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08/29/2023
ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF AUGUST 29, 2023 The regular meeting of August 29, 2023 was called to order at 3:01 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Anaheim City Hall, located at 200 S. Anaheim Boulevard. The meeting notice, agenda, and related materials were duly posted on August 24, 2023. MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ashleigh E. Aitken and Council Members Jose Diaz, Carlos A. Leon, Norma Campos Kurtz, Stephen Faessel, and Natalie Meeks. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava joined during Closed Session. STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Jim Vanderpool, City Attorney Robert Fabela, and City Clerk Theresa Bass ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO CLOSED SESSION: None PUBLIC COMMENTS ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS: None CLOSED SESSION: At 3:02 p.m., Mayor Aitken recessed to Closed Session for consideration of the following: 1. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (Section 54957 (b) (1) of the California Government Code) Title: City Clerk 2. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS (Subdivision (a) of Section 54957.6 of the California Government Code) Agency Designated Representative: Gretchen R. Beatty, Acting Human Resources Director Name of Employee Organization: City Clerk 3. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS (Section 54956.8 of the California Government Code) Property: APN 072-110-47; 1687 West Lincoln Avenue, Anaheim, CA 92801 Agency Negotiator: Sergio Ramirez, Director of Economic Development Negotiating Parties: JJTS, Inc., doing business as JR's Wheels and Tires, and the City of Anaheim Under Negotiation: Rent price and terms of payment for the lease 4. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of California Government Code Section 54956.9: Two potential cases 5. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (2) of Subdivision (d) of California Government Code Section 54956.9): One potential case (A copy of the claim against the City is included in the agenda packet and available for review by contacting the City Clerk's Office and on-line electronically with the agenda at: www. anaheim. neticouncila::,,endas.) City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 2 of 25 At 5:11 p.m., Mayor Aitken reconvened the Anaheim City Council. MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ashleigh E. Aitken and Council Members Natalie Rubalcava, Jose Diaz, Carlos A. Leon, Norma Campos Kurtz, Stephen Faessel, and Natalie Meeks INVOCATION: Pastor Kyle Bonenberger, City Church FLAG SALUTE: Council Member Norma Campos Kurtz PRESENTATION: Recognizing Dr. Yadira Moreno and Artist Carla Roque for creating murals for all 23 Anaheim Elementary School District Schools Mayor Aitken thanked Dr. Moreno and Ms. Roque for their efforts in brightening up the campuses at Anaheim Elementary schools and centering the murals on different motivational quotes, such as "Be the change you want to see." She acknowledged the efforts of Sammy Roque, who assisted artist Ms. Roque with the project, with activities such as leading student volunteer groups. The recognitions were accepted by Dr. Yadira Moreno and Artist Carla Roque. Recognizing Jason Perez for winning the donut eating contest at the National Night Out Mayor Aitken recognized Jason Perez for winning the donut eating contest at National Night Out For the third year in a row and stated the National Night Out is an annual community -building event that promotes police community engagement and partnerships. The donut eating contest adds excitement and a family -friendly evening that helps build community engagement. As a Neighborhood Services Coordinator, Mr. Perez works closely with Anaheim residents to help them navigate City resources and build a sense of community. The recognition was accepted by Jason Perez. Community Services Board Presentation Chairperson Linda Barnett introduced the Community Services Board (Board) as a seven -member advisory body appointed by the City Council to represent the social service needs of Anaheim. She introduced members of the Board in attendance including Shandra Barrera (District 3), Steven Douglas (District 4), Usha Shah (District 5), Laura Banker Jelensky (District 6), Vice -Chair Steven Kleine (District 1), and Mary Palafox (District 2). The responsibilities of the Board is to address and provide input related to the social, physical, emotional, and supportive services needed for youth, families, and senior citizens to thrive and live in Anaheim. It is one of the few Boards that can create and propose funding recommendations that will address the needs and provide direct service and support to meet those needs. On an annual basis, the City receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and the Board discusses and comes to a consensus to formulate a fair, balanced, and rational funding award recommendations to the City Council with consideration given to the individual agency's ability to provide services that meet the critical needs of Anaheim's youth, families, and seniors. Applicants are encouraged to apply for City grants and current recipients are encouraged to grow and become self-sufficient. Chairperson Barnett highlighted some of the programs that are funded through CDBG monies including youth sports scholarships, senior citizen meal programs, after school youth programs, and creative arts programs for physically and intellectually challenged adults. On behalf of the Board, Chairperson Barnett thanked the Community Services Department staff, especially Neighborhood Services Manager Joe Perez, whose leadership always ensures the smooth operation of this entire process. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 3 of 25 Mayor Aitken thanked Chairperson Barnett and noted she had the great honor of serving two terms on the Community Services Board. She acknowledged the hard and thorough work the Board performs to reach the best outcomes for the beneficiaries of the grant program. ACCEPTANCE OF OTHER RECOGNITIONS To be presented at a later date): Recognizing September 2023, as National Preparedness Month Accepted by Deputy Chief Chad Thompson, Anaheim Fire and Rescue, who stated National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote family and community disaster and emergency planning to prepare for all emergencies. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the lead agency that created National Preparedness Month, did so to increase public awareness concerning the importance of preparing for emergencies and to persuade individuals to take action. Recognizing September 2023, as National Library Card Sign -Up Month Accepted by Don Hilliard, Library Technology Systems Administrator, reported that through the month of September, it will celebrate all the fantastic services and resources available to patrons with an Anaheim Public Library card. Next month Library visitors of all ages can earn prizes by completing fun activities like reading eBooks on the Cloud Library, attending programs to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, taking a selfie in their favorite parts of the library, and tag the Library on social media. New and returning patrons can explore the diverse array of programs and services that make Anaheim Public Library a priceless community asset. Mr. Hillard thanked the City Council for the proclamation and recognizing what a library card can offer. Recognizing September 2023, as Hunger Action Month Accepted by Malia Cary, Government & Public Affairs Manager, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, who noted she was joined by Michael Learakos, the CEO of Abound Food Care. They were in attendance on behalf of the Orange County Hunger Alliance. The Hunger Alliance is a collaboration of three anti -hunger nonprofits in Orange County that come together to fight food insecurity in neighborhoods. She announced various community events going on throughout the month and ways to get involved. Recognizing September 11, 2023, as Patriot Day At 5:34 p.m., Mayor Aitken called to order the Anaheim Public Financing Authority, Anaheim Housing and Public Improvements Authority and Anaheim Housing Authority (in joint session with the City Council). ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA: None PUBLIC COMMENTS (all agenda items): Prior to receipt of public comments, City Clerk Theresa Bass provided an outline of procedures for public comments, notice of translation services, and a brief decorum. City Clerk Bass reported that a total of eight (8) public comments were received electronically prior to 5:00 p.m. related to City Council agenda items and matters within the jurisdiction of the Anaheim City Council. [A final total of eight (8) public comments were received electronically, distributed to the City Council, and made part of the official records]. — See Appendix. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 4 of 25 Mark Richard Daniels commented on Item Nos. 21 and 22 expressing appreciation for City Clerk Theresa Bass, calling for Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava to resign given various allegations, and supporting Mayor Aitken's proposals for reform. Bob Donelson commented on Item Nos. 20 and 21 calling for Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava and Council Member Faessel to resign given various allegations, expressing opposition to actions taken by the previous Mayor as revealed in the recent JL Group report, and in support of the proposed reforms. Paul Hyek commented on Item No. 9 referring to a State program called Orange County Regional that handles all of the group homes. Their mission is to protect and care for the homeless. He also requested assistance for homeless individuals living along the railroad track. Shirley Grindle commented on Item No. 20 noting she performs a volunteer service by auditing campaign statements. She recommended two reforms the City Council could consider to restore public confidence: a gift ban ordinance and establishing a campaign finance and ethics commission similar to that of Orange County. Mike Robbins commented on Item No. 20 noting the various City Council Members, staff, and other organizations which were negatively implicated in the JL Group report and stated the need for consequences for their actions. Jeanine Robbins commented on Item No. 20 expressing disappointment towards elected officials, various City Council Members, staff, and other organizations and requested the Mayor implement initiatives that restore transparency and honesty. Marisol Ramirez commented on Item No. 20 noting she is the Director of Programs for Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD) and requested informational public forums on restoring the public's trust in light of the findings in the JL Group report. Wes Jones commented on Item Nos. 20, 21 and 22 thanking the Mayor for her efforts in putting forth the reforms for the City and acknowledged the Chamber of Commerce and Visit Anaheim's roles in corrupt actions. He encouraged the City Council to explore the creation of a new Visit Anaheim, independent of the Chamber of Commerce. He requested all invoices be cleared by the City before payment and expressed concerns regarding the Angels lease and use of electronic devices by the City Council during meetings. Vern Nelson commented on Item Nos. 20 and 22 expressing concerns regarding FBI revelations of the planned series of mock City Council meetings planned through officials' personal email addresses. He called for the resignation of Council Member Faessel. He suggested having the City's employees take over the booking of the Convention Center and have the resort take over their own publicity. Penelope Lopez commented on Item Nos. 20 and 21 expressed concerns regarding campaign contributions to various City Council Members and noted that in addition to addressing resident concerns regarding roads and lights, the City Council Members should be pushing for public forums that promote transparency and accountability. Carolina Mendez commented on Item Nos. 20 and 21 asking the City Council to have the political courage to envision, create, and implement policies that genuinely uplift working class communities. She cited a need to restore trust with residents, and referred to a previous virtual community workshop asking residents for ideas for housing in Anaheim. Participants overwhelmingly called for City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 5 of 25 rent controlled, accessible housing for those with disabilities and ample affordable housing for multigenerational needs. She supported the adoption of the reforms proposed on the agenda. Daisy Chavez commented on Item No. 20 sharing her concerns regarding the findings in the JL Group report and the lack of leadership from the City Council to take any action on the matter. The City has a housing crisis and no current plan is on the table to ensure the needs are being addressed. Kenneth Batiste commented on Item Nos. 20 and 21 expressing concerns regarding the $1.5 million in taxpayer monies that went to the Chamber of Commerce and requesting the City cut ties with Visit Anaheim. He requested the resignation of any individual who was involved in any criminal activity, calling for the resignation of Council Member Faessel, City Manager Vanderpool, and City Attorney Fabela. Scarlette Almero addressed concerns regarding the lack of adequate food, clothing, shelter, education, job training, and job health care for residents and the findings in the JL Group report. She expressed concerns that special interests are controlling the City Council Members' decision -making. Scott Turner commented expressing concerns with the lack of housing options offered to the unhoused and that when he sought out services, as recommended by City staff, the agency did not know about the "Rapid Housing Program." Mayor Aitken requested staff connect with Mr. Turner to coordinate assistance with housing and other resources. John Baca, representing International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), commented on Item Nos. 14 and 15 thanking the City Council and City Manager for City Council consideration of the item. Andrew commented regarding the lack of services for youth, whether it is services for those aging out of foster care, adoption, or juvenile systems or raising awareness of services for homeless youth. Bryan Kaye expressed concerns regarding allegations of police misconduct and the motivation behind the proposed reforms related to the JL Group report. Greg Eisenman noted he represents a small hotel and that resort district hoteliers continue to educate voters on how devastating the passage of Measure A will be to Anaheim. He thanked Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava for her efforts and noted the panic buttons would be implemented in a few days. Marc Herbert expressed concerns with the findings in the JL Group report and requested an update on the construction of the new fire station. Denise Barnes commented requesting increased code enforcement on strip malls along Beach Boulevard, citing their non-compliance with City standards. She cautioned City Council Members to remain vigilant and to institute reforms concerning the allegations in the JL Group report and called for the resignation of Council Member Faessel. Cecil Jordan Corkern expressed concerns with allegations of criminal activities by Disneyland resort and its employees. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 6 of 25 Kelly Laimana noted she represents a small hotel in Anaheim and stated her children do not fear School Resource Officers. She thanked the City Council for their opposition to Measure A and thanked the Police Department for their service to the community. COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS: Council Member Leon stated that he was looking forward to additional discussions regarding the recommendations from the JL Group report. In addition, he requested to agendize an item to strengthen or establish a code of conduct for the City Council. He also requested more information regarding the City's internal audit process. He invited District 2 business owners to a business community meeting on Wednesday, August 30', from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Mama Cozza's restaurant to discuss different information and resources available for businesses. He shared that the Police Department, Public Utilities Department, and Code Enforcement will be in attendance to answer questions on how assistance can be provided to businesses in District 2. He also invited residents to a coffee event on Thursday, August 31st at the Magnolia/Lincoln Starbucks from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the senior appreciation day and resource fair at Modjeska Park on September 23rd from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Council Member Leon also congratulated the Central Library on their 6W1 Anniversary and noted he was able to attend their event and interacted with many community members over the weekend. He attended the One -Year Anniversary celebration of District 2's Little Arabia designation and stated that he looks forward to the completion of the Brookhurst Corridor study later this year. Council Member Leon highlighted and displayed photographs recognizing House of Mandi located off Brookhurst Street as the August restaurant of the month. The restaurant is a great spot for authentic Middle Eastern food from Yemin because they have fresh ingredients, great desserts, and coffee as well. He invited everyone to visit the House of Mandi. For the business of the month, he recognized Blue Bell Nursery. The business owners, Jack and Arlene, have been part of the community for over 60 years. He shared that he remembers walking past their nursery every day to and from Maxwell Elementary School. He shared that Jack and Arlene requested that a second business also be recognized, and Council Member Leon recognized Starbread Bakery located off Ball Road, which is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Council Member Kurtz stated that the JL Group investigation findings are of the utmost importance and will get the attention needed to ensure appropriate and very necessary changes. The City continues its operations, and all residents and businesses will continue to receive the services they deserve in this great City. She stated that employees need to know their work is appreciated, and they are valued. To that end, she thanked the Public Utilities, Police, Fire and Rescue, and Public Works departments for their work in making sure the City was safe and prepared for the storm. Council Member Kurtz highlighted and shared photographs of Tocumbo Ice Cream, which is located at Euclid Street and Ball Road and is owned by Anaheim residents Jennifer and Ricky Quiroz. They pride themselves on using fresh ingredients and being authentic to the Mexican culture. She invited everyone to visit Tocumbo Ice Cream to cool down and get a wonderful "paleta." Council Member Faessel thanked residents who spoke during public comments and the three who contacted him by email. He stated that he finds it troubling that a fellow Council Member would infer that he should resign. He stated that the feeding frenzy would have him charged, convicted, and sentenced before having any opportunity to be heard. He shared that his passion for the City and community involvement spans over 50 years, and his reputation as a volunteer and community leader was well founded before he ever contemplated an elected life. He was shocked, stunned, and angered when he read the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) allegations regarding Todd Ament and former Mayor Harry Sidhu's actions. He shared that he has known Mr. Ament for 30 years and knew his father. To him, this betrayal was both professional and personal. Council Member Faessel stated that some residents have claimed that he was complicit in their criminal behavior. He City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 7 of 25 displayed a slide with two statements of fact from former Mayor Sidhu's guilty plea agreement with the United States District Attorney's Office, which indicated that. Mr. Sidhu and Mr. Ament conducted their illegal actions in secret. He stated that met fully and freely with the City's investigators and answered every question, and the blame for the corruption lies in the bad actors, not in those who were unaware of their corrupt activities. Council Member Faessel stated that he didn't blame Mayor Aitken for the criminal actions of Melahat Rafiei who managed her first Mayoral campaign. But when Mayor Aitken stated that she knew nothing about Ms. Rafiei's criminal activities, he extended to her the benefit of the doubt and believed that she spoke the truth and he still believes that her claim is true. He stated that he didn't need to read a plea agreement to believe that the Mayor was unaware of Ms. Rafiei's criminal activity. The statements of fact from Mr. Sidhu's plea agreement make it clear that neither he nor the rest of the City Council had any knowledge of Mr. Sidhu and Mr. Ament's illegal acts. Recent news articles indicate that he received an invitation via his personal email to attend three consecutive mock City Council meetings with members of the Angel's Organization or SRB Management staff three years ago. While there is evidence that the email was indeed sent, he has no personal recollection of participating in those three meetings nor any record of having attended them. He does recall having met with Angels Baseball representatives on September 23, 2020 and announced that he had met with them at the following September 29, 2020 Council meeting. He recalled former Council Members Kring and Barnes stating they also met with representatives of Angels Baseball a few days before the September 29th City Council meeting. Former Council Member Moreno also stated that he had met with Angels Baseball representatives a few months before. Those types of meetings are standard and acceptable and are held when an applicant's request is about to go to a public hearing. He has similar meetings with representatives of the Anaheim Ducks to learn about the OCV!be project. As pointed out by former Council Member O'Neil in a recent Orange County (OC) Register article, he had participated in agenda review meetings with one or two Council colleagues to discuss important agenda items. These types of meetings are legal under the Brown Act, ethical, and common not just for City Councils but all levels of government. One recent OC Register article mentioned that three elected officials signed a letter referring to mock City Council meetings as a preordained plan. The officials demanded the immediate resignation of any elected official or City staff member who were influenced by this preordained plan. Council Member Faessel stated that he would like to go on record to say that he has never been influenced by a preordained plan, certainly not by a series of meetings that look like they may never have been held. As far as the Angels Baseball stadium sale, he based his decision on the following: First, the City of Anaheim commissioned two stadium property appraisals that valued the property at around $320 and $325 million respectively. Predicated upon the fact that the stadium retains 12,500 parking spaces. The critics of the deal overstated the property value by millions. None of those critics were appraisers involved in the valuation or sale of a professional sports stadium. The property valuations the City commissioned came from two licensed firms with experience in accessing the value of sports and entertainment properties and those appraisers were also commissioned by two different City Councils, two different City Managers, and two different Mayors. Second the plan included adding several acres of parks to District 5. District 5 possesses nearly the least park acreage in the entire City. Council Member Faessel shared that he has been championing city parks since the day he was elected. His first action as an elected official on December 13, 2016 was to request a comprehensive parks plan. Thereafter, he worked with former Council Member Barnes, City staff, and a consultant to publish the Anaheim Parks Plan. He shared that he was proud to say that more recently, he pushed for the City and Anaheim Union High School District to agree to reopen some of the athletic fields, including the one at Sycamore Junior High School. He pushed for the agreement despite the school district demanding it receive $50,000 in annual payments so Anaheim taxpayers and their children could use the fields. Third, between 2000 and 2004 he served on the General Plan Advisory Committee from which the Platinum Triangle plan evolved. He shared that he looks forward to what he anticipates will be a vibrant, walkable, in -services -rich neighborhood that uses the stadium as its center hub. During the 2008 economic crisis, he was then serving on the Planning Commission City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 8 of 25 and saw the loss of development funding and the Platinum Triangle was no longer financially viable. At the time, the nearest grocery and shopping options were across the Santa Ana River in the City of Orange or up State College Boulevard at South Street. Today, the Platinum Triangle is still a food and shopping desert. Fourth, SRB Management agreed to a community workforce agreement, meaning Anaheim's building trade residents would have local employment only a few minutes from their homes. He stated that he firmly believes that community workforce agreements have improved the quality of life for his neighbors since 2019 when he worked with a Council colleague to bring an agreement to Anaheim. Council Member Faessel shared that he recently was a strong voice at the Metropolitan Water District to enact its own project labor agreement. His support, incidentally of the community workforce agreement is a significant reason his political party refused to endorse him in his 2020 reelection. Fifth, the stadium deal would have brought about 1,000 units of affordable housing to Anaheim. Some of the units are for very low- and low-income families. He noted those units are incredibly difficult to build in Orange County, almost impossible. He voted yes on every affordable housing project brought before him as both a Planning Commissioner as well as a City Council Member and will continue to do so. Finally, he always looked to attract employers based on the tax revenue they bring to the City. That is why he is such a staunch and unapologetic supporter of Disney and the Resort District. The Resort District is responsible for over 50,000 jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenues. The Transient Occupancy Tax alone is over half of the City's General Fund. He referenced the dire financial straits the City was in due to the 2020 pandemic and the uncertainty of the effects on City services. The redevelopment of the stadium property combined with OCV!be, St. Joseph Hospital, Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), and UCI Medical Center would have created another huge economic engine for the City. The City's financial foundation would have been built on three diverse pillars, the Resort District, the Anaheim Canyon Train Station, and the Platinum Triangle. The project would have attracted young professionals to live in the Platinum Triangle communities. Those professionals would then look north to the neighborhoods along State College Boulevard, Sunkist Street, and Rio Vista Street to buy their starter homes when they were ready to have families. He mentioned the benefits of the stadium deal had it been successful, however, he voted in unity with the rest of the City Council to terminate the agreement and called for Mr. Sidhu's resignation when the FBI revelations became known in May 2022. He stated that in every one of those votes, he voted for what was right because Mr. Sidhu and Mr. Ament proved to be cancers in the community. Their criminal action spoiled a fantastic opportunity because they used their power and position to take advantage of residents and they deserve their punishments. The focus now should rest solely on working together to regain public trust and set Anaheim back on a solid foundation, not on attacking each other. He recommended moving forward and working together to prevent those dark days from happening again. Council Member Faessel stated that he appreciates the reform items that Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava agendized for later this evening. However, the second most important recommendation listed in the JL Group to reform the Mayor's role in Anaheim and return the City back to its chartered City Council/City Manager form of governance is missing. All of this started because Anaheim Mayors were becoming more influential. Council Member Faessel mentioned Anaheim mayoral campaigns can reach into the multi -millions of dollars and shared his intent to agendize a discussion item to consider changing the City Charter back to an appointed Mayors position similar to several southern California communities. He expects there will be a robust discussion and asked City Council Members if they are brave enough for this type of reform. He hopes to use this opportunity to continue creating policies that meet our community's affordable housing needs, improve the quality of lives for residents, and strengthen the City's economic foundation so that Anaheim can thrive for more generations. Council Member Meeks stated that it is clear from the findings of the FBI and the JL Group investigation that unethical and criminal behavior occurred by the former Mayor and former CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. Whether their motive was power or greed there is no excuse for violating City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 9 of 25 the public's trust and misusing public funds. She condemned their actions and believed they should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. She remained committed to moving this City forward in an open and transparent way. Council Member Meeks was in support of implementing thoughtful sensible reforms that will protect the City from future corruption and unethical behavior. She did not support rash un-informed actions because she feels decisions need to be thoughtful and accurate. She noted reform has taken place and mentioned a high-powered official has been identified and removed from office. She believed that after two years of an FBI investigation, and $1.5 million spent on an internal investigation, the truth has been uncovered. She stated that is not the tip of the iceberg, it is the iceberg. There is no evidence from the FBI or the JL Group that would indicate the story is bigger than it is. She is supportive of reforms that will help protect the City from unethical and or criminal behavior, but she will not be supportive of criticisms to appear as if reform is taking place. Council Member Meeks stated that she supports the members of this City Council, the City Manager, and the Executive Team and believes that they can help move the City forward. She stated that she even supports some of the ideas championed by the former Mayor, although not the way they were implemented. She supports the emergency homeless shelter that was opened quickly after the former Mayor was elected. The shelter allows for dozens of people to be served in the coldest months and returns parks to the tax -paying residents. She mentioned she did not support implementing contracts that personally benefited anyone or didn't provide full value for the funds being expended. She is in support of investing $250 million in neighborhoods over the next ten years with input from the community but does not support implementation of an outside process, outside of competitive bidding. She supports keeping the Angels in Anaheim but does not support a negotiation that is done in secret. She supports a negotiation process that includes transparency and an open conversation. Furthermore, she believes in scheduling a special meeting or several meetings to discuss and act on reforms as a good path forward. This way the Council can take their time to explore and understand all issues and options. This will allow for adequate research and educated recommendations. It will allow the public to review proposed actions and provide input. Having these special meetings agendized will also allow Council to stay on task at regular meetings and keep moving forward with the business of the City which is serving the people of Anaheim. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava thanked members of the public and City Council colleagues who provided remarks. She thanked Community Services for all their work during the celebration of Chicano Heritage Month. She also recognized the Anaheim Public Library for implementing an educational element for Chicano Heritage Month which has a longer lasting impact in the community. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava announced a new mural planned at Little People's Park to recognize and solidify the Chicano heritage in that area. September is suicide awareness month and in collaboration with Council Member Kurtz, and Anaheim High School an event will be hosted for youth. For more information, she encouraged residents to reach out to the District 3 office. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava shared that longtime District 3 resident Albert Hernandez passed away on August 16th. She also recognized Loretta Louise Negrete, a lifelong resident of the City, and shared that she grew up with her three sons. Ms. Negrete graduated from Anaheim High School and her husband worked for the City's Public Works Department for 30 years. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava read Ms. Negrete's obituary as follows: "In memory of Loretta Negrete who was born on October 14, 1958. She has left a long- lasting impact on the lives of those who have held her dear. She was a devoted wife to her beloved husband Joe Negrete and a nurturing mother to her three sons Joe, Louie, and Cesar. Loretta's role as a grandmother brought immense joy to her heart as she cherished her five grandchildren, Joseph, Jordan, Jacob, Diego, and Nico. Her family circle extended to include two cherished daughters-in-law, Christina and Stacie. Her love and influence were not confined to her immediate family, she shared strong bonds with her sisters, Helen and Debra. Her legacy lives through the nieces and nephews who were touched by her kindness and guidance. Loretta's journey has come to an end; however, her honor will always be remembered." Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava shared that she spent many years with Ms. Negrete and also benefited from her kindness and she wanted to ensure the City recognized City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 10 of 25 someone who has contributed so much to the City of Anaheim with this memory. She requested that the meeting close in memory of Loretta Negrete. Council Member Diaz stated that he has lived near Beach Boulevard for more than 20 years and raised his kids there. He has always listened to politicians promising to clean up the area with no results. After Propositions 47 and 57 passed, he decided to run for office to clean up Beach Boulevard. He shared that on July 1, 2023, California Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 357, the Safer for All Act, which allows the solicitation of prostitution to be legal. This allows for resources to help the women involved with prostitution. Additionally, the amount of phone call complaints and crime surrounding Beach Boulevard has diminished by 90%. He shared that remediation work has started at the vacant lot at the corner of Beach Boulevard and Lincoln Avenue and construction will commence soon. Council Member Diaz stated that his concentration and commitment to the residents who elected him is to continue cleaning up and improving Beach Boulevard for the future. He highlighted and displayed photographs of El Rancho Meat Market. The market is open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and mentioned the owner is always there working long hours. They offer a great selection of food, produce, and meat and offer great prices and excellent customer service. He shared that the working class does their grocery shopping there because the prices at El Rancho Meat Market are more affordable compared to big supermarkets. El Rancho Meat Market is located at 221 South Magnolia Street. Council Member Diaz encouraged everyone to support local businesses because most owners work tremendous amounts of hours to support their families. Mayor Aitken highlighted and displayed photographs of events she participated in. She thanked the Economic Development Department team for the amazing tour of the Brookhurst Street Corridor. The community was invited out there to walk the area, give ideas moving forward, and make sure it is a plan that benefits the community at large. While in the area she was able to stop by Cortina's Italian Market, one of her favorite places. She highlighted Cortina's has walls of olive oil, amazing desserts, and is an amazing family business. She also shared that Yesenia Rojas invited her to participate in an event where the Governor of Guanajuato, Mexico Diego Sinhue Rodriguez Vallejo and former Mexico President Vicente Fox participated in a ceremony where Anaheim residents were able to obtain their dual citizenship and participate fully in some of the elections and benefits of citizenship in Mexico. She attended the one-year anniversary of the Little Arabia designation at House of Mandi, a local Yemeni restaurant. It was wonderful to see the excitement in the community and the pride in their culture. She looks forward to working with everyone as the City moves forward with the Brookhurst Street Corridor. Mayor Aitken shared that she would like for immigrants to know that they are welcome in Anaheim, whether they have been here a while or are new to the City. Mayor Aitken stated she was concerned that she was going to hear from dais and people in the community that the City should just move forward and not address any of the problems that were in the JL Group report. She clarified that she was not willing to do that and as far as one of her City Council colleagues is concerned, she was very thoughtful not to mention a name in her statement. What she asked was that if the certain Council Member has information or participated in something that was outlined in the FBI and Attorney General corruption probe, that Council Member should come forward and shed light and information on what has been done and if in fact those things were done, that the certain Council Member should resign. She stated that she stands by her statement. Mayor Aitken stated that she is worried that everyone is focusing on what is illegal and legal and not also acknowledging that there is a duty to do what is ethical. Council Members should hold themselves to a higher standard. She stated that laws were broken and the fact that people were using their personal emails, avoiding government records, and not turning over personal emails either in lawsuits, Brown Act lawsuits, and California Records Act requests is against the law. She stated that having meetings, discussions, rehearsed meetings with Council colleagues, and not listening to public comment, might not be illegal but it is certainly unethical. When there is a group of Council Members getting together with the sole purpose of coordinating an attack on a Council colleague, that may not be illegal, but it City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 11 of 25 is certainly unethical. Mayor Aitken stated that she couldn't believe that half of the reforms had to be placed on the agenda, but clearly, the City must right some wrongs. As the City moves forward, she does not mind that she is not acknowledged for some of the reforms she brought forward because what she cares about is getting things done. She was born and raised in the City, she loves the City, and she is not going to brush the investigation under the rug and pretend it didn't happen. Mayor Aitken stated that she has a problem when the only reform brought forward by a Council colleague since the JL Group report came out was to go after the first female elected Mayor. She commented that there is a saying in Spanish, "Dime con quien andas, y to dire quien eres," which translates to "Tell me who you walk with and that shows me who you are." She stated there is a problem with someone who is only aligned with special interests, a corrupt Mayor, and the only suggestion to make this City a better place is to go after somebody who is advocating for reform. CITY MANAGER'S UPDATE: City Manager Vanderpool shared that on Saturday, September 9th, the Community Services Active Older Adult program will be co -hosting a Care Giver Workshop in collaboration with A.A.R.P. and Congressman Lou Correa's Office at the Downtown Anaheim Community Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This workshop is designed to provide information, resources, and supportive services to residents who are caring for their aging family members and people of all ages with intellectual and physical disabilities. Multiple speakers will cover information on systems of support and will be available to answer any questions attendees may have. This workshop is free. For registration or any additional information, please contact Janet Brown with Congressman Lou Correa's Office at (714) 401-2834. Remediation work at 39 Commons has begun on -site. Earlier this month, the Orange County Health Care Agency approved a cleanup plan for the Davis Mudd Pitt, a former landfill along the western edge of the property. Removal of soil will take place over the coming months, and new soil will be brought in to prepare the site for the first phase of retail development. City staff is working with the developer, 39 Commons Partners on the submittal of plans to plan -check. The first phase of retail will consist of new eateries and shops. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2024. City Manager Vanderpool stated that the Public Works Department was phenomenal during the recent storm. Public Works distributed over 40 tons of sand (2,500 sandbags) helping residents and businesses in preparation for the storm. The Public Works, Police, and Fire and Rescue departments responded to 117 calls for service of which 108 were calls for down trees and branches. Staff also collected over 120 tons of debris from the storm. The Public Works team was on hand to take care of the community during the storm and will continue to provide excellent services to the City. At 7:35 p.m., Mayor Aitken recessed the Anaheim City Council to address the Anaheim Public Financing Authority, Anaheim Housing and Public Improvements Authority, and Anaheim Housing Authority agendas and reconvened at 7:37 p.m. CONSENT CALENDAR: At 7:39 p.m., the Consent Calendar was considered with Council Member Kurtz pulling Item Nos. 8 and 13 and Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava pulling Item Nos. 9 and 14 for separate consideration. MOTION: Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava moved to waive reading of all ordinances and resolutions and adopt the balance of the consent calendar as presented, in accordance with reports, certifications, and recommendations furnished each City Council Member, seconded by Council Member Faessel. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 12 of 25 B105 7. Receive and file minutes of the Library Board meeting of July 10, 2023. AGR-1426910. Award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, G2 Construction, Inc., in the amount of $509,895, for the Catch Basin Screen Installation Project; authorize the Director of Public Works to execute the contract and related documents and to take the necessary actions to implement and administer the contract; determine that the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15301(b) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations; and direct the Director of Finance to execute the Escrow Agreement pertaining to contract retentions. AGR- 11. Approve the First Amendment to the Service and Software License Agreement with Civic 10229.1 Plus, LLC., increasing the compensation amount from $250,000 to $500,000 and extending the term for an additional five years, for CivicRec registration and facility booking software; and authorize the Director of Community Services, or designee, to execute the amendment and related documents and to take the necessary actions to implement and administer the amendment. AGR-1427012. Approve an agreement with the Hyas Group, in a total amount not to exceed $198,776, to provide professional services and act as co -fiduciary regarding Anaheim's Defined Contribution Programs for a three year period with two one-year optional renewals; and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement, and the Human Resources Director, or designee, to implement and administer the agreement. D154.5 15. RESOLUTION NO. 2023-073 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM adopting a Memorandum of Understanding establishing terms and conditions of employment for employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 47, Professional Management Unit and Part -Time Management Unit [effective January 20, 2023 through January 15, 2026]. F130.4 16. RESOLUTION NO. 2023-074 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM declaring its intention to grant a franchise to SFPP, L.P., for the right to maintain and operate a system of pipelines for oil, gas and other substances in certain public streets within said City of Anaheim and establishing a time and date of a public hearing to consider such franchise amendment [includes determination that the proposed Franchise will not cause a significant effect on the environment and is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 15284 (Pipelines) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations; Public Hearing scheduled for September 26, 2023]. Approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with SFPP, L.P., to establish mutual AGR-14271 promises and obligations to realign an existing pipeline located at Lincoln Avenue and Manchester Court at SFPP's sole cost, and authorize the City Manager to execute the MOU. R100 17. RESOLUTION NO. 2023-075A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM adopting the "East Anaheim Master Plan of Sanitary Sewers Financial Implementation Plan June 2023." 18. RESOLUTION NO. 2023-076 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE AGR-14272 CITY OF ANAHEIM approving the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Subgrant Agreement between the City of Anaheim and the State of California for the term of April 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025 [includes determination that approval of the agreement is exempt City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 13 of 25 from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 1 5060(c)(3), 15061(b)(3), and 15378(b)(4); Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Subgrant Agreement is in the amount of $805,594]. D114 19. Approve minutes of the City Council meeting of May 2, 2023. BUSINESS CALENDAR: D116 8. Approve recognition recognizing Anaheim Union High School District's mental health awareness programs. DISCUSSION: Council Member Kurtz expressed her support for the recognition and requested a summary of the various mental health awareness programs offered at Anaheim Union High School. City Manager Jim Vanderpool stated a full presentation will be scheduled for the next City Council meeting to go over the breadth of the programming offered at Anaheim Union High School. He noted the City is pleased to be working with Dr. Adela Cruz at the school district. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava commented on her meeting with Dr. Cruz regarding all of the mental health programs available to students, families, and educators. She added since it is suicide awareness month, it is a great opportunity for Dr. Cruz to come and share all of the resources offered as the City is continuously strengthening their relationship with the District. MOTION: Council Member Kurtz moved to approve recognition recognizing Anaheim Union High School District's mental health awareness programs, seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. 0144.6 9• Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute the City Council's response to the Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court, prior to September 13, 2023 related to the 2022-2023 Orange County Grand Jury report titled "Welcome to the Neighborhood: Are cities responsibly managing the integration of group homes?". Planning and Building Director Ted White reported the item is in response to the Orange County Grand Jury Report to ensure that cities responsibly manage the integration of group homes. He stated that staff is requesting direction from City Council to submit the official response. Director White noted the City agreed with the findings of the report which assessed the need for and encourages the coordination of jurisdictions in Orange County to work together and confirmed many of the experiences of residents related to the impacts surrounding the quasi -residential uses, including group homes and transitional and supportive housing. He agreed with many of the findings of this report. DISCUSSION: Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava noted the majority of these types of uses are in District 3, and commented on a few of the report's findings. She cited current litigation with Grandma's House of Hope which impacts the housing element and mentioned the report found that group homes are too close to one another, contributing to overconcentration. She added the report also found common nuisances are more likely and disruptive when sober living homes are concentrated in a small geographic area of a neighborhood. Currently, District 3 has an overwhelming amount of them and she receives approximately 20 emails from residents in the neighborhood who have requested that the City continue to keep neighborhoods safe. She expressed appreciation that the City agrees with many of the report's findings. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 14 of 25 MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava moved to approve and authorize the City Manager to execute the City Council's response to the Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court, prior to September 13, 2023 related to the 2022-2023 Orange County Grand Jury report titled "Welcome to the Neighborhood: Are cities responsibly managing the integration of group homes?", seconded by Council Member Meeks. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. D154 13. Approve the 2024 Health and Welfare Plan Carriers and Rates and authorize the Human Resources Director, or designee, to enter into and execute all required provider agreements and to take the necessary actions to implement and administer the agreements. DISCUSSION: Council Member Kurtz noted that many of the coverage increases are significant and inquired whether the increases are exclusive to government, or are industry -wide and whether the current budget can absorb the increases. Acting Human Resources Director Gretchen Beatty acknowledged in-house staff practices continuous monitoring of trends in the marketplace and works with our benefits advisor and the health advisory committee, accordingly. She reported the City will be able to get through the remainder of the balance of this fiscal year within the budgeted amounts. In response to Council Member Kurtz, Melanie Stangl with Mercer, the City's benefits program, explained the increase in rates are industry trends in both the private and public sectors. She highlighted that CaIPERS is the largest purchaser of health insurance and some of their increases are larger than what the City has seen. MOTION: Council Member Kurtz moved to the 2024 Health and Welfare Plan Carriers and Rates and authorize the Human Resources Director, or designee, to enter into and execute all required provider agreements and to take the necessary actions to implement and administer the agreements., seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. D154.5 14. RESOLUTION NO. 2023-072 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM adopting a Memorandum of Understanding establishing terms and conditions of employment for employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 47 - General Unit [effective January 1, 2023 through January 1, 2026]. DISCUSSION: Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava commented on how grateful and happy she was that the City finalized the IBEW contract and expressed her gratitude to staff and to the negotiators on the labor side. She is in support of the agreement as presented. Council Member Diaz noted that it is very difficult to hire and retain employees covered under the subject contract and expressed his philosophy concerning taking care of employees, so that they may take care of residents. He is in support of the agreement as presented and expressed pride in the work of the negotiating teams. Council Member Kurtz expressed her pride in the City's employees and her wish that they feel appreciated. She thanked the negotiating teams on both sides of the table. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 15 of 25 MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava moved to waive reading of and adopt Resolution No. 2023- 072, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM adopting a Memorandum of Understanding establishing terms and conditions of employment for employees represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 47 - General Unit [effective January 1, 2023 through January 1, 2026], seconded by Council Member Faessel. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. D116 20. Discussion, consideration, and action regarding setting a priority list of reforms stemming from the recommendations from the JL Group investigative report, including but not limited to scheduling experts with subject matter expertise, and creating a transparent and public path forward. DISCUSSION: Mayor Aitken presented a general summary of several recommendations for reforms stemming from the recommendations from the JL Group investigative report and thanked Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava for her assistance in the preliminary development. She requested input on items and meeting dates from her City Council colleagues. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava requested the addition of a policy barring the City or elected officials from contracting with a consultant or a business that could pose a conflict of interest, noting she had spoken generally about the topic with the City Attorney. She added the policy should include an enforcement or effective tool for consequences should an elected official engage in activities that result in criminal or civil penalties, especially with regard to any improper actions toward City employees. She requested that due process procedures be followed prior to the adoption of any other penalty. She requested public transparency, such as notices on the City's website or other public notice requirements, to call attention to such allegations or infractions. She also requested the City Manager notify the entire City Council, in the appropriate venue, should allegations or charges be made against individual members of the City Council. Mayor Aitken suggested adding the items concerning City Council Member actions or activities to the meeting of October 17t" along with the Whistleblower Protection Policy and the proposed policy on consultants to the meeting of November 7t", to which the Mayor Pro Tem concurred. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava also suggested prioritizing the review of the Lobbying Ordinance. Council Member Kurtz requested the addition of discussion and research concerning an ethics commission in addition to establishing an Ethics Officer position and discussion concerning the Whistleblower Protection Policy. Council Member Leon expressed interest in establishing an ethics commission and a discussion of the City's internal auditing processes from the City Auditor to ensure the City's contractual obligations are being met. He reiterated a previous request to review the City Charter. Council Member Meeks thanked Mayor Aitken and Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava for preparing the items for Council discussion and moving the process forward for developing policies to address the items identified in the JL Group report. She prefers to have robust discussions on the items and potentially move forward with proposed charter amendments if deemed appropriate. Council Member Diaz noted he had a professional commitment on the suggested October 10t" meeting date and requested the addition of establishing a campaign donation commission. Mayor Aitken stated the item suggested for October 10t" could be moved to another suggested meeting date. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 16 of 25 Council Member Faessel clarified that his earlier comments were not meant as an attack on the Mayor, but rather to reinforce the JL Group's report recommendation that the City reinforce the Council -Manager form of governance. He suggested a discussion of exploring the Mayor's position as an appointed position rather than an elected one. In response to Council Member Faessel, Mayor Aitken suggested including it on one of the meeting dates or scheduling it as part of a separate discussion on Charter -related items. Council Member Meeks requested the discussion on the elected Mayor position to be held during a review of Council policies. Council Member Leon concurred with a meeting specifically related to Charter -related items and suggested bringing in subject -matter experts with neutral positions, such as academics specializing in public administration from local universities. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava emphasized hearing from a diverse group of professionals with expertise in these areas. She requested moving up the discussion concerning the signature authority for the City Manager, suggesting the meeting on October 17th or 241h. She also suggested further discussion concerning campaign finance reports to include implications of business donations, as well as donations by labor groups and other entities. Council Member Leon echoed Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava's comments regarding hearing from a diverse group of professionals. He noted Anaheim's unique position and added the importance of hearing from neutral parties. Council Member Kurtz requested presentations by experts on September 12t' as related to the Lobbying Policy to ensure definitions of lobbyists and other terms and provisions are clarified and transparent to the public, and also that any additions to the policy are compliant with State and other laws. Mayor Aitken concurred that she is interested in reviewing similar policies from other cities and organizations, including the County, and even bringing in someone from those agencies who oversee those policies and programs. Council Member Kurtz reiterated the importance of using comparable cities to Anaheim. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava requested that staff come prepared with the current laws for City Council review during the meeting and that they are part of the public record. She requested the current State law that limits campaign donations, citing staff may want to consult with the State's Ethics Officer. Mayor Aitken confirmed she added the stated items and feedback from the City Council received during the discussion, requested a motion to include removal of the suggested October 10th meeting date, and that she would work with staff to ensure all items were included. She thanked her City Council colleagues for their input. MOTION: Council Member Faessel moved to setting a priority list of reforms stemming from the recommendations from the JL Group investigative report, including but not limited to scheduling experts with subject matter expertise, and creating a transparent and public path forward, seconded by Council Member Meeks. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 17 of 25 11100 21. RESOLUTION NO. 2023-077 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM amending the dates and times for regular meetings of the Anaheim City Council for the 2023 calendar year and rescinding Resolution No. 2023-024 (rescheduling the meeting of September 19 to September 12, 2023; including the potential of adding additional meetings to address the recommendations from the JL investigative report). City Clerk Bass confirmed that the action would not include adding any meetings and the City Council could move forward and act on the resolution as presented. DISCUSSION: In response to Council Member Kurtz's inquiry, City Attorney Fabela confirmed that the City Council was not limited to discussions of policy recommendations from the JL Group report, but could also incorporate related items through the normal agenda -setting process. In response to Mayor Aitken, City Attorney Fabela advised the City Council to work individually with the City Manager to ensure avoidance of any Brown Act violations. Council Member Meeks clarified the motion will reschedule the meeting of September 19th to September 121h and will not include any additional meetings. MOTION: Council Member Meeks moved to approve RESOLUTION NO. 2023-077 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM amending the dates and times for regular meetings of the Anaheim City Council for the 2023 calendar year and rescinding Resolution No. 2023-024 (rescheduling the meeting of September 19 to September 12, 2023), seconded by Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. D112 22• Receive an update on the Council's prior direction regarding Visit Anaheim, including (1) exploring Visit Anaheim's subcontracting relationships with the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce ("Chamber") without the City's written authorization, (2) halting the provision of Anaheim Tourism Improvement District funds to the Chamber pending the completion of a state audit, and (3) exploring additional financial back-up information for Visit Anaheim's budgeting submissions; and provide any related direction to staff. City Attorney Fabela provided an update on the City Council's discussion and direction concerning Visit Anaheim, which were raised at the prior meeting. The JL Group investigation revealed that Visit Anaheim had surreptitiously transferred $1.5 million of the $6.5 million COVID recovery funds to the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. City Attorney Fabela noted the transfer appears to violate Section 5.3 of the COVID recovery agreement, which makes clear that Visit Anaheim is being hired to personally perform the COVID recovery services due to its expertise and does not allow Visit Anaheim to assign or subcontract for services without written permission of the City. City Attorney Fabela reported that last week he wrote a letter to Visit Anaheim demanding the return of the $1.5 million. Furthermore, the City has reserved the right to seek to recover the additional $5 million from Visit Anaheim pending the results of the State audit. In the demand letter, he conveyed the City Council's position that Visit Anaheim should halt payments to the Chamber of Commerce under the Anaheim Tourism Improvement District (ATID) agreement pending the completion of the State audit. He noted the City received a response to the demand letter which was distributed to the City Council. In the letter, Visit Anaheim's outside counsel conveyed that they had ceased all disbursements of funds to the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. Furthermore, they indicated that they have served the Chamber with a notice to terminate the agreement in which Visit Anaheim pays the Chamber with ATID funds and that the Visit Anaheim Board of Directors was meeting to vote to terminate the agreement at its next scheduled meeting of September 28, 2023. As to the return of the $1.5 million, City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 18 of 25 Visit Anaheim is completing an internal audit and plans to respond to that claim within the next two to four weeks pending the results of that audit. Based on further conversation, they are also agreeable to a tolling agreement to ensure the City's rights are preserved, pending the completion of their own and the State's external audit. Convention, Sports, and Entertainment Executive Director Tom Morton stated he did request and received the requested financial information for the last three annual plans from Visit Anaheim, which was also provided to the State Auditor. DISCUSSION: In response to Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava's inquiry, Executive Director Morton confirmed the ATID funds are not taxpayer dollars, but rather assessments on the subject properties, which are then collected by the City and transmitted to Visit Anaheim and that the contracting entity receives 75% of the 2%. City Attorney Fabela reported it is unlikely the City could halt funding until the audit is complete, although analysis on that matter is not complete. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava requested in-depth information concerning the contractual obligations concerning the assessment, including the terms of the agreement, opportunities to review the amounts sent to Visit Anaheim, and any options for a portion of that amount to go towards a housing initiative. City Attorney Fabela advised he did not believe there was that level of flexibility as the establishment of the ATID was completed via State law. He noted there is an option to cancel the agreement with 180 days' notice and discover another entity that might be able to perform that service. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava values the work of Visit Anaheim but wants to confirm their effectiveness. She requested a copy of the contractual agreement between the hoteliers and Visit Anaheim to review its various elements. Executive Director Morton confirmed the assessment district is in place for 30 years and the hoteliers agreed to the assessment which states that the ATID funds and earnings are irrevocably dedicated to the purposes described in the management plan. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava expressed concern that the hoteliers are being over -assessed, given the amount of reserves currently held by Visit Anaheim, and requested additional information on the matter. Executive Director Morton noted the majority of the Visit Anaheim board members are hoteliers. She acknowledged the Board is currently enacting safeguards, however, noted the previous CEO had significant leeway on the disbursal of funds. In response to Council Member Diaz, City Attorney Fabela reported that given the input from the City Council at the previous meeting and in consideration of his charge to protect the City's interests, it was within his scope of authority to send the letter to Visit Anaheim. He explained more aggressive actions will need to be directed by the City Council. Council Member Diaz requested careful consideration of further action, in the interest of protecting the City's interests in the long-term as related to impacts to the City and residents as related to the tourism industry. He prefers refraining from withholding funds from Visit Anaheim until the conclusion of the audits. In response to Council Member Meeks, City Attorney Fabela explained a tolling agreement is an agreement between parties that may have potential litigation with each other where you freeze the statute of limitation for a period of time. He noted the statute of limitations may not be approaching, however, if there is some sort of delay, he advised it is always a good, conservative approach to take. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 19 of 25 Council Member Meeks expressed support for the completion of the audit and the return of the $1.5 million to the City, without any steps which would negatively impact the convention, tourism, and marketing arm which brings in significant resources. She supported the current agreement as written, which requires Visit Anaheim to perform the specified actions in-house. Council Member Kurtz thanked City Attorney Fabela for moving quickly and acknowledged Visit Anaheim's prompt response. She acknowledged the Visit Anaheim Board terminated additional payments to the Chamber, performing their own internal audit, and stating they would cooperate with the State audit. Mayor Aitken concurred and highlighted the importance for Anaheim to have a functioning and strong Chamber of Commerce and to have representation on the Visit Anaheim Board. In response to Council Member Leon, City Attorney Fabela stated it would be prudent to see the results of the Visit Anaheim internal audit before discussing the next steps, which may include the return of the $1.5 million. City Attorney Fabela advised it would also be prudent to move forward with the tolling agreement, to preserve the City's rights to bring a lawsuit forward in the future, in the event of a delay in the audit results. He confirmed the City has the right to demand the return of the $5 million. City Attorney Fabela and Executive Director Morton reported the City has to provide 180 days' notice without cause to terminate the existing contract, and there are other options to provide the services provided by Visit Anaheim. Executive Director Morton noted it may be difficult to find a vendor given the unique nature of the services. Council Member Leon concurred with Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava's requests concerning the specifics of the subject contractual agreement and assessments. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava requested to bring in members of the Visit Anaheim Board to provide an update on their activities and noted she understands the value of a tourism bureau that operates separately from the City. She also noted the value of not having an elected official on the Board and would like to hear from the Board directly as to the provisions they have implemented to move their organization forward. Informational item; no action taken. D154 23. RESOLUTION NO. 2023-078 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM adopting changes to the Personnel Rules for Non -represented Full -Time and Part -Time Employees to include rules for Full -Time Hourly Employees and changing pay rates for designated classifications covered by such rules and repealing Resolution Nos. 2022-139, 2023-043 and 2023-063 [action includes rules for the newly -created category of Non -Represented Full -Time Hourly Employee to apply to the Executive Secretary - Employee Relations, as well as to any other non -represented full-time hourly classification; updates to reflect the pay ranges for full-time non -represented, nonsworn employees (Executive Secretary — Employee Relations) and to correct a typographical error in the salary range of the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor; change in pay range assignments for the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor, Senior Policy Aide, Council Policy Aide II, and Council Policy Aide I; and further amend the Personnel Rules and Policies to reflect the pay range assignment changes]. Increase the City Council FY 2023/24 budget by $43,840. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 20 of 25 Acting Director of Human Resources Gretchen R. Beatty stated this item was back for consideration based upon the City Council Members' request for additional information. She provided a description of the personnel rules and policies that function in lieu of a Memorandum of Understanding and govern the terms and conditions of employment for non -represented employees. She noted the personnel rules were last updated in their entirety in November 2022 by Resolution No. 2022-139. She reported this is a multi -part action that includes amendments to the personnel rules and policies to address the Executive Secretary - Employee Relations position approved in June. She noted the Executive Secretary - Employee Relations position is a confidential position in the Human Resources Department more appropriate to not being represented by a collective bargaining unit. This position was reviewed and approved by the current bargaining units and the City Council and the personnel rules must be in place before filling the position. She clarified the action before the City Council is to approve the personnel rules adding sections specific to the Executive Secretary — Employee Relations position. She added concerning the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor position, there was a request to correct an error in Appendix A. She noted the recommended salary range for the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor is $95,932 - $143,898 from the current range of $78,924 - $118,386, a 21.5% increase. She reported a review of the position for internal alignment and market comparisons warranted the proposal of a change in the ranges for positions that serve in support of the City Council. Staff recommends the amendment to the personnel rules and the correction of Appendix A and to consider changes in the range for the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor and hourly compensation for the Council Aide positions. DISCUSSION: In response to Mayor Aitken, Acting Director Beatty clarified approval of the resolution includes the alternate Appendices B and F. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava expressed disappointment over how the item was presented for approval and referred to how the item was presented when it previously appeared before the City Council. She expressed concern that the matter is being discussed outside of the budget process. In response to Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava, Acting Director Beatty clarified the hiring process for the Council Aides. She reported the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor's position was not a new employee classification. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava explained the Council Member's receive a budget for the Council Aide positions and their allotted number of hours. Council Member Kurtz expressed concern that this item is taken outside of the current classification and compensation study and does not appear fair to the other employees. Acting Director Beatty confirmed that the proposed increase in the Council budget primarily covers the increase in the Chief Policy Advisory to the Mayor position with the remainder to be distributed equally among the remaining Council Members for their Council Aide positions. In response to Council Member Meeks, Acting Director Beatty Council Member Meeks expressed she has been consistent in her position of not picking and choosing among employee classifications for changes in compensation, and that it should be completed fairly and equitably. She detailed the approval process of other labor unions and their timelines for approval. She understands there is a corrective component to Appendix A that needs to be addressed, which she can support. Council Member Faessel suggested bifurcating the action to address the correction in the applicable appendix. Acting Director Beatty confirmed the update to Appendix A is for a typographical error, however, the correct salary is reflected in the system. In response to Mayor Aitken, Acting Director Beatty confirmed approving Appendix A would replace Appendices B and F, but will not change the rules and policies. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 21 of 25 In response to Council Member Diaz, Acting Director Beatty highlighted the benefits provided to part- time employees including sick leave, however, noted they do not receive health care or vacation pay. Council Member Diaz acknowledged that without properly compensating the Council support positions, it is likely the City will consistently lose incumbents. He supports the salary increases for the Council Aide positions given the nature of the work performed. Council Member Leon confirmed with Acting Director Beatty it was possible to change the classifications without increasing the City Council budgets as long as the existing budgets could absorb the costs. In response to Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava, Acting Director Beatty confirmed the incumbent for the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor incumbent's salary would be increased by 10% in the range. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava noted support for changes in the Council support position ranges, but not an increase in the City Council's budget, noting that other areas in the City could also benefit from having additional positions that could be funded with the amount proposed to be increased in the City Council's budget as associated with this item. In response to Council Member Faessel, Acting Director Beatty confirmed that the Council Members could compensate their Council Aides within the new ranges, as long as their budgets could absorb the cost without increasing the City Council's overall budget. She detailed the difference between pay increases for hourly employees and salary employees. Council Member Kurtz explained the process behind funding the Council Aide positions from the Council Member's respective budgets. Council Member Leon explained the incumbents would automatically receive 10% increases as incumbents and not a 10% increase to the budgets provided to the City Council. Acting Director Beatty noted Human Resources and Finances need to apply the movements and budget the correct funds to provide equal opportunities for the City Council Members. In response to Mayor Aitken, Acting Director Beatty explained incumbents that reach the maximum salary for their range are reclassified to 10% above the current range. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava reiterated her prior comments on conducting reclassifications during the budget process. She noted the importance of separating the two classifications due to the difference in their duties. MOTION: Council Member Meeks moved to approve the revised Personnel Rules and Policies covering Non -Represented Full -Time and Part -Time Employees to include rules and pay range for Full -Time Hourly Employees and correct salary range error, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Motion carried. DISCUSSION: Council Member Meeks suggested considering the revisions to the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor position with Unrepresented employees. MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava moved to increase the salaries of minimum wage employees. DISCUSSION: Council Member Leon suggested increasing the salary ranges of the Council Aides without increasing the budget. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 22 of 25 In response to Council Member Kurtz, City Manager Vanderpool noted it is in the Council's discretion to offer increases to their aides as long as it is within their total budget. Council Member Kurtz confirmed the use of discretionary funds to cover the Council Aide's pay. In response to Council Member Diaz, Acting Director Beatty confirmed the process by which the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor position would receive compensation changes in line with current personnel policies and his administrative authority. Typically when ranges change, the incumbent will receive a 10% increase. City Manager Vanderpool explained under City Manager approval the incumbent can receive a special merit increase which would increase their salary to the proposed new maximum. Mayor Aitken clarified the request to increase the Chief Policy Advisor's salary for the duration of her term. MOTION: Council Member Diaz moved to approve the corrective changes in the applicable appendix, increase the Council support position ranges, along with the caveat that the Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor position is capped at a maximum 3% increase for this year. DISCUSSION: In response to Council Member Meeks and Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava, Acting Director Beatty clarified the range will be increased, however, the incumbent salaries will be increased by 3%. City Manager Vanderpool stated he understood the proposed motion to approve Appendix B in its entirety, with the exception that the incumbent Chief Policy Advisory to the Mayor would be capped at a 3% increase for this year. He explained the typical salary range adjustment would be 10%. Acting Director Beatty clarified under the personnel rules the standard increase is 10%. City Attorney Fabela noted that personnel rules and compensation for unrepresented employees are adopted by the City Council via resolutions and it would be highly unusual, but allowable, to set such limitation, but he would feel uncomfortable with that action tonight without further analysis. City Manager Vanderpool clarified the proposed motion. City Attorney Fabela suggested rewording of the motion to not personalize it to the employee. MOTION: Council Member Diaz moved to approve RESOLUTION NO. 2023-078 . A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANAHEIM adopting changes to the Personnel Rules for Non -represented Full -Time and Part -Time Employees to include rules for Full - Time Hourly Employees and changing pay rates for designated classifications covered by such rules and repealing Resolution Nos. 2022-139, 2023-043 and 2023-063 [pay range changes for Chief Policy Advisor to the Mayor (maximum 3% increase per year), Senior Policy Aide, City Council Aide II and City Council Aide I, and City Council budget increase of $43,840], seconded by Mayor Aitken. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 6 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 1 (Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava). Motion carried. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava clarified she voted no on this item to acknowledge those employees who have not received a compensation change with longer tenure in the City and that this item was not included in the budget approval process. D175 24. Receive an update on Republic Services Customer Service, including short-term and long- term solutions to address current challenges [Informational Item]. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 23 of 25 Public Works Director Rudy Emami introduced Public Works Operations Manager Ayumi Takayasu and Streets and Sanitation Manager Eddie De La Torre. This item is before the City Council at the request of Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava at the July 11, 2023 meeting. He reported Republic Services provides solid waste services under the Seventh Amended and Restated Solid Waste Franchise agreement. For the past year, the City has been receiving an extremely high volume of complaints regarding missed pickups and failure to collect the missed pickups within the required 24-hour period. In light of these issues, City staff has been working closely with Republic to address the current situation by implementing daily route monitoring, complaint tracking, and assessing liquidated damages. Republic has identified the root causes of the ongoing service issues as being labor shortages and fleet reliability. To mitigate these challenges, Republic has provided an improvement plan to address these issues, such as recruiting and hiring additional fleet technicians and commercial truck drivers, deployment of additional trucks and improving customer service communication. Due to Republic's recent efforts, staff has seen a slight decrease in the number of customer service complaint, but still much higher than what is an acceptable level of service per the terms of our agreement. DISCUSSION: In response to an inquiry from Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava regarding City staff efforts to address the issues, Director Emami reported staff reached out to Republic Headquarters in Phoenix and requested an improvement plan from management. Much of the matter stems from issues related to their fleet and trying to get repaired trucks back in service. They have started to bring in more trucks, mechanics, and drivers. The biggest tool the City has per the agreement to is assessing liquidated damages, as they are a publicly traded company and it is something they want to avoid. The contract a 100% solid waste agreement to handle all of the trash in the City, a large city, at that. It is a prized asset in the waste hauling industry. Substandard services is not something the City has ever accepted or nor will ever accept. The City Council has options and the City can give them notice before the end of the year and start the countdown. It is a seven-year evergreen, so we would give them notice that within seven years, that evergreen would come to an end. The City can go out and look for a new contractor to go after this contract, which is a good contract for a waste hauler. Director Emami has heard from colleagues with similar concerns about the industry, and it is not isolated to Republic Services. Council Member Diaz confirmed with Director Emami that Republic Services has made a commitment to address equipment and drivers and complaints initially dropped. However, they have been increasing again over the past two weeks. In response to Council Member Meeks, Gretchen Lowry, representing Republic Services provided details regarding resident and City Council concerns. She assisted with the improvement plan to restore service to residents and businesses which is multifaceted and includes improvements to the fleet, hiring mechanics and maintenance staff, and training and onboarding. The effects of the recent tropical storm had significant impacts on their operations over the past two weeks and it has been her top priority to get operations back on track. She referenced the requirements for their drivers and has brought in their expert logistics and analysts to assist dispatchers. They also identified challenges with operating the tablets in the trucks, and proper training has been deployed. They are also addressing their customer service response, as they understand the residents' frustrations. Management is meeting every Thursday with the local team, the full area team, and headquarters to ensure progress is being made. Council Member Meeks asked directly what the City Council can expect from Republic Services as far as performance is concerned. Ms. Lowry responded there will be a marked improvement in performance each month, with the plan to have the issues totally resolved in the next three months. City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 24 of 25 She expressed appreciation for the collaboration with the City team. Council Member Meeks confirmed that the City Council and City staff want the provider to succeed. Council Member Faessel commented on recent incidents concerning Republic Services, including a fire, a strike, and then took on the City of Santa Ana. He expressed concern that Republic Services may not have been prepared for the significant increase in business. Many Republic employees are residents in Anaheim and he expressed a loss of patience with Republic's services. In response, Ms. Lowry stated she understands the concerns and that the company is investing a significant amount of resources to ensure service to all of its customers well into the future. In response to Council Member Leon, a Republic Services representative provided details concerning the specifics on service trucks, including new vehicles and rentals. New trucks are anticipated to be added to the fleet to meet the three-month improvement plan timeline. Truck performance is monitored at their internal weekly meetings to ensure a breakdown does not negatively impact service overall. In response to Council Member Leon, Director Emami provided details concerning bulky item pickup and the reporting process. The City is aware of certain "hot spots" throughout the City for illegal dumping of items such as furniture and provides additional monitoring. The Republic Services representative noted the drivers are trained to pick up certain pieces of old furniture but exert caution to ensure all measures are taken to ensure the items were intended to be disposed of. Council Member Leon expressed that all areas of the City should be serviced appropriately, whether multi- family, rentals, or residential neighborhoods. Mayor Pro Tern Rubalcava stated she is accountable to the voters and takes these complaints very seriously and expressed in strong terms that the breakdown in service delivery is unacceptable and cannot continue. In response to Council Member Kurtz, Director Emami stated he would share information concerning the number of missed pickups and other related metrics over the next three months. Informational item; no action taken. B105 25. District 1 and 2 appointments to the Sister City Commission with terms ending December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2026, respectively. Sister City Commission: District 1 appointment: Marlena Truonc� (term ending December 31, 2024) NOMINATION: Council Member Diaz nominated Marlena Truong. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Nomination approved. District 2 appointment: Deana Helmy_ (term ending December 31, 2026) NOMINATION: Council Member Leon nominated Deana Helmy. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES — 7 (Mayor Aitken and Council Members Rubalcava, Diaz, Leon, Kurtz, Faessel, and Meeks); NOES — 0. Nomination approved. REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION ACTIONS: None City Council Minutes of August 29, 2023 Page 25 of 25 City Attorney Robert Fabela announced that Closed Session Item No. 2 was withdrawn from the agenda. The other two items were heard, but there is no reportable action. PUBLIC COMMENTS (non -agenda items : None COUNCIL AGENDA SETTING: Council Member Diaz requested an agenda item to prohibit City Council Members from directly negotiating real estate deals by implementing a policy similar to labor negotiations. City Attorney Robert Fabela clarified that labor negotiations can be discussed in Closed Session, but real property negotiations must be directed in an open session. Council Member Diaz requested a memo regarding how the City will implement and enforce the personal security device requirement for hotels, specifically for motels located on Beach Boulevard. Council Member Leon requested an agenda item to strengthen or establish a code of conduct for the City Council. He also requested to recognize Cortina's Italian Market & Eatery for their 60th anniversary in October 2023. Mayor Pro Tem Rubalcava requested a recognition for Hope House for their mental health and addiction treatment services and a recognition for Cambria Hotel employee, Gerado Ceja, for saving the life of a nine -month -old child. Council Member Kurtz requested an agenda item to discuss receiving input from the community in a public forum, outside of a City Councill meeting, as reform discussions continue regarding the JL Group Investigation Report. Mayor Aitken requested clarity on what the City's relationship is with the JL Group now that the report is completed, and asked if the JL Group could answer questions regarding their findings in a community forum. City Attorney Fabela responded that the City Council conditioned that the JL Group not speak to the media until after completion of the report and the report is now complete, however, there are certain portions of the report that are redacted and the JL Group still has an obligation to keep that information confidential. ADJOURNMENT: At 10:40 p.m., Mayor Aitken adjourned the City Council meeting in memory of Loretta Louise Negrete. Respectfully submitted, The esa Bass, CIVIC City Clerk Susana Barrios From: d u rfeycra i Sent: Monday, August 21, 2023 2:27 PM To: senator.nguyen@senate.ca.gov; ; ADAM.BOMAN@ASM.CA.GOV; senator.umberg@senate.ca.gov; 'Nick Dibs'; hauwie.tie@asm.ca.gov; 'Teresa Pomeroy'; 'Pam Haddad'; David.Ochoa@sen.ca.gov; REPLOUCORREA@MAILAOUSE.GOV; kim.vandermeulen@mail.house.gov; David.Ochoa@sen.ca.gov; SEDN.committee@senate.ca.gov; SENATOR.GONZALEZ@senate.ca.gov; Senator.Allen@senate.CA.gov; senator.nguyen@senate.ca.gov; 'GGEA President'; GGDPIO@GGCITY.ORG; johnmo@ggcity.org; Don Barnes; fganzales@ocsheriff.gov; 'Walter Muneton'; 'Dina Nguyen'; 'Teri Rocco'; 'Lan Nguyen'; 'PIO Department'; 'Bob Harden'; 'Gabriela Mafi'; mary.kennedy@sen.ca.gov; alex.barnett@sen.ca.gov; SHEA.Committee@senate.ca.gov; 'Norma Garcia'; response@ocgov.com; Theresa Bass; Public Comment Subject: [EXTERNAL] Cellphones in School: What to Know Mental health and school safety are top of mind for supporters and opponents of phone use in schools. Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message. (P.R.D.D.C.) PARENTS FOR THE RIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN CRAIG A. DURFEY FOUNDER OF P.R.D.D.C. SOCIALEMOTIONALPAWS.COM U.S. F 4 4- HONORING 0IIR IIII Illlm'III IIIIIIIF III Y IF IS FIGHT I I T AUTISM ... Ms. L0110ETTA S&IM01HEZ of California. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkq/CREC-2003-03-27/pdf/CREC-2003-03-27.pdf new website s ci e i s® r_ To whom it may concern Cellphones in School: What to Know Mental health and school safety are top of mind for supporters and opponents of phone use in schools. By Cole Claybourn Oct. 20, 2022, at 5:33 p.ry). Save NN Cellphones in School: What to Know While cellphones can be a distraction at school, access to devices is necessary in case of an emergency.(GIMAGES) As smartphones have become ubiquitous among teens, schools have increasingly had to wrestle with the problem of managing their use in class. N While some educators feel there's a place for smartphones in the classroom, others see them as a distraction and source of cyberbullying. And research indicates they can have a negative effect on learning and attention. By 2020, 77% of schools reported prohibiting cellphones for non-academic use, according to the federal National Center for Education Statistics. When schools shifted to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, policies to limit or ban cellphones became meaningless, as many students relied on their phones for both schoolwork and entertainment. Now, educators say they're seeing smartphone dependence become a difficult habit to break in classrooms that are hoping to return to pre -pandemic procedures. "I don't blame (students). They're conditioned," says Nicholas Ferroni, a social and cultural studies teacher at Union High School in New Jersey. "It's social conditioning, and trying to get them to unlearn that behavior is incredibly difficult." Talking to Tweens About Social Media Posting questionable content online could affect your child's future. Candace Howze ug. 15, 2022 While some school districts have enacted cellphone bans in the wake of the pandemic, others are reestablishing guidelines that were in place beforehand. State legislatures, like in California, have also weighed in on the issue in recent years, giving districts the authority to limit or ban smartphones in schools. Randall Skrinjorich, superintendent of Ringgold School District in Pennsylvania, says that pre -pandemic, his district had a policy limiting cellphone use in class. "During COVID, although the policy was in place, there was a greater need for electronic devices. And so we probably got a little bit lax on it," Skrinjorich says. 3 "Then, starting to come out of COVID, at the end of last year, we started encountering some of the behavior issues and discipline issues related to it." For the 2022-2023 school year he announced stricter guidelines that prohibit cellphone use during the school day and mandate specific penalties for each offense. In a letter to parents, he noted that the local police department had "documented 56 criminal incidents in the last school year where students used cellphone communication with fellow students to plan fights, harass other students, coordinate vaping 'gatherings' in school bathrooms, vandalize property and commit other criminal mischief." Although some parents have complained about the cellphone ban, Skrinjorich says that overall the policy seems to be a net positive. Should Cellphones Be Allowed in School? Answering that question often depends on the school, or even the specific teacher. Over 90% of principals in a 2020 study supported restrictions on cellphone use for students in middle and high schools, and over 80% said they believed that cellphone use during school has negative consequences for social development and academics. But the specifics on what people consider appropriate use can vary. In some classes, students use cellphones for instructional tools and games like Quizlet, Kahoot! and others. Amber Snell, a teacher at Madison Middle School in Richmond, Kentucky, says she previously let her students use cellphones to listen to music while working in class and didn't see phones as a problem. But this fall, her school enacted a new rule banning cellphones during the school day. Snell, who teaches primarily seventh graders, says she's been surprised at how well her students have adjusted to the new policy and hasn't seen any real issues with students disobeying it. There haven't been as many incidents of cyberbullying or students using social media for harm during the school day this year either, she says. " 1 think the eighth graders are probably struggling a little bit more," she says, "because they went through the pandemic as sixth graders, seventh graders, and had a little bit more of that flexibility. And they're now trying to reel it back." 4 Ferroni, who has a large social media following himself, says he recognizes that technology is a "necessary evil," and has seen students use cellphones and social media to stay connected to each other and encourage positive change around the school. But those activities are best done outside of class, he says. For some students, the connectivity aspect is crucial, says Sourav Sengupta, an associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Buffalo. But some have a hard time knowing where to draw the line on cellphones and risk becoming too dependent on them as a primary means of communication. He says being present in real life and developing strong interpersonal connections is still vital to success in adult life. "Adult life requires moderation," he says. "Ultimately, part of growing up is knowing how to moderate that experience, and frankly social technologies are no different, except that they might be a little more habit-forming." School Mental Health Services If your child is struggling, school staff can be a resource. Kate RixApril 22, 2022 Mental Health Concerns Ferroni did an experiment with his class in which he asked them to turn their notifications on. In a 40-minute class period, his students received a total of 600 notifications. He says he can't compete with students' attention in class when they're distracted that often. "it is a drug addiction in their hand," he says. "They have everything at their fingertips. It's caused me to reevaluate how 1 teach, which is why in the last few years, I've gone away from technology." While cellphones are prohibited at all times in his classroom, Fridays are completely tech -free, meaning students play board games, draw, write or do 5 "anything that requires some mental stimulation that's outside of typing, or texting or anything on their phones," Ferroni says. Sengupta, who studies the effect of screen time on adolescents, says he has concerns about the impact that cellphones and social media have on the cognitive development of adolescents, especially their attention spans. "A lot of the social technology - whether it's social media, streaming video or app-based video games - they're all designed to provide a big hit of dopamine very quickly," Sengupta says. "It's got to be super sensory -stimulating from the get -go or else you've lost them." That could have a lasting impact on adolescents' ability to perform tasks that require extended attention and sustained focus, he says. Scores on the ACT for the class of 2022 were down to an average composite score of 19.8 out of 36, the lowest average in more than 30 years. While many factors contribute to that statistic, Ferroni says he thinks students' shortening attention spans have made it harder for them to sit for long tests. Cellphones and School Safety Opponents of prohibitive cellphone policies say access to devices is necessary in case of an emergency, like a school shooting, health -related episode or natural disaster. But Ken Trump, president of the school safety consulting firm National School Safety and Security Services, says students' focus should not be on their phone during a potential school emergency. "if we're relying on the kids to make the 911 calls, we really do have a bigger problem that goes beyond cellphone issues," he says. Trump, who leads school safety trainings across the country, says he's sympathetic to the argument that some students might feel safer with access to their phone or a way to communicate with parents, but he says most schools he's worked with use a mass text message system to communicate quickly with parents during an emergency. If students are on their phone, potentially recording video, that distraction could be detrimental, he says. 6 "They're not realizing that the use of the cell phone could make a child less safe in a school because it's distracting from their ability to pay 100% attention to the directions of the adults and follow steps that could save their life," he says. School Shootings: How to Help Kids Cope Experts advise parents to have age -appropriate conversations with their children after a traumatic news event. Sarah Wood June 2, 2022 Where to Go Next In the wake of the pandemic, with many students still struggling both academically and emotionally, Sengupta says this is a critical time in education. The adults in students' lives need to model responsible technology and social media practices, he says. " 1 think, right now, that is largely lacking across most of our educational and social institutions." He supports school districts that have implemented restrictions on cellphone use. But "at the same time, 1 don't think we have to throw the baby out with the bathwater," he says. "I think there's a way to harness digital social technologies that can really be amazing for children," he says. "Let's make it a value added and not a constant background or foreground presence in their attention." Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best colleges. See the 2022 Best Public High Schools View All 29 Slide Susana Barrios From: d u rfeycra ig Sent: Monday, August 21, 2023 2:42 PM To: senator.nguyen@senate.ca.gov; ADAM.BOMAN@ASM.CA.GOV; senator.umberg@senate.ca.gov; hauwie.tie@asm.ca.gov; David.Ochoa@sen.ca.gov; senator.nguyen@senate.ca.gov; SEDN.committee@senate.ca.gov; SENATOR.GONZALEZ@senate.ca.gov; Senator.Allen@senate.CA.gov; clayton.heard@asm.ca.gov; SHEA.Committee@senate.ca.gov; 'Nick Dibs'; Assemblymember.Davies@assembly.ca.gov; Assemblymember.Davies@assembly.ca.gov; assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov; assemblymember.fong@assembly.ca.gov; assemblymember.friedman@assembly.ca.gov; senate.atkins@senate.ca.gov; Christopher.Aguilera@asm.ca.gov; 'Pam Haddad'; 'Lisa Kim'; 'Maria Stipe'; 'Teresa Pomeroy'; publicworks@ggcity.org; Public Comment; Theresa Bass Subject: [EXTERNAL] BAN CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL CA STATE AB 272 YEAR 2019 Biden- Harris Administration Launches School Safety.gov Awareness Campaign to Support Schools with Safety Resources Attachments: New Laws for California Schools_ AB 272, student smartphone use - CSBA Blog.pdf; Al Muratsuchi's Assembly Bill (AB) 272, Banning Smartphones.pdf Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message. 08-21-2023 (P.R.D.D.C.) PARENTS FOR THE RIGHTS OF DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN CRAIG A. DURFEY FOUNDER OF P.R.D.D.C. SOCIALEMOTIONALPAWS.COM U.S. F 4 4- HONORING 0IIR IIII Illlm'III IIIIIIIF III Y IF IS FIGHT I I T AUTISM ... Ms. L0110ETTA S&IM01HEZ of California. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkq/CREC-2003-03-27/pdf/CREC-2003-03-27.pdf new website s i e i s® r_ To whom it may concern Ca State schools can ban cell phones AB 272 2019 in school this press release below is about prevention cyber bullying U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. "We're pairing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act's historic investments in school safety and student mental health and wellbeing with easily accessible information on everything from responding to cyber bullying and preventing violence to improving emergency preparedness and accessing federal grants. Iplease cllll'piclllk oin the web IIII'pinlllk tti s// uii� ... opp o�° /c�ros/iiiiillll /IIIII' 3 / ent� uiicliiit /IIIII' omaiiiin/ / o0 J%2OWelcome .... Illll acllll % ...III ottei%. ion .' t!ppl o!liiin�toy .. e tlp "IIII'"Iheire is a inew policy iregairdling cell Ipllllioine/sill-nairt pllllione /ellllectiroin"oic device usage pitlllilin the Ringgold olllld cllllioollll IIII 'pistir'ict that is Ibe'lnw, enacted for the 0 a„ 3 school year. Recent national statistics show that approximately % of cyberbulEying incidents occur over celll phones during the school day, as do the orchestration of fights. As many of you know, the Ringgold School District was not exempt from these kinds of occurrences last year. The Ringgold Police Department documented 56 criminal incidents in the last school year where students used cell phone communication with fellow students to plan fights, harass other students, coordinate vapin "gatherings" in school bathrooms, vandalize property and commit other criminal mischief. In an effort to curb this trend, a new electronic device policy has been enacted for the 3 school year. August 17, 2023 Contact: Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.Aov WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Education (ED), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Justice (DOJ), launched a public awareness campaign to highlight federal school safety resources and evidence -based practices available through SchoolSafety.Aov. The initiative is one of several new actions the Biden-Harris Administration is taking to support safer schools and communities. Through the campaign, the Administration will educate school administrators and personnel, teachers, parents and guardians, and state and local government officials about school safety resources available at SchoolSafety.gov. The goal is to advance the mission and maximize the benefits of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) by accelerating and enhancing the implementation of programs and initiatives that will help families, communities, and schools build capacity and establish and expand successful school safety strategies. The campaign is being launched for the back -to -school season to ensure schools have the tools they need to create and sustain welcoming, safe, and supportive learning environments for students and educators. "Government has few responsibilities more important than ensuring the safety of our communities - especially our children. To protect our children and educators, we must ensure the schools they attend and work in are safe and secure," said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. "The Department of Homeland Security and our partners in the Biden-Harris Administration are working together to make sure every child and educator enjoys the safe and secure environment they deserve, whether it is by making available safety resources to every school through SchoolSafety.gov, cutting through red tape to help schools access critical security funding, or supporting local law enforcement agencies across the country." "Student and educator safety remains our priority. I want all school and district leaders, educators and staff, and students and families to know that SchoolSafety.gov is the one - stop shop for accessing resources and evidence -based approaches for building safe schools and positive learning environments," said U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona. "We're pairing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act's historic investments in school safety and student mental health and wellbeing with easily accessible information on everything from responding to cyber bullying and preventing violence to improving emergency preparedness and accessing federal grants. The Department of Education and our partners across the Biden-Harris Administration want every school's back -to -school season to be one of joy, possibility, and safety." "We must do everything we can to keep our schools and kids safe. SchoolSafety.gov is a tremendous resource that education and community members can use to support safe positive environments for all students and educators," said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. "We are honored to partner with the Departments of Education, Justice, and Homeland Security to raise awareness of this terrific resource." "The SchoolSafety.gov initiative is aimed at harnessing resources and capabilities across government to help make every school a safe place to learn," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "The Justice Department will continue to work closely with our partners in government and communities across the country to help keep our schools safe." As part of the campaign, SchoolSafety.gov will release a range of resources, including a video, communications toolkit, and infographics, to help schools learn more about how to enhance school safety, access support, and easily share information about the campaign with others in their community. The campaign will feature an informational webinar being held and recorded today showcasing federal training and technical assistance centers focused on issues related to school safety, school climate, and mental health supports. Campaign information and materials will be accessible through a dedicated hub on SchoolSafety.gov throughout August and September. SchoolSafety.gov is the public website of the Federal School Safety Clearinghouse, an ongoing and collaborative effort among ED, DHS, DOJ, and HHS to enhance school safety through a whole -of -government approach. Through the site, the American public and school communities can access hundreds of resources and evidence -based practices to enhance school safety, which can be used to help inform and support school safety plans, programs, and initiatives within individualized and unique school settings. These resources address a range of issues and elements critical to school safety and include information on bullying prevention, student mental health support and services, school climate, emergency planning, and preventing acts of targeted and community violence. SchoolSafety.gov also includes several easy -to -use tools to help schools discover specific resources and create and implement comprehensive and holistic safety programs, including a feature that makes it easier to locate and identify available federal school safety funding opportunities and grant programs. BSCA enacted several key provisions to enhance school safety and security initiatives and is part of the Biden-Harris Administration's broader commitment to making our students, schools, and communities safer. Under the Luke and Alex School Safety Act, which is incorporated into BSCA, the law formally established the Clearinghouse and required it to identify and publish online through SchoolSafety.gov evidence -based practices and recommendations to improve school safety for use by states, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, state and local law enforcement agencies, health professionals, and the general public. Learn more about the SchoolSafety.gov Back -to -School Campaign at https://www.schoolsafety.gov/back-to-school-campaign. Thank You Craig A Durfey MYLO MENU Username or email Password LOG IN Register (/user) Forgot password (/user/password) LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF TORRANCE AREA (/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA) Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy. Power the Vote! Make Democracy Work! Al Muratsuchi's Assembly Bill (AB) 272, Banning Smartphones in School, Signed into ja@a:w _(/#facebook) _(/#twitter). _(/#linkedin) _(/#email). Type: Public Statement Date of Release or Mention: Tuesday, July 2, 2019 6L Torrance, CA — Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 272, authored by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance), a bill that encourages California school districts to develop and adopt policies that limit or prohibit student use of smartphones on school grounds during school hours, with specific exceptions. This new law authorizes school districts to adopt their own policies to limit or prohibit smartphones except in the case of an emergency; when a teacher or administrator grants permission for academic or other approved purposes; when necessary for the health and well-being of the student; or when needed by a student with special needs. "Growing evidence shows excessive smartphone use at school interferes with a student's education and success, encourages cyberbullying, and contributes to teenage anxiety, depression, and suicide, " stated Assemblymember Muratsuchi. "This new law will encourage school districts to develop their own policy that strikes a balance between allowing appropriate student use of smartphones at school, while making sure that smartphones are not interfering with a student's educational, social and emotional development." Evidence has shown that unrestricted use of smartphones by students at schools lowers academic performance, particularly among low -achieving students; promotes cyberbullying; and contributes to teenage mental health issues. Between 2009 and 2017, the number of 14 to 17 year olds experiencing clinical level depression jumped more than 60%, with a 47% increase among 12 to 13 year olds. AB 272 will take effect in January 2020. Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, the Assistant Majority Leader for Policy and Research, represents California's 66th Assembly District, which includes El Camino Village, Gardena, Harbor City, Harbor Gateway, Hermosa Beach, Lomita, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Torrance, and West Carson. Muratsuchi is the Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace, and is a member of the Assembly Committees on Budget, Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance, Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, Natural Resources, Utilities and Energy, and Veterans Affairs. CONTACT: Bryan C. Singh, 916-319-2066 �1 League to which this content belongs: Torrance Area (/california/torrance-area). * TORRANCE AREA (/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA) * ABOUT US (/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/ABOUT) LWVTA Board of Directors (https://my.lwv.org/california/torrance-area/torrance-league-board) Action and Advocacy (/california/torrance-area/action-and-advocacy) Education Fund (/california/torrance-area/education-fund) Vision, Beliefs, and Intentions (/california/torrance-area/vision-beliefs-and-intentions) * DONATE ONLINE (/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/DONATE-ONLINE) Donate by Mail (https://my.lwv.org/california/torrance-area/donate-mail) * JOIN OR RENEW MEMBERSHIP (/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/JOIN-OR-RENEW-YOUR- MEMBERSHIP) * ARTICLES & GUIDES (/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/ARTICLES) Environmental Issues (/california/torrance-area/environmental-issues) * CALENDAR / EVENTS (/CALIFORNIA/TO RRANCE-AREA/CALENDAR) * VOTING (/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/VOTING) * INTERVIEWS (HTTPS://MY.LWV.ORG/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/INTERVIEWS-ELECTED- OFFICIALS) * NEWSLETTERS(HTTPS://MY.LWV.ORG/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/NEWSLETTER) * LINKS TO LOCAL AREA CITIES(HTTPS://MY.LWV.ORG/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/LINKS- LOCAL-AREA-CITIES) * YOUTUBE VIDEOS (HTTPS://MY.LWV.ORG/CALIFORNIA/TORRANCE-AREA/YOUTUBE-VIDEOS- 0) SEARCH donate (https://my.lwv.org/caIifornia/torrance-area/donate) .(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Torrance-CA/League-of-Women-Voters-Torrance-Area/193863248633) VOTER'S sots —P °ote 9_9_ Follow Us On Instagram_(https://www.instagram.com/lwvtawebmaster/?hI=en) Tweets from @ LWVTA Nothing to see here - yet When they Tweet, their Tweets will show up here. League of Women Voters ° of Torrance Area (/california/torrance-area) Address: P.O. Box 964 Torrance, CA 90508 Phone: A, (310) 223-6897 Email: League@LWVTorranceArea.org_(maiIto: League@LWVTorranceArea.org) © Copyright League of Women Voters of Torrance Area (https://my.lwv.org/california/torrance-area). All rights reserved. My League Online (/) Privacy Policy (/mylo/privacy-policy) Disclaimer (/mylo/disclaimer) 8/13/23, 6:06 PM New Laws for California Schools: AB 272, student smartphone use — CSBA Blog blog.csba.org/smartphone-law/ 1/4 8/13/23, 6:06 PM New Laws for California Schools: AB 272, student smartphone use — CSBA Blog by Kimberly Sellery August 6, 2019 New Laws for California Schools: AB 272,, student smartphone use CSBA's "New Laws for California Schools"series highlights new K-12 education laws signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019. New laws are effectivejan. 1, 2020, unless otherwise noted. The 2019 legislative year ends on Sept. 13; Gov. Newsom then has until Oct. 13 to sign or veto all bills passed by the Legislature. CSBA's 'What's New blog.csba.org/smartphone-law/ 2/4 8/13/23, 6:06 PM New Laws for California Schools: AB 272, student smartphone use — CSBA Blog for2020'report will be available in October. Assembly Bill 272 (Muratsuchi, D-Torrance)., signed into law by Gov. Newsom on July 1, allows (but does not require) a school board to adopt a policy to limit the use of smartphones by students while they are at school. The bill declares that there is growing evidence that unrestricted use of smartphones by students during the school day interferes with the educational mission of schools; lowers pupil performance, particularly among low -achieving pupils; promotes cyberbullying; and contributes to an increase in teenage anxiety, depression and suicide. AB 272, which adds section 48901.7 to the Education Code, states that governing boards may adopt a policy to limit or prohibit the use of smartphones by students while they are at school, but the law does not require boards to take any action. Notably, the law also includes language barring schools from prohibiting students from possessing or using smartphones in the following circumstances: • In the case of an emergency. • In response to a perceived threat or danger. • When a teacher or administrator grants permission to a student to possess or use a smartphone. • When a doctor determines a smartphone is necessary for the health or well- being of a student. • When possession or use of the smartphone is required in a student's Individualized Education Program. Many districts and county offices already have policies in place addressing student use of cell phones. CSBA's Sample Board Policy 5131 contains optional language prohibiting student use of phones while in class, subject to certain exceptions. CSBA will be updating policies in October to reflect the addition of Education Code section 48901.7. With most districts already having policies addressing cell phone use on campus in place, and the new law's numerous written exceptions, the effect of AB 272 is likely blog.csba.org/smartphone-law/ 3/4 8/13/23, 6:06 PM New Laws for California Schools: AB 272, student smartphone use — CSBA Blog to be muted. Share: f 0 in B blog.csba.org/smartphone-law/ 4/4 Susana Barrios From: Craig A Durfey Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2023 7:32 PM To: Bob Harden; Craig A Durfey; Dina Nguyen; Jeffrey Layland; Lan Nguyen; Nick Dibs; Public Comment; TGOODBRAND@CITYOFIRVINE.ORG; Teri Rocco; Theresa Bass Subject: [EXTERNAL] Fwd: Song for Charlie: August Newsletter Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Craig A Durfey Date: Wed, Aug 23, 2023 at 7:29 PM Subject: Fwd: Song for Charlie: August Newsletter To: Craig A Durfey Gabriela Mafi <gmafi@ggusd.us>, Nick Dibs , PIO Department <pio department@ggusd.us>, Public Records Request <cityclerk@ggcity.org>, <REPLOUCORREA@mail.house.gov>, Teresa Pomeroy <teresap@ggcity.org>, Walter Muneton <walter.muneton@ggusd.us>,<aleiandro.cardenas@mail.house.gov>,<kim.vandermeulen@mail.house.gov> Forwarded message From: Craig A Durfey Date: Wed, Aug 23, 2023 at 7:27 PM Subject: Fwd: Song for Charlie: August Newsletter To: Assemblymember Davies <Assemblymember.Davies@assembly.ca.gov>, Assemblymember Fong <assemblymember.fong@assembly.ca.gov>, Assemblymember Quirk -Silva <assemblymember.quirk- siIva @assembly.ca.gov>, COB_Response <response@ocgov.com>, Craig A Durfey Norma Garcia <NGarcia@ocde.us>, Ryan Durfey <assemblymember.friedman@assembly.ca.gov>, <assemblymember.rendon@assembly.ca.gov>, <ocbe@ocde.us> ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Craig A Durfey Date: Wed, Aug 23, 2023 at 7:26 PM Subject: Fwd: Song for Charlie: August Newsletter To: ADAM.BOMAN@ASM.CA.GOV <ADAM.BOMAN@asm.ca.gov>, Aguilera, Christopher <Christopher.Aguilera@asm.ca.gov>, Craig A Durfey , <David.Ochoa@sen.ca.gov>, <Ddbarnes@ocsd.org>, <hauwie.tie@asm.ca.gov>, <lonathan@ggpd.org>, <senator.nguyen@senate.ca.gov>, <senator.umberg@senate.ca.gov> ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Song for Charlie <realtalk@songforcharlie.org> Date: Tue, Aug 22, 2023 at 9:00 AM Subject: Song for Charlie: August Newsletter To: Documentary Film SFC has just released a 30-minute documentary -style film that anchors The New Drug Talk project. A cast of experts and impacted families provide background, context and actionable information families can use to keep their loved ones safe. Watch download the full video.�.H E �.R E. 0 Legislation for Education Oregon recently passed a law requiring all middle- and high schools to implement fentanyl education in the classroom, citing the developed by the Beaverton School Districl (with an assist from SFC) as the model. We are encouraged to see other States following suit. Just this month, US Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) announced plans to introduce Federal Wo NINON CNN I i WS11IM-111,14 W1111 IN-=, 91111 M '121111 (poism-ir-iii 1=0 111 11 1111 jgii]l�� 111111iii liil� �l�i I woo s OR - US Representatives Suzanne Bonarnici (OR-01) and Andrea Salinas (OR- 06), US Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Two BSD High School Students, H Regional Undersecretary Sharon Turner. Seattle Golf Tourney Our work continues thanks to inspiring champions like Carol Schweigert and Jonah Eastern who recently hosted the third annu "What a Day" memorial golf tournament in Seattle in memory of Riley Frazier and others lost to fentanyl poisonings. Friends, local businesses, and community members came out to play golf and raise awareness and funds to help Song for Charlie fulfill our mission. "We're tired of our friends dying. It was a great opportuni family. We hope opportunities like this will help people find healthi alternatives than illegal drugs because unfortunately at the end of the day life is fragile" shared Jonah. "I'm happy to support our fellow bereaved families and charity recipient Song for Charlie in their critical efforts to inform our youth about this deadly fentanyl crisis," said Carol (mom of Trey — Forever 27). The event raised nearly $10k and we couldn't be m4re grateful. Multiplier Effect SFC is 100% donor funded. That means our mission is only possible because of generous individuals, corporations and foundations fueling our work through their donations. Every dolla raised helps us empower families. Together we are multiplying o impact to save lives. I Join us by hosting your own fundraiser, sharing our information on social media and activating your workplace. L rh S more: Le. a I.I.a. I.k..@ 2ggf�2.r.ch a rli..e. o.m ..... ...... ...... ... .... ...... ... ........ ...... ....... ........ ...... ..... ... ... ...... . ....... I & MU E I we a WrAT.-TA Unsubscribe From This List I Manage Email Preferences Susana Barrios From: Jorge Martinez <info@email.actionnetwork.org> Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2023 1:41 AM To: Public Comment Subject: [EXTERNAL] Anaheim: Don't Dodge Democracy, Let the Voters Speak! Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message. For Public Cornment, Dear Mayor and Honorable City CouincH, l write as a concerned citizen of Ainahellinn to ask that you refuse to Iput the Hot6l & Event Ceinteir Worker Protection linllfiafive oin a costly speclall 61ectioin this year. Ainahellrn is a city that has struggled with train spairein cy liin government for too Iloing. The voters of this city Ihave the right to Ikinow what is Ihalppeinliing with our laws aind the right to Ihave our voices heard. This linllfiafive is ain lImpoirtaint step for our city to take, aind we ineed as imainy voters as possible liin this city to cast their Iballlots oin this vitall tissue. According to the CouincH staff report from last mointh's May 16 meeting, a slpeciall 61ection would cost the city $1,477,297 $1,632,776. That's compared to the $198,891 $233,265 that it would cost to put the linllfiafive oin the Iballllot liin the geinei4l ellecfioin liin 2024, for a 6ffeireince of over a miHioin d6lHairs. L.et's Ibe clear: The City of Ainahellrn should NOT d14lin its coffers to hold a speclall ellecfioin at the Ibelhest of Iblg business llinteirests. There is ino ireasoin to liinteintloinalllly Illiirnit the aimouint of voices Ainahellrn is wHfiing to hear oin this issue, and scheduling a speclall ellecfioin would very likely mean fewer voters would weigh liin oin this lImportaint issue, inot to mention the einoirmous cost the speclall ellecfioin would Ihave to hairdworking taxpayers liin Ainahellrn. PlIease place this linllfiafive oin the geinei4l ellecfioin Iballllot in November of 2024. lmz�� Susana Barrios From: Margot Pierrong Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2023 2:24 PM To: Public Comment Subject: [EXTERNAL] FW: Saturday 8/26-Agate/Orange Ave -Anaheim 92804 illegal vendor - HELP!! Attachments: IMG_2266jpg; Untitled attachment 00010.txt Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message. Dear City of Anaheim - These illegally selling sidewalk vendors with their handwritten garish signs have to be eliminated - they have no permits - have no health certificates - do nothing for the City of Anaheim because they refuse to adhere to any regulations - & continue to set up on my area in Anaheim: corners of Agate/Orange Ave. -Anaheim 92804 -& corners of Nutwood & Orange Ave. -Anaheim 92804! They are an eyesore -! My out of town friends came to visit and commented on how this type of sidewalk vendor is allowed to set up like this without the proper credentials & that their handwritten signs just make the area look trashy! They usually set up on Saturdays & Sundays on these corners - PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS EYESORE!!! Thank you! Margot Pierrong Anaheim 50 ear resident - -----Original Message ----- From: Margot Pierrong Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2023 2:13 PM To: margotpierrong@roadrunner.com Subject: Saturday 8/26-Agate/Orange Ave -Anaheim 92804 illegal vendor Susana Barrios From: Margot Pierrong Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2023 2:27 PM To: Public Comment Subject: [EXTERNAL] Sunday -Aug 27-Agate/Orange Ave -Anaheim 92804-illegal vendor Attachments: IMG_2267jpg; Untitled attachment 00004.txt Warning: This email originated from outside the City of Anaheim. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and are expecting the message. SUNDAY AUGUST 27: Corner of Agate & Orange Ave/Anaheim 92804: Illegally selling sidewalk vendor with trashy handwritten signs selling with no permits or credentials! MAKES THIS AREA LOOK TRASHY!!! Do something about this, City of Anaheim!!! I know I am not the only resident that complains about this eyesore on the sidewalks of our great city of Anaheim! They set up on Saturdays & Sundays - PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS !!! Margot Pierrong -----Original Message ----- From: Margot Pierrong Sent: Sunday, August 27, 2023 2:14 PM To: Subject: Sunday -Aug 27-Agate/Orange Ave -Anaheim 92804-illegal vendor f