Rancho Mirage City Council Meeting, March 19, 2026

Transcript text

AI transcript text.

[00:00:14] Good afternoon. It's Thursday, March
[00:00:17] 19th, 2026. that it's now 100 p.m.
[00:00:21] Welcome to the regular meeting of the
[00:00:23] Ranch Mirage City Council and Community
[00:00:25] Services District, Energy Authority,
[00:00:28] Housing Authority, Joint Powers Finance
[00:00:30] Authority, Library and Observatory and
[00:00:32] Redevelopment Successor Agency boards.
[00:00:36] Madame Clerk, would you call the board
[00:00:38] to order, please?
[00:00:42] >> Council member DS.
[00:00:45] >> I'm here.
[00:00:46] >> Council member Framberg Edelstein
[00:00:47] >> here. Council member while
[00:00:50] >> Mayor Prom O'Keefe
[00:00:51] >> here.
[00:00:51] >> Mayor Mulatto
[00:00:53] >> here.
[00:00:55] >> Would all of you stand to join me in the
[00:00:57] flag salute.
[00:01:01] >> Placing your hands over your heart. I
[00:01:03] pledge allegiance to the flag of the
[00:01:06] United States of America and to the
[00:01:08] republic for which it stands nation
[00:01:14] with all.
[00:01:26] Okay, the next item on the agenda is
[00:01:29] presentations
[00:01:31] and this is pretty special.
[00:01:33] Uh
[00:01:37] the city council has the opportunity to
[00:01:40] brag about a a few exemplary seniors um
[00:01:45] who dedicate themselves in volunteering
[00:01:48] with organizations.
[00:01:50] On Friday, March 27th, the county of
[00:01:53] Riverside will hold their 36th 36th
[00:01:56] annual senior inspiration awards at the
[00:01:59] Hyatt Indian Wells. The Senior
[00:02:01] Inspiration Awards is a long-standing
[00:02:03] tradition across Riverside County
[00:02:06] recognizing seniors from each of our
[00:02:08] nine cities who continue to make a
[00:02:10] meaningful difference through service,
[00:02:12] leadership, and generosity.
[00:02:16] This event reminds us that the impact
[00:02:18] does not have an age limit. If anything,
[00:02:21] it grows stronger with experience,
[00:02:23] compassion, and commitment to others.
[00:02:26] Each year one honore from every city
[00:02:29] along with county representatives is
[00:02:32] recognized for their extraordinary
[00:02:34] volunteerism.
[00:02:36] Today we are proud to celebrate Rancher
[00:02:38] Mirage residents who embody the very
[00:02:40] best of our community.
[00:02:43] Please join me in recognizing our
[00:02:45] outstanding 2026 senior inspiration
[00:02:48] award nominees, all ranch residents who
[00:02:51] generously give their time and talents.
[00:02:55] And if you are in attendance, we ask
[00:02:57] that you come up to the podium
[00:03:00] and please step forward so that we can
[00:03:02] line up and have a picture. I'm going to
[00:03:04] ask that the mayor prom assist me with
[00:03:07] this effort.
[00:03:13] Marsha, have a seat. Marsha. Marsha, I'm
[00:03:17] going to call your name in a minute.
[00:03:22] up.
[00:03:26] May we welcome Suzanne Campbell who
[00:03:30] volunteers at the Living Desert.
[00:03:35] Far Fujetti
[00:03:38] who volunteers at the Rancharrage
[00:03:40] Library and Observatory.
[00:03:45] Helen Kendall, who volunteers at the
[00:03:48] Living Desert.
[00:03:52] Okay, Marcia, it's your turn. Marsha
[00:03:55] Stein, who volunteers with the Coachella
[00:03:57] Valley Disaster Preparedness Network.
[00:04:00] And we have two individuals that may or
[00:04:03] may not be here today. If you are here,
[00:04:05] Paul Bruner, who volunteers at the
[00:04:07] Cathedral City Senior Center, and Reena
[00:04:10] Town, who volunteers at the Living
[00:04:13] Desert. I would say we're well
[00:04:14] represented at the living desert.
[00:04:18] Thank you for all your dedication to
[00:04:20] serving others and strengthening our
[00:04:22] community. Your efforts truly make a
[00:04:24] difference. Now, our announcement
[00:04:28] for our honore for the senior
[00:04:31] inspiration awards for 2026
[00:04:33] is Mr. William Saxs
[00:04:36] with our citizens on patrol. He's been
[00:04:39] with our program since 2014.
[00:04:43] For more than a decade, he has gone
[00:04:45] above and beyond in service to our
[00:04:47] community, demonstrating reliability,
[00:04:49] professionalism, and genuine commitment
[00:04:52] to the public. His contributions help
[00:04:55] enhance the quality of life in Rancher
[00:04:57] Mirage and support the important work of
[00:05:00] our law enforcement partners. They're
[00:05:03] the boots on the ground and eyes and
[00:05:05] ears.
[00:05:07] William exemplifies what it means to
[00:05:09] serve selflessly and we are incredibly
[00:05:12] proud to honor him at our senior
[00:05:14] inspiration as our senior inspiration
[00:05:17] award honore.
[00:05:19] It is now my honor to present
[00:05:21] certificates. Actually, the mayor prom
[00:05:23] took care of that for me. Certificates
[00:05:25] of uh recognition to all of our
[00:05:27] nominees. And I ask that all of you join
[00:05:30] me
[00:05:32] in celebrating these wonderful
[00:05:34] individuals that give our city so much.
[00:05:40] And and if you'll all remain in place,
[00:05:43] that would be wonderful. We'll get a
[00:05:45] picture.
[00:06:01] little bit.
[00:06:01] >> Okay.
[00:06:21] Can you get us all in there?
[00:06:22] >> I can.
[00:06:23] >> Okay.
[00:06:23] >> I will.
[00:06:25] >> One, two, three.
[00:06:29] >> Beautiful. Thank you.
[00:06:30] >> Wonderful. Congratulations everyone.
[00:06:50] Thank you.
[00:07:03] Okay.
[00:07:12] Next item on the agenda is council
[00:07:14] member comments. We'll start with uh
[00:07:17] council member E. Fromberg Edelstein.
[00:07:21] Thank you, Madame Mayor. Good afternoon.
[00:07:24] I'd like to take a moment to highlight
[00:07:25] and invite everyone to an upcoming
[00:07:28] cultural event in our community. The
[00:07:30] Coachella Valley Symphony will be
[00:07:32] presenting Swinging in Hollywood with
[00:07:34] the music of Jimmy Van Houston this
[00:07:36] Saturday, March 21st. This unique
[00:07:39] concert blends classic Hollywood film
[00:07:41] performances with a live symph symphony
[00:07:44] orchestra, bringing to life the timeless
[00:07:46] music of four-time Oscar-winning
[00:07:48] songwriter Jimmy Van Houston. It propos
[00:07:51] it promises to be a truly special
[00:07:53] evening. So, come fly with them and
[00:07:55] enjoy a wonderful night of music.
[00:07:56] Residents can reserve two free tickets
[00:07:59] by visiting cvsymphony.com
[00:08:02] where you can also find additional event
[00:08:04] details. Events like this enrich our
[00:08:06] community and highlight the importance
[00:08:08] of supporting the arts. I encourage
[00:08:10] everyone to take advantage of this
[00:08:12] opportunity and attend if you can. Thank
[00:08:14] you.
[00:08:16] >> Thank you, Council Member DS.
[00:08:19] >> Thank you, Madame Mayor. So, a couple of
[00:08:21] things that I wanted to speak to today.
[00:08:22] First, uh, one of the outside agencies
[00:08:25] that I serve on is as a member of the
[00:08:27] board of the Coachella Valley Mountains
[00:08:29] Conservancy. And there was a recent
[00:08:31] article in the Desert Sun about uh, the
[00:08:34] Mountains Conservancy in cooperation
[00:08:36] with Friends of the Desert Mountain
[00:08:38] returning 656 acres of land uh, to the
[00:08:42] Aua Kayante Band of Koa Indians. This is
[00:08:44] land that is in the uh, Sanosinto
[00:08:47] National um, mountains. So this is a
[00:08:49] land that will be conserved through
[00:08:50] tribal stewardship and uh since its
[00:08:53] inception in 1991. The uh mountains
[00:08:56] conservancy has worked with partners to
[00:08:58] acquire and protect over 100,000 acres
[00:09:00] of land enhancing ab habitat for
[00:09:03] endangered species and providing
[00:09:04] recreational access uh for the residents
[00:09:07] of the Coachella Valley. So I salute uh
[00:09:08] the mountains conservancy, the friends
[00:09:10] of the desert mountains and the ago caye
[00:09:13] band of Kawia Indians for protecting
[00:09:15] this 656 acres. Second thing that I
[00:09:18] wanted to speak to is I wanted to
[00:09:20] correct the record on an issue. So on
[00:09:22] social media, a resident of our city
[00:09:23] recently said about me and I'm quoting
[00:09:25] to exactly what he said. Uh Downs may
[00:09:28] not like you if you voted for measure
[00:09:29] AA. 70% of voters supported the measure,
[00:09:32] not DS. Now that's not just a m
[00:09:34] mischaracterization of what I said. It's
[00:09:36] not true. Uh, measure AA, just to remind
[00:09:38] you all, it was uh the 2024 ballot
[00:09:41] measure in which the voters approved the
[00:09:43] renewal of the lease of Desert Regional
[00:09:45] Medical Center to tenant healthcare by
[00:09:48] the Desert Healthcare District. It was
[00:09:50] approved by about 70% of the voters,
[00:09:52] including me. I voted for it. Um, I made
[00:09:56] public statements from this podium, from
[00:09:58] this dis rather, that I found no problem
[00:10:00] with the renewal of the lease. And I
[00:10:02] went on to say that my issue was with
[00:10:04] the non-compete clause that was
[00:10:05] contained in the lease. And here's a
[00:10:07] clip of what what I had to say from this
[00:10:08] dis. Please go ahead and play that clip.
[00:10:11] Now,
[00:10:13] that was a 30-year lease that uh that
[00:10:15] was engaged in in 1997, and the district
[00:10:17] voters approved to renew that lease in
[00:10:20] November of 2024. Now I don't have any
[00:10:23] issue with the basic concept of the
[00:10:25] leafs for the obvious reason that the
[00:10:28] desert healthc care district is not able
[00:10:31] to operate that hospital. They must
[00:10:33] engage with a operator who can in fact
[00:10:36] operate the hospital. That's what tenant
[00:10:38] does. I don't have any problem with
[00:10:39] that. What I do have a problem with is
[00:10:41] the language in the non-compete clause
[00:10:44] in that lease and I believe it was the
[00:10:46] wrong thing to do.
[00:10:47] So that makes it pretty clear uh that
[00:10:49] the person who said I did not support
[00:10:51] measure AA is wrong. Um so here's my
[00:10:53] issue with the non-compete. Uh it
[00:10:55] prevents the Desert Healthcare District
[00:10:57] from making grants to a single entity
[00:10:59] and that single entity is Eisenhower
[00:11:00] Health. And I'll read from an article, a
[00:11:03] Valley Voice article that uh I wrote
[00:11:05] that the Desert Sun published. The heart
[00:11:08] of the issue has nothing to do with the
[00:11:10] passage of measure AA. At the very heart
[00:11:12] of the issue is the non-compete clause.
[00:11:14] The clause that prevents Eisenhower
[00:11:16] Health from receiving grants funded by
[00:11:18] the district, a stipulation that many
[00:11:20] argue undermines the district's broader
[00:11:21] mission to foster accessible and
[00:11:23] equitable healthcare for all residents.
[00:11:26] The clause has sparked a debate about
[00:11:27] the ethical use of public funds,
[00:11:29] especially given that these funds are
[00:11:31] derived not only from lease payments
[00:11:33] made by tenant, but also from property
[00:11:35] taxes collected from property owners
[00:11:37] across the district's original
[00:11:38] boundaries. Critics claim that such a
[00:11:41] restriction runs counter to the original
[00:11:43] purpose for which the district was
[00:11:45] established, which is to support a
[00:11:47] diverse range of healthcare providers
[00:11:49] for the better betterment of community
[00:11:50] health. The non-compete is wrong. The
[00:11:53] district raises money to make grants
[00:11:55] that provide for the health and
[00:11:57] well-being of district residents. Grant
[00:11:58] money that is largely funded by publicly
[00:12:01] raised property tax dollars. It's wrong
[00:12:03] to limit the way a public agency, the
[00:12:05] district, spends public money, your tax
[00:12:07] dollars and mine, for the stated goal of
[00:12:10] optimum health care for all residents of
[00:12:12] the district. The district was was
[00:12:14] created by the state legislature for the
[00:12:16] purpose of providing direct health care
[00:12:18] services through the ownership of the
[00:12:19] hospital and also providing funding to
[00:12:22] organizations that operate medical
[00:12:23] facilities and services. Logic dictates
[00:12:26] that the legislature did not envision
[00:12:28] that the single most obvious provider of
[00:12:30] healthc care services in the Coachella
[00:12:32] Valley would be excluded from receiving
[00:12:34] grants from the district. The district
[00:12:36] should do the right thing and follow its
[00:12:38] own mission statement which is to
[00:12:40] achieve optimum health at all stages of
[00:12:42] life for all district residents. That
[00:12:44] mission statement does not end with the
[00:12:46] phrase with the exception of Eisenhower
[00:12:48] health. Now, if I'm to be quoted or
[00:12:51] accused of something, I prefer to be
[00:12:53] quoted or accused correctly. So, I don't
[00:12:55] know if that person uh responsible for
[00:12:57] that quote purposely intended to
[00:13:00] misstate my position, although I suspect
[00:13:02] he did. What I do know is that he did
[00:13:04] not take time to clearly understand my
[00:13:06] position. Now, if his position is that a
[00:13:09] for-profit outofstate corporation should
[00:13:12] have the right to restrict the way our
[00:13:14] public property tax dollars are
[00:13:16] collected and spent on healthcare. He
[00:13:18] has every right to that opinion and I
[00:13:19] don't I I don't have a problem with
[00:13:21] that. But I don't have that opinion at
[00:13:23] all. I think the non-compete is wrong
[00:13:24] and I wanted to correct that record.
[00:13:26] Thank you, Madame Mayor.
[00:13:28] >> Thank you, Council Member Ted While.
[00:13:31] >> Thank you, Mayor.
[00:13:34] The um the Richard M. Milanovich
[00:13:37] Community Leadership Award presented by
[00:13:41] the Aocaliente Band of Coya Indians in
[00:13:45] partnership with the Palm Springs
[00:13:48] Chamber of Commerce recognizes
[00:13:51] individuals who embody exceptional
[00:13:54] leadership, service, and a deep
[00:13:57] commitment to improving the quality of
[00:14:00] life in our community.
[00:14:03] My dear friend Marty Mariello,
[00:14:07] president and CEO of Eisenhower Health,
[00:14:11] is truly deserving of this honor.
[00:14:14] His leadership has strengthened one of
[00:14:17] our region's most vital institutions
[00:14:20] while fostering collaboration,
[00:14:22] innovation, and compassionate care for
[00:14:26] residents across the Coachella Valley.
[00:14:30] Marty's ability to lead with both vision
[00:14:33] and heart has made a lasting impact not
[00:14:37] only within health care but throughout
[00:14:40] our broader community.
[00:14:42] I was honored to ask to participate in
[00:14:45] the chambers tribute video where I had
[00:14:49] the opportunity to share about my
[00:14:52] personal relationship with Marty.
[00:14:56] Having seen firsthand his dedication,
[00:14:59] integrity, and genuine care for others,
[00:15:03] I can say this recognition reflects
[00:15:07] exactly the kind of leader he is. On
[00:15:11] behalf of the city council, we extend
[00:15:14] our sincere congratulations to Marty
[00:15:17] Marciello and thank him for his
[00:15:20] continued service and commitment to our
[00:15:24] community. This was an award welld
[00:15:27] deserved and it was my honor to
[00:15:30] participate. Thank you, Mayor.
[00:15:33] >> Thank you, Mayor Pro Tim O'Keefe.
[00:15:36] >> And thank you, Madame Mayor. Uh good
[00:15:38] afternoon, everyone. I want to thank all
[00:15:40] of you who came to the Rancho Mirage
[00:15:42] Rescue Rally pet adoption vaccine and
[00:15:45] wellness clinic last Friday. Uh we
[00:15:48] partnered with our certified farmers
[00:15:49] market and we created a vibrant
[00:15:52] accessible setting that brought together
[00:15:54] hundreds of pet lovers. Uh several dogs
[00:15:57] were adopted and the fees were waved to
[00:15:59] help them find loving homes and then we
[00:16:02] gave out more than 100 free
[00:16:04] vaccinations.
[00:16:05] Um I want to thank our partners and
[00:16:07] there were a lot of them. Riverside
[00:16:09] County Animal Services, Loving All
[00:16:11] Animals, Animal Samaritans, Palm Springs
[00:16:14] Animal Shelter, Palm Desert Pet
[00:16:16] Hospital, Melanie Villanuv State Farm,
[00:16:20] St. Francis Pet Hospice, and Cristiana
[00:16:23] Green at the Farmers Market, and over a
[00:16:26] dozen of the staff here at City Hall
[00:16:28] helped us make it a wonderful day. Um,
[00:16:32] it was also great to welcome the staff
[00:16:35] from the soontobe open Rancho Mirage
[00:16:38] animal emergency. Uh, they will be
[00:16:41] offering 247 comprehensive emergency
[00:16:44] veterinary services right here in Rancho
[00:16:47] Mirage and it will be the only facility
[00:16:50] providing these services in the entire
[00:16:52] Coachella Valley. So, it's a big deal.
[00:16:54] Um to tomorrow we have the spay and
[00:16:58] neuter bus that the Riverside County
[00:17:00] Department of Animal Services uh
[00:17:02] provides. It will also be at the
[00:17:04] community park, the same place as the
[00:17:05] farmers market. Uh we will be offering
[00:17:08] free spaying and neutering services for
[00:17:11] Rancho Mirage residents. You do need to
[00:17:12] make make a reservation uh but that is
[00:17:15] free of charge.
[00:17:17] And this is part of the city's um
[00:17:21] support pet adoption. Uh it's through
[00:17:24] our pet adoption incentive program. Uh
[00:17:27] we our residents if you adopt from a
[00:17:30] qualifying a shelter or a rescue, you
[00:17:33] can receive reimbursement assistance. It
[00:17:35] helps offset the initial adoption fees,
[00:17:38] some of the vaccination costs. So, it's
[00:17:40] really just one more way that the city
[00:17:42] is encouraging responsible pet ownership
[00:17:45] while supporting our local shelters and
[00:17:48] rescue organizations. If you saw the
[00:17:50] paper today, uh the county is saying
[00:17:52] that they are at 230% capacity out in
[00:17:55] Thousand Palms. So, in closing, I would
[00:17:58] like to say Ranch Mirage, we love our
[00:18:00] pets. I want to thank everyone who
[00:18:02] participated, adopted, volunteered, and
[00:18:04] supported uh this event, and together we
[00:18:06] are building a more compassionate, a
[00:18:09] connected community where both residents
[00:18:12] and their pets can thrive. Thank you,
[00:18:14] Madame Mayor.
[00:18:16] >> Thank you, Mayor Prom. It's a wonderful
[00:18:18] event and the public responds so
[00:18:20] positively to it and there's nothing
[00:18:22] like seeing a child interact with a a
[00:18:25] puppy or a cat that they uh have been
[00:18:28] wanting for some time. It's very very
[00:18:30] special. All right. Well, I have a few
[00:18:32] comments if I may. Um
[00:18:36] Ranch Mirage night with the Coachella
[00:18:38] Valley Firebirds. This was fun. Ranch
[00:18:41] Mirage residents, Firebird fans, and
[00:18:44] city leaders came together for an
[00:18:45] exciting afternoon of hockey during city
[00:18:48] series. Ranch Mirage night with the
[00:18:50] Coachella Valley Firebirds at Acure
[00:18:52] Arena where the CV Firebirds played the
[00:18:55] Calgary Wranglers. Biggie the Big Horn,
[00:18:58] our city's mascot, was on hand to
[00:19:00] welcome and entertain fans in posing for
[00:19:02] photos. One of the highlights of the day
[00:19:05] was a fun event, a fun moment when uh
[00:19:08] Fuego joined in for our photo shoot.
[00:19:12] The city invited Rancher Mirage High
[00:19:15] School girls softball team who were
[00:19:16] crowned CIF champions and were
[00:19:19] recognized during the game for their
[00:19:21] outstanding accomplishments and for
[00:19:23] representing Ranch Mirage with pride
[00:19:26] both on and off the field. And it was
[00:19:29] just wonderful to see the girls there
[00:19:32] with their families and u and they were
[00:19:34] wellreceived. Adding to the excitement,
[00:19:37] Mayor Prom Michael O'Keefe escorted me
[00:19:40] to the tunnel for a memorable Zamboni
[00:19:43] ride. Not only was it my first hockey
[00:19:45] game, it was an E ticket ride on that
[00:19:47] Zamboni. And although a little nervous,
[00:19:50] it was a wonderful experience to
[00:19:52] represent Rancher Mirage in such a
[00:19:54] unique way. Thank you to my fellow
[00:19:56] council members for attending along with
[00:19:59] Firebird fans, Rancharrage residents and
[00:20:02] city staff. The afternoon served as a
[00:20:05] wonderful opportunity to celebrate
[00:20:06] community pride, support local athletes,
[00:20:09] and enjoy the energy of Firebirds hockey
[00:20:11] together and congratulations on beating
[00:20:13] the Wranglers 4 to one. Special thanks
[00:20:16] to the Acer staff for making um this
[00:20:20] event possible.
[00:20:22] Okay,
[00:20:24] with that we'll move on to city manager
[00:20:27] comments.
[00:20:28] >> None today, Madame Mayor.
[00:20:30] >> Okay, then we'll move on to consent
[00:20:32] calendar.
[00:20:33] >> Thank you. Uh the members of the council
[00:20:35] have four items on the consent calendar
[00:20:37] for consideration. Items 5A through 5D.
[00:20:41] Item 5 A is the approval of the March
[00:20:44] 5th, 2026 regular city council meeting
[00:20:47] minutes. Item 5B is to receive and file
[00:20:50] the 2025 board and commission annual
[00:20:53] reports. Item 5 C is to approve the
[00:20:57] contracts and item 5D are the demands.
[00:21:00] Before we go to council comments or
[00:21:03] questions, I'll ask the city clerk to
[00:21:05] take any public comment on the consent
[00:21:06] calendar.
[00:21:07] >> Thank you. I did not receive any speaker
[00:21:09] cards. Is there anyone in the audience
[00:21:10] who would like to speak on something on
[00:21:12] the consent calendar?
[00:21:14] >> No speakers. Do we have any council
[00:21:16] comments at this time?
[00:21:18] >> No. With that, may I have a motion?
[00:21:21] >> I'll move to approve the consent
[00:21:22] calendar.
[00:21:23] >> Second.
[00:21:24] >> Please vote.
[00:21:34] >> Council member Wy, could you try your
[00:21:35] vote one more time? Tap the screen if
[00:21:37] you're not seeing the vote screen,
[00:21:38] please.
[00:21:41] >> And motion carries. 50.
[00:21:44] >> Very good. We're moving on to the action
[00:21:47] calendar. Item 6A, fiscal year 2025 2026
[00:21:52] midyear budget adjustments. Joseph
[00:21:53] Carpenter, our assistant director of
[00:21:55] administrative services will be
[00:21:57] reporting on this item.
[00:21:59] >> Thank you, Madame Mayor, and good
[00:22:00] afternoon, members of the city council.
[00:22:02] Annually, the finance division in
[00:22:04] collaboration with the director of
[00:22:05] administrative services conducts a
[00:22:07] mid-year review of revenues and
[00:22:09] expenditures to identify significant
[00:22:11] changes that have occurred or may be
[00:22:13] expected to occur prior to the end of
[00:22:15] the fiscal year. The primary objective
[00:22:18] of this review is to perform a
[00:22:19] divisional analysis of the general fund
[00:22:22] and identify items that may have a
[00:22:24] material impact on the budget. Today's
[00:22:26] presentation will provide a summary of
[00:22:28] the general fund budget and highlight
[00:22:29] the proposed fiscal year 2025 2026
[00:22:33] midear budget adjustments.
[00:22:36] The current operating budget adopted by
[00:22:38] city council on June 5th, 2025 includes
[00:22:41] oops includes approximately $37 million
[00:22:44] in revenue and $35.9 million in
[00:22:47] expenditures.
[00:22:49] Staff is proposing mid-year adjustments
[00:22:51] to increase operating revenue
[00:22:52] approximately 1.1 million and to
[00:22:55] increase operating expenditures 880,000
[00:22:58] which would increase the projected
[00:23:00] operating surplus by about $294,000
[00:23:04] from approximately 1.15 million to 1.44
[00:23:08] million. Details of these proposed
[00:23:10] operating budget adjustments will be
[00:23:12] covered over the next few slides.
[00:23:15] Staff is recommending an increase to
[00:23:17] budgeted operating revenues of $1.1
[00:23:19] million. Staff anticipates the city will
[00:23:22] receive about $734,000
[00:23:24] more in tax related revenues, $115,000
[00:23:28] less in development related fees, and
[00:23:31] $555,000
[00:23:33] more in other miscellaneous revenues.
[00:23:37] General fund operating expenditures are
[00:23:39] broken down into three object groups.
[00:23:41] personnel, which includes salaries and
[00:23:43] benefits, operations and maintenance,
[00:23:45] and department equipment. No adjustments
[00:23:48] to personnel are proposed at this time.
[00:23:50] Required budget adjustments for
[00:23:52] individual divisions, if any, will be
[00:23:54] brought to the city council for
[00:23:56] consideration with your in budget
[00:23:57] adjustments.
[00:23:59] The proposed $471,000
[00:24:01] increase in operations and maintenance
[00:24:03] is comprised of adjustments to eight
[00:24:05] divisions.
[00:24:07] $100,000 decrease in city attorney
[00:24:09] expenses, an $80,000 increase in
[00:24:12] building and safety for contracted
[00:24:14] inspection and planch check services. A
[00:24:16] $75,000 increase in code compliance for
[00:24:19] software to enhance service delivery.
[00:24:22] $588,000
[00:24:24] in engineering for surveying and plan
[00:24:26] check services, inspection reports,
[00:24:28] assessment district formation services,
[00:24:31] and preliminary engineering related to
[00:24:33] the Frank Sinatra low water crossing. a
[00:24:36] $141,000
[00:24:37] increase in street maintenance and
[00:24:39] facilities and fleet for increased
[00:24:42] electricity and maintenance costs, a
[00:24:44] decrease of $350,000 in public safety
[00:24:47] transfers due to increased revenue and
[00:24:49] the timing of purchases. And lastly, an
[00:24:52] increase of $15,000 in community
[00:24:54] relations for the shop local ranch and
[00:24:57] Mirage gift card program and
[00:24:58] amphitheater programming.
[00:25:00] The proposed $48,000 increase in
[00:25:03] budgeted expenditures for D department
[00:25:05] equipment is comprised of adjustments to
[00:25:07] four divisions. Almost all of the
[00:25:09] proposed increase can be attributed to
[00:25:11] the purchase of vehicles, the cost of
[00:25:13] which is offset by grant revenue.
[00:25:17] The general fund summary displays the
[00:25:19] impact of the proposed budget
[00:25:20] adjustments to the general fund. In
[00:25:23] addition to the previously discussed
[00:25:24] operating budget adjustments, staff is
[00:25:27] proposing adjustments to non-operating
[00:25:29] revenue and expenditures.
[00:25:31] An increase of about $46,000 in
[00:25:33] non-operating revenue to account for
[00:25:35] grant revenue, which offsets the
[00:25:37] previously mentioned vehicle purchases,
[00:25:40] and an increase of $1.5 million in
[00:25:42] non-operating expenditures to account
[00:25:44] for a required payment for recycled
[00:25:46] water facilities.
[00:25:49] The adopted general fund budget,
[00:25:50] including both operating and
[00:25:52] non-operating budgets, projected net use
[00:25:55] of reserves of approximately $2.7
[00:25:57] million. The budget adjust adjustments
[00:26:00] discussed today intend to increase
[00:26:02] reserve spending by about $800,000,
[00:26:05] resulting in total net use of reserves
[00:26:07] of about $3.5 million.
[00:26:12] The city started the fiscal year with
[00:26:14] approximately $61.2 $2 million in
[00:26:16] general fund reserves. And after
[00:26:18] accounting for the projected spending of
[00:26:20] $3.5 million, staff estimates the city
[00:26:24] will end the fiscal year with
[00:26:25] approximately $57.6 million in spendable
[00:26:29] general fund reserves.
[00:26:31] For clarity, unassigned fund balance
[00:26:33] represents funds that have not been
[00:26:35] committed for a specific purpose and are
[00:26:37] available for any use, while funds in
[00:26:40] the city's six remaining reserve
[00:26:42] accounts have a specific commitment and
[00:26:44] can only be used for that purpose unless
[00:26:46] modified by the city council.
[00:26:49] Thank you for your time and
[00:26:50] consideration this afternoon. This
[00:26:51] concludes my presentation. I'm available
[00:26:53] for any questions.
[00:26:59] >> Thank you. We did not receive any
[00:27:00] speaker cards on this item. Is there
[00:27:02] anyone in the audience who would like to
[00:27:03] speak regarding item 6A?
[00:27:06] No speakers.
[00:27:07] >> Are there any council comments?
[00:27:09] >> Yeah, I have a question.
[00:27:11] >> Council member,
[00:27:12] >> uh, Joseph, excellent report. Thank you
[00:27:14] so much. Um,
[00:27:18] refresh again for me.
[00:27:21] uh under public safety account number
[00:27:23] 10141,000
[00:27:27] uh the expenditure of 310,000
[00:27:31] the nonoperating
[00:27:33] transfer exactly what that was for
[00:27:36] >> uh that was for the remount of one of
[00:27:39] our ambulance units we were able to get
[00:27:41] that accomplished at the tail end of
[00:27:43] last fiscal year so that expense is
[00:27:45] being removed from this year
[00:27:48] >> great thank you I have a question.
[00:27:51] >> So planning fees collected we think are
[00:27:55] going down but we have up more
[00:27:58] engineering costs being adjusted and
[00:28:01] spent. So is that on can you explain how
[00:28:05] those work? Are they not are they not
[00:28:06] connected?
[00:28:07] >> Uh they they are not. So the planning
[00:28:09] fees would be fees paid at the counter
[00:28:11] at the planning department. So those
[00:28:13] would be entitlements that are being
[00:28:15] processed for future development. the
[00:28:17] costs in the engineering department that
[00:28:19] increased or for existing projects in
[00:28:21] place today.
[00:28:22] >> Thank you. I couldn't reconcile with
[00:28:24] you. Thanks so much.
[00:28:26] >> Are there any other questions?
[00:28:28] >> Okay, with that, I'll ask for a motion.
[00:28:32] I'll make the motion.
[00:28:35] >> I move to adopt resolution number 2026,
[00:28:38] next in order, approving and adopting
[00:28:40] the fiscal year 2025 2026 midyear budget
[00:28:44] adjustments.
[00:28:45] >> I'll second that.
[00:28:47] Please vote.
[00:28:54] >> Motion carries 5-0.
[00:28:56] Next item on the agenda, 6B, campaign
[00:28:59] contribution limit for city council
[00:29:01] candidates. Recommended action. I'm
[00:29:03] sorry. I apologize.
[00:29:06] Go ahead, Christie or madame clerk to
[00:29:09] report on this issue.
[00:29:10] >> Good afternoon, honorable mayor and
[00:29:12] council members. The California
[00:29:14] Political Reform Act was enacted by the
[00:29:16] California voters in 1974 and includes
[00:29:19] provisions that regulate campaign
[00:29:20] finance, lobbying activity, and conflict
[00:29:22] of interest. Since 2021, the act has
[00:29:25] required that state established campaign
[00:29:27] contribution limits for state candidates
[00:29:30] be applied to candidates for city and
[00:29:31] county offices unless the city or county
[00:29:34] imposed its own count campaign
[00:29:35] contribution limit. The city of
[00:29:37] Ranchomarrage has not imposed its own
[00:29:39] contribution limit and defaults to the
[00:29:41] state limit, which is currently $5,900
[00:29:43] per contributor contributor per
[00:29:46] election. On February 19th, the city
[00:29:48] council considered a resolution
[00:29:50] establishing no campaign contribution
[00:29:52] limits for city council candidates. The
[00:29:55] council opted to direct staff to prepare
[00:29:57] a policy imposing a campaign
[00:29:59] contribution limit of $7,500 per
[00:30:01] contributor per election. A revised
[00:30:04] draft resolution implementing a $7,500
[00:30:06] campaign contribution limit was included
[00:30:08] as attachment one to the staff report.
[00:30:11] That concludes my report and I can take
[00:30:13] public comment if you'd like.
[00:30:14] >> Please.
[00:30:15] >> I did not receive any speaker cards. Is
[00:30:16] there anyone in the audience who would
[00:30:18] like to speak regarding item 6B?
[00:30:21] No speakers.
[00:30:22] >> Are there any council comments?
[00:30:25] >> With that, I'll ask for a motion.
[00:30:29] I'll be happy to make the motion uh that
[00:30:31] we establish a campaign contribution
[00:30:33] limit for city council candidates.
[00:30:37] >> We have a second.
[00:30:38] >> Okay.
[00:30:44] >> Motion carries. 5-0.
[00:30:49] Number seven on the agenda, non-aggenda
[00:30:51] public comments. This is an opportunity
[00:30:53] for the public to speak on issues not on
[00:30:55] the agenda for a maximum of three
[00:30:57] minutes per speaker. Madame clerk, first
[00:31:01] speaker is Patrick Lurri.
[00:31:14] >> Good afternoon.
[00:31:15] >> Good afternoon and thank you and glad
[00:31:17] you enjoyed the game. And I was up at
[00:31:18] the LA Kings game because I had to see
[00:31:20] one of the greatest hockey players of
[00:31:21] all time play his last game or two.
[00:31:23] >> Wonderful.
[00:31:23] >> It was a great game. So, so good for
[00:31:26] you. Uh, listen, a couple comments and
[00:31:28] I'm going to get a bit heavy on one
[00:31:30] issue. Uh, first of all, this issue of
[00:31:32] measure AA. You mean to tell me, Mr. DS,
[00:31:35] you voted for something where the major
[00:31:36] component didn't agree with you and now
[00:31:39] you disagree with measure AA? I'm going
[00:31:41] to be at the foundation today at 3:00
[00:31:44] presenting to them uh something that has
[00:31:47] to do with Eisenhower which is a grant
[00:31:49] and that grants being held up. So if you
[00:31:52] pay attention to all of this you'll
[00:31:53] learn.
[00:31:55] One of the most important things we can
[00:31:56] do in life is speak what you know know
[00:31:59] what you write.
[00:32:01] Now the other aspect here is uh I want
[00:32:06] to talk about the first amendment since
[00:32:07] you had an attorney here who wanted to
[00:32:09] give us a lecture on the first
[00:32:11] amendment. I'm a heavy duty first
[00:32:13] amendment guy and my feeling is that you
[00:32:17] insulted the community talking about the
[00:32:20] first amendment. I've been to these
[00:32:22] meetings many many times and over 20
[00:32:25] years I've listened to you many many
[00:32:27] times. I've never seen anybody
[00:32:30] get up to this podium that you would
[00:32:32] have to say to them, "Guys, get out of
[00:32:35] here." I've never seen that. Again,
[00:32:40] lousy way to go about taking care of
[00:32:42] things. Now, there's one gentleman who
[00:32:44] does speak a lot, and I think there was
[00:32:45] a bit of a conflict in that meeting, and
[00:32:48] now I don't see him around. This a
[00:32:50] gentle person, and you've quieted him. I
[00:32:53] hope that wasn't what you were trying to
[00:32:55] accomplish.
[00:32:57] Nothing worse than a lawyer who wants to
[00:32:58] talk to you about the First Amendment
[00:33:00] and then he insists on telling you how
[00:33:01] he defines the First Amendment.
[00:33:04] Now, finally,
[00:33:09] when we talk, when we speak, when we
[00:33:11] show our concern for something, I wish
[00:33:14] you people would listen.
[00:33:16] I wish you listen. I wish you just
[00:33:17] wouldn't go home and say, "Well, another
[00:33:19] day at the office."
[00:33:21] Again, glad you saw the hockey game. Mr.
[00:33:24] DS. Anytime you want a debate, I'm all
[00:33:26] yours. Measure AA. It's like a one-way
[00:33:29] street with you, Mr. DS. You'd be going
[00:33:31] the wrong way.
[00:33:33] Anyway, very afternoon. Thanks so much.
[00:33:36] Glad we can talk. Let's remember what
[00:33:38] the First Amendment is all about. It's
[00:33:40] about truth and making certain that our
[00:33:43] government operates the way we expect it
[00:33:45] to. Thank you.
[00:33:47] >> Thank you,
[00:33:49] Wally. Melendez.
[00:34:15] Uh, good afternoon everybody.
[00:34:18] I'm Wi Melendius.
[00:34:21] Thank you Pat for giving me a a subject
[00:34:24] to talk on.
[00:34:26] Um,
[00:34:28] okay.
[00:34:31] So Ukraine,
[00:34:34] Iran,
[00:34:37] Putini,
[00:34:39] Trump,
[00:34:42] bad things are happening.
[00:34:52] Putini, you all know who I'm talking
[00:34:55] about, right? That's Putin. That's
[00:34:58] Putini.
[00:35:01] They over there don't have a
[00:35:04] constitution.
[00:35:05] We have a constitution.
[00:35:10] However,
[00:35:14] Trump,
[00:35:16] who is not my president,
[00:35:22] is destroying. No, he's not destroying.
[00:35:27] He is
[00:35:31] intentionally
[00:35:35] with great
[00:35:38] ignorance and stupidity
[00:35:42] overrides the Constitution
[00:35:46] and he boasts about it
[00:35:51] and he laughs at it
[00:35:54] and he laughs at us,
[00:35:59] we the people.
[00:36:06] So, thank you Pat again for giving me a
[00:36:08] subject to talk about. I hadn't wrote
[00:36:10] down anything.
[00:36:15] And what is Trump and his
[00:36:19] idiotic party, the Republican party
[00:36:23] doing?
[00:36:25] They are
[00:36:31] doing all kinds of tricks
[00:36:34] to
[00:36:36] cheat at the polls this November.
[00:36:43] They will not
[00:36:46] get away with it.
[00:36:53] So thank God
[00:36:57] for our constitution.
[00:37:01] Jeff, Washington,
[00:37:05] Adams,
[00:37:06] Jefferson,
[00:37:09] Hamilton,
[00:37:11] Madison
[00:37:14] put their lives on the line for our
[00:37:17] Constitution.
[00:37:19] Don't forget about it.
[00:37:23] Thank you, Susan Ragdale.
[00:37:39] Good afternoon. My name is Susan
[00:37:41] Ragdale. I've been practicing meditation
[00:37:44] since 1974. This morning, I woke up and
[00:37:48] I received a message from the design
[00:37:50] divine. And it was extremely powerful
[00:37:52] for me. And this is what it said. I
[00:37:54] wrote it down. What's about to unfold
[00:37:57] will restore your faith in divine order,
[00:38:00] in cosmic justice, and in the fact that
[00:38:03] God sees everything and nothing goes
[00:38:05] unaccounted for. Isaiah Hagermanerman
[00:38:08] wronged you. He is about to face the
[00:38:11] consequences of his actions. He lied
[00:38:13] about you, betrayed you, used you,
[00:38:16] manipulated you, and hurt you.
[00:38:19] Consequently, he is about to face the
[00:38:21] full weight of what he has done. The
[00:38:24] truth is coming to light. Things that
[00:38:26] were hidden in darkness are being
[00:38:28] dragged into the sun. Lies that seem
[00:38:31] solid and lies that seem solid are
[00:38:34] crumbling. The mask that Hagermanerman
[00:38:37] has been wearing is being ripped off.
[00:38:39] And the people who believed his false
[00:38:41] narrative about you, the ones who were
[00:38:44] deceived, the ones who took sides
[00:38:46] against you, the ones who judged you
[00:38:48] without knowing the full story. They're
[00:38:51] about to understand. They're about to
[00:38:54] realize. They're about to see they were
[00:38:56] wrong about you and wrong about
[00:38:58] Hagermanerman, who they defended. You
[00:39:01] are about to be vindicated in the in the
[00:39:03] most public, undeniable way. Not
[00:39:06] quietly, not privately, not in a way
[00:39:09] that only you know about. This is going
[00:39:12] to be visible, witnessed, and
[00:39:14] acknowledged by the very people who
[00:39:16] doubted you. When the truth explodes
[00:39:19] into the open, and there's no way to
[00:39:21] deny it anymore, you're going to feel
[00:39:24] something shift in your entire body.
[00:39:28] Years of carrying the weight of being
[00:39:30] misunderstood.
[00:39:32] It's going to lift the burden of being
[00:39:35] falsely accused. It's going to dissolve
[00:39:38] the pain of being betrayed and then
[00:39:41] blamed for it. It's going to transform
[00:39:43] into something else entirely. Shock
[00:39:46] waves. This revelation, this exposure,
[00:39:50] it's going to send ripples through the
[00:39:52] entire circle. People are going to be
[00:39:54] stunned. Mouths are going to drop open.
[00:39:57] Assumptions are going to shatter. And
[00:39:59] Hagermanerman is going to be standing in
[00:40:01] the wreckage of his own creation. Unable
[00:40:04] to talk his way out of it, unable to
[00:40:07] manipulative manipulate the narrative
[00:40:09] anymore, unable to hide behind the image
[00:40:12] he's carefully constructed. You have
[00:40:15] been carrying the pain of being wronged
[00:40:17] by someone who faced no consequences,
[00:40:20] who thrived after hurting you. Hearman
[00:40:23] thought he got away with it. He thought
[00:40:25] his lies were believed. He thought the
[00:40:28] manipulation worked. He thought he could
[00:40:30] damage you and walk away unscathed. He
[00:40:33] thought God wasn't paying attention.
[00:40:35] That's three minutes. I have more, but
[00:40:37] it's on a piece of paper for you.
[00:40:40] >> Thank you. That was the last
[00:40:42] >> That was the last speaker card. Is there
[00:40:43] anyone else in the audience who would
[00:40:45] like to speak on something not on
[00:40:46] today's agenda? Okay. Please step to the
[00:40:48] podium and state your name.
[00:40:55] I'm not sure whether this wasn't on the
[00:40:57] agenda, but I apologize. My name is Bill
[00:41:00] Saxs. I'm honored that this the council
[00:41:04] was kind enough to nominate me for the
[00:41:06] position for the award. Looking forward
[00:41:09] to it. I've managed to convince my
[00:41:12] brother and sister-in-law to come from
[00:41:14] Florida to be here for the award next uh
[00:41:17] Friday,
[00:41:19] as well as my children. Uh it is a a
[00:41:22] pleasure to be a supporter of our city
[00:41:26] and a supporter of our def deputies and
[00:41:29] the the sheriff's department for
[00:41:31] Riverside County. Uh you run a fabulous
[00:41:36] uh city council and a fabulous city and
[00:41:40] just on behalf of those of us the other
[00:41:42] members of the cops want to thank you
[00:41:45] for your support for the organization.
[00:41:48] Uh we really appreciate your support.
[00:41:51] Thank you for allowing me the time to
[00:41:53] thank you for my personally me
[00:41:55] personally for being uh for the honor
[00:41:59] and have a great day. Thank you.
[00:42:01] >> Believe it or not, it's our honor to
[00:42:03] honor you. Thank you for all the years
[00:42:05] of service that you've given through
[00:42:07] Citizens on Patrol. Thank you to all of
[00:42:09] our other volunteers who who give so
[00:42:13] much. We appreciate all of you.
[00:42:15] >> Thank you.
[00:42:21] Is there anyone else who would like to
[00:42:23] speak on something not on the agenda?
[00:42:24] Okay, please step to the podium and
[00:42:26] state your name.
[00:42:33] >> Good afternoon. My name is Susan St.
[00:42:35] Louis. I'm sorry I got here a little bit
[00:42:37] late so I didn't get my card in. I'm
[00:42:41] here to ask you the city council to
[00:42:44] reconfirm your support for ocean water
[00:42:47] import. Now in 2019
[00:42:50] 2019 the city council here approved a
[00:42:55] resolution
[00:42:57] uh supporting ocean the the study of
[00:43:01] ocean water import. And the state did
[00:43:04] set up a study and they uh staffed it
[00:43:08] with a man who already had voiced his
[00:43:11] opposition to ocean water support and
[00:43:15] fancy that they decided that it wasn't
[00:43:19] uh workable as a solution. And the
[00:43:23] problem was that that the the uh staff
[00:43:27] of that board um blew up the projected
[00:43:34] costs of ocean water import
[00:43:38] to the to the point where it was
[00:43:39] ridiculous and no nobody would consider
[00:43:42] it. Now in California, we have used
[00:43:45] water management systems forever
[00:43:48] since the beginning of of agriculture
[00:43:51] out here and it's been done in the past.
[00:43:55] It's absolutely doable. The Colorado
[00:43:58] River watershed, it greatly needs water.
[00:44:03] The amount of demands keeps increasing,
[00:44:07] commercial, agricultural, residential.
[00:44:10] There's no more water. In fact, the
[00:44:12] water is going down with with climate
[00:44:14] change. We need to find another source
[00:44:18] of water. There is no other water other
[00:44:22] than ocean water import. And we have to
[00:44:25] get on it because it's going to take
[00:44:27] time to do that. So, I have brought
[00:44:30] copies of the old resolution. I brought
[00:44:33] a letter backing the my request to you.
[00:44:37] And I ask you to seriously consider it.
[00:44:40] and speak out about it publicly because
[00:44:45] life is not going to be livable here if
[00:44:49] we don't have enough water. And um in
[00:44:53] addition, the environmental problems
[00:44:56] that are going to be caused by the salt
[00:44:58] and sea drying,
[00:45:00] regardless of the small projects that
[00:45:03] are going on, is going to be immense.
[00:45:06] And people aren't going to be able to
[00:45:08] live here. It's going to be a very
[00:45:10] unhealthy place and it's going to affect
[00:45:13] all of our property values and our
[00:45:16] families and our communities and we're
[00:45:19] going to be climate refugees. So, let's
[00:45:22] not do that. So, thank you very much for
[00:45:24] hearing me.
[00:45:24] >> Thank you, Susan. If you'd give the
[00:45:26] information to the city clerk, that'd be
[00:45:28] great.
[00:45:28] >> I will. Thank you.
[00:45:29] >> Thank you.
[00:45:30] >> Thank you. Is there anyone else who
[00:45:31] would like to speak on something that is
[00:45:33] not on today's agenda? That was the last
[00:45:35] speaker. Okay,
[00:45:38] moving on.
[00:45:40] We will now adjourn to close session.
[00:45:44] >> Mayor, before we do, uh we'll be
[00:45:46] convening into close session for item
[00:45:48] 8A, conference with legal counsel,
[00:45:50] potential initiation of litigation
[00:45:52] pursuant to government code section
[00:45:54] 54956.9D4,
[00:45:58] one potential case.
[00:46:01] >> Very good.
[00:46:13] close. We've returned from close session
[00:46:15] and I'll ask the city attorney to report
[00:46:18] any announcements.
[00:46:20] >> Thank you, mayor. No reportable action
[00:46:21] taken today.
[00:46:23] >> Thank you. We will adjourn. It is now
[00:46:25] 14:41. 241.