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AND SAN DIEGUITO WATER DISTRICT
SPECIAL MEETINGS
FEBRUARY 2 AND 3, 2026, 8:30 A.M.
ENCINITAS LIBRARY
540 CORNISH DRIVE, ENCINITAS, CA 92024
1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL (Day 1 – February 2, 2026)
Mayor Ehlers called the February 2, 2026, meeting to order at 8:40 a.m.
City Council
Present: Mayor Bruce Ehlers, Deputy Mayor Jim O’Hara, and Council Members Joy Lyndes, Luke Shaffer, and Marco San Antonio
Absent: None
San Dieguito Water District Board
Present: President Jim O’Hara, Vice President Bruce Ehlers, Board Members Joy Lyndes, 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: City Manager/Board Secretary Campbell, Assistant City Manager Schwarm, Deputy City Manager James, Interim City Attorney Thind, Development Services Director Drapkin, Finance Director Gallup, Senior Engineer Alex, Director of Engineering Nutter, Information Technology Director Contreras, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Director Knopp, Public Works Director Mabry, Fire Chief Gordon, Human Resources Director von Kalinowski, Sheriff Lieutenant Davis, Deputy City/Board Clerk Weichers, Management Analyst Rapp, and 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
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4. PUBLIC COMMENTS (ONLY TAKEN ON FEBRUARY 2)
The following individuals spoke: Nancy Hardwick, Judy Berlfein, Ellen Burr, Dianna Nunez, Lara Grimmer, Laura Van Dusen, Leigh Ratcliffe, Mike Dobransky, Sandra Anderson, Bob Ayers, Natalie Settoon, Rhiana Glor, Bridget Chalekian, John Chalekian, Barry Blumenthal, Doug Marker, David Skinner, Carol Knight, Jim Stiven, Diane Olive, Phil Shuttleworth, Mark O’Sullivan, Rebecca Kingsurgy, Brett Mills, Elio Bello, Julie Thunder, Karen Kaden, Dennis Kaden, Chris Giles, Caleb Adams, Patty Stottelmyer, Susan Sherod, and Bill Shen.
The meeting went into recess at 10:10 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 10:27 a.m.
5. AGENDA ITEM
5A. Fiscal Year 2026-27 City Council Goals Setting Workshop. Contact Person:
City Manager Campbell
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Mayor, City Council and staff to discuss organizational strategies, objectives, focus areas, goals and desired outcomes for the future.
City Manager Campbell acknowledged the Executive Team in attendance and noted that they are here to collaborate with the Council today.
Mayor Ehlers announced that the theme of the workshop is “alignment” and encouraged everyone to keep this in mind throughout the day.
Mr. Ponder reviewed the workshop’s ground rules and objectives, which included: acknowledge and encourage; avoid downward spirals; use “yes and…”; say it as you feel it - don’t wait until it’s too late; step out of your comfort zone; and use the parking lot
• Stay focused
o Minimize distractions
o Put phones out of sight
o Participate
o Active listening
• Objectives
o Strengthen Alignment
o Strategic Clarity
o Review focus areas and work plan
o Goals and Objectives
o High level enhanced strategic Plan
Mr. Ponder emphasized that this is a working session and asked, “Do we need to course correct?”; for those involved to anticipate roadblocks and Docusign Envelope ID: D9BF8CA7-0362-4D2B-A335-B5E6E41336EE
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how to get around them; remember historical memory; and think about where we have been to navigate where we are going.
Deputy Mayor O’Hara addressed the topic of trust and referenced prior actions taken by the City Council.
Mayor, City Council and Staff participated in break out groups to discuss the current vision statement.
Mr. Ponder presented the Vision, Alignment, and Execution (VAE) Model; the Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team; and reviewed the current Vision and Mission Statements.
Mayor, City Council and Staff participated in break out groups to discuss the question, “How in the past year have we lived our Mission?” The tasks included: identifying progress worth protecting; one area where the City made meaningful progress; and one risk if focus discipline is lost.
The Mayor, City Council, and Staff participated in a roundtable discussion each sharing one example of progress and potential risk if focus is lost.
The meeting went into recess at 11:50 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 12:40 p.m.
Mr. Ponder presented the Decision Litmus Test: Three Questions to guide our decisions and Mayor, City Council and Staff participated in breakout groups to discuss Strategy vs. Operations.
The Mayor, City Council and Staff participated in three breakout groups.
Each group was assigned a section of the Goals Worksheet to discuss what is missing or unfinished for each Focus Area, and to resist the urge to solve.
City Manager Campbell clarified objectives for narrowing down the Goals in each Focus Area.
The meeting went into recess at 2:28 p.m. and the meeting reconvened at 2:40 p.m.
Using different colored markers, each group rotated to one of the three breakout stations to discuss any missing goals and objectives that should be added to each section of the list.
Mr. Ponder introduced the concept of “Looking Through the Lens of the Next Fiscal Year” to identify Focus Areas, Goals, and Objectives. He emphasized that objectives should be outcome-based, without including tactics, timelines, or departmental assignments.
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The Mayor, City Council, and Staff participated in breakout groups to ensure clarity and relevance, participants were asked to apply the 3-Question Decision Litmus Test to each of the Focus Areas.
Mayor, City Council, and Staff provided their thoughts and observations regarding the first day of the strategic workshop in “One Word”
ADJOURNMENT
The February 2, 2026 (Day 1), Special Joint City Council and San Dieguito Water District meeting adjourned at 4:43 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL (Day 2 – February 3, 2026)
Mayor Ehlers called the February 3, 2026, meeting to order at 8:38 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: City Manager/Board Secretary Campbell, Assistant City Manager Schwarm, Deputy City Manager James, Interim City Attorney Thind, Development Services Director Drapkin, Finance Director Gallup, Director of Utilities/General Manager Hireish, Senior Engineer Alex, Director of Engineering Nutter, Information Technology Director Contreras, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Director Knopp, Public Works Director Mabry, Fire Chief Gordon, Human Resources Director von Kalinowski, Sheriff Lieutenant Davis, , Deputy City/Board Clerk Weichers, and Management Analyst Rapp; Facilitator Jim Ponder
There being a quorum present, the meeting was in order.
Mr. Ponder asked if anyone had any reflections overnight.
Council Member Lyndes, Deputy Mayor O’Hara, and Mayor Ehlers spoke.
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City Manager Campbell acknowledged the Executive Team in attendance and noted that they are here to collaborate with the Council today.
The Mayor, City Council, and Staff participated in breakout groups to discuss and review goals for the focus areas that were identified at yesterday’s session.
The meeting went into recess at 10:03 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 10:19 a.m.
Mr. Ponder presented the concept of Tailwinds and Headwinds for Emerging Opportunities. Asking the questions, “What opportunities, if anticipated early, could materially benefit the City?” and “What could slow us down, distract us, or create friction if we are not prepared?”
The Mayor, City Council, and Staff participated in breakout groups to discuss the Roadblocks or Disruptors of potential City potentials
The Mayor, City Council, and Staff gave feedback on Roadblocks or Disruptors that were discussed in the breakout groups.
The meeting went into recess at 11:36 a.m. and the meeting reconvened at 12:19 p.m.
The Mayor, City Council, and Staff each provided a key takeaway and personal commitment to move forward.
Mr. Ponder gave his closing remarks and asked the room to give a standing ovation for all the participants in the workshop.
The Mayor delivered closing remarks asking Council and Staff to think more from a perspective of residents when planning; to consider long-term impacts; and thanked Staff.
ADJOURNMENT
The February 3, 2026 (Day 2), Special Joint City Council and San Dieguito Water District meeting adjourned at 12:55 p.m.
____________________________ __________________________ Jackie Rapp, Management Analyst Bruce Ehlers, Mayor
City Clerk
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