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CITY OF BELLFLOWER
SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BELLFLOWER CITY COUNCIL
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2025, 10:00 A.M.
BELLFLOWER CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
1 Call to Order
Mayor Dunton called the Joint Special Meeting to order at 10:09 a.m. in the Council Chambers at Bellflower City Hall, 16600 Civic Center Drive, Bellflower. 2 Roll CaII
For the record, the following members of the City Council responded present to roll call:
Mayor Ray Dunton
Mayor Pro Tem Sonny R. Santa Ines
Council Member Dan Koops
Council Member Wendi Morse
Council Member Victor A. Sanchez
Staff Participants:
Ryan Smoot, City Manager
Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
Len Gorecki, Assistant City Manager/Director of Public Works Wangsu Lee, Interim Senior Management Analyst
Brian McNerney, Interim Director of Public Safety
Jennifer Russell, Management Assistant
3 PUBLIC COMMENTS
There was no one in attendance wishing to provide public comments. 4 CONSIDERATION ITEMS
A Consideration and possible action to receive an update regarding the current operations and cost of the New Hope Shelter including, without limitation, costs associated with acquiring the Shelter in accordance with Resolution No. 24-15.
City Manager Smoot introduced the item.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
4 CONSIDERATION ITEMS — Continued
Item No. 4
A Consideration and possible action to receive an update regarding the current operations and cost of the New Hope Shelter — Continued For the record, at the request of Mayor Dunton relative to a potential conflict of interest for Council Member Koops, 1) City Clerk Ochiqui stated that the potential conflict of interest for Council Member Koops involved property within 500 to 1,000 feet and the need for recusal depended on the specific actions to be taken on the matter; and 2) City Attorney Berger stated that property within 500 to 1,000 feet radius from the subject property had seven triggering factors that would cause recusal and absent an opinion from the FPPC, the initial reaction was that any decisions made by the City Council could have an effect on the economic or zoning aspects of the area, as well as parking and traffic, and therefore his suggestion was that Council Member Koops recuse on the matter.
For the record, Council Member Koops 1) announced that he would recuse on this item due to a conflict of interest, as he owns property within 1,000 feet of the subject property; and 2) left the dais and Council Chambers at 10:13 a.m.
City Attorney Berger 1) gave a verbal presentation of the Staff Report; and 2) along with City Manager Smoot, responded to Council Members' questions.
Lengthy discussion ensued among the City Council, City Attorney Berger, and City Manager Smoot.
At the request of Mayor Dunton, City Attorney Berger explained that 1) the Martin v. Boise case ("Boise Case") was overturned by the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson et al ("Grants Pass") decision, making the reasons for the 2019 consent decree no longer relevant; 2) the City can now enforce its anti -nuisance and anti -loitering ordinances and other applicable regulations; 3) the Grants Pass ruling removes the Ninth Circuit's requirement to show available shelter beds for enforcement, allowing the City to enforce regulations without a shelter; 4) the key policy question is whether to continue operating the costly shelter or wind it down, given its legal liabilities; 5) the court order based on the Boise Case is no longer applicable; and 6) depending on the Council's decision, there are various policy, fiscal, and legal steps to consider.
At the request of Mayor Pro Tem Santa Ines relative to the impact to the City's vendors if the shelter operations ceased, City Attorney Berger outlined that 1) the City is on a month -to -month lease, noting that it expired last year, rental payments have been rejected due to eminent domain proceedings, and the lease can be terminated with 30 -days' notice; 3) the termination clause in the Mercy House operations agreement is favorable to the City and only requires the vendor be notified to end operations; 4) the real issue is the human issue, such as possible relocation of individuals currently in the shelter; 5) additional issues include rescinding the specialized overlay Court Enforced Neutral Tenancy Zone ("CENTZ"), reverting the area back to light industrial zone, and deciding what to do about the tenant improvements made at the City's expense; 6) these are policy decisions for the City Council, each with its own consequences and costs; and 7) there is also financial consideration, as the City would save on operational costs and could recover the $2 million deposit made for property acquisition.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
4 CONSIDERATION ITEMS — Continued
Item No. 4
A Consideration and possible action to receive an update regarding the current operations and cost of the New Hope Shelter — Continued At the request of Council Member Sanchez, City Attorney Berger 1) explained that there are no specific relocation requirements if the shelter shuts down suddenly, meaning individuals would likely be displaced; and 2) emphasized that this is a policy decision for the City Council, which is why he highlighted the human factor involved.
Council Member Sanchez 1) stated that he hoped the property owners would acknowledge the City's efforts and work with them to find a financial solution, enabling the City to continue acquiring the property and operating the shelter, which he viewed as a great success; 2) highlighted the shelter as one of the City's major achievements, positioning Bellflower as a regional leader and noted that the City was one of only two cities to successfully manage such a project; and 3) recommended tabling the discussion to revisit it with more thoroughly considered options.
Mayor Dunton suggested that 1) the issue be sent back to the City Manager to collaborate with two Council Members to ensure compliance with the Brown Act, and then come back to the City Council with ideas; 2) he pointed out that the original intent of the homeless shelter, as part of the friendly lawsuit, was to provide temporary housing to help move people on, but most individuals have stayed for over a year, with few beds being freed up, which undermines the concept of a temporary shelter; and 3) noted that if this trend continues, he would like to see ideas on how to rotate individuals through the shelter more quickly.
Following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council (Koops recused) to refer the matter back to the City Manager to work with two Council Members and come back to the full Council with ideas and options for further consideration.
Council Member Sanchez 1) stated that he believes the Mayor is addressing the larger issue of the supply problem; 2) noted that voters passed Measure A in November, indicating a clear desire to increase housing supply in the region, with the shelter being part of this issue; 3) acknowledged that the system is clogged, which led to the creation of the shelter, although he was not on the City Council when the decision was made; and 4) agreed that there are issues within the system that need resolution and emphasized the importance of having these conversations.
Mayor Dunton expressed the opinion that the lack of mental health support is a significant issue, noting that while the shelter provides mental health help, public perception is influenced by individuals often seen by residents on their way to and from work, especially in other cities.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
4 CONSIDERATION ITEMS — Continued
Item No. 4
A Consideration and possible action to receive an update regarding the current operations and cost of the New Hope Shelter — Continued For the record, Mayor Pro Tem Santa Ines suggested that if the shelter operations are continued, then staff should look into different funding sources to fund the shelter operations, expressing the opinion that paying for the shelter out of the General Fund amounts to double taxation of residents as they are already being taxed for homeless services at the County level through Measure H, noting that the County collects $3 million annually from Bellflower, but only disperses $500,000 back to the City.
Following discussion, at the request of City Attorney Berger, Mayor Dunton and City Manager Smoot confirmed that the matter can come back to the City Council in 60 days to allow the City Attorney time to contact the FPPC for formal advice regarding Council Member Koops's participation in future consideration of this matter.
For the record, there was no formal action taken on this item.
For the record, Council Member Koops returned to the Council Chambers and dais at 10:28 a.m.
5 STUDY SESSION
A Consideration and possible action to provide direction to the City Manager regarding Public Safety Department operations.
City Manager Smoot introduced the item, noting that it was the result of long-standing research conducted by Interim Director of Public Safety McNerney and Consultant Phil Marquez of PM Law Enforcement Services LLC.
Interim Director McNerney 1) gave a PowerPoint presentation of the Staff Report; 2) responded to Council Members' questions, along with City Manager Smoot, City Attorney Berger, Captain Holguin, and Consultant Marquez; and 3) introduced Sergeant Ferguson to provide a breakdown of 2024 crime statistics.
Sergeant Ferguson 1) stated that for 2024, the overall Part One crime total showed a slight 0.67% increase, though an alternate data set indicated a 1% decrease in crime; 2) clarified that Part One crimes include serious offenses like homicide, rape, robbery, auto theft, arson, larceny, burglary, and aggravated assaults; 3) highlighted several trends, including an 11% decrease in Grand Theft Auto, though it remained a high number of incidents; 4) stated that arson saw a sharp increase, but this was due to only two additional incidents; 5) reported that larceny, especially petty theft and stealing from vehicles, rose by 12%, a trend likely more noticeable to residents; and 6) stated that while robbery showed no overall change, there was a 21% decrease in robberies between June and December, suggesting that crime surges may have been linked to the arrests of individuals committing crimes in specific locations.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
5 STUDY SESSION - Continued
Item No. 5
A Consideration and possible action to provide direction to the City Manager regarding Public Safety Department operations — Continued Consultant Marquez 1) introduced himself to the City Council as a retired captain with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (LASD) with over 30 years of experience; 2) clarified that under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) there are eight types of calls for service that the City is not charged for, such as incidents involving a man with a gun, homicides, missing persons, and stolen vehicles; and 3) noted that the "Sky Knight" helicopter program has always been very responsive to calls and emphasized that it has been a valuable resource for deputies in the field.
Following discussion relative to helicopter services, City Manager Smoot confirmed that staff can look into the cost of the Sky Knight Program to see if anything has changed since the City decided to end these services back in 2010.
Recess: For the record and without objection, Mayor Dunton recessed the meeting at 11:26 a.m. for a brief break.
Reconvene: For the record, Mayor Dunton reconvened the meeting at 11:32 p.m., with all Council Members present.
Following discussion relative to vehicle trackers and route heat maps, and at the request of Council Member Sanchez, Interim Director McNerney confirmed that will request an audit of how the Southwest Patrol security officers spend their time.
Following discussion relative to supervision of the Southwest Patrol security officers, Mayor Dunton suggested perhaps clarifying the need or ability for there to be a lead supervisor assigned to the Bellflower substation.
At the request of Council Member Sanchez, LASD Captain Holguin 1) stated that the LASD is well aware of Southwest Patrol's tasks and job description; 2) acknowledged that there may be times when Southwest Patrol offers assistance for tasks that are not part of their job, such as for traffic control, but the LASD will accept their support; 3) emphasized that the relationship between the LASD and Southwest Patrol has been built over time and, from his experience, they have handled many calls independently, noting that the LASD rarely receives requests from them for assistance; and 4) expressed the opinion that Southwest Patrol assists the Deputies by helping to free up their time for other duties.
Following discussion relative to direction given to Southwest Patrol security officers' presence or continued presence after LASD have arrived on scene, Council Member Sanchez suggested the City implement standard policies to provide more clear and consistent direction to Southwest Patrol security officers and avoid possible liability issues.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
5 STUDY SESSION — Continued
Item No. 5
A Consideration and possible action to provide direction to the City Manager regarding Public Safety Department operations — Continued City Manager Smoot shared that the City of Norwalk uses a model called the "HOPE Team" (Homeless Operation Prevention and Engagement Team), a dedicated crew consisting of Public Works staff, Public Safety staff, and potentially private patrol, 1) noting that the benefit is that it prevents pulling resources from other important tasks and ensures the specific team is focused solely on these specific services; and 2) suggesting that this approach may be something the City can consider to address some of the current ancillary challenges experienced here, such as staff capacity and the shifting of staff resources.
At the request of Council Member Koops and Mayor Dunton, 1) Interim Director McNerney and City Manager Smoot clarified that the report's recommendation was to authorize funds for two additional shifts, not two additional security officers; and 2) Interim Director McNerney stated that he would provide the City Council with the guards' schedules and working hours in the biweekly report to provide the City Council with clarification and the muscle memory on that particular subject.
Interim Public Safety Director McNerney 1) confirmed that the Station Cities Public Safety Authority JPA was approved last November and the implementation process is underway; 2) highlighted that the City was part of the SAGE Program for many years (now established as the Community Prosecutor Program (CPP)), allowing the City to work with a Los Angeles County District Attorney to address gang, drug, and quality of life issues once City and LASD resources were exhausted, but the City eliminated the program a few years ago due to financial concerns; and 3) noted that the cities of Paramount and Lakewood continue to experience success with the program and recommended considering the reintroduction of the resource for the Station Cities Safety Authority JPA as it is a valuable tool identified through this assessment.
At the request of Mayor Pro Tem Santa Ines, Council Member Sanchez stated that the City Attorney's Office replaced the prosecutorial functions of the former SAGE Program.
For the record, City Attorney Berger 1) clarified that the City Attorney's Office does not actively solicit cases, but rather cases need to be referred to his office for handling, noting that they completed cases that were started by the District Attorney's Office; 2) stated that while legal tools are available, actions are limited to cases that come through the proper channels and while the City Attorney's Office can pursue nuisance abatements and other actions, the judicial process takes time, as decisions are made by the court; 4) clarified that Deputies do not directly contact the City Attorney's Office due to the culture in the LASD, which is part of ongoing discussions about increasing local control; 5) expressed the opinion that he did not see the value in the City spending $250,000 to $300,000 on services he did not see the City receiving from the District Attorney's Office; and 6) expressed hope that the new District Attorney may bring positive changes in the County's approach to local jurisdictions.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
5 STUDY SESSION — Continued
Item No. 5
A Consideration and possible action to provide direction to the City Manager regarding Public Safety Department operations - Continued Following lengthy discussion between the City Council, City Attorney Berger, City Manager Smoot, Captain Holguin, and Interim Director McNerney relative to the City Attorney's Office taking over the tasks related to the former SAGE program out of the District Attorney's Office, 1) Mayor Pro Tem Santa Ines requested a plan of action be developed out of the City Manager's Office on how to make the case referral procedures better; 2) Council Member Sanchez requested staff come back with a proposal on how to correct the communication issues relative to case referrals; and 3) City Manager Smoot confirmed that the City Attorney has been set up to prosecute misdemeanors and staff will develop and bring the matter back as a dedicated process with associated cost.
Council Member Sanchez proposed relocating the substation to a station similar to the one located in the City of Paramount to improve organizational culture, enhance communication, and increase collaboration between agencies, which will lead to better overall effectiveness.
Following brief discussion, and without objection, Mayor Dunton suggested this part of the discussion relative to the relocation of the substation be tabled for future consideration and focus on the communication between the LASD and City Attorney's Office relative to identifying cases to prosecute.
Interim Public Safety Director McNerney 1) provided an update on animal control efforts in response to the City Council's request from the November 25, 2024 meeting, noting that staff is exploring alternative options, including a) contracting with the City of Lawndale, which has proposed a contract rate of around $550,000, covering a 40 -hours per week animal control officer; b) internal options, with initial estimates ranging from $900,000 to $1 million, excluding staffing costs for officers, administrative staff, and supervisors; and c) operating a City -owned shelter, which would significantly increase costs, potentially running into the millions due to staffing and facility construction; and 2) recommended the City continue exploring contracting options with the City of Lawndale for animal control services, as internal options are far more expensive.
At the request of Council Member Koops, Fred Taylor, resident, confirmed that he recently paid $50 to SEACCA to dispose of his deceased dog.
At the request of Council Member Koops, who noted that residents may continue to go to SEACCA for services, Interim Director McNerney stated that residents would likely not be turned away if the City is not under contract with SEACCA, but rather they would charge them an appropriate fee for the services rendered.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
5 STUDY SESSION — Continued
Item No. 5
A Consideration and possible action to provide direction to the City Manager regarding Public Safety Department operations — Continued Following discussion, it was the consensus of the City Council to continue to pursue the possibility of animal services proposed by the City of Lawndale and bring more information back to the City Council relative to costs and services included in those costs.
Council Member Sanchez 1) noted the absence of an item regarding speed readers and speed cameras, which he believes should be considered; 2) explained that the Contract Cities Association, which the City is part of, is focused on local control and advocating for changes to allow more cities to use speed cameras, as only four or five cities currently have exemptions; 3) expressed hope that, during the current legislative year, an amendment would be passed to expand the use of speed cameras and speed readers; and 4) suggested staff look into this issue in anticipation of a potential amendment to the law to improve safety at local intersections.
Discussion ensued relative to establishing a "HOPE Team," similar to Norwalk's Homeless Operation Prevention and Engagement Team (HOPE).
Interim Director McNerney 1) recommended that the City consider establishing such a team to address homelessness and encampments more efficiently, noting that a similar team for Bellflower would be comprised of a community service officer, Southwest Patrol personnel, and part-time maintenance workers, to provide proactive encampment cleanups and outreach services; and 2) emphasized that this approach would allow for a more timely and effective response, while maintaining resources for other City functions.
City Manager Smoot 1) added that the City of Norwalk's model differs from Bellflower's, as Norwalk has an entire social services department, which plays a key role in their HOPE Team's efforts by coordinating outreach and service efforts to connect individuals with other agencies; and 2) clarified that Bellflower's approach is more focused on cleaning up problematic encampment areas, especially where outreach and services have been offered, but rejected, leading to public health and safety concerns.
Mayor Dunton emphasized the need for a follow-up team after encampments are cleared to prevent them from returning and suggesting a team regularly monitor recently -cleared sites, whether by driving by or walking the area frequently for a short period of time, until the encampments stop returning to the areas.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
5 STUDY SESSION - Continued
Item No. 5
A Consideration and possible action to provide direction to the City Manager regarding Public Safety Department operations — Continued Interim Director McNerney completed his presentation and introduced Consultant Marquez to present his report to the City Council.
Recess: For the record and without objection, Mayor Dunton recessed the meeting at 12:54 p.m. for a brief break.
Reconvene: For the record, Mayor Dunton reconvened the meeting at 1:01 p.m., with all Council Members present.
Consultant Marquez 1) provided an overview of his 6 -Month Public Safety Review Report to the City Council; and 2) responded to Council Members' questions along with Interim Director McNerney, City Manager Smoot, and Captain Holguin.
At the request of Mayor Dunton, Consultant Marquez 1) stated that he was present when the Paramount station was built and believed the selected building (former US Bank building on Alondra Boulevard) could be expanded to resemble the Paramount station location, with locker rooms, front desk, weight room, and report writing room; 2) emphasized that Deputies would be able to respond from there, park their cars, and go on duty from that location, although it would not function as a dispatch center; and 3) suggested the entry and exit for staff be behind a gated area for added security.
Council Member Sanchez 1) expressed the opinion that the former bank location was much more viable than the Simms Park location initially discussed and expressed support for making the shift, as he thought it would help improve the culture; and 2) suggested the possibility of having a housing developer build housing on top of the new Public Safety station, with a separate access and entrance, and that the costs may be fully covered through development impact fees.
At the request of Mayor Pro Tem Santa Ines, Interim Director McNerney 1) stated that he was asked to do an assessment of two locations, one being the former bank building and the other being the Chamber of Commerce building; and 2) explained that, in his professional opinion, he believed the bank property was quite possibly the best solution for meeting their needs and moving forward.
Following discussion relative to the relocation of the substation to the former bank property on Bellflower Boulevard and Alondra Boulevard, City Manager Smoot confirmed that, given the City Council's interest, staff would move forward with obtaining a design and price for the project.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
5 STUDY SESSION — Continued
Item No. 5
A Consideration and possible action to provide direction to the City Manager regarding Public Safety Department operations — Continued Council Member Sanchez 1) stated that he noted the absence of traffic safety and calming measures, expressing a desire to address these issues at the next City Council meeting or within 30 days, as this was a key public safety issue and a high priority for residents based on the recent survey; and 2) referred to the list of "Areas for Improvement" on page 21 of the staff report, stating his preferences on each point as follows: a) supported exploring filling the vacant Public Safety Manager position and its costs; b) was open to Mr. McNerney serving as Director of Public Safety; c) was open to the Graffiti Tracker Program; d) was not in favor of the Sky Knight Helicopter Program, acknowledging residents' concerns and felt more consideration was needed before he could support it; e) was open to a trial of the Shot Spotter Technology; f) expressed interest in learning more about the Netwatch Camera Technology and costs; g) was in favor of partnering with the SHARP Mental Health Clinic program since it was free; h) was not interested in exploring the CPP program at this time and would rather prioritizing matters with the City Attorney's Office; and i) noted that the substation relocation had already been discussed.
For the record, Council Member Sanchez stated that he had another commitment to attend and left the dais and the Council Chambers at 2:00 p.m.
Council Member Morse expressed a desire to learn more about the Graffiti Tracker Program and the Netwatch Camera Technology, stating that she liked the ideas, but wanted to better understand the costs and other details.
Council Member Koops 1) stated that he wanted to ensure Interim Director McNerney felt welcomed and emphasized that relocating the Bellflower Substation was inevitable, as the current building was insufficient; 2) expressed the opinion that the CPP needed to be reinstated, as he thought its absence contributed to increases in some of the crime statistics; 3) expressed support for both Netwatch Camera Technology and Shot Spotter Technology; 4) agreed with moving forward with the Graffiti Tracker Program; 5) was in favor of exploring a Code Enforcement Inspector position, but expressed caution about the budget; and 6) expressed the opinion that more discussion was needed regarding the Sky Knight Program.
Mayor Pro Tem Santa Ines 1) stated that he agreed with all the recommendations from Consultant Marquez, but emphasized the importance of the CPP Program, requesting it be evaluated in conjunction with the City Attorney's Office to produce a recommendation for prosecution services, as the bottom line is that those services are needed; 2) expressed support for pursuing animal control services from the City of Lawndale; 3) requested staff explore structuring a "HOPE" team; 4) for the sake of efficiency and synergy, suggested staff look into combining the added part-time positions to possibly result in two full-time positions and less supervision; and 5) encouraged and expected staff to bring forward Bellflower Municipal Code modifications relative to more forceful enforcement.
Bellflower City Council Special Meeting Minutes
January 28, 2025
5 STUDY SESSION — Continued
Item No. 5
A Consideration and possible action to provide direction to the City Manager regarding Public Safety Department operations — Continued Mayor Dunton expressed general agreement, 1) mentioned he previously suggested the possibility of a neighborhood app working with the Graffiti Tracker and requested staff look into that and the associated costs; 2) agreed with Council Member Koops that the Sky Knight Program needs further discussion; 3) expressed support for the Shot Spotter Technology and the Netwatch Camera Technology, noting that cameras purchased for the City parks were not in use; 4) reiterated the importance of relocating the Bellflower Substation, noting it had been a topic of discussion for the past six to seven years; 5) expressed a desire for the City Attorney to act as the prosecuting agent, but emphasized the need to red -flag problems and work on continuity to get issues to the City Attorney, who appears ready and willing to prosecute cases; 7) agreed that the Public Safety department head position needed to be filled; 8) agreed with the additional code enforcement position; 9) agreed with partnering with the Mental Health Clinic, emphasizing that if they could address mental health issues in society, the City could reduce related costs, such as the fire department, 911 calls, Sheriffs Department, Southwest security patrols, adding that while it may be a cost up -front it could result in significant future savings.
At the request of Mayor Dunton, City Manager Smoot 1) confirmed that staff had the direction needed to move forward; and 2) noted that none of these items are immediate, but rather a long-term shift that will take time, effort, and a significant amount of money to accomplish.
For the record, at the request of Mayor Pro Tem Santa Ines relative to valuable community engagement enhancements which were not addressed in the reports, 1) Interim Director McNerney confirmed that staff would look into enhancing community involvement, particularly regarding neighborhood watch and volunteers on patrols programs, and also explore new programs to reach the community, as previous programs have become unsuccessful and obsolete; and 2) City Manager Smoot confirmed that the communications aspect of public safety is also part of the conversation with Communications Consultants from Tripepi Smith.
For the record, there was no formal action taken on this item. 6 Adjournment
Without objection, the meeting was adjourned at 2:11 p.m.
Ray Du on, Mayor
City of Bellflower
ATTEST:
ayr O iqui, City Cler
Approve • March 10, 20