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11 JOINT SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
EL CAJON CITY COUNCIL/HOUSING
AUTHORITY/SUCCESSOR AGENCY
TO THE EL CAJON
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
MINUTES
CITY OF EL CAJON
EL CAJON, CALIFORNIA
September 15, 2026
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A Joint Special Meeting of the El Cajon City Council/Housing Authority/ Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency, held Tuesday, September 15, 2026, was called to order by Mayor/Chair Bill Wells at 3:02 p.m., in the Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Way, El Cajon, California.
ROLL CALL
Council/Agencymembers present:
Council/Agencymembers absent:
Deputy MayorNice Chair present:
Mayor/Chair present:
Other Officers present:
Goble, and Ortiz
Kendrick
Metschel
Wells
Mitchell, City Manager/Executive Director
DiMaggio, Assistant City Manager
Thorn, Deputy City Manager
Lyon, City Attorney/General Counsel
Cortez, City Clerk/Secretary
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG led by Mayor Wells and MOMENT OF SILENCE.
Special Joint Meeting: El Cajon City Council/Housing Authority/ Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency - 201 -
September 15, 2026
3:00 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING:
1. Public Hearing to Consider Proposed Assessment; Canvassing of Ballots; and Consideration to Approve Resolution of Formation to Establish a Downtown El Cajon Community Benefit District (CBD) and Levy the Assessments Therewith RECOMMENDATION:
1. Hold the public hearing to consider all objections or protests, if any, and call for final submission of any ballots;
2. Close the public hearing;
3. Direct the City Clerk to open and canvass the ballots;
4. Receive and file the ballot results; and
5. If no majority protest exists, adopt the next Resolution, in order, to approve the formation of the Downtown El Cajon Community Benefit District and levy the assessments therewith.
DISCUSSION
Senior Management Analyst, Nate Prescott, provided a summary of the Item.
Mayor Wells opened the Public Hearing.
Paris Landen, Board Member of the PBID and Manager of The Magnolia, spoke in support of the PBID formation and about the benefits of PBID's.
Emily Sloan, Operations Manager for The Magnolia and alternate Board Member for the PBID, spoke in support of the PBID formation and about the benefits of PBID's.
Rich Riel spoke in opposition of the CBD formation and demanded accountability for the PBID. Mr. Riel stated that he will dispute the legality of the proposed CBD in court.
Discussion ensued amongst City Council and Staff concerning the following:
• Difference between PBID and CBD;
• Process for forming a CBD;
• Boundaries of the CBD;
• Which businesses would benefit from the CBD;
• Services provided by the CBD;
• Benefit zones;
• Proportional rates based on zones;
• Weighted votes for the formation;
• Weighted vote does not apply to board member votes;
• Only property owners could vote;
• Feedback from tenants;
• City's dues and weighted vote for the formation; and
• City does not have a guaranteed seat on the CBD board.
Special Joint Meeting: El Cajon City Council/Housing Authority/ Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency - 202 -
September 15, 2026
3:00 p.m.
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PUBLIC HEARING: (Item 1 - Continued)
In response to a question from Mayor Wells, City Attorney Lyon stated that the City has taken all of the appropriate steps to create a CBD and that the City has followed Prop 218 requirements. Ms. Lyon added that if the votes are in favor of the CBD then the Council may vote to form the CBD, and that the concerns that were raised were about the expiring PBID.
Mayor Wells allowed Mr. Riel to address the Council again .
Mr. Riel spoke about how the PBID should be shutting down and that PBID funds cannot be used to form a new CBD.
City Manager Mitchell stated that the PBID is in the process of shutting down and that any remaining assets will be distributed back to the property owners. Mr. Mitchell added that the City is paying for the establishment of the CBD.
Councilmember Ortiz made a motion to close the Public Hearing.
City Attorney Lyon stated that before the Public Hearing is closed, a request for any remaining ballots should be made by Mayor Wells.
Mayor Wells requested for anyone else in the audience to turn their ballots in at this time.
MOTION BY WELLS, SECOND BY ORTIZ, to CLOSE the Public Hearing.
MOTION CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE
OF THOSE PRESENT (KENDRICK - Absent).
MOTION BY ORTIZ, SECOND BY GOBLE, to instruct the City Clerk to begin the tabulation of ballots.
MOTION CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE
OF THOSE PRESENT (KENDRICK - Absent).
Mayor Wells instructed staff to commence tabulation of the ballots and to notify Council once tabulation is completed.
Recess called at 3:31 p.m.
Meeting called back to order at 4:19 p.m.
Mayor Wells asked City Clerk Cortez to recite the results of the tabulation of the ballots.
City Clerk Cortez announced that 67.67% of the votes voted Yes to Establish a Downtown El Cajon Community Benefit District (CBD).
Special Joint Meeting: El Cajon City Council/Housing Authority/ Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency - 203 -
September 15, 2026
3:00 p.m.
PUBLIC HEARING: (Item 1 - Continued)
71 ballots voted YES, for a weighted total of $263,861.17, representing 67.67% 53 ballots voted NO, for a weighted total of $126,088.66, representing 32.33% MOTION BY WELLS, SECOND BY METSCHEL, to ADOPT Resolution No. 091-26, to approve the formation of the Downtown El Cajon Community Benefit District and levy the assessments therewith.
MOTION CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE
OF THOSE PRESENT (KENDRICK - Absent).
Adjournment: The Joint Special Meeting of the El Cajon City Council/El Cajon Housing Authority/Successor Agency to the El Cajon Redevelopment Agency held this 15th day of September, 2026 was adjourned at 4:21 p.m.
Special Joint Meeting: El Cajon City Council/Housing Authority/ Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency - 204 -
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City Clerk/Secretary
September 15, 2026
3:00 p.m.