City Council Meeting: October 27, 2026 (Audio Description)

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AGENDA

CITY COUNCIL AND THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE PASADENA

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

OCTOBER 27, 2026

Closed Session: 5:00 P.M.

Public Meeting: 6:00 P.M.

Council Chamber, Pasadena City Hall

100 North Garfield Avenue, Room S249

The City Council may take action on any item listed on this agenda as it deems appropriate following consideration and discussion of the matter.

CLOSED SESSION – 5:00 P.M.

A. CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE REGARDING PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

pursuant to Government Code Section 54957 and CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE with Labor Negotiator pursuant to

Government Code Section 54957.6

Employee Title and Unrepresented Employee: Interim City Manager

City Representative: Victor M. Gordo

B.

CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE REGARDING PUBLIC EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT

pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(b)(1) and

CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE with Labor Negotiator pursuant to 54957.6

Position: City Manager

Agency Designated Representative: Victor M. Gordo

C. CITY COUNCIL CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL regarding pending

litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1)

Name of Case: California Institute of Technology v. City of Pasadena, et al.

USDC Case No.: 2:23-cv-07681-AB-AJR

[AD] City Council members seated at a curved wooden dais. [CC] recording in progress mayor the council we are live thank you mr. clerk well [CC] recording in progress mayor the council we are live thank you mr. clerk well good evening everyone welcome to the October 27th 2026 meeting of the Pasadena City Council mr. Jones will you leave oh I'm sorry roll first well that's member Cole customer Hampton is here but in the back counselor Jones here customer lion here customer Madison here customer Masuda here Vice Mayor Rebus here Mayor Gordo here there's a quorum in the [CC] council presence. Mr. Jones if you'll lead us to the Pledge of Allegiance we [AD] Council members and audience rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. [CC] council presence. Mr. Jones if you'll lead us to the Pledge of Allegiance we [AD] Council members and audience sit down. [AD] Mayor Gordo walks from the dais to the podium for ceremonial matters. do have one ceremonial matter that Mr. Masuda requested be placed on the and this is the congratulations to the American Legion post 280 which is in East Pasadena just south of Rosemead on Vanita yeah Foothill and Vanito thank you which I should be very familiar with because when Cheryl's Mexican restaurant was right here where I spent a lot of time working. The celebration is 100 years of advocating for veterans and their families preserving the legacy of military service and supporting youth community programs and community in general. The city is grateful for your dedication to veterans and American legions East Passing a Post 280's selfless community service. Happy 100th anniversary and best wishes for continued success and I'd like to ask Robert Monson to come up here and accept this and also Alondra Miller, president of 280. [AD] Robert Monson and Alondra Miller join Mayor Victor Gordo. [AD] Mayor Gordo presents a framed proclamation to Robert Monson. Good evening and thank you Mayor, members of the city council and staff. On behalf of East Pasadena American Legion Post 280, thank you for this proclamation recognizing our 100th anniversary. It is an honor to accept it as post commander and on behalf of the veterans, families, and volunteers who have made our post welcoming home for generations. I want to introduce our Adjutant and Finance Officer, Neil Lasala, who's with us today. He's also a district officer and like the mayor just said, this is the president of our auxiliary unit, Lonnie Miller. These guys do a tremendous job every day. For a century, our post has been a place of service, friendship, and community. We are proud of our history in East Pasadena and grateful for the city's recognition. I warmly invite each of you to join us for our three-day centennial celebration at our post located at 179 North Benito Avenue. Veterans and community members are welcome. On Saturday, November 24, we'll begin at noon with presentations from local officials, including our mayor and special guests, followed by a pig roast lunch at 1 p.m. On Sunday, November 22, we'll enjoy potluck luncheon and on Monday November 23rd our actual anniversary will celebrate with a cake-cutting. Mayor and council members we would be delighted to have you join us especially on November 21st as we honor our first hundred years and look forward to another century of service. Thank you again for this wonderful recognition. [AD] Mayor Gordo and the honorees gather in front of the dais. [AD] The group poses with the Post 280 100th Anniversary proclamation for a photograph. And by the way today is a Robert Monson's birthday, so These meetings were on Mondays and then you changed to Tuesday I have to come here on my birthday. Thank you everyone Okay okay we do have one speaker card on matters not on the agenda and so we'll [CC] call that less hammer you have two minutes mr. Hammer welcome last week [AD] Public Speaker Les Hammer approaches the podium. [CC] call that less hammer you have two minutes mr. Hammer welcome last week [CC] call that less hammer you have two minutes mr. Hammer welcome last week King Victor the first Dane to give seven of his subjects 90 seconds to speak on non-agenda items two minutes would have been a gross imposition I would hope that the mayor and the council would make two minutes a rule 90 seconds is insufficient. I repeat what I said last week that I resent Victor Gordo shilling for the fire department on YouTube, knowing that the union will kick back campaign contributions to elected officials. What I really resent is that Pasadena property owners pay outrageous taxes that should provide basic services like police and fire. Unfortunately, the city council has a progressive social agenda with other priorities. Money to keep ICE agents out of Pasadena. Money to file lawsuits against the Trump administration. Money for affordable housing. Money for road diets. The council voted 7-1 to put measure PFD on the ballot. Tyrone Hampton was the lone dissenter. He wanted a 10-year sunset instead of a 14-year sunset on the measure. In what universe is there ever really a temporary tax? nice try tie that completes public comment thank you mr. hammer and we'll move on to the consent calendar I am going to ask to hold item 3 as I intend to recuse myself from a sweet motion I do work for Layuna we did receive two letters on consent items actually three letters on consent items one on and send item number one, advocating for city staff to provide an update on the proposed projects, total cost, capacity trade-off, status of the EIR and CUP, and the expected rate payer impact. And then two letters advocating for staff to clarify the purpose and use of the grant funds to be accepted. Those letters were distributed to the council posted online are part of the record for these items. I move all items except item three. Second. Okay. If I could ask a question on item five. It's questions I've asked the department already, but it sounds like members of the public had the same question, so if we could just, if now is appropriate time to bring the department up to discuss item five. [AD] Lt. Anthony Russo approaches the podium. Good evening, council, mayor, vice mayor, council members. Great, so I had reached out to the chief about this because I think I had similar concerns to some members of the public about what the funds would be used for. We had a previous discussion about SWAT use of drones versus expanding to drones versus responder, and so personally I'm comfortable with the SWAT use but not interested in expanding further. And so I want to understand how these funds would be used. And I understand this would essentially allow more folks to get training so they can continue those SWOT operations, but wouldn't necessarily mean we'd be using folks for drones at first response. Those are two separate tracks. So if you could just explain how that works for the public's benefit and our benefit as well. Yeah, Lieutenant Anthony Russo, presenting on behalf of Lieutenant Jackson regarding the grant funding but obviously talking again about the use of UAS within the department the community so the primary use right now is we understand is you know SWAT is the the sole entity that utilizes tactical drones we modified that use for some specific purposes purposes related to SWAT the $39,000 that's being offered or as an award to us will allow us to train additional personnel within the department that can supplement our response to tactical situations for SWAT use. The certification doesn't mean that it's only to SWAT. So those operators that get trained, as the discussion continues on UAS's DFR or whatever it's called, those operators can utilize. They'll be certified to do it in either capacity. But currently now, the training would be for additional operators to assist in SWAT-related functions. we do have two years to roughly two years to spend the money so you know we may not train everybody right away but right but yes thank you for that and if say the council has this fuller discussion on DFR and we decide that's not a route we're ready to move into at this time could we use the funds for something else are they limited specifically to drone training or could we find other training opportunities for our officers good question and my understanding of this particular grant funding opportunity is specifically related to the training of operators for UAS or drone operations. The benefit to us for that in collecting it, too, is that even if we don't end up going toward that, although I do hope that the discussion continues and there is openness to understanding the benefits of an aerial response platform to assist with real-time information, is that the operators that get trained can replace a SWAT operator that is already trained to do the drone use, and then that frees up that operator to actually deploy onto the tactical scenario while somebody else from outside is able to operate that drone on our behalf. OK, thank you for that information. So with that, it sounds like we're clear. We're going to continue to have the discussion on DFR. This wouldn't change any of that. And so thank you so much for clarifying. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. There's a motion and a second. Are there any objections to the motion? Seeing none, why don't we turn to the should we turn to the ordinance or thank you. So all items except for number three were approved and now you were? Yeah I'll step out. For the reasons I stated I will not be participating in this vote and I am abstaining. Moved to staff recusing. [AD] Mayor Gordo recuses and leaves the council chamber. [CC] Moved to staff recommendation on item three. Any objections to the motion? Seeing none that motion passes. [AD] Mayor Gordo returns to the council chamber. Okay now we move to the ordinance. This is an ordinance of the City of Pasadena, California amending the water waste prohibitions and water supply shortage plans title 13 chapter 13.10 of the Pasadena Municipal Code. The city clerk's office received one letter advocating for a landscape exemption district similar to a historic district to preserve the landscaping the primary entrance of the city on Orange Grove Boulevard and providing comments on the matter that correspondence was distributed to the council and is part of the record for this item. This ordinance was introduced by Councilmember Cole to adopt now. Councilmember Cole? Yes. Councilmember Hampton? Yes. Councilmember Jones? Yes. Councilmember Lyon? Yes. Councilmember Masson? Yes. Councilmember Masuda? Yes. Vice Mayor Rivas? Yes. Mayor Gordo. Yes, the ordinance is adopted unanimously. Thank you. We are okay So that completes our agenda and uh, we are adjourned