Advocates for Laguna Residents City Council Forum
September 15, 2026
Local transcript archive from YouTube automatic captions
Recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zx8yELDx4Q

[00:00:04] as she is um uh hopefully recuperating
[00:00:08] that she can call in. We gave her the
[00:00:11] Zoom information meeting ID. So Sue, if
[00:00:15] you're watching or listening in, the
[00:00:18] opportunity is there and yours, but your
[00:00:21] your seat as I mentioned to you is here
[00:00:24] physically and virtually. So if you um
[00:00:28] come come here uh we we will be here for
[00:00:32] you. All right. But in the meantime,
[00:00:34] we're here for the rest of the
[00:00:35] candidates. And uh just want to get go
[00:00:39] over a few things. Some folks who may
[00:00:41] not know me.
[00:00:42] >> Sir, could I bring a technical issue?
[00:00:45] >> There's a speaker in this bag.
[00:00:47] >> Oh, everything that you two were saying
[00:00:49] on the mic.
[00:00:51] >> Oh, excuse me. Oh, let's turn.
[00:00:55] >> It's this feature.
[00:00:58] >> All right.
[00:01:08] backup backup recording, everyone. And
[00:01:12] so, our backup recording is being done
[00:01:16] um remotely. So, uh, with this program,
[00:01:20] we're going to do a few things a little
[00:01:22] differently. Can you hear me, everybody?
[00:01:24] >> All right. So, a just I'm not here.
[00:01:28] You're not here for me, but you should
[00:01:30] know who I am. I have lived in Lagona
[00:01:33] with my wife who is here. We've been
[00:01:34] here nearly 40 years. Live in Arch Beach
[00:01:37] Heights. Um, I've been through these
[00:01:40] chambers many times speaking on the
[00:01:43] other side of this. I do not envy any
[00:01:46] one of you for going after in in this in
[00:01:49] this world uh because it's a difficult
[00:01:52] one. All these candidates whether you
[00:01:54] agree with them or not, they are to be
[00:01:57] um I believe respected and commended for
[00:02:00] the jobs that they do. It is not an easy
[00:02:03] one and some of these questions are not
[00:02:05] going to be easy for them either. But
[00:02:08] we're here to get a sense because we
[00:02:11] have we have nine candidates, everybody,
[00:02:15] including Sue. We have three incumbents,
[00:02:18] three seats, six challengers,
[00:02:22] and that if we do the math, that means
[00:02:26] we're going to be I don't know. We'll
[00:02:28] see how we do on this, but it's only
[00:02:31] three of you folks are going to be
[00:02:33] sitting here as elected officials in
[00:02:38] technically because it's an open seat
[00:02:41] and I think all of us unless we're
[00:02:43] totally new to Laguna know that this is
[00:02:47] an open seat election. The top three
[00:02:51] vote getters get to be on our council.
[00:02:56] So before we go into this, I do want to
[00:02:59] make a couple more introductions. This
[00:03:01] is Johanna Felder. And Johanna is has
[00:03:05] been a resident of Lagona and um if you
[00:03:09] how many years?
[00:03:10] >> 40. And then not quite 40 is Mr. Mr.
[00:03:14] Phoenix Austin. And I just want to make
[00:03:17] a a mention and a shout out to Phoenix.
[00:03:21] Phoenix is a neighbor in in Orange Beach
[00:03:24] Heights. And Phoenix we have we wanted
[00:03:28] to make a point here. And if you wanted
[00:03:31] to say because I do have your
[00:03:33] background, Phoenix is uh the future of
[00:03:36] Lagouna Beach. I just want to say that
[00:03:39] >> Phoenix is How old are you now? 17.
[00:03:43] >> Phoenix is 17 with a four-year degree.
[00:03:47] >> And going in for a doctoral program,
[00:03:59] What are you doing with the military
[00:04:02] >> Space force.
[00:04:03] >> The the space force. So that's
[00:04:07] I I I can't even get on a plane.
[00:04:10] >> Does he want to run then for office?
[00:04:13] >> Well, maybe. So when I say the future of
[00:04:16] Laguna Beach, but Phoenix will be taking
[00:04:19] care of our timekeeping along with
[00:04:21] Johanna. And so so all of you are a
[00:04:24] little familiar and I'm going to
[00:04:26] describe a few things. You're we're
[00:04:28] we're gonna try to make this move
[00:04:31] quicker than I'm doing right now. We do
[00:04:33] 30 seconds and probably up to 60
[00:04:36] seconds. It won't be 90 seconds. It will
[00:04:39] be that. And get get a little used to
[00:04:42] the following. We have zero. And
[00:04:45] Johanna's gonna, you know, here we go.
[00:04:48] Johanna. Oh, I'll be
[00:04:51] okay. So, there. So, it's it's not quite
[00:04:54] like a uh whatever, but it'll work. We
[00:04:58] hear it. We hear it. Okay. Now,
[00:05:02] every each candidate, we've provided uh
[00:05:05] a notepad to take notes. And if a
[00:05:09] Ashley, if you want to hold this up,
[00:05:12] we've got a thumbs up and a thumbs down.
[00:05:15] So, we're going to be trying to get a
[00:05:17] sense of who these candidates are and
[00:05:20] where the differences are. And so we
[00:05:24] will uh ask each candidate to keep track
[00:05:27] of other candidates and what their
[00:05:30] positions have been and take careful
[00:05:32] notes. But when I ask, is this something
[00:05:35] you agree with? Thumbs up. If you
[00:05:38] disagree, thumbs down. Remember, you've
[00:05:42] got uh Yeah. So, let's just see. Thumbs
[00:05:46] up for everybody so we know. Okay. and
[00:05:50] and then thumbs down. Okay, so you see.
[00:05:54] Okay, that's how it works. So, so we'll
[00:05:58] get a sense and the public will get a
[00:06:00] sense if where where the differences are
[00:06:03] and then we'll get into maybe a few hard
[00:06:06] ball questions of why why do you take
[00:06:10] this position and then why uh you know
[00:06:15] who you who who disagrees with your
[00:06:17] position. And what we are doing a little
[00:06:19] different tonight is something we call
[00:06:23] not just a little bit of a town hall
[00:06:25] hybrid debates. We don't do much
[00:06:28] debating when we have these forums in
[00:06:30] Lagouna Beach. We're going to now
[00:06:34] this because I was on the radio here in
[00:06:37] Lagouna Beach at a program on Sunday
[00:06:40] mornings with someone I totally
[00:06:42] disagreed with, but we're great friends.
[00:06:45] Uh there is called a clashing heads.
[00:06:47] Okay. And that was on the air for a
[00:06:49] couple of years. Then we decided we'd do
[00:06:52] a podcast and whatever. But it morphed
[00:06:55] into what we're going to do tonight.
[00:06:57] We're going to have a little thing
[00:06:59] called mini debates where candidates
[00:07:04] will be taking positions and will be
[00:07:08] asking challengers
[00:07:10] uh who they know it's different from
[00:07:12] them. They they raised green, their
[00:07:15] opponent raised red.
[00:07:18] Defend your position. You're 30 seconds.
[00:07:21] What is that?
[00:07:22] >> I don't know.
[00:07:24] >> It's space for times up and I'm thinking
[00:07:27] maybe space force. I don't know Phoenix,
[00:07:31] but who knows? But what where we are uh
[00:07:36] what candidates will say is they'll make
[00:07:40] a challenge to their opponent and the
[00:07:42] challenge will be you have 30 seconds to
[00:07:45] make your case and you question the
[00:07:47] candidates. It shouldn't be coming
[00:07:49] necessarily from me come from you guys.
[00:07:53] You're running for office, not me. So
[00:07:56] ask questions of the candidates. The
[00:07:59] candidate that you challenge will have
[00:08:02] 60 seconds and then you'll have followed
[00:08:04] by another 30 seconds to respond. Okay.
[00:08:07] So, let's begin our program and we're
[00:08:11] going to start out with we're starting
[00:08:14] out with our our elections here in
[00:08:17] Lagouna Beach. Okay. So, our elections
[00:08:20] in Lagouna Beach. Uh I would think
[00:08:24] everybody everyone here believes in
[00:08:28] democracy with a small D. Is that right?
[00:08:32] >> Okay. I'd like to think that but
[00:08:37] we don't think that. Well, a lot of us
[00:08:39] do in the principle of the standing
[00:08:42] principle of
[00:08:44] 50% plus one to win an election.
[00:08:50] How many how many believe in that
[00:08:53] principle? 50% plus one typically
[00:08:57] because this is how typical elections
[00:09:00] are run in America. We have primary
[00:09:03] elections and we have general elections.
[00:09:07] So in principle is 50% plus one a good
[00:09:14] >> all at the same time.
[00:09:25] we have primary elections where we call
[00:09:29] the field, right? We don't do that in in
[00:09:32] a Laguna. And I wonder if people will be
[00:09:36] surprised that among the incumbents
[00:09:41] including Sue,
[00:09:43] um, only one incumbent that we have had
[00:09:45] out of 12
[00:09:47] incumbents on city council have had more
[00:09:51] than 50% of the vote. Now that may
[00:09:54] surprise you but minority voter
[00:09:57] minorities minority vote has been
[00:10:02] running the council. Now, council
[00:10:06] members, I have to ask you incumbents
[00:10:12] or all of us, are we on principle that
[00:10:15] maybe because I don't want to single out
[00:10:17] council members, it's all candidates
[00:10:20] that if we learn new information and
[00:10:23] maybe we change our minds. Are we open
[00:10:26] to that new information? Okay. One,
[00:10:30] three, two, one, two, three, everybody.
[00:10:34] The new information that some people may
[00:10:36] need want to know is we only have one
[00:10:41] only one sitting here was Alex with 51
[00:10:45] and a half% of the actual vote. And how
[00:10:48] we arrive at that is the vote that the
[00:10:51] candidates get. Remember we've got three
[00:10:54] seats. The top vote getters win a seat.
[00:10:59] But you can win a seat with less than a
[00:11:04] Only Alex has gotten more than a
[00:11:06] majority when you divide it by the
[00:11:07] number of voters who were voting. Okay.
[00:11:11] Now, here's a question for you folks.
[00:11:15] Uh and this is a question that goes to
[00:11:19] that. Should should Laguna change if we
[00:11:23] can to 50% plus one? Is that how we
[00:11:29] should go? Three. One, two, three.
[00:11:33] that how many people are running
[00:11:36] >> we can there let's go let's let's go
[00:11:40] through that
[00:11:41] >> see yes
[00:11:45] >> oh absolutely candidates
[00:11:49] let's let's let's introduce you before
[00:11:51] you answer questions it's a good idea
[00:11:56] >> go ahead
[00:11:57] >> do I get my minute introduce
[00:11:59] >> you we have a minute
[00:12:02] Phoenix, one minute.
[00:12:11] of I'll back up so it's not so loud.
[00:12:12] Owner of Odo Sushi here in downtown
[00:12:14] Laguna Beach. Um, being the owner of Odo
[00:12:16] puts me in a really unique position. I
[00:12:18] get to talk to residents and visitors
[00:12:21] and other business owners on a daily
[00:12:22] basis. I get to hear what everyone loves
[00:12:25] about Lagona and also what frustrates
[00:12:27] them. And I'm running because I believe
[00:12:29] these concerns deserve leadership that
[00:12:31] turns them into results. I've spent
[00:12:33] nearly two decades leading large teams,
[00:12:35] managing budgets, and running complex
[00:12:37] operations across the country. You'll
[00:12:40] hear a lot tonight about what the city
[00:12:41] is working on. In my career, the
[00:12:43] standard was different. It's let's get
[00:12:45] it done. And that's what I'm going to
[00:12:47] bring to city council. A fresh
[00:12:49] perspective, fiscal discipline, forward
[00:12:51] thinking, accountability, and the
[00:12:53] willingness to do the work. I chose
[00:12:55] Lagona to build my future here. to build
[00:12:57] ODOT and invest my life savings into it.
[00:12:59] And I did that because I wanted to
[00:13:01] become a part of this community. I now
[00:13:03] want to help protect what makes it
[00:13:04] special and plan responsibly for what
[00:13:06] comes next. Thank you. Perfect timing.
[00:13:11] >> Thank you, Laura.
[00:13:13] >> Hello. I'm Laura Paresi. I'm CPA and a
[00:13:16] certified California municipal treasurer
[00:13:18] and I have been your elected treasurer
[00:13:20] since 1999. a team player. But try as I
[00:13:24] might, I have watched the office of the
[00:13:27] city treasurer be more and more
[00:13:30] degraded, ignored, and minimized. I
[00:13:32] think that at least some of the
[00:13:34] financial problems we face today could
[00:13:37] have been avoided. Unlike other
[00:13:39] candidates here, I want to tell you that
[00:13:41] I don't want to be a council person. I
[00:13:44] like my job as treasurer. I would prefer
[00:13:47] to uh be treasurer, but I have been
[00:13:51] unable to do the job that you elected me
[00:13:53] to do and the one that I think that I
[00:13:55] should do. I hope that my candidacy
[00:13:58] candidacy puts the need for good
[00:14:00] financial practices in the forefront of
[00:14:02] voters minds. If elected, I would
[00:14:04] restore functioning elected treasurer.
[00:14:08] Two, approve finances through improved
[00:14:10] public reporting and a professional
[00:14:12] audit committee. three support
[00:14:14] development projects and follow the
[00:14:16] rules. Thank you.
[00:14:24] a a pleasure to serve on city council
[00:14:27] currently as your mayor. Over the past
[00:14:29] four years, I've worked to turn good
[00:14:31] ideas into real results, strengthening
[00:14:33] public safety, protecting our
[00:14:35] environment, supporting our artist, and
[00:14:37] improving city hall, and planning
[00:14:40] responsibly for the future. My approach
[00:14:42] is simple. Listen carefully, build
[00:14:44] consensus, and get things done. I'm
[00:14:46] running for reelection because I believe
[00:14:48] experience matters and because there is
[00:14:50] more work ahead to protect Laguna's
[00:14:53] culture, heritage, natural environment,
[00:14:55] and unique character.
[00:14:57] >> Oh, very good. Thank you.
[00:15:06] went through our schools. My family has
[00:15:07] been part of this community for
[00:15:08] generations. I've also had the
[00:15:11] opportunity to live and work and travel
[00:15:12] around the world, learning three
[00:15:14] different languages, opening up offices,
[00:15:16] running businesses, managing teams, and
[00:15:19] seeing firsthand how different
[00:15:20] communities operate. Every year I've
[00:15:22] come back, I've seen and heard how
[00:15:24] difficult it is for locals to enjoy
[00:15:26] living in Lagona. This is home, and I
[00:15:29] care deeply about where I uh where we're
[00:15:31] headed. And over the last year, I've
[00:15:33] been attending all the city council
[00:15:34] meetings and the town halls and spent a
[00:15:36] lot of time listening to residents
[00:15:38] around town. And what I keep hearing is
[00:15:40] consistent. Residents want to feel heard
[00:15:43] early in the process. They want better
[00:15:45] transparency, smarter spending, and a
[00:15:47] city that plants ahead instead of
[00:15:49] reacting. I'm running because I think
[00:15:52] Laguna needs leadership that listens
[00:15:53] first, asks tough questions, and focuses
[00:15:57] on practical results. Making Laguna
[00:15:59] Beach more businessfriendly for local
[00:16:01] entrepreneurs. Cleaning up our outdated
[00:16:03] and overly complicated code while still
[00:16:06] protecting the character that makes
[00:16:07] Laguna Laguna.
[00:16:17] longtime resident of Laguna Beach, and
[00:16:20] we stand in a moment of time here with
[00:16:22] this election that will dramatically
[00:16:26] change Laguna Beach. I believe what what
[00:16:30] I would like to do differently is
[00:16:31] require city hall to explain major
[00:16:33] decisions before the vote and not after
[00:16:36] the taxpayer receives the bill. I would
[00:16:39] disclose full project costs, encourage
[00:16:42] competitive bidding, public records
[00:16:45] available for historical purposes.
[00:16:53] public safety, financial stability, and
[00:16:56] most importantly explain consequences
[00:16:59] not after the fact of the Forest Avenue
[00:17:03] prominade disaster. What distinguishes
[00:17:06] me is independence. I am not running to
[00:17:08] protect status quo of a political group.
[00:17:12] I listened to residents and business
[00:17:14] owners as I got signatures downtown and
[00:17:17] and respectfully asked difficult
[00:17:19] questions and enough experience.
[00:17:22] I the net benefit is experience,
[00:17:24] independent leadership, guts, committed
[00:17:26] to transparency and financial
[00:17:29] discipline. Thank you.
[00:17:37] self-made businesswoman, a former
[00:17:40] executive, and now a small business
[00:17:42] owner in the hospitality industry. If
[00:17:45] elected to council, instead of going
[00:17:47] along with everybody to produce 50
[00:17:49] votes, I will build consensus with
[00:17:52] residents and businesses and bring their
[00:17:54] voice to the dis. The net benefit of
[00:17:57] having me on council is that I'll use my
[00:17:59] experience and knowledge of this
[00:18:01] community to better manage our finances
[00:18:03] and over tourism and better protect
[00:18:06] Laguna's natural resources and unique
[00:18:08] and historic character. I moved to
[00:18:11] Laguna Beach about 30 years ago. I love
[00:18:14] this town. I'd be honored to serve this
[00:18:17] wonderful community. Joy Bear is your
[00:18:19] best pick. And although I said I won't
[00:18:21] build consensus, I will offer almond
[00:18:24] joys to everybody here tonight to get
[00:18:39] >> Thank you, Alan, for organizing the
[00:18:41] debate and thank you to all the
[00:18:42] residents here. One of the great parts
[00:18:44] of campaigning is um the ability to just
[00:18:46] talk to so many residents and um What
[00:18:49] what you always find is how special we
[00:18:52] all think that Laguna is. And over the
[00:18:54] next few few years, I think we have very
[00:18:56] complicated challenges that have no easy
[00:18:58] solutions. Public safety always has to
[00:19:00] be our number one priority. I'm really
[00:19:02] proud of the work that we've done on
[00:19:03] fire mitigation. When I was mayor during
[00:19:05] the Rancho fire and I was in the
[00:19:07] emergency operations center, I really
[00:19:09] saw government at our best and um I we
[00:19:12] have to apply that approach to
[00:19:14] everything whether it's the hospital
[00:19:15] which I know we're going to be talking
[00:19:16] about tonight. Um and also how can we be
[00:19:20] financially sustainable as we deal with
[00:19:22] infrastructure and public safety needs.
[00:19:24] So I appreciate the opportunity to be a
[00:19:26] part of this and thank all my candidates
[00:19:28] all the other candidates up here for um
[00:19:30] how much they care about Lagona to to be
[00:19:32] running for office. So, thank you.
[00:19:42] the the type of planning problems that
[00:19:45] Lagouna Beach is still debating. I'm
[00:19:47] Karen Martin. I'm an urban planner,
[00:19:49] small business owner, and Lagouna Beach
[00:19:52] resident since 1986.
[00:19:54] I know how to reconcile conflicting
[00:19:57] policies, make the rules clear, and
[00:19:59] explain what is changing and why. For
[00:20:02] too long, Laguna Beach has been playing
[00:20:05] tennis on a court with no lines.
[00:20:07] Applicants, neighbors, staff,
[00:20:10] commissions, and council make must make
[00:20:13] the call, but one says the ball is in,
[00:20:16] the other one says the ball is out. The
[00:20:19] comprehensive zoning code update was
[00:20:21] intended to draw those lines. The need
[00:20:23] was identified in 2022. Denovo was hired
[00:20:27] in 2024.
[00:20:29] And in 2025, that's that scope and
[00:20:33] contract doesn't. The incumbents say
[00:20:37] they're working on it, but we've only
[00:20:39] seen pieces. Not one clear public
[00:20:42] account of progress or deliverables or
[00:20:44] cost. I will put residents needs first,
[00:20:48] fix the fundamentals before vanity
[00:20:50] projects, and protect the Luna Beach we
[00:20:52] moved here for.
[00:20:54] >> Thank you.
[00:21:01] brought being brought up before that the
[00:21:04] candidates all agree of course and I
[00:21:07] think every one of us agree about with a
[00:21:09] little d uh democracy.
[00:21:12] We have a comparable city in in Orange
[00:21:15] County Seal Beach about the same
[00:21:17] population that we have as Lagonas.
[00:21:21] Lagona Seal Beach
[00:21:24] does require 50% plus one. They figured
[00:21:28] it out. What does Seal Beach have? They
[00:21:31] have districts. Okay. They have term
[00:21:36] limits. Okay. They have uh they do not
[00:21:39] have an elected mayor, but in order to
[00:21:43] win a seat on Seal Beach's city council,
[00:21:47] they will have a runoff if you don't get
[00:21:51] 50% of the vote. And so my question to
[00:21:56] all of you,
[00:21:58] is Seal Beach more democratic than we
[00:22:01] are? Should we follow them as a model
[00:22:04] and consider going that route rather
[00:22:07] than what we have now? Uh I did want to
[00:22:10] bring up that when Sue was first
[00:22:13] elected, she had about onethird of the
[00:22:16] vote, notif not even 49% when she first
[00:22:21] ran. She came within 200 votes of Anne
[00:22:24] Kristoff. Okay. And we have we have that
[00:22:29] was it. So 200 votes made a difference
[00:22:32] in philosophy of where this town went
[00:22:34] and it wasn't even 50% what we're used
[00:22:38] to in American elections. 50% plus one
[00:22:42] in a general. So we don't have a primary
[00:22:45] but we do have space in our primary
[00:22:48] because we go to election. Another point
[00:22:51] that I want to bring up
[00:22:54] this is a midterm election.
[00:22:58] We know from watching the news, CNN,
[00:23:01] what is what have you, fewer voters go
[00:23:04] out to vote at midterm elections than
[00:23:07] general elections, presidential?
[00:23:08] Correct. We know that instinctively.
[00:23:11] Okay. A priori. It's there. Fewer people
[00:23:15] will will vote in a midterm. Yet fewer
[00:23:18] people in Lagona will historically vote
[00:23:21] than in a presidential election. Yet
[00:23:24] fewer people are voting for how many
[00:23:26] seats? three seats, a majority. So, not
[00:23:30] only do we have now 50%, but we have the
[00:23:34] few fewest number of voters voting in an
[00:23:38] election voting for the majority. So, by
[00:23:42] a show of paddles, how many people think
[00:23:46] that is a good thing?
[00:23:56] the question. We elect for less than
[00:23:58] 50%. We'll rephrase it. Should we model
[00:24:02] after Seal Beach? Is that a better
[00:24:04] question? Yes or no?
[00:24:08] >> The voters should decide. Voters should
[00:24:12] >> So, mark mark this. Everyone keep your
[00:24:16] keep your paddles up. If you think
[00:24:19] voters should decide, it should be a a
[00:24:21] red or a what? Agree.
[00:24:24] >> Vote. Well, we know voters decide, but
[00:24:27] should it be 50%?
[00:24:29] Should it be should we put it on the
[00:24:34] >> Okay. If
[00:24:35] >> so, if it's supposed to be on the
[00:24:37] ballot, is that a yes or a no?
[00:24:38] >> Well, here's the question. Put up put
[00:24:41] put should we model after Seal Beach and
[00:24:44] put it on the ballot?
[00:24:45] >> But would that be district because you
[00:24:46] could only get to that 50% with district
[00:24:48] election? district. We could we could or
[00:24:51] we could change if we wanted to,
[00:24:54] >> but let's let's do this.
[00:24:57] >> Where was the distinction?
[00:24:59] >> Well, you'd have to have you're talking
[00:25:02] about a runoff between two candidates,
[00:25:04] which works in district elections, but I
[00:25:06] don't know that that would work in top
[00:25:09] >> What uh should we have district
[00:25:13] >> I would No, I would my I would say no to
[00:25:18] >> No. vote to district.
[00:25:20] >> So we would rather have at large the way
[00:25:23] we have it
[00:25:24] >> until until it becomes an issue where
[00:25:26] there's a specific group of voters that
[00:25:28] feel disenfranchised.
[00:25:30] >> So they feel like that is now I think
[00:25:32] that could be a ballot measure that they
[00:25:33] want to put forward.
[00:25:34] >> Okay. Where do we agree or disagree on
[00:25:37] this one? Because I'm going to ask for a
[00:25:39] debate between who who wants to change
[00:25:42] the way we do do
[00:25:51] here to hear from the candidates.
[00:25:53] >> There's some questions that are prepared
[00:25:54] for them. Can we please get to the
[00:25:56] questions that they were asked?
[00:26:11] questions from the candidates.
[00:26:14] If anyone from here from from the public
[00:26:18] >> has a question.
[00:26:20] >> What I'm hearing, Alan, is that they
[00:26:21] want to move on with the questions to
[00:26:23] candidates that are are related to this
[00:26:26] >> That's right.
[00:26:27] >> My my question was about about of how we
[00:26:31] are running this election. Let's ask
[00:26:33] what we did have at Village Lagoona,
[00:26:36] which was on measure E and term limits.
[00:26:39] Seal Beach and over, I believe, 30
[00:26:42] cities in Orange County have term
[00:26:45] limits. We do not. Term limits are on
[00:26:50] the ballot. And why uh can we go through
[00:26:53] each candidate why you feel that the
[00:26:56] term limits initiative measure E is on
[00:26:59] the ballot?
[00:27:01] >> You have you have 30 seconds.
[00:27:04] >> I'm for term limits. I think I believe
[00:27:07] in institutional knowledge is important,
[00:27:09] but I do believe being able to do the
[00:27:12] work and the time that you're given
[00:27:13] being a council member and then bringing
[00:27:15] on fresh perspective. So, I'm for term
[00:27:23] idea of a fresh perspective and uh a
[00:27:26] time frame on accomplishing goals and
[00:27:32] >> I support term limits nationally and for
[00:27:34] the state. I don't really see it
[00:27:36] necessary for the community, but it's on
[00:27:37] the ballot and the uh voters can choose.
[00:27:44] important for people to who want to be
[00:27:47] public servants to come serve and then
[00:27:48] move on with their careers. And it's
[00:27:50] always important to have more
[00:27:51] perspectives from different people in
[00:27:52] the community.
[00:27:54] I believe in term limitments because we
[00:27:57] need change badly now
[00:27:59] >> and with downtown specific plan the
[00:28:02] canyon issues, the hospital issues, the
[00:28:04] sewage dumps unacceptable and we need
[00:28:08] change now. And so we need to vote for
[00:28:12] one of these or all of these six new
[00:28:17] not the incumbents.
[00:28:25] running against incumbents, they have a
[00:28:27] built-in advantage. It's very expensive
[00:28:30] to run a campaign. They have the
[00:28:32] advantages of the endorsements, etc. And
[00:28:34] just because somebody is no longer in
[00:28:37] public service, it doesn't mean they
[00:28:38] can't contribute to their community. It
[00:28:41] comes from their heart instead.
[00:28:50] idea of having fresh perspectives in
[00:28:51] government. I think that's what's good
[00:28:52] about elections is we get the choice to
[00:28:54] vote for who we want to vote for. I I
[00:28:56] liked that I got the cho choice to vote
[00:28:58] in 2018. For Tony, for example, I think
[00:29:00] she was able to do a lot and and take
[00:29:02] advantage of of her relationships on
[00:29:05] county level issues and Saka and issues
[00:29:07] like that. Um so I like having the
[00:29:09] choice to pick um for residents to pick.
[00:29:14] >> So you're measure.
[00:29:17] >> Both to measure and Karen.
[00:29:19] >> Hi. Um I am term limits. Um, I do
[00:29:23] believe that the relationships that the
[00:29:25] incumbents make are important, but more
[00:29:28] important are the the agreements in
[00:29:32] writing um that come from those
[00:29:36] >> Okay. Uh, thank you. Now, we're going to
[00:29:38] get to what was uh promised to the
[00:29:42] community of what we would have many
[00:29:45] debates. Alex, you're the only one here
[00:29:47] who really is firmly opposed to measure
[00:29:51] E. Sounds like Mark is too. You're
[00:29:55] opposed. Okay. I'm going to ask you,
[00:29:57] Alex, to challenge one of your of these
[00:30:01] candidates who is four term limits.
[00:30:05] Defend your position for 30 seconds. Who
[00:30:08] are you going to challenge in a mini
[00:30:10] debate on this issue? It will go 30
[00:30:13] seconds for you, 60 seconds for those
[00:30:17] who are four term limits, and then
[00:30:19] another 30 to you back on your position.
[00:30:22] But let's have it where you're having a
[00:30:25] debate with one of your opponents.
[00:30:33] you pick your opponent?
[00:30:42] You know,
[00:30:43] >> okay, 30 seconds. Um,
[00:30:46] >> as I was saying, you know, I totally
[00:30:48] appreciate the perspectives and then
[00:30:50] voters will get to decide about term
[00:30:51] limits. Um, what do you think about
[00:30:53] having, you know, people like Tony who
[00:30:55] are able to make make a big difference.
[00:30:57] How do you how do you think about that
[00:30:59] of term limits?
[00:31:06] mayor and city council person for a long
[00:31:08] time, politics has changed where money
[00:31:11] has now been a big influence and
[00:31:16] politics back in the days that it wasn't
[00:31:19] so critical and incumbents get the
[00:31:22] endorsements from the our union, the
[00:31:24] police union. I understand it. Um, but
[00:31:27] it really makes it uh difficult and with
[00:31:29] the money that's entering politics, it's
[00:31:32] not quite the same as
[00:31:45] good. The voters get to decide on what
[00:31:46] to do with term limits. So, thank you.
[00:31:49] >> Very good. Thank you. All right. Now,
[00:31:53] someone from from our group here in the
[00:31:56] public, do you have a question for one
[00:31:58] of these candidates on that issue on
[00:32:00] measure E? Then we'll move on to the
[00:32:11] >> hang on
[00:32:22] >> did a good job, right?
[00:32:24] >> Thank you.
[00:32:28] so Mark, I want to ask you, why would
[00:32:30] term limits be beneficial at the federal
[00:32:34] level, at the state level, at the county
[00:32:37] level? Why would they be not good for
[00:32:40] Laguna Beach? What is the exception? Why
[00:32:43] >> the amount of money that is raised in
[00:32:45] the the super PACs that are involved on
[00:32:47] the state and federal level and that's
[00:32:50] that's my primary reason we just um was
[00:32:54] mentioned of uh dollars spent here on
[00:32:58] this uh campaign and I can tell you that
[00:33:01] on not raising all that much money and I
[00:33:05] think that um historically we come all
[00:33:08] come pretty close to the dollars that we
[00:33:10] raised. So that's That's why and also we
[00:33:13] have some histori history such as Tony
[00:33:15] Eisman and some you know I've looked at
[00:33:19] things when I voted here in the past and
[00:33:21] I do appreciate if there's something or
[00:33:24] something that the city's involved with
[00:33:26] like when Tony was um on council and
[00:33:28] there were some coastal commission
[00:33:30] issues going on. I appreciated some of
[00:33:33] the experience and the relationships
[00:33:34] that she ma made to get us to where we
[00:33:37] needed to go. So, just to drill down on
[00:33:40] that, uh, other than Tony Eisman,
[00:33:52] >> is there another candidate that you
[00:33:54] think other than Bob Wayan, who else has
[00:33:57] gone over four terms?
[00:34:01] And well,
[00:34:04] >> I mean, the last election, um, Alex was
[00:34:08] >> Let me drill down on on the one thing
[00:34:10] you said about money because I think you
[00:34:12] you flipped it. Maybe I heard it wrong.
[00:34:15] >> The fact is that incumbents have a
[00:34:19] advantage in getting higher
[00:34:24] visibility, raising more money, getting
[00:34:27] more endorsements.
[00:34:29] One example that was raised is that
[00:34:31] incumbents typically are endorsed by the
[00:34:35] two uh service units that we have,
[00:34:38] police and fire. And I think that that's
[00:34:41] a bad idea to begin with.
[00:34:51] those advantages that come from uh an
[00:34:56] >> uh make the field uneven.
[00:35:00] >> And term limits is a way to
[00:35:03] >> to flatten that field. And by the way,
[00:35:06] if you had if you serve two according to
[00:35:08] measure, if you serve two terms, you
[00:35:11] take one off, you can come back and
[00:35:12] serve two more. So,
[00:35:14] >> so Mark,
[00:35:16] >> yeah, thank you Mark. You got 30
[00:35:22] at our last um election, there was the
[00:35:25] police union uh
[00:35:29] endorsed non-incumbents.
[00:35:32] Okay. Uh I think that this last this
[00:35:35] last series that we've gone through,
[00:35:36] this last council probably, you know,
[00:35:39] deserves, you know, I ran on civility. I
[00:35:42] think it's a whole different day here
[00:35:44] and I think this council is been
[00:35:46] improved as far as I'm concerned. Um I
[00:35:48] hear, you know, a lot about, you know,
[00:35:50] all of these uh votes going the same
[00:35:52] way. I look at it a little bit
[00:35:54] differently. I think that we spend a lot
[00:35:56] of time debating these things and
[00:35:58] developing consensus. And you know, at
[00:36:00] the end of the day, I'm fine if it's up
[00:36:02] to the voters. I'm talking to you about
[00:36:04] me personally. I like my choice and I
[00:36:07] don't like others to interfere with it.
[00:36:09] >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mark.
[00:36:13] >> I have a question regarding
[00:36:16] We'll get one more question. I think the
[00:36:19] candidates need to I would like them to
[00:36:21] disclose if anyone here uh has endorsed
[00:36:26] another candidate. Technically,
[00:36:29] all of you are running against one
[00:36:32] another for three seats. So, have you
[00:36:35] endorsed anyone else or supported anyone
[00:36:38] else here for full disclosure? Uh, we'll
[00:36:41] start. Uh, anyone raised their hand by
[00:36:45] sign of Okay. Uh, can you tell us Karen
[00:36:48] who you're supporting?
[00:36:50] >> Um, I'm actually supporting all of the
[00:36:57] I'm actually supporting all of the
[00:36:58] non-incumbents and I think we've been
[00:37:01] working together just as the incumbents
[00:37:03] have also been working together.
[00:37:13] Karen has made that all the incumbents
[00:37:16] are working together. Do you support one
[00:37:19] another? All incumbents. Have you been
[00:37:21] to uh any any fundraisers for another
[00:37:25] candidate who is running for this
[00:37:27] office? Have you um worn a cap for any
[00:37:30] other candidate who's running for this
[00:37:33] office? Have you signed a petition for
[00:37:35] any candidate who is running for office?
[00:37:37] That goes to the incumbent Sue is not
[00:37:40] here, but if you have supported or
[00:37:42] endorsed Sue or if she supported and
[00:37:44] endorsed you and with Mark and Alice.
[00:37:49] Yeah, I um I'm I'm supporting um Mayor
[00:37:54] Oriel and Council Member Kemp because
[00:37:56] I've had the opportunity to work with
[00:37:57] them and I I believe there are a lot of
[00:37:59] complicated issues that the city is
[00:38:01] facing right now and I feel that we've
[00:38:03] made progress and I want to continue
[00:38:04] working with them. Um and uh so that's
[00:38:09] that's what I'm doing. And the good
[00:38:11] thing about elections is whoever wins I
[00:38:13] want to work with. If I were fortunate
[00:38:15] to win, whoever wins, I look forward to
[00:38:17] working with them because it's
[00:38:18] ultimately all about Laguna Beach and
[00:38:19] how we can protect the city that we all
[00:38:21] love. So, thank you. Thank you.
[00:38:28] official endorsements yet, but I also
[00:38:30] would endorse Alex and Sue and for the
[00:38:33] same reasons we've come a long way.
[00:38:35] There's a lot of very very important
[00:38:37] issues that we're facing right now and I
[00:38:39] think that we have a tremendous
[00:38:41] opportunity to keep the momentum going.
[00:38:44] So candidates
[00:38:50] >> my microphone how's that here? Um is
[00:38:54] this fair to the process if you're
[00:38:57] endorsing even before all the forums
[00:39:00] have been exhausted before you hear what
[00:39:02] your your opponents have to say. So
[00:39:05] anyone want to you feel this is a fair
[00:39:08] that you've done this before you know
[00:39:10] what everyone has to say on the issues.
[00:39:12] They may be your colleagues.
[00:39:16] >> No. All right. Candidates
[00:39:20] and the public should know that
[00:39:23] if three incumbents are supporting three
[00:39:28] then you're at a mathematical
[00:39:31] uh disadvantage. You've got six
[00:39:35] incumbents. the voters, even if every
[00:39:37] voter voted against incumbents, this
[00:39:40] vote will be split. That's a
[00:39:45] >> If every voter voted against incumbent,
[00:39:47] >> no if if voters voters have three votes
[00:39:51] and if voters say you've got your base
[00:39:55] that says we're voting for Alex and Mark
[00:39:58] and Sue
[00:40:00] and then their base is six votes. Okay.
[00:40:05] Yeah, their votes are going to be split.
[00:40:08] Are any of you thinking of maybe
[00:40:12] dropping up so that
[00:40:14] >> respectfully we got to get to the
[00:40:30] >> Which ones? Which ones do you want?
[00:40:32] Questions from the public?
[00:40:33] >> Yes. Okay. Oh, we've got it. Okay.
[00:40:36] Answer. Go ahead.
[00:40:39] >> All right. So, um I'm the hospital's
[00:40:42] very near and dear to me because both my
[00:40:44] children and my sister were all born
[00:40:46] there and I used to live I have property
[00:40:48] right next door to the hospital. But the
[00:40:51] question that has come in from the
[00:40:52] public is how do you intend to save the
[00:40:55] Lagouna Beach Acute Care Hospital
[00:40:57] emergency room and inpatient services?
[00:41:00] And if you could give us one concrete
[00:41:02] action in that state of preserving the
[00:41:07] emergency without impatient acute care
[00:41:09] would qualify as saving the hospital.
[00:41:13] >> That's the question. We can start with
[00:41:16] >> each one.
[00:41:17] >> Each one. Yes. Yes.
[00:41:19] >> They have 30 seconds
[00:41:22] >> and a paddle. Yeah. Um so if I I mean we
[00:41:27] all care about the hospital. We all need
[00:41:28] to save the hospital. we all need to
[00:41:30] work together to save the hospital. Um,
[00:41:32] if elected and being able to be in the
[00:41:33] position to work with state legislation
[00:41:36] and OC Health, then it's bringing
[00:41:38] everyone to the table. The problem right
[00:41:40] now is that the city council wasted
[00:41:42] seven months. They wasted seven months
[00:41:44] to take this seriously and act and work
[00:41:46] in parallel. So, we can't change
[00:41:48] Providence's decision, but we can decide
[00:41:51] irregardless of a building that Laguna
[00:41:53] Beach needs emergency medical access
[00:41:56] with an ambulance. So, no acute care, no
[00:41:59] standalone. That needs to change
[00:42:01] California state law, but we need
[00:42:03] emergency medical access. So, I work
[00:42:05] with seismic state legislation, county,
[00:42:08] OCMS, etc., etc., everyone to the table
[00:42:12] to figure out what we're going to do.
[00:42:13] >> And does that include your opinion on
[00:42:15] whether there should be some uh in-house
[00:42:18] care like beds and so forth? Yes. E. All
[00:42:22] right. And uh Laura,
[00:42:25] >> thank you. I think I think that we
[00:42:28] definitely need um emergency care in
[00:42:31] house beds and all of that, but I don't
[00:42:34] know that it's our decision. So, if I
[00:42:36] were elected, I would talk to
[00:42:37] stakeholders and try to work out the
[00:42:40] best deal that would be possible.
[00:42:43] >> Well, thank you, Mark. Yes, I'm adamant
[00:42:46] that we need the hospital, including the
[00:42:49] emergency room and all of the the best
[00:42:51] care that comes with the first class
[00:42:53] state-of-the-art emergency room, and I
[00:42:54] would take go to any means possible to
[00:42:57] get it, including uh evaluating a
[00:42:59] different location if need be.
[00:43:01] >> Well, you've actually gone to the next
[00:43:03] question I had, but maybe we can get
[00:43:04] Nick's opinion on that first.
[00:43:08] >> Yeah, I agree with the other uh people
[00:43:10] here on the stage that we obviously need
[00:43:11] to keep the emergency room. We need to
[00:43:13] make sure that uh ambulance can go
[00:43:15] there. And I don't think it's where
[00:43:17] we're going to have one savior on
[00:43:19] council that's going to fix this. We're
[00:43:21] all looking for the same result. And you
[00:43:24] know, I disagree with Ashley actually.
[00:43:25] She said seven months. I think it's been
[00:43:26] like 3 years or even more that we've
[00:43:28] known that Providence has been reducing
[00:43:30] its services. And that again, this is
[00:43:32] where we're waiting too long until
[00:43:34] there's a study session where they're
[00:43:36] explaining to us that they want to close
[00:43:38] down the hospital. So there's no one
[00:43:41] savior. It's going to be a council
[00:43:42] together working together with our uh
[00:43:44] the um task force which has great people
[00:43:48] on it to solve the problem for the
[00:43:51] >> Okay. Thank you.
[00:43:53] >> Public safety and public health equals
[00:43:56] imminent domain and how that works. The
[00:43:59] hospital gave us two meetings. They told
[00:44:01] us what it was going to cost to retrofit
[00:44:03] the hospital. You subtract those dollars
[00:44:06] from fair market value and you implement
[00:44:09] imminent domain. take the hospital over,
[00:44:12] the city does, and get a financial
[00:44:14] partner to partner with you. You'll end
[00:44:16] up buying the hospital property for $50
[00:44:18] million because they already told us
[00:44:20] it's going to cost 300 million to fix
[00:44:23] it. And we all know they're not telling
[00:44:25] us the truth. Thank you.
[00:44:34] >> Well, John Thomas asked the question to
[00:44:37] uh Providence. If the state pushed out
[00:44:39] the seismic requirements for another 10
[00:44:41] years, would you keep operating a
[00:44:43] hospital with acute care and the beds
[00:44:46] and and we got a an immediate no. So it
[00:44:50] tells me it's not about the seismic
[00:44:52] requirements. A gentleman from Dana
[00:44:54] Point suggested that they can do an
[00:44:56] acute care hospital with beds small
[00:44:59] enough on Catalina Island, South Tahoe,
[00:45:02] and in Aspen. So, if I were elected, I
[00:45:05] would understand the economics of those,
[00:45:07] how to make it work, and I'd go to bat
[00:45:09] at the negotiating table and tell
[00:45:11] Providence Hospital, if they can all do
[00:45:13] it, you can, too.
[00:45:21] >> thank you. So, this this is the most
[00:45:23] important issue that I've dealt with on
[00:45:24] the council and one that I've spent more
[00:45:26] time on than anything else. I totally
[00:45:28] agree with all the candidates. We have
[00:45:29] to understand all the leverage that we
[00:45:30] have. That's why for the past year,
[00:45:32] we've been meeting with county EMS,
[00:45:34] meeting with the attorney general's
[00:45:35] office, meeting with different
[00:45:36] hospitals, and thankfully, I'm really
[00:45:39] and and given the fact that 60% of our
[00:45:42] EMS uh uh rides go to the local
[00:45:46] hospital. This will have devastating
[00:45:48] implications for the entire community,
[00:45:49] but also the region. So, I I want to
[00:45:52] keep working on on this issue. Our land
[00:45:54] use rights are important. And can I add
[00:45:55] one more thing? Um, I think that at the
[00:45:58] end of the and to Joyy's point, I'm
[00:46:00] really excited about the fact that
[00:46:01] Providence after a year of us basically
[00:46:04] talk nine months of asking about this
[00:46:06] mini hospital concept, they finally
[00:46:08] agreed to study it. It's not something
[00:46:10] that we should just say celebrate
[00:46:11] because they're just studying it. But in
[00:46:13] October, we'll get that back and to see
[00:46:15] what the implications are because if we
[00:46:16] go to any hospital with an ER, that
[00:46:19] could be an ideal solution. But we're
[00:46:21] going to keep looking at all options to
[00:46:22] protect the community. Thank you,
[00:46:26] >> Hi, thank you for the question and Alex,
[00:46:28] thank you for your work on this. Um, I
[00:46:30] see this as a regional issue. Um, it's
[00:46:33] not just a Lagouna Beach issue and I
[00:46:35] think what we need to do is we need to
[00:46:37] bring in all the stakeholders that are
[00:46:39] being serviced by that hospital and that
[00:46:41] includes our visitors and it includes
[00:46:44] the city of Dana Point. Um, anyone that
[00:46:47] comes to Laguna Beach, whether they're
[00:46:49] from Laguna Niguel or Riverside, if
[00:46:52] something happens, they need immediate
[00:46:56] >> So, it's a regional issue and I think it
[00:46:58] needs to be a public relations outreach
[00:47:01] to add pressure to province. Well, these
[00:47:04] have been fantastic thoughts at the
[00:47:05] front end and some of you have already
[00:47:08] responded a little bit to the next
[00:47:10] question that's coming because this is
[00:47:12] if acceptable agreement cannot be
[00:47:14] reached uh with Providence uh should
[00:47:17] Laguna Beach pursue another health care
[00:47:20] operator, another location or both while
[00:47:24] negotiating uh while negotiations
[00:47:28] I think some of you have already
[00:47:30] responded a little bit to that, but do
[00:47:32] you have a point on that, Ashley?
[00:47:34] >> Yes, we have to. I mean, it's not about
[00:47:37] a building. It's about emergency medical
[00:47:38] access, right?
[00:47:39] >> And we need that as a city. So, no
[00:47:41] matter what, we need to be doing that.
[00:47:42] And I would want to ask that if we need
[00:47:46] to stop waiting for Providence to make
[00:47:48] be making the decisions here. We can do
[00:47:50] things in parallel and that's what I
[00:47:51] would expect the city council to be
[00:47:53] doing and then have measurable outcomes,
[00:47:55] not just more meetings about it. So the
[00:47:57] people need to be able to see what is
[00:47:59] being done, what outcome was coming from
[00:48:01] anything that's transpired in this
[00:48:03] supposed last year that this has been
[00:48:05] being worked on.
[00:48:07] >> And maybe I'll go to Lori. What What
[00:48:10] would you do uh next if it were up to
[00:48:23] service. Um
[00:48:26] pursue the service. talk to the
[00:48:27] stakeholders. Um,
[00:48:29] >> what about talking to other operators
[00:48:32] while you're in negotiations with
[00:48:35] >> Of course. Of course. I would explore
[00:48:38] all avenues, right?
[00:48:40] >> Um, to continue the service, maybe not
[00:48:44] at that location, maybe not with that
[00:48:46] same provider, but try and cover all
[00:48:49] avenues to find a way to provide the
[00:48:53] service to public. Mark, do you have a
[00:48:57] thought on that?
[00:48:58] >> As Alex mentioned, I would continue to
[00:49:00] work with the attorney general's office
[00:49:02] and uh we are talking to other operators
[00:49:05] and I do believe that we are exploring
[00:49:07] other options. I'm not part of the
[00:49:08] subcommittee. That's Alex and Council
[00:49:11] Member Whan at the time. Uh but I would,
[00:49:14] you know, explore every option possible
[00:49:15] as I said, even if it means another
[00:49:19] >> Right. Okay. I knew you got into that
[00:49:21] question early. Okay. Nick, do you have
[00:49:24] a thought on that?
[00:49:25] >> Yeah, I mean, everybody up here has made
[00:49:27] great points, whether it's uh looking at
[00:49:29] other operators. You know, Hog is moving
[00:49:31] into the area. You have the imminent
[00:49:33] domain part that Ed mentioned and also
[00:49:35] making it a PR campaign like Karen
[00:49:37] mentioned, all these come together. Even
[00:49:40] with Alex and the mayor said, I don't,
[00:49:41] like I said, I don't think one person is
[00:49:43] going to be the the savior here. It's
[00:49:45] going to be a council as a whole and the
[00:49:47] community working together and making
[00:49:48] sure that we're all on the same page
[00:49:50] >> and we're all making sure we get to the
[00:49:51] answer that we're looking for which is
[00:49:52] an emergency room. Well, the question
[00:49:54] also becomes should we Laguna Beach
[00:49:56] create a parallel path now rather than
[00:50:00] wait for the negotiations to fail
[00:50:03] >> and it also puts uh province on on on
[00:50:07] alert that this is what's happening and
[00:50:10] I think Edward you had a very
[00:50:12] interesting point about the imminent
[00:50:14] domain concept
[00:50:15] >> well as I said earlier public safety
[00:50:19] public health equals imminent domain and
[00:50:21] I'll give you a true life experience
[00:50:23] story of a company I own today that I
[00:50:26] don't control, but during Hurricane
[00:50:29] Katrina, there were 33,000 people
[00:50:32] rescued, 9,000 medical personnel
[00:50:35] rescued. Admiral Huitt came to our
[00:50:38] company and said, "We need to take over
[00:50:40] your company to to handle our
[00:50:42] communications." There was no cell
[00:50:44] service, no satellite service, no
[00:50:46] landline service. And they used our
[00:50:48] services. That's the analogy. Public
[00:50:52] safety, public health equals imminent
[00:50:54] domain. And guess what? We can take over
[00:50:57] the hospital. Pick ho from UCI if
[00:51:00] they're not interested in running the
[00:51:01] hospital. Thank you.
[00:51:10] in a domain. Um now we've heard
[00:51:15] uh give their line in the sand. Let's go
[00:51:18] quickly. uh 15 seconds or less for each
[00:51:21] one. What is your line in the sand when
[00:51:24] it comes to the hospital? Is it eminent
[00:51:27] domain? Is it something else?
[00:51:31] >> It's whatever it takes. We're we're
[00:51:34] going to have a hospital. Plain and
[00:51:36] simple. We're having a hospital and we
[00:51:37] don't have time to wait and we all need
[00:51:38] to be working with everyone involved in
[00:51:40] parallel to make sure we have a
[00:51:42] hospital. That's the line.
[00:51:44] >> Eminent domain. Laura, something else.
[00:51:46] Hospital district. We could be talking
[00:51:49] about we um is this satisfactory what we
[00:51:52] have uh with with a mini hospital
[00:51:57] mini acute care is that satisfactory so
[00:52:01] >> I I would have to study the issue more
[00:52:04] >> so Mark do you have a line
[00:52:08] >> no we just need a hospital with an
[00:52:10] emergency room full stop
[00:52:13] >> but I will remind you that in Sani the I
[00:52:17] believe that they had a knee-jerk
[00:52:18] reaction and didn't think things through
[00:52:20] and they tried to build through zoning.
[00:52:23] Currently, Sani is sitting there without
[00:52:26] a hospital. The hospital just simply
[00:52:28] moved out. So, uh you know, you have to
[00:52:30] be very careful when you talk about
[00:52:32] emitt domain and some of these things.
[00:52:34] If you don't have the full plan thought
[00:52:36] through, uh you you could end up in
[00:52:38] trouble. I mean, if you end up if you
[00:52:41] emite domain and you don't have another
[00:52:42] operator, what good is it going to do?
[00:52:47] What does it take in terms of proceeding
[00:52:49] on the image domain act?
[00:52:54] >> Let's do Nick. Hold on.
[00:52:57] >> I'm sorry.
[00:52:58] >> Um, yeah. I mean, we need to have an
[00:53:01] emergency room with an ER. I would say
[00:53:03] as Ed mentioned, imminent donating is we
[00:53:05] need to use that method if we can use
[00:53:06] that method. And as Mayor Oil said, you
[00:53:08] know, you don't want to have to do that
[00:53:10] without a plan in place. I believe Ed's
[00:53:12] making this point with a plan in place,
[00:53:14] not just tomorrow pick up the bone and
[00:53:16] you know we're taking over the hospital.
[00:53:18] So everything that's why you have to do
[00:53:20] both things in tandem and we have to
[00:53:22] make sure that we have the council
[00:53:23] working together.
[00:53:26] >> We you've already mentioned it
[00:53:30] >> but I have an answer
[00:53:33] >> the three to last question. Well, well,
[00:53:36] just to follow up on what
[00:53:40] and on their line in the same
[00:53:44] >> is it
[00:53:46] >> I want to get wiser. Um I think that
[00:53:49] it's possible to run an acute care small
[00:53:52] hospital in this town and we need to
[00:53:55] understand the economics and we need to
[00:53:57] go to Providence and say here's here's
[00:53:59] the economics. Are you going to do it?
[00:54:02] Yes or no? We understand the
[00:54:04] implications of the competition. I don't
[00:54:06] want to have another gel where they own
[00:54:09] both both grocery stores because they
[00:54:12] want to eliminate competition, they shut
[00:54:15] one down. So I want my line line in the
[00:54:19] sand is once I'm wise on the economics,
[00:54:22] I give it I give it to them and it's
[00:54:24] it's you or someone else parallel path.
[00:54:26] Great way to go.
[00:54:35] >> I think that really human life is at
[00:54:37] stake and there's nothing more important
[00:54:39] than that when it as it relates to the
[00:54:40] questions of eminent domain we have to
[00:54:42] be really careful because there's
[00:54:43] something called pre-condemnation where
[00:54:45] if you if we don't create a record if we
[00:54:48] talk for example if I said right now
[00:54:49] let's do eminent domain that would be
[00:54:51] used against us in the court of law. So
[00:54:52] I think we have to look at everything.
[00:54:54] What I will say is we've been meeting
[00:54:55] with operators we probably had at least
[00:54:57] eight different meetings with very
[00:54:58] reputable operators. there's reasons why
[00:55:00] we can't be coming and doing all those
[00:55:02] meetings in the public because our goal
[00:55:04] here is to figure out a solution and to
[00:55:06] ensure that we have health care um for
[00:55:09] our community because the states
[00:55:10] couldn't be higher. So I I don't want to
[00:55:12] make it I don't want to politicize it
[00:55:13] for the in a way that would undermine
[00:55:16] the goals of actually achieving a
[00:55:24] want continuous care and no loss of an
[00:55:27] emergency ground at any time as we go
[00:55:30] through this process. Um I think we have
[00:55:33] very responsible health care officials.
[00:55:36] Um Providence is a nonprofit. Hog is a
[00:55:39] nonprofit. UCI is a nonprofit and they
[00:55:42] take an oath when they're doctors to
[00:55:45] care. And I I'm calling on the best of
[00:55:49] humanity to work together to make sure
[00:55:52] that we have no
[00:56:03] >> the next question related to everything
[00:56:05] we've been talking about there. Um, is
[00:56:08] there is there another location that
[00:56:11] would be suitable or have
[00:56:15] No. Our next question goes
[00:56:21] >> hold on. The hospital is a dead issue.
[00:56:24] >> It's a dead issue.
[00:56:26] >> We don't want to go there. Look, I think
[00:56:28] the candidates have given their opinions
[00:56:30] about the hospital and we can move on
[00:56:33] and this is this is a work in progress.
[00:56:36] Um it was brought up about Gail and we
[00:56:40] have empty space for almost uh two years
[00:56:44] uh three years I think. Uh there are
[00:56:48] rumors that this is going to become a
[00:56:49] gym. Uh and so is a gym are uh No, this
[00:56:56] is a private landlord, right? Okay. But
[00:56:59] have any of you looked into using the
[00:57:02] power of your office to convince
[00:57:05] Gellison's that they should lease to
[00:57:09] another supermarket?
[00:57:11] Um or is it anti-competitive that they
[00:57:16] and look into that because we do have
[00:57:19] anti-competitive laws. All right. Anyone
[00:57:22] want to take that?
[00:57:25] >> I'll take it since he said using the
[00:57:27] power of your office. Are you talking
[00:57:31] >> Okay. The answer to that
[00:57:34] >> 30 seconds.
[00:57:35] >> The answer to that is yes. We h I have
[00:57:37] personally uh made an attempt to contact
[00:57:40] the the operator and the owner of the
[00:57:45] Where is it going with that?
[00:57:47] >> They are pretty adamant about their
[00:57:49] position right now as far as not leasing
[00:57:52] it to another grocery store while they
[00:57:53] have it under a lease.
[00:57:57] >> Is is is well I want want to hear from
[00:58:00] folks if that's anti competitive. Uh we
[00:58:03] have antitrust. Is that antitrust?
[00:58:06] >> I think it it is anti-competitive. The
[00:58:08] pro and we we I looked into this in a
[00:58:11] very informal way. I'm not I wouldn't
[00:58:13] tell the legal strategy, but there's not
[00:58:15] good president on specific issues like
[00:58:19] this for for supermarkets,
[00:58:20] unfortunately. Even though I agree it is
[00:58:22] anti-competitive. That's how it feels to
[00:58:24] me. I don't know that there's a legal
[00:58:26] >> Would you use the power of your office
[00:58:28] and say
[00:58:29] >> everyone we we could ask a 15sec
[00:58:33] question if anyone
[00:58:35] >> No, you don't know.
[00:58:37] >> All right. What happened to the
[00:58:39] questions that we submitted for the
[00:58:41] >> We have more.
[00:58:43] >> The questions that we had in the
[00:58:44] hospital were all questions that came to
[00:58:47] Allen from the public. So, anything that
[00:58:50] you wanted to ask or you would like to
[00:58:52] ask relative to the hospital. So, we
[00:58:54] finished that.
[00:58:55] >> No more hospital.
[00:58:56] >> We are on to the next topic.
[00:58:58] >> All right. Let's move on. Next topic is
[00:59:03] >> no Forest Avenue the prominent
[00:59:07] asking questions from the audience.
[00:59:09] >> Oh from here
[00:59:10] >> we had questions that came to us.
[00:59:14] >> Okay. This question is what is your
[00:59:16] vision for the St. Catherine's property
[00:59:19] and is there better utilization for the
[00:59:22] residents andor development?
[00:59:25] >> That was a question that came from this
[00:59:36] >> um I had an opportunity to tour St.
[00:59:39] Catherine's. It's a it's a beautiful
[00:59:41] location. Um I think the type of use is
[00:59:45] going to be dependent on
[00:59:48] um the amount of traffic and access. Um
[00:59:52] that that property has limited access.
[00:59:55] It has limited parking. Um, in a perfect
[00:59:59] world, I think it would be a mixeduse
[01:00:01] project. Um, in a polyana, I'd love to
[01:00:06] see some senior housing with some
[01:00:16] >> Yeah, Joy.
[01:00:17] So, it's a 6 and a half acre site and
[01:00:20] it's relatively flat and um uh if it
[01:00:24] can't be used as a school, it was built
[01:00:26] as a school, then what I think would be
[01:00:28] a great use for it because it is
[01:00:29] underutilized is put for sale small
[01:00:32] cottages that are affordable. And then
[01:00:35] in the back, we could put the uh
[01:00:37] workforce housing. And I use workforce
[01:00:39] housing because if it's d-restricted and
[01:00:42] not and we eliminate the state funding
[01:00:45] then uh we can restrict it that it is
[01:00:48] for workers only in Lagona Beach and so
[01:00:51] I think with the dynamics of the site it
[01:00:53] would be perfect for that mixeduse
[01:00:56] concept the for sale product helps
[01:00:58] underwrite the workforce housing and so
[01:01:01] in the in the hotel industry we used to
[01:01:03] do it all the time when like the montage
[01:01:06] if you can't make a hotel work on its
[01:01:08] You do the for sale, it underwrites the
[01:01:17] >> Can I comment?
[01:01:19] >> So Joyy's answer was a great answer and
[01:01:21] with that I would add not taking city
[01:01:24] money but go to the state of California
[01:01:27] to the California Housing Finance Agency
[01:01:30] for the money. So that way there's no
[01:01:32] money out of the city of Laguna Beach
[01:01:34] taxpayers property taxes or anything.
[01:01:37] It's from the state of California who
[01:01:39] funds that project at the Catholic
[01:01:54] >> Go ahead.
[01:01:54] >> I I think that the from a financial
[01:01:57] perspective, I would love to have a
[01:01:58] community center there. We don't have
[01:01:59] the money to to do that and there's
[01:02:01] parking challenges. So, I agree with um
[01:02:04] the concepts my colleagues are talking
[01:02:05] about some sort of a mixed concept where
[01:02:07] you could cross subsidize with the for
[01:02:09] sale product to make the recreation
[01:02:11] center happen. And um I think that that
[01:02:13] could be a win-win solution.
[01:02:22] when it was purchased, it needs to be a
[01:02:23] community center and it's unfortunate
[01:02:25] we're in a financial situation where we
[01:02:27] can't invest in it as a community
[01:02:28] center. And so like Alex and the other
[01:02:31] and my other colleagues up here that
[01:02:33] there are a lot of options on the table
[01:02:35] and I think senior housing or workforce
[01:02:37] housing is great. The one thing that I
[01:02:38] would say is definitely off the table
[01:02:40] for me would be any sort of hotel or
[01:02:42] selling it off just to fill a hole in
[01:02:44] the budget. Um there's been talk of the
[01:02:47] current council has been looking at
[01:02:48] potentially buying rubies and then I've
[01:02:51] heard from city officials that they want
[01:02:52] to maybe potentially turn into a hotel.
[01:02:54] Definitely not something that I would
[01:02:57] >> How about an acute care hospital though?
[01:03:02] >> I think using it as leverage in
[01:03:04] negotiations like Alex made a great
[01:03:06] point. You know, you don't want to talk
[01:03:07] about something.
[01:03:08] >> Laura, thanks Laura.
[01:03:10] >> Thank you.
[01:03:11] >> I agree with the other folks on the the
[01:03:14] DAS. I am really disappointed that it's
[01:03:17] not being used for a recre community
[01:03:19] center or some type of recreational
[01:03:21] facility, but we just don't have the
[01:03:22] budget for it. So, it sounds like there
[01:03:24] are some other good
[01:03:27] financially sound uses that would uh
[01:03:31] benefit the public. Thank you,
[01:03:35] >> Ashley. Did you Mark Mark, you did Mark?
[01:03:39] >> I was waiting to
[01:03:41] >> We do notice. So, there's a lot to
[01:03:44] consider. You know, we have another uh
[01:03:46] partial rec center next to it at Lincoln
[01:03:48] Park. I think that that needs to be part
[01:03:50] of the evaluation as we evaluate the
[01:03:53] CRC. I do think a mixed use um needs to
[01:03:56] be studied. I would keep it on the the
[01:03:59] table for a potential um healthc care
[01:04:02] facility if need be. I would be open to
[01:04:04] all options and all analysis.
[01:04:07] >> Okay. Thank you, Laura. You did you did
[01:04:10] and and Ashley really
[01:04:13] >> um I mean I think first and foremost the
[01:04:16] um the process of how we make decisions
[01:04:18] is what needs to change with this. So we
[01:04:21] can't every what's currently why there's
[01:04:24] fiscal issue is that we make all these
[01:04:28] purchases with no plan. So whether we
[01:04:37] of it for the long run. So, yes, the
[01:04:39] state might be able to help out to turn
[01:04:40] it into housing. Then, who's paying for
[01:04:42] it after the fact? I wouldn't want to do
[01:04:43] housing for just four units. I don't
[01:04:45] think that's a wise use of a dollar. Um,
[01:04:47] community center, who's going to pay for
[01:04:49] it? Traffic, who's a bigger question.
[01:04:52] >> A qu question actually to Mark, uh, I
[01:04:56] saw you several months ago and asked you
[01:04:59] about the prominade, you may remember,
[01:05:02] and you said, "Wait till it's built.
[01:05:05] Everyone will love it." You still feel
[01:05:07] the same?
[01:05:14] think over time people will will come to
[01:05:17] like it and enjoy it. That's not
[01:05:18] uncommon, right? I mean, look at Main
[01:05:20] Beach. Look at the Eiffel Tower. I mean,
[01:05:23] you know, those were very controversial
[01:05:24] things. If you want to look out, I I do
[01:05:27] think people will will come to to like
[01:05:29] it. And keep in mind that we're talking
[01:05:32] about visual um aspects of it right now,
[01:05:34] right? When we originally envisioned
[01:05:37] that when it was talked about vision
[01:05:38] 2030, it was for a social space for a
[01:05:41] gathering space. That's probably in my
[01:05:44] view the most important part of let's
[01:05:47] have a paddle raise of everyone who
[01:05:49] agrees and disagrees with.
[01:06:02] >> May I have a rebuttal? We can have
[01:06:04] >> we can. Yes,
[01:06:06] >> it's called playing with an audience.
[01:06:08] >> Well, look, if if Mark, you want to
[01:06:11] check, you saw who opposes you. Choose
[01:06:15] an opponent who will give a twominut
[01:06:18] debate to on this.
[01:06:22] >> Okay, everyone wants to go ahead.
[01:06:24] >> Thank you, Mark.
[01:06:25] >> Okay, third 30 seconds and then 60
[01:06:29] and 30. I'll get back to you. Oh, well
[01:06:33] wait. No, it goes to
[01:06:35] >> Mark. Mark, you have you you can you
[01:06:38] stated your point. That's 30. You have
[01:06:40] 60 seconds.
[01:06:41] >> My answer to Mark is they did their
[01:06:44] best. I don't like what happened. And so
[01:06:47] I want all of you to take a road trip
[01:06:50] and drive down to Seal Beach this
[01:06:52] weekend and walk down both sides of the
[01:06:55] street and look at the street, look at
[01:06:58] the stores, and look at the trees. Every
[01:07:01] single tree has a triplesized
[01:07:04] well. It is flushed with dirt that is
[01:07:08] triple in actually maybe quadruple and
[01:07:11] the dirt is flush with the sidewalk and
[01:07:14] there's no tripping hazards. So the
[01:07:16] trees are huge and they grow. It is
[01:07:19] probably the most spectacular walk
[01:07:21] you'll ever make. And you walk down one
[01:07:24] side and walk down the other and I Seal
[01:07:26] Beach is the answer. And it just so
[01:07:29] happens, it's not a coincidence, they
[01:07:31] have term limits. I was kind of
[01:07:33] laughing, but you all need to drop down
[01:07:36] there and walk down both sides of the
[01:07:51] trees? Well, it
[01:07:54] >> You respond however you like. Okay,
[01:07:57] we're back on the topic of whether or
[01:07:59] not people are going to enjoy it in the
[01:08:01] future. Um, I I already stated my case.
[01:08:04] I do think that there'll be people that
[01:08:05] will enjoy it. I think that there are
[01:08:07] already a group of people that are
[01:08:10] enjoying, you know, really depends on if
[01:08:12] you're, you know, one that would go out
[01:08:15] and enjoy the open space and spend time
[01:08:17] with your family. I mean, there's
[01:08:18] different people in town, different
[01:08:21] demographics, right? Some of us spend
[01:08:22] more time at home, some of us are out
[01:08:24] more and socializing. And it is built
[01:08:26] for the part of the communities.
[01:08:29] >> Thank you, Mark. The completed
[01:08:32] >> 30 seconds.
[01:08:33] >> I got it, but I go a little bit over a
[01:08:36] little bit of gratitude, a little bit of
[01:08:38] leeway there.
[01:08:39] >> Well, we may give you another uh another
[01:08:42] 30 on another question.
[01:08:44] at the LA at the Village Lagona
[01:08:47] Forums. Uh Sue, who is not here to uh
[01:08:52] defend herself on this, but both both
[01:08:55] you and Alex uh I think were in accord
[01:08:59] on Forest Avenue and the Prominade. She
[01:09:02] said that the Prominade project was
[01:09:05] $500,000 under budget. Um, now
[01:09:10] >> looks like
[01:09:10] >> she's not here to defend those numbers,
[01:09:13] but are you?
[01:09:17] >> yeah. I mean, I was the last number that
[01:09:19] I heard. I don't have a spreadsheet in
[01:09:21] front of me, but yeah, I'll I'll back
[01:09:23] that up that we're still $500,000
[01:09:26] under budget.
[01:09:27] >> Under what?
[01:09:30] >> Hold on. Hold on. Um,
[01:09:34] >> we we can have a we'll have
[01:09:37] >> I would kind of get a feeling you don't
[01:09:38] like the prominad.
[01:09:40] >> Well, I you know, it's not my decision,
[01:09:42] but I have my personal opinions. We're
[01:09:46] hosting this program. We want to be fair
[01:09:48] by all candidates. Have you defend your
[01:09:51] position? I'm not running for office.
[01:09:52] >> How do you feel about saving 75 artist
[01:09:55] spaces out?
[01:09:56] >> Hold on, Mark. Mark, we do ask the
[01:09:59] >> Well, we're all over the board here.
[01:10:01] Hold on. Hold on. We have to manage
[01:10:03] this. Let me just go back on the
[01:10:06] $500,000 issue. Where is the evidence
[01:10:10] for that? Is that including the cost of
[01:10:13] the two designers on this, the
[01:10:16] consultants? Um, let's let's get that
[01:10:21] answer. I'm not not I'm not I'm not a
[01:10:23] candidate, Mark, but there are other
[01:10:26] candidates here who don't agree with
[01:10:29] your position. Uh Ed already had one
[01:10:32] challenge. We can go next to Nick. Are
[01:10:35] you you want to take on
[01:10:36] >> I thought you asked about the budget.
[01:10:38] >> This is a budget question that Nick will
[01:10:41] take on with you. Nick, you have you
[01:10:44] have u we'll give you 60 seconds to
[01:10:47] >> Sure. the when it comes to the budget
[01:10:49] part, you know, you make a good point
[01:10:51] about the designers and what the overall
[01:10:52] cost is and I think the city will come
[01:10:54] out with its documents hopefully in the
[01:10:56] next month or so. Um, I think the more
[01:10:59] important question is, for example, when
[01:11:00] you asked about the prominade and is it
[01:11:02] what the mayor was hoping for, you know,
[01:11:04] I'm I'm a supporter of a prominade. I
[01:11:06] think it's a great idea. I lived in
[01:11:08] Spain. Outdoor space is part of part of
[01:11:10] the daily life there and I have enjoyed
[01:11:13] the prominade myself. I think what
[01:11:15] residents are frustrated about is that
[01:11:17] how was sold to us, the images that were
[01:11:19] given to us, what we thought it was
[01:11:20] going to be for, and it's turned into
[01:11:22] more of a food court. Now, it is up,
[01:11:26] >> No, hold on. It is it is uh up to the
[01:11:29] city council later this month, and we'll
[01:11:31] find out how many tables that each
[01:11:33] restaurant will be getting. You know,
[01:11:34] when you look at the renderings,
[01:11:35] obviously, the trees were, you know, a
[01:11:38] mistake that, you know, everybody was
[01:11:40] upset about, but we want to make sure
[01:11:42] that it is for the community. It's a
[01:11:43] community space. That's what we're sold.
[01:11:45] And right now maybe residents feel that
[01:11:47] that's not what we're getting. So I
[01:11:48] think it's on to the future of what
[01:11:50] we're actually going to be using it for
[01:11:52] and that's when residents will decide
[01:11:54] >> Okay. Uh point point of order. Joy, you
[01:11:57] may u you may follow, but we'll only
[01:11:59] have 30 seconds for you. But I do want
[01:12:01] to make a point of questions that have
[01:12:04] not been either asked or answered. And
[01:12:07] for the public in this room and those
[01:12:10] watching, we have asked all candidates
[01:12:13] to submit their answers in writing. We
[01:12:16] are going to be submitting these
[01:12:18] questions to all candidates. Um and
[01:12:22] you'll have uh so you'll know after this
[01:12:25] forum seven days to prepare answers that
[01:12:29] we will publish on our website beginning
[01:12:31] at the end of this week. The will be
[01:12:34] when the website launches. I'll give
[01:12:36] more information at the conclusion but
[01:12:39] to uh to the points that we're talking
[01:12:41] about with the prominade. Um and let's
[01:12:45] talk to Laura on a question. This has to
[01:12:48] do with audits and where we go. Uh
[01:12:51] because it doesn't seem like there's
[01:12:53] been much of an audit on much of
[01:12:55] anything. But Laura, you can speak to
[01:12:57] that and then we'll see if who agrees
[01:13:00] and disagrees with you.
[01:13:02] >> An audit. There's an annual audit of the
[01:13:05] city that
[01:13:06] >> What are you looking for yourself that
[01:13:08] you're finding? Uh why why you're
[01:13:11] running in terms of your concern with
[01:13:14] the city?
[01:13:16] >> Well, I I would like to see improved
[01:13:18] financial reporting from the city. Uh
[01:13:22] more reliable financial numbers. I'd
[01:13:24] like to see a professional audit
[01:13:26] committee. Um
[01:13:29] >> yeah, I was looking for a professional
[01:13:31] audit committee. something that follows
[01:13:32] go and finance officer uh guidelines,
[01:13:36] industry guidelines and is similar to
[01:13:38] other cities our size.
[01:13:40] >> Okay. Who who uh would be in favor here
[01:13:43] among candidates for an independent
[01:13:46] audit uh that
[01:13:48] >> can I add to that?
[01:13:50] >> Yeah, you let's see if I raise a hand
[01:13:53] who's for that mark. I didn't see a
[01:13:56] >> Are you for that or against it? Oh, all
[01:13:59] right. So, you're all on record for what
[01:14:01] Laura is talking about.
[01:14:09] >> Yeah, I do want to add to that. We There
[01:14:11] was There was a larger audit committee.
[01:14:14] It's now been reduced. It's just two
[01:14:15] city council members who are currently
[01:14:17] on the audit committee, Alex and Sue.
[01:14:20] Our own city council should not be the
[01:14:21] only ones auditing their finances. I
[01:14:23] know that there's an annual audit, but
[01:14:27] that is a uh bring the residents and
[01:14:31] independent people with CPA and audit
[01:14:34] backgrounds. Yes. Um to the table. It's
[01:14:36] just it's just best business practice. I
[01:14:38] mean I would never run my business.
[01:14:40] >> Yeah. And I respond.
[01:14:44] >> Okay. Yeah. So I I you know at the
[01:14:47] beginning of this debate we talked about
[01:14:48] did we ever change our our perspectives
[01:14:50] on issues. I actually agree with we we
[01:14:53] had a report that came back that said it
[01:14:55] should be an ad hoc committee. And I
[01:14:58] think that the definition of the Brown
[01:15:00] Act gets complicated because it's really
[01:15:02] not an ad hoc committee, it's a standing
[01:15:03] committee. So I would I would actually
[01:15:05] support what Laura what you're asking
[01:15:06] for. I think the treasurer role should
[01:15:08] be more focused on the government code
[01:15:09] responsibilities and being on the audit
[01:15:11] committee. I think that really is is an
[01:15:13] ideal solution and then having to I
[01:15:15] think the other interesting thing that
[01:15:17] I'm supportive of is as part of the our
[01:15:19] efficiency initiative we're um we're you
[01:15:22] know George George and I started this
[01:15:24] with the finance department with
[01:15:25] performance audits but we want to have a
[01:15:27] rolling cycle with the work done every
[01:15:28] year for performance audits. So
[01:15:30] potentially we could have this be a
[01:15:32] finance commission like Newport Beach
[01:15:34] five members city treasur looking at the
[01:15:36] audit financial statements but also
[01:15:38] performance audits of each department. I
[01:15:40] I agree with that.
[01:15:41] >> Thank you, Alex. We had we did have a
[01:15:44] question in the financial area. This was
[01:15:46] directed to Laura from a question that
[01:15:48] came from the public.
[01:15:51] Using your financial and treasury
[01:15:53] experience, name the city's first
[01:15:55] unfunded priority and identify how you
[01:15:58] would pay for it without an unsupported
[01:16:01] revenue assumption.
[01:16:03] Can you answer that one? That came from
[01:16:05] the public, so I'm giving every question
[01:16:07] we can.
[01:16:08] >> All right. Um
[01:16:11] well one that's a a very high visibility
[01:16:14] if you were to look at the last uh
[01:16:15] audited financial statements you would
[01:16:17] find that our reserves are not funded
[01:16:20] fully. It's right there in the footnotes
[01:16:22] to the financial statements. I would
[01:16:24] like to see that funding uh be complete
[01:16:29] up to the 20% level.
[01:16:31] And this would you give me the second
[01:16:33] part of the question?
[01:16:36] identify how you would pay for it
[01:16:37] without an unsupported revenue
[01:16:42] >> So, I don't know. I'm not a treasurer.
[01:16:49] costs in some areas.
[01:16:56] discretionary spending and then um
[01:16:59] anything that is a part of the $400
[01:17:01] million of um uh the facilities
[01:17:05] management plan that we need to do that
[01:17:07] is a nice to have versus an actual need.
[01:17:10] So that's what you could do to be able
[01:17:13] discretionary spending contracts,
[01:17:16] consultants, third party vendors, things
[01:17:18] like that that aren't necessary. I I
[01:17:20] have a resident question that's coming
[01:17:25] fire station one which is uh seeking to
[01:17:30] probably u I want to get a sense of this
[01:17:34] because it looks like they're eyeing our
[01:17:37] farmers market. Okay. And so which
[01:17:40] alternative deserves the first complete
[01:17:43] feasibility and cost study? Lot 10
[01:17:46] beside Artifair requiring a firet truck
[01:17:51] lot 15 at the former transit depot with
[01:17:56] Ocean and Broadway access or retaining
[01:17:59] fire station one beside city hall moving
[01:18:02] police and expanding behind the facade
[01:18:05] and and show I would say that's one two
[01:18:09] or three uh all of you show us one two
[01:18:13] or three fingers I suppose which one of
[01:18:15] those you think for the fire station
[01:18:18] because if we're going to lose Should we
[01:18:21] lose the farmers market where it's at
[01:18:24] its present location?
[01:18:26] >> I I I can't I think it has to be based
[01:18:28] on the standards of coverage so that we
[01:18:30] make sure that we have fire safe. I
[01:18:32] don't that's a hard question to answer.
[01:18:33] Lot 15 was an interesting one. We looked
[01:18:35] at that, but it that's not big enough,
[01:18:36] but I I can't answer the other ones
[01:18:38] without that data.
[01:18:39] >> Does anyone want to uh put a comment
[01:18:42] about the farmers market and should it
[01:18:45] be moved or should the fire fire folks
[01:18:49] have their parking somewhere else? I
[01:18:50] think the police didn't they give their
[01:18:53] uh their lots uh opportunity to fire.
[01:18:58] >> I think that um option three of putting
[01:19:01] the fire station keeping the fire
[01:19:04] >> We also shouldn't be losing parking
[01:19:06] before, you know, adding another fire
[01:19:08] station or anything else. We need to be
[01:19:10] having a full plan. And I know it's part
[01:19:11] of the facility's master plan, but we
[01:19:13] can't be taking away more parking.
[01:19:21] general plan. Every decision in our
[01:19:23] community from a legal standpoint needs
[01:19:26] to go back to the general plan. Is it
[01:19:28] consistent with the general plan? We
[01:19:29] have a safety element in the general
[01:19:31] plan. We have a land use element in the
[01:19:34] general plan. If we are coordinating
[01:19:36] those two, we will have an answer to
[01:19:40] where a fire station needs to be or if
[01:19:43] it needs to be. I'm going to to come
[01:19:46] back to my argument for a capacity
[01:19:48] study. That capacity study can help us
[01:19:51] get the financing from the state and
[01:19:54] from our neighboring communities whose
[01:19:56] residents come and utilize our
[01:19:59] facilities. We should be getting money
[01:20:02] from our our neighboring communities to
[01:20:05] pay for it.
[01:20:06] >> Thank you, Karen.
[01:20:07] >> You have question for
[01:20:09] >> I have some very excited audience people
[01:20:13] here that want to ask questions.
[01:20:16] >> Well, I need No, but I need to I give
[01:20:19] two that have been reported here and
[01:20:20] then we'll go out directly to the
[01:20:22] audience. The first one is why weren't
[01:20:24] residents allowed to vote on the
[01:20:26] prominade? If elected, would you commit
[01:20:28] to allowing residents the right to vote
[01:20:30] on any community altering project
[01:20:33] costing more than $4 million
[01:20:40] >> Paddle on this one, everybody.
[01:20:42] >> No, wait, wait, wait.
[01:20:45] >> Alex is no. And who else is No.
[01:20:48] >> Okay. those who are for who hasn't
[01:20:52] spoken in a mini debate.
[01:20:54] >> I would like to just say show me the
[01:20:56] money. I I think what people are upset
[01:20:58] about is we think the prominant the
[01:21:01] budget was approved at 2.7 million then
[01:21:04] all of a sudden it becomes 4.7 million
[01:21:06] then all of a sudden it becomes 8
[01:21:07] million. So what we need is full we talk
[01:21:10] about transparency but like to Ashley
[01:21:13] said there's no forward thinking with
[01:21:16] really understanding all the due
[01:21:18] diligence discovering all the costs
[01:21:20] before decisions are made and so I not
[01:21:24] only think we should put it to vote but
[01:21:26] there should be major due diligence and
[01:21:27] underwriting and understanding what the
[01:21:30] >> Okay Joy pick an opponent between
[01:21:38] Who is your opponent on this one? Alex
[01:21:44] >> Alex. 60 seconds. Alex.
[01:21:46] >> Yeah. The the question was about
[01:21:48] community projects that are more than $4
[01:21:50] million. Fire station in South Lagoon. I
[01:21:52] don't think we we want that to go to a
[01:21:54] vote. There's a lot of projects that
[01:21:56] happen. I think that the prominade, I
[01:21:57] totally get
[01:22:00] the people.
[01:22:01] >> I we had I think 10 public meetings on
[01:22:04] on the prominade. I think it's a really
[01:22:05] fair point about the initial
[01:22:07] >> go on. Let's get the post-it notes out
[01:22:12] >> I public meeting with posted.
[01:22:15] >> Everyone, Alex has the floor. You'll get
[01:22:18] another 15 seconds. Alex, just finish
[01:22:20] your point.
[01:22:21] >> I think that Joy, you make a really fair
[01:22:22] point about the initial cost estimate is
[01:22:25] 2.7, which I I I think that was probably
[01:22:27] from 2022 or 2023. I think we need to do
[01:22:30] a better job with our CIP program of
[01:22:32] really projecting this. That's one of
[01:22:34] the recommendations that we had in the
[01:22:36] um in our efficiency initiative. And so
[01:22:38] I think that's that's a fair point. But
[01:22:39] I you know the thing about Laguna, the
[01:22:41] last time everyone in this town has
[01:22:43] agreed was 1924 and it was to to approve
[01:22:46] a bond for um to get uh to go get access
[01:22:50] to water in Huntington Beach. That was
[01:22:51] the last time we all agreed. I totally
[01:22:53] respect that we are not going to agree,
[01:22:55] but that's what's great about elections
[01:22:56] is we can um engage with each other and
[01:22:58] talk about the important issues.
[01:23:00] >> Joey, you have 30 seconds to
[01:23:04] response to what Alex just said.
[01:23:06] >> It's listening to the residents. I mean,
[01:23:09] it's not just the numbers. There were so
[01:23:11] many other alternative plans for the
[01:23:13] prominade with hybrid, saving the trees,
[01:23:16] and none of that was considered. Our
[01:23:18] town seems to be giving out to first
[01:23:20] party consultants. And so, I think what
[01:23:22] the question is is involving the
[01:23:24] residents in these major capital
[01:23:26] decisions and major changes to our town.
[01:23:29] And I'm all supportive of that.
[01:23:37] folks in my neighborhood are bringing
[01:23:39] up. Um that's rarely I don't think
[01:23:42] anyone ever brings up in the public but
[01:23:45] we have had an influx in our hill killed
[01:23:49] communities with coyotes and coyotes
[01:23:53] have been literally eating the pets. All
[01:23:56] right. Um and they are uh in fact in my
[01:24:00] own neighborhood we met with animal
[01:24:03] control and animal control um has said
[01:24:07] this is probably the worst year ever of
[01:24:10] coyotes going into our residential state
[01:24:14] area. This is uh can't point fingers to
[01:24:19] any one thing what animal control did
[01:24:21] say but they did say that is uh we have
[01:24:25] had um uh development in the open space
[01:24:29] where wildlife is moving into our
[01:24:33] residential communities. People are
[01:24:36] feeding the coyotes and animals control
[01:24:40] told me he cited a person feeding a
[01:24:44] steak to a coyote and and and so that
[01:24:48] they have become habituated to us. And
[01:24:52] so what they told us is they are now
[01:24:55] down one animal control officer. Their
[01:24:59] job is to pick up an unfortunate that
[01:25:02] the killings that the coyois have done
[01:25:04] of our pets. Um, and it's a tragic thing
[01:25:08] to a lot of us who who see pets is more
[01:25:11] than just animals. They they are part of
[01:25:14] our families. So, question uh animal
[01:25:18] control said number one, they could use
[01:25:21] another officer. They have technically
[01:25:24] three. They are down to two. one. It
[01:25:27] will be down to one because of paternity
[01:25:30] leave. Uh but to bring it up to four
[01:25:33] would be able to educate the public.
[01:25:36] Would you be in favor as a council
[01:25:38] member to uh support increasing animal
[01:25:42] control for coyote education, uh
[01:25:46] wildlife and the rest? Uh so show of
[01:25:50] paddle support.
[01:25:52] >> Yes or no?
[01:25:54] are and
[01:25:55] >> I would support education.
[01:25:56] >> I'd have to look at the budget before
[01:25:58] weighing in on that. I like the idea.
[01:26:00] >> So, I would support education, not
[01:26:02] necessarily bringing on another employee
[01:26:04] without having to throw out.
[01:26:05] >> Well, remember we also uh contract out
[01:26:08] with Laguna Woods with our animal
[01:26:09] control. So, if we're down already with
[01:26:11] one, then we need to relook at that
[01:26:12] contract and increasing somebody making
[01:26:15] them pay for their own or increasing the
[01:26:17] budget. That's why we can't be living so
[01:26:19] close on the line with our budget
[01:26:20] because we need more park rangers. We
[01:26:23] need more animal control. So,
[01:26:25] >> uh, do we need to look at at at how we,
[01:26:29] uh, how we deal with variances, uh, in
[01:26:33] terms of the open space and do, does
[01:26:35] anyone want to talk about that and the
[01:26:37] unintended consequences of wildlife
[01:26:40] moving into our I think all of us
[01:26:43] probably who live in a lagoon, not one
[01:26:44] per we just saw coyotes we've never seen
[01:26:47] in 40 years on our street and we've got
[01:26:51] pets all over the place. The coyote
[01:26:53] issue is is a it's a crossjurisdictional
[01:26:59] issue. It's not just a beach issue. We
[01:27:01] need to work together with our neighbors
[01:27:04] to solve that problem. Um with regards
[01:27:07] to variances on open space, um again,
[01:27:11] I'm going to go back to our general plan
[01:27:13] and if we had maps that were up to date
[01:27:16] and not from 1992, I think we will have
[01:27:20] the lines on our tennis court. so that
[01:27:22] we can um accurately make decisions
[01:27:26] about whether we can develop the open
[01:27:29] space or not.
[01:27:30] >> Anyone else want to comment on the
[01:27:32] coyote problem in Laguna?
[01:27:34] >> I'm curious. They want to move on, but
[01:27:36] I'm curious. The natural predator of the
[01:27:38] coyote is a mountain lion, right? And
[01:27:40] have they gone extinct? And is that the
[01:27:42] reason? Did animal control say why? I
[01:27:46] think if you look at Orange County and
[01:27:49] you go for a drive out of Libona Beach
[01:27:52] and towards the mountains, there is so
[01:27:55] much development. It is it'll blow your
[01:27:58] mind. You should take a Sunday drive or
[01:28:00] a Saturday drive. Go out there. There is
[01:28:02] so much building and so much so many
[01:28:05] houses being purchased by foreigners,
[01:28:08] not Americans. And and who know and
[01:28:12] there's a lot of housing development
[01:28:14] going on. I would say in the the great
[01:28:16] park alone is uh 42,000 units and I
[01:28:20] would ask why when the great park was
[01:28:24] negotiating their development agreement
[01:28:26] we were not at that development
[01:28:27] agreement table getting our fair share
[01:28:30] of the impact money they gave us
[01:28:32] pittance and I think it's really
[01:28:35] important to be
[01:28:36] >> at the development agreement table when
[01:28:38] they're being renegotiated
[01:28:40] >> there there there there are other things
[01:28:42] of unintended consequences and one and
[01:28:46] dealing with what one might call animal
[01:28:48] life that's not as sometimes cute as
[01:28:51] coyotes could be as puppies. But um I
[01:28:56] don't understand how people would feed
[01:28:58] coyotes. That's another story. We have a
[01:29:01] problem in Orange County with West Nile
[01:29:04] virus and mosquitoes.
[01:29:07] We have a question. We'll we'll ask ask
[01:29:10] one of these questions in a minute. But
[01:29:13] the question is um about the estuary
[01:29:16] that is uh in planned buildout at Aliso
[01:29:21] and um and that there is concern that
[01:29:24] that might be u breeding uh for
[01:29:30] um and uh in speaking with uh Mark you
[01:29:34] used to be we can bring this up to you
[01:29:36] on vector but um but the issue of what's
[01:29:40] going on I I actually spoke with a a a
[01:29:44] doctor in Switzerland who's a research
[01:29:46] scientist on curing Westnile virus and
[01:29:49] he said you guys have it bad in Orange
[01:29:51] County. This is a little issue that
[01:29:54] should be a big issue and I want the
[01:29:57] because West Nile will kill people and
[01:29:59] will kill seniors sooner than uh people
[01:30:03] who are younger just because of how
[01:30:05] immunity systems work. So with that in
[01:30:08] mind, what's your position on the
[01:30:11] estuary and build out Adaliso Creek? Uh
[01:30:15] do we want to take some answers to that?
[01:30:18] Nick, you have your No. No. To Can we
[01:30:21] have show a paddle about the buildout at
[01:30:24] Aliso Creek on on an estuary?
[01:30:28] >> No, no to an estuary.
[01:30:30] >> No to an estuary.
[01:30:31] >> Everyone else, I don't see your paddles.
[01:30:33] Yes or no?
[01:30:36] >> you're saying dealing with Westnile
[01:30:38] virus or build up?
[01:30:40] >> We the buildup there's unintended
[01:30:42] consequences. How was
[01:30:45] >> Nick? Why don't we explain and educate
[01:30:47] your colleagues?
[01:30:49] >> So from what I understand about the
[01:30:51] estuary project, it's currently going
[01:30:53] under an environmental impact report.
[01:30:54] We're hopefully getting that out soon,
[01:30:56] maybe in the next month or so. I think
[01:30:58] it was supposed to be ready by the end
[01:30:59] of summer. We're here. The issue with
[01:31:01] the estuary is they want to take it back
[01:31:04] to how it was. You know, blocking the
[01:31:07] blocking the burm, blocking the water
[01:31:09] from flowing. So, you're going to have
[01:31:10] stagnant water in Alisa Creek, which is
[01:31:13] going to be a breeding ground for West
[01:31:14] Nile virus. What we need to have happen
[01:31:16] is we need the berm to break. We need
[01:31:18] the water to flow. Now, people are
[01:31:20] saying that uh by bringing it back to it
[01:31:24] being an estuary, it's bring it back to
[01:31:25] nature. The issue is that upstream
[01:31:28] there's been so much development that
[01:31:30] the water ity. The water's not clean. We
[01:31:32] need to be worrying about cleaning the
[01:31:33] water, but the water needs to flood. We
[01:31:35] shouldn't be doing anything that's going
[01:31:36] to be contributing to more stagnant
[01:31:39] water, which is going to lead to the
[01:31:41] threat of Westnile virus.
[01:31:49] at that property and the issue is all
[01:31:51] the upstream development, right?
[01:31:54] >> They're contaminating the water through
[01:31:56] all their chemicals and runoffs and
[01:31:58] pesticides. And so there's a sign there
[01:32:01] and they tell the kids don't swim in it.
[01:32:04] But what happens is the skim boarders
[01:32:06] like the cool wave it develops. So they
[01:32:08] break the the um berm so they get the
[01:32:11] cool wave. But to me what's more
[01:32:13] important is you know we we know from
[01:32:16] science it causes cancer and those kids
[01:32:18] are swimming in this contaminated water.
[01:32:20] So what the burn does is it acts as a
[01:32:23] natural aquifer and and it filtrates the
[01:32:26] chemicals and the pesticides out of the
[01:32:29] upstream river before it goes into the
[01:32:32] ocean. So it helps protect our ocean. It
[01:32:34] helps and and so then when kids and
[01:32:37] people are swimming in the ocean, it's
[01:32:39] not as contaminated. So I think there's
[01:32:41] a little bit of a misnomer about a huge
[01:32:44] estuary versus keeping the berm. And as
[01:32:47] far as even a small estuary, it would be
[01:32:50] helpful. But I I want to go I I
[01:32:54] >> we can we can move on because not
[01:32:56] everyone is familiar with this issue.
[01:32:58] But it can come down to uh where there
[01:33:02] is a controversy between those who might
[01:33:04] consider ocean health versus human
[01:33:07] health and we need to look at that and
[01:33:10] and I think candidates hopefully will as
[01:33:13] this moves as another topic. There is
[01:33:16] one question about priorities I want to
[01:33:19] get to with mainly incumbents and also
[01:33:22] how uh how candidates look at we uh and
[01:33:28] this this dovetales but it's not
[01:33:31] technically it is about the forest
[01:33:34] phenomena but
[01:33:36] >> hold on hold on folks the dovetail part
[01:33:40] >> how about Ocean Avenue
[01:33:42] >> hold on a moment we'll talk about that
[01:33:44] in a moment The dovetail part is we
[01:33:48] council had approved that we would for
[01:33:50] safety precautions have have uh street
[01:33:55] lights put on Glenary for over a mile
[01:33:59] and yet
[01:34:00] council did not uh and this was this has
[01:34:04] been approved for how long? Some of you
[01:34:06] who are in council voted for this are or
[01:34:09] certainly are aware of it and yet the
[01:34:12] priority was for the prominade. Now was
[01:34:16] that a mistake to prioritize the
[01:34:19] prominade over lighting Glen Air? And
[01:34:21] when you're on council, is this
[01:34:24] something that you're going to ask staff
[01:34:25] to start moving on as a priority for
[01:34:29] public safety?
[01:34:31] So, can we take it with uh Mark? Uh, you
[01:34:35] voted for you voted for the prominade.
[01:34:38] You're defending it. Are you defending
[01:34:40] it as a priority over street lighting,
[01:34:44] which we still do not have on Glenary?
[01:34:46] >> No, it wasn't. I didn't defend it or
[01:34:48] vote for the prominade as a priority
[01:34:50] over the street lighting on Glenary. Um,
[01:34:54] do I support the lighting? I I do in in
[01:34:57] certain areas. Glenary is an appropriate
[01:34:59] area. I don't support lightning in in
[01:35:02] every area, but I think in some of the
[01:35:03] areas that require CPA, I do. But I do
[01:35:07] support it um moving forward with the
[01:35:11] Where where anyone want to comment on
[01:35:16] on lighting?
[01:35:19] Alex, you you're you're uh you you
[01:35:23] supported the prominade and was this a
[01:35:25] wise decision to pri prioritize use our
[01:35:29] city resources
[01:35:31] as opposed to street lighting and bora.
[01:35:37] >> I mean I think there other my priorities
[01:35:39] have been water independence. I'm
[01:35:40] excited about the deal we're doing there
[01:35:42] and then also the fire station. So I
[01:35:44] it's a good question. Um, I I can't
[01:35:47] speak to the I don't know where that is
[01:35:49] in the timeline. So, I I'll get back to
[01:35:50] you on where that is in in terms of
[01:35:55] >> Wait, wait, wait. We've got we've got uh
[01:35:58] going to ask each of you, this is part
[01:36:01] where where we'll finish. So,
[01:36:09] bring bring this back to each one of you
[01:36:13] as a special issue that is important to
[01:36:16] you. Okay? Um and when you're when it
[01:36:22] when and if you're elected to the
[01:36:24] council, what's important to you, but
[01:36:27] also as far as
[01:36:29] set up a mini debate with one of your
[01:36:33] opponents. This is your opportunity to
[01:36:36] challenge somebody. Everybody here
[01:36:39] should has an opportunity to challenge
[01:36:41] on any issue any question that has faced
[01:36:45] the city. Um you can you can challenge
[01:36:50] someone you normally agree with or those
[01:36:52] who you disagree with. But let's start
[01:36:55] with what
[01:36:57] >> uh you you have you have one one minute
[01:37:01] and the uh your opponent has another
[01:37:07] So, Ashley, who do you what's your issue
[01:37:10] and who do you want to challenge on your
[01:37:15] >> Okay, let's see.
[01:37:24] who do I want to ask? Um,
[01:37:33] Um, this could go for everyone, but my
[01:37:36] biggest issue is our fiscal
[01:37:38] responsibility and fiscal discipline.
[01:37:40] Um, and thinking beyond the next budget
[01:37:42] cycle, which we have not seen in the
[01:37:44] last four years, but Laguna needs to
[01:37:46] start planning 5, 10, 20 years ahead.
[01:37:48] Um, and thinking for thinking that way.
[01:37:50] So, I guess joy. Many candidates talk
[01:37:53] about preservation and what Lagouna has
[01:37:55] protected, but protecting Laguna's
[01:37:57] future also means being able to afford
[01:37:59] what we've acquired, maintain
[01:38:00] infrastructure, meet long-term
[01:38:02] obligations, and protect residents from
[01:38:04] wildfire wildfire and health
[01:38:05] emergencies. What do you believe is the
[01:38:08] single greatest threat facing Lagona in
[01:38:10] the next 10 years? And what one specific
[01:38:12] action would you take in your first year
[01:38:14] on council to address it?
[01:38:21] we're not thinking through all these
[01:38:24] projects as you said earlier Ashley uh
[01:38:27] we need to look at it more holistically
[01:38:29] with the budget etc. I am very much for
[01:38:32] historic preservation and I very
[01:38:34] disappointed that our council 50 paused
[01:38:37] the mills act which is the only
[01:38:39] financial incentive to keep these
[01:38:40] historic buildings. I also think we need
[01:38:43] to do a vacancy survey because I think
[01:38:46] that some of the solution for the um
[01:38:48] affordable housing is to see all these
[01:38:50] vacant commercial buildings and see if
[01:38:52] we can't work with landlords and owners
[01:38:55] to somehow modify it and do streamline
[01:38:58] uh processing to convert them to the
[01:38:59] affordable housing. But I I really want
[01:39:02] to see a diverse community here. I
[01:39:04] really want to see all types of economic
[01:39:08] income people living here. I think it's
[01:39:10] what makes it beautiful from from
[01:39:13] environmentalists to gardeners to uh
[01:39:16] architects etc. And I really am very
[01:39:19] concerned. I think our biggest problem
[01:39:22] is that we're becoming this uber luxury
[01:39:24] home uh market and no one lives here and
[01:39:28] it's going to become a ghost town.
[01:39:30] >> Thank you. Laura, who would you like to
[01:39:33] challenge preferably on some issues
[01:39:37] that's important to you?
[01:39:39] Well, um I guess I'll
[01:39:44] my my the issues that are most important
[01:39:45] to me are always the financial issues
[01:39:48] and I the as I had said I would like to
[01:39:51] see an audit committee. I'd like to see
[01:39:54] improved financial reporting and so I
[01:39:57] suppose what I'll do is um challenge
[01:40:02] >> Hello Mark.
[01:40:03] >> Okay. What's your question?
[01:40:08] >> do you think that the city could reform
[01:40:11] or should reform the audit committee to
[01:40:14] include at least three uh members of the
[01:40:19] public of of the uh elected body as well
[01:40:23] as some uh members of the community with
[01:40:26] audit experience? Yeah, I would be open
[01:40:29] to um
[01:40:32] to altering that. Keeping in mind we do
[01:40:34] have an independent auditor view.
[01:40:36] >> So that we do do that.
[01:40:39] >> Uh I would be willing to go as far as
[01:40:43] putting every single check that's
[01:40:45] written online.
[01:40:47] >> I mean to me it doesn't matter. The more
[01:40:50] transparent the better. So I have
[01:41:01] to challenge? I'll I'll talk to Karen
[01:41:03] about the since we both talk about
[01:41:06] general plan and local coastal plan
[01:41:07] amendments and um you know we know that
[01:41:10] the council has already authorized staff
[01:41:13] to move forward with the general plan
[01:41:15] and the local coastal plan
[01:41:17] >> and as you know I've been meeting with
[01:41:18] coastal staff regarding that and the and
[01:41:21] Kate Hucklebridgeidge as well. Um, when
[01:41:24] I hear it talked about, when I hear you
[01:41:26] talk about it, I I'm a bit concerned
[01:41:29] because in my opinion, our general plan,
[01:41:32] I think, you know, it's taken years to
[01:41:35] to um come up with it. And I think that
[01:41:37] the vision and everything, the values
[01:41:39] that it encompasses, do not need an
[01:41:42] overhaul. I think that the plan needs
[01:41:44] some adjustments and some fine-tuning
[01:41:46] and the framework of it needs to have
[01:41:48] clarity, but I certainly don't think
[01:41:51] that um the uh the overall values need
[01:41:55] to be
[01:41:59] >> Uh thank you for that question. Um
[01:42:02] unfortunately our general plan needs to
[01:42:05] be a comprehensive general plan and
[01:42:08] right now it's a series of unconnected
[01:42:12] elements. The general plan
[01:42:16] is the legal backbone for every
[01:42:20] >> The general plan is the legal background
[01:42:23] for every decision. And we don't have a
[01:42:28] comprehensive general plan. We have a
[01:42:30] land use element. We have that historic
[01:42:32] and cultural resources element that was
[01:42:34] done in 1972. We have a transportation
[01:42:37] element that was done in 1992. So, how
[01:42:41] are you making decisions like approving
[01:42:44] the prominade or changing Ocean Avenue
[01:42:47] when the guiding document to make those
[01:42:51] decisions hasn't been updated since the
[01:42:54] late, you know, the late 80s, early 90s?
[01:42:59] Thank you.
[01:43:02] We have We'll give you 30 seconds and
[01:43:05] and to challenge someone and then uh
[01:43:07] they'll have 30
[01:43:08] >> going forward because we're going to get
[01:43:10] to one more round of something else
[01:43:12] after this.
[01:43:13] >> Yeah. U my question is going to be for
[01:43:15] >> So um Ashley, I know uh like I was here
[01:43:18] at city at city hall when the city
[01:43:21] council was trying to kind of push they
[01:43:24] were shopping it around for like nine
[01:43:25] months and they really tried to push
[01:43:26] through at the last minute. a business
[01:43:28] license tax specifically. Alex was uh
[01:43:31] wanting and also the mayor even said it
[01:43:33] at the last debate.
[01:43:36] >> As a business owner here, how
[01:43:37] devastating would a business license tax
[01:43:39] of 3% have been? I don't think a lot of
[01:43:40] residents really understand that. Could
[01:43:42] you go into detail on that?
[01:43:44] >> Um thank you for bringing this up
[01:43:45] because it is incredibly important um
[01:43:48] and way more than 30 seconds, but I
[01:43:49] shall try. So, the um current city
[01:43:52] council's fiscal uh idea is to tax
[01:43:56] businesses and residents to try and get
[01:43:58] out of the mess that they've created.
[01:43:59] So, they were going to put on the ballot
[01:44:02] um 3% gross sales receipt tax owning Odo
[01:44:05] Sushi. That's over $100,000 a year in
[01:44:08] annual fee. So, me, every other
[01:44:11] restaurant tour because I talked to the
[01:44:13] Drake, Coyote, Truly Pizza, Noble Ace,
[01:44:16] etc. All of us would close. We already
[01:44:18] have double the occupancy, double the
[01:44:20] vacancy in this city than Orange County
[01:44:22] average. So imagine all your favorite
[01:44:24] restaurants gone because instead of
[01:44:25] being fiscally responsible, they wanted
[01:44:27] to tax the local businesses. How could
[01:44:29] and and they didn't talk to us about
[01:44:31] this. I mean, that's crazy, right?
[01:44:33] They're going to put a vote on the
[01:44:34] ballot and the only reason why didn't
[01:44:36] talk to any restaurant tour and the only
[01:44:38] reason why that they didn't is because
[01:44:40] they did a polling and thank you guys
[01:44:42] for not being in favor of it and it's an
[01:44:44] election year so they did put it to the
[01:44:48] I just
[01:44:51] want to respond.
[01:44:52] >> I just want to say I I did not I have
[01:44:55] never supported that tax was the
[01:44:57] deciding vote against it in 2024 and
[01:44:59] 2026. And Ashley, I remember talking
[01:45:01] about it with you and your insights are
[01:45:04] confirmed my theory that it was a bad
[01:45:05] idea. So I appreciate that.
[01:45:16] conversation regarding the tourism and
[01:45:18] it costing more than than we make on it,
[01:45:20] right? This conversation actually has
[01:45:22] been going on a long time in this town.
[01:45:25] Okay. The way we do things is we form a
[01:45:27] committee, we get together, we discuss
[01:45:29] these things. It was a public meeting
[01:45:31] and if it would have been approved, it
[01:45:33] would have been gone to the ballot. That
[01:45:35] is just an ongoing discussion. It
[01:45:38] doesn't mean that there was evil intent.
[01:45:40] It was part of the discussions that we
[01:45:42] had in this community.
[01:45:42] >> No, I know. All I'm asking is that
[01:45:44] instead of taxing residents or
[01:45:46] businesses, you guys look to make
[01:45:48] different budgetary cuts away.
[01:45:53] >> Thank you. Each of you will have an
[01:45:55] opportunity to uh to address some of
[01:45:57] this that we may miss uh in writing that
[01:46:00] we can bring up to the public. Ed, do
[01:46:03] you have a uh
[01:46:05] >> challenge? Okay. I do
[01:46:08] my uh I wrote a letter in February of
[01:46:11] 2026 to the all city council people
[01:46:14] regarding spending $850,000
[01:46:17] on an EOC center. And my recommendation
[01:46:20] to them, it was a two-page email but
[01:46:23] short abbreviated version is that you
[01:46:26] should invest in a mobile command center
[01:46:28] and for $850,000
[01:46:31] you could move that command center south
[01:46:33] Laguna, North Laguna, top of the world
[01:46:35] and it would communicate with all
[01:46:38] >> so challenge.
[01:46:39] >> And then who was that challenge for? Uh,
[01:46:42] Alex or Mark, whoever wants to take
[01:46:46] >> Alex. Uh, but keep it to 30. We we
[01:46:50] running short of time and we want have
[01:46:52] time for you to close and we'll we'll do
[01:46:55] a few more.
[01:46:56] >> Yeah, I'm interested in learning more
[01:46:57] about that. That sounds like an
[01:46:58] interesting idea.
[01:46:59] >> But you already spent the money.
[01:47:03] >> We We need to have an emergency
[01:47:04] operation center that size down.
[01:47:06] >> My my email talked about what
[01:47:13] >> let's finish finish.
[01:47:14] >> We need a seismically sound emergency
[01:47:17] operation center to I um so that's where
[01:47:21] I'm at. That's why we did what we did.
[01:47:30] >> Is it something new or am I talking
[01:47:32] about this?
[01:47:34] your own your own personal important
[01:47:37] issue that that someone you disagree
[01:47:39] with can counter your point. I don't
[01:47:43] understand why this city has become so
[01:47:45] prodevelopment and that all the staff
[01:47:48] reports um just basically recommend
[01:47:51] approval of projects whether it be a
[01:47:54] house or commercial building and um
[01:47:57] having been in development I've I I'm
[01:48:00] used to having the burden beyond the
[01:48:02] developer and having pre-application
[01:48:04] meetings and I guess my question would
[01:48:06] be to the incumbents what's happened in
[01:48:09] the city where the staff figures out all
[01:48:11] the reasons to say do it, go forward
[01:48:14] with the project. And there's no pros
[01:48:16] and cons. There's no pre-application
[01:48:19] meeting with the neighbors that staff um
[01:48:22] goes and there's no conditions of
[01:48:23] approval, very little. And so they're
[01:48:26] two incumbents.
[01:48:36] >> Sure. Um, so one of the things that I've
[01:48:40] been talking to staff recently, more
[01:48:42] recently about and and in the past as
[01:48:44] well are variances. So we have our
[01:48:47] general codes, right? And and if uh as
[01:48:50] long as you follow those codes, that's
[01:48:51] what's allowable by law. I mean, that's
[01:48:53] just the way it goes, right?
[01:48:55] >> Thank you, Mark. And then Alex, do you
[01:48:57] have I'm sorry, Mark
[01:49:01] 15 seconds.
[01:49:03] >> Okay. Sorry, Mark.
[01:49:06] So my question has to do with more on
[01:49:09] variances um and
[01:49:12] >> and there's some work I think we can do
[01:49:15] understanding why is that the variances
[01:49:18] aren't being analyzed a little bit more
[01:49:21] >> and thank you Mark and I know you you
[01:49:23] brought it up for appeal one coming up
[01:49:25] and I appreciate it greatly because you
[01:49:27] recognize that variance is is a really
[01:49:29] bad slippery slope and sets precedence
[01:49:33] >> all right Alex Do you have someone to
[01:49:36] challenge and you're you have a question
[01:49:38] to ask?
[01:49:38] >> Yeah. Not not to challenge but just to
[01:49:39] have a discussion of discuss.
[01:49:42] >> I'll go to Nick um about the So I I as
[01:49:46] you probably I think you were at the
[01:49:47] meeting. We did a council member Kemp
[01:49:49] and I drafted a a 12-page memo that kind
[01:49:53] of outlines a comprehensive efficiency
[01:49:55] initiative doing a deep dive on the
[01:49:56] budget kind of addressing what Ashley
[01:49:58] was talking about thinking not just
[01:49:59] about the next year but the next 5 10
[01:50:01] you know hundred years as we think about
[01:50:03] our next centennial. um we were able to
[01:50:05] find 1.5 million new cuts and we looked
[01:50:08] at per performance metrics looking at um
[01:50:11] adding performance audits. So one I
[01:50:13] guess do you support this and then um
[01:50:15] number two where do you think in the
[01:50:17] city there are areas to find further
[01:50:19] cuts um to spending?
[01:50:22] >> That's a great question. Um I first
[01:50:25] think that it's I wish it was done
[01:50:27] sooner that you guys did this uh this
[01:50:30] review in the memo that you created with
[01:50:31] council member Kevin. I think, you know,
[01:50:33] it's always not nice to do it when it's
[01:50:36] during an election season, you know,
[01:50:38] knowing when there was a budget issue
[01:50:40] that you had to make the cuts. And I
[01:50:41] think what's important is working with
[01:50:43] the city man.
[01:50:46] >> What's important is working with the
[01:50:47] city manager's office and making sure
[01:50:49] that they we let them do the work and
[01:50:51] that where they feel that cuts can be
[01:50:54] made. I don't think it's good to go in
[01:50:55] and start slashing the budget or
[01:50:58] eliminating jobs. I think it's important
[01:50:59] to let the city manager's office let us
[01:51:02] know where it can be done and without,
[01:51:05] you know, having the time to really look
[01:51:06] deeply at it. I think it's um it's
[01:51:08] something that we need to make cuts but
[01:51:10] not not have the
[01:51:13] not allow there to be more new spending
[01:51:16] with the cuts.
[01:51:18] >> Thank Thank you,
[01:51:26] to the two incumbents.
[01:51:27] >> I Okay, I got to pull it closer and it's
[01:51:29] on. I promise.
[01:51:32] Um, to the two incumbents and also Sue,
[01:51:34] I'm sure she's listening. Um, I just
[01:51:36] want to say thank you for your service
[01:51:37] to our community and, um, if you're not
[01:51:43] um, or even if you are elected, uh, if
[01:51:47] you are not elected, will you still be
[01:51:49] available to the candidates that
[01:51:51] actually win to continue those
[01:51:55] And um if you are elected, all of us
[01:51:59] that care so much, will you give us
[01:52:01] opportunities to give input and listen
[01:52:05] to us
[01:52:06] >> in the next four years?
[01:52:10] >> I'll start with that. Yeah, I really
[01:52:12] like that question. Um and Karen, as you
[01:52:14] know, we were we served together on the
[01:52:15] Housing and Human Services Committee,
[01:52:17] and I think I I honestly learned a lot
[01:52:19] from from you about a lot of different
[01:52:21] things. So, I really appreciate that and
[01:52:22] I think that speaks to both our desire
[01:52:24] to serve the city and not being in in in
[01:52:26] elected office. Um, if
[01:52:30] and I also would be happy to be a
[01:52:32] resource if I were not to be elected. I
[01:52:34] think issues like the hospital are
[01:52:35] something that I'm very passionate about
[01:52:37] and it's fundamental to the city. So, I
[01:52:40] would definitely want to provide any any
[01:52:41] knowledge or experience that I had on
[01:52:44] >> Um, and also I always value our
[01:52:47] conversations over the years. So I would
[01:52:50] yeah continue to do that.
[01:52:51] >> We we're we're tech we're technically
[01:52:53] could is supposed to end but uh I want
[01:52:56] to give everybody an opportunity to have
[01:52:59] closing closing remarks. Um I might want
[01:53:03] to see if uh if you are elected to
[01:53:06] council, tell us what your first order
[01:53:09] of business will be and why you should
[01:53:11] be elected if you've never been on
[01:53:13] council. And if you have been on
[01:53:17] council, why you need another four years
[01:53:21] uh for when admittedly in the village
[01:53:24] lagoonum meeting you got 5 zero votes.
[01:53:28] Uh what could you accomplish in the last
[01:53:31] four years that you need another four
[01:53:33] years for? And so if we can finish with
[01:53:37] that and why people should have your
[01:53:40] vote and um go from there and we have
[01:53:46] well if you guys have one minute we can
[01:53:50] stay till 10 after 8 and then close up.
[01:53:53] Okay. So and then we can thank you and
[01:53:56] I'll give some closing remarks.
[01:53:58] Hopefully everyone is in accord when you
[01:54:01] get these questions or questions that
[01:54:03] were asked of our audience that we could
[01:54:06] not get to that you will respond to them
[01:54:09] in writing and we can post them and so
[01:54:12] that everyone knows that they've been
[01:54:14] part of this. This is why we call what
[01:54:17] we're calling a residence uh advocates
[01:54:20] for residents. So speak to speak to
[01:54:24] that. I think we should start with
[01:54:26] Ashley and then move around the table
[01:54:28] and we'll give everybody a minute. Okay.
[01:54:31] To to close. Thank you.
[01:54:34] >> Well, thank you for tonight. Um, as I
[01:54:37] said, I chose Lagona to build my
[01:54:38] business here, Odo. Um, to invest my
[01:54:41] future here and join the community. I
[01:54:43] want to protect what makes Laguna
[01:54:44] special, but I also want to plan for its
[01:54:46] future. Um, as you have heard tonight,
[01:54:50] um, so the reason why I'm running,
[01:54:51] you've heard tonight, we have a current
[01:54:53] leadership that is not transparent and
[01:54:55] very reactive. And leadership to me is
[01:54:59] not wasting months on something as
[01:55:01] serious as our emergency medical care
[01:55:02] and then only moving with urgency once
[01:55:04] the community got upset. Leadership is
[01:55:07] not proposing a tax on restaurants
[01:55:08] without first sitting down with the
[01:55:10] businesses that would actually have to
[01:55:11] pay for it. Our current council has no
[01:55:14] plan on how to bring in revenue into
[01:55:15] this city without taxing its businesses
[01:55:17] and residents. Leadership is not running
[01:55:20] the city into a deficit with no
[01:55:21] financial plan for our future, the
[01:55:23] pending lawsuits, an insurance fund that
[01:55:25] needs replenishing, or having pension
[01:55:27] obligations, the South Lagoona fund, and
[01:55:29] an aging infrastructure. All with no
[01:55:32] money to pay for it. We have a general
[01:55:34] fund that is now 58% dependent on
[01:55:37] property tax. That is serious. I'm a
[01:55:40] minute and a half.
[01:55:42] I can I'll be quick
[01:55:44] >> if you guys are willing to to wait and
[01:55:46] and the public wants to hear you. So,
[01:55:49] sure. I don't want to cut you off. This
[01:55:50] is an important moment.
[01:55:52] >> Thank you.
[01:55:53] >> Um I don't have all the answers, but I
[01:55:55] promise you I will be transparent. I
[01:55:57] will ask questions before decisions are
[01:55:59] made. I will talk to the people affected
[01:56:01] and I will demand a plan, a funding
[01:56:03] source, a timeline, accountability, and
[01:56:05] measurable outcomes. I will treat this
[01:56:07] job as though my business, my safety,
[01:56:09] your safety, and the future of our
[01:56:11] community depends on it because it does.
[01:56:14] The incumbents can point to activity.
[01:56:16] I'm asking you to look at outcomes. What
[01:56:18] did it cost? How long did it take? And
[01:56:20] did it work? And if it didn't, why would
[01:56:22] we keep accepting more of the same? So,
[01:56:24] I'm Ashley Centus and I'm ready to do
[01:56:26] the work. So, thank you.
[01:56:34] candidacy is going to put the need for
[01:56:37] good financial practices in the
[01:56:39] forefront of voters minds. I would like
[01:56:42] to see the restoration of the
[01:56:45] functioning elected treasurer um
[01:56:49] improvement of public finances through
[01:56:51] uh improved reporting and a professional
[01:56:56] audit committee. Um, I also think that,
[01:57:00] you know, the restoration of the
[01:57:02] treasurer role would might do that
[01:57:04] funding for the uh reserve shortfall if
[01:57:07] you were to return investments to the
[01:57:09] treasurer and let me train them.
[01:57:12] Um, I would further support development
[01:57:15] projects that follow the rules, minimize
[01:57:17] exceptions that leave the city
[01:57:19] vulnerable to illegal actions, um, and
[01:57:22] work with coastal cities to develop
[01:57:24] common strategies.
[01:57:26] uh when it comes to things like
[01:57:28] affordable housing and seismic
[01:57:31] Um I would I am Laura Paresi CPA elected
[01:57:37] treasure since 1999
[01:57:39] and uh I ask for your vote. Thank you.
[01:57:51] given the opportunity to um serve
[01:57:53] another four years, I would like to um
[01:57:56] in fact that's what made me run again
[01:57:57] was the commitment from uh the coastal
[01:57:59] that they would partner on us with the
[01:58:02] uh the stewardship initiative which
[01:58:05] would allow us to create a framework to
[01:58:08] recreate or to update our general plan
[01:58:10] and our local coastal plan. And I would
[01:58:13] also like to mention, you know, we've
[01:58:15] gone through a a very serious
[01:58:18] inflationary cycle as other cities in
[01:58:20] Orange County are trying to balance
[01:58:22] their budget. Um, Laguna has done better
[01:58:25] than most. And, you know, there's a lot
[01:58:27] of things in the city that our city, you
[01:58:29] know, we have fallen behind. There's no
[01:58:31] doubt, not financially, but our
[01:58:33] departments have fallen behind. Our
[01:58:35] facilities have fallen behind. That's
[01:58:37] why we do the facilities master plan.
[01:58:39] This council has been making a lot of
[01:58:41] progress with updating its various
[01:58:43] departments. I would like to continue
[01:58:46] that effort updating the departments and
[01:58:49] um you know there's a long way to go and
[01:58:52] u but I think that we've made tremendous
[01:58:54] amount of progress.
[01:58:55] >> Appreciate it. Thank you.
[01:59:03] >> uh thank you for this evening. So, I'm
[01:59:05] running because I think Laguna needs
[01:59:07] leadership that listens first, like
[01:59:08] listening to our business owners and
[01:59:10] trying to make it easier for people to
[01:59:11] start businesses in town and keeping
[01:59:13] them here. Uh, using common sense like
[01:59:16] managing our tourism, using money on
[01:59:18] enforcement, not this money on more
[01:59:20] frivolous marketing that's unnecessary.
[01:59:22] Um, and then also on uh asking tough
[01:59:25] questions like like uh the department
[01:59:28] numbers, making sure that we have the
[01:59:29] the right amount of people in the right
[01:59:30] departments and then you know focusing
[01:59:33] on the the basic things like our sewage
[01:59:35] systems. We're basically number one in
[01:59:37] Orange County in sewage spills over the
[01:59:39] past 5 10 years. We need to be fixing
[01:59:41] that. How are we not fixing that when
[01:59:43] we're most of our coastline and marine
[01:59:45] protected area? So focusing on those
[01:59:47] common sense issues is what I'd be
[01:59:49] looking forward to do when I'm if I'm
[01:59:51] lucky enough to be elected on council
[01:59:53] and I'd hope to earn your vote.
[02:00:01] long time and was here when Laguna
[02:00:04] Canyon was given to Laguna Beach from
[02:00:06] the Irvine Company and I believe we need
[02:00:10] a change after seeing what happened on
[02:00:12] First Avenue in the prominade and
[02:00:15] knowing what potentially could happen on
[02:00:17] ocean and beach
[02:00:19] and knowing my walk down Seal Beach Main
[02:00:23] Street realizing, wow, you could save
[02:00:26] all the trees, make the wells bigger.
[02:00:29] Bottom line, we need a change. We need
[02:00:32] uh leadership that to lead this the city
[02:00:36] to help the city because money is
[02:00:39] available from the state from different
[02:00:41] government uh state agencies that what
[02:00:44] I've seen in the last four years that
[02:00:47] the city council has not done and has
[02:00:50] done a bad job getting money from the
[02:00:52] state to do special projects here in the
[02:00:56] city to help the residents. We've done a
[02:00:58] very bad job. Either bad grant writers
[02:01:01] or bad lobbyists and city council
[02:01:05] members could go up to the assembly,
[02:01:07] state assembly or the state senate to
[02:01:10] talk to them about the this money that's
[02:01:13] available. Um, so that's why I'm
[02:01:15] running. I believe there needs to be new
[02:01:18] leadership and a complete change
[02:01:21] >> for the better. Yeah,
[02:01:28] thanks for everybody staying. So, I know
[02:01:30] that this takes a lot of work. So, I
[02:01:32] really appreciate it and it's an
[02:01:33] important subject. So, um I think I
[02:01:36] think this city's gotten off track and
[02:01:39] um especially with all the 50 votes and
[02:01:42] it's time we need we need new voices.
[02:01:46] I don't need this job. I don't need it
[02:01:49] for a resume. I don't need the title,
[02:01:52] but I love this community and I love the
[02:01:55] people here and I love our green
[02:01:57] hillsides and I need to take all my
[02:01:59] experience and finance and development
[02:02:02] and tourism and historical preservation
[02:02:05] and and I want to get us back on track
[02:02:10] and so that's what I need to do.
[02:02:19] the residents who submitted questions.
[02:02:22] I'm I'm running for four more years
[02:02:24] because I believe that over over the
[02:02:26] next four years, we're going to deal
[02:02:29] with really complex issues that'll
[02:02:30] ultimately face probably or um have an
[02:02:33] effect on the next hundred years of our
[02:02:35] city as we think about our centennial.
[02:02:37] Keeping the hospital is my highest
[02:02:38] priority. I really feel that we are in a
[02:02:40] position to to work um to figure out a
[02:02:43] way to actually do that. It's a
[02:02:45] complicated issue. know if we could flip
[02:02:46] a switch, we would do it. Public safety
[02:02:49] is um also has to continue to be a
[02:02:51] priority. When I was elected, we had uh
[02:02:54] only 42 out of our 55 police officer
[02:02:57] positions filled. We basically been able
[02:02:58] to almost close the vacancies um which
[02:03:01] we have to keep doing and crime has gone
[02:03:03] down. Um we have to continue investing
[02:03:05] in wildfire safety. I'm really proud of
[02:03:07] the work we've done on local water
[02:03:09] reliability going from 100% imported
[02:03:11] water um to 2/3 groundwater and
[02:03:14] potentially looking at des I would like
[02:03:15] to continue that over the next four
[02:03:17] years. So ultimately I feel really lucky
[02:03:19] to have grown up in Laguna Beach and
[02:03:20] it's been an honor to serve on council.
[02:03:22] Thank you for the opportunity.
[02:03:23] >> Thank you.
[02:03:29] you all for staying and and submitting
[02:03:31] your questions. Um I'm running because I
[02:03:34] believe Laguna Beach's greatest need is
[02:03:36] to become more proactive and less
[02:03:38] reactive through comprehensive planning.
[02:03:42] We spent too many years solving
[02:03:44] problems. One project, one ordinance,
[02:03:46] one crisis at a time. Our general plan,
[02:03:48] zoning code, local coastal program, and
[02:03:51] other policies are supposed to work
[02:03:53] together as one coherent framework.
[02:03:56] Instead, too many provisions are
[02:03:58] outdated, conflicting, or confusing.
[02:04:00] Those rules affect where and how we
[02:04:03] build, how we evacuate, how we manage
[02:04:05] our v visitors, how much our
[02:04:07] infrastructure can support and how we
[02:04:10] protect the natural environment. That is
[02:04:12] why I support a comprehensive capacity
[02:04:16] study. The city is studying pieces of
[02:04:19] the problem, but I have found no one
[02:04:22] public scope or schedule that brings
[02:04:24] these pieces together.
[02:04:27] If that work is already underway,
[02:04:30] wonderful. Post the scope, schedule, and
[02:04:33] deliverables that residents can see it.
[02:04:35] If not, you should do it. Comprehensive
[02:04:38] planning is not about stopping change.
[02:04:40] It's about anticipating change,
[02:04:43] understanding our limits, aligning our
[02:04:45] policies, and making thoughtful
[02:04:47] decisions before the problems become
[02:04:49] emergencies. I'm Karen Martin. I can
[02:04:52] bring my decades of working with cities,
[02:04:55] regional agencies, and utilities to
[02:04:58] Laguna Beach. Please vote for
[02:05:00] experience. Please vote for someone who
[02:05:03] cares. And please vote for Mayor Martin.
[02:05:07] Thank you.
[02:05:15] Nothing I would want to do. I don't know
[02:05:18] if any of you would want me to do.
[02:05:21] What we'll do is uh we'll take uh if
[02:05:25] anyone wants to uh have questions for
[02:05:28] the candidates that will be asked uh of
[02:05:31] them. We're going to ask you folks to
[02:05:34] send something in writing. I'll I'll
[02:05:36] compile it and we'll do it. No, I know.
[02:05:40] But you don't have to ask. How many do
[02:05:43] you want?
[02:05:45] >> We have a lot of questions, but pick
[02:05:47] three or four that you think make sense
[02:05:49] for you. You don't have to answer all
[02:05:51] all of them. We want a cross-section. We
[02:05:54] had a cross-section of the community. I
[02:05:56] want to thank the community for being
[02:05:58] part of this and making it work for all
[02:06:01] of us. Okay? And we appreciate it.
[02:06:04] That's what this is about. Uh and uh
[02:06:08] we'll get back to you. Put your name,
[02:06:10] email down, question, you can hand them
[02:06:13] to me and we'll get back to you. Thank
[02:06:16] you guys. And don't forget to vote.
[02:06:19] Nuts. Yeah, they're stretching.