Jan 14, 2025 Special City Council Meetings

[Call to Order]

[00:00:07]

WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL MEETING. AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT IN THE 18 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE IN OFFICE, WE'VE NEVER HAD A SPECIAL MEETING AT 10 A.M. EVER AND YET ALONE, TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING IN THIS MUCH COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHOW UP. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME OFF OF WORK, TIME OFF OF SCHOOL, TIME OFF OF SENIOR CENTER TIME, OFF OF WHEREVER YOU'RE AT TO SHOW UP AND BE HERE. BE PRESENT IN SUCH A VERY CRITICAL DECISION THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TO MAKE. AND SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO TELL YOU, FOR THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO SPEAK, THAT THIS IS A DEMOCRACY, AND WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AND NOBODY WILL BE RETALIATED AGAINST. AND I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE FEARFUL ABOUT BEING RETALIATED AGAINST ON THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

REST ASSURED THAT IF YOU FEEL YOU'RE GETTING RETALIATED OR SOMEBODY COMING IN ON YOU, LET ME KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING THAT OUT TO LIGHT. THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU ALL. THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT 60 OR 70 OF YOU HERE THAT HAVE MOBILIZED IN WHAT IS NOW THE SECOND SPECIAL MEETING OF THE YEAR. AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD OUR REGULAR MEETING. BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A COUNCIL MAJORITY HERE THAT WANTS TO MOVE A CERTAIN WAY. WELCOME TO THE AGENDA AGAIN OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. THE COUNCIL SITTING AS THE COACHELLA SANITARY DISTRICT, COACHELLA FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT, COACHELLA FINANCING AUTHORITY, COACHELLA EDUCATION AND GOVERNMENT ACCESS CABLE CHANNEL CORPORATION COACHELLA WATER AUTHORITY, SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE COACHELLA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY AND THE COACHELLA PARKS AND RECREATION FOUNDATION. IT'S JANUARY 14TH. ONCE AGAIN, SPECIAL MEETING AT 10 A.M. I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER, AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE CLERK TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THE ATTENDANCE, AND I'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. AT THIS

[Approval of Agenda]

[Public Comments (Closed Session Items)]

I'LL GET IT STARTED. HI. CITY COUNCIL. GOOD MORNING. COACHELLA. MY NAME IS ADRIAN REESE, AND I JUST WANTED TO TAKE SOME TIME OUT OF MY DAY TO DROP IN BECAUSE I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN ABOUT THE DECISION TO REMOVE GABRIEL MARTIN FROM HIS POSITION AS CITY MANAGER.

COUNCIL. IF YOU AREN'T AWARE, I'M A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY, AND DURING MY TENURE WITH THE CITY I WORKED UNDER JIMENEZ, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND ALONGSIDE OUR DEPARTMENT AND UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF THE CITY MANAGER, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE SOME HISTORICAL GRANTS, AND WE WON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM BOTH FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING SOURCES, MORE THAN WE HAVE EVER RECEIVED AS A CITY. AND THE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED WAS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL IN SUPPORTING PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO DIRECTLY BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF COACHELLA. WE RECEIVED FUNDING TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE. WE RECEIVED FUNDING TO CREATE HOUSING. WE RECEIVED FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, ENHANCE OUR PARKS, YOU NAME IT, AND COUNCIL THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY, I BELIEVE, ARE TAKING NOTICE WITH THE WORK THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAS DONE WITH THE WORK THAT OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS HAVE DONE WITHIN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, ALL OF WHICH WERE UNDER THE

[00:05:03]

ANGELA I'VE ALSO GOTTEN SOME TEXTS ABOUT PEOPLE WANTING TO COME ON THE ZOOM, BUT I GUESS THERE'S SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. THE LIVE STREAM ISN'T COMING ON. RIGHT. SO WE CAN DOUBLE CHECK THAT. JASON. APPRECIATE YOU. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 81 PEOPLE ON ZOOM, 81 PEOPLE ON ZOOM. PERFECT. GREAT. SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE SOME MOVE ON TO TAKING SOME OF THESE COMMENTS ON. I WILL TAKING COMMENTS FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE IN PERSON, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE THAT ARE ON ZOOM. OKAY. SO THE FIRST PERSON, IF YOU CAN PLEASE WALK UP TO THE PODIUM IS JESUS GONZALEZ. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I DENISE, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE YOU'RE A ONE DAY NOTICE RIGHT. AND YOUR STRATEGY OF CALLING A MEETING IN ONE DAY ON A TUESDAY AT 10:00. IT DIDN'T WORK, RIGHT. IT DIDN'T WORK. LOOK AT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE. I, I DENISE, I'VE WATCHED YOUR POLITICAL CAREER, AND I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO WE ALL HAVE SHORTFALLS, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO YOUR PERSONAL LIFE. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE HINDERS THE POSSIBILITY OF THE EXCITEMENT THAT WE HAVE IN COACHELLA, BOTH IN THE BUSINESS WORLD AND IN THE COMMUNITY, ALL WE GOT TO DO IS LOOK AROUND, LOOK AT THE PARKS, LOOK AT WHAT WE DELIVER TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. I HAPPEN TO HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME, AND THE PROGRESS THAT I'VE SEEN IS SOMETHING TO BE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT, RIGHT? YEAH. I SPOKE TO YOU ON ELECTION DAY. I, I RAN INTO YOUR HUSBAND, WHO I KNEW WHO I DIDN'T KNOW WAS YOUR HUSBAND. AND I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR A LONG TIME. AND WE HAVE A GOOD FRIENDSHIP. WE ACTUALLY SPOKE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR IN FRONT OF CITY HALL HERE. AND WHEN I GOT DONE, I WENT TO BACK DUMA, AND I SPOKE TO YOU. I ACTUALLY WALKED UP AND I SAID, HI, JADA, I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK. I HAD NO IDEA WHO YOUR HUSBAND WAS, AND I ASKED TO MEET WITH YOU. AND THE REASON THAT I WAS EXCITED TO SEE YOU RUN WHEN I FOUND OUT WHO YOU WERE WAS, I BELIEVED THAT A PERSON OF SERIOUS NATURE. RIGHT.

AN INVESTIGATOR? I BELIEVE YOU'RE A DETECTIVE WITH THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD COME INTO A SETTING LIKE THIS, AND THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE GOADED AROUND BY THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO YOU ON FALSE PRETENSE AND MADE UP STORIES AND LIES. AND YOU, MR. FIGUEROA, SHAME ON YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. YOU'RE SO CONSUMED IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFESTYLE THAT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND THESE KINDS OF ACTIONS AND THESE TYPES OF SHORT NOTICE MEETINGS. YOU ALL I SEEN YOUR LITERATURE.

TRANSPARENCY. TRANSPARENCY. THAT'S ALL YOU TALKED ABOUT. THAT'S ALL YOU TALK ABOUT.

[00:10:04]

THERE'S ANOTHER OLD SAYING, THERE'S ANOTHER OLD SAYING. THERE'S ANOTHER OLD SAYING THAT NOBODY CARES HOW MUCH YOU KNOW UNLESS THEY KNOW YOU CARE. AND I KNOW THIS MAN CARES. I DON'T I DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS MAN. BUT ALL I GOT TO DO IS LOOK AT HIS PERFORMANCE. SO SHAME ON YOU FOR CALLING THIS MEETING. DENISE DELGADO. AND I HOPE TO GOD THAT IF THIS MAN IS REMOVED, I HOPE TO GOD THAT YOU GET RECALLED AND YOU GO. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT COMMENT IS FOR ANA ALVARADO. YEAH, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE, SO I'M GOING TO GIVE HER A COUPLE MOMENTS TO WALK IN. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP. SHE'S AT WORK. I KNOW YOU'VE GOT WORK. OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO I'M GOING TO PUT HER ASIDE. AND IF SHE DOES RETURN, WE'LL GIVE HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THE NEXT PERSON IS JUAN ALVARADO.

JUAN ALVARADO. THERE'S AN OPEN MIC. THANK YOU. JUAN. OH, YOU CAN STEP UP TO THE PODIUM AND PROVIDE US YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. HELLO. HELLO. HI, EVERYBODY. I'M FROM RANCHO 51, THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF COACHELLA THAT IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING ANNEXED. AND SO MY COMMENT HERE IS MORE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING ANNEXED. WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS OVER TWO YEARS WITH THE CURRENT MANAGER AND HIS STAFF. AND IF CHANGE HAPPENS, DOES THAT GO OUT THE DOOR? ALL THOSE TWO YEARS OF WORK. SO THAT'S THAT'S A CONCERN THAT WE BRING FROM THE UNINCORPORATED AREA THAT'S IN THE PROCESS OF, OF BEING ANNEXED. AND SO AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CURRENT MANAGER AND HIS STAFF FOR OVER TWO YEARS. THAT'S WHO COACHELLA, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT TO US. AND SO AGAIN, IF THERE'S CHANGE IS THAT TRASH. AND IF IT IS THEN, YOU KNOW, IS IT EVEN WORTH US ANNEXING INTO COACHELLA. LIKE DO WE START OVER AGAIN? WE DON'T WANT TO START OVER. THAT'S A CONCERN WE BRING. SO THAT'S THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU. OKAY, I HAVE TWO JUAN ALVARADO'S ONE IS SENIOR AND ONE IS JUNIOR. HE'S NOT HERE YET. NOT HERE. OKAY. IS IT SENIOR OR JUNIOR? DO YOU KNOW? OKAY. I WILL PUT THAT ASIDE SO THAT WHEN HE DOES GET HERE. OKAY, THE NEXT PERSON IS CLAUDIA ALVARADO. SOMEONE'S GOT A GREAT VOICE OUT THERE. THANK. I'M ALREADY HERE. OKAY. HELLO. HELLO, EVERYONE. I'M CLAUDIA ALVARADO, AND I'M ALSO THE OWNER OF RANCHO 51. I AM HERE FOR THE SAME, SIMILAR REASONS. 80 OF US OF THE RANCHO OWNERS ON P2 THAT OWN ABOUT 200 ACRES HAVE BEEN. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TO SO MANY MEETINGS WITH INDIO AND COACHELLA AND WE DECIDED TO MAKE THE MOVE TO ANNEXATION TO COACHELLA. GABRIEL MARTIN HAS BEEN HONESTLY LIKE KEY PERSON TO HELP US WITH ALL THE PROCESS WITH THIS TEAM. AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH HIM AND HIS TEAM WITH SHORT TERM GOALS, LONG TERM GOALS, BUSINESS MEETINGS, SEPARATE MEETINGS. AND THAT'S MY TRUTH. HE IS SOMEONE THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO WORK WITH, WITH GOALS OF THE RANCHOS, WITH THE DATES AND THE TRAIN IDEA AND ALL THESE FUN, AMAZING IDEAS THAT HAVE GIVEN US THIS DREAM OF BEING PART OF

[00:15:04]

[00:20:01]

LET'S KEEP DOCTOR MARTIN AS OUR AS OUR CITY MANAGER AND CARLOS CAMPOS AS OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT COMMENT IS FROM VICTOR GARCIA. AND THEN WE'LL GO. BUENOS DIAS.

BUENOS DIAS A TODOS. BUENOS DIAS. UNA DISCULPA. YO VOY A HABLAR EN ESPANOL. ESTA BIEN. SI ESTA BIEN. MUCHAS GRACIAS. PUES BIENVENIDOS A TODOS LOS COMPANEROS DE LA VERDAD Y ESTE.

COMO COMENTADO VERDAD. ALGUNAS MIEMBROS DE PROGRAMA. A PRIMEIRAMENTE. PUES LA HORA VERDAD NO ES MUY CONVENIENTE PORQUE MUCHOS DE NOSOTROS TENEMOS TRABAJAR Y TRABAJAR FUERA A VECES. ENTONCES POR ESO QUIZAS YO CREO NO VINO CINCUENTA POR CIENTO DEL TOTAL DE LOS AMIGOS DEL SITO. ESTAMOS TRATANDO Y EN OTRO YO TAMBIÉN VEO UN POCO INAPROPIADA EL RECINTO. PORQUE ESTA PEQUENA. INCLUSO SI TIENE ESTAR LLAMANDO A LAS PERSONAS. QUIZAS ESTAN MAS AFUERA Y COMO NO ES MUY APROPIADO. PERO EN FIN LA ORGANIZACION Y LES DAMOS LAS GRACIAS DE TODAS MANERAS. PERO TENGO QUÉ ES UN INCONVENIENTE. QUÉ PASA POR ALTO VERDAD. BUENO PUES. ENTONCES NOSOTROS VENIMOS CON GUSTO. PORQUE YA TENEMOS TIEMPO TRATANDO ESTE ASUNTO. Y LAS PERSONAS. QUÉ HAN ESTADO REPRESENTANDO A LA CIUDAD. HEMOS TENIDO UNA BUENA CORRELACION ENTRE ELLOS Y NOSOTROS NOS HAN TRANSMITIDO SEGURIDAD CONFIANZA, INCLUSO EN UN OCASION YO TAMBIÉN PARTICIPAR EN AQUEL RECINTO PORQUE A VECES ESTABAMOS CONFORMES INDECISOS DE ACEPTAR A COACHELLA PARA FIRMAR COMO DENTRO DE NOSOTROS HABIA PORQUE YA NO SE NOTA TANTO INSEGURIDAD INCERTIDUMBRE YO TOMÉ LA PALABRA, INCLUSO PLATICAR PERSONALMENTE CON ALGUNOS DE DECIAMOS DE DARLE LA OPORTUNIDAD A LA CIUDAD DE COACHELLA. PARA QUÉ NOS TRANSMITIR ESE MENSAJE DE ELLOS QUERER? ADOPTAR A NUESTRO. ESPACIO DE TIERRA Y PERFECTO, PORQUE EMPEZAMOS A LAS PRIMERAS VECES EMPEZAMOS A FIRMAR. POR QUÉ SE OCUPA LAS FORMAS DE NOSOTROS PARA PODER A OBTENER COACHELLA? ESTOS TERRENOS PORQUE USTEDES LO SABEN INDIO TAMBIÉN ESTABA QUERIENDO POR LAS. SIN EMBARGO, YO FUI A INDIO TAMBIÉN Y EN INDIO OTRO TIPO DE SERVIDORES PORQUE USTEDES SON SERVIDORES PUES DEL PUEBLO Y INCLUSO YO TOMÉ LA PALABRA Y LES DIJE HABIAMOS YO NO SÉ SI DIAS DE PERSONAS. YO ALGO ESTA PASANDO AQUI LUEGO O NO HICIERON PROPAGANDA INVITACION Y LUEGO ME DICE POR AHI UNO EN FORMA DE BROMA ES EN COACHELLA LES DA COMIDA. Y NOS OFRECEN UN BOCADILLO Y SE LES AGRADECE, PERO MAS NADA NOS OFRECEN SU CONFIANZA, SU AMISTAD Y LA GENTE ESTAMOS MUY ANIMADOS CON ESO. INCLUSO NOSOTROS ESTAMOS DE SORPRESA VIENDO Q AQUI A GABRIEL MARTIN PARECE Q. VA A DESAPARECER DEL PROGRAMA Y IGUAL Q YO ALGUNAS PERSONAS PENSAMOS Q SI FUERA POSIBLE. CONSERVA LO COMO COMO HACIÉNDOLO COMISIONADO AL PROYECTO, PORQUE NOSOTROS CON ESTE EQUIPO. YA ESTAMOS EN PLENA CONFIANZA Y SENTIMOS DE LO CONTRARIO VA A

[00:25:04]

GRACIAS. GRACIAS. SI UN POCO MUCHAS GRACIAS. GRACIAS. GRACIAS. SI MUCHAS GRACIAS. SO I WRITER OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT IS HERE IN SUPPORT OF DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. SO IF WE COULD JUST BE RESPECTFUL OF THE THREE MINUTES TIME THAT WE HAVE ON THE ON THE SCREEN HERE.

RECORDAR Q MUCHAS GRACIAS POR ESTAR AQUI EN APOYAR A GABRIEL DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. SOLAMENTE LE QUIERO RECORDAR PARA SER RESPETUOSO Y DARLE SUFICIENTE TIEMPO A TODOS ESTAN AQUI TAMBIÉN EN LINEA A DAR SU COMENTARIOS Y POR FAVOR. PODEMOS ESTAR DENTRO LOS TRES MINUTOS ESTAN EN LA PANTALLA LO AGRADECEMOS GRACIAS. ENTONCES VOY A HABLAR A LA SIGUIENTE PERSONA. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS VANESSA AGUILAR. VANESSA AGUILAR. SHE'S COMING. HELLO.

GOOD MORNING CITY OF COACHELLA AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS VANESSA AGUILAR. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY FOR ALL MY LIFE. SO I COME HERE. CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC, PLEASE? YES, I COME HERE TO PULL IT DOWN. SORRY. THANK YOU. I COME HERE TO EXPRESS A CONCERN AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, REGARDING THE RECENT DECISION TO REMOVE OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER, I BELIEVE THIS ACTION POSES A SERIOUS RISK TO BOTH THE ONGOING AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY. THE REMOVAL OF THE CITY MANAGER MAY JEOPARDIZE THE ABILITY TO SECURE PROJECT FUNDING BASE, AND ALSO THE APPROVAL OF WHICH THE LEADERSHIP IN WHICH THE CITY MANAGER APPROVES UPON. ADDITIONALLY, THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF SEVERANCE COSTS AND SALARY OF A NEW CITY MANAGER IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE COACHELLA. ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CITY'S LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES. THIS DECISION COULD LEAD TO INSTABILITY AFFECTING THE CITY'S CAPACITY TO ATTRACT AND MAINTAIN LUCRATIVE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. THE CITY OF COACHELLA HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN ITS DEVELOPMENT AND IS NOT ONLY NOT JUSTIFIABLE, BUT TO REMOVE THIS, TO NOT REMOVE, TO REMOVE THIS LEADERSHIP WITHOUT A CLEAR AND COMPELLING REASON, I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS ACTION IN LIGHT OF POTENTIAL NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CITY'S FUTURE GROWTH AND FINANCIAL STABILITY. GIVEN THESE FACTORS, IT SEEMS PRUDENT TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE BROADER IMPLICATIONS OF REPLACING THE CITY MANAGER AT THIS TIME. THE CITY'S PROGRESS AND STABILITY, DEPENDING ON THE EXPERIENCED, KNOWLEDGEABLE LEADERSHIP AND SUDDEN CHANGE WITHOUT CLEAR JUSTIFICATION WOULD UNDERMINE THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM OF THE RESIDENT COMMUNITY, AND CITY STAFF HAS WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD UPON. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE RUBEN GONZALEZ. RUBEN GONZALEZ.

THANK YOU. AND GOOD MORNING. GONZALEZ. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF COACHELLA AND VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE COACHELLA PLANNING COMMISSION. I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. MY QUESTION IS GOING TO BE DIRECTED TO A NEW COUNCIL MEMBER, PEREZ. SO, MRS. PEREZ, YOU JUST GOT IN AS A COUNCILWOMAN. YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE HERE AT LEAST A YEAR TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP SOME, SOME NEGATIVE STUFF ON OUR CITY MANAGER. DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF STUFF THAT

[00:30:06]

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN POLITICS FOR PROBABLY OVER 40 YEARS. SO I'VE SEEN HIM COME AND GO. BUT IF YOU GUYS MAKE THAT DECISION, I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT REAL CLEAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO CREATE A LOT OF CHAOS. AND IF YOU GET RID OF HIM, BELIEVE ME, HE'LL BE BACK. IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A SHORT PERIOD THAT HE'S GOING TO BE ABSENT. BUT I HOPE YOU GUYS REALLY LOOKING DEEP IN YOUR HEART AND REALLY CHANGE YOUR HEART AND DECIDE THAT MR. MARTIN IS THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN HAVE IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE YAYA ORTIZ.

YAYA ORTIZ. SHE'S COMING. OKAY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. AND I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL IN GENERAL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT TOWARDS MYSELF AND OUR CULTURES, MUSIC AND ART. BUT I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR GABRIEL MARTIN. I NEVER HAD THAT MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM UNTIL ONE DAY WHEN I ASKED HIM A QUESTION AND I CALLED HIM AND I TEXTED HIM, HEY GABRIEL, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS PROJECT? ARE YOU TAKING OUR IDEAS? BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH? AND HE GOES, GIVE ME A CALL RIGHT AWAY. AND HE GOES, NO, YAYA. HE WAS REALLY CALM, HE'S APPROACHABLE, AND HE'S BEEN ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ADVOCATES. I FEAR THAT IF HE'S GONE, ALL OUR PROJECTS FOR THE ARTS CENTER AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE HAD, IT'S GOING TO COME TO A HALT AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME. WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS OUR HELP. WE HAVE A BUNCH OF KIDS WHO NEED THAT ART CENTER AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INSTILLED IN THIS COMMUNITY. MOST OF YOU ALL I WANT TO SAY, EXCEPT FOR YADIRA, I DON'T KNOW WHO SHE IS OR I NEVER HEARD OF HER UNTIL SHE GOT ELECTED. FOR THE MOST PART, YOU GUYS HAVE HAVE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES. YOU HAVE VOTED A LOT FOR THE SAME THING. AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE YOU CARED FOR THE COMMUNITY AND YOU HAVE YOUR REASONS, BUT THIS SHOULD NOT BE ONE OF THE REASONS. GABRIEL MARTIN IS AN AMAZING PERSON, EXTRAORDINARY PERSON, KIND, GIVES YOU A HUG AND IT HURTS, BUT IT GIVES YOU NICE HUGS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S LIKE, WE NEED TO KEEP THEM HERE. LET'S NOT. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AMAZING WORK. LIKE, YOU SEE, PEOPLE SEE THE PROGRESS. I HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS FROM FROM OUTSIDERS WHO ARE NOT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO DON'T LIVE. BUT THEY SEE THEY SEE US, THEY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. AND I DON'T THINK IT'S UNFAIR, YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT HERE TO THREATEN PEOPLE OR ANYTHING. I JUST WANT TO PLEAD TO YOUR HEART TO PLEASE KEEP HIM ON. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT UP, WE HAVE ANA GARCIA. ON THE SAME SLIP WE HAVE. ALSO, IF YOU CAN JUST BE READY. JESUS LOPEZ AND SULMA HERNANDEZ. HELLO. GOOD. HELLO. HELLO. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ANA GARCIA, AND I'M THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER FOR COACHELLA VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. I'M OPPOSING COUNCIL'S DECISION ON TRYING TO REMOVE HIM FROM HIS POSITION. AND I HAVE WORKED WITH DOCTOR MARTIN CLOSELY, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER FOR THE STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. HE WAS ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON, EVEN ON HIS SCHEDULED DAYS OFF ON FRIDAYS TO ZOOM WITH ME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. HE HAS BEEN TO SEVERAL OF OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS IN SUPPORT OF, AND HAS SHOWN THAT HE SUPPORTS THE COACHELLA VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS OUR TEAM. I HAVE SOME OF THE TEAM MEMBERS HERE, AND NOW I'M GOING TO PASS THE MIC TO JESUS LOPEZ. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. A LITTLE BIT OF DOCTOR MARTIN, JUST AS MY BOSS, ANA GARCIA WAS SAYING. HE WORKED

[00:35:01]

I'M HERE TO FIGHT FOR MY STUDENTS. I'M HERE TO FIGHT FOR COMMUNITY. AND PART OF THAT COMMUNITY IS OUR FAMILIES. OUR FAMILIES NEED YOU TO WORK TOGETHER JUST THE SAME WAY. THEY NEED OUR BOARD MEMBERS TO WORK TOGETHER, AND THEY'RE DOING THAT. AND IT'S DIFFICULT WORK.

IT'S HARD TO HAVE HARD CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE'RE HAVING THOSE HARD CONVERSATIONS WITHIN OUR BOARD, AND OUR BOARD IS COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER, AND THEY'RE DOING A BETTER JOB ON THE DAIS. IN THE SESSIONS THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER. AND IT COMES DOWN TO YOUR LEADERSHIP BRINGING EVERYONE HERE TOGETHER TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE $500,000 FOR THE COACHELLA PROMISE, SO OUR STUDENTS COULD WORK AND SUPPORT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GROWING LEADERS IN OUR DISTRICT, THAT WE ARE GROWING STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BECOME OUR NEXT ENTREPRENEURS WITHIN THE CITY OF COACHELLA TO KEEP THAT ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROWING. THAT DIDN'T COME FROM ANYONE EXCEPT FOR ALL OF YOU WORKING TOGETHER AND DOCTOR MARTIN SUPPORTING US. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE DECISIONS THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AND HAVE THOSE HARD CONVERSATIONS, BUT DON'T REMOVE PEOPLE FROM HERE YET. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THE. NEXT SPEAKER IS ARIANNA RODRIGUEZ. ADRIANA RODRIGUEZ, AND A FOLLOWING, ADRIANA WILL BE I'M SORRY, ARIANNA WILL BE JOE MOTTA. OKAY. I ALWAYS HAVE THIS PROBLEM WHERE THE MIC IS STILL HANGING. SO WHAT THE PRESIDENT JUST MENTIONED IS IF I SPEAK SPANISH,

[00:40:10]

I'M A LITTLE PARCHED AND EVEN GOING WITHOUT PAY TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT. AMONG THESE ARE SENIORS, CITY WORKERS, CVUSD DISTRICT EMPLOYEES WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM, AND YOUTH, ALL OF WHOM REPRESENT THE HEART OF THIS COMMUNITY. THEIR PRESENCE DEMONSTRATES HOW MUCH? DOCTOR.

DOCTOR GABRIEL MEANS TO US, BUT IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE BARRIERS OTHERS FACE IN PARTICIPATING.

DUE TO THE TIMING OF THIS MEETING. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT SCHEDULING, IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS AND ENSURING ENSURING THAT EVERYONE IN OUR CITY HAS AN EQUAL VOICE IN DECISIONS THAT AFFECT US ALL. BECAUSE THEY DO THEY. ANY DECISION THAT YOU GUYS MAKE AFFECT US ALL, AND I URGE YOU TO PRIORITIZE THE TRANSPARENCY ACCESSIBILITY FOR FOLKS BY HOLDING FUTURE MEETINGS S AND MORE RESIDENTS CAN ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE. THAT'S MY ASK.

AS JUNTAS CASA SE PONEN EN PARTICIPACION A LAS DIAS AM NO NOS DEJAN A TODOS LOS RESIDENTES, ESPECIALMENTE NUESTROS TRABAJADORES AGRICOLAS Y OTRAS PERSONAS TRABAJAN DURANTE LAS MANANAS PARA PODER ATENDER. ESTAS JUNTAS ES MUY NECESARIO. EL CONSEJO AQUI TENGA EN MENTE. ESTO NOS PROVIENE DE PODER DE NUESTROS COMENTARIOS PUBLICOS Y APRECIAR LA NUESTRA APPRECIATION PARA EL DOCTOR GABRIEL Y LA EVALUACION. HACIENDO HOY COMO SIEMPRE. WE'RE A THRIVING COMMUNITY. WE'RE AN AWESOME COMMUNITY. I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE FROM HERE. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS JOE MOTTA. AND FOLLOWING JOE MOTTA WILL BE ARMAN. I APOLOGIZE, I CAN'T READ THE LAST NAME. IT'S. A P A BOSNIAN OR PARONYAN. ARMAN. THANK YOU. JOE. GO AHEAD.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. HONORABLE MAYOR. HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL. I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE AND DISRESPECT OF HAVING THIS MEETING AT 10 A.M. AND NOT ALLOWING MANY WORKING RESIDENTS TO ATTEND THIS MEETING AND EXPRESS THEIR COMMENTS AND SHOW THEIR THE WAY AND EXPRESS HOW MUCH THE CITY HAS MOVED RIGHT IN A POSITIVE MANNER. AND HERE I WAS. I SAW IT ON THE NEWS AND SAW WHAT HAPPENED AND WANTED TO COME AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS ORGANIZED 20 PLUS YEARS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. I'M NOT A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, BUT I HAVE DONE A LOT OF MY WORK HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, IN THE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT COACHELLA HAS NEVER BEEN SO OPEN FOR COLLABORATION AND POSITIVE MOVEMENT SINCE CITY MANAGER DOCTOR MARTIN HAS BEEN ON BOARD, RIGHT? WE'VE DONE SO MUCH AS IN ORGANIZATIONS THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH OR I'M WORKING WITH, TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR RESIDENTS OF COACHELLA TO HAVE A HEALTHY AND STABLE LIVING. RIGHT. AND SO I WANT YOU TO RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION OF. POSSIBLY REMOVING DOCTOR MARTIN FROM CITY MANAGER.

HE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT HELPFUL, ACCESSIBLE AND WELCOMING TO BE ABLE TO COME AND WORK WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND AS I EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR DOCTOR MARTIN, I ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS

[00:45:01]

WHAT PRIDE DOES THAT COME WITH TO SEE? AND I WORKED WITH THE UFW AND I'VE SEEN THE LIVES OF HARD WORKERS, DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO PUSH THEIR KIDS TO COLLEGE. AND HE WENT AND DID IT.

CAME BACK WHEN HE WAS A GRADUATE. WHEN HE WAS AT CV HIGH, HE WOULD VOLUNTEER TO RECORD THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND LOOK AT HIM NOW, ARE PROUD TO HAVE CARLOS CAMPOS AS THE CITY ATTORNEY OF COACHELLA. BUT THAT DIDN'T COME. YOU GUYS MADE THAT DECISION WITHOUT EVER THINKING OF WHAT WE DO WITH OUR HOMEGROWN INDIVIDUALS. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF YOU EXCEPT COUNCILWOMAN PEREZ, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF SPEAK OF, OH, WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO COME BACK AND GROW HERE IN COACHELLA AND COME AND SERVE COACHELLA. WELL, WE HAVE THEM HERE AND YOU GUYS HAVE FIRED THEM, SO PLEASE RECONSIDER THAT. PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA BY REMOVING DOCTOR MARTIN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ARMIN. ARMIN PESONEN I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING THAT CORRECTLY. IF NOT, PLEASE CORRECT ME. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ARMIN BARONIAN. OH. THANK YOU. I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF GABRIEL MARTIN AS A BUSINESS OWNER IN CITY OF COACHELLA. MY EXPERIENCE WITH WORKING WITH GABRIEL AND CITY EMPLOYEES WHO REPORT DIRECTLY TO HIM HAS BEEN FIRST CLASS. HIS WORK ETHIC, HIS RESPONSIVENESS AND WILLINGNESS TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS BUSINESS OWNERS FACE IS A REFRESHING CHANGE FROM THE NORM WHEN DEALING WITH GOVERNMENT. IT IS JUST I'M HERE TO GIVE MY OPINION. I THINK IT'S A PRIVILEGE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF CITY OF COACHELLA TO HAVE GABRIEL MARTIN AS THEIR CITY MANAGER, AND I JUST WANTED TO COME IN AND GIVE MY SUPPORT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS RAQUEL. TERRENCE. RAQUEL, TERRENCE. AND FOLLOWING RAQUEL IS FERNANDO ESCALANTE. RAQUEL. RAQUEL. RAQUEL. FERNANDO. FERNANDO. FERNANDO.

YEAH. BUENOS DIAS A TODOS USTEDES. ESTO VOY A HABLAR EN ESPANOL. YO NO OTOMI NO VIENE EL INGLÉS. PERO QUIERO EXPRESAR. YO SIENTO ESTA PASANDO ESTE TIPO DE ACTIVIDADES. ESTE TIPO DE ACTIVIDADES ES MUY COMUN EN MUCHAS PARTES. PERO YO SIENTO Y PIENSO DARLE HONOR A QUIÉN HONOR MERECE UNA PERSONA Q HA SIDO BUENA PARA SU COMUNIDAD Y SIEMPRE ESTADO AL PENDIENTE DE DARLE SOLUTION A LOS PROBLEMAS Y AYUDAR NOSOTROS REALMENTE NECESITAMOS YO TENGO POCO EN ESTE LUGAR Y ESTOY SUMAMENTE CONTENTO YO VENIA DE INDIO PORQUE SALIA TODA LA NO LO TRATEN COMO DEBE SER AQUI. FUE MUY BONITO. ENTONCES POR ESO ES Q YO CON ESTE HOMBRE ESTE ESTOY COMO LE DIJE ESTOY CONTENTO. PERO EN USTEDES ESTA VERDAD TRATAR DE. SYNCHRONIZERS Y ACEPTAR PORQUE ES LA UNICA MANERA EN MANTENER A LA MISMA COMUNIDAD CONTENTA. ASI COMO YO ME SIENTO ASI USTEDES TIENEN QUÉ HACER LA GENTE ESTÉ CONTENT CONTENTA PORQUE SINO A USTEDES PUEDEN LLEGAR EL PROBLEMA. POR QUÉ. PORQUE ESTAN BAJANDO DE UN DERECHO LEGITIMO A UNA PERSONA Q LOGRO A PULSO ESTE LUGAR A DONDE ESTA AHI TIENES LA FAMILIA Y TODOS ASI USTED ES TAMBIÉN TIENE SU FAMILIA Y ESTAN PENSANDO EN USTEDES SUS LOGROS Y LES VAYA MUY BIEN. PUES A ESTE NO LO HAECHAN PARA AFUERA INCLUYEN LOS CON USTEDES ESO NO LE QUIEN YA NO ES TODO LO TENGO DECIR.

GRACIAS. ENTONCES RAQUEL NO VA NO OKAY. NEXT UP IS NICK MESA. AND FOLLOWING NICK MESA WE HAVE FREEMAN SWANK. HI. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I JUST WANTED TO COME OVER AND SAY COME UP AND SAY A COUPLE WORDS WHEN I JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS NEWS OF THE MR. GABRIEL MARTIN HERE BEING REMOVED FROM HIS POSITION. THE FIRST THOUGHT THAT I HAD WAS, WHY, WHY, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

[00:50:01]

USUALLY WHEN CHANGE LIKE THIS HAPPEN WITH IMPORTANT DECISIONS IS BECAUSE SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. WE SEE A LOT OF PROGRESS. WE HAVE A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS BEING REBUILT, A LOT OF APARTMENTS, STREETS BEING REPAIRED, A LOT OF POSITIVE ACTION. RIGHT. THE EVERYONE HERE IS IN IS IN THE SAME SUPPORT. WE FEEL VERY POSITIVE IN THE DIRECTION THE CITY IS TAKING.

BUT THESE TYPE OF DECISIONS MAKE US QUESTION HOW ARE THESE DECISIONS BEING MADE WITH SUCH AN IMPORTANT PERSON AND PART OF THE CITY? RIGHT? LIKE WHERE IS THE PROBLEM? WE ALWAYS HEAR THESE RUMORS OF PEOPLE WANTING CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE. THAT'S THE ONLY WORD BEING SHARED. BUT WHAT CHANGE? WE'RE HAPPY AS BUSINESS OWNERS AND RESIDENTS, WE'D LIKE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FEEDBACK ON THE TYPE OF CHANGE THAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING FOR, ESPECIALLY WITH THE POSITION LIKE THIS. THIS IS A MAJOR CHANGE. IT'S NOT A SMALL CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH ALL OF THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE HERE TODAY, AND PROJECTS THAT ARE STILL LOOKING TO BE FINISHED. SO I WANTED TO COME UP AND SHARE MY CONCERNS, WHICH ARE THE ONES THAT I JUST EXPRESSED NOW, AND ALSO ASK THAT YOU GUYS CONSIDER THAT. CONSIDER THAT, ESPECIALLY MRS. PEREZ. YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M ECHOING WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER. JUST CONSIDER THE FACT THAT GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT TIME AND SEE IF WHEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THIS HELPS MAKE A BETTER DECISION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE FREEMAN SWANK AND FOLLOWING FREEMAN SWANK WE HAVE GRACE MARTIN. COUNCIL MEMBERS. MR. MAYOR THANK YOU. MY NAME IS FREEMAN SWANK. I'M THE SITE LEADER AT ARMTEC DEFENSE TECHNOLOGIES HERE IN COACHELLA.

AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, ARMTEC HAS BEEN A MAJOR EMPLOYER IN THE CITY HERE FOR THE PAST 60 YEARS.

WE EMPLOY HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA ALONE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DOCTOR MARTIN AND OTHER CITY STAFF IN A MAJOR EXPANSION THAT WE'RE DOING IN SUPPORT OF THE US GOVERNMENT AND THE US WARFIGHTER. THIS EFFORT IS QUADRUPLING OUR PRODUCTION. IT'S DOUBLING OUR STAFF. WE'RE BRINGING IN LOTS OF NEW JOBS, AND IT'S REQUIRING US TO BUILD LOTS OF NEW FACILITIES ON OUR EXISTING SITE. THIS IS NECESSARILY GOING TO REQUIRE CONTINUED COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. SO DUE TO OUR CRITICAL SUPPORT OF THE US WARFIGHTER IN THIS EXPANSION, WE'RE CONCERNED THAT THE DISRUPTION THAT THIS WILL CAUSE CHANGING THE CITY MANAGER AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT WILL RESULT IN SLOWDOWN OF OUR ABILITY TO BRING THOSE JOBS TO THE CITY, RESULTING IN SLOWDOWN OF OUR ABILITY TO SERVE THE US WARFIGHTER. SO WE HOPE YOU TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT AS YOU GO INTO THE CLOSED SESSION WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. WE DO NOT THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD DECISION TO MAKE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

GRACE. GRACE. MARTIN. GOOD MORNING. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. MY NAME IS GRACE MARTIN. I'M HERE WITH MY KIDS, GIOVANNI AND MARTIN, AND WE ARE THE FAMILY OF OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER, GABRIEL MARTIN. AS I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU, NOT ONLY AS A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, BUT ALSO

[00:55:02]

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I AM YOUR CURRENT CHAIRMAN OF YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION. AND IF YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE, I JUST GO AHEAD AND LOOK AROUND YOU. YOU GOT A PACKED HOUSE IN SUPPORT OF YOUR CITY MANAGER. AND NOT ONLY YOUR CITY MANAGER, BUT YOUR CITY ATTORNEY. I GET THE LUXURY OF SITTING ON A DAIS, AND PERHAPS MY APPOINTMENT WAS MET WITH MUCH CONTROVERSY, BUT WE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO MOVE COACHELLA FORWARD AND BRING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND IDEAS. I'VE WORKED WITH DOCTOR MARTIN AND. ATTORNEY CAMPOS, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'VE CARRIED HAVE BEEN TO THE NINES AND NOT ONLY TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, BUT TAKE EVERYBODY ELSE'S WORD FOR IT, WHO'S BEEN ADVOCATING ON THEIR BEHALF THIS MORNING? ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE INCONVENIENT TO BE HERE, LOOK AT EVERYBODY THAT SHOWED UP. AND SO THAT OUGHT TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT THE

[01:00:04]

HOMES THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL, PEOPLE THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL COME WITH STABILITY. SO WHAT YOU'RE DOING TODAY. YOU'RE NOT AN AGENT OF CHANGE. YOU'RE AN AGENT OF CHAOS CAUSING DISRUPTION TO YOUR CITY. AND THAT'S NOT COMING FROM ME. THAT'S COMING FROM THEM WHO ARE QUESTIONING YOUR MOVES, YOUR MOTIVES THIS MORNING. SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHERE DOES THIS STOP? WE KNOW WHERE IT STARTS BECAUSE IT STARTED TODAY. BUT WHERE DOES IT STOP? IT'S GOING TO COST THE CITY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, PERHAPS. PUT PROJECTS ON PAUSE, CAUSED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN AND BOND MONEY LOST. AND SO YOU GOT TO ASK YOURSELF, WHAT'S YOUR VISION FOR COACHELLA? OBVIOUSLY, YOUR VISION AND THE VISION OF THESE PEOPLE IS NOT A SHARED VISION. IT'S NOT THE SAME VISION. AND FOR THAT, I HAVE A NO CONFIDENCE VOTE IN THIS PRESENT CITY COUNCIL. AND I URGE THE CITY AND ITS CONSTITUENTS FOR RECALL ELECTION ON DELGADO, ON FIGUEROA, AND EVEN YOU, MISS PEREZ, BECAUSE WE CANNOT WE CANNOT PUT IN JEOPARDY. WE CANNOT HAVE YOU JEOPARDIZE THE FUTURE OF COACHELLA FOR 20 YEARS. IT TOOK 20 YEARS TO BUILD COACHELLA TO WHAT IT IS TODAY.

AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO BACK. GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. NEXT UP WE HAVE JOSE GONZALEZ.

AND FOLLOWING THAT, WE HAVE. JOSE JOSE LATINO. JOSE COMITÉ LATINO I APOLOGIZE. NO, NO.

MIRELLA. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING MAYOR. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL. I'M JOSE GONZALEZ, A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA AND A PRIOR MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL. I'M COMPELLED TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON COUNCIL MEMBER FIGUEROA. PEREZ AND DELGADO CHOICE TO FIRE OUR CITY MANAGER, DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HIRING A CITY MANAGER. FOLLOWING THE RETIREMENT OF BILL PATTERSON, DOCTOR MARTIN WAS CHOSEN AS A CITY MANAGER BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE, HIS LEADERSHIP, AND HIS PROVEN DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I HAVE TWO SIMPLE POINTS TO MAKE. THE FIRST POINT IS WHY? WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? OF WHAT VALUE IS THIS TO THE COMMUNITY OF COACHELLA? TO REMOVE THE LEADER OF THE CITY STAFF WHEN THE OBVIOUS CONSEQUENCE IS DISRUPTION IN THE FLOW OF THE CITY'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, WHICH IS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS. WHOSE BENEFIT IS IT TO FIRE DOCTOR MARTIN, NOT THE RESIDENTS, NOT THE RESIDENTS. THAT'S CLEAR. ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS LOOK AROUND, LOOK AT THE PROGRESS AGAIN. THE QUESTION IS WHY? WHY MISS PEREZ? WHY MISS DELGADO, DOCTOR FIGUEROA, THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS LOOK UP AND STARE AT THE PERSON THAT'S TALKING TO YOU.

DOCTOR, I WOULD IMAGINE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WHY? IT'S CLEAR. IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHY?

[01:05:04]

THAT'S THE ONLY CONSEQUENCE IS TO STOP THE LACK OF PROGRESS AND CREATE CHAOS. WHY? WHY? MY SECOND POINT IS MORE THE HUMAN ASPECT. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M ALL ABOUT. I'M A SOCIAL WORKER AT HEART. WHY THE HUMAN ASPECT? I REALLY UNDERSTAND THE POLITICS. IT'S CLEAR WHY IT'S 10:00 IN THE MORNING. IT WAS INITIALLY AT SIX. NOW IT'S TEN. WE KNOW WHY. JUST NEEDED TO MAKE THE POINT. SECOND POINT AGAIN IS THE HUMAN ASPECT. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB AS OUR CITY MANAGER. ARE YOU GOING TO DO IS LOOK AROUND? LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THAT IS NOT EVEN IN DISPUTE. THAT'S NOT IN DISPUTE, DOCTOR FIGUEROA, DENISE, MISS PEREZ, THAT'S NOT IN DISPUTE. AND THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR. YOU GUYS HAVEN'T GIVEN US A REASON. JUST DECIDED ON A WHIM, A WEEK AFTER COMING BACK FROM VACATION. JUST DECIDED. LET'S CALL A MEETING AT TEN IN THE MORNING AND LET'S FIRE THE CITY MANAGER. AND LET'S FIRE. OUR OUR COUNCIL. DOCTOR MARTIN IS THE FIRST CITY MANAGER, IF NOT IN A LONG TIME, TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. HE PAYS HIS TAXES TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA. HE SHOPS IN COACHELLA, HIS CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL IN COACHELLA. AGAIN. SHOWING HIS SHOWING HIS COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, NOT TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT SHOWING IT, DISRUPTING THE LIVES OF HIS FAMILY, IN PARTICULAR HIS CHILDREN. FOR NO GIVEN REASON, NO GIVEN REASON. NONE. JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN. BECAUSE YOU CAN IS WRONG. ABSOLUTELY WRONG. AND THE COMMUNITY IS WATCHING. IN CLOSING, I'M APPEALING TO THE COUNCIL'S BETTER ANGELS IN PARTICULAR, MISTER FIGUEROA, MISSUS PEREZ AND MISS DELGADO.

I'M APPEALING TO YOUR BETTER ANGELS THAT YOU ARE, THAT YOU REASSESS THE BASIS FOR SUCH AN ACTION. THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW THE CITY TO CONTINUE AND ALLOW THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO PROSPER AND NOT GO BACKWARDS AND GET DISRUPTED IN OUR FORWARD. PROGRESS. I TRULY HOPE. I TRULY HOPE WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT YOU GUYS LISTEN TO YOUR COMMUNITY. PERHAPS SOME OF THESE VOTED FOR YOU. PERHAPS A LOT OF THEM HAVE. BUT IF THIS GOES FORWARD AND YOU PURSUE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITHOUT ANY VALID REASON, ANY VALID REASON, THAT'S SHAMEFUL. IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND THERE'S CONSEQUENCES. THERE'S CONSEQUENCES. THANK YOU MISS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE AGAIN THAT WE WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THE THREE MINUTES SO I CAN GIVE YOU A 32ND REMINDER. AND JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE ALLOW EVERYONE SOME TIME SO THEY CAN GET BACK TO WORK. SO NEXT, JOSE COMITÉ LATINO, BUENOS DIAS, BUENOS DIAS ESPANOL PORQUE EL COMITÉ LATINO NO EN EL VALLE DE COACHELLA. LA PREMIERE PREGUNTA PARA EL ESTADO DE DE COACHELLA. EL MOTIVO, LA RAZON. POR QUÉ CAMBIAN EL MIREN PARA LAS DIAS DE LA MANANA. SI TODOS NUESTRA GENTE ESTA TRABAJANDO, QUÉ ES LA COMUNIDAD? NO QUIEREN SEPA POR FAVOR. ESTAMOS POR EL PUEBLO. NO SE PUSIERON EN ESA MESA NO MAS. ACUERDAS ACUERDES DE ACUERDO SE PUSO EL PUEBLO MERECEMOS RESPETO TODO COACHELLA MERECE RESPETO USTED, SENOR FIGUEROA. ACUÉRDENSE EN ESA SILLA SE LE PUSO EL PUEBLO MERECE. RESPETO QUIEREN CAMBIAR EL SENOR. PERO VAMOS PORQUE SI. COACHELLA ES UN EXCELENCIA TODA LA GENTE. QUÉ PASA POR EL VALLE

[01:10:07]

ROSALIO AVILA. I'M FOLLOWING ROSALIO AVILA IS ISRAEL MORALES. HEY GOOD MORNING GUYS. I WASN'T PREPARED FOR THIS, BUT AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE, ROSALIO AVILA ALSO GO BY CHUCK AND THE PARKS AND COMMISSIONER CHAIRMAN. BUT IF YOU GUYS SEE, I NEVER SEEN THIS MUCH PEOPLE HERE FOR SUPPORT FOR SOMEONE. I MEAN, I'VE DEALT WITH HIM A COUPLE OF TIMES. ANYTIME I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HE ANSWERS ME RIGHT AWAY. YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN A GREAT ASSET TO THE CITY. I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY SINCE 2000. I HAVE A BUSINESS HERE SINCE 2011, AND I COULD TELL YOU PEOPLE LOVE TO COME TO COACHELLA NOW, AND JUST OUR STREETS ARE GETTING FIXED. THE PARKS, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN THERE, THE PARKS AND RECS FOR THREE YEARS NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE GREAT. I MEAN, I SPOKE WITH MANY OF YOU BEFORE ABOUT THESE PROJECTS WITH HIM, AND THERE'S ALWAYS A CLEAR ANSWER TO HELP US, TO HELP US OUT AND MAKE COACHELLA BETTER. AND AT THE SAME TIME, I MEAN, LOOK AT THAT.

I MEAN, IN THREE YEARS, I NEVER REALLY SEEN THIS PACKED HOUSE THIS MUCH. PEOPLE HELPING A GUY.

AND I MEAN, AND WE'VE BEEN IN CRITICAL MEETINGS AND IT STILL WASN'T THIS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF HERE AND THAT'S IT. SO THIS EXPLAINS A LOT WHAT THE CITY WANTS. THE PEOPLE WANT WHAT WE WANT. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THERE'S ALSO 81 PEOPLE ON ZOOM TOO. SO LET'S ALSO REMEMBER THAT. AND THE RANCHERS NOTED THAT THERE WAS 80 PLUS RANCHERS. SO NEXT UP WE HAVE ISRAEL MORALES AND FOLLOWING ISRAEL MORALES. WE HAVE JAIME BARAJAS. HI. GOOD MORNING. IT'S AN HONOR TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL TODAY. MY NAME IS ISRAEL MORALES, AND I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY WHO'S SEEN IMPROVEMENT IN OUR CITIES. THE DECISION THAT'S BEEN MADE WORRIES ME. THOSE WHO'VE WORKED TO BUILD AND WORK ON OUR PROJECTS MAY BE AFFECTED, WHETHER IT BE SLOWER DEVELOPMENT TIME OR A HALT IN ITS ENTIRETY. AS AN INDIVIDUAL, IT MAKES ME WONDER WHY THESE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHY THE SUDDEN SHAKEUP, AND WHAT RESULT WILL THE DECISION LEAD TO? IF AN INDIVIDUAL LOSES THEIR POSITION? WHAT EFFECT WILL THAT HAVE ON THE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CITY? THE MORALE FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF OUR CITY. THEY WILL HAVE TO RE ACCUSTOM THEMSELVES TO A NEW SYSTEM, THE NEW PERSON WHO WILL BRING SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THE TABLE, AND HOW LONG WILL THAT PROCESS TAKES? WILL IT RESULT IN A SEVERANCE PAY? AND HOW? HOW WILL WE AS A CITY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT FINANCIAL BURDEN? THE DECISION THAT CAN AFFECT OUR THE CITY, THE DECISION THAT CAN AFFECT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY SHOULD NOT BE HELD. KNOWING THAT THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE MAY NOT BE HEARD. WE DESERVE TO UNDERSTAND WHY AND HOW THIS DECISION IS BEING MADE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY. AND IF IT IF IT IS NOT BENEFICIAL, THEN WHY IS IT BEING MADE? AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE JAIME BARAJAS. FOLLOWING JAIME BARAJAS. WE HAVE JOEY ACUNA JR.

BUENOS DIAS. MI NOMBRE ES JAIME BARAJAS Y BUENOS DIAS PARA TODOS Y TENEMOS A LA APOYO Y TAMBIÉN A QUESTIONNAIRE UNA PREGUNTA BIEN SENCILLA. CUAL ES LA RAZON DE QUÉ QUIEREN HACER ESE CAMBIO. EL

[01:15:04]

AND YOU KNOW WHY I KNOW THAT? BECAUSE ALL OF YOU SENT ME CAMPAIGN MATERIALS THAT SAID HOW GREAT THE CITY WAS DOING, HOW GREAT WE'VE HAD HOUSING. WE DID ALL OF THIS AND WE DID IT. YOU ALL TOLD ME THAT DOCTOR FIGUEROA SIGNED A INTERVIEW. UNDER YOUR TENURE, TWO YEARS, YOU HAD DONE ALL THESE GREAT THINGS. MOST OF THAT STUFF STARTED LONG BEFORE YOU WERE HERE. THAT'S RIGHT. BUT OKAY, YOU'RE ON THE COUNCIL. YOU CAN TAKE CREDIT, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU OR ANY OF YOU DIDN'T PERSONALLY GO DO ALL THE WORK THAT THE STAFF DID UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF DOCTOR MARTIN.

THAT'S HOW I KNOW THIS IS A BUNCH OF CRAP. OKAY, DOCTOR MARTIN, MR. CAMPOS, THE STAFF THAT'S HERE, EVERYBODY, THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU, YOU KNOW? AND WHILE IT FEELS LIKE IT, IT ISN'T ABOUT YOU. THIS IS ABOUT POWER. THIS IS ABOUT CONTROL. AND THIS IS ABOUT PROMISES TO THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS THAT FUNDED THEIR CAMPAIGNS. AND YOU KNOW HOW I KNOW THAT? BECAUSE THAT SAME GROUP THAT SUPPORTED THEM SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT THE COLLEGE OF THE DESERT, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING THEY DID? THAT'S RIGHT. THEY PUT THEIR PRESIDENT ON LEAVE. THEY'RE SPENDING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD RACES. WHAT ARE THEIR CANDIDATES SAYING? WHEN WE GET ELECTED, ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET FIRED. IT'S THE SAME THING. AND ALL THOSE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS ARE NOT FROM COACHELLA. DON'T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT COACHELLA. THEY'RE ALL FROM THE EAST VALLEY. YOU HAD ONE DEVELOPER SPENT OVER THREE QUARTERS OF $1 MILLION ON THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THEN HE STARTED SPENDING 40,000, GOT HIS OTHER FRIENDS TO PUT ANOTHER 40,000 INTO THE INTO THE DISTRICT RACE. THIS IS ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WHO CONTROLS IT. THEY WANT CONTROL AND WE HAVE AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE ALIGNED WITH THEM. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ, CONGRATULATIONS. I DON'T KNOW YOU, BUT WE'LL SEE.

YOUR FIRST VOTE. MAJOR VOTE HERE IS GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING ONE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WILL DEFINE YOU PROBABLY FOR THE REST OF YOUR FOUR YEARS. I HOPE YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU SENT ME SAYING THAT YOU WANTED TO REPRESENT THE RESIDENTS, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO AGREE. HECK, I DON'T AGREE WITH THE MAYOR. HALF THE TIME WE HAVE OUR DIFFERENCES. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I NEED TO FEEL AT LEAST AGAIN AS A RESIDENT HERE, THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING IT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY. AND IF IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I BELIEVE, SO BE IT. I CAN LIVE WITH THAT. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. AND LET'S JUST BE CLEAR, THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU, DOCTOR MARTIN, WHO'S DONE A GREAT JOB, MR. CAMPOS OR THE STAFF OUT HERE WHO'S DONE A GREAT JOB OVER THE YEARS. I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME. THE CITY IS MOVING. AND AGAIN, HOW DO I KNOW? YOU GUYS TOLD ME. YOU GUYS TOLD ME THAT EVERYBODY WAS DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT HERE WE ARE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE'LL SEE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MARTHA ARREOLA. AND FOLLOWING MARTHA ARREOLA, WE HAVE STEVE GARCIA. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? HOLD ON. I NEED MY GLASSES. MY NAME IS MARTHA ARREOLA. I'M A FIRST GRADE TEACHER AT CORAL MOUNTAIN ACADEMY. AND I'M. YOU.

SPEAK INTO THE MIC, PLEASE. THANK YOU. OKAY. I'M HERE REPRESENTING. I HAVE A LETTER FROM SOME OF THE STAFF. I'M SORRY I LATE NOTICE. WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT HAD MOVED UNTIL SIX. I MEAN, TODAY IN THE MORNING, WE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE AT SIX. SO MY

[01:20:01]

HE HAS BEEN PRESENTED. HE HAS BEEN PRESENT AND SUPPORTIVE OF HIS CHILDREN AND STAFF. HE IS A PERSONABLE. HE'S PERSONABLE AND PRESENT, ATTENDING ALL EVENTS AND GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE TO WORK AT SCHOOL. IN ADDITION, WE ARE AWARE OF THE POSITIVE CHANGES HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE COACHELLA, THE CITY OF COACHELLA. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THESE CHANGES, AS HIS CITY MANAGER POSITION HAS A ROLE IN THESE MAJOR DECISIONS. WE SUPPORT AND BELIEVE DOCTOR MARTIN HAS BEEN A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND LIKE I SAID, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME AND WE HAD TO DO IT TODAY EARLY IN THE MORNING AND I'M HERE, YOU KNOW.

SUPPORTING DOCTOR MARTIN. BESIDES BEING A COUNCIL, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, I'M NERVOUS. I'M NOT THE BEST SPOKESPERSON OR THE BEST SPEAKER, BUT I KNOW, I KNOW HIM BECAUSE I HAD GULLY IN MY CLASS. AND EVERY DAY IN THE MORNING HE COMES, DROP THE KIDS OFF, COMES TO WORK. EVEN ON FRIDAYS. IT'S LIKE, IS THIS YOUR DAY OFF? BECAUSE I KNOW HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS. IT'S LIKE, YES, BUT I HAVE TO GO AND DO WORK AGAIN. HE'S HE'S A WORKAHOLIC, BELIEVE ME. HE WILL JUST RUN FROM HERE AND THERE. AND HE'S VERY ACTIVE PARENT IN OUR SCHOOL. HE, HE CHOSE FOR EVERY, EVERY EVENT THAT WE HAVE. HE SUPPORTS, HE DONATES. HE I MEAN, HE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND AS A PARENT, WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO HAVE THEIR KIDS LIKE SOME OF THE SOMEBODY YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US WORKING OR LIVING HERE IN COACHELLA, WHERE DO WE SEND OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL? DESERT SANDS. BECAUSE WHY? BECAUSE COACHELLA IS NOT A GOOD PLACE. BECAUSE THE DISTRICT IS NOT A GOOD PLACE. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. BUT SEE, YOU ARE PRODUCTS OF COACHELLA, OF THE DISTRICT, COACHELLA VALLEY DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF DETROIT. THANK YOU. I'M. I'M.

WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS, I'M SORRY THAT HE WAS LEAVING. LET'S LET'S MAKE COACHELLA A PLACE LIKE CANCUN. YOU KNOW, WHERE EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME AND VISIT AND STAY HERE. NOT CANCUN.

LIKE THE MEANING CANCUN. THE MEANING IS THE NEST OF SNAKES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

NEXT. NEXT UP, WE HAVE STEVE GARCIA FOLLOWING STEVE GARCIA. WE HAVE JENNIFER DURAN. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS. GOOD MORNING. JUST A LITTLE PRODUCT PLACEMENT THERE. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE. FOR WHAT ALL OF YOU DO. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MY FRIEND GABRIEL HERE. NOT REALLY SURE WHY I'M HERE. I KNOW I'M HERE TO SUPPORT HIM BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT WANTS TO TAKE PLACE, AND I WANT TO DO MY PART IN MAKING SURE THAT I DO HAVE SOME INVOLVEMENT IN THAT, ALONG WITH THE, THE, THE, THE TRUE CITY OF COACHELLA THAT'S HERE. SO JUST REAL QUICK, I WANT TO SHARE A STORY WITH AND I AM STEVE. I RUN SIXTH STREET COFFEE. I'M ALSO A RESIDENT HERE. FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS, SO I AM FROM COACHELLA. I AM FROM COACHELLA. ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO. SEVEN YEARS AGO, ACTUALLY, I MET MAYOR STEVE HERNANDEZ WHERE I USED TO WORK. I SERVED HIS TABLE. HE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT SOME PLANS THAT WHAT THE CITY WANTED TO DO WITH THE NEW LIBRARY, AND THAT WAS OPEN UP A COFFEE SHOP. AND HE ASKED ME, DO YOU IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY, LET ME KNOW SO THEY COULD SHOOT OVER A BUSINESS PLAN. I'M LIKE, MAN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE GUY. I WANT TO DO THAT. AND SO HE SHOT ME OVER GABE MARTIN'S EMAIL, AND I REMEMBER HE I EMAILED HIM THAT SAME DAY, MY BUSINESS PLAN. AND

[01:25:03]

AND YOU HAVE A RESIDENT WHO HAD A DREAM, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF EL PUEBLO THAT MADE THAT HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU. AND I ASK WHOEVER, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO SEE HIS WAY OUT, RECONSIDER. THE CITY OF COACHELLA IS GROWING AND IT'S GROWING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE HAVE THIS SAYING WITH A WITH A COMMUNITY THING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, WHICH IS CALLED JUST MOVE COACHELLA. AND THAT'S MOVING FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOGETHER. AND OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND THREE, MAYBE 3 OR 4 YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TOGETHER. SO I ASK YOU ALL TO RECONSIDER. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS JENNIFER DURAN. AND FOLLOWING JENNIFER DURAN IS NATALIA GONZALEZ. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. GOOD MORNING. AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, I HAVE SEEN MORE PROGRESS THAN ANY OF OUR SURROUNDING CITIES. WE BROUGHT HOME MILLIONS OF STATE DOLLARS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WHICH SPEAKS VOLUMES. I FIND IT UNFAIR THAT THE DECISION TO TERMINATE THE CITY MANAGER'S CONTRACT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE TABLE. CONSIDERING ALL OF THE WONDERFUL PROJECTS THAT HAVE BLOSSOMED IN THIS CITY. AS A COLLEGE STUDENT AT CAL POLY POMONA AND ALUMNI OF SCHOOLS IN THE CITY, I LOOK UP TO DOCTOR MARTIN AND I HOPE TO ONE DAY FILL THOSE SHOES. ONCE MY TIME COMES, I WANT TO PLEAD WITH THE MEMBERS WHO ARE VOTING TO TERMINATE TO THINK OF YOUR PUBLIC AND THE DISSERVICE YOU'LL BE DOING TO US AS A WHOLE. AS A YOUNG PROFESSIONAL, MY ONLY HOPE IS THAT YOU COME TO YOUR SENSES AND REEVALUATE YOUR VOTE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

NATALIA GONZALEZ FOLLOWING NATALIA GONZALEZ, WE HAVE AMALIA DIAZ DE ASLAN. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF. I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO SHARE MY CONCERNS REGARDING TODAY'S AGENDA ITEM. YOU OFTEN LOVE TO THROW AROUND THE WORD TRANSPARENCY, BUT WHERE'S THE TRANSPARENCY TODAY? WHEN YOU SCHEDULE A MEETING AT 10 A.M, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT THIS CITY, THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED YOU INTO OFFICE, IS A WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY. IT IS A PRIVILEGE FOR THOSE OF US IN THIS ROOM TO BE HERE, HAVING TAKEN TIME AWAY FROM WORK. NOT EVERYONE HAS THAT LUXURY. NOT EVERYONE HAS PAID TIME OFF. I GUARANTEE YOU, IF THIS MEETING WAS SCHEDULED FOR 5:00, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PEOPLE HERE. AND SO THE FACT THAT I'M ABLE TO STAND HERE IS A PRIVILEGE. THE FACT THAT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS BEEN ABLE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT, THE FACT THAT YOU ALL ON THE DAIS ARE SITTING HERE IS A PRIVILEGE.

AND HOW DARE YOU SCHEDULE A MEETING THAT'S FOR THIS COMMUNITY AT 10 A.M. KNOWING THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE AT HAND. THE TERMINATION OF THE CITY MANAGER WITHOUT CAUSE. TRANSPARENCY WOULD OFTEN MEAN THAT YOU ARE GIVING THE COMMUNITY FULL EXPLANATION FOR SUCH A SIGNIFICANT DECISION. YET HERE WE ARE, WITH NO JUSTIFICATION OR REASONING FOR MOVING, FOR REMOVING THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING THIS CITY. HOW CAN YOU, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, JUSTIFY THIS DECISION TO FIRE SOMEONE WITHOUT CAUSE? HOW CAN YOU MORALLY STAND THERE AND SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO FOLKS WITHOUT GIVING EXPLANATION OR CLEAR COMMUNICATION? LET'S NOT LET'S NOT FORGET THE RIPPLE EFFECT OF THIS DECISION THAT YOU WILL HAVE ON THE STAFF THAT OPERATES THE CITY. YOU ALL LOVE TO BRAG ABOUT. THE CITY WINS AND THE THINGS, THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THIS COMMUNITY. BUT LET ME ALSO REMIND YOU THAT IT IS THE STAFF WHO DOES THE WORK. IT IS THE STAFF WHO WORK TIRELESSLY EVERY SINGLE DAY TO MAKE THE WINS THAT YOU ALL GET TO BRAG ABOUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA,

[01:30:06]

THESE FUNDS ARE VITAL TO KEEPING PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES MOVING FORWARD FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR RESIDENTS. REMOVING THE CITY MANAGER, THE PERSON WHO HAS HELPED SECURE THESE RESOURCES, THE PERSON WHO HAS GIVEN THE CITY THESE WINS WITHOUT CAUSE IS WRONG. SO NOW I'M JUST GOING TO END MY CLOSING REMARKS. THIS IS NOT WHAT FAIRNESS OR ACCOUNTABILITY LOOKS LIKE. SCHEDULING A MEETING IN A WAY THAT EXCLUDES THE COMMUNITY FROM PARTICIPATING IS NOT WHAT LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE. I URGE YOU TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND CONSIDER THE MESSAGE YOU ARE SENDING, NOT JUST TO STAFF, BUT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND THOSE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM. I ASK YOU TO ACT WITH INTEGRITY AND KINDNESS, AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST MENTION THAT ANYONE THAT HAS BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET TO KNOW THIS MAN, DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN, YOU KNOW THAT HE IS A GOOD MAN. AND THERE'S A GOOD SAYING THAT SAYS THAT GOOD LEADERS ARE GOOD PEOPLE. AND I CAN SAY WITH FULL CONFIDENCE, DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN IS A GOOD MAN AND THE BEST CITY MANAGER THIS CITY HAS EVER SEEN. THANK YOU NATALIA. NEXT UP, AMALIA DE ASLAN. MUCHAS DE LAS COSAS SE HAN DICHO HOY SE HAN DICHO EN INGLÉS. YO QUIERO HABLAR CON LA COMUNIDAD MEXICANA. NO LA COMUNIDAD LATINA. TENEMOS LA HISTORIA. YA VOY A SEVEN DE CINCO ANOS Y FUI. LA PRIMERA PRESIDENTA DEL COMITÉ DE HUELGA A LA EDAD DE SIETE ANOS. HEMOS ESTADO PELEANDO DISCRIMINACION LOS DERECHOS DE NUESTRA COMUNIDAD POR ANOS Y ANOS Y ANOS HA SIDO UN TRABAJO DIFICIL EN MUCHAS OCASIONES. PERO CUANDO CARLOS CAMPOS EMPIEZA SU CARRERA ESTABA LIMPIANDO LAS OFICINAS CON SU PAPA, LAS OFICINAS DE COACHELLA. Y LA EDUCACION. DE ELLOS TRAJERON LA REPRESENTACION Y EL MOVIMIENTO SE HIZO PARA TRATAR DE EDUCAR A NUESTRA COMUNIDAD. FUE GRANDE Y AUN SIN EMBARGO, HOY VEMOS QUÉ ES ESTE GRUPO? QUÉ FUE ELEGIDO POR EL PUEBLO LO SACA EN UNA FORMA. SIN PENSAR Q. ÉL HA SIDO UN HONOR PARA NUESTRA COMUNIDAD Q Q ES UN EJEMPLO DE LO Q QUEREMOS HACER PARA NUESTRA JUVENTUD DE Q SE EDUCAN Y REGRESAN A NUESTRA COMUNIDAD A SERVIR. ESTO ES UN ATAQUE A NUESTRO PUEBLO, Y ES UNA FALTA DE RESPETO. YO VENGO DE CUANDO NOS ESTABAN ECHANDO NOS ESTABAN FUMIGANT EN LOS PARQUES AQUI CON GAS Y DOLORES HUERTA Y MUCHOS DE LOS TRABAJADORES VIMOS Q CAREER PARA ESCAPAR ESE GAS VENGO DEL TIEMPO, DONDE HEMOS VISTO TANTO? QUÉ SE HA PASADO NUESTRAS COMUNIDADES PARA VER ESTA DE LO ESTA PASANDO AQUI. ES UNA VERGÜENZA ES UNA VERGÜENZA Q NO ENTIENDEN LA HISTORIA Q NO ENTIENDEN EL PROGRESO DE NUESTRO PUEBLO Y AHORA QUÉ ESTAMOS HACIENDO MEJOR YO TRAIDO TRAJE. UNA ESCUELA CON CIENTOS CINCUENTA ALUMNOS. AHORA ESTOY AYUDANDO A UN GRUPO DE PROGRAMAS Q HAN ESTADO SIRVIENDO EN NUESTRA COMUNIDAD, PERO VEO DE Q. CUANDO EL ALCALDE DE LAS CIUDADES ESTABA TRATANDO DE DEFENDER Q SERA UN COLEGIO AQUI DOS MIEMBROS DE ESTE. CONCILIO SE ESTA TRATANDO CON LA AQUELLA PERSONA Q ESTABA PIDIENDO Q SE HACE PROYECTO AQUI. QUÉ VERGÜENZA? AHORA TIENEN LA

[01:35:03]

PERO LE ESTOY PIDIENDO AL PUEBLO Q NO PERMITIMOS DEBEMOS DE PERMITIR Q ESTA PASANDO AQUI.

HAY Q HABLAR Y HAY Q PROTEGER EL FUTURO DE NUESTRA COMUNIDAD. GRACIAS. GRACIAS. MANI NAVARRO MANI NAVARRO FOLLOWING MANI IS OSCAR FONSECA. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. IS THAT OKAY? GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. COUNCIL MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR CREATING THIS MOMENT. TO BE ABLE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH DOCTOR MARTIN OVER THE YEARS IN MY ROLE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RAICES CULTURA, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE, A LITTLE NONPROFIT DOING GREAT WORK IN THE CITY THANKS TO THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT WITH DOCTOR MARTIN, CITY STAFF AND COUNCIL.

IN MY EXPERIENCE, DOCTOR MARTIN HOLDS HIS POSITION AT THE CITY OF COUNCIL AT THE CITY OF COACHELLA IN THE HIGHEST REGARD, WITH A LEADERSHIP STYLE OF FAIRNESS, EQUITY AND A DEVOTION TO SERVICE. IT IS A RARE THING TO SEE AN ACCOMPLISHED LEADER LIKE DOCTOR MARTIN ALSO MAINTAIN AN OPEN DOOR POLICY WITH A WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO ANYONE, BE IT A RESIDENT, BUSINESS OWNER, YOUTH OR COMMUNITY PARTNER LIKE MYSELF. WHETHER WE HAVE CAUSE FOR CONCERNS OR IDEAS OF INNOVATION, DOCTOR MARTIN'S DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN. HIS COMMITMENT TO PROGRESS AND INCLUSIVITY, AS WELL AS HIS PROFESSIONALISM, INTELLIGENCE, KINDNESS THOSE ARE QUALITIES THAT ANY EMPLOYER SHOULD BE PROUD OF, GIVING PRAISE AND RECOGNITION FOR SUCCESS AFTER SUCCESS, NOT TERMINATING HIM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE HOLIDAY SEASON. AFTER AN ELECTION PERIOD WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC WHATSOEVER. I'M QUITE SHOCKED, ACTUALLY, AT THE PROPOSAL TO TERMINATE DOCTOR MARTIN. IT GIVES ME PAUSE TO THINK THAT THIS COUNCIL, ONE THAT I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH AS A COMMUNITY LEADER, THAT YOU WOULD OPERATE IN SUCH AN UNCALLED FOR WAY AGAINST A STAFF WHO HAS DONE NOTHING BUT GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT CREATES GREAT CONCERN IN MY MIND ABOUT THE INTENTIONS OF WHOEVER HAS PROPOSED THIS SUDDEN AND UNFAIR ACT. IF THIS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN TO AN EXEMPLARY STAFF LIKE DOCTOR MARTIN, WHAT CITY STAFF POSITIONS ARE SAFE FROM FUTURE ACTS OF RETRIBUTION, PUNISHMENT OR OUTRIGHT FIRING? SIMPLY BECAUSE A FUTURE LEADER SIMPLY FEELS LIKE IT? I DEEPLY, DEEPLY IMPLORE THIS ESTEEMED COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE PROPOSAL OF REMOVING DOCTOR MARTIN FROM HIS POSITION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OSCAR FONSECA, FOLLOWING OSCAR FONSECA IS AGUSTIN ARREOLA. HEY, BRO.

BUENOS DIAS. GOOD MORNING. YES, YES, MY NAME IS OSCAR FONSECA, AND I CAN'T SAY WITH WITH FULL FORCE THAT I'M A I'M A RESIDENT 100% OF COACHELLA. I GOT MARRIED WITH A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, AND WE MOVED TO TIERRA DEL SOL 13 YEARS AGO, AND I BECAME A FATHER IN 2020, BECOMING A FATHER, AS THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE HAD THE BLESSING OF BEING A FATHER DOES CHANGE WHO YOU ARE.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT KNOW ME BEFORE, I'M NOT THE SAME PERSON THAT I AM TODAY BECAUSE I'M A FATHER. CARLOS CAMPOS AND DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN HAVE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH NOT JUST OF BEING A FATHER, BUT BEING A TRUE LEADER. I KNOW THE MAJORITY OF YOU IN THAT DAIS, AND I HAVE HAD PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH MANY OF YOU. MISS PEREZ. COUNCILWOMAN, I DO NOT HAVE THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING YOU, BUT HOPEFULLY ONE DAY WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS MADE ME SUCCESSFUL IN THIS COMMUNITY AS A LEADER IS THAT I'VE BEEN OPEN TO LISTEN TO BOTH SIDES OF THE CONVERSATION. I AM A LEADER. I AM A LEADER BECAUSE I DO NOT TAKE MY OWN

[01:40:08]

[01:45:03]

YOU KNOW, TO VOTE HIM OUT OR FIRE HIM. AND THOSE THREE PEOPLE ARE GOING AGAINST DOCTOR MARTIN, BUT IT'S ALSO GOING AGAINST THE RESIDENTS, THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY AT 10 A.M, THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE ON ZOOM, THE ORGANIZATIONS, EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS DONE IS GOING AGAINST ALL THE WORK AND THE PROGRESS. AND IT ALSO HASN'T JUST BEEN HIM, RIGHT. BUT UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTION, THE CITY HAS MOVED FORWARD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE MATTHEW RICKERT AND THEN MAYOR. GOOD MORNING. I'M A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER AND EMPLOY OVER 100 PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND I THINK IT'S A LITTLE DISRESPECTFUL THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY. I REALLY THINK THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT THE CONSTITUENTS. THE CITY HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND WE WANT TO SEE IT CONTINUE TO GROW. SO PLEASE GET BACK TO WORRYING ABOUT YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE MAYRA PEREZ, OUR TREASURER. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE UP HERE. AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT'S VOICED THEIR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS REGARDING THIS MATTER WITH DOCTOR MARTIN. I AM MAYRA PEREZ. I AM THE NEWLY ELECTED CITY TREASURER FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I AM DEEPLY DISHEARTENED BY THE SWIFT DECISION TO DISMISS NOT ONLY THE CITY MANAGER, GABRIEL MARTIN, BUT CITY ATTORNEY CARLOS CAMPOS FROM THEIR ACTIVE ROLES. I STEPPED INTO THIS POSITION WITH ENTHUSIASM AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFULLY TO THE CITY I CALL HOME. HOWEVER, THIS DECISION HAS RAISED SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS. AS A RESIDENT, I HAVE WITNESSED THE REMARKABLE GROWTH AND MOMENTUM OUR CITY HAS EXPERIENCED UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP. THEIR GUIDANCE HAS PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE PROGRESS COACHELLA HAS ACHIEVED, AND THEIR REMOVAL FEELS ABRUPT AND UNSETTLING. AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THIS DECISION WAS MADE, THE CONSEQUENCES IT WILL BRING AND ULTIMATELY WHO IT WILL BENEFIT.

IN BUSINESS. YOU WOULD NEVER MAKE SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE WITHOUT HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE, A QUALIFIED REPLACEMENT, A STRUCTURED TIMELINE AND A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS. THE DECISION TO REMOVE KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITHOUT VISIBLE PREPARATION UNDERMINES MORALE, IT DISRUPTS PROCESS, AND IT JEOPARDIZES THE PROGRESS WE WORK SO HARD TO ACHIEVE. I STRONGLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH A CLEAR AND COMPELLING EXPLANATION FOR THIS DECISION. TRANSPARENCY AND THOUGHTFULNESS. DELIBERATION ARE ESSENTIAL IN MAINTAINING THE TRUST OF THE RESIDENTS AND ENSURING THAT ALL ACTIONS ARE TAKEN WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY IN MIND. AND WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT HAVING A MEETING ON A TUESDAY AT 10 A.M. I AM A BUSINESS OWNER, AND YOU CANNOT BELIEVE HOW MANY CALLS AND EMAILS I AM FALLING BEHIND ON RUNNING MY OWN BUSINESS TO BE HERE, BUT THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. SO I STRESS THE FACT THAT WE GOT TO DO BETTER. WE GOT TO BE BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE MEETINGS ACCESSIBLE FOR WHEN PEOPLE CAN COME AND VOICE THEIR OPINIONS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE'RE TRYING TO. MY BUSINESS IS NAME INTEGRITY INSURANCE. IT STANDS FOR INTEGRITY. WE GOT TO BE TRANSPARENT AND WE GOT TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY THAT OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHY THEY ELECTED US. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO I'M JUST GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS, SOME OF THE SPEAKER FORMS THAT DID NOT RESPOND EARLIER. ANA ALVARADO AND JUAN ALVARADO SENIOR, DID JUAN ALVARADO SENIOR MAKE IT? NO. OKAY. AND ALVARADO OKAY. AND I'M SURE WE STILL HAVE COMMENTS ON ZOOM. CORRECT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 127 PEOPLE

[01:50:01]

THIS APPROACH ENSURES THE PUBLIC IS AWARE OF THESE THESE DISCUSSIONS IN ADVANCE WITH SUFFICIENT NOTICE. ADDITIONALLY, HOSTING PUBLIC WORKSHOPS OR FORUMS ON MATTERS OF SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE WOULD DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT OF INCLUSIVITY AND OPEN GOVERNMENT, REINFORCING THE CITY'S DEDICATION TO ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY THAT WE SO MUCH PROMISED OUR COMMUNITY. MY RECOMMENDATION, AGAIN, IS THAT THE DECISIONS OF THIS MAGNITUDE BE HANDLED WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OPENNESS AND ADHERENCE TO LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. PUBLIC TRUST IN OUR GOVERNANCE DEPENDS ON THESE PRACTICES, AND I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE TRANSPARENCY, TO STRENGTHEN THAT TRUST. THANK YOU. IN ESPANOL. SOLAMENTE LES QUIERO DAR UN UN SUMMARY VERDAD SO I. YO QUERIA HABLAR COMO SECRETARIO MUNICIPAL DE LA IMPORTANCIA DE SER TRANSPARENTE EN NUESTRA COMUNIDAD Y YO SÉ QUÉ MUCHOS TIENEN AHORITA LOS OIDOS. PERO SOLAMENTE QUERIA ACLARAR ESO COMO TENEMOS AQUI EN EL NOTICIERO Y NO TODOS AQUI TIENEN TIENEN ESTE OIDO OKAY. AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE ON ZOOM. IF YOU CAN PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND ON ZOOM AND WE CAN CALL YOU UP AND UNMUTE YOU. CAN YOU? MARIO UNRELEASED. PLEASE GO AHEAD AND COMMENT. AS WELL. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, YES, YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU, MARIO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I RECEIVED AN EMAIL THIS MORNING REGARDING THIS MATTER WITH DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. I'M WITH DOCTOR HORTON. WE HAPPEN TO BE THE LARGEST DEVELOPER NATIONWIDE. WE STARTED WORKING WITH DOCTOR MARTIN ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO. SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN HE WAS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR. HE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN US GOING INTO THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE LAND AND BUILD NEW COMMUNITIES. WE BUILT THE PRADO COMMUNITY, ESCONDIDO, POINT DELFINA AND OTHER ONES, AND CURRENTLY WE ARE IN

[01:55:05]

THIS IS A VERY SMALL COMMUNITY, AND I GOT AN EMAIL THIS MORNING AND I GOT ON THE PHONE AND I COULD TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT WE HEARD A LOT OF DISPLEASURE ABOUT THIS DECISION. SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO REALLY RECONSIDER, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT THE CITY OF COACHELLA IN THE LONG TERM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. TAKE CARE. THANK YOU. I SEE WE HAVE MORE HANDS RAISED. SO IF YOU CAN JUST JOSH D GO AHEAD. WHAT WAS THAT NAME AGAIN? JOSH D ARE YOU THERE. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT. JONATHAN BATEMAN. GO AHEAD. JONATHAN BATEMAN GO AHEAD. JOSH GO AHEAD. HI. GOOD MORNING. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MR. MAYOR. EARLIER A COMMUNITY MEMBER SAID IF IT'S NOT BROKEN DON'T FIX IT. HOW CAN THINGS NOT BE BROKEN? WHEN MAYOR HERNANDEZ APPOINTED HIS OWN BROTHER JASON HERNANDEZ, TO THE TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, A BODY TASKED WITH OVERSEEING AND APPROVING LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT SHAPED THE FUTURE OF THE COMMUNITY, HOW COULD A MAYOR TAKE THIS AWAY FROM HIS OWN RESIDENTS? AREN'T THERE LAWS AGAINST THIS? THIS IS SIMILAR TO INSIDER TRADING. ISN'T THIS CORRUPTION? I THINK IT IS. WHERE IS THE TRANSPARENCY? EVERYONE HERE. DID YOU GUYS KNOW THIS? THINK ABOUT IT. THERE'S SOMETHING NOT RIGHT. ALSO, GABRIEL MARTIN AND MAYOR HERNANDEZ WERE COLLEGE BUDDIES.

SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. WHERE THERE'S SMOKE, THERE IS FIRE BEHIND THE DOORS. THERE ARE QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED. AND THIS IS WHY WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT MAKE HARD DECISIONS. LET THEM DO THEIR JOB. THANK YOU. AND JUST FOR CLARITY, WHAT WAS THAT NAME AGAIN? JONATHAN BATEMAN JONATHAN BATEMAN, THANK YOU. DANNY SMITH. GO AHEAD. DANNY SMITH GO AHEAD.

OKAY. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT. JAVIER. GO AHEAD. JAVIER GO AHEAD. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT. T

[02:00:15]

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. CARISSA CARREIRA I AM CURRENTLY PRESIDENT OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. AND WHILE I AM NOT A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, I HAVE WORKED IN THE CITY AND THE DISTRICT AROUND THERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS. AND I WOULD THINK SINCE MY FATHER IN LAW WAS BORN ON FIRST STREET IN A HOME THERE, THAT THAT WOULD ALSO MAKE ME A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID. SO WITH THAT INFORMATION AND HEARING WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING AND SEEING WHO THE SPEAKERS ARE. IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE COACHELLA VALLEY UNIFIED TENDS TO HAVE THEIR PUBLIC MEETINGS AT 10 P.M. AND 11 P.M, AND THEY HAVE FIRED DOCTOR ESPARZA WHILE SHE'S BEEN IN CHARGE. HE'S FIRED 29 PEOPLE OR OR PUT THEM IN LOWER POSITIONS, DEMOTED THEM, AND NOBODY IS SPEAKING UP ABOUT ANY OF THAT. AND IT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, AGAINST THIS VOTE, THAT IT'S A POLITICAL MOVE. IT'S VERY CLEARLY A POLITICAL MOVE TO HAVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THESE TWO PEOPLE WHO THEY ARE PLANNING ON DISMISSING. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT YOU CANNOT PUBLICLY SHARE PERSONNEL INFORMATION. AND SO FOR EVERYBODY TO SIT THERE AND SAY THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE WANTING TO DISMISS THEM, THEY ARE NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO KNOW WHY, BUT YOU HAVE TO ASSUME THAT THESE NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS WERE ELECTED FOR A REASON, BECAUSE THE CITY OF COACHELLA HAS SPOKEN AND THEY HAVE SPOKEN, SAYING THAT THEY WANT CHANGE IN COACHELLA. AND THAT IS WHAT IS TAKING PLACE TODAY. SO I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF SUPPORTING THE COUNCIL'S DECISION. IF THAT'S WHAT THE MAJORITY DECIDES, I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT THERE ARE REASONS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE REASONS TO FIRE SOMEBODY. YOU JUST CAN'T SHARE THEM PUBLICLY. SO WITH THAT INFORMATION AND LOOKING TO SEE WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, A SCHOOL BOARD SUPERINTENDENT, EVEN A TEACHER WHO IS CLAIMING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL SITE THAT ADMITTED THAT SHE DID NOT HAVE THE SIGNATURES FROM THOSE PEOPLE. IT'S A LITTLE CONCERNING JUST TO SEE WHO IS OUT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THIS, IT SEEMS MORE LIKE PEOPLE FIGHTING TO KEEP WHAT THEY'VE HAD FOR YEARS AND SCARED OF WHAT THEY MIGHT LOSE WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. THANK YOU. EXACTLY. SO.

ROSA, GO AHEAD. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. OH, SORRY.

OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ROSA BOBADILLA, AND I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR DOCTOR MARTIN AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROVIDER AND AS A PRESIDENT OF A NETWORK OF OVER 75 SPANISH SPEAKING IN-HOME PROVIDERS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND THE CHALLENGES OUR SECTOR HAS FACED IN RECENT YEARS DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, DOCTOR MARTIN HAS BEEN AN INVALUABLE ALLY AND ADVOCATE FOR PROVIDERS, ENSURING THAT OUR CRITICAL WORK COULD CONTINUE WHEN OUR COMMUNITIES NEEDED US THE MOST. UNDER DOCTOR MARTIN'S LEADERSHIP, WE'VE SEEN TANGIBLE SUPPORT FOR PROGRAMS, WHETHER THROUGH RESOURCES HE FUNDED A CARES PROGRAM, FUNDING, COLLABORATION, OR SIMPLY UNDERSTANDING THE VITAL ROLE WE PLAY IN THE COMMUNITY. THEIR DEDICATION TO OUR SECTOR HAS BEEN A LIFELINE, AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THEIR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE STABILITY AND GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. FIRING DOCTOR MARTIN WOULD BE A STEP BACKWARDS FOR THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE

[02:05:01]

AND, YOU KNOW, A COMPARISON OF THE TWO. YOU KNOW, I WISH THERMAL WOULD HAVE THE PROGRESSION I'VE SEEN IN COACHELLA THAT THEY'VE HAD FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS. YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE ONE STORE IN THERMAL, AND THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WE HAVE. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, FAIRLY NEW TO COACHELLA LAST 14 YEARS. YOU KNOW, I WENT TO CV UNIFIED, GRADUATED FROM THERE AND, YOU KNOW, WENT TO COLLEGE AND CAME BACK TO THE VALLEY, AS MOST DO.

BUT JUST THE PROGRESSION THEY'VE HAD THERE IN COACHELLA VALLEY. I WISH THERMAL HAD AN OUNCE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND LIKE I SAID, I'VE NEVER BEEN INTO POLITICS. I HAVEN'T BEEN TO ANY COUNCIL MEETINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, MR. MARTIN HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THAT PROGRESSION. SO, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, JUST, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I DRIVE THROUGH COACHELLA, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING NEW GOING UP, THE STREETS ARE BEING REDONE. SO IF HE HAS, YOU KNOW, A LOT TO DO WITH THAT, THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING. YOU KNOW, I HAVE NOTHING BAD TO SAY ABOUT IT. AND, AND THE LAST COUPLE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST MINUTE, I, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ZOOM FOR US THAT ARE ON ZOOM SINCE, YOU KNOW, A 9:00 MEETING ISN'T, YOU KNOW, FEASIBLE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO ATTEND. I'M A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. I WORK HERE IN INDIO. I CANNOT TAKE TIME OUT. I HAVE TO SEE PATIENTS. BUT LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COME UP ON, YOU KNOW, HOP ON, ZOOM AND TUNE IN AND TUNE OUT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST MINUTE OR SO, THE CAMERA HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON OUR CITY COUNCIL AND, YOU KNOW, BODY LANGUAGE SAYS A LOT, YOU KNOW, NONVERBAL WHAT YOU CAN SEE. AND, YOU KNOW, I SEE A FEW OF YOU ARE CONFIDENT IN YOUR VOTE. BUT I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING TO THE LEFT OF THE TABLE. I'M LOOKING TO THE RIGHT, MR. FIGUEROA. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR BODY LANGUAGE. DOESN'T SAY A LOT. I, I AND YOU'VE SEEN THE COMMUNITY STEP UP AND TALK TO YOU RIGHT THERE. YOU KNOW, EYE CONTACT IS A LOT. I SEE YOU JUST STARING DOWN. AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS MEETING TO BE OVER. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE LISTENED TO THE COMMUNITY AND I HAVE FOR THE LAST HOUR OR SO AND THEY'VE SPOKEN. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK FOR A COUPLE OF YOU, YOUR DECISIONS ARE ALREADY MADE. NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE IT. BUT I HOPE YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE PLEAS AND ALL THE, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE STORIES THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THIS AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. THANK YOU. I NEED TO STEP OUT TO THE RESTROOM AND BACK IN A MINUTE. GISELA. GO AHEAD. YOU. YOU GO AHEAD. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. GOOD. GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE CITY OF COACHELLA HAS BEEN BOOMING. AT ITS BEST, THE CITY OF COACHELLA HAS ONCE AGAIN BECOME A CITY WHERE MEMBERS WERE MEMBERS GATHERED TO ENJOY THEIR EVENINGS, MAKING AN UNCONSCIOUS DECISION LIKE TERMINATING THE CITY MANAGER, DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN WILL NOT ONLY JEOPARDIZE STABILITY AS A CITY, BUT IT WILL MAKE US SEEM WEAK AND DIVIDED AMONGST OTHER CITIES. AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER, I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE ADVANCEMENTS THE CITY HAS MADE UNDER THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS CONTRIBUTED TO SO MANY OF NEW EVENTS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO OUR COMMUNITY, EVENTS THAT PEOPLE ENJOY AND LOOK FORWARD TO WITHOUT MENTIONING HIS CONTRIBUTION TO GRANTS AND FUNDING TO OUR CITY. I HOPE THAT ANY DECISION MADE TODAY IS MADE OUT OF PROFESSIONALISM AND NOT IMMATURITY, SINCE IMMATURITY IS A CHARACTERISTIC THAT SHOULD NOT BE PART OF ANY OF COACHELLA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. COUNCIL MEMBER DOCTOR FIGUEROA YOUR CAPABILITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS ARE SUPERB FOR STUFF LIKE THIS.

I SURE HOPE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR OUR CITY. I HOPE YOU STAND WITH WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT, AND NOT WITH WHAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IMPOSING ON YOU WITHOUT ANY FACTS OR REAL REASON. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ, BEING PUPPETEERED IN ORDER TO FIT IN WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO

[02:10:02]

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SHE REPORTS TO HIM? ISN'T THAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? THEY WORK ALL DAY TOGETHER AND THEY SERVE THE CITY COUNCIL TOGETHER. THERE'S TONS OF NEPOTISM INVOLVED WITH THIS. THAT'S HIS COLLEGE BUDDY. THAT'S THE MAYOR'S COLLEGE BUDDY. OKAY? THAT'S THE REASON HE'S IN THAT POSITION. OKAY? ALL THE MAYOR'S FRIENDS OWN BUSINESSES, AND THEY RECEIVED SPECIAL TREATMENT. LOOK WHO OWNS ALL THE BUSINESSES AND IS MAKING MONEY. IT'S SO HARD TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANYBODY FROM THE COUNCIL. OKAY, I'VE CALLED THIS GUY. I'VE CALLED THIS GUY NUMEROUS TIMES. NEVER GET A CALL BACK. HE'S NEVER IN. HE'S LATE TO EVERY SINGLE MEETING.

EVERYBODY. IT'S ALL ROSES. AND. OH, THIS GUY IS GREAT. LIKE, THE GUY DOESN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG.

HE DOES TONS OF THINGS WRONG. AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE FOR HIM ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING MONEY WITH HIM. AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING ANNEXED. YOU'VE BEEN WORKING FOR TWO YEARS TO BE ANNEXED. I BET YOU THIS COUNCIL CAN ANNEX YOU IN SIX MONTHS.

OKAY. IT'S TAKING YOU TWO YEARS AND YOU'RE STILL NOT ANNEXED AND YOU'RE STILL NOT PART OF THE COMMUNITY. WHY? WHAT'S THE HOLDUP? THAT'S HIM NOT DOING HIS JOB. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE. OKAY? YOU KNOW HIS FAMILY. YOU THINK HE'S A NICE GUY, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HE

[02:15:04]

YOU KNOW, I DO KNOW THAT THE, THE, THE, THE MAYOR AND THIS GUY ARE ALWAYS AT MEZA'S BAR AND THEY'RE NOT JUST DRINKING THERE, THEY'RE DOING OTHER STUFF. SO WHATEVER, GUYS, DO YOUR JOB. GET RID OF THIS CLOWN. SORRY. IS IMPORTANT. STEPHANIE. THANK YOU. MR. GARCIA. GO AHEAD. MR. GARCIA. GO AHEAD. USER WITH THE NAME CLG. GO AHEAD. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. GO AHEAD. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DELGADO, PEREZ AND FIGUEROA. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN UPROAR OF SUPPORTERS FROM THE GROUP, FROM A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN IN POWER IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR YEARS. I ASK THAT YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO DO, AND THAT IS TO MAKE CHANGES, BRING CHANGE TO OUR COMMUNITY. DO NOT SHY AWAY BECAUSE THERE IS SOME PUSHBACK. IF THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY WAS HAPPY WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP, YOU WOULD NOT BE THERE. I AM NOT IN FAVOR NOR IN DISAGREEMENT WITH THE REMOVAL OF THE CURRENT CITY MANAGER. I AM JUST IN FAVOR OF CHANGE. THANK YOU.

DANNY SMITH. GO AHEAD. YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. GOOD. MY NAME IS CRAIG SMITH. I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF FOUNTAINHEAD DEVELOPMENT, AND WE HAVE WE'RE IN OUR 19TH PROJECT IN COACHELLA VALLEY, DONE VARIOUS PROJECTS IN COACHELLA. ALSO HAVE A DATE RANCH DOWN VALLEY. AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN EVERY WALMART IN THE NATION. SO I HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY, IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND HAVING WORKED IN MOST OF THE CITIES IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, GABE, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS GABE. HE'S, YOU KNOW, HE AND HIS STAFF AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. I CAN I CAN SAY THERE'S NOBODY BETTER.

YOU KNOW, I CALL HIM, HE PICKS UP AND IF HE'S BUSY DOING SOMETHING, HE GETS BACK TO ME QUICK. SO IT'S JUST BEEN A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. AND FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO CONDUCTS BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CITY. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHRIS. GO AHEAD. GOOD. WELL YEAH. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CHRIS. I'M WANTING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF GABRIEL DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED. I JUST FELT COMPELLED AFTER HEARING THAT THIS WAS COMING TO THE COUNCIL, THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SPEAK ON SUPPORT FOR GABRIEL MARTIN AND WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND I WAS GOING TO SPEAK ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT ITEMS TO EXPRESS THE GOOD THAT HE'S DONE. BUT I THINK THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN. YOU HAVE ABOUT MAYBE 2 OR 3 PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN IN THIS ENTIRE TIME IN OPPOSITION OF OR IN SUPPORT OF RELIEVING GABRIEL MARTIN. YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD SHOULD FEEL THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. IF

[02:20:02]

DON'T MAKE A HASTY, OPINIONATED DECISION ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT. AND IT'S KIND OF A ROUGH WAY TO START YOUR TENURE OR YOUR YOUR YOUR FOUR YEARS ON A 10 A.M.

MEETING. IT'S JUST NOT THE WAY TO GO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. AND I'M SORRY I MISSED YOUR NAME. CHRIS. CHRIS. THANK YOU, CHRIS AND COUNCIL I DO APOLOGIZE. I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD TWO OTHER REQUESTS TO SPEAK FORUMS UNDERNEATH THE OTHER ONE, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THEM UP. THEY'RE HERE IN PERSON. CASTULO ESTRADA. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU AS A RESIDENT. I'VE LIVED HERE IN COACHELLA MY WHOLE LIFE. I WANTED TO SPEAK TO YOU AS ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AT THE COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT, AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TO YOU AS A STAFF OF ONE OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS OVERSEEING THE WATER AND SEWER AT THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I'VE BEEN AT THE COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT NOW FOR TEN YEARS. I'VE BEEN AT THE CITY FOR 12 YEARS, AND I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING ON A LOT, A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, BIG, BIG PROJECTS, COMPLICATED PROJECTS. AND I AND I WAS HEARING SOME OF THE SPEAKERS AND I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, ON THE, ON THE, THE, THE COMMENT OF HOW CRITICAL STAFF IS TO THE OPERATION AND THE DAILY BUSINESS OF AGENCIES, NOT JUST HERE IN THIS CITY, BUT IN OTHER ANY OTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS AND OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES. AND SO I AM CONCERNED THAT DISRUPTION TO WHAT I FEEL IS A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STAFF. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BIG CHALLENGES IN FRONT OF US. I THINK ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF IS OUR NEED AND OUR ABILITY TO TREAT CHROMIUM SIX FROM OUR DRINKING WATER. THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE PROJECT WE'RE CALCULATING THAT'S GOING TO COST THE CITY ANYWHERE FROM ABOUT 90 TO $100 MILLION. AND I AND I THINK THAT'S A BIG TASK THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO DELIVER ON, EVEN WITH THE STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE NOW. AND DISRUPTING THAT STRUCTURE IS GOING TO MAKE IT CERTAINLY HARDER. BUT MAYBE EVEN IMPOSSIBLE. RIGHT. IT'S JUST THAT THESE THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT, THAT I GET CONCERNED ABOUT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. I AGREE WITH THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE THAT IF I THINK THE STAFF HAD THE ABILITY TO SPEAK FREELY WITHOUT CONCERN OF, YOU KNOW, THEY MAYBE THEY MIGHT BE NEXT THAT THEY COULD TALK TO YOU AND, AND EXPRESS HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY AND THE MOVEMENT AND THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE.

AND I THINK A LOT OF US SHARE THE CONCERN THAT THAT THAT THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE SOME DISRUPTION AT SOME LEVEL. IT MIGHT PUT THE CITY ON A ON A TAILSPIN FOR MAYBE A YEAR, MAYBE MORE. BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS DEBATING WHETHER I SHOULD COME UP AND TALK AND, AND AFTER HEARING ALL THE COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT THAT I SHOULD. SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO

[02:25:05]

DEPARTMENT HEADS WERE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER. NOW WE HAVE ACTION TEAMS TO TACKLE ALL THESE CHALLENGES. SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, THEY HAD THE OPTION TO CHOOSE BETWEEN INDIO AND THE LESS RESOURCED CITY OF COACHELLA. AND THEY DECIDED COACHELLA. WHY? BECAUSE WE BROUGHT OUR A TEAM TO THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT TO DO THAT ALL THE TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND YOU HAVE THE PERSON THAT SUPPORTS THAT, RIGHT? I STAY HERE FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY. IF YOU WANT TO SEE MY CAR AT CITY HALL, I'M HERE EVERY DAY. I'M HERE TILL 8:00 AT NIGHT. I'M ONLY HERE BECAUSE THIS CITY SUPPORTS EXCELLENCE AND GABE SUPPORTS THAT. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON DRIVE BY, YOU KNOW, NIGHT TO NIGHT, I'M GOING TO BE THERE, BUT I'M GOING TO BE THERE BECAUSE GABE SUPPORTS THE WORK THAT WE DO AND THE BIG IDEAS. HE SUPPORTS THE OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING, BECAUSE TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFORM THE SITUATION IN THE COMMUNITY OF COACHELLA REQUIRES A LOT OF WORK, AND IT'S HARDER THAN ANY OTHER COMMUNITY IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. AND IT TAKES A LOT OF DEDICATED WORK, AND THAT'S WHY I'M COMMITTED TO DO THAT FOR YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS.

BUT I WANT YOU TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION. I WORK FOR YOU. I WANT YOU TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. I HOPE YOU REALIZE THAT WE ARE DELIVERING FROM YOU FOR YOU GUYS IN A VERY BIG WAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I HOPE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO WE STILL HAVE HANDS RAISED ON ZOOM? YES WE DO. OKAY. WE CAN CONTINUE WITH ZOOM. STELLA. GO AHEAD. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ESTELA ACUNA AND I WORK AT UC RIVERSIDE, AND I'M CALLING IN TO SUPPORT DOCTOR GABE MARTIN, WHO'S ALSO A FELLOW HIGHLANDER. I WAS AN A STUDENT WITH GAY, BUT I WAS AN ADVISOR OF SUCH. AND EVEN AS A STUDENT AT UC RIVERSIDE, HE WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED. AND SO THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE CHARACTERIZING GABE AS THIS PERSON THAT'S PASSIONATE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY THAT IT'S BEEN SINCE HE'S BEEN A STUDENT, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS THAT AND BEEN ABLE TO MENTOR HIM AS WELL. AND SO IT'S AN HONOR TO SEE HIM GROW, RIGHT, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, GETTING HIS DOCTORATE DEGREE AND GOING TO A CITY OF COACHELLA. RIGHT.

CHOOSING TO GO TO COACHELLA. HE IS NOT A RESIDENT. I AM NOT A RESIDENT EITHER, BUT I AM FROM THE VALLEY. MY FAMILY LIVES IN COACHELLA. I'M FROM INDIO, I LIVE IN RIVERSIDE NOW AND I WORK AT UCR, BUT IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WITNESS HIS GROWTH AND HIS COMMITMENT TO THE COMUNIDAD. IT TAKES A LOT, RIGHT? MANY PEOPLE, YOU CAN WORK MANY PLACES, RIGHT? BUT HE CHOSE COACHELLA, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM THE RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, RIGHT, THAT WE SELECTED A GOOD PERSON TO HELP SUPPORT AND LEAD THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I'M, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ENGAGED IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ENHANCING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS LIKE UC RIVERSIDE. AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND DISCUSSED CREATING A SCHOLARSHIP FOR THOSE THAT ARE FROM THE CV HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAVE BEEN SELECTED. YOU KNOW THAT TO GO TO UC RIVERSIDE, RIGHT? SO COMING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND CREATING A SCHOLARSHIP. AND SO HE'S VERY INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR ABILITY TO GO TO HIGHER EDUCATION. AND IT'S A

[02:30:01]

MARISSA. GO AHEAD. MARISSA, GO AHEAD. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. OKAY, GREAT. MY NAME IS MARISSA CHAVEZ. I'M A LONG TERM RESIDENT OF COACHELLA. I JUST NOW FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROPOSED DECISION.

AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. IT'S A SERIOUS FAULT IN LEADERSHIP. I'M JUST AS SHOCKED AS EVERYBODY ELSE ABOUT THIS. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT THAT COULD HAVE MOVED THE COUNCIL TO MAKE THIS DECISION. DOCTOR MARTIN AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY, CARLOS CAMPOS, HAVE HAD QUITE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN MY OPINION. I KNOW THIS IS A POLITICAL MOVE, BUT IT IS HIGHLY ONE SIDED. AS A RESIDENT, I HOPE YOU REMEMBER THE RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY YOUR DECISION. THIS CAN VERY WELL IMPACT YOUR POLITICAL CAREERS AND AS WE PUSH FORWARD TO A BETTER FUTURE, I HOPE YOU DO BETTER. AND I'M WONDERING WHO IS A I WONDER WHO YOU PLAN TO APPOINT IN THE FUTURE. I HOPE YOU RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION AND YOU KNOW, I HOPE YOU DO BETTER. THANK YOU.

MR. GARCIA. GO AHEAD. YEAH. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR. I AGREE WITH THE DECISION THAT IS BEING MADE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE EMBARRASSED OR WHY. THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL US THE REASON WHY THEY'RE DOING THIS DECISION. BUT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO KNOW THE REASON WHY. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE COVERING UP FOR HIM OR FOR THEM OR FOR WHO, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE, MY FRIEND. I'M GONNA SAY IN SPANISH, Q LA COMUNIDAD QUIERE SABER. POR QUÉ ES TAN CORRIENDO? SEA. ANDAN DE TRONCOSO. OKAY. POR QUÉ NO ESTAN CUBRIENDO ESTE LA INFORMACION DE POR QUÉ NOS ESTAN CORRIENDO? GRACIAS. STEPHANIE. GO AHEAD. AS A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, I'M JUST VOICING MY SUPPORT FOR THE DECISION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS MAKING. I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE ADDRESS THE DEEPLY ROOTED NEPOTISM THAT HAS PLAGUED OUR COMMUNITY FOR FAR TOO LONG, AND OUR COMMUNITY OF COACHELLA DESERVES LEADERS THAT PRIORITIZE TRANSPARENCY, INTEGRITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND DESERVES PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT JUST THEIR PERSONAL OR POLITICAL CONNECTIONS. OUR COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO THRIVE WHEN ITS LEADERSHIP REFLECTS THE VALUES AND IT'S RESIDENTS. IT'S TIME FOR TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE, AND I THINK IN, YOU KNOW, THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED, I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE LARGER MAJORITY OF THE COACHELLA, THE CITY OF COACHELLA

[02:35:02]

THANK YOU. LUISA. GO AHEAD. HI. CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES, I'M LUISA HEREDIA. I WORK AT PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM. I'M THE CHIEF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICER HERE, AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT THE MUSEUM'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA THAT WAS FOSTERED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF BOTH GABRIEL PEREZ AND DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. WHEN I CAME INTO THE POSITION, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE HOW WE COULD START BUILDING BRIDGES WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA SO THAT THE MUSEUM COULD HAVE A PRESENCE THERE, AND SO THAT WE COULD HELP BUILD INROADS. SO FOLKS COULD ALSO COME TO THE MUSEUM. WHEN WE APPROACHED GABRIEL AND GABRIEL, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE VERY INTERESTED. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND SO HEARTENING ABOUT OUR DISCUSSIONS WAS THAT DOCTOR MARTIN REALLY ASKED ABOUT HOW THE MUSEUM WAS GOING TO GIVE BACK TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA, SO THAT THE RELATIONSHIP WOULDN'T BE ONE SIDED. AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A GREAT ASK, SOMETHING I CERTAINLY BELIEVE IN. AND THROUGH THOSE EFFORTS, WE'VE HAD A LIBRARY ART PROGRAM WHERE WE'VE TAKEN ART EDUCATORS INTO THE LIBRARIES AND WHERE THE CITY OF COACHELLA HAS HELPED TO FUND BUSSES OR A BUS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY TO COME TO THE MUSEUM ON A FAMILY DAY. WHEN WE OPEN OUR DOORS TO EVERYONE. SO JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD, KIND OF THROUGH WORKING WITH DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN, THANK YOU.

TF GO AHEAD. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. OKAY. MY NAME IS TANYA. I AM A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA. I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE PAST 34 YEARS, AND I RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN THE RESIDENT ACADEMY. GRADUATED NOVEMBER 2024, AND I DO NOT KNOW MR. MARTIN PERSONALLY, BUT JUST FROM WHAT I OBSERVED, HE WAS AT EACH AND EVERY RESIDENT ACADEMY MEETING AND I GOT TO LEARN WHAT IT IS OR WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A CITY. WE GOT PRESENTED WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND EACH DEPARTMENT HAD NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER, SO I JUST WANTED TO VOICE MY, MY VOICE AND TO RECONSIDER REMOVING HIM FROM OFFICE. OKAY. THANK YOU. TANYA. DWAYNE. GO AHEAD. GOOD MORNING. COUNCIL, THIS IS DWAYNE YOUNG.

I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF CITY HIGH SCHOOL, 1968. HOW YOU DOING? YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK THERE. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK. CAN YOU TAKE IT OFF YOUR SPEAKERPHONE, MUTE HIS ZOOM IF YOU CAN. MUTE YOUR ZOOM WHILE YOU TALK. YEAH.

THIS IS DWAYNE YOUNG. GOOD MORNING, ESTEEMED COUNCIL. I'M A PROUD GRADUATE OF CV HIGH SCHOOL, 1968. STRONGLY SUPPORT DOCTOR MARTIN. PLEASE RECONSIDER. THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN STRONGLY IN HIS SUPPORT. PLEASE, PLEASE LISTEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. DWAYNE.

[02:40:21]

HOWEVER, WHEN WE DO SO, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO SO IN A WAY IN WHICH IT IS TRANSPARENT. I ALSO HEARD THE WORD TRANSPARENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CONVERSATION WAS CHANGED FROM AN EVENING TO A DAY. NOW YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DO SO. BUT YOU KNOW, MOST LIKELY WHEN FOLKS ARE AVAILABLE ARE IN THE EVENING. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT? AND ALL OF YOU THERE IN THE DAIS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF ME, OF HAVING MEETINGS OR NOT HAVING ENOUGH MEETINGS WHERE THE PUBLIC IS ENGAGED. AND WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WHERE WE HAVE SAID, AND YOU HAVE TOLD ME YOU OUGHT TO HAVE MEETINGS IN THE EVENING. HOW DID THIS MEETING CHANGE FROM HAVING IT IN THE EVENING TO A DAYTIME MEETING, AND WHY SO? AND THEN WHY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS TO AN EVALUATION AND NOT BEING PRINTED ON AN AGENDA THAT'S AGAINST THE BROWN ACT. AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY YOU HAD TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE TODAY. LET'S, LET'S, LET'S REALLY BE FAIR HERE. LET'S REALLY BE EQUITABLE HERE. YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT YOU SEE THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, THESE CHANGES, THESE POSITIVE CHANGES THAT ARE GOING ON. IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF NEPOTISM OR IT'S NOT BECAUSE SOMEONE'S MAKING MONEY OFF IT. YOU KNOW, IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE CARE. THAT'S RIGHT. WE CARE. AND I WOULD EVEN INCLUDE THOSE INDIVIDUALS RIGHT HERE THAT I'M AT ODDS WITH ON THAT DAIS. I KNOW YOU CARE, TOO. I KNOW YOU CARE. AND MAYBE THIS IS WHAT WE NEEDED FOR US TO HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION WITH OURSELVES AS TO WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF COACHELLA, AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO PLAN STRATEGICALLY WHERE WE AT LEAST COLLABORATE, COMMUNICATE, COOPERATE, FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER? THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO

[02:45:02]

YOU CANNOT SAY THAT YOU DON'T SEE AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEING BUILT DOWN THE STREET FROM YOU.

YOU CAN'T SAY THAT YOU DON'T SEE A COUNTY BUILDING THAT WAS JUST BUILT THAT PROVIDES SOCIAL SERVICES TO PEOPLE. YOU CAN'T SAY THAT YOU DON'T SEE BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING IN LIKE A PANDA EXPRESS FOR THAT MATTER. YOU CAN'T SAY THAT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. YOU CAN'T SAY THAT THE STREETS ARE BEING PAVED OR REPAVED, OR THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ISLANDS.

THOSE ARE HAPPENING AS WE SPEAK. IT TOOK A LONG TIME, FOLKS, FOR US TO GET HERE TO THIS SPACE. IT REALLY TOOK A LONG TIME. IT JUST DID NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IT TOOK ALL OF US TO PERHAPS GO ON TO HIGHER EDUCATION, LEARN FROM OUR PARENTS, ENGAGE, ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, HAVE A LOVE FOR THE CITY, AND COME BACK HOME AND SAY, WE WANT TO DO BETTER. THAT'S RIGHT. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. AND GABE MARTIN, YEAH, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR QUITE SOME TIME, BUT BECAUSE I KNOW HIM AND BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN HIS SKILL SET, BECAUSE I TRUST HIS WORD, I KNOW THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO GO BEHIND MY BACK AND SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE. AND I ASSURE YOU, AS A CITY MANAGER, HE WOULDN'T DO THAT WITH ANYBODY ELSE SITTING ON THAT DAIS. I ASK YOU ALL TO TRULY RECONSIDER. I KNOW MY TIME IS UP, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR GOING A LITTLE MORE THAN I SHOULD, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR GETTING EMOTIONAL, BUT I'M PLEADING WITH YOU ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY AND THE 40 SOME THOUSAND RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT DECISION.

THAT'S RIGHT. IF ANYTHING, EVALUATE HIM. TAKE TIME, FIGURE THIS OUT WHERE HE CAN IMPROVE, AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PEREZ IS THERE. I SEE ANOTHER HAND RAISED. YES, CHRISTIAN. GO AHEAD. CHRISTIAN, GO AHEAD. HI.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES. HI, MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN. I'M A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA. I JUST WANT TO SAY WE VOTED FIGUEROA PEREZ AND WE DID IT FOR A REASON. WE NEED CHANGE. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT IT'S NOT EASY. THEY'RE MAKING THE TOUGH DECISIONS. AND I THINK WE JUST NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THAT WE PUT THEM THERE FOR A REASON AND THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER ZOOM USERS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO COMMENT. THERE ARE NO FURTHER HANDS. OKAY. THANK YOU. SPEAKER HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US. ANY CITY STAFF THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS US.

ANYBODY OUTSIDE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS? I'M SEEING NONE. WE'LL GO AHEAD. AND I THINK WE HAVE A NUMBER OF LETTERS THAT WE RECEIVED AS WELL. WE DID SO FAR INTO THE RECORD. THAT'S CORRECT. SO FAR WE HAVE 63 WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS AND MORE, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ARE CONTINUING TO GO INTO THE EMAIL. SO I WILL START OFF WITH READING A COUPLE OF THEM, SINCE WE HAVE IN THE PAST READ ALOUD ANYTHING THAT WAS 200 WORDS OR LESS. WOW.

SO I WANT TO START WITH WE RECEIVED ONE ONE LETTER FROM RAY LEONE AND IT READS AS AS SUCH, AS A MAYOR FROM A CITY, I CAN SHARE THAT IT IS NOT EASY FINDING A TALENTED, EFFECTIVE, WELL-EDUCATED AND AMBITIOUS CITY MANAGER THAT CAN COMMIT 110% TO THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE. COACHELLA IS LUCKY TO HAVE DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. NOT ONLY IS HE PROFESSIONAL, BUT HUMBLE AND GOOD AND ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, RESIDENTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. OUR NEXT LETTER READS. AS SUCH, IT STATES, DEAR, IT'S. AND LET ME START OFF, IT IS FROM LEILA NAMVAR. AND IT READS AS SUCH. DEAR CITY OF COACHELLA COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM WRITING THIS LETTER IN STRONG SUPPORT OF DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN, THE CITY MANAGER OF COACHELLA, FOR THE

[02:50:02]

IT'S FROM ESPERANZA RC. HONORABLE MEMBERS OF COACHELLA CITY COUNCIL AS A PROUD HOMEOWNER, FAMILY MEMBER AND FRIEND TO MANY, COACHELLA KNOWS I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE PROPOSED ACTION TO TERMINATE OUR CITY MANAGER, DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. AT A TIME WHEN TRAGEDIES AROUND THE WORLD DEMAND OUR FOCUS ON COMPASSION, IT IS SHOCKING THAT SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE CHOSEN TO PRIORITIZE THIS DIVISIVE AND UNNECESSARY ACTION. INSTEAD OF DEDICATING RESOURCES TO CRITICAL ISSUES SUCH AS SUPPORTING FAMILIES IMPACTED BY DEVASTATING FIRES, ADDRESSING OUR HOMELESS CRISIS, OR ORGANIZING COMMUNITY EVENTS TO BRING HOPE TO OUR CHILDREN IN NEED, WE ARE WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON A DECISION THAT SERVES PERSONAL AGENDAS RATHER THAN THE PUBLIC GOOD. TO COUNCIL MEMBER YADIRA PEREZ. AS A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY, YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY. YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS DECISION RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT A POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AS DOCTOR MARTIN OVERSEES THE VERY CONTRACT THAT FUNDS YOUR DEPARTMENT, I URGE YOU TO RECUSE YOURSELF FROM ANY ACTION AGAINST DOCTOR MARTIN, AS FAILING TO DO SO UNDERMINES BOTH YOUR ROLE AND THE TRUST OF THE COMMUNITY. TO DOCTOR FIGUEROA, I APPEAL TO YOUR INTELLECT AND INTEGRITY. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE USED AS A PAWN IN A MISGUIDED EFFORT THAT SERVES NO ONE BUT A SELECT FEW. THINK RATIONALLY AND MAKE A DECISION THAT REFLECTS YOUR DUTY TO THE PEOPLE OF COACHELLA. THIS CITY DESERVES LEADERS WHO PRIORITIZE UNITY, PROGRESS, AND COMMUNITY WELL-BEING. I URGE YOU ALL TO RECONSIDER THIS ACTION AND REFOCUS YOUR EFFORTS ON WHAT TRULY MATTERS TO COACHELLA.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND I JUST WANT TO STATE, NONE OF THESE EMAILS THAT I'M READING OR ANY OF THE CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE SPOKEN, EITHER THROUGH ZOOM OR IN PERSON. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM DIANA QUESADA, WHO IS A CITIZEN. I AM A I AM IN DISBELIEF THAT THE MOMENT OUR CITY OF COACHELLA IS MOVING FORWARD, THE COUNCIL WANTS TO CHANGE THAT. WHAT BACK DOOR DEAL ARE YOU PROMISING TO EACH OTHER? THE CORRUPTION IS OBVIOUS WITH THIS BROWN ACT VIOLATION. DOCTOR GABRIEL, WE ARE WITH YOU TODAY AND ALWAYS. CITIZEN DIANA QUESADA. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM.

ACTUALLY, THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM MARNIE NAVARRO. SHE DID SPEAK. SO I'M GOING TO JUST NOTE THAT THIS LETTER HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL, AND HER COMMENTS WERE MADE PUBLIC HERE IN PERSON.

THIS NEXT EMAIL IS FROM LUZ GALLEGOS AND IT READS GOOD MORNING. I JUST HEARD THAT THE COUNCIL WILL BE DISCUSSING THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. CITY MANAGER GABRIEL MARTIN, OUR CITY MANAGER, HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL FOR THE ADVANCEMENTS OF OUR CITY. I AM ASKING FOR COUNCIL TO FULLY EVALUATE HIS WORK AND LEADERSHIP BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION THAT MAY IMPACT OUR CITY AND COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. LUZ GALLEGOS. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM LORENA ROBLES AND IT READS HELLO, MY NAME IS LORENA ROBLES AND I WAS PART OF THE LAST RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT ACADEMY AND WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT THAT I WOULD WANT TO SEE THIS MEETING

[02:55:03]

DEAR CITY OF COACHELLA, I AM WRITING REFLECTING ON THIS RECENT DISHEARTENING NEWS ON THE DECISION PENDING FOR DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. IT FEELS NECESSARY TO PAUSE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE INCREDIBLE WORK GABRIEL HAS BEEN PART OF FOR OUR COMMUNITY. HIS DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND ITS PEOPLE HAS BEEN INSPIRING THE LEADERSHIP I WITNESSED AS AN ALUMNI OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT COHORT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWER OF SERVANT HEARTED TEAMWORK. I VIVIDLY REMEMBER PARTICIPATING IN SIDE BY SIDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS WITH GABRIEL, HIS FAMILY AND OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES. THE INTENSITY OF THE WORK NEVER DETERRED HIM. INSTEAD, HE MET IT HEAD ON WITH ENTHUSIASM AND A POSITIVE ATTITUDE THAT UPLIFTED EVERYONE AROUND, WHETHER IT WAS MOVING SUPPLIES, ENGAGING WITH THE RESIDENT, OR SIMPLY SETTING THE TONE FOR COLLABORATION, HE EXEMPLIFIED WHAT IT MEANS TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. THANK YOU, DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN, FOR HAVING PASSION FOR COACHELLA AND COMMITMENT TO SERVING ITS PEOPLE. IT'S RARE TO FIND SOMEONE WHO NOT ONLY LEADS, BUT WORKS SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THEIR TEAM, FOSTERING A SENSE OF UNITY AND SHARED PURPOSE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO OUR CITY. YOU HAVE MADE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THIS COMMUNITY AND YOUR EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE OTHERS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GREATER GOOD. PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEEPLY APPRECIATED AND TRUSTING ALL THE BEST OUTCOME WITH GRATITUDE AND RESPECT. YVONNE ZAPATA. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM CHRISTOPHER MARTINEZ. GOOD MORNING COUNCIL. I FIND IT VERY DISTURBING THAT THERE IS ENOUGH CONSENSUS AT A COUNCIL TO BRING UP A SPECIAL MEETING TO MAKE A PUBLIC DISPLAY OR PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER'S PERFORMANCE, AND THAT IT'S MAKING WAVES ACROSS THE LOCAL NEWS STATIONS. THE AGENDA ITEM STATES AN EVALUATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER'S PERFORMANCE. HOW CAN PART OF THE COUNCIL GIVE A VALID EVALUATION WHEN THEY'VE FRESHLY BEEN ELECTED AND HAVE NOT BEEN AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN WORK WITH MR. MARTIN? I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH MR. MARTIN AND SEEN HIS LOVE AND PASSION FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA. HE'S NOT A NATIVE, BUT HAS BECOME AN ADOPTED SON OF COACHELLA BY PLANTING HIS ROOTS WITH HIS FAMILY. HERE, HE HAS WORKED HIS WAY UP AND WAS SEEN FIT TO BE APPOINTED CITY MANAGER BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, A COUNCIL THAT DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS HIS WORK. HE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE TO CITY EMPLOYEES THAT IF YOU WORK HARD ENOUGH, THE CITY AND ITS COUNCIL IS WILLING TO HIRE FROM WITHIN THE HIGHEST POSITIONS ON STAFF. RELIEVING MR. MARTIN OF HIS POSITION WILL REVERSE THIS SENTIMENT AMONG THE STAFF AND SET A BAD PRECEDENT. IF THIS IS TRULY ABOUT PERFORMANCE, GET AN EVALUATION SURVEY FROM THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK DIRECTLY UNDER HIM. DON'T MAKE A HASTY, OPINIONATED DECISION. GET EVIDENCE AND DO THE NECESSARY RESEARCH TO HAVE A SOUND EVALUATION AT COACHELLA LIKE MR. MARTIN DESERVES BETTER. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM DANIEL GARCIA.

MY NAME IS DANIEL, A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA AND SOMEONE DEEPLY INVESTED IN THE WELL-BEING AND GROWTH OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. TODAY, I AM HERE TO VOICE MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR GABRIEL MARTIN TO CONTINUE SERVING AS THE CITY MANAGER. UNDER MR. MARTIN'S LEADERSHIP, COACHELLA HAS EXPERIENCED REMARKABLE PROGRESS IN KEY AREAS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY SERVICES, HIS ABILITY TO ENGAGE DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS, IMPLEMENT INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND PRIORITIZE EQUITY AND DECISION MAKING HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS DEDICATED MY CAREER TO FOSTERING EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, I RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF HAVING A LEADER WHO TRULY UNDERSTANDS AND REPRESENTS THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY, QUALITIES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR A CITY MANAGER. MOREOVER, HIS COLLABORATIVE APPROACH HAS FOSTERED TRUST AND UNITY AMONG VARIOUS SECTORS, PAVING THE WAY FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND LONG TERM SUCCESS FOR COACHELLA. AT A TIME WHEN STRONG AND STEADY LEADERSHIP IS MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER, I FIRMLY BELIEVE GABRIEL MARTIN IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO CONTINUE GUIDING THE CITY FORWARD. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO RETAIN DOCTOR MARTIN AS CITY MANAGER AND TO SUPPORT THE VISION AND MOMENTUM HE HAS ESTABLISHED FOR COACHELLA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. DANIEL GARCIA. THIS NEXT EMAIL IS FROM DIANA GOMEZ. I AM BESIDE MYSELF FINDING OUT OUR BELOVED CITY MANAGER. I BELIEVE I ALREADY READ THIS ONE. IT READS EXACTLY THE SAME, SO I APOLOGIZE. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS ONE TO THE SIDE. ELIZABETH NAVARRO IS THE NEXT ONE. AS A COACHELLA RESIDENT, I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THOSE WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO FIRE OUR CITY MANAGER. DOCTOR GABRIEL. MARTIN HAS DONE SO MUCH TO EVALUATE OUR CITY AND HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP UNDER HIS GUIDANCE,

[03:00:05]

DEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT VOTES BY THREE MEMBERS TO RENEW THE CONTRACTS OF OUR CITY MANAGER, DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN AND CITY ATTORNEY CARLOS CAMPOS CAMPOS. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THERE IS A PLAN AT PLAY THAT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS ALIGNMENT WITH THE BEST INTERESTS OF COACHELLA RESIDENTS. I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY FULL SUPPORT FOR BOTH OUR CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY. THEIR LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ADVANCING THE PROGRESS OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND I BELIEVE THEY REMAIN ESSENTIAL TO OUR CITY'S CONTINUED SUCCESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

SINCERELY, MARIA ORTIZ, COACHELLA RESIDENT. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM EDUARDO SEJA. I BELIEVE REMOVING OUR CITY MANAGER, DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN, WOULD HAVE DETRIMENTAL WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. HIS LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND OUR CITY'S PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE COACHELLA, FROM ADVANCING INFRASTRUCTURE TO FOSTERING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES THAT BENEFIT EVERYONE. HIS DEDICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY IS UNMATCHED, AND THE POSITIVE CHANGES WE'VE SEEN UNDER HIS GUIDANCE SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. TAKING HIM AWAY FROM THIS ROLE WOULD UNDO MUCH OF THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE. COACHELLA NEEDS A LEADER LIKE DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. EDDIE SEJA. THIS NEXT EMAIL IS FROM ESTELLA MURILLO, WHO ALSO SPOKE DURING OUR ZOOM. SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS ONE TO THE SIDE. THIS NEXT EMAIL IS FROM MARIO ORNELAS. D.R. HORTON, WHO ALSO WAS AVAILABLE AND SPOKE THROUGH ZOOM. THIS NEXT EMAIL IS FROM JUAN MARTINEZ. GOOD MORNING, MISTER MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JUAN MARTINEZ AND I RESIDE AT AND I WILL NOT READ HIS ADDRESS, BUT HE IS A COACHELLA RESIDENT. I AM WRITING TO YOU TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE COUNCIL STAND OR REASONING ON WHY YOU WOULD WANT TO RELEASE A GREAT LEADER WITHIN THE CITY.

DOCTOR MARTIN HAS DEMONSTRATED GREAT LEADERSHIP AS COACHELLA CONTINUES TO GROW. AS AN ALMOST 40 YEAR CITIZEN OF COACHELLA, I HAVE SEEN AND LIVED THROUGH THE STRUGGLES AND SUCCESSES COACHELLA HAS BEEN THROUGH. SO MY QUESTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT WANT.

DOCTOR MARTIN TERMINATED, IS WHY RELEASE A GOOD LEADER WHEN ALL IS FUNCTIONING WELL, WHEN COACHELLA CONTINUES TO STRIVE? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. IT IS LIKE RELEASING A HEAD COACH FROM A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. IF DOCTOR MARTIN IS RELEASED, I WILL LOSE ALL MY FAITH IN THE NEWLY ELECTED CITY COUNCIL AND THEY WILL NOT HAVE MY VOTE AND OF OTHERS. WHEN REELECTION TIME COMES AROUND, PLEASE RECONSIDER AND RETAIN DOCTOR MARTIN. THIS IS NOT A TIME TO BE POLITICKING.

IT IS A TIME TO WORK TOGETHER AND CONTINUE MOVING COACHELLA INTO A POSITIVE DIRECTION. IT HAS BEEN HEADING RESPECTFULLY. JUAN MARTINEZ. THIS NEXT LETTER IS FROM EDUARDO GARCIA AND IT READS. DEAR MAYOR HERNANDEZ AND HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM WRITING AS DEEPLY AS A DEEPLY CONCERNED CITIZEN TO ADDRESS THE RECENT DECISION TO PLACE CITY MANAGER DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AS A FORMER MAYOR OF THE CITY AND A FORMER ASSEMBLY MEMBER WHO HAS PROUDLY SERVED THIS REGION, I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS ACTION GIVEN TO DOCTOR MARTIN'S EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRESS COACHELLA HAS ACHIEVED UNDER HIS GUIDANCE. HIS TENURE HAS BEEN MARKED BY SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS THAT HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR CITY'S FOUNDATION AND PAVED THE WAY FOR CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS.

FURTHERMORE, I AM TROUBLED BY THE SCHEDULED TIME FOR TODAY'S SPECIAL MEETING SET FOR 10 A.M, AS IT COMPLETELY DISREGARDS AND EXCLUDES WORKING RESIDENTS FROM PARTICIPATING, PROVIDING ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS A FAIR OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND AND EXPRESS THEIR PERSPECTIVES IS VITAL TO MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST IN THIS CRITICAL DECISION MAKING PROCESS. UNDER DOCTOR MARTIN'S LEADERSHIP, COACHELLA HAS MADE UNPRECEDENTED STRIDES IN AREAS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO OUR CITY'S FUTURE. HIS VISION AND LEADERSHIP HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO FINANCIAL STABILITY, ENSURING THAT OUR CITY'S FINANCES REMAIN STRONG AND WELL MANAGED. THROUGH HIS EFFORTS, COACHELLA HAS CONSISTENTLY SECURED MUCH NEEDED RESOURCES FOR ESSENTIAL CITY PROJECTS AND SERVICES THAT BENEFIT ALL OUR RESIDENTS. DOCTOR MARTIN IS STILL WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF HIS FIVE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE CITY. TERMINATING HIS CONTRACT AT THIS TIME WOULD NOT ONLY DISRUPT THE STABILITY AND MOMENTUM WE HAVE GAINED, BUT ALSO RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BURDEN TO TAXPAYERS, POTENTIALLY COSTING UP TO A QUARTER OF $1 MILLION IN CONTRACT PAYOUT. SUCH A DECISION WOULD BE FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE AND COULD UNDERMINE THE TRUST AND CONFIDENCE OF THE RESIDENTS WE ARE ALL HERE TO SERVE. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS SEEN FIRSTHAND

[03:05:04]

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE MAINTAIN CONTINUITY IN LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE THE CITY REMAINS ON ITS UPWARD TRAJECTORY. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT COUNCIL, REEVALUATE THE DECISION AND CONSIDER THE LONG TERM IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, FINANCES AND OVERALL STABILITY.

COACHELLA DESERVES LEADERSHIP THAT PRIORITIZES PROGRESS IN FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND DOCTOR MARTIN HAS DEMONSTRATED HIS ABILITY TO DELIVER ON BOTH FRONTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS IMPORTANT MATTER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME SHOULD YOU WISH TO DISCUSS FURTHER. SINCERELY, EDUARDO GARCIA, FORMER ASSEMBLY MEMBER OF THE 36TH DISTRICT AND FORMER MAYOR OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. OKAY, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I NEED ANOTHER BEER. IF YOU NEED SOME WATER. YEAH, I DO NEED SOME WATER, ACTUALLY. TREASURER, IF YOU'D LIKE TO HELP ME READ. YEAH. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THIS ONE IS FROM DWAYNE YOUNG AND IT READS. GOOD MORNING. HONORABLE COUNCIL DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN HAS BEEN EXTREMELY KIND TO OUR AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS. HE HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF GROWING COACHELLA VALLEY. OUR AG ADVOCATE ADVOCACY GROUP. HE WAS A PROPONENT OF THE AG TOUR WE HELD FOR THE CITY COUNCIL LAST YEAR, AND HAS BEEN A BIG INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I BELIEVE HE ALREADY SPOKE ON ON. HE DID SPEAK. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. THIS ONE IS FROM JUAN GUEVARA. DEAR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. MY NAME IS JUAN GUEVARA, PRESIDENT OF BOUND INC, AND I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS BEEN AN INVALUABLE MEMBER OF OUR CITY, CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATING HIS COMMITMENT TO UPLIFTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES.

THROUGH HIS LEADERSHIP, DOCTOR MARTIN HAS OPENED COUNTLESS DOORS FOR BUSINESSES LIKE MINE AND FOR THE RESIDENTS OF COACHELLA. HE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING NUMEROUS PROJECTS THAT HAVE DIRECTLY IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOSTERING OPPORTUNITIES AND GROWTH. HIS GUIDANCE AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED NOT JUST INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES, BUT ALSO THE BROADER COACHELLA COMMUNITY.

DOCTOR MARTIN'S GENUINE CARE FOR OUR CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS IS UNDENIABLE. HIS KINDNESS, INTEGRITY AND LOVE FOR COACHELLA SHINE THROUGH AND THROUGH IN EVERYTHING HE DOES. REMOVING HIM FROM HIS POSITION WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS LOSS TO OUR COMMUNITY. I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO RECOGNIZE THE IMMENSE VALUE DOCTOR MARTIN BRINGS TO COACHELLA AND ALLOW HIM TO CONTINUE HIS WORK. VITAL, I'M SORRY. HIS VITAL WORK FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. SINCERELY, JUAN GUEVARA, PRESIDENT OF BROWN INCORPORATED.

THIS ONE IS FOR THE GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. BRANDON, MALI, WHICH IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO. IT READS. DEAR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THE GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR RETAINING DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN AS CITY MANAGER. HIS LEADERSHIP HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED TO COACHELLA'S GROWTH AND PROSPERITY. DOCTOR MARTIN AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONAL PARTNERS, FOSTERING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. UNDER HIS GUIDANCE, THE CITY HAS EXPERIENCED REMARKABLE GROWTH DRIVEN BY HIS VISION AND STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP.

HE HAS ALSO BUILT A STRONG, CAPABLE TEAM THAT CONTINUES TO ADVANCE THE CITY'S GOALS EFFECTIVELY. DOCTOR MARTIN'S DEEP COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND ABILITY TO BUILD TRUST AMONG STAKEHOLDERS HAVE FURTHER STRENGTHENED THE COLLABORATION AND UNITY. HE HAS BEEN A STEADFAST ADVOCATE FOR BUSINESSES HELPING FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH. WE STRONGLY ENDORSE DOCTOR MARTIN'S CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AS CITY MANAGER. HIS DEDICATION AND STRATEGIC VISION ARE INVALUABLE TO COACHELLA'S FUTURE AND SUCCESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. SINCERELY, BRANDON MALI, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WE ALSO HAVE. JASMINE CEJA. I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE DECISION BY SOME BOARD MEMBERS TO REMOVE OUR CITY MANAGER, GABRIEL MARTIN. UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, OUR CITY HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY AND WE'VE SEEN PROGRESS THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF. DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DRIVING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENSURING THAT OUR CITY'S NEEDS ARE PRIORITIZED. HE HAS BROUGHT IN INNOVATIVE, INNOVATIVE, I'M SORRY, INNOVATIVE IDEAS TO THE TABLE, STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND WORK TIRELESSLY TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS. COACHELLA IS ON A PATH OF GROWTH AND PROSPERITY, AND MUCH OF THAT SUCCESS IS DUE TO HIS VISION AND DEDICATION. REMOVING HIM FROM THIS POSITION WOULD NOT ONLY BE UNJUST, BUT ALSO DETRIMENTAL TO THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE AS A CITY. WE NEED LEADERS LIKE DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN, WHO TRULY CARE ABOUT COACHELLA AND ITS FUTURE. JUAN GARCIA. GOOD MORNING, DISTINGUISHED CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JUAN GARCIA, AND I SERVE AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE'S DEPARTMENT OF

[03:10:01]

WE HAVE ASSISTED 26 HOME BUYERS IN ACHIEVING THE DREAM OF HOME OWNERSHIP, EMPOWERING FAMILIES TO BUILD STABILITY AND INEQUITY. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE PROVIDED REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE TO 21 HOUSEHOLDS, ENSURING THAT THE RESIDENTS CAN REMAIN SAFE, LIVABLE HOMES AND PRESERVING THE CITY'S EXISTING HOUSING STOCK. THESE SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF DOCTOR MARTIN'S LEADERSHIP, VISION AND DEDICATION. HE AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN INVALUABLE PARTNERS, DEMONSTRATING A STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED SOLUTIONS. THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, INNOVATION AND DRIVE HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DELIVERING IMPACTFUL OUTCOMES FOR THE RESIDENTS OF COACHELLA. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE RESPECT THE CITY'S GOALS AND PRIORITIES AND REMAIN COMMITTED TO OUR SHARED VISION. I'M SORRY. SHARED MISSION OF EXPANDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND PRESERVING EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR RESIDENTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AND TO BUILDING ON THE SOLID FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS WE'VE ACHIEVED TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT.

SINCERELY, JUAN GARCIA, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS. THIS IS FROM EDUARDO GARCIA. IT READS. DEAR MAYOR, THAT ONE, THAT ONE.

OKAY. AND THEN WE HAVE ROSA CEJA. GO AHEAD. THAT ONE'S FINE. OKAY. I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE EFFORT TO REMOVE OUR CITY MANAGER, GABRIEL MARTIN. UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, OUR CITY HAS FLOURISHED, STRENGTHENING INFRASTRUCTURE, DRIVING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL. GABRIEL IS MORE THAN JUST A LEADER. HE'S A CONSTANT PRESENCE AT EVERY EVENT, SHARING IN OUR COMMUNITY'S MOMENTS WITH AN INFECTIOUS SMILE AND AN UNDENIABLE LOVE FOR OUR CITY. HIS DEDICATION TO COACHELLA IS UNMATCHED, AND REMOVING HIM WOULD BE A DISSERVICE TO THE PROGRESS AND THE UNITY THAT WE'VE BUILT TOGETHER. ROSA CEJA THIS IS FROM STEVEN PEREZ, AND IT READS, I DISAGREE WITH THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY FROM THEIR ROLES. OVER TIME, I HAVE WITNESSED THE GROWTH AND THE PROGRESS IN OUR CITY UNDER THEIR LEADERSHIP. REMOVING THEM FROM THEIR POSITION RISKS UNDOING THE STRIDES WE HAVE MADE AND COULD SET US BACK RATHER THAN PROPEL US FORWARD.

STABILITY IN LEADERSHIP IS VITAL TO MAINTAINING MOMENTUM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE DECISION TO REMOVE THEM ALSO RAISES CONCERN ABOUT UNNECESSARY EXPENSES, HIRING NEW LEADERSHIP, CONDUCTING SEARCHES, AND ONBOARDING REPLACEMENTS WILL COME AT A COST TO TAXPAYERS RESOURCES THAT COULD BE BETTER UTILIZED FOR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS MOVE FEELS UNWARRANTED AND POTENTIALLY DISRUPTIVE TO THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED AS A CITY. I FIND MYSELF QUESTIONING WHETHER THE NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS POSSESS ENOUGH EXPERIENCE AND INSIGHT TO MAKE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT AND SUDDEN DECISION. WAS THE SPECIAL MEETING TRULY FOCUSED ON THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY? DID THE NEWEST COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE SUFFICIENT VALID INFORMATION TO JUSTIFY SUCH DRASTIC ACTIONS? AS A RESIDENT, I URGE THE COUNCIL TO REFLECT ON WHETHER THEIR DECISION ALIGNS WITH THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND PRIORITIES.

IT IS CRITICAL TO ENSURE THAT THE DECISION MADE IN OUR CITY'S LEADERSHIP ARE GROUNDED IN WHAT'S BEST FOR THE PEOPLE, RATHER THAN PERSONAL OR POLITICAL MOTIVES. MAINTAINING THE CONTINUING OF CAPABLE LEADERSHIP IS ESSENTIAL FOR COACHELLA'S CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS. REGARDS. STEVEN PEREZ, RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. FRANCISCO ARCE. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS A VERY BIG DECISION TO MAKE TODAY. IT'S A SHAME THAT THIS ITEM WAS PUT ON THE AGENDA TO BEGIN WITH, BUT NOW YOU ARE HERE AND MUST MAKE A DECISION KNOWING THAT ALL THE VOTERS IN THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE CAREFULLY WATCHING WHAT YOU DO AND WILL HIGHLY SCRUTINIZE THE ACTION YOU TAKE. WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANT TO HUMBLY SHARE THAT FIRING DOCTOR MARTIN WOULD BE A HORRIBLE MISTAKE. HE IS SOMEONE THAT I AM PROUD TO KNOW FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN AND HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND, THE COMMITMENT AND STELLAR WORK ETHIC THAT HE HAS. I KNOW THAT HE REPRESENTS THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND IMPECCABLY BECAUSE I SEE IT IN EVERYTHING HE DOES.

I HAVE SEEN THE PRIDE THAT HE TAKES IN THE PLANS, PROJECTS AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT HE ENVISIONS AND EXECUTES IN THIS COMMUNITY AS A HOMEOWNER IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN COACHELLA, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE GABRIEL. THIS IS A MAN WHO IS PASSIONATE FOR SERVANT LEADERSHIP, A AND PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY. I IMPLORE YOU TO RECONSIDER KNOWING THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE BEHIND DOCTOR

[03:15:02]

HOWEVER, SHOULD YOU DECIDE NOT TO RECONSIDER, I WANT TO THANK DOCTOR MARTIN AND REMIND HIM TO HOLD HIS HEAD UP HIGH, KNOWING THAT WE ARE PROUD OF HIM AND THAT HE DID OUR PEOPLE GOOD.

THANK YOU, GABRIEL, FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND DEDICATION TO THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND ITS BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP THAT PASSION AND HEART OF YOURS, FOR THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF HAVE ALWAYS ADMIRED YOU AND LOOKED UP TO YOU. IT'S A SHAME THAT THOSE BLINDED WITH CONTROL AND POWER CAN'T SEE THAT. WE LOVE YOU, FRANCISCO ARCE. CESAR MARZANO AS A DEEPLY INVESTED RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, I STRONGLY OPPOSE THE EFFORT BY SOME BOARD MEMBERS TO REMOVE OUR CITY MANAGER, GABRIEL MARTIN. UNDER HIS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, COACHELLA HAS EXPERIENCED REMARKABLE GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION. GABRIEL MARTIN HAS BEEN A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE PROGRESS WE SEE TODAY. HE HAS CHAMPIONED INITIATIVES THAT PRIORITIZE THE WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHILE BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS THAT BRING OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY TO OUR CITY. TO DISRUPT THIS MOMENTUM BY REMOVING A LEADER WHO HAS PROVEN HIS DEDICATION AND EFFECTIVENESS WOULD BE A GRAVE MISTAKE COACHELLA DESERVES. LEADERS LIKE GABRIEL MARTIN, WHO HAVE PASSION AND ABILITY TO GUIDE US TOWARDS AN EVEN BETTER FUTURE. CESAR WASANO THIS ONE IS FROM FELIX. DEAR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS JEREMY FELIX AND I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF COACHELLA. I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN TO REMAIN AS OUR CITY MANAGER. DOCTOR MARTIN IS HIGHLY QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION AND HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED HIS COMMITMENT TO THE PROGRESS AND THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CITY.

DOCTOR MARTIN'S QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERTISE ARE EVIDENT IN THE PROGRESS COACHELLA HAS MADE UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR TEAM, DRIVING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FOSTERING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR GROWING CITY. HIS EFFORTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO COACHELLA'S PROGRESS, AND HIS DEEP INVOLVEMENT IN THE IN THE COMMUNITY SHOWS HIS DEDICATION TO OUR SUCCESS. THE DECISION TO CONSIDER TERMINATING HIS CONTRACT WITHOUT A VALID EXPLANATION IS NOT ONLY CONCERNING, BUT IT CREATES UNCERTAINTY FOR OUR FUTURE AND RISKS UNDOING THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE. REMOVING A LEADER LIKE DOCTOR MARTIN WOULD BE A SETBACK FOR COACHELLA, JEOPARDIZING THE STABILITY AND MOMENTUM WE'VE WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE AS A CITY. I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT THIS DECISION WILL HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY AND TO SUPPORT DOCTOR MARTIN AND CONTINUE HIS WORK AS CITY MANAGER. STABILITY, VISION AND COLLABORATION ARE ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CITY'S SUCCESS, AND DOCTOR MARTIN EMBODIES EMBODIES THOSE QUALITIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THE VOICES OF COACHELLA RESIDENTS WHO BELIEVE IN DOCTOR MARTIN'S LEADERSHIP. RESPECTFULLY, JERRY FELIX. WE HAVE DON QUIGLEY, TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE MY APPRECIATION FOR GABRIEL MARTIN. HE HAS BEEN A GREAT SUPPORTER OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE INDUSTRIES THAT COMPRISE OF IT. I HOPE THAT THE GREAT WORK HE HAS DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. AT HIS REVIEW, DONALD QUIGLEY, ELENA BONILLA HELLO, MY NAME IS ELENA BONILLA AND I SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND ADAM SANTIAGO. WE HAVE ON 51 IN CALHOUN. WE ARE GREATLY CONCERNED FOR LETTING THE LETTING GO OF THE CITY MANAGER, GABRIEL MARTIN. WHEN THE ANNEXATION WAS IN PROCESS. WE HAD CHOICE OF EITHER GOING TO THE CITY OF INDIO OR CITY OF COACHELLA. WE SELECTED THE CITY OF COACHELLA BECAUSE THE CITY MANAGER WAS WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WATER LINE. THE WATER LINE PROJECT IS IN PROCESS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF GABRIEL'S CONTRACT IS TERMINATED. I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER AND KEEP GABRIEL MARTIN AS A CITY MANAGER. THIS ONE IS FROM TALITHA BARCENAS. DEAR COACHELLA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS A PROUD RESIDENT AND EDUCATOR IN OUR AMAZING CITY OF COACHELLA, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE CONTINUING SERVICE OF DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS BEEN A GREAT ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY. HE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. FURTHERMORE, IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS MEETING WILL BE TAKING PLACE SO EARLY IN THE MORNING. HAD IT BEEN IN THE AFTERNOON, IT WOULD HAVE PROVEN MANY WORKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT IN PERSON. RESPECTFULLY.

THALITA ZAVALA, MASTER OF EDUCATION SPECIALIZING IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY. THIS ONE IS FROM ADRIANA GONZALEZ, DEAR MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF. AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY AND A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROUD OF THE PROGRESS OUR CITY HAS MADE AND THE DIRECTION IT IS HEADING. NORMALLY I STAY OUT OF MATTERS LIKE THIS, BUT THE RECENT DECISION TO CALL A MEETING AT 10 A.M. ON A TUESDAY, A TIME WHEN MOST OF US ARE WORKING, FEELS UNUSUAL AND CONCERNING. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY FULL SUPPORT FOR GABRIEL MARTIN, WHO HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DRIVING THE POSITIVE CHANGES WE'VE SEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY. HIS DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP ARE EVIDENT, AND HIS EFFORTS HAVE BROUGHT RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT BENEFIT US ALL. I ALSO QUESTION THE REASONING BEHIND THIS DECISION.

WHY IS OUR CITY MANAGER BEING REMOVED WITHOUT CAUSE? THIS DECISION COULD COST THE COMMUNITY NOT JUST FINANCIALLY IN TERMS OF THE STABILITY AND PROGRESS WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE. REMOVING HIM WITHOUT EXPLANATION UNDERMINES THE TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY WE EXPECT FROM OUR CITY LEADERS. I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER AND SUPPORT THE TO RECONSIDER AND SUPPORT THE LEADERSHIP THAT HAS CONTINUED TO HAS CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO COACHELLA'S GROWTH AND FUTURE.

[03:20:01]

SOME OF THE MAIN IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE THE AREAS OF TRANSPORTATION, RETAIL SPACES, GREEN SPACES, ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS, HOUSING AND MORE. THE MORALE OF THE CITY IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH RIGHT NOW. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS, COACHELLA IS ON THE MAP AND PEOPLE WANT TO COME AND VISIT AND SPEND THEIR MONEY IN THE CITY. THE ECONOMY IS BETTER. SINCE GABRIEL MARTIN TOOK OFFICE, DOCTOR MARTINEZ COMES, I THINK. YES, DOCTOR MARTIN COMES FROM A FAMILY COMMITTED TO SERVICE AND DOING GOOD IN THEIR COMMUNITY. I RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OF COACHELLA KEEP DOCTOR MARTIN IN OFFICE AS A CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE HE HAS A VISION FOR COACHELLA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. GRETCHEN DIAZ. OKAY, I HAVE TWO MORE. GEORGE TUDOR, TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. I WANT TO SAY IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF GABRIEL MARTIN IS REMOVED AS CITY MANAGER OF COACHELLA. HE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB FOR THE CITY AND SHOULD REMAIN IN HIS POSITION. GEORGE TUDOR TUDOR RANCH THIS ONE IS FROM KRISTY PORTER, HIDDEN HARVEST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I AM WRITING IN SUPPORT OF DOCTOR MARTIN, WHO HAS BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF HIDDEN HARVEST AND THE PROGRAMS WE DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THE 25 YEARS WE HAVE WORKED IN COACHELLA. DOCTOR MARTIN AND HIS AMAZING TEAM HELPED SHEPHERD HIDDEN HARVEST STAFF AND BOARD IN SELLING OUR HISTORIC 1922 WAREHOUSE ON PETER RABBIT LANE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES WANTED TO BUY THE WAREHOUSE, BUT WE INSISTED THAT THIS BUILDING, WITH ALL OF ITS HISTORY, STAY IN FARMING HANDS, TEACHING AND GROWING HEALTHY FOOD FOR

[03:25:05]

THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE LAURA. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR.

CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. I'M GOING TO SPEAK FROM THE HEART. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING PREPARED, BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT IN MY ROLE, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING EXPOSED TO A LOT OF THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE CITY, AS WELL AS EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE RESIDENTS. I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING THE VOICE FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND I CAN SAY THAT THE PROGRESS IS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. I'M PERSONALLY INSPIRED BY DOCTOR MARTIN'S LEADERSHIP. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF ALSO SITTING CATTY CORNER TO HIS OFFICE, AND IT'S AN OPEN DOOR POLICY FROM FROM THE STANDPOINT OF EMPLOYEE MORALE. I JUST I HAVEN'T WORKED FOR MANY LEADERS IN THIS CAPACITY THAT TRULY CARE NOT ONLY ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S RESIDENT.

IT'S I'M SORRY, IT'S STAFF. AND I BELIEVE WE DO OUR BEST WORK UNDER PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE US AND BRING OUT THE BEST IN US. AND I CAN WHOLEHEARTEDLY SAY THAT DOCTOR MARTIN HAS DONE THAT FOR ME, AND I'M ONLY SPEAKING FOR MYSELF. BUT HE HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS. AND IF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR MARTIN'S LEGACY, IT'S BEEN MY HONOR TO WORK WITH YOU AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT UP WE HAVE MARITZA MARTINEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. I WAS NOT GOING TO SPEAK EQUALLY. KIND OF WHAT MARISSA SAID. IT'S BEEN REALLY BEAUTIFUL TO SEE A LOT OF THE OUTPOURING FROM THE COMMUNITY TODAY. AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY BECAUSE WE'VE GONE THROUGH TRANSITIONS BEFORE THIS. THE CITY IS NOT I'VE LIVED A FEW TRANSITIONS WITH THE CITY. TRANSITIONS USUALLY HAVE HAPPENED WITH SOME A LITTLE BIT MORE, I GUESS, ANTICIPATED NEXT STEPS. THIS ONE HAS BEEN VERY DIFFERENT. WE CAME BACK FROM THE HOLIDAY AND IT'S WE'RE READY TO PIVOT FOR THE COUNCIL IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THE COUNCIL GIVES US. BUT I REALLY WANTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK GABRIEL FOR HIS LEADERSHIP. I'VE SEEN THE MORALE OF THE CITY CHANGE IN THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS. I'VE SEEN OUR GROWTH IN OUR TEAM EXECUTIVE WISE. THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT I'M VERY SAD. IF THERE ARE CHANGES THERE, WE AGAIN, WE ARE YOUR TEAM. WE WILL PIVOT AS YOU REQUIRE US TO. BUT IT'S REALLY PIVOTING REQUIRES A LOT OF MOVING PARTS THAT GET ADJUSTED. AND THERE IS SIMILAR TO WHAT CASTILLO MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S THERE THAT THAT IN ITSELF IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROGRESS PROCESS THAT WILL INCUR ENERGY THAT WE CURRENTLY ARE PLANNING TO MOVE FORWARD. WE CAME INTO 2025 READY TO HIT UP A

[03:30:03]

AND JUST TO REALLY BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, BECAUSE ALL OF YOU, ALL OF US ARE TEAM COACHELLA.

AND I KNOW OUR SUPERVISOR ECHOED THAT. OUT OF ALL THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD TODAY, I FEEL LIKE THE MOST SPECIAL WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE SAID. AND IT'S IT RESONATED WITH ME BECAUSE I DO WANT TO SEE US WORK AS A TEAM. I THIS IS TEAM COACHELLA AND WE'RE THE BEST IN THE ENTIRE COACHELLA VALLEY. AND WE CAN'T DO THAT. YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S UNCERTAINTY AHEAD OF US, RIGHT. BECAUSE THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF UNCERTAINTY AHEAD OF US IF YOU GO FORWARD WITH YOUR DECISION, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY. AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I WAS SHOOKEN WITH FEAR TO EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING UP HERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I. I'M THE SOLE PROVIDER

[03:35:06]

DEPARTMENT AS A MANAGER AND THEN MOVED TO DIRECTOR. AND THAT'S WHAT I CAN SEE. ALL THE CHANGES STARTING TO BUILD UP QUICKLY THAN BEFORE. I BECAME PART OF THE TEAM PROBABLY TWO YEARS FROM NOW, AND I THINK HE HAS BUILT THIS TEAM THAT HAS WORKED TOGETHER TO GET ALL THESE THINGS DONE. EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE, ALL THE CHANGES. THAT'S BECAUSE HE HAS ALL HE HAS GIVEN US THIS LEADERSHIP TO WORK TOGETHER AND WE HAVE DONE JUST BECAUSE HE HAS A GOOD GUIDANCE FOR US. AND I'M JUST PROUD TO BE PART OF THE TEAM, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS RECONSIDER THIS DECISION. I DON'T THINK IT'S THE BEST FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND FOR THE WHOLE ADMINISTRATION. I THINK WE ARE GOING THROUGH WE ARE BUILDING THIS UP AS WE HAVEN'T DONE YET. WE JUST WE JUST STARTED. WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO HAVE HAVE TO BE DONE. I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED.

WE HAVE LIKE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING THAT WE JUST STARTED. REMOVING. REMOVING THE CITY MANAGER, I THINK IS GOING TO HURT THE WHOLE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW BUILT.

AND I JUST HOPE THAT YOU GUYS RECONSIDER AND. MAYBE USE THE LIKE THIS LOOK WHAT WE ARE DOING. LOOK WHAT HE IS DOING. SIX MONTHS, ANOTHER YEAR. I DON'T KNOW, BUT. I JUST HOPE YOU GUYS RECONSIDER THIS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ANDREW. THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING MORE I CAN SAY THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID BY EVERYBODY. AND I SPOKE LAST WEEK AS WELL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR STAFF TO COME UP AND SPEAK, ESPECIALLY AT WILL EMPLOYEES. AND I WANT TO SAY, IN ALL MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, I'VE NEVER WORKED WITH A TEAM THIS STRONG. SO I WANT TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. I REALLY WANT TO COMPLIMENT OUR ENTIRE EXECUTIVE STAFF, THE TEAM WE HAVE AT COACHELLA. AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT REGARDLESS OF ANY DECISION THAT'S MADE RIGHT NOW, I KNOW IN MY HEART I'VE SPOKEN TO ALL OF YOU. MOST OF YOU, I KNOW VERY MUCH IN MY HEART THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS THE BEST INTEREST OF COACHELLA IN MIND. WE MAY DISAGREE ON WHAT THAT PATH IS, BUT I KNOW THAT THIS IS

[03:40:05]

SO I, YOU KNOW, I ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM STAFF TO THE COMMUNITY, IT I IT'S TRUE BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO EXPERIENCE THAT. SO I'M HOPING THAT THAT THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE AND THAT YOU GIVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT HE IS DOING AND ALSO WITH THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HE HAS ESTABLISHED WITH THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH THE WITH STAFF. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. JOHN KEARNEY. MY NAME IS JOHN CARNEY. I'VE OWNED MULTIPLE BUSINESSES IN COACHELLA FOR OVER 32 YEARS. EXCUSE ME, CAN YOU RAISE THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE? YEAH. MY NAME IS JOHN CARNEY. I'VE OWNED MULTIPLE BUSINESSES IN COACHELLA FOR OVER 32 YEARS. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I WAS THE HIGHEST TAX GENERATOR FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AND I'M ON. I'M ON TRACK TO DO THAT AGAIN NOW. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I WAS HAVING A LITTLE DIFFICULTY WITH A NEW PROJECT, AND DENISE REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP YOU? AND SHE WAS VERY HELPFUL. SHE MADE A PHONE CALL TO GABRIEL. GABRIEL CALLED ME AND SAID, WHAT CAN I DO? AND THE TWO OF THEM HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. I CALLED HIM TWO WEEKS AGO TO TELL HIM I HIRED 32 EMPLOYEES AND HE SAID, GREAT, BUT I MIGHT NOT BE THERE. NEXT TUESDAY I GO, WHAT'S GOING ON? HE GOES, I'M GOING TO BE REPLACED. YOU SHOULD COME TO THE MEETING. IT'S TUESDAY NIGHT. LAST NIGHT I CALLED STEVE HERNANDEZ. I SAID, STEVE, I GOT 35 NEW EMPLOYEES IN MY BUSINESS TODAY. YOU SHOULD SEE IT. HE GOES, YOU SHOULD COME TO THE MEETING TOMORROW MORNING. I SAID, TOMORROW MORNING. I THOUGHT IT WAS TOMORROW NIGHT. I GOT MY TOW TRUCK OUT THERE. I WAS READY TO LEAVE TO GO TO LA TODAY, SO I'M GLAD I CAME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT I WISH THIS IS AN AWESOME TEAM.

I'VE BEEN MOVING FORWARD REALLY GOOD. I'M ON TRACK TO BE THE NUMBER ONE TAX GENERATOR AGAIN, SO I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN WORK IT ALL OUT. I WANT THIS, THIS MAN HAS REACHED OUT TO ME. DENISE HAS REACHED OUT TO ME. SO I DON'T KNOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF WHAT HAPPENED, BUT I WANT THEM BOTH TO STAY. AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS. SO MOVING ON TO AN EMAIL FROM ALMA ROMERO. IT READS, DEAR MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I AM WRITING TO STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT GABRIEL MARTIN REMAIN IN OFFICE. HIS LEADERSHIP HAS BROUGHT OVER $50 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDS FOR PROJECTS LIKE THE RANCHO LAS FLORES PARK EXPANSION AND LIBRARY ANNEX, BOTH SET TO OPEN THIS YEAR. HE STRENGTHENED CITY FINANCES, SECURING A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT

[03:45:01]

[03:50:04]

THIS MOVE DISREGARDS THE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HE'S MADE FOR OUR CITY AND UNDERMINES HIS DEDICATION TO ITS GROWTH, PARTICULARLY IN CREATING JOBS AND ADVOCATING FOR YOUTH. AS A FORMER CITY OF COACHELLA INTERN, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE POSITIVE IMPACT HIS OFFICE HAS HAD ON THE COMMUNITY. THE PROGRESS WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN RECENT YEARS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF HIS LEADERSHIP.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE SUCCESS OF OUR CITY IS NOT DUE TO ONE INDIVIDUAL. IT'S A TEAM EFFORT. HOWEVER, THE LARGER ISSUE HERE IS THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES FOR COACHELLA'S FUTURE. REVOKING HIS POSITION WILL HAVE RIPPLE EFFECTS AND THE LONG TERM IMPACT MUST BE CONSIDERED. ADDITIONALLY, THE DECISION TO HOLD MEETINGS AT TIMES LIKE 10 A.M. EXCLUDES MANY OF US WHO HAVE JOBS, FAMILIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. NOT EVERYONE CAN ATTEND MEETINGS DURING THE DAY, AND THIS MAKES IT HARDER FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE. MEETINGS SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL, NOT JUST TO THOSE WITH FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES. THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT PERSONAL OPINIONS, IT'S ABOUT WHAT'S BEST FOR COACHELLA'S FUTURE. IT'S TIME FOR OUR LEADERS TO PRIORITIZE THE CITY'S NEEDS, SET ASIDE PERSONAL GRIEVANCES, AND FOCUS ON WHAT REALLY MATTERS THE WELL-BEING AND GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT MATTER. RESPECTFULLY, VERONICA VALDEZ. THIS ONE SAYS VERONICA GOMEZ. HELLO CITY COUNCIL. I'M HONESTLY SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED BY THE RECENT MOVE TO REVOKE. YES, IT IS A DIFFERENT ONE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. I'M RECENTLY SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED BY THE RECENT MOVE TO REVOKE THE CITY. THE COACHELLA CITY MANAGER FROM HIS POSITION. THIS IS A DECISION THAT ONLY ONLY DISREGARDS THE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS HE'S MADE FOR OUR CITY, BUT ALSO UNDERMINES THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION HE'S SHOWN FOR ITS GROWTH, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CREATING JOBS AND ADVOCATING FOR THE YOUTH. AS A FORMER CITY OF COACHELLA INTERN, I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST TO THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF HIS OFFICE HAS HAD ON THE COMMUNITY. THE PROGRESS WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, AND I BELIEVE IT'S A RESULT OF ITS LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE INVOLVED IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR CITY. HE'S A PART OF A TEAM. BUT THE REAL ISSUE HERE ISN'T JUST ABOUT ONE PERSON. IT'S ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. REVOKING HIS POSITION WILL HAVE RIPPLE EFFECTS, AND IT'S CRUCIAL TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE LONG TERM IMPACT OF THIS DECISION ON COACHELLA'S DEVELOPMENT. I APOLOGIZE, I THINK THIS IS THE SAME EMAIL, SO I'M GOING TO MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE. IT'S WRITTEN JUST SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S THE SAME SENTIMENT. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM VICTOR VALDEZ. HELLO, I'M TRULY UPSET BY THIS MOVE TO REVOKE THE COACHELLA CITY MANAGER'S POSITION. IF THE

[03:55:02]

HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY PROVIDE FEEDBACK WHEN THEIR VOICES ARE EXCLUDED? BY TIMING LIKE THIS, IT FEELS LIKE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE WITHOUT PROPERLY ENGAGING THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE HERE. THIS KIND OF ACTION COULD COST THE CITY DEARLY, AND IT'S FRUSTRATING TO SEE IT HAPPENING WITHOUT ANY CLEAR ANSWERS. RESPECTFULLY, VICTOR VALDEZ, MBA. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM RUBEN PEREZ. I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE COUNCIL'S DECISION TO HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING ORCHESTRATED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS DELGADO FIGUEROA AND NEWLY ELECTED PEREZ. THIS ACTION REFLECTS A DISHEARTENING DISPLAY OF EGO AND A MISUNDERSTANDING OF GOVERNANCE BY INDIVIDUALS PRIORITIZING SELF-INTEREST OVER THEIR DUTY TO THE COMMUNITY THEY REPRESENT. DURING DOCTOR MARTIN'S TENURE AS CITY MANAGER, THIS CITY HAS EXPERIENCED REMARKABLE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY. AS SOMEONE WHO GREW UP HERE, I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THE CITY HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS SECURED MILLIONS IN GRANT FUNDING, INCLUDING THE TCC GRANT AND URBAN GREENING GRANTS, PROFOUNDLY BENEFITING OUR COMMUNITY DUE TO DISMISS HIM WITHOUT CAUSE TO SATISFY PERSONAL AMBITIONS WOULD BE A GRAVE DISSERVICE TO THE RESIDENTS WHO ENTRUSTED YOU WITH THEIR VOTES. IT IS ESPECIALLY DISAPPOINTING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FIGUEROA LACKS RESOLVE, AND COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ IS MAKING THIS DECISION WITHOUT EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH DOCTOR MARTIN OR UNDERSTANDING HIS CONTRIBUTIONS. DOCTOR MARTIN IS ONE OF THE MOST ACCESSIBLE AND COMMUNITY FOCUSED CITY MANAGERS. THE CITY HAS HAD A QUALITY NOT REFLECTED IN THOSE CALLING THIS MEETING. YOUR ACTIONS JEOPARDIZE YEARS OF PROGRESS AND RISK SETTING THE CITY BACK, POTENTIALLY COSTING MILLIONS. THE APPARENT BROWN ACT VIOLATION AND SCHEDULING THIS MEETING AT AN UNUSUAL TIME TO AVOID PUBLIC SCRUTINY SHOW AN ALARMING LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. WHILE I HOPE YOU RECONSIDER AND ACT IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST, YOUR DECISIONS THUS FAR HAVE MADE CLEAR WHERE YOUR PRIORITIES LIE. FOR THOSE OF US WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THIS CITY, YOUR ACTIONS ARE BOTH ALARMING AND DISAPPOINTING. THANK YOU, RUBEN PEREZ. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM JOSE CAMPOS. I AM WRITING TO STRONGLY URGE YOU TO RETAIN DOCTOR GABE MARTIN AS CITY MANAGER OF COACHELLA. HIS EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP DURING THIS PANDEMIC, ALONG WITH HIS SUCCESS IN SECURING CRITICAL GRANTS, REVITALIZING DOWNTOWN, AND ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS, HAS BEEN TRANSFORMATIVE FOR A CITY. DOCTOR MARTIN'S FORWARD THINKING VISION AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION HAS BROUGHT MEANINGFUL AND LASTING CHANGE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

HIS LEADERSHIP HAS POSITIONED COACHELLA FOR CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS, AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE HIS CONTRIBUTIONS ARE VITAL TO MAINTAINING THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM WE'VE ACHIEVED FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU RETAIN DOCTOR MARTIN IN HIS ROLE AS CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION OF A CONCERNED COACHELLA RESIDENT. SINCERELY, JOSE CAMPOS. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM MIGUEL NAVARETTE. DEAR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR GABE FOR DOCTOR GABE MARTIN, CONTINUING HIS ROLE AS CITY MANAGER OF COACHELLA, DOCTOR MARTIN HAS BEEN AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER, GUIDING OUR CITY THROUGH SOME OF ITS MOST CHALLENGING TIMES, INCLUDING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, COACHELLA HAS EXPERIENCED REMARKABLE PROGRESS, INCLUDING NEW SHOPPING CENTERS, THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN, AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN GRANTS THAT HAVE GREATLY BENEFITED OUR COMMUNITY. DOCTOR MARTIN'S DEDICATION TO THE CITY'S GROWTH AND WELL-BEING HAS BEEN EVIDENT IN THE WAY HE HAS PRIORITIZED LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT, WHILE ADDRESSING THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS. HIS LEADERSHIP EXEMPLIFIES WHAT TRUE PUBLIC SERVICE SHOULD BE A COMMITMENT TO PUTTING THE COMMUNITY FIRST. THE STRIDES MADE UNDER HIS DIRECTION HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR AN EVEN BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR COACHELLA. I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF HIS LEADERSHIP AND KEEP DOCTOR MARTIN IN HIS ROLE AS CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE THE POSITIVE MOMENTUM HE HAS STARTED. SINCERELY, MIGUEL NAVARETTE. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM THE RODRIGUEZ FAMILY COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT IS CONCERNING TO LEARN THAT THE EVALUATION OF OUR CITY MANAGER WILL TAKE PLACE IN A MEETING, RATHER THAN BEING BASED ON HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY. DURING HIS TENURE, DOCTOR MR. MARTIN HAS FACILITATED THE GROWTH OF BUSINESS IN COACHELLA AND HAS DEMONSTRATED HIS RESPECTFULNESS AND CAPABILITY IN FULFILLING HIS DUTIES. HE HAS NOT ONLY EXCELLED AS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, BUT HAS ALSO PROVEN HIMSELF AS AN EFFECTIVE CITY MANAGER. IN CONVERSATION WITH CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. MARTIN, HIS PRIDE IN OUR CITY AND ITS COMMUNITY IS EVIDENT, ALONG WITH HIS ASPIRATIONS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN COACHELLA, IT IS TROUBLING THAT HE FACES SCRUTINY FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS MONTHS BEFORE HIS FORMAL EVALUATION AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING NEWLY APPOINTED OFFICIALS, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO MAINTAIN TRANSPARENCY WITH THE RESIDENTS

[04:00:02]

[04:05:04]

PROGRAMS LIKE THE RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT ACADEMY AND YOUTH COMMISSION, ALONGSIDE STUDENT INTERNSHIPS, ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT AND FOSTER FUTURE LEADERS. HIS LEADERSHIP ALSO HELPED PASS MEASURE Y, ENSURING SUSTAINED REVENUE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, MR. MARTIN IS A VISIONARY, HUMBLE, HARDWORKING LEADER WHO INSPIRES TRUST AND LOYALTY. HIS FOCUS ON COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS HAS CREATED A STRONG, FORWARD THINKING TEAM. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY ENDORSE ENDORSE GABRIEL MARTIN'S CONTINUED LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE OUR CITY'S ONGOING SUCCESS. SINCERELY AND MANUEL GARCIA, THIS NEXT EMAIL IS FROM LEONARD R SARVER. I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF TERMINATION OF DOCTOR GABRIEL MARTIN FROM THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I WOULD LIKE TO POST MY OPPOSITION TO THIS DECISION AND VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR HIM AND THE CONTINUATION OF HIS POSITION WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA. CITY MANAGER I HAVE BEEN A CITY OF COACHELLA EMPLOYEE FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, AND I FIND DOCTOR MARTIN TO BE VERY PROFESSIONAL, VERY FRIENDLY, CONSIDERATE AND VERY CARING ABOUT HIS EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS. IN THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS, I HAVE SEEN A MAJOR AMOUNT OF PROGRESS IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, WITH VARIOUS NEW PROJECTS AND A COMPLETE REVITALIZATION OF THE DOWNTOWN PUEBLO VIEJO AREA. HE HAS BEEN A GREAT CITY MANAGER AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HIM. I HAVE WORKED FOR ANOTHER CITY FOR MANY YEARS WHO CHANGED THEIR CITY MANAGER, WHICH RESULTED IN EXTREME DYSFUNCTION OF THE CITY, AN EXTREME DROP IN MORALE, ANY DEPARTURE OF MANY WELL QUALIFIED LONG TERM EMPLOYEES. I HOPE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SEES THE LIGHT AND RETAINS DOCTOR MARTIN AS THEIR CITY MANAGER. TO DO OTHERWISE MAY COME AT A GREAT DETRIMENT TO THE CITY AND ITS PROGRESS. THANK YOU. SINCERELY, LEONARD SILVER, CONSTRUCTION COORDINATOR AT THE CITY OF COACHELLA. SORRY, THIS ONE IS ALSO FROM LEONARD. THE NEXT ONE IS FROM PHILIP BAUTISTA. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND CITY EMPLOYEES. MY NAME IS PHILIP BAUTISTA, A FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND CURRENT CITY RESIDENT. I AM REACHING OUT TODAY TO COMMEND THE CITY AND ITS POSITIVE DIRECTION IN WHICH WE ARE HEADING. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE THE DIA DE LOS MUERTOS RUN. THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE AND FROM ALL OVER THE COACHELLA VALLEY, I'M GRATEFUL THAT THEY COULD SEE AND EXPERIENCE OUR CITY. I KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER, DOCTOR MARTIN, IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SUCCESS OF OUR CITY. AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I KNOW THAT GABE ALWAYS PUT THE CITY FIRST, SO I AM TROUBLED BY TODAY'S AGENDA. THE LAST POINT IS, AS A TAXPAYER, WHY SHOULD WE PUT HIM ON LEAVE AND WASTE TAXPAYER MONEY TO REPLACE HIM? IT MAKES NO SENSE FISCALLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, PHILIP BAUTISTA. IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM MONICA RODRIGUEZ. DEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS REGARDING THE SCHEDULING OF THE CITY MANAGER'S EVALUATION DURING A SPECIAL MEETING ON A WEEKDAY WHEN MANY RESIDENTS ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND. THIS ARRANGEMENT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND MAY LEAD RESIDENTS TO FEEL EXCLUDED FROM IMPORTANT DECISIONS AFFECTING OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS DISHEARTENING TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF DISMISSING CITY MANAGER MR. MARTIN WITHOUT A CLEAR RATIONALE. AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOUR ROLE IS TO PRIORITIZE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED SOLELY ON PERSONAL PREFERENCES. MR. MARTIN HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN FOSTERING BUSINESS GROWTH IN COACHELLA, AND HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED PROFESSIONALISM AND

[04:10:02]

IT IS CONCERNING THAT HE IS FACING SCRUTINY FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS JUST MONTHS BEFORE HIS FORMALLY EVALUATION. I URGE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, INCLUDING THOSE NEWLY APPOINTED, TO UPHOLD TRANSPARENCY AND ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ENTRUSTED YOU WITH THESE IMPORTANT DECISIONS.

THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THEIR PERSPECTIVE. THIS NEXT EMAIL IS FROM CRAIG ARMSTRONG. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CRAIG ARMSTRONG. I AM A THIRD GENERATION CITY OF COACHELLA, BUSINESSMAN AND FARMER. I AM WRITING IN SUPPORT FOR THE WORK AND EFFORTS GABRIEL MARTIN HAS SHOWN IN HIS TENURE AS THE CITY MANAGER. UNLIKE ANY OTHER POSITION WITHIN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, FROM THE MAYOR TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, GABRIEL IS ENGAGED, VISIBLE, SUPPORTIVE, SUPPORTIVE AND A GREAT LEADER FOR THE CITY, ITS RESIDENTS, AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. HIS LEADERSHIP, COMMITMENT AND TRANSPARENCY SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AND REWARDED AND LEARNED FROM BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERIOUS CONSIDERATION AND EVALUATION OF THE IMPORTANT COMMUNITY LEADER YOU HAVE IN GABRIEL. MARTIN. REGARDS, CRAIG ARMSTRONG, THE PERMACULTURE MANAGEMENT. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM. I GUESS WE'LL GET TO IT.

HELLO, I AM CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF COACHELLA, WHICH TO COMMENT ON DOCTOR MARTIN. DOCTOR MARTIN HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN SOMEONE WHO EXEMPLIFIES DEDICATION, SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CITY WE ALL CALL HOME. WE WORK LONG HOURS AND WEEKENDS BECAUSE WE WANT TO FURTHER THE PROGRESS OF THIS CITY FOR OUR LOVED ONES, OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FRIENDS, AND OUR FUTURE. I FEEL DOCTOR MARTIN HAS HELPED THE PROGRESS OF THIS CITY. I'M SORRY. I FEEL DOCTOR MARTIN HAS HELPED ESTABLISH A NEW ERA FOR THE CITY IN WHICH WE STOP PLAYING CATCH UP WITH OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES AND INSTEAD WE GET AHEAD, ESPECIALLY IN ASPECTS SUCH AS RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY, INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE FUTURE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESS. WHEN I, A VOTING AND TAX PAYING MEMBER OF THE CITY, FOUND OUT THAT MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL ATTEMPTED TO ABRUPTLY FIRE THIS MAN ON THE FIRST WEEK BACK FROM THE HOLIDAYS, I WAS DEEPLY CONCERNED AND CONFUSED, AND I STILL AM NOW. I WILL CLOSE THIS. I WILL CLOSE WITH THIS. I, AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY, EXPECT A FULL, DETAILED EXPLANATION FROM EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ARE VOTING TO REMOVE THIS COMMUNITY LEADER AND VOTING TO DISRUPT THE PROGRESS OF OUR CITY. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM THE TURAN FAMILY, COACHELLA RESIDENTS. I AM WRITING ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, MY HUSBAND, MY DAUGHTER AND MY KIDS. WE WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU FEEL THE NEED TO DESTROY A FAMILY WHO LIVES AND LOVES COACHELLA AND HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO GET COACHELLA MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. PLEASE TELL ME LEGALLY WHAT HE HAS DONE TO LOSE HIS JOB AND BURDEN HIS COACHELLA NATIVE FAMILY. I AM NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS DECISION. HE IS A GOOD MAN AND WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS BRUTAL ACT OF POWER. HE IS OUR CITY MANAGER AND ALSO PROTECTS OUR FINANCES. WE DO NOT WANT HIM TO LEAVE. WE WANT HIM TO KEEP US MOVING FORWARD. THANK YOU. THE TURAN FAMILY, COACHELLA RESIDENTS. THIS NEXT ONE IS FROM MARIA RUIZ. GOOD MORNING. THIS SPECIAL MEETING IS SCHEDULED TO REMOVE OUR CITY MANAGER, GABRIEL MARTIN, AND APPOINT A NEW ONE. IS CRAZY. OUR CITY IS THRIVING. THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE DURING HIS LEADERSHIP ARE VISIBLE, AND THEY'RE TANGIBLE. DUE TO THE EXPEDITED DATE AND TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL IS NOT BEING TRANSPARENT. YOU ARE TRYING TO REMOVE GABRIEL WITHOUT CAUSE JUST BECAUSE YOU NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE VOTED FOR. HE HAS BEEN A STAPLE FOR THE CITY AS WE LOOK AROUND WITH OVER FIVE NEW COMMUNITIES, 500 PLUS HOMES, LIBRARY ANNEX, RANCHO LAS FLORES PARK EXPANSION, NEW BUSINESSES, ALTURA, STARBUCKS, ALDI'S, ETC.

HE HAS BROUGHT OVER $50 MILLION TO THE COMMUNITY IN GRANTS AND KEEPS WORKING HARD DAILY. HE'S ALSO MADE OUR CITY SAFER WITH LED LIGHTS, PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS, TURN SIGNALS, BUS STOP BENCHES AND NEW TRANSIT HUBS, AS WELL AS A FIVE YEAR, FIVE YEAR NEW SHERIFF CONTRACT. HE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ITS INTERNS. NEVERTHELESS, HE ALSO STARTED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACADEMY ACADEMY AND TRIES VERY HARD TO INVOLVE HIMSELF IN THE COMMUNITY. HE IS NOT ONLY A COMMUNITY LEADER BUT LIVES IN THE CITY. BESIDES HIS WORK ETHIC, GABRIEL IS SUCH A PERSONABLE PERSON, EASY TO TALK TO, LISTENS TO THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGES WITH US DOWN TO EARTH HUMAN BEING. IN ADDITION, HIS STAFF IS HAPPY WITH THEIR NEW FOUR YEAR CONTRACT THAT HE NEGOTIATED. THE MORALE IS PALPABLE. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE AGAINST THE BETTER COACHELLA CANNOT GET AWAY WITH THIS. MARIA RUIZ, PROUD COACHELLA RESIDENT AND I BELIEVE THIS IS THE LAST ONE WE HAVE. ONE MORE. OKAY, WELL, THIS ONE IS FROM GROWING COACHELLA VALLEY, SO HELLO. ON BEHALF OF THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY, I WANT TO SAY HOW APPRECIATIVE WE ARE FOR THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND

[04:15:02]

THANK YOU. YEAH, WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY ONLINE AND I'M GOING TO ASK ONE MORE TIME HERE IN THE AUDIENCE IF THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL. IF NOT WE'RE GOING TO. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ONE MORE. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S NOW AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BEATRICE HERNANDEZ, AND INITIALLY WHEN I FIRST HEARD THE NEWS THAT BOTH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THAT THE CITY MANAGER WERE ABOUT TO OR ABOUT TO LOSE THEIR JOBS, I WAS DISAPPOINTED, BUT I WASN'T SURPRISED. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY COWARDLY OF YOU TO SET THIS MEETING AT 10 A.M. LIKE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAVE STATED EARLIER, YOU'VE HAD STAFF MEMBERS, YOU'VE HAD COLLEAGUES, YOU'VE HAD INTERNS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND CONSTITUENTS. GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SILENCE COACHELLA. THAT'S RIGHT. AND SO I'M HERE TODAY TO REMIND EVERYONE TO REMEMBER THIS MOMENT WHEN THEIR TERMS ARE UP FOR REELECTION. BECAUSE WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU SERVE US, NOT YOURSELVES. THAT'S RIGHT. AND YOU SHOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IN YOURSELVES.

YOU'VE DISRESPECTED ALL OF US. SHAME ON YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? IF YOU CAN JUST STATE YOUR NAME? GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ISMAEL ORTIZ. I'VE BEEN OUTSIDE SINCE 10 A.M. AND I SNEAKED MY WAY IN. NOW IT'S TWO, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE COUNCIL, MORE SPECIFICALLY TO THE THREE THAT VOTED TO TERMINATE GABRIEL. TO.

REALLY RECONSIDER. I MEAN, THE PEOPLE CAME OUT. AND THE SAME WAY HE SUPPORTS HIS PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE CAME TO SUPPORT HIM TODAY. AND THERE'S EVIDENCE, THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT GABRIEL HAS DONE NOTHING BUT EXCELLENT THINGS FOR COACHELLA. I'VE LIVED ALL MY LIFE IN COACHELLA. I'VE SEEN THE IMPROVEMENTS, AND I JUST HOPE YOU GUYS AMEND THIS DECISION AND RECONSIDER AND HOPEFULLY REEVALUATE YOUR GUYS'S DECISION AT THE END OF THE DAY. AND JUST LIKE IT WAS STATED EARLIER, YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS SERVE THE PEOPLE. SO THE PEOPLE CAME OUT AND THEY REALLY VOICED TO KEEP GABRIEL AS OUR CITY MANAGER. I HOPE YOU GUYS REALLY CONSIDER YOUR GUYS'S CITIZENS AND REPRESENT THEM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK BEFORE WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION? I SEE NONE AND THAT'LL BE IT. BUT I'M GOING TO ALLOW COUNCIL TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THEY CAN SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT UP HERE. I'LL START. THANK YOU. MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY SHARING MY OPINION AND OBVIOUSLY MY CONCERN AS WELL. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO SHOWED UP AT 10 A.M. AND BEFORE EVEN TRYING TO COME INSIDE THE, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING INSIDE CITY HALL, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE AND THINK ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND WHAT OUR HISTORY HAS LOOKED LIKE. TO START OFF, IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THE MEETING BEING SCHEDULED FOR 10 A.M. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE AND IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN ANYMORE, RIGHT? I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY FOR SIX YEARS AND I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE, AND I KNOW THE SUPERVISOR ALSO MENTIONED IT. WE'VE GOTTEN CALLED OUT MANY TIMES FOR HAVING MEETINGS AT 4

[04:20:01]

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CHANGES AND TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. AND ANYONE UP HERE WHO TELLS YOU I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ANYTHING, I DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TO THAT. YOU NEED TO CONTINUE TO QUESTION THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE WORK FOR YOU. WE SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE ON ANY DECISION THAT WE MAKE. AND I WELCOME YOU TO ALSO HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THE TIME COMES AND IT WILL COME. AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I'M UP HERE AND WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO SEE EYE TO EYE, WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO SHARE THE SAME OPINION. SO COME AND TALK TO ME. LET'S WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE. WE NEED TO TALK. BUT FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO THINK THAT IT'S OKAY AND THAT NO ONE WAS GOING TO TAKE NOTICE OR SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS 10 A.M. MEETING, PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP. AND I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO SHOW UP. AND THIS IS I. FOR ME AT LEAST, IT'S A DREAM COME TRUE TO SEE OUR CITY HALL SO PACKED. THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FOR EVERY MEETING. BUT I'M GLAD THAT YOU CAME OUT TODAY. AND THEN I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR ALSO MENTIONED IT, BUT I WANT TO REITERATE THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. WE ARE ALSO TAKING NOTE OF CITY STAFF AND FOLKS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY'S PROGRESS. AND WE KNOW WHO SPOKE. WE KNOW WHO GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THIS GOES FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. WE WILL BE WATCHING IF THERE IS ANY KIND OR FORM OF RETALIATION, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF CITY THAT WE ARE. WE'RE A DEMOCRACY AND YOU WILL NOT BE RETALIATED AGAINST. THIS WILL NOT THAT WON'T FLY. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT. I WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT I'M ONE PERSON, BUT I WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT. AND I WELCOME YOU TO ALWAYS SHARE YOUR OPINION AND NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT. YOU SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT. THAT'S NOT THE WAY DEMOCRACY WORKS. AND IF WE SAY THAT WE'RE OPEN AND WE'RE A PROGRESSIVE CITY, THEN WE HAVE TO SHOW IT. OUR ACTIONS HAVE TO ALIGN WITH OUR WORDS. SO THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME OUT. OBVIOUSLY, GABRIEL, IT'S EVIDENT THE COMMUNITY SAID WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO. THEY CAME HERE AND THEY TOLD US I DID NOT COUNT HOW MANY PUBLIC COMMENTS I LOST TRACK AFTER 100 AND PLUS AND FIVE THAT WERE AGAINST OUR CITY MANAGER STAYING WITH US. FIVE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE ON THIS DAIS THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION, IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT AS TO WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ASKING YOU TO DO, JUST RECAP REALLY QUICKLY ON THE FIVE HOURS WE SAT HERE AND THEY ALREADY TOLD US WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO, IT WAS VERY CLEAR, I'M GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO WALK INTO CLOSED SESSION. OBVIOUSLY, I'M STILL VERY HOPEFUL. I, I WAS AGAINST A 10 A.M. MEETING. I WILL ALWAYS BE AGAINST A MORNING MEETING UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE. AND I WILL ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR YOU. I WILL ALWAYS DO THAT AND I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU THAT WAS HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US. AND THANK YOU FOR ADVOCATING FOR OUR GENTE AND OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S IT. IS THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, MR. MAYOR? NO, WE JUST FINISHED PUBLIC COMMENTS. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMENTS. ANY OTHER COUNCIL COMMENTS? I'M GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS AS MAYOR, I LET ME JUST THANK EVERYBODY THAT HAS COME OUT TODAY. THIS MORNING IT'S BEEN FIVE HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND HONESTLY, I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT GABRIEL DESERVES A RAISE BECAUSE BECAUSE YOU HAD A. AND IN ALL MY YEARS OF BEING

[04:25:09]

AND HE SAYS THIS IS A DECISION OF CHAOS VERSUS PROJECT PROGRESS AND STABILITY. AND HE SAID THAT HE TEXTED ME. AND I THINK WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PROGRESS AND STABILITY AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AS A CITY, WHO WE HAVE LEADING THE CITY ON THE DAY TO DAY AND LEADING THE STAFF IS VERY IMPORTANT. IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW THE CITY HAS ONE. AND I HEARD COMMENTS ABOUT HOW WE LOVE TO STAND OUT, YOU KNOW, COACHELLA IS BUILDING A NEW PARK, THERE'S NEW APARTMENTS, THERE'S NEW ROADS, THERE'S NEW GRANTS THAT WE GOT FROM THE RESOURCE CENTER TO THE EXPANSION OF THE LIBRARY ANNEX TO THE NEW PARK THAT'S COMING. THAT WASN'T ANY OF US. SURE, WE DO A GOOD JOB OF ADVOCATING, OF MAKING SOME NETWORKS AND CONNECTIONS, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WRITING THE STAFF REPORTS, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEADING AND ADMINISTERING AND WORKING WITH TEAMS TO GET THESE THINGS DONE, IT'S OUR CITY MANAGER AND IT'S OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM. IT'S ALL OF OUR STAFF, AND I'M SO PROUD OF THE STAFF, BY THE WAY. I MEAN, IT DID TAKE A LOT OF GUTS FOR YOU TO BE UP HERE. IT TOOK A LOT OF LIKE GANAS AND INTESTINAL FORTITUDE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL, KNOWING FULL WELL WHAT MAY HAPPEN. AND I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VIDRINE THAT OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT YOU AND KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE PROTECTED. YOU KNOW, KNOW THAT WE AIN'T GOING TO STAND FOR ANY TYPE OF RETALIATION. I WILL SAY THIS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY TOUGH DECISION IN IN AHEAD OF US, AND I'M HOPING THAT WE DO THE RIGHT THING AND LISTEN TO OUR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. BUT FOR ANYBODY WHO, IF IT DOESN'T GO GABRIEL'S WAY, WHO WANTS THIS JOB, THIS IS A HORRIBLE MESSAGE TO SEND. THAT'S RIGHT. IT IS A HORRIBLE MESSAGE TO SEND. YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT IS STANDING BEHIND A CITY MANAGER. YOU HAVE A DIVIDED COUNCIL. YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO CREATE CHAOS BY CREATING CHANGE. IN THE LAST TWO DAYS, WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD OUR FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING OF THE YEAR. AND IT'S JUST IT'S MIND BOGGLING THAT THEY WANT THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE IN SUCH SUCH A MANNER. AND THAT'S AND THIS IS A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN SAYING WE LOVE TRANSPARENCY AND WE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT. BUT THIS IS THIS ISN'T TRANSPARENCY, NOT IN MY 19 YEARS OF OFFICE. HAVE I EVER DONE THIS. NOT IN MY 19 YEARS OF OFFICE. HAVE I EVER PULLED A 10:00 AM MEETING KNOWING THAT THIS IS A WORKING CLASS AND TRY TO MOVE IN SUCH A MANNER AND IT'S CARELESS. IT'S ALSO INDICATIVE OF THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY. YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP, AND I'M PROUD OF YOU FOR SHOWING UP. I MEAN, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE MOBILIZED IN ONE WEEK. AND IF THIS MEETING WOULD HAVE CAME AT 6:00, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE TILL 2:00 IN THE MORNING, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CAN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING, BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING. BUT I AM JUST PROUD OF YOU. I'M HOPING THAT WE DO THE RIGHT THING.

THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER GENTLEMAN IN HERE, AND THAT'S CARLOS CAMPOS. YES, THAT'S CARLOS CAMPOS. YOU KNOW, AND CARLOS IS A HE'S SHY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. HE'S A VERY, EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT. BUT BUT I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU. AND THE FACT OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, FROM FROM CLEANING THE OFFICES HERE TO FILMING AND TO BEING AN EXAMPLE TO RESIDENTS, TO STUDENTS THAT IF YOU WANT TO SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY AND, AND, AND COME BACK HOME, THAT THIS IS THE TOWN FOR YOU AND YOU'VE DONE THAT AND YOU'VE DONE IT WITH INTEGRITY, YOU'VE DONE IT SO

[04:30:03]

BECAUSE IF I KNOW SOMETHING, IS THAT A LOT OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THEY CALL YOU THEY WERE CALLING YOU LAST WEEK TO TRY TO GET MORE UNDERSTANDING OR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT DIFFERENT PROCESSES. AND YOU WERE NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL WITH THEM. AND IT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO YOU DOING WHAT'S RIGHT AND BEING PROFESSIONAL AND NOT DOING WHAT IS POLITICAL. AND I THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, THEY WANT TO GO AT ME, BUT I ALSO WANT TO IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND IF THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO CHANGE, I THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN VOTED OUT AND I BEAT YOU AND I BEAT YOU, AND I THANK YOU. AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. AND THE RESIDENTS IN THIS TOWN, THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION, THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION, AND THEY ARE GOING TO ORGANIZE FROM AFAR FROM A THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE. AND WE DON'T NEED CHAOS. WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING FOR US. WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING FOR US. AND TO DO SUCH A MANNER IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. HAPPY NEW YEARS, I GUESS FROM THIS COUNCIL MAJORITY, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST LIKE IT IS VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND IT'S NOT WELL THOUGHT OUT. SO WHOEVER YOUR ADVISORS ARE, BECAUSE I KNOW WHO YOU TALK TO FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES, THEY DON'T KNOW COACHELLA AND THEY'RE NOT COACHELLA AND THEY ARE NOT COACHELLA. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION IN CLOSED SESSION AND THE FLOOR IS YOURS. DENISE, MAKE A COMMENT. MR. MAYOR. DOCTOR, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT CAME AND I DO VALUE YOUR INPUT. YOU KNOW, I WAS I KNOW THAT I WASN'T GIVING YOU ATTENTION, BUT I WAS WRITING NOTES AND ON MY VERY NOTE TAKER PERSON. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GIVING YOU EYE CONTACT ON THAT PERSPECTIVE. YOU KNOW, I TAKE NOTES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HEAR THE DIALOG. AND SOMETIMES YOU FORGET AS YOU'RE LISTENING TO FOLKS. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO EVERYONE'S CONCERNS AND THEIR INPUT. AND FROM STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT ALSO BUSINESS OWNERS. SO THAT'S I WANTED TO SAY THAT. THANK YOU.

OKAY. I THINK I THANK ALL OF YOU WHO'VE MADE YOUR TIME HERE WITH US. I THANK ALL THOSE WHO MADE COMMENTS OVER ZOOM. I THANK EVERYONE WHO TOOK TIME TO SEND AN EMAIL, AND I DO APPRECIATE STAFF'S COMMENTS AS WELL. I CAN ASSURE ANYONE, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY WAY OF DOING THINGS, IS THAT NOBODY WOULD EVER, EVER BE RETALIATED AGAINST OR WOULD HAVE EVER BE UNPROFESSIONAL AGAINST ANYONE. SO I DO THINK ALL OF YOU, FOR MAKING YOUR WAY TO US. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME WITH US, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR MAKING YOUR WAY OUT TO OUR CITY CHAMBER. THANK YOU. WOW, WOW. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME OUT HERE AND SPEAK YOUR OPINION TO ALL THE STAFF. I GIVE YOU MY WORD THAT I WILL DEFEND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS. AS LONG AS YOU GUYS ARE WORKING HARD. OKAY? I WILL NOT RETALIATE. I WILL NOT STAND FOR THAT. I HAVE A JOB AND I HAVE A FAMILY TOO. AND I DO MY JOB TO THE FULLEST. AND ANYBODY YOU COME IN CONTACT AND YOU ASK THEM ABOUT ME, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT I WORK HARD. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING. WHY THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WHY DOES EVERYONE ASK WHY THAT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY? WHY 10 A.M. AND WHY TODAY? WHAT

[Adjourn to Closed Session]

[Closed Session Announcements]

[04:35:06]

THANK YOU. ELECTED OFFICIALS. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON FROM CLOSED SESSION. WE'LL GO

[Reports and Requests]

WELL, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS POSITION FOR THREE YEARS. WORKING FOR THE CITY FOR SEVEN YEARS HAS BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER. THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL CITY. I CAME HERE, WAS ADOPTED BY THE COMMUNITY. NO REGRETS. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM TODAY'S OUTPOUR. I, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND DID A GREAT JOB. AND FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, I AM VERY GRATEFUL. I'D LIKE TO THANK OBVIOUSLY, COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ, BAUTISTA, MARTINEZ, SANCHEZ, GALARZA AND BROWN IN THE PAST FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING ME. COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR HERNANDEZ FOR YOUR CONSTANT SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO MY STAFF. YOU KNOW, THANK YOU. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD. YOU ARE A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. THE FACT THAT YOU CAME OUT HERE AND SUPPORTED ME, AND I HOPE THE COUNCIL IS TRUE TO WHAT THEY SAID, THAT THERE'S NO RETALIATION. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A PREVIOUS CITY MANAGER THAT WAS HERE. SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, I HOPE COUNCIL KEEPS THE WORD. BUT FOR ME, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING FOR ME. IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. THE REST OF THE TEAM THAT CAME OUT DURING LUNCH, THEIR LUNCH TIME AND THEIR BREAK TIME MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. I, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS MADE MY JOB A LOT EASIER. AND I WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THIS JOB WITHOUT THIS GREAT TEAM IN PLACE IN REGARDS TO MY FAMILY. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, FOR FORGIVING ME. FORGIVE ME.

FROM THE LATE NIGHT MEETINGS THAT I HAD FOR MISSING MOVIE NIGHTS, FOR MISSING PRACTICES, FOR, YOU KNOW, HAVING VACATIONS CUT SHORT. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS NEVER FALTER. YOU ALWAYS. YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE FOR ME. AND EVEN TODAY, YOU WERE HERE FOR ME. GOING UP THERE AND TALKING, YOU KNOW? YOU KNOW, MY KIDS WERE FEARFUL OF LEAVING THEIR SCHOOL THAT THEY LOVE. YOU KNOW, MY KIDS SUPPORTED ME SAYING THEY WOULD SELL THEIR TOYS TO HELP DADDY PAY FOR BILLS IF HE NEEDED THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, PARA MI PADRES VIEJOS.

GRACIAS. POR TODO TODO EL APOYO CARINO ME DIERON USTEDES VINIERON DE ARGENTINA CONMIGO CON UN DE LOS ANOS Y AQUI. STAN KASTEN EX ME SIN USTEDES NO MISTER HOY Y AHORA CON SU ORGULLOSO DE USTEDES POR TODOS LOS QUIERO MUCHO, MI HERMANO LOS QUIERO MUCHO. SO, COMMUNITY RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING I COULD. BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS EVERY DAY. AND YOU GUYS WERE AMAZING. YOU OPENED YOU OPENED YOUR YOUR YOUR HEARTS TO US. TO MY FAMILY.

YOU WELCOMED US. YOU ADOPTED US. PROBABLY THE ONLY ARGENTINA I KNOW, BUT I'LL TAKE IT. BUT THANK YOU. YOU GUYS WERE AMAZING. TODAY'S OUTPOUR. COMMUNITY LOVE. I MEAN, I WALK AWAY WITH MY HEAD HELD UP HIGH BECAUSE I KNOW I DID A GREAT JOB. TODAY'S DECISION WASN'T BASED ON MY PERFORMANCE FACT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE BALTIMORE HEART. I REALLY DID ENJOY BEING HERE CITY MANAGER, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE LOVE YOU. I.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.