MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST
The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Lake Forest held Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at the Lake Forest City Council Chambers, 100 Civic Center Drive, Lake Forest, California, was called to order at 5:30 p.m. with Council Member Tettemer absent.
ROLL CALL: Council Members:
Mayor Pro Tem:
Mayor:
City Manager:
City Attorney:
City Clerk:
CLOSED SESSION
Mark Tettemer ( absent)
Scott Voigts ( arrived at 5:31 p.m.)
Benjamin Yu
Doug Cirbo
Robert Pequeno
Debra Rose
Matthew E. Richardson
Thy Merritt
1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL- EXISTING LITIGATION
PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(D)(1)
NUMBER OF CASES: 1
Case Name: Brian McMillan v. City of Lake Forest, et al.
USDC Central District Case No.: 8:25-cv-00245-SRM ( JDEx) ACTION: Closed session was conducted.
2. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL- ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(D)(2)
NUMBER OF POTENTIAL CASES: 1
ACTION: Closed session was conducted
PUBLIC SESSION: 6:30 p.m.
INVOCATION: The Invocation was provided by Pastor Walmer Landaverde, Saddleback Church.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of our Country was led by Cub Scout Pack # 623.
CLOSED SESSION REPORT: City Attorney Richardson had no action to report.
PRESENTATIONS: ( Item No. 3)
MOTION: It was moved by Council Member Voigts, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Cirbo, to approve Presentation Item No. 3. The motion was carried by a vote of 4-0 with Council Member Tettemer absent.
1. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING LUNAR NEW YEAR
City Manager Rose introduced this item and invited Council Member Yu to provide a presentation. Andrew O'Connor offered public comment.
ACTION: A Proclamation recognizing Lunar New Year was presented to We the Meadows Chairman Harrison Jiang.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Mike Davison expressed concerns with the activities of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Jay Cost expressed concerns with safety during anti- United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency activities.
Theo Bishop expressed concerns with agents of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency wearing masks.
Andrea Alexander thanked staff for accommodating her with a hearing device and expressed concerns with the activities of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.
Mark Hermanson expressed gratitude for the City and for public speakers conducting themselves with respect and decorum.
Bob Holtzclaw expressed concern with a homeless man at a bus stop on El Toro Road and requested services for him.
Andrew O'Connor expressed concern with Mayor Pequeno and shared a certificate given to him by the City of Mission Viejo.
CONSENT CALENDAR: ( Item Nos. 4 - 11)
Consent Calendar Item Nos. 5, 7, and 10 were pulled for discussion.
February 17, 2026 LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Page 2 of 5 MOTION: It was moved by Council Member Voigts, seconded by Council Member Yu, to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. 4, 6, 8-9, and 11. The motion was carried by a vote of 4-0 with Council Member Tettemer absent.
4. MOTION TO WAIVE READING OF RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES ACTION: Said Ordinances and Resolutions which appeared on the public agenda were determined to have been read by title and further reading waived.
6. PROCLAMATION DECLARING FEBRUARY 22 — 28, 2026 AS NATIONAL
ENGINEERS WEEK
ACTION: Approved a proclamation designating February 22 — 28, 2026 as National Engineers Week in the City of Lake Forest.
8. AN ORDINANCE MAKING VARIOUS UPDATES TO THE LAKE FOREST
MUNICIPAL CODE
ACTION: Conducted second reading of and adopted an Ordinance entitled: AN
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAKE FOREST CALIFORNIA, AMENDING TITLE 1, TITLE 5, TITLE 6, AND TITLE 8 TO MAKE MINOR REFINEMENTS, CORRECTIONS, AND CLEAN-UP AMENDMENTS; AND ADDING CHAPTER 11.64 TO DIVISION VII OF TITLE 11 REGULATING FIREWORKS; AND DETERMINING THE ORDINANCE TO BE EXEMPT FROM CEQA.
9. AGREEMENT FOR AMAZON BUSINESS MARKETPLACE SERVICES
ACTION: 1. Approved a Cooperative Contract — Master Agreement with Amazon Business Marketplace Services and authorized the Mayor to sign the Participating Addendum. 2. The City Manager, or designee, was authorized to execute all documents necessary to effectuate participation in the cooperative agreement.
11. AGREEMENT FOR CITY BRANDING STREET BANNER PRINTING AND INSTALLATION SERVICES WITH DEKRA-LITE INDUSTRIES, INC.
ACTION: 1. A Maintenance Services Agreement with Dekra-Lite Industries, Inc. for City Branding Street Banner Printing and Installation Services was approved.
2. The Mayor was authorized to sign, and the City Clerk attest, the Agreement, substantially in the form attached.
ITEMS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION: ( Item Nos. 5, 7 and 10)
STATEMENT READ INTO THE RECORD:
February 17, 2026 LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Page 3 of 5 Council Member Voigts: There are warrants on the register to the County of Orange. I am an employee of the County of Orange, but I do not work for the department that generated the warrants. Because the County of Orange is a public agency and because I do not work for the departments in question, l have determined that 1have a non - interest in these warrants and will vote on this item.
MOTION: It was moved by Council Member Voigts, seconded by Council Member Yu, to approve Consent Calendar Nos. 5, 7 and 10. The motion was carried by a vote of 4-0 with Council Member Tettemer absent.
5. MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL HELD ON FEBRUARY 3, 2026
Andrew O'Connor offered public comment and expressed concerns with comments made by Sean Fletcher and Council Member Tettemer.
ACTION: The minutes were approved as submitted.
7. CERTIFICATION OF WARRANT REGISTER
Andrew O'Connor offered public comment and expressed concerns with the costs for various vendors.
ACTION: The warrant register in the amount of $ 5,590,055.39 was approved.
10. FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENT WITH BEST, BEST AND
KRIEGER FOR FEDERAL LOBBYING SERVICES
Andrew O'Connor offered public comment and expressed his concern with the cost of the agreement.
ACTION: The First Amendment to the Professional Consulting Services Agreement with Best, Best and Krieger, LLP for Federal Lobbying Services was approved. 2. The Mayor was authorized to sign, and the City Clerk attest, the First Amendment to the Agreement with Best, Best and Krieger, LLP, substantially in the form attached.
DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS: ( Item No. 12)
12. SUMMARY OF OUTREACH RESULTS RELATED TO PICKLEBALL COURT
STRIPING AT EL TORO AND MOUNTAIN VIEW PARKS
City Manager Rose introduced the item and invited Deputy City Manager McGovern to provide a presentation. Council questions were asked and answered. No public comment was offered.
February 17, 2026 LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Page 4 of 5 MOTION: It was moved by Council Member Yu, seconded by Council Member Voigts, to receive and file the presentation. The motion was carried by a vote of 4-0 with Council Member Tettemer absent.
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT: City Manager Rose had nothing further to report.
CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS:
Council Member Voigts:
Council Member Yu:
Mayor Pro Tem Cirbo:
Mayor Pequeno:
Council Member Voigts had nothing further to report
and wished everyone a Happy Year of the Horse.
Council Member Yu had nothing further to report and
wished everyone a Happy Year of the Horse.
Mayor Pro Tem Cirbo reminded the public how
Council meetings are conducted, shared Council
Members cannot respond to Public Comments but
concerns are addressed, and encouraged residents to
use the Ask Lake Forest application ( ALF).
Mayor Pequeno reported on his attendance at the
Career Fair sponsored by Third District Supervisor
Don Wagner and the Southwest Sips and Community
Dump Day events. He reminded the public about the
Orange County Sheriff Department's ( OCSD) non -
emergency phone line and the City's ALF application
to report concerns.
ADJOURNMENT: The Regular Meeting of the City Council was adjourned at 7:43 p.m.
Respectfully submitted:
THY MERRITT
CITY CLERK
February 17 2026
APPROVED:
ROB' R ' PEQUENO
MAY
LAKE FOREST CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Page 5 of 5