1. CALL TO ORDER
Public Comments:
A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Chula Vista was called to order at 5:06 p.m. in the Council Chambers, located in City Hall, 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, California.
2. ROLL CALL
Public Comments:
City Clerk Bigelow called the roll.
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND MOMENT OF SILENCE Public Comments:
John Acosta led the Pledge of Allegiance and Mayor McCann called for a moment of silence in honor of victims of recent shootings in Monterey Park and Halfmoon Bay.
4. ACTION ITEMS
Public Comments:
4.1 District 3 City Councilmember Vacancy: Possible Action to Make an Appointment to Fill the Vacancy For the Remaining Term and Administer the Oath of Office to the Newly Appointed Councilmember (Continued from January 24, 2023 City Council Meeting) Attachments
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Public Comments
1. Staff Report from 01-24-2023 - District 3 Interview and Appointment.pdf
2. Attachment 1 - Staff Report from 01-17-2023 - District 3 Councilmember Nominations and Process .pdf
3. Attachment 2 - Finalists Packet.pdf
4. Attachment 2 - Additional Information.pdf
5. Attachment 3 - District 3 Interview and Appointment Process.pdf
6. Written Communications - Received by 1_24_2023.pdf
7. Written Communications Received 1-31-2023.pdf
8. Additional Written Communications Received 1_31_23.pdf
9. Public Comment Alan C.pdf
Frank Riley
I support a special election.
Katy DAVIS
I oppose DeVonna Almagro and support a special election. Add District 3 to the Special Election for the City Attorney. Residents of District 3, not council members, should pick their representatives.
BRAD DAVIS
I OPPOSE the council appointing someone when a SPECIAL ELECTION would be most fair and democratic! Let the residents choose.
I STRONGLY OPPOSE DEVONNA ALMAGRO based upon three key reasons:
1. ALMAGRO has only recently moved to and become registered to vote in D3. How can someone who just registered to vote in D3 last November be the best choice to represent a community of 60K+ residents? How can this be justified?
2. ALMAGRO was a roommate with Council Member Cardenas. This should recuse Cardenas and make you wonder about motive. The lack of transparency here is worrisome.
3. ALMAGRO's educational history on her resume was intentionally fraudulent at worse and misleading and disingenuous at best. Running for a special seat with such a flawed resume should be a disqualifier, period. Chula Vista residents deserve better! Ruben Guilloty
This Person is in favor of a Mental Hospital in a Residential and School area. Absolutely NO!!! Absurd! Catherine Zordell
We need to fill this position with a special election. Our citizens' right is to elect this critical position that will affect our lives Ian Burgar
I oppose appointing a D3 council member when a special election is already required for City Attorney. I strongly appose selecting a candidate who falsified her application, whose residency is questionable, and who is a political operative from another office.
Let D3 choose!
Ray Edwards
Our Chula Vista city council is becoming corrupt. Devonna Almagro lied on her application about her education. She also just changed her voting address a few months ago. Between January and August 2022, Almagro was registered to vote at an address in the City's District 4, which is West of I-805. That address is the same home where current Chula Vista Councilwoman Andrea Cardenas lives. The current city council is trying to appoint their buddy without the input of the residents of Chula Vista. This is corruption at its finest. As a Democrat we should be better than this.
John Teevan
As a true long-time resident of this city since 2001, I am writing to express my strong opposition to the nomination of Ms. DeVonna Almagro to the currently empty D3 council seat. This seat should be filled in a fair and democratic manner through a special election so D3's residents can choose. There is already an approved special election for the empty City Attorney seat created by the questionable continued endorsement by local and area elected officials and parties of a deceased individual who won the election.
If the council is compelled to make a selection, I strongly oppose Ms. Almagro, as should most residents, since:
1) She only recently moved to and registered to vote in D3 on Election Day 2022. The San Diego County Registrar of Voters confirmed that her address prior to that was in the City of San Diego. She has only sporadically lived in the City of Chula Vista since 2006. This City has had enough of address hopping/shopping political candidates in the November 2022 mayoral election. 2) Between January and August 2022, she was registered to vote at the same residence as Council Member Cardenas. This would make them, at minimum, roommates, if not close colleagues and/or friends. Council Member Cardenas should recuse herself from any vote involving Ms. Almagro, and draws into question the integity of any council vote on this matter. 3) Her documented educational history is, at minimum, deceptive and misleading, if not intentionally untruthful.
Dan Luko
I oppose cronyism and the city council selecting our district 3 supervisor. That position is of a representative that ought to be elected by it’s residents! Robert Johnson
Masks of face coverings are recommended in Council Chambers and all City conference and meeting rooms.
MASKs of ... i means come on.. yall dont even know what your talking about.. your a joke. you went from required no one show.. to recommended now people show. also.. i have plenty of screen shoots and my emails plus public comments. to prove all of this.. TYRANNT WILL BE EXPOSED... WE COMING.. i have to run the streams but i cant write here.... and WILL.
Robert Johnson
THIS IS HOW YOU STEAL OUR VOTE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF LIVING UNDER TYRANTS. FIRST IT WAS YOU MADE UP COVID DEATH TO KICK US OUT OF CITY HALL. NOW U PUT A DEADMAN on the BALLOT. TO APPOINT.. NOW WHEN WE TELL YOU WE WANT A VOICE. YOU IGNORE US. ALL OF THIS IS PUBLIC RECORD AND GENORATION ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE TYRANTS YOU WERE AND THE FOOLS YOU MADE OF YOURSELFS STEALING ELECTIONS TO APPOINT NON ELECTED LEADERS, BANANA REBUPLIC. TRUMP WAS RIGHT. OUR ELECTIONS ARE TRUSTED SO MUCH YOU HAVE TO APPOINT PEOPLE. WHY IS IT EVERYONE TRUST THE PEOPLE WHO CLOSED YOU BUSINESS FOR MADE UP COVID DEATHS. YOU TOOK AN OATH EVERYTIME YOU BREAK THIS OATH MORE OF US SHOW. DO YOU WANT A REVOLUTION? Mitch Thompson
I support the appointment of a council member for the third district as opposed to a special election. I am concerned about the allegations in a recent article in La Prensa (https://laprensa.org/cvalmagro) about one of the candidates and believe info in the article should be thoroughly investigated if that person is to continue to be considered for appointment. If not, such an appointment will make for a circus-like atmosphere at the city council for quite some time. It might be better to appoint a less controversial candidate.
TN
Comment in regards to interview dialogue - Chula Vista needs more small businesses than restaurants similar to Tres Cantrinas that are alternatives to the chain restaurants. That they provide good dining experiences. I think that is important to the community.
Gail Perez
I am writing to confirm that Devonna Almagro was indeed a student at the University of San Diego. In addition, she was a key student leader in the Ethnic Studies Student Movement that successfully organized to get a much needed Ethnic Studies major passed. I am holding in my hands an important essay she co-authored that documented these historic changes. Our University owes her a lot. Best wishes, Dr. Perez Sara Kent Ochoa
Good evening, Mayor and City Council -
I appreciate the long legacy of Senator Steve Padilla and you have a huge responsibility to fill the vacancy of his Council term tonight.
Senator Padilla has had a groundbreaking legacy in many areas, but these include LGBTQ+ inclusion, climate leadership, and equity advocacy on a policy level. He has specifically drawn baseless conservative attacks over the years.
Tonight you have the opportunity to ensure that an appointment is made to complete his final term on Chula Vista City Council by a Democrat who shares our values.
Republicans are pulling together to try to bully you into a special election - the only way they might build a further pulpit for their exclusionary and hateful rhetoric and policies.
I call upon the three Democrats on this Council to reject this effort, and come together to appoint one of the many highly qualified Democrats who have applied to fill this vacancy.
Many of those applying are committed public servants who would serve well as your colleague over the next nearly two years, and will save the public a divisive partisan election.
I ask you to come together tonight, reject conservative power grab efforts to divide you, and uplift the majority of voters in Chula Vista who have elected you to serve.
Thank you.
Crystal Irving
Dear Mayor McCann & Members of the City Council,
I write this letter regarding the appointment process for Council District 3. As you know SEIU Local 221 is proud to represent over 14,000 members in the region, including the Mid Managers/Professional Association (MM/PR) that proudly work for the City of Chula Vista.
As a member led organization, SEIU 221 often endorses candidates for office, either for elections or for appointments such as Council District 3. In this case, our union did not have time to properly screen and interview candidates given the short time period for this process.
We believe the council should weigh the qualifications, experience and values of all candidates and choose the applicant that will dedicate themselves to supporting working families, particularly city employees and all residents of Chula Vista.
With that background, we do want to share with you that applicant Sophia Rodriguez is a member in good standing of SEIU 221 as a county employee. She has been an active member of the union where she has worked for strong contracts for her co-workers and has served on the Member Political Organizing committee, which engages fellow union members in our democratic process.
Thank you for your thoughtful engagement in this process.
Sincerely,
Crystal Irving
Alan C. spoke in opposition to filling the vacancy by special election and in opposition to appointing Devonna Almagro.
John Acosta, Chula Vista resident, spoke regarding Councilmembers interacting with constituents of District 3 and in opposition to Councilmembers appointing friends.
The following members of the public spoke in opposition to appointing Devonna Almagro:
Anna B.
Estela Stachowitz
Delia Dominguez Cervantes
Cheryl Perez
Eli K. spoke in opposition to Councilmembers appointing friends.
Lillie, Chula Vista resident, spoke in support of appointing Nimpa Akana and in opposition to appointing Devonna Almagro.
The following members of the public spoke in support of holding a special election to fill the vacancy.
Erica Lowery
Laura D., Chula Vista resident
Steve Stenberg, Chula Vista resident
Tony Villafranca
John Moore
The following members of the public spoke in support of appointing Nimpa Akana:
Norliza Rodriguez, Chula Vista resident
Patty O’Mara
Nerissa Torralba
Diana MJC, Bonita resident
Rosemarie Ballard spoke in opposition to appointing a person who is not honest.
Russ Hall, Chula Vista resident, spoke regarding the appointment process and in support of holding a special election to fill the vacancy.
Robert Garcia, Chula Vista resident, spoke in support of appointing someone other than Devonna Almagro.
The following members of the public spoke in support of appointing Tanya Williams:
Dorothy Martin, Chula Vista resident
Ricky Allen, Chula Vista resident
Joe Mazares, San Diego resident,
spoke in support of holding a special election to fill the vacancy or, if filled by appointment, in support of appointing Nimpa Akana.
T
he following members of the public spoke in support of Devonna Almagro:
Sonia Farron, San Diego resident
Ana Sanchez, Chula Vista resident
Karla C.
Patricia Cueva
Mary Davis, Chula Vista resident, thanked staff for posting the agenda in advance and in support of appointing Tanya Williams or Nimpa Akana.
David Diaz, Chula Vista resident, expressed interest in being appointed to fill the vacancy.
Mary Soriano, representing the Asian Pacific American Coalition, spoke in support of holding a special election to fill the vacancy.
The following members of the public spoke in support of appointing David Diaz:
Veronica Ferguson, Chula Vista resident
Henrietta Parano, Chula Vista resident
Cida Diehl
Miguel Angel-Pino, Chula Vista resident
Alfred Lee, Chula Vista resident
The following members of the public submitted a request to speak but were not present when called:
Ryan Pernicano, Chula Vista resident
Alicia Souza, Chula Vista resident
Beatriz Suarez-Pastrana, Chula Vista resident, spoke in support of holding a special election to fill the vacancy or, if filled by appointment, in support of appointing Tanya Williams.
Tanya Williams, Chula Vista resident, expressed interest in being appointed to fill the vacancy.
Rebecca Lee spoke in support of appointing David Diaz and in support of Griselda Delgado and Nimpa Akana.
Jesse Navarro, Chula Vista resident, spoke in support of Griselda Delgado and appointing someone honest.
Melody, National City resident, spoke regarding a vetting process to fill the vacancy.
Mayor McCann recessed the meeting at 6:23 p.m. The Council reconvened at 6:34 p.m., with all members present.
The following members of the public submitted written comments expressing opposition:
David Winter
Lorena Winter
Mark T
Joe Leshen
Sherrie Leshen
Melody Carlson
Kathy Crail
Shirley Powers
Gale Moriarity, Chula Vista resident
Robert Moriarity
Rebecca V. Mekus
Dan Mekus
Maria H.
Bibian Harrison
Dan Rice, Chula Vista resident
Lois Morera, Chula Vista resident
Lina Y.
Olivia G.
Kathleen Adams, Chula Vista resident
Dorlas W.
Diana E.
Carolee W.
Christina Gomez, Chula Vista resident
Char
Cindy D.
Jeni Wilson
Silvia Mangubat
Maria McDuff, Chula Vista resident
Janet Ardagna
Martha Hill, Chula Vista resident
Brenda Shaw
Beverly Grant-Davidson
Georgina Enriquez
Christine Paxton
Danica Holmes
Bernadette Jacard
Kari Thomas, Chula Vista resident
Donna Hodge
Rosemarie Ballard, Chula Vista resident
Cynthia T.
Michael McCabe, Chula Vista resident
Linda Bianes, Bonita resident
Paula Whitsell, Chula Vista resident
Barbara T.
Eva Adolfsson, Chula Vista resident
Nancy Mascola
Barbara Zacharias
Margaret Lowerie
Robin Leon, Chula Vista resident
Roy Akana, Chula Vista resident
Nancy Tiznado, Chula Vista resident
Edward Legaspie, Chula Vista resident
Melody Hurt, National City resident
Richard Roy, Chula Vista resident
The following members of the public submitted written communication in opposition to appointing Devonna Almagro:
Ray Edwards
John Teevan
The following members of the public submitted written communications in support of holding a special election to fill the vacancy:
Frank Riley
Catherine Zordell
Ian Burgar
Robert Johnson, and he also commented regarding masks.
The following members of the public submitted written communications in support of holding a special election to fill the vacancy and in opposition to appointing Davonna Almagro if filled by appointment:
Brad Davis
Katy Davis
Dan Luko
Mitch Thompson
Gail Perez submitted written communications in support of Devonna Almagro.
Sara Kent Ochao submitted comments in support of appointing a democrat.
Ruben Guilloty submitted comments regarding a mental health hospital.
TN submitted comments regarding small business restaurants.
Crystal Irving, representing SEIU Local 221, submitted written communication in support of appointing Sophia Rodriguez.
Mayor McCann moved that the vacancy be filled by a special election. The motion failed for lack of a second.
Deputy Mayor Preciado moved to appoint Griselda Delgado. The motion failed for lack of a second.
Moved by
Councilmember Cardenas
Seconded by
Deputy Mayor Preciado
To appoint Alonso Gonzalez to the office of District 3 City Councilmember for the term expiring December 2024.
Yes (3)
Councilmember Cardenas, Councilmember Chavez, and Deputy Mayor Preciado No (1)
Mayor McCann
Carried (3 to 1)
City Clerk Bigelow administered the Oath of Office to Councilmember Gonzalez.
5. CLOSED SESSION
Public Comments:
Pursuant to Resolution No. 13706 and Council Policy No. 346-03, Official Minutes and records of action taken during Closed Sessions are maintained by the City Attorney.
City Attorney Googins announced that the Council would convene in closed session to discuss the items listed below.
Mayor McCann recessed the meeting at 7:51 p.m. The Council convened in Closed Session at 7:57p.m., with all members present.
5.1 Conference with Legal Counsel Regarding Existing Litigation Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1) Public Comments:
A) Name of case: CV Amalgamated LLC v City of Chula Vista, et al., San Diego Superior Court, Case number 37-2020-33446-CU-MC-CTL No Reportable Action
B) Name of case: UL Chula Two LLC v City of Chula Vista, et al., San Diego Superior Court, Case number 37-2020-41554-CU-MC-CTL No Reportable Action
C) Name of case: Chula Vista Cannabis Village Inc. v City of Chula Vista, et al., San Diego Superior Court, Case number 37-2020-41802-CU-MC-CTL No Reportable Action
D) Name of case: Tlaloc Fait v. City of Chula Vista., et al., San Diego Superior Court, Case No. 37-2022-00013673-CU-PO-CTL No Reportable Action
E) Name of case: Arturo Castanares v. City of Chula Vista, San Diego Superior Court, Case No. 37-2021-00017713-CU-MC-CTL No Reportable Action
6. ADJOURNMENT
Public Comments:
The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m.
Minutes prepared by: Tyshar Turner, Assistant City Clerk