10/17 Sup Com — City Council/Public Financing Authority, October 17, 2023 (part 2 of 2)

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: CYNTHIA PRATT <cpraƩ[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 4:59 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Item #20

Dear City Council,
I am a HunƟngton Beach resident for 34 years. I strongly support item #20 regarding parents rights to review and re‐
catalog library books containing explicit sexual content. This type of content is so harmful to developing young children and should never have been allowed in the children’s secƟon of the library! Thank you for puƫng this item up for vote.

It’s a yes from me for parents rights on this maƩer .

Thank you,
Cynthia PraƩ
8371 Munster Dr
HunƟngton Beach CA

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Levin, Shannon
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:41 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 2:34 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you,
Sincerely,
Ms. Shawna Chau
[email protected]
16642 Wanderer Ln Huntington Beach, CA 92649 Constituent Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Levin, Shannon
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:41 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Agenda items 19-21 on 10/17/23

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Kathey <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 1:08 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Agenda items 19‐21 on 10/17/23

Mayor Strickland, Mayor Pro Tem Van Der Mark and members of the City Council:

I fully support the passage of Agenda items
19, 20 and 21.

Regarding Agenda item 19: the council has held several sessions with input from the public. The council has ample Ɵme to consider that input as well that from their many discussions. The majority of the council has determined that it is now Ɵme for all the
voters of HunƟngton Beach to weigh in. And as Mayor Strickland has so correctly pointed out, there will be fewer proposiƟons on the primary ballot, thereby giving these amendments more signiﬁcance to the voters. For the criƟcs who state that there are fewer voters in primary elecƟons, perhaps the inclusion of the charter amendments will bring out more voters. Please vote yes on Agenda item 19.

Regarding Agenda Item 20: Contrary to the lies being perpetrated by the opposiƟon to this resoluƟon, this is NOT book banning!!! Rather this resoluƟon will allow for the relocaƟon to a more secure area, sexual materials, many of which are pornographic, from the children’s secƟon of the library to the adult secƟon. The Ɵme has come for responsible adults to step up and protect children from inappropriate materials. The fact that these materials are currently readily available in the children secƟon is proof that the librarians are not the appropriate people to safeguard our children! As a parent, I ﬁnd it incredible that any reasonable adult would be opposed to this resoluƟon! Vote yes on Agenda item 20!

Regarding Agenda Item 21:

I fully support expressing support for Israel, condemning the barbaric aƩacks by the terrorist group Hamas and sympathizing with Israelis suﬀering at the hands of Hamas. I believe the part about calling for an immediate end to the war is inappropriate and should be removed.

Thank you for your
service to the city of HunƟngton Beach.

Sincerely,
Kathey Haas
50 year home owner and resident of HunƟngton Beach

Sent from my iPhone
1 Moore, Tania
From: Levin, Shannon
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:42 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 12:47 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you,
Sincerely,
Mr. Mark Alvarado
[email protected]
16812 STONEHAVEN CIR HUNTINGTN BCH, CA 92649-4028
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Levin, Shannon
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:42 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 12:43 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a long time resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content.. Librarians are the only people who should decide on content in our libraries, and they have done a great job! I took my children to the HB main for years as they grew up , staring as toddlers for story time, summers for reading programs , for school projects, and just to pick books for my kids. This library saved me hundreds & hundreds of dollars over the years in books I did not need to buy , as my daughter was an avid readers and could read chapter books in a day . As a parent , I believe it is parents who are the best judge of what their child should be able to read & check out from the library. Parents can supervise their own children reading selections. I don’t want another parent , lawyer or city council member pre selecting what is available. As I parent I know that there are far worse things on the internet available on kids phones & computers than in any book in the one our libraries. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff.

The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you Sincerely,
Mrs. Natasha Elisha
[email protected]
18738 Ashford lane Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Constituent Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Mary Ann Celinder <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:42 AM
To: [email protected]; [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: library books
We very strongly reject having books screened by people who aren't trained librarians. A community group of appointed residents is so not acceptable.

When I need electrical work done, I hire an electrician, not a plumber or a community volunteer or council member.

This is wrong on so many levels, but if put to a vote, do not place it on an expensive special election ballot. It deserves the attention of more voters in the general.

Mary Ann Celinder
Celinder's Glass Design
21341 Fleet Lane
Huntington Beach Ca 92646

studio 714 962 8361
cell 714 504 8361

www.customleadedglass.com
1 Moore, Tania
From: Michael J Fowler <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:44 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Banning Books ? are you Kidding?
How dare you think you get to make decisions like this. This is Nazi Germany stuff.

If you don't like our past history then change it. Don't hide it. What's next, book burnings ? Mike Fowler Palm avenue HB

1 Moore, Tania
From: Ryan List <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:45 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: City library book censoring
Good Morning Mayor Strickland and City Councilmembers,

My name is Ryan List and I am an HB resident and voter for over 20 years, as well as a regular city library patron. My daughters are students in OVSD and avid young readers. While I understand the concern of Councilmember VanDermark that not all books in the library are appropriate for children, or even young adults, I feel strongly that it is not appropriate for the City Attorney, or any city councilmember for that matter, to determine which books are appropriate. I value that choice as a parent and as an American citizen.

While looking into this matter, I have discovered that there is already a process in place at our library for book review of any material that is concerning.

Furthermore, withdrawing from the American Library Association is an extreme and unnecessary step, especially when the council could be addressing many more relevant matters pertaining to the city.

Thank you for your consideration,
Ryan List
1 Moore, Tania
From: YoundyHung <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:47 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: NO to Resolution 2023-41
This resoluƟon is an insult to our city’s beloved librarians who are trained and entrusted to make decisions on what books have redeeming literary value, let alone the ciƟzens of HB. To have a group of random people, many with ostensibly ulterior moƟves, be the gatekeepers of what is good and bad is ridiculous and unnecessary. Would you want random strangers waltzing into city council meeƟngs, siƫng in your chairs and doing your jobs? I think not.

Vote NO on ResoluƟon 2023‐41!

Youndy Hung
HunƟngton Beach resident

1 Moore, Tania
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:47 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Oppose Resolution 2023-41
I am opposed to the establishment of of a book banning or a tortured book categorizaƟon process by the city council or the city aƩorney.

John Manning
Park Street
HunƟngton Beach

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Harry McLachlan <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:45 AM
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Sept. 17th Meting Agenda Item 23-879
Attachments: Huntington Beach City Council Oct. 17, 2023 .docx Please see attached letter.

Huntington Beach Special City Council Meeting October 17, 2023 Council Item # 23-879 Proposed Adoption of Library Resolution No. 2023-41

My name is Harry McLachlan. I am a resident of Huntington Beach.

Here we have a proposed ordinance written by our city manager and city attorney who are totally unqualified to develop such a proposal based on the subject matter under consideration. Zero expertise. Nada.

It is bad enough that this proposal is based entirely on the personal and political whims of an opinionated council majority in an attempt to impose their “values” on the entire community, despite the intense negative feedback they have gotten from the overwhelming majority of citizens at council meetings as well as in written supplemental comments.

Much of this feedback has come from teachers, students, authors, and librarians, several of whom had advanced degrees in library science and spoke clearly and eloquently in communicating their reasons for their opposition. Either the council majority is either too obtuse or intellectually incapable of understanding their fact-based arguments, or they are entrenched in their own subjective opinions because they “know pornography when they see it”.

If so, I suggest that they open one of the bibles sitting on their nightstands or coffee tables and turn to Ezekiel 23:19-21:
“But she added to her promiscuities, bringing to mind her youthful days when she was a prostitute in the land of Egypt. She lusted after their male consorts, whose sexual organs were like those of donkeys, and whose ejaculation was like that of horses. She relived the wicked days of her youth, when Egyptians touched and fondled her young and nubile breasts.”
My guess is that Councilwoman Van Der Mark read the bible about as thoroughly as she read any of the books she referenced in her biased and cherry picked presentation to the council several weeks ago.

Contrary to her wishes and those of the council majority, our citizens should be the ones deciding what books they or their children can choose to read, not any government committee. Least of all any committee consisting of or appointed by this right-wing council majority, who have already targeted and demonstrated an extreme bias against the LGBTQ+ community through their actions.

They operate in lock step with conservative conspiratorial culture warriors like GOP grifter and lying propagandist Charlie Kirk, anti-wokeness public education bashers and parental rights crusaders Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovick, as well as LGBTQ bigot Bryce Henson.

Just last evening I received an urgent e-mail from the conservative majority’s fan sight expressing outrage that the HB City Staff dare to include librarians to be part of the committee’s vetting process. Now that’s democracy in action! Limit committee members to those likely to be willing soldiers in the extremist culture war against free expression.

This is a public library. Our public library. Let parents decide what their children may or may not read. There are already procedures in place to address parental concerns and objection. They have been proven to function as intended. They work. Any government intervention is outrageous and unnecessary. Drop this egregious attempt at government overreach in its entirety.

1 Moore, Tania
From: Sharon Petersen <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:48 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: DO NOT BAN BOOKS!
To: Huntington Beach City Council Members:

America has a constitution that mandates freedom of speech.

You, as a council, do NOT have the right or the authority to limit that right to free speech.

If we follow your logic, here is what happens:

I do not like horror films.

I think they frighten people, especially children.

I think they give children nightmares, however,
I do NOT have the right to say that other families should not see them.

That is their choice. I certainly do not have the right to say what other families do.

Your rights extend only to where my rights begin. You cannot and must not try to
impose your opinions and values on others. That violates their rights.

2 No individual or city council has the right to determine what is right and wrong for
my family. Censorship is not enshrined in our constitution.

Freedom is.

There already is a system in place if someone believes that some book is not
appropriate or age appropriate, there is a library committee that can review that
and make a decision based on the whole community, not on the values of a few.

You have no right to determine what books, magazines or newspapers my family can
read. Your rights extend only to your choices for your family. You do not have the
right to say what should and should not be in our public library. It belongs to the
people of Huntington Beach and that includes all people who live here.

You are not the "morality police" for Huntington Beach. Your focus is to be on the
welfare of our city streets, our safety and the careful spending of our taxpayer dollars.
3 What you are doing is a complete waste of taxpayer money.

As a citizen and a registered voter, I will remember this attempt to undermine the constitution
and the Bill of Rights. By supporting this ban on any books, you are undermining
our democracy. Those of you who support book bans are a danger to our community.

Sharon Petersen

1 Moore, Tania
From: Levin, Shannon
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:52 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Book Banning and proposed committee

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Darcy Alsop <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:50 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Book Banning and proposed commiƩee

HunƟngton Beach City Council Members,

Once again, you will meet to discuss banning books and taking control over our public library, as well as establishment of
a censorship commiƩee.

Burns, Strickland, and McKeon, led by the illustrious Gracey Van Der Mark in her ridiculous homophobic, transphobic and bigoted crusade to eliminate any reading material she and her supporters, deem “sexual” or inappropriate, have done NOTHING to actually resolve current issues that pertain to the well‐being of the ciƟzens and residents of HunƟngton Beach.

The four of you led your campaign with lies and empty promises, instead making radical shiŌs in policies and charters that DO NOT reﬂect the opinions and aƫtudes of the vast majority of the people of HunƟngton Beach.

As a homeowner of 27 years, and BUSINESS OWNER for seven years in this city, I am truly disgusted and outraged by the ongoing aƩempts to create a city where exclusion and bigotry are rampant.

I am vehemently opposed to
these irraƟonal decisions and their detrimental eﬀect to a free society.

BOOK BANNING IS WHAT NAZIS DID.

“T oday , some of the books that shaped my life and the lives of so many others — are being challenged by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspecƟves. And
librarians are on the front lines, ﬁghƟng every day to make the wides possible range of viewpoints, opinions, and ideas available to everyone.” President Barack Obama

“Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won’t have as much censorship because we won’t have as much fear.” Judy Blume, renowned children’s book author .

“Censorship is telling a man he can’t have steak just because a baby can’t chew it.” Mark Twain

City Council, you all have been elected into posiƟons to represent ALL the consƟtuents, not the few who share
anƟquated beliefs regarding progress and educaƟon.

2 DO NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS NONSENSE.

Sincerely,

Darcy Alsop

1 Moore, Tania
From: MARGARET WATERS <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:52 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Item#20
I strongly oppose any interference by city council in the choice of books for our library. City council needs to keep busy with City business not reading children’s books.If that is the level of pro tem & aƩorney’s reading ability Ɵme to let both of them go. Our librarians are well qualiﬁed in choosing subject maƩer for our libraries & I prefer to make my choice of literature.

1 Moore, Tania
From: Barbara Marrs <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:52 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Agenda Item #20, Res.#2023-41
Sent from Mail for Windows

Members of the City Council and City Attorney:

I am strongly opposed to Agenda Item #20, Res. #2023‐41 because it is gross government overreach and diminishes the rights of citizens to make choices for themselves and their families based upon their own values. There is already a procedure in place that is available to all citizens of Huntington Beach for books they may deem inappropriate to be reviewed, moved to another section of the library, or removed entirely. Mayor Pro Tem Van Der Mark has successfully used this process herself, so she knows that this proposed book ban (and that it is what it is) is unnecessary and violates our rights as citizens of the United States of America.

Please review the Constitution of the United States to clearly understand what it means to be citizens in a democracy so you can avoid making decisions that violate our rights and freedoms.

I am surprised that the City Attorney didn’t dissuade MPT Van Der Mark from submitting this agenda item because I can easily see how it will foster numerous lawsuits against the city. For example, what criteria will be used in selecting the 21 members of this book review committee? What qualifications must they have? Will they be members of the same church? Different churches? Will agnostics be represented? Will the committee reflect the diversity in our population, including race, ethnicity, sexual preference? In other words, a committee that is less than 1% of the population simply cannot decide what the populations at large wants to read, especially if the committee members are biased.

I plead with you to leave our librarians alone to curate the book collections for our libraries. They are professionals and they attempt to provide materials for the communities they serve. Of course there will be some materials that people
may object to, just as there are TV shows, movies, podcasts, etc. that some find objectionable, but WE have the right to choose to view them or not. The bottom line is that it is up to parents, grandparents, and guardians to review what their children and young people are reading. A committee of questionable makeup is not necessary nor is it wanted.

Please do the right thing. Get us off the slippery slope of book banning.

Thank you for your consideration,

Barbara L. Marrs

1 Moore, Tania
From: Donald Miller <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:53 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Stop the Book Ban and the Propaganda
Dear Council,

Once again I am morƟﬁed with the inepƟtude and government overreach of this council. Parents have all the controls and protecƟons they need already with the current library system.

I refuse to stay silent as an astro‐turfed populist council with a naƟonal agenda swoop in and let a woman with no
educaƟon, no children in our schools, a record of anƟ‐semiƟsm and prejudiced extremism who had a restraining order on her for her out of control behavior dictate how residents of HB raise and educate their children.

Ms. Van Der Mark believes the Proud Boys, labeled a domesƟc terrorist organizaƟon, who count misogyny, violence, anƟ‐ democracƟc bullying and domesƟc terrorism as their weapons of choice, should be a role model to her own children.

Why would any HunƟngton Beach resident let her set up a cabal of radical extremists to make decisions about OUR CHILDREN, OUR LIBRARY , and OUR BOOKS!

She has the freedom to raise her children however she deems necessary. She does not have the right to TAKE OUR FREEDOMS with some naƟonal agenda to make folks paranoid about sexuality and children.

We all see what you are doing…injec Ɵng fear, disgust and worry about problems that do not exist.

Banning books has never worked. Banning books is always on the wrong side of history. This is the Salem Witch trials looking for “evil do’ers” who simply do not exist. We have a system that works. Stop creaƟng boogieman to ﬁre up your base while lying to ciƟzens.

DO YOUR JOB! Stop fueling culture wars. We have real problems to solve!

Sincerely,
Don Miller

1 Moore, Tania
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:54 AM
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Cc: Jody Kyle
Subject: City Council Meeting 10/17/23 - Voter ID and Book Bans Dear City Council Members,

I am a 25 year Huntington Beach resident.

Voter ID charter amendment
I am writing to oppose proposed the Voter ID charter amendment. The Orange County Registrar of Voters conducts free, fair, secure, and safe elections. Proposing to require Voter ID in Huntington Beach elections and thereby run our own elections is costly and rife with opportunities for fraud, voter suppression, and other irregularities.

HB Library Book Ban -- Resolution 2023-41
I also write to oppose Resolution 2023-41, the Huntington Beach Library Book Ban. Once again the city council majority it try to break something that is already fixed. The Huntington Beach library already employs the highest and most professional standards when selecting age-appropriate books.

I doubt the city council majority or their proposed review board can do the same.

Council Member Var Der Mark has insisted that the resolution is not a book ban yet section 2C of the resolution states that the community parent/guardian review board can reject any book the HB library is considering adopting. By definition-rejecting a book is a book ban.

Resolution 2023-41 is government over reach by the HB city council majority. It infringes on parental rights and the rights of all HB residents. Families — not political fanatics — have the freedom to decide what’s right for them.

This resolution is a thinly veiled attempt to ban books on gender identity, gays, and trans people. Gay people read books about heterosexuals and it does make the straight. Reading books about gayness or transsexuals is not going to make children gay or trans. What the book ban will do is ban books on safe sex, STDs, teen pregnancy, contraceptives, date rape, and sexual assault.

Restricting books containing sexual content to people over 21 years old is ridiculous. Most adults are sexually active well before 21. What the book ban will do is allow wildly inaccurate information on sexuality and identity on the internet to flourish unchecked.

The proposed "community parent/guardian review board" is fraught with problems. It essentially allows 11 people (a majority) to ban books and set community norms with no oversight and no appeal. The actual composition of the review board is also an issue. There are absolutely no personal or professional standards set for this board and no requirement that all members actually read the books they propose to ban.

Yours,
Mary Kyle
2 1
Moore, Tania
From: meobrien <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:54 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: STOP Book ban
This communicaƟon is to oppose any book ban or any interference with the library doing their job. The government should not be involved! Overreach!!
Respecƞully,
Margaret OBrien
50 year HB resident.

1 Moore, Tania
From: Juana Mueller <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:56 AM
To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: Fwd: Today's Council agenda
My computer said this didn’t send?? Juana.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Juana Mueller <[email protected]>
Subject: Today's Council agenda
Date: October 17, 2023 at 8:49:10 AM PDT
To: [email protected], [email protected]

Dear Huntington Beach City council,

PLEASE, PLEASE, . . . NO to a special election to amend our City Charter. PLEASE SAVE THAT MONEY!!

NO to voter ID requirement.

NO on any interference
with Library book choices. NO book banning!!

Respectfully,
Juana Mueller.

1 Moore, Tania
From: Richard Colodny <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:56 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: From a 22 year HB resident and homeowner
Council members,

I have a job which requires me to work in TusƟn unƟl 5:00 PM, so I doubt I would be able to get to tonight’s meeƟng in Ɵme to speak ahead of all the outside agitators.

I am very much against the proposed voƟng
changes. If there is any credible evidence of voter fraud, then make a case and have it prosecuted. In the absence of any exisƟng problem, this is really just voter inƟmidaƟon and it puts the city at risk of lawsuits for civil rights violaƟons. The city would lose, and it would cost us more money. The county and state systems already in place are working.

I am also very much against the proposed library censorship system. We have librarians who are trained in these tasks and are paid to do them. It seems that the council wants to take over the duƟes of parents.

I also ﬁnd it disturbing that some proposed amendments, such as which ﬂags are ﬂown, call for unanimous votes of the council. I think this is un‐democraƟc because it allows a single dissenƟng vote to dictate policy.

Respecƞully submiƩed,

Richard Colodny

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:56 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41
Dear Supplemental Communications,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023‐41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you, Christina Skoski MD Sincerely,
Dr. Christina Skoski
[email protected]
20122 Mckinley ln Huntingtn Beach, CA 92646
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected] 1 Moore, Tania
From: Bev Sansone <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:56 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: City council meeting tonight
I am a long‐term resident of HunƟngton Beach (moved here in 1996). I am very unhappy with the city council’s plan to form a commiƩee to review books for the library. There are academically‐trained people who do that for a living and they are called librarians.

Beverly Sansone
201 20th St
HunƟngton Beach, CA

1 Moore, Tania
From: Anne Gollay <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:58 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Oppose Agenda Item 20
Dear Council Members,

I strongly urge you to vote no on Agenda Item 20, the resoluƟon to create a review board to oversee the contents of the public library. This is government overreach. It is completely unnecessary, as we have a staﬀ of highly qualiﬁed librarians, and a process
in place to accomplish the same goals. There is no intent by anyone at the library to sexualize our children. Do not impose your personal beliefs on the public.

Respecƞully,
Anne Gollay

1 Moore, Tania
From: Susan Matthewson <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:59 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Book Bans
Our librarians are much more qualiﬁed than sone of our less than accomplished or qualiﬁed city council members to supervise the acquisiƟon and retenƟon of books in the library. Four city council member shoukd take note of the vote in Poland recently when 73% of Polish voters turned out to vote out an authoritarian, dictatorial regime that created nothing but dissension and dispute and accomplished liƩle worthwhile. There are 4 city council members that need to take note. Voters are watching your acƟons.

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Valerie Larsen <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:59 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Huntington Beach Public Library Review Committee Hello. My name is Valerie, and I’m a high school student in Los Angeles. I am wriƟng to share my opinion and express my disappointment in the so‐called “review commiƩee” that is evaluaƟng books within the library.

By removing books from the library, you are insulƟng the credibility of librarians as well as promoƟng censorship and taking away student’s freedom to read and learn. Censorship is never a good thing, and only ever leads to a generaƟon of narrow minded, uneducated people. Furthermore, the people on this commiƩee have, to my knowledge, no qualiﬁcaƟons to be doing so.

I hope you reﬂect on what you are doing and come to the realizaƟon that you are aƩempƟng to taking away people’s rights and decrease freedom within this country.

1 Moore, Tania
From: Levin, Shannon
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 9:00 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:56 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you, Christina Skoski MD Sincerely,
Dr. Christina Skoski
[email protected]
20122 Mckinley ln Huntingtn Beach, CA 92646
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1 Moore, Tania
From: Levin, Shannon
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 9:00 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: City council meeting tonight

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Bev Sansone <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:56 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: City council meeƟng tonight

I am a long‐term resident of HunƟngton Beach (moved here in 1996). I am very unhappy with the city council’s plan to
form a commiƩee to review books for the library. There are academically‐trained people who do that for a living and they are called librarians.

Beverly Sansone
201 20th St
HunƟngton Beach, CA

1 Moore, Tania
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 9:00 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41
Dear Supplemental Communications,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023‐41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you, Sincerely,
Brandi Martinez
[email protected]
7805 Seaglen Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Constituent
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected] 1 Moore, Tania
From: Levin, Shannon
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 9:01 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Book Banning

From: Jeff & Sue LeBoff <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:52 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Book Banning

Did I read correctly? You are proposing to eliminate all books from the children’s section of the library that have “any” sexual content? My view of conservative government is one that is less intrusive and believes in personal responsibility.

I would interpret sexual content as including mention of gender. So, any book that has the words “boy” or “girl” is out. I guess having only gender-neutral books in the library would make some people happy. That would also leave out the Old Testament. A lot of “begetting” going on in it.

I have lived in Huntington Beach for over 50 years and successfully raised my children here. My grandson is growing up here and visits the library often. I am not aware of any problems concerning sexual content in children’s books.

In my opinion, this obsession with sexual content in children’s books is a product of sick and deviant thinking.

Jeff LeBoff

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:39 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Agenda Item 20 - Resolution 2023-41

From: Elaine Parker <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:00 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Agenda Item 20 ‐ Resolution 2023‐41

However, it is difficult to defend this resolution when the City Council refuses to name the books they think are inappropriate for children and teens. Why not yet they are determined to pass a resolution regarding books they deem unsuitable for children and teens.

No matter how the Council wants to paint this picture - it would result in a “book ban”. The Council believes that parents are obviously not capable of monitoring or controlling what books their children or teens are reading. But a committee can decide which books children and teens can read. Heck, half of the committee will be made up of parents the Council is saying are not capable of monitoring what their children and teens are reading. How would this committee work? Will they ignore the librarians' suggestions? This makes absolutely no sense at all.

All published books are reviewed by the publishers' legal team to determine whether or not the books contain pornography or obscene material that is not suitable for children or teens. This they must do in accordance with the law.

The Council cannot use the word LBGTQ+ in any books they want to ban from children and teens. The city of Huntington Beach will be sued if LBGTQ+ is used in describing books the Council deems unworthy to be in our library. So they came up with “sexual content”. How does one define sexual content - it can be from a kiss to physical intercourse? Attempting to define sexual content is a slippery slope that I don’t believe the city wants to take on.

If the council decides on passing this resolution, how will they prevent teens from looking up these books if the teens are by themselves in the library? Would all these books be in a separate place in the library behind locked cabinets? Where would the money come from to modify the library and all its branches to make sure teens do not get to see said books? The Central Library needs a major makeover anyway and it has been put on the “back burner” because of money. Adding a locked section would add to the costs tremendously. Would there be monitors to check to see that the teen is not entering the restricted zone? Does this mean teens can only check out children’s books?

The council wants to “protect the children” but what they will do is to destroy the library for the teens of our community. Our teens should be able to come to the library, where it is a safe place, to read and do research on subjects that are of interest to them. Certain subjects are important to teens who are experiencing growing up and the pains that go with it. Perhaps the council would prefer to have them get all the information from the Internet where there is no restraint on what they can see and no checking to see if any of it is correct. 2 This resolution is tragic but most tragic for our children and teens.

I oppose this resolution

Elaine MacLeod Parker
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:39 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Book ban

From: ROSE SAYLIN <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:04 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Re: Book ban

I strongly object to the city council controlling our outstanding library and not trusting our dedicated librarians.

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 16, 2023, at 4:10 PM, ROSE SAYLIN <[email protected]> wrote:

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: ROSE SAYLIN <[email protected]>
Date: October 16, 2023 at 8:10:37 AM PDT
To: [email protected]
Subject: Book ban
PLEASE let parents choose their children’s books—not the city council.

Rose Saylin
Huntington Beach

Sent from my iPhone
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:39 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Inappropriate books

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: JANICE HOPKINS <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:09 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Inappropriate books

I support the ﬁght to keep inappropriate books of sexual content out of our libraries and schools.

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:40 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Item #20 Library book recataloging policy

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Catherine Schwartz <catherineyeeschwartz.mŌ@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:15 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Item #20 Library book recataloging policy

HB City Council,

As HB residents and tax‐payers, we are in objecƟon to establishing a policy for review and recataloging of books
containing sexual content. A special group/commiƩee is creaƟng censorship and puƫng your personal bias onto city residents.

We have Librarians and parents of children ‐ they are enough to manage the books.

Catherine and Steve Schwartz
722 Sandglass Dr .

HunƟngton Beach, CA. 92648
714.317.7832

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:40 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:18 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Huntington Beach requirements for a entry level librarian is a MASTERS degree from an accredited college or university. How many people from the ad-hoc commitee that is appointed by the mayor; 1. use the HBPL 2. have a MASTERS degree in libray science Thank you, lynn smith Sincerely,
Mrs. lynn smith
[email protected]
15251 cascade lane huntington beach, CA 92647
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:40 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Book Banning

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: onewildart <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:24 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Book Banning

> Quoteth G. Vandermark…”I started ﬁghƟng this seven years ago," she said. "But once again, the state of California unfortunately doesn't listen to parents
a whole lot and now that I'm in a posiƟon where I can do something to protect children, I ﬁgure this is the Ɵme to step up."
>
> So she is stepping up by trying to ban books! I would like to know how she plans to carry this out….who has the ﬁnal say on what is obscene, racist, and homophobic. Her or a librarian? What are they looking for in inclusion vs exclusion? I’d like to see it.
>
> Censorship denies our freedom as individuals to choose and think for ourselves. For children, decisions about what books to read should be made by the people who know them best—their parent, not a city council whose role this isn’t! >
> First you want to require ID’s to vote! I suggest you require IQ’s to be on the City Council! >
>
> Sent from my iPad

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:41 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:27 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of California, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staffs. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you,
Sincerely,
Ms. Stephanie Stickley
[email protected]
2440 S Barrington Ave #108 Los Angeles, CA 90064
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:41 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Opposed to Agenda Item #20 - Book Bans/Committee

From: Belindajon <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:33 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Opposed to Agenda Item #20 ‐ Book Bans/Committee

To : The Huntington Beach City Council Members

Book bans or books through selection, which is what the city council is suggesting, violate fundamental principles of intellectual freedom and impede access to diverse perspectives. Limiting information restricts the community's ability to engage critically with varying ideas and hinders intellectual growth. An individual seeking knowledge should be able to find that knowledge at the public library and that information should not be held hostage or kept behind a gate as selected by a committee.

The city librarians are knowledgeable and perfectly capable of making informed decisions regarding the placement of books and do not need to be micromanaged with the made up mantra of "protecting our children". Teachers and librarians work hand in hand to help educate and keep our children well read and making informed, age appropriate decisions regarding books.

If parents are unhappy with the books their children are checking out of the library or have access to, they can work at being a better, more present parent for their own children by accompanying their child to the library and supervising the books their child is looking at. It is not appropriate nor should one parent make a blanket decision for other parents regarding books. It is an individual decision between a parent and their children. There is no room for other parents, hysterical parents, paranoid parents, uneducated parents or parents who simply are not well read, ignore facts and do not understand that some children are capable of understanding and grasping more mature themes.

If politicians are unhappy with the books in the library, I would suggest they stay in their own lane and get back to managing the city, as is in their job description.

Well read in Huntington Beach.

Belinda Shepherd

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:41 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Library books!

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: ERIN DOLLING <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:45 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Library books!

These should be pulled from the shelves immediately!!! the fact that a kid could walk in and pick this up is absolutely disgraceful, disgusƟng
& ABUSIVE!!
these belong only in a porn shop where you have to show ID and BE AN ADULT to be able to even hold these books in your hands. Children and grandparents and everyone in between go to libraries. This is absolutely unacceptable.

SICK TWISTED & WRONG!!

Sent from
my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:41 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Tax Payer Waste of Funds: STOP BOOK BANNING & Frivolous Voting ID Requirements

From: Cathy Engle <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 5:46 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Tax Payer Waste of Funds: STOP BOOK BANNING & Frivolous Voting ID Requirements

Dear City Council,

I am a long-time Huntington Beach resident, and I'm disturbed by the proposals that will be presented during the 10/17 meeting.

Why is the City Council getting involved in these made-up issues? Banning books and unnecessary voter ID validation will have the state suing our city and cost us thousands of dollars! This is a WASTE of taxpayer dollars.

Parents can make these choices and read materials prior to having their children check out books. We don't need the government to interfere with family decisions.

I personally trust professional librarians to make book choices and my ability to review a book for a child over the government interfering with my decisions.

Please stop wasting taxpayer dollars on frivolous proposals and address the real issues of our city, for example, the housing crisis.

Thanks for your time,
Cathy Engle
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:42 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Absolutely NO to library censorship

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Ameelia Ghareeb <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 6:10 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Absolutely NO to library censorship

Dear members of our City Council,

I am wriƟng to express that I am absolutely against any move to censor, limit, or ban books from our Public Library. I am
a middle school English teacher, a credenƟaled Librarian, and someone who votes in each and every single elecƟon. This plan to give a community oversight commiƩee the power to block library purchases is just a diﬀerent ﬂavor of book banning.

I do not want another person deciding what my kids can and cannot read. That’s my job.

We visit the public library weekly, and I am conﬁdent the claim that library materials are sexualizing children is false.

Books simply don’t funcƟon that way. Please sƟ
ck to an agenda of small government and leave our library system alone.

Sincerely,
Ameelia Ghareeb, resident in 92649

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:42 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 6:21 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you,
Sincerely,
Dina S Chavez
[email protected]
16612 Cooper Lane Huntington Beach, CA, CA 92647
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:42 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Resolution 2023-41

From: Kelly palfreyman troutman <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 6:33 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Resolution 2023‐41

Good Evening HB City Council Members,

I have been a HBPL patron for more than 14 years now. I have 4 children ranging in ages from 3 to 13 and was at the Central library just this afternoon with 3 of my 4 children. I volunteer with the FOTCL organization and have interacted with staff and library volunteers for over a decade now. I have never checked out material that was not appropriate for my children, and am always so impressed with the selection available at our public library.

I do not understand why you are bothering with this matter. There have been 5 book challenges in 5 years and zero this year. There is no need for the intervention being suggested. If parents do not want their children checking out certain books, they shouldn't let them, and if their child does check out a book their parent has a problem with, the parent and child should have a conversation about it. There is no need for a committee of parents appointed by the City Council to review books. That is the job of our librarians. If people do not want to read certain books, no one at the library is going to make them. The fact that so much time has already been dedicated to a non-issue in our community is absurd. Please stop making villains out of our librarians and stop messing with a system that is functioning perfectly fine.

It is my urgent plea and hope that you all will get back to work and vote NOT to adopt Resolution 2023-41.

Thank you!
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:43 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: In Opposition to Resolution No. 2023-41

From: Fran Delaney‐Barron <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 6:49 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: In Opposition to Resolution No. 2023‐41

City Council Members,

I am a resident of Huntington Beach and have lived at my residence for 33 years. I stand in strong opposition to Resolution No. 2023 -41. I have been an educator for 27 years and understand the specifics of book selection for all ages of children. The librarians in our city are educated in library science and understand the importance of an appropriate selection of books for each age level and reading ability. Selection of books for small children should be and has always been something that occurs when an adult is present and it is the responsibility of the parent to approve or disapprove the book selection at that time FOR THEIR CHILD, not for every child in the community.

I was shocked to see that this resolution suggests that a committee of community members should make decisions for book purchases and placement in the library yet makes no specifications on what qualifies these persons to make such decisions. Should they not be educated to a certain level, and have an understanding of reading instruction and library science, or have an understanding of children's psychology? Should they not be screened to make sure they do not represent any extremist groups, including religious and political extremists? If such a committee is put in place, certainly the librarians in the city should be voting members of the committee as well, since most likely they will be the only truly qualified people in the room to make such decisions and can share their wisdom with the other voting members. Without these safeguards in place, our City Council looks to be dominated by extremists themselves, who instead wish to only take advantage of their right-leaning majority rather than examine what facts suggest is best for society.

Do not approve this resolution as it is unnecessary and takes away the power of each parent in the city to make appropriate decisions for their child rather than overstepping your roles as city council members and infringing on the rights of the community if favor or your unsubstantiated opinions.

--
Fran Delaney-Barron
Resident

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:43 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: In opposition to Resolution No. 2023-41

From: Bruce Barron <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 6:51 PM
To: McKeon, Casey <Casey.McKeon@surfcity‐hb.org>; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org>; Strickland, Tony <Tony.Strickland@surfcity‐hb.org>; Kalmick, Dan <Dan.Kalmick@surfcity‐hb.org>; Moser, Natalie <Natalie.Moser@surfcity‐hb.org>; Bolton, Rhonda <Rhonda.Bolton@surfcity‐hb.org>; Burns, Pat <Pat.Burns@surfcity‐ hb.org>; Van Der Mark, Gracey <Gracey.VanDerMark@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: In opposition to Resolution No. 2023‐41

City Council Members,

I am a resident of Huntington Beach and have lived at my residence for 33 years. I stand in strong opposition to Resolution No. 2023 -41. The librarians in our city are educated in library science and understand the importance of an appropriate selection of books for each age level and reading ability. Selection of books for small children should be and has always been something that occurs when an adult is present and it is the responsibility of the parent to approve or disapprove the book selection at that time FOR THEIR CHILD, not for every child in the community.

Do not approve this resolution as it is unnecessary and takes away the power of each parent in the city to make appropriate decisions for their child.

Thank you,
Bruce Barron
Resident
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:43 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: In support of Mayor Pro Tem Van der Mark's #20

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Jo Dee Preston <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 6:55 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: In support of Mayor Pro Tem Van der Mark's #20

Dear Council Members:

As a mother, grandmother, reƟred teacher, and HB resident since 1981, I am wriƟng to support Item# 20 regarding
"establishing policy for the review and re‐ cataloging of library material containing sexual content."

No books are being burned or banned; simply keep them out of children's hands and eyes and ears unƟl they are no longer children. Childhood is very short, let us preserve those precious moments. Maturity is slow to be aƩained, let us respect and nurture age appropriate informaƟon.

I have witnessed that some of these books are so inappropriate that when they have been read by or aƩempted to be read by some parents at school board meeƟngs and council meeƟngs, that mikes have been turned oﬀ! If something is too obscene for adults, then it should be obvious to all that it is inappropriate for children.

Sincerely and Respecƞully,

Jo Dee Preston

‐‐
"...let us run with perseverance the race
marked out for us. Let us ﬁx our eyes on Jesus..." Hebrews 12:1b‐2a

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:44 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:12 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you,
Sincerely,
Ms. Alison Mae Schulman
[email protected]
808 11th Street Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Constituent
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:44 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Resolution item 2023 - 41

From: Tai Bercher <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:12 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Resolution item 2023 ‐ 41

Messaging to voice my concerns about an agenda item that's been brought to my attention, Resolution No. 2023-41, which concerns the books in the public libraries in our city.

I have been going to the libraries in Huntington Beach since I was a child and still frequent them today and I have not once had an issue with any of the so-called "problems" this resolution aims to address. Neither did my parents, my siblings, my friends, my classmates, or anyone else I knew. I am not concerned whether or not the books in our libraries meet "community standards" because I'm a member of this community and I know for a fact that they do, and I'm uncertain how a so-called "review board" that will try to control what our community has access to is supposed to be a good idea.

I know that "book bans" are a hot button topic across the country right now but please, don't bring these outside political agendas into our city. It's not a reflection of who we should be, or what we should be supporting.

Thank you.
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:44 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Library Books

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: William Ames <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:22 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Library Books

Thank you for ﬁghƟng the good ﬁght.

Video was insighƞul.

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:45 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: 10/17/23 meeting (items #19 and #20)

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: JAMES PRESTON <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:30 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Cc: James Preston <[email protected]>
Subject: 10/17/23 meeƟng (items #19 and #20)

Dear City Council,

As a 50 year resident of HunƟngton Beach, I am disturbed by the direcƟon the majority of the council is pursuing.

Agenda item #19 seems ﬁscally irresponsible—pushing the Charter amendments to the March primary rather than the November general elecƟon presents unnecessary costs. If they were approved, they wouldn’t take eﬀect unƟl 2026—so what’s the rush to judgment for?

The restricƟve ﬂag measure just seems mean‐spirited and designed to prevent tolerant behavior or sow discord (unanimous? really? a unanimous vote?). Do YOU need a unanimous vote to pass YOUR resoluƟons?

Agenda item #20 is a conƟnuing aƩack on the library and learning. There is already a review process. The unnecessary
and ill‐considered resoluƟon ignores the library professionals in favor of installing unenlightened, non‐professionals.

Again there is already a review policy.

Lately the majority of the council seems set on making HunƟngton Beach less welcoming, less tolerant, less kind. That is unacceptable! As a voter, I do not approve of these measures.

Sincerely,
Nancy Preston

Sent from my iPad

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:47 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Book bans

From: Lea Inouye <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:35 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Book bans

As a parent, I am very opposed to you guys telling me what my kids or grandkids should be reading. That decision is up to me and my husband and not you.

Banning books is just big government gone nuts. Big government tells people what to do and how to live and how to raise our kids. I believe in freedom to choose, small government, and total parents rights to choose what is best for our family. You guys do not represent those values and will never get my vote again.

I trust the librarians way more than you.

Lea
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:47 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Parents voice in books our children read

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Myra Sonnenberg <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:38 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Parents voice in books our children read

Parents know their children best and should ALWAYS have a say in what their children are reading. Parent involvement is crucial to our future generaƟon.

All books are available for parents to check out for their kids if they want to .

Books with sexual content need to be age appropriate, and parents need to be highly valued in their input as to what age is appropriate for reading content.

Concerned parent,
Myra Sonnenberg, HB resident with children

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:47 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: City Council Meeting, Tuesday 10/17/23

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Domnic McGee <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:41 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: City Council MeeƟng, Tuesday 10/17/23

Honorable members of the City Council,
I am wriƟng to you in support of the following agenda items.

Agenda number
19‐There is no reason on Earth why anyone who is eligible to vote would not be able to obtain a legiƟmate form of idenƟﬁcaƟon. The asserƟon that people of minority groups ﬁnd it diﬃcult is insulƟng to all minoriƟes and is nothing more than the soŌ bigotry of low expectaƟons.

As an immigrant to this great naƟon, I believe that Old Glory, the state ﬂag, the city ﬂag and the POW ﬂag should be the only ﬂags ﬂown on city property. The Stars and Stripes itself is really the ulƟmate uniﬁer and expresses our naƟon’s ethic of E Pluribus Unum.

The noƟon that sexual proclivity ﬂags be hoisted on city property is both insulƟng and bizarre. Our country was founded on the Ɵmeless ethos of Judeo‐ChrisƟan morality. To switch course onto the track of a dangerous and deviant sexual zeitgeist, designed to denigrate the very fabric of our culture is really not acceptable.

This brings me on to the next topic, agenda number 20. It is our moral responsibility tp ensure our youngest, most vulnerable members of society are not exposed to, what most of the consƟtuents of HunƟngton Beach believe to be, pornography. Banning books is not acceptable, but subjecƟng children to books designed to normalize and promote sexual deviance is equally unacceptable. Even though many of these explicit books are produced for children speciﬁcally, there should be measures in place to protect our community’s children from sexually explicit and deviant material.

To close, I’d like to state my support for agenda item number 21. What Hamas did to the peaceful border communiƟes of Israel earlier this month was absolutely sickening and disturbing in the extreme.

There are many individuals, poliƟcians, groups, organizaƟons and poliƟcal causes in Orange County that are linked to Hamas and are in support of the “PalesƟnian” cause. Even the word PalesƟne has its roots in anƟsemiƟsm.

Not only do I believe that a resoluƟon in favor of our community’s support for Israel is noble and indeed brave, but I think that each of our council members should sign the declaraƟon to denounce those poliƟcally aligned to such groups as CAIR, who, as an organizaƟon, were unindicted co‐conspirators of Hamas in the Holy Land FoundaƟon for Relief and Development case.

Puƫng the charter amendments up for a vote will cost money, but it pales in signiﬁcance to the bounty that the city aƩorney’s oﬃce has won for the people of HunƟngton Beach. I believe it will be money well spent.

Sincerely,

Domnic McGee

Memento Mori

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:48 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Opposition to resolution

From: Ellen Garibaldi <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:48 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Opposition to resolution

Good evening,

I am a HB resident of 26 years and I’ve never been this civically engaged in local politics as I have been in the last year due to the number of upsetting proposals made by this city council.

I am opposed to resolution 2023-41. I do not want a review board for library books. Please let librarians do their jobs and let families decides for their own families what books to check out. As a patron of the library, I oppose the idea of a review board deciding what books I’m allowed to check out. Please listen to your constituents and these emails you receive opposing this. This resolution is not a labor of love; this is akin to censorship and taking away the choice of families to decide for themselves.

I am also opposed, as I have started in previous emails, to the proposed changes to the city charter.

Please do not make it more arduous for citizens to vote in this city.

I pray that these emails do not fall on deaf ears and that you listen to your constituents.

Thank you,
Ellen Garibaldi
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:48 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Huntington Beach Council and their Charter Amendments - here is my take...

From: Tina Ziemann <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 7:50 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org>; [email protected] Subject: Huntington Beach Council and their Charter Amendments ‐ here is my take...

I have been watching the council aka counter productive sh** shows online for weeks at night. I know of the crazy issues and agendas being pushed by some conservative members. Books, library, no flying LGBTQ flags on government buildings, pronoun language proclamations, voter ID and special charter elections. This is insane, but no one seems to be able to stop these council members. They steam roll everything even when people are coming out in and speaking in protest. It seems so frustrating and no one has an answer. They don't listen. We have been watching for weeks. Books in a public library contain sexuality, gay and lesbian language because society has gay and lesbians in it and believe it or not, people have sex and have been writing about for years...remember Harlequin romances? Why aren't they targeted? They are in the public library. Parents come to libraries and help their children pick age appropriate books, or at least they should. We don't live a nanny state. In Europe these book and library issues are non existent. Europeans celebrate Gay Day every year and no one attempts to marginalize them and pretend they don't exist. The idea of voter has been proven to be a farse. I have been voting absentee ballot for year and faithfully watch my ballot be counted through the OC Voter email notification. All of this is simply a waste of taxpayer dollars. We have more important issues such a public safety that is constantly in jeopardy. If I could do something to change and inform, I am happy to help, but these guys don't care. Seriously they don't represent anyone but themselves. The only option I see is if they can't and won't listen to what HB residents are saying, then have a recall vote and vote them out. I am a concerned resident of HB for over 30 years, a business owner and home owner. I have never written an email like this in the past and would like to see these issues dismissed permanently.

Sincerely Tina Ziemann.
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:48 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: HBCC Vote on Item #20

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Carey Thornton <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 8:06 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: HBCC Vote on Item #20

To whom it may concern,

I am wriƟng to you about the vote taking place at tomorrow night’s HBCC meeƟng.

Item #20 “Establishing a policy for the
review and recataloging of library materials containing sexual content” should be voted down. I absolutely DO NOT agree that any one person or group should be deciding what materials are available in the PUBLIC LIBRARY for all HunƟngton Beach residents. If someone does not agree with the content in a book, then they should not check it out or allow their child to check it out. But that is a decision for each parent to make for their child or for each adult to make for themselves. I implore you to vote against any items that would remove or “recatalogue” books for this reason. These groups claim to be advocaƟng for parents’ rights but they are infringing on my right as a parent to decide what my child reads.

Thank you,
Carey Thornton
HB Resident

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:48 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 8:13 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you,
Sincerely,
Ms. Christina Guerin
[email protected]
20822 Spindrift Ln HUNTINGTN BCH, CA 92646
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:49 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Book Ban Resolution

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Marja Selna <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 8:20 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Book Ban ResoluƟon

Dear Council Members:

I am wriƟng in opposiƟon to the proposed resoluƟon to ban certain books from the HunƟngton Beach Libraries because
of mild references to sexual images. Many of these books are classics; we adults have read them in school & have in no way been scarred. It is the job of librarians to choose & catalogue books & to be familiar with content so as to advise their patrons. It is NOT the job of a select group of community members to tell teachers and parents what their students should read! Let the teachers & parents guide their students/children through quesƟonable passages. There are classics like “T o Kill a Mockingbird” that I enjoy reading every few years— I don’t want my favorites removed from the library by a self‐appointed group whose reading selecƟons may be diﬀerent from my own. HunƟngton Beach is an educated community. We can decide what to read and what our children read.

Our family will applaud you for rejecƟng this resoluƟon. Don’t strip parents and teachers of valuable opportuniƟes to explain certain facets of life as presented in literary form.

Sincerely,
The Selna Family, residents of HB for 50+ years Michael, Marja, Blake, Kevin & Andrew & their families

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:50 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Resolution 2023-41

From: Bob Mccann <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 8:33 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Resolution 2023‐41

City Council Members,

I am a 25-year resident of Huntington Beach. I am in total disagreement with the proposed changes in Resolution: 2023-41! It is unnecessary and poorly structured. Your attempts to micromanage the library system will be costly to implement and frankly are a disservice to the community. The library system is functional and serves the community well. Please do not impose your own personal values and beliefs on the public library system.

I’m very concerned that a few of you believe you know what is best for all children. Your attempt to “restrict” access to classic works of literature is an attempt to narrow the education of children. You appear to want to keep them in a bubble but there is always the Internet and reality!

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:51 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Library books

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Joan Wood <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 8:36 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Library books

Dear Council members,
Please leave our libraries and library books alone! It’s not your bailiwick. There are safeguards in place. If you want a library
that is reﬂecƟve of our community, then allow librarians to curate books and let parents make their own choices.

Realize that a review board will not be producƟve with so many diﬀering opinions.

Lastly, the charter amendments proposed by the majority are unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money.

Thank you,
Joan Wood

Sent from my iPad

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:51 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 8:42 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Long Beach, a libertarian and a librarian, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. Libraries do not act “in loco parentis.” We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you, Leslie Andersen Sincerely,
Leslie Andersen
[email protected]
3728 Gondar avenue Long Beach, CA 90808
Prepared by OneClickPolitics (tm) at www.oneclickpolitics.com. OneClickPolitics provides online communications tools for supporters of a cause, issue, organization or association to contact their elected officials. For more information regarding our policies and services, please contact [email protected]
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:51 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Vote against #20

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Brenda McDonough <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 8:51 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Vote against #20

Hello,

Please vote against item #20.

Thank you,

Brenda McDonough
17962 ScoƟa Circle
HunƟngton Beach, CA 92647

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:51 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Book Banning...

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Roger <[email protected] .com>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 9:07 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Book Banning...

Last I looked, parents and legal guardians are responsible for the exposure to the real world to which their minor wards are allowed. It makes sense
to have material categorized and located on "age appropriate" shelves with a permission process in place to allow access by a minor below the approved threshold age with their parent's or legal guardian's wriƩen permission.

But at no Ɵme should any individual, group or governing body decide what is appropriate reading or examinaƟon by anyone else's minor child, or adult for that maƩer, by banning books from a publicly funded library. That is an overt denial of individual parental rights and very likely an un‐ConsƟtuƟonal imposiƟon on the rights of adults as well.

Roger Miller
92646

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:52 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Charter Amendments and Book Banning Resolution

From: Deborah Addy <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 9:08 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Charter Amendments and Book Banning Resolution

Dear Huntington Beach City Council,
I am a long time resident and property owner in Huntington Beach. I would like to state my opposition to the rush to get the three Charter Amendments on the ballot March of 2024. There is no reason to spend additional money to push these amendments forward when they can be put on the November 2024 ballot. The only reason I can see that anyone wants this pushed ahead is that there is a measure that creates voter intimidation, and this is a way to disrupt the 2024 November election. The Voter ID Requirement measure is not only voter intimidation, it will also impact Huntington Beach financially in lawsuits that will inevitably occur when legality of the measure is contested, plus it would force Huntington Beach to have to run its own elections when California has a perfectly good, clean, and effective system in place for the whole state.

I’m also appalled at the attempt to turn Huntington Beach into a book banning city. No matter how this resolution is worded, it is a clear attempt to ban books. Our librarians have to have a Masters degree in Library Science to be able to hold the job. They do not need supervision to keep our libraries safe for our children. If a particular book is considered by a parent (or anyone in fact) to be inappropriate there is a system in which that book will be reviewed. To have a small group of people make decisions to control what books end up in our libraries is ludicrous and insulting to the professionals that now run the libraries. To even consider that sexually explicit material is widely available to children is a lie. Per Resolution No. 2023-41: “The City Council has observed that there are some children's books and other materials in the City's libraries that contain sexual writings, explicit sexual references, explicit sexual images, and other sexual content”. Please post a list of these offensive titles and where and when these books were found. I grew up in Huntington Beach libraries and never did I find pornographic books in the children’s section.

Stop trying to turn Huntington Beach into a restrictive city. We are a city of freedom and inclusivity.

Let’s keep it that way.

Thank you for your time,
Deborah Addy

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:52 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Resolution re library

From: pacj <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 9:19 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org>; Estanislau, Robin <Robin.Estanislau@surfcity‐ hb.org>
Subject: Resolution re library

Dear Council members,

We are opposed to the library resolution.

Sincerely,

Julio and Patricia Quintana
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:52 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: AGAINST ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NO. 2023-41!!

From: Jennie Austin <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 9:20 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: AGAINST ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NO. 2023‐41!!

Dear Huntington Beach City Council,

I oppose any attempt to ban books from our public libraries.

I believe that people have the right to decide what books they choose to read for themselves and their families. No person or group of persons have a right to decide what books other people and their families have a right to read. I support and have confidence in our educated, skilled librarians to choose, buy, manage and maintain the books, magazines, etc. in the Huntington Beach Public Library.

This has been done this way for more than one hundred years.

Regards,
Jennie Austin
Retired school teacher
Current FOTL member and volunteer
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:53 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Library books suitable for children under the age of 18 years old

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Michelle Larsson <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 9:39 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Library books suitable for children under the age of 18 years old

To all adults, parents or not:

The sexualizaƟon of children should be treated as
a criminal act. Books containing adult material should be in the adult secƟon only. I am appalled that this even needs to be a discussion! Parents have a right to choose what their children are exposed to.

Shame on librarians for thinking that they have any right to choose for themselves what a parent would ﬁnd oﬀensive.

This is not a ban on books. This is a ban on indecency & child exploitaƟon.

Bravo to the Majority on the HB Council for tackling this issue.

Michelle (HB homeowner/lifelong resident/voter:tax payer)

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:54 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Vote no on item 20 of Resolution 2023-41

From: April Downs <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 9:51 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Vote no on item 20 of Resolution 2023‐41

My name is April, and I am the mother of two children who were born and raised in Huntington Beach. I have lived in Huntington Beach for over 25 years, and I am very disheartened by the pressure the City Council’s Republican majority is putting on the library to control library content.

Mayor Pro Term Gracey Van Der Mark has been attacking our excellent library system since she objects to specific books. Book banning is government overreach and should not be allowed.

During the October 17 Huntington Beach City Council meeting, the members will review and debate measures that proclaim to protect children from “obscene,” “pornographic,” and “sexually explicit” material in the library. There is no indication of who decides on what is “obscene,” “pornographic,” and “sexually explicit” other than the Council. This measure will allow a couple of people to decide what is appropriate to read for everyone in Huntington Beach. This takes power away from our families to make choices for their children.

Currently, there are safeguards to ensure parents are the ones deciding what their children can read. To get a library card, children need their parents’ permission. Children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult when in the library.

Further, parents have the right to check all materials that their children want to read either by going to the library with them or viewing what they checked out using the library website. Content in the library is organized by sections including by age. In addition to professional librarians, there are online resources that can help parents make informed choices about reading material appropriate for their children. Thus, the parents make the decisions about their children’s reading material. This is the right of our citizens, not that of a city council. Our library is a community resource and should not be used as a political pawn.

Further, Mayor Pro Term Gracey Van Der Mark’s personal beliefs should not impact my family's choices. She is trying to make us all live by her beliefs, which, after reviewing her social media posts and her contributions to the city council, are not shared by most Huntington Beach residents, as illustrated by the voluminous public comments objecting to item 20 of Resolution 2023‐41.

Our library was an important aspect of my sons’ development, and we treasure this resource. A political takeover of the library content does not represent our values; we are a free nation and not one that relies on book banning to control our citizen’s right to information.

Do the right thing and vote no on item 20 of Resolution 2023‐41.

Sincerely,
April Downs
1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:54 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Library Books - Support for Limiting Access

From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 10:16 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Library Books ‐ Support for Limiting Access

Hi HB City Council,

I support the eﬀort to limit our children from access to books that have obscene and pornographic topics and images at the library,
especially for children under the age of 13. Since I cannot be at the meeƟng in person this week, I wanted to voice my opinion in wriƟng.

Unfortunately, the culture and liberal agenda along with our children’s obsession with social media, is causing our children to be more anxious and depressed than ever before leading to more drug use and even suicide. Making pornographic material easy to access should not be the job of our public library.

Movies have raƟngs for a reason and though books don’t have raƟngs, as a culture we need to encourage our children to guard their hearts and their minds.

Thank you,

Christy Hudson
714.287.3121

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:55 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Proposed Library Restrictions

From: Galassi, Cecelia <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 10:45 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Proposed Library Restrictions

To the Huntington Beach City Council:

None of you is qualified to make judgments that restrict any citizen's access to written materials. You can put "whereas" in front of your reasons and define the word obscenity, but neither of these empty technicalities justify you or your political appointees deciding what materials families allow their children to read. You obviously don't care about education, reading, or free access to information, and you should be kept farther away from children than any sex education book.

In addition, if you implement these stupid rules against the recommendations of actual experts-- librarians, parents, teachers, and readers--you will lose library patronage. The support and donations of money and time will go to other local libraries, weakening a central library that has been a gem of the city for generations.

Your terms as council people will be known as regressive, repressive, and fiscally irresponsible. We who live in the city are spreading word about how you all feel free to overspend OUR money on your attempts to limit our rights and futures.

You can still pull this resolution. You can still decide that your plans for our library are ill conceived and unwanted. Please back away from book banning and restriction to information. No group that has done it historically has endured or been well regarded by later generations.

You are making up problems that simply aren't problems. You posture as protectors of youth, but you clearly don't care about professionals who have dedicated their whole careers to education Gt children. You are hypocrites if you push forward with these changes, and people will know you for that.

Cecelia Galassi, property owner and resident of Huntington Beach

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1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:57 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Books at Library

From: Carole Weiner <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 11:30 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Books at Library

I’d like to suggest that these kinds of books be available in a separate category for checkout to adults only. That way if a parent actually wants his/her/their child to read them, they can give the book to the child to read with the stipulation that the book will not leave the home until the parent takes it back to the library.

Parents must take take time and take responsibility for their own child and not encroach upon other parents’ rights to allow or disallow their own children to read material of that sort.

Carole

Sent from Mail for Windows

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:57 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Comments regarding the proposed changes to book selection process at the Library for Tuesday's session

From: Jen R <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 11:42 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Comments regarding the proposed changes to book selection process at the Library for Tuesday's session

Dear Council members,

Thank you for this opportunity to speak regarding the proposed changes centered around sexuality, actual and assumed LGBTQ+ content and keywords (like author names), the removal of books, and the notion that all proposed books must be approved by the City Attorney.

In a word: hogwash. Two more words: book bans.

Some of you may not appreciate or agree with my stance against the latter but I can assure you that limiting access to content and ideas within the confines of the Library is draconian, scaremongering, and hateful. Doing so supports homophobia, forces the death of open conversation and puts a chokehold on representation as well as equality.

Please do not allow the misguided, narrow-minded, and punitive goals set forth by Gracey Van Der Mark and others like her to become our new "normal". Uphold the freedoms of expression and experience we currently enjoy. Cultivate openness instead of isolation.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Richardson
Santa Ana, California

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:58 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Libraries 10/17/23 meeting

From: Diane Amendola <diane@sandy‐paws.com>
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 11:56 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Libraries 10/17/23 meeting

For Public Record:

Dear Mayor and City Council Members,

Every city library has a librarian. Cities our size hire College Educated Librarians with degrees in Library Science. I and my family prefer to have an educated librarian running our city libraries and Not a committee.

What craziness is installing a new bureaucracy consisting of citizens to run our libraries. Do you have no respect for the competence of our human resource staff to hire competent Librarians? If so, we need a new City Manager who is capable of staffing our city. We don't need a City Council micromanaging our city departments.

Everyone knows or should know City Appointed volunteers are campaign supporters this idea is so politically charged to be shocking. We don't need political appointees running libraries we need librarians who don't come with political agendas. Parents can monitor their children that is their job not yours and a good librarian will assure us libraries are well run.

Sincerely a very concerned voter,
Mary Amendola
20251 Cape Cottage Lane
Huntington Beach. 92646

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1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 9:10 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Libraries. Books

‐‐‐‐‐Original Message‐‐‐‐‐
From: Marie MarƟn <marƟ[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 8:59 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Libraries. Books

What happening in City Council eﬀorts to try to control library books DOES NOT make sense and I’m against any acƟons that try to alter what we are able to read.

I’m against most of what this council is about. I’m a 23 year resident of HB, living in SeaCliﬀ.

Stop. Just stop!

Sent from my iPhone

1 Moore, Tania
From: Fikes, Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 9:10 AM
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 9:00 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <city.council@surfcity‐hb.org> Subject: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023‐41

Re: Reject Censorship, Reject Resolution 2023-41
Dear City Council,
As a resident of Huntington Beach, I am writing to ask you to vote against Resolution 2023-41, which would establish a policy to review library materials for sexual content. A parent is the person best suited to make decisions about what their child does or does not read, but the proposed ordinance would take that right away from many parents in our community by limiting what is available in the public library. It would also make the city, not parents, the ultimate arbiter on library materials. We trust our trained library staff. The library does not carry obscene materials or make them available to young readers. The policies in the ordinance are poorly defined and overly burdensome and expensive; the city will need to hire extra staff to implement and enforce them. The city may also open itself up to a costly lawsuit if the policy goes into effect and members of the community sue because they don’t think their children have been protected or that their rights have been violated. The policy is both unwanted and unneeded. Please support the rights of parents and children in our community by voting against it. Thank you,
Sincerely,
Brandi Martinez
[email protected]
7805 Seaglen Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Constituent
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City Council/Public Financing AuthorityOctober 17, 2023

City Council/Public Financing Authority
October 17, 2023