CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING FOR CLOSED SESSION
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2025, 5:00 PM
KENT HALL – CITY HALL CAMPUS – 111 W SANTA ANA ST, OJAI, CA
ANDY GILMAN, MAYOR
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
DISTRICT 1 – LESLIE RULE DISTRICT 3 – ANDREW WHITMAN
DISTRICT 2 – RACHEL LANG, MAYOR PRO TEM DISTRICT 4 – KIM MANG
BEN HARVEY MATTHEW SUMMERS WESTON MONTGOMERY
CITY MANAGER CITY ATTORNEY CHIEF DEPUTY CITY CLERK
Mayor Gilman called the Special Meeting of the Ojai City Council to order on January 28, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
On the call of the roll, the following were present in the Council Chambers: Mayor Gilman, Mayor Pro Tem Lang, and Council Members Rule, Whitman, and Mang.
Also present in Council Chambers: City Manager Harvey, Assistant City Manager Alameda, City Attorney Summers, Chief Newman, and Chief Deputy City Clerk Montgomery.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Chief Deputy City Clerk Montgomery led the Pledge of Allegiance.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Consent reached through the Mayor to approve the January 28, 2025, Special Meeting Agenda. Motion by Council Member Lang, with a Second by Council Member Whitman.
CLOSED SESSION
1. Conference with Real Property Negotiators
(Government Code Section 54956.8)
Property: 408 North Montgomery Street, Ojai, CA 93023
Tuesday, January 28, 2025 Ojai City Council Special Meeting Minutes ojai.ca.gov
2 Agency Negotiators: Ben Harvey, City Manager
Negotiating Party: Habitat for Humanity
Under Negotiation: Price and Terms of Payment
2. Conference with Legal Counsel; Existing Litigation
(Gov. Code § 54956.9(d)(1))
The City Council finds, based on advice from legal counsel, that discussion in open session will prejudice the position of the City in the litigation.
Case Name: Santa Barbara Channelkeeper v. SWRCB, City of San Buenaventura v. Abbott, et al.; Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 19STCP0117
3. Conference with Legal Counsel; Anticipated Litigation (Gov. Code Section 54956.9(d)(2) & (d)(3))
A point has been reached where, in the opinion of the City Council on the advice of its legal counsel, based on the below-described existing facts and circumstances, there is a significant exposure to litigation against the City:
The following facts and circumstances known to plaintiff or plaintiffs regarding a Transactional Occurrence Request for Defense and Indemnity by Leslie Rule in the case of Bryne, et al. v. Rule, et al., Ventura County Superior Court Case No. 2023CUMC008352, Second District Court of Appeal Case No. B332962.
(Gov. Code Section 54956.9(e)(2))
Council Member Whitman recused himself from the discussion on Item 2 due to a conflict of interest.
Mayor Gilman adjourned the meeting into Closed Session.
RECONVENE OPEN SESSION AND ANNOUNCE ANY REPORTABLE ACTION Mayor Gilman called the meeting back into open session.
City Attorney Summers reported out of Closed Session that Items 1 and 3 were not discussed in Closed Session. City Attorney Summers continued by reporting a Special Meeting has been established on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. and Closed Session Items 1 and 3 will be renoticed on a new Special Meeting agenda.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Gilman adjourned the January 28, 2025, Special Meeting at 6:00 p.m., until the January 28, 2025, Regular Meeting at 6:00 p.m. immediately following.
Respectfully Submitted: Weston Montgomery, Chief Deputy City Clerk