TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
Wendy Kaserman, City Manager
Shawn Hagerty, City Attorney
FROM: James Jeffries, City Clerk
DATE: February 25, 2026
SUBJ: Updated Meeting Materials – February 25, 2026, City Council Meeting The attached correspondence for the below-mentioned Items was received and is being provided for your consideration.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
(2) Approval of Payment of Demands as Presented. (Finance – Jennings) (4) Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Concessions Services Agreement for Concession Services at Town Center Community Park East with Nhelonly Flores Gregorio, dba Riverwalk Grill. (Community Services – Chavez)
(5) Adoption of a Resolution Accepting the Shadow Hill Park Playground Renovation (CIP 2025-40) Project as Complete. (Community Services – Chavez)
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT:
PUBLIC HEARING:
(6) Continued Public Hearing to Assess Community Development Needs and to Solicit Proposals for Program Year 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Program Funding Consistent with the Consolidated Plan and Finding the Action is Not a Project Subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”). (Planning and Building – Sawa)
NEW BUSINESS:
(7) Fiscal Year 2025-26 Operating Budget Update and Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget. (Finance – Jennings)
(9) Presentation of Sales Tax Feasibility Study Results. (City Manager – Kaserman)
From: SS DD
To: James Jeffries
Subject: Submitted Public Comment 2.25.2026
Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2026 7:30:00 AM
Hey there, James. Hope you’re well. Of course I’m emailing work for you to do.
Please distribute these comments on Items #2, #4, #5, Non-Agenda, #6, #7, and #9 to Council accordingly.
Thanks always,
-Truth
Consent:
Item 2: (Payments)
$2,988 + $30 in iPad cases = $3,018, divided by 5 Council Members = $603.06. Keep in mind that the Porta Potties were only $538.
That would be $120.72/Council Member.
So I’m hoping it’s more than just Council that received these potentially overpriced iPad cases, because my own case was less than $8.
Item 4: (Riverwalk Grill)
This is a Good deal for Nhelonly Flores Gregorio. I was expecting the City to increase Fees because that’s what Government tends to do. Adding the provision on the overpriced Monopoly known as SDG&E is Fair.
This type of business-friendly environment is why Santee keeps attracting new businesses that bring in visitors from all over the County.
I find it Strange, however, that the actual contract was not included within the Agenda Packet. How could one possibly know what the “possessory interest questions” addressed actually consist of?
Full Transparency is lacking. People want to read long contracts, come on.
Item 5: (Playground)
If Council says No to completion of the $476,000 Playground, does it mean this Project will go on forever?
If the QR code is vandalized, will feedback on the playground cease to come in?
Non-Agenda:
Hey it’s Truth, enjoying emailed Free Speech. I could’ve recorded an audio version and sent that, too, but too much work; I’ll just wait ‘til July.
I’m glad the City of Santee has had a change in Staff the last year. I think it was long overdue, and the culture seems to be improving.
How much people Hate Roundabouts:
A driver avoided the Stupid Roundabout behind Target by taking the back entry way behind Target – How genius is that?
I always choose to jaywalk before using designated crosswalks near Roundabouts that serve as blindspots to drivers. Jaywalking is safer. I even jaywalked to avoid the Roundabout to see that driver avoid the Roundabout.
Lesson: Don’t let Santee look like El Cajon, which is starting to look like San Diego, which is starting to look like LA, which is starting to look like SF, which is starting to look like the UN’s Agenda 21. No thanks.
A YouTuber named DJ Pekesake had an ingenious idea for the stupid Copper Shuttle – Create an underground trench and double-track the trolley without taking up roads. It’d be perfect to improve traffic flow for cars, trolleys, and riders. The “Copper” trash could be tossed, with the original Green Line restored with more reliable and faster transit service.
One of these days when MTS isn’t run by corrupt Unions… I’ve been impressed with the fast construction timeline on the right turn lane at Cuyamaca and Mission Gorge.
CalTrans’ answers to my comments/question on the 52 “potential” “Operational Improvements’ from “Environmental Scientist-Project Coordinator/Generalist” Jack Parker made me laugh.
Here were some “highlights” of his:
·
“The existing bike lane is used frequently by local commuters and recreational bicyclists. We anticipate the need for this bicycle access to increase in the future.
·As you stated, managed lanes can come in many forms. The type of managed lanes for this project has not been decided yet. … ·A reversable managed lane in the median is being considered in addition to the Westbound managed lane.”
Nothing about my idea to turn the 52 into an Autobahn. Only misspellings and lies. Sad.
For the record, I did not respond to Jack’s answers, as I was not only incredibly busy at that time. Maybe I will one day randomly ask him for official CalTrans data on how many people commute on the 52 by bike – especially during 100F summers.
At the February 11th meeting, the County gave a presentation on the local library. The representative said the library put on 85 “Storytimes”. She also said, quote: "Here's a secret: It's [Story time's] not really for the children, it's actually for the caregivers who are bringing the kids. So we sneak in little asides on how to raise strong readers and how to practice reading at home and what that looks like."
Have "Caregivers" suddenly forgotten how to read? Or how to care for children?
A fair question based on the County’s clear agenda: Are all the caregivers Drag Queens?
And ironically, the Anti-ICE County demands Racist IDs to be able to check out books, but Opposes IDs to vote in their Fraudulent system to “elect” their Union Minions. Hm.
I heard at a meeting that Cesar Javier wants to move him and his wonderful wife, Purita, to the City of Santee. I want to say Good Luck on the cost, but also a genuine Good Luck on moving to somewhere where they'd no longer have to worry about City of San Diego-style BS – Bad Stuff.
If the City had a Housing Relocation Assistance Program, maybe the Javiers could find a way to move in, while also potentially helping others not have to move out.
I'm glad my adopted Auntie and Uncle have been filling my gap as fellow Visitors. It's okay to blame me.
It’s also okay to Ban anymore Angelenos and San Franciscans from moving into Santee.
On a Technology Privacy Ordinance for housing – Even with the State Penal Code, trying to prove that someone is recording someone else's private space is almost an impossibility. I welcome a conversation and investigation into the specific issue, though. – Especially as someone who's not only Needed cameras for safety and had guilty neighbors Oppose that, but also had neighbors use cameras to spy on when and where I was at and for how long. Fun memories.
And lastly and reluctantly, I’ll admit that Ronn's doing a good job at the Battle for Motion Supremacy.
Discussion: (6,7,8,9)
Item 6: (CDBG)
Santee Food Bank wants $22,000 for rent and utilities.
Recovery & Beyond wants $18,000 in rent and utilities.
Voices For Children wants $10,000 for Wages & Salaries.
CSA San Diego Fair Housing and Tenant Landlord Mediation wants $15,000 for Wages & Salaries, $2,700 for Personnel benefits, $100 for materials and supplies, $2,946 for Rent and utilities, $63 for mileage, $500 for incentives and special events, and $150 for indirect costs.
Who actually qualifies for their program, really?
Santee Santas failed to even say how the $5,000 requested would be spent.
I support the concept of the Serenity program on Magnolia (in theory).
What the CEO said about nowhere for homeless people to go is true.
What's needed is exactly what she described about 24-hour care until people can get the red-taped-blocked help they need. I understand the City's hesitancy on anything related to homelessness, but I want as many people as possible to have a chance to be clean, sober, and housed, with a second chance at life. Doing nothing means no chance.
I like that the applications include how much these NGOs are spending in Salaries & Benefits, but I’d like the Program to Eliminate that as a possibility to spend Tax Dollars on. How does spending Tax Dollars to prop up NGO Salaries & Benefits qualify as “Non-Governmental” or “Non- Profit”?
I actually think the CDBG Program needs to be audited and updated. Some of the descriptions of funding allocations seem severely outdated to most areas of the country.
I’m not into NGOs begging, and I’d rather see an investment in City trash cans. Yes, trash cans.
Item 7: (Budget)
For remote participation, Rob said that he wanted Visuals to go with Audio for public comments and/or Council – If trying to Require a photo or video of speakers, then at best, you can expect my last promo photo to function as my official comment photo – even if I had to tape it to a web camera.
No one’s going to force me to get dressed up for a meeting I wouldn’t be in person for.
If only for Council, I believe that’s already covered in State Law.
For remote participation, make sure that there’s another option other than Zoom. – Why? Because it’s a private company, which can’t be used without downloading their stupid software. A simple phone number is all that’s needed to remotely participate. If advice or an example is needed, ask the County – it’s pretty much the only thing they do right (most of the time).
I look forward to SB707 in July. Expect comments – mostly from me. As well as some occasional Union Minions. AKA yes, there will inevitably be a few meetings now and again with a lot of comments. Yes, there will inevitably be comments from areas outside of Santee (example: Marijuana Mamas). Yes, in-person “accountability” for one’s words matters, and yet, that
“intimidation” and pressure is also what deters some from speaking at all. (Obviously didn’t deter me).
And yes, face to face communication is best, but the content of one’s comments are the same whether or not someone is blind to one’s appearance. No one knows that better than me because having no face is how I unintentionally started my civic engagement journey. I enjoyed not being judged for my looks. That being said, I also enjoy people seeing me and misjudging my beliefs, and having to listen in order to * try * and discern where I’m coming from. I also enjoy giving a burning look to guilty people directly in their eyes.
But I never forget how I started: The perks of privacy, no money spent on trips to meetings or food for or after meetings or on printing speeches, no hateful judgments or “advice” or drama or tension or Gaslighting, no showing up in a knee scooter because I was injured, no long conversations before or after meetings to wear down my voice and energy, no waking up early, no long, late trips back home, not being so tired on the weekends, and so much more – including not missing out on invaluable family time.
Now, I wouldn’t trade those countless, priceless, fruitful, long, crazy inperson experiences for any money in the world, but NONE of that would’ve happened WITHOUT the option to first call-in to a meeting. And particularly, I think of a remote participation option as benefiting the timid, those with broken down cars, those with injuries, those in the Military, those with Disabilities, those with children, those busy working, those who fall ill, those who need to get home by a certain time, etc.
I’ve lost out on opportunities to comment at several meetings simply because it was late and I needed to be home (National City is a prime example, as their meetings always go past 10:30pm!).
I’ve been at a Santee Council meeting until about midnight (5.5 hours) when I also had an MTS meeting the next morning.
I’ve been at a drama-filled SANDAG meeting from 8:30am-4:30pm (8 hours with no meal!!). This is NOT conducive to a healthy, happy life and is unrealistic for people to be able to address their government as they should be able to. No regrets, but remote participation would’ve saved my life.
For those against technological advancements, sorry, but you’re not right on this topic of increased access to government at a time of least participation. Get over it. Go focus on evil A.I. instead.
Other topics...
What’s this $6,440 fee increase for the Mast Park Charging Station? Are they suddenly costing more to maintain? Did the electricity prices go up? Are people actually using these chargers? Was the data on use dug up yet?
A $4,380 “vacation cash out” for Community Services/Public Services – How many employees does that cover?
Good luck on the street repairs. I have no idea how Santee ended up with streets almost as bad as the City of San Diego, but I can’t wait until they’re no longer an embarrassment for residents.
So I 100% support a full repaving of Cuyamaca Street from River Park Drive to Mast Boulevard. Don’t forget the crosswalks, which also have potholes and are in need of repainting and lighting.
And seeing several categories of “Miscellaneous Income” is weird. Are people actually supposed to know what that means or is? Item 9: (Sales Tax)
One of the many things California Democrats and Republicans have in common is Taxes! – No one can ever get enough!
They’ll even spend More Tax Dollars on Consultants just to Wordsmith Weasel their way into getting More of our Tax Dollars!
Maybe abolishing a State-Owned Sales Tax is the solution for expanding Local Control of Sales Taxes, as well as Defunding a State stuck in a Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Doom Spiral.
Who was on the Infrastructure Advisory Group? Those names should be Public, along with what they discussed and when.
Keep in mind that Peer Pressure (example: 12 other Cities have an 8.75% Sales Tax rate) is NOT a legitimate reason to increase a City’s Sales Tax rate.
And if you DO consider it a legitimate reason for an increased Sales Tax rate, then I’ll share that my home City has a 6% Sales Tax rate. Yep, NOT California.
Here were some of my answers to the City’s Survey:
·Fix broken roads.
·
Create a Civic Center.
·Re-locate City Hall potentially in the vacant lot behind Target – The land that goes down like a valley could make for an elevated building with basement room for both grown men that play video games, as well as for public records storage.
·
Ease traffic congestion.
·Create a Police Department.
·
Build more sidewalks. Example: Lake Canyon Road. Residents should have safe access to Santee Lakes. Is the City waiting for overpriced, ugly Stack-and-Packs to develop there and pay for it? Because taxpaying residents are paying taxes for sidewalks NOW, not later. ·Paint high visibility crosswalks.
·Stop implementing Roundabouts.
·Add more street lights.
·Advocate that CalTrans fix structurally deficient bridges ·Advocate that CalTrans fix the 125 entrance to Santee so people stop crashing their cars.
·Establish and promote several Evacuation Routes.
·Consider building a Rehabilitation Center – far from residential zones – with strict sober requirements.
·Build parking garages at major centers.
·
Remove unused bike lanes.
Survey and Tax Critiques:
·No specific details on each category of need.
·No guarantees of what category gets what specific level of funding. ·Needs specificity on how the Tax would be spent or why it's even needed.
·Why does Fire need more money?
·Why does Homelessness need even more money when the State has wasted Billions on the issue with ZERO results?
·What does Local Traffic Mitigation mean?
·Too long of a survey.
·
A survey asking if someone changed their opinion 3 times is a good way to get to "No" on a Tax.
·I answered "Non-Binary" since it was a choice.
Thanks for reading this book of comments. And don’t worry, I know only Laura read the whole thing.
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