CITY OF POWAY
CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING
MINUTES
November 7, 2025
City Council Chambers
13325 Civic Center Drive, Poway, California
(Per Government Code 54953)
(Meeting Called to Order as City Council/City of Poway Planning Commission/Poway Housing Authority/Public Financing Authority and Successor Agency to the Poway Redevelopment Agency) CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Vaus called the Special Meeting to order at 11 :00 a.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Jenny Maeda, Christopher J. Pikus, Peter De Hoff, Steve Vaus STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
City Manager Chris Hazeltine; City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher; City Clerk Carrie Gallagher. (Note: Hereinafter the titles Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Councilmember, City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk shall be used to indicate Mayor/Chair, Deputy MayorNice Chair, Councilmember/Director, City Manager/Executive Director, City Attorney/Counsel, and City Clerk/Secretary.)
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
None.
MOMENT OF SILENCE:
None.
PRESENTATIONS:
None.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Pete Babich spoke in support of a special election stating it's the cost to do business and cost should not the reason to appoint over holding a special election.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
None.
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City of Poway-Minutes -November 7, 2025
ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION:
None.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
None.
STAFF REPORTS:
1. Discussion and Possible Action to Fill City Council Vacancy City Attorney Alan Fenstermacher presented the item. He provided an overview of the statutory requirements and procedural steps associated with filling a City Council vacancy .
He noted, following the November 5, 2025 resignation of former Councilmember Blain, a Council vacancy exists in District 2. As a general law city, the City is governed by the provisions of the Government Code, which require that within 60 days of a vacancy the City Council must either appoint a replacement or call a special election .
Mr. Fenstermacher explained in April, the City Council adopted a resolution establishing any vacancy occurring within the first 18 months of a Council term would be filled by special election. Because the current vacancy occurred 11 months into the term, it qualifies under the policy. He then outlined the timelines associated with calling a special election.
Once called, the special election must be held on the first regularly established election date that is at least 114 days after the call of the election. Based on Elections Code requirements, if the Council were to call the election immediately , the earliest eligible election date would be April 14 , 2026 . If the election is called any time after December 20, 2025, the next eligible date would be June 2, 2026, which aligns with the statewide Primary Election.
He noted the option to hold a "small city all-mail ballot" election, which would allow for a May 5, 2026 election date ; however, this option would require the Council to adopt an additional authorizing resolution, as it is not currently permitted under the City's existing policies.
Public Comment:
None.
End of Public Comment.
Council discussion ensued . Council acknowledged the unexpected timing of the District 2 vacancy by resignation and reaffirmed the commitment made in April to fill vacancies occurring within the first 18 months of a term by special election. Council emphasized the need for additional information from the Registrar of Voters (ROV), particularly cost estimates for an April stand-alone special election versus a June consolidated election, recognizing that obtaining this information may be delayed due to ongoing November 4 election ballot processing .
Council discussed timing, cost implications and potential voter turnout of the available election dates, and the benefits and concerns of holding a special election in April versus June . Council expressed little interest in pursuing an all-mail ballot election option . Council agreed that additional cost information is necessary before selecting an election date. 2 of 3
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City of Poway-Minutes -November 7, 2025
Motioned by Mayor Vaus, seconded by Deputy Mayor De Hoff to continue this item for further discussion at a future City Council meeting once additional information is received from the Registrar of Voters pertaining to cost. Motion carried 4/0 by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Abstained:
Absent:
Disqualified:
WORKSHOPS:
None .
Maeda, Pikus, De Hoff, Vaus
None
None
None
None
COUNCIL-INITIATED ITEMS:
None.
COUNCIL COMMITTEE REPORTS and ANNOUNCEMENTS: Pursuant to AB1234 -(G.C. 53232(d))
None.
CITY MANAGER ITEMS:
None.
CITY ATTORNEY ITEMS: (Including any public report of any action taken in closed session) None .
CLOSED SESSION:
None.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 11:13 a.m.
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Carrie Gallagher, CMG
City Clerk
City of Poway, California