MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE LA PALMA CITY COUNCIL
April 19, 2022
CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Steggell called the Special Meeting of the La Palma City Council to order at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of La Palma City Hall, 7822 Walker Street, La Palma, California.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Steggell
ROLL CALL: Council and Commission Members
Council Members present: Mayor Pro Tem Baker, Council Member Goodman, Council Member Patel, Mayor Steggell, and Council
Member Waldman
Council Members absent: None
City Officials present: Conal McNamara, City Manager
Ajit Thind, City Attorney
Ryan Hallett-Hinton, Assistant to the City Manager
Kimberly Kenney, City Clerk
CLOSED SESSION
CS-1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) Significant exposure to litigation: One potential case
Claim of California Voting Rights Act Violation from
Southwest Voter Registration Education Project
A copy of the letter is available at:
https://www.cityoflapalma.org/DocumentCenter/View/11378 Mayor Steggell recessed into Closed Session at 5:01 p.m.
OPEN SESSION (Scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.)
Mayor Steggell reconvened in Open Session at 7:00 p.m. and asked for a report out of Closed Session.
City Council Special Meeting
April 19, 2022
City Attorney Thind announced that there were no reportable actions out of Closed Session.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS (Time Limit: 5 Minutes Each)
No members of the public wished to speak.
REGULAR ITEMS
1. Consideration of Transition From At-Large to By-District Elections The City Council took the following actions:
a) City Manager McNamara introduced the Item and City Attorney Thind gave the Staff Report.
b) Public Comment:
Bill Edwards, a La Palma resident, addressed the City Council regarding his support for At-Large Elections; support for the Police Department; opposed to By-District Elections; and understands that the City Council will make the best decision for the residents of this community.
Mary Panningsoro, a La Palma resident addressed the City Council by asking how the process of district elections would work; that to avoid legal penalties, the City should support district elections; and how the City plans to pay for this endeavor.
City Attorney Thind responded that the City could be divided into four or even five districts with the possibility of having an ‘at-large’ Mayor; that the City Council will conduct future Public Hearings to collect public comment on the issue; and that funding for this type of project would come from the General Fund.
City Manager McNamara added that $155,000 would come from the General Fund Balance for this ‘By-District’ election endeavor.
c) Consider whether to:
1) Adopt a Resolution to declare the City Council's intention to transition from at-large to by-district elections pursuant to California Elections Code Section 10010;
City Council Special Meeting
April 19, 2022
2) Appropriate $155,000 from the available fund balance in the General Fund for purposes of funding anticipated expenses associated with the transition to districts;
3) Retain National Demographics Corporation as a demographer to begin the process.
Council Member Waldman made a motion to adopt Resolution 2022-22 declaring the City Council's intention to transition from at-large to by-district elections pursuant to California Elections Code Section 10010; appropriate $155,000 from the available fund balance in the General Fund for purposes of funding anticipated expenses associated with the transition to districts; and retain National Demographics Corporation as a demographer to begin the process.
The motion was seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Baker and carried on the following vote:
AYES: Mayor Pro Tem Baker, Council Member Goodman,
Council Member Patel, Mayor Steggell, and Council
Member Waldman
NOES: None
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Steggell adjourned the Special Meeting of the La Palma City Council at 7:17 p.m.
Michele Steggell
Mayor
Attest:
Kimberly Kenney, CMC
City Clerk