Written Public Comments
Submitted by the 3pm deadline
(Instructions for Public Comment are provided on the first page of the meeting agenda.) October 5, 2026
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Monday, October 5, 2026
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Good evening, Mayor, members of the City Council, and City Manager Vega. My name is James Lancaster. I am standing here tonight on behalf of my elderly mother, Thanh Lancaster, a proud resident and utility account holder in Port Hueneme for forty-seven consecutive years, since 1979.
For nearly five decades, my mother maintained a pristine payment history. However, since this city migrated to its new billing platform, the Finance Department has systematically failed its statutory duty to deliver physical monthly invoices to her mailbox.
The city has had direct verbal and written notice of this systemic issue for over six months, and this administration cannot claim ignorance. In March 2026,1 called the utility department and spoke directly with the Utility Billing Manager and the Assistant City Manager regarding the chronic late arrival of her bills. Instead of investigating our account, management flatly stated that the bill 'had been sent out' and offered alternative electronic ways to pay.
When verbal alerts were ignored, I escalated. On July 7, 2026,1 served the Mayor and City Manager with a written complaint via Certified Mail. The city responded in writing, but their letter offered absolutely no technical fix to restore her paper billing. Instead, they used the opportunity to aggressively push alternative electronic payment methods.
The negligence has only worsened. Just days ago, on September 22, 2026,1 was forced to file yet another formal complaint at City Hall. I presented clear proof that the city failed to deliver her August statement, and instead bypassed the mandatory bill entirely to send a punitive delinquency notice carrying an automated 10% penalty under Municipal Code Section 7102.10.
Let me be entirely clear; this practice is a direct violation of state law. Under the California Uniform Electronic Transactions Act—California Civil Code Section 1633.5—a municipal government cannot compel, coerce, or imply a resident's consent to electronic transactions.
Physical paper bills remain the statutory legal default in California unless a resident explicitly signs a paperless waiver.
Furthermore, under California Civil Code Section 1633.5, because physical paper statements are the mandatory legal default, the city bears the absolute statutory burden of executing delivery of that invoice. Port Hueneme utility customers are not legally required to call, inquire, or perform administrative labor to hunt down a balance due to compensate for a municipal system failure.
Because the city has failed its statutory obligation to deliver her mandatory paper bills, the legal basis for delinquency is completely invalidated. This entire six-month timeline—from March through September 22—has been handed over to the Ventura County Civil Grand Jury as a case of structural administrative neglect.
Tonight, I am submitting a formal Demand Letter to Finance Director Chaparro. We demand an immediate manual audit, an absolute freeze on her billing profile, and a full reversal of every single 10% penalty applied since the migration. Stop hiding behind postal excuses, stop violating state consumer protections, and fix this system tonight. Thank you. II /
From: Joan Tharp
Sent: Monday, October 5, 2026 1:23 PM
To: City Clerk
Subject: General Comments-Vagrancy at PH Beach Park
Dear Mayor, Mayor pro tem, council, staff,
The issue of vagrancy at the beach takes several forms, but presents an issue of public safety and poor impressions of the city by residents and visitors. -Homeless living in the rock revetment , on the beach and in the dunes -drinking and drug use at various locations on the beach -racing or doing donuts in lot A
Impacts of these actions:
-drugs, drug paraphernalia, and alcohol found during cleanups by adults and children. -destruciton of dunes and property.
-possible consequences due to alcohol and drug use.
These actions and impacts have been witnessed by me or told to me by friends and family.
I am not aware of the patrol schedule for the beach, but I would like to see an enhanced focus on that area for a time period.
If possible the ATV could be utilized between the hours of 22:00 6:00, when it seems much of the activity takes place.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best
Joan Tharp
Port Hueneme