Read the June 2 meeting.

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Please enjoy the video until the end. Please check the summary section for the date of date. Please check the summary section for the date of date. Please check the summary section for the date of date. Please check the summary section for the date of date.

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Jennifer L. Hall

Okay, Mayor, you're live.

Valerie Amezcua

Great. Thank you. Can we start the meeting, please? Yes. I hereby call the Santa Ana City Council meeting to order.

Jennifer L. Hall

Go ahead. 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. This is a meeting to conduct the business of the City. There is an opportunity to call for a recess or break or even to clear the meeting room if a meeting becomes too disruptive to properly conduct business. Warnings will be provided prior to any action being taken. We appreciate your cooperation.

Jennifer L. Hall

operation. For everyone's safety, per the fire marshal, please do not stand or place objects in the aisles, in front of the dais, along the bath wall of the council chamber, or in front of any entrances or exits. During City Council presentations, guests of individuals being recognized are invited to come to the front to take photos.

Jennifer L. Hall

For roll call. Council Member Becerra? Here. Council Member Hernandez? Here. Council Member Lopez? Here. Council Member Phan? Here. Council Member Vasquez? Mayor Peña-Lizzo Mayor Mezcua

Valerie Amezcua

5 members present that is a quorum thank you before we proceed to the pledge of allegiance

Jennifer L. Hall

madam clerk please make an announcement for members of the public who are on zoom or teleconference 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 to be in the speaker queue once public comments commence this does not apply to public hearing items number 22 and 23 for which comments will be heard during the specific public hearing please hold your comments on those items until specifically called upon thank you

Valerie Amezcua

thank you the first item on the agenda is the pledge of allegiance if you'd please join me

Valerie Amezcua

Thank you. Madam Clerk, can you please lead us in the words of inspiration?

Jennifer L. Hall

Thank you, Mayor.

Jennifer L. Hall

Dear Heavenly Father, we ask for guidance and direction as matters of importance are discussed this evening. May the decisions made here be to the benefit of all the residents of Santa Ana. Amen.

Valerie Amezcua

Amen. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Are there any additions or deletions to the City Council agenda? Thank you. First presentation is by Councilmember Lopez. The certificate of recognition to the Orange County Iranian American Chamber of Commerce. If you can please come up, please.

Jessie LopezItem 1

Okay, hello everybody. I'm really excited to recognize the Orange County Iranian American Chamber of Commerce for its outstanding contributions to our business community and its continued efforts to promote economic opportunity, cultural understanding, and community engagement throughout Orange County. Since its founding, the Chamber has served as a bridge connecting entrepreneurs, professional, small business owners, investors, and community leaders. Its mission is rooted in empowering businesses through networking, education, culture, understanding, and community while creating opportunities

Jessie LopezItem 1

to strengthen both the local economy and the broader community. It has become a valuable resource for small businesses and professionals across the region through business expositions that my office has been happy to support, networking events, and educational workshops, and strategic partnerships that help entrepreneurs grow, connect, and succeed. Its recent Orange County Business Expo welcomed more than 1,500 attendees from this county, created meaningful opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and economic development. Beyond its business leadership, the Iranian American Chamber

Jessie LopezItem 1

of Commerce has played a significant role in celebrating and sharing and uplifting cultural traditions. The organization's annual Nauru celebration has grown into one of the largest cultural events in Orange County, drawing thousands of residents each year and providing a platform for more than 120 small businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations to connect with the public. The Chamber has also demonstrated a strong commitment through to service through its TAVN initiative which provides workforce development, financial literacy education, and sustainable businesses training for for underserved communities.

Jessie LopezItem 1

The impact of their work has been further recognized through the awarding of the Jobs First grant, reflecting the organization's dedication to expanding opportunity and helping individuals and businesses build long-term success. What makes the chamber especially meaningful is its commitment to inclusion. The chamber not only supports Iranian American businesses, but also works to build partnerships across cultures and industry. and I can publicly say that they're very active. They always reach out. They're always looking to partner with the city and support our small businesses here in the community,

Jessie LopezItem 1

which creates a stronger and more connected Orange County. Through mentorship, advocacy, education, and community outreach, OCIACC continues to foster an environment where diversity is celebrated and economic opportunity is accessible to everybody. I would love to thank you for all the work that you all do. I know it has been a very difficult time for our Iranian community, and still so much strength and diversity really comes from the community. And I just really want to thank all of the members that live in Santa Ana for not just investing here, having your small businesses here, but continuing to support one another

Jessie LopezItem 1

through very difficult times. So we would love to hear from you.

Thank you so much. On behalf of the Iranian community, we've gone through a lot of ups and downs for the last few years, but particularly this January when thousands of Iranians were killed in Iran by the government of Iran. Our life stopped. We had to deal with a lot of stress and depression. And as a result, we had to cancel our Nowruz celebration, which usually brings anywhere between 3,000 to 8,000 people. But we survived and we thrived thanks to the community that supports supports us, Orange County backed us up, and we were able to bring the Orange County Business Expo to life last May with over 1,500 people that attended.

So we really feel at home, and we are very appreciative of all the support that every city and every county has offered to us. Thank you for this award. This means a lot. Thank you. Merci.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 1

Thank you. The next presentation is Councilmember Vazquez, the Car Intermediate School Truck Team. Come on up, please. Thank you.

Benjamin VazquezItem 2

Thank you. I love it. CAR is my alma mater when I went to intermediate school way, way, way long time ago. I'm so excited. Good evening. Tonight is my honor to recognize the CAR Intermediate School Track and Field Team for an extraordinary achievement, winning the District Track and Field Championship for the second time in school history. What makes this accomplishment so remarkable is that CAR has only captured the district title twice, first in 2023 and and now in 2026. Under the leadership of Coach Rudy Rivera, who has guided the program for 26 years, this team has added another memorable chapter

Benjamin VazquezItem 2

to Carr Intermediate's proud history. Track and field is a sport like any other. It demands not only aesthetic talent, but also discipline, resilience, determination, and mental toughness. Athletes are constantly challenged to push themselves beyond what they thought was possible. This year's Carr team embodied those qualities every step of the way. Their championship was truly a total team effort. Every point mattered and every athlete contributed. The team finished with an impressive 331 points and earned an incredible 61 medals, including 13 first place finishes, seven second place finishes, and 14 third place finishes.

Benjamin VazquezItem 2

The team's success extended across every grade level and every category. All relay teams finished in the top three with district championships earned by the seventh grade girls team, the sixth grade boys relay team, and the eighth grade boys relay team. Several student athletes delivered standout performances. Rebecca Areola was recognized by the district as the highest scoring athlete in her grade level, earning 36 points and four medals. Jeslyn Escobar and Jimena Areola each contributed 20 points to to the team's championship effort. Among the eighth grade girls, Crystal Medina and Kelly Rodriguez each scored 19 points

Benjamin VazquezItem 2

while serving as an astounding student leaders on campus. On the boys side, sixth graders, Daniel Olivares earned first place in every event he entered and scored 30 points for the team. Jesus Lopez captured first place in the one on a meter race and Alex Rangtong contributed an impressive 24 points. The seventh grade boys trio of Nathaniel Goncalves and Brandon Delphine and Matthew Lin combined for 48 points and multiple medal finishes. The eighth grade boys were led by Michael Gutierrez and Julian Meza who both earned first place finishes including a thrilling victory

Benjamin VazquezItem 2

in the 4x100 meter relay. On behalf of the City Council and our entire community I want to congratulate the car intermediate track and field team coach Rivera and the coaching staff school school administrators and families for for this astounding accomplishment. Thank you for representing your school and our community with pride, sportsmanship, and excellence. We are incredibly proud of you, and we look forward to seeing all that you accomplish in the future. Thank you.

Yes, I just wanna thank you for inviting us this evening for this special recognition, and a shout out to our parents too as well for bringing our kids here. Yes, they deserve a round of applause.

Not only did they have to bring them here, but we're on summer break now, so it was a tough job to get them here, but we are also on summer break too as well. I mean, my coach and I were just talking about we just woke up from a nap, so we're just kind of recuperating. Need those two months to rejuvenate our battery, and then we're back at it in August. So again, thank you so much for inviting us tonight. this is a special honor for all of us and for our kids back here too as well thank you

Valerie AmezcuaItem 2

All right. Thank you. Let's move on. Mr. City Manager, can we please have a presentation? The Garner Grove Unified School District update. Rosita Elementary, please.

Alvaro NuñezItem 3

Yes, we have a representative from the Garner Grove Unified trustee and then also a member of the Palo Pino family also.

awesome. Good evening honorable mayor, council members, members of the Santa Ana community, city staff, city manager. My name is Walter Mungaton and I serve on the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of education representing trustee area 3 which includes a portion of west santana i'm here to provide an update on garden grove unified school district's efforts to rename rosita elementary school in honor of the palomino family and to express our support for the city of santa ana's consideration of renaming rosita park as well last year after connecting with

Andrew Palomino, grandson of Frank and Irene Palomino, I brought forward the idea of renaming a school in honor of the Palomino family. One of the five plaintiffs in the landmark 1946 Mendez et al. v. Westminster et al. case, which helped end school segregation in California and PAVED THE WAY FOR BROWN V BOARD OF EDUCATION THE PALOMINO FAMILY COURAGEOUSLY SUED THE GARDEN GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT PRIOR TO GGUSD'S UNIFICATION FOR FORCING THEIR CHILDREN TO ATTEND

SEGREGATED MEXICAN-ONLY SCHOOLS THEIR EFFORTS HELPED OPEN NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS TO ALL CHILDREN AND HELP TRANSFORM PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OUR STATE AFTER MEETING WITH ANDREW DISTRICT LEADERS LEARNED that the family has very deep roots in the Rosita neighborhood with three generations living on 7th Street right across from Rosita Elementary. Family members attended Rosita Elementary, Irvine Intermediate, and Los Amigos High School, and members of the family continue to live in the community today. Our district policy requires that any school named after an individual honor someone who who has made a significant contribution

to the community, state, or nation, demonstrate qualities that would inspire students and has been deceased for at least two years. The process also includes a community survey and a public hearing. Feedback from the families, staff, alumni, community members have showed overwhelming support for this effort. Many survey respondents also noted that renaming Rosita Elementary while keeping Rosita Park unchanged could potentially create confusion due to their proximity and shared use, which is why we respectfully encourage the City of Santa Ana to consider aligning both names.

I would also like to personally thank Santa Ana City Council Member Tyviat Phan for her strong support of both the school park, renaming efforts, and the school. She submitted a letter of support that was read by her aide at our school's board study session back in March. THIS EVENING, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS I WILL HEAD BACK TO OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. I AM PROUD TO SHARE THAT OUR BOARD HAS BEEN FULLY SUPPORTIVE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS AND WE EXPECT THE FINAL APPROVAL ON JUNE 16TH TO RENAME RIZZETTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS FRANK AND IRENE PALOMINO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

RENAMING THE SCHOOL AND PARK WOULD HONOR THE PALOMINO FAMILY'S LEGACY AND ENSURE FUTURE generations understand the power of ordinary people that can have to create lasting change their story is obviously a vital part of our community's history and of course we would love and welcome the support of the city of santana so thank you all so much for giving me the time

Thai Viet PhanItem 3

to speak thank you thank you councilmember fenn uh trustee monieton thank you so much for the presentation and i believe we have a speaker also in the palomino family yes

good evening honorable mayor members of the city council thank you for this opportunity my name is andrew palomino and i am the grandson of frank and irene palomino who were part of the landmark civil rights case, Mendez et al. v. Westminster in 1945. I'm here today in support of the proposal to rename Rosita Park in honor of my grandparents, alongside the Garden Grove Unified School District's proposal to rename Rosita Elementary. In doing so, these recognitions will not only honor my grandparents' legacy,

advocacy, but also the historic fight for justice and equality in education for all students. The Palomino family has been part of the Santa Ana community since 1941, and Rosita has long been a part of our history. Many of the grandchildren, including me, attend Rosita Elementary and spend countless summers and afternoons at Rosita Park. Park. These places hold a special place in our hearts and are located just across the street from where my grandparents lived for many decades on 7th Street.

In the 1940s, Frank and Irene Palomino stood up for justice alongside the Mendez, Guzman, Ramirez and Estrada families to challenge the segregation of Mexican American children children in Orange County schools. Their courage and determination led to the historic 1947 federal court decision that ended school segregation in Orange County seven years before Brown v. Board of Education. Yet for decades, this history remained largely untold. It was left out of textbooks.

books. At Rosita, I learned much about U.S. history, but this chapter in Orange County history was never taught. In fact, I didn't know that my own father, Arthur Palomino, had to attend a segregated school in this very city. After the initial court victory, and my grandparents never saw recognition for their role. Their contributions to American in history and education were nearly forgotten. They never sought recognition, though. They were not looking for fame.

They simply did what was right for their community and their children.

80 years later, our family never dream that a school in Park might one day honor our grandparents. We are deeply grateful for these proposals. Renaming Rosita Elementary and Rosita Park after Frank and Irene Palomino would do more than honor two people. It would preserve the history of this city, Orange County, and our nation. When students walk into a park and school

by the name of Frank and Irene Palomino, they won't just see a name, they will discover history. They will learn the history of the families in this very community who helped change the course of American history in education. education. On behalf of my family, we would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the Santa Ana City Council for your proposal and your consideration. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

Mr. City Manager, any comments?

Alvaro NuñezItem 3

We're supportive. The reality is it is one of the reasons that folks like ourselves, many of you are representatives of the city council, here in the executive level, city managers, and it's true. You don't study that in traditional American history in high school. I was fortunate. I learned in the fifth grade, my teacher, now passed Ventura Gutierrez, taught this chapter in one of our classes in the fifth grade. So for us, we are very honored and appreciative of the request, and I think we're going to follow our city process and ensure that we guarantee the change of the name from Rosita Park to the Irene and Frank Palomino Park.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

Thank you, Mr. City Manager. I'm also very supportive. Council Member Phan?

Thai Viet PhanItem 3

Thank you, Mayor. So obviously, I'm very supportive of this. thank you so much to the Garden Grove Unified School District, the Palomino family, and also Council Member Hernandez, I think you had brought up the Guzman family, and that's, so I had learned about Mendez v. Westminster School District in high school, but I didn't know about that at all, and so I think every day here in the city of Santa Ana, we learn about our own heritage and history, and what our community has contributed to civil rights in this country, so I'm very excited for us to follow this, go through our processes, and hopefully we all get to be at the renaming

Thai Viet PhanItem 3

ceremony. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

Thank you. Council Member Vasquez.

Benjamin VazquezItem 3

Thank you so much, Mayor. I'm excited about the name change. Once again, when I first read about this, it was through a story that Gustavo Arellano wrote in the OC Weekly, and not only mentioned the Palomino family, the Ramirez family, the the Estrada family, who also came and supported this work. And when I would call it Mendez versus Westminster, Gustavo always corrects me, Westminister Mendez et al. So make sure to, I put the et al in there. And there is a mural depicting this and at Valley High School, my students created, depicting the Guzman family and the work they did here in Santa Ana.

Benjamin VazquezItem 3

But I'm excited to see not only this just happened in santa ana now garden grove but through orange and then westminster as well and have all the families honored this way and i want to thank uh trustee muniton for bringing the best mustache and garden grove to santana we love we love it thank you thank you councilman hernandez

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

thank you madam mayor i would like to first and foremost thank um the palomino family and and and their wonderful representative and champion for being here today. It truly is an honor to be able to be amongst this history and to live in a community that dared to make America a country that treated us equally, and they began in the classroom. And so I would like to say thank you to the Palomino family as a resident and as a student who attended what is now Guzman Elementary. At one point was a Mexican-only school, and I attended that school as did my parents and so I want to tell you

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

directly to the Palomino family thank you it is an honor to have you in our city council chambers many of us are sitting up here today because of the efforts that your family led and I want to particularly uplift your ancestors because they dreamed big and look where it got the look where it got the country so thank you I also would like to thank trustee Munyathon thank you for your your courageous leadership to be able to understand the responsibility that we have as Americans to honor our history and to ensure that our stories are never erased.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

There were, as mentioned, five families who helped change the course of education forever, and they came from our community. Those were the Mendez family, the Guzman family, the Palominos, the Estradas, and the Ramirez. and when they worked together to desegregate our schools, they challenged this country's psychological harm and the feelings of inferiority that were passed on to children of color who were segregated from the classrooms. And that was what was groundbreaking for this case. It set a precedent that changed the country. And so I am fully supportive.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

I'm sure that as it enters the processes with our city manager's office, you will see this come to an agenda at a later date. But I want to end my comment by thanking Councilmember Phan. It truly has been a humbling experience to sit here as a colleague and to see this item come to our agenda and to know that you are a champion that is driving this item. Councilmember Phan, I want to tell you thank you as somebody who 100 years ago would have have been segregated in this community by the color of my skin. So I wanna tell you thank you because your leadership and your courage

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 3

is moving Santa Ana forward. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Hernandez.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

I think Mr. City Manager, we're good. Oh, I'm sorry, Councilman Lopez.

Jessie LopezItem 3

Yes, no, I just wanted to thank the family. I wanna thank our partners with GGUST, Trustee Munezon. This is really, really important, right? Because the fight that happened many years years ago as you alluded to or as you spoke about paved the path for many people people like myself to be able to have access to public education and so the fight was not just about education it was about inclusion diversity it was about equity all the things that really strengthen all of our communities so thank you all so much

Phil BacerraItem 3

Thank you, Madam Mayor. And I too want to echo the sentiments of my colleagues in thanking Trustee Mnuchin and fellow Cavalier, by the way, and the Palomino family for coming out. Everybody up here, my family actually genuinely live right across the street from what is Rosita. So my father and my grandfather and my grandmother lived right across the street on Toddy. And yeah, there was no attachment to the name Rosita. In fact, in coming before this meeting, there was talk about, well, what is the history of Rosita? And there is none. I mean, none that I'm aware of. And I say that because it's important

Phil BacerraItem 3

that we value our city's history, but at the same time, celebrate these momentous landmark cases and things that have helped advance our city and our entire community forward. And so I'm appreciative of the fact that we are able to do this this is the right place the right time and i know that if my family was still in that area i know that they'd be very happy to see this move forward so thank you

David PenalozaItem 3

thank you very much mayor protein thank you mayor mesquite i just wanted to thank trustee walter muñeton and the palomino family for being here today uh this is something that we're all i'm pretty sure very supportive of it's uh important to not forget our history and that history that that has been forgotten that we make sure it's written and remembered for years to come. So can't be more supportive of this. Thank you so much for being here and for advocating for this name change. Thank you, Maeve.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

Thank you. And let me just close out by saying thank you to the Palomino family for joining us this evening. We're honored to be part of this change as the City of Santa Ana. Thank you, Council Member Fan for bringing this forward. Yeah, and we appreciate it. and please come back and share with us how your family or bring your family so we can meet them and recognize them as well so thank you very much for being here with us tonight mayor since i went

Thai Viet PhanItem 3

to summer school i wasn't done but go ahead oh i wanted to get a t-shirt when we rename it yeah we'd all like shirts when you rename it okay or else i'm going to submit a complaint thank you

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

any swag bring it please as long as it's less than ten dollars okay we'll get a pra so mr city City Manager, we're good?

Alvaro NuñezItem 3

Yes, we are. We work with the current superintendent.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

And please thank Dr. Moffey as well. I know she's gonna be here tonight. She's at the board meeting, but she's an amazing superintendent and I've worked with her for many years, so I really appreciate it. Thank you, Walter, for being here. And again, the Palomino family, thank you. Have a nice evening. Walter, you can go to your meeting now. All right, at this time, we're gonna go to public comments. This is the time of the meeting for the City Council to receive comments from the public on agenda and non-agenda items. Madam City Clerk, please explain the public comment procedures and

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

call the first speakers. Thank you, Mayor. Pursuant to Resolution Number 2025-004, 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. Speakers will have three minutes for their comments. Before calling speakers, I'll report the summary of emails provided as of today. For agenda and non-agenda topics, we received six e-comments, three on non-agenda topics,

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

one on item number three, one on item number seven, and one on item number 16. Those were distributed to the City Council and posted online for public review. We will now hear from members of the public that are physically present in the Council Chamber followed by those on the conference call or Zoom to provide comments on agenda or non-agenda items. Please hold any comments for the TEFRA and budget public hearings until such hearing hearing is opened. When called, please state your name and the ward or neighborhood that you reside in for the record. I'll call three speakers at a time.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

If you could please line up in the center aisle.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Lance Corporal Thomas and PFC Key. Victor Mendez and Anthony Polizzi.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

Come on up. You got three minutes and definitely love the uniforms. Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

Go ahead, sir.

Good evening, City of Santa Ana. I'm Young Marine Lance Corporal Thomas here with Young Marine Private First Class Key. And I'd like to speak to you about the MCAS Tustin Young Marines. We are a youth leadership organization and a 501 nonprofit for boys and girls ages eight through high school. We teach our young Marines leadership, physical fitness, living a drug-free lifestyle, and community service. Our program focuses on three pillars, leadership, teamwork, and discipline. Through rigorous recruit training and ongoing regular training, participants learn the Young

Marine obligation, which emphasizes leading by example and living with integrity. In a world full of distractions, the MCAS Tustin Young Marines Unit instills the Marine Corps fundamental values of honor, courage, and commitment. By embracing these values along with the core principles of our own program, participants can achieve success in anything, including outside of the program, school, extracurriculars, sports, etc.

We are proud to be operating out of Santa Ana at American Legion Post number 131. Thank you, City of Santa Ana, for providing a community and area that our unit gets to call home. Several of our young Marines have the pleasure of residing and going to school in the City of Santa Ana. One important and vital part of the program is leadership schools and large-scale veteran events that are often out of state. We want our young Marines to be able to attend such character-developing events regardless of financial circumstances.

We will be open and grateful to a collaboration between MCS Tustin and the City of Santa Ana to be able to reach this goal.

Thank you, PFC Key. By supporting the MCAS testing young Marines, we can ensure that our young Marines continue to learn and explore leadership and push themselves to achieve greatness. We want to ensure that no young Marine is left behind for national events and leadership schools. Thank you for being a part of a city that values the same things that we do. Hurrah, Semper Fidelis. Thank you for letting us speak.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Victor Mendez, followed by Anthony Polizzi and Dylan Almendral.

Hello, Victor Mendez, Zoo District. Tonight I'm going to speak about Mexican food, cannabis, STEM, roads, the arts, and the FY26 budget on one rule. So a lot to cover, so little time. Not individually, but in the aggregate, so follow me along. Apprentice Engineering Program. I have a few guests that will be joining me tonight virtually and here to advocate for an engineering apprentice program for graduating high school seniors. The ask is very modest, $15,000. The returns are quite substantial. Sustaining our unique tradition of growing, living and working in Santa Ana, higher quality

quality of life, economic development, and reputational value has a center of excellence for the STEM industry. Again, a center of excellence. We all have elements, we have all the elements to make this happen, but we need to orchestrate a common vision of common good. My friends are going to fill in the details. I'm here to frame the argument that the engineering apprentice program can be impactful and highly influential, as well as give Santa a competitive edge in the race for high-quality businesses. Let me be honest, we're losing our advantages in cannabis, and I read with resignation how

Costa Mesa just captured another Mexican enterprise that featured the cuisine of my grandfather's home state of Michoacan. I'm heartbroken. Santa Ana couldn't compete for Michoacan food. What's going on here, folks? The money is available, whether it's unclaimed money, grant, overtime, expense improvement, and even the water department can make this happen with ease. The question is whether or not you want to see Costa Mesa run with this idea or do you want to lead in a time of great challenge on something with clear and tangible potential. Thank you on that. Like I said, my friends are going to talk later about this.

The East first upgrade project, this project has been delayed for several months. I'm just requesting that it start construction with a notice received by January 2027. The money is fully funded. There was much discussion about scope and safety as well as construction operations. There's no budgetary impact. Again, it's fully funded, no budgetary impact, and 90% design. The delay was due to the now completed first multi-module study. So it's devoid complex. The upgrade project got delayed. As originally planned, this comes at an important time. We're going to be protecting the investment the city's made in public safety and overall

quality of life for business and residents along the corridor. And it should leverage this project to create even greater economic improvement. Please ensure the funds are carried over to the 26-27 and we can start protecting the city's investment this year. Just generally on 26-27, there was an article on New Sam Ann that unless they agree with everything but there was some very good benchmarks for what the city should look to in terms of its going forward for its budget. Very good things that I think you should start looking at if you're not looking at it already.

Well again, I don't agree with everything but one thing I did notice that all the departments that probably benchmark closely aligned to what the what new santa was talking about our police department seems to be leading the way but just move her thought thank you very much

good evening i'm nino palizzi i'm an engineering instructor at santa ana in santa ana at samuel academy where i've developed a four-year engineering pathway over the last 13 years Prior to becoming a teacher, I spent 30 years in the aerospace industry as an engineer. I went into teaching to address the critical problem we have with STEM graduates in our country not making enough of them. It's not easy to make engineers. The process must start before college. We must first expose the engineers, the students to what engineering is and a wide variety of the engineering careers available.

We must encourage them to tackle the very challenging math science curriculum. We must provide interesting and challenging classroom projects that mimic real life. And finally, to buttress Victor's statements, we must provide them with some actual real life work where they can shadow professionals and see how engineering actually improves people's lives. I support the engineering apprenticeships for a couple of reasons. reasons. Number one, they help define career interests for students. Working alongside professionals, students get to see what engineering actually is and how it works. They take the

classroom projects to the next level, which can be a very powerful and in many cases a life-changing experience. Number two, the apprentice provider has a chance to influence future workforce by providing feedback to the schools. What works? What doesn't? They can also learn about how this next generation thinks operates etc in many cases the internship can be a trial employment where the intern can come back and work after college graduation last but not least the apprentice can excuse me can free up engineers by taking on lower level tasks in many cases the apprentices can even teach some of the older mentors how to better use

utilized technology. That's happened to me. Add to that the huge labor demands of the profession. Santa Ana has an opportunity to be a leader by adopting unique engineering apprenticeship program that prepares our students and the community for the future. Creating the next generation of STEM professionals is going to take a unified approach from academia, industry, and government. There's no time to waste. Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Dylan Almendral, Park of San Tiago resident. Very proud of Santa Nora. Most of you know me from my years in the history as a city employee. I placed Floral Park on the National Register in 2023. I'm also on the cover of the historic preservation element for the general plan. How that happened, I have no idea. I'm also Councilman Peña Lozis appointed to the Historic Resources Commission at least until next month when the HRC is dismantled. How very sad. I'm here because what I have to say, I simply want recorded for the public record.

Resolution 2022-039, which Commissioner Allen Wu principally drafted, states that the city made plans to remove Chinese residents and merchants in Santa Ana's Chinatown as part of an urban renewal effort to gain control of those properties for the building of a new city hall that is a baseless but purposeful fabrication in may of 2022 commissioner will work to prevent me from speaking at the apology ceremony he documented that that effort in writing i have submitted those emails to the clerk tonight and to each of you in one written to me he wrote at this point the facts are not as important

in another written to councilman hernandez it is not to say that it was not urban renewal and that no one was hurt and that they the city board of trustees tried to compensate the victims all of which is true I just wanted you to know why I don't want him me speaking it takes away from the story of resilience these are the words of a man entrusted with decisions on the most important Commission in this city I will let you draw your own conclusions about his fitness for that role here are the the facts. The city purchased the adjacent lot at 3rd and Bush in 1903. The city hall was built

and occupied in 1904, two full years before the fire. The city never took ownership of the Chinatown properties. That land was privately held by Martha Schaefer of Orange until her death in 1917. I've also submitted to the clerk the only known photograph of the burning from the collection of Bowers Museum, in which you can plainly see the back of city hall already standing in the fire light as tragic as a photo is it's the truth this was not an oversight it was a choice made twice four years apart a documentary that I made documenting the

exact narrative and has been on YouTube for nearly 900 days demonetized by my choice I will not ever make any money from this nor do I want to grow that channel it is called lying to apologize the burning of Santa Ana's Chinatown for anyone interested. I am formally requesting three specific actions. One, amend Resolution 22-39 and strike the urban renewal language and replace it with factually accurate language. Two, issue a public correction on all city platforms. And three, formally acknowledge Wang Woye, the China gentleman who actually died in June of 1906 in Santa Ana.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

DeLong, your time is up.

Thank you.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Mayor and city council, that concludes the public speakers that are present. We'll now begin with the Zoom speakers.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Speakers on Zoom, when unmuted, please announce your name and the ward or neighborhood that you reside in within the City of Santa Ana for the record.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Dr. Matt Malkin.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Please unmute.

Hi.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Hi, go ahead, please.

Okay, thanks. Good evening, members of the City Council. I am Dr. Matt Malkin, a distinguished professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA. I live in West LA and I teach undergraduate students things they need to earn degrees in science and engineering. But I've also been serving for the last six years on the presidentially appointed National Science Board where my biggest job has been heading our analysis of STEM, that's science, technology, engineering, and math, education and training of young people to join the STEM workforce. Now that's actually a close connection with all of that national policy work and the

engineering apprenticeships that you're considering right here in Santa Ana that my friends and colleagues there, Victor Mendez and Nino Polizzi, have just discussed. Here's the deal. Lots of good Orange County high school students can handle the math and enjoy learning the basics of STEM high school courses. So you have the supply right here in your community. And many government agencies and private companies here need to fill their entry level jobs for STEM workers. Their work supports our entire infrastructure. So there is the demand.

In fact, this is a powerful proven formula for upward social mobility. With a modest investment, you have a way to make the connection between the supply of new entrants into the STEM workforce and the for the community. But currently, we are not doing so well in making these valuable connections. Why not? Many of those promising high school students will not get a college degree in STEM. They're worried about their employment and their economic future.

Some of them will be under pressure to start bringing in income for their families immediately upon high school graduation. Others who do enroll in college and forego an immediate job will often play it safe in computer science or medical professions. And that's fine. But other vital career paths such as civil engineering, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering may seem more remote, harder to envision themselves pursuing.

In fact, many of our engineering students came from overseas to earn those degrees and then they're going to return to their homelands to put those skills to work over there. So we're losing many potential future engineers right here at home. What they need is early, meaningful, hands-on engineering experience that connects them to the real world, plus a clear path forward that does not require them to sacrifice multiple years of missed income. Those are exactly the things that an engineering professional needs.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Your time is up.

Okay, one over cut.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Next speaker, Ramiro Tavares. Please unmute and make your comments.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Ramiro Tavares.

Hello, can you hear me?

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Yes, please go ahead.

Okay. Hello, good evening, Mayor Hmezba,

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ELIMINATION OF STATE POWER OR DIMINISHING THE PROGRAM.

I'M JUST HERE TO PROPOSE A PROJECT TO DISMAND THE POLICE Police Athletic and Activity League, SAPAL. Putting this program is not just a budget adjustment, it's a direct blow to the working class families of the city. For years, SAPAL has been a safe haven for a lot of these kids. It kills the danger between the time the school bell rings and the time parents get home from work. It provides our kids with free tutoring, athletic training, CREATIVE ART AND TRUE MENTORSHIP. AND JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU VOTE TO

ELIMINATE OR REDUCE THIS PROGRAM.

TRUSTED CHILD CARE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO OR REPLACE. HUNDREDS OF KIDS ARE LEFT UNSUPERVISED ON THE STREETS AND THE ACADEMIC SUPPORT VANISHES FOR SOME OF THESE STUDENTS FROM THE LOW INCOME HOUSES THAT THEY They come from low-income families. SAPOW does something that money can rarely buy. It builds trust. It creates a bridge between our youth and law enforcement based on mutual respect, community, and understanding. It prevents crime before it starts by giving our kids a sense of belonging and purpose.

Our city budget is a reflection of our values. If we value our youth, we must fund them. If we value safety, we must invest in prevention, not just intervention. Do not balance the city budget and the banks of the city, Santa Ana's children. Our task is to reject these cuts, keep SafePow fully funded, keep our kids safe and supported. Thank you for your time.

Jennifer L. HallItem 3

Mayor and City Council, that concludes the public comments for this evening.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 3

Thank you Madam Clerk. At this time we're going to go to the consent calendar. Consent calendar items 4 through 20 are before us. Council members please announce any items that you'll be abstaining from due to a conflict and if there are any requests to pull an item from the consent calendar for further discussion.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 4

I have nothing. Council Member Lopez. Councilman Hernandez.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 4

I'll make a motion to move the consent calendar.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 4

Do you have any items sir?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 4

No items to pull, Madam.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 4

I made a motion second by Mayor Pro Tem. Council Member Becerra? No items. Council Member Fann? Nothing here. Mayor Pro Tem?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 4

Mayor Pro Tem, are you pulling any items?

David PenalozaItem 4

No. I seconded.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 4

Yeah, I heard you, but I just want to make sure you weren't pulling any items. I am not pulling any items either. Madam Clerk?

Jennifer L. HallItem 4

Motion by Council Member Hernandez, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Penalosa, to approve consent calendar items 4 through 20.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 4

Please vote.

Jennifer L. HallItem 4

Votes of 7 ayes, no nays. Motion carried.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 4

Thank you, Madam Clerk. For the appointed member for the Measure X oversight, they're not present. So we will not be swaring them in tonight. Is that correct? That's correct.

Jennifer L. HallItem 4

They'll be sworn in before the Measure X Committee meeting.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 4

Thank you very much. We're going to go on to the business calendar. Item number 21, implementation of the Brown Act changes pursuant to SB 707.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Do we need a stop presentation? I'm asking the Council.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 5

No. I would say we're okay.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Seeing none. Madam Clerk, we don't need the presentation.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Okay. If there's no presentation, then we could entertain a motion and a second to approve I'll make a motion.

I'll second the motion.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

There's a motion by me and a second by Councilman Hernandez.

Council Member Hernandez.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Council Member Hernandez. Motion by Mayor Mesquite, seconded by Council Member Hernandez to approve the recommended actions for item 21, inclusive of a resolution of the City Council of the City of Santa Ana, amending the Council rules and procedures to add provisions addressing disruptions to telephonic or internet service consistent with Senate Bill 707 and rules for signs at Council meetings, clarify public comment, presentation and translation procedures and repealing resolution number 2025-004 and adopting a resolution of the city council of the city of

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

santa ana adopting a revised teleconferencing policy we won't make you say it again but that's

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

always we're always so like amazed that you do this vote is seven eyes no nays motion carries all right thank you at this time we're gonna end the business calendar and go into public hearing Before public hearing item number 22, Madam Clerk, please provide instructions to the public who would like to make a comment on this public hearing item only.

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

Ms. Members of the public joining us by way of Zoom or conference call who would like to make a comment for public hearing item number 22 only, which is the TEFRA public hearing, please dial star 9 from your phone or select raise hand from Zoom now in order to be called upon once the public hearing is opened.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Thank you. Item number 22 is a TEFRA public hearing for the Orange County School of the Arts and the Legacy Fund. Mr. City Manager, we do have a presentation. Does the Council need a presentation at this time? Seeing none, there's no questions. I now open the public hearing for members of the public that would like to provide their comments in person and

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

virtually. Madam Clerk, do we have any speakers? Mayor and City Council, there were no e-comments received related to public hearing item number 22 nor do we have any in-person or zoom speakers

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

for this public hearing thank you with no further comments i close the public hearing do any there's no comments by the council members our motion i'll make a motion to move the item madam mayor i'll

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

second let's vote please motion by council member hernandez seconded by mayor mesqua to approve the recommended actions for public hearing item number 22 inclusive of a resolution of the city council of the city of santa ana approving the issuance by the california enterprise development authority of tax exempt obligations in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed 46 million dollars for the purpose of financing and refinancing the acquisition of land and improvements construction and acquisition of equipment for Orange County School of Arts and Legacy Fund. Vote is 7 ayes, no

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

nays. Motion carries. Thank you. Before hearing public item number 23, Madam Clark please provide instructions to the public who would like to make a comment on this public hearing item only. Members of the public joining us by way of Zoom

Jennifer L. HallItem 5

or conference call who would like to make a comment for public hearing item number 23 only which is the proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget and associated actions please dial star 9 from your phone or select raise hand from zoom now in order to be called upon once the public hearing

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

is opened thank you item number 23 is a public hearing related to the fiscal 26 2026 and 27 budget at this time alex will be giving a presentation is that correct mr city manager

Alvaro NuñezItem 5

Yes, that is correct. Finance and Management Services Executive Director Alex Trimideff.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 5

Great. Thank you. Alex, the floor is all yours.

All right. Good evening, Mayor and City Councilmembers. So the presentation is part of the City Council's public hearing on the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year 26-27.

So with today's public hearing, the following items are presented for City Council's consideration and approval. The first item addresses compliance with AB2561, so the local public employee's vacant positions, which requires an annual public report on vacant positions, recruitment efforts, and retention strategies. Next, staff is recommending the following actions for City Council consideration this evening. So approve the first reading to adopt the budget for Fiscal Year 26-27. Adopt the City's classification and compensation resolution. Adopt the uniform schedule of miscellaneous fees resolution.

Adopt the seven-year capital improvement program. and the deposit 1.5 million into the section 115 pension trust fund

assembly bill 2 5 6 1 requires local agencies to annually report on workforce vacancies and recruitment and retention efforts so this presentation fulfills that requirement and provides an overview of the city's current vacancy levels and staffing efforts

So this slide summarizes vacancy rates by bargaining unit as required under Assembly Bill 2561. So the data reflects staffing levels as of March 31, 2026, consistent with reporting timeframe used last year. So at that time, the city had 205 full-time vacancies, with vacancy rates ranging from 0 to 15% across all bargaining groups.

So the city uses a variety of recruitment strategies to attract qualified candidates for open positions. So during the current fiscal year, the city advertised 161 open positions using online online job boards, social media, career fairs, and city communication channels, along with broader communication outreach efforts. The city also participated in career fairs and hiring events to engage directly with potential applicants and promote career opportunities with the city. So these combined efforts resulted in more than 23,000 applications received during the current fiscal year.

So the city's retention efforts focuses on two primary areas. So employee development and employee well-being. To support professional growth and advancement, the city provides mentoring, coaching, and technical leadership and soft skill training opportunities. So the city also supports employee well-being through wellness initiatives, safety training, and employee assistance programs. programs. So these efforts are intended to support employee growth, workplace engagement, and long-term retention. So we will now transition to the general fund

overview and provide a summary of the proposed fiscal year 26-27 general fund budget.

So following the May 19 budget work study session, staff incorporated council direction

budget. So this includes $125 million toward the Washington Square Park land acquisition funded through a combination of general fund, A&D fund and cannabis fund resources. It also includes $1,950,000 in general fund funding for capital improvement program projects, which will be summarized on the next slide. The proposed budget also includes $450,000 for additional sidewalk maintenance and $100,000 for hotel feasibility study. So in total approximately $4 million in one-time spending was incorporated into the proposed budget including $3 million from the general fund and then $1 million from restricted funding.

So as part of the budget discussions the proposed 26-27 budget includes five additional capital program projects totaling $1.9 million increasing the proposed CIP budget to approximately $27.3 million. So these projects include improvements at Cabrillo Park, lighting and security enhancements along the Alton bike trail, street light improvements and new shade structure at Endopark.

So the proposed 26-27 General Fund budget is balanced on a recurring basis. So with recurring revenues, fully supported ongoing expenditures. Based on the third quarter budget update, the General Fund is projected to end with a fiscal year 25-26 estimated balance of approximately $86.1 million. After maintaining the City's 18% reserve requirement, the proposed budget includes approximately $7.7 million in one-time spending and then the proposed $1.5 million contribution to the Section 115 pension stabilization account.

So the proposed 26-27 budget reflects continued efforts to maintain financial stability through a balanced budget and complying with the City's reserve policy.

So the proposed general fund revenue for fiscal year 26-27 totals approximately $423.3 million. So representing an increase of approximately 3% compared to the prior year. So the city's largest general fund revenue sources continue to be property tax and sales tax. So that includes both Measure X and Bradley Burns, which together account for approximately approximately 57% of the total general fund revenues. Other notable revenue sources include utility user tax, charges for services, license and permits, business tax, and franchise fees.

Other general fund revenues include intergovernmental revenues, investment earnings, and slated incomes, while remaining revenues are made up of categories such as cannabis tax, jail revenue, and hotel visitor's tax. So this diversified revenue makes help support ongoing city operations and essential services.

So the proposed general fund expenditures for Fiscal Year 26-27 total approximately $435 million. So these expenditures budget includes approximately $7.7 million in one-time spending and it excludes the $1.5 million contribution to the 115 Trust. Public safety, which includes police departments, Orange County Fire Authority, and emergency medical services accounts for approximately $228.4 million, or around 53% of the general fund budget.

Following public safety, Public Works represents the next largest department budget and supports infrastructure, parks, and right-of-way maintenance activities. activities. The remaining general fund budget supports planning and development services, parks and recreation, library services, pension obligation, and citywide administrative and support functions. So the 10-year outlook, general fund outlook, shows that the proposed budget is balanced with budget revenues and expenditures both totaling approximately $427.3

million. Looking ahead, expenditures are projected to continue to grow faster than revenues, and this is largely driven by inflationary cost increases, negotiated labor increases, contractual costs, and growing pension obligations. But the outlook also reflects the Schedule measure X rate decrease beginning in April of 2029, which contributes to the increasing long-term fiscal pressure. These long-range estimates are intended to support early planning and will continue to be refined as economic conditions and cost drivers evolve.

The model suggests that the future adjustments may be necessary to maintain a balanced budget over the long term.

Next section provides an overview of the proposed citywide budget across all major fund categories.

So the proposed 2627 citywide budget totals approximately $786.2 million excluding internal service funds. So the general fund budget represents the largest portion of the budget at approximately approximately $435 million, or 55% of the total budget. Enterprise funds, which primarily include water and sewer operations, account for 17% of the budget, while special revenue supports programs and services funded through restricted revenue sources. So the remaining budget consists of capital project funds, debt service funds, and other

other restrictive funds that support infrastructure, debt obligations, and other designated purposes.

The next section summarizes the proposed workforce changes incorporated into the 26-27 budget.

The proposed 26-27 budget includes a net reduction of 18 full-time positions citywide, so decreasing increasing the total authorized workforce from 1,455 to 1,437 positions. The following slide summarizes the proposed staffing deletions, additions, and reallocations incorporated into the proposed budget.

The proposed staffing deletions only include vacant positions and do not affect filled positions. So these changes include the administrative removal of the previously unfunded positions, the elimination of one vacant ARPA-funded buyer position as federal funding phases out, and additional vacant position deletions incorporated as part of the City's balancing efforts. One total, the deletion of 20 vacant positions contributed toward addressing the general

THE PROPOSED BUDGET ALSO INCLUDES TARGETED STAFFING ADDITIONS AND REALLOCATIONS. SO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE INCLUDES INCLUDES THREE GENERAL FUND POSITIONS CONSISTING OF TWO PARALEGALS AND THEN ONE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY TO SUPPORT HIGH VOLUME AND COMPLEX PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS. PUBLIC WORKS INCLUDES SIX RESTRICTED FUNDED POSITIONS TO EXPAND IN-HOUSE SERVICE DELIVERY FOR POTHOLES AND FOR repairs, street maintenance, and street tubing operations. The remaining staffing adjustments are primarily administrative reallocations of title changes to better align classifications with current operational responsibilities.

Next I will summarize the proposed updates to the City's miscellaneous fee schedule.

The proposed miscellaneous fee schedule includes a combination of new fees, targeted fee updates, and citywide inflationary adjustments. So the fees include a technology fee associated with permitting and development services, a credit card processing fee, a new or expanded facility rental, and expedited review-related fees. The proposal also includes updates to parametric service charges to align with Orange County EMS rates, a 14% adjustment to stadium fees to better reflect market conditions. And then finally, all the remaining mills and its fees are proposed to increase by 4%

to help reflect negotiated employee compensation increases and rising service delivery costs.

Next, I will provide an overview of the proposed CIP program and highlight recent project accomplishments.

So the proposed 26-27 CAPRA improvement program totals approximately 27.3 million. So the largest category is streets at approximately 21.2 million supporting roadway, rehab, and related infrastructure improvements. The proposed CIP also includes funding for traffic improvements, city park facility projects, projects to support community and operational needs.

The capital improvement program includes projects throughout the city, reflecting both recently completed or in progress work or upcoming projects. Recently completed and active projects include the historic Cypress Fire Station, Memorial Park Aquatic Center, Portola Splash Bats, Centennial Park Improvements, and neighborhood beautification projects. projects. Upcoming projects include street rehab projects, bicycle and security improvements along the Alton bike trail, park facility improvements, and neighborhood infrastructure projects. So this map highlights how CIP funding continues to support infrastructure and facility

improvements across multiple areas of the city.

In addition to capital and operational improvements, staff advanced several notable policy initiatives CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION. THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE ORDINANCES AND ADDRESSING SMOKE SHOP, LIVING HOMES, A FRAME SIGNAGE, SALE SERVICE CHECKUP OPERATIONS, NITROUS OXIDE SALES, ANTI-CAMPION REGULATIONS ALONG WITH APPOINTMENT OF THE POLICE OVERSIGHT DIRECTOR, UPDATE TO THE CITY'S TRANSIT ZONING CODE AND U-VISA POLICY UPDATES. THESE EFFORTS HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED PROGRESS IN THE implementing council policy direction and responding to the community and operational needs

so tonight's action represents the first reading and public hearing for the proposed 26-27 budget our next steps include returning on june 16 for a second reading and adoption of the budget ordinance approval of the probation limit resolution adoption of the city's annual statement of of investment policy. Upon adoption, the new fiscal year will begin July 1st, 2026, and then the community budget survey will remain open throughout the year. So that concludes staff presentation.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Female Speaker- Thank you very much. We'll open it up for questions or comments by the council. I'm going to start really quick. I just want to thank Mr. City Manager, you and your staff, and thank you for the presentation, Alice. On page 24, it shows recently, if you go back to slide 24, please. Shows recently completed and in progress. Historic Cypress, Memorial Park Aquatic, Portola Splash Pets, Anthonyth Park renovation, Bristol-Tulliver Street Urban Greening Project, Centennial Park improvements, El Salvador Park. So thank you Mr. City Manager and all of the staff whether it was Rudy and all of you

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

that have completed these projects many of them I know since I've been elected who have been sitting here for four years have been on the, as I say, on the bookshelf and some of them longer. So thank you for addressing them. And then now what we've added, if this gets approved, what we're adding is a 17th Street Rehab, the Alton Bike Trail, excuse me, tail. It says tail. I think you believed, I think you meant to say trail. I'm not sure that Alton Bike has a tail, but we'll stick with tail. And security cameras, Broadway Street Rehab, Cabrillo Park Restrooms, Edna Park Shade,

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Local Street Preventative Maintenance, Logan Park, Chepas Park, and the MacArthur Boulevard Rehab. I just really want to say thank you because in the time that you've been here with your team, Mr. City Manager, we've seen some really good things happening in the city and the Council has approved these items and worked together to make these all happen. And so thank you very much. and the notable policy accomplishments are some really good accomplishments that we have done as the mayor and the council and with you and your team whether it's a smoke shop ordinance or sober

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

living self-service checkout police oversight director i know when i was elected they were this was an ongoing issue and you brought in a director and so there's a lot of really good things that we've accomplished i will i'll stop there for right now but i do want to just be on on the record that I do not support any cuts to the PAL program. I just want to be clear on that. I'm sure we will figure it out and, you know, maybe turn them over to the library and they can do some interns or tutoring. I'm not quite sure. I'm going to—we'll talk about it some more.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

I'd like to meet, but I'm definitely not in support of cutting the PAL program. So let me start over here. Councilman Hernandez. Councilman Hernandez.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Mayor, I want to echo very similar sentiments. Very thankful for the work that your office has done, City Manager Nunez, and the capital improvement projects that a number of our staff have done. The El Salvador Park restroom improvements was something that we fought for in 2022, and we did not see that actualized until 2025. So thank you for getting that completed. You created a park in one year with Parks and Rec, the Bristol-Tulliver-Salvador-Quintana Park, Thank you, Council Member Vasquez, for leading that. I am very happy with the CIP projects that you have here in front of us.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

I am specifically very thankful for the $1.5 million in Washington Square Park to begin the negotiations. And I believe that this here, you know, is very promising. I do think that when this property is acquired by the city, it will be for an amount that is fair and an amount that I'm certain our residents will be supportive of. But 1.5 million is certainly a strong and healthy number for us to begin those negotiations at. I am very thankful to the residents of Washington Square for all of their proactive leadership, their constant engagement, and your emails, your presence in person is greatly appreciated.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

You all helped us come to a consensus here. year. And I would like to respectfully request, Mr. City Manager, that as this budget, once it does get approved, that with respects to Washington Square, you give us a 90-day update, you bring something back to the Council, or you can give us an update and just give us an understanding of where things are at. That will conclude my comments, Madam Mayor. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Thank you. Council Member Becerra?

Phil BacerraItem 23

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Yes, I would like to thank our staff. You guys have to figure out what to do with seven folks asking you for varying things. I think this budget reflects the priorities of the entire city, not just one particular area. For us in Ward 4, I appreciate the inclusion of the Alton bike trail lights and security cameras and the street lights over at Harvey and Carroll.

Phil BacerraItem 23

I think we need to, and I've said this before, I think what the property owner asked for, good for them. I think we can have some good negotiations. I have some faith in Director Garcia being able to bring that number into a more reasonable orbit. bit, but I'd like to hear back in like 90 days on progress being made. Again, I don't want to just say I'd like to see this done and then it just gets lost in the fold. I want to see where the progress is because I think we can make some real progress in a reasonable amount of time.

Phil BacerraItem 23

So with that, again, thank you, staff, for all that you did. Thank you to my colleagues because I think this, again, reflects all of our priorities, and I'm looking forward to the public hearing. Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON WONG.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Thank you. Councilman Vazquez, please.

Benjamin VazquezItem 23

Thank you, city manager, and thank you, staff, for this budget that you bring. It's very responsible. It answers many questions. It does what we can with what we have. And it was very necessary to trim off certain areas, but I appreciate the work that we do and the work that you have been doing. We had a conversation where I asked my students, what do they see wrong in Santa Ana? They're like, Pajos, tell me where. Tell me where, because it'll be done by tomorrow. If you see any graffiti on a wall, let me know where we'll clean it up the empty lots are clean the streets are looking better

Benjamin VazquezItem 23

we increase the quality of life team by two more officers so one more team till 10 o'clock we we've reduced the homelessness rate by 15 percent according to our account and now the county so there's a lot of good work doing and santa ana is a beautiful place to live and we are doing the good work with less resources that we have we just have to make sure that we're efficient with what we do have and I do and you are that way and I appreciate you doing that work and it shows people were worried about Salvador Quintana Park being overridden by a houseless

Benjamin VazquezItem 23

population but it's booming basketball there's teams playing kids are out there there's a older señoras are walking around the park there's people walking up and down Bristol because they're so comfortable with the green aerial walkways that were meant to be walkways for and people are walking up and down, coming across from Piccolo neighborhood as well to enjoy this park. So that was a great investment on our park. Thank you. Thank you for the work that we're doing and all the accomplishments that we've seen happen in Santana. I'm very proud. I'm proud of my peers here for passing this budget

Benjamin VazquezItem 23

and working together as a team to get it done. We did do it as a team. So thank you so much.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Thank you very much. I don't see any other.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Mayor Redekopal. Council member Fong.

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

Thank you, Mayor. Of course I agree with everyone for the hard work that staff has put into this budget.

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

I want to say thank you to all the residents who came out to ask for the park. but I will have to say once again, I do not believe that at this time we have the funding to move forward with this park. Because if they're asking for three times what we are budgeting, I don't see how that moves forward. I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer, But the reality is the city of Santa Ana has suffered for years with empty lots throughout the city that are not being utilized because we don't have the funding for

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

construction. We don't have the funding to bring in the services. We don't have the funding to maintain these areas. We hear my colleagues speak time and again about the empty lots on Bristol, about the parks that were not getting getting seeded, the trees that were not getting maintained, and the buildings that are not being built. Right now, $1.5 million may be a place to start to negotiate, but without any clear source of funding for actually building out the park, we are asking to have another empty

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

dirt lot sitting around especially as we are we are trimming down the number of staff in our Parks and Rec Department again I my heart goes out to everyone asking for this and I know that our hearts are in the right place but I do not believe that that is the the right fiscal decision at this time I also Also, I do understand the mayor's concern regarding PAL. Again, I was, am a huge advocate for it, but at the end of the day,

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

we have to make tough cuts and tough choices. I did not ask for any additional investments in Ward 1 because our job today is to make cuts. And I think staff has worked really hard to try to make that happen in a way that is fair throughout the city, and I appreciate that, but PAL is a very, very expensive program that impacts a very small number of residents in this city. And I think that we have many other programs that are much more affordable, that have really great impacts, and that none of that prevents our police officers and our public safety personnel

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

from engaging with, mentoring, and participating in these programs in in support of Santa Ana youth. So that's my position on those two items. I hope that my colleagues would reconsider. And if they do not, I would like to put some type of limitation on this $1.5 million, as in do we have a, if it's not utilized within X number of days, can we reappropriate it to something else? We don't want $1.5 million to be held up for a year or however long when maybe the negotiations don't go through.

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

So I would love to hear something from Mr. City Manager or Madam City Attorney.

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

What can we do with that?

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

Just quickly, if we accept the recommendation from Councillor Becerra and Hernandez and come back in 90 days, we can provide an update. So that's the first step. Then obviously in mid-year review, we can then make an ultimate determination. This moves us forward to start negotiating. It's a good start. And again, 90 days is three months to give you an update, progress, and then another three months after that, if it doesn't work out, we'll bring it back for mid-year budget review, and we can make an ultimate determination. I think a good six months allows staff to look for alternatives, make progress, or just

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

say simply, you know, we cannot deliver.

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

I guess I would say it's not that staff can't deliver, but frankly, I think that we know what the property owner is demanding, and we can't pay more than fair market value, or what an appraiser might indicate it's actually worth. The other thing I'd like to see is, you know, or at least I'm afraid of, is you come back in 90 days and they say, oh, well, it's not just, you know what, they'll come down from $4 million, but it'll be $2.3 million. And then we're appropriating almost another million dollars and trying to make that work.

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

That's the last thing I want to see because what we're doing then is we're constantly cutting from other programs that are also vital to try to make this work when, again, that is just for an empty lot. Well, it's not an empty lot. It's a lot we have to empty out and deal with. I don't even know if the property has people living on it. So that's good. It's good that they don't have anyone living on it. But well, those are my concerns and I would like to see it come back and I look forward to that update. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

So I'm going to piggyback on these comments. So I appreciate your comments about PAL and I think it's important that a lot of the parents have stressed and have spoken and sent emails about their support for PAL. And since it is important for our kids and we all sit up here and say what a priority our youth are and so they are a priority to us up here. And it takes, you know, five votes to pass a budget. So I'm hoping we'll get this passed. But I understand we don't have the funding for PAL. City Manager Wu will get creative with the police department, the library, Parks and

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Rec as long as we continue to serve our young kids and our youth. youth. And again, we can always, I'm hoping, because you have a good relationship with our superintendent with Dr. Perez, that we can find somewhere to meet in the middle. It does include the school district and the city and our police department and their police department hopefully as well. I think they're at 18, 19 officers. See what they can do. Washington Square Park, I do support that park. Since I've been sitting here for four years, I hear the council. Council, everybody asking, you know, I'm citywide, as I always say, I don't have a ward.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

I serve the entire city. And I hear every Councilmember up here asking for their ward, whether it's a park or a splash pad. Councilmember Vazquez, you know, park on Bristol, that's great.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

But the area that's asking for a park, Washington Square, does not have a park area. They would have to walk across the main street there on Flower and the residents have been very patient. And I don't know of any amount that that owner has asked for. So if somebody knows about that, I would love that to be shared. Mr. City Manager, I'd like to meet and hear what the offer is if there's been one. Because I don't know of any. So if there's a Councilmember up here that does know what the ask was, I'd surely like to know. But I think that we can always reach out to our Congressman. We've done it before.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

He gave us, he just gave us funding for the Chippewa Park. He gave us, I think, a couple million. And Councilman Becerra and I and panelists were there. I don't remember how much it was, but was it like one or two million? Two million dollars. So we can go to Congressman Correa. You got to get, we got to get creative, right? Since you've been our city manager, Congressman Correa has given us and worked with us and given us over $40 million. So that's the first. And so we can reach out to Congressman Correa. We can reach out to our assemblymen or whoever will be in assembly after November. We can reach out to our senator.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

There's a way to get creative to get funding. The four years I've been sitting here, I've seen us do some really interesting things and find funding. I sit on the board at the Discovery Cube. Congressman Correa gave them funding for a project that they're working on. So we just have to keep asking. And I know that you will. And if you need any help with that, I'm sure all of us up here that have good relationships with all of them, we would be able to ask for that. So I do support the Washington Square Park. And I also will be asking Congress for funding for our PAL program. I think it's very important.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

It's not just about PAL and servicing our children. And I think that's what people look at as it's just it's an after school program. It's not just an after school program. It's been very successful because they're developing relationships with our first responders. And when you see that, our kids respond to that. Our parents like that. And you're hearing from our parents. The Santa Ana Unified has an afterschool 360 program. It's always full to capacity. There's usually a waiting list. And their enrollment is declining. So I'd also like to know what their afterschool program looks like now.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

But the PAL program has been very important in this city. And that is why I support it. The library, again, I would say the library has the ability to have a great after school program or a great program with our police department and then including parks as well. But that is why I support those items because we all want parks. If we gave up our parties, I know you don't like when I say that, it would be a million dollars.

There's your Washington Square additional funding.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

There's a million dollars there. if we i think dale came in here and said let's just have an international fair one one party for the entire city and we can have a street over here chicago over here you know ted over here something over here but um instead we have multiple parties throughout the year which that's fine that's what the council so we vote for but that's over a million dollars so um i would just say that we can always find a way to get creative so yes i do support washington I see you, I see you. I'm just asking to open the hearing. Let me talk, because you guys all talk. So I just want to say that we find a way

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

to get creative always. And so that's what I'm looking forward to, because when we start to cut, we cut our children and we cut our seniors. It's where we always start. And I'm not supportive of that. So let me go over here, Councillor Becerra.

Phil BacerraItem 23

Mayor, can we open the hearing? Excuse me?

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Can we open the hearing?

Phil BacerraItem 23

Can we open what? The public hearing.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Yeah, hold on. I'm making sure there's anybody else. I hear you. Hold on one second. Anybody else? Council Member Lopez.

Jessie LopezItem 23

Yes. Thank you, Mayor. I appreciate hearing your comments. I wanted to really stress, right, to the public that this is, for me, on my behalf, certainly not an easy path to go down. I can't imagine the internal conversations knowing that there are very specific, you You know, a lot of things are priority to the council. We have a priority, a blueprint that we've all discussed, given input to, and you know, I sat here and said, every department is gonna have to contribute to this deficit. And that was the expectation for my office, if you were looking for support for my office, because it wasn't just gonna be about one

Jessie LopezItem 23

or two departments, and I think that that is what you have presented here. And so again, I think for members of the public, it is important to also recognize that the $13 million structural deficit was closed without any furloughs, without laying off any of our staff members. And so it really comes down to having to make a choice. Are we going to fund programs that then we're not gonna have the staff to properly be able to deploy because we're gonna have to do layoffs if we're

Jessie LopezItem 23

unwilling to make the hard choice of cutting in different areas and I think for me it is most importantly to try and always give people the opportunity to not only provide for themselves but for their families and so that is a sentiment that I heard from my colleagues very directly and very

Jessie LopezItem 23

very clearly. And so I do think that you know the closure of the structural deficit is meaningful as I said during our past council session and again it is worth acknowledging and I would like to do that and thank all of our directors and new city manager. We've we certainly have had very difficult conversations about the budget. And this is a 700 page document. If you really want to understand our budget please read all all 700 plus pages so that you can also understand what is being funded, what programs are still staying,

Jessie LopezItem 23

the youth programming, all the things that we have discussed. But I do, before the mayor opens up the public hearing, one thing that I wanted clarification on was one of the things I highlighted in the past was making sure that our parks, because we've my office has worked incredibly hard you know to maintain our parks and partnership with Public Works and partnership with Parks and Rec and partnership with your office and I just need clarity are we removing resources from park security or are we not removing resources from park security

Jessie LopezItem 23

okay so we're not shifting any where we're maintaining what we have now in

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

!

Jessie LopezItem 23

Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

All right. I now open the public hearing for members of the public that would like to provide their comments in person and virtually Madam City Clerk do we have any speakers?

Jennifer L. HallItem 23

Yes, Mayor and City Council we do. Before calling the speakers I'll report the summary of emails. As of 3.30 today we received eight e-comments related to public hearing item number 23. Those were distributed to the City Council and posted online.

We will be reporting those to the City Council and the

Jennifer L. HallItem 23

um we have three speaker cards for in-person speakers please approach the podium when you hear your name you'll have three minutes for your comments nina jerick janelle hardy and victor

bermejo good evening madam mayor city council city manager it's been a long three and a half years years. Before this evening, I was going to make a bad joke about my neck jewelry. Don't need to do that any longer. I simply want to thank you on behalf of over 2,000 Washington Square residents for keeping the funding in the budget for the purchase of land for Washington

Square. And I too know and have seen how creative we can be. I also have written letters to Correa. I am happy to partner with you. The residents are happy to partner with you. We look forward to seeing this become a reality and from the bottom of my heart and from everybody in Washington Square that I have worked with, thank you very much.

Jennifer L. HallItem 23

Janelle Hardy.

Good evening, Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, Council Members. We've heard a lot about celebrating history tonight and a lot about being creative and finding funding. So it's very interesting.

My name is Janelle Hardy. I live in Hedringer Park, Ward 2. I previously served as a Historic Resource Commission Commissioner appointed by Councilwoman Michelle Martinez. Then I was appointed to serve on the HRC by then Mayor Sarmiento. Currently I'm serving as HRC Commissioner appointed by Councilman Vazquez.

I trust that you received my communication about the history of the HRC, how many years years it took and all the hard work that the community and staff did.

And also my communication about my fears of the Planning Commission trying to wear the hat of the Historic Resources Commission. You're definitely going to need some training by our planning staff. staff. And if that training doesn't occur, it will be recognizable immediately. So I'm addressing item 23 on the agenda. And I want to remind Council that Mills Act property owners do pay property taxes, do you pay for parks, roads, pavement and street sweeping, and do you see their property taxes

taxes go up every year. And I want Council to know that Historic Resource Commission always has a quorum, always takes care of business in a timely manner, and meets only as needed. I want Council to know that the HRC is a valuable achievement, is adopted by City Council, is is a specialized asset envied by other cities, has a different scope and focus from all the other commissions.

Support has been communicated to me from past HRC Chair and Architect Phil Schaefer, current HRC Commissioner and historic preservation enthusiast Ermin Harge, and longtime historic preservation activist Jeffrey Dickman. So, I do believe that what you're saying, there isn't room in the budget for the Historic Resources or HRC Commission. And so, I'm asking for tonight that you can adopt a provision that the Historic Resources Commission or HRC be reinstated as soon as the budget permits.

Ms. Janelle, your time is up. Thank you. I'm supporting the 8th item.

Jennifer L. HallItem 23

Victor Bermejo.

Good evening, City Council. My name is Victor Bermejo. I am the Commissioner for Arts and Culture for Ward 6. I'm here tonight on agenda item 23 to not cut funding to some of the programs we have here in the city.

Given PAL program, growing up I was an intermediate or elementary school student and PAL program paid a, played a huge part of my life to where I'm able to respect law enforcement. I'm able to uphold a respect towards all city council members.

So I really don't feel that cutting funding to programs like that is a good idea, as well as for the Youth Commission, which would transition into politics and to inform our community. The other thing would be as well as for the arts and culture department. Also I want to thank Councilmember Jonathan Hernandez for appointing another commissioner. Thank you for meeting our quorum. But yeah, those are my thoughts on the agenda item 23 to not cut the funding for those programs

and to really, really just try to find a way around it. Thank you again.

Jennifer L. HallItem 23

Mayor and City Council that concludes the public speakers for the public hearing.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

No further comments. I'm going to close the public hearing. Do any Council Members have additional comments or questions? Council Member Lopez.

Jessie LopezItem 23

Thank you. I do want to say that this body has the ability if the City is ever in the position where it is not losing money to the degree that it is losing money right now, to bring back these programs, right? This doesn't have to be a permanent decision, but we are running a business. We are not generating enough money to cover all of the expenses, the costs, the debt that the city is in. And so those are just basic principles of how you can continue to operate. So thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Thank you, Councillor Mellon. Councillor Moussara. Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Phil BacerraItem 23

Um, I don't support these cuts, not one bit. I mean, if I had my way, we would have an HRC meeting, we would have the Youth Commission meeting, we would have Arts and Culture Commission meeting. We do have to balance our budget, and I want to thank staff for bringing us a balanced budget. We're not in debt, but if we keep spending like drunken sailors, we will be, and so we have to make these tough decisions um you know we've as our city manager likes to say we balanced the universe up here we've kind of taken where we've needed to but also funded other um other projects

Phil BacerraItem 23

other services that that again are vital to our city and so um i want to thank you for bringing us a budget again i'll say again reflects what i think all seven of us have asked for in varying

Phil BacerraItem 23

I served on the historic resources commission. I served on the board of preserve OC. So if there's anybody up here that is absolutely sensitive to the idea of historic resources not continuing as a commission, it's myself. But I also know that director or assistant city manager Ty, when he was our planning and building director, did more than I would say his last three predecessors combined when it came to actually bringing attention to historic resources. historic resources. We had past council members that very naively said all historic resources are north of 17th so therefore nothing else matters. That was

Phil BacerraItem 23

stupid. But but you know what though the fact of the matter is that we have staff that could see past that and recognize that we have historic resources throughout the entire city and there is a desire by many in the community to protect our heritage, protect those resources and so I do have faith that that our staff will be able to do that. I wish we had the commission backing it up, but again, these are some of the tough decisions that all of us up here are facing. Powell, I don't wanna see cut either, but I do wanna be clear, Powell, and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. City Manager, Powell's not being cut.

Phil BacerraItem 23

Powell funding is being reduced, but the program is not going away.

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

It's not being eliminated, that is correct.

Phil BacerraItem 23

I just wanna make clear. I mean, again, I don't like the cuts. I'm not very happy or supportive of these cuts, I don't want folks to come away with budget was adopted and PAL disappeared. PAL unfortunately is being reduced as far as its funding goes but thankfully will continue to exist. With that being said, Madam Mayor, I will go ahead and make a motion per staff's recommended five actions.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

I'll second. Your motion.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Thank you. Mr. City Manager, so for PAL it's not being involved but it is being we're going to change it.

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

We're making cuts. Yes. So I want to be clear that PAL is not being eliminated, but we are making budget adjustments. We are reducing some of the funding. And it is true, coming from my background, regulatory framework, nobody wants to cut public commissions where you get input, right? We're narrow where you want to support more public involvement. Obviously, the way we balance the budget this time around is not going to get easier next year. we're going to be, but it's going to be a very, what's the word to say, intensive 26-27 budget where we also look to fund and get gains from the state and the federal government. But

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

if you notice, our budget was well balanced in the sense that every department was touched. We looked at programs, right, so that nobody can say this program was saved, that program was not to touch, we touched across all departments. I want to thank all the directors. Obviously, Alex Trinidad, our assistant city manager, Kat Downs, assistant city manager, Menti, and Deputy Director Silvas. We worked very hard in the last two, three months to make sure that the cuts we made were not easy, but necessary. And so that we have a very

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

If we want to put slide 25 back up. That's never been done in a public budget presentation. Usually have the budget and that's it. One of the reasons we did this is to show these are the policies we passed this year because we're working very hard. Look at the previous one. 24.

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

Slide 24, please.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

The one before that, yes. Right.

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

Again, involvement and delivery on projects all across the city. The yellow was this year that we're finishing delivering. If we get approved today, the blue one is what we're going to deliver next year. We're showing a very effective pattern of delivering work so that you see us working deliberately. This doesn't count the programs that we're working. So yes, the police department, Parks and Recreation, the library, we're all working together to make sure that we service the youth and the seniors. Nobody wants to make these cuts. It's a necessary cost for us to be able to deliver.

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

When we talk about the Washington Square Park, we're putting ourselves in timelines. What can we get in 90 days? What can we get in six months? And that's what I mean. We can deliver an effective plan that says we're going to purchase the property and develop the park, then we get to say this is where we're at. And you as the same as the Lords of the Realm get to decide what's our priority.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

And thank you for those comments because I know that there was a comment about certain certain wards are getting things and if you put that slide back up you can see exactly what you just said that it's across the city and every ward is being touched with the projects that Alex can you put that slide back up please if you look at that slide throughout the entire city there are projects that are completed and projects that will be completed again not just one specific ward the entire city so thank you all for that councilmember Lopez Lopez, thank you for asking about the park security because I was going to ask about that.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

So I want to make sure, I also want to make sure that it's not being cut. I know there was some discussion last time about security and cut. I know specifically more here about city here at City Hall in this area. But park security is very important because we could have lots of parks, but if they're not safe, our families will not use them. Even at the new park on Bristol, the Quintana Park on May 16th, there was a female hit by by gunfire at that park. So, you know, it happens throughout our city. And so, you know, we don't talk about that up here, but I'm always going to share that

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

because we need to have security and we need to have police. Because I'm sure when she was struck by gunfire at our brand new park, she wasn't going to call our security. I'm hoping somebody called 911 so our police department could respond. So park security is very important. and our first responders for our city. If we looked at the number of calls again that our city has for fire and police, I think people are shocked every time we report that. So there was a motion and there was a second. Any other comments?

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

Yes, madam. Just a very brief comment. Congressman Hernandez. Thank you. I just also want to echo similar sentiments, City Manager Nunez. This was a very well-balanced budget, although it would be optimal for the Historic Resources Commission to exist, the mechanisms of that commission will still be accessible to the public through the Planning Commission, correct?

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

Yes.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

And will those commissioners be given training? Yes. Wonderful. And then the arts grants that the Arts Commission provided, an avenue for the community to be able to apply for grants, those commissioners would make recommendations. recommendations, could you clarify those decisions will be transferred over to the Community Development Commission, correct?

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

That is correct.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

So any decisions related to those grants are not being taken away from the public, they are just simply being moved from the Arts Commission to Community Development Commission, correct?

Alvaro NuñezItem 23

That is correct.

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

So therefore they are not losing the benefits of those commissions, they are just simply being condensed into other commissions? Yeah, the functions have been realigned. Wonderful, thank you. I just wanted the public to have that clear understanding that we are not going to get rid of these essential services. They are simply being condensed into commissions where we are able to still balance our budget while also balancing the responsibilities that we have as a city. I do know that the residents who have advocated for Washington Square, this is going to be

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

an important next step for the city and i just want to clarify my colleagues that i've been able to have the privilege of working with washington square they do not want a park space that is going to have you know large spaces for parking restrooms or playground equipment this is going to be a walkable park a park with benches some trees some shading perhaps some washington square history no restrooms because residents live adjacent to this park they can walk to their restrooms at home it is also a deterrent for for you know any activities that are not welcomed in the park and so that's the goal is that this

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

park will be very cost-effective so I just want to give my colleagues that reassurance and then with respects to the PAL program they are not being removed from the city's budget as clarified by our city manager these services will still be provided through PAL however we are actually increasing our youth services by over 200% we will go from serving 227 youth to now serving over 2,000 youth across four different schools so this budget actually reflects an increase in youth services and I just want to thank my colleagues for them doing their due diligence and that'll be my final final comments madam mayor

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

thank you thank you mr. city manager once a new program starts for our children I would like a 90-day report I'd like it quarterly once we start the new you want to call it the new Pell program or the after-school program I'd like quarterly reports I want to make sure that we are working with those students as we're stating up here as my counsel stating that we will be working with many more I want to know for fact and then a park in Washington Square I would hope because I'm very familiar with the area and the families that live live there. I frequent that area. There's a lot of children in that area. So I do hope

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

that we would have playground equipment. We can also we can always partner up with Kaboom and some other nonprofits to get to get playground equipment. That's not a cost for us, but a partnership with an organization. So with that, there's no other comments. Let's prepare to vote. There was a motion and a second.

Jennifer L. HallItem 23

second motion by council member sarah seconded by council member hernandez to approve the recommended actions for public hearing item number 23 inclusive of an ordinance of the city of council of the city of santa ana appropriating monies to the several offices agencies and departments of the city for fiscal year budget period commencing july 1st 2026 a resolution of the city council of the city of santa ana to affect certain changes to the city's classification and compensation plan a resolution of the city council of the city of santa ana establishing a uniform schedule of miscellaneous for fiscal year 2026 to 2027,

Jennifer L. HallItem 23

adoption of the seven-year capital improvement program, and depositing $1.5 million into the section 115 pension trust fund as part of the debt strategy.

Jennifer L. HallItem 23

VOTE IS 7 AYES, NO NAYS. MOTION CARRIES.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

THANK YOU. BEFORE WE END THE MEETING, I JUST WANTED TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY IF THEY DID NOT KNOW, WE DID NOT HAVE A CLOSED SESSION, SO IT'S LISTED THERE. SO MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? just thank you very much great thank you mr city manager council member vasquez closing comments

Benjamin VazquezItem 23

please thank you mayor well if you haven't voted you got half an hour 31 minutes run don't even listen to us go vote uh get out of here but school's out for summer so children be safe uh make sure you look both ways left right left uh parents model and teach your children this this behavior to crossing a street, make sure that we're safe. We have a high pedestrian death rate in Santana. Kids, wear your helmets, whether it be on an e-bike or those small motorbikes, be safe, parents. Look after your children if they do have those vehicles

Benjamin VazquezItem 23

and teach them to ride them safely. I'm looking forward to all the programming we have in the summer from the movies and the concerts at the park. I'm excited for all of it and thank you staff for today. Have a good night.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Thank you, Council Member Lopez.

Jessie LopezItem 23

Yeah, happy Pride. It's June. I want to thank all of our staff, the City Manager's Office for helping us raise the Pride flag. And I think it's always going to be really important to do these things, not because I think the City Council or our staff are trying to be divisive, but because it's really important to always practice, you know, the values of our own city. It's in our mission statement of diversity and inclusion and acceptance, and that is my role. And I also just want to congratulate all of the graduates of this year, class of 2026. It was really, really beautiful to be with you all again

Jessie LopezItem 23

and with your families and seeing you celebrate just the love I think in the pride in your educators faces definitely the sentiment of pride in your family's faces and I just wish all of our young people the best and I hope that you'll remember your roots you won't forget our city and then you'll come back and contribute and I also and that's pretty much it thank you everybody have a good night thank you

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Councillor, uh, Councillor Marfan.

Thai Viet PhanItem 23

Go vote. Have a good night, y'all. Councillor Becerra.

Phil BacerraItem 23

Thank you, Madam Mayor. Uh, this Saturday I'll be hosting my office hours over at Bulma Coral Park, uh, Saturday, June 6th, 10 a.m. And congratulations to the Santa Ana College baseball team who are state champions. So, for the second time in the last four seasons, the fifth, um, overall in their program's history, congratulations, Coach Nile. And congratulations to the and your team uh they will be coming in uh to the council we'll be celebrating them here with that

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

go vote good night everybody thank you mayor mayor pro turn everybody calling you comes right here

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

go ahead thank you madam mayor i just want to thank members of the public our city staff for today's council meeting and to just have a brief update related to the orange county sanitation district construction has started on the santa ana sewer trunk rehabilitation project the project is rehabilitating three miles of regional pipeline within the first phase of construction to begin on Alton Avenue between Fairview Street and Rae Street. Crews are installing a temporary bypass system to ensure continuous sewer service while pipeline rehabilitation takes place. Details are

Johnathan Ryan HernandezItem 23

available at www.ocsan.gov Santa Ana and those will conclude my comments Madam Mayor. Thank you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Mayor Patron.

David PenalozaItem 23

Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron.

David PenalozaItem 23

Mayor Patron. Mayor Patron. who their son, Lance Corporal Elisaradas, was killed in the line of duty 30 years ago last week, and we were able to find the family and raise our flag in his memory. A Del High resident, a graduate of Century High School, and it was a little bit of a mission to find the family, and it was just really nice to see them all gather at Memorial Park for this Memorial Day event. So again, just wanted to really, really thank you staff, Sylvia Gaston, Mr. City Manager, Parks and Rec,

David PenalozaItem 23

Public Works for helping put that together. It was a very touching ceremony. Thank you, Mayor and Council Member Becerra and Councilwoman Lopez for being there. I'm hoping this continues at Memorial Park next year. I know we had contemplated a mural along Park Drive, Park Lane or as some residents call it Lovers Lane over by Memorial Park yeah and I know that that wall on the ivy is was put in a couple years ago so it'd be

David PenalozaItem 23

nice to start working on that mural to pay tribute to our armed services and our fallen soldiers and yeah but thank you city staff yeah there's a 25 minutes minutes left go vote everybody if you haven't already done so and with that

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

Thank You mayor that's it Thank You mayor pro tem and thank you for bringing that event to Memorial Park it was a beautiful event and I'm so glad that I participate every year so congratulations to the class of 2026 I'm just so incredibly proud of all of our students the Santa unified garden Grove unified our charters in Santa Ana College and all the universities so congratulations and on to the next chapter of your life and and go raise hack as they say and and do good in the world starting tomorrow I'll be at the US representing the beautiful city of Santa Ana I'm always honored to do that

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

with our city manager and our deputy city manager and our chief of police will be sitting on some public safety committees there so we'll be talking about public safety also the butterflies my favorite event of the year has returned to the zoo please go out and I know some people don't like butterflies butterflies, but they're so incredibly beautiful. I know you don't like anything. So they're not creepy, they're beautiful. Go see the butterflies at the zoo. And I always have a coffee at the zoo with the mayor because it's just amazing to sit there and have the butterflies land on you.

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

I want to thank the young Marines for coming in tonight and speaking. My son was a young Marine, and it's a phenomenal program. So Mr. City Manager, I know I'm partnering up with them on an event. They're not asking for no money. they didn't ask for any money but i am partnering up with them hopefully on an event soon so they're great organizations i'm going to close in honor of the old traditions car club president armando nunez i'm going to make it short and sweet armando was more than just a friend to most of us he was like a father figure he was always quick to lend a hand whether it was 2 p.m or 2 a.m he was always

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

just a call away willing to help he was so proud of being from Santa Ana and he was proud of being from Santa Ana and being part of the community his whole life being involved and helping his community was special to him from cruising his car in the single-mile parade to participating in the chunk or treat at Washington Elementary every single year we will all truly miss him he was such an amazing person who personally led up the room his personality did we hope to honor him as best as we can he was an amazing father grandfather brother and friend and he is survived by his wife anna and four kids armando nunez jr

Valerie AmezcuaItem 23

raymond nunez isabella nunez and daniella nunez and tonight we close the meeting in his honor And so please, with that, go out and vote by 8 p.m.