[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)]

IF THAT'S ALL FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, WE WILL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF 30 MINUTES. IF ADDITIONAL TIME IS REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, THEY WILL BE HEARD AFTER ITEM NUMBER. AFTER ITEM NUMBER 12. AFTER. AFTER.

AFTER 13. YES. AFTER 13. AFTER ITEM 13. THE PUBLIC MAY ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL SLASH BOARD SLASH CORPORATION AUTHORITY ON ANY ITEM OF INTEREST TO THE PUBLIC. THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA, BUT IS IN ITS SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION THEREOF. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. AND WE DO HAVE COMMENT CARDS, AND I DO WANT TO EXPRESS THAT NON-AGENDA ITEMS WHEN COMMUNITY COMES IN AND EXPRESSES COMMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL AT THIS TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL IS NOT ABLE TO RESPOND BACK TO YOU DUE TO IT NOT BEING ON THE AGENDA. AND FOR GOVERNMENT CODE, WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN, BUT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND BACK TO YOU AT THIS TIME. IF YOU COME AND SPEAK DURING NON-AGENDA ITEMS AND PUBLIC COMMENTS. WITH THAT, MADAM CLERK, WE CAN. AND ALSO WE'RE GOING TO. FOR THE RECORD, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN PERSON WILL GO FIRST THAT HAVE SUBMITTED A A CARD, AND THEN WE WILL MOVE TO THE ONLINE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON ZOOM. CORRECT. OKAY. DO WE HAVE THE FIRST SPEAKER IS JAMES RODRIGUEZ. GOOD EVENING.

COUNCIL. SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF NON-AGENDA ITEM COMMENTS TO MAKE, PRIMARILY TO START OFF WITH WHAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM JUST SAID, EVEN THOUGH YOU CANNOT COMMENT, YOU CAN AND SHOULD IN SOME CASES TABLE THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING FOR YOU GUYS TO DISCUSS, WHETHER IN CLOSED SESSION OR OUT IN PUBLIC. SPEAKING OF THOSE CLOSED SESSIONS, I'M A LITTLE BIT DISMAYED AND SOMEWHAT CONCERNED THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO CREATE SPECIAL MEETINGS FOR VARIOUS ITEMS, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT DELAY HAS KEPT A CERTAIN CLOSED ITEM SESSION FROM BEING DISCUSSED THIS WEEK, BUT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DISCUSS THAT IN SPECIAL COUNSEL. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, AND WE'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THE SECOND THING IS, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE ABOUT TO TALK TO YOU, EVEN THOUGH YOU GUYS ARE FRAMING IT UNDER DATA CENTER, IT'S A BIGGER UMBRELLA OF THE TRANSPARENCY, THE LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE AND SAYING X, Y, Z EQUALS PROSPEROUS VERSUS X, Y, Z EQUALS. YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS TO THE TUNE OF $85 MILLION. THAT IS THE KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT WE SHOULD BE HAVING. IT SHOULDN'T BE LOST IN THE TRANSLATION OF THE RESOLUTION DIALOG. IT SHOULD BE PLAIN, AND I'VE ASKED THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO THAT BEFORE. I'VE ASKED FOR YOU GUYS TO CREATE AN APP. I'VE ASKED FOR YOU GUYS TO CREATE AN ADVISORY BOARD, SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO TAKE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND MAKE IT DIGESTIBLE FOR US. AND TO THAT POINT, WE SHOULD HAVE THAT DIGESTIBILITY BEFORE THESE PROJECTS ARE ROLLED THROUGH THE COUNCIL. I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS HAVE GRANT APPLICATIONS. YOU GUYS HAVE STATE REQUIREMENTS, YOU GUYS HAVE LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO STICK TO. THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND AND WE KNOW IT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, JUST BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO IT IN ORDER TO GET YOUR GRANT DOESN'T MEAN WE NEED THAT GRANT TO DO THAT. IF WE HAVE TO THEN FORCE OURSELVES INTO PROJECTS THAT PEOPLE LIKE THIS DON'T GET TO UNDERSTAND, DON'T GET TO KNOW ABOUT UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE AND THAT STATUTORY WINDOW HAS CLOSED OR THAT HEARING HAS ALREADY PASSED. AND THEN SUDDENLY YOU GUYS ARE SAYING, WELL, NOBODY SAID WE DIDN'T NEED TO DO IT WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE REVERSE ALL ALONG. YOU GUYS NEED TO BRING YOUR SUPPORT. YOU GUYS NEED TO HAVE THESE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE STANDING UP AND SAYING, WE NEED THIS BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WE'RE CALLING FOR, NOT BECAUSE IT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO TO REQUIREMENTS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER IS ALLISON. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALLISON, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY, AND I'M HERE

[00:15:04]

TO OPPOSE THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF DATA CENTERS IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AND SPECIFICALLY THE CITY'S FEBRUARY AGREEMENT WITH THE STRONGHOLD POWER. SO ACCORDING TO THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, DATA, CENTERS ARE NOW AMONG THE MOST ENERGY INTENSIVE FORMS OF INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND HAVE AN OUTSIZED IMPACT ON WATER CONSUMPTION. A 2025 RESEARCH PAPER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN TITLED WHAT HAPPENS WHEN DATA CENTERS COME TO TOWN, IDENTIFIES A FEW NOTEWORTHY KEY FINDINGS. DATA CENTERS INCREASE UTILITY RATES THAT ARE PASSED ON TO RESIDENTS, CONSUME HIGH RATES OF RESOURCES LIKE THE EQUIVALENT OF THE POWER OF 2000 HOMES AND MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER ANNUALLY, AND MANY OTHER NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. SO THIS IS JUST TO NAME A FEW. THE COACHELLA VALLEY IS DROUGHT PRONE, SUSCEPTIBLE TO POWER OUTAGES, AND VULNERABLE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AS THE CITY'S OWN PROGRAMS LIKE COACHELLA RECOGNIZE, RIGHT? THE CITY MUST TAKE THESE CONCERNS INTO DEEP CONSIDERATION FOR AN AREA THAT IS ALREADY SOCIALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY VULNERABLE. FOR THESE REASONS, I OPPOSE THE DEVELOPMENT OF DATA CENTERS AND DEMAND THE CITY IMPLEMENT A MORATORIUM ON THEM. I UNDERSTAND THIS PROJECT IS STILL IN ITS EARLY STAGES.

HOWEVER, EVEN THE PROPOSAL OF A DATA CENTER IS OF GRAVE CONCERN. THIS IS A CLIMATE ISSUE. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ISSUE. THIS IS A PEOPLE ISSUE. ALL OF US IN AND OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM WILL PAY THE PRICE FOR A DATA CENTER IN OUR REGION. AND AS THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PAPER POINTS OUT, OUR POLICIES AND REGULATIONS ARE CURRENTLY TO OFA CENTERS POSE TO OUR COMMUNITIES. SO TO SAY NO. AND WE ARE ALL OF US HERE TODAY DO NOT WANT DATA CENTERS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. AND WE ASK THE CITY OF COACHELLA TO EXERCISE ITS AUTHORITY BY SAYING NO TO DATA CENTERS AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NATALIA CERVANTES, NATALIA CERVANTES. THANK YOU. HI. MY NAME IS NATALIA CERVANTES. I WANT TO SPEAK FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY POWER OUTAGES. I USED TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF MECCA, AND WE HAD POWER OUTAGES IN BOTH THE SUMMER AND IN THE WINTER. FOOD GOES SPOILED. THERE'S NO ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY, WATER. THE ONLY TIME SOMETHING WAS EVER DONE WAS WHEN WE STARTED POSTING ABOUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND GETTING ATTENTION, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WERE GENERATORS AVAILABLE, THERE WAS FINE FOOD BANK WHO CAME OUT, BUT WHY DOES IT TAKE US HAVING TO POST ABOUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ESSENTIALLY LIKE WORRYING THE REST OF YOU ABOUT HOW YOU LOOK TO THE PUBLIC, TO THEN HAVE US COME AND HAVE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY. BUT ALSO, I WANT TO SAY, AS A TEACHER IN CVUSD, I WORK AT CV AND WE HAVE KIDS WHO BRING GALLONS OF WATER BECAUSE THE WATER AT SCHOOL ISN'T GOOD. AS A TEACHER, I HAVE NO ACCESS TO WATER. AND THEN SOMETIMES I HAVE TO BRING GALLONS MYSELF, OR I JUST GO THE WHOLE DAY WITHOUT WATER. IT'S FINE, BUT FOR THE KIDS, THAT'S NOT COOL. SO YOU PROPOSING A DATA CENTER OR A SUPER TECHNOLOGY CENTER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HOW YOU GUYS THINK IT'S OKAY THAT THESE DATA CENTERS THAT CONSUME CLEAN WATER, THAT THEY NEED CLEAN WATER TO COOL DOWN? WHY DO YOU THINK THAT'S OKAY? THAT A DATA CENTER NEEDS THE WATER? BUT THEN ARE KIDS, OUR COMMUNITY DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER. AND EVERYONE HERE KNOWS THAT THE TRAILER PARKS, THE TRAILER PARKS DON'T HAVE CLEAN WATER. BABIES ARE GOING WITHOUT CLEAN WATER. I MEAN, WATER IS SUCH A HUGE ISSUE HERE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. AND I UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT WE NEED INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS UTILITY. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY KINDS OF DIFFERENT GREEN PEACE SOLUTIONS. AND IF YOU SAY THAT IT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU, NO OFFENSE, BUT THAT'S BS BECAUSE I KNOW ALL OF YOU HAVE THE CONNECTIONS TO ASK FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS TO COME AND HELP IN WITH THE WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA, IF YOU NEED THE RESOURCES. THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE WILLING TO HELP. I'M HERE TO HELP. I KNOW YOU KNOW WHO I AM. SO IF YOU NEED A DIFFERENT WAY TO GO ABOUT IT, WE CAN HELP. WE'RE HERE TO HELP.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. I JUST HOPE THAT YOU HEAR WHAT WE'RE HERE TO SAY, WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING. I HOPE YOU ACTUALLY TAKE IT TO HEART WHAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, BECAUSE DATA CENTERS ARE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS. WHEN WE ALREADY FACED WITH THE SALTON SEA, IS HAVING PEOPLE ALREADY HAVE TERRIBLE ASTHMA, PEOPLE ARE GETTING CANCER. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO ADD ON TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW, I JUST I CAN'T WRAP MY HEAD, MY HEAD AROUND IT. THE FACT THAT I KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE, I KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE. SO THE FACT THAT WE'RE HEARING THAT YOU SUPPORT IT IS CONCERNING AS BOTH LIKE A RESIDENT, BUT ALSO AS A PERSON THAT KNOWS YOU. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ARACELY HERNANDEZ.

[00:20:04]

ARACELY HERNANDEZ. HELLO, MY NAME IS ARACELY HERNANDEZ. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVER BEING AT A COUNCIL MEETING, AND I ONLY KNEW ABOUT THIS INFORMATION BECAUSE IT WAS ONLINE. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE CITY HAD THIS PLANNED. SO THE FACT THAT I EVEN FOUND OUT ON INSTAGRAM WAS TERRIFYING. AND SORRY IF I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. I'M NOT GOOD AT SPEECH SPEECHES, BUT WE VOTE YOU IN WITH THE FAITH TO SERVE THE PEOPLE AND THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE SUPPORTING THIS DATA CENTER IS TOTALLY AGAINST THE PEOPLE WE. BY ALLOWING THE CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF THE DATA CENTER, IT WOULD COST A DEVASTATING IMPACT TO EVERYONE IN THE VALLEY. THEY HAVE BEEN LINKED TO WATER CONTAMINATION, EXCESSIVE WATER CONSUMPTION, GENERATING AIR NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION. AND ESPECIALLY IN THE VALLEY, WE ALL KNOW HOW HOT IT GETS. IT'S BEEN LINKED TO INCREASING SOME DEGREES OF HEAT, SO THAT'S JUST HORRIBLE. SO THE CITY OF COACHELLA SHOULD PRIORITIZE ITS PEOPLE, THE ENVIRONMENT. SO WE SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS. WE SHOULDN'T BE ASKED OR SUB TO LIVE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS. THAT AND JUST HAVING THIS DATA CENTER IS GOING TO MAKE IT MUCH WORSE. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. AND ANNA CARRILLO. ANNA CARRILLO. ALL RIGHT. HI, EVERYBODY. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. I ALSO I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I'M GOING TO BE VERY NERVOUS. EXCUSE ME. GIVE ME A MINUTE. SO CAN WE GET CORIANDER CHAMBLISS RIGHT AFTER HER. AND THEN JOANNA LEMOS. OKAY. SO, YEAH, AS I WAS SAYING, IT'S. I'VE NEVER DONE THIS EITHER, BUT I FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT AS A, LIKE LIFELONG COACHELLA RESIDENT. AND I'M A MOTHER. I HAVE THREE YOUNG CHILDREN. ONE OF THEM HAS BAD ALLERGIES. I'M PRETTY SURE, LIKE LIKE THE OTHER PERSON BEFORE ME SAID, THE SALTON SEA IS ALREADY MESSING UP A LOT OF PEOPLE'S HEALTH, A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE, AND WE REALLY DON'T NEED DATA CENTERS TO COME AND MESS EVERYTHING MORE UP. LIKE THE OTHER PERSON ALSO SAID, LIKE IT'S GOING TO RAISE THE TEMPERATURE WHEN WE'RE ALREADY GETTING LIKE, IT'S ALREADY SUPER HOT HERE. SO I DON'T KNOW, I'M KIND OF GETTING A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT. I MEAN, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW MY OPPOSITION FOR IT BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE I'M A MOTHER, I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT. I DON'T WANT THAT HERE. I DON'T WANT TO PAY TAX. I DON'T WANT TO PAY, YOU KNOW, I PAY TAXES HERE. I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR THAT. YEAH. SO THAT'S ABOUT ALL I GOT TO SAY. I JUST WANT TO SHOW MY OPPOSITION TO YOUR CORIANDER.

CHAMBLISS. CORIANDER. CHAMBLISS. AND JOAN LEMOS. HELLO. MY NAME IS JOANNE LOMAS. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY. YESTERDAY I WAS IN EL CENTRO PROTESTING THE LOT MERGER THAT WOULD CONTINUE THE EFFORTS TO BUILD THE LARGEST DATA CENTER IN CALIFORNIA OUT THERE IN IMPERIAL VALLEY. TODAY, I'M HERE TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION OF THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND STRONGHOLD POWER AND THEIR PROPOSAL TO BUILD UP TO SIX DATA CENTERS IN THE EAST, IN EASTERN COACHELLA. MY MAIN CONCERNS WITH DATA CENTERS BEING BUILT ARE THE OVERCONSUMPTION OF SCARCE RESOURCES, AND THE LONG AND LONG TERM ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACTS THEY WILL HAVE ON THE ENTIRE COACHELLA VALLEY. A TYPICAL DATA CENTER USES 300,000 GALLONS OF FRESH WATER EACH DAY, EQUIVALENT TO THE DEMANDS OF ABOUT 1000 HOUSEHOLDS. LARGER DATA CENTERS CAN USE AN ESTIMATED 5 MILLION GALLONS GALLONS OF WATER A DAY UP TO A TOWN OF 50,000 RESIDENTS, ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN WEBSITE. COACHELLA HAS 41,941 RESIDENTS, SO AT MINIMUM, THIS PROJECT WOULD DOUBLE THE WATER DEMANDS OF THE CITY. DID YOU KNOW THAT IN JANUARY, THE UNITED NATIONS ANNOUNCED THAT THE WORLD HAS MOVED BEYOND A WATER CRISIS AND INTO A STATE OF GLOBAL WATER BANKRUPTCY? WILL THE COACHELLA VALLEY BE THE NEXT REGION TO ENTER WATER BANKRUPTCY AFTER WATER DEMANDS MORE THAN DOUBLE DATA CENTERS ALSO REQUIRE INSANE AMOUNTS OF ENERGY IN AREAS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF DATA CENTERS. ELECTRICITY PRICES JUMPED 267%. CAN YOU ALL SIT THERE AND SINCERELY ASK YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR FAMILY TO PAY EVEN MORE OUT OF POCKET DURING THESE TIMES OF FINANCIAL WORRY? A STUDY DONE AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT BY 2030, THE CURRENT RATE OF AI GROWTH WOULD ANNUALLY PUT 24 TO 44 MILLION METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO ADDING 5 TO 10 MILLION CARS ON US ROADWAYS. THE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY ALREADY FACES GREATER AIR POLLUTION BURDENS THAN WESTERN COACHELLA VALLEY, THE WHOLE COACHELLA VALLEY, OR ALL OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY. THE

[00:25:02]

CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF EVEN ONE DATA CENTER WOULD EXACERBATE THE POLLUTION ISSUE.

CAN WE IMAGINE WHAT SIX WILL DO? HISTORICALLY, ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT COMMUNITIES OF MARGINALIZED PEOPLE, INCLUDING PERSONS OF COLOR, IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES, LOW INCOME, RURAL AND OR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. BUILDING A DATA CENTER HERE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY WOULD BE A CONTINUATION OF THIS SAME ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE, HARMING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NONWHITE AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, AS EVIDENT AMONG THE IMMIGRANT, HISPANIC, AND WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES OF THE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY.

CURRENTLY, THERE ARE 26 PROPOSED BILLS IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT, REGULATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF DATA CENTERS. SO HOW CAN THE CITY OF COACHELLA SAFELY PURSUE THIS CONSTRUCTION OF DATA CENTERS WHEN THE STATE HASN'T EVEN FIGURED IT OUT? I KNOW THAT I'VE JUST SPAT OUT A BUNCH OF FACTS, AND THAT MIGHT NOT MAKE MY OPPOSITION THE MOST MOVING OR HEARTFELT PLEA THAT YOU WILL HEAR TONIGHT, BUT I HOPE THAT THE INFORMATION I PROVIDE HELPS TO COMPLETE OUR NARRATIVE. ALL ACROSS THE STATE AND COUNTRY, COMMUNITIES ARE PROTESTING AND RESISTING DATA CENTERS, AND I AM HAPPY TO SEE FELLOW COACHELLA VALLEY RESIDENTS JOINING THAT RESISTANCE AND FIGHTING FOR OUR RIGHT FOR A CLEAN FUTURE. MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT WOULD BE A MISTAKE. NO DATA CENTERS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY, AND SHAME ON ALL OF YOU FOR TRYING TO SELL US OUT.

THANK YOU. OKAY, CAN I GET THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE TO FORM A LINE TO MAKE THIS GO SMOOTHER? JASMINE IBARRA, ASH B, CECILIA LEMOS, CONSUELO MARQUEZ AND YOU CAN SPEAK IN THAT ORDER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JASMINE IBARRA, AND I, ALONG WITH MY FAMILY, HAVE LIVED IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA FOR 26 YEARS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I AM HERE TO ASK THAT A DATA CENTER MORATORIUM BE IMPLEMENTED, AS WELL AS THE COMPLETE STOP TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF DATA CENTERS IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. FOR MANY YEARS, WE HAVE WATCHED OUR COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH VERY ESTHETICALLY PLEASING TO THE TOURISTS, HAS LEFT OUT A LOT OF ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, NOT ONLY WITH THE LANGUAGE, THE INFORMATION OF THE INFORMATION THAT IS SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, BUT ALSO IN THE PLANNING OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY IS TRANSPARENT WITH OTHER ISSUES THAT BUILDING A DATA CENTER BRINGS TO THE COMMUNITIES LIKE WATER CONTAMINATION, EXCESSIVE WATER CONSUMPTION AND THE RELEASE OF AIR POLLUTANTS, AND MANY MORE THAT I CAN'T EVEN SAY. IN THREE MINUTES. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES MORE THAN THIS. AND BEFORE WE START USING THE SAME PHRASES OF IT BRINGS MORE JOBS. OUR COMMUNITY IS MORE THAN LABOR. IT DESERVES A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL OF US TO LIVE IN. I ASK THAT YOU KEEP THE COMMUNITY IN MIND WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THE PROJECTS THAT COME INTO THE CITY. I HAVE KNOWN MANY OF THE FOLKS SITTING UP THERE. I ALSO HAVE VOLUNTEERED DURING SOME OF YOUR CAMPAIGNS. THEREFORE, I FIND IT VERY DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR RECORDINGS FROM PRIOR MEETINGS AND SEE YOU ALL AGREE TO THESE PROJECTS. I HOPE THIS CAN HELP CHANGE YOUR MIND WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING TO APPROVE THE DATA CENTER. NO DATA CENTERS IN COACHELLA AND I THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS ASH. I WAS RAISED HERE IN COACHELLA. THIS IS JUST ONE DAYS NOTICE. PEOPLE WERE INFORMED YESTERDAY BY A VIDEO CIRCULATING AND 106 EMAILS WERE SENT AND THE ROOM IS FULL. I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW DECEIVING THE CITY'S ACTIONS FEEL. THE RHETORIC FROM THE BEGINNING, FROM THE CITY, WAS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CITY UTILITY TO SERVE PARTS OF THE EASTERN COACHELLA, WHERE ID INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT RELIABLE OR IT'S NON-EXISTENT. YET WE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE CITY UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE WILL ONLY SERVE ONE CUSTOMER BASE THAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY POISON OUR COMMUNITY'S DATA CENTERS. SIX TO BE EXACT, IN PHASE ONE, SIX MORE IN PHASE TWO, WHICH IS OPTIONAL TO THE CITY. FILTHY. IT GIVES OFF THAT THE CITY WAS TRYING TO KEEP IT UNDER THE RUG, AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOUND OUT THAT THE WORD IS SPREADING RAPIDLY AND COMMUNITY IS OUTRAGED. THIS PROJECT WILL BE CONNECTING TO ID AT THE END OF THE DAY. THE CITY SAYS IT'S NOT A PARTNER IN THIS PROJECT YET.

ON FEBRUARY 11TH OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY APPROVED THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, AKA IT'S A PARTNERSHIP WITH STRONGHOLD POWER. THE CITY WILL BE PAYING STRONGHOLD APPROXIMATELY 500,000 TO PLAN, BUILD AND OPERATE THIS PROJECT. AND THIS PROJECT IS NOT ANYTHING BUT ONE OF THE MOST PARASITIC PROJECTS THAT CAN BE. AND IT WILL SUCK UP OUR LIMITED WATER RESOURCES, POLLUTE OUR ALREADY CONTAMINATED AIR, HARM THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

ALREADY BURDENED WITH RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES. IT'LL CREATE NOISE, ODOR, AND LIGHT THAT WILL WORSEN OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. ON AND ON AND ON. AND LET'S REALLY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT

[00:30:06]

THERE IS MOBILE HOMES RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE THIS PROJECT IS PROPOSED. THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU KNEW WHAT THIS WAS. YOU APPROVED IT WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY KNOWING. AND ACCORDING TO THE TIMELINE IN CITY PRESENTATIONS, Y'ALL WERE REALLY TRYING TO PUSH THIS THROUGH FAST. YOU HAVE AUTHORITY AND TIME TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. SO DROP THE SIX DATA CENTERS OF PHASE ONE, DROP THE PROJECT, AND ENACT A DATA CENTER MORATORIUM NOW. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS CECILIA. I'M HERE JUST AS EVERYONE ELSE TO BASICALLY CALL YOU OUT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. AS ASH HAS SAID, YOU ALL KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. YOU WERE PART OF THOSE MEETINGS. AND FOR YOU ALL TO EVEN ALLOW THE IDEA OF A DATA CENTER TO BE BUILT IN THIS COMMUNITY IS JUST BEYOND ME. DATA CENTERS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR DAMAGING THE HEALTH OF PEOPLE AND THE LAND. SOMEBODY SHARED AN ARTICLE. I MEAN, I'M SURE YOU ALL HAVE SEEN A BUNCH OF MANY MORE EXAMPLES ONLINE. SO YEAH, THERE ARE COUNTLESS OF STORIES AND TESTIMONIES. I'M SURE EVERYBODY HERE IN THE ROOM HAS HEARD OF AT LEAST ONE MAJOR RISK THAT DATA CENTERS BRING. MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY NAMED WHAT THOSE RISKS ARE. SOME OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD ARE IT WORSENS AIR POLLUTION. THE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY IS ALREADY A PART OF AB 607, WHICH RECOGNIZES IT AS HAVING SOME OF THE WORST, WORST AIR POLLUTION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I WAS HERE NOT TOO LONG AGO WITH A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE, AND WE WERE HERE TALKING TO YOU ALL ABOUT OUR AIR QUALITY CAMPAIGN, AND IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS TO BE BACK HERE, TO NOW BE OPPOSING A DATA CENTER. THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AT ALL. IT ALSO INCREASES WATER USAGE. WE LIVE IN A DESERT. SOMEBODY ALREADY MENTIONED THAT WE ARE LACKING SO MUCH WATER ALL OVER THE WORLD. IT INCREASES ENERGY BILL FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IT INCREASES THE WEATHER TEMPERATURE. WE'RE ALREADY IN A CLIMATE CRISIS. I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY EXAMPLES. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE.

ONE OF THE LAST THINGS I WANT TO SAY IS THAT WHATEVER EXCUSES YOU ALL HAVE FOR THESE DATA CENTERS, JUST SAVE IT. IT'S EMBARRASSING. THE PUBLIC RECORDS ALREADY SHOW THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN VERY RECEIVING THIS. I PLAN PROJECT PROPOSAL VERY POSITIVELY TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY BENEFITS. IT'S RIDICULOUS. I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO KEEP EMPHASIZING HOW RIDICULOUS THAT IS. THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT YOU ALL CLAIM ARE REALLY AN EXCUSE FOR SOMETHING MORE INSIDIOUS THAT YOU ALL WILL BE BENEFITING FROM. TO BE QUITE HONEST, SO MANY EXAMPLES. WE DON'T NEED TO BE HERE. CONTINUING TO SHOW FACTS, CONTINUING TO SHOW ARTICLES.

YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT THOSE RISKS ARE. SO THAT'S THE THE ONLY THING LEFT TO THINK OF IS THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THIS IN ONE OTHER WAY, AND YOU'RE HERE COVERING FOR OTHER PEOPLE. AND YEAH, DO NOT CONTINUE ENTERTAINING THESE PLANS. NO TO DATA CENTERS.

SHAME ON ALL OF YOU FOR WHO HAVE RAN ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS CLAIMING TO CARE FOR THE HEALTH OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CLAIMING TO CARE ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES, BECAUSE THIS GOES AGAINST ALL OF IT AND IT'S ON PUBLIC RECORD. SO THAT'S EMBARRASSING FOR ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY, CAN I GET OLIVIA RODRIGUEZ AND BEVERLY GARCIA TO SPEAK AFTER? HI, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS GONZALO MARQUEZ AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I'LL BE WAITING FOR MY PHONE, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LACK OF EYE CONTACT. BUT WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT APPLICATIONS HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED TO NOT, THE CITY OF COACHELLA HAS BEEN CONSIDERING THIS DATA CENTER OR THE TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS AT ALL IS EMBARRASSING, DISRESPECTFUL, HEARTBREAKING, BUT ALSO TERRIFYING. ONE STRONGHOLD POWER DOES NOT CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE HARM THAT THIS WILL VERY LIKELY CAUSE. AND IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING TO KNOW THAT IT APPEARS AS THOUGH YOU GUYS DON'T EITHER. OUR CITY IS FINALLY SEEING THE RESULTS OF THIS REVITALIZATION PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN COACHELLA, SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TOUTING AND HAVE BEEN VERY PROUD OF FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND JUST TO SEE THAT THE FACT THAT THAT ALL OF OUR HARD WORK, ALL OF THE MONEY AND ALL OF THE THE LIVELIHOODS THAT EXIST HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND THE COACHELLA VALLEY AT LARGE, THAT ALL OF THIS IS BEING THREATENED BY. THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS AGAIN, STILL TERRIFYING AND AND DISRESPECTFUL. WE ARE SEEING DATA CENTERS ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, ALL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, BUT ALSO SPECIFICALLY HERE IN THE REGION. JUST DESTROY ALL THE NEIGHBORHOODS, CITIES, COMMUNITIES, THE WATER

[00:35:04]

QUALITY, BUT SPECIFICALLY THE FRESHWATER QUALITY. QUALITY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN LIMITED QUANTITIES. WE'RE ALSO SAYING THAT THE LAND AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS BEING IMPACTED AND IS BEING DRAINED AND LEADS DRY DUE TO CORPORATE GREED. THESE TECHNOLOGY CAMPUSES OFFER NO BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY. THERE ARE NO AND SORRY THAT THEY OFFER NO BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY. THAT WILL REALLY BE NO JOBS CREATED BECAUSE OF THIS AND THAT. NO RESIDENTS WILL BE HIRED BECAUSE THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US. THAT'S IT PERIOD. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT US. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR HEALTH. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR FUTURE. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR WATER QUALITY. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. THEY'RE JUST HERE TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ARE FOR THEM. WE SEE THAT OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY ARE ALREADY HAVING A FIGHT AGAINST THIS. BUT HONESTLY, WE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE AT ALL. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT FOR OUR LIVELIHOODS OR JUST BASIC RESPECT. ALSO, I'LL CLOSE IT UP. BUT THE FACT THAT THAT THE CITY OF COACHELLA IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR THIS PROJECT IS AN INSULT, TO SAY THE LEAST. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT ONE. WE ARE DISENFRANCHIZED IMPOVERISHED AND HISTORICALLY VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AND SPECIFICALLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND WE'RE EASY TARGETS FOR THEM. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE BANKING ON, LIKE THROUGHOUT THE MIDWEST AND THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, WE WILL HAVE OUR WATER, WATER SUPPLY AND ELECTRICAL GRID DESTROYED. AT THE VERY LEAST, THESE DATA CENTERS ARE A CANCER ON OUR SOCIETY AND THEY SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH.

PLEASE DON'T APPROVE THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT WILL BE THE FINAL KILLING BLOW TO A CITY AND TO THE COUNTLESS FAMILIES ALREADY FACING ICE RAIDS. INCREASED TEMPERATURES DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING, DECREASED HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, INCREASING UNEMPLOYMENT, AND MORE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS OLIVIA RODRIGUEZ AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY. I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO DEVELOPMENT THAT PAVES THE WAY FOR DATA CENTER PROJECTS AND TO URGE THE CITY TO PLACE A MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROJECT RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT ITS IMPACT TO QUALITY OF LIFE AIR QUALITY WATER USE, ESPECIALLY IN A DESERT REGION WHERE WATER RESOURCES ARE ALREADY LIMITED. THERE'S ALSO FAMILIES LIVING CLOSE TO THIS PROPOSED SITE, FAMILIES WHO HAVE YET TO BE INFORMED OF THESE PROJECTS, THE PROXIMITY OF A DEVELOPMENT OR PROJECT OF THIS SCALE TO THESE HOMES WILL IMPACT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE, AND IT CAN ALSO INCREASE THE RISK OF DIRECT HEALTH IMPACTS, ESPECIALLY IN A COMMUNITY LIKE OTHERS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THIS ALREADY BURDENED BY ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, IT'S DANGEROUS AND MISLEADING TO PRESENT PROJECTS LIKE THIS AS BEING ECONOMIC OR COMMUNITY BENEFITS, SO I URGE AGAINST THAT. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT NONE OF THESE PERCEIVED BENEFITS JUSTIFY THE SERIOUS RISK TO OUR PUBLIC HEALTH AND OUR ENVIRONMENT. RIGHT NOW, THE CITY OF COACHELLA IS AT A CRITICAL MOMENT. IN THE ABSENCE OF A SITTING MAYOR, THIS COUNCIL MUST DO MORE THAN JUST FILL IN A SEAT. IT MUST ALSO STEP UP AND LEAD. WE NEED REPRESENTATIVES WHO REFUSE TO SACRIFICE OUR HEALTH AND OUR ENVIRONMENT. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, COMMUNITIES ARE RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF LARGE SCALE DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT. COACHELLA HAS A CHANCE TO SELECT A PATH THAT PUTS OUR COMMUNITY, OUR HEALTH AND OUR ENVIRONMENT FIRST. I UNDERSTAND THIS PROJECT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED JUST YET. THE CITY HAS TIME AND AUTHORITY TO SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS, AND I URGE YOU TO DO SO. I'M ASKING THE CITY TO PAUSE, TO RECONSIDER THIS DIRECTION AND TO PLACE A MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT. DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO CALL HIM. ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. HI, SIR. I'M GONNA READ OFF MY PHONE TO NOT LOSE ANY DECORUM. SO I'M HERE. LIKE MANY OF MY FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'M BEVERLY GARCIA, BY THE WAY, TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO A POTENTIAL DATA CENTER. I AM SEVERELY DISAPPOINTED IN THE FACT THAT ANYBODY THAT WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE WOULD EVEN ENTERTAIN OR FLIRT WITH THE IDEA OF ALLOWING SOMETHING SO DISASTROUS TO ENTER OUR COMMUNITY. FOR FAR TOO LONG, THE VALLEY, AND ESPECIALLY THE ECV, HAS BEEN SEEN AS EXPENDABLE, AS A PLACE SOLELY FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF OTHERS.

PEOPLE LIVE HERE. A LOT OF PEOPLE. WE CANNOT ALLOW A DATA CENTER TO COME IN TO CAUSE FURTHER HARM TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU'VE HEARD ALL THE FACTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE SPIT AT YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO THROW ANY MORE AT YOU. STUDIES SHOW THE EFFECTS OF HAVING A DATA CENTER IN A COMMUNITY AND IS ABHORRENT, AS MENTIONED BY ALL OF THESE PEOPLE. TO THINK THAT ANY OF YOU IN THIS COUNCIL HAVE EVEN CONSIDERED BRINGING THAT HARM HERE IS ABSOLUTELY ASININE. IF IT'S A MONETARY ISSUE AND YOU ALL WANT TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS SO YOU CAN GO AND SPEND THAT MONEY ON SOMETHING, THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER ANY OF YOUR POSITIONS. AT WHAT POINT DO YOU STOP FIGHTING FOR THINGS YOU BELIEVE IN? AT WHAT POINT? WHEN IS IT WHEN YOU SWEAR IN? IS THAT WHEN YOU FORGET THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU FOUGHT FOR? MULTIPLE PEOPLE ON THIS PANEL HAVE RAN CAMPAIGNS ON THE GUISE THAT THEY CARE DEEPLY FOR THE COMMUNITY. HOW WOULD ALLOWING A DATA CENTER INTO THE COMMUNITY SHOW THAT YOU CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY? ALL I'M LOOKING AT ARE A BUNCH OF SELFISH SELLOUTS LOOKING TO PROFIT OFF THE COMMUNITY. THE ONLY ONES WHO WILL END UP PAYING THE PRICE IS US AND FREE PALESTINE FREE. COUNCIL. WE ARE AT THE 30

[00:40:05]

MINUTE MARK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. HOW MANY MORE CARDS DO YOU HAVE THAN. I SAY WE JUST FINISH THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE ONES YOU HAVE. DELIA. I HAVE EIGHT MORE. LET'S JUST FINISH THEM. YEAH. DONNA GARCIA AND CAN YOU GET ALSO MIGDALIA SANCHEZ AND EVER CRUZ, STEPHANIE AMBRIZ. AND ALEJANDRO COBOS. ARE YOU MAX OCHOA? KARINA VILLALPANDO, JESUS GONZALEZ? AND IF YOU CAN JUST STAND IN THAT ORDER AND THEN YOU CAN START SPEAKING, OKAY.

HI, COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DONNA, AND I'M HERE AS A RESIDENT OF COACHELLA VALLEY. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THESE DATA CENTERS ARE GOING TO KILL OUR DESERT AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN IT, INCLUDING Y'ALL, YOU KNOW? SO I IMAGINE YOU GUYS AS A BOARD HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS HERE THAT LIVE HERE, SEEING AS YOU'RE PART OF THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY. SO WHEN YOU PUSH THIS EFFORT OF HAVING DATA CENTERS, YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY LEADING YOURSELVES AND YOUR FAMILY TO SICKNESS AND ULTIMATELY DEATH BECAUSE THE COACHELLA VALLEY HAS ALREADY SO MANY POLLUTANTS LIKE AHMETTECH, WHICH IS GETTING EXPANDED, AND DESERT VIEW POWER PLANT AND THE SALTON SEA, WHICH IS ONE OF THE GREATEST POLLUTANTS. ADDING DATA CENTERS, WHICH PLAN TO TAKE UP ABOUT 500 ACRES OF LAND. OF LAND COMBINED WITH ALL THESE EXISTING POLLUTANTS, WILL PUSH OUR COMMUNITY INTO RUINS. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I STAND FIRMLY AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE CENTERS, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS DON'T LET THE POWER THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE, WHICH WAS GIVEN TO YOU GUYS BY THE PEOPLE, WHICH IS US TO WORK AGAINST US.

BECAUSE JUST LIKE YOU GUYS WERE JUST LIKE US AT SOME POINT UNTIL YOU ALL WERE VOTED INTO POWER. SO DON'T LET US REGRET THAT CHOICE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU CURRENTLY HAVE A CHOICE TO, YOU KNOW, VOTE AGAINST IT AND CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR ADMIRATION AND, YOU KNOW, OUR LIKABILITY.

SO I JUST WANT YOU GUYS, I JUST WANT TO INVITE YOU GUYS TO REFLECT ON THE REASON WHY YOU GUYS RAN FOR THE BOARD IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND YEAH, I JUST OPPOSE THE THIS PROJECT, JUST LIKE MANY OF MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MIGDALIA SANCHEZ, AND I'M SPEAKING AS SOMEONE BORN AND RAISED IN OUR LOVELY DESERT AND WHO CARES FOR OUR COMMUNITY TODAY. IT WAS DISHEARTENING AND AT THE SAME TIME, NOT SURPRISING GIVEN THE HISTORY OF LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO NOT RECEIVE AN OUNCE OF COMMUNICATION REGARDING DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT PLANS THROUGH YOU, WHO HOLD POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY OF COACHELLA, AS WELL AS PLANS THAT CAN HAVE LASTING IMPACTS ON PEOPLE'S LIVES AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE. I AM DISHEARTENED THAT THIS PROJECT IS AT THE CUSP OF CONSIDERATION, SINCE MULTIPLE CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN ON AN ONGOING BATTLE AGAINST DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT DUE TO THE HARMS IT HAS ON PEOPLE AND ON THE ENVIRONMENT. AND IT HAS.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW OUR COUNTY NEIGHBOR, THE IMPERIAL VALLEY IS IN ONE AS WELL AS WE SPEAK. AS YEARS EXPERIENCE WINTERS ARE GETTING SHORT. OUR DESERT IS EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE THE HOTTEST SUMMERS YET, AND OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY EXPERIENCES STRAINS IN OF ACCESS TO WATER. THE DISPARITIES IN THE VALLEY ARE FELT IN. SEEN DATA CENTERS WILL ONLY EXACERBATE THESE. THE SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND TESTIMONIES OF OTHERS SHOW THIS COMMUNITY'S. NOW TODAY ARE FACING BROWN DRINKING WATER AND RISING UTILITY COSTS AS PROJECTS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. I URGE TRANSPARENCY AND DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. WHEN IT COMES TO PLANS OF POTENTIAL DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT IN PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS, ONE THING FOR CERTAIN IS THE PEOPLE OF COACHELLA DO NOT WANT THIS PROJECT. I DO NOT SUPPORT THE APPROVAL OF THESE PLANS UNDER CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND URGE A MORATORIUM ON ANY APPROVALS REGARDING THESE PLANS UNTIL AN ADEQUATE AND FULLY TRANSPARENT REVIEW IS DONE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WITH THEIR INPUT AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS ERIC CRUZ. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MECCA AND LIVING IN MECCA.

WE'VE BEEN GETTING SCREWED OVER FOR FAR TOO LONG, AND I SEE RAZA IN EACH AND EVERYONE

[00:45:01]

ELSE'S FACES. WHAT'S ONE THING RAZA SAYS ALL THE TIME? VIVA LA RAZA. STAND UP FOR YOUR PEOPLE.

RIGHT. WHERE IS THAT NOW? FOR THE LONGEST TIME, PEOPLE IN THE FIELDS GET. WE. THERE'S SO MANY CHEMICALS THAT WE GET EXPOSED TO. WE'RE NEAR THE SALTON SEA. WIND DRIFTS BRING ALL THOSE HORRIBLE, HARMFUL. WHATEVER IT IS TO OUR MOUTHS, WE BREATHE THAT IN. WE'VE BEEN GETTING SCREWED OVER FOR FAR TOO LONG. THE PEOPLE IN TORRES MARTINEZ. THEY HAVE THE WORST. THEY GET SO SCREWED OVER NOW PEOPLE ARE IN THERMAL. THEY WANT TO DO THIS DATA CENTER. WHAT ABOUT THE LAND? ONE THING I THINK ABOUT A LOT IS, YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS WORK IN THE FIELDS. I WORK IN THE FIELDS. I'M SURE A LOT OF US HAVE WORKED IN THE FIELDS. DO PEOPLE THERE, THAT'S WHAT THEY LIVE OFF OF. AND NOW YOU WANT TO MAKE THIS DATA CENTER RUIN THE LAND SOME MORE? GET RID OF PEOPLE'S JOBS. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT? AND I JUST FOR ME, I HOPE YOU GUYS WE'VE ELECTED YOU. YOU GUYS ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR IN YOUR POSITION BECAUSE THE PEOPLE LIKE US, YOU'RE IN YOUR POSITION BECAUSE OF THE VALLEY. I'M SURE YOUR PARENTS WORKED IN THE FIELDS AT ONE POINT, RIGHT? MAYBE YOU CAME OUT OF THAT NOW, BUT NOT EVERYBODY DOES. NOT EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO COME OUT. SO WHY TRY TO CHANGE THE PEOPLE TO FIT THE SYSTEMS THAT YOU WANT, AND NOT CHANGE THE SYSTEM TO FIT THE PEOPLE? SO I HOPE AFTER HEARING EVERYBODY'S WORDS HERE, YOU KNOW, I HOPE FOR HUMANITY. WE'RE IN A VERY HARD TIME RIGHT NOW FOR HUMANITY AND FOR COMMUNITY IN GENERAL. I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE THE HEART, THE FIRE IN YOUR HEART TO CALL OUT THOSE THAT WE CAN'T BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE POWER. THAT'S ALL I GOTTA SAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

HI, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE AMBRIZ. I'M FAMILIAR WITH MANY OF YOU ON THE CITY COUNCIL. I LIVE AND I WORK IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA ALONG WITH MY MOTHER, WHO'S UP NEXT AND MY SIBLINGS. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO IMPLEMENT A DATA CENTER MORATORIUM AND TO STOP THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY DATA CENTERS WITHIN THE COACHELLA TECHNOLOGY CAMPUS. THIS PROJECT WAS STARTED UNDER THE FORMER MAYOR, BUT IT DOESN'T NEED TO CONTINUE. MANY OF US HAVE REVIEWED THE RECORDED CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY 11TH OF THIS YEAR. ON THIS DAY, THE COUNCIL APPROVED AN AGREEMENT WITH STRONGHOLD TO PLAN, DEVELOP AND MANAGE THE CITY'S UTILITY.

HOWEVER, STRONGHOLDS PLAN INCLUDES DATA CENTERS, UP TO 12 DATA CENTERS. IN FACT, AS THE ONLY CITY UTILITY CUSTOMERS YOU CAN BUILD OUT CITY UTILITY WITHOUT ANY DATA CENTERS, WE DON'T NEED UTILITY TIED TO DATA CENTERS AT ALL. IT'S ALSO DEEPLY CONCERNING THAT OUR CITY IS PAYING 500,000, HALF A MILLION FOR PHASE ONE ALONE, WHILE IN A BUDGET DEFICIT.

THERE ARE UP TO FIVE PHASES OUTLINED IN THE DEVELOPER'S PRESENTATION. THIS MEANS OUR CITY IS FUNDING A PROJECT THAT WILL SERVE DATA CENTERS, DATA CENTERS THAT WOULD HARM OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN AT VALLE DEL SOL ELEMENTARY AND THE FAMILIES AT THE NEARBY MOBILE HOME PARK. LIKE MANY HAVE SHARED, THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT DATA CENTERS RESULT IN WATER CONTAMINATION, EXCESSIVE WATER WASTE, AIR POLLUTION, NOISE POLLUTION, INCREASED ENERGY COSTS FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS, RESIDENTS AND POWER OUTAGES DUE TO THE ENERGY STRAIN, WHICH WE ALREADY EXPERIENCE, A LOT OF IT CAN ALSO INCREASE THE TEMPERATURE FOR SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES BY UP TO 16 DEGREES. ANOTHER THING WE DON'T NEED.

THIS DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THE KIND OF GROWTH ANY OF US ARE LOOKING FOR. COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INFORMED AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THESE DECISIONS AND THEIR IMPACTS. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND RESIDENTS. YOU CAN BUILD UTILITY AND DROP THE DATA CENTERS. IF THIS DEVELOPER WON'T DO IT, THEN FIND ANOTHER SOLUTION. SEEK OUT OTHER SOLUTIONS. YOU WERE ELECTED TO THIS BOARD TO DO SO, SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. PROTECT OUR HOME AND PRIORITIZE OUR WELL-BEING. IT'S BEEN SAID BEFORE, BUT THERE WERE MANY OF US WHO CAMPAIGNED FOR YOU, WHO KNOCKED DOOR TO DOOR. WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS. WE KNOW EACH OTHER ON A FIRST NAME BASIS. DO BETTER. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KARINA VILLALPANDO, AND I'M HERE TO OPPOSE JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. WHAT CAN I SAY THAT THEY HAVEN'T SAID? LISTEN, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY SPEAKING TO YOU? I HAD A SPEECH WRITTEN OUT. THIS IS THIS IS YOUR COMMUNITY SPEAKING TO YOU. THIS IS WHO VOTED YOU IN. OUR COMMUNITY IS IN YOUR HANDS. I KNOW YOU PERSONALLY. SOME OF YOU, I KNOW YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE. COMPANIES WILL SELL YOU SOMETHING AND WILL TALK ABOUT THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE COMPANY. THEY'RE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT. I INVITE YOU TO PROTECT US BECAUSE WE BOTH WE VOTED YOU. AND THIS REMINDS ME, THE UPPER RIGHT NOW REMINDS ME OF NOT TOO LONG AGO WHEN SOMEBODY TRIED TO PUSH YOU OUT.

[00:50:05]

THE CORRUPTED TRIED TO PUSH YOU OUT. AND WE STOOD BY YOU. BECAUSE YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE HERE. I KNOW YOU, I KNOW YOU, I GREW UP WITH YOU AND WE KNEW WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WHAT WAS WRONG. SO I INVITE YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND I INVITE THE REST OF YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING. HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS ALEJANDRO COBOS. I WAS THE FORMER VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE FIRST YOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I AM UNDER THE PROSPERO PROGRAM. MY MY BILLS ARE PAID BY THE CITY OF COACHELLA. BASICALLY, I WATCHED YOU GUYS. I WAS BEHIND THIS EXACT SAME PLACE FOR A YEAR. MAYBE NOT A YEAR, MAYBE EIGHT MONTHS. SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE. I GOT TO MEET ALL OF YOU. I KNOW THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE, BUT I ALSO KNOW THE FACT THAT 90% OF THE TIME, THIS PLACE IS NEVER THIS FILLED. IT IS EMPTY.

AND I'M NOT HERE TO MAKE MUCH DEMANDS. I'M HERE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHO DO YOU REPRESENT? DO YOU REPRESENT THE IMMIGRANTS? YOU REPRESENT THE FARMERS YOU'RE POLLUTING? DO YOU REPRESENT THE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK? PEOPLE. I'M 19 YEARS OLD. I'M PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.

GOING TO UNIVERSITY OF POLITICAL SCIENCE BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS. AND TO SEE THIS, IT BREAKS MY HEART. IT BREAKS EVERYONE'S HEART, NOT JUST THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING LIKE I AM, TO SEE THESE THINGS THAT ARE PRESSURING OUR TAXES MORE BECAUSE I PAY TAXES. I HAVE MY OWN APARTMENT FOR, FOR MY LIVELIHOOD TO BE THREATENED BY MY OWN PEOPLE. THAT IS DISGUSTING. AND HONESTLY, I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THIS A YEAR BY YEAR, TWO YEARS, THREE, FOUR YEARS, WHATEVER IT IS, THE SAME PEOPLE ARE RUNNING, THE SAME PEOPLE ARE ON THE BOARD. WHY? BECAUSE NO ONE HAS ASKED FOR ANYONE ELSE TO BE HERE AND FOR YOU TO NOT REPRESENT US WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. FOR EXAMPLE, THE COMMUNIST CESAR CHAVEZ, WHO HERE WANTS TO STILL BE PART OF CESAR CHAVEZ'S MOVEMENT? WHO'S WHO HERE WANTS TO BE LIKE, OH, COACHELLA VALLEY SUR CHAVEZ? YOU KNOW, LET'S NOT TAKE DOWN THE STREET NAMES. LET'S NOT COVER UP HIS FACE. MANY OF US ALREADY KNEW THIS BEFORE IT BECAME POPULAR. MY FAMILY ALREADY KNEW THAT THEIR CHAVEZ WAS DOING ALL THAT STUFF, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST UTTERLY DISAPPOINTING TO US THAT WE HAVE TO BE HERE. AND THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN'T ORGANIZE THIS, THAT IT WAS US. THEY JUST NOTICED, LIKE MY PEERS SAID, THE FACT THAT YOU THINK THAT ONE FACEBOOK POST, ONE INSTAGRAM POST IS ENOUGH IS DISAPPOINTING. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TELL US WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SHOW US WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO EDUCATE US. WHY? BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT BE AS EDUCATED AS IN THE US. BUT WE ARE NOT STUPID AND WE SEE WHEN SOMETHING DOES NOT BENEFIT US. SO HERE I URGE MY PEOPLE TO KEEP ON DOING THIS, TO KEEP ON ORGANIZING, TO KEEP ON PROTESTING, TO KEEP ON STANDING UP. BECAUSE WE ARE A COMMUNITY. WE'RE NOT A NUMBER. WE'RE NOT A NUMBER THAT IS REPRESENTED BY DROUGHT, BY POVERTY. WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO LOOK FOR PROGRESSION IN OUR CITY. AND THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS YUMI OCHOA AND I'M A RESIDENT OF THE COACHELLA. I'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR A WHILE TRYING TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE RECKLESS DRIVING THAT IS GOING ON IN OUR VALLEY. IT'S PUTTING OUR FAMILIES, OUR DOGS, OUR CHILDREN AND RISK. AND I DO CALL THE SHERIFF LIKE THEY PROBABLY HAVE HUNDREDS OF MY CALLS. AND I DON'T SEE ANY RAISING AWARENESS OF THE THESE DRIVERS ARE GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. IT'S NOT LEGAL AND IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. IT SHOULDN'T BE TOLERATED. AND THAT WAS THE REASON WHY I'M HERE. BUT WHAT I LEARNED HERE TODAY, TONIGHT IS TERRIFYING. I JUST LEARNED THAT THESE DATA BASES ARE GOING TO BE BUILT BEHIND MY BACKYARD. AND THAT IS NOT TOLERATED. AND IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE EITHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. YEAH.

COUNCIL. IT APPEARS WE ARE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE WRITTEN COMMENTS. YEAH. CAN I GET JESUS GONZALEZ? FELIX. RAUL VALDEZ LOOKS LIKE JOHN BECERRA, G. AND EDGAR GOMEZ. ROSA EMILY.SMITH, IF YOU CAN STAND IN THAT ORDER AND YOU CAN SPEAK. HEY, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS JESUS

[00:55:07]

GONZALEZ. I'M HERE SPEAKING ON ISSUES REGARDING SENIOR TRANSPORTATION THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR YEARS AND HAVE YET TO BE FIXED. THERE'S TWO ISSUES ON HAND. ONE IS THE FACT THAT THE CITY HAS AN UNSAFE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM THAT IS TAKING SENIORS FROM THEIR HOMES TO THE CENTER, AND VICE VERSA. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT THERE IS NO BUS STOP, AND SENIORS ARE WALKING 30 MINUTES IN TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT WITH OXYGEN TANKS AND WALKERS. CITY COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 25TH, THIS COUNCIL PROMISED TO HAVE AN ITEM FOR PURCHASING A NEW BUS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM, AND ITEM NEVER CAME UP. THIS COUNCIL KEEPS GIVING FALSE PROMISES AND SENIORS ARE DEALING WITH DIFFERENT BROKEN BUSSES DAY TO DAY. WHETHER IT'S AC ISSUES, LIFT ISSUES, THESE ARE UNSAFE CONDITIONS AND MANY SENIORS HAVE FALLEN AND HURT THEMSELVES ON AND AROUND THESE, YOU KNOW, BUSSES. AND I'M SURE YOU GUYS KNOW OF THESE ISSUES.

JUST THIS TUESDAY, THE BUS BROKE DOWN IN FRONT OF THE SENIOR CENTER. WE HAD SENIORS WAITING ON THE BUS, AND THEY THEN HAD TO GET OFF AND WAIT A COUPLE HOURS FOR THE BUS TO COME. THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU GUYS KEEP PUTTING BAND AIDS ON ISSUES. YOU GUYS BASICALLY GOT TRASH FROM SUNLINE AND BASICALLY USED IT TO FIX SOME OF YOUR TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THESE BUSSES KEEP BREAKING DOWN. YOU GUYS THEN WENT INTO YOUR OWN FLEET AND YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, USED OLD BUSSES AND THAT BUS JUST BROKE DOWN ON TUESDAY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND THERE IS FUNDING THROUGH THE TCC GRANT YOU GUYS ARE SITTING ON. IT'S JUST ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY NEW BUS. DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE WAITING FOR. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS. THIS IS CLEARLY A LEADERSHIP ISSUE AND LEADERSHIP HAS ALLOWED THIS TO CONTINUE WHILE SENIORS DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE IS JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AND IF YOU'RE NOT HERE TO SOLVE THE MOST BASIC PROBLEMS, THEN WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR AT ALL? THAT'S A SIMPLE PURCHASE A RELIABLE SAFE BUS FOR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM. BRING BACK A BUS STOP SO SENIORS AREN'T WALKING IN TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT. HOW MANY MORE BREAKDOWNS, INJURIES AND DELAYS IS IT GOING TO TAKE BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN? AT SOME POINT, IF NOTHING IS DONE FOR YEARS, THEN YES, PEOPLE SHOULD BE ASKING WHY WE HAVE THE SAME LEADERSHIP IN PLACE. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THERE'S AN ELECTION COMING. ON ANOTHER NOTE, I'M JUST ASKING FOR THE CITY TO ADOPT A MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS, AS YOU KNOW, MIRRORING WHAT INDIVIDUALS SAID TODAY, WE HAVE LIKE SOME OF THE HIGHEST CHRONIC DISEASE RATES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF ISSUES LIKE THE SALTON SEA. AND AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE HAVE CHROMIUM SIX IN OUR WATER SYSTEMS THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE DRINKING EVERY DAY. YOU GUYS HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THESE ISSUES FOR YEARS AND YEARS. I KNOW A LOT OF YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR A VERY LONG TIME. AND I THINK THE INDIVIDUALS COMING, YOU KNOW, I CAME TO THIS COUNCIL A LOT AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS MANY PEOPLE HERE. AND I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS SHOULD FEEL ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES FOR EVEN EXERCISING THESE CONVERSATIONS. OBVIOUSLY, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WITH THE DEVELOPERS IN THE ROOM WITH THEM, MAYBE AT DINNERS OR HERE OR THERE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW. BUT I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO STEP BACK AND UNDERSTAND WHO YOU GUYS ARE REPRESENTING. THANK YOU GUYS. OKAY. HELLO. MY NAME IS LAVON FELIX, AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I AM HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY HORROR AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A DATA CENTER BEING CONSTRUCTED IN THE CITY, AND I DEMAND A CITY MORATORIUM ON THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION. ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED IN OUR CITY CAN TELL YOU THAT IT GETS HOT, AND ANYONE WHO KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT COMPUTERS CAN TELL YOU THAT THEY ALSO GET HOT, AND THAT WHEN THEY GET HOT, THEY GET SLOW. THIS MEANS THAT ON TOP OF NEEDING A STAGGERING AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY TO SIMPLY RUN THEIR SERVERS, A DATA CENTER WOULD ALSO REQUIRE AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT TO COOL THEM. EFFORTS AT COOLING THESE MASSIVE STRUCTURES CONTINUE TO CAUSE LASTING DAMAGE TO EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY WHO IS ALLOWED THEM IN, AND IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. FOR EXAMPLE, BEVERLY MORRIS OF MANSFIELD, GEORGIA, LIVES 400 YARDS FROM A DATA CENTER RECENTLY OPENED BY META, AND EVER SINCE, SHE HAS HAD ISSUES WITH RUNNING WATER IN HER HOME. WHEN THE WATER DOES WORK, IT IS VISIBLY FULL OF RESIDUE THAT SHE IS TOO AFRAID TO DRINK. OUR AIR WOULD NOT BE SAFE EITHER. AS IN NORTH VIRGINIA, A LOCAL UNIVERSITY STUDY FOUND THAT THE AIR POLLUTION FROM A NEARBY DATA CENTER EXCEEDED EMISSIONS FROM NEARBY POWER PLANTS IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE. ANOTHER STUDY FOUND THAT A NEARBY DATA CENTER OWNED BY ELON MUSK'S A.I. INCREASED THE AREA'S NITROGEN DIOXIDE CONCENTRATION BY AS MUCH AS 79%.

INCREASED EXPOSURE TO NITROGEN DIOXIDE HAS BEEN LINKED TO HIGHER RISKS OF DEVELOPING ASTHMA, COPD AND LUNG CANCER. IN STERLING, VIRGINIA, A NEW DATA CENTER BROUGHT WITH IT A HIGH PITCHED WHINE THAT COULD BE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE CITY AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY. EACH OF THE AREAS I'VE MENTIONED HAVE ALSO SEEN THEIR ELECTRICITY BILLS SKYROCKET DUE TO INCREASING DEMANDS FROM EACH DATA CENTER, CITIZENS OF THIS TOWN, OR ANYONE FOR THAT MATTER, SHOULD NOT BE SUBJUGATED TO LIVING UNDER ANY OF THESE CONDITIONS. IF THE CITY OF

[01:00:03]

COACHELLA TRULY SERVES ITS PEOPLE, THEN IT MUST USE ITS AUTHORITY TO DENY ANY PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS HAZARD TO THE HEALTH OF ITS COMMUNITY.

AND LASTLY, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT MUCH LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE HERE, I AM A RESIDENT HERE AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS UNTIL A VERY, VERY LAST MINUTE POST I SAW ON INSTAGRAM I. IT IS DUMBFOUNDING HOW MANY CITY WIDE ISSUES SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT CAN AFFECT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ISN'T TOLD OR COMMUNICATED TO US IN ANY WAY. NOTHING ON THE NEWS. 1 OR 2 INSTAGRAM POSTS FROM THE OFFICIALS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE LEFT IN THE DARK. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO REALLY WILL CARE ABOUT THIS IN THE COMMUNITY. IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT, AND THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T IS A FAILURE ON YOUR END. SOMEHOW IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. PLEASE DENY. AND ANY KIND OF CONSTRUCTION FOR THESE DATA CENTERS, THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS RAUL VALDEZ. I JUST GOT GOT OUT OF WORK BECAUSE I WANTED TO PRACTICE MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. THE. I JUST HEARD ABOUT THIS AS WELL BY MY SISTER WHO'S FOUND THE INSTAGRAM POST, AND I WAS SHOCKED TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN MY VALLEY. NOW, OBVIOUSLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN LOUISIANA, TEXAS, VIRGINIA, THEY'VE ALL HAD THE SAME CASES WHERE THEY WERE COMPANIES PROMISED THESE SMALL THESE SMALL, SMALLER CITIES THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PROMISE THEM HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF JOBS FOR THEIR CITIES. THEY'RE GOING TO THEY'RE GOING TO WORK WITH THEIR UTILITY COMPANIES AND ESTABLISH RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES SO THAT THIS DOESN'T AFFECT ANYONE'S RATES. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS IT RAISED EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY HAS HAD THEIR ENERGY BILLS UP. WE ARE LITERALLY LIVING IN AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST THINGS WE COULD THINK OF DOING TO IMPROVE OUR COST OF LIVING CRISIS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE CITY CAN LOOK TOWARDS THE COUNTRY. KNOWS THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS PUTTING OUR OUR COMMUNITIES AT RISK. THEY'RE DOING ICE RAIDS WITH UNMARKED VEHICLES. AND THERE'S A LITERALLY FROM A COMMUNITY STANDPOINT, WE HAD A DEFICIT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND SOMEHOW YOU MANAGE WITH WITH YOU WERE ABLE TO EXPEDITE THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF SETTING UP, WANTING TO SET UP A DATA CENTER IN LESS THAN A DAY. I'M A LITTLE SORRY, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS, BUT YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M IN OPPOSITION TO IT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN FEELING THAT. I FEEL THAT YOU REALLY HAVE NOT CONSIDERED YOUR CONSTITUENTS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY CLEARLY ARE NOT A FAN OF IT EITHER. I WANT TO SAY THAT. THE POINT OF YOUR JOB IS TO REPRESENT OUR INTERESTS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TALKS YOU HAD WITH THOSE COMPANIES THAT PROMISE YOU OVER PROMISE YOU UNDER DELIVER AS USUAL. BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE HERE AND WE ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS. AND TO BE HONEST, IF YOU'RE GOING TO IF YOU'RE JUST GOING TO FOLLOW SUIT WITH THESE BIG CORPORATIONS THAT DON'T EVEN REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY, THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST FOLLOW FORMER MAYOR HERNANDEZ AND JUST NEVER HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE FOR LIFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS JONATHAN BECERRA. I AM A RESIDENT OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY, BUT SPECIFICALLY A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF INDIO.

I FIRST WANT TO COMMEND THE ORGANIZATION EFFORTS OF ABEL ACOSTA. OTHERWISE I WOULDN'T HAVE HEARD THAT THIS WAS GOING ON. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MATTER, EVEN FOR SOMEONE WHO'S LIVING IN THE CITY NEXT DOOR, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT DATA CENTERS ARE AN INTRINSIC THREAT, NOT JUST TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, BUT TO PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH. THE MORATORIUM.

TWO MAIN THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THE PROPOSED JOBS THAT WOULD EVER COME FROM TECHNOLOGY SECTOR ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE SHORTER AND SHORTER BECAUSE THEY'RE BECOMING MORE AND MORE AUTOMATED, BUT THEIR NEED FOR THE RESOURCES OF THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE CONSISTENTLY GROSS.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO GET LESS AND LESS MONEY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET MORE AND MORE TAKEN OUT OF YOUR COMMUNITY WITH THESE TYPES OF BUSINESSES. THE SECOND IS, JUST AS YOU KNOW, SOME WISDOM FROM SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN A CITY WHO HAS SOME EXPERIENCE IN THEIR CITY SELLING OUT TO MAJOR CORPORATIONS, IT'LL NEVER BE LESS. THEY WILL ALWAYS TAKE MORE FROM YOUR COMMUNITY. THEY WILL ALWAYS ASK FOR MORE FOR COMMUNITY AND THE SCRAPES YOU GET. THEY WILL ACT LIKE THEY'RE GIFTS AND IT'S NOT WORTH IT. SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GUYS LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE HERE AND JUST STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE FACT THAT YOU SHOULDN'T SELL OUT YOUR COMMUNITY TO MAJOR CORPORATIONS, SPECIFICALLY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HI. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AS SAME AS EVERYBODY ELSE. I BARELY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE DATA CENTER THAT WAS HAPPENING. AND WITHIN THE 30 MINUTES OF MY LUNCHTIME THAT I READ OVER ABOUT THIS, I ALREADY KNEW THAT IT WAS A BAD IDEA. SO IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING TO THINK YOU GUYS WERE DOING THIS PRIOR AND MORE THAT I'M HERE. I'M

[01:05:06]

LEARNING A LOT MORE ABOUT THE DATA CENTER AND JUST HOW HORRIBLE IT IS FOR NOT JUST US, OUR COMMUNITY, BUT OUR LAND AND JUST FOR THE FUTURE. SO I THINK I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THIS. NOT THAT I THINK THAT I AM HERE TO OPPOSE THIS. AND I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS I JUST HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS, BUT A LOT OF IT'S LIKE, JUST WHY YOU GUYS LOOK SO FAMILIAR TO ME.

AND IT'S REALLY DISAPPOINTING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GIVE ME ONE SECOND. ALL RIGHT.

HI. MY NAME IS EDGAR GOMEZ. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY. AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO BRING SOMETHING A BIT OF A TREND COUNTRYWIDE IS THAT DATA CENTERS ARE BUILT ON MARGINALIZED NEIGHBORHOODS OR NEARBY MARGINALIZED NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE PROPERTY THAT THEY'RE BASICALLY PAYING FOR THEMSELVES, THAT THEY'RE UNDERREPRESENTED.

SO WHY? ALL RIGHT, I'M HERE TO BRING THE ISSUE, THE THE ATTENTION ABOUT THE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT THE AI DATA CENTER WILL BRING TO THE COMMUNITY. FIRST, I WANT YOU TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT 96.6% OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY ARE HISPANIC. A LOT OF THEM ARE TOO BUSY WORKING TO ATTEND CITY HALLS OR DECISIONS LIKE THIS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THEIR QUALITY OF LIVES. SECOND, I WANT TO LIST THE PROBLEMS THAT THIS NECESSARY DATA CENTER WILL BRING, WHICH IS THAT THEY USE AN OBSCENE AMOUNT OF FRESH WATER, WHICH ISN'T ALREADY SCARCE. RESOURCE HERE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. NOT ONLY DOES IT USE LIKE CRIMINAL AMOUNTS OF WATER, IT ALSO POLLUTES POTABLE WATER OFF OF NEARBY DATA CENTERS. READING SOME TESTIMONIES OF. OF A RESIDENT IN VIRGINIA, SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO DRINK HER WATER.

NOT ONLY IS THIS A SPIT OF YOUR FATE, NOT ONLY IS THIS THE SPIT IN YOUR FACE FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS ALREADY NOT ALREADY, A GOOD MAJORITY OF THEM ARE UNDOCUMENTED. NOT ONLY ARE THEY ALREADY PAYING TAXES WITHOUT BENEFITS, NOT ONLY ARE THEY ALREADY BEING RAIDED BY THE EYES. NOT ONLY ARE THEY GENUINELY JUST LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, IT'S JUST FEELS CRIMINAL FOR YOU TO THINK THAT THIS IS ACCEPTABLE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. BECAUSE MAY I REMIND YOU THAT YOU RAN FOR OFFICE? NOBODY. NOBODY ASKED YOU TO RUN FOR OFFICE. SO IF YOU WANT TO LIKE, LOOK INWARDS AND REMIND YOURSELF OFHAT YOU RUN, WHAT YOU RUN FOR, IF IT'S NOT FOR THE PEOPLE ANYMORE, I RECOMMEND YOU TO NEVER HOLD A POSITION OF POWER AGAIN AND THAT WILL BE ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS MILA SMITH. I AM A STUDENT AT LA QUINTA HIGH SCHOOL AND I AM A FRESHMAN. BEFORE I BEGIN MY. BEFORE I BEGIN MY STATEMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THE FACT THAT I FOUND THIS ON INSTAGRAM, A SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT. I FOUND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AWFUL THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING IN OUR CITY THROUGH AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT THAT'S DYSTOPIAN AND DISTURBING. I SHOULD KNOW FROM MY CITY, NOT AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT. I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT I COUNT THEM BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT I WOULDN'T BE HERE. OKAY, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVER SPEAKING HERE AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO. I SHOULD BE AT HOME DOING HOMEWORK OR HANGING OUT WITH MY FRIENDS.

BUT I AM HERE BECAUSE YOU GUYS DARE TO CONSIDER BUILDING DATA CENTERS HERE IN OUR VALLEY.

DATA CENTERS JUST JUST GIVE SO MANY PROBLEMS TO EVERYONE HERE. I DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO SHARE MORE REASONS AND PROBLEMS. DATA CENTERS CAUSE BECAUSE I FEEL EVERYONE HERE HAS ALREADY GAVE GOOD ENOUGH REASONS. AND IF THOSE REASONS AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, THEN SHAME ON YOU. YOU'RE DISGUSTING. NO DATA CENTERS IN OUR VALLEY. THERE IS NO NEED FOR THEM. WE HAVE WATER DROUGHTS. WE LIVE IN A DESERT. WE WE NEED WATER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. BUT MORE IMPORTANT, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT SHOWED UP FOR OUR RALLY. ICE AND FREE PALESTINE. THANK YOU. DOLORES TORRES. WHEN ARE YOU. HABLO INGLÉS? PERO VEMOS PERSONAS NO HABLA INGLÉS. COMO MI MADRE ES APENAS ME DI CUENTA. AND RING PUSIERON ESTO. WE DO HAVE A TRANSLATOR HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO SHOULD COME UP. DOES ANYONE THAT DOES NOT SPEAK SPANISH NEED A TRANSLATOR? WELL, WE HAVE THOSE ONLINE AS WELL. I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS UP THAT NEED A TRANSLATOR. WE HAVE A TRANSLATOR HERE. OH, NO NO, NO. I'M ASKING IF ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE NEEDS A TRANSLATOR. OH, SHE'S GOING TO SPEAK IN SPANISH IF THEY NEED AN ENGLISH

[01:10:04]

TRANSLATOR. IF EVERYONE DOESN'T, IF NO ONE NEEDS ONE, THEN WE CAN CONTINUE IN SPANISH. IN ENGLISH AND INGLÉS. PORQUE EN ESPANOL. PERO SI. NO, NO, NO. EL DISCURSO EN ESPANOL. YES.

I'M SORRY. YOU HAVE TO RESTART YOUR TIMER, PLEASE. OKAY, OKAY. BUENAS TARDES. OTRA VEZ EN LA PRIMERA VEZ DISCULPEN LA MANERA. PERO ME VIENE RAPIDO. CUANDO MIRÉ A VER JUNTAS. THERE'S GOING TO BE A COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT THE DATABASE. I'D NEVER HEARD ABOUT THIS BEFORE. I SAW THE GIRL THAT GOES TO THE MEETINGS, TO THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES INDIVIDUALLY. WHEN THEY GAVE THEM MONEY OR SUBSIDIES. WHEN THEY HAVE TO DO WORK AT PARKS, WHEN THEY HAVE OPINIONS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY TO DO THESE PROJECTS. THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT. WHY DON'T THEY GO TO THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY IS IT THAT WE DON'T HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT'S ASKING US IF WE'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON WITH THE MAYOR? NOT EVEN THE STREETS CAN BE FIXED. AND NOW THAT YOU WANTED TO A DATABASE, INSTEAD OF USING THE MONEY TO FIX THE STREETS AND EVERYTHING NEEDS. COACHELLA. INDIA IS A CITY THAT'S A VERY SMALL CITY, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CITY. AND THE STREETS ARE BEAUTIFUL. AND I LIVE ON THAT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. AND THEY WENT THERE AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY HAD THIS MONEY. IT'S EMBARRASSING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE INFORMED AND MORE BULLETINS SHOULD BE ISSUED IN SPANISH, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF HISPANICS HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. THANK GOD I SPEAK ENGLISH AND SPANISH, BUT I WANTED TO COME HERE VERY NERVOUS BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE TALKING TO PEOPLE TO GIVE MY OPINION ABOUT THIS. AND IT'S A BAD THING. IT'S A BAD THING THAT YOU'RE DOING AND YOU ARE BEING PAID. THE COMMUNITY IS PAYING YOU. YOU SHOULD TAKE A BETTER OPTION AS HISPANICS AND AS PEOPLE WHO GREW UP HERE.

THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. ALL THE IN-PERSON COMMENTS. THAT'S CORRECT. THOSE ARE THE IN-PERSON. WE'LL MOVE ON WITH THE. IF ANYONE LINE. IF ANYONE ONLINE HAS A COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. HOW MANY WE HAVE ONE HAND RAISED. DO THEIR COMMENTS. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES WE CAN. OKAY, PERFECT. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS YVETTE ZAMORA CRUZ. I AM SUBMITTING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT TO SAY NO TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF DATA CENTERS, AND TO DEMAND A CITY MONITORING TO DATA CENTERS. THE CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF DATA CENTERS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO BE LINKED TO WATER CONTAMINATION OF SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, EXCESSIVE WATER CONSUMPTION, THE GENERATION OF AIR POLLUTANTS, AND NOISE POLLUTION FROM GENERATORS THAT DISRUPT SLEEP AND DAILY LIFE OF RESIDENTS. THE CITY OF COACHELLA MUST TAKE SERIOUS SERIOUSLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH RISKS THAT DATA CENTERS IMPOSE TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. THE PROJECT HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED, HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED YET. THE CITY STILL HAS TIME AND AUTHORITY TO SAY NO. I URGE YOU TO USE IT. THIS COUNCIL IS NOT WITHOUT EXPERTISE. COUNCIL MEMBER VERHAGEN SERVES ON THE COACHELLA VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS CIVIC, THE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE. THAT KIND OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE IS EXACTLY WHAT IS NEEDED IN THIS MOMENT. SHE UNDERSTANDS THE STAKES OF DECISIONS LIKE THIS ONE, AND I REMEMBER SHARES THAT COMMITMENT AND WILL USE THIS MOMENT TO LEAD. SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS AND CHAMPION FOR A MORATORIUM. I SAY NO TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF DATA CENTERS AND DEMAND A CITY MORATORIUM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL THE COMMENTS WE HAVE ONLINE. NO OTHER HANDS RAISED. OKAY. WITH THAT, THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME TODAY TO SPEAK ON THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. AS WE STATED BEFORE, THE COUNCIL CANNOT MAKE ANY

[01:15:01]

COMMENTS BACK AT THIS TIME. NEXT, WE'LL MOVE ON. WE DID MOVE ITEM NUMBER 13 FIRST, RIGHT? YES, YES. AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NEXT. ITEM 13 IS THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE PROCESS TO FILL THE VACANCY. COUNCIL CITY ATTORNEY, YOU WANT TO READ YOUR STATEMENT FIRST. YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL. THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR STAFF TO RECEIVE. DIRECTION REGARDING NEXT STEPS TO FILL THE MAYOR'S SEAT. YOU HAVE. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE MAYOR'S SEAT WAS VACATED ON THE 24TH OF MARCH. US COUNCIL HAVE 60 DAYS TO EITHER APPOINT OR TO CALL A SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL THAT SEAT. THAT DEADLINE, BASED UPON THE VACANCY IS MAY 23RD. THE MAYOR'S TERM ENDS THIS NOVEMBER. SO IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER YOU APPOINT OR CALL FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION, THAT INDIVIDUAL WILL ONLY SERVE UNTIL THE NOVEMBER ELECTION OF THIS YEAR. TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU WISH TO FILL THE SEAT BY APPOINTMENT, THERE IS NO FORMAL PROCESS THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW. SO HOWEVER INFORMAL OR FORMAL YOU WANT TO MAKE, IT IS AT YOUR DISCRETION AND I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT IN MORE DETAIL. IF THAT'S THE PATH YOU WANT TO GO DOWN. THE OTHER OPTION IS TO CALL A SPECIAL ELECTION UNDER THE LAW. IN ORDER TO CALL A SPECIAL ELECTION, YOU HAVE TO HOLD THAT ELECTION AT THE NEXT REGULARLY ESTABLISHED ELECTION DATE. THAT IS AT LEAST 114 DAYS FROM THE DAY THAT YOU CALL FOR THAT SPECIAL ELECTION. AS A RESULT, THE NEXT MUNICIPAL THE NEXT ELECTION DATE HAPPENS TO BE OUR NOVEMBER MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CALL FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION, IT WOULD BE SUBSUMED INTO THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WHEN THE MAYOR'S SEAT IS ON THE BALLOT. ALREADY. THERE IS ONE ALTERNATIVE FOR GENERAL LAW CITIES WITH A POPULATION OF UNDER 100,000. LIKE THE CITY OF COACHELLA, YOU CAN CALL FOR AN ALL MAIL BALLOT ELECTION. THE DATE FOR THAT ELECTION WOULD BE AUGUST 25TH. THAT IS THE FIRST AND ONLY DATE THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO CALL FOR AN ALL MAIL BALLOT ELECTION. AGAIN, THE THE INDIVIDUAL WHO RECEIVES THE MOST VOTES FOR THAT ALL MAIL BALLOT ELECTION WILL ONLY SERVE UNTIL THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN THREE MONTHS FROM THAT ELECTION. WE CONTACTED THE COUNTY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE COST WOULD BE FOR THAT ELECTION, AND IT'S APPROXIMATELY $70,000. WHEN IT COMES TO APPOINTING OR ELECTING THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL TO FILL THE SEAT OF MAYOR IS SOMEONE WHO'S 18 YEARS OR OLDER, SOMEONE WHO'S A RESIDENT IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AND SOMEONE WHO IS REGISTERED TO VOTE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME.

AND WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT UNDER THAT ITEM. OKAY. WE CAN HAVE THEM SPEAK FIRST BEFORE WE DO THE DISCUSSION. JAMES RODRIGUEZ. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. COUNCIL AGAIN. JAMES RODRIGUEZ MY THOUGHT ON IT. AND I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO SOME OF OUR OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT JUST WHAT OUR CITY ATTORNEY DESCRIBED, HOW WHOEVER WE BRING IN TO OFFICE, WHETHER IT'S AN APPOINTMENT OR WHETHER IT'S A SPECIAL VOTE, HAS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET ANYTHING DONE OR STOP ANYTHING THAT THEY OPPOSE. HOWEVER, I THINK THAT'S THE POINT OF OUR POLITICAL PROCESS. IF WE ARE ABLE TO CREATE AN APPOINTMENT PROCESS THAT ACTS SIMILARLY TO AN ELECTIONS PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE OPEN HALLS, WHERE WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS, WHERE WE HAVE A CANDIDATE RUN, SO TO SPEAK, AND THEN YOU GUYS GET TO CHOOSE BASED ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY INPUT AND WHAT THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE IS TO THOSE PEOPLE PRESENTED TO YOU AT THOSE APPOINTMENT SESSIONS. AND AS THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST SAID, THERE'S NO FORMAL PROCESS FOR THAT. YOU CAN APPOINT HOWEVER YOU WANT TO APPOINT. YOU GUYS CAN STIPULATE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT COMMUNITY INPUT BEFORE YOU ELECT SOMEBODY OR APPOINT SOMEBODY. FURTHERMORE, IF YOU DO APPOINT SOMEBODY THAT IS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, THAT'S ONLY ONE PERSON THAT YOU HAVE TO APPOINT. IF THE COUNCIL TAKES IT UPON THEMSELVES TO APPOINT EITHER OUR FORMER MAYOR PRO TEM OR OUR CURRENT MAYOR PRO TEM, OR ANY OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE AN IMMEDIATE SECOND VACANCY THAT IS CREATED, WHICH MEANS WE STILL HAVE TO APPOINT SOMEBODY ELSE. WHICH SAME THING DO WE DO THAT AGAIN WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO SAY THIS IS OUR NEW COUNCIL

[01:20:05]

MEMBER, OR ARE WE GOING TO BRING IT TO GENERAL ELECTION? EITHER WAY, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUR COMMUNITY INVOLVED TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES, WHETHER IT IS GOING TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT FILLS THE ONE SEAT, OR WHETHER WE MOVE ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN DULY ELECTED INTO THAT POSITION OF MAYORAL, AND THEN FILL THE COMMUNITY SEAT WITH SOMEBODY WHO THEN ESSENTIALLY GETS A HEAD START. IF WHOEVER DOES MAYOR DOES A GREAT JOB AND THEY'RE CAMPAIGNING FOR MAYOR, THEY GET TO BE MAYOR AGAIN IF THE CITY LIKES THEIR TRIAL. SAME THING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. WHOEVER YOU APPOINT TO THE CITY COUNCIL THEN GETS TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL. AND IF THEY'RE DOING A DARN GOOD JOB, THEN WE'LL PROBABLY SUPPORT THEM. AND IF WE SEE OUR COUNCIL CHANGING, AS OUR ADMINISTRATION HAS NOW RECENTLY GIVEN US THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR COBWEBS TO TO ASSOCIATE OR DISASSOCIATE FROM THINGS THAT WE MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF PRESSURES. NOW WE GET TO REENGAGE. NOW WE GET TO REBUILD THOSE BRIDGES TO THE COMMUNITY. WE GET TO REINFORCE THOSE, THOSE CONNECTIONS. AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP IN MIND. AS YOU DELIBERATE ON WHAT YOUR APPOINTMENT PROCESS SHOULD BE OR AN ELECTION PROCESS. EITHER WAY, BOTH OPTIONS GIVE US A HEAD START. WE GET TO SEE WHO IT IS THAT'S PART OF THE COMMUNITY NOW THAT GETS TO START TO REENGAGE WITH US AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ONLINE? IF ANYONE ONLINE HAS A COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. NO HANDS RAISED. OKAY, THE SCREENS AREN'T ON FOR US. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING UP HERE. THE SCREENS UP HERE TURNED ON SO THEY'RE NOT ON AT ALL. OKAY, SO NOT SEEING ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT, WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION AND OPEN IT UP TO THE COUNCIL. I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT. I'VE BEEN

[New Business Calendar (Legislative and Administrative) (Part 1 of 2)]

THINKING ABOUT THIS, AND I THINK THAT APPOINTING SOMEBODY FROM THIS DAIS AGAIN WILL LEAVE US BACK TO SQUARE ONE. WE'LL HAVE TO APPOINT SOMEBODY FOR COUNCIL. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE OPEN IT UP FOR APPLICANTS AND THAT APPLICANTS SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION FOR MAYOR. I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BEST AND HOPEFULLY MORE TRANSPARENT, BECAUSE OPENING IT UP TO AN ELECTION IS GOING TO COST 70,000. AND IN THE END, THEY MIGHT JUST BE A MAYOR FOR A MONTH AND A HALF TO TWO MONTHS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE OPEN IT UP FOR APPLICANTS. SO, RYAN, WHAT WOULD THE APPLICATION PROCESS LOOK LIKE? IT'S UP TO YOU ON WHAT YOU WANT TO HAVE IN THE APPLICATION. YOU CAN HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON WHY THE INDIVIDUAL IS INTERESTED AND WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND IS. SOME SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS. YOU CAN HAVE REFERENCES. IF YOU WANT TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS INCLUDE REFERENCES, YOU GET TO SET HOW LONG THAT APPLICATION IS OPEN. WE CAN HAVE THE CLERK. I CAN WORK WITH THE CLERK. WE CAN CREATE AN APPLICATION. WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO SEE IF YOU LIKE THE SAMPLE APPLICATION. WE CAN THEN OPEN IT UP FOR A SET PERIOD OF TIME, CLOSE THE APPLICATIONS AND HAVE YOU AS A COUNCIL REVIEW THOSE. THERE'S A THERE'S A PROCESS OF INTERVIEWING. IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, YOU CAN INTERVIEW. THIS WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PLACE AT A NOTICED MEETING. AND THEN YOU COULD GO INTO NOMINATIONS AND VOTING ON THE APPOINTMENT. THE OTHER OPTION IS TO HAVE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE OF THE TWO OF YOU TO WORK WITH STAFF AND COMING UP WITH THE APPLICATION, POTENTIALLY DOING A FIRST ROUND OF INTERVIEWS IF YOU WANT TO GO DOWN THAT ROUTE AND THEN COMING BACK TO A FULL COUNCIL FOR FINAL SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT. SO SO THERE WOULD BE TIME, RIGHT? OBVIOUSLY TO, TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC TO PUT AN APPLICATION IN. AND THEN, I MEAN, FOR THE SAKE OF THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING IS I'M PUTTING A DEADLINE TO THAT. YES. AND THEN THE PROCESS WOULD BE, I GUESS, IS HOW THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WOULD BE. TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU FEEL AN INTERVIEW PROCESS IS APPROPRIATE. YES. AND WE WOULD NEED TIME ON THE BACK END TO HAVE THAT PROCESS AFTER THE APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSES, SO LONG AS WE MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AN APPOINTMENT BY THAT MAY 23RD DEADLINE. YEAH. I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. CURRENTLY, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AS WELL. WE HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME LOOKING FOR A CITY MANAGER AND GOING THROUGH THAT TO AND HERE WE ARE NOW HAVING THIS CONVERSATION OF NOW LOOKING TO

[01:25:09]

FILL IN THE VACANCY OF NOW A MAYOR. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS. AND YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS SHARED A LOT OF GREAT COMMENTS TODAY, AND I WANT TO TAKE ALL OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. BUT THEN JUST HEAR ME OUT ON, ON, ON THIS ISSUE. WE HAVE COSTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT RIGHT COST WITH THE SPECIAL ELECTION, ALL OF THAT AND APPLICATION PROCESS AS THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDING IT SOUNDS, IT SOUNDS FEASIBLE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, BUT THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALSO THE TIME, OUR STAFF TIME THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. IN THE MEANTIME, WE DO NEED SOMEONE TO FILL THAT POSITION TO BE ABLE TO SIT IN ON ALL THE COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE. SO WE HAVE SEVERAL COMMITTEES WHERE THE MAYOR TYPICALLY GOES AND THEY REPRESENT, ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER MAYORS REGIONALLY. AND THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, PERSPECTIVE, THEY PROVIDE INSIGHT, AND THEY'RE BASICALLY, THEY'RE SITTING AT THE TABLE REPRESENTING THE CITY. SO THERE'S, THERE'S THAT. SO THREE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW IS COST TIME. AND THEN THE COMMITTEE'S US BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BE REPRESENTED AT A REGIONAL LEVEL. IT'S NOT JUST A CITY, IT'S THINK OF IT. THIS IS IT, RIGHT? THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. THIS IS WHO MATTERS AND WHAT MATTERS. OUR COMMUNITY MATTERS A LOT. OUR CITY MATTERS A LOT. BUT THEN WE'RE UP AGAINST A REGION. WE ALSO HAVE TO GO TO CERTAIN THINGS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A VOICE. THERE ARE CERTAIN PROJECTS, THERE ARE CERTAIN GRANTS WHERE TYPICALLY OUR LEADERSHIP HAS A LOT OF INPUT AND IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. MY THOUGHT IN THIS IS WE HAVE A VICE MAYOR FOR A REASON. NO MATTER WHO THE VICE MAYOR IS RIGHT NOW OR WHO WHO'S SITTING AS AS OUR MAYOR, PRO TEM VICE MAYOR. BUT IN MY MIND, THE WAY I SEE IT IS THERE'S A REASON WHY WE HAVE A VICE MAYOR.

AND I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION. QUÉ PODEMOS HACER AQUI ESTAMOS.

WE'RE HERE. SO WE HAVE TO FILL THAT VACANCY. I AM NOT OPPOSED IN ANY WAY FOR A COMMUNITY MEMBER TO, YOU KNOW, FILL THAT POSITION WHEN THE TIME COMES AND THEY DECIDE AND I'M SURE THEY WILL TO TO RUN. AND YOU KNOW, ANYONE CAN DO IT. ANY ONE OF US IS ABLE TO, TO DO IT AND TO, YOU KNOW, PUT OUR NAME OUT THERE AND TALK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND ASK THEM, HEY, LET ME, LET ME PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT. LET ME HELP. I WANT TO, I WANT TO REPRESENT YOU. BUT I THINK IN THE MEANTIME, AND THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK THE BEST OUTCOME RIGHT NOW AND THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO IS TURN TO OUR VICE MAYOR, OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, WHO IS ALREADY SITTING HERE, WHO HAS BEEN ELECTED BY THE COMMUNITY, WHO HAS BEEN ON THE BALLOT AND LET THEM HAVE LET THEM HOLD THE THE MAYORSHIP. IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE AN ELECTION THIS YEAR. WE DO. THE MAYOR RUNS EVERY TWO YEARS, COUNCIL. WE RUN EVERY FOUR. BUT THE MAYORSHIP IS UP FOR FOR ELECTION EVERY TWO YEARS. GAIA LOZANO'S. THAT'S JUST HOW I THINK, BECAUSE OF THE TIMING, BECAUSE OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. IT'S APRIL, WE'RE ALMOST IN MAY. WE'RE ALMOST OUT IN NO TIME. IT'LL BE SUMMER AND THE CITY HAS GOT TO MOVE FORWARD.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS IN THE PIPELINE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PUSHING FORWARD, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT TAKING THE TIME RIGHT NOW TO EITHER DO A SPECIAL ELECTION. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S THE BEST OUTCOME. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SPENDING $70,000 IN AN ELECTION. THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER. AND THERE'S A REASON THAT WE HAVE A VICE MAYOR AND WHY WE HAVE THAT POSITION. SO THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE MAYORSHIP AND THE VACANCY. AND, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES, ALL I'M DONE THERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I'M SORRY. IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO DISCUSS, I APOLOGIZE. YOU KNOW, I, I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION, $70,000, AND THEN YOU HAVE A ONE AND A HALF MONTH GAP. SO DURING THAT TIME, THE NOMINATION PERIOD OPENS IN AUGUST. SO PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE CAMPAIGNING AND DOING THOSE

[01:30:02]

ITEMS. AND THE NOMINATION PERIOD OPENS IN AUGUST, AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET THIS MAIL IN BALLOT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, I VOTED FOR THIS SO-AND-SO PERSON IN AUGUST.

WHY DO I HAVE SOMEONE AGAIN ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER? SO THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE CONFUSION.

IF YOU DID A SPECIAL ELECTION IN THIS PERSPECTIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LIKE, I HAVE THIS BALLOT, AND THEN YOU GET SOMETHING ELSE IN THE MAIL LESS THAN A MONTH LATER WHERE THEY HAVE TO FILL IT OUT WITH A WHOLE NOTHER NAME. IT'S DEPENDING ON WHO, WHAT PERSON GETS ELECTED, IT MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT NAME OR IT'S THE SAME NAME. IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THAT THAT TURNOUT IS, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S AN ELECTION, IT'S A SPECIAL ELECTION. AND AS WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, TURNOUT IS LOW AND IT'S, IT'S A MIDTERM ELECTION. AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS AT HAND IN THE LARGER SCALE. AND WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE TODAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ELECTION CYCLE, AND WE HAVE TO BE DILIGENT IN MAKING SURE THE GOVERNOR'S RACE IS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. RIGHT. SO I DON'T THINK SPENDING $70,000 IS A PERSONAL PUBLIC USE OF FUNDS.

THAT'S THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER FIREWORKS SHOW FOR ANY EVENT OR SOME TYPE OF EVENT FOR CHILDREN OR, YOU KNOW, IT COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND ON AN UNFUNDED THE, THE RESERVES. SO IF YOU UNDERSTAND LIKE THE RESERVE FUNDING. SO IT'S NOT A BUDGETED ITEM THAT WAS IN IT WOULD BE NEXT YEAR'S FISCAL YEAR, BUT IT WOULD BE $70,000 THAT GETS ALLOCATED TO SOMEWHERE ELSE. I UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMEMBER PEREZ, WHERE SHE MENTIONS ABOUT OPENING IT TO THE COMMUNITY AND AN APPLICATION PROCESS, AND I DID HEAR THE OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT DOING AN INTERVIEW AND DOING THAT PROCESS. IF YOU PICK SOMEONE FROM UP HERE. BUT I THINK PERSONALLY AT THIS TIME, THERE'S A LOT AT STAKE AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND WE NEED TO JUST MOVE FORWARD. AND IF YOU APPOINT SOMEONE FROM THIS DAIS, THAT PERSON MIGHT DECIDE NOT TO RUN AGAIN. THEY MIGHT END UP BEING IN THE MAYORSHIP AND MAYBE THEY JUST RUN FOR THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL SEAT AGAIN, OR, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST SEW INTO THE SUNSET AND THEY DID THEIR SERVICE. SO YOU NEVER KNOW, RIGHT? AUGUST COMES AND THERE'S A FILING PERIOD FOR A REASON. AND, AND IF THAT PERSON THAT'S SITTING IN THAT SEAT DOESN'T FILE, THEN THAT'S THAT. BUT IF THEY DO, THEY DO, RIGHT. BUT OR THEY RUN FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S LIKE COUNCILMEMBER SAID, IT'S A TRIAL RUN AND THAT PERSON THAT SITS THERE MIGHT NOT LIKE IT AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE WE GOT TO GET THIS DONE. AND IF WE DON'T APPOINT ANYBODY, WE CAN'T COME TO A CONCLUSION. WHAT DOES THAT TELL THE PEOPLE OF COACHELLA THAT PEOPLE UP HERE CAN'T COME TO A CONCLUSION TOGETHER? AND THAT IS REALLY WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ROOM WAS FULL TODAY. AND IT'S ONCE IN A BLUE MOON THAT THERE'S PEOPLE IN HERE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE LEFT ALREADY. SHE'S RIGHT HERE. SHE'S BEEN COMING TO OUR MEETINGS OFTEN AND TALKING ABOUT THE SPEEDING. SORRY TO COMMENT ON IT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT AND I'M GLAD THAT THERE'S PEOPLE HERE TODAY. LISTEN TO THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE WHAT DOES THAT TELL PEOPLE? WE, THE FOUR OF US, CAN'T COME TO A CONCLUSION. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO OPEN THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND GO THROUGH THIS, AND I UNDERSTAND IF YOU FEEL SOMEONE FROM THE FOUR OF US, WE'RE GOING TO THEN HAVE ANOTHER VACANCY. BUT THEN YOU GET TO PICK SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO CLEARLY THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE OUT HERE THAT CAME TODAY THAT WOULD SAY, HEY, I WANT TO BE THERE BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT X, Y, AND Z GETS DONE OR X, Y, AND Z IS BEING DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER VOICE. WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE FOUR PEOPLE, IT'S A FIVE PERSON COUNCIL THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE UP HERE TO REPRESENT THEM, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ITEM. SO WITH THOSE, I DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE BANDWAGONING AND SAYING THINGS. I WOULD RATHER APPOINT SOMEBODY AND CONCUR WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBER, STEPHANIE BEAT HIM. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF YOU SHOWED UP AND YOU PROVIDED, YOU KNOW, YOUR VOICE AND YOU KNOW WHERE WHERE YOU'RE AT AND YOUR OPPOSITION FOR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DATA CENTER. AND SO FROM I SUPPORT WHAT COUNCILMEMBER PEREZ HAS SUGGESTED. AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT ALLOWS COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TO APPLY. AND IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR COMMUNITY INPUT. SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO STEP UP AND SERVE FOR THE REST OF THE SIX, SEVEN MONTHS, THAT'S ALL THERE IS IN THIS TERM, IT'S JUST SIX, SEVEN MONTHS. AND TO GIVE SOMEONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND PROVIDE COMMUNITY SERVICE, IT'S COURAGEOUS. IT IS. IT'S COURAGEOUS. IT'S A LOT OF TIME. BUT I ALSO THINK FOR THE SAKE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IS THAT WE ALLOW FOLKS TO PUT AN APPLICATION AND THEN WE SCREEN IT. NOW, IF WE CAN'T COME TO A DECISION ON WHO'S QUALIFIED, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY, THEN IT STAYS AS IS BECAUSE WE RUN A CLOCK. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO WEEKS INTO THE 60 DAYS, TWO WEEKS. SO

[01:35:05]

IF WE OPEN IT UP FOR APPLICATIONS, IT'S A VERY SHORT WINDOW. WE GOT TO TURN IT AROUND. AND CATHEDRAL CITY HAD A VACANCY. AND WHAT THEY DID, AND I COMMEND THEM FOR IT. IT WAS ALL AN OPEN, TRANSPARENT PROCESS. SO THE INTERVIEWS TOOK PLACE HERE. IN BACK OF THE PODIUM. SO EVERYONE GOT TO HEAR WHO WAS APPLYING. AND THEN ALSO IS THAT KEEP IN MIND THAT THE APPLICATIONS ARE ALSO PUBLIC RECORD, MEANING WHEN IT'S AGENDIZED, YOU CAN SEE EVERYONE WHO'S APPLIED BECAUSE FOR THE IN THE REALITY IS THAT ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL. IT'S ALL PUBLIC RECORDS. YOU'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE. BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT ALLOWS PEOPLE THEN TO GIVE COMMUNITY INPUT AND ALSO VOICE WHETHER THEY WANT TO SERVE OR NOT, OR WHETHER THEY WANT TO GIVE SUPPORT TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO RUN. NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO'S EXPERIENCED, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE THAT KNOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS AND THE OPERATIONS OF CITY COUNCIL AND MUNICIPALITY. THERE ARE FOLKS OUT THERE. THERE REALLY ARE. THERE WAS A CRITERIA THAT WE CAN PUT IN, BUT ALSO IS THAT WE'RE WE'RE A COUNCIL. SO WHEN WE DECIDE UPON SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT YOUR MAJORITY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONE APPOINTMENT THAT'S GOING TO CHOOSE WHAT HAPPENS HERE AND WHAT NOT HAPPENS HERE. NOT ONE PERSON DOES THAT. SO AN APPOINTMENT TO THE MAYOR DOESN'T THEN DICTATE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY. THE COUNCIL DOES THAT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TYPE OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAVE. IT'S A FULL COUNCIL. SO THE MAYOR DOESN'T HAVE VERY MUCH POWER OVER OTHER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND SOME CITIES THEY DO. AND IT'S WHAT THEY CALL STRONG MAYORS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE IN THOSE CITIES YOU HAVE MAYORS WHO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF AUTHORITY. IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, WE HAVE AN ELECTED MAYOR, BUT THERE'S NOT ANY SUPERIORITY, MEANING THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL POWERS TO IT OTHER THAN APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS, AND THEN ALSO ADDING SOMETHING TO THE AGENDA. BUT WE DON'T HAVE A STRONG MAYOR ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. WE DON'T. SO I, I SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ'S RECOMMENDATION. AND ALSO IN A TIME WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. AND PEOPLE ARE THINKING, WELL, WHO'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT MAYOR? WHO'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT MAYOR? GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY. YOU KNOW, LET THEM JUST FILL OUT THE REST OF THE TERM, WHICH ISN'T VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT 60 DAYS BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT OR BEFORE THE 60 DAYS BEFORE IT'S UP. YOU'RE LOOKING AT SIX MONTHS. AND WHEN IT COMES TO COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES, THE MAYOR DOESN'T SERVE ON ALL THOSE COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES. THEY'RE ALL DIVIDED UP AMONG MOST OF US. SO THE MAYOR ALONE DOESN'T HAVE ALL THESE COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL, YOU HAVE MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE, AND WE ALL DIVIDE UP THE COMMISSIONS SOME OF US SERVE ON MORE THAN OTHERS, JUST BASED ON AVAILABILITY AND THE TIME THAT WE HAVE. BUT TO SAY THAT THE MAYOR SITS ON MORE COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES, IT'S JUST IT'S UNTRUE. IT'S UNTRUE. WHAT IF, AND I DO LIKE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ WITH OPENING IT UP TO THE PUBLIC. I THINK IT'S IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE ALLOW THAT FOR FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. BUT I DO THINK THAT FOR PURPOSES OF MOVING THE CITY FORWARD AND BEING ABLE TO PUSH EVERYTHING THAT WE DO NEED TO. AND COUNCILMEMBER DELGADO IS IS 100% CORRECT. THE MAYOR DOES NOT SIT ON EVERY COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT WHAT I SAID. I SAID THE MAYOR SITS ON A LOT OF COMMITTEES, AND THAT IS TRUE. AND AT A REGIONAL LEVEL, THEY DO HAVE A LOT OF INPUT. I WOULD RECOMMEND THEN TO ALLOW FOR THE VICE MAYOR, THE MAYOR PRO TEM, WHO IS ALREADY THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO FILL THE VACANCY. THEY'VE BEEN AT THESE MEETINGS, THEY'VE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT. THEY'VE BEEN LEADING NOW SEVERAL MEETINGS AND OPEN UP THAT WE DO FILL THE VACANCY. AND WE OPEN UP THEN THAT POSITION TO A COMMUNITY MEMBER TO APPLY. I WOULD RECOMMEND DOING THAT. AND THAT SOUNDS TO ME. I DON'T KNOW, THAT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT MORE FEASIBLE. YOU ALLOW FOR SOMEONE

[01:40:04]

THAT'S BEEN ON THE COUNCIL THAT WE ALL START FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. NONE OF US ARE. NONE OF US COME INTO THIS WORLD KNOWING HOW TO BE A COUNCIL MEMBER OR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.

WE DON'T EVEN LEARN THAT IN SCHOOL, TO BE HONEST. IT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO LEARN AND YOU ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THAT'S JUST YOU ROLL WITH IT. BUT I DO THINK THAT FOR SOMEONE TO BE THE MAYOR AND FOR THEM TO GO INTO THAT VACANCY AND INTO THAT SEAT, IT WOULD BE, IN MY OPINION, BENEFICIAL THAT IT'D BE SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN SITTING ON THE COUNCIL AT LEAST FOR SOME TIME. SO THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. YOU KNOW, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION TO TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT AND ALLOW FOR THE VICE MAYOR WHO'S ALREADY THE VICE MAYOR, THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO FILL THE VACANCY OF THE MAYOR.

AND THEN WE ALLOW FOR APPLICATIONS TO BE PROCESSED AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO INTERVIEW A COMMUNITY MEMBER TO FILL THAT VACANCY. THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. SO I'LL STOP THERE. YEAH. COUNCIL, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE CONSENSUS THAT WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE APPOINTMENT RATHER THAN CALLING OF A SPECIAL ELECTION. IT DOES APPEAR THAT THERE IS A SPLIT, THOUGH, ON HOW FORMAL OF AN APPOINTMENT PROCESS YOU WANT, AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT AN APPLICATION TO BE PREPARED, AND FOR AN APPLICATION TO BE OPENED UP TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A COUPLE OPTIONS WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS, AND POTENTIALLY WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME CONSENSUS THAT BREAKS THE TWO TWO. WE CAN CERTAINLY AGENDIZE THIS, WHICH I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. AT THAT TIME. WE CAN ENTERTAIN ANY MOTION TO APPOINT OR TO AT OR TO OPEN IT UP TO AN APPLICATION THAT GIVES US TWO WEEKS TO PREPARE AN APPLICATION, IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL, AND TO INCLUDE THAT FOR YOUR REVIEW.

IN THE EVENT YOU WANTED US TO GO DOWN THAT ROUTE. I'M LOOKING FOR JUST A LITTLE MORE DIRECTION AND CONSENSUS ON THIS ON NEXT STEPS. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC? WE HAVE ONE MORE. WE HAVE CLOSED THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS. SO IF YOU WANT MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU CAN OPEN IT UP. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU THEN OPEN IT UP TO ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM IN A BELATED FASHION. WHAT DOES THE COUNCIL WANT TO DO FIRST BEFORE I. ABSOLUTELY, YEAH. WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN ANYONE ELSE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED AS WELL SPEAKING. OKAY. SYLVIA MONTENEGRO. I AM SYLVIA MONTENEGRO, RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF 52138 SHADY LANE. REGARDING THE FILLING OF THE VACANT POSITION. NOW YOU NEED TO LOOK AT YOU HAVE RULES. YOU ARE YOU ARE ELECTED BY US. YOU ARE IN OFFICE BY US. YOU TOOK AN OATH OF OFFICE TO REPRESENT ALL CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND AT THIS TIME, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO FILL THE POSITION I DID HERE SOMEWHAT. THE DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW REGARDING THE CONTINUANCE OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND I AS A CITIZEN AM IN AGREEMENT.

HOWEVER, THE FILLING OF THE VACANT POSITION IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THE COMMUNITY MUST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT, AND THAT IS A SPECIAL ELECTION. WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, FIRST WOMAN ELECTED TO OFFICE. THAT WAS IN 1973. I SERVED A SHORT OFFICE. IT CAN BE DONE. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GIVE THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA THE OPPORTUNITY. IT IS THEIR VOICE, THE SAME VOICE THAT PUT YOU HERE, THE SAME VOTE THAT PUT GAVE YOU THE OFFICE YOU HAVE NOW. THEN WE MUST HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT THE PERSON TO FILL THE VACANT SEAT. THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S CALLED DEMOCRACY. IT'S NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. AND I HOPE YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION BECAUSE IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, TO SELECT WHO SHALL THEN BE IN THE POSITION YOU ARE IN NOW, AND TO GOVERN THE CITY OF COACHELLA IN A FAIR MANNER, ACCORDING TO ORDINANCE. AND YOU DO HAVE ORDINANCES. YOU NEED TO STUDY YOUR ORDINANCES OF PUBLIC OFFICE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. WE

[01:45:05]

CANNOT TAKE THE EASY WAY OUT BECAUSE IT SEEMS EASIER TO DO IT THAT WAY THAN TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION. IT'S NOT DIFFICULT TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION. YES, THERE'S SOME COST INVOLVED, BUT THEN YOU HAVE A GENERAL FUND THAT CAN BE UTILIZED AND OPEN UP FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION. IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL THE VACANT SEAT. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK. YES. WE CAN BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING IN REGARDS TO THIS ITEM, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO LET ME KNOW. WE CAN JUST SIMPLY CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD TONIGHT. SO WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING FROM THE ITEM.

IT'S JUST WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION TO A LATER DATE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE IF THAT I'M TRYING, IS THAT YOUR DIRECTION TO, TO JUST CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION AND FURTHER DISCUSS IN THE NEXT MEETING? OR DO YOU WANT TO SEE A FORMAL PROCESS? IF WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE FORMAL PROCESS ROUTE, WE ARE LIMITED TO THAT 60 DAYS. SO I'D RECOMMEND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN APPLICATION THAT YOU GIVE ME THAT DIRECTION TONIGHT SO I CAN WORK WITH STAFF AND BRING THAT FOR YOU SO YOU CAN SEE IT AND APPROVE IT IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO DOWN THAT ROUTE. SO I MADE MY RECOMMENDATION. I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP AND ALLOW IT TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC APPLICANTS. AND I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RIVKIN THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE IN EITHER BEING IN A IN A COMMISSION, BEING ON COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, I DO. AND OF COURSE, THEY HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AND THAT WOULD ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND SPEAK ON IT. I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER OR MAYOR PRO TEM. YEAH, I THINK WE'RE PRETTY SPLIT. THEN MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO ALLOW FOR THE VICE MAYOR THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW TO FILL THE VACANCY OF THE MAYOR AND TO OPEN UP THE POSITION OF COUNCIL MEMBER TO THE PUBLIC AND FOR THEM TO TAKE APPLICATIONS THAT WAY. WE JUST KEEP PUSHING FORWARD. THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION. SO. YEAH. WELL, IN LIGHT OF THIS SPLIT, WE WILL HAVE TO BRING IT BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING SINCE THERE'S NO CONSENSUS HERE AND HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ON NEXT STEPS IN TWO WEEKS. SURE. OKAY. OKAY. I THINK ALSO THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT IF WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK IN TWO WEEKS, WE'RE NOW 30 DAYS IN. AND I ALSO DON'T WANT TO BE IRRESPONSIBLE IN SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, THE TIME IS UP, THE 60 DAYS IS UP, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T PLAN IT ACCORDINGLY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF IF WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK, I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT'S THAT'S TOO I THINK WE'RE CUTTING IT TOO CLOSE. AND I WOULD HATE, I WOULD REALLY, REALLY HATE FOR IT TO COME OUT AS THAT THE 60 DAYS ARE UP. SO NOW WE JUST HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, LEAVE IT VACANT. BUT YOU KNOW, ALSO IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS, AS YOU'RE LEARNING THAT THE COUNCIL IS SPLIT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO WHY THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING FIVE MEMBERS TO COUNCIL. AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO FILL IT SO THAT WE CAN KEEP CITY OPERATIONS RUNNING. MR. CITY ATTORNEY, WE CAN ALSO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING, RIGHT, TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM. YOU CAN. AND WE HAVE THREE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETINGS BEFORE THE DEADLINE. OKAY. THREE. WHEN'S OUR NEXT SCHEDULED? THE 22ND OF THIS MONTH. AND JUST THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, YOU KNOW, A REMINDER OF WHY DO WE HAVE A VICE MAYOR? THEN WHY WOULD WE HAVE A MAYOR PRO TEM IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO UTILIZE. IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A, IN MY MIND, A LITTLE BIT OF A SAFETY NET, RIGHT? WHAT HAPPENS IF THE MAYOR CAN'T MAKE IT TO A MEETING? YOU HAVE A MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU HAVE A VICE MAYOR, YOU CAN MOVE, YOU CAN HANDLE CITY BUSINESS, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST THOSE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL. WE'LL BRING THIS BACK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION IN TWO WEEKS. THANK

[Consent Calendar]

YOU. OKAY. THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONSENT ITEMS BE ACTED UPON SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THIS SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND OR ACTION IS REQUESTED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER. ANY CHANGES TO OR ITEMS BEING PULLED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR THIS TIME? IF THERE IS NONE, I'LL MOTION. YES, WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEMS

[01:50:10]

SIX AND SEVEN IN CONSENT SIX AND SEVEN. OKAY, WE'LL TAKE THOSE. JAMES RODRIGUEZ. MR. RODRIGUEZ, DO YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES FOR BOTH? UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU SIR.

ALRIGHTY. COUNCIL. SO SINCE IT IS SIX AND SEVEN TOGETHER, THAT'S ACTUALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MENTION. WE ALREADY HAVE EXPENDED OUR EXPENDITURES TWO TIMES THE COST OF A SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, JUST ON SPECIAL COUNSEL'S ON SPECIAL APPOINTMENT ISSUES FOR PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUESTS. RIGHT. THIS IS ALL LISTED IN THE AGENDA. AND ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, THERE IS AN AGENDA PACKET WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE AGENDA WHERE THEY ACTUALLY GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION, WHERE THEY SHOW YOU THIS IS THE RECEIPTS, THESE ARE THE THESE ARE THE CHECKS THAT WE WROTE. THESE ARE THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURES. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IN THESE ITEMS. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE COUNTING ON US TO NOT REALLY FOCUS ON. WE THEY DON'T ALWAYS COUNT THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK THROUGH AND SAY, WOW, YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT $70,000, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE SPENT ALMOST $1 MILLION JUST ON COUNCIL'S, YOU KNOW, ADVISORIES, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO PRESENT A PROJECT, PUT THINGS TOGETHER.

SO WE HAVE MONEY FOR THE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO KEEP ROLLING, KEEP WORKING FORWARD WITH. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THAT MONEY THAT'S GOING OUT. WE ARE AWARE OF YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE MONEY THAT'S COMING IN. BUT FROM OUR STANDPOINT, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY THE TEENAGER WHO HAS HAD THE CARD FROM THE PARENTS WITH THE PLATINUM, WITH A CAR TO GO OUT WITH THE WEEKEND AND GO TO YOUR FRIENDS AND GO OUT TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, AND SUDDENLY WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE CREDIT CARD PURCHASES. SUDDENLY, WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE COMPANY THAT YOU'RE KEEPING AND THE PETULANT, PETULANT CHILD.

THE PETULANT NATURE OF A CHILD IS WHAT WE SEE. THAT'S WHAT WE FEEL WHEN WE LOOK BACK AND WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE RECEIPTS AND SAY, YOU GUYS ARE REALLY WOBBLING OVER $70,000 FOR A MAIL ELECTION. THAT'S JUST THE MAILED, RIGHT? THAT'S $70,000 FOR THE MAIL ELECTION. IT CAN GO UP TO 140,000 OR SOMETHING IF WE DO AN IN-PERSON BALLOT AND ALL OF THAT. SO WHAT DO WE WANT TO SAY ABOUT OUR FINANCES? WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY TRYING TO WHEN WE'RE WHEN WE'RE SAYING THESE ARE BIG NUMBERS? SO THEN THOSE OTHER NUMBERS ARE REALLY, REALLY BIG. IF THIS IS A BIG NUMBER TO YOU, 70,000. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. OKAY. ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ENTERTAIN A MOTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED. ALL MOTION. THERE'S A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND. OH GO AHEAD. SECOND, THERE'S A SECOND ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COUNCILMEMBER. YES, YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER

[New Business Calendar (Legislative and Administrative) (Part 2 of 2)]

DELGADO. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM DOCTOR FIGUEROA SO NOW WE'RE AT NEW BUSINESS CALENDAR, LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE. WE ARE AT THE NUMBER WHICH IS THERE WERE NUMBERED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. SO IT'S THE COMPREHENSIVE WATER AND WATERSHED RATE STUDY UPDATE. SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS ITEM IS COMING BACK TO YOU FROM A PREVIOUS CONVERSATION THAT STAFF HAD WITH YOU. WE WERE SEEKING DIRECTION ON A SCHEDULE TO BRING BACK THE WATER RATE STUDY. AND SO THIS EVENING WE HAVE OUR UTILITY MANAGERS MAKING THE PRESENTATION ON THAT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION AS WELL. SO SORRY, REALLY QUICKLY, I JUST WANT TO RECUSE MYSELF. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND STEP OUT OF THE MEETING NOW. IT'S MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY TODAY AND I WANT TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY. SO I WILL GET A BRIEFING FROM CASTULO AFTER COMPROMISO. THANK YOU. AND WE'RE GOING TO WAIT FOR THE PRESENTATION TO BE PULLED UP. THIS. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO AS THAT'S BEING PULLED UP I HAPPY TO BE BACK. GOOD EVENING. JUST LIFT IT UP. WE WERE HERE ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO AND SO YOU'VE ALREADY YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN THE UPDATE TO THE TO THE RATE STUDY AND YOU'VE SEEN WHAT THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASES LOOK LIKE AND KIND OF HURT. THE PRIMARY REASONS WHY THESE RATE INCREASES ARE REQUIRED, JUST TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT AT THE LAST UPDATE, THE WATER

[01:55:07]

ENTERPRISE FUND HAS NOT HAD A COST OF SERVICE STUDY DONE SINCE ABOUT 2010. SO THAT'S OVER OVER 15 YEARS. AND THE CITY HASN'T HAD A RATE INCREASE FOR ITS WATER SERVICE SINCE 2015. SO THAT'S OVER TEN YEARS AND PROBABLY BY FAR LONGER THAN ANY OTHER WATER AGENCY IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. SO WE'VE HAD THE RATE INCREASE. WE'VE HAD THE SAME RATE FOR WATER SINCE 2015. ON THE SEWER SIDE, WE HAVE NOT HAD A COST OF SERVICE STUDY PERFORMED AND ADOPTED SINCE 2017, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A NEW RATE INCREASE IN THE SEWER SERVICE CHARGE SINCE 2021.

THAT'S OVER FIVE YEARS. AND SO AT THE LAST UPDATE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE SOME OF THE NEW CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE UP AGAINST IN BOTH OF THESE FUNDS. THERE'S INCREASE IN COST. THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE BUILT SPECIFICALLY ON THE WATER SIDE. WE ARE DEALING WITH NEW REGULATIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL, PRIMARILY CHROMIUM SIX, WHICH IS REQUIRING US TO IMPLEMENT A PROJECT TO REMOVE CHROMIUM SIX FROM OUR WATER. THIS IS A STATE MANDATE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT JUST IMPACTING THE CITY OF COACHELLA, BUT IT'S IMPACTING MOST OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY REGION AND A LOT OF OTHER AREAS IN CALIFORNIA. AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN DRIVERS FOR FOR THIS NEW COST OF SERVICE STUDY. SO WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN THAT ALREADY AT THE LAST MEETING. THE PRESENTATION FOR THAT UPDATE IS PART OF THE LAST COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM. IF THE PUBLIC WOULD WANT TO REVIEW THAT AGAIN, WE ARE NOW AT A POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO REALLY GET SOME DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, HOW WE'RE GOING TO ROLL OUT THE PROP 218 PROCESS. YOU'VE HEARD A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY TODAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY THE COMMUNITIES ARE BIG ADVOCATES FOR TRANSPARENCY, PUBLIC INPUT, ETCETERA, ETCETERA. THIS PROCESS THAT IS MANDATED BY LAW REQUIRES ALL OF THAT. AND SO AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO PRESENT THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY TO THE COUNCIL. THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY NEEDS TO BE ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL, AND THEN THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO APPROVE THE MAILING OF THE PROP 218 NOTICE, WHICH SETS THE PUBLIC HEARING AS TO WHEN THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASES, EITHER TO PASS OR TO FAIL, AND IF THEY PASS, WHAT DAY THEY TAKE EFFECT. OKAY, SO THIS IS A PUBLIC PROCESS THAT THAT THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH. AND THIS IS THE SCHEDULE THAT THESE ARE THE SCHEDULES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO YOU TODAY. THERE'S THREE OPTIONS. WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THAT RECOMMENDATION. SO IN ALL OF THESE THREE OPTIONS, ONE OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM COUNCIL IS, IS YOUR YOUR WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT AS PART OF THIS PROCESS. AND SO ALL OF THESE THREE OPTIONS HAVE A FOUR MONTH PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT PRIOR TO THE APPROVAL OF THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY, WHICH WOULD THEN SET THE PUBLIC HEARING. RIGHT. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THOSE SCHEDULES, BUT JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ALL OF THESE THREE OPTIONS ALL HAVE A PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT. AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IS WE'RE GOING TO COMPARE OUR SCHEDULE, THE THE SCHEDULE THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING. WE'RE GOING TO COMPARE IT WITH THE COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT SCHEDULE.

AS I MENTIONED, ALL OF THE AGENCIES IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING COST OF SERVICE STUDIES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO IMPLEMENT THESE CHROMIUM SIX PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE TO IMPLEMENT. AND SO COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT IS THE LARGEST WATER AGENCY IN THE VALLEY. IT REPRESENTS LA QUINTA, INDIAN WELLS, CATHEDRAL CITY, PALM DESERT, RANCHO MIRAGE. AND SO WE WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW OUR PROPOSED SCHEDULE MATCHES AGAINST THEIR SCHEDULE AS THEY'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. ALSO, WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE VALLEY. SO THIS IS OPTION NUMBER ONE. AS WE MENTIONED, ALL OF THESE OPTIONS ARE GOING TO HAVE A FOUR MONTH PERIOD PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT. THIS OPTION HAS A STARTING THE PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR THAT WOULD CARRY US OUT TO THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR IN DECEMBER. AFTER THAT PERIOD, WE WOULD THEN BRING THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY TO THE COUNCIL IN JANUARY OF 2027. AT THAT MEETING, WE WOULD ASK YOU TO WE WOULD. WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU ADOPT THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY, AND WE WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU AUTHORIZE THE MAILING OF THE PROP 218 NOTICE. ONCE YOU DO THAT, THAT WOULD SET A

[02:00:04]

45 DAY PERIOD. WE HAVE TO SET A MINIMUM OF A 45 DAY PERIOD BEFORE WE CAN SET THE PUBLIC HEARING. IT ALSO CREATES A DEADLINE BY WHEN WE CAN RECEIVE OBJECTIONS TO THE RATES THAT THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO RESPOND TO PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND SO WITH THIS SCHEDULE HERE, THE OBJECTIONS THAT WE WOULD THE OBJECTION PERIOD WOULD BE OPEN THROUGH THE END OF FEBRUARY. AND THEN WE WOULD WE WOULD WE WOULD MOVE TO TRY TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING SOMETIME LATE APRIL OR EARLY MAY. AND UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, THOSE RATE INCREASES. IF THE IF THE ADOPTION OF THE RATES WERE TO WERE TO PASS DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, THOSE THOSE RATES WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 2027. OPTION NUMBER TWO HAS US STARTING THE PUBLIC OUTREACH. NOW, WE WOULD. WE WOULD. IF THIS IS THE OPTION THAT COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD WITH WHICH. IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION. AND WE HAVE A SLIDE THAT THAT SHOWS WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT. BUT IF THIS WERE THE OPTION, WE WOULD IMMEDIATELY MOVE ON THE PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS. WE WOULD THEN TRY TO BRING THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY TO YOU FOR ADOPTION SOMETIME AT THE END OF AUGUST OF 2026 OF THIS YEAR, WE WOULD DO THE SAME THING. YOU WOULD YOU WOULD APPROVE THE MAILING OF THE PROP 218 NOTICE, WHICH WOULD SET A HEARING DATE FOR SOMETIME AT THE END OF OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, WITH THE PROPOSED RATES TO BE AT TO BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST OF 2027. SO THIS IS THE MORE KIND OF QUICKER SCHEDULE. AND THEN OPTION NUMBER THREE IS VERY SIMILAR TO OPTION NUMBER ONE HAS A STARTING THE PUBLIC OUTREACH IN SEPTEMBER. IT CARRIES US OUT TO THE END OF DECEMBER, SIMILAR TO OPTION ONE, WE BRING THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY TO YOU FOR ADOPTION. AUTHORIZING OF THE PROP 218.

NOTICE THIS THOUGH THE ONLY DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE SET SOMETIME AT THE END OF FEBRUARY EARLY MARCH OF 2027. BUT SIMILAR TO OPTION ONE, THE RATE INCREASES WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 2027. THIS NEXT ONE JUST COMPARES ALL THREE OF THEM TOGETHER, SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM ALL AT ONE TIME. AS I MENTIONED, OPTION NUMBER ONE, OPTION NUMBER THREE ARE VERY IDENTICAL. THEY IT HAS A STARTING THE OUTREACH IN SEPTEMBER ALL THE WAY THROUGH DECEMBER ON BOTH ON BOTH OF THOSE OPTIONS, BRINGING THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY TO YOU IN JANUARY. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO IS THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING. ONE OF THEM IS HELD AT THE END OF MAY, AT THE END OF APRIL, EARLY MAY, WHERE THE OTHER ONE IS QUICKER, LATE FEBRUARY, EARLY MARCH. BUT UNDER BOTH OF THESE SCENARIOS, THE RATE WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JULY 1ST OF 2027. OPTION NUMBER TWO JUST GETS US QUICKER THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THIS IS THE COMPARISON TO THE. WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THE PROPOSED COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT TIMELINE. THEIR TIMELINE HAS THEM APPROVING THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY IN SEPTEMBER OF 2026, WHICH THEN THEY WOULD ALSO AUTHORIZE THE MAILING OF THE PROP 218 NOTICES. THEY WOULD HAVE A DEADLINE OF RECEIVING OBJECTIONS TO THE RATES BY NOVEMBER OF 2026. THEY WOULD HAVE THEIR PUBLIC HEARING IN DECEMBER OF 2026, AND THEIR EFFECTIVE RATES WOULD BE ADOPTED AND WOULD BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST, 2027. THIS IS HOW OURS THIS IS OPTION NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE THE OPTION THE STAFF IS RECOMMENDING. THIS IS HOW IT COMPARES TO TO KV. THESE PROPOSED TIMELINE. IT'S VERY SIMILAR. WE'RE WE'RE OFF BY WE'RE MOVING ABOUT A MONTH QUICKER. I THINK THERE'S A PROBABLY A SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TWEAK HERE THAT MIGHT MAKE THIS EVEN BETTER IS RIGHT NOW WE'RE HOLDING THE PUBLIC OUTREACH TO FOUR MONTHS, WHICH WOULD PUT US IN AUGUST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY. BUT IF COUNCIL WANTED, WE COULD PROBABLY MOVE THIS ANOTHER MONTH. IT WOULD GIVE US ANOTHER MONTH MORE OF PUBLIC OUTREACH. WE WOULD STILL BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH CVD SCHEDULE, AND WE WOULD EVEN BE CLOSER TO THEIR SCHEDULE. AND IT GIVES US ANOTHER MONTH OF OF PUBLIC OUTREACH, IF THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL, IF YOU WANTED TO KIND OF MIRROR. MORE. SO ALONG WITH PROPOSING, THIS IS JUST OPTION NUMBER TWO AGAIN, AND THE SNAPSHOT, SAME TIMELINES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. AND THEN HERE'S REALLY THE, THE, THE REASON FOR OUR SUPPORT FOR OPTION NUMBER TWO, AS I MENTIONED AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SEEKING GRANT FUNDING TO OFFSET THE RATE INCREASES THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED IN THIS

[02:05:07]

COST OF SERVICE STUDY. THE MORE THAT WE CAN SECURE FROM FROM GRANTS AT THE STATE LEVEL, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE LESS THAT THE RATES WOULD HAVE TO CARRY. BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO FINALIZE THESE GRANT APPLICATIONS, THESE FINANCIAL AGREEMENTS, IT PUTS THE CITY IN A BETTER POSITION TO HAVE ADOPTED RATES SOONER THAN LATER, BECAUSE PART OF THE CONDITIONS FROM THE STATE, AS THEY'RE LOOKING TO EITHER BE ABLE TO PROVIDE GRANT MONEY OR IN SOME CASES, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH GRANT MONEY AT THE STATE LEVEL TO GO AROUND TO THE ENTIRE STATE. THEY LOOK AT LOW INTEREST LOANS, AND AS THEY START LOOKING AT LOW INTEREST LOANS, THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY HAS THE PROPER RATE STRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO CARRY THAT DEBT. AND SO WITHOUT THE STATE, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ASK IS OUR PROP 218 NOTICES. THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO ASK FOR THE RESOLUTIONS, ADOPTING THESE RATE SCHEDULES. AND ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO BE REQUIRED IN ORDER FOR US TO FINALIZE FINANCIAL AGREEMENTS WITH THEM. SO THAT'S THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE, THE BIGGEST REASONS WHY WE FEEL THAT IT'S BETTER FOR US TO ADOPT THESE RATES IN JANUARY VERSUS JULY. THE OTHER ONE IS THAT IF FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THE END OF OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER, IF WE DECIDE TO MOVE THINGS ANOTHER MONTH, THEN WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO TAKE ANOTHER SHOT AT IT, RIGHT? WE HAVE ANOTHER. WE HAVE MORE TIME TO DO IT AGAIN PRIOR TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IN OPTION NUMBER ONE AND OPTION NUMBER THREE, WHERE IT HAS US HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING EITHER IN MARCH OR MAY OR APRIL. AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER, WE HAVE ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT AT DOING THAT IF WE HAVE TO. SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY OPTION NUMBER TWO, WE FEEL IS, IS MORE CONVENIENT.

AND A BIG REASON IS THAT IT ALIGNS WITH THE COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT'S TIMELINE. THEY ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING NEW RATES AND IN A BIG WAY. BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, THEY HAVE TO DO SO. THE CHROMIUM SIX ISSUE AND THE VALLEY IS NOT A COACHELLA CITY OF COACHELLA ISSUE. IT'S A CITY OF INDIO ISSUE. IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A VALLEY ISSUE. AND SO THE CITY OF INDIO IS NEEDING TO DO RATE INCREASES FOR THIS CV, MISSION SPRINGS WATER DISTRICT, THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT. WE FEEL THAT IT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR CONSTITUENTS TO BE HEARING OR BE GETTING THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AS TO THE NEED FOR THIS INCREASE. WHAT'S DRIVING IT? HEARING ABOUT THE NEW MANDATES AT THE STATE LEVEL, AND THAT AS THEY'RE HEARING THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE REGION IS ALSO HEARING IT, RIGHT, SO THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, INDIO'S HEARING THE SAME THING. THE PEOPLE IN INDIA ARE HEARING THE SAME THING, AND PALM DESERT, RANCHO MIRAGE, ETC. SO WE WE FEEL THAT IT JUST PROVIDES CONSISTENT MESSAGING. IT PROVIDES CREDIBILITY TO WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND SO WE RECOMMEND OPTION NUMBER TWO. THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR US. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AS FAR AS THE SORRY IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FIRST ON THIS ITEM. YOU WANT TO COME TO THE. PUBLIC COMMENTS OCCUR. SO I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IF I CAN.

REGARDING PUBLIC INFORMATION. AGAIN, VERY IMPORTANT. AND REMEMBER THAT YOU TOOK AN OATH TO REPRESENT ALL OF US. WHAT IS VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT THE STUDY SESSIONS BE HELD IN A LOCATION WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN ATTEND, AND WE MUST TAKE OUR TIME WITH IT. WE MUST MUST MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN BE PRESENT, BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL FOR RATE INCREASES IS SUBSTANTIAL. CONSIDER WHAT THE COST OF LIVING IS RIGHT NOW. THE HELLISH CONDITION WE HAVE WITH GASOLINE. OKAY? AND IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE YOUR PRESIDENT IS NOT GOING TO STOP THE WARS. LEAVING THAT ASIDE, THE FACT IS THAT WE MUST HAVE OUR STUDY SESSIONS IN A LOCATION WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN BE PRESENT, WELL DEVELOPED STUDY SESSIONS, DEVELOP THE DISPLAYS, AND DEFINITELY WE DON'T NEED TO GO INTO THE TECHNICALITY OF THE WATER SITUATION. WE KNOW WE RECEIVED THE NOTICES IN OUR WATER BILL, BUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS HOW

[02:10:01]

MUCH THE RATE INCREASE WILL BE. WE MUST KNOW AND EXACTLY WHY IS THIS RATE INCREASE GOING TO TAKE PLACE? WHY IS IT WHY IS IT YOU'RE DOUBLING IT? AND THAT IS ADDING TO THE COST OF LIVING OF EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR US, THE SENIOR CITIZENS? I AM AN 89 YEAR OLD PERSON, AND THERE ARE MANY OLDER CITIZENS WHO ALSO MUST PAY THEIR UTILITIES. SETTING THAT ASIDE, I PROPOSE THAT WE HAVE THE STUDY SESSION AT THE LIBRARY. WE HAVE A VERY LARGE MEETING ROOM THERE. IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD VERY SUCCESSFUL STUDY SESSIONS THERE, AND WE CAN DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO BE PRESENT AND ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE, UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE, WHY IT'S BEING DONE, AND THEN WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE CITY OF COACHELLA? I SEE THAT THE CITY OF INDIO NOW WILL BE THEY HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING TO CLEAN UP THE WASTEWATER AND REUSE IT AGAIN. THE CITY OF COACHELLA MUST DO THE SAME THING. YOU MUST DO IT. AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN OUR UTILITY SUPPLIES, WATER AND WASTEWATER THAT WE BEGIN BY INFORMING ALL OF THE COMMUNITY AT A LOCATION WHERE WE CAN ALL BE PRESENT AND LISTEN TO THE FACTS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? DO YOU? LET ME JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU FILL OUT A FORM AND MAKE SURE YOU HAND THAT TO HER. I HAD IT, I JUST DIDN'T. OH, OKAY. JUST SO HE DID HAVE ONE. IS THAT OKAY? YOU CAN GET THE PHONE BACK. PERFECT. MAYBE DO IT AFTER YOU. CAN YOU? YOU CAN DO IT AFTERWARDS IF YOU WANT TO DO YOUR COMMENT. YEAH. SHE MISS MONTENEGRO JUST ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP A REALLY GOOD IDEA TO MY HEAD. I UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'S GOING TO BE THE RATE INCREASE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE. REPORT FROM THE STATE OF THE WATER CONTAMINANT THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN DRINKING FOR OUR ENTIRE LIVES ANYWAY, IS NOT ACCORDING TO THEIR NEW STANDARDS. AND YES, WE SHOULD. I ALREADY KNOW THAT OUR SEWER AND OUR WATER AND OUR EVERYTHING DOES NEED TO HAVE UPGRADES. IT DOES NEED TO HAVE MAINTENANCE ON A REGULAR BASIS. BUT WE HAVE DEVELOPMENTS. WE HAVE NEW DATA CENTERS THAT POSSIBLY MIGHT BE IF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY APPROVED AND. AND WITH THOSE, THERE SHOULD BE LITTLE CAVEATS THAT MAKE SURE THAT, HEY, YOU'RE GOING TO BE USING A WHOLE LOT OF THIS. THE BENEFICIARY SHOULD PAY. AND IF WE HAVE TO ALIGN OURSELVES TO STATE MANDATES, THEN THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE TRYING TO BENEFIT FROM US, THOSE BENEFACTORS, NEED TO PROVIDE THE LION'S SHARE OF THE COSTS SO THAT EVENTUALLY WE CAN BE TOLD, HEY, GUESS WHAT? WE FINISHED ALL OF OUR UPGRADES AND NOW WE CAN DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT SAYS NOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THOSE UPGRADE COSTS, WE CAN BRING OUR RATES BACK DOWN. THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT EVERYBODY FORGETS ABOUT THE WHY IS IT GOING UP? WHY IS IT GOING UP? WHY IS IT GOING UP? HOW ABOUT WHEN CAN WE BRING IT BACK DOWN? WHEN CAN WE SUPPORT OURSELVES? WHEN CAN WE CREATE LOW INCOME FOR OUR ELDERLY VOUCHER PROGRAMS TO HELP THEM WITH THE COST THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING IN? AND I KNOW ALL OF THAT WILL BE IN OUR HEARINGS, BUT THAT'S THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVEN JUST THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE HEARINGS. THANK YOU JAMES. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. SO WILL WE GET UPDATES ON THE HOW THE PUBLIC OUTREACH IS ACTUALLY GOING? YEAH, I, I THINK THAT WE HAVE ALREADY WE'VE ALREADY HAVE TAPPED INTO TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE CALL IT. MENU OF THE PUBLIC OUTREACH COULD LOOK LIKE. I, I, I JUST GOT THAT THIS THIS WEEK, LIKE A DAY AGO. SO I DO PLAN ON MEETING TOGETHER WITH OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER TO, TO PICK WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO INVOLVE SOME COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNCIL SO THAT WHATEVER, WHATEVER PLAN WE HAVE FOR THAT PUBLIC OUTREACH MEETS YOUR EXPECTATIONS. I KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE ITEMS TO CONSIDER ARE OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC IN-PERSON MEETINGS, WHICH I'M HEARING.

THERE'S A WANT FOR IT TO BE LIKE AT THE LIBRARY. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.

OTHER, OTHER THINGS THAT SOMETIMES CAN BE PROVIDED AS AS PART OF THE OUTREACH IS OBVIOUSLY MATERIALS. HOW DO WE HOW DO WE COMBINE WHAT'S IN, IN THE REPORT, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY

[02:15:05]

LENGTHY AND MAYBE HARD TO DIGEST? HOW DO WE HOW DO WE COMBINE THAT INTO SOMETHING THAT'S EASILY UNDERSTOOD FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, THAT FOCUSES ON THE WHY OR WHY DO WE GET HERE? WHAT'S THE REASON FOR THIS? THOSE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN WORK ON DEVELOPING. I'VE SEEN OTHER AGENCIES ALSO SOMETIMES PUT TOGETHER WHAT THEY CALL LIKE A MOCK BILL, RIGHT? SO SOMETIMES IN ORDER TO GIVE A SENSE TO A PARTICULAR CUSTOMER, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF I, YOU KNOW, HERE'S MY BILL, HERE'S MY BILL THAT I KNOW I'VE PAID MY BILLS.

GENERALLY, I USE 20 CONSUMPTIONS OR I USE 25 CONSUMPTIONS UNDER THIS NEW STRUCTURE BASED ON THE PROPOSED RATES. HOW WOULD THIS CHANGE MY BILL? SO AGENCIES SOMETIMES THEY THEY MAKE MOCK BILLS, SIMULATORS SO THAT YOU CAN TAKE ANY BILL FROM ANY PERSON AND, AND IT WILL IT WILL POP OUT WHAT THE NEW BILL WOULD BE UNDER THE PROPOSED RATES. RIGHT.

AND THAT GIVES THE PUBLIC A GENERAL SENSE OF WHAT IT REALLY MEANS. SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT SOMETIMES AGENCIES DO. THOSE ARE ALL OPEN. THOSE ARE ALL OPTIONS. BUT I THINK THAT I NEED TO GET WITH OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER. I THINK THAT WE COULD DO THAT AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK AND HERE PRETTY SOON, I THINK WE COULD PRESENT SOMETHING TO YOU. WE COULD GET SOME FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT YOU WOULD ACTUALLY WANT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME ITEMS THAT YOU WANT THIS. YOU WANT THAT. HOW MANY MEETINGS DO YOU WANT SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND? PROBABLY THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH EACH MEETING. IF HOW THAT'S GOING TO SO WE WHATEVER BUDGET, WHATEVER PROPOSAL WE BRING TO YOU, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO COVER THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE IT'S A GOOD SPOT TO LAND. SO WE'RE OPEN TO ALL OF THAT. I MEAN, WE, WE'RE SHOOTING FOR, WE'RE SHOOTING FOR FOUR MONTHS OF THAT. IF WE MOVE THE SCHEDULE TO FIT CLOSER TO CVD, IT GIVES US AN EXTRA MONTH. SO REALLY POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE FIVE MONTHS ALL THE WAY FROM NOW TO SAY SEPTEMBER OF, OF, OF PUBLIC OUTREACH. AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION. WHEN WE BROUGHT YOU THE UPDATE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A DRAFT OF WHAT WE'RE AT NOW. SO, SO WE HAVE ALL THE DATA TO, TO REALLY START PUTTING THE INFORMATION OUT IF WE WANTED TO DO IT NOW, WHICH I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO IT NOW. THERE'S REALLY NO NEED TO WAIT TO DO THIS OUTREACH. YOU KNOW, IN AUGUST WHEN WE'RE READY TO DO IT NOW. SO I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING YOUR FEEDBACK ON HOW YOU ENVISION THAT LOOKING LIKE. SO I DO LIKE OPTION TWO. I THINK IT LEAVES ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IF NEEDED. I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TRYING TO GET GRANTS SO THAT WE, AS RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AREN'T GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE FULL, YOU KNOW, BILL ON THAT. SO I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR FOR YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT. ALL RIGHT. APRIL 2026. AND OUR FOUR MONTH STARTS. SO THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT THE SECOND WEEK OF, OF APRIL. THEN I'M SORRY, THE FOURTH WEEK OF APRIL. THEN TO TO BRING BACK THEN HOW WE ROLL OUT THE, THE COMMUNITY INPUT PORTION OF IT. YES. WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS, WELL, WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE IS THE FRAMEWORK ON OUR CAMPAIGN. I LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT SIMILAR TO REVENUE MEASURES, IT HAS TO BE EDUCATIONAL, RIGHT? WE CAN'T MAKE IT APPEAR THAT SOMEHOW WE'RE PERSUADING OR TRYING TO TELL THE PROPERTY OWNERS ON HOW TO SUPPORT THIS. RIGHT? SO THIS IS THIS WILL BE ALL EDUCATIONAL, RIGHT? SO WHAT WE WILL PUT TOGETHER WITH OUR OUTSIDE, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH CONSULTANT IS A PLAN OF HOW THAT'S GOING TO LOOK WITH A NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, RIGHT? IT CAN'T JUST BE THE LIBRARY, BUT I THINK IN THIS INSTANCE, EXPERIENCE TELLS ME GO OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY CENTERS, WHEREVER IT MAY BE, THE PARK, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT OUTDOORS, BUT WE HAVE TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND EDUCATE THEM ON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. SO WE CAN BRING THAT BACK AS EARLY AS THE NEXT MEETING. I THINK NEXT MEETING ON THE 22ND, BRING THAT FRAMEWORK BACK TO YOU. SO, SO HERE'S MY CONCERN ABOUT IT IS THAT IF WE'RE SAYING, HEY, OUR FOUR MONTH STARTS BETWEEN APRIL AND JULY, THEN IT'S REALLY NOT FOUR MONTHS, RIGHT? RIGHT.

BECAUSE SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, OKAY, WE BRING IT BACK FOURTH WEEK OF APRIL, RIGHT? FOR CONVERSATION. THAT'S WHEN WE BRING IT BACK. AT THAT POINT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT SOMETHING THAT DAY DOESN'T LEAVE TOO MUCH ROOM RIGHT THEN AT THAT POINT TO THEN APPROVE.

I MEAN, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE COMING FORWARD WITH MAYBE A FEW OPTIONS OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY INPUT WOULD LOOK LIKE AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE 22ND, THE 22ND, RIGHT? CORRECT. SO SO YOU'RE COMING BACK AND YOU'RE GOING TO PROVIDE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THREE OPTIONS, RIGHT?

[02:20:02]

THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WELL VETTED. YOU KNOW, OUR RETIRED MAYOR BROUGHT UP SOME GOOD POINTS.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS, IS EVEN LOOKING, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LIBRARY AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WELLNESS CENTER AT THE PARK. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND WE HAVE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS THERE. SO WE CAN BECOME CREATIVE ON WHAT SPACES THAT WE WANT TO USE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HITTING, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH OF THE REST OF THE CITY SO THAT WE'RE BRINGING IT TO THESE SECTIONS OF THE, OF THE CITY, INSTEAD OF THEM HAVING TO COME TO THE LIBRARY, SOME OTHER AREAS. BUT MY CONCERN IS ONLY THEN FOR ME, THEN THAT MEANS THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS REALLY GOING INTO AUGUST, RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, IT'S COMING BACK FOURTH WEEK, WE'RE ADOPTING IT FOURTH WEEK OF APRIL. SO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH ISN'T REALLY IN APRIL IN MY NO, NO, NO, I, I, THE, THE APPROVAL OF THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY UNDER THIS OPTION IS NOT COMING. THE PROPOSAL HERE. AND THESE ARE ALL I MEAN, THESE CAN SHIFT A LITTLE BIT AND EVEN CAN SHIFT BY A MONTH. I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SAID. IT COULD SHIFT BY A MONTH. BUT UNDER THIS ONE, THE WAY IT'S THE WAY IT'S LAID OUT, THE APPROVAL OF THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY AND THE AND THE MAILING OF THE PROP 218 NOTICE IS AUGUST 24TH OF 2026. RIGHT. AND WE'RE SAYING WE CAN SHIFT THAT TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER. IT WOULD IT WOULD BE FORMAL, RIGHT? THE FINAL DECISION WOULD BE DECEMBER 8TH. THE THE FINAL, THE FINAL, THE. SO WHEN YOU APPROVE, WHEN YOU APPROVE THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY, AND YOU GIVE US THE OKAY THAT WE'RE OKAY TO MAIL THE PROP. 218 NOTICE THE PROP 218 NOTICE GOES WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING DATE.

SO THAT'S A NOTICE THAT TELLS THE CUSTOMER THERE'S GOING TO BE A HEARING WHERE COUNCIL IS GOING TO CONSIDER WHETHER THESE PROPOSED RATE INCREASES ARE ADOPTED OR NOT. AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A HEARING DATE ON THAT. SO IF WE IF WE IF YOU AUTHORIZE THE PROP 218 NOTICE MAILING, LET'S SAY AUGUST 24TH, OR EVEN IF YOU WANT TO PUSH IT BY A MONTH, WE CAN. SO LET'S JUST SAY WE'RE MAYBE SHOOTING NOW MORE FOR SEPTEMBER 20TH, YOU KNOW, THE END OF SEPTEMBER TO GIVE US MORE TIME FOR THAT PUBLIC OUTREACH THAT, THAT THAT PUBLIC HEARING IS PROBABLY NOW GOING TO MOVE TO MAYBE THE FIRST, THE FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER. OKAY. RIGHT. YEAH.

I'M NOT TRYING TO PRETEND WE'RE WE'RE COMPARING THE. CBD IN HOURS. SO CVS IS MOVING QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, 4 OR 5, FIVE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, SO IN COMPARISON, OURS IS REALLY THE ALMOST CLOSE TO TO WHAT, NINE MONTHS MAYBE OR SOMETHING, RIGHT. REMAINDER OF THE YEAR. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT SCALE BACK, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU'RE SAYING, HEY, WE APPROVE IT THE FOURTH WEEK OF APRIL, THE APPROVING THE C O S STUDY, IT GOES OUT APRIL 24TH. SO THERE'S THAT ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW. SO WE'RE DOING WE'RE DOING, WE'RE PROPOSING AT THIS POINT NOW CALL IT FIVE MONTHS OF PUBLIC OUTREACH. SO WE'RE JUST WE'RE GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE SHARING THE INFORMATION FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST. RIGHT. I SEE AND UNTIL.

SO WE DO THAT FOR FIVE MONTHS. AND THEN WE HAVE A RIGHT UNDER A REGULAR MEETING, WE BRING THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY TO YOU, WHICH NOW PROBABLY LANDS IN SEPTEMBER. AND IN THAT MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, AFTER WE'VE HAD FIVE MONTHS OF PUBLIC OUTREACH, IS WHERE IS WHERE YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD DECIDE WHETHER YOU APPROVE THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY AND YOU WOULD AUTHORIZE US TO MAIL THE PROP 218 NOTICE, WHICH WOULD SET THE HEARING TO DECEMBER. MAKES SENSE NOW, GUSTAVO. SO WE'RE SAYING, HEY, IF THE PUBLIC HEARING ADOPTING NEW RATES FAILS, THEN YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE HAVE THEN THE WINDOW BETWEEN JANUARY 1ST TO JULY, WHICH WAS PROVIDED IN OPTION ONE AND THREE. CORRECT. IT GIVES US TWO BITES AT THE APPLE. CORRECT. AND THEN. ALL RIGHT. SO I WILL SUGGEST THIS TOO IS THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AT THE RATE STUDY THAT YOU BROUGHT FORWARD, I THINK IS TO BE MINDFUL AS WHEN WE'RE SENDING THAT OUT FOR US, IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO READ, YOU KNOW, BUT IT CAN BE QUITE COMPLICATED. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE SENDING IT OUT, IT'S NOT AN EASY READ. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE BECAUSE WE KNOW THE BACKGROUND ON IT AND WE KNOW WHY IT'S COMING THROUGH. BUT I THINK THAT WE WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE SHARING THAT INFORMATION SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHEN THAT

[02:25:04]

FIRST RATE INCREASE IS GOING TO KICK IN. AND THEN WHEN THE SECOND ONE IS, IS IS GOING TO KICK IN. AND I KNOW YOU DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF PROVIDING IT TO US. BUT I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS AND, AND HOW WELL THEY'RE GOING TO UNDERSTAND THAT NOT THAT THEY CAN'T, YOU KNOW, BUT IT CAN BE QUITE, YOU KNOW, COMPLICATED. I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF I MAY, COUNCILMEMBER DELGADO, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL, ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT THE BALLOT ITSELF? WHEN WE SEND OUT THE PROP TO 18 BALLOT OR THE MATERIAL THAT WILL BE SHARING WITH THE COMMUNITY? I THINK BOTH, OKAY. I THINK BOTH BECAUSE ON THE BALLOT ITSELF, THERE IS LEGAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET IN TERMS OF THE VERBIAGE IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH WITH LAW, AND SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ROOM IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN WORD IT, BECAUSE THERE ARE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS ON THAT. BUT THE EDUCATION MATERIAL, YES, WE CAN DEFINITELY KIND OF MAKE IT MORE TO OUR AUNT MILDRED CAN UNDERSTAND IT, RIGHT? MORE SIMPLE, BUT HOPEFULLY IF WE DO ENOUGH OUTREACH IN THAT MANNER, WE CAN ALSO TELL PEOPLE, HEY, WHEN YOU GET THE BALLOT, IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS, RIGHT? BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? AND WE CAN EVEN EXPLAIN WHY IT HAS TO BE WRITTEN IN A CERTAIN MANNER, BUT IT'S ALL RELATED TO WHAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING FROM US. RIGHT. AND SO, AND I, AND I HAVE FULL FAITH IN THAT. YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THE EDUCATIONAL PORTION AND THE OUTREACH SO THAT PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED. SO WHEN IT IS MAILED OUT, THEY KNOW EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE IN FAVOR OR NOT. BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT BENEFIT FROM THEM OR SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, HERE'S THIS GOING OUT. AND THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT WELL ENOUGH. BUT I'M TELLING THEM, NO, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE BEST, YOU KNOW, OPTION THAT WE HAVE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY THAT THEY UNDERSTAND IT ENOUGH, HOPEFULLY WITH ENOUGH OUTREACH, BY THE TIME WE ACTUALLY SEND OUT THE BALLOTS, PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF HEARING US, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE GOT TO REPEAT IT. WE GOT TO BE REDUNDANT. IT CAN'T JUST BE A ONE TIME GOING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD. IT CAN'T JUST BE ONE WORKSHOP. WE HAVE TO BE REPETITIVE IN THAT MANNER. CASTELO IS IS KV DOING OUTREACH.

NOT NOT AS AS DIRECTED AS I THINK THIS COUNCIL IS PROPOSING. I THINK THAT KV D IS PRESENTING ON THE ITEM THROUGH THEIR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETINGS. THEY MIGHT HAVE A STUDY SESSION THAT IS A STUDY SESSION, MORE SO IT'S OPEN TO EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S. BUT IT'S FOR THE BOARD AND EVERYBODY'S WELCOME TO ATTEND. SO. SO THEY USE THOSE AS BOTH A WAY TO BRING THE BOARD UP TO DATE, BUT ALSO TO ALLOW FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE THERE IF THEY WANT. I THINK WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS, IS GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S IT'S A LOT MORE THAN THAN WHAT KV IS PROPOSING. I ALSO, I THINK ONE OF THE BENEFITS TO TRYING TO KEEP IN LINE WITH THEIR SCHEDULE IS THAT I'M PRETTY SURE IT'LL GIVE US A SENSE OF HOW WHAT THEIR PROP 218 NOTICE LOOKS LIKE. YOU'LL HAVE A COMPARISON TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT, SEE HOW WE MATCH AGAINST THAT. TO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS, A BIG PORTION OF THAT IS IS REQUIRED VERBIAGE BY LAW. IT'S A TEMPLATE. AND SO THERE'S NO THERE'S THERE'S WAYS THAT YOU CAN ADD MORE TO IT TO CLARIFY THINGS, BUT BUT THERE'S A MINIMUM STANDARD THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET. I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST HAS CREATED LIKE A WHOLE PAMPHLET. AS PART OF THE 218 NOTICE WHERE IT'S LIKE IN COLOR. IT HAS ALL THESE GRAPHICS. AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT SOMETIMES AGENCIES RECEIVE IS, WELL, YEAH, YOU'RE SPENDING ALL THE MONEY ON THE, ON THE NOTICE, RIGHT? SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A, IT'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD DO TOO MUCH IN THE NOTICE OR, OR, AND SO SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES AGENCIES JUST GO WITH WHAT'S REQUIRED BY WHAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW. BECAUSE YOU COULD, YOU COULD GO EXTRA. AND THEN THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONFUSION IF WE GO WITH OPTION ONE OR OPTION THREE. AND YOU KNOW, CBW, CBW IS HAVING THEIR JANUARY DEADLINE. AND IF WE'RE MOVING IT TO JULY, THEN THERE WOULD BE MAYBE SOME MORE, YOU KNOW, MISUNDERSTANDING AS TO WHEN THE DEADLINES ARE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? I THINK ONE BIG THING IS IN THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THE PUBLIC COMMENT ON EARLIER, THERE WAS TALK ABOUT USING GENERAL CONCEPT IDEAS WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE PRESENTATION. I THINK DOING A ZOOM, LIKE ALL VIRTUAL ONE WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT JUST ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIKE IF YOU SCHEDULED ONE LIKE AT 7 P.M. ON ZOOM BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW,

[02:30:03]

THEY HAVE LITTLE ONES AND THEY CAN'T GET AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, BOTH PARENTS WORK ALL DAY AND THEY CAN'T GET AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, HAVING AN EXTRA HOUR OR TWO OF, OF CHILDCARE. AND THE ZOOM MAKES IT EASIER, I THINK FOR, FOR A PRESENTATION LIKE THAT, YOU HAVE A COUPLE AND THEY'RE ALSO LOW COST, RIGHT? IT'S JUST A ZOOM AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT WEBINAR FUNCTION SO YOU CAN ALLOW FOR MORE PEOPLE. AND IT'S ALSO RECORDED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GO BACK AND WE CAN POST IT ON, ON YOUTUBE. AND, YOU KNOW, THEN IT'S EASIER TO SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE IT DOES GET A FURTHER OUTREACH SO THAT IT GETS A BIGGER FOOTPRINT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE WHERE GO BACK AND LISTEN, OH, THEY MENTIONED THIS X, Y, AND Z, AND EVERYONE'S GOING TO GET THE SAME PRESENTATION. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THERE. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE, THE IMPORTANCE IS THIS IS A STATE CHANGED POLICY ON THE CHROMIUM SIX. THAT IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. AND WHAT THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, IN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FEDERAL LEVEL OF CHROMIUM SIX M HCL TO THE STATE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE BRIEF. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT TOO MUCH TECHNICAL STUFF IN IT. BUT I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE WE'VE SENT IT OUT ALREADY, RIGHT IN THE FLIER.

BUT I THINK A BRIEF, ESPECIALLY IF YOU EDUCATE PEOPLE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WITH THE RATES? AND I THINK JUST THE EDUCATIONAL PIECE BECAUSE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WILL APPRECIATE IT. WE'RE JUST ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE COULD THINK OF PEOPLE ASKING. PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO ASK MORE LIKE, CAN I STILL DRINK MY WATER RIGHT NOW? THEY'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT OCCURRING. SO THOSE ARE MY ONLY QUESTIONS.

AND I THINK, YEAH, SO YOU HAVE APRIL, MAY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST. AND THEN I THINK THE OPTION TWO KIND OF SETS IT PRETTY WELL FOR FOR THE WHOLE PERSPECTIVE AND, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS FOR, FOR ENOUGH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE IMPORTANT PART HERE IS THE WINDOW FOR GRANTS, RIGHT? LIKE, YEAH, IT'S THAT GRANT WINDOW THAT POTENTIALLY CAN HELP, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE CAN GO BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE ACTUALLY GOT MORE MONEY AND IT'S GOING TO HELP US THEN REASSESS WHAT OUR TOTAL ACTUALLY OVERHEAD COSTS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS. YEAH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG BENCHMARK FOR US. THE AS YOU KNOW, THE STATE DID OPEN UP FOR THE GRANT AMOUNT TO GO UP TO 50 MILLION. SO. A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS AT, YOU KNOW, FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. SO SO THE QUICKER WE CAN GET IN THE QUEUE, THE BETTER. AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. I'VE ALSO SHARED WITH OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER THAT I THINK WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANOTHER DO SOME VISITS IN SACRAMENTO WITH THE STATE WATER BOARD. YOU YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM WE HAVE SOME RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE WITH, WITH FOLKS UP THERE AT THE AT THE WATER BOARD. AND I THINK WE, WE'RE AT A TIME WHERE I THINK WE, WE, WE CAN START TOUCHING BASE AS TO WHERE OUR PROJECT IS, WHEN WE EXPECT TO HAVE OUR FULL APPLICATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO WANT TO ALSO DO HERE PRETTY SOON BECAUSE WE WENT IT'S BEEN, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, MAYBE LIKE A YEAR NOW, BUT, BUT IT MIGHT BE TIME TO MAYBE GO UP THERE AGAIN AND TO THE NEXT MEETING. AND WE HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH SOME OF THE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN THE POSITIONS THAT THAT CAN ASSIST OR AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, HELP OUT A BIT. I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE A BIT MORE TOO, OF THE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS THAT SERVE ON THE CAUCUS AS WELL. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT BENEFIT FOR US.

AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT AT A MUCH LARGER SCALE. BUT WE HAVE SOME PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A TRIP OUT THERE.

YEAH, I OKAY, SO I THINK THERE'S A CONSENSUS, RIGHT, WITH THE OPTION TWO AND YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO VOTE ON THIS. I CAN JUST GET YOU TO VOTE. SO WE HAVE THAT. OKAY, SO I'M SO SORRY. I'M GOING TO ASK A FEW MORE. THE FOR THE DEADLINES FOR THE STATE GRANTS, YOU KNOW, IS THERE, IS THERE DEADLINES? ARE THEY STREAMLINING THAT PROCESS? IF THERE'S SO THE, THE STATE GOES THROUGH A BUDGET PROCESS ALSO. AND SO YOU. DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR, YOUR FULL APPLICATION, THE MONEY THAT THE MONEY THAT THEY SET ASIDE FOR YOUR PROJECT IS EITHER COMING FROM THE FISCAL YEAR THAT THEY'RE IN OR THEY PUT YOU IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO IT DEPENDS ON WHEN. SO, SO WE HAVE A PROJECT MANAGER THAT'S ASSIGNED TO OUR PROJECT ALREADY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE SRF PROCESS. WE MEET WITH THE PROJECT MANAGER, STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD STAFFER, MONTHLY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM FROM HER IS THAT IS THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE BUDGET IN THE 27 FY 27 BUDGET, WE WOULD HAVE TO TRY TO HAVE THE MAJORITY OF OUR APPLICATION IN BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR

[02:35:02]

YEAR. IF WE DON'T HAVE THE APPLICATION IN BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR, THEN OUR PROJECT WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE NEXT BUDGET. IN THE NEXT BUDGET APPROVAL. SO THEN ARE THEY THEN MAKING THE DECISIONS BY HOW MANY APPLICANTS ARE GOING TO BE APPROVING, AND THEN HOW MUCH MONEY IS LEFT? OR I MEAN, I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT IN THE SIZE OF THE SIZE OF THE, OF THE CITY OR THE AGENCY. AND SO HAVE THEY GIVEN ANY MORE DIRECTION ON THAT SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE 3 OR 4 AT THIS RANGE? OR IS IT MORE IS, IS AS THE APPLICATIONS ARE COMING IN, WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWING FOR EACH, THEN YOU KNOW, THE REST OF IT, THEN WE'LL PUT ON THE DOCKET FOR THEM. IT'S MORE, IT'S MORE ON THE. IT'S MORE AS. SO APPLICATIONS COME IN THROUGH THE STATE AND THE BUDGET GETS APPROPRIATED AS, AS THEY START APPROPRIATING DOLLARS FROM THAT BUDGET YEAR TO THE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING IN. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING FULL APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED. AND THEN SO THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY LEFT, RIGHT, RIGHT. IF IF IF. SO I THINK HER RECOMMENDATION IS IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOMETHING IN BY THE END OF DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR. THERE'S PROBABLY THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH BUDGET ANYMORE. RIGHT. AND SO THEN THAT PROJECT WOULD HAVE TO, WOULD HAVE TO ROLL INTO THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR. YEAH. RIGHT. SO THEN WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THIS STUFF READY TO GO ASAP. AND SO THAT WE'RE AT, WE'RE POSITIONING OURSELVES IN IN THE STRONGEST POSITION WE CAN TO BE AWARDED OR TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. YES. WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. AND ONE OF THE SO SO THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT ARE THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT MAKE UP THE APPLICATION THAT DICTATE THE TIMELINE OF WHEN YOUR APPLICATION IS COMPLETE. ONE OF THEM IS HOW FAST ARE YOU GOING TO APPROVE RATES? HOW FAST ARE YOU GOING TO DESIGN THE PROJECT? SO YOU. SO THE. SO THE STATE REQUIRES YOU TO SUBMIT FULLY DESIGNED, FULLY SPEC PROJECT. AND YOU HAVE TO CLEAR THE ENVIRONMENTAL. AND SO THOSE ARE ALL THREE THINGS THAT ARE MOVING. AND THEY HAVE TO MOVE IN ALIGNMENT, HOPEFULLY, SO THAT WE GET THINGS DONE HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND THEN AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AS WE WENT AFTER, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THIS FEDERAL FUNDING, WHICH THEY'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, OUR CONGRESSMAN'S BEEN VERY GOOD AND RESPONSIVE. AND SEEING WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE, THEN THAT WOULD BE ALSO WE'RE LOOKING AT THEN IN THIS WINDOW OR WHEN HAVE YOU GOTTEN ANY FEEDBACK THAT PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK WE'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED? WELL, WE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE. SO YEAH, SO WE, WE HEARD FROM THE CONGRESSMAN'S OFFICE THAT OUR, ONE OF OUR PROJECTS, THEY WERE GOING TO, THEY WERE GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THROUGH THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE THAT IT RECEIVED SOME FUNDING. AND I THINK THEY SAID FOR ABOUT $5 MILLION. BUT THAT'S THAT'S REALLY TO. FOR THE FOR THE FOR FOR FOR WELL, 20. RIGHT, RIGHT. WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON WELL, 20 BEING THE FIRST WELL THAT RECEIVES THE CHROMIUM. SIX TREATMENT. SO WE CAN TURN IT ON, BUT IT STILL BRINGS DOWN OUR COSTS. AND IT DOES, IT DOES, IT BRINGS 5 MILLION. OTHERWISE WE WOULDN'T HAVE IT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE OR THE COUNCIL WANTS TO GO ON COMPREHENSIVE WATER AND WASTEWATER RATE STUDY UPDATE PROPOSAL. PROP 218 SCHEDULED OVERHEAD MOTION. CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY OPTION TWO? OPTION TWO. I'LL SECOND HER MOTION. OKAY.

MOTION COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DELGADO. YES. AND MAYOR PRO TEM FIGUEROA.

YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 12. APPROVE A SPECIAL EVENT AND ASSOCIATED APPROPRIATIONS FOR A KEYS TO THE CITY CEREMONY IN HONOR OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL'S GIRLS SOCCER TEAM, IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR CIF DIVISION FIVE CHAMPIONSHIPS. SO REMEMBER AGAIN, COUNCIL, THIS ITEM IS COMING BACK TO YOU FROM THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING WITH YOU DIRECTED US TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN AND SCHEDULE FOR THIS. AND SO DIRECTOR IS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WILL PRESENT THIS TO YOU. OKAY. LIKE OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER SAID. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AS OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER SAID, THIS IS A FOLLOW UP FROM THE LAST MEETING WHERE YOU GAVE US DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE KEYS TO THE CITY EVENT TO HONOR THE GIRLS SOCCER TEAM FOR THEIR CIF DIVISION FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP. FIRST, I WANT TO ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS IN THE LAST MEETING AND GIVING US DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. I WAS VERY HAPPY THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGED HOW ENTHUSIASTIC STAFF WAS AND HOW ENTHUSIASTIC

[02:40:04]

COUNCIL WAS TO SHOW THIS KIND OF SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND JUST THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT. AS FAR AS LOOKING AT THE KEYS TO THE EVENT CITY, ARE THIS KEYS TO THE CITY EVENT? WE LOOKED AT THREE PRIMARY OPTIONS. NORMALLY, WE HOST THE KEYS TO THE EVENT AT THE AT THE LIBRARY, BUT WHEN WE DO THAT, THERE'S USUALLY ONLY ONE ATTENDEE. AND WITH 26 POTENTIAL ATTENDEES, WE WERE KIND OF CONCERNED THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE THERE. THE STAGE SPACE IS TOO SMALL AND KIND OF THE OPEN SPACE BACK THERE IS A LITTLE BIT SMALL, BECAUSE WE THINK THAT WE MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER ATTENDANCE FOR THIS EVENT THAN WE NORMALLY DO. ANOTHER OPTION WE LOOKED AT WAS POTENTIALLY HAVING IT AT BAGUMA PARK. IT'S A SOCCER FIELD. WE'RE KIND OF THINKING IT COULD HAVE MORE OF A MUCH BIGGER KIND OF COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY. BUT AS WE REALLY STARTED LOOKING AT COSTS INTO THAT, THERE'S NO STAGE FACILITIES THERE. THERE'S NOT REALLY PROPER LIGHTING FOR HOW YOU WOULD SET UP THAT STAGE SYSTEM, THE SOUND SYSTEMS AND EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BRING IN THE COSTS STARTED BECOMING LIKE VERY HIGH TO TRY TO HAVE SOMETHING THERE AS A NIGHTTIME EVENT. SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT AS WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A GREAT VENUE WOULD BE WE KIND OF MODELED THIS AFTER VERY SIMILAR TO HOW WE RUN OUR VETERANS PANCAKE BREAKFAST. WE COULD HAVE A VIP CATERED AREA WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE A CATERED BREAKFAST FOR ALL THE HONOREES. WE HAVE A STAGE THAT'S ALREADY THERE. WE HAVE THE ELECTRICITY. WE ARE ABLE TO USE OUR OWN CITY SOUND SYSTEM, SO THAT HELPS KEEP COSTS MANAGEABLE. AND THEN BECAUSE IT'S A LARGE OPEN AREA, IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THEN WE'D BE ABLE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ROOM FOR ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL THAT COULD ATTEND THE EVENT. SO THIS IS KIND OF THE THE SETUP WE'D BE LOOKING AT, LIKE I SAID, VERY SIMILAR TO THE PANCAKE BREAKFAST WITH A, WITH A VIP CATERED BREAKFAST FOR ALL OF OUR HONOREES, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR GUESTS, AND THEN AN OPEN AREA FOR ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY TO KIND OF WITNESS THE EVENT AS WELL.

LOOKING AT SCHEDULES SINCE WE ARE ALREADY IN APRIL AND IT'S FESTIVAL SEASON FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKENDS, WE'RE TENTATIVELY LOOKING FOR SATURDAY, MAY 2ND. THAT WAY WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO CATERING. WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS TO THE MATERIALS WE NEED TO HOST THE EVENT. A LOT OF THOSE ITEMS ARE NOT AVAILABLE DURING FESTIVAL SEASON FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKENDS, AND THE MAY 2ND ALSO GIVES US TIME TO DO THE PLANNING TO REACH OUT TO VENDORS. AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS EVENT, WE'RE HOPING TO DO PLANNING, MARKETING, AND THEN ALSO SOLICITATION FOR SPONSORSHIPS. WE THINK THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY REALLY ENHANCE THIS EVENT BY HAVING ADDITIONAL TIME TO TRY TO SEEK SPONSORSHIPS FROM SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS SO THAT MAYBE SOME OF THOSE HANDOUTS, SOME OF THOSE ADDITIONAL THINGS WE CAN PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY, WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE CATERING AVAILABLE TO OUR HONOREES AND THEIR FAMILIES, WE CAN REALLY ENHANCE THAT BY HAVING THAT ADDITIONAL TIME TO GET THOSE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. SO LOOKING AT THIS, THE PANCAKE BREAKFAST, WE LOOKED AT WHAT THE SCHEDULE FOR THAT IS. SO THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE BUDGET BY COMPARING IT TO THAT EVENT AND A CATERED BREAKFAST FOR ABOUT 100 VIP PEOPLE, GUESTS WE THINK WOULD COST ABOUT $7,000. AND THAT INCLUDES ALL THE ASPECTS OF THE EVENT, YOU KNOW, THE KEYS, THE SOUND SYSTEM, EVERYTHING THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO HOST THAT. AND THEN THERE WOULD ALSO BE MAYBE ABOUT $1,500 WORTH OF IN-KIND SERVICES, WHICH IS JUST THE STAFF TIME FOR SETTING IT UP, TAKING THE ITEMS DOWN, MANNING THE BOOTHS, IF THERE'S ANY GIVEAWAYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO THIS IS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO FOR THE EVENT. WE MET WITH OUR WHOLE EVENT PLANNING COMMITTEE TO PLAN THIS EVENT OUT. AND YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A VERY NICE WAY TO HELP HONOR THE SOCCER TEAM FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT. AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TO SEE IF YOU AGREE THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD EVENT SO THAT WE CAN AGGRESSIVELY MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. PLANNING COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL. I LIKE THE AREA. SO IS THIS GOING TO BE IN THE MORNING? IS THIS GOING TO BE IN THE. YEAH. SO IT WOULD BE A IT WOULD BE A CATERED BREAKFAST. YEAH. I THINK WE'RE THINKING KIND OF LIKE A 830 TO 10 KIND OF TIME FRAME A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN WE DO THE VETERANS PANCAKE BREAKFAST. SO WE WERE DONE BEFORE IT GETS HOT. SO ANDREW, WAS THERE A CONSIDERATION TO DO IT PERHAPS THAT EVENING OR IN

[02:45:04]

THE EVENING? WAS IT WAS IT THOUGHT OUT WHETHER WE CAN DO YOU KNOW, MORNING OR THEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, A DINNER OR YOU KNOW, SOMETHING DURING THE DAY. OTHER. YES. BUT VETERANS PARK DOESN'T HAVE GOOD LIGHTING. SO IF IT WASN'T NIGHT, WE WOULD HAVE TO RENT A WHOLE BUNCH OF ADDITIONAL LIGHTING. SO THAT WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL COSTS. AND THEN ALSO CATERING A DINNER IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN CATERING AT BREAKFAST BY A LITTLE BIT. SO AN EVENING EVENT COULD BE CONSIDERED, BUT IT WOULD RAISE THE COST SIGNIFICANTLY. MY CONCERN IS SOME OF THESE GIRLS DO PLAY SOCCER OUTSIDE COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL, AND A LOT OF THEIR GAMES ARE USUALLY ON SATURDAYS, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE OUT OF TOWN. THAT WAS MY IS MY CONCERN IS HAVING IT IN THE MORNING. CAN WE YOU KNOW, WE DID REACH OUT TO THE COACH AHEAD OF TIME TO ASK WHETHER OR NOT ANY CLUB PLAY WOULD BE HAPPENING IN MAY. SO THAT IS ANOTHER REASON WE PICKED THAT DATE IS BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY IN BETWEEN CLUB PLAY, BECAUSE THE REGULAR SEASON ENDS, THAT'S KIND OF WHEN IT'S THE FINALS WEEK. IT'S KIND OF THE END WHEN IT'S THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL. SO THEY DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE CLUB PLAY SCHEDULED FOR THAT TIME.

SO GOOD. YOU THOUGHT OF THAT? YES, THAT WAS MY CONCERN WHEN I WAS LIKE, BREAKFAST. I DON'T KNOW IF THE GIRLS ARE GOING TO MAKE IT. DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MORE WOULD COST FOR THE NIGHT TIME FOR THE LIGHTS, LIKE OF THE 7000. LIKE. LIKE WHAT IS IT? YOU KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO PUT THEM OUT WHEN WE DO LIKE THE TACOS OR LIKE WHEN WE DO THE LIKE THE PARADE SWITCHED TO A NIGHTTIME EVENT WOULD PROBABLY COST AN ADDITIONAL LIKE $3,000. AND IS THAT THE SAME DAY THAT WE HAVE THE YOUTH COMMISSION CONFERENCE? YES. WHICH IS IN THE EVENING, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY THE LIBRARY IS NOT AVAILABLE, BECAUSE, YEAH, THERE'S A CONFERENCE, THE LIBRARY IN THE MORNING. 830 TO 1:00 THAT THE YOUTH CONFERENCE, THE. IT'S AT THE LIBRARY, I THINK. YES. ANDREW. WHEN YOU WHEN YOU REACHED OUT TO THE COACH WAS HE WAS WAS HE PRETTY, YOU KNOW, SET ON THIS DATE. THIS WAS THE BEST DATE THAT WORKED FOR HIM OR WERE THERE OTHERS THAT WERE. NO, IT WAS TENTATIVE. SO IN THE STAFF REPORT WE SAID IT'S TENTATIVE.

SO SETTING AN EXACT DATE AND EXACT TIME IS STILL NEGOTIABLE WITH THEM. BUT IF WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE VENUE, WE CAN HAVE THE DATES STILL BE MALLEABLE. YEAH, I LIKE THE I LIKE THE VENUE. I DO TOO. OKAY. THE, THE. IF THERE WAS ANOTHER DATE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE CAN PERHAPS LOOK INTO IS AS IT'S GETTING HOTTER, IT, IT ALSO MAKES SENSE THAT EARLY IN THE MORNING, YOU KNOW, IS, IS, IS NICE. I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME OF OUR OTHER EVENTS OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THAT IT'S COOL IN THE MORNING, YOU KNOW, THERE ISN'T ANY SHADE AT VETERANS PARK. IT'S PRETTY PRETTY OPEN. ARE WE GONNA HAVE ANYTHING? WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SHADING THAT WE DO FOR FOR THE VETERANS PANCAKE. YEAH. SO THE COST WOULD INCLUDE THE SHADED TABLES. SO WE'D HAVE THE SAME SETUP LIKE WE HAVE WHERE WE HAVE THE TABLES AND THE, AND THE UMBRELLAS. AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE COST IS FOR ABOUT 100 ATTENDEES, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, 26 PEOPLE, HOW, HOW DO WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO STAY AROUND 100? SO THE VIP AREA WOULD BE THE INVITE ONLY. SO IT WOULD BE YOU'D HAVE THE 26 PEOPLE, YOU'D HAVE ADDITIONAL HONORED GUESTS. AND THEN WE CAME UP WITH 100.

BECAUSE IF THEY HAVE, YOU ALLOW THEM TO BRING 2 TO 3 FAMILY MEMBERS EACH, THEN THAT KIND OF PUTS YOU AT ABOUT 100 KIND OF VIP AREA. SO JUST LIKE WITH THE PANCAKE BREAKFAST, HOW IT'S INVITE, THE VIP AREA WOULD BE THE INVITE. AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WANT TO ATTEND CAN HAVE, BE IN THE MORE OPEN COMMUNITY AREA, BUT THE ACTUAL CATERED BREAKFAST WOULD BE FOR THE INVITED VIP GUESTS. SELENA FOR THE YOUTH CONFERENCE. HOW MUCH? HOW MUCH STUDENTS OR COMMISSIONERS AND WILL BE ATTENDING THAT? I THINK WE'RE EXPECTING ABOUT 150 STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE, AND THAT INCLUDES THE YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION MEMBERS. AND THEN ALSO LIKE A LIKE TWO KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AND THEN OTHER PANELISTS THAT WILL BE THERE. WE'RE HAVING THAT EVENT AT THE LIBRARY IN ROOMS ONE AND TWO AND THREE, AND, AND IT'LL BE LIKE AN ALL DAY THING.

830 TO ABOUT 1:00. YEAH. I MEAN, I REALLY WANT TO ATTEND THAT, YOU KNOW, TO IT IS OUR YOUTH COMMISSION. SO I THINK AT THAT POINT WE, WE MAY HAVE TO SEEK OUT ANOTHER DATE IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT MANY IN ATTENDANCE. I, I WOULD LIKE TO BE THERE FOR THE CONFERENCE TO SUPPORT THE

[02:50:02]

GIRLS, YOU KNOW. SO. OKAY. YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE DATE FOR THE YOUTH CONFERENCE? NO, NO.

MEANING I WANT TO BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE YOUTH CONFERENCE. AND SO I'M THINKING THAT MAYBE WE CAN IF EVERYONE HERE AGREES THAT WE MOVE THEM, PERHAPS ANOTHER ANOTHER DATE SO THAT IT DOESN'T. IT'S NOT A CONFLICT WITH THE YOUTH COMMISSION. BE THE FOLLOWING THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND. I THINK IT DEPENDS ON ON ON THE GIRLS. YEAH. FOLLOW UP. YEAH, I COULD I COULD FOLLOW UP WITH THE COACH SINCE WE KNOW THAT WEEKENDS AVAILABLE. I MEAN, ANOTHER OPTION COULD ALSO BE TO HAVE IT AS AN EVENING EVENT IF WE WANTED TO APPROPRIATE A SLIGHTLY HIGHER BUDGET SO THAT WE COULD PLAN FOR HAVING LIGHTS, BUT WE COULD STILL WE COULD REACH OUT TO THE COACH AND SEE IF THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND AS A MORNING WOULD WORK. BUT IF WE WANTED TO APPROPRIATE A BUDGET NOW SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THE STEPS TO REACH OUT TO THEM AND AND FIND OUT IF MAY 2ND IN THE EVENING WORKS OR IF THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND WORKS. AND YOU GUYS HAVE RECOMMENDED BUDGET IS 7000, CORRECT? YES. SO IF YOU WANT US TO HAVE AN OPTION TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF CONSIDER EITHER THE EVENING OF MAY 2ND OR THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND, I THINK IF WE APPROPRIATE A BUDGET OF 10,000, THAT WOULD GIVE US THE OPTION TO DO EITHER OR AND ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PLANNING OF THAT EVENT. SO AND YOU WERE SAYING, HEY, IF WE APPROPRIATE ANOTHER 3000 AND BRING IT UP FROM THE 7000 TO 10,000, THEN PERHAPS WE CAN DO SOMETHING IN THE EVENING THAT DAY. YES. AND, AND, AND THE REASON I ALSO THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA IS BECAUSE THEN THEN THE YOUTH COMMISSION OR THE THOSE WHO ARE ATTENDING THE YOUTH CONFERENCE CAN POSSIBLY THEN WALK TO, TO A VETERANS PARK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE ALL VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE GROUPS. SO DO IT IN THE AFTERNOON ON MAY 2ND.

WELL, I'M THINKING IF IF THE IF THE CONFERENCE IS BETWEEN 8 AND 1, RIGHT. THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE DOWNTOWN ALREADY. AND SO MAYBE THEY CAN JUST WALK OVER THERE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN THE AFTERNOON IT STARTS REALLY HEATING UP. YEAH. I MEAN, WE COULD DO IF WE DID A CATERED LUNCH WHERE IT WAS TIMED TO BE RIGHT AFTER THE YOUTH COMMISSION. THAT IS ALSO THE HOTTEST PART OF THE DAY. SO THAT'S. I DON'T KNOW WHAT DO YOU IT'S BASICALLY JUST A PRESENTATION, RIGHT? RECOGNITION. LET THEM SOCIALIZE A LITTLE BIT. SO EVEN IF WE DID 5:00, 6:00 BY THEN LIGHTS STILL OUT TILL ABOUT 730, 8:00, RIGHT. SO I THINK WE CAN MINIMIZE SOME OF THAT COST. SHOULD WE DO A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE EVENING, LATE AFTERNOON. THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO RENT LIGHTS BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE NIGHT. SO WE CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY. SO I THINK FOR FOR DIRECTION PURPOSES, WE COULD AUTHORIZE UP TO 10,000.

SO WE CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY. BECAUSE I AGREE WITH THE DIRECTOR, WE DO NEED TO GET GOING. WE GOT ABOUT A THREE WEEK WINDOW HERE, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO DO IT MAY 2ND IN THE EVENING OR LATE AFTERNOON. IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNCIL, THEN WE CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY. SO IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH THE COUNCIL CONFERENCE IN THE MORNING. AND THEN WE CAN GET GOING ON THIS. AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WIGGLE ROOM UP TO THE 10,000 FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT. SO, SO SORRY. I SAID HE MAKES A GOOD POINT ABOUT THE I MEAN, IN MAY. I MEAN IT DOESN'T GET DARK TILL CLOSE TO EIGHT. SO EVEN LIKE A 630 TO 8 WOULD ALLOW US TO, TO MAYBE HAVE AN EVENING EVENT WHERE IT'S A LITTLE BIT COOLER. YEAH. OKAY. SO, SO THEN I SUPPORT THEN JUST MOVING IT TOWARDS THE EVENING OR EARLY EVENING, YOU KNOW, I'LL LEAVE THAT AT YOUR DISCRETION AND YOUR TEAM, WHAT THE BEST TIME IS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER EARLY EVENING OR, AND THEN AND THEN APPROPRIATE UP TO 10,000 IF IT'S IF NEEDED. YES. OKAY. ALL ABOUT THAT. YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. A MOTION TO, TO APPROVE THE SPECIAL EVENT WITH UP TO 10,000 IN LOOKING AT THE MAIN EVENT OF AN EVENING EVENT, IF THAT'S OKAY. YEAH. MOTION I MOTION.

YEAH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER DELGADO. YES.

AND MAYOR PRO TEM DOCTOR FIGUEROA YES, I'LL MOVE ON TO IF THERE IS NO PUBLIC HEARING

[Reports and Requests]

CALENDAR, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO REPORTS AND REQUESTS. AND WE'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ. YES. I DON'T HAVE MUCH. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE SENIOR CENTER EASTER EGG HUNT, WHICH IS ALWAYS FUN. I LOVE GOING TO THE SENIOR CENTER. THEY'RE ALWAYS SO HAPPY. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE IVAN ANGULO, A FRESHMAN FROM COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL WHO ACTUALLY QUALIFIED FOR THE STATE CIF CHAMPIONSHIP. WISHING HIM LUCK AND HOPEFULLY HE WINS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION FOR HIM. BUT I DO WANT TO THANK HIM FOR HIS EFFORTS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS, DELGADO. SO, SO I SEE THAT ON THE ON THE AGENDA. WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE DIRECTION

[02:55:05]

ON FUTURE ITEMS THAT WILL COME. THEN IN THE NEXT. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'LL COME AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. OKAY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN SINCE IT'S NOT AGENDIZED YET, IS THAT I REALLY DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND, AND GIVE A PROCLAMATION TO, TO OUR EMPLOYEES THAT RETIRED AND WORKED 20 YEARS AND ABOVE, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM A PROCLAMATION AND GIVE THEM THAT PROPER APPRECIATION THAT WE THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO. I DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH. I DID I DID GO TO THE CTC, RIVERSIDE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING AND CATHEDRAL CITY. USUALLY I DRIVE TO RIVERSIDE. TODAY WAS IN CATHEDRAL CITY AND WE JUST WENT OVER, YOU KNOW, SUNLINE TRANSIT AGENCY AND SOME OF THE TRANSPORTATION INTERCHANGES AND BRIDGES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE PARTNERSHIP OF COACHELLA VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS. I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THE THE BRIDGE THAT'S NEEDED ON THE EXPRESSWAY 86 YOU KNOW, THAT THAT EXPRESSWAY, THERE'S A LOT OF FATALITIES, A LOT OF FATALITIES. AND SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES THAT ARE LOSING THEIR LIVES, PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO WORK, WHO ARE LOSING THEIR LIVES. AND THAT'S JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE THE PROPER, I GUESS, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT REALLY PROMOTES THE SAFETY THAT'S NEEDED THERE. AND SO I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH WE WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GO AFTER THAT FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN FINISH OFF THAT THAT BRIDGE. TALKING ABOUT BRIDGES. AND YOU ALREADY KNOWS WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR WITH OUR BRIDGE GOING OVER THE, THE WHITEWATER CANAL. YEAH. IF I MAY, WE'LL LET YOU FINISH. AND THEN OUR CITY MANAGER, I'LL CALL THEM UP TO GIVE THEM A DATE. AN UPDATE ON THAT, IF I MAY, WITH YOUR PERMISSION. THANK YOU. AND THEN ALSO, IF YOU CAN ALSO PROVIDE US AN UPDATE ON THE NINTH STREET PARK. WELL, WHILE HE'S UP HERE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN START MOVING ON THAT COMMUNITY RESILIENCY CENTER SOON AS AS WELL. YEAH. NO PRESSURE ANDREW. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I HAD A BUSY COUPLE LAST WEEK, SO I ALSO WENT TO THE SENIOR CENTER. EGG HUNT AND WE GOT TO PASS OUT. I GOT THERE A LITTLE BIT AFTER THEY HAD LUNCH AND WE GOT TO HELP HIM PASS OUT A POSTER. AND SO THEY WERE EATING THEIR CAKE AND YOU KNOW, THEIR CAKE AND IT WAS CAKE AND CHEESECAKE. AND YOU KNOW, THEY WERE ALL FIGHTING FOR THE CHEESECAKE. IT WAS REALLY GOOD. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO JUST KIND OF SEE CHATTING WITH THEM. AND I KNOW A COUPLE OF THE SENIORS THAT ARE IN THE SENIOR CENTER, AND I'VE KNOWN HER FOR A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS A KID, AND IT'S JUST GREAT TO SEE HER, YOU KNOW, ACTIVE STILL AND, YOU KNOW, POST RETIREMENT AND JUST SEEING, YOU KNOW, HOW GREAT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GO SIT DOWN AND PLAY ONE DAY BECAUSE IT'S LIKE AN INTENSE GAME FROM WHAT I SAW WHEN I WALKED IN THERE. SO I ALSO ATTENDED THE NEW STARBUCKS RIBBON CUTTING. THE STAFF WAS THERE. I GIVE A KUDOS TO INTERIM CITY MANAGER KENDRA AND HER STAFF, ANDREW AND HIS STAFF AS WELL, AND ALL THE OTHER STAFF THAT ALSO WENT. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S. IT WAS A GREAT LITTLE SPOT. AND I THINK THE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR WORKING IN THE CITY AND WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS TO GET THAT PROJECT OPEN AND, AND REALLY SEEING WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THOSE OTHER TWO PARCELS THAT ARE LEFT, THE LITTLE LOCALES RIGHT THERE.

SO I ATTENDED THE SENIOR INSPIRATION AWARDS. REFUGIO SANCHEZ RECEIVED HER AWARD, AND WE ALSO HAD THE THE HERNANDEZ FAMILY THERE WHO HAVE RECEIVED BOTH OF THEM RECEIVED THE SENIOR INSPIRATION AWARD AND THE PAST TWO YEARS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT SOME GREAT PICTURES WITH ALL THE FAMILY AND JUST REALLY GREAT TO SEE HER BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HER VIDEO IS JUST SHE JUST DOES IT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S HER PASSION AND, AND SHE DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, EVER EXPECT SHE DIDN'T EXPECT TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD AND IN HER HUMBLENESS REALLY SHOWED IN THE VIDEO, BUT ALSO IN PERSON. AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER DELGADO WAS THERE AND SO WAS SELENA. AND WE ALSO HAD THE SENIOR CENTER BUS DRIVER THERE THAT DAY. HE WAS ACTUALLY FILLING IN. AND SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT. AND COUNCILWOMAN DELGADO GOT SOME GREAT SELFIES WITH WITH THE SENIORS THERE. SO THAT WAS GREAT. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S JUST GREAT TO SEE THEM THERE. VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS BOARD MEETING HAPPENED THAT SAME FRIDAY. SO I WAS IN PALM SPRINGS AND THEN I RAN TO THE INDIAN WELLS. SO I WAS UP AND DOWN THE WHOLE DAY.

AND SO VISIT PALM SPRINGS IS DOING A STUDY. AND SELENA, I'LL CONNECT YOU WITH WITH THEM WITH

[03:00:01]

THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER AS WELL. THEY'RE DOING A STUDY TO DO A WHOLE, NOT A STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT A STRATEGIC FOCUS ON ON TOURISM AND REVENUE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ON THE NINE CITIES. BUT I THINK THE IMPACT IS THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE SPECIFIC IMPACTS FOR EACH CITY. AND SO I THINK THAT'S JUST REALLY GREAT THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THAT FOREFRONT AND LOOKING AT WHAT EACH CITY IS CITY MANAGER. I MISSED THE EXTRAVAGANZA, BUT I HEARD IT WAS GREAT. AND AT THIS TIME. I WANT TO ASK, YOU KNOW, FOR FUTURE ITEM, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE A FORMAL MEETING WHERE WE AS COUNCIL CAN DIALOG BACK ABOUT THE ITEM THAT PEOPLE CAME AND TALKED ABOUT TODAY ABOUT DATA CENTERS, BUT ALSO, I THINK TO TALK ABOUT THAT WHOLE ITEM WHERE WE HAVE A COMMUNITY FORUM AND IF THERE'S OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SUPPORT IT OR NOT. THAT'S JUST MY INPUT IS A COMMUNITY FORUM WHERE WE CAN PRESENT WHAT HAS BEEN APPROVED AND HAVE IT BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT DIALOG AND STAFF BE ABLE TO DO THAT DISCUSSION. AND FOR THE SPACE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN ACTUALLY DIALOG BACK TO COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S JUST MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, I HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT TODAY, TRANSPARENCY AND WHAT'S GOING ON. AND, AND THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH WHAT'S APPROVED, BUT ALSO WHERE DO WE GO FROM THERE, RIGHT? AND BE ABLE TO GET MORE INPUT. WE GOT A LOT OF GREAT INPUT TODAY, BUT I THINK THE BIG PIECE IS HOW DO WE ARE WE ABLE TO DIALOG. AND I DON'T WANT TO SET UP THAT WE SIT HERE LIKE THIS. I THINK A SETUP WHERE EVERYONE'S EYE LEVEL AND IT CREATES A MORE PERSONABLE SPACE FOR PEOPLE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SOMETIMES SCARY FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF FIRST TIMERS TODAY. I REMEMBER MY FIRST TIME COMING TO THE DAIS AND OCTOBER OF, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS LIKE 2010. I STILL HAVE THE AGENDA SOMEWHERE AND IT WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT CITY COUNCIL. AND IT'S VERY SCARY TO GO UP THERE AND ASK FOR SOMETHING.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST PART OF THAT PROCESS. SO BUT I THINK CREATING A SPACE WHERE THE DIALOG IS NOT AS SCARY LIKE HERE, WHERE IT'S MORE WELCOMING. AND SO IT CREATES FOR BETTER DIALOG WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO THOSE, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS. I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THAT. AND THEN IF YOU CAN JUST BRING IT BACK SO THAT WE CAN GIVE DIRECTION. YEAH, BRING IT BACK. IT SAYS LIKE MAYBE TO AN AGENDA ITEM AND THEN WE CAN DIALOG ON HERE AND THEN YOU CAN DO A FOLLOW UP WITH IT. SO OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LET ME CALL UP PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON THOSE TWO PROJECTS BEFORE I PROVIDE COMMENTS. SO FOR OUR WHITEWATER BRIDGE, WE ACTUALLY HAD A GOOD TURN OF EVENTS JUST WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. WE FINALLY GOT OUR FISH AND GAME PERMIT. THE FISH AND GAME PERMIT IN THE ARMY CORPS PERMIT IS ACTUALLY WHAT'S REALLY BEEN PREVENTING US FROM GOING OUT TO BID. THE PLANS ARE 100% READY. SO BECAUSE WE RECEIVED THE FISH AND GAME PERMIT, WE ARE HOPING THAT WE WILL. WE'RE PLANNING ON BEING OUT TO BID BY THE END OF MAY, SO WE WILL BE. WE MIGHT MAKE THE LAST MEETING IN JUNE FOR THE AWARD OF CONTRACT. BUT MORE REALISTICALLY, JUST SUCH A BIG, DETAILED PROJECT, I WOULD BE ANTICIPATING THAT WE'D BE COMING FOR AWARD OF CONTRACT IN OUR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER. SINCE WE ARE DARK IN AUGUST. SO THAT PROJECT IS IMMINENT, AND WE ACTUALLY JUST VERY RECENTLY CLEARED THAT MAJOR HURDLE THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON THE NINTH STREET PARK. THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE DONE SO FAR, THAT WAS ONLY A FIRST PHASE. SO WE DO HAVE THE SECOND PHASE, WHICH IS TIED TO THE TCC GRANT, AND WE HAVE ALREADY HIRED A CONSULTANT AS PART OF THAT WORK. SO WE'VE ALREADY PUT OUT THE RFP AND AWARDED THAT CONTRACT. SO WE HAVE THE CONSULTANT WORKING ON THE PHASE TWO IMPROVEMENTS AS WE GO THROUGH. WE WANT TO HAVE THOSE PHASE TWO IMPROVEMENTS BE LIKE AT THE PARK. I ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING SOME RENDERINGS FORWARD TO BOTH THE PARKS COMMISSION, POSSIBLY THE ARTS COMMISSION AS WELL, BECAUSE ONE OF THE PLANS FOR THAT PARK IS TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL ARTWORK. IT'S CONSIDERED LIKE AN ART PARK. IT'S PART OF THE ART WALK. SO AFTER WE BRING RENDERINGS TO BOTH THE ARTS COMMISSION AND THE PARKS COMMISSION, WE WOULD ALSO BE BRINGING THOSE RENDERINGS TO COUNCIL AS WELL FOR FINAL APPROVAL SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A, A, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY INPUT ON HOW THAT FINAL PHASE IS GOING TO LOOK ONCE WE INCORPORATE THE ART AND ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL BE FUNDED BY THE TCC. AND I BELIEVE YOU HAD A THIRD PROJECT YOU ASKED ABOUT AS WELL, THE THE, THE CRC, I THINK GOT THE. WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME PROPOSALS, I THINK. YES. SO WE PUT THE RFQ OUT. WE HAD TWO RESPONSIVE BIDS THAT BOTH QUALIFIED FOR THE RFP PHASE. AND THAT'S WAITING ON ME. I JUST NEED TO APPROVE THE RFP

[03:05:02]

SO WE CAN GET THAT REPOSTED. I'VE BEEN WORKING ON BUDGETS THIS WEEK. I GOT ABOUT A THOUSAND LINES IN THE BUDGET I GOT TO FILL OUT. BUT. AS SOON AS THE RFP WILL BE POSTED NEXT WEEK FOR THE FINAL PHASE, THAT WE CAN AWARD THAT AS WELL. SO THAT WILL DEFINITELY BE AWARDED THIS FISCAL YEAR. GREAT. THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU CITY MANAGER. YES.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL JUST I THINK THE FORMAT IN WHICH TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, THE DATA CENTER I WOULD PROPOSE A STUDY SESSION. OKAY. WHICH IS MORE INFORMAL AND IT MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE HERE, BUT WE'LL PUT A PLAN TOGETHER FOR YOU AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU ON THE 22ND. I CAN GIVE YOU SOME OPTIONS ON THAT. THAT'S GREAT. JUST A FRIENDLY REMINDER.

WE ARE PROPOSING TO HAVE A CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION FOR A BUDGET OVERVIEW ON WEDNESDAY.

THE 29TH WILL BE A HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION WITH YOU WITH REGARDS TO THE PROCLAMATIONS FOR FORMER EMPLOYEES. WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES. SO WE'RE LOOKING NOW AT POSSIBLY THE FIRST MEETING OF MAY. TO BRING THOSE FORWARD. WE'RE GOING TO INVITE THE INDIVIDUALS WHETHER THEY SHOW UP OR NOT. YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO THEM, BUT NONETHELESS, THEY'LL BE RECOGNIZED. OKAY. YOU ASKED THE QUESTION AND THE CITY ATTORNEY MYSELF WERE WORKING ON THE PROPOSED NEW AGENDA FORMAT, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT BRINGING THAT TO YOU IN DRAFT FORM AT THE AT THE NEXT MEETING ON THE 22ND. OKAY. AND THEN WE JUST COMPLETED OUR MAYBE OUR FIRST EVER EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION SURVEY. AND THEN ONCE WE COMPILE THAT DATA, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE IN TERMS OF THE RESULTS.

OKAY. OTHERWISE NOTHING FURTHER TO REPORT. THANK YOU. AND RYAN, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY REPORTS. DO NOT. OKAY WITH THAT. WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

Apr 08, 2026 City Council Meetings

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