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MINUTES OF THE JOINT ENCINITAS CITY COUNCIL
AND SAN DIEGUITO WATER DISTRICT
SPECIAL MEETINGS
FEBRUARY 24 & 25, 2025, 8:00 A.M.
ENCINITAS COMMUNITY & SENIOR CENTER
1140 OAKCREST PARK DRIVE, ENCINITAS, CA
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL (Day 1 – February 24, 2025)
Mayor Ehlers called the February 24, 2025, meeting to order at 8:13 a.m.
City Council
Present: Mayor Bruce Ehlers, Deputy Mayor Joy Lyndes, and Council Members Jim O’Hara, Luke Shaffer, and Marco San Antonio
Absent: None
San Dieguito Water District Board
Present: President Joy Lyndes, Vice President Bruce Ehlers, Board Members Jim O’Hara, Luke Shaffer, and Marco San Antonio
San Dieguito Water District Board Members receive an independent stipend of $100 for convening the Water District meetings pursuant to San Dieguito Water District Resolution No. 89-07.
Also present: Interim City Manager Campbell, Deputy City Manager Sapa’u, Acting Deputy City Manager Schwarm, Director of Engineering Bankston, Director of IT Contreras, Acting Director of Community Development Colamussi, Interim Director of Finance Gallup, Fire Chief Gordon, General Manager Hireish, City Clerk Hollywood, Director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Knopp, Director of Public Works Mabry, Sheriff’s Captain Watts, Facilitator Jim Ponder
There being a quorum present, the meeting was in order.
2. INTRODUCTIONS
Facilitator Jim Ponder, Turnkey Strategic Relations, introduced himself. Mayor, City Council, and Staff introduced themselves.
3. MEETING GROUND RULES AND OBJECTIVES FOR WORKSHOP
Mr. Ponder reviewed the ground rules and objectives for the workshop:
• Stay focused
o Minimize distractions
o Put phones out of sight
o Partiicate
o Active listening
• Objectives
o Align staff and council
o Establish revitalized focus areas
o Reimagine the cities priorities
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o High level strategic plan
o Pathway to the strategic plan
4. PUBLIC COMMENTS (ONLY TAKEN ON FEBRUARY 24)
The following individuals spoke: Amy Bennett, Judy Berlfein, Thomas Gonzalez, Bob Kent, Cynthia Sheya Palmer, Kristine Schindler, Carol Heil, Joy Shepherd, Rahul Deshpande, Cyndy Naibert, Sherry Yardley, Theresa Beauchamp, Stacy Reddell, Carol Parker, Marlon Taylor, Michael Glenn, Cyndi Darlington, Dennis Kaden, Karen Kaden, Natalie Settoon, Peter Curry, Desire Smith, Martin Tracey, Susan Sherod, Doug Wierenga, Steve Norton, Evan Larkin, Lauren Paul, Sheila Camberon, and Elena Thompson
5. AGENDA ITEM
5A. City Council Strategic Workshop. Contact Person: Interim City Manager Campbell
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Mayor, City Council and staff to discuss organizational strategies, objectives, focus areas, goals and desired outcomes for the future.
Mr. Ponder reviewed crafting a vision and pathway to creating a vision.
Mayor, City Council and Staff participated in break out groups to discuss and create a vision statement and then reviewed and collaborated on an agreed upon Vision Statement as follows:
• Vision Statement
Encinitas is five unique, vibrant communities united to forge a safer, healthier, and more environmentally sustainable future - thriving as one forward-focused City.
The meeting went into recess at 10:55 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 11:05 a.m.
Mr. Ponder reviewed crafting a mission statement (what, how, why) and pathway to creating a mission statement.
Mayor, City Council and Staff participated in break out groups to discuss and create a mission statement and then reviewed and collaborated on an agreed upon Mission Statement as follows:
• Mission Statement
Serving residents, businesses, and visitors by active engagement and providing innovative and effective services through creative solutions that foster safety, sustainability, and enhance the quality of life while stewarding our unique coastal-rural character.
The meeting went into recess at 11:58 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 12:37 p.m.
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Mayor, City Council and Staff participated in break out groups to discuss why we do what we do, roles and responsibilities, strategy vs tactics and then discussed and finalized as a group as follows.
Why Statements
Mayor
To provide local control of governmental services tailored and responsive to our local citizens’ needs including:
• Ensuring public safety
• Providing and maintaining roads, transportation, parks, community facilities and services
• Providing for utilities and sanitation
• Stewarding our local environment and community’s character
City Council
To prioritize safety, quality of life, a healthy and inclusive community, and environmental sustainability while maintaining the autonomy of our city.
Staff
Provide information and implement the City Council’s decisions and policies with transparency and accountability to the community.
Mr. Ponder presented the Vision, Alignment, and Execution (VAE) Model and the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team.
Mayor, City Council and Staff discussed current focus areas.
The meeting went into recess at 2:50 p.m. and the meeting reconvened at 3:00 p.m.
Mayor, City Council and Staff participated in break out groups to review, discuss, and create focus areas and then reviewed and collaborated on agreed upon Focus Areas as follows:
• Public health and safety for the protection of life, property and the physical environment
• Effective and reliable city services, communications and infrastructure
• Safe and efficient mobility and circulation for all modes of transportation
• Leadership & stewardship of our environment, shoreline and open space
• Ensuring and preserving community character and economic vitality • Strengthening and adhering to the general plan while implementing responsible development
Mayor, City Council, and Staff provided their thoughts and observations regarding the first day of the strategic workshop.
ADJOURNMENT
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The February 24, 2025 (Day 1), Special Joint City Council and San Dieguito Water District meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL (Day 2 – February 25, 2025)
Mayor Ehlers called the February 25, 2025, meeting to order at 8:08 a.m.
City Council
Present: Mayor Bruce Ehlers, Deputy Mayor Joy Lyndes, and Council Members Jim O’Hara, Luke Shaffer, and Marco San Antonio
Absent: None
San Dieguito Water District Board
Present: President Joy Lyndes, Vice President Bruce Ehlers, Board Members Jim O’Hara, Luke Shaffer, and Marco San Antonio
San Dieguito Water District Board Members receive an independent stipend of $100 for convening the Water District meetings pursuant to San Dieguito Water District Resolution No. 89-07.
Also present: Interim City Manager Campbell, Deputy City Manager Sapa’u, Acting Deputy City Manager Schwarm, Director of Engineering Bankston, Director of IT Contreras, Acting Director of Community Development Colamussi, Interim Director of Finance Gallup, Fire Chief Gordon, General Manager Hireish, City Clerk Hollywood, Director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Knopp, Director of Public Works Mabry, Sheriff’s Captain Watts, Facilitator Jim Ponder
There being a quorum present, the meeting was in order.
Mr. Ponder asked if anyone had any reflections overnight.
Council Member O’Hara stated that he thought about his comments during the prior session and wanted to change the wording of staff’s why from “Provide information and implement the City Council’s decisions and policies with transparency and accountability to the community” to “Provide expert advice and information and implement the City Council’s decisions and policies with transparency and accountability to the community.” Mayor, City Council, and Staff agreed with the change.
Mayor, City Council, and Staff participated in break out groups to review, discuss, and create goals for the new focus areas that were identified at yesterday’s session and then reviewed and collaborated on agreed upon goals as follows:
The meeting went into recess at 9:35 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 9:47 a.m.
• Public health and safety for the protection of life, property and the physical environment
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o Enhance community confidence through Sheriff, Fire, and City Services
Vulnerability Assessment
Communication and Education
Identify Assets, Resources, Needs, and Opportunities
for Community Involvement
Balance and reassess enforcement and services
(homelessness)
Revisit the Homeless Action Plan
• Effective and reliable city services, communications and infrastructure
o Continue effective and reliable City Services
Develop an Asset Management Plan with metrics and
shared data
Enhance effective communications (“Get to know your
City” and “Meet them where they are”)
Maintain systems
Capital Improvement Inclusion
• Safe and efficient mobility and circulation for all modes of transportation
o Safely and efficiently move people throughout the City in a timely manner
Alternate transportation routes
Revisit Active Transportation Plan
Explore public transportation opportunities to
incentivize and to collaborate with NCTD
The meeting went into recess at 11:12 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 11:19 a.m.
• Leadership and stewardship of our environment, shoreline and open space
o Habitat Stewardship Program
Acquisition of open space
Accelerate (take on additional areas)
Natives Plants Ordinance
o Climate Action Plan
Beach Sands
Solar Panels (City Buildings)
Quantitative Data/ROI
• Ensuring and preserving community character and economic vitality o Work with our community organizations to support projects and programs that preserve community character
Historic/Arts Districts
o Support our businesses and organizations
Business permit review – process analysis
Hold workshops to educate businesses
Partner on grant opportunities (How? Investigate how
to best acquire grants.)
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Pursue business commission vs. current organizations
to formulate city policies
• Strengthening and adhering to the general plan while implementing responsible development
o Review and update policies, plans and elements with a goal of implementing (legal and defensible) responsible
development
Identify objective standards
Strategize meeting affordable housing mandate
through local decision making (creation and allocation) o Pursuing statewide and regional reform of housing policies Statewide initiatives
Regional policies (RHNA, SANDAG & Cal Cities)
Legislative lobbying policies
The meeting went into recess at 11:42 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 12:25 p.m.
There were continued discussions regarding focus areas and goals.
Mr. Ponder, Mayor, City Council, and Staff discussed next steps. Staff was given direction to review the focus areas/goals and to develop measurable objectives for each focus area/goals. The objectives prepared by Staff will then be presented to the City Council for consideration and approval. Once City Council approves and finalizes the Focus Areas, Goals, and Objectives, they will meet with Staff quarterly after July 1 to review and adjust as needed.
The meeting went into recess at 1:40 p.m. and the meeting reconvened at 1:50 p.m.
Mr. Ponder reviewed and the group discussed course correction and tactical plan strategy including objectives, next steps, and priorities.
Next steps:
• Clarify goal and focus areas
• Circulate clarified documents to the City Council for approval • Once approved, create a micro tactical plan with budget expenses and proposed timelines
• The City Council will approve and prioritize goals and objectives • Staff will finalize the executable tactical plan complete with milestones and update cadence / methodology
Moving forward, Encinitas will:
• Apply Vision, Alignment, and Execution (VAE) to drive strategic decision-making.
• Strengthen The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team to improve leadership effectiveness.
• Advance city goals with transparency, accountability, and measurable results.
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• Continue engaging the community to ensure policies align with resident needs.
• Ensure that staff and council continue to have collaborative sessions during select publicly noticed meetings.
Mayor, City Council, and Staff each provided a personal commitment for moving forward.
ADJOURNMENT
The February 25, 2025 (Day 2), Special Joint City Council and San Dieguito Water District meeting adjourned at 2:12 p.m.
________________________ __________________________
Kathy Hollywood, City Clerk Bruce Ehlers, Mayor
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