Minutes
Santee City Council
Council Chamber - Building 2
10601 Magnolia Avenue
Santee, California
August 27, 2025
This Regular Meeting of the Santee City Council was called to order by Mayor John W.
Minto at 6:30 p.m.
ROLL CALL: Present: Mayor John W. Minto, Vice Mayor Rob McNelis, and Councilmembers Ronn Hall, Laura Koval, and Dustin Trotter Officers present: Interim City Manager Gary Halbert, City Attorney Shawn Hagerty, and City Clerk James Jeffries
INVOCATION was given by Phil Icenhower, Rock Church, El Cajon Campus.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Steve Miller, Principal Civil Engineer.
RECOGNITION: Certificates of Recognition for the Santee Youth Business Fair and Award to the Santee Youth Entrepreneur of the Year
Mayor Minto and Councilmember Koval presented certificates to each of the youth businesses with the assistance of Terri Bozhor, Momentum Tutoring.
PRESENTATION: SDG&E's Wildfire and Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Activities Joe Gabaldon, SDG&E Senior Public Affairs Manager, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council question.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Approval of Reading by Title Only and Waiver of Reading in Full of Ordinances and Resolutions on the Agenda. (City Clerk - Jeffries) (2) Approval of Payment of Demands as Presented. (Finance - Jennings) (3) Approval of the Expenditure of $125,759.42 for July 2025 Legal Services. (Finance - Jennings)
(4) Second Reading and Adoption of an Ordinance Amending Santee Municipal Code Title 13 (Zoning) Regarding Industrial Use Regulations and Finding the Action to Not Require Environmental Review per CEQA Section 15378(b)(5) (ZOA-2025-0002). (City Clerk - Jeffries)
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of August 27, 2025 Page 2 of 5 (5) Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Fourth Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with HMC Group DBA HMC Architects for Architectural, Engineering, Landscape Architectural and Construction Support for the Santee Community Center (CIP 2018-31) Project. (Engineering - Schmitz) (Reso 109-2025) (6) Adoption of a Resolution Awarding the Construction Contract to A.
Preman Roofing, Inc. for the Fire Station No. 4, 2nd Story Roof Replacement (CIP 2026-32) Project and Determining the Project is Categorically Exempt from Environmental Review Under the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") per State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c). (Engineering/Fire - Schmitz/Wallace) (Reso 110-2025) (7) Adoption of a Resolution Awarding the Construction Contract to Angus Asphalt, Inc. for the Citywide Concrete Repair & Replacement Program 2025 (CIP 2024-06) Project and Determining the Project is Categorically Exempt from Environmental Review Under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA") per State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301(c). (Engineering - Schmitz) (Reso 111-2025)
Action: Vice Mayor McNelis moved approval of the Consent Calendar.
Councilmember Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT (15 minutes):
(A) Virginia Hall, Grossmont Healthcare District Board Member, spoke briefly about the Healthcare District, a new mobile outreach program and announced the District was updating its Strategic Plan and requested the community respond. (B) Bill Crane and Michele Barcello, City employees, invited residents and community members to join the Santee Toastmasters meetings on the first and third Thursdays of each month.
(C) Rosemary Hutzley reported on traffic issues at Lake Canyon and Carlton Hills and a recent incident that affected her property.
(D) Brenda Hammond encouraged people to respond to the Grossmont Healthcare District survey; spoke on the shooting in Minnesota; and complimented Santee's youth interactions with senior citizens.
(E) John Hossick, Santee Mobilehome Owners Action Committee, spoke on Buddy's backpacks and how it has expanded to assist the City's adopted military units.
PUBLIC HEARING:
(8) Public Hearing for a Development Review Permit (DR-2023-0002) and Conditional Use Permit (P2023-1) to Construct a 300,145 Square-Foot Industrial Building Located at 10990 N. Woodside Avenue in the Light Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of August 27, 2025 Page 3 of 5 Industrial (IL) Zone and Certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (ENV-2024-0003) (Applicant: North Palisade Opco, LLC). (Planning and Building - Sawa) (Resos 112-2025, 113-2025 and 114-2025) Councilmember Trotter recused himself due to conflict of interest and left the dais at 7:22 p.m. The Public Hearing was opened at 7:22 p.m. Madeline Mattson, Principal Planner, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions. Joe Mishurda.
Founder and Managing Partner, North Palisade Partners, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions with assistance of members of the applicant team.
Mayor Minto announced that speakers would have two minutes each to speak.
Public Speaker:
Stephanie Decker
• Steve Evell
• Carl Costantino
• Juan Serrato, Laborers' International Union of North America ("LIUNA") Mike Aiken
• James Preihs
• Jayson Baiz
• Danielle Morse
• Kelvin Barrios
• Al Sanchez, Local 89
• Jose Radillo, Laborers' International Union of North America ("LIUNA") • Gage Swaner, provided printed comment letter
• Stacey LoMedico
• Dan Bickford
• Nancy McDaniel
• Bonita Ellis
Steve Leiserson, WICA
• Dean Velasco
• Sean Wilson
• Tawnya Fisher
• Doug Hansen
Action: Vice Mayor McNelis moved approval of staff recommendation with the adding conditions to the Condition Use Permit to restrict exterior operations during the hours between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.; interior operations permitted twenty-hour hours per day; and changing the northern perimeter sound wall to be 10 feet tall.
Councilmember Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Recused. Ayes: 4. Noes: 0. Recused: 1.
The Public Hearing was closed at 9:03 p.m.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of August 27, 2025 Page 4 of 5 Councilmember Trotter returned to the dais at 9:03 p.m. Council recessed at 9:04 p.m. and reconvened at 9:11 p.m.
CONTINUED BUSINESS:
(9) Approval of Community Benefit Agreements with Each of the Four Retail Commercial Cannabis Businesses and Finding the Actions Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15303. (Planning and Building - Sawa) (Reso 115- 2025)
Tari Williams, Assistant City Attorney, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions.
Action: Councilmember Hall moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
(10) Approval of Organizational Restructuring, Salary Schedule Amendments and Appropriation of General Fund Reserves to the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Operating Budget. (City Manager - Halbert) (Reso 116-2025) Gary Halbert, Interim City Manager, provided a staff report and responded to Council questions with the assistance of Sandi Sawa, Planning and Building Director, and Shawn Hagerty, City Attorney.
Action: Councilmember Hall moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor McNelis: Aye; and Councilmembers Hall: Aye; Koval: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT (Continued):
None.
CITY COUNCIL REPORTS:
Councilmember Koval announced the Air Pollution Control Board would be scheduling a Special Meeting in September to discuss new matters; spoke on her attendance at the Fire Department's Brush Rig Push-in Ceremony and attending a CEQA and EIR workshop, and congratulated staff on putting the Community Center project out to bid.
Mayor Minto commented that SANDAG had been dark this month and announced he would be attending the League of California Annual Cities Conference in October.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of August 27, 2025 Page 5 of 5 CITY MANAGER REPORTS:
None.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS:
(11) E-Bike Regulation. (City Attorney - Hagerty)
Shawn Hagerty, City Attorney, provided a staff report and responded to Council questions.
Public Speaker:
• Carl Costantino
After discussion, with Council concurrence, staff was directed to bring back additional information and an Ordinance related to e-bike regulation.
CLOSED SESSION:
Councilmembers recessed at 9:49 p.m. and convened in Closed Session at 9:51 p.m. (12) Public Employment
(Gov. Code section 54957)
Title: City Manager
(13) Public Employee Appointment
(Gov. Code section 54957)
Title: City Manager
Conference with Labor Negotiators
(Gov. Code section 54957.6)
City Designated Representatives: Council Ad Hoc Negotiating Sub-Committee Unrepresented Employee: Potential New City Manager
Councilmembers reconvened in Open Session at 10:11 p.m., with all members present.
Mayor Minto reported for Items 12, 13, and 14, direction was given to staff.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:12 p.m.
Date Approved: October 22, 2025