Minutes
Special Meeting
City Council/Public Financing Authority
City of Huntington Beach
Friday, November 21, 2025
12:00 PM - Council Chambers
Civic Center, 2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, California 92648
A video recording of this meeting
is on file in the Office of the City Clerk, and archived at https://huntingtonbeach.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
12:00 PM - COUNCIL CHAMBERS
CALLED TO ORDER SPECIAL MEETING - 12:00 PM
ROLL CALL
Present: Twining, Kennedy, McKeon, Pat Burns, Van Der Mark, Gruel, and Williams
Absent: None
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE - Led by Mayor Burns
ANNOUNCEMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATIONS (Received After Agenda Distribution) Pursuant to the Brown "Open Meetings" Act, City Clerk Lisa Lane Barnes announced supplemental communications received by her office following distribution of the Council Agenda packet which were all uploaded to the City's website and Councilmember iPads: Closed Session Item #1 (41 email communications).
City Attorney Michael Vigliotta clarified for the benefit of the public that this is a Closed Session meeting only to discuss a threat of litigation and there will be no report on the Closed Session discussion.
Mayor Burns stated that all public comments made today are restricted to the topic under discussion during Closed Session.
PUBLIC COMMENTS (30-Second Time Limit due to the number of speakers) - 45 Speakers The number [hh:mm:ss] following the speakers' comments indicates their approximate starting time in the archived video located at https://huntingtonbeach.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.
Brett Bush commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:05:27) Dom commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:06:07) Mark Tonkovich commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:06:45) Eva commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:07:09) Michele Rogers commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:07:57) City Council/PFA Special Meeting Minutes
November 21, 2025
Michael Rogers commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:08:07) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:08:36) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:09:13) Chris commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:09:57) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:10:28) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:10:59) Brian commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:12:12) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:12:48) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:13:10) Jan Jacobs commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:14:01) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:14:39) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:15:21) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:15:52) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:16:30) Erin commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:17:07) Lindsay Klick commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:17:41) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:18:08) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:19:24) John Carser commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:19:58) Heidi Barlow commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:20:32) Zack McCready commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:21:13) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:21:50) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:22:25) Joe Pedick commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:23:03) There was a brief recess as Mayor Burns asked officers to remove an audience member exhibiting disorderly conduct.
City Council/PFA Special Meeting Minutes
November 21, 2025
Tim Geddes commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:25:16) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:25:42) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:26:19) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:26:56) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:27:48) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:28:18) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:28:47) Chris Kluwe commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:29:13) Teresa Davis the employment of Michael Gates. (00:29:47) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:29:59) Ed Laird commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:30:34) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:31:07) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:31:41) Paula Schaefer commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:32:20) Unnamed Speaker commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:32:58) Bruce Wareh commented on the employment of Michael Gates. (00:33:33) Councilman Williams requested that Council reconvene after Closed Session to publicly report on Closed Session pursuant to Government Code 54957.1(a): The legislative body of any local agency shall publicly report any action taken in closed session and the vote or abstention on that action of every member present, as follows: 5. Action taken to appoint, employ, dismiss, accept the resignation of, or otherwise affect the employment status of a public employee in closed session pursuant to Section 54957...
City Attorney Michael Vigliotta had no response to the request of Councilman Williams.
RECESSED TO CLOSED SESSION - 12:34 PM
A motion was made by Burns, with a second by Van Der Mark, to recess to Closed Session.
CLOSED SESSION
1. 25-920 ***Revised Title: CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL — ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(2).): One (1) - Email Communication from Benjamin City Council/PFA Special Meeting Minutes
November 21, 2025
G. Chew (available in the City Clerk's Office). CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL-ANTICIPATED LITIGATION (Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(2).): One (1).
RECONVENED CITY COUNCIL/PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY SPECIAL MEETING - 2:53 PM CLOSED SESSION REPORT BY CITY ATTORNEY - None
ADJOURNMENT — At 2:54 PM a motion was made by Burns, with a second by McKeon, to adjourn to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Huntington Beach City Council/Public Financing Authority on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, California.
INTERNET ACCESS TO CITY COUNCIL/PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY AGENDA AND
STAFF REPORT MATERIAL IS AVAILABLE PRIOR TO,CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AT Ma Mere barney
City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council
of the City of Huntington Beach and Secretary of
the Public Financing Authority of the City of
Huntington Beach, California
City Clerk-Secretary Mayor-Chair