT. SO THANK YOU. I'M GONNA CONCLUDE BY JUST SHARING SOME DATA POINTS. I THINK GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO THE WHOLE PICTURE OF, OF WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT. SO THIS FIRST ONE ACTUALLY SHOWS THE NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SU SUICIDE CALLS RECEIVED, LOOKING AT THE MONTHS OF MAY THROUGH JULY. AND THE REASON WE CHOSE THESE MONTHS IS BECAUSE WE IMPLEMENTED [03:35:01] THIS POLICY AROUND MARCH OR THIS PO PROCEDURAL CHANGE AROUND MARCH. AND SO THAT GIVES US A NICE DATA SET WITHOUT BEING DILUTED BY THE OTHER NINE MONTHS IN THE YEAR. SO WE LOOKED AT THOSE PERIOD OF TIME, WE WENT BACK TO 2021, AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE, THE PURPLE BAR SHOWS HOW MANY CALLS WERE ACTUALLY RECEIVED. THE YELLOW BAR SHOWS HOW MANY CALLS THAT WERE ACTUALLY DISPATCHED, WHERE A POLICE OFFICER WENT TO SITE. YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN, OVER TIME, A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT WE'RE RESPONDING TO AND THAT WE'RE RECEIVING. AND I THINK CAPTAIN MACARTHUR MADE THE GOOD POINT. UM, I, I'M BEING HONEST, I THOUGHT IT WAS, OH, IT'S POST, SORT OF THE COVID ERA WHERE WE WERE MOVING ON, BUT ACTUALLY, UH, CAPTAIN MACARTHUR MENTIONED THAT MCRT REALLY STARTED TAKING OFF AROUND 2021. AND IT'S A GREAT MODEL BECAUSE IT RE RELIES LESS ON US AND MORE PROACTIVELY ON COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND COUNTY, UH, CLINICIANS. SO I THINK THERE'S SOME REAL VALUE IN LOOKING AT THIS NUMBER BECAUSE IT NEGATES SOME OF THE ARGUMENT MADE THAT PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED CALLING ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAUSE THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS POLICY THAT EXISTS IN THE CITY OF EL CAJON. UM, THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS, UM, THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WE RECEIVED, MENTAL HEALTH RELATED CALLS THAT WE RECEIVED, AND WE JUST PULLED OUT TWO, 2024. UM, YOU CAN SEE THE VAST MAJORITY ARE WELFARE CHECK CALLS, UH, FOLLOWED BY 51 50 OR MENTAL HEALTH WELFARE CHECK CALLS. UH, THERE'S SOME MCRT INFORMATION WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR SOME INFORMATION FROM US, SO THERE'S NOT A REAL NEED TO RESPOND, BUT WE'RE GETTING A CALL FROM THEM WHERE WE'LL PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT TO THEM. UH, THE ATTEMPTED SUICIDES PER EVALUATIONS AND THEN M-C-R-M-C-R-T ASSISTS, AS YOU CAN SEE. MCRT DOES NOT CALL US OFTEN AND WE DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND TO THEM OFTEN WITH PERT WE GO TO ABOUT, UM, IN 2024, WE WERE GOING TO ABOUT 80% OF THE CALLS. SO WE WEREN'T ALREADY GOING TO EVERY SINGLE PERT EVALUATION CALL. UH, AND WE WERE GOING TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF ATTEMPTED SUICIDE CALLS AS WELL. BUT THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU, UH, UH, GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT WERE RUNNING ALL THE TIME. IN 2024, OVER 3000 CALLS WERE RECEIVED AND ALMOST 3,300 CALLS WERE RESPONDED TO. UM, THIS SH SHOWS THE SAME DATA, BUT IN A PIE CHART JUST TO SEE THE OVERWHELMINGNESS OF THE WELFARE CHECKS THAT WE DO AS POLICE OFFICERS. UM, OUT IN THE PUBLIC. GRAHAM, IS THIS 9 1 1 AND NON-EMERGENCY, OR DO WE KNOW IF THAT'S ALL 9 1 1? I'LL LET THE CAPTAIN RESPOND TO THAT. ANY IDEA? THEY'RE ALL CALLS FOR SERVICE. SO, UH, HOWEVER THEY COME IN TO US, WHETHER IT'S 9 1 1, THEY ALL GO TO A DISPATCH ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. OKAY. SO IT COULD BE 9 1 1 OR, UH, NON-EMERGENCY. YEAH, ALMOST ALL OF OUR CALLS COME IN 9 1 1, AND THEN YOU'RE USUALLY DIVERTED EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. SOMEBODY WILL CALL THE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER, BUT MOST OF THEM COME IN AS 9 1 1 CALLS AND THEN EITHER GET DIVERTED TO NON-EMERGENCY OR STAY ON NINE ONE. GOT. OKAY. SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. OKAY, THANK YOU. CAN I ASK A FOLLOW UP ON THAT? IS THE SOURCE OF THE NINE ONE ONE CALL THE PERSON OR COULD IT BE ANOTHER ORGANIZATION LIKE COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH, UH, COMMUNITY SOCIAL ORGANIZATION? DO YOU GET A SENSE OF HOW MUCH IS FROM THE ACTUAL PATIENT? SO THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES, IT CAN BE ANOTHER ENTITY, IT COULD BE ANOTHER CARE FACILITY, IT COULD BE ANOTHER REFERRAL, UM, IT COULD BE A FAMILY MEMBER. UM, SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, AND, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO TELL WHICH OF THOSE CALLS HAD NOT JUST THE PERSON CALLING THEMSELVES. I, I HAVE A QUESTION. IT'S KIND OF COMPLICATED, BUT I, BACK IN 1994, I GOT HIRED TO RUN THE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY TEAM FOR BAYVIEW HOSPITAL. BEFORE PERT, THERE WERE A COUPLE HOSPITALS THAT HAD PRIVATE, PRIVATE PERC TYPE ORGANIZATIONS. SO I WENT OUT IN THOUSANDS OF THESE CALLS. UM, I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER, BUT I'M GUESSING IT WAS ABOUT 10% OR LESS THAT I CONTACTED THE POLICE TO GO OUT AND GET INVOLVED. MY QUESTION IS, IT SOUNDS LIKE PERT IS CALLING THE POLICE FOR EVERY CALL. IT IS THAT THEY'RE DOING. WELL, MAYOR, THE, THE MODEL OF PERT IS THE PERT CLINICIAN IS ASSIGNED TO AN OFFICER. SO THEY STAY TOGETHER AND THEY WORK ALL DAY. SO KIND OF BY PROXY, IF, IF A PER CLINICIAN IS GOING TO A CALL, THE OFFICER'S GOING WITH THEM. SO, SO PER PERT HEARS OF A PATIENT THAT NEEDS TO BE SEEN AND THEY, THEY WANT THE PER CLINICIAN TO RESPOND, BUT THE DISPATCH SERGEANT OR THE SERGEANT ON ON THE DESK DOESN'T THINK IT [03:40:01] WARRANTS POLICE RESPONSE. DOES THAT PREVENT PERT THEN FROM BEING INVOLVED? SO I'LL GIVE YOU MAYBE THE EASIEST EXAMPLE THAT I CAN THINK OF THAT MIGHT MATCH YOUR SCENARIO. WE USED TO DO A LOT OF PERT REFERRALS. SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK THAT PERSON NEEDS TO TALK TO SOMEBODY. AND THEN PERT WOULD COME IN AND THEY'D GET THE PERT REFERRAL AND THE CLINICIAN AND THE PERT OFFICER WOULD THEN GO OUT TO THAT PERSON'S HOUSE. WELL, YOU COULD PROBABLY SEE WHERE THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE. THERE'S NO CRIME BEING COMMITTED. THERE WAS NO CRIME COMMITTED, AND THERE'S NO CURRENT THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY. SO WHY IS THE OFFICER THERE? AND ONCE THE OFFICER'S THERE, IF THEY GET INTO A USE OF FORCE SCENARIO, WHAT DOES THAT CARRY FOR EVERYBODY? SO, SO THAT, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I HOPE IT DOES. I MEAN, DOES THIS CAUSE THE, THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATIONS WHEN PERT WANTS TO RESPOND TO A CALL, THEY GET PAID FOR RESPONDING TO A CALL, AND THE DUTY SERGEANT THEN SAYS, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO OUT ON THAT ONE. DOES THAT, THAT STOPS THEM AT THAT POINT FROM PROCESSING THE CALL OR, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT AND SEEING THE PATIENT? YEAH, SO THE CLINICIAN WOULDN'T, THEY'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THEM VIA TELEPHONE. IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT CAN BE DONE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEND SOMEBODY TO. SO WE DO PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH RESOURCES IF THEY CALL AND THERE'S A REASON THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO, WE PUT 'EM IN CONTACT WITH MCRT OR WE PUT 'EM IN CONTACT WITH DIFFERENT, WE TELL 'EM HOW TO GET HELP. AND UM, AND WE GIVE THEM AS MANY RESOURCES AS WE CAN TO POINT THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE DON'T JUST SAY, WE'RE NOT GONNA HELP YOU. SORRY, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN. SO I'M SORRY TO BEAT THIS DEAD HORSE, BUT SOMEBODY IS COMPLAINING TO THE COUNTY THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT HELPING PERT UH, IT, HOW DOES, HOW IS THAT HAPPENING? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS THE CONFLICT? SO WE WILL GO TO CALLS WITH PERT AND THEY ARE VALUABLE TO US WHEN SOMEBODY IS, SAY YOU WERE AT A BURGER KING AND SOMEBODY STARTED THROWING FOOD AND BREAKING WINDOWS. WELL NOW WE HAVE A VANDALISM, WE POSSIBLY HAVE A BATTERY, WE WILL SEND THE PERT TEAM. UM, WE HAD, SO THE OTHER THING THAT THIS DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IS 9 1 1 EMERGENCIES. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A WOMAN WHO TRIED TO KILL HERSELF. SHE SLID HER WRISTS. THAT WASN'T RUN THROUGH A SERGEANT. THAT WOULD TAKE MORE TIME. THAT WAS OUR DISPATCH, RECOGNIZING THIS IS A LIFE OR DEATH EMERGENCY, WE'RE GONNA SEND OFFICERS PER OFFICER AND CLINICIAN WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO SHOW UP. THEY APPLIED A TOURNIQUET. THEY PROBABLY SAVED THE, THE LADY'S LIFE. SO THE NOTION THAT WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING, I THINK IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THESE NUMBERS FROM 2024, YOU CAN LOOK TO SEE THAT IN 2024, WE DIDN'T RESPOND TO EVERY CALL THAT WE RECEIVED AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY CHANGED. WE'VE ADDED ANOTHER PORTION, ANOTHER CHECKBOX TO HELP PROTECT THE OFFICERS AND EVERYBODY INVOLVED ON THE OTHER END TOO. AND SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT BECAUSE MAYBE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT, THERE'S COMPETING INTERESTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE, I GUESS WITHIN THE COUNTY. AND THAT'S WHERE THIS PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE FIGURED OUT. BUT IT'S NOT A POLICE PROBLEM. AND THEN I THINK THAT'S THE POINT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IS THIS IS NOT A POLICE PROBLEM, IT IS A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM. WHAT IS THE NATURE THEN OF THE, THE COUNTY'S COMPLAINTS? I DON'T HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS FROM THE COUNTY, SIR. MAYBE GRAHAM, CAN YOU HELP ME WITH, WITH THIS, THE, THE INITIAL, THE INITIAL MEETING THAT I HAD WITH MEMBERS OF THE CAO'S OFFICE AND ALSO WITH FOLKS FROM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WAS THIS IDEA THAT WE STOPPED RUNNING PERT CALLS. THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE ISSUE. AND SO AS WE, AS THE CHIEF FIRST EXPLAINED IT, THEN I EXPLAINED IT, THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME NODDING OF HEADS, BUT I COULD ALSO TELL THAT THERE WAS SOME PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T VERY EXCITED STILL, THAT THEY FELT THAT WE JUST WEREN'T DOING ENOUGH. AND SOMEHOW THIS NARRATIVE GOT OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE BOX THAT WE JUST STOPPED RESPONDING TO CALLS OR WERE LEAVING PEOPLE IN DIRE STRAITS. 'CAUSE WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THEM. THE DATA DOES NOT SHOW THAT. AND THAT'S WHY WHEN I SAID I THINK IT'S PREMATURE, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ENOUGH DATA TO SAY THAT WE HAVE ACTED INAPPROPRIATELY. I THINK THE DATA SUGGESTS THAT WE ARE ACTING PRETTY CONSISTENT, AS THE CAPTAIN SAID WITH HOW WE HAVE IN YEARS PAST. WE DO EVALUATE EVERY SINGLE CALL, BUT WE JUST HAVE ANOTHER LAYER OF EVALUATION RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE, ARE WE REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE ON THIS CALL? IS IT A NICE TO HAVE OR IS IT A LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO BE THERE? WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT IT THROUGH THAT LENS. OKAY. I HAVE QUESTION. YEAH, GO AHEAD. SO DOES MCRT HAVE TO HAVE, IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, PERT HAS TO HAVE AN OFFICER WITH THEM WHEN THEY GO OUT, CORRECT? YES MA'AM. WHAT ABOUT MCRT? NO, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SELF-CONTAINED TEAM. SO [03:45:03] WOULDN'T IT BE A BETTER THING TO DO AND USE MCRT ALL THE TIME? OR HOW DOES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY USING MCRT MORE OFTEN THAN WE ARE SENDING PER. RIGHT. AND SO THE ISSUE WITH THE COUNTY IS THAT WE WEREN'T GOING OUT WITH PERT. CORRECT. THAT WAS THE ALLEGATION. CORRECT. SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE EITHER. YEAH, IT, IT'S, AND THE PROGRAM IS SET UP, IT'S A COUNTY PROGRAM, BUT FRANKLY IT'S FUNDED IN PART BY US BECAUSE WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A POLICE OFFICER WITH THE PERT OFFICER OR THE PER CLINICIAN. THE MCRT PROGRAM IS SO MUCH MORE EFFICIENT 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL ENCAPSULATED AND THEY WORK WITH US AS A PARTNER, NOT AS A FORCED PART PARTICIPANT. SO NO, NO SHADE ON PERP MEMBERS. BUT WHY, WHY DO WE, WHY WOULD WE EVEN ENTERTAIN USING THEM IF THEY CAN'T HANDLE THE CALLS LIKE MCRT DOES? AND IF COUNTY ONLY WANTS US TO USE PERT OR IF COUNTY WANTS US TO USE PERT, THEN COUNTY SHOULD PROBABLY BE PROVIDING THEIR OWN SECURITY. SUCH LIKE MCRT. YEAH. PERT IS VALUABLE TO US WHEN THEY'RE IN THE FIELD WITH US. LIKE I SURE, LIKE I EXPLAINED, IF THERE ARE INCIDENTS THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OFFICER RESPOND TO, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THEIR PART WHILE THEY'RE THERE. THEY'RE, I HAVE NOTHING AS YOU USED. UM, NO SHADE ON PERT. LIKE THEY, THEY'RE FANTASTIC. UM, THEY, THEY USE A DIFFERENT MODEL THAT BECAUSE OF THIS RULING, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, PUT OFFICERS IN EVERY SITUATION, LIKE SENDING THEM UP ON FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT A CLINICIAN COULD GO OUT AND DO ON THEIR OWN. RIGHT. AND THAT'S NOT A POLICE OFFICER'S JOB. MY QUESTION IS, DOES COUNTY, I MEAN, I'M KIND OF CONFUSED BECAUSE DOESN'T COUNTY RECOGNIZE THAT IF A POLICE OFFICER SHOWS UP ON A MENTAL HEALTH CALL THAT IT CAN ESCALATE AND THAT IT IS NOT NECESSARY? AND TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT. I MEAN, NOT TO BRING UP HISTORY, BUT IN 2016 WE HAD THE AL ALFRED ALANGO CASE AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IF OUR OFFICERS HAD NOT BEEN THERE, AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA DEBATE WHETHER THEY SHOULD OR SHOULDN'T, BUT LET'S JUST SAY FOR WHAT IFS IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN THERE, MAYBE THAT PARTICULAR CASE WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, THAT WE WOULDN'T, HE WOULDN'T HAVE ESCALATED, MR. LANGO MAY NOT HAVE ESCALATED TO THE POINT OF WHERE WE HAD TO TAKE ACTION. AND THAT'S KIND OF MY QUESTION IS LIKE, IF COUNTY WANTS US TO GO TO THESE CALLS AND THEY WANT PROTECTION FOR THEIR PEOPLE, THEY SHOULD JUST PROVIDE IT OR REIMBURSE US. PAY US TO PROVIDE AN EXTRA COPPER TOO. I DON'T KNOW. THANK YOU. I I HAVE A, A COUPLE QUESTIONS. UM, FIRST ONE IS PERT AND MCRT ARE ALL COUNTY FUNDED. ARE THEY COUNTY EMPLOYEES OR ARE THEY CONTRACTED? IT'S, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT PERT IS A CONTRACTED COMPANY ORGANIZATION. OKAY. AND, AND SO IF THEY'RE CONTRACTED, BUT MCRT IS COUNTY EMPLOYEES, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THEM ARE COUNTY EMPLOYEES. I DON'T KNOW IF THE WHOLE TEAM IS, BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR SURE. AND HOW DO THEY, THE CAPTAIN, SORRY, I'M SORRY. I'M LOOKING INTO CAPTAIN BATES AS WELL. DO YOU KNOW THAT, SIR? I WAS, LOOK AT THE CAPTAIN BATES. I THOUGHT HE MIGHT DO, YOU KNOW, IS MCRT ARE THEY ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES? S SO HE UNDERSTANDS THAT FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE, UM, OR AUDIO THAT THE ACTUAL CLINICIANS ARE PROBABLY CONTRACTED, BUT IT'S OVERSEEN BY OFFICE OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. BUT WE CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. I'D BE CURIOUS 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE TWO COUNTY PROGRAMS ARE COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER. ONE WITH MASSIVE LIABILITY TO OUR OFFICERS AND ONE WITH ZERO LIABILITY TO OUR OFFICERS. AND SO, UM, IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE THE OBVIOUS, UH, CONCLUSION BASED OFF OF THE EVIDENCE IS, AND, AND SOME OF THE DATA THAT YOU'VE SHOWN US, IF MCRT WAS IMPLEMENTED IN [03:50:01] 2021 AND THE PREVIOUS GRAPH IS SHOWING A DECLINE IN CALLS BECAUSE MCRT IS PICKING MORE OF THESE UP, IT WOULD SEEM THAT MC T IS THE MORE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. AND I'M, I'M GONNA GO TO AN EAST COUNTY PROVERB. MONEY'S THE ANSWER SON. NOW WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION? IT SEEMS LIKE MONEY'S THE REASON FOR ALL OF THIS RIGHT NOW, IS THERE, THERE TWO COMPETING, UH, ORGANIZATIONS OR PROGRAMS ARE COMPETING FOR FUNDING FROM, FROM THE COUNTY. UM, AND THE, THE DATA IS SHOWING THAT M CT IS A BETTER PROGRAM. MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE DURING THE MEETINGS WITH THE CAO'S OFFICE HAS, HAS THE SHERIFF AT ALL BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS NINTH CIRCUIT SCOTT VERSUS SMITH AND THE LIABILITY THAT IT BRINGS UP HAS, HAS THEIR, HAVE THEY WEIGHED IN OR THEIR COUNTY COUNCIL WEIGHED IN AT ALL IN ALL THIS? NOT AT MY LEVEL. THEY, THERE MAY BE SOME DISCUSSIONS, 'CAUSE I KNOW THE CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION AND THE, THE FIRE CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION, THE POLICE CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION ARE MEETING, THEY FORMED A WORKING GROUP TO KIND OF HASH THIS OUT COUNTYWIDE, SO WE CAN HAVE SOME MORE UNIFORMITY AROUND THE COUNTY. BUT YEAH, I, I HAVEN'T HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS WHERE THE CONVERSATION NEEDS TO GO IS WITH THE SHERIFF AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WHO ARE ALL WORK, HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE OF THE PERT PROGRAM, UM, TO COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF A, LIKE YOU SAID, GAME PLAN OR UNIFORMITY WITH REGARD TO THIS DECISION, WHICH IS EXTRAORDINARILY NEW, SCOTT V. SMITH BEGINNING OF 2024, THAT WE'RE NOT EVEN A YEAR IN. AND IT CREATES LARGE, LARGE AMOUNTS OF LIABILITY FOR EVERY OFFICER INVOLVED. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I, I WOULD THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF WEIGHING IN WITH REGARD TO LEADERSHIP IN LAW ENFORCEMENT BEFORE WE START THROWING ROCKS AND STONES AT EACH OTHER, UM, TO COLLECTIVELY SIT DOWN AND SAY, HEY, MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CHANGE EVERYBODY'S STANDARDS, BUT ADVOCATE FOR A PROGRAM THAT WORKS BASED OFF OF THE, THE LIABILITY RISK, UM, FOR EACH CITY AND THE SHERIFF. UM, BUT THAT'S ABOVE OUR PAY GRADE. IT SOUNDS LIKE. IF COUNSEL WOULD BE. OKAY, I HAVE THREE MORE SLIDES TO QUICKLY SHOW AND IT SURE. IT, IT ACTUALLY GOES BACK TO WHAT MR. ORTIZ SAID ABOUT THE MONEY. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MANY TIMES DURING OUR SALES TAX MEASURE, BUT, UM, THERE IS A MASSIVE INEQUITY IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY THAT EXISTS BETWEEN CITIES. NOT EVERY CITY GETS THE, THE SAME SHARE OF THE PROPERTY TAX THAT THEIR RESIDENTS PAY THEIR, THEIR HOMEOWNERS PAY. UM, IN FACT, THE CITIES OF CORONADO, OCEANSIDE AND ENCINITAS GET AROUND 25% OF WHATEVER THEIR RESIDENTS PAY. UH, WHERE CITIES LIKE EL CAJON DOWN TO SAN MARCOS, WE GET AROUND 10%. UM, THERE'S A MASSIVE INEQUITY THERE. AND IF YOU ARE THEN TO THEN TAKE THE VALUE OF HOMES ALONG THE COAST WHERE THE REAL ESTATE'S MORE EXPENSIVE AND THERE'S NOT A MUCH AS MUCH AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THERE'S A MASSIVE INEQUITY. AND THESE ARE ESTIMATES BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ONE SOURCE THAT HAS THIS DATA. WE HAD TO PULL THIS FROM ABOUT 25 DIFFERENT SOURCES. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ON A PER CAPITA BASIS, EL CAJON RECEIVES THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX PER PERSON IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO. IF WE, IF WE JUST GOT WHAT THE AVERAGE CITY GOT, WE WOULD TRIPLE OR QUADRUPLE THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX WE GET. THAT IS MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WE WOULD TAKE ON ALL THE LIABILITY IF THE COUNTY MIRACULOUSLY SHOWED THIS AND ALLOWED US TO, UM, OH, MY SLIDE'S NOT UP. I'M LIKE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THESE SLIDES AND THEY'RE NOT SHOWING. WELL, I'M GONNA HAVE TO, WE'RE WITH YOU . WE CAN SEE. DO WE, DO WE KNOW WHY IT'S NOT POPPING UP? I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS SLIDE TOO. . THERE WE GO. HERE WE GO. WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET THERE. SORRY. TAKE YOUR TIME. I'VE GOTTA SEE THIS SLIDE NOW. I, I I KNOW RIGHT? I I'LL NEVER. NO, I'VE REALLY O I'VE REALLY OVER PROMISED. OKAY, HERE WE GO. HERE WE GO. HERE WE ARE. OKAY. SO THIS SHOWS, UM, HOW MUCH THE INEQUITY OF SHARE OF PROPERTY TAX COUNTYWIDE, YOU CAN SEE EL CAJON IS NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THAT. UM, AND THIS SHARE SHOWS THE PER CAPITA AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX RECEIVED. AGAIN, ELCON IS AT DEAD LAST IN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO. UM, THIS ALSO SHOWS THIS THEN NOW PULLS OUT THAT SAME DATA. IT JUST PULLS OUT THE CITIES THAT HAVE THEIR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND CALLS FOR [03:55:01] SERVICE PER CAPITA. UM, AS SUSPECTED CITIES ALONG THE COAST HAVE, UH, HIGHER DEMANDS FROM THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENT. UH, EL CAJON ACTUALLY HAS A PRETTY FAIRLY LOW CALLS PER CAPITA. HOWEVER, IF YOU LOOK AT THE IMBALANCE OF THE AMOUNT OF TAXES RECEIVED VERSUS LIKE, WE'LL USE CORONADO FOR EXAMPLE. UM, THEY'RE RECEIVING A LOT OF CALLS PER PER CAPITA, BUT THEY ALSO GET A LOT OF REVENUE PER CAPITA WHERE EL CAJON HAS, UM, THE DISPROPORTIONATE BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF CALLS AND THE REVENUE RECEIVED THAT IT'S DISPROPORTIONATE. SO THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THE CITIES LIKE EL CAJON AND OTHER CITIES IN THIS COUNTY WHEN WE DON'T GET OUR EQUAL SHARE OF, UH, PROPERTY TAX. AND IF SOME OF THESE THINGS WERE NORMALIZED, I THINK SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WOULDN'T BE AS DRAMATIC BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE THE FUNDING LIKE THE COR CORONADO'S AND THE CARLSBAD'S TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT THE COUNTY WOULD LIKE US TO DO. SO WITH THAT STAFF IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE PROGRAM, UM, ABOUT DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING. AND, UM, LIKE TO HEAR YOUR INPUT, I JUST, I WANNA SEE IF YOU AGREE WITH WHAT I'M SAYING. THE, THE PROBLEM TO A SMALL DEGREE IS FINANCES, BUT THE, THE MORE MASSIVE UNSOLVABLE PROBLEM IS THE QUALIFIED IMMUNITY PROBLEM. IS, IS, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? THAT THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THE NEED TO LOOK AT THE POLICY AND, AND I THINK THE NINTH CIRCUIT, THEY, THEY'RE NOT OPERATING IN A VACUUM. THIS IS, THIS IS COMING ON THE HEELS OF A MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES THAT POLICE ARE LESS ENGAGED IN THESE TYPES OF THINGS. AND SO I THINK IT'S JUST A REFLECTION OF WHAT ACTUALLY OUR RESIDENTS WANT FROM US IS NOT TO SHOW UP AT EVERY SINGLE CALL AND MICROMANAGE PEOPLE'S LIVES. I, GO AHEAD STEVE. UH, GO AHEAD STEVE. UM, CALLS COME INTO TO THE PERT CONTRACTOR ITSELF OUTSIDE OF THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM. TRUE. I DON'T KNOW THAT. OKAY. LET'S SAY 2 1 1 HAS A REFERRAL. DO THEY SEND IT TO HERE? YEP. THEY GET REFERRALS. WHERE I'M GOING IS, DOES EVEN PERT RESPOND TO EVERY CALL THAT IT GETS? I DUNNO. OR CAN THEY HANDLE SOME OVER THE PHONE? OR DO THEY HAVE TO REQUIRE TO SEND A PERT EVERY SINGLE TIME? I DO KNOW THAT THEY DO HANDLE SOME CALLS OVER THE PHONE. SO EVEN PERT MIGHT NOT GO VISIT EVERY SINGLE TIME. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT DECIDE ARE, DON'T REQUIRE A POLICE RESPONSE. UM, I DID MEET LIZ AND SHE RIDES WITH LEVY, I THINK IS HIS NAME. AND YOU SAID TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, EIGHT TO FIVE? I THINK IT'S TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SO OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS, WHAT DO WE DO? WE WOULD HAVE TO REACH OUT TO ANOTHER AGENCY LIKE LA MESA TO SEE IF THEY HAD A PER CLINICIAN OR SANTI IF THEY HAD A PER CLINICIAN. AND IF NOBODY HAS ANYBODY, THEN WE DON'T SEND ANYBODY AND WE JUST SEND OFFICERS IF WE NEED TO. IS MCRT AVAILABLE AFTER HOURS? YES. OKAY. SO THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. UH, THERE WAS ALSO A COURT DECISION IN ADDITION TO SCOTT VERSUS SMITH, WHICH WAS DRUMMOND VERSUS CITY OF ANAHEIM IN 1999. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN AROUND, NOT JUST IN THE PAST YEAR, BUT SCOTT ACTUALLY AFFIRMED THE DRAMA DECISION IN A VERY SIMILAR CASE. OFFICER APPLIED BODY PRESSURE, UH, RESULTED IN A PASSING OF SOMEBODY AND THAT, THAT WAS THE GERMANE ISSUE OF THOSE TWO CASES. MY QUESTION OR, OR THE KEY ISSUE TO ME IS WHO GETS TO DECIDE THE RESPONSE TO A MENTAL HEALTH CALL? THAT'S WHAT THE, THAT'S WHAT THE ISSUE IS FOR THE COUNTY AS WELL. IT DO, THEY GET TO DECIDE WHAT OUR RESPONSE IS TO A MENTAL HEALTH CALL. WELL, WAIT A MINUTE. YOU KNOW, WHAT IF THE PRESENCE OF OUR OFFICER, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WILL ACTUALLY ESCALATE A SITUATION I'VE BEEN TOLD THERE WAS INDEED A SITUATION WHERE AFTER THE MATTER, THE FATHER OF A PERSON WHO WAS NEEDING HELP SAID, I'M GLAD YOU GUYS DIDN'T GO. YOU WOULD'VE ESCALATED THAT SITUATION FOR HIM BECAUSE HE'S THIS. SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY, TO PERT, THIS DOESN'T RISE TO A LEVEL OF HER INVOLVEMENT. IT MAY ESCALATE THE SITUATION AND IT'S, IT DOESN'T INVOLVE A CRIME OR A THREAT OR IMMINENT DANGER TO SOMEBODY ELSE. NOW, WHERE I NEED TO PIVOT HERE IS THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO RESPOND TO 9 1 1 CALLS. THAT'S OUR FIREFIGHTERS. OUR, THIS IS KIND OF A QUICK ANSWER. POSSIBLY. DO OUR FIREFIGHTERS HAVE MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING? DO OUR DISPATCHERS HAVE PERT TRAINING? DO OUR OFFICERS HAVE PERT TRAINING? I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER THAT TO THE FIRE CHIEF. OKAY. I THINK [04:00:01] THE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN EIGHT AND 16 HOURS OF PERT TRAINING. I THINK THE PER, I THINK THE PERT CLASS FOR OFFICERS IS 24 HOURS. 24 HOURS. SO THERE ARE SOME TRAINING IN, IN MENTAL HEALTH. UH, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM THE, I'LL ASK THE CITY MANAGER AND YOU CAN DEFER AS YOU SEE FIT. UH, ARE ARE FIREFIGHTERS EQUIPPED AT ALL WITH ANY MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING? WE HAVE OUR FIRE CHIEF HERE. WE, WE SHOULD PROBABLY BRING HIM DOWN TO ASK THAT QUESTION. AND, AND WHILE OUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE, ARE BEING SPOKEN FOR HERE IN A SECOND, EVEN THE PRESENCE OF A, I COULD SEE OUR FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDING TO A CALL AND THEY'RE SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE. THIS IS GOING SIDEWAYS. I NEED SOME HELP, UH, TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND NOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS TO DECIDE, HAS A CRIME BEEN COMMITTED? UH, DO WE NEED TO STEP IN, PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY OF OUR OWN FIREFIGHTERS? CHIEF, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? UH, GOOD EVENING. UH, FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND FOR EMS PROVIDERS, WE HAVE VERY MINIMAL MENTAL HEALTH, UM, TRAINING. 'CAUSE OUR FOCUS IS ON EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES. BUT THE CH CHALLENGE IS THAT OFTENTIMES THERE'S A MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT FOR EMS CALLS. UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE JUST MET WITH COUNTY EMS AND, UH, COUNTY BEHAVIORAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. JUST YESTERDAY HAD A STAKEHOLDER ROUND TABLE AND WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THE SYSTEM WAS BUILT. THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM WAS BUILT CLOSE TO 45 YEARS AGO. THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, AND THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TODAY. AND A LOT OF THE REGULATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE ARE ANTIQUATED. AND SO IN MANY WAYS WE'RE DEALING WITH CONFLICTING REGULATIONS, CONFLICTING, UM, POLICIES THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO REALLY GET AROUND. AND, AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW AT A HIGHER LEVEL, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO OPERATIONALLY. WE KEEP WORKING WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS. I HAVE, UH, UTMOST RESPECT FOR 'EM. WE COLLABORATE STRONGLY WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS. WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH A 9 1 1 SYSTEM THAT'S BROKEN. AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS WHEN PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO GET HELP, THEY CALL 9 1 1 SYSTEM. ON THE EMS SIDE, WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO SAY NO IF, IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF MEDICAL COMPONENT TO THE CALL, EMS AND FIRE HAS HAS TO GO AS, AS THE COUNTY EMS UH, PROGRAM MANAGER STATED YESTERDAY, IT'S, IT'S ONCE, ONCE THERE'S A BOX THAT'S TICKED, THERE'S NO WAY NOT TO LAUNCH A FIRE ENGINE OR AN AMBULANCE. WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN OUR RESPONSES BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION UPFRONT SO WE DON'T END UP RUSHING INTO SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO GO INTO. IS THERE A PROTOCOL FOR FIREFIGHTERS TO KNOW IF A CRIME IS BEING COMMITTED AS PART OF AN EMS CALL? THE PERSON HAS A POTENTIALLY A WEAPON, THE PERSON IS INTOXICATED. UH, THE PERSON IS MAKING A, I I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THINGS THAT ARE CRIMES. DO THE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE A PROTOCOL THEY KNOW, WHOOPS, THAT CHECK THE BOX I NOW SHOULD CALL THE POLICE? THAT'S, THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE'RE WORK, WE ARE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. SO REALLY WHAT WE'RE RELYING HEAVILY ON IS, IS ON THE DISPATCH CENTERS. AND AS, UH, CAPTAIN MCCART STARTED IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS PRESENTATION, THERE'S A LOT OF BURDEN BEING PUT ON, ON OUR DISPATCHERS BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO TRIAGE WHAT ARE WE DEALING WITH. SO CURRENTLY AS WE'RE SLOWING DOWN OUR RESPONSES, WE ARE CONFERRING WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN PRIOR TO DECIDING WHAT OUR, UH, RESPONSE POSTURE IS GONNA BE. DOES OUR NURSE NAVIGATION PROGRAM HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH PART OF IT THAT WE CAN TAP INTO? UH, UNFORTUNATELY THEY DON'T. OKAY. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE STILL HAVING THE DISCUSSIONS PERHAPS EVEN COUNTYWIDE OF WHAT MORE, MORE CALLS ARE MENTAL HEALTH. SO WHAT THE PROTOCOL IS, WHEN A FIREFIGHTER FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND, PARAMEDICS RESPOND TO A CALL AND SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS, THIS IS MORE THAN JUST, UH, [04:05:01] PHYSICAL HEALTH. THIS IS MENTAL HEALTH AND I NEED HELP. EITHER FROM THE PERT CLINICIAN WHO IS RIDING AROUND TOWN RIGHT NOW OR FROM THE POLICE BECAUSE A BOX JUST GOT CHECKED THAT A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED THAT JUSTIFIES THEM BEING THERE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS STILL A DISCUSSION THAT'S EVOLVING. IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? IT IS STILL BEING WORKED OUT. I MEAN, WE'VE, WE'VE ALWAYS WORKED WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS AND WHEN SOMETHING THAT IS NOT FITTING THE EMS CRITERIA, WE REACH OUT TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS AND ASK FOR THEIR EXPERTISE. I HOPE SOMEDAY THAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE TRAINED TO KNOW THAT LINE, WHEN TO CALL, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO JUST ASSUME THE ENTIRE CALL ON HIM OR HERSELF, WHETHER IT'S MENTAL OR PHYSICAL HEALTH. I HOPE THEY KNOW WHEN, I HOPE IT'S OKAY FOR THEM TO CALL FOR HELP BECAUSE IT'S BEYOND THEIR, UH, MISSION. AND, AND, AND THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE. WE, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO REACH OUT TO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS AND ASK IT IT, BUT OFTENTIMES BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO TRIAGE THE CALLS AS THEY'RE COMING IN, THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE IS ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT'S BEING PROVIDED TO OUR DISPATCH CENTERS. AND, AND SO THERE'S THE UNKNOWN AND THE DISPATCHERS, UH, THERE ARE SOME AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SOME, BUT HEARTLAND, THERE'S, THERE'S, THE WAY THE SYSTEM WORKS, THE INITIAL 9 1 1 CALLS GO TO LAW ENFORCEMENT DISPATCH CENTERS. THEY ARE THE PRIMARY, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY DISPATCH CENTERS. AND THEN BASED ON THE TRIAGE THAT TAKES PLACE AT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT DISPATCH CENTER, IF IT'S DEEMED THAT IT IS AN EMS CALL, THEN IT GETS SHIFTED TO SECONDARY DISPATCH GENERAL, WHICH, WHICH IS THEN FIRE DEPARTMENT EMS. WELL, GOD BLESS THE DISPATCHERS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE BURDEN IS ON THEM TO SIFT THROUGH ALL THESE THINGS, RESPOND WITH THE COP, RESPOND WITH THE FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC. YES. NO. WHAT'S THE SITUATION? WHAT ARE THEY WALKING INTO? UH, WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE DISPATCHERS AND THE HEAVY BURDEN ABSOLUTELY. THAT THEY HAVE. THE, THE KEY ISSUE STILL COMES BACK TO WHO GETS TO DECIDE OUR RESPONSE TO A MENTAL HEALTH CALL. SHOULD THE COUNTY BE ABLE TO SAY, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING. UH, IT'S OUR MANDATE THAT YOU PROVIDE US AN OFFICER AND YOU HAVE TO BEAR THE COST. I THINK THAT IS A KEY ISSUE HERE THAT WE ALL NEED TO TALK ABOUT. I THINK OTHER CITIES DO IT ALREADY. THEY JUST DON'T HAVE IT AS A FORMAL POLICY THAT WE HAVE. I THINK I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF OTHER CITIES ARE JUST TOO BUSY TO HANDLE SOME CALLS. AND I THINK IT'S, I CAN'T IMAGINE WE'RE THE ONLY CITY THAT IS FILTERING MENTAL HEALTH CALLS THAT ARE RESPONDED TO. IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE A MORE FORMAL POLICY, WHICH SEEMED TO HAVE POPPED UP ABOVE THE RADAR. I HAVE A VERY QUICK QUESTION, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO COULD ANSWER THIS, BUT, UM, WHEN SOMEONE CALLS 9 1 1 AND WE DEEM IT AS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE OR CRISIS OR WHATEVER WE WANNA CALL IT, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE TYPES OF CALLS OR REASONS SOMEONE WOULD CALL 9 1 1 IF THERE ISN'T A NEED FOR, OR IF SOMEONE'S NOT A DANGER TO THEMSELVES, A DANGER TO OTHERS, WHAT DOES, WHAT DOES A, WHAT DOES A CALL LOOK LIKE IN THAT SCENARIO? DOES DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT? 'CAUSE IN MY, IN MY ESTIMATION, IF I'M GONNA CALL 9 1 1 BECAUSE SOMEONE'S HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, IT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M IN BURGER KING AND SOMEONE'S THROWING THINGS AND ACTING VIOLENT OR, AND THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY THING, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON IN MY HEAD. I CAN THINK OF SOMEONE CALLING 9 1 1 BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTING ERRATIC AND THEY'RE SOMEONE'S SCARED THAT THEY'RE GONNA HURT SOMEONE. CC CAN IIII MIGHT BE IGNORANT ON THE TOPIC, BUT I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL TO INFORM, WELL, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE AND CAPTAIN HOPE THIS WASN'T THE ONE YOU WERE GONNA GIVE, BUT WE RECEIVED A CALL RECENTLY FROM A MOM AND I BELIEVE IT WAS OUR NINE, 9-YEAR-OLD SON, NINE OLD WAS TEARING UP THE HOUSE JUST OUT OF CONTROL, JUST RIPPING STUFF UP. IS A CRIME BEING COMMITTED? ABSOLUTELY NOT. DO WE SEND POLICE OFFICERS? YEAH. THIS LADY HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. AND IN THIS CASE, IT WAS THE, THE THRESHOLD WAS, YEAH, WE SHOULD PROBABLY SEND SOMEBODY THERE. SO WE SENT SOMEBODY AND WE HELPED BRING HIM, CALM HIM DOWN. ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UH, SOMEONE WAS ON THE TROLLEY PLATFORM. THEY WERE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND THEY WERE TAKING THEMSELVES TO GROSSMONT HOSPITAL 'CAUSE THEY WERE COGNIZANT ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THEY WERE, THEY NEEDED HELP AND WERE THREAT WAS THREATENING TO COMMIT [04:10:01] SUICIDE. HE CALLED 9 1 1 AND SAID, PRETTY MUCH, I KIND OF WANNA RIDE. I DON'T WANNA TAKE THE TROLLEY TO GROSSMONT. I JUST WANT A RIDE AND I'M, I'M GONNA KILL MYSELF. WE DID NOT SEND SOMEBODY, HE WAS, HE HAD THE CAPACITY. HE DIDN'T HAVE A MEANS HE DIDN'T HAVE A GUN, HE DIDN'T HAVE A KNIFE. I GUESS HE COULD HAVE THROWN HIMSELF IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN. I HATE TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS THIS FLIPPANTLY, BUT THAT'S NOT THE INTENT. BUT WE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION. DOES THIS MAKE SENSE TO SEND A POLICE OFFICER TO A TROLLEY STATION WHERE SOMEONE IS ALREADY WAITING FOR A TROLLEY TO GET TO THE HOSPITAL ON HIS OWN RECOGNIZANCE OR HIS OWN, HIS OWN FEET. UM, IN THAT CASE WE DIDN'T. RIGHT. AND SO, AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A LOT OF OTHER FACTORS THAT WENT INTO THAT. UH, ANOTHER, ANOTHER CASE WAS, UH, A WOMAN CALLED THAT HER MOM WAS UPSTAIRS IN A BEDROOM AND WAS THREATENING TO KILL HERSELF. AND WE SHOWED UP. OFFICERS SHOWED UP BECAUSE THERE WAS A GUN INVOLVED. WE ASCERTAINED THAT, UM, THE WOMAN THAT WANTED TO KILL HERSELF OR THREATEN TO KILL HERSELF WAS NOT POSING A THREAT TO ANYBODY ELSE BUT HERSELF. SHE WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. THE ONLY WAY WE COULD GET HER OUT IS WE WOULD HAVE TO TEAR DOWN THE DOOR AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN RISK OUR POLICE OFFICERS BEING SHOT OR MAYBE EVEN SHOOTING HER. AND NOW WE WOULDN'T HAVE QUALIFIED IMMUNITY BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT COMMITTING A CRIME. SO, SO AT THAT POINT, THE OFFICER SAID, AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, LET'S, LET'S, WE CAN'T SIT ON THE HOUSE ALL NIGHT LONG. LET'S TAKE OFF AND CALL. PLEASE CALL US. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, WE WILL BE RIGHT HERE. WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. SO THOSE ARE KIND OF SOME EXAMPLES IN THE DAY IN THE LIFE OF WHY PEOPLE DO CALL. WHEN, WHEN I RAN THAT PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY TEAM, MOST OF OUR CALLS WOULD BE, MY SON HAS SCHIZOPHRENIA. HE'S HEARING VOICES. HE'S, HE'S TALKING ABOUT BLACK HELICOPTERS AND HE'S NOT TAKING HIS MEDICATION. AND YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD HAVE TO TELL THEM, WELL, LOOK, I'LL COME OUT AND TRY TO TALK HIM INTO COMING INTO THE HOSPITAL, BUT I CAN'T FORCE HIM TO, IT'S NOT AGAINST THE LAW TO NOT TAKE YOUR MEDICATION. AND SO THOSE ARE THE, THOSE WERE GENERALLY THE KIND OF CALLS THAT WE, WE GOT. SO A LOT OF, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE WHERE FAMILY FELT THAT THERE SHOULD BE INTERVENTION, BUT THERE, THE LAW WOULDN'T ALLOW US TO INTERVENE. IT WAS ALL VERY GRAY AREAS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THERE'S NO GOOD OPTIONS ALL IN ALL OF THESE SCENARIOS. THERE'S NO GOOD OPTIONS WHETHER WE RESPOND OR DON'T RESPOND, LIKE WITH, WITH THE TOTALITY OF THE HUMAN BEING THAT'S SUFFERING THIS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WITH THE OFFICERS, UH, POTENTIALLY HAVING LIABILITY TO RESPOND. THERE'S NO GOOD OPTIONS IN THIS SCENARIO IS, IS. AND SO I THINK WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S , THERE'S, THERE'S NO GOOD ANSWERS RIGHT NOW WITH THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AND, AND, AND THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S ONLY THE, THE LESSER OF TWO BAD OPTIONS. UM, I WAS GONNA ASK ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT I FORGOT WHAT IT WAS. OH, OH, UH, I KNOW THAT OUR, UH, PO A IS HERE. I OH, THERE'S MALAD. YEAH. UM, I'D BE CURIOUS IF WE HAD ANY TIME TO ALLOW LABOR TO, TO COMMENT TOO. OF COURSE. YEAH. UM, THANK YOU, SIR. I THINK, UH, WE'RE OKAY FOR THE MOMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE MAY CALL YOU BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OH, BE BEFORE YOU COME AND SPEAK THOUGH, I DO WANNA, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAK CARDS FOR THIS? YOU'RE IT. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. UH, SO I'M LAGA. I'M THE ELCO POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, UM, PRESIDENT. UM, WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOU GUYS ALL, UH, WE ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS', UH, CONSIDERATION AND TO PROTECTING OUR QUALIFIED IMMUNITY AS A UNION. UM, WE ARE TRAINED POLICE OFFICERS. UH, WE DO RESPOND TO CRIME, UM, AND, UH, ASSIST IN OTHERS. UH, WE ARE NOT MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A, A CASE TO CASE BASIS. UM, AND OUR QUALIFIED IMMUNITY IS AT RISK AT THAT POINT WHEN WE DO RESPOND TO THESE TYPES OF CALLS, UH, WHERE WE PUT OURSELVES INTO DANGER. THANK YOU. I, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU ARE RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH CALLS. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A BLANKET. WE DON'T DO IT AS COUNCILMAN ORTIZ SAYS, THERE'S NOT REALLY A FINITE SOLUTION FOR AN INFINITE NUMBER OF CASE BY CASES. AND YOU'RE JUST DOING YOUR BEST TO STAY IN YOUR LANE OF PROTECTING LIFE AND PROPERTY AND MAKING A DECISION. WHAT IS THE THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY IN EVERY SITUATION? AND IN MANY CASES, I'M HEARING YOU ARE GOING BEYOND PERHAPS WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IN TERMS OF, WELL, WE'LL STILL GO TO THE 7-YEAR-OLD BOY'S HOUSE AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS, THIS COULD REALLY GO SOUTH, SO WE'RE GONNA HELP STOP THAT. UH, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN STAND IN YOUR SHOES AND MAKE [04:15:01] A POLICY THAT TAKES AWAY YOUR DISCRETION. AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THE COUNTY OR ANY OTHER AGENCY SHOULD HAVE A POLICY THAT TAKES AWAY YOUR DISCRETION IF YOUR LIVELIHOOD IS AT RISK AND PERSONAL LIABILITY, WHICH IS THE OUTCOME OF THE NINTH CIRCUIT, UH, DECISION. SO IT'S A CONUNDRUM, BUT I WOULD SUPPORT ALWAYS GIVING YOU DISCRETION TO DO THE GOOD JOB THAT YOU ALREADY DO. YES, THANK YOU. IS THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION GENERALLY OKAY WITH THE IDEA THAT THE DESK SERGEANT IS GONNA TRIAGE THESE CALLS AND SEND YOU OUT ON THE ONES THAT THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE? UH, AS A, AS A ASSOCIATION, WE DO TRUST OUR SERGEANTS AND OUR BOSSES TO MAKE THAT DECISION. UM, IF, IF IT SOMEHOW GETS OVERSEEN, UM, WE ARE CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO BRING THAT UP AND DISCUSS IT. SO AS A UNION, I SAY WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, SERGEANT MAKING THAT DECISION. THANK YOU. I I JUST THINK THERE'S, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE INSTANCES RECENTLY OF COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWNS WHERE FIRE WENT OUT ON A CALL, THEY MAYBE HAD A, A MENTAL HEALTH SITUATION AND THEY WEREN'T AWARE THAT YOU WERE STAGING NEARBY. SO THIS IS THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE SO THEY KNOW, OH, YOU, YOU'RE AWARE OF THE SITUATION HERE. YOU'RE NEARBY, YOU'RE NOT PRESENT TO ESCALATE, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE BEHIND THE BUILDING IN CASE WE NEED YOU. UH, THAT'S THE KIND OF COMMUNICATION WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IS SPOT ON. CORRECT. I GOT THIS SIR. TO, TO ANSWER TO THAT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE'VE PROVIDED TRAINING TO FIRE AND FIRE DISPATCHERS, AND WE UNDER, ANYTIME THERE'S ANYTHING NEW, WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S GONNA BE SOME, SOME GROWING PAINS. AND SO WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN SOME MISCOMMUNICATION AND WE ARE WORKING ON WAYS TO, TO TRY TO IMPROVE THOSE THINGS. AND SO, UM, I FREQUENTLY MEET WITH THE FIRE CHIEFS AND WE TALK ABOUT THIS WENT REALLY GOOD, MAYBE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER. AND SO WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THAT COMMUNICATION. THAT'S ALL WE CAN ASK FOR. OKAY. UM, WELL THANK YOU. LEMME SEE IF THERE'S ANY, ANY MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE BEAT THIS UP PRETTY GOOD. UM, GRAHAM, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN ONGOING SITUATION. IT'S VERY FLUID AND I EXPECT THAT WE MAY JUST BE THE FIRST CITY WHO'S REALLY HAVING A, A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE MIGHT SEE QUITE A BIT MORE IN THE COMING WEEKS. WILL YOU PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON THAT TASK FORCE AND KEEP US APPRISED OF WHAT'S HAPPENING? YES, SIR. THANK YOU. OKAY. THEN WE HAVE NO, UH, COMMISSION REPORTS ON TODAY'S AGENDA. ITEM 15 [15. Council Activity Report] IS MY ACTIVITIES REPORT, WHICH IS AS REPORTED. WE'RE NOW ACTIVITIES [16. 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 – San Diego Military Working Group – Alternate.] REPORTS TO COUNCIL MEMBERS. MR. GOBEL, UH, AS REPORTED, AS REPORTED WITH ONE ASK. CAN WE CHECK IN WITH CALTRANS AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE INTERSTATE EIGHT WALL BETWEEN GREENFIELD AND SECOND THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM ROLLING DOWN INTO FORESTER CREEK? THAT GOT STARTED, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, APRIL, SO IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS. I KNOW IT WAS ENGINEERING ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO. LET'S JUST SEE WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT. THAT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. AND I THINK EVEN IN FEBRUARY, ANOTHER CAR ROLLED DOWN INTO THE FLOOD CHANNEL AND, UH, NEEDED FIRE TO DO AN EXTRACTION. THANK YOU, STEVE. UH, PHIL, [19. 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.] UH, MINE AS REPORTED WITH TWO ADDITIONS. I DID ATTEND THE LEAGUE, CALIFORNIA CITIES YESTERDAY, UH, AUGUST 11TH, AND THEN TODAY WAS THE, UH, EAST COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, UH, GILLESPIE FIELD COMMITTEE MEETING THAT I ATTENDED. [18. COUNCILMEMBER MICHELLE METSCHEL Harry Griffen Park Joint Steering Committee; METRO Commission/Wastewater JPA – Alternate; Heartland Communications – Alternate; Heartland Fire Training JPA – Alternate.] MICHELLE, UH, AS REPORTED WITH ONE EXCEPTION, I DIDN'T MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY. UM, THEY HAD A FAMILY EMERGENCY. SORRY, I DIDN'T MEET WITH THEM. OKAY. UH, THERE ARE NO JOINT COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS, NO GENERAL INFORMATION ITEMS, AND NO FIRST OR SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES ON TODAY'S REPORT. THAT TAKES US TO CLOSED SESSION. [23. CLOSED SESSIONS:] OUR CITY ATTORNEY WILL RECITE THE TITLES AND LEAD US INTO THE CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THE CITY, THE CITY COUNCIL, IS GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION ON ONE ITEM AS A CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON EXISTING LITIGATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH ONE OF SUBDIVISION D OF CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 0.9. THE NAME OF THE CASE IS JAMES PATRICK HAYES VERSUS COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO ETAL. THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE CITY OF [04:20:01] EL CAJON IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA. I'D LIKE TO MAKE MOTION TO ADJOURN THE CLOSED SESSION. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION CARRIES BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THOSE PRESENT. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'LL BE BACK MOMENTARILY TO CONCLUDE THE MEETING. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE BACK FROM CLOSED SESSION. I'LL ASK OUR ATTORNEY TO REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THE CITY COUNCIL MET IN CLOSED SESSION ON CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON EXISTING LITIGATION AS DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY. UH, THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON THIS MATTER. WELL, THAT BRINGS US TO THE ADJOURNMENT, THE REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY COUNCIL. ALCOHOL HOUSING AUTHORITY, SUCCESSORIES OF THE TWO TO THE ALCOHOL REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY IS ADJOURNED TILL, UH, AND WAS HELD ON THIS DAY. THE 12TH OF AUGUST, 2025 IS ADJOURNED TILL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9TH, 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.