* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [ CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:06] GOOD EVENING. OKAY. WELCOME TO OUR SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING RIGHT NOW. 7 0 1. OKAY. AND THE MEETING IS NOW IN SESSION. OKAY. ANY PERSON WISH TO ADDRESS TO CITY COUNCIL DURING THE ORAL COMMUNICATION MUST COMPLETE A SPEAKER CALL THAT IS PROVIDED AT ENTRIES TO THE, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBER AND SUBMIT TO THE CALL TO THE ASSISTANT CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF ORAL COMMUNICATION. OKAY. SPEAKER CALL WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER ORAL COMMUNICATION HAS STARTED TONIGHT. INVOCATION WILL BE LEFT BY TRAVELING. LISA MAY THANK YOU FOR COMING. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIEREZ WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEASURE OF ALLEGIANCE. ALL RISE, PLEASE. MY KIND AND HEAVENLY FATHER, I COME TO YOU GIVING YOU PRAISE, GLORY, AND HONOR, LORD, FOR THIS DAY, FOR ALLOWING US TO LIVE ON THIS EARTH AT THIS MOMENT. AND FATHER, I JUST THANK YOU THAT YOU'LL ALLOW US TO KNOW YOU AND THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US THIS FREEDOM. SO I ASK THAT YOU BLESS EACH AND EVERY PERSON THAT IS HERE, EVERY CHILD THAT IS HERE, BLESS OUR COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR. WOO. OUR MAYOR, PRO TEMP LETTI, ROSARIO DI AS OUR COUNCILWOMAN AND OLI, CONTOS COUNCILMAN AND BRIAN GUTIERREZ, COUNCIL MEMBER, BECAUSE OUR JOBS ARE VERY DIFFICULT, FATHER, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE WITH THEM ALWAYS. SO BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM AND GIVE THEM ALL WISDOM, KINDNESS, AND COMPASSION TO FOLLOW YOUR LEAD. LORD, I THANK YOU, FATHER, FOR ALLOWING US TO KNOW YOU. IN YOUR NAME. I HAVE PRAYED. AMEN. PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND, PUT YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART. READY? BEGIN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC. REPUBLIC FOR QUICK STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HAVE A SEAT, PLEASE SETTLE DOWN, PLEASE. THANK YOU. IT'S A FULL HOUSE. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR COMING. OKAY. UH, THE CITY, CITY CLUB ROLL CALL PLEASE. ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN CONTOS? HERE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ. HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ. VIRO. PRESENT. MAYOR WU HERE. AND, UH, CITY. UH, CITY ATTORNEY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? REPORT FROM THE CLOSED SESSION. NOTHING TO REPORT, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND, UH, WE HAVE, WE CAN SEE A LOT OF HAPPY KIDS OUTSIDE. OKAY. WE HAVE, UH, POSSIBLE HUNDREDS OF KIDS. OKAY. I DUNNO. WE CAN THREE PUT OVER HERE AND WE CAN SEE OUR OKAY. AND THE COUNCILMAN ONLY CAN WE DRESS UP FOR THE CASE? MAYBE YOU WANNA COME DOWN WITH ME TO GREET ALL THOSE CHILDREN? THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR. MR. MAYOR? YEAH. WOULD YOU PLEASE COME WITH ME? I, OKAY. UM, YOU, YOU ALL HAVE ONE MIC? OH, I GIVE, I GIVE TO HIM. [ PRESENTATIONS] OKAY. UH, THE FIRST PRESENTATION WE HAVE, UH, OUR, I THINK OKAY. WEST COVINA CHAMPIONSHIP OF DISTRICT 19. I THINK THIS IS, UH, OUR WEST COVINA. AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE. OKAY. AND, UH, WE HAVE A LEAGUE MANAGER OR OUR ORGANIZER. IMA, IMA YOU ARE HERE WHO WANT TO REPRESENT THE AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE. MAMA, ARE YOU HERE? WHOA. . ERIC, DID YOU, DID YOU PREPARE THE CERTIFICATE? WE MIGHT BE GO TO THE WHOLE NINE. OKAY. OKAY, EMMA. OKAY. UH, YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? INTRODUCE YOUR LEAGUE. OKAY. AND INTRODUCE YOUR KID. HELLO, I AM EMMA [00:05:01] OSTERHOUT. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF WEST COVINA, AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE. AND WE ARE HERE TO HONOR OUR SIX BANNERS THAT WE GOT FOR OUR LEAGUE. UM, WE'VE GOT, YOU'VE GOT, YOU HAVE THE LIST FOR ME, TONY. YEAH. ONE. YEP. TONY'S GONNA DO IT. SUPER PROUD OF THESE BOYS. THANK YOU. PARENTS. AGAIN, WE JUST SKIP A GROUP. DO YOU WANT ME TO DO IT OR DO YOU WANNA DO IT? YOU DO IT. YOU WANT ME TO DO IT? BUT WE DO IT ALL GROUP. WE DON'T. ONE BY ONE. OKAY. THE FIRST GROUP IS GONNA BE OUR MANAGER, MAURICE RODRIGUEZ. WE'VE GOT PLAYER LUCA, WE'VE GOT LUCA, LUCAS, VINCENT, CHRISTIAN, FABIAN, ERIC, NICHOLAS, JUDAH, JOSHUA AND LUCAS. GOOD JOB BOYS. AND THIS IS THE 6, 7, 8 SELECT TEAM. THIS IS OUR 6, 7, 8 SELECT TEAM. MM-HMM . SO THESE ARE SIX, SEVEN, AND 8-YEAR-OLD PLAYERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. OUR GOOD JOB. AND THEN WE HAVE GROUP TWO. WE HAVE MANAGER KYLE ANGLAND AND COACH DANNY SCHWAB. WE'VE GOT PLAYER, DEREK CASTANERA, LANDON GOMEZ, DIEGO MARTINEZ, FABIAN RODRIGUEZ, NIXON SCHWAB, BRYCE ANGLAND, DOMINIC VELAZQUEZ, ELIJAH VILLALOBOS, THOMAS MUNOZ, JADEN MARTINEZ, JD MONTGOMERY, AND DAMON HARROW. THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS OUR EIGHT, OUR EIGHT 10 DISTRICT BANNER. THESE ARE OUR EIGHT THROUGH 10 YEAR OLDS. TAKE A PICTURE. OKAY GUYS, REAL QUICK. REAL QUICK. THREE. ONE, TWO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JAYDEN. ALSO, JAYDEN. JAYDEN SAVALO. HE'S GOT HIS. AND THEN WE'VE GOT DAVID SILVA MANAGER. THIS IS FOR OUR NINE 11. OUR NINE AND 11 YEAR OLDS. NINE THROUGH 11. WE'VE GOT DAVID SILVA AS THE MANAGER. ANDREW MARTINEZ AS COACH. WE'VE GOT MICAH AGUILAR, BOSTON KAAS, MATEO COSTENA, ROMAN LANIS, NOAH GATA, BO JENKINS, JOSIAH MARTINEZ. DEAN OSTERHOUT, GERALD PRAGER, EZEKIEL RESENDEZ, DAVID SILVA, JAMON, VENEZUELA, AND HAR JAVIER. MARTINEZ. GET IN GUYS. GET IN. SCOOT IN. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. THIS IS OUR GROUP FOUR. OUR MANAGER IS ROB MCDONALD. COACH TIM OAU. MIGUEL. ROBERTO. AND WE'VE GOT MICHAEL, AYA, SEBASTIAN AION, JOSHUA BEO, WILLIAM FORTIS, NICHOLAS GURAY, YOSHI HERNANDEZ, NOAH MAGIA, BENJAMIN MARTINEZ, MAX MARTINEZ, MAX MCDONALD, ROMAN PADILLA, AND DYLAN. UND. WE ALSO HAVE JULIAN BLATO AND JAX MCM. [00:10:05] ONE, TWO. THANK YOU BOYS. OKAY. AND THIS IS OUR, UM, TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS. THIS IS OUR IN DISTRICT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS. AND WE'VE GOT, THE FIRST ONE IS KYLE ANGLIN, TIM OSTERHOUT AND NICK SANCHEZ FOR THE BANNER. AND WE'VE GOT BOSTON KAAS. WILLIAM FOR WILLIAM FORTIS, NOAH MAGIA, DEAN OSTERHOUT, AIDEN PERZA, ETHAN RIOS. DAMIEN. DAMIEN, ROMAN, SEAN SANCHEZ, CADEN, SAWYER, BRYCELAN. DYLAN. DYLAN STALIN, AND AARON VALENCIA. OH, HERE COMES BOSTON. HERE COMES BOSTON. NINA, THIS IS FOR OUR MAJOR DIVISION. HOW ABOUT THE, OKAY. SQUEEZE IN. YOU GUYS. SQUEEZE IN. COME ON, BOY. COME ON. YES, SIR. BRING IN. BRING IT IN. BRING IT IN. AND OUR FINAL TEAM IS OUR MINOR DIVISION. WE'VE GOT JOHN HADLEY AS MANAGER, TAO AS COACH, RAFAEL AS COACH. AND AGNES HADLEY AS TEAM PARENT. WE HAVE IAN ORTEGA, MACIO CHACON, NICHOLAS KRAUS, PARKER HADLEY, JOSEPH LATSHAW, JOSEPH LAU, JD MONTGOMERY, NATHANIEL PEREZ, LUCAS RODRIGUEZ, DYLAN SANCHEZ, BENJAMIN VALENZUELA, AND LEVI WOOD. YOU GUYS ARE SWITCHING GUYS. YEAH. THANK YOU BOYS. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER TEAM PLAYER HAS TO SAY ANYTHING. UH, HE PLAY ALL THE TIME. AND HE'S THE BEST PITCHERS OF THE 2025. ONLY KENDALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MAYOR, FOR INVITING ME DOWN HERE IN SUPPORT OF OUR AMAZING WEST COVINA, AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE. YAY. TO ALL 103 OF THE PLAYERS WHO WE HAVE HONORED TONIGHT. WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE AS A CITY OF WEST COVINA ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU. VARIOUS OF US HAVE BEEN TO YOUR GAMES. I HAVE HAD THE FUN OF CHEERING ALL OF YOU GUYS ON. AND FOR YOU TO BE CHAMPIONS IS A RECOGNITION AND A TESTAMENT TO HOW AWESOME YOU GUYS ARE AND HOW MUCH YOU REPRESENT THE AMAZING CITY OF WEST COVINA. CONGRATULATIONS EVERYBODY. AND THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. [00:15:03] YEAH. UH, THANK YOU CONGRESSMAN. OKAY. GREAT SPEECH. OKAY. AND, UH, , NOT ONLY YOU ARE, YOU ARE A GREAT PITCH. OKAY. AND A PITCHER AT THE SAME TIME. OKAY. YOU ARE A GOOD SPEAKER. OKAY. SO, SO GREAT SPEECH. OKAY. UH, REALLY IMPORTANT THING IS THIS. WE SEE SO MANY HAPPY CHILDREN AND IT'S OUR KID. THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY. THAT'S WHY WE HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH THEIR WIN. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE PARENT, THE COACHES, THE VOLUNTEER, EMMA. OKAY. DOING ALL THE, THE GREAT JOB, OKAY. AND, UH, MAKE ALL OUR CHILDREN VERY HAPPY. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU? WE DON'T HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR HER. OKAY. AH, WE GIVE A HUNDREDS PEOPLE. WE DON'T GIVE TO THE MAIN PERSON. HEY, YOU AND ME, IF THE SAME. WE DON'T NEED A CERTIFICATE, . WE JUST WANT TO WORK AND MAKE, MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE HAPPY. WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT ALL YOUR LEAGUE? UH, NO. I'M JUST SUPER PROUD OF ALL OF THESE KIDS AND IT'S TRUE. WHAT, UH, MR. MAYOR SAID IS THAT, UH, VOLUNTEERS LITTLE LEAGUE IS ALL BASED ON VOLUNTEERS AND WE HAVE REALLY GOOD VOLUNTEERS. AND IT WOULDN'T WORK IF I DIDN'T HAVE PARENT SUPPORT AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS AT THE LEAGUE. AND IF YOU GUYS EVER WANNA COME, GRANDKIDS, KIDS, COME ON OVER TO MY PARK. WE'RE THERE. WE'D LOVE TO TAKE YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND, AND THEY ARE HAPPY, ACCEPT DONATION. OKAY. SO OPEN YOUR WALLET, SUPPORT OUR KID, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE. OKAY. OKAY. AND, UH, THEY PASSED THEIR BEDTIME, SO THEY SHOULD GO HOME. OKAY. GOOD NIGHT. AND TRY CAREFULLY PARENT. OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU. ALI, DO YOU NEED, DO YOU NEED HELP? DO YOU NEED HELP? THANK YOU, PARENT. WHOA, EVERYBODY GONE ALREADY? I WOULD THINK ABOUT FOUR HOUSE. YOU WELCOME. I SEE YOU IN THE OKAY. BASEBALL FIELD. OKAY. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. TRY CAREFULLY. OKAY. UH, WE ARE MOVING TO OUR NEXT, UH, PRESENTATION KALO. OKAY. UH, MAUREEN, RIGHT? MARINEAU COLOR MARINE. WOULD YOU COME OVER HERE? OKAY. I'M GONNA READ THIS. THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS FROM WEST COVINA. THIS IS RESIDENTS COME FROM WEST COVINA. OKAY. AND LET ME READ IT NOW. YOU CAN, YOU CANNOT BELIEVE IT. HOW OUTSTANDING OUR YOUNGSTER REPRESENT THE CITY. YOU GOT READY? OKAY. HONOR TO RECOGNIZE HIM. OKAY. UM, KALO MARINE IN ABOUT HIS UPCOMING PRESENTATION AT THE SCIENCE SUMMIT. SCIENCE SUMMIT 2025, HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNITED STATE. UNITED NATION. UNITED NATION. SO, MEANING YOU'RE GOING TO NEW YORK, RIGHT? IT WAS YESTERDAY. IT'S . OKAY, SO THIS ALREADY IT WAS, IT IS ALREADY HAPPENED. OKAY. SO MAYBE YOU SHARE WITH US ABOUT EXPERIENCE OVER THERE. HOW IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNITED NATION GENERAL ASSEMBLY, MR. MARINE IS THE FOUNDER OF A RY OKAY. ARC, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CLIMATE, REGENERATION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. MR. MARINE HAS EARNED NOTABLE RECOGNITION FOR HIS EFFORT, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENTIAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. 2023. SO YOUNG, YOU'LL GET A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT. OKAY. AND PENDO DAY'S FIRST PRIZE 2024. JEFF MARINE BULL RING SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD 2025, AND THE GLENDALE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD 2024. YOU HAVE A LOT OF WAR THAN ANYBODY ELSE. OKAY. WE SEE YOU ARE 25 YEARS OLD AGE. SO, BUT 21. OKAY. I KNOW. I'M 29 2. OKAY. SO, SO, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING, AS ALWAYS. COVID REPRESENTATIVE TO UNITED NATION IS OUTSTANDING. AND YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE ABOUT YESTERDAY? YOU, YOU GOT A MIC, RIGHT? WELL, IT, IT WAS, UH, REALLY NICE TO PRESENT AND, AND TO HAVE, UH, SCIENTISTS SCRUTINIZE THE WORK THAT NADI IS DOING, AND HOPEFULLY MORE PEOPLE LISTEN TO WHAT WE'RE DOING. YEAH. L THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT. OKAY. . I, I BUILD UP SO HIGH. AND YOU ONLY TALK ABOUT TWO SECONDS. NO. SAY, SAY SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF A, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL JOB THING QUICKLY. OKAY. AND ABOUT, UH, [00:20:01] WHAT YOU, WHAT WHAT YOU PRESENT TO UNITED NATION ABOUT. OKAY. OH, DID QUICKLY. NOT TOO LONG. OKAY. YOU ONLY HAVE ABOUT TWO MINUTES. OKAY. OKAY. SO ESSENTIALLY WE, UM, WE DEVELOP A PROCESS. IT'S AN ORGANIC WASTE PROCESSING SYSTEM WHERE, UH, WE, UH, EXPERIMENT. OH, THERE, OKAY. SO THAT'S US, UH, NEXT SCREEN. UH, SO ESSENTIALLY, I JUST WANT TO, UH, THE CONCEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION IS REALLY BAD. IT'S ALREADY, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN, UH, I WAS FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS IN FINANCE AND I HAD TO DO A 180 BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENTAL SITU. I WANTED TO SEE IF I COULD FIND A SOLUTION FOR OUR GROWING ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS. UH, SO I STARTED NEW EARTH REGENERATION INITIATIVE AFTER, UH, TESTING THE PROCESS WITH A COUPLE OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. UM, SO ESSENTIALLY RIGHT NOW, THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IS THE SOIL IS SO HARD, SO COMPACTED THAT THE WATER DOESN'T PENETRATE TO THE GROUND. SO WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS WE WERE ABLE TO CONVERT ORGANIC WASTE INTO A NUTRIENT RICH SOIL WITH, UH, ENHANCED WATER RETENTION CAPACITY. THERE'S ONE SLIDE SOMEWHERE IN THERE IF YOU MOVE IT FORWARD. SO, YOU KNOW, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION, EIGHT TO 10% OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION IS CAUSED BY FOOD WASTE. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE DID A COMBINATION. WE DID SOME EXPERIMENTATION. LEAVE IT, UH, ONE MORE, MORE. THERE IT IS. OKAY. SO, JUST VERY SIMPLE. ESSENTIALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE A SOIL AMENDMENT THAT IS ABLE, THAT, UH, PROCESSES MUCH FASTER THAN, THAN A COMMERCIAL COMPOSTING SYSTEM. AND IT, AND IT HAS A HIGHER NUTRIENT CONTENT AND WATER RETENTION CAPACITY. WHAT THAT MEANS IS ESSENTIALLY WE ARE ABLE TO TRANSFORM THE PROBLEM OF ORGANIC WASTE IN LARGE QUANTITIES AND TRANSFORM IT INTO SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA RETAIN WATER IN THE AREA, AND IT'S GONNA PROVIDE NUTRIENTS FOR, FOR VEGETATION. I GUESS THAT'S THE SIMPLEST THING, . IT'S, IT'S GREAT. AND, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH COVINA HAS A BKK DUMP, MAYBE CAN HELP IT WITH THE DUMP. OKAY. CLEAN IT UP AND WITH ALL YOUR ORGANIC THING. OKAY. MAKE SURE THEY CAN BE GREEN WHILE AND BROWN FAIL. OKAY. AND, UH, AESTHETIC ACCEPTABLE RIGHT NOW LOOK HORRIBLE, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU KNOW, YOU ARE OUTSTANDING AND HOPEFULLY BRING YOUR KNOWLEDGE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND MOM. OKAY. ALI, I WANNA COME UP. OKAY. AND, UH, PROUD MOM OVER HERE WITH, UH, OKAY. OUTSTANDING. OKAY, KID. OKAY. I THINK ALL THE PARENT DREAM IS FROM YOU. OKAY. GO AHEAD. WANNA SAY SOMETHING? YEAH. I'M VERY HONORED TO BE IN WEST COVINA. WE'VE BEEN HERE IN WEST COVINA AND SAW A LOT OF THE GROWTH THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING. I'M VERY PROUD TO SEE HOW RO IS TAKING ON CHALLENGES THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR HUMANITY, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL DECREASE FIRE HAZARDS IN THE WORLD AND WILL INCREASE OUR WATER RETENTION SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP THE TREES. I DON'T KNOW THE THE SCIENCE OF IT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU AS A MOM THAT I'M VERY PROUD TO BE A WEST COA RESIDENT, AND I FEEL VERY PROUD TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WEST CORINA. SO GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND MADE ME KNOW TO CONTINUE HIS EXPERIMENTS. THANK YOU. TONY, WANNA SAY SOMETHING? OH, YEAH. CAN I JUST, UH, THAT'S A WEBSITE IF YOU GUYS WANNA CHECK IT OUT. UH, JUST BRIEFLY, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A STATE GRANT WHERE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A LARGE SCALE THIS IN THE DESERT, ONE OF THE AREAS, UH, DRIEST, UH, IN CALIFORNIA. SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE APPLIED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. YEAH. ESPECIALLY IS, ESPECIALLY BKK. OKAY. OKAY. MAYBE YOU CAN PUT SOMETHING OVER THERE. OKAY. SO YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. YEAH. OKAY. MAKE IT, MAKE IT LIKE A GREEN AND NICE, LIKE A HILL. LIKE NATURE. WHAT THE DUMP? OKAY. ABOUT REPRESENT 120,000, UH, POPULATION OF WEST COVINA. WE'RE SO PROUD TO HAVE YOU. OKAY. UH, GO TO UN AND, UH, PRESENT ALL THESE KIND OF, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL, VERY HEALTHY, AND THEY TRY TO HELP RECYCLE AND MAKE SURE OUR EARTH IS CONTINUE TO VIBRANT AND CONTINUE TO HAVE A GREEN TREE AND VEGETATION. AND THIS IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT. AND HERE IS A RECOGNITION FROM THE CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING OF ACHIEVEMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK. OH, AND MOM? YEAH. COME ON THE SIDE. THANK YOU. HELLO. SEE YOU SOON IN [00:25:01] THE, [ ORAL COMMUNICATIONS] OKAY, NOW WE MOVE TO ORAL COMMUNICATION. OKAY. AND, UH, UH, COMMON ARE LIMIT TO THREE MINUTES, UH, PER SPEAKER, UNLESS MODIFIED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER FOR THE CITY COUNCIL. OKAY. OR THE CITY COUNCIL REQUEST TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM WILL BE HEARD PRIOR TO REQUEST TO THE SPEAK, UH, ON THE NON AGENDA ITEM. MEMBER PROBABLY MAY NOT ENGAGE IN BEHAVIOR THAT IS DISRUPTED TO THE ELDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO. UH, SPEAKING OF TOPICS, SPEAKING BEYOND THE SPEAKERS ALLOW TIME LIMIT MAKING SLANDEROUS OF AFE REMARK OR USING LOUD THREATENING OR ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, WHICH DISRUPT DISTURB, DISTURB, IMP, PLEAD OR RENDER INVISIBLE AT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THE MEETING. MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MAY NOT THREATEN ANY PERSON WITH PHYSICAL HARM OR ACT IN A MANNER THAT MAY REASONABLE BE INTERPRETED AS AN ELEMENT THREAT OR PHYSICAL HARM. WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME BEING CALLED, YOU MAY SIT IN THE FRONT, THE FRONT ROW, DESIGNATED FOR PUBLIC SPEAKER. THE TIME WILL START WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED. UH, AND HOW MANY SPEAKER WE HAVE? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. WE HAVE 14 SPEAKERS TONIGHT. 14. OKAY, GO AHEAD. THE FIRST ONE, PLEASE. FIRST UP IS JERRY PATRAS, FOLLOWED BY BIG AMY AND LISA SOUR OR SOUR. EXCUSE ME. GOOD EVENING. IT IS UNCLEAR TO ME HOW ANY CITY COUNCIL CAN ATE A COUNCIL MEMBER WITHOUT HAVING RULES. A CODE OF CONDUCT PROVIDING BASIC EXPECTATIONS FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER. THE COUNCIL SHOULD DO TWO THINGS BEFORE ATTEMPTING SENSE TO CENSOR ANYONE IN MY VIEW. FIRST, UPDATE THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL RULES, OR DEVELOP A CODE OF CONDUCT, AS YOU RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT, DOING THAT DOCUMENT SHOULD BE VIEWED AS PRIOR A PRIORITY BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING BEHAVIOR. SECOND, HIRE AN OUTSIDE, PRIVATE, INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR TO LOOK INTO THE CONCERNS RAISED BY COUNCILWOMAN LOPEZ. VITO, AND COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ AGAINST EACH OTHER, EXISTING OR PREVIOUS STAFF, SHOULD NOT CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION. THERE IS A PRECEDENT FOR THIS PROCESS IN RELATION TO INVESTIGATING ELECTED OFFICIALS WITHIN THE CITY. WE HAD SUCH AN INVESTIGATION AGAINST AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN 2018. A SENSOR IS NOT APPROPRIATE UNTIL AN INVEST INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETED. IN EFFECT, I'M SUGGESTING YOU DEVELOP SOME OBJECTIVE CRITERIA BEFORE YOU JUST GO OFF CENSORING ANYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND, AND NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. UM, GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BIG AMY. UM, WELL, THE REASON WHY MY NAME IS BIG AMY IS BECAUSE I'M, I'M SCARED, UM, TO, UH, PROVIDE MY REAL NAME TO THE CITY. AND THEN BECAUSE I'M SCARED THAT, THAT THE CITY WILL SEND MY NAME TO THE ICE AND THEN LATER TONIGHT, UH, MIDNIGHT OR MAYBE TOMORROW ON MY WALK TO THE LOCAL GROCERY STORE, SOMEONE GONNA TAKE ME INSIDE OF A U-HAUL TRUCK AND THEN I WILL BE DISAPPEARED. SO THAT IS ONE OF MY CONCERN. UM, UM, AS AN ILLEGAL COMMUNITY, UH, NO, I MEAN, SORRY. AS AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, UM, THE REASON WHY I MOVED TO CO, UH, WEST COVINA, UH, SO-CALLED SAN GABRIEL VALLEY IS BECAUSE I DID MY RESEARCH. THEY CALL IT A SAN GABRIEL VALLEY. THEY CALL IT, UH, LOS ANGELES COUNTY. IT'S A SANCTUARY COUNTY. UH, STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS A SANCTUARY STATE. SO I AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMED THAT I WOULD BE SAFE. I WILL NOT BE KIDNAPPED. I I WOULD HAVE ENJOYED MY, UH, SO-CALLED CONSTITUTIONAL DUE PROCESS. BUT IN REALITY, WHAT I SEE ON TV, THAT'S NOT REALLY THE CASE. I REALLY ACTUALLY ENJOY, UM, A, A A A A WALK WITH MY DOG IN MY LOCAL PARK. I REALLY ENJOY TO PLAY, UH, BASKETBALL, PLAY PICKLEBALL, UH, PLAY BADMINTON. ACTUALLY, I PLAY BADMINTON IN, IN, IN MY COLLEGE COMPETITIVELY IN COLLEGE SPORTS. SO I REALLY WANT TO GO OUT EVERY DAY, UM, DOING ALL SORT OF FITNESS, UH, ACTIVITIES AND ACTUALLY JUST HANG OUT, JUST HAVING FUN. BUT RIGHT NOW, I [00:30:01] CANNOT DO THAT. I HAVE BEEN GAINING MORE THAN 30 POUND OF WEIGHT BECAUSE OF THAT. AND I STILL, UH, HAVE FEAR TO GO OUT OF MY LITTLE TINY APARTMENT. SO I REALLY DO NOT KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING OUR CITY WANTS TO DO OR IF OUR CITY IS ALREADY DOING IT. UM, BUT I REALLY WISH THAT, UM, THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COMMUNITY HAVE A VOICE, UH, IN THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, BECAUSE I AM AWARE, UM, OTHER LOCAL CITIES, LIKE CO LIKE CITY OF COVINA, MY FRIEND TOLD ME THAT THEY SET UP, THE COUNCIL MEMBER VOTED, THEY SET UP SOMETHING CALLED A, UH, IMMIGRATION COMMUNITY RESOURCES CENTER. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, NON NON-PROFIT LEGAL REFERRAL. UH, THEY HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, ICE TRAINING, UH, THEY CALL IT COMMUNITY TRAINING. YOU KNOW, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY PROVIDED A GUIDANCE TO THEIR CITY STAFF HOW TO, UH, RESPOND WHEN THE ICE OFFICER SHOWED UP TO THE CITY, UH, TO THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING OR WHATEVER. SO, AND THEN IN SOME LOCAL COLLEGES, SO-CALLED LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES, THE BOARD OF TRUSTEE, UH, ALSO ELECTED POLITICIANS, THEY ALSO PROVIDED A LOT OF TRAINING, ACTIVITY, SEMINARS TO TEACH, EDUCATE THEIR STUDENTS, THEIR RESIDENTS. BUT IN WEST COVINA, UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S MORE WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, MY NAME IS LISA SAUER. I AM A 46. UM, UH, OKAY. NO, NO, NO. YOU, YOU JUST STARTED AGAIN. YEAH, IT'S OKAY. YOU OKAY? GO AHEAD. YEAH, GO AHEAD. COULD YOU LOWER THE MIC, PLEASE? MY NAME IS LISA AUER. I'M A 46 YEAR RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA. UM, 26 OF THOSE YEARS BEING A HOMEOWNER IN THE CITY HERE. SO WHAT I WANNA DISCUSS IS THE STREET PARKING. I KNOW WE'RE ALL TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT IT AND SUCH, BUT I KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN PUSHED TO THE SIDE FOR A WHILE. AND I KNOW APPARENTLY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GO ONE SIDE INTO THE OTHER SIDE. BUT WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE MORE SIGNS PUT UP ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET? AND, AND IF YOU CAN PICTURE THAT, YOU'RE GONNA GO DRIVING DOWN THE STREETS AND YOU'RE GONNA BE SEEING SIGNS, SIGNS, SIGNS ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO WHAT I AM CURIOUS THOUGH, AND I'M HOPING THAT, UM, THE ACTING MANAGER HERE CAN TELL ME, CAN EXPLAIN HOW THE PROCESS IS. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A CONTRACTOR WHO WORKS ON THAT, BUT DO WE HAVE A PROJECT MANAGER WITHIN OUR OWN CITY WHO WORKS AND LOOKS AND WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THEM AND OVERSEES WHAT THEY'RE SUGGESTING INSTEAD OF JUST THEM GOING OUT AND DOING WHAT THEY WANNA DO? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HAPPENED ORIGINALLY. AND LOOK WHERE WE'RE AT NOW. SO I'M CONCERNED AS TO WHAT THE PROCESS IS. AND IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF, UH, GIVE US A, A JUST A BRIEF EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT WORKS. I KNOW PERSONALLY FROM MY OWN WORK EXPERIENCE THAT WHENEVER YOU HAVE A PROJECT, YOU GO OUT, YOU BID, YOU GET THE, THE, THE BEST ONE THERE. AND THEN YOU HAVE A PROJECT MANAGER WHO OVERSEES ALL THAT. AND THAT INCLUDES THE COST OF HOW THIS ALL WORKS TOO. BUT THEN THEY ALSO HAVE A TEAM, A COMMITTEE THAT WORKS ON IT TOO. SO THERE SHOULD BE SOMEONE WITHIN THE CITY WHO IS OVERSEEING HOW ALL OF THIS IS DONE. SO I REALLY HOPE THAT WHOEVER'S WORKING ON THIS IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE 12 SIGNS ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET AND 12 SIGNS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET. IT IS GONNA SCREW UP WHAT THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY IS. THANK YOU. GOOD POINT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. NEXT SPEAKERS ARE JOSH MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY MELISSA. FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL. HI. GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOSH MURRAY AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE LIBRARY. ADULTS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR UPCOMING POCKET SKETCH PROGRAM ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD FROM TWO TO 3:00 PM USING A FOUR BY SIX SKETCH PAD, COLOR PENS, AND A STILL LIVE PHOTO. YOU WILL CREATE A MINI SKETCH. UM, ALL MATERIALS WILL BE PROVIDED AND REGISTRATIONS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, LA COUNTY LIBRARY.ORG. ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH FROM FOUR 30, I'M SORRY, FROM THREE 30 TO 4:30 PM CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIVE AND 12 WITH THEIR PARENT OR CAREGIVER ARE INVITED TO EXPERIENCE OUR BUILD AND EXPLORE PROGRAM. JOIN US FOR BRICK BUILDING. CHILDREN MAY WORK ON THEIR OWN OR AS PART OF A TEAM TO CREATE DESIGNS USING DIFFERENT TYPES OF [00:35:01] BUILDING MATERIALS. AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE MATERIALS, BUT CHILDREN SHOULD BRING THEIR IMAGINATION. AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. UM, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS MELISSA. GOOD EVENING MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY. I AM A RESIDENT WEST CAMINA, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'M A WOMAN, A, A WOMAN, AND A MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN. I CAME HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I, I COULD NOT STAY SILENT AFTER WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE SEPTEMBER 10TH MEETING, WATCHING ONE OF OUR COUNCILWOMAN BREAK DOWN IN TEARS AT THE COUNCIL TABLE WAS HEARTBREAKING. IT WASN'T JUST A MOMENT, IT WAS A REFLECTION OF EMOTIONAL WEIGHT AND LEADERSHIP. RESPONSIBILITY AND CONFLICT CAN BRING. I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS MILLION OF LIVES. BUT IT'S TOO OFTEN SILENT WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND THE FIGHT AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. EVERY WOMAN DESERVES TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY, SAFETY, AND RESPECT. YET MANY STILL FACE ABUSE WITHIN THEIR HOMES, THE VERY PLACE THAT SHOULD PROVIDE THE MOST PROTECTION. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT A PRIVATE MATTER. IT'S A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. WHEN WE PROTECT WOMEN, WE PROTECT FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. THAT MEANING RAISING AWARENESS, PROVIDING SUPPORT, AND HOLDING ABUSERS ACCOUNTABLE. WOMEN'S RIGHTS ARE NOT PACIFIC SPECIAL RIGHTS OR NOT SPECIAL RIGHTS. THEY ARE HUMAN RIGHTS. AND WHEN WE STAND UP AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WE TAKE A STEP TOWARDS A WORLD WHERE EVERY WOMAN CAN LIVE FREE. AND FEAR FROM FEAR AND FULL OF HOPE. AS A MOM, I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO CARRY MORE THAN WHAT PEOPLE SEE ON THE OUTSIDE. AND WHEN I SAW A LEADER HERE CRY PUBLICLY, I FELT THAT DEEPLY. BUT I ALSO FELT CONCERNED BECAUSE IF OUR LEADERS, THE PEOPLE WE TRUST TO REPRESENT US ARE BEING PUN ARE BEING PUSHED TO THE POINT OF BREAKING DOWN IN FRONT OF US, THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG. THIS IS BIGGER THAN ONE MEETING. IT SPEAKS TO THE NEED OF RESPECT, COMPASSION AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS HOW THE CITY CONDUCTS ITS BUSINESS. THE TONE SET HERE IMPACTS HOW THE PUBLIC SEES WEST COVINA. HOW MY CHILDREN SEE LEADERSHIP AND HOW US FEEL ABOUT ENGAGING IN CIVIC LIFE. SO I ASK THE COUNCIL TO REFLECT ON THAT NIGHT AND TO MAKE COMMITMENT, NOT JUST TO POLICY, BUT TO KINDNESS. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS JUST ISN'T ABOUT POLICIES. IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE. IT'S ABOUT MY CHILDREN, YOUR CHILDREN, AND THE COMMUNITY WE ARE RAISING THEM IN. AND IF WE WANT A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEM, IT STARTS HERE. AND HOW WE TEACH THEM HOW WE TEACH EACH OTHER IN THIS ROOM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI, MY NAME IS MICHAEL AND UM, I'D LIKE TO DIRECT THIS TOWARDS COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN GUTIERREZ. ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, I WATCHED THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE ABOUT THE SPECIAL MEETING THAT WAS SET UP TO TALK ABOUT THE DISCUSSIONS THAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 2ND HERE IN CITY HALL. I FIND THAT DURING BOTH MEETINGS AS WELL AS NUMEROUS OTHER MEETINGS THAT I'VE ATTENDED HERE, CONTINUOUSLY IN PERSON, THAT YOU TALK OVER YOUR CONSTITUENTS, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO IN GENERAL, WHETHER THEY BE PUBLIC PART OF AN ORGANIZATION OR SOME SORT OF BUSINESS, YOU OFTEN MUMBLE OR YOU SAY YEAH, OR GREAT IN A SARCASTIC MANNER. AND YOU SEEM TO CUT EVERYBODY OFF OR INTERRUPT THEM WHEN YOU DON'T GET THE ANSWER THAT YOU WANT OR THAT YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR. TO ME, THAT'S ALARMING. I DON'T TEACH MY CHILDREN TO DO THAT, AND THAT BUGS ME. AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MY VOICE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT YOU SEEM TO BRING UP EVERYBODY'S NAMES OFTEN AND NEVER FINISH WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THE REAL REASON YOU'RE BRINGING THEM UP. UNLESS TO USE THIS PLATFORM TO SMEAR THEIR NAME IN SOME WAY, THE WAY THAT YOU TALK TO THEM OR YOU TALK AT WOMEN, ESPECIALLY TO ME, IS ALARMING BECAUSE I'M A FATHER OF THREE DAUGHTERS. YOU TALK ABOUT THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND HOLDING THE UTMOST RESPECT AND FAIR TREATMENT OF PEOPLE AS WELL AS REPRESENTING US. BUT YOU DEFINITELY HAVE NO RESPECT FOR ANYONE, IT SEEMS. LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT THE MAYOR THREATENED THE CITY'S MANAGER'S JOB ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, WHICH YOU MENTIONED, WHICH IS NOT TRUE BECAUSE THE MAYOR ACTUALLY ASKED THE CITY MAN MANAGER MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THAT MEETING, SPECIFICALLY IF HE HAD EVER THREATENED HIM OR HIS JOB FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OWN VOICE. HE SAID THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENED. SO AS FAR AS ACCOUNTABILITY GOES, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT TRANSPARENCY THAT YOU SEEM TO BRING UP SO MUCH AND ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE USING THIS PLATFORM FOR YOUR OWN POLITICAL GAINS, AND THAT'S NOT REPRESENTING ME OR MY FAMILY'S VALUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKERS ARE NIKKI, FOLLOWED BY BIG AMY AND HERMAN. [00:40:03] SORRY, I'LL STAND ON MY TIPPY TOES. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WU, MAYOR PROAM LOPEZ REALDO AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS NIKKI AND I AM A RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA, A 34 YEAR VETERAN NURSE, NOT VETERAN, BUT VETERAN OF NURSING AND A, UH, POST-SECONDARY, UM, TEACHER. I WANNA FIRST EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK YOU DO IN LEADING AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO VOICE A SERIOUS CONCERN REGARDING THE CONDUCT OF COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN GUTIERREZ AT THE SEPTEMBER 2ND COUNCIL MEETING AS A VOTER WHO SUPPORTED YOU, MR. GUTIERREZ. I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING MEETINGS AND OBSERVING FROM THE SIDELINES, AND I WAS DEEPLY TROUBLED BY WHAT I WITNESSED THAT EVENING. DURING THE DISCUSSION REGARDING CITY FUNDS AND THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HOSTING THE EVENT, ORGANIZATION HOSTING THE EVENT, THE NONPROFIT SECRETARY OPENLY STATED THAT SHE WAS NEITHER A TREASURER NOR A CPA AND THE ORGANIZATION'S LEADER WAS OUT OF STATE WHILE THEIR CPAS WAS RECOVERING FROM SURGERY. DESPITE THESE CLEAR STATEMENTS, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, YOU CONTINUED TO PRESS HER WITH REPETITIVE QUESTIONS IN A MANNER THAT CAME ACROSS TO ME AS AGGRESSIVE, INTIMIDATING, AND UNNECESSARY. WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY PROFESSIONAL REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTATION OR CLARIFICATION WAS INSTEAD CARRIED OUT PUBLICLY IN A WAY THAT FELT MORE LIKE AN INTERROGATION. AS A SURVIVOR OF SEVERE DOMESTIC ABUSE, I CANNOT OVERSTATE HOW TRIGGERING AND UNSETTLING IT WAS TO WITNESS THIS EXCHANGE. EXCHANGE. THE TONE AND POSTURE OF THE QUESTIONING CARRIED THE WEIGHT OF POWER BEING MISUSED, NOT FOR THE PURSUIT OF TRANSPARENCY, BUT IN A WAY THAT FELT LIKE A PERSONAL ATTACK. AT ONE POINT, EVEN MAYOR BOONE, HIS WIFE'S NAMES WERE INVOKED AND A WAY THAT SEEMED INAPPROPRIATE AND DIVISIVE. COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ HAS STATED, HE IS A VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE. AND TONIGHT, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, HE DOES NOT RE REPRESENT MY VOICE. IN FACT, HIS BEHAVIOR INSTILLS FEAR IN ME AS A CONSTITUENT LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY IN THIS CHAMBER, SHOULD BE ABOUT RESPECT, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND CREATING A SAFE SPACE FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. WHAT OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 2ND DID NOT REFLECT THAT STANDARD. OKAY, THANK YOU. OKAY. TIME'S UP. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HERMAN IS NEXT HERMAN CARD STATEMENT. OKAY. YEAH, GO AHEAD. TIME. I COULD HAVE WROTE SOMETHING DEROGATORY ON IT. BUT, UM, CASE NUMBER 2 25 CV 0 5 907 FOR THE RECORD, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VERSUS THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. KAREN BASS IN HER OFFICIAL CAPACITY VERSUS, UH, THE COUNCILMAN MARKIS HARRIS DAWSON AND HIS CAPACITY AS OFFICIALS OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. I'M HERE TO REPORT THE COMPLAINT FOR DECLARATORY AND INJECTIVE RELIEF. YOU AMERICANS HERE, YOU YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN HERE. YOU JUST WITNESSED POLITICAL VIOLENCE THIS PAST WEEK. CHARLIE KIRK WAS AN EXAMPLE OF POLITICAL ENEMIES, POLITICAL WAR AND POLITICAL ASSASSINATION, WHICH I FIND COMING MY WAY. BUT I HAVE NO FEAR. I'M LIKE THE REST OF YOU YOUNG FOLKS. WE ARE IRON MAIDEN AND WE ARE THE TROOPERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. SO DEATH WE STAND. BUT DONALD J. TRUMP AND ICE HAVE COME TO AMERICA TO SAVE YOU FROM CARTELS, FROM GANGS, FROM CHOLOS AND CHOLOS, FROM EL MONTE FLORES. THAT'S A GANG. AND WHAT ABOUT CU HEY, DR. CYNTHIA GONZALEZ OF FLORENCE 13. DO ANY OF YOU WANT TO CHALLENGE ME IN A DEBATE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THEIR CAPACITY OF MAKING THREATS? INTIMIDATING THE PUBLIC CENSORING, TAKING AWAY MY FIRST [00:45:01] AMENDMENT. SOON IT WILL BE YOURS. I CAN'T USE THE N WORD. I CAN'T USE THE C WORD. I CAN'T EVEN SAY AND WA YOUNG FOLKS OR MWA MEXICAN WITH ATTITUDE. AND THAT'S RIGHT. I AM A BADASS MEXICAN WITH ATTITUDE. 'CAUSE I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA IN THE NAME OF OUR 45TH, 47TH PRESIDENT, WHO'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, THE ONLY PRESIDENT IN 50 YEARS, TO CHALLENGE THE SANCTUARY CITIES THAT TAKE THE MONEY AWAY FROM THE YOUTH. YOU, AMERICAN ELDERLY AND DISABLED PEOPLE. AND FOR THE STRONG WOMEN AND MEN WHO WORK AND SEE PEOPLE DIE ON A DAILY BASIS. LIKE WHEN I WORKED THE COUNTY FOR SIX YEARS AS A CNA AND WATCHED MY AIDS PATIENTS DIE ONE AFTER ANOTHER, NOT ONE DAY DID I GO BY SAYING TO YOU, SAYING, I'M NOT GONNA HELP YOU OR SAYING THIS JOB. I DID MY JOB FOR SIX YEARS AS A NURSE AND NO ONE KNOWS THAT BUT YOU. AND WHY DO YOU KNOW THAT? 'CAUSE YOU HAVE CHALLENGED ME IN MY CAPACITY AS A MAN TO SPEAK ON THE TRUTH. AND THE TRUTH IS IN MY HAND. I WANT YOU TO INVESTIGATE WHAT THE DEA AND THE FBI, CHOLO AND CHOLOS OF AND EL MONTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, HERMAN. OKAY. APPRECIATE. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. NEXT SPEAKERS ARE BRIAN CALDERON RE FOLLOWED BY HOLLYWOOD, FOLLOWED BY ARMANDO JAY SANCHEZ. AND TIME PLEASE. UH, GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. UH, I WANNA BEGIN BY RECOGNIZING, UH, MEXICAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY. UH, AS A PROUD SON OF A MEXICAN MOTHER, UH, AND HUSBAND TO A ROCK STAR OF A SALVADORIAN WIFE, UH, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HONOR THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER ATTACK. UM, I FIND MYSELF IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL, UH, IN SUPPORT OF AN ACTION THE COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE TAKEN YEARS PRIOR, THE CEN AND HOPEFULLY STRIPPING OF ALL COMMISSION ASSIGNMENTS CURRENTLY HELD BY COUNCILMAN BRIAN GUTIERREZ. I PROVIDED THE COUNCIL WITH A SAMPLING, JUST A SAMPLING OF DEROGATORY INFLAMMATORY AND RACIST PUBLIC POSTS AND COMMENTS. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN GUTIERREZ MADE, UH, AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER TOWARDS MYSELF AND MY FAMILY, JUST ONE OF THESE ACTS WOULD'VE LED TO THE DISMISSAL OF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER. UH, AND HERE YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE FILE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH, HE INFERRED THAT I BEAT MY WIFE, DISPARAGED MY MEXICAN AND PER PERSIAN HERITAGE. UM, AND HE USED LAWFARE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS TO TRY TO SILENCE ME, BUT ALSO SILENCE MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. UH, I'M SURE WE COULD FILL THIS COUNCIL CHAMBER WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO'VE RECEIVED CEASE AND DESIST. SINCE HE HAS BEEN REPRESENTING THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, HE HAS THREATENED ELECTED OFFICIALS, THREATENED MEMBERS OF THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY COG, THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY HOUSING TRUST, WITH LITIGATION WITH LAWSUITS. THIS IS THE BEHAVIOR OF COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ. IF YOU SPEAK TO ANY ENTITY THAT HAS PARTNERED WITH HIM. THIS HAS BEEN HIS BEHAVIOR. THIS HAS BEEN HIS ROUTINE TO USE LAWFARE TO USE LITIGATION TO SILENCE FOLKS. UM, LASTLY, JUST TO SPEAK TO HIS ETHICS. UH, PRIOR TO ME GOING TO THE DNC, UH, BRIAN MET ME OUT IN THE, IN THE PARKING LOT. AND HE, HE GIFTED ME, HE GIFTED ME A PEN, UH, A JOE BIDEN CROSS PEN. UH, AND I, AND I, I RECEIVED THAT PEN AND I DONATED IT TO, UH, A NONPROFIT FOR THEIR SILENT AUCTION. UH, A FEW WEEKS LATER, I RECEIVED A COMPLAINT FROM THE FPPC, FROM BRIAN GUTIERREZ THAT I HAD BEEN GIVEN A PEN AND NOT REPORTED IT. YOU KNOW, SO FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF ETHICS, TO RUIN RELATIONSHIPS THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO HAVE ACROSS THE COUNTY FOR HIS OWN PERSONAL GAIN, I THINK SPEAKS TO WHY THE CENSURE IS NECESSARY AND WHY HIS REMOVAL FROM COMMISSIONS NEED TO HAPPEN NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. THANK. HEY, ALMAN, PLEASE. NEXT [00:50:01] SPEAKER, PLEASE. NEXT SPEAKER. WE HAVE A NEXT SPEAKER. HOLLYWOOD IS UP NEXT, PLEASE. WHO IS NEXT? SPEAKER? YOU HAVE NONE. NO HOLLYWOOD. HEY, WE'RE PASSING TO ARMANDO JAY SANCHEZ, FOLLOWED BY RAY VINCENT VARGAS JR. AND LASTLY, MATT M ARMANDO. YEAH, GO AHEAD. YES. HELLO, MY NAME'S, UH, GOOD. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME'S ARMANDO SANCHEZ. UM, I, ONE WOMAN TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, STREET PARKING. UM, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF SAN, UH, WEST COVINA. I'M IN THE SOUTHEAST CORNER IN GALAXY TRACK OVER, UH, 39 YEARS NOW. UM, SO I, I OWN A FEW CARS. UM, I PARKED MY CARS ON A DIRT SPOT IN MY LOT. AND THEN TWO IN THE DRIVEWAY LAST FRIDAY AT 7 43. I GOT CITED. I WANT THE CITATION TO BE RESCINDED. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 15 YEARS. I KNOW THAT CALIFORNIA IS A SANCTUARY STATE. I KNOW THE GENTLEMAN SPOKE ABOUT THAT. AND LA COUNTY IS A SANCTUARY COUNTY. LA CITY'S COUNT. SO YOU GUYS ARE NOT GETTING FUNDED BY THE FEDS IN CERTAIN CAPACITIES. AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY'S BUDGET IS VERY TIGHT. AND I FEEL THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR THAT MANY YEARS. I DO IT JUST FOR SEVERAL HOURS UNTIL STREET SWEEPINGS DONE. AND THEN BOOM, I PUT 'EM BACK ON THE STREET OR WHEREVER I NEED TO DO. AND, UM, THIS WAS JUST UNWARRANTED. PLUS HE TRESPASSED ON MY PROPERTY. IF I WOULD'VE BEEN A GATED COMMUNITY, GATED LOT LIKE SOME OF THE HOUSES IN SOUTH HILLS, HE WOULD'VE NEVER COME INTO MY LOT, ESPECIALLY IF I WOULD'VE HAVE HAD A GUARD DOG LIKE I USED TO. SO I FEEL LIKE I WAS VIOLATED TRESPASSED BY OFFICER. I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S AN, HE'S, HIS NAME IS GUTIERREZ. AND I TRIED CALLING, UH, TRIED CALLING THE, UH, THE, WHAT IS IT, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE AND NO ANSWER FRIDAY. UH, NO. SO I'M NOT, I'M GIVING UP. I'M JUST SAYING I BROUGHT THESE TWO UH, THINGS. I'M NOT GONNA PAY 'EM THIS. AND IT SAYS ON THERE, IF I DON'T, IF I GET FIVE OF THESE, YOU GUYS WILL TOW MY CAR. THAT'S UNACCEPT. YOU WON'T TOW MY CAR. I WILL BE ON MY LOT WITH MY GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS, PROTECTING MY CAR, WHATEVER I HAVE TO DO. THIS IS NOT GONNA TURN INTO COMMUNISTIC COUNTRY OR CITY. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NEED TO WAKE UP. UM, ANOTHER THING IS I CUT MY OWN LAWN. I GET A RASH BY THE TREE THAT'S RIGHT THERE ON POINT CEDAR. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT TREE TAKEN OUT. IT'S ON YOUR LOT. IT'S ON THE NINE FOOT SPACE. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT 'CAUSE IT'S DRYING OUT MY GRASS. I TOOK PICTURES OF MY LAWN BEFORE I CAME UP HERE. IT'S DRYING IT OUT. IT'S BEEN DOING THAT FOR FIVE YEARS. I PAID LIKE $200 FOR WATER. I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, SEE, I KEEP THAT PLACE NICE AND GREEN, EXCEPT FOR THAT LITTLE DIRT SPOT WHERE I GOT CITED FOR UNPAVED PARKING. THERE'S PLACES ALL OVER THE PARK. THEIR CARS ON THEIR DIRT JUST TO GET AWAY FROM STREET SWEEP. I DON'T MIND THE STREET SWEEPING 'CAUSE I APPLIED TO THAT. I JUST, IF IT'S ON MY LOT, WHAT'S THE HARM OF ME BEING ON MY LOT FOR EIGHT HOURS? IT'S UNACCEPTABLE TO GET TWO CITATIONS. AND I WOULD LOVE THAT TO HAVE THAT TREE CUT NOW. 'CAUSE I'M, I GET A RASH AND IT'S VERY, UH, BOTHERSOME AT NIGHT FROM THAT TREE. SO TWO THINGS THAT, AND THEN, UH, THE CITATION IN THE TREE. POLICE, UH, IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT. BUT I AM NOT GONNA PAY THESE. I'M NOT GONNA PAY THESE IF, OKAY, THANK YOU ARMANDO. OKAY. AND, UH, UH, MAYBE C ACTING CITY MANAGER CAN RESPOND TO YOU. OKAY? JUST STAY A LITTLE BIT, OKAY? UH, NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. RAY VINCENT VARGAS JR. WELL, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. UH, TIME PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. UH, RESIDENT OF WEST COVINA. UM, SORRY, I CAN, HOLD ON. LET HE FI FIX THE TIME. DON'T WANNA BOTHER YOU. OH, GO AHEAD. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. UM, BEEN PRETTY BUSY. UM, I JUST WANT TO SEE IN MY EYES WHAT I VOTED FOR, WHAT I WANTED. I GOT IN MY COUNCILMAN. AND THAT'S BRIAN GUTIERREZ. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THREE COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT ARE CORRUPTED. THE CITY KNOWS IT. RESIDENTS KNOW IT. THE COMMUNITY KNOW IT. CONTOS YOUR TERRORISTS. YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. YOU KNOW, KEEP IT UP. BUT THIS MUPPET SHOULDER, IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. IT'S GOTTA END CLEAN UP. WHAT YOU GOTTA CLEAN UP? TAKE THE DAMN TRASH OUT WEST COVINA PD. THEY'RE DOING A DAMN GOOD JOB. FIRE DEPARTMENT DOING A DAMN GOOD JOB. BUT, UM, ALSO, I DON'T KNOW HOW HE GOT ELECTED HERE. I MEAN, [00:55:02] UH, WE, WE'VE HAD RUN-INS AND WHATNOT. HOPEFULLY HE'S CHANGED. HOPEFULLY HE'S OPENED HIS EYES AND HE CAN SMELL ALL THE BS FROM THE THREE OF YOU UP HERE BECAUSE IT'S A BIG CORRUPTION. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE PLAYING THE POLITICS AND EVERYTHING, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THE FUN, THE, THE FOUNDATION AND ALL THIS STUFF GOING ON AND WHATNOT, IT'S COMING UP. THEY'RE DIGGING, THEY'RE DIGGING. AND IT'S COMING UP. I TOLD YOU WHEN I, WHEN I FIRST MET YOU, IT'S A CORRUPTION, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'RE RUNNING THIS PUPPET SHOW. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WAITS FOR YOU. YOU DICTATE, YOU RUN THIS THING HERE. I DON'T KNOW WHY. YOU KNOW, I, I GOT NO RESPECT FOR PEOPLE LIKE THAT. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU ARE, WHAT YOU DO, WHAT YOUR CAREER IS. BUT I GOT NO RESPECT FOR YOU. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. AND, UM, WHATEVER WAS SAID, THE LADY TOOK IT PERSONAL, WHATNOT, THIS AND THAT. THIS GUY AIN'T GONNA HARM ME. THIS GUY AIN'T GONNA HURT YOU. LOOK AT THE WAY HE DRESSES. LOOK AT THE WAY HE LOOKS. HE'S A SCHOOL BOY. HE'S A PRETTY BOY. . I COULD SEE IF I'M KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR, BUT HE AIN'T GONNA DO NOTHING. SO, GOOD EVENING. GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. UH, NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER IS MATT. M MATT. GOOD MORNING OR GOOD EVENING, SORRY. UH, WEST COVINA. IT'S TIME TO WE STOP PRETENDING OUR CITY COUNCIL ISN'T JUST FAILING. WE ARE WITNESSING AN ALARMING BREAKDOWN OF COMPETENCE AND LEADERSHIP IN REAL TIME. THE EVIDENCE IS NO LONGER ANECDOTAL. IT'S A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD, PUBLIC MEETINGS. WE HAVE BECOME A STAGE. RECENTLY, THE MAYOR PRO TEM STAGED A FAKE FORCE REACTION TO A FELLOW CO COUNCIL MEMBER DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE OUTRAGE. BUT THE REAL OUTRAGE IS THAT OUR LEADERS FOCUS ON PERSONAL DRAMA INSTEAD OF SOLVING THE CITY'S REAL PROBLEMS. THE MAYOR'S FAILED RECALL EFFORT WAS NOT A VICTORY. IT WAS A WAKE UP CALL. CITY SINS WHO ORGANIZED THAT EFFORT ARE FED UP WITH IGNORANT, ARROGANCE, MISMANAGEMENT, AND OUTRIGHT INCOMPETENCE. ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO MULTIPLE SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS CAUSING MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LITIGATION, LITIGATION SETTLEMENTS FROM WRONGFUL TERMINATION CASES, ALLEGEDLY THREATENING AND COERCING CITY STAFF, AND REPEATEDLY VIOLATING THE BROWN ACT WITH SECRETIVE SE SERIAL MEETINGS AND CLOSED DOOR COMMUNICATIONS. THESE ARE NOT ISOLATED EVENTS. THEY REVEAL A PATTERN OF POOR JUDGMENT, FEAR INDUCING TACTICS, AND A DISREGARD FOR BOTH EMPLOYEES AND TAXPAYERS. IN FACT, RESIDENTS HAVE WITNESSED HOW DISCONNECTED THE CITY COUNCIL IS FROM TRANSPARENCY LAWS. THE MAYOR ADMITTED THAT WHEN MAKING COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS, HE WOULD CALL EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, MEMBER INDIVIDUALLY ASKING IF THEY COULD TAKE A ROLE. IF SOMEONE DECLINED, HE WOULD SIMPLY FIND SOMEONE ELSE. MEANWHILE, THE MAYOR PRO TEM SUGGESTED THAT INTERNAL CONCERNS COULD BE DISCUSSED PRIVATELY TO AVOID PUBLIC SCRUTINY. THIS HUB SPOKE AND DAISY CHAIN COMMUNICATION SYSTEM IS EXACTLY WHAT THE BROWN ACT PROHIBITS. DELIBERATION OUTSIDE AND OPEN POSTED MEETING. SERIAL MEETINGS LIKE THESE AREN'T MINOR OVERSIGHTS. THEY'RE VIOLATIONS THAT UNDERMINE PUBLIC TRUST AND CAN CARRY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. THEN THERE'S THE CITY, CITY FUNDED FESTIVAL, THE SO-CALLED CELEBRATION THAT DRAINS SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC RESOURCES. OUTSIDE PARTNERS COLLECT THE FEES WHILE TAXPAYERS SEE NOTHING IN RETURN. YET THIS COUNCIL STANDS SILENT OR SMILES. WHILE CITY MONEY BANKROLLS PET PROJECTS, THE COUNCIL'S INCOMPETENCE EXTENDS FURTHER. THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY MISMANAGED, DELAYED AND OPPOSE THE CREATION OF OTHER PROJECTS TO BENEFIT OUR CITY. CRITICAL INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN STALLED, PLANNED, SHELVED, AND CITY FUNDS WASTED DUE TO, DUE TO A LACK OF OVERSIGHT AND PERSISTENT INTERNAL RESISTANCE, IGNORING BOTH FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE URGENT NEED OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS. THE FINANCIAL AND LEGAL RECORD IS DAMNING. THE CALIFORNIA STATE AUDITOR HAS, HAS LABELED WEST COVINA A HIGH RISK CITY DUE TO RAPID, RAPIDLY DETERRING FINANCES, QUESTIONABLE DECISIONS, DECLINING RESERVES AND PROCESSES THAT EXPOSE THE CITY TO FRAUD AND WASTED PUBLIC FUNDS. MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LAWSUITS, INCLUDING A LARGE SETTLEMENT TO A FORMER FIRE CHIEF DIRECTLY REF REFLECT THE CITY'S CITY COUNCIL'S MISMANAGEMENT TO THE CITY MANAGER. OUR CITY'S INTEGRITY AND FINANCES ARE UNRAVELING THIS COUNCIL'S ACTIONS ARE OKAY AND ENDANGERING PUBLIC TRUST. APPRECIATE, UH, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS. MAYOR NEXT. HUH? THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS. NO SPEAKER ANYMORE. OKAY. UH, CITY MANAGER WANNA RESPOND? GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. UM, JERRY PORTER, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR COMING IN, TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR, UH, [01:00:01] PROPOSED CODE OF CONDUCT. UM, UPDATING, UH, THE STANDING RULES FOR COUNCIL AND ELECTED OFFICIALS WAS LAST UPDATED IN 2020. AND THEY'RE ON MY DESK NOW AND I'M LOOKING AT THOSE AND GONNA BE PROVIDING THE COUNCIL WITH SOME SUGGESTED ADDITIONS TO THAT TO ADDRESS, UM, NEW CONCERNS. AND, UH, ALSO WE WILL BE DISCUSSING IF WE PROCEED WITH ANY INVESTIGATIONS, IT WOULD BE AN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATOR. IT'S NOT GONNA BE INTERNAL, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A MEMBER OF CITY STAFF. UM, I'M NOT GONNA PUT MYSELF OR MY STAFF IN THAT POSITION. SO IT WOULD BE SOMEBODY FROM THE OUTSIDE. UM, BIG AMY. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, UH, ON IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, YOUR SAFETY, UH, POTENTIAL IDEAS FOR CITY STAFF, UH, MOVING FORWARD AND IDEAS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AS WELL. UM, LISA SAWER. UM, GREAT QUESTIONS. SO, AS A 46 YEAR RESIDENT, YOU HAVE SEEN A LOT IN THE CITY, AND I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE WITH THE, THE STREET SWEEPING. UM, SO I'VE INHERITED PICKING IT UP FROM THIS POINT FORWARD. SO YOUR QUESTION, ONE QUESTION IS, WILL THERE BE MORE SIGNS? ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT THE SIGNS WILL ALL BE POSTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW, UH, WHICH REQUIRES A SIGN AT THE INTEREST OF THE STREET, UM, ADVISING OF STREET SWEEPING RESTRICTIONS IN EVERY 300 FEET. UH, POTENTIALLY ANOTHER SIGN WE WILL WORK TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF SIGNS. 'CAUSE SIGN POLLUTION IS A CONCERN IN ANY CITY. BUT WHEN WE'RE, I'LL BE COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL AT A LATER DATE. BUT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MUCH LARGER PROJECT THAN JUST SAYING, HEY, WE'RE GONNA DO ALTERNATING SIDES OF THE STREET. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT COME INTO PLAY WITH THAT. SO WE DO HAVE A DEDICATED CIP PROJECT MANAGER FOR THIS PROJECT THAT IS IN-HOUSE WITH CITY STAFF. THERE WILL BE A COORDINATING, KEEPING THE COUNCIL UPDATED, KEEPING STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY UPDATED MOVING FORWARD. ONE THING WE ARE GONNA DO, WHICH WASN'T DONE CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME, IS WITH WHATEVER PLAN IS PUT IN PLACE, ALTERNATING SIDES OF THE STREET, ADJUSTING TIMES WHEN WE'RE GONNA DO ENFORCEMENT, WE ARE GONNA SERVE A NOTICE, UM, TO EVERY RESIDENT. SO INSTEAD OF JUST EVERYBODY WORRYING ABOUT, OH, IT'S ONLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S ONLY ON A WEBSITE OR SOMETHING ELSE, WE ARE GONNA GET SOMETHING IN THE MAIL TO EVERY RESIDENT IN THIS CITY. SO THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT THE CITY IS GONNA BE DOING MOVING FORWARD WITH THE STREET SWEEPING PROGRAM. BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS AND OBVIOUSLY IT'D BE VERY EASY JUST TO GO OUT RIGHT NOW AND START PLOPPING IN A BUNCH MORE SIGNS. BUT WE'RE METHODICALLY THINKING THIS OUT AND GONNA COME UP WITH A BETTER PLAN WITH A COUNCIL TO, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD. UM, JOSH MURRAY, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR UPDATES ON UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE, UH, WEST COVINA LIBRARY, UH, FOR MELISSA, MICHAEL, UH, NIKKI. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. EVERYTHING FROM WOMEN'S RIGHTS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT OUR PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETINGS, DECORUM, TRANSPARENT TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE RESPECT FOR, UH, CIVIL AND CIVIC, UM, ENGAGEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH OUR COUNCIL. THAT'S MUCH APPRECIATED. UH, HERMAN, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR UPDATES ON, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES AND THE HANDOUTS THAT YOU ALWAYS PROVIDE ME. UM, BRIAN , THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AND YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT COUNCIL DECORUM AND, UH, PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENTS WITH MEMBERS OF STAFF. UM, ARMANDO SANCHEZ ON THE, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOU GOT A PARKING CITATION FOR PARKING ON AN UNPAVED SURFACE. UM, ON THE CITATION, THERE ARE YOUR APPELLATE RIGHTS. UH, A PHONE NUMBER YOU CAN CALL. THERE'S A WEBSITE. AND, UM, IF YOU'RE STILL HERE, I'LL GIVE YOU MY BUSINESS CARD. I DEAR, I TRE OKAY. OKAY. I'LL GIVE YOU MY CARD AND WE CAN SET UP A MEETING. YOU CAN COME INTO MY OFFICE AND WE'LL DISCUSS THAT. UM, RA VARGAS, UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, THANKING WEST COVINA PD, WEST COVINA FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY DO DO A GREAT JOB. AND MY PERSONAL COMMENT IS, UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVEN'T ALWAYS SAID NICE THINGS ABOUT ME, UH, AT THE DAAS, BUT IT NO, SERIOUSLY, NO, BUT I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT AFRAID TO COME UP AND TELL ME THE EXACT SAME THING IN, IN PERSON. SO YOU'VE BEEN TRUE AND WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LOT OF YEARS NOW. AND HAVE I CHANGED? EH, I'M OLDER, YOU KNOW, BUT I'M DOING MY BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT. I'M IN A DIFFERENT ROLE THAN I'VE BEEN IN PREVIOUS CITIES AND IN PREVIOUS JOBS. SO I ACTUALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. IF YOU WANNA PARTNER ON SOME PROJECTS AND DO THINGS BETTER FOR THE CITY, I'M AVAILABLE TO MEET AT ANY TIME. OKAY. UM, MATT M UM, THANK YOU ABOUT YOUR COMMENTS, UH, YOUR COMMENTS AND PUBLIC TRUST PROCEDURES, INFORMATION ABOUT THE BROWN ACT, UM, THE STATE OF THE CITY AND YOUR CLOSING COMMENTS IS, YOU, YOU WERE REFERENCING THAT I'M ACCOUNTABLE FOR, YOU KNOW, MOVING THE CITY FORWARD AS FAR AS THE, UH, CITY ADMINISTRATION. AND, AND THAT IS CORRECT. AND I AM DOING EVERYTHING I CAN BY BRINGING IN THE BEST OF STAFF TO FILL IN, UH, VACANCIES [01:05:01] IN THE CITY. UM, TRYING TO BE FAR MORE TRANSPARENT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND ACCOUNTABLE TO THE RESIDENTS AND LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS. FOR ANY RESIDENT IN THIS CITY. WHETHER YOU'RE CLASSIFIED AS A, A FAN FAVORITE OR HATE OR ANYTHING ELSE, UM, YOU CAN CALL CITY HALL AND YOU CAN SCHEDULE A MEETING. I WILL MEET YOU ONE-ON-ONE IN MY OFFICE AND YOU CAN EXPRESS ALL YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING BETTER. AND I WILL LISTEN TO YOU. UM, I CAN'T PROMISE THAT EVERYTHING WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF RIGHT AWAY, BUT I AM WILL WILLING TO LISTEN TO ANYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THIS CITY. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I'LL MOVE TO THE MANAGER [ CITY MANAGER'S REPORT] REPORT, PLEASE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. UM, THE 2025, UH, STATE OF THE CITY AND EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION, THE CITY EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION EVENT TOOK PLACE ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2025 AT THE WEST COVINA SPORTSPLEX. THE EVENT FEATURED A PERFORMANCE BY THE WEST COVINA HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ BAND, PRESENTATIONS BY OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUSINESS RECOGNITION DINNER EMPLOYEE AWARDS, AND A KEYNOTE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY, UM, MAYOR WU. UH, UM, SHOW ARENA FENCE REPAIR AT RIDGE WRITERS. THE FENCE POSTS ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE SHOW ARENA AT THE RIDGE RIDERS EQUESTRIAN CENTER WAS REPAIRED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT THIS WEEK. THE ROTARY CLUB OF WEST COVINA WILL BE PAINTING THE NEW FENCING ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH AS A SERVICE CLUB PROJECT. THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ASSISTED CALTRANS WITH A CLEANUP AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS ADJACENT TO THE 10 FREEWAY OFF RAMP, UM, ALONG AZUSA AVENUE THERE. IF ANYBODY'S, UM, SEEN SOME OF THOSE AREAS, THEY WERE LOOKING PRETTY BAD. AND INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE STATE TO COME IN AND DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, UM, STAFF TOOK THE INITIATIVE. OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM DID A GREAT JOB. UM, THEY GOT OUT THERE AND THEY CLEANED THE AREA. 'CAUSE AS A RESIDENT OR ANYBODY PASSING THROUGH THEIR CITY, YOU, YOU'RE NOT SAYING, WELL, THAT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S JURISDICTION. THAT'S THEIR JOB TO DO. ALL YOU SEE IS WEST COVINA LOOK LIKE A MESS IN THIS AREA. SO, A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS CREW. YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB GETTING THAT AREA. CLEANED UP SOME OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS. UH, THE DISTRICT FOUR COMMUNITY MEETING WILL BE SEPTEMBER 25TH. HERE. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM SUPER MOON FESTIVAL WILL BE HERE OCTOBER 4TH. UH, WEST COVINA CITY HALL IN OUR PARKING LOT AREA IN QUAD AREA. AND AROUND, UH, THE CAMPUS HERE FROM 11:00 AM TO 9:00 PM AND FIRE PREVENTION WEEK. OPEN HOUSE WILL BE OCTOBER 4TH AT FIRE STATION NUMBER TWO FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR TONIGHT. MR. MAYOR. AND ANY OTHER QUESTION? NO. OKAY. UM, I HAVE, UH, ONE ABOUT CALTRAN. OKAY. ON VINCENT TO, I THINK, UM, VINCENT TO, BETWEEN AZUA AND VINCENT. CLOSE TO VINCENT, YOU CAN SEE THE GRAFFITI WALL ALWAYS OVER THERE. AND THEN AFTER CLEAN UP AND THEN HAPPEN AGAIN. SO, CAN YOU TALK TO CALTRAN TO PLEASE REMOVE ALL THOSE GRAFFITI? IT LOOK HORRIBLE. YES, I WILL. MR. BEAR. YEP. OKAY. ANY OTHER OTHERWISE? OKAY. UH, WE'LL [ CONSENT CALENDAR] MOVE TO CONSENT CALENDAR. 1, 2, 3. DO ANYBODY WANT TO MOVE ANY? YEAH, GO AHEAD. UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, SINCE THERE'S I THINK, UH, TWO, TWO MEDIA OUTLETS, UH, REPORTING ON THIS, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S A LOT OF GENERAL PUBLIC WHO WANTS ANSWERS. UH, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT, UH, NUMBER FOUR FIRST BEFORE THE CASSAN CALENDAR. UM, I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE KASSIN KENNEDY. THERE'S ONLY THREE. LET'S GET THE THREE OVER. OKAY. SO, UH, IF NOBODY SUPPORT THAT, I'M, I'M GOING TO HAVE CONSENT CALENDAR TO GO FIRST. IT'S ONLY THREE ITEMS. LET'S OVER PLEASE. OKAY. OKAY. CONSENT CALENDAR. OKAY. UH, 1, 2, 3. ANYBODY WANNA TO PULL ANY, IF NOW I WANT TO PULL NUMBER ONE OKAY. ABOUT, UH, UH, FINANCE. OKAY. I THINK, UH, WE NEED TO, TO OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR TO REPORT TO US, UH, REGARDING, SO I PUT NUMBER ONE. SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE TWO AND THREE? UH, DO I HAVE ANYBODY TO MOVE? I'LL MOVE THE MOTION. OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. SO RO CALL PLEASE. BESIDE NUMBER ONE, QUEL COUNCILMAN CONTOS AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM LE LOPEZ. VIRO AYE. MAYOR WU AYE. AND THE MOTION APPROVE. OKAY. FIVE ZERO AND NUMBER [1) CONSIDERATION OF LONG-RANGE FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR FISCAL YEARS ENDING 2026 TO 2030] ONE. OKAY. WE, REGARDING THE FINANCIAL FORECAST, OUR NEW FINANCE DIRECTOR, KAREN. OKAY. AND I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME TO SHOW EVERYBODY ABOUT HOW GOOD YOU ARE. OKAY. GO AHEAD. AND I, I'M MIKE, MICROSOFT. HOLD ON. OKAY. YES. SO, OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU THE LONG RANGE FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR 26 THROUGH 2030. NOW, AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS 104 FUNDS. HOWEVER, THE GENERAL FUND IS A PRIMARY FUND TO COUNT FOR THE CITY'S [01:10:01] BASIC SERVICES OF PUBLIC SAFETY PLANNING, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, AND PARKS AND RECREATION. THUS, TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON GENERAL FUND. THE PRIMARY RESOURCES FOR GENERAL FUND ARE PROPERTY TAXES, SALES TAXES, AND OTHER TAXES, WHICH ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 77% OF YOUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES. PROPERTY TAX GROWTH IS BASED UPON THE AVERAGE INCREASE OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS IN THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AS ESTIMATES FOR SALES AND USE TASK GROWTH. IT'S FROM 3.5% IN 2026, 3.2% IN 2007 AND 3% FOR THE REMAINING YEARS. THIS ASSUMPTION IS BASED UPON OUR SALES TAX CONSULTANT, HDL ASSOCIATES. THE CPI FOR THE LOS ANGELES LONG BEACH IN ANAHEIM IS 3.18%. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE APPLYING THE CPI TO OUR OTHER TAXES, CHARGES FOR SERVICES, LICENSE AND PERMITS USE OF MONEY. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE NATURE OF OTHER REVENUES, WE ARE NOT FORECASTING A GROWTH. IN FACT, WE ARE KEEPING IT FLAT AT 0%. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NOW, THE PRIMARY USE OF GENERAL FUND IS SALARIES REPRESENTS 39%. BENEFITS ARE AT 26%. MATERIALS AND SERVICES ARE AT 14%, AND OVER TIME AT 9%. THIS ACCOUNTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 88% OF YOUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. NOW, BASED UPON THE CURRENT AND ANTICIPATED ME RANDOMNESS OF UNDERSTANDING, ALSO KNOWN AS THE MOUS, THE BARGAINING UNITS WE'RE ANTICIPATING SALARIES TO BE AT 2.8% TO 3% FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WHO ARE PROJECTING TO 2%. AND FOR PENSIONS, THAT IS GONNA BE BASED UPON THE CALPERS ACTUARIAL VALUATION REPORTS. THE FUEL AND UTILITIES IS BASED UPON CPI OR 3.18%. NEXT SLIDE. NOW ON THIS SLIDE, NUMBER FOUR IS THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE EXPENDITURES FROM 2 24 THROUGH 2030. THE GREEN BAR HERE REPRESENTS THE REVENUES. THE YELLOW OR ORANGE BAR REPRESENTS OUR EXPENDITURES. SO IF THE REVENUES WERE TO EXCEED THAT OF THE EXPENDITURES, THAT'S REFERRED TO AS A SURPLUS. IF EXPENDITURES HOWEVER EXCEEDS OUR REVENUES WE REFER TO THAT AS A DEFICIT. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BLUE LINE THAT REPRESENTS REVENUES EXCEEDING OUR EXPENDITURES. NOW, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE REFER TO THE FIRST STEP. YOU TALKING ABOUT GREEN, GREEN ONE, RIGHT? OH, TALKING ABOUT THE, YEAH, THERE'S A BLUE LINE. OKAY. YES, YES, YES. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO IF YOU REFER TO THE FIRST SET OF COLUMNS THERE THAT REPRESENTS THE ACTUALS FOR 24, WE HAD A SURPLUS OF 830,000. WE NOW MOVE TO THE SECOND GROUP OF COLUMNS THAT REPRESENTS OUR ESTIMATES, 4 25. ALTHOUGH WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET TO HAVE A SURPLUS OF $1,335, WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT 25 IS ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE A SURPLUS OF APPROXIMATELY 350,000. THE SURPLUS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO PROPERTY TAXES AND BUSINESS LICENSE TAXES COMING IN HIGHER, BUT THAT IS BEING OFFSET BY SOME OF THE REVENUES THAT ARE COMING LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE THIRD THROUGH THE SEVENTH COLUMN SETS, THESE REPRESENTS OUR FORECAST. SO INCLUDED IN THE 26TH THROUGH 2030 IS REVENUES FROM A 1.5 MILLION REFUSE FRANCHISE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT. IN ADDITION, ON AUGUST 19TH, 2025, THE CITY COUNCIL ENTERED INTO A PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT OF 3 MILLION, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN 27. SO FOR THE 26, WE'RE PROJECTING A SURPLUS OF APPROXIMATELY 900,000 IN 27, A SURPLUS OF 2.5 MILLION. AND AGAIN, THAT INCLUDES THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY OF 3.5 3.0 MILLION. NOW FOR 28, WE'RE PROJECTING A DEFICIT OF 460,000 IN 29 DEFICIT OF MILLION. HOWEVER, IN FISCAL YEAR 2030, WHICH IS THE LAST SET OF COLUMNS, WE ARE ANTICIPATING PENSION COSTS TO INCREASE ONLY BY A HUNDRED THOUSAND FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, COUPLED WITH THE PRIMARY REVENUES EXCEEDING THAT OF OUR EXPENDITURES, WHICH WILL RESULT IN A SURPLUS OF 860,000. NEXT SLIDE FUND BALANCE IS ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING RESERVES. AGAIN, I'LL REPEAT THIS. FUND BALANCE IS ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING RESERVES. SO BEFORE WE DISCUSS FUND BALANCES [01:15:01] OR RESERVES, I'D LIKE TO OFFER THE VARIOUS CLASSIFICATIONS, AND THERE ARE FIVE LISTED ON THIS SCREEN. NON DES SPENDABLE ARE THE PRIMARY FUNDS THAT CANNOT BE SPENT BECAUSE THEY'RE EITHER IN INVENTORY OR A PREPAID AMOUNT. THE RESTRICTED REFERS TO AMOUNTS THAT HAVE EXTERNAL ENFORCEABLE LIMITATIONS, LIMITATIONS THAT ARE GENERALLY SET BY OUR CREDITORS OR BY GOVERNMENT REGULATORIES COMMITTED. THESE ARE FUNDS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IMPOSED BY FORMAL ACTION TO RESERVE THESE FUNDS FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, WHEREAS YOUR ASSIGNED REFERS TO FUNDS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSE, BUT THEY, THEY WEREN'T IMPOSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. AND THEN LASTLY, YOUR UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE. THESE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE SPENDABLE. THEY ARE NOT RESTRICTED, AND THEY ARE NOT RESERVED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. SO NOW THAT WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF FUND BALANCES OR RESERVES, LET'S LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE WHERE WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THE GENERAL FUND UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NOW ON SLIDE SIX, THIS IS YOUR GENERAL FUND UNASSIGNED BALANCE. THE COLUMNS REPRESENTS THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE, AND THE BALLOON LINE REPRESENTS YOU UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AS A PERCENTAGE OF YOUR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE IS TRENDING UPWARDS. SO WHEN WE ACTUALLY COMPARE THE VERY FIRST COLUMN, WHICH IS 2024, COMPARE THAT TO THE LAST COLUMN, 2030, YOU'RE GONNA NOTICE THAT AS INCREASED BY 3.1 MILLION. THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND POLICY, AS YOU KNOW, IS THAT THE GENERAL FUND UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE SHOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO 18% OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. THE BLUE LINE HERE REPRESENTS THAT PERCENTAGE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE PROJECTING THAT THE CITY WILL MEET OR EXCEED OUR GENERAL FUND RESERVE POLICY OF 18%. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. AND COUNCIL, ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? A NONE. YES, MR. MAYOR, GO AHEAD. OKAY. COUNCILMAN KENDO. THANK YOU. I I JUST HAVE A SERIES OF JUST GENERAL PROCESS QUESTIONS. I REALIZE THAT SOME OF THIS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER AS A COUNCIL WITH REGARD TO POLICY, BUT JUST SO I UNDERSTAND. SO FROM A STRATEGIC STANDPOINT, IN ORDER FOR US TO INCREASE OUR, OUR BUDGETARY STANDINGS, WOULD YOU SAY THAT A THE BEST STRATEGY WOULD BE TO MINIMIZE OUR, OUR EXPENSES AND TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO GENERATE REVENUE, UH, IN ORDER TO BRING IN MORE MONEY SO AS TO INCREASE THE, THE AMOUNT THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR US UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCES? I COULD NOT EXPLAIN THAT TO ANY BETTER. YES. COUNCIL. SO IN LIGHT, THANK YOU. UH, AND SO IN LIGHT OF THAT, WOULD THAT MEAN THAT AND, AND THE, SINCE THE DECISIONS THAT WE WOULD MAKE WOULD, UH, IF WE WERE TO ADVANCE THAT, WOULD YOU SAY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO ITEMS WITH REGARD TO LET'S SAY THE, THE SALE OF THE CITY YARD OR WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THE SPORTSPLEX AND, AND, UM, AND AS WELL AS OTHER, UH, PROJECTS, UH, WOULD IT BE A BE A GOOD BUDGETARY? JUST SPEAKING FROM THE NUMBERS, I REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT YOUR DECISION, BUT JUST FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, IF WE WERE STRATEGICALLY TO FIND WAYS TO, TO MAKE THOSE IN TURN THOSE INTO REVENUE GENERATORS AS OPPOSED TO REVENUE DRAINERS, THEN WOULD THAT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET? COUNCILMAN CONTOS? ANY CHANGES, MODIFICATIONS THAT WOULD GENERATE REOCCURRING GENERAL FUND REVENUES WOULD DEFINITELY BENEFIT OUR FUND AND BALANCE OR OUR RESERVE LEVEL. YES. AND, AND SO IF WE WERE TO HAVE A HIGHER BALANCES THAT WOULD POSITION US TO, TO FUND, UH, PUT FUNDING INTO THE SECTION ONE 15 PENSION TRUSTS AS WELL AS POTENTIALLY TO INCREASE OUR RESERVES WITHOUT HAVING A SACRIFICE TO OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO RESIDENTS? THAT'S CORRECT. CURRENTLY, UM, I, WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING INTO SECTION ONE 15 TRUST. AND FOR THE PUBLIC, SECTION ONE 15 TRUSTS ARE DESIGNED AS A IRREVOCABLE TRUST. AND WHAT THAT MEANS, IF YOU DEPOSIT FUNDS IN AN IRREVOCABLE TRUST SUCH AS A SECTION 15, THEN YOU COULD ONLY UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS FOR PENSION COSTS ONLY. ONCE YOU PUT IT IN THIS IRREVOCABLE TRUST, YOU CANNOT REMOVE IT FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN FOR PENSION COSTS. IF WE WERE TO CURRENTLY EXPLORE SECTION ONE 15 RIGHT NOW, UM, WE WOULD PROBABLY GO BELOW OUR GENERAL FUND 18% POLICY IN THE FUTURE. AS YOU STATED, IF WE WERE TO GENERATE MORE SURPLUSES, THAT IS DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO INVEST OUR DEPOSIT FUNDS INTO A SECTION ONE 15 TRUST. ABSOLUTELY PROVIDED THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL SURPLUSES, SO WE STILL CAN MAINTAIN OUR 18% GENERAL FUND BALANCE. THANK YOU. AND [01:20:01] MY LAST QUESTION IS, IF, WOULD YOU SAY THAT AS A MATTER OF GENERAL PRACTICE, THAT IF WE WERE TO SPEND MONEY FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING MONEY, SUCH AS LET'S SAY, PAYING FOR A, A, A LOBBYIST TO, TO, UH, SECURE ADDITIONAL FUNDS OR GRANT MONEY, THEN, THEN AS LONG AS WE, WE BRING IN MORE MONEY THAN WHAT WE SPEND, THEN WOULD YOU SAY FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT, THAT WOULD BE A SOUND DECISION? IT'S A VERY CHALLENGING QUESTION BECAUSE EVEN IF WE WERE TO SECURE A CONSULTANT TO ASSIST US, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GRANTED FUNDS. MM-HMM . UM, IF I HAD A MAGICAL BALL, I WOULD LOVE TO SAY YES , BUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO ANSWER QUESTION. I HAVE, I HAVE, UH, COLLABORATED WITH GRANT CONSULTANTS IN THE PAST, AND I FIND THEM VERY USEFUL. BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF TALENTED EMPLOYEES WITH THE CITY OF WEST COVINA THAT GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL IN LOOKING AND HOPEFULLY SECURING GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE. SO IN LIGHT OF THAT ASSESSMENT, THEN WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL UNTAPPED FOR US TO GENERATE MORE GRANT MONEY FROM THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE. UH, CURRENTLY, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE STAFF THAT IS QUALIFIED TO DO SO. YES. THANK YOU. UH, KAREN, YOU ARE AMAZING. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN KENDO. SO I'M GONNA MOVE THE MOTION TO APPROVE. OKAY. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I WANT TO LET PEOPLE FIRST TO SEE YOUR FACE. OKAY. YOUR PRESENTATION, BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU DO THE PRESENTATION. SECOND THING, UH, YOU CAN SEE THE LONG TERM PROJECTION LOOK VERY OKAY. OPTIMISTIC AND, UH, VERY POSITIVE. OKAY. HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR RESERVE. CONTINUE. WE CAN HAVE A SURPLUS, CONTINUE INCREASING OUR OKAY. RESOURCE REVENUE SO WE CAN PROVIDE MORE SERVICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE I HAVE. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. A MOVE MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. OKAY. AND, UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE. ROLL CALL. COUNCILMAN CONTOS. AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ? AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ. VITO AYE. MAYOR WU. AYE. OKAY. MOTION APPROVED. FIVE ZERO. NOW WE ARE MOVING. [4) CONSIDERATION OF CENSURE OF COUNCIL MEMBER BRIAN GUTIERREZ] OKAY. TO THE NUMBER FOUR CONSIDERATION OF ESSENTIAL OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, BRIAN. SO, UH, NOW WE HAVE A TWO SIDE, AND, UH, I WANT TO BE, UH, BASICALLY AND PUT A DISCLAIMER IN THE FRONT. UH, LET'S BE CIVILIZED. OKAY? LET'S HAVE OUR MALE PROTEIN, UH, TO STATE HER CASE. AND AFTER THAT, THEN WE HAVE OUR OKAY. AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTTER TO REBUTTAL. SO IN THAT WAY, AND PLEASE DO NOT INTERRUPT EACH OTHER. DON'T ARGUE, UH, NO DEBATE. AND JUST EVERYBODY STAY. OKAY. AND THE, THE, THE, THE OKAY. YOUR STATEMENT. AND AFTER THAT, THEN WE CAN BRING, WE CAN DISCUSS WHAT SHOULD WE DO NEXT? OKAY. YEAH, GO AHEAD. THE CITY MANAGER, UH, MR. BARRETT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. THOMAS CONNELL O'CONNELL OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR THIS MATTER. SO WE HAVE, UH, AN OTHER ATTORNEY COMING IN. YES, WE DO. MR. MAYOR. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU. SO, AND, UH, IN THIS, UH, NOW I WANT TO, UH, OKAY. GIVE THE FLOW TO OUR MALE PROTEIN. OKAY. AND, UH, I THINK YOU HAVE, UH, UH, SOME KIND OF, UH, DO YOU HAVE A, YEAH, DO YOU HAVE A CLICKER OR SOMETHING? I HAVE A PRESENTATION. I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN PUT IT UP. YEAH, HE'S, UH, AGAIN, I JUST ASK THAT PLEASE ALLOW ME TO GO THROUGH MY FULL PRESENTATION WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. OKAY. YOU JUST CLICK SHOULD BE, JUST GO. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU READY? YES. YEAH, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. SO, YEAH, YOU HAVE A FLOOR. UM, I CALL THIS MEETING TO ADDRESS MY CONCERNS REGARDING BRIAN GUTIERREZ'S CONDUCT. AS YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS PREFER TO HANDLE THINGS PRIVATELY AND RESPECTFULLY, BUT DUE TO THE CONTINUOUS LANDER OPPRESSION AND OVERALL CONCERNING ACTIONS BY BRIAN GUTIERREZ, I FELT IT IS NECESSARY TO STAND UP FOR MYSELF AND FOR OTHERS. DURING OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 2ND, MEETING PROCEEDED AS NORMAL, BUT WHEN I BROUGHT UP THE TOY GIVEAWAY, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ GOT VERY DEFENSIVE AND DENIED HIS INVOLVEMENT. THIS WAS STRANGE AS I SPOKE POSITIVELY OF THE EVENT, I HAD NOT PERCEIVED IT AS A BIG DEAL UNTIL HE SENT ME A CEASE AND DESIST EMAIL. CEASE AND DESIST. IT'S NOT WORKING. IS IT TOO FAR? I THINK YOU ARE. OH, OKAY. OKAY. SO THE CEASE AND DESIST SENDS ME LIKE A BUNCH OF THINGS, BUT, UM, [01:25:01] BUT THE MAIN TAKEAWAY WITH THIS, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO SHOW WHAT I WROTE. NO BATTERY , THE TOGGLE IS NOT PLUGGED IN. WELL, OH, YOU DIDN'T PLUG IN WORKING NOW. OH, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CLICKER. OH, OKAY. OH, WORKING OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THE CEASE AND DESIST WAS USED TO ADDRESS SUPPOSED FALSE REMARKS FROM ME ABOUT THE TOY GIVEAWAY EVENT. HE THREATENS, HE THREATENS ME WITH LEGAL ACTION. IF I DON'T STOP MAKING FALSE AND DEFAMATORY STATEMENTS ABOUT HIM, I HAVE NO PROBLEM RECEIVING THE CEASE AND DESIST. IT WENT BACK OUT. OKAY. I HAVE NO PROBLEM RECEIVING THE CEASE AND DESIST. HOWEVER, RESTRICTING MY COMMUNICATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY, DESPITE THIS BEING A CITY RELATED EVENT, IS CONCERNING, AS YOU CAN SEE, GIVES ME A FORMAL LEGAL WARNING TO CEASE AND DESIST FROM MAKING FALSE INFORMATORY STATEMENTS ABOUT HIM, AND HE'LL PURSUE AVAILABLE LEGAL REMEDIES. AND TO BE CLEAR ABOUT LEGAL ADVICE THAT I SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO USE A CITY ATTORNEY, I CONSIDER BRIAN AS A FRIEND, BUT INSTEAD OF CALLING, TEXTING OR APPROACHING ME IN PERSON, HE DECIDED IT WAS BEST TO TAKE A MORE AGGRESSIVE AND UNNECESSARY APPROACH. SO IT DID NOT STOP HERE. AND LIKE I SAID, A CEASE DESIST EMAIL SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT DESPITE IT NOT BEING NECESSARY FOR ONE SUPPOSED FALSE DEATH OF MORATORY STATEMENT. SO IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE FOR HIM TO BRING THIS MAN TO MY HOUSE WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER AT HOME TO COME LOOKING FOR ME JUST TO PRESSURE AND OPPRESS ME FURTHER FOR AN EMAIL THAT WAS ALREADY SENT. THIS IS NOT A COURT ORDER OR A LAWSUIT. I WAS NOT GIVEN NOTICE OUT OF CONSIDERATION. SO WHEN MY DAUGHTER CALLS ME THAT A MAN OPENED OUR GATE TO COME LOOKING FOR ME WHEN I WAS NOT HOME, OF COURSE, I WAS BOTHERED. MY LITTLE GIRL WAS SCARED. I'VE BEEN ATTACKED ON THE COUNCIL. I'VE BEEN ATTACKED BEFORE ON THE COUNCIL, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IT COMES WITH A JOB, BUT I HAVE NEVER, EVER BEEN THREATENED FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH. I ALSO WANNA MAKE CLEAR MY HOME WORK AND FAMILY ARE OFF LIMITS. WHAT'S WORSE IS I'VE COMMUNICATED WITH THIS, UH, WITH COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ IN THE PAST OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT INVOLVING HIS HARASSMENT WITH A FORMER'S WIFE, WHICH I TOLD HIM THAT UNLESS THEY GET INVOLVED, THEY SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE. SO HE'S ALREADY AWARE OF THIS. SO FRUSTRATED AFTER MY DAUGHTER'S CALL TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I COMMUNICATED TO GUTIERREZ TO STOP HARASSING ME, STOP SENDING PEOPLE TO MY HOME. HE, IN RESPONSE, HE IGNORED ME AND TURNED IT AROUND BY SENDING ANOTHER CEASE AND DESIST EMAIL. HE MADE IT VERY CLEAR PRIOR THAT I COULD NOT EVEN USE OUR CITY ATTORNEY. KNOWING, KNOWING THIS, HE CONTINUES TO INTIMIDATE ME BY EXPLICITLY STATING THAT HE WOULD BRING HIS ATTORNEY TO PURSUE ALL APPROPRIATE LEGAL REMEDIES. KNOWING I HAVE, KNOWING I HAVE NONE, GUTIERREZ CONTINUES, CONSTANTLY HAS USED THE OPTION TO WEAPONIZE THE LAW. I REQUESTED A SPECIAL MEETING TO BRING UP MY CONCERNS, AND THEN HE RETALIATES BY FILING A RESTRAINING ORDER UNDER JOHN DOE AGAINST THE CITY. HE THEN LATER SUED THE CITY OF WEST COVINA. SO THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF ME SPEAKING UP WOULD BE STOPPED. THANKFULLY, THE HEARING ON THE 10TH, HE LOST THAT CASE. AND THE HEARING ON THE 12TH WHERE HE SUBPOENAS STAFF, HE LOSES THAT CASE AS WELL. HIS PAST RECORDS ARE, ARE SEALED. HE CONSTANTLY GOES UNDER THE NAME OF JOHN DOE. I CAN OPENLY SAY NOW THAT HE IS JOHN DOE. AS THE COURT ORDERED THE DOCUMENTS CASE TO BE UNSEALED, HIS CONCLUSION TO THE COURT THAT HE WROTE, IF UNRESTRAINED THE CENTER WILL CAUSE IRRE, IRREPARABLE, REPUTA, REPUTATIONAL, AND CONSTITUTIONAL HARM. AND E ELABORATE HIS EMOTIONAL DISTRESS AS HE CONTINUES TO SERVE AS THE FIRST AUTISTIC COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING WEST COVINA. AND ADDITIONALLY, HIS SAFETY AND CONFIDENTIALITY MUST BE PRESERVED UNDER THE SAFE AT HOME AND RELATED LAW. HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH OTHER ORGANIZATION PUTS HIS LIFE IN DANGER, WHICH I WON'T DARE GET INTO BECAUSE I KNOW IT POSES ADDITIONAL RISK TO MY HOME FAMILY AND I. YET HE SERVES PUBLICLY RATHER THAN STAY HIDDEN, HE CONTINUE TO PUT HIMSELF IN THE SPOTLIGHT, SPOTLIGHT AND ATTACK OTHERS. THE QUESTIONS, THIS QUESTION'S A VALIDITY OF HIS NEED FOR PROTECTION, WHERE HE PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN HE WANTS TO BE PROTECTED. THIS IS A CONSTANT, CONSISTENT [01:30:01] PATTERN OF ABUSE OF POWER, WHICH IS CONCERNING TO ME AS HE BULLIES ME AND LIMITS MY OPTION TO SPEAK UP FOR MYSELF AND SPEAK UP AGAINST HIM. AND TO THINK ALL THIS STARTED WITH SOMETHING AS SMALL AS MENTIONING THE EVENT GUT SET UP THAT HE CAN NO LONGER DENY. SO I WANTED TO PLAY THIS AND PLEASE LISTEN. THE BIGGEST TOY DRIVE IS THAT THAT INVOLVED THOUSANDS OF MONEY. THAT WAS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. DID THE CITY PAY FOR IT? WELL, THE CITY DID PAY WELL IF YOU WHO PAID FOR IT? HUH? WHO PAID FOR IT? I DON'T KNOW. IT WAS, DAMN. IT WAS NOT MY EVENT. LETTI, HELLO? UH, MY NAME IS BRIAN GUTIERREZ. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA. AND I'M PROUD TO BRING THIS EVENT TO WEST COVINA. THIS EVENT IS MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE JIMMY IL, JOSE RA, AND ROCKY VENEGAS, THE FOUNDERS OF RANCHO HUMILITY MUSIC AND THEIR NONPROFIT HUMILITY HOUSE OF CHARITIES. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER 2ND WHERE HE JUST KEPT DECLINING DENYING HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT AT ALL, IS, UH, PROOF. SO HE RETALIATED AGAINST ME FOR SOMETHING I SAID THAT WAS TRUE AND ACCURATE. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT, AND I'VE SPOKE POSITIVELY ABOUT THAT. I'M PROUD OF THAT, WHICH I HAD SAID AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, HE MADE AN A CEASE AND DESIST ON ME FOR MAKING FALSE REMARKS ABOUT THE TOY GIVEAWAY. YET THIS CLEARLY SHOWS HIS OWNERSHIP OF THE EVENT AND THE CONNECTIONS HE BROUGHT, INCLUDING RANCHO JAMIL DE A MAJOR DONOR. GUTIERREZ ORGANIZED THIS A YEAR PRIOR IN PREPARATION FOR HIS UPCOMING COUNCIL ELECTION. HE WANTED NAME RECOGNITION, WHICH IS WHY HE BROUGHT THIS EVENT TO OUR CITY AND WHY HIS NAME WAS WRITTEN IN ALL OUR CITY FLYERS AND PRESS RELEASES. AS YOU CAN SEE, HERE'S A PHOTO OF ALL OF US STANDING BEHIND HIM AS HE WAS TAKING THE LEAD DURING THE FINAL WALKTHROUGH IN PREPARATION OF THE EVENT. THIS IS ALL THE ALSO THE NIGHT WHERE GUTIERREZ YELLED AT TRANSTECH AND WENT AGAINST THEIR SAFETY TRAFFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. AS HE SAID, HE HAS HIS OWN PEOPLE WHO'S DONE THIS TOY DRIVE BEFORE HE EVEN IGNORED OTHER SAFETY ME MEASURES OF WEARING A VEST WHEN ON THE STREET. NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY HE DE DESPISES TRANSTEC BECAUSE THEY DID NOT AGREE ABOUT, AGREE WITH HIS PLANS. IT'S NOW OBVIOUS WHY HE RETALIATES AGAINST TRANSTEC. THIS IS A COMMON PATTERN OF RETALIATION AGAINST THOSE WITH OPPOSING BELIEFS, WHETHER IT'S TRANSTEC, MYSELF, OR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. TRANSTECH IS A CURRENT SERVICE PROVIDER WHO HAS A RIGHT TO UPDATE STAFF, COUNSEL, AND COMMUNITY. GUTIERREZ DID NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, AND HE THREATENED OUR FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR NOT DOING HER JOB. SHE'S NO LONGER WITH US, AS YOU CAN SEE. HE TELLS HER THAT HE RESIDE. HE RESERVES A RIGHT TO ELEVATE THIS MATTER, WHICH INCLUDES THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, THE FBI PUBLIC INTEGRITY UNIT, WHICH HE CLEARLY STATES THAT HE MAINTAINS A PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH. AGAIN, HE'S ABUSING HIS AUTHORITY AND LEVERAGING HIS CONNECTIONS INAPPROPRIATELY AS AN INTIMIDATION TACTIC TO AN EMPLOYEE. THIS EMPLOYEE RESIGNED BECAUSE OF GUTIERREZ, WHICH SHE HAS PERSONALLY TOLD ME. GUTIERREZ IS AWARE OF THIS AS I SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT IT, BUT HE IGNORED AND DID NOT CARE. HERE'S A SECOND DEPUTY DIRECTOR. THIS IS DONE AGAIN WHERE GUTIERREZ HARASSED ANOTHER DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DEMANDING THAT HE ONLY FOCUSES ON HIS DISTRICT TO WORK ON DEL NORTE PARK. THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR HAD EXPLAINED THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO, AS HIS TEAM WAS FOCUSING ON WORKING ON THE SCHOOL CROSSWALK FOR THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS. BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED, GUTIERREZ WAS UPSET AND IN RETALIATION, HE REPORTED HIM TO CALPERS, WHICH HAD HIM REMOVED. AND NOW THE CITY WAS DOWN TWO AMAZING AND CAPABLE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS. THERE'S MORE WON'T GET INTO THAT. WEAPONIZING THE LAW TO SUPPRESS AND RETALIATE. GUTIERREZ WEAPONIZES THE LAW TO SUPPRESS AND RETALIATE. HE HAS PUT A RESTRAINING ORDER ON ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS FOR HIS PUBLIC COMMENT. DURING OUR COUNCIL MEETING, HE HAS HIS PAST RECORD SEALED AND RECENTLY REMOVED ON ALL REMOVED ALL SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS, TRYING TO ERASE HISTORY, MAKING IT HARDER TO FIND CONNECTIONS AND LINKS TO WHAT HE WAS ACCUSING ME OF. HE FILED A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND INJUNCTION TO STOP ME FROM REQUESTING A ESSENTIAL LAST WEEK. AND CURRENTLY HE'S SUING THE CITY OF WEST COVINA. HE HIRES BODYGUARDS FOR HIS PROTECTION WHEN CONVENIENT. HE GETS ALL THE SECURITY AND PROTECTION, INCLUDING PRIVATE COUNSEL, PARKING. HE HAS HIS OWN SPECIAL PARKING AND WEST COVINA POLICE ESCORT ALL IN THE NAME OF HIS LIFE AND SAFETY FROM A PREVIOUS CASE. HE'S UNDER SAFE OF HOME PROGRAM THAT PROTECTS HIS HOME ADDRESS FROM PUBLIC EXPOSURE, HIDING HIS MISCONDUCT UNDER THIS PROGRAM. WHAT DO I HAVE? NOTHING. I AM VULNERABLE. I'M A GENUINE PUBLIC SERVANT. EVERYTHING ABOUT ME IS OPEN. [01:35:01] PEOPLE CAN FIND MY HOME, MY WORK AND FAMILY. I'M NOT PROTECTED THE WAY HE IS. HIS POWER FAR EXCEEDS MINE. HE HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT AT ANY POINT IN TIME HE CAN USE ANYTHING TO BRING ME DOWN, JUST LIKE THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. AND LEFT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, LACK OF FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY, CONCERNS THE OPPRESSION AND BELITTLEMENT AND HARASSMENT WERE ENOUGH REASONS FOR ME TO CALL THIS MEETING IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT OTHERS AS WELL. THIS WAS MY MAIN FOCAL POINT. HOWEVER, AS THINGS PROGRESSED IN RELATION TO THE CENSURE, I HAVE NOTICED ADDITIONAL DAMAGE IN REGARD TO THE PUBLIC'S TRUST. BECAUSE OF THIS, I WANNA BRING UP THE TOPIC OF COUNCILMAN BRIAN GUTIERREZ'S. LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. BRIAN HAD AN ISSUE IN REGARDS TO THE CITY WORKING WITH OTHERS AND SPENDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO CREATE EVENTS. SO GOING BACK TO THE TOY GIVEAWAY, I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS WAS THE BIGGEST TOY GIVEAWAY IN THE WHOLE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY AREA. $100,000 WORTH OF TOYS WERE GIVEN OUT. THE LINE WENT FAR TO OTHER CITIES CAUSING MAJOR TRAFFIC. HE EVEN REQUESTED A TRAFFIC FLYOVER. ALL THIS COSTED CITY TAXPAYERS MONEY AND STAFF RESOURCES, WHICH HE CLAIMS HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AND DOES NOT WANT ME TO SPEAK ABOUT. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO. FEEL FREE TO WATCH THE FULL EVENT ON YOUTUBE UNDER CITY OF WEST COVINA, DECEMBER 3RD, 2023, CENTENNIAL TOY GIVEAWAY, WHICH CLEARLY SHOWS HE IS TAKING THE LEAD. IN THE SAME YEAR. 2023, GUTIERREZ DONATED $5,000 TO CAWC TO SPONSOR THE MOON FESTIVAL. AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER. DONATION FORGES A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES AND FOR HIM TO USE THEM TO SUPPORT HIS UPCOMING COUNCIL LED ELECTION. YET HE NOW ATTACKS THEM WHEN HE NO LONGER NEEDS THEM. THE IRONY, HOWEVER, IN ADDITION TO THIS, WHEN I HAD REQUESTED RECORDS FROM CAWC, THE CHECK DIDN'T COME FROM GUTIERREZ. IT CAME FROM JRJ CORPORATION INTERNATIONAL, WHICH IS OWNED BY RANCHO IL DE, WHO IS ASSOCIATED AND IS ALSO A MAJOR DONOR OF THE TOY GIVEAWAY. THIS CONNECTION TO RANCHO IL DE IS NOT CLEAR AND CONCISE TO THE PEOPLE OF WEST COVINA. THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY BETWEEN THE TWO IS DEMONSTRATED AGAIN THIS YEAR. IN JANUARY, 2025 IN OUR COUNCIL MEETING, COUNCILMAN GUTIERREZ PRESENTED A $20,000 DONATION TO OUR CANINE PROGRAM WHILE HOLDING A GIANT CHECK UNDER HIS NAME FOR A NEW POLICE CANINE RANCHO. BUT AGAIN, THE MONEY DID NOT COME FROM HIM PERSONALLY. IT CAME FROM RANCHO JAMIL DE. YET HE DENIES ANY CONNECTIONS TO THIS ORGANIZATION. THERE ARE ALSO NO FPPC FILING SHOWING THESE CONTRIBUTIONS. WHY NOT? HE HAS NOT SUBMITTED ANY BEED PAYMENT REPORT FORM 8 0 3, BUT IS SO QUICK TO REPORT NUMEROUS FRIVOLOUS CLAIMS ON OTHERS. AS FOR THE SPORTS PLEX, HE ARRANGED A MEETING WITH FORMER CITY MANAGER PAULINA MORALES AND RANCHO O'NEIL DAY ABOUT GIVING FULL CONTROL TO IL DE. HOW IS GUTIERREZ ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ORGANIZATION? DOES HE WORK FOR THEM OR IS HE A PART OF THEIR CHARITY? WHAT IS GUTIERREZ HIDING? FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T WORK, HE SURE LIVES A LUXURIOUS LIFESTYLE. HE TALKS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO HIM, HE THREATENS TO SILENCE. IS THIS THE REASON WHY HE WISHES TO SILENCE ME ON THE TOY GIVEAWAY? AS ALL THIS IS NOW LINKING TOGETHER, THIS IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THE ABUSIVE AND THE POWER AND LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE COMMUNITY. AND AS FOR THE CENSURE, THIS IS A FORMAL PUBLIC STATEMENT OF DISAPPROVAL BY THE GOVERNMENT BO BODY. IT DOES NOT REMOVE A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM OFFICE. ONLY THE VOTERS CAN OR RECALL, OR IN RARE CASES STATE LAW. AND I DO HAVE GROUNDS FOR CENSURE AS HE HAS HARASSED STAFF COLLEAGUES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BRIAN GUTIERREZ CONTINUOUSLY DEMONSTRATE A PATTERN OF SILENCING AND CONTROLLING OTHER VOICES THROUGH HARASSMENT AND OPPRESSION. THROUGH HIS CONNECTION, AS DEMONSTRATED BY INSTANCES WITH MYSELF AND OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES, HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO ABUSE THE POWER TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE PROTECTION THAT HE CURRENTLY HOLDS. JOHN DOE PROGRAMS LIKE STAY AT HOME AND HIS REPORTING CONNECTION GIVES HIM THE CAPABILITY TO HIDE HIMSELF BEHIND THE LAW. THIS MAKES IT HARDER FOR INDIVIDUALS LIKE MYSELF AND EMPLOYEES TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. I KNOW AFTER EXPOSING ADDITIONAL, I KNOW AFTER EXPOSING THIS ADDITIONAL RETALIATION WILL COME MY WAY. AND SIMILAR TACTICS WILL BE CONTINUED TO BE USED. THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ETERNAL IN, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL INTERNAL CONCERNS THAT HAVE LED ME WARY OF MY SAFETY. BUT I HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS, SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT THE CITY. AND TO, IN ORDER TO PREVENT MATTERS FROM BECOMING WORSE. THIS IS WHY I CALLED TO MOVE THE MOTION OF CENSURE. COUNCILMAN BRIAN GUTIERREZ? [01:40:03] THAT'S IT. YOU, YOU DONE? I'M DONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. MAYOR PRO AND, UH, COUNCILMAN BRIAN GUTIERREZ, GO AHEAD. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S FUNNY THAT, UH, LETTI LOPEZ GETS A COPY OF A CHECK FROM THE CHINESE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION WHO MAYOR'S MAYOR, WHO'S WIFE IS THE FOUNDER OF. BUT THAT SAME ORGANIZATION HAS REFUSED TO HAND OVER THEIR BOOKS TO THE TAXPAYERS, TO THE CITY OF WEST PHOENIX. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S JUST A, IT'S PRETTY SHAMEFUL ON THE MAYOR'S PART. BUT, UM, SO I'M GONNA, BEFORE I BEGIN MY STATEMENT, UM, AND SOME FACTS, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR OUR, UH, ACTING CITY MANAGER. UM, WAS I IN YOUR OFFICE FOR A SCHEDULED MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2025 WITH THE DOOR CLOSED? YES. YOU WERE. DID WE BOTH HEAR SOMEONE BANGING ON YOUR DOOR? YES. DID SOMEONE OPEN YOUR DOOR DURING THAT MEETING? YES. WAS IT MAYOR PRO LOPEZ VIDO? YES. DID SHE RAISE HER VOICE WHEN SHE OPENED THE DOOR? YES. AT ANY TIME DURING THAT INCIDENT DID I RAISE MY VOICE? NO. DID MAYOR PROTON LOPEZ VIDO APPEAR ANGRY OR HOSTILE? UH, SHE APPEARED ANGRY. THANK YOU. WAS I POLITE AND PROFESSIONAL THROUGHOUT THE INCIDENT? YES. WHO ELSE WAS PRESENT OR NEARBY AT THE TIME? UH, I BELIEVE MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS WERE IN THE HALLWAY AND IN THEIR OFFICES, WHICH IS LOCATED OUTSIDE MY DOOR. THANK YOU. AND DID SHE CLOSE YOUR DOOR AGGRESSIVELY AS SHE LEFT, SHE CLOSED THE DOOR FIRMLY? CORRECT. OKAY, THANK YOU. AFTER THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING WHEN SHE CLAIMED HE SENT A MAN TO MY DOOR, DID I EMAIL YOU? DID DID I EMAIL YOU AND POLICE CHIEF ANTONIO CORINA PROOF THAT THAT MAN WAS A LICENSED LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROCESSOR? I BELIEVE YOU DID. THANK YOU. AND I HAVE, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST HERE, UM, CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY, HAVE YOU EVER DONATED OR YOUR FIRM JONES MEYER EVER DONATED TO FILM AT WEST VNA? UH, COUNCILOR GUTIERREZ? THAT'S ACTUALLY BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE MOTION HERE. I'M SORRY. UH, MR. THOMAS OI THINK THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW IF THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEY. I THINK HE HAS THE RIGHT TO HE HE'S OBLIGATED BY LAW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. IT'S ACTUALLY BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT HAS HE OR HAS HE NOT? COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU CAN MOVE ON. SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE REFUSING TO GIVE THE PUBLIC THEIR TRANS THE RIGHT TO THEIR TRANSPARENCY, CORRECT. MR. OCADO? NO, I AM TELLING YOU THAT IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT IS. OKAY. SO THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW THAT MR. DOHERTY HAS GIVEN MONEY TO, UH, TO MAYOR PROTE LEFT LOPEZ LES'S CHARITY JUST A MONTH AGO. THANK YOU. MR. DOHERTY, HAS YOU OR YOUR FIRM EVER DONATED TO C-C-A-A-W-C COUNCIL MEMBER? ARE, ARE YOU INTENDING TO ASK QUESTIONS MR. DOHERTY, UH, REGARDING THIS? BECAUSE THIS IS STILL BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE MOTION. UH, I'M JUST, I'M JUST WANNA I MEAN, DO YOU REPRESENT MR. DOHERTY, MR. O'CONNELL? NO, I'M ACTUALLY MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROCESS IS FOLLOWING WHAT THE ACTUAL OKAY. BUT I THINK, I THINK THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW. I THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW IF THEIR, THEIR CITY ATTORNEYS CONFLICTED. COUNSEL, I'M STILL GONNA SAY THE EXACT SAME THING BACK TO YOU. SO, NO, THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT, SO MR. DOHERTY'S FIRM HAS GIVEN MONEY TO SEE A WC SEE MR. DOHERTY, AT THE LAST MEETING YOU STATED, LOPEZ VIDO HAD NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST DESPITE HER BEING THE FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBER AND SENATORIAL OF MENT WEST SINA. DO YOU STAND BY THAT STATEMENT? COUNCIL MEMBER? I HAVE THE SAME RESPONSE TO YOU. HOW, HOW, HOW IS, UH, MAYOR POLTON LOPEZ VIDO TO GO OFF SUBJECT, BUT I'M NOT MR. O'CONNELL POINT OF ORDER. WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? THAT SHE WENT OFF SUBJECT. THIS WAS HER MOTION REGARDING THE CENSURE. I'M HAPPY TO . SHE, SHE ADDED MORE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WAS NOT PRESENT BEFORE, UH, THE LAST, HER LAST MOTION. SO I'M ASKING, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, DOES HE STAND BY HIS OPINION? HE CAN'T ANSWER THAT. UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE MOTION HERE. SO AGAIN, I'M SORRY. PUBLIC, OUR CITY ATTORNEY AND, AND OUR SPECIAL COUNSEL IS REFUSING TO ANSWER. I FOR YEARS, LOPEZ MAYOR PRO LOPEZ VIDO HAS ACCEPTED THOUSANDS OF CITY CONTRACTORS LIKE ATHENS TRUST SERVICES, TRANSTECH ENGINEERS, [01:45:01] THEY VOTED ON MATTERS INVOLVING THEM. DO YOU DISPUTE THAT MR. DOHERTY OR IT'S OFF SUBJECT. SORRY, PUBLIC. YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW. AGAIN, COUNSEL, YOU'RE MR. O'CONNELL, YOU'RE FREE TO HAVE YOUR OWN PRESENTATION, BUT MR. DOHERTY IS NOT THE PERSON. I, YOU YOU NEVER TOLD ME I COULD DO A POWERPOINT. I DIDN'T HAVE TO. OH, OKAY. OKAY, GREAT. OKAY. SO AGAIN, WAS MR. DOHERTY AWARE OF THIS? MY QUESTION, UH, I'M CONFUSED. I THOUGHT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE EN REPRESENTING THE ENTITY BY, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE REPRESENTING MR. DOHERTY, BUT, OKAY. SO WE'RE, WE'LL SKIP THAT 'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO ANSWER. OKAY. SO LET'S GO BACK TO MY OPENING STATEMENT AND WE'LL CONTINUE ON QUESTIONS PRE SHORTLY. GOOD. BEING WEST COVINA, THE CENSOR IS NOT ABOUT ME. IT IS ABOUT WHETHER DEMOCRACY IN WEST COVINA BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OR THE INSIDERS WHO PROFIT FROM THEIR SILENCE. TONIGHT, THIS CONCERT IS BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER A CENSOR AGAINST ME. AND BEFORE WE PROCEED, I NEED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT BECAUSE THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT BEING, BECAUSE WHAT IS BEING PRESENTED TO YOU IN A STAFF REPORT AND A CORRESPONDENCE FROM OUTSIDE COUNSEL IS NOT THE TRUTH. IT IS A FABRICATED NARRATIVE DESIGNED TO SILENCE ME, PUNISH, OVERSIGHT, AND PROTECT POLITICAL INSIDERS. THIS SENSOR IS NOT ABOUT MISCONDUCT, IT'S NOT ABOUT HARASSMENT, IT IS NOT ABOUT PROFESSIONALISM. IT IS ABOUT RETALIATION. RETALIATION, BECAUSE I EXPOSE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, MISUSE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND INTIMIDATION THAT HAS NO PLACE IN CITY GOVERNMENT. THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST ME ARE FABRICATED, BUT THE FACTS ARE CLEAR. AND TONIGHT I'M GOING TO LAY THEM OUT WITH DATES, TIMES, DOCUMENTS, AND WITNESSES, BECAUSE FACTS WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL OVER FABRICATION. I DID NOT RUN FOR OFFICE TO BE SILENT. I DID NOT TAKE AN OATH TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY. I CAME HERE TO GIVE A VOICE TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT ONE AND THE PEOPLE OF WEST COVINA. THAT MEANS ASKING HARD QUESTIONS, DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY, AND SPEAKING THE TRUTH EVEN WHEN IT, WHEN IT MAKES THE POWERFUL UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE THE TRUTH DOESN'T NEED PROTECTION. AND THE FACTS WILL OUTLAST FABRICATION. THE SEPTEMBER 3RD TIMELINE. LET'S START WITH THE FACTS. ON SEPTEMBER 3RD AT 9:00 AM I SENT MAYOR PRO TEDO AN EMAIL TITLE ACCOUNTABILITY CON, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, FALSE ALLEGATIONS. I RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT HER NONPROFIT TIES AND HER CONDUCT. AND IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, MAYOR PROTI HAS MADE, UH, DID NOT GIVE THE PUBLIC THE TRUTH DOCUMENT ON HER POWERPOINT. SO I HAVE MADE COPIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE A COPY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GO THE NEXT ONE. AT 2:45 PM SHE, SHE WAS LEGALLY SERVED AT HER RESIDENCE BY A LICENSED LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROCESS SERVER. SHE LATER COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS, BUT THE TRUTH IS, IT WAS LAWFUL PROFESSIONAL. AND BY THE BOOK, I AM NOW GIVING THE PUBLIC COPIES OF THE OFFICIAL PROCESS SERVER DOCUMENT PROVING THAT THIS WAS A LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROCESS SERVER TO PROTECT MAYOR PRO TE'S RIGHT TO PRIVACY. I HAVE BLACKENED OUT HER ADDRESS. MAYOR PRO TEM WAS NOT SERVED PERSONALLY. HER HUSBAND, UH, ANSWERED THE DOOR ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL PROCESS, SERVING DOCUMENT AT 4:15 PM WHILE I WAS IN A SCHEDULED CLOSED DOOR MEETING WITH CITY MANAGER, MILEY MORRIDGE, MAYOR PRO LOPEZ VILO ENTERED THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE STREET BANG AT THE DOOR, OPENED IT AND SHOUTED AT ME, WHY DID YOU SEND SOMEONE TO MY HOUSE? I USED TO SUPPORT YOU. NOT ANYMORE. AND SHE WENT ON. STAFF HEARD IT. WITNESSES WERE PRESENT OUT OF GENUINE CONCERTED FOR, FOR HER HOSTILITY. I RECORDED THE EXCHANGE THAT WAS NOT PRIVATE. IT WAS LOUD, PUBLIC, AND IN FRONT OF STAFF. I WILL NOW PLAY THE PUBLIC A PORTION OF THAT INCIDENT FROM YOUR CAMPAIGN. ANYTHING THAT DEALS WITH ME, ANY OF YOUR PHOTO, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOW, I WANT THAT REMOVED IMMEDIATELY. YOU JUST LOOK AT YOUR OWN ACTIONS. PLEASE. AMY. NO, BECAUSE YOU ARE WRITING FALSE ALLEGATIONS ABOUT ME. YOU ARE CREATING, YOU ARE WRITING MY, BUT YOU DON'T, YOU, I'M NOT GONNA START, BUT YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY. PLEASE, PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM THE PICTURES ON YOUR WEBSITE. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY. DO NOT. I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW. REMOVE ME. LOOK AT YOUR OWN ACTIONS THAT DAY. AND THE SMACK YOU HEARD WAS THE DOOR BEING SMACK CLOSED AT 4:15 PM UM, SO AT 5:40 PM I FILED A FORMAL HR COMPLAINT WITH [01:50:01] HR DIRECTED CARMELITA UNDERWOOD. I CC CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS STDY, CITY OF MANAGER, MYAN MORRIDGE AND POLICE CHIEF ANTONIO CORINA. DID THE AUDIENCE SEE THAT IN THE, IN THIS STAFF REPORT TODAY? NO, IT WAS PURPOSELY LEFT OUT. I AM NOW PROVIDING THE PUBLIC WITH A COPY OF THAT OFFICIAL HR COMPLAINT AT 5:53 PM HR DIRECTOR UNDER RESPONDENT IN WRITING CC CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY, ACTING CITY MANAGER MINE RIDGE, AND POLICE CHIEF ANTONIO CORINA, FORMALLY CONFIRMING ACCEPTANCE OF MY COMPLAINT. THAT MEANS THAT CITY FORMERLY RECOGNIZED AND ACCEPTED MY COMPLAINT THAT VERY DAY. AND YET THE STAFF REPORT PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT ERASES ALL OF THIS. IT DOES NOT MENTION THAT THE HR COMPLAINT, IT DOES NOT MENTION THE ACCEPTANCE. AND IT DOES NOT MENTION THE STAFF WITNESSED THE INCIDENT. THAT OMISSION IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS DELIBERATE. THE STAFF REPORT PREPARED. THE STAFF REPORT PREPARED WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY FO STATES THAT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 3RD AND 9 20 25, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ ALSO SUBMITTED ORDER CORRESPONDENCE RAISING COMPLAINTS CONCERNING MAYOR EM LOPEZ VITO'S CONDUCT AND ALLEGING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY OR MR. THOMAS O'CONNELL OVER THERE DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT THESE EMAILS WERE TO THEM TELLING THEM TO DO THEIR JOB, TO DO WHAT THEIR ETHICS REQUIRED THEM TO DO WITH THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA. I'M NOW PROVIDING THE PUBLIC THE COPY CHAIN OF THAT, THOSE EMAILS, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO THE TRUTH. THAT WORDING IS MISLEADING. IT CREATES THE IMPRESSION THAT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 3RD AND NINTH, I KEPT CONTACTING MAYOR PROAM LOPEZ VIDO DIRECTLY. THAT IS FALSE. THE LAST TIME I CONTACT LOPEZ VIAL MAYOR PROAM LOPEZ VIDO WAS ON SEPTEMBER 3RD. I EVEN WROTE IN MY LAST MESSAGE THAT IT WOULD BE MY FINAL COMMUNICATION WITH HER. AND NOW I AM PROVIDING THE CO UH, THE, THE PUBLIC, THE COPY OF THAT LAST EMAIL AND THAT LAST EMAIL STATES CEASE AND DESIST RETALIATION AND INTIMIDATION. AND YOU JUST HEARD FROM A EYEWITNESS AND MY STATEMENT, THE FACTS, THE EMAILS I SENT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 3RD AND NINTH WERE NOT TO HER. THEY WERE SENT TO CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY SPECIAL CONSULT THOMAS O'CONNELL AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S PUBLIC INTEGRITY DIVISION. IN OTHER WORDS, THOSE WERE NOT HARASSMENT EMAILS. THEY WERE OVERSIGHT COMMUNICATIONS TO PROPER LEGAL CHANNELS. CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOUGHTY AND SPECIAL CONSULT THOMAS O'CONNELL KNEW THIS. AND YET THEY ALLOWED THIS STAFF REPORT TO MISLEAD THE CONSOLE AND THE PUBLIC. THAT IS NOT IMPARTIALITY. THAT IS A COVERUP MR. CITY ATTORNEY AND SPECIAL COUNCIL O'CONNELL. IN JUNE OF 2025, THIS COUNCIL VOTED TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT OF NONPROFITS THAT RECEIVED CITY RESOURCES. OUT OF THREE, ONLY ONE COMPLIED. THE THE TWO THAT DID NOT COMPLY WAS MAYOR W'S WIFE'S NONPROFIT, C-A-A-W-C, AND MAYOR PO. TIM LOPEZ VITO'S NONPROFIT FILM AT WEST COVINA ON AUGUST 7TH, 2025 AT 3:54 PM MAYOR POAM LOPEZ VIDO TEXT ME FORWARD, ME TEXT ME, FORWARDING ME AN EMAIL AND WROTE YOUR REQUEST. YOUR REQUEST FOR NONPROFIT IS A BIT TOO MUCH. NOT HAPPY WITH IT. IT'S CAUSING MORE OF AN UNNECESSARY HEADACHE. WHEN I REMINDED HER THAT THIS WAS A CONSULT PROOF REQUEST, SHE SHOT BACK. WE NEVER REQUESTED THIS DETAILED INFO. YES, IT ORIGINATED FROM YOU AND WE SUPPORTED YOU FOR A GENERAL ONE, BUT NOT LIKE THIS. NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE APPROVED. SO I AM NOW PROVIDING THE COMMUNITY [01:55:01] THE COPY OF THE SUBMISSION THAT MAYOR PROTON'S CHARITY LOPEZ FIDO SUBMITTED TO THE CITY, WHICH IS A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT WITH NO PROOF, NO ATTACHMENTS AT ALL. THE PUBLIC HAS THE RIGHT TO THE TRUTH. SHORTLY AFTER MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE STAFF MEMBERS TOLD ME THAT MAYOR PRO TE LOPEZ COMPLAINED DIRECTLY TO MAYOR TONY WU, WHO THEN BEGAN YELLING AT CITY STAFF ON HER BEHALF. AND WHEN FILM AT WEST QUEEN FINALLY SUBMITTED SOMETHING, IT WAS ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025, A FEDERAL HOLIDAY. THEIR SUBMISSION WAS LESS THAN A ONE PAGE WITH VAGUE NUMBERS, NO RECEIPTS, NO PROOF, NO PRIOR YEAR DOCUMENTATION. THAT WAS NOT, THAT WAS NOT COMPLIANCE, THAT WAS OBSTRUCTION. I AM NOW PROVIDING THE PUBLIC THE RIGHT TO KNOW THE FOOD TRANSCRIPT OF THE JUNE MEETINGS. TRANSCRIPT OF THE OFFICIAL MOTION OF THE CONS DEMANDING A F AUDIT. RESIDENTS NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IS AT STAKE HERE. MORE THAN $152,000 TO TAXPAYER MONEY WAS SPENT ON THE MOON FESTIVAL, INCLUDING QUESTIONABLE PAYMENTS TO A RURAL LIGHTING WITH NO CLEAR CONTRACT. AN ESTIMATED 180,000 IN CITY CONTRACTS WENT TO A VENDOR TIDE. SO THE BOARD MEMBER OF C-A-A-W-C PUT NONPROFIT CONTROL BY MAYOR W'S WIFE. MAYOR W LIKES TO CLAIM THAT THE CITY'S NUMBERS ARE FALSE AND MISLEADING. HE LIKES TO CLAIM THAT THE TRIBUNE'S NUMBERS ARE FALSE AND MISLEADING. I AM NOW PROVIDING THE PUBLIC THEIR RIGHT TO KNOW THE FU ACCOUNTING OF THE MOON FESTIVAL PROVIDED BY CITY STAFF. I AM NOW PROVIDING THE PUBLIC THEIR RIGHT TO KNOW ALL THE CONTRACTS THAT WERE PAID OUT TO A ROYAL LIGHTING. THEY RECEIVED OVER $185,060 FROM TAXPAYERS. AND YOU HEARD AT THE LAST MEETING, CAWC CLAIMING THAT THIS SAME OWNER WAS GIVING MONEY BACK TO THEIR CHARITY. AND LOPEZ VITO HERSELF IS THE FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBER AND SENATOR TO OF FILM WEST COVINA. YET SHE HAS REFUSED. SHE HAS REPEATEDLY SORRY. YET SHE HAS REPEATEDLY VOTED ON MATTERS, BENEFITING HER NONPROFIT AND ITS DONORS, INCLUDING AT THIS TRASHER ASSIST AND TRANSTECH ENGINEERS. THIS IS A TEXTBOOK VIOLATION ON GOVERNMENT CODE 87 103. THESE ARE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. NOW LET'S ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY AND SPECIAL COUNSEL THOMAS O' TOM CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY HAS CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO ACT WHEN CONFLICTS ARISE. WHEN I PRESSED HIM IN A PRIOR COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT HIS DUTY, HIS RESPONSE WAS CHILLING AFTER HE STATED, I NEED HIM ON YOU, I NEED HIM ON MY SIDE, OR IT WILL BE BAD. THAT IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE. THAT IS INTIMIDATION. THOMAS O'CONNELL. THOMAS STORY'S LONG FRIEND AND ASSOCIATE HAS NOW ISSUED LETTERS AND STAFF REPORTS WITH NO INVESTIGATION AT ALL. HE NEVER INTERVIEWED ME. HE NEVER INTERVIEWED STAFF OR WITNESS OR MAYOR PROTOS LOPEZ VI'S BEHAVIOR. HE NEVER MENTIONED MY HR COMPLAINT ACCEPTED AT 5:53 PM INSTEAD, HE CRAFTED A ONE SIDE NARRATIVE DESIGNED TO PROTECT MAYOR POLTON LOPEZ RO AND CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY. WHILE TARGETING ME, I AM NOW PROVIDING THE PUBLIC THEIR RIGHT TO KNOW THE OFFICIAL LETTER THAT MR. O'CONNELL HAS PROVIDED ME [02:00:06] AND MISS. AND, AND SPECIAL COUNSEL THOMAS O'CONNELL IS NOT IMPARTIAL. HE PREVIOUSLY REPRESENTED THIS CITY, INCLUDING MAYOR WOO. IN A LAWSUIT WITH FORMER FIRE CHIEF WHITHORN. HE WILL LIKELY REPRESENT THE CITY AGAIN IN A LAWSUIT INVOLVING FIRE CHIEF VINCENT CAPELLI. A FIRING THAT I PERSONALLY WITNESSED MAYOR RE, CITY MANAGER PAULINA MORALES TO FIRE HIM. THAT IS A GLARING CONFLICT OF INTEREST. HE SHOULD HAVE RECUSED HIMSELF. INSTEAD, HE IS HERE COLLUDING WITH CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY TO BURY THE FACTS AND PROTECT INSIDERS. BUT I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING IMPORTANT THAT OUR ACTIVE CITY MANAGER, MY NAME RACK RICH, HAS ASSISTING TAXPAYERS FIRST EVEN IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, EVEN UNDER PRESSURE. HE HAS ACTED WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND INTEGRITY. THAT IS WHAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE. AND I WANT TO THANK HIM PUBLICLY FOR HOLDING TO THAT STANDARD. THAT IS THE CONTRACTS BEFORE US TONIGHT. THOSE WHO PUT TAXPAYER FIRST AND THOSE WHO PUT THEMSELVES FIRST. NOW I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. O'. MR. O', ARE YOU HERE AS AN IMPARTIAL THIRD PARTY CONSOLE OR AS AN ATTORNEY DEFENDING CERTAIN CONSOLE MEMBERS? MY DUTY IS TO THE CITY OF WEST COVINA. THAT'S WHO I'M HERE PROTECTING. THANK YOU. HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE THE CITY OF WEST PHOENIX PER HOUR FOR YOUR SERVICES? I THINK THAT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS QUESTION, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER. I BELIEVE IT'S 5 45. I'M, I'M SORRY, WHAT? I BELIEVE IT'S 5 45. I'D HAVE TO ACTUALLY LOOK $545 AN HOUR. AND THEN, UH, THERE WAS SOME MIS MISREPRESENTATION BY THE MAYOR PROAM. UH, THE LAWSUIT I FIRE FILED WAS A NON-MONETARY INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. UH, THE JUDGE RULED ON A EMERGENCY EX PARTY ORDER, STATED THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN IMP COMPARABLY HARMED YET. NOW, IS IT TRUE THAT I HAVE DISMISSED THAT CASE WITHOUT PREJUDICE? A PORTION OF YOUR STATEMENT WAS FALSE, BUT THE STATEMENT THAT YOU HAVE DISMISSED IT WITHOUT PREJUDICE IS ACCURATE. OKAY. AND AND DO YOU CONFIRM THAT IT'S STILL LABELED JOHN DOE? UH, BECAUSE IT WAS DISMISSED. I BELIEVE THAT THE CLERK OF THE COURT HAD NOT CHANGED IT YET, BUT THE COURT ACTUALLY HAD RULED THAT IT WOULD NO LONGER BE, UH, JOHN DOE IN PROTECTION. THAT'S NOT TRUE. I, I, I, I, UH, I IMPLORE YOU TO CONTACT THE CLERK OF THE COURTROOM AND THE CLERK OF THE COURTROOM WILL TELL YOU THAT THE JUDGE SHOULD NOT RULE ON SAFE AT HOME PROGRAM. SO IT'S VERY DANGEROUS FOR YOU TO SAY SOMETHING WHEN, WHEN THERE'S NOT, IT'S NOT FACTUAL. ACTUALLY, COUNCIL MEMBER, LET ME JUST BE CLEAR, JUST FOR THE RECORDS, UM, THE COURT'S FULL ORDER WAS AS FOLLOWS, JUST SO THAT WE ALL HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION. MM-HMM . PLAINTIFF'S EX PARTY APPLICATION SEEKS RECONSIDERATION OF THE COURT'S 9, 10, 20 25 ORDER DENY PLAINTIFF'S EX PARTE APPLICATION FOR A TRO AND OSC RAY. PLAINTIFF'S APPLICATION ALSO SEEKS THE ISSUANCE OF ANOTHER TRO IN JOINING DEFENDANT CITY OF WEST COVINA CITY COUNCIL FROM CONSIDERING THE ITEM ON 9 16 20 25 MEETING AGENDA REGARDING C PLAINTIFF AN ORDER THAT THE CASE BE SEALED AND AN OSC RA PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION WITH REGARDS TO THE REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION, PLAINTIFF CLAIMS THAT NEW FACTS AROSE AFTER THE COURT'S 9 10 20 25 ORDER, SPECIFICALLY A 9 9 20 25 EMAIL CHAIN BETWEEN THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND THE MAYOR OF DEFENDANT CITY OF WEST COVINA. SUPPLEMENTAL MEMO EXHIBIT 15 IN THE EMAIL CHAIN, THE MAYOR PROTO REQUESTS THAT THE MAYOR CONVENE A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER PLACING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THE 9 16 20 25 CITY COUNCIL MEETING REGARDING ACCENTURE OF PLAINTIFF ID. PLAINTIFF KNEW AT THE TIME HE FILED HIS INITIAL TRO THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAD SET THE SPECIAL MEETING BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ENTIRE BASIS OF HIS TRO. AN EMAIL REGARDING THE SETTING OF THAT MEETING DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A NEW FACT. MOREOVER, WHO REQUESTED THE MEETING AND WHEN THE REQUEST WAS MADE IS OF NO CONSEQUENCE TO THE MERITS OF THE COURT'S RULING ON THE TRO AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A NEW FACT THAT WOULD WARRANT RECONSIDERATION. IN. IN ADDITION, PLAINTIFF FAILS TO PROVIDE FACTS BASED ON PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF IRREPARABLE HARM, IMMEDIATE DANGER, OR ANY STATUTORY BASIS FOR GRANTING EX PARTY RELIEF RECONSIDERATION AS REQUIRED UNDER CRC 3.1202 C WITH REGARDS TO PLAINTIFF'S SECOND REQUEST FOR A TRO, PLAINTIFF FAILS TO PROVIDE FACTS BASED ON PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE [02:05:01] OF IRREPARABLE HARM, IMMEDIATE DAM, UH, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER STATUTORY BASIS FOR GRANTING EX PARTE RELIEF RECONSIDERATION AS REQUIRED UNDER RULE CRC 3.1202 C. PLAINTIFF HAS NOT SHOWN A REASONABLE PROBABILITY THAT HE WILL PREVAIL ON HIS REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL BE PRECLUDED FROM DISCUSSING THE AGENDA ITEM REGARDING HIS CENSURE INDEED, IN JOINING A PUBLIC MEETING WITH APPEAR TO BE CONTRARY TO THE LAW, NOR HAS HE SHOWN A REASONABLE PROBABILITY HE WILL PREVAIL ON HIS REQUEST TO HAVE THE COURT SEAL THE FILE. PLAINTIFF'S EX PARTY APPLICATION FOR RECONSIDERATION AND HIS REQUEST FOR A TRO ARE DENIED IN THEIR ENTIRETY. CORRECT. SO I DIDN'T SHOW IMP PARABLE HARM, SO, WHICH MEANS THAT I ACTUALLY HAVE TO FACE THE HARM BEFORE THE COURT WILL RUIN MY FAVOR. UM, SO, AND THEN IT'S FOR THE PUBLIC WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THAT. UM, ALSO, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU STATED MULTIPLE TIMES, I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SAFE AND HOME PROGRAM AND, AND THAT'S PRETTY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER. BUT, UM, YOU STATED SEAL SEALING IS DIFFERENT THAN THE PERSU OF JOHN DOE. SO, SPECIAL COUNSEL, PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND, AND, AND INTER AND, AND READ THE LAW PLEASE. BECAUSE, UH, THAT'S NOT CORRECT. A CEILING IS DIFFERENT THAN THE JOHN DOE. THERE'S ACTUALLY, I ACTUALLY SENT IT TO YOU, IF YOU RECALL, I CCD THE FBI IN THE, IN THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON IT. AND I GAVE YOU A DOCUMENT FROM THE, THE, THE JUDICIAL CONS OF CALIFORNIA THAT EXPLAINS IN FACTS WHAT THE DIFFERENT FORMS MEAN. SO I I IMPLORE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT. UM, NOW LET'S MOVE ON. UM, WHAT OTHER CASES HAVE YOU REPRESENTED THE CITY IN WEST GREEN? IN I, I'LL, I'LL START OFF CH UH, THE, THE WHITHORN CASE? YES. AND PRIOR TO THAT, PRIOR TO THE WHITHORN CASE, NONE. OKAY. AND ACCORDING TO, UM, CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOTY, I WAS TOLD THAT YOU, UH, HAD TO MEET WITH MAYOR PROTE RULE FOR HOURS BECAUSE, UH, TO PREPARE HIM FOR A JURY. AND, UH, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU, YOU HAVE WORKED FOR HIM IN THE PAST TOO. UM, OKAY, SO, AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN, UH, CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY FOR HOW MANY YEARS? RUSSELL? I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE'RE GETTING BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS. UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW THOSE ANSWERS, I'M HAPPY TO KEEP GOING THROUGH THAT, BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE STAY FOCUSED ON THE MOTION. OKAY. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO ANSWER? UM, I THINK, I THINK THE PUBLIC WILL WANNA KNOW. OKAY. UM, I HAVE KNOWN THOMAS DOHERTY SINCE I BEGAN REPRESENTING THE CITY OF WEST COVINA IN I WANNA SAY 2021. OKAY, THANK YOU. WERE YOU AWARE THAT ON SEPTEMBER 3RD AT 5:40 PM I FILED A FORMAL HR COMPLAINT, WHICH WAS CONFIRMED IN WRITING AT 5:53 PM BY THE HR DIRECTOR, CARMELITA UNDERWOOD? UH, NOW YOU'RE GETTING INTO PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS AND I'M NOT GONNA ANSWER ANYTHING THAT'S PRIVILEGE. I'M ASKING YOU IF YOU KNOW ABOUT MY COMPLAINT. I I AM STATING TO YOU THAT I WILL NOT DISCLOSE PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION. THEN WHY? WASN'T IT IN, WHY, WHY IS HER COMPLAINT ON HERE BUT NOT MINE? CAN YOU ANSWER THAT? COUNSEL? I'M NOT GOING TO DISCLOSE ATTORNEY TO CLIENT WORK PRODUCT OR ATTORNEY COMMUNICATIONS. YOU HAVE A STAFF REPORT RIGHT HERE. WHY ISN'T MY WHY ON THIS STAFF REPORT? WHY ISN'T MY COMPLAINT ON THERE? COUNSEL? I'M GONNA REPEAT MY ANSWER'S THE WRONG ONE. IF, SAY IT AGAIN. I WILL. SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT MY COMPLAINT MEANS NOTHING BECAUSE I HA I HAVE THE RI AM A COMPLAINANT. I ACTUALLY FILED MY COMPLAINT FIRST, BUT YOUR STAFF REPORT FAILS TO O ADMIT IT. SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY SHAMEFUL. IT'S ONE-SIDED. UM, WHY WASN'T MY COMPLAINT REFERENCED ON THE ADDRESS STAFF REPORT COUNSEL, I'LL CONTINUE TO STATE THAT. I'M NOT GONNA DISCLOSE ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT OR ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS, BUT I'M THE VICTIM IN THAT I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT AS THE VICTIM TO KNOW IF MY COMPLAINT'S BEING HANDLED CORRECTLY OR NOT. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SAY IT AGAIN? I, I, I APOLOGIZE. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING FOCUSED ON THE SCOPE OF THE MOTION. OKAY. SO IF YOU WERE NOT AWARE, HOW CAN YOU CLAIM THAT THIS REPORT IS IMPARTIAL IF YOU DIDN'T REVIEW THE CITY'S HR? MY COMPLAINT, [02:10:03] AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO ANSWER COUNSEL. YOU'RE OKAY. COUNSEL. YOU'RE ASSUMING FACTS THAT ARE NOT ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT ON THE REPORT. UH, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU DIDN'T GIVE THE PUBLIC THE RIGHT TO KNOW THEM ABOUT MY COMPLAINT. UM, DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BY OMITTING MY HR COMPLAINT OF NOT PUTTING ON THIS REPORT, THAT YOUR REPORT IS BIASED, INCOMPLETE AND MIS MISLEADING? NO. RESIDENTS OF WEST COVINA, COLLEAGUES AND NEIGHBORS, THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME TONIGHT. I HAVE WALKED YOU THROUGH THE FACTS, FACTS. THE SEPTEMBER 3RD TIMELINE, THE AUDIT FAILURES AND THE MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, THE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND THE COLLUSION BETWEEN CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS DOHERTY AND SPECIAL CONSULT THOMAS OCON. YOU HAVE HEARD HOW THE STAFF REPORT MISREPRESENTED THE TRUTH AND ERASED MY HR COMPLAINED. YOU HAVE SEEN HOW FABRICATED ALLEGATIONS ARE BEING MIS ARE BEING USED TO SILENCE OVERSIGHT. THIS SENSOR IS NOT ABOUT CONDUCT, IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING INSIDERS. IT'S ABOUT PUNISHING A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO DARE TO ASK QUESTIONS. IT IS ABOUT CORRUPTION, FIGHTING BACK THE FACTS, OUTLAST, FABRICATION, TRUTH, OUTLAST, INTIMIDATION. AND THE PEOPLE OF WEST COVINA WERE OUTLAST CORRUPTION TO MY RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT ONE. YOU TRUSTED ME AND I WILL NOT PORTRAY THAT TRUST YOU PUT ME IN THIS SEAT. YOU MAY HISTORY BY ELECTING THE FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER WITH AUTISM IN WEST VNA. AND DESPITE THAT DISABILITY, I HAVE NOT LED, I HAVE LED, I HAVE LED WITH PASSION AND HEART ALWAYS FOR YOU. I WILL CONTINUE TO STAND FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU STOOD FOR ME TO MY COLLEAGUES TONIGHT. YOUR VOTE IS NOT ABOUT ME. IT IS ABOUT RHETORIC. THIS CONSOLE STANDS FOR THE TRUTH OR RHETORIC. IT REWARDS INTIMIDATION. IT IS ABOUT RHETORIC. YOU PUT THE TAXPAYERS FIRST OR YOURSELVES. I WILL CLOSE BY REPEATING WHAT I SAID EARLIER. ACTIVE CITY MANAGER MILE MORRIDGE HAS SHOWN WHAT INTEGRITY LOOKS LIKE. HE HAS PUT THE TAXPAYERS FIRST. THAT IS THE EXAMPLE WE SHOULD ALL FOLLOW. I WILL NOT, I WILL NOT BE SILENCED. I WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED, AND I WILL NOT ABANDON THE PEOPLE OF WEST COVINA BECAUSE THIS OFFICE BELONGS TO THEM. NOT TO POLITICAL INSIDERS, NOT TO NONPROFITS TIED TO ELECTED OFFICIALS, NOT TO THE LAWYERS PROTECTING THEIR FRIENDS TO THE PEOPLE. I WILL ALWAYS STAND FOR THEM. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, , UH, I I THINK WE HEARD ABOUT BOTH SIDES. OKAY. AND, UH, AND I I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO TO THE OKAY. UH, DEBATE. AND I THINK YOU STAY ON YOUR GROUND AND HE STATED, AND I REALLY, REALLY, I, I'M, I WANNA MAKE A MOTION. OKAY. AND TO, I UNDERSTAND, BUT LET ME, LET ME HEAR ME OUT. I THINKS, OKAY. AND WE HAVE A STATEMENT FROM THE MALE PROTEST ABOUT THE SIDE AND ABOUT, ABOUT A LOT OF EVIDENCE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AND, UH, UH, BRIAN GUTIERREZ COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE, UH, HE'S A LOT OF, UH, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. I, MY SUGGESTION IS I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A OKAY AND THE THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATOR OKAY. LOOKING TO BOTH SIDE AND, UH, I THINK THEY WILL BE MUCH MORE INTO WHAT THE CHOOSE THIS AND THAT. AND, UH, I THINK THIS IS MY MOTION. WHY? THEN WE CONTINUE TO GO TO THE OKAY. ABOUT C OKAY. AND, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO AT LEAST OKAY. AND HAVE A THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATOR OKAY? AND LOOK INTO, OKAY, THE ACCUSATION, OKAY? FROM THE MALE PROTEIN AT THE SAME TIME. THE ACCUSATION FROM THE, OKAY. AND THE, UH, OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER VANIER AND TO LOOK INTO ALL THIS, BOTH SIDES. SO, SO WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY LOOKING TO, OKAY, WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? OKAY, AND THAT WHAT THEN? OKAY, WE OVER HERE DEBATING AND ARGUING. SO YES, GO AHEAD, MAYOR PUTIN, UM, THANK YOU. AND I'M NOT GONNA DELVE INTO THINGS, BUT I KNOW HE GAVE THE PUBLIC, UM, ALL THESE DOCUMENTS AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE THE FULL PICTURE. AND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA UTILIZE THIS IS GONNA CHANGE IT AND SMEAR MY NAME WHEN YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FULL STORY, UM, REASONS WHY THESE MESSAGES COME IN REASONS WHY, UM, I WAS UPSET BECAUSE I, I KNOW LIKE HE MESSAGED ABOUT THE TEXT MESSAGE WITH THE NONPROFIT THAT I WAS DEALING WITH A FESTIVAL DIRECTOR WHO'S A STUDENT, AND SHE SENDS ME INFORMATION THEY WANT. THE CITY EMAILED HER WITH LESS THAN LIKE FIVE DAYS TO SUBMIT SOMETHING. AND THE FESTIVAL IS THAT WEEK. OF COURSE, SHE WAS FRUSTRATED AND, AND IT'S JUST A FRUSTRATION COMING TO THE DOOR THAT DAY WHEN I, I GOT A CALL FROM MY DAUGHTER, MY DAUGHTER WAS SCARED. OF COURSE I'D BE FRUSTRATED. AND YOU HEARD I SAID, STOP MAKING THESE FALSE ALLEGATIONS, FALSE REMARKS ABOUT ME. [02:15:01] YES. THAT THAT EMAIL THAT YOU SENT HAD A BUNCH OF FALSE ALLEGATIONS. THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT TRUE. BUT WHEN YOU SENT THAT, WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR SENDING IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT SEPTEMBER 2ND. AND THAT WAS A MAIN HIT FOR ALL THAT. UM, I JUST WANT, SINCE ALL THIS IS COMING OUT TO THE PUBLIC, I ASKED THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE. I'M MORE THAN HAPPY. I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE. I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXPLAIN AND GIVE THE REASONS. BUT IT'S, IT'S UNFAIR TO SEE ONLY A GLIMPSE OF A PICTURE AND NOT SEE THE FULL PICTURE. THIS IS COMING TO MY HOUSE, LIKE I SAID, HOME, WORK, FAMILY. I KEEP THEM SEPARATE FOR A REASON. AND I, AND I LIKE THAT. THAT WAY, UNLESS MY FAMILY COMES HERE AND DOES, AND GETS INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL, THEN THAT'S FAIR GAME. BUT THERE'S JUST SOME, SOME RULES YOU DON'T TOUCH. AND WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE, BUT AGAIN, ALL THESE THINGS THAT WAS GIVEN OUT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME. I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXPLAIN MY SIDE BECAUSE IT'S ONLY GIVEN. BUT I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S THE HARASSMENT, YOUR TACTICS BEHAVIOR. AND THIS IS NOT ONLY FOR ME, IT WAS, IT'S FOR ALL THE STAFF. WE ARE LOSING STAFF HERE AND, AND THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAYS, OH, SIT, YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, STAFF ARE LEAVING, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW THE FULL TRUTH. AND I, I CAN'T SAY A LOT OF THINGS. WE HAVE THINGS IN CLOSED SESSION. I CAN'T MENTION THINGS, I CAN'T, THERE'S THINGS ALSO INTERNAL STUFF THAT I, I DON'T WISH TO DISCUSS BECAUSE OF SAFETY REASONS. AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, I RESPECT YOUR SAFETY, BUT YOU HAVE TO ALSO RESPECT MINE AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. HE, YOU REPORT EVERYWHERE. F-B-I-F-P-I, I EVEN HAVE AN FPPC. YES. YOU SAID, OKAY, MY NONPROFIT'S NOT MINE, IT'S THE STUDENTS. I'M LIKE, IT'S THEIRS. I'VE TOLD YOU IN THE PAST, LIKE THESE TWO YEARS, I DIDN'T EVEN REALLY WANNA GET INVOLVED IN THAT. BUT IT'S THE STUDENTS, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'S MAKING EVERYTHING. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST PLEASE REACH OUT. AND THIS IS MORE JUST THE HARASSMENT. OKAY? UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PUTIN. YEAH, GO AHEAD, BRIAN. YES, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SECOND YOUR MOTION MAYOR. UM, IN REGARDS TO, UH, MAYOR PROTON'S COMMENTS, YOU ARE THE SIGNATORY OF THE NONPROFIT. AND, AND I KNOW YOU SAY THAT STUDENTS RUN IT, BUT UNDER THE LEGAL DEFINITION, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE SIGNATORY, YOU ARE LEGALLY, TECHNICALLY THE OPERATOR AND YOU ALSO ARE, ARE A BORN MEMBER. BUT THAT'S THAT POINT. UH, IN REGARDS TO, UM, YOUR OTHER COMMENTS, UH, IT, IT SEEMS THAT, UH, AGAIN, THE PROCESS SERVER IS A LEGAL WAY TO SERVE SOMEONE A DOCUMENT. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. AND, AND I THINK IF YOU TALK TO MR. O'CONNELL, I, I'M SURE HE'LL TELL YOU OFF THE RECORD THAT HIS LAW FIRM ALWAYS, UH, POTENTIALLY SENDS LETTERS TO PEOPLE, SOMETIMES DO PROCESS SERVICE. I KNOW TONS OF LAWYERS THAT DO THAT. UM, AND SO, UM, AND, AND I'LL JUST CLOSE WITH THIS, THAT I, I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR. I THINK INVEST A FULL AND FAIR INVESTIGATION IS IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT WE SHOULDN'T USE A LAW FIRM THOUGH THAT HAS PARTICIPATED IN PRIOR LITIGATION, THOUGH I, I THINK THIS SHOULD REALLY BE A IMPARTIAL, FAIR LAW FIRM. SO ME AND LETTI GET DUE PROCESS. AND I THINK THE LAST THING I'LL SAY, UH, LETTI, IS IF, IF IT REALLY BOTHERED YOU THAT I SENT A PROCESS SERVER I, I, I, YOU KNOW, I, I I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SAID THAT YOUR, YOUR KIDS WERE HOME. MY UNDERSTANDING, ACCORDING TO THE DOCUMENT, IT WAS, UM, YOUR HUSBAND ACCEPTED THAT SERVICE. 'CAUSE IT HAS TO BE SOMEONE OVER THE AGE OF 18. UH, BUT AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE, UH, UH, OBVIOUSLY, I'VE, UH, IN THE PAST HAVE, HAVE, UH, UH, APPRECIATED YOU WHEN YOU APPOINTED ME AS YOUR PLANNING COMMISSIONER. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE BEEN ELECTED TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. AND, AND WHAT I DID AS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I DO AS AN ELECTED LEADER NOW. OKAY. UM, VERY GOOD. I, I THINK IT, IT'S OKAY. WOULD YOU, OKAY. I THINK WE DON'T NEED TO BACK AND FORTH. I THINK, UH, MOST IMPORTANT THING IS I THINK OKAY. EACH ONE OF THE TWO SIDE. OKAY. AND, UH, AND A LOT OF ALLEGATION, A LOT OF, UH, EVIDENCE AND A LOT OF, UH, ACCUSATION AND, AND WHAT, AND DEBATING OVER HERE, I THINK REALLY HAVE A THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATOR TO LOOK INTO THIS IN DETAIL. AND, UH, WITH A NON-PROFIT, WITH, UH, CAWC, WITH, UH, FILM. OKAY. WITH ALL THE, OKAY. ALL INVESTIGATOR. OKAY. AND, UH, LET OPEN THE BOOK INTO THE PUBLIC TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. WHAT IS ON THAT. SO IN THE DUE PROCESS FOR EVERYBODY HAVE, UH, HAVE, UH, OKAY. OPENED UP TO THE, TO EVERYBODY TO SEE THE DETAIL. YES. OKAY. AND, UH, COUNCILMAN DY KENTO. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I AM SUPPORTIVE OF, OF, UH, A THIRD PARTY, UH, GOING THROUGH THIS. SO I THAT'S, [02:20:01] IT'S A GOOD IDEA. UH, I, BUT I WANTED, YOU KNOW, I'VE LISTENED TO ALL OF THIS, AND I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO STOP FOR A MOMENT TO STEP BACK FROM ALL OF THIS. THIS KEEPS ESCALATING. WHAT'S NEXT? WHAT'S NEXT? UH, THERE, THERE, WE, WE, UP HERE FREQUENTLY HAVE DISAGREEMENTS WITH ONE ANOTHER. THAT IS, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE THE, THE MINDS THAT WE ALL DO. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF THINKING. WE ALL HAVE, WE ALL SEE THINGS DIFFERENT WAYS. AND, UH, I, I THINK THAT BEYOND THE, THE, THE DIRECT SUBSTANCE OF, OF EACH SIDE GOING BACK AND FORTH, I REALLY JUST WOULD ASK, UH, THAT TACTICS, UM, REFLECT THE KIND OF APPROACHES THAT, THAT WOULD, UH, IN INVITE MORE OF A COLLABORATIVE, UH, EFFORT TOWARD, UH, ARRIVING AT SOLUTIONS THAT, THAT THE COMMUNITY REALLY CARES ABOUT. AND I'M SAYING THAT AS SOMEBODY WHO LITERALLY SPENDS 12 TO 18 HOURS A DAY ON ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS WHO WRITES TO BE ABOUT WHATEVER NUMBER OF MATTERS, ANYTHING FROM LITTLE KI SUPPORTING LITTLE KIDS TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, TO EMPLOYMENT ISSUES, TO SENIOR CITIZENS OR WHATEVER. AND I THINK THAT WHEN PEOPLE SEE OUR CITY OF THE WEST, THE CITY OF WEST COVINA, AS A CIRCUS LIKE THIS, UH, IT, IT GETS TO BE, IT, IT, IT TARNISHES OUR REPUTATION. BUT BEYOND THAT, THOUGH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT WE NEED TO HOLD EVERYBODY RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE. THAT THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. THAT'S WHY I, I SUPPORTED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ'S MOTION WITH A SUBPOENA AND SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT I'M JUST, BUT I, IT, IT'S MY MOTION. IT'S NOT HIS MOTION. OH, NO, NO, NO, NO. NOT, I MEANT, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER, OTHER, UH, MEETING, NOT NOW. OH, OKAY. SORRY. SO THAT'S OKAY. BUT, BUT I THINK THAT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR, OUR TONE OF HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER, I DO BELIEVE THAT SENDING A PROCESS SERVER TO THE MAYOR PRO TEMS HOME WAS UNNECESSARY. UM, AND I ALSO, UM, CAN UN CAN IMAGINE THAT ESPECIALLY IF INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAD, UM, PAST SITUATIONS WHERE THEY WERE NOT HEARD OR WHERE THEY WERE IGNORED OR WHATEVER THE SITUATION CAN BE, IT JUST LEADS TO AN ESCALATION OF EMOTION THAT THEN CONTRIBUTES TO, UH, TIME BEING SPENT ON, ON, ON THINGS, ON, ON MATTERS THAT, THAT WOULD, COULD EASE, COULD MORE EASILY BE DEESCALATED BY JUST STEPPING BACK FOR A MOMENT AND, AND LOOKING AT THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, LITERALLY WITH THIS, I, I, I CAN'T IMAGINE, UH, THAT THE, THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ HAD ANY INTENTION OF, OF, OF, OF HURTING THE, THE MAYOR PRO TEM. UM, AT THE SAME TIME, WHENEVER THERE ARE, ARE SITUATIONS IN WHICH, UH, THE MAYOR, I MEAN THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, GUTIERREZ HAS HAD DISAGREEMENT, THEN THE, THE PATTERN HAS BEEN, AND WE, WE ON COUNCIL KNOW ABOUT THE SPECIFIC, UH, INSTANCES KNOWING ABOUT HOW, UH, THE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ THEN, UH, WEAPONIZES DIFFERENT ENTITIES, INSTITUTIONS OR WHATEVER. AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE, IN, IN THE PRESENTATION OF THEIR MAYOR PRO TEM. BUT THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DISAGREE AT THINGS. SO IF, IF THE, IF THE GOAL IS SOMEHOW TO CREATE, UM, SOME IN THE NAME OF THE TAXPAYER, A SENSE OF INTIMIDATION BY, BY SAYING, GOSH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO AGAINST ME, YOU SPEAK OUT AGAINST ME, I'M GOING TO SUE YOU IN COURT, OR I'M GOING TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST AN ENTITY THAT HAS SOME DEGREE OF OVERSIGHT IN YOUR LIFE, THEN THAT HAS A CHILLING EFFECT. I REALLY WOULD, UH, CAUTION THAT WE, WE INSTEAD, UH, ENGAGE IN A, IN A, IN A DIFFERENT APPROACH WHERE WE RETURN TO THE, TO THE PREVIOUS, UH, ENVIRONMENT HERE, UH, IN, IN WHICH WE, WE DEBATE OUR IDEAS, AND WHENEVER WE DISAGREE, INCLUDING WHENEVER WE VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE, THAT WE, WE DISCUSS THESE HERE AND IN THE OPEN, AND THAT WE, AND WE CONTINUE IN THAT VEIN, AS OPPOSED TO JUST COMPLAINING AND LE AND WEAPONIZING SYSTEMS, UH, THAT WHENEVER THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE, BECAUSE TO SIMPLY SAY THAT INSTANCES OF DISAGREEMENT REPRESENT RETALIATION, THAT'S DIFFICULT. AND IT ALSO IS DIFFICULT WHENEVER PEOPLE FEEL INTIMIDATED, WHENEVER THEY ARE, THEY, THERE'S A PROCESSOR SENT TO THEIR HOUSE, OR THERE'S A LAWSUIT THAT'S FILED AGAINST THEM, OR THERE'S A COMPLAINT THAT IS SUBMITTED TO A, A, A GOVERNING BODY, LIKE FOR US WITH, WITH A FAIR POLITICAL PRACTICES COMMISSION OR WHATEVER. THIS IS JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE. AND THIS IS NOT WHAT THE PUBLIC EXPECTS FROM US AS ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. WHAT THEY EXPECT OF US IS FOR US TO DEBATE IDEAS AND POLICIES, TO SUPPORT OUR STAFF, AND, AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR STAFF ARE THE BEST STAFF THAT WE HAVE AROUND. WE, WE NEED TO, TO BOLSTER OUR STAFF. WE ALSO NEED TO GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER AND, AND, AND, UH, UM, WHENEVER WE, WE MAKE REQUESTS SO THAT THE STAFF DON'T FEEL THAT THERE'S A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT, WHICH ITSELF LEADS TO OTHER ISSUES RELATING TO MORE LITIGATION AND MORE SETTLEMENTS THAT CAN COST HUNDREDS [02:25:01] OF THOUSANDS OR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. WHICH MEANS THAT THAT IS MONEY THAT WE CANNOT SPEND ON OUR RESIDENTS WHO PAY THOSE TAXES, THAT, THAT ARE THE BASIS OF OUR BUDGET IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE'VE JUST GOTTA CHANGE THE TENOR OF ALL OF THIS. AND ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE WHERE EVERYBODY IS SO POLARIZED, WE, I, I JUST CALL UPON ALL OF US TO JUST CHANGE THAT. UH, PEOPLE HAVE SAID, GOSH, YOU KNOW, CANTOS, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO, WHATEVER, THAT YOU MAKE THE, THIS, THERE'S AN EXCEPTION. THERE'S A REASON WHY I BELIEVE THAT HAPPENS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE NEED ALL OF US TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN RESIDENTS SPEAK TO US ABOUT THINGS THAT, THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM, THEY ARE NOT HATERS. THEY, THEY HAVE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE ISSUES THAT, THAT HAVE FRUSTRATED THEM, WHERE THEY FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT BEING HEARD. SO WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THEM. I, MYSELF, THROUGH THE DISTRICT MEETINGS, HAVE, HAVE DONE THAT ON A QUARTERLY, QUARTERLY BASIS. IT'LL BE MEETING NUMBER 11 SOON. WE NEED TO HAVE THAT SPIRIT OF ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING WHENEVER RESIDENTS ASK US DIFFICULT AND TOUGH QUESTIONS. IF WE WERE TO ENGAGE IN THAT APPROACH OF HIGH ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING WHEN PEOPLE ARE UNPLEASANT AND ANGRY WITH US, INCLUDING WITH ME, BY THE WAY, THEN IT, WHAT WHAT WILL END UP RESULTING IS, WILL, WILL, IT WILL END UP RESULTING IN, IS A GREATER SENSE OF BUILDING OF TRUST BETWEEN THE RESIDENTS. AND EVEN WHEN THERE ARE TIMES OF DISAGREEMENT, AND THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME DIRECTLY, WHERE THEY SAY, HEY, CAN'T TELL US. I, I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU ALL THE TIME, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU AT LEAST LISTENING TO ME. IT CREATES A LEVEL OF RESPECT BECAUSE WE TRY, AND I, I JUST CALL UPON ALL OF US FROM EVERY QUARTER FOR US TO, TO REFOCUS IN THAT DIRECTION SO THAT WE, WE CAN, WE CAN FOCUS MORE ON, ON THE BUSINESS OF, OF, OF MAKING POLICY AND PROGRAM AND PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE DECISIONS THAT HAVE THE NET EFFECT OF ALL OF US NOT ONLY FEELING PROUD ABOUT BEING PART OF WEST COVINA AND LIVING HERE, WORKING HERE, PLAYING HERE, DOING BUSINESS HERE, BUT ALSO THAT WE, WE, ALL OF US CAN BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ONE ANOTHER. I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL, ALL OF WHOM AT DIFFERENT TIMES I HAVE VEHEMENT DISAGREEMENTS WITH. AND SO IF WE JUST WERE TO ALL JUST ENGAGE IN THAT PRACTICE AND, AND FIND WAYS, IT'S NOT KUMBAYA, BUT TO FIND WAYS TO CARE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DEBATING THE ISSUES ON THE BASIS OF, OF, OF THEIR MERITS OR, AND, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD FROM THERE. THAT'S REALLY WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE IDEA OF DOING A THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATION, SO THAT, OR JUST TO PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN THEN DECIDE, BUT MOVING AWAY FROM JUST THE, THE CEREMONIAL CENSURE MATTER, WHICH, WHICH WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CODE OF CONDUCT ANYWAY, UH, AT LEAST ONE THAT I DID, I JUST LEARNED ABOUT THIS, UH, UH, THE, THE STANDING RULES THAT APPARENTLY FROM YEARS AGO. AND THERE, I GUESS WE, WE, UH, THE, THE COUNCIL HAS WORKED TO DEVELOP A, IS WANTING TO DEVELOP A CODE OF CONDUCT, BUT WE SHOULD ALL HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT, BECAUSE IF WE DO THAT AND, AND, AND WE, WE, WE MAKE SURE TO GO GOVERN OURSELVES BY THE SAMES. AND I THINK THAT WE'LL BE BETTER OFF. SO WITH THAT, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE MOTION. MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I, I, OKAY. MAYOR, MAYOR WU, IF I MAY, JUST VERY QUICKLY, ON SEPTEMBER 9TH, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER, WE SENT NOTICES TO BOTH, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, LOPEZ VITO, AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ, I BELIEVE, ACTUALLY COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ SHARED THAT LETTER. UH, ON THE SECOND PAGE, IT SAYS VERY SPECIFICALLY THAT THE CITY WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER, INCLUDING MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ, VITO'S ALLEGATIONS, AND ANY ALLEGATIONS OR RESPONSES YOU MAY HAVE, YOU BEING, UH, MR. GUTIERREZ, UH, THE FACT FINDING PROCESS WILL BE CONDUCTED BY AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATOR TO MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY AND AVOID ANY, UH, APPEARANCE OF BIAS. UM, THAT INVESTIGATION IS NOT CONDUCTED BY MY FIRM, IS CONDUCTED BY SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF MY FIRM, JUST SO THAT THAT SATISFIES, UH, MR. GUTIERREZ'S, UH, QUESTION REGARDING WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS IMPARTIAL. BUT THE SAME MANAGER HAS ALREADY ACTUALLY AUTHORIZED THE THIRD PARTY INVESTIGATION. JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR. OKAY. VERY GOOD. I THINK WE JUST GET A THIRD PARTY, UH, NEUTRAL. DON'T KNOW ANYBODY. DON'T KNOW ANY, NO CONNECTION WITH ANYBODY. HAVE A DEBT TO DO A THROUGH OF OKAY. INVESTIGATION FOR ALL THE CHARGE ON BOTH SIDE. AND, UH, AND I THINK THIS IS, UH, OKAY, THE WAY, UH, WE NEED TO SET ASIDE AND FOCUS ON THE CITY BUSINESS, OKAY? BECAUSE WE HERE IS FOR THE CITY BUSINESS, AND LET THE INVESTIGATOR TO DO THE INVESTIGATION ABOUT BOTH SIDE. OKAY? ALL THESE THING, INCLUDING THE ALLEGATION, ALLEGATION ABOUT ME OR MY, MY WIFE, THIS, AND THAT CAN BE ALL INCLUDED INTO THE INVESTIGATION. OKAY? BUT MY POINT IS THIS. WE ARE HERE ELECTED TO DO THE CITY BUSINESS. LET'S FOCUS ON THE CITY. WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. OKAY? WHAT THE, ALL THESE SIDE SIDETRACK, LET'S FOCUS, FOCUS ON THE, WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT TO DO. SIT OVER HERE, NOT FIGHTING, ALL THIS KIND OF THING. BUT ALL THIS ALLEGATION IS A VERY [02:30:01] SERIOUS, SO LET NEED TO BE LOOKING TO IT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I HOPE CITY MANAGERS LOOK INTO THE CITY. OKAY? AND LET'S GET MORE OF A ITEM AGENDA. LET'S MOVE THE CITY. LET'S MOVE THE STREET TRIPPING THING THAT'S MORE ABOUT THE ETHAN, THE CONTRACT, BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS KIND OF DELAY. LET, LET'S MAKE SURE THE CITY'S MOVING. SO, SO I HAVE A FIRST AND SECOND, UH, ROCO, PLEASE. ANYBODY WANNA SAY ANYTHING? OTHERWISE, LET'S MOVE ON, PLEASE. OKAY. OKAY. AND THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COUNCILMAN CONTOS. AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ. AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ. VITO AYE. MAYOR WU. AYE. AND THE MOTION APPROVED. FIVE ZERO. OKAY. SO LET'S GO TO THE, [ CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR REPORTS, STUDIES OR INVESTIGATION] UH, INVESTIGATION AND LET'S, OKAY. AFTER INVESTIGATION, INVESTIGATION, THEN WE SEE WHAT WE DO NEXT. IN THE MEANTIME, PLEASE, EVERYBODY, OKAY. WORK IN PEACE, WORK ON THE CITY AGENDA. OKAY. AND THE REST OF THIS, LEAVE TO THE, OKAY. AN INVESTIGATOR TO DO THE INVESTIGATION. OKAY. MR. MAYOR? YES, GO AHEAD. I, I, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT WITH REGARD TO THAT INVESTIGATION, WHATEVER THE RESULTS ARE, THAT THEY ARE MADE FULLY PUBLIC YES. WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION, PLEASE. YEAH, OF COURSE. THIS, RIGHT? AM I, IT IS ALL PUBLIC, RIGHT? THAT ACTUALLY, THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE INVESTIGATION, IT CAN ONLY BE WAIVED BY THE COUNCIL BY VOTE. SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE TO BE ABLE TO WAIVE IT. YOU CAN PRE WAIVE THE CONFIDENTIALITY, UM, AND WE PREVA PRE WAIVE, OR WE HAVE TO WAIVE FOR THE REPORT, COME OUT, AND WE WA YOU ARE CAPABLE OF PRE WAIVING THE INVESTIGATION. CONFIDENTIALITY, SUBJECT TO REDACTIONS. SO PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. SO FOR INSTANCE, AS IF THERE WAS AN ADDRESS, A NAME, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES FOR SOMEONE THAT'S . SO WE, WE SHOULD WAIVE FOR THE INVESTIGATION REPORT AND THEY WAIVE IT. YOU COULD STILL PRE NOW. OH, WE CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW. WE DO IT RIGHT. COUNCIL REQUEST. OKAY. LET'S DO IT RIGHT NOW. OKAY. AND, UH, SO, SO, UH, THE MOTION TO MAKE THIS INVESTIGATION OPEN OKAY. TO THE PUBLIC. OKAY. AND THEN, OKAY. AND YOU HAVE A MOTION. OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND? CAN WE, CAN WE, CAN WE DO THAT? I MEAN, I AGREE WITH, I AGREE WITH IT, BUT CAN WE DO THAT ON THIS OR IT HAS TO DO BE CAN WE DO IT TO COUNCIL REQUEST? BECAUSE WE ALREADY MADE A MOTION AND PASSED IT. YEAH, WE CAN DO IT ON THIS. WE DO IT. OKAY. OKAY. UH, FIRST AND SECOND. WHO'S SECOND? I DO YOU, YOU DO SECOND. OKAY. AND THE ROCO PLEASE. COUNCILMAN CONTOS. AYE. COUNCILWOMAN DIAZ. AYE. COUNCIL MEMBER GUTIERREZ AYE. MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ. VITO AYE. MAYOR WU. AYE. UH, MOTION FIVE ZERO. SO, INVESTIGATION AND MAKE IT PUBLIC. OKAY. UH, VERY GOOD. AGREED. AND THEN I HAVE ONE QUESTION. OH, GO AHEAD. UH, JUST WANNA CONFIRM, UH, MR. O'CONNELL THAT THIS INVESTIGATOR WILL, UH, REVIEW BOTH OUR COMPLAINTS, CORRECT? YES. UH, THE WAY THAT THE INVESTIGATOR WOULD PROCEED WITH THE INVESTIGATION IS AT THEIR DISCRETION. OKAY. UM, BUT THE TYPICAL WAY THAT THE INVESTIGATOR WOULD LOOK AT THIS, PARTICULARLY WITH WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT, IS THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE COMPLAINTS RIGHT NOW THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE COUNSEL, AND THEY WOULD START FROM THERE AND LIKELY WOULD INTERVIEW THE TWO OF YOU LAST. THEY CAN CHANGE THAT BASED ON WHAT THEY SEE AS THE NEEDS. THEY COULD INTERVIEW YOU MULTIPLE TIMES. MM-HMM . UM, BUT YES, IT WOULD BE BOTH SIDES. THAT'S, THAT IS OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. HAS BEEN THE INTENTION SINCE SEPTEMBER 9TH. AND THAT WILL CONTINUE. OKAY. NOW IT WAS, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ON THE STAFF REPORT, BUT, OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, AND THEN, OKAY. THE NO MORE. OKAY. COMMON OR REQUEST? YES. REQUEST. MAN, YOU DON'T WANNA GO HOME. OKAY. DIFFERENT. OKAY. GO AHEAD. I CAN DO THIS. GO AHEAD, PROMISE. SORRY. OKAY, I'M JOKING. GO AHEAD. UM, I, I, I'D LIKE TO ASK, UM, SOMEONE, WHOEVER HAS RECEIVED THE, MY, MY MOTHER MAY EYES TO READ THE FIRST ONE, PLEASE. NUMBER ONE, I WISH TO MOVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF A, OF A $15,000 SPONSORSHIP IN SUPPORT OF A SERIES OF GREATER WEST COVINA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION EVENTS AND CELEBRATION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH TO BRING TOGETHER WEST COVINA BUSINESSES WITH RESIDENTS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO BUILD NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, STRENGTHEN NETWORKS, FOSTER CONCRETE PARTNERSHIPS, AND EXPAND CONNECTIONS TO LOCAL NONPROFITS TO OPTIMIZE COLLECTIVE IMPACT. YOU ASKING FOR CITY TO GIVE $15,000? YES. UH, THEY CAN CONSIDERATION FOR PLACEMENT ON I I, BUT I THINK THEY CAN DO THEIR OWN FUNDRAISING WHILE THE GO TO THE NO. YEAH. YEAH. 'CAUSE I AGREE. BECAUSE, UM, WELL, BEFORE I VOTE ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FIRST IF THE CITY DID THEIR, A LITTLE, IF THE CITY DID A LITTLE HOMEWORK TO MAKE SURE LIKE THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE OR, UH, SAME THING. I DON'T WANT TO BE A HYPOCRITE. I'M ARGUING ABOUT ONE THING AND THEN GONNA VOTE ON SOMETHING ELSE. SO I WOULD ACCEPT THAT. SO I THINK, I THINK WE NEED TO DO DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE WE COMMIT TO MONETARY. NO, NO. YEAH. I, I THINK I NEVER HAVE [02:35:01] A, A CITY TO GIVE MONEY TO ANY NON-PROFIT. OKAY. AND IT IS KIND OF, UH, STRANGE. THEY, THEY CAN DO THEIR OWN. OKAY. FUNDRAISING. OKAY. LIKE ANY OTHER NON-PROFIT, THAT'S WHAT THEIR JOB IS. AND THE CITY NORMALLY, OKAY, IF WE GIVE THEM 15,000, I HAVE, UH, SOME STUDENT WANT THE CITY GIVE THE SCHOLARSHIP, AND WE DON'T HAVE THAT BUDGET. SO I SAY, THEN ASK NONPROFIT FOR NONPROFIT TO GIVE YOU THE, THE FUNDING. I THINK THAT'S HOW NONPROFITS ABOUT CHARITY. SO, SO IT'S DIFFICULT FOR CITY TO GIVE. OKAY. IF WE STARTING GIVE THEM 15,000, THEN ANY OTHER NONPROFIT, THEY WILL ALL ASK MONEY, THEN WE IN TROUBLE. SO HAVE TO BE FAIRNESS. I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND. AND THEY CAN DO THEIR OWN FUNDRAISING, LIKE ANY OTHER NONPROFIT, I THINK. AND I THINK THE FIREFIGHTERS, UH, WHAT'S IT CALLED? THE YEAH, EXACTLY. EXPLORES DON'T WANT THEIR MONEY. YEAH. UH, REMEMBER LAST TIME? YEAH. I DONATE TO 7,500. SO, SO WE CAN DONATE TO THEM. OKAY. IF YOU WANT TO DONATE YOURSELF. UM, SO NO, NO. SECOND IF NO SECOND. I'M SORRY. OKAY. OKAY. IF YOU WANT, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT THE SECOND MOTHER, MAY I PLEASE BE READ, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDAS RESURRECTION OF THE WEST COVINA YOUTH ADVISORY COMMISSION TO SERVE AS THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF THE CITY'S YOUTH TO ADVANCE PRIORITIES, INCLUDING PARKS AND RECREATION ACTIVITIES BEING ORGANIZED BY SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY PROMOTION OF YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS, SERVICE PROJECTS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVES TO BUILD AN INTERNSHIP. INTERNSHIP, EXCUSE ME, PIPELINE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES. AND, UH, UH, I DON'T QUITE, YEAH, GO AHEAD. WELL, I BELIEVE THE, UH, COMMUNITY AND SENIOR SERVICE CO, UM, COMMITTEE, UM, OR HAS MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION ALREADY, OR, OR THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT TO FOCUS ON THE YOUTH. SO I KNOW A PORTION OF THAT IS, UM, FROM THEIR LAST MEETING, THE COMMISSION MEETING, I'M SORRY, THE COMMISSION MEETING THAT THEY HAD IMPLEMENTED TRYING TO CREATE A YOUTH PROGRAM. SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS IN LINK IN LINE WITH THIS, OR IS THIS SOMETHING DIFFERENT? OR IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN IT FURTHER. SURE. UH, IT'S ESSENTIALLY TO CREATE A, A, A COMMISSION LEVEL, A BODY TO RESURRECT WHAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY. AND, AND THEN THE WAY THAT I'M IMAGINING IT, THIS WOULD BE, WE WOULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, YOUTH MEMBER FROM EACH OF THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS. AND THEN THEY, IT WOULD BE COMING TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE, BUT AT A COMMISSION LEVEL, IT WOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME SORT OF SUPPORT THAT, THAT OUR PLANNING COMMISSION GETS AND THAT OUR, OUR COMMUNITY SENIOR SERVICES COMMISSION GETS. BUT THEN THAT WAY IT, IT CREATES, UM, UH, UM, AN ACTUAL BODY OF YOUTH WHO SPEAK OUT FOR THEMSELVES AS TO WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE AS OPPOSED TO JUST BEING A SUBORDINATE TO SOME OTHER OTHER ENTITY. AND THIS IS, BY THE WAY, A MODEL THAT WAS AS BEEN DONE BY THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND OTHER, OTHER CITIES, UH, TO HAVE YOUTH, UH, GAIN MORE LEADER, DIRECT LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS TO HAVE THEM LEAD IN NEW, UH, INITIATIVES WITH, UH, UH, AS THEY GAINED, UM, NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE IN, IN, IN GOVERNMENT APPOINTED CAPACITIES. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER GUT, GO AHEAD. YES. UH, I COULD, I COULD HAVE SWORN I SAW MYLAN'S, UH, MOTHER MAY, ID, OH, DID I MISS IT? I, I SAW THAT LIST YOU SENT TO US. I THINK IT, WELL, 'CAUSE I USED TO BE PART OF IT WHEN I WAS A KID. IT WAS CALLED THE U CONSOLE. NO. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE WEST? YEAH. IT USED TO BE LIKE, MORE THAN 10 YEARS AGO BY NOW. YEAH. I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT ON THE, MY LIST. PUT IT ON THE LIST OR SOMETHING. AND I THINK MAYOR WU ALSO HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS TOO, CORRECT? I, I BELIEVE OUT OF THE A HUNDRED PLUS ITEMS THAT I FORWARDED TO THE COUNCIL, I BELIEVE THAT IS INCLUDED. IT WAS INCLUDED. OKAY. YES. OKAY. SO WE ALWAYS HAVE IT. OKAY. GOOD. OKAY. AND NEXT. THAT'S IT. ARE YOU SURE? THAT'S IT. OKAY. VERY GOOD. UM, BRIAN? UH, NO. I MEAN, NO. NO. OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. NO MATTER MAY I? NO, VERY GOOD. OKAY. AND ANY OTHER PEOPLE? ANY COMMENT? UH, I, I WANNA HAVE A QUICK COMMENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE CITY STAFF. UM, UNBELIEVABLE STATE OF THE CITY. A LITTLE BIT WARM, BUT IT IS, UH, THE DESIGN, THE DECORATION AND THE PEOPLE OVER THERE. AND, UH, A LITTLE BIT LONG BECAUSE I TALK TOO MUCH. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK IT'S A BE BEAUTIFUL OKAY. EVENT. AND, UH, I THINK EVERYBODY ENJOY IT. I WANNA THANK THE POLICE AND FIRE AND THE STAFF AND OUR OKAY. YEAR. OKAY. EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR. OKAY. WELL, OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THAT'S, WELL, WELL, WELL, LET'S KEEP AHEAD. YOU CAN SEE, YOU CAN SEE SO SMOOTH OVER HERE. OKAY. AND, UH, BECAUSE ALL THE, IT, BECAUSE YOU GUYS MAKE IT VERY, VERY, VERY SMOOTH. OKAY. I REMEMBER 2020, WE HAVE ANOTHER IT OKAY. MANAGER AND WE CANNOT EVEN GET ANYTHING HAPPEN. NO MICROPHONE THIS ON THAT. SO, SO IT'S A DAY AND NIGHT, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TEAM. I REALLY APPRECIATE GOOD JOB. OKAY. AND, UH, AND, UH, [02:40:01] AND I WANT TO THANK SUSIE PEREZ. OKAY. TO YOU AND THE OTHER TEAM. SUSIE RIGHT OVER THERE. SUSIE. HEY, SUSIE. OKAY. SUSIE, WANNA COME OVER HERE? BOW. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR OKAY. EFFORT. AND YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE MOON FESTIVAL, MOVE TO THE CITY. CITY, OKAY. PARKING LOTS. MAYBE QUICKLY SAY SOMETHING SO PEOPLE, PEOPLE WON'T, PEOPLE WON'T DISAPPEAR. THINK WE CANCELED. WE DIDN'T CANCEL. WE JUST MOVED TO THE . OKAY. EVENING MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CITY STAFF. YES. EXCUSE ME. WE ARE HAVING OUR SUPER MOON FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4TH FROM 11:00 AM TO 9:00 PM HERE AT CITY HALL. WE'RE GONNA HAVE COMMUNITY ACTS ALL DAY. WE HAVE ABOUT 15 TO 20 FOOD VENDORS, CONFIRMED ABOUT 50 NON-FOOD VENDORS. UM, YES, IT IS A FREE EVENT. WE HAVE THE HEALTH, UH, UH, WEST COVINA HEALTH THAT'S GONNA BE HAVING A HEALTH ZONE, FAMILY FUND ZONE. UH, TA TAYLOR SWIFT IS COMING BACK FORUM AT SEVEN O'CLOCK, SO PLEASE JOIN US. IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT COMMUNITY EVENT FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR NEIGHBORS. AND, UH, YOU WILL FIND US HERE AGAIN ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4TH FROM 11:00 AM TO 9:00 PM IT'S COMING. OKAY. THANK YOU. SUPER MOON. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YAY. SUPER MOON AND, UH, WONDER. WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL JOB. OKAY. AND FOR OUR DECORATION OF OUR SPORT PLAN, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. SO, SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE STAFF FOR THE HARD WORK, BUT THANK YOU COUNCIL. AND THEN WE GO AHEAD. YEAH. AND THEN I THINK I TOLD MAYOR W AFTER LEAVING THE STATE OF THE CITY, I SAID, WHERE AM I AT? THE WHITE HOUSE, ? IT WAS REALLY NICE. YEAH, EXACTLY. THIS IS A REALLY LIKE A PRESIDENTIAL. I, I CANNOT BE PRESIDENT, BUT I FEEL LIKE A PRESIDENT. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND, UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO JIM? I MAKE A MOTION. YEAH. AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. SECOND, UH, MOTION TO OKAY. MEDIA. JIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY. . * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.