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Home My WebLink About06-11-19_Special Meeting Minutes City of San Bernardino 201 North E Street San Bernardino, CA 92401 http://www.sbcity.org MINUTES FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ACTING AS THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ACTING AS THE SUCCESSOR HOUSING AGENCY TO THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ACTING AS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, AND MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO ACTING AS THE SAN BERNARDINO JOIN POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2019 5:30 PM The Special Meeting of the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino was called to order at 5:30 PM by Mayor John Valdivia on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in the Board Room, 201 North "E" Street, San Bernardino, CA. CALL TO ORDER Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Theodore Sanchez Council Member, Ward 1 Present Sandra Ibarra Council Member, Ward 2 Present Juan Figueroa Council Member, Ward 3 Present Fred Shorett Council Member, Ward 4 Present Henry Nickel Council Member, Ward 5 Present Bessine L. Richard Council Member, Ward 6 Present James Mulvihill Council Member, Ward 7 Present John Valdivia Mayor Present Georgeann "Gigi" Hanna City Clerk Present Gary D. Saenz City Attorney Present Teri Ledoux City Manager Present PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Councilmember Henry Nickel led the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor John Valdivia Council Members Theodore Sanchez Sandra Ibarra Juan Figueroa Fred Shorett Henry Nickel Bessine L. Richard Jim Mulvihill Special Meeting Minutes June 11, 2019 Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino Page 2 Printed 2/4/2020 Public Comment for Items on the Agenda Cherie Bronstrop, San Bernardino, said our town is looking like a ghost town or war zone and asked that the council leave the libraries alone and not cut fire, code enforcement or police positions. Mike Hartley, San Bernardino, said he was shocked and dismayed by the council’s plan to cut some elected officials’ salary by as much as 60 percent. He asked why the mayor, council, acting police chief aren’t taking cuts and said that it was being done in spite because certain people are not playing the mayor’s games. He said the notion that the city could cut code enforcement, when it is the largest revenue generating department in the city, indicates influence that slumlords have on the policymakers and said that if they continue the path that they are on, the 2020 elections will bring change. Mona Harnish, San Bernardino, asked that the city not cut police department or code enforcement because safety is important to bringing people to the city. She suggested that the council take the same cuts anyone else does. Patrick Morris, San Bernardino, said the proposal to cut elected officials’ salary is ill advised and unconstitutional and cited Olson v. Corey, a case wherein he was a plaintiff. Salary is a contractual right and also mentioned an AG opinion on the subject. The mayor and council can expect a lawsuit and he said he is confident that they will be successful in every aspect of the lawsuit and the costs will be far more than the projected savings. Treasure Ortiz, San Bernardino, asked what the council is doing in following the Ad Hoc committee’s recommendations to cut elected officials’ salaries. This is about retaliation against the city clerk and trying to control the information coming out of the city. The games the council plays is annoying to watch and leaving a mark on the city. She said you can buy votes but you cannot buy loyalty or respect when it becomes clear that you don’t care about the people you represent. Cheryl Brown (on behalf of Hardy Brown), San Bernardino, said he understands cutting budgets and it is never easy, but the first place a leader begins is within their own staff. He said the mayor and council should return the mayor and council staff to the level it was before the mayor took office. Before you hire a political firm to poll citizens to extend Measure Z, you should do a better job. My vote is no. You have not demonstrated that you are better stewards of our money. Esmerelda Negrete, San Bernardino, there is no alignment in budgets and contracts and the people have seen reductions of services. Many of us voted because we were made promises. The promotions within the police department do not align with the ode, violated PRA in effort to reduce the City Clerk position and we can all work on a recall. PJ Seleska, San Bernardino, said the mayor and city council took an oath to uphold the constitution and protect from enemies foreign and domestic and said she did, too, and would tell the truth about the Mayor’s attempt to bribe the City Clerk, to starve her or run her off, none of which will happen. She suggested there may be a conspiracy and that she has had enough with the bullying and besmirching of her spouse and called for the mayor’s resignation. Robert Porter, San Bernardino, said he’d been attending meetings for several years and the same things are happening now as before, even with the Charter change. For a long time he has complained about what was going on with the city. Now that the city is Special Meeting Minutes June 11, 2019 Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino Page 3 Printed 2/4/2020 in a budget hole, he expects the mayor and council to work together to get the city out of it. Linda Saenz, San Bernardino, expressed her extreme disappointment with administration about their proposal to cut the City Attorney’s salary. She spoke about Gary Saenz’ work with the city since his election. She asked if he deserved it or the kind of send-off he deserved. If council believes that a legislative advocate will make any difference for the city, it should be paid with some other income than the salary of the elected officials. She said she was disappointed and embarrassed about the city’s policymakers. Cora Meyer, San Bernardino, said she was stuck on the police department MOU. It is hard to find people to come work here so she doesn’t agree with cutting salaries. She said she disagreed that the MOU calls for retirement income being based on one year of service and said she wants qualified trained people in the police department and need to cut the fat because we are paying for these people who got promoted for one year. She suggested that drones might be a way to save budget funds. Tim Prince, San Bernardino, asked that the council not cut the libraries and suggested partnerships with the schools to save money. Regarding elected officials’ salaries, this is an issue that is not new, and has already been decided by the courts, and cited the Juanita Scott case. You are beginning to see the problems with the new Charter, including loss of elected City Clerk and City Attorney. Stand behind them and don’t cut salaries. Barbara Babcock, San Bernardino, said she loves the city and hates to see what is happening to it. She said it seems that the city could be facing a claim for hostile workplace, and read an email from the Mayor’s Chief of staff to the City Clerk regarding the process for releasing public records. Valerie Lichtman, San Bernardino, spoke on behalf of funding for the libraries. There are many poor people need the services of the library. Mary Chartier, San Bernardino, said libraries touch lives, especially those of young people. She spoke of a young artist who began in San Bernardino’s Ingraham Library, and went on to work for Disney, as well as several other people who used the local libraries. Majid Seraj said it is relevant to discuss cannabis license in the context of budget crisis. Councilmembers who voted to oust former City Manager should also consider that her decisions regarding the city’s cannabis policies were questionable an exceeded the city council’s and city manager’s statutory authority. Fred Shorett (on behalf of Mary Cox), San Bernardino, said code enforcement is a revenue source for the city and add at least $1 million to the general fund and asked why there was a proposal to fire them and outsource them. Doing so would be a disservice to the city. STAFF REPORTS 1. Proposed FY 2019/20 Operating Budget Review – Continued Discussion The Mayor and Council were presented the Proposed FY 2019/20 Operating Budget and provided staff direction. 2. Presentation of FY 2019/20 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) The Mayor and Council were presented the Proposed FY 2019/20 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). No vote was taken on this item. Special Meeting Minutes June 11, 2019 Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino Page 4 Printed 2/4/2020 3. Establishment of the Legislative Review Council Sub-Committee Approved Motion: Adopt the resolution. Reso. 2019-153 Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of the City of San Bernardino, California, establishing the Legislative Review Council Sub-Committee. RESULT: ADOPTED [4-1] MOVER: Henry Nickle, Council Member, Ward 5 SECONDER: Bessine Richard, Council Member, Ward 6 AYES: Sanchez, Figueroa, Nickel, Richard, Mulvihill NOES: Shorett ABSENT: Ibarra ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m. The next joint regular meeting of the Mayor and City Council and the Mayor and City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency will be held on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 in the Council Chamber located at 201 North “E” Street, San Bernardino, California 92401. Closed Session will begin at 5:30 p.m. and Open Session will begin at 7:00 p.m. By:_________________________ Georgeann “Gigi” Hanna, MMC