2025 REGULAR MEETING - City Council / Lincoln Redevelopment Successor Agency / Lincoln Public Financing Authority

COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT. WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE CITY OF LINCOLN. COUNCIL: 2025. REGULAR MEETING CITY COUNCIL, LINCOLN REDEVELOPMENT, SUCCESSOR AGENCY, LINCOLN PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY. COUNCIL: THE DAY IS MAY 27.TH COUNCIL: I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, AND COUNCIL: LET'S DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. COUNCIL: AND OUR TREASURER IS GOING TO LEAD US TONIGHT COUNCIL: I'LL BE IN THE UNITED STATES COUNCIL: PUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY. COUNCIL: THANK YOU FOR THAT. COUNCIL: HEY? HOPE? CAN YOU DO ROLL CALL, PLEASE. YES, THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER BRADY. HERE. COUNCILMEMBER PEARL HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM. BROWN. HERE COUNCILMEMBER EKLUND HERE, MAYOR ANDREATA. HERE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL: ITEM NUMBER 7 REPORT FROM CLOSED SESSION. MS. BONKOFF. YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR, THERE IS NO REPORTABLE ACTION THIS EVENING. COUNCIL: ITEM NUMBER 8, AGENDA MODIFICATION. DO THE COUNCIL OR STAFF WISH TO MODIFY THE AGENDA IN ANY WAY. COUNCIL: NO, OKAY, GREAT MOVING ON. COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE ONE PRESENTATION TONIGHT ON YOUTH LITERACY MONTH, AND WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION, AND I FIGURED THAT SINCE THIS IS CATHERINE'S WHEELHOUSE, AND SHE DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB, AND LET HER READ THE PROCLAMATION COUNCIL: ABSOLUTELY. SO. THANK YOU, MAYOR ANDREATA. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS. YES, AS WE MOVE INTO SUMMER, THIS IS DEFINITELY A TIME WHEN AT LEAST MY DEPARTMENT IN THE LIBRARY FOCUSES VERY HEAVILY ON LITERACY, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND WITH THAT IN MIND I AM DELIGHTED TO BRING FORWARD THIS PROCLAMATION FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER. COUNCIL: AND SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN, RECOGNIZING JUNE 2025, AS YOUTH LITERACY MONTH. HERE IN THE CITY OF LINCOLN. COUNCIL: WHEREAS BOOKS AND STORIES ARE POWERFUL, AND ACCESS TO BOOKS AND READINGS IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC AND LIFELONG SUCCESS. COUNCIL: AND WHEREAS READING AND LITERACY ARE FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPLORATION, IMAGINATION, AND ENJOYMENT. COUNCIL: AND WHEREAS STUDIES SHOW THAT THE SUMMER BREAK FROM SCHOOL CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT LOSSES IN READING PROFICIENCY FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, AND WHEREAS READING AND PARTICIPATING IN LEARNING ACTIVITIES OVER THE SUMMER CAN PREVENT THE SUMMER LEARNING LOSS. COUNCIL: AND WHEREAS LINCOLN PUBLIC LIBRARY IS COMMITTED TO ENCOURAGING LITERACY IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF LINCOLN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BUT PARTICULARLY DURING THESE SUMMER MONTHS. COUNCIL: AND WHEREAS THE TEEN ADVISORY BOARD OF LINCOLN PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNUALLY OFFERS A YOUTH WRITING CONTEST TO ENCOURAGE WRITING, READING, AND LITERACY THROUGHOUT JUNE. COUNCIL: AND WHEREAS THE TEEN SUCCEED INTERNSHIP COHORT HAS DEVELOPED BOOK CLUBS AND AN AUTHOR VISIT FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES. BESTSELLING AUTHOR STEPHANIE GARBER, TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF LITERACY IN LINCOLN. COUNCIL: AND WHEREAS THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM AT THE LINCOLN PUBLIC LIBRARY ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO READ THROUGHOUT JUNE AND JULY. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE CITY OF LINCOLN CITY COUNCIL ENTHUSIASTICALLY PROCLAIM, JUNE 2025, AS YOUTH LITERACY MONTH HERE IN THE CITY OF LINCOLN, AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT YOUTH, LITERACY, AND ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN READING AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THIS MONTH. COUNCIL: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL: I WILL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS OR ADOPT THIS PROCLAMATION. COUNCIL: OKAY, MOTION. COUNCIL: I MOTION TO APPROVE AND ADOPT THIS ENTHUSIASTICALLY, ENTHUSIASTICALLY. COUNCIL: I'LL SECOND. COUNCIL: THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER EKLUND. YES, MAYOR, PRO TEM. BROWN. YES, COUNCIL. MEMBER REEDY. YES, COUNCIL. MEMBER PEARL. YES, MAYOR ANDREATA. YES. COUNCIL: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO. AND IF YOU HAD ANY STUDENTS HERE, WE TAKE A PICTURE. BUT COUNCIL: THEY'RE ALL ON VACATION, RIGHT? I SAY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY ALL WRAPPING UP THEIR SCHOOL YEAR RIGHT NOW. THEY'RE QUITE BUSY. GOOD? WELL, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT. YES. COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT. ITEM NUMBER 10. PUBLIC COMMENT COUNCIL: ON NON AGENDA ITEMS WITHIN THE SUBJECT MATTER. JURISDICTION OF THE COUNCIL. SO THIS IS A TIME IN THE MEETING WHERE ANYBODY IN THE ROOM OR ON ZOOM CAN MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT COUNCIL: ON ANY ITEM THAT IS NOT ON OUR AGENDA. COUNCIL: YOU HAVE 3 MIN TO DO SO. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ROOM. COUNCIL: ANYBODY ON ZOOM? COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT, CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 11. OUR CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCIL: THESE ARE GENERALLY PASSED WITH ONE MOTION. IT'S ROUTINE BUSINESS. UNLESS THE COUNCIL OR STAFF WANTS TO ASK A QUESTION OR OR PULL ONE OF THE ITEMS FOR FOR A PRESENTATION. COUNCIL: OKAY, IF THERE'S NONE OF THAT, THEN I WILL ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT. AGENDA. COUNCIL: WOULD YOU ACCEPT? COUNCIL: SECOND? COUNCIL: OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCIL. MEMBER PEARL. YES, COUNCIL MEMBER REEDY. YES, MAYOR PRO TEM. BROWN. COUNCIL: YES, COUNCIL. MEMBER EKLUND. YES, MAYOR ANDREATA. YES. COUNCIL: HEY? MOVING RIGHT ALONG. ITEM NUMBER 12. WE HAVE A 1 PUBLIC HEARING. NO, WE HAVE 2 COUNCIL: 12, A COUNCIL: ANNUAL MILITARY EQUIPMENT REPORT AND RENEWAL OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 1, 0 4, 5 B. TO COMPLY WITH AB. 4, 81. COUNCIL: WELL, COUNCIL MAYOR, HI. WELCOME, LIEUTENANT WILLIAMSON WITH THE PD. BACK AGAIN FOR MY ANNUAL HEARING. I DO HAVE SOME COUNCIL: PASS AROUNDS. IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED, IF YOU WANNA COUNCIL: NO THAT'LL BE JUST FOR COUNCIL: KNOWLEDGE. THERE'S A 40 ROUND THAT WE USE, AND A 12 GAUGE BEANBAG ROUND COUNCIL: SOME OF THE MUNITIONS THAT WE DO CARRY, AND CAN DEPLOY. COUNCIL: SO THIS IS AN ANNUAL LEGAL BASED HEARING REGARDING THE DEPARTMENT'S USE OF MILITARY GRADE EQUIPMENT. I'LL PROVIDE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION DESCRIPTION OF THE LEGAL CODE WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO AND TO BE CONSIDERED. COUNCIL: I'LL PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND AND BRIEFLY GO OVER THE ANNUAL REPORT AND BE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS COUNCIL: BACK IN 2022 ASSEMBLY BILL 41 WAS PASSED, REQUIRING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM THE AGENCY'S GOVERNING BODY PRIOR TO PURCHASING, RAISING FUNDS FOR ACQUIRING MILITARY EQUIPMENT, USING MILITARY EQUIPMENT, OR COLLABORATING, COLLABORATING WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES REGARDING THE DEPLOYMENT OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT. COUNCIL: THE BILL ALSO REQUIRES US TO COUNCIL: PUBLICLY PRODUCE OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES REGARDING THE EQUIPMENT COUNCIL: AND AN ANNUAL REPORT WHICH WE DO SO ONLINE COUNCIL: WITHIN THOSE REQUIREMENTS, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A SUMMARY OF HOW THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT WAS USED, AND THE PURPOSE OF ITS USE. COUNCIL: ANY COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS RECEIVED CONCERNING THE USE OF THE EQUIPMENT. COUNCIL: RESULTS OF ANY INTERNAL AUDITS, ANY INFORMATION ABOUT VIOLATIONS OF THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT, USE, POLICY, AND ACTIONS TAKEN. COUNCIL: THE TOTAL ANNUAL COST OF EACH OF THE TYPES OF EQUIPMENT. COUNCIL: THE QUANTITY POSSESSED OF THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT, AND IF WE INTEND TO INQUIRE, NEW OR DIFFERENT, AND FINALLY, WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE WELL PUBLICIZED COUNCIL: PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE EQUIPMENT. COUNCIL: ALL OF WHICH WE HAVE PROVIDED TO YOU FURTHER, AND HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF THOSE TASKS. COUNCIL: FEELING THAT WE COUNCIL: HAVE COMPLIED WITH THESE REQUIREMENTS, AND BELIEVE THE REQUISITE FINDINGS CAN BE MADE TO RENEW THE ORDINANCE. 1045 BA SUMMARY OF THE REPORT WOULD BE FOR THE YEAR 2024. WE DID NOT DEPLOY ANY MILITARY MUNITIONS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR COUNCIL: WE DID HAVE 112 DRONE FLIGHTS WHICH YOU HAVE, THE THE ATTACHED FLIGHTS WITH YOU, FLIGHT, TIME, DISTANCE, OPERATOR. ALL THAT INFORMATION'S IN THAT LISTING WE HAD NO COMPLAINTS OR CONCERNS RAISED, SO WE WITH HAD NO VIOLATIONS OBSERVED. ALSO. COUNCIL: FURTHER EQUIPMENT IS A KIND OF A WITH COUNCIL: FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS ABOUT NOT HAVING CERTAIN COUNTRIES PRODUCING DRONES KIND OF MAKES IT A SHIFTING PROCESS ON WHICH DRONES WE CONTINUE TO PURCHASE OR NOT PURCHASE. SO THAT'S KIND OF A MOVING TARGET WE'RE TRYING TO PURCHASE. OBVIOUSLY AMERICAN MADE DRONES. BUT THE PRICE ON THAT IS COUNCIL: SUBSTANTIAL. SO WE'RE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THAT THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO HAVE THE BEST EQUIPMENT THAT WE CAN COUNCIL: TO PROVIDE THE BEST SERVICE THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. COUNCIL: ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MUNITIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE. COUNCIL: ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? NO. COUNCIL: OKAY. WELL, THEN, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND IS THERE ANYBODY WITH TESTIMONY ON THIS ITEM. COUNCIL: ANYBODY ON ZOOM. COUNCIL: OKAY, CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COME BACK. COUNCIL: YEAH. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WEREN'T HERE IN THAT MEETING, BUT I DID TALK ABOUT WHEN I WENT TO DC. A FEW WEEKS BACK THAT ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM COUNCIL: THAT'S 1 OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR IS THAT CONGRESS PASS COUNCIL: LEGISLATION OR GIVE SOME RELIEF TO THE DRONE BAN, YOU KNOW, BUYING IT FROM CERTAIN PLACES. AND HOW ARE WE TO NAVIGATE THAT? SO I UNDERSTAND. THAT'S THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR YOU GUYS. AND IT'S NOT OUR LACK OF WANTING TO BUY AMERICAN MADE PRODUCTS. IT'S FINANCIALLY, IT'S SUBSTANTIAL, RIGHT? AND A LOT OF OUR DRONES. THE LOWER LEVEL DRONES WE USE FOR LIKE A CAR, CRASH WILL FLY OVER THE SCENE TO CAPTURE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. AT THAT MOMENT COUNCIL: THOSE ARE LESS IMPORTANT. BUT IF WE HAVE A MISSING PERSON, OR IF WE HAVE A WANTED SUBJECT OR BARRICADED SUBJECT, WE WILL USE THE HIGHER QUALITY DRONE, BETTER CAMERAS, BETTER LIGHTS, BETTER AUDIO EQUIPMENT, JUST ALL AROUND BETTER EQUIPMENT. WE WILL USE THAT FOR THOSE EVENTS A THERMAL. COUNCIL: AND WE HAVE THAT OPTION ALSO. COUNCIL: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE IT. COUNCIL: NOBODY HAS ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. OKAY, YEAH, ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL: CAN I GET THOSE SAMPLES BACK? BEN IS HIDING THEM. COUNCIL: YEAH, YEAH. COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT. SO, MISS BONKOFF, WE NEED TO ADOPT THE REPORT OR THIS, WE YES, WE NEED TO RENEW THE ORDINANCE. RENEW THE ORDINANCE. RIGHT? OKAY? SO I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO RENEW THE ORDINANCE, PLEASE. SO MOVED SECOND COUNCIL: COUNCIL. MEMBER REEDY. YES, MAYOR, PRO TEM. BROWN. YES, COUNCIL, MEMBER PEARL. YES, COUNCIL, MEMBER EKLUND. YES, MAYOR ANDREATA. YES. COUNCIL: OH, AND I WAS WRONG. WE HAVE 6 PUBLIC HEARINGS. YEAH, YEAH, IT'S ON THE NEXT PAGE. YEAH, I KNOW. I SAW THAT. BUT I WAS LIKE I WAS TURNING IT FAST, AND THEY COULDN'T TELL IF IT WAS. COUNCIL: YEAH, THAT'S FINE. YOU CAN CORRECT ME, BEN. THAT'S FINE, ALL RIGHT. ITEM 12 B. COUNCIL: INTRODUCE AND WAIVE. 1ST READING OF AN ORDINANCE, MAKING TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS AND UPDATES TO THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL CODE AND FINDING THE ORDINANCE IS EXEMPT FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UNDER THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACTS. COUNCIL: LOOKS LIKE CHIEF MIGHT WANT TO MAKE THIS REPORT FOR ME. SO WHAT WAS THAT CHIEF GOT AHEAD OF HIMSELF ON THE AGENDA, TOO. DO THIS ONE FOR ME. COUNCIL: SO WHAT IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS OUR TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS TO OUR MUNICIPAL CODE. THE MUNICIPAL CODE IS REALLY SORT OF THE BACKBONE OF CITY OPERATIONS. IT GOVERNS EVERYTHING WE DO, FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT TO THE TYPES OF FEES THAT ARE IMPOSED TO OUR ZONING CODE, AND AND ALL OF THOSE VERY IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE ACTS THAT ARE BEFORE YOU ON A REGULAR BASIS. COUNCIL: SO WHAT I AM ATTEMPTING TO DO WITH THIS IS TO PRODUCE FOR YOU TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY COUNCIL: FIXING TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. SOMETIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'LL SEE IN HERE THERE'S A CROSS-REFERENCE TO A CODE SECTION, AND IT'S 1 NUMBER OFF. COUNCIL: AND SO I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR TO JUST ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEND TO ME ANYTHING THAT THEY COME ACROSS WHEN THEY'RE REVIEWING THE CODE THAT THEY THINK FITS INTO THAT CATEGORY OF A TECHNICAL AMENDMENT. AND I WANT TO SAY AN EXTRA SPECIAL THANK YOU TO SAM RUSSELL, MY FORMER CITY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, WHO HAS SINCE MOVED UP TO THE SECOND FLOOR BUILDING DIVISION. BUT HE WAS VERY HELPFUL IN ACTUALLY READING THROUGH THE ENTIRE CODE AND HIGHLIGHTING COUNCIL: RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HE WAS MAKING TO ME FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS AMENDMENT. SO HE WAS A GREAT, GREAT ASSET TO HAVE ON THE TEAM GOING FORWARD, I'LL BE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS ON A WIDER BASIS, AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO PROVIDE THEM TO ME AS THE YEAR GOES ON, AND IF THEY ACCUMULATE MORE, AND WE DO IT EVERY 6 MONTHS. WE'LL DO IT EVERY 6 MONTHS. WHATEVER IS NECESSARY. COUNCIL: AN EFFICIENT CODE IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITY'S OPERATIONS. COUNCIL: AND SO JUST KIND OF FLYING WITH THAT A HIGH VIEW OF WHAT'S HERE. MOST OF THE REVISIONS ARE EXACTLY THAT. IT'S CHANGING AN INTERNAL CROSS-REFERENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CROSS-REFERENCING TO THE RIGHT CODE SECTION. COUNCIL: I WOULD SAY THAT THE 2 MORE COUNCIL: SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES ACTUALLY ARE RELATED TO OUR MARIJUANA ORDINANCE, AND WE HAD THIS COME UP WITH SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT, RECENTLY, WHERE THERE WAS A WARRANT EXECUTED, WENT IN THE HOUSE, AND THERE WERE A LOT MORE PLANTS THAN ARE LEGALLY AUTHORIZED UNDER OUR CODE, AND THERE WERE PLANTS OUT OF DOORS. AND SO THERE WAS KIND OF A DISCUSSION INTERNALLY ABOUT HOW WE REVIEW THE CODE. COUNCIL: IT ALLOWS FOR 6 PLANTS INSIDE, SO IS THE $500 PENALTY $500 PER PLANT IN VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE. COUNCIL: AND THIS IT WAS DECIDED BY STAFF THAT THAT IS A CONSISTENT READING WITH OTHER SECTIONS IN OUR CODE THAT PROVIDE FOR EVERY VIOLATION BEING A SEPARATE AND DISTINCT VIOLATION. AND SO ONE OF THE PROPOSED REVISIONS SIMPLY CLARIFIES TO SAY THAT THE $500 PENALTY IS FOR EVERY PLANT IN EXCESS OF THE 6 THAT ARE PERMITTED UNDER THE CODE. COUNCIL: THERE WAS ALSO A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER, AND THIS HAS COME UP IN THE PAST, TOO, WHETHER THE 6 PLANT RULE IS PER HOUSEHOLD OR PER PERSON. COUNCIL: BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INCIDENTS WHERE THE RESIDENTS ARE VERY CREATIVE, AND GIVE US, YOU KNOW, LEASE AGREEMENTS FOR THE 30 PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT HOUSE, AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE 180 PLANTS, OR OR WHATEVER IT IS. SO THE TECHNICAL AMENDMENT THAT IS BEING PROPOSED IS THAT IT CLARIFIES. IT'S 6 PLANTS PER HOUSEHOLD, NOT PER PERSON. COUNCIL: AND WITH THAT THERE'S JUST SOME MINOR TECHNICAL CHANGES REGARDING THE SKATE PARK. I THINK YOU SAW IN THE STAFF REPORT. WE'RE JUST DELETING A REFERENCE TO MCBEAN, SINCE IT'S NO LONGER AT MCBEAN. ONCE OUR NEW SKATE PARK IS BEAUTIFUL AND OPEN AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER. WE'LL BE REVISING THAT ORDINANCE AGAIN TO MAKE IT CONSISTENT WITH THAT. COUNCIL: AND THEN JUST ONE TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR IN MY REPORT. IF YOU LOOK AT SECTION 5 OF THE ORDINANCE, THE BOX WHERE IT SAYS COUNCIL: 3RD VIOLATION. WITHIN ONE YEAR THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DOLLAR SIGN THERE IN FRONT OF THE 500. I THINK IT WAS THERE BECAUSE I LOOKED AT A PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE STAFF REPORT, BUT WE WERE KIND OF GOING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHETHER WE REDLINE CHANGES OR DON'T. RED LINE CHANGES, AND I THINK IT JUST GOT DROPPED. SO WITH THAT ADDITION OF THAT DOLLAR SIGN IN FRONT OF THE 500. I WILL RETURN THIS TO COUNCIL FOR ANY QUESTIONS, AND FOLLOWING THAT, I'D ASK THAT YOU OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO CHIME IN ON THIS ONE COUNCIL: GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL. COUNCIL: FIRST.ST COUNCIL: JUST ONE QUESTION. DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE COMING BACK EVERY 6 MONTHS OR SO, UNLESS IT'S AN AN EMERGENCY OBVIOUSLY COUNCIL: CORRECT. SO THE PLAN IS, IT'S JUST AS A MATTER OF GOOD HOUSEKEEPING. I CERTAINLY DID THIS IN SANTA MARIA WHEN I WAS THERE PREVIOUSLY, AND JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET AROUND TO IT UNTIL THIS YEAR, AND SO I HOPE TO MAKE IT AT LEAST ANNUAL, AND THEN IT CAN BE MORE FREQUENT IF NECESSARY. COUNCIL: YEAH, NO. I JUST APPRECIATE HOW THOROUGH YOU ARE AND APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE TIME TO TO DO THESE TYPES OF THINGS. SO THEY DON'T PILE UP. AND HOW IMPORTANT SPECIFIC POLICIES AND ORDINANCES ARE FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, PLANTS. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO TO KNOW THE SPECIFICS AND HAVE THAT COUNCIL: REALLY CLEAR TO US AND FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS. SO THANK YOU. COUNCIL: S. 1, REALLY, ALWAYS. THINGS ARE ALWAYS CHANGING. COUNCIL: SO THERE, I CAN'T IMAGINE THERE'S EVER GOING TO BE A TIME WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADJUST SOMETHING. COUNCIL: APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS AND HELPS US, TOO. COUNCIL: YEAH, I PARTICULARLY APPRECIATE THE CLARITY ON THE MARIJUANA PLANTS. THAT'S IMPORTANT. YEAH. COUNCIL: YEAH, THANK YOU. YES. 6, 101.ST YES, YEAH. COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT, LET'S OPEN THE PUBLIC. HEARING. COUNCIL: ANYBODY IN THE ROOM WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUNCIL: PUBLIC COMMENT OR TESTIMONY ON THIS. COUNCIL: ANYBODY ON ZOOM. COUNCIL: OH, GO AHEAD! COUNCIL: HI, MADAM! MY NAME'S SELLA GREENHOUSE. I LIVE AT 67 E STREET. COUNCIL: I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WAS GOING AROUND THE TOWN THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF RED NOTICED HOMES, AND I NOTICED IT WAS ABOUT MUNICIPAL CODES. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH WITH THAT WITH? BECAUSE I THERE WAS A LOT TO READ. SO MY QUESTION IS THE RED NOTICE HOMES THAT ARE KIND OF AROUND IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. I HAVEN'T BEEN OUTSIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA, IS IN REGARDS TO THE COUNCIL: UPGRADING OF THOSE HOMES. AND IS THIS BYPASSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ANALYSIS IN REGARDS TO THAT. I DON'T. COUNCIL: YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT? I DON'T THINK IT HAS. COUNCIL: IT'S DIFFERENT TOPIC, RIGHT? CORRECT. I'M HAPPY TO TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. NO, THE RED NOTICES THAT ONE WOULD SEE IF THEY'RE DRIVING AROUND A NEIGHBORHOOD TYPICALLY ARE A COMBINATION OF EITHER CODE ENFORCEMENT OR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IF THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE HOUSE, THEY WILL OFTENTIMES RED TAG THE HOUSE UNTIL IT CAN BE REPAIRED AND CLEARED FOR OCCUPANCY. IF THEY'RE SUBSTANDARD LIVING CONDITIONS, CODE, ENFORCEMENT AND BUILDING WILL OFTEN GET INVOLVED COUNCIL: AND AND TAG THE HOUSE AND PROHIBIT OCCUPANCY UNTIL IT CAN GET REPAIRED AND BROUGHT UP TO CODE. SO THAT THAT IS SEPARATE AND APART AND VERY DISTINCT FROM WHAT THIS IS TONIGHT. COUNCIL: RIGHT? ANY OTHER ANYBODY ON ZOOM. COUNCIL: OKAY. COUNCIL: CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING. AND IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. ITEM 12 B. COUNCIL: APPROVE MOTION. 12. A SECOND EARL AND REEDY. COUNCIL: THANK YOU. COUNCIL. MEMBER PEARL. YES, COUNCIL MEMBER REEDY. YES, MAYOR, PRO TEM. BROWN. YES, COUNCIL. MEMBER EKLUND. YES, MAYOR ANDREATA. YES, THANK YOU. COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT, CHIEF MEJIA. HERE YOU GO. 12 C. INTRODUCE IN A WAY. FIRST, ST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 15.0 4 OF THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL CODE TO ADD SECTION 15.0 4.1 7 5 INCORPORATING CAL FIRE. DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS INTO THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL CODE FOR PROPERTIES IN HIGH AND VERY HIGH FIRE, HAZARD, SEVERITY ZONES. COUNCIL: GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL. HI, ANTHONY MEJIA, DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF. SO TONIGHT I'M GOING TO BE GIVING AN OVERVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE AND THE CHANGE OF THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL CODE ABOUT THE DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS. COUNCIL: SO FIRST, ST I JUST WANT TO DISCUSS WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORDINANCE. REALLY, THIS KIND OF CAME ABOUT BECAUSE WE WERE RECEIVING COMPLAINTS FROM DIFFERENT PROPERTY OWNERS, NEIGHBORS OF SAYING THAT THEY THINK THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS HAVE A FIRE RISK. PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE A FIRE RISK, AND THAT WAS ENDING IN THE LAP OF CODE ENFORCEMENT. AND THEN IT WAS COMING OVER TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE WAY WE WERE DEALING WITH THESE PROBLEMS WAS VERY SUBJECTIVE. WE WERE DECIDING, OKAY, MAYBE CLEAR A LITTLE BIT OVER HERE, CLEAR THERE. COUNCIL: AND SO THIS CAUSED SOME COLLABORATION BETWEEN US AND CODE ENFORCEMENT TO KIND OF COME TO THIS CONCLUSION. BUT REALLY, WHAT IT COMES TO IS THAT THERE'S REALLY NO OFFICIAL REGULATIONS OR CODE ABOUT HOW PROPERTY OWNERS SHOULD PREPARE THEIR LAND TO REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK. SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS IMPLEMENTING THE CAL FIRE STATEWIDE PROVEN DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS. I SAY, PROVEN BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THIS HAPPEN IN REAL LIFE, BEING ON WILD LAND INCIDENTS, SEEING HOMES THAT HAVE DEFENSIBLE SPACE DONE, AND THEN OTHER ONES THAT HAVE NOT WATCHING WHAT THAT CAN ACTUALLY DO IN REAL TIME. COUNCIL: I DO KNOW THAT THESE ARE PROVEN STANDARDS THAT WILL DO WELL FOR US IN WHAT WE'RE ASKING NEXT IS THIS, ORDINANCE WOULD ADOPT THOSE STANDARDS INTO THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL CODE FOR PROPERTIES IN THE HIGH AND THE VERY HIGH SEVERITY ZONES. NOW. COUNCIL: I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY HOMES IN THE VERY HIGH SEVERITY ZONES CURRENTLY. BUT WHAT I'M LOOKING AT DOING IS TRYING TO LOOK OUT INTO THE FUTURE. IF THIS EVER DID EXPAND, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND REINVENT THE WHEEL WITH THIS, AND WE CAN START PREPARING FOR ANY OF THESE THINGS, AND BE PREPARED THAT THE HIGH COULD TURN INTO A VERY HIGH AND JUST BE A LITTLE PROACTIVE COUNCIL: NEXT IS BY ADOPTING THE DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS OR IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE CODES AND REGULATIONS. AND SO WHAT THIS IS REALLY LEANING INTO IS THAT PROPERTY OWNERS RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, IN A HIGH OR VERY HIGH IN THE LRA AREAS, THEY HAVE TO GET A REAL ESTATE INSPECTION DONE TO SELL THEIR PROPERTY. THOSE REAL ESTATE INSPECTIONS ARE ACTUALLY COMING TO US CURRENTLY. SO IF SOMEBODY IS ALREADY CLASSIFIED IN A HIGH SEVERITY ZONE FROM THE MAPS THAT WE HAD TO ADOPT. COUNCIL: THEY'RE ASKING US TO GO THERE AND SEE IF THEY'RE IN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THOSE SPACE REQUIREMENTS. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY STARTING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO TACKLE THAT WITHOUT HAVING ANYTHING IN THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL CODE. WE REALLY ARE JUST GOING OUT THERE AND SAYING, YEP, YOU'RE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS AND LETTING THEM DEAL THAT WITH THE REALTORS ON ON THAT SIDE OF IT. I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB, AND JUST AT LEAST PREP THEM TO KNOW THAT THEIR HOMES CAN BE PREPPED, KNOW WHAT THE STANDARDS ARE, AND HELP THEM OUT WITH THAT. COUNCIL: SO REALLY, THE ONE I WANT TO REALLY DRIVE HOME IS THE THE LOCALLY ENFORCED FIRE. HAZARD REQUIREMENTS ARE ONLY THERE AS A CLEAR RISK FOR LIFE AND PROPERTY. SO COUNCIL: WE'RE REALLY GOING TO TAKE A PRACTICAL, COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH. I REALLY WANT US TO LOOK AT OUR COMMUNITY AND SAY WE WANT TO WORK WITH THEM. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE A HEAVY HAND AND SAY, YOU NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THESE SPACE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE THE MAP IS SAYING SO. WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT STUFF THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHEN WE GO OUT THERE AND SAY THAT WE DO FEEL THAT THIS HAS A FIRE HAZARD, THAT THIS IS A RISK, THAT THIS IS A THREAT, AND THAT ENFORCEMENT WILL REST ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOULDERS. COUNCIL: SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE ZONES. SO THE DEFENSIBLE SPACE ZONE ONE. THIS WOULD REQUIRE IN THE HIGH AND THE VERY HIGH. IT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT STRINGENT, BUT IT ACTUALLY REALLY ISN'T IN ACTUALITY. WHEN YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING AT SAYING, HEY, WE WANT TO HAVE CLEAR BRANCHES FROM 10 FEET FROM CHIMNEYS. WE DON'T HAVE TREES TOUCHING CLOSE TO FIREPLACES, REMOVE ROOF AND GUTTER DEBRIS, REALLY ELIMINATE ANY SORT OF DEAD PLANTS OR LADDER FUEL, SOMETHING THAT WE COULD SEE THAT COULD CATCH AND ACTUALLY CATCH THE STRUCTURE ON FIRE. COUNCIL: KEEP SPACE UNDER DECKS FREE OF COMBUSTIBLE RELOCATE WOOD PILES DON'T HAVE THEM RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR HOME. THIS IS A VERY PRACTICAL APPROACH. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THE WAY OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE LIVING, AND HAVING TO HAVE SOME STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS UPON THEM. COUNCIL: ZONE 2. AGAIN. THIS IS FOR THE INTENTION THAT IF WE END UP GOING TO A VERY HIGH SEVERITY ZONE, WHICH IS THE 30 TO 100 FOOT CLEARANCE AROUND PROPERTIES. AND REALLY, AGAIN, THIS ONE IS THINNING AND SPACING, THE VEGETATION, MOWING THE GRASS DOWN TO 4 INCHES, REMOVING ANY DEAD SHRUBS AND TREES, MAINTAINING 10 FEET OF CLEAR SOIL AROUND WOOD PILES. AGAIN. THIS IS ONE WHERE IT. IT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT DAUNTING BECAUSE IT HAS A HUNDRED FOOT MARKER TO IT, BUT IN ALL ACTUALITY IT'S REALLY JUST GOOD HOUSEKEEPING. COUNCIL: AND I KIND OF THREW THIS PICTURE IN HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS HOW IT LOOKS WHEN YOU GET ASSIGNED TO A HOME. UNDERSTAND THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS WENT OUT 11 TIMES THIS YEAR TO THROUGHOUT THE STATE, AND WHAT THEY WERE CAUSED TO DO 9 TIMES OUT OF 10 WAS GOING TO BE PROTECTING STRUCTURES, AND SO TAKING THIS SORT OF APPROACH, AS IF WE HAVE STRUCTURES THAT HAVE A THREAT, A THREAT, OR RISK COUNCIL: ALLOWING OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND SPACE TO TRY TO DO THEIR JOB REALLY WILL GO A LONG WAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR RECOMMENDATIONS IS THIS IS THE 1ST READ IS THAT AFTER SECOND, READ THAT WE LOOK AT ADOPTING THIS, A PART OF THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL CODE, AND I BELIEVE THAT WHEN IT'S APPLIED AND ENFORCED CORRECTLY, IT WILL REDUCE WILDFIRE RISK, AND IT WILL PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY. SO THAT IS MY RECOMMENDATION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT COUNCIL: COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. COUNCIL: YEAH. SO A FEW WEEKS AGO WE REVIEWED A MAP WHERE THE CAL FIRE DECIDED WHAT WAS VERY WHAT WAS HIGH IN OUR CASE, YOUR MEDIUM. SO IN THAT SOME LOCATIONS INSIDE OF LINCOLN HAD OUTDATED MAPS WHERE THEY WERE MORE DEVELOPED AND LESS RURAL. COUNCIL: AND SO SOME OF THOSE HOMES FIT INTO THIS SORT OF COUNCIL: HIGH RISK. HOW WILL THEY? WILL THOSE FOLKS IN DEVELOPED COMMUNITIES BE IMPACTED BY THIS, IF AT ALL. SO YEAH, SO THEY WILL BE IMPACTED THAT WE'RE SAYING, HEY, YOU ARE IN A HIGH SEVERITY ZONE. BUT THE ENFORCEMENT OF IT IS GOING TO COME FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE UNDERSTANDING THE PRACTICAL, COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH COUNCIL: THAT WE KNOW THE MAPPING I DO FEEL, THOUGH, THE TECHNOLOGY IS OUT THERE. WE'RE WATCHING THE TECHNOLOGY EVOLVE CONSTANTLY. AND I DO THINK THAT THESE MAPS AND THE MAPPING AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY HAVE IS GOING TO ADVANCE OVER TIME. AND IT'S GOING TO GIVE US MORE ACCURATE DATA. WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CITY OR AREA THAT'S COMPLAINING ABOUT THE LEGITIMACY OF SOME OF THESE ZONES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED. BUT WE DO FEEL OVERALL INDUSTRY STANDARD THAT IT IS MAPPING SOME OF OUR FUEL MODELS JUST A LITTLE BIT BEHIND. SO COUNCIL: SO WHAT I THINK IS THAT YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY'S IN THE HIGH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THERE, AND WE LOOK AT IT. AND WE THINK THAT THIS HOME IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A COMMUNITY. COUNCIL: WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HEAVY HANDED AND SAY, OKAY, YOU NEED TO ENFORCE ALL OF THESE CODES. THAT'S WHY I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ENFORCING THESE. SO COUNCIL: OKAY? AND SO THE ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN HAS THAT FLEXIBILITY FOR YOU. SO I MEAN, THE CHIMNEY THING IS THE THING I THINK, THAT COMES TO MOST MIND IF THEY HAVE A CHIMNEY IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT. COUNCIL: BUT COUNCIL: ARE THERE WERE THERE ANY OTHERS THAT ARE THAT WE SHOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU DIDN'T IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT MIGHT IMPACT THEM. NO, I THINK THAT IF WE GO THERE AND YOU'RE IN A HIGH SEVERITY ZONE AND YOU HAVE. YOUR GUTTERS ARE COMPLETELY FILLED WITH DEAD LEAVES. WE'RE GOING TO WANT YOU TO CLEAN THOSE OUT. IF YOU HAVE TREE BRANCHES TOUCHING YOUR CHIMNEY. COUNCIL: WE'RE GONNA WANT YOU TO TO, YOU KNOW, SHRUB THOSE BACK. SO I THINK WITH JUST THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ZONE ONE, REALLY, WHAT WE'RE NOT ASKING IS A LOT. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S REALLY GONNA HAVE THAT IMPACT. AND IT WILL HAVE US ALLOW US TO HAVE THAT LEEWAY AS WE INSPECT AND ENFORCE. COUNCIL: THANK YOU. COUNCIL: GOOD QUESTION. ANYBODY ELSE. COUNCIL: ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, THOUGH, THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN WE DO THIS KIND OF A THING IS THAT COUNCIL: YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT COME TO ME AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHY SO MUCH REGULATION? AND WHY DOES THE GOVERNMENT NEED TO DO THIS AND THAT? AND THE OTHER? AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT OUR PURPOSE IN ANY OF THESE ORDINANCES, OR ANYTHING THAT WE PUT TOGETHER, IS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND THE PROPERTY OF THE INDIVIDUAL. AND SO, WHERE ONE PERSON MAY LOOK AT THIS GUTTER FULL OF LEAVES AND BE LIKE, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO BE FORCED TO COUNCIL: TO DO THAT WHILE THE NEIGHBOR TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS OR PROPERTY. COUNCIL: YOU KNOW, FROM FIRE OR INCIDENTS. AND SO WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT ANY OF THESE THINGS. THAT COUNCIL: THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE MAKING SURE TO TO DO THAT. SO APPRECIATE COUNCIL: YOUR TIME AND EFFORT ON THAT COUNCIL: COUNCILMEMBER PRO CHIEF. WHAT'S THE ENFORCEMENT CAPABILITY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OR THE CITY HAS. COUNCIL: WHEN YOU IF YOU COME ACROSS SOMETHING IN THE IN THE HIGH SEVERITY AREA. COUNCIL: CURRENTLY, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR US TO WORK OUT. BUT I WOULD SAY THAT I THINK IT'S GOING TO START OFF WITH JUST A VERY COMMON SENSE APPROACH OF IDENTIFYING WHAT THE ISSUE IS, GIVING THEM A CHANCE TO FIX THE ISSUE WORKING WITH THE HOMEOWNER. AND THEN, IF IT GETS TO A POINT WHERE THEY'RE BEING RELUCTANT. I THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT OUR MODE OF ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE COUNCIL: AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE MARIJUANA ORDINANCE. OTHER TYPES OF THE SOCIAL HOST ORDINANCE IS, WE WILL WORK WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, AND WE WILL WORK WITH FIRE. TYPICALLY THEY WILL GO OUT, DO THE INSPECTION, AND THEN CODE ENFORCEMENT WILL BE CREATING A CASE AND THEN CODE ENFORCEMENT WILL WORK THE CASE THROUGH TO COMPLETION FOR FINAL APPROVAL AND SIGN OFF BY THE DEPARTMENT. COUNCIL: AND THEN, IF THINGS GO SIDEWAYS AS THE CITY ATTORNEY, I HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROSECUTE OUR MUNICIPAL CODE. COUNCIL: HOPEFULLY, IT NEVER GETS TO THAT. OKAY, SO I'M GONNA I'M GONNA TAKE THIS FROM THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE. I COMPLETELY SUPPORT THIS. AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD POLICY, AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT. COUNCIL: AND SO THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, HOW DO WE? AND ENFORCE IT? WHICH WE HAVE A A CLEAR SYSTEM FOR THAT. COUNCIL: SOMETIMES WE HAVE. AND RIGHT NOW I'M NOT SPEAKING OF ANYBODY BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE ON OUR STAFF, BUT COUNCIL: PEOPLE COME AND GO, WE HIRE, AND PEOPLE LEAVE AND RETIRE, WHATEVER. COUNCIL: AND WHOEVER IS GOING TO BE THE INSPECTOR OR THE FIRE MARSHAL, OR THE FIRE CHIEF, WHATEVER. NOT YOU, CHIEF, BUT WHOEVER COUNCIL: SOMETIMES WE HAVE PERSONALITIES THAT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A POWER TRIP. COUNCIL: AND THEY MIGHT COME TO A HOME, AND THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN TO BE IN COMPLIANCE, AND IT'S SAFE. BUT THIS PARTICULAR PERSON IS GOING TO MAKE IT REALLY HARD FOR THIS HOMEOWNER WHEN THEY'VE ALREADY COMPLIED. I JUST YOU CAN'T PREDICT THAT RIGHT. AND I JUST WANT US TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION THAT IF A HOMEOWNER IS DOING THEIR BEST TO BE IN COMPLIANCE, AND THEY WANT TO FOLLOW THE ORDINANCE, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BE SAFE COUNCIL: THAT WE BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ON OUR STAFF THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY HEAVY LIKE YOU USE THE WORD HEAVY HANDED. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HEAVY HANDED. WE WANT THEM TO COMPLY. WE WANT THEM TO BE. FOLLOW THE ORDINANCE. COUNCIL: I'M I'M JUST CONCERNED AS WITH ANY SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE PERSONALITIES THAT MIGHT COME IN THAT WANT TO HAVE THEIR LITTLE KINGDOMS AND JUST BE JERKS TO PEOPLE, AND I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THAT. SO I DON'T FORESEE THAT. BUT I ALSO BEEN AROUND A WHILE, AND I KNOW HOW HUMAN PERSONALITIES CAN BE SOMETIMES. SO YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO ANSWER THAT, CHIEF. I JUST I JUST WANTED TO LIKE, TAKE IT FROM THE OTHER SIDE. YES, WE CAN ENFORCE IT. BUT WE ALSO DON'T WANT COUNCIL: TO BE SUPER HEAVY HANDED JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE WANTS HAS A POWER TRIP. COUNCIL: ABSOLUTELY. OKAY, AGREED. THANK YOU. OKAY, I SORT OF SEE THIS AS CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG STARTING POINT. SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING FORWARD AND BEING PROACTIVE AND SORT OF GETTING A LITTLE ORGANIZED, AND THIS IS GOING TO KIND OF MOLD AND SHIFT AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH THESE UNCHARTED TERRITORIES. THAT'S SORT OF WHAT IT IS AT THIS POINT. YES, EXACTLY. AND I THINK TO TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE? IS IT ACTUALLY ESTABLISHES OBJECTIVE STANDARDS COUNCIL: THAT ARE WRITTEN DOWN, AND THAT IT ISN'T A MATTER OF. COUNCIL: YOU KNOW, ONE OFFICER FROM ONE DEPARTMENT, ANOTHER OFFICER FROM ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, HAVING DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS AND LAYING DOWN DIFFERENT CONFLICTING RULES. I APPRECIATE THAT. COUNCIL: YEAH, ALL RIGHT, LET'S OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNCIL: ARE THERE ANY TESTIMONIES ON THIS ITEM? YES, MA'AM COUNCIL: MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOU. COUNCIL: BRINGING UP THAT COMMENT OF RESPECTING THOSE BECAUSE I HAVE. AN UNCLE, I THINK, ABOUT, WHO HAS ABOUT 20 ACRES IN ORANGEVALE, AND WHEN HE FALLEN, BROKE HIS HIP COUNCIL: IT WAS ME GOING ON HIS ROOF. COUNCIL: HELPING CLEAN OUT HIS GUTTERS. IT WAS ME HELPING TO MOW DOWN THE GRASS, AND HE JUST KEPT TELLING ME THE CITY AND THE COUNTY'S GONNA GET ON ME IF I DON'T. I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND UNTIL SOME OF MY CLIENTS COUNCIL: WE'RE IN PARADISE FIRE. AND SO TO COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN'S POINT, RIGHT. WE TALK ABOUT ENFORCEMENT. BUT I THINK REALLY IT'S ABOUT THE NEIGHBOR. AND HOW DO WE REPORT THAT? SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE RIGHT IF WE NOTICE THAT FROM A NEIGHBOR. WHAT'S THE BEST AVENUE TO REPORT THAT TO THE CITY TO SHOW US A GOOD NEIGHBORLY THING FOR THE PROTECTION OF MY HOME PROTECTION OF YOUR HOME AND PROTECTION OF EVERYBODY. HOW DO WE GO ABOUT THAT? NOT JUST COUNCIL: IN THESE AREAS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, BUT ALSO HERE, LOCALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN POPULATION, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF GRASSES AND EMPTY LOTS WE HAVE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHO THE OWNER IS AND MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR CITY SAFE. YEAH. SO WE WE HAVE A REALLY GREAT CODE ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM. AND SO ANYBODY WHO HAS A CONCERN, THEY CAN GO ON THE WEBSITE. THEY CAN FILL OUT A CODE ENFORCEMENT COMPLAINT OR OR CLAIM. AND THEN CODE ENFORCEMENT WILL INVESTIGATE AND THEY'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE. SO ANYBODY COULD DO THAT, AND IT'S ANONYMOUS. COUNCIL: AND SO IT'S IT'S A GOOD SYSTEM. YEP, GOOD, THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE. COUNCIL: ANYBODY ON ZOOM. COUNCIL: I WILL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING, BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. COUNCIL: NO, I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH ALL OF OUR THOUGHTS. I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. GOOD! I THINK IT'S GREAT. I APPRECIATE IT. COUNCIL: THANK YOU, CHIEF. COUNCIL: AND I LIVED IN WHEN I WAS IN EL DORADO HILLS. I LIVED IN A VERY HIGH AREA. SO THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR THE SAFETY OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. YEAH, FOR SURE. COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT, I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. I'LL MOVE TO ADD. SECTION 15.0 4.1 7 5 COUNCIL: INCORPORATING CAL FIRE DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIREMENTS INTO THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL CODE. COUNCIL: SECOND, BROWN AND PEARL. COUNCIL: THANK YOU. MAYOR. PRO TEM. BROWN. YES, COUNCIL. MEMBER PEARL. YES. COUNCIL. MEMBER REEDY. YES. COUNCIL, MEMBER EKLUND. YES, MAYOR ANDREATA. YES. COUNCIL: OKAY. ITEM 12. DEAN. COUNCIL: CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPT THE CITY OF LINCOLN STATUS ON VACANCIES AND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS IN COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNMENT CODE 3 5 0 2.3. VERONICA. HI! COUNCIL: GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, VERONICA RODRIGUEZ, HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR. COUNCIL: I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO CONDUCT THIS PUBLIC HEARING IN COMPLIANCE WITH AB. 2561. COUNCIL: THIS ASSEMBLY BILL BECAME EFFECTIVE AS OF JANUARY 1, 2025, AND IT AMENDS THE MYERS-MELIAS BROWN ACT COUNCIL: TO INCLUDE GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 3,502.3. COUNCIL: THE INTENT OF THIS BILL IS TO ADDRESS THE WIDESPREAD ISSUE OF VACANCIES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR. WHEN POSITIONS REMAIN UNFILLED. COUNCIL: EXISTING EMPLOYEES ARE OFTEN FORCED TO TAKE ON ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES LEADING TO BURNOUT LOW MORALE, AND INCREASED TURNOVER. COUNCIL: THESE CHALLENGES CAN ULTIMATELY HINDER A PUBLIC ENTITY'S ABILITY TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY COUNCIL: AS BACKGROUND. THE MMBA IS A SECTION OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE WHICH GOVERNS EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS FOR LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCIES. COUNCIL: AND THIS PARTICULAR SECTION AS GOVERNMENT CODE 3, 3, 5 0, 2.3. IT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS. COUNCIL: PUBLIC AGENCIES MUST PRESENT THE STATUS OF ITS VACANCIES AS WELL AS ITS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. EFFORTS DURING A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE ITS GOVERNING BOARD, AT LEAST ONCE PER FISCAL YEAR PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENCY'S BUDGET COUNCIL: PUBLIC AGENCY MUST ALSO ADDRESS ANY NECESSARY CHANGES TO POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES THAT MAY LEAD TO OBSTACLES IN THE HIRING PROCESS COUNCIL: FOR PUBLIC AGENCIES WITH A WORKFORCE THAT'S REPRESENTED. THE GOVERNMENT CODE ALSO REQUIRES OR ALLOWS FOR THOSE ENTITIES THOSE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS DURING THE TIME THAT THE PRESENTATION ON THE VACANCY IS CONDUCTED. COUNCIL: I'M GONNA START NOW BY JUST PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE CITY'S VACANCIES, AND WE'LL 1ST THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS IT HAS IN THE TOTAL VACANCIES, AND THEN THAT VACANCY RATE. SO THE CITY OF LINCOLN CURRENTLY HAS 223.2 5 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITIONS HAS A TOTAL OF 17 VACANCIES FOR AN OVERALL CITY VACANCY RATE OF 7.6%. COUNCIL: THESE POSITIONS, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ARE, OR THE VACANCIES ARE DISTRIBUTED AMONGST 7 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 17 VACANCIES. COUNCIL: AND SOME, YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENTS AS LISTED HERE DON'T HAVE ANY VACANCIES AT ALL BY EMPLOYEE GROUP. COUNCIL: WE HAVE LISTED THESE HERE BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT CODE ALSO INDICATES THAT COUNCIL: IF THERE ARE VACANCIES WITHIN ONE PARTICULAR EMPLOYEE GROUP THAT REACH THE THRESHOLD OF 20% OR MORE, WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THOSE VACANCIES. OUR GROUPS, THOUGH, HAVE NO VACANCY RATES, NONE OF THE VACANCY RATES FOR EACH GROUP MEET THAT 20% THRESHOLD. COUNCIL: SO, AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE VACANCY RATE. OVERALL IS 7.6%. A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO NOTE THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT IS THAT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. WE HAVE A 3% VACANCY RATE. BOTH BOTH POLICE AND FIRE COUNCIL: POLICE CURRENTLY HAS 0 VACANCIES, AND SO DOES FIRE. AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT. ALL OF THIS DATA IS EFFECTIVE. MAY 1ST WE DID HAVE ONE VACANCY IN POLICE, AND THAT HAS SINCE BEEN FILLED. WHICH ONE WAS THAT VERONICA. IT WAS A DISPATCHER POSITION. OKAY, GREAT, AWESOME. COUNCIL: SO THEY'RE ALSO. COUNCIL: IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE HAVE A 3% VACANCY IN PUBLIC WORKS, DESPITE THEM HAVING THE LARGEST NUMBER OF POSITIONS, AND IF YOU COULD SEE THERE, THE PUBLIC WORKS HAS 67 POSITIONS WITH 2 VACANCIES, THEY'RE REALLY GOOD ABOUT FILLING THEIR POSITIONS. SO WE'RE REAL PROUD OF THE PUBLIC WORKS GROUP FOR TAKING CARE OF THAT. COUNCIL: SO JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF EACH DEPARTMENT AND THE STATUS OF ITS VACANCIES. COUNCIL: I'M GOING TO START WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS 4 VACANCIES. COUNCIL: IT HAS A PLANNER, A PERMIT TECH. AND AGAIN, THIS IS AS OF MAY. FIRST, ST PLANNER, PERMIT TECH SENIOR PLANS EXAMINER BUILDING INSPECTOR. COUNCIL: SO, AS YOU CAN SEE FOR THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS, WE HAVE HAD TO ATTEMPT OUR RECRUITMENTS MORE THAN ONCE A LOT OF TIMES. WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH PEOPLE APPLYING THAT AREN'T QUALIFIED, OR THOSE THAT DO APPLY COUNCIL: WANT MORE SALARY THAN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, OFFER BASED ON THE SALARY SCALE. COUNCIL: SO COUNCIL: AS FAR AS THE PLANNER GOES, AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS, WE JUST LAST FRIDAY ON THE 23, RD AN OFFER FOR THAT POSITION WAS ACCEPTED, AND THE CANDIDATE HAS A TENTATIVE START DATE OF MAY 19, TH SO THAT ONE'S BEEN FILLED. THE PERMIT TECH HAS NOT YET BEEN ADVERTISED, BUT THIS POSITION HAS BEEN VACANT FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS. COUNCIL: THE SENIOR PLANS EXAMINER. WE'VE RECRUITED FOR THAT POSITION TWICE AND HAVE ONLY RECEIVED 3 APPLICATIONS. SO MY DEPARTMENT WILL BE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO BROADEN ITS REACH ON THE RECRUITMENT AND EXPAND WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY ADVERTISING COUNCIL: THE BUILDING EXPECTOR POSITION. THAT POSITION WAS FILLED ON MAY 19.TH COUNCIL: REALLY QUICKLY. GO, VERONICA, YOU YOU SAID ON THE SCREEN. IT SAYS THE PERMIT TECH. THERE'S THERE'S COUNCIL: 0 RECRUITMENT ATTEMPTS. YES, IT'S BEEN VACANT FOR LESS THAN 6 MONTHS, AND THEY HAVE NOT YET ADVERTISED THAT. BUT THERE'S 1 VACANCY. YES, EACH OF THESE SIGNIFIES ONE VACANCY. COUNCIL: NEXT WE HAVE THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. COUNCIL: AND AS OF MAY FIRST, ST THERE ARE 4 VACANCIES IN THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. COUNCIL: WE HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR. WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO RECRUIT FOR THAT ONCE 14 APPLICANTS, THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER. COUNCIL: TWICE A TOTAL OF 36 APPLICATIONS SINCE DURING THOSE 2 RECRUITMENTS COUNCIL: ENGINEERING MANAGER, WE'VE RECRUITED FOR THAT ONCE, AND THEN THE SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER WE RECRUITED FOR THAT MULTIPLE TIMES. SO FOR THAT THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS, THE CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR POSITION. COUNCIL: SEE THAT ONE STILL REMAINS VACANT CONSTRUCTION MANAGER. COUNCIL: WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF ASSESSING THAT CLASSIFICATION, THE SALARY FOR IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE COUNCIL: COMPARABLE TO THE REGION. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH THAT PARTICULAR CLASSIFICATION TO GET THAT FILLED COUNCIL: THE ENGINEERING MANAGER POSITION. WE'RE CURRENTLY ASSESSING THE DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MANAGER IS NEEDED IN THAT DEPARTMENT, AND WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD BE BETTER UTILIZED AS A LOWER LEVEL CLASSIFICATION. COUNCIL: AND LAST, WE HAVE A SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER, AND AN OFFER WAS EXTENDED TO A CANDIDATE ON MAY 16, TH WHICH IS PENDING COUNCIL: FOR IT. AND GIS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND GIS. WE HAVE 2 VACANCIES. COUNCIL: THESE ARE NEWLY ESTABLISHED POSITIONS. THE RECRUITMENT CLOSED FOR THE APPLICATION INTEGRATOR ON MAY 20, SECOND, 2025. SO WE'LL BE REVIEWING APPLICATIONS AND HOLDING INTERVIEWS SOON. THE SYSTEM SECURITY ANALYST AND OFFER FOR THIS POSITION WAS ACCEPTED ON MAY 23, RD AND THE TENTATIVE START DATE FOR THE CANDIDATE IS JUNE 5.TH COUNCIL: IN FINANCE WE HAVE 2 VACANCIES. COUNCIL: OR, AS OF MAY ONE, WE HAD 2 VACANCIES. THE ACCOUNTANT POSITION WAS FILLED EFFECTIVE. TODAY. THE PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT VACANCY. WE'RE CURRENTLY ASSESSING THE DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S THE BEST COUNCIL: CLASSIFICATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT. COUNCIL: NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS. COUNCIL: THEY, AS OF THE TIME OF AS OF MAY. 1ST THEY DID HAVE 2. IT'S NOT LISTED HERE. THERE WAS AN ERROR ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, BUT THERE WERE 2 VACANCIES, ONE A REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER, AND THIS PARTICULAR WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM TECHNICIAN. COUNCIL: THIS WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS. TECHNICIAN INTERVIEWS WERE HELD ON MAY 20 SECOND. SO WE SHOULD BE FILLING THAT POSITION SOON. THE REFUSE TRUCK DRIVER WAS FILLED ON MAY 5, TH COUNCIL: AND AGAIN, LIKE I MENTIONED, THE ONE VACANCY THAT WE HAD IN POLICE WAS FILLED, AS OF MAY 18.TH COUNCIL: THIS BILL ALSO REQUIRES CITIES TO REPORT OUT ON ANY FACTORS ANY POLICIES, PROCEDURES THAT THEY'VE CREATED THAT CREATE OBSTACLES IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. COUNCIL: AND WHILE WE DON'T, WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED ANY CHALLENGES INTERNALLY THAT AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT INDIVIDUALS. WE DO KNOW THAT EXTERNALLY THERE ARE SOME FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE ORGANIZATION AND OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT. I'VE LISTED THOSE HERE. THE 1ST IS THE CITY PARTICIPATES IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM REQUIRING THE EMPLOYEE TO CONTRIBUTE 6.2%, COUNCIL: AND THE EMPLOYER TO CONTRIBUTE THE SAME. COUNCIL: MANY OF THE CITIES WITHIN THE REGION DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM. THE ONLY ONE THAT I KNOW OF THAT WE USE AS A COMPARABLE IS FOLSOM. COUNCIL: SO ROCKLAND, ROSEVILLE, CITRUS HEIGHTS RANCHO, CORDOVA, NONE OF THOSE PARTICIPATE IN THE SOCIAL SECURITY COUNCIL: PROGRAMS. SO WHEN WE'RE REAL CLOSE TO MARKET THAT 6% AFFECTS US A LOT. COUNCIL: CAN CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT? YEAH. SO COUNCIL: I DON'T THINK I KNEW THAT THAT OTHER CITIES DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THAT. SO WHY DON'T THEY? AND WHY DO WE? COUNCIL: I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DO, BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN PART OF CALPERS, BUT MOST, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ENTITIES DON'T, BECAUSE THEY HAVE CALPERS, WHICH IS BY LAW. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A RETIREMENT SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT COVERS YOUR EMPLOYEES, AND WE DO SO. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY WE DO. I DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY ON THAT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE COULD EXEMPT US OURSELVES FROM THAT. IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO IN THE FUTURE. COUNCIL: IS THERE A REASON WHY WE CAN'T DO THAT? COUNCIL: WELL, COUNCIL: OBVIOUSLY IT'D BE A NEGOTIATED THING. BUT THE THE REASON WHY SOME CITIES REMAINED IN SOCIAL SECURITY WHILE OTHERS GOT OUT. WAS THAT USUALLY IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT CLASS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY PARTICIPATED IN SOCIAL SECURITY FOR A LONG TIME. AND SO WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE, OKAY, WHAT IS COUNCIL: RETIREMENT? LOOK LIKE HERE? SOMETIMES THEY MAY BE HESITANT TO GIVE UP THAT COUNCIL: CONTINUED CONTRIBUTION BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO MEET SOME SORT OF RETIREMENT GOAL AND SOCIAL SECURITY WAS A PART OF THAT OVER TIME, THOUGH MOST PLACES HAVE MOST EMPLOYEES HAVE SORT OF SAID LOOK. I'LL JUST COUNCIL: PLAN FOR MY RETIREMENT, BASED ON MY PERS AND OTHER TOOLS I HAVE, AND WOULD MUCH RATHER JUST RECEIVE. YOU KNOW THAT ADDITIONAL WAGE AS PART OF MY CHECK TODAY VERSUS SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, WHEN YOU RECEIVE FROM SOCIAL SECURITY. SO IT'S JUST AT LEAST DURING MY TIME. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, VERONICA, BUT IT HASN'T COME UP AS SOMETHING AT THE TABLE YET, BUT WE DO, BUT IT IS A DIFFERENCE, FOR SURE YOU KNOW, RIGHT LIKE I DON'T. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT THING IS TO DO. BUT I'M SAYING, IF IT'S A RECRUITMENT PROBLEM. COUNCIL: WHAT'S THE OVERALL SENTIMENT OF STAFF, RIGHT? LIKE COUNCIL: JUST A QUESTION THAT MIGHT WANT TO BE EXPLORED. AND WE HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL WHEN WE RECRUIT INDIVIDUALS TO DISCLOSE THAT. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BIG HIT WHEN THEY DO ALL THEIR MATH. AND THEY FIGURE OUT, YEAH, THIS I CAN MAKE THIS WORK, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THEY COME TO US AND THEY GET THE 6.2% HIT. IT'S IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE EXPLAIN THAT THAT'S INTERESTING. THIS IS THE EMPLOYEE PART OR THE EMPLOYEE AND THE EMPLOYER PART, THEY BOTH PAY 6.2%. COUNCIL: SO OKAY, SO WHEN WE OPT OUT, WE DON'T DO OUR PART, AND THEY DON'T DO THEIR PART, EITHER. ONE INTERESTING. OKAY, YEAH. COUNCIL: OR SOMETHING NEW. YEAH. I KNOW. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT EITHER. THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. YEAH. ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WE FEEL AFFECTS US IS THE FACT THAT CITY EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO PAY 3% OF THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE CALPERS RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION. AND ALTHOUGH WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO DO THAT, IT IS JUST A FACTOR THAT YOU KNOW WE HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN WE DO OUR SALARY SURVEYS, WE DO INCLUDE THAT, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME OTHER CITIES THAT DO IT AS WELL, BUT NOT VERY MANY. COUNCIL: AND THEN THE OTHER COUNCIL: OBSTACLE THAT WE FACE EXTERNALLY IS THAT THERE ARE MANY PRIVATE SECTOR, COMPARABLE POSITIONS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES WITHIN THE REGION THAT DO OFFER HIGHER SALARIES. WE'RE GETTING REALLY CLOSE IN A LOT OF CLASSIFICATIONS. BUT WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO WITH REGARD TO SALARIES TO, AND, YOU KNOW, GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, SO WE'LL BE MORE COMPETITIVE. COUNCIL: ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON NOW TO RETENTION RATES. THIS CHART PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE RETENTION RATES FOR EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS. THIS PERIOD THAT'S COVERED IS MAY 2024, THROUGH MAY 2025 AS WELL. COUNCIL: AND AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THE CITY'S OVERALL RETENTION RATE. SO YOU COULD SEE THAT OUR RETENTION RATES RANGE FROM 67% ALL THE WAY UP TO 100% WITH THE CITY'S OVERALL RETENTION BEING 92%. AND THEN, ACCORDING TO THE DATA FROM THE US. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. A GOOD RETENTION COUNCIL: RATE IS BETWEEN 80 AND 85%. SO WE'RE DOING VERY WELL THERE. FULL DISCLOSURE. PUBLIC ENTITIES USUALLY DO WELL, SO BETTER THAN PRIVATE ENTITIES. SO THAT'S WHERE WE KIND OF HAVE A LEG UP ON THAT. COUNCIL: AND SO THIS CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON THE CITY'S VACANCIES, RECRUITMENTS, AND RETENTIONS IN SUMMARY, BASED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS PRESENTATION, THE CITY IS DOING QUITE WELL IN THE AREAS OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, WE STILL WILL ENSURE THAT WE WORK TO CONDUCT SALARY SURVEYS, ENSURE THAT WE'RE STAYING WITHIN MARKET AND ATTEMPTING IN ALL AREAS TO BE AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE TO RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES. COUNCIL: AND WE ASK THAT AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT YOU ADOPT THE FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT. COUNCIL: THANK YOU, VERONICA. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT JUST HYPOTHETICALLY. COUNCIL: IF IF WE DIDN'T PAY INTO THE SOCIAL SECURITY OUR PART, HOW MUCH IS THAT A YEAR DO YOU LIKE? COUNCIL: OH, COME ON, MAP MAN, 6% OF OUR TOTAL BURDENED SALARY COST WOULD BE THE CITY'S SAVINGS. COUNCIL: AND THEN, OBVIOUSLY THE SAME ROUGHLY FOR COUNCIL: FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE. IF WE'RE GONNA AT SOME POINT. IF WE'RE GOING TO LIKE KIND OF DIVE INTO THAT MORE DEEPLY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH. MY UNDERSTANDING AT LEAST IS IT'S NOT QUITE AS SIMPLE AS YOU'RE OUT. NO, YEAH, I GET THAT. TYPICALLY WHAT IS REQUIRED IS EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE CALPERS. IN FACT, I WORKED A PREVIOUS AGENCY THAT WASN'T IN SOCIAL SECURITY, AND THE WAY THAT THEY REMOVED THEMSELVES WAS THEY CREATED A SEPARATE SUB IN FOR WHAT IS SOCIAL SECURITY THAT JUST HAPPENED TO BE MUCH CHEAPER. COUNCIL: AND SO THERE WAS NO BENEFIT. COUNCIL: SHIFT OR CHANGE. BUT WE'LL HAVE TO DO A BIT OF WORK IF WE WANT TO EXPLORE THAT MORE. ANITA WAS REACHING FOR HER MICROPHONE. DO YOU HAVE? COUNCIL: NO, I WAS JUST GONNA I WAS GONNA SAY THE SAME THING. HE DID THAT. IT'S JUST 6% OF THE TOTAL WAGES. BUT YEAH, YEAH, NO, I GET THAT. I JUST WANTED YOU TO DO THE MATH FOR ME. NO. COUNCIL: YOU KNOW, I CAN'T DO MATH IN MY, I'M WEARING MY OTHER HAT TONIGHT. I CAN'T DO MATH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. YEAH, THAT'S CRAZY. OKAY. COUNCIL: IS THAT THE SAME THING AS AS JOINING OUR RISK POOL? OR IS THAT SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT? NO, NO, YEAH, THAT'S DIFFERENT. THAT'S INSURANCE. OH, OKAY. COUNCIL: DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA. COUNCIL: YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THIS EITHER, BUT JUST LIKE AN A ROUNDABOUT ESTIMATION OF COUNCIL: THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE'RE OFF OR LOWER THAN PRIVATE SECTOR. HIGHER SALARIES RIGHT NOW. COUNCIL: LIKE WHAT THAT GAP IS. IT'S REALLY TOUGH FOR US TO COUNCIL: COMP THOSE, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PRIVATE SECTOR COMPARABLES, AND THERE'S ONLY REALLY A HANDFUL OF CITIES, BUT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SPEAK ANECDOTALLY LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF COUNCIL: VINCE YOUNG ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS, OR OR EVEN SEASONED ONES. COUNCIL: I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY WOULD DEMAND, WHAT DO YOU THINK, FINN? A 20% HIGHER SALARY IN MOST PRIVATE COUNCIL: FIRMS YOU'RE IN MORE AWARE OF THE MARKET THAN ME. BUT THAT'D BE MY GUESS. COUNCIL: YEAH, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO COMPARE. OF COURSE, PRIVATE SECTOR CAN MAKE DECISIONS A LOT FASTER AND BE A LOT MORE RESPONSIVE RIGHT TO THE ECONOMY. COUNCIL: I THINK 20% SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT, OF COURSE. COUNCIL: AND WHEN I WAS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR FOR ANOTHER ENTITY, ANOTHER COUNTY. COUNCIL: I REALLY HAD TO TOUT THE BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR. COUNCIL: NAMELY, THE ALL, THE ALL THE PERKS, ALL THE BENEFITS RIGHT. COUNCIL: SOME OF THE ENTRY LEVEL, PUBLIC WORKS CREWS. THEIR THEIR SALARY IS ACTUALLY THE SAME AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS AT, YOU KNOW, FAST FOOD RETAIL LIKE IN AND OUT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE BENEFITS IN TERMS OF. COUNCIL: SO IT'S IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO COMPARE. BUT THOSE WHO DO CHOOSE TO JOIN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, THEY'RE WELL AWARE THAT IT'S COUNCIL: POTENTIAL TO BUILD A CAREER. IT'S NOT JUST GETTING IN. COUNCIL: NOW, YOU KNOW, THE DISCUSSION OF SOCIAL SECURITY IS SIGNIFICANT, RIGHT? THAT PERCENTAGE. I THINK COUNCIL: YOU KNOW MY LONG CAREER. I THINK WHEN I WORKED IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR 5 YEARS. COUNCIL: YOU KNOW, I PAID IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES. I DIDN'T. SO THAT IT'S A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF YOUR PAYCHECK. COUNCIL: AND WITH SOME OF THE NEWER YOUNGER FOLKS THAT WE'RE RECRUITING, THEY LOOK AT THE TAKE HOME RIGHT? THEY'RE NOT THINKING, OKAY, I'M GOING TO GET PERS AND SOCIAL SECURITY WHEN I RETIRE 30 YEARS FROM NOW, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO COUNCIL: IT'S A GOOD DISCUSSION. COUNCIL: FEW PEOPLE DO THINK THAT WAY AT THAT AGE, I THINK. BUT SO 2 2 OTHER LITTLE QUICK THINGS THAT RON I JUST WANT TO THROW COUNCIL: SOME KUDOS OVER. SO ONE OF THE THINGS VERONICA'S TEAM DOES, AND SORT OF REALLY REGULAR MARKET LOOKS AT ALMOST EVERY POSITION IS COUNCIL: WE WE ON THE FINANCE SIDE CARE WAY MORE ABOUT COUNCIL: WHAT'S THE FULL PACKAGE? SO WE, HER TEAM, HAS TO EXPLAIN TO A LOT OF OUR INCOMING FOLKS THAT LIKE, YES, THE SALARY IS IMPORTANT. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. COUNCIL: BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND. HERE IS WHAT YOU'RE RECEIVING AS A SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT OF BEING IN THE CALPERS SYSTEM. HERE ARE THE HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THAT YOU KNOW MOST PLACES, EVEN SOME PUBLIC AGENCIES, BUT MANY PRIVATE PLACES. YOU'RE PAYING A LOT MORE FOR THOSE SERVICES, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE FAMILY AND DEPENDENTS. AND COUNCIL: SO IT'S TO US, IT'S MUCH MORE ABOUT LIKE, WHAT'S THE TOTAL PACKAGE? AND HOW CAN WE BE COMPETITIVE THERE, BECAUSE, REMEMBER, THE CALPERS WAS CREATED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR COUNCIL: WELL, IT WAS ESSENTIALLY CREATED SO THAT COUNCIL: PUBLIC ENTITIES COULD COMPETE TO TRY TO GET REALLY TALENTED STAFF COUNCIL: WHEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR COULD SIMPLY JUST PAY A LOT MORE, SO WE COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY A LOT MORE. AND SO THE STATE CREATES THIS RETIREMENT SYSTEM WHICH ESSENTIALLY SAYS, LOOK, WHEN YOU RETIRE ONE DAY INSTEAD OF A DEFINED, AN UNDEFINED PACKAGE WHERE YOU HAVE A 401. FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU GET A PENSION CHECK, AND IT ALLOWS YOU TO EVEN OUT THE REMAINDER OF YOUR RETIREMENT. SO YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST NOTHING'S BETTER OR WORSE, JUST DIFFERENT. COUNCIL: THAT'S PROBABLY AROUND 1.2 ISH 1 MILLION A YEAR, BECAUSE THERE'S A CAP RIGHT? SO THE A WAGE CAP ONCE YOU'RE MAKING OVER WELL, FOR LAST YEAR 168,000. COUNCIL: YOU WOULDN'T BE PAYING INTO SOCIAL SECURITY FOR THE REST OF THE REMAINDER OF THAT YEAR. SO I'M JUST DOING LIKE SOME BACK OF THE NAPKIN MATH. COUNCIL: LITTLE OVER A MILLION COUNCIL: WOULD BE A CONVERSATION TO HAVE. YEAH, ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE I YEAH, I JUST HAD 2 QUICK FOLLOW-UPS. COUNCIL: THE YOU'VE CONVERT THE WE'RE CONVERTING FULL PART-TIME TO FULL TIME. RECREATION IS A REALLY HIGH OR HIGH LOWER RETENTION RATE. COUNCIL: HOW MUCH OF THAT IS SEASONAL PART-TIME IS THAT IN COUNCIL: OKAY? SO THIS IS JUST THIS IS JUST AT FULL TIME, PEOPLE JUST PERMANENT AND AND PART-TIME. YEAH, PART-TIME FULL-TIME PERMANENT EMPLOYEES. OKAY, SO MY 2 QUESTIONS FOR YOU ON THIS IS ONE, HOW DOES TO THE EXTENT TO WHICH YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO PREVIOUS YEARS COUNCIL: AND 2. HOW DOES THE 92% COMPARE TO OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES COUNCIL: AND REACH IN OTHER CITIES? FOR EXAMPLE, AS FAR AS RETENTION RATES GO, NONE OF THE CITIES THAT I LOOKED AT, WHO HAVE COUNCIL: CONDUCTED THIS HEARING ON THIS, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATED WITH THIS BILL HAVE DONE THE RETENTION RATES. THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT RETENTION EFFORTS, BUT THEY'VE NOT CALCULATE RETENTION RATES. SO I HAVE A NUMBER FOR THAT. I'M LOOKING TO SEE IF THEY ULTIMATELY DO DISCLOSE THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW WITH THE VACANCY RATES GO. YOU KNOW. WE'RE RIGHT THERE WITH ROSEVILLE, ROCKLAND, FOLSOM. WE'RE AT COUNCIL: 7%. I THINK. RANCHO CORDOVA IS AT 8, ROSEVILLE'S AT 7. FOLSOM'S AT 7.8. SO, BUT I DON'T HAVE THEIR RETENTION NUMBERS. COUNCIL: THEY'RE NOT COUNCIL: AS FORTHCOMING. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT, DOESN'T. IT DOESN'T. AND AND THIS IS THE 1ST YEAR WE'VE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THIS. SO I DON'T HAVE DATA FROM PREVIOUS YEARS TO COMPARE TO. BUT WE DEFINITELY COULD DO THAT TO JUST SEE WHERE WE STAND NOW AND JUST START, YOU KNOW, TRENDING IT. COUNCIL: MY OTHER QUESTION IS JUST TRYING TO. YOU HAD ONE OF THE CHARTS VACANCIES BY EMPLOYEE GROUPS, AND IT WAS 64.2 5 OF THE 200 AND SOME. WHAT MAKES UP THAT GROUP VERSUS THE REST? COUNCIL: WHY WERE THEY CALLED OUT IN THAT PARTICULAR COUNCIL: FOR FOR THE EMPLOYEE GROUPS, YEAH. COUNCIL: LET ME JUST SORRY. NO, IT'S COUNCIL: THINK IT WAS YOUR SECOND CHART. COUNCIL: THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. YEAH. I JUST WONDERED WHAT? WHY WERE THOSE ONES CALLED OUT VERSUS THE OTHER? WHY WERE THEY SHOWN BY EMPLOYEE GROUP? YEAH. BECAUSE THE BILL REQUIRES ADDITIONAL DATA BE PROVIDED FOR VACANCIES. IF ANY OF THOSE PARTICULAR GROUPS HAS A VACANCY RATE OF 20% OR MORE. SO THE THE CODE REQUIRES THAT YOU CALL OUT THESE ONES. COUNCIL: THESE 8. COUNCIL: IT IT IT JUST. I'M I PUT THIS IN HERE FOR JUST DOCUMENTATION PURPOSES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE COUNCIL: BASICALLY DOCUMENTING THAT WE DID COMPLY WITH THE LAW. THAT'S REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS. SO THE LAW REQUIRES THAT YOU HIGHLIGHT ANY OF THESE 8 THAT ARE OVER 20%. YES, AND NONE OF THEM ARE SO TECHNICALLY YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT ANY OF THEM. BUT YOU JUST PROVIDED ALL 8 IN THE STATS. NO, WHAT I'VE PROVIDED IS REQUIRED, THERE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL DATA, PROVIDED IF THEY MET THAT 20%. SO WE WOULD BE HERE, PROBABLY ALL COUNCIL: LIGHT GOING OVER ADDITIONAL DETAILS OF THE VACANCIES, IF ANY OF THOSE. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND. Y'ALL, WHEN WE'RE FILLING OUR POSITIONS, THAT WE NEED TO STAY BELOW THIS COUNCIL: 20% THRESHOLD UNLESS YOU WANT TO HEAR ME TALK ALL NIGHT. OKAY? AND THOSE 8 GROUPS. COUNCIL: YEP, YES, THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEE GROUPS THAT THAT CITY CITY EMPLOYEES BELONG TO. OKAY. SO LIKE AN ORGANIZED LABOR. YES, THOSE ARE OUR OUR 8 LABOR ORGANIZATIONS. IF WE HAD 9 THERE'D BE 9 ON THE LIST. YES, GOT IT. THEY'RE ALL THERE, ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU. NOW I GOT IT. WELL, LET ME LET ME JUST SAY THIS TO I MEAN YOU CAN SEE THEM, VERONICA. I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I WAS GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT COUNCIL: THAT WHEN I 1ST STARTED AND CHRISTINE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE HAD ABOUT 150 ISH OR SO EMPLOYEES. COUNCIL: AND IT WAS BARE BONES, AND IT WAS HARD COUNCIL: YOU WOULD KNOW THAT, TOO, BECAUSE YOU WERE HERE BEFORE, ANYWAY, RIGHT? AND SO TO NOW THAT WE HAVE OVER 200 WAY OVER 200. AND THERE'S JUST A FEW VACANCIES, I MEAN, THAT'S COUNCIL: THAT IS SO GOOD. COUNCIL: IT IS REALLY GOOD. AND WE ARE PRODUCTIVE. AND WE'RE GETTING THINGS DONE. AND WE'RE PROVIDING SERVICES COUNCIL: AND DON'T HAVE TO HEAR ANYMORE. LIKE, WELL, WE JUST WANT THE STAFF TO DO. YOU KNOW, I'M SO PROUD OF ALL OF THIS, AND SO THE DATA IS GREAT, AND YOU COMPLIED WITH THE LAW. BUT I LOOK AT THIS AND GO YAY, LIKE WE'RE DOING SO GOOD. YEAH, YEAH, TO KIND OF PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU. I WAS LOOKING AT HOW MANY RECRUITMENTS WE'RE CONDUCTING. IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE CONDUCTING OVER. I THINK IT'S ABOUT 50 RECRUITMENTS A YEAR, AND COUNCIL: BUT THAT INCLUDES SEASONAL, TOO. I THINK IT. NO, WAIT A SECOND. I HAVE THAT BACKWARDS. SORRY. I THINK IT WAS 30 RECRUITMENTS A YEAR, WITH A TOTAL OF LIKE 60 EMPLOYEES BASED ON WHAT WE DO FOR SEASONAL. SO WE HAVE ALL THE RECORDS, WHICH ARE A LARGE BULK OF OUR RECRUITMENTS, BUT THEY DON'T COUNT AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS OF RECRUITMENTS, BECAUSE WE DO ONE AND HIRE 20 PEOPLE, BUT WE DO THOSE ROUTINELY. WE DO THEM IN SPRING, SUMMER, AND FALL. COUNCIL: SO I MEAN, IT'S A LOT, INCLUDING THE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES THAT WE RECRUIT FOR. SO WE'VE BROUGHT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS IN. SO EVEN WHEN THE MARKET'S STRUGGLING LIKE FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND DISPATCHERS, WE'RE STILL BEING ABLE TO RECRUIT POLICE OFFICERS WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING RETENTION BONUSES, WE'RE ABLE TO RECRUIT DISPATCHERS. IT'S BECOMING A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT LIKE WE'RE NOTICING COUNCIL: NOW THAT WE'RE HAVING TO PAY A LOT OF THE HIGHER ABOVE MINIMUMS. AND WE WENT A FEW YEARS WITHOUT HAVING TO DO THAT. COUNCIL: BUT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT AGAIN. I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH MINIMUM WAGE INCREASING. YEAH, IT'S JUST THE CYCLE. BUT I JUST COUNCIL: MY OVERALL POINT IS, WE SHOULD BE PROUD IF YOU WANT TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE PROUD. WE DID INCLUDE AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, BUT IN THE PAST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE'S DONE FOR FOR MY OFFICE IS THAT WE DID SORT OF A COUNCIL: NOT FULLY COMPREHENSIVE, PRETTY, COMPREHENSIVE PER CAPITA OF EMPLOYEE TO SIZE OF COMMUNITY SERVED TO GET AN IDEA ABOUT LIKE. COUNCIL: WHERE ARE WE AT? IN TERMS OF LIKE MANPOWER AGAINST THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE ARE EXPECTED TO SERVE DAILY, AND WE WERE IN THE LOWEST QUARTILE, MAYBE EVEN. IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS SINCE YOU. SO WE DID THAT REPORT TOGETHER. BUT I REMEMBER BEING PRETTY PROUD THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAVE, LIKE A LONG WAYS TO GO, THAT WE GET KIND OF, WE GET A LOT DONE WITH, YOU KNOW, A FRACTION OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT ANOTHER COMMUNITY OF COMPARABLE SIZE HAS RIGHT NOW. COUNCIL: WE'RE REALLY, REALLY EFFICIENT, VERY EFFICIENT. SO GOOD. THANK YOU. AND I THINK THESE RETENTION RATES ARE AMAZING, TOO. THEY ARE. THEY'RE SO GREAT THEY'RE AMAZING, AWESOME, VERY GOOD. OKAY. LET'S OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNCIL: WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO MAKE TESTIMONY ON THIS ITEM? COUNCIL: YES, MA'AM. COUNCIL: MADAM MAYOR. COUNCIL: A FEW THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY. NOTICE THAT IT WA