4/2 Sup Com — City Council/Public Financing Authority, April 2, 2024

From: Pat Goodman
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Please Table April 2, 2024 Agenda Item 7
Date: Friday, March 29, 2024 8:10:33 PM
Dear Mayor and City Council Members,
Please table - Vote No - Do Not Adopt the April 2, 2024 Agenda Item # 7 . 24-
219 Adopt Ordinance No. 4318 adding Chapter 2.66 to the Huntington Beach Municipal Code Relating to the Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Review of Procurement of Children’s Library Material (Approved for Introduction on 3/19/2024 by a vote of 4-3 (Moser, Bolton, Kalmick-No) It saddens me that it does not appear that the ordinance has taken public or council members’ comments into consideration regarding this Parent/Guardian Review Committee.

There remains many unanswered
questions that I believe sow confusion and will not provide this committee with a straight forward path to operate.
·
What is the definition of community
standards?

· What qualifies a book for review, an author, the title, graphics, a passing comment?
·
There is no budget for this
committee.

They will not be able to procure books and other resources? · What is the justification to purchase books with city funds that will then be banned by this committee?

· What will the city do with 21 copies of banned books (burn them)?
·
Committee decisions are non-
appealable, Is this legal? However the committee itself can appeal its decision for up to a year.
· Do you want your neighbor deciding which books are available for your

child to check out?
I believe that we all agree that parents/guardians are the final decision makers for their child's reading materials. I understand that most parents are not trained in library science. It doesn't matter but it does matter that an untrained group of citizens in library science have the final say in the slection of books for the entire community. Please leave such decisions up to the parents.

I believe that the major concern is over children under age 11 that have access to quesitonable materials. Parents accompany their children at this age.

We still fall back to the parents to decide what their
4/2/2024
7 (24-219)
child should read.

I do not understand why the system that is already in place to review books and process community concerns seems to work and that users can freely submit requests for review. Doesn't the Library Committee along with the council liasons receive reports on this activity. Why can't this committee be entrusted to follow through and resolve any complaints? I am baffled by the need for this Review Committee to our funcitoning public library system that protects parents as the final decision maker on what their child should read.

Please Vote NO on agenda item # 7.

Sincerely,
Patricia Goodman
Huntington Beach, CA
Pat Goodman
From: Lennie Sheri
To: [email protected]
Subject: Ordinance #4318 Library Material Review Committee Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024 7:49:14 AM
We are 100% in favor of adopting #4318-
Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Review of Procurement of Children’s Library Materials. Thank you in advance to those of you who vote “Yes” on this matter.

Sincerely, Lennie & Sheri Gallego
Sent from my iPhone
From: Alan Bonowitz
To: [email protected]
Subject: Agenda item 24-219
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024 9:45:33 AM
Recent history shows that this is pointless because the City Council majority routinely ignores written and in-person citizen commentary. But I'm doing it anyway.

I'm against all aspects of the book review committee. It's a waste of money and opens the door a crack more to fascism. Start acting on behalf of all citizens rather than the outside interests who are calling the shots.

Al Bonowitz
4791 Lago Dr Apt 306
Huntington Beach CA 92649
From: nora pedersen
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: From a concerned 37 year resident
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024 9:59:55 AM
Shame! Shame on you extremist four Huntington Beach city council members. For months, you have ignored the vast majority of residents pleading for the preservation of our award-winning public library. You have denigrated our librarians, banned books that don’t suit you and now support the privatization of the library to turn a profit for a former mayor and an East Coast hedge fund. As a 30-year plus resident of the city, it is repugnant to me to be represented by council people who are the antithesis of education and family values. Our public library offers the ultimate freedoms: freedom to read, to explore new ideas, to think broadly and critically, to learn and to simply enjoy a good story. Librarians are dedicated to foster just that! Save the soul of our city, our public library.

Please listen to us!
Nora Pedersen
From: Max McG
To: [email protected]
Subject: Library
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024 12:23:12 PM
LEAVE IT ALONE!
From: Judy Brusslan
To: [email protected]
Subject: Please Vote No on Ordinance 4318
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024 1:19:17 PM
Attachments: image001.png
image002.png
Dear City Council,
Ordinance 4318 (Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Review of Procurement of Children’s Library Material) should not be adopted. The city has trained librarians that monitor content. Parents and guardians are the people who should guide their children on book choices. This Review Board is an intrusive overstep of City Government and is in opposition to Libertarian values.

It is sad that comments made by the public are ignored by the majority of the Huntington Beach City Council, but it is important that the voices of the public are stated and recorded.

Thank you,

Dr. Judy Brusslan
Professor of Biological Sciences
Bridges to the Doctorate PI
California State University, Long Beach

From: H Meyers
To: [email protected]
Subject: April 2, 2024, Agenda item #7 Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Review of Procurement of Children’s Library Material
Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024 2:01:03 PM
I am a longtime resident of Huntington Beach.

I strenuously urge you to vote no on Agenda Item #7, Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Review of Procurement of Children’s Library Material, at the April 2, 2024, City Council meeting. This proposal would institute book banning, regardless of what it is labeled, and attempts to legislate the beliefs of a few parents and force them on the entire community. Parents who want to restrict their children’s reading, beyond the careful selection of books already being made by the professional library staff, have many options for doing so without the proposed ordinance .

It is inappropriate and should be recognized as un-American to impose the type of restrictions intended by this proposed ordinance. We’ve heard a lot about trampling on freedoms and government “overreach", usually from the political right, but this ordinance would accomplish exactly those things.

For once, please listen to the community and vote no on this proposal.

Thank you,
Hildy Meyers
From: Michele Burgess
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Letter to the City Council for April 2 meeting Date: Saturday, March 30, 2024 7:06:19 PM
To the City Council and City Attorney Gates:

Another meeting, another agenda, another atrocity put forth by the F4+1.

This City Council majority is the bad joke that keeps on giving, an affront to the more reasonable, common-sense citizens of Huntington Beach.

You’re dividing our community, wrecking an award-winning library, and ruining the city’s reputation as a tourist destination and a wonderful place to live.

Despite over 800 letters opposing privatization of the library, and 100 public speakers at the last City Council meeting, the F4 blithely charged ahead and agreed to issue an RFP, which was completely predictable because you had absolutely no intention of doing otherwise, no matter what anyone else said. And now we have on this week’s agenda a resolution to assemble a bogus committee to tell us what our “children” (ages 0-18!) are allowed — or not allowed — to read.

The last meeting was ridiculous, a true clown show. The majority members, city attorney, and city manager/police chief didn’t even have the courtesy to remain seated and listen to the speakers. You were gone for extended amounts of time, certainly much longer than necessary to stretch your legs or use the restroom. Seems you were actually talking with one another behind the scenes, as more than one of you were always gone at the same time. You didn’t even pretend to give a damn what any of the speakers said. I read every one of the emails sent to the City Council. Did you?
We know Burns read at least one, because he called the writer crazed and said she should be ashamed of herself. “ASHAMED!!!” Mr. Burns, who leaves the room often, acts like a thug when addressing not only people in the audience but minority council members, and can’t be bothered to dress for his position in regular business attire to show respect for fellow council members and attendees at council meetings. Look around you, Mr.

Burns, at what everyone else on the dais is wearing.

Then we have Strickland, who forgot he’s not mayor anymore and yelled over Gracey after the 4-3 (again) vote on the RFP. When people in the audience shouted “Shame!” Tony lost it and ordered people removed. Who knows what might have happened had Chief Parra not touched Tony on the back as he left the chambers, then Tony left as well and Gracey called a 5-minute recess. It was Tony who needed calming down, not us. If you’re going to do wildly unpopular things, be prepared to hear about it.

You work for us, not the other way around. It seems Tony may have brought his highly questionable political ethics from Ventura to Huntington Beach. Wouldn’t be at all surprised to find something fishy going on with campaign contributions. What I’ll always remember about Tony is his smirking face and two thumbs up for himself when a speaker at a previous meeting commented on Trump giving props to Tony Strickland as the Trump plane flew by during the Air Show. Pathetic.

Where’s Gracey’s call for order when people on the other side are drowning out our speakers? When Chad Williams is ranting too loudly into the microphone at every meeting and getting his knickers in a twist about drawings of people of all ages in a public bath in Japan, a culture totally different from ours. He had even drawn red blocks to hide “offensive” body parts on cartoon characters. And this strutting lunatic wants to be one of our next City Council members. If that gang of three is elected in November, we are doomed.

Then we have Proud Boy Luke Skywalker hauling Gracey’s giant porn poster up to the mic, rambling and ranting like he’s high on something, and flipping off the audience as he leaves the room. Why are you people even associating with Proud Boys? And there’s the MAGA guy in the bleachers who bellows “under GOD!” during every Pledge of Allegiance.

Speaking of which, why are we hearing only Christian prayers since you disinvited the Interfaith Council? In case you haven’t noticed, many people are remaining seated as an act of protest.

You behave like a fiefdom of four. There are three other duly elected members in this supposedly bipartisan body who are being completely disrespected, ignored, and denigrated. You dismantled commissions, removed the minority three from almost all remaining commissions and assigned only yourselves — thus, the thousands of citizens who don’t agree with you have no representation. To make matters even worse, you now require that those who want to speak sign up in person from 4:30 p.m. on the same day, and you decrease at will their allotted time from 3 minutes to (so far) as little as 90 seconds, clearly a blatant attempt to limit citizen participation.

How about Gracey? Loves to be the public face of Huntington Beach, and what an embarrassing face it is for us. Self-righteous, vindictive, petty, controlling. She takes things personally, is very defensive about her lack of education (as evidenced by her vicious personal attack on Dan Kalmick at the last meeting), completely misrepresented what he wrote in the Register. I knew exactly what he meant when he said the book review committee members would be amateurs; he meant ordinary lay people, not professional librarians. But Gracey accused him of demeaning all parents, no matter what their education. Dial it back, Gracey, everything isn’t a personal attack on your parenting skills, your lack of a high school diploma, or anything but your relentless desire for power, attention, and telling other people’s children what they can or cannot read. As for getting attention and currying favor, why else would Gracey publicly present an award to the two city employees who remedied the ongoing “sewer smell” issue at Calvary Chapel Harbourside?
I had hope for Casey since he’s the one who always responds to emails, even though I don’t agree with much of what he says, but at least he’s respectful to the writer. However, with his resolution to leave the League of Cities, and his petulant argument for his only reason why we should, I realize Casey has gone over to the Dark Side.

Michael Gates, the invisible fifth council member disguised as an overpaid city attorney, certainly isn’t looking after the best interests of Huntington Beach. He might think he is, and he believes God (a really good lawyer) is working through him. Well, Mr. Gates might need a different lawyer, because he’s costing us a hell of a lot of money tilting at windmills, touting victories and not publicizing defeats and costly settlements. A secret multi- million-dollar settlement with Code 4, fighting a losing battle with the State over additional housing requirements, an imminent fight with the State over voter rights, and who knows what else. Otherwise, why would he need such a large staff to handle so many cases? Would he be picking all these fights if the money were coming out of his own pocket rather than ours? Also, why is he always texting Parra while the public is speaking? Put down the phone and pay attention.

As for the Air Show, this is getting out of hand. At first there was just a small area blocked off for paid entry. Now that area extends all the way south from the pier to Beach Blvd. Tall, opaque fencing is erected to block a free view of lower-flying planes from the sidewalk, boardwalk, and cars driving by on PCH. We now have the privilege of paying $25 to bring our own chair to enter a huge fenced area where the previous year it was free (no fence). This is OUR city beach and requires free public access. Now there’s talk of extending the show to 5 days (plus practice days), and they will have small planes actually landing on the sand. The noise of low-flying jets day in and day out is deafening, rattling windows, setting off car alarms, terrifying pets, impacting birds nesting in protected wetlands, and it’s possible that a plane could someday crash into a densely populated area. Unless the planes stay completely offshore, this is an accident just waiting to happen.

You people are vastly under-qualified to do the job you applied for, and for which you misrepresented your platform in campaigning. I hope and pray you don’t completely and irreparably destroy our city before you are either recalled or voted out. You will long be remembered as the worst, most selfish, most power-hungry, most homophobic and petty City Council members in Huntington Beach history.

Ms. Michele Burgess
HB resident since 1961
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: City Council Agenda
Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024 10:49:56 AM
Help me understand why the City Council is taking review books out of the hands of qualified librarians and into the hands of friends of CC members. CRAZY!!! Privatizing the library does not benefit the community and library patrons, but put $$$ in the hands of a corporation. INSANE!!!
51 year resident of HB
From: Susan Turner
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Keep our Public Libraries Public. Let our Librarians do their job.

Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024 11:07:23 AM
Dear City Council Members,
I have been a resident for 60+ years. I have used the Huntington Beach Library system for most of my life. When I was young, a book mobile would come for us to check out books. My children grew up with our beautiful libraries and the amazing staff. Our library staff is well educated and have many years of experience.

Public libraries are for All people to use and for All people to be represented within the pages of the accessible books and materials. It is not City council's job to choose people who are not educated in library science to make decisions regarding which books are in any section of the library. Nor do we want a private company deciding which books will be available within our library system. It appears that the majority in our City Council are going to great effort and expense to replace our well educated and respected librarians with non-librarian persons to control our public libraries.

I am aware that 100+ persons have spoke at the last City council meeting plus, many 100s of emails were sent in opposition to these efforts.

Please stop the war on public libraries and our freedom to choose what we would like to read in our public libraries. Please listen to the majority of the Huntington Beach City residence for whom you were elected to serve. This is still a democracy. Your job is too work for the majority of citizens. A majority of citizens have spoken and written in opposition to both the privatizing the library system and to having persons other than librarians make decisions for which books to purchase and where they are to be place in the library.

Thank you,
Susan Tuner
We have many library volunteers who provide a host of public services.

From: Dale Martinez
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Regarding agenda item 24-219 for April 2 City Council Meeting Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024 11:15:18 AM
To the Huntington Beach City Council
Regarding agenda item 24-219, proposed ordinance 4318
and also Privatization of the Huntington Beach Public Library I think that the proposed Citizens Review Board is a bad idea. I urge a "no" vote on this ordinance as currently written.
1) It is cumbersome by nature. 21 members appointed 3 each by 7 City Council members to meet just twice a year. Too many people, with too few meetings. Can't imagine that it would be effective, under any mandate.
2) It is impracticable by nature. If these books are not purchased prior to the meeting and each member must review each book, for text and graphics, prior to the meeting (as stated in the ordinance), how is that actually going to happen? Where is the practicality in this for these volunteer board members? Is one dedicated person going to actually get a book and make an opinion? What is the point in that? That is why we should continue to belong to the American Library Association that actually has people from a variety of backgrounds who read and review books and write opinions about it. Oh, that's right... You want the HBPL to be out of the well established American Library Association so it can get book recommendations from your partisan, conservative organizations like Moms for Liberty and other christian right wing groups. So much for letting HB establish its own community standards (see below). I suppose you are also canvassing other religious organizations for their opinions on books that children should not be allowed to "see." Maybe graphic novels about David and his seduction of Bathsheba would be offensive to some mothers? What about books about war and pillage? 3) The designations of "Children's books" not to be allowed to anyone under 18? These books that are intended to be banned (yes, that is what is intended here) from the "Children's" section and not allowed to be checked out by anyone under 18 years old? What happened to the teen section idea? I can't imagine where you think an average 16 y/o gets information anyway. It is most certainly not in the Children's Section of a public library or by checking out books such as "The Catcher in the Rye" or "Gender Queer." 4) Donating or selling non-approved (banned books) to libraries outside of Huntington Beach, is hypocritical. Why not make a public burning of them? (AQMD problems, probably.) You seem to be acknowledging that these books would be beneficial to someone, just not those the conservative majority of the City Council wishes to control. Why not put them in the Adult section permanently rather than pawn them off onto some other city? Or we could have a really juicy section called "Banned Children's Books," so the Adults in our community can make up their own mind and check them out and share them with their minor children because they deemed them to be appropriate based upon their own parenting standards.
5) The term "Community Standards" is fraught with problems. As in a Supreme Court case "Community Standards" are hard to define.
"With its emphasis on the reaction of an average person rather than that of an especially susceptible person, the court rejected applying the Hicklin test [(from 1857] as a means of determining whether material is obscene." [1957RA Supreme Court decision in the matter of Roth v. United States]
My hope is that determination of "Community Standards" takes into account that Huntington Beach is diverse and changing and we do not cave to the will of and any political pressure applied by "especially susceptible" individuals who have large megaphones and a council majority tieing the professional librarians hands and judgements.
6) Do not privatize our Public Library. Lastly, I want to again express my outrage that the City Council conservative majority, unable to manage a budget because of high legal expenditures (obviously) and poor management (too many high paid attorneys and inability to hire a professional City Manager (no offense intended to our Police Chief), or a professional head librarian, is trying to privatize our beloved HBPLibrary. All of the above could be handled well by our Huntington Beach Public Library, with community input and professional, community based people. Why would you want such an important thing outsourced to a for-profit organization, who is not based in Huntington Beach, or even Orange County or California? Shameful! Quit being those "especially sensitive" people who are bulldozing the Citizens of Huntington Beach with your reactionary agenda.

Sincerely
Dale Neuls Martinez
714-717-7235
resident of Huntington Beach, granddaughter and daughter of former residents of Huntington Beach, mother and grandmother of residents of Huntington Beach.

Volunteer at Oakview Library Literacy program
Save and Protect Huntington Beach
Join a Banned Book Club
From: Lynne Deakers
To: [email protected]
Subject: Comment on item 7
Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024 3:08:18 PM
Regarding Ordinance 4318 - I oppose it!
I am extremely concerned about the direction the council majority is taking regarding our stellar Huntington Beach Public Library. An ordinance to amend our city code and add a Community Parent-Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children’s library materials is offensive to me as a citizen of the United States of America. I expect certain standards of a library selection committee. What are your qualifications for selection to this group? What guidelines will they follow? I have a master’s degree in library science from UCLA. I was a School Librarian for 20 years at a Catholic school here in Huntington Beach. I can assure you that parents look to librarians for quality selection of books and programming for their children. Librarians are educated in all aspects of book selection. Their goal is to meet the needs of every person living in their unique community. How will a panel of 21 randomly selected individuals accomplish this goal? This cannot be about personal preferences. This oversight board is unacceptable to me. If it is pornography you are worried about: LIBRARIANS DON’T WANT PORNOGRAPHY IN LIBRARIES EITHER!
I am the mother of four grown children, all raised here in Huntington Beach with free and frequent access to our award-winning public library. Caring, knowledgeable librarians are always there to assist children and teens with reading recommendations and research help. They also provide wonderful story hours, author’s day programming, computer time and many other services. This is what everyone loves about our PUBLIC library. It is so much more than books on a shelf.

Please do not make our library private! We don’t want a corporate approach. Keep it PUBLIC! This is good use of tax dollars and the payback will be a well-educated, informed Huntington Beach community.

Lynne Deakers
Huntington Beach resident since 1981
From: Diana Lithgow
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: OPPOSE the HB City Council “Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children"s Library Material” proposal
Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024 7:42:08 PM
Attachments: Lithgow_HB CITY COUNCIL 4_1_24.pdf

SEE ATTACHED SIGNED LETTER
April 1, 2024
Re: OPPOSE the HB City Council “Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children's Library Material” proposal
Dear HB City Council,
Since the vote for this “Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children's Library Material” proposal is taking place the day after April Fools Day, I am assuming it is not a joke—even though it sounds like one.

The suggestion to adopt such a Review Board made up of Community and Parent members— who have NO EXPERIENCE in library science or literature/writing is a demonstration of how far off track this City Council has gone.

STOP THIS MAGA GRANDSTANDING NONSENSE AND GET BACK TO HB CITY BUSINESS!
You are wasting our time, our money, and our much-needed focus on something that has NOTHING to do with your role as a City Council—this is the purview of the librarians and they do a VERY GOOD JOB of it.

We will see you Tuesday night at the Council meeting to address this face-to-face during public input time,
Diana and Douglas Lithgow
41-year Homeowners Huntington Beach City
19841 Flagstone Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
714-964-4145
Diana Lithgow, PhD, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP
Professor of Nursing
College of Graduate Nursing
Western University of Health Science
909-469-5523 (CGN Office)
[email protected]
April 1, 2024

Re: OPPOSE the HB City Council “Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children's Library Material” proposal

Dear HB City Council,

Since the vote for this “Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children's Library Material” proposal is taking place the day after April Fools Day, I am assuming it is not a joke—even though it sounds like one.

STOP THIS MAGA GRANDSTANDING NONSENSE AND GET BACK TO HB CITY BUSINESS!

You are wasting our time, our money, and our much-needed focus on something that has NOTHING to do with your role as a City Council—this is the purview of the librarians and they do a VERY GOOD JOB of it.

We will see you Tuesday night at the Council meeting to address this face-to-face during public input time,

Diana and Douglas Lithgow

41-year Homeowners Huntington Beach City

19841 Flagstone Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92646
714-964-4145

From: Carol Daus
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected]; Parra, Eric (CM) Subject: In Opposition to Ordinance #4318-April 2 Agenda Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024 10:10:10 PM
Hello Mayor and City Council,
I am strongly opposed to Ordinance #4318 on the April 2 agenda. It's fraught with logistical problems and censorship concerns, which raise many questions:
1) How will this group (slated to meet possibly twice a year) read the thousands of books that would be necessary for review?
2) There appears to be no librarians who will serve as back up to this group of untrained community members. Yet these biased book reviewers with no library science background will have the final say on whether books are acquired--even Young Adult books, which many adults read? (This sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen.) 3) Your ordinance only refers to "children", not teenagers under 18. Will the review board be reading all the novels and non-fiction books from that section? If so, this will be a problem for our schools' English and Social Studies teachers who assign reading that contains content of a "sexual nature." It appears you will be preventing access to these popular, much-needed books since your group has to review gobs of chapter books and has a year to do it, based on the ordinance.
4) What are HB's "community standards?" The 4 of you might define them based on your own religious and moral standards, but we're a city of 197,000 people, so there's some variation of "community standards" among our rich, diverse population. Based on population standards, there are about 14,000 HB residents who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Will your biased group refuse to accept books for those individuals? (This sounds like another lawsuit waiting to happen.)
5) Books will be purchased but then donated to local libraries/charities, etc if they're considered unacceptable. This is a huge waste of money and it's hypocritical when you're contemplating outsourcing to cut library costs.
6) This ill-conceived review board is being mocked throughout Orange County and far beyond. As a tourist destination, do you really want to offend so many people who will swap out HB for other coastal cities--for conventions, pleasure and business travel? As this group gets organized and starts having Brown Act public meetings, it's going to draw bad attention to HB. A long-time realtor acquaintance told me the other day that increasing numbers of his house-hunting clients are telling him they would prefer Fountain Valley, Seal Beach or Costa Mesa over HB. He told me that he hasn't heard this level of criticism about HB in the 20 years he's worked in OC.

I have so many other questions, but I'll stop here.

Thank you,
Carol Daus
HB resident
From: d. wada
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Re: Library Privitization
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 8:53:41 AM
The city council was voted in to take care of and manage our city's resources, not sell them off for short gain or ulterior motives. Your ideas for governance are so bad you have to inflict controversy, division, and politics into policy. This is my assessment of the library situation:

This majority council, and their supporters of measure A and this ordinance, are signaling a culture war against lgbqt people in our community under the guise of parents rights and protect the children. Parents rights have not been taken away but their intolerance to explain diversity and society’s acceptance of gays, transgenders, and binary identities has put them in attack mode.

The strategy, grab a handful of objectionable books but because removing them is a first amendment violation, relocate a more general category of books, create a committee of book banners, and now it is replace the library management. I ask, this is over a handful of books written for lgbqt library patrons?
Maybe attacking our library isn’t even about any particular content, it’s just a dog whistle to a more diabolical agenda, reducing enriching services to the Community who need it most. Some people don’t want to pay for services they don’t use but our library is the bedrock of caring, for self improvement, and a place of comfort that uplifts all who enter and thereby improves the lives of all in HB. It’s a shame the council majority doesn’t see the jewel that is people powered by staff and volunteers. It will be reduced to a commercial bookstore and the people for privatization will never know the difference because they can’t see goodwill.

Denise Wada,
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Item 7 on Tuesday 4/2 agenda
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 10:53:36 AM

From: Lynne Deakers <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2024 11:32 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: Item 7 on Tuesday 4/2 agenda

Regarding Ordinance 4318 - I oppose it!
I am extremely concerned about the direction the council majority is taking regarding our stellar Huntington Beach Public Library. An ordinance to amend our city code and add a Community Parent-Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children’s library materials is offensive to me as a citizen of the United States of America. I expect certain standards of a library selection committee. What are your qualifications for selection to this group? What guidelines will they follow?
I have a master’s degree in library science from UCLA. I was a School Librarian for 20 years at a Catholic school here in Huntington Beach. I can assure you that parents look to librarians for quality selection of books and programming for their children. Librarians are educated in all aspects of book selection. Their goal is to meet the needs of every person living in their unique community. How will a panel of 21 randomly selected individuals accomplish this goal? This cannot be about personal preferences. This oversight board is unacceptable to me. If it is pornography you are worried about: LIBRARIANS DON’T WANT PORNOGRAPHY IN LIBRARIES EITHER!
I am the mother of four grown children, all raised here in Huntington Beach with free and frequent access to our award-winning public library. Caring, knowledgeable librarians are always there to assist children and teens with reading recommendations and research help. They also provide wonderful story hours, author’s day programming, computer time and many other services. This is what everyone loves about our PUBLIC library. It is so much more than books on a shelf. Please do not make our library private! We don’t want a corporate approach. Keep it PUBLIC! This is good use of tax dollars and the payback will be a well-educated, informed Huntington Beach community.

Lynne Deakers
Huntington Beach resident since 1981

From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Letter in Opposition to Agenda Item # 7 24-219 Ordinance 4318 Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 10:55:57 AM

From: Tim Geddes <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2024 9:17 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: Letter in Opposition to Agenda Item # 7 24-219 Ordinance 4318

Dear Mayor and City Council,

I am writing in strong opposition to the adoption of Ordinance # 4318 on the April 2 Agenda (#7). It is fraught with peril for the Huntington Beach community in creating a committee that is anti-democratic, arbitrarily administered, openly subject to partisan manipulation, and poorly composed. I am especially incensed at the inclusion of 2.66.110 (Duties) G (All decisions by the Board are final and non- appealable). The City Attorney's Office is directly responsible for concocting this outrage and then daring to defend it when the entire provision could be struck. It is unconscionable that our local elected officials and the trained and accredited experts the community relies upon not to be able to appeal what could be a blatant misuse of authority in pressing its decisions and not being able to correct any misuse of its authorities and powers to influence a public institution such as our Library System. The entire ordinance MUST be rewritten to not include such a provision. Failure to do this may lead to civic and legal chaos in implementing it. I urge you to restructure this ordinance and remove this "poison pill" provision. The City Attorney and his staff are completely responsible for this outrage and should be publicly held responsible for its actions. An outside second opinion should be sought which could eliminate the flaws and determine accountability for this unfair and anti-community outrage. It is inconsistent with serving the best interests of the community and the entire citizenry of Huntington Beach.

Sincerely,
Tim Geddes

40 Year H.B. resident
Homeowner / Parent
[email protected]
(714) 478-0168
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: HB Libraries
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 10:58:16 AM

From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2024 10:43 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: HB Libraries

This message is primarily intended for the 4 conservative Councilmembers: Gracey Van Der Mark, Pat Burns, Casey McKeon, and Tony Strickland.

I am opposed to hiring a private company to run the Huntington Beach Public Libraries. Seems like to save lots of money they're going to have to fire the existing management and cut pay and benefits to whoever is left. Losing the knowledge and many years of experience of the current management would be devastating to the library system. They are devoted to the libraries including both the employees and it's resources. Certainly the same could not be said for new, replacement managers from a private company.

I spent my career working for the government and was really glad I did. That's because, even though I knew I wasn't going to make a lot of money, I was able to earn a livable wage, get good benefits, and have job security. I suspect the HB library employees feel the same way. A private company would take these things away and likely create a lot of disgruntled employees.

To save money there would probably also be reductions in services and the purchase of materials. I like to read literary fiction novels such as those found on the National Book Award lists. Since some of these are not real popular, they would likely be on the chopping block and I would no longer be able to find them at the HB library.

I'd also like to comment on the "censoring" of books that's been going on in the Children's Library. It seems to me that the screening of children's books is a task that has always been ably performed by the HB professional Library Science staff. I was certainly surprised to learn that library employees are being forced to go through children's books looking for "inappropriate" content. It's equally puzzling that a panel of unqualified, biased parents will be given the authority to determine which books appear on the shelves. I would like to point out that your election in 2022 was not a mandate to impose your personal values on the Huntington Beach community via the library system.

I suggest you give the citizens of Huntington Beach a chance to vote on these changes in an election before you run the risk of turning the great HB libraries into mediocre ones.

Sincerely,
John Honsberger

From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Library meddling
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 10:59:09 AM

From: Krystal White <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2024 7:31 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: Library meddling

I'm writing to share my strong opposition to any further meddling with the public library. Four of you ignored my, and many others emails regarding creating this ridiculous unnecessary censorship panel, and now I hear talks of possible privatization?
I'm sure you'll ignore my voice here as well as I now believe your agendas are to gain attention via political theater, rather than actually representing your citizens. Please just stop and listen, actually listen.

My whole life I've tried to stay out of political activism in general and trust that I'm represented.

Today, thanks to you four, I attended my first protest. After watching you ignore the common sense of the many people who have voiced their support for the library, I'm truly more polarized than I've ever been. I'm disgusted by your political theater and attacks on EVERYONE'S library to further your need to "win" and destroy the "other side". Stop trying to divide, stop the phony grandstanding, and leave the library alone.

Krystal White
Downtown HB resident
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Privatization of public library
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:00:47 AM
-----Original Message-----
From: Julie Carson <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, March 29, 2024 10:50 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: Privatization of public library
I am writing of to express my dismay & concerns about the apparent plans for the privatization of the Huntington Beach public library. While I am not a resident of Huntington Beach, I reside in Orange, I have visited the library in Huntington Beach several times and enjoyed it. It has always been a quality library.

From what I have seen over the years, when public services are turned over to private for-profit enterprises, even when supposedly done for “cost savings”, the quantity & quality of the services to the public suffers, the treatment of employee suffers, the expertise of employees suffers, transparency suffers, and the whole purpose of those in charge shifts from rendering quality service to the public to turning a profit for those in charge. That is not in the best interests of the tax payers & residents of Huntington Beach. The taxpayers get less bang for the buck. Some tax payer public services should never be privatized.

I would also be extremely uncomfortable with the way in which decisions would be made about what books would be stocked. That is a decision best left to qualified professional librarians. I would be very unhappy to have some unknown panel of persons with their own agendas deciding what books should be available to me from a public library.

Please carefully & sincerely listen to the taxpayers & residents of your city in determining what is truly in the best interest of the city of Huntington Beach.

I know if it was my city, Orange, I would be extremely unhappy with the direction you seem to be heading with your wonderful library. Residents of other Orange County cities are taking note of what is happening in Huntington Beach and are alarmed at what they see happening there.

Sent from my iPhone
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: For all Council members
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:03:19 AM

From: Andrew Einhorn <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, March 30, 2024 2:11 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: For all Council members

Our Golden Library is a PUBLIC library. It has books
and events that create enjoyment for our community.

SHAME ON THE MAJORITY! You group thinkers are
unfit to run our community.

The majority's decision to establish a parental
review
committee comprised of untrained and opinionated
residents to override professional librarians, without
the option of appeal, is another absurdity.

Item 24-219 I am totally against! The Request for
Proposal to privatize the esteemed and award-
winning public library system is merely a farcical
political stunt. This extremist majority is willing to
strip away local control in a manner that reeks of
nepotism.

It is disgraceful that our city continues to receive
negative publicity via lawsuits, potential state
penalties and flag issues. Instead of fueling culture
wars, let's focus on resolving our city's issues. Try
for a change to be a consensus builder and convince
your peers via an argument from a moral or factual
standpoint using the art of persuasion, which our
democracy depends on to survive. As I see it this
type of leadership is TOTALLY LACKING BY THE
MAJORITY!

Sincerely,

Andrew Einhorn
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
40-Year resident of HB

PS CUT THE BUDGET OF THE CITY ATTORNEY! His
budget is up by over a million dollars!
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: LS&S and Privatizing the Library
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:06:14 AM
-----Original Message-----
From: Lily Covey <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2024 9:11 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: LS&S and Privatizing the Library
Dear council members,
My name is Lily and I am writing to express my concern with LS&S and the potential privatization of Huntington Beach Public Library.

In 2017, LS&S was fined $70k for labor and wage violations, so they are already not a good company. They claim they can cut costs by one million dollars, but the first thing to be cut will be staff and their benefits. By partnering with LS&S, you will be putting many people out of a job. Beyond this, privatization and libraries shouldn’t be in the same sentence. Their purpose and goals contradict each other. Public libraries serve the community and they do so without payment of any kind. Privatizing the library will hurt staff, patrons, and the quality of service to patrons.

Secondly, creating a Board to review and censor children’s books contradicts the library’s mission to provide materials to all patrons. With no oversight, appeals, or public input on decisions, you are taking away any chance of a fair and democratic process. The state should not have a say in what children can or cannot read. That is up to the parent or guardian. The second law of Library Science is every reader their book, which means books are for all. It stresses the democratization of of the library where every reader has the right to the book of their interest. It is crucial that libraries uphold this law.

I urge you to keep libraries public and for all people. The consequences for not doing so are dangerous for staff and patrons.

Best,
Lily Dawson
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Do Not Privatize our Libraries
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:07:19 AM
-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Sloan <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2024 11:02 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: Do Not Privatize our Libraries
I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed demolition of our revered library system and turning it over to a for profit company. As it is, our library system is the most efficient in Orange County yet is only a relatively small item of the city budget. “Improving” that scenario will mean cuts in services and the salaries of our professional staff, whom we will most certainly lose to other systems.

I am especially disturbed at your asking the library management company - represented, as I understand, by former councilman Posey - for a Request for Proposals (RFP) instead of a Request for Information, since an RFP will be a sealed bid, undisclosed to your constituents. You must surely agree that this represents something less than “transparency”.

I am a long time resident of Huntington Beach, and my family and I are devoted patrons of our libraries. I urge you to abandon your attempt to control our reading lives and curtail our intellectual freedom under the pretense of “protecting” anybody.

Finally, any attempt at library privatization should be considered political suicide for its proponents. This is a line in the sand.

Peggy Sloan
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Library
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:09:00 AM
-----Original Message-----
From: ROSE SAYLIN <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2024 1:35 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: Library
Please keep our librarians and stop planning the children’s book selection committee. We have a wonderful library with dedicated, well qualified staff.

Rose Saylin
Sent from my iPhone
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: CC Mtg March 19; proposed book review panel Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:12:32 AM

From: Jean Peterson <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2024 7:30 PM
To: Walker, Renee <[email protected]>; Wysocki, Ashley <ashley.wysocki@surfcity- hb.org>; Hopkins, Travis <[email protected]>; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]>
Subject: CC Mtg March 19; proposed book review panel

March 30, 2024

Eric Parra
Temporary City Manager

Travis Hopkins
Assistant City Manager, Huntington Beach

Ashley Wysoki
Director of Community and Library Services

Huntington Beach City Council Members
Gracey Van Der Mark
Rhonda Bolton
Dan Kalmick
Natalie Moser
Pat Burns
Tony Strickland
Casey McKeon
Huntington Beach
200 Main St #5
Huntington Beach, CA 92648

To whom it may concern and to those who don’t appear to be concerned at all;

My name is Jean Peterson, and I’m a twenty-seven year resident of Huntington Beach. I am writing you this letter as I am concerned about privatization of our wonderful public library. Ii sent an email regarding this issue prior to the March 19th, 2024 City Council meeting. I also attended that meeting. This letter is in response to that meeting. I will also address the proposed parent advisory board for the children’s section of the library.

I was shocked and saddened at how the March CC meeting was conducted, and by the behavior of some of you. The library is an extremely important fixture in our community, as evident by the impassioned statements from then Huntington Beach residents that spoke and attended the meeting.

As resident after resident expressed their concerns with valid points and passionate speeches, several of you left the City Council Chambers for extended periods of time. Several of you left the Chambers more than once. There were three CC Board members that didn’t leave when the residents were voicing their concerns. There were hundreds of people attending the City Council meeting who remained in their seats the entire time. At the end of resident comments, Van Der Mark made a comment similar to “We respected you guys when you made comments, now you need to respect us.” I laughed out loud at that remark by Van Der Mark. All of you people that left the meeting when residents were making public comments showed your complete disrespect and distain for the speakers and the residents of Huntington Beach who attended the meeting.

Three City Council members gave valid, concise, and impassioned reasons as to why the library should not be privatized. Perhaps you did not hear what was said by those City Council members.

I know that Van Der Mark did, as she made a comment to one Council member, indicating that he “felt that she wasn’t as worthy or didn’t have a reasonable opinion because she does not have a college degree” and added that the Council member that had been speaking was an “elitist.’ Van Der Mark seems insecure with her level of education, and quite possibly her grasp of issues. This alone should cause her to think about the public library and all it has to offer, including literacy programs. Another member, Strickland, I believe, said that there was possibility that donations would be made to LS&S for-profit business) for library. That suggestion by Strickland is ludicrous and insulting.

The four of you City Council members, and those that were there as an official part of their duties, gave no valid reasons for wanting to privatize the library. As I understand it, Posey, a former mayor of HB, approached you people with this proposal by LS&S. I can’t imagine that the library, which takes up approximately 2% of the city budget is sinking the ship. I’m curious as to whether Posey or LS&S donated to your campaigns, or made promises for your future campaigns for whatever you all plan for next.

All of the volunteer hours, grants, and donations that our public Huntington Beach Library receives will be lost, making any savings by this privatization of our library null and void. The diverse collection of books, coupled with the extremely valuable services to the community that the library offers is priceless. The expertise of the librarians and other library employees is priceless. The notion that “people can go out and buy the books that they want to read” is ridiculous. Libraries are for all people to use, regardless of financial ability, to read books. I myself, could never afford to just go to a bookstore and buy books that I want to read. I don’t know anyone who can, either.

I never heard a reason why you people think the library is not being run efficiently. Not one. No other bids were presented at the meeting from other vendors regarding privatization of library services. That’s not good business practices. The research and investigation regarding LS&S services was incomplete and not thorough, from what I heard at the CC meeting. The “staff” was unable to answer basic questions asked by CC members during the meeting. Any answers given were incomplete.

There are some of you people that gave no reasons why you want to privatize the library, other than to save money. When was then library found to be a financial concern to the City? I can think of several ways to save the city money. Privatize Parking Enforcement. Hire part time employees to issue tickets, impound abandoned and stolen vehicles. No benefits or retirement pensions.

Think of the money you will save the city. For many months, the Chief of Police has also been working as the City Manager. That’s two part-time jobs, right there. Again, part-time employees equal no benefits or costly pensions. Here’s another great idea to cut the city’s budget. What about the three helicopters? Do a study with the cost of the helicopters, maintenance, fuel used and cost of man hours for pilots with the City’s use and outside cities’ request for service from these helicopters.DoAre three helicopters need for the City of Huntington Beach? It is a small city.

What great ideas, right? That is a rhetorical question. For those of you who don’t know what rhetorical means, I suggest you go to the library and look it up. You could look it up on the internet, but there is child and adult pornography on then internet. There are photos of mangled bodies due to car accident, shootings, wars, and other violence on the internet. Photos of naked bodies and people kissing can be found on the internet. Just go to the library. It is a much safer space than the internet.

A great way to save money is to stop the City Attorney from filing lawsuits that there are no hope of winning. Gates talks about his winnings on NextDoor. Wow. Where is the money? Have only two lawyers working in the City Attorney’s office. The rest of the employees, yeah, you guessed it, can be part-time legal assistants. You can find law students to work as unpaid interns. Think of the valuable experience they would gain. Plus it will save money for the budget.

When the four of you people voted to go ahead with the LS&S proposal, several members of the audience reacted by saying “shame.” Strickland became unhinged and “ordered” the “sergeants’ to remove anyone who said “shame.” He made this “order” several times. Strickland put on quite a show. He said, in a public meeting, as an elected official, “I don’t have to listen to this shit.” Well, Mr Strickland, you, in fact, DO have to listen to this “shit.” If you can’t handle the duties of a City Council member, you need to leave. Perhaps a better word for all of the people non that meeting should have been “Recall.’

Now I will speak about this “parent review board.” If that board comes to fruition, I would like to be considered for a position in the twenty-one member panel. Van Der Mark will be happy to know that I am not an elitist, as I too, have just a high school education just as she does. Let me back up. I don’t actually know that Van Der Mark has a high school diploma. I am interested in the details of how this panel will operate. How many books will be included yearly in the review? How will the books be provided to each member. Will the City pay for twenty-one copies of each book, one for each member? How often will the panel meet for discussion? In what manner will books be chosen? What will be done with books that don’t meet the “standard.” What will the standard be? Who ultimately decides what books will be placed in the library, and what will be done with the books that are deemed not appropriate? Will there be some mechanism to insure that a each panel member reads each book?

I want to let the City Council members know of my work experience that qualifies me to be place on the “Parents Review Panel” or whatever it will be called. I worked in the Los Angeles County Public Library system for five years. I worked in the Children’s section, the Young Adults section, and the Adult’s section of the library while employed. I also worked as a Los Angeles Police Officer, holding the ranks of police officer, detective and sergeant. I am extremely capable of being able to form an objective opinion regarding the suitability of children’s books. Although I am not a parent, I am an aunt in good standing to five wonderful nieces and nephews. Again, I would like to be considered for a position on the children book review panel.

From: David Rynerson
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Agenda Item #7
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 10:24:56 AM
City Council majority -
Item #7 on the agenda for tonight’s meeting should be dropped from today’s vote. As it stands,it is a sloppily written proposal that shows a complete lack of thought about how such a commission should be administered.

Besides having zero qualifications for membership besides being over 18, it also shows a serious lack of thought about logistics. If the commission meets a minimum of two times a year but has twenty-one participants and is responsible for reviewing all books before they can be placed into library circulation, the review process could significantly slow getting books into the library. It also requires that the city either acquire twenty-one copies of every book to be reviewed or requires a lessor number to be circulated between commission members. It makes no provision for the fact that there are very few, if any, books that the library holds twenty-one copies of. So, the city either procures twenty-one copies and then is left with twenty-one copies of books that we need only four or five copies of, or we’re left with twenty-one copies of books that won’t be put into circulation at all. The proposal make no statement about the cost of procuring multiple copies of books for review, nor does it address what should be done with excess copies and how that should be handled.

As an example of how detached from reality this proposal is,it has absolutely no way to be reasonably implemented in connection with the library’s ZIP Books program. That program allows users to submit a book for consideration to be acquired via Amazon. Approved books are sent directly to the requestor from Amazon and then put into circulation when returned to the library. Are you seriously suggesting that the new process would require sending 21-copies of the book to the review committee and waiting for their approval before a book could be sent to the requestor? In all likelihood, this would not only increase the cost of the program dramatically but would also slow the process down so much as to be effectively unusable.

In reality, the control you seek is already in your hands. Any parent can accompany their child to the library and help them select the books they will read or checkout. This is the way parents have exercised guidance over their children’s reading material for years, and it allows each parent to make the choices they feel are right for their children. It is much less expensive and bureaucratic and far more flexible than the commission you are proposing.

I would further point out that books like the Bible should be sequestered under the guidance you have provided to the commission. It has numerous places where it talks about sex of a great many types including homosexual sex and masturbation. So, are you going to require that the Bible is sequestered? That’s not to mention the numerous references to killing, smiting, destruction of entire cities and countries.

The proposal further states that decisions of the commission cannot be appealed, which at the very least is undemocratic and the opposite of public engagement, and at the very worst is possibly at risk for legal action.

In short, this is just another proposal that has not been thought through in any meaningful way and is really just another one of your “own the libs” proposals that are not serious efforts to actually run the city in a responsible manner.

It is clearly just another step along the council majority’s“my way or the highway” attitude, which has been on full display at every council meeting.

David Rynerson
6272 Newbury Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92647

From: Paula Shawa
To: [email protected]
Subject: No on Agenda Item 7 - Censorship/book ban committee / April 2 City Council Meeting Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:19:13 AM
Despite overwhelming opposition from the residents, the extremist majority city council is pushing forward with a book-banning / censorship committee that undercuts and disrupts the smooth operation of the city's award-winning library system and takes away people's right to read what they choose.

No on this wasteful and unwanted book-banning vendetta driven by hatred and fear.

Paula Shawa, 20-year HB resident
From: Suzanne Hart
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Library Privatization/Book Censorship
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 12:46:03 PM
We are writing to you in opposition of privatizing our public libraries. It has statistically been established that privatization of public libraries has resulted in fewer books and a smaller staff of less qualified personnel who frequently work in a revolving door atmosphere due to low pay and job dissatisfaction as they are not professionals who hold a MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) degree from an ALA accredited program. Yet, according to Ms.Van Der Mark, who has far less education, she considers herself to be an "equal," as per her comments stated in the LA Times.

One would therefore fear that the group of people who are picked for choosing books where there are no published guidelines, would be similarly lacking in education or experience. We are also concerned that this appears to be a CONTROL issue and a money grab benefitting your buddy, former councilman Mike Posey, who just happens to be an employee of a library privatization firm. We implore you to actually LISTEN to your constituents, which last time we looked, was your JOB.

With regards to book censorship, author Gretchen McNeil states it well:
"Unfortunately, by restricting access to these books, censors undermine one of the basic functions of education--teaching students how to think for themselves." Elana Arnold, another author states that "When someone makes that choice for readers by banning a book that has been included in a library's collection by a trained library professional, they rob readers of their freedom. They cheat them of an opportunity to engage safely with information and art."
We therefore ask you to reconsider your choices here and DO THE RIGHT THING.

Chris and Suzanne Hart
25 year stake holding residents
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Opposition to Ordinance #4318
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 1:00:39 PM
Dear Mayor and City Council,
I am writing to express my opposition to Ordinance #4318, item #7 on the April 2, 2024 City Council Meeting agenda. The idea of appointing a small number of clearly unqualified people to decide what books the entire Huntington Beach population can read is absurd.

And that these unqualified people are being appointed in an entirely partisan manner to evaluate books based on vague definitions of “appropriateness” is beyond belief. And THEN that there is a stipulation that the decisions of this unqualified group of people are FINAL and NON-APPEALABLE is anti-democratic and an insult to the citizens of Huntington Beach!!
You have heard from many, many
citizens about their opposition to this ill-conceived
ordinance; and you undoubtedly have seen the many negative articles in the news media about this and your other attacks on our beloved and well-run public library system. You should heed the overwhelming calls to reconsider these ill-advised actions.

Sincerely,
Diane Bentley, 23-year HB resident
[email protected]

From: Caroline Brandenburger
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Supplemental Communication regarding Ordinance No. 4318 Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 2:00:02 PM
To all HB City Council members:

I vehemently oppose the adoption of the “Community-Parent Guardian Review Board.” I support our wonderful librarians who have the education and knowledge for book procurement for the HB Children’s Library as they have been doing for many, many years. The proposed “21 member community parent / guardian committee” should not be adopted because parents and guardians can and should make the best decisions for their children regarding book selections. This proposal seems very much like a “Moms for Liberty” agenda that is supported by the far-right conservatives and it SHOULD NOT be brought into our HB Public Library!
Caroline - HB Resident
Sent from my iPhone
From: Bev Sansone
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children"s Library Material Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 3:08:23 PM
I am a long-term resident of Huntington Beach since 1996. I am very concerned about the proposed review board for the procurement of Children’s Library Material. I agree that parents should have the right to decide what books THIER children are reading, but I do not agree with parents deciding what books other parents’ children are reading. This proposal puts people in charge of ordering books for the library and determining which books belong in the library, but the review board has no experience how to make these decisions. What may be right for their child may not be right for someone else’s child. We have experienced librarians who spent years in college learning how to choose books for a community library.

I have written other letters to the city council, and I have no illusions that this one will be listened to, as the others were not. I would like to know how many other issues in our city’s past have drawn the number of emails and City Council meeting speeches by citizens that have been ignored like the issues this city council has ignored. I feel that this city council does not represent me or a disproportionately large number of other citizens who are doing their best to let their opinions be known.

I do not approve of the Parent Guardian Review Board for Procurement of Children’s Library Material, nor do I approve of privatization of our wonderful city libraries.

Beverly Sansone, MD
201 20th St.

Huntington Beach, CA
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: 4/2/24 agenda items
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 3:29:00 PM

From: Annilise Flanagan-Frankl <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2024 2:58 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: 4/2/24 agenda items

I wish to inform you I am against Agenda Item # 7. 24-219 Adopt Ordinance No. 4318 adding Chapter 2.66 to the Huntington Beach Municipal Code Relating to the Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Review of Procurement of Children’s Library Material. Parents are not trained librarians who have the education and knowledge of child development to make determinations regarding children's literature. Parents with opinions, not based in child development, and who have political agendas ARE NOT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOULD MAKE LIBRARY DECISIONS. Parents can parent by monitoring what their own children read - not for the community!

In addition, I am against privatizing the PUBLIC library! --
Annilise M. Flanagan-Frankl, M.A.

CounselingPsychologist

Nationally Certified School Psychologist
Remember - the past is over, the future is a mystery,and today is a gift.

That is why it is called the PRESENT.

Make today count.

Call: 847-226-3119

From: Linda Moon
To: [email protected]
Subject: City Council Agenda Item 7 Ordinance 4318 Opposition Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 3:58:12 PM
I am writing to request that the Council reconsider its March 19 decision to enact Ordinance 4318 implementing a "parent-guardian review board for procurement of Children's Library Materials."
Children's library materials should be procured by experienced professional librarians, relying upon knowledge and principles acquired through their education and experience and the child development experts guiding publication of children's materials. The assertion that uneducated parents are somehow more qualified to screen library materials is outrageous.

Each parent has the right and responsibility to determine what materials their own children should access in the library and what they check out. The assertion that what is available in the library should be determined by a politically appointed committee of residents is without justification.

You are not "letting the parents" decide, as you falsely claim. You are preventing parents from determining what is appropriate for their own children. You are not "protecting" young children either. No child has had sexually explicit material thrust at them in the library.

Young children do not enter the library or view material on their own and they are not developmentally able to comprehend material written for teens. Teens may benefit from materials that will help them become responsible adults, including those containing sexual content. Barring them from the adult section of the library, without parental consent, creates an unreasonable burden, when they are mature enough to properly comprehend the material.

The ordinance would even bar 17 year old college students from accessing materials open to their 18 year old peers.

The mayor's statement to the effect that it is elitist to say that people are less qualified just because they don't have degrees is shocking. Of course our libraries should be managed by educated professionals, who determine procurement standards in a professional manner.

Degreed librarians are most definitely more competent than those without degrees.

Libraries exist to impart knowledge. The lack of knowledge is ignorance. The rejection of knowledge is stupidity.

Linda Sapiro Moon
Huntington Beach resident for 50 years.

From: Isabella Ford
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Stop the RFP that LS&S has requested
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 5:11:52 PM
Dear City Council Members,
It would be a step showing you actually care about our city if you would stop wasting staff time and city monies and cancel the RFP for outsourcing library services. It would also show folks you are somewhat educated and of sound mind if you got rid of ordinance 4318 that forces our library to treat all children under 18 the same. You have handcuffed the library from being able to properly support high school students with resources to research whatever subjects they need to further their education. Do you know that a lot of our high school students are taking college courses? We have an amazing dual enrollment program at HBHS so students can take college courses while still in high school. We also have EMR classes to help our high schoolers decide if they want to pursue their EMT license. These teens are very competent and should not be limited to baby books just because you feel offended by something.

Our library is an amazing resource that has only improved in the 30 years we've lived here.

Focus city resources and energies and budget on other projects that will actually improve quality of life in HB like updating the lighting in downtown as well as bathroom facilities downtown and along the beach.

You have spent so much money and time stoking hate by focusing so much attention on voter id and flags when that money would've been much better spent to simply update city charter 612.

Or, hire a city manager. Or, hire a new chief of police and \let Chief Parra collect his pension and then hire him as city manager.

Isabella Ford
714-308-0660
From: buzz mccord
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: RE: No to Library sell-off
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 6:16:07 PM
Pat Burns put it damn accurately two weeks ago. Past 11PM, nearing the end of Council’s deliberations over the empanelment of a cumbersome 21-person library book committee, he stated simply and wisely that there must be an easier way. There’s good reason to dwell on that.

Complications? The Council has gotten itself and HB citizenry all lathered up over book banning. Now the Council is moving to sell library operating privileges to an outside company.

It’s a salted wound that the ownership, central management and profits of this private company lie far from Huntington Beach and even our state. Tax dollars that should be going to our time-tested, award-winning library will profit an LLC thousands of miles away.

I understand that two years of Tony’s leadership put the city in a financial hole. But fixing that on the back of our library is foolish. Find an easier way. No privatization under any name.

Buzz McCord
Huntington Beach Resident.

From: Ada Hand
To: [email protected]
Subject: Huntington Beach Public Library
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 8:16:16 PM
I am totally against privatizing our wonderful library system. I am also against having a 21- person (or any size) committee decide which books can come in our libraries. This is not the job of the city council to squander away our resources and give it to a profit-making group.

You should be ashamed of yourselves. Why don't you do what you were elected to do: deal with legitimate city issues instead of culture war stuff. The library and Gates' propensity to sue right and left is causing us millions,. Get rid of some of his budget if you want to save money. --
Ada J. Hand
Huntington Beach Resident and Voter
714-717-1294 (cell)
[email protected]

From: MARILYN Boehm
To: [email protected]
Subject: My STRONG opposition to Agenda Item #24-219
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 8:28:18 PM
. This agenda item presupposes that our very professional library staff cannot make appropriate decisions regarding the books selected for purchase in our libraries.

The majority City Council members appear to believe that unqualified parents and community members are a more reliable source for choosing appropriate books.

I cannot disagree MORE!!!
We all know that this is part of a political stunt intended to lead to a book ban.

First, you censored books designed to be read by LGBTQIA youths, which were NOT found in the “children’s section” of the library. These books were moved to an inaccessible 4th floor location of the library.

Next you introduced this absurd recommendation for a parent based committee to screen purchases. Just because people are capable of giving birth to children does NOT make them qualified to decide what other parents might want their kids to read.

The FINAL straw is selling our library to a private company owned by a previous member of the CC.

There is only one applicable word for the current majority CC:

SHAME on all four of you for destroying our wonderful library system. SHAME.

Marilyn Boehm, HB resident

From: Sharon Hathaway
To: [email protected]
Subject: Vote No on Agenda item #7 24-219
Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 8:29:17 PM
It continues to amaze me the majority of the council feels that parents do not have the right to decide what books are available to check-out and read by their children and teens. Yet, a parental group of strangers are to be given that exact right to decide for other parents what their children and teens should be exposed to.

I appeal to Mayor Van Der Mark, with seven children, Councilman Burns with two daughters, Councilman Strictland with a son and daughter, and Councilman McKeon with a young son; do you really want other parents taking over your role as parents in dictating what is available to your children and teens? Do you all really believe this is needed? Or is this what I suspect is an issue with one councilwoman's opinion, and you all agreed, no matter what.

I use both children and teens, because the ordinance defines children as under 18, however, the most commonly used definition of children is birth to 12, and teens are 13-17. There is a reason for this, as children mature into teens, their level of understanding and comprehension changes as they get older. 17 year olds, should not be treated the same as a 7 year old, yet that is what this ordinance is doing. Even movie ratings, which were mentioned last year have a PG-13 level for the content you are proposing. The library already restricts the children's check out process, so what this ordinance is all about is restricting teens to access.

The contradictions in this ordinance have been outlined; I see no reference to the meetings of this board being open to the public, and that was agreed to at the meeting on March 19. It is sad that the concerns of HB citizens are not being considered or barely even acknowledged.

I urge you to turn this around and vote NO on this agenda item.

Sharon Hathaway
Resident for 28 years
From: Elizabeth SanFilippo
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Community Parent/Guardian Review Board for Review of Children’s Library Materials – Oppose Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 8:58:05 PM
I am a Huntington Beach resident for over forty years and a homeowner. I am opposed to a Community Parent/Guardian Review Board for Review of Children’s Library Materials.

Recommendations of professional librarians for purchasing books for the library should not be subject to review by non-professionals.

Further, this ordinance has been drafted to indicate that the decisions of non-professionals are not appealable. This is un-American. Our systems include the right of appeal. Please re-write this ordinance to describe an appropriate appeal process.

Thank you for your consideration.

Elizabeth San Filippo

From: Sue Welfringer
To: [email protected]
Subject: Regarding: OBJECTION TO: 24-219 / Ordinance No. 4318 (letter attached as PDF, in addition to pasted below) Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 10:19:52 PM
Attachments: image001.png
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image005.png
image007.png
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City Council Letter_040124.pdf
April 01, 2024
Regarding: OBJECTION TO: 24-219 / Ordinance No. 4318
Dear Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and Council Members:

I oppose this ordinance and ask that you consider rescinding it tonight. I hear council talking about “common sense” and I believe you know: this ordinance does not make sense.

I am curious:

Will a person on the review committee even need to have a library card? How much time and energy did each council member spend learning about the publishing industry and their process for accepting manuscripts? How little do you understand about the publishing industry, that you believe a parent with no experience in the library / book publishing world is qualified to curate a book collection for the library?
When a council member says he anticipates the group to only read 6 books a year, is he imagining they will rubber stamp every other book, and simply use Moms for Liberty banned book list as a guide?
What exactly will constitute sexual content? Will award-winning Author/Illustrator picture books such as “No, David!” by David Shannon, “In the Night Kitchen” by Maurice Sendak, and/or “Draw Me a Star” by Eric Carle be moved to the adult section because of nudity?

I understand that a majority of our council members trust Mr. Gates beyond question.

But, maybe, just maybe, this one time, you might consider that his staff has drafted an ordinance that has problems. Maybe, just maybe, this one time, you can think independently and vote to pause this ordinance until it makes more sense for the library operations and patron experience. Aside from the fact that I oppose the formation of a book review committee, this ordinance doesn’t make enough sense.

Sincerely,
Sue Welfringer, HB Resident

April 01, 2024

Regarding: OBJECTION TO: 24-219 / Ordinance No. 4318
Dear Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and Council Members:

I oppose this ordinance and ask that you consider rescinding it tonight. I hear council talking about “common sense” and I believe you know: this ordinance does not make sense.

I am curious:
 Will a person on the review committee even need to have a library card?  How much time and energy did each council member spend learning about the publishing industry and their process for accepting manuscripts?
 How little do you understand about the publishing industry, that you believe a parent with no experience in the library / book publishing world is qualiﬁed to curate a book collection for the library?
 When a council member says he anticipates the group to only read 6 books a year, is he imagining they will rubber stamp every other book, and simply use Moms for Liberty banned book list as a guide?
 What exactly will constitute sexual content? Will award-winning Author/Illustrator pictures books such as “No, David!” by David Shannon, “In the Night Kitchen” by Maurice Sendak, and/or “Draw Me a Star” by Eric Carle be moved to the adult section because of nudity?

I understand that a majority of
our council members trust Mr.

Gates beyond question.

But, maybe, just maybe, this
one time, you might consider
that his staƯ has drafted an
ordinance that has problems.

Maybe, just maybe, this one
time, you can think independently and vote to pause this ordinance until it makes more sense for the library operations and patron experience. Aside from the fact that I oppose the formation of a book review committee, this ordinance doesn’t make enough sense.

Sincerely,
Sue Welfringer, HB Resident

From: Celeste Rybicki
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: No on agenda item 24-219 - no library review board necessary Date: Monday, April 1, 2024 10:42:10 PM
Hello,
If there is a chance that you can stop this train wreck that a 21 person parent/guardian review board for our library would be - now is the time to take it. Your community has spoken out time and time again - the vast majority of Huntington Beach does not want it. Authors, librarians, people across the country have spoken out against it - no good can come from this.

I would urge you to watch The ABC’s of Book Banning, the Academy Award nominated short film (it’s under 30 mins!) and hear actual children speak out about their feelings and the effects of restricting, censorship, and banning books. Kids and parents just want access to as many age appropriate books as possible and we trust librarians to curate and shelve as they see fit. And if something slips through the cracks or doesn’t feel right there is already a process in place for parents to object. The library works. That’s why it’s so popular. That’s why it wins awards and is known as a “gem” of our city!
You know what isn’t working? What’s becoming increasingly unpopular and embarrassing on a national stage? This council. If anything we should consider forming a community review board of the decisions you’ve been making here.

But we don’t do that in a reasonable society. You were elected and you’ll continue doing a job, whether I agree with it or not, until we vote you out. Just let the librarians do the jobs they were hired to do.

Do the right thing. Vote no on item 24-219, please end this board before it hurts our community even more.

Celeste
HB resident and parent of young children
From: Jingles
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Regarding City Council Agenda Item #7 and Library Management Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 12:40:07 AM
To the City Council of Huntington Beach,
My name is Anne Chen, and I am a resident of Huntington Beach. I have been going to the Huntington Beach Central Library for years and have always enjoyed its books and services. I am against the agenda to "Adopt Ordinance No. 4318 adding Chapter 2.66 to the Huntington Beach Municipal Code Relating to the Community-Parent Guardian Review Board for Review of Procurement of Children’s Library Material." I believe that knowledge and information should be free for the public to access, and hiding it behind political censorship will harm our residents and our children.

Being able to experience and learn from different viewpoints is an integral part to being a member of society at any age. I believe in life there is no way we, as people, will agree with every story or view that we are exposed to. But being exposed to those different stories is also a learning experience, and a vital part of understanding history, people, and the world around us. There is no council, especially not the one that Ordinance No. 4318 would establish, that should be allowed to limit that knowledge for the public to access.

Historically, banning books has shown a tendency to censor books relating to LGBTQ+ communities as well. Much of this information is essential for teenagers who are struggling to navigate issues of identity and interpersonal relationships who do not have access to support from other parts of their life. There is also the possibility that books will be unfairly judged due to cultural differences, and children of different groups could feel isolated by the lack of representation in their own libraries. A council that bans these books is also a council that neglects and harms these communities.

I do not agree with the privatization of the Huntington Beach library management and the recent measures taken to ban books from the library. Public libraries should benefit the public.

I love our libraries, not just as a quiet place to read and study, but for what they represent: free access to knowledge, a safe place to learn, and a beautiful part of our communities. Please do not try to cut corners or limit that.

Sincerely,
Anne Chen
Resident of Huntington Beach
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Oppose Agenda Item #7
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 4:35:08 AM
Dear Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and Councilmembers,
I am writing to urge you to oppose agenda item #7 as it is currently written.

At the last City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Burns stated that he expected that only about 6 books a year would need to be vetted through this Parent/Guardian Committee. However, as this ordinance is currently written, many more (if not most) children's and young adult's books will get caught up in this process.

As has been presented by many librarians, the HB Public Library often purchases thousands of children's and young adult's books in a year and this proposed Committee will be expected to review all of them in some manner before the library can procure the books. There is no explanation of how the Committee members are supposed to review books that have not been purchased, however it is stated that books that have been reviewed and rejected will be donated to other libraries that don't have this review requirement, so one must suppose they are being purchased for the review process.

There is no explanation of how this Committee will be able to review the thousands of books proposed by the librarians when the Committee is only going to meet twice per year. Is the intent to simply prevent any new books from entering the library? If not, this ordinance must be sent back for revisions.

The definitions in the ordinance are so vague as to be useless. For example, the term "sexual content" doesn't even define that you are concerned with human sexual content (I'm assuming that's your concern). I'm sure you are aware that plant pollination is considered sexual reproduction. Pollination is part of the basic California science curriculum and instruction on that topic begins in kindergarten through second grade. Are parents going to be expected to go to the X-rated adult section to find a children's book on pollination to supplement their school books? As ludicrous as this whole Book Review Committee is, I understand that you will be moving forward with your plan. I just hope you will send this ordinance back for revision to be sure that it will actually be functional, and as Pat Burns expects, only affects a small number of books. As it is written, it will just shut down all new book orders. According to your videos during "Library Month", you all love the library and have fond memories of childhood discoveries in the library. Please don't prevent the next generation of children and young adults from having those same experiences.

Sincerely,
Dianne James
From: Linda Rose
To: [email protected]
Subject: HB Public Libraries
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 6:53:07 AM
To the City Council, why are you taking rights from the public in HB? You ignore 800 emails and 100 public comments in the last meeting about this? You take parents right to choose the books their children read. Do you have higher college degrees than the librarians with a masters degree in library science? And you are privatizing our public libraries ? This to remove the educated librarians from the library and taking my right to read these books for free? We paid for those books with our taxes. I trust the librarians not random people in the city to choose what books go on the shelves. Please stop taking away our rights! Linda Rose, homeowner in HB for over 40 years Sent from my iPad
From: Isabella Ford
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Cancel Ordinance 4318
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 7:02:54 AM
Professional librarians must run our library. Simply read the first page of you Ordinance 4318 and notice it defines "children" as anyone under 18 years of age. Do you really feel a high school graduate should only have access to biology books that a 5 year old can understand? My daughter and many of her friends will still be 17 join graduating HBHS. I didn't turn 18 until months into my first year on of college.

Your Ordinance is written to handcuff the library to only offer books that meet your strange, poorly written criteria. You are entitled to your opinion on what books you find offensive.. but you are not allowed to force your opinion on the whole community. The library already had processes in place and you can provide input by going through defined processes if you find a book you feel shouldn't be in the children's library. Instead, you decide to create an Ordinance??
Your Ordinance treats high schoolers the same as preschoolers.

Do you really believe our children's library had books teaching 8 year old how to give fellatio?
From: Isabella Ford
To: McKeon, Casey
Cc: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Re: Stop the RFP that LS&S has requested
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 7:25:12 AM
If you really cared about cost savings, you would not have pushed measures ABC.

You say this is just a request for proposals, yet you also write " The Library will remain a Public Library free to the community except for the resident’s tax dollars that pay for the $5 million annual Library Department budget." So you have already made your decision.

Stop lying. Kids are watching and seeing so many public officials lie...I used to at least be able to count on local officials that have the most impact on our daily lives to be honest, moral and admittedly human. Mistakes happen, and it is our job as residents to question you, but to blatantly lie about your intent under the guise of "cost savings"... how much is the library budget compared to the legal department's?
Libraries, parks, public restrooms, roads, community centers, citizens academies, community Cafe... these are areas that benefit the most if not all residents. Yet you canceled the community Cafe and are now attacking the library. You voted to spend on pet projects like the air show, flags, voter ID, book bans, retroactively increasing Gates' salary...

The city budget should be spent on departments that benefit the quality of life of the majority of residents. The Community and library service department and Public Works have one of the highest impact on the quality of our daily HB life.

On Mon, Apr 1, 2024, 5:14 PM McKeon, Casey <[email protected] > wrote:

Thank you for your email Isabella.

We simply issued a request for proposals as different groups have approached the City about potential costs savings to the Library system. The City performs these types of analyses all of the time throughout all City departments and is a normal operating procedure. RFP’s go out to the entire public and then companies submit proposals if interested through an open bid process.

I feel it’s appropriate to perform research into possible cost savings for the taxpayers in any City Department.

I completely understand the concerns and sensitivity and will be very judicious in my research and analysis.

The Library will remain a Public Library free to the community except for the resident’s tax dollars that pay for the $5 million annual Library Department budget.

Thank you.

Casey McKeon
City Council Member
City of Huntington Beach
714-536-5553
On Apr 1, 2024, at 5:11 PM, Isabella Ford <[email protected]> wrote:

Dear City Council Members,
It would be a step showing you actually care about our city if you would stop wasting staff time and city monies and cancel the RFP for outsourcing library services. It would also show folks you are somewhat educated and of sound mind if you got rid of ordinance 4318 that forces our library to treat all children under 18 the same. You have handcuffed the library from being able to properly support high school students with resources to research whatever subjects they need to further their education. Do you know that a lot of our high school students are taking college courses? We have an amazing dual enrollment program at HBHS so students can take college courses while still in high school. We also have EMR classes to help our high schoolers decide if they want to pursue their EMT license. These teens are very competent and should not be limited to baby books just because you feel offended by something.

Our library is an amazing resource that has only improved in the 30 years we've lived here. Focus city resources and energies and budget on other projects that will actually improve quality of life in HB like updating the lighting in downtown as well as bathroom facilities downtown and along the beach.

You have spent so much money and time stoking hate by focusing so much attention on voter id and flags when that money would've been much better spent to simply update city charter 612.

Or, hire a city manager. Or, hire a new chief of police and \let Chief Parra collect his pension and then hire him as city manager.

Isabella Ford
714-308-0660
From: Gabriela Peschiera
To: [email protected]
Subject: Opposing approval of ordinance #4318
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:12:28 AM
Dear Mayor & Members of the City Council of HB,
I am writing to express my opposition to the approval of Ordinance # 4318 and to the possible consideration of the privatization of the Huntington Beach Public Library System. Please leave the libraries in our city alone! They are working fine and offer many programs and services to the senior population, like I.

Thank you so much for your consideration to these requests.

Sincerely,
Gaby Peschiera
From: Claudia Locke
To: [email protected]
Subject: Opposition to Item 24-219 and the possible privatization of our HBPL! Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:19:38 AM
Mayor of HB, Mayor Pro Tem, & HB City Council Members,
We are writing to you to express our opposition to approve the ordinance # 4318 (agenda item 24- 219). We do not think that is well written. There are many items that are not clear and would create confusion. and major problems.

Also, we are opposed to the possible privatization of our libraries! Please discard that idea and save your time and energy to take care of other important needs in our City! We appreciate your consideration of our requests.

Sincerely,
The Locke Family
HB Residents
From: Amy Black
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: NO Community-Parent Guardian Review Board
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:25:56 AM
To HB City Council,
As a parent I am disheartened and disappointed by the recent acts of the city council. Our Huntington Beach libraries and librarians are one of the things that make our city so great! The fact that we are going down this road to police books is ridiculous. I didn’t realize we were living in Nazi Germany. If you don’t like the contents of a book, you don’t have to read it or allow your children to read it. That’s your choice as an individual, but you and this proposed review board don’t get to dictate what I can and can’t do as a person or parent.

I strongly disagree with this proposal to enact a community-parent guardian review board.

Rather than promoting progress and inclusivity, it’s taking us backwards. Please vote NO!!!! Thank you,
Amy Black
Huntington Beach resident and parent
From: Steven C Shepherd Architect
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: OPPOSED TO AGENDA ITEM #7 - STOP MEDDLING WITH HB PARENTS! Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:32:37 AM
Forming a board of political appointees to meddle with our public library services is nothing more than interfering with parents rather than protecting children.

Individual HB parents should make the determination about what is or is not appropriate for their own children, and this local government's attempt to intrude is nothing less than offensive.

Steve Shepherd
Huntington Beach 92646
From: Leslie Golson
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF); [email protected] Subject: Library
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:41:05 AM
I am against privatization of our public library.

I am against a citizen book review committee.

Leslie Golson
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: Community Parent Guardian Review…………:……..

Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:46:56 AM

From: Kathleen Lueck <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2024 11:12 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: Community Parent Guardian Review…………:……..

I am dismayed and embarrassed by the attempt of our City Counsel to appoint a committee (of THEIR CHOICE) to monitor and approve books in our PUBLIC LIBRARY. Why is this group so anxious to control our rights to read and to be the monitors of books that our WE ALLOW our children to read? This unfortunately reminds us all of book-burning in Nazi Germany.

We are intensely proud of our Publuc Library System and are dismayed to see four POLITICAL HOPEFULS attempting to dismantle it. I am appalled by your attempts to do just that.

You SHOULD be ashamed.

Kathleen Lueck
17411 Mayor Lane
H.B. 92647

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: HB Public Libraries
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:48:17 AM

From: Linda Rose <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 6:54 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: Fwd: HB Public Libraries

Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:

From: Linda Rose <[email protected]
>
Date: April 2, 2024 at 6:52:56 AM PDT
To: [email protected]
Subject: HB Public Libraries
To the City Council, why are you taking rights from the public in HB? You ignore 800 emails and 100 public comments in the last meeting about this? You take parents right to choose the books their children read. Do you have higher college degrees than the librarians with a masters degree in library science? And you are privatizing our public libraries ? This to remove the educated librarians from the library and taking my right to read these books for free? We paid for those books with our taxes. I trust the librarians not random people in the city to choose what books go on the shelves. Please stop taking away our rights! Linda Rose, homeowner in HB for over 40 years Sent from my iPad
From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW:

Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:52:08 AM

From: Alex VandenBos <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:51 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject:

To HB City Council, As a parent I am disheartened and disappointed by the recent acts of the city council. Our Huntington Beach libraries and librarians are one of the things that make our city so great! The fact that we are going down this road to police books is ridiculous. I didn’t realize we were living in Nazi Germany. If you don’t like the contents of a book, you don’t have to read it or allow your children to read it. That’s your choice as an individual, but you and this proposed review board don’t get to dictate what I can and can’t do as a person or parent. I strongly disagree with this proposal to enact a community-parent guardian review board. Rather than promoting progress and inclusivity, it’s taking us backwards. Please vote NO!!!! From: Belindajon
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Opposed to Agenda Item #7
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:48:29 AM
The only people who should be gatekeeping books for children are their parents.

Stop making excuses for lazy parents.

Allowing politicians to appoint and therefore make decisions for the public at large is a gross overstepping of boundaries and parental rights.

Belinda Shepherd
HB Resident
From: Harry McLachlan
To: [email protected]; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) Subject: Proposed Ordinance 4318
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:54:33 AM
Huntington Beach Special City Council Meeting April 2, 2024 Agenda Item No.7: 24-219
My name is Harry McLachlan. I am a resident of Huntington Beach.

I am writing in opposition to agenda item 7, the poorly written and ill- defined Ordinance No. 4318. On March 19th over 800 constituents wrote supplemental comments and over 100 spoke in person expressing concern about the haphazard wording and vagueness of this ordinance.

Yet, despite the many requests for clarification and genuine concern on the part of our citizens and public library patrons, proposed Ordinance No. 4318 remains unchanged. Not one word of it. Please table this item so that the following items may be, perhaps for the first time, thoroughly and intelligently addressed:
· The definition of “Children”. · “Community Standards” · “Sexual Content” · “Sexual Reference” · “Review” · Board member qualifications. · Board member attendance requirements.
· Meeting parameters.

All Board decisions are final and unappealable? Fertile ground for lawsuits. How about a public listing of board members and how they all voted on these books?
Please table this item for review and revision. You can do much better than this. The citizens of Huntington Beach deserve much better than this.

From: maureen movius
To: [email protected]
Subject: book banning
Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:55:20 AM
Not hard to believe HB MAGA 4 are on a book banning binge. Many parents want our children to learn about diversity and communities that discusses inclusiveness. Shame on this city council in favor of this craziness. I'm curious about the education of these council members, particularly our mayor.

From: Fikes, Cathy
To: Agenda Alerts
Subject: FW: A Palmer slides 4.02.24 HBCC comments agenda items support Date: Tuesday, April 2, 2024 8:46:02 AM
Attachments: Ann Palmer Apr 2 2024 multiple agenda items support.pptx

From: Ann Palmer <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 1, 2024 6:37 PM
To: Estanislau, Robin <[email protected]>; Toledo, Julie <Julie.Toledo@surfcity- hb.org>; CITY COUNCIL (INCL. CMO STAFF) <[email protected]> Subject: A Palmer slides 4.02.24 HBCC comments agenda items support

Attached is a brief PowerPoint presentation in support of several agenda items listed for the City Council meeting, Tuesday, April 2, 2024. My hat is off to our elected officials and all staff regarding the volume and efficacy in addressing both day-to-day issues and matters of volatile public concern.

It is my intention to sign up to speak during the General Comments session but may not address each of these if further time restriction is needed to address a large volume of speakers. I have no complaints on that practice! However, I wanted to provide these slides -- without speaker notes -- just as one resident's POV.

Thank you,

Ann Palmer
30+ yr resident
Huntington Beach 92648
[email protected]
- email
310.982.8263 - ph/txt
HBCC 4.02.24 Easter A Palmer
Easter Tuesday Multiple Agenda Items
SPRING
In
Huntington Beach

SUPPORT
#7) 24-227: Community Parent-Guardian
Review Board
WHY?
HBCC 4.02.24 A Palmer
Multiple Agenda Items
▪ Archetype of Participatory Government – a leading
principle of Local Governance
▪ Community Service Librarianship
▪ Elevate cohesive, homogenous patron experience
▪ Embrace larger community as a whole
▪ Builds public trust & confidence
▪ Protects Children

SUPPORT
#8) 24-146: Weeds and Rubbish =
Public Nuisance
WHY?
HBCC 4.02.24 A Palmer
Multiple Agenda Items
▪ Cheap and efficient component to city beautification
▪ HB lacks funding vs other communities (NB, Irvine)
▪ Improves Public Health and Safety of specific area
▪ Issues noted during OCC Infrastructure activities
▪ Opportunities for neighborhood and community service
volunteers w clear compliance timeline
▪ Clarity to property users/owners/lessees

SUPPORT
#11) 24-230: Beach Activity Zone Code
Amendments
WHY?
HBCC 4.02.24 A Palmer
Multiple Agenda Items
▪ Clarifies code and reduces ambiguities
▪ Assists in enforcement: Rescue, Law
▪ Ensures access for other City Services
▪ Improves Public Health and Safety of specific area
▪ Preserves infrastructure and other community
investments

SUPPORT
#8) 24-215: Ordinance No. 4317 related to
Use of Law Enforcement/Loud Activities
WHY?
HBCC 4.02.24 A Palmer
Multiple Agenda Items
▪ Responsive to community concern
▪ Amends existing Municipal Code (Ch 8.42) appropriately ▪ Clarifies violation/situations
▪ Assists Law Enforcement
▪ Improves Public Safety
HBCC 4.02.24 Easter A Palmer
Easter Tuesday Multiple Agenda Items
Thank You.

Please enjoy the
remaining days of the
Easter Octave.

City Council/Public Financing AuthorityApril 2, 2024

City Council/Public Financing Authority
April 2, 2024