Rancho Mirage City Council Meeting, September 18, 2025

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AI transcript text.

[00:00:13] Good afternoon everyone.
[00:00:16] It is Thursday, September 18th,
[00:00:20] 2005.
[00:00:22] This is the regular meeting of the ranch
[00:00:25] city council and community services
[00:00:28] district, energy authority, housing
[00:00:32] authority, joint powers finance
[00:00:36] library and observatory and
[00:00:39] redevelopment successor agency boards.
[00:00:45] I would like to ask you now to join me
[00:00:47] in a flag salute to our magnificent
[00:00:51] country.
[00:00:56] >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[00:00:59] United States of America and to the
[00:01:01] republic for which it stands. One nation
[00:01:04] under God, indivisible, with liberty and
[00:01:08] justice for all.
[00:01:16] Hey, we have a roll call, please.
[00:01:17] >> Council member DS,
[00:01:18] >> I'm here.
[00:01:19] >> Council member Framberg Edin
[00:01:21] >> here.
[00:01:21] >> Council member O'Keefe
[00:01:22] >> here.
[00:01:23] >> Mayor Prom Mulatto
[00:01:24] >> here. Mayor While
[00:01:29] We will now have uh council member
[00:01:32] comments
[00:01:34] and uh I will start on my right this
[00:01:37] time and ask council member DS to uh
[00:01:42] lead us off please.
[00:01:44] >> Thank you Mr. Mayor. So this is National
[00:01:46] Constitution Week. National Constitution
[00:01:48] Week is an annual week-long observance
[00:01:51] commemor commemorating the signing of
[00:01:53] the signing of the US Constitution in
[00:01:55] 1787.
[00:01:57] Starting on September 17th yesterday and
[00:01:59] ending on September 23rd, the purpose is
[00:02:02] to commemorate the signing of the US
[00:02:04] Constitution on September 17th of 1787.
[00:02:08] Congress established this week-long
[00:02:09] event in 1956 to promote understanding
[00:02:12] and appreciation of the US Constitution,
[00:02:14] its ideals, and the principles of
[00:02:16] citizenship. Some of the principles
[00:02:18] established in the constitution are the
[00:02:20] creation of three co-equal branches of
[00:02:22] government, the establishment of a
[00:02:23] biccameal legislature, a house and a
[00:02:26] senate, the creation of the electoral
[00:02:28] college to elect a president. Our
[00:02:30] founders argued sometimes spirited
[00:02:32] arguments over these and many other
[00:02:34] issues. But in the end, they found a way
[00:02:36] to behave rationally and in the spirit
[00:02:38] of compromise, and they drafted a
[00:02:40] constitution that has stood the test of
[00:02:42] time. In doing so, they taught us a
[00:02:44] lesson. The lesson that it's okay to
[00:02:46] disagree. It's okay to have vigorous
[00:02:48] debate. But in the end, let's work
[00:02:50] together progressively in the spirit of
[00:02:52] civility, respect, and compromise so
[00:02:55] that we can create that more perfect
[00:02:57] union. It's a lesson that's important
[00:02:59] for all of us to focus on today. In our
[00:03:02] country today, we live in a time of
[00:03:03] intense division. I think that if the
[00:03:05] constitutional founders were here to
[00:03:08] advise us today, they would suggest that
[00:03:10] we meter moderate our rhetoric, that we
[00:03:13] be more respectful in our opinions and
[00:03:15] our and and respectful of the opinions
[00:03:17] of others, that we look to our better
[00:03:19] angels, that we be firm in our
[00:03:21] convictions, but to find better and more
[00:03:23] civil ways to disagree. Now, the second
[00:03:25] issue that I want to speak to today is
[00:03:27] to again refer to the important work
[00:03:30] that this council has done in recent
[00:03:32] years to make our city even more safe.
[00:03:35] In recent years, this council has
[00:03:37] increased the ratio of sheriff's
[00:03:39] deputies to just over two per 10,000
[00:03:42] rancher Mirage residents versus the
[00:03:43] Riverside County average of 1.15 per
[00:03:46] thousand. And the property crime rate
[00:03:49] has been dramatically reduced in our
[00:03:51] city. I have spoken and written about
[00:03:53] the statistics showing the reduction in
[00:03:55] the crime rate. But at a recent council
[00:03:58] meeting, one of our good citizens spoke
[00:04:00] during non-aggenda public comment and
[00:04:02] suggested that the next time he sees me,
[00:04:05] he would educate me on statistics. Now,
[00:04:07] I appreciate this Rancher Mirage
[00:04:09] residents regularly speaking to us about
[00:04:11] law enforcement. I encourage him to
[00:04:13] continue to do so. I think it's an
[00:04:16] important focus for all of us and I
[00:04:17] appreciate his focus on this issue. But
[00:04:20] his comment does remind me of some fun
[00:04:22] quotes about statistics that I'll share
[00:04:24] with you. The first is this. There are
[00:04:26] lies, there are black lies, and then
[00:04:29] there are statistics. The second one
[00:04:31] that I like goes like this. 75% of all
[00:04:34] statistics are made up on the spot. And
[00:04:36] the last quote that I like comes from
[00:04:38] Sir Winston Churchill who reportedly
[00:04:40] once said, "The only statistics that you
[00:04:42] can truly trust are the ones you have
[00:04:44] falsified yourself." Now, I share these
[00:04:47] quotes not because they are right or
[00:04:49] wrong. I share them because they're just
[00:04:51] plain good fun. What I want to do is to
[00:04:55] share with Rancher Mirage residents once
[00:04:58] again the statistics about crime
[00:05:01] reduction in the city of Ranch Mirage.
[00:05:04] The statistics were compiled, checked,
[00:05:07] and calculated by city staff. A special
[00:05:09] thanks to Tyler Folks who did the leg
[00:05:12] work uh in doing the calculations.
[00:05:15] And um where's the report? I brought the
[00:05:17] report with me. It's a big long report
[00:05:19] that shows uh all of the calculations um
[00:05:23] on uh on the crime rate in the city of
[00:05:25] Ranch Mirage. Now,
[00:05:28] in preparing the report, it contains a
[00:05:30] batch of charts and graphs. The bottom
[00:05:32] bottom line of the report is this.
[00:05:33] Property crime in ranch mirage was down
[00:05:36] 13% 2022 versus 2021. Down 15% 2023
[00:05:41] versus 2022 and down 27% 2024 versus
[00:05:45] 2023. Down a very significant 39% in the
[00:05:48] first 5 months of 2025 versus 2024. Now
[00:05:53] those statistics are the facts and
[00:05:55] nothing but the facts. So thank you
[00:05:58] again to city city city staff for
[00:06:00] collecting, collating and calculating
[00:06:02] these numbers. And a great big thank you
[00:06:03] to Tyler, to Lieutenant Chris Turnis,
[00:06:06] who leads our Ranch Mirage law
[00:06:07] enforcement team, to community service
[00:06:09] officer Albanius, and some of the other
[00:06:12] members of the law enforcement team who
[00:06:14] are here in the chamber with us today.
[00:06:16] Thank you for keeping our city safe.
[00:06:18] Now, the last item that I want to speak
[00:06:20] to today
[00:06:22] involves that same resident who spoke
[00:06:24] about schooling me on law enforcement
[00:06:26] statistics, and it also involves the
[00:06:28] first item that I spoke about regarding
[00:06:30] National Constitution Week and the
[00:06:32] importance of civility and respect in
[00:06:35] our public discourse. At the last
[00:06:37] council meeting, that same speaker was
[00:06:39] critical of Eisenhower in his
[00:06:40] non-aggenda public comments. I have no
[00:06:43] problem with that. He's welcome to his
[00:06:45] opinion. He is welcome to state his
[00:06:47] opinions at this podium in this chamber.
[00:06:50] Now while I don't share his opinions
[00:06:52] about Eisenhower, I defend his right to
[00:06:55] speak. What I do take issue with is the
[00:06:57] unmannerly way in which he mispronounced
[00:06:59] the name of the Eisenhower CEO and then
[00:07:03] carelessly said, "If I don't pronounce
[00:07:05] it right, frankly, I don't care." That's
[00:07:08] what he said. He said at this podium in
[00:07:10] this chamber, "If I don't pronounce it
[00:07:12] right, frankly, I don't care." Well, I
[00:07:14] do care. The name of the president and
[00:07:17] chief executive officer of Eisenhower
[00:07:19] Health is Martin. Marty Marty Masiello.
[00:07:23] Eisenhower is consistently rated as one
[00:07:25] of the best hospitals in the state and
[00:07:26] Marty's leadership is an important
[00:07:28] reason for Eisenhower's success.
[00:07:30] Eisenhower Health is the largest
[00:07:32] employer in our city. It is very
[00:07:34] important to the health and well-being
[00:07:35] of the residents of Rancher Mirage. It
[00:07:37] is also very important to the economic
[00:07:39] well-being of our city. It's unfortunate
[00:07:41] that Marty was referred to in an
[00:07:43] impolite way from this podium in this
[00:07:45] chamber. As I suggested in my earlier
[00:07:47] comments about National Constitution
[00:07:49] Week, the constitutional founders, if
[00:07:51] they were here to advise us today, I
[00:07:54] think they would ask us to behave in a
[00:07:55] more civil and respectful way. And so to
[00:07:57] that good neighbor, please continue to
[00:08:01] let us know your thoughts. Please
[00:08:03] continue to be an involved citizen. But
[00:08:06] please, let's find a more respectful way
[00:08:08] to address those who lead us in this
[00:08:11] community and let's find a better way to
[00:08:13] disagree. So, thank you to Lieutenant
[00:08:15] Chris Turnis and his team of deputies
[00:08:17] who keep Rancher Mirage safe and thank
[00:08:19] you to Marty Masiello and his Eisenhower
[00:08:22] team who keep this city healthy. Thank
[00:08:24] you, Mr. Mayor.
[00:08:26] >> Thank you, uh, Council Member DS. Those
[00:08:28] are very, very appropriate words. uh
[00:08:33] certainly at this time in our city and
[00:08:36] in our country. Uh I hope everybody uh
[00:08:40] who you addressed uh heard them and
[00:08:44] we'll take them to heart. Uh well spoken
[00:08:47] and well expressed. Thank you.
[00:08:48] >> Thank you sir.
[00:08:49] >> Uh Mayor Prom Lyn Molatto.
[00:08:54] >> Good afternoon. Thank you Mr. Mayor and
[00:08:57] good afternoon to all that is that are
[00:08:59] here today. often is the case. The city
[00:09:02] and the city council receive numerous
[00:09:04] compliments and comments about our
[00:09:06] streets and thorough affairs in Rancher
[00:09:08] Mirage. How smooth the ride is, how nice
[00:09:10] the streets are that are absent of
[00:09:13] potholes and it's easier on the car. It
[00:09:17] doesn't happen on its own and certainly
[00:09:19] we all know this week. Um, this week
[00:09:22] Highway 111 has had a slight
[00:09:25] interruption with uh a slurry project to
[00:09:28] keep those streets in the wonderful
[00:09:30] condition that they are all year round.
[00:09:34] Is it an inconvenience? Maybe. Maybe in
[00:09:37] the grand scheme. No. But it does cause
[00:09:40] a little bump in the day. But given the
[00:09:43] grand scale of the project, I think
[00:09:46] we're all traversing Highway 111 in in a
[00:09:49] most expeditious uh manner. And I want
[00:09:52] to thank the staff, contractors, the
[00:09:55] sheriff's deputies who provided some
[00:09:56] additional uh traffic assistance uh but
[00:10:00] most importantly to the businesses
[00:10:03] and the residents not only of Rancher
[00:10:05] Mirage but across the valley for your
[00:10:07] patience and understanding. We take our
[00:10:10] roads very very seriously. The condition
[00:10:13] of those roads, it affects you as
[00:10:15] residents and those that own businesses
[00:10:18] and uh we apologize for the small
[00:10:21] inconvenience, but we appreciate your
[00:10:24] understanding. Thank you very very much.
[00:10:27] >> Thank you, Mayor Prom. A small price to
[00:10:29] pay uh for uh what we consider
[00:10:34] outstanding roads. Um there is no
[00:10:38] question that uh our public works
[00:10:40] department does an incredible job. Uh
[00:10:43] thank you for for the effort without a
[00:10:46] doubt. Um
[00:10:50] council member Eve from Berg Edelstein,
[00:10:52] please.
[00:10:53] >> Thank you, Mayor. I have uh two comments
[00:10:55] today. First is I attended the CEAG
[00:10:57] public safety committee meeting last
[00:10:58] Monday and um it was really a wonderful
[00:11:02] meeting because our city got an
[00:11:03] incredibly great compliment from the
[00:11:06] SEAg traffic team on the smooth
[00:11:10] transition for CV Sync with our city,
[00:11:13] the move into our workard in Thousand
[00:11:16] Palms and um the continued work on the
[00:11:20] improvement and upgrade of equipment for
[00:11:21] the CVync project. and uh we got a lot
[00:11:24] of shoutouts and raised hands. So that
[00:11:27] was really nice and I just wanted to
[00:11:28] share that with city staff. The second
[00:11:30] item is we spent this week in a lot of
[00:11:33] library commission meetings the last two
[00:11:35] weeks and um I really wanted to pay my
[00:11:39] compliments to not only all of our
[00:11:41] commissions for the library which is
[00:11:43] cultural foundation and um the oversight
[00:11:47] committee but I also wanted to thank the
[00:11:49] library staff and their time in what
[00:11:52] looks to be an incredible program for
[00:11:54] the 202526 season at our library um for
[00:11:59] our community and I would encourage all
[00:12:01] residents to continue to check the uh
[00:12:04] library website for those program
[00:12:06] updates and program dates and attend.
[00:12:09] Um, a lot of energy, time, thought and
[00:12:11] creativity goes into creating that
[00:12:13] programming for the benefit of our
[00:12:14] citizens and it is definitely worth
[00:12:17] checking out as is our library which I
[00:12:19] was asked a question by somebody at a
[00:12:21] lunchon this summer uh which is where is
[00:12:24] our cooling center and our library is
[00:12:26] our cooling center and is open on the
[00:12:27] weekends unlike a lot of other cooling
[00:12:29] centers in other cities. So, I just
[00:12:31] wanted to make that aware even though it
[00:12:32] feels like the heat might be over. You
[00:12:34] know, we always get a surprise heatwave
[00:12:37] right before the end of October. So,
[00:12:39] please feel free to use the library as a
[00:12:41] cooling center if it makes it easier for
[00:12:43] you to get through a day of uh
[00:12:45] tripledigit temperatures. That was it.
[00:12:47] Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
[00:12:48] >> Thank you, Council Member O'Keefe,
[00:12:51] please.
[00:12:52] >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh good afternoon,
[00:12:54] everyone. Um many years ago, I met
[00:12:57] Wallace Annenberg. uh she was a great
[00:13:00] person and as you know she passed away
[00:13:02] in July and there have been many
[00:13:04] accolades about her generosity and her
[00:13:06] philanthropy.
[00:13:08] Mayor while eloquently acknowledged her
[00:13:10] contributions to our city through her
[00:13:12] work at the Annenburgg Foundation and at
[00:13:14] Sunnylands. Uh so she was involved in
[00:13:16] many philanthropic efforts but there are
[00:13:18] two that I would like to mention because
[00:13:20] they were important to me personally. Uh
[00:13:23] first during the AIDS epidemic for those
[00:13:26] of us who lived through it and were
[00:13:27] personally impacted by it, it was a
[00:13:30] difficult and scary time. I was managing
[00:13:34] large department stores with hundreds of
[00:13:36] employees and we lost many of them to
[00:13:38] this terrible disease. Uh three of my
[00:13:41] closest friends died. I lost my partner
[00:13:44] of 14 years. In many ways, it felt
[00:13:48] hopeless uh to for many of us. But
[00:13:51] that's where Wallace Annenberg comes
[00:13:53] into the story. When no one else was
[00:13:55] helping, including the government, uh,
[00:13:58] Miss Anenburgg agreed to chair events,
[00:14:00] raise awareness, and raise money. Uh, at
[00:14:03] the at that time the fledgling AIDS
[00:14:06] Project Los Angeles. She called her
[00:14:08] friends, including First Lady Betty
[00:14:11] Ford, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Rivers to
[00:14:14] help to begin a raise awareness and
[00:14:16] money to fight this disease. So that was
[00:14:19] the beginning. Now some 40 plus years
[00:14:23] later, we have extraordinary
[00:14:25] organizations like DAP health where my
[00:14:28] colleague uh council member Framber
[00:14:31] Edelstein is chair of the board does a
[00:14:34] fantastic job helps thousands of people.
[00:14:36] We have LGBT center in the valley and
[00:14:39] right here in Rancho Mirage we have
[00:14:41] Eisenhower health fighting infectious
[00:14:43] diseases. This is the result of the
[00:14:46] efforts of folks like Wallace Annenberg
[00:14:49] and I will never forget that and I will
[00:14:52] always be grateful.
[00:14:54] Second, Miss Annenburgg was a fierce
[00:14:57] champion of animal welfare.
[00:15:00] She supported many organizations to help
[00:15:02] folks with pets and to protect wildlife.
[00:15:05] And even now as we speak, construction
[00:15:07] is going on with the Wallace Annenburgg
[00:15:10] Wildlife Crossing, which is the world's
[00:15:13] largest urban wildlife crossing, which
[00:15:15] will stretch across 10 lanes of the 101
[00:15:18] freeway in Agura Hills when it's
[00:15:20] completed. It will help animals such as
[00:15:23] mountain lions, deer, and bobcats pass
[00:15:26] safely over the freeway. So, I'm happy
[00:15:29] to announce that here in the Coachella
[00:15:31] Valley, we can continue the work
[00:15:33] exemplified by Miss Anandenberg.
[00:15:36] Uh, Greater Palm Springs Animal Allies
[00:15:38] has opened the Desert Wildlife Center in
[00:15:41] India. It's in India, but it's for the
[00:15:44] whole valley, including us. Um, Council
[00:15:46] Member DS and I toured it when it was
[00:15:49] just getting started months ago, and I
[00:15:51] went back this last week for my third
[00:15:53] time. It's a beautiful facility now. Uh
[00:15:56] it's a hospital that will serve as safe
[00:15:58] refuge for sick, injured, and orphaned
[00:16:01] wildlife. Uh they need medical
[00:16:03] treatment. They need rehabilitation. So
[00:16:06] the center is dedicated to cultivating
[00:16:08] and sustaining peaceful coexistence
[00:16:11] between humans and wildlife. And folks,
[00:16:14] Riverside County is the fastest growing
[00:16:16] county in California. So it's important
[00:16:18] that we protect our habitat, our
[00:16:21] environment, and our wildlife. I have a
[00:16:24] feeling that Miss Annenburgg would be
[00:16:26] pleased. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
[00:16:28] >> Thank you, Michael. Very nice. And u
[00:16:32] what what you have uh mentioned is uh
[00:16:37] another person that has contributed so
[00:16:41] so much to our valley here. Um and we
[00:16:45] lost someone in the last uh two weeks uh
[00:16:51] likewise who was a major philanthropist.
[00:16:56] Uh and I would like to honor Harold
[00:16:59] Matzner.
[00:17:01] Uh Harold was uh a good friend, a major
[00:17:06] major philanthropist
[00:17:09] uh responsible for things such as uh the
[00:17:14] International Film Festival,
[00:17:17] uh the Macllum Theater, and the Palm
[00:17:20] Springs Art Museum.
[00:17:23] uh his
[00:17:26] charity had no limits and he just did a
[00:17:31] fabulous job. He steered all of these
[00:17:34] things in a a most practical
[00:17:38] unassuming way and yet he was a guiding
[00:17:42] light. And like Wallace
[00:17:46] uh these are people that uh we will
[00:17:50] never forget. they made they made such
[00:17:53] an incredible impression in our city and
[00:17:57] in in fact irreplaceable contribution.
[00:18:02] So to you Harold uh we wish you uh
[00:18:07] Godspeed. Thank you for everything that
[00:18:10] you've done and your contributions will
[00:18:13] never be forgotten.
[00:18:16] With that, I would like to transition to
[00:18:18] our city manager who will make any
[00:18:21] appropriate comments. If not, then he
[00:18:24] will transition into the consent
[00:18:27] calendar.
[00:18:28] >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. No comments today.
[00:18:30] Uh the members of the council have three
[00:18:32] items on the consent calendar for their
[00:18:34] consideration. Item 4 A is the September
[00:18:37] 4th, 2025 regular city council meeting
[00:18:40] minutes. Item 4 B are contracts and item
[00:18:44] 4 C are the demands. And before we go to
[00:18:47] council comments or questions, I'll ask
[00:18:48] the city clerk to take public comment on
[00:18:51] the consent calendar.
[00:18:52] >> Thank you. I did not receive any speaker
[00:18:54] cards. Is there anyone in the audience
[00:18:55] who would like to speak on the consent
[00:18:57] calendar?
[00:18:58] >> No speakers.
[00:19:02] >> Are there any council comments regarding
[00:19:05] the consent calendar?
[00:19:09] >> If there are none, I'll entertain a
[00:19:11] motion.
[00:19:12] >> Move to approve the consent calendar.
[00:19:13] >> Second. There's a motion in a second.
[00:19:16] Please vote.
[00:19:22] >> Motion carries 5-0.
[00:19:24] >> Thank you. We will now go to the action
[00:19:27] calendar and um item 5A, which is the
[00:19:32] annexation number 201.
[00:19:39] and that will be presented by Kofi
[00:19:41] Antabbomb, our director of
[00:19:43] administrative services. Kofi, if you
[00:19:45] would.
[00:19:46] >> Thank you, mayor. Good afternoon,
[00:19:48] council. So, this item is the first um
[00:19:51] step in the city's annexation process um
[00:19:53] for developments within the within the
[00:19:55] city's jurisdiction. The second and
[00:19:58] final step is planned to be considered
[00:20:00] at the November 6th council meeting. The
[00:20:03] territory proposed for annexation is
[00:20:05] located approximately 2,000 ft south of
[00:20:08] Frank Sinatra Drive on the west side of
[00:20:11] Vista del Soul. It is comprised of one
[00:20:14] parcel totaling approximately 5.05 acres
[00:20:18] and the project is slated to subdivide
[00:20:21] the parcel into four single family
[00:20:24] residential lots. Tentative map um
[00:20:28] tentative parcel map 38492
[00:20:31] was originally approved by the planning
[00:20:33] commission on December 12, 2024
[00:20:37] with a condition of approval number 14
[00:20:39] to um annex the territory into community
[00:20:43] facility districts community facility
[00:20:45] districts number one. Um, in accordance
[00:20:48] with the condition of approval, the
[00:20:50] owner of the annex territory submitted a
[00:20:52] petition for annexation requesting that
[00:20:54] the city initiate proceedings to annex
[00:20:57] the territory into CFD1 and provide for
[00:21:00] an expedited approval of the annexation
[00:21:02] and levy of the special tax. Upon
[00:21:05] approval of the resolution, the city
[00:21:07] will be able to accept the petition
[00:21:09] submitted by the um owner for
[00:21:11] annexation, consent to the levy upon the
[00:21:14] annex territory, allow for the
[00:21:17] shortening of time for the special
[00:21:18] election to expedite the annexation,
[00:21:21] accept and preliminarily approve um the
[00:21:24] annexation map and direct the city clerk
[00:21:26] to record the map and establish the date
[00:21:29] and time of the public hearing for the
[00:21:32] annexation. That concludes my
[00:21:34] presentation. I'll be happy to answer
[00:21:36] any questions you may have. Thank you.
[00:21:38] >> Thank you, Kofi. Are there any public
[00:21:40] comments?
[00:21:41] >> I did not receive any speaker cards. Is
[00:21:42] there anyone in the audience who would
[00:21:44] like to speak regarding 5A?
[00:21:47] >> No speakers.
[00:21:48] >> Thank you. Are there any council
[00:21:50] comments regarding item 5A?
[00:21:55] >> If not, I'll entertain a motion, please.
[00:21:58] >> I'd be happy to make the motion. Adopt
[00:21:59] resolution number 2025. Next in order,
[00:22:03] declaring the city's intention to annex
[00:22:05] territory to community facilities
[00:22:07] district number one and to levy a
[00:22:10] special tax therein for additional
[00:22:11] police and fire services. Preliminarily
[00:22:14] approve a map of the area proposed to be
[00:22:17] annexed and schedule a public hearing to
[00:22:19] consider the annexation and the levy of
[00:22:22] special tax for annexation number 201.
[00:22:25] I'll second.
[00:22:27] >> There's a motion and a second. Please
[00:22:28] vote.
[00:22:32] Motion carries 5-0.
[00:22:34] >> Thank you.
[00:22:36] Uh the second item on the action
[00:22:39] calendar is 5B
[00:22:41] and it has to do with the Rancho Mirage
[00:22:43] Mobile Home Fair Practices Commission
[00:22:46] membership.
[00:22:47] Uh and this will be presented by Christy
[00:22:50] Ramos, our city clerk. If you would,
[00:22:53] Christie.
[00:22:54] >> Thank you, mayor and council members.
[00:22:57] As you are aware, a combination of
[00:22:59] vacant positions and a lack of
[00:23:00] attendance have led to numerous mobile
[00:23:02] home fair practices commission meetings
[00:23:04] being cancelled or adjourned. Because of
[00:23:06] this, the commission has been unable to
[00:23:08] conduct the business with which it is
[00:23:10] tasked. It is important to have a
[00:23:12] complete and operational commission so
[00:23:13] that business may proceed. Two vacancies
[00:23:16] currently exist on the commission and
[00:23:18] several applications were received. The
[00:23:20] applications were forwarded to the two
[00:23:21] council members with vacancies to fill
[00:23:23] who then submitted their nominations to
[00:23:25] me. Including the new nominations, the
[00:23:27] proposed new makeup of the mobile home
[00:23:29] fair practices commission is as follows.
[00:23:32] Mayor Wild's appointee is Wallace Hill.
[00:23:34] Mayor Prom Molatto's appointee is Stuart
[00:23:37] Clyde. Council member DS's appointee is
[00:23:40] Marlene Cassetta. Council member
[00:23:42] Framberg Edelstein's appointee is Kathy
[00:23:44] Miller. Council member O'Keefe's
[00:23:46] appointee is Mike Rener. The atlarge
[00:23:48] non- voting mobile home owner appointee
[00:23:51] is Kenneth Easley and the atlarge non-
[00:23:53] voting park owner operator manager
[00:23:56] nominee appointee is Stanton Marowitz.
[00:24:00] If approved as presented, the slate of
[00:24:02] commission members will serve through
[00:24:03] the remainder of the current term which
[00:24:05] runs through the end of May 2026. To
[00:24:08] approve this proposed slate, the council
[00:24:11] may move to approve the slate of mobile
[00:24:12] home fair practices commission members
[00:24:14] as stated by the city clerk. That
[00:24:17] completes my report and I can take
[00:24:18] public comment. I did not receive any
[00:24:21] speaker cards. Is there anyone who would
[00:24:23] like to speak on this item? No speakers.
[00:24:26] Thank you. Are there any council
[00:24:28] comments regarding the mobile home f
[00:24:32] fair practices commission?
[00:24:34] Uh my only comment is that uh uh we
[00:24:38] appreciate anybody that will volunteer
[00:24:42] for any of our commissions. Um it is um
[00:24:47] most appreciated.
[00:24:49] It's a responsibility that uh that must
[00:24:53] must be fulfilled
[00:24:55] and uh uh we're delighted to be able to
[00:24:59] uh make these nominations today. Um
[00:25:05] are there any other council comments?
[00:25:08] If none, I'll entertain a motion.
[00:25:10] >> I'll do the motion. So, a move to
[00:25:12] approve the slate of uh commissioners to
[00:25:15] the mobile home for practices commission
[00:25:17] as read by the city clerk.
[00:25:19] >> I'll second.
[00:25:21] >> There's a motion and a second. Please
[00:25:23] vote.
[00:25:25] >> Motion carries 5. Thank you.
[00:25:28] >> Thank you. We will now go to non-aggenda
[00:25:32] public comments and um city clerk, if
[00:25:37] you would call anybody that uh has
[00:25:39] submitted an application. First speaker
[00:25:41] is Susan Ragdale.
[00:25:59] Good afternoon everyone.
[00:26:03] I have to say before I begin that uh
[00:26:07] Rancho Mirage City Council put me into
[00:26:09] this incredibly unwelcome position. I
[00:26:14] don't like to say anything negative
[00:26:16] about anyone at all. That's my total
[00:26:21] focus in life is to be positive.
[00:26:24] Unfortunately,
[00:26:27] I've been through some problems here.
[00:26:30] Okay. I suffer due to long-term
[00:26:32] intentional elder abuse and fraud by the
[00:26:35] Rancho Mirage City Council. This illegal
[00:26:38] fiasco resulted from decisions made by
[00:26:41] individuals with mental illness. These
[00:26:45] individuals were on the housing board,
[00:26:47] housing authority board, and on city
[00:26:50] staff. Mental illness is the reason for
[00:26:52] all the city's reckless crimes against
[00:26:55] me. I will explain by giving testimony
[00:26:59] about Mr. Hagermanerman's continual
[00:27:01] criminal behavior toward me since 2019.
[00:27:06] I call it Hagermanerman's hogwash. It's
[00:27:08] a bunch of slander based on hearsay
[00:27:11] only. For me, the worst thing about the
[00:27:14] city's crimes is the main perpetrator,
[00:27:17] Mr. Hagermanerman. His disrespectful
[00:27:20] murder in slow motion has been brutal
[00:27:23] long-term extreme elder abuse against
[00:27:26] me.
[00:27:27] Stress kills. Unfortunately for years,
[00:27:30] every morning I wake up and the wicked
[00:27:34] Mr. Hagermanerman is the first
[00:27:35] frightening thing on my totally
[00:27:37] traumatized mind. Mr. Hagermanerman's
[00:27:40] relentless and wanting victimization of
[00:27:43] me. Wanting. I love that word. I like
[00:27:47] words. Wanting vict victimization of me
[00:27:51] has been horrifying, heartbreaking,
[00:27:54] demeaning, frustrating, shocking, and
[00:27:56] repulsive. My case proves Mr. Heaggerman
[00:28:00] is not qualified to be in charge of the
[00:28:02] welfare of vulnerable human beings. In
[00:28:05] December 2024, I watched an online video
[00:28:08] by Mr. Heaggererman. Watching his
[00:28:11] testimonial was an astonishing
[00:28:13] revelation for me. I thought, "Wow,
[00:28:16] here's that ruthless fraud who has
[00:28:18] intentionally abused me since 2019, and
[00:28:22] he's talking about his life and
[00:28:24] employment experience." Wow. I was
[00:28:27] shocked. Mr. Hagermanerman testified
[00:28:30] that he had suffered from extreme
[00:28:32] anxiety, panic attacks, and suicidal
[00:28:35] thoughts. All while he was on the job
[00:28:37] here. In conclusion, the city council's
[00:28:40] decision to illegally evict me was made
[00:28:43] by Richard Kite, who had obvious
[00:28:46] dementia, along with Mr. Hagermanerman,
[00:28:49] the right-hand man who was also
[00:28:52] suffering from mental illness. I bore
[00:28:54] the brunt of all this inhumane mental
[00:28:57] illness on the city council.
[00:29:01] Um I plan to go to the next women's club
[00:29:04] meeting which is next week and
[00:29:07] fortunately they're having a talk by
[00:29:09] that lovely Holly who is the senior Miss
[00:29:13] America or California I guess I met her
[00:29:15] here. We hit it off immediately. We both
[00:29:18] went to UCSB together.
[00:29:19] >> Kindly conclude your comments. Thank
[00:29:21] you.
[00:29:23] >> Thank you for your comments.
[00:29:25] >> Pardon?
[00:29:26] Pardon? I'm sorry.
[00:29:30] Did you say something else?
[00:29:32] >> Next speaker is Patrick Lowry.
[00:29:46] >> Patrick Luri, 21-year resident of Rancho
[00:29:48] Mirage. Love those kinds of comments.
[00:29:51] I'll debate you any day and I'll
[00:29:52] introduce you to Aaron Burr, tell you a
[00:29:54] bit more about our past history. Next is
[00:29:57] the Loftess versus Eisenhower.
[00:30:01] Read it.
[00:30:03] Then you tell me what you come up with
[00:30:05] when you think about Eisenhower. Jesus
[00:30:07] Christ does not live at Eisenhower.
[00:30:10] If you don't remain diligent,
[00:30:14] don't practice good, good, honest
[00:30:16] criticism, you don't get the best
[00:30:18] results. Let me talk about crime and let
[00:30:21] me correct quotes.
[00:30:23] It's liars, damn liars,
[00:30:27] and statisticians. I slash that and put
[00:30:30] in politicians. The next best one, and I
[00:30:33] really direct this toward Mr. DS,
[00:30:37] a drunk uses a lamp post not for
[00:30:39] enlightenment,
[00:30:42] as with a politician, but for support.
[00:30:46] You got to be careful when you use
[00:30:47] statistics.
[00:30:49] Crime is here. You can tell me all day
[00:30:52] long that we have 30 people who are in
[00:30:55] the sheriff's department and I will tell
[00:30:56] you, get them on the street. That's what
[00:30:59] I'll tell you. Get them on the street.
[00:31:00] Look on the weekends and see if you see
[00:31:02] a patrol car. So, I don't question their
[00:31:04] commitment. I don't question their
[00:31:06] honor. None of that. Now, I'm going to
[00:31:09] stay here. Forgive me because this
[00:31:11] really annoys me because I have no way
[00:31:13] to really go at you. Love to do it. Love
[00:31:15] to do it because you're way off the
[00:31:17] mark.
[00:31:18] Your job is to be critical,
[00:31:22] to look at things deeply, honestly,
[00:31:25] fairly. That's how you make a great
[00:31:26] city. I get fed up with hearing people
[00:31:28] say, "This is a wonderful city. It's so
[00:31:30] beautiful." No, you that's what we want
[00:31:32] it to be. That's what we need it to be
[00:31:34] and we deserve it to be. The safest city
[00:31:37] in California right now, well, goes back
[00:31:40] and forth is Imperial. Do you know
[00:31:42] Imperial? Yeah. Safest city. You look at
[00:31:46] the index of crime, we lag far behind.
[00:31:51] Now, let's talk about baseball. Baseball
[00:31:54] hit a batter hits 190. How much the
[00:31:57] average baseball player hit? 240, 245.
[00:32:01] Let's think about crime. So, we took 190
[00:32:04] and moved it to 200. Get anything
[00:32:06] accomplished in 200? We got a long way
[00:32:08] to go to get to 240.
[00:32:10] So, we're marching towards success in
[00:32:12] controlling crime. We're not there.
[00:32:16] Okay, I have no other way to look at you
[00:32:17] guys and talk any differently.
[00:32:20] Okay, look critically at things. Look at
[00:32:23] Loftess versus Eisenhower. Think that
[00:32:25] Newsweek rated Eisenhower 39th in the
[00:32:28] state? Why?
[00:32:33] I mean, do these people look at
[00:32:35] hospitals so differently that we can't
[00:32:36] trust either scores?
[00:32:39] All right. Anyway, I don't want to
[00:32:40] continue with this. Love this city.
[00:32:43] I compliment you people for what you do.
[00:32:44] I don't know how you do it. Maybe
[00:32:46] putting up with me is very difficult.
[00:32:47] Don't want it to be.
[00:32:48] >> Finally, conclude your comments.
[00:32:50] >> Thank you again for your time. Anytime
[00:32:52] you want me to introduce you to American
[00:32:53] history, I'm here to do it.
[00:32:56] >> Thank you for your comments.
[00:32:59] >> The next speaker is Wally Melendez.
[00:33:32] Uh good afternoon everybody.
[00:33:37] The word for today is demeaning.
[00:33:53] take a good picture
[00:33:56] of our country, of our magnificent
[00:33:59] country.
[00:34:01] Just look at DC.
[00:34:07] Trump.
[00:34:11] Bondi,
[00:34:13] Cash,
[00:34:15] Vincent, all of them.
[00:34:18] I don't see any Excuse me. I don't see
[00:34:22] any respect.
[00:34:25] I don't see any Americanism.
[00:34:31] I want to thank Patrick for for his
[00:34:33] talk. I don't think much of Aisenhower
[00:34:37] uh uh health what do they call it?
[00:34:42] Mental health or whatever. I've been
[00:34:43] there a couple of three times. I don't
[00:34:45] like them.
[00:34:48] Period.
[00:34:56] Uh
[00:34:58] my mother whenever
[00:35:01] election time came around she would say
[00:35:08] and you all that don't speak Spanish
[00:35:10] like I do. I'm from Brownsville, Texas.
[00:35:12] We speak English and Spanish. In case
[00:35:15] you don't know, that's where the
[00:35:16] MexicanAmerican War of 1848 started.
[00:35:20] Excuse me. Started.
[00:35:23] I graduated high school in 1963.
[00:35:30] My mom also had to pay a pole tax which
[00:35:34] most of the time she couldn't afford
[00:35:38] so she couldn't vote.
[00:35:42] Uh
[00:35:45] so uh again Patrick
[00:35:49] and I'm I'm a lot like Patrick even
[00:35:52] though we don't communicate very well
[00:35:53] together.
[00:35:56] I don't like this self padding of each
[00:36:00] other up here the days of how great I am
[00:36:04] and what I do. I don't care, you know,
[00:36:08] if we're all millionaires and we give
[00:36:10] for this, if we give for that, good.
[00:36:13] But I don't want to hear it.
[00:36:16] I don't want to hear that. Oh, h thank
[00:36:19] you for our sheriff's sheriffs. That's
[00:36:22] their job. Don't be constantly patting
[00:36:25] everybody on the back.
[00:36:28] >> Please conclude your comments.
[00:36:29] >> Thank you, Mayor Will.
[00:36:33] The next speaker is Ricardo Loretta.
[00:36:48] Good afternoon.
[00:36:53] I'd like to read a short letter that I
[00:36:55] will then leave with the city clerk uh
[00:36:58] to document my remarks. So, I'm honored
[00:37:02] to present you a sponsorship opportunity
[00:37:06] which I hope you will embrace and
[00:37:08] support. I'm Ricardo Loretta, a past
[00:37:13] district governor and the current
[00:37:14] finance chair for Rotary District 5330,
[00:37:20] which encompasses all of Riverside
[00:37:22] County and half of San Bernardino
[00:37:24] County, covering s uh 60 Rotary clubs,
[00:37:29] 15 of which are in the Coachella Valley.
[00:37:32] On November 15th, we're hosting a Gayla
[00:37:36] Rotary Means Business
[00:37:39] fundraiser at Omni Las Palmus and Rancho
[00:37:42] Mirage.
[00:37:44] An event which will draw 250 to 300
[00:37:48] attendees.
[00:37:50] The interesting thing is that a key
[00:37:52] mission for this event is to raise funds
[00:37:55] for a first ever camp biz
[00:38:00] um project which will be held in the
[00:38:02] spring of 2026.
[00:38:04] This is a twoight, three-day
[00:38:08] uh first ever training for 40 or so 11th
[00:38:11] grade students in matters relating to
[00:38:14] business. It's a concept which fellow
[00:38:16] Rotarians in San Diego have run
[00:38:20] successfully for years. They call their
[00:38:23] project Camp Enterprise. And we're lucky
[00:38:26] that one of the organizers of the event
[00:38:29] in San Diego now lives in Coachella
[00:38:32] Valley and is going to be helping us. In
[00:38:36] addition to participating in a business
[00:38:39] challenge where teams develop a business
[00:38:41] concept and craft a business plan
[00:38:44] including product design, marketing
[00:38:47] strategy, financial projections and an
[00:38:50] organizational structure. The students
[00:38:53] participate in interactive workshops and
[00:38:56] guest speaker se uh sessions and it
[00:39:00] culminates with a shark tank type
[00:39:02] competition
[00:39:04] before a panel of judges
[00:39:07] uh composed of local business leaders
[00:39:09] and Rotarians to people like you. So
[00:39:13] beyond the competition, students gain
[00:39:15] realworld exposure to entrepreneurship
[00:39:18] and leadership
[00:39:21] um an appreciation for many of the core
[00:39:24] values that we stand for beyond the u
[00:39:29] the I'm sorry. The cost of a camp like
[00:39:32] this, including housing,
[00:39:35] meals, materials, transportation, and
[00:39:38] other costs, is about $500 a student.
[00:39:42] And so if this event is successful, we
[00:39:47] hope it'll generate a surplus that will
[00:39:49] not only fund Camp Biz, but also permit
[00:39:53] a contribution of some $25,000 to
[00:39:56] Rotary's legendary 40-year fight against
[00:40:00] polio, which is very close to being
[00:40:03] concluded.
[00:40:05] So, our hope, wish, and request from the
[00:40:07] city of Rancho Mirage is that you
[00:40:10] consider taking on the event sponsor
[00:40:13] because of the fact that it's being held
[00:40:16] in in your fine city at a level of
[00:40:19] $25,000.
[00:40:21] That's a robust request for Rotary. And
[00:40:24] obviously, if the appetite is for
[00:40:27] something less than that, uh, we'd be
[00:40:30] very happy to be honest with you. So,
[00:40:33] I'll be happy to review this proposal
[00:40:35] with whomever is appropriate
[00:40:38] uh in the city. We've been through this
[00:40:40] before uh on other occasions
[00:40:43] and I look forward to further
[00:40:45] discussion. So, many thanks for your
[00:40:48] consideration.
[00:40:49] >> Thanks for your comments. If you'll make
[00:40:51] sure the city clerk has a copy of your
[00:40:53] letter.
[00:40:58] >> That was the last speaker. Is there
[00:41:00] anyone else who would like to speak on
[00:41:01] something not on today's agenda?
[00:41:04] That was the last speaker.
[00:41:06] >> Okay, that concludes the um there's
[00:41:09] somebody in the back.
[00:41:10] >> I'm sorry. I didn't see you. Please come
[00:41:11] on up and state your name.
[00:41:16] >> Thank you everybody.
[00:41:20] >> Sorry. Good afternoon, uh honorable
[00:41:21] mayor, council members, council, and
[00:41:23] staff. My name is Jav Enriquez. I'm a
[00:41:25] senior public affairs specialist for
[00:41:26] South Coast Air Quality Management
[00:41:28] District.
[00:41:29] I'd like to share the following
[00:41:31] announcement on behalf of South Coast
[00:41:32] AQMD.
[00:41:34] South Coast AQMD is excited to share
[00:41:36] that more than 417 million is now
[00:41:39] available through Invest Clean program
[00:41:41] which provides four major funding
[00:41:43] opportunities. First, the charging
[00:41:45] infrastructure program helps offset the
[00:41:47] cost of installing DC fast chargers for
[00:41:50] class 4 through eight vehicles. Eligible
[00:41:53] applicants include charging station
[00:41:55] developers, fleet operators, truck
[00:41:58] stops, and distribution centers. Second,
[00:42:01] the truck replacement program is a scrap
[00:42:03] and and replace program to transition
[00:42:06] class A diesel goods movement trucks
[00:42:09] such as heavy haulers, box trucks, dump
[00:42:11] trucks, and refuge trucks into battery
[00:42:14] electric alternatives.
[00:42:16] Third, the battery electric cargo
[00:42:18] handling equipment program provides
[00:42:20] funding to replace diesel yard trucks or
[00:42:22] top handlers with battery electric
[00:42:24] models. Fleet owners and warehouses and
[00:42:27] freight facilities are encouraged to
[00:42:29] apply. And finally, the battery electric
[00:42:32] switcher locomotive program supports
[00:42:34] replacing diesel fueled switcher
[00:42:36] locomotives with battery electric
[00:42:38] versions.
[00:42:39] Charging infrastructure for these
[00:42:40] locomotives is also eligible for
[00:42:42] funding. Applications must be submitted
[00:42:45] online by 12 p.m. on November 28th,
[00:42:48] 2025. For full details and instructions
[00:42:50] how to apply, please visit invest clean
[00:42:53] web page at aqmd.gov/investing.
[00:42:57] I will be providing this information and
[00:42:59] link to the clerk and supply any
[00:43:01] appliers it need be. Again, thank you,
[00:43:03] mayor, for your time.
[00:43:05] >> Thank you for coming today.
[00:43:10] >> Is there anyone else who would like to
[00:43:11] speak?
[00:43:12] Okay, that was the last speaker.
[00:43:15] >> Okay, that does conclude our non-aggenda
[00:43:17] public comments. We will be shortly
[00:43:21] going into recess into close session and
[00:43:25] I will ask our county council to uh
[00:43:28] review the agenda.
[00:43:31] >> Thank you, mayor, for the promotion to
[00:43:33] county council.
[00:43:36] >> That's no comment. Uh we will be
[00:43:39] convening in a close session for the
[00:43:40] item before you on the agenda listed as
[00:43:42] 7A conference with legal counsel
[00:43:44] potential initiation of litigation
[00:43:46] pursuant to government code section
[00:43:48] 54956.9D
[00:43:51] D4 with one potential case.
[00:43:53] >> Not sure that's
[00:43:57] >> we are now in recession.
[00:44:09] We are now back in session. I will ask
[00:44:12] the city attorney to review the u the
[00:44:16] items that were covered during the uh
[00:44:19] recess.
[00:44:20] >> Thank you, mayor. At recess, the council
[00:44:23] voted on a 50- vote motioned by council
[00:44:25] member Mulatto and seconded by council
[00:44:27] member DS approving moving forward with
[00:44:29] the receiverhip for that parcel having
[00:44:31] assessor's parcel number 674151007.
[00:44:36] No other reportable action taken.
[00:44:40] >> That concludes the u the meeting and
[00:44:44] this meeting is now adjourned.