02/10/2024 (Special)ANAHEIM CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 10, 2024
The special meeting of February 10, 2024 was called to order at 9:13 a.m. in the Anaheim
Convention Center, Meeting Room 201ABC, 800 W. Katella Avenue, Anaheim, California. The
meeting notice, agenda, and related materials were duly posted on February 7, 2024.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
STAFF PRESENT:
Mayor Ashleigh E. Aitken and Council Members Norma Campos Kurtz,
Jose Diaz, Carlos A. Leon, Natalie Rubalcava, Stephen Faessel, and
Natalie Meeks
City Manager Jim Vanderpool, City Attorney Robert Fabela, and City
Clerk Theresa Bass
FLAG SALUTE: Mayor Pro Tern Norma Campos Kurtz
ADDITIONS/DELETIONS TO THE AGENDA: None
D116 WORKSHOP: Citywide Vision and Strategic Planning
Mayor Aitken welcomed participants to the Strategic Planning Workshop and offered opening
remarks. She noted that this meeting is a unique opportunity for the City Council to challenge itself to
think differently about what the City Council is doing in the City of Anaheim. She explained that the
setting provides the City Council, the community, stakeholders, residents, business leaders,
community leaders, and City staff a chance to foster a dialogue that leads to free thinking in the
City. She advised the meeting intends to advance "Strategic Plan Anaheim" which is an initiative to
set priorities and guiding principles for the City in the years to come.
Mayor Aitken reported that months of outreach and engagement led to the workshop. She explained
that since October, the Strategic Plan team hosted eight pop-up meetings in every district of
Anaheim, located at parks, soccer games, schools, a shopping center, a library, and the annual
Halloween parade. She noted there was also an event at the Anaheim Marketplace in which staff
engaged with Spanish-speaking residents.
Mayor Aitken reported that the Strategic Plan survey was open to residents to share their thoughts
from September to January. She noted that over 770 residents responded to the survey along
with 380 survey responses for City employees. She noted that the findings from the outreach and
engagement, along with survey responses, would be reviewed during the workshop. She explained
that the City Council would continue the work of forging a Strategic Plan for the City through
exercises and discussions. She further explained that the plan would set high-level priorities and
guiding principles for the City Council's work along with providing staff direction.
Mayor Aitken explained that a Strategic Plan is a set of guidelines that help guide the City's thinking
about the budget and spending prioritization. She noted that it will be a guide for yearly and long-term
work plans for City departments. She commented that a Strategic Plan will also help bring into focus
a central vision, mission, and goals for the City of Anaheim. She thanked Council Member Meeks for
raising this at her first meeting and spearheading this effort. She applauded the entire City Council for
embracing and championing a strategic plan process. She thanked the residents and staff who
participated in this process and everyone in attendance. She noted that the workshop is intended
to be an enriching and informative day for a better Anaheim in the years ahead.
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Mayor Aitken explained that the public comment period will be open at the end of the session
consistent with how the process is conducted at regular meetings and follows normal practice for
workshops. She thanked Baker Tilly for their hard work and for guiding the City through this process.
Steve Mermell, with Baker Tilly, introduced the members of his team, Carol Jacobs and Mary Locey
He commended the City Council for committing to the strategic planning process and noted that
adopting a Strategic Plan illustrates the commitment to planning for the future of this great
community.
Mr. Mermell provided a brief overview of the workshop's activities which would include an icebreaker
activity for the City Council, a review of the goals heard from the City Council, from the community,
from City employees, and delve into the strategies developed to further those goals. He explained
that they would then spend time talking about mission, vision, and values. He further explained that
the ground rules are to listen, understand the points that others are making, stay focused, and speak
up if a course correction is needed. He explained that important items that are not germane to the
workshop would be listed in the "bike rack", a time management tool that will be used and triaged
later to determine the best way to circle back on the issue.
Carol Jacobs with Baker Tilly introduced the icebreaker activity and asked the City Council to
comment on the following questions: what inspired them to serve on the City Council, what about
their service to the City Council they find most satisfying, and what legacy they would like to
create. She provided the City Council with 10 minutes to formulate their thoughts.
Council Member Diaz commented that he never thought he would run for office considering that,he
would often see elected officials bickering back and forth. He explained that he lives close to Beach
Boulevard and noted that the City has abandoned Beach Boulevard for over 40 years. He noted that
there were some small initiatives in the area, but there was no long-term strategy for Beach
Boulevard. He referenced the City of Manhattan which was a disaster in the 1970s and
1980s and commented that it transformed after a partnership between the City of New York and the
private sector developed. He commented that national politics often try to infiltrate the City Council
but noted that their focus needs to be on taking care of the residents of Anaheim. He explained when
his children grew up, he was motivated to run for City Council. He noted that finding solutions for
residents has been the most satisfying part of the job. He noted he would like his legacy to be the
revitalization of Beach Boulevard in West Anaheim starting with a long-term Strategic Plan.
Council Member Leon echoed Council Member Diaz's comments about seeing West Anaheim thrive.
He reported that his inspiration to run for office was watching Channel 3 as a child and knowing he
wanted to serve in some capacity and make a positive difference in the community he grew up in.
He explained that the most satisfying part of his service is working with City staff on resolving
constituent issues and being able to bring in community partners with different resources and
information that can help residents with their issues. He noted that he would like his legacy to be his
involvement with projects such as Brookhurst Street, Little Arabia, and activating sites that are not in
use in District 2. Lastly, he explained would like to be an inspiration for Anaheim youth to get involved
and potentially run for office or serve on a commission to give back to their community.
Council Member Rubalcava commented that her inspiration for running for City Council is that she
has deep roots in the City being a fourth -generation Anaheim resident. She noted that being able to
represent the City as someone who lives in Anaheim and understands the needs of the community
was one of the things that motivated her to run. She commented that she never thought she would
want to serve on the City Council seeing how Council Members were treated by members of the
public but felt compelled when she realized that the District 3 representative was not doing what she
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felt was necessary to meet the basic needs for the people of Anaheim including clean and safe
communities, beautification projects, ensuring housing initiatives were met, economic development
opportunities, and workforce issues. She commented that working with residents directly has been
very satisfying. She noted her father was a 40-year employee of the City of Anaheim and
commented that being able to work with City staff to see how enthusiastic they are about serving the
residents of Anaheim has been one of the most rewarding things for her. She commented that the
City has been criticized for at least a decade and she has been able to learn that many of the
things being said about City Hall are not true. She noted that City staff care about seeing the City
move forward. She commented that she gains satisfaction from serving with the City Council who
love the City. She noted everyone on the dais was either born and raised in Anaheim or has very
deep roots in Anaheim. She remarked that she would like her legacy to be leaving Anaheim in a
better way than she found it and making sure there are economic opportunities for people who live in
the City including housing for people who work in Anaheim, higher pay for City employees, and
having Anaheim recognized as the safest city in California.
Mayor Aitken referred to Council Member Diaz's comments about enjoying being involved. She
commented that she is a native Anaheim resident but never thought she would run for public
office. She noted that she served on the Community Services Board and was involved with nonprofits
that serve the City of Anaheim. She explained that when she purchased her first home in Anaheim
and started raising a family, she started to have a different lens about what was happening in the
City. She recalled conversations with former Mayor Tait about the lack of toilet paper at Eucalyptus
Park who then encouraged her to run for City Council if she wanted it to change. She noted that cities
are responsible for delivering basic services and delivering world -class services to residents is what
inspires her. She commented that the most satisfying part of serving on the City Council is interacting
with Anaheim youth and understanding what they want their city to look like also brings her
inspiration. She echoed her colleague's comments about helping constituents with their issues and
helping them restore their faith that the City is working for them excites her. She noted that she would
like her legacy to be helping Anaheim become a beacon of progress, innovation, dedication to City
service, and a beacon for an abundant workforce. Lastly, she commented that wants residents to
have the same sense of pride she had growing up and living in Anaheim and being proud of the City
she lives in.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz remarked she was appointed to her City Council seat, however, noted that for
the last 25 years, she has worked for legislators that serve the City of Anaheim. She explained that
although Anaheim is the largest city in Orange County, it does not have a senior center. She noted
that no one else was talking about Anaheim's seniors and resources for them and that was her
inspiration to apply for the seat. She commented that she wanted the senior population to have a
voice to get more resources and eventually get a senior center in the City. She explained that one of
the things she finds most satisfying is personally meeting with residents and collaborating with them
to improve their neighborhoods and provide the services they need. She noted that nothing is more
inspiring than walking in an underserved neighborhood along with city staff to identify services
needed and see them happen. She noted she enjoys meeting with businesses in the city to make
sure that the City can help them to be successful and have a safe business environment so workers,
visitors, and residents, can feel safe about shopping and doing business in Anaheim. She
commented that she also likes to meet with organizations that serve City residents to better
understand their needs and impact on residents. She explained that she would like her legacy to
include a senior center in Anaheim, an improved housing situation in the City, and a place where the
City can hire and retain the best employees.
Council Member Meeks explained that she worked for the City for 30 years and felt compelled to run
for office to serve the City in a different role to help move the City forward. She noted she finds
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serving the community the most satisfying just as she did as an employee, especially the silent
majority. She noted that the Strategic Plan would be part of her legacy. She noted that the City needs
to stop rehashing the past and move forward and align in a direction. She commented that she would
also like to see an Implementation Plan for the strategies identified. She noted she would like to see a
culture in the City where staff can think big and be innovative to create synergistic projects
that change the City for the better.
Council Member Faessel explained that he has volunteered in the City since he was a small child and
has been honored to serve in several appointed capacities. He commented that he never thought he
would be an elected official and noted there is nothing easy about being an elected official. He
mentioned after the City implemented District -based elections, he figured District 5 needed someone
with experience. He referenced several examples where he helped residents get connected with City
staff for needed services. He stated it has been an honor to help connect residents with the services
they need and that it is small acts like having a curb painted red that make the job worthwhile.
He noted that he would like his legacy to be the Parks Plan and the City's partnership with BeWeIIOC.
He commented that he would like to be remembered as someone who worked hard, collegially with
others and City staff, and as someone who pushed the needle.
Ms. Jacobs remarked that the City Council's comments were very impactful. She noted that Anaheim
has over 300,000 residents and each Council Member is looking out for the individual and collective.
She explained that they all commented on their contact with residents, individual contact with staff,
connecting residents to resources, and aspirations to make Anaheim the best city in the State. She
thanked them for sharing their stories and noted that what they do is especially important. She
noted that they can help set the vision with the Strategic Plan.
Mr. Mermell noted that the commonality between the Council Member's comments is that they are all
aspiring to improve Anaheim. He remarked that the Workshop's activities will allow them to step out
of the day-to-day and think in big terms for the vision of the City. He explained that a Strategic Plan
provides direction to the organization, aligns everyone toward a common purpose, and creates
opportunities to update goals and strategies. He explained that the plan needs to have the following
elements: vision, mission and values, broad multi -year goals, strategies, and an Implementation
Action Plan. He explained that the City Council will select goals and then strategies will be
developed to further the goals. He noted that they will be prioritizing the goals that the staff
has developed.
Mr. Mermell provided a brief overview of the process that included Council Member interviews in July
2023, a survey on department workloads and work plans and an environmental scan in August 2023,
an employee survey from September to October 2023, a community survey from September 2023 to
January 2024, a mid -manager and executive team workshop from September to November 2023, in -
person engagements from October through November 2023, and City -deployed outreach from
October 2023 to January 2024. He emphasized in order to achieve progress the community has to
engage and identify bigger priorities.
Chief Communications Officer Mike Lyster presented the Community Scan which includes an
overview of demographics, housing, finance and economics, City budget, and public safety in
Anaheim to help the City Council determine guiding principles. He reported that there
are approximately 330,000 residents in Anaheim and noted the under-18 population is
63,000 along with a significant senior population at 39,000, and home to 19,000
veterans. He noted the median age of residents is 36 years of age, noting a balance of the core of the
population between 15 and 40. He advised that Anaheim is extremely diverse with 54% of the
community being Hispanic.
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Chief Communications Officer Lyster reported there are approximately 112,000 homes in
Anaheim with the median home price being approximately $818,000. He noted that 45% of Anaheim
residents own their homes and 55% rent with a median rent of $1,955. He reported that 9,342 home-
building permits were issued between 2014 and 2022. He commented that affordable housing is a
particular concern in the City and reported that there are approximately 4,000 dedicated affordable
units at Finamore Place, El Verano, and 100 West. He added there are approximately 6,000
affordable units throughout the City with some being supported by affordable housing vouchers.
Chief Communications Officer Lyster reported on finance and economics and noted that 67%
of Anaheim's residents are working with a median household income of $88,538. He explained that
the City is unique in that it receives 25 million visitors per year and is one of the most visited City in
the world. He reported that the top employers are the Disneyland Resort, Kaiser Permanente, and
Northgate Markets. He explained that on any given day the City can have approximately 100,000
extra people in the city.
Chief Communications Officer Lyster reported that the total City budget is $2.9 billion with $462
million in the General Fund. He noted that Anaheim has two dedicated public safety
departments with Anaheim Police Department (APD) and Anaheim Fire and Rescue with both being
the largest Fire and Police Departments in the County. He advised that Anaheim Public Utilities is the
only department in the County which provides water and power to its residents. He highlighted the
City's 67 parks and 18 community centers and libraries. He reported that APD dispatch took over
500,000 dispatch calls in 2023. He explained that response times for Priority 1 calls are 6 minutes
and 42 seconds and provided the response times for Priority 2 through 4 calls.
Council Member Kurtz inquired if the response times quoted were just for APD. Chief
Communications Officer Lyster confirmed that they are for APD. He noted that staff focused on APD
response times based on feedback from the community.
Council Member Rubalcava requested additional information about the feedback residents provided
about APD. Chief Communications Officer Lyster explained the community was asked to think
in large terms like the City Council is being asked during the Workshop. He noted staff heard a lot of
positive feedback but also heard concerns about homelessness, street racing, and retail theft, but
noted it reflected just a general need for more public safety.
Mr. Mermell provided information on stakeholder engagement and reported that City Council
interview themes included building a collaborative and positive environment, investing in the
community, continuing to think big to develop a diverse economic base, and improving community
engagement. He provided information on the employee survey noting it was open from September 21
through October 3, 2023. He reported there were 380 total respondents. He advised the top five
priorities identified were maintaining a high -performing City organization, improving homelessness
response and services, restoring public trust in local government, increasing public safety, and
affordable and workforce housing. He reported that the top five important things for the future are to
invest in infrastructure, investment in public safety, investment in more affordable and workforce
housing, improving major corridors, and refurbishing and upgrading municipal buildings. He
elaborated on the employee survey themes including staff's dedication and hard work with a focus on
quality customer service.
Mr. Mermell provided a brief overview of the outreach to the community that included social media,
the City's website, surveys, newsletters, Anaheim management, and engagement at other events. He
advised that eight pop-up events were held with over 770 residents engaged in the process. He
reported that affordable housing, safety, the environment, parks and open space, and infrastructure
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ranked as priority areas. He advised that the community survey was open to the public from
September 18, 2023, through January 19, 2024, with 770 total responses received. He noted the top
five priorities identified from the community survey included homelessness response and services,
public safety, affordable and workforce housing, neighborhood revitalization, and repairing and
maintaining infrastructure. He reported speaking to the City Council on strengths, challenges, and
opportunities for the City. He noted that staff turnover is an issue for every city including Anaheim.
The City Council recessed for a 10-minute break.
Mayor Aitken announced that presenters of the program can directly recognize speakers who
have questions or comments.
Ms. Jacobs reported that her team has taken all the feedback and synthesized it for the City Council
into recommended goals and strategies. She explained that the City Council will review and make
consensus decisions on the feedback, and it will become the outline of the Strategic Plan.
She further explained that Baker Tilly will be presented to the City Council where it can be formally
adopted. She advised that the Strategic Plan will be followed by an Implementation Action Plan.
Ms. Jacobs presented Goal A: Maintaining Fiscal Responsibility, supporting financial health through
long-term planning, budgeting, cost recovery, and increased revenue. She noted that Anaheim does
not work if it does not have money.
Council Member Meeks expressed support for that goal because the other goals cannot be
achieved if they are not funded. Ms. Jacobs explained that this goal will look at long-term planning of
the budget.
Ms. Jacobs presented Goal B: Enhance Livability which would create a community where
neighborhood quality of life needs are identified and addressed. She noted that Anaheim is a diverse
community, and this would address the needs of all neighborhoods.
Council Member Faessel commented that there are between 10 and 19 impacted neighborhoods in
Anaheim and noted that there was once a time when Redevelopment dollars were available to help
with livability. He noted that livability in one neighborhood may mean something different to another
neighborhood.
Council Member Rubalcava agreed with Council Member Faessel's comments and noted there are a
lot of density challenges in Districts 1, 2, and 3 that need to be considered when developing more
housing in the City. She encouraged maintaining the quality of life in terms of gang activity and other
issues impacting working families and making sure the City is being responsive to neighborhoods that
are more hidden to ensure they have access to City services. She noted from a code enforcement
perspective the Council would be encouraging the landlords to maintain their properties for their
residents.
Mayor Aitken expressed support for the verbiage "identifying" which shows that the City is being more
proactive and not reactive including being involved in the neighborhoods.
Council Member Diaz noted that the City provides its basic services very well such as trash, utilities,
pothole repair, etc., and noted the lack of investment has been in the corridors where residents do
their shopping. He explained that when investment is made in those corridors, it will percolate to the
rest of the city.
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Council Member Kurtz commented that in some neighborhoods, what residents think is a decent
quality of life falls short of what other neighborhoods consider a decent quality of life. She
encouraged holding all neighborhoods to the same quality of life standards.
Ms. Jacobs agreed that there needs to be individualized solutions for each neighborhood and district
and noted that staff will work on that if prioritized.
Council Member Rubalcava agreed with the equitability that Council Member Kurtz mentioned. She
noted that there are neighborhoods in District 5 that are considered food deserts. She recommended
that on the planning side of economic development, the Council needs to consider food options.
Ms. Jacobs explained that the City Council is welcome to change the wording in the goals but these
need to be the goals of the entire City Council.
Council Member Rubalcava expressed support for Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz's statement that all
neighborhoods should have the same livability standard and the City Council should aspire for that.
Council Member Meeks suggested editing the verbiage to "creating a community standard where
neighborhood quality of life needs are identified and addressed." She believes all neighborhoods
deserve the same standards of livability, so each neighborhood is not treated differently.
Ms. Jacobs cautioned that the City Council may focus on creating a community standard and not
doing any of the work. Council Member Meeks explained it is more of a global value standard that
residents would expect to live in a safe, clean, fair, and diverse neighborhood.
Mayor Aitken inquired if it should be part of the strategies and not part of the goal statement. Council
Member Leon supported Mayor Aitken's suggestion about being proactive in addressing some of the
community's needs.
Mayor Aitken recommended putting those words on the board and figuring out the wordsmithing later
since the Council has a consensus on the item.
Council Member Faessel recommended adding the word thrive in the statement. He mentioned that
he is uncomfortable with the word standard. He noted that standards help communities to thrive.
Council Member Diaz remarked that the City already has standards and requested clarification
on what is the intent of using the word "standards."
Council Member Meeks cited an example that every neighborhood should be graffiti -free. She noted
that some neighborhoods do not report graffiti, they just think they must live with it. She explained
that it may be standards that are not yet in place but making sure all neighborhoods meet
that yet unwritten standard.
Council Member Leon inquired if it means the basics that residents expect just by living in the City of
Anaheim. Council Member Meeks confirmed that was the intent.
Council Member Rubalcava noted that Council Member Faessel just conducted a tour of District 3
and reported graffiti and trash piling up. She noted the density issues and gang activity are
problematic.
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Ms. Jacobs suggested making the basic needs a strategy under livability and not the goal. Council
Member Rubalcava noted Mayor Aitken suggested that earlier.
Mayor Aitken agreed with Council Member Diaz, and she noted she was interpreting standards as a
common baseline.
Council Member Rubalcava suggested removing the word "community" and changing it to "City
standard."
Ms. Jacobs commented that she captured "create an Anaheim where neighborhood quality of life
needs are proactively identified and addressed."
Ms. Jacobs introduced Goal C: Invest in Infrastructure and Amenities and opened the floor for
comments.
Council Member Diaz expressed concern about centralizing services and noted that the City has
gone out of its way with the City's 18 community centers and libraries to spread services to the
community. He inquired how a senior who can no longer drive is going to get to downtown Anaheim
to the senior center.
Ms. Jacobs noted that this goal talks about the maintenance of infrastructure and not the placement
of infrastructure. She commented that the senior center would be discussed in strategies and that
this was intended to be more global to maintain already existing infrastructure. She noted that many
cities have not planned to maintain their infrastructure.
Council Member Rubalcava noted that City staff do an excellent job of maintaining roads and all
of the other infrastructure but noted that she does not feel that a new City Hall is a priority in terms of
infrastructure. She inquired about the feedback that led them to this goal.
Ms. Jacobs reported they heard a lot about infrastructure from the community survey and staff.
She reported that the items specified were roads, the water system, and greater recognition of
climate change and its impact.
Council Member Rubalcava explained that the City has Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) for
infrastructure improvements and noted that Anaheim Public Utilities also proactively performs
maintenance. She requested clarification on why it is a top -three goal.
Ms. Jacobs elaborated that from the staff perspective, CIP projects are already identified goals by the
City Council. Mr. Mermell explained the goals are not in priority order. He recommended reviewing
the strategies because it would give the Council Members a sense of what were the types
and strategies of projects that people were thinking about when they indicated that infrastructure
is important to them. He explained that infrastructure is a broad category and if the City Council does
not feel that infrastructure does not rise to the level of being one of the strategic planning goals, it
can be removed.
Mayor Aitken noted that what she thought was interesting in the attachments were the community
survey results and the employee survey results that both the professional staff and the community
recognize that the City needs to keep investing in the infrastructure that is already in place. She
commented that from an employee -driven perspective, they know what a Pavement Condition Index
(PCI) is as opposed to a resident. She explained that residents are concerned about trees falling and
sidewalk issues which are high priority.
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Council Member Meeks noted that the City Council is getting too focused on maintenance and repair
pieces and forgetting the second half of the goal, which is the future facilities, amenities, and
infrastructure moving forward which needs to be part of this.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz noted the word invest is critical in this case because staff can be asked to do
the work, but if there is no budget, then it is all for naught. She encouraged investing manpower and
funds to help departments carry on that work.
Council Member Faessel commented that residents have made it extraordinarily clear that when they
talk about their quality of life, they refer to the 50 or 75 feet in front of their house. He noted the
minimum level of service that the City needs to provide to ensure resident's safety is infrastructure.
He commented that some key infrastructure in the City is reaching over 60 years of age and needs
to be addressed. He emphasized the priority is addressing residents day to day concerns such as
whether their trash has been picked up.
City Manager Jim Vanderpool commented that one of the things the City does when it goes through
the budget process is collect project requests from the City departments. He explained that the
projects are reviewed and based on priority, need, and available funds, and then submitted to the City
Council for consideration. He recalled two parks in District 6 recently received funding.
Director of Community Services Sjany Larson -Cash reported that Riverdale Park and Canyon Rim
Park both received funding for long -outdated playground equipment.
City Manager Vanderpool explained that he cited that as an example that staff does not bring
everything to City Council due to priority, need, and available funds but noted there is a lengthy list of
things that need attention. He encouraged the City Council to think about the incoming revenues
anticipated over the next few years.
Council Member Leon noted that many West Anaheim residents believe that the City does not pay
much attention to them. He suggested updating the language for Goal C from "to benefit the
community" to "to benefit all residents" to make it more inclusive.
Mayor Aitken suggested changing all instances of "community" to something more specific such
as "the City" or "Anaheim."
Council Member Leon noted that he likes adding "the residents" to some of the items.
Ms. Jacobs clarified that there are other constituents other than residents including the business
community and visitors. She suggested changing the verbiage to "all of Anaheim". The dais agreed.
Council Member Diaz commented that the budget year is from July 1st through June 30th and the City
Council needs to approve the budget each year before July 11. He noted that staff begins working on
the next fiscal year's budget in November of the previous fiscal year. He explained that staff are
working with the City Council regularly through interactions and meetings to understand their
priorities. He used the Budget, Information and Technology Commission as an example and noted
they are working in parallel to the budget cycle and their priorities receive consideration as well. He
explained that his point is that staff should not take the blame for items that were not
addressed because they have been deprioritized.
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Ms. Jacobs agreed that there are many needs through the budget process, but noted the Strategic
Plan could help identify priorities that will help staff present an annual budget including the City
Council's strategies for the City.
Council Member Rubalcava agreed with Ms. Jacobs but noted that if it is going to be infrastructure
and amenities it needs to be more high-level and not include annual maintenance. Ms. Jacobs noted
the maintenance verbiage could be removed.
Council Member Meeks commented that the City does not adequately fund its maintenance
for large items such as air conditioners. She noted that they do sometimes use grant funds to
purchase larger items but do not typically fund their maintenance. She remarked that she feels it is an
important strategy to include.
Ms. Jacobs remarked that another strategy would be to flip the two sentences which would then
read "plan for new facilities and amenities for the community" and could include something similar
to "promote maintenance activities."
Council Member Meeks expressed support for the new verbiage but recommended keeping the
maintenance portion because it is important long-term.
Council Member Faessel remarked that he is sensitive to parks and park maintenance. He referenced
a park that he used to play in as a child and noted there is no playground there because a new park
is on the horizon, but the children of the community need a park now. He explained if the City is
planning to do major rebuilds there needs to be some interim solution to bridge the gap.
Mr. Mermell agreed that was an excellent point and recommended that the City Council focus on
reaching a consensus on the major goal areas. He encouraged them to resist the temptation to look
for solutions to those issues for the exercise.
Council Member Rubalcava remarked that she agreed with Ms. Jacobs's suggestion to flip the
verbiage. She recommended the verbiage read "plan for future facilities, amenities, and infrastructure
to benefit Anaheim and promote effective use of existing facilities." She noted that would include the
maintenance of any new facilities. The dais unanimously agreed.
Ms. Jacobs remarked that she has heard several of the Council Members state that they want to
make the City a great place to work. She explained that to do that they need a high -performing
organization. She commented that Goal D is "To create a strong team of dedicated employees who
support the community through a commitment to local government best practices, and employee
development, support, and retention." She noted this mostly came from employees, department
heads, and mid -managers.
Council Member Diaz remarked that the City's biggest employee attraction used to be the retirement
system and noted it was a big retention tool. He explained that is no longer available to new
employees, which makes salaries the most important item for staff followed by job satisfaction.
Ms. Jacobs reported that Goal E is to "Support public safety, enhance public safety resources to
ensure a safe and secure community" and opened the floor for comments.
Council Member Meeks commented that she does not think it is broad enough. She noted that
residents have a broader perspective of public safety than just police and fire which includes safe
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streets, safe parks, and overall general safety. She concluded that the wording is not broad enough
to cover all the public safety concerns that the City wants to address.
Mayor Aitken commented that she is struggling with the word "resources" because she feels the City
Council wants to enhance public safety in a myriad of ways to ensure a safe and secure community.
She explained that the word "resources" means devoting more of the budget to it when it is already
the largest chunk of the budget. She inquired if this goal means allowing public safety to be nimble
and address public safety in multiple ways or if is it intended to simply devote larger percentages of
the City's budget to public safety.
Council Member Diaz commented that his comments from Goal D apply to Goal E. He noted that the
City can pay its officers the top pay in the county but if the City Council does not support its officers,
morale decreases.
Council Member Rubalcava agreed with Council Member Diaz's comments. She noted that
enforcement needs to be included. She noted that includes prosecuting criminal cases, holding
criminals after they are arrested, and protecting businesses and their employees from theft.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz commented that she liked that the goal does not specifically reference Police
and Fire because other departments contribute to the safety of the City's neighborhoods including
Public Works, Code Enforcement, and Public Utilities. She noted that when she saw the word
resources, she did not think of just funds.
Mr. Mermell recommended changing the wording of the goal to "ensure that Anaheim is a city in
which people feel safe" and is broader than what was presented.
Council Member Meeks recommended "enjoy a high level of safety" or something similar.
Council Member Faessel expressed support for Mayor Aitken's suggestion of using the word
"nimble." He commented that the term "includes the Community Care Response Team (CCRT) and
establishing the BeWellOC partnership. He noted Citywide resources were used for those, not
specific to just Police and Fire. He recommended using something broader and not losing the ability
to be nimble.
Mr. Mermell inquired if it was too concise to simply say "Ensure Anaheim is a safe city.
City Manager Vanderpool inquired if the City Council wants to contemplate a dedication towards
resources to make it a safe city. Ms. Jacobs noted that would be a strategy.
Council Member Leon requested clarification of Goal E. Mr. Mermell explained that Goal E would
be "Public Safety" or "Safe Community."
Council Member Meeks recommended Goal E be "Implement a broad range of strategies to ensure
that Anaheim is a safe city." The dais unanimously agreed.
Ms. Jacobs introduced Goal F which was "Economic development and tourism" and opened the floor
for comments.
Council Member Faessel noted that economic strength is especially important to him along with job
creation.
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Council Member Leon recommended adding "a vibrant local economy for all of Anaheim." He
explained that the importance of the Resort District is often discussed but wants to make it
encompassing of all areas of the City.
Mr. Mermell suggested adding for the benefit of all those in the city. Council Member Leon
recommended, "for the benefit of all of Anaheim."
Council Member Meeks inquired about the use of the word "vibrant" and recommended using
"strong" as a replacement.
Mayor Aitken noted that she thinks this goal is broad enough to encompass the fact that the City is
promoting and recognizing the importance of the Resort District economy, but at the same time, not
making it so narrow that the Council is forgetting about the Canyon District, which is also a very
important part of the City's economy. She expressed support for the term "local economy" because it
differentiates between the county, state, and national economies. She noted the focus is on what the
City Council can do within the confines of its borders. She noted that vibrant, robust, or strong would
also be fine with her.
Council Member Rubalcava remarked that, for her, economic development means attracting and
retaining business in the City in a diverse business space. She noted that there are a lot of jobs that
come out of the Resort District, but they are low -paying jobs. She referenced the verbiage "promoting
sustainable growth" and noted that it could just be more specific to retaining and attracting business.
She explained that economic development is something that generates revenue for the City.
Council Member Leon requested clarification on Council Member Rubalcava's suggestions. Council
Member Rubalcava and Ms. Jacobs discussed several variations. Council Member Rubalcava
suggested it be kept to "pursue strategic economic development."
Council Member Meeks suggested adding "initiatives that attract and retain businesses, job creation
and a vibrant local economy." Council Member Rubalcava agreed.
Council Member Faessel noted that he was the only Council Member in an elected position during
the pandemic when there was not an influx of visitors. He explained that the City is dependent on
those 25 million visitors. He recommended using the word "diverse" because it needs to be more than
just being dependent upon the Resort District.
Mayor Aitken expressed agreement with Council Member Rubalcava about retaining and attracting
new business. She explained that what she sees with "promote sustainable growth" is not having a
reliance on the same economic pool. She noted that it is important to find practical ways for the City
to grow its economy, so it is not so reliant on one industry. She commented that the dais is going to
have a lot of different opinions on how to grow the economy.
Ms. Jacobs inquired about removing the word "vibrant" and replacing it with "diverse local economy."
Council Member Rubalcava noted the City is growing, however, emphasized certain upcoming
projects that are still reliant on the Resort District. She referenced certain businesses and noted there
needs to be more of a business base in Anaheim.
Ms. Jacobs advised they will work on the wordsmithing during the lunch break and bring it back to the
dais for review.
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At 11:56 a.m., Mayor Aitken recessed the City Council.
At 12:41 p.m., Mayor Aitken reconvened the City Council.
Mr. Mermell reported that City staff identified strategies that would further each goal and they would
be working through the prioritization. He explained that the goal of the activity is to ensure the City
Council understands what each strategy proposes. He presented the strategies for the goal of
maintaining financial responsibility and opened the floor to questions.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz requested clarification for Strategy #3, "Modernize development impact fees."
Finance Director Debbie Moreno reported that staff are currently coordinating Developer Impact Fees
for the rest of the departments which currently only apply to the Platinum Triangle. She explained that
Development Impact Fees need to be looked at Citywide to be updated. She noted the work to review
that has already begun.
Mr. Mermell explained this strategy would review all of the City's Development Impact Fees
and ensure that the cost to provide the services to developers as they go through the process
encompasses all related costs.
Deputy City Manager/Planning and Building Director Ted White referenced park fees as a
good example of a Development Impact Fee that has not been modernized in a very long time. He
noted that this goal could also cover traffic impact, sewer, and other infrastructure fees.
Mayor Aitken inquired if the strategies are meant to be city -specific or intended to allow for flexibility
to move in different ways along with what the best practice for a city developing a Strategic Plan is.
She commented that she was inquiring because the strategies could be applicable to any city in the
State and nothing Anaheim -specific.
Mr. Mermell explained that everything in the Strategic Plan needs to be things that the city can
control, execute, or influence. He noted that many strategies will be the same in many places,
but they will look different in each city. He agreed that many cities will update Development Impact
Fees to maintain fiscal responsibility but will look different in every city. He explained that as the
Strategic Plan develops, there may be something unique to Anaheim that will come forward. He
noted that there are many similarities in Strategic Plans from cities in California because they deal
with the same set of problems.
Mayor Aitken inquired about how the strategy around Development Impact Fees should be
worded. Mr. Mermell explained that the staff is reviewing many Development Impact Fees that will
come before the City Council for consideration. He explained that when it comes to fiscal
sustainability, every city needs to make sure that developers are paying their fair share as projects
come through. He noted that the City Council can then choose to approve all or some of the
recommendations made so it then becomes more of a policy issue for the City.
Council Member Leon inquired about the 115 Trust. Director Moreno explained the 115 Trust is
something the City can utilize for pensions to fund the unfunded liability with an entity other than
CalPERS. She noted it can only be used for pension costs but also gives the City flexibility in the
event of an economic downturn. She explained that the 115 Trust will make more money over time
because it allows equity investments.
Mr. Mermell compared it to a College 529 Savings Plan, but the City controls the investment and can
receive a better rate than with CaIPERS.
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City Manager Vanderpool commented that while six strategies have been presented, there may be
other strategies the City Council may want to consider.
Mr. Mermell presented the proposed strategies for enhancing livability and opened the floor for
comments.
Mayor Aitken inquired about "Developing strategies to stabilize and expand affordable housing
options for low-income residents" and noted it seems contradictory.
Deputy City Manager White explained that stability means keeping people in their homes and
preventing homelessness. He noted that supply is an expansion of new housing and subsidy which is
the direct governmental involvement.
Director of Housing and Community Development Grace Ruiz-Stepter added that some of
the affordable housing inventory have 30-year deed restrictions and are not into perpetuity. She
explained part of stabilizing affordable housing inventory is also having strategies for the preservation
of affordable housing, so the City does not lose housing in which it has invested.
Council Member Rubalcava inquired about the strategy to update the General Plan and Zoning Code
to meet current needs. Deputy City Manager White explained that it is the best practice in the
planning field to update the General Plan every 10 to 15 years. He noted that some elements
have been updated including the Housing Element, but the comprehensive update has not been
done since 2004. He explained the Zoning Code is an effort that generally comes along with updating
the General Plan. He added it is best to ensure the development standards and uses are reflective of
the General Plan.
Council Member Rubalcava noted she wants to be sensitive to the historic homes in Anaheim and the
density issues that may be created from going from rezoning residential uses to mixed -use
commercial.
Council Member Rubalcava inquired about the strategy to generate bold ideas to improve citywide
livability, urban design, housing, and transportation. Deputy City Manager White explained those
items would typically be reviewed during a General Plan update.
Council Member Rubalcava commented that she wants Anaheim to enhance the City and preserve it
instead of trying to model itself after a different City. She asked staff to keep that in mind when
developing initiatives.
Mayor Pro Tem Kurtz inquired about the strategy to maintain and expand services to address
homelessness and its impacts. She inquired if "maintain and expand" is the same idea as written in
Strategy #2. Director Ruiz-Stepter confirmed it was the same thinking, particularly in the homeless
space. She noted the City has relied on state funding including Homeless Housing, Assistance and
Prevention (HHAP) funds and federal funds for homelessness and staff are concerned about
maintaining that. She explained that funding is strictly tied to State surpluses which come and
go so there is a need for a strategy around those efforts. She noted that expanding an inventory of
diversified housing options to ensure housing is available when someone accepts getting off the
streets.
Mayor Pro Tem Kurtz inquired if there was a reason that Strategy #2 did not pertain to workforce
housing. Director Ruiz-Stepter explained that the City's Regional Housing Needs Assessment
(RHNA) numbers show that low-income housing is not being produced. She noted that low income in
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Orange County could be as high as $80,000. She explained that the City is trying to achieve a broad
spectrum of housing but always with the sensitivity that the Housing Authority is the only entity
producing housing for a spectrum of the population. Mayor Pro Tem Kurtz expressed concern
that members of the workforce cannot afford an $800,000 condominium.
Mr. Mermell reminded the City Council that this part of the exercise is for clarification purposes. He
noted there will be time to potentially make changes.
Council Member Rubalcava expressed concern about not remembering feedback if they were to
return to this later and questioned why it could not be discussed now. Mr. Mermell noted that time is a
factor and that there are approximately 46 strategies that the City Council will be voting on to
prioritize. He explained that his staff are taking notes.
Council Member Rubalcava noted she would like to discuss the workforce housing element along
with the per -unit pricing for low-income housing units that include wrap -around services.
Council Member Diaz commented that what he is hearing is that the City wants to increase low-
income housing but does not want to increase density or rezoning. He emphasized that it will not
work. He explained that to have affordable housing, there needs to be rezoning and high density.
Council Member Meeks expressed concern with how the process is unfolding. She inquired about
how the City Council will be able to vote if they are not happy with the proposed strategies. She cited
several examples of proposed strategies that should be revised including addressing neighborhood
and commercial blight and pursuing funding opportunities for the Public Art Program. Mr. Mermell
encouraged the City Council to trust the process.
Council Member Faessel inquired where redevelopment takes place in these strategies. Mr. Mermell
explained that, for example, the goal is enhanced livability and one of the proposed strategies is to
address neighborhood blight. He explained that the City Council would work with staff to develop the
action steps in the Implementation Action Plan, which could be acquiring, rehabilitating, and selling
dilapidated properties. Council Member Rubalcava clarified the process for condensing the top
strategies.
Mr. Mermell presented the proposed strategies for investing in infrastructure and amenities including
creating centers dedicated to senior programming and senior benefits, conducting a feasibility study
for a sports complex facility, and developing a Master Plan for the Downtown City Civic Center and
opened the floor to questions.
Council Member Diaz expressed support for senior centers and not just one center. Council Member
Faessel announced his support for dedicated senior centers and senior benefits, however, inquired
about general community centers and benefits.
Mayor Aitken referenced the Council's support in including maintenance in Goals, however,
maintenance is not included in the proposed strategies. Mr. Mermell noted maintenance may be
included in the additional proposed strategies.
Mr. Mermell presented the proposed strategies for infrastructure and amenities, fostering a high -
performing organization, supporting public safety, and economic development and tourism. He
opened the floor for comments.
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Mr. Mermell explained that this is a 10-year Strategic Plan that can be modified and revised
periodically. He provided instructions to the City Council on how they would be voting on the
strategies that the Council would like to implement, starting with the strategies for the next two years.
Council Member Meeks inquired why all of the strategies could not be implemented. Mr. Mermell
explained the City does not have the staff or the funds to do them all at once but will be setting
priorities.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz clarified if there are any strategies listed that have to be done. Mr. Mermell
stated the purpose is for the Council to clarify their priorities.
City Manager Vanderpool clarified that staff will not be ignoring the other items over the next 10 years
and explained this exercise is to identify the City Council's priorities.
After voting on the Council's priorities, Mr. Mermell inquired if any of the City Council were surprised
by the selected priorities.
Mayor Aitken commented that some of the strategies are active and are part of the regular function
and role of government. She noted that she did not place dots on pursuing state and federal grants
because that is something the City would always be pursuing.
Council Member Meeks noted that it looks like all of the strategies have dots next to them.
Mr. Mermell clarified that all these strategies will be included in the Strategic Plan but will be in one of
three timelines: He noted that some of those who did not receive a dot will go into a "To Be
Determined" timeline.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz noted that the expanding mobile services strategy received no dots because
that work is already happening. Mr. Mermell explained that what is being signaled by not placing dots
next to it is that the program is in place, but the City Council should continue to look to enhance it. He
explained it is just not the highest priority for the next two years.
Council Member Kurtz expressed concern that it would be considered unimportant if it received no
dots. Mr. Mermell explained that it will still be a priority identified in the Strategic Plan.
Mr. Mermell asked the City Council to review Goal B: Enhance Livability, Strategy #1: Addressing
neighborhood blight, and inquired if there were any changes requested.
Council Member Meeks commented that she wants Strategy #1 to include commercial blight.
Mayor Pro Tem Kurtz requested that Strategy #2: Develop strategies to stabilize and expand
affordable housing, include workforce housing because it broadens the category.
Council Member Meeks noted that several members of the dais want homeownership included. She
recommended that it be stated in the strategy because of its importance.
Mayor Aitken explained that affordable housing for low-income residents is exclusively rental, so it
needs to be separated if the City wants to do a first-time homebuyer program. Mr. Mermell explained
that a homebuyer program would be a task below the strategy.
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Mayor Aitken agreed that the strategy needs to include homeownership. She explained that
homeownership and expanding the available stock of affordable rental property are two different
things. Mr. Mermell noted that it will be expanded to not just include low-income and will include home
ownership.
Council Member Leon referenced the written -in strategy and inquired if homeownership falls under
Strategy #2 or the written -in strategy. Mr. Mermell clarified it falls under Strategy #2.
Council Member Rubalcava recommended changing the verbiage to "develop strategies to stabilize
and expand affordable housing, rental and for -sale ownership and workforce options."
Mr. Mermell referenced Strategy #4 and opened the floor to comments.
Council Member Rubalcava recommended under Strategy #4: Expand the community engagement
through outreach, changing the verbiage to "expand communication and engagement." She noted
the City's communication team is small but mighty, but they have to communicate with over 350,000
residents regularly.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz recommended it be expanded to include other departments. Mr. Mermell
explained it is not exclusive to the Public Information Office (PIO) and should encompass other
departments. He noted it is all under the umbrella of enhancing communication, engagement, and
outreach.
Mr. Mermell referenced Goal A: Maintain Fiscal Responsibility and opened the floor for comments.
Council Member Rubalcava commented that Strategy #1: Identify potential new funding
sources/revenue to increase the General Fund to maintain and enhance services, should not be
limited to the General Fund. She explained that there may be housing dollars that could go into a
trust or Anaheim Tourism Improvement District (ATID) funds that may not go to the General Fund. Mr.
Mermell noted his staff will remove General Fund and make sure it is general and broad.
Mr. Mermell referenced Goal C: Infrastructure and opened the floor for comments.
Council Member Meeks noted that although it is part of the goal, the maintenance piece specifically
looks at facilities and determines what it takes to maintain them and how to catch up with deferred
maintenance.
Council Member Faessel commented that maintenance is listed under Goal A: Maintain Financial
Responsibility.
Council Member Rubalcava referenced the earlier robust conversation about Goal C: Infrastructure
and Amenities, and it was recommended to keep maintenance in there.
Mr. Mermell referenced Goal D: High -Performing Organization and opened the floor for
comments. There were no comments offered from the dais.
Mr. Mermell referenced Goal E: Support Public Safety and its modification but requested input on the
strategies themselves and opened the floor for comments. There were no comments offered from the
dais.
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Mr. Mermell referenced Goal F: Economic Development and Tourism and opened the floor for
comments. There were no comments offered from the dais.
Council Member Rubalcava clarified there will be a portion dedicated to general comments on the
items and not modifications.
Mr. Mermell opened the floor for comments on any of the goals or strategies presented.
Council Member Rubalcava inquired about the Olympics and referenced other cities that have
invested General Fund money to enhance their city for specific events just to let things go.
She inquired about what that would look like, if it is a good investment for the City, and whether the
City should be doing the work.
Executive Director of Convention, Sports & Entertainment Tom Morton explained that staff are
looking to maximize the opportunity through collaboration. He noted that the biggest opportunity for
the City, other than volleyball at the Honda Center, is hotel rooms. He explained that visitors will also
be attending Disneyland and will be looking for a significant room block in Anaheim. He reported that
staff have started the process of getting groups together to discuss opportunities, not only for the
Olympics but also for the World Cup in 2026.
Council Member Rubalcava inquired about what type of investment the City would be giving to this
strategy.
Executive Director Morton explained that it is currently the coordination component. He noted that his
office is bringing together all the parties such as Visit Anaheim, the Orange County Sports
Commission, Honda Center, Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), and LA Metro to talk
about where the City can partner and where the opportunities are for Anaheim to succeed financially.
City Manager Vanderpool remarked that there has not been any discussion or commitment of City
resources towards that purpose.
Council Member Rubalcava commented that the host of Olympic Volleyball will be the Honda
Center which is a private entity. She remarked that the City would benefit from Transient Occupancy
Tax (TOT) from hotel stays. She noted that she intended to make sure that the City is not investing
General Fund dollars to improve infrastructure in preparation for the Olympics.
City Manager Vanderpool asked Executive Director Morton to address the relationship issue with the
Honda Center.
Executive Director Morton confirmed that the Honda Center is the host for volleyball and will have a
contract directly with the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 committee. He explained that the City is looking
at opportunities to utilize other funding sources. He explained that there is a lot of Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) money currently being used for various transportation projects throughout the
Los Angeles metro area. He noted there may be an opportunity for the City to participate in some of
those funds to benefit not only the Olympics but the City beyond the Olympics.
Council Member Rubalcava inquired if Transportation Improvement District (TID) dollars could be
used for that purpose. Executive Director Morton advised that TID funds are available, but they are
looking at federal funds primarily. He noted that Inglewood received $1 billion and is talking
about funding a train to Las Vegas before the Olympics. He remarked that staff is looking at all those
opportunities to use funds to make the Olympics a unique experience and for the City to benefit.
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Council Member Rubalcava inquired if funding would be provided to have enough police officers and
firefighters during the Olympics to support the increase in traffic without utilizing General Fund dollars.
City Manager Vanderpool commented that the City will likely have some ancillary exposure as a
result of an influx of individuals coming into the City. He reported that the room block for the Olympics
is 5,000 for two weeks.
Executive Director Morton reported that the room block is large Citywide and that the Olympics are
pushing for a carless Olympics with all travel conducted with mass transportation. He noted that staff
is trying to figure out what that component looks like in Anaheim from a Police and Fire standpoint, for
what is similar to a large city-wide convention, however, for two weeks.
Council Member Rubalcava noted that she is mindful of how City employees, including Police and
Fire, are utilized including the overtime it requires and the stress it puts on their families. She wanted
to ensure the City was preparing for the events as they approached.
Council Member Faessel inquired if the City would be considering spending General Fund dollars on
a single -purpose building facility specific to the Olympics. Executive Director Morton confirmed that
the City is not considering that option.
Mr. Mermell inquired if there was a strategy that Council Members had hoped to see under one of the
goals but was not listed. He opened the floor for discussion.
Mayor Aitken noted that under Goal A: Maintain Financial Responsibility, she encouraged staff
to come up with innovative strategies that are cost -saving mechanisms. She suggested having
some type of incentive or reward program for departments where if they produce a cost -saving idea
that saves the department money, they are not penalized by not having those funds in their budget
the next year.
Mr. Mermell applauded the idea. He inquired if Mayor Aitken would be comfortable if the focus was
taken off maintaining fiscal responsibility and shifted to the goal of the high -performing organization or
if is it large enough to be a specific strategy.
Mayor Aitken commented that it should be a specific strategy and something that is at the forefront
of staffs mind to always look for ways to eliminate waste, be innovative, and get rewarded for it at the
same time.
Mr. Mermell remarked that a reward program is a pretty discrete thing and believes it is an element
that falls under a strategy. Council Member Meeks agreed that it should be placed under Goal A. She
noted that how it gets rewarded can be developed by the City Manager.
Mr. Mermell agreed with Council Member Meeks' articulation of the idea and requested Mayor
Aitken's feedback. He clarified that it would state "identify innovative ways to reduce waste." Mayor
Aitken agreed with the change.
Mayor Aitken reiterated that under Goal C: Infrastructure and Amenities, it is clear that the City is
prioritizing maintenance. She recommended that it be made clear in the strategies that any new
capital improvements such as community centers or a new Civic Center would have maintenance
included in the budget going forward.
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Mr. Mermell commented that there needs to be a deferred maintenance strategy. Mayor Aitken
disagreed and believed it was the major goal and is not included in the strategy
Council Member Faessel noted that deferred maintenance is under Goal C.
Mr. Mermell inquired if there was a consensus that there needs to be a strategy around addressing
deferred maintenance needs. The dais agreed.
City Manager Vanderpool commented that it is all maintenance, not only deferred maintenance. Mr
Mermell clarified that they will use the verbiage "deferred and ongoing maintenance."
Council Member Faessel commented that in the 1990s, the City government was very siloed. He
reminded the City Council and requested the Anaheim team is reminded that Anaheim is not a City
of silos, and that cross -departmental communication is very important. Mr. Mermell believed
that would fall under the high -performing organization.
Mayor Aitken noted that under "High -Performing Organization" she had considered creating
departments or structures that are devoted to innovation, dedicated to breaking down red tape, silos,
and looking towards new innovative ways to do things.
Mr. Mermell commented that the written -in item was intended to cover those topics.
Mayor Aitken commented that is very important for public safety when looking at hiring staff, that they
look like and reflect the community they are serving. She noted it was a bit of a diversity, equity, and
inclusion (DEI) topic but focused on public safety. She noted she recommended it for Goal E since
that included all of the public safety strategies. She referenced stipends that other cities offer to their
public safety officers to encourage them to live in the city in which they work.
Mayor Aitken inquired if the emergency preparedness strategy includes terrorism and threat
assessments. Police Chief Rick P. Armendariz responded that terrorism would be covered in the
emergency preparedness strategy.
Mayor Aitken recommended in Goal F: Economic Development and Tourism, that the City Council
consider looking at exploring foreign partnerships and foreign relationships to attract some of those
foreign industries and foreign companies to consider Anaheim as their American hub.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz commented that there has been discussion about a new police headquarters
and new fire stations, but not discussions about increased personnel which she noted needs to be
considered. She inquired about where that strategy should go.
Mr. Mermell noted that the number of police and fire personnel needed would not be in the Strategic
Plan but would be in the overarching goal to ensure that the City is safe. He explained the need to
enhance and expand staffing would come forward through the steps staff brings forward to make the
City a safe place.
Council Member Faessel suggested adding a statement or a goal that would recommend improving
or lowering response times. He noted that would allow the public safety departments to start looking
into what would be needed to bring that forward. Mr. Mermell remarked that the appropriate strategy
would be to identify ways to reduce police and fire response times. He explained that it allows the
time for staff to analyze the strategy and bring it back to the City Council for consideration without
making specific commitments.
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Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz agreed with that idea.
Council Member Leon suggested staff look for ways to connect Anaheim's students and sports teams
in the community with the Olympics. He asked staff to consider investigating ways to connect local
restaurants with catering opportunities for the Olympics and the World Cup. He requested under Goal
C: Infrastructure and Amenities, if there was a possibility to look at some of these funds coming to the
City to potentially build an additional public pool noting there is only one public pool in the City. Lastly,
under Goal B: Enhance Livability, he recommended producing a strategy to address issues in
problematic homeless areas by working with different partners such as Union Pacific, Southern
California Edison, the City, or the County.
Council Member Meeks commented that the Homeless Hotline should be able to triage those issues
and direct the call to the correct agency.
Council Member Leon noted that the issue has come up several times and explained that it extends
the time to address the underlying issue because it is difficult to determine who is responsible.
Council Member Meeks requested clarification that her recommendations regarding neighborhood
and commercial blight and homeownership were captured. She recommended changing "conduct a
youth and senior needs assessment" should include "and pursue those identified needs." She
recommended that the public art item should state "pursue funding and implementation of the public
art program" as she sees an opportunity for private funding. She encouraged staff to broaden the
public safety strategy around the goal of having a safe city.
Council Member Rubalcava inquired if Goal C: Infrastructure and Amenities, would include
connectivity. She noted that the internet is such an important part of daily life and wanted to ensure
that the maintenance of it would be included in the strategy. When asked for clarification from Mr.
Mermell, she explained that it would include facilitating connectivity such as fiber and 5G with
businesses and maintaining infrastructure but not providing service.
Council Member Rubalcava commented on Goal E: Support Public Safety. She expressed support for
developing a plan for a new police headquarters as it needs to support additional police personnel.
She expressed support for activating the public safety real-time crime center and inquired if there was
enough connectivity to adequately support such an effort. Police Chief Armendariz confirmed
there in fact was not enough connectivity to support a real-time crime center.
Council Member Rubalcava recommended including a dedicated Police Training Facility which could
be utilized by other agencies to offset expenses. She encouraged exploring a dedicated Health
Department in the City to help address health issues in the City with food vendors. Mr. Mermell noted
that it would fall under public safety.
Council Member Diaz referenced Goal B: Enhance Livability, Strategy #1 which would address
neighborhood and commercial blight. He then referenced Goal A: Maintain Financial Responsibility,
Strategy #1 regarding finding potential funding sources, and noted that these contradict each
other. He expressed support for Mayor Aitken's thoughts on attracting foreign investment. He
expressed concern with maintaining and expanding services to address homelessness and its
impacts. He noted that the City alone will not fix the homeless problem. He recommended that the
City lobby a state representative to develop laws to prevent homelessness.
Council Member Meeks expressed support for lobbying a state representative to develop legislation
to prevent homelessness.
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Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz inquired about conducting a feasibility study for a sport's complex facility for
youth sports. She recommended not limiting it to youth sports.
Mr. Mermell explained that his staff would go back and sort the strategies and incorporate the newly
identified strategies.
Ms. Jacobs announced that the City Council would now be working on identifying the City's vision,
mission, and values. She provided a brief overview of the definition of a vision statement.
She explained that it needs to be short so it can be ingrained in the City's culture. She presented the
four options for Anaheim's Vision Statement, 1. The City of Anaheim combines a vibrant community
with world-renowned destinations to create an unmatched quality of life for its residents, 2. Anaheim
is a dynamic community that embraces inclusivity and innovation for the benefit of all who live, work,
and visit, 3. Anaheim is a vibrant community that offers opportunity for all to thrive, 4. Anaheim is
culturally rich offering a wide range of opportunities to those who live, work, and visit.
Ms. Jacobs provided a brief overview of the City's Mission Statement and presented three options for
City Council consideration, 1. The City provides exceptional City services that promote a high -quality
of life for residents, a supportive environment for businesses, and an inviting atmosphere for visitors,
2. The City provides exceptional municipal services that support a safe, thriving community, and a
world -class destination, 3. The City delivers exceptional public services to provide a high quality of life
for residents, businesses, and visitors. She noted that they were drafted in collaboration with
the City's executive team. She requested that the City Council vote on both the Vision and Mission
statement.
Ms. Jacobs reported that there were four votes for Vision Statement #3.
Mayor Aitken reported that she liked Vision Statement #3 because it was the most clear and
concise. She noted that she would like to incorporate the word dynamic because it speaks to
Anaheim always changing, thriving, and growing and not being afraid to shift. Ms. Jacobs inquired if
she would like to exchange vibrant for dynamic. Mayor Aitken confirmed the change.
Council Member Meeks recommended changing "community" to "city" since it was changed in other
areas.
Council Member Faessel noted that if less is more then that would be fine. He noted that he voted for
Vision Statement #1 because it included world-renowned destinations. He expressed support for
swapping vibrant with dynamic in Vision Statement #3.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz expressed support for the term "culturally rich," but she does not know where it
would fit into the statement. Council Member Leon suggested the word diverse.
Council Member Leon expressed support for Vision Statement #1 because it captures everything and
is clear, but he is supportive of Vision Statement #3.
Ms. Jacobs restated that she heard Vision Statement #3 as "Anaheim is a dynamic city that offers
opportunity for all to thrive."
Council Member Faessel suggested, "Anaheim is a dynamic, world-renowned city that offers an
opportunity for all to thrive."
Council Member Rubalcava remarked that "world-renowned" is too much of a buzzword that may not
resonate with the residents.
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Ms. Jacobs restated that she heard Vision Statement #3 as "Anaheim is a dynamic city that offers
opportunity for all to thrive." The dais agreed unanimously.
Ms. Jacobs remarked that the Mission Statement had a clearer consensus. She inquired if some
wordsmithing would make this more agreeable to those who did not vote for it.
Council Member Meeks reported that she did not select Mission Statement #1. She recommended
a "thriving environment for businesses" and "a welcoming atmosphere for visitors." Council Member
Faessel noted the City is officially a Welcoming City.
Ms. Jacobs asked Council Member Meeks to restate the Mission Statement she recommended.
Council Member Meeks noted that it would state "We provide exceptional city services that provide a
high quality of life for residents, a thriving environment for businesses, and a welcoming atmosphere
for visitors."
Council Member Diaz expressed support for those changes.
Mayor Aitken noted she voted for Mission Statement #3 because she thought it was a shorter version
of Mission Statement #1 which was her second choice. She noted that her only concern with Mission
Statement #3 was that the City is not delivering a high quality of life for visitors. She expressed
support for the word "deliver" in Mission Statement #3 because she feels that it gave the statement
strength, focus, and purpose.
Ms. Jacobs recommended changing the intro to "We deliver exceptional City services." Mr. Mermell
restated Mission Statement #1 as "We deliver exceptional city services that provide a high quality of
life for residents, a thriving environment for businesses, and a welcoming atmosphere for visitors."
The dais unanimously agreed.
Ms. Jacobs thanked the City Council for their efforts and remarked that she had never seen a City
Council come to a consensus so quickly. She thanked the Department Head team for their efforts in
working through the Mission and Vision statements.
Ms. Jacobs announced that the final piece of the exercise is defining values and behaviors. She
noted that the City, despite challenges, is moving forward. She presented draft Values and Behaviors
statements for the City Council's review.
Council Member Faessel inquired if these were City values and not personal values and if leadership
means leadership amongst cities. Ms. Jacobs confirmed that he was correct on both items.
Ms. Jacob read aloud the draft Values and Behaviors Statements including collaboration, leadership,
innovation, integrity, respect, and lastly service. She explained these are what would be expected of
all City employees as core values. She opened the floor for comments.
Council Member Faessel commented that there is not enough in the Leadership section. He noted
that Mayor Aitken represents Anaheim across the United States. He explained that Mayor Aitken
along with City Manager Vanderpool have regional and statewide leadership positions.
Mr. Mermell offered suggestions of "Anaheim is a leader" or "will be a leader in regional and
state government" or something that says affirmatively that Anaheim is a leader
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Council Member Faessel commented that it is not only the leadership positions but the responsibility
that comes with appointment to those positions.
Mr. Mermell suggested, "Anaheim recognizes its responsibility to be a leader in local
government." Council Member Faessel noted that wording is an improvement. Council Member
Faessel commended the work of the Executive Team and their leadership during the Strategic Plan
process.
Mr. Mermell explained that just as the City Council is going to revise some of the goal
statements they can add more to Leadership if the City Council is comfortable with it being a core
value.
Council Member Leon suggested "We demonstrate leadership by living our values, being
accountable, doing what is right, and representing...", noting an additional item could be added to the
end of the sentence. Council Member Faessel reiterated his request to include more in the
Leadership section.
Mayor Aitken remarked that this is one of the hardest things to do. She noted that defining the City's
values given that it is supposed to drive employee behavior is creating a list of values that informs,
inspires, and instructs the day-to-day actions of the City's employees. She explained that her concern
is not with the values, but how this is incorporating the unique aspects of Anaheim and how the
behaviors are described. She referenced a study that talks about corporations and how they drive
and formulate effective corporate values. She noted that 88% of corporations list service as a value,
90% of corporations list integrity as a value, and 76% of corporations list collaboration as a value.
She inquired if the City is at risk by just having these broad values out there and not informing
employees about what is expected of an Anaheim employee. She referenced Zappos, the shoe
delivery company, and she noted their behavior is delivering "wow" through service. She commented
that the City Council needs to be a little bit more creative in what it means by this.
Mayor Aitken referenced Council Member Faessel's comments about leadership and noted that this
means letting City employees and the City Council know that they are the face of Anaheim.
She encouraged finding more creative phrasing that is core to the City. She expressed concern that if
staff have to be told that they need to act with integrity and ethically then that it is a problem because
that should be a given. She requested the need to outline what is being requested of the
employees. She referenced the employee survey results and noted that it is important that staff
know what the City's values are and what the City Council and Leadership Team are asking of
them. She noted the results could be displayed all over City Hall to regularly reiterate City values to
employees.
Ms. Jacobs noted that everyone on the dais is very Anaheim -centric and wants to bring the
uniqueness of Anaheim into its values. She recommended working more with staff, and reintroducing
the language when the draft Strategic Plan is brought back to the City Council. Ms. Jacobs open the
floor for comments and feedback.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz inquired about who produced the Values and Behaviors Statements. Ms.
Jacobs advised it was from the City's Executive Team.
Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz inquired if the Values and Behaviors was just for City staff or if it encompasses
the City Council. Ms. Jacobs confirmed that it is for staff and the City Council.
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Mayor Pro Tern Kurtz advised she agrees with all the values, including integrity, and she wants
to make sure everyone knows that is an Anaheim value. She expressed support for wordsmithing the
language to make it easier to remember and adding some stronger language.
Council Member Meeks expressed support for more memorable, shorter, quicker phrases that make
it easier to remember. She inquired if it would be acceptable to agree on the concepts of values today
and then to work with the marketing team to define them into some catchphrases in the next steps.
Council Member Rubalcava noted that she has been through many strategic planning processes for
various organizations such as private, for -profit, non-profit, city, and state. She commented that when
a team produces value statements, it has meaning to them. She conceded that this is a local
government and not a company that can be innovative because it is limited by the City Charter and
other things that limit moving forward. She noted that the City is a public -facing service that is serving
the taxpayers of Anaheim. She expressed gratitude that the City Executive Team included integrity.
She noted that collaboration is key because nothing can be accomplished unless there
is collaboration. She noted that respect is integral to values because it not only indicates respect to
the people the City serves but also to each other. She commented that innovation is a buzzword and
stressed the importance of recognizing who the City serves. She noted that when residents call into
Police Dispatch and have a negative experience, they do not want to call back. She explained that
customer service is key because the residents of Anaheim are the customers, whether they are
calling into Police Dispatch or calling into Public Utilities. She noted that residents will call when they
have a negative experience. She explained that she thinks that the values are something that
does not need to be marketed externally with buzzwords, but it is something that City employees can
grasp onto knowing what they are striving to accomplish daily.
Council Member Diaz agreed with Mayor Aitken to make it more Anaheim -centric and not so generic.
He expressed his disagreement with Council Member Faessel regarding the Leadership portion and
noted that he likes it as presented. He commented that the residents care that the City Council and
staff have integrity and values. He noted that the Respect section is too specific. He
suggested using "we value respect by listening and working in partnership."
Ms. Jacobs inquired if there was anything that the City Council would like to remove.
Council Member Rubalcava recommended that Leadership be dropped. She explained that the City
Council demonstrates leadership by living the values, being accountable, and doing what is right.
Council Member Faessel inquired about substituting Excellence for Leadership.
Mayor Aitken inquired if Service means public service as in public servants or City service in an
effective manner. She noted it is about clarity and what the City Council is asking of itself and City
employees. She stated that the harder question is what the City Council is trying to define for
behavior statements.
Ms. Jacobs noted when the Department Heads discussed services it was in relation to service to the
public. She inquired how the City Council would like to proceed and if they required additional
discussion.
Mayor Aitken inquired if there were any values that the City Council held dear but did not make the
list.
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Council Member Faessel inquired if it would be possible to incorporate some verbiage that would
caution against demoralizing junior staff.
Mayor Pro Tem Kurtz commented that this would go under leadership. She cited the example of
junior staff offering a different way of achieving a task and instead of stating "We have always done it
this way", actually trying to incorporate those suggestions.
Council Member Rubalcava remarked that instead of leadership it should be accountability.
Council Member Faessel suggested the word "teamwork" instead of "collaboration."
Mayor Aitken suggested the City Council draft value statements that do not have the value they are
trying to describe in the sentence.
Mr. Mermell commented that they can give the City Council two weeks to submit value statement
suggestions. He noted the Council is discussing value statements and not definitions.
Mayor Aitken explained the exercise would allow the City Council to consider and think of values that
were not included on the list.
Council Member Faessel suggested adding the word "honesty" to the Integrity value and the
word "example" to the Leadership value.
Mayor Aitken reiterated that is important to her to make sure City employees are clear on what
is being asked of them. Ms. Jacobs confirmed the City Council has completed their discussions on
the Value Statements.
City Clerk Theresa Bass reminded the City Council that once they put their thoughts on paper, they
should not be shared among the City Council but submitted directly to Baker Tilly to not violate the
Brown Act.
Mr. Mermell offered closing remarks and offered advice on how the City Council can stay on track
with these priorities. He recommended regular progress reporting, holding off on new City Council
initiatives until the next goal -setting cycle or mid -cycle with the budget, and keeping the identified
priorities in mind. He presented best practices for adding initiatives and projects mid -cycle including
emergencies, new funding sources, multi -agency opportunities, safety, and laws and mandates. He
noted that when changing priorities, it is important to evaluate what comes off the plan and to
understand the consequences of shifting direction midway.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORKSHOP:
City Clerk Bass reported that no public comments were received electronically related to the
Workshop.
Mark Richard Daniels suggested calling the Strategic Plan "Anaheim Forward." He recommended
adding a goal for helping residents who are living on the edge of homelessness. He noted he is on
Social Security and has an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card because Social Security does not
cover enough. He encouraged the City Council to make their priorities and stick to them.
Mazatl Tecpatl Tepehyolotzin expressed agreement with Mr. Daniels and noted he is also an EBT
recipient. He referenced a comment the Fire Chief made against Mexican Americans and noted he
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was offered and accepted his apology. He expressed disappointment that more residents were not
involved in the workshop. He noted he will not fully accept the Fire Chief's apology until the mascot
for Anaheim High School is changed from the Colonists.
Gloria Ma'ae thanked the City Council for holding the workshop. She noted that 9 West Anaheim
residents in attendance were extremely interested in moving Anaheim forward in a positive way. She
referenced a meeting in 2018 where residents were asked to offer priorities for their Districts and
encouraged the City Council to compare today's results with those previous results.
Denise Barnes commented that this was much needed for a long time. She noted the City is under a
cloud of real shame and needs transition to revitalize. She noted that she sees a ray of light at the top
of the road, but the change needs to start with the City Council. She hopes the Strategic Plan is the
first step of many to give the City back its integrity, honesty, and a thriving community. She wished
that residents would have been given an opportunity to offer their thoughts and opinions. She
encouraged the City Council to take charge of Angel Stadium's infrastructure. She inquired about
how much the City has paid out in trip and fall lawsuits. She encouraged members of the dais who
are running again for office to get out there and listen to the voters.
Mayor Aitken encouraged members of the audience and all residents to offer their thoughts via email.
She noted that this is only the first step in a lengthy process.
COUNCIL AND STAFF COMMENTS ON WORKSHOP: None
City Manager Vanderpool thanked Convention Center staff for assisting with set up, Chief
Communications Officer Mike Lyster and the Communications staff, Senior Administrative Analyst
Alyssa Guerrero, and Baker Tilly.
STRATEGIC PLAN NEXT STEPS:
Carol Jacobs explained that the Strategic Plan will be prepared by Baker Tilly and City Staff and will
be presented to the City Council in draft format before it is presented for formal adoption. Staff, with
the support of Baker Tilly, will create a Strategic Plan Implementation Plan and will periodically report
on progress.
ADJOURNMENT:
At 3:45 p.m. Mayor Aitken adjourned the City Council.
Ily submitted,
3 Bass, CMC
rk