City Council - Regular Meeting

I'LL CALL THE AUGUST 25TH NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM SECRETARY, ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

WE'LL NOW HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION. ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS?

Thank you. Any other speakers? OKAY. MOVING ON, MR. MOSIER IS CORRECT. THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS IS NOW DONE AUTOMATICALLY. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SKIP THAT ITEM. MOVING TO ITEM APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES ON OUR CONSENT CALENDAR. AGAIN, THIS IS FOR MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 26, 2025 NEWPORT BEACH PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION MEETING AND ITEM TWO, REVIEW OF ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. VICE CHAIR BLUM, DO I HAVE A MOTION?

We do have a motion to approve the minutes as written. Thank you.

Is there a second? Seconded by Councilmember Grant. Are there any other director comments? Seeing none, let's go ahead and vote by hand. Motion carried unanimously. AND THAT TAKES US TO ADJOURNMENT FOR OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION. THE TIME IS NOW 4.05 AND I WILL CALL THE AUGUST 25TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER. MADAM CLERK, ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR OUR INVOCATION THAT WILL BE LED BY ST. JOHN THE DIVINE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. FOLLOWING THAT, MAYOR POTEM BLOM WILL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF LEGIONS.

If you'd all join us in pledging allegiance to this great country. I pledge allegiance.

OUR NEXT ITEM IS A CHECK PRESENTATION BY THE NEWPORT BEACH ARTS FOUNDATION. WE WILL HAVE GERALD KAPPEL AND THE CEO COME TO THE PODIUM TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A PHOTO.

Thank you. We'll join you down there for a photo.

Madam Clerk, please read the notice regarding public comments on agenda and non-agenda items.

We'll now proceed with public comments on all agenda and non-agenda items. Please note that members of the public will still have an opportunity to comment on agenda items under consent, current business and closed session later in the meeting provided they do not comment on those items at this time. A speaker who comments on any consent calendar item will not be permitted to comment again on the consent calendar later in the meeting. Do we have any

Thank you. Next speaker. Let's refrain from clapping, please. Thank you.

Again, let's please refrain from clapping. Thank you.

Because he transferred microphones. Thank you so much. Next speaker, please.

Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please.

Thank you. Thank you. Next speaker, please.

Thank you. Madam Clerk, is there anyone online that wishes to speak?

OK. If you have your hand raised online, please go ahead and speak. OK. Unfortunately, if you're trying to speak, we can't hear you online at this time, so we're going to have to move on. Now is the time for council announcements, oral reports from council members on committee activities, and the time for council members to request an item be placed on a future agenda. Council Member Wagon, do you have any announcements or reports?

YES, THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN FOUR WEEKS SINCE WE'VE HAD A REGULAR MEETING. WE DID HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, BUT A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN TOWN OVER THESE LAST WHAT I CALL DOG DAYS OF SUMMER. I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE OCTA'S LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ROUND TABLE. which included two important conversations, I think, for our community. One was about Newport's expanded trolley system, how supportive they are. You know, we have gotten some grant money from them, and so it's exciting to see us be able to utilize that money for expanding our trolley system. And then they also discusse

Council Member Weber. NONE. COUNCIL MEMBER STAPLETON.

Okay. We have two matters brought by council members per city council policy A1. Council members may bring forward a matter for consideration and if approved by a straw vote of the council, staff will return with a report on the matter at a later meeting. The first matter is brought by council member Grant to consider establishing a public safety council ad hoc committee to develop and recommend public safety strategies for holiday and other city needs. GO AHEAD AND TAKE A STRAW VOTE. ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED CONSIDERATION.

THE SECOND MATTER IS BROUGHT BY COUNCILMEMBER WEIGAN. CONSIDER HOLDING A STUDY SESSION TO DISCUSS RECENT SAND DISPLACEMENT SLASH COASTAL EROSION AT THE WEDGE AND SEEK POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO RESTORE CONDITIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AGAIN, WE'LL TAKE A STRAW VOTE, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED CONSIDERATION. Motion passed by 7-0. Madame Clerk, would you please read the notice regarding public comments on the consent calendar?

Council Member Wiegand, do you have any items to pull from the consent calendar or conflicts to announce related to items number one through 18?

Council Member Bartow? None. Council Member Grant? None. Council Member Weber? None. Council Member Stapleton?

AND I HAVE A CONFLICT REGARDING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 8 BASED ON PROXIMITY AND INTEREST IN MY PERSONAL RESIDENCE. IS THERE ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR AGAIN ITEMS NUMBER 1 THROUGH 18?

Thank you. Are there any other speakers on the consent calendar? Madam Clerk, is there anyone online?

OK, if you're online and would like to speak now, we can hear you, hopefully.

Madam Clerk, is there anyone else online? Mayor Potemblum, do I have a motion?

Yes, we do. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Noting the adjustments, the minutes, the recusal from Councilmember Stapleton to real property interests on item number three and your own recusal due to your personal property interests on item eight. I have a motion on the floor.

Is there a second? Seconded by Councilmember Weber. Let's go ahead and vote.

Thank you. We'll now move on to item number 19, athletic field sod management program. Mr. Jurgis, do we have a staff report?

Are there any questions up here on the dais for staff at this time?

JUST A QUICK QUESTION. I KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR SPORTS FIELDS HAVE ARTIFICIAL TURF. HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THOSE FIELDS? ARE WE GOING TO REPLACE THOSE OR JUST LEAVE THOSE AS ARTIFICIAL TURF?

SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS UP HERE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. JUST A REMINDER, IF YOU DID COMMENT ON THIS ITEM PREVIOUSLY, YOU ARE PREVENTED FROM COMMENTING ON IT AT THIS TIME. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS?

Thank you, Mr. Mosher. Next speaker, please.

THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? MADAM CLERK, IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE? I WILL BRING IT BACK UP HERE.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. And thank you for all of you that came out to speak on this one. You know, I do understand some of the ironies we look at, that we go out and choose eggs even though we have no idea what it actually says on the labeling, but I guess the freest ranging and the most organic. And we constantly fight for our children and our families. You know, we started this years ago and, you know, we're told one thing and I've seen your complaints over the years. And when the mayor and council member Weber and I decided to work on this program, you know, we started looking at other citi

Thank you. I'd love to move staff recommendation.

Do I have a second? Second. Seconded by Councilmember Weber. Let's go ahead and vote. Motion carried by unanimous vote. Moving on to item number 20, certification of election results. Does any Councilmember need a staff report?

Councilmember grant sure I think it would be a good idea to have a staff report so the public knows what we're discussing

Are there any questions up here? Seeing none, we'll open it up for public comment. Again, a reminder that if you commented on this item previously, you may not comment on it again now. Do we have any speakers?

THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM? MADAM CLERK, IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE WISHING TO SPEAK?

If you're waiting to speak online, please proceed.

and that didn't turn out too bad for you so just let the people have a vote whether you like it or not it's becoming comical thank you madam clerk is there anyone else online okay i'll bring it back up here for any additional council comments or questions council member grant thank you

Okay, so tonight we're at an important juncture and we have an opportunity to replace a lot of uncertainty that we've had over the last number of months with some clarity and basically to bring this process to a responsible conclusion. The notice issue that we've been struggling with and have brought to the courts has been ruled sufficient and we're beyond that now. We're not making any value judgment appear at all about the individual merits of any of these initiatives. I would mention that I do strongly support transparency in open government, but we already operate under the Brown Act, and

THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.

Well, before we have a final motion on this matter, we do need to decide whether to call the election. Just break it down here. For one, two, or all three of the ballot initiatives for Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, March 7th, 2028, or November 7th, 2028. Now you can proceed with your motion.

Thank you. And so within that motion, I'd like to recommend... staff recommendations A through D and F through H with the following specific actions. That we select November 7th, 2028 as the election date at which the three charter amendment initiatives will be submitted to the voters. We find the city council has reviewed the argument for and against the measure and ballot questions as compelled by the court order of August 3rd. Find the city council expressly reserves and does not waive the city's appellate rights, objections, or any other available judicial relief. That we adopt the resolut

Okay, that was a motion. I think we first need to take a straw vote on the date, and then we can take your motion following that.

Okay, so Mayor Pertemplem's motion is seconded by Councilmember Weber.

Okay, we have a motion and a second. Are we voting by straw vote or?

Let's try to maintain some decorum. Thank you.

GIVEN THE RESULTS OF THAT ACTION, I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR US TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO SUBMIT ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE MEASURES AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN THE FUTURE AND MAKE A DECISION AT THAT TIME ON THE DESIGNATION OF COUNCIL MEMBERS IF ANY. MR. HARP, DO WE NEED TO TAKE ANY FURTHER ACTION?

Okay. Madam Clerk, please read the statement on motions for reconsideration.

Are there any motions for reconsideration? Hearing none, we'll move on to public comments on closed session.

Before we go on to close, I believe we have an adjournment in the memory.

Yes, we do. Thank you. Thank you for putting that picture up. As we adjourn this evening, let us remember Chung Kwang Lee, a longtime member of our community who passed away on August 20th at the age of 94. Born in Yangzhou, China, he left home at 13 to study culinary arts in Shanghai. At 17, he married So Ching Lee, beginning a lifelong partnership that would span continents and decades of service. Their journey took them from China to Hong Kong, Brazil, and ultimately Southern California and beautiful Newport Beach. Mr. Lee's connection to Newport Beach began in 1969 when he transformed a re

Thank you. Mr. Harp, would you please announce our closed session items?

Thank you Thank you. We're recessed to closed session Mr. Harp, is there a closed session report?