City Council - Regular Meeting

Are we getting this show on the road?

All right. Good evening, Santa Monica, and welcome to the Tuesday, December 9th meeting. I want to please remind everyone to turn off your cell phones, put them on vibrate, and remember that I don't know, I think it's a celebratory night. We're probably going to allow some hand clapping, but jazz hands are always a favorite here in this council chamber. Um, and if the mayor prom, if you will lead us in the pledge of allegiance and the land acknowledgement. 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.

The city of Santa Monica is located on the land of the Tovangar. With great respect, the city acknowledges the Gabrieleno Tongva as the first people of this ancestral and unseated territory of Kuravanga, a village that we know as Santa Monica. We honor their elders, past and present, and the Gabrieleno descendants who are part of the Gabrieleno Tongva tribes. We recognize that these peoples are still here and as settlers and Quuiam guests, we recognize our responsibility and obligation to care for their land in partnership with them. The city of Santa Monica commits to work in partnership with the Gabrielleno Tongva people to uplift their voices and visibility on their ancestral land.

Calling in the role. Council members Wick here. Council member Hall present. Council member Raskin here. Snow here. Council zonkaya here. Prompto here. Negrete here. Will any council members be recusing themselves from any items on the agenda pursuant to the Lavine neck this evening? Hearing none, mayor, do you have any agenda management for this evening? Um, yes. We are going to items 5A and 12A were pulled by staff and 12A will be continued to December 16th meeting. The city manager report and travel report were is going to be heard after the consent calendar. Is that okay? I need a motion. Sorry.

There we go. Um, I I'd actually like to propose some additional agenda management if you would, mayor. Uh, I'd like to continue items 16A and 16B to the next regularly scheduled meeting. Move 16 C and 16D to the consent calendar so we can be complete after close session. Second. Do we need a roll call vote? No, we can do a voice vote. Repeat it. So 16 A and 16B which are the appointments uh is moving to December 16th meeting. 16 C and D is uh after consent calendar. Correct. As part of consent.

As part of consent. Does anyone you have any questions? A and B are appointments to the TOT board and disabilities commission. C is a recommendation to accept Dolores Loan's resignation and 16D is my item about the sober living transparency. You're just asking to hear that with consent. Um I would I would rather not do 16D as part I would rather not do 16D as part of consent. Okay. So is that are you making an amendment? I'll just vote no. Are we doing a roll call vote? Um,

we like to keep it, you know, real spicy on the list. We can do we can do a voice vote. Okay. Money. All in favor? I I No. No. Two nays. Five eyes. The two nays. I heard myself and Zernet Skaya.

All right, that motion carries. Uh, we're now move to general public input and comment on special agenda items for regular meetings. Public comments permitted on special agenda items and items not on the agenda that within the sub subject matter jurisdiction of the city. State law prohibits the city council from taking any action on items not listed on the agenda, including issues raised under this agenda item. For special meetings, public input is limited to scheduled special agenda items only. And currently we have 35 speakers in the queue. The last speaker in the queue is Janet McKithan. We also have three speakers on the phone and we have two public officials. So, we have a total of 40 speakers for this item.

Um, I have a a question, city clerk, because it's not showing up here, so I don't have a list of the speakers. I just show four for general input and then three for Do you guys see them? I don't. Do you see me here? While we're looking for that, can I ask the council if you're amendable to family members or um youth under 18, having the ability to speak for two minutes, considering it's a celebratory night, I assume

Mayor Pertam and myself both have folks that are here, general family that are going to speak. Is that amendable to be flexible at the time? I'm sorry. What is the What are we just flexibility with the two minutes? Do you need a motion for it? Do we need a motion? I mean, we're suspending the rules technically, right? So, motion to suspend the rules. Yeah. Motion to suspend the rules to allow family members and uh youth under 18 to speak for two minutes. I'll second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Seeing none, I Okay.

I can't figure I don't know what's going on with your screen. So, either I can read the names or I can share screens here. Okay. [clears throat] So, am I calling up names? Yes. All right. Are we doing dignitary things after first? What's How's that working?

Um, we can call the two uh I'll call the two elected officials. We have Culver City Council member Dan O'Brien and Assembly Member Rick Zuber. Thank you. Thank you. And first of all, thank you for letting me go first. [laughter] Um, I'm here to congratulate Mayor Lana Negreti for your year of service here in Santa Monica. Um the public might know not know this but as member cities of the Westside Council of Governments we have an opportunity to work with one another frequently. Uh Lana and I got to know each other uh through initially through the US mayor's conference and I learned a lot about her um her her passion for the city uh her lifelong service here. I got to know her family and I know how much this city means to you. Um, I've I've watched from afar the work that you've done, not too far, just a few miles down the the four the 10 to the 405. Um, and it's it's so critical the partnership that we have between cities. Um, and the leadership that you've shown in the region. I know things started out difficultly in in Santa Monica at the beginning of last this year with the fires and you have to you had to be out front all of the sudden. Um, that was a crisis that clearly affected the entire region. Um, and and it was a national news story, but I know how, you know, difficult it was here in Santa Monica, and I know you're still dealing with it. I know the challenges you have with the homelessness, things that we always, you know, all of us are dealing with, the housing crisis. Um, you know, our our business, small business community is struggling. And I see you out there doing the work from Culver City and it's

really appreciated. um and and it's you're really a beacon of light for others to look up to and um and just your leadership shines too and I really appreciate it. And I also want to congratulate um soon to be Mayor Terosis and uh Jesse Zick for your ascension to your roles and uh really look forward to look working with all of you as we move into the next year. I am I I stepped down from my mayor role last night so welcome to the club Lana. [laughter] Um, and I I know that like me, you're going to be continuing to do the hard work. So, congratulations. Thank you. Yes.

[clears throat]

Thank you everyone. Assembly member Rick Zipper.

Good evening. Thank you for having me. Um, you know, I'm here today in different parts of the agenda to do three things. Thank and honor an incredible public servant, Mayor Negreti. um swear in a new mayor who I know will do wonderful things for the city and bore you with a legislative update. Uh I'm joking. I'm hoping that will be at least a little bit interesting. Um now some of you have heard what I'm about to say before and that's because I can't help repeating something that I find so impressive. Imagine that you're a city council member. It's a part-time position, though very timeconsuming. And then on December 11th, you're sworn in as mayor. Less than a month later, the palisades are burning and 100 mph wind gusts are driving fire and fear toward your city. Some people might falter, but not Mayor Lana Negreti. Lana was everywhere organizing resources, sharing information, and providing the steady leadership that the city needed. In short, she was an exemplary public servant and exhibited exemplary leadership. Because of those tragic circumstances, I had the opportunity to work with Lana extensively during her mayorship. This included helping get the National Guard to come protect evacuated areas, supporting the city's efforts to reopen the 10 freeway and eventually then PCH, and much more. After the immediate disaster ended, our state as a whole considered how to better prepare for future emergencies. And Lana helped bring forward a bill proposal that is now law, the Found Act. She joined me in Sacramento where she testified multiple times and helped get that bill passed. I could continue for a while, but I know that there are many other people who would like to thank Mayor Degretti for her service to Santa Monica and the state of California. And Lana, I will just say that it has been wonderful to get to know you and I appreciate our friendship very very much. It's something that was it's one of the highlights of um of the last year and a half as you've been last two years as

you served as mayor. Thank you for your hard work and your dedication and I look forward to [applause] Are you so are we reading the next few names? Sorry. Oh, you have am I getting something? What's happening? Okay, we'll we'll read the next names. Um, are we doing that now? I don't know what's happening. We're just I I have a certificate for you when maybe we can do it when we do the photo.

We do and do the photo. Okay. Thank you, Assembly Member. I'm going to call the first few names up. Fred Denny or Fred Danny, Don Kamacho, Nathan Smithson, and Jackie Romero. Good evening all. Uh, Mayor Negreti, uh, incoming Mayor Thorosis, uh, city council members. Uh, I'm my my name is Fred Denny, and, uh, myself and my husband and business partner partner run Back on the Beach Cafe, city-owned property. um beach uh a familyrun restaurant uh that has served uh residents and visitors for decades. Uh I would also like to congratulate uh incoming Mayor Thorosis uh and uh to uh thank her for the process that uh the city council and she have made on the revitalization plan. I think it's wonderful. I also want to encourage the council uh to keep moving forward and not imply on

Thank you, Don Kamacho.

Uh good evening, Mayor Negreti. Um, I too want to congratulate you on your uh commitment to the city and your years of service. Um, I also want to um congratulate Mayor Terosis. It was great to get to know you briefly. Look forward to working with you. Um, and the revitalization plan uh that Fred was talking about. Um, we're really excited about. Um, my family owns and operates Maria Soul at the west end of the Santa Monica Pier. Uh, I've been there many years. We're also Palisades residents. Uh, so we're all in recovery, but your leadership um was wonderful. Obviously, we've got a a long way to go. Um, you're going to be considering lots of things in the upcoming year, things like uh the mandated labor peace, the right to recall. Um, and I just want you to remember to be an advocate for us, small businesses. Um, and we think those such plans might undermine the revitalization plan, but we're with you. We're here to work with you and we look forward to hopefully a much better year in 2026. So, thank you.

Thank you, Nathan Smithson. [clears throat]

Hi. Thank you. I'm Nathan Smithson. I'm here on behalf of the 27 businesses that make up the Santa Monica Pier. I also want to thank uh Mayor Negradi. She's been a strong partner to the pier and the pier businesses. Um Carolyn, looking forward to your mayorship as well and working closely with you. Uh we're very excited about the revitalization plan. Uh we think the efforts going into that are extremely important to our community as security and the perception of safety is one of the biggest factors that impact the peer businesses and other local businesses as well. Um with the current um perception of public safety and the downturn of tourism over the last 12 months, we are strongly encouraged by these efforts and we believe that uh the direct economic benefit that the city can get from the pier when we are supported really can't be compared to anything else. Um, we invest heavily in maintenance, staffing, operations, visitor safety at the pier. And so adding mandates that increase permitting fees, right to recall, labor peace agreements, all those types of hurdles for our businesses really do strongly impact our small family-owned, legacyowned businesses on the pier.

Thank you. And then I have Jackie Romero. And after Miss Romero, I've got Chris Anderson, Garrett Childers, Dom Bay, and Cody Green. Jackie Romero. I'm not sure if there's folks outside, but um after Jackie, I have Chris Anderson and then Garrett Childers. I think you can come up, Garrett. [clears throat] Good evening, honorable mayor, city council members, and residents of Santa Monica. My name is Garrett Childers. I'm the president for the Santa Monica Firefighters Local 1109. I am here tonight to recognize Mayor Negretti as she concludes her term as a Santa Monica mayor. Mayor, under your watch, we haven't just maintained the status quo. We have evolved to meet modern challenges. You have championed many public safety enhancements over the years. the launch of the ambulance operator program, the advanced provider unit to name a few. You also understand that public safety requires advocacy. From your steady communication during the Palisades fire in January to your daily support of our stations, you have been a true partner. On behalf of the men and women of Local 119, thank you for your support and we look forward to continuing our work with you on the council. We'd like to present these flowers for you, Mayor Negradi. Good evening, uh, Mayor Leri, uh, Negreti, city council, city manager, everyone here. I can make a case for family for getting two minutes, but I'm

not going to go there. I'm going to do one. Um, but I feel like Lana has been like family for us all, especially how many updates we've been getting in this last year. Um, I had a bunch of things that Lana's done in her career, but this is to me not the end of something, but the start of something much bigger. And I think everyone out there in the community has seen uh this position in a way that no one's ever done it before. And you've showed up day in day out. A lot of people don't realize that our mayor is not an elected position, that it's one assigned by you all in the council. Uh there is no bonus that I'm aware of. There's no extra staff. Uh you guys are all working together, but you made it seem like you had uh an army behind you and you did it through cancer. Um you did it with a lot of people doubting what you've done and uh

Thank you. I have uh Jackie Romero and Chris Anderson if you're in the building. If not, we've got Cody Green. And then after Mr. Green, I have Jerry Rubin, Rudy Flores, and Anastasia Foster.

Hello. My name is Cody Green. I'm representing the Police Officers Association here tonight. Um we're here uh just to thank you for everything you've done, and I could talk for half an hour on everything that you've done for us and for this community. Um, and obviously as a Santa Monica High uh graduate, I think if you skinned your knee, it would bleed uh blue and gold, you know, and I think that's that's really true of what you've done for the city uh in your communication uh with everybody. As a as a token of our thanks, uh we've uh made and we are going to present to you a replica badge uh cast in resin. There's only five of these that are out there. Your badge number will be number five. Uh as a police officer, we get a badge number. It's unique to us. It never goes away. And uh you will be badge number five tonight. So we appreciate your service. Thank you. [applause]

Oh my gosh. So cool. [laughter] Can I use this to pull people? Thank you. That was really cool. Uh Jerry Rubin,

uh thank you Jerry Rubin. Santa Monica, mayor, mayor prom council members, city staff, firefighters, police, and fellow Santa Monica. Just want to wish everyone a really happy holiday season, Christmas, Hanukkah, Quanza, and a really happy and healthy new year for everyone. I love all of you on the council. I love all of our city staff. We still have the greatest city in the country, and next year is going to be great. My 82nd birthday is coming up in two days. I hope I'm not that naive. I don't think I am to still think that win-win solutions are a good thing. It's not always possible, but it's something to strive for. And I hope as we go forward, we can really emphasize that in the new year. And of course, you're all invited to my birthday party, everyone, at the gas light Thursday at 6 o'clock 21st in Wilshire. See way I snuck that in in time. [laughter]

Oh, [clears throat] you're just clear. I can't see. Oh, there it goes. Thank you. Up next, I have Rudy Flores. And then after Mr. Flores, I have Anastasia Foster, Remma Simone, and Louie Negreti. Nice. Luis Negrete. Sorry.

Yes. Good evening. My name is Rudy Flores. Um, one of the captains with the Santa Monica Police Department, but also a fellow community member. And so, I want to start off first by thanking everyone on the dis. Um, it's a thankless job and it's not easy. It's not an easy task. So, thank you all very much. I want to congratulate uh Caroline Terosas. It's going to be an exciting and amazing year and I'm sure you will continue to do some some great things. Um, but tonight I really wanted to thank um Lana Negrete from the bottom of my heart on behalf of the department for your leadership, your passion, the support and the commitment um that you made to this community. It is absolutely remarkable and incredible to see and to be a part of. Um, and the energy that you have to do it all. I don't know where you find it. Um, but you did it and you did a hell of a job. And to your family, Louise, uh, Bana and Mia, um, thank you very, very much um, for allowing us to have, um, your amazing past year. She's been incredible. You should all be very proud, but she's not only love the community, but she love you guys. Thank you very much.

Thank you, [applause] Anastasia Foster.

Council, good evening. God, I'm going to cry already. Lana, thank you for a great year. We really do appreciate your service. Um, Carolyn and I struck out onto the streets of Santa Monica together in 2016, and 10 years later, I'm so proud to call her my friend. Santa Monica is getting a very gifted public servant. I've never seen anyone give more of herself, her talents, and her time. And we should feel very fortunate that she wants to do it here. We are at your service. Thank you. And congratulations, Mayor Terosas, [applause] Remma Simone, or Simon. I'm sorry, I just made it fancier. Sorry.

Hi. I just want to thank you, Lana, so much for being um a point of strength and support for all of us as we struggled through the Ocean Avenue 413 and 825 fiasco. and we so appreciate all the help and all the interventions that you were able to provide in a very very timely manner and the whole neighborhood is just in awe of your service. Thank you. Thank you. And then we have Luis Negreti Negrrete aka my husband who has never spoke during [laughter] so do I get two minutes? Yes.

Yes. It says one. There we go. All right. So, I got had a two-minut speech and a one minute speech. I'm gonna go with the two-minute then. Good evening everyone. My name is Luis Neggerete and tonight I have the privilege of speaking not just as a Santa Monica resident, but as a uh husband of someone who I believe is one of the most dedicated public servants the city has ever known. Tonight, my wife officially transitions out of her role as mayor. And while the title may change, her love for Santa Monica never will. When she joined the city council four years ago, it was described as a part-time job. But anyone who watched her serve knows that there was nothing part-time about it. I had a front row seat to the early mornings, the late nights, the weekends filled with meetings, events, calls, and conversations. She didn't put she didn't put in the time because she had to. She did it because she genuinely loves the city. She's born and raised here and and she has Santa Monica in her DNA. The city shaped her and this past year she poured everything she had back into it. I watched her meet with residents, business owners, community leaders, and city workers. She showed up for every voice, especially the ones who felt unheard. She never hesitated even when the feedback was tough or when the loudest critics were the ones hiding behind the keyboards. She always said, "If you have something to say, come say it to me. Let's talk." That openness, that willingness to listen. That is leadership. That is courage. That is what love for the community looks like. This year, her accomplishments have been remarkable. But as proud as I am of her as during her time as mayor, I'm even more excited for what comes next because anyone who knows her knows she's been boxing below her weight. Her vision, her integrity, her forward thinking approach, they're bigger than any single role. And with at least one more year on council, I know she will continue fighting for and ensuring our voices are heard. to Carolyn Terosis who will step into this responsibility next. I wish you the strength, clarity, and the same

deep commitment my wife brought to this role. Santa Monica deserves nothing less. So, you got some big [clears throat]

Thank you. I have Adeline, sorry, Adeline Fagan, Christine Parad, Zena Joseph's, and Alvin Gaelix. Good evening. Tonight we honor a remarkable public servant, our mayor, soon to be our councilwoman Lana Negrete. Throughout her service, she has shown unwavering dedication to issues that matter deeply, especially mental health. Her close partnership with NAMI Westside Los Angeles has helped bring compassion, awareness, and real solutions to our community. NAMI is the largest mental health nonprofit in the United States. As she steps into her new role, we are reminded of her conviction that the crisis of housing instability and severe mental health conditions require coordinated solutions, not acceptance. With strong leadership, thoughtful investment, and community partnership, real progress is possible and within reach. Thank you, mayor, for your service, your vision, and your heart. We look forward to the next chapter of your leadership.

Thank you. Up next, I have former council member Christine Para. Do you notice that the mic is longer? Erica Leslie. Um, but I also wanted to say that I did speak to the clerk earlier and I was told that we had two minutes. That was before everybody else signed up. So, [clears throat]

okay. So, um, okay then. I'm going to speak really fast. Um, thank you, Mayor Negrete, for a year of true leadership. You led with strength, dignity, and compassion, asking the hard questions, often often casting the lone vote, and standing firm. Our committee appreciates everything you've invested in making our city safer, more affordable, and more livable. Earlier this year, the council revisited the rules of order with significant discussion about how the mayor is merely cere cere mayor is merely ceremonial that all council members are equal. You wouldn't know this from today's proceedings. Both mayor Brock and requested someone else administer their oath and were told only the city clerk could do it. Today's different. They were also told no prearties and yet here we are. Those same rule rule discussions emphasized efficiency, time management. Council member Hall was clear. Stick to the rules, including start starting meetings on time. D. Roas has been late to nearly every meeting since taking office. The rest of us made arrangements, uh, adjusted work schedules, and did whatever it took to be on time for people's business. It's troubling to begin a me.

Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Up next is Zena Joseph's. And then after Miss Joseph's, we have Alban Derek Devermont and JP. Oh, I see what somebody did on here. It says IP Freely. So, whoever did that, I said it. [laughter] [laughter] Good one.

Well, thank you. Um, Mayor Negrete, [snorts] I'll try to get through this. I first met you some years ago when we were both serving on a school district advisory committee for the visual and performing arts. Since then, I've watched you deal with challenges facing the city, as well as challenges in your personal life, challenges raising a family, and challenges running a business. You've handled it all with grace and couragey. I can't even talk. Grace and courage and you have all my admiration and I thank [clears throat] you. Thank you, Alvin Gaix.

Um, I did not come prepared to say anything in particular other than thank you, Lana. I knew you would step into this role and show us the rock star that you are, but you blew my expectations away and everyone I speak to in this community. This has been a a crap year. It started I think you were mayor for probably less than a month and then the fires happened and that's when you blossomed. You took charge of the situation. You made a really really tough awful situation digestible for the rest of us. You kept us informed. You did your daily videos. You were there on the spot. You were meeting with other leaders, regional, state, and even national. And it it it put us at ease that we knew that someone who knows what's going on and is putting herself in front of us is in charge and is letting us know what's going on day by day. And those videos never stopped. I mean, you become the newest social media star in my feed. And I've learned so much about this community and you as a person uh for this past year. And I want to thank you as your friend and as your constituent. And to you, Carolyn, good luck. You're going to do a great job as well. We're very supportive of of you in this role. And I know it's going to be great.

Thank you. You guys want to call the Derek Demmont? And then I'm assuming IP Freely is not really here, but it's probably in the restroom. After Mr. Demmont. Oh, he's here. He's here. After that, we've got Alan Mont and Mia Negrete.

Thank you so much. Nice to see everyone. By the way, congratulations, Council Member Swick. Thank you, uh, Mayor Negreti. I appreciate when you tried and did build bridges. I do remember recognize that. But I do want to focus on my very dear friend, uh, soon to be our current mayor, Terosis. Um, I could speak about you as a public servant, but everybody knows and the accolades would go on and on. So, I'm going to speak about you as a friend. During probably the darkest time in my life, my wife's life, I had to make a phone call and we needed help. And this one individual was in a unique position to help. Now, many of you don't know this, or maybe you do. This is an extraordinarily busy person. She moved meetings around. She moved heaven and earth to help us out and did so on time. You will be an an exceptional mayor. And it's about time you were mayor. I could say congrat but I'd rather say congratulations to the city for having you back.

Thank you [applause] mayor. Before the next speaker I have another elected official here. Oh [clears throat] okay. Sorry before. That's okay. Seion Roy SMC board. I'm sorry. That's not a tough act to follow.

Just kidding, my friend Derek. Um, I just wanted to say thank you to Mayor Negrete for her service, but also Carolyn, you are truly an exceptional public servant. And um, I've said this many times. I think people in my family, if I was running against you for something, they'd probably vote for you. and uh um and that's because you serve with integrity. Nobody outworks you. Um and you um you're what it means to be a public official and I really believe that. And so congratulations um on becoming mayor of Santa Monica and I'm looking forward to supporting you. Thank you. Alan Mont,

also known as IP Frequently.

Yeah. [laughter] One year ago, I had hope. Hope that our new mayor would lead our city in a positive direction. You have done that, Lana. After all the chaos of the election, you settled down to business. It is clear that you knew how you wanted to lead and how to get things done. This has not gone gone unnoticed. The last year, everywhere I look, there you are. Showing up at every event with a smile, providing support for the cause. Whether at a city event, a new business opening, or a holiday event, I always look forward to your Instagram updates while you're on the go, usually in the car. What you have done is what we all want to do on this earth. Make a difference. You have accomplished this. And because of all your effort, I say thank you. to new mayor Terosis. I wish you the best and hope to be just as enthusiastic in a year with what you accomplish.

Thank you. Mia Negrete, also my daughter. Wait, do I have two minutes? Yes.

Okay. Um, [laughter] hi, I'm Mia Negrete, may Alana Negret's daughter. I'm not going to take up too much of anyone's time. I just want to say that I'm in extreme awe of my mom. She has done nothing but put countless hours into trying to make the city amazing, all while dealing with quite a crazy family. Um, this past year I watched her become mayor, then just a month later find out that she has breast cancer to then go through multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, all while still serving as your mayor. Through all the meetings, events, and late nights that she had to attend, you guys honestly have more of her time than I do. She still managed to show up not only as my mom, but my best friend. So, thank you, mom, for not only being an amazing mayor, but an an amazing role model for me. You showed what true leadership is. I do want to add that the people who say ruthless things about my mom and other political leaders at meetings, hiding behind a screen online, or wherever you decide, just know that these are people who have family feelings. And when it comes to my mom, remind yourself that her 15-year-old daughter has to see these comments being made about her own mom. I want to remind you that there are other ways to express your concerns about the city. So, let's take those routes in the future. I just [clears throat] um I know my mom is a per not a perfect human being, but she has nonetheless put in so much of her energy and time for the city and should be respected for all that she does. This is not an easy job and you made it look like a piece of cake. So, I love you, Mom, and congrats. [applause] [applause] Uh, I have Oh, it says Nathan, didn't Nathan already come up?

Um, Mayor Negrete, before you call the next speaker, we have Greg Mora, Fred Denny, Jonathan Foster, and Ashley Olsen. Mayor Negrete, we also have an elected official representative, uh, Nick Fairies from Senator Ben Allen's office. Oh, Nick Fair's who I've also known since you were just a little boy. Am [laughter] I out of time already? Yeah.

Hello everybody. My name is Nick Fairies. I represent Senator Ben Allen. Um and I want to congratulate Mayor Negrete on an awesome year as mayor. I had the honor on January of 10th um to go up to the Palisades with Mayor Negrete and I got to see firsthand how much she cares about not just our city community but the broader region as a whole. And um it was really just inspiring to see kind of her dedication to the role in that moment because I know she had just become the mayor. Um and uh just seeing her her dedication in that in that moment was was really inspiring to me. Um I also uh have enjoyed her leadership throughout this year. I think the mayoral updates should be a staple of the mayorship. So um future mayor Terosis um looking forward to that potentially. Um, I look forward to you uh stepping into this new role. Um, and so we have a commendation from the state senate um

for Mayor Lana. So, thank you so much for your service and we enjoy working with you the next year as well as future Mayor Dis as well as the rest of the council. Nobody's leaving. [laughter]

Happy to work with you all. They don't get to serious. Uh, actually Nathan Smithson. Yeah, I called Greg.

Okay,

ready to roll. Mhm.

Thank you. Uh, good evening everybody. Um, my phone died uh a long time ago, so all I got is my heart. Um, but you know, my memory of us uh actually started at Santa Monica High School uh student body. Uh, we've been we've been doing this for a long time. uh organizing community and helping people. Um you know, I wore this tonight for us, for our neighborhood. Uh you know, two of the three who started this brand are no longer with us. And you know, we've got lots of friends uh who didn't make it, but that didn't stop us. That didn't stop you. Uh and I think everybody's seen that uh from you. Uh your leadership is incredible, uh, mayor, and it's just I can't even believe that that you served us as well as you have. Um, I'm just I'm incredibly proud uh to be from Santa Monica and to be your constituent and your friend. Uh, Carolyn, good luck. I've got two seconds. We're here for you.

Thank you. I have up next Fred Denny. There's Oh, sorry. Now the names are it's happening. Don't forget they spoke already. Okay, so let me scroll down. Uh Jonathan Foster, Ashley Olsen, Russell Denin, and Denny Zayn. [snorts]

Hello. Uh Jonathan Foster. I have been upset with the mayor since the beginning when you [clears throat] were appointed. I I've never I haven't I know you do great things. There's a lot of people here and I'm a lot about giving the squeaky wheel gets the oil and uh now uh I I understand you protected your children from the cigarette smoke, but now you've got me playing on Third Street for beer drinkers. And it's not just you, it's all seven of you and the 501c3 crap that's having and you did a a December 4th lighting of the tree with beer drinking and the families out there. you know, beer and families don't really go together. There's a lot of people that are going to do family and get beer and it's that's a bunch of really. And [clears throat] um when you talk about family and kids and all this kinds of stuff and um I I've just never been happy uh to play music for beer drinkers and cigarette smokers. And that's what's happening on Third Street Promod. I'm being forced to play for beer drinkers while they're out there with

Ashley Olsen. [clears throat]

Good evening, Lana. You've done so incredible. I know I've been uh a thorn in your side at times and have made sometimes things challenging, but you've always been willing to listen no matter what kind of criticism or or uh difficulty you face. And we've seen you grow so much as a leader in our community. And we're so proud of you. and I'm up here representing many dozens of residents who just want to say thank you and how proud we are of you. So, um I'm glad you're not going anywhere and we look forward to seeing what come like your future and where you end up and welcome Mayor Terosis. Um I hope that uh you and I can get along and have a constructive and productive future. Thank you. Up next, I have Russell Denin, and then Denny Zayn, Mike Solaf, and then Denise Barton. Thank you so much for having me. I'd better start my speech because it's just two minutes. Um, dear Mayor Lennon Negrad, first and foremost, I want to begin by saying that you are truly one of a kind. Your genuine care and your constant presence of the people of Santa Monica made you not just a leader but a true part of our community. It's rare to find an official who is always accessible whether on social media and just around town, always ready to listen and lend a hand. Uh you've shown us the leadership can be deeply human and it's truly so. Starting from th that incredible spirit, you guided us through the tough times of the Pacific Policades wildfires, ensuring our city remained safe. You didn't just manage a crisis, you brought a sense of the calm and reassurance of

all of us. You also stood firmly for a more compassionate approach to immigration, believing that those who truly Thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Denny Zane. Council members, I'm Denny Zayn. I'm here tonight uh representing Santa Monicans for renters's rights. Uh Mayor Negrete, we'd like to congratulate you on a job well done under very difficult circumstances. We all know that it wasn't really just the fires, it was also postco and lots of other disruptors that we were dealing with here. [snorts] Council member Terosas, got thank you a lot for all of your leadership on renters's rights and affordable housing. Thank you for your time on the rent control board. Thank you for the leadership on those issues that you will bring to this office. We are confident that you are going to be a stellar mayor and make us all proud.

Thank you Mike Soloff. [applause]

So first Lana want to congratulate you and thank you for a year. Um we don't always agree on policy issues. I think it's important to say that because people can disagree about policy issues but still recognize that the other person cares about the city and is really trying their best. And so I thank you for that. As someone who also as a spouse of the mayor of the city and also has had my family and myself attacked online, I appreciate your comments as well. Um, as to for Carolyn, um, one of the few nice things about getting older is you get to see people who you knew when they were just young people out of college and whatever, grow into these incredible public servants and and people. But and Caroline's done that. But the thing that attracted me to her in the first place, which is still there, is how deeply she cares about those who are most disadvantaged in our society and making sure that in everything she does that we're advancing those people's interests and fighting for them as hard as we can. So, thank you for that and I look forward.

Thank you, [applause] Denise Barton. And then after Miss Barton, I have Janet Mclofflin, Hajar St. Clair, and Zack Gadik. Oh, Zack. Miss Barton, you're in here twice. Are you speaking on two items? I'm speaking on public input and the special agenda item.

Good evening. I'd like to share with you an experience I had last Saturday, December 6, 2025. Around 9:00 p.m. at the intersection of Second in Arizona, there was a woman loudly screaming vulgarity on the southwest corner. I watched as she came across the street and I moved out of her way. Yet the large black woman continued speaking vulgarity and came at me, chasing me around a car parked on the second street a few times. At one point, I quickly began walking in the bike lane back to the front of my building where I was able to get in without further incident because she was still coming my way. But this is your version of safety. Next, um, my reasons for Caroline Teros is not to be mayor. The anonymous letter, as she calls it, was pretty spot-on, and her response, where she thinks quite highly of herself, is comparable to putting lipstick on a pig. She obviously has a preset itinerary by her actions regarding housing for the severely mentally ill on Ocean Avenue. You don't care about what the residents want, which can be seen through your voting on things like district voting, civic center, and many others. and safety. Don't make me laugh. Didn't you not Didn't she not vote to increase the police officers to the number Chief Batista said was would be needed so the lawlessness of the city continues on. She's voted for every housing development she could while neglecting an evacuation plan for the city. Through this, I hope everyone can see Caroline Terrosus would not be a good mayor. She lies, can't be trusted, and quite possibly is a psychopath by her raging denials. Thank you.

Hajar St. Clair. Oh, sorry. Janet Mclofflin is next. Sorry, Janet. After Miss Mclofflin, I have Hajar St. Clair and then Zack Gadzick and then Janet Gallery Mclofflin. Joe, I have one minute or two. When it starts, it'll change to one because it says two. I know. When you start talking, I'll start the timer and then it'll be one minute.

Okay. Well, anyway, um Thanksgiving has passed, but we still have an awful lot to be grateful for. I'm very grateful that you're honoring St. Monica's tonight. Um Mons, you're a rock star. And I don't know if people know how much that he does and how the how much the church does for the community at large and all of Los Angeles and for Dora, Kenya. And um I'm proud to be a member of St. Monica's. Um I'm also very grateful that you're here, Sequoia. You are awesome and amazing and you are so brave to speak your story about being body broker. Oh my gosh, we had a nice talk and thank you so much. Um, thank you Lana. When pe when you announced that you had cancer, a lot of people said, "Oh, she's going to step down." I said, "No, she will not." And instead, you were like the movie, everything all at once. Man, you were just a force of nature. And um and we really appreciate you so much. And thank you uh Miss Caroline Terosas for stepping into the the big shoes to fill that I mean not literally um the shoes of mayor and we

wish you all the success and hope that you will be accessible to all of us in thank you so much. Thank you. And then we have Miss Hajar St. Clair. I don't see her if she's making her way up. She can come speak after Zach. I see you there. Zach actually went to go last. Are you okay with going right now? Or did you want to go last? Unless Janet wants to go ahead of me. I'll go. Thanks. No problem. Talk amongst yourselves.

So, good evening everyone. My name is Zachary Gzik and I'm here on behalf of LA County Supervisor Lindseay Horvath. Mostly I'm here just to say Lana, this has been an incredible year. An incredibly difficult, frustrating, painful year. And it has been wonderful having you at the helm of the city that I call home, that you call home, where we both grew up together. And it's been such a trouble. But when those fires broke out, you came immediately to do everything you could to support the community, to support the Palisades, uh, and bring the city and all of its resources to bear, to help with the evacuations, and so many other things. So, I want to make sure to thank you for all of those things. Uh, I also spoke with Larry Vine from uh, Palisad Strong earlier today. He said to give you a big hug and to acknowledge you and thank you for all that you've did this past year. I know this was a very unprecedented year. I think we're all ready for some precedented times, some calm, boring, uninteresting times.

Thank you. Also have a little piece of paper. Fancy. Yours is a

Thank you. Next one there. Sorry. Janet Gallery McKithan. And then after that we have Jennifer Kennedy. John

I'm sorry. Before you call those names, those names are actually late the next six names. So council will need to vote to hear those. So the next six names are Jennifer Kennedy, John Katz, Kaylee Malloy, Sean D. Uh I make a motion to hear these items.

Second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? No. So Janet Gallery McKithan, no John Catz and then Kaylee Malloy and Sean Delg Guadio. And you may as well The last two speakers are Harvey Eder and Kenna. I can't see the whole name because this thing is in the way. I think it's Oh, Kenna Stevens. Hi, Jennifer Kennedy. My sincere gratitude to you, outgoing mayor Negrete, for your dedicated service to our community. To Carolyn, both for me personally and from my post as coordinator for Santa Monicans for renters's rights, I enthusiastically congratulate you on becoming mayor and look forward to working collaboratively with you in the year ahead. Your long-standing commitment and dedication to the community gives renters confidence in your ability to guide the the city with vision and integrity and to strengthen renters's rights in the upcoming year. Smur sent out an email um to members and friends announcing your installation and so many people wrote back and said congratulations and offered you support and best wishes. Congratulations Mayor Terosas.

Thank you John Catz.

Uh good evening everybody. First Mayor Negrete, thank you so much for your year of service and I know we haven't always agreed but I really appreciate everything you've done for our community. Carolyn, I'm so proud of you and so happy that you're going to be the mayor for Santa Monica and I personally can't think of anybody else that I would rather see as mayor of the city. I became the president of our dem club at the same time that you got elected to the rent control board. So, I've had the opportunity to see from a front row seat your rise and and how much you care about the people, the residents of this city and how you put them first over everything else in your life. And I'm really grateful. And I know that you're not doing this because of things you want to do for me. It's because of things you want to do for Avery and Graham and the next generation of Santa Monicans. And that's where your heart is. And thank you so much. And Avery told me to tell you, you're going to do a great job.

Kaylee Malloy. And then after Miss Mallaloya, uh, Sean Delgado, Harvey Eder, and Kenna Stevens. Hi there. I'm Kaylee Malloy. I'm here to speak on behalf of the American Cancer Society, and I just want to say the most heartfelt thank you to Mayor Lana Negreti. Um, I got to meet Lana when she was uh going through her breast cancer treatment. I was connected to her and it she called me moments after she was like on her she was driving home from surgery after having surgery post her di diagnosis and I was like well we can wait we can talk about you know whenever you're available and she's like no no no let's do it now that's just how she is she's amazing she's a force of nature and she gives to others before herself in this the most beautiful and and just amazing way and I'm so grateful to be in your orbit and a part of your world. And to all of the people of Santa Monica who have felt your support through um your breast cancer journey. It's just incredible what you do and and I just want to say thank you.

Thank you. Um I've got Sean Delgado and then Harvey Eder.

Hi Council Sean Delgadoio. How are you? Um, eight years ago, this article was written in the Santa Monica Daily Press. Evil and corruption. Some corruption. It's fairly long, but I'll cut to the chase. Maybe there's bribery. I mean, rather some corruption, maybe even actual criminal activity. Salaries are skyhigh for city staff positions. Um, maybe there's bribery, profitering, double dealing, wife swapping, human trafficking, gun rugging, drug smuggling, quid pro crows clothes like crazy, extortion, maybe death threats. Those of us who suspect something have been labeled paranoid conspiracy theorists, out of touch with reality, living in the past, and really mean nimbies. 911 Montana Avenue is a 911 emergency, if you will. Um uh the Mills Act is tied to this project. Um the uh initial architectural designs that were submitted to the city showed everybody.

Thank you, sir. Thank you. Harvey Eder, he's on his way up if you want. And then I have Kenna Stevens. If you want to go before I can

not Harvey, not Harvey. Hello, council members. My name is Kenna. I'm the owner of the Trappies School in the Santa Monica Pier. I'm here today to talk to you about the labor peace agreement. Uh when they asked us to come speak, I knew I was not the right person. I'm never good with my words, but I wanted to share with you my opinion of my job. Uh you recently released the renovate, what is the word? It starts realignment. Re uh no, no, no. It's for the goals for the city and the realignment plan.

Revitalization. Realignment. Okay. Realignment. fine. Uh part of that was using land that the city doesn't currently use and getting rent from that and we are looking forward to hopefully in 2026 being part of that at the Santa Monica airport. Part of that is though I have 27 employees who are highly skilled and if we be oh 11 seconds um if we have to go unionize I have to either get rid of the staff or I have to close. Thank you so much.

Thank you Harvey Eder. Oh crap. Uh, good evening. My name's Harvey Eder. Should have two minutes. I'm I'm founder director of Public Solar Power Coalition, the tenants association at 12th Street. Got got locked out there 7 months ago, but six months of the shelter got a 30-day notice. That's up in a couple of days. got misled by uh legal aid that there was appeal this for uh not meeting special needs for disabled people and other things. Uh they g me a five-page thing on Friday. The number five it said they can refuse to do this. They're not deal with laxa. So that's Excuse my French. And I'm trying to get a trro. I was sexful. They had had this six months ago when slammed on me six years ago. Work with Gibson done. Won the case over to presiding judge here. All right. So I will incorporate by reference Harvey Eder homeless man Santa Monica June 22 on soft white 15 minutes breach of contract p done on the street on second street here and down filmed on main street there's resources I never seen a penny I need it now I've got health

thank you and that three speakers on the Edgar can you please bring in the phone callers Hi, good evening council members. We have two callers tonight. Our first caller is Mr. Mike Montgomery. If you could please press star six to unmute yourself. You have one minute.

Go ahead. Hello. Uh, our new mayor had advanced knowledge of the plan to place severely mentally ill individuals into Ocean Avenue facilities. She had that information. She was asked about it and she denied it. The reporting now makes it unmistakably clear that her denial is false. So, to all the residents of this city, the true stakeholders in this public domain, we must decide what level of honesty, integrity, and leadership we're willing to live with. Thank you.

Mr. Steven Price, you have one minute. Uh, please press star six to unmute yourself.

So, let's let's stop pretending that we don't know what happened. Council member Carolyn Terosas knew about the plan to move severely mentally ill individuals into Ocean Avenue properties. She knew and she kept it from the public. Then she denied knowing anything at all. And this isn't an isolated moment. It fits a pattern. a council member whose decisions repeatedly align with the interests of her employer, LA County, even when those interests run directly against the safety, stability, and economic health of Santa Monica. So tonight, I'm not asking for another explanation, another statement, or another round of damage control. I'm asking this council to take formal action. Conduct a full ethics review of council member Heros's involvement, her conflicts, and her failure to disclose material information to the public. Put it on an agenda. Vote on it. Show us whether transparency is a value or just a talking point. Accountability is not optional. It is a bare minimum of public service. All right, thank you for your time. Uh, that is all.

Thank you. That concludes public input for this item. We'll now move on to item 2A, commendation for St. Monica Catholic Church.

I'm so excited to do this on my way out. And sorry, man, senior that you had to sit a little bit longer. Hopefully, you don't miss your dinner plans. Um, I am not only a parishioner of St. Monica's. I was married there 20 years ago. My children have been baptized and communed and confirmed, but it is truly been the heartbeat of Santa Monica. So, this commendation is to honor St. Monica's. It is with great pride and deep appreciation that the city of Santa Monica recognizes St. Monica Catholic Community for its steadfast spiritual leadership, profound civic engagement, and enduring service to generations of Santa Monica residents. Established in 1886, St. Monica's began its ministry when Santa Monica was still a small coastal town, growing from a modest parish mission into one of the most vibrant and active Catholic communities in the region. And whereas the current church, completed in 1925 and dedicated in 1926, has stood for nearly a century as a place of worship, refuge, and fellowship for people of all backgrounds, reflecting the city's rich cultural diversity and spirit of inclusion. And whereas through countless ministries, outreach programs, and volunteer efforts, St. Monica's has uplifted seniors, supported families, aided those experiencing poverty, and strengthened civic relations all the way always guided by its mission to form loving disciples who will transform the world. And whereas St. Monica's historic commitment to education and youth development is reflected through its elementary and high schools who have shaped generations of thoughtful, compassionate leaders dedicated to service, learning, and community building. And whereas in times of challenge, including the [clears throat] 1994 Northridge earthquake when the church structure was damaged, St. Monica's continues its ministry with resilience and hope. Whereas St. Monica's ongoing stewardship, spiritual guidance, and compassion continue to foster a strong ethical and moral foundation for thousands of parishioners and neighbors, contributing immeasurably to the well-being, dignity, and spirit. And this is not in here, but I don't know if you know that every year during

Thanksgiving, St. Monica's feeds over a thousand families in need. They give muchneeded medical care, access to services, haircuts, and they will be doing more of that this holiday season. But more importantly, they've opened their doors post fires to many other parishioners and families, giving them not just the hope and the faithful Sundays and connection to community, but resources, money, and many other things including clothing and items of need. So therefore, I, Lana Negrete, mayor of the city of Santa Monica, and on behalf of the members of the city council, do hereby commend and honor St. Monica's Catholic community in honor of its dedicated service, inspiring spiritual leadership, and meaningful contributions to the Santa Monica community. Thank you, Monscior and Felipe. [applause]

Yes. Yes. You know, most people are not um Oh, you're looking. Thank you. Most pe is it right? May I speak? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, sorry. Okay. They were getting ready for a photo. Most people um are not canonized until they're dead. You know, that's when you when you receive candid Lana got it tonight. Sister, congratulations. You're the real deal. And I love you very very much. [applause]

Great. On behalf of our pastor, Monscior Torresen and all of the parishioners at St. Monica Catholic Community, I wanted to thank Mayor Lana Negrete and all the city city council for this meaningful honor. It's an honor to be here in this city that shares the name of our patron saint. Our patron saint St. Monica was a woman from North Africa who earned her saintthhood by praying tirelessly for her son Augustine. That prayer transformed her son, transformed our church, and it transformed this world. And we believe that St. Monica continues to pray for all her sons and daughters, both at St. Monica Catholic Community and in this city that bears her name. Like Lana mentioned, we inspired by that uh spirit of prayer and service. Most recently, we served over a thousand guests, uh, people who are needy and and most vulnerable at Thanksgiving time. We served 1,000 meals, gave out 450 sleeping bags, 4,000 items of clothing, and 105 haircuts. And now, as we move into Christmas, I want to let you know that you are all welcome at St. Monica. Whether you're coming to pray, to celebrate, or just for a place of rest, you are welcome. So, thank you, Mayor Lana and incoming Mayor Carolyn. Congratulations.

Absolutely. Thank you for standing behind us always. item. Hey, Monica's is also the host by the way, January 22nd to the loss of homeless count. So, make sure you sign up. Item two, the recommendation for Sequoia The

Okay, you can stand up if you'd like. I met Seoia online and um and because she was being she was an advocate at the state level and I was seeing all these videos of her and um she was talking about something that occurred in my family but I didn't really know what it was and it was called body brokering and she has been a champion for folks and um I want to read this commendation and and let you say a few words and thank you so much for coming here tonight and sharing your story. Whereas Sequoa Then serves as an advocate and policy adviser on the California Sober Living and Recovery Task Force, providing insight to state leaders on the realities inside recovery programs, identifying gaps and oversight and lending her expertise to support legislation that seeks to protect patients and hold bad actors accountable. And whereas Sequoia is leading is a leading voice in the movement to amend California's human trafficking laws so that victims of patient brokering can finally access the services and protections available to other trafficking survivors and to bring state law into alignment with federal standards. And whereas Sequoia has brought national attention to patient brokering as a form of human trafficking through two congressional testimonies and her role as an adviser on the National Geographic investigative series trafficked, helping the nation understand the severity and human cost of these exploitive schemes. And whereas SEOA founded the National Patient Brokering Prevention Initiative, a survivor-led effort dedicated to prevention education, building trust with survivors, strengthening policy, and filling critical gaps and recognition training for police, federal law enforcement, and human trafficking agencies, work that will gain even greater impact as legal reforms advance. And whereas Sequoia is the forthcoming author of Brokered to be released in February, a groundbreaking book that documents her year inside the patient brokering system, exposing its psychological, structural, and political drivers and offering the nation a rare and powerful analysis from someone who lived it, recognized it, and courageously chose to fight back. [snorts] And whereas as a survivor of

patient brokering, Sequoia Thins has fearlessly transformed her lived experience into a force of justice, speaking publicly about how individuals, particularly those who are duly marginalized, are trapped, exploited, and harmed in underregulated recovery programs. Now therefore, I, Lana Negrete, the mayor of city of Santa Monica, on behalf of the members of this council, do hereby commend and honor Sequoia Thins for her work saving lives, shaping policy, and demanding accountability in an industry that has too often operated in the shadows. Santa Monica honors your service, your courage, and your underlying voice for justice. Thank you so much. Thank you. [applause]

I'm so honored. I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking this issue really seriously. Um, Mayor Lana Negrete is very brave. Like her calling these people and confronting them and being very at the forefront of humanizing people who are suffering from addiction. Um, this is something I talk about very often. When I was able to escape body brokering, I was able to go on to found the first indigenous student organization at Santa Monica College. Um, it's called Indigenous Scholars. Um, we're on our way to get a center, etc. Um, I am just really grateful for everyone that has taken the time to educate themselves about body brokering. If you don't know what it is, you should definitely educate yourself. It represents probably the biggest failure of our health care system in modern times. Um, especially as it relates to addiction treatment. And [sighs and gasps] I just you've done more in such little time than so many politicians I've worked with. And I say that, you know, proudly because you're amazing. So, thank you so much for your work.

Thank you. [applause]

I'm so excited. Beautiful. that Okay.

Item 2C, recognition of outgoing mayor may merit red day. Sorry. So, I just first want to start off and say, um, I think we all have acknowledged in the public comments here that this year has been extraordinarily difficult. Um, we obviously were hit first of the year with the fires. Um, I'll say it. We have the Trump administration and the financial impact that that's causing the immigration raids. Um, and through it all, Lana has led us with clarity, uh, with a a clear voice. Um, she's done us proud on the regional and national stage, quite frankly, uh, when she was thrown right into it and showed up every single morning for every single briefing, um, to stand behind our city and county leaders uh, to show solidarity with the rest of the region. And I just have to say I don't think I know someone who works as hard as you do. Um despite the fact that we might not always agree. I I think we all agree on the fact that Lana has put everything out on the line for this city. Um we are all operating from a place of love for this city. But the love that Lana has for this city is absolutely extraordinary. Um and she's made all of us proud. Uh so I I I very much acknowledge that I have very big shoes to fill. Um you know, Lana keeps it fun. Uh Lana speaks from her heart. I'll try to do a little bit more of that. I don't know if I'm going to be able to replicate as much as of of that as Lana, but you have just an innate love, knowledge, awareness, and passion for the city. And we are so so grateful for your leadership. Um thank you. Thank you to your family uh who has loaned you to us. Uh thank you to you um for everything that you've done. And so we're really proud. Uh we're we're sad uh to see you go, but we have a few gifts.

I'm not going anywhere. Well, no. To to go from this position. So, do you know something? I don't know. No. Um and I don't know uh if if you would like me, Josh, to explain them, but um wait, are we supposed to bring her down there? We have to explain them. Yes. So, um there there's some flowers. Obviously, they're in front of you. Actually, there the flowers are in front of me. The flowers. Sorry. Yeah. Okay. Um, we also have a a a beautiful I they took it away from me, but a beautiful photo book uh to commemorate your year as mayor uh and all of the hard work that you had to do this year. Oh, where is it? No, I don't think so. Oh, that Oh my god. Okay, [laughter] now this was it was

Okay, we have a beautiful Lana can open it and show it to all of you, but there's a beautiful photo book that the team made of all of your time as mayor. Can you show Can you give that to me, too? This is I thought they were for me. No, unfortunately not. Um, and then uh we also have I don't know if you want to show the the crowd what the the mug says, but there is an accompanying shirt that is in the mail. So, you're going to see a picture of the shirt, but just you can read what the mug You can read what the mug says. They both say the same thing. So, you can read what the mug says first. You can take guesses as to the tagline. Oh, she has to open it up. Sorry. Can you say it in front of the children? Sure, you can. I say a lot of things.

It says stay sassy. Um, and for those who don't know, that's how we Lana ended every meeting that way. Um, and I have to say that she delivered on bringing the fund back to Santa Monica because that is absolutely what we're doing. So, thank you so much. Does do any of my colleagues want to say anything? Okay. Oh, I don't see the queue, but yes, go ahead.

So, I won't take too long. I just also wanted to say thank you, Mayor Negrete. It's been a pleasure working with you and I really appreciate how you've just brought yourself into this role and you've not only shown that you can just be yourself and be a human being and be genuine and authentic as an elected official, but I also just really appreciate your vulnerability that you shared up here. It it's really meaningful and I know there are gifts from the council, but I also made you a scarf. Thank you. Did you just not that?

Oh, no. It's okay. Raskins in the queue. Oh, sorry. Yeah. Uh, no. Thank you, uh, Mayor Grete, for your leadership over this over this difficult year. Um and uh I I I do want to acknowledge that that representation does matter and I know that that you have spoken with a unique voice, unique experiences uh and have led with strength and uh you know at the end of the day we all want a city that is is safe and a city where the next generation can thrive and I appreciate from the bottom of my heart the work that you've done to advance that. Thank you. Well, I have something I want. So with that I think Mayor Negrete.

All right. So I'll make it quick. I know we all are in between uh close session and celebrations, but I just wanted to give you a quick final thought in this year. Tonight is bittersweet for me, and I did write it down this time just in case. Um, serving as your mayor this past year and as a council member since 21 has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I came on to the DAS as a business owner, a nonprofit founder, a PTA mom, and someone who grew up in the rent control departments right here in Santa Monica. I didn't come with a traditional political resume, and when I first stepped onto this council, I was told I didn't have the qualifications by some in the community to be here. and later I was told that I didn't have the experience to lead as mayor. I hope you feel that I've served you in this role with honesty, heart, and everything I had to give. This year has been an adventure from day one. I started the year with a fire, literally. And before we caught our breath, we were in a manhunt. We moved from evacuations to relocations to supporting an economy already under strain. We hired a new city manager, transitioned key leadership, including our city attorney, and guided a city in constant motion. It was demanding and unpredictable, but I embraced it because our community deserved steady deserved steady leadership and I did it alongside you. I also want to acknowledge something personal. Many of you watched me go through the hardest season of my life last year, losing my father and battling breast cancer. That journey didn't end there. I'm still undergoing treatment today. And while I show up here with a strong face, many days I've been fighting quiet battles behind the scene. I share that because so many of you and our community are carrying our own struggles silently. I see you. I understand you and I carried that empathy into every decision I made up here. I am proud of what we accomplished together. Strengthening communication, transparency, accountability, activating public spaces with more music, events, and cultural energy. And more of that is to come. advancing the entertainment zone, making permitting easier for small businesses, expanding tools through the fire like the ambulance services, and creating new programs that I'm excited to have championed, like our youth shadowing program at city government that will be coming out, our neighborhood cleanups, and our new people's academy, peeling back the

curtain and engaging folks on civic engagement right here at city hall. I am especially proud to have stood alongside the generations of families at Virginia Avenue um apartments, a community that represents the Santa Monica I grew up in and the Santa Monica I hope we never lose. As we rapidly grow and evolve, Virginia Avenue Park reminds us who we are at our core, a city rooted in history, culture, and belonging. Protecting these communities is just as important as building for the future. to our city staff. We often say up here that we don't have support, but I want to acknowledge everyone, but especially Sandra Santiago and Lizzie A. Costa, Kenishha Williams, who's not in our department anymore, and Gilbert, who's also not in our department anymore. Thank you for supporting me through every twist and turn and all my crazy requests. And also everyone else, I just want to say I acknowledge that it takes a lot to support someone like me who does want to be everywhere all the time. And I also want to thank my team at the music center, our staff who kept my family business afloat through all of this. You have run the day-to-day operations, supported my family, embraced the community members who walk in there and treat the store like a city hall and ask you all questions. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, and unwavering support. To my colleagues, we don't always agree, and that's okay. True public service isn't about agreement. It's listening. I respect anyone who takes on this role as long as they are willing to listen to the community, especially when it's uncomfortable or when voices challenge their own perspective. And now to my family. My husband has become my unofficial chief of staff, my scheduler, my sounding board, my number one photographer and Instagrammer, someone who doesn't even have social media. There were times he watched a board or commission meeting before I even got to it and had it queued up on the TV in the morning. He has held our family together so I could be here for all of you. You figured out how to do the grocery shopping, drop off the kids. I think now you know their middle name. Just kidding. [laughter] But you have really stepped up in ways that I couldn't even imagine. And I

truly could not have done this without you. To my girls, I know you have paid a really big price for this work that I've taken on. You have had to share your mom with an entire city. You've seen some of the uglier parts of civic life, the comments, the criticism, and even you were attacked at times, and you handled it with such grace, more grace than most adults. Tonight, I'm missing at another concert. My daughter's a senior at Samo, and it just happens to always be when I'm either sworn in or transitioning to some role, and there were too many nights like that. The time we lost is time I can't get back. But I hope that you know why I did it. because I believe in building a city that you and kids just like you can afford to live in, feel safe in, and be proud to call home. To my friends, all of you have supported me, encouraged me, and show up for me. Thank you. You know who you are. I want to give a special thanks to Donna, Lisette, and Darlene who have spent countless nights with me. The tough nights, the long nights, the celebratory ones, too, but mainly the really tough ones. Thank you. Showing up with unwavering support and love. You have been my anchors in this journey. Before I close, I want to congratulate um Mayor Prom Carolyn Terosis, our future mayor, as she steps into this role. Carolyn, I wish you the clarity and strength in your year ahead. Stay rooted in community, in the stories, the neighborhoods, the parks, the small businesses, because that is where the heart of leadership truly lives. Lead with accessibility, openness, and heart, and you will do well. So yes, while this is bittersweet, it is not a goodbye. It's just a change in title. I will continue to serve as your council member. I will continue showing up in neighborhoods, parks, small business meetings, school meetings, and community gatherings. I will continue asking the hard questions and bridging the gap between city hall and the people who call Santa Monica home. And I will continue to proudly be a little sassy on your behalf. Thank you for trusting me with the rule. I love you, Santa Monica.

Let's keep doing the work together. Keep it sassy. [applause]

[applause]

Um, I'm now going to turn the meeting over to the city clerk. Yes. Item 2D, installation of meritois, administration of oath by assemblyman Burr Rip Zubur. But before we get to that, I do need a motion from council to suspend the rules to swear in Mayor Promtoas as mayor and council members Vic as mayor prom. I make that motion. Second. Moved by council member Snell, seconded by council member Hall. That correct? All those in favor? Hi, I

Mayor I'm sorry, Mayor Pam, if you want to step in front of the podium and stand.

As the uh as the city transitions to a new mayor, it's my honor and privilege to swear in a woman who I know will be an excellent leader in the year ahead. Carolyn Terrosus is a dear friend and has exhibited strong leadership throughout her time as an in elected office. And additionally, she brings a valuable perspective through her work as policy director for LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell. And I know her experience with economic development will serve the city well. Carolyn will bring commitment and energy to this role. And I'm grateful I will continue to have the same kind of warm friendship with our new mayor that I've enjoyed with Mayor Negrete. Um, so it's my honor to be to be asked to swear in um a very good friend, Santa Mon's new mayor, Carolyn Terosis. And so without further ado, if you'll repeat after me. Ready? I, Carolyn Terosis,

I, Carolyn Terosis, do solemnly swear or affirm do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California and the Constitution of the State of California and that I will faithfully discharge the duties and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of mayor of the city of Santa Monica of mayor of the city of Santa Monica according to my best ability. according to my best ability. Thank you.

CONGRATULATIONS. [applause] [cheering] [applause] [applause] MAYOR.

OH, what do I do? [laughter] Sorry. I don't know what happened to my the other part of this. I might have to It's okay. I just the magnet. You know what? I can take Not yet. Not until Not yet. Not until after council member. Yeah. If you could just switch with Mayor Teros. Should I just switch with Jesse because he's going to switch over here? He's ready to Yeah, it's fine. Yeah. The clerk. Um Mayor I'm sorry, Mayor Terosa. Um, do you have any words you want to say before? Yeah.

Oh, we do that before Jesse sworn in. Okay, sure. I'll just do that here. [snorts]

So, thank you colleagues. Uh, thank you former Mayor Negrete. Uh, I'm humbled and I'm energized to be here today as your mayor. And let me say this clearly. I didn't come here to fill a seat. I came here to get things done. When I think about what being mayor really means, I do not think about a title. I think about responsibility. I think about the simple promise that local government can and should make life better for the people who live and work in this city. We are at a turning point as a city, not a crisis, but a moment where the choices we make will determine what kind of city we become for future generations. And I am stepping into this role with a clear agenda and a clear philosophy because leadership to me is about clarity and honesty. It's about naming the challenges in front of us, choosing a direction, and staying accountable for delivering solutions. It's about progress that you can see and feel every day and measure over time. And it is about taking responsibility for our financial future. We will write the fiscal ship so that the city can meet not just this moment but the moment 10 and 20 years from now. That is the spirit of our renaissance agenda. It's our commitment to a city that is clean, safe, affordable, vibrant, and proud of itself. A city where renters feel secure, where neighborhoods feel cared for, where families can put down roots, and where businesses can thrive again. As mayor, here's what we're going to do together. I know that we're not always going to agree on everything, but we are going to work together to leave this city better than we found it. We will deliver cleaner and safer streets. That means fast graffiti removal, more consistent sanitation, better lighting,

and more visible public safety presence. People should feel safe walking to work, to school, to dinner, or to the bus. They should see a city that is maintained and cared for. We will strengthen renter protections and expand access to affordable and stable housing. Santa Monica has always been a place where working people can build a life. We will protect that. We will guard against displacement, support renters with strong consumer protections, and continue building the housing this moment requires for young professionals and working families. We will also stand firm for those working families in a time when the federal government is absolutely failing to do so. Across the country, we see attacks on renters, on basic safety net programs, and on the workers and immigrants who keep our communities running. Santa Monica will not follow that path. We will hold the line on affordability, and we will protect the people that make this city work. We'll bring economic life back to our corridors in our downtown. And we are already seeing the momentum. [clears throat] You will see more major events and activations coming soon. More reasons for people to rediscover the heart of this city. We are preparing to welcome visitors from across the world for the World Cup, the Super Bowl, and the Olympic Games. These moments will showcase Santa Monica on an international stage and support our local economy by driving foot traffic and spending that will grow our businesses. These events will also help rebuild the city's long-term financial stability. A strong local economy means stronger city services. We will also make our city government more transparent and accountable. In the coming weeks, we will launch Santa Monica scorecard to track our progress towards achieving the realignment plan. This scorecard will publish clear data on how we are doing in core areas like

safety, cleanliness, housing, economic recovery, and workforce health. No guessing, no vague promises, just measurable, measurable progress that everyone can track. Residents deserve that level of transparency and our staff deserve clear goals that guide their work. I just want to pause for a moment and speak directly to the staff. You make this city function every day. Yes. Thank [applause] you. You you fix the street lights, answer the calls, clean the sidewalks, run the programs, respond to emergencies, manage the budgets, and support our seniors and youth. And we absolutely could not do this without you because, as you've heard multiple times, this is a part-time council. You do the hard work. I know these have been challenging years. I want you to know that the work you do matters deeply to all of us. Our success depends on your success. That's why we invested and will continue to invest in your morale, your training, and your ability to do your job well. A strong municipal workforce means a strong city. We also cannot ignore the national landscape. Working families are under attack. Federal policy choices are putting pressure on renters, on immigrants, on low-income residents, and on local governments asked to do more with less. In the coming weeks, I will be asking my council colleagues to join me in bringing forward policies that will strengthen affordability, expand protections for working families, and help residents weather the storm coming from Washington. If the federal government steps back, we will step up. Santa Monica is no longer Thank you. Santa Monica is no longer in freef fall, but we are in a serious moment that calls for serious leadership. Rising costs test our families. Disorder in our

public spaces continues to test our patients. A changing economy tests our resilience. But this city has never been defined by its challenges. We are defined by how we respond to them. And we are already responding. [clears throat] We are restoring confidence downtown and improving the visitor experience. We are strengthening protections for renters. We are improving safety. We are restoring city services and reopening our libraries. We are getting back to basics in building momentum. And soon through Santa Monica's scorecard, we will show exactly how our work is moving the needle. Being mayor is about more than any agenda. It's about the philosophy you bring to public service. To me, being mayor means service before anything else. It means amplifying Santa Monica's work in the region, bringing home resources for our city, and listening to feedback and turning it into action. It means being steady when things are noisy, calm when things are tense, and fair when choices are difficult. I believe the job of mayor is to keep the city grounded in its values while moving toward our future. It's taking pride in the small wins as much as the big ones. And it's remembering that leadership is not about being the center of everything. It's about being accountable for everything. This role is a trust I will work every day to honor with clarity, humility, and determination. Santa Monica's best days are ahead of us. We will get there by focusing on what works, fixing what does not, and building a city that feels safe, clean, welcoming, and full of opportunity for everyone. Thank you to my council colleagues for working alongside me and trusting our city with this responsibility. I just want to say thank you to my family that's here. Sorry. I could not do I think as Lana said, we absolutely could not do this without you. Dan, my husband who literally supports me in every single

thing that I do. My sister, my brother-in-law, my nephews, my parents. Uh I am only here today because I stand on your shoulders. Thank you for every minute of support that you've ever given me. I'm [snorts] ready to get to work with all of you. So, let's get it done. [applause]

[applause]

Item 2E, installation of Mayor Pro Tim Zwick, um, administration of the oath by myself. On that note, I'd like to congratulate the city manager, Oliv Ol Oliver Chi, on his work with the council and staff to bring forward the realignment plan. Santa Monica has incredible assets, including a globally known tourism sector, a strong creative economy, an excellent public education, to name a few. Yet, walking around parts of Santa Mona, you can see evidence of the real challenges facing the city. Challenges that must be addressed. Downtown has seen a rise in commercial vacancies and public perceptions around crime and safety have created serious headwinds for recovery. This has only been exacerbated by the fires that caused enormous displacement and suffering in nearby communities and dealt our tourism industry a serious blow. These combined challenges need to be faced headon and I'm impressed at the steps that the city of Santa Monica is taking to achieve these goals. Today, rather than take you through all of the legislation I've worked on, I'd like to start by addressing some of the ways that I believe in my work supports your efforts. Public safety remains foundational to business confidence. Two years ago, I worked on a retail theft package that addressed exactly that, making sure that we have the tools to hold offenders accountable while supporting our local businesses. We've worked hard in the legislature to carefully establish new consequences for retail crime without going back to the days where California punished too many minor crimes with extremely long prison sentences. As I know you share this goal here in Santa Monica. In that vein, it is great to see that the realignment plan includes installing a new downtown police substation with a base staffing level of 8 to 10 daily officers and also includes investing in our city attorney's criminal unit so that cases can be filed um in approximately 90% of legally fixable cases. Now, public

safety alone will not solve the challenges of downtown. In order to make sure that our commercial corridors can evolve, we need to make sure that businesses and property owners have the flexibility they need to take risks, to innovate, and to find what works. I'm excited that Santa Monica is taking real steps to make it easier for businesses to exactly that by lowering cost and speeding up permitting. Yet, the obstacles that exist in Santa Monica in Santa Monica's downtown are not created at the local level alone. Too often, businesses and individuals attempt to do things that should be simple, like change the use of a property from a clothing store to a restaurant, open a new business in a vacant space, or create a pop-up business that activates an area. And yet, they face a seemingly impossible challenge approval by the California Coastal Commission. With that in mind, I've directed my staff to explore possible legislative solutions that can help our downtown move faster and evolving forward without this limitation. Our coast is a sacred resource that must be preserved. Not to mention the fact that clean, accessible beaches are core to Santa Monica's economic vitality. Yet, our efforts to protect the coast must actually protect the coast, not stop businesses whose development would not harm the coast in any way. We're looking forward specifically to a bill uh at a bill to reduce the coastal commission's limitations on changes of use for existing structures as well as how we can empower Santa Monica to set policy around transportation, temporary events, housing, and evolving uses for existing structures. I know many of you on the council uh have spoken to Robbie Stainberg, my um my my field deputy, about this. If successful, this legislation will support the city's efforts to improve economic vitality and make it easier to deliver effective government uh to our residents. Yet, a strong Santa Monica economy also depends

on a strong, broader Southern California economy. That's why this past year, I took the critical fight of California's creative economy, expanding and strengthening the film and television tax credit so that we can keep Hollywood here in California and here in Santa Monica. For those of you who are not in the industry, you may not realize the extent to which production is down in our state. This past summer, we saw nearly 50% unemployment levels in this industry, an industry responsible for over 42 billion in wages and over 800,000 direct and indirect and induced jobs across the state. For context, the United States had a 25% unemployment rate during the Great Depression. This is double. This industry faced double what our broader unemployment rate was in the United States during the depression. A significant driver of this crisis is the actions that other states like Georgia and New York and countries like Canada and the UK have taken, adopting tax credit and incentive programs that dwarfed California's. They see the enormous benefits this industry provides for our workers and our small businesses. And unfortunately, they have been successful in luring away our jobs. That's why I partnered with Hollywood's workers and studios to craft a stronger, more effective program. Along with this, along with this, I had an amazing legislative partners, including specifically our own Senator Ben Allen. We worked together to expand the film and TV tax credit from $330 million to $750 million and to modernize the program to retain and bring back high-quality jobs. Since the governor signed our bill in July, we've already seen an immediate effect. In July, 22 new productions, 19 of which are in the LA area, were approved for the these tax credits. And in October, another 52 productions were approved. These are projected to drive more than 1.4 billion

into the state economy and create new jobs and and business for our small businesses. And so, we're just getting started. Beyond the film tax credit, I worked on other critical priorities. I was proud to partner with the with Santa Monica College on AB648, a bill that will help combat housing insecurity and homelessness among community college students, staff, and faculty. Let me share a disturbing statistic. Nearly 60% of California's community college students have faced housing insecurity and about one in four have experienced homelessness. My bill gives community colleges the flexibility to build student and staff housing on land they already own or lease near campus by exempting these projects from local zoning on on Santa Monica's uh colleg's Bundy campus which is both in Santa Monica and Los Angeles. This measure will make a difference in constructing real student housing through measure SMC which expressly in included housing construction in the in the ballot measure. Santa Monica residents made clear their desire to support constructing housing for our community college students back in 2022 and I appreciated the city council's decision to support AB648 in 2025. So I thank you for that support. It was meaningful. Finally, I worked on a range of important bills that align Santa Monica's value that align with Santa Monica's values. For the sake of time, I won't go into detail, but let me tell you a little bit uh the top lines. One, the a bill combating anti-semitism through AB715, addressing climate change and its impact through AB38, the local electrification and planning act, which will make it easier to electrify our our homes, our businesses, um, and provide infrastructure. Working to reauthorize capp trade so that we can ensure polluters help pay for our green transition. protecting transgender and non-binary people through AB 104 uh 1084

preventing the spray spread of HIV and viral hepatitis through AB309 and finally through the found act ensuring that cities across the state have clear procedures to support pets and their owners during evacuations. I want to thank Mayor Negretti who played an enormous role in the found act and it was and it was wonderful to see her take to see her take her experience and leadership during the fires and apply it in Sacramento. Where's where's where's Mary? [snorts] Thank you. Um and it's just one of the many ways that Santa Monica continues to say shape our state. So there were so many bills that I've carried already that were inspired by s what Santa Monica has been doing and actually uh that I brought forward because of requests by this city. On that note, I'd like to forward what we can and will accomp look forward a little bit to what we can and will accomplish next year beyond the coastal commission bill that I talked about. Um I have been uh working on a range of bills that I'm very excited about and which I think will make a serious impact on our shared value our shared goals to make California more affordable, protecting our natural landscapes from threats posed by the federal administration and defending our most vulnerable communities. I look forward to sharing my bill package when it's a little more refined um in in a later time uh when it's convenient for you. So, I want to thank you all for having me. Uh and again, I want to thank you for I want to thank our outgoing mayor for an incredible year of service in an incredibly challenging environment and congratulations to our incoming mayor, our incoming mayor prom. I know you both will serve the city with the kind of uh efficacy, intelligence, and integrity that uh mayor Negreti has shown. um uh as well. So, thank you so much for having me and um my office is always open. Robbie is here. So, please reach out whenever um whenever our office can be of assistance. So, thank you. [applause]

Thank you, Assembly Members Burr, for your leadership uh for our city. Uh we appreciate you giving us that update. Um does anyone have any questions about that? No. Okay. Uh we now will move on. Oh, go ahead. I'll take this. So, item two, I'm sorry, item three, public input under items under consent calendar, close session, as well as item 16 C and 16D. Public input is not permitted on ordinances for second reading and adoption. And we have a total of five speakers for this item. Actually, three speakers for this item. Uh, we have three speakers that we see. uh Andrew Hoyer, Dylan Moore, and Erica Lesley,

and as well as Denise Barton. And Denise Barton.

Good evening. My name is Andrew Hoyer and I'm the president of Santa Monica Mid City Neighbors. I will be speaking on item 5D. I wanted to express my gratitude that you are trying to tackle the issue that Whimo has created in our territory. They came to our March meeting this year and in a full hour of discussion, never mentioned that they were already in operation at Broadway and Uklid. I find this to be very disingenuous and I'm having a hard time not taking this personally. They utilized our platform to crow about themselves but dissembled in a public meeting. I call that an Alberto Gonzalez. Most of you don't understand that reference. I suggest you Google it. Their parking complex at Westgate in Mississippi is in a light industrial zone, not a residential zone. Their operations on Broadway and Uklid are not compliant with the intentions of the mixeduse boulevard light designation that was created in our land use and circulation element plan that we created all those years ago. I hope you are able to resolve this issue to the satisfaction of our residents. Thank you again. [applause] If we could just uh happy hands, Dylan Moore and Erica Lesley and Denise Barton.

Sorry, fighting through the crowd. Yep. Uh confirmed. I have two minutes. Is that possible?

Great. Thank you. Hello, I'm Dylan and I've been a resident of Santa Monica for 16 years. I live on Uklid, which is home to the two illegal taxi cab depots being run by Whimo. For anyone unaware of the disastrous operation of these lots over the last 10 months, I refer you to whimopros.org. I wanted to appear here today to thank you for the work that you've done so far in resolving this situation. I've appreciated the leadership and standing up for our laws and peaceable enjoyment of our homes and roads. The city gave Whimo a deadline of November 26 to shut down overnight operations. And as we can see, they said no. So, the last time I appeared here, I warned you of Whimo wanting to run the show. They want to override you, our community, and our democracy. I look forward to a unanimous vote from this uh council in support of litigation because corporate neighbors need to be held to the same law and order as the rest of us. I also wanted to give you an update. Since September, Whimo has changed its routing of its vehicles. So, now they turn up from Colorado into the alleys and then into their lots. This puts an incredible amount of new and frequent traffic on small roads that exist directly against our bedrooms and living spaces. But we were curious about the actual number of Whimos that were coming through because it felt like hundreds every single day. So we set up a camera, started conducting counts. In the first 24 hours of counting, we saw 389 Whimos just in 12th court. Each lot only has 28 charges, so these numbers don't make sense at first. But by watching the Whimos, we quickly saw the reason. In order to reduce traffic jams at their uh small lot entrances, Whimos now circle our block like planes at an airport looking for an opportunity to land. Whimo has shown us that it doesn't want to be a good neighbor. So now we must make it be a good neighbor. And I thank you in advance for your votes tonight. [applause]

Okay, we do happy hands here. No clapping. Um, Erica Lesley has enough money to charge up their own cars.

Thank you. Um, hello, mayor. Hello, former mayor. Um, you know, I couldn't let this moment pass without saying thank you. Um, thank you for still serving in spite of your cancer and your father's passing with grace. Thank you for the policy I know that you will put in place. And I also need to say thank you to our city clerk for graciously serving us for the time that she's been here. Um we don't thank our city clerks enough for the constituents that they have to deal with and so graciously helping all of us evenly and with equity. Um those are my comments. That's it. Thank you. Denise Burton.

Good evening. On item 16D, isn't it interesting how the city council tried to put the public at a disadvantage in this situation? I believe all of you sitting up there knew about it in April of 2025 or before, and you only want to hear from the public now because you got caught. Although another example of you not wanting to hear hear about it would be only one city council meeting in November. So you lied to the public and about Ocean Avenue with Ocean Avenue Housing for the severely mentally ill trying to hide it from the public. The substance abuse patients were moved into the properties before Thanksgiving, but at least that was caught and hopefully has been removed. And again, I have to go back to if a nursing home was not a good fit for those locations, why would housing for the severely mentally ill, transitional, or substance abuse recovery housing be a better fit? Or if the city is eight square miles and already has 14 placements for the severely subally ill tra transitional and substance abuse recovery housing, that's almost two per square mile. When is too much? or are these all your new voters? Thank you.

Thank you. Um, that concludes public comments on this item. Clerk, are that's okay that I said that? Okay, [laughter] just checking. I'm still getting used to what you say and what I say. Um, so it looks like we will now uh take a motion on the consent calendar.

Actually, um, if I can just read this into the record. All items the consent calendar. All items will be considered and approved in one motion unless removed by a council member for discussion in accordance with charter section 615. The adoption of all ordinances and resolutions shall be by reading of title only unless a council member present descents. No public discussion is permitted on ordinances for second reading and adoption. And I would now like to ask council if they would like to combine the city council and the redevelopment successor agency items. And if so, I'll sorry go ahead. You can announce the respective payment for each. I'll do that after you. Okay. Do we have a motion? Yeah, I'll move to combine those two bodies.

Second. Okay. Uh we can do a voice vote. Okay. All those in favor? I. Any naysay? Okay. Okay. And I just have to state for the record that you get paid zero dollars for um this joint meeting. I'll now call the role. Agency members Ernit Skaya present. Agency member Snell here. Agency member Raskin here. Agency member Hall present. Agency member Negrete present here. Chair pro Tim Zwick here. And chair Terosas here.

Okay. And [snorts] and yeah, so now we need a motion for the consent calendar. And just a reminder, this also includes items 16 D or I'm sorry, 16 C and 16D. I'd like to move the consent calendar. I can't. Yeah. Sky uh council sky's in the queue, I believe. Yeah. I just wanted to pull 16D if we can still do that. Does do I need a motion for that? No. Well, to discuss. Yes. You want me to introduce it? Okay. Yeah. Let's do Let's hear 16D then before we do. So, I'd like to move the consent calendar minus 16D. Second act. Agency council member Zern Skaya.

Yes. Agency council member Snell. Yes. Chair Mayor Po Timwick. Yes. Agency council member Rascin. Yes. Agency council member Hall. Yes. Agency council member Negrete. Yes. And chair Mayor Terosas. Yes. Okay. Item 16D, request of Mayor Negrete that the city council consider directing the city manager on ensuring accountability, safety, and transparency for sober living and congregate recovery housing.

Did you want me to introduce the item? Do you want me to read the whole memo or kind of just do a bit overview? I think um everyone knows what happened following on uh 413825. There are different types of housing models where cities don't have um the ability to interfere. Um there's also a lot that goes on when um we have multiple LLC's. It makes it really confusing to understand who the actual operator is. And as you all know here in council there was a lot of scrambling not just because it was a holiday but because there were so many entities involved. So this um is guidelines that I've introduced that are aimed at improving transparency. Also in line with my last item, community notification related to proposed transitional housing, supportive housing, behavioral health, all of that, we we already had put that forward. And so, um, right now, um, our existing enforcement tools are pretty reactive as you saw. They're not preventative. Um, the city doesn't have a mechanism to identify who the operator funding source or intended uses before residents move in. There's no local registration to disclose requirement for sober living or recovery housing operations. And as I mentioned, when there's so many LLC structures, it can get very uh convoluted and confusing. So, because we lack this early warning um interdep departmental process, um I wanted to put something in place to kind of close some of those gaps. So, requiring registration of group homes and sober living operations, mandating operator and ownership disclosure, um imposing objective safety and occupancy standards. As we saw, folks were moved in when it's it wasn't appropriate to be living there. wasn't deemed safe for folks to live there. Requiring inspection access, we were denied access. So, putting guardrails around that. Establishing spacing standards to prevent overconentration as we saw um nearly 58 folks were um um expected to be put in this place, which by the way, the there were already um unpermitted room splits where normally one person

was. Now, we're splitting the room in half and stacking two people. Um, I don't want to bore everybody because I know we all have places to go. I can read the whole throughout the whole thing, but it's ultimately to put in land use clarification and classification, local registration, operator ownership, licensing, exemption, documentation, safety, inspection, continuity of care, relocation planning. That's another thing that's very um rampant among substance use um facilities because unlike behavior health, they don't have the county overseeing where people go next. Um, oftentimes, as I know Sequoia didn't get to mention, but people are brought into these homes and then their their private insurance is canceled and they're just literally put out onto the streets. So, making sure that um that people have uh a relocation plan um uh community notification, legal review, and of course, transparency and interdep departmental review protocol. So just establishing a proactive early identification protocol across city operations including the city manager's office, police department, fire, housing, human human services, city attorney, etc. This is just another opportunity to provide more transparency, early notification for us as a city council and a city so that we know what's going on in the building.

Council member Hall, thank you, council member. That feels weird to say uh for bringing that. Um supportive of the item, I would just ask uh as we assuming we pass this um if we can include this information in the overall rental registry. I think there's a lot of overlap and wouldn't want duplicative efforts from staff. Uh but thank you for bringing this and sorry I I just wanted to add thank you to the staff for reacting very quickly to resolve that situation uh during the holidays. Z. Yeah.

Yeah. Um, so for the benefit of the public, so I have basically two questions. The first one is for the benefit of of the public, could the city manager please clarify what what we did in response to learning that there was an uncermitted sober living at um home active uh where over Thanksgiving? Yeah, for certainly, Council Members Ernit Skaya, um the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving, the city received um notification that it appeared some um a group of individuals had moved into the property on Ocean Avenue at 413 Ocean Avenue. Um our team immediately dispatched um a group from the community development department including building and safety and also our code enforcement team along with our personnel in the fire department um and the city attorney's office. We all mobilized to identify what was happening. Um appeared that first evening around 30 individuals had been moved into the building um prior to the building having been um granted any permits for any type of operation. We were trying to figure out exactly what the operation was and through a series of um inspections and reviews um identified that it appeared to be a so an unpermitted sober living facility um that was operating. We worked um through that Wednesday into the evening um eventually issued a notice to vacate um we issued administrative citations for violations um of the city's municipal code. We also given that there were individuals living at the facility um and given the um habitability issues that existed um the situation triggered um habitability relocation benefits that would have to be um instituted for the folks that had been moved in. All of those notices were issued to the property owner, the

developer and the operator. Um and the notices were posted on the building. Then over the course of the next couple of days um additional inspections, additional interface occurred. Um ultimately um by that following Sunday um appeared that the operator um had in fact complied with the orders issued by staff. Um we assessed the facility on Monday and Tuesday to verify um all of the protocols had been followed that were issued in our directives. Um ultimately just uh massive kudos to the team for mobilizing quickly to resolve the situation.

Thank you. And um so my other question is I it looks like a lot of this might have overlap with state law and my understanding is that there's a bill that is currently in this legislative session. I don't know where it is in the process. Um, but could the city attorney please clarify what parts of this might be might fall under more of state regulation and where we may be able to have some input and um and I'm not and if that needs to be brought back that's that's fine too.

Okay, got it. Um, so sure. So I think um with respect to all of this there is there is a certain level of state regulation with respect to licensed facilities and then there is also state regulation with respect to like supportive housing types and what the city can and cannot do with them. So this would be um viewed through that lens and we would be working with staff and bring back something to the council that um that harmonizes um state law and what the city can do at the local level.

Thank you. And um if it's friendly, I guess I know there's no motion yet, but um if um if the propos would be okay with it, um could we also include looking at how we could support state legislation in addition to what's already drafted here as part of the the whole package? Absolutely. I'm already doing that independently and I would love for this council to support that. Okay. So I if you want to make the motion, I'm happy to second it because I know it's your item unless there's

Yeah, sure. I move to uh move item 16D with the additional language to support state legislative action as proposed by council member Zernitzkaya and I believe including this with the rent and including uh the language from council member Hall about the rent registry. Second. Council member Negrete, can we do all Can we just do by acclamation or no voice vote? We could. It's not money involved, so we can do a voice vote. All those in favor? I I [snorts]

No opposed. Great. That passes unanimously. Um it looks like we will now be moving to close session. Um Mayor Terrosus, did you want to do the adjournments now and then that way you don't have to do it when we come back out from close session? Sure. Although I'm not sure that hold on if I could find them. Okay. So, obviously all of us we'll we'll take the adjournments out of order if that's okay. I'm sorry. Can we back up? Is there a city manager report tonight? I'm sorry. We're moving around.

A very long blumness um hourlong [snorts] present. Just kidding. Um, in the interest of time, we have a fairly lengthy um, close session agenda. Um, the only item that uh, we wanted to report on um, tonight is we always have an adoptable pet. We are going to work on bringing the pets into council chambers moving ahead at some point. Um, but for tonight, this photo of an adorable five-month-old male white and brown tabby kitten named Oreo is our adoptable pet of the meeting. Um, our team tells me that Oreo loves to have fun and play with toys, but also loves to snuggle. A perfect balance of playful and cuddly. Um, the um team has vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped Oreo. Um, and we hope you will contact our animal shelter, um, and see if you can arrange a time to bring Oreo home. Um, with that, um, we will turn the meeting back over to the city clerk and the council.

Okay, great. I can't wait to hear about all of these animals that you show us when they get adopted. We would love to hear those updates as well. Um, and I neglected to adjourn the special meeting. So, do I need a motion for that? No, I just Okay, so the the special meeting, uh, the joint meeting is now adjourned. Um, and then one more thing. Did any that the council have anything to report on travel since the last meeting? Nope.

No reportable action. Um just it oh no you in the interest of time uh we will do the adjournments down then uh convene in close session. So obviously Frank Giri was a huge loss for our community Santa Monica native uh and we want to adjourn in his memory. We adjourn tonight's council meeting in memory of Frank Giri, an architect of global renown whose life ended on December 5th, 2025 at his home here in Santa Monica at the amazing age of 96. Frank Giri was widely recognized as one of the most influential architects of his generation, a visionary whose daring sculptural designs reshaped skylines from Los Angeles to Bil Bao. Uh, and I just have to say this summer I was able to go to the Guggenheim and Bill Bilba and it is truly truly amazing as is our Disney concert hall. His passing is not only a major loss for architecture worldwide, but also a deeply felt moment for our local community. While his work spanned continents, some of his most meaningful contributions were right here in Santa Monica, a city that Gary made his home and to which he gave back through his art and vision. Gary's relationship with Santa Monica was more than professional. It was personal. Among his works here were his own residence, the original design of what became Santa Monica Place, the Edgemar retail complex uh complex on Main Street, and so many more. Over the decades, these buildings became part of the fabric of our community. Familiar landmarks blending everyday life with architectural daring. In 2022, our city council approved the mixeduse Ocean Avenue project, a block-sized development designed by Giri, encompassing housing, both market rate, rent controlled, and deed restricted affordable units, commercial space, public amenities, a museum, and a rooftop deck with panoramic views of the ocean. At the same time, council members described the project as a love letter to Santa Monica, recognizing it as an embodiment of Gir's artistry and his commitment to the city. For many, that project represented not just new development, but a bridge between Gary's global reputation and his roots in this community. On behalf of this council and

all citizens of Santa Monica, we express our deep gratitude for Frank Gary's imagination, his boldness, and his generosity to our city. His buildings invited us to see the world differently, to appreciate architecture, not just as utility, but as living art, as public expression, and as part of civic identity. We remember him not only for his iconic works the world recognizes the swirling metal curves of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the musical majesty of Walt Disney Concert Hall, but the subtle everyday contributions right here, the shopping center on Main Street, the buildings he walked past every day, and the project on Ocean Avenue that hopefully we will realize that still stands to shape our future. I respectfully request that this meeting be adjourned in the memory of Frank Giri that we pause, reflect, and honor his life, his work, and his enduring gift to Santa Monica.

Thank you. I believe we have one more. Uh, council members.

Thank you, mayor. Additionally, we adjourn tonight's council meeting in memory of Sheila Walcott Benani, a cherish cherished community member, educator, poet, and lifelong servant to both the Bahigh faith and the Santa Monica community. Sheila was born on December 30th, 1932 in New York and later moved with her parents Charles and Harriet Walcott and her sister Marca to Hollywood. Her father became a prominent composer at Walt Disney Studios and later its general music director. In 1932 or 1938, her parents joined the Los Angeles Bahai community, a spiritual path that profoundly shaped Sheila's life of service. In 1950, as a student at UCLA, Sheila met her future husband Amin Banani at at a Bahigh youth conference. They married the following year after the birth of their daughter Suzanne. Sheila and Amin moved to Athens, Greece, answering a call to help establish the Bahigh faith in places where no community yet existed. Their years of service from 1953 to 1958 earned them the distinguished title Knights of Bahula. I hope I pronounced that right. Sheila also made her pilgrimage to the Bahigh shrines in 1956 and later returned in 1992 for the centinary honoring of the Knights of Bahai Ola. Throughout her life, Sheila dedicate devoted herself to service within the Bahigh community. She held numerous administrative roles, served as a delegate to two United Nations conferences, contributed to national committees, supported educational initiatives, and served for decades on local spiritual assemblies, including right here in Santa Monica. She played a vital role as a facilitator and coordinator for Bahigh educational programs, nurturing community building and spiritual growth. Her commitment to service extended

deeply into civic life. Sheila served on the Santa Monica Recreation and Parks Commission, the Santa Monica Malibu Alliance for a Nonviolent Community, and chaired the Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council, where she later held Emmeritus status. In 2019, she was honored with the Yellow Rose Award at Women Who Shape Santa Monica by the League of Women Voters of Santa Monica. After years spent supporting Amin's academic work in Northern California, Oregon, and Massachusetts, and welcoming their younger daughter, Ila, the family returned to Los Angeles in 1963. Sheila earned both her BA in sociology and an MA in urban planning at UCLA and went on to serve as a university analyst, a Santa Monica city planner, and a sociology instructor at Santa Monica College. In 1979, following renewed persecution of bahigh in Iran, Sheila discovered what she called the poetry in her soul. Her work was published widely, including her collection, Taking Chances, and her poem, Life's Rainbow, became the closing piece in the best-selling book, When I Am Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple. Sheila Walcott Banani Banani leaves behind a legacy of leadership, compassion, service, and profound humanity. On behalf of the Santa Monica City Council, we extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and all who were touched by her remarkable life.

Thank you for that. Um, so with that being said, clerk, could you call the close session?

Yes. Uh, item 5 A was pulled request of staff. Item 5B is existing litigation for all the cases as printed on the agenda. Item 5 C is existing litigation the city versus Ixop and others. Item 5D, potential litigation, um, one case SMF property holdings, Santa Monica EV Holdings LLC and Whimo LLC. Item 5E, conference with real estate negotiator regarding the property at 2000 Ocean Avenue. Item 5 F, real estate uh conference with real estate negotiator for the property at 200 Santa Monica Pier. Item 5G, conference with real estate negotiator for property located at 415 Palisades Beach Road, the Annenburgg Community Beach House. Item 5H, um real estate negotiator, um I'm sorry, conference with real estate negotiator Santa Monica Beach. um uh sand south of Santa Monica Pier to the Pico Boulevard, storm runoff and bordered by the beach bike path on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. That's a weird one. Item 5, conference with real estate negotiator uh 200 Santa Monica Pier. And item 5J is for an unrepresented employee um regarding this city clerk, interim city clerk. Great. Um, city attorney, when do you anticipate that we will be back? Are we not coming back? We will just report to you when we finish close session. Right.

Great. Thank you.

Oh my goodness.