CITY O F VEN TURA
CITY COUNCIL MINUTf.S
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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA
MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2023
SPECIAL MEETING - 5:00 P.M.
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL - 501 POLI STREET, VENTURA, CA 93001
JOESCHROEDER , MAYOR
DISTRICT 1 - LIZ CAMPOS
DISTRICT 2 - DOUG HALTER
DISTRICT 3 - MIKE JOHNSON
Akbar Alikhan
Interim City Manager
Councilmembers:
DISTRICT 6 - JIM DURAN
DISTRICT 5 - BILL MCREYNOLDS
DISTRICT 4 - DR. JEANNETTE SANCHEZ-
Andrew Heglund
City Attorney
PALACIOS , DEPUTY MAYOR
Michael B. MacDonald
City Clerk
PUBLIC ADVISORY: THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID MODEL WITH BOTH IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE AND VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION.
Live broadcasts of City Council meetings are available on Cable TV (Channel 15) and via internet accessible video stream at https://www.cityofventura.ca.gov/718Nideos or on YouTube at https://www.YouTube.com/cityofventura/live.
To access the meeting remotely: Join the Web Ex meeting https://cityofventura.webex.com/cityofventura/j.php7MTID=m6c595d3beb4b8bc7f510df785387c819 live at:
To request to speak on an item, use the chat function to notify the City Clerk by including the Item Agenda Number in your comment . The City Clerk will announce public speakers and promote them to a panelist , which will allow the use of camera and microphone. To join with audio only, call (213) 306-3065 and use access code : 2567 806 9243 Please be mindful that the meeting will be recorded , and all rules of procedure and decorum apply for in-person attendees and those participating virtually.
To submit written comments (up to 1,000 characters) for the City Council's consideration and inclusion in the public records , email [email protected] by 4:00 p.m. on the meeting date, or by using the public comment form at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/publicinput. Please include the Agenda Item Number in the subject This meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, Government Code Section 54953. Any member of the public may attend this meeting . Questions regarding this matter may be addressed to Michael B. MacDonald , City Clerk, (805) 654-4787. The City Council may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda . Meetings will adjourn at 11 :00 p. m. Any items outstanding at that time will be deferred until the next regularly scheduled meeting .
June 5, 2023 Minutes
CALL TO ORDER- REGULAR SESSION: 5:03 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Councilmembers Duran, McReynolds, Johnson, Halter, Campos, Deputy Mayor Dr. Sanchez-Palacios, and Mayor
Schroeder
Absent: None
Mayor Schroeder presiding
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Councilmember Duran
CLOSED SESSION REPORT: City Attorney Andy Heglund reported on May 10, 2023, Council met in closed session to discuss the findings of an outside investigator into complaints filed by two employees related to Councilmember Johnson. Specifically, the complaints alleged Councilmember Johnson acted unprofessionally and in a hostile and bullying manner towards them. There were two motions made in closed session. Council, excluding Councilmember Johnson due to a conflict of interest, voted 5-1 to refer to Councilmember Johnson as the Councilmember referenced in the executive summaries; Councilmember Campos voted no. The Council then voted unanimously with a 6-0 vote to direct the City Attorney to prepare a Resolution censuring Councilmember Johnson for unprofessional and hostile behavior to City staff and place the matter on the agenda for special open session City Council meeting. The Resolution attached to the staff report captures the direction from the City Council. The vote to bring back the Resolution also identified Councilmembers Campos and Sanchez-Palacios as the two Councilmembers to review the apology letter required in the Resolution.
FORMAL ITEM: The public may comment on each item listed on the agenda for Formal Items as the item is taken up. Formal Items may be reordered at the discretion of the Chair. The public may speak up to three (3) minutes on each agenda item.
1. Censure of Councilmember Mike Johnson
June 5, 2023
Introduced by: Mayor Joe Schroeder, Councilmember, District 7 Deputy Mayor Dr. Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios,
Councilmember, District 4
Liz Campos, Councilmember, District 1
Doug Halter, Councilmember, District 2
Bill McReynolds, Councilmember, District 5
Jim Duran, Councilmember, District 6
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Resolution censuring Councilmember Mike Johnson .
Minutes
FORMAL ITEMS (CONTINUED)
June 5, 2023
Supplemental Packet: Communication posted online.
Public Speakers: Shawn Terris, Deborah Meyer-Morris, Helen Eloyan, Matthew Bello, Barbara Brown,
Kathleen Wheeler, KC Rodriquez, Judee Hauer,
Pete Freeman, Vondie Lozano, Wayne Morgan,
David Armstrong, Lilith, Kent Bullard, Jan
Dietrick, Lori Steinhauer, Mark Sirota, Michael
Grigsby, Ron Whitehurst, Cherie Egbert, M.
Alex Mangone, Jean Getchell, Todd Collart,
John Brooks, Cheryl Collart, Mariza Sullivan,
Glenn Overley, Cindy Malecky, Lisa Gasaway,
Dacia Hayslip, Spencer Noren, John Richey,
Scott McCarty, Geoffrey Dann, Wendy Lofland,
Amy Cherrie, Helen Conley, Terrence Foley,
Judy Alexandre, Lucia Marquez, George
Amandola, Trevor Gotsman, Tomas Rebecci,
Patty Overley, Karba, Shannon Fredericks,
Jonathan Puu, James Forsythe, Alex Garcia,
Mark Martinez Velasquez, Sara Ostrander
Action: MISC (Halter/Sanchez-Palacios) to change the
censorship to an admonishment, no removal
from committee assignments, all Council
members to attend training, and a general
apology to staff.
Vote: Ayes: Duran, Halter, Deputy Mayor Dr.
Sanchez-Palacios, Mayor Schroeder; Noes:
McReynolds, Campos; Abstain: Johnson;
Absent: None
Action: M/S/C (Duran/Sanchez-Palacios) to reconsider,
by a member of the majority who voted for the
original motion, to reconsider the motion to
make an amendment and reconsider the vote.
Vote: Ayes: Duran, McReynolds, Halter, Deputy
Mayor Dr. Sanchez-Palacios, Mayor Schroeder;
Noes: Campos; Abstain: Johnson; Absent:
None
Minutes
FORMAL ITEMS (CONTINUED)
Action:
Vote:
Action:
Vote:
Action:
Vote:
Action:
Vote:
June 5, 2023
M/S/F (Duran/Schroeder) to be an
admonishment, retain committee seats, a
written apology to all staff by July 24, 2023,
training for all Councilmembers, all included in a
Resolution to presented to Council on Consent
at the June 26, 2023, Council meeting.
Ayes: Duran, Halter, Mayor Schroeder; Noes:
McReynolds, Campos, Deputy Mayor Dr.
Sanchez-Palacios; Abstain: Johnson; Absent:
None
M/S/F (Sanchez-Palacios/McReynolds) to
approve the original recommendation from the
staff report.
Ayes: Duran, McReynolds, Deputy Mayor Dr.
Sanchez-Palacios; Noes: Halter, Campos,
Mayor Schroeder; Abstain: Johnson; Absent:
None
M/S/F (McReynolds/Sanchez-Palacios) to
change the censorship to an admonishment and
the rest of the original Resolution would stand.
Ayes: Duran, McReynolds, Deputy Mayor Dr.
Sanchez-Palacios; Noes: Halter, Campos,
Mayor Schroeder; Abstain: Johnson; Absent:
None
M/S/C (Campos/Halter) to change the
censorship to an admonishment, retain
committee assignments, a written apology to
staff that can be made through Microsoft Teams
or a verbal apology at a Council meeting, and
training for all Councilmembers, including this
being captured in a Resolution brought back on
June 26, 2023 and the apology being completed
by July 24, 2023.
Ayes: Duran, Halter, Campos, Deputy Mayor Dr.
Sanchez-Palacios, Mayor Schroeder; Noes:
McReynolds; Abstain: Johnson; Absent: None
Minutes
ADJOURNMENT
Adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct record of the City Council meeting held on June 5, 2023 .
Tracy J. Oehler, MMC
Assistant City Clerk
June 5, 2023 Minutes