[00:00:03]
PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER BURKHOLDER.
[CALL TO ORDER]
PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER ACOSTA HERE.MAYOR PRO TEM BHAT-PATEL HERE.
ALL FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.
NEXT, I HAVE TO READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS ALSO SERVING AS BOTH THE CITY OF CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL AND THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON CONSENT CALENDAR NUMBER FIVE AND ON DEPARTMENTAL AND CITY MANAGER'S REPORT NUMBER ELEVEN.
NEXT IS THE PLEDGE I INVITE COUNCIL MEMBER BHAT-PATEL TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.
PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART.
BEGIN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
NEXT IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING JANUARY 10TH 23.REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 10TH OF 23.
THE REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 24TH OF 23.
SPECIAL MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7TH, 2023 AND THE REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7TH 23.
MOVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AS RECITED BY THE MAYOR.
PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LUNA ABSTAINING.
PRESENTATIONS. NEXT PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER BURKHOLDER, PLEASE.
[PRESENTATIONS]
YES, I'D LIKE TO INVITE MS. LAURA ROCHA, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.OH, THERE YOU ARE. FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES UP TO RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION.
THE PROCLAMATION IS NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, MARCH 2023.
AND IT READS WHEREAS NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH ORIGINATED AS A NATIONAL CELEBRATION IN 1981 AND HAS SINCE BEEN RECOGNIZED WITH AN ANNUAL PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION TO PROMOTE THE ACHIEVEMENTS WOMEN HAVE MADE OVER THE COURSE OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
AND WHEREAS, THE OFFICIAL 2023 THEME OF NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IS CELEBRATING WOMEN WHO TELL OUR STORIES AND EXEMPLIFIES THE SUPPORT OF WOMEN'S RESILIENT DETERMINATION AMID STRUGGLES, TRIUMPHS.
AND WHEREAS, WE ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO HONOR THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL WOMEN, PAST AND PRESENT, WHO HAVE DELIVERED US THIS MOMENT TODAY, BECAUSE OF THEM, OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS, GENERATIONS WILL APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THIS CELEBRATION.
NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER MELANIE BURKHOLDER, ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 2023 NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IN THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, MS. ROCHA [APPLAUSE]. GREAT.
THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER BURKHOLDER.
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH ENCOURAGES US TO RECOGNIZE, HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE MANY ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT, WHO HAVE LED AN AMAZING AND GROUNDBREAKING WAYS OVER THE YEARS TO HELP BUILD AND BETTER OUR COUNTRY.
THIS MONTH IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE MANY GREAT LEADERS, ACTIVISTS AND PIONEERS WHO HAVE WORKED HARD TO ENSURE WOMEN ARE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS MADE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN MY LIFE HAD AND HAVE TRUE COURAGE.
I HAVE OBSERVED AND LEARNED EARLY IN LIFE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE MENTAL AND MORAL STRENGTH TO VENTURE, PERSEVERE, OVERCOME FEAR AND COPE WITH LOSS. I BELIEVE IT INSTILLED IN ME A STRONG WILL AND A CONFIDENCE TO DEFINE WHO I WANTED TO BE AS A WOMAN AND A HUMAN BEING.
TODAY, I AM PROUD TO WORK FOR A CITY THAT UPHOLDS EQUALITY FOR WOMEN, AS EVIDENCED BY THE MANY WOMEN IN STRONG LEADERSHIP ROLES HERE IN CARLSBAD, INCLUDING OUR CITY COUNCIL. I'M INSPIRED DAILY TO WORK WITH SO MANY WONDERFUL WOMEN WHO HELP TO RAISE EACH OTHER UP ARE EXTREMELY KIND AND ABOVE ALL, HUMBLE.
[00:05:06]
THE HISTORY AND LEGACIES OF POWERFUL WOMEN ARE GIFTS THAT SHOULD INSPIRE US TO REACH OUR FULL POTENTIAL AS WOMEN, THAT WE SHOW UP WITH PURPOSE AND INTENT. WE DON'T GIVE UP AND BELIEVE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, JUST AS SO MANY WOMEN BEFORE US HAVE DONE.SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE].
NEXT CITY ATTORNEY, WILL YOU PLEASE REPORT OUT ON CLOSED SESSION? THANK YOU, MAYOR. THERE WAS NO REPORTABLE ACTION.
THANK YOU. NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
[PUBLIC COMMENT(Part 1 of 2)]
IT SAYS, I HAVE TO READ THIS.THE BROWN ACT ALLOWS FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
PLEASE TREAT OTHERS WITH COURTESY, CIVILITY AND RESPECT.
ALL OTHER NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE BROWN ACT NO ACTION CAN OCCUR ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS. WE WELCOME CLAPPING DURING THE CEREMONIAL PRESENTATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS WILL HELP MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS CAN BE CONDUCTED EFFICIENTLY AND THAT THIS CHAMBER IS A PLACE WHERE ALL POINTS OF VIEW ARE WELCOMED AND RESPECTED AND EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I'VE ASKED THE CLERK TO SILENCE THE MICROPHONE AFTER THE THREE MINUTES.
WILL MARY LUCID, FOLLOWED BY KEELIN MCDOUGALL COME FORWARD, PLEASE.
TO ALL COMPASSIONATE HUMAN BEINGS WHO LIKE SENIOR CITIZENS.
I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR HELP BECAUSE PARK AND REC SEEMS TO FEEL THAT THEY CAN DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. AND MIKE PACHECO SAID YOU'RE SUSPENSIONS ARE GOING TO LAST FOREVER FROM 2022.
I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO SPEAK TO STAFF.
I'VE NEVER TOUCHED A SENIOR CENTER PERSON EXCEPT TO GIVE THEM A HUG, WHICH THEY WANTED.
SO WHY DOES THE ATTORNEY ALLOW DISCRIMINATION? THE ACLU WOULD NOT LIKE THAT.
WHY DOES SCOTT CHADWICK WHO'S SUPPOSED TO HELP YOU NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PARK AND REC PEOPLE? OUR NOTORIOUS MAGGIE HAMMER LEFT.
THE YOUNG PEOPLE OVER THERE ARE NOT BEING SUPERVISED.
SO STAFFING IS WELL, WE JUST DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO BECAUSE THERE'S NO LEADERSHIP AT PARK AND REC.
[00:10:06]
ELSE. BUT THE SENIORS MAKE UP 20%.THEY WON'T EVEN BUY COFFEE FROM THE DONATED MONEY.
WHO THE HECK IS RUNNING THAT ORGANIZATION? WHERE IS THE LEADERSHIP? WHERE ARE THE.
WHERE ARE THE MEDIATION WORKING THINGS OUT? MICK CALARCO DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE AND TALK IT OUT.
KYLE LANCASTER DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO TALK IT OUT.
BY GOD, WE'LL DO IT OUR WAY OR GET OUT.
WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M VERY PLEASANT, BUT I MAY DISAGREE WITH SOME PEOPLE'S STATEMENTS, BUT ISN'T THAT AMERICA? YOU CAN DISAGREE AND YOU CAN MAKE IT BETTER OR MAKE IT WORSE.
SUPERVISE THOSE PEOPLE AND TELL THEM TO SHAPE UP AND DO BETTER.
DON'T SHORTCHANGE THE SENIORS BY UNPROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT OR MEDIOCRE MANAGEMENT.
MAYBE NOT UNPROFESSIONAL, JUST MEDIOCRE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KEN MCDOUGALL AND I'M AN EIGHTH GRADER AT CALAVERA HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THIS INTERSECTION IS LOCATED AT THUNDER AND TIBURON DRIVE, WHICH IS NEXT TO THE DMV.
THE REASON I WANTED TO PUT A STOP SIGNS THERE IS BECAUSE BEFORE SCHOOL, BEFORE SCHOOL HOURS, THERE'S A LOT OF CARS AT THE INTERSECTION AND IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR CARS THAT ARE TRYING TO TURN OUT FROM THE INTERSECTIONS.
AND IT TAKES 1 TO 2 MINUTES BEFORE THEY CAN GO.
I ALSO REALIZE THAT A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS LIVE IN THE TIBURON NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS LEADS TO MY NEXT TOPIC, WHICH I SUGGEST THAT WE ADD TWO LEFT LANE TURNS AT SOME INTERSECTIONS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO BE ANGRY AND CUT WHEN THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO.
AND IT FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT DRIVES PEOPLE DRIVES PEOPLE INSANE.
THIS WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
CONTROL NOT ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL, BUT AND TO GO TO WORK.
TRAFFIC IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY STUDENTS ARE LATE.
ADDING A FEW STOP SIGNS WILL HELP EASE TRAFFIC NEAR THE DMV.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY SPEECH.
TAMARA DIXON, FOLLOWED BY KRYSIA WOLFER.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS TO ASK YOU MS. PATEL.
DID YOU WRITE THE EMAIL? MISS DIXON, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO US.
WE DON'T ENTER INTO CONVERSATION, SO PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT. IF SO, WHY ARE YOU ADVOCATING FOR A CLASS THAT IS RACIALLY DEVICE AND REFERENCES WHITE PEOPLE AS WHITE SUPREMACISTS? THIS IS CRT AND THIS IS WHAT OUR NINTH GRADE STUDENTS WILL BE TAUGHT IN CLASS.
[00:15:02]
THIS AND ANY OTHER CURRICULUM INDOCTRINATING OUR KIDS WITH THE IDEOLOGY OF CRT DOES NOT BELONG IN CUSD. IF YOU DID WRITE THIS EMAIL, MS. PATEL YOU DO NOT BELONG IN CITY COUNCIL AND YOU ESPECIALLY SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY SAY ABOUT YOUR MARXIST WOKE AGENDA IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.I AM REQUESTING YOU TO RESIGN FOR THE SECOND TIME.
SINCE CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS RACISM IN ITS PUREST FORM, NO MATTER HOW HARD THE FAR LEFT TRIES TO SPIN IT, WE CANNOT LET THEIR RACIST DREAM BECOME A REALITY.
GOOD EVENING. I'M KRYSIA WALTER, AND I'M A RESIDENT HERE IN CARLSBAD.
AND I HAVE THREE KIDS GOING TO CARLSBAD UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
I'M AWARE AND HAVE READ A LETTER THAT WAS POSTED ON NEXTDOOR A FEW DAYS AGO.
I'M APPALLED AT WHAT WAS WHAT I READ IN THAT LETTER CALLING PARENTS, WHITE SUPREMACISTS THAT SPEAK OUT AGAINST TEACHING ANY CHILDREN CRITICAL DEI OR MORE RECENTLY THE FILM ACADEMIC ETHICS STUDIES, WHICH ONLY PUTS KIDS IN A BUCKET OF OPPRESSOR OR OPPRESSED, OR CLASSIFIES THEM SOLELY OF OFF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN.
AND BY THAT DEFINITION, DIFFERENT DEFINITION ALONE IS RACIST.
I WILL NOT TOLERATE BEING LABELED AS SUCH A BEING LABELED AS SUCH.
AND THIS USE OF THIS LANGUAGE IS PURPOSEFUL TO INCITE VIOLENCE OR INTIMIDATE PEOPLE TO NOT STAND UP.
AND I FEEL THAT AN INVESTIGATION OF WHERE THIS LETTER ORIGINATED FROM IS WARRANTED.
IN CASE YOU THOUGHT THAT NO REPUBLICAN WOULD EVER SAY A GOOD THING ABOUT A DEMOCRAT PRESIDENT.
HERE WE GO. BUT BEFORE YOU LADIES REMINDED ME OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT, AS SOON AS I READ IT, I LIKED IT STILL LIKE IT WAS HAPPY TO VOTE FOR THE TICKET OF MONDALE FERRARO.
MS. FERRARO WAS GOING TO BECOME A VICE PRESIDENT.
POSSIBLY, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN I EVER LIKED HILLARY.
HE WAS A GRADUATE OF THE NAVAL ACADEMY.
HE SERVED FAITHFULLY AND DILIGENTLY IN THE NAVY.
HE WAS A BUSINESSMAN, A CHRISTIAN.
HIS LEGACY IS ACTUALLY RELATED TO RICHARD NIXON, AS I HOPEFULLY CAN GET IT OUT HERE IN THE NEXT TWO MINUTES.
MR. NIXON WAS BORN IN 1913 WHEN HE WAS 16.
THE GREAT DEPRESSION STARTED, AND AT THE TIME IN WHITTIER, HE WAS GETTING UP AT 4 A.M., DRIVING TO LA, FILLING UP THE TRUCK FOR THE SAKE OF THE FAMILY'S MARKET IN THE WHITTIER AREA.
AND HE REALLY HAD AN ATTACHMENT TO THE MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
BUT THEN WHEN THE GREAT DEPRESSION STARTED.
MR. HOOVER SCAPEGOATED TO DEAL WITH IT.
HE SCAPEGOATED THE MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR THE DEPRESSION AND APPROPRIATE AND APPROXIMATELY 1 MILLION WERE FORCEFULLY REPATRIATED TO MEXICO IN A FORCED IN A FORCED MIGRATION CAMPAIGN KNOWN AS MEXICAN REPATRIATION.
SO THEN HOOVER DIDN'T GET ELECTED.
HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET JOBS.
HE GOT THE JOBS WITH PAY, FEDERAL PAY FOR GOOD JOBS, UNLIKE THE ZOMBIE PRESIDENT THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
WHO GIVES MONEY AWAY JUST FOR PEOPLE TO STAY HOME.
SO THEN SHORTLY AFTER FDR, THE SHAH, CAME TO POWER, HE WAS STILL IN POWER WHEN MR. CARTER WAS THE PRESIDENT.
HE WAS. HE WAS KEPT IN PLACE BY AMERICA.
SO THAT WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER I COULD PAY $0.25 A GALLON FOR GASOLINE.
[00:20:04]
THE PEOPLE OF IRAN HATED THE SHAH, TOOK IT OUT WHEN THEY GOT RID OF HIM IT MADE CARTER LOOK BAD.BUT UNLIKE BILL CLINTON, AT LEAST HE TRIED.
CLINTON WAS ON THE PHONE WITH PEOPLE THAT HAD.
THAT TALL GUY IN THEIR SIGHTS ANYWAY.
NIXON DID EVENTUALLY PUT IN WAGE AND PRICE CONTROLS.
IT STARTED INFLATION AND AND WAGE AND PRICE CONTROLS MESSED UP JIMMY CARTER'S LEGACY.
THE REST OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR SPEAKERS WILL BE HEARD AT THE END OF THE COUNCIL MEETING.
NEXT IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS NUMBER ONE THROUGH SEVEN.
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
WE'RE GOING TO PULL ITEM NUMBER FOUR FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON ANY OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS? NO, WE DON'T. AND MAYOR THE ITEM FOUR CAN GO IF COUNCIL MEMBER LUNA JUST WANTS TO STATE HER RECUSAL.
YOU CAN GO WITH THE OTHER CONSENT ITEMS. YES, IT CAN. I JUST NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM A PORTION OF THAT ITEM.
AND THAT'S THE AWARD OF A GRANT TO THE FLOWER FIELDS AT CARLSBAD RANCH.
I HAVE FAMILY THAT'S EMPLOYED THERE, AND I AM ALSO A DOCENT THERE.
SO THE REST OF THE PACKAGE I'M FINE WITH.
THANK YOU. ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO ADDRESS ANY OF THESE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS? OKAY. WE'LL START WITH CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS NUMBER ONE, TWO, THREE, FIVE, SIX AND SEVEN.
MRS. BHAT-PATEL. MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT ITEMS AS RECITED BY THE MAYOR.
[4. AGRICULTURAL CONVERSION MITIGATION FEE GRANT REQUESTS]
YES. MOVE APPROVAL OF CONSENT ITEM NUMBER FOUR.AGAIN, CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
AND I THINK THAT MISS LUNA INTENDED TO PUSH ABSTAIN.
SO WE'LL LIST HER AS ABSTAINED ON THIS ONE.
THANK YOU. NEXT IS AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
[8. REESTABLISHING THE CARLSBAD TOURISM IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT UNDER THE PROPERTY AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT LAW OF 1994]
CITY MANAGER, PLEASE.ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS REESTABLISHING THE CARLSBAD TOURISM IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT UNDER THE PROPERTY AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT LAW OF 1994, MAKING OUR PRESENTATION TODAY AS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, MATT SANFORD.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE THIS EVENING.
THE PROPOSED ACTION FOR TONIGHT IS TO ALLOW PUBLIC TESTIMONY ON THE FORMATION OF THE CARLSBAD TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT UNDER THE PROPERTY AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT LAW OF 1994 AND THE PROPOSED LEVY OF THE ASSESSMENT ON LODGING BUSINESSES.
SO JUST AS A BIT OF A REMINDER ON BACKGROUND, HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM IS ONE OF OUR KEY INDUSTRIES HERE IN CARLSBAD, CONTRIBUTING ROUGHLY $705 MILLION IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, ALSO ROUGHLY $36 MILLION IN TOT REVENUE AND ROUGHLY 20,000 JOBS HERE IN CARLSBAD.
THERE HAS BEEN A TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ACTIVE IN THE CITY OF CARLSBAD SINCE 2005.
HOWEVER, IN AS OF JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, 70% OF LODGING ESTABLISHMENTS HAVE PETITIONED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BID UNDER THE PROPERTY AND BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT LAW OF 1994, UNDER A NEWER LAW.
AND THEN THERE'S NO OTHER ACTION NEEDED TONIGHT.
AND THEN THAT DISTRICT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT ON JULY 1ST.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THE ASSESSMENT WILL REMAIN THE SAME AS THE CURRENT LEVEL.
SO THERE IS NO INCREASE IN ASSESSMENT TO BUSINESSES.
GULF LODGING BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
[00:25:06]
INITIALLY TEN YEARS UPON REAUTHORIZATION AND VISIT CARLSBAD WOULD BE THE HOME OF THIS OWNER'S ASSOCIATION.AND AS MENTIONED, ESPECIALLY THAT LONGER AUTHORIZATION PERIOD ALLOWS FOR GREATER STABILITY.
AND SO WHEN WE CONSIDER THIS, WE LOOK AT THE GREATER EFFICIENCY OF OPERATIONS.
THE CONSOLIDATED DECISION MAKING UNDER ONE ORGANIZATION.
LONGER TERM PLANNING, STAFFING AND BUDGETING.
AND TO CLARIFY CERTAIN ELEMENTS LIKE WHO IS CLASSIFIED OR IS CONSIDERED A PUBLIC OFFICIAL.
AND OVERALL, A STRONGER FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THIS KEY INDUSTRY HERE IN CARLSBAD.
THANK YOU. OKAY, OPEN UP THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? AND SEEING NO ONE.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? ANY STATEMENTS FROM COUNCIL? MRS. ACOSTA. YES, I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.
TOURISM AND TRAVEL IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR REGION.
WE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE, WHICH I THINK IS WHY WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF COMMENT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S NOT OUR FIRST TIME SEEING THIS, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
THANKS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. THERE'S NO VOTE ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.
[9. WORK PLANS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022-23 FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND THE ARTS COMMISSION ]
ITEM NUMBER NINE CITY MANAGER.TAKE IT AWAY. THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I AM SUZANNE SMITHSON, THE DIRECTOR OF THE LIBRARY AND CULTURAL ARTS DEPARTMENT.
AND WITH ME TONIGHT IS RICHARD SCHULTZ, OUR CULTURAL ARTS MANAGER.
AND AS CITY MANAGER SAID, WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU THE FISCAL YEAR 22-23 WORK PLANS AND THE REPORT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 21-22.
ALSO HERE THIS EVENING AND PREPARED TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
AT THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION ARE THE VICE CHAIR OF THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES STAN SCHATT.
THE CHAIR SHERMAN DEFOREST, WHO HAS SERVED FAITHFULLY, COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT.
AND ALSO HERE IS THE CHAIR OF THE ARTS COMMISSION, BARBARA CHUNG.
AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL CODE, WHICH REQUIRES ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL ANNUALLY TO ENSURE THAT THE WORK OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE AS THE COUNCIL WOULD DESIRE, AND THEY'RE IN THERE WITHIN THE COUNCIL'S GOALS AND FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THE RECOMMENDED ACTION AT THE END OF OUR PRESENTATION WOULD BE TO ADOPT TWO RESOLUTIONS APPROVING THE WORK PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 22-23 AND ACCEPTING THE REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 21-22.
AND I WILL START NOW WITH THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES REPORT.
THIS IS PRIMARILY A REPORT OF CARDHOLDERS, STATISTICS, CIRCULATION, SQUARE FOOTAGE, ALL OF THE DETAILS THAT THAT ARE REPORTED BY ALL OF THE LIBRARIES IN THE STATE FROM VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
AS WE WORK ON THE PROGRAMS IN LIBRARY AND CULTURAL ARTS.
[00:30:02]
WE ALSO PROVIDED REPRESENTATIVES TO SERVE ON THE CITIZENS GROWTH MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, WHICH STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO FROM THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS APPROVED IS THE ELIMINATION OF OVERDUE FINES FOR OVERDUE MATERIALS, WHICH THEY APPROVED LAST SPRING AS PART OF THE BUDGET REQUEST.
AND IT WENT INTO EFFECT SEPTEMBER 1ST, ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO.
AND WE DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS WHEN THAT CAME UP ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD BE MANAGED.
PEOPLE STILL HAVE TO RETURN THEIR ITEMS. THEY STILL ARE PAID FOR BOOKS THAT ARE LOST.
BUT THERE IS NOT A FINE FOR FOR TURNING THEM IN A FEW DAYS LATE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL APPROVED THAT IN JULY.
AND THEN WE GOT TO CELEBRATE THE RIBBON CUTTING IN DECEMBER.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE LIBRARY BOARD MOVED FORWARD.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES BROUGHT TO US AND ASKED US TO DO IS THE LAST ITEM HIGHLIGHTED HERE, WHICH IS ADVOCATE ADVOCATING FOR A DONOR PAGE AS PART OF THE LIBRARY'S WEB PAGE.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY THEY BROUGHT TO US AND WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT.
THAT POLICY IS ONE OF OUR GUIDING DOCUMENTS WHICH SAYS WHAT WE WILL HOUSE IN THE LIBRARY.
IT ALSO INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT TO DO WHEN ITEMS ARE CHALLENGED.
BUT IF BOOKS ARE BROUGHT TO US AND ASKED TO BE RECONSIDERED, THE POLICIES FOR THAT ARE ARE SET OUT.
NOW, THE WE FORTUNATELY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BOOKS BROUGHT TO US TO TO BE BANNED.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ON THAT.
THERE'S ALSO BEEN A CITY FACILITY SECURITY PROGRAM GOING.
AND SO THE LIBRARY BOARD LOOKS FORWARD TO HEARING A REPORT ON OUR LIBRARIES ON THAT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER TOPICS WHICH WILL, AGAIN BE BROUGHT TO THEM.
THAT CONCLUDES THE REPORT FROM THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THRILLED TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE ARTS COMMISSION.
I'M ALWAYS THRILLED TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT ANYTHING RELATED TO ARTS.
AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SEVEN VERY PASSIONATE COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE WE STARTED THAT JOURNEY.
AND WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IN PARTNERING WITH THE ARTS COMMISSION IS WORKING WITH THE SE SEVEN INDIVIDUALS TO EVOLVE BOTH HOW WE'RE MEETING THAT PLAN AND THEN THE PROGRAMING THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING.
SO LOOKING BACK FIRST, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS WE ALL CAME OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND MOVED INTO IN-PERSON MEETINGS.
THE COMMISSION ITSELF WANTED TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO SPECIFIC TOPICS SUCH AS ARTS, EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ART AND REALLY LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING, HOW WE'RE DOING IT, AND PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHY WE'RE DOING IT.
WE ALSO AT THE SAME TIME WORKED WITH THEM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IN THE SENSE OF HAVING A GREATER PRESENCE AT CITY EVENTS AND LOCAL EVENTS, SERVING ON SOME KEY COMMITTEES, FOR EXAMPLE, FIRE STATION TWO, PUBLIC ART, AND THEN ALSO PROBABLY MOST INTERESTINGLY TO THEM, THEY PARTICIPATED IN ACTUAL AUDIENCE SURVEYING RELATED TO OUR CURRENT WORK WITH THE AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS.
[00:35:01]
BOTH AS ARTS COMMISSIONERS AND CULTURAL ARTS AND IN OUR OFFERINGS.THEY'VE WORKED WITH US TO DEVELOP EMERGING ARTISTS CATEGORIES AND OUR GRANT GIVING.
WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A HIGHER PRESENCE FOR THEM AT CITY EVENTS AND LOCAL EVENTS AS WELL, INCLUDING THEM DOING SITE VISITS FOR OUR GRANTEES. AND THEN FINALLY, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND THE BEST WAYS TO MEET THE ASPIRATIONS AND THE GOALS AND THE PRIORITIES OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE MASTER PLAN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND ACCEPTING OUR WORK PLAN AND OUR GOALS.
THANKS. THANK YOU, MR. SCHATT. AND NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE ARTS COMMISSION CHAIR BARBARA CHUNG TO COME TO THE PODIUM.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE SEVEN OF US BRING A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES TO OUR ROLES ON THE ARTS COMMISSION.
ABOVE ALL, WE BELIEVE THE ARTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF LIFE IN CARLSBAD EVERY DAY AND EVERYWHERE.
I ASK THAT YOU APPROVE THE WORK PLAN AND APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST AND SUPPORT AS THE ARTS COMMISSION WORKS TO ENSURE THE VIBRANCY OF THE ARTS IN CARLSBAD, DEEPENING OUR SHARED SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OUR RESIDENTS.
WELL, THE NEXT STEPS FOR THIS, THESE COMMISSIONS IS TO GO FORTH AND DO THE WORK IN THEIR WORK PLAN.
AND OUR RECOMMENDED ACTION FOR YOU HERE TODAY IS TO ADOPT THE TWO RESOLUTIONS, ONE FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ONE FOR THE ARTS COMMISSION.
THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
AND WE'RE WE WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AS WELL AS THE FOR THE CHAIRS OF OUR COMMISSIONS.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, MARY LUCID.
I LOVE THE LIBRARY AND I LOVE THE LIBRARIANS AND ALL OF THEIR PROGRAMS. I JUST WISH THAT THEY WOULDN'T CUT THE HOURS, ESPECIALLY ON SUNDAYS.
SAN DIEGO IS OPENING UP THE LIBRARIES AFTER HOURS SO PEOPLE CAN COME IN.
THEY DO HAVE A SECURITY GUARD, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY IT SO MORE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THE BENEFITS THAT THE CITY IS PROVIDING. WHY HAVE A GREAT LIBRARY, GREAT PROGRAMS AND CLOSE ON SUNDAY WHEN FAMILIES CAN COME AND ENJOY THEM? I'M NOT SAYING THE LEARNING CENTER SHOULD BE OPEN, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY WHO GIVE MONEY. NOW, IF WE COULD ONLY GET THE SENIOR CENTER TO GET FRIENDS, IN ANY CASE.
WHY CAN MANAGERS AUTHORITARIAN ONLY CHANGE HOURS WITHOUT RUNNING IT BY
[00:40:04]
THE CITY MANAGER? SO THAT YOU ALL CAN.BUT YOU CAN CLEAN THE BUILDING SOME OTHER TIME.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE DOWN ON SUNDAYS AND EXPAND THE HOURS ON SUNDAY FROM 11 TO 5.
IT'S THERE AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB.
BUT CLOSING IT DOWN, CLOSING THE SERVICES DOWN WITHOUT APPROVAL FROM THE CITY COUNCIL OR THE CITY MANAGER, AT LEAST WHO CAN TAKE IT TO THEM.
HOW ELSE ARE WE GOING TO HAVE EDUCATED VOTERS? HAPPY LITTLE FAMILIES WITH KIDS RUNNING AROUND THE SCULPTURE GARDEN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT LIBRARY.
WHY ARE YOU HIDING IT FROM THE PEOPLE? I SHOULD ASK MR. BARBERIO THAT IN ANY CASE.
COST RECOVERY IS NOT AS IMPORTANT.
THE FRIENDS GIVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY IN THEIR WILLS.
SO OPEN IT UP, PLEASE, FOR EVERYONE.
ARE YOU LETTING MANAGERS JUST RUN WILD AND DO WHATEVER THEY WANT? THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? MS. BURKHOLDER.
AND I THINK WE DO OFFER AN AMAZING ART.
AND IT MADE ME REMEMBER WHEN MY KIDS WERE LITTLE AND WE WENT INTO FOR STORY HOUR.
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE REPORT AND THE DILIGENT WORK PLAN.
MR. ACOSTA. YES, I WANTED TO THANK STAFF, FIRST OF ALL, FOR YOUR ABSOLUTE COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO BOTH LIBRARY AND ARTS AND CULTURAL ARTS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU BRING SO MANY SKILLS AND TALENTS AND YOU SHOW UP AND YOU SPEAK TO US AND GIVE YOUR REPORT, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH US.
AND LASTLY, I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE THE SUPPORT GROUPS.
SHE WENT TO AVIARA OAKS MIDDLE, AS I KNOW MY COLLEAGUE DID, AND DOVE LIBRARY IS RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM THERE AND SHE WOULD OFTEN DO HER HOMEWORK OR WAIT FOR ME IF I WAS DELAYED FROM WORK TO TO PICK HER UP.
SO IT WAS A SAFE, BEAUTIFUL SPACE AND A GREAT SPACE OF LEARNING.
I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL HAS SUPPORTED SOME UPGRADES TO THE ART FACILITIES AT THAT COMPLEX, AND IN THE FUTURE WE WILL HAVE SOME UPGRADES TO THE COLE LIBRARY AS WELL WHEN WE REDO THE CITY HALL COMPLEX.
SO WE'RE INVESTED IN THESE PROGRAMS. WE WANT TO SUPPORT YOU AND WE WANT TO STAY IN TOUCH AND KEEP FINDING WAYS TO EVOLVE, AS WAS SAID BY MR. SCHULTZ. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
MRS. BHAT-PATEL. I'LL JUST ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES.
DEV DIDN'T EXIST WHEN I WAS A KID AND THEN IT BECAME DEV AND SO IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE ALL THAT.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING ON THE COMMISSION.
WE KNOW YOU ALL PUT IN A LOT OF HARD WORK AND HEART INTO IT, SO THANK YOU.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR A TWO RESOLUTION.
SO MOVE ADOPTION OF BOTH RESOLUTIONS.
PLEASE GO AHEAD. HE CAN'T SEE ME IN THE HINTERLANDS.
I'M A FREQUENT FLIER OF ALL THREE DOVE COLE, AS WELL AS THE LEARNING CENTER.
[00:45:05]
AND THE STAFF IS INCREDIBLE.I HAD SOMEONE ASSIST ME BECAUSE I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH MY LIBRARY CARD AND SHE WAS WONDERFUL AND HELPED ME RENEW IT BECAUSE IT HAD EXPIRED. AND ON ANOTHER NOTE, I HAVE TO CONFESS, I TURNED MY BOOKS IN LATE AND I WAS RELIEVED OF THE FEE AND I WAS RELIEVED OF THAT RELIEF. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAD DONE THIS, ESPECIALLY BEING A SENIOR FOR OUR SENIORS ALSO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MRS. BHAT-PATEL. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. SO MOVE ADOPTION OF BOTH RESOLUTIONS AND AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE AND BOTH WORK PLANS FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND THE ARTS COMMISSION. SECOND.
PLEASE VOTE. PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[10. UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS TO RELOCATE SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC’S NORTH COAST SERVICE CENTER]
ITEM NUMBER TEN CITY MANAGER, PLEASE.MR. CHADWICK MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I AM HERE TONIGHT JOINED WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS TO RELOCATE THE SDG&E SERVICE CENTER.
YOU WILL SEE IF THE COUNCIL WILL RECALL IN 2014, WE ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH SDG&E NRG.
THE POWER PLANT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, AND THAT RESULTED IN A NEW POWER PLANT, A PEAKER PLANT POWER PLANT BEING BUILT BETWEEN THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND I-5. THAT'S SHOWN IN THE DASHED YELLOW LINE.
AND THAT'S THE FOOTPRINT OF THE POWER STATION IS THE DASHED WHITE LINE.
NOW IT TAKES IT FROM THE NEW PLANT AND THEN DISTRIBUTES IT TO THE MAJOR POWER LINES THAT ARE OVERHEAD AND RUN ACROSS THE FREEWAY AND THROUGHOUT THE REST OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
THIS CENTER PROVIDES MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SERVICES TO MOST OF WHAT WE CALL COASTAL NORTH COUNTY ALL THE WAY UP THE COAST TO SAN ONOFRE AND BEYOND, SAN CLEMENTE AREA, SOUTH TO DEL MAR AND THEN EAST TO KIND OF VISTA, SAN MARCOS AND THE EASTERN PORTION. AND SO THAT'S SDG&E'S PIECE OF PROPERTY.
AND THEN OUTLINED IN GREEN IS THE CANNON PARK SITE, WHICH IS OWNED BY SDG&E.
BUT THE CITY HAS A LEASE, A ROLLING ONE YEAR LEASE, AND WE MANAGE AND OPERATE THAT PARK FACILITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS IN THAT 2014 AGREEMENT WAS THE IDEA THAT THE CITY AND SDG&E AND NRG WOULD WORK TOGETHER TO TRY AND FIND AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION FOR THE SERVICE CENTER OFF THE COAST.
AND IF WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SITE BETWEEN SDG&E AND THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, NRG WOULD PUT UP $22.5 MILLION TO BUILD THE NEW SERVICE CENTER.
AND REMEMBER, THIS WAS 2014, AND THAT WAS THE ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST OF A NEW SERVICE CENTER TO TO SERVE SDG&E 'S NEEDS. YOU'LL ALSO SEE OUTLINED IN BLACK EAST OF THE FREEWAY AND NORTH OF CANNON ROAD, AN SDG&E LOT 11 SITE, ABOUT 20 ACRES.
SO SINCE THAT TIME, WE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY, SOMETIMES ON SOMETIMES OFF.
MORE RECENTLY, OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, ON, WORKING WITH SDG&E AND NRG, TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO RELOCATING THE SDG&E SERVICE CENTER.
[00:50:09]
CITY OF CARLSBAD WOULD TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE OPERATION CENTER SITE, ABOUT 16 ACRES, AS WELL AS THE CANNON PARK SITE.THOSE ARE SHOWN IN RED SITE SIX AND SEVEN ON THIS AERIAL.
AND THEN ALSO A PARCEL ON THE NORTH SHORE OF THE AGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON SITE ONE.
SO IN ORDER TO RECEIVE OWNERSHIP OF THOSE PROPERTIES, WE DID HAVE TO FIND A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SITE AND THEN BUILD A NEW SERVICE CENTER AND RELOCATE SDG&E THERE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS OVER SINCE 2014.
THAT'S THE SITE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, NORTH SIDE OF CANNON ROAD, THAT 20 ACRE PIECE.
AND THIS WOULD INVOLVE AND I'LL SHOW YOU IN A LATER SLIDE WHAT THAT WOULD KIND OF LOOK LIKE.
IT WOULD INVOLVE GENERALLY RELOCATING THE SERVICE CENTER AS FAR EAST AS POSSIBLE, UP AGAINST THE RAILROAD TRACKS ON LAND THAT SDG&E CURRENTLY OWNS AND THE SERVICE IS ON, BUT ALSO INVOLVING LAND THAT NRG OWNS.
AND SO THE PLANT WOULD SNUG UP AGAINST THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
AGAIN, WE WOULD RELOCATE IT THE SERVICE CENTER, ONTO SDG&E AND NRG PROPERTY EAST AGAINST THE RAILROAD TRACKS, AND THAT WOULD LEAVE ABOUT TEN ACRES OF SDG&E PROPERTY ON THE WESTERN PART OF THEIR PROPERTY THAT COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE CITY OF CARLSBAD.
SO WHAT MIGHT THAT KIND OF LOOK LIKE? THIS IS AN OLD SLIDE.
WE WERE LOOKING AT TWO ALTERNATIVES AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS THE DASHED YELLOW LINE.
THE RED SOLID OUTLINE IS THE SERVICE CENTER SITE AS WELL AS CANNON PARK.
BUT THE DASHED YELLOW LINE IS KIND OF A REPRESENTATION OF THE ACREAGE THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED.
AS I SAID, WE'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING AND WORKING WITH THE OTHER TWO PARTIES, TRYING TO RESOLVE ISSUES AND MAKE PROGRESS TOWARD TOWARDS AGREEMENT ON THE CURRENT SITE. I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS POINT.
SDG&E AND NRG HAVE INVESTED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME THEIR OWN PERSONNEL, FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE DURING THIS THIS TIME PERIOD.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO TO THE ISSUES AND WORK TOWARDS AN AGREEMENT.
HOWEVER, DESPITE THOSE EFFORTS, WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE IDENTIFIED WHAT THE SITE WOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE SIZE OF THE NEW SERVICE CENTER WOULD GENERALLY BE.
WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF COST ESTIMATES.
WE KNOW WHAT ACREAGE WOULD TRANSFER FROM NRG TO SDG&E, FROM SDG&E TO CITY OF CARLSBAD GENERALLY, BUT THERE STILL REMAINS, IN SPITE OF SDG&E AND NRG, FINANCIALLY CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS MAKING ALL THAT HAPPEN.
THERE STILL IS A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL GAP THAT REMAINS, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
WE'RE WE'RE NOT DEFEATED YET, BUT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL GAP IN SDG&E AND NRG WILL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT IN THEIR PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
NOW WHAT WE'RE ASKING COUNCIL TONIGHT TO DO TO GIVE US ADDITIONAL DIRECTION.
BASICALLY, WE'RE ASKING FOR MORE TIME.
AND THE CONCEPT IS THAT NRG RIGHT NOW IS IN THE PROCESS ON THE OLD POWER PLANT SITE, IN THE PROCESS OF SELECTING A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE OLD POWER PLANT SITE.
[00:55:06]
CREATIVITY AND SOLUTIONS TO HOPEFULLY RESOLVE THE FUNDING GAP IF NOT AT THE VERY LEAST REDUCING THE FUNDING GAP AND THEN EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS. SO WITH THAT, OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT IS TO DIRECT STAFF TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS FOR AN ADDITIONAL SIX MONTHS. WE WILL RETURN TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023 WITH AN UPDATE OR SOONER IF THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL AND PROGRESS.GIVEN THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME, WE REALIZE THAT AT SOME POINT, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE PROBABLY NEED TO TERMINATE.
AND I'VE KIND OF FAILED TO MENTION EARLIER.
BUT I KNOW THE COUNCIL IS ALL AWARE THAT IF WE'RE UNSUCCESSFUL IN RELOCATING SDG&E TO A NEW SITE OR RELOCATING THEM ON SITE, NRG PER THE 2014 AGREEMENT, WILL NEED TO MAKE A $10 MILLION PAYMENT TO THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, AND THAT IS STILL WITHIN THE AGREEMENT AND STILL ON THE TABLE.
BUT IN THE EFFORT TO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SET A SUNSET DATE FOR HOW LONG WE'RE GOING TO NEGOTIATE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT IF IF BY MARCH 31ST OF 2024, IF WE'RE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE FUNDING GAP AND REACH AN AGREEMENT, THEN WE WOULD COME TO THE COUNCIL AND WE WOULD BE LIKELY RECOMMENDING THAT NEGOTIATION EFFORTS BE REASSESSED.
AND WHAT THAT MAY MEAN IS THAT WE TERMINATE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON WHERE WE'RE AT, IF WE'RE CLOSE TO A DEAL OR WE HAVE A DEAL IN HAND, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY RECOMMEND TERMINATION.
BUT IF WE REACH THE CONCLUSION THAT A DEAL IS JUST NOT POSSIBLE, THEN WE WOULD BE RECOMMENDING THAT AND THEN THE CITY WOULD PURSUE THE $10 MILLION PAYMENT FROM NRG. UNLESS THERE ARE IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS OF STAFF.
COME ON UP. IS JENNIFER JETT, VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS SUPPORT FOR SDG&E, AND ERIC LEUZE, VICE PRESIDENT, ASSET MANAGEMENT FOR NRG WEST.
THANK YOU. LET ME GIVE YOU THE CHOICE. DO YOU HAVE PRESENTATIONS TO MAKE OR WOULD YOU PREFER TO HOLD THE PRESENTATION AND JUST ANSWER QUESTIONS? IT'S UP TO YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I THINK GARY JUST HANDED OVER THE WE'LL SEE IF I CAN MANAGE THE THE CLICKER.
WE DO HAVE SOME SLIDES THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO TO WALK THROUGH.
BUT FIRST, I'LL INTRODUCE MYSELF.
I'M JENNIFER JETT, OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS SUPPORT.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY AS ERIC WILL INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
I DO JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE GOT OUR SENIOR MANAGEMENT'S COMMITMENT TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
I AM PERSONALLY INVOLVED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATIONS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS UNTIL WE REACH RESOLUTION AND COME TO A PLACE WHERE IT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR ALL ALL THREE PARTIES.
SO I'LL I'LL PAUSE THERE AND HAND IT OVER TO ERIC TO SAY HELLO.
MAYOR BLACKBURN, MAYOR PRO TEM BHAT-PATEL AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY INTRODUCE THEM.
WE HAVE MARK ROHRLICK, WHO LEADS OUR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS FOR THE ENTIRE COMPANY, AND WE'VE ALSO BROUGHT IN TWO GENTLEMEN WHO WERE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE ORIGINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS.
JOHN CHILLEMI WAS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT WITH NRG AND HE LED THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR NRG IN THE 2014 SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, AND SEAN BEATTY WAS COUNSEL AND HE ALSO NOW IS OUTSIDE COUNSEL ADVISING NRG IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS.
[01:00:08]
SO WE'RE GLAD TO BE HERE AND WITH THAT INTRODUCTION, WE'LL KICK OFF THE FIRST SLIDE.SO I THINK GARY DID A REALLY NICE JOB SUMMARIZING THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
I'LL HIT A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT THAT THAT GARY DIDN'T TOUCH ON THE AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, THE CITY DID AGREE TO SUPPORT THE CARLSBAD ENERGY CENTER AND THAT FACILITY WAS CONSTRUCTED AND BEGAN OPERATION IN 2018.
AND THEN, AS YOU KNOW, THE FIRE STATION NUMBER SEVEN, TEMPORARY FIRE STATION NUMBER SEVEN IS NOW ON A PORTION OF THAT FOOTPRINT AND IN OPERATION.
SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW IS THE REST OF THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO TRY AND FULFILL THEM, IF AND IMPORTANTLY, THAT INVOLVED THE RELOCATION OF THE SERVICE CENTER AND THE TRANSFER OF PROPERTY TO THE CITY.
AND TOWARD THAT OBJECTIVE, NRG CAN COMMITTED TO CONTRIBUTE $22.5 MILLION UNDER THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT TO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE CENTER RELOCATION.
SO DESPITE DILIGENT EFFORTS OF THE PARTIES TO FIND AN ALTERNATE LOCATION, WE HAVEN'T FOUND ONE.
AND AS GARY NOTED, WE'RE LOOKING AT A REORIENTATION ON THE EXISTING SITE, WHICH WOULD MOVE THE SERVICE CENTER AWAY FROM THE OCEAN, BACK TOWARD THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND ONTO A PORTION OF NRGS PROPERTY.
BUT AGAIN, FREEING UP PROPERTY ON THE FRONT HALF.
AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE'S AN ILLUSTRATION OF THAT.
JEN WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT WHAT'S INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
ONE IMPORTANT POINT THIS NEW CONFIGURATION WOULD PROVIDE ACCESS TO CANNON ROAD TO THE ENCINO PARCEL, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
THANKS, ERIC. AND YOU CAN SEE BY THE MAP, HOPEFULLY THE OUTLINE OF WHAT GARY WAS TALKING ABOUT AND MOVING OUR SERVICE CENTER CLOSER TO THE TRACK SO THAT THAT TEN ACRES OR SO BECOMES AVAILABLE FURTHER TO THE WEST.
GARY MENTIONED WE'VE BEEN DILIGENTLY MEETING IN PERSON ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE'VE GOT THIS CADENCE WHERE WE'RE GETTING TOGETHER AND TRYING TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
SO FOR CONSTRUCTION AND FOR RELOCATING, WE THEN ACTUALLY GOT TOGETHER WITH OUR OUTSIDE FIRMS AND WORKED ON THE INITIAL ESTIMATE.
SO WITH NRG AND SDG&E PENCILS, YOU KNOW, REALLY TRYING TO SHARPEN OUR PENCILS AND COME UP WITH A SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED ESTIMATE AND ALSO ASKED THE OUTSIDE FIRM TO COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVE DESIGN OPTIONS, WHICH I THINK HELPED REDUCE THE OVERALL COST.
WE DID ALSO, SDG&E HAD AN INDEPENDENT APPRAISAL APPRAISER HIRED WHO IS WORKING ON PROVIDING AN ASSESSMENT OF THE VALUE OF THE LAND THAT WOULD BE TRANSFERRED, THAT THE VALUE OF THE LAND WOULD ALSO BE A PART OF THAT, THE SORT OF BUCKET OF COSTS AND FUNDING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR. AGAIN, I THINK THIS HAS BEEN REALLY A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
I'VE BEEN HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO.
THE CURRENT CONTRIBUTIONS, JUST SORRY, [INAUDIBLE] TO SUMMARIZE, I THINK THAT THE BUCKETS OF THE COSTS AND THE FUNDING NEEDS REALLY ARE THREE MAIN COMPONENTS.
YOU'VE GOT THE COST OF THE RELOCATED SERVICE CENTER, YOU HAVE THE VALUE OF THE LAND, AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME TAX IMPACTS THAT WILL BE DEPENDENT ON HOW WE STRUCTURE ANY SORT OF TRANSACTION IN THE LAND TRANSFER.
[01:05:01]
SIGNIFICANT FUNDING GAP.AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO TRY TO SOLVE FOR.
THAT'S SOMETHING I WILL LET ERIC ADDRESS.
HE MENTIONED IT BRIEFLY, BUT AGAIN, WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS ONCE ERIC TALKS ABOUT THAT FUNDING GAP A LITTLE BIT. YEAH THANKS, JEN.
BUT WE'RE OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL PROGRESS.
SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NOW? NRG IS IN THE PROCESS OF SELECTING A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, AS GARY MENTIONED, AND WE THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THIS IS NOT OUR BUSINESS, DEVELOPING PROPERTIES, SUCH IMPORTANT PROPERTIES AS THIS.
AND SO WE NEED A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER.
WE THINK WE'LL GET ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE THAT COULD BE HELPFUL.
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WE DON'T KNOW YET.
WE HAVEN'T PICKED A PARTNER YET, BUT WE'RE IN THAT PROCESS.
IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, PROJECT DESIGN ENHANCEMENTS, MATERIAL PROCUREMENT STRATEGIES, CONSTRUCTION EFFICIENCIES WE'LL FIND OUT AFTER WE ENGAGE THAT PARTNER AND GET THEM INVOLVED.
BUT IN PARALLEL, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK.
THE TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND SDG&E AND NRG WILL SEE IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE THE COST OF THE SERVICE CENTER AS WELL. SO WITH THAT, THERE'S A INVOLVED PROCESS FOR PERMITTING AND APPROVAL, AND JEN WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN NEXT STEPS.
WELL, THIS SLIDE IS QUITE BUSY, SO I WILL NOT GO THROUGH IT IN GREAT DETAIL.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THAT THIS IS REALLY MEANT TO ILLUSTRATE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT WILL TAKE.
WE CAN'T START MOST OF THESE PROCESSES UNTIL WE COME TO AN AGREEMENT AMONG ALL THREE PARTIES.
SO WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR EFFICIENCIES WHERE WE CAN.
BUT JUST IN THE INTEREST OF FULL TRANSPARENCY, IT DOES TAKE TIME FOR THESE REGULATORY PROCESSES.
ERIC MENTIONED AND GARY DID TOO WE DO HAVE SOME OUTSTANDING CHALLENGES AND WE HIGHLIGHTED AND TOUCHED ON EACH OF THOSE THREE, WHICH IS CLOSING THAT FUNDING GAP, FINALIZING THE AGREEMENT TERMS AND THEN OBTAINING THE REGULATORY AND ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVALS.
WE WILL AS A AS A TEAM, PROVIDE ANOTHER UPDATE TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITHIN SIX MONTHS.
AND WE HOPE THAT WE'VE OBVIOUSLY MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS BY THEN.
BUT AT THAT TIME, IF WE HAVEN'T, THERE'S THE OPTION TO TERMINATE.
I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT SDG&E IS IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE CITY IN THAT SCENARIO TO PROVIDE AN OPEN SPACE FOR TRAILS, PARKS, OPEN SPACE TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT TERMINATION OCCURS.
I WILL JUST REITERATE THAT THAT IS NOT OUR FIRST CHOICE.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL JUST SAY THANK YOU AND OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS.
GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SEAT. WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER.
OKAY. LET'S CALL THAT SPEAKER NOW, PLEASE.
GLENN BERNARD, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
SDG&E WAS THE TOPIC OF THE KUSI NEWS DURING THE WEEKEND.
AN ATTORNEY PRIVATE ATTORNEY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE RATE INCREASES THAT THEY WANT COMING UP SOON.
[01:10:02]
AND THIS ATTORNEY SAID SHE THOUGHT MAYBE THEY SHOULD CUT THEIR DIVIDENDS AND NOT RAISE THE RATES.BUT AS RECENTLY AS 17 YEARS AGO.
I WAS THE ONE WHO DIDN'T POST ANY SIGNS ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.
AND MY PHONE RANG ONE EVENING AND OH YEAH, BECAUSE THERE WAS A BIG FIGHT IN CARLSBAD 17 YEARS AGO, SEVEN CAMPAIGN SIGNS AND CALLED ME UP CBS LOCAL NEWS. AND THEY SAID, OH, YEAH, GLENN BERNARD.
HE DIDN'T POST ANY SIGNS BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO JUNK UP THE CITY.
BUT OUR CITY IS JUNKED UP RIGHT NOW WITH UTILITY POLES THAT ARE OWNED BY SDG&E AND X NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THERE WERE SOME OF THEIR MANAGEMENT TYPES STANDING BACK THERE IN THIS ROOM.
AND I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST TO THEM THAT THEY JUST THEY SUSPEND THEIR DIVIDENDS IN ORDER TO TAKE DOWN THEIR UGLY POWER POLES THAT ARE IN MANY PARTS OF THE CITY.
AND BEFORE I COULD GET THE COMPLETE THOUGHT OUT.
I SOUND LIKE JOE BIDEN THERE, DON'T I? HEY, MAN, THEY SAID, HOLD ON.
REALLY GOOD GENERAL COUNSEL BACK THERE, KNOWS HIS JOB WELL.
SOMEHOW, SDG&E CAME IN HERE X NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
I PUT IN FREEDOM OF INFORMATION TO THE CITY TO FIND OUT WHO ON THE CITY TOOK THAT DEAL, HOW MUCH MONEY WAS IT, AND WHEN WILL THE UTILITY POLES COME DOWN. SO IF YOU'RE DEALING LIKE, OKAY, SO SDG&E CAN COME IN, THEY FIND A WEAK LINK IN THE CITY, GET SOMEBODY TO SIGN OFF ON THE DEAL, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE RELIEVED OF THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CLEAN THIS CITY UP.
AND YET THEY'RE STILL MAKING PROFITS ON THOSE UTILITY POLES.
SO I HAVE RESPECT FOR NRG IN JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER CORPORATION IN AMERICA.
BUT BEWARE OF SDG&E BECAUSE THEY CAME IN HERE BEFORE AND THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF SOMEBODY WHO WAS SICK, LAME, LAZY OR DISHONEST, AND I DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND I COULD ASK THIS ENTIRE ROOM, HOW MUCH MONEY DID SDG&E GIVE TO THE CITY OF CARLSBAD TO TAKE ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY? AND NOBODY WILL TELL ME.
AND NOBODY FROM SDG&E WILL EITHER.
ANY QUESTIONS, MISS ACOSTA, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT, GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS, NRG AND SDG&E FOR COMING HERE TODAY AND GIVING YOUR PRESENTATION.
THE COMMUNITY EXCITEMENT IS DEFINITELY VERY PALPABLE.
PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE CALL, THEY EMAIL, THEY ASK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HERE.
AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH THE LAND WHEN IT BECOMES CITY PROPERTY.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
OKAY. SO WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AND THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ONGOING FOR HOW LONG NOW? SINCE WE ENTERED INTO THE AGREEMENT IN JANUARY 2014.
SO, OKAY, SO NINE PLUS YEARS NOW.
AND WE KNOW THAT EVEN WHEN WE DO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL TIME REGULATORY APPROVALS AND SUCH WILL REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL TIME TO ACTUALLY GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW THE CITY OF CARLSBAD COULD USE THAT LAND.
WHAT IS THE REGULATORY APPROVAL TIMELINE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? I SAW THAT SLIDE, BUT I DIDN'T ACTUALLY SEE TIMELINES ON THAT SLIDE.
YES, IT WAS A VERY INFORMATIVE SLIDE.
ONCE WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE THREE PARTIES, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT IT WILL TAKE ABOUT A YEAR TO PREPARE AN APPLICATION FOR THE CPUC, AND CONCURRENT WITH THAT, WE WOULD BE PURSUING LOCAL ENTITLEMENTS PERMITS FOR THE SERVICE CENTER ITSELF AS WELL AS CEQA BECAUSE A CEQA DETERMINATION IS NEEDED TO SUBMIT TO THE PUC AND THEN ONCE WE SUBMIT A PUC, IT COULD TAKE AT LEAST A YEAR AND POSSIBLY UP TO TWO YEARS BEFORE WE WERE THROUGH THE PUC PROCESS AND CONCURRENT WITH THE PUC PROCESS, WE WOULD BE ENGAGED IN OBTAINING THE ENTITLEMENT PERMIT.
WE NEED THE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FROM THE COASTAL COMMISSION.
[01:15:03]
ANOTHER YEAR BEYOND THAT, THREE YEARS.SO TWO AND A HALF TO THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
OKAY. AND I JUST HEARD YOU SAY, LET'S SAY IT TAKES SIX MONTHS.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED RIGHT NOW, CITY COUNCIL IS BEING ASKED RIGHT NOW TO WAIT TO GET AN UPDATE FOR SIX MONTHS AND THEN AFTER ONE YEAR FROM NOW, SO MARCH 2024, IF AN AGREEMENT HAS NOT BEEN MADE, THEN WE WOULD KIND OF MAKE A DECISION.
THAT'S OUR OUR DEADLINE MARCH 20TH, 24, TEN YEARS FROM JANUARY 20TH, 20, 2014, WHEN WE STARTED.
RIGHT. OF COURSE, WE WE WE HOPE FOR SOONER TO REACH AN AGREEMENT, BUT WE'RE ASKING FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS OF ADDITIONAL TIME TO NEGOTIATE AND THEN COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND THEN SIX MONTHS BEYOND THAT UNTIL, YOU KNOW, WE REASSESS WHETHER WE SHOULD CONTINUE OR NOT OR TERMINATE.
SO THAT WOULD THAT BUT, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR FOR AN AGREEMENT AND THEN TWO TO THREE YEARS FOR THE ENTITLEMENT AND PUC COASTAL COMMISSION PROCESS.
OKAY. SO SAY ALL GOES AS WE HOPE THAT IT DOES AND WE'RE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE SOMETHING MAYBE EVEN IN SIX MONTHS, THEN IT'S A YEAR TO PREPARE THESE KIND OF REGULATORY APPROVALS.
MAYBE WE COULD DO SOME THINGS CONCURRENTLY, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE SOMETHING COULD POTENTIALLY GET BUILT ON ON THE LAND THAT WE HOPE TO BE CITY OF CARLSBAD LAND AT THE FRONT PART OF THAT THAT PIECE OF LAND, AS WE SAW ON THE MAP, IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY.
COSTS ARE GOING UP. AND WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE IN 2014, WHEN WE STARTED THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, THE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS OFFERED BY NRG TO SDG&E TO RELOCATE WAS $22 AND ONE HALF MILLION.
SO THE LONGER WE LINGER, THE LONGER WE TAKE, THE MORE COSTS GO UP.
SO I HOPE THAT ALL OF THE PARTIES ARE VERY AWARE THAT TIME IS IMPORTANT.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF A PAT IDIOM.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE ALONG NOW WHEN IT'S ALREADY BEEN MORE THAN NINE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SDG&E TO FIND A PLACE TO RELOCATE AND HELP WORK WITH US IN GOOD FAITH TO TO RELOCATE THOSE FACILITIES. SO I OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE JUST BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT PARCELS AND DISCOUNT THEM AND DISCOUNT THEM AND DISCOUNT THEM. AND FINALLY, WE HAVE JUST ONE LEFT AND THAT'S THE BACK PART OF THIS SAME PIECE OF PROPERTY.
BUT WE'RE WE'RE BEING ASKED RIGHT NOW, I UNDERSTAND, TO TWO THINGS TO HAVE AN UPDATE IN SIX MONTHS AND THEN TO AGREE TO HAVE A DEADLINE, KIND OF A FISH OR CUT BAIT DEADLINE IN MARCH 31ST, 2024.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND AND EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE UNDERSTANDS AS WELL.
SO I APPRECIATE THE DATE CERTAIN.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S HELPFUL.
I THINK THAT MY MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS REALLY JUST KIND OF THE LINGERING AND HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN TO GET TO THIS POINT AND HOW HOW MUCH FASTER CAN WE MOVE? MY MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION IS ABOUT THE FUNDING GAP.
AND I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM, I SAW THE SLIDES.
I HEARD THE MENTION MADE BY YOU, MR. BARBERIO AND BY THE BY NRG AND SDG&E ABOUT THE DEVELOPER THAT THE NRG IS SEEKING TO TO WORK WITH THAT WILL LOOK AT SOME KIND OF INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE WAYS TO LOWER THE COST.
BUT THAT FUNDING GAP FOR SDG&E TO REBUILD THEIR FACILITIES ON THE BACK PART OF THE PROPERTY, THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING $22.5 MILLION, WHICH WAS THE NUMBER GIVEN BACK IN 2014, IS NOT ENOUGH.
OKAY. SO THE COST TO REBUILD THE FACILITIES, THE TAX COSTS, I HEARD THAT THAT WAS MENTIONED.
THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO LONG.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN ALMOST TEN YEARS.
RIGHT. SO. YES, TIME HAS BEEN PART OF IT.
YOU KNOW, I DID MENTION IN THE 2014 AGREEMENT, ONE OF THE SITES WE WERE LOOKING AT FOR RELOCATION WAS LOT 11, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY OWNED BY SDG&E AND STILL IS. SO THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A LAND COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT NECESSARILY.
[01:20:01]
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KIND OF THREE BUCKETS THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS, THE LAND COSTS, AND THEN THE TAX IMPLICATIONS OF THE DEAL AND HOW IT'S STRUCTURED. AND THOSE THREE THINGS COMBINED TO WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE DOLLAR AMOUNT TO RELOCATE SDG&E UP AGAINST THE TRACKS AND THEN HOW MUCH THE TWO PARTIES ARE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE.RIGHT NOW, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN THOSE TWO NUMBERS.
OKAY. SO TWO LITTLE QUESTIONS TO GO WITH THAT.
ONE, DO WE KNOW HOW MUCH THAT GAP IS OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN DISCLOSE? UM, IT'S NOT THE CITY'S GAP.
I WOULD DEFER TO SDG&E OR NRG, BUT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS.
SOME INFORMATION IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.
IN VARIABLE SDG&E MENTIONED THEY'RE UNDER WAY ON APPRAISALS, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLETED.
SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE THE WE KNOW THERE IS A GAP AND WE KNOW IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, $100,000.
IT IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, BRINGING ON THE DEVELOPMENT PARTNER TO TRY AND SHAVE THAT DOWN TO TO NO GAP OR MUCH SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED GAP.
GREAT. I HOPE THAT CAN HAPPEN.
AND THAT THAT REALLY SURPRISED ME.
AND I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR.
WE'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO DO ANY OF THAT.
RIGHT. I THINK THE CARLSBAD CITY COUNCIL HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR AND PREVIOUS AND THIS THIS UPDATE AND IF WE WERE BEING ASKED, THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE SOMETHING STAFF YOUR STAFF WOULD BE BRINGING BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
IT'S NOT NOT ANYTHING THAT YOUR STAFF IS GOING TO BE NEGOTIATING FOR OR AGAINST.
YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE A POINT IN TIME WHERE A CITY CONTRIBUTION MAY MAKE THE DEAL WORK AND WE END UP WITH A RESULT OUT OF THAT. THAT IS SEEMINGLY BETTER THAN THE $10 MILLION CONSOLATION PRIZE.
IT MAY MAKE SOME SENSE, BUT NO, THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO.
NO. AND IT WOULD TAKE A VOTE OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
OTHER QUESTIONS, MISS BURKHOLDER.
UM, GARY, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEGOTIATING, RIGHT? THEY WANT IT TO BE WITHIN CARLSBAD, WEST OF EL CAMINO, REAL GOOD ACCESS TO FREEWAYS, MAJOR ARTERIALS AND SERVICE AREA, RELATIVELY FLAT, RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE, AND 10 TO 12 ACRES, RIGHT? SO OF ALL THE OVER TEN PROPOSALS WE'VE TAKEN TO SDG&E, NONE OF THEM HAVE MET THOSE CRITERIA.
I'M PRESUMING THESE ARE THE CRITERIA THAT ARE IN THE ORIGINAL 2014 CONTRACT.
SO THE LOCATION CRITERIA WAS PROVIDED BY SDG&E AFTER WE WERE IN THE AGREEMENT, THE AGREEMENT STATES THAT THE SITE HAS TO BE A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE SITE TO BOTH THE CITY AND TO SDG&E.
SO WHEN WE WENT OUT INTO THE CARLSBAD COMMUNITY BACK IN 2014, 2015 TIMEFRAME, WE WERE WORKING WITH SDG&E CITING CRITERIA. NOT EVERY SITE WAS REJECTED BY SDG&E SOMETIMES IT WAS US AND THEN MOST OF THOSE SITES, MANY OF THEM WERE PRIVATE SITES. SO NRG'S CONTRIBUTION OF A $22.5 MILLION WAS BASED ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
IT WASN'T INCLUDED LAND COSTS.
SO THE GAP OF HOW DO WE ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY OR DO WE HAVE A WILLING SELLER? ALL OF THOSE PLAYED INTO THE, YOU KNOW, THE WHITTLING DOWN OF THE LONGER LIST TO WHAT'S LEFT.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS THAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS CAN BE NEGOTIATED DURING THIS NEXT SIX MONTHS? WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, NEGOTIATIONS ON AND BASED ON COUNCIL DIRECTION IS THE RELOCATION ON SITE THAT INVOLVES SDG&E AND NRG PROPERTY UP AGAINST THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
KIND OF THAT GRAPHIC OF THE YELLOW DASHED LINE IT THAT'S ENOUGH ACREAGE.
SDG&E AND NRG HAVE DONE ENOUGH DESIGN AND COST ESTIMATES TO KNOW THAT WE CAN PHYSICALLY LOCATE THE NEW SERVICE CENTER ON THAT PROPERTY AND IT WILL WORK AND MEET SDG&ES KIND OF OPERATIONS CRITERIA.
SO WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT ON THAT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? CLOSING COMMENTS.
MISS LUNA. VERY GOOD PRESENTATION.
[01:25:02]
MR. BARBERIO SO WE'RE LOOKING AT NRG PROVIDING $22.5, WHICH IS NOT REALIZED FROM THE RATEPAYERS.SO THE DIFFERENCE YOU'RE NEGOTIATING ON DEPENDING ON BUILDING COST AND DESIGN AND WHATNOT, CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT SIGNIFICANT FUNDING GAP.
NRG IS LOOKING TO SECURE A DEVELOPMENT PARTNER, COUNCIL MEMBER ACOSTA SAID WE'VE BEEN AT THIS ALMOST TEN YEARS. I THINK IT SEEMS LIKE BOTH PARTIES, ALL PARTIES ARE PUTTING IN A VALIANT EFFORT AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TIME A BATTLE TERM AS WE NEED A SURGE ON ON MEETING WITH ONE ANOTHER.
AND I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL PARTIES TO TRY TO SURGE ON THIS.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS AND THAT EVERYBODY IS SHARPENING THEIR PENCILS.
SO I WOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF AT LEAST ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO TRY TO COME TO SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION THAT WOULD BENEFIT ALL PARTIES.
YEAH, I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE THAT THIS IS TEN YEARS IS A LONG TIME FOR ALMOST ANYTHING, RIGHT? BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE COST OF JUST EXPONENTIALLY RISING AND RISING AND RISING AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT TO TAKE AWAY OF WHAT THE GOAL WAS, WHICH WAS DECOMMISSION THE ENCINO PLANT. THAT IS AMAZING.
I DO RECOGNIZE THAT AS A COST A LOT OF MONEY FOR YOU ALL AND IT IS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT.
I SEE THAT AS A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO WORK WITH US TO COME TO A RESOLUTION HERE.
I APPRECIATE THE PARTIES COMING TO SPEAK TODAY AND ALSO THE GOOD FAITH EFFORT OF THE PARTIES TO NEGOTIATE WITH OUR AMAZING STAFF THAT WE HAVE FULL FAITH IN TO TO PRESENT THE POSITION OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD AND OUR PEOPLE.
I JUST WANT TO FINISH THE SURGE IS IS A GOOD METAPHOR.
THANK YOU. I THINK WE NEED TO PUSH FORWARD.
THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT THEY ARE ALSO FRUSTRATED.
I WOULD LOVE IT IF WE CAN CLOSE THE FUNDING GAP AND REACH AGREEMENT BEFORE A YEAR FROM NOW.
THAT SEEMS 12 MONTHS SEEMS A VERY FAR TIME AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO PICK A SOONER DATE OR CHANGE THE LANGUAGE TO SAY LIKE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BY LATEST.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S VERY FAR OUT.
IF I HAVE TO, I'LL SUCK IT UP AND GO WITH THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PUSH.
WE NEED TO REALLY LIGHT A FIRE UNDER OUR PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MOVE FASTER.
AND THANK YOU, FIRST OFF, TO OUR STAFF FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY ON THIS.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REPRESENTING OUR CONSTITUENCY AND DOING WHAT WE CAN TO DO THE BEST TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY DESERVE AFTER THE PAST TEN YEARS. AND SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SOMETHING COMING OF IT IN SEPTEMBER, IF NOT SOONER.
I THINK WE DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT SOONER AND IF IF NOT SOONER, THEN OF COURSE, LOOKING FORWARD TO AN UPDATE AS TO WHAT WE NEED TO DO NEXT AS A CITY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE HEARD SDG&E AND NRG AND THE CITY ALL SAY, YOU GUYS ARE WORKING REALLY HARD RIGHT NOW.
[01:30:07]
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.I CAN HEAR THE JEOPARDY SONG GOING ON, BUT I DON'T SEE THE RESULTS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE EFFORT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TEN CITY MANAGER, PLEASE.
OKAY. UP NEXT IS ITEM NUMBER ELEVEN, THE ADOPTING A UTILITIES RESERVE POLICY MAKING.
[11. ADOPTING A UTILITIES RESERVE POLICY]
OUR PRESENTATION TODAY IS OUR UTILITIES DIRECTOR, VICKI QUIRAM, ALONG WITH OUR SENIOR MANAGEMENT ANALYST SHOSHANA AGUILAR.AND I BELIEVE I ACCIDENTALLY SAID ITEM NUMBER TEN.
IF SO, I MEANT TO ITEM NUMBER ELEVEN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT, BOTH FOR THIS ITEM. WE ARE GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
SO ARE THE PROPOSED ACTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR TONIGHT IS TO ADOPT A CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, ADOPTING A UTILITY RESERVE POLICY FOR THE WASTEWATER AND WATER FOR THE WASTEWATER ENTERPRISE FUNDS, AND THEN AS THE BOARD MEMBERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE FOR THE WATER DISTRICT ADOPTING A UTILITIES RESERVE POLICY FOR POTABLE WATER AND RECYCLED WATER ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
AND THE WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITIES ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE FUNDS.
WE DO NOT USE ANY GENERAL FUNDS AND WE DO OPERATE ON RATEPAYER FUNDS COMPLETELY.
AND SO THESE UTILITIES BEST PRACTICES IS FOR THEM TO HAVE THEIR OWN RESERVE POLICY.
AND THE THERE ARE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE FOLLOW TO SET THOSE RATES AND TO SET THOSE RANGES OF THE RESERVE POLICY AND KEEP THE KEEP THE FISCAL, KEEP THE THE FUNDS FINANCIALLY STABLE.
SO THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD REASONS TO HAVE A RESERVE POLICY.
ONE OF THEM IS JUST THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE FUNDS.
THERE IS ANOTHER ONE THAT IS KEEPING OUR RATES SMOOTH.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE GOING UP AND DOWN ON OUR CUSTOMER RATES.
WE WANT TO MODEL THIS SO THAT THERE AREN'T ANY SURPRISES.
THOSE COSTS ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT HALF OF OUR BUDGET, OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET.
AND THOSE COSTS ARE INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COVER THOSE INCREASES WITHOUT HAVING TO RUN TO CHANGE RATES EVERY YEAR.
THE OTHER ONE OF THE OTHER GOOD REASONS IS FOR EMERGENCIES.
AND WE DO HAVE EMERGENCIES THAT HAPPEN.
WE HAVE PIPES THAT BREAK. WE HAVE LIFT STATIONS THAT AREN'T WORKING.
AND WHEN WE DO, IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
WE ARE OUT FIXING THEM VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE WE CANNOT HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO DO IT AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO DO IT.
WE'VE COME UP WITH A SOUND POLICY, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SHOSHANA AGUILAR, OUR SENIOR MANAGEMENT ANALYST, WHO WILL GO OVER KIND OF SOME OF THE A FEW MORE DETAILS ABOUT HOW WE CALCULATE THESE.
SO VICKI DID TOUCH ON SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A RESERVE POLICY AND UTILITIES RESERVE POLICIES CONSIST OF MULTIPLE COMPONENTS SET BASED ON OPERATIONAL CAPITAL AND FINANCIAL METRICS.
BUT IT REALLY IS UNIQUE TO EACH UTILITY.
STANDARD AND POOR'S IS ONE OF THE RATING AGENCIES FOR UTILITIES.
AND SO HAVING A STRONG RESERVE POLICY AND HAVING A 200 DAYS MINIMUM CASH ON HAND IS ONE OF THOSE BASE METRICS THAT CAN GIVE A UTILITY A POSITIVE CREDIT SCORE AND ACCESS TO TO LOW INTEREST CAPITAL WHEN NEEDED.
OUR PROPOSED RESERVE POLICY HAS FIVE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OR BUCKETS.
AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST A COUPLE.
[01:35:02]
AND THERE IS A REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN A YEAR'S WORTH OF DEBT PAYMENTS IN RESERVE.SO IN THE FUTURE, IF OUR RESERVE LEVELS WERE HIGHER THAN THAN THE MAXIMUM PROPOSED, WE WOULD COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND SEEK APPROVAL TO EITHER USE THAT EXCESS RESERVE TOWARDS NEEDED CIP PROJECTS OR TO OFFSET FUTURE RATE INCREASES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF RESERVES FELL BELOW THE PROPOSED MINIMUM, WE WOULD AGAIN COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THE THE LOW RESERVES VIA MORE RATE INCREASES OR SPENDING CHANGES.
THIS IS A CHART FOR POTABLE WATER.
AND WHAT IT SHOWS ARE IN THE BLUE COLUMNS IS THE NUMBER OF DAYS CASH ON HAND RIGHT NOW.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE IN POTABLE, WE DO HAVE HIGH RESERVES AND SO WE ARE SPENDING THAT DOWN.
AND WE WERE ABLE IN OUR MOST RECENT SET OF RATE UPDATES FOR CALENDAR YEARS, 22 THROUGH 24, WE HAD VERY SMALL RATE INCREASES FOR POTABLE WATER AND THAT WAS BECAUSE WE DID HAVE SUCH STRONG RESERVES.
SO IDEALLY UNDER THE PROPOSED POLICY, OUR RESERVES WOULD FALL BETWEEN THE MINIMUM ORANGE LINE, THAT 180 DAYS AND THEN THE MAXIMUM GRAY LINE, THE 365 DAYS. THE COST OF SERVICE UPDATES ARE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS.
THE JUMP FROM FISCAL YEAR 2022 TO 2023 THAT YOU CAN SEE IN THE TABLE IS DUE TO AN EXPECTED $12 MILLION LOAN DISBURSEMENT FROM OUR STATE REVOLVING FUND LOAN FOR RECYCLED WATER.
SO BESIDES OUR GOAL OF, YOU KNOW, MODULATING RATES TO STAY BETWEEN THE MINIMUM AND THE MAXIMUM, WE ALSO WANT TO KEEP OUR RECYCLED WATER COST COMPETITIVE. SO WE'VE SET THE METRIC OF HAVING OUR RECYCLED WATER COSTS BE 75% OR LESS OF OUR POTABLE IRRIGATION RATE.
SO HERE'S THE GRAPH FOR WASTEWATER.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY CIP NEEDS DO NOT REMAIN FLAT.
AND WE NEEDED THOSE COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE THOSE RATE INCREASES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE APPROPRIATE FUNDING TO MINIMIZE POTENTIAL WASTEWATER BREAKS AND SPILLS. SO THE COUNCIL DID SET US ON A PATH TOWARDS A HEALTHY RESERVE IN THE FUTURE AND WE WILL BE RETURNING TO COUNCIL AGAIN WITH ANOTHER SET OF RATE INCREASES AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL TO BRING THE PROJECTED RESERVES ABOVE THE MINIMUM.
SO BEFORE REMINDING YOU OF THE PROPOSED ACTIONS, I DO JUST WANT TO THANK THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THEIR REVIEW OF THE POLICY AS WE WERE DEVELOPING IT. AND AGAIN, OUR PROPOSED ACTIONS ARE TWO ONE FOR THE COUNCIL AND ONE FOR THE BOARD TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE UTILITIES RESERVE POLICY FOR OUR THREE ENTERPRISE FUNDS. THANK YOU.
DO WE HAVE SPEAKERS? WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS, MAYOR.
THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, PLEASE? MISS LUNA. JUST REAL QUICK, SINCE THIS IS NEW FOR US WITH RESPECT ON THE STAFF REPORT ON PAGE 14 OF 39, YOU STATED RESERVE FUNDS EXCEED THE TARGET LEVEL.
HOWEVER, THERE IS NO DATE ON THAT.
SO DO YOU HAVE A DO YOU REVIEW IT QUARTERLY? DO YOU REVIEW IT ANNUALLY? THE POLICY CALLS FOR AN ANNUAL REVIEW WITH COUNCIL.
AND IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT ENOUGH? IS THAT ENOUGH TIME, THOUGH, TO PIVOT IT? IT IS ENOUGH TIME TO PIVOT BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE WE HAVE A MODEL THAT WE'RE WATCHING ALL THE TIME.
RIGHT. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ALL THE TIME.
SO WE HAVE A MODEL OF ALL THESE FUNDS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE DO SET THE RATES FOR EITHER TWO OR THREE YEARS.
AND THESE RESERVES ARE WHAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT WHEN WE NEED TO DURING THOSE THREE YEARS, IF EVER WE HAD WEREN'T NOT ABLE TO DO SO, WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND AND WE DO PLAN ON LIKE I SAID, THIS RESERVE POLICY ACTUALLY SAYS COME BACK EVERY YEAR AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
OKAY. SO YOUR ANALYTICS, I MEAN, THEY SEEM SOLID.
SO I JUST I JUST WAS CONCERNED IF MAYBE IN SIX MONTHS, SOMETHING WITH THE WAY ENERGY RATES ARE ARE GOING THROUGH THE CEILING THAT I'M SURE YOU'VE YOU'VE ANTICIPATED THAT IN YOUR EXTRAPOLATION.
SO OKAY I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE YEAR.
[01:40:01]
MISS BURKHOLDER. YES.DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE SLIDE? 18 OUT OF 39? WE TALK ABOUT THE FIVE BUCKETS, RIGHT? AND THIS IS A REALLY GREAT ILLUSTRATION OF IT.
SO I THINK IT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL TO SAY IT IN OTHER TERMS OTHER THAN WATER.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE OPERATING WORKING CAPITAL, FOR ME THAT MEANS THAT THE CITY HAS TO PAY REGARDLESS OF IF RATEPAYERS PAY.
WE STILL HAVE OUR OBLIGATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT BUCKET KIND OF COVERS.
AND THEN THE DEBT SERVICE YOU WENT OVER THE REVOLVING REVOLVING DEBT, WHICH MAKES SENSE.
CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION, MORE HOUSES, MORE PEOPLE, MORE INFRASTRUCTURE KIND OF GOES IN THAT BUCKET.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY EMERGENCY CAPITAL IS THE IF SOMETHING GOES TERRIBLY WRONG AND WE HAVE TO FIX STUFF OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER THAT DISASTER MIGHT BE, AND THEN RATE STABILIZATION, WHICH YOU ALSO COVERED.
SO WHICH IS NOT SPIKING RATES FOR OUR RESIDENTS SO THAT WE HAVE A MORE STABLE APPROACH TO IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.
NO, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT REPORT, MS. ACOSTA. I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS, JUST COMMENTS.
DO YOU WANT ME TO GO? MRS. BHAT-PATEL COMMENTS.
OKAY, LET'S START WITH COMMENTS IN THIS END MRS. BHAT-PATEL.
WELL, I HAVE TO SECOND WHAT MS. BURKHOLDER SAID. I THINK I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE, BUT YOUR DEPARTMENT ALWAYS HAS SO MUCH ENTHUSIASM WITH REGARDS TO THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, AND IT DEFINITELY SHOWS AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SET THIS POLICY AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT.
SO THANK YOU. MRS. ACOSTA. THANK YOU.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING TOO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD.
I LOVE WORKING IN WATER AND I LOVE WORKING WITH OUR STAFF WHO WORK IN WATER.
I THINK THAT HAVING A RESERVE POLICY IS PART OF GREAT FISCAL POLICY, SO I'M VERY PLEASED THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS TO US AND ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE THE WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN WITH THESE RESERVE POLICY COMPONENTS AND THE EXPLANATION OF IT.
SO I APPRECIATE IT AND I SUPPORT IT.
THANK YOU. MS. BURKHOLDER YEAH, I JUST PROBABLY ECHO THE SAME THINGS THAT THEY'RE SAYING.
I AGREE THAT WATER ISN'T THE SEXY CONVERSATION YOU KNOW WE SEE POLICE AND FIRE ALL THE TIME.
WE SEE ROADS ALL THE TIME AND WE TAKE OUR WATER FOR GRANTED.
AND WHEN YOU FLUSH YOUR TOILET, EVERYTHING GOES AWAY.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED, BUT KIND OF IMPORTANT IN OUR EVERYDAY LIVES.
I THINK THAT HAVING A RESERVE FUND IS JUST THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO.
MOVE ADOPTION OF BOTH RESOLUTIONS IN AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ELEVEN.
THANK YOU. WE STILL HAVE THREE PUBLIC COMMENTS LEFT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
[PUBLIC COMMENT (Part 2 of 2)]
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THEM? ACTUALLY, WE HAVE FOUR MAYOR.WOULD MIKE BORRELLO, COME FORWARD, FOLLOWED BY ROSETTE GARCIA, PLEASE.
OH, I'M SO SORRY. YOU ARE COMING UP.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE HERE FOR THE WHOLE MEETING, BUT I WAS PLEASANTLY ENTERTAINED, I SHOULD SAY.
THE LEAGUE IS A NONPARTISAN, GRASSROOTS CIVIC ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO ENCOURAGE INFORMED AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1920, AND SO WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 100 YEARS PROVIDING IMPARTIAL INFORMATION TO VOTERS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED CHOICES AT THE BALLOT BOX.
OUR OWN LEAGUE HERE IN NORTH COUNTY HAS JUST CELEBRATED ITS 60TH BIRTHDAY.
EVERY ELECTION CYCLE, THE LEAGUE IS ASKED BY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO MODERATE CANDIDATE FORUMS BECAUSE WE ARE KNOWN TO OFFER FAIR PLATFORMS WITH MODERATORS TRAINED TO BE FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.
[01:45:01]
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN OUR CANDIDATE FORUMS. INCREASINGLY, WE FIND THAT CANDIDATES ARE RELUCTANT TO ATTEND THESE CANDIDATE FORUMS DUE TO A LACK OF CIVILITY AND UNFORTUNATELY, DECLINING TRUST IN OUR INSTITUTIONS.THIS IS A TRAGIC LOSS FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND WE THINK ALSO THAT CANDIDATES ARE ENTITLED TO A FAIR AND CIVIL FORMAT WHERE THEY CAN EXPLORE ISSUES OF CONCERN, SHOWCASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE, PRESENT THEMSELVES AND THEIR THOUGHT PROCESSES TO THE PUBLIC.
WHEN THESE CANDIDATE FORUMS DON'T TAKE PLACE, VOTERS AND CANDIDATES ALIKE ARE DEEPLY DEPRIVED.
SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK THAT THE CITY AGENDIZE OUR PROPOSAL FOR THE CITY OF CARLSBAD TO SPONSOR CANDIDATE FORUMS FOR CITY COUNCIL AND MAYORAL RACES.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A TRACK RECORD OF DOING THAT.
THE CITY OF DEL MAR CAME TO US THREE ELECTION CYCLES AGO AND THEY HOST THE CANDIDATE FORUMS. WE MODERATE THEM AND WE FIND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO FUND ANY COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED.
AND THEY'RE GENERALLY NOT ANY COSTS.
MAYBE JUST FOR SOME AV AND WE WE FIND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PAY FOR THOSE COSTS BECAUSE WE ARE AWARE, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PUBLIC AGENCIES CANNOT SPEND TAXPAYER MONEY ON POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.
SO WE BELIEVE CITY SPONSORED FORUMS ARE THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO OFFER THESE EVENTS.
THEY MAKE THE FORUMS ACCESSIBLE TO MORE VOTERS.
PLEASE SHARE THAT WITH THE CLERK.
MY NAME IS BRANDON TIONGSON AND I WISH TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY NOT AS AN EMPLOYEE, WHICH GREATLY INFORMS MY EXPERIENCE SERVING HERE, BUT AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CARLSBAD EQUALITY COALITION. AND I WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THE IMPACTS OF INTERNAL DEI POLICIES AND HOW I'VE SEEN EVERYONE BENEFIT THROUGH MY LINE OF WORK ON THE OUTSIDE.
WE HAVE PARENTS, STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE BECOMING BOLD ENOUGH TO SHARE SOME OF THE HURT FROM CASUAL ANTI-SEMITISM AND MISOGYNY THAT THEY EXPERIENCE REGULARLY.
WITH INCREASING SUPPORT AGAINST SUCH HATE AS DISTRICT AND CITY STAFF BECOME MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE FAMILIES THAT ARE ABLE TO SEE MORE OF THEIR CULTURAL VOICES HEARD AND EXPRESSED THROUGH OFFICIAL EVENTS AND PROGRAMING.
BUT SOMETHING THAT WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO AND REACT TO THOSE BEING SILENCED BY THOSE WHO NEED TIME TO UNDERSTAND THAT DEI SERVES EVERYONE, INCLUDING ITS OBJECTORS.
BUT IT WILL TAKE COURAGE ON ALL OUR PARTS TO EMBRACE DISCOMFORT AND TURN IT INTO EMPOWERMENT.
THANK YOU. IS THAT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SPEAKERS? YES. THANK YOU.
[COUNCIL COMMENTARY AND REQUESTS FOR CONSIDERATION OF MATTERS]
CLOSING STATEMENTS WE'LL START WITH YOU, MS. LUNA. NOTHING.THANK YOU. MRS. BURKHOLDER. WELL, IT'S BEEN A KIND OF FUN PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, DEFINITELY.
WE WENT TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING.
IT'S AN AMAZING EVENT THAT WE HOST EVERY YEAR.
AND THEN UPCOMING I'M GOING TO BE DOING MEALS ON WHEELS TOMORROW.
I THINK I USED TO DO WITH MY MOM A LONG TIME AGO WHEN I WAS A KID.
AND THEN APTERA IS HOPING HOSTING AN EVENING THEY BUILD LIKE FUTURE FORWARD ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
SO I'LL BE ATTENDING THAT TOMORROW NIGHT.
AND THEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, I'M ON A SANDAG RETREAT.
AND THEN SUNDAY IS DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, SO I'M GOING TO NEED THAT EXTRA HOUR.
[01:50:02]
GREAT. THANK YOU.EVERY MONTH, THE CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HOSTS RISING STAR AWARDS FOR LOCAL STUDENTS WHO ARE DOING AMAZING THINGS FROM ALL DIFFERENT SCHOOLS FROM CARLSBAD, ARMY NAVY TO CARLSBAD HIGH SCHOOL TO LA COSTA CANYON OR PACIFIC RIDGE SCHOOL.
ALL ALL THE SCHOOLS IN CARLSBAD ARE REPRESENTED, ALTHOUGH THEY ROTATE.
SO THEY HONOR FOUR STUDENTS PER MONTH.
AND I ATTENDED THAT LAST TUESDAY.
I WILL BE AT THE APTERA EVENT TOMORROW WITH THE CARLSBAD CHAMBER.
THE NEXT ONE IS OUR LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO COME TO THAT, YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.
THE PUBLIC IS ALWAYS INVITED OR YOU CAN STREAM IT OR WATCH IT ON CABLE.
UM, I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER OTHER ONES.
BUT WE'VE GOT THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY DIVISION MEETING VIRTUALLY COMING UP ON MONDAY.
MY COLLEAGUE IS THE PRESIDENT OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY DIVISION, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT ONE.
AND THEN FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY, OUR NEXT MEETING IS NOT UNTIL IT'S A MONTHLY MEETING.
OUR NEXT MEETING IS NOT UNTIL THE END OF MARCH.
ALSO, JUST A QUICK NOTE ON THE VOLUNTEERING.
THE SENIOR CENTER VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION CEREMONY WAS FANTASTIC.
I DELIVERED MEALS WITH MEALS ON WHEELS YESTERDAY THROUGHOUT CARLSBAD AND ALSO ALSO ATTENDED AN EVENT LEARNING ABOUT HANDS OF PEACE, ANOTHER LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT WORKS ON CONFLICT RESOLUTION FOR AMERICANS, ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS TOGETHER.
IT WAS AMAZING. THANK YOU, MISS BHAT-PATEL.
I KNOW THE MAYOR AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR VIASAT THIS PAST FRIDAY, WHICH WAS EXCITING.
THE OTHER NOW GO THROUGH MY COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
I AM PART OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE AND THAT MET LAST WEDNESDAY NCTD I SIT ON MULTIPLE COMMITTEES FOR NCTD.
LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES IS ON MONDAY.
SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I, AS CHAIR DECIDED THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THIS YEAR.
AND THEN JUST WANTED TO WISH FOLKS, INCLUDING MYSELF, FOR TOMORROW, IT'S A RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY.
HAPPY HOLI TO THOSE WHO CELEBRATE.
AND I'LL ALSO BE DOING MEALS FOR WHEELS ON FRIDAY.
NORMALLY I DON'T TELL STORIES, BUT I'M GOING TO ANYWAY.
WE DID GO TO ONE HOUSE AND THE WOMAN WAS 100 YEARS OLD, WAS STANDING WITHOUT EVEN A WALKER, AND THE WOMAN WHO WAS TAKING ME WITH HER SAID, ASKED THIS WOMAN.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR OUR NEWSLETTER? AND SHE, WITHOUT WASTING A MOMENT, RESPONDED, DAMN RIGHT.
I JUST WENT TO THE BEAUTY SHOP.
IT CAUGHT MY HEART, SO WEEKLY FOR FIVE YEARS I DELIVERED MEALS ON WHEELS SO BE CAREFUL.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
THE ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.WE HAVE TO ANNOUNCE ANYTIME THREE OR MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GOING TO BE IN ONE LOCATION .
ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8TH, FROM 5 TO 7 P.M..
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EVENT IS CALLED AN EVENING WITH APTERA MOTORS 5818 EL CAMINO REAL IN CARLSBAD.
SATURDAY, MARCH 11TH AT 10:30 A.M..
MOOYAH BURGERS, FRIES AND SHAKES GRAND OPENING AT 2540 EL CAMINO REAL SUITE NUMBER A, CITY MANAGER.
KEEPING OUR KIDS SAFE ON CARLSBAD STREETS.
THAT'S IT. CITY ATTORNEY NOTHING FOR ME.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. CITY CLERK NOTHING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
[01:55:01]
WE'RE ADJOURNED.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.