Minutes
Santee City Council
council Chamber - Building
10601 Magnolia Avenue
Santee, California
June 24, 2026
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 Ronn Hall, and Councilmembers Laura Koval, Rob McNelis, and Dustin Trotter Officers present: City Manager Wendy Kaserman, City Attorney Shawn Hagerty, and City Clerk James Jeffries
INVOCATION was given by Eric King, Lakeside Christian Church.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Mayor Minto.
PROCLAMATION: America's 250th Birthday
Mayor Minto presented the Proclamation to Nicolas Chavez, Community Services Director.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Note for the record: Written correspondence received for Items 17, Item 18, and Non- Agenda Public Comment was distributed to the City Council and posted online for public viewing prior to the meeting.
(1) 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. (Finance - Jennings) (3) Approval of the Expenditure of $67,454.24 for May 2026 Legal Services. (Finance - Jennings)
(4) Adoption of a Resolution Establishing the Appropriations Limit for FY 2026-27. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 056-2026)
(5) Adoption of a Resolution Levying Special Taxes to be Collected During Fiscal Year 2026-27 to Pay the Annual Cost of Municipal Maintenance Services within Community Facilities District No. 2015-1 (Municipal Maintenance Services) of the City of Santee. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 057-2026)
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of June 24, 2026 (6) Adoption of a Resolution Levying Special Taxes to be Collected During Fiscal Year 2026-27 to Pay Costs Related to the Authorized Public Improvements within Community Facilities District No. 2017-1 (Weston Infrastructure) of the City of Santee. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 058-2026) (7) Adoption of a Resolution Levying Special Taxes to be Collected During Fiscal Year 2026-27 to Pay the Annual Cost of Municipal Services withir Community Facilities District No. 2017-2 (Weston Municipal Services) o the City of Santee. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 059-2026) (8) Adoption of a Resolution Levying Charges for Fire Suppression Service ("Fire Benefit Fee") for Fiscal Year 2026-27. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 060-2026
(9) Adoption of Resolutions Calling for a November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election. (City Clerk - Jeffries) (Resos 061-2026, 062-2026, 063- 2026, and 064-2026)
(10) Approval of the First Amendment to the Agreement with MUNU, LLC for Encampment Cleanup Services. (Community Services - Chavez) (11) Adoption of a Resolution Approving the Third Amendment to the Agreement for Audio Visual Services with ETS Productions, Inc. (Community Services - Chavez) (Reso 065-2026)
Action: Councilmember McNelis moved approval of the Consent Calendar.
Vice Mayor Hall seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor Hall: Aye; and Councilmembers Koval: Aye; McNelis: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT (15 minutes):
(A) Brother Steven Sidlovsky spoke about the 2026 California March for Life and he Preborn Personhood movement in U.S. cities
(B) Brenda Hammond spoke in support of Team USA and Team Mexico in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and inquired about obtaining a Santee Fire Department T-shirt (C) Carl Costantino spoke about the Fanita Ranch court ruling and inquired wher the results would be discussed.
PUBLIC HEARING:
(12) Public Hearing for the FY 2026-27 Santee Landscape Maintenance District (SLMD) Annual Levy of Assessments. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 066-2026) The Public Hearing was opened at 6:51 p.m.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of June 24, 2026 Action: Councilmember Trotter moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember McNelis seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor Hall: Aye; and Councilmembers Koval: Aye; McNelis:
Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
The Public Hearing was closed at 6:52 p.m.
(13) Public Hearing for the FY 2026-27 Town Center Landscape Maintenance District (TCLMD) Annual Levy of Assessments. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 067-2026)
The Public Hearing was opened at 6:52 p.m.
Action: Vice Mayor Hall moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Koval seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote:
Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor Hall: Aye; and Councilmembers Koval: Aye; McNelis: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
The Public Hearing was closed at 6:52 p.m.
(14) Public Hearing for the FY 2026-27 Santee Roadway Lighting District (SRLD) Annual Levy of Assessments. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 068-2026) The Public Hearing was opened at 6:53 p.m.
Action: Councilmember Trotter moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember McNelis seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor Hall: Aye; and Councilmembers Koval: Aye; McNelis:
Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
The Public Hearing was closed at 6:54 p.m.
(15) Resolution Approving the Annual Levy, as a Successor Agency to County Services Area (CSA) 69, a Special Tax within the Santee-Lakeside Emergency Medical Services Authority Boundary for FY 2026-2027 and Collection on the Property Tax Roll. (Finance - Jennings) (Reso 069-2026) The Public Hearing was opened at 6:54 p.m.
Action: Councilmember McNelis moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember Trotter seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote:
Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor Hall: Aye; and Councilmembers Koval: Aye; McNelis: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of June 24, 2026 The Public Hearing was closed at 6:57 p.m.
(16) Public Hearing on the Vacancy Rate Pursuant to Assembly Bill 2561 Presented by Human Resources. (Human Resources - Freeman) The Public Hearing was opened at 6:55 p.m. Rida Freeman, Human Resources Director, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions.
The City Council received the report.
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:03 p.m.
CONTINUED BUSINESS:
(17) Continued Review of the Proposed Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27, and Resolution Adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 and Taking Related Actions. (City Manager/Finance - Kaserman/ Jennings) (Reso 070-2026)
Heather Jennings, Finance Director, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions.
Action: Councilmember Koval moved approval of staff recommendation.
Councilmember McNelis seconded the motion, which carried by the following vote: Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor Hall: Aye; and Councilmembers Koval: Aye; McNelis: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: 0.
Resolutions Placing a General Tax Measure on the November 3, 2026, General Municipal Election Ballot to Establish a Temporary One (1) Percent General Transactions and Use (Sales) Tax for 10 Years. (City Manager - Kaserman) (Reso 071-2026, 072-2026, and 073-2026) Wendy Kaserman, City Manager, provided a PowerPoint presentation and responded to Council questions.
Public Speaker:
• Jim Bartell
• Antonio Cabrera
• Dan Bickford
Action: Following discussion, Mayor Minto moved approval of staff recommendation with added language as suggested by Councilmember Koval to include Maintenance of Effort review into the Ordinance text and to clarify the Fiscal and Finance Training requirements for the Oversight Committee.
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of June 24, 2026 Councilmember Trotter seconded the motion, which carried by the following roll call vote:
Mayor Minto: Aye; Vice Mayor Hall: No; and Councilmembers Koval: Aye; McNelis: Aye; and Trotter: Aye. Ayes: 5. Noes: O.
NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT (Continued):
John Hossick spoke about the City Council's efforts of the year's to be responsible to the public and the action just taken by the Council to place the General Tax Measure on the November election ballot.
CITY COUNCIL REPORTS:
Vice Mayor Hall announced MTS passed their budget.
Councilmember Koval shared attending the mosaic tile painting event and on attending the Fire Safety Council Awards event.
Councilmember McNelis made clarifying points to his previous comments regarding the City's revenue per capita.
CITY MANAGER REPORTS:
Wendy Kaserman, City Manager, briefly highlighted the upcoming Santee Salutes event on July 4th.
CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS:
None.
CLOSED SESSION:
Shawn Hagerty, City Attorney, announced Councilmember McNelis is recused from both Closed Session Items. Councilmembers recessed at 8:33 p.m. and convened in Closed Session at 8:35 p.m. with all members present, except Councilmember McNelis who was recused.
(19) Conference with Legal Counsel-Existing Litigation
(Gov. Code section 54956.9(d) (1))
Name of Case: Preserve Wild Santee v. City of Santee, San Diego Superior Court Case No. 37-2022-00041478
(20) Conference with Legal Counsel-Existing Litigation
(Gov. Code section 54956.9(d) (1))
Name of Case: Preserve Wild Santee v. City of Santee, San Diego Superior Court Case No. 25CU036645C
Santee City Council Regular Meeting Minutes of June 24, 2026 Councilmembers reconvened in Open Session at 8:56 p.m., with all members present.
Mayor Minto reported for Items 19 and 20, no action was taken and direction given to staff.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:57 p.m.
Date Approved: August 12, 2026