City Council Meetings– San Gabriel City Council - Regular Meeting

just moving the around We're going live.

Welcome to the city council regular meeting. Today is Tuesday, March 17th, 2026. The meeting is called to order at 6:33 p.m. Council Member Herrera Aila is attending tonight's meeting via teleconference from the Marriott Marquee 901 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC. Pledge of Allegiance led by myself. Before we begin, I'd like to share that my son-in-law is currently serving on active duty in the United States military in honor of him and all those serving our country during this time. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. Ready, begin.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Clerk, roll call, please. Mayor Manaka, here. Vice Mayor Chan here. Council member Ding here. Council member Herrera Aila.

Council member Herrera Aila here. And council member Woo here. Council member Herrera Abula now has an announcement required by Senate Bill 707. Just so everyone know there is a about a 3 to 5 second delay. Uh council member please uh make your announcement. Just so everyone know

Yes. Thank you. Pursuant to uh the reporting requirements of Senate Bill 707, I am attending the city council meeting via teleconference because I'm uh away attending the National League of Cities uh DC summit on behalf of St. Gabriel as a city council member for St. Gabriel. There are no other adults age 18 or older in the room with me. Madame Mayor, that concludes my report. Thank you. If we can work on his audio, it's very difficult at this time to hear him. Um, let's see. We will now have some announcements from our chief city clerk. Tonight's meeting is live streamed on the city's online platforms. If you wish to address the city council during tonight's meeting, we request that you please complete a speaker card and hand it to the clerk at this time. When speaking, please state your name for the record. Please note that interactions between the city council, city staff, and the public during meetings are subject to the city's rules of decorum.

Okay. Approval of agenda order. Are there any objections to the agenda order? Hearing none, agenda order is approved. Next item, please. We have no presentations this evening. The next item is public comment. This is the time set aside for members of the public to address the city council on consent. calendar items and on items of interest that are not on the agenda but are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the San Gabriel City Council. Our first speaker this evening is Sue Simmons Madame Mayor City Council good evening happy St. Patrick's Day. Just wanted to make a comment. This is just general comment I want to make and it is in regards to um what we're going to be discussing later on about the new police department. And I just kind of wanted to as an employee of the police department kind of wanted to let the council know that I don't think a renovation would be really appropriate. I really think the city of San Gabriel needs to consider a brand new facility. Um, little more state-of-the-art, something that we can be very, very proud of because certainly the one we have is a little dilapated and, uh, it needs a whole lot done to it. I know when it rains, the roof leaks, especially right over my head where I work. And um it would really I think be advantageous to the city to have a nice new police department uh as we step into a new a new gear. Thank you,

madame mayor. I have no more speaker cards. Okay. Thank you. Uh consent agenda. Would any council member like to pull an item for separate discussion? Okay. Do I have a motion for uh to approve the consent agenda in full? Mayor, I have a motion to approve. Okay. Do I have a second? I second. Okay. Let's vote.

Um so we're going to be doing a roll call vote. Uh council member Ding I. Council her Aila.

Hi. Hi. Thank you. Uh, Council Member Woo. I. Uh, Vice Mayor Chan. Yes. Uh, Mayor Makaka. I. Motion passes by a vote of 5-0. Next item. We have

Next item, please. We have no public hearing or continued business. Next item is new business item A. Police department needs assessment conceptual design discussion. Assistant public works director and city engineer Angela Chang will make the staff presentation. Thank you. Good evening mayors and members of city councils. Tonight we have Griffin Structures here to present the outcome of police department space needs assessment study. Griffin has worked with staff to assess the department's current and future facil facility needs and to develop general concept alternative um for the potential future facilities. At this time I could like to invite Griffins to begin the presentation. Following the presentation, staff recommend that the city council discuss the board contest of the future facility options and capital improvement funding needs and provide directions on whether there's it is any additional general information the council could like to include in the final report. Here is Griffins.

Um Dustin.

Hi. Good evening, mayor and members of the council. I'm Dustin Alamo. As mentioned, I'm vice president of Griffin Structures and uh I'm happy to be here tonight. Um our team was engaged by the city to evaluate the existing police department facility, uh identify current and future operational needs, and develop potential facility options along with preliminary budgets and implementation considerations. So tonight we're going to walk through what we found, discuss what the future needs look like, and identify some potential paths for you guys to consider. So before diving into the study, I wanted to briefly highlight our team's experience with public safety facilities. Uh Griffin Structures is an owner adviser construction management firm. Um and we've supported many police facilities um with the planning, design and delivery throughout the state of California including Westminster, Buena Park, Carlsbad, Rialto, Victorville and many others not on this slide. Uh many of these we've successfully uh completed with our team project architect LPA Design Studios who has joined us here today and uh Jeremy will talk with you soon in the presentation. Um through this work, we've gained extensive experience um understanding how police departments operate, how facilities must support critical emergency services, and how we can best support them through upgrade of their facilities and the need for operational continuity. So that experience informed the analysis and recommendations we're going to be presenting tonight. So beginning with our objectives, the goal of the study was pretty straightforward. uh provide the city with a clear understanding of the police department's facility needs and potential solutions. Um specifically, we addressed four key objectives. Assess the existing facility and identify any deficiencies. Define current and future operational needs. Um

develop conceptual facility options and then establish preliminary cost and schedule information. This allows the city to make informed decisions about long-term investments in the public safety in infrastructure. Here's our an overview of our process. Uh to complete the study, we went through this structured process. We began with questionnaires and data requests uh from each division within the police department. We then conducted site tours and documented how existing facilities are used. We then held a number of detailed interviews with staff and each division to understand workflow, staffing, operational challenges, and anticipated growth. We then moved into the u facility condition assessment aspect where we looked at uh overall building system conditions as well as the structural integrity of your facility and then developed a space program that reflects both current needs and future needs looking to 10 20 years out. We've finally developed conceptual uh design options looked at schedule and wrap that all together with costs. So let's talk through some of the key findings uh which will highlight the most important ones. So this is your existing site today. Um you occupy about 2.3 acres of land and have about 16,000 square ft of operational space supporting more than 50 vehicles and pieces of equipment. Over time, the sites evolved in somewhat of a peacemeal manner to accommodate growth and operational needs. As a result, many functions are located in temporary or modular facilities. Um, storage areas have expanded beyond their intended um capability or ca capacity, excuse me, and operational functions are dispersed across the site. While the department has adapted to make the space work, the overall site capacity is

constrained. uh the limitation makes it difficult for the department to grow staffing and resources in response to increasing service demands uh from the community. So we'll begin uh looking at the building from a structural perspective. One of the most important findings relates to the structural performance of the facility. Police stations are classified as essential service facilities, which means they're expected to remain operational following uh major events such as earthquakes. The main building, originally constructed in 1961, does not meet modern seismic performance standards for essential facilities. So, while p portions of the facility have expanded or been modified uh over time, those improvements do not address the fundamental structural limitations of the original building. And this is an important consideration when uh evaluating the long-term investment of this facility from a condition perspective. U this looked at more of the totality of building systems. Uh so critical systems including roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire life safeties are all aging and in some case nearing the end of their service life. Um the site has areas of ADA non-compliance and some safety challenges. Um, using a standard facility metric, a FCI, facility condition index, uh, the main building has a FCI of about 15%. Which places it near a threshold where facilities are considered to be nearing the end of their serviceable life. This doesn't mean the building cannot u continue to operate, but it does mean the city will need to consider reinvestment strategies moving forward. Next, we'll talk about spatial challenges. Um, operationally the facility is constrained in several ways. Uh, key police functions are currently dispersed into temporary or repurposed uh, spaces.

As I mentioned before, records, evidence storage, communication operations are constrained and not optimally configured. Officer circulation between operational areas is inefficient and several key support functions such as training and fitness spaces are quite limited. Uh the public lobby also presents security challenges and uh parking challenges relative to visitor parking. Together, these issues limit the department's ability to operate as efficiently as a modern police facility would. Okay, let's talk about the the program. Now, this is just a summary program. We have a lot of detail behind this um with pages and pages of Excel sheets uh but just giving you highlights on kind of where we are today. U based on interviews and operational analysis we developed this future space program for the department. We looked at both a the existing column which is that 16,500 square feet on the bottom of the the page there. And then we also looked at a baseline future need kind of just core what do you need for the future? and then a best practice scenario looking at what other modern police departments are doing across the state of California. Currently, the department operates in roughly 16,500 ft of combined space, but our analysis indicates that the department would require approximately 32,500 ft for that baseline future need and then nearly up to 40,000 square feet for a best practice. These numbers include both the primary police department building as well as supporting utility uh facilities such as training areas, storage, the range and equipment support. The space forms the foundation of the conceptual facility options which we'll talk about here shortly. So using that space program, we've de

developed a number of uh conceptual options for the site and how that could evolve. Uh the options range from renovation strategies to ground up new construction. And so with that, I'm going to hand it off to Jeremy Hart from LPA to walk us through those concepts. Jeremy. Thank you, Dustin. Uh members of the council, it's a pleasure to be here this evening to share these conceptual studies with you. Um so, as Dustin alluded to, we took the opportunity to examine a handful of options on how we might approach redeveloping your existing site. always looking at what that best practice program is. Certainly, if we scaled that back to the base case, we might be able to reduce some square footage. Um, but we wanted to see if we could how we could maximize the the full potential of the site. So, in this first option, uh, we look at some of the challenges around expansion of the main building and increasing the amount of parking. Uh, we've located a utility and support building on the site. Uh and then you're seeing that sort of darker gray portion is a parking deck because we're trying to increase the amount of parking on site. Um you'll see in this scenario by uh renovating and expanding your existing police department, building this uh utility and support building and building the parking deck uh were able to achieve almost all of the program on the site. Uh the only space we fall short is we can't get the visitor parking, the public parking on site. uh that public parking would need to be street parking. We'd need to find some other alternatives on how we might achieve that. So, how does this uh program start to work? Um you'll see here we've got the three little diagrams uh that represent the basement uh the the main level, level one of the police station and then level two. So, we would be repurposing the basement of the the existing police department as it is, putting staff locker rooms uh and um restrooms down in that that lower

portion. Uh we completely ref configure the the lower portion, putting those first responders uh like patrol um and the general support so they can get in and out of the building very quickly. uh reconfiguring um the public lobby with records in a community room on either side of it so that they can serve the community which would be parked uh when they come to the police station on the street. Comms is your communications department uh primarily dispatch and then we'd be building a new second floor portion of the building that would have administration and detectives uh in that portion. If we take a larger look at that parking deck and utility support building, you'll see we've got a firearms uh practice range, that shooting range piece, and property and evidence, and then some fitness and support for those functions. Uh we'll be uh putting parking in front of that. But what really we we accomplish with this scheme and this ramp is we're parking on top of that utility and support building, creating some new covered parking down below and then increasing uh the amount of parking on the site to get to the desired parking counts. Uh these diagrams start to suggest how we might that massing might look on the site. Um that ramp that you see kind of wrapping around with that parking deck over the support building. And then you can see the uh expanded portion. Uh primarily the new construction um on the the police headquarters is that bright green and yellow portions of the building. That angled angled chunk that uh sticks out is where that new construction. The rest of the PD would be renovated uh in place. So that's option A. Uh option B, we took a look at could we get to the total parking count without building a parking deck. Um so again, same basic approach to uh growth and expansion of the main headquarters building. And then we've located the utility and support spaces down uh more

adjacent to the main uh police department really is a an attempt to maximize uh the amount of parking that we might get on site. And you'll see as we start to look at how the site configurate configures uh the trade-offs here. Again, we've got no visitor parking on site. That would all be on street. Um we would we're short on the number of parking stalls needed for staff. So we're 24 stalls short. Um and then in order to get to the square footage we have uh we're about 550 square ft short of what that um best case um preferred program would be which in this scenario you're seeing we've undersized the restrooms and the locker rooms a little bit uh in order to get to the program. Um so there are trade-offs in this scenario. Um but primarily we the approach to that main headquarters building is the same uh staff and locker rooms in the basement. Um the new construction piece is that uh angular piece sticks out with patrol on the ground floor, detectives and administration up on the upper floor keeping the same configuration with community break rooms and records um around the public lobby and then the communications down in the corner there. that utility and support building. Again, we've pulled away um out of the the parking lot, eliminated the parking deck. Um but we still keep the same basic program, shooting range, property and evidence, uh support and fitness. Uh we might visualize what that program might look like masked on the site. Again, these are just blocks at this point. We're trying to understand proof of concept. How does everything fit on the site? How will it work and interact? And what is our yield on parking? uh is really what we're trying to analyze with this diagram. That's option B. Uh in option C, we looked at a scenario that would um renovate and expand, including an expansion in the basement. So, can we get everything into one building and

still um renovate and expand your existing police department? And then um you'll see that by pulling um all that program into one building, not building two separate buildings. Um we were able to get more parking on site. So we are able to park all the staff on site, but in this scenario, we still are short the public parking. So again, in this one, public parking would still be on the street. Now, you might ask, uh why do we look at two separate buildings, a support building and a main headquarters building? Um that's an avenue we look at to think about cost-saving measures. So Dustin alluded to the um not being a built to essential service uh standards. In 1986, the state of California passed the essential building size safety act, which says any building that houses a first responder must be built to an increased structural uh performance criteria so that in an event of a large earthquake or natural disaster, the building can maintain operations and your first responders can serve the community. And so when we build a police station, if it houses first responders, we have to increase the structural performance of the building. it adds roughly 10 or 15% to the cost of the structural system alone, not to the cost of the building. Um, so there can you can realize some dollar savings by splitting the support buildings and the the first responders into two separate components. We've attempted to do that in order to um analyze different approaches and scenarios. We've combined it into this one where we've got all the building program into one building. So how might that look? Um, again, we're reusing the existing basement, but in this scenario, expanding the basement. So, the shooting range would be in the basement. Property evidence would be in the basement. Um, that main floor, uh, we'd still want to keep the public lobby with records and community room off the public. That's really important. Uh,

staff locker rooms and restrooms. Um, it's a really good workflow when people when they report for duty, they come right in the building, they change for their shift, they can transition into patrol, get their assignments, and head back out. So, really efficient workflow on the ground floor, putting uh administration and detectives again on the second floor. And in this scenario, we're bringing communications up to the second floor as well. Um, communications doesn't really need to be on the first floor. if we can get them up and get them some natural daylight, uh, that works really well. So, we've taken that opportunity here. Um, and then you can start to see what that massing might look like on the site. So, a much bigger footprint of a two-story building with an increased uh, basement on the site. Again, getting all the staff parking on site uh, but public parking uh, on the street. That's option C. Uh, in option D, we started to think about what would it look like if we just did a complete new build. Demo your existing building, demo your existing basement, and start over. Uh, what what might me what might we achieve here? Um, and in this scenario, we're able to opt optimize the use of the site to its highest and best performance. So, we can get all of the staff parking required. We can even get the public parking off the street. So, you'll see there's that entry drive that comes off of uh South Delmare Avenue. We've got some public parking that's uh readily accessible before you enter the secure parking lot where staff would park. If we start to look at the blocking of what this looks like, we would still look at putting the shooting range in the basement. That's a great place for it. Helps mitigate sound. Um on the first floor we'd have um fitness and um property and evidence down in that bottom corner. You see the patrol right in the middle. Um the public lobby would have the community room and records like it does in the other scenarios. And then

on the second floor we have the staff locker rooms and restrooms, administration, communications and detectives. Um, if we think about a massing scenario, uh, again, you can start to hear maybe see the that public parking before the secure gate a little more clearly in this diagram. So, that's option D. And then we did one more just for the the sake of argument to understand what it might look like if you didn't do any expansion. You only renovated the spaces that you have today. Um, so we would still have no visitor parking on site. That would be on the street parking. Uh the other compromises clearly if we don't build anything new we can't get to that maximize program that best case scenario of the program. Um if we start to think about how we might reconfigure the spaces uh we're going to be putting um detectives in the basement staff locker rooms in the basement. Um patrol and property and evidence communications and admin all on that upper floor. So you can see we're missing some of those primary programs that were taking up space like the firearms range. um we're compromised on that community room. So, we're not able to achieve the full program or the full growth that your department needs. Um and again, just looking at how the massing might start to lay out on the site. Uh it really is just kind of working within the existing footprint of what's there. So, we've shared five different scenarios. Um I'm sure that the next logical question is okay, well, what does all this cost? So, I'm going to invite Dustin back up to share that.

Thank you. Do you have a Jer or you have a drum roll with that Jeremy? Okay. So, yeah, let's talk about schedule and budget. We'll first jump right into budget. So, this is based on uh you know, conceptual planning and current market conditions. Um we've de developed preliminary project budgets for each of these options and these are representative of total project costs. So, not just construction costs. Uh the the ranges are essentially 66 to 79 million for renovation. Uh which some of them include the parking deck, some of them don't. Uh for a new construction, you're at around 87 million. And then for that limited renovation, like Jeremy mentioned, option E, it's about 24 million, but obviously there's some uh concessions and trade-offs with that option. Um, so these budgets include the construction costs as I mentioned which is roughly 75% of the budget as well as soft costs, all your furniture and special equipment contingencies appropriate to this level of estimating. Um, so those are all the all-in numbers uh for this level of estimate. And it's important to note that um these are developed using February 2026 numbers and they're escalated out to the midpoint of construction. So they are escalated to include future anticipated um increases in costs and labor. So that has been folded into this and of course as the project advances the budget gets refined through uh various stages of design on whatever option you end up choosing. From a schedule perspective uh a project of this scale would typically span between three and four years. Of course, that uh that varies depending on if you can build it in a single phase or if there's multi-phases, if it's renovation versus new

construction. But generally speaking, uh if we're going to do one phase and go through a design, bid build uh process, that's that 3 to four years of uh schedule. Uh key milestones would include design or owner rep procurement, design procurement, your design phase which has a number of milestones throughout it as you evolve the design through um through various uh levels to get to construction documents. Then there's a bidding period and then of course the construction phase and commissioning and closeout. So one critical consideration regardless of the option uh selected is maintaining uh police operations during construction. Uh this would require careful planning and coordination with the police department. Temporary modular facilities and perhaps even secure storage containers like annex or conx boxes, excuse me, uh could support operations during construction. In some cases, certain functions like dispatch or uh property evidence processing could potentially be temporarily contracted or relocated to reduce the on-site space demands. But maintaining continuity of service will be a central planning consideration, whatever option uh you guys want to do. From a benefit standpoint, investing in modern police facilities provides a number of benefits. Uh first it enhances emergency response capability and public safety. Second, it ensures the facility meets essential service performance standards so it can remain operational after any major seismic event. Third, it would align with long-term staffing and operational needs. And then lastly, um you know, the life cycle costs are something to consider on these types of facilities. Um, renovating an old building is cheaper at capital cost, but you're not

going to get the lifespan that you would in new construction. So, um, you know, ultimately it's a it's a balance of what can you afford versus longevity of facility. Uh, so just take that into uh consideration as you're looking through these options. Next steps, uh, there's several decisions that the city could consider here. of course identifying what that funding source would look like. Uh then determine conceptual approach uh which best aligns with the city's priorities. Third would be to procure an owner rep to help support the delivery approach whether it's design bid build design build um progressive design build. There's a number of ways to um to advance a project. uh then move into design, procurement and overall project oversight and then begin the design in earnest and engage with your community as you see fit. So with that uh that concludes our presentation. Happy to answer any questions.

Thank you so much. Very thorough. Um before we begin with uh clarifying questions, I thought it was important for our city attorney to explain what what we are doing tonight because there are legal parameters that I need to make sure every council member understands when we ask the questions. So, uh Keith, can you please explain this item?

Sure. I think it's probably easier to explain what we're not doing tonight. um because because mostly it it's what we're not doing that matters. So the you'll notice on the uh staff report it says that under the SQA analysis it says this is not a project. That's because you guys are not making any decision tonight on any particular project. If you did it would create problems for us from the standpoint of the environmental quality act. So as as stated what what this is a request is sort of a a workshop shop session where you're talking about big picture ideas uh looking at the city's plans generally and discussing these projects in that context but not picking a project not discussing the details of any particular option

does that make sense it is tough I know That's why I want question. Yeah. So, so just direction for just simple direction. So, it's it's we want to like renovation or the new building. That's that's that's the direction. Well, we can say that or just uh Yeah. Just want to clarify. Yeah. Yeah. Let me let me look at the exact wording here. Sounds like I'm excused. Oh, yes. Um,

yeah. So, what's what they're asking for is the uh re you're receiving the report. So, m you're not making a decision. You're receiving a report in the context of your potential options uh and your overall strategy for the city's development. And what they're asking for is to direct staff on any additional general information to be included in the final report. That's all they're asking for tonight. So, does that make sense? So, is there anything else you need to see discussed? Okay. In the report is the question. Just discuss. No, no decision, right? No voting, right?

Absolutely no decision. It's it's received and filed is what will happen. So, is there anything missing in the report that you might want to see, I guess, is the best way to put it. Yeah.

I think just for the future because I want to ask when I ask the question, well, what are we exactly doing tonight? Um, you know, I think we just need the report to be clear because I think all of us had a lot of questions and now I feel like we're being muffled because of legal reasons and I understand there's a process. I just I don't think any of us understood that. Um, and so, um, I'm going to ask council to proceed with caution. And Keith, be alert if we say something that we should not say. Please, um, you know, I'm going to have you, you know, insert yourself. Um, so, uh, because you're not giving us a lot of, uh, possibilities here. I mean, we have to be real careful with the detail. Now I understand that in the future there will be another agenda item where we can be more detailed and make decisions. Is that is that it or

this is just the first step in a process you know but what when in the process can we what I feel truly deliberate because I feel like we can't deliberate it's just this is moreformational for the audience for us for everyone involved but the questions are you know it's like proceed with caution at this point. Yeah, I'd have to I'd have to turn it over to staff to figure out what the Are we having a workshop next? Is that

That's what it sounds like. This is really just a high level analysis, the presentation. Uh not making any decisions on any designs, any options. And really, this is just providing us with the information needed to move forward with exploring in more detail the options and then also exploring our financial uh the financing for for set project in the future. But again, not making any decisions, really just taking this as information and something to um really consider and file and take back with you in terms of our future considerations on this on the on the same topic.

I uh madame mayor and council uh well, city attorney. Uh I so the way I'm interpreting this is that it for this item specifically it will probably be just uh clarifying questions and no deliberation or very that's kind of the kind of where we are. Well and staff has asked if there's something else in the report that would help with the report to advance those questions. Okay. Thank you. So

are there any other clarifying questions? So actually yeah no delivery but for the future for example you just use today's report I have the five option so staff will be bring back to the five option again more detail then we can do the decision which one option we go for right not today I mean the for the future right

I have I have a few additionals information so you can see those fifer options are sort of an idea what is the possibility of the site could be and how much it will cost approximately if we are looking for you know fully renaway of runaway plus expanding so you can in that in that level border level I believe ke correct me if I'm wrong um the council members mayor can discuss about like which preference that they like in the border level but not decisions and no no That's not the way it was was postured in the agenda.

Okay. So then I I I think you could uh I I believe I remember in the staff report it mentioned about like the preferences of the council members. Yeah. Clarify and looking into the uh potential funding needs. May I add something to that

there? what what I read was that uh this was a receive and file and so fundamentally it's it's we're here to receive the information which we've done. I you I'm sure you want to hear the council's comments on what they've seen and that's fine broadly speaking but uh but it isn't really supposed to turn into a a discussion of the pros and cons of any particular route.

Yeah, you're right. You're correct. and and so uh you know it's if if there's some kind of shortcoming in the presentation or information they need more of then then this would be the time to ask for that. But my understanding is and and staff you guys know more about the next steps than I do. But I I think you would be proceeding to a more robust conversation in a different context. Correct.

That is correct. And and just a point of clarification, the options are really there to show us and show show council what the possibilities are for that site. So the the the different options A through E, those are the options for that particular site without expanding the site as an infill development. Those are the options that that currently um the report shows and and gives information to council public works director Mike.

Yes, thank you. So, uh, as, uh, sort of stated, it really is meant to inform future decisions when you're looking at how you're going to fund these things depending on the general concept. So, it's it's not looking for you to have any opinion on it tonight. It's if we're moving forward and looking to do something, we're going to have to decide what we want to do. And a lot of that's going to be based on funding because obviously the latest and greatest and best thing we could have is what everyone would want, but the costs are what going to predicate that. So making those decisions is going to be and the success of that is going to inform when we actually have to go out and bid to get design and do those things and that would be the time we would come back to review a design would be depending on what that funding is because there's no realistic I mean we could go out and get try and get the funds to do a design now but then if we don't have the funding to do it it it could be a whole waste of time right so that's really just what it's supposed to do is to inform future discussions around funding. Thank you. Okay. If there's

you still have clarifying questions. Yeah. Question. So, uh that's meaning like based on this five option. So we can just can asking so we want a more information for the future uh suggestion even even even with we can asking based on the current design or whatever probably each each item the the financial impact right and uh and even like for example some option no visitor parking so can we asking this kind of question let's ask ask the that case Yeah, ask questions is fine. Asking questions is fine. Okay, good. Thank you.

Okay, if you don't mind, Madame Mayor. Well, I I just want to find out so what message that we are able to deliver tonight that will be benefiting for our team to go to the next step because it seems like we have a lot of um regulations. We try to regulate ourselves not over asking some questions and not appropriate. So what message is appropriate that when we have it delivered we can deliberate something then it will be giving you a right direction because now I mean we we are fear of like talking this and that and don't don't talk about this and that so what message that will be helpful for your step number two again so yes it is it is it's complicated for me even to ask the question So, um, any additional information that y'all might want to request or be interested in seeing. I mean, there may be things that whether we can get it into the report or not, that's also a question in and of itself. Um, so providing any information you can think of, there's questions you have about when you're looking at the plans and reviewing it, what you might want to see. Um, and then really the takeaway is more for y'all to be thinking about the difference in the cost of these and how that's going to play out in the future, right? So, we've got, you know, and and what you'd like to see for or or think should be the vision for the police department as far as their facilities and what they're going to occupy and how they're going to operate. Um, and deciding what you believe is that's worth and or what we believe that's feasible even, right? Because there's a question of what it's worth and what we could actually generate, two whole different things. So, just balancing those considerations um during future discussions about how we could get the money to do this project. So, just a reminder, this is not the

last time. So, I'd like to move forward um past clarifying questions and so unless anyone's insistent. Um, city clerk, are there any public comments? I have no speaker cards, Madame Mayor. Okay. Now, we can start the deliberation. I I guess I I was going to say I really don't have any deliberation. I just have a few clarifying questions mainly to clarify if that's okay. Oh, and then um council member Herrera Abila, we'll start with the vice mayor and then we'll move to you. Uh chief I mean city attorney, are you ready? Got a question here.

All right, city attorney. I I'm going to try to behave myself, but if not, uh I'm sure you'll jump in. But um so question for Griffin, Representative Sir. Um so uh as we talked about how the the current building isn't up to code in terms of uh the current seismic uh essential service facility requirement

and so my question is for all five options again this is a kind of a I'm trying to stay general for all five options would whatever uh construction that would have to be done at whatever level it uh would that construction uh be at uh current uh standards? Is that the way that works? Yes. Okay. Whether it's new construction or renovation, we would be bringing up the the facility uh structural requirements to the to meet the current code.

Okay. Thank you. That's the first thing. And uh second thing second question is um just based on your your experience and you know you you you've showed the uh just a sample of the work that you guys have done and the different Westminster and different uh other municipal clients you've had. Um how have they funded uh their police stations? Do they do most of them do a bond or they can just afford it from the general fund or it just varies depending on what city it is? It it varies based on um the political climate um RDA funds remember those things.

Uh most are bonds, some are uh you know we we've done many with public private partnerships. So those can kind of give you a different flavor of of funding, but I'd say most of them are in some form of like a public safety bond measure. Okay. Thank you. And the last question I have just because I'm curious. Uh so for any of those those five options, you know, the five sample options, do any of them I didn't hear you say it, but do would any of them uh include a functioning uh jail holding cells? No. No. Okay. Just curious. It's all It's all just um uh what we're calling suspect processing. So we

But but no jailing. Oh, okay. Good. All right. Thank you. That That's all happened. Madam Mayor, I I I yelled. You set the bar high. You stayed within the lane. I I tried. See? Very good. Keith didn't have to come over and hit me in the head. That's right. Anyway. Yeah. Okay. Council member Herrera Aila.

Yes. And I apologize for the lag here. Thank you for uh for bearing with me here. Um if uh directed to the city attorney. Um could we ask I know we paid for the service. I know we paid for the service for this uh uh agency to come and do the service. Can we ask if uh we can see a bigger footprint? Uh also if we can can we ask if we can have an option of underground parking structure and or also an above parking structure. Um those are just my clarifying questions. Uh if I can ask that if you can help me understand

I can answer. Please do.

Okay. Yeah. So in some of the options we have proposed a parking structure a parking deck what we're calling it. Uh the the reason we have not proposed a subterranean parking structure is just given the cost constraints of that. It's usually um you know let's say at least double if not more the cost of a traditional above ground parking structure. So um we've we've tried to be as costconscious about the options that we've presented to you. Uh but certainly if you want to see uh the program on different sites um in a bigger footprint, you know, we can look at a number of different studies. Um again, this was just more about understanding how the program would best fit on the site for a reasonable um uh cost-effective solution. I think there's a lot of work that needs to be done if you move forward in terms of refining that solution and and moving it to the next phase.

Any further questions? Council member Herrera Aila.

No, no, I'm good. Thank you. Oh, well, the other question, how long are we um uh expecting to rebuild if we have to rebuild the those plans that were shared? Were they um for a 30-year plan or or for how long are we thinking that this is going to be sustainable for? That's all uh the last one of my questions. Thank you.

Yeah, I think it depends on the option you choose. If you're going to be doing a renovation project, you know, renovating a building doesn't have as long of life cycle that new construction would. Um, and you know, if you went with option E where you're just doing kind of the bare minimum and not increasing your program, you're kind of handcuffing you, excuse the pun, on uh, you know, what what your future what your future uh, capabilities are. So, I think it's it's operational and its facility longevity components. you have to to weigh in that. But, you know, all the program elements that we've tried to fold into the needs assessment, look at a, you know, 20-year staffing plan and then, you know, if you go to new construction, you're probably in the 50 60 year range for, you know, life cycle for a new building.

Okay. Any other questions? Council member Herrera Ravila. No more. No more questions. Thank you, Madame Mayor. Sure. Thank you. Any questions on this side? Council member Ding.

Thank you, Mayor. So uh I think the most they already asking the one thing is I how the if I looking for the the brand new building have the more parking space rest option it's parking space is still short right we need the I saw we need the total parking space is 143 and the new building uh let me It's the wrong one. Okay. New new building will be provide uh it's same to the your another it's a 143

right? So that's mean new building will be it looks like a new building this the ground level the the square footage is it's short. So that's why you have more space. It's it's the most efficient more okay. You have in some of the other options we have kind of this partial second story versus the new build. It's like you know the volume is parallel or you know stack like a pancake, right? Okay. So it's efficient. You get more sight area. Okay. The building you still design just like basement and one one level and and second level not like uh like a three or four level, right?

Well, it is technically three levels if you include the basement, right? But basement's underground and then one. Oh yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's three level but maybe four or five two above the ground.

Okay. So why? Okay. Because they already have a basement. Okay. I know. And uh another question general questions whatever option. So during the during the construction time uh how do you operate the it's it's normal operator for our police department? Yeah, that's a that's a challenge. Um, you know, I think we've done it with a number of police departments where temporary modulars are set up for, you know, administrative functions for patrol. You already have modular lockers which is, you know, advantageous.

Um, so I think it'd be some form of modular campus just given the constraints of your campus if you will. Um but like I mentioned in the presentation you know things like communications and evidence storage those those become well not evidence storage but evidence processing those become a little bit challenged during construction. So you know for for dispatch I would I would probably say if you could partner with another agency for the time being of construction that would be a good mitigation strategy

uh for you know evidence processing we could set up a modular trailer as well. we've done it, but maybe that could be um you know redistributed to another partner agency for you know using their facilities if there's any you know forensic bag and tag all that kind of stuff. Um you know there's just there'll be a lot of little nuances to work out as part of that but we've done it before. Um so you know we can help you through that process.

Okay. So, so next question is if you use a modular or or or contract with another agency, how much cost it's included? You already included or it's not I don't think that this is just for the building, right? Not include the temporary one, right? We've included some temporary facility costs in there. Um, you know, partnering with other agencies and what those contract costs are, those are not included. Uh, but those could be relatively mitigated. um you know it's just a matter of um you have to work out those details. So I think at this level we're we don't have everything in there

but I think we've we've included some allowances for temporary facilities on your campus. Okay. So for the future report can you can provide this information? Well it's it's hard for us to pin down what those numbers are without really getting into the details of what option you want to choose and advancing to the next step. That's that's part of really that next step of, you know, hey, we really want to build a new building. Let's take that and figure out all the nuances and start proceeding down the design phase and building out the budget and filling in all the holes that we know

uh need to be filled in. We have contingencies in the budget right now to hope, you know, to to count for that kind of thing, but some of them are a little bit outside of the scope of what we could possibly capture right now. Council member Deng. Edward has a some comments. So, Council Member Ding, uh, in terms of staffing and how the logistics would work, this staff and and more importantly, the department would be working with the consultant and the design team to to help plan for how operations would would be the continuation of operations during the construction. And so, as the consultant is saying, they've taken some considerations with their estimate, and it's really just a cost estimate at this point.

Mhm. But those are things that we would have to to u clarify in a more specific design phase when we got more specific because as again tonight we're just talking at a really high level regarding the different options that would be uh we will discuss those options in terms of staffing and the logistics and the continuity of of services in much more detail in a future meeting as we get closer to a design an option and financing and things of that nature. Okay. So, so that's why I hope for the future can bring back to this option. It's help us to make a decision that's that's also cost effective too. So, that's why I asking that this question, you know. Yeah.

Okay. Does that conclude your questions or Okay, great. Council member Woo. Well, this is a it's a very unique situation here. um everyone is talking in a very high context level that um I think when I see you then you know what I'm asking then without talking so uh I I I try to be like a very uh played a very soft and safe ball um for example have you um talked to any u fune master no I'm just kidding no fun is not the case here it's positioned in the right way watch me yeah I I never feel that there's a pressure from the side.

See, now who is misbehaving? It's usually me. But uh well, Dustin, thank you so much for the presentation. I I think um I I understand that from your bio, it shows that you are also the broker. So, you're a broker, but you're not really doing the real estate brokerage, but you're the project manager for this. Yeah. I mean, I I have a broker's license. I have a CCM. I have a DBIA certific. I'm my my business is in civil or excuse me civic uh development projects. Okay. Since you are uh the LED certified which is a leadership in energy and environmental um what is that? Design.

Design certification. So uh for the public building like this is a green energy required to be a part of this. Um, I'm going to turn that over to the architect in the room. Uh, because I have I I was an architect at one point, but That's okay. I turn to my attorney and make sure I'm asking the right questions. Questions are fine. Okay.

Uh, so in California, we have the California Green Building Code. Um, it's adopted every three years. the um portion that was just adopted and went into effect in January does require um green energy for public safety buildings. So we would be looking at some amount of uh solar panels and battery backup as required a as a part of the project. There is no requirement to make the project lead. Um but in the state of California with our green building code by the time we do everything that the green building code says um you at a very minimum get a lead certified building equivalent uh and even potentially uh maybe even a lead silver uh building because of the equivalencies that we have to do.

So that is required. So we we would definitely have those green energy or solar system on the building. That's correct. It's required by the Cal Green. Correct. I see. You could pay for the you could pay for the plaque uh to get it on your building as well. Well, thank you. And also I understand that um um the first step is that you talked to our uh staff um every in every different department. So they will respond on your questionnaire. Mhm.

Uh from those five designs, um I don't really see the dispatch room, the room for dispatch um center. So is that somewhere? Did I miss anything? Yeah, that's that's labeled as communications. Okay, great. And what about K9? Do we have any K9? Um there there are um kennels that we put in the covered areas, so that that's incorporated into there. Okay. We're we're at those are pretty high level blocks, but there's uh I don't know, Ariana, there's probably 15 pages of programmatic details that inform those blocks.

Let me take a look. Yeah, my attorney has no action yet. So, I can ask the next question. Keep going. Keep going. Well, so here is the things I really want to ask this one. This is just clarification. Okay. About the project contingencies. Mhm.

If I understand correctly, this is about the money that you put as a reserved that is a buffer in case the cost of the builder uh the building uh the cost of the construction cost of the labors that increase or some material asphall um those are increased. So when you project those numbers it it just simply like a five you know 6 million 7 million. So is a number you listed here that is just in case or that is already something that we will consider as a done deal that is the number that will be included in the entire quote.

Yeah. So the the total project costs include that contingency in there. At this stage of the project, we're really thinking about it as a design bid build job. Uh design build design bid build jobs are low bid and so they have the highest um the highest opportunity for change orders during the course of constru construction. So at this point we put in a 10% course of construction contingency in there. Um, additionally, we have a 5% project soft cost contingency. So, that number includes all of that in there for the unknowns. Um, you know, if you switch to a different delivery method like design build where you have a guaranteed maximum price, um, as you evolve the design and then you lock in with a contractor early and say this is the price no matter what, unless of course things change from a owner perspective, the contingencies can get smaller. But this delivery method this stage of the project these are the assumptions we're making right now.

So this assumption from the day one start the construction till the the end.

Yeah. And and you know whatever your construction manager is would be managing that contingency to make sure that it's not used unless absolutely necessary. you know, making sure that the plans and specs are what was bid out and, you know, contractors going to be trying to claw back as much money as they can because it's low bid. Um, so, you know, those are the things that are, you know, I don't know if a knife fight during construction to to make sure that the city's position is um strong. So based on your experience that uh for so many uh public safety buildings um is that very common that the very last minute or maybe in the somewhere in the midpoint of the construction then um you know the PD said you know what now we have a new policy from the state we will need this and that so that will be additional cost or I mean because we we cannot control I mean sometimes if that is a federal level or state level they will be amending the new codes for the PD or fire I mean or uh any facilities. So under that circumstance

you will give us additional quote for any additional um like um structural that that will be needed.

So I think at this point we're covered in terms of you know where the project is. I mean of course if you sit on this for 5 years and another code cycle you know changes and now the structural requirements are different. I mean it's all you know again the constru the estimate was developed February 2026 anticipating you know the the midpoint of construction is February I think 2029 and so you know it's the point in time if you don't act on it costs could change the market could change codes could change but I think you know reasonably right now if you moved in a in a reasonable uh manner um it would be inclusive of all your costs

I think where we where we typically see um costs evolving a little bit is on the equipment side. Um so we've included you know allowances for equipment and you know special equipment for the policing and audiovisisual equipment. So those are all baked into the total project budget that that summary that I showed was a snapshot but we have you know pages beyond that as well. So

so that is like we are projecting like four years for the whole construction. So um is there any common that is that very common to have that kind of project delayed? I mean once that delayed that means the cost will be higher. So if that is the something happened does that mean you will increase the contingency based on what we have here or that's the cap.

I think I think what you're you're dealing with is just the cost of money. So you know if if you delay a year from moving forward you know in a logical manner not logical but just in an efficient manner um you know let's say a year from now you have typical market conditions are four to 5% escalation every year so add that on another year if it's two years add that twice it's compounded of course just just like all of our money in the stock market right so you know delaying is is there's a cost to Okay. I I think I am very close to the red line, so I decided to stop now. Thank you very much. Sweat.

Okay. Thank you, madam. Madame Mayor, may may I have one one more uh question? Thank you. And this might be for staff, maybe director Sled or uh Captain Nakamura. Um it's related to the u my question about uh none of the five options included a jail facility. I'm just curious why is was there maybe in staff's opinion it wasn't necessary or it's more costefficient to uh rent from a neighboring city those those services and facilities or or or how was that uh created?

Good evening, madame mayor and members of the city council. This is uh Captain Ricky Nakamur here and uh vice mayor. To answer your question, our original station project back in 1999 did include a type one jail facility that was going to be a regional jail facility around the Sanbo Valley. Um, this time around, I believe our chief of police did not want to have a jail facility because it allow liabilities that comes with housing multiple agencies, multiple prisoners and medical care and all sort of other issues that comes with housing prisoners. Okay. Uh, right now we do house our prisoners with the Hamburg Police Department. We have a great relationship with them. Right. Okay. So, go ahead.

So, building the new station I believe uh having the jail facility out of the design concept was the selection of the basically the preference and the chief at the time when we were going through this project. Okay. Thank you. Just curious uh madame mayor I yield. Great.

Thank you. Okay. So, um, just real briefly, just to kind of put it in context, back in 2017, and the captain could verif. So, construction costs, um, that is such a a big part of this whole thing. We don't need to get to the nitty-gritty. Just the overall um you know whether you're going to upgrade or you're going to rebuild these construction costs just exponentially increase. Was that true that 30 million I think it was officer Kihada or Captain Kihada? So this project actually started in 1999 before my time with the city. Uh in 2001 when they did the needs assessment and they did the conceptual architectural drawings it came in at 15.5 million back in 2001.

Okay. And then jumped to 25.5 million and it jumped to 40 million and now you can see it jumped to 87 million to do the same project.

Okay. This was 2017 so I I think it was 30 million. So I just want to emphasize that time is money clearly in this case. So um you know I I look forward to the future. Um regarding the jail good questions. I had the same um you know question just in general because I know um there is some revenue involved but I the liability could be pretty substantial also. So weighing it being such a small city if it doesn't make sense it doesn't make sense. uh green friendly. Uh I I just wanted to let the council know just recently, I don't think it was a formal audit, but the League of Cal uh League of Women Voters um did a survey and they called the various public works directors like ours, public work director SLED, and I think we rated like 93% overall when it came came to being green friendly, LED, um so on and so on. So, we're in a good place. That's but having the codes we have to do it anyway. But but I think we were one of the higher ranking cities. So just so everyone is aware of that. Um I look forward to the future future question I mean future opportunities to ask more detailed questions. Um I I think this is just part of the first step. I know the needs assessment um was really uh an important step to to move forward. We have our options now. Um I know those options could actually decrease u maybe increase, but um I'm just going to leave it there for now so we can move on. So thank you Keith for keeping us in our lane. And um this there's no action. Uh uh Edward, is there anything you need from us? Can we just file this report and move on?

Uh I think we're clear. Filing report. Great. Okay. Next item. Chief City Clerk.

Fiscal year 2025 to 2026 midyear budget update. Finance Director Kahola Kula will make the staff presentation. Um good evening uh mayor, vice mayor, members of the city council. Will Kohoula, finance director for the city of San Gabriel. Tonight's presentation will be the midyear budget update for fiscal year 2526. The presentation will focus on the city's general fund and takes into consideration actual revenue trends, employee vacancies, additional appropriations approved by the city council and the mid-year budget re request from city departments as part of this item. The presentation will also provide a mid-year update for the mission playhouse and the retirement fund. There we go. Maybe. Okay. So, beginning with the general fund mid-year projection. So, in June of 2025, the city council adopted the 2526 budget with 57.7 million in revenues, 56.8 million in expenditures with a net change in fund balance of $933,000. Adding that to our beginning fund balance of 22.9 million, um we were projecting a nearly 24 million ending fund balance. when we adopted the budget um with the reserve percentage at 42.1%.

Um based on what has occurred since we adopted the budget to this mid-year point, revenues are projected uh to be higher by 24,000 at 57.7 million and total expenditures are projected to be higher by 2.4 million at 59 million uh 59.2 2 million with a net change in fund balance of uh a def a negative 1.4 million. Um adding that to our beginning fund balance, we end with an ending fund balance of 21.5 million. Um leaving us at a reserve a projected reserve percentage of 36.4% still uh well above our 25% ideal reserve uh goal. Um our projections are conservative. We are assuming that departments will spend 100% of their budgets which historically had does not happen and and then on the next few slides we'll look at um what's driving the revenues and the expenditures um changes for the general fund. So moving on to the general fund revenues. So as mentioned earlier general fund revenues are projected to be $24,000 higher than the adopted budget. Um the major categories that have changes at this mid-year point are taxes, which is our largest tax category, is projected to be $494,000 lower than the adopted budget. Uh and um on the next slide, we'll take a detailed look at our taxes since it's the largest category. Uh intergovernmental is projected to be $101,000 higher than the adopted budget at $741,000 as we had higher than higher than budgeted in our federal and state reimbursements. Licenses and permits is projected to be

$135,000 as our on street parking permits were $130,000 above the adopted budget, but projected to be very similar to the prior year actual of um $796,000. And then our fines and forfeertures projected to be $225,000 higher than the adopted budget driven by our parking fines. Um which is projected to come in similar to what we had in the actuals in 2425 but $233,000 higher than the adopted budget. and charges charges for services projected to be higher by 83,000 as our ambulance fees are projecting higher than our adopted budget. And then on the uh table to the right you can see that taxes and transfers in are our two largest revenue categories making up um 84 and a half% of our general fund revenue. So taking a closer look at our taxes. So $494,000 below the adopted budget. Uh property taxes is projected to be $104,000 less than the less than the adopted budget as the uh deferred amounts from the wildfire fire the backfill amounts um are projected to be lower than what we had thought $104,000 lower. Uh utility user tax um projected to be lower by $190,000. Um it's uh it's lower than the adopted budget, but it's it's tracking very flat. It's looking like it might be around the same amount as the prior year actual. And then our transient occupancy tax or hotel taxes projected to be lower

by $196,000 as revenue growth is slower than projected. Moving on to the general fund expenditures. So as mentioned earlier, general fund expenditures are projected to be higher by 2.4 million than the adopted budget. And on the right um side we have what's driving it. So um our budget savings, we have a projected vacancy savings of nearly 1.6 million. When we adopted the budget for fiscal year 2526, we included a vacancy savings of $826,000. So this is an additional savings of $755,000. And then we had a small le buyback savings of $13,000. And then on the budget increase side, so during the fiscal year, as the council is aware, council approved appropriation increase increases of uh $2.4 million. the large portion of of that increase being related to our the labor agreements that were adopted uh which increased appropriations by 2.2 million and there was an additional appropriation increase during the year for the police CAD system at $217,000. And then we move into our mid-year budget adjustments or that are proposed as part of this item. So, the playhouse transfer um from the general fund to the playhouse um is increased by $185,000 in order to bring bring the Mission Playhouse to a zero fund balance. And there were other mid-year adjustments of $318,000 with the most notable being related to um police department uh overtime uh due

to vacancies. And then on the police overhire from uh 54 to 59 there was additional expenditures of $196,000 which is offset by vacancies in the police department. So net increase to expenditures of 2.4 million conservative uh um amount of our expenditures. So moving on to the mission playhouse and retirement fund. So on the left side is the mission playhouse. So we adopted a budget um with a um projected deficit of $172,000. And so as we're looking at at the midyear an additional $185,000 transfer from the general fund to the mission playhouse fund will um bring the Mission Playhouse with a net change in fund balance of negative $37,000. It has a beginning fund balance of $37,000 and then that will maintain the mission playhouse at at a zero fund balance. And then on the retirement fund, so at the mid-year projection, uh revenues are the same at 10.3 million. Uh total expenditures from the retirement fund is projected to be higher by 73,000 related to the adoption of the labor agreements. And and just to note that the retirement fund pays for the KPERS pension cost. So at this point uh Kalpers pension costs are outpacing the revenue that our retirement fund is generating by about $1.7 million. And so we have a beginning fund balance of 740 $747,000 in the retirement fund and then we're looking at a deficit of $938,000. So the retirement fund, the revenues will continue to increase each year along as property taxes increase and the

expenditures will fluctuate. Um we've seen large increases um over the past couple years. Um I know in 2627 the actual expenditures for our Kalpers's uh pension costs are going to go down and and it's going to fluctuate as the return on investment um beats the um the benchmark that is set and um and then as we pay off our UAL which is a liability um advertised over 20 30 years um those expenditures will continue to decrease but um we'll continue to monitor it um on an annual on an annual basis. And then just one quick look at uh the general fund a 5-year historical analysis. So this looks at the general fund fund balance from fiscal year 2122 through the 2526 projected and you can see where we were at in 2122 at 15.5 million. um continuing to increase our fund balance to 22.9 million in 2425. And then you will notice that even though we have a decrease in our fund balance in the general fund to 21 a.5 million, it is still the second highest that we've had over the last 5 years. So, next steps, we will continue to um monitor the city's finances, making sure that um the revenue is being received that is owed to us and making sure everybody is staying within budget. We are in the fiscal year 26 27 budget process. We're currently conducting interdep departmental budget meetings. Um, we will have at a special city council meeting on April 22nd, we'll have a public budget study session where we will present the proposed operating and CIP budgets. There'll be individual

meetings to discuss the budget with city council members. We'll have an informal public meeting at Blossom Market to discuss the the budget and then at the regular city council meeting at the first meeting in June, we will conduct a public hearing and present the operating and CIP budget for adoption at that time if council so chooses. So, the recommendation is to receive and file the mid-year budget update as well as approve resolution 2606, the midyear adjustments for 2526 budget. That concludes the presentation. I can take any questions you may have.

Thank you, Will. You did that in 10 minutes, so I appreciate it. I'm keeping track right these days. Uh, are there any clarifying questions from council before we go to public comment? I see none. I have one. Oh, vice mayor.

Um, well, thank you. You always do a great job and uh you and your team. But um just uh clarifying just uh to refresh my memory as to u in the revenue category, what are you know in the sub subcategories you have intergovernmental and transfers in. What do those mean or if you can give examples of like how that works or what those mean? What those are?

Sure. Intergovernmental revenue is basically government revenue that we receive from other governments. Um the specific line items includes uh motor vehicle and loo um federal and state reimbursements, statemandated reimbursements, county grants and also our uh prop exchange. Those are intergovernmental revenue we receive from other governments and the transfer in is money that we receive from another fund or that we receive from another fund. So you mean internal internal yes. So so we have Okay. Go ahead.

So So the the um the common example we have is the general fund transfers um x amount to the mission playhouse fund. So it's a transfer into the mission playhouse fund and a transfer out in the general fund. I see. Oh, go ahead. Oh, and then uh for the general fund receives a transfer in from the retirement fund. So the the retirement fund um sends money to the general fund as a um to the general fund as a transfer in to pay for all of the CalPER pension costs. Okay. Thanks again. Appreciate it. Madam Mayor, I yield my time. Any other clarifying questions? I see none. Uh any public comment? I have no speaker cards.

Great. And so the only comment I was going to make um was that um our reserves are still high 36% something um that we should really highlight. Uh the the policy is well I guess the best practices in municipalities is 25%. Oh 17%. Okay. So 25% must be our policy because I remember seeing a 25%. So, we are significantly above. So, that's something I want to make sure everyone is aware of. Um, are any other questions before we file the report? I see none. All right, let's move forward. Next item. Uh, Madame Mayor, because there is a resolution involved, we will need a vote.

We still need a Oh, we do because of the resolution for the uh ads here. Staff recommends city council receive and file the annual reports for the fiscal year. So yeah, there was an addition after that was made to Oh, was there? Okay, I have made your adjustments. Okay, so then um may I have a motion? I'll move the amendment. Okay, I'll second. Second. Okay, let's do our V voice vote. Uh council member Ding I. Council member her Aila.

Hi. Uh, council member Woo, I council uh, sorry, Vice Mayor Chan, yes. Mayor Manaka, I. Motion passes by a vote of 5-0. Great. Thank you. Next item.

Acceptance of strategic plan report and approval of contract with Michelle Feridge, Esquire for the development of a Mission Playhouse nonprofit in an amount not to exceed $5,000. Community services director Perez will make the staff presentation. Good evening, mayor and members of the city council. Um, tonight, just before I start our presentation, we we are going to mix things up a little bit and finish off your night with several of us coming forward to you to present. So I will start off the presentation and then um we also have Nagam Weebi who is pres president of arts consulting group who worked on this strategic plan who will present as well um as well as Alex Deng who is the production and marketing director and conductor of SGV Symphony. So he was one of our committee members um working with us on the strategic plan as well as Chris Hulan who's our mission playhouse manager. Um so tonight we are um pre presenting the acceptance of the strategic plan report and approval of the contract uh to move forward with the development of a mission playhouse nonprofit. Um in November 2024, the city initiated work with arts consulting group uh and that began with a strategic visioning workshop uh for the mission playhouse and in March 2025 we continued with the development of a strategic plan and community engagement analysis. The city designated a council committee to advise on the strategic planning process and we want to thank Mayor Manaka and council member Ding who were a valuable part of that process. Um a strategic planning committee made up of staff, former and current clients and community members was also a valuable part of the process. The strategic plan process included stakeholder engagement survey that was open to the public and provided responses about key topics such as

participation in arts and culture activities, awareness of programming, barriers to participation and priorities for future programming among other items. Uh focus group interviews were held with individuals and small groups. benchmarking, research and leadership interviews with five local theaters which included um a breakdown of relevance for the mission playhouse and then reimagining of the mission vision, values and strategic priorities. And so I would like to pass it on to Nagam who will introduce the um a couple of slides for you here. I'll move. All right. Thank you. Good evening. Um so those are the mission and vision and values that uh the committee came up with after engagement with the community and the different focus group surveys based on the feedback from everybody. This is the last iteration draft that is up for approval and it's part of um it's part of the nonprofit forming. Usually that happens when you're forming the nonprofit. We're a step ahead that we have the drafts. Uh the mission usually communicates who we are and who do we serve and how. So the draft right now is that the St. Gabriel Mission Playhouse celebrate diverse artistic voices by connecting artists, audiences and our community through shared experiences in a historic cultural landmark. um pointing out the historic cultural landmark landmark was something that came up a lot from the feedback in the strategic planning process and um the vision usually communicates the aspiration. What would how would the world be different because of the St. Gabriel Playhouse mission and what we do and right now the draft is that St. Gabriel as a city thrives as a cultural

destination where our historic landmark unites generations and inspires civic pride. Um intergenerational connection was something that was really brought up during this process by the feedback from the community. And then the last part is um the values that will guide the mission playhouse and once the nonprofit is formed as well which is community connection and engagement, arts and culture appreciation and historic preservation and storytelling. Um with that also um other than the mission vision and values there were priorities that were identified and that's for the next three to five years that would probably be implemented in different phases. Um and those four priorities are clarifying the organizational identity and operating model including the formation of the nonprofit. uh build organizational capacity and financial sustainability, expanding and diversifying programming and then the last one is enhancing facility and visitor experience. Um of course every priority has objectives under it and that's what we're going to present today. And then in the final strategic plan every objectives will have tactic and timeline and success measure. So then there will be like a a roadmap to implement in the next five years. And with that I think I'll introduce to Alex to introduce some of the priorities. Um Alex was on our committee.

Is it delayed?

Alex. Alex, can you hear us? There he is. We can hear you, Alex. We'll take a few moments. Should we recess, Edward, or should we just wait?

Okay, we're going to take a brief recess. Thank you. Fix the people like us. Maybe They were just

happy to She answered. Honestly, I'm sorry.

How do you feel? It all depends on what they want. Sharon, can you tell us when you're ready?

Can you tell us? Thank you. What we're going to do is

Right. One thing

No, you're fine. I'm more of an

Okay, we're going to resume the meeting at 8:14. Um, uh, assistant director Matthew Stevens. Um, c can you explain the situation? Of course. I I appreciate the introduction. Um, I will be

just a moment. We we need to uh address some other technical issues right now.

Okay. So, it sounds like we're we're all good here. Um, so I appreciate your patience. Um, as staff resolved the technical difficulties um, in this exact moment. Unfortunately, um, Alex will not be able to join us. We weren't able to resolve those. Um, but I'm sure he would have had some fantastic feedback and will still be part of the team to to provide his feedback in the future. Uh, for now I will be joining you tonight in his place um, along with the rest of the team. Um, so I'll start with the priority one as he started going through. So objective one would be to define the mission, vision and values. Objective two is to define nonprofit operating model and staffing framework. Objective three is to operationalize selected model. Objective four is to strengthen mission district integration. And then objective five is to leverage Centennial and Olympics for repositioning. So as Negan mentioned, there will be several subsections within those. um as you hear these continue going on tonight, you'll um just get this the broader um outlook of these and if you have any questions, staff can address them as we go along. Um but with that said, I'll turn it over to Chris Hulan for priority number two. Where's the We can get this. or is it expand that way back one? Thank you.

Good evening everyone. Uh I am bringing you priority two which is to uh build organizational capacity and financial sustainability. This priority uh it is intent is to strengthen organizational infrastructure, staffing and financial resources to support expanded programming and ensure long-term sust sustainability while maintaining realistic scale expectations as informed by the benchmarking. The objectives one address staffing gaps and processes. Key tactics conduct staffing needs assessment once preferred operational model is selected. add or amend marketing and communication staff pending operational model and staff needs assessment. Focus groups identified marketing, branding, and storytelling need strengthening with a 42% citing awareness barriers despite 78% engaging with the arts three plus times annually. Add or expand programming and partnerships. Currently, the Playhouse program silent Sunday series and has a new partnership with our friends at the San Gabriel Valley Symphony. Strengthen operational processes and s uh systems. This includes ticketing, CRM, scheduling, and financial tracking. Selecting software platforms that scale with our operational structure and support playhouse potential board and city reporting needs. Two, develop a sustainable financial model. Key tactics, assess and update the three- tier rental pricing structure to include market rate, nonprofit discounts, and subsidized school rates. Develop a subscription or membership program for partnership and presented programming. Define tier structure pricing and patron benefits.

Establish cost accessibility programs and research and apply for grant opportunities such as Prop 28 arts allocations. Three, establish right-size success metrics. Key tactics. Define baseline metrics and targets informed by benchmarking research. Track progress quarterly against operational model projections and goal metrics. adjust targets annually based on actual results and changing conditions. In closing, I'll discuss the strategic role of this priority. This priority provides operational backbone enabling all other strategic work without addressing staffing gaps in marketing and programming support. Audience development and partnership models cannot execute without revenue diversification through subscriptions. Three- tier pricing and cost accessibility programs funded via grants. Accessibility and sustainability cannot balance. Without right-siz success metrics, unrealistic expectations undermines stakeholder confidence. The priority sequences capacity building to support programming expansion. Marketing infrastructure strengthens first. Revenue initiatives launch in parallel. Staffing additions tied to demonstrated need and revenue growth. Capacity expansion follows rather than precedes programming demand. And now I'll bring you back over to Matthew. Thank you, Chris. Moving on to priority three, expand and diversify programming. Objective one is to expand core programming categories. Objective two is to create signature programs. Objective three is to establish programming partnerships. And finally, objective four is to enhance digital marketing to younger demographics.

and I will bring you priority four. Enhance facility and visitor experience. Invest in critical facility improvements, enhancing patron experience and accessibility while preserving the historic character of the 1927 building with phased implementation tied to fundraising campaigns at an appropriate scale. Objectives. One, to create a capital campaign. Develop a capital campaign strategy tied to the centennial and preserving history while enabling the future. Launch capital campaign with the city board or foundation. Execute the public phase of the campaign with donor recognition tied to facility improvements. This can include seat naming, recognition walls, and the like. Two, upgrade sound, lighting, and projection technology. Key tactics. Conduct a technical assessment of current sound, lighting, and projection systems and identify specific upgrades needed. Upgrade systems based on assessment to meet professional performance standards, which allows for the playhouse to provide support for diverse programming needs. Three, improve seating and comfort. Key tactics. Launch a seat replacement campaign uh capital campaign tied to the to the centennial. Provide donor recognition and naming opportunities. Replace seats with comfortable ADA compliant seating while preserving the historic aesthetic. Improve sightelines and accessibility throughout seating areas. Four, enhance ADA accessibility. Key tactics. Conduct compre comprehensive ADA accessibility audit of entire facility. Upgrade restrooms for full ADA compliance and improved patron experience. Improve accessible pathways, entrances, and install comprehensive wayfinding signage throughout the building. Upgrade

assisted listening systems and other accessibility technologies. Five, address climate control and building systems. Conduct HVAC system assessment and develop develop and upgrade and and or make a replacement plan. Upgrade systems to improve climate control and energy efficiency. Address deferred maintenance priorities. And six, enhance lobby and patron experience. Enhance lobby and patron circulation spaces for superior pre-show and intermission experiences. Communicate with city and mission district businesses on parking solutions and communication. Facility improvements directly address patron experience barriers while reinforce uh excuse me experience barriers while reinforcing positioning as historic landmark worth preserving. Improvements serve several functions. Enhanced sound lighting and projection. It enables higher quality programming. Improve seating. Encourages repeat attendance. ADA improvements demonstrate values, values alignment, and climate control addresses basic comfort affecting return visits. Thank you for your time and your attention. I will pass it back to Rebecca. Thank you. Uh so moving on while the priorities, objectives and key tactics have been reviewed and finalized uh with the con with the consultant um the other remaining areas in that table that's included in your attachment. Uh and several parts of the strategic plan document are still being reviewed with staff and ACG. For these final items, staff recommends that the full council allow the council committee for this project to review and approve the final recommendations. And that again was

Mayor Makaka and Council Member Ding. And I apologize in advance because I did not ask them if they would be willing to do that. So I'm hoping that they would be willing to do that. Uh so next steps to move forward with priority number one objective to define nonprofit operating model and staffing framework. As was previously mentioned in the report, the plan recommends the development of a playhouse nonprofit and board. staff recommends working with Michelle El Ferreridge Esquire who many of you may know from AYC from her work at AYC. She um has a business on her own as an attorney to uh develop nonprofits and and work with them on a startup plan. Uh, concurrent to this, staff recommends continuing with ACG on a monthly retainer for a set time to complete the operational modeling analysis. Uh, which would include the development of the nonprofit and and also kind of how that plays in with with funding that the city contributes to the to the mission playhouse as one of your city facilities and and city departments. Um, and other re items related to fiscal sustainability, capital campaigns, etc. Um the item regarding a contract addendum, budget appropriation, etc. for the work with ACG would come forward on a future agenda for council's approval. So that is not included as part of your agenda for tonight. Uh the fee for Michelle Fidg's um nonprofit startup package is $5,000. This includes the consultant's time with with filing fees to be build separately. Staff proposes to cover this with funds from current fiscal year 2526 which may be carried over into next fiscal year. As mentioned, the fee for the projected retainer with ACG will be brought forward on a separate agenda. So with that, staff staff recommends

that the city council accept the final or accept the draft strategic plan as submitted and sub subject to approval include review by the council committee of any re revisions on the strate strategic plan priorities table uh utilizing the city standard consultant contract authorized the city manager to execute the contract with Michelle L. forage Esquire for the startup of the Playhouse nonprofit subject to the city attorney's review and approval and direct staff to bring a contract for a retainer for operational modeling starting with the nonprofit formation implementation support etc with arts consulting group with that I am happy to answer any questions as is our consultant Nagam or any of the staff who are here who were also part of the committee meetings thank you

thank you Rebecca and crew um thank you for getting through that with all these technical difficulties. So, I do appreciate it. Um, does any council member have factual questions before we move on to public? Council member Woo. Thank you, Madame Mayor. Uh, well, thank you, Rebecca. I just have a quick question about um um the $5,000 that is for applying uh the nonprofit status for the Mission Playhouse. So when there's a a word saying retainer, so that separate things.

Yes. So So the recommendation for the $5,000 is for the work with Michelle Feridge to establish. So essentially she would file all of the legal documentation and work with us to establish Exactly. utilizing the the mission and the vision that were established as part of this process. utilizing that to to um include in the nonprofit application. Um and would work with us on all of those legal documents that need to be submitted. And then the filing fees, what would actually be paid to the state would would would be separate from that. The retainer is separate and that's what's recommended um at a future council meeting. we would bring that forward and that's the retainer to continue on with ACG not for a specific item but for several items that will fall into place.

So, uh am I am I correct if um if the $5,000 that reason that we will bring this up because this is the right stage now which being said that we have already accumulated enough or sufficient information that make us capable to apply for the nonprofit status. So, this is why we now are able to start talking about $5,000 for the nonprofit, but for the for the rest of the um like a consulting service, they'll be helping us to um to create more uh make the the whole plans and strategic uh strategic plan is more solid, but but it doesn't really it's not a conflict with our process of applying the nonprofit. Is that correct? Correct. So, uh, city manager Lazarettto and I actually had a conversation, uh, a team's meeting with M Michelle Feridge, and she indicated that many groups or organizations that have come forward to request her help in establishing the nonprofit don't even necessarily have their mission statement established. So, we have kind of gotten a a front run on that with with the work that has been done here. we have the mission. Um, obviously it's up for council approval tonight, but uh, we have those items established. And so she has indicated that there's adequate information that we have to move forward with the nonprofit. Uh, the the retainer uh, with with ACG is is recommended to kind of continue beyond where where the strate strategic plan is currently and to be run ideally concurrent to the nonprofit establishment. Um because as as you'll see if if you were to look through the benchmarking many of the organizations the other theaters that they looked at have

being city on potentially have city funding that's attributed to them and and helping fund the facility funding staffing that sort of thing but also have the nonprofit establishment. So it would be helping us kind of figure out what that right balance is. And that is not something that Michelle Feridge for example would would do as part of her um nonprofit startup package if that makes sense. And I don't know if Nagam has anything to add to that.

Yeah. And and the other thing with the retainer it's it's to implement the plan and to do all the tactics. So whether identifying success measures whether like advising on the capital campaign um or uh the operational model as Rebecca's saying even looking at different options like are we going to do renting and presenting or renting and presenting and producing or renting and presenting and producing and resident uh areas with the nonprofit. So, so the retainer allows ACG to tap all our resources from all the departments, whether revenue or fundraising support or operational modeling support or staffing support to make sure the plan doesn't sit on the shelf and we're actually moving on it.

I see. So uh when we can anticipate the um REIN number for nonprofit will be uh released by the IRS. Do we have a approximate date that we will get the nonprofit officially got the nonprofit status? Uh I don't have an exact date. In talking with Michelle because again we did have that that meeting with her. Um she indicated that it it she can move very quickly. It would it would depend on us. So that that's why this item is being brought forward to the council tonight.

Um there will likely be some questions that come up that um we may request insight from ACG on as well because they have worked with many more organizations than just ours. Um so there will be some questions that we need to answer or determine as a team before uh being able to proceed with that. But she she is able to move relatively quickly and depending on the process and she explained it that there are and and I don't recall what the criteria was but there's two different types of applications. One seems to be a more simple application and then then one is a little more extensive and I think it possibly depends on the type of revenue that you're bringing in um the type of funding that you're bringing in. Um, and she was presuming that ours would likely be the more extensive process. So, I think there's a little more that goes into the application. So, it may take a little longer than kind of your simple application, if you will. I'm not an expert of the nonprofit or the taxation things, but just um that I remember that if any organization that will apply for the uh nonprofit that will be required at least by law and there's some of the requirements that will be able to prove this is not a this is a qualified nonprofit so we can get a tax ID

and we can start receiving a donation. Mhm. So that um so ACG is also able to help if any part of the things is missing and they're able to provide uh the services that will be uh anything is missing that uh Michelle will need for processing or applying the I uh the nonprofit 501c3 or I don't know that but right so so they will be able to help. Correct. And and in this scenario likely uh Michelle would be coming to the city because the contract would be with the city with Michelle and then the city would be connecting with ACG again it presuming we uh approved that retainer coming forward.

Got it. Thank you very much. That's all I have. Any other clarifying questions? Vice Mayor Chan.

Thank you, Madame Mayor. U thank you all. Well, you guys did a great job tag teaming. And uh um just and I don't know if this is a question for staff or the consultant or maybe even uh our city attorney, but um just for the the benefit of just uh explaining to the public what are is the um what is I guess the benefits or andor advantages of using Ms. free bridge for this uh item over using our our uh contracted city attorney just and maybe if someone can explain it just so so that the so that the public understands.

Uh that's a great question. I we did not talk with with Keith and or his team about whether or not that was an option. Um this actually came up. I was talking with Michelle about uh funding for trying to obtain funding for Smith Park Pool and it came up that she has this ability. She has her um attorney her esquire license and is able to to do this and has helped various organizations and so this came forward and uh I talked with Mark about it and we thought that it was a very reasonable fee and obviously she's local um to the area and so thought it was a reasonable thing to move forward with.

Okay. Sorry to interrupt. And you also got other bids too is when I spoke with Mark, he said that you did go out to see um about other you know what the the dollar amount would be because 5,000 is a very low amount. Very reasonable. Yes. I we did not. So may maybe I maybe I misunderstood that or maybe um but well we we did not.

Okay. And and again for the benefit of the public, I I did speak with Mark about it and it seems like he was explaining that uh Miss Freeidge does have an expertise in this area and has helped other similar organizations uh to do something similar. So that uh and she's and and that uh and possibly our our um that the kind of contract we have with our city attorney uh stipulates that any this would be a special project and then it might be a little more costly to do it through there. I believe I I'll leave that response to Keith if he has any comment. But

but yeah, no comment. All right. But uh thank you. I I appreciate you. Okay. Any other clarifying questions? Council member Deng. Yeah, I just want to cl the also clarify because you established the nonprofit oration should be like a organization should be have the officer on that. So is it any like by law or something like that? So we have any proposal on that? Uh so that would be part of the work that Miss Ferage would be would be completing alongside u the city team. Okay.

That would be the work that she would be determining this is what is needed. You know the city needs city staff needs to determine who will be on the board. She mentioned that people, and I'm not suggesting that this is what we would do, but she mentioned that some organizations have had a leader, if you will, and two of their friends be on the board. So, again, I'm not suggesting that that's what we would do here, but um she would help us determine what is viable for the uh the nonprofit. So, that would come to more to come on that I I guess I should say. So before she filing so should be have the bylaw to bring back to our city council. I just want to asking the the keys attorney for the this nonprofit organization

for for the bylaw for the nonprofit organization. So we we we need to review it. You're talking about setting up We're not setting up the nonprofit. So that's interesting because the city pay for it. Why this way not to set up the nonprofit? That's I think it's it's uh resident will be asking the question too. You know, we're setting up an organization better than us. just set up the organization better for

volunteers folks to do it. Okay. All right. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, mayor. Great. I see no more clarifying questions. Uh city chief city clerk, do we have any public comment? I have no speaker cards. Okay. Now, we can start with start with deliberations. Uh does anyone have anything more to say? Uh, vice mayor. No, I just got to say I'm comfortable with the the staff recommendation. So, okay.

I just had a couple just a couple comments since I'm on the board on the committee. Um, first of all, Rebecca Oh, there you are, Rebecca. I know you remember back in 2020 during COVID we had our first community meeting um and um we thought we couldn't do it on our own

and um although the meeting was very productive and we had a couple of them I just have to say that it makes a world of difference having the consultants who have that depth of knowledge because we are a city we are not really um you know I there's very few cities that actually own a playhouse. That's a whole different business, different segment. And so it is quite challenging. So, first of all, I wanted to thank you and Matthew for managing that because again, it's not your lane.

But I'm so glad we now have some added um resources to to really get us forward. But I think what stood out to me here is not only do we actually have a strategic plan to be more sustainable at every level, not just financial, but I wanted you to kind of kind of share broadly who these committee members are. Aside from council member Ding and I, I, you know, when I looked at the committee and listened to them and looked at their background, I think we're really, really fortunate because, you know, as much as we are honoring the past, we are really moving forward and thinking forward and we didn't have that in 2020. I think we were just kind of stuck

and now we're we're kind of thinking ahead. So maybe you can um verbalize it a little better than I can of you know the and you've been around for even longer than me but uh kind of share so the council understands you know what how these decisions are being made and how really how fortunate we are because I think some of those committee members from the community will be on the on the foundation.

Thank you mayor. So we had um we had a gentleman who had performed previously at the Mission Playhouse. Um we had several community members who in their uh personal lives have are in kind of the arts world. We had um Alex and Kyle Denman both from uh SGV Symphony. So, Alex is the conductor and kind of the um the lead on the project and Kyle is the uh I don't know his exact title, but of Arts Bridging the Gap um which is the nonprofit organization that they're working with. Um we also have we also had um a client who has brought programming to the Mission Playhouse. So, um she works with various different um or volunteers with various different organizations and has brought programming as recently as last year in November brought a program to the Mission Playhouse. Um she also had been part of the APA Fest um when we had that several years ago. Um and I think that's pretty pretty much sums up who it was. We also reached out to the surrounding areas, the playhouses. Maybe you might want to give a little bit more insight. I have to just tell you that um I'm actually friends with one of the council members from Sierra Madre and we're always talking about their playhouse even though it's much smaller, but some of the challenges and how with our playhouse too. And so it's kind of it's I really appreciate that camaraderie where we're really trying to work together as opposed to compete against each other. you know, who's going to get more, you know, more people.

Yeah. And as part of this, um, it was a very deep community engagement, whether the, um, district here, the businesses, the other nonprofits, the historical societies, and then the also the nonprofits that are arts and culture like Pasadena Playhouse. Um we've talked as ACG with a lot of organizations in LA area that we work with because right now we work with different organizations but the benchmarking were also those organizations that are not only gave us interviews and details but also are willing to be called at any time in the implementation of the strategic process to share tips so then we don't have to do the same mistakes and to learn from their mistakes as well. Thank you so much. And um you know this has been a very um this has been my my uh I guess my focus for so many years as as you know I've been beating that drum and so it is so fulfilling to finally see that we're going to have a foundation. I mean this is exciting and we're we have a strategic plan and it's a living document. It's not going to be put on a shelf. We're going to move forward and so it's very exciting. And so unless anyone has anything relevant to say any further, I I really want to be the one to make the motion um to approve the staff recommendation.

I'll take it. Great. Uh city clerk, uh voice vote, please. Council member Ding, I. Council mayor Hera Aila. I council member Woo. I, Vice Mayor Chan, yes, Mayor Manaka, I. Motion passed by a vote of 5-0. Thank you. Okay. Acting city manager report, Edward Masias.

Thank you, mayor. I'll keep this very short. Uh, one item to to bring to uh, everyone's attention. I'd like to call up Rebecca. Please don't leave, Rebecca. and uh just really talk real briefly about uh the measure A and our success with measure A.

And I apologize, I had my notes, but I cannot find them. So, uh, Council Member Woo and I were, uh, pleased to be able to visit, uh, the Kenneth Han Hall of Administration at 7:30 this morning for a ceremony to receive a check for $500,000. Um, this was a grant that the city applied for. This is part of the measure A competitive um grant opportunities and we applied for planning and implementation phase of the project and um $500,000 was the maximum amount that you could apply for and we received that maximum amount for that planning and implementation. So that the uh the project that we proposed was moving forward with the construction documents for Smith Park Pool. So, this will get us to a point where we have full construction documents and are able to utilize this not only as a match toward um any other grant opportun opportunities that the city applies for, but also um move forward with a shovel ready project, which hopefully many funders will find more attractive than saying we have we have lots of needs and we don't have any funding to put toward it. So, uh, so we thank you, Council Member Woo, for coming to that and, uh, being there bright and early. So,

wonderful news, Edward. That's really all I had. I just want to thank you for bearing with me tonight and going easy on me. So, thank you. Sorry, if I can add one thing. I apologize. I I should have thanked LA County RPOSD, which is Regional Park and Open Space District. So they gave away a total of they had originally planned to give $58 million to LA County Cities and they actually ended up giving away $78 million. So we were lucky recipients in that and they they were able to fund 72 projects out of the funding that they gave. So that's all I have. Sorry. Wonderful. Thank you, Edward, for being here. Okay, Vice Mayor Chan Council comments.

Thank you, Madame Mayor. Um try try to keep this brief. Um since the last meeting, uh I've been to a few uh events. March 5th, I was at the grand opening ribbon cutting uh with some of my colleagues here of a new business in town, Grapevine Central. Um they're a new wine shop at 427 West Lunas. So please check them out and support our local San Gabriel businesses. On the 9th, uh I had my monthly Chinese American Citizens Alliance uh meeting in Rosemead. On March 10th, I attended a Lux networking lunch at uh I guess St. Gabriel's own Clareman's Galley. The address is St. Gabriel, even though technically it's county and unincorporated blah blah blah, but only political nerds know what that means. Um, and on the 11th, uh, I attended the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce networking mixer at Fogo Dean in Pasadena. And on, uh, the 16th, I along with uh, four out of the five, I guess, uh, three of my four other four colleagues here on council, I, uh, attended a press conference to promote our Lunar New Year lantern festival this coming Saturday and Sunday. So, please come on out. And that concludes my report. Madame Mayor, I yield.

Thank you, Council Member Woo. Really? I'm I'm just prepared for, you know, after all my colleagues finish them. But that's okay. I mean, I I I will try to not making it so brief. That means long. Timing.

Okay. Well, yeah. I mean over the past two weeks um I have a privilege to engage with our community that uh across the education, business, culture and uh public service. On March 4th, I joined our police and fire departments, school board members and committee partners in celebrating read across America. I had opportunity to read to fifth grade students at Roosevelt Elementary School. So as a father of a fifth grader, the experience was especially very meaningful. I was truly impressed with the students disciplined uh curiosity and thoughtful questions. Program like this reminds us that investing in literacy in is investing in the future of our uh community. On March 6, I was honored to attend Supervisor Huda Sol's new year celebration in Hassa Heights. uh connecting with the community leaders and regional partners as we continue to strengthen collaboration across the first district. And on March 12, I joined the West Sing Valley Realtors event where our city staff provided important updates. I would like to recognize that our economic development manager Karen Cole, PIO, uh Indiana Flores, public works director David uh Sanchez, and city manager Mark Lazaro. Their professionalism and the dedication demonstrate the strength of our city team. On March 14, uh I attended an Eftar dinner at M uh Maschet at of St. Gabriel. It was a meaningful evening uh of community that reflection and uh unity. I want to thank the Masjid St. uh Gabriel community for their continued service and commitment to helping those people in need. Uh and also looking ahead this coming Saturday, we are excited to welcome the delegation from Huan County. This is the sister city

established on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2025. Their participation in our upcoming lantern festival along with their cultural contribution demonstrate a strong and a growing international partnership that also support our local economy. And last night I attended the St. Gabriel Historical Association fundraising event that where uh Chief uh Antony Molares um shared the history of Tanva people. I encourage our community to attend the upcoming indigenous market on April 11th. Finally, this um morning I attended the major a competitive grand award ceremony hosted by the LA County uh regional park and open space district. So, uh, as as mentioned by, um, Rebecca that, um, it's supposed to be 58 million, but now it's like representing a historic 78 millions investing to expand assets to park and advance park, you know, across the county. So, we are so honored received a half million dollars that grants for the improvement of our Smith Park facility. So, that conclude my reports, mayor. Thank you.

Thank you, council member Herrera Aila. Do you want to say anything? And I want to ignore you there.

I think everybody's looking at me right now. So, I think I'm next. So, there's a little lag. I want to give my report here. I hope everybody can hear me. Um, just for context, I'm here in Washington DC. It's almost 12 a.m. and it's about 28 degrees outside. It's freezing. Um, I hope you guys are enjoying the wonderful Southern California weather. I I want to provide a brief report on my participation at the National League of Cities, Congressional City Conference and Washington here in Washington DC, which began on March 15 and I will conclude tomorrow with Hill Day where I'll be meeting directly with members of Congress to advocate for cities like and for San Gabriel. During the conference, I participated in the following Hispanic elected officials Hilo membership meeting an executive Hilo engagement with the city with city health dashboard initiative. Uh immigration roundt lo with local uh local legal repres federal grant reform sessions on streamlining access to funding. California League of Cities delegation meeting with US Senator Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla. Um I also outside of that I also met with the ambassador of Mexico and we talked about uh as a group uh a lot of elected officials on immigration issues and also visited the Philippines embassy and we talked about exploring opportunities for cultural exchange um in our area. Additionally, integrate additional uh intergovernmental policy and networking session. A key focus that I want to highlight uh regarding the federal grants and advocacy. the most a

critical discussion was on for me I felt was grant access and I'll skip through all the many details that that that we had here when we were talking about uh grant access and I will go to the to the point in the meat there was a city that uh is about 25,000 residents and they have a lobbyist and they're getting money from the federal government and they said that they're returning return of investment was about $124 per each dollar invested. So, wow. I mean, it's uh just having a lobbyist, it just changes the game. Even feeling here that we don't have an actual lobby, a lobbyist, and I see other cities that are around us having the lobbyists, it's it I see how different meetings go and I see how prepared they are. um for the Hilo Executive Health dashboard. I had this meeting. There's a lot of good information on this dashboard and unfortunately San Gabriel is not part of that dashboard. Uh we have not uh we're part of it but we're not that much part of it because we have not like submitted some particular information. So I did forward that information to Mark and we will be uh included uh hopefully soon. And I want to invite them to to share that dashboard with us and that present all the many uh different resources that that can actually help us better understand the community needs, strengthen policy decisions and improve uh comp u competitive uh federal grant funding. That concludes my uh my my report. I just there's a lot of stuff here sentiment with the National League. The first time I came about a year ago, it was not so much about immigration,

but now I feel like there's a unified front. They're looking at the Latino leadership here for immigration. And within the Latino leadership, there's a there's a joint coalition of just everyone. This isn't is not about red or blue at this point. It's about working together to get something comprehensive done. So, um, looking forward to continuing my work tomorrow at Hill Day and, um, and I hope to to be here next time. I want to invite you guys to come with me. If you haven't done it, come and check it out. It's a lot a lot of work here to be done. And, uh, I think the city is moving forward. Like the mayor said, uh, it's exciting times for St. Gabriel and I'm here to be a solid partner with with each and every single one of you guys. I know I'm so proud of being here. uh representing St. Gabriel, but I'm here basically representing all of us and I hope I'm doing a good job. I know I'm doing a good job and uh I brag about uh what we are doing and uh I don't want to take credit for myself. I think this is for all of us and for for the city as a whole. So, thank you guys and I'll see you soon.

Okay. Thank you, Council Member Herrera Abula. Safe travels also. Okay. Council member Ding, how many minutes I'm track I'm going to track you. Okay, go ahead.

So, it's like Okay. Uh, quickly March 5th, I also joined uh our like the council colleague. It's a grand uh opening for the grandm the grand opening. It's under Lonus. So, they are retail. So I hope they can generate more sales tax for us. Okay. And March 6 I have uh also to I think with with the council member the supervisor here 26 Luna New Year's reception. It's a very good see a lot of day Asia face and uh yeah it's a celebration actually rest of it most uh it's related the luna new year celebration March 7 I joined some uh organization called the US wenzo uh association they have leadership uh uh ination and they already have the 30 years they They they do the very nice 30 years the yearbook. Okay. And uh plus the Luna New Year uh gala they they hosting the events in the our city Hilton. Okay. And and March 8 I have two event. One is for the global Chinese businesswoman. uh they have the called a gray airway the branch the annual gala and plus the northern new year and the evening I have the they call the sandong association the book it's uh it's it's uh also uh ignoration and ceremony and and and new year and March 14 it's uh it's it's 2026

she she show life That's it's with the our council member Wu it's they give it to this the our community including San Gabriel and have the the short fuel maker they they have the 800 applicant they uh have 60 it's contents and finally have the only 10 to win the the award and uh so both of us promote our city it's we are filming welcome the city come to our hopefully they can more film make come to our city. Yeah. And the 2020 also evening of 2026 called a local uh local realtor annual gala uh as a hosting in our city. Another hotel is a sheran. So both those those both hotel really it's famous and in our community they have the event and March 16 uh yesterday or it's it's really the morning have joined our the the called lat festival press conference I view the the the new Latin it's really good to promote it and Yeah, don't forget uh the this weekend we have two days Latin festival. Okay, you you should be see the more Latin compared with last year. That's I think that's our third year for the Latin festival and the second year with the with the the war journal right for the Latin festival

for this second year of the war journal. Yeah. Second year with the war but yeah and yeah and uh also last night I have chance gabio historical association and uh it's have the chatting with the member it's it's really good. So we are historical city so we we want to keep the this kind of history continue on. So and uh this afternoon I have chance to attend the Apex Expo 2026. I got an invit from the Vina. They called the National Innovation Center. They joined the uh the export and uh try bring the the more business community with United State the special I represent our our city. We have a lot of Vietnist population. So the hopefully we our city will be famous in the in the Vina. Okay. All right. That conclude my report. Thank you.

Thank you. Within the five minutes. There we go. Okay. Mine will be brief. Uh first of all, I'll do my good neighbor uh gesture. I think I mentioned Sierra Made. Not only do they have a playhouse like we do, although ours is um older. Um and we have the grapevine, they have something called the Wisteria Vine. Uh so Sierra Misteria Festival will take place on Saturday, March 28th, so the following weekend. The star of the festival is the historic Sierra Madre Ristoria vine. It was planted in 1894. Our great vine was planted in 1771. Uh the vine spans more than one acre and is recognized in the Guinness Book of World Record as the world's largest blossoming plant. The vine is actually located on private property. Can be visited by purchasing shuttle tickets or joining a guided walk. Um the festival also features a live marketplace. Um, and so I just wanted to just let everyone know uh because they've been good partners with us and I think it's important to kind of share some of each other's successes and hopefully they'll share about ours. Uh, last Friday I am currently the vice chair for the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control. uh Senator Rubio uh she presented another $500,000 to like earlier but not to us but to the district and that $500,000 will be used to support the long-term management of approximately a thousand damaged or abandoned swimming pools in the eaten fire burn zone. The pools are expected to remain mosquito breeding sources until homes are rebuilt and the district anticipates active management will be needed for several years, likely five or more. And so this was really important

because we're looking forward. We're looking at all the challenges that are still going to be ahead of us. And even though it's eaten Canyon, it affects us in in all of the St. Gabriel Valley. So that was a very exciting time. Um I too will mention the Lunar Lantern Festival. We had a great launch yesterday press conference. Um you know applause to the staff for putting it together in the lobby. We've had a lot of press. Um different languages. Uh the festival will be this Saturday and Sunday the 21st and 22nd. Um the festival marks the closing of the lunar new year and celebrates the year of the horse and the uh attendees. And when you do come, you'll have live music, cultural dance, authentic street food vendors, artisan craft booths, familyfriendly activities for all ages. So please come, please stay hydrated. Um, a week from today, we will have the state of the city address. It's going to be Tuesday, March 24th at the Mission Playhouse. Um, the evening will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the presentation of 7 at 700 p.m. This year's address will be delivered by yours truly under the theme Sang Gabriel, a living tapestry. I will be um uh reflecting on key milestones and outline my vision for continued growth, community connection and cultivation of cultures that make San Gabriel unique. Resident, business owners, community partners are encouraged to attend and participate in this annual event. The um address um should offer valuable insight into the city's initiative and plans for the coming year. So, I would appreciate everyone's um attendance if you are in

town. And lastly, it's St. Patrick's Day. So, for those who are Irish, happy St. Patrick's Day. And even those who that are not, um hope everyone's day was filled with a little extra luck, good health, and the warmth of the community. And I think we had or looks like based on the time we did have some luck of the Irish with us tonight since we got through the agenda a little faster than you know anticipated. So, uh, with that, uh, the next regular regularly scheduled city council meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. Uh the meeting is adjourned at 9:07.