MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE LEMON GROVE CITY COUNCIL
Lemon Grove Community Center
3146 School Lane, Lemon Grove, CA 91945
Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.
Call to Order
Mayor Racquel Vasquez called the Regular City Council meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Mayor Racquel Vasquer, Councilmember Liana Letturos, Councilmember Jennifer Mendoza and Councilmember Alysson Snow
Absent: Councilmember George Gastil
Staff Members Present
Lydia Romero, City Manager; Kristen Steinke, City Attorney; Joel G. Pablo, City Clerk; Izzy Murguia, Public Works Director; Shaun Dershem, Executive Assistant; Deputy Fire Chief - Operations Todd Nelson, Heartland Fire and Rescue; and Sergeant Ken Seel, San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
Pledge of Allegiance
Councilmember LeBaron led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Changes to the Agenda
City Manager Lydia Romero announced written notification was received from Councilmember LeBaron to pull Item No. 1.B, 1.D and 1.E from the Consent Calendar and those items will be moved following Reports to Council.
Presentations - None
Public Comment
Mayor Vasquez opened the public comment period.
In Person: John L. Wood
Craig Morris
David Brauner
Pam Brauner
Andrew Bean
Debbye Tellez
Gene Carpenter
Brenda Hammond
Mat Kostrinsky, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 127
Chris Williams
Mejgan Afshan, Borderlands for Equity
Page |2 City Council Meeting Minutes - Regular Meeting February 20, 2024 Sarah Farouq, Borderlands for Equity
Sami Ortelova, Borderlands for Equity
Oren Robinson, Jewish Voice for Peace
Layla, Borderlands for Equity
Sophia, Borderlands for Equity
Julie, Borderlands for Equity
Yasmeen Obeid
Cheryl Robertson
Yusef Miller
Written: Barbara Gordon
Future Discussion Items
Councilmember Snow with the support of Mayor Pro-Tem Mendoza directed staff to place on a future Council Agenda a Council Initiated Item to discuss and consider adoption of a Ceasefire and Immediate Peaceful Resolution regarding the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.
In response to Council deliberation on the further discussions regarding the January 2024 Winter Storm Event, City Manager Romero indicated staff is working to identify a date to conduct a Special Meeting of the City Council (Stormwater Management Workshop).
Consent Calendar
Action: Motion by Councilmember Snow, second by Mayor Pro-Tem Mendoza to approve Consent Calendar Item Nos. 1.A and I.C.
The motion passed by the following vote:
Ayes: LeBaron, Snow, Mendoza, Vasquez
Noes: None
Absent: Gastil
1.A Waive Full Text Reading of All Ordinances on the Agenda Action: Waived the full text reading of all ordinances on the published meeting agenda.
1.B City of Lemon Grove Payment Demands
Action: Item Pulled from Consent Calendar via Changes to the Agenda.
1.C Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes
Action: Approved the minutes of the Lemon Grove City Council meeting held on January 16, 2024 (minutes are verbatim due to technical issues).
Page | 3 City Council Meeting Minutes - Regular Meeting February 20, 2024
1.D A Resolution Ratifying an Emergency Declaration and Ratifying the Emergency Repair of a Storm Drain at 6971 Broadway (4/5'h Vote Needed)
Action: Item Pulled from Consent Calendar via Changes to the Agenda.
1.E Adopt a Resolution Authorizing Emergency Repairs at 7701 Nichals Street (4/5th Vote Needed)
Action: Item Pulled from Consent Calendar via Changes to the Agenda.
Public Hearing(s): - None
Reports to Council
Discussion on Recommended Street Rehabilitation for Streets with a Pavement Condition Index of 25 or Below [Item Continued from February 6, 2024 meeting] Mayor Vasquez introduced Izzy Murguia, Public Works Director to present the staff report.
Mayor Vasquez opened the public comment period.
In Person: Mat Kostrinksy, AFSCME Local 127
Brenda Hammond
Chris Williams
Councilmember LeBaron left the dias at 8:39 p.m. and returned at 8:45 p.m.
Round 1: Councilmembers provided questions/comments to staff.
Round 2: Councilmembers provided questions/comments to staff.
Action: Received the report. Via Council consensus, approved staff's recommendation and directed staff to add an additional allocation of $500,000 to include paving streets in:
Zone 1 - Cedral Place; Zone 2 - Crestline Drive, Haven Drive, and Mudder Street; Zone 3 - Buena Vista Avenue; Zone 4 - Nobel Street.
Pulled Consent Calendar Items
1.B City of Lemon Grove Payment Demands
City Manager Lydia Romero and City Attorney Kristen Steinke fielded questions from Councilmembers.
Action: Motion by Mayor Pro-Tem Mendoza, second by Councilmember Snow to ratify Demands covering January 17, 2024 through January 30, 2024.
The motion passed by the following vote:
Ayes: Snow, Mendoza, Vasquez
Page | 4 City Council Meeting Minutes - Regular Meeting February 20, 2024 Noes: LeBaron
Absent: Gastil
1.D A Resolution Ratifying an Emergency Declaration and Ratifying the Emergency Repair of a Storm Drain at 6971 Broadway (4/5'h Vote Needed)
Public Works Director Izzy Murguia answered questions from Councilmembers.
Action: Motion by Councilmember Snow, second by Mayor Pro-Tem Mendoza to adopt Resolution No. 2024 - 4002 Authorizing Emergency Repairs at 6971 Broadway and finding: (1) The public interest and necessity demand immediate expenditure of public money to safeguard life, health or property, and the City Council and/or the City Manager may expend any sum required in the emergency for the construction or completion of any building structure or improvement without submitting the expenditure to bid; and (2) The emergency will not permit a delay resulting from a competitive solicitation for bids, which is necessary to respond to the emergency; and (3) Finding the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15301(a) (existing facilities) of the State CEQA Guidelines.
The motion passed by the following vote:
Ayes: Snow, LeBaron, Mendoza, Vasquez
Noes: None
Absent: Gastil
1.E Adopt a Resolution Authorizing Emergency Repairs at 7701 Nichals Street (4/5th Vote Needed)
Public Works Director Izzy Murguia provided background information on the matter and answered questions from Councilmembers.
Action: Motion by Councilmember LeBaron, second by Councilmember Snow to adopt Resolution No. 2024 - 4003 Authorizing Emergency Repairs at 7701 Nichals Street and finding: (1) The public interest and necessity demand immediate expenditure of public money to safeguard life, health or property, and the City Council and/or the City Manager may expend any sum required in the emergency for the construction or completion of any building structure or improvement without submitting the expenditure to bid; and (2) The emergency will not permit a delay resulting from a competitive solicitation for bids, which is necessary to respond to the emergency. (3) Finding the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Section 15301(a) (existing facilities) of the State CEQA Guidelines.
The motion passed by the following vote:
Ayes: Snow, LeBaron, Mendoza, Vasquez
Noes: None
Absent: Gastil
Page |5 City Council Meeting Minutes - Regular Meeting February 20, 2024 City Council Reports on Meetings Attended at the Expense of the City Councilmember Snow
• February 8, 2024 - Attended San Diego Chamber of Commerce's 153d Anniversary Celebration
• Attended the San Diego Association of Government - East County Subregion Board Briefing
• February 12, 2024 - Met with the Mexican Consulate
• February 13, 2024 - Attended the Fair Housing Program • February 14, 2024 - Attended the League of California Cities: Legislative Forecast and Review of Governor's Budget
• February 15, 2024 - Attended Know Your Right's Presentation with the Alliance San Diego, Legal Aid Society of San Diego and Mexican Consulate • February 16 and 17, 2024 - Participated and worked with the Lemon Grove Food Distribution
• February 20, 2024 - Attended the East County Chamber of Commerce: Government Affair's Committee
Councilmember LeBaron
• Met with residents affected by the January 2024 Winter Storms.
Mayor Pro-Tem Mendoza
• February 3 and 4, 2024 - Community Cleanup
• February 12, 2024 - Attended the California League of Cities Meeting • February 14, 2024 - Attended the Lemon Grove Clergy Meeting • February 17, 2024 - Participated in the Lemon Grove Food Distribution Mayor Vasquez
• February 8, 2024 - Attended the National Association of Real Estate Brokers; Black History Month
• February 9, 2024 - San Diego Association of Governments - Executive Committee meeting
• February 15, 2024 - Center for National Aviation - Technical Training Unit - Black History Event
• February 17, 2024 - Attended the Commissioning of the USS John L. Canley City Manager Report - None
Closed Session
City Attorney Kristen Steinke read the Council into Closed Session. The Council adjourned into Closed Session at 9:14 p.m.
a. Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation (Government Code §54956.9(d)(2) (4)) 1 case
Page |6 City Council Meeting Minutes - Regular Meeting February 20, 2024 The Council reconvened from Closed Session at 9:53 p.m. City Attorney Steinke stated Councilmember LeBaron recused herself and has no reportable action from Closed Session.
Adjournment
There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Vasquez adjourned the meeting at 9:53 p.m. She mentioned that the next regularly scheduled meeting of the City Council is set for Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
Joel G. Pable
City Clerk
Approved by Council on May 7, 2024