MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LOS ALAMITOS
SPECIAL MEETING
Monday, December 16, 2024
1. CALL TO ORDER
The City Council met in Special Session at 5:30 p.m., Monday, December 16, 2024, in the Council Chamber located at 3191 Katella Ave., Los Alamitos, CA 90720, Mayor Nefulda presiding.
2. ROLL CALL
Present: Council Members: Doby, Hibard, Murphy
Mayor Pro Tem Hasselbrink, Mayor Nefulda
Absent: Council Members: None
Present: Staff: Chet Simmons, City Manager
Barbara Biscocho, Finance Manager
Michael Claborn, Chief of Police
Michael S. Daudt, City Attorney
Eleanor Granflor, Deputy City Clerk
Craig Koehler, Finance Director
Matthew Lightener, Management Analyst
Emeline Noda, Recreation and Community Services Director Ron Noda, Development Services Director
Windmera Quintanar, MMC, City Clerk/Dir. of Communications Chelsi Wilson, Administrative Services Manager
3. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
At this time, any individual in the audience may come forward to speak on any item on the Agenda. Remarks are to be limited to agenda items and not more than five minutes per speaker.
Mayor Nefulda opened Oral Communications.
Carol Churchill, Shuana Trute, and Melinda spoke in opposition.
Mayor Nefulda closed Oral Communications.
4. DISCUSSION ITEM
A. Consideration of a Formal Censure of Council Member Murphy (Administration)
The City Council met in closed session on December 12, 2024, to receive an investigation report concerning the claim that Council Member Murphy Docusign Envelope ID: D625914B-96DD-4D9D-96B5-3976AC6E8F87 City Council Special Minutes
December 16, 2024
abused her authority by attempting to obtain financial information from TNT Fireworks regarding a Los Alamitos Community Foundation Fundraiser.
City Attorney Daudt stated Council Member Murphy sent a letter at 4:28 p.m. with a Dropbox link containing additional documents. Said letter was received after 3 p.m. deadline and Staff was unable to print the additional documents.
The documents will be made available to the public and made a part of the record.
Shellene Bennet, Managing Partner at Libert Cassidy and Whitmore, stated this item was not censuring for an individual raising questions or in retaliation.
If the Council chose not to follow through with an investigation, the City would have been exposed to significant legal liability. The City had a legal obligation to follow through with an outside investigation. She summarized the findings of the investigative report, concluding the Los Alamitos City Council did not have a right to access the records of the Los Alamitos Community Foundation as they are two separate entities and the records are confidential, proprietary documents. Should the Council choose not to adopt these Resolutions, the City will be exposed to legal liability. By adopting the Resolutions, the City Council distances the City from the findings of inappropriate conduct by the outside investigator.
Motion/Second: Hasselbrink/Doby
Carried 3-2 (Hibard and Murphy voted no): The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-50, entitled, "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF LOS ALAMITOS, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING CENSURE OF COUNCIL MEMBER TRISHA MURPHY".
5. ADJOURNMENT
The City Council adjourned at 5:50 p.m.
Jordan B. Nefulda, Mayor
Attest:
Windmera Quintanar, MMC, City Clerk
Docusign Envelope ID: D625914B-96DD-4D9D-96B5-3976AC6E8F87