City Council - Regular Meeting

with liberty and justice for all.

Madam City Clerk, could you call the vote?

Yes, Mayor. Quorum is present for the City Council, Successor Agency, Housing Authority, and Parking Authority.

We have a commendation recognizing six annual

Mr. Mayor, I'd like to pull item number five, please, on the consent.

Mayor, can you pull the mic in? They can't hear you.

We'll go to public comment. Any persons wishing to address the Inglewood City Council successor agency housing authority, parking authority on any item on today's agenda may do so at this time.

Marvin McCoy. So once again, this council is coming back and you're amending the budget. Within the last month, you guys have amended or adjusted the budget just under $10 million. So what that tells me and what you've been saying far along is that you guys have been cooking the books. How did you come back? And here's the funny part. You guys usually do that in the dead of summer when normally no one's paying attention. You take out finance bonds, lease bonds, which brings me to a curious disposition. Who financed that Inglewood library? Because we were told public monies were set aside. $35 million allocated aside. And that guy with the Intuit dome was being investigated by the Department of Justice. He put up $6 million. But what you guys came back in December and did that year, do you guys know what you guys did? You guys took out a finance bond, meaning you guys took out a bond for $60 million and threw $7 million into the general fund. You're robbing Peter to pay Paul. Now let's go to this Axiom contract, which is, oh, that's like a Netflix contract from hell. How did $100,000 invoice was just approved by the Inglewood Police Department, but none of you guys know about it? What's so scary about the contract? It expanded police powers and you guys didn't know. They were using AI intelligence To keep eyes on everybody you got got eyes in the sky, they just needed an invoice get hit up on Google pay and you're getting charged for expanded police powers this Council didn't know about. I may be an idiot as someone said up there i'm not stupid.

Oh, nice to see you too. Well, aren't we all nice and colorful today? I didn't get the memo. I don't think anyone else did either. By the way, Marvin, they suggest you speak into the microphone because they can't hear you in the world.

Council members.

I cannot believe, I'm sure he covered it, but it is interesting to me that we have many of the same issues, even though Marvin and I do not always agree, and we own that we do not always agree, but we have productive conversations about why he does or doesn't agree with the things that I say and vice versa. which is the one thing everybody in the city notices we don't have from the five of you in front of us, which means everything looks like a backroom deal. Probably because it is. But as I look at this agenda, among the things, and he did, I'm sorry, he, Marvin, did allude to the fact of the cameras. And I'm going to suggest that anybody and everybody please go on line and look up flock cameras and how many residents are saying, no, no, that's not cool. Flock cameras are not what we want. We are supposed to be the land of the free and the home of the brave, not the land of those watched. That's really sad. Other people are working really hard to make sure that not everything we do on the internet or everywhere else is tracked consistently. And that should not change once we come into the city of Inglewood, where you can see, if I went to go visit any one of the people here, most of who I don't know where you live, but it's none of your business. Same thing with it's none of your business if I make a phone call to them. Because that's one of those things about being an American. And I think frequently we get lost by somebody telling us safety, safety, safety, till even going to one of our schools feels like you've entered a prison camp. And sadly, nobody teaches children about America. We don't teach children that we should be free. And I'm going to go on to say that while we're spending, it looks like $30,000 on uniforms, That pales in comparison to that $5 million on item number 11, the $70,000 that you pay for parties. And you have no idea how many people thought, wow, you really should get your roof fixed at the building the Historical Society gave to the city of Inglewood for $1. Yeah, the budget study sessions probably won't happen. You'll be passing something without our input, so I'm throwing it in now. You should look out for the buildings that were given to you and the ones you own.

Good afternoon, council. I wanted to speak to number four about the $380,000 for your party and floral and event design. I too agree with Diane, who just spoke, I went over to the Adobe, to the Fiesta this past weekend, and the Adobe is in disrepair. And I haven't seen any money on this budget to repair the Adobe or even to give money to the Adobe. And seeing that we're going to spend up to $1.1 million for floral design and event design, I'm just trying to figure out why do we have so much money for parties and not money for our city services? Thank you.

Okay, with that, we'll close public comment. I'm going to read a proclamation claiming September 15th, National Voter Registration Day, or vote Cella.

Mayor, someone has their hand raised on the phone line.

Go right ahead.

Phone number 7008. Please go ahead with your comment.

Okay, again, first of all, you can identify people who are on the phone to the people who are on the phone, and you don't have to do it publicly. This keeps on happening. This is ridiculous. Regarding all the money that is available to be spent on parties, it's ridiculous. You guys have rules for us and not rules for yourself. There are things like decorum. You have rules for us and not rules for yourself. There are a lot of things that money needs to be spent on in this city. And especially in election years, it seems like you guys have more photo ops and more parties, which many people don't know about, but they're paying for. In addition, there seems to be a problem with the construction that you guys are allowing the contractors to do where you're paying them and they haven't completed the job. They haven't done them properly. They're not a workmanlike construction company. They damaged our property. And yet we have to sit there and go to be on the pale to try to get our money back or to have to pay for fixing things. And you refuse to pay for any claims most of the time. And you're spending money where it shouldn't be spent. And there needs to be oversight on that. Nice to have parties. It's nice to have nice things. But we don't get to have nice things. So our streets were done very recently. They're getting dug up. Already, you guys knew that. There's very poor planning that's going on in the city and you are misappropriating money, it appears, in a variety of ways. In addition, we can't get calls back from our council people. Alex Padilla can't get calls back, responses or emails from the city manager, from a variety of different people who are directors of different departments. And they're rude if you do get a call back from them and you can't get anything done. Yet you guys are spending a lot of money on parties. All the time. In fact, it's always a concert for everything. Fourth of July, when they said we're going to have fireworks. It's like there were fires. That was last year. You haven't had an Earth Day, which is not a party, but it's very educational. And it would have been very good to have one during the fires. But you all didn't and said you didn't have time to plan for it. You had four or five years. There's so much ridiculousness being said by the council members and the mayor about It's just silly. And we see it. Everybody sees it. The DOJ needs to come in and start investigating you all and also auditing the finance department and a whole bunch of other places and independent people. We shouldn't be spending hundreds of thousands of millions of dollars for somebody else to come in to audit you guys. You should know how to do it. It should have been done already. People can't pay their bills because you won't allow them to. And then you want to put liens on their homes because they can't pay the bill because you keep on raising the prices and you don't do the right thing in allowing us the opportunity to go to public hearings. So many things wrong all over the map because you guys are all over the map and you're not taking care of what you've been elected to and you're disavowing and maligning your constituents and have been doing it for years and been quite nasty about it and public about it as well. Come on, guys. You can do better. It's our money. You're earning. Here's

Are there any other phone, anyone else on the phone? Okay, with that, we'll close public comment. Now we'll read the National Voter Registration Day, or VoteCella, proclamation. Whereas the right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and an informed and engaged electorate strengthens our community, and whereas National Voter Registration Day encourages eligible citizens to register to vote, become informed about the voting process, and actively participate in civic life, and whereas the City Clerk is committed to promoting voter education, registration, and civic engagement, particularly among youth and first-time voters, and whereas the City of Engwood proudly recognizes its sixth annual National Voter Registration Day Vote Shelley event and the continued efforts of the City Clerk's Office to encourage voter participation and civic engagement throughout the community, now therefore be it resolved that September 15th, 2026, is hereby proclaimed National Voter Registration Day in the city of Englewood, California, and we encourage all eligible residents to register to vote, stay informed, and make their voices heard. Presented this 15th day of September, 2026. We'll go to item one, CSA 1 and H1.

Want register.

Receive and file. The consent calendar, items two, three, four, five is pulled. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. So moved. Second. Madam City Clerk.

Council Members Gray.

Aye.

Padilla. Aye. Morales.

Aye. Fogg.

Aye.

Mayor Butts. Aye. 01.

Staff report recommending the mayor and council members adopt ordinance number 26-12, amending Englewood Municipal Code section 8-27 to add the city treasurer as a member of the Permits and Licenses Committee.

Motion to wait for the reading.

Second.

Madam City Clerk.

Council members Gray. Aye. Padilla.

Aye. Morales. Aye.

Fogg. Aye. Mayor Butts.

Aye. Move adoption.

Second.

Madam City Clerk.

Council members Gray. Aye. Padilla. Aye. Morales.

Aye. Falk.

Aye. Mayor Buds.

Aye. O2.

Staff report recommending the mayor and council members adopt a resolution adopting the Englewood Cross Connection Control Program.

Move adoption. Second. Madam City Clerk.

Council members Gray. Aye. Padilla. Aye. Morales. Aye. Falk. Aye.

Mayor Buds. Aye. Motion to wait for the reading. Second.

Madam City Clerk.

Council Members Gray. Aye. Padilla. Aye. Morales. Aye. Falk. Aye. Mayor Butts.

Aye. I'll introduce A1.

Thank you, Mayor. Members of the City Council, there was a single item on today's closed session agenda. With respect to that item, the City Council received a briefing from outside legal counsel. Direction and feedback were provided, but no final action was taken. Thank you.

CM1.

No reports, Mr. Mayor.

CC1.

Yes, Mayor. Thank you so much. First, I want to pay homage and honor all of our Hispanic heritage family here in the city of Englewood. Today marks and starts the beginning of it. And so happy Hispanic Heritage Month to all. And then our block clubs we visited. I was with our city treasurer and our councilwoman. It was so nice to be there visiting with them. Today is National Voter Registration Day. Looking forward to everyone coming out this afternoon, this evening at six o'clock to be a part of a great event. And then lastly, Mayor, first 50 people in the city clerk's office will receive some churros after meeting. Thank you, Mayor.

There you go. CSA 2 and P1.

Staff report recommending the chairman and successor agency parking authority members approve an agreement with Miller Bondus LLP for legal services guidance and representation.

Move adoption. Second. Madam City Clerk.

Successor agency members and parking authority members Gray. Aye. Padilla. Aye. Morales. Aye. Fogg. Aye. Chairman Butts. Aye. During the successor agency the housing authorities in session h2 staff report recommending the chairman and Housing Authority members approve amendments to the housing choice voucher Administrative plan incorporating cost saving and shortfall mitigation measures in response to the Department of Housing and Urban Development's funding shortfall designation and guidance Second Housing Authority members gray. I put dia. All right Morales. I fog chairman butts.

All right adjourn the Housing Authority Appointments to boards commissions committees. There are none public comment regarding other matters One minute persons wishing to address the City Council on any matter connected with city business that else were considered May do so at this time

Marvin McCoy, I wanted to say this about, everybody has defended Brian Bostic, but, and you guys, from what I read from LA Local, the mayor said this investigation is gonna last another two months. Conveniently, it will last beyond election time.

When will this council have a conscience? Leaning on the word justice with no meaningful action means nothing. You guys know the video exists. You guys all have the power right now to say, we are gonna contact the medical examiner's office and we're gonna ask for an investigation. You guys also have the power to contact Nathan Hockman's office and have investigated, why was the coroner's office contacted nine hours as required by law? Stop leaning on the word justice.

You're at time, sir. You're at time, sir.

Mayor, I am tired of you coming here week after week lying, saying that you guys gave the lawyer the information. If this was true, why would the lawyer be fouling a federal lawsuit against the city and the police department? Make it make sense. Stop lying. You told me that you could assure me that Brian was alive when he got in the back of the police car. Stop lying. The unknown personnel that took his shorts off and removed his airway to illegal you guys contacting our family before you guys contact the medical examiner to hide a murder you guys ought to be ashamed and then you sit up here and you act like we're the ones that committed the crime you guys don't care about people at all the citizens you only care about the fame the glitz and glory justice for brian bostick

Today I would like to ask Mayor Butts two questions. and Mayor Butts, I'd appreciate it if you would answer these questions. The first question is why don't you tell the Bostic family why Brian's car was stopped by the Englewood Police Department that day? And number two, why won't you give the Bostic family the names of the specific officers who stopped Brian's car and who had conversations or physical interactions with him that day?

Ma'am, go right ahead.

I'm waiting. I asked you some questions. I guess you're not going to answer them. Okay. Well, I guess yet again.

Hey, what's up? Ma'am, if you speak out again, you're going to have to. Okay. She has to leave, you guys. Yes, she does.

But you can call somebody an idiot and then talk about the court. Stop putting these rules on the floor.

Ma'am.

If you can call somebody an idiot. When you wear that eye jacket, it's for an idiot.

Go right ahead, ma'am.

Could I have my time back, please?

Of course you can.

Thank you. Well, I guess yet again, you are refusing to assist the Bostic family. You know, I heard someone say recently that if I ask someone for something and they say they don't have anything to hide, if they don't give me that information, it must mean they have something to hide. I guess you have something to hide, Mayor Butts.

If you do that again, ma'am, you're going to have to go. All right? Go right ahead, sir.

I was part of a protest on Sunday commemorating the six-month anniversary of the murder of Brian Bostic by unknown officers of the Inglewood PD. Sixty of us, all anti-racist, black, Latino, and white of all genders, rallied at Hillcrest and Nutwood, the spot where Brian's life was stolen from him. We then marched down Manchester Avenue to the City Hall, where we listened to speakers, including Brian's mother and two other moms who lost their sons to racist police violence. We released scores of balloons with messages for Brian, and then marched to the IPD headquarters, where we rallied to call out the murderers. Lest you and the city council think otherwise, the movement to demand justice for Brian Bostic is learning and growing. We recognize the systemic causes of this police terror. As one of our chants says, there are no good cops in a racist system. racism, which is at the heart of the system we live under, is profitable for an elite few. Real justice will come for Brian and many others like him when we remove racism from the face of the earth, all forms of it.

Sir, you're at time.

SO MAN, I'M GOING TO JUMP INTO IT THIS TIME. I'M HERE TO SHARE AND I'M GLAD TO SHARE THAT THE IAP IS THE OFFICIAL DIGITAL PARTNER OF THE INAUGURAL INGLEWOOD NIGHT MARKET THIS SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH. WE'RE HERE TO HIGHLIGHT THE LOCAL ARTISTS, LOCAL VENUES, LOCAL GATHERINGS, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE INVITE YOU AND EVERYONE HERE IN THIS BUILDING LISTENING ONLINE TO COME ON OUT, SHARE, AND TO CELEBRATE THE CULTURE THAT WE LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT THIS CITY. ONE MORE THING I WANT TO SAY. We're bringing you like a digital companion to the night market. So you'll be able to support, even if you can't show up, there'll be three ways. So if you go to the iApp-Englewood on the Apple and like Google Play Store, you'll be able to get it. So the day before, during, and the day after, you'll be able to see the artists, who they are, ways to connect with them, ways to support with them. Last thing I want to say is like, see you at Coachella. Rest in peace, Brian Boston.

Good afternoon, council. My name is Yolanda Davidson. The first thing I wanted to do is say that I had the honor of being with the family of Brian Bostic as they protest for justice for their family member. Brian's mother was there. It was the first time that I heard her publicly speak about the loss of her son. She is absolutely devastated and no mother should have to go through what she's going through and experiencing. And it doesn't take much to come out and support this family. We still need to have answers. And also, Today online, there was a gentleman, his name is Carlos Duran. He could not be here, but he received a parking ticket for having a permit that said 6C, but it was supposed to say 6D. The residents in Inglewood are just being over-ticketed, over-taxed, over-feed. We don't have any more money for this city. That's ridiculous. And people can't come here at 2 o'clock on Tuesday to tell you to stop feeing us to death. Like, there has to be something better than what you're doing right now with these parking fees for the city.

Thank you.

afternoon council members i just like to ask that uh clarification be given on what a yes means on measure bb or what a no vote means it's my understanding that either way the existing electronic signs will not be removed it's just that no additional signs will be removed if that's true i'd like to have the thumbs up that's not true that's not true sir bb will prevent the city from

advertising on its own boards but will allow the venues to continue to advertise on their own digital boards the bb will allow us to advertise the super bowl and anything that benefits the venues but it will not allow the city to continue to draw revenue from its own signs and the billboards will not be removed they'll still be there all right so

Well, thank you, Francis, for bringing that up. Not what I was going to speak on, but since it is a 40-year deal, I will tell you that 40-deal commitment signed by the council members in front of us is three years longer than Brian Bostic was alive. Put that in your little filter things. That's kind of an interesting concept. And I can't imagine how you're saying there are billboards when they have wow, wow, wow all over them. That doesn't make sense to me at all. That we would supposedly get 40%, and yet, where did that $37 million they keep advertising we earned go? Because I don't think our community has been improved $37 million. And I kept on saying I'd tell you all great things to look up. Jesse Unruh, his birthday is September 30th. I would hope that we acknowledge him. He had the Civil Rights Amendment passed in California long before the United States. That is worthy of acknowledgement much more than some of the names you've plastered everywhere.

I stand here again. Mr. Butts, I'm going to ask you one more question. This Inglewood city is coming up with millions and millions of dollars that have been invested into these billboards that you guys have flashing all up and down every street. When are you going to get the body cams for the police officers to secure the safety of the citizens in the Inglewood community? When is that going to happen? How long does it take to get body cams when you have advertisement boards all up and down every street? We've been asking this question for too long and we still don't have an answer. Where are the body cams? Where is the security and safety for the city of Inglewood? And when is it going to happen? I'm glad to see you guys are woke this morning. Mr. Morales, you kind of there. I appreciate that, but we need answers. This is the family of Brian Bostic. We want answers. Where are the body cams?

Good afternoon. I'm Fredericia Dixon. I'm also a candidate for mayor of Englewood. On August 7th, I wrote the city attorney, city clerk, and council requesting recusal, screening, and a litigation hold concerning election employees closely related to candidates Keokia Childress and Alex Padilla. I requested a response within seven days. I received none. Yesterday, my campaign placed 36 signs throughout Englewood. By 1 p.m., all but five were gone, while Butts, Padilla, and Childress signs remained at the exact same locations. I'm demanding an investigation and asking our city clerk to publicly explain what safeguards are protecting the integrity of this election. We also still demand answers from Chief Fronterata regarding Brian Bostic's death while in Englewood police custody. We want to know what type of force was used, which officers used the force, whether or not the officers who used the force are still patrolling our streets, and when we can expect a full and complete investigation into Mr. Bostic's death. Finally, I want to encourage our community to attend voting.

You're at time, ma'am. You're at time. Ma'am, you're at time. Now, now, now, will you please, please, you guys, remove her from the chamber. Thank you. If you keep speaking out, you're going to have to leave. Go right ahead. We got to get your mic on. Sorry. Promise?

Hello, I am Assemblymember Tina McKenna and I represent the 61st Assembly District including Englewood. I am home now on recess and I just want to come by and say hello to the great city of Englewood. My condolences to the family, I also just want to let Mayor Butts and the City Council know that I am so proud to represent you in Sacramento and the work that you have done to turn the city around is absolutely amazing. You've taken it from bankruptcy to international city. And when I get to Sacramento, it is so easy because the sales tax that come out of this city, I can always bring stuff back home. And so with that, I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you for everything that you guys do. And thank you.

Thank you, Assemblywoman.

Officer, would you go out? Please go out there. Would you go out and escort those ladies out? That's the Assemblymember. Yes. Please hurry up.

Okay. Escort her. It's a future mayor out there. I think, weren't you removed? Officer? Officer. This lady was removed before. Would you ask her to leave? Ma'am, you were removed before. You don't get to come back in. Go right ahead, ma'am.

Hi, I'm Melissa Barlow, District 1 resident, 79th and 8th Avenue. And I'm just here because there was an article recently published by Emily St. John that I just really felt was lacking and didn't really express the plight of what we've been going through. since 2019 to get safety on our corner where there's the Bermuda Triangle of accidents, accidents almost every week. So, and I just wanted to thank our councilwoman, Gloria Gray, because since she's been installed, she's had multiple meetings, got the stakeholders involved, you know, the police, city leadership, Captain Hurt have all been wonderful. And I just want Our plight taken really seriously because my house has been breached by a car. My neighbor's house has been breached by a car. My neighbor's house has been breached by a car. My neighbor's George house has been breached by a car. So if you're on that corner, basically your house has been breached by a car. And it's dangerous. I was about 15, 20 seconds away from dying in that accident. And I just want to make sure that we have accurate reporting on what's going on with our city. And thank you, Councilwoman Gray. I really appreciate it. And thank you, everybody, that meets with us. Thank you.

Okay. Do we have any callers?

Yes, Mayor. We have one caller on the line. Hey, ma'am, you're going to have to take a seat for fire regulations. Phone number 7008. Please go ahead with your comment.

I find it ludicrous that you have a voting proclamation promoting civil engagement when the city of Inglewood under Mayor Butts has been blocking me and others from participation for years. The Brown Act, violating the Brown Act physically, intimidation, harassment, ADA violations. You know, the city clerk has not responded to public records requests, emails, phone calls. And it's interesting that Mayor Butts responds occasionally to low-hanging fruit like a woman's parking ticket. But why don't you respond to this, please? Have the promised meetings that these people have promised me. Have them respond to the phone calls and their emails. City Manager Louis Atwell, Councilman Alex Padilla, Chief Brontorata, Jose Cortez, City Clerk Ayesha Thompson, Sharon Kawike, Maria Haney. And now we're going to add Hunter Wynn, Tony Olmos, Victor Nunez, and there's many more. This is ridiculous. I'm a taxpaying constituent. The mayor has mocked me in city council meetings before and publicly humiliated me and others. The adult bullying has to stop. Take action, please. Please ask each of those people right now to call me back and return the emails.

Go right ahead. Yes, you can.

Karen Sipplin. I have called multiple times about the parking on our street being disrespected by some of the people that have all the vehicles. And I wanted to know what was going to be done about it. I just called and I did get a response from Paula to tell me that They're shorthanded, but they are going to be out more canvassing our street because it seems like we have neighbors that park their cars for weeks after weeks. Every Monday they park their cars. So it's impossible for anyone to come visit us because there's nowhere to park. And if they park at the library on 111th Place, they get a ticket. So I would like to know if there's some information that we can get so that we can kind of regulate the parking on our street. And I do know that parking is difficult. Parking is hard. But something has to be done about these vehicles. They're just there every week. They move for the trash, and then they come back. And then they're there all week. And it's just really ridiculous on our street, on 111th Place, between Crenshaw and the Moley.

Are you a permit parking area, ma'am?

I was told that we are permitted. I just called and they told me they were. And I said, okay, well, I don't have a parking permit. I use my driveway, but it's just that I don't see how five vehicles could be under one permit.

Okay, ma'am. If you're a permit parking area, you are entitled to register cars that visit you for permit parking. And there's only a limited number for every resident. And so if you feel that there are cars that are parking in violation of the permit regulations, you can call the Traffic Enforcement Department, and they will come. All right? So would you give your name and number to the officer right there? And we'll have somebody contact you. All right. You're welcome. With that, we'll... Mayor, there's one more person. Oh, one more person. There's one more person. Go right ahead. Yes, how you doing?

Mayor Buss, I was just wondering, you know, I know that, you know, we all have eyes on what's going on throughout the country about young black men and women being found hung in trees. And I'm just curious to know, I mean, are you concerned at all about, you know, this police brutality that's going on throughout the country as well? I know that, you know, seeing your history, you come from the Carolinas down south, you know, and your parents, you know, was raised and they brought you up in the Jim Crow era and they moved you to the West Coast so you could get a better education and a better life for your and your siblings. So I'm just curious to know, like, you know, dealing with the Brian Bostic case, you know, I would think that you would be more compelled to try to come up, to try to meet the family, you know what I'm saying, where they at, and bring about some type of resolution to the questions and the answers that they need.

Okay. Are there any more? Okay. And just for closure, I was born and raised in Los Angeles. Okay. With that, we will go to Mayor and Councilmember remarks. Councilwoman Gray. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Good afternoon, everyone. I think I always start off my comments with thanking the public for their comments. It is important for your Voices to be heard. A couple of comments based on what happened today with public comment. Dan Sobrano talked about historic society and our history here in Inglewood. And it is important. The Adobe have been there and visited. And I think we do need to pay more attention. So thank you for bringing that up. I do believe in civic engagement. people have a right for their voices to be heard. But I also believe in decorum. I think it should apply not only to the public, but those of us who sit here on this dais. And so I do believe that that should be something that all of us should respect and honor. Today is the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month, and I believe the celebration that the city will have will be this coming Saturday, September 9th. And I think it's important to recognize their culture here in Englewood because we are a diverse culture community and to recognize the contribution of our Hispanic community. Vocella is this evening at six o'clock. You can see that we're wearing sweatshirts just to make sure that people are aware how important voting is and to come to the event because for your voices to be heard, it should be heard at the voting box. on election day. And the first step is to register. So I really encourage those who are not registered to come out and vote. Thank you, Aisha Thompson, for what you're doing. Very important to this community. Congratulations to the pickleball grand opening. Thank you, Thomas. You're where you are indoors, Obie. And all the pickleball players. Very exciting event this past Saturday. I was there along with the mayor. And it was well attended. They came very early. And they, you know, the pickleball community has a loud voice. And so we heard your voices and we have top notch pickleball courts. So thank you for being a part of making that happen. All the folks in Parks and Recreation. This past weekend, there were four block clubs. And so I want to thank Jackie Coco from 77th Street Block Club. Irvage Gordon and Cheryl Gwen from 102nd Street, Nancy Terry from East Ellis, and Crystal Alexander from 77th Street. They are very important to this community. I attended along with many of the folks here on the dais, and I commend folks who continue to have blood clots because it's an organized effort to really hear from the community. Again, my condolences to the Brian Bostic family. Let us never forget how important for your voices to be heard. So thank you.

Councilman Padilla, District 2.

Great. Thank you, Mayor. You know, I too attended a couple of block clubs. It's always good to attend them. 500 block of East Ellis, the 77th Street. Both of them very well attended by the residents and their friends and family. And it's an opportunity to share all the great things that we're doing here in the city of Inglewood. so that folks will continue to understand that the things that we do here, the changes are for the community. And that's what drives us and that's what motivates us to keep moving forward. And part of that will be tonight, 6 o'clock, right here on the South Lawn with Bochella. So it is important to come out, especially if you haven't registered to vote, because we are going to, you know, the city clerk, Aisha Thompson, will be out there with her team to register folks to vote. Voting is important because it's also your voice and your opportunity to let folks know where you stand by your vote. And so please come on out. We're going to have a great celebration starting at 6 p.m. Somebody talked on the budget. They said, you know, why are we paying for somebody outside to do your audit? Well, that's because every city has to have a third-party audit. We don't just do our own auditing of our books, right? That would be ridiculous. And so, like every other city, you do a third-party audit. And that's the one that gets reviewed. It's looked at. If there's any issues or concerns, they bring it to our attention to fix those so that we can pass our audit. So enough said on that. Hispanic heritage tonight is, we call it the grito, the yell, the cheer, the excitement in Mexico Independence Day. And so folks at midnight or thereabouts will be watching TV or out there doing their grito, especially in Mexico. So for everybody that will be out there, just do it, have fun, but be safe about it. Hispanic Heritage starts now, but we celebrate all the great things that we're doing here. We're a majority Hispanic community, so we're very blessed to have some great leaders in our own community that are Hispanic, and you will see them at our Hispanic Heritage event this Saturday. kicking off at 11 AM. We're going to have some entertainment, music. We're going to have vendors. We're going to have a bunch of food booths. And just the celebration of our community and just what we're made of. THE DIFFERENT CULTURES THAT COME TOGETHER, THAT'S A PICTURE THERE OF OUR CLASSIC CAR SHOW FOLKS. RIGHT NOW I'M AT ABOUT 150 CLASSIC CARS THAT WILL BE THERE THIS SATURDAY. ROLL-IN TIME IS 8 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. SO BY 10 O'CLOCK THEY'LL ALL BE POSITIONED AND READY TO ROLL. So I want to thank Thomas and your folks out there at Parks and Recs and Public Works, you know, with Tony and all your folks that have really helped us make sure that this event is a fun event. Mayor, one minute. All right. Thank you. And I ask for that, you know, because I want you to close for my brother. Many of you know My brother Miguel, 10 years, he fought cancer. A hell of a fighter. My older brother, my mentor, he was my everything. And just a few days ago, he passed away. And may his soul rest in eternal peace. Miguel, I love you. I didn't know that.

Thank you.

councilwoman dion fog district four um i'm so sorry councilman padilla that's a tough tough thing to go through to leave uh lose a close family member so you are in our thoughts and prayers you know that um I also want to wish everybody a happy Hispanic Heritage Month. Today is the first day. It's been said before, and I also want to just lift up all of our Hispanic Heritage leadership here on this dais. You guys are all amazing in my eyes, and you're leaders, and so we thank you, and we lift you up. Let's see. I want to acknowledge Raising Cane's. We did have a We Are Open event, and it was amazing. It was a couple weeks ago now, but... we have the flagship Raising Cane's right here in the city of Englewood. Because when we do it, we do it big now. And so I want to thank everybody here on the dais for coming out and celebrating Raising Cane's. Make sure our residents get there and, you know, Just enjoy it. Enjoy this beautiful, amazing new flagship venue that's in the city of Inglewood. I also attended several block clubs this weekend. Second Avenue Block Club. I want to congratulate Cheryl Shaw-Williams. And those residents there, it was a fabulous block club. And then I also attended the 102nd Street Block Club. And Irving Gordon and Cheryl Gwynn, they did a fabulous job. And then 77th Street Block Club, they lit it up in 77th Street. They had a whole Hawaiian theme. They had Hawaiian dancers and lots of participation. So I have had several residents tell me, wow, I didn't realize that people did block clubs like that anymore. And I'm like, yeah, we're the city of Inglewood. We do it, and we enjoy each other. Come out. We work hard, but we also play hard and celebrate each other. So let's keep up the block clubs. We all appreciate it, especially everybody here on the dais. And we want to come out and celebrate with you each and every time, every summer. We look forward to it here on the dais. I have my town hall coming up on September 23rd. And I hope everybody can come out and have lots of great information that will be happening. It will be, of course, at the Hollywood Park Casino. We'll have refreshments, but it's going to be a great opportunity to see what is happening in City of Englewood District 4 and ask your questions, and we will get all of your questions answered. So come on now, September 23rd. Lastly, I want to lift up my city clerk and her team. Vocella, Vocella, Vocella is going down tonight. I'm looking forward to it.

You need a minute?

I need just 30 seconds just to say I'm so proud of you and what you're doing and bringing attention to voting and trying to get our young people on the vote is so important. We appreciate everything that you're doing. You have been rocking this since 2020 when you were elected, and you're going to continue to rock it. So I'm looking forward to being there to celebrate with you. So thank you. Everybody come out to vote Chella tonight.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman. Morales, District 3.

Thank you. First, my condolences to the Padilla family, my friend Alex, man, I mean, You know, if you guys know the Padilla family, it's a beautiful family from Santa Monica. There's 12 of them, I believe, 12. And I met Alex's brother first, not Miguel. I met his youngest brother, and I've known him for plenty of years. And I'll tell you, you know, siblings are just such a special relationship. But within that family, you know, I've seen, I've taken a look at how they celebrate each other. Amazing, amazing. So we're sorry for your loss, brother. Um, the, the block clubs, 77th street. I mean, that's the one I got to, and I'll tell you, you know, going back to when I first got elected here, uh, you know, an incredible thing about the city when we had literally very little, very little to celebrate in terms of resources. We didn't have these big grand music festivals, but we had block clubs. There was probably 30 of them active throughout the city. Amazing, you know, how people came together with their own resources and made it happen. And it was, they're like real, real parties. So, you know, it was just nice to see. I can tell you that 77th Street One, you know, one of the things that really jumped out at me is the diversity that now exists in the city. I mean, it's such a beautiful example of who we are. and how people really work together and they enjoy each other. So it's one of our staples, our block club, and I hope it continues for a very long time. So it was fun to see that. Hispanic Heritage Month, that's right, it starts today. Alex alluded to the Grito, which is the start of the Mexican Revolution, you know, that at 10 p.m. here, because it's midnight in Mexico, you can turn on the TV and you can watch it. And it's our celebration. But the beauty about our city, again, is the fact that we celebrate each other. The fact that we have Hispanic Heritage Month here believe it or not, you'd think it'd be celebrated all across the country. It's not. Same as Black History Month, Martin Luther King Day, you know. So these are moments that make our city special. You know, it makes it a point to show everyone who we are and the fact that we are such a balanced community in black and brown and we really do take the time to celebrate each other and enjoy it. I think it's awesome and we shouldn't forget it. We should really come out and really participate enjoy the day so thank you for that and then of course uh vocella thank you um city clerk i'll tell you you know at the end of the day voting matters uh it's the only thing we have uh we can disagree on everything and agree on everything if we choose to but We vote for the person, the person that you take a look at and you grade them as a person and you say, you know, I can live with this person's decisions right here. Won't agree with everything, but that's what it is. And so that's the power we have. So I think it's awesome that our city clerk is really pushing it. And we'll see you there this afternoon. Thank you so much.

Inglewood is really a melting pot. It wasn't always that way. 30s, 40s, 50s, and the 60s. It was a sundown town. It was a place that didn't welcome diversity. It's changed. We are a city that celebrates Martin Luther King, Hispanic heritage, and it's a beautiful, beautiful thing. block parties as the councilman said are emblematic of that i can proudly say for 15 and a half years i've attended every block party that we sent out barricades for and it's wonderful the way the participation has increased over the years the way people love and are proud to be in inglewood i I heard someone talk about audits. We have internal audits to audit our systems, and we also have external audits. So I don't know how anyone who has been around here as long as she has could not know that. So this is a professional, really run city. It only takes people misstating facts to make people believe otherwise. We heard talk about BB, oh, from the same person, and wanted to know where the money went from the billboards. We average somewhere between $6 and $8 million a year. Without those billboards, those billboards pay for pre-kindergarten classes for low-income families. They pay for a Blue Zone for our seniors that this council just invested $300,000 in after accepting a grant from a diagnostics company to get equipment that measures their balance through their eyes, through their inner ear, and through their feet. It also paid for graduate students from USC to give them mobility classes. That money finances our little leagues, our football for youth, basketball, tennis lessons for your low-income families. I think that's worthwhile. If you vote yes on BB, you are letting people who have spent millions of dollars to convince you to vote against yourself and your children and your children to take away from yourselves billboards that belong to the city. And due to the city, everybody talks about WOW. WOW is a contractor that populates those boards for us. We make money while we're asleep and we use it for our residents. So if you vote yes on BB, you're letting someone tell you that you should not be able to finance your own city, that you should wait for handouts from the people that have big money. That's not the way we run the city. Not at all. We have the right to self-determination. And I'm gonna say that again. We have the right to self-determination. So Mr. Brunel, that's where the money goes. Now I'm gonna talk about Alex Padilla I've known him, I don't know, forever. And I've known his brother close to forever. Alex has one of the best families that I've ever, ever been around. And we're going to close in the memory of Miguel Padilla, and we're adjourned.