Sep 09, 2026 City Council Meetings

[Call to Order]

[Approval of Agenda]

[00:01:09]

ME. COUNCIL MEMBER. I'M SORRY. LET ME START OVER AGAIN. COUNCIL MEMBER. MARTINEZ.

COUNCIL MEMBER I, MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ AND MAYOR DOCTOR FIGUEROA. I WILL CONTINUE ON WITH PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. CITY CLERK DO YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS? NONE FOR CLOSED SESSION. SEEING NONE. ANY ONLINE? NO. OKAY. AT THIS TIME,

[Adjourn to Closed Session]

GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 4549757 B ONE TITLE CITY ATTORNEY AND ITEM NUMBER TWO CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL. ANTICIPATED LITIGATION. SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9 D TWO ONE OR MORE POTENTIAL CASES. THE TIME

[Reconvene Regular Meeting]

[Closed Session Announcements]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WITH THAT. WITH THAT, WE'LL DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IF YOU CAN, PLEASE RISE AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.

READY? BEGIN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, DO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY ITEMS ON THE

[City Council Conflict of Interest Disclosure]

[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. Public Hearing Calendar)]

ALTHOUGH I CAN START WITH THE NEXT PERSON IF THEY'RE NOT READY.

YEAH. GIVE ME A MOMENT. OKAY. WELL GO AHEAD AND YES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH JAMES RODRIGUEZ. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. JAMES RODRIGUEZ, NATIVE RESIDENT OF COACHELLA. I JUST WANTED TO COME UP AND THERE'S ACTUALLY QUITE A FEW TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT ON NON-AGENDA, ONE BEING THE REACH UP INITIATIVE, THE RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY HERITAGE UPLIFTING POTLUCK IS STILL HAPPENING THIS FRIDAY. WE HAVE MOVED THE LOCATION BACK OUTDOORS TO VETERANS PARK. THERE'S A COUPLE OF FACTORS THAT MADE THAT

[00:05:05]

COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING DESSERTS AND THINGS TO TOP THOSE THINGS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIRUPS, DIFFERENT DIPS LIKE DIFFERENT BUFFALO DIP OR RANCH DRESSING, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE WITH YOUR CHICKEN AND WAFFLES. THERE WILL ALSO BE A SALAD PROVIDED SO THAT IT IS A ROUNDED OUT MEAL, BUT YOU CAN COME AND YOU CAN ENJOY WITH US.

THIS FRIDAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING SET UP AT 6:00, AND WE'LL BE THERE FROM 630 ONWARDS AT VETERANS PARK, JUST BEHIND THE CITY HALL CHAMBERS RIGHT HERE. AND THE OTHER COMMENT THAT I HAVE IS REGARDING THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS ONE OF MANY INITIATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED. NOW, THERE ARE BLUE ZONES PROJECTS. THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT THE CITY IS ATTEMPTING TO DO WITH RIVERSIDE COUNTY. THERE ARE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE STEPPED FORWARD TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR FOOD SERVICES DURING THE SUMMER, IN THE LIBRARY, AND ALL OF THAT REALLY COMES TOGETHER THAT THE THE MAIN WAY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IS THROUGH PROVIDING THAT SUSTENANCE, OUR BASIC NECESSITIES. SO BEING ABLE TO HAVE A PLACE TO COME TOGETHER, TO TALK, TO ENJOY FOOD TOGETHER, TO LEARN OUR NEIGHBORS NAMES AND TO HAVE PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS. A LOT OF TIMES WE NEED THESE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS. AND IT'S ONLY WHEN SOMETHING RADICAL HAPPENS THAT THEY DO SHOW UP. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY TO MY NEXT POINT THAT THE CITY HAS INITIATED PILOT PROGRAMS THAT HAVE ALTERED OUR ORDINANCE, AND THAT PILOT PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO END, BUT OUR ORDINANCE WILL BE FOREVER CHANGED. SO IF WE HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH PERMITTING OR WITH ANY FACILITIES IN THE CITY OF ANY NATURE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THOSE SELECTIVE AND RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED AND PLACED, THEN WE SHOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS FOR ALL BUSINESSES. SMALL AND LARGE, BRICK AND MORTAR, MOBILE OR WALKING ON THE STREET. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE FRANCISCO MOLINA. GOOD EVENING, FRANKIE MOLINA, COACHELLA RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER. I HAVE TWO REQUESTS TONIGHT. FIRST, I'M FOLLOWING UP ON A RECOMMENDATION I'VE RAISED BEFORE. I'M ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING FORWARD AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A LEGAL DUE DILIGENCE STANDARD BEFORE THE CITY ENTERS INTO ANY CONTRACT OR AGREEMENT WITH A PRIVATE ENTITY TO PROVISION ONE. A DOCUMENTED BACKGROUND REVIEW, CORPORATE HISTORY, LITIGATION HISTORY, REGULATORY ACTIONS AND FINANCIAL STANDING COMPLETED AND ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD BEFORE THE COUNCIL VOTES, NOT AFTER TWO MANDATORY BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP DISCLOSURE ANY ENTITY SEEKING A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY DISCLOSES THE ACTUAL PEOPLE WHO OWN OR CONTROL IT, AND ITS MATERIAL PARTNERS REFUSAL TO DISCLOSE OR DISCLOSURE LATER FOUND TO BE FALSE IS GROUNDS FOR DENIAL AND GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION. FOR TERMINATION OF AN EXISTING CONTRACT. LET ME BE PRECISE ABOUT THAT SECOND POINT, BECAUSE IT WILL BE MISCHARACTERIZED. I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO DISQUALIFY A COMPANY FOR BEING INCORPORATED, OR IN DELAWARE OR NEVADA. THAT WOULD DISQUALIFY A LOT OF AMERICAN BUSINESSES. I AM ASKING THAT WHERE OWNERSHIP IS SHIELDED BY THE STATE OF REGISTRATION, THE CITY REQUIRE IT BE DISCLOSED TO US AS A CONDITION OF DOING BUSINESS WITH US. IF AN ENTITY WILL NOT TELL COACHELLA WHO OWNS IT, COACHELLA SHOULD NOT AND WILL NOT SIGN WITH IT. I UNDERSTAND YOU CAN'T ACT ON A NON AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT. MY ASK IS THAT THIS BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE ASKED FOR IT, AND THAT STAFF RETURNED WITH BOTH AN ORDINANCE AND AN INTERIM ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURE COVERING THE GAP UNTIL IT TAKES EFFECT. I'D RATHER THIS COUNCIL SPEND ONE HOUR ON PREVENTION THAN THREE YEARS IN LITIGATION, OR POTENTIAL $300 MILLION IN A LAWSUIT FOR EXITING A CONTRACT WITH A DATA CENTER COMPANY THAT YOU AGREED TO. SO WE WANT TO PREVENT STUFF LIKE THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DISCUSS. OH. I'M SORRY. SECOND AND RELATED, THIS COUNCIL MET IN CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT ON THE APPOINTMENT OF A CITY ATTORNEY. THAT IS THE POSITION THAT WOULD PERFORM THE REVIEW I JUST DESCRIBED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO COMMENT BEFORE YOU ADJOURNED. SO I'M RAISING IT HERE. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO DISCUSS ANYTHING THAT BELONGS

[00:10:02]

I'LL SPEAK TO THAT CURRENT SPENDING ON ITEM EIGHT, AND SINCE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, I WENT AHEAD AND LOOKED AT THE BUDGET, AND I THINK WE'RE PAYING LIKE OVER $888,000 TO BE BACK. CAN WE PAY 400,000 AND JUST HAVE LIKE MAYBE 3 OR 4 ATTORNEYS? WHY ARE WE PAYING THAT MUCH? THAT'S LIKE ALMOST $1 MILLION A YEAR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE JESUS GONZALEZ. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.

IT'S AN HONOR. THANK YOU GUYS, FOR BEING HERE TODAY. SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FROM THE CONTAINER PARK. THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I HAVE A SIMPLE MESSAGE TODAY AND MY MESSAGE IS, LET'S START PUTTING PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS. WE'RE OVER HERE PLAYING POLITICAL GAMES. MISS DELGADO'S PLAYING POLITICAL GAMES, TRYING TO SHUT DOWN THE COACHELLA CONTAINER PARK BECAUSE SHE HAS PERSONAL VENDETTAS. LET'S STOP PUTTING PERSONAL VENDETTAS BEFORE GOOD GOVERNANCE. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN ISSUES THERE, AND I'M GLAD THAT THESE ISSUES ARE FINALLY RESOLVED WITH THE HELP OF SOME OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY SITTING ON THE DAIS TODAY. BUT MY MAIN MESSAGE IS WHEN WE'RE PLAYING POLITICS AND IT'S HURTING SMALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY AT THE CONTAINER PARK, IT'S NOT A GAME LIKE YOU'RE HURTING PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS, AND THIS IS A GREAT THING FOR THE COMMUNITY. THERE'S A LOT OF MEMBERS THAT GO TO THIS PLACE FOR A SAFETY NET. THEY LOVE TO GO HERE. YOU GO THERE WHEN IT'S 100 DEGREES ON A SUNDAY NIGHT AND THE WHOLE CONTAINER PARK IS PACKED. SO JUST GOING BACK TO MY MAIN MESSAGE, LET'S PUT THE PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS. LET'S STOP HURTING SMALL BUSINESSES, AND LET'S STOP LETTING POLITICS HURT SMALL BUSINESSES AND THINGS AROUND THAT SORT. I THINK THAT HAPPENS FOR FAR TOO LONG. INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON ISSUES LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE AVENUE 50 BRIDGE, LIKE THE 8 MILLION THAT'S SITTING AT THE RANCHO LAS FLORES PARK, MIND YOU, THERE'S LIKE OVER $50 MILLION SITTING AT AVENUE 50 BRIDGE. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THESE PROJECTS AND LET'S STOP PLAYING PERSONAL VENDETTAS. MR. CITY MANAGER, IT'S EXTREMELY SADDENING TO SEE THAT YOU'RE BEING PLAYED AND YOU'RE BEING CONTROLLED BY ONE COUNCIL MEMBER, CREATING PROBLEMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, HURTING THEIR FAMILIES. AND THE THING IS, THESE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE AT THE CONTAINER PARK, WHO KNOWS? THEY'RE PROBABLY THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, BUT THEY COULD BUILD INTO BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESSES. THESE BRICK AND MORTAR BUSINESSES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. OUR BUDGET IS IN SHAMBLES RIGHT NOW. WITH THE HELP OF YOUR GUYS'S LEADERSHIP, WE'RE SEEING STOREFRONTS THAT ARE EMPTY. AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS OUR TAX BASE IS EXTREMELY WEAK RIGHT NOW. A LOT OF OUR MONEY IS GOING TO A CERTAIN PART, AND I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION IT RIGHT NOW, AND I WON'T MENTION IT IN THE FUTURE, BUT WE NEED TO BOLSTER OUR TAX BASE AND YOU GUYS HAVE FAILED AT THAT. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE STREETS WE HAVE. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE PARK ISSUES WE HAVE.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS LET'S STOP PLAYING POLITICS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S HURTING SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE CONTAINER PARK. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF SMALL BUSINESSES.

AND THANK YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. NEXT IS VICENTE ZAMORA. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS VICENTE ZAMORA, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CONTAINER PARK BUSINESS OWNERS THAT YOU GUYS FAILED TO REPRESENT. AT THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL LEVEL, THESE INDIVIDUALS RELY ON THE CONTAINER PARK FOR MANY REASONS.

THEY SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES, THEY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEY ARE AN OVERALL BLESSING TO HAVE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. CITY MANAGER, I INVITE YOU TO GO VISIT THE CONTAINER PARK AND TAKE A LOOK FOR YOURSELF, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT FROM THE CITY OF COACHELLA, BUT IF YOU GO, YOU WILL HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU TWO, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU GUYS MAY NOT VISIT THERE FOR SOME REASON, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE A VENDETTA AGAINST SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO DO THAT AND TO MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT AND TO CRUSH THESE BUSINESS OWNERS LIVELIHOODS AND THEIR DREAMS, BECAUSE ONE DAY, HOPEFULLY THEY CAN GET INTO BRICK AND MORTAR. AND AS FOR THEM, BEGINNING IN THIS JOURNEY, IT HELPS THEM GET LEGAL. THEY'RE CERTIFIED BY THE COUNTY, BY THE CITY, AND IT'S JUST A GREAT START FOR THEM BECAUSE BACK THEN THEY WERE SELLING FROM THEIR HOUSES, SELLING FROM THE STREETS. BUT THIS ACTUALLY HELPS CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL GREATER OF COACHELLA. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BRINGING THIS UP AND RESOLVING IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU ASH. HELLO.

[00:15:05]

AND SO PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO WORK TWICE AS HARD FOR HALF AS MUCH AND JUST DON'T HAVE TIME, ESPECIALLY TO SIT IN THESE MEETINGS FOR HOURS ON END. ON TOP OF THAT, OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM DOES NOT TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO ENGAGE IN THESE MEETINGS. THERE'S A LOT OF LEGAL JARGON AND PROCESSES THAT ARE INTIMIDATING, HONESTLY, AND DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY FOR THE MANY SPANISH SPEAKERS IN THE CITY. ADD TO THAT THE FACT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WRONGED AND OPPRESSED BY THE SYSTEM, AND FEEL NO POINT IN ENGAGING IN IT. FOR MANY, IT FEELS LIKE MANY THINGS JUST WILL NEVER CHANGE. I MYSELF FEEL THIS WAY AT TIMES. SO WHILE I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALL PEOPLE TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE IN THESE POSITIONS, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THE INTEREST FROM THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL TO STRENGTHEN DECORUM RULES, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE COUNCIL HAS SAID NUMEROUS TIMES THAT YOU WANT TO SEE MORE PEOPLE COMING TO THESE MEETINGS.

THE TIMING FELT REALLY OFF BECAUSE THAT COMMENT WAS MADE BY DENISE IMMEDIATELY AFTER EVERYONE LEFT THE ROOM, AND AFTER THE CITY HAS HAD MONTHS OF A LOT OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF. I USED TO LIVE AND WORK IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, IN A CITY THAT HAD IMPLEMENTED STRONG DECORUM POLICIES. IMMEDIATELY AFTER A LOT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT DURING THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF OUTRAGE BECAUSE OF HISTORIC AND ONGOING POLICE BRUTALITY. YET THOSE POLICIES REMAIN YEARS LATER.

AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S ENGAGED A LOT CIVICALLY, I CAN SAY THAT ULTIMATELY THOSE POLICIES IN EFFECT ONLY LIMITED AND POLICED THE PUBLIC, HOW WE COME OUT AND WHAT WE SAY, IT EFFECTIVELY INTIMIDATED AND DISSUADED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN THE MOST BASIC FORM. SO HONESTLY, I WOULD REALLY LIKE CLARITY AS TO WHAT COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY HAVE BEEN DISRESPECTFUL, ESPECIALLY IN THAT LAST MEETING, BECAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING CRITICAL OF THE ACTIONS OF THE CITY, BEING OUTRAGED WITH STRONGHOLD POWER VERSUS HAVING, I'M SORRY, VERSUS BEING DISRESPECTFUL, AND THE IDEAS FOR STRENGTHENING DECORUM PAVES A DANGEROUS ROAD. WHO'S GOING TO DEFINE THAT, AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED? SO OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS SHOULD NOT BE IMPEDED. AND I STAND BY EVERYTHING I'VE SAID ON THIS PODIUM. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE SPEAKER FORMS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM? JUST A REMINDER THIS IS ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE ONE HAND RAISED. PROMOTING CARLA.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CARLA. I AM A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I AM GLAD THAT ASH TOUCHED ON THIS SUBJECT BECAUSE THIS WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS.

WHEN WE FINISHED THE MEETING, THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED BASED ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE OR SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE ALL MADE. I ALSO AGREE THAT, YES, THERE IS, YOU KNOW, MUTUAL RESPECT WITH ONE ANOTHER. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE EARNING OUR TRUST, YOU'RE EARNING OUR RESPECT ONCE AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU DID LOSE IT. YOU DID DO SOMETHING THAT AFFECTED ALL OF US IN YOUR HANDS, OR THE LIVES OF OVER 4000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY WITH YOU. YOU'RE THE ONE WHO MAKES THE DECISIONS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ASK OF YOU TO TAKE THIS JOB SERIOUSLY. IF THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A SIDE HUSTLE FOR YOU, MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T BE RUNNING AGAIN. I'M SORRY. IT IS WHAT IT IS. YES, WE'RE VERY CRITICAL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UP THERE RIGHT NOW, OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS,

[00:20:03]

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. ASH SAID IT PERFECTLY, AND I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH HER STATEMENT. I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT ANOTHER THING THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS ASKING QUESTIONS. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO ASK QUESTIONS. THAT WAS NEVER THE SUBJECT. THE REASON WHY THAT COMMENT WAS MADE WAS BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS YOUR YOUR STRATEGY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STRATEGY BEING COMING FROM KNOWLEDGE INSTEAD OF ASKING QUESTIONS. IF YOU NEED TO CLARIFY SOMETHING, YES, BY ALL MEANS WE WANT TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS. BUT IF IT'S THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD, AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CHANGE THAT STRATEGY INTO A STRATEGY FROM KNOWLEDGE. IF YOU'RE TELLING THE COMMUNITY, OH, YES, WE'VE HAD THIS MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND THAT, AND YOU'RE GIVING THE INFORMATION INSTEAD OF ASKING THE QUESTIONS. IT COMES DIFFERENT. IT BUILDS TRUST. AND I WANT TO BUILD THAT TRUST WITH ALL OF YOU ONCE AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES REPRESENTING ALL OF US. YOU GUYS ARE UP THERE FOR US. AND I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE GREAT PEOPLE OUT THERE, RIGHT? I KNOW YOUR FAMILIES WOULD DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THAT. AND I WANT TO ALSO THINK THAT WAY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SO PLEASE HELP US BUILD THAT TRUST. ONCE AGAIN, DON'T TAKE ANYTHING THAT WE SAY TO OFFENSE OR PERSONAL. WE'VE SAID THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN. I THINK WE COME FROM A PLACE WHERE WE'VE LOST THE TRUST AND WE HAVE SOME BUILT ANGER, NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST YOU, BUT AGAINST THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE. WE DON'T WANT TO COME BACK AND TELL YOU HOW TO DO YOUR JOB, BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN HERE IN THIS POSITION FOR A WHILE. THE MAJORITY OF YOU, OR HAVE BEEN REPRESENTING SOME TYPE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS OUT THERE. SO I KNOW WE CAN TRUST YOU, BUT LET'S BUILD THAT TRUST. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT I KNOW WE CAN DO IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON A NON AGENDIZED ITEM? NONE. THERE ARE NO FURTHER HANDS. OKAY. SEEING NONE, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO I HAVE A I HAVE A COMMENT. SO FOR THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE TOWARDS ME EARLIER, THE CITY MANAGER AND MYSELF HAD NOT HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE CONTAINER PARK. HE HAS REACHED OUT TO EVERY MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THE ITEM ITSELF, BUT THAT CONVERSATION HAS BEEN MADE WITH EVERY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU,

[Proclamations/Presentations]

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR FIGUEROA. WHEREVER YOU WENT AND COUNCIL. MY NAME IS CARRIE SCHOFF. I AM THE FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FRIENDS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY. I HOPE WE ARE A LIGHT ON YOUR EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. I HAVE TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES WITH ME. VICKI IS OUR ADVANCEMENT MANAGER. MISS MAR IS ONE OF OUR SIX PAID PROFESSIONAL MENTORS, AND THEY'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. WE'RE GOING TO SHOW A REAL QUICK VIDEO, AND THEN YOU'LL GET TO SEE SOME REALLY GREAT SMILES AND HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON THE SIDE OF THE VALLEY. SO IF YOU WANT TO PLAY THE VIDEO QUICK. THANK YOU.

EVERY CHILD HAS A SPARK. IT IS HOPEFUL AND BRIGHT, BUT OBSTACLES AND SYSTEMS BEYOND THE CHILD'S CONTROL THREATEN THAT SPARK. FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS EACH CHILD FIND THEIR SPARK AND GROW IT INTO A FLAME.

THROUGH THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS, CHILDREN ARE PAIRED WITH A FRIEND WHO WILL GUIDE AND SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THEIR WHOLE CHILDHOOD, FROM KINDERGARTEN TO GRADUATION, 12 PLUS YEARS NO MATTER WHAT. FRIENDS ARE FULL TIME SALARIED PROFESSIONAL MENTORS WHO WORK WITH EACH CHILD ON NINE CORE ASSETS OF PERSONAL STRENGTH, ADDRESSING AND OVERCOMING REAL OBSTACLES AND SUPPORTING THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY EVERY WEEK, EVERY MONTH, EVERY YEAR, AND FOR OVER 30 YEARS, WE'VE SEEN FRIENDS, YOUTH ACHIEVE BIG GOALS THROUGH OUR EVIDENCE BASED MODEL. 83% GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, 93% AVOID THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, 98% WAIT UNTIL AFTER THEIR TEEN YEARS TO BECOME PARENTS, AND 92% ENROLL IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, SERVE OUR COUNTRY,

[00:25:04]

THAT'S OKAY. LET'S SEE. THIS WAY. BETTER YOU THAN ME. I WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME. OKAY.

SO AS THIS IS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH. I'M NOT SURE. I'M NOT SURE HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. OKAY, HERE WE GO. THANK YOU ALL. REALLY. WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE. WE ARE FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN, COACHELLA VALLEY, AND WE'RE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS KIDS WHO ARE FACING THE GREATEST BARRIERS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. WE BELIEVE THAT NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO NAVIGATE THE MANY BARRIERS THAT THEY NEED TO ALONE, AND FAMILIES. AS WE KNOW, FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ARE THE LARGEST GROWING SEGMENT OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION. WE'RE HERE TO HELP THE CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THOSE BARRIERS BE EMPOWERED TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND MOVE FORWARD WITH STRENGTH. 1 IN 6 KIDS TONIGHT IS GOING TO GO TO BED HUNGRY IN OUR CITY, AND OVER 42% OF THE KIDS RIGHT HERE IN OUR CITY ARE SURVIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. I'M REALLY HONORED TO BE HERE TONIGHT WITH ONE OF OUR PROFESSIONAL FRIENDS, MARBELLA.

IF YOU'LL COME ON UP AND MARBELLA IS GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE. OH, I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT VIDEO. MARBELLA IS GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH HOW WE SHOW UP FOR KIDS. THANK YOU VICKI. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I AM OUR PROFESSIONAL MENTOR WITH FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN. I WANTED TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY ROLE AND WHAT I DO.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE START EARLY WITH OUR YOUTH. WE SHOW UP FOR OUR CHILDREN AND WE STAY LONG TERM. SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS FIRST, THE YOUTH ARE REFERRED TO OUR PROGRAM AND THEN THEY ARE SELECTED. THIS THESE YOUTH HAVE TO BE ABOUT 4 TO 6 YEARS OF AGE. AND THIS AGE RANGE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE SOONER WE START MENTORSHIP, THE GREATER THE IMPACT WE HAVE ON THE YOUTH AND ON THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL. ADDITIONALLY, THE CHILDREN IN OUR PROGRAM FACE MULTIPLE SYSTEMIC OBSTACLES SUCH AS HOMELESSNESS, FOOD INSECURITY, OR POVERTY, JUST TO NAME A FEW. SO ONCE A CHILD IS SELECTED, THEY ARE PAIRED WITH A PAID PROFESSIONAL MENTOR LIKE MYSELF, WHO THEY CALL A FRIEND, AND US FRIENDS SPEND FOUR HOURS A WEEK WITH EACH OF OUR YOUTH, ONE ON ONE, AND THROUGH KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

SO THIS MEANS 12 PLUS YEARS. NO MATTER WHAT THOSE FOUR HOURS A WEEK ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO HOURS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEN TWO HOURS IN THE COMMUNITY. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM SOME OF THESE PICTURES, I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE CLASSROOM. SO THIS FIRST PICTURE YOU WILL SEE ME AND ONE OF MY YOUTH, WE RECENTLY WENT TO TEXAS ROADHOUSE. WE HAD A LITTLE PRIVATE TOUR. WE GOT TO DO SOME LINE DANCING. WE GOT TO LEARN ABOUT HOW TO BE WAITERS AND WAITRESSES. AND THEN WE EVEN GOT TO MAKE OUR OWN BREAD AND THEN EAT IT. SO IT WAS LIKE A ONE ON ONE SPECIAL EXPERIENCE THAT THE YOUTH WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN IF THEY WEREN'T A PART OF OUR PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, THESE TWO HOURS CAN LOOK LIKE CELEBRATING THE YOUTH'S BIRTHDAY AT THE CLUBHOUSE. THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE EVER CELEBRATED A BIRTHDAY BEFORE BECOMING PART OF FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN, OR THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE A SPACE TO CELEBRATE A BIRTHDAY. SO WE HAVE THE CLUBHOUSE AND THE YOUTH CAN BRING THEIR FRIENDS, THEY CAN BRING THEIR FAMILY, AND THEN WE PROVIDE THAT SPACE SO THEY CAN HAVE THEIR SPECIAL BIRTHDAY PARTY. I WANTED TO ALSO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

[00:30:04]

AND THEN COHORT TWO CONSISTS OF MR. SEBASTIAN, MISS TIFFANY AND MR. NORMAN, WHO HAVE BEEN WITH FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN FOR AROUND FOUR MONTHS. SO SIX MENTORS, 48 YOUTH AND THEN EIGHT YOUTH PER MENTOR. AND THEN I'M GOING TO PASS IT BACK TO VIKKI SO SHE CAN TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT. SO THANK YOU. YES. SO EVERYBODY LOVES TO TALK ABOUT BUDGETS, RIGHT? YES. THE AS IT WAS NOTICED IN THE VIDEO THAT WE SHARED QUICKLY, FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN, COACHELLA VALLEY IS PART OF A NATIONAL NETWORK. WE ARE A LOCAL NONPROFIT HERE, BUT WE'RE PART OF A NATIONAL NETWORK. WE ARE AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT HERE, MEANING EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S RAISED HERE STAYS HERE. AND BECAUSE OF THE 33 YEARS THAT FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN HAS BEEN DOING WORK ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE A LOT OF TERRIFIC RESEARCH THAT'S PROVEN. AND ONE OF THOSE GREAT STATISTICS IS THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S CONTRIBUTED TO FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN, IT BENEFITS THE COMMUNITY OF $7 IN SOCIAL SAVINGS. SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ARE BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WHY DOES THE CLICKER NOT WANT TO WORK FOR ME, BUT WORKED GREAT FOR MARBELLA? BENEFITS FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE VITALITY OF OUR VALLEY, VITALITY OF OUR YOUTH. WE LAUNCHED HERE TWO SHORT YEARS AGO AND EVEN SHORTER THAN THAT, WE LAUNCHED. WE STARTED WORKING WITH YOUTH IN DECEMBER 2024, SO SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT WE WORK WITH.

AND A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU WORK WITH? AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT NUMBERS THAT HAVE A COMMA IN IT AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. REMEMBER WHAT MARBELLA SAID? WE ARE WITH KIDS FOR 12 PLUS YEARS, FROM THE AGE OF 4 TO 6 UNTIL THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. THAT'S FOUR HOURS A WEEK, ONE ON ONE MENTORING IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT HOME. SO 48 KIDS AND FAMILIES MEANS SIBLINGS, CAREGIVERS, TEACHERS WERE SUPPORTING ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WRAP AROUND THE CHILDREN. TO DATE, WE HAVE PROVIDED OVER 15,000 HOURS OF ONE ON ONE MENTORING FOR THE YOUTH THAT WE WORK WITH, AND 98% OF CAREGIVERS AND TEACHERS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY SHARE. THEY REPORT TO US THAT THE KIDS WHO HAVE A MENTOR ARE ACHIEVING SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES. WITH THAT FRIEND, WE KNOW ALSO KNOW WHAT'S POSSIBLE WITH A FRIEND WHEN WE LOOK FORWARD. BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE'VE JUST BEEN HERE TWO SHORT YEARS, WE KNOW THAT FROM OUR NATIONAL PARTNERS THAT THIS MAKES A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE FORWARD, THAT 92% ARE GOING FORWARD AND GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND GETTING INTO EMPLOYMENT, ADVANCED EDUCATION. THEY'RE DELAYING PARENTING. THEY'RE WAITING UNTIL THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND CAN MAKE SOME OF THOSE REALLY IMPORTANT

[00:35:02]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M GOOD.

COUNCILMEMBER, JUST A QUICK QUESTION. I KNOW THAT IT WAS MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE PLACES, THE KIDS ONE WAS TEXAS ROADHOUSE. ARE THERE OTHER LOCATIONS OR PLACES WHERE YOU TAKE THE KIDS TO LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS? WE TAKE THEM EVERYWHERE. ANY PLACE, ESPECIALLY THAT DONATES SPACE OR A FREE MEAL. WE LOVE THOSE PLACES. WE DO A LOT AT THE COACHELLA LIBRARY. YOU'LL SEE US OFTEN AT THE LIBRARY. WE HAVE OUR HOLIDAY EVENTS. WE JUST HAD A BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT ACROSS THE STREET AT THE LIBRARY. WE'RE ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY. MOST OF OUR EVENTS ARE CONCENTRATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY, THOUGH.

WE'VE TAKEN TRIPS TO THE AIR MUSEUM, TO THE LIVING DESERT ZOO, WHEREVER WE CAN AFFORD. SO IF YOU'RE FEELING LIKE WRITING A CHECK TODAY, LET ME KNOW. JUST SCAN THE QR CODE. BUT WE WE'RE OPEN TO ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE. WE TOOK THE KIDS LAST YEAR TO AN EVENT THAT THEY HAD AT ACRISURE, AND TO SEE THESE KIDS WHO'VE NEVER SEEN ICE OR SKATES. AND HE, HE WIPED THE BLADE AND HE WAS LIKE, IS THIS SNOW? AND HE WAS JUST MESMERIZED. SO THE OPPORTUNITIES I GET EMOTIONAL TALKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE GET TO DO SOME REALLY COOL THINGS. AND WE'RE HERE FOR THOSE SMILING FACES AND TO ALLOW SORRY PEOPLE LIKE MISS MARBELLA TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERY DAY. IF YOU DIDN'T HEAR US, I'M GOING TO REPEAT IT AGAIN. FOUR HOURS EVERY SINGLE WEEK. WITH EACH CHILD ON OUR ROSTER FOR 12 YEARS, WE BECOME PART OF THEIR FAMILY AND WE'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY. AND YOU CAN TELL I'M A LITTLE PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS. I'M SORRY FOR GETTING EMOTIONAL, BUT WE RIGHT NOW ARE JUST SERVING THE EAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. WE DO THINGS ALL OVER COACHELLA VALLEY, AND WE'RE HOPING TO RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE KIDS ALL ACROSS COACHELLA VALLEY, NOT JUST THE EAST SIDE. GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU. AND THEN JUST ANOTHER QUESTION, AND MY APOLOGIES IF I MISSED IT IN THE PRESENTATION. HOW DO THE FAMILIES LEARN ABOUT YOU? HOW DO THEY YOU KNOW, SO WE ORIGINALLY PARTNERED WITH COACHELLA VALLEY UNIFIED AND DESERT SANDS AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY DPS. SO THEY IDENTIFY FAMILIES THAT HAVE A LOT OF RISK FACTORS AND NOT VERY MANY PROTECTIVE FACTORS. SO OUR FAMILIES ARE AMAZING AND RESILIENT AND STRONG, BUT SOME OF THEM THEMSELVES GREW UP IN FOSTER CARE. SOME OF THEM HAVE HAD SOME OPPORTUNITIES WHERE MAYBE INCARCERATION AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET BACK OUT AND REENTER. SO WE HELP WITH EXPUNGEMENT, WE HELP NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM TO HOUSING. SO WE HAVE 48 KIDS ON OUR ROSTER, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE SERVING ABOUT 230 PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ALSO WALK ALONGSIDE THEIR CAREGIVERS, THEIR TIAS, THEIR SIBLINGS, TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED. SO TEACHERS REFER, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS REFER. SOME OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE SELF-REFERRED. THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE PROGRAM. THEY'RE LIKE, PLEASE CONSIDER MY CHILD. AND WE'VE ENROLLED SOME OF THOSE KIDS. WE HAVE DONE A RECENT PRESENTATION WITH INDIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY HAVE SOME FAMILIES THAT THEY SAID THEY JUST HAD SOMEBODY TO WALK ALONGSIDE THEM. I KNOW IT WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO RAISE MONEY. OUR PLAN IS TO GROW EXPONENTIALLY EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND OBVIOUSLY TO DO FOR HOURS EVERY WEEK. IT IS EXPENSIVE. THIS IS MY FULL TIME JOB. WE HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE THAT ARE FULL TIME. JOB IS TO WALK ALONGSIDE THESE YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES. IT'S AN HONOR.

WONDERFUL. WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR HAVING US TODAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I JUST HAVE MORE OF A REMARK TO YOU AND THE TEAM JUST OF THE KINDNESS AND DEDICATION THAT YOU SHOW CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND YOUR COMMITMENT, AND IT IS A NICE FEELING. SO I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THOSE HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'LL SECOND THAT. I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF

[00:40:01]

SO JUST SEEING HER AS BEING PART OF ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE A GOOD ORGANIZATION. I HOPE IT CONTINUES TO GROW. I HOPE WE CAN GET MORE CHILDREN IN YOUR GUYS'S PROGRAM BECAUSE IT'S MUCH NEEDED, ESPECIALLY NOW SINCE SAFE HOUSE OF THE DESERT IS CLOSED, A LOT OF TEENAGERS ARE LOSING OUT ON, ON THAT, YOU KNOW, HELP THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU GUYS DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I'M SO GLAD YOU ACKNOWLEDGED OUR BOARD BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, I CAN'T DO THIS WORK ALONE. RIGHT. SO FOR THEM TO BE CHAMPIONS AND SHE IS A ROCK STAR. SO WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT WHO WE BRING TO THE BOARD. PLEASE. THE QR CODE, SCAN IT. I USUALLY HAVE IT ON MY BACK FOR YOU TO SCAN ME, BUT SCAN THE QR CODE, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER. WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS GOING ON AND FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA. YOU'LL GET TO SEE THOSE BEAUTIFUL FACES EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT WE POST. AND WE HAVE KIDS DOING MICHAEL JACKSON DANCES. YOU'LL LOVE IT IF YOU'RE IN A BAD MOOD OR STRESSED FROM A COUNCIL MEETING, FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

CHEER YOU UP. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND SHOUT OUT TO OUR MAYOR WHO'S ON THE BOARD. YEAH DOCTOR FIGUEROA YEAH. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM FOR LEADING US THROUGH THAT ITEM. WE'LL MOVE ON NEXT TO FINE FOOD BANK PRESENTATION ON HUNGER ACTION MONTH. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS LORENA GOMEZ AND I AM THE ASSOCIATE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS RELATIONS FOR REGIONAL FOOD BANK. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE CITY OF COACHELLA FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY AND SPEAK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS SO MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY. SEPTEMBER IS HUNGER ACTION MONTH, A NATIONWIDE A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT LED BY FEEDING AMERICA NETWORK TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT HUNGER AND INSPIRE COMMUNITIES TO TAKE ACTION. THIS YEAR'S MESSAGE IS PLAY YOUR PART. IT REMINDS US THAT ENDING HUNGER TAKES ALL OF US. WHETHER YOU'RE A VOLUNTEER, YOU DONATE, YOU ADVOCATE, EDUCATE OTHERS OR PARTNER. ORGANIZATIONS LIKE FIND. EVERYONE HAS A PART TO PLAY.

AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HUNGER, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING HAPPENING SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN COACHELLA. I WANT TO SHARE A FEW NUMBERS FROM FINDS 2026 COACHELLA IMPACT REPORT THAT DEMONSTRATES BOTH THE NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND WHAT WE ARE ACCOMPLISHING TOGETHER. CURRENTLY, 19.8% OF COACHELLA RESIDENTS FACE FOOD INSECURITY.

THIS MEANS NEARLY 1 IN 5 RESIDENTS MAY NOT ALLOW KNOW WHERE THEIR WHERE THEIR NEXT NUTRITION MEAL WILL COME FROM. OVER THE PAST YEAR, FINE RECORDED 112,580 CLIENT ENGAGEMENTS IN COACHELLA ALONE. WE OPERATE THREE FREE COMMUNITY MOBILE MARKETS IN THE CITY, WHICH WHICH SERVE MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE. WHILE COACHELLA RESIDENTS ACCESS FINE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY MOBILE MARKETS MORE THAN 92,000 TIMES. WE ALSO WORK WITH SIX PARTNER AGENCIES IN COACHELLA THAT SERVE MORE THAN 9000 PEOPLE. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HUNGER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT BEHIND EVERY NUMBER IS A PERSON AND A FAMILY. IMAGINE A PARENT IN COACHELLA WORKING HARD TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. RENT IS DUE. THE CAR NEEDS GAS SO THEY CAN GO TO WORK. THE UTILITY BILL HASN'T BEEN PAID. AND THEN THEY LOOK AT WHAT'S LEFT AND WONDER, HOW AM I GOING TO BUY ENOUGH GROCERIES TO FEED MY CHILDREN THIS WEEK? FOR MANY FAMILIES, IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE NOT WORKING OR TRYING, IT'S THAT THE COST EVERY DAY OF NECESSITIES CONTINUES TO TO STRETCH HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS. SOMETIMES THE DECISIONS BECOMES, DO I PUT GAS IN MY CAR? DO I GO TO WORK? DO I PAY THE RENT TO KEEP A ROOF OVER MY CHILDREN'S HEAD? OR DO I BUY ENOUGH FOOD TO GET MY FAMILY THROUGH THE WEEK? NO PARENT SHOULD HAVE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE. WHEN THAT PARENT COMES TO FIND DISTRIBUTION. RECEIVING GROCERIES AND FRESH PRODUCE MEANS MORE THAN HAVING FOOD FOR DINNER. IT MEANS THEY CAN USE MONEY THEY WOULD HAVE SPENT ON GROCERIES TO HELP PAY FOR RENT, PUT GAS IN THEIR CAR, OR COVER ESSENTIAL NEEDS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THAT IS WHY HUNGER ACTION MONTH MATTERS, AND THAT IS WHY OUR PARTNERS BETWEEN FIND AND THE CITY OF COACHELLA IS SO IMPORTANT. AND I'D LIKE TO PUT THAT STORY INTO PERSPECTIVE BY SHARING WHAT FINES IMPACT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT HERE IN COACHELLA. MORE THAN 2.1 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE COACHELLA. THROUGHOUT COACHELLA THROUGH FIND AND OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, INCLUDING MORE THAN 952,000 POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCE. THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT CHILDREN, SENIORS, FARMWORKER FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS WHO ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE ENDS MEET. AND BECAUSE FINES MISSION IS TO END HUNGER TODAY, TOMORROW AND FOR A LIFETIME, WE ALSO HELP CONNECT

[00:45:03]

WOW. IT'S IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY FAMILIES YOU HAVE HELPED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE I THINK WHAT I FIND PHENOMENAL IS THE OPERATION THAT YOU HAVE HERE, THE DIFFERENT DAYS, THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE SENIOR CENTER. AND SO I THINK, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED IS THAT SCALE OF OPERATION IS NOT EASY TO MANAGE. AND I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STOP TO THINK ABOUT. BUT IT'S AN OUTSTANDING OPERATION THAT YOU GUYS DO. AND I THANK YOU AND ALL YOUR STAFF TO TO CONTINUE AND TO DO TO BE SO EFFECTIVE IN MAKING SURE THAT THE FAMILIES HAVE HAVE FOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AS I WAS WALKING IN, I ALSO SAW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE OUR DISTRIBUTION WHEN WE GO TO LAS FLORES PARKS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AS WELL. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTION? I DO HAVE ONE. ONE I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK, HOW CAN OTHER REALTORS JOIN WITH THE SB 1383.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION, LIKE NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT LIKE, IF YOU CAN GIVE THAT TO CITY STAFF SO THAT WE CAN, YES, I CAN MAIL, I CAN EMAIL. ANGELICA, I THINK, OR YOU EITHER ONE. YEAH, EITHER I CAN EMAIL THEM THE INFORMATION OR THEY CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE, W W W DOT FIND FOODBANK.ORG. YEAH. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF YOU HAVE FIVE AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO MEET THE MANDATE THAT CALRECYCLE MANDATE. AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. BUT ALSO HOW DO WE POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME OF THAT FOOD AND HELP THE UNSHELTERED POPULATION HERE IN COACHELLA? OKAY. BECAUSE HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME OF THAT FOOD THAT GOES FROM A REALTOR THAT NO LONGER IT'S GOING TO EXPIRE THAT SAME DAY? AND HOW DO WE GET THAT TO THEM AND FINDING WAYS TO WORK WITH FIND BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THE ON HOW SOMETIMES AREN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TO A CERTAIN SPOT. SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE CAN COLLABORATE AND FIND REGIONAL APPROACH ON THAT? IN THAT SENSE, AND BECAUSE THE, THE UNHOUSED ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THEY LIVE HERE. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE, THEY'RE RELEVANT TO ME AND TO THE RELEVANCE TO EVERYBODY BECAUSE THEY ARE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK THIS PROGRAM WOULD HELP ALSO MEET SOME STANDARDS FOR SOME RESTAURANTS. YES. AND I ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW. SO WE HAVE THREE MEGA DISTRIBUTIONS WHERE WE SERVE OVER A THOUSAND FAMILIES, AND ONE OF THEM IS HERE IN COACHELLA, WHICH IS AT THE PARK. OKAY. AND WHICH IS EVERY FRIDAY. I THINK IF YOU CAN JUST MAYBE SHARE THE CALENDAR OF THE DATES AND WHAT LOCATIONS THERE ARE, DO YOU GUYS HAVE A CALENDAR? YES. SO IF THEY GO ON OUR WEBSITE, THE CALENDAR DISTRIBUTION, AND THEN THE SITE LOCATIONS IS ALSO LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE AS WELL. BUT I'LL ALSO SHARE IT WITH STAFF. PERFECT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO SAY ECHO WITH MY COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE DON'T REALIZE SOME ARE JUST ENDED IN OUR. THE KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL AND A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES DO RELY ON THE SCHOOL LUNCHES TO KEEP THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, FED DURING THE DAY, DURING THE WEEK. AND WHEN THAT GOES AWAY, WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO SUMMER SCHOOL OR, YOU KNOW, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU GUYS ALSO HAVE WITH THE DISTRICT, WHATEVER IT MAY BE,

[00:50:03]

SO I'M GOING TO READ JUST A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT FOR YOU. CAN WE PROVIDE FREE SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES TO YOUR RESIDENTS? SPAYING AND NEUTERING OUR PETS REMAINS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE UNWANTED PET OVERPOPULATION AND HIGH EUTHANASIA RATES IN OUR PUBLIC ANIMAL SHELTERS. ANIMAL SAMARITANS WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE WE'RE A 501 C THREE, AND

[00:55:03]

BUT AGAIN, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT FOR YOUR YOUR PET OWNERS AND HELP THEM TAKE CARE OF THEIR PETS, HELP THEM GET THEIR THEIR ANIMALS SPAYED OR NEUTERED, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE MENTIONED, AS YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO TELL YOU THE COST OF EVERYTHING IS SO IS GOING UP, UP. AND TO MAKE A CHOICE BETWEEN RENT, FOOD, TAKING CARE OF YOUR KIDS, GETTING THEM READY FOR SCHOOL, ETCETERA, SAVING FOR COLLEGE, ETCETERA. HAVING YOUR PET SPAY AND NEUTER IS NOT REALLY AT THE FOREFRONT MAYBE OF YOUR BUDGET. SO HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE THAT? AND SO WE WANT TO HELP THE RESIDENTS BE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE THAT BY PROVIDING IT WITH YOUR ASSISTANCE FOR FREE. LET'S SEE.

EVERYTHING ELSE THAT I HAVE IN MY NOTES IS REALLY SPECIFICS AND DETAILS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BUILDING PAYMENT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO AND NOT TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME, BUT IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO, WHY US? ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I AM HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? JUST A COMMENT. THANK YOU FOR OFFERING YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER NON-PROFITS PRESENT HERE TODAY LIKE THAT. THANK YOU.

THAT'S ALL. ANY OTHER COMMENTS SUGGESTIONS, COUNCIL ON THIS. I KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE. I SERVE ON THE COACHELLA VALLEY ANIMAL CAMPUS COMMISSION. AND MEANTIME I'VE OF OVERPOPULATION IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE. AND ALSO WHAT HAPPENS IS A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T GET A SPADE NEUTER BECAUSE IT'S ALL BACKED UP, OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE $800 TO, TO SPAY BOTH OF THEIR ANIMALS. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY'RE PRESENTING TO GIVE US $10,000 WOULD BE REALLY KEY TO PEOPLE BECAUSE WE'VE DONE THE MOBILE CLINICS AND YOU CAN NEVER GET THOSE BIG DOGS. I'VE BEEN TO MOBILE CLINICS, I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF THEM. AND IT'S REALLY THOSE BIG DOGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE DO MOVE FORWARD. I THINK WE SHOULD TAILOR THAT. WE HAVE SO MANY BIG DOGS FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND HAVE BIG DOGS SO THEY CAN GET THOSE BIG DOGS FIXED BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY THEY'RE THE HARDER ONES TO GET. YEAH. I WILL MENTION I'LL JUST PIGGYBACK OFF THOSE COMMENTS. THE LARGER DOGS ARE HARDER TO ADOPT. SO ONCE THEY GET, ONCE THEY'RE, THEY, THEY END UP IN A PUBLIC SHELTER. THEY'RE HARDER TO ADOPT THE MOBILE SERVICES.

THEY'RE GREAT FOR SOME, ESPECIALLY RURAL AREAS, BUT THEY'RE VERY LIMITED. LIKE THE MAYOR MENTIONED, THEY'RE TYPICALLY DO NOT TAKE SPAY AND NEUTER DOGS OVER 40 POUNDS.

THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY. IT'S NOT COST EFFECTIVE TO FILL UP YOUR BUS

[01:00:04]

SO IF YOU'RE A PET OWNER AND YOU GET, YOU KNOW, YOU COME TO ANIMAL SAMARITANS, YOU HAVE YOUR ANIMAL SPAYED OR NEUTERED OR FIXED OR FOR ANY SERVICES. IF YOU'RE WORRIED, MAYBE THE INCISION, THERE'S A SWELLING, YOU'RE WORRIED THAT IT'S INFECTED. YOU CAN'T GO BACK TO THE MOBILE BUS FOR THAT, BUT YOU CAN COME BACK TO ANIMAL SAMARITANS FOR FREE. SO WE DO FREE RECHECKS AND CHECKUPS, AND THEN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE YOUR PET'S HEALTHY, THAT YOU'RE INFORMED THAT YOU'RE FOLLOWING, FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE CONE OR WITH THE MEDICINE WE'VE GIVEN. WE PROVIDE POST OPERATIVE FREE PAIN MEDS, THE FREE CONE. SO FREE MICROCHIPPING IF THE PET OWNER NEEDS THAT AS WELL. SO YEAH, AND THEN ALSO PEOPLE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT ONCE YOU GET YOUR ANIMAL FIXED TO GET A, ONCE THEY'RE NEUTERED OR SPAYED, THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY LICENSE IS WAY LESS TO GET AN ANIMAL LICENSE AS OPPOSED TO AN UNALTERED.

THAT'S PROPER TERM IS AN UNALTERED ANIMAL, RIGHT? YEAH. SO YOU CAN TELL. MAYOR FIGUEROA SERVES ON THE ANIMAL COMMISSION BECAUSE HE KNOWS HIS DATA. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT, TOO.

THAT'S ANOTHER BARRIER, RIGHT? FOR LICENSING PETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT IS THEY NEED TO BE SPAYED OR NEUTERED. SO IF YOU'RE IF A PERSON'S PET IS, OH, IS THAT THREE MINUTES? I GOT TO GO. NO, THAT'S THE OTHER. OKAY. SO IF YOU'VE YOU NEED YOUR PET LICENSE, THE THE COUNTY IS KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE DOGS THAT NEED TO BE LICENSED. IF THEY'RE NOT SPAYED OR NEUTERED, THAT IS SUPER EXPENSIVE, HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS MORE. IF THEY'RE FIXED, THEN IT'S PRETTY NOMINAL. SO ANOTHER MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR GETTING THE PET OWNERS, ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE FREE SPAY AND NEUTER FOR THEIR PETS. YEAH, YOU SAID, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL BREEDS OF ANIMALS. RIGHT. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS, RIGHT? AND THAT IS A CHALLENGE IN THE HOTTER WEATHER. BUT WE DO THAT CURRENTLY IN THE SUMMER. WE'RE WAITING PROBABLY IN OCTOBER. WE'LL START BACK UP WITH THE THE FLAT FACED DOGS. YEAH. BUT THAT'S EXTRA EXTRA EXPENSIVE AS YOU KNOW. YEAH. I KNOW I ADOPTED A PUG FROM THEM AND IT'S, THEY'RE, THEY ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO GET THOSE. AND THEN NOT EVERYONE DOES THOUGH. SO YOU HAVE TO BE A VERY SPECIALIST. YEAH. IT'S A LITTLE BIT. THEY JUST HAVE A IT'S MORE CHALLENGING WITH WITH THE BREATH HOW MUCH AIR THEY CAN GET. SO THAT'S WHY WE TRY TO WAIT FOR COOLER WEATHER. BUT YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE. I WOULD RECOMMEND IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S MORE COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL, OF COURSE, GO AHEAD. SO IF YOU GUYS WERE TO PROVIDE SERVICES, WOULD THERE BE A CAP AS TO HOW MANY DOGS AND CATS YOU GUYS WOULD BE ABLE TO SERVICE PER DAY? YEAH. THE CAP, IT DEPENDS ON WHICH DOCTOR WE HAVE PROVIDING SPAY AND NEUTER. SO OUR OUR MORE OF OUR HIGH VOLUME SPAY NEUTER DOCTOR CAN DO UP TO ABOUT 35. AND WE HAVE A NEWER DOCTOR THAT SHE'S A COLOR, NOT HIGH VOLUME, BUT MEDIUM VOLUME. SHE CAN DO BETWEEN 20 AND 25. BUT WITH THIS PROGRAM, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CLASSIC FREE SPAY NEUTER CLINIC WHERE YOU HAVE EVERYBODY ON ONE DAY. SO WE SPREAD THEM OUT. WE CAN SPREAD THEM OUT IF THERE'S A COMMITMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE WE DO WITH THE OTHER CITIES, THE RESIDENTS, THEY RECEIVE VOUCHERS, THEY'RE CRIMPED. THE CITY WILL JUST VET THEM IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THEY TRULY ARE A RESIDENT OF THAT CITY.

AND THEN THEY CALL US OR SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT, AND WE CAN PUT THEM ON ANY DAY OF THE WEEK THAT WORKS FOR THEM. THERE'S NOT LIKE JUST ONE DAY YOU GOT TO BE THERE THAT ONE DAY. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT FOR WORKING PEOPLE TOO. BECAUSE IF IT'S ONLY ON A CERTAIN DAY, A THURSDAY AND IT'S LIKE THEY CAN'T GET OUT OF WORK ON A THURSDAY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION, ETC. THIS ALLOWS FOR FLEXIBILITY AS WELL. THANK YOU. SURE. AND THEN THE DIFFERENT DOLLAR AMOUNTS YOU'RE SHARING THAT THAT OTHER CITIES HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO, THERE'S 30,050 THOUSAND AND 50,000. YEAH. AND THE 30,000 GOT THEM. HOW MANY SITE VISITS FROM ANIMALS AND RETURNS. SO THAT SO HOW IT WORKS IS THEY HAVE THEIR BUDGET. IF THEY HAVE 3000, WE WILL. EACH MONTH WE WILL PROVIDE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF. LET'S SAY IT'S UP TO. LET'S SAY IT'S 25 A MONTH. HOWEVER, THEY WANT TO DO IT. IF THEY WANT TO FRONT LOAD IT AND SAY, WE JUST WANT TO. WE REALLY WANT TO SHOW THE RESIDENTS THAT WE CARE ABOUT THEIR PETS. LET'S GIVE OUT, YOU KNOW, 100 VOUCHERS. THEN WE'LL, THEY'LL THEIR RESIDENTS WILL HAVE 100 VOUCHERS AND THEY'LL MAKE 100 PHONE CALLS TO ANIMAL SAMARITANS, AND WE'LL GET THEM

[01:05:03]

THAT'S RIGHT. AND SO THEN FOR 3000, THEN 100. YEAH. IF YOU WANT TO DO THE MATH. SO 45 PETS EQUATES TO $10,000. SO THEN IF YOU WANTED TO DO 2000, THAT'S 90 PETS. IF YOU WANTED TO DO 30, THAT'S ROUGHLY 135 TO 40 PETS. SO OBVIOUSLY THE BIGGER THE BUDGET, THE MORE PEOPLE CAN HELP. BUT OUR GOAL ALSO IS NOT TO WE DON'T WANT TO BECAUSE WE'RE A NONPROFIT. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE MONEY, BUT WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST COVERING OUR COSTS. SURE. YEAH. YEAH. I, I THINK THAT MANY RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS PROBABLY EVERY MEMBER OF COUNCIL HERE IS THAT THERE ARE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE MUCH MORE CATS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO YOU HAVE A VARIETY OF RESIDENTS. YOU HAVE THE RESIDENTS THAT LIKE TO FEED THEM. AND SO THEY ALL HANG OUT THERE. AND THEN YOU HAVE THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR WHO DOESN'T WANT THE CATS BUT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE THE NEIGHBOR KEEPS FEEDING THEM. SO YOU HAVE THIS DIVERSE TYPE OF NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY UNHAPPY ABOUT IT, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE CONSIDERING THAT. YEAH. SO THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO IS THE COMMUNITY CAT ISSUE. THAT'S THE TERM. NOW INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, STREET CATS OR, YOU KNOW, FERAL CATS, IT'S THE COMMUNITY CATS AND THEY'RE BASICALLY UNOWNED, RIGHT? BUT THEY KEEP THEY FIND A FOOD SOURCE, THEY KEEP BREEDING AND BREEDING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S NOT JUST FEEDING THREE CATS, IT'S THEM AND ALL THEIR BABIES THAT HAVE MULTIPLIED. SO NOW THERE'S 40 AND THE NEIGHBORS, LIKE I GOT ALL THESE STRAY CATS RUNNING EVERYWHERE. AND WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, DOGS AND CATS IN THEIR HOME AND THAT'S THEIR PET. AND THEY'RE ATTACHED TO THEM EMOTIONALLY AS IF THEY'RE THEIR FAMILY, BUT THEY CAN'T, YOU KNOW, SPAY OR NEUTER THEM. THEY CAN'T AFFORD THAT. SO I THINK HERE IN THE CITY, AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IT AS A CITY IS THAT THERE ARE SOME NEIGHBORHOODS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THOSE COMMUNITIES. AND IT'S A CHALLENGING CONVERSATION TO HAVE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT. WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THAT WITH THE TRAP AND RELEASE. YEAH. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHICH I'M VERY FOR BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING SPAYED AND NEUTERED. BUT WHEN WE SAY RELEASE, WHERE ARE THEY GETTING RELEASED TO? SO THE, THE, THE SCIENCE OR THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND TNR TRAP NEUTER RELEASE IS THAT THE, THE ANIMAL, ONCE YOU HAVE IT FIXED, YOU RETURN IT TO ITS COLONY, ITS FOOD SOURCE, AND THAT THAT KEEPS THE THERE FROM BEING A VACUUM. AND THE FRESH, FRESH, SPAYED OR NEUTERED PETS FROM COMING IN AND MULTIPLYING THERE. AND THE PETS THAT ARE THE PETS, THE. THE DOGS OR CATS THAT HAVE BEEN FIXED THAT ARE UNHOUSED OR STRAY, THEY WILL KEEP THE THE OTHER ANIMALS FROM COMING IN.

THEY'LL FIGHT THEM OFF OF THEIR FOOD SOURCE. THESE ARE TYPICALLY NOT. SOMETIMES THEY'RE SOMEWHAT FRIENDLY, BUT THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SORT OF WILD ANIMALS IN A SENSE, IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SOCIALIZED. SO, SO NATURE SORT OF PUSHES THEM OUT. THEY PUSH OUT THE, THE OTHER ONES SOMETIMES ALSO, IF THEY'RE NOT SPAYED OR NEUTERED, THEY WILL EXHAUST THEIR FOOD SOURCE. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT YOU'LL SEE COMMUNITY CAT COLONIES SUPER SUSCEPTIBLE TO A LOT, A HOST OF DISEASES. AND THEY LIVE A TOUGH LIFE, SOMETIMES A VERY SHORT LIFE, WHETHER IT'S FELINE LEUKEMIA, FELINE AIDS, FELINE, YOU NAME IT. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DISEASES OUT THERE FOR THOSE COMMUNITY CATS. AND THEN IF THEY EXHAUST THEIR FOOD SOURCE, THEIR FOOD SOURCE, THERE'S STARVATION TOO. I MEAN, I MEAN, IT HAS TO BE OBVIOUSLY A COUNTY.

I MEAN, A FULL COUNTY, YOU KNOW, ISSUE IT IS AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT'S FOR ALL PARTS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY. YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST, IT'S A DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING ISSUE TO ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CLIMATE. SO OUT HERE, A CAT, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY MIGHT HAVE TWO LITTERS, BUT OUT HERE IT'S NOT UNCOMMON THAT THEY CAN CYCLE THREE TIMES IN A YEAR AND GIVE UP TO THREE LITTERS. SO IT'S JUST EXPONENTIAL. ONE MORE QUESTION.

SURE. IF THESE COMMUNITY CATS, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WERE BORN ON THESE

[01:10:01]

GREAT. GREAT QUESTION. SO WE HAVE DONE UP TO UP TO FOUR PER HOUSEHOLD. NOW IT DEPENDS ON THE THERE'S EACH CITY HAS ITS OWN LIMITS ON HOW MANY PETS YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE. SO WE REALLY BASE IT ON. WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES AS FAR AS THAT GOES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED? I WOULD RECOMMEND WE BRING BACK THE ITEM WITH ABOUT A $20,000 BUDGET, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE MATCHING THE TEN TO PILOT THE PROGRAM AND SEE WHAT WORKS FOR OUR CITY. SURE. SO IF THERE'S ANY OTHER SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, I'LL GO AHEAD SECOND. OKAY, SO THERE'S THAT PRESENTATION. YEAH, I KNOW, BUT WE JUST GAVE DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER FOR HIM TO BRING IT BACK. SO LET ME BRING HIM BACK AND THANK YOU FOR ANIMAL SAMARITANS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THANKS. AND THEN NEXT WE HAVE THANK YOU TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR ASKING QUESTIONS ON THIS AS WELL. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE TCC COACHELLA GRID ALTERNATIVES ENERGY FOR ALL PROGRAM. SELENA. YES. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION IS MORE OF AN INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. AND SO WE HAVE MR. JAIME ALONSO, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GRID ALTERNATIVES, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. COME ON UP. YEAH. THANKS FOR HAVING ITS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO NOW. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MAYOR FIGUEROA, CITY STAFF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AS SELINA SAID. THIS IS LARGELY GOING TO BE INFORMATIONAL. JUST PULLING UP MY NOTES HERE. YOU HAVE THE SLIDES IN FRONT OF YOU. DO I HAVE THE CONTROLS ON THIS? OKAY.

THANKS. YEAH. SO SELINA SAID, MY NAME IS JAIME ALONSO. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR GRID ALTERNATIVES, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO. GRID ALTERNATIVES IS THE NATION'S LARGEST NONPROFIT RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLER. WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 2004, SO ABOUT 22 YEARS NOW. WE'VE BEEN IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SINCE ABOUT 2008. I PREVIOUSLY LED OUR INLAND EMPIRE REGION, WHICH INCLUDES ALL OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY, INYO COUNTY, AND SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY. OUR REGION NOW EXTENDS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SANTA BARBARA COAST, UP TO INYO, UP TO INYO COUNTY, ALONG THE EASTERN SIERRA NEVADAS AND DOWN TO BAJA MEXICO, WHERE WE DO A LOT OF OFF GRID PROJECTS. OUR ENERGY FOR ALL PROGRAM IS REALLY KIND OF OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM. IT'S A NO COST SOLAR PROGRAM. IT'S REALLY INTENDED TO BENEFIT THOSE WHO CAN'T OTHERWISE AFFORD THESE SOLAR SYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE A GOOD AMOUNT OF SAVINGS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERSHIP. THIS PARTICULAR GRANT WE RECEIVED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE IS BASICALLY NO COST SOLAR SYSTEM. WE ALSO DO ROOF REPAIRS. THERE'S FUNDING FOR LIMITED ROOF REPAIRS AS WELL AS ELECTRICAL UPGRADES. THE OTHER THING WE'RE DOING FOR ELECTRICAL UPGRADES IS IF WE ARE DOING AN ELECTRICAL UPGRADE, WE ASK THE CLIENT, THE

[01:15:04]

IT'S KIND OF GRANULAR, BUT THE GIST OF IT IS THE SOUTHERN BORDER IS, I THINK AVENUE 54.

THE WESTERN BORDER IS FREDERICK. THE NORTHERN BORDER IS MOSTLY AVENUE IS AVENUE 50 EXTENDING ALL THE WAY UP TO MAYBE AVENUE 48 AT THE TIP UP THERE, AND THEN SORT OF THE EASTERN BORDER KIND OF RUNS ALONG TYLER AND THEN KIND OF DIAGONAL DOWN TO 54TH STREET. SO IT'S REALLY THE DOWNTOWN, THE HEART OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, THE OLD PART OF COACHELLA. SO OLDER HOUSING STOCK. A LOT OF THE CLIENTS WE WORK WITH HAVE BEEN IN THESE HOMES FOR MANY YEARS, SOMETIMES GENERATIONS. AND SO IT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE BENEFIT OF NO COST SOLAR TO THIS PART OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. SO HOW TO QUALIFY? THERE ARE REALLY FOUR WAYS, FOUR STEPS TO QUALIFY THESE. THESE YOU HAVE TO BE IT HAS TO BE AN OWNER OCCUPIED HOME. SO IT CAN'T BE A RENTER OCCUPIED HOME. HOUSEHOLD INCOME HAS TO BE AT OR BELOW THE INCOME LIMITS YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE THERE. YOU MUST LIVE IN THAT PROJECT AREA MAP THAT I JUST WENT OVER. AND THEN YOUR PROPERTY HAS TO BE SUITABLE FOR SOLAR. WHAT THAT MEANS IS IT HAS TO THE ROOF HAS TO BE ABLE TO STRUCTURALLY BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF A SOLAR SYSTEM. IT'S A TEN YEAR LABOR WARRANTY. SO FOR TEN YEARS, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO THE SYSTEM, THESE SYSTEMS ARE LARGELY SELF RELIANT. THERE'S RARELY ISSUES. BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS ISSUES FOR TEN YEARS, GRID WILL COME OUT AND REPAIR ANY ANY DAMAGE, ANY ISSUES THAT COME UP WITH SOLAR SYSTEM IN TERMS OF ITS PERFORMANCE, NO LIENS ON THE HOME AS WELL. AND THEN REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION. BECAUSE THIS IS AN INCOME ELIGIBLE PROGRAM, WE NEED TO ESTABLISH PROOF OF INCOME PROOF OF HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE. THE LOCAL UTILITY HERE IS ID IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT. SO LOOK AT THE BILLS MOSTLY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE USAGE IS AT THE HOME.

THAT INFORMS HOW MUCH, HOW LARGE OF A SYSTEM WE CAN INSTALL AND PUT ON THE ROOF. SO THAT CAN BE OBTAINED ONLINE. AND THEN THERE'S AN APPLICATION PROCESS AS WELL. SO IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. MOST PEOPLE ARE READILY ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS. WE HAVE EXISTING OUTREACH STAFF THAT MEET CLIENTS, MEET HOMEOWNERS WHERE THEY ARE. WE'RE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC EACH WEEK AT THE COACHELLA PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND REALLY KIND OF HELP GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS. JUST A SNAPSHOT OF OUR CURRENT PIPELINE WE'VE INSTALLED TO DATE. BY THE END OF THE MONTH, 12 PROJECTS, WE HAVE 30 PROJECTS THAT ARE WHAT ARE CALLED APPLICATION APPROVED. THESE ARE THESE MEAN THAT HOMEOWNERS HAVE APPLIED FOR THE PROGRAM. THEY'VE BEEN VETTED AND THEY MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. AND THEN WE HAVE 18 THAT ARE KIND OF FURTHER ALONG IN THE PIPELINE THAT HAVE BEEN DESIGNED OR HAVE EXISTING LIKE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIKE ROOF OR ELECTRICAL UPGRADES THAT ARE CURRENTLY PENDING. YEAH. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A REFERRAL $500 FOR ANYONE WHO REFERS SOMEONE TO OUR PROGRAM THAT'S SUCCESSFULLY ENROLLS IN OUR PROGRAM. AND I THINK THAT'S GOING ON AT LEAST UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER. SO ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? YOU SAY THE NUMBER OF PANELS DEPENDS ON THE SYSTEM, RIGHT? THAT YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO GENERATE. YOU DO YOU DO A RESEARCH OF HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY IT'S SPENDING ON THE HOUSEHOLD? YEAH. THAT'S THE BIGGEST FACTOR THAT INFORMS HOW MANY PANELS ULTIMATELY GET ON THE ROOF IS WE LOOK AT THE USAGE HISTORY FOR THAT HOUSE OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD, AND THEN LOOK AT THE SYSTEM SIZE THAT WE CAN DESIGN. ID LIMITS IT TO 100% OF USAGE. SO OTHER UTILITIES CAN GO UP TO 150%. BUT THE CURRENT UTILITY SERVICES, THE CITY OF COACHELLA CAP SET AT 100%. SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DESIGN A SYSTEM ABOVE THE USAGE HISTORY OVER 12 MONTH PERIOD. TYPICAL SYSTEM SIZE WE'RE INSTALLING IS REALLY ANYWHERE BETWEEN 6 AND 7KW, WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT 18 TO 20 PANELS. THE OTHER LIMITING FACTOR IS ROOF SPACE. IF THE ROOF ITSELF IS SMALL, WHICH IS UNIQUE TO NOT UNIQUE TO AREAS LIKE THE CITY OF COACHELLA, WHERE YOU HAVE OLDER HOUSING STOCK, SMALLER ROOFS, BUT HIGHER USAGE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH HEAT. AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER LIMITING FACTOR IS ROOF SPACE. OKAY. AND ALSO YOU GUYS WILL PAY FOR THE ELECTRICAL UPGRADE, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S PART OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL. OKAY. ONE MORE THING. THE CONTRACT. OKAY.

LET'S SAY FOR INSTANCE, THEY GET AND THEY HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND THEY NEED TO SELL THE PROPERTY. IS THAT CONTRACT TRANSFERABLE TO THE NEW OWNER? THE SYSTEM GETS TRANSFERRED TO

[01:20:03]

IT JUST IT ATTACHES TO THE PROPERTY. AND. NOLAN. NOLAN THAT'S CORRECT, I HAVE THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. COMMUNITY COMMENT IF YOU WANT IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE MICROPHONE. WE NORMALLY DO NOT TAKE PRESENTATIONS. OKAY. TOOK ONE LAST TIME. I CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. WELL, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE REASON WHY YOU TOOK ONE LAST TIME? IT'S NORMAL BUSINESS.

WE DO NOT TAKE COMMENTS AND THAT WAS OUT OF BUSINESS ORDER. SO WE APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING A QUESTION. SORRY, MR. CITY ATTORNEY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HEY, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. WHEN WHEN YOU SAY THE APPLICATIONS APPROVED, THIS IS 30. DOES THAT INCLUDE INSTALLATIONS HAVE IS THIS APPLICATIONS JUST APPROVED NOT INSTALLATIONS YET. YEAH. SO THERE'S LIKE THERE'S DIFFERENT STAGES OF SORT OF LIKE WHERE PROJECTS START. WE USUALLY START BY CALLING THEM PRESCREENED QUALIFIED. THAT MEANS LIKE THEY'VE MET THE BASIC ELIGIBILITY BUT HAVEN'T COMPLETED THE APPLICATION AND SUBMITTED THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION. AN APPLICATION APPROVAL STATUS MEANS THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED THE DOCUMENTATION, COMPLETED THE APPLICATION, IT'S BEEN QC OR QUALITY LIKE THERE'S BEEN A QC LIKE QUALITY CONTROL BY ANOTHER OUTREACH STAFF AND OUR TEAM THAT'S VETTED IT AND SAID, YES, THIS PERSON QUALIFIES AND CAN MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE. IT GOES ON TO A SITE VISIT AND THEN WE DESIGN THE SYSTEM AND ULTIMATELY INSTALL IT AFTER WE GET PERMITS. HOW MANY HOW MANY SPOTS DO WE HAVE LEFT? I BEG YOUR PARDON? HOW MANY SPOTS DO WE HAVE LEFT? YEAH, IT'S A TOTAL OF 75. IT'S BASED THOUGH ON SYSTEM SIZE. I THINK I CAN GET YOU A MORE SPECIFIC NUMBER IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH HOW MANY ARE LEFT. BUT THE GOAL IS TO INSTALL UP TO 75 SYSTEMS. AND ARE THERE ANY TIMES WHERE A HOME CAN BE REJECTED, EVEN IF IT IT FITS WITHIN THE AREA, THE LOCATION ONLY IF IT DOESN'T MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA LIKE THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, OR IF THE STRUCTURE ITSELF. SO AS AS I SAID, WE DO A SITE VISIT. AND SO WE LOOK AT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF. AND ONCE WE DETERMINE THAT IT'S ADEQUATE AND, YOU KNOW, TO, TO PUT THE THE WEIGHT OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM ON THE ROOF, THERE'S REALLY NO ISSUE. SO LET'S SAY WE HAVE A HOMEOWNER, A FAMILY THAT IS REALLY IN NEED OF THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM. BUT THE STRUCTURAL, THE ROOF ISN'T AS SOUND. AND THEN THAT WOULD THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE SOLAR PANELS. YEAH. UNFORTUNATELY, IF IT'S A STRUCTURAL ISSUE, IT WOULD IF IT'S A ISSUE RELATED TO LIKE THE COMP SHINGLE THAT'S ON THE ROOF OR THE MATERIAL THAT'S ON THE ROOF, THAT NEEDS TO JUST BE REPLACED, THERE'S FUNDING AVAILABLE TO REPLACE IT. THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS INSTALL A SOLAR SYSTEM ON A ROOF THAT'S GOING TO LEAK. AND SO MAKING SURE THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THE ROOF, THE QUALITY OF OF THE FINISH ON THE ROOF CAN SUPPORT THE SOLAR SYSTEM IS REALLY CRITICAL. YEAH. AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT IT'S STILL, I THINK, FOR EVERY MEMBER OF COUNCIL HERE IS TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME HOMES THAT ARE REALLY IN SOME DEEP NEED. AND BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE HOME, IT'S PROBABLY NOT AS STRUCTURALLY SOUND THAT IT SHOULD BE. SURE. AND THAT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE REALLY WANT THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS TO GO TO. YEAH. WE'VE WORKED WITH COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGH SOME CDBG FUNDS TO DO SOME SUBSTANTIAL REHAB WORK FOR HOUSING AND LIKE COMMUNITIES LIKE BLYTHE, WHERE THAT WAS AN ISSUE. AND SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'RE OPEN TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY, ANY CITY, IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE STRUCTURAL BARRIERS THAT EXIST BECAUSE THEY ARE THEY ARE A REALITY WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE FOR SURE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND THEN THERE'S STILL SELENA. THEY'RE STILL ABLE TO APPLY AT THE LIBRARY, RIGHT? YES, YES, THEY'RE STILL OKAY. THE OTHER THING I'LL SAY THAT'S EXCITING. THAT'S KIND OF COMING DOWN THE PIKE. IT HASN'T BEEN FINALIZED YET, BUT IT'S NEARING COMPLETION. IS THAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SECURE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO ATTACH BATTERIES TO ALL OF THESE PROJECTS AND INSTALL, I THINK, AN ADDITIONAL 25 OR 26 ADDITIONAL PROJECTS ON TOP OF THE 75. AND THE BATTERY WILL ALLOW FOR ADDITIVE SAVINGS. BECAUSE THINK OF LIKE THE BATTERY AS A PIGGY BANK, THE MORE ENERGY THAT THE SYSTEM PRODUCES THAT EXCEEDS THE AMOUNT THAT THE HOMEOWNER IS USING AT ANY GIVEN TIME, ANY EXCESS ENERGY GOES INTO THAT BANK, GOES INTO THAT BATTERY THAT THEY CAN THEN USE LATER. INSTEAD OF PULLING ENERGY FROM THE GRID AT WHATEVER IT IS $0.24 A KILOWATT HOUR. AND SO THAT'S JUST A WAY OF BOLSTERING SAVINGS AS WELL. AND SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL GET STARTED ON THAT THIS FALL, MAYBE SO. AND THEN, YEAH, THE OTHER THING I'LL JUST SHARE IS IT'S BEEN NOTHING BUT A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH SELENA AND CITY STAFF, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT. JUST IN TERMS OF JUST THE FLOW OF

[01:25:04]

SO THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THE SOLAR PANELS, THEY DON'T HAVE A BACKUP BATTERY CORRECT. CURRENTLY THEY THERE'S NO EXISTING FUNDING TO INSTALL BATTERY, BUT THAT'S COMING. AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE'LL GO BACK TO THEM AND INSTALL A BATTERY. IT'S CALLED A RETROFIT. SO SO THEY WILL GET IT. YES. IF THEY WANT IT. AND THEN I'VE HEARD AND THIS JUST RUMORS THAT ID IS NOT ALLOWING BACKUP BATTERIES. THAT IS NOT CORRECT.

OKAY. YEAH. IT'S MORE COSTLY TO DO BATTERY BACKUP. SO WE HAVE AN INITIATIVE IN MECCA AND NORTH SHORE. AND PART OF THAT COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE, THAT COMMUNITY, THOSE COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCE REGULAR SHUT OFF EVENTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS. AND SO BATTERY BACKUP IS REALLY CRITICAL THERE. AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING WITH ID ESSENTIALLY TO DESIGN A, A BATTERY PROGRAM FOR THAT COMMUNITY. OKAY. THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK JAIME, YOURSELF AND THE OTHER AND SELENA AND THE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS, BECAUSE THE ADDITIONAL RELEASE OF OF THESE FUNDS IS BECAUSE OF THE OUTSTANDING PROGRAM THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT TOGETHER. AND IT REALLY IS. SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THIS WORK AT THE BACKUP BATTERIES, THAT FUNDING IS COMING DOWN. YOU KNOW, IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WITH YOUR PROGRAM. AND THEN SALINAS, ALSO HER EXPERTISE IN THESE TYPES OF GRANTS. SO THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE TOUCHED ON AFFORDABILITY. BATTERIES IS REALLY THE PAIRING OF SOLAR WITH BATTERY IS REALLY THE CLEAREST WAY TO ADDRESS THE AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES. RATES ARE GOING UP. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ID HAS RELEASED A SCHEDULE ABOUT WHAT THAT RATE INCREASE LOOKS LIKE COMPARED TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON. IT'S STILL RELATIVELY LOW, BUT THEY'RE GOING UP. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I LIKE THE CAN I MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT HOW YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE ROOF REPAIR BECAUSE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME EXPERIENCES WITH SOME SOLAR COMPANIES THAT THEY DON'T DO THE RESEARCH. WHETHER THE STRUCTURE OF THE ROOF IS STRONG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE PANELS. AND THEN A YEAR LATER, THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE ROOF, RIGHT? AND NOW IT'S THEY HAVE A CLAIM AGAINST THEIR PROPERTY AND INSURANCE AND OTHER INSURANCE IS GOING HIGHER. BUT I APPRECIATE THAT HOW YOU GUYS ARE PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, TO DO THE OPTION AS A ROOF REPAIR IF NECESSARY. AND YEAH, SO WE CONTRACT WITH ROOFERS AND WE PUT THEM THROUGH, WE IT'S CALLED OUR SUBCONTRACTOR PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. IT'S A WHOLE VETTING PROCESS THAT REQUIRES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF INSURANCE LIABILITY AND COVERAGE. WE WORKED WITH THE SAME ROOFER NOW FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS AND HAVEN'T HAD ANY ISSUE. SO DOING THAT EARLY DUE DILIGENCE TO DE-RISK ANY KIND OF ROOF ISSUES EARLY ON IN THE PROJECT CYCLE IS REALLY CRITICAL. THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. SO JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, WHEN WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, THAT'S WHEN WE DON'T ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENTS. BUT I KNOW THAT ON THE LAST PRESENTATION, THERE WAS A PUBLIC COMMENT AND I THINK THERE WAS. THAT WAS THE CONFUSION. SO JUST FOR PROTOCOL PURPOSES, IF WE PUT AN ITEM ON THE DISCUSSION SECTION, THEN THAT'S WHEN WE CAN HAVE COMMENTS. BUT WHEN IT'S JUST A PRESENTATION, THAT'S WHEN THE AGENDA DOES NOT ALLOW FOR COMMENTS. BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE ON THE LAST ONE, WE DID HAVE A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC ASK A QUICK QUESTION, BUT IT GOT THROUGH US. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. MANY PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN GREAT ALTERNATIVES. MAKE SURE YOU GET HIS BUSINESS CARDS. AND THEY'RE ALWAYS WHAT THEY ARE OVER THERE EVERY WEEK ON THURSDAYS, RIGHT.

THURSDAYS CERTAIN. IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, THEY CAN TALK TO

[Written Communications]

[Consent Calendar]

FRANCISCO MOLINA, GO TELL THE GENTLEMAN OUTSIDE. OKAY. I'M SORRY WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HOLD THE AGENDA ITEM. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? I JUST HAVE

[01:30:05]

AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. DELGADO. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ. YES. MAYOR.

[New Business Calendar (Legislative and Administrative)]

THE INTENT OF THE ADDED LANGUAGE IS TO PREVENT ANY PERCEPTION OF NEPOTISM FOR NEW COMMISSION APPOINTEES BY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN A SIMILAR FASHION AS THE CITY'S ANTI-NEPOTISM POLICY FOR NEW HIRES, STAFF REVIEWED ANTI-NEPOTISM PRACTICES AND FOUND THE LANGUAGE THAT CAN BE PLACED ON A COMMISSION APPLICATION TO PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF NEPOTISM WITHIN THE CITY. COMMISSIONS AND IN. IN THE PACKET, YOU'LL SEE A.

THE APPLICATION THAT. THAT IS IN RED TRACK CHANGES AND WHAT STAFF IS PROPOSING IS THAT WE

[01:35:04]

RESIDENTS FAVORITISM. RESIDENTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE. FOR APPOINTMENT IF THEY ARE A RELATIVE OR HOUSEHOLD MEMBER OF ANY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. RELATIVE MEANS A SPOUSE, DOMESTIC PARTNER, PARENT, CHILD, SIBLING, GRANDPARENT, GRANDCHILD AND UNCLE, NIECE, NEPHEW, COUSIN IN LAW, STEP RELATIVE OR PERSON RESIDING IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER. APPLICANTS MUST DISCLOSE ANY SUCH RELATIONSHIP. SO ALSO WHAT WE DID IS WE ADDED A SECTION TO THE APPLICATION NUMBER SIX WHICH SAYS, ARE YOU RELATED TO ANY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, OR DO YOU RESIDE IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD AS ANY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL? AND THAT IS, THEY'LL IDENTIFY THAT BY EITHER CHECKING THE BOX, NO OR YES. STAFF ALSO ADDED. OH, THANKS FOR SUCH. STAFF ALSO ADDED AN ATTESTATION CLAUSE AS PROOF OF THE TRUTHFULNESS OF THE INFORMATION ON THE APPLICATION AND TO HOLD THE APPLICANTS ACCOUNTABLE. SO STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL REVIEW AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND DIRECTION ON THE ATTACHED COMMISSION APPLICATION WITH NEW PROPOSED ANTI-NEPOTISM LANGUAGE. OKAY, I'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS FIRST AND THEN WE'LL TAKE COUNCIL DISCUSSION. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES. JAMES RODRIGUEZ. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. JAMES RODRIGUEZ, NATIVE RESIDENT OF COACHELLA. I JUST WANTED TO ADD THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO THIS. AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ARE THE SIXTH VOICE ON THE COUNCIL. SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE HAS MADE THEIR OWN ASSUMPTIONS AND WE CAN'T FUEL ANY ASSUMPTIONS BY ALLOWING OUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, RELATIVES, SPOUSES OR OTHERWISE TO TAKE COMMISSION POSITIONS REGARDLESS OF IF THEY ARE THE MOST QUALIFIED PERSON BECAUSE THEY CAN ALWAYS COME TO THE COMMISSION MEETING AND SHARE THAT KNOWLEDGE. THEY DON'T NEED TO BE ON THE COMMISSION. SO I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT OUR NON NEPOTISM IS VERY, VERY SMART FOR US TO IMPLEMENT ACROSS ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY IS ON THE COMMISSION AND ONE OF THEIR APPOINTMENTS IS TO A DIFFERENT COMMISSION. THAT'S A COLLECTIVE OF CITIES. MAYBE THEY SHOULDN'T BE ON THAT COMMISSION. IF THEY HAVE A RELATIVE IN THAT COMMISSION, YOU KNOW AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT CAN CAUSE A POTENTIAL FOR HAVING MEETINGS ON THE SIDE, WHICH ARE AGAINST BROWN ACT RULES. SO IT JUST SOLVES A LOT OF ISSUES WHEN WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE AT LOOKING AT STUFF LIKE THIS. SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT INITIATIVE.

THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT WE HAVE JESUS GONZALEZ. MY NAME IS JESUS GONZALEZ. LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR REPRESENTING US. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR AN I VOTE ON ITEM 14. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT IS FRANCISCO MOLINA. GOOD EVENING, FRANKIE MOLINA, COACHELLA RESIDENT. I SUPPORT THIS ITEM AND I'M ASKING YOU TO MAKE IT STRONGER IN FOUR WAYS.

FIRST, EXTEND IT TO THIS DAIS. AS DRAFTED, THE LANGUAGE SCREENS RELATIVES OF COUNCIL MEMBERS OUT OF COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS. IT SHOULD APPLY EXPRESSLY EXPRESSLY TO THE MAYOR, TO EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL AND TO THE CITY MANAGER AND DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, COVERING EMPLOYMENT AND APPOINTMENTS ALIKE WITH DISCLOSURE AND RECUSAL REQUIRED.

IF THE POLICY APPLIES TO EVERYONE BUT YOU, IT WILL BE READ AS A POLICY ABOUT EVERYONE BUT YOU. SECOND, THE DRAFT CAPTURES FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS AND NOTHING ELSE. IT DOESN'T ASK AN APPLICANT WHETHER THEY OR A BUSINESS THEY OWN HOLD A CONTRACT WITH THIS CITY OR A VENDOR TO THIS CITY, OR HAVE A MATTER PENDING BEFORE THE COMMISSION THEY'RE APPLYING TO.

THOSE ARE THE CONFLICTS THAT ACTUALLY PRODUCE PROBLEMS. I'M NOT ASKING FOR AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION. I'M ASKING FOR DISCLOSURE ON THE RECORD. THIRD STAFF ADDED AN ATTESTATION CLAUSE, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT THE REPORT STATES NO CONSEQUENCE FOR A FALSE ONE.

[01:40:04]

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS CARLA. I AM A COMMUNITY MEMBER OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, AND I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP. I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN PAST MEETINGS, AND I DO HAVE TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BACK AND BEING ABLE TO PUT THAT INFORMATION ON THERE. I REALLY APPRECIATED HOW CLEAR IT WAS ON SOME OF THOSE PORTIONS. MY ONLY COMMENT WOULD BE THE SAME THING THAT FRANCISCO MENTIONED IS ALSO TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THERE TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, THEY DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY BE DISQUALIFIED IF THEY HAVE SOME FORM OF LIKE CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, BUT IT WOULD HELP TO HAVE THAT DISCLOSED. FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT HAS A BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA AND THEY WANT TO BE IN THE COMMISSION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR SOMETHING RELATED OF THAT SORT, THEN YEAH, YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR BUSINESS IS. JUST TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION DISCLOSED WOULD REALLY HELP OUT. AND IT KIND OF GIVES THAT TRANSPARENCY THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT? BUILDING THAT TRUST NOT ONLY AMONGST OURSELVES AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT ALSO WITH OUR COUNCIL, MAKING SURE THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AND WE'RE TRANSPARENT AS CAN BE. I THINK THAT WOULD HELP OUT. THE OTHER THING THAT WAS MENTIONED ALSO WAS HAVING THE TERMS. I KNOW THAT THERE IS TERMS ON HERE, AND IT DOES SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY ELECTS, SOMEBODY DECIDES TO CHOOSE SOMEBODY, IT ENDS WHEN THEIR TERM ENDS.

ANOTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON THERE IS TO HAVE ALSO LIMITS ON HOW MANY TIMES THEY CAN BE ON ANY OF THESE COMMISSIONS. I THINK IT INCENTIVIZES A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE, HEY, THERE'S A SPOT. THERE'S BEEN A SPOT OPEN. COME ON, YOU GO AHEAD AND APPLY. AND WE'VE SAID IT AMONGST EACH OTHER AS WELL. LIKE, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THIS COMMISSION. WHY DON'T YOU APPLY? SO I THINK IT WOULD BENEFIT A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND NOT HAVE THE SAME PEOPLE HOLD THIS COMMISSION POSITIONS FOREVER. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR ALL OF YOU BRINGING THIS BACK TO US. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IT'S REALLY GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ONLINE? IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 14? THERE ARE NO HANDS RAISED. WE'LL MOVE OVER TO COUNCIL COMMENTS. I'LL START TO MY RIGHT. MR. MARTINEZ, NO COMMENTS. I THINK IT'S GOOD, COUNCILWOMAN. NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN DELGADO. YEAH, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE OWNING BUSINESSES THAT FALLS UNDER CONFLICT OF INTEREST. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF, BRIAN, IF YOU WANT TO QUICKLY JUST SHARE IF SOMEONE IS ON A COMMISSION, EVEN ON COUNCIL AND THEY HAVE A BUSINESS, THEY HAVE TO RECUSE THEMSELVES AND THEN THEY HAVE TO SHARE IT PUBLICLY. CAN YOU

[01:45:04]

IT ALSO APPLIES TO ANY INCOMING ELECTED OFFICIALS. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO THEM AS WELL. THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO REMOVE THIS POLICY IS THE SAME METHOD THAT WE'RE DOING NOW, IS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AND THEN REDO THE POLICY OR ELIMINATE IT ALL TOGETHER. BUT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT POLICY. THIS IS A POLICY THAT I ASKED FOR IN 2023. IT DID NOT COME FORWARD. IT DID NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT. AND I DO WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER PEREZ FOR FOR SUPPORTING IT, BUT I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IT AND THAT WE'RE JUST ENSURING THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN ANYMORE. AND THERE'S A LOT OF DISTRUST GOING ON IN THE CITY, A LOT OF DISTRUST. AND SO THAT AS LONG AS WE KEEP PUTTING IN SOME OF THESE POLICIES WHERE WE'RE HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE, I THINK THAT SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ YEAH, I'M GLAD IT'S IT'S FINALLY ON HERE AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IT APPROVED AND, AND START MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER DELGADO HAS SAID IT, BUT SHE HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR THIS ANTI-NEPOTISM TO BE ON OUR AGENDA. SO THANK YOU. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S A LONG TIME COMING. AND I ECHO COUNCILWOMAN DELGADO'S PART OF BUILDING TRUST AND ITEMS. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL MOVE ON. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S PART OF THE APPLICATION, THE PART WITH THE ASSETS, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, BECAUSE THEY SAY THE ASSETS PIECE, RIGHT. THAT THAT'S PERJURY. IT HAS THAT WORD PERJURY UNDER PERJURY. RIGHT.

AND THAT ITSELF IS LIKE, THEN YOU COULD BE REMOVED BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THAT IS BINDING, RIGHT? JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S JUST ENSURING THAT THEY SEE AND AGREE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN THE APPLICATION IS TRUE. YOU, AS COUNCIL, ALWAYS HAVE THE DISCRETION IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING CAME UP AND SOMEONE COMMITTED PERJURY TO REMOVE THAT INDIVIDUAL FROM ANY APPOINTED COMMISSION AND TO ADDRESS THE NEWS MEDIA WHO SAID THAT AFTERWARDS, THE CITY WOULDN'T HAVE ANY MORE PEOPLE TO APPLY TO THIS. I THAT I FOUND THAT BAFFLING, THAT THAT THAT WAS JUST REALLY UNWARRANTED FROM THE NEWS MEDIA PERSON THAT EVERYBODY IN COACHELLA IS RELATED TO EVERYBODY. AND WE JUST HAVE LARGE FAMILIES. THAT'S THE DOWN. DEEP DOWN, IF YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY, COME TO ONE OF OUR BARBECUES AND COME TO THE CARNE ASADA, BECAUSE MY 25 PLUS COUSINS ARE GOING TO BE BACK THERE BUMPING SOME CORRIDOS OR SOMETHING. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT I FOUND BAFFLING AT THE END OF THE DAY. LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE NO ONE ELSE TO APPLY. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE, AND THIS IS GOING TO OPEN THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO APPLY. AND I THINK THAT THE BIG PUSH IS GOING TO BE GETTING PEOPLE TO APPLY BECAUSE HAVE YOU SEEN SOMETIMES YOU ONLY GET 4 OR 3 PEOPLE AND WE GOT TO OPEN IT AGAIN. SO THIS IS THE MESSAGE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S AN APPLICATION OPEN, THINK ABOUT IT AND APPLY. AND YOU NEVER KNOW. YOU MIGHT BE THE NEXT APPLYING ART COMMISSION AND INSTALLING SOMETHING. BUT I FOUND THAT BAFFLING THAT THEY SAID THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE NO MORE PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THESE JOBS.

SO WITH THAT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION. IF THERE'S NO MORE COMMENTS, I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

THERE'S A FIRST. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? COUNCILWOMAN DELGADO MOTION, AND THERE'S A SECOND BY MISS MARTINEZ. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER.

AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. DELGADO. YES. MAYOR. PRO TEM. PEREZ. YES. MAYOR. FIGUEROA. I. MOTION PASSES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 15 NOW. CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH JB BOSTICK'S, LLC IN THE AMOUNT OF 224,680 $100, PLUS A 10% CONTINGENCY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF AVENIDA DE

[01:50:03]

THANK YOU. SO, LIKE I ALREADY READ MOST OF IT. I'M ASKING YOU TO AUTHORIZE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH JB BOSTICK. SO THE CITY REQUESTED BIDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY STANDARDS AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC CONTRACTING CODE. WE PUT OUT A NOTICE TO INVITING BIDS ON JULY 24TH AT OUR JOB WALK ON AUGUST 4TH AND HELD THE. THE PROJECT BID OPENING WAS ON AUGUST 19TH. WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED 12 BIDDERS, WHICH WAS FANTASTIC. WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF INTEREST AND A LOT OF GOOD PRICES ON OUR CONTRACTS RECENTLY, AND THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION BUDGET WITH CONTINGENCY WAS 247149, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WELL BELOW WHAT WE HAD ESTIMATED TO COME OUT AS. INTERESTING. THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, IT'S ON THE NORTH SIDE OF AVENUE 50. IT'S THE PLATINA NEIGHBORHOOD. AND TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE STREETS LOOK LIKE NOW, I CAN SEE THE STREETS ARE ACTUALLY QUITE DISTRESSED THERE. SO THIS WILL BE A FULL REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE STREETS LONG OVERDUE FOR THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO WITH THAT, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH JB BOSTICK IN THE AMOUNT OF 224, SIX, 81 PLUS THE CONTINGENCY. AND THIS IS ALL BILLED TO OUR STREET. 135 PROJECT, THE FISCAL IMPACT IS ALREADY BUDGETED IN OUR CIP ANNUAL PAVEMENT BUDGETS, AND IT IS FUNDED THROUGH MEASURE A AND SB ONE. PUBLIC COMMENTS. I DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKER FORMS FOR ITEM NUMBER 19. IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT HAS A COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER I. I'M SORRY. 15. THERE ARE NO HANDS RAISED. OKAY. SEEING NONE. THIS IS A COOL NEIGHBORHOOD. HAVE YOU EVER DRIVEN BY IT HAS THE THE CARPORT. SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE STREETS. I KNOW THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING TO BE VERY EXCITED TO GET THEIR, THEIR STREETS REPAVED AND, AND EXCITED. BUT IT'S A COOL LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD, COOL LITTLE ARCHITECTURE IN THERE. SO WITH THAT, ENTERTAIN A MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION. THERE'S A FIRST BY MR. MARTINEZ. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER HUME. COUNCIL MEMBER. MARTINEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER AGAIN. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. DELGADO. YES. MAYOR. PRO TEM. PEREZ. YES. MAYOR. FIGUEROA. HI. MOTION CARRIES.

MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 16. AUTHORIZE A DIRECT PURCHASE OF SKATE PARK EQUIPMENT FROM AMERICAN RAMP COMPANY IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 225,000 FOR THE DATE LANDSCAPE. PARK CITY PROJECT P 27. YES. SO AGAIN, THIS IS THIS PROJECT IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST ONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE BREAKING GROUND ON FOR OUR PROSPERA. SO ON FEBRUARY 10TH, THE CITY ENTERED INTO THE AGREEMENT WITH THE SGC FOR THE TCC GRANT. AND THE COACHELLA PROSPERITY INITIATIVE IS LOTS OF PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND MAN& OF THOSE PROJECTS HAVE THE CITY AS THE PRIMARY LEAD, AND THE AMERICAN RANCH COMPANY. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TURNKEY SERVICES, SO WHEN WE AWARD THIS TO THEM, THEY'LL BE DOING THE PUBLIC OUTREACH. THEY'LL BE DOING THE DESIGN, THEY DO THE MANUFACTURING OF THE SKATE PARKS OFF SITE AND THE INSTALLATION, AND THEY'LL DO THE REMOVAL AS WELL. AND THIS PROJECT IS FULLY MANUFACTURED BY THEM AND THEN INSTALLED ON SITE LOOKING WITH THE PARK. LOOKS LIKE NOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE ABOVE GROUND RAMPS. THEY ARE PAST THEIR SERVICEABLE LIFE. YOU CAN SEE THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THEM. SO WE'LL BE REPLACING ALL OF THIS ABOVE GROUND EQUIPMENT AND GETTING NEW EQUIPMENT. WE ARE GOING WITH THE X SERIES ON THE RAMPS, AND THOSE OFFER A 20 YEAR WARRANTY ON ALL STEEL RAMPS AND 15 YEAR WARRANTY FOR ANY HDPE AND FIVE YEAR WARRANTY ON ANY SURFACES. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS ONLY PHASE ONE OF THE SKATE PARK PROJECT. WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS COMING, AND FOR PHASE TWO, WE ARE GOING TO BE INSTALLING A IN-GROUND CONCRETE BOWL FEATURE AS WELL. AND WITH THAT PORTION OF THE PROJECT, WE'LL BE DOING THE DESIGN PORTION ON THAT. BUT WE WANTED TO GET A JUMP START AND GET THE NEW EQUIPMENT ON SITE AHEAD OF TIME. AND THEN AS PHASE TWO WILL BE INSTALLING THE IN THE THE IN PLACE CONCRETE BOWL, AND WE'LL BE COMING TO YOU WITH A SEPARATE CONTRACT TO AWARD THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT ELEMENT. ONCE THE DESIGN IS DONE ON THAT. SO AS FAR AS THE FISCAL IMPACT,

[01:55:02]

SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION. YEAH. SO JUST JUST A COMMENT. I CAN'T WAIT. I CAN'T WAIT FOR PHASE TWO TO GET DONE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF KIDS THAT GO OUT TO LA QUINTA TO USE THEIR SKATE PARK. SO ONCE PHASE TWO GETS DONE, I CAN SEE HOW BUSY IT'S GOING TO GET. SO THANK YOU. I AM, I AM, I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS SKATE PARK. I THINK IT'S A GREAT LOCATION AS WELL BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW SURROUNDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND THEY REALLY DO HANG OUT AT THIS PARK QUITE A BIT. AND SO HAVING THIS SPACE IS JUST, YOU KNOW, A FUN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT THEY CAN ALL ENJOY TOGETHER. YEAH. I'M, AS COUNCILMAN PEREZ SAYS, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FULL BUILD OUT, BUT NONETHELESS, I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE HERE FOR SOME OF THE WARRANTIES THAT YOU'RE SHARING ON HERE. SO IF THERE IS ANY DAMAGES TO THE RAMPS, THEN THAT GETS REPORTED WITH THE AGENCY THAT WE'RE CONTRACTING, AND THEN THEY DO THE FULL REPAIRS ON IT. YEAH. SO ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE A MANUFACTURER WARRANTY, OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T THINK THEIR WARRANTIES COVER VANDALISM, BUT THESE ARE VERY STURDY. THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING WITH THE X SERIES. THEY HAVE THE TRIPLE LAYER RAMPS. SO THEY'RE A LOT MORE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT MORE STURDY THAN THE OTHER RAMPS. AND WE'D BE EXPECTING THEM TO, TO HOLD UP TO THAT KIND OF LIKE RIGOROUS WEAR AND TEAR AND LAST A LOT LONGER AND BE MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN, THAN

[02:00:04]

SO THAT'S A REGULAR PLACE WHERE WE GO AND WE REPAINT THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF GRAFFITI ON A REGULAR BASIS. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP IT CLEAN.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE STAINS. I UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT. WE WANT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER MAINTENANCE TOOLS, WHETHER IT'S GETTING POWER WASHED OR WHATEVER IT IS, BUT THAT WE'RE KEEPING IT, YOU KNOW, LET'S KEEP IT ALL CLEAN. YES. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 16, 16, 16. I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THERE'S A SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. YES.

SECOND. FIRST AND THEN SECOND. AND A SECOND. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. HI.

COUNCIL MEMBER HUME. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER. DELGADO. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ. YES. MAYOR FIGUEROA I. MOTION CARRIES. MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 17. A APPROVE SPONSORSHIP AND IN-KIND SERVICES REQUEST FOR THE 2026 SYNERGY DESIGN AND LIVE ART FESTIVAL BY CULTURE, MUSIC AND ARTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000. ANDREW. YES, I WE ACTUALLY HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM. ART WILL BE GIVING THE PRESENTATION. BUT JUST TO GIVE A QUICK INTRODUCTION, THE SYNERGY DESIGN LIVE ARTS FESTIVAL IS GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH FROM 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M. AT DATELAND PARK. THIS IS AN EVENT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2012, AND FOR THE SPONSORSHIP REQUEST. THE CITY HAS ALREADY BUDGETED $25,000 AND OUR ANNUAL BUDGET THAT WAS MEANT TO GO TOWARDS THIS. SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE REQUEST, WE SAW HOW WE COULD SPEND THAT $25,000. AND WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO CULTURAL ARTS, MUSIC AND ARTS AND COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD SPEND $19,000 AS A DIRECT PAYMENT TOWARDS THE EVENT. AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $6,000 OF IN-KIND SUPPORT SERVICES, THOSE SUPPORT SERVICES THAT THE CITY PROVIDES FOR THE EVENT INCLUDE ROAD CLOSURES, BATHROOMS, WASH STATIONS, TRASH BINS, GENERATORS, AND THEN WE HAVE SUPPORT STAFF THAT ACTUALLY WORKS THE EVENT THE ENTIRE TIME AS WELL. SO AGAIN, THE CITY HAS ALREADY APPROVED THE $25,000 IN THE 2627 ANNUAL BUDGET TO BE ALLOCATED TO THIS EVENT, AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE BROUGHT IT TO THE COMMUNITY, GOT AWARENESS FOR THE EVENT, AND WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE ABLE TO COME UP AND PRESENT AS WELL. IF YOU WANT HIM TO PLAY THE VIDEO, WE HAVE A VIDEO AS WELL THAT JASON CAN HIT PLAY FOR YOU. WELCOME. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS IAN. I AM A BARBER. BARBER SHOP OWNER IN PALM DESERT AND MY SON HAS BEEN INVITED TO SYNERGY FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. AND THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET TWO MURALS FOR THE FIREBIRDS. SO HE HE WAS AT A YOUNG AGE DOING THIS FOR, YOU KNOW. AND HE ALSO DID. OH, IS IT IT WAS AN ORGANIZATION TO HELP OTHER KIDS, TO SHOW THEM HOW TO DO GRAFFITI RESPONSIBLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT. SO LET'S SEE. YEAH, LIKE THEY WERE SAYING, IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 2009. AND THE MURAL ON THE SHADY LANE MURAL PROJECT. WOULD YOU LIKE US TO PLAY THE VIDEO, SIR? OH YES PLEASE.

[02:06:05]

AND THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN YADIRA PEREZ, FOR COMING OUT LAST YEAR AND SUPPORTING OUR ARTISTS AND FAMILIES. THANK YOU. AND NOW, WITH THE OPENING OF THE CULTURAL CENTER FOR ART AND MUSIC, WE ARE READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP. THE CENTER WILL BE A HUB FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, FAMILIES, ARTISTS, CULTURAL PRACTITIONERS. IT WILL BE A PLACE WHERE CREATIVITY THRIVES, WHERE CULTURE IS PRESERVED, AND WHERE OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO RISE. COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR PARTNERSHIP, AND YOUR BELIEF IN THE POWER OF ART AND CULTURE. CULTURA MUSIC AND ARTS IS PROUD TO STAND WITH THE CITY OF COACHELLA AS WE CONTINUE BUILDING A FUTURE ROOTED IN DIGNITY, CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY PRIDE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY. IS THERE A CITY COUNCIL? I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT AS PART OF THIS, THIS EVENT, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS PERFORMERS FROM THE FROM MEXICO CITY THAT COME EVERY YEAR, AND THEY'D LIKE TO BE A PART OF THIS EVENT. AND I WANT TO ASK MISS YAYA IF SHE CAN INTRODUCE THEM. HI. THANK YOU AGAIN. I WANT TO INTRODUCE JAVIER GALVEZ, WHO HAS A DANCE GROUP THAT HE WANTS TO INTRODUCE, A PROJECT THAT HE WANTS TO BRING TO SYNERGY. WELCOME. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JAVIER GALVEZ. MUCHAS GRACIAS. POR DEJARME DIRIGIR LA PALABRA PARA CON USTEDES. NOSOTROS SOMOS LOS DANZANTES

[02:10:04]

AND IT'S A GREAT HONOR BECAUSE RUBEN INVITED. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A FEW YEARS. I'M THE ARTIST THAT DID THE 52ND. IF YOU GO BY 52ND STREET, THE PART OF THE MURAL THAT'S THERE, THAT'S THE HISTORY OF THE 52 YEAR CYCLE, AND I DID IT. HE. RUBEN ASKED ME, HE SAID, MAESTRO, THAT PART OF THE MURAL IS YOURS. DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO AS LONG AS YOU PUT MY PELOTEROS THERE. SO I DID PUT HIM WITH PELOTEROS AND THEN I PUT THE HISTORY IN THE BOOK, THE HISTORY OF THE WHOLE 52 YEAR CYCLE. AND IT'S IN MY BOOK, LOS DANZANTES DEL SOL. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE LOST AZTEC MEXICA YEARS, LOS ANGELES HAS TAKEN MEXICAS, AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO TEN, I MEAN, TO 11, 16. AND YOU GOTTA REMEMBER, YOU ARE VERY IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES BUT IN MEXICO, BECAUSE IN MEXICO, LOS DANZANTES DEL SOL, WE EXTEND ALL THE WAY TO MEXICO CITY. AND IN MEXICO CITY, THEY KNOW COACHELLA IS A PLACE WHERE THE MURAL IS, WHERE THE HISTORY IS. AND THE LAST TIME THAT THE THE NEW FIRE WAS CELEBRATED HERE WAS ON 1091. BUT IN AZTLAN AND IT'S COMING BACK. SO IT'S A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT CELEBRATION. AND I'M GOING TO BE REQUESTING HELP FROM YOU GUYS TO HELP ME BRING THE REST OF THE GROUP HERE. AND YOU WILL BE SEEN AS SPECTACULAR PROGRAM BY THE BEST DANCERS FROM MEXICO CITY AND FROM THE UNITED STATES. AND WE WILL BE DOING THE FIRE DANCE LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. SO WE I WILL BE REQUESTING FUNDS LATER, I GUESS NEXT. ON THE NEXT MEETING, I'LL BE TALKING MORE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE SKETCH, BUT I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I WANT TO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU. I WANT TO GIVE YOU ONE OF OUR POSTERS, I. SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEE IT. AND THEN YOU WILL BE SEEING ALSO THESE BANNERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HANGING FIVE BY TEN ANNOUNCING THE EVENT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND TALK TO YOU GUYS. MY NAME IS JAVIER GALVEZ. I WAS A PROFESSOR AT THE CLAREMONT COLLEGES FOR 15 YEARS, AND I HAD A LOT OF MY STUDENTS THAT ARE TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, INCLUDING COACHELLA. SO THANK YOU. AND I HAVE A LOT OF DANCERS RIGHT HERE FROM COACHELLA TO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE ALL KNOW, BOY, YOU NEED MORE. I'M KEEPING ME. I'M GONNA I'M GONNA JUST, I'M GONNA SHARE THIS WITH YOU. AND I'M SORRY, I ONLY HAVE TWO, WHICH IS IT SAYS HAPPY NEW YEAR ON THE 2027 EL FUEGO. NUEVO EN OMEGA. A NEW ONE FOR THE CITY AND ONE FOR. I'D LIKE TO THANK ALSO GUS GUSTAVO THAT INVITED ME HERE TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING ALL THE ARTISTS AND ALL THE MUSICIANS. YOU WILL SEE. SPECTACULAR DAY

[02:15:03]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? WE DO, FRANCISCO MOLINA. HI THERE. THIS IS FRANK MOLINA, COACHELLA RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER AND ARTIST. I NEVER REALLY PROBABLY DEFINED MYSELF AS SUCH, BUT THIS THIS PROJECT, THIS SYNERGY PROJECT AND THE DANZA DE FUEGO, LIKE THAT'S FIRE. WE NEEDED THAT, LIKE ALWAYS. SO IF I HAD $1 BILLION, I'D WRITE YOU A CHECK TO TOUR THE WORLD INDEFINITELY AND KEEP THAT 52 YEAR CYCLE RUNNING INDEFINITELY. BECAUSE YEAH. GRACIAS. YEAH.

YOUR YOUR YOUR MIS PADRES ON THE MEXICO ESPECIFICAMENTE DE PUEBLA MI PAPA. ENTONCES MI SON MAS FUERTE DE AHI YO APRENDI SOY NAGUA Y APRENDI DE UNA IDEA Q SE LLAMA TOTAL Q ES LA IDEA MAS ILUMINADA DE TODO NAGUA INVESTIGAR MAS Y APRENDI Q NOMBRE ES MA WILLIE CAULEY Y ESO SIGNIFICA CINCO CASA E EL NOMBRE DE SI PORQUE CUANDO UNO NACE TIENE UN NOMBRE. UNIVERSAL.

MI HERMANA DE MI D MI D MI ESPOSA TAMBIÉN ES MA WILLIE CARLY Y ESO LA IDEA ES TODOS HACEMOS SIENDO EL UNIVERSO Y NOS VEMOS EL NOMBRE Q NOS DAN Y CUANDO YO INVESTIGAR CUALES SON MIS NOMBRES ENCONTRÉ Y TENGO LA MEJOR PUEDO HABLAR CON USTED SABER SI ME PUEDE CONECTAR CON ALGUIEN. PERO MI NOMBRE ES KOSTIC WECHSELN. QUÉ ES MI NOMBRE DE LA LUZ? Y TAMBIÉN TENGO MI NOMBRE DE LA SEGURIDAD. QUÉ ES? Y CREO. QUÉ ES MUY IMPORTANTE PARA NUESTRA COMUNIDAD Q NOS RECORDEMOS. QUÉ ES PORQUE SI SOMOS ESTADOS ESTADOS UNIDOS. Y YO CREO MUCHOS ESTAMOS MUY ORGULLOSOS DE ESTADOS UNIDOS. YO SI LO SOY PERO TAMBIÉN TENEMOS RAICES FUERTES DE MÉXICO. NOS TENEMOS QUÉ RECORDAR Y POR ESO. YO QUIERO APOYAR ESTE PROYECTO Y PIENSO Q ESTOS SON LOS TIPOS DE COSAS Q TENEMOS Q INVERTIR PORQUE A CREAR LA COMUNIDAD DE

[02:20:06]

MATURING ACHIEVED IN DC. ACHIEVED IN AVIDITY AND POWER. EMPOWER. WE HAVE NO OTHER HANDS RAISED. OKAY. THANK YOU. MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMENTS. WE HAVE A HAND RAISED. OH, YOU HAVE A HAND RAISED. OKAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS A NO. HAND RAISED. OH, YEAH. WE HAVE A HAND RAISED. NO, NO.

HANDS RAISED. OKAY. I'M JUST MAKING SURE COUNCIL COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. ANYONE? NO. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ORGANIZERS FOR KEEPING THE CULTURE ALIVE AND FOR ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST WHAT IS 14 YEARS. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING IT ALIVE. AND IT'S NICE TO SEE WHEN I DO HAVE A QUESTION. THE LOCAL CAR CLUBS, DO THEY HAVE A FEE TO JOIN IN $35.30 $5. I THINK 25 FOR BIKES. OKAY, OKAY. I'M GOOD. MAYBE YOU WANT TO JOIN. I'M THINKING I WANT TO THOSE LITTLE BIKES. CAN YOU GET A DISCOUNT? NO, THIS IS GREAT. YEAH. IT'S GREAT. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU BECAUSE FOR ALL THE. JUST COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. YEAH, IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY. I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY. AND WHEN WE STARTED THE MURAL PROJECT, THAT'S WHEN WE WE, WE TRY TO UNVEIL WAS A SYNERGY MUSIC FESTIVAL. AND WHEN WE WERE DOING THE PLANNING FOR THE MURAL, WE DID A KICKOFF. AND IT'S A LONG HISTORY. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY BECAUSE MUSIC AND ART WAS THE FIRST ORGANIZATION, NONPROFIT TO BRING MUSIC AND ART TO THE CITY OF COACHELLA. WE STARTED THE ART MOVEMENT HERE WITH WITH THAT MURAL TWO YEAR PROJECT, RUBEN AND I PUT OUR OWN MONEY INTO IT. IT'S A CITY APP. PUT SOME MONEY INTO IT, RIGHT? THE PLASTER, THE WALL. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE PUT A LOT OUR OWN EFFORTS IN IT. WE WEATHERED TO 3:00, 4:00 IN THE MORNING WITH SOME OF THE ARTISTS, BECAUSE A FEW OF THEM WERE GOING TO GO TO THE SERVICE AND THEY WANTED TO FINISH IT BEFORE THEY TOOK OFF.

SO WE WERE THERE, YOU KNOW, AND WE HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, THE BUS DRIVER HONKING AT US AND, AND HOMIES DOWN THE STREET SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? TELLING THE ARTISTS, HEY, ANYBODY GIVES YOU TROUBLE, COME TO ME. YOU KNOW, BIG GUY WITH A MUSTACHE. SO WE HAD A BOND. IF I COULD DO IT AGAIN, I WOULD DO IT AGAIN. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE FESTIVAL WAS THE KICK OFF, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT GRAFFITI ARTISTS SHOWCASED THEIR WORK OR THEIR ART AS AN ART FORM. HIP HOP IN THE PARK, VENDORS. AND I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE POLICE TELLING ME THAT I WAS PROMOTING TAGGING. WELL, YOU GOT IT WRONG. YOU KNOW, I TOLD THEM, WE'RE PROMOTING THE ARTS AND WE'RE HERE TO STAY. WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. AND HERE WE ARE. AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU. ALL THESE YEARS, ALL THE COUNCIL HAS ALWAYS SUPPORTED THE EVENT, AND WE HOPE WE CONTINUE WITH IT. AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY IDEAS, I KNOW DENISE, YOU ALWAYS GIVE ME IDEAS OR ANYBODY GIVE ME GIVE US IDEAS. WE WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER AND WE WANT TO HAVE MORE KIDS OUT THERE AND DOING MORE ART. AND BECAUSE ART IS NECESSARY, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THAT, OH, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONLY ART. ART IS MENTAL HEALTH. HEART ART IS INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, KIDS CAN CONCENTRATE. I MEAN, YOU CAN ASK IAN, WHEN YOU HAVE ART AND YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING, YOU CONCENTRATE AND YOU, YOU STAY FOCUSED AND WE NEED TO INVEST MORE MONEY IN THESE IN THESE PROGRAMS. WHEN WE DID OUR BARRIO, WHEN WE HAD I MEAN, I NEVER SAW NONE OF YOU GUYS THERE. NOBODY FOR THE PAST CITY COUNCIL, NO ONE. AND PEOPLE WANT THAT PEOPLE. WE HAD VENDORS. WE HAD WE HAD IT IN THE EVENING. WE HAD NEON LIGHTS, YOU KNOW, AND THE PEOPLE WERE LIKE, HEY, YOU GUYS, CAN YOU GUYS DO THIS EVERY MONTH? BUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MONEY SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE ARTS. WHEN WE WANTED TO REVITALIZE THE DOWNTOWN AREA, INVEST IN IT, WE NEED IT. IT'S NOT SOMETHING

[02:25:06]

ARE THEY CONTACTING ME TODAY? UNFORTUNATELY, THE ARTISTS HAD TO DROP OUT. SO WE'RE HERE ALL THE TIME. CONVERSATIONS THAT'S ALL. YEAH. COMMUNICATION. YEAH. AND I WANT TO ADDRESS THE SKATEBOARD PARK. ANDREW. I HAD SOME KIDS SAY, WHY ARE THEY PUTTING SPIDERS ON THE ON THE SKATEBOARD? THEY WANT GRAFFITI ART. SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE ALL THAT STUFF HANGING, YOU KNOW, PAINTED ON THE PEOPLE COME AND TAG IT, RIGHT. BUT DO SOMETHING THE KIDS WANT, NOT WHAT WE WANT.

OKAY. I'M IN CONTACT WITH YOU THEN. THANK YOU. ANY REST OF COUNCIL COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? I HAVE SOME SOME COMMENTS. SO I, I ATTEND EVERY YEAR AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S JUST A GOOD VIBE THERE. AND PLUS, I KNOW A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THERE THAT I GREW UP WITH AS WELL. AND IT'S ALWAYS NICE JUST TO HAVE A SPACE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT A PARK, SO YOU HAVE THAT OUTDOOR COMMUNITY FEELING AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CULTURE AND THEN YOU HAVE THE KIDS THERE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THESE KIND OF BIG BLOCKS WHERE YOU HAVE PAINTERS THAT ARE PAINTING IN REAL TIME.

SO YOU GET TO SEE ALL OF THAT AND IN ONE SPACE. AND THEN YOU GOT THE DJ THE LAST TIME WITH A REALLY GOOD DJ, YOU KNOW, PLAYING THE OLD SCHOOL. AND FOR ALL, FOR A LOT OF US HERE, WE'RE USED TO THAT MUSIC. WE ENJOY THAT MUSIC. YOU KNOW, IT TAKES US BACK A WHILE. IT'S JUST IT FEELS GOOD. YOU KNOW? WE. YAYA BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT AND WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE IS THE TYPE OF I'M CALLING THE BLOCKS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO CALL THEM PANELS IS I DO I DO WISH THAT WE HAVE THEM SET UP OR THAT WE HAVE SPACES IN THE CITY WHERE WE CAN HAVE THEM YEAR ROUND, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO ENCOURAGE. THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE PAINTING, YOU KNOW, ON THESE BRICK WALLS AND IN IN NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE THESE TYPES OF AMENITIES WHERE WE'RE INVITING THEM, YOU KNOW, TO SHOWCASE THEIR ART AND BE HERE, AND WE CAN PUT IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, WE CAN GIVE THEM A STIPEND, YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR WORK. BUT I THINK THAT'S GOING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE LOCALLY HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA TO USE THOSE SPACES. AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN THINK OF SOME PROGRAMS, IT CAN BE MAYBE THREE MONTHS, YOU KNOW, AN ARTIST CAN DO IT FOR THREE MONTHS AND THEN THEY ROTATE OUT.

BUT I REALLY DO. I THINK THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO, TO PAINT, BUT IN A WAY THAT'S FOLLOWING THE RULES. WE HAVE THESE WONDERFUL SPACES IN THE DOWNTOWN. I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT I HAD. AND THOSE PANELS ARE SUPER HEAVY. THEY'RE SIX BY SEVEN, SUPER HEAVY. YOU KNOW, THE MESS THAT THE CITY HAS OVER HERE ALONG THE RAILROAD TRACKS, ALL THOSE CONTAINERS. WHY NOT USE THOSE PANELS, SHOWCASE THEM, COVER ALL THAT MESS. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU HAVE THESE BEAUTIFUL DOWN STREET WITH THESE TREES AND EVERYTHING. AND THEN WE HAVE THE, THE THAT SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS WITH ALL THAT MESS. I MEAN, WE GOTTA PUT, LET'S PUT ART, LET'S PUT ART OR SOMETHING THERE. YEAH, I THINK, I THINK WE CAN, I THINK WE CAN SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT A PROGRAM. AND I REALLY DO THINK IT'S NEEDED. AND AGAIN, I THINK IT DISCOURAGES IT THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND ENCOURAGES IT HERE.

AND THEY GET HIGHLIGHTED. YOU KNOW, WE GIVE THEM THAT RECOGNITION, WE GIVE THEM A STIPEND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT ENCOURAGES YOU TO BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS WHO ARE CONSTANTLY DRAWING. THAT'S WHERE THEIR ATTENTION IS ALWAYS THEY'RE DRAWING, FIDDLING, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S THERE. THEY JUST NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW

[02:30:01]

THERE'S A FIRST AND A SECOND. I MOTION AND MISS MARTINEZ SECOND. GREAT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. MARTINEZ. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. DELGADO. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ. YES.

MAYOR FIGUEROA, I MOVE ON. MOTION PASSES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 18, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT AND CONTRACT OPTION FOR THE GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2627.

THANK YOU, MAYOR SELENA. YES. BEFORE YOU START, I JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE. I HAVE TO LEAVE A LITTLE BIT EARLY. I HAVE A FAMILY COMMITMENT, SO I WANTED TO JUST SAY THAT BEFORE I WALK OUT. THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR FOR TELLING US ABOUT THE TITLE THIS EVENING.

WE DO HAVE BRANDON MALI, THE GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT AND CEO WITH US. AND WE ALSO HAVE TWO COACHELLA BOARD MEMBERS. WE HAVE MISS MYRA PEREZ AND CYNTHIA REINA. OH, OKAY. SHE'S RIGHT HERE. AND SO SO THEY'RE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING FOR SUPPORT AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. LET ME GET STARTED.

BRANDON AND I WILL CO PRESENT THIS THIS PROPOSAL. SO BASICALLY THE GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS PROPOSING TO OPERATE A COACHELLA COMMUNITY BUSINESS AND RESOURCE CENTER AS A COMPREHENSIVE BUSINESS SUPPORT, EDUCATION OUTREACH AND A SHARED WORKSPACE PROGRAM SERVING BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND SO THIS PROPOSED STRUCTURE WILL CONSOLIDATE THE CHAMBER'S TRADITIONAL BUSINESS SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE EXPANDED COMMUNITY BUSINESSES AND RESOURCE CENTER MODEL. AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE DID BRING THIS ITEM BACK IN JUNE, AND WE SPLIT THE CONTRACT INTO SPECIAL EVENTS AND THEN BUSINESS SERVICES. WE WERE TOLD TO BRING IT BACK. AND SO WE ARE NOW BRINGING THIS ITEM BACK FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION. AND SO THE ANNUAL SO AS I WAS SAYING, PARDON ME. SO IN PRIOR YEARS, THE CHAMBER'S STANDARD BUSINESS SERVICES PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED AS A SEPARATE $6,000 LINE ITEM. UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, THAT SEPARATE LINE ITEM WOULD BE ELIMINATED, AND THE FULL SCOPE OF THOSE SERVICES WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ANNUAL OPERATING RATE FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUSINESS AND RESOURCE CENTER. SO BASICALLY, THE ANNUAL INVESTMENT WOULD INCLUDE BOTH THE CHAMBER'S EXISTING BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES AND A SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED LEVEL OF LOCAL ACCESS EDUCATION, OUTREACH, WORKSPACE, PARTNER RESOURCES AND WRAPAROUND BUSINESS ASSISTANCE. AND HERE WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK. A GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT A GLANCE STATISTICS, BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL TO SEE THAT THE REACH AND DEPTH IS QUITE VAST. THEY SEND OUT A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER VIA EMAIL TO 7100 SUBSCRIBERS. THEY HAVE ABOUT 25,000 SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS. THAT INCLUDES FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN, YOUTUBE, AND CURRENTLY THEY HAVE ABOUT 962 MEMBERS. AND IN 2025, THEY WERE ABLE TO ADD 83 NEW MEMBERS TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AND THEN THEY HAVE A SOLID PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT

[02:35:06]

AND SO WE HAVE ALL OF THESE DESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE LISTED HERE LIKE GAS STATIONS, FUEL FIELD DEALERS, RESTAURANTS, OTHER EATING PLACES, SNACK AND NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE BARS, CLOTHING, CLOTHING, ACCESSORIES, SHOE AND JEWELRY RETAILERS. ALL OF THESE REPRESENT AREAS OF COMMERCE THAT HAVE THAT THAT STILL COULD HAPPEN IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. AND SO YOU SEE THESE NUMBERS. THEY TELL YOU THAT IN EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE OR BRING IN ABOUT 161 MILLION OR, YOU KNOW, THE LESSER AMOUNT OF 19 MILLION.

IF YOU SUPPORT BUSINESSES OR ENTREPRENEURS THAT WANT TO PROVIDE SNACKS OR NONALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE BARS, PLACES TO EAT, BASICALLY. AND SO BASICALLY, AGAIN, THEIR SCOPE OF SERVICES WILL CONSIST OF BUSINESS SERVICES, THE BUSINESS AND RESOURCE CENTER, WRAPAROUND BUSINESS SUPPORT, BUSINESS EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND THEN VISITOR CENTER SERVICES.

AND I'M GOING TO JUST KIND OF HAVE BRANDON GO OVER SOME OF THESE IN CASE HE WISHES TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT. SO COME ON UP, BRANDON. BUT WE'LL JUST KIND OF GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EACH OF THE SCOPE ITEMS. SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU.

SELENA. SO A LOT OF THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. IT WOULD BE A CONTINUATION OF THOSE. AND AGAIN, THE CONTINUED EVOLUTION OF THEM. YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS LIKE THE CHAMBER POP UPS. I THINK IT'S REALLY EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING, WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE BUSINESSES, IS TRYING TO LISTEN TO MORE OF HOW THEY'RE ENGAGING, HOW THEY CAN ENGAGE, WHERE THEY HAVE TIME TO ENGAGE. WE'RE A REGIONAL CHAMBER, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF LOCAL PRESENCE AS FAR AS THAT REGIONAL ELEMENT GOES, AND IT'S VERY DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH AND SERVICE BUSINESSES DIFFERENT IN LA QUINTA THAN WE'RE GOING TO SERVICE AND WORK WITH BUSINESSES IN COACHELLA BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT NEEDS. SO WE WANT TO REALLY LISTEN TO THAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT. THE CHAMBER POP UPS, FOR INSTANCE, IS A WAY FOR US TO NOT JUST GET BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND ENGAGE WITH BUSINESSES AND THE DAY TO DAY, BUT CREATE A SPACE WHERE MAYBE IT'S CLOSER TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND CLOSER TO THEIR, THEIR, THEIR AREAS. SO WHILE WE'RE AVAILABLE, THEY CAN COME IN AND SEE US ANY TIME.

SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO GO A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. SO IF WE'RE HAVING THAT CHAMBER POP UP AND THEY KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE IN THEIR SHOPPING CENTER, MAYBE ONE NEXT DOOR, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THEM. SO AND THAT'S REALLY JUST TO TALK TO US, ANY RESOURCES, QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE CHALLENGES THEY'RE EXPERIENCING. AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF THE FOCUS OF THIS ENTIRE PROGRAM OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EXPANDING INTO, AND HOW DO WE MAKE THE BEST USE OUT OF THE SPACE FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN COACHELLA? SO THE BUSINESS AND RESOURCE CENTER WILL BE A STAFF CHAMBER OFFICE AS, AS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE NOW, EXCEPT IT'S GOING TO EXPAND QUITE A BIT. SO RATHER THAN LOOKING AT KIND OF WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT BEFORE, WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING A SPECIFIC BUSINESS AND SAYING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN HERE AND YOU'RE GOING TO HOLD THIS DESK FOR AN AMOUNT OF TIME. IT'S CREATING MORE OF A SHARED WORKSPACE TO WHERE THEY CAN COME IN. ANYONE CAN COME IN DURING WORKING HOURS. THEY CAN THEY CAN HAVE A DESK SPACE, THEY CAN HAVE A CHAIR SPACE WHERE THEY CAN WORK. THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS TO PRINTING, THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS TO WI-FI. AND FOR US, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS THE ACCESS TO MORE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE'VE HEARD AND SEEN FROM BUSINESSES IN THE EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN COACHELLA, IT'S JUST ACCESS TO MORE RESOURCES, AND WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT OUT THERE MORE. SO WHILE WE HAVE A SPACE AVAILABLE, WE'RE WORKING WITH A LOT OF OUR PARTNERS, NOT JUST HERE A LITTLE BIT IN SOME OF OUR OTHER SPACES AS WELL, BUT PROBABLY IN A MORE EXTENSIVE SPACE HERE TO BRING IN SOME OF THOSE GROUPS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THEM COULD SERVE FOR FOUR HOURS FOR AN AMOUNT OF TIME, OR THEY'LL HAVE A SPACE WHERE THERE'S NO COST, REALLY,

[02:40:04]

YOU CAN EASILY COME IN HERE. YOU WOULD CHECK OUT THE SPACE, BUT IT WOULDN'T COST YOU ANYTHING. YOU'D BE ABLE TO COME IN, GO IN PARTNERS, HOLD THOSE MEETINGS, BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY HELP HOPEFULLY GROW YOUR BUSINESS THAT WAY. AGAIN, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES WE HAVE QUITE A FEW GROUPS THAT ARE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN GETTING GOING WITH THIS. AGAIN, FOR THEM, IT'S REVENUE ON THEIR SIDE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE REVENUE SPECIFICALLY TO BE ABLE TO INVEST AND SAY, I'M GOING TO GET A BUILDING OVER HERE IN COACHELLA, BUT BRINGING THEM INTO THE SPACE WITH US, HAVING THAT CONSISTENT DESK THAT THEY CAN WORK OUT OF US, US ADVERTISING AND SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE ON THESE DIFFERENT DAYS. COME IN, MEET WITH US, TALK WITH US, OR COME IN AND SCHEDULE A TIME TO WORK WITH THEM AT A LATER TIME. OR WE MAY SCHEDULE AND YOU CAN COME IN AND WE'LL SET UP A ZOOM FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO CALL AND DISCUSS WITH THEM AS WELL. SO A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. AND I THINK ON TOP OF THAT, REALLY BEING FLEXIBLE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT AS THESE THINGS OPEN, THEY NEED TO EVOLVE. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE LISTENING TO, TO WHAT OUR, WHAT THE BUSINESSES ARE TELLING US AND REALLY TRYING TO EVOLVE THE SPACE INTO WHAT THEY NEED OVER TIME. AND WE MAY BE SPOT ON RIGHT NOW, BUT A YEAR FROM NOW, WE MAY GO, OH, WE'RE HEARING A LITTLE FEEDBACK FROM THEM AND THEY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THIS. SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST TO THAT. AS TO THE FEEDBACK COMES FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. BUSINESS AND EDUCATION TRAINING. THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY LAUNCHED. WE HAVE A NEW BUSINESS BREAKFAST EDUCATION SERIES THAT WE'VE LAUNCHED, AND THAT'S A VALLEY WIDE PROGRAM, BUT WE'RE WANTING TO BRING SOME OF MORE OF THOSE INTIMATE PROGRAMS TO WHERE IT'S MORE OF THOSE SMALL GROUP SESSIONS TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE THAT'S AN EXPERT IN A CERTAIN SECTOR COULD REALLY SIT WITH, YOU KNOW, 5 TO 6 TO MAYBE TEN DIFFERENT BUSINESSES. SO IT'S MORE OF THAT ONE ON ONE. I CAN ASK QUESTIONS, I CAN ENGAGE A LITTLE BIT MORE AND GET THOSE RESOURCES AND ACCESS THAT YOU MIGHT NEED AS WELL. AND IT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE OF THE DESERT HAS A FANTASTIC INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP AND STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM, AND A LOT OF BUSINESSES DON'T REALIZE I CAN GET THAT FOR REALLY CHEAP OR IN SOME CASES, EVEN FREE SUPPORT AND HELP COMING OUT OF THE COLLEGES FROM STUDENTS THAT ARE JUST WANTING EXPERIENCE IN THE WORKFORCE. SO IT CAN REALLY BE A SAVINGS TO A BUSINESS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE AS WELL. VISITOR CENTER SERVICE DAYS, WE'LL HAVE DESIGNATED OPERATING HOURS, AS YOU PROBABLY SAW, AND YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE IN A MINUTE. THERE'S SOME OPTIONS ON THAT. SO AS FAR AS TO HOW MUCH WE CAN, YOU KNOW, BE IN AND BE ACCESSIBLE AND BE ABLE TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO, WE'LL HAVE THOSE IN THERE AS WELL AS IT'S NOT A, I WON'T SAY IT'S A MASSIVE TRAFFIC NEED, BUT WE DO STILL HAVE VISITORS COMING IN ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SO NOT PARTICULARLY ASKING FOR MONEY FOR THAT SIDE, BUT WE DO WANT TO KEEP THAT GOING. WE WANT TO KEEP THAT AS PART OF THE SERVICES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HERE, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO STOP IN. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN TO FIND INFORMATION.

THE MURALS. IT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST VISITOR QUESTION WHERE THE MURALS, HOW DO I GET TO THE MURALS? HOW DO I CHECK THEM OUT? SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS WE GET FROM PEOPLE THAT COME IN. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STILL AT LEAST CAN WORK WITH THEM AND BE ABLE TO HELP THEM THROUGH THAT. SO OPTIONS WITH THIS IS BASICALLY TWO DIFFERENT SETS.

IT'S A FOUR DAY A WEEK AND A THREE DAY A WEEK MODEL. WE'LL HAVE IT STAFFED THROUGH THAT ENTIRE TIME. MY STAFF MEMBER WILL NOT LEAVE THE OFFICE DURING THAT TIME. THEY'LL BE FULLY DEDICATED TO THIS OFFICE. DURING THAT TIME. AND AGAIN, THE FUNDS DON'T JUST COVER, YOU KNOW, A PORTION OF WHAT THE PERSON WILL BE PAID BECAUSE THIS THIS DOESN'T COVER OUR ENTIRE COST TO RUN A FACILITY LIKE THIS. BUT, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL THINGS LIKE INSURANCES, THE COST OF THE PRINTING, THE ADDITIONAL COST, IT'S GOING TO BE FOR IT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THEIR IT STUFF. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN PRINT AND ALL OF THOSE SORT OF THINGS. SO AND WORKING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO WORK WITH PARTNERS TO GET THINGS LIKE COMPUTERS THAT POTENTIALLY THEY COULD USE IN-HOUSE OR POTENTIALLY DONATE OUT TO BUSINESSES. SO WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE EXPLORING AND LOOKING THROUGH A LOT OF THOSE THINGS. AND THIS COST WOULD COVER ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS WITH THAT OFFICE. THIS IS NOT EXACTLY WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT I THINK WE'RE KIND OF TOYING AROUND WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME IDEAS, SOME CONCEPTS. I THINK THE MORE WELCOMING THE SPACE IS, THE MORE INVITING THE SPACES, THE MORE PRONE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME IN AND ENGAGE WITH IT. I THINK WE WANT TO GET AWAY FROM JUST THE WHITE WALLS. WE'RE VERY WHITE WALLS IN THERE RIGHT NOW, SO WE'LL MAKE IT A LITTLE COOLER. I MIGHT BRING MY KIDS IN AND GET SOME WEEKEND LABOR OUT OF THEM ON THAT ONE. BUT REALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE IT WELCOMING A

[02:45:03]

WE HAVE FRANCISCO MOLINA. OH, SORRY. FRANKIE MOLINA I OWN A SMALL BUSINESS. WELL, I OWN THREE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN COACHELLA, SO I HAVE A DIRECT INTEREST IN THIS ONE. WE NEEDED THIS LIKE FIVE DECADES AGO. I SUPPORT FUNDING THE COMMUNITY BUSINESS AND RESOURCE CENTER, AND I'D ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TOWARD OPTION. I THINK BECAUSE OF OUR BUDGET, I THINK I'D LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A PILOT TO TO PROVE THE CONCEPT. ARE PEOPLE COMING? HOW CAN WE GET PEOPLE TO COME? AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THE PEOPLE AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT CAPACITY NOW, WE CAN OPEN UP AND SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY. BUT WE NEED ENTREPRENEURS IN OUR CITY. IT IS CRUCIAL TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS IN OUR CITY BECAUSE THEY STIMULATE THE ECONOMY. THEY START BUSINESSES. AND GUESS WHAT? THEY PAY TAXES, RIGHT? WHAT DOES THE CITY NEED? TAXES. HOW MUCH OF IT? A LOT OF IT. AS MUCH AS WE CAN GET. WHY? SO WE CAN INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE. LIKE WHAT? I DON'T KNOW A PUBLIC ELECTRICAL UTILITY BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY. RIGHT. SO IF WE CAN GET THESE ENTREPRENEURS TO START AND SCALE THEIR BUSINESSES EFFICIENTLY, QUICKLY, AS INEXPENSIVELY AS POSSIBLE, AND WE CAN LAUNCH, YOU KNOW, MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR ENTREPRENEURS OUT OF THIS CITY THAT WILL BRING UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND WE DON'T NEED PEOPLE LIKE STRONGHOLD. I NEED THE SUPPORT OF MY CITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I'M, I'M, I'M PAYING $25,000 FOR MY MASTER'S DEGREE PROGRAM. AND I GET ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, FOUNDERS WHO HAVE LAUNCHED AND SCALED MULTIPLE, YOU KNOW, MILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ONE COMPANY. I'M TALKING ABOUT MULTIPLE. AND I HAVE TO PAY $25,000 TO DO THAT. WHO HERE IN THE COACHELLA, THE CITY OF COACHELLA HAS $25,000 LAYING AROUND TO GET ACCESS TO THAT TYPE OF NETWORK? I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY. MY MIND AND MY MY MIND, MY SKILL SET, MY TALENT, MY STRATEGY AND PLANNING, MY ART, MY DRIVE. IT'S WASTED IN THIS CITY BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT I NEED TO SUCCEED. SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO INVEST IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. I KNOW THAT I'M I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF THIS MONEY IS LIKE ALL OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY, BUT I WANT TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY WITH WHAT WE'RE PAYING, HOW IS IT SPECIFICALLY BEING ALLOCATED TO COACHELLA RESIDENTS AND WHAT ARE THE KEY INDICATORS, THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS THAT LETS US KNOW THAT OUR 50,000 OR OUR $40,000 IS RETURNING AN INVESTMENT OF AT LEAST TEN X? THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS JAMES RODRIGUEZ. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. COUNCIL. JAMES RODRIGUEZ, NATIVE RESIDENT OF COACHELLA, THE OPTIONS. FIRST OFF, LET'S LET'S CLARIFY THAT HAVING IT OPEN AS MANY DAYS A WEEK AS IS POSSIBLE IS THE BEST CHOICE FOR A VISITOR CENTER AND A RESOURCE CENTER. SO $10,000 FOR AN EXTRA DAY SEEMS LIKE A LARGE JUMP WHEN YOU LOOK FROM THREE DAYS TO FOUR DAYS. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW MUCH IT ACTUALLY GIVES BACK TO US IN HAVING A SPACE

[02:50:01]

THERE IS A VERY WHITE WALLED KIND OF SPACE THAT IS NOT WELCOMING. IT'S NOT A BUSINESS CENTER. IT'S NOT A VISITOR CENTER. SO THAT MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT JUST TO RUN IT, IT'S ALSO TO REVAMP IT, TO REVITALIZE IT, TO MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DO WANT TO UTILIZE. AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT RENT OUT THE ROOMS, WHICH SAME THING YOU COME TO THE DAY OF OR YOU KNOW, ON THE SCHEDULE AND YOU REQUEST THE ROOM FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME AND YOU'RE ABLE TO USE THOSE STUDY ROOMS. SO THAT SAME EXACT SITUATION SHOULD BE HAPPENING WITH OUR VISITOR CENTER AND THIS BUSINESS CENTER, NOT JUST FOR THOSE THAT ARE MEMBERS, BUT FOR ANYONE THAT IS ANTICIPATING BEGINNING A BUSINESS, LOOKING INTO THE ACTUAL STAGING TO BEGIN IT, OR IN THE PROCESS OF OPENING IT, BECAUSE THAT THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF MEMBERS THAT YOU DEFINITELY NEED ON THAT GROUP, IN THAT, IN THAT ORGANIZATION.

AND FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, IT WILL ALSO BE A BENEFIT TO LA QUINTA RESIDENTS, PALM DESERT RESIDENTS, WHOEVER MAY OWN A BUSINESS THAT IS MAYBE LOOKING TO EXPAND INTO COACHELLA, SUDDENLY THEY HAVE A ROOM WHERE IT MAKES IT SUCH, SUCH A, YOU KNOW, EASY THING FOR THEM TO COORDINATE IN THE CITY. AND SUDDENLY THEY LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CITY, AND THEN THEY START TELLING PEOPLE, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER SPEAKER SLIPS FOR THIS ITEM. IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT HAS A COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 18? WE HAVE ONE HAND RAISED PROMOTING CARLA.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I'M GLAD THAT IT CAME BACK TO US AND THAT WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT EVERYBODY SUGGESTED. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR COACHELLA RESIDENTS AND EVEN OUTSIDE BUSINESSES TO COME IN AND SEE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA. I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US HERE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BRINGING DIFFERENT STORES AND LOCATIONS, ESPECIALLY LIKE BIG STORES.

LIKE I KNOW WE HAD TO TALK ABOUT MARSHALLS WHEN THEY WENT OVER TO, I THINK IT WAS VEGAS FOR A CONFERENCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THINGS LIKE THAT BRING US LIKE OPEN DOORS TO BE ABLE TO BRING MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BEING ABLE TO BRING MORE MONEY TO THE CITY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED. SO ALL AROUND, I'M EXCITED. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I AM ALSO AGREEING WITH THE FOUR DAYS. I THINK IT IS A GOOD INVESTMENT. IT'S TEN 000.

YES IT IS. YOU KNOW, SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE FOR AN ADDITIONAL DAY. HOWEVER, I THINK THAT THIS NEW CONTRACT DID BRING THIS PROPOSAL DID BRING A LOT OF NEW THINGS THAT WE ASKED FOR. SO I THINK IT'S WORTH IT. I DID NOT READ ON THAT PART WHERE IF IT WAS OPEN JUST TO THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY ASSOCIATED WITH THE COACHELLA VALLEY COMMERCE. SO I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT PORTION. IF SOMEBODY CAN CLARIFY THAT FOR US, THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT'S OPEN TO THOSE THAT ARE ALSO INTERESTED IN STARTING UP THEIR OWN BUSINESS AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT FROM OUR CITY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE ON ZOOM? THERE ARE NO OTHER HANDS RAISED. OKAY. ANY COUNCIL COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? AND THEN WE WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FIRST. YEAH, I CAN ANSWER BOTH. WHENEVER WE'RE COMING TO YOU ALL FOR DOLLARS, WE WOULD BE VERY SPECIFIC THAT IT'S GOING TO REGIONAL. THIS IS

[02:55:04]

COUNCILMEMBER MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ, YOU HAD A QUESTION. YES. ON JULY 8TH, WE APPROVED A CONTRIBUTION OF 2000. SO WHETHER WE DECIDE OPTION ONE OR OPTION TWO, IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL TO THAT. YES, THAT IS CORRECT. THAT CONTRACT OPTION WAS EXCLUSIVELY FOR SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE STATE OF THE CITY TACOS, TEQUILAS AND THE HOLIDAY PARADE. AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? I THINK IT WAS. I THINK IT'S THOSE THREE. YEAH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER YOU MENTIONED BUSINESSES FROM OTHER CITIES. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE MEMBERS. WHAT ABOUT IF THERE'S A BUSINESS HERE AND THEY WANT TO DO A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY? WOULD THEY HAVE TO BECOME MEMBERS? WE'VE WORKED WITH THE CITY ON THERE'S, AGAIN, PERKS THAT YOU GET FOR NOT FOR BEING A MEMBER. WE DO A LITTLE MORE PROMOTION AND THOSE SORT OF THINGS, BUT WE WORK WITH NONMEMBERS ON RIBBON CUTTINGS WITH CITIES RELATIVELY FREQUENTLY. THERE'S LOTS OF GREAT PERKS. I RECOMMEND FOR YOU TO COME TO A CHAMBER, ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE MEMBERSHIP COMPONENTS. BUT NO, WE WANT TO FIND WAYS TO WORK WITH BUSINESSES IN ALL WAYS. OKAY.

WHAT ABOUT THE LET'S SAY WE PICK THE FOUR DAYS PER WEEK. WOULD YOU ADJUST OR WOULD YOU LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE ADJUSTING THE HOURS OF OPERATION DURING THE SUMMER? BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN SOME SIGNS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOURS OF SUMMER HOURS ARE DIFFERENT THAN WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY PLAN TO ADJUST THE HOURS UNLESS IT WAS REQUESTED. THE ONLY TIME IS THAT WE'RE CLOSED THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF THE YEAR FOR THE HOLIDAY. WE DON'T HAVE INCREDIBLY HEFTY PAY. SO THAT'S OUR ONE PERK FOR THE STAFF IS THEY GET THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF THE YEAR OFF. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE WOULDN'T BE PLANNING TO ADJUST THE HOURS. WE KEEP THEM, KEEP THEM STANDARD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND ONE LAST QUESTION. THE YOU WILL BE OFFERING WORKSHOP SEMINARS. HOW WOULD YOU SEND US TO OUR COMMUNITY BESIDES FACEBOOK? WE GO THROUGH OUR NEWSLETTER, WE DO THE BUSINESS, WALK THROUGH THE CHAMBER, POP UP. SO A LOT OF OUR STUFF IS BOOTS ON THE GROUND. THAT'S HOW, YOU KNOW, WE WE WORK WITH BUSINESSES IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. WE'RE USED TO DO. AND THAT'S WE DON'T TACOS, TEQUILA AND CHEVELLE IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE. WE DON'T GET ANY OF OUR VENDORS THROUGH EMAIL OR PHONE CALLS. WE GOT TO GO KNOCK ON THE DOOR. SO IT'S, IT'S DIFFERENT IN, IN, IN THE COACHELLA COMMUNITY. AND WE KNOW THAT. SO OUR, OUR TEAMS USED TO, TO GET OUT AND TALK TO BUSINESSES. THANK YOU. YEAH, I DO WANT TO THANK I DIDN'T HEAR I'M SORRY. YEAH. OUR LOCAL CHAIR HERE FOR COACHELLA. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK IRENE FOR BEING HERE. SHE'S OUR DESERT HOT SPRINGS CHAIR THROUGH HER WORK WITH CABOT'S PUEBLO MUSEUM, BUT SHE IS A RESIDENT HERE IN COACHELLA AS WELL. BUT YEAH, NO, THEY HELP A LOT TOO. SO WE HAVE A VERY LARGE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS THROUGH THE CHAMBER.

WE'RE A NONPROFIT. SO EVEN ON THE EVENTS PORTION, FOR INSTANCE, IT'S JUST BREAK EVEN.

WE'RE NOT REALLY TRYING TO MAKE A LOT OF PROFIT. SO ON THOSE ON THOSE EVENTS, FOR INSTANCE, OUR, OUR CHARGE IS PRETTY MUCH OUR COST. IT'S WHATEVER THE VENDORS ARE GETTING IN THOSE SORT OF THINGS. SO ON, ON THAT SIDE TOO, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL BE OUT HITTING THE PAVEMENT ON IT.

WE'LL BE HITTING THE PAVEMENT ON IT AS WELL WITH OUR TEAM. IT'S A COMBINATION. OUR OUR NEWSLETTER AND STUFF DOES DO A GREAT JOB. WE GET REALLY GOOD REACTION FROM THAT. BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, A LOT OF THOSE THINGS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA ADS, NOT TOO COST INTENSIVE. THERE'S THERE'S SIGNIFICANT COST ABOVE THIS WHERE, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY OVER TIME WE'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND THOSE SORT OF THINGS THAT CAN HELP US PROMOTE THE PROGRAM A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT REALLY BOOTS ON THE GROUND EFFORTS THAT WE NORMALLY HAVE SUCCESS WITH.

THANK YOU. OKAY, MAYOR, I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT WE WILL ALSO PROMOTE TO OUR PROSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, ENTREPRENEURS AND ALSO OUR, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH A FEW INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY IS WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON A VECINOS PROGRAM THROUGH TCC AND THE SMALL BUSINESS ALLIANCE, ALSO THROUGH THE CALTRANS BEAUTIFICATION GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED. SO WE'VE TRIED TO CREATE SYNERGY WITH THOSE GROUPS TO KIND OF GET EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER, INCLUDING THE CHAMBER. AND SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING ALL WE CAN TO KIND OF TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO CONDUCT OUTREACH AND CANVAS CANVAS CANVASING EFFORTS. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'D LIKE FOR MISTER MARLEY TO ALSO IDENTIFY WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IN THAT SPACE AND WHAT DATA HAS COME OUT OF THAT TO SHOW THAT THERE'S BEEN ACTIVITY, AND WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND

[03:00:03]

THEY WANT TO SEE YOU RIGHT WHERE OTHER CITIES, THEY'LL GET A NEWSLETTER, THEY'LL GET AN EMAIL, THEY'LL COME OUT TO THE EVENTS. BUT FOR US, THEY NEED TO BE SPOKEN IN THEIR LANGUAGE.

WE NEED TO SPEAK TO THEM BILINGUAL. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS AND SHOW THEM REALLY WHAT A CHAMBER DOES AND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THEM IN OPENING UP BUSINESSES TO OUR ENTREPRENEURS, WHICH WE WANT TO SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CITY. AND WE WANT TO KEEP THE BUSINESSES HERE. AND SO, AGAIN, JUST A HUGE SUPPORTER. THIS IS WHY WE DO ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE DO WITH THE CHAMBER. THIS IS WHY WE VOLUNTEER OUR TIME, MY TIME TO BE OUT THERE, BECAUSE IT IS VOLUNTEERS A LOT OF THE EVENTS, BUT WE WE DON'T MIND BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S BEEN SUCH A HUGE HELP FOR MY BUSINESS ALONE. AND AGAIN, IT'S I'M PROUD THAT IT'S, IT, IT WAS BIRTHED HERE IN OUR CITY. AND SO YEAH, JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY, MY THOUGHTS ON THE CHAMBER AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW THIS WOULD BE HUGE. AND I WOULDN'T EVEN MIND BEING THERE. YOU KNOW, HE TALKED ABOUT HAVING POP UPS AND JUST GIVING SOME RESOURCES TO OUR ENTREPRENEURS OR BUSINESS OWNERS THAT WANT TO START SOMETHING. AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET A BUSINESS LICENSE? WHY DO I NEED A BUSINESS LICENSE? YOU KNOW, WHY DO I NEED INSURANCE? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ME GETTING INSURANCE? YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE RESOURCES AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN SUPPLY TO THEM AND SUPPORT THEM SO THAT THEY CAN GROW THEIR BUSINESS AND FEEL LIKE THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, BE SUCCESSFUL AT IT.

SO THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DELGADO. AND THIS IS FOR FOR GUS AND THEN AND SELENA. SO JUST SO I'M I'M SEEKING CLARIFICATION. IS THAT ARE YOU SEEKING DIRECTION? ARE YOU RECOMMENDING, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE ARE YOU AT? WE ARE SEEKING DIRECTION AS TO WHETHER YOU'D WANT TO CONTINUE THIS IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT FROM WHAT'S BEEN DONE IN PAST YEARS, FROM WHAT THE CHAMBER PRESIDENT HAS INDICATED. IT IS MORE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING TO TRY TO PROMOTE BUSINESSES TO COME HERE. SO WE ARE SEEKING DIRECTION, WHETHER YOU WANT TO GO WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING BEYOND WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN, WHETHER IT'S OPTION A, B OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR NOT AT ALL, ARE YOU? ARE YOU RECOMMENDING ONE OF THESE TWO OPTIONS, OR ARE YOU STRICTLY KIND OF WANTING JUST DIRECTION FROM WE WOULD LIKE DIRECTION, YES. SO AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, AT THE VERY BOTTOM IS FINANCIAL IMPACT IS IS IN HERE. SO WHERE ARE WE GOING TO BE PULLING THE MONEY FROM? IS IT BUDGETED? THIS IS NOT BUDGETED. BUT LINCOLN CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT. THAT'S CORRECT. WE HAVE LINCOLN.

[03:05:01]

SO I WOULD SAY, THOUGH, THAT THE FOUR DAY OPTION COMES AT A $2,500 DISCOUNT. THANK YOU LINCOLN. OKAY. WHAT OTHER ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WHAT ARE THE WISHES OF THE COUNCIL ON THIS? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FOUR DAY SERVICE MODEL. OKAY. THERE'S A FIRST. IS THERE A SECOND? I DO WANT TO PUT SOME OTHER STIPULATIONS IN THERE. SO SURFER IT SAYS. SOME OF THE STUFF HERE THAT WE HAVE IS THE FULL BUSINESS PROGRAM FOUR DAYS A WEEK. WHERE WHERE ARE WE AT HERE IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EMPLOYMENT, RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING. SO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS THAT COMING FROM THE CHAMBER'S TYPES OF PROGRAMS AND INTERNSHIPS THAT YOU'LL BE PROVIDING OR. AND THEN WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS ARE THOSE? SURE. PART OF IT IS US, AND PART OF IT IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT HAVE ALREADY STEPPED IN AND SAID THAT THEY, THEY DO WANT TO DO OFFICE HOURS HERE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. SO IT'LL BE A COLLABORATIVE THING WITH THOSE.

THERE'S OTHER PROGRAMS WE'RE WORKING ON AS WELL AS STUFF WE HAVE INTERNALLY ALREADY. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, PROGRAMS, WORKING MORE WITH THOSE, SOME OF THE COUNTY, SOME OF THE LOCAL GROUPS THERE. THERE'S SEVERAL ENTITIES ON THE HORIZON THAT WANT TO SEE THIS PROGRAM MOVE THROUGH. AND THEN THEY'RE VERY OPEN TO, TO COMING HERE. SO OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO NOT HAVE A LOT OF TIME WHERE IT'S REALLY JUST THE CHAMBER THERE. WE WANT TO BRING AS MANY RESOURCES AND SERVICES, AND WE'RE VERY OPEN TO IF THERE'S OTHER IDEAS ON ON SERVICES, MAYBE WE'RE NOT THINKING OF THAT. THAT COULD BE GOOD TO COME IN AS WELL. AND THEN ACCESS TO CAPITAL AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES IS THAT PARTNERING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AT THE COUNTY TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THAT FUNDING? YEAH, IT'S REALLY PUTTING AS MANY THINGS IN FRONT OF THEM, EVERYTHING FROM BANKING TO GRANT PROGRAMS TO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GRANT WRITERS. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT. THAT'S ONE OF THE NICE THINGS WITH THE CHAMBER. WE HAVE A VERY LARGE MEMBERSHIP, SO WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS AND RESOURCES THAT WE CAN PULL IN. SOME OF THOSE ARE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES. SOME OF THOSE ARE PRIVATE ENTITIES REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE AS MANY AS HAVE AS MANY OPTIONS IN FRONT OF THEM AS THEY CAN. AND AGAIN, MAKING IT MORE, MORE ACCESSIBLE, SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS AND GROUPS THEY HAVE TO TALK TO, THEY NEED TO DRIVE TO RIVERSIDE. WELL, FOR A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN COACHELLA, THAT'S A HUGE ASK. BUT IF THEY CAN DRIVE TO DOWNTOWN COACHELLA ONCE A WEEK, IT'S A IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION. AND THEN THE STARTUP ASSISTANCE, WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT STARTUP ASSISTANCE. SO LIKE THERE'S THE SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP THROUGH THE SB, THE THE GROUP OUT OF US. WHY AM I LOSING THE NAME OF THE COLLEGE? YEAH, UCSB. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS REALLY ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAMS. THERE'S PROGRAMS THROUGH COD THAT WE WANT TO BRING OVER AGAIN, JUST AS MANY RESOURCES WE DO. YOU KNOW, AS MYRA BROUGHT UP, WE DO A GREAT JOB WITH NETWORKING, ADVOCACY.

THERE'S SOME OF THOSE ELEMENTS THAT WE DO. WE DON'T DO EVERYTHING. SO FOR US, IT'S REALLY AND AGAIN, ANCHORING ON THOSE OTHER PROGRAMS TO, TO PUSH THIS INFORMATION OUT TO THEIR NETWORKS AS WELL. IT'S PULLING IN AS MUCH RESOURCES AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TOGETHER AND KIND OF SPREADING THAT ACROSS. I THINK TO TRULY MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL IS THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT ALL THESE ENTREPRENEURS WHO WANT TO START THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES, THAT THEY OR THAT THE CHAMBER PROVIDE THE APPLICATION PROCESS. SO WHAT THE PERMITS ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS, WHAT THE COUNTY, WHAT IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS WITH THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT'S NEEDED AND HELPING THEM WAIVE SOME OF THOSE FEES OR TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THOSE FEES. BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES, IT'S REALLY THAT'S WHAT SUPPORT IS. THAT'S WHAT SUPPORT IS. I MEAN, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS, AND THEN THEY GET DISCOURAGED WHEN THEY START THE APPLICATION PROCESS, AND THEN THEY HOLD IT OFF. I'LL GET TO IT LATER. SIX MONTHS, A YEAR, TWO YEARS GOES BY BECAUSE IT'S AN INTIMIDATING PROCESS AND I CAN'T. SO I, IF WE APPROVE THIS, IS THAT I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH THAT THERE'S AN ACTUAL PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING WHAT IS NEEDED, WHAT IS THE BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS? HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THEIR LICENSE? HOW MUCH MONEY ARE THEY GOING TO GET, YOU KNOW, OR HOW MUCH MONEY DO THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET THESE LICENSES? AND THEN GOING TO THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE DIFFERENT PROGRAM? AND THAT IN ITSELF IS VERY INTIMIDATING. DEFINITELY. SO WHAT I'M GETTING TO IS THAT YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE

[03:10:01]

AND SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT PILOT PROGRAM, I THINK THIS COULD BE THAT PILOT PROGRAM, HOW SUCCESSFUL IT CAN BE IF WE APPROVE IT TODAY, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO BE AT? ARE YOU READY TO GO NEXT WEEK? YOU KNOW, ARE YOU READY TO GO? I MEAN, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING 40, $50,000 IS, YOU KNOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOUR PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE READY TO GO BY MONDAY WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU'VE CITED AS A TYPE OF SOURCES? I'M JUST SAYING IS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THIS PROGRAM IS PUT IN PLACE OR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ADOPTING OR APPROVING, ONE OF THE OPTIONS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW REALISTIC IS IT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO GET FUNDINGS FROM DIFFERENT BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS IS PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, AND THERE'S ALREADY A LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO VYING FOR THOSE MONIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY OF COACHELLA. SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT? SO COUNCILMAN DELGADO, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU'RE WANTING TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF THAT FUNDING IS GOING TO BE NEEDED TO START THIS, TO GET EVERYTHING READY TO GO OUT OF THE 40 OR THE 50,000? LET'S SAY IF YOU GO TO THE 40, SO OUT OF THE 50,000, WHAT IS THE STARTUP TO GET EVERYTHING IN PLACE RIGHT? AND HOW MUCH MONEY IS LEFT OVER TO KEEP IT GOING? THAT'S RIGHT. IS IT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, IS IT 50 IF ARE YOU GOING TO SPREAD OUT THE 50,000. YOU KNOW, I, I FOR ME, I JUST I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE MORE OF A PROGRAM IN PLACE. YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING THE FIRST MONTH, WHAT'S HAPPENING THE SECOND MONTH, YOU KNOW, I'LL SUPPORT IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S AN ACTUAL PROGRAM IN PLACE THAT'S REALISTIC AND THAT'S DOABLE BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT SOMETHING TO ACTION, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET SOMETHING IN RETURN, YOU KNOW? YEAH, I THINK A POSITIVE THING ON THAT IS IT'S REALLY RAMPING UP SOME OF THE STUFF WE HAVE. IT'S, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS NICE AS IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO LOOK A YEAR FROM NOW RIGHT OFF THE BAT. SO WE'LL HAVE TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH CONSTRUCTION TO AN EXTENT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE BREAKING WALLS DOWN, BUT A LOT OF THESE SERVICES WILL BE ABLE TO GO PRETTY MUCH IMMEDIATELY. THEY'LL BE ABLE TO COME IN. IF WE LAUNCH THIS, I WOULD SAY WITHIN A WEEK, WE WILL HIRE ANOTHER PERSON TO COME IN. AND AGAIN, THIS DOESN'T COVER THE FULL COST OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS GOING TO COST US. IT'LL COST MORE THAN THIS, BUT IT'LL BE A PIECE OF IT AND IT'LL DEFINITELY HELP. IT'LL HELP US GET EVERYTHING MOVING. SO I WOULD SAY WITHIN A MONTH, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE THINGS REALLY MOVING AND RUNNING. I HAVE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HERE ALREADY. THEY ALREADY MAY IN THE OFFICE. IT'S A ROTATION AND WE'LL KEEP THAT ROTATION GOING UNTIL WE GET A STAFF MEMBER IN AND TRAINED. SO THERE'S PEOPLE ALREADY IN PLACE THAT CAN DO A LOT OF THOSE ROLES, AND IT WILL WILL BE BUILDING OFF OF THAT. AND AGAIN, THERE'S SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT HAVE ALREADY GUARANTEED AND CONFIRMED ONCE, ONCE WE START THIS, THEY WANT TO START IT ALMOST RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE. THEY JUST DON'T HAVE A DESK TO SEND THEM TO. SO A LOT OF THESE THINGS WILL START. IT'S GOING TO BE A RAMP UP AS FAR AS GETTING PROMOTIONS OUT THERE AND LETTING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A START RIGHT HERE TALKING ABOUT IT HERE, BUT IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO RAMP UP OVER THE YEAR. BUT THE PROGRAM ITSELF, THE GENERAL BASE OF THE PROGRAM WILL START PRETTY MUCH IMMEDIATELY. YEAH, IT'S THERE'S A LOT HERE. AND SURE. AND A MAJORITY OF THAT IS THAT'S WHAT WE TALK ABOUT, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY US. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE SBDC OR THE SBA OR ANY OF THOSE. BUT WE WANT TO BRING THEM MORE IN FRONT OF THE BUSINESS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO THE COUNCILWOMAN'S POINT IS, I THINK WE YOU COME BACK IN A MONTH AND THEN SHOWCASE THIS IS WHAT YOU'VE DONE ALREADY. THIS IS WHAT WE PLAYED IN PLACE, AND THIS IS WHAT THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, JUST SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON FROM THIS ITEM AND CONTINUE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF ON THERE AND SHE IS RIGHT. BUT I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT MONTH TO GO GO IN AND GET IT READY TO GO, DEPENDING ON WHERE THIS VOTE GOES, AND THEN COME BACK AND SAY, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT. THIS IS HOW MANY CUSTOMERS TOUCH POINTS WE ALREADY HAD IN THE LAST MONTH.

BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF IT IS ALREADY PRESET AND READY TO GO, LIKE YOU'VE MENTIONED. RIGHT.

AND SO IT'S REALLY JUST OPENING THE DOORS AND SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE HERE NOW AND THEN ATTRACTING THOSE FIRST. AND THEN YOU'RE ABLE TO CREATE THAT TIMELINE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONE CAN TURN ON THE LIGHT AND SAY, THIS ROOM IS READY TO GO. IT'S, IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS YOU'RE GOING TO START AND YOU HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO IMPLEMENT IT. RIGHT. AND I THINK COMING BACK IN A MONTH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS AND THEN HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD AND HOW DO WE MARKET IT AND WORK WITH YOU TO MARKET IT? RIGHT? BECAUSE I KNOW THEY HAVE A GREAT COACHELLA CHAMBER MEMBERS AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MARKET THAT AND GO OUT TO THEIR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY COULD DO A GREAT JOB ON THAT. BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT, IT'S COMING BACK IN A MONTH. YOU KNOW, WE'LL MOVE FROM THIS AND THEN COME BACK IN A MONTH AND SHOWCASE WHERE WE CAN. WHAT DO WE HAVE? I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO NEED MORE THAN A MONTH. I THINK YOU SHOULD GIVE QUARTERLY REPORTS FOR THE REPORTS. THE FIRST MONTH HE CAN COME BACK A MONTH. AND THEN WE CAN DO, OF

[03:15:04]

SO THERE'S AGAIN, THIS ISN'T COVERING ALL OF THAT, BUT IT WILL COVER A PORTION AT LEAST ENOUGH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET THINGS GOING SO WE CAN RAMP IT UP QUICKLY. BUT THERE'S, THERE'S STILL COST THAT THAT COMES INTO ALL THOSE PROGRAMS. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. SO I WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, GET YOURSELVES ORGANIZED OVER THERE AND GET YOUR COLLABORATIONS AND YOUR PARTNERSHIPS READY TO GO FOR THESE, YOU KNOW, SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN THEY VISIT YOU, THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THESE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT YOU WANT TO PROVIDE THEM. YEAH. I MEAN, WE GOTTA GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THAT THEY CAN PULL IT TOGETHER REALLY QUICKLY. YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY'RE RUNNING A BIG OPERATION AND THEY GOT OTHER CITIES. SO I THINK WE GOTTA GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT ON THAT. SO BUT THERE'S A THERE'S A MOTION. YEAH. JUST TO CLARIFY, I'M NOT NOT GIVING YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AT ALL. IT'S JUST THAT THERE'S A LOT THERE AND THERE'S A LOT OF NEED IN THE CITY. AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S DOABLE. THAT'S IT. THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND MR. MARTINEZ'S MOTION FOR THE FOUR DAYS. JUST TO CLARIFY, THE MOTION IS FOR OPTION A OR B, OPTION A, OPTION OPTION A, OKAY. AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MAYOR FIGUEROA. I WILL TAKE ROLL COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER DELGADO. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ YES. MAYOR FIGUEROA, A

[Public Hearing Calendar (Quasi-Judicial)]

THIS INCLUDES AREAS SUCH AS BALCONIES, PATIOS, PARKING AREAS, POOLS AND COURTYARDS.

BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2027, NEW LEASES WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO CONTAIN THE SMOKE FREE PROVISIONS. PROPERTY OWNERS, MANAGERS, EVENT ORGANIZERS AND BUSINESS OPERATORS WOULD ALSO HAVE SIGNAGE RESPONSIBILITIES REQUIRED. SIGNS WOULD NEED TO BE PROVIDED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND MEET THE VISIBILITY, SIZE AND PLACEMENT STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE ORDINANCE. THE ORDINANCE DOES INCLUDE SEVERAL LIMITED EXEMPTIONS.

[03:20:07]

THIS CONCERNS ME BECAUSE I RECENTLY HEARD THAT THERE IS A NEW DEVICE THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN CERTAIN APARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE RUN OFF GOVERNMENT FUNDING. SECTION EIGHT HOUSING HOUSINGS. THIS DEVICE WILL MONITOR YOUR ENVIRONMENT FOR SMOKE, FOR NOISE, FOR AMBIENT TEMPERATURE. THIS IS IN PART TO COMBAT SMOKE INSIDE OF A MULTI RESIDENT MULTI UNIT AREA. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS YOUR HOME IS SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR KINGDOM AND WE HAVE TAKEN AWAY HOMES, SINGLE FAMILY PROPERTIES, AND WE HAVE INTRODUCED MULTI UNIT HOUSING AS OUR AFFORDABLE WAY OF LIVING. THAT COMPLETELY LEAVES US DEPENDENT ON INDUSTRY, CITY ORDINANCE OR WHATEVER OTHER ARBITRARY RULES PREVENT US FROM UTILIZING OUR SPACE THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR. AND QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T WANT TO SMELL MY NEIGHBOR BURNING THEIR BARBECUE EVERY TIME THEY COOK. DO WE WANT TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE AGAINST BURNING BARBECUE? BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THE SMELL. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WERE COMMUNITY CONCERNS. WHERE WAS THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS CONCERNED? WAS IT THE STUDENTS IDEA TO ESTABLISH THIS, OR WERE THE STUDENTS GIVEN A PROJECT? WAS THE COMMUNITY GIVEN A PROJECT TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENTS ARE OUR NEW HIGHLIGHT, GOLDEN CHILD, FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR HEALTH? WHERE ARE THE LIBERTIES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTED WHEN WE ARE ENFORCING THESE TYPES OF RULES? THAT'S MY BIGGEST OVERALL QUESTION ABOUT THIS. AND FURTHERMORE, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS THAT CAN BE UTILIZED AND ABUSED THAT REQUIRE THAT EXACT MONITORING THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT GOT IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE SOMEBODY CAN STATE, I AM PERFORMING A CEREMONY THREE TIMES A DAY IN MY OWN HOME UTILIZING TOBACCO, SAGE, MARIJUANA, ANY OF THE OTHER HERBS THAT ARE NATURAL TO THE PLANET. YOU CAN'T STOP SOMEBODY FROM BURNING OREGANO. YOU CAN'T

[03:25:01]

[03:30:03]

IT'S ABOUT CREATING A SHARED LIVING ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERYONE CAN BREATHE CLEANER AIR AND FEEL SECURE IN THEIR OWN HOME. FOR THESE REASONS, I STRONGLY SUPPORT NO SMOKING POLICIES IN MULTI-UNIT HOUSINGS, PROTECTING RESIDENTS FROM SECONDHAND SMOKE IS A REASONABLE STEP TOWARD HEALTHIER, SAFER AND MORE RESPECTFUL COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE FRANCISCO MOLINA. GOOD EVENING, FRANCISCO MOLINA. I'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE COMMENTS, AND I FELT OBLIGED TO OPINE AS WELL. GENERALLY SPEAKING, I AGREE THAT CIGARETTES ARE BAD. I HATE THE SMELL OF THEM. LIKE IF SOMEBODY IS SMOKING A CIGARETTE NEXT TO ME IN MY MIND, I'M NOT PICKING THE PERSON, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M AWARE THAT I'M INHALING CHEMICALS THAT ARE DESTROYING THE INNARDS OF MY CELLS THAT ARE KILLING ME. SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DISTINGUISH BETWEEN, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT LIKE, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S FREEDOM OF WILL, RIGHT? SO PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THAT CHOICE. WE ARE AMERICAN AFTER ALL. AND SO WE DO HAVE A RIGHT TO CHOOSE. HOWEVER, WHAT I DO BELIEVE IS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS AS A CITY ON IMPROVING ALL PUBLIC HEALTH OUTCOMES AND OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL HEALTH BEING ONE OF THEM. OUR LUNGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. AND WE HAVE BLUE ZONES REPRESENTATIVES HERE. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE BLUE ZONES INITIATIVES THAT WE WANT TO BRING HERE. AND SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BE CAREFUL NOT TO ALIENATE AND TO GROUP EVERYTHING THAT PRODUCES SMOKE INTO A GROUP OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS BAD, RIGHT? SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE DON'T WANT TOBACCO Y CAUSES CANCER. YOU DIE, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, ROCKET FUEL IN YOUR LUNGS AND AROUND YOU. AND IF SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO DOESN'T APPRECIATE THAT, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT IT AROUND ME, RIGHT? THERE'S PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO IT. WHATEVER. GO DO IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. YOU KNOW, GO DO IT IN A DESIGNATED ZONE WHERE THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN DO. AND MAYBE WE CAN ADOPT SOME TYPE OF LIKE ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, AND TAKE SOME INSPIRATION FROM THE CAHUILLA NATION. AND THEY HAVE A SPECIFIC MARIJUANA RESTAURANT AND THEY HAVE A MARIJUANA PLACE RIGHT NEXT TO IT, RIGHT? SO THAT'S A DESIGNATED AREA WHERE IF YOU WANT TO GO SMOKE MARIJUANA, YOU GO DO THAT. MAYBE WE CAN APPLY THAT PRINCIPLE TO THE AFFORDABLE HOMES THAT WE DECIDE TO BUILD HERE IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, THAT WE ZONE CERTAIN AREAS. AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD KIND OF SUCK, RIGHT? WHERE YOU GET ZONED INTO A SPECIFIC AREA BASED ON YOUR PREFERENCES, BUT OH, WELL, YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH IT. YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO GO SMOKE CIGARETTES, WELL, GO DO IT IN THAT CORNER OVER THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ALL YOU GUYS ARE. WE SHOULD BAN CIGARETTES, YOU KNOW, ALTOGETHER, I THINK IN THE CITY OF COACHELLA, WE SHOULD BAN THE SALE OF IT, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE OF HOW CANCEROUS THE THINGS ARE. AND WE SHOULD WE SHOULDN'T, WE SHOULDN'T WE SHOULDN'T BE DEALING WITH ANY PRODUCTS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST SMOKE ANY PRODUCTS THAT CAUSE CANCER.

LIKE I WENT TO A ACE HARDWARE AND LIKE 20 OF THE HOSES THAT ARE FROM TAIWAN AND CHINA, LIKE ALL HAVE LIKE, LIKE SOME CANCERS, CHEMICALS. AND THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS, THAT WASN'T.

SO I'M NOT, I'M NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, PICKING ON TOBACCO USERS. I THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING LIKE ALL ACROSS THE BOARD AND. YEAH, AS I THINK I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.

BUT YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE JOSEPH WESCOTT. SO I HOPE WE'RE HAVING A GOOD NIGHT. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THE REASON WHY I SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE, BECAUSE I HAVE ASTHMA AND WE'RE IN AN AREA WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE AIR QUALITY IS NOT THAT GOOD BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIAL AND CONSTRUCTION DOES THE AIR IS DRY, IT'S HEAT. AND THEN WE HAVE THE SALTON SEA DRYING UP ALL THAT. SO WE ALREADY HAVE BAD QUALITY AND THAT'S LIKE SECOND HAND SMOKE REALLY MAKES THAT WORSE TOO. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC, LIKE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE, SHOULD, LIKE, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO WALK AROUND THE PARK DOWNTOWN

[03:35:02]

FOR ME, THIS IS A PERSONAL ISSUE BECAUSE HOME IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BECAUSE HOME IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BREATHE FREELY AND FEEL PROTECTED. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TOBACCO, WE OFTEN JUST DISMISS IT AS SOMETHING NORMAL BECAUSE WE SEE IT REALLY OFTEN. BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT SUPPOSED TO FEEL NORMALIZED. AND WHEN YOU LIVE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO OTHER PEOPLE, WHAT HAPPENS IN THE HOME DOESN'T ALWAYS STAY IN THAT HOME. THAT MEANS SOMEONE ELSE'S DECISION TO SMOKE CAN AFFECT ME AND MY FAMILY. I ALSO SEE THIS AS A PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN. WHEN SOMEONE SMOKES IN A MULTI-UNIT HOUSING, OR EVEN IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE IS A RISK OF FIRE HAZARDS AS IT ISN'T ISOLATED TO ONE PERSON. THERE IS RESPONSIBILITY TO REDUCE PREVENTABLE FIRE RISKS AND KEEP SHARED ENTRANCES, PATHWAYS, SPACES AND EXITS AND SHARED SPACES SAFE. I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT CHOICES AND DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS POLICY ISN'T ABOUT JUDGING OR SHAMING PEOPLE WHO SMOKE.

IT'S ABOUT RECOGNIZING THAT MY RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR SHOULDN'T DEPEND ON WHETHER MY NEIGHBOR OR SOMEONE NEXT TO ME CHOOSES TO SMOKE. HOME IN MY COMMUNITY SHOULD BE A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE FERNANDA RAMIREZ. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY. I HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING WELL. MY NAME IS FERNANDA RAMIREZ SANCHEZ. I'M AN 11TH GRADER IN COACHELLA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M A PUBLIC SERVICE ACADEMY STUDENT AND A CADET FOR THE INDIO POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO MY COMMUNITY SAFETY IS A PRIORITY. THE REASON I AM HERE IS TO SUPPORT ITEM NUMBER 20, ORDINANCE 1233 SMOKE FREE AREAS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN POLICIES THAT DICTATE OUR HEALTH FROM. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS THIS GENERATION'S YOUTH, TOBACCO IS EVERYWHERE. THERE IS NO ESCAPING IT, NOT EVEN AT SCHOOL.

I AVOID GOING TO THE BATHROOM DURING SCHOOL FOR THE REASON THAT EVERYONE IN THERE HAS FLAVORED TOBACCO VAPES OR SOME SORT OF FLAVORED SMOKE. OUR BATHROOMS ARE CLOUDY FROM ALL THE SMOKE. NOW IMAGINE US WHO DON'T SMOKE. WE INHALE SECOND HAND SMOKE, WHICH IS WORSE THAN ACTUALLY CONSUMING IT. I'VE SEEN YOUNG CHILDREN ON THE STREETS AS YOUNG AS 12 OR 13,

[03:40:01]

COMMUNITIES LIKE COACHELLA ALREADY FACE THIS DISPROPORTIONATE HEALTH BURDENS, INCLUDING ASTHMA AND CHRONIC DISEASE POLICIES THAT REDUCE EXPOSURE TO TOBACCO SMOKE CAN HAVE LONG TERM BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY FOR YOUTH, SENIORS AND WORKING FAMILIES.

ADDITIONALLY, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT BLUE ZONES PROJECT COACHELLA CAN SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION BY PURCHASING THE REQUIRED SIGNAGE FOR CITY FACILITIES AND PARKS. IF THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO COORDINATE WITH THE CITY ON AGREED UPON INSTALLATION DATE TO ENSURE SIGNAGE IS IN PLACE IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND THAT THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ARE CLEARLY INFORMED WHEN ENFORCEMENT BEGINS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THOSE ARE ALL THE FORMS THAT I HAVE FOR IN-PERSON COMMENTS. IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 20? NO HANDS ARE RAISED. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM DIRECTION? MAYOR FIGUEROA, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT THE SMOKE FREE PROVISIONS ARE CONSISTENT WITH

[03:45:04]

ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND. OKAY. I WILL TAKE ROLL.

COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, COUNCILMEMBER DELGADO, I JUST WANT TO I WANT TO ADDRESS THE EVERYONE WHO'S HERE. IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO BE HERE. AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WAITING HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME. YOU KNOW, I COULD I COULD SEE SOME OF THE BOYS, YOU KNOW, LAUGHING HERE. I MEAN, WE'VE HAD YOU GUYS HERE FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE, ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU'VE HEARD ALL THESE DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS AND HEARING US GO BACK AND FORTH. AND TO STILL HAVE THE COURAGE TO COME UP BEHIND THE PODIUM AND SHARE WHERE YOU'RE AT AND WHERE YOU STAND WITH THIS POLICY. IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF COURAGE, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF YOU GUYS. YOU'RE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO STICKING WITH THIS. IT'S A GREAT CAUSE TO HAVE. THANK YOU. YES. OKAY.

THANK YOU. AND I WAS JUST ASKED BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO ENSURE THAT I CLARIFY THAT THIS IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. OKAY. CITY COUNCIL TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST READING BY TITLE ONLY AND WAY FURTHER READING OF THE ORDINANCE NUMBER 1233. 12 YES.

1233 THANK YOU. YES. AND I'LL CONTINUE WITH THE VOTE. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ YES, MAYOR FIGUEROA HI. AND THEN THREE YEARS OF HARD WORK. CAME TO A ALMOST TO AN ALL THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE ON IT. SO THE MOTION PASSES. MOTION PASSES. CONGRATULATIONS. NOW WE'LL RETURN BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 19. THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS THE INTRODUCTION OF FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 1232, WHICH WOULD ADD CHAPTER 8.70 TO TITLE EIGHT OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE TO ESTABLISH LOCAL REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF KRATOM PRODUCTS WITHIN THE CITY. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO ADDRESS EMERGING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH POTENCY KRATOM AND SEVEN HYDROXY MITRAGYNINE PRODUCTS, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS SEVEN ZERO. THE ORDINANCE IS MODELED AFTER RIVERSIDE COUNTY'S ORDINANCE NUMBER 1004, WHILE INCLUDING ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS TAILORED SPECIFICALLY TO THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL CODE AND ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY. KRATOM IS DERIVED FROM A PLANT NATIVE TO SOUTHEAST ASIA AND IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN A VARIETY OF FORMS, INCLUDING POWDERS, CAPSULES, TABLETS, GUMMIES, DRINKS, EXTRACTS, AND SHOTS. ONE OF THE ALKALOIDS ASSOCIATED WITH KRATOM IS SEVEN SEVEN HYDROXY MITRAGYNINE, OR 770, AND NATURAL KRATOM LEAVES SEVEN ZERO IS GENERALLY OCCURS AS A MINOR CONSTITUENT. THE MORE SIGNIFICANT REGULATORY CONCERN IS WITH PRODUCTS CONTAINING ADDED, ENHANCED, CONCENTRATED, SYNTHESIZED OR SEMI-SYNTHESIZED SEVEN ZERO. THE FDA HAS RAISED CONCERNS REGARDING THESE PRODUCTS AND HAS IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL RISKS INCLUDING ADDICTION, WITHDRAWAL, SEIZURES AND OTHER SERIOUS HEALTH EFFECTS. THESE PRODUCTS ARE ALSO READILY AVAILABLE THROUGH SMOKE SHOPS, GAS STATIONS, CONVENIENCE STORES, AND ONLINE RETAILERS. IN OCTOBER 2025, RIVERSIDE COUNTY ADOPTED ORDINANCE NUMBER 1004, ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS FOR THESE PRODUCTS AND IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY. THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT GENERALLY FOLLOWS THAT REGIONAL APPROACH WHILE ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS THAT THE CITY CAN ENFORCE WITHIN COACHELLA. THERE ARE FOUR PRIMARY COMPONENTS OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. FIRST, THE ORDINANCE WOULD PROHIBIT THE SALE OR DISTRIBUTION OF KRATOM, OR SEVEN ZERO PRODUCTS TO ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 YEARS OLD. RETAILERS WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO VERIFY AGE USING A VALID GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION. SECOND, THE ORDINANCE ESTABLISHES A CONCENTRATION LIMIT SO PRODUCTS CONTAINING MORE THAN 2% SEVEN ZERO AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL KRATOM ALKALOIDS COULD NOT BE SOLD OR DISTRIBUTED WITHIN THE CITY. THIRD, THE ORDINANCE PROHIBITS PRODUCTS WITH PACKAGING, LABELING OR MARKETING THAT IS ATTRACTIVE TO CHILDREN. THIS INCLUDES THINGS SUCH AS CARTOONS, TOYS, IMITATION CANDY, PACKAGING, AND OTHER MARKETING THAT WOULD REASONABLY BE CONSIDERED, PRIMARILY DESIGNED OR LIKELY TO APPEAL TO CHILDREN. FINALLY, THE ORDINANCE PROHIBITS PRODUCTS CONTAINING SYNTHESIZED OR SEMI-SYNTHESIZED, KRATOM, ALKALOIDS, CONSTITUENTS, OR DERIVATIVES. I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE ORDINANCE IS NOT A COMPLETE BAN ON TRADITIONAL KRATOM PRODUCTS. RATHER, IT ESTABLISHES STANDARDS INTENDED TO ADDRESS AGE ACCESS. ELEVATED CONCENTRATIONS OF SEVEN ZERO CHILD ATTRACTIVE PRODUCTS, AND SYNTHESIZED OR SEMI-SYNTHESIZED PRODUCTS. THE ORDINANCE ALONE

[03:50:06]

WITH RESPECT TO FISCAL IMPACT, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ORDINANCE IS ANTICIPATED TO BE ACCOMPLISHED USING EXISTING STAFF RESOURCES, AND ENFORCEMENT COSTS WOULD BE ABSORBED WITHIN EXISTING DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS TO THE EXTENT FEASIBLE. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ADMINISTRATIVE CITATION REVENUES MAY PARTIALLY OFFSET FUTURE ENFORCEMENT COSTS.

REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM SEQUA PURSUANT TO GUIDELINES SECTION 15061 B THREE AND 15060 C TWO AS APPLICABLE. BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE REGULATES THE SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF KRATOM PRODUCTS, IT WOULD NOT RESULT IN A DIRECTLY OR REASONABLY FORESEEABLE PHYSICAL CHANGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT. SO STAFF DID REVIEW THE PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED ON THIS ITEM, AND WE APPRECIATE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COMMENT AND SHARE THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH THE CITY. A RECURRING THEME IN THESE COMMENTS WAS CONCERNED THAT THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD RESULT IN A COMPLETE PROHIBITION ON NATURAL OR PLAIN LEAF KRATOM. I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT ORDINANCE NUMBER 1232 DOES NOT ESTABLISH A BLANKET PROHIBITION ON NATURAL KRATOM. THE ORDINANCE IS INTENDED TO DISTINGUISH TRADITIONAL KRATOM PRODUCTS FROM THE HIGHER RISK PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN THE FOCUS OF RECENT REGULATORY CONCERN SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS SALES TO PERSONS UNDER 21 PRODUCTS CONTAINING MORE THAN 2% SEVEN ZERO AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL KRATOM ALKALOIDS PRODUCTS MARKETED IN A MANNER ATTRACTIVE TO CHILDREN, AND PRODUCTS CONTAINING SYNTHESIZED OR SEMI-SYNTHESIZED, KRATOM, ALKALOIDS OR DERIVATIVES. MANY OF THE CONCERNS RAISED IN THE COMMENTS REGARDING CONCENTRATED SYNTHETIC SEVEN ZERO PRODUCTS ARE GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE REGULATORY APPROACH CONTAINED IN THE ORDINANCE. AND THEN BOTH RYAN AND MYSELF ARE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. AT THIS TIME. WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 9:50 P.M. FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM. I DO HAVE A CARD FROM STEPHEN MCINTOSH. HELLO EVERYONE, I WILL. I EMAILED THE MEMBERS OF THE OF THE COUNCIL, SO I'LL BE BRIEF. I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE CITY FOR TAKING UP THIS EXCUSE ME, THIS IMPORTANT MATTER. I HAVE ADVANCED HEART FAILURE AND BECAME PERMANENTLY DISABLED. WHEN THEY REVIVED ME. THEY BROKE RIBS, DIDN'T HEAL RIGHT? THEY HAD ISSUES. BUT I WANTED TO AGAIN, THANK THANK THE CITY BECAUSE THIS IS AN EXTREMELY REASONABLE PROPOSAL. I LIKE THAT IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH WHAT THE CITY OR WHAT THE NEARBY CITIES ARE DOING, WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING. IT CORRECTLY TARGETS HIGH RISK SYNTHESIZED SEVEN HYDROXYMITRAGYNINE PRODUCTS THAT ARE DANGEROUS AND HAVE A MUCH HIGHER POTENTIAL FOR ABUSE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THE CITY PASS THIS READ, EXCUSE ME, THIS ORDINANCE, BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU MORE TOOLS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM ACTORS IN THIS SPACE WHILE PRESERVING THE BOTANICAL PRODUCT. FOR INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS MYSELF WHO USE IT TO MANAGE PROFOUND DISABILITIES, SOME MUCH WORSE OFF THAN I AM. AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE CITY FOR ITS MEASURED AND REASONABLE APPROACH AND FOR FOR YOUR HARD WORK. I KNOW THAT NOTHING YOU DO, NO MATTER WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER, IS GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO. A LOT OF TIMES FOLKS ARE MORE. WILLING TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES WHEN THEY'RE ANGRY ABOUT SOMETHING, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO ACTUALLY COME DOWN HERE AND THANK YOU IN PERSON FOR, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND FOR, FOR DOING SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT. SO I'LL YIELD MY TIME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER. YEAH, ANOTHER SPEAKER CARD FOR MATTHEW MCCULLOCH. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR

[03:55:05]

I WASN'T SURE WHAT I WAS COMING, YOU KNOW, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I MOVED FROM SAN DIEGO HERE TO TO THE COACHELLA VALLEY IN 2014, AND I STARTED MY OWN BUSINESS OF KRATOM, KRATOM OF LIFE BECAUSE I WANTED I'VE BEEN HELPING PEOPLE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS TREE GROWS IN INDONESIA AND PLACES LIKE SOUTHEAST ASIA, THAILAND. AND THE PRODUCT COMES FROM OVER THERE, YOU KNOW. SO IT'S BEEN PART OF THE CULTURE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. AND THE MAIN ISSUE HERE IN AMERICA ARE THE EXTRACTS. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGULAR RAW LEAF KRATOM AND THE DERIVATIVES. SO THE DERIVATIVES ARE DANGEROUS. THE EXTRACTS DO KILL PEOPLE, BUT THE NATURAL PLANT IS SAFE, YOU KNOW. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO MORE RESEARCH. THE AMERICAN KRATOM ASSOCIATION HAS A LOT OF RESOURCES, AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO MULTIPLE CITIES LIKE I WAS PART OF PALM DESERT. PALM DESERT DID THE SAME AS YOU GUYS ARE DOING. SO THAT WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO. THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN LA QUINTA. THEY DID THE SAME THING, THE 2%, 21 AND UP. SO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING IS EXACTLY WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING THE DEA AND THE FDA HAVE BEEN TRYING TO BAN KRATOM SINCE 2016, BUT THEY COULDN'T DO IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP. AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN AMERICA AND THE WHOLE WORLD THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT BY THE MEDICAL SYSTEM, AND THE ONLY THING THAT THEY HAVE IS KRATOM. KRATOM IS NATURAL, AND IT ACTS SIMILAR LIKE AN OPIOID, BUT IT'S NOT AN OPIOID, YOU KNOW? SO IF YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM PAIN, CHRONIC PAIN THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, EVEN JUST VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY PAIN AND ADDICTION, A LOT OF PEOPLE USE KRATOM TO WEAN OFF THE DRUGS, YOU KNOW, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO RESEARCH TO BECOME KRATOM LITERATE. AND AGAIN, JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I'M REALLY HAPPY WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE. SO I GET TO GO HOME AND SLEEP WELL BECAUSE OF I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ON TRACK AND YEAH, JUST A QUICK HISTORY. KRATOM WAS INTRODUCED TO AMERICA BY VETERANS. THEY ACTUALLY WERE OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE IN A LOT OF PAIN. AND SOMETIMES THEY DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE MEDICATIONS. RIGHT. SO THAT'S HOW KRATOM STARTED COMING TO THE UNITED STATES BECAUSE THE VETERANS. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE, IF IT BECOMES BANNED, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SUFFER FOR OUR VETERANS AND ELDERLY CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, SO PLEASE KEEP THE NATURAL PLANT SAFE AND DEFINITELY BAN ALL THE EXTRACTS AND ALL THE DERIVATIVES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT IS FRANCISCO MOLINA. SO I WAS KIND OF MULTITASKING. WELL, FRANCISCO MOLINA, GOOD EVENING.

I WAS MULTITASKING A LITTLE BIT, LISTENING TO WHAT SOME OF MY PEERS HAVE SAID. I ALSO DID SOME QUICK RESEARCH ON ADVANCED KRATOM. AND WE NEED TO AGAIN, DISTINGUISH BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, MARKETING LANGUAGE AND WHAT WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON. SO BASED ON LIKE MY FIVE MINUTES OF READING THAT I DID, WHICH WAS A VERY QUICK SKIM. THE LEAF, THE NATURAL PLANT SEEMS TO BE OKAY, SO WE DON'T NEED TO TOUCH THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT OKAY WITH PEOPLE SYNTHESIZING, YOU KNOW, COCAINE LEAVES INTO PURE COCAINE AND SELLING IT ON OUR STREETS. RIGHT? SO WE SHOULD DEFINITELY NOT BE ALLOWING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REGULATED BY THE FDA TO BE SELLING HIGH CONCENTRATED PRODUCTS THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE ANY STUDIES REALLY. I MEAN, IF IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED BY THE FDA, MEANING THERE'S NO CLINICAL STUDIES. SO, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT ALLOW IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO DETERMINE IF THIS IS SAFE FOR OUR CITY OR NOT. AS FAR AS THE THE THE, THE SYNTHESIZED PART OF IT, I JUST KIND OF GO ON A LITTLE BIT OF A TANGENT HERE. IS THAT BIG PHARMA, I HATE THEM, THEY SUCK. ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS KEEP PEOPLE ADDICTED TO THEIR SYNTHESIZED DRUGS THAT THEY HAVE MONEY TO LOBBY FOR AND PASS THROUGH THE FDA AND, YOU KNOW, WRITE A LITTLE LIST OF SYMPTOMS AND THEN BOOM, PASS IT. RIGHT. SO IF THERE REALLY ARE PUBLIC HEALTH BENEFITS FROM THIS PLANT AND WE CAN PROVE IT, THEN WE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW,

[04:00:03]

YEAH. SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A WONDERFUL CONTINUATION OF THE CONVERSATION WE WERE JUST HAVING, WHICH IS TWO OF OUR COMMENTS TONIGHT WERE NOT TO REGULATE KRATOM. THEY WERE TO BAN THE SYNTHETIC ADVANCED KRATOM. THAT'S WHAT THOSE PEOPLE STATED. SO ONE OF OUR OTHER COMMENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THIS EVENING THAT INDICATED ACCESS TO RESTRICTED ITEMS IS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN ITEMS THAT ARE STILL GETTING INTO CHILDREN'S HANDS, ONE OF WHICH WE JUST CREATED AN ORDINANCE TO PREVENT PEOPLE. AND IN FACT, INFRACT THEM TO THE TUNE OF UPWARDS OF $1,000 FOR EVERY ADDITIONAL INFRACTION FOR THEM SMOKING IN PUBLIC. BUT WHAT ARE THE INFRACTIONS FOR THE BUSINESSES SELLING THE PRODUCT? IF THEY ARE GETTING CHILDREN WHO ARE ABLE TO HAVE PRODUCTS THAT ARE RESTRICTED? THE ISSUE OF ACCESS COMES DOWN TO BANNING THE ITEM, NOT INTERACTING. EVERY TIME SOMEBODY IS UTILIZING IT. SO MY QUESTION IS WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? WE'VE HEARD THAT IT CAME OVER WITH, YOU KNOW, WAR TIME TRAVELS. WE'VE HEARD THAT IT'S BEEN UTILIZED BY ANCIENT SOCIETIES THAT HAVE ALSO KEPT IT ALIVE. BUT SOMEBODY DECIDED THAT THEY COULD PROFIT OFF OF IT. AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO HOW A SPECIFIC INDUSTRY DECIDED THAT THEY COULD PROFIT AND IN FACT, INDICATE THAT THEIR PRODUCT THAT HAS BEEN HIGHLY SYNTHESIZED AND ADDED WITH CHEMICALS IS NOW NOT THE ORIGINAL PLANT THAT IT WAS DERIVED FROM. SO THE COMPANIES THAT ARE TAKING THOSE PLANTS, WHATEVER THEY MAY BE SYNTHESIZING OR ADDING CARCINOGENS TO THEM AND GETTING THE PUBLIC ADDICTED TO THEM IS THE REAL CONCERN HERE, NOT INFECTING EVERY PERSON WHO IS A VICTIM TO THOSE INDUSTRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 19? YES, I HAVE MULTIPLE HANDS RAISED. OKAY. THANK YOU. PROMOTING MICHAEL FASANO.

PROMOTED MICHAEL FASANO. I'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU CAN HEAR ME? YEAH.

SORRY. MY NAME IS MICHAEL FASANO. I'VE BEEN A KRATOM TEA CONSUMER FOR NATURAL LEAF FOR OVER 15 YEARS. ON AND OFF. NO ABUSE ISSUES, NO HEALTH PROBLEMS, NO COMPLICATIONS. AND MAINLY CONSUMED FOR CHRONIC INSOMNIA. I HAVE ALSO FOUND IT HELPFUL FOR MY JOINT PAINS BECAUSE I DID HIP HOP FOR YEARS. SO I SUFFER FROM ACHES AND PAINS. I TAKE IT CONSUMED MOSTLY AS A SUPPLEMENT, AN HERBAL SUPPLEMENT LIKE IT WOULD BE. BUT I JUST WANT TO COME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE HERE ABOUT IS THE REGULATION. I WANT TO COMMEND YOU GUYS FOR

[04:05:03]

JENNIFER. OKAY. OKAY. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. I JUST FOUND THE UNMUTE BUTTON THERE. MY NAME IS JENNIFER GILLIS. AND CAN YOU ALSO PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA IF YOU CAN? SURE, SURE. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO APPLAUD YOU GUYS FOR. YOU KNOW, PASSING THIS ORDINANCE TO MANY CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS HAVE BEEN LEFT WITH NO OPTIONS. AND THEY FOUND THAT KRATOM IS LITERALLY LIFE SAVING. 20 YEARS AGO, I BECAME A LIFELONG CHRONIC PAIN PATIENT.

AND I SUFFERED FOR MANY YEARS. I FOUND KRATOM SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND I USED MY TIME AND VOICE TO ADVOCATE FOR SENSIBLE REGULATIONS, LIKE GETTING THE 700 PRODUCTS OFF THE SHELVES THAT ARE FALSELY MARKETED AS KRATOM PRODUCTS, ALONG WITH SENSIBLE REGULATIONS LIKE THE AGE RESTRICTIONS. SO JUST A QUICK THANK YOU, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR EVERYONE IN COACHELLA COMMUNITY WHO MAY NOT KNOW THIS MEETING IS TAKING PLACE AND RELY ON NATURAL KRATOM FOR A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU JEFFREY.

PROMOTING MISTY BROWN.

SORRY IT TAKES A MINUTE TO UNMUTE. I DON'T KNOW WHY MY CAMERA'S NOT WORKING. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. OKAY. WELL, MY NAME IS MISTY BROWN, AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT WITHOUT NATURAL KRATOM, THERE IS NO WAY I COULD SIT HERE THROUGH THIS ENTIRE MEETING TO WATCH THIS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT NATURAL KRATOM SAVED ME FROM AN 11 YEAR ADDICTION TO FDA APPROVED PHARMACEUTICALS, AND I ACCIDENTALLY FOUND IT IN JUNE 2019 BY WALKING INTO A SMOKE SHOP AND BUYING LAB TESTED KRATOM. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ORDINANCE. YOU COULD SAVE A POSSIBLE MISTY THAT'S OUT THERE IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT WAS TRAPPED IN ACTIVE ADDICTION. I NOW UTILIZE, YOU KNOW, WHOLE LEAF NATURAL KRATOM FOR MY CHRONIC PAIN IN MY SPINE AND MY HIPS AND FOR MY DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. SO KRATOM IS AN EXIT FROM ADDICTIONS. SYNTHETIC 708 AND ITS DERIVATIVES ARE AN ENTRANCE INTO ONE. SO Y'ALL'S ORDINANCE IS AMAZING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PASSING OR TAKING THIS ON TONIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. PROMOTING LAURA ROMNEY.

[04:10:10]

LAURA, WE DID RECEIVE YOUR EMAIL. PROMOTING YVONNE ZAPATA. YVONNE ZAPATA. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS YVONNE ZAPATA. I'M A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF COACHELLA. I'M A MOTHER OF SEVEN, A PUBLIC SERVICE PROFESSIONAL, AND I AM A STUDENT AT CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO STUDYING SOCIAL WORK. I THINK THE CITY OFFICIALS RIGHT NOW FOR PUTTING THIS ON OUR AGENDA. I'M NOT SPEAKING ON THIS ITEM AS A MEDICAL EXPERT, ONLY FROM MY EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE THIS WAS OUR STUDIES AMONGST ME AND MY PEERS, WE WERE ABLE TO DO RESEARCH IN OUR COMMUNITY AND TAKE STATISTICS, GO OVER WHAT ACTUAL KRATOM WAS, WHAT IT WAS UTILIZED FOR, AND IT WAS REALLY A FOCAL POINT TO BRING MORE AWARENESS TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BECAUSE WE FOUND OF SEVERAL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SURVEY ONLY A 5% WERE MADE AWARE OF WHAT THE ACTUAL SYNTHETICS WERE DOING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER CITIES. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE TAKING THE STEPS TO GUARDRAIL AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ALSO BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITH OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE TAKEN THE STEPS TO PLACE THESE GUARDRAILS BECAUSE IT'S AN UNREGULATED MARKET, AND I APPRECIATE THOSE THAT ARE STEPPING FORWARD TO SHARE THEIR TESTIMONIES OF WHAT THE ACTUAL KRATOM HAS DONE FOR THEM. AS SOMEONE WHO WAS ABLE TO STEP INTO A STORE, IT WAS REALLY ADVERTISED AS, YOU KNOW, CANDY. BASICALLY, IT WAS A MARKETPLACE OF, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKED LIKE MATCHA TO ME. IT LOOKED LIKE INSTANT RELEASE PILLS. IT LOOKED LIKE A DRINK THE DAY THAT I WENT TO GO PURCHASE BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCE, I NEEDED TO SHARE WITH OTHERS HOW EASY IT WAS FOR ME TO ACCESS, AND ALSO FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS A 20 YEAR OLD. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT IN PLACE ORDINANCES THAT SPEAK CLEARLY AND ALIGN WITH OUR OTHER CITIES.

SO THAT WAY WE DON'T MAKE OUR CITY A COACHELLA, AN OPEN MARKET FOR WHERE IT IS BANNED OR RESTRICTED, LIMITED THAT THEY COME TO OUR PLACES OF BUSINESS AND, YOU KNOW, FEEL THAT THEY COULD TAKE OPPORTUNITY AND ADVANTAGE. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STAY IN ALIGNMENT AND CONSISTENCY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A VERY GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. PROTEIN. SHANNON LEE.

PROMOTING SHANNON LEE. OH, GEEZ. OKAY, THERE YOU ARE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.

[04:15:03]

THANK YOU.S IT WORKING? OKAY? I JUST WANT TO. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, BECAUSE OF NATURAL WHOLE LEAF KRATOM. I'M ABLE TO. I'M SORRY. I'M ABLE TO WORK DAILY AS A CNA TAKING CARE OF THE ELDERLY. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO FULLY CARE FOR MY 79 YEAR OLD MOM UNTIL SHE PASSED AWAY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE VERY JOB I DO WITHOUT NATURALLY KRATOM.

I WANTED TO THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO THE MANY TRUE TESTIMONIES READING IN THE EMAILS. YOU DID YOUR RESEARCH. YOU MADE THE RIGHT DECISION BECAUSE YOU CARE. REGULATING NATURAL, ORGANIC, WHOLE LEAF KRATOM YOU BEST BELIEVE WILL SAVE LIVES. AND TO KNOW I'M SORRY, AND TO KNOW ALL THE CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS WHO WILL NOT SUFFER IN AGONY LIKE MYSELF.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE. YOU'RE SIMPLY AMAZING AND KNOW ALL YOUR HARD WORK COMING UP WITH A GREAT ORDINANCE IS APPRECIATED. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SORRY ABOUT YOUR MOM. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE MORE HANDS? THERE ARE NO FURTHER HANDS RAISED. THANK YOU. OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. I JUST WANT TO GO AHEAD. FOR THE RECORD MENTIONED THAT WE DID RECEIVE 20 EMAILS FOR ITEM NUMBER 19 IN SUPPORT OF REGULATING NATURAL LEAF KRATOM, IN ALIGNMENT WITH A LOT OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE. I HAVE TWO COPIES UP HERE FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM. THEY HAVE BEEN SENT TO ALL OF COUNCIL, AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND LIST THE NAMES OF EVERYONE THAT SENT AN EMAIL STARTING WITH MISTY BROWN, CAMERON BISHOP, LAUREN PARISH, LIAM REGAN, CHRISTOPHER DINI, DREYA POWERS, DAVID WOLF, CHAD CORRAL, STEPHANIE. SOLIS, KAREN NOBLE, JEREMY. DELUCA, ASHLEY. DAVIDSON, SHEILA. PALOS. MATTHEW. MCALLEN. MIRIAM. MOSS.

MACEDONIA. STEPHANIE. MCINTOSH. LAURA. ROMNEY, JENNIFER. MARTIN. AUSTIN. AND. SHANNON. HAROLD.

THANK YOU. AND WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:15 P.M. THIS TIME. ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? THANK YOU, CITY STAFF, FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD. AND I LEARNED ABOUT THIS ITEM DURING ONE OF MY SEA BAG COMMITTEES AND REALLY FOCUSING ON HOW TO PROPERLY REGULATE KRATOM AND ENSURING THAT THE OH SEVEN IS IN, IS IN, PLACED IN, IT'S NOT SOLD. AND WE ALLOW THAT PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED TO USE THE NATURAL LEAF KRATOM IS ABLE, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE DO NEED ACCESS TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, STUFF THAT'S PRESCRIBED FROM THE DOCTORS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO ENSURE THAT WE REGULATE IT IN A WAY THAT'S SAFER FOR THE COMMUNITY AND LONG TERM. SO WITH THAT, I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE. MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE, TWO, THREE TWO REGULATING THE SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF KRATOM PRODUCTS. SECOND, THIS FIRST AND SECOND, I'LL TAKE ROLL. COUNCIL MEMBER. MARTINEZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER DELGADO. YES.

AND THEN TO THE FOLKS HERE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSONAL STORIES. IT WAS VERY MOVING.

THANK YOU FOR THE FOLKS WHO MADE COMMENTS ONLINE AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THOSE PERSONAL STORIES WITH US. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ. YES, MAYOR FIGUEROA I MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. LAST ITEM. MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 21, THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT CFD, NUMBER 2000 AND 5-1. ANNEXATION AREA NUMBER 37 DASH CASA SIENNA. HOW DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS? I'LL DO THE PRESENTATION. AND THEN I THINK IF YOU WANT TO START WITH THE SCRIPT, THIS ONE UP HERE. OKAY, SO SO I READ THE ORDINANCE. SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. THIS IS A TIME AND PLACE SET FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING OF ON THE ANNEXATION OF TERRITORY TO COMMUNITY FACILITIES, DISTRICT NUMBER 2000 AND 5-1. ANNEXATION NUMBER 37, THE LEVY OF SPECIAL TAXES THEREIN AND THE PROVISIONS OF CERTAIN SERVICES. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AT 10:17 P.M. AS NOTICE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING BEEN MAILED AND PUBLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW. MADAM CITY CLERK YES NOTICE WAS MAILED AND PUBLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW. I NOW CALL ON STAFF FOR A REPORT REGARDING THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION TO THE COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT. HELLO, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I. FERNANDEZ, MANAGEMENT ANALYST FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

[04:20:02]

FISCAL IMPACT. THIS WILL BRING A SPECIAL TAX OF ABOUT $1,600 TO THE CITY, PLUS CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ADJUSTMENT EVERY YEAR PER DWELLING UNIT, AND THIS WILL SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICES. STAFF DOES RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AS THE CITY CLERK. IF WRITTEN PROTESTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS, WHICH IS ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2020 655, RESOLUTION NUMBER 2026-54 AND INTRODUCE FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 1236. AND THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. ARE THERE ANY PERSONS THAT WISH TO PRESENT TO PRESENT TESTIMONY OR PROTEST REGARDING THE ANNEXATION TO CFD NUMBER 2000 AND 5-1? IS THIS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL? YES. I'LL GO AHEAD AND MARK IT DOWN.

NUMBER 21, WE HAVE FRANCISCO MOLINA. GOOD EVENING, FRANCISCO MOLINA. I THINK WE SHOULD BUILD THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED IT FOR OUR SENIORS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS NOT ONLY ARE WE BUILDING THE APARTMENT FOR THE SENIORS, BUT HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING THEM AFTER THAT? RIGHT. AND IS THAT UNIT THAT COST THAT MUCH AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THAT MANY APARTMENTS? WHAT POPULATION OF OUR SENIOR CITIZENS ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY, FOR OUR SENIOR RESIDENTS PER SE, ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIVE THERE, RIGHT. SO THESE ARE SOME OF MY CONCERNS, LIKE NOT IN TERMS OF NOT, NOT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF LIKE, I DON'T WANT THE BUILDING BUILT, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IN THE FUTURE, CAN WE BUILD MORE UNITS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND HOME MORE PEOPLE AND SPECIFICALLY WITH THESE RESIDENTS IS HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING THEM IN THEIR SENIOR PHASE OF LIFE? RIGHT. I'M GOING TO MENTION BLUE ZONES AGAIN BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE BLUE ZONES HERE. AND I WANT PEOPLE TO LIVE TO 100 YEARS OLD. I THINK AS A CITY, IF WE IF WE IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN ESTABLISH THAT AS A NORM. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE SUCCEEDED AS A SOCIETY. AND IF THEY'RE WELL TAKEN CARE OF, THEY'RE PASSING DOWN THE INFORMATION, THEY'RE PASSING DOWN THE KNOWLEDGE, THEY'RE PASSING DOWN THE WEALTH THAT I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. WE NEED TO START BUILDING TOWARDS. AND SO I DEFINITELY APPROVE THIS PROJECT MOVING. I, I, I WANT TO, I'M IN SUPPORT OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT. BUT LIKE I SAID, I WANT, I WANT FOR FUTURE EVEN EVEN NOW AND FOR FUTURE BUILDINGS. I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT NOT ONLY THE RIGHT NOW, BUT HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING THESE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN THE LATER. THANK YOU.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TESTIMONY? IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM? NO. OKAY.

HAVE ANY WRITTEN PROTESTS BEEN RECEIVED REGARDING THE ANNEXATION TO CFD NUMBER 2000 AND 5-1? NO WRITTEN PROTESTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. HAVE THE OWNERS OF ALL OF THE TAXABLE PROPERTY PROPOSED FOR ANNEXATION TO CFD NUMBER 2000 AND FIVE. DASH ONE CONSENTED TO HOLDING THE SPECIAL ELECTION ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2026, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING. YES. DO YOU CONCUR THAT THE SPECIAL ELECTION MAY BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2026, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES, I CONCUR, HAVING HEARD ALL THE TESTIMONY AND HAVING RECEIVED NO PROTEST, I AM PREPARED TO CLOSE THIS TO

[04:25:05]

ONCE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED, WE WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM ACCEPTING ANY FURTHER ORAL OR WRITTEN TESTIMONY. SEEING NONE, SEEING NO OTHERS WHO WISH TO SPEAK, I DECLARE THIS PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 10:23 P.M. CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION CALLING AN ELECTION.

CALL FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION. RESOLUTION 2026-55 OF THE CITY COUNCIL. ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NUMBER 2000 AND 5-1 LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICES CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION WITHIN THE ANNEXATION AREA. NUMBER 37. OKAY, WE DID RECEIVE ONE BALLOT, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN THAT NOW. ACTUALLY, THAT'S RIGHT. NOW, MAYOR, WE DO NEED A MAYOR AND A SECOND FOR OH, WE NEED A FIRST AND A SECOND. SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FIRST AND A SECOND TO APPROVE. I'LL SECOND. I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE. AND THEN THERE'S A SECOND FROM MR. MARTINEZ. ROLL CALL PLEASE. AND THIS IS A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 2026-55. CORRECT.

CAN I TAKE NOW. OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE ROLL. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ I COUNCILMEMBER DELGADO YES. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ YES. MAYOR FIGUEROA I. NOW YOU CAN PROCEED WITH THE. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE BALLOT.

THERE WAS TWO ENVELOPES. GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT. OKAY. THE VOTE IS MARKED AS A YES. SO I HAVE CONDUCTED IN CANVAS A SPECIAL ELECTION. ALL VOTES CAST ARE IN FAVOR OF THE BALLOT MEASURE AND THEREFORE THE BALLOT MEASURE PASSES. AT THIS TIME, I'LL CALL FOR A MOTION. AND A SECOND WE DID. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE'LL NEED ANOTHER ONE TO APPROVE THE SECOND ONE. RIGHT. THIS IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION. RESOLUTION 20262026-54. OF THE CITY COUNCIL. ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NUMBER 2000 AND 5-1 LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICES CANVASING THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION HELD WITHIN ANNEXATION AREA NUMBER 37. ANNEX TO SAID DISTRICT. ENTERTAIN A MOTION. IS THERE A MOTION? I'LL GO AHEAD. MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION. THAT'S CORRECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ. I WILL TAKE ROLL. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, I. COUNCILMEMBER DELGADO YES. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ YES. MAYOR FIGUEROA I AT THIS TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT THE. LEVYING A SPECIAL TAXES FOR THE FIRST READING. THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE NUMBER 21236, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA. COMMUNITY FACILITIES, DISTRICT NUMBER 2000 AND 5-1. LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICES AUTHORIZING THE LEVY OF A SPECIAL TAX WITHIN ANNEXATION AREA NUMBER 37. ANNEX TO SAID DISTRICT FIRST READING. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE, 236? ANOTHER. MOTION? OKAY, THERE'S A FIRST. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL GO AHEAD AND SECOND THE MOTION FIRST AND A SECOND FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 1236. I WILL TAKE ROLL. COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, COUNCILMEMBER DELGADO YES. MAYOR PRO TEM PEREZ YES.

MAYOR FIGUEROA HI. THIS CONCLUDES THE CFD ANNEXATION PROCEEDINGS. AND THAT'S THE END

[Reports and Requests]

[04:30:04]

YEP. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. COUNCILWOMAN DELGADO, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, BUT FOR FOR LIGHTING, ANDREW IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHEN WHEN THE LIGHTING GOES OUT. AND SO WHAT'S THE PROCESS? AND THEN HOW LONG IS IT TAKING US FOR US TO REPLACE THAT LIGHTING? YEAH, PLEASE. SO IT OFTEN DEPENDS ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO IF THE LIGHTS ARE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE CITY, WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS GO OUT AND REPAIR THEM. SO AS FAST AS WE CAN, WE DO HAVE TO GET A CONTRACTOR SET UP AND ORDER CABLES, BUT WE CAN USUALLY GET THOSE REPAIRED IN WEEKS, LIKE A MONTH TOPS. WE DID HAVE SOME AREAS WHERE WE WERE HAVING REPEATED THEFT OF WIRES IN SOME AREAS THAT WERE STILL OWNED AND MAINTAINED. WE HADN'T ACCEPTED THOSE ACTIVITIES. THEY WERE OWNED AND MAINTAINED BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS, SO THAT HAD HAPPENED RECENTLY IN THE PAST YEAR, AND THOSE DID TAKE A LOT LONGER TO GET REPAIRED JUST BECAUSE THOSE WERE UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE DEVELOPER AND THEY HADN'T BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE CITY. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, LIGHTS AT THE CITY REPAIRS, AS LONG AS WE'RE NOTIFIED, AS LONG AS WE GET A SEECLICKFIX. SO WE ALWAYS ASK THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE US THOSE SEECLICKFIX REPORTS AND, AND NOTIFY US SO THAT AS SOON AS WE ARE AWARE THEY ARE OUT, THEN WE SCHEDULE THEM FOR REPAIR IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND THEN LAST THING I DO WANT IS THAT FOR THE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, OUR COMMERCIAL SITES IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING POWER WASH, THAT THEY'RE STAYING CLEAN, THE FACADE, THE PAINTING HAS TO BE ONE, ONE COLOR. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO CLEAN THAT UP, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE GOING DOWN THE CHAVEZ CORRIDOR. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME COMMERCIAL SITES THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH. AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, DOING THE, THE PAINTING ON THEIR OWN SO IT DOESN'T MATCH UP WITH THE WALL OR THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, GUM OR OTHER THINGS ON THE AREAS WHERE THE COMMERCIAL BUILDING IS. AND SO JUST REACHING OUT TO THOSE OWNERS AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE KEEPING IT CLEAN WHEN IT CLEAN, THE PAINTING NEEDS TO BE CLEAN. THE LIGHTING NEEDS TO BE, YOU KNOW, ON THE, THE WORDS NEED TO BE LIT. YOU KNOW, THEY ALL NEED TO BE THERE. SO WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE LETTERS ARE THERE, THAT THEY'RE ALL LIGHTING PROPERLY, LOOKING INTO THAT ALREADY. KENDRA. YES. OUR CODE MANAGER, PETE HERNANDEZ, AND I ARE WORKING ON UPDATING OUR VACANT BUILDING AND VACANT LOT REGISTRY AND MAINTENANCE CODE SECTION. SO IN THAT WAY, WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE WITH ENSURING THAT VACANT BUILDINGS AND VACANT LOTS ARE ADEQUATELY CARED FOR. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU KENDRA. THAT'LL BE COMING HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT

[04:35:03]

MINORS CANNOT PURCHASE SUDAFED, THEY CANNOT PURCHASE NYQUIL, THEY CANNOT PURCHASE BENADRYL, BUT THEY CAN GO AND PURCHASE SLEEPING PILLS. MY CONCERN IS THAT A MINOR CAN WALK INTO ANY STORE AND PURCHASE SLEEPING PILLS AND MISUSE THEM. SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH. TEEN TEEN SUICIDE IS REAL AND IT'S ON THE RISE. IT'S THE SECOND CAUSE OF DEATH IN TEENS. I'M ASKING OUR CITY ATTORNEY, CITY MANAGER WHETHER SUCH AN ORDINANCE IS LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE, WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD BE COVERED, HOW OUR JURISDICTION HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE. THE GOAL WOULD BE TO PLACE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE RETAILERS AND ESTABLISH AN AGE RESTRICTION, NOT ALLOWING TEENS TO PURCHASE SLEEPING PILLS TO EDUCATE EMPLOYEES. WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CHILDREN, I BELIEVE THAT PREVENTING ACCESS TO POTENTIALLY HARMFUL PRODUCTS IS REASONABLE, AND ALL I'M ASKING IS TO HAVE SOME KIND OF ORDINANCE THAT PREVENTS TEENS FROM WALKING INTO ANY STORE AND PURCHASING SLEEPING PILLS. THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY TEEN ALLOWED TO GO INTO A STORE AND PURCHASE SLEEPING PILLS. THERE'S NO REASON. YOU KNOW, THERE IS NATURAL STUFF. MELATONIN, WHICH PARENTS SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBLE ADULTS AND SHOULD BE PURCHASING AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER THEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY TEENS ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT. SO I'M ASKING IF THERE'S ANY ORDINANCE THAT WE CAN BRING FORWARD. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RESEARCH THAT AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE, BOTH ON THE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THE ONLY THING OF IS FOR NOT LIKE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, BUT JUST IF WE CAN SEE WHEN WHAT THE I KNOW WE JUST APPROVED THE PAINTING OF THE LIBRARY AND THE CITY HALL. JUST THAT THE MURALS, HOW OFTEN WE PUT A CLEAR COAT ON THEM SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT THEM JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRESERVING THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, CITY INVESTED MONEY IN THEM. AND THEY'RE PART OF THE STAPLE OF PEOPLE COMING TO SEE COACHELLA. THE GENTLEMEN THAT WERE HERE EARLIER TALKING ABOUT THE SMOKING BAN, THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, THE THE ITEMS. BUT THEN ALSO PEOPLE JUST USE THE MURALS. IT'S PART OF THE WHAT PEOPLE COME DOWN TO COACHELLA. I WAS TOLD ONE TIME SOMEONE DROVE, THEY HAD A THEY SAW SOMEONE THEY KNEW, SOMEONE THAT CAME. THERE WAS A SPECIAL DRIVER FROM LA AND DROVE. SOMEONE JUST. HERE WAS 30 MINUTES JUST TO SEE THE MURALS. THEY DROVE FROM LA JUST TO SEE THE MURALS, TO SEE WHAT WE HAD HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY CAME FOR. SO I THINK IT'S VERY. TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PRESERVING THE MURALS THAT WE HAVE. I KNOW I CALL IT CLEAR COAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S LIKE THE SHINY VENEER THAT GOES ON TOP JUST TO MAKE SURE IT PRESERVES. BECAUSE AFTER A HOT SUMMER, THEY KIND OF BEAT UP. SO JUST TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT, WHAT BUDGETING ITEMS WE'RE USING ON THAT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PRESERVING OUR MURALS THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY COUNCIL.

COMMENTS AND REPORTS ON MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. MR. MARTINEZ, JUST COMMENTS GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, I DO WANT TO INVITE THE COMMUNITY TO THE REACH OUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE GATHER TOGETHER TO, TO SHARE IT AND, AND BUILD, YOU KNOW, TRUST, YOU KNOW, MR. JAMES RODRIGUEZ HAS BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB. SO I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND EXTEND THE INVITATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO MEET US. I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE THIS FRIDAY.

CHICKEN AND WAFFLES. I'M DOWN FOR IT. OKAY. ALSO, I WANT TO THANK, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT STOP BY AND TALK ABOUT THE CONTAINER PARK. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON FULL SUPPORT. AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW SOME OF THESE VENDORS THERE, WE ARE IN FULL SUPPORT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT PUTTING ANY ROADBLOCKS. WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER TACO SHOPS, THAT'S HOW THEY STARTED. YOU KNOW, NOW THEY'RE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THREE RESTAURANTS, THEY HAVE FOOD TRUCKS. THEY'RE DOING FANTASTIC. SO WHAT WE WANT TO SEE COMING OUT OF THE CONTAINER PARK IS BUSINESSES LIKE THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR BEING PATIENT. MY SECOND COMMENT WILL BE TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS FOR THE RECENT FIRE IN THERMAL, WITHIN PROXIMITY WITH OUR CITY LIMITS. I WANT TO THANK THE POLICE OFFICERS AND ANY OTHER AGENCIES THAT RESPONDED TO THE FIRE, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HEAR THAT THERE WERE NO CASUALTIES. SO THANKS TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS. APPRECIATE THAT. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT. THERE'S JUST A BIG

[04:40:04]

THEY WENT, YOU KNOW, THEY UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARRESTED SOME PEOPLE THERE. BUT I JUST WANT TO SEND THE MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S NOT WHO WE ARE. AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT THAT. AND WE WANT TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR RESPONDING AS WELL. MY REPORTS. I ACTUALLY ATTENDED MY FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING AT SEA, BACK FOR TRANSPORTATION. THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, AND I DO HAVE TWO UPDATES TO BRING TO THE TO THE CITY THAT IS GOING TO BENEFIT US. ACTUALLY, WE ACCEPTED A 1.25 MILLION GRANT FROM CVWM, WHICH IS THE COACHELLA VALLEY MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY. SO THE BENEFIT THAT OUR CITY IS GOING TO BE GETTING IS ON THE SECTION OF THE COACHELLA SIERRA VISTA PARK, AND WE ARE GOING TO GET SOME SHADE STRUCTURES, SOME BENCHES AND SOME BIKE RACKS. SO THE PROJECT TIMELINE IS GOING TO START NEXT MONTH ON OCTOBER 2026, AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO FINISH IT ON JULY 2028. MY SECOND ONE, IT'S WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING INVESTING SOME MONEY FOR THE ARTS AND MUSIC LANE. THEY ARE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL $385,000, 542, AND WE WILL BE TECHNICALLY PITCHING IN 2% OF THE $385,000, WHICH IS 7710. AND ONE MORE THING, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE A KIND OF A WASH FOR US. WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING A CHECK FOR $17,591 THAT REPRESENTS COACHELLA'S 2.6 SHARE OF THE 25% LOCAL CONTRIBUTION. AND THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM THE CLOSEOUT OF THE I-10 JEFFERSON STREET INTERCHANGE. CVAC IS GOING TO GET A TOTAL OF $2 MILLION, 600 AND 307, AND IS GOING TO BE DISTRIBUTED. SO THAT'S HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING 17,591. AND THAT'S ALL MY REPORTS. COUNCILWOMAN DELGADO. I DON'T I DON'T HAVE ANY REPORTS, BUT I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, IS TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST RESPONDERS, CAL FIRE, OUR CHIEF TOVAR IN THE BACK. I KNOW THEY HAD SOME LONG HOURS THAT NIGHT, AND IT WASN'T AN EASY FIRE. IT WASN'T YOUR YOUR REGULAR TYPE OF FIRE. IT WAS REALLY WINDY THAT DAY. AND SO THEY WERE THEY WERE TRYING TO TAKE OUT FIRES FROM BOTH SIDES OF AIRPORT BOULEVARD. AND THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB. AND I KNOW THAT CHIEF TOVAR WAS ON HIS WAY BACK TO AND TO OUR. SO EQUALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY ALWAYS DO A GREAT JOB IN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE THAT THE STREETS ARE CLOSED AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SAFE DISTANCE FROM EVERYONE. THEY MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR CREW. AND WHILE THEY'RE FIGHTING THE WILDFIRES. SO ANYWAYS, A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU, CHIEF TOVAR, AND YOUR TEAM IN THE BACK AND OUR OUR FIRE CREW HERE 86. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR ME, MAYOR. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR QUICK ACTION AS WELL AS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. I KNOW THAT THE FIRE WAS JUST AROUND THERMAL SHERIFF STATION. I KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEARBY. WE HAVE A LOT. WE HAVE A COUPLE APARTMENT COMPLEX NEARBY. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR QUICK ACTION. THANK GOD NOBODY WAS HURT. THANK GOD. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS NO MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US UPDATED AT MIDNIGHT, TWO IN THE MORNING, SENDING US THE INFORMATION. REALLY, REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. BECAUSE LIKE THAT, WHEN RESIDENTS CALL US OR ASKING US, AT LEAST WE HAVE THE INFORMATION. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ATTEND THE GRAND OPENING OF THE 85 JIU JITSU PLACE. SELENA WAS THERE. IT WAS A WELL ORGANIZED EVENT. HAD A LOT OF FUN, AND HOPEFULLY PEOPLE CAN CAN STOP BY AND PAY A VISIT. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. I DID HEAR THE THANK YOU TO THE FIRE STAFF. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE FIRE APP THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD ON YOUR PHONE, IT REPORTS ANY FIRES AS THEY GO AND YOU CAN ALSO BE TRACKING. AND THAT NIGHT I DID

[04:45:04]

BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHEN THAT HAPPENS, A STRUCTURE FIRE, THEY DON'T JUST THEY'RE SO DISTRAUGHT AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S NEXT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. AND, AND YOU'RE IN THE TEAM HELPING THAT PIECE RIGHT THERE. VERY IMPORTANT THERE. AND JUST THANKS TO STAFF FOR EVERYTHING. I KNOW IT'S 1043 AND GOD HAD A BIG AGENDA, A LOT OF STUFF. AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FRIDAY, WE HAVE THE ALL VALLEY MAYOR'S LUNCHEON. GET TO HEAR WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE, WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEN AS WELL AS JUST, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING IN THE CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND HOPEFULLY EVERYONE HAS A GOOD NIGHT. AND THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ON PREPARING FOR A STORM THAT DIDN'T COME. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PIO'S OFFICE FOR BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE STAFF AND DOING A GREAT JOB IN INFORMING INDIVIDUALS WHAT'S GOING ON AND KEEPING UP TO DATE AND REALLY JUST CONTINUING THAT INFORMATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON ON A DAY TO DAY. THIS WEEKEND, I DID YES, SIR, I CHECKED TODAY, WE HANDED OUT 180 SANDBAGS. SO CAN YOU JUST GET READY? AND THOSE WILL BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND READY FOR WHEN WE DO GET YEAH, AND WE'LL BE READY BECAUSE IT'S RAIN SEASON. I DID ATTEND, I DID GO TO THIS WEEKEND AND I GOT TO EXPERIENCE SUNDAY NIGHT THERE. AND IT'S A VERY ACTIVE SPACE, VERY ACTIVE, SOME BRAND NEW VENDORS. AND I GOT TO CONVERSE AND THERE WERE SOME OF THEM HERE IN PERSON. ONE LADY THAT HAS A SPECIALTY FOOD TRUCK AND SHE SELLS DESSERTS FROM THE YUCATAN PENINSULA REGION, AND WHICH I'VE NEVER TRIED. AND SHE, SHE TOLD ME SHE STARTED FROM A TENT TO A FOOD TRUCK. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON, ON THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT THEY WANT TO GET TO BRICK AND MORTAR. THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE NOT THERE.

AND SO I'M EXCITED TO, TO SEE WHAT WE DO WITH A GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY AND BE ABLE TO PARTNER AND SAY, THIS IS HOW YOU GET THERE TO THE FOOD TRUCK, FROM FOOD, FROM TENT TO FOOD TRUCK TO STOREFRONT, THAT'S REALLY THAT MODEL AND REALLY LOOKING AT THAT PERSPECTIVE.

BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED OUT, THERE'S A LADY THAT SELLS HANDMADE TORTILLAS AND COOKIES REALLY GOOD. SO BUT DEAL WITH THE MINI PANCAKES, PANCAKES, FRIED CHICKEN, THAT'S WHAT I LIKE. SO WITH THAT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR REPORTS. ANY DIRECT NO DIRECTOR REPORTS, SIR. MR. CITY MANAGER, ANY COMMENTS ON YOUR PART? YES. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE THANKS TO OUR STAFF. AND I KNOW THAT PUBLIC WORKS ALSO HAS DONE SO MUCH, AND THEY HAVE A FEW GRAND OPENINGS COMING UP, I SHOULD SAY GROUNDBREAKINGS COMING UP. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. AND OF COURSE, OUR STATE OF THE CITY COMING UP. I KNOW THAT, MAYOR, YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH OUR STAFF ON THE ALL HANDS MEETING, SO GETTING READY FOR THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO PUT A SHOUT OUT TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS. I SHOULD I SHOULD SAY, OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER ASSISTANT, MISS JESSICA TORRES. SHE JUST DOES SO MUCH FOR US. AND RIGHT NOW SHE'S BEEN MY ASSISTANT AS WELL AS THE PIO ASSISTANT. SHE JUST DOES SO MUCH OUT THERE, AND I JUST WANT TO BE VERY THANKFUL TO WHAT SHE'S DONE, AS WELL AS THE REST OF MY DIRECTORS OVER HERE. THEY'RE AVAILABLE ON A 24 HOUR BASIS, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T CALL THEM AT MIDNIGHT.

BUT AGAIN, THEIR PHONE IS AN EXTENSION OF THEIR HAND. THEY ALWAYS HAVE IT WITH THEM. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING. YES, I'M TRYING TO KEEP YOU INFORMED AS MUCH AS I CAN. AND WHEN I GET A CALL AT MIDNIGHT, I HAVE IT THERE RINGING AND I'LL ANSWER IT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OUT THERE. AND I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THE INNOVATIVE COMMERCE SERVING COMMUNITIES CONFERENCE IS TAKING PLACE NEXT WEEK. OUR COUNCILWOMAN DELGADO IS GOING TO BE JOINING MYSELF AND OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AT THAT CONFERENCE. I'LL BE THERE FOR ONE DAY. OUR STAFF WILL BE THERE THE FULL THREE DAYS, AND THAT IS AGAIN NEXT WEEK, THE 14TH OF SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER THROUGH THE 16TH. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES CONFERENCE COMING UP FROM SEPTEMBER 23RD THROUGH THE 25TH. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT WEDNESDAY MEETING IS GOING TO BE RESCHEDULED TO THE 21ST. SO MONDAY THE 21ST IS OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AND THAT'S ALL I HAD, SIR. THANK YOU. AND THEN MR. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, CITY ENGINEER, THE ADAPTIVE SPORTS LEAGUE THANKS YOU FOR BEING ABLE TO TURN ON THE LIGHTS FOR THEM LAST NIGHT.

[04:50:01]