Read the December 5 meeting.

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Recording in progress.

Valerie Amezcua

Madam Clerk, please start the meeting.

Valerie Amezcua

I hereby call the Santa Ana City Council meeting to order. This meeting is taking place with in-person attendance and by teleconference via Zoom. The public may access the meeting via the Santa Ana YouTube channel or the city's website. Please bear with us as the technology may disrupt the flow of the meeting. Madam Clerk, please conduct the roll call.

Jennifer L. Hall

Thank you, Mayor. Council Member Becerra?

Phil Bacerra

Here.

Jennifer L. Hall

Council Member Hernandez? Council Member Penalosa? Present. Council Member Phan? Here. Council Member Vasquez? Present. Mayor Pro Tem Lopez? Here. Mayor Mesqua? Present. Six members present.

Valerie Amezcua

You have quorum. Thank you. Madam Clerk, are there any additions or deletions to the closed session agenda? There are not. Do any council members need to announce abstentions on closed session items?

Valerie Amezcua

Hearing none, do we have any speakers for closed session, Madam Clerk? No, we do not. At this time, we'll recess this portion of the meeting to consider items on the closed session, and then we'll be back. Thank you.

Recording stopped.

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Recording in progress.

Valerie Amezcua

Madam Clerk, please start the meeting. Yes, Mayor. Go ahead, please. Thank you. I hereby reconvene the Santa Ana City Council meeting to order. This meeting is taking place with in-person attendance and by teleconference via Zoom. The public may access the meeting via the Santa Ana YouTube channel or the city's website. Please bear with us as the technology may disrupt the flow of the meeting. As a reminder, this is a meeting to conduct the business of the city. As mayor, I am afforded the opportunity to call for a recess or a break or even to clear the meeting room if a meeting becomes too disruptive to properly conduct business.

Valerie Amezcua

Warnings will be provided prior to any action being taken. We appreciate your cooperation. For safety purposes, per the fire marshal, please do not stand or place objects in the aisles or in front of the dais. Designated areas for media, cameras, and tripods are marked with red tape at the back of the room. Madam Clerk, please conduct a roll call.

Jennifer L. Hall

Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Becerra?

Phil Bacerra

Here.

Jennifer L. Hall

Councilmember Hernandez? Present. Councilmember Penalosa? Here. Councilmember Fan? Here. Councilmember Vasquez? Present. Mayor Pro Tem Lopez? Here. Mayor Mesquia? Present. Record show all members are present.

Valerie Amezcua

Thank you. Before we proceed to the Pledge of Allegiance, Madam Clerk, do you have any announcements?

Jennifer L. Hall

Yes, thank you. For members of the public who are on Zoom or teleconference, in order to request to speak during public comments on agenda or non-agenda items within the city's jurisdiction you must dial star 9 from your phone or click the button labeled raise hand from zoom now in order to be in the speaker queue once public comments

Valerie Amezcua

commence thank you thank you the first item on the agenda is the pledge of allegiance mr. Katz can you please come and lead us in the pledge of allegiance

one two three four five six all right i'll get started i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Valerie Amezcua

Thank you, sir, very much. At this time, the words of inspiration will be provided by Police Chapman Barnett. Chapman Barnett, please come to the party. Thank you, sir.

My best words of inspiration I can give tonight is a very simple little prayer. I'm going to ask God's presence to fill this place and give us wisdom and insight. So, Lord God, we thank you for the privilege of being together. I thank you for the city council. We ask that, Lord, you would preside over this evening, that your wisdom would be displayed. Your discernment would be obvious. We're grateful, Lord, for this city. We're grateful for the people that work so hard here. We're mindful of so many that have been honored here and those that may be honored tonight. We ask a blessing on their lives.

We ask for protection for our city and health. And Lord, we're mindful, Lord, of all of our first responders the police men and women and the fire authority lord god those that work in our

Valerie Amezcua

hospitals please be with them and anoint them in the name of the lord amen amen thank you very much

Valerie Amezcua

madam clerk are there any additions or deletions to the city council agenda

Jennifer L. Hall

yes mayor there is one item number one on tonight's agenda is a ceremonial presentation for certificate of recognition presented to the modern day high school varsity cheerleading team for exceptional athletic accomplishments. Unfortunately, the cheerleading team was unable to join us this evening, so we'll find another opportunity for you to recognize their exceptional accomplishments.

Valerie Amezcua

Great. Thank you. Madam City Attorney, do you have anything to report out from closed session?

Sonia R. Carvalho

Mayor, council members, and members of the public, we did have two closed session items this evening. A potential settlement was discussed and approved by the council. the numbers can be disclosed once that agreement is signed. A request can be made to the City Clerk's Office for it. Thank you.

Valerie Amezcua

Thank you. This is the time of the meeting for the City Council to receive comments from the public on agenda and non-agenda items. With the exception of item number 19, the resolution requested by Council Members Vasquez and Hernandez, we will hear comments on that item separately when it is considered. Madam City Clerk, please explain the public comment procedures and call the first speakers.

Jennifer L. Hall

Yes, thank you, Mayor. Pursuant to Resolution No. 2023-047, speakers are requested to address the City Council directly and to refrain from profane language, racial epitaphs, and libelous or slanderous statements that disturb the decorum of the meeting. Pursuant to the Brown Act, the City Council may not enter into discussion at this time. Before I call the speakers, I will announce the agenda, the emails we have. We received four comments related to the consent and business calendar items three were non-agenda related one was related to item number eight the

Jennifer L. Hall

city net contract and at this point in time mayor we do not have any speakers on the consent or business calendar items all the speaker cards have been submitted for item 19. great thank you very

Valerie AmezcuaItem 2

much um we're going to go to the consent calendar at this time items 2 through 17. let's announce any items that you'll be abstaining from and what items you'll be pulling councilman hernandez

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 2

Yes, I would like to comment on item 15. I will not be pulling any items on the consent.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 2

Thank you. Councilmember Becerra. Yes.

Phil BacerraItem 2

Yes, I will be pulling items 8 and 14.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 2

Thank you. Councilmember Farron.

Thai Viet PhanItem 2

Nothing for me. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 2

Thank you. Councilman Penelosa.

David PenalozaItem 2

No items for me to pull, Mayor.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 2

Thank you. Mayor Pro Tem Lopez.

Benjamin VazquezItem 2

Nothing.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 2

thank you councilman vasquez i wasn't a comment on eight i wasn't a comment on eight but it's full and i'll just comment that perfect thank you all right at this time is there a motion to approve the uh the uh remaining items so moved second perfect let's prepare to vote

Jennifer L. HallItem 2

a motion by councilmember becerra seconded by councilmember hernandez to approve the consent calendar item with the exception of items 8 and 14 pulled for separate consideration and a comment on item 15 by council member hernandez vote is seven eyes no nays motion carries thank you item

Phil BacerraItem 2

thank you madam mayor uh so i have a question

Phil BacerraItem 3

all right let me try that again um so i have a question for staff Let's see, who's going to be? Gaminski, thank you.

Phil BacerraItem 3

So in reading this item, one of the deliverables in Exhibit A is that there will be 25 jail release program positive exits. Can you explain what a jail release program positive exit is?

Based on information received from the dais, the city understood that we needed a more robust engagement program for individuals being released from the Santa Ana City Jail. With that being said, we have incorporated CityNet into that intake and release process where sent in a jail staff speak with every arrestee coming through find out whether or not they're interested in any types of services whether homeless

services or regular services like substance abuse and and mental health or even housing if the individual is interested in any services CityNet is contacted CityNet then responds to the jail, has an interview and discusses options with that person and then CityNet either takes them someplace or the individuals refuse services. When we were dealing with the actual discussion of what would be good metrics for the upcoming program,

the upcoming year, we included this and although I didn't necessarily like the wording of 25 positive outcomes, so far this year we've had about 100 interactions between CityNet and individuals being released from the Santa Ana Jail. We've had two positive interactions thus far. Those were individuals that were either desirous of some type of shelter or we were able to put them into a different service.

So over the course of the year, that number means that we're hopeful we're going to find enough people who get released from the San Antonio jail that are willing to accept services and that we can immediately put into some type of service. But again, we've been running this program for about a month and a half. We have two. So I figured 25 was a pretty high number and a pretty good ask.

Phil BacerraItem 3

no and i and i appreciate that and i just want to make sure that they're being asked about services

prior to release they're being asked about services during intake they're being asked about services

Phil BacerraItem 3

prior to release both times okay perfect so in looking at this contract according to the deliverables in exhibit a uh the other goal on here for 2024 is 850 homeless street exits and And for this one year contract, our city's gonna pay 3.8 million. That ends up being about 4,500 per street exit. Exhibit A states that street exits may also reflect duplicated numbers as individuals may enter, then exit, then re-enter the shelter multiple times during the reporting period. That's the verbatim from the contract.

True.

Phil BacerraItem 3

Or from their budget. So that would mean possibly that if we saw individuals, because they don't normally exit the street on the first try. So if we, or I'm sorry, it takes multiple exits for them to fully get off the street. So at two exits for one individual, we're looking at $9,000. Three exits, we're looking at about $13,000. Now, five and 10 exits may sound extreme at $22,000 and $45,000, but at one point in time, I believe in this chamber, we've talked about how in some cases, it can go up to 20 exits. And in that case, we're looking at almost $100,000 for one individual.

Phil BacerraItem 3

So, and then you look at the cost breakdown for CityNet to provide the service that's shown in the exhibit B, the budget, you can see that there's case management performed by 20 case managers for a total of 1.7 million, and with a total one-year contract of 3.8 million and 1.7 million going to boots on the ground, that means only 45% of this total contract is actually going directly to trying to address homelessness on our streets. That means 55% is going to fund management. And that's because this budget, as proposed, includes $263,000 a year in various supervisors,

Phil BacerraItem 3

in addition to $86,719 that's going to, quote-unquote, executive leadership that works a whopping 16 hours a week. And that work includes, quote-unquote, project oversight and problem solving. 16 hours a week, and they're getting, I mean, maybe I should jump on the CityNet train. That's what it looks like. So when I've spoken with other council members in other cities, you know, they've used CityNet, and a lot of them have arrived at the conclusion where I'm at, which is it would probably be more cost-effective to bring this function in-house.

Phil BacerraItem 3

So our need to proactively and effectively offer services to these homeless individuals in Santa Ana by personnel that are not police officers is not going to go away anytime soon. So I recognize the need that this is not something that our police officers should be doing. But we need more boots on the ground, and we need more consistently hitting the hot spots, whether it's East First Street, South Bristol, the railroad tracks, or our parks. Only 45% of this contract is going to pay for boots on the ground. So I won't be supporting this contract as is.

Phil BacerraItem 3

What I would propose is that we begin the transition immediately to bringing in this function in-house, and for the meantime to bridge that gap that we go ahead, and as we're phasing out this contract, We do a six-month bridge contract with CityNet, and we start to look at bringing folks in-house so that we can augment our cult team, so make sure that we actually have boots on the ground, because for this amount, we are not getting the services. Every day that I walk down South Bristol and I see the folks that are just lingering around, I don't see CityNet out there addressing them for services.

Phil BacerraItem 3

Homelessness is not a crime, and those folks need to be reached out, contacted, and seeing what can be done. They're instead just hanging out, and what happens? PD, council members, we all get those calls. And I don't see CityNet out there. This is just throwing good money after bad money. So my proposal would be to reduce this contract to a six-month contract and then let's look aggressively in the next six months bringing this in-house. So that's my motion on the table. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

So thank you. Councilman Vasquez.

Benjamin VazquezItem 3

Thank you for that, Councilmember Bezetta. I'm open to your idea your proposal, but I would like to see it over a year to give staff time to set it up and propose Some kind of action many times we've set up here like how fast can staff really move?

Benjamin VazquezItem 3

That given we the last homeless report we had we saw a fall and The amount of services we gave out right by 60% I asked Mr. Kaminsky and what did you tell me? why did we fall so short? Why did we not have enough? I thought it was because...

There was a, there were several issues that came in during that small time period. One of it was staffing concerns and staffing issues. We attempt to address that by raising the salaries of CityNet to make CityNet here in Santa Ana the same as CityNet in other cities, as well as we had an issue with a database that made it more difficult for us to get people into shelter those were some of the bigger issues that we had it was a countywide

Benjamin VazquezItem 3

issue with clents thank you and I appreciate trying to get the folks on the ground to have a living wage and I think we should be looking at having the people a living wage so they could stay long term so they could really get to know the people that are working with and those relationships build over time so my office and my staff we're working to to get funds from the county working with Supervisor Sarmiento we're starting a talks we had a conversation about this so my hope is that we do give people a living wage to give better services to keep people in the long term and we don't see the rotation and especially if

Benjamin VazquezItem 3

it works with something with what councilmember Bacetta the stating I think it would work great but I would want it for a year and not six months

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

Councilman Hernandez.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

Thank you, Mayor Mesquo. Thank you, Ken Gaminski, for the presentation. I have my critiques on CityNet. I think that there's certainly a lot of room for improvement with this program. I respect my colleagues' opinion here, Councilmember Becerra. I do think we need to start looking at more options in-house. I don't think we can do that in six months. I would implore my colleagues if they're open to looking at us revisiting this within a year I do believe we're better suited as a city to start developing this in-house and maybe it looks like us having a

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

Multi-pronged approach where we work with CityNet and we bring in mental health experts like B-Well OC Who are working with cities with similar issues? City of Anaheim City of Garden Grove City of Huntington Beach City of Irvine Newport Westminster Laguna Beach as far as even UCI and their process is a really transparent three-step process how it works is step one cities with active programs have calls that are received through an appropriate non-emergency line or 911 dispatchers then triage the situation and when appropriate they do they deploy

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

the be well OC crisis response team step two is you know working in a multi-pronged approach it allows us to have partners like BeWell OC so I think that that year that year should be spent with our city looking into you know good partners that can help us offset some of those responsibilities from the police department and maybe that some of those gaps that I believe CityNet has I think BeWell OC has the infrastructure services and capabilities are they do assist with mental health or behavioral crisis suicidal ideation non-domestic violence family issues, public assistance, including lack of basic needs for food, shelter,

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

water, or clothing. They also do have a transportation program and they have shelters. They have 90 beds for mental health, whereas that is the largest amount of beds for mental health in the county. That is in the city of Orange. It's not too far from us. I think we're better tasked partnering with organizations that have infrastructure. 90 beds is quite significant. That would be the direction that I'd like to see if my colleagues are willing to support a sub motion for us to continue this contract for one year and bring back a multi-pronged approach where we're working with different agencies to solve the issue of homelessness.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

Because it is not one where there's a one size fits all solution. This is going to be a multi-pronged approach where wellness has to be at the center of that. And I'll put a motion on the floor.

Thai Viet PhanItem 3

Council Member Fenn. Thank you, Madam Mayor. So my question is, and this might be to Madam City Attorney, I know we've talked about six months, a year, but it seems to me like in Section 3 term, it says that this contract is for a year. That's what's on the table right now, right? January 1st, 2024 to December 31st, 2024. The other item I want to raise for confirmation is that our contract in Section 15 for termination gives us the right to terminate the agreement on our convenience with 30 days written notice.

Thai Viet PhanItem 3

So I guess I've had this position before, which is let's approve it for a year, but we can terminate it with 30 days notice whether it's in two months or eight months. but I guess I really like what Councilman Becerra said which is let's look at how we can bring this in-house let's see what we can do but that would include for example looking at what staff to hire you know right with departments or if you're going to have to do we have the mid-year budget coming up in February so we would know what we have in our budget to how many people we can hire

Thai Viet PhanItem 3

what that would look like and then through the actual fiscal year budget so so I would be supportive of staff looking into that now simultaneously with the approval of this contract for a year recognizing that we at least I would be supportive of looking at how we can or if it's even feasible to bring it in-house and provide better service than what we have under CityNet and then being willing to pull the plug at any time because that's our right to do so under the contract I I guess if you can give me some information about what you think how long it would take to kind of work on this plan.

Thai Viet PhanItem 3

I don't know whether staff has even started on something like that.

So I can tell you that we routinely look at different concepts and different ideas. We look at best practices from throughout the country. We listen to people who talk about best practices from across the nation.

I understand that there's an idea about wanting to bring these services in house.

We can definitely examine that and look at that, right? The costs of that we're paying hourly for this service are not extremely high. The numbers that council member Becerra talked about boots on the ground. We also have to consider that we're also paying for a dispatch center and dispatchers as well. That was a different set of line, I know.

So the idea that we can take what CityNet does and then bring it in-house, I think that understanding that from the dais, and there's a majority of people that I've heard so far, that have an interest in bringing this in-house, I would say that this will probably take us no less than six months. We're talking about creating new job specs. We're talking about bringing job specs back here, having financial considerations weighed, looking at having you all agree to what these job specs are,

and then the hiring process and the background process. So a year from the time when you say you're interested in making a change is probably something that staff could get behind and make happen for you.

Thai Viet PhanItem 8

Thank you. And that's really helpful because I remember when we budgeted for the Vietnamese community liaison, it took a while, even though we did have draft job specs from other cities that we borrowed from, and it took you know time to make it work for us put it out there wait interview background and then select our candidates so um i guess then i i would say you know approve this agreement but with the direction that staff come back to us with uh information about how we could bring it in house what does that look like how could we do it whether it's within this fiscal year based on

Thai Viet PhanItem 8

the mid-year budget or build it in as an option in the next fiscal year so that we can make that determination because I also know when you hire staff that's in-house we have pension health care etc that might be shared when it's with a contractor so with that I guess it would be a sub sub motion with that approval and direction unless one of my colleagues is okay with a friendly

Phil BacerraItem 8

amendment thank you councilman Becerra thank you madam mayor I'm okay with what I've heard as far as going ahead and doing a year what I'd ask my colleagues though is that as I mentioned 45% of this contract is going to boots on the ground 55% is going to management you've got one person that's only putting in 16 hours and making six figures I would say he's going well beyond the living wage and that limit that weight or those excuse me those wages could be better spent on those boots on the ground, whether it's to better pay those boots on the ground or to have more boots on the ground.

Phil BacerraItem 8

So what I would ask then, and I don't know if this is possible, but I'm going to look to my professional staff for this, is there a way to approve this contract for a year? But let's look at, I guess, some sort of cost savings when it comes to how much we're paying for the problem solver and see what we can do there. Because, again, I can't in good conscience approve something like this where our folks are demanding that we do something about the homeless and we're paying more for the managers not the actual folks that are solving the problem

so city manager yes uh hello madam mayor members of the council so uh the the contract is structured how it is structured in here and we have to work within that framework but uh if the council moves forward with this direction we'd be happy to meet with city net and talk about your specific interests and as a group and come back to you or let you know what we found out from those discussions because we understand what you're saying. Your interest is to push as much into boots on the ground, so we understand that.

Phil BacerraItem 8

So if I may ask my colleagues and whether it's...

I have one more speaker, too. I have one more speaker.

Phil BacerraItem 8

Okay. Just real quick, so as far as whether it's a friendly amendment, a new motion to the submotion of the other motion, could we just simply possibly punt this for two weeks, let staff work with CityNet and see if they can come back with something that is one year and something a little less top-heavy?

Phil BacerraItem 8

Because this contract is for calendar year 2024, so we do have one more meeting this calendar year. Yeah, I'm supportive of that. I'm supportive. Everybody supportive of that? We're good? Okay. I second.

Jessie LopezItem 8

Just as of... Mayor Patron Lopez, go ahead.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

We're not done yet. Go ahead.

Jessie LopezItem 8

Yes, thank you. I wanted to state that I'm supportive of Councilwoman Fan's sub-sub motion and had questions about the 2024 deliverables. because I only see numbers next to what are not too good of descriptors in my opinion and so for example street exits 850 is the goal for next year but what does that actually entail is that permanent housing for people no ma'am

that is permanent housing shelter opportunities living with friends but going back home, being put back together with families. It's whatever it is that moves that person from the street off the street.

Jessie LopezItem 8

Yeah, I guess my concern is when we're talking about homelessness and how do we actually solve it right? And I keep coming back to this question and I know we've discussed this before during our homelessness report. How are we making sure that these exits are not coming back into the street how are we tracking that that to me is a deliverable that i can support because we can continue to fund money into contracts we can create an entire new division we're not a new division but we can hire new people they can work around the clock right sitting it this is the second time that we're extending their contract um to expand on the

Jessie LopezItem 8

hours that they're already working but how are we making sure that people are not becoming homeless to begin with in our city?

That's a good question as far as how are we making sure people are not becoming homeless in our city. That's not part of the CityNet contract, I can assure you of that.

Jessie LopezItem 8

That's what I'm trying to get at, right? When you're talking to me about deliverables, how is not the goal of the contract? I couldn't hear you. How is that not part of the goal of this contract?

So, CityNet contacts people in the field, works through issues, concerns, problems, and tries to find ways to exit them from homelessness. That's where their world sits. They do case management after a person has been placed into various different locations, but there is often a warm handoff between service providers. So, for example, when somebody transitions from a location and goes into one of our permanent

supportive housing locations, there are case managers that are assigned to work with those individuals to ensure that they continue to be successful but that's the warm handoff to other nonprofit organizations or other organizations we have working with us that's not CityNet CityNet is as Councilmember Becerra said those boots on the on the on the street that are walking around talking to individuals currently experiencing homelessness and attempting to get them

to make the really truly valiant decision that they want to change their life and do something different, meaning generally going into some form of shelter where we hope to keep them until their permanent supportive housing vouchers come through, and then we can move them on into some form of permanent supportive housing, which again, you on this dais have done a tremendous job of creating permanent supportive housing in this city far

Jessie LopezItem 8

beyond anything else in the county yes we have and clearly we need to do more right because we're not seeing an end to this issue and not just our city but every other city in this county the state we have an issue with housing and housing affordability and so I'm supportive of the sub sub motion Tom and And in talking and developing with staff, our internal staff, about how this is going to move forward, that needs to be the foundation of how we approach this work. Because part of what we're saying on one hand is we're investing so much money and we're not seeing our residents a positive return.

Jessie LopezItem 8

So we're going to bring it in-house and invest more money. It is going to be more money, but we cannot be on this, you know, hamster wheel of, you know, doing outreach to people and saying, well, we've handed them off to a nonprofit or we've handed them off to a shelter. And what we have to keep in mind when we're having this conversation is this is a county jail.

Jessie LopezItem 8

Right? This is a county jail. So when people are at holiday parties with the DA and the sheriffs, these are their policies, too, that we should be bringing up to them. Because our dollars are being put to do outreach for everybody that is brought to this county jail. That means that people from any city in this county, South County, North County, we, our staff, we're telling you, we're going to dedicate our general fund dollars to help them get housing thank you council member sir

Phil BacerraItem 8

oh no i'm good um i think we i have to defer to the clerk about whose motion is what and where

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

give me one second jennifer because i didn't make my comments so i appreciate all my colleagues comments up here or the council's comments um be well is a great program tom i'm sure you're familiar with it city manager I've been out there I went on a tour with them I've met with Cal Optima it's great to hear that the council members up here are now going to work with the supervisor or supervisors and get some funding because we've been working and I know Ken's worked really hard and the Colt team and a lot of staff in the city have tried to work with the supervisor's office

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

to get funding so if that can happen I'm all supportive of that doesn't matter how it gets here as long as it gets here. And so, you know, the one thing that I think Councilmember Becerra made very clear is the cost, right? The 45% boots on the ground and the 55%, right? So, we have met with you and I guess some of the other staff about what are we doing with CityNet, how are we doing it, why are we doing it. I was not here when it was approved initially, and I know Ken and I we've had lengthy conversations about you know the outreach

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

contacts 4,000 substance abuse assessments 120 phone calls dispatched 8,000 case management 1,020 jail release jail release program positive exits 25 street exits 850 I'm reading what is here and it was given to me and then now CityNet is changing their hours we had asked for that from Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., weekends 9 to 9. They're going to change them from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week, and they'll be working a new jail release program. And so that's some good steps that we're doing,

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

and I think that it'll help us because we cannot rely on the police department to do everything. And so I know in the time that I've been here, they've done the work, right? And so I appreciate it. But I do agree with the council that it's time to look at how we can possibly bring it in-house. There will be some cost, of course, for us as well. But we're paying for other things that are important to us. So really, what are our priorities as a council sitting up here? And homelessness is a priority. It appears that it's been a priority for quite some time. So I'm supportive of looking at the contract.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

I do not want to terminate it today. I think there's a process to create a new program, hire social workers or clinicians. Maybe we get an agreement with the county that we pay for their social workers or clinicians, and then we have additional staff here. So there's a very lengthy process to do this. I also do want to thank CityNet for the work they've done. However, I want to close with this is that I know I go to lots of events with everybody, and I do have conversations. I've had them with supervisors, with judges. I met with Judge Carter. I've had tea with him on a regular. I've met with assembly members and senators.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

I go visit all of these non-profit, Altamed who wants to do street medicine, Cal Optima, who we put in an RP for street medicine, but we did not get it, which I don't know why. And I've called our assembly member to ask that question from Cal Optima because Santa Ana should have received it. We have the largest number of homeless people in this county. The Cal Optima gave it to another city. So I know you're also gonna do some research on that and share with the council why we did not qualify for street medicine from TAL Optima, unless somebody else knows why. So we have been doing the work up here.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

Your staff have been doing the work. Ken, thank you. Everybody's been doing the work. But I think it's great to bring it in-house because we can set the parameters. We can set the goals. We can look at what do we really mean when we say, when we contact somebody, how do we get them off the street? What does that really mean? It is not going to happen overnight. It's not going to change overnight because as many of us in this room know, some people do not want to go into shelter. Some people do not want services. Some people want to remain out in the street. And Colt will tell you that.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

Those who've worked in this field will tell you that. And some do want the help, right? And so I think it's great if we can get Ultimate to provide some street medicine. Be Well has approached us, so hopefully we'll be working with them as well. and then again whoever can get the assistance from the board of supervisors or a supervisor that would be wonderful i do support it coming in-house but i think you're going to need some time and i agree with councilman becerra if you can bring it back if we agree to bring it back in a couple weeks at the next meeting where you have a plan and you can present to us it might be

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

easier for you guys to move forward so that's what i have so thank you all right we're going to do Go ahead. Yes. There's a sub motion, sub motion, sub motion.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

So there was a motion and two sub motions, but I did not hear a second for any of those three items. So the first item I heard with a motion and a second was by Councilmember Becerra and Councilmember Vasquez to continue item eight to the December 19th meeting and have staff conduct outreach to CityNet before it's brought back.

Jessie LopezItem 8

Sorry, Jennifer, maybe I didn't make myself clear. I'd like to support the sub sub motion, and maybe it'll default to a sub since Councilmember Hernandez did not receive a second.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

Can you please turn the phone and or the music off, please? We're conducting business. Thank you. Can you repeat your, Councilmember Fenn, can you repeat your, wait, wait.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

So at this point in time, then, there would be the motion to continue, but then there would be the motion to approve as is and have staff provide options for in-house support going forward.

Phil BacerraItem 8

Which one's first?

Thai Viet PhanItem 8

So if I recall correctly, Council Member Becerra made a motion, did not get a second. Council Member Hernandez made a motion, did not get a second. I made a motion, and then Mayor Pro Tem made a second. And then Council Member Becerra made comments for the continuation with Council Member Vasquez making a second. So that would be the sub-motion, which is a continuance.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

So at this point in time, then, if the first motion to receive a second is Council Member Fan's motion to approve, then the sub-motion, which is what we would vote on first, is the motion to continue.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

So we're going to vote first on the motion to continue. Are you ready to move forward on that?

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

Okay.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

Y'all need to not do the sub, sub, sub. So, okay.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

So this is the sub-motion by Council Member Becerra, seconded by Council Member Vasquez to continue item number eight, the agreement with CityNet to the December 19th meeting and have staff contact CityNet in advance.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

All right, let's vote.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

The vote is five ayes, two nays, nays by Mayor Pro Tem Lopez and Council Member Hernandez. Motion carries. Item is continued to December 19th.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 8

Thank you. Go ahead, Jennifer and Madam Clerk.

Jennifer L. HallItem 8

Yes, Mayor. The next item was pulled by Councilmember Becerra, item number 14.

Phil BacerraItem 8

Thank you, Madam Mayor. This should be quick. So this item is for the, it's a resolution authorizing the Executive Director of Public Works to execute grant agreements with Caltrans for the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center beautification projects. Many of you know it as our Santa Ana train depot. First I want to congratulate Director Saba and the Public Works staff for being awarded just under two million dollars to repaint and repair the wrought iron fence that goes around the train depot facility and to replace that big water fountain that's right at the entrance going

Phil BacerraItem 14

in and those enhancements will make the train station look a lot better but in order for people to enjoy those we need to stop taking the homeless from the carnegie shelter and dropping them off at the train station. Some of my colleagues and I have discussed this very, very casually about what we're seeing and it's more involving what we're doing at the shelter. We need to get folks from the shelter to places that they need to be, certain services, et cetera. There's no services at the train depot. And to make all these improvements, just to simply throw a bunch of folks in there who

Phil BacerraItem 14

are not really conducting themselves in the best behavior. In fact, I hear a lot of folks tell me that they drive now to Orange or Anaheim to take the train. And here we are making these improvements. What's the point? So that needs to stop now. We need to stop doing that. Help get these folks to the places they need to be. They don't need to be dumped off at the train station. They're not taking the train anywhere because they're all hanging out in front of the train station. So with that, I would move to adopt the two resolutions. But with my comments that we need to stop dumping folks at the train station now.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 14

Thank you, Councilman Becerra. I see Mayor Pro Temo calling you right now. Mr. City Manager, can you get back to us on that issue, please?

I'd be happy to.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 14

Thank you very much. Mayor Pro Temo-Piz?

Jessie LopezItem 14

Yes, thank you. Yeah, I want to congratulate our staff. I'm a big fan of the California grant program. We've done a couple of work with them in the Settleback View neighborhood, and so I'm very happy to see the relationship that we've been able to establish with them. and really for all of the work that our staff does on a daily basis that is not discussed enough in my opinion and so this is really going to be beneficial to all of the residents everybody that's a supporter of you know active transportation I use the train station and so for everybody I think we're gonna

Jessie LopezItem 14

make it a more welcoming place so thank you for your work thank you next one

Jessie LopezItem 14

and if there's no second i'll second your motion thank you

Valerie AmezcuaItem 14

let's prepare to vote well the motion was to clean it up well no no motion to adopt the two resolutions oh i apologize because councilman's what did you say

Jennifer L. HallItem 14

So, motion by Councilmember Becerra, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Lopez to approve two resolutions of the City Council of the City of Santa Ana, authorizing the Executive Director of the Public Works Agency to execute agreements with the California Department of Transportation for the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center Painting and Rot-Iron Fencing Project and for the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center Outdoor Water Fountain Renovation Project.

Jennifer L. HallItem 14

let's vote

Jennifer L. HallItem 14

vote is six eyes no nays with a recorded absence by council member hernandez motion carries perfect thank you next item yes mayor the next item was just a comment by council member hernandez on item 15 i don't know if you want to come back to him later

Valerie AmezcuaItem 15

yeah we'll come back when he returns um at this point we'll go to the end of the consent calendar let's go to the business calendar at this time item number 18.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Yes mayor item number 18 is related to a fee deferral agreement for the central point mixed use development staff has prepared a presentation if you would like and then we do have some speakers on this particular item you can go ahead please with the presentation or the speakers

which one would you like first Mr. City Manager presentation first Madam Mayor and that's Min Tai is going to provide that perfect go ahead men

thank you mayor and good evening mayor and council this item is a request for a fee deferral by the applicant for a project that was previously approved for the site at 1801 west fourth street it's at the northwest corner of fourth and cabrillo tonight the city council has the option of either approving the request or denying the request as requested by the applicant. The project is a mixed-use community consisting of approximately 15,000 square feet of commercial and 644 residential unit. This was previously

approved by the Planning Commission in November of 2020. The entitlements on this project does not expire until November 9th of 2024. However, at this time the applicant is requesting that the city council consider allowing the project to defer the fee for necessary in order for them to obtain permit due to economic conditions created as they share through the pandemic as well as increase in interest rate and the economy

the request tonight was submitted pursuant to government code section 6607 According to this government code section, it provides for deferral of certain impact fees for housing projects until the date of final inspection. This code section also stipulates that for an affordable housing project, the city cannot deny this request. However, since this is a project with market rate only units, the city council does have the discretion and hence the item is being presented to you tonight. In our review and evaluation of this request, while we understand the economic conditions,

the gauge that we do have is that with similar projects in the city facing the same situation, the projects and those development also sharing similar challenges have decided to move forward with obtaining permit at the city. So based on the information we do have, we don't see any evidence of financial hardship or a complaint reason that's been presented that would warrant staff recommending approval of this request. In fact, just today we have had a project of a similar fee scope also obtain permit today and pay the required fee.

In terms of CEQA and fiscal impact, the denial or approval of this request would not have any CEQA-related impact. However, from a fiscal perspective, the request amounts to approximately $5.2 million that would be deferred from the time of issuance to the occupancy of the project. And generally, that is about between 18 to 24 months, if not longer.

So again, based on the analysis at this point, the Council may either consider and deny the request or authorize the City Manager to execute the fee deferral agreement as requested by the applicant. That concludes Staff's report. I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Thank you. Are there any questions? We also have public comments. Mayor Patel, I see your name up here. Let me clear this.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

thank you thank you mayor for item number 18 john santry followed by jason silver

good evening madam mayor and city council i'm john santry senior vice president for lead core development we're the owner of the property and the developer and we made this request i guess there's some there's some component to this that probably hasn't been explained very well So the $5.3 million is for the first 325 apartment units. So it's actually almost a doubling of that for 644 units in the full 15,000 square feet of commercial space. And one of the things we've done, obviously we've had some conversations with members of the council and the mayor and the mayor pro tem.

and it was brought to our attention that perhaps there's a way to to come to some agreement that isn't in the fee deferral where we would be willing to pay the first phase so we've broken this into two phases 325 units in the first phase 319 units in the second phase for the total of 644 that second phase is much further in the distance but the reason why we asked for the fee deferral in the first place was to vest into the 2019 California building code which became the 2022 building code January 1st so we submitted our plans under the old building code and we'd like

to vest because there's an additional component of cost if we if we do not pull a building permit and we're resigned to revise the project under the new building code and resubmit the plan check and go through the process and pay the plan check fees again. So I would like for the council to consider that we would pay the first phase, stipulated there the $5.3 million, and defer the second phase since that phase is 12 to 18 to 24 months after the start of construction of the first phase. Happy to take any questions.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Thank you. Are there any other speakers?

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

yes mayor jason silver

evening madam mayor council members i thank you for your time this evening um as john mentioned it's a um what we're asking for is is really more time the economy as we've experienced over the last nine to ten months in the real estate industry even though we've been advancing permits and spending a certain amount of investment on architects, engineers, and whatnot to advance the plans. We've been out pounding the pavement to try and define capital. And right now, lenders and equity providers are not there. They're uncertain in many different ways.

Inflation, where the jobs are to go, the ability for people to spend their extra money and give them the inflation. There's a lot of other factors. And so what we're asking for is while we try to find the capital to start the construction of Central Point, three years in the making, just from when it came to initially from the Planning Commission, longer from its conception, if it was up to us, we would start tomorrow. But the opportunity isn't there. We're trying to provide the jobs and the housing that we all need. I grew up here, very close by. We need the housing. But we've been trying like heck to try to find the capital.

So all we're trying to ask for is not the waiver of fees or to cement the cost of the fees. And today is defer the fees, mainly on phase two, which will come in the future once phase one is under construction or closer to completion. So we thank you very much for your consideration this evening. Again, as John mentioned, we're happy to answer any questions that council or staff may have. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Thank you. Any other comments, questions? Nope. Okay, perfect.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Council member, any speakers? I don't see any. Mr. Menti, I just want to clarify that, yes, I did have a meeting with Deb where you were present, and I know one of the speakers said there was an agreement for a fee deferral. We did not discuss an agreement. I did not agree to any fee deferral. I just want to make sure that we're clear about that.

Correct. The request is for the city to defer the fee, and in order for us to defer, if the council would have considered approving it would be under an agreement and that's what's before at the council tonight that's correct I just want to be clear on that

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

thank you okay there any questions from the council comments I'll place a motion

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 18

to support staff's recommendation I'll second let's prepare to vote the way the

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

staff report is worded or the recommended action is for you to choose to either deny the request or to authorize the city manager to execute a fee deferral so there's not a specific one of those recommended at this time

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 18

I'll place a motion to move forward with option one denying the request and I'll

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

second

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

City Manager we're good perfect ready to vote Jennifer?

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

I'm sorry. I'm looking for a proper motion for that.

Jessie LopezItem 18

Mayor, so sorry. Before we vote, I wanted to possibly discuss, as opposed to just, I don't have to love a project to understand that if the goal here is for many people on this dais to help with the housing affordability issue in the city in this county to understand that the less units we have the more of an issue that is compounded in our community and so I don't want to have a conversation based off just the

Jessie LopezItem 18

two items recommended to us and so I heard another solution brought forth today maybe splitting that having one payment come first the second payment come within 12 months and possibly this council can discuss maybe assessing some sort of fee on top of on top of that payment due to our flexibility of splitting that up I don't know if people on this size would be supportive but I would like for us to enter into that conversation.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

I apologize, I was talking to the city attorney. Can you repeat what your recommendation is please?

Jessie LopezItem 18

For us to have a conversation about possible different options that are not listed here on the staff report, given that another solution was brought forth during public comments on how the fee can be paid.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Yeah, they mentioned they met with you and I different times. So, okay. So, you're making a motion then to bring different options on December 21st? I mean, December 19th, meaning?

Jessie LopezItem 18

Not making a motion to extend the discussion, really just opening up to see if there is any willingness from this council to figure out if we can work with the applicant, if we're willing to accept one fee at one day the second fee within 12 months with the possible assessment fee on top of it thank you my only concern with that and

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

that's just me personally I'm gonna put in my concern is that I think when men mr. time when we met if we do this with one then we'll start to get many more requests for the same thing so mr. city manager what do you feel about this yeah

men and I discussed that as well this every project is difficult there's There's a lot of capital being expended by the developers already at this point. The city uses all those fees to help us with all of our operations and our expenses that we have to operate and still provide services to the public. Our recommendation would be to deny this request and move forward. We understand this issue. There are challenges out in the environment and with interest rates high and all those other factors. you will from our perspective you will get uh almost all applicants now starting to request

this because uh why not uh because it does help them in their processes uh they're you know the council or is the policy body you could decide uh on this particular item to delay at a certain period of time and you can make that decision thank you councilman vasquez i i just have the

Benjamin VazquezItem 18

question can we do the fees at groundbreaking for the first phase and groundbreaking of the second phase that gives the less time and not to fit not the finishing time but it gives them some time to work around that what

they're going through I think what you may want to ask is for the applicant to share what is their proposed timeline groundbreaking really means that they're going to start constructions based on what we understand they're at this point me are not sure when they would start construction there any other questions

Jessie LopezItem 18

yes going back to the question of well if we do this for this one applicant the gates will open and flood we've already done this for previous applicants right like that was one of the questions that I had for staff when we met and you sent that to me via email so this is not a new practice is my understanding as I

mentioned the project that the city has approved within the last 10 years well four out of the five projects were affordable project which by government code we conduct deny if the project we make that request the one singular project that was not a market rate project, was an adaptive reuse project where they took an existing office building and convert that into an apartment complex. This project is different in the manner that it is all market rate housing and it's a brand new development.

Jessie LopezItem 18

Okay, thank you.

David PenalozaItem 18

Mayor, I'd like to call the question.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Yes, go ahead, please. Let's do that.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Let's get ready to vote, please.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Are you okay?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

We called the vote. Called the question, so.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

I apologize. The online voting system there is not working properly. If I could do a roll call, please. Go ahead.

Thai Viet PhanItem 18

Will you remind me what the...

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

The motion on the table is by Council Member Hernandez, seconded by Mayor Mesquah, for recommended action item one, deny a request by the applicant to execute a fee deferral agreement for the Central Point Mixed Use Development located at 1801 East 4th Street. Council Member Becerra?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 18

Yes.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Councilmember Hernandez? Yes. Councilmember Penaloza? Yes. Councilmember Fan? No. Councilmember Vasquez? No. Mayor Pro Tem Lopez? Mayor Mesqua? Yes. Vote is four ayes, three nays. Nays by Mayor Pro Tem Lopez and Councilmembers Fan and Vasquez. Motion carries to deny the applicant's request. Apologies. Their

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 18

motion was to to move forward with the first one. Did we have a sub motion for

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

the options to continue you you made a motion for the first one I second it and that's what just got approved okay yes thank you okay all right that's that's the end of the business calendar at this time we're gonna go into the housing authority we are recessing the city council meeting convening to the housing authority meeting I hereby call the housing authority meeting to order a madam city clerk please conduct the roll call authority member Becerra here

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Authority member Hernandez?

Phil BacerraItem 18

Here.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Authority member Peñalosa?

Phil BacerraItem 18

Here.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Authority member Fan? Here. Authority member Vasquez? Present. Vice chair Lopez? Yes. Chair Mesquah? Yes. All seven members are present.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Madam City Clerk, do we have any speakers for the items within the housing authority agenda?

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

We do not and we did not receive any correspondence related to housing authority either.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

All right. At this time, does any authority member wish to make a motion and second? Please announce your name for the record. I move the calendar. I second. Let's vote.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

Motion by Council Member Hernandez, seconded, Authority Member Hernandez, seconded by Vice Chair Lopez to approve the Housing Authority Consent Calendar.

Jennifer L. HallItem 18

And the vote is seven ayes, no nays.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

motion carries all right that's the end of the housing authority we're adjourned we're going to reconvene to the city council meeting at this time we're going to go to item number 19. madam mayor

Phil BacerraItem 18

yes thank you since we've concluded our city business i would like to request that i'd be able to provide my council member comments now you sure can thank you madam mayor so first i want to begin by thanking our interim city manager tom hatch for attending my monthly community office that we had this past Saturday. We had a great turnout to welcome Tom here to the city from Ward 4. I also wanted to thank all of the residents and businesses who came to the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, which happened to be right after Thanksgiving, to speak against the extension of the contract with MHA.

Phil BacerraItem 18

The County Board of Supervisors was actually considering a five-year extension of operations at a facility that has caused quite the disaster for the residents in nearby delhi and memorial park neighborhoods while we wanted an immediate closure of mha thankfully the board did vote to close the mha location on south main by the end of next year our city did an amazing job so staff thank you very much for what you did uh you got the word out to the community and helped assist folks there at the meeting so thank you guys for that it was so inspiring to hear people speak so passionately about the quality of life that

Phil BacerraItem 18

they want and expect in their neighborhoods and for their children at their schools. I also want to thank Mayor Mesqua for having her aid read a statement on behalf of the mayor at the board meeting. And Council Member Penaloza, thank you for coming and taking the time to attend the meeting and speak as well. I also wanted to give thanks to Council Member Vasquez who tried to get the SAUSD board to provide a letter in opposition of MHA. Unfortunately though, I guess the negative impacts that MHA is having on the children at Monroe Elementary and Esqueda Intermediate was not enough of a priority for them.

Phil BacerraItem 18

I wish more of my colleagues on this dais would have showed up and joined us at this board meeting and were willing to invest more time in protecting our residents and businesses from impacts to our city rather than expending time on issues across the globe that do not impact our residents' quality of life. Since it seems to get overlooked by some on the dais, I will read to you our city's mission statement and it reads, to deliver efficient public services in partnership with our community, which ensures public safety, a prosperous economic environment, opportunities for our youth and a high quality of life for our residents.

Phil BacerraItem 18

playing model United Nations does not help us achieve the city's mission

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

we're not going to do the clapping please because we need a lot of speak thank you

Phil BacerraItem 18

in closing during this holiday season please visit and enjoy the winter village and ice rink right here in the Civic Center and please support your city and shop here in Santa Ana with that good Good night, everybody.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 18

Thank you, Councilman Macereth. Councilman Penlis? Okay. At this time, we're going to go to item 19. We have speakers. So what we're going to do right now is, so I'm going to give two minutes to each speaker. I'm sorry, is there something going on? Okay. There's two minutes for each speaker. we have well over almost 140 comments so we're going to do two minutes however as the chair and the presiding officer I'm going to take into consideration the level of public interest in

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

the matters and I'm reading this off of the resolution from the city of Santa Ana number 2023-047 regarding speaking and so I'm going to set the limit for two minutes Madam City Clerk as a means of limiting time while maximizing the public's opportunity to address the city council.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

If a group of people seek to address the city council on the same matter or topic, the presiding officer may request the group to designate a spokesperson or limited number of speakers to address the city council. So even though we're doing two minutes, I'm going to only allow two hours max of public comments. So, Madam City Clerk, if you can keep the time, please. And then two minutes per speaker. And we'll start with those present. I just want to remind everybody, please do not clap. Please do not yell out derogatory, offensive things in any nature, way, shape, or form. You'll get a warning. You'll get a second warning.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

And then if you're not listening and allowing people to speak, then we will take a break. And then we'll try to come back and resume the meeting. so we need to be respectful of each other as everybody's taking an opportunity to speak

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

madam city clerk thank you mayor and before calling the speakers i'll report the following summary of emails provided as of today as of today uh 3 p.m we had received 763 e-comments related to item 19 those were distributed to the council and posted online and are available in back of the chamber so starting with the cards that are here reema nasha shiri followed by rabbi sharon sobel if you could please approach the podium line up when your names are called reema nasha shiri she okay thank you followed by rabbi sharon sobel and then dorian romero again you have two minutes

Mayor Mascua, Vice Mayor, Lopez, Honorable City Council members.

I'm going to keep it to a minute because we have a long night coming. But as you know, I wanted to thank you so much for protecting the children when we came to you to pass a resolution to end child marriage here in the US. And I'm coming here again urging you to protect other children and women. when 70% of 20,000 people who died in Gaza are women and children, I had to be here. Because watching all the carnage that is happening, I cannot sit still and not do or say something about it. So I urge you to pass a resolution for an immediate ceasefire.

I'm here as a voice for the voiceless. We have to do something about it. We cannot let this continue. So please, in order to protect these women and children, the future ones, because I mean, I tell you 20,000 now in five minutes, it's going to be 21,000. So please, let's protect the women and children, the innocent ones. Let's be the voice for them. And let's pass a ceasefire resolution now. Thank you so much.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Rabbi Sharon Sobel. Thank you so much, Mayor, City Council.

I appreciate your concern. I think it's the duty of the City Council to deal with matters that pertain to the welfare of the city, like Phil Becerra just read earlier about the mission of the city, and not to be involved in matters of international affairs that have nothing to do with the city. That being said, this resolution contains many false and erroneous statements. It equates the taking of civilian hostages with imprisoning those who have committed crimes of violence and terror. It perpetuates the erroneous falsehood of Gaza as an open-air prison,

when in reality Gaza has been in full control of the Palestinians since 2005 and Hamas since 2007. It fans the flames of hatred against Israel and the Jewish people by using terms like genocide, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing, when in reality Israel is defending itself against Hamas, who broke...

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

We're not going to do that, and I'm serious when I say that. If you are rude or offensive or you interrupt, we will take a break and then we will try to resume again. Please have some respect for one another.

Hamas broke the ceasefire on October 6th, and Hamas broke the ceasefire again when there was the exchange of hostages and prisoners.

Hamas has avowed in its charter, and you can read it right in writing, to wipe Israel and the Jewish people off the map. The Santa Ana resolution, which has been put forth, includes the inflammatory rhetoric that is divisive and one-sided. It fails to condemn the Hamas itself or the terrorist massacre on October 7th. It demonstrates bias by blaming only Israel and ascribes no agency or responsibility for any other groups or parties. There is so much more in there. We condemn any hatred.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Your time is up. Next speaker, Dorian Romero, followed by Rahan Sadiqi and Samar Aziz.

I'd like to start with a moment of silence.

For all the lives lost in Gaza. This is a heavy issue, a 75-plus-year issue. Worldwide, people are standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

Why? Because there's a genocide happening. Innocent children and civilians are being unrightfully bombed, killed, and displaced. Even children have become reporters, holding their own fallen martyrs in their hands. How can this still be happening? Many of us check our phones daily from journalists on the ground in Gaza who are showing the world the reality that mainstream media is hiding and lying about.

Politics aside, we come here with our hearts, our saddened hearts, our brave hearts, to say, nobody is free until we're all free. Let's show the world what our golden city really represents. We urge you to demonstrate to the world that we are a city and a people who stand with justice and unity with all oppressed peoples and that we do not and will not tolerate genocide using our voices now is the least we can do please your voices to vote yes in support for a resolution for a permanent ceasefire in gaza rahan sidikwi followed by samar aziz

Good evening, Madam Mayor and respected council people. The idea of thinking that October 7 is the day things started. We all need to know and we all know very well, this is very old from 76 years. And the lady just came and said it's not a matter of city. It is because our tax dollar is billions, hundreds of billions of dollars going to Israel and being paid to commit genocide in Israel. And they're talking about, I just saw this sign, you know, kidnap sign. That's very sad, very bad. No children, doesn't matter they're Jews, Christian, Muslim, or I don't care who they are,

should go through this. Absolutely insane. In the last 76 years, 20,000 children have been imprisoned by the Israeli IDF soldiers. They have been broken, raped, murdered, ethnic cleansing is done by IDF. and we've been sleeping for last 76 years. And when somebody hit them in their guts, then they're crying, oh my God, my children, my children. Where were you when you were killing from last 76 years? Gazan children, Gazan family, Gazan women, and innocent people with tax dollars we're supporting and sending from here.

In the end, when the Jews were kicked out by Germany, Palestinians welcomed them. They bring them in their home. and they were living very peacefully, very peacefully, very peacefully. Jews, Christian, Muslim, very peacefully, no problem.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

So, excuse me, sir, one second. One more warning and we're going to take a break.

Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Okay, and then we're going to see, once the police chief lets me know, it's clear to come back, I'm the city manager. We're not going to do this tonight, ladies and gentlemen. We expect you to be respectful at all times. We're not going to do that here in Santa Ana. not here. Sir, you can finish your 27 seconds left.

And when the Zionist lobby from Europe came, they destroyed the entire Israel. And I want the same Palestine back when the Jews, Christian, and Muslim live in peace and harmony. And to end my conversation, the Christian church key Muslim people are holding in Palestine till today, they are protecting the Christian church. How they become a terrorist, I don't know how. This is insane and we need to come to our senses for your children. If you have a granddaughter, please, please, please think about them. Sir, your time is up.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Samar Aziz, followed by Jenna Alba and Ari Gutierrez.

Good evening, Mayor and Councilman. My name is Dr. Samar Aziz. I'm one of the founders and executive directors for a nonprofit right here in Santa Ana. So you're talking about homelessness and you're talking about people that need help. That's what we provide. And for me to be able to witness what's going on in Gaza right now, 20,000 people have died. There's a lot more under the rebels. 50 or 60% of them are women and children. It really horrifies me. And as a pharmacist, to be able to see that there's no medications, there's amputations that are done without anesthesia.

the houses, the schools, each family is losing 60 to 100 people in their families. It's really sad to be able to witness it. Right now, just before I came, I found out that an apartment building would hit with two tons worth of missiles. That is, it comes local to me because we funded $14 billion are going to go to Israel to kill people, to kill women, children, and innocent people that should not be there and fighting for the last 75

years. The size of Santa Ana is 300,000 people. Well, Palestine and the people in Gaza, it's about seven times that size. So imagine Santa Ana growing seven times to be able to fit all these people in Gaza and they're being pushed south and to the to the to the borders we don't know where they're going so I'm asking you for support of the ceasefire because this is a local matter thank you Jenna Alba followed by Ari Gutierrez

and Danielle Jagiello hi City Council members thank you for this opportunity I I just want to start by saying there's already been at least 20,000 people, innocent civilians, murdered, 8,000 children in county. And that does not include the thousands that are still under the rubble, the thousands that have been unaccounted for, and the people that are dying of illness, hunger, thirst. There's bombing hospitals, there's bombing schools, refugee camps, residential buildings, escape routes. And this is all clear war crimes and a deliberate targeting of civilian locations.

It should be obvious and non-negotiable that this is a massacre of civilians, and non-negotiable that this is a war crime, an inhumane, and it's a genocide, and that it should be non-negotiable to side for a ceasefire, because that is siding with humanity. It is not anti-Semitic to be against a genocide. It is simply being a human being.

I cannot allow our government and our tax dollars to fund such an extermination. This is relevant to us. It is not an outside foreign affair policy. This is something that we are funding and we cannot have this blood on our hands. This is, I do not want this blood on our hands and this rhetoric used to label these civilians as terrorists is a dehumanizing tactic that only encourages more violence. They are human beings. They do not be a part of the erasure of history. Entire lineages are being murdered. Do not erase their memory. Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Ari Gutierrez, followed by Danielle Jagiello and Natasya Newton.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and members of the Council. My name is Ari and I'm here to call for an immediate ceasefire. I refuse to stand complicit while our government continues to send billions of dollars of our tax money to fund for the genocide of Palestinian people. That money should be allocated towards health care, housing, education and infrastructure here in Santa Ana and Orange County. This isn't a matter of politics, this is a global matter of humanity and ending the cycle of oppression that has been in place for decades. I'm only one of over 65% of US citizen voters calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire,

and yet our representatives like Katie Porter, senators and congress members continue to reject a resolution that will save millions of people. I am appalled to see the death toll rise above 20,000 Palestinian civilians as more hospitals, private residences, and civilian institutions are being targeted. If immediate action is not taken to end this bloodshed, it will be blood on our hands, and Santa Ana has been a pioneering hub in social justice, and now more than ever, we need our city to call for an immediate ceasefire and stand with our Palestinian brothers and sisters to pave the way for Orange County. Thank you for your time.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Danielle Jagiello, followed by Natasya Newton and Magda Newton, if you could please line up in the aisle way to be ready for your comments.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and Santa Ana City Council. I am here today in support of a permanent ceasefire. I refuse to watch the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people happen while our country funds it with our tax dollars. U.N. experts have pointed to grave violations committed by Israel against Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, in which Israel describes an overt intent to destroy the Palestinian people under occupation. I will not sit back and watch thousands of Palestinians killed and displaced by Israel's actions, and neither should this Council.

We have called upon our representatives such as Katie Porter and Lou Carrera only to be met with silence. I urge you, council members of Santa Ana, to stand with our Palestinian brothers and sisters and support a permanent ceasefire. We look to Santa Ana City Council for leadership and your ability to pave the way for Orange County. And by calling for justice in Palestine, your city will put pressure on others to call for justice as well. This has everything to do with the city. Blood is on our hands. This is about humanity. Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Natasia Newton.

Our government is pouring billions of dollars into funding war crimes.

While budgets to support our most vulnerable communities here are being slashed, we don't want our government to send billions of dollars to a foreign ally if they are using that money to ruthlessly bomb innocent civilians by the thousands. That money would be better spent investing in housing, education, healthcare, and infrastructure here at home. We look to Santa Ana City Council for you to represent us when it matters most. Actions taken by the Santa Ana City Council have a ripple effect that transcends the city's boundaries and shapes the policies of the county. So we

ask you to vote for a permanent ceasefire to put a stop to this violence. If immediate action is not taken to end the bloodshed it will be blood on our hands and your hands as well. Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Magda Newton, followed by Nadea and Henny Abraham.

Hello, counsel. I'm not going to waste time telling you about how many innocent civilians, mostly children, have been killed in a deliberately targeted genocide, because you already know that, counsel. A proclaimed genocide was spoken by the Israeli Prime Minister himself. himself, he said that Palestinians are human animals and that he will turn Gaza into a parking lot. And he has. Sadly, no one in our government reacted when 1,000 children died, were killed and murdered. 2,000 children were killed. 3,000 children were killed. 4,000 children

were killed. 5,000 children were killed. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. We're at 10,000 children killed murdered. Children are not collateral damage. And another statement he made by our own president was that it's the price you pay in war. No it's not. They are children. Children that had hopes and dreams just like our kids here. No different. But unlike our children, they were not afforded that right. They're not given that right. Why? Because they're Palestinian? Is that why? Demonstrating that you're okay with killing thousands of children? Of innocent civilians every day.

Okay with children having to get limbs amputated without anesthesia. Okay with parents having to dig for their children under the rubble every single day. Kids writing their own names on their legs and their arms for when they die and their parents can find their body parts. Okay with a thousand more children dying by the time we all wake up tomorrow morning. I will leave you with this last comment. Your constituents, along with influencers that have millions of followers, are here and outside this building right now. We will be watching closely on whether or not you will mirror what we are demanding today

or if you will remain complicit in this genocide.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Nadea, followed by Henny Abraham and Yesenia Martinez.

Thank you, Honorable Councilmembers. I'm Nadia from Lawyers Against Genocide. I call on you to vote yes for the ceasefire resolution. Cessation of hostilities is an essential first step for the creation of a durable and lasting peace. Thousands of Americans and people all over the world have taken to the streets to call for a ceasefire. We ask you tonight to stand with these people. The cities of Oakland, Richmond, Cudahy, Seattle, Atlanta, Detroit, Akron, Providence, and Wilmington have already passed ceasefire resolutions. You will not be alone. A A national poll from Reuters found that 68% of Americans support a ceasefire.

We ask you to join the majority of Americans, the majority of your constituents. When we see collective punishment, Israel carrying out systematic night arrests of children, controlling if Palestinians get food, water, fuel, and dominate a narrative in the Western world that they are, despite all this, the only victims, that they are justified in doing the most extreme acts of violence, we see this for the awful thing that it is. a chase for power, political control at any cost, lives or numbers to some, and even less than that because of a right-wing government in Israel that many Israelis disagree with.

Can we not do the bare minimum here and simply vote for a ceasefire? Israel bombs schools, hospitals, mosques, churches with impunity. Nobody of sound-reasonable mind would see this and say, sure, that's reasonable. This resolution is the bare minimum asking for a ceasefire, a cessation of indiscriminate bombing. funding. We are consistent with where we stand on these human rights issues. We simply do not want to support a system for anyone to live under these conditions anywhere in the world. We especially don't want to fund it as our government is and see the next generation

embroiled in another global war of a fictitious enemy of terror, more rhetoric, demonizing the brown people who look like me and like most of the city's residents. We want funding to go to education, healthcare, infrastructure here at home rather than fund this. Please vote yes on the ceasefire resolution and please listen to the hundreds of people that are out on the streets in Orange County all over the country all over the world calling for a ceasefire listen

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

to the people next speaker Henny Abraham followed by Yesenia Martinez and Hazal if you could please state your name for the record as well as the ward or neighborhood you live in thank you

um good evening my madam member mayor and members of the council my name is Henny Abraham I'm a resident of Costa Mesa. I am a Iranian born and raised citizen and I grew up Jewish in Iran and it is extremely disheartening for me to be here tonight because a I don't think the resolution that was written was well researched because verbatim it says where the state of Israel declares permanent ceasefire over Gaza. What about Hamas? Is Hamas gonna ceasefire over Gaza because they're also killing people in Gaza. As someone who was born and raised in a country that was

governed by a terrorist organization, Islamic Republic of Iran, who funds Hamas directly, let me tell you that I spent the first three years of my life under fire. So I personally know what it means to hear the sirens and have my mom grab me and go to a bomb shelter. That was the first three years of my life. I am privileged to be an American and live in a free country where I have liberties but I have freedom to be able to speak on behalf of not just my Jewish and Israeli brothers and sister but also anyone who is going through a horrible situation because of a terrorist organization which Hamas is that I am

here to urge you do not cause division within the community the Orange County community does not support a one-sided resolution neither should Santa Ana you are going to cause a huge conflict within the community let me be very clear, nobody that's sitting here is against Palestine. They're against Hamas. They're against a terrorist organization that is killing their own people. They don't care if you're a Jew, they don't care if you're a Muslim, they don't care if you're a Christian. So I'm urging you to do that. And I also, for the members of the audience, when you live in a free country, next time the Pledge of Allegiance

is being said, have the respect to stand up. Thank you so much.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Yesenia Martinez followed by Hazal and Mona Yashruti-Shnall.

Hello, my name is Yesenia Martinez and I have had the honor to be a part of Latino and Muslim unity movement since 2016. I've attended numerous tours of Little Arabia, Taco Chucks at Every Mosque, and women's summits all across Orange County. But the event that holds near dear to my heart took place here in Santa Ana. when the Islamic Center of Santa Ana and Taco Chucks at every mosque opened its stores to help Muslim and Latinos get vaccinated. It was beautiful to witness my community get vaccinated alongside our Muslim brothers and sisters during Ramadan. The movement offered the safe space and

access our communities needed during this time. I will forever cherish the hospitality offered by our Muslim brothers and sisters here in Santa Ana. I'm going to be honest. Before college, I had never heard of Palestine. All I knew it was somewhere in the Middle East, super far away. But our Muslim brothers and sisters here in Santa Ana made it feel closer. Through learning and unlearning, I quickly saw that both of our cultures have more similarities than differences and share the struggles of working-class immigrants. So when I see nearly 20,000 Palestinians being massacred, I grieve with the indigenous people of Palestine

and fear for the safety of the Muslim and Arab community here in Santa Ana as hate crimes rise due to the dehumanization of Palestinians in the media and within our governments. So I stand here today with my Muslim brothers and sisters the same way they have stood up for my community, when they have criminalized us by the same systems of oppression. I stand here as a Mexicana y Americana, pleading for your support to make Santa Ana a place of solidarity, porque nadie es libre hasta que todos seamos libre. I urge the City Council to embrace this unique opportunity to stand on the right side of history and protect Santa Ana families.

Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Hazal, Mona Schnall, and Mona Benani.

Hello, Madam Mayor, Council Members. I'd like to first commend you and commend the city and its officials for considering such courageous resolution. I urge you to vote yes on this resolution and be a beacon of light shining on the right side of history. There has been a concerted effort to blur the lines between criticism for Israel and true anti-Semitism. anti-Semitism that is rooted purely based on one's religion, which is unequivocally unacceptable. However, calling foul on Israel's crimes against humanity should never be construed as anti-Semitism, and no one should be chastised for speaking up against Israel,

for wanting a ceasefire that saves civilian lives and that saves the children of Gaza, for wanting a stop to the use of our tax dollars in arming the indiscriminate bombing of children, schools, hospitals, churches, and mosques. The assumption that Israel represents all members of the Jewish faith is anti-Semitic and in itself as many of its foremost critics are members of the Jewish faith and they also oppose Israel's genocide against Gaza. The counterpoints for this resolution are laced with the same colonialist imperialist rhetoric that we've heard from Israeli officials

during this war, rhetoric that's gaslighting us into dehumanizing the Palestinians and justifying their pain and suffering, persecution, starvation, and outrageously high count of women and children casualties as a mean to an end. Finally, I want to zero in on one particular counterpoint I saw being commonly used, one that's one that purports to be sympathetic to the Palestinians, but justifies their destruction by implying that this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for Hamas. But I'd like to point your attention that this is a 75-year struggle.

Before Hamas came into existence.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Mona Yashrudi-Shnall, followed by Mona Benani and Dr. Samar Azani.

Good evening. you know there's a whole bunch of things that go through my head one of them I was looking at the word Semite and the definition it's people who speak Arabic as well so there's no nobody here that's not a Semite

so this is a start I look at everything that's being said and I'm thinking to myself you know what, what's wrong with asking for a ceasefire What's wrong with it? Everybody wants peace. We want peace on both sides. You guys, all of us want peace. Not one people. All of us do. So what are we doing? Your story, my story, this is this, this is that.

Let's just get together. Peace is so important to all of us. Cease fire should not be something that we have to argue about. Enough. We have to get together. I want a world for my children that doesn't have war. I want a peaceful world. I want all of us to live together in peace. I grew up in a world of war. I had to experience war. I cry for those children in Gaza like I

would be upset about the children in Israel. But I could tell you what kind of rocket or shell was coming down, when it was going to explode, and what kind it was. No 10-year-old should be able to know this. 11, 12, 13, 14, you name it. I wasn't just three, I was an adolescent living through that, through my childhood. Both my parents were killed when I was young by the Israelis, and I still married a Jewish man, and that's how I am.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Mona Benani, followed by Dr. Samar Azani and Sandra Deanda.

Hello. I'd like to begin by apologizing for my children's noise, but I'm here for them. I had to be. They're Palestinian. And if I was still living in, if my husband was still living in Palestine and they were there, Israelis could control how much water they can drink, whether they have lights on at night, whether they get to move or play in a playground, or whether her baby brother, whether she has to be the one carrying her baby brother, because we're all dead, because she's Palestinian. I was born and raised in Orange County, but my ancestors are

Sephardic Jews who lived and flourished in Muslim Spain under Muslim rule. My Palestinian husband, I married a Palestinian, and in his land also Jews flourished for over a millennia under Muslim rule. It was a Muslim that let Jews back after having been exiled for over 600 years. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free means that Jews and Christians and Muslims can live peacefully together again.

And...

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Very serious. Again, we're trying really hard up here to listen. and you need to just please be quiet and have respect. This is like the fourth time I've said this. Please, we want to hear from everybody. We want to hear for two hours from everybody for two minutes. We can't hear with the clacking and the speaking. We can't hear, so please have some respect. Can you start our time, please? Thank you.

We want to live in peace as we did before. a group of racist ethno-nationalists decided they only wanted the land for themselves. The oppressors will never succeed, and if you pass this resolution, you will be with the oppressed. You will stand on the side of justice, the side of truth, and you will protect my little daughter from racism, from a future in which it's okay to say women and children should die. No child deserves to die, let alone 8,000. And if you want to see the actual scenes, it's all on Ion Palestine, Telegram, Instagram. It's all there for us to see, and we don't want to see any more of it.

Thank you so much, especially you two, for introducing it.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Dr. Samar Azani, followed by Sandra Deanda and Fernando Devaras.

Dear Honorable Mayor and Council Member, thank you so much for offering this resolution. I'm here not as a pro-Pristillian or pro-Israeli or Muslim or Jewish person. I'm here as a physician and a humanitarian. Thank you for taking the lead and being a brave pioneer in preventing this genocide. This is not a foreign affair. This has everything to do with us because it's being funded by our tax dollar. This is no longer a geopolitical crisis. This is a humanitarian crisis. The entire healthcare system structure has collapsed. A million people have become internally displaced. Those who have not died will die soon.

As we must, as a human, stop this. We must call for a permanent ceasefire, no longer military fund to Israel, a country that is indiscriminately murdering children, healthcare workers, journalists, other innocent people, masks, churches. Thank you for considering this resolution and asking for passing of this resolution.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Sandra Deanda, Fernando Devaras, Mimi Jublon.

Good evening, Council. My name is Sandra, and I'm a lifelong resident of Santa Ana. I currently reside in Ward 4. I'm here today to urge the Council to issue the ceasefire resolution at hand. We are witnessing the genocide of the Palestinian people in real time, thousands of miles away from the street of money, in the city of money, in the country of money, our great country of money, and I believe we need to do something, and I believe this is that something. We are not untouched by the genocide and other war crimes that our government is actively supporting in Palestine.

Many of our community members are here today, and they have relatives and family members who are directly impacted by these atrocities committed on the ground. We ask that Santa Ana City Council be the voice for our communities that are being actively silenced and further marginalized. Since October 7, members of the Arab and Palestinian communities feel most of the public statements made by their elected officials in OC have furthered Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian sentiments. And these statements of y'all have seen on the news have put our communities at greater risk of hate crimes.

I believe the city has moved in the direction of freedom with its sanctuary status, with the accountability of our police, and so many other life-affirming policies. The function of freedom is to free somebody else. I believe we can do that today. Viva Viva Palestina.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Fernando Devaros followed by Mimi Jublan and Maha Afra.

Thank you, Council. Before I begin on my comments, I want to just mention that there was a speaker out there. I won't name them here, but you can go on my social media page, Fernando de Ateveras, if you'd like to see what I'm discussing here. A speaker who was in line around 4.30 today asking if they could come in to speak early because, according to them, the mayor had signed up a comment card for them to speak. So if that is the case, I really ask that the city investigate that. But I just wanted to put that out for the public. I wanted to address just some of the points that were made here.

I know the main question that is asked by city council members when we have presented this resolution and first I want to thank again Councilmember Vasquez, Councilmember Hernandez for presenting this, Councilmembers Lopez and Councilmember Pena Melissa for agreeing to meet with the coalition and discuss this resolution. Mayor Mesquah, Councilmember Fan, and Councilmember Becerra who's not here right now. The invitation is still open because this conversation will not stop tonight. And so if you'd like to fill yourself in more about the perspectives of the people who are speaking, please respond to our emails and we can set that up.

Now, on the question of why is it important for Santana to take the lead on this, there's a lot of reasons. I think people have shared a couple of those. One of them that comes to mind for me, in front of our library, there's a statue of a man named Alex Ode, who was assassinated in 1985. He was the regional director for the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, and he was assassinated for his outspoken work in uplifting the Arab community here in Orange County. That's one reason. But also, as people have mentioned, we've approached our congressional representatives,

like Luke Correa, like Katie Porter, in other districts, and they are silent. We need the city here to speak out and put pressure on these representatives who are keeping silent while a genocide is carried out. And on that note, the words genocide, apartheid, occupation, open air prison, these are not our terms. The United Nations experts have used these terms to describe what's happening. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Bet Salem, which is an Israeli-based human rights organization, has charged Israel with apartheid and attempted

genocide so again i urge you to really listen to the perspectives to the families to the speakers here who are sharing the pain that they see at watching all the destruction that's happening in

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

gaza thank you mimi jublon followed by maha afra and maria sandoval the mayor council members um

i'm not gonna uh tell you and throw you some numbers or some stuff you can see on tv or you can read in a history book. I'm just going to share with you my experience, my life story. I was born and raised in the city of Bethlehem. I see you guys are getting ready for Christmas, all decoration, so just remember the people of Bethlehem and make an extra prayer for them. I was born and raised in Bethlehem, but my family's route goes all the way to Jerusalem. And yes, you're right when you said the Church of Nativity Key is with a Muslim family, Palestinian family. That's my family.

It goes all the way to, I can go back to like grand, grand, grand, grandfather. We were the holder of the key of the nativity church.

Why we end up in Bethlehem? Because history repeats itself. You know, Haganah terrorist groups, they were terrorizing West Jerusalem where my family comes and where we have a house and the house is still there. And we have the key for that house, but we cannot go to that house. We will be, you know, we cannot even cross the border from Bethlehem to Jerusalem. And it's only five miles, five miles from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, and we can't even go there. You know, my grandparents, my dad and his siblings, they were terrorized, the same thing as the whole neighborhood in that time.

And yes, Jewish family who moved there next door to my grandparents, my grandparents took care of them, and it is true history, the one who denies it right now. My family took care of that family, treated them as their family. But when things got really tough, that Jewish family advised my grandparents to move out and to go. Mimi, your time is up.

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Okay, thank you. Next speaker, Maha Afra, followed by Maria Sandoval and Baker T.

Good evening. My name is Dr. Maha Afra, and I am here to thank you for your courage in putting the ceasefire on the agenda. as Zionist lobbies are silencing everybody and you decided to stand up against genocide of brown people. You have a choice. Vote on continuing the genocide of Palestinians based on lies and fake news and excuses like Hamas is killing their own people or to stand up for truth. Palestinians in Israel, Gaza

and West Bank live in oppression and apartheid in their own land. Over 500 Israeli institutions and organizations have defined Israel as an apartheid state. Jewish people and scholars who speak truth and do not want genocide done in their names and their religion, for example, Jewish Voice for Peace, Norman Finkelstein, Mikko Pallad, Ilan Papay, and rabbinical councils are calling for ceasefire.

They speak of October 7 hostages. Why not speak of the 10,000 Palestinians, including women and children, who have been kidnapped for no reason, enduring torture and humiliation in Israeli prisons. Not even counting those killed and displaced over more than 75 years of settler colonialism. Palestinians have tried again and again peaceful protests. They get killed, hunted like wild animals. Israel Zionism dehumanizes Palestinians. Are you going to do the same or stand with humanity?

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Mahmoud, your time is up.

Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Maria Sandoval, followed by Baker T and Omar Zagar.

Dear city council members, thank you for your time today. I'm a resident in Ward 5. As a teacher, I'm privileged to witness the boundless potential within the hearts and minds of our youth. It is with this perspective that I come before you today, not just as a concerned citizen of Santana, but as someone deeply connected to the future that we are shaping for our children. Children should be immersed in the joy of learning, discovering the wonders of the world around them, and envisioning the limitless possibilities that lie ahead. Yet, as we convene in the comfort of this chamber, there are children in Gaza who should

be reveling in the joys of childhood, playing, learning, and growing. Children should be learning in a classroom, not sheltering in one along with 25 people and bombed while they sleep like they did at the Kauai school in Gaza on November 20th. Children should be playing during recess, not witnessing the same images of blood and destruction that as adults we have a hard time seeing. Children should be writing their names on their homework, not on their arms in case their bodies are found like they did in northern Gaza.

Children should know when their parents are coming back, not left in this world without them, as many medical professionals and organizations, including Doctors Without Borders in hospitals, have come to identify with the common acronym in Gaza, WCNSF, Wounded Child, No Surviving Family. I ask today that you support a ceasefire resolution so that our state representatives can see that the citizens of Santana care about all people, that what is happening to the people of Palestine is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The world is watching, but most importantly, our children are watching.

I urge you as a representative of our community to consider the stark contrast between the aspirations of the children I teach and those in occupied Palestine who are picking through the remnants of their homes. Our collective responsibility extends beyond our city limits. It reaches across oceans to embrace the shared humanity that binds us all. Let our pleas, our plea for a ceasefire be a testament to our commitment to the well-being of all children, regardless of borders. Maria, your time is up.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Baker T, followed by Omar Zagar and Michelle Harb.

So thank you for allowing us the opportunity to speak in front of you today. So as you all know, you're all aware that the city of Santa Ana has always been a leader in Orange County among other cities on social issues, on moral issues. And the issue of Gaza is not just a political issue, as many have stated today, it's also a moral issue, it's an ethical issue. And this is ultimately the genocide against the people of Gaza. So Oakland and other cities have passed resolutions and statements calling for a ceasefire, and it's still getting traction in the U.S.

So this is the opportunity for the city of Santa Ana to catch the train early. So I urge Councilman Vasquez and the rest of the council members to support these innocent, voiceless people through calling a ceasefire, put this resolution on the agenda, and the vote to be on the right side of history, vote against racism, vote against violence, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Omar Zagar, followed by Michelle Harb and Joey Dee.

Good evening, council. My name is Omar. I'm a Palestinian-American. My grandparents were forced out of their homes in 1948 from Palestine. My grandfather came to this country, and he served in the Korean War. He made a life for his kids and his grandkids in America. I'm not sure how many videos and pictures you all have looked at in this past month, but I've watched every single one. My heart is broken as a father of three with one on the way. When I take my kids to the park, I'm thinking of the faces of the innocent children's lives being lost. The Zionist regime only wants more bloodshed. Their thirst will never be quenched.

If you want to see more people getting blown up to pieces, go play Call of Duty. To the mayor council, I'm begging you and pleading for you to vote and call for a ceasefire. Benjamin Vasquez, sincerely from the bottom of my heart, I love you. I don't know you, but I saw your support for the children of Gaza, and it's something I will never forget and you will always be in my prayers. To the rest of the council, please think of your children and your future grandchildren. Eventually one day Palestine will be free, I promise you. And when your kids ask you and your grandkids and your families what you did when this happened,

what you stood for, what you took from lobbies, what was money worth than saving innocent lives. We honor people that the other day we honored somebody who saved one child from a pool. What about the fact that you can save thousands and thousands of children from dying? And the next day and the day after that, every day we think it's the worst day ever, but it gets worse and worse and worse and worse, and I can't take it anymore. Inside of my heart, I'm praying for these kids, but they have true freedom. They will have their true freedom with their Lord. And to the rest of us, all we can keep doing is praying for them.

But please, consider the children, consider the fathers, consider the grandfathers that are carrying their dead kids. Please consider them. Please think about them. Please, as a grandson of somebody that served for the American Navy, please. Omar, your time is up. Please consider our families.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Michelle Harb, followed by Joey D. and Jessica G.

Hello, my name is Michelle and I am a Palestinian American. I am here today to ask the city of Santa Ana to pass a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. I stand here as the granddaughter of the survivors of 1948 and the daughter of the survivors of 1967. My grandmother was eight years old when she was forced from her home in Jerusalem. She still has nightmares of bombs dropping around her. My family came here in hopes of a better life and safety. I now work as a geologist in water resources working to provide safe clean drinking water for

all communities throughout California. Since October 7th, Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian sentiment by elected officials has put me, my family, and members of our community at greater risk for hate crimes. Now more than ever it is important for us to set an example and pass a ceasefire resolution as soon

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

as possible. Thank you. Next speaker, Joey D, followed by Jessica G and Sahar Aziz.

I just had something that I wanted to just kind of briefly bring some attention to. We've been hearing a lot about the atrocities committed by the extremists in Israel against the living. Another story, though, that I feel deserves attention is the atrocities being committed against the dead. For decades now, Israel has been cruelly demolishing and unearthing the graves of Palestinian Muslims. Just this morning, I read a story about a woman who found me died about a month ago, and not too long ago, Israel, the extremists in Israel,

completely unearthed their bodies, exhumed them for really no reason. And a story that really came to me is actually from 2001 just three years ago of a woman crying over the tomb of her dead son because Israel wants to build a theme park and this grave site so I so I see things like this and I just can't I it just really affects me deeply especially since my heritage is Lebanese as well as, if you go further back, Jewish as well.

So I look at this and I think these are my brothers and sisters, distantly, but they are. And I just can't stand by and just watch them get hurt, especially as Israel is shooting into Lebanon for no reason, shooting phosphorus into Lebanon. And phosphorus is not a weapon you use if you care about collateral, if you care about avoiding civilian casualties. And I also remind that foster is considered a war crime by the Geneva Convention. Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Jessica G. followed by Sahar Aziz and Zane S.

Hello and good evening.

Historically calls for justice come from the ground up. It's important that St. Anna calls for an end to the genocide of Palestinians and takes a stand on the manor. The U.S. financially supports the ongoing genocide, money that could be better spent helping its own people. Imagine if we spent that money to better our city infrastructure and city programs instead of aiding in the destruction of the Palestinian people. Like, I've been watching horrific scenes happen. I haven't been able to sleep because it just continues. And like someone mentioned earlier, every time you think it's like the worst, it just keeps getting worse.

Like, if we could demand a ceasefire.

That we please demand a ceasefire. Like, no one is free until we are all free. Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Sahar Aziz, followed by Zane S. and Ayaan David.

Thank you for your time today. My name is Sahar Aziz. I'm the treasurer with the nonprofit organization here in Santa Ana. The nonprofit helps refugees and people who are in need in Orange County. We provide food, housing, and other services. It's very hard to help people and know that at the same time the United States is helping and aiding, in bombing and killing the innocent people and the civilians, including children and women in Gaza.

That's why I'm here today to request you to call for a permanent ceasefire.

There has been oppression against the Palestinian people since 1948. The bombing has killed too many innocent people. This is a genocide. The United States is supporting genocide with our own tax dollars. We will not vote for any running officials, senators, or president who is supporting paying to kill innocent people. You can help. save lives by calling for a permanent ceasefire. Only diplomacy can provide and bring peace.

Bombing Gaza will not bring peace. It will only increase hatred and will increase violence. In Gaza and here at home, we have already seen, with the shooting of the three American Palestinians in Vermont, So please, stop it. There will never be peace in Israel until there is justice for the Palestinians. And there will only be justice through diplomacy. Stop the genocide and stop the injustice.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Sahara, your time is up.

Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Zane S. followed by Ayan David and Lulu Hamad.

hello my name is Zane Shahada and I'm here to talk about Palestine um uh I should be um at focused on school doing my homework but no I'm here to talk about the kids getting murdered and if not gruesomely injured.

And it's really sad that we have to talk about it. And this is not a war. This is a genocide. A war has two armies. Palestine doesn't even have one. Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Ayaan David followed by Lulu Hamad and Indigo Vu.

My name is Aya and our call for a ceasefire is a call for humanity and compassion and for the sanctity of life. This is not a political issue. These are human lives at state. We're dropping bunker bombs on homes, on infrastructures that don't need this kind of force. 2,500 tons of bombs are dropped on a single household, wiping out everyone in the vicinity, wiping out everybody, turning them into dust. Israel has destroyed babies and children.

They have mashed their heads, split their bodies in half, burdened them alive, and buried them under buildings. How does this constitute for self-defense? We're not believing that anymore. We're no longer going to stay quiet and let this be handled by foreign affairs because our tax dollars go to this. $10 million a day of our tax money goes to fund a genocide. A genocide that by the UN and other human rights organizations have called it an apartheid and a genocide and an ethnic cleansing.

And Israel has not been shy to inform us that they are wanting to exterminate the people in Gaza. and we're we're not gonna keep harping on October 7th because this is a 75 year long occupation there have been tens of thousands of hostages taken from Palestine while they sleep while they are in school they're coming taken with no trial and you guys can search any of these so-called prisoners and none of most of them have been held in military courts for in military jail for years

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

with no charges or anything next speaker Lulu Hamad followed by Indigo Vu and

Sophia good evening I am Lulu Hamad founder of yellow indivisible first I'd like to start by thanking Santa Ana City for taking this initiative because at At this time, our community, our communities, my communities, the Muslim, the Arab, and the Palestinian, we're facing an unprecedented level of dehumanization and demonization that is putting us at risk, the safety of our children at risk. So for Santa Ana to come and bravely put this resolution on vote is something that will

tell my community that we are being protected, we are not being marginalized, we're not invisible. You don't need to look at the figures and the numbers and the stats coming from Gaza, from Jerusalem, from Palestine. You don't need to. Just look at our faces. Look at the faces of my community. You'll see the faces of people who have not slept for weeks. The faces of people who are sick, worried about their family members there, who are grieving their family members who have been killed there, and who are now getting very worried about their own safety and the safety of their own children. You don't

need to go for the statistics but you also if you look closely you will see the faces of people who are resilient, of voters who are adamant on using their exercising their rights to make sure that billions of dollars from our tax dollars, from our tax money does not go to fund genocide but funds the unhoused here, pays for the permanent housing of our unhoused siblings here in Santa Ana. We know that Santa Ana is a leader. We look to you to lead because everybody knows there are no two sides to genocide.

Santa Ana lead because we know you can. Thank you. Indigo Vu followed by Sophia and Mohammed.

Good evening, good evening council. So my name is Indigo Vu, resident of Ward 1, and today I'm speaking on behalf of Vyrit Ryes. We are speaking in strong support of Agenda Item 19. For an agonizing 75 years, the people of Palestine have endured displacement, violence, and occupation by the State of Israel. In just the past eight weeks, Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza has killed more than 15,000 Palestinians, wounded over 40,000 people, and displaced most of the 2.3 million residents of Gaza. Since World War II, the United States has given more than 260, therefore our tax dollars,

have aided the state of Israel in causing the death of tens of thousands of Palestinians, the violation of Palestinian human rights, and the displacement of millions. In this context, experts such as Raz Segal, the program director of genocide studies at Stockton University, have called Israel's killing of Palestinians in Gaza a textbook case of genocide. While genocide happening in Palestine is an international matter, local voices and decisions like this one can have an impact in urging our country's leadership to call for an end to the the State of Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza,

an immediate ceasefire in order to save Palestinian lives and to discontinue the use of our tax dollars for military aid to Israel. As a city that has pushed for the inclusive communities, this resolution in support of a sustained ceasefire is one way to further demonstrate Santa Ana's commitment to justice. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deeply alarming and the impact of the violence extends far beyond the borders of the region. By taking a stand and passing this resolution, Santa Ana has the opportunity to show that our local leaders prioritize human rights and the well-being of communities around the world.

We also want to address the claims of anti-Semitism for many people who are attempting to obscure the true nature of the occupation, genocide, mass displacement, and near-continuous airstrikes for the past two months in Palestine. Zionism, the movement for Israel to exist on Palestinian land, is a political ideology and movement. Criticizing Zionism is criticizing a flawed political ideology that has led to the death and displacement of millions of Palestinians. It is not anti-Semitic to say Palestinians have a right to their land and homes. Indigo, your time is up.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Thank you. Next speaker, Sophia, followed by Mohammed and Basha Jamil.

Thank you for being here tonight. Before October 7th, the Israeli government has murdered, jailed, and traumatized generations of Palestinians without impunity, using it as a testing ground for new weapons, new forms of torture, and untold horrors on a population of over a million children and a population of 2.2 million people. Since October 7th, in the words of the Israeli government, they are completing their plan of removing the people of Gaza from their land. After 76 years of occupation, Israeli officials have called the people of Gaza roaches and animals and continuously dehumanized them.

And this language is not without consequences here. where a six-year-old was stabbed to death in the north suburbs of Chicago and three Palestinians were shot visiting their family in Vermont, one of whom is now permanently paralyzed. Israel exists as the latest imperialist project of the U.S. and the U.K. and is completely and entirely occupying stolen land. The images coming out of Gaza are of unspeakable pain, horror, and suffering, and there is nothing that will ever undo the damage that the people, the children, the mothers and fathers of Gaza have endured after 61 days of genocide.

The people of Gaza face continuous bombing, disease, hunger. It has not ended. It is relentless. Through the night, through the day, for two months. And this is not new. I ask you, Council members, when you know the majority killed in the war are children, and the men and women of Palestine have shown bravery and steadfastness in the face of unspeakable horrors, supplied and funded by the United States as an ally, Y'all's complicity costs lives and families that can never be brought back, that can never be put back together. It is of the utmost importance now that you represent your constituents and call for a

permanent ceasefire and that there is an end to the unjust occupation of Palestinian land. The history of Palestinians is not one unfamiliar to the history of the United States where the stewards of land have had their history, culture, and family systematically, systematically

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

and violently erased. Next speaker, Mohamed, followed by Basha Jamil and Angie El-About.

Peace be upon all of you except those who support the genocide. I'm here standing in front of you all as a person who lost 12 family members. Since October 7th up to November 1st, the only way to get updates from my family was through reading their tweets and seeing if they're alive. I want all those who are refusing this genocide to actually think about that. Think about the fact that you have to see the updates of your family through tweets.

I found out that my whole family was gone through my friend Omar, who was here, and texted me, Hey, good morning, Mohammed. I want to know if your family is okay. I read on the news that the entire Hijazi family has been wiped out. That is my family. Imagine one day you wake up and find out that your entire family is wiped out. I ask and I urge all of you to please pass a ceasefire. The Palestinian flag won't fall down, and it will wave up high forever. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. Thank you all. Jazakallah khairan.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Basha Jamil, followed by Angie El-Abouds and Ramsey.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

That was all that was on the card. So if anyone...

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Is there a phone number or an address? Nobody's putting their address.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

That's okay.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

so Basha Jamil followed by Angie Elibauds and Ramsey good evening my name is Basha Jamil I'm

here to urge you to have the moral courage to call for a ceasefire and an end to the genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza to council member Basara with all due respect calling for an end to genocide and the slaughter of innocent children funded by our tax dollars is not playing model United Nations and it is incredibly insulting to this great city to minimize its call for justice and peace. The people of Santa Ana do not want to be complicit in genocide and war crimes. We do not want to be remembered in history for our silence in the face of genocide. This absolutely affects us right here in Santa Ana.

Immigrants and refugees are the heart of this city. Orange County is home to a large Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim community. Alex Oda, a Palestinian activist, was murdered right here in Santa Ana in 1985 by domestic terrorists who are currently living free in Israel today. This is not a religious issue. It is not an issue of Muslims versus Jews. As so many of our brave Jewish brothers and sisters have been saying over and over again, never again means never again for anyone. We must be doing everything that we can to end the bloodshed, and that is nothing short than calling for a permanent ceasefire.

Not a pause, a ceasefire. Israel killed 1,000 Palestinians with bombs paid for by our tax dollars in just the first 24 hours after the pause ended. Countless people here in Orange County, like Muhammad just said, have lost their whole family. And you know what? hate crimes against Palestinians, against Arabs, against Muslims are up by over 300% in the last month alone, all fueled by the dehumanization of Palestinians, of Arabs, and Muslims. We are sick of being dehumanized. We are sick of our lives not mattering. Call

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

for a ceasefire now. Basha, your time is up. Next speaker, Angie Elabout, followed by Ramsey and Ella Murphy. Angie? Ramsey?

Thank you so much. I'll be speaking for my cousin Ramsey. My name is Mohammed. I am a Palestinian American and I am married to a beautiful Mexican woman who has blessed me with two beautiful kids. My son Gordito has all of her futures. My daughter however has all the futures of my mom, a Palestinian woman from Bethlehem. Over the last five weeks, I have watched video after video and seen image after image of girls that look just like her, with missing arms, missing legs, dead, being held by their parents, being put in body bags.

I have not slept since this has started. As a father, I don't want to see anyone dying. I am not happy if an Israeli dies. I am not happy if a Palestinian dies. I am a father. I want to see kids playing just like my kids. We recently had a protest in L.A. where we had 3,000 body bags of children that we laid in front of City Hall. We would need about another 4,000 to truly represent what has occurred there. And my daughter asked me, what are these? I tried explaining it to her in 10 minutes and choked up every single time. Your job here today is not to change the world.

We're not asking you to stop this war. This is symbolic. You're asking for a ceasefire. You're asking for peace. Ceasefire means no Israeli dies, no Palestinians die. Let's go back to the talking table and figure this out. It's shocking to me that some behind me are booming when we say ceasefire. The folks who have been kidnapped are in Gaza. As you bomb Gaza, you are subjecting them to potential death and injury. Bring them back. Bring the Palestinians who have been locked up and not charged back, and let's fight for peace, not war. Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Ella Murphy, followed by Terry Sidak and Omar Kurdi.

Hi. Good evening. I'm Ella Murphy. I joined the IDF in 2007 and I served the Israeli army for nine years. The Israeli army and the United States army shares the same vision and the same value. It's called IDF because we're here to defend ourselves. It's Israeli defense force, not attack. And we only attack to defend ourselves when we need to.

And yes, I call all the people that were behind me and telling all these lies about the IDF, I call them liars because there were never, ever a case in the IDF against Palestinians, a case of rape or robbing. And they robbed bodies. They robbed bodies. I swear on my soul that were never, were never an IDF soldier raped a Palestinian.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

stop the time please we're gonna stop ma'am we're gonna take a break let's take a break please thank you

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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Thank you.

Two minutes each.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Please do not disrupt. Please do not yell out anything, any obscenities, or be rude and give people the respect and dignity while they're speaking. Please look this way when you're speaking. Do not address behind you. You need to address us, the mayor and the council, the rest of the speakers. And I apologize, I should have said that earlier. I figured you all knew, but I apologize. You're addressing us. You're not addressing the people behind you. Okay, Jennifer, Madam.

David PenalozaItem 19

Mayor, before we begin, I'd like to ask our sergeant at arms if we could have anybody that acts disorderly or speaks out or yells out removed from this chamber.

David PenalozaItem 19

So, Sergeant-at-Arms, if you could please have anyone that acts out of order removed from the chamber, I'd appreciate it.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 19

I don't see... All right. I'm sorry. I just want to state for the record, please be respectful of any disagreements. Any opinions that are different from yours, please be respectful. refrain from engaging and either making fun of somebody, snapping, clapping. We want this conversation to continue so we can take a vote. I'm not supportive of people being forcefully removed from here, and I just want us to be respectful that this is a place of business. Please allow us to do business so that we can vote. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Okay, we're going to start again, and again, it's at the police officer's discretion whether you are removed we have asked you numerous times to please do not yell out do not call names you cannot stand up against the wall you must be in a seat at all times so if you're asked to remove please follow the officer's directions 48 minutes left two minutes per speaker go ahead madam clerk

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

okay um ella murphy to continue with her comments followed by terry sidak and omar kurdi

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Can you speak into the mic, please? Can you, can you?

Okay.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Sorry. There you go.

Okay. Great. So, as I said, I'm Ella Murphy. I joined the IDF in 2007. Since the beginning of the history, the Jewish people needed to defend themselves from what it called, as written in the Bible, Hamas. Now you know this name by Hamas Isis. The State of Israel and the Jewish people begin being under attack on a daily basis by terrorists who wish to delete us from the world. Therefore, the State of Israel has the IDF, our defense force system against those murderers. This system was built to defend, not attack.

They do that with all accessories needed and most of all, compassion. IDF is defending all civilians, Jews, Christians and Muslims with no differences and obligates to do that for all the Israeli civilians. But in this moment, the IDF is defending the world from evil powers who threaten our existence.

There was never a case of rape in the IDF against a Palestinian, ever. There was never a case of a robbery in the IDF against Palestinians. Your time is up. Ever.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Terry Sidak. Thank you. Followed by Omar Kurdi and Mohammed Abdel-Fattah.

All right. My name is Terry Sidak, and I'm a Santa Ana resident, Ward 6. I'm here to ask the council to sign on to the resolution to support a ceasefire in Gaza. What is going on in Gaza and the West Bank is genocide, and we are complicit. We are complicit with our funding of the Israeli army. Not all Israelis agree with what their government and military are doing. We are sending billions of dollars to pay for the guns, the training, and the bombs that are killing innocent people. We are also complicit with our silence. When we don't speak out against the genocide, it means that we approve.

Do you approve the killing of innocent people? thousands of them? Supporting a ceasefire does not mean Hamas wins. It does not devalue the lives of Israelis or mean that Israeli hostages shouldn't be returned. Supporting a ceasefire does value the life of the Palestinian people and the Israeli people. It means that we shouldn't keep killing people for collective punishment. Supporting a ceasefire means we are all against genocide. This is a humanitarian issue and no one should be in favor of killing thousands and thousands of innocent lives. Thank you. Omar Kurdi, followed by Mohammed

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Abdul-Fattah and Rabbi Gersh Zilberman. Good afternoon, good evening, council members. My name

is Omar Kurdi. I'm an attorney here in Santa Ana. I'm here today to urge you to support the resolution calling for a ceasefire and to convene an emergency session to pass that resolution. Councilmember Becerra said that this isn't the place of the City Council to comment on foreign affairs, that this isn't the model United Nations, and he had the decency to stick around to hear what we had to say. That's in fact false though. This body was elected by the people of the city of Santa Ana to represent us.

And it is this body's responsibility to send a message to our elected leaders, to Katie Porter, to Lou Correa, to Lafonza Butler, to Alex Padilla, to Joe Biden, and to the entire world, that the people of this city, the people of Santa Ana, stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

They stand in support of the people and the children and the women in Gaza, the children of Gaza who know nothing but death and destruction, who were born into a concentration camp, who have been subjected to 20 years of a crushing siege and are now facing a genocidal regime, hell-bent on killing them and driving them off their land. It is your responsibility as elected leaders to pass this resolution and send a message to Washington that the people of Santa Ana demand an immediate ceasefire. I want to show you a photo.

This is a four-year-old girl. Her name is Reem. I had 8,000 other photos to choose from, but this is the one I picked. She was killed, along with her brother Thorett, in an Israeli airstrike on their home. Omar, your time is up. This is not a complicated moral question. Sure, your time is up. We're asking for a ceasefire now.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Mohammed Abdel Fattah, followed by Rabbi Gersh Zilberman and Jean-Paul Escobar.

Hello. Thank you for the time. My name is Mohammed. I'm here to urge you to bring up the ceasefire resolution for vote and to pass it. What are you waiting for? There's nothing, absolutely nothing controversial about calling for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the killing. This is the most basic humanitarian statement to make at this time, especially after all of the killing that we've seen. We shouldn't have to even come here to beg you to do this. This is and always has been a war on the children of Gaza. The killing of the children in Gaza has been unprecedented. More children have been killed in Gaza during this conflict

than conflicts across the globe in the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, all combined, all the years combined, in just six weeks. the average age of all the civilians killed in Gaza is just five years old that statistic alone is absurd just imagine how many young infants and toddlers were killed to bring this average age that low in the last two months on average Israel has murdered 133 children every single day for us to get a better scope of what the amount of killing of kids is like just think about our

horrific school shootings here back at home. The deadliest school shooting in America occurred at Virginia Tech which took the lives of 32 people followed by Sandy Hook Elementary which took the life of 28 children. In Gaza over the past 60 days they have been experiencing four Virginia Tech or Sandy Hook massacres of children every single day. Four of America's worst school shootings every single day. This has to stop. You can help end this. This is relevant to all of us and to Santa Ana. These are our tax dollars funding these crimes. Stop killing

children in Gaza. Permanent ceasefire now. Next speaker, Rabbi Gersh Zilberman.

Good evening. Thank you for your time. I'm Rabbi Gersh Zilberman. I'm a proud resident of Santa Anna. My two of my children go to school here just a few blocks away. I'm here tonight first to say that the business of the city of Santa Anna ought to be taking precedent tonight and I urge you to vote not to pass this resolution. Having said that I'd like to use the remainder of my time to speak out for an unequivocal ceasefire and for the end to genocide. The way we get a ceasefire in

Gaza is simply for Hamas to come out of its terror tunnels under hospitals, under schools, under all kinds of basic infrastructure that people need to survive, come out with their hands up and their weapons down, release all of the hostages so brutally taken from their homes. That is how to have a ceasefire. And to stop genocide. Those vicious thousands of Hamas terrorists who entered

Israel on October 7th were looking for Jews to slaughter.

That is just a taste of what they want to do to Jews throughout the land of Israel, which we have been indigenous to for over 3,000 years.

They want to have that genocide throughout Israel and throughout the world, and I'm against that genocide we need a ceasefire we need the end to genocide thank you next

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

speaker John Paul Escobar followed by Perla Dionik and Gabriella Villafuerte

hello my name is John Paul Escobar I'm a resident Ward 6 I want to start by saying Alex Odeh was a Palestinian activist who has been immortalized in a bronze statue in front of the Santa Ana library. He was bombed and the suspects actually fled to Israel afterwards. If you are a council member and you support Santa Ana, you not only support Palestine but you support all the citizens of Santa Ana and you renounce any terrorist activities that happen in any parts of the world and in our city. I also want to say that this Israeli

The Zionist regime is fascist, racist, and they kill their own people. They assassinated their own prime minister who was an advocate for peace, peace for the Palestinians and for the Israelis. They murdered him in cold blood in front of thousands of people.

The Zionists will kill anyone who stand in their way, anyone, even their own people. I have, I lost my grandmother this year of natural causes two weeks before my birthday. I seen a Palestinian man who was photographed by the IDF claiming that they were helping him. In reality, 20 minutes later they shot him in the back twice. Mr. Vasquez, you were my teacher. There was a man who ran for city council here once. His name was Mr. Patrick. He was a known child abuser and I'm one of

his victims. Anyone who does not support the ceasefire in Gaza who stands here before me today, I will remember you and you will never work in the city ever again.

Thank you. And I'm looking at you, Mayor.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Next speaker, Perla Dionic, followed by Gabriela Villafuerte and Tammy Gannon.

Okay. Good evening. My name is Perla Dionicio, descendant of genocide survivors. my royal Nahua lineage survived slavery and survival and survived both the Aztec and the Spanish genocides in this continent I am a Santana mom from Ward three Sonana Unified School District alumni active member and a pillar in my community I have been an educator for 20 years have a psychology degree and Montevideo education specialist credential from California State University at Fullerton. Founder of Mujeres Book Club, a collective of teachers, social workers,

community organizers, activists, youth professionals, and community members wishing to seek full liberation of oppressive racist systems and gender-based violence. I stopped asking myself and creator why the killing of children has gone unchecked. Now I understand that this is happening because we live in a society in which people get to keep and remain in positions of power and status even after survivors voice their violence and come forward even after survivors come forward even when advocates and mandated reporters go through the due process violators continue to stay in power here

in Santana and in Palestine there is a lot of money to be made off of our suffering the homelessness conversation you all just had is a perfect example of such colonial violence. Towson Street residents, many of them students at our local schools have been continually and permanently traumatized by the violence SA Pig Department has had that has put them through rolling in tanks in the middle of the night and mimic the Israeli tactics that they have trained to control the masses. You have no idea how this issue is relevant to this land.

You have no idea how this issue is relevant because we are a stepping stone for your way up to make those decisions on those war budgets. So yes, we will hold you accountable next election. Your time is up. Thank you.

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Next speaker, Gabriela Villafuerte, followed by Tammy Gannon and Abigail Dominguez.

Good evening, City Council. It's my major city council. My name is Gabriela Villafuerte. I'm a nurse and psychiatry nurse practitioner. I live in this city, Santana, for many years, over 30 years now. And I see our needs as I waited for my turn to speak. I heard about all the issues, mental health issues, and homeless problems in our city. And I'm here to petition that you vote for ceasefire, because I see that mental health issues are growing, and it's growing here and over there.

And violence will only promote more violence. And I'm not Jewish, I'm not Muslim, I'm Hispanic, but I care. And this issue is a humanitarian issue. not only for our generations, but for the future generations.

It's sad to see that this is happening now in 2023.

This may be a thing back in the days where, you know, in the Holocaust, thousands of years ago, but now with all the education, Now with all the technology, we should be fixing things that are fixable, but not hate and not violence. Thank you.

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Tammy Gannon, followed by Abigail Dominguez and Nathan Tafel.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the Council. There was a ceasefire on October 6th. Israel does not want another day like October 7th and nothing has really been mentioned tonight about what happened on October 7th. The atrocities that Hamas committed when they entered into Israel, what they did to families, what they did to babies, torturing them, beheading them, sticking them in ovens in front of their mothers, the rapes that were committed in the kibbutzim,

and at the Nova Dance Festival, Peaceful Festival, and the hostages that were taken, just the most horrific things that I've ever seen. And I also have been watching videos nonstop and haven't had a lot of sleep.

Israel warns the citizens of Gaza when they will be conducting targeted airstrikes. Hamas uses the Gaza citizens as human shields, deliberately placing their headquarters, storage of their weaponry, and rocket launch positions under or near schools, hospitals, and homes. They know that the world will be outraged at the death tolls and hope that resolutions such as this one will be introduced and passed. The Palestinians are given millions of dollars for aid and to make their lives better.

Hamas uses the money to build terror tunnels and buy weaponry, instead of helping their own citizens. If there is another, longer ceasefire, Hamas will regroup and try to commit more horrendous atrocities to Israelis and Jews. don't think otherwise and don't think that they won't bring their fundamentalist ideals and monstrous tactics. Tammy your time is up. Thank you. Next speaker Abigail Dominguez.

Nathan Taft followed by Rabbi Shehey Alisi. Hi my name is Nathan Taft and I live in Ward 3 here in Sandaanah. 36 members of my family were murdered in the Holocaust simply because they were Jewish. No one was there to protect them or six million of their brothers and sisters. On October 7th, 1400 Israelis and other members of the international community were butchered, raped, and worse by the Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas. This was the worst attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. People were gang raped and dismembered while their partners

were forced to watch. Elderly people and children were beheaded. Pregnant women had their wombs cut open and their babies ripped out. Whole families were butchered in their homes. However, unlike during the Holocaust, the Israeli Defense Force exists and can protect the remaining 7 million Jews who call Israel home. And yet to hear it told by this deeply problematic and one-sided resolution, the brutal attack on the 7th was just a footnote. And the Jewish state has no right to defend itself. The resolution even has the audacity to invoke the Holocaust to try to demonize Israel's efforts to protect its residents and bring justice.

There is undoubtedly great suffering in Gaza right now as a result of Hamas's actions, suffering exacerbated by Hamas's strategy to operate out of hospitals and apartment buildings and kindergartens. The international community must strike the balance of prioritizing humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians while also supporting the right of Israel and the Jewish people to defend themselves. This resolution does not do that. I have a deep connection to Santa Anna, but because of the anti-semitic rhetoric and actions of some of my neighbors, council members,

and the Unified School District School Board, I'm not sure I want to stay. I'm becoming more convinced... Can I have some of my time back?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

You can go ahead.

Thank you.

And I'm not sure I want to stay. I'm becoming more convinced by the day that I wouldn't want to raise Jewish children here. They wouldn't be safe. We all want to see peace in Israel and Palestine, as well as in our diverse Santa Ana community. This resolution takes us in the opposite direction.

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Next speaker, Rabbi Shui, followed by Margaret Villa and Fatiha Jude.

I'm not Rabbi Shui, but he asked me to take his place.

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Ma'am, when you come to the mic, state your name. You're not Rabbi.

No, no. That's what I'm saying. Rabbi Shui had to leave an emergency and asked me to take his place. Can I do it? Take your mic.

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You need to fill out a speaker card when you're done, please. Oh, I did fill. Okay. Before you start, on this side of the room, if you make any comments, you're going to be asked to leave the meeting. Very simple. If you're going to yell out, you're going to be asked to leave the meeting. We're almost done. Go ahead, Ben.

Thank you. My name is Molly. We stand with Israel and the poor Palestinian for ceasefire only when all hostages will be brought home and the Hamas will be completely eradicated for the sake of the poor Palestinian, Israel, and the rest of the world. Hamas is a terrorist group just like ISIS, Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhoods, and Boko Haram. Where were you when ISIS beheaded 10,000 of other Muslims in Libya, Syria, Iraq, and other Muslim countries?

Where were you when over 400,000 Yemenites, which my family are from, Yemenites left to starve to death and be killed? 400,000. I didn't hear nobody yelling to stop. up. Where were you when Hamas was slaughtering their own people if they against what they are saying? To me, it sounds like you have a selective outrage only when Hamas is being killed by Israelis. Only when Hamas is being killed by Israelis you are calling for ceasefire.

A resolution like this is misleading, has no facts, don't know the history of the Middle East. Israel is the only democratic country in the Middle East. Israel is the only beacon of light in the region. I would like to educate whoever wants this resolution, and I really would like to see this resolution not being passed. For those who called Israel an apartheid, excuse me. Israel have judges. Israel have Muslim on the Israeli parliament.

How you call Israel apartheid, I don't know. Your time is up. Thank you.

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Next speaker, Margaret Villa, followed by Fatiha Judeh and Jenny Lin.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Ma'am, please give your speaker card to the clerk, please.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Ma'am, when you're done, please give your speaker card to the clerk when you're... Talking to me? No, I'm talking to the woman who just spoke. I think she put one in already. Okay, thank you. All right, thank you. Go ahead.

It seems the propaganda is on full display here tonight.

I want to read an exchange between an associate and myself. I've been so reclusive and more angry than I've been my entire life. It has become so unbearable observing these atrocities. Protesting and speaking at city councils, not just here, is not enough. Her response was, I feel the same. This has changed my life forever. I have a deep sadness in me. My heart is broken. I say this because this is the sentiments of many Americans, feeling as if our hands are tied watching the slaughter unfold,

unable to do much as we witness in real time the ethnic cleansing. The ugly truth is we are funding two goddamn wars, billions upon billions for Ukraine and Israel, dirty money for their Israeli settlements, their armaments, their advanced military technology, their security, their health care, their loans, and on top of that an emergency stockpile given by our government. This is all public record congressional research look it up the word peace has been absent from the american public for so long this country is known for invading abroad since i was before i was born

a history of convincing the american public with a hard propaganda warfare biden spoke about beheaded babies and the white house had to walk that back

Oppressed people will react. Seventy-five years. Do the right thing, Santa Anna. If I can quote Harry Truman, the Zionists wanted all of Palestine handed on a silver platter, and it couldn't be done. We will have to do it in pieces. Adopt HR 786. Put yourself on the map.

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Next speaker. Fatihah Judeh followed by Jenny Lin and Nadal.

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Hold on one second, ma'am.

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If we have to, we're going to stop the meeting. I apologize. This one will be for a final stop, so go ahead.

Honorable Mayor and the members of the City Council, I'm here today as a Palestinian-American and educator with over 17 years of experience. I deeply appreciate your decision to consider a ceasefire resolution acknowledging the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. On October 28 in his resignation letter Craig McCauver, a senior United Nations official, raised the alarm about an unfolding genocide in Gaza. Now we are witnessing the horrific reality of his warning. We are witnessing a horrific genocide taking place. Over 16,000 Palestinians murdered, including 8,000 children. There are no safe zones in Gaza, so civilians

are being deliberately and systematically targeted. As someone who has dedicated their life to education, the loss of so many young lives is particularly crushing. These children represent the future that has been cruelly snatched away. Compounding this tragedy is an ongoing communication blackout, a deliberate attempt to silence the voices of Palestinians. The targeted attacks on doctors, medical staff and journalists are not only cruel, but also are part of the strategy to dehumanize Palestinians. The use of barbaric, sophisticated weaponry like bunker bombs and white phosphorus and the lack of rescue equipment

is leaving many Palestinians to die slow, agonizing deaths underneath the rubble.

In closing, I want to leave you with a powerful quote from Sophie Scholl, a German human rights activist during World War II. she bravely opposed the Nazi regime. The real damage is done by those millions who want to survive, the honest men who just want to be left in peace, those who don't want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves, those with no sides and no causes, those who won't take measure of their own strength for fear of antagonizing their own weakness. Please do the right thing. Please vote for this ceasefire and be a part of a global movement to put an end to this genocide.

Thank you for your time.

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Next speaker, Jenny Lin, followed by Nadal and Jeffrey Katz.

Hi, council members. Thank you. I come here tonight as an Arabic and Latina, former resident and former city employee who worked at the Santa Ana Library before I got laid off during the pandemic. Santa Ana honors Palestinian Alex O'Day in front of the library because that's how close to home this issue is for our community. A powerful pipe bomb exploded as he opened his Santa Ana office door. In addition to killing Alex O'Day, it injured several other victims. This sent a strong message to my fellow Arab community members in Santa Ana that we are not welcome or safe here. Santa Ana is the county seat of OC and we are

poised in such a powerful position to be able to show not just the city but the whole county that Arabs are welcome and safe here. Please don't feel confused or overwhelmed by not knowing enough details or history on this issue. It's truly not that complicated. We can all see with our own eyes what's happening in real time all over social media. This is less about being on any certain side of history or it's more about the fact that we're currently witnessing a genocide that's being funded by a world hegemony that we as taxpayers fund with

3.4 billion dollars of our tax dollars every year before even many of us were born this has been happening our federal government considers the fascist prime minister of israel that makes trump looks like a saint an ally we would never tolerate anyone like that representing us here in santa anna it's unfathomable that we can witness 8 000 children being maimed and murdered and disintegrated into hundreds of pieces of flesh how can it go on for this long how can we continue to see these horrid images and not do the absolute bare minimum of calling for a ceasefire it is not anti-semitic

to criticize israel's military and government about what is happening this has never been a religious issue if you've ever wondered what you would have done your time is okay civil rights

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era or vietnam you don't have to wonder next speaker nadal followed by jeffrey katz and mark

Rothenberg. Good evening. My name is Nadal. I'm a Palestinian American. I lived in Palestine for six years. I lived there during my young years, and my wife and kids are living there now, and I go and see them every few weeks. One of my visits was over the last two weeks.

You know, it's crazy that we have to come and give you all these reasons for a ceasefire. We're just asking for the rockets, for the bombing to stop. We're asking for the bombing, the killing of children to stop. It's simple. I mean, we all have children. Imagine constantly 24 hours, the Israeli government is bombing your houses, bombing hospitals, bombing schools, cutting off water, cutting off electricity.

This is beyond, this is not self-defense. This is not about October 7th. This is about 80 years of dehumanization of the Palestinian people. I've lived there. You know how often we had access to water in our village? Once a week. We got water once a week. Okay, I lived there for six years. Right now, we get access to water once a week.

Okay? Our electricity cuts out. They control. This is an occupation, a military occupation.

There's illegal settlements in our village. We were attacked by settlers, three to four hundred settlers.

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Nadal, your time is up.

Thank you.

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Next speaker, Jeffrey Katz, followed by Mark Rothenberg and Mark Thompson.

My name is Jeffrey Katz and to paraphrase the last words of Daniel Pearl before he was beheaded by Islamic Jihadists, my father was a Jew, my mother was a Jew, I am a Jew who lives in this city's Santa Ana Ward 3. I'm gonna address you Councilmember Fan because I know you're struggling with the language of this resolution. So did the Democratic Party of Orange County and thus it rejected the resolution last night. You will attempt to contort yourself and logic to appease everyone, but you

cannot. The resolution accuses Israel of ethnic cleansing, yet in 1948 there were 156,000 Arabs in Israel who were all given citizenship. Today there are 2.2 million Arabs in Israel, yet the Jewish population in surrounding countries controlled by Islam has gone from 850,000 in 1948 to just 12,000 today. The resolution speaks of genocide. Yet the Israelis drop leaflets. They create humanitarian corridors. They send out messages on X before bombing Hamas. The original charter says the day of judgment will not come about until Muslims fight Jews and kill them.

From the river to the sea, intifada. You tell me who's committing genocide. Jews pray for peace, Hamas for death. The emblem of Hamas and Hezbollah contains swords and assault rifles. The emblem of Israel has olive branches. I appeal to you, Councilmember Fan, as a lawyer to a lawyer, foreign affairs is not within the jurisdiction of the municipality.

If the sponsors of this resolution want to make horrible accusations against Israel, follow the model of the OC Board of Supervisors. Issue your letters and speak your peace. To these sponsors, you are not the moral arbiters of my city.

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Your time is up. Next speaker, Mark Rothenberg, followed by Mark Thompson and Allison Thompson.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, members of council. After 20-plus years of representing real estate developers in cities and being a law professor, I've come to the city, the city within which I love, the city within which my family decided to build a home. And Ms. Lopez, your district, your ward, and I'm going to use the following words, words I never thought I would have to say. I am a Jew, and I'm not afraid of you, and I'm not afraid of this intellectually dishonest and morally bankrupt resolution.

I am not afraid of the individuals that have come here, many of whom do not live in the city, but those, even those who do, are holding up signs, giving shade, giving shade to Hamas and the violence and horror that it perpetrated. And ultimately what I would say to you, Councilman Vasquez, and what I would say to you, Councilman Hernandez, is congratulations. Look at the unity that you've brought us. Look at what you've done. Three plus hours of conversation about this issue. We are no closer to a solution. And at the end of the day, have you addressed the giant mound of dirt in downtown? Have you addressed housing affordability?

Have you addressed our crumbling infrastructure? Have you addressed our demoralized police department? Have you addressed the fact that we don't have a permanent city manager? And this is what you decide to do with your time? For shame. I'm going to address a couple of the comments that have been raised tonight, but there are so many I don't even know where to begin. That the Gazans don't have electricity and water? Why? Why do they depend on Israel for water and electricity? Could it possibly be because Hamas steals resources from them and instead of building

water pipelines and desalinization plants, builds terror tunnels from which it can launch attacks into Israel and kill innocent men, women, and children and rape. Where is the condemnation in your resolution for rape? By the way, where is the condemnation in your resolution against Egypt which has sealed its border with the Palestinians and doesn't give them free access into the greater Arab world? Where is your condemnation for the Assad regime? By the way, if the Assad regime was in charge of Israel, there would be no Gaza tomorrow. We wouldn't be having this conversation. Israel is a just army. But this

is an impossible situation. I don't hope to convince you. I would just ask you to withdraw

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this resolution. Next speaker, Mark Thompson. Next speaker, Mark Thompson, followed by Allison Thompson.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Listen, stop, stop. We are almost done, people, please. Madam Clerk, what do we have, like 20, 15 minutes? Your timer? 14 minutes. 14 minutes. All right, thank you, sir.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Mark Thompson, Ward 3. As I've listened to the people speak from their hearts tonight in support of the proposed resolution, I realized after a while that if you hadn't read it and all you'd done is listen, you would think that the resolution said essentially nothing other than there ought to be a ceasefire in Gaza. it. Fortunately or unfortunately, I have read it, and it goes light years beyond that. Light years beyond that. It is a radical document. The ideas expressed in that resolution are

not supported by a majority of the populace of any country in the Western world. Not one.

Among other things, the document suggests that the U.S. should immediately cut off all current and future military aid to the nation of Israel. That is a position that has not been endorsed by a single presidential administration of this country, Democrat or Republican, ever. This is a radical document. The U.S. supplies approximately 15 percent of the entire military budget of Israel and it's done so for many many many years. It's arguable at least that had the US not done that Israel today would not exist. It's undoubtable that had the US not done that many many many thousands of Israelis would be dead.

There are two reasons why given these facts the radical nature of this document that the City Council while certainly each of you is free to espouse your own beliefs that's you know that's america do that please but you represent the city and the reason that the city should not endorse this is twofold one we don't look to the city to make those types of proclamations and number two as members of the city council you are servants of

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the public trust your time is up and this would be a violation next speaker allison thompson Alison, followed by Amal Alcala.

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Alison Thompson.

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I'm sorry.

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My wife had to return home.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

I'm sorry?

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Ms. Thompson had to return home.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Okay. Thank you, sir, very much. I appreciate it.

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Next speaker, Amal Alcala.

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So officers, whoever's on this side of the room and she or he cannot stop, you can escort them out if they burst out again because i've made it very clear and i've given multiple multiple chances here and very respectful so we're almost a no we don't we don't have conversation so go ahead ma'am you have two minutes and then um if anybody's going to burst out while you're

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speaking they're going to be escorted out i do want to also note madam mayor that there are speakers on this side as well who are also interrupting people then let's make sure that

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they're all quiet, that we all need to be respectful. We all need to be respectful. They all need to be respectful.

Can I start by saying one of the people who told me to come off? Hold on.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Hold on, please. She's leaving. Thank you. Okay, we're good. Okay, good.

Okay.

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All right.

All right. A lot of heated people.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Chief, did you get that, Chief? And the exact time and everything? Okay, I want to be clear on this. Okay. So we're going to do this again. so when you make accusations like see you on the street that's a threat to me as the mayor and i've already had multiple death threats so if you want to make comments you know go do it on social media i guess or even if you do it there they're gonna the police will find it and then they'll come knock on your door so nobody up here deserves to receive any type of threats or get assaulted or anything we're we've been listening for almost two hours yes ma'am so if we can have

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some respect. We're almost done. So again, ma'am, two minutes. Thank you very much.

Good evening, Mayor and Council members. I'm asking the Santa Ana City Council to take action and pass a permanent resolution for a ceasefire. The killing of innocent civilians living in Gaza must stop. It takes courageous leaders and people of consciousness to call for a permanent ceasefire. The Israeli state's US-backed war against the people of Gaza and the persistent disrespect of the humanitarian law is shameful and is not acceptable.

The people of the world stand with the people of Gaza as they are fighting for their lives. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict didn't start on October 7th. Don't believe that lie. It started 75 years prior as the Palestinian people have been ethnically cleansed and driven out of their homes with the creation of the State of Israel in 1948 on Palestinian land. My family was forced out of their home and suffered by Zionist settlers.

Fast forward to this latest round of Israeli aggression and the continued Israeli indiscriminate bombing of innocent civilians. It is shocking because there is no safe place for these people of Gaza to go. They tell the people from the north to move to the south, they bomb the south. Nowhere. I just want to make a note. Collective punishment is prohibited by treaty in both international and non-international armed conflicts.

More specifically, common Article 33 of the 4th Geneva Convention and Article 4 of the original port of call, additional port of call. 20,000 people have been murdered.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Your time is up.

Thank you.

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Next speaker, Mansoor Mansoor, followed by Yasser Youssef.

Hi, Madam Mayor and City Council. Thank you for taking the time to hear us out this evening. My name is Mansoor Mansoor. Yeah, it's my first name, my last name, or the same. It's not a mistake. And I'm of Palestinian descent. I've been a resident of Garden Grove for 23 years, and I'm here today to ask city council to call for a ceasefire for the current war that is going on in Gaza. There has been over 20,000 civilians that have passed away, 8,000 of them being children, so over half of them.

Tens of thousands of them have been injured and 1.7 million people have been displaced out of 2.2 million people in Gaza. Just in the last 72 hours over 700 Palestinian citizens have been killed. This war has been the most inhumane war I have witnessed and we ask you to support all the innocent human beings that are suffering in Gaza and to call for a ceasefire. It's only it's only human to want peace and to care for innocent children women and men put yourself in the shoes of the of those that are suffering if you if you were to see these graphic videos that all of us are seeing day in and day out you would

ask for a ceasefire as well there is no reason to continue to support for this war we need an immediate and permanent ceasefire now thank you Yasser Youssef

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followed by Sofia Sanchez

Thank you, Mayor and Council members. I've been a resident of Santa Ana for the last 22 years, the city that's always been at the forefront of social justice, and I'm glad we're finally discussing the topic of a ceasefire in Gaza. Our tax dollars are going towards the genocide that's billions of dollars. Innocent children are being killed every day, and each day that passes without a ceasefire results in many more innocent civilians being brutally murdered by Israel's extremist government. We are now over 20,000 civilians murdered in Gaza. That's 1% of the population. In America, that would equate to 3.5 million people.

Let that sink in. Israel needs to be held accountable for numerous war crimes in Gaza and the continuous illegal building of settlements in the West Bank where Palestinians are occupied and treated worse than animals. I've been there many times to visit my family and have experienced it firsthand. I've been all over the region and I've witnessed the fact that not a single Palestinian anywhere in the region has the same rights as Israelis do. Even Palestinian Americans are discriminated against. Let's all push for a ceasefire and end this genocide of the Palestinian

people. They deserve to live normal lives in peace. Every genocide supporter that has spoken tonight has mentioned the word Hamas. But guess what? Prior to Hamas's existence, the Palestinians were also being killed and living under military occupation. Thank you. Next speaker, Sofia Sanchez.

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Laura Ramos.

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Vincent Nakul.

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ma'am you need to go outside that door please ma'am you need to go outside that door thank you

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i'm sorry sir can you state your name when you come up again please

thank you so much my name is vincent nicole madam mayor present council members thank you for your time and consideration this evening. I commend you for having such a vital and uncontroversial item on the agenda this evening. While I assure you Palestinians require several other resolutions to canonize our humanity, none seem more essential than stop bombing us. Cease fire now and cease fire for good. One might ask themselves what could be more violent than the extermination of over

20,000 people within 60 days. And the answer to that is silence and neutrality in this time is the most violent thing you can do right now. I wonder how long it would take this council to count to the number 20,000. I wonder how it would take longer than two hours for sure, certainly to say each one of their names. I personally lost 15 relatives in Gaza, 14 of whom bear the same family name.

The Israeli military purposely targets families, homes, places of refuge such as hospitals, churches,

children cancer research centers, UN chartered schools. The schools in Gaza, the sessions have ended because most of the students are dead or displaced.

Let's get a resolution drafted and passed and let's do this now, please. Thank you.

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Next speaker, Suleiman Arrain.

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Madam Suleiman, clerk can you call a couple of them please?

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Followed by Tanya Nava. Suleiman Arrain followed by Tanya Nava.

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If you've named and called, please come up and line up please.

Good evening, esteemed members of the Council. I stand before you today with a heavy heart burdened by the ongoing tragedy unfolding in Palestine. The relentless violence, the mounting casualties, the shattered lives, all cry out for a single desperate plea. Cease fire. Each day that passes without a cease fire is a day stolen from innocent lives. Children are buried beneath rubble.

Families are torn apart. And the specter of fear hangs heavy over every Palestinian home. This is not a political game or a distant conflict. It's a human catastrophe demanding immediate action. We cannot turn a blind eye to the systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure, the disproportionate use of force, and the violation of international law. Each airstrike, each demolition, each act of collective punishment fuels the flames of hatred and despair.

We must demand accountability and justice for the victims of this genocide. As a city that values peace, justice, and human rights, we cannot remain silent. Our tax dollars, our investments, our elected officials all have a part to play in this conflict. we urge you to use your leverage to call upon our government to number one

impose an immediate ceasefire unconditional ceasefire as a prerequisite for meaningful dialogue number two and all military aid to Israel recognizing its role in perpetuating violence number three time is up and mayor that

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That concludes the two hours.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Great. Thank you. Thank you for everybody who spoke at this time. Public comments are over.

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So council members, you have three minutes, three rounds.

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Please push your button if you want to speak. Councilman Vasquez or Councilman Hernandez, do you wish to start first, please?

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I'll be happy to start.

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Three minutes, three rounds, please.

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Thank you, Mayor Mesquah. I want to thank the members of the public who came here today. No matter what side of the room you're sitting on, figuratively, each of your experiences are important, because this is where we lay our heads to rest when we go home. This is a place where we become neighbors. Oftentimes, the matters that we talk about here are very local, but this is a matter that is affecting us internationally. Santa Ana has not been a stranger to tragedy.

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We had a Santa Ana resident who was talked about here, and his name was Alex Odeh. And Alex Odeh was a Palestinian man from Jaffa. He was born April 4th of 1944 and he resided in Santa Ana, California for most of his adult life. Alex was a peace activist who worked to promote civil liberties for Arab Americans in the United States and for civil and human rights around the world. A shining example of where Santa Ana stands is our public library, has a statue that embodies

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exactly who Alex is, embodies exactly who the Palestinian people are. And I am proud to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

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I also stand in solidarity with any group of people who are being subjected to violence, who are being subjected to war, who are being subjected to genocide.

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Be it further, the city of Santa Ana, you know, through this resolution, I want to make it very firm that we want to combat anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, anti-Arab racism, bigotry and hate in all of its form. It is condemned here in the city of Santa Ana. The direction that we're providing today is simple. It is to direct city staff to bring back a resolution so that this council can vote on it

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 19

I'd like to provide direction to our staff that I'd like to see this be brought back in a timely manner and That is my direction. I did want to also note And ask my colleagues here and transparency is important for us here at City Hall I want to ask my colleagues if they filled out any comment cards for anybody who spoke publicly here today

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Well, you should ask me. Mayor Mesquite. No, I didn't feel, I was in closed session. You weren't there. So you got here late as always, and I was in closed session.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 19

We were talking about a comment card.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Well, I just want to let you know I didn't fill out a comment card for anybody.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 19

I'm still speaking, madam. This isn't a...

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

You asked a question. Okay, stop. You asked a question.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 19

There was an accusation. We wanted to make sure that we engaged in transparency, and I asked this question here before all of you so that you can see what your elected official leaders look like. I can assure you I would never ask anybody if they're gonna come and speak you show up here yourself I'm not filling out your comment card this is all about transparency that concludes my final comment thank you all right

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

great council ambassador so we're gonna have to end the meeting and we're not even get through the council comments if you guys can't stop we gave you the time we gave you two hours you need to let us speak now okay so no i didn't sir two hours two hours sir

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

no i didn't sir okay okay sir sir thank you very much city of satayana has a resolution that we can put a time on it and that is exactly what i did per the direction and the council the recommendation of our city attorney so just to be very clear i don't just sit up here and make things up the city of sadhana has a resolution am i correct mr city manager yes mr mayor thank you

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

okay councilman vasquez this is also your resolution thank you it is with a great pain and sadness that we are here today my heart breaks for the loss on both sides

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

this conflict did not stop did not start on october 7th for 75 years the state of israel displaced Palestinians from their homes and committed war crimes condemned by the United Nations and other respectable human rights organizations. This round of violence did begin on October 7th when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on the state of Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israeli citizens, a devastating attack that shook the international community. Now we are witnessing the response from Israel that had resulted in

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

the killing of over 20,000 Palestinian citizens, including 8,000 children in the span of two months. The state of Israel is engaging in a collective punishment that has no consideration for innocent lives. According to the United Nations, the state of Israel is engaging in war crime of collective punishment against the Palestinian people. This includes Israel cutting off food, fuel, water, and medical supplies from reaching the people of Gaza, of creating the humanitarian crisis. We have 300,000 people here in Santa Ana, many nationalities and ethnicities, and our community members are suffering an alarm

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

and rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. We have to come together to solve these issues. We have to see within ourselves our own hate. We have to first check inside of what causes us, of what's causing this pain and death. I want to make sure that this resolution takes seriously the killing of children, of children, innocent citizens, and requires us to speak out when we see atrocities being committed against innocent people, no matter their identity. I want to be sure to condemn terrorism, hate, and violence in all forms.

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

We are calling for an immediate permanent ceasefire in Gaza. We are calling to allow humanitarian aid enter Gaza, and we call for the U.S. to stop funding Israel. We ask that this resolution be sent to President Biden and our local House Representative, Lou Correa. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Council Member O'Fran.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

First, I'd like to say, you know, thank you to everyone who has emailed, called, messaged, and come out to comment on this issue and share your perspective. I was not able to respond to everyone, but I've heard you. The world has watched in horror as two militaries have prioritized their authority and their might over the peace and safety of civilians in Israel and the Gaza Strip. We have seen our community members suffer an alarming rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

Every person I have been able to speak to has spoken from a place of pain, fear, and sadness. I want to recognize that. I want to recognize all of you and validate that experience. But let me be clear. I condemn the terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli, American, and Thai civilians. I condemn the retaliatory violence committed by the state of Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu against Gazan civilians in response to the October 7th attack.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

But having reviewed the draft resolution submitted by my colleagues and reflecting on the issues it seeks to address, I am not supportive of the draft language contained therein. I do not believe it will bring our communities together, but rather further divide our community.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

We are not going to solve a war in the Middle East here in Santa Ana. And as a Vietnamese refugee whose family history is marked by generational trauma, war, and pain, I stand against all forms of terror, violence, and hate. I have been and I will always be committed to promoting compassion and thoughtfulness in our public policy discourse. And so with that in mind, I have worked with Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Lopez to draft a resolution in lieu of what was agendized. I'd like to read the resolution into the record.

Would you like me to do that now or should I wait until the next three minutes?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

You can wait until the next three minutes. I'm going to make a comment. And then are you going to speak or are you going to give her? Okay, so you have three minutes, three rounds, so you have two more rounds. So you wrote up a new resolution. Yes. Okay. So thank you all that came to speak. I really appreciate it.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

As the mayor of Santa Ana, my job is to work for my constituents that live in the city. My job is to take care of and work with the city staff and to make sure that we're addressing the homeless issues. We're addressing the infrastructure. We're working with our law enforcement. We're working with our families. staff are doing a great job and keep doing what they're doing that is my role as the mayor I don't have a hotline number to DC to the military nobody here does you know I don't have a number to call and you know I do have Congress McCrary's number I'm not I can't force him to change his mind he's he does what

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

he does and I respect him as our congressman Katie Porter I respect her We all sit up here, but my job up here is to support and take care of all. I'm not going to pick one side over the other. War is awful. I have family that are sitting out in ships in the Middle East. They're Americans. They're born here. They're serving their country. And I don't know what's going to happen to them, just like many of you have stated. I've had family killed in the war. So I could sit up here and say things that other people sitting up here cannot say. Yes, my family immigrated here. I did not.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

I don't understand what you've gone through if you've lived in that type of violence. But I have seen violence here, front and center, and experienced it. And nothing compared to what is going on right now. Children, I've seen the pictures, whether they're factual or not. My job as the mayor is to make sure that we are fiscally sound as a city, we're addressing city issues, we're addressing our residents and our constituents. Again, as a policymaker, we have no control, none whatsoever, over international matters. We just don't.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

We do not. No matter what you think, no matter what anybody says up here, we do not. because if they have a hotline number to the president or to the military, please let me know because nobody up here does. But you know what I find very interesting, and I'm going to close with this, is there was a student that came up to speak, and I'm glad that he did. And I believe it was Councilman Vasquez's student. He talked about allegedly being sexually molested as a student. I hope somebody, whoever was a mandated reporter at that time, or who just heard this right now, because I know I'm a mandated reporter, is going to report that.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Because I can tell you, I am concerned about things that are local, like Santa Ana Unified having double-digit sexual abuse cases with our students. And we talk up here a lot about, let's be transparent. Believe you me, I can sing like a bird about what I see up here at the council. Money, where they get their money from, what they do. But I don't say anything. I just take the hits. because I'm a mature, grown woman, pays my mortgage, raised my kids, had a career. So I'm not supporting this tonight. That is not my job as the mayor. Whether you like it, whether you like it or not, it is not my job. It is not my role.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

You can escort him out. You can escort him out.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

You can escort him out, please. Escort him out.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Guys, I would like, stop.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Let's go.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Stop, please. If he does not, if they don't sit down and be quiet, this meeting is over. I would love to give. This meeting is over. I am the chairperson and let me speak. If we cannot come down, this meeting is over.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

So officers, if you can remain there, please. We're going to finish this way because apparently we can't finish peacefully. So if there's one more outburst, then we're going to close the meeting. I'm the chair of this meeting and I'm going to close it.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

So let's finish. So I used one of my three minutes. Mayor Pro Tem Lopez, you have three. Councilman Hernandez and Councilman Vasquez, you each have two. Councilmember Fan, you have two more. So Mayor Pro Temp-Lopez, go ahead. Thank you.

Jessie LopezItem 19

I want to begin by acknowledging all of the grief, all of the sadness and the pain and the hurt that is in the chamber tonight. I think we have all felt that. And I think it is important for all of us to understand that to some degree or the other, we are all hurting. We are all hurting and we are seeing that happen right now in real time. And we're all hurting because we're all human. And I encourage people to seek support if they need it. If you feel alone, if you feel scared, if you have any dark thoughts, please seek support.

Jessie LopezItem 19

There are people in this community that are here to help you. I also want to thank all of the people that I spoke with yesterday and today everybody that sent an email to me because in having these conversations there is one thread that connected all of you and that is your sense of safety in this community and so like so many of you I am seeing the devastation that is happening abroad and not just abroad but really the violence that is now rising in our own backyards and that is my main concern right the violence that we are

Jessie LopezItem 19

seeing happening against Jewish people my Jewish friends against Palestinian people my Palestinian friends against our Muslim community our Muslim friends and it is complete and that is completely unacceptable it is tragic it is heartbreaking. I have and I will continue to condemn bigotry and we've done that here on this council before and I will continue to condemn Hamas and the awful attacks that happened on the 7th and I believe that at my core we must be committed to condemning these actions and all acts of hatred against

Jessie LopezItem 19

humanity which do include anti-semitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and all of the other isms that you are all aware of. And I firmly believe that no one in this chamber, absolutely no one, no one on this dais should be afraid to condemn this. And as an elected leader fighting for a better future, it is my duty to figure out how we can do better as a community. And there is no wiggle room for me to be afraid because too many of my constituents are afraid in this moment. And that is unacceptable. So this moment in our lifetime calls for unity.

Jessie LopezItem 19

It calls for peace. And it calls for the immediate end of the violence that we are all witnessing. And people are being subjected to, to one degree or the other. Because we gain nothing from being divided. We gain nothing from feeling isolated. and we cannot move forward as a nation, as a city, from being in the constant place of madness and chaos. It is chaotic what we are witnessing right now.

Jessie LopezItem 19

And this is where we are. This is where we are. And so I don't believe that an eye for an eye is going to solve anything. I don't believe that killing more people will get us anywhere. and you know that is a place that to me is only welcoming more harm and I'm seeing that here play out in front of my very own eyes right and so I don't I don't you know there there are essential questions about this issue but I firmly believe that we must move out of this place that we must committed to end

Jessie LopezItem 19

and unnecessary loss of innocent lives, regardless of religion or ethnic heritage. And finally, I want to say that this council is not creating a new process. You know, this council stood up for Ukrainian people. This council stood up for Armenian people when we were asked to, right? And so now we lit up our Water Tower Blue in support of Israel, and now community members are asking us to address this issue and we are being you know in alignment with the actions that we have taken in the past and so I believe that there are

Jessie LopezItem 19

issues here that we should address every day and I am a leader that can address those but I am NOT somebody that is going to deny your pain and I am NOT somebody that is going to tell you we cannot have you know a position on this item so that's going to be my first round of comments thank you thank you is there councilman

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

hernandez or councilman vowska you want another round um i want to listen to the resolution okay do you want to set a resolution go ahead councilman thank you i will read this into the record

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

uh draft resolution a res titled a resolution of the city of santa anna supporting peace and compassion in the Middle East and condemning terror, violence, and hate. Whereas the city of Santa Ana is committed to advancing social justice for the people of all races, ethnicities, creeds, religions, and national origins. And whereas the city of Santa Ana is home to an estimated 300,000 residents from all different backgrounds, beliefs, and regions. And whereas on October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a terrorist attack causing the deaths of over 1,200 Israelis and the capture of innocent Israeli American and Thai citizens as hostages,

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

including children and the elderly. And whereas in response, the state of Israel has engaged in a bombing campaign of the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of thousands of innocent Palestinians, including more than 6,000 children. And whereas many of our community members have suffered from an alarming rise in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, and whereas all people deserve the right to live and practice their religion in peace. Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana as follows. Section 1.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby condemns terrorism, violence, and hate in all its forms. Section 2. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana condemns the killing of innocent civilians, no matter who they are or where they live, as a crime against humanity. Section 3. The City of Santa Ana recognizes the pain suffered by innocent civilians in Israel and Palestine and supports and uplifts the calls for peace in the Middle East and an immediate end to the violence. Section 4. The City of Santa Ana is committed to promoting compassion, respect, and understanding among all people. Section 5.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the City Clerk shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this resolution.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

That is the language of the resolution that Mayor Pro Temp Lopez and I have drafted. And with that, Madam City Attorney, Madam Mayor, I move to add this resolution for consideration onto the agenda as an urgency item due to the ongoing conflict and violence against innocent civilians in the Middle East, including Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

So there has to be a vote here, and so we don't have a majority. Is that correct, Madam City Attorney?

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 19

You have a quorum, and the Brown Act says that to add an item to the agenda, you need two-thirds, a two-thirds vote of those present. You have at the moment five. That means that if you have less than two-thirds, you need a unanimous vote. My understanding earlier was that we had six council members, I suppose. Yes, we left. So you would need two-thirds of the five to add this item. five of you are the original two-thirds so you would need a unanimous vote

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

right are you making a motion yes is there a second for her motion

Jessie LopezItem 19

yes i will second councilwoman's motion are there any other comments

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

um i know it's difficult and i appreciate the leadership of mayor pro tem lopez and council member vfm and i really appreciate the work that you did with the resolution in a short time and and humanizing both sides that you did that's very important it's very important that we never dehumanize one group or the other that's how we got to this place but we are asking for a stop in violence as a ceasefire so we're hoping I can add

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

that ceasefire onto your resolution as a

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

go ahead governor I will not support any resolution other than that which may Pro Tem Lopez and I have worked together on. Thank you. With that there's a motion

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

and a second and so unless there's any other comments let's prepare to vote. I don't see any other comments here. And this would be the just the action to add

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

the item to the agenda. Yes so the motion on the floor is by Councilmember Fan seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Lopez to add the resolution as read by Council member fan into the record as an urgency item for tonight's agenda.

Jessie LopezItem 19

Council member Hernandez. Sorry, clerk. I also wanted to make a friendly amendment, if we can add language, about sending this to the Orange County delegation and President Biden so that they read our resolution.

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 19

But this action that you're about to take is just for the purpose of adding the item. then if it gets added we would have a vote on what it would contain and where you'd want it sent this is the procedural part of just putting the eye that proposed resolution on the agenda understood

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

go ahead madam city clerk yes thank you the motion by councilmember fan seconded by mayor pro tem lopez to add the resolution as an urgency item to the agenda councilmember Hernandez yes councilmember fan yes councilmember Vasquez yes mayor pro tem Lopez yes mayor Mesquah no the vote is four eyes one nay nay by mayor Mesquah motion fails due to the need to have unanimous

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

vote of the two-thirds members so is there a motion to vote on the resolution that was presented there or we're going to just move forward and that would just be direction to

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 19

staff you recall as a council member generated item the direction is provided to staff so it'll

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

come back on the 19th and do you have your direction sir no i don't all right let's um

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

council member anybody want to speak here yes i do uh so the direction i would want would be the comments i made in the beginning if we can can you go back or do you want me to read it again

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 19

because i could read it again but i think we just need a simple do you want staff to work on a

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

resolution and bring it back yes we want staff to work on a resolution and and incorporates some of the works of uh councilmember fan and jesse lopez along with it uh and some of and the words that i brought forward in my first comment

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Mayor, I'm sorry, Councilmember Fan.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

Thank you, Mayor. I do not support directing our city staff to draft this resolution. Our city staff are not international affairs specialists. They are not experts in Gaza, Palestine, Israel, or the Middle East. They are not experts on this issue, and it's policymakers like us who have to draft something if it is what we want to adopt. And so with that, my direction to staff is to bring back the resolution that I read into the record, the draft of which, Mr. City Manager, you have, for a vote at the next meeting. Thank you. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Council Member Hernandez. Council Member. Sir, you're out of line. Council Member Hernandez, do you have comments? Okay, you're listening. Mayor Pro Tem Lopez.

Jessie LopezItem 19

Yes, yes. So I agree with Councilwoman. This is not something that should be given to our staff. This is something that should have already been submitted, correct? And so what you are seeing here is that there is no, you know, two members of this council walked out on this conversation, right? Councilmember Nalosa and Becerra. They cannot even sit here and condemn what happened on October 7th for whatever reason. And so I see a council member coming back. so I will retract that on behalf of Councilman Poñalosa. But what you're seeing here is that there is no majority support for a resolution that is calling for a ceasefire.

Jessie LopezItem 19

And so we are trying to unhear everybody in this community, and we are trying to support a resolution that does call for the end of all the violence because we understand that that will not get us anywhere. I support a ceasefire because I believe, as I said earlier, that more violence is not the solution forward for any of our communities. It only continues to endanger all of us. As we are sitting here, as we are witnessing here in the city of Santa Ana, as we are witnessing here in the States when people are being shot walking down the street,

Jessie LopezItem 19

when people are for showing their Jewishness are being harassed.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Once they're gone, Mayor Pro Tem, you can finish your comments, please.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Go ahead, Mayor Pro Tem.

Jessie LopezItem 19

So I'm supportive of us coming back with the reso. Hold on one second. I'm sorry.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Hold on one second. Cease fire now!

Cease fire now!

Cease fire now! Cease fire now! Cease fire now! Cease fire now! Fuck you! Fuck you! Cease fire now! Cease fire now! Cease fire now!

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Chief, can you just clear them out, please? Thank you. Clear them all out, please, so we can finish. Clear them out.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

So, can you clear them out, please?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

We need to finish this meeting.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

No, no. So if you don't feel safe to go out there, I mean, I would say you're going to wait out here just wait out there in the hot in that area go ahead you guys go ahead and sit please sit just sit sit down please sit down chief let them stay here officers these people let them sit so let them sit so that the rest of you everybody just needs to stop so mayor pro temp can finish her comments please And if you're going to, again, make outbursts, you're going to be escorted out by our officers. They're going to stay exactly where they are, and they're going to escort you out.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

So, Mayor Pro Tem, you want to finish, please?

Jessie LopezItem 19

No, I finished. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

I don't think they heard you. You're done? Okay. So, Councilman Pantalozo, you don't have your hand up. Anybody else? Otherwise, we're good? Okay.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

So, we're going to... That's a real one. That's real.

I'm going to keep it real. I'm keeping it real.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Mr. City Manager, I think you're pretty clear that there was no direction. There was...

Is that enough for us? It's a conflicting direction. There's an interest in bringing back the new resolution that was read into the record this evening. And then there was an interest in modifying either that resolution or the prior resolution. And so we could bring both those back or the council could provide some additional clarifying language.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

So I think one issue of importance, at least for me, is that Councilmember Fan wrote, I mean she read out loud the resolution that her mayor pro tom had put together. The resolution that we're looking at tonight, it was not read out loud. And so I think people need to hear it. And so either we can read that tonight or we can read it on the 19th. But I think it's very important that we, and I know you want to say something to me, and And maybe I'm going too far. But if we're going to merge them or if he was given direction to merge them, not by the majority or anything.

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 19

I was just going to say, I have not heard a majority of this council give any direction tonight. Okay, then we're good. I have not heard a majority for the original version. I have not heard a majority for the one that was read into the record. If you'd like to have that conversation, we can take notes. But I have not heard a majority for either.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Well, I think we voted already and we moved forward. So we didn't have the votes. so we're good here, I believe. Let's, yeah, go ahead.

Thai Viet PhanItem 19

I believe the vote that we had was to add an urgency item to the agenda, which failed because we did not get unanimous of five votes of members present. And so now we have to vote or give direction to staff whether to bring back a resolution of any type on the 19th. Correct. And I've stated for the record that the only item that I would be supportive of bringing back is the draft resolution read into the record tonight by myself prepared by Mary Pro Tem and myself so I guess the best way to do

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 19

this is to ask are there three others that would give that direction that she

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

just articulated to the city manager I'm a no so no I would not councilmember

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

Vasquez I can come back to you it's difficult that you can't build peace on the bodies of children.

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

And it's just a great pain that both sides are bringing harm. And we have 8,000 children dead.

Benjamin VazquezItem 19

And I'm going to go with you guys because you're calling for a stop to violence.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

with that so you're agreeing with councilmember fam and mayor pro tem's resolution yes okay mayor pro are you a yes on your resolution okay councilman hernandez just for clarification is this a ceasefire resolution no she is not including that in there i can't support it

Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Councilman Panalosa?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Okay, Councilman Panalosa has no comment, and I'm a no, so you still don't have it.

Sonia R. CarvalhoItem 19

So we have no direction on this item.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

We're going to move on to the next item.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

Okay, next item.

Jennifer L. HallItem 19

Mayor, that was the last business agenda item, so you would move on to city manager comments at this time.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 19

great thank you madam city clerk mr city manager please mayor no comments for tonight thank you thank you so much um council comments does anybody have any additional council comments we already did the housing authority yeah are there any council comments i think we've finished we're good everybody's good with council comments sounds that way meeting is adjourned next meeting is on december 19th

Recording stopped.

Thank you.