VISTA CITY COUNCIL (CC) BUENA SANITATION DISTRICT (BSD) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (CDC)
SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE VISTA REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (SA) JOINT POWERS FINANCING AUTHORITY (JPFA)
CITY OF VISTA
CONSOLIDATED MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 12, 2025
The November 12, 2025, Regular Meeting of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, the Community Development Commission of the City of Vista, the Buena Sanitation District, Successor Agency to the Vista Redevelopment Agency, and Joint Powers Financing Authority was called to order by Mayor Franklin at 5:31 pm in the City Council Chambers, 200 Civic Center Drive, Vista, California.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT
Mayor John Franklin, Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez
Corinna Contreras, Dan O’Donnell, Jeff Fox
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
John Conley City Manager
Walter Chung City Attorney
John Malan Sheriff’s Captain
Gerard Washington Fire Chief
Kathy Valdez City Clerk
Imelda Huerta Assistant City Manager
Joe Vacca Community Development Director
Larry Vaupel Economic Development Director
Greg Mayer Engineering Director
Mike Sylvia Finance Director
Natalie Jacobs Human Resources Director
Chris Mitchell Information Technology Director
Chris Arce Public Works Director
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Fox led the Pledge of Allegiance.
BROWN ACT NOTICE
City Clerk Kathy Valdez stated that, due to convening simultaneous meetings, the Buena Sanitation District Board Members will receive compensation of $147.75 for the District meeting.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
City Attorney Walter Chung stated that in regards to Public Hearing Item PH1 Adoption of a Resolution of Necessity for the Acquisition of Certain Property Interests for the Off-Site Improvement of Vista Grande Drive as a Condition of Approval of 2277 Vista Grande Drive, parties have reached a tentative settlement agreement and the item has been continued to December 9, 2025. City Manager John Conley stated there were no other changes to the agenda.
PRESENTATIONS
P1. The Mayor and City Councilmembers presented a proclamation to Rachel Beld, CEO of Vista Chamber of Commerce, and TJ Crossman, CVBID Advisory Board Chair, declaring November 29, 2025, as “Small Business Saturday” in the City of Vista.
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
NOVEMBER 12, 2025
2 ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
The following individuals addressed the City Council:
• Madison Rapp spoke about the dangers of high potency cannabis. • Judi Strang spoke about a local cannabis store façade design being mistaken for a bakery and concerns that it is attractive to youth.
CONSENT CALENDAR
MOTION BY FOX, SECOND BY O’DONNELL, TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CONSENT CALENDAR.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
C1. Received Treasurer’s Cash Report for the month ending August 31, 2025. (CC)
C2. Approved the following meeting minutes:
October 28, 2025 Consolidated Meeting (CC/CDC/BSD/SA)
C3. Adopted City Council Resolution No. 2025-189, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Approving an Agreement with Life Line Emergency Vehicles, Inc. to Remount and Refurbish One ALS Ambulance.” (CC)
C4. Adopted City Council Resolution No. 2025-190, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the Chartered City of Vista, California, Approving the Agreement with Honeywell International, Inc. for Fire Station Alerting System Replacement Project.” (CC)
PUBLIC HEARING
PH1. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION OF NECESSITY FOR THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN
PROPERTY INTERESTS FOR THE OFF-SITE IMPROVEMENT OF VISTA GRANDE DRIVE AS A CONDITION OF APPROVAL OF 2277 VISTA GRANDE DRIVE (CC)
This item has been continued to December 9, 2025.
DISCUSSION
D1. PROPOSED OAK DRIVE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AND CROSSING GUARD (CC) Sam Hasenin, Engineering Division Manager, introduced the item and provided staff’s report.
The following members of the public spoke in favor of the item:
Mirnia Casillas Rufina Carreon Jaime Reyes Zoila Ramos
City Councilmembers and staff discussed the following:
• Each option presented includes push buttons for flashing beacons and would remove 8-12 street parking spaces.
• The project will be coordinated with future overlay projects.
MOTION BY CONTRERAS, SECOND BY FOX, TO APPROVE OAK DRIVE RAISED CROSSWALK CONCEPT PLAN – OPTION A.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
NOVEMBER 12, 2025
3 D2. WAVE WATERPARK COMMITTEE (CC)
Imelda Huerta, Assistant City Manager, introduced the item and provided staff’s report.
City Councilmembers and staff discussed the following:
• City Councilmembers discussed forming a Wave Waterpark committee. A City-created committee would not be able to do private fundraising but would be able to come up with ideas and recommendations for the Wave.
• City Councilmembers would like to hear staff’s recommendations for the Wave. • Councilmember Fox proposed a ‘Technical Advisory Committee’ consisting of individuals with expert knowledge to answer specific questions.
• Mayor Franklin is concerned with a lack of clear direction for a committee. • Councilmember O’Donnell asked staff to reach out to waterpark operation businesses to get ideas on how to generate revenue.
• City Councilmembers discussed creating a 6-month committee, consisting of community members and staff, to develop a work plan for City Council review. • Directed staff to create a work plan to help determine areas of focus and potential composition of a committee.
DIRECTED STAFF TO CREATE A WORK PLAN TO HELP DETERMINE AREAS OF FOCUS AND POTENTIAL COMPOSITION OF A COMMITTEE.
NO VOTE TAKEN.
D3. FISCAL YEAR 2024/25 FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT (CC/BSD) Mike Sylvia, Director of Finance, introduced the item and provided staff’s report.
Sid Rothenberg spoke in favor of the item.
City Councilmembers and staff discussed the following:
• Mayor Franklin made a motion to decrease the Traffic Calming Reserve by $500,000 and to create a ‘Law Enforcement Personnel Reserve Fund’ of $500,000. Councilmember O’Donnell supported the motion and amended to decrease the General Fund Emergency Reserve by $200,000 and to create a ‘Public Works Reserve Fund’ of $200,000. • City Councilmembers expressed support for the academic and youth scholarship program.
Councilmember Contreras asked staff to open an annual Request for Proposals for academic scholarship funding.
• Use of the Law Enforcement Personnel Reserve Fund to be approved by City Council. Public Works reserve funds should not be used for salaries but instead for one-time funding projects.
Allocated funding will be presented to the City Council for approval. • City Councilmembers are in support of updates to the Senior Center.
MOTION BY FRANKLIN, SECOND BY O’DONNELL, TO DECREASE
TRAFFIC CALMING RESERVE BY $500,000, ADD $500,000 TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL RESERVE FUND; DECREASE GENERAL
FUND EMERGENCY RESERVE CONTRIBUTION BY $200,000, ADD
$200,000 TO A PUBLIC WORKS RESERVE FUND.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
MOTION BY MELENDEZ, SECOND BY FOX TO RECEIVE AND FILE FISCAL YEAR 2024/25 FOURTH QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT AND ADOPT
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO. 2025-191, ENTITLED “A RESOLUTION
CONSOLIDATED MINUTES
NOVEMBER 12, 2025
4 OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CHARTERED CITY OF VISTA,
CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEARS 2025/26 AND 2026/27, AND AMENDING THE CAPITAL PROJECT
BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEARS 2024/25 AND 2025/26” AS AMENDED BY CITY COUNCIL.
MOTION CARRIED: 5-0
REMARKS
Councilmember Dan O’Donnell wished everyone a happy Veteran’s Day and thanked Fred Tracey for his work on the Veteran’s Day event; and thanked everyone that came out to his townhall.
Councilmember Corinna Contreras praised the Veteran’s Day event; reminded everyone that trash pickup is every Wednesday morning at Luz Duran Park; and NCTD is in discussion with the State regarding testing of hydrogen trains.
Deputy Mayor Katie Melendez wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving.
Mayor John Franklin announced the City is accepting applications for the Planning Commission and Homelessness Commission until November 30, 2025.
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Franklin adjourned the meeting at 7:41 p.m.
____________________________________
Kathy Valdez, City Clerk