NOT GOING TO BE HERE. YEAH. AND THEN THERE'S MAYOR PRO TEM GOING TO BE HERE. I DON'T KNOW. 
          [Call to Order]
          [00:00:06]
I DON'T KNOW. ALL RIGHT. I THINK SHE IS. IS SHE ALL RIGHT? WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO THE AGENDA OF THE CLOSED SESSION AND THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. THE CITY 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 COACHELLA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY IN THE COACHELLA PARKS AND RECREATION FOUNDATION. TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2025. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT THE CLERK NOTE FOR THE RECORD, THE ATTENDANCE. MAYOR PRO TEM IS JUST ARRIVING. WE'LL MOVE ON 
          [Approval of Agenda]
TO APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. MR. CITY MANAGER, ANY CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? NO CHANGES TO THE AGENDA. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA? MOTION TO APPROVE AS A MOTION. SECOND. 
          THERE'S A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS? NONE. 
          [Adjourn to Closed Session]
NONE. ALL RIGHT. SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS, 
          [Reconvene Regular Meeting]
ALL RIGHT. THE COUNCIL RECONVENING FROM CLOSED SESSION. MR. CITY 
          [Closed Session Announcements]
ATTORNEY. ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION? YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR. COUNCIL. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THE CITY COUNCIL MET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO THE ITEM LISTED ON THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA. AND THERE IS NO REPORTABLE ACTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CITY MANAGER IF YOU COULD LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE. I'LL STAND. PLEASE JOIN ME IN PLEDGE TO OUR WONDERFUL AND GREAT COUNTRY. READY? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WE'LL MOVE ON NOW, AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO JOIN US IN 
          [Proclamations/Presentations/Direction]
RECOGNIZING AND HONORING MARIA SERRANO. WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION UP FRONT, AND I KNOW HER GRANDDAUGHTER IS HERE TO RECEIVE IT. AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO JOIN US UP FRONT. AND AS WELL AS. FAMILY. IF YOU CAN COME UP HERE AND JOIN US AND MAYBE TALK ABOUT YOUR GRANDMA A LITTLE BIT. WELL, LET'S LET'S INTRODUCE YOU FIRST. SURE. HELLO. MY NAME IS SYLVIA YODICE. I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF MARIA SERRANO. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO FIRST OFF, THANK. 
          THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE THE FLOWERS THAT YOU SENT. YOU KNOW, IT'S IT WAS A SURPRISE TO ME. I WAS ACTUALLY OVERSEAS, AND I TOOK BEREAVEMENT TO COME AND BE HERE ON ON HER LAST DAY ON EARTH. I DO HAVE A SPEECH I DIDN'T QUITE PREPARE, BUT I HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, IF THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. SO TODAY, AS WE HONOR HER LEGACY, I STAND NOT JUST AS HER GRANDCHILD, BUT AS A PROUD REPRESENTATIVE OF A WOMAN WHOSE VOICE ECHOED FAR BEYOND OUR FAMILY. A WOMAN WHO LEFT A MARK ON OUR COMMUNITY AND ON HISTORY. 
          MARIA WAS MORE THAN A BELOVED GRANDMOTHER. SHE WAS A FIERCE ADVOCATE, A COMPASSIONATE LEADER, AND A DETERMINED ORGANIZER. SHE DEDICATED HER LIFE TO STANDING UP FOR THOSE WHOSE VOICES WERE OFTEN SILENCED. THE FARMWORKERS WHO FED THIS NATION, BUT WHO STRUGGLED FOR MOST BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. SHE WORKED ALONGSIDE CESAR CHAVEZ, NOT BEHIND HIM. 
          SHE WAS A VOICE OF MOVEMENT, A VOICE THAT CARRIED PAIN, THE HOPE AND THE STRENGTH OF THE PEOPLE. I RECENTLY LEARNED THAT HER TESTIMONY AND WORDS ARE PRESERVED, AND CHRISTIAN BAEZ'S BOOK, WHERE SHE SPOKE CANDIDLY ABOUT THE STRUGGLES FACED BY FARMWORKERS AND THE FIGHT FOR DIGNITY AND JUSTICE. HER STORIES, HER TRUTH. ARE NOW PART OF THE RECORDED HISTORY THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL LEARN FROM. MARIA'S LEGACY IS NOT ONLY IN BOOKS OR SPEECHES. 
          [00:05:03]
IT'S IN THE LIVES SHE TOUCHED. THE WORKERS SHE UPLIFTED, AND THE GENERATION SHE INSPIRED. 
          SHE TAUGHT US THAT THE LEADERSHIP DOESN'T ALWAYS COME WITH TITLE, BUT OFTEN COMES FROM THE WILLINGNESS TO SHOW UP, TO SPEAK OUT AND STAND FIRM, TO BE HONORED HERE. BY THE CITY SHE'S LOVED IS A TESTAMENT TO THE POWERFUL IMPACT ONE LIFE CAN HAVE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE RECOGNITION AND FOR HELPING US CELEBRATE THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF A WOMAN WHO WAS TRULY, YOU KNOW, A VOICE FOR MANY. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO INCLUDE SYLVIA MONTENEGRO TO SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER FRIENDSHIP WITH MADAM MAYOR. SOME UP HERE. I'VE ALSO INCLUDED A BOOK TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS. IT'S BEEN SIGNED BY CHRISTIAN. YES, CHRISTIAN. OH. YOU DID. WOW. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR HERNANDEZ. YES. WELL, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A MEMORY, A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY, BECAUSE MARIA WAS MY FINE FRIEND. WE WERE FRIENDS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND I MET MARIA IN OUR FIGHT TO MAKE OUR WORLD, OUR COMMUNITY, A BETTER COMMUNITY. AND MARIA DID THAT. 
          MARIA WORKED VERY HARD WITH CESAR CHAVEZ TO FORM A THE UNION FOR FARM WORKERS, AND THROUGH HER WORK AND THE WORK OF MANY FARMWORKERS, MANY WHO ARE ALREADY IN HEAVEN NOW, BUT THROUGH THEIR WORK, FARM WORKERS THEN GAIN RECOGNITION. LAWS WERE MADE, PARTICULARLY THOSE APPLYING TO WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION, AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE, WHICH IS THE THAT THAT IS PAID TO ELIGIBLE WORKERS WHEN THEY ARE NOT WORKING. THAT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE LA UNION. THIS IS OUR CHAVEZ. WOULD YOU KNOW THAT THIS PARK RIGHT HERE WAS WHERE THE UNION FORMED? THIS IS THE PARK WHERE AN ATTEMPT TO KILL CESAR CHAVEZ OCCURRED. HE WAS GIVING A SPEECH. WE HAD A LITTLE STAGE. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO TAKE HIS LIFE. BUT EVEN MORE THAN THAT IS THAT MARIA'S FAMILY IS HERE TONIGHT. HER DAUGHTERS ARE HERE. THEY WERE ARRESTED IN THE FIELDS WHERE THEY WERE WORKING. THEY WERE TAKEN TO RIVERSIDE COUNTY JAIL. 
          HER DAUGHTER ROSA GOT DRAGGED DOWN THE HALLWAY AT THE JAIL IN INDIO, RIVERSIDE COUNTY. SHE WAS A YOUNG GIRL, BUT BECAUSE SHE REFUSED TO SIGN AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT, SHE GOT DRAGGED BY A DEPUTY DOWN THE HALLWAY IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY JAIL. BUT THAT WAS A GIVEN. WOMEN GIVEN TO MARIA'S FAMILY AND THE FAMILY LIVED AND SUFFERED THAT CONSEQUENCE FOREVER. AND THAT IS WHY MARIA WAS SO DETERMINED. SHE HAD A DETERMINATION THAT WAS ADMIRABLE. YOU. SHE NEVER SAID NO IF SHE WAS ASKED. LET'S WORK ON THIS. VAMOS A VER QUÉ PODEMOS HACER? AND THERE WE WERE. NOW I HAVE TO PROUDLY SAY, TOO, THAT THE FAMILY NOW HAS INHERITED THE HOME THAT MARIA AND HER HUSBAND AND THE ENTIRE FAMILY BUILT ON BRENDA STREET HERE IN COACHELLA. AND THAT IS THROUGH THE COACHELLA VALLEY HOUSING COALITION MUTUAL SELF-HELP PROGRAM, WHERE OUR FAMILIES CAN, IF ELIGIBLE, SECURE LOAN FROM THE USDA. THEY DID, AND THEY BUILT THEIR HOME. 
          AND SO NOW EZEQUIEL AND MARIA ARE IN HEAVEN. BUT THEY LEFT A BEAUTIFUL HOME AND GARDEN. THEN MARIA ATTENDED SO WELL, SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME ABOUT HER WORK WITH HER PLANTS. SHE HAD. HER YARD IS FULL OF PLANTS. MARIA IS NOT THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM NOW, AND I'M SURE THE FAMILY WILL TAKE CARE OF HER GARDEN. BUT THAT WAS THE WORK THAT SHE AND HER HUSBAND DID. 
          SO SHE WAS NONSTOP AMAZING WHERE MARIA DREW HER ENERGY. SHE JUST HAD IT. BUT SHE'S A ROLE MODEL FOR ALL OF US. DO NOT SAY NO. LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS. SHE AND I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED FOR SOLUTIONS IN COMMUNITY LIFE AND WE WORK ON THEM. WORK FOR THE SOLUTION. NO WHINING, NO COMPLAINING WORK. AND WE BRING ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT IS HOW I 
          [00:10:01]
REMEMBER MARIA SERRANO. SHE CAME FROM MEXICO AS AN IMMIGRANT WORKER, AND I AM OF COURSE, MY MY PARENTS CAME FROM MEXICO. MY FATHER CAME FROM PUEBLA, MEXICO AS AN ORPHAN CHILD. SO I KNOW WHAT AN IMMIGRANT FAMILY CAN BE LIKE. AND FARMWORKER FAMILY, BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS A A GROWER, A FARMER DURING WORLD WAR TWO AND BACK WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE SCHOOL BUSSES TO GO TO SCHOOL, WE WALKED MONROE STREET WHEN IT WAS STILL A DIRT ROAD. NOW NONE OF THE STREETS WERE PAVED AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT WAS. COACHELLA WAS THE SAME WAY. AND SO ALL OF THESE YEARS, MARIA LIVED 95, POWERFUL, BEAUTIFUL YEARS. YES, I AM 88, JUST BARELY. AND SO IT'S WHAT WE CHOOSE TO DO. ARE WE PEOPLE OF PURPOSE OR DO WE CHOOSE TO BE WHINERS? MAKE YOUR CHOICE. AND IT JUST BRINGS TO MIND A WRITING IN THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY IN THE BIBLE WHERE IT ASKS, WHY DID GOD MAKE YOU? GOD MADE ME TO KNOW HIM, TO LOVE HIM, AND TO SERVE HIM IN THIS WORLD WITH ALL MY MIGHT? AND THAT IS WHAT MARIA DID. MY DEAR FRIEND. I MISS HER VERY, VERY MUCH NOW. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE CITY OF COACHELLA, OF COURSE, HAS ASSISTED US. OF COURSE, WE'VE LEARNED TO WORK AS COMMUNITY BUILDERS, HAVEN'T WE? HAVEN'T WE, MAYOR HERNANDEZ? AND WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE. WE DON'T HAVE TO. NO, NO, BUT ULTIMATELY WE HAVE THE POSITIVE SOLUTION. THAT IS WHAT WE DO AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SO I'M PROUD TO BE HERE AND BE GIVEN THIS SHORT MOMENT TO GIVE YOU MY REMEMBRANCES OF MARIA SERRANO, MY DEAR FRIEND. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT AND READ THE CITY OF COACHELLA, CALIFORNIA PROCLAMATION AND IT READS, WHEREAS MARIA SERRANO WAS BORN IN JALISCO, MEXICO, HAD SEVEN CHILDREN AND MIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1967 AND WERE MARIA WAS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE UFW UNITED FARM WORKERS, A VETERAN, A CLOSE COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATOR OF CESAR CHAVEZ, AND HAD A DEEP DEVOTION TO OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE. AND WHEREAS, MARIA DEDICATED HER LIFE TO FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF FARMWORKERS. AND WHEREAS, IN 1976 SHE CO-FOUNDED JUSTICIA Y LIBERTAD COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS SINCE INCORPORATED AS A NONPROFIT INDIO HOUSING CORPORATION, AND SERVED AS VICE PRESIDENT FROM 1984 THROUGH 1985. AND WHEREAS, BEYOND HER ADVOCACY WITH THE UFW, MARIA ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE INDIO POLICE DEPARTMENT. DURING A NARCOTICS BUST AT THE FARMWORKERS CAMP OFF AVENUE 42 STREET, HELPING TO CLEAN UP THE STREET AND IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE. AND WHEREAS HER WORK AND INFLUENCE WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN AND HER LEGACY WILL CONTINUE TO GUIDE AND INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS. NOW, THEREFORE, I, STEVEN HERNANDEZ, MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, BY THE POWERS VESTED IN US, DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MARIA SERRANO AND URGE ALL CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND JOINING ME TO EXPRESS OUR PROFOUND ADMIRATION FOR HER COMMITMENT AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS COMMUNITY. THIS IS FOR YOU. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO ASK BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY INSPIRING AND PRETTY MOVING. ALL OF YOU WHO ARE HERE FOR FOR FAMILY, FRIENDS. IF YOU COULD STAND YOU THAT WAY, WE CAN SEE YOU AND RECOGNIZE YOU AND GIVE YOU ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BEING HERE. AND AND SHOWING UP FOR HER, EVEN EVEN AFTER LIFE. 
          RIGHT? YOU GUYS ARE THERE FOR HER. AND I SAID A FEW WORDS EARLIER THAT IT'S HARD. IT'S DIFFICULT TO TO LOSE A LOVED ONE. BUT YOU ALL SHOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOUR OF YOUR MOM, YOUR GRANDMAS, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR SISTERS. WORK. IT WAS INCREDIBLE. EYEWITNESS TO PERSONALLY FOR OVER 19 YEARS AND SEEING WHAT SHE HAS DONE HERE IN COACHELLA AND THE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY IN INDIO, SHE LEFT A HUGE IMPACT. SHE LEFT A HUGE IMPACT, AND IT'S ONE THAT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE REMEMBERED, AND IT'S INSPIRING TO OTHERS AND THE 
          [00:15:01]
YOUNGER GENERATION TO ALSO LEAVE AN IMPACT AND DO GOOD ON OUR COMMUNITY. AND I REMEMBER MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH HER. AND THE MAYOR IS RIGHT. WE DIDN'T AGREE ALL THE TIME, BUT WE FOUND A WAY TO MAKE A POSITIVE CHANGE. AND SHE WAS ALWAYS ABOUT THAT, ALWAYS ABOUT THAT. SO ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, THE COUNCIL, I'M GOING TO ALLOW MY COUNCIL TO SAY SOME WORDS AS WELL. UNA VIDA. VIDA FELICIDADES VAMOS A EXTRANAR. PERO NUNCA LE VAMOS A OLVIDAR. 
          MUCHAS GRACIAS. SO I WANT TO THANK THE FAMILY FOR BEING HERE. GRACIAS. POR AHORA ES UN DIA MUY DIFICIL PARA USTEDES. PERO ALGO DE MARIA. I READ SOMETHING ABOUT MARIA THAT SHE HELPED CLEAN UP. FRED LABOR YOUNGER CAMP FRED YOUNG CAMP WHICH WAS PEOPLE KNOW IT AS EL CAMPO. SHE WAS PART OF MAD MOTHER AGAINST DRUGS. THERE WAS A LOT OF KIDS AND THE PEOPLE KNEW THAT THERE WAS GANGS AND DRUGS WAS AN ISSUE, AND SHE HELPED CLEAN UP AND SHE DID WORK WITH INDIO PD. 
          SO TO ME THAT THAT WAS A LOT, YOU KNOW, TO GET INVOLVED AND RISK YOUR LIFE JUST TO BETTER THE LIVES OF CHILDREN, THAT MEANS A LOT. SO THANK YOU. I THINK MY COLLEAGUES COVERED A LOT. I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU. I MET SOME OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS, AND SO I KNOW THAT THIS MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO YOU. IT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO US. HER LOSS IS GOING TO BE FELT HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, YOU KNOW, AND I'M GOING TO ASK THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS IF YOU GUYS CAN COME UP SO THAT THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE A FULL PICTURE SO YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU. SO IF WE CAN HAVE. 
          YOU WANT ME TO TAKE IT. OUT. SORRY. WE'LL TAKE IT. WE'LL TAKE IT THAT WAY. YEAH. SO. YOU KNOW. THANK. YOU. AGAIN. SPECIAL MOMENT. 123. TWO. THREE. AMEN. 
          LEVI. GUADALUPE. VIVA! MOMENT! 
          [00:20:09]
SHALL WE START RIGHT THERE WITH THE GENTLEMAN? YEAH. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL RECONVENE. THAT WAS. THAT WAS PRETTY EMOTIONAL. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. FINE FOOD BANK PRESENTATION ON HUNGER ACTION MONTH. HI. WELCOME. HELLO. HELLO. CITY COUNCILMAN. SORRY IT WAS SUCH A. IT WAS A MOVING PRESENTATION, SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPRESSION OF COMMUNITY AND SPIRIT. ANYWAYS, SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. COMPLETELY APPRECIATE IT. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, MEMBER. CITY OF COACHELLA. STAFF MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS FIND FOOD BANK HAS BEEN A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY FOR HAVING US HERE, BEING ABLE TO DO OUR WORK AND MISSION, WHICH IS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE FOOD INSECURE KNOW WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM EVERY YEAR. AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST ALMOST EIGHT YEARS NOW. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE CONTINUALLY GROWN THE RELATIONSHIP NOT JUST WITH THE CITY, BUT WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT RESIDE HERE TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE AN EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HEALTHY AND NUTRITIOUS FOODS FOR THE TIMES THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY FOR IT ON THEIR OWN. THEY KNOW THAT THERE'S A PLACE TO GO. WHAT I'M HERE FOR TODAY IS TO TALK ABOUT SEPTEMBER, WHICH IS HUNGER ACTION MONTH ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT WORK THAT THE CITY AND FIND FOOD BANK AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN DOING TOGETHER IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKEN CARE OF ON THEIR MOST PRIMAL NEEDS, WHICH IS FOOD FOR US. IT'S IT'S AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS WELL FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY SAD TO SAY IS STILL HAPPENING TODAY, WHICH IS FOOD INSECURITY, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ABUNDANCE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. THERE REALLY IS NO REASON WHY PEOPLE SHOULD BE WONDERING WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM. AND YET, HERE I AM, STANDING HERE TODAY SAYING THAT WE STILL NEED TO KEEP IT AT THE FOREFRONT OF ALL OF OUR CITIES, OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY, TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER. BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING GOOD. AND SO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE DATA AND THE STATISTICS TO JUST KEEP YOU INFORMED. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WITH OTHER CITIES TOO AS WELL. SEPTEMBER IS WHEN I COME OUT AND DO THE STATE OF FOOD INSECURITY FOR EACH ONE OF THE CITIES TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE ALL AT TOGETHER IN THIS FIGHT TO END HUNGER FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA. SPECIFICALLY, ON THE LAST STATISTICS THAT WE'VE PULLED TOGETHER WITH REGARDS TO FOOD INSECURITY NUMBERS. THIS IS BY FEEDING AMERICA, WHICH IS THE LARGEST HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES. THEY DO THEIR OWN STUDY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE, COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HELP EACH ONE OF THE JURISDICTIONAL AREAS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR FOOD INSECURITY RATE IS LOOKING LIKE FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA. YOUR FOOD INSECURITY RATE. WE ESTIMATED ABOUT 15% OF YOUR TOTAL POPULATION IS AT A POINT WHERE THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO EITHER HAVE 2 TO 3 SQUARE MEALS A DAY, SO IT'S POSSIBLE THEY COULD BE HAVING ONE. IT'S POSSIBLY THEY COULD BE HAVING NONE EVERY DAY, AND THEY'RE SKIPPING MEALS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HELP MAKE OTHER ENDS MEET. A LOT OF THE TIMES, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOUR FOOD INSECURE, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE HOMELESS. IN FACT, 97% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE, OF THE 125,000 CLIENT INTERACTIONS THAT WE HAVE EVERY MONTH, 97% OF THEM ARE EITHER FIXED INCOME SENIORS THAT ARE RETIRED, THEY ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, BUT THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE HIGH COST OF LIVING THAT IS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE COACHELLA VALLEY. THERE ARE CHILDREN THAT ARE GOING TO SCHOOL, THEIR GRANDMOTHERS, THEIR PARENTS, THEIR AUNTS AND UNCLES THAT ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE HOMES AS MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILIES BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET TOGETHER AS A TOTAL UNIT. WITH ALL OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMBINED TOGETHER, WE ARE STILL SEEING OVER 86% OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY QUALIFYING FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH, WHICH MEANS THAT THEIR FAMILY, IF THEY HAVE A FAMILY OF FOUR, IS MAKING LESS THAN $46,000 A YEAR. 
          AND AS YOU KNOW, IN THIS VALLEY WHERE THE RENTS ARE HIGH AND WHERE THE COST OF LIVING IS HIGH, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY TO BE ABLE TO STRETCH FOR FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN THAT HOUSEHOLD. SO WHAT FINE FOOD BANK DOES AND WHAT MANY OF THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH THROUGHOUT THE COACHELLA VALLEY IS WE COME TOGETHER AND WE MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EQUITABLE, HEALTHY FOOD DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE REGION, AND WE PARTNER WITH THE JURISDICTIONS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, TOGETHER AS A WHOLE COMMUNITY, CAN HELP. IN COACHELLA ALONE, OUR LAST 12 MONTHS, WE HAD OVER 103,000 CLIENT ENGAGEMENTS IN COACHELLA. THERE ARE THREE FINE FOOD BANK MOBILE MARKETS WHERE WE LITERALLY LOAD UP OUR TRUCKS 
          [00:25:07]
AND OUR VEHICLES, AND WE BRING THEM OUT TO LOCATIONS WITHIN YOUR CITY AND ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME OVER A 2 TO 3 HOUR PERIOD OF TIME TO RECEIVE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 30 TO 50 POUNDS OF HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS GROCERIES TO BRING HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE SIX OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE THAT WE STOCK AND SUPPLY THEIR FOOD PANTRIES AND THE LOCAL FOOD BANKS, WITH CLOSE TO 75 TO 100% OF THEIR FOOD SUPPLY. SO THEY, IN TURN, CAN SERVE THEIR PARISH POPULATIONS OR ANYBODY THAT ARE WITHIN THE LOCATION THAT CAN'T MAKE IT TO ANY ONE OF OUR MOBILE MARKETS. THROUGH THAT, THERE ARE OVER 80,000 ADDITIONAL INSTANCES THAT PEOPLE RESERVE THROUGH THOSE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER STATISTICS THAT WE HAVE FOUND THIS YEAR THAT YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF IN COACHELLA, THERE ARE OVER 400 REGISTERED COACHELLA RESIDENTS THAT VOLUNTEER AT FINE FOOD BANK IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DISTRIBUTE OVER 2.1 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS FOR FREE IN THIS COMMUNITY. TO PEOPLE THAT NEED FOOD ASSISTANCE, 400 OVER 400 REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND THAT'S A LOT. WE HAVE 2000 OVER 2000 REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS AND 400 OF THEM ARE COMING FROM COACHELLA. THEY WORK IN OUR WAREHOUSE. THEY WORK AT THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION LINES. SOME OF THEM MAY BE RECEIVING FOOD ASSISTANCE THEMSELVES, AND THEY IN TURN GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY TOO, AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS NEED HELP. AND SO THIS COMMUNITY IS JUST SO GIVING IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. THEY NOT ONLY NOT, NOT ONLY DO THEY RECEIVE FOR THOSE THAT ARE RECEIVING, BUT THEY ARE GIVING BACK TO YOU AS WELL IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY IN VARIOUS WAYS. PERCENT OF YOUR VOLUNTEERS. RIGHT? A LITTLE BIT. YEAH, YEAH. BECAUSE, YEAH, CLOSE TO 20% OF THE REGISTERED VOLUNTEERS ARE COMING FROM COACHELLA. I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT'S REALLY GREAT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO HEAR ABOUT IS, IS THAT WE ALSO DO OUTREACH SERVICES IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. WE HELP PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR MEDI-CAL, HELP PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR CALFRESH. AND IN THE COMING DAYS, WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING, OUTREACH SERVICES ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR SERVICES AND NAVIGATE THROUGH THE SYSTEM. FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE ABILITY TO QUALIFY FOR THESE SERVICES. SO WE WANT OUTREACH TO STAY STRONG. THERE ARE 252 RESIDENTS THAT RECEIVED OUTREACH SERVICES BY FINE FOOD BANK IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA AS WELL, AND IN OUR THIRD PROGRAMMATIC FRAMEWORK, WHICH IS ENDING HUNGER FOR LIFETIME, WHERE WE LOOK AT THE ROOT CAUSAL WORK FOR ENDING HUNGER, MEANING WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE THE ISSUES OF WHY THEY MAY BE IN THE LINE IN THE FIRST PLACE. SO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY, TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO BUDGET A LITTLE BIT BETTER IF THEY HAVE EXPENDABLE DOLLARS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE REDIRECTED TO OTHER THINGS. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY WANT TO TRY TO BETTER THEIR LIVES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM COME OUT OF THE LINE AND BE ABLE TO BE INDEPENDENT THEMSELVES. WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE OVER $77,000 WORTH OF SCHOLARSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA OBTAIN THESE SKILL SETS TO HELP THEM BETTER THEIR LIVES, TO START TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AGAIN. THOSE ARE THROUGH A MYRIAD OF PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE COLLEGE OF THE DESERT PROGRAMS, WHERE WE HAD A FEW STUDENTS THAT DID 400 SERVICE HOURS, COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS, AND FOR THAT, THEY RECEIVED A $10,000 STIPEND TO HELP THEM CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL. WE HAD ONE RESIDENT SERVE ON THE FIND YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, LEARNING ABOUT ENDING WHAT FOOD INSECURITY WAS AND HELPING TO EDUCATE US WHAT THEY WERE SEEING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL FOR THEIR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS THAT WERE FOOD INSECURE THROUGH THE EYES OF YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY. THAT PERSON RECEIVED A $2,000 SCHOLARSHIP TOWARDS EDUCATION, AND THEY ENDED UP GOING TO ONE OF THE UC SCHOOLS WITH THAT SCHOLARSHIP TO HELP. AND THEN WE ALSO HAD FOUR OTHER STUDENTS RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH THE OPPORTUNITY BANK FUND, WHICH ALLOWS KIDS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT THEY WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD WITHOUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS, SO THEY COULD LEARN COMMUNICATION SKILLS, TEAM BUILDING SKILLS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS WHICH WE KNOW IS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO BETTER YOURSELVES. SO WE'RE DOING A WHOLE HOST OF PROGRAMS HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MANY ORGANIZATIONS, WITH THE CITY, WITH THE COMMUNITY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THAT SPIRIT THAT WAS JUST TALKED ABOUT, WHICH IS COMPLETELY ACTIVATING EVERYBODY IN ALL REGARDS SO THAT WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER JUST BECOME BETTER AS A COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO 
          [00:30:01]
END HUNGER ULTIMATELY. SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE JUST WANTED TO SHARE WHERE WE'RE AT IN THIS FIGHT AGAINST ENDING HUNGER IN YOUR CITY SPECIFICALLY. DEBBIE, THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT STATISTICS. IF YOU COULD PROVIDE THE CLERK SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD TO TO HIGHLIGHT JUST THE COOPERATION WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND WHAT YOU ALL DO. AND I'VE SEEN THE THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND THE EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING ON. AND I THINK YOU WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU? I THINK IF YOU JUST CONTINUE TO STAY WITH US IN PARTNERSHIP, TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO GIVE YOU UPDATES ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY. MY BIGGEST REQUEST IS THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS UNDERSTANDING WHAT FOOD INSECURITY IS LOOKING LIKE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. SO WE IN PARTNERSHIP CAN HELP THOSE THAT ARE IN NEED TO END IT AND END THAT BATTLE. I THINK IF YOU CAN HELP EDUCATE PEOPLE AS WELL BY CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN STUDY SESSIONS OR IN OTHER CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING AT, LIKE THE ALL MAYORS MEETING AND THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE ALL ATTENDING. I THINK SOMETIMES HUNGER CAN GET PUSHED TO THE SIDE BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT I'M NOT SAYING ARE NOT AS IMPORTANT, BUT IF PEOPLE ARE STARVING AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING BUT WONDER WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BE A COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT PARTICIPATES IN ANY OF THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, SO IT ALWAYS HAS TO STAY AT THE FOREFRONT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR NEEDS MET. WE HAVE A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTION. I'M GOING TO ASK RESET, MAYBE DO A LITTLE INTERVIEW WITH YOU. THAT WAY WE CAN PUT IT OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND JUST HIGHLIGHT THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND THE COOPERATION THAT'S GOING ON, AND, AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE STATISTICS IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, 400 VOLUNTEERS FROM COACHELLA, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, 15% OF OUR POPULATION IS IS STRUGGLING TO TO GET, YOU KNOW, 2 TO 3 SQUARE MEALS A DAY. YEAH. AND AND JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO DO A LITTLE INTERVIEW WITH YOU. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOT A NEW FACILITY TO IT'D BE NICE TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SPOTLIGHT THAT. AND AT LEAST FROM THAT AND, AND WE ARE WE I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'VE RSVP'D YET, BUT WE'VE INVITED ALL THE CITY COUNCILS TO THE GRAND OPENING. SO I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL BE THERE ON THE 26TH ON FRIDAY. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE ALL OF YOU CELEBRATE THAT. IT IS A WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY. IT IS. IT WILL BE THE FOOD. IT WILL BE THE FOOD SECURITY CAMPUS FOR OUR ENTIRE REGION. WITH OVER 90,000FT■!S. THAT'S DEDICATED TO BRINGING IN FRESH AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD FOR IT TO GO OUT FOR FREE TO THE COMMUNITY, IN PUBLIC AND ONE OF OUR VERY OWN BUILT IN. YES, ONE OF OUR YES, YES, YES, BILL, BILL. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE TO BE MENTIONED, SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. OVER 80%, 75% OF THE PEOPLE THAT BUILT THAT BUILDING ARE ALL LOCAL. AND YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, A PROUD COACH, ELLEN, THAT WAS THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR THAT REALLY MADE SURE THAT WE FOCUSED ON LOCAL PEOPLE BUILDING A LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTER. SO VERY NEAT. YEAH. 
          COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THREE I SAID THERE WAS THREE FOOD SITES IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. SO WE HAVE THREE MOBILE PANTRIES. SO THAT'S REFINED FOOD BANK SENDS THE TRUCKS OUT INTO LIKE THE THE COMMUNITY PARKS AND THE COMMUNITY CENTERS AND CHURCHES THAT ALLOW US TO USE THEIR PARKING LOTS. SO THERE'S THREE OF THOSE. AND THEN YOU HAVE SIX OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PICK UP FOOD FROM FINE FOOD BANK AND BRING IT BACK TO THEIR OWN LOCAL PANTRIES. SO A LOT OF THOSE ARE CHURCHES OR RECREATION CENTERS. SO COMMUNITY HAS DIFFERENT TIMES AND PLACES AND LOCATIONS FOR EASY ACCESS. SO THEY'RE PICKING UP THE FOOD FROM FINE FOOD BACK THEMSELVES AND THEN AND THEN TAKING IT BACK TO THEIR LOCATION. YES. SO WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT WILL DRIVE. WE HAVE SOME COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL DRIVE TO FIND FOOD BANK OR WILL DELIVER TO THEM, DEPENDING ON WHICH ONE THEY CHOOSE. AND THEY'LL GET, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOUR PALLETS OF FOOD. SO THINK ABOUT COSTCO AND, YOU KNOW, THE BIG PALLETS, THEY'LL GET LIKE THREE TO 3 TO 4 PALLETS OF FOOD. THEY'LL BRING IT BACK AND THEY'LL STOCK THEIR LOCAL CHURCH PANTRY. SO PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO CHURCH, IF THEIR PANTRY IS OPEN AFTERWARDS, THEY CAN STOP BY AND GET A FEW ITEMS FOR THEIR HOME TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT THROUGH UNTIL THEIR NEXT PAYCHECK OR WHEN THEY CAN GO GROCERY SHOPPING AGAIN. OH, SORRY. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. AND THEN FOR THOSE THAT CAN'T MAKE IT TO THOSE PANTRIES, FIND PUTS ANOTHER THREE MOBILE MARKETS OUT INTO THESE OTHER AREAS THAT THESE PLACE BASED LOCATIONS AREN'T TO GET BETTER COVERAGE. SO THE REASON I'M ASKING IS THAT IF YOU CAN SHARE THE LOCATIONS AND THEN THE TIMES AND THE DAYS, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE PROMOTING THAT AS WELL, SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT LOCATIONS THEY ARE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF THEY MISSED ONE SITE BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING THAT DAY, THEY KNOW THEY CAN GO 
          [00:35:01]
TO ANOTHER. I KNOW MANY TIMES THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY COULDN'T GO THAT DAY. SO I THINK IT'S BENEFICIAL IF THEY KNOW WHERE ALL THE SITES ARE OR WHERE THE MOBILE SITES ARE. YEAH. AND SO I THINK WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES. WE WOULD WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE INFORMATION OUT RIGHT NOW. WHERE TO FIND IT IS FIND FOOD BANK.ORG OUR WEBSITE. AND IF YOU CLICK ON THE LINK FIND FOOD, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE ALL THE DISTRIBUTION SITES, INCLUDING THE ONES HERE IN COACHELLA, THE LOCATION, ADDRESSES AND TIMES AND DAYS OF THE WEEK THAT THEY'RE OPEN. SO EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE ONE IN COACHELLA, THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT'S IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO WHERE IT'S MORE CONVENIENT TO YOU. 
          YOU CAN PICK UP OVER THERE. IN FACT, IT'S KIND OF INTERESTING. THERE'S ACTUALLY STATISTICS. 
          THERE ARE 88,000 CLIENT INTERACTIONS OF COACHELLA RESIDENTS SERVED AT ALL OF THOSE LOCATIONS SOMEWHERE. ONE OF THE LOCATIONS EVEN OUTSIDE OF COACHELLA. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT COACHELLA ARE ACCESSING IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHOEVER PUT THAT UP THERE, THAT'S FANTASTIC. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ONE THAT. YEAH. PARK. YES, PARK. 
          BUT THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE THAT ARE PALM DESERT RESIDENTS. LET'S JUST SAY THAT WORK OUT HERE IN COACHELLA, THAT MAYBE ACCESSING FREE FOOD OVER HERE AT COACHELLA PANTRIES BECAUSE IT'S MORE CONVENIENT TO THEM. SO FOR ME, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WHEN I MEET WITH ALL THE CITIES, WE ALL WORK TOGETHER IN UNISON WHEN IT COMES TO ENDING FOOD INSECURITY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MUCH INTERACTION BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND HOW THEY MOVE THROUGH COMMUNITY HERE IN COACHELLA VALLEY. SO. SO DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEN AN IDENTIFICATION TO BE RECEIVED? FOOD? NO. HOW ARE WE ABLE TO TRACK THEN? WHO'S BECAUSE WE THEY SELF STATE. SO WHEN THEY COME WE DON'T ASK FOR IDENTIFICATION. WE JUST ASK THEM WHAT ZIP CODE ARE YOU FROM? BECAUSE IT'S GOOD FOR US TO UNDERSTAND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. WE ASK THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR FAMILY, SO WE CAN GET AN INDICATION OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING SERVED, AND PEOPLE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. WE DO NOT CHECK IDS FOR THEM NOW AT SOME OF OUR MOBILE MARKETS. FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS WE DO REQUIRE, WE HAVE A SENIOR BOX PROGRAM, AND EVEN BEFORE EVERYTHING'S THAT'S BEEN GOING ON OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, YOU'VE HAD TO BE A CLIENT OF THAT PROGRAM, WHICH THEN REQUIRES US TO CHECK IDENTIFICATION BECAUSE YOU'RE PART OF A CLIENT CASELOAD. BUT THAT'S A VERY SPECIFIC AND SMALLER PROGRAM. YEAH. SO RESET MAYBE IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE CAN GRAB ALL THE LOCATIONS AND TIMES FROM THEIR WEBSITE AND THEN PUT THAT IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES. I KNOW THAT THEY CAN GO INTO THE WEBSITE THEMSELVES, BUT IT'S JUST MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER IF WE PROVIDE THE INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S FOR IT'S FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE SO PEOPLE CAN ATTEND. ABSOLUTELY. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. AND WE'LL ALWAYS MAKE WE'LL ALWAYS MAKE OUR PARKS AVAILABLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE BOTH PARKS AND LAS FLORES. AND THEN ALSO AT MAGNOLIA. AND THEN YOU'RE RIGHT HERE ON, ON SECOND STREET AND THE LAS FLORES PARK. I MEAN, WE, WE OPENED THAT UP TOGETHER DURING COVID WHEN WE REALLY NEED, WHEN WE CAME TO YOU AND SAID WE NEED A PLACE AND THE CITY WAS SO WONDERFUL AND YOU'VE BEEN WONDERFUL SINCE THEN, JUST ALLOWING US TO CONTINUE TO STAY. WHEN MANY OF THE RESIDENTS SAID, PLEASE KEEP IT. SO THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH US ON THAT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE DATA. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DO. THANK YOU. AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I GIVE THIS TO YOU. THIS HASN'T BEEN SOLVED. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS. ARE THERE ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS? NONE. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA 
          [ Public Comments (Non-Agenda Items) (Limited to a maximum of 30 minutes. If additional time is required for public comments, they will be heard after Item No. 15. Public Hearing Calendar)]
ITEMS LIMITED TO A MINIMUM OF 30 MINUTES. IF AN ADDITIONAL TIME IS REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC, THEY WILL BE HEARD AFTER NUMBER 15. PUBLIC HEARING. ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? IF THERE'S ANYBODY ONLINE WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. THERE ARE NONE. 
          THERE ARE NONE. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO THE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS? YEAH. 
          COME ON UP. HI, MY NAME IS OFELIA. I LIVE IN RANCHO LAS FLORES. BACK IN AUGUST, I GOT CITED BECAUSE I MOVED THERE IN 2004, AND I HAD A SET OF JET SKIS THAT WERE PARKED TO THE RIGHT OF MY HOUSE ON MY LAND, MY PROPERTY. I HAD A CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT USED TO WORK HERE. IN FACT, I LEFT THIS NAME AT HOME, BUT HE CAME OVER BACK WHEN I BOUGHT THE HOUSE ALMOST 21 YEARS AGO. AND HE SAYS YOU CAN PARK HIM THERE AS LONG AS YOU GET RID OF THE GRASS, BECAUSE THERE WAS A SMALL LITTLE PIECE OF GRASS YOU CAN MOVE, YOU CAN TAKE IT OUT AND 
          [00:40:02]
JUST PARK IT THERE. WE DID THAT A MONTH AGO. IT BECAME A PROBLEM. THEY CAME IN AUGUST TOWARDS THE END OF AUGUST AND GAVE ME A CITATION. AND I'M LIKE, I. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS FOR MY CAR. THEN I GOT ANOTHER ONE AND I'M LIKE, WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON? IT TOOK ME THREE WEEKS TO GET AHOLD OF SOMEBODY FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT. I WANTED TO TALK TO, TO SEE IF IT WAS MY CAR, MY CHEST, BECAUSE WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THAT WAS ALREADY TWO FINES. AND IN FACT, I HAVE MY CITATION HERE AND A PICTURE OF WHAT HE CITED. AND WHEN I SPOKE TO HIM, HE SAID THAT THAT I EITHER HAD TO PUT CONCRETE, I COULD PUT GRAVEL. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PUT ANY PAVERS. IT HAD TO BE. AND I SAID, WELL, I SAID, I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS 21 YEARS AGO AND I WOULD HAVE DONE IT THEN. NOW ME AND MY HUSBAND ARE RETIRED. WE LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME AND WE DON'T HAVE THE MEANING OF DOING. WE CAN'T AFFORD IT. AND HE SAYS, WELL, THOSE ARE YOUR ONLY OPTIONS. AND I'M LIKE, I MEAN, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? WELL, HE GAVE ME, HE CAME BACK. IN FACT, MY NEIGHBOR SAID HE CAME BACK TODAY AGAIN. AND IT WAS LIKE, I MEAN, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET MY MONEY? HOW AM I GOING TO PAY YOU NOW? UNDERSTOOD? I MEAN, WE'RE WE'RE RETIRED. I MEAN, I WISH THIS GUY WOULD HAVE TOLD ME BACK THEN, 21 YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO. BUT I GOT IT. I GOT IT FROM A CODE ENFORCEMENT THAT WENT TO THE HOUSE. NO, I AND THERE'S A PICTURE RIGHT HERE. THANK. THANK YOU. WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN? OFELIA. OFELIA. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. KENDRA IS IN THE BACK. AND IN FACT, SHE'S GOING TO BE VERY POPULAR TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER GENTLEMAN THAT ALSO WANTS TO SEE YOU. AND SHE WILL ASSIST YOU IF WE HAVE. DO YOU HAVE ANY GRASS IN THAT AREA WHERE. NO, NO, NO, THERE'S NO GRASS. IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT. WHEN FROM THE FIRST TIME HE CAME WITH THAT WAS DO YOU HAVE THOUSAND? I THINK HIS NAME WAS HECTOR MOLINA WAS 2000? YES. YEAH. 
          2004. THAT'S WHEN I MOVED IN. DO YOU HAVE ANY GRASS IN YOUR FRONT YARD TO THE LEFT? YES, IT'S MY DRIVEWAY WHERE I HAD THE JET SKIS PARKED ON MY RIGHT. ALL THIS IS GRASS AND AND, LIKE, KIND OF DESPERATE. LOOK, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE CAN MAYBE ASSIST YOU WITH A LITTLE. WE HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM THAT REPLACES GRASS, AND MAYBE WE CAN ORDER A LITTLE BIT MORE GRAVEL. SO YOU CAN DO BOTH. RIGHT. SO I'M JUST THINKING HOW HOW CAN WE ASSIST YOU IN TRYING TO FIND YOU A LITTLE GRANT. AND IT'S LIKE I SPOKE TO HIM AND I WAS UPSET, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M LIKE, IT TOOK YOU 21 YEARS TO ANYWAY, HE SAYS. AND I SAID, AND I'M NOT GOING TO RAT OUT NOBODY BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT I DO. I'M LIKE, BUT WHAT'S FAIR IS FAIR. YOU KNOW, YOU GO AROUND AND I GOT A NEIGHBOR OF MINE THAT'S RIGHT HERE. YOU GOT ALL THESE CARS PARKED. I'M NOT SAYING WHO WHAT HE SAYS. WELL, GIVE ME AN ADDRESS. I'M NOT GOING TO. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. YEAH. IF YOU CAME TO MY HOUSE AND YOU SAW MINE, THEN YOU NEED TO SEE. I MEAN, IT'S ALL YOU GOT TO DO. DRIVE AROUND. THAT'S ALL YOU GOT TO DO, BUT I WILL. I WILL SAY THAT THEY THEY CITED ME TOO RECENTLY. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE BEING EQUAL, YOU KNOW. SO THE MAYOR GOT CITED TOO FOR, FOR NOT MOVING HIS CAR. BUT BUT BUT WE'RE GOING TO HELP YOU. WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO ASSIST. AND KENDRA IS RIGHT THERE. SO TALK TO HER. SHE RAISE YOUR HAND AGAIN KENDRA AND OKAY. GO SEE HER. AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP YOU AS WELL BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER GENTLEMAN AS WELL THAT WANTS TO AT LEAST AT LEAST WE KNOW CODE ENFORCEMENT IS DOING THEIR JOB RIGHT. BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT THERE. THEY'RE OUT THERE. THEY'RE OUT THERE. AND IT'S NOT EASY TO BE A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, BELIEVE ME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IF I CAN HAVE A FEW MINUTES, IF YOU WANT TO COME AND ADDRESS THIS. COME ON. 
          A WHILE BACK, YOU GUYS HAD A MEETING OUT IN THE CUL DE SAC AREA ABOUT THE NEW PARK AND ALL THAT INFORMATION. WE ALSO ATTENDED THAT MEETING, AND I SPOKE TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THE STOP SIGN. SO SINCE CODE ENFORCEMENT IS SO POPULAR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHY DOESN'T HE SIT THERE AND WATCH HOW MANY VEHICLES DO NOT STOP AT THAT STOP SIGN? I HAVE A LITTLE BOY, NINE YEARS OLD, WHO GOT A BIKE FOR CHRISTMAS, AND I DO NOT HAVE THE BIKE AT MY HOUSE. WHY? BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE FIRST HOUSE. AS YOU DRIVE IN, I DON'T WANT TO COME HOME ONE DAY AND FIND MY KID LAYING IN THE STREET BECAUSE NOBODY STOPS AT THAT STOP SIGN, AND I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION SO MANY TIMES THAT ALL IT TAKES IS FOR YOU GUYS TO INSTALL ONE OF THOSE BIG HUMPS, LIKE THE ONES YOU HAVE AT THE PARK, TO MAKE PEOPLE STOP AT THAT STOP SIGN. 
          NOBODY DOES. AND WHEN THEY GO IN, SOMETIMES I CAN'T EVEN PULL OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY SAFELY BECAUSE I'M BACKING OUT. AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, HERE COMES SOMEBODY ALMOST HITTING ME EVERY SINGLE MORNING. MA'AM, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? SABRINA. SABRINA, THANK YOU FOR BEING 
          [00:45:05]
HERE. NOW, THAT'S NOT QUITE ENFORCEMENT. SEE OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OVER THERE. WE, THE CITY JUST HIRED A TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. AND SO I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU TALK TO OUR MAYOR, BECAUSE AT THAT MEETING, THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS ONLY THREE SHERIFFS FOR COACHELLA. 
          NO, WE JUST WE JUST HIRED TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. RIGHT, BILL, WE GOT TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT. AND SO LET'S ADD THIS LITTLE AREA TO GET SOME ENFORCEMENT, AND WE CAN DO AN OPERATION AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TRAFFIC POLICE. AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO SIT THERE AND MONITOR. THAT WAY WE CAN GET A PRESENCE. AND SO IT NEEDS TO KIND OF COME ON OUR SCHEDULE. SO I'M GOING TO ASK SABRINA IF YOU CAN. AND NOBODY STOPS. I HAD MY CAR. I SEE THIS WHERE I LIVE. I HAD MY CAR PARKED. I ALSO LIVE IN THE CORNER. THEY COME IN LIKE THIS, MAKE A RIGHT TURN. THEY TOOK. THEY HIT MY CAMRY AND I REPORTED TO MY INSURANCE. WELL, BECAUSE I HAD WHAT THE LAW WAS. THEY SAID A LICENSE PLATE. WE CAN'T GIVE US A CHANCE. GIVE US A CHANCE. AND I'M GOING TO ASK OUR OUR CAPTAIN OR LIEUTENANT TO TAKE THE ADDRESS OF THE AREA AND LET US GET SOME ENFORCEMENT GOING. WE'LL PUT IT ON THE, ON THE WHAT DO WE CALL THIS, THE, THE, THE SECTIONS THAT WE COVER. WE BECAUSE WE MOVE VARIOUS TIMES. 
          AND I'LL ASK THEM TO GO INTO SOME NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE I AGREE WITH YOU. A 52 IS BAD TOO, BY THE WAY, AND THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO GET SOME PRESENT. RIGHT, MADAM MAYOR? YES. 752 IS A SPEEDWAY FROM HIGHWAY SIX ALL THE WAY TO THE CITY OF LA QUINTA. IT'S A PASS THROUGH STREET. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A WORD. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, THIS IS THE TIME. VERY QUICKLY. I'M STILL HOT UNDER THE COLLAR. 
          OKAY. FOR THIS REASON, THIS WEEK I HIRED A COMPANY TO COME TO MY PROPERTY TO REMOVE DEBRIS. 
          RIGHT. DID THE WORK. THEY WENT AROUND THE BLOCK, PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, TRUCK AND TRAILER. THIS IS A COMPANY. WHILE THEY WERE IN MY HOUSE. WHILE I WAS PAYING THEM, THEY WENT OUT TO GET IN THE TRUCK. WE HAD BEEN CITED. BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. YES, CITED. NOW YOU KNOW, NOW THERE'S A BILL TO PAY. BUT I WILL TELL YOU, A BUSINESS TRUCK. IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS THE CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ACTUALLY DOING THEIR WORK. THEY SAW THAT IN THE ALLEY. I CALL IT THE ALLEY. YOU KNOW, THE SHADY LANE? ALLEY? YES. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN BACK THERE. GATE OPENED. THEY REMOVED DEBRIS, HAULED IT AWAY, PULLED AROUND THE BLOCK, PARKED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE TO GET PAID, AND WE GOT CITED. NOW I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, MAYOR, IF WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT STREET SWEEPING AND KEEPING THE CITY CLEAN, HOW ABOUT THE CITY SETTING THE EXAMPLE FOR CLEANLINESS, I AGREE. WHAT WHAT DO WE HAVE TO CLEAN? I'LL TELL YOU IF I AM A PERSON COMING IN ON HIGHWAY 86, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO COACHELLA, AND I GET OFF ON 52. WHAT AM I GOING TO GET AS A WELCOMING TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA RIGHT NOW? PAVED IN BRAND NEW PAVED STREETS RIGHT THERE ON 52? YES, SIR. WHY IS THE OLD COACHELLA WASTEWATER PLANT LOCATION ON 52 BEING UTILIZED AS A DUMP SITE? IT IS VERY UGLY. IT MAKES US ALL LOOK UGLY. YOU KNOW, AS A CITY TO ENTER THE CITY ON 52. AND THAT'S THE WELCOME. A PILE OF TRASH IN THE OLD WASTEWATER PLANT WAY BACK WHEN IT WAS THE WASTEWATER PLANT IN OUR HISTORY. AND BILL STEINER WAS IN CHARGE OF THE PLANT FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS. HE AND HIS FAMILY, IT WAS WELL KEPT. IT EVEN HAD A GARDEN. HE HAD FLOWERS, HE HAD TREES AND WAS NEVER IT WAS NEVER USED FOR DEBRIS. NOW IT IS. AND IT'S A VERY UGLY SITE. AND FURTHERMORE, WHATEVER IS BEING DUMPED THERE, SIR, THAT IS A HAZARD FOR ALL OF US AS RESIDENTS. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE CONTENT IS OF WHAT IS BEING PILED INTO THAT LOCATION, AS WELL AS ALL THE TRASH. WHY IS THERE SO MUCH TRASH ON CITY PROPERTIES? OKAY, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. I AGREE WITH YOU AND I'M GOING TO ASK NOT NOT I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CITY MANAGER TO MAYBE WRITE US A REPORT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH WITH THAT SITE. AND IF STAFF'S USING IT, AS, YOU KNOW, TO STORE DEBRIS OR TO TRAP, LIKE, WHAT'S OUR REMEDIATION PLAN? BECAUSE I AGREE WITH THE MAYOR HERE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A REMEDIATION PLAN AND THAT SHOULD NOT BE A A DUMP, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A DUMP. BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE AN ACTIVE DUMP. WELL, IT'S NEVER BEEN A DUMP. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE WASTEWATER 
          [00:50:03]
PLANT. THE OLD CITY DUMP WAS OVER BY THE DAY, BY THE THE DIKE, THE WHITEWATER STORM CHANNEL DIKE. OKAY, NOW YOU'RE BUILDING ON IT. BUT THAT WAS THE COACHELLA CITY LANDFILL, OKAY. FOREVER. HISTORICALLY. NOW, BEFORE I LEAVE, WHAT DO I DO THEN WITH THIS CITATION I GOT, I GOT I KNOW HOW TO SOLVE THAT ONE IN THE BACK OF YOUR TICKET. CAN YOU SHOW YOUR RECEIPT OF THE WORK THAT YOU WERE DOING? AND WE CAN APPEAL IT, AND WE CAN GET YOUR $32 TICKET EXPUNGED, BECAUSE THERE IS AN APPEAL BEHIND THAT. RIGHT, BILL. YES, YES. YEAH. SO IF SHE SO IF SHE WAS WORKING TO CLEAN UP A SITE AND SHE HAD HER PAID FOR CLEANING SERVICE, SHE SHOULDN'T GET FINED FOR THAT. SHE'S MAKING THE COMMUNITY BETTER. SHE'S MAKING HER HOUSE BETTER. SO LET'S WORK WITH HER. I THINK THAT'S SO WE'LL WE'LL HELP YOU. AND WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HELP HER. WHO DO I WORK WITH IN OUR OFFICES? WELL, YOU SEE WATER DEPARTMENT. WELL, NO. YOU SEE KENDRA BACK THERE AGAIN. KENDRA IS VERY POPULAR. YOU KNOW, KENDRA IS. SHE'S A FIERCE WOMAN, YOU KNOW, SO SHE SHE'S DOING HER SHE'S DOING HER JOB, AND THAT'S OKAY. AND WE'LL WORK WITH KENDRA TO GET THAT DONE. AND THEN. AND THEN I WANT SOMEBODY ELSE TO RAISE THEIR HAND. ANDREW. RIGHT. BECAUSE ANDREW'S THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS. SO WHY ARE YOU STORING YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE. WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT SITE. AND I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THAT, BECAUSE SHE'S RIGHT. WE GOT TO SET THE EXAMPLE. AND IF WE HAVE AN UNSIGHTLY BLIGHTED AREA, WELL, HOW DO WE ASK OUR COMMUNITY ALSO CLEAN UP THEIR UNSIGHTED, BLIGHTED AREA. SO WE GOTTA WE GOTTA WHAT'S THAT SAYING. WE GOTTA WE GOTTA WALK THE WALK. THANK YOU, MAYOR WALK. 
          AND WE'LL WORK ON SOLVING THE PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT TO PAY $32, BY THE WAY. I SHOULDN'T. 
          BY THE WAY, AVENUE 52 NOW IS NICE AND PAVED WHEN YOU COME IN FROM 86, AND IT'S GOING TO BE NICE AND LIT UP TOO. SO. AND YOU HAVE A CV LINK THERE. SO IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU MAYOR HERNANDEZ IT TOOK 20 YEARS FINAL SOLUTION TO 52. YES I KNOW YOU GOT TO TAKE THE HOMIE. 
          WE MUST NOW BE JUST LIKE THE ADJACENT CITY LA QUINTA AND THE ADJACENT CITY OF INDIO. THEY HAVE CAMERAS ALL OVER TOWN AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TRAFFIC CONTROL CITING THE INDIVIDUALS WHO FEEL THAT TRAFFIC LAWS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ARE OPTIONAL. 
          STOP SIGNS ARE OPTIONAL. TRAFFIC SIGNALS ARE OPTIONAL, AND WE CAN'T HAVE THAT. NOT IN OUR CITY. IN 52 IS CARRYING A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE IT'S A PASS THROUGH STREET FROM HIGHWAY 86 ALL THE WAY TO THE CITY OF LA QUINTA. SO WE NEED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY. ALSO, WE HAVE A LARGE RESIDENTIAL AREA ON 52 ALL THE WAY FROM THE WASTEWATER PLANT, THE PONDEROSA. OKAY, ALL THE WAY TO VAN BUREN. IT'S A RESIDENTIAL AREA, SO WE NEED TRAFFIC CONTROL. OTHER CITIES HAVE TRAFFIC CONTROL. I ENJOY IT VERY MUCH. AND I WILL TELL YOU, THE MODEL CITY RIGHT NOW IS DESERT HOT SPRINGS. I ENJOY GOING TO DESERT HOT SPRINGS. THE WORK THEY'VE DONE ON THEIR STREETS AND THEIR STREETS ARE POSTED. AND YES, THEY HAVE TRAFFIC CONTROL. WE JUST WE NEED TO DO THE SAME HERE. AND NONE OF THESE STORIES ABOUT. WELL, MRS. MONTENEGRO, WELL, YOU GOT TO STOP TO THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A MEXICAN TOWN AND, YOU KNOW, MEXICAN PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE POOR AND THEY CAN'T PAY. NO, WHAT THEY DO HAVE TO DO IS TO OBEY THE LAW. IF YOU GO GET THE DMV BOOKLET, THE LAW IS THERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW THESE PEOPLE GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE, BUT IT'S THE LAW, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. I AGREE WE NEED TO BECOME LAW ABIDING CITIZENS. 
          AND THE CITY OF COACHELLA CANNOT CONTINUE TO ALLOW THAT. OUR CITY STREETS ARE BEING USED AS. WHAT IS IT? EXCUSE ME? DRAG RACING. WHATEVER. EXCUSE ME. THERE ARE VERY UGLY THINGS HAPPENING ON OUR STREETS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. OUR LIEUTENANT IS GOING TO HAVE. HE'S GOING TO PUT A NICE BEAT TOGETHER TO GET THAT ADDRESS. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ENGAGEMENT ON THIS. THERE IS A FEW THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO ADDRESS FOR FOR THE TRAFFIC. I AGREE WITH YOU. I'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. IT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE. IT REALLY IS. AND IT'S NOT A REFLECTION OF LATINOS OR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IT'S JUST THAT IT'S GONE ON FOR SO LONG WITHOUT ANY ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IT'S GROWN. 
          YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY CAN TAKE THE STOP SIGNS OR THE RED LIGHTS AND THAT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ANY CONSEQUENCES. YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE YOUNGER COMMUNITY AND MAYOR, IF SOMEONE'S GOING TO SPEAK, I 
          [00:55:03]
JUST ASK THAT THEY COME TO THE PODIUM SINCE IT IS BEING STREAMED. YEAH. AND SO. SO SO THAT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE. I THINK WE GOT A TRAFFIC DEPUTY. WAS IT MAYBE LAST YEAR BECAUSE THE SAME IN RANCHO LAS FLORES AT THE FOUR WAY STOP THERE AT NIGHT, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY. 
          TYPICALLY IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE GROUND YOU COULD SEE THAT THEY DO DONUTS. AND I'VE ACTUALLY SEEN CARS CRASH INTO THE HOUSES, BRICK WALLS ON THE EXTERIOR. AND EVERY WEEKEND, I MEAN, YOU COULD BE OUT THERE 11:00 AT NIGHT BECAUSE MY BEDROOM WINDOWS ARE FACING THE STREET. YOU CAN HEAR THEM OUT THERE DOING DONUTS. AND I'M ALWAYS AFRAID ONE OF THESE DAYS SOMEBODY'S GOING TO LOSE CONTROL AND COME INTO MY HOUSE. WHEN YOU SEE IT, CALL IT. I HAVE CALLED GOOD BECAUSE THEY THEY THEY TRACK IT. THEY KEEP A RECORD OF IT. BUT THE DONUTS AND THE TIRES, I SAID THE SAME THING. AND IT BOTHERS ME THAT THROUGHOUT THE CITY WE HAVE ALL THESE TIRE TRACKS. I MEAN, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE DONUTS. IT'S WHEN THEY LOSE CONTROL. AND I'VE SEEN SEVERAL VEHICLES LOSE CONTROL AND END UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACROSS FROM RANCHO LAS FLORES INTO THAT BRICK WALL, I'M PRETTY SURE. I THINK THERE'S BEEN TWO HOMES ON THAT EXTERIOR WALL WHERE CARS HAVE GONE THROUGH THERE BRICK WALLS. SO. SO WE GOT A TRAFFIC DEPUTY. 
          WAS IT LAST? LAST YEAR. RIGHT. LAST YEAR IS WHEN WE GOT OUR FIRST TRAFFIC DEPUTY. WE HAD A PARTICULAR TRAINING. CHIEF GARCIA, IF, IF MAYBE THE NEXT TIME AROUND, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO GET AN UPDATE OF MAYBE HOW MANY CITATIONS WE'VE BEEN GIVING. AND SO THAT WAY WE KNOW WHAT WHAT AN ISSUE OUT THERE AND SEE WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT YOU GUYS NEED TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO CITE PEOPLE AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. BUT IT'S REALLY HARD WHEN YOU HAVE ONE TRAFFIC DEPUTY IN A POPULATION OF 42,000 RESIDENTS. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A SERIOUS ISSUE. AND AND WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT. I'VE ALWAYS PUSHED FOR TWO. I THINK WE NEED TO I WE HAVE SOME FINANCIAL CHALLENGES, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO REACH TO IS HAVE AT LEAST TWO, BECAUSE ONE FOR 42,000 RESIDENTS ISN'T ENOUGH. AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN HAVE THEM WORKING 24 HOURS A DAY, YOU KNOW? SO I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THOSE NUMBERS OF HOW MUCH CITATIONS. 
          AND THEN ALSO IT SHOWS US MAYBE WHAT LOCATIONS HAVE MORE CHALLENGES THAN, THAN OTHERS. I DON'T KNOW YET. CALLS CALLS FOR SERVICE SO WE CAN GET LIKE A STAT ON WHERE THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE ARE CALLING IN THAT WE HAVE RECKLESS DRIVERS DRIVING. I WOULD ALSO HELP THEM PINPOINT WHICH AREAS NEED MORE ATTENTION. YEAH, FOR FOR THE THE VIOLATIONS, THE CODE VIOLATIONS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF ONE OF THE ISSUES. AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT AS A CITY WE HAVE TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENED IS THAT FOR SO MANY YEARS THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY CODE VIOLATIONS. SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING THE CITATION. SO WHEN YOU GET ONE, YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, WHY AM I GETTING ONE NOW? AND THEN ALL THESE OTHER HOUSES DOWN MY STREET, YOU KNOW, HAVE THESE VIOLATIONS AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING CITED. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I GET ALL OF THE TIME. I DO THINK AS A CITY THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOME TYPE OF MARKETING OR ENGAGEMENT OUT THERE THAT JUST KIND OF REMINDS EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, HEY, THIS IS WHAT YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH BECAUSE IT IS HARD WHEN YOU'RE GOING ON SO MANY YEARS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE GETTING THESE CITATIONS. AND FOR PEOPLE IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND. WELL, WHY DIDN'T I EVER HAVE IT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT EDUCATIONAL PORTION IS REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL. AND FOR ME, I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD GO HARD WITH THE EDUCATIONAL AND THEN FOLLOW IT WITH THE CITATIONS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GIVING ONCE MORE OR FOR THE FIRST TIME, EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO BE IN COMPLIANCE. AND I BELIEVE IN THE EDUCATIONAL PORTION A GREAT, A GREAT DEAL. SO I THINK THAT THIS IS SO I AGREE WITH MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. I THINK THAT ALSO MAYBE SENDING OUT A FLIER WITH MUNICIPAL CODE VIOLATIONS THAT LIKE IF YOU HAVE YOUR CAR PARKED, THAT'S NOT WORKING, IF YOU HAVE A DIRTY LAWN OR SOMETHING, SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE VIOLATIONS ARE AND ARE AND AREN'T CAUGHT OFF HANDED, LIKE, OH GOD, I'VE HAD MY HOUSE LIKE THIS FOR 20 YEARS, AND UNTIL NOW THEY'RE DOING THIS SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW, OKAY, NOW I GOTTA I GOTTA MOVE THIS. I GOTTA CLEAN THIS UP SO THAT THEY KNOW AND THEY HAVE THAT LIST OF STUFF THAT ARE VIOLATIONS IF THEY HAVE IT IN THEIR HOUSE AND THEIR LAWN IN THEIR DRIVEWAY, SO THAT IT'S FAIR AND CONSISTENT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE KNOWS IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SENDING IT OUT TO EVERYBODY. NO ONE'S BEING TARGETED. AND I DON'T WANT 
          [01:00:01]
PEOPLE TO FEEL THAT, THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE BEING TARGETED. MY ONLY DIFFERENCE IS I WANT TO EDUCATE YOU, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME MONEY SO THAT YOU CAN DO IT, BECAUSE THAT'S I MEAN, I FEEL FOR YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ON A FIXED INCOME. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE OUR POLICIES BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE GIVE. WE SHOULD HAVE A $50,000 PROGRAM, GIVE YOU TWO, 300 BUCKS TO GO AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO POUR SOME CONCRETE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE SOLVE IT TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING. 
          IT'S LIKE, HOW DO WE GIVE YOU SOME A GRANT? RIGHT. LIKE. AND LET'S MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT. BILL, PUT A GRANT TOGETHER WHERE THESE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEALS THAT COME TO US, IF WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO COMPLY, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL GIVE YOU A PERFECT EXAMPLE. WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS THAT YOUR TRASH CANS CAN'T BE DISPLAYED OR YOU CAN'T SEE THEM OUT ON THE STREET. AND SO A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY AND THEIR ELDERLY, I REMEMBER MY GRANDMA. SHE'D BE RIGHT THERE TRYING TO TAKE HER, HER TRASH IN, YOU KNOW, SHE SHE'D HAVE TO PUT HIM IN THE BACK. BUT IF WE JUST PUT, LIKE A LITTLE SMALL PICKET FENCE AND IT COVERS IT, WHICH YOU CAN GO AND GET AT HOME DEPOT FOR LIKE 100 BUCKS, IT COVERS THE ACTUAL TRASH CAN, AND NOW THEY'RE IN THE FRONT AND NOW YOU'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE. BUT SOME PEOPLE STRUGGLE FOR 100 BUCKS, YOU KNOW. AND SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO HELP. AS A CITY. EDUCATION IS GREAT, MONEY IS BETTER. AND THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. BUT THANK YOU. THE TURF REBATE PROGRAM, IS THERE ANY MONEY LEFT IN IT? GOOD EVENING. YES WE HAVE, WE HAVE I THINK A LOT OF MONEY STILL, AT LEAST ABOUT MAYBE 300,000. OKAY. BUT UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT THAT YOU CAN REMOVE GRASS AND THEN REPLACE IT WITH, WITH HARDSCAPE. THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS THE STATE AND THOSE THE RULES ARE, ARE ENFORCED BY THE BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SO YOU HAVE TO PART OF THE PROGRAM REQUIRES THAT YOU GO DO LIKE A PRE-INSPECTION AND YOU TAKE BEFORE, BEFORE PICTURES, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE AFTER PICTURES. AND IF IT KIND OF YOU SUBMIT THAT TO THE STATE FOR REIMBURSEMENT, AND IF THEY SEE THAT YOU'VE KIND OF REPLACED TURF WITH 100% HARDSCAPE, THEN THEY MIGHT REJECT IT IF THE RESIDENT REMOVED IT ON THEIR OWN PRIOR TO. TO PUTTING IN AN APPLICATION. THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE RULES ARE THAT YOU YOU GET A PRE-APPROVED APPLICATION AS PART OF THE PROCESS IN ORDER TO CAPTURE THOSE THOSE THE PRE-INSPECTION AS PART OF THE PRE-APPROVAL TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU QUALIFY BASED ON THE RULES THAT ARE THAT ARE SPELLED OUT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS PROGRAM. IT COULD BE CDBG. YEAH, WE CAN PUT A 50,000 CDBG PROGRAM, OR IT COULD BE OUR GENERAL FUND WHERE WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE COMPLY IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, POURING A LITTLE BIT OF CEMENT. OR WE CAN THINK ABOUT THE PERMITS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY COME AND PULL PERMITS, WE CAN IF IT'S TO COMPLY WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE CAN WAIVE PERMITS. RIGHT. SO TRY TO GET COMPLIANCE AND TRY TO GET HOMES LOOKING BETTER. I THINK WE WANT TO I WANT US TO THINK THROUGH THAT. I THINK, DO WE HAVE TO ADOPT THE POLICY FIRST TO BE ABLE TO WAIVE THEM? I CAN LOOK INTO IT. I'M NOT SURE. BEFORE I HEAD BACK, I'LL SAY THAT I'LL I'LL REVIEW THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ON WHATEVER GRANT BUCKET OF MONEY WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'LL PROVIDE YOU AN ANSWER ON THE SPECIFICS OF THAT QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU. AND THEN JUST REALLY QUICKLY TO SOMETHING I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR, FOR A LONG TIME, IS THAT A LOT OF OUR POLICIES FOR CODE INFRACTIONS, I THINK, NEED TO BE UPDATED. I THINK THEY, THEY'VE, THEY'RE THEY'RE VERY DATED. AND I'M, I'M CERTAIN THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS CAN BE ABLE TO RESPOND. BUT PERHAPS MAYBE LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, YOU CAN PUT, YOU KNOW, JUST A WOODEN FENCE OR AROUND THE TRASH CANS, BUT BECOME CREATIVE WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PUT IN ALL THE HEAVY REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE WERE ASKING FOR. BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO REVIEW A LOT OF THE CODE VIOLATIONS. I THINK THEY'RE DATED. I THINK WE COULD BECOME MORE CREATIVE TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO HAVE A, A BETTER SOLUTION, WHERE THEY'RE NOT SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY TO MAKE SOME OF THE CORRECTIONS. WE'LL TAKE A REVIEW, READ. THANK YOU. THANK YOU THAT YOU GUYS BROUGHT UP A GOOD CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT'S WE GOT TO WORK AT THIS TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY. NONE. ALL 
          [ Consent Calendar]
RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONSENT 
          [01:05:02]
ITEMS BE ACTED UPON SIMULTANEOUSLY, UNLESS SEPARATE DISCUSSION OR ACTION IS REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER. WHAT ARE THE WISHES OF THE CITY COUNCIL? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER 12. I'M GOING TO TAKE IT AND THEN I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. THIS IS A NOTICE OF COMPLETION FOR AVENUE 50. THE MEDIANS IMPROVEMENT PHASE ONE. ANDREW, I NOTICED THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DEAD TREES. OR WHAT'S THE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE TREES, WHEN THEY WERE PLANTED, THEY WERE PLANTED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF SUMMER. AND SO I'M NOT SURE IF THEY ARE ALIVE STILL OR THAT THEY ACTUALLY CATCH, BUT I WOULD HATE TO ACCEPT THIS PROJECT AND THEN HAVE DEAD TREES BEING ACCEPTED. YEAH. SO THEY HAVE THE 90 DAY MAINTENANCE PERIOD AND WE ARE WAITING TO REPLANT THOSE TREES TILL IT GETS A LITTLE COLDER, BECAUSE WHEN YOU TRY TO TRANSPLANT TREES IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, THEY OFTEN DON'T SURVIVE. SO ALL OF THE DEAD TREES WILL BE REPLACED BEFORE THE 90 DAY MAINTENANCE PERIOD IS EXPIRED. AND THEN ALSO, I WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THERE'S A MEDIUM THAT'S AT. VAN BUREN BETWEEN VAN BUREN AND CALHOUN ON 50. IT'S NOT PART OF THE D.R. HORTON, BUT IT'S PART OF THE OLD. WELL, IT WAS IT WAS A LENNAR SUBDIVISION. AND AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO GET LIT AS WELL. OR THERE'S ALREADY EXISTING LIGHTING AND WE WERE GOING TO GO IN THERE AND KIND OF LIGHT IT UP SO THAT THE WHOLE CORRIDOR CAN MATCH. AND SO RIGHT NOW THAT LITTLE SECTION IS NOT LIT OR WE DIDN'T REALLY GO IN THERE AND IMPROVE IT TO KIND OF MATCH IT ALL. SO WHAT'S THE PLAN THERE? SO THAT LAST PIECE OF CURB IN BETWEEN THE D.R. HORTON AND VAN BUREN THAT IS TIED TO A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET FOR THE UNDEVELOPED PIECE OF PROPERTY. SO WHEN THAT PROPERTY DEVELOPS TO THE SOUTH, THAT'S WHEN THAT MEETING WOULD BE WIDENED. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NOT EXISTING. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH RIGHT OF WAY TO WIDEN THE MEDIAN. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN, TO WIDEN THE MEDIAN, BUT THERE IS NO DA AGREEMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE. I DON'T REMEMBER EVER APPROVING A DEAL. I'M SORRY. THERE'S A. YEAH, IT'S NOT A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. I'M SORRY I MISSPOKE. IT'S A CONDITIONAL OR THEY HAVE THE PERMIT. THE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION AS. YEAH. AND THAT PROJECT HASN'T COME IN FRONT OF US. BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT AS THAT PROJECT COMES IN, WE'RE CONDITIONED IT TO GIVE US THE ULTIMATE RIGHT OF WAY. MY POINT IS, IS THAT THERE IS EXISTING CONDUIT THERE IN LIGHTS THAT EXISTED OR THAT ARE PROBABLY BURNED OUT. AND IF YOU CAN SEND STAFF IN THERE TO MAYBE ASSESS OR FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET THOSE LIGHTS LIT, AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY TREES THAT WE CAN REORDER JUST TO KIND OF FRESHEN IT UP BECAUSE IT'S AN EXISTING MEDIAN, WOULDN'T COST US TOO MUCH. I THINK WHAT STAFF CAN DO IT. AND THEN THAT WAY THE WHOLE CORRIDOR LOOKS UNIFORMED. OKAY. YEAH, WE'LL DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT AND SEE WHAT COST WOULD TAKE TO FRESHEN THAT UP AS WELL. YEAH I, I DRIVE AROUND AT NIGHT AND SO I KNOW WHAT LIGHTS ARE ON AND OFF. AND ANDREW, YOU SAID THAT WE'RE WAITING TO REPLACE THE TREES. CORRECT. AND WE HAVE 90 DAYS. WHEN DOES THAT START. BECAUSE WHAT IF THEY PLANT THE TREES 15 DAYS BEFORE THE CONTRACT IS OVER AND THOSE TREES DIE AND THAT'S IT? OR DOES IT EXTEND PRIOR TO THAT? BECAUSE I KNOW YOU SAID YOU GUYS ARE WAITING. THEY HAVE THE 90 DAY MAINTENANCE PERIOD WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO CONTINUE DOING THE MAINTENANCE ON THE TREES, MAKE SURE THEY'RE ALIVE. 
          BUT WE ALSO HAVE A ONE YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD AS WELL. SO ANY SIGNIFICANT TREES THAT WOULD DIE WOULD THEY WOULD STILL HAVE A WARRANTY PERIOD AS WELL ON TOP OF THE MAINTENANCE PERIOD. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THE THE MAINTENANCE PERIOD STARTS WHEN WE ACCEPT THE NOTICE OF COMPLETION. SO OKAY OKAY. VERY GOOD. WELL IF WE CAN GET THAT LITTLE SEGMENT FIXED AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S MY QUESTION. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR. OH GO AHEAD. MOTION IS A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. 
          [ New Business Calendar (Legislative and Administrative)]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 14. THIS IS TO DESIGNATE A VOTING DELEGATE AN ALTERNATE AN ALTERNATE TO THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES CONFERENCE. ANY TAKERS? ACTUALLY, I GOT A CALL EARLIER TODAY FROM DOCTOR FIGUEROA, AND HE SAID THAT IF NOBODY VOLUNTEERED THAT HE WOULD TAKE IT BECAUSE HE WILL BE THERE. SO HE'S VOLUNTEERING HIMSELF. I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO, YOU DID IT LAST YEAR. DO YOU WANT TO DO IT AGAIN? NOPE. I'LL BE THE ALTERNATE TO COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          FIGUEROA. ALTHOUGH. ARE YOU OKAY? ANYBODY? EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? OH, NO. NO. I'M FINE. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL ACCEPT DOCTOR FIGUEROA AS A VOTING MEMBER AND MAYOR PRO TEM AS THE 
          [01:10:01]
ALTERNATE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, OR CAN WE GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT MOTION? THE MOTION. 
          IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE, AYE. MOTION CARRIES. VOTE NO. THAT'S FINE. IS IT FOR. OH THANK YOU. WE'LL REVIEW THE 2026 COACHELLA RESIDENTIAL ENGAGEMENT ACADEMY PLAN AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK. THIS IS ITEM NUMBER 16. KENDRA, IS THAT YOU OR 15? I SKIPPED 15. OH WELL, I'LL GO BACK TO 15 RIGHT NOW. OOPS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND I FERNANDEZ, MANAGEMENT ANALYST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT. I'LL BE GIVING AN OVERVIEW ON OUR NEXT YEAR'S ACADEMY. OKAY, SO AS YOU ALL MAY KNOW ALREADY, THE GENERAL PLAN FOR THE CITY ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS A HIGH PRIORITY ITEM IN 2023. TWO YEARS AGO, THE CITY IMPLEMENTED ITS FIRST COACHELLA RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT ACADEMY. SINCE THEN, WE'VE HAD TWO SO FAR, AND IT'S MEANT TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT THE CITY'S DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND FUNCTIONS. 
          HERE IS THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE ELEMENTS. SO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS PART OF OUR LAND USE ELEMENT FOR THE GENERAL PLAN AS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTION ITEM. SO THE STRATEGY IS TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND MINIMIZE PROTOCOLS FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, AND THEN PROVIDING STRATEGIES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, FOOD PROVISION AND CHILDCARE FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS AS WELL AS TRANSLATION SERVICES. AND THE ACADEMY ADDRESSES ALL OF THESE ITEMS, SO THE GOALS AND PURPOSE AGAIN, OF THE ACADEMY IS TO INFORM OUR RESIDENTS REGARDING CITY GOVERNMENT AND THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH INPUT OPPORTUNITIES AND GENERATE ACTIVE CITIZENS AND PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. AND THAT'S AN IMAGE FROM OUR SESSION LAST YEAR FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. WE HAD A MOCK PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING. THE LOGISTICS FOR THE ACADEMY WOULD BE THAT WE ARE POTENTIALLY PLANNING FOR JANUARY 20TH TO APRIL 10TH. IT WOULD BE ABOUT EIGHT SESSIONS. IN 2026. IT WOULD TAKE PLACE TUESDAYS FROM 6 TO 8 P.M. SESSIONS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH AT THE COACHELLA LIBRARY, WE WILL BE SELECTING 25 PARTICIPANTS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND UP, AND THEN WE ARE PROPOSING EIGHT SESSIONS FOR THE ACADEMY, WHICH IS INTRODUCTION THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS, UTILITIES, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCE, PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THEN WE ARE ADDING A SESSION THAT INCLUDES KDE DISPLACEMENT AVOIDANCE. AND THIS IS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TCC GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED. SO THEY'LL BE GIVING A SESSION ON THAT. 
          USUALLY WE HAVE ANOTHER AGENCY PARTICIPATE. THE FIRST TIME AROUND WE HAD RIVERSIDE COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH. LAST YEAR WE HAD RIVERSIDE COUNTY REGISTRAR OF VOTERS GIVE A SESSION ON VOTER EDUCATION. SO THIS YEAR WE'RE PLANNING ON HAVING KDE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE GRADUATION. WE WILL BE CONDUCTING OUTREACH THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND FLIER POSTINGS. AND THEN WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY PROJECT, AS WE DID LAST YEAR. AND HERE ARE SOME IMAGES FROM OUR COMMUNITY PROJECT LAST YEAR WHERE WE HELPED AN ELDERLY RESIDENT CLEAN UP THEIR HOME, AND THIS WAS A CODE ENFORCEMENT CASE. UPON COMPLETION, PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE A CLOSING CEREMONY AND AWARD AND RECOGNITION FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION. WE ARE PROPOSING 250 STIPENDS, WHICH WE'VE DONE THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND THEN WE WILL BE CONDUCTING SURVEYS TO DETERMINE THE PROGRAM'S EFFECTIVENESS. AND THEN STAFF DOES RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE ACADEMY PLAN AND PROVIDE US WITH FEEDBACK. COUNCIL, JUST A QUICK QUESTION. 
          SO THIS IS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET. THERE WON'T BE A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT. IT'S ALREADY BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR RIGHT? YES. CORRECT. OKAY. I LOVE THIS PROGRAM. I'VE GONE TO A FEW OF THE SESSIONS, AND IT'S ALWAYS SUCH A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE THAT LIVE IN THE CITY AND WANT TO APPLY. IT'S YOU GET TO LEARN ABOUT ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF ALMOST EVERY DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE. AND THE OTHER GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET A ONE ON ONE WITH SOME OF THE DIRECTORS, TOO, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE THEY'RE GIVING THE CLASS, THEY'RE GIVING THE SESSION AND JUST LEARNING OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY AND HOW YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, STAY ENGAGED. SO I LOVE THIS PROGRAM. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE REALLY BEST THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE CITY AND THAT WE CAN OFFER IS CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OURSELVES, ALL OF US, JUST AS MUCH AS WE CAN KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON. IT'S A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY. SO I THINK IT'S GOOD. THE ONLY OTHER RECOMMENDATION, I THINK YOU GUYS DID IT LAST YEAR OR THE PREVIOUS YEAR, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEND US THE DATES SO THAT ASK COUNCIL IF YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING A MEETING OR WE'RE OUT HERE IN DOWNTOWN THAT WE CAN STOP BY AND JUST SAY HELLO AND JUST ENGAGE WITH WITH THE RESIDENTS. BUT I THINK THIS IS GREAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD ACADEMY. I ACTUALLY I DID A PRESENTATION, I THINK IT WAS 
          [01:15:07]
THE FIRST YEAR AND PEOPLE DID HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. THEY DO AND IT ACTUALLY HELPS THEM BECAUSE THEN THEY CAN LET THEIR NEIGHBORS KNOW WHAT'S ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, GOING ON OR HOW THEY CAN GET INFORMATION ON SERVICES AND EVERYTHING. SO I AGREE IT'S A GOOD IT'S A GOOD ACADEMY. IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO JUST GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS DO? YEAH. SO I THINK IN THE INTRO, USUALLY OUR CITY MANAGER WOULD GIVE AN INTRODUCTION OF WHAT THE COUNCIL DOES, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD IF ONE OF YOU MAYBE WANTS TO VOLUNTEER AND GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF OUR COUNCIL. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. AND THAT COULD BE IN THE FIRST SESSION WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. I DO I THINK IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A GOOD WAY OF OUR RESIDENTS KNOWING, YOU KNOW, WHAT POLICY MAKING IS AND WHAT OUR ROLE IS. BUT IT'S, IT'S IT'S AN ACADEMY THAT'S WELL ATTENDED. PEOPLE ENJOYED A GREAT DEAL. THEY LOVE BEING INVESTED IN THE CITY. 
          THEY LOVE BEING INVOLVED IN THE CITY. THEY LOVE LEARNING ABOUT THE CITY. THEY LOVE WORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY. SO I THINK IT'S A I THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD ACADEMY. AND, AND I LIKE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO MAYBE UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF WHAT IT TAKES TO, TO MANAGE AND OPERATE AN ENTIRE CITY. YEAH. AND THIS IS, THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD CLASS. YES, THIRD. AND THEN THE LAST TWO CLASSES WERE 30 PEOPLE EACH, 25, 25. SO WE'VE HAD 50 PEOPLE AND THEN THIS WOULD BE 75. I THINK EVERY PARTICIPATING GROUP, THEY ALWAYS LEAVE JUST AMAZED AND AND GETTING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A CITY ACTUALLY DOES, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE HAVE BENEFITED FROM HAVING GREAT COLLABORATION WITH OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY ALSO, IN TURN, HELP US WHEN WE'RE APPLYING FOR GRANTS AND WHEN WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH OTHER NONPROFITS, ETC. AND SO IT'S A IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S WISE MONEY, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE WE WE KEEP AN ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR TWO VISITING RESIDENTS TO ACTUALLY LOOK INTO THE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD YOU WOULD HELP US AND WE AND WE CAN HELP YOU AS WELL. AND IT'S IT'S KIND OF A COOL, COOL LITTLE MODEL. AND YOU GET SOME GEAR AND COACHELLA STUFF AND NICE AND IT'S AND 250 BUCKS AT THE END OF THE DAY, MAYBE THAT'S HOW WE CAN PAY FOR YOUR, YOUR CEMENT, YOU KNOW? I'M JUST THINKING I'M JUST THINKING, YOU KNOW, BUT BUT BUT BUT IT'S A GOOD IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM. IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM. AND AND SO I'M, I'M, I'M PARTICULARLY PLEASED THAT WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT THE GENERAL PLAN AND WE SAID, OKAY, WHAT HAVE WE COMMIT TO IN THE GENERAL PLAN. AND THERE WAS A HEALTH ELEMENT IN THERE, AND THERE WAS A RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT IN THERE, AND WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT. AND SO IF PEOPLE QUESTION THE GENERAL PLAN OR IF WE GO HAVE TO GO TO THE STATE, ETC. I SAY, NO, NO, WE GOT SOME GOOD EXAMPLES. SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE FOLLOWING UP AND DOING THE WORK. SO THIS IS A NO BRAINER. I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 16 WITH THE ADDITION OF ALLOWING COUNCIL TO BE A BE PART OF THE CITY MANAGER'S PRESENTATION. IS THERE A SECOND SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES ANY NO'S, ANY ABSTENTIONS. I GOT TO MOVE BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 15. THIS IS TO ADOPT RESOLUTION SD 2020 505. COACHELLA SANITARY DISTRICT ADOPTING UPDATING SANITARY SEWER MANAGEMENT PLANS SMP. YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT THE SEWER. BY THE WAY, IF YOU'RE PART OF THIS PROGRAM, IT'S ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR DESTINATIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT DIRECTOR THAT EXPLAINS HOW WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU FLUSH THE TOILET. YEAH, IT'S NOT VERY IT'S NOT VERY HARD TO EXPLAIN. OH, YES. JOIN US. WE'LL HAVE TO SHOW YOU AROUND. 
          BUT GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, BEFORE I JUMP INTO THE PRESENTATION, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A QUICK NOTE ON MADAM MAYOR'S MONTENEGRO'S COMMENT ABOUT AVENUE 52, JUST TO CONFIRM IT IS THE THE OLD SITE OF THE TREATMENT PLANT, AND THERE IS STILL AN ACTIVE COMPONENT OF THE SEWER IN THAT LOCATION. IT TAKES ALL THE EGG WASH FROM MOST OF THE PACKING HOUSES IN THE CITY. SO JUST SOMETHING TO TO BE AWARE OF AS YOU HAVE SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S TO HAPPEN THERE. I WAS BLAMING IT ON ANDREW, BUT WHAT YOU WERE THINKING, IT WAS THE OTHER SIDE. I WAS THINKING THE OTHER SIDE, BUT IT'S USED BY PUBLIC WORKS. 
          SO. SO YOU WERE RIGHT, I GOT IT. SO IT IS HIS FAULT? IT IS. OKAY. SO THIS IS A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. THIS IS PART OF A WAGE, A WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENT THAT IS SET BY THE 
          [01:20:03]
STATE OF CALIFORNIA ON ALL SANITARY SEWER SYSTEMS IN THE STATE THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE MILE OF PIPE THAT CONVEY WASTEWATER FLOWS TO A TREATMENT PLANT. SO WE HAVE ABOUT ABOUT 117 MILES. SO SO WE FALL WITHIN THIS REQUIREMENT. QUICK BACKGROUND. THIS THIS WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENT WAS FIRST ADOPTED BY THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD BACK IN 2006. AND WE ACTUALLY ADOPTED THE FIRST SANITARY SEWER MANAGEMENT PLAN BACK IN 2009. 
          SO THEY ADOPTED IT IN 2006. THEY GIVE YOU SOME TIME TO PUT TOGETHER THE SANITARY SEWER MANAGEMENT PLAN. AND THEN THIS COUNCIL ADOPTED THAT PLAN BACK IN 2009. BACK IN DECEMBER 6TH, 2022, THEY ADOPTED A NEW GENERAL WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENT THAT SUPERSEDED THAT OLD ONE. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AN UPDATE. 
          THAT OLD SANITARY SEWER MANAGEMENT PLAN. JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM. IT'S REALLY KIND OF MADE UP OF TWO COMPONENTS. YOU HAVE THE COLLECTION SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE SET OF SERIES OF PIPES THAT CONVEY ALL THE WASTEWATER FLOWS IN THE CITY, AND THEY END UP AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. SO THE SYSTEM IS MADE UP OF THE COLLECTION SYSTEM, WHICH ARE ALL THE PIPES THAT COLLECT WASTEWATER FLOWS. AND THEY ALL END UP AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH IS THE OTHER COMPONENT OF THE SYSTEM. 
          THE DOCUMENT KIND OF LAYS OUT HOW THE DISTRICT IS GOING TO MANAGE, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE COLLECTION SYSTEM. SO IT FOCUSES ON ON THAT COMPONENT OF THE OF THE SYSTEM, THE COLLECTION PIPES. AND IT'S REALLY MEANT TO TRY TO PREVENT ANY TYPE OF SEWER SYSTEM OVERFLOWS, SEWAGE SPILLS. SO THAT'S THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE DOCUMENT. AND SO THE DOCUMENT HAS A SERIES OF PROCEDURES THAT WE KIND OF ESTABLISH ON OUR OWN SELVES AS A WAY TO MITIGATE ANY TYPE OF SEWER OVERFLOWS BY DOING MAINTENANCE, PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          AND IT ALSO KIND OF FOCUSES ON IN THE EVENT THAT THERE IS A SEWER SPILL, HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THAT AND WHAT DO WE DO TO CONTAIN IT, AND WHAT DO WE DO TO REPORT IT? BECAUSE THOSE ARE REQUIREMENTS THAT THAT WE HAVE VIA THE PERMIT. SO IN CONCLUSION, THE PLAN HAS BEEN UPDATED. AND PART OF THE REQUIREMENT IS THAT THE GOVERNING BODY ADOPT THE PLAN. 
          AND SO PART OF THE REQUIREMENT ALSO MEANS THAT WE NOW HAVE TO UPDATE THIS PLAN EVERY SIX YEARS. SO THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER ADOPTING THIS PLAN AGAIN SIX YEARS FROM NOW. 
          QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE. AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A ROLL CALL ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S A RESOLUTION. 
          IS THERE A MOTION. MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL PLEASE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. DOCTOR. FIGUEROA. ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. VITTON. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. AND MAYOR HERNANDEZ. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. 
          WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 17. THIS IS TO APPROVE AN AGREEMENT FOR ANIMAL CONTROL, FOOD AND SHELTER SERVICE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          BILL. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS A CONTRACT WITH RIVERSIDE COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES. WHEN WE WERE PUTTING TOGETHER THE BUDGET, WE'D SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN COSTS OVER TIME, AND WE'D TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT COSTS WERE GOING TO BE GOING UP IN THE FUTURE AS WELL. AND SO THE ITEM THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, THE CONTRACT, ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT WE WERE IN, EXPIRED BACK IN JUNE, THIS GOES FROM JULY 1ST 25 UNTIL 28. SO IT'S A THREE YEAR DEAL. THE THING I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS COST. 
          AND JUST A REMINDER, BECAUSE WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT THIS YEAR WITHIN THE BUDGET, WE BUDGETED $637,000 FOR SERVICES. THE COUNTY HAD HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH US WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT COST RECOVERY. THE COUNTY IS DOING THAT AND ALL OF THEIR DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE JUST LIKE WE'RE HAVING TOUGH FISCAL TIMES, THE COUNTY IS AS WELL. AND SO ANYTIME THEY PROVIDE A SERVICE, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET COST RECOVERY. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW, NOT JUST WITH IT WAS POLICE AND FIRE ESPECIALLY, BUT NOW ANIMAL CONTROL AS WELL. AND YOU'VE SEEN IT IN THE PAPERS AND IN THE NEWS. ANIMAL CONTROL IS A BIG ISSUE RIGHT NOW. SO THIS YEAR 637,000. NEXT YEAR 638,000. 
          [01:25:03]
AND IN THE THIRD YEAR 806,000. SO IT'S QUITE A BIT OF INCREASE AS COMPARED TO WHAT WE'D SEEN BEFORE, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE PAST, WHEN I WAS HERE, I THINK WE WERE PAYING LESS THAN $300,000 FOR SERVICES, AND THAT WAS JUST FIVE YEARS AGO. SO STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT YOU APPROVE THE CONTRACT. I KNOW THAT THERE'S TALK IN THE OTHER CITIES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SHELTERING SERVICES AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CHARGING US FOR THE ANIMALS THAT THEY KEEP FOR HOW LONG THEY KEEP THEM. AND OUR BILLS FLUCTUATE DEPENDING UPON HOW MUCH WE PICK UP. WE HAVE ONE OFFICER THAT'S OUT IN THE FIELD RIGHT NOW. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WE GET COMPLAINTS AT TIMES THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH COVERAGE OR WE HAVE STRAY ANIMALS. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER TOO, THAT THERE THERE'S BALANCE. BECAUSE IF WE HIRE ANOTHER OFFICER, OF COURSE THE COST WOULD GO UP ANOTHER $300,000 BY ADDING ANOTHER FIELD OFFICER. HOWEVER, IF YOU THINK OF THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS BEING PICKED UP BY ONE OFFICER, HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE GOING TO BE PICKED UP BY TWO OFFICERS, YOU COULD FIGURE THAT OUR COST COULD POSSIBLY DOUBLE AND WE'RE PROVIDING A BETTER SERVICE. BUT THEN WE NEED WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION. EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE WE NEED RESPONSIBLE ANIMAL, YOU KNOW OWNERS. SO BILL I'M A GOOD, GOOD GOOD POINTS AND GREAT PRESENTATION. I, I THINK IT'S NOT JUST GOING TO BE EDUCATION HERE, BUT I THINK THE COUNCIL PROBABLY SHOULD START THINKING HOW TO AGGRESSIVELY MOVE TO GO AFTER ILLEGAL BREEDERS. THERE ARE FOLKS IN COACHELLA THAT HAVE BEEN BREEDING ANIMALS AND NOT BEING VERY RESPONSIBLE WITH THEM. I THINK AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO. PROBABLY GO AROUND AND TALK TO OUR RESIDENTS ABOUT HOW TO PROPERLY, LIKE, REGISTER THEIR DOGS AND ANIMALS AND AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME FIGURE OUT HOW. WE CAN. YOU KNOW, EDUCATE OR SITE RESIDENTS WHO ARE NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE WITH, YOU KNOW, THE LICENSING OR THE SPAY AND NEUTER OF SOME OF THESE ANIMALS SO THAT WE CAN GET CONTROL. I THINK THE, THE, THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT PEOPLE TEND TO HAVE ANIMALS AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE DONE WITH THEM, THEY JUST KIND OF PUT THEM ON THE STREET AND, AND THEN THEY JUST SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, CITY OR SOCIETY, THEY'RE YOUR PROBLEMS NOW. AND I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE BECAUSE IF THE COUNTY IS MOVING TO A FULL COST RECOVERY AND WE'RE GOING TO GET HIT, I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, $300,000 FOR ONE FIELD OFFICER, THAT'S HOW MUCH WE'RE A DEPUTY'S COSTING US. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S CRAZY. LIKE AND THAT THEIR THEIR SWORN OFFICERS AND WE'RE PAYING THE SAME RATE FOR A, FOR A FIELD OFFICER. THAT'S NOT THAT'S A LITTLE OUTRAGEOUS. AND THEN THE OTHER 300,000 WOULD BE WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THE THE ANIMAL THE SERVICE AT THE SHELTERING THE SHELTERING COSTS. YES. YEAH. AND THEN AND THEN KEEP IN MIND TOO, HERE'S THE OTHER SIDE. 
          WE'VE ALSO HAVE PARTNERED WITH. A COUPLE OF NONPROFITS TO DO SPAY AND NEUTER AT A PARK. AND WE'VE HAD AT LEAST I WISH RENE WAS HERE, BUT I KNOW WE HAD AT LEAST 5 OR 6 OF THEM. SO IN FACT, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, YOU'VE SPONSORED ONE SINCE I'VE BEEN BACK. YEAH. SO WE'VE WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT. SO I THINK WE NEED TO KIND OF THINK OF IT A LITTLE BIT MORE HOLISTICALLY AND SAYING, OKAY, LIKE. MAYBE CODE ENFORCEMENT CAN GO BE HELP US WITH ANIMAL CONTROL FOR A LITTLE BIT AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, PICKING ON OUR RESIDENTS. I'M JUST SAYING I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, CAN WE CAN WE THINK OF IT? OKAY, LIKE LIKE, LET'S GET THEM. LET'S GET THEM TO HELP HERE A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW. SO, SO THAT'S A THAT'S A YOU KNOW, IT'S A MANAGEMENT CONVERSATION BECAUSE COST IS ESCALATING. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST IN A YEAR FROM NOW HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNTY AND SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THIS IS WHAT WE THINK IS OCCURRING IN TERMS OF REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF ANIMALS THAT ARE GOING TO GET PICKED UP IN COACHELLA BECAUSE WE NEED IT. SOUNDS LIKE WE CAN CONTROL THAT COST A LITTLE BIT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. AND WE ALSO IF OUR WHEN OUR ANNEXATION IS SUCCESSFUL, WE ALSO HAVE AN ANIMAL CAMPUS IN THE ANNEXATION AREA TOO, THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH AS WELL. YEAH. SO THOSE ARE SO THOSE ARE KIND OF JUST LIKE THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, HOW DO WE APPROACH THIS FROM A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE AND AND TRYING TO GET GOOD OUTCOMES. SO I'LL PUT THAT ON ACTUALLY WE'LL 
          [01:30:03]
GIVE IT A KENDRA. KENDRA YOU'RE GONNA BE I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS TOPIC, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED. SO THIS ISN'T THE FIRST CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD ABOUT THE ANIMAL CONTROL CHALLENGES THAT THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY. I'M THE COUNTY IS IS HITTING US A BIT HARD HERE ON THE INCREASES THAT THAT WE'RE SEEING. SO FROM IN TWO YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM 600,000 TO 800,000. IN JUST TWO YEARS, TWO YEARS ALONE. AND AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK TO THE, THE PROGRAMING THAT WE'RE DOING, THE, THE SPAYING AND NEUTERING, HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING? I THINK IT'S LIKE MAYBE 30, 40,000. I THOUGHT IT WAS 30,000 IS WHAT WE HAD PUT IN LAST TIME. 
          YEAH I THINK 30, 30,000. SO 30,000 ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE ALREADY PAYING. AND THEN I KNOW THAT WHEN I'VE GONE ON THE, ON THE PATROLS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THAT THERE'S SOMETIMES ALSO RESPONDING TO CALLS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, STRAY DOGS BEING IN THE STREETS. SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT. IT'S PULLING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT. IT'S PULLING OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT. SO IT'S A LOT MORE THAN, THAN JUST THE ADDITIONAL 40,000. AND THIS BEING IN THE NEUTERING BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH PERSONNEL WE'RE USING TO TRY TO MANAGE IT ALL, I MEAN, YOU'VE HAD THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COUNTY OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN VERY LENGTHY. AND WHAT HAS THAT BEEN LIKE? I MEAN, ARE THEY BEEN I MEAN, OPEN TO TO POSSIBLY REDUCING SOME OF THESE COSTS OR PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SERVICES OR SUPPORT OF ANY. THEY ACTUALLY THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE A MORE AGGRESSIVE SCHEDULE TO RECOVER COSTS AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY DONE IT OVER TIME. 
          THERE WAS TALK AT ONE POINT WHERE IT WAS EVEN GOING TO BE GREATER THAN THIS, AND IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY. SO THEY'VE BACKED WAY BACK. WE HAD A PHONE CALL WITH JEFF, THE COUNTY CEO, AND WHEN JEFF SHOWS UP ON A ZOOM CALL, YOU WORRY BECAUSE NORMALLY THERE'S ONE PERSON WITH GOOD NEWS AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER GUY WITH BAD NEWS, AND JEFF'S ON THE CALL. 
          WE WERE VERY WORRIED, AND THERE WAS GOOD REASON FOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS BAD NEWS AND THEY CAME BACK AND THEY KIND OF HIT US WITH THE WORST NEWS. AND THEN THE THE DIRECTOR CAME BACK AND GAVE US BETTER NEWS BECAUSE THEY DID IT OVER TIME. STILL BAD NEWS, BUT NOT AS BAD AS IT WAS. SO. SO WHAT IS THEIR WHAT IS THEIR REASONING FOR? ARE THEY SAYING THAT THAT THEIR SERVICES ARE INCREASING THAT YOU KNOW, SO WHY WHY IS IT SO? WHY IS IT 200,000 AND WITHIN TWO YEARS FROM NOW THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY'VE NEVER COME CLOSE TO RECOVERING COSTS. AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A STUDY DONE WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING AT WHAT THEIR ACTUAL COSTS WERE. IT WAS KIND OF SURPRISING THAT A FIELD OFFICER WAS NEARLY AS MUCH AS A SWORN, YOU KNOW, AND SO SWORN. SHELTER COSTS. I WHEN I WAS IN APPLE VALLEY, WE HAD OUR OWN ANIMAL SHELTER, AND IT'S A THANKLESS JOB. NOBODY WANTS TO DO IT. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE. AND YOU CAN NEVER MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO PUT DOWN ANIMALS. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A DISCUSSION THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE COUNTY, TOO. BUT THE MORE THAT YOU TALK ABOUT PROGRAMS, THE MORE COSTS GO UP, BECAUSE THEY WERE KIND OF EXPLAINING TO US WHAT GOES INTO A DAY OF SOMEBODY ATTENDING KENNELS, AND IT'S TERRIBLE. AND I CAN REMEMBER IN MY MIND THINKING ABOUT WHEN I TOURED THE ONE THAT WE BUILT IN APPLE VALLEY, IT'S A TERRIBLE JOB. AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE DOOR WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, A DOG GETS DROPPED OFF OR A TRUCK BRINGS IN AN ANIMAL AND IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO CARE FOR AN ANIMAL. IN FACT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE LETTING THEIR ANIMALS GO NOW BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD FOOD FOR THEIR ANIMALS, TOO, BECAUSE ECONOMIC TIMES ARE TOUGH, WHICH IS MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE. WELL, THE THE SHELTER HAS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. THEY HAVE TO VACCINATE THEM. THEY HAVE TO CLEAN THEM DAILY, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE DAY. 
          IT'S A IT'S A ROUGH JOB. YOU KNOW, I PERHAPS COULD WE DO IT AS A JPA WITH 3 OR 4 OTHER CITIES AND DO OUR OWN SHELTER? PERHAPS THERE'S BEEN TALK OF IT, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT BETTER THAN WHAT THE COUNTY CAN DO IT. WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET OUR OWN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS WHERE WE BUY TRUCKS WITH AIR CONDITIONED CABINS, AND THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO. AND IS IT STILL A BETTER BARGAIN? RIGHT. WELL, THERE'S STILL THERE'S LIABILITY. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYEE GET BIT ALL OF A SUDDEN OR THERE'S A LOT OF WORKERS COMP CASES INVOLVED WITH ANIMAL CONTROL CONSTANTLY. WE'RE HAVING PEOPLE GOING OUT IN APPLE VALLEY BECAUSE OF THINGS HAPPENING, 
          [01:35:02]
CHASING A DOG, A DOG, BITING THEM, BEING RUN OVER BY SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS ALMOST LIKE IT WAS PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT JUST AND BY THE WAY, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT IF THE CITIES WANT TO DO IT, THE COUNTY BY ALL MEANS. OH, YES, THEY DO IT IN A MINUTE. I'LL DO IT IN A MINUTE. I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO IT. BUT I STILL THINK WE HAVE. THIS IS A GOOD BARGAIN. STILL, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE. I'M THINKING BACK TO LIKE, MAKE OR BUY ANALYSIS HERE. AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WHERE YOU'RE YOU STILL BUYING IT. BUT I GUESS MY, MY POINT IS, IS THAT WE WE SHOULD ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN THIS SO THAT IN TWO YEARS FROM NOW, WE CAN TELL THE COUNTY, OKAY, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE. AND BASED OFF OUR STATISTICS THAT WE SEE, WE'RE REDUCING THE ANIMAL POPULATION BECAUSE WE'RE DOING MORE SPAY AND NEUTER, BECAUSE WE'VE IMPLEMENTED LAWS WHERE WE'RE BANNING ILLEGAL BREEDERS. WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, AGGRESSIVELY REGISTERING ANIMALS IN THE CITY. AND SO WE'RE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING TO TRY TO REDUCE THE COST AND CONTROL COSTS, BECAUSE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WITH WHAT THE COUNTY'S DOING IS THEY'RE SHOWING YOU THE DATA ON HOW MUCH ANIMALS FROM COACHELLA ARE ACTUALLY BEING PICKED UP AND BROUGHT TO. THAT WAS SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T DO BEFORE. AND NOW WE HAVE COUNTS ACTUALLY, THAT ARE TRACKING. IT'S PRETTY AMAZING THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT ARE SHELTERED THAT ARE BEING TRACKED FROM COACHELLA. SO IT'S LIKE IF WE KNOW WE HAVE A LARGE DOG PROBLEM, IF WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW, IF WE KNOW WE HAVE A DOG PROBLEM, LARGE DOG PROBABLY BEING THE MAIN PROBLEM, THEN I THINK US AS LIKE THINKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE THERE'S LIKE FOR I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. I WAS HERE HAVING A COFFEE AND THERE IS A FREAKING GREAT DANE THAT'S JUST LIKE ROLLING THE STREET RIGHT HERE. HE'S A BIG GUY AND I'M LIKE, WHERE'S THIS GREAT DANE COMING FROM? HE'S LOOSE. AND GREAT DANES ARE LIKE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL, EXPENSIVE DOGS. BUT LIKE, HE'S JUST RUNNING AROUND HERE. AND I SEEN HIM AT LEAST AT LEAST TWICE. AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE WHERE IT'S LIKE, OKAY, LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE OWNER, RIGHT? LIKE, LIKE, HOW IS THIS GREAT DANE GETTING OUT? AND THEN ULTIMATELY SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GET BIT OR ANIMAL CONTROL IS GOING TO GET CALLED. AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT PROBLEM. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M JUST THINKING LIKE, YOU KNOW, CODE ENFORCEMENT. SOME OF US WE NEED WE WE NEED TO LIKE ENGAGE OR COLLABORATE WITH WITH ANIMAL CONTROL AND NOT JUST HAVE THE COUNTY LIKE, OH, IT'S NOT OUR PROBLEM. NO, NO, IT'S, IT'S IT'S A COST PROBLEM NOW FOR US IS WHAT I'M SAYING. THE, THE THEY'VE BEEN VERY, VERY HONEST ABOUT THAT. THE, THAT THE CHALLENGES ARE COMING FROM THE EAST VALLEY. AND IT'S NOT JUST COACHELLA, IT'S THERMAL, IT'S MECCA AND IT'S BEYOND I THINK, YOU KNOW. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ, YOU KNOW, THEY SEE IT OUT THERE, YOU KNOW. SO THEY'VE BEEN VERY OPEN ABOUT SAYING THAT THE PROBLEM IS IN THE EAST VALLEY, IT'S NOT JUST COACHELLA. IT'S BEYOND I BACK TO THE POLICY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ASKING TO FOR FOR A BIT ABOUT PUTTING A POLICY WHERE BREEDING IS ILLEGAL. AND THE REASON I DO IT, I, I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE DO IT TO, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE A LITTLE ADDITIONAL MONEY. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M HOPING THAT THE REST OF THE CITY UNDERSTANDS HOW MUCH MORE MONEY WE'RE HAVING TO PUT IN BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE OF THAT CHALLENGE. AND THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT LIKE A REALLY PRETTY DOG, YOU KNOW, A FULL BREED ANIMAL. THEY PURCHASE IT, AND THEN THEY REALIZE THAT IT'S A LOT MORE THAN WHAT THEY ANTICIPATED, AND IT ENDS UP IN THE STREETS OR IN THE BACK IN THE SHELTER. SOME OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE PICKED UP, THEY'RE TAKEN TO THE SHELTER. BUT THEN THOSE THAT ARE REGISTERED TO THAT DOG DON'T PICK UP THE DOG. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU HAVE A LOT OF SYSTEMS HERE IN PLACE. AND EVEN WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK BACK WHO THE DOG BELONGS TO, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO AND PICK THEM UP FROM THE SHELTER ANYMORE. SO THERE'S THERE'S A LOT TO THIS. I, I DO GO BACK TO IN ADDITIONAL TO ENFORCEMENT AND EVERYTHING IS I DON'T WANT TO GO OUT INTO THE CITY AND BE AGGRESSIVE AND, AND HOW WE GO AFTER THIS STUFF WITHOUT PUTTING AN EDUCATIONAL PORTION OF IT FIRST. AND SO THAT WAY AT LEAST WE CAN SAY WE SENT OUT THIS INFORMATION. WE SENT OUT THIS INFORMATION WHETHER THEY'RE I THINK IT SHOULD BE MAILERS, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE SHOULD PUT IT IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ADS. AND IT'S AND A LOVING ALL ANIMALS ACTUALLY RESET WHERE THEY WEREN'T THEY TALKING TO YOU ABOUT PUTTING THE EDUCATIONAL VIDEO. SO WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO DO THE VIDEO FOR US. 
          [01:40:03]
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT. AND THEY KNOW THE CHALLENGES MORE THAN WE DO. SO THEY'VE BEEN WANTING TO AND I'VE MET WITH THEM A FEW TIMES. THEY'VE BEEN WANTING TO PUT A RECORDING, AN EDUCATIONAL PORTION FROM THE BEGINNING TO END ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO A DOG, AND THEN FEES AND EVERYTHING. WITH THAT, WE'RE WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THAT? THEY ACTUALLY WE CAN YOU CAN YOU COME UP HERE? SO ACTUALLY IT'S BEEN ABOUT WELL OVER A YEAR THAT THEY CAME OUT AND ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED ME ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION IN THE CITY, AND A LITTLE VIDEO WAS PRODUCED. I NEVER GOT THE FINAL CUT, BUT IT WAS A COMPILATION. IT WAS AN EDUCATIONAL VIDEO, AND IT DID ADDRESS THE SITUATION IN COACHELLA. BUT I'LL ASK ABOUT THAT. WAS THAT A DIFFERENT AGENCY? BECAUSE I REMEMBER WE HAD ONE, AND I THINK IT WAS THE ONE THAT LIVED NEAR MARES MAYOR HERNANDEZ'S HOME. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE STILL OPERATING. WAS IT THAT AGENCY OR WAS IT ALL LIVING ANIMALS, WHICH IS MUCH BIGGER? I THINK IT WAS LOVING ALL ANIMALS. IT WAS A REPRESENTATIVE THAT CAME OUT AND AND THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CAME OUT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL AND THEY FILMED THEY FILMED A LITTLE SEGMENT, DID A LITTLE INTERVIEW. BUT I'LL I'LL LOOK BACK ON MY NOTES AND SEE WHO WHAT ORGANIZATION IT WAS. YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT. AND, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, I THINK EVEN LIKE THE LITERATURE, I THINK THEY EVEN HAVE THAT ALL DONE AS WELL. AND THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT RESOURCE IS, IS TO HAVE THAT SHELTER BECAUSE THEY THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONETARY DONATIONS QUITE A BIT TO MAKE THAT EXPANSION TO THAT CORNER THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S A GREAT PARTNER TO TO HAVE. AND THEY TAKE THE FULL COST OF SHELTERING THE ANIMALS. THANK YOU SIR. YOU'RE WELCOME. WELL IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. THE GOOD CONVERSATION I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. I JUST WILL SAY LIKE WHEN I'M ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL HERE FOR 1000 PALMS, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF ALL THE DOGS ARE LARGE BREED, THE ONES THAT ARE SHELTERED. SO IT'S LIKE LARGE BREED IS WHERE WE REALLY GOT TO CONCENTRATE. AND, AND, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT. 
          RIGHT. AND SO, SO WE WE EDUCATE. BUT THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH THEM AND ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM FROM A COST STANDPOINT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. 
          CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. BURTON. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. MAYOR. HERNANDEZ. YES. WE'LL MOVE ON. NOW, THIS IS TO APPROVE A SPONSORSHIP REQUEST TO AMEND THE AMOUNT OF 50,000 TO PROVIDE IMMIGRATION SERVICES AND MOBILE IMMIGRATION CLINICS WITHIN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. YES. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE DO HAVE QUOFEM ONLINE. I JUST WANT TO ASK OUR IT TEAM TO PROMOTE JESSICA MARTINEZ AND RAFAEL FABIAN. I ALSO HAVE OTHER MEMBERS HERE OF QUOFEM COACHELLA, CLAUDIA ARMENTA AND LETICIA GOMEZ. YEAH, THEY DIDN'T PROMOTE. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. SO LET ME GO AHEAD AND JUST INTRODUCE THIS ITEM AND THEN I'LL HAVE JESSICA OR CLAUDIA PROVIDE THE PRESENTATION. ESSENTIALLY THIS IS A PROPOSAL TRYING TO ADDRESS THE IMMIGRATION CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO QUOFEM IS VERY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OUR RESIDENTS WITH A PATHWAY TO LEGAL STATUS, WHETHER IT BE US CITIZENSHIP, DACA RENEWALS OR OTHER RENEWALS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS IN OUR CITY. SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND JUST TURN IT OVER TO JESSICA TO BEGIN THE PRESENTATION. JESSICA, CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, CLAUDIA. I'M SORRY. 
          THANK YOU. CLAUDIA. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF, CITY MANAGER. MY NAME IS CLAUDIA ARMENTA AND MY NAME IS CITLALI. SO I KNOW MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW ME BY CITLALI. I'M HERE TODAY WITH QUOFEM. I AM THE IMMIGRATION INTEGRATION PROGRAM ASSISTANT. JOINING ME TODAY IS LETICIA. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS LETICIA GOMEZ AND I'M THE PROGRAMS MANAGER. SO TODAY WE ARE HERE TO PROPOSE 
          [01:45:04]
OUR PROJECT EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY ACCESS THEIR PATH TO CITIZENSHIP. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US QUOFEM THE COUNCIL OF MEXICAN FEDERATION IN NORTH AMERICA, ALSO KNOWN AS QUOFEM OR CONSEJO FEDERACIONES MEXICANAS, IS DEDICATED TO ADVANCING OUR LATINO COMMUNITY THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, EDUCATION AND CULTURAL PROJECTS. QUOFEM REPRESENTS 11 FEDERATIONS WHICH INCLUDE PEOPLE FROM SPECIFIC STATES OF THE MEXICAN REPUBLIC. THESE FEDERATIONS HELP TO NURTURE ENDURING CULTURAL VALUES THROUGH BOARD SUPPORT TO THE MEXICAN COMMUNITY. AT THE BINATIONAL LEVEL, OUR ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED OVER 20 YEARS AGO AND HAS DEVELOPED A BINATIONAL AGENDA THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE ORIGINS TOWARDS MEXICO AND FOCUSES ON EMPOWERING THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF THESE LATINO IMMIGRANTS. SO OUR MISSION AT QUOFEM IS TO EMPOWER IMMIGRANTS COMMUNITIES TO BE FULL PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL LIFE OF THE US AND THEIR HOME COUNTRY. WE ENVISION A FAIR AND INCLUSIVE AMERICA WHERE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES HAVE A VOICE, HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR CITIZENSHIP PROCESS AND THE ABILITY TO PRESERVE THEIR CULTURAL IDENTITY. SO OUR HISTORY HERE IN COACHELLA DATES BACK TO 2009, WITH THE SUPPORT OF ROSALIO PLATA AND ROSALIO, PLATA WAS A COMMUNITY LEADER AS WELL AS AN ACTIVIST HERE IN COACHELLA. HE WAS BORN IN MICHOACAN, MEXICO, AND AT THE AGE OF 20, HE IMMIGRATED TO COACHELLA. HE WORKED AS A LANDSCAPER, HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, AND HE WAS ALSO AN ENTREPRENEUR HERE IN COACHELLA. HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON OF MEXICAN DESCENT TO BE ON THE SCHOOLS BODY PRESIDENT. HE HAD A LOVE FOR EDUCATION AND WITH THROUGH HIS LOVE OF EDUCATION, HE WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT QUOFEM. FOR US TO HAVE A PRESENCE HERE IN COACHELLA. HE SUPPORTED OUR DIRECTOR, FRANCISCO MORENO, AND THE EFFORTS OF DEVELOPING THE HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM. SO THE QUOFEM SCORE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES. NOT ONLY ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR LOS ANGELES OFFICE, BUT HERE IN COACHELLA, WE HAVE THE HIGHER EDUCATION PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORTS COLLEGE ACCESS TO AND AFFORDABILITY THROUGH ADVOCACY AND STUDENT RESOURCES. WE ALSO HAVE THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM, WHICH ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC LANDS PROTECTION AND EXPANDS OUTDOOR ACCESS FOR LATINX COMMUNITIES AND THE COACHELLA VALLEY. AND THEN WE HAVE THE IMMIGRATION SERVICES, WHICH PROVIDES DOJ ACCREDITED IMMIGRATION SERVICES, INCLUDING CITIZENSHIP, GREEN CARD RENEWALS AND DACA RENEWALS. AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND PASS IT ON TO MY COLLEAGUE, WHICH IS THE IMMIGRATION INTEGRATION PROGRAMS COORDINATOR, RAFAEL FABIAN, WHICH HE'S JOINING US ON ZOOM. THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          CITLALI MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT IS A PLEASURE AND HONOR TO BE HERE ON THIS IMPORTANT DAY, NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING A LONG STANDING WITHIN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR MANY YEARS THROUGH THE VISION THAT ONE OF OUR CO-FOUNDERS, ROSALIA PLATA, WHICH WAS THE SOURCE FOR US TO BE THERE PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES. HIS GOAL OF HIS VISION WAS HIGHER EDUCATION. 
          WITH THE OPENING OF COACHELLA OFFICE WITH SPANISH SERVICES, ONE OF THE SERVICES THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE, AND THIS IS THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS AND ALL THE CO-FOUNDERS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS THROUGH THE HISTORIC PROGRAM WAS TO OBTAIN THE ACCREDITATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. SO OFTEN HAS BEEN CREDITED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR MANY YEARS MYSELF. THIS IS GOING TO BE MY THIRD RENEWAL WITH THE ACCREDITATION 
          [01:50:02]
INSIDE THE IMMIGRATION TEAM. WE HAVE OTHER THREE MEMBERS THAT ARE ACCREDITED AND WE ARE EXPANDING OUR TEAM ACCREDITATION TO A TOTAL OF NINE PERSONS TO BE ACCREDITED. 
          WE WERE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA IN THE PAST, AS COLLABORATORS KNOW, AS THE RECIPIENTS OF GRANTS. I REMEMBER THAT CITY HALL, WHERE WE HAVE BEEN HOSTING MANY CITIZENSHIP CLINICS. WHILE WE ARE BRINGING UP TO THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU GUYS. 
          SUPPORT AND APPROVAL IS TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES, MUCH NEEDED SERVICES TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA RESIDENTS, AND FILLING UP THE GAPS. WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF COACHELLA IS AN AREA WHERE THE RESOURCES ARE VERY SCARED, VERY SCARED. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES, DIRECT NO COST OR FREE OF SERVICE. AS YOU HAVE BEEN NOTICED, A RECENT CHANGE ON THE POLICY OF THE ACTUAL ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN MAKING HARDER, NOT ONLY FOR LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS, DACA RECIPIENTS AND OTHERS TO APPLY FOR SERVICES THROUGH THE USCIS OFFICE. IT HAS BEEN ALSO MAKING IT HARDER FOR NONPROFITS PROVIDE THESE SERVICES. SO THIS HAVING STOPPED US AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN DOING THE WORK ON THE FIELD FOR MANY YEARS WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MOBILE CLINICS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST MANY COACHELLA RESIDENTS FOR MANY YEARS. EVERY 60 MONTHS, WE SEE A DACA RECIPIENTS THAT ARE RETURNING TO OUR OFFICE FOR DACA RENEWAL. EVEN THOUGH THE WORK PERMIT IS DUE FOR TWO YEARS, THEY HAD TO RENEW IT EVERY SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE. SO WHY ARE WE BRINGING THIS EXPERIENCE IN THE TRUSTFULNESS THAT WE GAIN ONCE WE START IN CONTACT WITH THE COMMUNITY? MOST OF THE WORK INCREASE IS FOR REFERRALS, FAMILY REFERRING FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN HAVING THE EXPERIENCE TO RECEIVE THE THE BENEFITS. SO WITH THE GRANT, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES WITHIN THE OFFICE THAT WE HAVE IN COACHELLA, BUT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE OFFERING THE THE THE VIRTUAL SERVICE THROUGH THE OFFICE IN LOS ANGELES. DUE TO THE RECENT RATES AND THE POLICY CHANGE ON IMMIGRATION, WE ARE TRYING TO AVOID TO SEE THE THE APPLICANTS OF THE RECIPIENTS LOOKING FOR SERVICES IN PERSON, TO EXPOSE THEM TO BE VICTIMS OF BEING ARRESTED BY FEDERAL AGENTS. SO WE HAVE DESIGNED A MODEL THAT HAS BEEN ALLOWING US TO DO THIS, MOBILE CLINICS, WHERE WE ONLY NEED TO SEE THE APPLICANTS ONE TIME, ONE TIME, AND THAT'S FOR THE FINAL PACKAGE REVIEW, SIGNING OF THE THE APPLICATIONS AND DELIVER THE PACKAGE. I WILL ASK AT THIS MOMENT IF YOU GUYS CAN ALLOW US QUOFEM ADMIN, WHICH IS MY COWORKER JESSICA MARTINEZ, SO SHE CAN ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ONTO THE BREAKPOINT OF THE THE GRANT REQUEST AND APPROVAL FOR YOU GUYS. IF WE CAN GRANT JESSICA MARTINEZ UNDER QUOFEM ADMIN IDENTIFICATION ACCESS TO THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE. 
          THIS IS YOUR. SINCE JESSICA DOESN'T SEEM TO HERE AS WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE. GO AHEAD AND TAKE OVER THE LEAD. JUST BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE PROJECT A SCOPE, WHICH IS THE MOBILE IMMIGRATION CLINICS, AS WHAT OUR COLLEAGUE RAFAEL FABIAN WAS REFERRING TO. AND SIMILARLY, WE WILL HOST A TOTAL OF SIX HYBRID IN-PERSON CLINICS TO ASSIST ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS WITH CITIZEN APPLICATIONS, WHICH WE CALL THE N-400. AND THE DACA RENEWALS, ALONG WITH THE LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENCY RENEWALS. THE LOCATION WOULD BE HERE IN OUR COACHELLA VALLEY, AND ACTUALLY, WE'RE LITERALLY JUST ACROSS FROM THE COUNCIL BUILDING, WHICH WOULD BE ASSISTING THE COACHELLA RESIDENTS. ULTIMATELY, WE WOULD 
          [01:55:01]
CONTINUE TO DO OUR OUTREACH PURPOSES WILL BEGIN THIS MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO START THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH, BUT BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO GO AHEAD AND WAIT FOR THIS MEETING TO BE APPROVED. SO WE'RE PRESENTING IT NOW. FROM THIS POINT ON, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START DOING OUR EFFORTS AND OUTREACH TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR FIRST FIRST MOBILE IMMIGRATION CLINIC FROM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, ALL THE WAY THROUGH MARCH OF 2026, AND WILL BE ENDING OUR LAST MOBILE IMMIGRATION CLINIC IN ANY CLOSING OR REQUIRED REPORTING IN THE MONTH OF APRIL OF 2026. WITH THAT, LIKE I SAID, THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES IS TO SERVICE 60 PLUS COMPLETION OF THE CITIZENSHIP, THE DACA RENEWAL AND THE RESIDENCY. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THOSE 60 TARGET RESIDENTS FROM THE COACHELLA AND WE WOULD SERVE 150 RESIDENTS SERVED THROUGH THE REVIEW AND REFERRAL OR APPLICATION SUPPORT. ALONG WITH THAT, WE WOULD CONDUCT SIX MOBILE LIKE I MENTIONED WITHIN. 
          OCTOBER THROUGH APRIL OF 2026. AND LASTLY, WE WILL PROVIDE PROVIDE AT LEAST 50 INDIVIDUALS FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES FEE SUPPORT. IF YOU GUYS WERE TO GRANT US THIS, THIS GRANT AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE STAFF, YOU'LL SEE WOULD BE RAPHAEL FABIAN, WHO JUST SPOKE A FEW MINUTES AGO. MOLINA, WHO IS OUR GENERAL MANAGER, MYSELF, LETICIA GOMEZ. AND US, CLAUDIA CITLALI, WHO IS THE IMMIGRATION PROGRAM ASSISTANT. THE ADDITIONAL PANELISTS HAVE JOINED, JUST FYI. HI, EVERYBODY. IT'S NICE TO BE HERE. I'M SORRY FOR THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. 
          WE ALL HAVE THE SAME HANDLE CO ADMIN, SO IT WAS A LITTLE HARD IN THE BEGINNING. BUT IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE TO THE BUDGET, I'LL TAKE US THROUGH IT AND TAKE US TO THROUGH THE OVERALL PURPOSE OF THIS RIGHT, WHICH IS TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. SO FOR THE PERSONNEL, WE'RE WE PROPOSE A ABOUT $9,000. YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE A PACKET WITH A MORE DETAILED BUDGET. 
          THIS IS JUST LIKE A ESTIMATION, LIKE JUST SO IT COULD BE SIMPLE AND TO THE POINT HERE ON THE SCREEN, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS IS THE IMMIGRATION FEES, WHICH ARE LIFE CHANGING FOR 60 FAMILIES, NOT JUST INDIVIDUALS, BUT FAMILIES. 60 FAMILIES ARE GOING TO GET ACCESS TO CITIZENSHIP, WHICH MEANS ACCESS. THIS PERSON IS GOING TO GET ACCESS TO BETTER PAYING JOBS, ACCESS TO THE VOTE, RIGHT TO THE IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS, AND ACCESS. YEAH, TO TO OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU SELENA. YOU KNOW FOR FOR ALLOWING US TO PROPOSE THIS PROJECT BECAUSE WE HAVE WE HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE LIKE THIS TO FAMILIES. BUT IT WAS DURING THE PANDEMIC, RIGHT WHEN WHEN THERE WAS EMERGENCIES THAT THAT HELPED FINISHED. AND FAMILIES STILL NEED IT. RIGHT? THERE STILL A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT ONLY THE ONLY HURDLE THAT KEEPS THEM FROM BECOMING CITIZENS IS, IS THE IMMIGRATION FEE, WHICH IS UPWARDS OF $700, 765 IF I'M IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. SO THIS IS LIFE CHANGING FOR UP TO 60 FAMILIES. SO JUST I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION FEES. IT'S A SMALL SMALL FEES FOR THE WORKSHOPS, 4200. IT'S JUST SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME FOOD AND REFRESHMENTS FOR THEM. NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING FANCY. JUST LIKE CAFE CAFE CON PANCHITO AND OBVIOUSLY THE IMMIGRATION, ALL THE ALL THE PAPERWORK THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT, ALL THE OFFICE SUPPLIES AND THEN THE INDIRECT COST. BECAUSE THIS TAKES A LOT OF MANPOWER FROM FROM ADMIN AS WELL AS FROM OUR DOJ ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVES, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF. RAFA, I THINK RAFA WENT OVER IT A LITTLE BIT WITH, WITH A DOJ ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVE IS IT'S A IT'S A PERSON ACCREDITED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO CONDUCT TO SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. SO THEY ARE EXPERTS IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. THEY KNOW THAT CITIZENSHIP APPLICATION INWARDS AND BACKWARDS, THAT THAT APPLICATION THAT I-90, WHICH IS THE RESIDENCY RENEWAL, THEY'RE EXPERTS ON IT. AND THAT'S AND THAT'S WHO'S PREPARING THESE DOCUMENTS. IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, A NOTARIO OR JUST LIKE YOUR COUSIN THAT'S 
          [02:00:04]
HELPING YOU. THAT'S THAT'S HELPING YOU FILL OUT THESE FORMS. IT'S EXPERTS THAT KNOW THESE APPLICATIONS, BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THEY TRAINED TO DO EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THEY HAVE A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TRAINING, AND THEY DO THAT EVERY YEAR. SO THEY KEEP UP TO DATE. MY MY COLLEAGUE RAFAEL IS BEYOND AN EXPERT. HE KNOWS EVERY SINGLE TIME THERE'S A USCIS POLICY CHANGE, HE KEEPS THE STAFF INFORMED. RIGHT. SO YOU SO THAT WE CAN PASS IT ON TO TO THE PUBLIC. SO YOU KNOW THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION ON THAT. AND YEAH, THAT'S IT. 
          THAT'S THAT'S THE $50,000. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S THE BUDGET WE'RE PROPOSING FOR YOUR APPROVAL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL. YEAH I HAVE I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I STOPPED BY THE OFFICE AND I SPOKE TO A GENTLEMAN, AND I WAS TRYING TO DO A ROUNDTABLE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS GET TOGETHER AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO OUR RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, AS TO WHAT THEIR RIGHTS WERE. THE GENTLEMAN THAT I SPOKE TO WAS NOT TOO SURE IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BE PART OF THE ROUNDTABLE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR GUYS'S POLICY IS, BECAUSE THEY DID SAY THAT YOU GUYS WERE CONTRACTED WITH KDA. I DID LEAVE MY BUSINESS CARD AND I REQUESTED SOMEBODY TO FOLLOW UP WITH ME IN REGARDS TO THAT. 
          WHAT I WAS GIVEN WAS A FORM OF SERVICES THAT I COULD CALL AND SEE IF THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED. 
          ONE OF THEM WAS TODAK. I THINK TODAK IS PROBABLY OVERWHELMED WITH ALL THE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY DO PROVIDE SERVICES MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THEY DO AN AWESOME JOB. THEY I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM. I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH COACHELLA VALLEY WOMEN'S MARCH, I BELIEVE IT IS. SO NOW THAT YOU GUYS COME FORWARD, I'M GLAD FOR THIS, BUT NOW I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHAT WHAT CAN HAPPEN. BECAUSE AFTER I SPOKE TO THAT GENTLEMAN WITHIN WEEKS, THERE WAS AN AWESOME WEBINAR THAT WAS PUT ON BY QUOFEM, WHICH I DID ATTEND, AND I WAS ABLE TO GET A LOT OF RESOURCES AND INFORMATION ON RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO, TO, TO THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST TO OUR RESIDENT, BUT TO EVERYBODY. SO MY THING IS, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE BEFORE MOVING FORWARD, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A ROUNDTABLE WITH ALL OF OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND SEE HOW WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER, NOT JUST ONE, BUT EVERYBODY WORK TOGETHER. MY NEXT QUESTION IS YOU GUYS WOULD ASSIST 150 PEOPLE OR 60 BECAUSE SOMEBODY AT 60 AND THEN YOU GUYS SAID 150, 60. SO IT'S DIFFERENT. IT'S DIFFERENT DIFFERENT INSTANCES. RIGHT. SO IT'S 60 APPOINTMENTS. SO EVERY SINGLE APPLICATION NOT EVERY SINGLE, BUT MOST OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE COMPLETE FROM FROM BEGINNING TO END, IT'S BETTER IF THEY HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. SO WE HAVE 60 APPOINTMENTS 100 AND PEOPLE SERVED IN GENERAL. SO THAT INCLUDES THE REVIEW OR OR A REFERRAL. SO THEY CALL IN WE WE WE ANALYZE THEIR CASE AND WE REALIZE THAT WE CAN'T ASSIST THEM. SO WE REFER THEM OUT TO TRUSTED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DODIK OR OR PRO BONO OR LOW COST IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS THAT WE TRUST. AND YEAH, THOSE ARE THE THAT'S THE REFERRAL AND APPLICATION SUPPORT. SO THE 60 IS INCLUDED IN THE 150. SO YOU WOULD SELECT 60 APPLICANTS FROM THE 150. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. OUT OF THE ONE 5060 APPLICANTS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR COMPLETION. AND OUT OF THOSE 60 UP TO 50 WE FOR WITH THE 30,000, IT'S 50 THAT WE THAT WE COULD HELP WITH THE FULL IMMIGRATION FEES UP TO 60 BUT 50 MINIMUM OKAY. BECAUSE OF THE VARYING VARYING COST OF THE APPLICATIONS. AND YOU COULD SEE THAT IN THE IN THE BUDGET IT'S LISTED. AND THEN IF I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRONIC VERSION, BUT WE COULD ALSO WE COULD ALSO SEND IT TO YOU, I CAN SEND IT TO THE COUNCIL. SO I, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A. A, A ROUNDTABLE WITH EVERY NONPROFIT AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE ALL OVERLAP THE, THE ISSUE THAT I'M HAVING RIGHT NOW. AND I'LL BE HONEST, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH QUOFEM, YOU KNOW, CONSERVATION CHUCKAWALLA I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH QUOFEM CIVIC PARTICIPATION. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH QUOFEM HIGHER EDUCATION. I DO REMEMBER THE IMMIGRATION SERVICES THAT WERE BEING OFFERED DURING, YOU KNOW, COVID. MY MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS ISN'T A SUSTAINABLE EFFORT. AND WHAT IS YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAIN THIS EFFORT AND. IT 
          [02:05:02]
SHOULD SHOULD WE WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SUSTAINING THIS EFFORT, NOT JUST FOR SIX MONTHS IN COACHELLA, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING EFFORT AND AN ONGOING. ATTEMPT BY THE, THE, THE, THE ADMINISTRATION TO, TO REALLY COST OUR COMMUNITY. 
          RIGHT? SO MY, MY, MY, MY THINKING HERE IS LIKE, WHAT'S YOUR SKIN IN THE GAME AND WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO DO TO MOVE BEYOND JUST THIS GRANT. AND MAYBE THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE IN PRIVATE WHERE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT NOT JUST SIX IN PERSON HYBRID CLINICS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GET TO 18? HOW DO YOU GET TO, YOU KNOW, AND AND HOW IS THIS SUSTAINED. AND THIS SERVICE IS OFFERED. AND I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ THAT THE DAC IS PROBABLY OVERWHELMED BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE EVERY, EVERY DAY. AND THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO MOVE DOWN THIS ROUTE, I GET IT. WE CONCEDE YOU. 
          BUT WHAT'S YOUR COMMITMENT TO STAYING LONG TERM? BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE NEED TO PARTNER WITH. PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE, LIKE LONG TERM COMMITTED TO THIS EFFORT. AND SO MAYBE MAYBE WE CONTINUE THIS ITEM. WE HAVE A A REAL IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH ALL OF OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS SO THAT WE CAN GET A CLEAR LANDSCAPE OF WHAT APPROACHES AND SERVICES WE'RE GOING TO OFFER AND, AND PUT THE MONEY, YOU KNOW, BEHIND TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS. I THINK FOR US, IT'S WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS AND NOT POP UPS. RIGHT? SO WE WE WANT TO LOOK AT LIKE, HOW DO WE DO THIS LONG TERM. AND THAT'S AND MAYBE THE GRANT NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE I DON'T KNOW. BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE CONVERSATION. YEAH. IF I MAY ALLOW, JUST IN RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. SO SORRY FOR THAT EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE VISITED OUR OFFICE. SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO CLARIFY IS THAT OUR OFFICE IS SHARED WITH OTHER NONPROFIT. OKAY. SO PROBABLY WHO RECEIVE YOU THAT DATA WASN'T STAFF BECAUSE MOST OF THE STAFF ARE WELL PREPARED TO ASSIST IN IN PROVIDING INFORMATION. LIKE I SAID, SO SORRY FOR THAT EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE MOST LIKELY. AND I WANT TO THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED, THAT YOU WERE RECEIVED BY ONE OF THE MEMBERS FROM PD OFFICE, WHICH WHICH ARE THE OFFICE BEHIND THE CITY HALL, BUT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT THE THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU ARE ASKING FOR. LIKE I SAID BEFORE THIS, THIS PROPOSAL, BEFORE THIS PILOT THAT WE THAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS WE HAVE BEEN THERE, WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING THESE SERVICES WITHOUT THE CITY SUPPORT, OTHER THAN ALLOWING US TO USE CITY FACILITIES. SO THE COMMITMENT IS THERE. EVEN WHEN THERE WAS NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR HOPING TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, WE ARE THERE. WE KNOW THAT IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM US, BUT AS ORGANIZATION, THEY HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF SOCIAL SERVICES THAT TIE THEIR HANDS TO WHAT IS IT THAT IMPACT THEY CAN HAVE, OR SERVICES THAT WERE SPECIALIZED IN IMMIGRATION SERVICES? YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE CONSERVATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS A REALLY STRONG PROGRAM RIGHT THERE WITHIN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. WHAT IT IS WITHIN LOS ANGELES, THE IMMIGRATION PROGRAM. SO WE HAVE BEEN THERE. WE WHAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW IS NOT TO DO A POP UP EVENT OR POP UP CAMPAIGN IS WE WANT TO BUILD UP A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA. SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING FOR THIS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, NOT TO DO A ONE TIME SERVICE. THIS IS A COMMITMENT THAT WE WANT TO DO EVERY YEAR WITH THE RENEWAL AND WITH THE DELIVERY OF THE OF THE RESULTS, THAT WHAT THIS INVESTMENT IS GOING TO BE DOING. 
          IF YOU NOTICE TO THE BUDGET, PRETTY MUCH ALL THE MONEY IS GOING TO GO FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES. THE THE FORMS TO USCIS, THAT MONEY IS NOT GOING TO GO TO COFENSE. YEAH, YEAH. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO WE NEED TO TALK LIKE I, I THINK I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO CONTINUE THIS AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THAT COLLABORATION AND LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY, IF THIS IS WHAT THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO DO, AND THEN AND THEN I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE WE GET A GOOD LANDSCAPE OF WHO'S OFFERING WHAT AND, AND, AND AND HOW WE COMPLEMENT. RIGHT. LIKE I THINK THAT'S THE LIKE HOW DO WE ALL COMPLEMENT SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND, AND WE CAN 
          [02:10:04]
WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE I, BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE IN, IN BUILDING CAPACITY, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S AND EXCUSE MY LANGUAGE IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE POP UP. BUT I THINK MY, MY INTENT HERE IS, IS. HOW DO WE COMPREHENSIVELY CREATE SERVICES SUSTAINABLE. YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADD JUST A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT RAFA FABIAN WAS JUST MENTIONING. I TRULY APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. THAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU POP OUT INTO OUR OFFICE, THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. AND LIKE I SAID, I WAS NOT AWARE AS THE OFFICE MANAGER, I WAS NOT AWARE AND I TRULY APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I WILL LOOK INTO IT. AND JUST TO CONFIRM WITH RAFAEL, WE DO SHARE AN OFFICE WITH KATY. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU WERE APPROACHED BY KATY EMPLOYEE. 
          I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT HAPPENED. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT BUSINESS CARD, SO I WILL DEFINITELY BE LOOKING INTO IT AND MAKING SURE WITH THE REST OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE OFFICE TO MAKE IT A POINT. AND WE ARE HERE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THAT'S THE BEST INTEREST FOR NOT ONLY FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION QUOFEM, BUT IN GENERAL FOR THE COMMUNITY. WE STAND BEHIND THEM AND WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT THAT. AND FOR US, THIS IS LIKE A GRANITO DE ARENA THAT WE WANT TO PUT IN THERE. LIKE RAFAEL MENTIONED, THE SERVICES FOR IMMIGRATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION CONSERVATION HAVE BEEN BROUGHT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WHERE WE HAVE EVENTS IN THE LIBRARY OR IN THE CITY ROOMS THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO WE ARE NOT HERE TO JUST DO A ONE TIME EVENT OR ONE YEAR EVENT. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE YEARS AND BE PARTNER UP WITH YOU GUYS'S SUPPORT AND OUR SUPPORT FROM QUOFEM TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS COACHELLA AND AND YEAH, AND I MEAN FROM THIS TOO, WE CAN ALSO THINK OF OTHER FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES, RIGHT. 
          LIKE THAT'S HOW HOW DO WE GET THERE. BECAUSE BECAUSE IT'S IT'S ABOUT CAPACITY BUILDING. 
          AND UNFORTUNATELY IT IT ENDS AT THAT. THAT IS ALWAYS FUNDING. RIGHT. AND WITH THE CUTS LIKE I'M SURE YOU GUYS ALL ARE AWARE AND EDUCATED ON, WE'RE FACING THAT AS WELL. SO THAT IS IT LANDS AND WE FINISH IT AT FUNDING. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU GUYS ARE IN CONTACT WITH OR PARTNER WITH? SO I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON THE FORM THAT YOU RECEIVED. SO WHEN YOU ENTER THE OFFICE, LIKE LET ME MENTION IT IS A SHARED SPACE AND I HAVE PROVIDED THERE AN AREA WHERE IF I'M WITH A CLIENT OR IF SHE'S ASSISTING SOMEONE, THERE IS RESOURCES AVAILABLE. AS SOON AS YOU WALK INTO THE OFFICE. I HAVE BEEN A PART OF MEETINGS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. I HAVE ALSO ATTENDED MEETINGS WITH TODAK WHERE THEY INFORM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ON THE RAPID RESPONSE EFFORTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HAPPENING DURING THIS ADMINISTRATION. AND SO THEY'RE ON THE LIST THAT YOU DO HAVE, AND I COULD ACTUALLY EMAIL IT TO EVERYONE. WE HAVE THERE, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN A PART OF THEIR EVENTS OR WE REFER EACH OTHER. IF IT'S A SERVICE THAT WE DON'T PROVIDE, WE REFER OVER TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION AND VICE VERSA. YES. THANK YOU. I THINK ANOTHER GOOD POINT THAT'S MADE IS THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE 50,000, IS IT IS IT ONGOING? YOU KNOW, IS IT YOU KNOW, DOES IT NEED TO BE RENEWED EVERY YEAR? I KNOW THAT THE LAST CLINIC THAT YOU HAVE HERE IS, IS TO BE HOSTED IN APRIL 2026. BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF WE GET MORE RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, START THE APPLICATION PROCESS? AND SO I THINK TO TO COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ'S POINT IS JUST EXPANDING AS MANY RESOURCES AND SERVICES AS WE CAN AS A JOINT EFFORT. AND I DO THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY EVEN BENEFICIAL TO QUOFEM AS WELL. WHILE YOU PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE UNDOCUMENTED POPULATION, IS THAT WITH THE CITY SUPPORT AS WELL? IS IS THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO REACH MORE FOLKS. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND, WHEN WE SAY APPLICATION COMPLETION, WHAT IS APPLICATION COMPLETION? OR WHAT? I CAN ELABORATE ON THAT ONE. IF YOU ALLOW ME, EVEN THOUGH YOU MENTIONED THAT ALASKA WAS IN APRIL, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT 
          [02:15:01]
WE HAVEN'T WORKED WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA RESIDENTS THROUGH THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR COWORKERS, IF SHE GETS AN IN-PERSON INTERVIEW WITH APPLICANTS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR THE SERVICES, SHE REFERRED ALL THAT INFORMATION AND ALSO ALL THOSE APPLICATIONS TO THE STAFF AND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, WHICH FINALIZED THE PROCESS IN COMPETITION OF THE PACKAGES. AND THEY ARE BEING SENT TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA SO THE RESIDENTS CAN GO THROUGH OUR OFFICE, LOCAL OFFICE IN PERSON AND FINALIZE THE PROCESS RIGHT THERE. SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT APRIL WAS SO LAST EVEN IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. NO, WE HAVE BEEN CONSTANTLY HAVE APPLICANTS REQUESTING OUR SERVICES THROUGH ALL THIS PERIOD. WHAT YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT, WHAT IS THE 50 APPLICATIONS COMPLETED, DOES MEAN THAT NOT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT APPROACHED COVID IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO FINALIZE THE PROCESS, AND THIS IS DUE BECAUSE MANY FACTORS IT COULD BE LACK OF INFORMATION, LACK OF DOCUMENTS, PROBABLY CRIMINAL BACKGROUND OR MISSING INFORMATION. SO REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE DETERMINE. THIS IS DETERMINED WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF IMMIGRATION. SO IF THE APPLICANT DOESN'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ALL THE DOCUMENTS, WE DON'T RECOMMEND THEM TO APPLY OR CONTINUE THE PROCESS. SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT ALL THE WORK INVESTED IS WASTE OR IT HAS TO STOP. DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FINALIZE ANOTHER APPLICATION COMPLETED IN KAUNAS. AS A COMPLETE. WE'RE GOING TO COUNT IT AS LEGAL SERVICE, PROVIDE REFERRAL. IT DOES WHAT IS REQUESTED. AND ALL. 
          WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON A WAITING LIST, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GIVE TIME TO THE APPLICANT TO LOOK FOR THE MISSING INFORMATION, LOOK FOR THE MISSING DOCUMENTS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THE WORK. SO THE BUDGET IS A LITTLE BIT STRICT AND RIGID, SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO REACH 150 OR MORE. ACTUALLY, THE NUMBER IS GREATER BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT IS GOING TO BE CONTACTING US IS GOING TO BE PROVIDED THE LEGAL SERVICE. 
          SERVICE PROVIDER, AND WHOEVER IS READY, WILL WE CONTINUE WITH THE PROCESS, WHICH IS THE DELIVERY OF THE FINAL PACKAGE. SO ALL THE WORK IS INVESTED, BUT NOT TOO MANY OF THEM WILL BE ABLE TO FINALIZE. AND THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, DUE BECAUSE. THE LACK OF DOCUMENTS, LACK OF INFORMATION. SO WHAT WE TRY TO DO EVERY TIME THAT WE DO A CLINIC PREVIOUS TO THE CLINIC, WE DO AN INFO SESSION WHERE WE CALL THE COMMUNITY TO COME OVER. WE BRING ALL OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO PROVIDE THE PRESENTATION. WHAT IS IT THAT IS REQUIRED? WE BRING LAWYERS TO OUR PRESENTATION SO THEY CAN DO PRO BONO SERVICE. FOR THOSE ONES THAT HAVE RED FLAGS THAT THAT IT CAN PUT THEM ON RISK APPLYING, FOR EXAMPLE, A NATURALIZATION OR DACA RENEWAL THAT HAS A CRIMINAL MISDEMEANOR PROCESS WITHIN THE LAST RENEWAL TO THE NEW ONE, OR RESIDENCY RENEWALS THAT THEY HAVE. LET THE RESIDENT CARDS FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR. FOR THAT, WE LIKE TO REFER THEM TO AN ORGANIZATION WITH A LAWYER, BECAUSE MOST LIKELY IMMIGRATION IS GOING TO BE REQUESTING A LOT OF DOCUMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF SERVICE SPANNED BEYOND OUR CAPACITY. SO JUST JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR QUESTION, COUNCIL. THANK YOU FABIANA. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT APPLICATION COMPLETION. APPLICATION COMPLETION CAN BE MULTIPLE YEARS. IT CAN TAKE RIGHT BECAUSE OF THE BECAUSE IN SOME CASES THE ASIAN OR ANY OTHER CHALLENGES YOU KNOW THAT THAT MAY OCCUR. AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED WHAT APPLICATION COMPLETION MEANS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION, IT'S HAVING A DOCUMENTATION AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO THEN SUBMIT THAT APPLICATION TO WHERE IT'S NEEDED TO. SO LET ME JUST CLARIFY THE CASES THAT WE TAKE ON, WHICH IS WHAT OUR SPECIALTY IS, IS SIMPLE, BASIC CASES THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH WITHOUT COMPLICATIONS. THAT'S WHY WE ARE CONFIDENT IN SAYING 6060 APPLICATIONS COMPLETED, BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE THAN 90% SUCCESS RATE IN IN GETTING THOSE APPLICATIONS THROUGH. RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN THAT THAT WE'RE FILLING IN THAT GAP THAT, THAT, THAT CAN'T, CAN'T MEET BECAUSE THEY'RE BUSY DOING THE COMPLICATED CASES, THE ONES THAT TAKE YEARS. WE FILL IN WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, THE 
          [02:20:05]
ONLY HURDLE THEY HAVE IS THAT FINANCIAL ASPECT OF IT, OF IT. IT'S JUST LIKE, OH, I'M A LEGAL, PERMANENT RESIDENT. I'VE BEEN A LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT FOR 20 YEARS, BUT I JUST CAN'T AFFORD $765 TO BE TO BE A CITIZEN. AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN. OR, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE THAT MONEY, THEN THEN THEY JUST HADN'T GOTTEN AROUND TO IT THAT THAT'S WHAT WE SPECIALIZE IN. AND AND PUTTING ALL THESE CASES THROUGH SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME EMPOWERED AND BECOME CITIZENS SO THEY CAN VOTE SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC LIFE. AND THEN JUST TO TO END IT WITH THIS, JESSICA, IS HOW MANY, HOW MANY APPLICATIONS DO YOU HAVE WERE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THAT'S NOT READY FOR COMPLETION? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT LACKS DOCUMENTATION OR YOU NEED, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL LEGAL SERVICES. YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT'S THAT PERCENTAGE? I KNOW YOU SAID YOU HAVE A 90% SUCCESS RATE FOR THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION, BUT FOR THOSE THAT THAT YOU HAVE PERHAPS ON THE WAITLIST OR, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE REALLY CHALLENGING APPLICATIONS, WHICH I THINK, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY MANY PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT THEY PROBABLY FALL WITHIN THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK BRACKET. AND SO WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF OF THOSE THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW? AND I KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION, I WOULD SAY BETWEEN THE TWO AND 3% COUNCIL. AND THIS IS BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST HURDLES FOR THEM IS THE TRAVEL HISTORY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEM TO PROVIDE A LIST OF ALL THE EXITS OUT OF THE UNITED STATES. THEY CAN REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN THEY EXIT AND RETURN BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST HURDLE ON THE PATH. WE USED TO HAVE A TOOL WITH INSIDE USCIS, WHICH WAS FORM I-94 TRAVEL HISTORY REQUEST, WHICH IS A FOIA DOCUMENT. THEY WERE VERY RESPONSIVE AND WITHIN 30 TO 60 DAYS THEY WILL PROVIDING THE LIST TO THE APPLICANTS OF HOW MANY TIMES THEY HAVE BEEN EXITING THE UNITED STATES. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN THE FIRST TERM OF THE THE ACTUAL ADMINISTRATION CAME IN, THEY START SLOWING THE PROCESS AND PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION. RIGHT NOW YOU APPLY FOR A 994, WHICH IS A FOIA REQUEST TO CBP, WHICH IS CUSTOM BORDER PATROL. YOU CAN BE WAITING FOR YEARS. I HAVE AN APPLICANT THAT APPLY IN NOVEMBER 2023, AND TO THIS DAY THEY HAVEN'T PROVIDED, EVEN THOUGH IS IS REQUIRED BY THE LAW FOR THEM TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IS THEY HAVEN'T PROVIDED. SO IT'S NOT TOO MANY CASES. WE TRY TO SUPPORT THEM AND HELP THEM, TRYING TO WORK OUT WITH OTHER SOURCES WHERE THEY CAN OBTAIN THIS INFORMATION, WHICH IS BANK ACCOUNTS, CREDIT ACCOUNTS, RECORDS, AIRLINES RECORDS. A LOT OF THEM CREATE ACCOUNTS WITH THOSE AIRLINES. THEY CAN GET THAT INFORMATION. BUT LIKE I SAID, ONE OF THE HURDLES THEY HAVE IS THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THE THE ONLINE SERVICES. SO IT'S VERY MINIMAL, VERY MINIMAL. AND THAT'S LIKE I SAID, ONLY 2 OR 3% OF THE ONES THAT HAVE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, LIKE MY COWORKER JESSICA WAS MENTIONED. WE WON'T TOUCH IT BECAUSE THOSE ARE CASES THAT REQUIRE A LAWYER TO SUPERVISE AND GUIDE FROM BEGINNING TO END. THAT APPLICANT, AND DOES MORE DRASTIC DUE TO THE CHANGES ON THE POLICY THAT ADMINISTRATION HAS IMPLEMENTED THAT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND TO APPLY. AND THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE NEW POLICIES THAT THEY HAVE IN ENACTED. THANK YOU. I MEAN, IT'S I ASK IT BECAUSE FROM SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE PROCESS, BUT I THINK IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALSO FOR FOR OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS. I THINK BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HEAR, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S IT'S AN EASY PROCESS OR, OR RATHER IS WHY FOLKS HAVEN'T, HAVEN'T DONE SO. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION SO THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE LONG PROCESS THAT IT IS. IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU GUYS CLEARLY KNOW WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I THINK MY COLLEAGUE IS JUST ASKING MAYBE TO EXPAND IT, YOU KNOW, WITH YOU GUYS INCLUDED, I THINK IS IS WHAT WHAT IT IS. AND SO MAYBE WE CAN JUST WE CAN BRING IT BACK AND IT SOUNDS LIKE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. YEAH. WHEN YOU GUYS ARE YOU GUYS ARE DONE. CAN I SPEAK TO THE EXPANSION IDEA? CAN YOU HOLD ON. DO WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? OH YEAH. FOR 
          [02:25:06]
SURE. THANK YOU JESSICA. THANK YOU TEAM. SO I LIKE THE CONCEPT I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. 
          I'LL BE HONEST. WHEN I READ IT I WAS LIKE, YES, BUT MY COLLEAGUES BRING UP A LOT OF REALLY GOOD POINTS. SO I'VE KIND OF JUST BEEN SITTING BACK, TAKING IT ALL IN AND THINKING, OH YEAH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY ENSURE I, I'M ALL FOR IT. I THINK THE CONCEPT IS GOOD. I KNOW MANY TIMES THAT THERE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOMEONE SIT THERE WITH THEM AND JUST EXPLAIN TO THEM THE PROCESS. 
          PERHAPS THEIR CASE ISN'T AS COMPLICATED AS OTHERS, AND JUST HAVING SOMEONE EVEN TELL THEM THE WEBSITE WHERE TO GO. ALL OF THAT IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL. SO I THINK IT'S I THINK THE IDEA THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IS REALLY GOOD, AND I HOPE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SUPPORT IT, BECAUSE I DO I DO LIKE IT. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS YOURSELVES THAT, YOU KNOW, DO A LOT OF GREAT WORK LIKE THIS. 
          AND THEY'VE BEEN SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY, TOO, IN MANY WAYS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU GUYS HAVEN'T BEEN IN THE YOU GUYS CAN'T, YOU KNOW, BUILD ON THAT OR CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING. SO I, I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT THAT WE SEE THIS AGAIN AND PERHAPS HAVE A DISCUSSION PRIVATELY, JUST A LITTLE BIT TO KIND OF THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE AND ADD A FEW THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN SUGGESTING. BUT I LIKE THE CONCEPT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF TIMES YOU DO HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'VE HAD EVEN FAMILY MEMBERS ASK, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE WEBSITE FOR FOR DACA? WHERE DO YOU EVEN GO FOR THAT? AND TO BE HONEST, I, I WOULD HAVE TO GOOGLE IT MYSELF OR TAKE A LOOK AT IT MYSELF, BUT I SUPPORT IT. I THINK THAT YOU GUYS DID, YOU KNOW, A REALLY GOOD JOB AT TAKING A LOOK AT HOW MANY FOLKS YOU CAN ACTUALLY ASSIST AND YOU KNOW HOW MANY YOU CAN HELP. YOU GUYS HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND THAT'S GOOD. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT IT AND I WILL WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE BRING IT BACK AND JUST TAKE A LOOK AT OTHER THINGS. AND IF I'M NOT A PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THE ONLY THING I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU KEEP IN MIND IS USING THE OTHER COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, BASE SO THAT YOU CAN GET THE WORD OUT. THE LOCAL CHURCHES, A LOT OF OUR THEY WE GO THERE, VAMOS A LA IGLESIA, LOS DOMINGOS BUENO A VECES. AND IF YOU CAN ANNOUNCE IT TO THE PADRE OR LEAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, PAMPHLETS OR WHATEVER, AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE THEY CAN CALL TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND ALL OF THAT. AND JUST SO THAT IT'S OUT THERE AND THE COMMUNITY KNOWS IF YOU CAN GET ON THE RADIO AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION. 96.7 THEY I HEAR THEM ALL THE TIME SHARING THIS, THIS INFO. SO ALL OF THAT, THOSE ARE JUST THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD REALLY, REALLY HELP. BUT AGAIN, THE THE IDEA HERE, I THINK IT'S I THINK IT WORKS. BUT AGAIN, YEAH, WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR, WHAT DO WE DO THE FOLLOWING YEAR IF IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY NEEDS? I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD CONVERSATION. I THINK THE WORD IS ALIGNMENT. ALIGNMENT. HOW DO WE ALIGN? HOW DO WE CREATE A RESOURCE GUIDE AND THEN HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION WITH OTHER PARTNERS. SO I WANT A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM. AND IS THERE A SECOND I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND. AND THANK YOU LADIES FOR FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK. THE NEXT THREE YEARS ARE GOING TO BE VERY, VERY, VERY BUSY AND IT'S GOING TO BE CRUCIAL FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES. 
          MY CONCERN IS I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THIS ROUNDTABLE, DO THE NETWORKING THAT WE NEED FOR ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR COACHELLA VALLEY TO WORK TOGETHER. BECAUSE YOU GUYS, IF YOU GUYS CAN'T HELP SOMEBODY, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO SEND THEM TO SOMEBODY ELSE. THEY MIGHT GET DISCOURAGED AND NOT MOVE FORWARD. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN HELP OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO, MR. FABIAN. THANK YOU. LADIES ON ZOOM. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CONTINUE. CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL? COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. MAYOR. 
          HERNANDEZ. YES. MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 19. THIS IS TO APPROVE A SPONSORSHIP REQUEST FROM KUNA TELEMUNDO AND THE AMOUNT OF 20 K TO SUPPORT HISPANIC HERITAGE CAMPAIGN BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 25TH THROUGH MARCH 2026. YES. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T CLARIFY THAT THIS NEXT ITEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR IS ACTUALLY LINKED TO QUOFEM AS WELL, BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO LINK THE TELEMUNDO AND THEIR WORK WITH THIS CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEXT, SO THAT WE COULD GET THE WORD 
          [02:30:02]
OUT AND GET A LOT OF EXPOSURE ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT COULD POSSIBLY OFFER OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN LIEU OF HAVING THAT EVENT, EL GRITO. SO LET ME GO AHEAD AND MAKE SURE THAT MISS GONZALEZ IS ON THE IS ON THE ZOOM AND CAN BE PROMOTED TO PRESENTER. HELLO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE CAN HEAR YOU. YES. WELCOME. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN VIA ZOOM AND PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING WHAT I HAVE HERE. I AM IN REPRESENTATION OF TELEMUNDO AND LA PODEROSA 96.7, BUT ALSO ON BEHALF OF NEWS CHANNEL THREE, WHO'S UNDER OUR SAME ROOF. WE HAVE SEVERAL STATIONS THAT ARE THERE, AND PART OF THIS IS, IS. 
          ALIGNING OUR OUR, YOU KNOW, UNITING ALL OF THE STATIONS TO BE ABLE TO TO SUPPORT THE CITY OF COACHELLA. DO YOU GUYS HAVE THE PRESENTATION? CAN WE PUT UP THE PRESENTATION, PLEASE? SORRY, CELESTE. OKAY, I CAN'T SEE IT. OKAY. IT'S COMING UP RIGHT NOW. GOT IT. OKAY, GREAT. ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE IT? I SEE IT NOW. SO. SO THIS IS A PIVOT FROM OUR ANNUAL FIESTAS PATRIAS EVENT. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE I'M SO EXCITED TO TO CONTINUE THIS PARTNERSHIP AS WE HAVE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. AND WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH IS HERE'S A TIMELINE. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE FELT THAT THE THAT THE EL GRITO CEREMONY ITSELF IS A BELOVED TRADITION. AND WHAT WE DID IS FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO HAS BEEN A SPONSOR OF THE FIESTA EVENT HISTORICALLY, I THINK FOR ABOUT AT LEAST THE LAST TEN YEARS. AND SO WE CAME TO THEM. THEY HAVE AN EVENT ALREADY EVERY SUNDAY. AND WE WE ASKED THEM, HEY, HOW ABOUT IF WE CAN WE USE YOUR EVENT SO THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE THE EL GRITO CEREMONY AND, AND USE IT SO THAT WE CAN TELEVISE IT TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS, NOT JUST IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, BUT REALLY ACROSS THE VALLEY. AND AND IT'S WITH PARTNERSHIP OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA THAT WE'D LIKE TO DO THIS. AND SO THAT INITIALLY GOT APPROVED IN MY, IN MY MEETING WITH, WITH WITH BILL AND AND SELENA AND SETH AND ANDREW, WHICH I'M, I'M SO HAPPY BECAUSE IT'S REALLY JUST IN A COUPLE OF DAYS IT'S ON SUNDAY. AND SO MOVING ON, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT OF WHAT THE WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FOR THAT. BUT TO ADD TO IT TO THE TOTAL INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE HERE, THE NEXT THING IS THE STORIES THAT INSPIRED. WE WANTED A STORY TELL A LITTLE BIT WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT CREATE CHANGE. IT'S A PERFECT TIME AND A A GOOD THING TO DO. 
          I THINK REVOLVING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. SO AS IT STARTS NEXT WEEK, THE STORIES WOULD AIR THURSDAYS ACROSS ALL OF OUR PLATFORMS. THIS IS WHERE NEWS CHANNEL THREE COMES IN. WE WOULD ESSENTIALLY TAKE THE STORIES FROM PEOPLE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WOULD AIR THEM ON TELEMUNDO, ON LA PODEROSA 96.7, AND THEN ACROSS MULTIPLE NEWSCASTS THROUGH NEWS CHANNEL THREE. AND THEN ANOTHER THING THAT WE WANT TO BRING IS THE COMMUNITY TOWNHALL. SO THIS IS THIS IS AN EVENT WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS CAN REALLY MAYBE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON THE ON THE PRESENTATION. OKAY, A LITTLE BIT OKAY. YOU KNOW, LET'S GO. 
          LET'S GO ONE AT A TIME. SO SPEAKING ABOUT THE EL GRITO CEREMONY, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE THE EVENT SCHEDULE. AND OUR FOCUS IS TO TELEVISE IT FOR FOR YOU GUYS TO DO IT WITH US, WE'LL HAVE IT'LL BE VERY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR HOW WE DID LIKE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS. AND THEN EL CONSULADO DID THEIR CEREMONY ITSELF. AND WE ARE OUR MAIN THING IS TO TELEVISE IT AND BRING IT TO EVERYBODY THAT WANTS TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT SO THEY CAN CELEBRATE WITH US. AND SO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS WE WOULD MEET AT 5 P.M. AT A LOCATION IN THE CASINO, AND THEN WE WOULD TALK ABOUT KIND OF HOW THE RUNDOWN IS GOING TO GO, AND WE WOULD GET READY AND DO THE SETUP, AND THEN IT WOULD BE BROADCAST LIVE FROM 6 TO 6:30 P.M. FROM THAT POINT ON, ONE OF OUR RADIO DJS IS GOING TO HELP WITH EMCEEING, BUT WE'RE BASICALLY DONE. IT'S THE CASINO EVENT, SO WE MORE THAN ANYTHING, WANT TO ASSURE YOU THAT OUR OUR EFFORTS THERE TOGETHER IS TO DO THE LIVE BROADCAST OF THE CEREMONY ITSELF. CAN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT 
          [02:35:06]
SLIDE? THANK YOU. SO WITH THE COMMUNITY TOWNHALL, THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE JOIN YOU AT A LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. WE HOST A FORUM. IT WE WOULD BE THERE, WE WOULD PRE-RECORD IT AND THEN TELEVISE IT OVER AN HOUR ON TELEMUNDO 15. AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S A IT IT BRINGS AWARENESS, IT ENCOURAGES ATTENDANCE, YOU KNOW, FOR RESIDENTS TO COME, FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO COME. ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO COME AND HEAR DIRECTLY FROM YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, AND SO THAT YOU CAN SHARE VERY IMPORTANT RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. THIS IS, I THINK, WHERE WHERE SELENA QUOFEM AND SOME OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU'RE INVOLVED IN WHERE WE CAN TIE THEM ALL IN AND REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF THE PLATFORM AND BEING ABLE TO SHARE THE RESOURCES AND THE THINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, WE WOULD PRE-RECORD IT AND BE ABLE TO TO TO EDIT IT BECAUSE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A VERY LONG EVENT OR I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE TIMING WOULD BE, BUT OUR IDEA IS THAT WE WOULD PLAN FOR IT TO BE IN NOVEMBER. RIGHT NOW IT'S IT'S TBD AND IT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UP FOR DISCUSSION ONCE WE DETERMINE WHAT THAT MIGHT BE. 
          BUT WE WOULD PRE-RECORD IT AND THEN EDIT IT DOWN SO THAT IT FITS WITHIN ONE HOUR, BECAUSE I COULD PREEMPT AN HOUR PROGRAM ON, ON MY TV STATION. AND THEN WE WOULD RUN IT IN THAT, IN THAT SECTION. AND THEN WITH THE STORIES THAT INSPIRE, I DID ADD KIND OF THE NEWSCASTS HERE WHERE IT WOULD BE, OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD RUN ON TELEMUNDO AT SIX AND 11 P.M. IT WOULD RUN ON LA PODEROSA 96.7IN OUR MORNING SHOW. AND THEN NEWS CHANNEL THREE IS IS OUR ONE BRAND THAT WE USE ACROSS MULTIPLE STATIONS. SO IT WOULD RUN ON ABC AND CBS THAT THAT SIMULCAST AT 4 P.M. 
          AND 6 P.M. AND THEN NEWS CHANNEL THREE ON FOX AT 10 P.M. AND THEN THE SIMULCAST IN THE MORNINGS THAT THEY HAVE AT FROM 5 TO 7 A.M. CAN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY EXCITING, FOLKS. AND WE'RE I'M EXCITED TO SHARE ESSENTIALLY A WAY TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND TO HELP WITH A LITTLE BIT OF ECONOMIC LIFT. AND SO WHAT SHOP COACHELLA IS OR COACHELLA WOULD BE A CAMPAIGN THAT'S FOR BUSINESS OWNERS, THAT'S DISCOUNTED, HIGHLY, HIGHLY DISCOUNTED THAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER. AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS IT WOULD HAVE LIKE A FIVE SECOND INTRODUCTION. IT WOULD BE BRANDED WITH COACHELLA, OUR STATION LOGOS AND YOURS. AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE LIKE 20S OF A BUSINESS TO HELP DRIVE TRAFFIC TO THAT BUSINESS. AND THEN IT WOULD CLOSE WITH THE SAME TYPE OF BRANDING. SO IN ESSENCE, IT'S IT'S A AN IMPLIED ENDORSEMENT, IF YOU WILL, FROM ALL OF US TOGETHER, UNITING AS ONE AND PUSHING BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, THROUGH BROADCAST TV AND RADIO AND, AND TO HELP THEM DRIVE TRAFFIC TO, TO THE BUSINESSES. BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN A TOUGH YEAR AND BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING. AND SO THIS IS A WAY, I THINK, THAT WE CAN HELP PROMOTE THE BUSINESSES AND REALLY DRIVE JUST AN ECONOMIC LIFT THERE. AND SO ON THE NEXT PAGE, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE OUR THE VALUE OF OUR PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER. IT'S BEEN MANY YEARS, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, IN FIESTAS PATRIAS, BUT OTHER EVENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN A PART OF. WE'RE WE'VE TRUSTED TEAMWORK OVER DECADES OF SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION. WE'RE HERE FOR YOU GUYS. AND, YOU KNOW, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE DOING SO. BUT RECOGNIZING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY, WE FEEL THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME IDEAS THAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE THAT ARE HIGH VALUE TO THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN YOUR CITY. WE HAVE SIX BROADCAST PLATFORMS DIGITAL AND RADIO. RESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. AS I AS I MENTIONED, POWERFUL STORYTELLING THROUGH THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER ON ON HOW WE PUT TOGETHER OUR OUR COMMERCIALS AND OUR STORYTELLING THROUGH THE NEWSCASTS. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY CONTINUING WITH THE WITH THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL, THAT REALLY BEING, I THINK, A POWERFUL EVENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND, AND ON AIR FOR ANYBODY TO SEE. BUT REALLY CONTINUITY RIGHT FROM A FLAGSHIP EVENT OR FIESTAS PATRIAS EVENT, CIVIC DIALOG THROUGH THE TOWN HALL, HUMAN STORIES AND THE ECONOMIC UPLIFT 
          [02:40:07]
THROUGH COACHELLA. AND THAT'S THAT'S REALLY IN A NUTSHELL. WHAT WHAT I'M PRESENTING HERE TO YOU THROUGH THROUGH OUR PLANS FOR NOT JUST HISPANIC HERITAGE, BUT REALLY THROUGH THE END OF MARCH AND THE REASON WHY IT'S THROUGH THE END OF MARCH, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER HUDDLE AND TALK ABOUT HOW'S IT GOING, WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN'T. MAYBE WE'VE GOT SOME NEW IDEAS COME MARCH. MAYBE WE WANT TO CONTINUE SHOP COACHELLA. MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER IDEAS AND PLANS THAT WE WANT TO DO THEN. AND SO WE WANT TO TAKE THAT TIME TO KIND OF HUDDLE AS A GROUP AND TALK ABOUT WHAT MORE CAN WE DO. AND WE CAN DO THAT ANY TIME. BUT WE'RE YOUR PARTNERS. WE HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME, AND THAT'S WHAT I GOT, THAT THE IDEA HERE THAT IS IN IS THAT AN ABSENCE OF DOING A GRITO, WHICH IS A REALLY HUGE EVENT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTEND, THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF IT, AND THEN EVEN ALL THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED AND PARTNERS THAT COLLABORATE WITH US FROM LOCAL RESTAURANTS TO DIFFERENT NONPROFITS AND, AND WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING WITH THIS APPROACH RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE CAN'T DO OUR ANNUAL GRITO BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION, AND WE CAN'T GUARANTEE, YOU KNOW, FOLKS SAFETY AND AND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU BRING IN 20, 30,000 FOLKS, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S WE'RE LIVING IN VERY UNPRECEDENTED TIMES. RIGHT. AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO BE A TARGET. BUT IF WE CAN PIVOT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES WE KNOW ARE BEING IMPACTED BECAUSE LESS PEOPLE ARE FREQUENTING THEM. IF WE CAN PIVOT AND HAVE A TOWN HALL WHERE WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES GOING ON, OR PEOPLE CAN KNOW THEIR RIGHTS OR TALK ABOUT SERVICES, IF WE CAN PIVOT AND PRESENT INSPIRING STORIES OF, YOU KNOW, WE HEARD ONE TODAY WITH ABOUT MARIA, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT SHE DID AND WHAT SHE MEANT. AND TO GIVE PEOPLE INSPIRATION AND USE OUR MEDIA PARTNERS. AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME STILL CELEBRATE THE CULTURE. RIGHT? THIS SUNDAY, MAYOR PRO TEM IS GOING TO BE ATTENDING THAT EVENT, BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE A TIME WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS EVENT AGAIN, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND SO WE WE WANT TO KEEP THE CELEBRATION. I DO THINK THERE IS ONE LITTLE AREA THAT WE CAN ADD. AND THEN MAYBE POINT NUMBER FIVE, AND EVEN IF WE INCREASE THE AMOUNT THAT WE GIVE, MAKE IT A $25,000 GRANT. AND THAT'S. THE ENGAGEMENT OF, OF OF OUR CONSULTS LIKE THE CONSULADOS, LIKE WE, WE DO SUCH A GOOD JOB HERE IN COACHELLA OF OF HAVING A PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR CONSULADO. AND, AND THEN THERE'S OTHER CONSULADOS LIKE FROM EL SALVADOR, FROM GUATEMALA, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT FOLKS. YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST ALL MEXICAN, RIGHT. LIKE SO SO TRYING TO GIVE THEM A SPOTLIGHT ON ON TELEMUNDO, MAYBE IT'S ONCE A MONTH SEGMENT THAT THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THE SERVICES OR WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING SERVICES SO THAT PEOPLE ARE INFORMED. AND THEN EVEN WITHIN THOSE SERVICES OR EVEN WITHIN THAT SPOTLIGHT, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HIGHLIGHT DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND ALLOW THEM TO GO ON AIR TV, RADIO AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DO. RIGHT. IF WE MOVE FORWARD ON CLAPHAM BOOM, CLAPHAM GETS TO GO UP ON THE RADIO, GO, GO UP ON TV AND AND TALK ABOUT, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING. THIS IS THE IDEA. COACHELLA, RIGHT. IF, IF, IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DODIK, YOU KNOW, BOOM. DODIK GETS TO GO UP THERE, THEY GET SOME AIRTIME. IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE FATHER AND THE FATHER AND WHAT HE'S DOING, BOOM! THE FATHER GETS TO GO UP THERE. AND SO NOW IT'S IT'S ALSO SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING IN, IN SPANISH SO THAT PEOPLE ARE INFORMED. AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CAPACITY BUILDING AGAIN. 
          RIGHT. SO THAT'S MY ONLY ADDITION. BUT I DO LIKE THE APPROACH HERE THAT WE'RE TAKING TO TRY TO OFFER SOME HOPE, TRY TO, YOU KNOW, OFFER, YOU KNOW, SOME CULTURAL, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATION AND NORMALCY AND, AND, AND UNPRECEDENTED TIMES. RIGHT. I MEAN, WE THIS WEEK ALONE, YOU KNOW, WE YOU KNOW, THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT IT CAN RACIALLY PROFILE, YOU KNOW, 
          [02:45:04]
IF YOU I THINK ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM NEED TO CARRY OUR, OUR, OUR IDS OR OUR PASSPORTS. 
          NOW, BECAUSE I LOOK MEXICAN, I SPEAK SPANISH. AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS I KNOW A LOT OF FOLKS WHO WORK IN LOW INCOME JOBS. SO IT'S IT'S IT'S IT'S UNFORTUNATE AND IT'S SAD, BUT BUT I, I DO I DO LIKE THE APPROACH IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. I HAVE A, AN IDEA FOR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. WE HAVE A, A PAGE WITHIN OUR, OUR WEBSITE THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING. 
          IT'S CALLED TELEMUNDO TE AYUDA. AND SO YOUR PARTNERS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT'S A PERFECT PLACE FOR, FOR THEM TO, FOR US TO PUT THE RESOURCES AND THINGS THAT THEY PROVIDE. I KNOW THAT WE WORK WITH TODAK ALREADY. THERE'S OTHERS THAT WE MAY NOT NECESSARILY WORK WITH OR HAVE CONTACTS WITH. SOME OF THE CONSULADOS SOMETIMES ARE DIFFICULT TO REACH, SO YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BE A RESOURCE TO US AND HELPING US GET THAT. I THINK IT'S A IT'D BE A WONDERFUL RESOURCE FOR EVERYBODY TO HAVE, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO. I WILL COMMIT TO THAT. THAT'S WHAT WE AGREE. I, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS, LESTER. ONE IS THAT ARE WE THE ONLY SPONSOR? IS IT JUST THE CITY OF COACHELLA FOR ALL OF THIS? YES, YES. SO SO WITH THE EVENT ON SUNDAY, BECAUSE WE CAME AND WE'RE USING THE THE PLATFORM WITH FANTASY, WE HAVE THEM ON THERE AS WELL. AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF BOOTHS THAT WE DID BECAUSE THEY ASKED US TO KIND OF FILL IN SOME OF THE STUFF, BUT NOBODY'S SPONSORING. WE'RE ESSENTIALLY KIND OF JUST TAKING OVER THE EVENT, THE BEGINNING PART OF THE EVENT. BUT THIS CAMPAIGN IS 100% THE STATION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA. SO, SO THE THE CAMPAIGN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MARKETING, BUT THE EVENT ITSELF, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT YOUR AGENCY IS PUTTING FORWARD. EL GRITO ITSELF. YES. WITH I WORKED WITH THE CONSULADO TO TO DO THE CEREMONY AND THEN I'M THE ONE, I GUESS THAT BROUGHT IT ALL TOGETHER WITH. ASKED THE CITY OF COACHELLA TO TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS WITH US AND THE MEXICAN CONSULATE TO TO COME OUT AND DO YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY IT WOULD BE THE DAY THAT THAT FIESTAS PATRIAS WOULD BE ON. AND SO I DID THE COORDINATION OF HOSTING IT AT FANTASY. AND THEN SO THE 20,000 IS GOING SPECIFICALLY FOR THEN IF IF YOUR AGENCY IS PROVIDING THEN THE WHAT I THINK IT'S DJS, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE PLAYING THERE. I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW. WE WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EVENT ITSELF. IT'S A FANTASY EVENT. SO THEY'RE PAYING FOR THE GROUPS AND THE THE BANDS THAT ARE PLAYING. THAT'S 100% THEM. OUR COMMITMENT IS THE LIVE BROADCAST AND BRINGING TOGETHER. OBVIOUSLY THE CITY, OURSELVES AND THE MEXICAN CONSULATE. AND SO THEY'RE THEY'RE IT'S THEIR EVENT. THEY'RE ALLOWING US TO USE THE THE PLATFORM THAT'S ALREADY THERE SO WE CAN TELEVISE IT. I SEE. AND THEN FORGIVE ME, BUT DID WE MOVE ON HERE AT THE COMMUNITY TOWNHALL MEETING IS IN RANCHO MIRAGE. DID WE MOVE THAT TO CITY OF COACHELLA? YES. THAT WAS NOW IN THE CITY. COACHELLA. THAT'S THE CITY OF COACHELLA. OKAY, FOR THE SHOP COACHELLA CAMPAIGN, IS THERE A LIMITATION ON PERHAPS HOW MANY BUSINESSES WE CAN PROMOTE AND ADVERTISE CELESTA? RIGHT NOW? THERE ISN'T BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEY IT'S ACTUALLY FLEXIBLE. SO IT'S AN AFFORDABLE THING THAT THEY COULD DO. BUT THEY THEY MAY WANT TO USE TV, THEY MAY WANT TO USE RADIO, OR THEY MAY WANT TO DO FOCUS ON SOMETHING DIGITAL, OR THEY MAY WANT TO DO ALL OF THEM. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO TO HELP THEM IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. BEST. THANK YOU. CELESTE. MY MY CONCERNS HAD BEEN IF WE WERE PUTTING SOME OF THE 20,000 TOWARDS THE ACTUAL EL GRITO EVENT, ONLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. BUT THANK YOU NOW FOR CLARIFYING THAT IT'S FANTASY SPRINGS IS PUTTING ON THAT EVENT THERE, JUST, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING US TO PARTICIPATE IN IT. YES. AND FOR US, IT'S A LIFT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A LIVE BROADCAST WITH STAFF NEWS AND AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT YES, IT'S 100% THEIR 
          [02:50:06]
EVENT. YEAH. THANK YOU. AND THEN I ALSO APPRECIATE THE MOVING OF THE COMMUNITY TOWNHALL MEETING TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I THINK IT IS. IT'S WONDERFUL TO BROADCAST A TOWNHALL MEETING HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I AGREE THAT'S THE KEY. INITIALLY, WHEN I CAME TO THE TABLE WITH IT, IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH SELENA AND THE REST OF THE TEAM, I THOUGHT THAT A CENTRAL LOCATION WOULD BE GOOD AND THE IDEA WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN AND GENERAL. BUT AS WE WENT THROUGH THE CONVERSATION, WE DISCUSSED AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF IT BEING HELD IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT REALLY FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS AND, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND THINGS THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR YOUR FOR YOUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THERE WAS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE, AND I AGREE, I THINK THAT COMING TOGETHER AND COMING, YOU KNOW, COMING, BEING ABLE TO TALK IT OUT AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE THINGS COULDN'T BE MORE RIGHT. AND SO ONCE I BROUGHT IT BACK AND I TALKED TO MY NEWS DIRECTOR, HE SAID, ABSOLUTELY, LET'S DO IT IN COACHELLA. AND SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO COME BACK AND TELL HER, HEY, WE CAN TELEVISE AND COACHELLA, LET'S DO IT. SO, SO HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS ARE AS EXCITED ABOUT IT AS I AM, BECAUSE I REALLY AM. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT, A GREAT PROJECT WE COULD DO TOGETHER. THANK YOU. SO I HAVE I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. IF BUSINESS OWNERS WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ADVERTISING, THEY WOULD BE CHARGED. IT WOULD BE A 50% OFF, WHATEVER THE COST IS. CORRECT. SO THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING AND THEN IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE VERY LOW. YES. OKAY. AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I THINK THE GENERAL PROMOTION MIGHT BE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT PUTTING IT ON SOCIAL, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE COMPONENTS THAT WE WOULD DO. LIKE WE WOULD RUN THE GENERAL CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE COACHELLA ON SOCIAL. AND THEN INDIVIDUALLY, IT'S REALLY GOING TO DEPEND ON THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS OWNERS. BUT IF YOU FEEL THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THINKING ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW, THAT COACHELLA CAN ALSO PUSH THROUGH YOUR SOCIAL AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ADD TO IT, WE'RE DEFINITELY OPEN TO THAT. YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. YES. 
          THANK YOU. SO JUST REALLY QUICKLY, WHAT'S WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RESIDENT FORUM AND THEN THE THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL. SO YOU PROBABLY HAVE AN OLDER. YEAH I APOLOGIZE. SO SHE SO THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. IT WILL NOT THERE WILL NOT BE ONE HELD IN RANCHO MIRAGE BECAUSE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE A CONVENING FOR THE ENTIRE COACHELLA VALLEY, NOT JUST THE CITY OF COACHELLA. 
          SO THAT WAS, EXCUSE ME, MOVED TO COACHELLA. SO IT'S JUST THE FORUM. THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL IS NO MORE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO MOTION TO APPROVE THIS, BUT AUGMENTING THE BUDGET TO 25 K AND INCLUDING THE ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING RENDERED. AND OUR PARTNERS. CAN GIVE ME A MOTION I MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THE MOTION IS A SECOND. CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. PEREZ, YOU CAN COME BACK. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. AND MAYOR HERNANDEZ. YES. 
          MOTION CARRIES THREE ZERO ONE. OR IS IT 3101? IS THAT ASSUMPTION JUST 3030. ALL RIGHT. 
          WE'LL MOVE FORWARD. NOW ON ITEM NUMBER 20. THIS IS TO APPOINT TEN COMMISSIONERS TO THE COACHELLA YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION. YES. THAT IS ALSO MY ITEM. SO THIS IS A VERY EXCITING ITEM. THE CITY OF COACHELLA WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO APPOINT TEN COMMISSIONERS TO THE COACHELLA YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION. AND SO I JUST WANT TO START OUT WITH A LITTLE, JUST JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND. I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ WILL BE BACK SHORTLY, BUT I CAN BEGIN EXPLAINING THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE COACHELLA YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION IS TO INITIATE AND SUPPORT PROJECTS AND SERVICES INVOLVING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. THE YOUTH COMMISSION SHALL PROVIDE ADVICE, ASSISTANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THEY SHALL WORK TO ANTICIPATE THE EDUCATIONAL, RECREATIONAL AND CULTURAL NEEDS OF THE CITY'S YOUTH AND WORK TO ENSURE THE COORDINATION OF COMMUNITY 
          [02:55:01]
RESOURCES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF ITS YOUTH. AND LET ME JUST GO OVER THE MEMBERSHIP. SO THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE YOUTH COMMISSION WILL CONSIST OF TEN VOTING MEMBERS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN HIGH SCHOOL AND LIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. THE TERM IS FOR ONE YEAR AND WILL MIRROR THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, AUGUST THROUGH JUNE. MEMBERS CAN SERVE FOR MORE THAN ONE TERM. THE MEETINGS WILL BE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MONTHLY MEETINGS AUGUST THROUGH JUNE. THERE COULD BE SPECIAL MEETINGS AS NEEDED. ALL MEETINGS WILL REQUIRE A QUORUM OF A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERSHIP, WHICH IS SIX. 
          MEMBERS CONSTITUTE A QUORUM, AND THEN AN ANNUAL REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE OF EVERY YEAR. AND THIS REPORT, WE WILL PRESENT THE PROJECT, THE SERVICE PROJECT THAT THE STUDENTS UNDERTOOK AND OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS. AND SO IN THIS SLIDE, WE HAVE ALL THE APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED. THE CITY RECEIVED 13 APPLICATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WERE SO INSPIRATIONAL THAT WE HAD TWO PEOPLE SUBMIT APPLICATIONS WHO DO NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AND I HAVE PLACED THEM AS APPLICANT NUMBER 12 AND 13. SO THE COUNCIL CAN NOW CONSIDER ALL OF THE PERSONS LISTED HERE AND WE NEED TEN. 
          WHY TEN? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE BYLAWS OR THE GUIDELINES. YEAH, THAT'S HOW WE I WOULD JUST SAY TO APPOINT THE 11 THAT YOU HAVE ON THERE. 13 WE DO NEED AN ALTERNATE. SO WE WOULDN'T I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT CONSIDER THE LAST TWO JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT COACHELLA. 
          I WOULD LOVE IT'S IN OUR GUIDELINES. IT SAYS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THE FOCUS TO BE IN COACHELLA. RESIDENTS, YOUTH. AND IF WE DO THAT, THEN YOU COULD JUST WOULD WE BE ABLE TO APPOINT 11? I'M WONDERING IF THAT FOR FOR THE 11TH PERSON, MAYBE WE CAN JUST ADD THAT AS AN ALTERNATE AS AN ALTERNATE. JUST GOING TO SAY THAT WE NEED AN ALTERNATE, BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE POLICY BECAUSE THERE'S TEN ON THERE, RIGHT? KIDS WANT TO COME AND PARTICIPATE. LET THEM. I DON'T CARE IF THEY'RE FROM COACHELLA OR NOT. YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANT TO, WHATEVER THE SERVICE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE COACHELLA ORIENTATED, WHATEVER THE POLICIES ARE GOING TO WORK ON ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERED HERE IN COACHELLA. AND THOSE TWO YOUNG PEOPLE WERE VERY INSPIRING. YEAH. AND I JUST I JUST LOOK AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT OF, OKAY, I KNOW THE BYLAWS SAY TEN, BUT THEY CAN BE ALTERNATES TOO, AND THEY CAN PARTICIPATE. I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE ANY KID FROM WANTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR TOWN. RIGHT? I MEAN, I WAS ONCE YOUNG AND, YOU KNOW, LET THEM LET THEM GET INVIGORATED AND LET THEM GET IMMERSED IN AND IN CIVICS. AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD LEARNING THING FOR THEM. 
          I THINK THAT SO I THINK THAT NOT ONLY THAT, THAT THIS COMMISSION, IT'S WITHIN THE COACHELLA, BUT I THINK THAT WITHIN COMMISSIONS ALTOGETHER, I THINK THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND I REMEMBER THAT BEING CHANGED A FEW YEARS BACK. YEAH. IF I CAN JUST BRIEFLY COMMENT. SO THE MUNICIPAL CODE DOES LIMIT THE COMMISSION TO TEN AND DOES REQUIRE THAT THEY ARE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. THAT SAID, IT'S SILENT AS TO ALTERNATES. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT US COUNCIL WOULD WANT TO PLACE THREE AS ALTERNATES TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME FASHION BUT NOT HAVE A VOTING, YOU KNOW, VOTING POWER ON THE COMMISSION, THAT'S CERTAINLY WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW AND NOT WOULDN'T BE IN CONFLICT WITH THE MUNICIPAL CODE. THANK YOU BRIAN. SO. ALSO, I MEAN, IF WE DON'T GO WITH THAT, WE'RE THE LAST 212 AND 13. THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN IN A YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL. AND IT PERTAINS TO THEIR AREA. AND THEY WOULD STILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. THERE'S STILL A STIPEND INVOLVED. I'LL EMAIL YOU AFTER SELENA. OKAY. SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WITHIN THE CITY BECAUSE THERE'S ONE FROM INDIA AND ONE FROM THERMAL. AND BOTH OF THOSE HAVE BOTH OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO TO PARTICIPATE IN A YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL. SO THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO JUST HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW, I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO MAKE A SHOT AT THIS. SO 12, 13 AND TWO, THOSE WOULD BE THE ALTERNATES. THE REST WOULD BE THE STANDING MEMBERS. JUST THE ONLY REASON I GO TO TWO IS THAT SHE'S A NINTH GRADER. AND SO IT'LL BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE HER. AND THEN SHE CAN BE A MEMBER NEXT YEAR. SHE'LL GET A STIPEND, TOO. 
          WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT. BUT YEAH, I DON'T KNOW. I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP THEM ALL. MAKES YOUR 
          [03:00:06]
JOB HARDER. THAT'S FINE. 13. OKAY, SO THERE'S THAT DIRECTION. SELENA. OKAY. DO WE NEED A VOTE? YEAH, WE NEED A VOTE. YEAH. SO 1213 AND TWO WILL BE THE ALTERNATES. ALL THE OTHERS WILL BE STANDING MEMBERS. THAT'S MY MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND SECOND. CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL? COUNCIL MEMBER. PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. MAYOR. 
          HERNANDEZ. YES. WE'LL MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM NUMBER 21. THIS IS TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 20 2548, A GRANT, ANOTHER DESIGNATED PERIOD FOR TWO YEAR ADDITIONAL SERVICE CREDIT CERTIFICATION OF THE GOVERNING BODY ACTION. I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THIS CONVERSATION AND ALLOW THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO. OPEN UP HER COMMENTS. I THINK LAST MEETING WITH I THINK I THINK I WAS OKAY WITH IT. COUNCIL MEMBER EATON WAS OKAY WITH THAT. AND I KNOW YOU HAD SOME CONCERNS, BUT THAT'S ARE YOU GOOD WITH IT? ARE YOU? YEAH. I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ WASN'T HERE, SO I WASN'T HERE. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE THE YEAR WILL BRING AND HOW OUR ECONOMY IS GOING TO BE. WE DON'T KNOW WITH THE WAY WE SAW OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR. IT'S IT IS SCARY. WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INCREASE IN DEVELOPMENT AND REVENUES. WE DON'T KNOW IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WITH THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKES. MY CONCERN IS IF OUR FINANCES ARE NOT GOOD NEXT YEAR, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THEN? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO DO LAYOFFS? BECAUSE WE ALREADY DID GOLDEN HANDSHAKES. SO I WOULD LIKE TO HOLD OFF ON GOLDEN HANDSHAKES BECAUSE IF IT IS NEEDED NEXT YEAR, WE CAN USE THAT BEFORE WE EVEN LAY OFF ANYBODY. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE LAID OFF. I DON'T WANT IT TO AFFECT. SO THAT IS THAT IS MY SAYING IT. I DO NOT WANT TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE IF WE NEED IT, AT LEAST WE HAVE IT. YEAH, THAT'S AN ACCURATE WHAT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND IF WHERE'S OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR? HE'S ACTUALLY ON VACATION RIGHT NOW. OH GOOD FOR HIM. SO WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. 
          AND WE HAVE A VERY ACCURATE PROJECTION OF WHAT OUR BUDGET'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. AS YOU RECALL, WE ADOPTED A WELL, YOU WEREN'T HERE, BUT WE ADOPTED A BUDGET OF OF A PLUS 300 AND THOUSAND DOLLARS SURPLUS. BUT WE WERE WARNED THAT WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $1.4 MILLION. WHAT WAS IT, BILL 1.5. WELL, IT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR ADDITIONAL COST FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          YES, YES. IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN THAT. JUST POLICE AND FIRE ALONE. AND THEN WE SAW ANOTHER 200,000 FOR ANIMAL CONTROL. AND WE HAVE 3% COLAS COMING. I ALSO GOT SOME DIFFICULT NEWS ABOUT SOME SALES TAX COLLECTION, WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CHANGE OF WHERE SALES TAX IS COLLECTED AND SENT, AND WE'RE GOING TO LOSE POSSIBLY 450,000 FROM THAT. IT HAS TO DO WITH A READY MIX COMPANY. WE ALSO HAVE CABAZON LOOKING TO BREAK GROUND SOONER RATHER THAN LATER ON THEIR FUEL STATION AS WELL, JUST LIKE SHELBY'S. SO WHAT WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS, IS TO GET AHEAD OF IT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT BASED OFF THE PROJECTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AT LEAST NOW $2 MILLION IN THE HOLE COME NEXT YEAR. AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GROW OUR SURPLUS SO THAT WHEN WE HAVE TO CUT, THEN WE'RE CUTTING A LOT LESS, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GROW OUR SURPLUS, THEN THIS OPTION OF OFFERING A GOLDEN HANDSHAKE ISN'T GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP US ADDRESS THE DEFICIT, BECAUSE IT'S TOO LATE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO WE'RE TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF IT, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE SOME PRECARIOUS TIMES. I THINK THERE WAS A GOOD, ROBUST CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD. AND I FRANKLY WON'T SIT HERE AND AND SAY THAT WE WE DELAYED. AND FOR THOSE THAT DELAY, KNOW THAT YOUR CUTS ARE GOING TO BE WORSE COME NEXT YEAR. AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET AHEAD SO THAT SO THAT NEXT YEAR WE CAN DO THE LESS CUTS. AND IF WE DON'T DO THIS ACTION, THEN NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE TO DO MORE CUTS AND BIGGER CUTS. AND THIS OPTION IS NOT EVEN GOING TO BE FEASIBLE BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE, THE DIFFERENCE IN IN HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THIS. SO I YOU KNOW, I'VE SHARED MY, MY CONCERNS AND AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH HOW MUCH STAFFING WE'RE GOING TO BE LEFT WITH. AND SO WE HAVE EIGHT FROZEN JOBS. AND SHOULD ANYBODY 
          [03:05:06]
ELSE LEAVE, THOSE JOBS ARE GOING TO BE FROZEN TOO. IN ADDITION TO WHOEVER'S TAKING THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE. AND SO I I'M CONCERNED WITH THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED. YOU KNOW, I WAS LISTENING TO TO OUR CONVERSATION WHEN OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE SPEAKING, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH ENGAGEMENT FROM, FROM THIS COUNCIL USUALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN. BUT IT HAPPENED TODAY. AND ALL WE DID WAS GIVE MORE ACTIONS. SO WE ASKED FOR NOW IS, YOU KNOW, TO DO MORE WITH THE FOOD BANK. WE ASKED FOR THE POLICIES FOR CODE VIOLATIONS, WHICH ARE VERY DATED. THEY NEED TO BE UPDATED. WE ASKED FOR MORE POLICIES WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, ANIMAL CONTROL SERVICES. THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE WE'VE ASKED FOR. WE'VE ALSO ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL PROGRAMING AND HOW TO ASSIST RESIDENTS. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE ALL OF THESE TYPES OF SERVICES AND TO THE EXECUTIVE MEMBERS IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOSING POSSIBLY MORE PEOPLE? AND SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE WORKLOAD THAT YOU'RE GIVEN RIGHT NOW, IN ADDITION TO THE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD WE KEEP GIVING YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER ALL OF IT. I MEAN, YOU'RE DOWN A PRINCIPAL PLANNER, YOU'RE DOWN A CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGER EMPLOYEE, YOU'RE DOWN A MANAGER ANALYST. RIGHT. EVERYBODY IS DOWN A FEW EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, HR IS DOWN A MANAGEMENT ANALYST. 
          THESE ARE KEY POSITIONS THAT ARE NEEDED. THEY REALLY ARE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ANY EXECUTIVE BACK THERE THAT'S GOING TO SAY THAT THEY DO NOT NEED THESE CRITICAL POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FROZEN. YOU KNOW, ANDREW, YOU'RE THE CITY ENGINEER AND YOU'RE THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. USUALLY A CITY ENGINEER FALLS UNDER THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. SO YOU'RE DOWN NOW, THAT EXECUTIVE TWO, THESE ARE SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE, SO. WELL, HOLD ON, LET ME LET ME FINISH. MY HOPE IS THAT WE DON'T COMBINE THEM SO THAT I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKES. ALSO, WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM, FROM MANY OF THE EMPLOYEES IS THAT THEY'RE NOT READY TO TAKE THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE YET. THERE'S A FEW, BUT THAT THERE ARE OTHERS WHO ARE LOOKING INTO TAKING IT. IF IT'S PROVIDED THE NEXT YEAR OR THE NEXT YEAR AFTER THAT, THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE READY TO RETIRE. SO NOT EVERYBODY'S NOT EVERYONE IS WANTING TO RETIRE THIS YEAR. BUT THEY HAVE SAID, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M WILLING TO I WANT TO RETIRE IN A YEAR OR TWO YEARS. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO HAVE JOBS THAT ARE FROZEN. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT ENTRY POSITIONS. THESE ARE KEY POSITIONS. THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT ARE NEEDED. AND WE KEEP SLAMMING YOU WITH MORE WORK. 
          AND IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GIVING YOU ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS. AND THEN WE WE REALLY WE'RE RELEASING THE TWO FIRE MARSHALS. AND I TOOK THEM OUT TO LUNCH BECAUSE I WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT ROLE WAS. AND WE SAT DOWN AND THEY SHARED A LOT ABOUT WHERE THE CITY IS AT WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRE VIOLATIONS. NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY ISSUES. NOW THEY'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE HOMES AND SOME OF THESE RENTALS WHERE THEY'RE NOT UP TO FIRE CODE, BUT THEY HAVE PEOPLE LIVING IN THEM. GUYS, WE'RE NO LONGER HAVING THOSE TWO FIRE MARSHALS. AND WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING YEARS IN THE CITY. SO WHO DOES IT? WHO DOES IT? THEY'VE BEEN GOING FROM FROM STREET TO STREET. AND THEY STARTED HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN. THIS IS A FEW A FEW STREETS. 
          AND THEY'RE THEY'RE SLAMMED WITH WORK BECAUSE JUST AS THE AMOUNT OF VIOLATIONS AND THEY'RE NOT GOING IN THERE AGGRESSIVELY SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU GOT TO GET THIS DONE BY THIS DATE. BUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS THEY EDUCATIONAL APPROACH AND THEN SAYING, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY, BUT BUT IT'S IT'S OUT OF CODE. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL THESE THINGS IN PLACE. SO THOSE ARE TWO CRITICAL JOBS. AND IF THOSE TWO CRITICAL JOBS ARE OUT NOW, CODE HAS MORE OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY TOO. IN ADDITION TO THEM BEING DOWN ONE CODE 
          [03:10:01]
ENFORCEMENT EMPLOYEE. SO THE POSITIONS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ARE CRITICAL POSITION. THERE ARE POSITIONS THAT WE NEED. THEY'RE NOT ENTRY. THEY'RE NOT OFFICE ASSISTANTS. NOW YOU PUT IN THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKES. OUR SENIORS ARE TAKING IT. THAT MEANS FOR YOU EXECUTIVES BACK THERE. SO YOU HAVE KEY POSITIONS THAT YOU'RE DOWN. AND ON TOP OF THAT, YOU MIGHT LOSE SOME OF POTENTIALLY YOUR SENIORS ON TOP OF THAT. SO LET'S JUST DISCUSS THAT FOR A SECOND. ON TOP OF YOUR SENIORS WHO PROBABLY CARRY MORE WORKLOAD THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS, YOU KNOW, WHO WHO MAYBE HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR THAT LONG. THE SENIORS ARE LEAVING, ARE LEAVING. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE, WE'RE GOING TO HIRE SOMEONE ELSE, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CARRY THAT SAME WORKLOAD. THEY'RE NOT. AND YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE TRAINING. SO NOW YOU'RE OUT AN ADDITIONAL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MONTHS JUST TO GET THOSE NEW EMPLOYEES THEN TRAINED. THAT'S THE REALITY, GUYS. THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. 
          SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE KEY POSITIONS THAT ARE FROZEN, THE TWO FIRE MARSHALS THAT WE NEED BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THIS, I MEAN, WE'RE OUT OF CODE. YOU CAN EVEN TALK TO OUR RESIDENTS. THEY KNOW BY JUST LOOKING AT THE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES THAT THEY'RE NOT UP TO CODE. AND RIGHT NOW, TODAY, KENDRA, IT WAS YOU THAT MOST OF THESE ISSUES FELL UNDER THAT DEPARTMENT. SO YOU'RE DOWN A CODE EMPLOYEE, YOU'RE DOWN THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER, AND SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT BE TAKING IT WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT. IT HITS HARD. SO WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THAT WE PROVIDE THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKES. THE FOLLOWING YEAR. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKES. I'M JUST NOT IN SUPPORT OF THEM TOGETHER. SO I'M SAYING I SUPPORT THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE. LET'S BRING IT BACK NEXT YEAR, AND PERHAPS BY THEN WE CAN START UNFREEZING SOME OF THESE KEY POSITIONS. AND SO THAT WAY WHEN SOME OF YOUR SENIORS LEFT, YOU'RE NOT HIT SO HARD. BUT WE HAVE A CITY TO RUN. WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT? WELL, YOU HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER. YOU HAD OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR TELLING YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A $2 MILLION DEFICIT. YOU WANT TO ADD BACK TWO FIRE MARSHALS THAT ARE GOING TO COST 600,000. THAT DEFICIT JUST WENT UP 2.6 MILLION. YOU WANT TO AUGMENT CODE ENFORCEMENT. SO YOU JUST YOU'RE GROWING THE DEFICIT. WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS? SO SO SO SO THE SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE LIKE A COME TO JESUS MOMENT WITH ALL OF US AND SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE FACING AUSTERITY. WE'RE FACING WE'RE FACING DECLINING REVENUE. WE NEED TO BE HONEST WITH OUR RESIDENTS THAT, HEY, THIS IS GOING TO ALSO MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE DECLINING SERVICES BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE REALITY. IF YOU IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT, YOU CAN'T DO IT. 
          AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. THE OTHER, THE THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS IS THAT IF WE DELAY THE DEFICIT IS AND AND THE IMPACT ON OUR STAFF IS GOING TO BE WORSE, BECAUSE IF WE MOVE ON THIS TODAY, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A YEAR TO START ADJUSTING AND FIGURING OUT LIKE HOW THEY CAN TAILOR THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND ABSORB THESE CUTS. BUT IF WE SAY, NO, NO, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE. WE'RE JUST GOING TO WAIT ALL THE WAY TO NEXT YEAR WHEN THE DEFICIT IS GOING TO GROW. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING GETTING ABOVE IT AND GOING FROM A 1.4 MILLION 1.5 AND GETTING TO LIKE 1 MILLION TODAY, YOU'RE SAYING, NO, NO, LET'S DELAY IT AND LET'S HAVE A $3 MILLION DEFICIT. AND THAT THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT GETTING IS LIKE, WHY WHY DO NOT WHY DON'T WE WANT TO ADDRESS THE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE WE HAVE TODAY. LET'S GET AHEAD OF IT. LET'S TRY TO CUT 600, $700,000 IN COST. BRING DOWN THE NUMBER TO 1.2 AS OPPOSED TO SAYING NO, LET'S CARRY A 2 MILLION AND MAKE IT THREE, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO OCCUR FROM SALES TAX, PROPERTY TAX COMPETITION. THE SMART THING IS TO GET AHEAD. THE THE A DELAY IN FISCAL AUSTERITY IS GOING TO COST US MORE, AND IT'S GOING TO HURT OUR SERVICES AND IMPACT OUR SERVICES EVEN GREATER BECAUSE OF JUST THE REALITY OF THE WAY THINGS ARE. SO SO I DISAGREE WITH THE WAY YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT. WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT, AND LET'S GET AHEAD OF IT. 
          LET'S GET USED TO THE NEW NORMS. LET'S USE GOOD NEWS TO CUSHION. BUT THIS IDEA THAT SOMEHOW WE'RE GOING TO DELAY AND THEN OFFER IT, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO LEAVE AN IMPACT FOR A YEAR 
          [03:15:01]
LATER, I'M NOT IN SUPPORT OF THAT APPROACH. IT'S VERY FISCALLY IMPRUDENT. AND IT'S ALSO ONE IN WHICH COME NEXT YEAR, THE IMPACT ON SERVICES WILL BE EVEN GREATER. IT WAS FINANCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO NOT ADDRESS THE FINANCES EARLY ON. SO WE HAVE A $300,000 SURPLUS, SO WE HAVE A $300,000 SURPLUS. YOU ADDRESSED IT. I HAVE WE HAVE A WE HAVE A $300,000 SURPLUS. WHAT WHAT WE DID AS A COUNCIL. AND YOU WERE HERE, WE VOTED TO TO GIVE INCREASES TO SALARY. WE VOTED TO BRING ON NEW FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL. WE VOTED TO BRING ON A NEW POLICE PERSONNEL. AND SO ALL OF THOSE COSTS, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THEM. YOU WERE PART OF THOSE EFFORTS. YOU VOTED. YOU VOTED TO APPROVE THEM. SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY IS THE COST OF THOSE SERVICES GO UP. AND THEY'RE TELLING US, OKAY, YOU TOOK THESE ACTIONS, COUNCIL, THOSE SERVICES ARE GOING UP. THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY AT WE'VE ENDED THE FISCAL YEAR 300,000. WE'RE WE'RE STARTING THE FISCAL YEAR 300,000 ON TOP. WE WANT TO GROW THAT. AND WE DO HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WILLING TO TAKE THIS. AND IT'S OKAY THAT THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCED. WE KNOW THAT THAT THAT THEY PROVIDE GREAT SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. BUT IT'S OKAY TO REBUILD. AND I'M ASKING YOU TO DO IT TODAY SO THAT WE CAN GET USED TO A NEW NORM, GROW THAT 300,000 TO 1 MILLION AND HOPEFULLY OUR OUR DEFICIT COME NEXT YEAR IS A MILLION INSTEAD OF TWO OR INSTEAD OF THREE. AND AT THAT POINT WE'RE KEEPING LIQUIDITY STRONG. WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE NOT HAVING TO JUST SLICE RIGHT NOW. WE'RE JUST KIND OF TAKING A SCALPEL AND TRYING TO MOVE IT AROUND, AS OPPOSED TO TAKING A HATCHET AND BUTCHER. SO THAT'S THE WAY YOU GUYS WANT TO MOVE. 
          YOU GUYS CAN EXPLAIN THAT AND BE RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE REALITY COMES. SO I'LL, CAN I SAY SOMETHING. SO I WASN'T ON COUNCIL BEFORE AND THIS IS ALL NEW TO ME. BUT BILL, HOW MUCH MONEY WAS SPENT FROM THE TIME THAT YOU LEFT AND YOU CAME BACK IN TOTAL? YES. OR AN ESTIMATE? HAVE YOU TALKED ABOUT BUDGET? WHEN I LEFT, WE HAD ABOUT A $32 MILLION BUDGET, AND NOW WE'RE UP TO 30, WELL, $40 MILLION. SO IT WENT UP $8 MILLION. AND IT'S STUFF THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SINCE I RETURNED. IT HAD TO DO WITH 20 EMPLOYEES BEING HIRED, THE RECLASSIFICATION OF 12 EMPLOYEES, THE ADDITION OF A SQUAD, THE ADDITION OF THE FIRE MARSHAL STAFF, AN ADDITION OF POLICE OFFICERS, LET ALONE COLAS THAT ENTIRE TIME FOR FOUR YEARS FOR POLICE AND FIRE, WHICH IMPACT OUR GENERAL FUND THE MOST. THE TOUGHEST THING THAT WE DID TO OURSELVES WAS ADDING 20 STAFF MEMBERS. SOMEHOW. YOU KNOW, I KEEP ON HEARING ABOUT WE'RE GROWING. 
          POPULATION HASN'T GROWN SINCE I LEFT. WE ARE BUSY AND THERE'S PEOPLE COMING IN. THERE'S THINGS HAPPENING. BUT DID WE GROW TO THE POINT THAT WE NEEDED TO INCREASE OUR STAFF BY 23%? WHEN OUR POPULATION GREW? FOUR THERE'S A DISCONNECT. AND THE GENERAL FUND, WHAT WAS YOU HAD SAID THAT THE GENERAL FUND, YOU YOU WENT FROM A BOOM TO A BUST BECAUSE WE BUSTED WHEN THE COVID HIT. AND THEN THERE WERE BOOM TIMES OR A GREAT RETURNS. WE MADE GREAT RETURNS ON OUR BONDS WHERE WE ISSUED PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS, WHICH SHOWED, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY MADE SOME MONEY ON THE BONDS, BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T. IT USES THAT MONEY. IF PERS DOESN'T GET THE RETURNS, THEN THEY USE THOSE OVER TIME. THEY AMORTIZE THEM OVER TIME. BUT. OUR REVENUES HAVE NOT NEARLY KEPT UP. AND NOW THEY'RE STARTING TO DROP. AND WE FORGET ABOUT SHELLEY SITTING OVER THERE. IT'S TAKING ABOUT, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO SAY HARD DOLLARS, BUT A SUBSTANTIAL CUT IN OUR 3,000,001.2. BUT YES, YOU WEREN'T ANTICIPATING THAT COLAS HIT 4%. WELL, ACTUALLY 5%, 3%, 4%, 3% MEDICAL COSTS. I'M SURE THE COUNCIL HAS NO IDEA HOW MUCH WE SPEND EACH MONTH ON MEDICAL INSURANCE. FOR THE EMPLOYEES, IT'S $150,000 A MONTH FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE BEFORE SALARIES OR ANYTHING ELSE. WHAT I'M TELLING YOU, THOUGH, IS THAT ALL OF OUR COSTS ARE ESCALATING AND OUR REVENUES, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ADDING BUSINESSES, ARE NOT KEEPING UP. THE ANNEXATION IS GOING TO HELP. AND WE TOOK THAT INTO ACCOUNT TO GET SOME SURPLUS, WHICH I'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE, WHERE WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW FOR SURE THAT THIS IS DONE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE BOOKS, AND WE'RE SURE THAT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT I'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE. NORMALLY, I ONLY COUNT WHEN I KNOW I CAN COUNT. AND I KNOW THAT WE WE VOTED ON THE COLAS AND I WAS I THINK THAT AT THAT 
          [03:20:03]
POINT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HOLD OFF ON THE COLAS UNTIL THE BUDGET, BUT THEY DID GO FORWARD. MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER OPTION IS TO HOLD OFF ON COLAS. BUT TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, IT WAS ONLY $200,000. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO FIX ANYTHING. IF YOU GOT A $2 MILLION DEFICIT, AND WE'VE DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS STAFFING LEVELS, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO CUT POLICE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO CUT FIRE, BECAUSE YOU'VE ONLY GOT FOUR PLACES YOU CAN CUT EXPENSES. AND I AND I SEE, I SEE, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. BUT AT THIS, AT THIS MOMENT, I DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. SO I'LL, I'LL ADDRESS SOME OF THE INACCURACIES. THERE'S NOT AN ACCURACY. THAT'S FACTS THAT WERE PRESENTED LAST MEETING. THANK YOU. MAYOR. WE TRY TO SPIN IT ANY WAY YOU WANT, BUT IT'S FACTS DON'T LIE. THANK YOU. MAYOR, SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED IS THAT SHOULD ANYONE LEAVE, THOSE JOBS ARE GOING TO BE FROZEN AS WELL. SO THERE'S THAT AS WELL. WE'RE NOT CALCULATING ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. AND AT NO TIME DID I EVER SAY THAT WE'RE BRINGING BACK TEN JOBS NEXT YEAR AND THEN DOING GOLDEN HANDSHAKES. AT NO POINT DID I EVER SAY THAT. 
          WHAT I DID SAY IS THAT PERHAPS THERE'S SOME TYPE OF TRANSITION WHERE MAYBE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO UNFREEZE A JOB OR TWO AS WE MOVE ALONG. THAT WAS WHAT IF IT WAS AN EXPRESSED THAT WAY? THAT IS WHAT I'M SAYING. AT NO POINT I THINK IT'S LOGICAL THAT BRINGING BACK TEN POSITIONS NEXT YEAR THAT WERE NOT FINANCIALLY STABLE ENOUGH TO BRING BACK TEN POSITIONS, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING. I'M SAYING THAT I DON'T WANT TO COMBINE THEM. AND SO IF NEXT YEAR COMES ALONG AND WE'RE STILL SEEING THAT WE CAN'T UNFREEZE THOSE JOBS, THEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEN WE CAN DO THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKES AS WELL. BUT I, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT THOSE IN COMBINATION IS, IS GOING TO MAKE US A CITY WHERE WE'RE STILL EFFECTIVELY OPERATING AS WE NEED TO WITHIN EACH DEPARTMENT. NOW, THE ARGUMENT IS THAT THAT SERVICES WILL BE IMPACTED BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IN A $3 MILLION DEFICIT. NO, NO, I DIDN'T SAY TO BRING BACK THE TEN POSITIONS. I DIDN'T SAY THAT. SO IT WOULDN'T BE THE 3 MILLION THAT THAT THE MAYOR IS SHARING. SO THAT IS INACCURATE TOO, THOUGH, IS IS TO THE POINT IS THAT I. THERE IS NOTHING THAT'S GOING TO SAY THAT NEXT YEAR OUR SERVICES ARE GOING TO BE MORE IMPACTED THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. THERE ISN'T THEY'RE GOING TO BE IMPACTED REGARDLESS. 
          I DO THINK, THOUGH, THAT WHEN YOU'RE COMBINING KEY POSITIONS, AND I KEEP SAYING THAT BECAUSE I WANT FOLKS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THESE ARE KEY POSITIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, TO BILL'S POINT ABOUT BRINGING IN THE ALL THE EMPLOYEES IS THAT THOSE WERE REALLY KIND OF LIKE OFFICE ASSISTANTS, RIGHT? MOST A LOT OF THE THE POSITIONS THAT WERE HIRED ON, WERE THEY OFFICE ASSISTANTS. THERE WERE THERE WERE SOME MID-MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. WE WE HAVE MANY MANAGEMENT ANALYSTS. WE HAD THE PRINCIPAL PLANNER WHO THEY'RE THEY'RE ALL OVER THE BOARD. BUT THERE WERE MORE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. THERE WAS MORE. YES. SO AND I WANT THOSE TO ALSO IS IS TO HEAR THIS OUT IS THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN ALL THESE POSITIONS. BUT BUT MOST OF THEM ARE OFFICE ASSISTANTS. WE'RE NOT LOSING OFFICE ASSISTANTS. WE'RE LOSING KEY POSITIONS. THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. AND SO THAT THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKES. I DON'T WANT EMPLOYEES TO THINK THAT I'M NOT, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THAT COMBINING THOSE TWO IS IS A SMART MOVE. YOU DON'T WANT TO OFFER THEM. NOW IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU DON'T LIKE LOOK, LOOK. AND HERE'S, HERE'S, HERE'S WHERE I'M VERY CONFUSED WITH WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED. YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR HOUSE, YOUR OWN HOUSEHOLD, IF, IF, IF YOU HAVE A YOU'RE TAKING IN REVENUE OF JUST CALL IT $10,000 AND YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR ACCOUNTANT, YOUR WIFE, WHOEVER COMES UP TO YOU AND SAYS, HEY, WE HAVE A WE HAVE $12,000 OF EXPENSES. SO YOUR $2,000 IN THE HOLE AT YOUR HOUSE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOUR ACCOUNTANT, YOUR WIFE, YOUR SPOUSE, WHOEVER COMES UP TO YOU AND SAYS, HEY, BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, THE WE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK UP ANOTHER THOUSAND DOLLARS 
          [03:25:05]
BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR DAUGHTER, WHOEVER IS GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE. SO IT'S GOING TO GO TO 13, 13,000. AND BUT THIS IS ALL COMING NEXT YEAR. SO WHAT WHAT DO WE DO, YOU KNOW, AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WE CAN LOOK AT OUR OVERALL BUDGET AT 10,000 AND TRY TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT AT LEAST WE CAN SAVE SOME PENNIES SO THAT WE CAN FLATTEN OUT THE IMPACT. IT'S THE SAME THING HERE. WE WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT WE CAN EXPECT A $2 MILLION HOLE ALREADY. WE'RE BEING TOLD, I JUST HEARD IT TODAY THAT THERE IS A NEW SALES TAX. PROJECTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE BECAUSE THE STATE IS AUDITING. WE'RE POINT OF SALE COMES FROM. RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOWN ANOTHER 400. WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT COMPETITION IS LOOMING IN THE SENSE THAT TRIBES ARE STARTING TO PUT MORE GAS STATIONS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE ON MORE GAS STATIONS. AND AND YET WE'RE THINKING WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET AHEAD OF IT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET AHEAD OF IT. WHY WOULDN'T WE GET AHEAD OF IT WHEN WE KNOW THAT ALL OF THESE CHALLENGES ARE IN FRONT OF US? AND, AND IT'S IT'S IT'S A FOOLHARDY APPROACH. IT'S ONE OF THOSE APPROACHES WHERE IT'S LIKE, HEY, LIKE BUY YOURSELF SOME LIQUIDITY, BUY YOURSELF SOME TIME, GET GET STAFF TO GET INTO A NEW NORM AS OPPOSED TO NEXT YEAR WHEN THE BILL COMES DUE, THE BILL IS GOING TO COME DUE. AND WE'RE SAYING, WELL DEAL WITH THAT NEXT YEAR. SEE, MAYBE WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE REVENUE. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE'RE BEING TOLD THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ENERGY CAPACITY, SO WE CAN'T GROW OUR WAY OUT OF IT. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT COMPETITIONS HERE, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER TWO 3% COLA AND THE AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PAY MORE FOR OUR SERVICES THAT WE ALL INCREASED HERE AND WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE A CUT TO GIVE US SOME LIQUIDITY AND SOME BREATHING ROOM TODAY. REMEMBER THIS DAY. REMEMBER THIS DAY. 
          COUNCIL OF THE YEAR THINKS THAT THEY CAN SOMEHOW, MAGICALLY, THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE AND NOT GET AHEAD OF IT. FACTS DON'T LIE. DOLLARS DON'T LIE. TODAY THIS ITEM IS GOING TO BE CONTINUED BECAUSE IT'S TWO TWO, OR MAYBE IT'S TWO ONE OR I DON'T KNOW, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM COUNCIL MEMBER OF. BUT I JUST THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IT'S FOOLHARDY TO THINK THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE. IT'S NOT A GOOD POLICY. I THINK IT'S UNFAIR TO STAFF AS WELL. I THINK I THINK STAFF BE AWARE, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THIS ISN'T EVEN A QUESTION. I SAY, BILL, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF I ASKED YOU THIS QUESTION? WHAT WOULD YOU DO? WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO US TODAY? I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT I CAN OPINE BECAUSE I'M CONFLICTED. SO BUT IF YOU WEREN'T CONFLICTED, IF I WASN'T CONFLICTED, WHETHER YOU DO THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE NOW OR YOU DO IT LATER, THERE'S A GREAT UNKNOWN. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE IT. SO SUPPOSE YOU ONLY HAVE TWO PEOPLE TAKE IT NEXT MAY IF YOU OFFER IT BEFORE THE BUDGET IS ADOPTED. AND WE STILL HAVE A $2 MILLION DEFICIT, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO CUT? I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WHAT IFS HERE. AND WHAT THE MAYOR IS SAYING IS, IS INACCURATE. HE'S MAKING IT VERY ONE SIDED. HOW SO? SO, WELL, GIVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY HERE. SO LET'S SAY THAT THERE'S THREE PEOPLE, FOR THE SAKE OF THIS CONVERSATION, WHO ARE READY TO TAKE THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKES THIS YEAR. WELL, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM EMPLOYEES, IS THAT THE FOLLOWING YEAR THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE SO TO COUNTER THE MAYOR'S POINT IS THAT THERE WOULD ACTUALLY BE A SAVINGS IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR EVEN MORE, BECAUSE MORE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE OPEN TO TAKING IT. BUT YOU WOULDN'T REALIZE THAT. THREE TODAY WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION BACK AND FORTH, BUT TO SAY THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, SEE WHERE WE'RE AT. IT'S I MEAN, IT CAN'T BE YOU CAN'T SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE AT, BUT ALSO IS THAT THE MAYOR CAN'T SAY AT THE FOLLOWING YEAR THAT DOING THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND MORE PEOPLE TAKE THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE, THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT. YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO LOWER THE DEFICIT OR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, OR IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO YEARS FROM NOW, IF MORE FOLKS WERE TO LEAVE, THOSE JOBS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE FROZEN AS WELL, WHICH HE'S NOT TALKING ABOUT EITHER. WE'RE GOING TO FREEZE JOBS. THE, THE, THE IDEA HERE THAT YOU CAN GET AWAY FROM NOT 
          [03:30:04]
FREEZING JOBS AND NOT LOWERING SERVICES IS NOT REALISTIC. WE ARE GOING TO FREEZE JOBS AND WE'RE GOING TO LOWER SERVICES. BE HONEST WITH THAT. SO THAT'S JUST THE TRUTH. MY POINT IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MONEY. AND RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED IS NOT AN ADDITIONAL JOB FREEZES. IT'S NOT I'M NOT SAYING THAT JOB FREEZES ARE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT THAT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET, THAT'S NOT IN THE PROPOSED DEFICIT. SO WE'RE NOT WE CAN GO BACK AND FORTH, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES. 
          IT DOES NOT CHANGE THAT OR OR TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT A BETTER BENEFIT NEXT YEAR, WHERE MORE EMPLOYEES MAY BE WANTING TO OR KNOW FOR SURE THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE THIS GOLDEN HANDSHAKE. YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT EITHER. BUT THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. CAN YOU ADDRESS. SO THEY'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH ON ON A COUPLE OF GOOD POINTS. CAN YOU ADDRESS THE STAFFING SITUATION THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS ADDRESSING RIGHT NOW? CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT. SO SHE SHE'S MENTIONING THAT IF WE WERE TO HAVE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS, KEY STAFF MEMBERS TAKE THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE, THAT WE WOULD BE LEFT WITH, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, LESS EMPLOYEES, ETC. WHAT HAPPENS IF SOME OF THE KEY PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE? WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY TAKE IT SO WE DON'T HIRE FOR THEIR POSITION. YOU DON'T PROMOTE ANYONE. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT POSITION IF THEY TAKE THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE? CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? CAN IT CAN BE REFILLED? IT CAN. THANK YOU. THE IDEA IS THAT DEPENDING UPON IF THEY ARE A SENIOR EMPLOYEE, THEY ALSO HAVE PERS CLASSIC. AND IF THEY'VE BEEN AROUND THE CITY SINCE 2013, THEY HAVE THREE AT 60, WHICH IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE MISCELLANEOUS PERS PLAN THAT THERE IS. SOMEBODY COMING IN TO BACKFILL THAT POSITION IS NOT GOING TO BE MAKING THE SALARY THEY'RE MAKING. IF IT'S I DON'T KNOW WHICH EXACTLY. I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF POSSIBLE MID-MANAGEMENT OR EVEN EXECUTIVE POSITIONS THAT COULD POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, RETIRE. RIGHT. BUT I DON'T KNOW OF MANY. SO BUT ANYHOW, YOU'RE GOING TO SAVE MONEY NOT ONLY FROM THE COST OF THE BENEFIT GOING DOWN, BECAUSE PERS THREE AT 60 IS VERY EXPENSIVE. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THOSE OUT THERE. NOW. WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF GOING TO TWO AT 60 AND THEN PEPRA TWO AT 62. BUT WE WILL FILL THAT POSITION. WE'LL PAY THE INCOMING PERSON LESS THAN WHAT THE OTHER PERSON WAS MAKING, AND THEY'LL HAVE THE LOWER PENSION BENEFIT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THAT. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ADDRESS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE PUBLIC THAT'S LISTENING RIGHT NOW TO BE CONFUSED ABOUT THE SITUATION. IT'S NOT JUST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN. THERE'S A LOT. SO TO BE CLEAR, IF SOME FOLKS WERE TO TAKE THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT POSITION IS GOING TO BE EMPTY AND NO ONE WILL BE FILLING IT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT SOMEONE CAN'T FILL THAT POSITION AND TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY. AND WHAT'S CONFUSING TO ME IS THAT NOT LONG AGO, THE CONVERSATION WAS VERY DIFFERENT, ACTUALLY, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, THE CONVERSATION THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING IN THE COMMENTS THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING HAVE BEEN, WE CAN'T HIRE MORE PEOPLE. WE SHOULDN'T HIRE MORE PEOPLE. WE SHOULDN'T GET MORE EMPLOYEES, WE SHOULDN'T GET MORE STAFF. 
          AND NOW THERE'S THIS CONCERN OF, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH STAFF? I'M REALLY CONFUSED RIGHT NOW BY WHAT? ANYWAYS, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE MY GOAL, I WILL SAY, AND YOU KNOW THE COUNCIL, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TAKEN SOME TIME ALREADY TO DISCUSS A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT YOU DON'T JUST HEAR OPINIONS. YES, OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT AND THAT'S WHY YOU VOTED US TO BE HERE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO HEAR FACTS. YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT YOU ASK QUESTIONS AND THAT YOU'RE HERE IF YOU'RE NOT HERE, BUT YOU NEED TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST GET ALL OF THIS INFORMATION BASED ON SOMEONE'S OPINION. SO REALLY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU, BILL, FOR ANSWERING THAT QUESTION. WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HERE. AND I CAN IMAGINE HOW THE VOTE'S GOING TO GO. AND THAT'S FINE. IT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING. AND I WOULD JUST SAY AND I SAY IT TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE, IS THAT WHEN WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, BE VERY HONEST. 
          BE VERY HONEST TO YOUR COMMUNITY. BE. DON'T JUST SHARE YOUR OPINION. TRY TO GET FACTS. 
          [03:35:05]
TRY TO ASK QUESTIONS SO THAT YOUR STAFF CAN CAN ANSWER THEM SO THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS. 
          THE PUBLIC IS ABLE TO ALSO MAKE UP THEIR OWN OPINION BASED ON THE FACTS THAT ARE BEING STATED. 
          SO, AND THAT GOES FOR ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES. I LOVE THE CONVERSATION. I THINK IT'S GREAT. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. WE SHOULD BE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SHARING EVERYTHING. AND BILL, THE FACTS ARE WE ENDED UP THIS BUDGET YEAR. WE WE MOVED INTO THIS BUDGET YEAR WITH THE $300,000 SURPLUS, CORRECT? YES. 
          AND THEN NEXT YEAR WE ARE PROJECTING ABOUT A $2 MILLION DEFICIT. I THINK WITH THAT, JUST WITH POLICE AND FIRE AND IT PROBABLY GOING TO GO UP BESIDES ANYTHING ELSE. SO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO GO UP TO 2.5 OR REMEMBER WE TALKED TO LINCOLN AT THE LAST MEETING AND REMEMBER HE WAS TALKING ABOUT AND CAME IN AT TWO AND A HALF TO 3 MILLION. AND I SAID TWO. 
          YEAH. SO AND I KIND OF MADE A COMMENT. SO SO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THE LEFT ARE SAYING, LET'S DO NOTHING, LET'S JUST DELAY IT UNTIL NEXT YEAR. NO, I'M SAYING LET'S ADDRESS IT TODAY. I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S THAT'S I'M NOT SAYING LET'S DO NOTHING. AND I, I COULDN'T AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS ANYMORE. IS THAT YOU ARE CORRECT. YOU SHOULD BE ASKING QUESTIONS. YOU SHOULD BE. I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME. WE CAN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IN MORE DETAIL. AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS WHAT WHAT IT IS. 
          THEY'RE NOT MY OPINIONS. IT IS TRUE ABOUT THE POSITIONS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE. THAT IS A FACT. 
          AND THE POSITIONS CAN BE REFILLED, BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO GO. I MEAN, THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A HIRING PROCESS. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU JUST GET EMPLOYEES THE FOLLOWING MONTH. 
          IT JUST DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS. YOU HAVE TO PUT THE APPLICATIONS OUT. YOU GOT TO LEAVE. THAT OPENED UP FOR AT LEAST A MONTH. THEN YOU GOT TO INTERVIEW. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT APPLICANTS OR PEOPLE WITH WITH THE RIGHT TRAINING, THAT GOES TO KICK BACK AGAIN. THOSE ARE FACTS. THOSE ARE FACTS. YES, THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE POSITIONS CAN BE FILLED, BUT IT'S NOT JUST AS EASY AS THE NEXT MONTH. SOMEONE COMES IN. IT GOES THROUGH TWO INTERVIEWS. YOU KNOW, YOU GET APPLICATIONS, AND MANY TIMES, MANY TIMES YOU JUST DON'T GET ENOUGH OF A POOL. AND MANY TIMES YOU JUST DON'T GET SOMEONE WHO HAS THE QUALIFICATIONS. AND SO YOU OPEN IT UP AGAIN. THOSE ARE FACTS. 
          PLUS SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE'RE WE'RE SHARING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL GAS STATIONS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH. THEY'RE NOT HERE YET. I MEAN, LET'S BE HONEST, YOU KNOW, WE KEEP HEARING THEM BEING MENTIONED, BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE YET. SHELLY IS HERE. NO, SHELLY IS HERE. DROPPED ONE POINT, BUT WE'RE 2.2 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR US. YES. AND THE OTHER ONE, THE. DIDN'T YOU JUST MEET WITH THE TRIBE RECENTLY? AND THEY SAID THAT THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THE PROJECT. YES. AND THEY'RE GOING TO. AND THEY MOVE FAST. MOVE FAST. OKAY. 
          RIGHT. OKAY. GAS STATION. YES. YEAH, BUT WE CAN'T COMPETE. SHELLY DOESN'T CHARGE A FEDERAL GAS TAX NOR STATE GAS TAX, NOR LOCAL GAS TAX. THAT'S WHAT YOU KNOW, IF CONSUMERS WHERE DO YOU GO? YOU GO. YOU DON'T GO TO THE MOST EXPENSIVE GAS. YOU GO TO THE LEAST EXPENSIVE GAS WHERE THE ANNEXATION IS GOING TO BE COMPLETED, MAYBE BY DECEMBER, AROUND DECEMBER, BY DECEMBER, BY DECEMBER, JANUARY, WE'RE GOING TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE BRINGING IN FROM THERE. RIGHT. WELL, WE KNEW WAS GOING TO BE ACTUALLY, WE WON'T SEE ANYTHING FROM THAT PROBABLY UNTIL APRIL OR MAY, BUT WE GET IT. COUNTY TAKES TIME TO SELL. WASN'T THAT ALREADY FACTORED INTO THE PROJECTION OF THE 300 K, CORRECT? YES IT WAS. IT WAS AN ESTIMATE 250,000 BASED UPON A FISCAL ANALYSIS THAT WENT WITH ANNEXATION. SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO GET. SO SO THIS IS THIS IS WHERE I'M AT. I'M HAPPY TO BRING IT BACK. BUT AT THIS MOMENT, I DON'T SUPPORT LOSING OUR SENIOR MEMBERS. AND THEN ALSO IS THE KEY POSITIONS. 
          ALSO IS THAT WHAT IS ALSO A FACT IS THAT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE POSITIONS OR EMPLOYEES IN THESE POSITIONS, GUESS WHAT? WE HAVE TO CONTRACT IT OUT. IT'S YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CONTRACT THINGS OUT. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST THE TRUTH. THEY MAY NOT BE RECEIVING BENEFITS, THEY MIGHT NOT BE RECEIVING, YOU KNOW, THE SALARY, BUT IT DOES NOT CHANGE THAT. WE STILL NEED TO BRING IN THE SERVICES SOME WAY OR WHATEVER ASSISTANCE OR ADDITION WE NEED. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS NO EMPLOYEE IN THAT POSITION OR YOU NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS, YOU KNOW, YOU CONTRACT IT OUT. IT'S JUST THAT'S ALSO A FACT AT A CHEAPER RATE. THAT'S BUT YOU'RE NOT COUNTING THAT IN THAT LOOK AT THE THE IDEA HERE IS TO GET AHEAD OF THE ITEM TO COME BACK AT A LATER DATE. WELL NEXT MEETING WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD GET AHEAD OF THIS 
          [03:40:03]
NEXT MEETING. I AM GLAD THOUGH, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS ITEM. AND THEN ALSO RIGHT NOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR PRO TEM MENTIONED HOW DIFFICULT SOMETIMES IT IS TO HIRE. I WISH I WOULD HAVE HEARD THAT CONVERSATION WHEN WE WERE BEING LEFT WITHOUT A CITY MANAGER AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT TO TO FEEL THAT PASSION TO FOR AT THAT MOMENT WHEN WE WERE ALL STRESSED AND WORRIED THAT WE WERE GOING TO END UP WITHOUT OUR KEY LEADER IN THE CITY. AND SO I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT. IT'S JUST THE TIMING IS A LITTLE BIT INTERESTING, BUT NONETHELESS, WHERE WERE WE? WE WERE GONNA MOTION SOMETHING. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION TO CONTINUE TO THE NEXT MEETING. THIS ITEM. 
          YOU WANT TO ROLL CALL. WE'LL ROLL CALL WHO SECOND I DID. COUNCIL MEMBER. BETTIS. YES. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD. YES. TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL. OKAY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER MEAD, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THIS AT THE NEXT. YEAH, WHEN THERE'S A FULL COUNCIL? YES, WHEN WE HAVE. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO. YES. MAYOR HERNANDEZ. YES. ALL RIGHT. 
          [Reports and Requests]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO REPORTS AND REQUESTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS. START ON MY LEFT. SO I WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, BUT I DID REVIEW IT, AND I, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH MAYOR PRO TEM DELGADO'S REQUEST FOR INVOICES FOR SPONSORSHIPS. SO WHAT I DID IS I LOOKED INTO OTHER CITIES AND THE MAJORITY OF THE CITIES REQUIRE INVOICES FOR SPONSORSHIPS. I BELIEVE WE OWE IT TO OUR CITIZENS TO SHOW THAT WE ARE TRANSPARENT AND THAT WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN BRING A POLICY FORWARD WHERE WE REQUEST INVOICES FOR SPONSORSHIPS. THERE SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE WHEN WE'RE GIVING MONEY TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE INVOICES, YOU KNOW, 20, 30, 40, 50, $100,000 SPONSORSHIPS. THERE SHOULDN'T BE THERE SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MY SINCERE CONVALESCENCE TO DANIEL RODRIGUEZ'S FAMILY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, BUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE HAD A COUPLE OF SOCCER TEAMS OUT HERE SHOWING THEIR THEIR TROPHIES. THEY BROUGHT THE KIDDOS OUT HERE, THEIR MEDALS, AND HE WAS ONE OF THE COACHES, AND HE WAS SO HAPPY TO HAVE, I GUESS I BELIEVE THEY GAVE HIM A PROCLAMATION TO TO BRING THE KIDS UP HERE AND TO SHOW THEM. UNFORTUNATELY, HE PASSED AWAY. SO MY SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO HIS WIFE, TO HIS KIDS, TO HIS TEAMMATES, AND TO ALL THE KIDS ON THAT SOCCER TEAM THAT ARE AFFECTED BY IT. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. COUNCILMEMBER ETHAN, THANK YOU. I WANT TO QUICKLY BRING THIS UP. IT'S I HAD A CONVERSATION, A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH DOCTOR ESPARZA FROM COACHELLA VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT, AND SHE MENTIONED TRYING TO WORK WITH THE CITY TO HAVE BANNERS OF SOME OF OUR STUDENTS FROM. WELL, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY FROM CV, BUT I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT FROM CV HIGH SCHOOL IN THE CITY, SHE MENTIONED STAFF. DID YOU KNOW THEY'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION? THEY GAVE HER A QUOTE AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A LOT. AND SO SHE'S TRYING TO FIND A WAY HOW WE CAN WORK WITH HER. SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF DISCUSSION AROUND THAT. BILL, IF YOU CAN REACH OUT TO HER. AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING ALREADY SCHEDULED WITH THEM. PERFECT, PERFECT. THANK YOU. SHE MENTIONED IT TODAY WHEN WE SPOKE. SO I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO BRING THAT UP. THE OTHER THING IS THIS IS REGARDING EL GRITO. I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE OUR USUAL CELEBRATION THAT WE HAVE AT RANCHO LAS FLORES. I'VE HAD A FEW COMMUNITY MEMBERS REACH OUT ASKING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING, BUT ARE WE GOING TO STILL HAVE THE CELEBRATION IF WE CAN PUT SOMETHING OUT? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TOO DETAILED, BUT MAYBE A LITTLE PRESS RELEASE OR SOMETHING BRIEF, SOMETHING SHORT WHERE WE'RE LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING THE USUAL AT THE RANCHO LAS FLORES PARK, BUT WE'RE BUT WE'RE PARTNERING IN SOME WAY, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TRIBE. AND SO JUST SO THAT THEY KNOW BECAUSE THEY ARE ASKING AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THE USUAL SIGNAGE THAT WE HAVE ON CHAVEZ, ETC. SO IF WE CAN GET THAT HOPEFULLY SOON BEFORE THE WEEKEND. AND THE OTHER THING THAT I KIND OF WANTED TO BRING UP IS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS. THEY'VE BEEN GETTING CANCELED EVERY 
          [03:45:02]
SINGLE MONTH SINCE JANUARY. WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE. I'VE ASKED STAFF WHY, AND I'VE KIND OF GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OF A RESPONSE AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. I JUST WANT TO KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS? ARE WE NOT? THEY'RE JUST BEING CANCELED WITHOUT A WITHOUT A REASON, OR AT LEAST I'M NOT GIVEN A REASON AND I'M PART OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE. I THINK THESE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IT'S ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. PREVIOUS YEAR THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN IT. IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO STAFF DIRECTLY ON A ONE ON ONE ON DIFFERENT INITIATIVES, OPPORTUNITIES, PARTNERSHIPS. 
          ALL OF THIS IMPACTS OUR COMMUNITY, OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, OUR RESIDENTS. AND SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE NOT HAVING THESE MEETINGS. SO I'D LIKE TO EITHER GET THESE GOING AND SO WE CAN HAVE OUR OUR MEETINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME FOLKS FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCUSS DURING THOSE MEETINGS, I CERTAINLY DO. LIKE I SAID, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE IT A ONE ON ONE. WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD THEM. THEY'VE ALL BEEN CANCELED AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A REASON. AND I JUST I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'VE BEEN CANCELED. SO ON THE COMMITTEE, I SIT ON THE COMMITTEE. COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM TEM DELGADO. YES. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. SO AS AS MENTIONED, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET LET'S HAVE THESE MEETINGS. I DON'T NEED A REASON AS TO WHY THEY'VE BEEN CANCELED. THAT'S FINE. 
          IT'S THEY'VE BEEN CANCELED. BUT LET'S LET'S HAVE THEM. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN DISCUSS. JUST LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION. JUST LIKE PARKS, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU CAN DISCUSS DURING THOSE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS, DURING THOSE MEETINGS, AND WE NEED TO HAVE THEM. SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE ASKED, BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN A STRAIGHT ANSWER AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG EVENING, BUT YOU GUYS ARE ALL GREATLY APPRECIATED. AND WELCOME BACK. IF YOU TOOK SOME TIME OFF, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU DID, BUT YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT GETS A LITTLE COOLER NOW THAT WE'RE IN SEPTEMBER. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM. THANK YOU. I JUST I WANT TO RESPOND A BIT AND I'M NOT SURE IF IF I HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT I WILL SAY THAT CELINA THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEES FALL UNDER CELINA. 
          THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION FALLS UNDER CELINA. THE YOUTH COMMISSION FALLS UNDER CELINA. THE GRANTS COMMITTEES FALLS UNDER CELINA. THE ARTS AND CULTURAL COMMISSION FALLS UNDER CELINA. AND SO I THINK THAT KIND OF SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. I THINK SINCE JANUARY, MY, MY, MY SAYING BY MY SAYING IT. CELINA, IT'S YOUR FAULT. I KNOW IT'S IT'S THAT WAS EASY. SEND IT OVER TO LENA. YEAH. WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT CELINA IS THAT YOU NEED SUPPORT. YOU CAN'T BE THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT OVERSEES ALL THESE COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES. YOU'RE NOT. YOU KNOW? I MEAN, YOU'RE SUPERWOMAN, BUT YOU'RE NOT THAT SUPERWOMAN WHERE YOU'RE HAVING TO DO ALL THESE MONTHLY MEETINGS BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS MONTHLY. THE PARKS AND RECREATION IS MONTHLY, THE YOUTH COMMISSION IS MONTHLY, THE ARTS COMMISSION IS MONTHLY. THEY ARE ALL MONTHLY. SO YOU'RE ADDING ABOUT 5 TO 6 MEETINGS ALONE WITH JUST THE COMMISSIONS. PLUS YOU GOT TO STAFF IT. SO FOR THOSE WHO KIND OF MAYBE DON'T KNOW, THE EXTENT OF IT IS YOU HAVE TO STAFF IT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE MEETING MINUTES, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON IT. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK. SO I AM SAYING IS THAT IF SO MANY COMMISSIONS ARE BEING GIVEN TO ONE EXEC, THEN THAT EXEC BE GIVEN SUPPORT, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON SO MANY COMMISSIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, KEEP IN MIND THAT THE MANAGEMENT ANALYST THAT WAS IN THAT DEPARTMENT OR THAT SHOULD BE NOW THERE WE NO LONGER HAD AND THAT PERSON LOOKED OVER AND DID THESE COMMISSIONS. SO NOW SHE'S HAVING TO TAKE ON THOSE ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONS BECAUSE THE PERSON THAT DID THEM IS NO LONGER WITH US BECAUSE THAT JOB IS FROZEN. SO I WOULD NEVER POINT FINGERS AT ANYBODY. WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND JUST THE WORKLOAD THAT'S BEING THROWN THAT WAY, AND WE NEED TO PROVIDE HER ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE THESE MEETINGS IS WHAT I AM SAYING. AND, YOU KNOW, BILL, IT'S SHE DOES HAVE A LOT OF 
          [03:50:07]
COMMISSIONS. I MEAN, IT'S IT'S IT'S A LOT AND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND JUST BEING HERE IN THIS MEETING IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE MEETING MINUTES. WE HAVE TO HAVE IT'S A LOT OF IT'S A LOT OF WORK. SO I THINK THAT SHE NEEDS THAT TYPE OF ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THE COST, FINANCIAL COST THAT MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE GETTING HIT WITH WHEN IT COMES TO CODE VIOLATIONS. WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE IS ABOUT HAVING CLEANING DAYS, COMMUNITY CLEANUP DAYS, JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT WE KEEP SHARING. THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE EMPLOYEES WENT, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER BIDEN WAS THERE. I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE MORE OF THOSE. SO IF WE CAN IDENTIFY SOME DAYS, MAYBE MONTHS IN THE COOLER MONTHS WHERE WE CAN GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, IDENTIFY WHAT RESIDENTS NEED, THAT ASSISTANCE, IF THEY'RE SENIORS, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT. 
          ALSO, IS THAT IN IN OCTOBER IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE GOING TO THE LEAGUE OF CITIES IN OCTOBER? I THINK THERE'S THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FIVE STAFF. SO BILL, THE THEN THE LEAGUE OF CITIES THEN STARTS ON THE EIGHTH. YES. AND THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD THAT'S COUNCIL MEETING. SO WE NEED TO CANCEL THAT MEETING. SO CAN WE HAVE IT ON TUESDAY OR MONDAY. THE COUNCIL MEETING. SPECIAL MEETING. OKAY. WHAT WOULD BE A SPECIAL MEETING. IT WOULD BE SPECIAL. WE WOULD HAVE TO WE WOULD LIMIT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE COULD ADDRESS. AND YOU'D HAVE TO PULL COUNCIL TO SEE IF THEY'RE HERE. AND HERE'S THE REASON I ASK IT IS BECAUSE SO AND I, I'VE SHARED THIS BEFORE. MANY CITIES HAVE LIMITATIONS OF HOW MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN GO TO A CONFERENCE FOR THIS REASON. SO THERE'S NO CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS CANCELED AND THEN OTHER CITIES. WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THAT THEY'VE JUST MADE IT A SPECIAL MEETING SO THAT THEY ACCOMMODATE WHEN ALL THOSE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE GOING TO BE GONE. SO I DO THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER IT. I, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE CANCELING A MEETING BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, YOU KNOW, FIVE MEMBERS OF STAFF AT A, AT A CONFERENCE. THAT'S JUST MY FEELINGS ON IT. AND THAT'S IT FOR ME. ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK QUESTION, BILL. HOW HOW MANY STAFF DOES THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAVE? I THOUGHT WE HAD THREE THERE. CAESAR HYMAN AND. WHO ELSE? AND NOW JESSICA. SO WE HAVE FOUR. SO THERE'S FOUR STAFF UNDER SELENA ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. 
          SHE HAS PLENTY OF SUPPORT. SO I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S A STAFF PROBLEM. I THINK IT MIGHT BE PARKS AND RECREATION NOW ALL LIBRARY SERVICES, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALL THAT RECREATIONAL EITHER. THOSE THOSE FOUR STAFFERS ARE NOT DOING THAT. SO I THINK IT MIGHT BE A QUORUM ISSUE, NOT A STAFF ISSUE. THE I JUST WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF KUDOS AND AND ATTABOY OUT OF GIRLS, OBVIOUSLY. AVENUE 52 THEY SCHEDULED IT FOLKS PUT TOGETHER TO CREATE LIMITED IMPACT ON OUR RESIDENTS WAS A GOOD ONE. I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF GOOD COMPLIMENTS FROM FOLKS THAT, HEY, FINALLY, AVENUE 52, IT'S IT'S BEING PAVED AND IT LOOKS GOOD AS WELL. AS I GOT IN A LOT OF GOOD COMPLIMENTS ABOUT THE PAVING THAT WENT ON THERE ON AVENUE 51 AT THE. WAS IT THE KB HOMES THERE? I BELIEVE THE MEDIUMS, THEY THEY LOOK GOOD. THEY'RE LOOKING GOOD. BUT WE DO HAVE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE. SOME OF THE, THE THE LIGHTING AND THEN ALSO THE, THE TREES THAT ARE ARE LITTLE DOWN OR YOU KNOW, BUT SO, SO THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD LITTLE PLUSES IN TERMS OF JUST IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN ATTABOY OUT OF GIRL. SELENA, I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING HARD AND AND YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU GOT A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES, YOU KNOW? AND SO IT'S I THINK ALL THE STAFF, YOU GUYS ARE ALL WORKING HARD AND AND ESTABLISHING THIS NEW NORM. SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR, FOR ALL THAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AS WELL AS WELL AS YOU, BILL. I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN PRETTY STRAIGHT UP AND YOU'RE LETTING US KNOW, HEY, YOU GOT SOME FISCAL CHALLENGES AHEAD OF YOU. WE ADDRESSED IT 300. GET AHEAD OF IT. BUT PEOPLE MAY NOT FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD. BUT ANYHOW, MY MY JUST 
          [03:55:02]
OUT OF OUT OF OUT OF GIRLS. SUMMER WAS A LITTLE WEIRD. IT WAS HOT. IT WAS COLD. TODAY IT'S NORMAL. I GET WHERE IT'S LIKE, WEIRD TODAY, YOU KNOW? SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. AND THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING AND SEEING EACH OTHER A LOT. AND I EXPECT THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE FALL, TO BE PRETTY GOOD. BUT THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. WELCOME BACK TO THIS NEW FALL CALENDAR BILL FOR YOURS. I WANTED TO REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT I'M GOING ON VACATION ON FRIDAY, AND I WILL BE GONE UNTIL THE 22ND, AND WHEN I'M GONE, I'M GOING TO PUT ANDREW IN CHARGE. HE'LL BE THE ACTING CITY MANAGER WHILE I'M GONE. THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU AND JUST LEFT MY MIND. OUR DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING ABOUT FISCAL CHALLENGES ARE IMPORTANT. IT WAS TERRIBLE TO WALK IN HERE WHEN I DID, AND HAVE TO DELIVER NEWS AND TRY TO DEVELOP A BUDGET, AND WE WE LOOKED OUR WAY THROUGH IT BY HAVING, YOU KNOW, FREEZES. WHO KNEW SO MANY PEOPLE WERE GOING TO LEAVE? WHO KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE P7 GO THROUGH. THERE'S YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO CUT FIRE STAFF. BUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THERE ONE TIME, I CAN'T GO BACK AND FREEZE ANOTHER SEVEN POSITIONS. I CAN'T CUT FIRE. STAFF, WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE NOW. 
          AND LOOKING FORWARD, I WISH WELL, LINCOLN WILL BE ACTUALLY, YOU'LL GET TO HEAR FROM YOUR FINANCE DIRECTOR AT THE NEXT MEETING. WHEN WE'RE TALKING, WE COULD ELIMINATE THE SQUAD BILL. 
          WE COULD ALSO REDUCE THE THE THE. THERE'S ONLY. JUST LIKE I SAID, THERE'S ONLY SO MANY PLACES THAT YOU CAN GO TO CUT EXPENSES. SO THEN THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS. IT SEEMS LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY. AND WE WE CAN WE CAN ELIMINATE THE THE MOTORCYCLE POLICE. RIGHT. WE JUST ADDED THOSE LAST YEAR. WE DECIDED TO ADD THEM. THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING A BIG DEFICIT. IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE SPEND OUR MONEY AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR TOTAL GENERAL FUND, IT'S SALARIES WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THE BUDGET DOCUMENT SALARIES AND BENEFITS, POLICE AND FIRE. YEAH. I MEAN, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PRESERVE THAT AND GET AHEAD OF IT. BUT THE MEETING
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.