Thai Viet PhanRaised concerns
7:02:53Broke the deadlock by proposing the fund be paid for from ten percent of the money set aside for city events, with a report back in ninety days.
1July
2025
2025
Regular City Council and Housing Authority Meeting · One key issue
The council created an emergency fund for families affected by federal immigration enforcement, but only after two competing motions had failed.
▶ Check this moment · 7:02:57
8.3 hours
40 agenda items
35 located in video
59% attributed to a named speaker
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What happened
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
- 01
A motion to approve the programme as written failed three votes to four, and a rival motion also failed three to four with the sides reversed.
▶7:01:21Explore this issue
Related agenda item 28Open agenda item →Consider a Temporary Program of Financial Assistance for Families Impacted by Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions
Member positions
Benjamin VazquezRaised concerns6:58:59Seconded Hernandez's alternative.
Jessie LopezRaised concerns7:01:23None
Johnathan Ryan HernandezRaised concerns6:58:59Voted against approving it as written and moved his own version, which also failed.
Valerie AmezcuaVoted yes6:56:38Voted for approving the programme as written, which failed.
Phil BacerraVoted yes6:56:38Also voted to approve it unchanged.
David PenalozaVoted yes6:56:37Moved to approve the item as is, then seconded the compromise that eventually carried.
- 02
The council finally agreed unanimously to fund it by diverting ten percent of the money set aside for city events, with staff to report back within ninety days.
▶7:05:29Explore this issue
Related agenda item 28Open agenda item →Consider a Temporary Program of Financial Assistance for Families Impacted by Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions
Member positions
Thai Viet PhanRaised concerns7:02:53Broke the deadlock by proposing the fund be paid for from ten percent of the money set aside for city events, with a report back in ninety days.
Benjamin VazquezRaised concerns6:58:59Seconded Hernandez's alternative.
Jessie LopezRaised concerns7:01:23None
Johnathan Ryan HernandezRaised concerns6:58:59Voted against approving it as written and moved his own version, which also failed.
Valerie AmezcuaVoted yes6:56:38Voted for approving the programme as written, which failed.
Phil BacerraVoted yes6:56:38Also voted to approve it unchanged.
David PenalozaVoted yes6:56:37Moved to approve the item as is, then seconded the compromise that eventually carried.
- 03
It also called for a resolution on federal immigration enforcement and a freedom of information request to the immigration agency.
▶5:38:50Explore this issue
Related agenda item 24Open agenda item →Resolution Appointing T. Jack Morse of Oppenheimer Investigations Group LLP as Police Oversight Director and Consultant Agreement…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
- 04
The rewrite of the Police Oversight Commission ordinance was continued to the next meeting, where it deadlocked.
▶5:49:00Explore this issue
Related agenda item 29Open agenda item →Ordinance Amending Article IV to Chapter 2 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code Police Oversight Commission to Align with State Law…
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
David PenalozaCouncilmember7:32:30by the federal administration. The California Lifeline program provides essential affordable communication services to low-income residents many of whom rely on these services to maintain contact with employers or schools, doctors, family and emergency…
Valerie AmezcuaMayor7:31:30mayor Pro Tem Vasquez let us know when he takes you to the capital grill because you win the bet Okay? All right. So this is the end of the public hearing. At this time we're gonna go to councilmember requested items. We'll start with item number 31. It was…
Jennifer L. HallCity Clerk7:31:08motion as previously stated council member Becerra yes council member Hernandez yes council member Lopez yes council member Penalosa yes council member Phan yes mayor Pro Tem Vasquez yes mayor Meskwa yes vote of seven ayes no nays motion carries end of public…
- 05
The council supported a state bill creating a Middle Eastern and North African category in official data.
▶5:16:54Explore this issue
Related agenda item 25Open agenda item →Resolution Supporting Assembly Bill 91 - Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Inclusion Act
What councilmembers said
Representative transcript excerpts—not inferred positions.
Phil BacerraCouncilmember5:42:19by those same masked federal agents. He lived in our community for 25 years with his family, three sons that were all United States Marines. I hope that Mr. Branco is released soon from ICE custody because our community needs more Mr. Brancos and less…
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
The council agreed unanimously to help families hit by immigration raids only after two rival funding motions each failed three votes to four.
Broke the deadlock by proposing the fund be paid for from ten percent of the money set aside for city events, with a report back in ninety days.
Seconded Hernandez's alternative.
Voted against approving it as written and moved his own version, which also failed.
Voted for approving the programme as written, which failed.
Also voted to approve it unchanged.
Moved to approve the item as is, then seconded the compromise that eventually carried.
Agenda
Every item
40 items in agenda order
Closed Session Items
Not located Closed-session labor negotiations with city employee organizations
- The council met privately about pay talks with a city employee union.17:31
Closed Session Items
▶4:43:19 Closed-session labor negotiations with city employee organizations
- The council met privately about pay talks with a second employee group.17:31
Closed Session Items
▶4:43:19 Closed-session labor negotiations with city employee organizations
- The council met privately about pay talks with a third employee group.17:31
Closed Session Items
Not located Closed-session labor negotiations with city employee organizations
- The council met privately about pay talks with a fourth employee group.17:31
Closed Session Items
Not located Closed-session labor negotiations with city employee organizations
- The council met privately about pay talks with a fifth employee group.17:31
Ceremonial Presentations
Not located Certificates of Recognition presented by Councilmember Bacerra recognizing Orange County Fire Authority’s Best and Bravest…
- Councilmember Bacerra presented certificates of recognition.2:29:11
Consent Calendar
▶4:43:19 Excused Absences
- A routine item excusing members who missed earlier meetings, approved with the consent calendar.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶4:43:19 Appoint Denise Reynoso Nominated by Councilmember Phan as the Ward 1 Representative to the Environmental and Transportation Advisory…
- Denise Reynoso was appointed to a city body, on Councilmember Phan's nomination.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Appoint Aylin Luis Nominated by Councilmember Phan as the Ward 1 Representative to the Youth Commission for a Partial Term Expiring…
- Aylin Luis was appointed as a Ward representative, also nominated by Councilmember Phan.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Appoint Marlene Peña-Marin Nominated by Councilmember Bacerra as the Ward 4 Representative to the Arts and Culture Commission for a…
- Marlene Pena-Marin was appointed on Councilmember Bacerra's nomination.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Appoint Jesse Rodriguez Nominated by Councilmember Bacerra as the Ward 4 Representative to the Youth Commission for a Partial Term…
- Jesse Rodriguez was appointed on Councilmember Bacerra's nomination.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Appoint Nancy Gonzalez Nominated by the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency as the Santa Ana Senior Center…
- Nancy Gonzalez was appointed on the parks and recreation commission's nomination.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Aggregate Contracts to Diamond Environmental Services LP and United Site Services of California, Inc. for Portable Toilets and Other…
- Contracts were approved for portable sanitation services.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:10:57 Approve a Pre-Commitment of up to $920,000 in Inclusionary Housing Funds for Eligible Homebuyers to Purchase Nine (9) Existing…
- The council committed up to $920,000 of inclusionary housing money in advance to a project.4:49:48
Consent Calendar
▶5:15:04 Agreements with Orange County Therapeutic Arts Center, Working Wardrobes for a New Start, and StandUp for Kids Orange County to…
- Agreements were approved with arts and workforce organisations.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:16:13 Agreement with Graves & King LLP; Agreement with Jones Mayer; and a First Amendment to Agreement with Bobko Law, APC
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Agreement with CDW-G for Email Security and Cybersecurity Awareness Training Software Subscription Services (Specification No.…
- The council approved email security and cybersecurity services.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Agreement with Community SeniorServ, Inc. dba Meals on Wheels Orange County for the Senior Meals Program (General Fund)
- The council renewed its agreement with Meals on Wheels for the senior meals programme.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Facilities Use Agreement Amendment with Santa Ana Lawn Bowling Club for the Use of the Santa Ana West Lawn Bowling Green near…
- The council amended the facilities agreement with the lawn bowling club.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:23:39 Approve Additional Contingency Funds for the 10th and Flower Street Improvements with an Estimated Project Delivery Cost of…
- Additional contingency funds were approved for the 10th and Flower project.5:04:14
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Agreement with Xanadu Service System for Janitorial Services at Park Restrooms (Specification No. 25-043) (General Fund)
- A contractor was engaged for janitorial services.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Agreement with E.J. Ward Inc. for Fueling Station Improvements (Project No. 25-6038) (General Fund)
- A contractor was engaged to improve the city's fuelling station.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Agreement with Clinical Laboratory of San Bernardino, Inc. for Water Quality Sampling and Testing Services (Specification No.…
- A clinical laboratory was engaged to provide testing services.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 First Amendment for Agreements with AESCO, Inc., Kleinfelder, Inc., and RMA Group for On-Call Material Testing and Special…
- The council extended its on-call materials testing agreements.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:29:28 Memorandum of Understanding of the Master Plan of Arterial Highways Amendment with the Orange County Transportation Authority and…
Consent Calendar
▶5:31:43 Construction Contract with R.J. Noble Company for the Bristol Street Rehabilitation from Santa Clara Avenue to Memory Lane Project…
- A construction contract was awarded for the Bristol Street project.5:16:54
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Construction Contract to Vido Samarzich, Inc. for the McFadden Avenue Transit Signal Priority Pilot Project (No. 25-6031)…
- A construction contract was awarded for the McFadden project.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶5:08:21 Construction Contract to Onyx Paving Company, Inc. for the Local Street Preventative Maintenance FY 24-25 Project (No. 25-6907)…
- A construction contract was awarded to a paving company.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶4:25:11 Resolution Appointing T. Jack Morse of Oppenheimer Investigations Group LLP as Police Oversight Director and Consultant Agreement…
- The council appointed an outside investigator to a city role by resolution.5:38:50
Business Calendar
▶5:42:10 Resolution Supporting Assembly Bill 91 - Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Inclusion Act
- The council adopted a resolution supporting a state bill creating a Middle Eastern and North African category in official data collection.5:17:56
Business Calendar
▶5:43:04 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- The council directed a freedom of information request to the federal immigration agency.5:38:50
Business Calendar
▶6:03:57 Resolution Making a Call to Action Regarding ICE Immigration Enforcement
- The council adopted a call to action regarding federal immigration enforcement in the city.5:49:00
Business Calendar
▶6:14:14 Consider a Temporary Program of Financial Assistance for Families Impacted by Federal Immigration Enforcement Actions
- This item asked the council to set up an emergency assistance programme for families affected by federal immigration enforcement.6:58:59
- Mayor Pro Tem Penaloza moved a substitute to approve the programme as written, and that failed three votes to four.6:56:37
- Mayor Amezcua and Councilmembers Bacerra and Penaloza were the three in favour of approving it unchanged.6:56:38
- Councilmember Hernandez then moved his own version, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Vazquez, and that also failed three to four with the sides reversed.6:58:59
- Councilmember Phan finally moved to fund it by diverting ten percent of the money identified for city events, seconded by Councilmember Penaloza.7:02:53
- That motion required staff to return within ninety days on how well the programme was working and to allow a broader discussion of more funding.7:05:29
- It carried seven votes to nothing, and the fund went on to assist 101 households in its first months.7:05:29
Business Calendar
▶7:30:44 Ordinance Amending Article IV to Chapter 2 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code Police Oversight Commission to Align with State Law…
- The rewrite of the ordinance governing the Police Oversight Commission was continued to the meeting of 15 July, where it deadlocked three to three.5:49:00
Public Hearing Public Comments
▶7:32:56 Public hearing: Resolution Declaring Results of Majority Protest Proceedings to Renew the Santa Ana Tourism Marketing District…
- This was the public hearing declaring the results of a majority protest proceeding.5:49:00
Councilmember Requested Items
▶7:56:38 Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager to Direct Staff to Bring Back a Resolution for Council Consideration that Would…
- A councilmember asked staff to bring something back for council consideration.5:49:00
Councilmember Requested Items
▶7:59:34 Discuss and Consider Directing the City Manager, City Clerk, and City Attorney to Direct Staff to Prepare an Ordinance Requiring All…
- A councilmember asked the city manager and city clerk to prepare a further item.5:49:00
Consent Calendar
Not located Excused Absences
- A routine item excusing absent members, approved by the Housing Authority.4:45:30
Consent Calendar
▶4:43:19 Minutes from the Regular Meeting of March 18, 2025
- The Housing Authority approved the written record of its 18 March 2025 meeting.4:45:30
Business Calendar
▶4:45:03 Approve an Update to the Housing Choice Voucher Administrative Plan to Comply with the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act
- The Housing Authority updated the plan governing how it administers housing vouchers.4:45:30
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