* 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. HUH? [00:00:02] YES, YOU ARE. OKAY. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. NO, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. YOUR MIC WAS AT, OKAY. YES. [ CALL TO ORDER: Council Chamber INVOCATION: City Attorney Jones PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Pro Tem Nigsarian ROLL CALL: Mayor Gomez Mayor Pro Tem Nigsarian Councilmember Espinoza Councilmember Medrano Councilmember Simonian] LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WILL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF LA HARBOR CITY COUNCIL FOR FEBRUARY 6TH. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT IT IS 6:30 PM THE INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY OUR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, KEITH COLLINS, FOLLOWED BY THE FLAG SLIT, LED BY OUR MAYOR PRO TEM DARREN DER. WE ALL PLEASE STAND. DEAR GOD, WE HUMBLY PRAY THAT YOU WILL GRANT WISDOM TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS IT CONSIDERS CITY BUSINESS SET FORTH IN THE MEETING AGENDA TONIGHT. WE ASK THAT YOU PROVIDE THE COUNCIL WITH INSIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES CONFRONTING OUR COUNCIL, STAFF, AND CITIZENS, SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN STRIVE TO SOLVE THESE ISSUES WITH COMMUNITY, SPIRIT AND PARTNERSHIP IN MIND. PLEASE BLESS THE COUNCIL IN ITS DECISION MAKING TONIGHT SO THAT WE MAY ACT PRUDENTLY AND RESPONSIBLY FOR THE GOOD OF THE LAHA COMMUNITY. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. OH, I'M SORRY. WE DO THE PLEDGE. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD MY TIME. PLEASE, PLEASE FACE THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND BEGIN OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION GOD INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FRAUD. I'M SORRY, UH, MAYOR PROTE. I THOUGHT I WAS IN CHURCH ON SUNDAYS TO, AND, UH, SAT DOWN RIGHT AFTER THE AMEN. OKAY. UH, WILL THE CITY CLERK, UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT TODAY, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME, UH, OUR ORANGE COUNTY SUPERVISOR, DOUG SHAFFEY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE, PAULETTE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. ARE THERE ANY CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENTS TO BE MADE? NOTHING TO REPORT. NOTHING TO REPORT. OKAY. THERE ARE NO PRESENTATIONS. SO, UM, RON, NOW AS A PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA, GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS [ PUBLIC COMMENTS: When addressing the La Habra City Council, please complete a Speaker’s Card before leaving the Council Chamber. General Public Comments shall be received at the beginning of the governing body meeting and limited to three (3) minutes per individual, with a total time limit of 30 minutes for all public comments, unless otherwise modified by the Mayor or Chair. Speaking time may not be granted and/or loaned to another individual for purposes of extending available speaking time, and comments must be kept brief, non-repetitive, and professional in nature. The general Public Comment portion of the meeting allows the public to address any item of City business not appearing on the scheduled agenda. Per Government Code Section 54954.3(a), such comments shall not be responded to by the governing body during the meeting.] SHALL BE RECEIVED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GOVERNING BODY MEETING AND LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH THE TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES FOR ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS. UNLESS OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR OR CHAIR SPEAKING TIME MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND OR LOAN TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR PURPOSES OF EXTENDING AVAILABLE SPEAKING TIME AND COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE, AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE. THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE MEETING ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS ANY ITEM OF CITY BUSINESS NOT APPEARING ON THE SCHEDULED AGENDA. PER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 4 3 A SUCH COMMENTS SHALL NOT BE RESPONDED TO BY THE GOVERNING BODY DURING THE MEETING. AND MAYOR AND HONORABLE COUNSEL, I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL PUBLIC COMMENT FROM LAHABRA RESIDENT DR. SUSAN PRITCHARD. THANK, AND EVERYONE HAS BEEN PROVIDED WITH A COPY. WE DO HAVE THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYBODY WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL? PLEASE COME UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. COME ON UP. CAN YOU PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? MY NAME IS DR. SUSAN PRITCHARD AND HONORABLE COUNSEL. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS YOU WITH MY CONCERN. MY CONCERN IS REGARDING WHAT THE OC REGISTER HAS DESCRIBED IN THE RECENT ARTICLE REGARDING THE HABRA AND A DEVELOPER WHO HAS APPARENTLY DELIVERED A PROPOSED PROJECT TO BE BUILT ON THE PRIVATE 151 ACRES THAT IS CURRENTLY THE GOLF COURSE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. AS IS MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS PRIVATE LAND OWNED BY A FAMILY WISHING TO SELL THE LAND. IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE NOT JUST WON, BUT TWO LAWSUITS REGARDING THIS LAND AND THE CITY AND THE PLAINTIFF HAD A COURT HEARING FROM IN WEST MINISTRY THIS MORNING IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CURRENT RESULTS OF THE COURT HEARING TODAY WAS FOR A CONTINUANCE UNTIL MAY 1ST. KNOWING THAT YOU MOST LIKELY CANNOT MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING PLANS OR STRATEGIES, CAN YOU AT LEAST CONSIDER THAT WHAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY PAID SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE LAWSUITS AND PERHAPS TO THE END OF DECEMBER OF 2022 IN THE AMOUNT OF MORE THAN $206,000 IS PERHAPS A RATHER EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUNDS. OR PERHAPS I AM WRONG AND PERHAPS THERE IS SOME KIND OF INSURANCE POLICY THAT IS COVERING THE CITY'S LEGAL FEES AND COURT FILINGS. I DON'T THINK THERE IS, BUT WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU OTHERWISE. IS THE CITY ACTUALLY CONTINUING THE FIGHT THAT RECENTLY PASSED BY STATE LAWS FROM 2022? A FEW OF THE 997 THAT WERE SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR IN 2022 MAY WELL PUT US AT JEOPARDY. MAKE NO MISTAKE, NEITHER ME NOR MY FAMILY, NOR MY FRIENDS OR ANYONE I HAVE HEARD FROM, WANTS THIS HUMONGOUS PROJECT THAT WILL HAVE DENSELY SITUATED ABOUT 530 LIVING UNITS, ABOUT 115 OF THEM AS APARTMENTS ON THIS PRIVATELY OWNED LAND. I CANNOT THINK OF A SINGLE PERSON WHO WOULD WELCOME THIS [00:05:01] PROJECT INTO OUR CITY. HOWEVER, CAN YOU BE HONEST WITH ALL OF THE RESIDENTS? CAN WE TRULY STOP THIS OR PERHAPS AT LEAST ARBITRATE BACK TO SOMETHING THAT IS LESS DENSE, GIVES PUBLIC OPEN SPACES TO THE CITY AND DOES NOT DETRACT FROM THE CURRENT NEARBY HOMEOWNERS IN TERMS OF THEIR AESTHETIC VALUE AND THEIR VIEWS? I HOPE AND FERVENTLY PRAY THAT OUR CITY HAS CHOICES THAT DO NOT BELIEVE OUR CITY OF OUR FINANCES. WE DO NOT NEED TAX INCREASES, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME WHERE INFLATION IS STILL MORE THAN 5% POINTS HIGHER THAN JANUARY OF 2021 AND WAGES ARE STILL NOT INCREASING TO EVEN MATCH INFLATION. I WISH THE CITY WELL AND PRAY FOR AN OUTCOME THAT IS FAIR TO ALL AND DOES NOT CONTINUE A MONEY HEMORRHAGING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONTENTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MA'AM. ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS CITY LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL AT THIS TIME? WELCOME. WHOA. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. GO AHEAD AND WRECK UP THE JOINT MAN STORY OF MY LIFE. IT'S CALLED A MIC DROP. DOUG, YOU'RE GOOD. THAT'S IT. YOU SEE YOU NEED TO SAY NO MORE. . MIC DROP. ALL RIGHT. UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR GOMEZ COUNCIL'S, UM, DOUG GEMAN, UH, PAST CHAIR, EX EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER, THE LA HARBOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. UH, I WANT TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CONSENT ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, RELOCATION OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS FROM SHOP AND DINE TO SMALL BUSINESS. I KNOW THERE WAS, UM, SOME ACTUALLY 200 ACTUALLY, IF I COULD STOP YOU RIGHT THERE, DOUG. THERE'LL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ON THAT ITEM LATER WHEN WE GET TO THAT IN THE AGENDA. I I HAVE AN AMERICAN LEGION MEETING TONIGHT THAT I HAVE TO LEAVE, SO I'M LEAVING IN 10 MINUTES. I'LL DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY CUZ GENERALLY THERE'S CERTAIN TIMES WHERE YOU CAN MAKE CERTAIN PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT I'LL DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. SO THE THE CHAIR OF THE MEETING HAS THE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE THOSE PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS IF THE MAYOR WOULD ALLOW US. OKAY, WE'LL, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. YOU GOT, UH, THREE MINUTES AND I JUST REMEMBER THE CITY STAFF HAD COME TO US AND TALK TO US ABOUT THESE $200 CARDS AND THAT'S ONE PART OF THE PROGRAM. AND THEY REQUIRED PEOPLE TO TURN IN THEIR TAXES TO GET, UH, ACCEPTED FOR THIS PROGRAM. AND BY THING, THERE'S GOTTA BE A BETTER WAY. THERE'S GOTTA BE LESS PAPERWORK. THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT NEED HELP. LET'S HELP THEM. LET'S NOT MAKE THEM TURN IN THEIR TAXES. LET'S NOT MAKE THEM JUMP THROUGH HOOPS TO GET THIS HELP OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEED. SO YOU WANNA SIMPLIFY IS WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME, DOUG? ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. SO WE'LL DO LAST BUREAUCRACY IS WE'LL ARRANGE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO GIVE YOU A CALL AND, UH, HE'LL GIVE YOU A CALL AND YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE MATTER SINCE YOU HAVE TO GO TO A MEETING TONIGHT. OKAY. AND THEN MY OTHER THING THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS THE, UM, CONSIDERATION ITEM NUMBER ONE. IS THAT ALLOWED OR IS DO I HAVE TO WAIT ON GO AHEAD REAL QUICK. YOU STILL HAVE. ALL RIGHT, A MINUTE. SO, UM, I'M, I'M PAST CHAIR OF THE AND CURRENT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER. UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT, UM, OF THE COMMUNITY FOR 44 YEARS. THE CHAMBER HAS PLANNED, HOSTED AND IMPLEMENTED THE STATE OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE CITY EVER SINCE I CAN REMEMBER. IT'S A NONPROFIT CHAMBER FUNDRAISER WHICH SERVES THE HIGHLIGHT. THE MAYOR, THE NONPROFITS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SMALL BUSINESSES AND THEIR AFTERNOONS, RESTAURANTS, POLICE, AND THE CHAMBER. THE EVENT IS FUNDED BY WILLING SPONSORS, DONORS, ATTENDEES, AND NOT A SINGLE TAXPAYER DOLLAR GOES TO PUT ON THIS EVENT. THE INITIAL FUNDING THAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR IS $7,500 OF TAXPAYER'S MONEY, WHICH IS JUST GONNA DUPLICATE ANOTHER, UH, UH, EVENT THAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE. AND IT DOESN'T COST US ANY ANYTHING. AND I JUST IS THAT THE SMARTEST USE OF OUR TAXPAYER MONEY IS TO SPEND $7,500 ON AN EVENT THAT'S ALREADY BEING TAKEN CARE OF. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOUG. HAVE A GOOD MEETING. SAY HELLO TO, UH, THE VETERANS OVER THERE AND PLEASE, UH, THANK THEM ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR SERVICE. WE APPRECIATE THEM. THANK ANYBODY ELSE FOR COMMENT. HI, COME ON IN. COUNTY SUPERVISOR, PLEASE. YES, THANK YOU. I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO COMMEND YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR GREAT PARTICIPATION IN OUR GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM OF LAST YEAR. WERE ABLE TO TAKE MORE THAN 400 GUNS OFF THE STREET, INCLUDING 16 ASSAULT WEAPONS. AND WITH THAT PARTICIPATION OF A SEVEN DIFFERENT POLICE DEPARTMENTS CAME TOGETHER. YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, THE SMOOTH WAY THEY WORK TOGETHER. SO I'D LIKE TO COMPLIMENT YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS EVENT. WE STUDIED BEST, UH, PRACTICES AND IT WAS EXECUTED FLAWLESSLY. UH, THE PEOPLE WOULD COME IN, WE ASKED THEM KEEP THEIR WEAPON IN THEIR TRUNK, AND THEY POPPED THE TRUNK WHEN THEY CAME UP, DID NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR, AND THEN THE OFFICER COME TAKE THE WEAPON AND PUT IT FOR FURTHER IT EDIFICATION. BUT THIS WAS ANONYMOUS. THE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT THE WEAPONS IN WERE NOT IDENTIFIED. THEY'RE, AGAIN, GIVEN A GIFT CARD EITHER WITH AMAZON OR A GASOLINE CARD FOR THE VALUE OF THE WEAPON. SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO LAHABRA POLICE DEPARTMENT, UNDERSTAND, UH, CHIEF DEN FOSTER IS HERE AND ALSO ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS, MUO SANCHEZ IS ALSO HERE. AND THEN THEN ONE NOT THAT IS NOT HERE THIS EVENING, WAS PROPERTY TECHNICIAN [00:10:01] JESSE HEIME BELIEVE THAT'S RIGHT. AND THE, UH, NOT ONLY DID WE COLLECT THE GUNS, BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE PROPERTY TECHNICIANS THERE AS WELL, TO IDENTIFY THE WEAPON AND LOOK FOR SERIAL NUMBERS AND THAT SORT OF THING. PREPARATORY TO MELTING THEM DOWN. EVENTUALLY AT THE END OF THE LINE, IF YOU HAD MORE WEAPONS, YOU'RE NOT TURNING IN AND YOU NEEDED A GUN LOCKED TO BE SURE THEY'RE SECURED, THOSE WERE PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE. SO IF I MIGHT THANK YOU MR. YOUR SUPERVISOR, AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. YOU HAVE BEEN A TRUE CHAMPION, A TRUE FRIEND OF LAHABRA, AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND ALSO OUR, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT. SO, UH, AGAIN, YOU, EVERY TIME I CALL, UH, YOU HAVE BEEN THERE FOR US AND WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE YOU AS OUR ORANGE COUNTY SUPERVISOR. DO ANY OTHER MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? I JUST HAVE A 16 ASSAULT RIFLES. IS THAT WHAT IT IS? OR ASSAULT WEAPONS. YES, THEY, THEIR RIFLE IS, SAY SHOOT RAPIDLY. YEAH. UM, THAT, THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S 16 LESS OUT ON THE FIELD OR EXCUSE ME, OUT ON THE STREET. AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S SO MUCH BETTER FOR NOT ONLY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, MOST IMPORTANTLY, BUT FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. WE APPRECIATE YOU. WELL, IT'S MY PLEASURE. WE HOPE TO DO ANOTHER ONE LATER ON THIS YEAR, PERHAPS EVEN LARGER BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO SERVE. THE LINE OF CARS WAS LONG. THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE HAD TO CUT IT OFF. SO THERE ARE MORE WEAPONS OUT THERE WE COULD HAVE ACHIEVED. I'D LIKE TO THANK THIS COUNCIL FOR THE WAY, WAY IT WORKS TOGETHER. SOME OF MY CITIES HAVE COUNCILS THAT DON'T, BUT YOU GUYS DO A MAGNIFICENT JOB AND I, I APPRECIATE HOW YOU WORK SO WELL AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TREATED VERY KINDLY BY YOUR STAFF, SO I LOVE THIS CITY. SO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THIS SERVICE. HEY, ROSE, SUPERVISOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND I JUST WANNA SAY TOO, THAT THIS HAS NEVER BEEN MORE RELEVANT NOW WITH THE EPIDEMIC OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR NATION. SO THESE PROGRAMS ARE EVER MORE CRITICAL. SO THANK YOU DOUBLY FOR, FOR WORKING THIS, THIS PROGRAM NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LET'S GIVE IT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. OUR ORANGE COUNTY SUPERVISOR, JUST DOUG STA. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO ADDRESS TO THE HARBOR CITY COUNCIL THIS TIME? PLEASE COME FORWARD. THANK YOU. TAKE WELCOME, WELCOME. I KNOW WHO YOU ARE. . I'LL LEAVE THIS HERE. I'M GONNA TAKE THIS OFF CAUSE I'M NOT AS TALL AS OTHER PEOPLE ARE. YOU GO, THIS'LL JUST MOVE IT DOWN. UM, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME IS ALFRED TOVAR. I'M WITH THE OFFICE OF ASSEMBLYWOMAN BLANCA PACHECO. MORE THAN ANYTHING, I'M JUST HERE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF FORMALLY TO EVERYBODY. I'M YOUR FIELD REP FOR THIS AREA, SO YOU'RE GONNA BE SEEING A LOT MORE OF ME. UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE TO SERVE YOU. WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN LAHABRA. ANY ISSUES THAT FALL UNDER JURISDICTION OF THE STATE, PROBLEMS WITH E D D FRANCHISE TAX BOARD. UM, PEOPLE ARE STRESSED OUT RIGHT NOW ABOUT SOCAL GAS, EDISON, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. I KNOW ALL THE TRICKS. I'M ALSO IN THE OFFICE. I'M THE DEPUTY FOR THE ISSUES OF BUSINESS, HOUSING, PUBLIC UTILITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND VETERANS. SO I WOULD LOVE TO HELP WITH ANY OF THOSE ISSUES. BUT ON TOP OF THAT, I'M HERE TO, TO SERVE YOU GUYS AND THE COMMUNITY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO I AM. I'M ALFRED TOVA. UM, I'LL BE STICKING AROUND TO SEE THE MEETING. WANNA LET YOU GUYS KNOW, I'VE BEEN WATCHING ALL OF YOUR MEETINGS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW AND I AGREE WITH WHAT THE SUPERVISOR SAYS. I LOVE HOW YOU GUYS WORK TOGETHER. I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN A BUNCH OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS SO, YOU KNOW, HARMONIOUS . SO, UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS ALSO FOR YOUR SERVICE, CUZ I KNOW IT'S NOT HARD TO BE, IT'S NOT EASY TO BE TAKING TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILIES TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY, AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT GOES SOMETIMES UNAPPRECIATED. SO I THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SERVICE ON COUNCIL. UM, AND YEAH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING OF SERVICE. WELL, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY, I DID ACTUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION EARLIER TODAY WITH ASSEMBLYWOMAN PACHECO AND, UH, WE ARE GOING TO BE ARRANGING A TOUR FOR THE OFFICE IF YOU JUST CONVEY THAT BACK. WE, WE DEFINITELY ALL ARE ON BOARD TO WANTING TO DO A TOUR AND THEN GET TOGETHER FOR, FOR LUNCH AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO, UH, IT WAS ALL OF OUR HONOR TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE FOR THE SWEARING IN WHAT A MAGNIFICENT, UH, FACILITY THAT WAS AND WHAT A FANTASTIC EVENT THAT WAS. AND WE WERE ALL HONORED TO BE THERE, AND I THINK WE WERE ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES THAT HAD ALL OUR FIVE COUNCILORS. YES, I WAS GONNA SAY THAT RIGHT NOW. YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES THAT EVERYBODY SHOWED UP AND WE WERE SUPER IMPRESSED WITH THAT. AND AGAIN, IT GOES TO SHOW HOW WELL YOU GUYS WORK TOGETHER, WHICH IS VERY IMPRESSIVE, I THINK, UM, PEOPLE SHOULD APPRECIATE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. AND I, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, I'LL, I'LL JUST TAKE THIS A A STEP FURTHER JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ROSE HAD HAD SEEKED THAT, THAT SEAT AND SHE IS JUST A, A CLASS ACT, YOU KNOW, THE VOTE'S BEEN TAKEN. SHE WAS THERE, UH, TO ALSO SUPPORT BLANCA AND THAT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO DO THAT. YES, I JUST, UH, FANTASTIC. SHE'S BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE, [00:15:01] UH, IN THIS SITUATION, SO I JUST ADMIRE HER FOR THAT. I MEAN, UH, SHE'S A GREAT PERSON. I KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, MUCH PROGRESS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SHE'S GONNA WORK REALLY GOOD WITH US, AND I'M HAPPY THAT SHE'S REPRESENTING OUR CITY. WE'RE ALL HAPPY TO WORK WITH HER. , ALL OF US UNITED, ALL OF US WANT TO WORK WITH HER. WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED. SOUNDS GREAT. WELL, WE'RE EXCITED TO SERVE YOU GUYS AS WELL. SO WHATEVER YOU GUYS NEED, UM, I'LL, I'LL BE SHARING MY, MY CONTACT INFO WITH YOU GUYS SO YOU GUYS HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO US. AND OF COURSE YOU GUYS KNOW YOU GUYS CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO THE ASSEMBLY WOMAN HERSELF. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO COME FORWARD? PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANYBODY? NO. OKAY. I WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE'RE NOW MOVING TO THE CONSENT, UH, CALENDAR. UH, RONNA. GO AHEAD. THANK [ CONSENT CALENDAR: All matters on Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion unless a Councilmember, City staff member, or member of the audience requests separate action or removal of an item. Removed items will be considered following the Consent Calendar portion of this agenda. Public comment shall be limited to three (3) minutes per individual, with a total time limit of 30 minutes per item that has been removed for separate discussion, unless otherwise modified by the Mayor. Speaking time may not be granted and/or loaned to another individual for purposes of extending available speaking time, and comments must be kept brief, non-repetitive, and professional in nature. ] YOU MAYOR. ALL MATTERS ON CONSENT CALENDAR ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY STAFF MEMBER OR MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE REQUESTS SEPARATE ACTION OR REMOVAL OF AN ITEM REMOVED. ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOLLOWING THE CONSENT CALENDAR PORTION OF THIS AGENDA. PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES PER ITEM THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION, UNLESS OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR. SPEAKING TIME MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND OR LOANED TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR PURPOSES OF EXTENDING AVAILABLE SPEAKING TIME AND COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE. THE CONSENT CALENDAR INCLUDES CITY COUNCIL ITEMS ONE THROUGH EIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RHONDA. IS THERE ANY ITEMS THAT THE CITY STAFF WOULD LIKE TO HAVE REMOVED? NONE MR. MAYOR, ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO HAVE ANYTHING REMOVED? OKAY. UH, WHAT ITEM MA'AM? SIX, PLEASE. NUMBER SIX. OKAY. AND ANY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANYTHING REMOVED. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE BALANCE OF THE AGENDA? YES, MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH WILL BE PULLED. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION AS SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER STEVE SIMONIAN. UH, ARE THERE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE? MOTION BY SAYING YES? YES, YES, YES. ANY OP OPPOSITION? ANYBODY WANT TO ABSTAIN? THAT IS PASS UNANIMOUSLY VOTE. WILL NOW TAKE ITEM NUMBER SIX. WOULD YOU LIKE A STAFF REPORT? MA'AM? [ CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS REMOVED FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION:] YOU WANT, I'M ASKING IF YOU'D LIKE A STAFF REPORT ON THAT. UM, IF, IF THEY WERE PLANNING ON RECORDING? YES. I DON'T WANNA TAKE THE TIME REPORT. I CAN JUST GIVE YOU MY OKAY. THEN WE'LL HAVE YOU COME ON UP AND, AND, UM, TESTIFY. THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, OPTION DEAR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND EVERYONE PRESENT CONCERNING ITEM SIX, BASED ON STAFF STATEMENTS IN THE PROPOSAL, PLEASE INDICATE WHICH NEARBY CITIES CURRENTLY REQUIRE BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE 24 HOURS A DAY TO OBTAIN A C U P CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. HAVE THOSE CITIES HAD ANY NEGATIVE EFFECTS FROM SUCH ZONING AMENDMENTS? I UNDERSTAND THAT UNDER THE PROPOSAL AND THE CURRENT PROPOSAL, THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SAME SITUATION POTENTIALLY AFFECTED BY THE ZONING AMENDMENTS WOULD BE NOTIFIED AND THEN THE PROCESS WOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE PLANNING COMMISSION, ET CETERA. AFTER THE INITIAL CONTACT, WILL THE CITY GIVE THESE SAME BUSINESSES THE COURTESY OF ADDITIONAL NOTIFICATION OF ANY PUBLIC HEARING THAT MAY OCCUR AFTER THE INDICATED PROCESSES HAVE ENSUED? AND FINALLY, WILL THE CITY CONSIDER EACH CURRENT BUSINESS INDIVIDUALLY IN ADDITION TO OFFERING THEM THAT VERY GENEROUS WAIVER OF THE C U P PROCESSING FEE OF $6,079? AND IF SO, HOW LONG WILL THE PROCESSING TIME OF THE C U P BE AND WILL THE CURRENT BUSINESSES BE ALLOWED TO RUN THEIR BUSINESSES AS THEY CURRENTLY DO DURING THE C U P PROCESSING TIME? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, TIME AND EXPERTISE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO TESTIFY? ANYBODY? OKAY. I WILL NOW CLOSE THAT PORTION OF THE COMMENTS AND, UH, I, I CAN ASK STAFF IF WE HAVE ANY ANSWERS TO SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT SOME OF THE QUESTIONS MAY REQUIRE SOME RESEARCH. UM, BUT, UM, YEAH, I CAN ASK OUR DIRECTOR TO COME UP AND SEE IF WE CAN ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND MEMBERS OF THE, THE COUNCIL, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A REQUEST TO INITIATE, JUST, JUST JUST FOR THE RECORD, CAN YOU LET, OH, I'M SORRY. SUSAN KIM, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THANK YOU. FORGOT THAT PART. YES. THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A REQUEST TO, UM, INITIATE A CODE AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR BUSINESSES FOR GENERAL RETAIL BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE 20, OPERATE 24 HOURS A DAY. RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT. GENERAL RETAIL, WHETHER IT OPERATES 24 HOURS A DAY OR IT OPERATES SEVEN TO SEVEN, IT'S THE SAME, UM, PROCESS, WHICH IN MOST ZONES, MOST COMMERCIAL ZONES IS A PERMITTED USE. WE HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IN RECENT EVENTS, THERE'S BEEN SOME ISSUES [00:20:01] THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AT SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES THAT OPERATE 24 HOURS A DAY. SO WE'VE DECIDED THAT IT MIGHT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY TO REQUIRE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THOSE, UM, USES A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THIS TYPE OF THING WHERE WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE USE INVOLVED USUALLY TAKES BETWEEN TWO TO FOUR MONTHS TO PROCESS GOING ALL THE WAY FROM THE APPLICATION BEING SUBMITTED, REVIEWED BY STAFF, A STAFF REPORT BEING PREPARED, AND THEN IT GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION. SO THAT'S THE ANSWER TO HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR A C U P TO BE PROCESSED. UM, DURING THAT TIME, SUSAN, WOULD THE BUSINESS BE PERMITTED TO CONTINUE OPERATING? TYPICALLY THAT'S HOW WE, AS LONG AS THEY'VE, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE. OKAY. THAT'S TYPICAL PROCESS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT FOR ANY, ANY USE THAT REQUIRES A C U P THAT MIGHT, MIGHT BE OPERATING WITHOUT ONE. AS LONG AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH, AND THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF REQUESTS FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, BA BASICALLY BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAD ASKED FOR, THIS IS WHY IT'S COMES BEFORE US TODAY. THIS IS A, LIKE I SAID IT, UM, BASED ON THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN YES. UM, YES. FROM, FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, CORRECT? YES. CORRECT. YES. OKAY. UM, THANK YOU. OKAY. DO I HAVE ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS OR ANY COMMENTS? OKAY. I WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE ITEM NUMBER SIX FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR. I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY. I HEAR A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING YES. YES, YES. AND HE KNOWS. AND DO I HEAR ANY OBSTE, ANYBODY WHO'S ABSTAINING THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY? FIVE ZERO. WE NOW GO TO CONSIDERATION ITEMS. ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE MAY REQUEST TO ADDRESS THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL ON ANY CONSIDERATION ITEM PRIOR TO THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL TAKING A FINAL VOTE ON THE ITEM. PUBLIC COMMENT SHALL BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL WITH A TOTAL TIME LIMIT OF 30 MINUTES PER CONSIDERATION ITEM, UNLESS OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY THE MAYOR OR CHAIR. SPEAKING TIME MAY NOT BE GRANTED AND OR LOAN TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR PURPOSES OF EXTENDING AVAILABLE SPEAKING TIME AND COMMENTS MUST BE KEPT BRIEF, NON-REPETITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IN NATURE. THE ITEM IS STATE OF THE CITY EVENT COST ESTIMATE. OKAY. CAN WE HAVE A STAFF REPORT PLEASE? [1. STATE OF THE CITY EVENT COST ESTIMATE That the City Council: A. Receive and file this report; and, B. Provide direction to staff and, if necessary, approve an initial budget of $7,500 for the planning and presentation of the 2023 State of the City address.] UH, YES. BRIANNA HURTT, WE'LL MAKE A STAFF REPORT. YES. THANK YOU. I'M HERE IN THE CORNER TO MY RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THIS EVENING TO PRESENT TO YOU THE COST ESTIMATE FOR A CITY HOSTED STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS. AS COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY RECALL, AT ITS REGULAR MEETING OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 17TH, 2023, THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL COST OF HAVING THE 2023 STATE OF THE CITY OPERATE AS A CITY PLANNED EVENT. HISTORICALLY, THE LAHABRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS HOSTED AN ANNUAL STATE OF THE COMMUNITY EVENT, WHICH INCLUDED AN APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTE LONG PRESENTATION BY THE MAYOR AS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER BASED ON COUNCIL'S DIRECTION ON JANUARY 17TH, STAFF BEGAN REVIEWING PRIOR STATE OF THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AS WELL AS OTHER CIVIC EVENTS ROUTINELY HOSTED BY THE CITY AND FORMULATED AN INITIAL BUDGET OF $7,500 FOR THE PLANNING AND PRESENTATION OF THE 2023 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS. BASED ON THE FOLLOWING ASSUMPTIONS, THE EVENT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR IN LENGTH WITH THE MAYOR AS A PRIMARY KEYNOTE SPEAKER. THE MAYOR'S PRESENTATION WOULD INCLUDE UP TO FOUR SHORT VIDEO SEGMENTS HIGHLIGHTING LOCAL PROGRAMS, PROJECTS, ORGANIZATION, ORGANIZATIONS, AND OR BUSINESSES. THE EVENT WOULD BE HELD IN THE MID-MORNING, THE EVENT WOULD NOT INCLUDE A BREAKFAST OR LUNCH MEAL, BUT INSTEAD, LIGHT REFRESHMENTS SUCH AS COFFEE, WATER, FRUIT, AND PASTRIES. THE EVENT WOULD BE FREE TO THE PUBLIC WITH AN ESTIMATED ATTENDANCE IN THE RANGE OF 200 TO 250 TO 300 GUESTS TO NAME A FEW. WHILE IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THE EVENT COSTS COULD BE OFFSET IF CITY COUNCIL DIRECTS STAFF TO SOLICIT SPONSORSHIPS, IT IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME HOW MUCH SPONSORSHIP FUNDING COULD BE RAISED OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE EVENT DATE IF APPROVED THIS EVENING. THE ESTIMATED COST TO HOST THE 2023 STATE OF THE CITY EVENT IS APPROXIMATELY $7,500. NOT CONSIDERING ANY POTENTIAL SPONSORSHIP FUNDING, THERE IS SUFFICIENT BUDGETED FUNDING IN THE CITY'S NON-DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAM CONTINGENCY FUND TO COVER THIS COST. SO NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING APPROPRIATION WOULD BE NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. THEREFORE, THIS EVENING, STAFF ASK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECEIVE AND FILE THIS REPORT, PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF AND IF NECESSARY, A APPROVE AN INITIAL BUDGET OF $7,500 FOR THE PLANNING AND PRESENTATION OF THE 2023 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME. BRIANNA, [00:25:01] FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU. THAT'S YOUR VERY FIRST STAFF REPORT, AND LET ME TELL YOU, YOU DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. CONGRATULATIONS. QUESTIONS FROM, UH, OUR, MY COLLEAGUES? ANYBODY? ANY QUESTIONS? NO. OKAY. I WILL NOW INVITE THE PUBLIC TO TESTIFY. PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. YES, MA'AM. PLEASE COME FORWARD. MY NAME IS DR. SUSAN PRITCHARD, 1 51 EAST ROSE AVENUE, LAHABRA, CALIFORNIA 9 0 6 31. REGARDING CONSIDERATION ITEM NUMBER ONE, A COMMENT AND ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM WAS ADDED AT THE END OF THE JANUARY 17TH MEETING. SO THESE ARE MY QUESTIONS REGARDING DISCUSSION ITEM ONE, AND ARE BASED ON THE COMMENT FROM THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THE MAY COMMENT OF A LOT OF CONCERNS NOT CLEAR. SO FOR FULL BRAND, UH, TRANSPARENCY, WHO HAD CONCERNS AND WHAT EXACTLY WERE THEY? AND WERE THESE CONCERNS DIRECTED RESPECTFULLY IN A MEETING WITH THE ENTIRE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? SINCE THEY HAVE ALWAYS HOSTED THE STATE OF THE CITY SLASH COMMUNITY ADDRESS, AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER AND A MORE IMPORTANTLY, A WONDERFUL EVENT FOR THE CITY. PLEASE TELL ME THE CITY CODE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE AN EVENT THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TASTEFULLY, RESPECTFULLY AND SUCCESSFULLY HELD BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR ANY OTHER CITY ORGANIZATION OF A NONPROFIT NATURE FROM THAT NONPROFIT, WHY SHOULD THE CITY COUNCIL TAKE AWAY FROM A NONPROFIT? THIS IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE. AND IS THE CITY COUNCIL GOING TO TAKE MORE EVENTS AWAY FROM THE NONPROFITS? WHY SHOULD THE RESIDENTS OF LAHABRA GO ALONG WITH THIS? WHERE IS IT DESIGNATED THAT THE STATE OF THE CITY COMMUNITY ADDRESS ONLY FOCUSED ON THE COMMENTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL VIA THE APPOINTED MAYOR? WE ARE A COMMUNITY CARING CITY. SHOULD WE NOT ACT LIKE ONE? AS AN EDUCATOR WHO HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH MORE THAN 7,000 STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN LAHABRA, I HAVE SEEN MANY NONPROFITS HOLD AMAZING EVENTS. AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS ONE OF THOSE NONPROFITS I WOULD CERTAINLY THINK THAT YOU CAN GET ALONG WITH. ANY OF OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WOULD CERTAINLY NEVER BULLY AND AN ORGANIZATION BY TAKING AWAY ONE OF THEIR FUNDRAISERS. THE LIONS CLUB DOES A GREAT JOB WITH THEIR EVENTS SUCH AS THE CORONER FESTIVAL AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH THEIR EVENTS, INCLUDING THE CITRUS FAIR AND THE STATE OF THE CITY COMMUNITY ADDRESS. WHY SHOULD THE CITY PAY $7,500 THAT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED? SO I'LL GO FORWARD. CAN YOU PLEASE ASSURE THE RESIDENTS OF LA HABA THAT THIS ACTION TAKEN AT THE LAST MOMENT, AT THE LAST AGENDA, AGAIN WITH NO PUBLIC COMMENT QUESTIONS, WHICH WOULD'VE GIVEN A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENCY THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF BEING A BULLY ON A NONPROFIT. AND FINALLY, PLEASE NOT ONLY DROP THIS ITEM OF CONSIDERATION, BUT IN FACT GIVE THE ADDITIONAL 10,000 THAT THEY ASKED FOR BACK IN THE DECEMBER 5TH MEETING THAT WAS PROPOSED. BECAUSE IF YOU SUPPORT THE GREAT WORK THAT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS HOSTING IN THIS MANY EVENTS, INCLUDING THE STATE OF THE CITY, COMMERCE CITY COMMUNITY ADDRESS, I BELIEVE THAT THEY SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING GENERAL PLAN. RELEVANCE, CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, 2.4, BALANCING JOBS AND HOUSING. 2.3, BUSINESS ATTRACTION, ATTENTION RETENTION, AND IT ALSO SUPPORTS THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HOSTING THE STATE OF THE CITY AS COMMUNITY ADDRESS WILL SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORT THE CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, 5G CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THE CITY BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM. FIVE F ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, AND EVENTS AS GOOD CORPORATE PARTNERS. AND SIX, E BUILD AND MAINTAIN PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. THANK THE BUSINESS, THANK COMMUNITY, THE LOCAL NONPROFITS ORGANIZATIONS, AND THE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE HARBOR CITY COUNCIL THIS TIME? OKAY, I WILL NOW CLOSE A PUBLIC COMMENT. AND, UM, IS THERE ANY, UM, DISCUSSION AMONG COUNCIL MEMBERS? YES. UH, WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT, UH, THE, UH, LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL FULLY SUPPORTS OUR CITY BUSINESSES, PERIOD. UM, AND, UH, WE, UH, WE CONTINUE TO SAY THAT, UH, DAY IN, DAY OUT, I, UH, CURRENTLY WHAT I HAVE DONE OVER THE COURSE OF TIME IS, UH, I DO A BUSINESS OF THE WEEK ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I HAVE NEARLY 10,000 FOLLOWERS THAT FOLLOW THAT. AND, UH, I GET KUDOS FROM PEOPLE NOT ONLY IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PLACES NOT ONLY TO EAT, BUT TO, UH, TO PATRONIZE SO WE, UH, FULLY SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES. UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. UH, IT DOESN'T MATTER. UH, THERE IS NO ORGANIZATION, UH, WITHIN THE BUSINESS, OR EXCUSE ME, WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL, WHERE YOU HAVE TO PAY A FEE FOR ANYTHING. I REQUIRE NOTHING OF OUR BUSINESSES, UH, WHEN I POST, UH, FOR THEM. UH, THIS IS ALL, UH, SO OUR BUSINESSES, UH, CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN IT OFFERS AND, UH, IT, UH, OFFERS GREAT CIRCULATION, UH, NOT ONLY IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT IT WAS STATED THAT, UH, I KNOW I SUPPORT BUSINESSES, OUR MAYOR, AS WELL AS OUR MAYOR, PRO TEM AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. YES. AND I, I WILL JUST ADD THAT [00:30:01] THIS ORIGINALLY WAS BROUGHT IN AS A STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, AND THEN SEVERAL YEARS AGO IT WAS BROUGHT IN AND THEN THEY ALLOWED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, TO COME UNDER, UH, THEIR DIRECTION. UM, THERE WAS SOME CURRENT CONCERNS THAT, UH, HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP, UH, WITH, UH, IT RUNNING OVER. AND, UH, THE MAYOR, UH, WAS NOT GIVEN ADEQUATE TIME TO DO HIS PRESENTATION AT THE LAST MEETING. UH, AND THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS BROUGHT BY THE CHAMBER, THE CONGRESS THEMSELVES AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS, UH, DURING PUBLIC COMMENT WITH SOME OF HER CONCERNS AS WELL. SO THAT'S WHY, UM, WE HAVE DECIDED TO BRING IT IN HOUSE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR MY COLLEAGUES WITH THAT? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. ONE MORE. GO AHEAD. YES, SIR. ONE MORE. MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY. UH, ALSO JUST TO, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY AS WELL, UM, MY FIRST YEAR ON CITY COUNCIL HERE, UH, ALMOST FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THE STATE OF THE CITY, OF COURSE, I WAS NOT THE MAYOR, BUT I HAD, UH, TO SAY THE LEAST, UH, DOZENS OF MESSAGES ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AND I'M TALKING DOZENS AS WELL AS PERSONAL CONTACTS FROM RESIDENTS AND A FEW BUSINESSES THAT WERE NOT PART OF THE CHAMBER. THEY APPROACHED ME AND STATED THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL WAS NOT BEING INCLUSIONARY, UH, WITH, UH, THE STATE OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE WAS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. AND WHY WE COULDN'T DO IT, TO MAKE IT MORE INCLUSIONARY. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S A SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THAT, UH, THAT WANTS US TO BE MORE INCLUSIONARY. AND I WILL SPEAK FOR ONE SEGMENT, THE LATINO SEGMENT, UH, THAT, UH, THAT IS NOT PROVIDED WITH AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, UH, TO ATTEND. UH, BECAUSE SOME, NOT ONLY LATINOS, BUT THERE ARE OTHER SEGMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT CANNOT AFFORD, UH, TO, UH, TO PAY FOR A TICKET FOR THIS. UH, THERE IS NO OTHER WAY FOR THEM TO GET INSIDE THE COMMUNITY CENTER OR OTHER PLACES TO SEE THE STATE OF THE COMMUNITY. UH, THIS IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE. WE ARE FOR THE PEOPLE AND WE ARE FOR OUR BUSINESSES. SO, UH, THERE ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE MORE INCLUDED. THIS IS AN INCLUSIVE WAY OF MAKING SURE OUR RESIDENTS, IF THEY OPT TO DO SO, TO ATTEND THE STATE OF THE COMMUNITY, IT IS THEIR COMMUNITY. UH, THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY A FEE TO COME IN AND SEE THE MAYOR SPEAK. UH, THAT IS NOT WHAT OUR COUNTRY IS ABOUT. SO I WILL SAY THAT VERY WELL SAID, UH, ONCE A MAYOR, ALWAYS A MAYOR. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEVE. UH, MR. MAYOR, I, UM, I DO THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO, UH, TRY TO OFFSET THE, UH, $7,500 WITH SPONSORSHIP. SO, UH, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT, UM, THIS ITEM, UH, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. UH, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT STAFF EXPLORE SPONSORSHIP, UH, I WOULD BE WILLING TO DONATE, UH, MY OWN MONEY TO, UH, OFFSET THE COSTS. CAN YOU PUT THAT IN FORM OF A MOTION, MR. FORMER MAYOR AT ONE TIME, , I THINK YOU DID. I CALL US OUR FAMILY OF MAYORS. WE, THEY'VE ALL BEEN MAYOR EXCEPT FOR DARREN. GO AHEAD, SIR. YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THIS REPORT AND PROVIDE DIRECTION TO STAFF, UH, TO WORK ON SPONSORSHIP, UH, AND PLANNING, UM, TO OFFSET THE $7,500 AND MAKE THE 2023 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, UH, IN-HOUSE. AND MR. MAYOR, TO BE CLEAR. WELL, AND TO BE CLEAR, THAT MOTION WOULD BE TO HAVE THE CITY RUN, THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESSED THIS YEAR. AND IS THERE AN APPROVAL FOR THE BUDGET REQUEST? YES. YES. ALL OF THAT. YEAH. AND I, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD SECOND THAT WITH THE, UH, WITH THE EMPHASIS ON WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN SAID ABOUT, UH, ACTIVELY SEEKING OUT SPONSORSHIPS TO DEFRAY OR THAT EXPENSE. SO, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. SHALL MOVED. HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ANY PEOPLE? ABSTAINING AND RHONDA? UH, IT HAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. FIVE ZERO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. WE [ MAYOR'S COMMUNITY CALENDAR:] NOW GO TO MAYOR'S COMMUNITY CALENDAR. UH, MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR COMMITTEE COMMUNITY. APPLY TODAY. THE CITY OF LAHABRA HAS SEVERAL JOB OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE. CONSIDER SERVING YOUR CITY. FOR A LIST OF JOB OPENINGS, PLEASE VISIT WWW.LAHABRA.GOV. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT OUR HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, DEPARTMENT. WHERE LVS ANXIOUS TO RECEIVE YOUR CALL AT (562) 383-4079. BECOME AN ACTIVE PART OF YOUR CITY AND APPLY FOR AN ADVISORY COMMISSION. THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO VACANCIES ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION. ONE VACANCY ON THE [00:35:01] COMMUNITY SERVICES. UH, COMMISSION APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED UNTIL FEBRUARY 16TH AND MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. VISIT WWW.LAHABRACA.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION. CALL THE OFFICE AT FIVE SIXTY TWO THREE EIGHT THREE FOUR OH THREE ZERO KIDS' NIGHT OUT. KIDS' NIGHT OUT, UH, IS COMING ON FEBRUARY 10TH FROM SIX TO 10 30 AT THE HARBOR COMMUNITY CENTER. PARENTS DROP OFF YOUR KIDS FOR A FUN-FILLED EVENING AT THE, THE LAHABRA COMMUNITY CENTER. KIDS AGE FOUR TO 12 CAN ENJOY DINNER, SNACKS, GAMES, CRAFTS, AND A MOVIE WHERE COMFY SWEATS OR PAJAMAS, AND BRING A PILLOW AND BLANKET FOR THE MOVIE. IT'S ONLY $20. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 5 6 2 3 8 2 4 2 0 0 OR VISIT WWW.LAHABRACA.GOV. THANK YOU, KELLY, FOR THAT EVENT. NEXT ITEM. WE HAVE THE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE GROOVY SEVENTIES FAMILY FUN RUN, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON MARCH THE 11TH. IT'S CALLED THE LAHABRA RACES. JOIN US FOR ANOTHER MOVE, MORE EAT HEALTHY EVENT, FEATURING A 5K RUN, UH, AK RUN. UH, A KITTY RUN 50 YARD DIAPER DASH. AND IT'S A GREAT EVENT, UH, THAT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. UM, JOSE AND DARREN HAVE ACTUALLY RAN THAT, AND ALSO ROSE HAS WALKED IT MANY TIMES. UH, FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 5 6 2 3 8 3 4 2 0 5 6 2 3 8 3 4 2 0 0 OR VISIT WWW.LAHARSAY.GOV. SO, KELLY, WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT NEXT ITEM. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S, THERE'S, WE'RE STILL ASKING YOU TO PLEASE DO YOUR PART TO PROTECT OUR RESOURCES. UH, WE ARE STILL HAVE DROUGHT CONDITION MEAN TO CONSERVE WATER, YOU KNOW, IRRIGATION LIMIT YOUR, UH, WATERING TO ONE TIME A WEEK. ODD NUMBER ADDRESS, UH, ADDRESSES ARE LIMITED TO IRRIGATING, UH, TUESDAY'S EVEN NUMBER, UH, ON THURSDAY'S. SO DON'T IRRIGATE FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES. BE SMART ABOUT IT. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, JUST PLEASE CONSERVE WATER AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 5 62 3 3 4 1 7 0 OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE, PLEASE JUST CONSERVE WATER. UH, BE RESPONSIBLE. WE ALL KNOW THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND LET'S REMIND OUR STAFF, UH, WHEN IT'S RAINING, TO MAKE SURE THOSE PARK IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ARE DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART AS WELL. I THINK THAT IS IT. OKAY. COMMENTS FROM, UH, STAFF? NONE, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL [ COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS:] MEMBERS ROSE SPINOZA, I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS, BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS REPORT OUT FIRST AND THEN I'LL TAKE YOUR COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT? OKAY. UH, YOU'RE GONNA REPORT OUT, I'M GONNA LET, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MADRANO GO FIRST. OKAY. AND THEN I'LL REPORT OUT ON THE OTHER ONE. OKAY. THEN I'LL, AND THEN I'LL ASK FOR YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY. REPORT. MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. I JUST WANNA REPORT OUT THAT MYSELF, COUNCIL MEMBER SIMONIAN AND COUNCIL MEMBER ERIAN ATTENDED THE, UH, INDEPENDENT CITIES ASSOCIATION SEMINAR THIS PAST WEEKEND. UH, AND, UH, HAD A LOT OF GREAT, UH, TOPICS, UM, ONE OF WHICH ACTUALLY, WHICH, UH, MAY HIT CLOSE TO HOME WITH SOME OF OUR, WELL, WITH, UH, WITH VICTIMS OUT THERE. UH, ONE OF 'EM WAS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, THAT, UH, WE HAD A PANEL THAT SPOKE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. I KNOW ME BEING A, A POLICE OFFICER NOW FOR 27 YEARS, I'VE ANSWERED MY FAIR SHARE. AND, UH, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR CHIEF IS HERE, SERGEANT OPO, I'M SURE, YOUR HONOR, UH, HAVE, UH, UNFORTUNATELY BEEN, UH, FIRSTHAND WITNESSES TO THE, UH, TO THE DETRIMENTS OF, UH, OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SO WE HAD A, WE HAD A GREAT, UH, GREAT TRAINING ON THAT. AND, UH, OTHER ITEMS, UH, ETHICS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO, UH, IT WAS, UH, A RATHER FRUITFUL, UH, UH, SEMINAR THAT WE ATTENDED. SO, JUST WANNA REPORT OUT. SO ARE YOU'RE REPORTING FOR ALL THREE, CORRECT? I AM REPORTING FOR ALL THREE, YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST TO MAKE THAT, UH, CLEAR, COUNCILMAN ROSEN SPINO WAS EAR FIRST STATE FOR COMMENTS. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, I DID NOT GO TO THE CONFERENCE, BUT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY THE FOURTH TO PAY TO ATTEND THE BLACK HISTORY PARADE. IT WAS A 43RD ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY PARADE IN ANAHEIM, AND IT WAS AN AWESOME EVENT. I'M ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO ATTENDING IT. UH, COURSE DURING COVID, THAT WASN'T, UH, WASN'T POSSIBLE. BUT AS I WAS THERE TAKING PICTURES, UH, SUPERVISOR, UH, SHAFFEY WAS THERE AS WELL, AND SOME OTHER DELEGATES. UH, BUT AS I WAS TAKING PICTURES OF THE MOUNTY PET PATROL, POLICE, THE PATROL, UM, ONE OF THEM TURNED AROUND AND SAID, ROSE. AND I TURNED AROUND AND I LOOKED AT HIM AND IT WAS, UH, FARMER STEVE ANDERSON'S SON ERIC. YEAH. IT WAS SO AWESOME TO SEE HIM THERE. GAVE HIM A BIG HUG, TOLD HIM, I ALWAYS SEE YOUR CHILDREN IN, UH, UH, IN HER MOM'S INSTAGRAM. UM, AND OF COURSE, HE COMMUTES A LONG WAYS. COMES EVERY WEEK, UH, MICHELLE, WHERE HE LIVES IN IOWA. OH, IDAHO. IDAHO. AND HE COMES, UH, WORKS A WEEK OUT HERE IN ANAHEIM, AND THEN HE LEAVES A WEEKEND. BUT THIS PARTICULAR [00:40:01] WEEKEND HE WASN'T ABLE TO BECAUSE HE HAD TO WORK THAT WEEKEND. BUT IT WAS, UH, VERY MOVING TO SEE HIM, GAVE HIM A BIG HUG AND TOLD HIM TO, TO GIVE, UH, ALL THE FAMILY A WELL WISHES FOR ME AS WELL. ON, ON BEHALF OF ALL OF YOU AND THE CITY OF LAHABRA AND I, UH, TODAY, I ATTENDED THE, UM, THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITY'S, UH, ZOOM MEETING. UM, TONY CARDONAS, WHICH IS OUR ORANGE COUNTY DIVISION, PUBLIC AFFAIRS REGIONAL MANAGER, UM, IS LEAVING THE POSITION. HE'S BEEN THERE FOR 10 YEARS. UH, I SAID THAT WE WISH HIM WELL ON HIS NEW ENDEAVORS, PR AND ALSO ATTENDING THERE WITH CAROLYN COLEMAN, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES, AND ALI TAJ, WHICH PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES. HE IS A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM ARTESIA. UH, THEY WILL BE, UH, PROVIDING, THEY WILL BE SEARCHING A LARGE NETWORK FIRST. THEY WILL BE LOOKING INTERNALLY FOR, UM, FOR FIVE DAYS, AND THEN THEY WILL BE SEEKING, UH, UH, ADVERTISEMENT EXTERNALLY AFTER THAT. BUT IT WAS NICE TO SEE HIM THERE, AND WE WISHED HIM ALL ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL. UH, UH, GOOD LUCK IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS. HE'S NOT LEAVING ORANGE COUNTY, BUT HE'LL BE, UH, WORKING HERE WITH ANOTHER AGENCY. ALSO, THEY DISCUSSED THE, UM, QUARTERLY DIVISION, GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING UPDATE. WE ARE, WE WERE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED TO HAVE OUR QUARTERLY DIVISION MEETING, UH, ON THURSDAY, MARCH THE 23RD. BUT THAT CONFLICTS WITH THE O COG MEETINGS. UH, SO NOW THEY ARE SEEKING OTHER DATES FOR A POSSIBLE MEETING THAT THEY SH THEY WILL BE HAVING. AND OF COURSE, COURSE ALL THE COUNCIL IS INVITED TO ATTEND THAT AS WELL. I WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AS TO WHEN THAT IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. AGAIN, ROSE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REPRESENTATIVES AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND ALL YOU DO, WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, DARREN, THANK YOU. UH, A COUPLE THINGS I'LL REPORT OUT WITH REGARD TO, UH, A SACRAMENTO TRIP, AND THEN I'LL FINISH MY COMMENTS, IF THAT'S OKAY. SO, YEAH, UH, UH, CALIFORNIA, THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES, UH, HOSTED AN ORIENTATION FOR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYORS IN SACRAMENTO ABOUT, IT'S BEEN NOW THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO. AND BEING A NEW GUY, ALTHOUGH MY, UH, FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY ACTUALLY BEING ON COUNCIL WILL BE FEBRUARY 10TH. THANKS AGAIN FOR THE VOTE OF COMPETENCE A YEAR AGO. UH, BUT NONETHELESS, I'M CONSIDERED A NEW GUY, UH, EVEN AS MAYOR PROTE. SO I WENT TO SACRAMENTO AND IT WAS VERY TIRING BECAUSE THE CLASSES WERE FASCINATING, VERY INTERESTING. I LEARNED A LOT. BUT I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WITH OUR CITY MANAGER, JIM SARE, TO MEET WITH SENATORS NEWMAN AND HUMBERG. AND THIS IS A CRITICAL TIME FOR LAHABRA RIGHT NOW, AS MANY OF YOU HA EITHER KNOW OR HAVE HEARD OF THE NEWSPAPERS. IT'S ALL ABOUT OUR HOUSING ELEMENT AND ABOUT CERTIFYING THAT ELEMENT. AND THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SIT DOWN WITH BOTH OUR STATE SENATORS AND LOBBY FOR THE INTEREST OF LAHABRA, EXPRESSING TO THEM THE CONCERNS OF MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH REGARD TO DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, AND ALSO THE PROBLEMS WE'RE EXPERIENCING WITH HOUSING AND, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT UP IN SACRAMENTO, NOT CERTIFYING OUR HOUSING ELEMENT, WHICH IN FACT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY BACK LAST SEPTEMBER. AND IT WAS, IT WAS A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS AN ELEMENT IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT SACRAMENTO REQUIRED. BUT WE HAVE CONTINUALLY BEEN DENIED BY THE SACRAMENTO H C D OFFICE, AND WE'RE ON OUR FOURTH ITERATION. WE'VE EVEN GONE SO FAR AS TO TAKE ACTUAL LANGUAGE THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE USED TO BECOME SUCCESSFULLY, UH, CERTIFIED. AND THEY STILL SAID NO. SO I KNOW IT WAS SAID SOMEWHERE, I THINK EITHER ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A NEWSPAPER THAT WELL, THEY'VE DRAGGED THEIR FEET ON THEIR, ON CREATING A HOUSING ELEMENT THAT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE. THE HOUSING ELEMENT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. NOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET IT CERTIFIED. AND WHAT'S MORE IS THAT BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT IS NOT CERTIFIED. PEOPLE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOOPHOLES AND THIS SORT OF THING. SO WE, WE LOBBIED BOTH SENATORS, WE TALKED ABOUT IT A GREAT DEAL. UH, I WENT TO BAT AS BEST I COULD, AND I WANT THE FOLKS IN LA HARBOR TO KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN, NOT ONLY TO OPERATE IN A GOOD FAITH MANNER TOWARDS GETTING CERTIFIED, BUT HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND MEETINGS WITH OUR SENATORS ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM. SO ANYWAY, IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING. AND, UH, AND OF COURSE, AS, UH, COUNCILOR MADRANO SAID, I JOINED, UH, EVERYBODY FOR THE I C A CONFERENCE IN SANTA BARBARA AS WELL. UH, THE ONLY, UH, FINAL THING I WILL TALK ABOUT IS THAT, UM, I'M DOING MY BEST TO GET CERT TRAINING, WHICH, AND, AND CORRECT ME CHIEF, ISN'T IT, IS THAT'S COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM. IS THAT CORRECT? OR AM I SAYING SOMETHING WRONG? RIGHT, THAT'S IT. WELL, IT, IT HASN'T BEEN AVAILABLE IN SPANISH FOR A WHILE, AND A COUPLE CONSTITUENTS CONTACTED ME WITH REGARD TO THAT, TO THAT FACT THAT THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF HISPANIC RESIDENTS IN LAHABRA THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN CERT TRAINING, BUT THEY, THEY, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE. SO, UH, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF AND WITH, UH, KEL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THAT DONE. IT'S A COMMUNITY SERVICES, COMMUNITY SERVICES, SORRY, NOT DEVELOPMENT. UM, TYPICALLY IT'S ADMINISTERED BY LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A, A TANDEM EFFORT, BUT I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING THAT FOLKS WHO WANT TO ATTEND CERT TRAINING CAN, CAN GET IT IN SPANISH ALONG WITH CPR, WHICH IS ANOTHER, ANOTHER THING. SO I'M WORKING ON THAT AND I'LL, AND, AND, UH, WHEN THEY DID HAVE IT, IT WAS FILLED TO THE BRIM. THE, [00:45:01] UH, SPANISH COMMUNITY WAS JUST TREMENDOUSLY, UM, INDEBTED TO THEM AND GRATIFIED THAT THEY HAD THIS CLASS. THEY GOT THEIR CERTIFICATION, THEY GOT THEIR BACKPACK, THEIR HELMET, AND, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, THEY ARE, ONCE WORD GETS OUT TO ONE PERSON, IT JUST SPREADS. SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF US GETTING READY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO SAY YES, WE'RE GOOD TO GO AND GET THE RESIDENT MEMBERS, UH, OUT THERE AND DISSEMINATE THE INFORMATION. UM, AND, UH, I HAVE SOME CONTACTS THAT I CAN EASILY GET THAT WILL OKAY. GET THE PEOPLE OUT THERE. WELL, THAT'S GREAT. I'M GONNA KEEP PUSHING TILL IT GETS DONE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. NOT TO MENTION THEIR GRADUATION GOODIES ARE FANTASTIC. , , JOSE, DARREN, IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SAY SO. UH, SOMEBODY, UH, A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT MYSELF, NOT BORN HERE. ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE. I'M GONNA MAKE YOU AN HONORARY MEXICAN BECAUSE YOU ARE SPEARHEADING THIS EFFORT IN LATINO COMMUNITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. WE APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR SAYING YEAH. UH, AND, UH, TO THE ASSEMBLYWOMAN'S UH, UH, STAFF, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. AND, UH, WE HOPE YOU, UH, YOU'VE TAKEN EVERYTHING LAHABRA HAS TO OFFER, UH, US BEING A, UH, A NEW CITY IN THE, UH, 64TH DISTRICT AS IT WAS REDISTRICTED. UH, WELCOME. AND, UH, PLEASE, LIKE I SAY, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING LAHABRA OFFER. WE'RE HERE FOR YOU AS WELL. UH, THE FILLING IS RECIPRO, EXCUSE ME, RECIPROCAL. IF, UH, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. AND, UH, UH, VISIT OUR MANY, UH, BUSINESSES AND, UH, EATERIES. AND, UH, PLEASE, UH, UH, THE, UH, THE DOOR IS OPEN FOR, FOR US AS WELL. SO IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE THIS EVENING. UH, WANTED SAY, UH, A FEW OF US ATTENDED THE, UH, SONORA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL CHALLENGER PROGRAM, UH, A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, WHICH WAS A GREAT PROGRAM, UH, THAT WAS, UH, PUT ON HIATUS AS, UH, AS WE HIT COVID. UH, I THINK THIS WAS THE, UH, SECOND ONE, UH, THAT THEY HAD, UH, HOSTED. UH, GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM. IF YOU HAVE NEVER ATTENDED, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE THAT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND NEXT YEAR. THEY HAVE IT ONCE A YEAR. BEAUTIFUL PROGRAM. THANK YOU TO THE SONORA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAM, TO THE COACH, AND TO THE, UH, ADMINISTRATORS AT SONORA FOR ALLOWING THAT TO BE, UH, TO BE PUT FORWARD. AND ON A, UH, ON A PERSONAL SORT OF NOTE, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I WILL ROOT FOR, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE TWO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS. AND, UH, I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT MY, MY DAUGHTER, THE, UH, SHE'S THE, UH, THE VARSITY GOALKEEPER FOR THE LAHABRA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER TEAM. THEY QUALIFIED FOR C I F PLAYOFFS. THEY WILL BE PLAYING, UH, THIS WEDNESDAY UP IN APPLE VALLEY. YOURS TRULY WILL BE THERE. I WILL BE ROOTING FOR THE LAHABRA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER TEAM. AND YES, THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I WILL BOAST THAT THEY BEAT SONORA HIGH SCHOOL LAST WEEK FOR THE, UH, FOR THE, UH, CITY CHAMPIONSHIP. AND THEY, UH, THEY WON THE BOOT BACK. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LAHABRA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER TEAM. WAY TO GO. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING SO ACTIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. STEVE, MR. MAYOR, UH, JUST A, UH, QUICK THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF, UH, FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO, BUT MORE DIRECTLY, IT'S THE WAY THEY DO IT. THE QUALITY OF SERVICE AND THE ATTITUDE THEY DISPLAY IS WHAT WE WOULD ALL, UH, LIKE TO HAVE DONE ON A DAILY BASIS. IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN TO MR. TOVAR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO US, UH, THAT YOU PARTICIPATE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. STEVE. GOT A COUPLE ITEMS HERE. I, I WANNA MENTION, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL. UH, WE, UH, HOSTED TWO RIBBON CUTTINGS. UH, WE HAD ONE AT, UH, CELIA'S, UH, JEWELRY PLACE OVER THERE. AND ALSO THE TAX SERVICE AGENCY THAT CONTACTED YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MADRANO. AND THOSE WERE JUST FANTASTIC EVENTS, VERY WELL ATTENDED, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, SONORA HIGH SCHOOL CHALLENGER, UH, BASEBALL GAMES OUT THERE WHILE I THANKED ALLIANCES CLUB AND ALSO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO WERE VERY ACTIVE IN THAT EVENT. AND TO SEE THESE CHALLENGER KIDS WORKING ALONGSIDE AND PLAYING WITH THE BASEBALL PLAYERS FROM SONORA HIGH SCHOOL, I MEAN, THERE WAS NOT A DRY EYE IN THAT PLACE. SEEING THAT, THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. UH, I ALSO DO WANT TO MENTION, UH, TODAY LAS LOMA SCHOOL ALONG, UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HARBOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND SCOTT MILLER, THE COLLABORATIVE, HOSTED A FARMER'S MARKET AT LOS LOMA SCHOOL. AND THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT TEACH THOSE THEM ENTREPRENEURSHIP. AND THE KIDS WERE OUT THERE WITH THEIR GOODS. EACH STUDENT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT THERE AND PICK SOME ITEMS ABSOLUTELY FREE OF COST AND TAKE IT HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. IT'S A PHENOMENAL EVENT. THEY'RE DOING IT ONCE A MONTH. AT LOS LOMA SCHOOL, THE KIDS HAD THEIR APRONS ON AND THEY TAUGHT 'EM ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. UM, I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE 17TH ANNUAL LITERACY FAIR [00:50:01] AT LASLO SCHOOL. AND THAT IS JUST ABSOLUTELY, UH, A FANTASTIC EVENT THAT HAD US RETURNED AFTER COVID. AND THAT WAS JUST A GREAT ITEM. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK, UH, OUR ASSEMBLYWOMAN PACHECO FOR, UH, CONTACTING ME TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY. I WAS SO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND I WAS SO NERVOUS THE NIGHT BEFORE THAT I KEPT PRACTICING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO MAKE SURE I WOULDN'T FORGET ANY WORDS. CAUSE I'VE SEEN SOME OF THOSE DEBACLES HAPPEN WHEN YOU GET NERVOUS. BUT I WAS JUST SO HONORED, AND YOU GUYS JUST MAKE ALL OF US FEEL SO VERY WELCOME AND WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE, UH, TO YOU AND OUR ASSEMBLYWOMAN, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SHOWING HER AND YOUR STAFF, UH, THE TOUR OF LAJAN TAKING YOU AROUND TOWN. UM, AND I THINK, UH, WITH THAT, I HAVE ONE FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE. IT IS LA CHABRA'S 98TH BIRTHDAY THAT TOOK PLACE ON JANUARY 2ND. UH, WE ARE 98 YEARS OLD HERE IN THE CITY OF LAHABRA. AND, UM, LITTLE WEAR AND TEAR HERE, THERE, BUT IT'S A FANTASTIC CITY AND, UH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR CITY, LAHABRA. AND IF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN STAY AROUND, WE WANNA TAKE A PHOTO JUST SO WE CAN FORWARD TO THE HISTORICAL MUSEUM. SO WITH THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED TO TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2023 AT 5:30 PM AND THE CITY COUNCIL CLOSED SESSION ROOM 1 1 2 C 100 EAST LAHABRA BOULEVARD, FOLLOWED BY THE REGULAR MEETING AT 6:30 PM IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED. AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE. BYE-BYE. * 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.