City Council/SA/HA – 08/02/2023 – 5pm
1 MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL/SA/HA
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER
38300 SIERRA HIGHWAY, SUITE B
PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA
AUGUST 2, 2023
1) CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Mayor Bettencourt called the meeting to order at 5:00 pm.
*Note: All City Council memberships are reflected in their City Council titles.
2) ROLL CALL MAYOR BETTENCOURT, MAYOR PRO TEM ALARCÓN,
COUNCILMEMBERS BISHOP, LOA, OHLSEN COMMISSIONERS FRAGA-
SAENZ, BETTS
PRESENT: Laura Bettencourt, Andrea Alarcón, Austin Bishop, Richard J. Loa, Eric Ohlsen, Christina Fraga-Saenz, Dianne Betts.
ABSENT: None.
3) PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND MOMENT OF SILENCE
4) PRESENTATION
4.1) Mayor Bettencourt presented Certificates of Recognition to the Palmdale High School Solar Car Challenge team.
5) PUBLIC COMMENT RULES
6) PUBLIC COMMENTS
The following individuals provided public input: Eugene Hernandez spoke regarding Items 7.1, 13.1, 13.3, a nd the City's adopted budget; Jason Zink spoke regarding Items 7.1, 7.2, section 13 , and the Joint Palmdale/Lancaster City Council meeting; and Diane spoke regarding item 7.1.
7) CONSENT CALENDAR
7.1) Receive and file the monthly and quarterly investment activity reports for June 2023.
7.2) Approve First Amendment for Agreement with Taft Electric Company to increase contract price $180,000 for an amount not to exceed $270,000 for a term through June 2025.
Mayor Pro Tem Alarcón pulled this item for discussion. Director of Public Works Glidden provided background information on Taft Electric.
City Council/SA/HA – 08/02/2023 – 5pm
2 Motion: Approve First Amendment for Agreement with Taft Electric Company to increase contract price $180,000 for an amount not to exceed $270,000 for a term through June 2025
Moved by Andrea Alarcón, seconded by Laura Bettencourt.
Vote: Motion carried (5-0)
Yes: Laur a Bettencourt, Andrea Alarcón, Austin Bishop, Richard J. Loa, Eric Ohlsen.
Motion: Approve all items as listed on the Consent Calendar except 7.2.
Moved by Austin Bishop, seconded by Richard J. Loa.
Vote: Motion carried (5-0)
Yes: Laura Bettencourt, Andrea Alarcón, Austin Bishop, Richard J. Loa, Eric Ohlsen.
8) NEW BUSINESS
8.1) Presentation on Public Safety.
Neighborhood Services Director Reyes and the Public Safety Division provided a detailed PowerPoint presentation on services provided to the community and businesses.
Discussion ensued regarding the benefit of neighborhood watch programs, the feasibility study with Animal Arts and Team She lter USA , graffiti, Part 1 Crimes, Sheriff's Department response times and vacancies, increased funding for additional staffing in the City of Palmdale Neighborhood Services Compliance Department, Sheriff's Department CARPing, and a Public Safety minute for residents. Lieutenant Rhea, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, provided clarification on the questions asked by Council.
Chad Christensen, Battalion Chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, provided a presentation on the local resources and services provided to the public.
Mayor Bettencourt , Mayor Pro Tem Alarcón, and Council thanked t he Los Angeles County Fire Department for their service.
Councilmember Bishop asked which calls are received the most , fire or paramedic. Battalion Chief Christensen responded paramedic calls for sure.
Mayor Bettencourt stated she would like to have somet hing presented at every other Council meeting related to first responders, the fire department, paramedics, and the Sheriff's Department to keep the public informed on what they are doing and how they are doing it.
The following individuals provided public input: Eug ene Hernandez spoke regarding a post he received from Sheriff Luna; Kalisha Miles -Johnson, AVC political science student, commented in support of information provided at the meeting; Laurel Forrest commented regarding the microphone and public City Council/SA/HA – 08/02/2023 – 5pm
3 comment sect ion; Mario Presents and Carol Ross spoke in support of the Sheriff's Department, Fire Department, and City Council; Jaylene Davidson, Diane, Citizen (no name provided), and Carl spoke in support of the Sheriff's Department and Fire Department; Jason Zink commented regarding attachments for agenda items and Sheriff vacancies; Xavier Flores spoke regarding alcohol outlet density; Citizen (no name provided) commented regarding a one -on-one meeting with each Councilmember; Felix Menendez spoke in support of Sheriff's Department, Human Rights Advisory Committee, and Council.
Mayor Bettencourt announced that the neighborhood watch programs have bilingual staff and deputies and provided the website for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (www.lasd.org) and th e Federal Bureau of Investigation (www.fbi.gov) to search for crime stats.
Mayor Bettencourt closed the Public Comments.
9) NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENTS:
The following individual s provided public input: Jason Zink and Christine Parkinson commented regarding the Sheriff's Department and other miscellaneous items; Laurel Forrest commented in support of Council, on the topic of addiction, and the Joint Palmdale/Lancaster City Council meeting; Carol Ross, Michael Ross, Diane, Chuck Murphy, and three cit izens (no name provided) spoke on the Joint Palmdale/Lancaster City Council meeting; citizen (no name provided), Felix Menendez, and Marisela Gomez commented in support of SALVA receiving City grant funds; Bryant Kline, Teamsters 396, spoke reg arding the Amazon strike; Jaylene Davidson commented regarding Mayor Pro Tem Alarcón and the Sheriff's Department; Irvine commented regarding an incident that happened at SALVA and the services provided; Eugene Hernandez spoke regarding support for the un housed and non -profits; Xavier Flores commented regarding public criticism of a Council person; and Mario Presents spoke in support of the Palmdale Freedom Coalition.
Mayor Bettencourt closed the Public Comments.
10) INFORMATIONAL REPORT FROM MAYOR AND / OR COUNCILMEMBERS ON
THEIR VARIOUS COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS AND MEETINGS ATTENDED AT
PUBLIC EXPENSE
10.1) Council Reports on Committee Memberships and Meetings Attended at Public Expense.
The Council stated their reports were on file.
Councilmember Ohlsen announced the July 1st fireworks celebration was well attended and it was a great event; Veteran Peer Access Network facility is open for services; and National Night Out was great.
City Council/SA/HA – 08/02/2023 – 5pm
4 11) CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REQUESTS
Councilmember Bishop requested that staff review the microphone set up on the podium and replace it with something more suitable for public access.
Councilmember Loa spoke about the participation in sports at the Best of the West Softball Complex and the need for a future snack bar.
Mayor Pro Tem Alarc ón spoke about the future snack bar, food distribution programs, and veteran programs.
Mayor Bettencourt requested a future presentation on the Best of the West Softball Complex snack bar.
Councilmember Ohlsen requested the creation of a Public Safety Committee. He also committed to holding town halls or having coffee with the public to increase communication and clear up misinformation.
12) CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Perez reported on the following: National Night Out; Battle Cross Monument reveal in Poncitlan Square; Music in the park at Domenic Massari on July 27th; SAVES Back to School event and a community resource fair on July 31st; shovel ceremony for Transwestern Development Company; Music in the Park at Domenic Massari August 3rd; public outreach meeting on the animal feasibility study; Family Movie Night; Summer Concert Series; Tequila & Taco Festival; rollout of the Accela Program; and the Fentanyl Awareness event.
Interim City Attorney Curley made a statement regarding the cost of public improvement projects.
13) PRESENTATION BY CITY ATTORNEY
Interim City Attorney Curley confirmed the Closed Session items.
13.1) CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
Property Address: Vacant Land located along 3rd Street East near Avenue P- 12 (APN 3006-006-036)
Negotiators for the City: Sophia Reyes, Director Neighborhood Services and Heather Nichols, Senior Housing Coordinator
Negotiator for Property Owner: Leo Hayashi Trust and Hirokazu Konishi Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
13.2) CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - ANTICIPATED LITIGATION Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: 1 case
13.3) CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - EXISTING LITIGATION Land Developers & Associates Corporation v. Successor Agency to the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Palmdale, et al.
Los Angeles County Superior Court
City
Council
/
SA
/
HA
-
08 /
02 /
2023
-
5 pm
Case
No
.
22 AVCV
01093
The
closed
session
is
being
held
pursuant
to
the
authority
of
California
Government
Code
Section
54956.9
(
d
)
(
1 )
.
13.4 )
CONFERENCE
WITH
REAL
PROPERTY
NEGOTIATORS
Property
Address
:
Vacant
land
VIC
of
Vineyard
Lane
and
Elizabeth
Lake
Road
(
APN
3206
-
007
-
001
;
3206
-
006
-
028
;
3205
-
002
-
051
;
3206
-
007
-
059
;
3205
-
002
-
053
;
3206
-
005
-
008
)
City
Negotiator
:
Luis
Garibay
,
Director
of
Economic
&
Community
Development
Negotiating
parties
:
RDR
Development
Holdings
LLC
Under
negotiation
:
Price
and
terms
135
)
CONFERENCE
WITH
REAL
PROPERTY
NEGOTIATORS
Property
Address
:
Vacant
land
VIC
of
Avenue
0 -
8 and
10 th
St
.
West
(
APN
3005
-
038
-
076
)
City
Negotiator
:
Luis
Garibay
,
Director
of
Economic
&
Community
Development
Negotiating
parties
:
Green
Valley
Corporation
Under
negotiation
:
Price
and
terms
13.6 )
PUBLIC
EMPLOYMENT
Title
:
City
Attorney
14 )
ANNOUNCEMENT
BY
CITY
ATTORNEY
Items
13.1 -
13.5 -
Interim
City
Attorney
Curley
announced
Council
was
updated
,
provided
direction
to
staff
,
and
there
were
no
reportable
actions
.
Item
13.6 -
City
Manager
Perez
announced
the
Council
provided
direction
and
there
was
no
reportable
action
.
15 )
ADJOURN
Mayor
Bettencourt
adjourned
the
meeting
9 :
45 pm
to
August
16 ,
2023
,
at
5 :
00 pm
in
the
City
Hall
Council
Chamber
located
at
38300
Sierra
Highway
,
Suite
B
,
Palmdale
,
California
.
APPROVED
,
PASSED
,
and
ADOPTED
this
4 th
day
of
October
2023
.
OLUAC
\
aura
Bettencourt
,
Mayor
(
/
Rochelle
Scott
,
Acting
City
Clerk
5