[ ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON AGENDA ITEMS (Three minutes per speaker. The City Council may adjust the time allotted per speaker.) The public may address the City Council on agenda items prior to any action taken. Although Council Members may provide brief responses, the City Council may not engage in a discussion with members of the public during the meeting. Please complete a Speaker's Card to address the City Council in-person. Please follow the instructions at the end of the agenda and wait for the Mayor/City Clerk to call on you to address the City Council virtually. Speakers providing in-person comments will be called first. Members of the public are encouraged to communicate with the City Council via email at adm@cypressca.org or by calling 714-229-6699.]

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS. NOW, THE PUBLIC MAY ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON AGENDA ITEMS PRIOR TO ANY ACTION TAKEN. ALTHOUGH COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY PROVIDE BRIEF RESPONSES TO THE CITY.

COUNCIL MAY NOT ENGAGE IN DISCUSSION WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC DURING THE MEETING. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE COMPLETE A SPEAKER'S CARD AND MAKE SURE IT GETS FORWARDED UP TO ME. FIRST UP, THIS EVENING IS MR. YOUNGSMA. WELL GOOD EVENING. I'M BOB YOUNG, A RESIDENT OF CYPRESS. I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH WRITING THIS ARTICLE. NUMBER 13 FOR THE THING HERE. VERY DONE. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. I MEAN, I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR A LONG TIME AND HAD TO ACT PROFESSIONAL. I'VE ALSO HAD TO HIRE AND FIRE PEOPLE AND I KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

I KNOW HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY. WHEN I READ THIS, I HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THE PERSON THAT WROTE THIS SHOULD BE REPRIMANDED. IT'S DISGUSTING. I MEAN, IT'S REALLY DISGUSTING.

OKAY, THE CITY GOT SUED. FINE. WHO THREW THIS LAW FIRM? DID IT GET FILED THROUGH SOMEBODY? WAS THERE SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE SEEN HAPPEN WITH THIS CITY ALSO, IS IT APPEARS INFORMATION GOES OUT TO RESIDENTS THAT YOU AND ME WOULD NEVER KNOW EXISTED. AND EXCEPT YOU GUYS WOULD. I'VE LOOKED AT SOME OF THE STUFF THAT HAS GONE THROUGH AND IT'S LIKE, HOW DID THIS PERSON KNOW TO ASK FOR THAT INFORMATION? THE ONLY WAY IT COULD BE IS SOMEBODY UP THERE ON THAT COUNCIL OR SOMEBODY THAT'S EMPLOYED AT THIS CITY WOULD HAVE GAVE THAT PERSON THE FILE FOR IT. I'M LOOKING AT THIS. I'M DISGUSTED WITH IT. I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY REQUESTED. YOU'RE SITTING HERE TRYING TO TELL ME YOU HAD NO ACCESS TO HER PRIVATE EMAIL. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. THAT'S A LINE OF BULL. ANYBODY THAT SAYS THAT. BECAUSE ONCE THERE'S A LAWSUIT, YOU GET THE SUBPOENA, ALL THAT STUFF, AND IT GETS TO COME OUT. OKAY, SO IT MADE SURE IN HERE IT MENTIONED IT TWICE THAT WE COULDN'T GET I. AGAIN, YOU DON'T DO A LETTER LIKE THIS UNLESS IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, YOU LIST EVERYTHING THAT'S FACTUAL NOT ONE SIDED.

AND KEEP BLAMING ONE PERSON. I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THE ONE PERSON'S FAULT. AND ABOUT THE ISSUE ABOUT HER HIRING HER OWN ATTORNEY. YOU KNOW WHAT? I'VE BEEN WATCHING FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS? HOW YOU'VE BEEN ABUSING THE YOU KNOW WHAT? OUT OF HER, FROM THE LAST COUNCIL TO THIS COUNCIL TO AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY. I WOULDN'T TRUST YOU TO TAKE CONTROL OF MY PROTECTION OF ME. I WOULD GO OUT AND HIRE MY OWN ATTORNEY INTENTIONALLY. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DID TO HER FROM THE DAY YOU STARTED. AND YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO, WHICH LINES THE CITY UP FOR LAWSUITS. I WILL BE TELLING YOU, I WOULDN'T DOUBT IF THIS ARTICLE THAT WAS WROTE BY A CITY EMPLOYEE DOESN'T GET THE CITY IN ANOTHER LAWSUIT. IT'S DISGUSTING. YOU CAN'T DO WHAT YOU DID AND KEEP POINTING TO HE. I GUARANTEE YOU THERE WAS PEOPLE HERE THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH THIS AND YOU DIDN'T BRING IT OUT TO ANYBODY. AND SO YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I'VE REQUESTED INFORMATION NOW COMING ON THREE WEEKS AND I STILL DON'T HAVE MY COUNSEL'S TELLING ME HE BELIEVES THE CITY IS INTENTIONALLY DELAYING IT FROM THE INFORMATION I'M GETTING. I HOPE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT TO ME, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT TURN INTO ANOTHER LAWSUIT. PLEASE GET IT DONE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JOSE TRINIDAD CASTANEDA. CASTANEDA. FOLLOWED BY PAUL COKINOS. GOOD EVENING.

HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND CYPRESS COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I'M HERE TO ADDRESS ITEM 13, SPECIFICALLY THE RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ'S ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. FIRST, THIS RESOLUTION REPRESENTS AN ABUSE OF POWER AND THE WILL OF THE VOTERS. COUNCILWOMAN MARQUEZ, WHO WAS DULY ELECTED AND DULY ELECTED BY THE RESIDENTS OF CYPRESS, BRINGS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE TO THIS COUNCIL AND TARGETING TARGETING HER THROUGH THIS PUNITIVE RESOLUTION IS NOT ONLY AN ATTACK

[00:15:02]

ON HER PERSONALLY, BUT ALSO A BLATANT SCAPEGOATING INTENDED TO UNDERMINE TO UNDERMINE HER LEADERSHIP. WE MUST VALUE THE DIVERSITY OF VOICES THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS BRING, NOT ISOLATE THEM THROUGH POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ACTIONS. SECOND, THIS RESOLUTION IS A COERCIVE TOOL THAT CAUSES GREAT DURESS BY DEMANDING THAT DOCTOR MARQUEZ ACCEPT THIS LEGALLY BINDING, LEGALLY BINDING RESOLUTION, YOU ARE PROGRESSING. EXCUSE ME. YOU ARE PROGRESSING TOWARDS OVERT FORMS OF HARM, FINANCIAL RETALIATION INCLUDED AGAINST SOMEONE WHO HAS REFUSED TO SUBMIT TO A POLITICAL POWER PLAY OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR YEARS. IF THE COUNCIL MAJORITY TRULY WANTED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE CHOSEN DIALOG, NOT A RESOLUTION THAT DEEPENS THE DIVIDE AND PURPORTS A FALSE VERSION OF THE EVENTS. THIRD, THIS RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT STAFF'S FAILURE TO SERVE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS EQUALLY. IF ONE OF THE FIVE LEGAL EMPLOYERS OF THE CITY MANAGER. SORRY, IT'S FIVE. RIGHT? FIVE MANAGERS. FIVE EMPLOYERS OF THE CITY MANAGER IS BEING DENIED SERVICES. HOW CAN ANY RESIDENT OF CYPRUS EXPECT TO RECEIVE FAIR TREATMENT OR SERVICES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION? THIS SITUATION UNDERMINES PUBLIC TRUST AND CALLS INTO QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THE CITY'S LEADERSHIP. AS A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE FIRST DULY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBER OF LATINO AND NATIVE AMERICAN DESCENT IN THE CITY OF BUENA PARK, ONE CITY OVER I SEE MYSELF REPRESENTED IN COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ'S WORK AND IN HER HERSELF. THE DISCRIMINATORY ABUSE OF POWER SHE HAS FACED IS DEEPLY CONCERNING, AND AS AND IF I WERE A RESIDENT OF CYPRUS, I WOULD CALL FOR A RECALL OF ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO FAILS TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY MANAGER'S DERELICTION OF DUTY, WHICH HARMS NOT JUST ONE RESIDENT, BUT ALL. THANK YOU, MR. KOKINOS. FOLLOWED BY MARILYN REAMS. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. FOR THE RECORD, PAUL KOKKINOS, LONGTIME RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF CYPRUS. I'M ALSO SPEAKING ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 13. BUT SINCE I'VE ONLY BEEN COMING TO COUNCIL MEETINGS SINCE THIS PAST JANUARY, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONSIDERABLY LESS INFORMED ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION AND THE LITIGATION. SO I KNOW RESPONSES TO RESIDENT QUESTIONS ARE LIMITED. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, THAT EITHER THE CITY ATTORNEY OR THE CITY MANAGER CAN SHARE WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT ANY RELATIONSHIP PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST AND ITS ATTENDANT LAWSUIT OF FORTIS LLP AND THE CITY OF CYPRUS. AND CAN EITHER OF YOU POSSIBLY PROVIDE ANY INSIGHT INTO HOW A LAW FIRM SUCH AS FORTIS LLP, SOME 19 ODD ATTORNEYS OFFICES IN COSTA MESA AND MANHATTAN BEACH BECAME INTERESTED IN CYPRUS CITY POLITICS IN THE FIRST PLACE. I THINK THAT'S THE ROOT OF ALL OF THIS SPECIFICALLY, THE LIST OF ISSUES MENTIONED IN THE LAWSUIT. I SPEND A COUPLE OF DOLLARS AND GOT A COPY OF THE ORIGINAL FILING, AND I HAVE TO SAY, IT READS FROM SOMEONE WITH A REMARKABLE FAMILIARITY OF CITY POLITICS AT THE TIME. ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN SHARE WHAT YOU MIGHT KNOW ABOUT THE INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER PARTIES THAT WOULD HELP EXPLAIN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FORTIS LLP. ITS PETITION, AND THE CITY OF CYPRUS. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. I THINK THE PUBLIC WOULD APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE OVERALL, THIS LITIGATION PUTS A SIGNIFICANT CHILL ON COMMUNICATION AND CRITICISM. COMMUNICATION TO AND CRITICISM OF THE CITY COUNCIL. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST OF ALL OF THE ISSUES HERE. I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER. BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, PUTS A SIGNIFICANT CHILL ON THE CRITICISM OF THE CITY AND CRITICISM OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UNLESS THAT'S WHAT IT WAS INTENDED TO DO ORIGINALLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MARILYN AND PEARL BOULTER, YOU'LL BE UP NEXT AFTER MARILYN. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL AND OTHER CITY OFFICIAL. I'M MARILYN REAMS. I'M A RESIDENT OF CYPRUS, AND I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE ISSUE ITEM NUMBER 14, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION SUPPORTING PROP. 36 AND I. THIS GUY CAN SAY IT MUCH BETTER THAN I CAN. SO I'M GOING

[00:20:04]

TO READ THIS. GREG TOTTEN, HE'S A CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE CALIFORNIA DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION. WE CONTINUE TO SEE AN OUTCRY OF OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM CALIFORNIANS OF EVERY POLITICAL AFFILIATION AND GEOGRAPHIC REGION ACROSS THE STATE, DEMANDING CHANGE THAT WILL IMPROVE COMMUNITY SAFETY AND HOLD REPEAT OFFENDERS OF THEFT AND SERIOUS DRUG CRIMES, INCLUDING THOSE INVOLVING FENTANYL. ACCOUNTABLE CALIFORNIANS WANT TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WHEN THEY SHOP, AND THIS INITIATIVE AMENDS PROP 47 TO EFFECTIVELY HOLD INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR REPEAT CRIMES OF THEFT AND SERIOUS DRUGS LIKE FENTANYL, WHILE MAKING SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE AND COMPLETE DRUG AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT THEY NEED. I THINK WHAT I WAS STRUCK WITH IS I WAS DOING RESEARCH ON THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE A PARTIZAN ISSUE. I MEAN, THERE'S CERTAINLY PARTIZAN. THEY'RE COMING DOWN. BUT WHAT I SAW IN THE SUPPORTERS OF THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE WAS A PHENOMENAL AMOUNT OF BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY IN THIS CHAMBER, REGARDLESS OF WHAT LETTER YOU PUT AFTER YOUR NAME, YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, THAT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND GO TO GO TO MARSHALLS AND GO SHOPPING WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT SOMEBODY COMING IN AND ROBBING THE PLACE, KNOWING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WALK OUT WITH. IT'S RIDICULOUS. IT'S RIDICULOUS. AND I, I LOVE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'VE TOLD THE CHIEF THIS BEFORE, I THINK WE ARE THE LUCKIEST CITY, HONEST TO GOD, IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

TO HAVE A CHIEF OF POLICE LIKE THIS THAT KEEPS THIS CITY SAFE, THAT FROM THE TOP SENDS DOWN TO HIS OFFICERS COURTEOUS, KIND, RESPECTFUL BEHAVIOR. I'VE NEVER ONCE OPENED UP A PAPER AND SAW, OH BOY, THERE'S ANOTHER CHARGE OF RACISM. THERE'S ANOTHER CHARGE OF POLICE ABUSE. NEVER ONCE IN THIS CITY HAVE I SEEN THAT. AND I CREDIT OUR CHIEF WITH THAT. AND I. I HOPE EVERYONE WILL SUPPORT PROP 36. I THINK IT'S A GOOD BILL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PROP PROPOSITION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M PEARL BOLTER, A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF CYPRESS, AND I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 14. AND I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THE RESOLUTION FOR PROP 36. I THINK MANY OF US KNOW THAT SINCE PROP 47 WAS PASSED IN 2014, THAT WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN JUST REGULAR CRIME AND ACROSS CALIFORNIA. AND YES, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN AMAZING POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO TO HAVE AN AMAZING DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN OUR COUNTY.

BUT EVEN IN THAT SITUATION, WE HAVE HAD SOME REALLY HEINOUS CRIMES OCCUR IN THE PAST. I THINK YOU COULD SAY A FEW MONTHS FASHION ISLAND, SOUTH COAST. I MEAN, THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NEVER EXPECT OCCUR WHEN THEY'RE JUST PEOPLE SHOPPING, GOING TO RESTAURANTS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. AND THEN THAT DOESN'T EVEN SAY ABOUT ALL THOSE RETAIL CRIMES, WHICH RECENTLY ONE HAPPENED IN ANAHEIM AT A 7-ELEVEN. AND SO I WANT TO THANK MAYOR PRO TEM PETE FOR BRINGING THIS UP, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS A CITY THAT WE SHOW THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROPOSITION FOR US AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. AND THAT THE TOOLS THAT WILL COME OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSITION WILL BE HELPING THE LOCAL POLICE. THAT WILL BE HELPING THE LOCAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICES AND WE HOPE TO SEE A DECREASE IN THESE KIND OF RETAIL CRIMES AND OTHER TYPE OF CRIMES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST ONE MORE. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. NOW, MR. MAYOR, WE DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER ONLINE. OH, OKAY. SORRY. ARE YOU WAITING TO ONLY SPEAK ONCE, SIR? OKAY. WHAT WAS THAT? YOU CAN ONLY SPEAK ONE TIME. IT'S ON A DIFFERENT ITEM. IT'S OKAY. YEAH, IT'S STILL THE SAME. IT'S. IT'S STILL THE SAME, SIR. ALL RIGHT. EVEN IF IT'S FOR ITEM 14, THE. OH, WOW. THAT'S A WEIRD VOTE.

YOUR SUPPORT FOR PROP 36 IS NOTED, SIR. THANK YOU. MR. BUTTON. GOOD EVENING, GLENN

[00:25:13]

BUTTON, LONG TIME RESIDENT OF CYPRESS, 29 YEARS AND COUNTING. AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH MARILYN RHYMES WITH PEARL BOULTER. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING OUR RESOLUTION FOR RED RIBBON WEEK, WE NEED PROP 36 TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO OUR STATE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE FLAWED LEGISLATION OF SO MANY YEARS AGO. WE HAVE TO PROTECT RESIDENTS. WE HAVE TO BRING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND REMEDIAL HELP TO PEOPLE IN NEED. DRUG DEALERS AND BURGLARS, WHETHER THEY'RE STEALING FROM HOMES, WHETHER THEY'RE STEALING FROM BUSINESSES, THEY NEED THE FULL WEIGHT OF LAW BROUGHT AGAINST THEM. IN ORDER TO DETER ONGOING EFFORTS. SO I APPLAUD OUR CITY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTING A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING PROPOSITION 36. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM, THANK YOU. MADAM CITY CLERK, WE HAVE ONE PERSON ON THE LINE. YES, MR. MAYOR, WE HAVE EDWIN KRAMER. COUNCIL MAYOR.

THANKS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. MY NAME IS ED KRAMER. I LIVE IN CYPRUS. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON FIVE, 14 AND 13. AND I FORGET WHICH ONE IT IS. I THINK IT'S 1 OR 2, BUT THIS NUMBER FIVE. THE CITY IS DEVELOPING ANOTHER SCHOOL PROPERTY. THE CONTINUED FAILURE OF THE CITY MANAGEMENT TO PLAN AN INTEGRATED, WELL THOUGHT OUT DEVELOPMENT VISION FOR CYPRUS IS RESULTING IN HODGEPODGE PATCHWORK OF REACTIVE DEVELOPMENT. THIS TRIDENT SCHOOL SITE SHOULD NOT BE DEVELOPED INTO A DISTRIBUTION CENTER OF 50 TRUCK BAYS. IT SHOULD BE USED TO COMPLY WITH MEETING THE 600 REQUIRED HOUSING UNITS THE CITY IS TRYING TO PLACE ON LARK. IF WE HAD CITY MANAGEMENT THAT COULD PROACTIVELY PLAN, THIS SITE WOULD ALREADY BE EARMARKED FOR RENA COMPLIANCE. SO ON NUMBER 14, THE CITY SHOULD NOT BE SUPPORTING PROP 36. THERE ARE COMPLEX ISSUES RELATED TO FENTANYL CRISIS. A LOT OF THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A SHODDY MANUFACTURING OR IS AT THE DISTRIBUTION LEVEL. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM AT OR SOLVABLE AT THE END USER, AND POORLY MANUFACTURED PRODUCT CAUSES OVERDOSES. SOMETIMES WHERE KIDS ARE NOT EVEN AWARE OR ARE FIRST TIME USER. PROP 36 WOULD HARSHLY AND NAIVELY PUNISH MANY VICTIMS. SO SORRY TO DISAGREE WITH THE OTHER SPEAKERS, BUT I THINK THE PROP 36 IS FLAWED. AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE MIXING BATCHES WITH CHEAP STUFF AND THE GUYS GET AN OVERDOSE OF FENTANYL. THAT'S A LOT OF TIMES THAT HAPPENS. SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT PUNISHING THOSE PEOPLE. BUT I DO AGREE IT'S A CRISIS. NEEDS TO BE SOLVED. 13. THE WORDING OF THIS AGENDA ITEM. IT'S ON THE FRANCIS MARQUEZ CONTINUING BADGERING THE WORDING OF THIS AGENDA ITEM SHOWS THE CITY'S BIAS. THE BIASED WORDING OF THE SETTLEMENT IS REPRODUCED IN THE AGENDA TOPIC, MAKING IT LOOK AS THOUGH THE CITY IS SIDING WITH THE DECISION. IT'S INAPPROPRIATE. IT'S OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY'S CIVILITY POLICY AND NEEDS TO CHANGE. IT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE OPINION OF THE PEOPLE. AND LASTLY, ON THE POLICE BUDGET. SO I APPRECIATE THE DONATION THAT WE GOT FOR LICENSE PLATE READERS AND THE ONES THAT WE'VE GOT ON THE CARS. LIKE I SAID LAST TIME, I THINK THERE'S PROTECTIONS NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE. SO I'D LIKE TO FIND WHAT THOSE PROTECTIONS ARE. AND I KNOW IT'S A FORCE MULTIPLIER. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S THE PROBLEM. WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE WITH THOSE READERS. AND IF IT'S ADDS TO FORCE MULTIPLICATION. IS THERE ANY COST SAVINGS TO THE BUDGET THAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM HAVING CITIZEN TRACKER LICENSE PLATE READERS? SO THANKS. THANK YOU FOR CALLING IN. BROOKE NAVARETT. HI. MY NAME IS BROOKE NAVARETTE, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF CYPRUS.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. AS MAYOR PRO TEM PETE AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I JUST WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 14. IN OUR PRIOR THREE SPEAKERS OF MARYLAND AND GLENN AND PEARL, I AGREE WITH THEIR COMMENTS AND I AM. I DECIDED TO SPEAK BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ANOTHER RESIDENT CAN DISAGREE WITH THIS PROPOSITION. AS A PRIOR VICTIM OF CRIME, I FIND IT ABSOLUTELY

[00:30:06]

LUDICROUS THAT SOMEBODY WOULD OPPOSE THIS MEASURE, AND I HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVES AND PASSES THIS. AND THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, THE GREATER PROBLEM IS NOT JUST PROP 47, BUT AB ONE. IT STARTED WITH AB 109. AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF IT, BUT AB 109 WAS THE FIRST CHIP AWAY AT THE LAW. AND THEN FOLLOWED BY PROP 47 AND THEN A YEAR OR TWO LATER BY PROPOSITION 57. AND IT BEWILDERED LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THIS STATE AS TO WHY IT WAS VOTED INTO PLACE, EITHER 4757 OR AB 109. BECAUSE WORKING THE STREET WHEN THOSE LAWS TOOK EFFECT, THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE AND IMMEDIATE BACKLASH. AND IT HAS JUST SIMPLY ESCALATED SINCE THEN TO WHAT WE SEE ON TELEVISION TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS. ANYBODY ELSE POP UP ONLINE? NO, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL CLOSE THE ORAL

[ CONSENT CALENDAR All matters listed on the Consent Calendar are to be approved with one motion unless a Council Member requests separate action on a specific item. Council Members voting no or abstaining on a Consent Calendar item may do so without removing the item from the Consent Calendar.]

COMMUNICATIONS ON AGENDA ITEMS. WE'LL MOVE TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. ALL MATTERS LISTED ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ARE TO BE APPROVED WITH ONE MOTION. UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS SEPARATE ACTION ON A SPECIFIC ITEM. COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTING NO OR ABSTAINING ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR. CALENDAR ITEM MAY DO SO WITHOUT REMOVING THE ITEM FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR. CAN I GET A MOTION ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? LET'S HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

SURE. GO AHEAD. OKAY. SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR NICK. SO I UNDERSTAND WE'RE APPROVING A FINAL PARCEL MAP. I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THAT THIS IN NO WAY ALLOWS FOR ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. I WILL HAVE TO DEFER TO THE PLANNING DIRECTOR, ALICIA VELASCO, FOR THIS ONE.

PLEASE. SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ CAN YOU PLEASE CLARIFY THAT QUESTION? SO I UNDERSTAND WE'RE APPROVING A FINAL PARCEL. PARCEL MAP. SO I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THIS IN NO WAY ALLOWS FOR ANY ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT. OKA. RIGHT. IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT BEYOND WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY APPROVED ON THIS PROPERTY. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE. I JUST WANT TO BRIEFLY POINT OUT ITEM SIX. WE'RE LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT ON CRESCENT FROM 45 TO 40. I USED TO DRIVE ON CRESCENT EVERY WEEKDAY TO TAKE MY SON TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. I THINK PEOPLE CAN DRIVE REALLY FAST THERE. AND SO I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT ANY OF THE STREETS WE HAVE THAT ARE CLOSE TO SCHOOLS AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ERRING ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION. I KNOW IN PARTICULAR, DENNY STREET HAS A LOT OF SCHOOLS, AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF RESIDENTS SPEAK TO ME ABOUT CHALLENGES ON THE STREET, SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT. BUT I WOULD JUST WANT TO SAY, I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE DOING THIS. I THINK IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DRIVE VERY FAST DOWN THAT STREET. ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT ITEMS. ONE THROUGH 11. THANK YOU. I'LL SECOND. THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS, THEN. ITEM NUMBER 12,

[ NEW BUSINESS]

ADOPT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND SIX MONTH OBJECTIVES. AND MR. GRANT, YOU GOT THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD TO PRESENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN. WHEN I NEEDED TO SWITCH BACK AND FORTH WITH MY GLASSES. SO BEAR WITH ME FOR A SECOND. AS THE COUNCIL WILL RECALL, IN SEPTEMBER WE UNDERTOOK WHAT IS PROBABLY OUR SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20TH AND 24TH HALF DAY STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL REVIEWS THE PROGRESS THAT IT'S MADE ON ITS STRATEGIC PLAN OVER THE PRIOR SIX MONTHS AND SETS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE FUTURE, SIX MONTHS TO ACCOMPLISH AND FURTHER THE CITY'S FIVE STRATEGIC PLAN AREAS. IT'S ALWAYS A REALLY POWERFUL AND IMPACTFUL DAY. IT'S EXCITING, I THINK, FOR THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND I TO REVIEW ALL OF THE THINGS THAT OUR STAFF HAS ACCOMPLISHED ABOVE AND BEYOND THE HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT IT PROVIDES THE COMMUNITY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT. AND IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT EXERCISE WHERE THE COLLECTIVE CITY COUNCIL

[00:35:03]

EXECUTIVE TEAM CONSIDERS WHAT'S COMING AT US. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IN THE SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT? HOW DO WE PREPARE OURSELVES TO TACKLE THOSE CHALLENGES IN A THOUGHTFUL, ORGANIZED WAY THAT PRIORITIZES THE SEEMINGLY COUNTLESS DEMANDS THAT CITY RESOURCES FACE? WHAT YOU'RE DOING TONIGHT IS ADOPTING THE OBJECTIVES THAT YOU REVIEWED WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM. AT THAT WORKSHOP, AND THEY'LL BE THE FOCUS OF REGULAR CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOPS AND REPORTS BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT TIME WE UNDERTAKE THAT WHICH WILL BE MARCH. THIS IS ALSO THE LAST TIME THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS MALLORY AND MARQUEZ WILL ENGAGE IN STRATEGIC PLANNING. WE'LL HAVE A NEW TEAM TOGETHER WHEN WE MEET IN MARCH. THERE ARE ALWAYS A COUPLE OBJECTIVES I LIKE TO CALL OUT TO HIGHLIGHT WHEN I PRESENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL. SOMETIMES THEY'RE HIGHLIGHTED BECAUSE THEY'RE MAJOR UNDERTAKINGS AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEM IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. SOMETIMES I JUST KIND OF THINK THEY'RE INTERESTING AND FUN, AND OTHER TIMES THEY'RE OF GREAT INTEREST TO THE COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES, A PROJECT THAT APPEARS UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES BUT IS SORT OF AN ONGOING CHALLENGE FOR US, AS THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, WE HAVE A MAJOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT SCHEDULED ON MYRA AVENUE THAT IS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND HAS BEEN, OR WILL BE THE LAST STAGE OF A SERIES OF UPGRADES DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY EVER HAS TO GO DOWN MYRA ON A BOOGIE BOARD OR IN A KAYAK BEFORE IT'S A SITE OF HISTORICAL FLOODING IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IS THE CLIMATE BECOMES MORE AND MORE UNPREDICTABLE THAT PROJECT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. WELL, NICK AND HIS TEAM AND PUBLIC WORKS ARE BUSY DESIGNING IT. WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO FIND ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF FUNDING TO TACKLE THE PROJECT THAT IS SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $25 MILLION BEFORE IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE. AND THEN SOMETHING I THINK IS SORT OF COOL AND IMPORTANT. WE ARE ALSO ENGAGED AT THE STAFF LEVEL IN DEVELOPING WHAT'S PROBABLY A DECADE LONG STRATEGY TO TRANSITION OUR VEHICLE FLEET TOWARDS GREATER SUSTAINABILITY.

YOU'RE SEEING AND I GOT A CHUCKLE OUT OF THIS. THERE WAS A CITY IN ORANGE COUNTY THAT DEBUTED A CYBERTRUCK FOR ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT. EARMUFFS. CHIEF EARMUFFS. THE SAME DAY, TESLA RECALLED EVERY CYBERTRUCK THAT IT'S EVER SOLD. AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE MUCH MORE CAUTIOUS AND METHODICAL AND PROMOTE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS WITH TAX DOLLARS HERE IN CYPRUS, BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE STATE HAS VERY IMPORTANT CLIMATE GOALS THAT ARE COMING IN A LITTLE MORE THAN A DECADE IN TERMS OF HOW OUR FLEETS OPERATE. AND WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE FLEET. THERE ARE SOME REALLY BORING CARS THAT WE DRIVE AROUND TO INSPECT THINGS. THEY'RE EXCITING CARS THAT WE USE TO CHASE BAD GUYS. AND THEN THERE'S SOME REAL WORKHORSE VEHICLES LIKE STREET SWEEPERS AND PUBLIC WORKS EQUIPMENT, AND HOW WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO TRANSITION ALL OF THAT TO SUSTAINABILITY IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. ONE OF THE I THINK, EQUALLY EXCITING PROJECTS ON THE REVENUE SIDE OF THINGS IS WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE CITY COUNCIL'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE TO PRESENT A ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY TO GUIDE THE WORK PROGRAM FOR CHRIS AND ALICIA IN OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONNECTIONS WITH AND SUPPORT OF ALL OF THE BUSINESSES IN TOWN, BUT ESPECIALLY THE BUSINESS PARKS, IS AS STRONG AS IT CAN BE. A REALLY NEAT EXTENSION OF AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH CYPRESS SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND I THINK THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE CHAMBERS BEFORE. BUT THE POLICE CHIEF AND HIS STAFF, ALONG WITH STAFF FROM CYPRESS ELEMENTARY DISTRICT, ARE WORKING ON WAYS THAT WE CAN AUGMENT CAMPUS SAFETY AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. USD HAS BEEN REALLY PROACTIVE AND HAS HAD ACCESS TO A LOT OF BOND MONIES TO MAKE CYPRESS HIGH AND OXFORD LEXINGTON MORE SECURE, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF APPROPRIATE EXTENSIONS OF THAT STRATEGY ONTO THE CYPRESS SCHOOL DISTRICT CAMPUSES. WE'RE STARTING TO WORK ON THAT BEHIND THE SCENES, ALICIA VELASCO SORRY, ALICIA FARNELL, OUR CITY CLERK, DESERVES CREDIT THIS FOR THIS ONE, EVEN THOUGH IT MAKES HER ROLL HER EYES EVERY TIME. THE MAYOR HAD ASKED US TO THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE COULD HELP OUR SENIORS BETTER PREPARE TO DEAL WITH WHAT SEEMED TO BE INEVITABLE SCAMS EMERGING FROM CELL PHONES. YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY EASY TO HAVE A CALL THAT'S NOT FROM PETER GRANT. SHOW UP ON YOUR PHONE AS FROM PETER GRANT, AND IT'S BECOMING TERRIFYINGLY EASY TO HAVE SOMEONE ON THE OTHER END OF THAT PHONE CALL SOUND LIKE ONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES. AND IN SORT OF BRAINSTORMING HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT SAFETY AND SAFETY, EDUCATION AND FRAUD PREVENTION FOR OUR SENIORS. AND JULIE MARQUEZ HAS ALREADY LEFT, RIGHT. OKAY. ALICIA HAD THE BRAINSTORM THAT WHAT WE'RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT, THERE IS A VERSION OF OUR PACE PROGRAM, WHICH IS POSITIVE ATTITUDE, CHARACTER, EXCELLENCE, EDUCATION, OKAY. EDUCATION, PACE PROGRAM THAT WE DO FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN AND

[00:40:06]

THAT THERE IS A VERSION OF THAT SORT OF ACADEMY OF AWARENESS AND PROTECTION AND ANTI-FRAUD BEHAVIOR THAT WE CAN DEVELOP FOR OUR SENIORS AND RUN THROUGH THE SENIOR CENTER. SO IF YOU READ THE STRATEGIC PLAN, I THINK THAT ONE SAYS PRESENT A SAFETY AND EDUCATION FRAUD PREVENTION PROGRAM. PARENTHETICALLY, PACE FOR SENIORS, OUR INTERNAL DIALOG FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. BUT IT WAS IT WAS REALLY FUN TO SEE THE TEAM DYNAMIC THERE. WE ALL SORT OF HAD BITS AND PIECES OF THE IDEA, BUT NOBODY COULD GET THEIR ARMS ALL THE WAY AROUND IT UNTIL PACE FOR SENIORS. SO I'M GOING TO KEEP BRINGING IT UP UNTIL WE'RE THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS. ALICIA. WE ALSO HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE COMING ON THE RECREATION SIDE OF THINGS. WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER OUR EVERY OTHER YEAR NOT FOR PROFIT GRANT ALLOCATION PROCESS, WHERE THE CITY SPENDS SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS, BOTH DIRECT SUPPORT AND IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR NOT FOR PROFIT PARTNERS. THAT'S A LONG STANDING PROGRAM, BUT THE PROJECTS THAT THEY DELIVER ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMPLICATED, MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOME OF OUR PARTNERS IN THE CITY IS LESS AND LESS CLEAR ALL THE TIME, SO WE THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO REVIEW THOSE GUIDELINES, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ENTIRELY WORKABLE FOR THE CITY, AS WELL AS FOR THE NOT FOR PROFITS THAT WE SUPPORT. AND THEN I THINK THE LAST ONE THAT I WANT TO CALL OUT, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, WE DO IT EVERY THREE YEARS, BUT WE'RE BEGINNING THE LEGWORK TO RELEASE THE NEXT COMMUNITY SURVEY IN THE SPRING OF 2025. IT'S SOMETHING WE DO EVERY THREE YEARS. IT IS A VITAL PART OF THE DATA THAT WE COLLECT THAT HELP US REFINE AND FINE TUNE AND ADJUST CITY SERVICES SO THAT WHAT RESIDENTS ARE PAYING FOR, WHAT OUR BUSINESS IS PAYING FOR IN TERMS OF TAX SERVICES, ARE AS GOOD AS WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THEM. THAT WAS A LONGER HIGHLIGHT THAN USUAL, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES AND WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPT THEM. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MUELLER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. GRANT, AND TO ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS FOR THE EXCELLENT STRATEGIC PLANNING, NOT ONLY THIS TIME, BUT IN THE REALLY ALMOST FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WORKING WITH YOU, I DO THINK THAT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WE BUILD INTO IT IN TERMS OF FOLLOW UP AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T JUST SET THE GOALS, BUT WE ACTUALLY MONITOR OUR PROGRESS AND WE HIT THOSE GOALS IS REALLY SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF. AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS THAT CYPRUS IS SO SUCCESSFUL IN, IN ALL FACETS OF CITY MANAGEMENT, I DO HAVE A THOUGHT AND I WOULD LIKE FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE VERY THOROUGH STRATEGIC PLAN AND SIX MONTH OBJECTIVES THAT ARE PRESENTED. I DO THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER ADDING AN OBJECTIVE TO BRING THE CITY AND THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE TOGETHER FOR A WORKSHOP. I THINK THAT COULD ADD A LOT OF VALUE AND BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL. AND ENSURE THAT THE PLANNING IS AS SMOOTH AND RESULTS IN AS SUCCESSFUL AS IN AN EVENT AS POSSIBLE. AND I REALLY VALUE THE FESTIVAL AND I CONGRATULATE THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE ON THE MOST RECENT AMAZING EVENT, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. AND SO I MOVE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO ADD THAT AS AN OBJECTIVE. AND I'M SURE THERE'S A PROCESS THAT I'M NOT QUITE FOLLOWING. SO YEAH, THERE'S NOT A MOTION YET. SO IF YOU CARE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION PLUS THAT OBJECTIVE, THAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO GO. ALL RIGHT. WELL THEN I MOVE WE ADOPT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN SIX MONTH OBJECTIVES WITH THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT WE ADD AN OBJECTIVE TO BRING THE CITY AND FESTIVAL COMMITTEE TOGETHER FOR A WORKSHOP, WITH THE DEADLINE DATE TO BE DETERMINED BY THE MANAGEMENT TEAM. I GUESS I'LL SECOND, BUT JUST LET ME. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? COUNCILMEMBER. COUNCILMEMBER BURKE, THANKS.

YEAH, I GUESS I WOULD JUST WANT TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN YOU SAY THE CITY. HOW DO YOU MEAN? GOOD QUESTION. GENERALLY, THE WORKSHOPS INCLUDE CITY COUNCIL. THEY'RE OPEN TO

[00:45:04]

THE PUBLIC. I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT IT WOULD INCLUDE THE REC DEPARTMENTS. IT'S THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ALIGNMENT WITH THEM. AND THE POSSIBLY PUBLIC WORKS. I THINK THAT THE KEY COMPONENT REALLY IS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER FOR DIALOG. OKAY. WELL, YEAH, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO THE IDEA OF HAVING THE FESTIVAL BOARD MEMBERS GET TOGETHER WITH THE CITY STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY WANT TO DO. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO TRY AND LIKE, DECIDE A MORE CLEAR KIND OF PURPOSE OR TOPIC OF CONVERSATION OR, OR IF YOU JUST HAD IN MIND A GENERAL GET TOGETHER AND TAKE IT FROM THERE KIND OF THING. WELL, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK THE, THE OBJECTIVES ARE GENERALLY FAIRLY BROAD IN THE WAY WE DEVELOP THE STRATEGIC PLAN. I WOULD LEAVE IT TO THE STAFF AND THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE TO DEFINE THE DETAILS. I THINK OF THE WHAT WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO INCLUDE THE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING AND BREATHING IT FOR SO MANY YEARS. IS THAT SUFFICIENT FOR ADDING SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN? MR. GRANT, WE DON'T USUALLY DO IT THIS WAY, BUT I CAN SEE WHY THE COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN THAT OBJECTIVE. AND I, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT ESPECIALLY WITH HOW CLOSELY OUR RECREATION STAFF WORKS WITH THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THEM. HEADED INTO THE WORKSHOP TO PUT TOGETHER A GOOD AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND MAKE IT WORTHWHILE. I THINK IT'S A IT'S A BIT OF A REACH TO GET THERE, BUT THE COUNCIL HAS SEEN THE VALUE IN HAVING JOINT MEETINGS WITH ITS COMMISSIONS, AND THIS WOULDN'T BE ALL THAT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM A GETTING ON THE SAME PAGE AND SORT OF EXPRESSING APPRECIATION, PERSPECTIVE. YEAH, JUST A MUTUAL SUPPORT SHARING OF IDEAS TO ENSURE THAT THINGS ARE GOING AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER. OKAY.

COUNCILMEMBER, MAYOR. PRO TEMP. YEAH. AND I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED MY QUESTION, BUT DO WE THINK SOMEONE LIKE MR. DRAPER OKAY, WOULD KIND OF BECAUSE OF PARKS AND REC AND THAT RELATIONSHIP WOULD BE KIND OF THE HEAD ALTHOUGH THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IS THAT RIGHT NOW IS THAT KIND OF WHAT WE THINK RIGHT AT THIS VERY MOMENT WITH ABSOLUTE UNCERTAINTY? I CAN SAY I THINK WE STAFF WOULD WORK WITH THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE TO FIGURE OUT AND WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS. RIGHT. WE CAN WE CAN TALK TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT SORT OF WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT THAT NIGHT AND PRIORITIZE AN AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION, LEAD YOU THROUGH IT WITH SOME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, FACILITATED POWERPOINT, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. OKAY, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT HARD TO WORK OUT IN AREAS OF MUTUAL. I DON'T WANT TO SAY CONCERN, BUT INTEREST IN TALKING IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT WAYS TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE EVENT. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE. YEAH. SO, I MEAN, OF COURSE I'M OKAY WITH IF THE FESTIVAL BOARD WANTS TO HAVE MORE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, GIVEN SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH COMMUNICATION.

MAYBE BETWEEN THE FESTIVAL AND CITY THAT HAVE GONE ON RECENTLY, I'D WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS DONE OPENLY AND THAT AND THAT THE YEAH, THAT IT WASN'T JUST THAT EVERYBODY COULD PARTICIPATE AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE A STRATEGIC PLAN ITEM OR NOT. I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT THE THRESHOLD IS OR IF IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE CAN EXTEND THE INVITATION TO THE FESTIVAL BOARD AND TELL THEM, WE'D LIKE TO DO THIS, AND THAT'S FINE TOO. YEAH. I ALSO KNOW WE GOT A COMMENT FROM THE FESTIVAL BOARD, AND THEN WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM SOMEONE ON THE FESTIVAL BOARD AFTER THAT, AND SO I'M JUST THINKING, YEAH, WE WANT GOOD CLEAR COMMUNICATION THERE.

SO I'M ON BOARD WITH THAT. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S OPEN AND EVERYBODY HAS AN ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE. YEAH, THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE THE INTENT THAT THIS IS MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE AND INCLUSIVE WITH ALL PERSPECTIVES. AND I THINK OUR STAFF HAS A GREAT

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RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE AND OUR FESTIVAL COMMITTEE. AT LEAST TWO OF THEM ARE GENERALLY HERE TOO. SO I THINK DEFINING IT, THOUGH, I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE COMMUNITY FESTIVAL TO THE CITY OF CYPRUS, IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST ONE DAY EVENTS IN THE COUNTY STATE. IT'S BIG AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE. I THINK ALLOCATING AN HOUR WORKSHOP TO ENSURING THAT THE CITY IS PROVIDING AS MUCH SUPPORT AS THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE NEEDS, AND THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE IS PROVIDING THE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO MAKE IT THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE FOR THE COMMUNITY. SEEMS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO PUT IT IN WITHOUT MAKING IT TOO MUCH OF A WEIGHTY PROJECT. WHEN YOU CONSIDER ALL THE THINGS THAT THE CITY AND THE REC DEPARTMENT ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. OKAY, CAN I GET A SECOND? I THINK WE HAD A MOTION FROM OR WAS THERE? IT WASN'T A SECOND, WAS THERE? NOT YET. YEAH. I'LL SECOND WITH THE ADDITION OF THE WORKSHOP INCLUDED. ALL RIGHT. THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS. ITEM NUMBER 13. RECEIVE AND FILE A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH FORTIS LLP PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. REQUEST AND APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FRANCIS MARQUEZ VIOLATED THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. MR. CITY ATTORNEY. YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND ALL THOSE PRESENT, THE. ON THURSDAY OF LAST WEEK, THE CITY FOR HELP AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ APPROVED AND SIGNED A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT TO SECURE A DISMISSAL OF A LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED BY FORTIS LLP. THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED ALLEGING THAT THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT WAS VIOLATED SPECIFICALLY ALLEGING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ DID NOT PRODUCE ALL THE RECORDS THAT WERE REQUIRED AND REQUESTED FROM THAT PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST THAT PREDATED THE LAWSUIT. THE. PRESENT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT FULLY AND FINALLY RESOLVES ANY DISPUTES RELATED TO THE LAWSUIT THAT FORTIS FILED AGAINST THE CITY AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ. IT HAS THE FOLLOWING KEY COMPONENTS. THE CITY WILL PAY FORTIS LLP $12,626.73 FOR THE COSTS INCURRED IN THE LAWSUIT, AND ATTORNEY'S FEES WOULD BE WAIVED. FORTIS WILL DISMISS THE PETITION THAT WAS FILED WITH PREJUDICE, WHICH MEANS IT CAN'T BE REFILED AND IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. FORTIS INSISTED THAT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT, WHICH IS CONTAINED IN THE RESOLUTION, BE INCLUDED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL VIA THE RESOLUTION AND THE STATEMENT READS AS FOLLOWS. ALTHOUGH COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ MAINTAINS THAT SHE DID NOTHING WRONG, THE CITY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT FRANCIS MARQUEZ VIOLATED THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT THROUGH HER REFUSAL TO PROVIDE ALL RESPONSIVE RECORDS AND WITHHOLDING RESPONSIVE RECORDS TO FORTIS LP'S PUBLIC RECORDS. ACT REQUEST WITH WITHIN HER POSSESSION, CUSTODY AND CONTROL WITH WITHIN HER PERSONAL EMAILS. THE CITY DENIES ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER FAILURE TO COMPLY BECAUSE THOSE RECORDS WERE CONTAINED WITHIN HER PERSONAL EMAILS THAT THE CITY HAD NO ACCESS TO, AND FRANCIS MARQUEZ DEFIED THE CITY'S MULTIPLE REQUESTS THAT SHE PRODUCED THOSE RECORDS. THE CITY AGREES THAT FORTIS LP IS THE PREVAILING PARTY IN THE PETITION TO ENFORCE ITS PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST, AND HAS GOOD CAUSE FOR BRINGING ITS PETITION. GIVEN FRANCIS MARQUEZ'S ONGOING FAILURES TO COMPLY. SO THAT'S THE EXACT WORDING. THE FORTIS HAD INSISTED ON AND IS CONTAINED IN YOUR RESOLUTION. AND FINALLY, THE REQUIREMENT OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT SIGNED BY ALL THE PARTIES REQUIRES THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON THE RESOLUTION. SHOULD THE RESOLUTION NOT BE APPROVED, THE SETTLEMENT IS OFF AND WE WOULD BE BACK IN COURT TO CONTINUE TO DEFEND THE MATTER AND INCUR ADDITIONAL FEES. HOPEFULLY THIS WAS AUDIBLE. SO AS I MENTIONED, THE SETTLEMENT

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AGREEMENT RESOLVES ANY DISPUTES BETWEEN FORTIS AND THE CITY. THERE IS ANOTHER RELATED CLAIM FROM COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF ATTORNEY'S FEES AND REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS INCURRED BY HER SEPARATE LEGAL COUNSEL. AND THAT IS NOT PART OF THIS ACTION. SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ. THANK YOU. THERE'S A LOT TO SAY HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP IT REALLY SHORT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN ALMOST THREE YEARS OF HARASSMENT. THIS PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST WAS ORCHESTRATED AGAINST ME BY THE COUNCIL MAJORITY IN 2022, WHICH INCLUDED MAYOR PAOLO MORALES, COUNCIL MEMBER JOHN PETE, COUNCIL MEMBER ANNE MALLORY AND COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT MINIKUS. IT'S A CONTINUED PATTERN OF THE UNETHICAL MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS BY THIS COUNCIL MAJORITY, WHO HAS SPENT $200,000 OF YOUR HARD EARNED DOLLARS TO STOP ME FROM SPEAKING THE TRUTH ABOUT A CONTRACT THAT HAD NO BIDS, THAT WAS EXTENDED TEN YEARS WITH A 32% RATE INCREASE. THAT'S NOT FIXED, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSITIONING TO DISTRICT ELECTIONS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE AN INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP ON OUR COUNCIL HERE IN CYPRUS. THE LANGUAGE IN THE STAFF REPORT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE FORTIS LLP LAW FIRM WORKED WITH OUR COUNCIL MAJORITY TO HARASS AND MAKE ME QUIT MY POSITION ON THE CITY COUNCIL. WELL, I'M STILL SITTING HERE AFTER THREE YEARS OF HARASSMENT. MY FAMILY HAS LIVED THROUGH THIS AND I WANT TO SAY I WAS FORCED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT. I HAD NO CHOICE. THE ONLY LINE IN THIS RESOLUTION THAT IS TRUE STATES ALTHOUGH COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ MAINTAINS SHE DID NOTHING WRONG. THAT'S THE ONLY THING IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT'S TRUE. THE FOLLOWING 11 LINES ARE NOT TRUE. I IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED TO ANY AND ALL PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS THAT WERE ASKED OF ME. I EVEN HIRED THE LAW FIRM OF BEST, BEST AND KRUEGER TO MAKE SURE EVERY DOCUMENT WAS TURNED OVER CAREFULLY BECAUSE I WAS BEING HARASSED BY THE COUNCIL MAJORITY, WHO EVEN HELD A SPECIAL MEETING ON JUNE 10TH, 2022 TO TRY TO CENSURE ME WITHOUT THE PUBLIC HAVING THE TIME TO MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND. I REMEMBER THAT DAY I WAS SITTING HERE, CAME UP THE STAIRS, MY COLLEAGUES WERE SITTING HERE. NONE OF THEM WOULD LOOK AT ME. I WANT ALL OF THEM TO LOOK AT YOU TONIGHT. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THIS. THEY KNOW WHO'S FUNDING IT. THEY OWE YOU AN EXPLANATION FOR WASTING $200,000 OF YOUR MONEY TO GO AFTER A SITTING COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS STANDING UP FOR THE RESIDENTS, WHO IS CALLING OUT NO BID CONTRACTS, AND WHO WANTS AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY BECAUSE SHE'S THE DAUGHTER OF PARENTS WHO WERE SEGREGATED. I WANT TO CONTINUE HERE. I TURNED OVER EMAILS FROM MY PERSONAL EMAIL. I NEVER DEFIED ANY REQUEST.

THERE'S NO PREVAILING PARTY HERE. HERE, AS THIS WAS A FRIVOLOUS LAWSUIT, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS FUNDED BY THIS TRASH CONSULTANT. THE LAWSUIT DIDN'T HAVE THE INJURED PARTIES NAMES ON IT. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A LAWSUIT THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE PLAINTIFF'S NAME ON IT? IT ONLY HAD THE LAW FIRM'S NAME. WHY WOULD SOMEONE HIDE THEIR IDENTITY? THINK ABOUT IT. WHY WOULD SOMEBODY NOT PUT THEIR NAME ON A LAWSUIT? YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE THE REASON THAT I STOPPED A RATE INCREASE. AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRASH TRANSFER STATION AND SEEING CNG FUELING STATION AT THE PUBLIC WORKS YARD, AND STOPPED THE RATE INCREASE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, WHEN PEOPLE WERE SUFFERING AND I VOTED AGAINST THE CONTRACT, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS TREATED IN AN ADVERSE MANNER IN THIS WHOLE SITUATION. THERE WAS NO SUPPORT FOR ME. AND AGAIN, I WAS FORCED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT. I WANT TO SAY, BEFORE THE NOVEMBER 5TH ELECTION SO MY COLLEAGUES COULD USE THEIR MANUFACTURED LIES TO HURT MY CAMPAIGN FOR ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO DIG FOR YEARS. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. HOLD ON. I NEED TO TAKE A DRINK OF WATER. THIS LAW FIRM CALLED MY EMPLOYER IN WASHINGTON, DC SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. THEY CALLED MY FRIENDS WHO ARE PROFESSORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, HARASSING THEM. SOME OF MY FRIENDS WON'T EVEN RESPOND TO ME RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THIS LAWSUIT. YOU KNOW, AND SO I WANT TO ASK MYSELF, YOU KNOW, WHY IS A CITY ADMINISTRATION TARGETING A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO'S PROTECTING RESIDENT TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND STANDING UP FOR THEM? SHOULDN'T YOU GUYS BE DOING THE SAME THIN?

[01:00:05]

THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING. YOU SHOULD BE A PUBLIC SERVANT. YOU'RE HERE TO HELP PEOPLE, NOT TO HARASS YOUR COLLEAGUES. YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE I'VE HAD A GUN TO MY HEAD THE LAST THREE WEEKS.

IT'S NOT BEEN FUN. YOU KNOW? AND I WANTED TO SAY AT ONE OF MY DEPOSITIONS, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SHOWED UP AND GRINNED AND WALKED INTO THE OFFICE WHILE I WAS BEING DEPOSED. THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE DOING, YOU KNOW, ON THE NIGHT I WAS CENSURED AND EMAIL OUR CITY MANAGER SENT AN EMAIL AT 11:00 AT NIGHT TO THAT LAW FIRM WITH MY PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST EMAILS WHEN THE CITY CLERK HAD ALREADY SENT THEM EARLIER IN THE DAY TIME. WHY WOULD HE NEED TO DO THIS? AND THEN AN HOUR LATER, THERE WAS A PRESS RELEASE THAT WENT OUT SAYING, COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ IS THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE CITY TO CYPRUS TO EVER BE CENSURED IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT THE CONTROL OF PUBLIC FUNDS.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT PUBLIC SERVIC. THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT CONTROLLING CYPRUS PUBLIC FUNDS. YOU KNOW, A CITY MANAGER NEEDS THREE VOTES TO KEEP HIS JOB. THE CITY ATTORNEY NEEDS, YOU KNOW, THE SAME THING TO KEEP HIS JOB. AND THIS IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. AND THEY'RE WORRIED BECAUSE OF THIS ELECTION THAT WE'RE IN DISTRICTS NOW. WELL, I NEVER HAD A PLAN TO GO TO DISTRICTS. I SUPPORTED IT BECAUSE IT WAS A RIGHT THING TO DO, BECAUSE I WANTED EVERYBODY TO BE INCLUDED IN CYPRUS. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE ORCHESTRATED THEY HAVE RESIDENTS COME AND ATTACK ME. THERE'S SOME OF THE RESIDENTS IN THE AUDIENCE. THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHO STARTED THE INITIAL PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST. YOU KNOW, I CAUGHT A RESIDENT, ROBIN ITZLER, WRITING AN OP ED TO THE NEWS ENTERPRISE USING HER DECEASED MOTHER'S NAME TO ATTACK ME. THIS IS THE KIND OF NONSENSE THESE PEOPLE DO NOT, SHOULD NOT BE IN CHARGE OF YOUR PUBLIC FUNDS. THEY'RE ORCHESTRATING ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF BEHIND THE SCENES. THIS IS ABOUT TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE, BEING PUBLIC SERVANTS, NOT WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. YOU KNOW, IT'S THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS IS WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON, YOU KNOW, AND I THERE'S IT'S REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING. I, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NO END TO WHAT THIS COUNCIL MAJORITY AND ITS POLITICAL FINANCIERS WILL DO TO KEEP THE MAJORITY IN POWER AND VOICE AND LOWER AND STOP THE VOICES OF OPPOSITION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE POINTS OF CLARIFICATION FROM YOUR STATEMENTS. WHEN WE WERE FIRST GIVEN THE PR REQUEST, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE FOUR OF US AT THAT TIME TOOK ROUGHLY 96 HOURS TO COVER OUR EMAILS, DO DISCOVERY, AND THEN SIGN OUR AFFIDAVITS. IN CONTRAST, IT TOOK YOU MONTHS TO RESPOND TO THE PR. THAT IS NOT TRUE. MR. MAYOR.

YEARS LATER, SEVERAL EMAILS WERE DISCOVERED THAT YOU HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS WHOLE PR CAME TO LIGHT BECAUSE THERE WER. SEVERAL GAPS IN YOUR EMAILS HERE IN THE CITY THAT WERE DISCOVERABLE UNDER THE ORIGINAL PR REQUEST. DURING YOUR DEPO, YOU WERE NOT COMPLETELY TRUTHFUL. IN FACT, TRUE. YOU SIGNED THREE SEPARATE AFFIDAVITS EACH TIME AN EMAIL WAS FOUND AND YOU SIGNED THEM UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY. WHY? YOU WEREN'T CHARGED BY THE COURTS FOR THAT IS BEYOND ME. I WASN'T INVOLVED IN THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW AT WHAT POINT IN THIS DO YOU ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS? THIS IS WHAT'S TROUBLING TO ME. THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN REMEDIED WITHIN 96 HOURS. FRANCES, WE ALL SIGNED IT. YOU FOUGHT IT. YOU HIRED AN ATTORNEY TO FIGHT THE PR, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE TO ME. ONLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE WOULD GO TO SUCH GREAT LENGTHS. TWO YEARS INTO THIS. NOW, IT'S INCREDIBLE TO ME THAT YOU ACCEPT ZERO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS IN THIS, BUT IT'S TYPICAL OF YOU TO DO THIS, AND I DON'T. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT DEEP, DEEP EMOTIONAL ISSUES THAT BRING THIS FORWARD, I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST, BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE KNOWN YOUR THREE YEARS THAT I'VE KNOWN YOU, THAT

[01:05:03]

YOU'VE NEVER ACCEPTED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS. AND I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER EXAMPLE. IN SEPTEMBER OF 22, WHEN YOU WENT TO CYPRESS HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU DECEIVED THE PRINCIPAL AND YOU DECEIVED THE TEACHERS AND TOOK TOOK TWO CANDIDATES WHO WERE RUNNING FOR OFFICE THAT YEAR, AND YOU TURNED IT INTO A CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER IN FRONT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THAT IS NOT TRUE. THAT'S A LIE. IF YOU READ THE CENSURE, THE CENSURE CAME FROM EVIDENCE THAT WAS GATHERED THROUGH INTERVIEWS OF THE OF THE CYPRESS HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND OF THE TEACHERS, OF THE PARENTS AND OF THE STUDENTS. SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE WRONG AND YOU'RE RIGHT AND THAT I'M LYING AND IT'S NOT TRUE? THAT JUST DOESN'T RESONATE. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. I WILL SAY, MAYOR, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IT TO THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT IT PERTAINS TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT LAWSUIT, I WOULD SUGGEST THE COMMENTS.

THANK YOU FOR THE CORRECTION. THANK YOU FOR THE CORRECTION. SO AGAIN, I JUST I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE ALL THIS COMES FROM. WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY HAD YOU NOT SIMPLY DID YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, LOOKED AT ALL OF YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNTS. AND SIGNED THE PRA. WE WOULD NOT BE HERE IF NOT FOR THAT. BUT YOU TOOK AN ADVERSE REACTION. YOU HIRED AN ATTORNEY WITHOUT THE PRESENT COUNSEL OR THE COUNSEL AT THAT TIME CONSENT. YOU WENT OUT ON YOUR OWN AND DID IT AGAIN. IT.

AT WHAT POINT DO YOU ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS? AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MAYOR PRO TEM PETE. YEAH. JUST A JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. I MEAN, THIS STRICTLY HAS TO DO WITH PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. AND I BELIEVE IT'S VERY UNUSUAL, AND I CAN'T SAY I HAVE A LOT OF HISTORY HERE, BUT VERY UNUSUAL THAT IT TAKES TWO YEARS TO SETTLE A PUBLIC RECORDS THAT STARTED IN MAY, I BELIEVE, OF 22. I'VE HEARD SOME OF THE RESIDENTS COME UP AND SAY, HEY, THE CITY STAFF AND BLAINE, THE CITY STAFF FOR THE WORDS IN THERE, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY STAFF. OKAY. WE WERE WORKING WITH WITH FORTIS AND THE BASICALLY THEY MADE A REQUIREMENT ON US TO BRING SETTLEMENT TO THIS LAWSUIT. OKA.

TWO IS IT SHOULD NEVER TAKE TWO YEARS, OKAY, TO COME UP WITH A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST ON A TOPIC THERE. I UNDERSTAND IT MAY BE MORE COMPLICATED IF YOU'VE HAD A LOT MORE COMMUNICATIONS.

THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY, AND I'M GOING TO GO AGAINST A COUPLE PEOPLE SAID IS WE DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO PERSONNEL. WE HAD TO DEPEND ON IT BEING SUBMITTED TO THE CITY AT THE REQUEST AND ASKED FOR THAT INFORMATION. WE DID NOT HIRE AN ATTORNEY. WE DIDN'T HIRE ANYBODY AT THAT TIME TO GO AND MAKE SURE THAT SHE DOTTED ALL THE T'S. AND WHAT HAPPENED, AND I WAS JUST REFRESHED ON THE MEMORY FROM OUR MAYOR IS THERE WERE THREE SEPARATE AS MOMENTS.

IF YOU WANT TO SAY, OF FINDING DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS IN VARIOUS EMAILS. OKAY. SO I THINK FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE, IT IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD WHEN YOU SPEND TWO YEARS DOING A PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST. WE ALL UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY OUR OUR OBLIGATED UNDER THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION. AND THERE IS A TIMELINE ON THAT. IT IS NOT TWO YEARS. I WILL TELL YOU I THINK IT'S TEN DAYS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. SO NOT TAKE TWO YEARS. MAYOR. I'M JUST SAYING HERE WE ARE. OKAY? AND IT CAME DOWN TO THE CONCLUSION OF SETTLING IT WITH WITH FORTIS, WHICH IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER. SO ANYWAY, I JUST I JUST THINK WE NEED TO CLOSE IT AND MOVE ON. THANKS. COUNCILMEMBER MUELLER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I HEARD TONIGHT. SO I I'LL DIRECT MY QUESTIONS TO MR. GALANTE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS AND I, I COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ HAS CHARACTERIZED THE EXPERIENCES YOU KNOW, BEING FORCED TO SIGN THIS AND THAT'S TRUE. LIKE THERE WAS A GUN HELD TO HER HEAD AT ANY POINT IN TIME, WAS THERE? CAN CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? I DON'T I YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SHE MEANS BY BEING FORCED, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS MEETINGS FOR, YOU KNOW, YEARS TRYING TO SETTLE THIS

[01:10:05]

LAWSUIT. YES. HAPPY TO RESPOND, MAYOR, TO COUNCIL MEMBER MALLORY'S QUESTIONS. AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS, MY LAW FIRM IS NOT PRINCIPALLY INVOLVED WITH DEFENDING THE CITY ON THIS LITIGATION. I WAS INVOLVED WITH COORDINATING RESPONSES AND ASSISTING YOUR CITY CLERK'S EFFORTS TO SECURE RESPONSES FROM ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS WELL AS REVIEWING A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF FILES FROM THE CITY'S INTERNAL RECORDS. ONCE THE LAWSUIT STARTED, LIEUTENANT TUCKER WAS HIRED TO DEFEND THE CITY, SO RATAN AND TUCKER'S ATTORNEY HAS BEEN THE ONE PRINCIPALLY COMMUNICATING SINCE THE LAWSUIT STARTED WITH THE FORTIS LAW FIRM, AS WELL AS WITH MARQUEZ'S ATTORNEY. THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. THAT'S BEFORE YOU, AND IT'S COPIED EXACTLY IN THE STATE IT WAS SIGNED. IS ON THE AGENDA. IT IS A VOLUNTARY DOCUMENT. THERE WAS NO THERE'S NO DURESS AT THAT. THAT WELL, THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT AS EVERYBODY'S REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY IS, IS A DOCUMENT THAT THERE IS NO COERCION. IN FACT, YOU SIGNED IT ON THE NOTION THAT YOU ARE DOING SO VOLUNTARILY. AND SO HEARING WHAT WE'RE HEARING TONIGHT, WHERE COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ IS NOW TELLING US PUBLICLY THAT SHE SIGNED THIS, SHE WAS FORCED TO SIGN THIS, IS THIS SOMETHING SHE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THAT UP WITH HER LAWYER IF SHE DID NOT WANT TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND DOESN'T AGREE WITH IT. THE TIME CAME AND WENT. HER LAWYER ADVISED HER, I'M NOT GOING TO STEP IN THE SHOES OF THAT RELATIONSHIP. AND I ASSUME SHE'S ADEQUATELY, LEGALLY ADVISED. DID YOU GET LEGAL ADVICE? COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ YES, I DID, BUT WITH THIS SITUATION, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE. IF YOU'RE NOT WEALTHY, YOU CAN'T CONTINUE THIS. I YOU KNOW, I HAVE I PUT OUT $5,000 IN MAY OF 2022 TO HIRE ATTORNEY. AND MY CYPRESS CITY COUNCIL ACCOUNT HAS BEEN DRAINED OF $25,000 IN LITIGATION JUST TO DEAL WITH THE HARASSMENT. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS, AGAIN, THIS WAS ALL THEY HAD TO HAVE THIS SIGNED BY TONIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 5TH AND THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. TRUST ME. AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SAY IS, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT AN AGREEMENT THE CITY WANTS TO ENTER INTO. THE CITY HAS TO PAY THIS SUM OF MONEY. SO TO THE EXTENT IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO, THAT PERHAPS THAT'S THE CONTEXT. BUT THE I THINK THE ADVICE IS CLEAR TO TRY TO RESOLVE A LAWSUIT AND AVOID FURTHER EXPENSES. IT IS ADVISABLE TO SIGN IT. AND JUST FOR MY CLARIFICATION. SO IN ADDITION TO THE MONIES THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED THAT WE PAY TO FORTIS, WHICH IS YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE UNDER 13,000, WE'VE SPENT ABOUT HOW MUCH IN LITIGATION ON THIS. YOUR CITY MANAGER PROBABLY HAS THE BREAKDOWN A LITTLE BETTER THAN I DO. I'VE SPENT, LIKE I SAID, QUITE A BIT OF TIME BEFORE THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED. I DID PROVIDE YOUR CITY MANAGER, YOUR CITY MANAGER, THOSE NUMBERS OF WHAT I SPENT. OBVIOUSLY, THE BULK WAS SPENT BY RUTHANNE AND TUCKER. SURE. AND THE TOTAL 200,000, I BELIEVE, ALSO INCLUDES THE $75,000 PAYMENT, AN ADDITIONAL PAYMENT, I SHOULD SAY SO ROUGHLY $200,000 TO SETTLE. A LAWSUIT FILED, I WOULD SAY A CONTINGENCY, NOT A PAYMENT. YEAH, THE ORIGINAL AMOUNTS, BUT THE LEGAL FEES. PERHAPS YOUR CITY MANAGER CAN PROVIDE. OKAY. AND ALL EMANATING FROM THE PUBLIC RECORDS, REQUESTERS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE RESPONSE TO THE PRA. SO BACK WHEN THE PRA WAS FILED, ALL FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE RESPONSES. FOUR DID AND

[01:15:07]

THE AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ DID NOT REPLY TO THE SATISFACTION TO THE SATISFACTION OF FORTIS LLP AND ALL OF THE LITIGATION BACK AND FORTH WAS RELATED TO. LACK OF PROVIDING THOSE PUBLIC RECORDS AND THEN THIS SETTLEMENT ALLOWS US TO AT LEAST PUT THAT TO REST. RIGHT.

THE SETTLEMENT DISMISSES THE LAWSUIT. THE REASON WHY THIS SETTLEMENT AND THIS STATEMENT IN THE RESOLUTION PROCLAIM FORTIS AS THE PREVAILING PARTY. IT IS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT A COURT WOULD CONCLUDE, BECAUSE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS WERE PRODUCED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ DURING THE PENDENCY OF THE LAWSUIT. SO THE THEORY IS THAT THE LAWSUIT BROUGHT ABOUT ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS AND THEN IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT IN ANY LITIGATION SITUATION, WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SETTLE, NOBODY IS FORCED TO SIGN? IT'S A DECISION TO THE EXTENT YOU PREFER TO HAVE A LAWSUIT DISMISSED BUT NOT NECESSARILY WANT TO PAY MONEY.

YEAH, IT'S NOT. IT'S A CHOICE. IT'S A CHOICE. YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE. BEAR WITH ME, FOLKS. MY VOICE IS A LITTLE HOARSE. YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW MUCH I ENJOY DISCUSSING THIS KIND OF THING. I GUESS I HAVE A COUPLE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY JUST TO CLARIFY. FIRST, HAS THERE BEEN A COURT DETERMINATION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ VIOLATED THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT? THE POINT OF THE LAWSUIT IS TO GET IT DISMISSED BEFORE THERE IS THAT COURT TRIAL, SO TO SPEAK. IT'S A PETITION. SO THEY CALL IT A HEARING ON THE PETITION. SO THERE HAS NOT BEEN A DETERMINATION. THERE WAS A DETERMINATION IN A MOTION TO COMPEL, WHICH IS A COURT ORDER, WAS A COURT ORDER TO COMPEL COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS. SO THE COURT DID FIND THAT A SUFFICIENT DOCUMENTS WERE NOT PRODUCED WHEN IT MADE THAT ORDER. BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN A DECISION IN THE CASE. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THEN I GUESS PIGGYBACKING ON COUNCIL MEMBER MALLORY'S. SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED AT ALL ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE AGREEMENT IN LIGHT OF COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ TONIGHT SAYING SHE FELT FORCED OR WAS FORCED, OR DOES THAT OPEN US UP TO A SUBSEQUENT CHALLENGE THAT IT WASN'T ENTERED INTO FREELY? AS I SAID, I AM NOT STEPPING IN BETWEEN COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ AND THE LEGAL ADVICE SHE RECEIVED. SO TO THE EXTENT SHE SIGNED THE DOCUMENT, HER LEGAL COUNSEL APPROVED THE DOCUMENT. HER LEGAL COUNSEL SENT IT TO FORTIS AND OUR OFFICE, AS WELL AS RATAN AND TUCKER. I HAVE TO TAKE THAT BASED ON THE REPRESENTATIONS OF HER ATTORNEYS. OKAY, A COUPLE OF POINTS. I WANTED TO MAKE. SO I GUESS THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE. THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, AND THAT IT WAS MADE TO 4 OR 5 COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ TOOK A VERY LONG TIME, AND THE OTHERS DIDN'T. I THINK I COULD BE WRONG. I WASN'T ON THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME. MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THE REQUEST TARGETED COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ AND SOUGHT SPECIFIC INFORMATION PERTAINING TO HER. SO I THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT IT SOUNDS FAIR TO SAY THAT IT WAS THE SAME FOR ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, BASED ON MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT AND THE POINT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ RAISED, AND THAT SOME RESIDENTS RAISED OF ASKING ESSENTIALLY WHO IS BEHIND THIS, I THINK IS A PRETTY BIG UNANSWERED QUESTION HERE, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT IS UNORTHODOX, RIGHT? WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS BEFORE THEY USUALLY COME FROM A RESIDENT OF CYPRUS OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM CYPRUS. AND SO I DO THINK IT'S YOU KNOW, A VERY STRANGE SITUATION HERE. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A TAKE I JUST HAVE AS AN ATTORNEY. AND WHEN I'VE LOOKED AT WHAT HAPPENED, A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST THAT WAS

[01:20:02]

VERY EXPANSIVE, FOCUSED ON ONE COUNCIL MEMBER, A SUBSEQUENT DISPUTE OVER WHETHER THAT COUNCIL MEMBER COMPLIED FULLY IN THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME, LEADING TO VERY COSTLY, MULTI-YEAR LITIGATION. I THAT'S NOT A NORMAL THING, IN MY OPINION, AND SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY UGLY CHAPTER IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY. HISTORY AN UGLY INCIDENT. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME THAT WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THE WHOLE STORY BEHIND THIS. AND I THINK THE MOST TRAGIC THING RIGHT, IS I GUESS THE STAFF REPORT SAYS WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING POTENTIALLY UP TO $200,000 ON IT. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO SHOW FOR IT? I LOOKED THE OTHER DAY. I THINK THE RESULT OF THIS REQUEST IS ONLINE. I THINK THERE'S OVER A THOUSAND PAGES OF DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED. I MEAN, SO IT'S NOT LIKE NOTHING WAS PRODUCED. I DON'T KNOW THE TIMELINE, BUT EVENTUALLY A LOT OF STUFF HAS BEEN PRODUCED. HAS ANY OF THAT MADE LIFE BETTER FOR ANYBODY IN CYPRUS? BUT THERE'S A BUNCH OF DOCUMENTS NOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ WAS COMPELLED TO PRODUCE. AND I MEAN, WHAT ELSE COULD WE HAVE DONE WITH THAT $2,000 OR, SORRY, $200,000? SO I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF. PLENTY OF SHAMEFUL STUFF TO GO AROUND ON THIS ONE. AND ON THE SETTLEMENT ITSELF. LOOK, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GOING TO RESOLVE THIS IN SOME MANNER, BECAUSE, RIGHT, IF WE DON'T, THAT'S JUST MORE YOUR TAX DOLLARS GOING GOING ON ATTORNEY'S FEES AND LITIGATION AND THE CLOCK JUST KEEPS RUNNING. ON THE OTHER HAN, I CERTAINLY DON'T AGREE WITH SOME OF THE WAY THIS WENT DOWN OR SUPPORT WHAT HAPPENED. SO I HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT IT.

BUT YOU KNOW, I'M HOPING WE CAN WE CAN BRING A CLOSE TO THIS AND THAT THINGS DON'T HAPPEN LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST I GET IT. THERE'S A LEGITIMATE DESIRE FOR INFORMATION. THAT'S FINE. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. BUT GOING TO THIS DEGREE, $200,000, THAT'S THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN ANY CITY. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT FOR NOW. COUNCIL MEMBER MALARIA OR IS THAT NO COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE'S COMMENTS. I SIGNED THIS, SO WE STOPPED THE BLEEDING. WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE WHO IS READ THROUGH EVERYTHING, MADE SURE THAT RESIDENTS WERE PROTECTED, AND I DIDN'T WANT ANY MORE TAXPAYER DOLLARS BEING WASTED. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS. IT IS, YOU KNOW, BEING TARGETED. IT'S BEEN UGLY. MY FAMILY IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. AND, YOU KNOW, I GREW UP HERE. I NEVER IMAGINED THAT PEOPLE WOULD TARGET ME IN THIS WAY WHEN I'M TRYING TO DO THE GOOD WORK TO HELP PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE AT THE YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED FOR FOUR MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SINCE I WAS 19, HELPING PEOPLE WITH CONGRESSIONAL CASEWORK. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE I SAID A COUPLE WEEKS BACK, THIS ISN'T WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR. I SIGNED UP TO HELP PEOPLE. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

NOT WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, GOING AFTER PEOPLE. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER MALLORY. OH, I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM. IT'S UP TO YOU. OKAY. I'M CONFUSED. AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR MR. GALANTE. IT SOUNDED LIKE WE HAVE THE OPTION TO SAY YES OR NO, AND WE SHOULD JUST NOT HAVE DONE IT. I DON'T THINK THAT WAS AN OPTION FOR THE CITY AND OR ANY ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT GET A PRA. BUT I HEARD THAT THIS WAS UNNECESSARY. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE WHAT? WHAT OPTION DID WE HAVE? WE COULDN'T SAY NO. RIGHT. AND WHEN THERE WAS A NONCOMPLIANCE TO PROVIDING, WHAT DO YOU DO? I'M SORRY. I DON'T MEAN TO BE IGNORANT HERE, BUT I KIND OF HEARD FROM FROM DAVID BURKE THAT. WELL, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO HERE. WELL, YEAH, I AGREE, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO HERE, BUT WE'RE HERE, RIGHT? AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE. OH, SOMETHING HAPPENED OR WHATEVER. I'M, I'M I'M JUST AS FRUSTRATED AS EVERYBODY ELSE.

[01:25:03]

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT DOESN'T COME DOWN TO WE SHOULD HAVE SAID NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT. I DON'T THINK WE HAD THAT OPTION. OKAY. SO THE QUESTION IS, SHOULD WE HAVE COMPLIED MORE READILY? SHOULD WE HAVE DONE? YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE COULD HAVE DONE TO REDUCE THE COST. BUT BECAUSE OF SOME OF THAT NONCOMPLIANCE HERE WE ARE. SO I WAS JUST ASKING, DID WE HAVE AN OPTION TO SAY NO? I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU FOR MYSELF AND I KNOW YOUR CITY CLERK AND YOUR CITY CLERK CAN SPEAK FOR HERSELF. WE ENGAGED IN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO TRY TO SECURE THE RECORDS WITHIN THE TIME ALLOTTED UNDER THE PUBLIC RECORDS. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS DOING THIS, BUT MAYBE JUST MY VOICE. YEAH. SO THE CITY MADE AS MUCH OF AN EFFORT TO AVOID THESE THIS LAWSUIT. I CAN SAY I'VE BEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR MANY YEARS AND I, I DEAL WITH PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS ALL THE TIME. AND CITY CLERK'S COORDINATING WITH CITY CLERKS ON RESPONDING TO PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS AND ANALYZING WHETHER THEY'RE PRIVILEGED DOCUMENTS.

I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ALWAYS AVOID LAWSUITS ON THESE BECAUSE YOU JUST MAKE YOUR BEST EFFORT. SO I CAN TELL YOU, FOR MY PART, AND YOUR CITY CLERK'S PART, WE MADE AS MUCH OF AN EFFORT AS POSSIBLE TO TRY TO SECURE ALL THE RECORDS AND REALLY QUICK BECAUSE TO BE CLEAR, WHEN YOU SAY YOU ASSISTED OR TRIED TO GET THE RECORDS, YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH COUNCILMEMBER MARQUEZ TRYING TO GET HER TO PRODUCE THOSE DOCUMENTS. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. WITH COUNCILMEMBER MARQUEZ AND A REPRESENTATIVE THAT SHE HAD THAT CLAIMED TO BE AN ATTORNEY.

COUNCILMEMBER MALLORY. I'M CONCERNED THAT PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS ARE BEING WEAPONIZED.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT. AND I'VE SEEN COUNCILMEMBER MARQUEZ USE THE PROCESS TO HARASS A STAFF MEMBER AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SPEAKING. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE UNHAPPY THAT THIS ORGANIZATIONS LAW FIRM REQUESTED MATERIALS FROM YOU. AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TWO YEARS DOWN THE LINE, HOWEVER, IT IS. AND YOUR FEELINGS ARE YOUR FEELINGS ON THIS, BUT IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT YOU FILED A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST AGAINST ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO THEN THE STAFF HAD TO SPEND HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS DAYS PULLING THOSE RECORDS. AND WHEN THEY WERE READY, YOU REFUSED TO PICK THEM UP. SO I'LL LEAVE THAT OUT THERE IN THE BALANCE. COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE. OH, SORRY. CAN YOU PRESS YOUR NAME AGAIN? GO AHEAD. MR. BURKE WAS NEXT. OH. OH, NO BIG DEAL. I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I WASN'T VERY CLEAR. I WASN'T SUGGESTING THAT THE CITY SHOULDN'T PRODUCE RECORDS OR THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULDN'T PRODUCE ALL THE RECORDS. I WAS SUGGESTING THAT I DON'T THINK A PERSON SHOULD ENGAGE IN A LEGAL, A LEGAL ENTITY ANONYMOUSLY TO FILE AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST AGAINST A COUNCIL MEMBER AND THEN SUE THEM FOR TWO YEARS WHEN IT ENDS UP COSTING THE CITY A LOT OF MONEY. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD THING, BUT I'M NOT. YEAH, SO I APOLOGIZE IF I WASN'T CLEAR, BUT I WASN'T SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T COMPLY WITH THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER MARQUEZ. YOU WERE GOING TO ASK ME A COMMENT. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THE COUNCIL DOES MAKE THE FINAL DECISION. I MADE MY BEST EFFORT. I LIKE I SAID AGAIN, I HIRED AN ATTORNEY TO HELP ME WITH THIS PROCESS. AND I WAS BEING BULLIED. YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN, BUT I WAS BEING BULLIED AND YOU KNOW IT.

AND PEOPLE, THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE NOTICED PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE IN CYPRUS HAVE BEEN BULLIED. YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT ALL THE TIME. SO THAT WAS WHAT WAS GOING ON. THAT LED ME TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY IMMEDIATELY WHO WAS A SPECIALIST IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. I INITIALLY DIDN'T HAVE SOMEONE WHO WAS A SPECIALIST, BUT I GOT SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY. SO. AND YES, THIS IS THE WEAPONIZATION OF THE PRA. WE NEED OVERSIGHT. THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT OF CITIES AND THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. AND THAT HAS BEEN MY GREATEST PROBLEM SERVING IN THIS POSITION, TRYING TO YOU CANNOT SPEAK TRUTH AND YOU GET ATTACKED. AND THAT'S THE

[01:30:04]

PROBLEM. WE NEED OVERSIGHT OF CITIES. AND, YOU KNOW, I SAY THAT EVERY DAY AND SHAKE MY HEAD THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MANAGEMENT OF A CITY NEEDS TO BE OVERSEEN. SO ANYWAYS, THAT'S MY COMMENTS.

BUT IT IS IT WAS THE WEAPONIZATION OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. COUNCILMEMBER MALONEY THAT'S OUR JOB, IS TO OVERSEE THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY. SO I THINK THAT ALL CITIES HAVE THAT IN PLACE, AND IT'S UP TO THE RESIDENTS TO ELECT THE PEOPLE THAT THEY FEEL ARE THE MOST QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE THAT OVERSIGHT. IF. MAYOR. I'M SORRY. YEAH. NO. GO AHEAD. ON THE POINT OF TRYING TO GET THIS CASE DISMISSED, I BEFORE RUTAN AND TUCKER TOOK OVER, I WILL SAY THAT I DID REACH OUT TO THE FORTIS LAW FIRM SEVERAL TIMES TO SEE IF THINGS COULD BE WORKED OUT. FORTIS NAMED YOUR CITY MANAGER, YOUR CITY CLERK, AND ME AS REAL PARTIES IN INTEREST IN THE LAWSUIT IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN MY NAME IN A LAWSUIT, BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO REMOVE US, EVEN THOUGH LEGALLY WE WEREN'T REQUIRED TO BE REAL PARTIES IN INTEREST, WHICH IS KIND OF A LONG, COMPLICATED ISSUE. BUT ESSENTIALLY YOU HAVE TO NAME THE PARTY THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

SO THE LAW FIRM WAS VERY UNCOOPERATIVE IN TRYING TO GET THIS THING THROUGH RESOLVED EARLY, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED AND ULTIMATELY THEY WERE PROVEN THAT THERE WERE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS.

COUNCILMEMBER MARQUEZ, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK AGAIN OR DID I JUST NOT CLEAR YOUR NAME OFF? YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SPEAK. I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, BUT I JUST AGAIN, THIS IS THE WEAPONIZATION OF THE PRA. THIS IS NOT HOW THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED. I MEAN, IT STARTED WITH TWO OTHER, YOU KNOW, THE MASSIVE REQUEST AND THEN ANOTHER REQUEST THAT CAME FROM SOMEONE CALLED. THEY USED PROTON EMAIL AND THEY USED THE NAME MIKE HONDA. THE FORMER CONGRESS MEMBER I WORKED FOR. THERE IS NO MIKE HONDA IN THE CITY OF CYPRUS. SO ALL THESE LITTLE FUNNY THINGS, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE SAYS, THIS IS STRANGE. AND YOU KNOW, LIKE, AGAIN, SOME OF THE WOMEN SITTING IN THIS AUDIENCE TODAY WERE PART OF THOSE ORIGINAL REQUESTS TO GO AFTER ME. AND TO HARASS ME. AND IT WAS A PATTERN THAT STARTED AFTER I SAID I'D SUPPORTED THE TRANSITION TO DISTRICT ELECTIONS. AND AFTER I VOTED AGAINST THE TRASH CONTRACT. AND YOU GUYS KNOW THE WHOLE PATTERN. FEBRUARY 14TH, TRYING TO CENSURE ME, A CIVILITY, CONDUCT AND GOVERNANCE POLICY TO TRY AND SIDELINE ME, REVEALING A LOVED ONE'S HEALTH CARE ISSUE AND REVEALING MY LOVED ONE'S NAME AND VIOLATING HIPAA. AND THEN THIS ONSLAUGHT OF REQUESTS, YOU KNOW, SO THIS IS YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS. THANK YOU REALLY QUICK, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THIS A LOT. HIPAA DOES NOT APPLY TO CIVILIANS. AND I I'M NOT. I FEEL SORRY FOR YOUR LOVED ONES AND YOUR FAMILY, BUT IT'S NOT A HIPAA VIOLATION. OKAY. WHAT I KEEP GOING BACK TO IS LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE STATED AND OTHERS IS THIS HAS BEEN TWO YEARS OF LITIGATION. TWO, IT'S GOTTEN TO THIS POINT. AND I SIMPLY GO BACK TO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER. IF YOU JUST WOULD HAVE FULLY COMPLIED WITH THE PRA, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. THERE WERE CLEAR GAPS IN YOUR EMAILS AND I GUESS FORTIS BELIEVED THAT YOU THAT YOU WERE HIDING OTHER EMAILS, WHICH IN FACT TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE BECAUSE YEARS LATER, OR A YEAR OR SO LATER DURING YOUR DEPOSITION AND BEFORE YOUR DEPOSITION, THERE WERE AT LEAST THREE ADDITIONAL EMAILS THAT WERE DISCOVERED. AGAIN, IF YOU JUST WOULD HAVE COMPLIED, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE. WE WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE TODAY. MR. CITY ATTORNEY, I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU. GIVEN THE TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING THIS CASE, IF HYPOTHETICALLY, IT WENT TO COUR, I THINK IT'S LIKE THIS FRIDAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HEARD. THIS COMING FRIDAY. WOULD FORTIS LIKELY LIKELY HAVE PREVAILED AND BASICALLY FOUND COUNCILMEMBER MARQUEZ GUILTY? THAT'S AN UNETHICAL QUESTION. NO, IT'S NO. GIVEN THE TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE, I WILL PUT IT THIS WAY. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO THE CITY BECAUSE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS

[01:35:04]

WERE PRODUCED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CASE AND THE STATUTE THAT THAT HOLDS CITIES RESPONSIBLE AND POTENTIALLY OBLIGATES THEM TO PAY A PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEYS FEES DOES NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN LET ME BACK UP THERE ABOUT 8 OR 9 YEARS AGO NOW. I'M NOT REMEMBERING EXACTLY THE SAN JOSE, THE SUPREME COURT OF CALIFORNIA RENDERED A DECISION IN THE CITY OF SAN JOSE CASE THAT ESSENTIALLY SAID PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS EXTEND TO CITY OFFICIALS PERSONAL EMAIL AND OTHER ACCOUNTS, TEXTS ET CETERA. BEFORE THAT, THERE WAS NO CLARITY. THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST JUST HAD NOT GONE THAT FAR TO REQUIRE INDIVIDUALS TO SEARCH THEIR OWN OWN INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE ACCOUNTS. THE SUPREME COURT IN THE SAN JOSE CASE PUT AN END TO THAT AND SAID, ABSOLUTELY IT DOES, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CIRCUMVENT A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST BY SIMPLY USING A PRIVATE EMAIL ACCOUNT. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. AND I KNOW THE STATUTE HASN'T CAUGHT UP WITH THAT. SO ESSENTIALLY IT WILL HOLD THE CITY BECAUSE THE CITY HAS TO BE SUED ON A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST RESPONSIBLE IF ALL RECORDS ARE PRODUCED, WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY MAKES ALL GOOD FAITH, DILIGENT EFFORTS TO SECURE THE RECORDS. MY HOPE IS ONE DAY THE STATUTE WILL BECOME IN LINE WITH THAT SAN JOSE SUPREME COURT DECISION AND HOLD THE PARTIES RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY POTENTIAL ATTORNEY'S FEES LIABILITY. BUT BECAUSE ADDITIONAL RECORDS WERE PRODUCED IN THE CASE, THERE IS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD THE FIRM WOULD BE FOUND TO BE THE PREVAILING PARTY IN THE CASE. SO IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION, I BELIEVE THERE'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT RISK. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MARQUEZ. I JUST WANT TO TELL THE PUBLIC I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE. I TURNED OVER WHATEVER. YOU KNOW, I WAS ASKED OF ME. I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE. I HAVE BEEN THE ONE THAT'S BEEN TRUTHFUL WITH THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENS AT CITY HALL. SO THERE'S NOTHING TO HIDE. I, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THESE, LIKE, IDEAS THAT I ORCHESTRATED THINGS IN THEIR MIND. NO, THERE'S NOTHING TO HIDE. THANK YOU. OKAY. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, CAN I GET A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE? BY WAY OF A REMINDER, THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT REQUIRES COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ TO ABSTAIN FROM THE VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER. SO DO WE DO. TWO IS ALL ONE. WE'RE VOTING ON ONE. IT'S ALL ONE ACTION. SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH FORTIS LLP PURSUANT TO A CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT REQUEST AND APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FRANCIS MARQUEZ VIOLATED THE PUBLIC RECORDS ACT. THERE IS ALSO AN APPROPRIATION OF 12,627 FROM THE GENERAL FUND, AND THE APPROPRIATION, AND $6,027 FROM THE GENERAL FUND. CAN I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL VOTES MUST BE LOCKED IN IN ORDER FOR THE RESULTS TO PUBLISH. THAT MOTION CARRIES WITH THREE YES VOTES AND TWO ABSTENTIONS BY COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE AND COUNCIL MEMBER

[ ITEMS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS]

MARQUEZ. OKAY, SO MOVE ON TO ITEMS FROM CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. ITEM NUMBER 14 TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING PROPOSITION 36. AGENDIZED BY OUR VERY OWN MAYOR PRO TEM, BONNIE PETE. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS THAT CAME IN AND OFFERED THEIR SUPPORT, AS WELL AS COMMENTS OF WHY THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT IT. JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT EARLIER, BUT BACK IN 2014, PROP 47 WAS PUT INTO PLACE AND THIS WAS PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING, REDUCING NONVIOLENT, NONVIOLENT OFFENSES.

THE INCARCERATIONS. ET CETERA. AND IN DOING SO, IT HAD SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. AND WE'VE SEEN CRIME HAPPEN. WE'VE SEEN SOME THINGS WITH FENTANYL IN TERMS OF HOW PEOPLE CAN BE

[01:40:01]

PROSECUTED, ETC. SO WHILE AND I AGREE WITH MR. KRAMER, THIS IS NOT A PERFECT PROPOSITION, THERE'S NO QUESTION. HOWEVER, IT DOES PROVIDE SOME FENCES AROUND CERTAIN AREAS THAT PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY FOR POLICE. IT PROVIDES FLEXIBILITY FOR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF HOW THEY HANDLE SOME OF THE ISSUES. SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, THREE THINGS THAT IT COVERS. ONE, IS IT ADDRESSES ORGANIZED AND SERIAL RETAIL THEFT. AND IT PROVIDES SOME TOOLS THERE. IT CONFRONTS THE FENTANYL CRISIS AND BASICALLY MAKES IT A HARD DRUG, WHICH MAKES IT MUCH MORE ACCOUNTABLE FOR BASICALLY, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, HAVING PEOPLE GO TO JAIL. AND THEN IT ALSO PRIORITIZES MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG TREATMENTS. SO AGAIN, WHILE IT'S NOT A PERFECT PROPOSITION, IT'S RECEIVED A HIGH LEVEL OF SUPPORT FROM EVERYBODY. IT'S A IT'S A BIPARTISAN PROPOSITION.

AND I THINK EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THAT THERE'S A NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO WITH THAT THE RESOLUTION IS ATTACHED IN THE, IN THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED. AND I GUESS I ASKED FOR MY COUNCIL MEMBERS CONCURRENCE TO GO FORWARD AND APPROVE IT. THANK YOU. WAS THAT A MOTION? I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I PROBABLY SHOULD MAKE A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO FOR CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT PROP 36. I THANK MAYOR PRO TEM BONNIE PETE FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND ADDING IT TO OUR AGENDA. AND I SECOND THE MOTION. OH, I'M SORRY. YES. GO AHEAD. COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE, REAL QUICK. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WHO CAME TO SPEAK ON THIS. I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO BE A LITTLE TOUGHER ON THE RETAIL THEFT. I AGREE WITH THE FENTANYL CHALLENGES AND WITH THAT SAID, I'M A BIT OF AN ODD PERSON WHEN IT COMES TO RESOLUTIONS. THIS ISN'T THE KIND OF THING THAT I JUST PERSONALLY THINK THAT WE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, SHOULD BE OPINING ON AS A CITY. IT'S A WEIRD HANGUP I HAVE PARTIALLY DUE TO MY CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW INTEREST WHERE, YOU KNOW, CORPORATIONS SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO INFLUENCE ELECTIONS. AND I THINK, WELL, CORPORATIONS DON'T HAVE AN OPINION. PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS. AND HONESTLY, I LOVE CYPRUS. IT'S A GREAT CITY. BUT CYPRUS DOESN'T HAVE AN OPINION. IT'S A LEGAL ENTITY. PEOPLE HAVE OPINIONS. SO ON PROPOSITIONS LIKE THIS, MY PHILOSOPHY IS VOTE PEOPLE OF CYPRUS. IF I WANT YOU TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINIONS ON THIS BALLOT PROPOSITION BY GOING TO THE BALLOT BOX AND MAKING YOUR VOICE HEARD, I JUST DON'T DON'T GENERALLY THINK IT'S OUR PURVIEW TO BE OPINING ON RESOLUTIONS. AND ONCE YOU START, THERE'S A HALF DOZEN RESOLUTIONS EVERY YEAR. YOU COULD JUST KIND OF KEEP IT GOING IN PERPETUITY. SO I'LL BE ABSTAINING ON THE PRINCIPLE OF THAT. I THINK IT'S. IN CONTRAST TO COUNCIL MEMBER BURKE, I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DISCUSS PROPOSITIONS LIKE THIS AS A GOVERNMENT BODY AND AS A LEADER. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. MAYOR PRO TEM. WE ARE ELECTED NOT ONLY TO REPRESENT YOU TO BE, BUT TO BE LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND TAKING ON THINGS JUST LIKE PROPOSITION 36. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE AN OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THEM AND THAT WE LET THE CITIZENS IN OUR CITY KNOW THAT WE SUPPORT CERTAIN PROPOSITIONS, ESPECIALLY PROP 36, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SERIOUS RETAIL THEF, RETAIL THEFT, TAKEOVERS, MOBS, FLASH MOBS GOING IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE LOST IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY ANNUALLY IS JUST INCREDIBLE. AND GUESS WHO SUFFERS THAT? NOT ONLY THE BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT WE AS THE CONSUMERS, ALL THOSE COSTS ARE PASSED ON TO US. AND IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED LATELY, YOUR GROCERY BILL IS LIKE DOUBLED OR TRIPLED IN SOME INSTANCES, RIGHT? THE DAYS OF GOING TO COSTCO AND SPENDING 200 BUCKS ARE LONG, LONG GONE, NEVER GOING TO COME BACK. I KIND OF MAKE THAT AS A JOKE, BUT NONETHELESS, NO, I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS WHAT TRUE LEADERS DO. AND THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, FOR THAT. SO ARE WE LOCKING IN OUR VOTES OR ARE WE? MOTION CARRIES WITH FOUR YES VOTES AND ONE ABSTENTION FOR BURKE. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OKAY. LET'S MOVE INTO

[ ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (Three minutes per speaker. The City Council may adjust the time allotted per speaker.) The public may address the City Council on any item within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council. Although Council Members may provide brief responses, the City Council may not discuss nor take action on items that are not on the agenda. Please complete a Speaker's Card to address the City Council in-person. Members of the public are encouraged to communicate with the City Council via email at adm@cypressca.org or by calling 714-229-6699.]

[01:45:03]

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS. WANDA JONGSMA, FOLLOWED BY BOB JONGSM, FOLLOWED BY PAUL COKINOS. AND BROOKE NAVARETTE AND. HELLO, MY NAME IS WANDA JONGSMA. I LIVE IN CYPRESS. STILL HAVEN'T MOVED YET. I WANT TO START BY SAYING THAT I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT THE CITY CLERK DOES FOR THE CITY, BUT DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING, SEPTEMBER 9TH, COUNCIL MEMBER MARQUEZ STATED THAT SHE HAD DOCUMENTS TO BE PUT ON RECORD OF THE MISSED MEETINGS BY ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER. SHE STATED SHE WAS LEAVING THE PAPERWORK ON THE DAIS SO THAT IT COULD BE PUT ON RECORD. WHEN SHE LEFT THE MEETING, SHE ASKED ME WHEN MARQUEZ LEFT THE MEETING, SHE ASKED ME TO GO IN AND SORRY, I LOST MY PLACE. SHE ASKED ME TO GO IN AND TALK TO THE CITY CLERK AND REMIND HER THAT THE PAPERWORK WAS ON THE DAIS. SHE WAS STILL BACK BEHIND THE GATE AND SHE LOOKED OVER AND SAID BASICALLY THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DEAL WITH IT THAT NIGHT, THAT SHE WOULD HAVE HER STAFF TAKE CARE OF IT IN THE MORNING. I FOUND OUT AT THE LAST MEETING THAT THE PAPERWORK WAS MISSING.

THE NEXT MORNING, AND I'M EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED ON HOW THAT WAS HANDLED. OOPS. HELLO.

SORRY. THE CITY CHARTER STATES THE CITY CLERK SHALL BE APPOINTED BY AND SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL. THIS MEANS ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, NOT JUST A CHOSEN FEW. I THINK AT THAT POINT IN THE EVENING THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE GONE AHEAD AND GOTTEN THEM, MADE SURE THAT THEY WERE SECURE. ANOTHER THING, DURING THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, NINE 2324 MAYOR MINIKUS WAS BULLYING, BADGERING AND BELITTLING PROSPECTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALSO CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST, SECOND OR EVEN THE FOURTH TIME THAT THIS IS THAT HE HAS DONE THIS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. THE FIRST TIME HE WAS REPRIMANDED, WHICH WAS JANUARY 29TH, THE ADMONISHMENT DIDN'T FIT THE CRIME. HE WAS GIVEN A SLAP ON THE HAND, WHICH WASN'T EVEN REALLY A SLAP ON THE HAND. HE NEEDS TO BE SEVERELY PUNISHED FOR HIS CONTINUED BAD BEHAVIOR.

I WAS GOING TO READ SOME STUFF THAT MARILYN HAD SAID, BUT I'M NOT. I DON'T HAVE TIME. DURING THE JANUARY 29TH COUNCIL MEETING, WHEN THE COUNCIL VOTED TO ADMONISH MAYOR SCOTT MINIKUS FOR VIOLATING THE CIVILITY, CONDUCT, ETHICS AND GOVERNANCE POLICY, I ASKED THE QUESTION IF THE MAYOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING DECORUM AND CIVILITY AT PUBLIC MEETINGS, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE MAYOR IS THE PERSON IN VIOLATION OF THE POLICY? MR. MAYOR, YOU CAN LOOK AT ME WHEN I SPEAK AGAIN TODAY. I ASK THE SAME QUESTION WHO'S RESPONSIBLE AGAIN TONIGHT? WHEN HE WAS OUT OF LINE, NOBODY DID ANYTHING. IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR THE ATTORNEY TO COME UP AND SAY, LET'S STICK ON POINT. I MEAN, WHY DOESN'T SOMEONE SPEAK UP AND STOP THE BAD BEHAVIOR? WHY DO YOU ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. YOUNGSMA. WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN. I'M BOB YOUNGSMA, RESIDENT OF CYPRESS. SO I THINK OUR MR. MAYOR SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY RESIGN IMMEDIATEL. YOU KNOW, HE WENT ROGUE, DECIDED TO GO DO SOMETHING THAT'S AGAINST THE CHARTER. I'VE HAD THE CHARTER READ BY MULTIPLE ATTORNEYS. THEY MADE IT VERY CLEAR HE DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER TO GO TO NEGOTIATE WITH ANYBODY. HEY, MAYOR, I'M OVER HERE. THANK YOU. YEAH. DON'T. DON'T LOOK. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYWAY, HE MADE THE ISSUE. HE WENT AND NEGOTIATED. HE ACTUALLY TOOK THE CITY ATTORNEY. THE CHARTER IS VERY CLEAR. HE HAS TO GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL. THE POWER OF ANYBODY ON THAT COUNCIL IS THE WHOLE COUNCIL. NOT ONE PERSON.

AND HE BROKE THE CHARTER IN TWO SECTIONS. AND IT'S VERY CLEAR IN THE CHARTER, IF HE BREAKS ANY ITEM IN THE CHARTER, HE AUTOMATICALLY RELEASES HIS JOB. HE'S GONE. IT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. HE WAS WRONG AND IT APPEARS MAYBE HE WAS EVEN NEGOTIATING MONEY, WHICH HE DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER TO DO. I DON'T KNOW IF HE DID OR NOT, BUT IT APPEARS HE DID. BUT HE DEFINITELY DECIDED TO TAKE IT UPON HIMSELF AND THEN TRY TO HIDE IT. AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR HE TRIED TO HIDE IT BECAUSE HIS FRIEND THAT CAME TO HIM AND REQUESTED IT, ACKNOWLEDGED HE WANTED IT HIDDEN, AND IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HIDDEN. IT AFFECTS EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY. I'M NOT SAYING IT WAS RIGHT TO HAVE THAT FUNCTION DONE ON HIS ON THAT PARTICULAR HOLIDAY, BUT THAT WASN'T THE MAYOR'S JOB TO MAKE THAT DECISION. AND IT WASN'T THAT PERSON'S JOB TO MAKE THAT DECISION. IT SHOULD HAVE WENT TO THE COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT OUT TO THE

[01:50:03]

RESIDENTS, PERIOD. THE RESIDENTS WOULD HAVE MADE THE DECISION. I DON'T THINK THAT GROUP EVEN MADE A DECISION THAT WAS BAD. IT WAS NOT A FEDERAL HOLIDAY. IT'S NOT A STATE HOLIDAY. IT'S A HOLIDAY THAT BELONGS TO THEIR RELIGION. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THEIR HOLIDAY. I EVEN WENT THROUGH CALENDARS TO GO FIND OUT ABOUT IT. GUESS WHAT? IT DOESN'T GET LISTED ON 99% OF THE CALENDARS.

SO IT WAS A MISTAKE. IT WAS NOT THEIR INTENTION, BUT IT WAS VERY CLEAR THE MAYOR DID HAVE AN INTENTION. HE DECIDED TO GO BULLY SOME PEOPLE TO GET THEM TO CHANGE, WHICH THEY DID BECAUSE HE BULLIED THEM. HE TAKES HIS HIS ARROGANT LOOK. HE'S ALREADY CHANGED THE DRESS CODE. HE DECIDES HE NO LONGER HAS TO WEAR A TIE AND A SUIT ANYMORE. AND HE'S BEEN DOING THAT CONSTANTLY, AND HE NEVER PAYS ATTENTION TO ANYBODY THAT'S SITTING HERE SPEAKING WHEN THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HIM. MR. MAYOR, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. MR. I KNOW I'M YOUR COUNCIL. YES, YOU'RE I UNDERSTAND THAT ATTACK. I DO HAVE THE RIGHTS BY LAW TO POINT HIM OUT. I'VE ALREADY CHECKED INTO THAT. SO I REALLY NEED YOU TWO GUYS TO GO LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE. WHERE HE'S ALLOWED TO BREAK THE CHARTER IS WRONG. IT'S TOTALLY WRONG. HE SHOULD HAVE CAME BACK EVEN WITH THE MAYOR'S TITLE. HE DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGHTS TO BYPASS THE WHOLE COUNCIL ON HIS OWN. AND I'M REALLY SHOCKED, FRED, I'M NOT TRYING TO PICK ON YOU BECAUSE I THINK YOU GOT LURED INTO IT. I DON'T THINK YOU KNEW HE WAS DOING THAT. THANK YOU ALL RIGHT, MR. KOKINOS. AND WAS THERE ANOTHER CARD FROM. THERE'S TWO MORE CARDS. THANK YOU. OKAY. NOT A PROBLEM. GOOD EVENING. PAUL KOKINOS, LONGTIME RESIDENT. CITY OF CYPRESS. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A FEARFUL PERSON, BUT I HAVE TO SAY, SOME OF THE OCCURRENCES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS HAVE CAUSED ME TO PAUSE. AND I ALMOST DECIDED NOT TO SPEAK THIS EVENING OR AT ANY OTHER FUTURE COUNCIL MEETINGS. BECAUSE OF A GROWING CONCERN I HAVE THAT I'LL SUFFER SOME SORT OF REPRISAL. OKAY, I'M VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS. IS THIS WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN TO IN CYPRUS? HAVE WE MOVED AWAY FROM A MAYBERRY IDEAL TO A CLOSED DOOR, STRONG ARMED CITY GOVERNMENT, ONE THAT ONLY PRETENDS TO BE INTERESTED IN THE PUBLIC'S INPUT AND A TRUE PURSUIT PURSUIT OF GREATER GOVERNMENTAL TRANSPARENCY. HAS EXPRESSING MY OPINION PUBLICLY PUT ME IN A POSITION WHERE A SUMMONS WILL SHOW UP AT MY FRONT DOOR, OR THE MAYOR WILL PAY ME A VISIT WITH EITHER THE CITY ATTORNEY OR THE CHIEF OF POLICE IN TOW. I'M ASKING THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL TONIGHT SHOULD ANY LAW ABIDING CYPRESS RESIDENT EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF EXERCISING THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND SHARING FACTS OR THEIR OPINIONS IN A CIVIL, PROFESSIONAL MANNER, ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE FACTS AND OR OPINIONS MIGHT BE CRITICAL OF THE CURRENT OR PAST COUNCIL MAJORITY'S. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNCIL, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO THINK ABOUT A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM THAT WILL CALL FOR ANOTHER REPRIMAND OF MR. MINIKUS UNACCEPTABLE AND UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, SPECIFICALLY, HIS INTIMIDATION OF THE NONPROFIT INDEPENDENT FESTIVAL MANAGEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH LIMITING ELIMINATING POLITICAL BOOTHS AT THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL. AGGRAVATED AGGRAVATED BY WHAT I AND MANY OTHERS FEEL WAS A POLITICAL FAVOR TO A COUNCIL CANDIDATE, HE SUPPORTS HIS UNPROFESSIONAL AND THREATENING OUTBURST AT COUNCILMAN BURKE WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT WHY HE, INDEPENDENT OF THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL, TOOK THE ACTIONS THAT HE DID. YOUR FAILURE TO TAKE ACTION WILL BE CLEAN, WILL BE CLEARLY SEEN BY THE PUBLIC AS YOUR SUPPORT OF MR. MINIKUS, HIS ACTIONS AND BEHAVIOR. I ALSO FEEL STRONGLY THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER NEED TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE FOR PLAYING SUPPORTING ROLES IN MR. MINIKUS INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN. I'LL WRAP THINGS UP BY ASKING THE THREE RETURNING COUNCIL MEETINGS MEMBERS AND WHOEVER THE NEW COUNCIL ELECTS WILL BE TO PLEASE THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT WHO YOU WHO. YOUR PICK FOR MAYOR AND MAYOR PRO TEM WILL BE IN 2025. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. SHE GAVE ME THIS SORRY NAME.