CITY OF DEL MAR
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 18, 2024
City of Del Mar Town Hall
1050 Camino del Mar, Del Mar California 92014
The minutes set forth the actions taken by the City Council on the matters stated. Audio/video recordings of the City Council proceedings are retained for a period of ten years, in accordance with the City's Records Retention Schedule. Audio/video recordings, as well as written materials presented to the City Council, including Red Dots (materials provided to the City Council after the agenda has published), are available on the City’s website at www.delmar.ca.us/AgendaCenter or by contacting the Administrative Services Department at (858) 755-9313.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Druker called the Regular Meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Dave Druker; Deputy Mayor Terry Gaasterland; Councilmembers Tracy Martinez and Dan Quirk.
CITY ATTORNEY CLOSED SESSION REPORT
City Attorney Leslie Devaney reported that there were no recusals or reportable actions for the November 18, 2024, City Council Closed Session meeting.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Martinez led the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
None.
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mayor Druker reported that on December 8, 2024, the Del Mar Village Association will be hosting two events in town including the Del Mar Village Winter Taste and Sip and Santa by the Sea at the Del Mar Plaza.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Ashley Jones reported on the absolute work window for the San Diego Association of Governments’ (SANDAG) Phase 5 Del Mar Bluffs Stabilization Project that occurred over the weekend (November 16 and 17) and noted that the City did not receive any complaints.
Council questions focused on a temporary construction trench west of the railroad tracks and whether it was in the approved plans for the project.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Administrative Services Manager/City Clerk Sarah Krietor read the titles of the items included on the Consent Calendar. There were no public speakers for the consent calendar items.
City Council Regular Minutes
November 18, 2024
IT WAS MOVED BY DEPUTY MAYOR GAASTERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS 1 THROUGH 10. (VOTE 4-0) Ayes: Mayor Druker, Deputy Mayor Gaasterland, and Councilmembers Martinez and Quirk; Noes:
0; Recuse: 0; Absent: 0; Abstain: 0.
ITEM 1: APPROVAL OF MINUTES: OCTOBER 21, 2024 REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETING (CLERK’S MINUTES BOOK)
Council approved the minutes, on consent.
ITEM 2: RATIFICATION OF LIST OF DEMANDS, DATED NOVEMBER 18, 2024 (CLERK’S FILE NO. 201-3)
Council approved the list of demands, on consent.
ITEM 3: WAIVER OF READING OF ORDINANCES ON AGENDA (CLERK’S FILE NO. 401-4) Council waived the reading of ordinances, on consent.
ITEM 4: SEVENTH AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH KLEINFELDER, INC. FOR THE CAMINO DEL MAR BRIDGE REPLACEMENT (CLERK’S FILE NO. 406-1, 803-3)
Council approved the Seventh Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Kleinfelder, Inc. for engineering design services for the Camino Del Mar Bridge Replacement; and authorized the City Manager to execute the Seventh Amendment, on consent.
ITEM 5: AGREEMENT FOR INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES (CLERK’S FILE NO. 209-2, 406-1)
Council approved a professional services agreement with Optimized Investment Partners, LLC for investment advisory and management services for an initial three-year period effective November 18, 2024, through November 17, 2027; and authorized the City Manager to execute the agreement and any subsequent term extension amendments provided for under the Agreement contingent upon satisfactory performance by the consultant, on consent.
ITEM 6: APPROVAL OF AGREEMENTS FOR AS-NEEDED SHORELINE MANAGEMENT SERVICES (CLERK’S FILE NO. 406-1, 1404-1)
Council approved consulting services agreements with Coastal Environments, Inc., Dudek, and Moffatt & Nichol to provide as-needed shoreline management services for an initial three-year period effective November 18, 2024, through November 18, 2027; and authorized the City Manager to execute the agreements and any subsequent term extension amendments provided for under the Agreement contingent upon satisfactory performance by the consultant firm, on consent.
City Council Regular Minutes
November 18, 2024
ITEM 7: AGREEMENT WITH REDFLEX TRAFFIC SYSTEMS, INC. FOR AUTOMATED TRAFFIC SIGNAL PHOTO ENFORCEMENT SERVICES (CLERK’S FILE NO. 406-1, 903-1, 904-1)
Council approved an Agreement with Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. (Redflex) for automated traffic signal photo enforcement for an initial three-year period effective November 18, 2024, through November 18, 2027; and authorized the City Manager to execute the Agreement and any subsequent term extensions provided for under the Agreement contingent upon satisfactory performance by the vendor, on consent.
ITEM 8: APPROVAL OF THE 2025 ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE (CLERK’S FILE NO. 401-5)
Council approved the 2025 Advisory Committee Meeting Schedule, on consent.
ITEM 9: PROPOSED 2024 CITY FACILITY HOLIDAY CLOSURE (CLERK’S FILE NO. 103-1) Council authorized the additional holiday related closure of City Hall and the Public Works Administrative Office to the public on December 26, 27, 30, 2024, on consent.
ITEM 10: APPOINTMENTS TO THE UNDERGROUNDING PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CLERK’S FILE NO. 401-5)
Council appointed Adam Wallace and John Imperato as voting members to UPAC for full three-year terms beginning on November 18, 2024, and ending on November 30, 2027, on consent.
COUNCIL MEETING RECESS:
The City Council took a meeting recess from approximately 6:39 to 6:45 p.m.
CITY COUNCIL OTHER BUSINESS
ITEM 11: CITYWIDE UNDERGROUNDING PROGRAM FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND POTENTIAL FUNDING OPTIONS (CLERK’S FILE NO. 203-3, 1001-2) A presentation was provided by City Manager Jones, Principal Engineer Martin Boyd and NHA Advisors, Inc. Managing Principal Craig Hill. Finance Manager/Treasurer Monica Molina and NHA Advisors, Inc.
Vice President Leslie Bloom were available to answer questions.
Council questions focused on the estimated time range for completing all projects in the Undergrounding Program (UP); clarification regarding the projected ending fund balance in Scenario 3; timeframe for paying off the debt service under the different scenarios; whether the City could consider parallel projects; desire for the Council to receive an update from staff regarding the City’s efforts to obtain more transparent project cost information from SDG&E; clarification on the recommended action before the Council; clarification regarding the project cost estimates, interest rates, and inflation costs under the various scenarios; potential risks associated with borrowing; expected financing interest rates; and possible financing structure, such as an iBank loan or negotiated borrowing.
Mayor Druker opened the item to public comment and the following people spoke:
1) Steve McDowell
City Council Regular Minutes
November 18, 2024
2) Richard Jamison
3) Dolores Davies Jamison
4) Amy Cheshire with a donation of time from Jas Grewal 5) Laura DeMarco
6) Mark Rittenbaum
7) Tom McGreal
8) Shirli Weiss
Mayor Druker closed the item to public comment.
Council discussion focused on concerns regarding the project costs; City of San Diego undergrounding project; material versus labor costs for undergrounding projects; timing for completing the undergrounding program; the City’s construction bidding process; fire rating of different districts; desire to proceed with approving Task Order 2 with NHA Advisors to further assess financing options; and desire to complete a model sensitivity analysis for “downside” events such as a pandemic.
IT WAS MOVED BY DEPUTY MAYOR GAASTERLAND, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ TO APPROVE TASK ORDER 2 WITH NHA ADVISORS FOR $20,000 TO FURTHER EVALUATE FINANCING OPTIONS AND STRUCTURE; AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE TASK ORDER AND ANY AMENDMENTS UP TO $5,000; AND AMEND THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET AS DESCRIBED IN THE FISCAL IMPACT SECTION OF THE AGENDA REPORT. (VOTE 4-0)
Ayes: Mayor Druker, Deputy Mayor Gaasterland, and Councilmembers Martinez and Quirk; Noes:
0; Recuse: 0; Absent: 0; Abstain: 0.
ITEM 12: CITY COUNCILMEMBER VACANCY (CLERK’S FILE NO. 401-1) Administrative Services Manager/City Clerk Krietor provided a brief presentation. City Attorney Devaney provided a statement on the legal analysis associated with the item.
Mayor Druker opened the item to public comment and the following people spoke:
1) Jas Grewal with two donations of time from Suren Dutia and Lacey Logan 2) Philip Posner
3) Camilla Rang
4) Carol Kerridge
5) John Spelich
6) Laura DeMarco
7) Karen Lare
8) Dolores Davies Jamison
Mayor Druker closed the item to public comment.
Council discussion focused on whether the City would be non-compliant with Government Code Section 36512; important projects and challenges facing the City; consideration to hold an election to fill the vacant Council seat; cost of the special election and cost of the City’s unfunded Capital Improvement Projects and other priority projects; and whether the Council would consider appointing former Councilmember Terry Sinnott.
City Council Regular Minutes
November 18, 2024
IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER QUIRK, SECONDED BY DEPUTY MAYOR GAASTERLAND TO CALL A SPECIAL ELECTION. (VOTE 2-2 MOTION FAILED WITH MAYOR DRUKER AND
COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ OPPOSED)
Ayes: Deputy Mayor Gaasterland, and Councilmember Quirk; Noes: Mayor Druker and Councilmember Martinez; Recuse: 0; Absent: 0; Abstain: 0.
IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER MARTINEZ, SECONDED BY MAYOR DRUKER TO APPOINT TERRY SINNOTT TO THE CITY COUNCIL. (VOTE 2-2 MOTION FAILED WITH DEPUTY
MAYOR GAASTERLAND AND COUNCILMEMBER QUIRK OPPOSED)
Ayes: Mayor Druker, and Councilmember Martinez; Noes: Deputy Mayor Gaasterland and Councilmember Quirk; Recuse: 0; Absent: 0; Abstain: 0.
REGIONAL ORGANIZATION AND COUNCIL COMMITTEES/SUBCOMMITTEES/COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION REPORTS
City Council representatives reported on the Clean Energy Alliance.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Druker adjourned the meeting at 7:35 p.m.
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Sarah Krietor, Administrative Services Manager/
City Clerk