Jan 22, 2025 City Council Meetings

[Call to Order]

[00:00:05]

ALL RIGHT. WELL, WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO OUR FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING OF THE YEAR. THIS IS THE AGENDA OF THE CITY COUNCIL CLOSED SESSION AND THE REGULAR 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, IS JANUARY 20TH. I DO WANT TO WELCOME RYAN GAMBOA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WELCOME. RYAN GAMBOA.

HE'S WITH BEST. BEST AND KRIEGER. AND HE IS OUR ATTORNEY FOR THE TIME BEING. SO WELCOME,

[Approval of Agenda]

[Public Comments (Closed Session Items)]

LETTER NUMBER TWO SUBMITTED AND SIGNED BY THE MANAGEMENT STAFF OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA OF UNANIMOUS SUPPORT FOR THE CURRENT APPOINTMENT. INTERIM CITY MANAGER. REQUESTING THE CITY COUNCIL EXTEND HER APPOINTMENT UNTIL A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION IS REACHED.

AND NUMBER THREE, STAFF PETITION NUMBER THREE IS A PETITION SIGNED BY CITY OF COACHELLA STAFF EXPRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT MR. PATTERSON'S APPOINTMENT, CITING CONCERNS OF A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT AND FEARS OF RETALIATION, AND EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE CURRENT INTERIM CITY MANAGER, AND THESE WERE SENT TO THE COUNCIL YESTERDAY AND TODAY. AND THEN I ALSO HAVE.

ANOTHER WRITTEN COMMENT THAT CAME IN. FOR PUBLIC COMMENT BY REBECCA FLORES. IT CAME IN TODAY AT 450. I AM A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA AND I WANT TO I WANT THE FOLLOWING TO BE READ AND SUBMITTED FOR TODAY'S MEETING. MY NAME IS REBECCA FLORES AND I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF COACHELLA. I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY OUTRAGE AND DISAPPOINTMENT REGARDING THE RECENT ACTIONS TAKEN BY SOME MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. IT HAS COME TO LIGHT THAT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS HAVE ORCHESTRATED A CAMPAIGN TO HARASS AND INTIMIDATE THE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO STAND BY THEIR CONVICTIONS, BY HAVING THEIR PERSONAL CONTACTS CALLED TO PRESSURE THEM INTO SUBMISSION. THIS IS NOT ONLY AN UNETHICAL PRACTICE, BUT ALSO AN ABUSE OF POWER. IT IS SHAMEFUL THAT THOSE IN POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY WOULD RESTORE TO SUCH UNDERHANDED TACTICS, TO SILENCE DIFFERENT, DIFFERING OPINIONS. PUBLIC OFFICE SHOULD BE A PLACE FOR THOUGHTFUL, RESPECTFUL DISCOURSE, NOT A PLATFORM FOR PERSONAL VENDETTAS OR INTIMIDATION. MAYOR STEVEN AND COUNCILWOMAN BURTON, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES FOR CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF FEAR AND HOSTILITY WHICH ONLY SERVES TO UNDERMINE THE TRUST AND RESPECT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD HAVE FOR ITS ELECTED LEADERS. THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY DESERVE BETTER. WE MUST EXPECT TRANSPARENCY, FAIRNESS AND A COMMITMENT TO DOING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST THOSE WHO AGREE WITH YOU. I URGE YOU TO REFLECT ON ACTION, ON YOUR ACTIONS, AND UNDERSTAND THE HARM THEY THEY HAVE CAUSED TO BOTH YOUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO THE PUBLIC. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS. SO WE HAVE THREE LETTERS, ONE FROM EXECUTIVE STAFF, TWO, ONE FROM THE CITY EMPLOYEES REGARDING SUPPORT IN FAVOR OF MARISSA. AND THEN WE HAVE A PETITION FROM THE CITY OF COACHELLA WORKERS. TO THE OF NOT

[00:05:01]

[Adjourn to Closed Session]

[Reconvene Regular Meeting]

WELCOME, RYAN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THE COUNCIL MET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO THE ITEMS LISTED ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA. AND THERE IS NO REPORTABLE ACTION. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR REGULAR MEETING, AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I'M GOING TO ASK OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER, MR. MARTINEZ, TO LEAD US IN THE. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE'LL MOVE ON ON PROCLAMATIONS AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS.

[Consent Calendar]

MAYOR. MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. SO JUST WANT TO SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM. YEAH WE HAD A PRESENTATION REGARDING THIS ITEM. SO COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ ANY ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. YES. SO THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION. SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE IT TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AND MAYBE HAVE A STUDY SESSION ON THAT. OKAY. I THINK THE STUDY SESSION WOULD BE GOOD. WE CAN DO BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF STUFF. SO I LIKE I AGREE WITH HER ON THE STUDY SESSION.

SO THAT SHOULD BE FINE. OKAY. BUT LIKE YEAH THAT'S MY PERSPECTIVE. THANK YOU. AND THEN COUNCIL ONE THING I'VE DONE IN THE PAST WHEN THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CODE AMENDMENTS IS OFFER THE ABILITY TO KIND OF MEET WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS ONE ON ONE TO JUST GO OVER EVERYTHING IN DETAIL. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO YOU. AND I'LL COORDINATE WITH CITY MANAGER ON THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT MEETING, AND THEN ALLOW FOR A STUDY SESSION BETWEEN NOW AND OUR NEXT MEETING IN FEBRUARY THE 13TH. SO WE'LL EXPECT A STUDY SESSION BEFORE FEBRUARY THE 13TH. IS THERE A MOTION TO CONTINUE WITH THE STUDY SESSION? THERE IS A MOTION. CAN I GET A ROLL CALL? YES, I'LL GET A ROLL CALL. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. FIGUEROA. AYE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. WHITE. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. MAYOR. HERNANDEZ. I WILL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 16. THIS IS TO AWARD A CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT TO SUPERB ENGINEERING FOR WESTERFIELD RETENTION BASIN LANDSCAPING. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR.

COUNCIL. THIS ITEM IS COMING TO YOU FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. IT IS A CONSTRUCTION AWARD FOR REHABILITATION OF A RETENTION BASIN THAT EXISTS AT THE CORNER OF ADOBE AND WESTERFIELD. THE FUNDS THAT WOULD BE USED TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION ARE THE URBAN CONSERVATION SLASH, PROP ONE GRANT FUNDS, AS WELL AS FUNDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THAT DISTRICT. THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING BASINS THAT ARE NOT LANDSCAPED, AND WE WANTED TO BEAUTIFY THIS, THIS AREA BY DOING SO. OKAY. THANK YOU. I WASN'T HERE IN THE NEXT THE PRIOR COUNCIL MEETING WHEN IT WAS MENTIONED, BUT I AGREE IT DOES NEED TO. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE LAST ONES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SO. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. CAN WE GET A

[00:10:05]

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. FIGUEROA. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. NGUYEN. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES.

[New Business Calendar (Legislative and Administrative)]

FINDING THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER TO BE AVAILABLE DUE TO A LEAVE OF ABSENCE PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 21221. APPOINTING WILLIAM PATTERSON AS THE ACTING CITY MANAGER.

COUNCIL. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MOTION TO. MR. MAYOR, IF I MAY BRIEFLY ADD SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS HERE. YES, YES. SO THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. PATTERSON AS ACTING CITY MANAGER AND APPROVAL OF A LIMITED TERM APPOINTMENT AGREEMENT. MR. PATTERSON RETIRED FROM THE CITY AT THE END OF 2020. HE SUBSEQUENTLY SERVED AS CITY MANAGER ON AN INTERIM BASIS. THE AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU IS FOR AN APPOINTMENT OF MR. PATTERSON AS ACTING CITY MANAGER, EFFECTIVE TOMORROW, JANUARY 23RD, FOR A SINGLE LIMITED TERM APPOINTMENT AS A CALPERS RETIRED ANNUITANT. MR. PATTERSON'S HOURS WORKING FOR THE CITY CANNOT EXCEED 960 HOURS IN ANY FISCAL YEAR. MR. PATTERSON WOULD BE PAID AN HOURLY RATE OF $137.98 PER HOUR.

HE'S NOT ENTITLED TO ANY ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION, INCLUDING OVERTIME BENEFITS, PAID LEAVE OR PAID HOLIDAYS, UNLESS REQUIRED BY STATE OR FEDERAL LAW. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANK YOU. MR. PATTERSON IS IN ATTENDANCE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL? GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, NEW COUNCIL MEMBER.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU SIR. IT'S AN HONOR TO BE ASKED BACK. I SERVED AS YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR SIX YEARS. I SERVED AS YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR SLASH CITY MANAGER FOR TWO YEARS. AND THEN AS CITY MANAGER FOR TWO YEARS. I CAME BACK FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS AND WAS INTERIM CITY MANAGER. AND THEN ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, I SERVED AS YOUR INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR APPROXIMATELY A YEAR. SO I'M HONORED THAT YOU HAVE PUT TRUST IN ME. OF COURSE, THERE HASN'T BEEN A VOTE YET, BUT I'M STANDING UP HERE, SO THANK YOU FOR EVEN PUTTING ME IN THIS POSITION. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. NORMALLY WHEN AN EMPLOYEE GOES AWAY, THEY GO AWAY AND THAT'S IT. YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN, BUT IT SPEAKS TO THE TRUST THAT THE COUNCIL HAS IN ME. AND I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE WORK THAT I'VE BROUGHT TO YOU BEFORE IN THE PAST. AND IF PRESENTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TO YOU AGAIN THINGS, YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THROUGH CHANGE IN MULTIPLE CITIES THAT I'VE WORKED AT. AND ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE IS TO HAVE A STEADY HAND AND TO KEEP MOVING THINGS FORWARD. AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT I PROMISE IF GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY, I WILL DO THAT. I YOU KNOW, I HOLD MYSELF TO A CERTAIN STANDARD. I HOLD STAFF TO A CERTAIN STANDARD AND WE WILL PERFORM FOR YOU. I WILL TRY TO GET UP TO SPEED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS A BEAT. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. WE'VE GOT A BUDGET COMING UP. YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST IT HASN'T NECESSARILY BEEN PRESENTED ON TIME. WE HAVE AN AUDIT THAT'S OUT THERE THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH, FROM THE BUDGET THAT I ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER A YEAR AGO. THERE'S A THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.

AND IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL. ANY COMMENTS? COMMENTS? OR A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE. THERE'S A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THERE'S A SECOND. ANY COMMENTS? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, BILL. APPRECIATE YOU. YOU KNOW, BEING IN THIS MEETING WITH US. I AFTER RECEIVING THE INFORMATION THAT ALL COUNCIL RECEIVED FROM STAFF AND OUR EMPLOYEES. I UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT AGREE WITH, YOU KNOW, YOUR RETURN. I THINK THAT I HEARD THEM LOUD AND CLEAR. THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS. AND SO FOR THAT

[00:15:03]

THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS REGARDING MARISSA. SINCE I'VE KNOWN YOU AND I'VE. YOU'VE BEEN HERE. SHOULD I SAY HOW LONG? NO. WHAT IS IT? 12 YEARS. I'VE BEEN HERE 14. 14 YEARS. 14 YEARS. YOU'VE ALWAYS STEPPED UP AND YOU'VE ALWAYS DELIVERED. AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN A TEAM PLAYER. AND SOMEONE THAT TAKES COUNCIL DIRECTIVE VERY, VERY WELL. AND YOU'VE DONE THAT FOR THE LAST EIGHT DAYS. YOU'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH ALL OF US AND GOOD WORK AND ATTAGIRL. IN TERMS OF GETTING, YOU KNOW, DOING YOUR, YOUR, YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES. YOU KNOW, WHEN LAST WEEK, WHEN THE COUNCIL VOTED FOR CHANGE AND OUR ADMINISTRATOR, OUR LEAD ADMINISTRATOR CHANGE IS WHAT IS OCCURRING. WE WENT FROM ONE CITY MANAGER AND NOW POTENTIALLY TO AN INTERIM AND WITH MARISSA AND NOW POTENTIALLY TO BILL. I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT AS A COMMUNITY, AS STAFF, AS AS A CITY MANAGER, HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE CITY AND ULTIMATELY STABILIZE THIS CITY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME REALLY OUTSTANDING PROJECTS, REALLY GOOD PROJECTS. I KNOW WHERE THE SENTIMENT IS AT, AND FOR ME AS MAYOR, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO MOVE DOWN AND PROGRESS. BILL, YOU WILL HAVE CHALLENGES. YOU WILL HAVE CHALLENGES. YOUR JOB IS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS BOAT. CONTINUE TO WORK ON A LOT OF GREAT PROJECTS THAT WE GOT FROM TCC TO, YOU KNOW, THE NEW PARK THAT'S COMING, THE NEW RESILIENCY CENTER, THE NEW LIBRARY ANNEX. THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US. AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WILL DO THAT. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, AS YOU SAID, WHEN THERE'S CHANGE, THAT MEANS THE COMMUNITY'S CHANGE AND ADMINISTRATORS CHANGE AND STAFF CHANGES. AND SO UNDERSTANDING THE CULTURE IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AND MAKING SURE THAT WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS OCCURRING YEARS AGO WHEN YOU WERE HERE MAY NOT BE THE SAME THING THAT'S OCCURRING TODAY. AND SO YOU GOT TO LOOK AT IT FROM A FRESH PAIR OF EYES TO TRY TO MOVE THIS CITY AND KEEP YOUR TEAM. BECAUSE WITHOUT YOUR EXECUTIVE TEAM, WITHOUT THE WORKERS, WE CAN'T GET THE JOB DONE. AND SO I'M I'M SOMEONE THAT BELIEVES THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHOW CONFIDENCE AND YOUR

[00:20:04]

COUNCILMEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER FIGUEROA. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. VIRGIN. NO.

MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. MAYOR. HERNANDEZ. YES. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, I HAVE TO GO.

I HAVE A BIT OF A FAMILY EMERGENCY. MY APPOINTMENTS TO THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES, AS WELL AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION COMMITTEES. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THOSE ITEMS FOR ALL THE MEMBERS THAT ARE PART OF THIS. YOU WILL CONTINUE IN YOUR ROLE FOR THE NEXT MONTH. SO YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS. AND THEN WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN THE AGENDA OVER TO MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO, AND I AM GOING TO DISMISS MYSELF. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS CALENDAR NUMBER. ITEM NUMBER 21. ANDREW, IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD. AND WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. TONIGHT I'M ASKING YOU TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2020 501, WHICH IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA ADOPTING THE 2024 CITY OF COACHELLA LOCAL ROAD SAFETY PLAN. THIS BUILDS ON THE EFFORTS OF ENGINEERING HAS BEEN DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECTS WE PUT FORWARD ARE BASED ON QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS. THE LOCAL ROAD SAFETY PLAN IS IT PROVIDES A CITY LOOK AHEAD FOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS. THAT CAN BE APPLIED SYSTEMATICALLY AND PROGRAMED THROUGH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS. ADDITIONALLY, THIS WAS A GRANT FUNDED PROJECT AND THIS PLAN PUTS THE CITY IN POSITION. IT IS A REQUIRED PLAN FOR A LOT OF CITIES TO APPLY FOR CERTAIN GRANTS. SO IT DOES PUT THE CITY IN A STRONG POSITION TO KEEP APPLYING FOR ADDITIONAL GRANTS TO THEN GO AFTER AND START WORKING ON THESE PLANS. FOR A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT A ROAD SAFETY PLAN IS, WE HAVE OUR ENGINEERS FROM KIMLEY-HORN AND MR. CAMERON CARACCI IS GOING TO GIVE A QUICK PRESENTATION TO DESCRIBE WHAT THIS PLAN IS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANDREW. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. SO LOCAL ROAD SAFETY PLAN. WHAT IT WHAT IS IT? IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WE DO FOR VARIOUS CITIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA. AND IT COORDINATES EFFORTS ACROSS ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY. IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A PLAN THAT THE CITY CAN PUT FORTH SHOWING TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS WITHIN THE AREA THAT ALLOW YOU TO SUBMIT FOR FUNDING. WHAT IT DOES IS IT IDENTIFIES THE EMPHASIS AREAS WITHIN THE CITY SPECIFIC TO THOSE AREAS, AND THEN IT IDENTIFIES SPECIFIC CASE STUDIES THAT WE CAN SUBMIT. SO WE STUDY THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS AND SUBMIT THEM FOR THE FUNDING. THROUGHOUT THIS WE'RE REVIEWING THE POLICIES, PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THAT MAY IMPACT THOSE AS WELL AS DIFFERENT TRAFFIC STUDIES. THE PURPOSE OF IT TO UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE COLLISIONS THAT OCCUR. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT ONLY ONE REASON FOR A COLLISION. THERE'S MULTIPLE. AND WE DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THOSE. AND WE LOOK AT BOTH THE TYPES OF INJURIES THAT OCCUR AND THE REASON FOR THEM OCCURRING. AND THEN WE HELP DEVELOP THAT PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD AS FAR AS WHICH AREAS ARE MOST IMPACTED, AND THEN DEVELOP A LIST FROM THERE.

THE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THROUGH TWO AGENCIES, THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM THROUGH CALTRANS. SO YOU'LL HEAR ME REFER TO BOTH OF THOSE THROUGHOUT THE CIP APPLICATION. THERE'S TWO PARTS TO IT. THE FIRST PART IS THE BCR APPLICATION. AND THAT'S A BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS. AND HERE WE LOOKED AT A FEW LOCATIONS. WE LOOKED AT CESAR CHAVEZ AND THEN A FEW INTERSECTIONS YOU CAN SEE LISTED THERE. BUT CESAR CHAVEZ WAS THE MAIN MAIN CORRIDOR THAT WE LOOKED AT. AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING ALONG THERE ARE PROTECTED BIKE LANES, PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL HEADS, ADA COMPLIANT PUSH BUTTONS, PEDESTRIAN INTERVALS, CROSSWALKS AND ADA COMPLIANT CURB RAMPS. THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER PORTION OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE CALLED SET ASIDES, AND THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT DON'T QUITE QUALIFY FOR THE BENEFIT COST RATIO. AND WE LOOK AT THOSE AS SPECIFIC LOCATIONS. THE TWO WE LOOKED AT A FEW HERE. ONE OF THEM BEING CESAR CHAVEZ AND AT PARK LANE AND THEN THE OTHER. THAT WAS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES. AND THE

[00:25:01]

THANK YOU. I HAVE I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I THINK IT'S MUCH NEEDED IN THE CITY, JUST IN IDENTIFYING AREAS WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF COLLISIONS. SOME OF THEM VEHICLES, SOME OF THEM WITH PEDESTRIANS. BUT IT IT ALSO MAKES A SOLID, I THINK, APPROACH FOR MULTIPLE GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND THE SAFETY ISSUE, THE SAFETY ROADWAYS IS ALWAYS AT THE VERY TOP PRIORITY. SO I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO MAKE US A LOT MORE STRONGER WHEN WE'RE LOOKING INTO SOME OF THOSE APPLICATIONS.

AND ADDITIONALLY, IS THAT WHERE WE HAVE SCHOOLS? WE DO HAVE A LOT OF SPEEDING VEHICLES, AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN BY PARENTS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE WALKING SCHOOLS. AND SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS ALSO MAKES A STRONGER PARTNERSHIP WITH COACHELLA VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PERHAPS EVEN APPLY FOR SOME OF THE GRANTS AS CO-APPLICANTS, AND ALSO ADD OTHERS THAT MAY BE STAKEHOLDERS THAT COULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM THIS TYPE OF FUNDING. SO I DO THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP US MAKE A MUCH STRONGER APPLICATION PROCESS FOR US AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD? YES, THERE'S A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. CAN WE HAVE A YES. AND IF YOU CAN JUST SPEAK INTO THE MIC A LITTLE BIT MORE SO WE CAN HEAR YOU. IT'S ALL RIGHT. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE ROLL. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL

[00:30:03]

I THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT KIND OF HELP PAINT A PICTURE OF WHAT WE HAVE TO, I THINK, GO THROUGH OVER THE NEXT YEAR. SO THIS IS RELATED TO A WATER AND WASTEWATER STUDY THAT WE'RE HOPING TO INITIATE PRETTY SOON HERE. AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND, THE LAST. RATE ANALYSIS FOR WATER THAT SET THE RATE SCHEDULE WAS COMPLETED BACK IN 2009. AND WITH THAT RATE STUDY, THE COUNCIL APPROVED A SCHEDULE FOR SIX RATE INCREASES THAT BEGAN BACK IN MAY OF 2010 AND CARRIED ALL THE WAY TO 2015 TO 2015. SO PER THAT SCHEDULE, WE HAVEN'T HAD A RATE INCREASE IN OUR IN OUR WATER SINCE 2015. SIMILAR MANNER. THE LAST RATE STUDY THAT WE COMPLETED THAT SET THE RATE SCHEDULE FOR THE WASTEWATER FUND WAS COMPLETED AT THE END OF 2017. AND WITH THAT, THE COUNCIL SET A SCHEDULE FOR FOUR RATE INCREASES THAT STARTED IN JULY OF 2018. AND THAT SCHEDULE ENDED IN JULY OF 2021. AND SO THESE ARE THE BIG CHALLENGES, THE BIG DRIVERS THAT ARE DRIVING THE NEED FOR A NEW RATE STUDY FOR BOTH WATER AND SEWER FUNDS. TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ANTICIPATED CASH FLOW NEEDS THAT WE HAVE AND SOME OTHER ITEMS. SO FIRST ONE IS IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BUDGET, THE INCREASE IN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS, YOU CAN SEE A VERY OBVIOUS TREND THERE. WHAT'S DRIVING THAT IS THE COST OF MATERIALS. SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE ENERGY COSTS. I THINK WE JUST HEARD THIS WEEK THAT ICE IS GOING TO INCREASE THEIR RATES.

SO THAT'S GOING TO DRIVE OUR COST TO RUN OUR WELLS. THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE COST TO RUN OUR TREATMENT PLANT. THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE ONE OF THE BIGGER FACTORS IN THE BUDGET.

THAT DRIVES COST. WE ALSO USE A LOT OF CHEMICALS IN THE TREATMENT PLANT. WE USE CHEMICALS IN OUR WELLS. AND THOSE GO UP AND WE HAVE A WATER REPLENISHMENT COST THAT WE ALSO PAY CBW. AND THOSE GO UP AND THEN JUST GENERAL INFLATION. THE SYSTEM IS ALSO AGING. AND SO THAT THAT DRIVES A LOT OF NEEDED REPAIRS. THE NEXT ONE IS TO BE BLUNT ABOUT IT, I THINK WE'RE WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED. I THINK THAT THAT'S BEEN THE FEELING OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR A WHILE. AND BACK IN 2022, THE COUNCIL ACTUALLY ADOPTED A RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION NUMBER 2022, DASH 84, WHICH APPROVED THE UTILITY OPERATIONS STAFFING STUDY. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS NEGOTIATED BY THE BARGAINING UNITS WITH THE COUNCIL, SOMETHING THAT MADE IT INTO THE MOU FOR THAT STUDY TO BE COMPLETED. THAT STUDY WAS COMPLETE IN 2023, AND THE REPORT CONCLUDED THAT, IN FACT, WHEN YOU COMPARE OUR UTILITY AGAINST THE NEIGHBORING WATER AND SEWER AGENCIES, AND IF YOU SET SOME BENCHMARKS OR SOME THRESHOLDS THAT ANALYZE HOW MANY STAFF THOSE AGENCIES DEDICATE FOR, SAY, EVERY THOUSAND WATER METERS OR EVERY HUNDRED MILES OF PIPELINE, HOW MANY STAFF WOULD THEY DEDICATE FOR A SYSTEM OF OUR SIZE? AND THE REPORT CONCLUDED THAT THAT WE ARE SHORT STAFFED. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED. IF THERE IS A WANT FROM THIS COUNCIL TO TRY TO GET MORE IN LINE WITH THOSE STAFFING LEVELS, THOSE THINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THIS RATE INCREASE. THE OTHER BIG ONE, I THINK THAT THE BIGGEST ONE IS, IS THIS NEW HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM, MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL ADOPTION AND COMPLIANCE THAT THE STATE ADOPTED BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2024, JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. THAT IS GOING TO FORCE THE CITY TO COMPLY WITH THIS STANDARD BY OCTOBER 1ST OF 2027. AND THAT'S ONLY IF WE KEEP OUR SYSTEM BELOW 10,000 CONNECTIONS. RIGHT NOW, OUR SYSTEM IS AT ABOUT MAYBE 9200 CONNECTIONS. SO IF WE ADD AN ADDITIONAL 800 CONNECTIONS BY BUILDING AN ADDITIONAL 800 HOMES, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY PUSH

[00:35:01]

WE HAVE BONDS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY. WE HAVE LOANS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY OFF, AND THOSE ALSO NEED TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THIS RATE STUDY. TODAY'S COUNCIL ACTION IS IN A SUMMARY TO STAFF, IS RECOMMENDING AN AWARD OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH NUGEN STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS. CITY STAFF POSTED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BACK IN OCTOBER 17TH OF 2024. THERE WERE THREE PROPOSALS RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER OF 2024. STAFF RANKED THOSE PROPOSALS AND THE UNION RECEIVED THE HIGHEST RANKING. THAT MATRIX IS ATTACHED ALSO TO YOUR ITEM. IF WE MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS, WITH THIS AWARD AND WHERE THIS PROJECT, THE SCHEDULE, THE SCHEDULE THAT WE WOULD TRY TO KEEP IS THAT WE WOULD ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROCEED, WHICH WOULD BEGIN SOMETIME EARLY NEXT MONTH.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS EVENTUALLY WE HAVE TO APPROVE A 218 NOTICE, WHICH SHOWS THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASES AND THE SCHEDULE WHEN THAT'S FINALIZED, THAT NOTICE NEEDS TO BE MAILED TO EVERY CUSTOMER, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE MAILED TO GIVE A 45 DAY NOTICE IN ORDER TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING WHERE YOU WHERE THE COUNCIL WOULD ADOPT THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASES, WHICH WE HOPE WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 2026. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THIS QUICK.

THE LONGER THAT WE WAIT, THE SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE TO ABSORB WHATEVER RATE INCREASES WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT TO GENERATE THAT REVENUE THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THESE PROJECTS. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE THIS ON THIS QUICK. I KNOW THAT WAS MAYBE A LOT OF INFORMATION. SO I'M OPEN TO COMMENTS. THANK YOU. COUNCIL ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.

JUST A QUICK COMMENT. SO THAT THIS WOULD BE THE YEAR THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A TWO FOLD, INCLUDING THE COST OF THE CHROMIUM? THE MCL WOULD BE LIKE LOOKING AT WHAT THE RATE WOULD BE IN THAT SENSE. SO WHAT WOULD THEY DIVIDE IT? WOULD THEY GIVE IT TO YOU SEPARATE LIKE THE IT WOULD JUST BE. YEAH. SO WE ACTUALLY JUST INITIATED THE PROJECT FROM A, FROM A FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE STATE, WHICH YOU'RE AWARE OF. WE, THE STATE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE HALF $1 MILLION FROM THE, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES TO HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT ON, ON OUR WATER SYSTEM. SO PART OF WHAT THIS PROJECT WOULD DO THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE THE HALF A MILLION FOR IS TO DO A TREATMENT, A TECHNOLOGY TREATMENT EVALUATION THAT'S GOING TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT TREATMENT OPTIONS, AND THEN IT'S GOING TO PRODUCE A MEMO THAT'S GOING TO INFORM US ON A RECOMMENDATION OF THE BEST TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY, WHICH I THINK WILL BE DRIVEN IN A BIG WAY BY THE COST TO IMPLEMENT THAT TREATMENT, AND ALSO THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE THAT THAT TYPE OF SYSTEM WOULD, WOULD PUT ON THE ON THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE REMAINDER OF, OF, OF THE LIFE OF THOSE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES. SO THAT WILL BE WORKED ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT AS WE GET TO FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE RATE STUDY, THAT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH WORK ON THIS TECH MEMO THAT ALLOWS US TO TRY TO FOLD IN THOSE COST ESTIMATES SO THAT THE RATE INCREASE INCORPORATES

[00:40:01]

THAT STUDY CLEARLY SHOWED THAT THERE HAD TO BE A DISTINCTION FROM WATER AND SEWER. AND THEN ALSO, I MEAN, IT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS ASKING IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT BUT ALSO IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS THAT WE'RE AGING. YOU KNOW, I AFTER THAT, WE YOU BROUGHT BACK SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS NEEDED. AND, YOU KNOW, HALF $1 MILLION, $1 MILLION. IT'S EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. BUT ALSO IS THE ADDITIONAL COST THAT IT'S GOING TO COST IN THE LONG RUN BY ALSO NOT MOVING FORWARD IN MAKING SOME OF THESE CHANGES AND THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED TO HELP THE WATER DEPARTMENT MOVE FORWARD, AND BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB SUCCESSFULLY AND PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED TO A GROWING POPULATION. AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, IS THAT OUR POPULATION IS GROWING, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES THAT ARE COMING IN, AND THAT'S INCREASING SERVICES FOR, YOU KNOW, OUR DEPARTMENTS AND CONTINUING THOSE SERVICES.

SO THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE IDENTIFIED. AND SO I MEAN, I DON'T THINK ANY RESIDENT WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT ANY RATE INCREASES. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE WHAT IS WHAT ARE THE NEEDS. AND WHEN WE'RE NOT IDENTIFYING THEM AT THE POINT AT THIS POINT, THEN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS GOING TO BOIL OVER AND THEN YEARS, YOU KNOW, YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT UP A LOT OF MONEY UP FRONT INSTEAD OF PROPERLY BUDGETING IT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

ALSO IS IF YOU CAN JUST EXPLAIN THE STEPS, WHAT WE'RE APPROVING TODAY AND THEN THE STEPS MOVING FORWARD. SO THERE IS SO I THINK THE BIG PICTURE IS THAT IS THAT WHEN WE GET TO A DRAFT RECOMMENDATION, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT WE BRING SOMETHING TO COUNCIL. SO THAT COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO GIVE DIRECTION ON WHERE THESE RATES ARE GOING TO LAND, WHAT MAKES IT IN WHAT DOESN'T MAKE IT IN, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS. AND IT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT THOSE TYPICALLY GET REFINED BY COUNCIL. BECAUSE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO THE AGENCY MIGHT BE ABLE TO AFFORD SOMETHING, BUT NOT EVERYTHING. AND SO YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE WHAT YOU WANT TO IMPLEMENT. SO THE, THE PRESENTATION AND YOUR AND THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE ITEM, THERE IS A SCHEDULE THAT FOLLOWS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT SHOWS THE PROGRESSION OF HOW WE WOULD GET TO THAT, TO THAT DRAFT REPORT POINTS, WHERE WE WOULD BRING AN UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE GET TO A FINAL RECOMMENDATION. AND I THINK MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OPTIONS PRESENTED TO YOU IN A STUDY SESSION BEFORE WE GET TO THAT FINAL STAGE WHERE YOU COULD DIRECT STAFF ON. WHAT BETTER OPTION YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IMPLEMENTED. AND SO PART OF THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO PRESENT THIS WAS TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THAT THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING. SO THAT BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF YOUR INVOLVEMENT. THESE ARE GOING TO BE BIG DECISIONS THAT I THINK ARE THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO PRIMARILY, I THINK, ADDRESS THE CHROMIUM SIX ISSUE. I YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO OUT OUT OF THAT. AND THAT IN ITSELF IS A BIG FINANCIAL BURDEN. EVEN IF WE WANT TO PUSH OUT THE OTHER ONES. BUT BUT THE CHROMIUM SIX ISSUE IS A BIG ISSUE. WE ALSO ARE THINKING OF STRATEGIZING ON HOW TO GO AFTER THE PROP FOUR MONEY ON THE BOND THAT I IDENTIFIED, I BELIEVE ABOUT $200 MILLION FOR CHROMIUM SIX. AND SO THOSE ARE ALL THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT INTO THE BLEND OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS TO ACQUIRE THE REVENUE SO

[00:45:05]

YEAH. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OPTION TO MOVE FORWARD IS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS AND THEN JUST TO OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMUNITY. THESE ARE BIG DECISIONS. AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE THE ONES IMPACTED. WELL WE'RE ALL IMPACTED AS A COMMUNITY. BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT FORWARD. SO AS THE NEXT STEP AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. BUT THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE IF YOU WERE ABLE TO BRING. YEAH. I'LL TRY TO KEEP MOVING ALONG. YEAH I'LL TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT I COME UP WITH SOMETHING WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A QUARTERLY REPORT ON IT AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET THE BIG BENCHMARKS AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS WHERE I THINK YOU MIGHT WANT TO WANT TO WEIGH IN, BUT FOR SURE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS. AND IT WON'T. YEAH, IT HAS TO. YOU HAVE TO BE PART OF IT. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE THE ITEM FORWARD? MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? YES.

CAN YOU PUT IT TO A ROLL CALL? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. NGUYEN. AYE. MAYOR. PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 23. AND THAT'S SELENA. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL MEMBERS. SELENA JIMENEZ, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ITEM NUMBER. NUMBER 23 IS SEEKING THE AUTHORIZATION FROM COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH KAISER MARSTON ASSOCIATES FOR A HOTEL SITE FEASIBILITY STUDY IN THE AMOUNT OF $79,500. AND I DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THIS EVENING FROM THE FROM KMA THAT WILL PROVIDE THE PRESENTATION TO YOU. HI. GOOD EVENING. WELCOME. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. MAYOR PRO TEM AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS MICHAEL TAKHTEH WITH KAISER MARSTON ASSOCIATES, OR KMA. AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU OUR SCOPE OF SERVICES TO CONDUCT A HOTEL FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE CITY. SO IN TERMS OF OUR OBJECTIVE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY STAFF AS WELL AS VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS. AND OVERALL, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY SEEKS TO ESTABLISH A HOSPITALITY MARKET TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAPTURE GROWTH IN TOURISM MEETINGS AND SPECIAL EVENTS WITHIN THE GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY. AS PART OF THIS EFFORT, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY WANTS TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL TO ATTRACT THE CITY'S FIRST HOTEL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS EXCITING FOR THE CITY. JUST IN TERMS OF KAISER MARSTON, JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND, WE'RE REALLY SMALL BOUTIQUE FIRM. WE'VE GOT LESS THAN 30 PEOPLE PROBABLY IN OUR FIRM, AND WE HAVE OFFICES IN THE BAY AREA, LOS ANGELES AND SAN DIEGO, AND I'M BASED IN SAN DIEGO, AND I DROVE HERE TODAY.

WE PRIMARILY SERVE PUBLIC AGENCIES. WE PROVIDE SERVICES SUCH AS LAND USE, ECONOMICS, FISCAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS, AS WELL AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES. SOME OF THE PROJECTS ARE SEEN ON THE SCREEN THAT WE'VE OUR RECENT HOTEL PROJECTS. SO DESERT AND PALM DESERT. WE EVALUATED THE WE'RE HELPING EVALUATE CURRENTLY THE FEASIBILITY FOR A DESERT SURF WAVE PARK, WHICH WILL INCLUDE 92 LUXURY HOTEL ROOMS AND 93 RESIDENTIAL UNITS. WE ALSO HEAVILY WORKED ON THE GAYLORD PACIFIC RESORT AND CONVENTION CENTER IN CHULA VISTA, WHERE WE DID FINANCIAL EVALUATIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS. THE. WE ALSO WORKED ON THE PIER SOUTH HOTEL AND THE HAMPTON INN AND SUITES AND IMPERIAL BEACH. EVALUATING FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY AS WELL AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SUBSIDY REPORTS AND THEN CLOSE, CLOSE NEARBY HERE. WE WORKED ON THE HAMPTON INN AND SUITES AND FAIRFIELD INN AND SUITES TO ASSIST IN FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS, AS WELL AS TOT SHARING AGREEMENTS TO GET THOSE HOTELS BUILT IN INDIO. IN TERMS OF OUR SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR PHASE ONE, WE WERE HOPING TO PARTICIPATE IN AN INITIAL MEETING WITH CITY

[00:50:02]

SO WHETHER IT'S LIMITED SERVICE OR FULL, FULL SERVICE HOTELS. AND THEN WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT POTENTIAL BRANDING THEMES. SO IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HOTEL POLARIS. SORRY. AND HOW THEY WERE KIND OF A MEDICAL BRAND THEME. SO KIND OF TRY TO BRING UNDERSTAND THE BRAND HERE IN IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND GIVE YOU SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT BRANDING. GOING ON TO THE THIRD PHASE OF OUR SCOPE, WHICH IS A FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS. AND THIS IS A USEFUL TOOL IN DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF VARIOUS HOTEL TYPES. SO WE'LL ANALYZE UP TO THREE DEVELOPMENTS THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING. THOSE WILL INCLUDE AN ESTIMATE OF DEVELOPMENT COSTS, INCOME AND EXPENSES. WE'LL ESTIMATE THE TARGET RETURN OF THE HOTEL AND THEN IDENTIFY WHETHER THERE'S A FINANCING GAP. FOR EACH DEVELOPMENT PROTOTYPE FOR PHASE FOUR. SO A LOT OF HOTELS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON, THERE IS A FINANCING GAP. THE CHULA VISTA BAYFRONT HAD A BIG FINANCING GAP. INDIO HAD A BIG FINANCING GAP. AND WE WANT TO BRING TO YOU FINANCING SOLUTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES TO GET THOSE HOTEL BUILT. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE TOT SHARING, TAX EXEMPT BONDS, GRANTS AND SUBSIDIES, AS WELL AS THE WHAT A TOURISM AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT COULD DO IN TERMS OF BRINGING DEMAND FOR THE HOTEL. AND THAT PHOTO, AGAIN, IS THE HOTEL POLARIS THAT I MENTIONED IN COLORADO SPRINGS.

THEY ARE THAT MEDICAL DRIVEN FACILITY, BUT THEY WERE ALSO FINANCED THROUGH TAX EXEMPT BONDS. SO THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE. FOR PHASE FIVE, WE'LL BRING A SUMMARY OF OUR KEY FINDINGS TO THE CITY IN TERMS OF THE MARKET ASSESSMENT, THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS, OUR FINANCING APPROACHES. AND WE'LL RECOMMEND SOME KEY STEPS TO FINANCE AND IMPLEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT PREREQUISITES TO ATTRACT THE SPECIFIC TYPE, HOTEL TYPE OR TYPES TO THE CITY. AND PHASE SIX THE LAST PHASE IS OUR REPORT AND PRESENTATION. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS REPORT I THINK SELENA MENTIONED IN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING THAT DISCUSSED THIS, OUR STUDY, THAT SHE CAN TAKE IT TO MAYBE THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SHOPPING CENTERS TO SHOW DEVELOPERS THAT, HEY, WE'VE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE, WE'VE DONE OUR RESEARCH. AND AS A CITY AND THIS IS THE HOTEL TYPE THAT WE THINK WE WOULD NEED IN IN THE CITY. SO WE'RE HOPING IT'S A USEFUL TOOL FOR THE CITY AND VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS TO USE TO PROMOTE THE POTENTIAL HOTEL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY. IN TERMS OF OUR TIMELINE, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE

[00:55:02]

WE'LL DO A MARKET STUDY WHICH WILL MAYBE TAKE ABOUT 45 DAYS INTO MARCH 2025. THE MARKET ASSESSMENT IS VERY MUCH NEEDED FOR THAT FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY COMPONENT, WHERE WE USE THOSE INPUTS AND ASSUMPTIONS TO ANALYZE THE FEASIBILITY OF DIFFERENT HOTEL PROTOTYPES AND EXPECT THAT TO BE DONE IN APRIL 2025. AND THEN ONCE WE IDENTIFY KIND OF THE GAP IN THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS, WE'LL LOOK AT FINANCING APPROACHES AND OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOPE TO HAVE THAT TO THE CITY BY MAY 2025. AND THEN OUR FINAL REPORT, DEPENDING ON THE COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM THE CITY, IF YOU ALL ARE NOT HAPPY, IT MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE LONGER. SO WE PUT TBD, BUT HOPING TO BE COMPLETE WITH THIS STUDY AND ALL SIX PHASES BY JULY OF THIS YEAR. AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? SO YOU DID THOSE TWO WHEN INDIO. RIGHT. YOU WORKED WITH THAT. DID YOU WORK WITH THE FRANCHISEE OWNERS OR DID YOU WORK WITH THE CITIES? NO, WE'RE PRIMARILY FOR THE CITY. IS THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS? SO THERE'S A LOT HERE. SO SINCE MY TIME, EVEN MY TIME ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION, WE'VE APPROVED MANY TENTATIVE MAPS FOR MANY HOTELS. I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY ABOUT MAYBE FIVE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS PROPOSED ON AVENUE 51 THAT DIDN'T GO THROUGH ON AVENUE 48, BUT WE STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING GO THROUGH. WE HAVE ANOTHER THREE. AND WE SAW THAT NORTH THAT WERE PROPOSED AS WELL THROUGH MULTIPLE PHASES. SO I GUESS IS HAVE WE, SELENA, HAVE WE REACHED OUT TO ANY OF THOSE OWNERS, DEVELOPERS AS TO WHERE THEIR PROJECTS ARE? AND DO WE SEE THEM MOVING FORWARD? YEAH, I THINK THAT SOME OF THEM WILL MOVE FORWARD. I KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED TO THE MARRIOTT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE KIND OF WAITING FOR THIS STUDY JUST TO KIND OF GUIDE THEIR DECISION MAKING. I THE MARRIOTT DID TELL ME THEY'RE LOOKING AT BUILDING A HOTEL SORT OF CLOSER TO COACHELLA SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AREA. SO I THINK ONCE WE PROVIDE THIS, I THINK IT'S GOING TO REALLY HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, JUST UNDERSTAND OUR DEMOGRAPHICS HERE AND JUST OUR MARKET AND THE DEMAND AND, YOU KNOW, AND SO, SO I DO BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME POSSIBILITIES HERE AS A RESULT OF THIS SITE STUDY. SO ALSO IS USUALLY WHEN THE DEVELOPERS COME THROUGH, THEY LET US KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE THE MARKET FOR IT OR NOT. SO WOULD THIS BE THEN DOUBLING ACTION. SO NORMALLY WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES THROUGH, YOU KNOW THEY THEY BEFORE MOVING FORWARD THEY DO A MARKET ANALYSIS. IF WE EVEN HAVE THE MARKET TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A HOTEL AND THEN ALSO WITH ROOM OCCUPANCY. SO I THINK SOME OF THE PROTOTYPES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS DIFFERENT ROOM OCCUPANCY, BECAUSE THAT DOES CHANGE WHETHER WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING OR NOT. AND SO ONE IS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS. AND TWO, IS THAT JUST FROM MY EXPERIENCE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, USUALLY THEY DO SOME OF THAT WORK AND IDENTIFYING WHAT WE WHAT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH AND WHAT WE CAN'T. ADDITIONALLY, IS THAT AS YOU, AS YOU MADE AWARE, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENERGY CAPACITY. AND RIGHT NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF CITIES AND AREAS IN THE EAST VALLEY THAT WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO EVEN BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. SO THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE IDENTIFYING, YOU KNOW, DOES IT EVEN HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP? AND THEN ALSO IS ARE THOSE THEN COMPANIES, HOTEL COMPANIES WILLING TO EVEN PROVIDE AND PUT UP THAT MONEY FOR A SUBSTATION IF, IF IT'S NEEDED. AND THEN ALSO YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT CERTAIN PROPERTIES AND LANDS.

AND SO OBVIOUSLY WHEREVER THERE'S EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE IS, IS MORE YOU KNOW, WHAT USUALLY WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO GO INTO. BUT MANY OF THE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE IDENTIFYING ALSO ARE WHERE THERE ISN'T ANY EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS.

[01:00:02]

AND WE TRY TO ADOPT THAT HERE IN THE CITY. BUT OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME MARKET AND ECONOMIC OR ECONOMY THAT THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS HAS. BUT THEN IT ALSO LAPSED, I REMEMBER, AND THEN WE HAD A POTENTIAL DEVELOPER WHO WANTED TO BRING IN A HOTEL, SO WE HAD TO REVISIT THE THAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. AND FOR ME, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL IS, BUT I'M NOT YET COMFORTABLE WITH WITH MOVING FORWARD UNTIL I KNOW MORE ABOUT WHERE THERE IS EXISTING TENTATIVE MAPS FOR THOSE HOTELS.

AND THEN WHERE ARE THOSE DEVELOPERS AT? HAVE THEY REACHED OUT TO SOME OF THESE HOTEL COMPANIES? AND I KNOW MANY OF THEM HAVE. SO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'VE RECEIVED IN RETURN, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT HAVE DONE ALREADY. THE MARKET ANALYSIS FOR US. SO THAT'S FOR ME. THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I STAND. I WOULD LIKE TO SELENA, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A STUDY SESSION. I KNOW IT WAS MENTIONED TO HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN, A STUDY SESSION DONE WHERE WE CAN REALLY IDENTIFY WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE REVENUE OR WE CAN ATTRACT THOSE POTENTIAL HOTELS AND COMPANIES AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE MUCH NEEDED IN THE CITY. SO THAT'S FOR ME. THAT'S THE ACTION THAT I'M PROPOSING. AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE AT ON THE ITEM.

YEAH, I AGREE WITH MAYOR PRO TEM. I THINK WE SHOULD REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE PARTNERS AND ASK IF THEY'VE DONE A STUDY LIKE THIS AND JUST SEE WHAT THEY SAY, AND JUST SAY THAT THE CITY IS ASKING IF THEY'VE DONE ANY KIND OF STUDY. MAYBE WE WON'T HAVE TO DO IT. MAY I RESPOND TO LIKE THE MARKET STUDIES THAT THEY PROVIDE, OFTENTIMES THEY'RE FEEDING YOU DATA, BUT SOMETIMES THE CITY CITIES HAVE US KIND OF PEER REVIEW THEIR ASSESSMENTS BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY MAY HAVE MAYBE SOME NOT WRONG, BUT DIFFERING MARKET OPINIONS. SO THAT MIGHT BE A THING THAT WE ADD TO OUR MARKET ASSESSMENT WHERE WE'RE KIND OF PEER REVIEWING. IF THERE'S ONE ALREADY COMPLETED. WE WOULD ADD THAT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NUMBERS ARE ALL CORRECT OR ADR, THEIR OCCUPANCY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT THE STUDY COULD HELP. YEAH. AND I THINK TOO IS THAT WE NEED TO REVISIT, I THINK THAT SECOND INCENTIVE PROGRAM HAS ALSO EXPIRED. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO REVISIT AS WELL. WE JUST JUMPED FROM THE T.O.T INCREASE JUST WAS APPROVED. AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT 13%. AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ATTRACTING HOTELS OUT HERE. AND WITH THAT INCREASE, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOW AT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE OPERATING AT. AND SO I THINK THAT AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM IS ALSO BENEFICIAL FOR US TO LOOK AT. YEAH. AND WE CAN, AS PART OF THE MARKET ASSESSMENT, WE CAN WE PLAN TO DO LIKE COMPARABLE SURVEYS OF WHAT OTHER INCENTIVE PROGRAMS THAT THE CITIES AROUND YOU ARE DOING JUST TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF THEIR MARKET SEGMENT AND THEN HOW THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING THEIR INCENTIVES. SO IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? NO, BUT I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING, THAT IT'S A PEER REVIEW, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW WHAT OTHER LIKE THERE'S LIKE FIVE MAPS FROM WHAT WAS MENTIONED. RIGHT. SO WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD POTENTIALLY LIKE HOW OLD OUTDATED THE DATA IS. SO I CAN SEE WHY THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO SEE THAT BEFORE, JUST TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE YOU KNOW HAVE BEEN. AND THE ECONOMY ALSO IS KIND OF WHAT HAD STOPPED A LOT OF HOTELS BEFORE FROM COMIN. SO THEN THE ACTION WOULD BE TO SCHEDULE A STUDY SESSION FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THEN I WOULD MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT. RIGHT. SO IS THERE A MOTION TO SCHEDULE A STUDY, A STUDY SESSION FOR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? YES. THERE'S A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND. SO WE HAVE A MOTION. YES YES YES OKAY. AND A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. OKAY I'LL TAKE ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER

[01:05:02]

THANK YOU. AND NOW WE'RE MOVING TO ITEM NUMBER 25. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT, BUT I THINK THAT THERE MIGHT BE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WHO WANT TO ADD ADDITIONAL COMMENTS TO IT. 24 AND TO YES, TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION. SO 20 YES. SO 24 I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE IT TO OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AND OPEN IT UP FOR APPLICANTS. SINCE THE PROCESS WAS DONE DURING HOLIDAYS AND IT WAS A VERY BUSY TIME, I THINK IT'LL GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS. OKAY, SO IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE THE ITEM TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL SCHEDULED MEETING AND THEN ALSO OPEN UP THE APPLICATIONS TO RECEIVE MORE POTENTIAL APPLICANTS? IS THERE A MOTION? YES. SO IF YOU CAN JUST STATE THAT YOUR MOTION. YES I MOTION.

THANK YOU. OKAY. AND THEN IS THERE A SECOND. SECOND. GO AHEAD AND TAKE ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. FIGUEROA. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. NGUYEN. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO, TO ALL THE APPLICANTS THAT ARE HERE, THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOUR WAY OUT TO US. I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US IN THE NEXT SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING, SO WE CAN HEAR FROM YOU AT THAT MEETING. THANK YOU. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 25. SO AS THE MAYOR PROPOSES, WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL SCHEDULED MEETING. BUT ADDITIONALLY IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE MAYOR SEND US THE COMMITTEE AND BOARD APPOINTMENTS PRIOR TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, SO THAT THEN THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN THEN REVIEW AND SEE OUR AVAILABILITY PRIOR TO THE MEETING, AND THEN ALSO IT GIVES US A OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME SWITCHES IF WE WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND OTHER MEETINGS AND BOARDS. SO IS THERE A MOTION TO MOVE THE ITEM TO THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING? MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I THAT'S A SECOND. A MOTION AND A SECOND. OKAY. ROLL CALL. COUNCIL MEMBER. PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. FIGUEROA. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. NGUYEN. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR. PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. AND THEN, ITEM NUMBER 26. WE MOVED IT TO THE

[Public Comments (Non-Agenda Items)]

[01:10:01]

THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. SO I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO JUST INTRODUCE MYSELF. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR BLUE ZONES PROJECT, ASIDE FROM CITY CLERK, AND I WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE POLICY ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING BACK TO COUNCIL. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS SIMON MOORE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THIS EVENING. I'M SIMON MOORE. I'M THE COORDINATOR FOR COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH ACADEMY FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS. AND PRIOR TO THAT, I WORKED IN EMS FOR ABOUT TWO DECADES. AND THE STUDENTS HERE AT COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, THEY REPRESENT HEALTH CARE. THEY REPRESENT PUBLIC HEALTH. THEY REPRESENT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAY, WHAT YOU CAN BE IN THE WORLD. AND SO ONE OF THE POINTS THAT THEIR FOCUS IS, IS THIS YEAR IS TO THE TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN SMOKE. A COUPLE OF STATISTICS FROM THE CDC. TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN ANY FORM ARE UNSAFE. WE KIND OF ALL KNOW THAT. BUT PEOPLE STILL USE THEM. THEY IT'S ESTABLISHED PRIMARILY DURING THE ADOLESCENCE. MOST PEOPLE WHO SMOKE AS ADULTS EITHER SMOKED AS ADOLESCENTS OR THEY SMOKED, OR THEY WERE EXPOSED TO IT WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER. NINE OUT OF TEN ADULTS WHO SMOKE CIGARETTES DAILY STARTED SMOKING BEFORE 18.

IN 2024, 1 IN 5 STUDENTS WHO HAD EVER USED TOBACCO PRODUCTS BEFORE USED THEM BY THE TIME THEY WERE 18. FLAVORINGS AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS. THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE WITH THE VAPING AND WHATNOT. 88% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 85% OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS SMOKE OR VAPE, AND FOR A BRIEF STINT, I WAS A CAMPUS SAFETY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL. AND IN THAT BRIEF PERIOD OF ABOUT SIX MONTHS OR SO, I SPENT THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME DEALING WITH TOBACCO PRODUCTS. MOST MOST OF IT BEING VAPING PRODUCTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THE FOCUS OF THE STUDENTS AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE UNDERGOING IS TO CREATE MORE SAFE SPACES IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY THE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY, WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE SALTON SEA AND OTHER ISSUES, WE ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH OF THE RESPIRATORY COMPLICATIONS THAT EXIST IN THE COMMUNITY. SO IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT THAT'S ALREADY KIND OF ON THE BOOKS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JASMINE ZENDEJAS. GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I AM HERE TODAY. GIVE ME ONE SECOND TO THAT. OF COURSE I CAN. CAN YOU HEAR ME. TO THE HEALTH ACADEMY. OH TO THE STUDENTS. DID YOU GUYS WANT TO STAY A BIT TO. WE'RE ALMOST TO THE MEETING.

THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH YOU GUYS. OH. I'M SORRY, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, NO. IF YOU GUYS WANT TO STAY, THE MEETING IS ALMOST OVER. BUT THAT WAY WE CAN SPEAK TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY. AND BRING THAT BACK IN. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M SO SORRY. NO. THAT'S OKAY. NO WORRIES. LIKE I SAID, GOOD EVENING TO MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL. I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I DO WANT TO VOICE MY CONCERNS WITH SOME RECENT DECISIONS. AS WE ALL KNOW, COACHELLA HAS BEEN THRIVING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I FEEL LIKE YOUR ACTIONS HAVE BEEN JEOPARDIZING THAT. THAT BEING SAID, WE ARE PAYING. WE ARE PAYING VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO, AND WE WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.

AND ON THAT NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A RECORD TRAVEL OF EXPENSES FROM COUNCIL MEMBER DENISE AND FRANK, AND THIS COMES ON THE HEELS OF A RECENT TRIP THAT YOU TOOK TO NEW YORK, WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT PERTAINS TO YOUR DUTIES HERE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER. YOU DID. SO,

[01:15:02]

THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, WE HAVE ROSALIO AVILA. CITY COUNCIL THIS REALLY QUICK. I WAS LIKE, I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE, BUT I WAS LIKE, I FORGOT THIS. SO IT'S A LIGHT ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING ACTUALLY ON RANCHO LA MARIPOSA HOMES ON 50. I KNOW THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF UPGRADES, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT, BUT RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE PROPERTY, THAT'S WHERE I LIVE. IT'S SUPER DARK. THERE'S BEEN TIMES THAT I ALMOST HIT SOMEBODY OR SOMEONE ALWAYS HIT SOMEBODY. IT'S SUPER DARK, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE RUN IN THAT SECTION. I KNOW THERE'S A LITTLE LIGHT POLE, BUT IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, SO IT DOESN'T HELP. I JUST WANT TO TRY TO BRING THIS AWARENESS TO YOU GUYS, SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU GUYS COULD HELP US WITH. THAT'S ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERN. AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN FOR PARKS AND REC FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, AND I WANTED TO BRING UP THAT IF WE'RE ABLE TO HELP OUT BY PUTTING A SIGN UP THAT WE COULD SCAN, AND IT GIVES US THE TIMES OF COMMUNITY USE VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IT CALLED BETWEEN COMMUNITY USE AND THEN WHEN THEY. YEAH, SORRY FOR THE LEAGUES JUST BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THAT LITTLE ISSUE. I KNOW I SPOKE LAST TIME ABOUT A BOARD, BUT ACTUALLY I WAS AT ANOTHER CITY AND I SEE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SCAN. IT TAKES YOU RIGHT TO THE CITY AND IT GIVES YOU A BREAKDOWN. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ALWAYS ADD TO OUR PARKS. OKAY.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. THOSE ARE ALL THE REQUESTS TO SPEAK FORMS THAT I HAVE. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK OR MAKE A COMMENT ON ANY NON AGENDIZED ITEM? NO. IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM? IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON ZOOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THERE ARE NONE. OKAY, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO CITY COUNCIL

[Reports and Requests]

THANK YOU FOR THE HEALTH ACADEMY TO COME. MR. MOORE WAS MY TEACHER A VERY LONG TIME AGO, AND I WAS ALSO PART OF THE HEALTH ACADEMY WHEN I THOUGHT I WANTED TO BE A HEALTH PROFESSION, AND IT WAS REALLY A GROWING OPPORTUNITY. AND I'M GLAD. HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO A PROCLAMATION ABOUT NONSMOKING AND WORK WITH THE BLUE ZONES ON WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT, BECAUSE SMOKING DOES. CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC? SORRY ABOUT THAT. THAT'S THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK I DON'T TALK TO THE MICROPHONE DIRECTLY. THE YOU KNOW, SMOKING CAUSE OF DEATH IN MY FAMILY. AND SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT IT DOES TO THE HUMAN HEALTH, BUT ALSO NOT JUST THE PERSON THAT INGESTS THE SMOKING, BUT ALSO THE FAMILY THAT LIVE AROUND THEM, BECAUSE IT ALSO CAUSES DETRIMENT TO THEIR HEALTH. RIGHT. ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT IT'S IN THE YOUTH AND ADOLESCENCE THAT THEY LEARN ABOUT SMOKING. SO REALLY, HOW DOES THAT GO AND HOW DOES THAT REALLY IMPACT THE LIFE OF THE CHILD AS THEY GROW UP? THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HUME. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM, JUST REALLY QUICKLY, JUST A COUPLE OF EVENTS. I WAS INVITED BY THE WATER EDUCATION LATINO LEADERS, AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION AROUND THE SALTON SEA. IT'S SOME A FEW MILES AWAY FROM US HERE IN COACHELLA, BUT IT'S STILL NONETHELESS IMPACTS US WHEN IT COMES TO AIR QUALITY AND OUR HEALTH. SO I HAD THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ON THE COUNTY SIDE, AND THE NORTH LAKE PILOT PROGRAM AND PLAN THAT IS HOPEFULLY GOING TO START MOVING FORWARD. THERE WILL BE SOME WETLANDS, THERE WILL BE TRAILS, AMONG OTHER THINGS. AND REALLY, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO ENSURE THAT SOME OF THE PLAYA THAT IS OPEN AND WHENEVER THE WIND PICKS IT UP, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE INHALING, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MITIGATE SOME OF THAT. AND THAT WAY IT DOESN'T HAVE SUCH A SEVERE IMPACT IN OUR FAMILIES AND IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. AND THEN ALSO RECENTLY, WE OR I ATTENDED OUR COMMITTEE MEETING FOR THE AGRICULTURAL SUMMIT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL BE HAPPENING THIS YEAR. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR MARKETING STRATEGY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR PARTNERS WHO WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH. AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAD GREAT COMMUNICATION WITH OUR GROWERS IN THE AREA. SO THEY'RE ALL REALLY EXCITED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PROGRAM WE'RE WORKING ON, LIKE A KEYNOTE AND THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE INVOLVED, THEY'RE ALL HAVING A

[01:20:04]

BUT THOSE ARE MY TWO COMMENTS. AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO STAFF FOR BEING HERE. APPRECIATE YOU ALL.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE ALL STAYING SAFE. I HOPE EVERYONE IN YOUR FAMILY IS HEALTHY, AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO SEE YOU HERE AT EVERY MEETING. WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HERE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK MARISSA FOR STEPPING UP FOR STAYING IN CONTACT WITH ME, PHONE CALLS, AGENDA EVERY. THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. TO THE HEALTH ACADEMY CLASS. THANK YOU GUYS. WE DID HAVE A TOBACCO GRANT. IT DIDN'T GET RENEWED, BUT BASICALLY THERE WAS SOMEBODY THAT WAS GOING OUT TO THE SCHOOLS, TO THE PARKS, MAKING SURE THEY WEREN'T SMOKING THERE, EDUCATING THE PEOPLE ON HOW BAD VAPING IS, WHETHER IT'S TOBACCO OR MARIJUANA, HOW BAD IT IS. THERE IS A LOT OF JUVENILES THAT HAVE GOTTEN SICK AND ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF IT. SO I COMMEND YOU GUYS FOR WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. DON'T STOP. KEEP IT UP AND WELCOME MR. PATTERSON. TO THE HEALTH ACADEMY. IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF COURAGE TO COME HERE AND SPEAK BEHIND A PODIUM AND FACE FIVE PEOPLE BASICALLY JUST STARING AT YOU WHILE YOU READ YOUR COMMENTS. AND WHILE WE LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY, IT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF COURAGE, AND I AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENTS THAT YOU HAVE SHARED WITH US. AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ SHARED, WE DID HAVE A TOBACCO GRANT. COMMUNITY RESOURCES OFFICER, AND THEY WOULD GO TO THE MULTIPLE SITES AND EVENTS, AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE A GREAT PARTNER.

ALSO TO REACH OUT TO AND EVEN MAYBE. ATTEND SOME OF YOUR MEETINGS OR CLASSES AND JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED. AND THEN ANGELA IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE BLUE ZONE PROJECT AS WELL. SO THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORT THERE. IT WAS ACTUALLY IN OUR CONSENT CALENDAR TODAY FOR A FOOD TRUCK PROJECT, WHICH IT FORCES THOSE THOSE FOOD TRUCK VENDORS TO PROVIDE JUST HEALTHIER VERSIONS OF FOOD, BUT THEY ALSO CAN'T SELL ALCOHOL. SO IT'S JUST PART OF THAT EFFORT OF IDENTIFYING HEALTHIER WAYS OF LIVING. SO IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND, ONCE I'M DONE, I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS DIRECTLY AGAIN. MARISSA, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US. THANK YOU TO THE EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS. THANK YOU TO THE EMPLOYEES FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, FOR THE COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE SHARED.

IT IS WELL TAKEN, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE APPRECIATED AND YOU ARE RESPECTED. SO KNOW THAT I AM VERY APPRECIATIVE. IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE AS WELL TO SHARE COMMENTS AND TO COME BEFORE THE PODIUM KNOWING THAT IT'S A PUBLIC RECORD AND THAT ANYBODY CAN GO BACK AND SEE IT.

AND THAT DOES TAKE A LOT OF COURAGE. AND SO I THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT COURAGE AND STEPPING UP AND VOICING YOUR VOICING YOURSELVES. BILL, I THINK A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT NEW TO YOU. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. WE HAVE A LOT OF PENDING PROJECTS, PENDING DEVELOPMENTS THAT NEED TO MOVE FORWARD. WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY, THE ENERGY ISSUE THAT THE EAST VALLEY IS, IS CONCERNED WITH, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF BIG DECISIONS AND BIG THINGS THAT NEED TO BE MOVED FORWARD FOR THE FINANCES. I HAVE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT I AM A LITTLE WORRIED. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE BEING THAT WE'RE BUDGETING CORRECTLY AND THAT WE'RE BEING FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE AS WE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND WITH THAT, THAT'S THE I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS OTHER THAN THAT. AND ONE MORE THING IS THAT, BILL, IS THAT WE DO RELY A GREAT DEAL ON ON GRANTS. AND I KNOW YOU WERE PART OF THE TCC GRANT WHEN WE APPLIED THE FIRST TIME AROUND. AND SO THE CITY DEPENDS A LOT ON ON GRANTS. AND WE'VE BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING THOSE FUNDINGS. AND IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT. IT TAKES A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS TO BE ABLE TO PUT IN THEIR THEIR PART TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY GET THOSE MONIES.

[01:25:05]

THERE'S MANY TIMES WE HAVE TO DO MATCHING FUNDS, AND SOMETIMES IT TAKES INVESTMENT FROM FROM THE CITY ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THOSE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A LOT OF A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF YOU. AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SPOKEN. AND I'M SURE THEY WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO REACH OUT TO EVERYBODY AND HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS. SO WITH THAT, THAT ENDS MY COMMENTS. MARISSA, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? NO, I HAVE NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, I KNOW SINCE YOU MENTIONED BLUE ZONES PROJECT AND THE HEALTHY FOOD TRUCK, SO BLUE ZONES IS NOT ANTI-ALCOHOL.

THERE IS A POWER NINE AND PART OF THE POWER NINE IS WHY NOT FIVE? SO JUST TO CLARIFY, IT'S NOT ANTI ALCOHOL. IT'S ABOUT HAVING A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH ALCOHOL FOR THOSE THAT DO DRINK. BUT BLUE ZONES IS REALLY ABOUT TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES TO MAKE THE HEALTHY CHOICE EASIER. IT'S WE DON'T FOCUS ON CHANGING BEHAVIORS. WE'RE FOCUSED ON TRANSFORMING THE COMMUNITY. AND SO THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTION WAS TO REMOVE THAT. AND THAT'S WHY WE WENT WITH THAT. WITH THAT PROPOSAL. THANK YOU. SO SHE'S A GOOD SOURCE TO CONNECT WITH AND PARTNER WITH.

SO THANK YOU ALL. THAT MEANS WE'RE ADJOURNING THIS MEETING. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT WITH US AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND VOICES WITH US.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.