Jessie LopezVoted no
5:15:19Said she was hesitant to support it and read her concerns into the record, replying that she had read the ordinance twice when her understanding was questioned.
20May
2025
2025
Regular City Council Meeting · One key issue
The council introduced an ordinance requiring councilmembers to disclose certain campaign enforcement actions taken against them, six votes to one.
▶ Check this moment · 5:28:15
6.7 hours
31 agenda items
28 located in video
54% attributed to a named speaker
Public meeting recording6.7 hoursOpen on YouTube ↗
Public recording
Watch the meeting
Choose any timestamp in the meeting record to play that moment here. When opened directly from disk, timestamps open on YouTube instead.
Open the full recording on YouTubeBrief
What happened
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
- 01
Councilmember Lopez was the only member against, and her exchange with Councilmember Bacerra over whether she had read the ordinance became openly sharp.
▶5:18:53Explore this issue
Related agenda item 26Open agenda item →Ordinance Adding Article XII Entitled Disclosure of Certain Enforcement Actions to Chapter 2 of the Sana Ana Municipal Code…
Member positions
- 02
Councilmember Hernandez brought forward a request for a policy requiring the city to disclose immediately any courtesy notifications it receives from federal immigration enforcement.
▶5:28:36Explore this issue
Related agenda item 27Open agenda item →Discuss and Consider Providing Direction to the City Manager to Develop and Implement a Policy Requiring Immediate Disclosure of All…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Valerie AmezcuaMayor5:51:43have family that's undocumented so I think there's some great points that are made up here tonight. I also would support bringing it back with some answers and some clarity. And Chief, if you were to release information as the Chief of Police and there is an…
Thai Viet PhanCouncilmember6:25:13The 5K was so fun. Thank you so much to Parks and Rec as well as Public Works for doing the 5K in conjunction with Public Works Week. I had a friend come out from LA and she just thought it was really wonderful. And I thought the route was really great because…
Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember6:28:42which would later become Los Grandes off of Fifth and Raid. My grandfather loved Los Grandes and loved their food, and specifically their salsa de aceite. And so I just want to encourage the community to go on out and check their new location out on First and…
David PenalozaCouncilmember5:57:56process to become a permanent resident. So I think of instances like that where it's like ICE is making sure that somebody who's marrying someone who's not a US citizen is actually married and and they live together and they have a life together and not…
- 03
Mayor Pro Tem Vazquez backed it as a matter of transparency and trust.
▶5:33:47Explore this issue
Related agenda item 27Open agenda item →Discuss and Consider Providing Direction to the City Manager to Develop and Implement a Policy Requiring Immediate Disclosure of All…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Valerie AmezcuaMayor5:51:43have family that's undocumented so I think there's some great points that are made up here tonight. I also would support bringing it back with some answers and some clarity. And Chief, if you were to release information as the Chief of Police and there is an…
Thai Viet PhanCouncilmember6:25:13The 5K was so fun. Thank you so much to Parks and Rec as well as Public Works for doing the 5K in conjunction with Public Works Week. I had a friend come out from LA and she just thought it was really wonderful. And I thought the route was really great because…
Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember6:28:42which would later become Los Grandes off of Fifth and Raid. My grandfather loved Los Grandes and loved their food, and specifically their salsa de aceite. And so I just want to encourage the community to go on out and check their new location out on First and…
David PenalozaCouncilmember5:57:56process to become a permanent resident. So I think of instances like that where it's like ICE is making sure that somebody who's marrying someone who's not a US citizen is actually married and and they live together and they have a life together and not…
- 04
The city attorney reminded the council this was only the first step of giving direction, not a full debate on the issues.
▶5:32:46Explore this issue
Related agenda item 27Open agenda item →Discuss and Consider Providing Direction to the City Manager to Develop and Implement a Policy Requiring Immediate Disclosure of All…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Valerie AmezcuaMayor5:51:43have family that's undocumented so I think there's some great points that are made up here tonight. I also would support bringing it back with some answers and some clarity. And Chief, if you were to release information as the Chief of Police and there is an…
Thai Viet PhanCouncilmember6:25:13The 5K was so fun. Thank you so much to Parks and Rec as well as Public Works for doing the 5K in conjunction with Public Works Week. I had a friend come out from LA and she just thought it was really wonderful. And I thought the route was really great because…
Johnathan Ryan HernandezCouncilmember6:28:42which would later become Los Grandes off of Fifth and Raid. My grandfather loved Los Grandes and loved their food, and specifically their salsa de aceite. And so I just want to encourage the community to go on out and check their new location out on First and…
David PenalozaCouncilmember5:57:56process to become a permanent resident. So I think of instances like that where it's like ICE is making sure that somebody who's marrying someone who's not a US citizen is actually married and and they live together and they have a life together and not…
- 05
The council also held its work study on the 2025-26 budget and supported four state bills.
▶5:11:28Explore this issue
Related agenda item 28Open agenda item →Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session
No named councilmember contribution could be reliably linked to this item.
How this brief was made
The current summaries were prepared during an in-session review of the transcripts. This prototype shows only sentences with a timestamp citation. 0 uncited sentences were withheld from this page.
Focus
Where they differed
Splits in votes or reasoning
One member voted against the campaign enforcement disclosure ordinance, and the exchange about it became personal on the dais.
Said she was hesitant to support it and read her concerns into the record, replying that she had read the ordinance twice when her understanding was questioned.
Moved the item and thanked Bacerra for bringing it.
Brought the ordinance, saying the city prides itself on transparency, and said the disclosure only applies to someone a regulator has found in violation.
Agenda
Every item
31 items in agenda order
Closed Session Items
Not located Closed-session conference with legal counsel
- The council met privately to discuss ongoing litigation against the city.31:13
Closed Session Items
Not located Closed-session conference with legal counsel
- The council met privately about a second legal matter.31:13
Closed Session Items
Not located PUBLIC EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT/APPOINTMENT pursuant to Section 54957(b)(1) of the Government Code: Title: Police Oversight Commission…
- The council met privately about a public employee appointment.31:13
Ceremonial Presentations
▶2:39:49 Certificates of Recognition presented by Mayor Amezcua recognizing Santa Ana’s Annual Youth Poster Contest Winners
- Mayor Amezcua presented certificates of recognition.2:39:49
Ceremonial Presentations
▶2:51:18 Proclamation presented by Mayor Pro Tem Vazquez to Santa Ana Active Streets declaring May 2025 as National Bike Month
- Mayor Pro Tem Vazquez presented a proclamation to Santa Ana Active Streets, marking the benefits of cycling.2:51:18
Ceremonial Presentations
▶3:01:55 Proclamation presented by Councilmember Bacerra and Councilmember Phan declaring May 2025 as Asian American & Pacific Islander…
- Councilmembers Bacerra and Phan jointly presented a proclamation.3:02:05
Ceremonial Presentations
▶3:13:26 Proclamation presented by Councilmember Lopez to First 5 Orange County declaring May 2025 as Early Childhood Month
- Councilmember Lopez presented a proclamation to First 5 Orange County.3:13:40
Ceremonial Presentations
▶3:23:29 Certificates of Recognition presented by Councilmember Penaloza recognizing Pio Pico’s Inaugural Intermediate Sports Team for…
- Councilmember Penaloza presented certificates of recognition.3:23:29
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:41 Excused Absences
- A routine item excusing members who missed earlier meetings, approved with the consent calendar.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Minutes from the Regular Meeting of May 6, 2025
- The council approved the written record of its 6 May 2025 meeting.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Regional and Unified Local Workforce Plans for Program Years (PY) 2025-2028 as Required Under the Federal Title I Workforce…
- The council approved the regional and local workforce plans for the coming programme years.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Local Area Subsequent Designation and Local Board Recertification Program Year (PY) 2025-2027
- The council approved the process for redesignating the local workforce area and recertifying its board.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Quarterly Report of Investments as of March 31, 2025
- The council received the quarterly report on how the city's cash was invested as of 31 March 2025.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Quarterly Report of Contracts up to $50,000 for Non-Public Works and up to $500,000 for Public Works Authorized by the City Manager…
- The council received the quarterly list of smaller contracts staff signed without a council vote.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Contract to Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC for Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Consulting Services (General Fund)
- An accounting firm was engaged to provide governmental accounting services.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Agreement with ProudCity for the Licensing of a Website Content Management System (CMS) and Services
- The council licensed a content management system to run the city website.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Agreement with StandUp for Kids to provide Rapid Re-Housing Services Paired With Services Coordination for Homeless Youth from the…
- The council engaged StandUp for Kids to provide rapid re-housing services to young people.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Historic Property Preservation Agreement for the Property Located at 2301 N. Westwood Avenue
- The owner of a historic house entered a Mills Act agreement, cutting property tax in exchange for maintaining the building.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Agreement with Kim Turner, LLC for Recruitment, Training, and Staffing Consulting Services (Specification No 25-009) (Non-General…
- A firm was engaged for recruitment, training and staffing support.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Purchase Order to Tolar Manufacturing Company for Bus Shelters and Related Amenities (Specification No. 25-063) (General Fund)
- The council approved buying bus shelters and related equipment.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶3:00:13 Agreement with HDR Engineering, Inc. to Conduct the First Street Multimodal Boulevard Study (Non-General Fund)
- An engineering firm was engaged to carry out the First Street multimodal study, the work whose preferred design the council chose the following year.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Agreement with Robert D. Niehaus, Inc. for Long-Term Financial Planning and Water and Sewer Cost of Service Study (Specification No.…
- A consultant was engaged to help with long-term financial planning.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:07:00 Agreements with Butier Engineering, Inc., Z&K Consultants, Inc., Berg & Associates, Inc., Psomas, Willdan Engineering, and EEC…
Consent Calendar
▶5:07:05 First Amendment to Interagency Agreement with the Orange County Water District and Moulton Niguel Water District
- The council amended its interagency agreement with the Orange County Water District.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Second Amendment to the Waste Disposal Agreement with the County of Orange (Non-General Fund)
- The council amended its waste disposal agreement with the county.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Resolution Authorizing the City of Santa Ana to Donate Surplus Public Works Equipment to Sister City, Sahuayo de Morelos, Michoacán…
- The council authorised donating surplus public property.5:07:53
Consent Calendar
▶5:06:45 Final adoption: an Ordinance Adding Article XIV to Chapter 10 (Crimes and Miscellaneous Law Enforcement Provisions) of the Santa Ana…
- The council gave final adoption to an ordinance adding a new article to the crime chapter of the municipal code.5:07:53
Business Calendar
▶5:08:35 Resolutions Supporting California Senate Bills 28 and 38 (Umberg), 569 (Blakespear), and 757 (Richardson)
Business Calendar
▶5:12:37 Ordinance Adding Article XII Entitled Disclosure of Certain Enforcement Actions to Chapter 2 of the Sana Ana Municipal Code…
- The council introduced an ordinance requiring councilmembers to disclose certain enforcement actions taken against them by campaign finance regulators.5:12:37
- Councilmember Bacerra, who brought it, said the city prides itself on transparency and the ordinance would catch those who engage in dirty politics.5:12:37
- Councilmember Phan moved it and thanked him for bringing it forward.5:13:10
- Councilmember Lopez said she was hesitant to support it and read her concerns into the record.5:15:19
- The exchange turned sharp, with Bacerra saying he did not know whether she had read the ordinance and Lopez replying that she had read it twice.5:18:53
- He argued the disclosure only bites on someone the regulator has actually found in violation.5:19:05
- It was introduced six votes to one, with Lopez against.5:28:15
Councilmember Requested Items
▶5:28:32 Discuss and Consider Providing Direction to the City Manager to Develop and Implement a Policy Requiring Immediate Disclosure of All…
- Councilmember Hernandez asked the city to develop a policy requiring immediate disclosure of any courtesy notification it receives from federal immigration enforcement.5:28:36
- He said the public had demanded transparency from the city and that the council's own discussions had brought the item forward.5:28:36
- The city attorney reminded the council that this stage was only about giving direction to the city manager, not settling the underlying issues.5:32:46
- Mayor Pro Tem Vazquez agreed with him, framing it as transparency and trust in what the city tells residents.5:33:47
- Mayor Amezcua added context to what a congressman had said about the risk to officers.5:35:02
- She asked the city attorney to explain the difference between the kinds of notification the city might receive, and was told most come through federal immigration and homeland security channels.5:37:27
Work Study Session
▶4:28:14 Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget Work Study Session
- The council held its work study on the budget for 2025-26.5:11:28
Full transcript
Open transcript
Read or search the complete meeting
969 merged speaker turns are available in a dedicated reading view. It opens with unidentified speech hidden.