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>> WANT TO CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE CITY OF INDIO FOR

[1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]

[00:00:04]

OUR CLOSED SESSION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AT FOUR O'CLOCK.

ROLL CALL PLEASE.

OR DO YOU WANT ME TO REFLECT THAT I DO NOT SEE LUPE RAMOS AMITH.

>> SHE'S IN.

>> LUPE, ARE YOU THERE? [NOISE] YES, SHE IS.

THANK YOU, OSCAR. ALL RIGHT.

PLEASE LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT AT THIS TIME.

I AM HERE IN CITY HALL, ALL THE OTHER FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE VIA TELECONFERENCE.

PER THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS, WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

SO WE'RE ALL HERE AND PRESENT.

AT THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO DO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMENTS? WE HAVE NOBODY INSIDE.

IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? CITY CLERK.

>> NO MAYOR. [NOISE]

>>SO WE DON'T HAVE ISSUES TO SPEAK.

SO WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 3,

[3. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION to consider:]

WHICH IS AGENDA CLOSED SESSION. CITY ATTORNEY.

>> [NOISE] THANK YOU. THIS WOULD BE ITEM A, CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS, GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.8 APN 6110250090100011012013030035041058 AND 611125008021026037042 AND 611025010.

THE NEGOTIATING PARTY IS PSDG INDIO LLC ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

THE NEGOTIATING PARTY IS CITY OF INDIO, MARK SCOTT, CITY MANAGER, UNDER NEGOTIATION PRICE AND TERMS. ITEM B, CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, ANTICIPATED LITIGATION, SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE LITIGATION, GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.92.

NUMBER OF CASES WON.

THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS, BASED ON ADVICE FROM LEGAL COUNSEL, THERE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MIGHT RESULT IN LITIGATION [NOISE] BUT WHICH ARE NOT YET KNOWN TO POTENTIAL PLAINTIFF, AND SAID FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES MAY NOT BE DISCLOSED.

[NOISE] THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

>>THANK YOU CITY ATTORNEY.

WE'LL GO TO AGENDA CLOSED SESSION.

[NOISE] I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL AND

[1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL]

THE INDIO WATER AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY OF INDIO TO ORDER AT FIVE O'CLOCK.

PLEASE LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT.

I'M HERE [NOISE] IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, MY OTHER FOUR COLLEAGUES ARE ON ZOOM, VIA TELECONFERENCE.

PER THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS, WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO THIS.

SO WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM SHORTLY IN A BACK AND FORTH ON THE SCREEN. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT.

RIGHT NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

CITY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA?

>>YES I DO, BUT WE FIRST DO INVOCATION.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. EXCUSE ME.

SO I WAS LOOKING AT THIS CLOSED SESSION.

SO IF WE COULD ALL STAND.

ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE? WE HAVE RABBI BRIAN BILECI.

>>YES.

>>FROM DESTINY CHURCH.

[NOISE] RABBI?

>>YES.

>>GO AHEAD.

>>YOU READY?

>>READY.

>>OKAY. HEAVENLY FATHER WE JUST THANK YOU TODAY, LORD GOD FOR THIS COUNCIL MEETING.

WE THANK YOU [NOISE] FOR YOUR WISDOM THAT YOU'VE BESTOWED UPON EVERY HUMAN BEING THAT YOU CREATED, ESPECIALLY THESE CITY LEADERS AND THOSE THAT REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY.

WE THANK YOU THAT DURING THIS PANDEMIC LORD GOD THAT YOU ARE GIVING US ALL THE STEPS, AND THE DIRECTION TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SAFE COMMUNITIES, THAT PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE PROTECTED.

THE JUDICIAL AREA OF OUR GOVERNMENT, LORD GOD, HANDS DOWN THE INSTRUCTIONS IN A WAY THAT WE CAN APPLY THEM TO OUR CITIES IN THIS VALLEY.

WE THANK YOU FOR RIVERSIDE COUNTY.

WE THANK YOU FOR OUR CITY OFFICIALS HERE IN INDIO, CALIFORNIA, AND WE PRAY FOR THIS MEETING AT THIS TIME THAT EVERY CASE AND EVERY SITUATION THAT IS BROUGHT UP, LORD GOD, THAT YOU WILL JUST LEAD, AND GUIDE, AND DIRECT, AND GIVE US THE DIRECTION THAT WE CAN RAISE HEALTHY FAMILIES AND BEGIN TO SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL WITH THIS INTERNATIONAL CRISIS.

I JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERY PROCEEDING THAT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT, LORD GOD, THAT YOU WILL JUST LEAD AND GUIDE, AND DIRECT, AND GIVE PERFECT WISDOM.

IN THE NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME. AMEN.

>>THANK YOU RABBI. IF YOU COULD ALL NOW JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE SO WE CAN HONOR THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE PROTECTED IT AND DEFENDED IT.

PLEASE BEGIN.THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

AMEN. THANK YOU, RABBI.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS MEETING.GET STARTED HERE.

WITH THAT WE'RE GOING MOVE ON TO A REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION. CITY ATTORNEY.

[4. REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION]

>> [NOISE] THANK YOU. THE CITY COUNCIL MET IN CLOSED SESSION FOR

[00:05:03]

THE [NOISE] ITEMS LISTED THEREIN AND THERE IS NO REPORTABLE ACTION.

>>THANK YOU CITY ATTORNEY. WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 5.

[a. Proclamation - Building and Safety Month (Gil Estrada)]

ITEM NUMBER 5 IS THE PROCLAMATION FOR BUILDING AND SAFETY MONTH.

WE HAVE KEVIN SNYDER HERE WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WHO'S GOING TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

I'M GOING TO GO UPFRONT SO WE CAN READ IT.

[NOISE] KEVIN, CAN YOU HOLD THIS FOR ME? THIS IS OUR PUBLIC WORKS, AND OUR BUILDING INSPECTORS, AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT'S WORKING WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE.

IT'S BUILDING SAFETY MONTH IN MAY 2020.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF INDIO IS COMMITTED TO RECOGNIZING OUR GROWTH AND STRENGTH, DEPENDS ON THE SAFETY AND ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE HOMES, BUILDINGS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SERVE OUR CITIZENS BOTH IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND IN TIMES OF NATURAL DISASTER, AND WHEREAS OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THESE BUILDINGS THAT MAKE UP OUR COMMUNITY, IS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE [INAUDIBLE] OF VIGILANT GUARDIANS, BUILDING SAFETY AND FIRE PREVENTION OFFICIALS, ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, BUILDERS, TRADESPEOPLE, DESIGN PROFESSIONAL, LABORERS, PLUMBERS, AND OTHERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WHO WORK YEAR-ROUND TO ENSURE THE SAFETY CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDINGS.

WHEREAS THESE GUARDIANS USE A GOVERNMENT CONSENSUS PROCESS THAT BRINGS TOGETHER LOCALS, STATE, AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS THAT ARE EXPERTS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT THE HIGHEST-QUALITY CODES TO PROTECT US IN THE BUILDINGS WHERE WE LIVE, LEARN, WORK, AND PLAY.

[NOISE] WHEREAS BUILDING SAFETY MONTH IS SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL TO REMIND THE PUBLIC IN THE CRITICAL ROLE OF COMMUNICATING LARGELY UNKNOWN PROTECTORS OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

OUR LOCAL CODE OFFICIALS WHO ENSURE US OF SAFETY, EFFICIENCY, AND LIVABLE BUILDINGS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO AMERICANS PROSPERITY.

WHEREAS SAFER BUILDINGS, SAFER COMMUNITIES, SAFER WORLD, THE THEME FOR THE BUILDING SAFETY MONTH OF 2020, ENCOURAGES ALL AMERICANS TO RAISE AWARENESS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY AND RESILIENT CONSTRUCTION, FIRE PREVENTION, DISASTER MITIGATION, AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

BUILDING SAFETY MONTH 2020 ENCOURAGES APPROPRIATE STEPS EVERYONE CAN TAKE TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT, AND RECOGNIZES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFETY CODES BY LOCAL STATE OFFICIALS HAS SAVED LIVES AND PROTECTED HOMES AND BUSINESSES.

WHEREAS EACH YEAR IN OBSERVANCE OF BUILDING SAFETY MONTH, AMERICANS ARE ASKED TO CONSIDER THE COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE BUILDING, SAFETY, AND ECONOMIC INVESTMENT AT HOME, AND IN THE COMMUNITY, AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE ESSENTIAL SERVICES PROVIDED TO ALL BY THE LOCAL AND STATE BUILDING DEPARTMENTS, FIRE PREVENTION BUREAUS, AND FIRE AGENCIES PROTECTING THE LIVES AND PROPERTY.

[NOISE] THEREFORE, OUR RESOLVE, I, GLEN MILLER, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF INDIO, ALONG WITH THE INDIO CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY 2020 AS BUILDING SAFETY MONTH.

ACCORDINGLY, I ENCOURAGE OUR CITIZENS TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION AND PARTICIPATION OF THE BUILDING SAFETY MONTH, AND WHEREAS HITHERTO SET MY HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF INDIO TO BE FIXED THE 6TH DAY OF MAY, 2020.

THANK YOU, MR SCHNEIDER, AND TO YOU AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A COUPLE OF QUICK WORDS TO THANK EVERYONE.

>> YES. THANK YOU, MAYOR MILLER, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER SCOTT, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS APPRECIATION IS ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THE BUILDING SAFETY STAFF FOR THE CITY OF INDIO DO, DAY IN DAY OUT TO ENSURE THAT LIFE AND HEALTH SAFETY OF INDIO RESIDENTS, INDIO BUSINESSES, AND VISITORS TO OUR COMMUNITY.

IT COULDN'T BE DONE WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE INDIO FIRE DEPARTMENT, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AS WELL FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO, AND WORKING WITH THE BUILDING SAFETY STAFF TO ENSURE THAT THE CITIZENS AND THE BUSINESSES AND THE VISITORS TO OUR COMMUNITY CAN FEEL SAFE AND SECURE.

THE BUILDINGS AND THE STRUCTURES THAT THEY VISIT, OCCUPY AND AN OTHERWISE PARTAKE IN ACTIVITIES IN.

SO THANK YOU AGAIN AND I'M HAPPY TO ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF THE BUILDING AND SAFETY TEAM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]

>> THANK YOU MR SCHNEIDER. [NOISE]

>> SO AWKWARD WITH THIS MASK, WITH THIS WORD OF REPORT ON CITY COUNCIL,

[6. REPORT ON CITY COUNCIL EXTERNAL/INTERNAL BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND REPORT ON MEETINGS ATTENDED PER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 53232.3(d)]

EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND REPORTS OF MEETINGS ATTENDED FOR THE GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 52232.

SO LET'S START IT OFF WITH WAYMOND.

[00:10:01]

MR FERMON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START THIS FOR US PLEASE?

>> ACTUALLY, CAN YOU START WITH SOMEONE ELSE, I JUST GOT CONTACTED BY RESIDENTS, SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM BEFORE I START.

>> ELAINE? MAYOR PRO TIM HOLMES, WOULD YOU MIND?

>> SO THERE WERE A FEW THINGS HAPPENING THIS MONTH.

ONE IS I ATTENDED THE PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU MEETING, ACTUALLY TWO OF THEM THAT WAS JUST NOT A HAPPY MEETING AT THIS POINT.

THE TOLL THAT THIS PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN ON THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, AND THE INDUSTRY IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE.

SOME OF THE STATISTICS OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR JOB ARE PHENOMENAL, THERE IN THE THOUSANDS.

CBB HAS FURLOUGHED MOST OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, THE HOTELS HAVE FURLOUGHED THOUSANDS, UPON THOUSANDS, UPON THOUSANDS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, AS HAS THE RESTAURANTS IN MANY OF THOSE HOTELS.

I'M LOOKING AT MY MY NOTES HERE BECAUSE I TOOK ABOUT THREE PAGES OF NOTES BECAUSE THEY WERE SO SIGNIFICANT, IT WAS MIND BOGGLING.

LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE FINANCIALS.

THE FORECAST FOR THIS PARTICULAR PERIOD IN TIME WAS 2.4 MILLION, WHAT IT WAS REVISED DOWN TO WAS $365,000.

THAT IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, FOR JUNE THE FORECAST WOULD HAVE BEEN $8.3 MILLION, IT'S NOW DOWN TO A 178,000.

SO THAT EQUATES TO PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT OF WORK, PEOPLE THAT ARE CHALLENGED.

IT EQUATES TO AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY.

NOW, FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A PLANNING, PERHAPS POSITIVE NEWS.

WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN 600,000 JOBS THAT WERE LOST IN THE MONTH OF MAY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

THERE IS NOW A PLAN, WE'RE MOVING FROM STAY AND WAIT TO RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.

I WAS ON A CALL TODAY WITH THE CBB AND THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF VISIT CALIFORNIA.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW THIS COMES BACK, HOW THIS EVOLVES.

SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE CBB IS DOING IN CONJUNCTION WITH VISIT CALIFORNIA ARE THINGS LIKE STAYCATION BEFORE VACATION.

WE UNDERSTAND AS THINGS VERY SLOWLY OVER TIME AS WE ANTICIPATE, THAT THEY MAY OPEN AGAIN VERY SLOWLY OVER TIME.

THAT THE POINT IS PEOPLE MAY NOT BE JUMPING ON A PLANE OR TRAVELING FAR, BUT THEY'LL BE TRAVELING FROM THE LOCAL DRIVE MARKETS.

SO WE WANT TO REALLY LOOK AT AND FOCUS AT THE DRIVE MARKETS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A THREE-PHASED APPROACH.

STAYCATION BEFORE VACATION, AND THEN CALLING ALL CALIFORNIANS.

COME ON DOWN, COME TO PALM SPRINGS, GREATER PALM SPRINGS, COME TO THE TO THE RESTAURANTS, THE HOTELS.

AGAIN, THIS IS A FUTURE PLAN IN ANTICIPATION THAT COME THE FALL AND INTO SPRING NEXT YEAR, THERE WILL BE SOME FORM OF OPENING.

THE ANTICIPATION IS 72 PERCENT OF VISITS FROM A TOURISM PERSPECTIVE ARE EITHER COME TO CALIFORNIA OR ALREADY IN TO CALIFORNIA.

SO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE USED TO DO ABOUT REACHING PEOPLE OUT OF STATE AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY HAS NOW BEEN REFOCUSED, AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE LOCAL DRIVE MARKET.

WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT A RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL TOOLKIT.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HAVING CONVERSATIONS AGAIN, WITH A HOSPITALITY.

SO A LOT OF PLANNING GOING ON.

THERE IS ALSO THE COACHELLA VALLEY ECONOMIC PROTECTION PLAN AND SUPPORT FUND.

AS WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I KNOW OSCAR MADE THE COMMENT, PEOPLE THAT MAKE A LIVING ON TIPS.

ABSOLUTELY THAT HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IN EVERY SIGNAL FORM HAS BEEN HIT HARD, AND THAT RELATES TO PEOPLE.

SO THE GREATER PALM SPRINGS PUT TOGETHER A SUPPORT FUND FOR THE TOURISM FOUNDATION.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY'RE WORKING FOR LIVE TO RISE.

THEY'VE CURRENTLY RAISED $6,000, AND THE GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE $200 PER PERSON PER WEEK.

THEY'RE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.

THERE IS OVER 22,000 PEOPLE SEEKING HELP, AND HENCE THE CONTINUED AND ONGOING DRIVE, YOU CAN GO TO THE CBB WEBSITE TO PROVIDE SOME DOLLARS OR CONTRIBUTE.

THE GOAL IS $200 A WEEK TO THOSE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.

AIRPORT CAPACITY LESS THAN HALF.

WE WORKED VERY HARD FOR MANY YEARS TO GET THE AIRLINES HERE TO PALM SPRINGS.

[00:15:03]

THAT WAS WHAT WAS GOING TO DRIVE TOURISM, DRIVE THE LARGER HOTELS, DRIVE THE LARGER COMPANIES TO COME IN AND HAVE MEETINGS.

SO THAT IS ALL BUT DISAPPEARED.

LOOKING REALLY AT 2021, PRETTY FAR INTO THE FUTURE TO THE LEVEL OF WHICH SOME OF THAT MAY COME BACK.

THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION, SOME COMPANIES ARE LOOKING AT BOOKING SMALL MEETINGS.

THERE IS A CONVERSATION, THE IDEA BEING WHEN YOU HAVE A COMPANY THAT IS PUTTING TOGETHER A PRIVATE MEETING, THEY CAN CONTROL THE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ETC.

SO THEY'RE STARTING TO BEAT PHONE CALLS AND CONVERSATIONS.

IF THAT HAPPENS, AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THAT WILL PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.

THE NEXT THING I ATTENDED WAS A TRANSPORTATION MEETING.

THINGS ARE STILL GOING ON, THINGS ARE HAPPENING, AND ON A BRIGHTER NOTE, CV LINK, WELL, WHAT BETTER TIME? I WISH MORE OF THE CV LINK WERE OPEN TO PEOPLE BECAUSE THE ONE THING WE CAN DO IS GET OUT THERE AND RIDE OUR BIKES, AND WALK, AND HIKE.

SO ORIGINALLY, THE PLAN FOR CV LINK TO ROLL OUT WAS, IT STARTED OUT WITH ABOUT 10 MILES AND IT HAS NOW GONE UP TO 20 MILES OF CV LINK BEING BUILT, AND IT'S GOING TO START AT THE VISITOR CENTER AT TRENVILLE, TAHQUITS CREEK, OF COURSE, THAT'S THE WEST END.

MOVE DOWN PALM DESERT FROM PORTOLA WITH THE BUMP AND GRIND TRAIL HEAD.

IT'S GOING TO COME INTO LA QUINTA.

IT'S GOING TO COME TO INDIO AVENUE 50 THROUGH 56, AND IT'S GOING TO TOUCH ON COACHELLA.

THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MILES, BASED ON ADDITIONAL FUNDING, $29 MILLION WAS RELEASED, AND SO THAT IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FOR THE END OF THE YEAR.

REQUEST FOR BIDS IS GOING TO GO OUT JUNE OR JULY.

ANTICIPATE AN AWARD DATE VERY SOON AND THAT AUGUST TIME-FRAME, AND THEN WORK TO BEGIN.

I GUESS THERE'S ONE GAP IN INDIO, WHERE INDIO IS CONCERNED, AND THAT IS NEGOTIATING [NOISE] THE RIDE AWAY AT UNION PACIFIC.

SO ANY HELP I THINK THAT WE CAN GIVE, THE CVAG WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.

SO THAT WAS THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE TRANSPORTATION MEETING.

WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR THE COACHELLA VALLEY'S FAIR SHARE IN STATE OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19, AND THE FUNDS.

SO MANY OF THE FUNDS ARE GOING TO LARGER CITIES, AND WE TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED, AND HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE ALSO HAD A SELECTION OF THE CVAG, THE SCAG, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, I JUST FORGET WHAT THE A IN SCAG STANDS FOR, IT JUST SLIPPED MY MIND.

ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS, THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, REPRESENTATIVE FOR SCAG, IT WAS SELECTED IN RUSSELL BETTS FROM DESERT HOT SPRINGS WILL BE THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, REPRESENTATIVE ON THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENTS.

COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE DID, FIRST OF ALL, OUTSTANDING, WE HAVE SEVEN NEW POLICE OFFICERS THAT WERE SWORN IN.

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DAY IN THE CITY OF INDIO.

I DON'T THINK SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS HAVE EVER BEEN SWORN IN AT THE SAME TIME IN THE CITY.

I KNOW IN YEARS PAST WE HAVE HAD OUR CHALLENGES.

THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR THE ABILITY TO RECRUIT, TO PUT THESE FOLKS THROUGH SCHOOL AND THROUGH THE ACADEMY, AND TO REALLY CREATE THE PATH, AND THE PLAN TO BRING SEVEN NEW FOLKS ONBOARD, POLICE OFFICERS IS NOTHING SHORT OF MONUMENTAL.

VERY EXCITED, VERY PROUD, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU, CHIEF FOR THAT.

THEN I WANT TO END WITH SOMETHING POSITIVE AS WELL.

I AM A MEMBER AS IS THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER LUPE RAMOS AMITH.

WE'RE ALL MEMBERS OF THE WOMEN'S CLUB OF INDIO, ALL HAVE A TREMENDOUS AND DESIRE TO FIND WAYS TO HELP IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DID.

WE DELIVERED SANDWICHES.

ACTUALLY, THE PRESIDENT, BONNIE, WORKED WITH TKB TO DELIVER SANDWICHES TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON, NOT JUST THE LUNCHTIME CROWD, BUT TO MORNING, NOON IN EVENING SHIFT, A 24-HOUR SHIFT WORTH OF SANDWICHES, WELL OVER 223 SANDWICHES TO JFK.

VERY, VERY APPRECIATIVE.

THESE FOLKS ARE WORKING LONG HOURS.

THEY'RE WORKING ERRATIC HOURS AND OFTEN DON'T GET HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES, AND JUST THAT EFFORT WAS SIGNIFICANT.

AFTER THAT, WE THEN WENT TO THE FAIRGROUNDS AND PROVIDED SANDWICHES

[00:20:01]

TO THE NATIONAL GUARD THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF THINGS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, AND THAT IS JUST ONE WAY THAT THE WOMEN'S CLUB HAS REALLY BEEN REACHING OUT TO HELP THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

I'M SURE THERE'LL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO, REALLY PROUD OF THAT ORGANIZATION, AND THAT ENDS MY COMMENTS.

>> MR. FERMON [NOISE]?

>> SURE, I COULD GO NOW.

[NOISE] READY, AND FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE.

I HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING OKAY OUT THERE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY DURING THIS TRYING TIME.

FIRST, I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO WISH ALL OF OUR NURSES OUT THERE A HAPPY NURSES DAY AND WEEK, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ALL OF OUR MEDICAL PERSONNEL, FIRST RESPONDERS AND ALL ESSENTIAL WORKERS FOR KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY A FLOAT DURING THIS PANDEMIC AND AND THIS HARD TIME.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, OUR BUSINESS OWNERS, OUR VOLUNTEERS, WHO HAVE REALLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLAGUE, AND REALLY TOOK CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS TRYING TIME.

I WANT TO CONTINUE ON THE SAME SPIRIT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER HOLMES.

I WENT OUT LAST WEEK WITH TRYING TO GROUP USA, AND I WAS CONTACTED AND I ASKED FOR ADVICE FOR, WE COULD SERVE SOME HOT LUNCHES.

SO WE WENT OUT TO YUCCA PARK OUT HERE IN INDIO, AND WE SERVED 250 HOT MEALS TO FOLKS COMING OUT, AND ALSO PPE EQUIPMENT THAT TRYING TO GROUP USA DONATED TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND FROM THERE, WE WENT OVER TO THE COACHELLA VALLEY RESCUE MISSION AND DONATED ANOTHER 250 HOT MEALS TO THE RESCUE MISSIONS.

SO THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THERE'S GOOD THINGS GOING ON, GOOD ACTS OF KINDNESS AND HUMANITY, AND THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF INDIO.

ALSO, BEFORE I COMPLETE MY REPORT, I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, MARK SCOTT, OUR CITY ATTORNEY ROXANNE DIAZ, AND OUR CITY STAFF WHO WORKED REALLY HARD DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

IF YOU DRIVE AROUND THE CITY OF INDIO, YOU'LL STILL SEE THAT OUR CITY IS STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

WE HAVE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, WE HAVE ROAD IMPROVEMENTS GOING ON.

I SEE OVER HERE DOWN THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE, SOME OF OUR CITY WORKERS ARE WORKING THIS MORNING.

SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR CITY MANAGER FOR REALLY KEEPING OUR CITY WORKING, AND WHAT FOLKS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS WE'RE NOT WORKING, WITH A FULL-STAFF.

CITY STAFF IS CUT IN HALF AT THIS TIME, SO IT'S HARD TO GET ALL THESE TASKS, ALONG WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THINGS WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF AS A CITY WITH THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I WANT TO CLOSE BY BRINGING UP AN INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE HERE IN INDIO, AND IT WENT VIRAL OVER THE INTERNET, AND IT'S TURNING OUT TO BE A GOOD THING.

I LIKE TO FIND POSITIVITY OUT OF THINGS WHEN IT HAPPENED, AND IT WAS INVOLVING SOME PASS BUYERS, PATRIOT AND A STREET VENDOR AND I'D MADE A SMALL LITTLE INTERNET VIDEO AND REACHED OUT TO THIS STREET VENDOR TO LOCATE HIM, TO PROVIDE HIM SOME ASSISTANCE DURING THIS PANDEMIC, AND WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF FOLKS LOOKING FOR THIS YOUNG MAN.

SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO SEE SOME OF THE STREET VENDORS OUT THERE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT WFERMON@INDIO.ORG.

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ARE UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER, "STAY HOME, STAY SAFE" ORDER.

SO I REALLY LIKE TO PROVIDE SOME ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY TO THESE FOLKS DURING THIS TIME, SO THEY'RE NOT OUT THERE WORKING AT THESE 100 PLUS DEGREES, AND ALSO PROVIDE RESOURCES, SO WHEN THIS, "SAFE HOME", ORDER IS LIFTED, THEY WILL BE WORKING LEGALLY WITHIN OUR CITY WITH THE PROPER PERMITTING.

I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH CITY FOOD TRUCKS CEO, ERIC RUSSELL, WHO WAS ALSO A CITY OF INDIO EMPLOYEE AND HE'S WILLING TO ASSIST, WILL GET IT IN THE PROPER PERMITTING.

SO SOMETHING THAT STARTED OUT TO LOOK LIKE A BAD SITUATION.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO TURN OUT BE GOOD, AND WHEN THIS STORY WENT OUT, I'D SEEN THAT INDIO WAS LABELED TO IT, I WANT IT TO GO AT BACK OUT ON A POSITIVE NOTE WITH INDIO LABELED TO IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF INDIO, THAT'S THE CITY OF FESTIVALS, AND WHEN THIS PANDEMIC IS OVER, WE ARE GOING TO REBOUND AND WE'RE GOING TO BE STRONGER THAN EVER.

SO THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, MR. MAYOR.

>> THANK YOU, MR. FERMON, I CONCUR WITH YOU ON OUR CITY STAFF AND ALL THEY'RE DOING.

[00:25:01]

SO APPRECIATED VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, ALSO ALL OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR STAFF.

SO MR. ORTIZ?

>> HI. SO YEAH, I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.

I JUST WANTED TO ECHO MOSTLY WHAT WAYMOND SAID, ABOUT THANK YOU TO OUR ALL OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR ESSENTIAL WORKERS, AND OUR MEDICAL WORKERS OUT THERE, OUR NURSES AS WELL, I KNOW PEOPLE ARE REALLY STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WHAT WE ARE ALL TRYING TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO PROTECT EVERYBODY FINANCIALLY, AND TO PROVIDE ALL THE RESOURCES THAT WE CAN.

SO PLEASE REACH ON OUT IF ANYBODY NEEDS HELP WITH UNEMPLOYMENT, OR WHETHER IT'S FOOD BANKS, WHATEVER IT IS.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP OUR INDIO CHAMBER, IT'S AVAILABLE AS WELL EVERY DAY FROM, I BELIEVE IT'S 8:00- 4:00 O'CLOCK.

THEY'RE ANSWERING THE PHONES AND TRYING TO DIRECTLY ANYBODY TO ANY RESOURCES THEY NEEDED.

SO YEAH, JUST THANK YOU, AND TO EVERYBODY ELSE, HANG IN THERE.

WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN AND PLEASE BEAR WITH US, IT'S A VERY TOUGH SITUATION. THANKS.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. MY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN DARK SINCE THE PANDEMIC, SO WE'VE NOT MET.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT AND REMIND EVERYONE THAT IF THEY'RE FACING ANY CRISIS AS FAR AS FINANCIAL, ECONOMIC INCOME, OR BUSINESS INCOME AT THIS TIME, TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO THEIR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER WHO HAS A HOST OF PROGRAMS THAT THEY CAN MAKE AVAILABLE TO, WHETHER THEY'D BE RESIDENTS, INDIVIDUALS, OR BUSINESSES.

THEY HAVE ASSISTANCE WITH EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT WITH THE PANDEMIC BENEFITS.

THEY ALSO HAVE ASSISTANCE FOR BUSINESSES AND LANDLORDS, TO TAKE BENEFIT OF THE ECONOMIC DISASTER INJURY LOANS AND TODAY, THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY STARTUP AND MICRO LOANS, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY.

SO IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT, A BUSINESS, A LANDLORD, OR ANYBODY IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY, THERE ARE PROGRAMS OUT THERE TO ASSIST YOU DURING THIS PANDEMIC CRISIS.

THERE'S NO NEED FOR ANYONE TO HAVE TO GO INTO DEFAULT OR NOT HAVE INCOME TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY, IF THERE'S SO MANY BOTH FEDERAL STATE AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

SO PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

THERE'S ONE LOCATED IN INDIO, CALIFORNIA, AND THEY CAN POINT YOU IN THE DIRECTION AND HELP YOU APPLY FOR WHATEVER BENEFITS YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR. THANK YOU MAYOR.

>> THANK YOU, MS. AMITH.

ON MY COMMITTEES THEMSELVES, I HAD TWO THAT WERE ACTIVE.

THE FIRST ONE WAS SUNLINE BOARD.

AS YOU KNOW, SUNLINE IS STILL WORKING AND THEY'RE RUNNING THEIR BUS SYSTEM HERE.

THEY ARE TAKING A HIT BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT WORKING AND ALSO THAT ARE UNABLE TO USE THE BUS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO USE IT.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT THEIR REVENUE HAS GONE DOWN.

SO THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO THE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION TO GET INTO SOME OF THEIR RESERVE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO SHORE UP THEIR BUDGET.

THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME NEW TRANSPORTATION BUSES, WHICH ARE THE GENERATIONAL BUSES FOR THE HYDROGEN CELL.

THEN ALSO WE HAVE DIPPED INTO OUR RESERVES FOR THE TAXI COMPANIES SO THAT WE COULD LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TAXI FUNDING THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY ON THEIR ONE YEARLY ALLOTMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO BE A TAXI CAB COMPANY IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY.

SO WE'VE KNOCKED OFF $20,000 TO EACH ONE OF THE CAB COMPANIES SO THAT WE WOULD HELP WITH THEIR ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

THE SECOND ONE WAS THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ALL OUR RESERVE FUND MONEY THAT'S TAKEN OUT.

ROB ROCKWELL, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND FINANCE DIRECTOR AND ALONG WITH OUR TEAM, IS DOING A GREAT JOB OF INVESTING YOUR MONEY, EVEN AS THIS DOWNTURN IS STARTING TO GO.

WE'VE HAD GREAT INVESTMENTS BECAUSE WE'VE PLANNED FOR LONG-TERM STABILITY.

SO A LOT OF OUR FUNDS WERE PUT IN ACCOUNTS THAT WERE CONTINUING TO GET GOOD ASSET DIVIDENDS AND INTEREST ON. SO THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

THEN A LOT OF ZOOM MEETINGS.

I THINK EVERYBODY HAS SAID IT. OUR MAYOR PRO TEM.

THANK YOU, CHIEF, FOR THE SEVEN NEW POLICE OFFICERS AND CONTINUING TO STRUCTURE THAT. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.

EVERYTHING IS ON ZOOM NOW.

WE DID WOMEN'S CLUB OF INDIO.

I DID A KESQ OF ALL THE MAYORS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY, TALKED ABOUT THE COVID-19, CORONAVIRUS.

I'VE DONE EVERYTHING FROM CDAR, WHICH IS A REALTORS WEBINAR AND WHAT THEY WERE FACING IN THAT.

SO IT'S A NEW DIFFERENT KIND OF WORLD.

I PUT THE BACK OF MY DROP WAS SAN FRANCISCO FOR THE COUPLE OF TIMES THEY ASKED ME WHY AND THERE'S THE BRIDGE IN THE BACKGROUND, I TELL THEM JUST IN CASE I NEED THE JUMP AND IT WAS ALREADY THERE.

BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD AND SO WE'RE [INAUDIBLE].

BUT AS WAYMOND FERMON, OUR COUNCILMEMBER SAID, THERE IS SO MUCH GENEROSITY GOING ON IN OUR VALLEY, SO MUCH GENEROSITY IN THE CITY OF INDIO.

WE HAVE SUCH GREAT RESIDENTS AND STAFF AND BUSINESSES.

OVER THE LAST MONTH, I WOULD SAY WE'VE DONATED ABOUT 10,000 MEALS,

[00:30:01]

A COMBINATION OF ALL OUR DIFFERENT AGENCIES HERE.

TONY ROMERO FROM THE SAATCHI ENTERPRISES, WHICH IS OUR COMMERCE AREAS FOR OUR FOOD TRUCK.

JOHNNY COMPANY USA HAS DONATED FOOD, DESTINY CHURCH HAS DELIVERED, LOVE OF CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH HAS DELIVERED.

MARIO'S IS FEEDING 500 PEOPLE IN INDIO EVERY MONDAY.

I MEAN, THERE IS JUST AN OUTREACH.

SLICE PIZZA, NOTHING BUNDT CAKES, AND PALM DESERT.

THERE' S JUST AN OUTPOUR OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE SUPPORTING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, FROM OUR HOSPITALS AT JFK, TO OUR FAIRGROUNDS, TO OUR FIND FOOD BANK, WHO RIGHT NOW IS DOING OVER 30 PERCENT MORE DELIVERIES.

WE HAVE OUR NATIONAL GUARD OUT ON THE MORNING RUN AND IN THE AFTERNOON RUN, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, INCLUDING MATHIS BROTHERS WE DID THIS SUNDAY, WHERE 500 MEALS WERE DISTRIBUTED VERY QUICKLY.

SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT.

I WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNITY FOR BEING SO GENEROUS DURING THIS PANDEMIC.

WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER, WE'LL GET THROUGH IT STRONGER.

THEN THE LAST PART IS ON WEDNESDAY AT 11 O'CLOCK, WE WILL HAVE CHANDI USA AND A COUPLE OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AND COUNCILS WELCOME TO COME OUT.

HE IS GOING TO BE DONATING 3,000 MEALS TO INDIVIDUALS.

IT SHOULD BE UP ON OUR CITY WEBSITE, FACEBOOK, AND BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WHERE WE WILL BE PASSING OUT AND AS CARS GO BY AND WE'LL BE PUTTING IN PRE-PACKAGED MEALS, 3,000 OF THEM, INTO PEOPLE'S VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO TAKE HOME AND EAT PRE-PREPARED MEALS.

SO I WANT TO THANK KIM AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

BROOKE BEARE HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB FOR US AS OUR INFORMATIONAL OFFICER, HAS CONTINUED TO HIGHLIGHT AND UPDATE OUR CORONAVIRUS WEBSITE.

PLEASE, IF YOU NEED ANY KIND OF SUPPORT OR ANY KIND OF INFORMATION, EVERYTHING IS ON INDIO.ORG.

SO PLEASE LOOK AT THAT AND IF YOU NEED SUPPORT, SUPPORT AND HELP IS HERE, INCLUDING FIND FOOD BANK.

LOOK AT WHERE THERE'S LOCATIONS THAT YOU CAN PICK UP FOOD.

IT'S USUALLY STAPLES; FOUR OR FIVE POUNDS OF FRESH MEAT AND USUALLY FRESH MILK.

YOU DON'T NEED TO QUALIFY, YOU JUST NEED TO GO UP, TELL THEM HOW MANY IS IN YOUR PARTY AND THEY WILL GIVE YOU THE STAPLES YOU NEED.

EVERYBODY NEEDS A HELPING HAND.

SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY THAT IS OUT THERE, PLEASE HELP THEM OUT.

THEN LASTLY, I WANT TO APPRECIATE EVERY MOTHER OUT THERE.

NOW, OUR NEXT MEETING WE'LL HAVE MOTHER'S DAY COMING UP HERE VERY SHORTLY.

SO ALL THE MOTHERS OUT THERE, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO RAISING US AND CONTINUING TO BE OUR ROCKS AND SUPPORT, AND WE WISH YOU A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

SO THAT ENDS MY REPORT AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 7, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE CITY MANAGERS REPORT TO THE VERY END AND MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS BECAUSE WE

[8. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA]

HAVE STAFF IN THE AUDIENCE AND WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO HOME AFTER THE REPORTING SO THAT WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MEMBERS HERE.

SO IF WE CAN DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 8, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.

NOT ON THE AGENDA, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES ON A SUBJECT THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.

CITY CLERK, DO WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS?

>> I DO HAVE ONE PERSON.

>> OKAY. SO WE HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

DO WE HAVE ANYTHING TO BE READ IN THE RECORD? I'M SORRY.

>> NO MAYOR.

>> THANK YOU. [BACKGROUND]

>> HI. THIS IS ERICK LINUS WITH COACHELLA VALLEY IMMIGRANT DIGNITY COALITION.

I'M CALLING TODAY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, AS WE KNOW WE'RE ENTERING IN THE MONTH OF MAY.

EACH YEAR WE HOLD A MAY DAY RALLY IN THE CITY OF INDIO.

SO I JUST FOREMOST WANTED TO THANK THE CITY OF INDIO FOR HOSTING MAY DAY FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.

UNFORTUNATELY AS YOU KNOW, IN THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY DO NOT ALLOW US TO HOLD A RALLY, BUT THIS YEAR WE DID HAVE A DIGITAL CAMPAIGN IN WHICH THE THEME OF OUR CAMPAIGN WAS "WE ARE ESSENTIAL." SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE CITY OF INDIO OF THE LONG RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAD.

ALSO I WANT TO THANK THE INDIO CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ALSO BEING ESSENTIAL TO ASSISTING US DURING OUR MAY DAY.

WE DEFINITELY HAD THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND [INAUDIBLE] ASSIST US AND HELPING US TO FACILITATE THE CONVERSATION, BUT ALSO SHOWING THAT THE CITY'S SUPPORT AND ALSO FOR OSCAR, WHO ACTUALLY SPOKE IN OUR LAST MAY DAY.

SO AS WE KNOW, THE HISTORY OF MAY DAY IS REALLY TO RECOGNIZE OUR INDIVIDUALS AND OUR HARD WORKING COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY PLACED.

[00:35:02]

A HEAVY MAJORITY OF OUR HARDWORKING COMMUNITY IS BASED ON THE EAST VALLEY INDIO, COACHELLA AND SO FORTH.

SO WE HAVE COACHELLA VALLEY IMMIGRANT DIGNITY COALITION WHICH SEEK TO UPLIFT THE NEEDS OF OUR HARD WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY, WHICH IN THIS TIME HAS CHANGED ESSENTIALLY STILL AT HEALTH PHASE, MAKING SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE TAKEN CARE OF WITH THEIR HEALTH NEEDS.

BUT ESSENTIALLY, WHEN IT COMES DOWN, AND AS I HEAR SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE MAKING, THERE IS A HARD HIT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT [NOISE] THIS PANDEMIC HAS TAKEN OUR HARDWORKING COMMUNITY ARE TIPPINGS AND OUR ECONOMY HAS GONE DOWN.

WE KNOW SO MORE THAN EVER THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UPLIFT SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT THESE COMMUNITIES FACE, AND SO HOUSING IS STILL SOMETHING IN THE MAJORITY.

WE KNOW THAT SOME OF THE STORIES AS WE'RE COMING FORTH TOGETHER ARE NECESSARILY SHAPED WITH SO MUCH FEARS OF EVICTION.

BUT ALSO WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEXT AND WHAT ARE THE STEPS THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO TAKE TO SEND SOLIDARITY AS A FORM OF SYMBOLISM TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL RESIDENTS OF INDIO KNOW THAT THE CITY IS CURRENTLY STANDING WITH THEM? SO WITH THAT [INAUDIBLE] , COMING TO THE CITY TO RECOGNIZE AND TO UPLIFT SOME OF THOSE [INAUDIBLE] SOME TALKED ABOUT AS THE PAYMENT TIME PASSES.

SO WE'RE ASKING THE CITY JUST TO PLEASE RECOGNIZE THAT, RECOGNIZE OUR INDIVIDUALS, OUR COMMUNITIES [NOISE] AND PUT SOMETHING FORTH THAT WOULD STAND IN SOLIDARITY.

JUST IN RECOGNITION, WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE HAD A STANDING SOLIDARITY WITH MAY DAY.

SO IT HAVE BEEN ASIAN PACIFIC LABOR ALLIANCE AT INLAND EMPIRE, [INAUDIBLE] , CV ART CENTERS, CV VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE, CALIFORNIA PHARMACEUTICAL, [SPANISH] COUNCIL OF MEXICAN FEDERATION, [SPANISH] , [INAUDIBLE] , [SPANISH] , FAMILY JEWISH SERVICES OF THE DESERT, EMOTION HANDS OF HUMANITY, [SPANISH], [INAUDIBLE] FOUNDATION, TODEC LEGAL CENTER, UNITED DOMESTIC WORKERS, SIGMA BETA PHI (PHONETIC) INC, UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS, LOCAL 1167, [INAUDIBLE] FREEDOM.

SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT STAND IN SOLIDARITY.

WE JUST COMMEND THE CITY AND TO HELP US AND CONTINUE UPLIFTING OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR HARDWORKING COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, SIR.

CITY CLERK, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT'S IN THE QUEUE?

>> NO. THAT CONCLUDES GENERAL COMMENTS.

>> OKAY. THEN I WILL END THE PUBLIC COMMENTS PERIOD, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 9,

[9. CONSENT CALENDAR]

WHICH IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR, ITEMS A THROUGH F. IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY AGENDA ITEM OR WANTS TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, CAN SOMEBODY MAKE A MOTION? [NOISE] EXCUSE ME.

>> I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION.

TAKING HER OFF MUTE, IT TAKES AN EXTRA SECOND.

MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS NOTED.

>> WE HAVE OUR FIRST FROM MAYOR PRO TEM, HOLMES. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>> I'LL SECOND.

>> SECOND BY COUNCIL MAYOR FERMON, AND IF WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER RAMOS AMITH.

>> AYE.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER FERMON.

>> AYE.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER ORTIZ.

>> AYE.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM, HOLMES.

>> AYE.

>> MAYOR MILLER.

>> AYE. PASSED UNANIMOUSLY, 5-0.

WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10,

[a. Presentation for Council Direction regarding the FY 2020/2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding Allocation in the amount of $870,977 and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Funding Allocation in the amount of $512,368 (Kevin H. Snyder, Community Development Director) Recommendation: Provide Input & Direction]

WHICH IS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM. WE HAVE ONE OF THEM TODAY.

IT'S THE PRESENTATION FOR THE COUNCIL'S DIRECTIONS REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2020, '21 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, CDBG, FUNDING ALLOCATION AMOUNT OF $870,977, AND THAT CORONAVIRUS AID RELIEF AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT FUNDING ALLOCATED IN THE AMOUNT OF $512,368.

THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE PUT TOGETHER BY OUR CITY MANAGER AND ALSO MR. KEVIN SNYDER, WHO IS OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.

SO THEY'RE JUST GETTING THEIR WHITEBOARD HERE PRESENT AND THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IT UP HERE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE IT.

HE'S GOT SOME NUMBERS, FACTS, AND FIGURES PUT ON IT AND WITH WHAT PROGRAMS AND WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING ON.

SO BEAR WITH US FOR A SECOND. [NOISE]

>> I NEED TO --

>> YOU NEED A HAND MIC TOO.

CAN WE GET A HAND MIC, PLEASE.

ONE FOR MR. SNYDER TOO SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SHARE.

>> I GUESS WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS CAN ANYBODY SEE THE WHITEBOARD?

>> WE CAN NOW. NOW IT'S ON THE SCREEN.

YOU'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT VAGUE.

>> THAT'S GREAT.

>>THERE YOU GO.

>> OKAY. NOW, IF I CAN GET MY HEAD OUT OF THE WAY, WE'RE OKAY.

>> YOUR PERFECT.

>> OKAY. THE ITEM THAT IS BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT RELATES

[00:40:03]

TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM, CDBG.

WE HAVE AN UNUSUAL YEAR IN THAT WE HAVE OUR REGULAR ENTITLEMENT MONEY THAT THE CITY RECEIVES EVERY YEAR.

ON THE BOARD HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT WE GOT $870,977 THIS YEAR IN REGULAR CDBG ENTITLEMENT.

WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT THAT MONEY A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, AND I'LL REFERENCE THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.

WE ALSO HAVE $275,000 THAT IS CARRY-OVER MONEY FROM WHAT WE STARTED LAST YEAR THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE YET.

THAT INCLUDES THE DR. CARRY-ON PARK PROJECT FOR $200,000 AND $75,000 OF WORK AT THE SENIOR AND TEEN CENTER.

ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S $305,000 WHICH WE'RE CALLING REPROGRAMMING FUNDING.

THAT IS MONEY THAT WE HAD IN OUR PLAN FOR LAST YEAR THAT HAS NOT BEEN ASSIGNED TO ANYTHING YET.

SO THE CITY COUNCIL COULD REPROGRAM THAT FOR BASICALLY ANYTHING THAT THE COUNCIL CHOOSES TO SPEND IT ON.

THEN FINALLY, THIS YEAR WE HAVE AN EXTRA ALLOCATION OF CDBG THAT CAME THROUGH THE CARES ACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $512,000.

WE BELIEVE THERE WILL BE MORE.

WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER ROUND OF FUNDING THAT WILL INCREASE THAT AMOUNT.

BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS THIS $1.9363 MILLION.

OUT OF THAT, WE HAVE INDICATED HERE USING $174,000 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

THAT'S THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD HAVE ALLOCATED IF THAT WAS THE ONLY NUMBER WE GOT UP THERE AT THE TOP.

SO WE'RE NOT MAKING THAT NUMBER BIGGER BECAUSE WE GOT MORE MONEY, 174,000 IS BASICALLY THE CITY'S ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.

WE'RE ALSO REQUIRED UNDER THE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE A CERTAIN MINIMUM AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR FAIR HOUSING PROGRAMS. WE HAVE DONE A $19,000 ALLOCATION TO THE INLAND FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM THAT IS SHOWN HERE.

THE DR. CARREON PARK PROJECT, WHICH RIGHT NOW I'M ASSUMING, COUNCIL CAN CHANGE THIS, BUT I'M ASSUMING THE CITY WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT PROJECT.

WE WORKED ON SPORTS FIELDS AND PICNIC AREAS THERE.

SO WE'RE ABOUT READY TO GO WITH THAT PROJECT UNLESS THE COUNCIL PULLS THE FUNDING.

THE 75,000 FOR THE SENIOR AND TEEN CENTER IS MINIMAL COMPARED TO WHAT WE NEED, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE SPENDING THAT.

THAT LEAVES THE COUNCIL WITH A TOTAL OF $1.495 MILLION THAT CAN BE ALLOCATED TOWARD PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY MAY WISH TO DO IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MONEY HAS QUALIFICATIONS, WHAT IT CAN BE SPENT ON AND WHAT IT CAN'T.

I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL IS PRETTY AWARE OF WHAT THOSE ARE.

THE OPTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TO CHOOSE FROM THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED SO FAR INCLUDE FUNDING OF CERTAIN PUBLIC AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS COACHELLA VALLEY RESCUE MISSION, WHICH LAST YEAR WE FUNDED $42,000; FIND FOOD BANK, LAST YEAR WE FUNDED 19,000; MARTHA'S VILLAGE WE DIDN'T FUND AT ALL LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE, AS FAR AS I KNOW, AND I PUT INLAND FAIR HOUSING.

WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO ON THESE THREE COLUMNS IS SHOW THE COUNCIL WHERE YOU MAY WANT TO SPEND THE $1.49 MILLION.

SO INLAND FAIR HOUSING IS ANOTHER ENTITY THAT WE COULD FUND.

NOW, COUNCIL MAY HAVE OTHER ENTITIES YOU WANT TO ADD TO THIS LIST, BUT THAT'S WHERE I START WITH TODAY.

THE NEXT CATEGORY IS CAPITAL PROJECTS.

IN THE PROGRAM THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE INCLUDED A PROJECT FOR STREET LIGHT REPLACEMENT.

THAT WAS $640,000.

NOW, THAT'S CHANGING OUT TO MORE EFFICIENT LIGHTING SYSTEMS, LIGHTING UP SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE CDBG ELIGIBLE.

WE THINK IT'S A PRETTY GOOD PROJECT.

[00:45:01]

WHETHER OR NOT, GIVEN ALL THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES, THAT'S WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO SPEND THE MONEY THIS YEAR, THAT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL.

THAT WAS IN THE BUDGET FOR 640,000.

SO A BIG CHUNK OF WHAT WE HAD TO SPEND WAS BEING USED FOR THAT PROJECT IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO APPROVE IT.

THERE'S OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS THE COUNCIL MIGHT PREFER TO PUT UP HERE, AND IF SO, THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION THAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU.

THEN FINALLY, THE RIGHT-HAND COLUMN, I LISTED PROGRAMS THAT ARE CDBG ELIGIBLE.

THE FIRST THREE, WE DON'T HAVE THESE PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW, WE JUST PUT THESE ON THE LIST AS ALTERNATIVES THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDER.

NOW, I GOT TO TELL YOU, BREATHING THROUGH A MASK, IT'S GETTING HOT. [LAUGHTER].

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT THE NURSES, AND THE DOCTORS, AND THE MEDICAL WORKERS.

I'VE BEEN TALKING FIVE MINUTES AND I'M ABOUT OUT OF IT NOW.

RESIDENTIAL RENT SUBSIDIES OF DIFFERENT SORTS.

WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC PROGRAM DESIGNED, BUT IF THE CITY WANTED TO ALLOCATE A CHUNK OF CDBG MONEY, THAT IS A SOURCE THAT'S POSSIBLE.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED TODAY THAT THE NEW PROGRAM THAT THE COUNTY PUT OUT YESTERDAY, THE TWO NEW LOAN PROGRAMS, ONE OF THE TWO CALLED THE MICRO-LOAN PROGRAM, IS ONLY PROVIDED BY THE COUNTY TO CDBG ELIGIBLE CITIES THAT GET THEIR MONEY THROUGH THE COUNTY.

I THINK IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY, THAT INCLUDED COACHELLA, [INAUDIBLE] DESERT HOT SPRINGS, I BELIEVE.

WE DON'T GET OUR MONEY THROUGH THE COUNTY, WE GET A DIRECT ENTITLEMENT.

OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE UNDER THAT, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, I SHOULD SAY.

I'M ACTUALLY JUMPING TO SMALL BUSINESS.

OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WEREN'T ELIGIBLE, BUT WE COULD DO OUR OWN PROGRAM.

WE COULD DO OUR OWN SMALL BUSINESS LOAN PROGRAM AND PROVIDE THIS.

IN FACT, WE COULD COPY THAT PROGRAM EXACTLY IF WE WANTED TO TO OR WE COULD DO OUR OWN, BUT IT IS A CDBG PROGRAM FUNDING SOURCE.

SO THAT'S TO SUGGEST THAT THIS IS AN AVAILABLE SOURCE.

BACK ON RESIDENTIAL RENT SUBSIDIES, AGAIN, AS LONG AS PEOPLE QUALIFY UNDER CDBG INCOME LEVELS, WE COULD DO A PROGRAM THAT COULD SUBSIDIZE RENTS FOR RENTERS.

I PUT AN ITEM UP HERE THAT WAS LEGAL AID OR HOUSING COUNSELING.

THE REASON THAT'S UP THERE IS THAT WE ALL HAVE TALKED AT GREAT LENGTH ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE WITH THEIR LEASES WHEN THERE HAS BEEN A PROLONGED PERIOD WHERE THERE ARE RENT DELINQUENCIES BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 ECONOMIC CHALLENGES.

GETTING TO THE END OF THE ABATEMENT PERIOD OR MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO NEED TO NEGOTIATE NEW CONTRACTS OR PAYMENT PLANS, OR WHATEVER THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO WITH THEIR LANDLORDS.

DOING THAT IS NOT A SIMPLE TASK, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBILITY IN SUPPORT FROM LEGAL AID OR HOUSING COUNSELING GROUPS THAT MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO HELP PEOPLE SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR PERSONAL FINANCIAL SITUATIONS.

SO WE PUT THAT UP THERE THAT THAT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD FUND SOME EXTRA STAFF EITHER WITH INLAND FAIR HOUSING OR SOME OTHER GROUP THAT DOES THAT KIND OF WORK.

THEN, TWO PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE HAD BEFORE.

THE MINOR HOME REPAIR PROGRAM WE JUST STARTED LAST YEAR, WE WERE PUTTING THAT IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FOR $200,000.

WE'VE HAD THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR.

WE HAVEN'T SPENT A LOT ON IT YET, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER OPTION.

IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM AND WE'VE JUST BARELY GOTTEN IT STARTED.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPTION TO PUT MONEY.

NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP, IT'S ONLY $32,000, THE PROGRAM WE'VE DONE WITH THE YAC GROUP, THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL.

AGAIN, IT'S A VERY GOOD PROGRAM.

THEY'VE DONE VERY GOOD WORK.

IT DOESN'T COST A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN WORTHWHILE.

THEN FINALLY, THE LAST THING ON THE LIST IS AN EXPANSION REALLY.

I SAID NEW MEALS ON WHEELS, IT'S REALLY AN EXPANSION OF THE MIZELL PROGRAM TO PROVIDE MORE MEALS THROUGH THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM AND PERHAPS SOME DELIVERY OF MEALS AS WELL.

WE ONLY PUT $50,000 ON HERE.

[00:50:03]

IF YOU KNOW MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAMS, YOU COULD EASILY GO HIGHER THAN $50,000.

AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE SIGN UP, YOU NEED MORE AND MORE FUNDING, BUT THOSE ARE THE OPTIONS WE PUT ON THE BOARD.

THE STAFF REPORT ON THIS IS VERY TECHNICAL, VERY DETAILED, AND WHAT IT DID WAS IT IDENTIFIED SPECIFIC OPTIONS FOR FUNDING.

THE FIRST OPTION WAS THE SAME REPORT THAT THE COUNCIL HAD RECEIVED A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, AND THEN THE OTHER OPTIONS WERE VARIATIONS OFF OF THAT.

WE PUT THOSE THINGS TOGETHER LIKE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE STAFF THEN HAS TO TURN AROUND TO FILE THE APPLICATION WITH HUD.

THE COUNCIL DOESN'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THOSE THREE OPTIONS, THE COUNCIL CAN MOVE THE MONEY AROUND WHATEVER CATEGORIES YOU WISH, BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE THIRD ATTACHMENT TO THAT REPORT IS AN ATTACHMENT.

I THOUGHT [INAUDIBLE] DID A GREAT JOB ON THIS.

THEY ACTUALLY CONTACTED SEVERAL OF THE AGENCIES THAT ARE POTENTIAL SOURCES FOR FUNDING AND WORKED WITH THEM ON WHAT PROGRAM ELEMENTS MIGHT BE FUNDED, WHAT KIND OF MEASUREMENTS MIGHT BE DONE TO MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM, THE KIND OF CRITERIA THAT WE HAVE TO SUBMIT TO HUD IN ORDER TO GET OUR FUNDING.

SO THE STAFF HAS JUMPED IN THERE AND DONE SOME WORK AHEAD OF TIME TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHENEVER THE COUNCIL SAYS GO, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO START MOVING ON IT, BUT YOU CAN SEE WITH MUCH MORE DETAIL HOW THAT KIND OF MONEY WOULD BE SPENT.

WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS DETAIL ON HOW RESIDENTIAL RENT SUBSIDY WOULD WORK, HOW SMALL BUSINESS LOANS WOULD WORK.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'D NEED THAT DETAIL ON THE LEGAL AID, BUT IF THE COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN THESE CATEGORIES, WE'LL GET BUSY AND COME UP WITH SOME DEFINITION AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL.

SO THAT'S MY REPORT AND I WILL STAND BY FOR COUNCIL INPUT.

>> ALL RIGHT. ONE PERSON WANTS TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, SO LET'S LET THEM SPEAK REAL QUICK, THEN WE'LL JUMP INTO US BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A LONGER DISCUSSION.

[BACKGROUND]

>> I DO A LOT OF ZOOM MEETINGS.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] I'M A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF INDIO WHICH IS THE CITY MANAGER'S EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION IN THE REPORT THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA.

I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM.

I THINK IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING TO HEAR COUNCIL MEMBER, HOLMES DISCUSS THE CHALLENGES THAT THE SENIOR COMMUNITY IS HAVING.

FOOD BANKS, I'VE SEEN HAVE AMPLE RESOURCES, BUT GETTING RESOURCES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IS CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY WITH TRANSPORTATION CURRENTLY BEING LIMITED, AND THEY'RE FACING SOME PARTICULAR CHALLENGES, JUST GETTING PEOPLE MOVED AROUND THE VALLEY, THAT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT INVESTMENT.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER SOME TYPE OF SAVINGS PROGRAM.

IT'S IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY RIGHT NOW TO ADVANCE OUR TOURISM AND CONSUMERISM.

BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT PROMOTING GOOD SAVINGS, AND IF THE CITY COULD LOOK INTO POTENTIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMS, WHERE THEY WOULD DO LIKE A MATCHING GRANT FOR ANYBODY WHO SAVE TOWARDS A PARTICULAR GOAL, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP BETTER PREPARE FOR THE NEXT TIME THAT I THINK THIS MIGHT HAPPEN.

BUT I THINK MANY, MANY MEDICAL HUB EXPERTS ARE SUGGESTING THAT THIS IS JUST THE FIRST WAY THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENED IN PAST OR IT WAS JUST THE FIRST TIME, AND THEN THE SECOND WAVE HIT, AND WILL GET EVEN HARDER.

IT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE PREPARED FROM INVESTMENT PERSONAL SAVINGS ARE A GOOD LONG WAY TO GO THERE. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS, AND ANY IDEAS AND THOUGHTS.

OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A GOOD THING.

WELL, MR. SNYDER, YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING BEFORE? LET'S GO.

MR. FERMON, WHY DON'T YOU START, AND WE'LL GO OSCAR, LOOPY, AND THEN ELAINE.

>> THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT FOR THIS EXTENSIVE PRESENTATION.

[00:55:05]

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT STICK OUT TO ME, I KNOW WE HAVE DISCUSSION FOR COVID ISSUES, BUT SOME OF THE SUBSIDIES THROUGH THE GRANT FUND, I THINK, THAT'S IMPORTANT.

I THINK IN THE FUTURE, THERE'S GOING TO BE THESE DIFFICULTIES PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE.

SO I THINK WE COULD GET OUR FRONT WITH SOME OF MONIES THAT WE ALREADY HAD ALLOCATED TO US, SUCH AS THE $512,000.

I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THAT GOES TOWARDS HELPING FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN ACTUALLY SHOW THAT WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE IN THAT EFFORT.

SO I LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THAT HAPPENED.

ALSO, THE DOCTOR CARRY ON PROJECT.

I'M VERY ADAMANT ABOUT THAT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT STILL GO FORWARD, I SEE IT'S STILL ON YOUR WHITEBOARD.

ALSO, AS FAR AS SOME OF THE STREET LIGHTS, I THINK THAT'S STILL IMPORTANT WHAT OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS TO SEE SOME OF THOSE GOING ON.

I'M ALSO IN AGREEMENT AND AS SOME OF THE FUNDING INTO THAT MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM, THAT'S A GREAT PROGRAM FOR OUR SENIORS.

WE KNOW WE DO HAVE A LARGE SENIOR CITIZEN POPULATION HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR THEM, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME OF THIS PANDEMIC, AND WHAT THE FUTURE'S GOING TO HOPE FOR THEM.

ALSO, OUR CV RESCUE MISSION.

THEY'RE GOING TO NEED PROBABLY MORE HELP IN THE FUTURE.

SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO REALLY HAD TO DIG DEEP AND LOOK AT THOSE ENTITIES ARE NOT PROFIT.

SO WE ARE ASSISTING IN THE FUTURE TO GET OUR FOLKS PASS THIS DIFFICULT TIME NOW, AND IN THE FUTURE.

>> IS THAT IT, MR. FERMON?

>> THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.

>> MR. ORTIZ?

>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, CITY MANAGER, I'D LIKE THREE OF THE OPTIONS.

ONE OF THEM, THE RENT SUBSIDIES.

I THINK THAT ONE, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK WITH UNITED WAY.

THEY'RE ALREADY DOING MORTGAGE RELIEF FUND, WHERE THEY GIVE $500 OUT TO RESIDENTS, AND MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME OF THAT ALLOCATED SPECIFICALLY FOR INDIO RESIDENTS.

THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THE SCREENING AND ALREADY HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES SET UP FOR THAT.

THE SECOND ONE THAT I REALLY LIKE, I REALLY THINK WE SHOULD FOCUS ON SOMETHING FOR RESTAURANT RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROBABLY SOME OF THE LATEST TO OPEN AS FAR AS INDUSTRIES GO, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME MONEY SET UP NOT FOR LOANS, BUT ACTUALLY FOR GRANTS TO GIVE OUT TO OUR FAMILY-OWNED RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY.

THE THIRD OPTION THAT I REALLY LIKE IS THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM AS WELL.

I'M NOT SURE HOW THE REST OF THE COUNCIL FEELS ABOUT THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S OTHER FUNDS, FOR MEASURE X FUNDS THAT WE HAVE AS BACKUP.

BUT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SOME SAVINGS FROM THIS.

I DON'T KNOW MAYBE WOULD COME FROM HERE OR FOR MEASURE X. I'M NOT SURE WHICH IS BE SPENDING ALL OF IT AT ONE TIME IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S REALLY COMING AHEAD. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. ORTIZ. MS. AMITH?

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR. CITY MANAGER, I NEED A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION.

ON THE LEGAL AID HOUSING COUNSELING, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? WHAT PRICE TAG MIGHT BE ADDED TO THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE DID AN OE, OR WHAT MORE CAN YOU GIVE ME ON THAT PROPOSAL?

>> TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FACED A SITUATION QUITE LIKE THIS BEFORE.

MY THOUGHT ON THAT WAS THAT WE COULD FUND SOME STEP.

CDBG MONEY HAS TO BE SPENT ON INDIO PEOPLE.

IT'S ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GRANT THAT IT HAS TO BE SPENT ON WITHIN THE AREA OF THE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS.

SO IF WE WORKED WITH AN ENTITY, A LEGAL AID ENTITY OR A HOUSING COUNSELING ENTITY, THE COMPLICATION OF IT IS YOU HAVE TO DEDICATE STAFF TO THE PURPOSES OF SERVING OUR POPULATION.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SO STRICT THAT THEY CAN'T TALK TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

BUT WITHIN THE STAFF, YOU'D HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT A FULL-TIME POSITION, FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU FUNDED A FULL-TIME POSITION AT A LEGAL AID OFFICE, THAT MUCH WORK GOT ALLOCATED TO INDIO RESIDENTS.

BUT WE HAD THOUGHT, THAT WITH ALL OF THE CHALLENGES THAT RENTERS ARE GOING TO HAVE, WHETHER IT'S COMMERCIAL RENTERS OR RESIDENTIAL RENTERS, THAT WITH ALL THE CHALLENGES THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE, THESE GROUPS ARE GOING TO NEED MORE ASSISTANCE TO HELP THAT POPULATION.

[01:00:04]

I'VE TALKED TO A COUPLE OF LEGAL AID GROUPS THAT HAVE SAID TO ME, FOR THE MOST PART, THEIR FOCUS HAS BEEN OUTSIDE THE INCORPORATED CITIES.

IT'S BEEN IN THE COUNTY AREAS, TRIBAL AREAS, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO NEED A LOT OF ASSISTANCE.

WHILE THEY DO OCCASIONALLY WORK WITH PEOPLE FROM INDIO AND OTHER CITIES, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE PRIMARY FOCUS.

SO THE THOUGHT WAS THAT WE COULD MAYBE WITHIN THE FAIR HOUSING OR ONE OF THE OTHER GROUPS, PERHAPS WE COULD ALLOCATE MONEY TO STAFFING TO PROVIDE THAT EXTRA SUPPORT, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE CHALLENGES THAN THERE HAD BEEN IN THE PAST.

SO THAT WAS THE HOPE.

>> SO IS THERE A POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FAIR HOUSING THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE THAT SERVICE WITHIN THEIR UMBRELLA?

>> I THINK SO, YES.

>> IF WE INCREASE FUNDING?

>> YES, I THINK SO.

>> SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE LISTED IN GREEN ON THE BOARD, I AGREE WITH.

I FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE HAVE NEGLECTED OUR SENIOR CENTER IN TEEN CENTER FROM A FAR TOO LONG, AND IF WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE SHOULD AT LEAST DOUBLE THAT FUNDING THIS YEAR SO THAT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 75,000 OUT OF YOUR 1.4 PROPOSED BALANCE?

>> RIGHT.

>> THE REMAINING 1.4, I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SAFETY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IN THE CDBG AREAS, AND GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STREETLIGHT REPLACEMENT WHICH DOESN'T LEAVE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY LEFT.

THAT ONLY LEAVES 1,500,123 MINUS 640,123, $860,000.

THAT'S BEFORE CDRM AND FINE, WHICH IS PROBABLY ANOTHER 60.

SO THAT LEAVES 800,000.

NOW THE MINOR HOME REPAIR, I THINK WE NEED TO LEAVE IT ALONE.

I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE IT ANOTHER CYCLE BEFORE WE ADD ANY MORE FUNDS TO THAT.

I DO BELIEVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP CONTINUING THAT EFFORT WITH THE YAK, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE REMAINING FUNDS, WHATEVER THEY BE, MAYBE 800,000 OR 750,000 DIVIDED INTO SOME TYPE OF ASSISTANCE TO LEGAL AID HOUSING, EITHER UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ADMINISTRATION OR SOME OTHER PROGRAM THAT SETUP LIKE THE UNITED WAY OR THE LIVE TO RISE.

AS FAR AS SMALL BUSINESS LOANS, I'M A VERY BIG ADVOCATE OF HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES GET STARTED UP.

BUT FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE ONLY HAVE $500,000 LEFT, AND WE DIVIDE THAT BY $10,000 PER BUSINESS, IT'S ONLY 50 BUSINESSES THAT WE CAN HELP.

I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S REALLY GOING TO DO A WHOLE LOT TO HELP BUSINESSES GET STARTED UP.

SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE A DENT IN WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

I THINK THAT'S A LARGER ISSUE THAT WE REALLY CAN'T ADDRESS WITH WHAT LIMITED FUNDS WE HAVE IN CDBG.

THAT'S JUST MY INPUT FOR NOW.

DO YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE?

>> NO. THANK YOU, MS. AMITH.

[INAUDIBLE] HOLMES?

>> OKAY.

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST, JUST A JOKE.

>> THIS IS ME. TRUE.

>> I JUST WANTED TO RECONFIRM MY SUPPORT TO DR. CARREON PARK IN SENIOR AND TEEN CENTER.

GOSH, IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS THAT I'VE RAISED THE QUESTION ABOUT MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP OF THOSE FACILITIES AND I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN $75,000.

WE NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR FACILITIES IN GOOD WORKING VISUAL ORDER FOR THE PEOPLE THAT FREQUENT THEM, OUR KIDS AND OUR SENIORS.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT EVEN A FEW MORE DOLLARS FOR THAT.

I'M LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS HERE.

I GUESS FOR ME, THE STREET LIGHT REPLACEMENT IS PROBABLY FURTHER DOWN ON MY LIST.

I'M LOOKING AT THE SITUATION AS IT EXISTS NOW SO THAT FAIR HOUSING.

OUR NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE THAT RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE VARIOUS ISSUES AND CHALLENGES CONNECTING WITH AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, AMITH SAID, LIVE TO RISE WHICH IS AN EXTRAORDINARY ORGANIZATION.

UNITED WAY AND MANY OF THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NON-PROFIT THAT CAN HAVE FUNDING OR THAT CAN ACCEPT FUNDING AND THAT CAN HELP.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE HIGH ON MY LIST.

CERTAINLY, IN THE NUMBER ONE SPOT IS MEALS ON WHEELS.

WE'RE ALL GOING STIR CRAZY HERE BECAUSE WE'RE SOMEWHAT ISOLATED.

[01:05:01]

MANY OF THE PEOPLE ON THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM ARE ISOLATED.

THEY'RE ELDERLY, UNABLE TO GET OUT, AND THE ONLY FACE THEY SEE AND THE ONLY FULL MEAL THEY GET IS MEALS ON WHEELS AND I THINK THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE CAN SUBSIDIZE THAT TO GET AT LEAST ANOTHER DAY PER WEEK OUT TO THESE PEOPLE WOULD REALLY BE IMPORTANT.

WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SENIORS ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT A DOUBT.

I THINK THE NEXT THING IS FIND FOOD BANK.

AGAIN, I'M LOOKING AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR WORLD CURRENTLY, AND AS ALL OF THIS UNFOLDS, AS PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, THE FOOD INSECURITY IS HUGE, AND I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO DOUBLE THE MONEY THAT WE GIVE TO FIND FOOD BANK.

THERE IS JUST NOT ENOUGH TO GO AROUND, AND THEY ARE AN INCREDIBLE AND EXCELLENT ORGANIZATION THAT CAN HELP DISBURSE NUTRITION.

CERTAINLY, RESCUE MISSION TERRIFIC.

I WOULD EVEN ENTERTAIN MARTHA'S VILLAGE.

BUT REALLY TO ME, THE SIGNIFICANT FUNDING NEEDS TO GO IN THAT CATEGORY TO FIND FOOD BANK, MEALS ON WHEELS, BE ABLE TO THE INLAND FAIR HOUSING OR THE ORGANIZATION THAT CAN BE A RESOURCE THAT CAN CONNECT PEOPLE TO FUNDING LIKE UNITED WAY, ETC., AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE MAY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT WOULD BE MY SELECTION AND MY FOCUS FOR THE CURRENT TIME.

>> THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE?

>> YES. I THINK MORE OF A COMMENT.

EVERYBODY KNOWS I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR SMALL BUSINESS, UNFORTUNATELY AT THIS POINT, UNLESS WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO ACHIEVE THE RESULTS THAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE.

I MEAN, IF WE WERE GOING TO DO A SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM TO TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THAT'S A $4-$5 MILLION NUMBER.

YOU'RE SPREADING IT ACROSS A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY RESTAURANTS, A MONTH'S RENT OR A MONTH'S SOMETHING JUST IS NOT GOING TO AID OR ASSIST IN THE OVERALL PICTURE.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE MAGNITUDE OF FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT THIS POINT.

IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SAY THAT AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE REALITY AT THIS POINT.

>> THANK YOU. MYSELF, I WANT TO PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT YOU SAID ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS, ESPECIALLY THE MEALS ON WHEELS AND FIND FOOD BANK AND EVEN THE RESCUE MISSION IS WHAT THEY'RE GIVING OUT.

THOSE ARE SUCH STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

FIND FOOD BANK IS OUT DELIVERING IS UP 30 PERCENT.

I THINK WE NEED TO AT LEAST DOUBLE THAT IF NOT MORE.

THE MEALS ON WHEELS, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM TO OUR SENIORS.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT $50,000 GOES IN THERE, THAT IT COMES BACK TO INDIO, THAT IT'S OUR RESIDENTS OUT HERE.

OUR SENIORS FROM OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF 55 AND OLDER COMMUNITIES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME SENIORS.

ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP.

I'M ABSOLUTELY IN ON IT, AND THEN THE FOUR ITEMS THAT WE'VE ALREADY HAD.

PRE-DONE ADMINISTRATION, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO DO BUT THE FAIR HOUSING, THE DR. CARREON PARK, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM EXPANDING THE MONEY ON THE SENIOR- TEEN CENTER.

I THINK WE DO NEED TO INVEST IN OUR YOUTH AND OUR SENIORS.

I THINK IT'S JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WHEN WE OPEN UP TO BE ABLE TO BE READY FOR THEM A LITTLE BIT MORE.

THEN I GO ON A LITTLE BIT BACK THE OTHER WAY ON THE, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP, BUT GOING BACK ON THE SMALL BUSINESS LOANS, ONE THING I DO THINK WE NEED TO DO, AND I THINK I'VE MENTIONED IT TO A FEW PEOPLE OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS IS THE COUNTY RIVERSIDE GOT $436 MILLION, AND THAT IS TO BE FOR COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS MITIGATIONS.

NOT FOR JUST FOR THEM, BUT FOR ALL OF US.

THEY'RE ADMINISTRATING A SMALL LOAN PROGRAM.

I THINK THAT WE NEED TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, ASKING THEM FOR A MINIMUM OF $10 MILLION OF THAT OR OUR PORTION OF IT, WHATEVER IT COMES OUT TO BE, TO BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER TO OUR BUSINESSES INTO ANY RESIDENTIAL SUPPORT THAT WE NEED.

SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM PUTTING A MILLION DOLLARS INTO THIS AND PUTTING WHATEVER OTHER MONEY WE HAVE SET ASIDE TO A PROGRAM OR RESTAURANTS ARE GOING TO COME UP.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND GET SOME INPUT FROM JOSH.

I KNOW WE HAVE 100 RESTAURANTS, 99 I THINK OSCAR HAS SAID.

SO I MEAN, EVEN IF WE PUT AN $800,000, THAT'S $8,000.

I MEAN, YEAH, IT'S GOING TO MAKE THINGS GOOD IN TERMS OF HELPING THEM A LITTLE BIT.

[01:10:01]

BUT IS IT GOING TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE? WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE 20- $30,000 GRANTS, NOT LOANS, GRANTS IN MY OPINION, AND WE NEED TO GET THAT MONEY.

THAT IS RIGHTFULLY, I BELIEVE, OURS IN THE CITY OF INDIO FROM THE COUNTY RIVERSIDE FIRST AND PUT THAT INTO A FUND THAT COULD BE ADMINISTERED BY OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND ALSO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, AND GET THAT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.

SO THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION.

LOU, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET A LETTER OUT.

IF YOU GUYS SUPPORT ME, MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN WRITE THAT UP AND SAY, WE'D LIKE TO ADMINISTER OUR OWN LOAN PROGRAM.

THANK YOU FOR THE HELP, BUT WE FEEL WE CAN GET IT OUT QUICKER TO THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MONEY, THAT MAKES SURE IT'S PUT IN THE RIGHT PROPER PLACES AND WE'LL GIVE THE ACCOUNTING FOR THAT.

I'M IN THE CONCURRENCE ON THIS TO PUT THE REST OF THE MONEY EXCEPT FOR ABOUT 200,000 OF IT, INTO SMALL BUSINESS LOANS.

BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DISCUSS. CITY MANAGER?

>> LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I STARTED PUTTING SOME NUMBERS UP HERE, AND YOU CAN CHANGE THE NUMBERS.

I'M JUST LISTENING TO EVERYBODY AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE THE REALLY BIG STUFF, THE BIG CHUNKS TO LAST, BECAUSE I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT'S LEFT IF WE DO SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.

IF WE DID CVRM AND IF SOMEBODY SHOUT IT OUT, IF YOU WANT A DIFFERENT NUMBER, BUT IF WE DID CVRM INSTEAD OF 42, IF YOU DID 100 AND MAYBE THAT'D BE MORE THAN THAT.

BUT LET'S SAY WE DID 100 AND FIND INSTEAD OF 19, IF WE DID 50.

IN MEALS ON WHEELS, WE HAVE UP HERE FOR 50 UNLESS YOU WANT TO GO BEYOND THAT.

HOME REPAIRS.

LAST YEAR, THE BUDGET WAS 200.

IF WE ROLL THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP, WE HAD 32.

SO IF YOU TAKE ALL OF THAT.

>> 432.

>> IS THAT ALL OF THIS? I THOUGHT I HAD A BIGGER NUMBER.

I KNOW, I ALSO WAS PUTTING ANOTHER 75 FOR THE SENIOR AND TEEN CENTER.

[BACKGROUND] YEAH.

SO I DIDN'T PUT THAT UP HERE.

SO WHAT'S THAT COME TO?

>> 507.

>> YEAH. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS LEFT FOR BIG ITEMS. NOW, A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU CAN DO.

YOU CAN PUT MORE MONEY INTO SOME OF THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY UP HERE.

OR WE HAVE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE COULD SPEND ON STREET LIGHT PROGRAMS, ENHANCING LEGAL AID OR HOUSING SERVICES.

PARDON ME? [BACKGROUND] YEAH.

WE CAN PUT MONEY IN RESIDENTIAL RANK, SMALL BUSINESS LOANS.

I THINK WE GOT THE OTHERS COVERED.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE COUNCIL'S INSTINCTS ON WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE.

>> COUNCIL, ANYBODY WANT TO JUMP IN?

>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE ONE COMMENT IF I MAY.

JUST ONE THOUGHT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP, AS AS PEOPLE THEIR PRIORITY SHIFT WHEN THEIR WORK HOURS ARE CUT DOWN, REDUCE TO NON-EXISTENT.

I THINK WE MAY NEED TO ADD A FEW MORE DOLLARS TO NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP AND I'M JUST, MAYBE IT'S JUST $50,000, BUT I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES.

THAT IT'S AN INITIAL THOUGHT OF MINE AND THAT'S THE END OF MY INITIAL THOUGHT.

>> MAYBE GO TO 75,000.

>> YEAH. THERE'S THERE'S ANOTHER OPTION ON SOME OF THESE THINGS TOO, AND THAT'S TO ACTUALLY PUT SOME LOCAL PEOPLE TO WORK DOING SOME OF THAT WORK.

>> AMEN.

>> THAT'S ANOTHER ALLOWABLE EXPENDITURE.

HEAVEN KNOWS WE GOT SOME STUFF THAT COULD BE MADE TO LOOK BETTER.

>> IS THAT IT, MAYOR PRO TEM?

>> YES, THAT'S IT, THANK YOU.

>> MR FERMON, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO PUT IN?

>> NOT RIGHT NOW. IT'S JUST WE CAN'T SEE THE ADJUSTMENTS HE'S MAKING ON THE BOARD SO IT'S HARD.

>> I'M SORRY, HE UPPED THE TEEN AND SENIOR CENTER IS STAYING THE SAME AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP WENT TO 75 SO IT'S 550,000, ACTUALLY.

>> CAN WE SHOW THE SCREEN?

>> YEAH, SHOW THE SCREEN. DON'T WORRY ABOUT US.

>> CAN YOU SEE THAT NOW? NO?

>> I HAVE THE SCREEN HERE, THAT'S WHY I APOLOGIZE.

>> BUT THAT'LL BE GOOD FOR ONE TIME.

[01:15:04]

>> SO THERE'S NO WAY FOR THE ZOOM PEOPLE TO WATCH THIS UNLESS THEY'RE STREAMING THE MEETING?

>> I'M WATCHING ROXANNE TAKE THE PICTURE AND SEND IT SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU TURNED THE SCREEN TO FACE ROB AND SABDI IF WE COULD SEE IT.

JUST A RANDOM THOUGHT.

BECAUSE I GUESS IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S WHERE THERE'S A CAMERA, BECAUSE I CAN SEE THE WHOLE DESK AREA THERE.

SEE? NOW WE ALL JUST NEED A MAGNIFYING GLASS BUT AT LEAST WE CAN SEE IT.

[LAUGHTER]

>> I'M SO GLAD THIS IS WORKING SO WELL.

>> PULL IT CLOSER.

>> I JUST SENT THE SCREENSHOT TO ALL OF YOU, OFFLINE COPY, SO HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE IT. [OVERLAPPING]

>> IS THAT BETTER?

>> GOSH.

>> NO. [LAUGHTER]

>> GO BACK. [OVERLAPPING] NOW THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN'T SEE IT'S ME.

>> CHECK YOUR EMAILS AS WELL AND HOPEFULLY THAT SCREENSHOT CAME THROUGH.

>> SO MUCH FOR MY WHITEBOARD.

>> SO WITH THAT, IF WE WERE TO TAKE IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM IT WOULD BE 550,000 AWAY FROM THE 1.497 MILLION.

SO WE'D HAVE A LITTLE OVER 947,000.

SO IT JUST DEPENDS.

THERE ISN'T A PROGRAM THAT WE COULDN'T PUT THIS MONEY IN THAT WOULDN'T BENEFIT FROM IT, THAT WOULDN'T BE GOOD.

SO IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE GOT TO LOOK AT AND REALIZE, IS IT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE'RE DOING BASED ON THE DOLLAR AMOUNT? WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE GREATEST GOOD OF THIS? WE GOT THE ONE-TIME MONEY, THE $500,000, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UTILIZE IT BUT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET SOME INPUT FROM US SO WHATEVER YOU GUYS THINK WE NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME GUIDANCE, AT LEAST GET IT BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER SO WE CAN PUT SOME NUMBERS TO PAPER.

>> MR ORTIZ, YOU WANT SAY SOMETHING?

>> YEAH, SO I WOULD MAYBE LIKE TO SEE IT SPLIT SOMEHOW.

I'M WONDERING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IF WE HAVE 99 RESTAURANT LICENSES IN INDIO, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE FAMILY OWNED? THEN HOW MANY ARE UNDER, LET'S SAY, SOME KIND OF THRESHOLD LIKE A $1 MILLION REVENUE THRESHOLD OR A $2 MILLION REVENUE THRESHOLD? WHERE WE CAN HELP THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED IT THE MOST.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT THAT THOUGH THAT'S MY FIRST SUGGESTION.

SECONDLY, WHATEVER WE DON'T USE FOR THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT GO TO THE UNITED WAY FUND INTO THE MORTGAGE AND RENT RELIEF AND THAT WAY WE'RE HELPING BOTH.

THE BUSINESSES THAT NEED IT MOST RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE CLOSED DOWN THE LONGEST, IT'S GOING TO BE THE RESTAURANTS, AND ALSO REQUIRE, KIND OF LIKE THE FEDERAL LOANS, MAYBE WE COULD REQUIRE IT BE USED FOR PAYROLL, OR FOR RENT IN ORDER TO BE FORGIVABLE AND THE REST I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT USED FOR THE UNITED WAY FUND FOR THE RENT AND MORTGAGE RELIEF.

>> YET UNITED WAY IS THE FUNDING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SOURCE TO GIVE THEM THAT, I THINK IT'S WHAT? $300 OR $500, ISN'T IT?

>> FIVE HUNDRED.

>> YEAH, I REMEMBER IT WAS A AMOUNT. MISS AMITH? [NOISE]

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CITY MANAGER PUT BACK THE STREET LIGHT REPLACEMENT, THE 640.

THAT ONLY LEAVES ABOUT, WHAT, THREE HUNDRED?

>> THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED, ABOUT THREE SOMETHING.

>> RIGHT. THE THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED, I STILL FEEL STRONGLY THAT NEEDS TO GO TO LEGAL AID, AND IT'S NOT ONLY HOUSING COUNSELING BUT IT'S RENTERS' COUNSELING BECAUSE IT'S BOTH FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL.

I DON'T AGREE WITH PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS AND PROVIDING SUBSIDIES FOR ONLY ONE SECTOR OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

RESTAURANTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST ONES TO REOPEN, THE LAST ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE REOPENED ARE NAIL SHOPS AND BEAUTY SHOPS.

IT IS UNFAIR FOR US TO PICK ONE SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE THE WINNER OF A GRANT PROGRAM.

SO I'D RATHER FUNNEL ANY REMAINING FUNDS TO WHAT I WOULD CALL A RENTER'S COUNSELING TO HELP ANY TENANT THAT IS FACING EITHER EVICTION OR NEEDS LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN MEDIATING BETWEEN A LANDLORD TENANT, TO RENEGOTIATE ANY PAST DUE RENTS, OR GETTING BACK ON TRACK WITH THEIR LEASE AGREEMENTS WITH THEIR LANDLORDS.

>> SO WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT PUTTING ANYTHING TOWARDS UNITED WAY OR NO?

>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I WANT LEGAL AID FOR TENANT COUNSELING.

>> YEAH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ON THE FUNDING FOR THE BUSINESS WINNER OR LOSERS, BUT IF WE OPEN UP THE NAIL SALONS, IF WE JUST OPENED THEM UP, THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES,

[01:20:01]

THEM AND THE HAIR-CUTTING INDIVIDUALS.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GO INTO. [OVERLAPPING]

>> NO, THEY HAVE BACK RENT, AND BACK UTILITIES, AND BACK PAYROLL, THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT RESTAURANT HAS.

SO YOU CAN'T SAY THAT BEAUTY SALONS AND NAIL SALONS ARE NOT AT AN ADVANTAGE OVER RESTAURANTS, THEY'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT. [OVERLAPPING]

>> THEY'RE NOT AT A DISADVANTAGE.

>> I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE PICKING WINNERS OR LOSERS.

>> BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM AND A RESTAURANT IS THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO SIT IN A RESTAURANT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

CHAIRS ARE MOVED OUT, THEY CAN MOVE THINGS AROUND BACK AND FORTH [OVERLAPPING].

>> SAME THING IN NAIL SHOPS IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SIX-FOOT DISTANCING. [OVERLAPPING]

>> I'M TALKING ABOUT NAIL SHOPS.

>> BEAUTY SALONS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SIX-FOOT DISTANCE, IT'S THE SAME THING, IT'S THE SAME PROFIT MARGIN. [OVERLAPPING]

>> IT'S GOT TO BE ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION.

OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MAYHEM IF WE SAY, "OKAY, YOU'RE A RESTAURANT, YOU GET DOLLARS, YOU ARE WHATEVER BUT YOU DON'T GET DOLLARS," THAT'S MY CONCERN.

>> I ALSO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER AMITH BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE DYNAMIC OF IT RIGHT NOW, SOME OF OUR RESTAURANTS HAVE CURBSIDE AND DELIVERY SO THEY'RE GENERATING A LITTLE BIT BUT EVERYONE HAS BACK RENT, EVERYONE HAS UTILITIES THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY, SO IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR ACROSS THE BOARD IF WE PICK AND CHOOSE WINNERS WITH THAT.

SO I'M ALL AGREEING WITH PROVIDING SOME FIRST FUNDS TOWARD THE LEGAL AID FOR OUR BUSINESSES AND EVEN WITH THE RESTAURANT.

RESTAURANTS ARE ACTUALLY HARDER BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE PAYROLL, THEY STILL HAVE THEIR PRODUCT THAT THEY HAVE TO SELL, PRODUCT THAT THEY LOST THAT THEY ALREADY SPENT FUNDS ON SO IT'S HARD TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO A WINNER WOULD BE IN THIS SITUATION.

SO I MIGHT SUPPORT GOING WITH THE LEGAL AID ROUTE MYSELF.

>> I'M NOT PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS, ALL I'M TELLING YOU IS FROM TALKING TO THE BARBER SHOPS AND THE NAIL SALONS THAT YES, THEY DO HAVE OVERHEAD, BUT NOT AS THE SAME THING AS A RESTAURANT WHO HAS TO HAVE ALL THEIR ELECTRICITY ON, THEIR STOVES, THEIR OVENS.

THEY'RE USED TO HAVING 40, 50, 60 TABLES TURNED AND THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING GOING OUT.

I AGREE WITH THE NAIL SALONS, BUT ALL THEY'VE ASKED ME IS IF THEY CAN JUST OPEN AND THEY WILL DO IT.

THEY JUST WANT TO PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK SO THEY'RE GETTING THEIR TIPS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

YES, YOU'LL HAVE TO SPREAD OUT.

>> I AGREE WITH YOU, MR MAYOR.

I JUST HAD A BEAUTICIAN CONTACT ME.

SHE HAS A BUSINESS RIGHT ON 111 HERE IN INDIO, AND SHE'S ASKING TO OPEN IT AND WE'RE UNDER AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND OUR HANDS ARE TIED AND I UNDERSTAND THE TROUBLES THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE THERE SOON IN A SAFE WAY, AND SO IT'S JUST HARD AND IT'S A HARD DECISION TO MAKE.

>> ALSO TOO, AND I KNOW THIS SO WELL, WE'RE GOING INTO SUMMER.

MY GOODNESS, OF ALL TIMES FOR THIS PANDEMIC TO HIT, IT COULDN'T WAIT TILL JUNE, IT HAD TO HIT IN APRIL AND MAY.

SO EVERY SINGLE BUSINESS, I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE SELLING, A NAIL SALON, A RESTAURANT, CLOTHING STORE, WHATEVER IT IS, IS GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THE SUMMER.

IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG, HARD ROAD.

IF I MAY, COUNCIL MEMBER AMITH, HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE STREET LIGHT REPLACEMENT FOCUS BECAUSE THAT WAS DOWN ON MY LIST BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN WITH THE EXISTING STREET LIGHTS, WHICH AREN'T GREAT, FOR A LONG TIME, AND I'M THINKING, THERE'S OTHER PLACES TO PUT $600, BUT YOU'RE VERY ADAMANT.

HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT.

>> CDBG FUNDS ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR SPECIFIC AREAS OF OUR CITY.

WE NEED TO FOCUS THE MAJORITY OF THOSE FUNDS ON THOSE AREAS THAT QUALIFY FOR CDBG FUNDS, AND THAT IS WHAT THIS STREET LIGHT PROGRAM IS.

IT FOCUSES ON THOSE QUALIFYING AREAS.

NOW, I DON'T WANT TO JEOPARDIZE OUR CDBG FUNDS, BUT NOT FOCUSING A MAJORITY OF THOSE REVENUES INTO THOSE AREAS THAT QUALIFIED US TO BE AN INDEPENDENT RECIPIENT OF THE CDBG FUNDS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> THEY HAVE TO GO IN ELIGIBLE NEIGHBORHOODS

>> NO, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO [OVERLAPPING] BUT THAT'S THE WHOLE PREMISE [OVERLAPPING] BEHIND CDBG.

>> IT DOES HAVE TO BE IN A QUALIFYING NEIGHBORHOOD.

[NOISE] STREET LIGHTS WOULD.

>> GO AHEAD, OSCAR.

>> ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK RESTAURANTS ARE GOING TO TAKE LONGER IS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T WEAR A MASK WHILE YOU'RE EATING.

SO I DO THINK WE CAN HELP THE BARBERSHOPS AND NAIL SALONS BY OPENING FASTER BECAUSE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO OPEN WITH SAFER GUIDELINES.

ONE OF THE BARBERSHOPS WAS SENDING ME SOME SUGGESTIONS, SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S COMING IN TO CUT THEIR HAIR, YOU HAVE THE NEXT PERSON WAITING IN THE CAR AND THEN YOU WAIT UNTIL THEY LEAVE, YOU CLEAN, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE NEXT PERSON COME IN.

THAT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO DO WITH RESTAURANTS SO I THINK THE WAY TO HELP RESTAURANTS IS WITH A GRANT,

[01:25:03]

AND THE WAY TO HELP THE BEAUTY SALONS AND BARBER SHOPS IS BY FINDING SOME GUIDELINES FOR THEM TO REOPEN SOONER.

FOR THE LEGAL AID, I JUST THINK I WOULD PRIORITIZE THE ACTUAL RENT PAYMENT THAN THE LEGAL AID FOR THE RENTALS.

>> WE HAVE TO TAKE UNDER CONSIDERATION ALSO WITH OUR BARBER SERVICES AND SALONS.

THAT'S NOT COMING FROM OUR CITY, THAT'S COMING FROM AN EXECUTIVE ORDER.

SO WE HAVE NO SAY AS WHEN THEY OPEN.

NOW, MY VIEW, WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOR ALL OF OUR RESTAURANTS AND OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, SALONS, NAIL PARLORS TO BE PROACTIVE AND TAKE THOSE MEASURES THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED WHEN THE TIME COMES WHEN WE DO OPEN; HAND SANITIZER STATIONS, MANDATORY CLEANING LOGS, DIFFERENT PROCEDURE SO YOU CAN TRAIN YOUR STAFF ON HOW TO CLEAN, WHEN TO CLEAN, AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO DOCUMENTED.

BE PROACTIVE SO WHEN THE TIME COMES, YOU ARE READY TO OPEN BECAUSE AS WE SPEAK IN OUR MEETING I'M GETTING BUSINESS OWNERS CONTACTING ME NOW, WANTING TO OPEN AND UNDER CERTAIN GUIDELINES AND CAVEATS, I THINK AS SOON WE WILL BE OPENING.

BUT I THINK THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED AND IT'S HARD TO PROVIDE THE [NOISE] FUNDING FOR A SPECIFIC PART OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SO TO SPEAK. [NOISE]

>> SO WE'VE GOT THAT AND I CONCUR THAT THE COUNTY IS THE ONE THAT'S BEEN FUNNELING THE RULES COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE UNLESS THEY PULL THEM BACK AND THEY FALL UNDER STATE RULES, THEN IT WILL COMPLETELY GO UNDER THE STATE RULES.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM NOT MOVING THAT.

SO TO DO THE HOUSING AID, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS TO CONTINUE WITH UNITED WAY, OR ARE YOU TALKING AID STRAIGHT UP WITH THE FAIR HOUSING AND THE LEGAL AID, OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ACTUALLY GIVING UNITED WAY OR OTHER STUFF INFORMATION AND MONEY? [NOISE] MR. FERMON.

>> I'M TALKING ABOUT THE LEGAL AID NOW.

AS FAR AS UNITED WAY, THAT'S PART OF OUR GRANT FUNDING MONEY, [NOISE] THE 500,000.

WE CAN GO THAT ROUTE BECAUSE THAT MONEY HAS TO BE SPENT ON COVID-19 ISSUES AND WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE NOW.

SO THAT WOULD BE HIGHEST THAT WE COULD USED TO [NOISE] SPEND THOSE FUNDS.

>> SO WOULD YOU BE IN FAVOR THAT?

>> YES.

>> MS. HOLMES, ANY FINAL WORDS? IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SUPPORT TO DO A LOAN PROGRAM THAT WILL PROBABLY LOOK AT THEY'RE GOING AFTER THE COUNTY FOR THE MONEY THEY HAD THERE.

WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE REST OF THE FUNDING?

>> I AGREE. WE GOT TO GET SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES FROM THE COUNTY.

AT THIS JUNCTURE, I SUPPORT THE LEGAL AID ROUTE RATHER THAN DIRECTLY FUNDING UNITED WAY AT THIS POINT.

I REALLY THINK THE LEGAL AID, AND I'VE SAID THAT FROM THE BEGINNING, HELPING PEOPLE, THE RESOURCES ARE KEY AND IMPORTANT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE STREETLIGHT PROJECT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER AMITH BROUGHT UP?

>> I'D HAVE TO DEFER TO THOSE THAT HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE.

I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT WANT TO LOSE OUR FUNDING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T APPLY OUR FUNDING TO THE RIGHT AREA.

SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN OKAY, I GUESS WE DO THE STREETLIGHT PROGRAM.

IF IT'S NOT AN ISSUE [OVERLAPPING].

>> WE HAVE MONEY.

>> GOT YOU, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE POINTING TO MARK.

THE STREETLIGHT IS PART OF THAT ORIGINAL FISCAL YEAR ENTITLEMENT, GREAT.

I'M HAPPY.

THAT WOULD BE TERRIFIC.

>> OKAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. MR. ORTIZ ANY FINAL WORDS? WE'LL LET THE CITY MANAGER AND MR. SNYDER SAY A FEW THINGS, TRY AND CORRELATE ALL THIS DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE IN DIFFERENT MODES IN WHERE WE'RE ALL GOING.

WE'VE GOT THE SAME IDEA, BUT NOT THE SAME FUNDING SOURCES.

>> YEAH. I THINK IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THE ROUTE OF THE SMALL BUSINESS LOANS THEN I WOULD GO FOR THE UNITED WAY FUNDING.

>> ANY LAST WORDS MS. AMITH? ARE YOU PRETTY MUCH SET ON WHAT YOU WANTED?

>> I THINK I'VE MADE MY COMMENTS CLEAR.

CITY MANAGER KNOWS WHERE I STAND.

>> YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS.

BECAUSE WE ARE COMPLETELY ALL OVER THE BOARD.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, YOU ALL DIDN'T GIVE ME VERY CLEAR DIRECTION.

[NOISE] I MEAN, THAT'S OKAY.

THAT'S WHY IT'S A DEMOCRACY.

[01:30:04]

WE HAVE TO WORK OUT WHAT THE PROGRAMS ARE ON THESE THINGS.

I SAID, LEGAL AID OR HOUSING COUNSELING.

I THINK WE WOULD NEED TO GO OUT AND FIND OUT IF INLAND FAIR HOUSING IS IN A POSITION TO DO IT.

I THINK THEY WOULD BE.

THAT IS AN OPTION.

WE ALSO MAY HEAR FROM SOME OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN IT, AND I THINK WE OUGHT TO BRING THOSE TO THE COUNCIL AND TALK ABOUT THEM.

AS FAR AS STREETLIGHTS ARE CONCERNED, IF YOU REALLY GO BACK TO CDBG ROOTS, IT'S DOING PROJECTS LIKE THAT THAT ARE REALLY AT THE HEART OF CDBG.

IT'S JUST THIS IS A DIFFERENT YEAR AND WHETHER THAT'S A PRIORITY, I DON'T KNOW BUT IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.

IT'S A GREAT PROJECT AND IF WE DON'T DO IT THIS YEAR, THE MONEY IN THIS 870,000 WE CAN CARRY OVER UNTIL LATER THIS YEAR.

WE CAN CARRY IT OVER INTO NEXT YEAR.

WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND IT.

THE 512, I THINK WE DO HAVE SOME NEED TO EXPEND THAT FAIRLY SOON.

WE'LL START SPENDING THAT ON SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS WITH THE OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES SO THAT WE HAVE THAT TAKEN CARE OF.

WE'LL TALK TO UNITED WAY ABOUT WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE IN JOINING THEIR PROGRAM.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY IN SYNC WITH THE CDBG REQUIREMENTS IN SPENDING MONEY ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROGRAM THAT ALREADY EXISTS.

BUT THE CONCEPT SOUNDS GREAT.

BEING ABLE TO PLUG INTO SOMETHING WHERE THERE'S ALREADY ADMINISTRATION SOUNDS GREAT.

SO WE WILL LOOK INTO THAT IMMEDIATELY AND WE CAN REPORT BACK TO THE COUNCIL ON ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.

I THINK TIME-WISE THAT WORKS OKAY FOR US.

>> CORRECT. JUST TO ADD THAT WE HAVE SOME PROCESS STEPS ONCE THE COUNCIL GETS FINAL DIRECTIVE, WE DO HAVE TO GO THROUGH WE HAVE TO HOLD ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ACTION HAS TO BE TAKEN BY COUNCIL FOLLOWING THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GO TO HUD AND JUST PART OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

THEY STIL HAVE TO TO SIGN OFF ON OUR PROGRAMS, AND I BET THEY'RE WILLING TO EXPEDITE THAT, WE UNDERSTAND.

SO HOPEFULLY, ONCE WE GET THE DIRECTION, WE CAN START MOVING THE FUNDS OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL ALSO BE HOPING TO HEAR SOMETHING FROM THE COUNTY AT SOME POINT ABOUT ALL THAT FUNDING THAT THEY'RE HOLDING.

SO IF THAT'S OKAY, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE END UP ON THIS.

>> YEAH, I'M FINE WITH IT.

IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO HELP WITH RELIEF WITH THE CORONAVIRUS AND THAT IS MUCH OTHER THAN THE LEGAL AID AND THE HOUSING, I WOULD PREFER TO INVEST BACK IN OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STREETS, AND OUR OVERALL CDBG GOALS THAT WE HAD BEFORE.

SO I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CLEAN UP, TEEN CENTER, NEIGHBORHOOD, THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

MAYBE NOT IN A COVID-19 OR CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC PART OF IT, BUT A LOT OF THIS OTHER STUFF WILL HAVE LONG TERM BENEFITS TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THEN THE SHORT-TERM STUFF LIKE FIND FOOD BANK AND THE OTHER NON-PROFITS WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITY IN THE SHORT RUN.

SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD, WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN.

SO I'M GOOD WITH THE STREETLIGHTS IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO INVEST IT IN ANY OTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COVID-19, WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET FOR THE COUNTY THEN LET'S STAY WITH THE GOAL THAT WE HAVE.

SO ANY FINAL WORDS?

>> I JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO ANYBODY AT HOME THAT WAS TRYING TO FOLLOW THIS ON STREAM, [LAUGHTER] IT MUST HAVE BEEN A MESS.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

>> MR. MAYOR JUST BEFORE WE CONCLUDE, I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THERE IS ALSO A BILL BEING INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS NOW FOR FUNDS COMING DIRECTLY TO CITIES.

SO HOPEFULLY, WE SEE SOME OF THAT SOON ALSO.

>> YEAH. I KNOW THAT CONGRESS IS LOOKING AT ANOTHER STIMULUS BILL AND THIS TIME TO ADD INTO CITIES TO IT AND THE COUNTIES IN A LITTLE MORE DIRECTION.

SO I IMAGINE YOU PRETTY MUCH GOT WHAT YOU NEED AND THINKING ABOUT?

>> I THINK I GOT WHAT I'M GOING TO GET.

>> THAT'S GOOD. SO WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE THINGS.

IF YOU DON'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE FROM US WHERE WE'LL BE FINE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE.

SO WE'LL WAIT TO A TIME COMING BACK IN THE FUTURE.

SO WE GOT OUR RECOMMENDATION. [OVERLAPPING].

>> VERY SOON.

>> THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THAT.

[a. Public hearing for the acceptance of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Account ("SLESA") funds in the amount of $135,498 and approval of the expenditure plan, with budget adjustments (Michael Washburn, Chief of Police) Recommendation: Approve]

THE ITEM NOW AS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020 SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES ACCOUNT, SLESA FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $135,498 AND APPROVAL OF EXPENDITURE PLAN WITH BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS.

CHIEF WASHBURN, YOU'VE HAD THIS FLOOR, SIR.

>> WELL, GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.

THIS IS A ROUTINE ITEM THAT REQUIRES A PUBLIC HEARING TO ACCEPT THE SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES ACCOUNT FUNDS FROM THE COUNTY IN THE AMOUNT OF A $135,498.

WE HAVE OUTLINED, WE WANT TO SPEND THAT ON AND SPECIFICALLY,

[01:35:08]

WE'RE LOOKING AT SETTING $67,000 FOR MDC RETROFIT PROJECT, ANOTHER 25,000 FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SUPERVISORS, AND ANOTHER 15,000 FOR POLICE RADIO SUPPLIES.

SO WITH THAT, WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER APPROVING AND DIRECT THE FINANCE DIRECTOR TO ADJUST APPROPRIATIONS ACCORDINGLY.

>> SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU CHIEF.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO CHIEF BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING? WELL, THE PUBLIC HEARING.

CITY CLERK, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WOULD WANT TO COMMENT ON IT?

>> NO COMMENTS.

>> WE HAVE NO COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE? SO WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OF IT.

WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL? ANYBODY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION OR ANY DISCUSSION?

>> I RECOMMEND A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE FISCAL YEAR 2019-2020 SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES ACCOUNT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT 135,498 APPROVED EXPENDITURE PLAN ATTACHED TO THE STACK REPORT ATTACHMENT A, AND APPROVE THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO ADJUST APPROPRIATIONS AS REFLECTED IN THE FINANCIAL SECTION OF THE STACK REPORT.

>> I'LL SECOND THAT.

>> FIRST BY COUNCILMAN FERMON, SECONDED BY MAYOR PRO TEM HOLMES.

CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL PLEASE?

>> COUNCIL MEMBER RAMOS AMITH.

>> I.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER FERMON.

>> I.

>> COUNCIL MEMBER ORTIZ.

>> I.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM HOLMES.

>> I.

>> MAYOR MILLER.

>> I.

>> THAT'S THE ANNOUNCEMENT 5-0.

THANK YOU CHIEF FOR BRINGING THAT.

LET ERICA KNOW THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO GET US THESE GRANTS.

WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR CITY MANAGER REPORT.

[7. CITY MANAGER REPORTS AND INFORMATION]

THERE'S A FEW ITEMS HE'D LIKE TO DO.

MR. SCOTT.

>> THANK YOU. I HAVE NO WHITEBOARD PRESENTATION. THANK GOODNESS.

THE FIRST ITEM UNDER CITY MANAGERS REPORT RELATES TO THE ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN OF INTEREST IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING ABOUT EVICTION POLICIES.

I WROTE A REPORT FOR THE STAFF FOR THE AGENDA PACKET THAT RELATED TO THIS, AND IT WAS MY BEST EFFORT AT RESPONDING TO COUNSEL DIRECTION FROM THE LAST MEETING THAT WASN'T TREMENDOUSLY CLEAR.

ON WHAT THE COUNCIL WAS ASKING ME TO BRING BACK, CLEARLY THE COUNCIL HAD DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ON WHERE WE ARE TO GO NEXT ON THE ISSUE OF CITY SPECIFIC EVICTION POLICY.

SO WHAT I'VE PREPARED, THE COUNCIL DID ASK ME FOR OPTIONS, DID ASK ME FOR A RANGE OF OPTIONS THAT A CITY COUNCIL MIGHT TAKE AS IT RELATES TO THIS ISSUE.

I'LL SAY THAT WHILE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RENT LEASE AGREEMENT ISSUES INVOLVED, THE ONE THAT HAD GOTTEN THE MOST DISCUSSION, AND I THINK AROUND THE STATE HAS HAD THE MOST DISCUSSION RELATES TO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN RENT BECOMES DUE.

IN OTHER WORDS, RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO EVICTIONS LEGALLY GOING ON IN CALIFORNIA.

THERE MAY BE SOME THAT ARE ILLEGALLY BEING ATTEMPTED, BUT THERE'S NO LEGAL EVICTIONS BEING ALLOWED RIGHT NOW IN CALIFORNIA.

WHEN THE GOVERNOR'S NO EVICTION POLICY ENDS ON MAY 31ST, THE JUDICIAL COUNSEL FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS INDICATED THAT THEY WILL NOT DEAL WITH THESE MATTERS UNTIL LATE IN THE SUMMER EARLY FALL.

IN FACT, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT TODAY THAT SUGGESTS IT'LL BE IN THE FALL BEFORE THEY WILL LET THOSE KINDS OF UNLAWFUL RETAINER KINDS OF ISSUES COME BEFORE THE COURTS.

SO THE ISSUE IS NOT THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE LEGALLY EVICTED ANYTIME SOON.

THEY ISSUE WAS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT DAY COMES?.

HOW DOES THE LANDLORD AND THE TENANT NAVIGATE THAT CIRCUMSTANCE WHEN THAT DAY COMES? IS IT POSSIBLE THAT AT THAT POINT, TENANTS ALL OVER THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WILL SUDDENLY FIND THEMSELVES BEING THROWN OUT BECAUSE THEY NOW HAVE A SIZABLE RENT THAT'S DUE AND THEY CAN'T PAY IT.

SO SOME CITIES HAVE ADOPTED POLICIES THAT SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW LANDLORDS TO COLLECT IT ON THAT BASIS, AND THEN THEY WOULD GIVE PEOPLE FROM TWO MONTHS TO

[01:40:01]

SIX MONTHS FOR REPAYMENT OF THE SUM DUE.

ALL SORTS OF QUESTIONS COME UP WITH THAT AS TO EXACTLY HOW THAT WOULD WORK.

BUT THE POLICIES THAT A FEW CITIES ADOPTED EARLY ON HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THAT WOULD BE A PROTECTION FOR RENTERS.

SO WHAT I TRIED TO DO WAS I TRIED TO LOOK AT THAT ISSUE AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS, ON ONE END OF THE CONTINUUM IS THE SUGGESTION THAT IS JUST NOT AN AREA WHERE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GO.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPAIRING CONTRACTS BETWEEN PRIVATE PARTIES.

NOT SOMETHING GOVERNMENT OFTEN DOES, AND CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING THAT GOVERNMENT DOES WITHOUT DUE PROCESS, WHATEVER THAT MEANS IN ANY GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCE.

SO THIS IS A DIFFERENT TIME FOR US, AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DONE IN RECENT YEARS.

SO THERE'S NO MASTER PLAN OR THERE'S NO GUIDEBOOK THAT TELLS ONE HOW TO DO IT.

SO ONE OF THE VIEWPOINTS HAS BEEN THE GOVERNMENT JUST SHOULDN'T BE IN THAT ARENA AT ALL.

THAT'S ON ONE END OF THE CONTINUUM, AND ESSENTIALLY, THAT WAS OPTION ONE IN MY REPORT.

OPTION TWO WAS NOT SO MUCH OF MIDDLE GROUND AS IT IS A SUGGESTION THAT IT'S NOT TIME YET TO MAKE THAT DECISION, GIVEN THAT RENDERS ARE NOT YET BEING LEGALLY EVICTED AND NOT LIKELY TO BE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE STATE WILL ENTER INTO THIS ARENA.

IT'S NOTEWORTHY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS NOT ENTERED INTO IT AT ALL AT THIS POINT.

THE LEGISLATURE HASN'T BEEN IN SESSION AND THERE'S ALREADY BEEN PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATION IN SOME QUARTERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT THERE WILL BE BILLS ON THE TABLE TO CONSIDER THIS.

I THINK ABSOLUTELY, IT'S A BETTER SITUATION FOR CITIES IF A POLICY LIKE THAT IS ADOPTED STATE-WIDE RATHER THAN CITY BY CITY IMPART BECAUSE THERE'S LITIGATION RISK THAT I DON'T CARE TO GO INTO IN A PUBLIC MEETING, BUT THAT'S A REALITY.

SO OPTION NUMBER 2 WAS TO WAIT UNTIL WE SEE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND DECIDE WHAT THE CITY'S BEST APPROACH IS ONCE WE HAVE BETTER INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

NOW THAT'S PREMISED ON THE IDEA THAT NO ONE'S AT REAL RISK OF EVICTION AT THIS POINT.

OPTION NUMBER 3 WAS PROPOSED BY SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS LAST TIME ABOUT ADOPTING A POLICY THAT WOULD PROVIDE A SIX MONTH PAYMENT PERIOD, REPAYMENT PERIOD TO RENTERS, AND THAT IT COULD BE COMMERCIAL AS WELL AS RESIDENTIAL, THAT WAS ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS.

THAT REMAINS AN OPTION TO THE CITY COUNCIL IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO FEEL THAT THERE WAS AN URGENCY THAT GOES BEYOND WAITING UNTIL SEPTEMBER TO FIND OUT WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE ACTUAL MARKET.

IN MY REPORT, I PROVIDED A LITTLE TWEAK TO THAT OPTION.

I SAID, THE LANDLORD COULD BE OFFERED AN OPTION WHERE THEY COULD EITHER JUST LIVE WITH THE SIX MONTH REPAYMENT PERIOD THAT'S ENFORCED UPON THEM OR THE LANDLORD COULD CHOOSE TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF AN OPTION THAT THE CITY COULD PROVIDE TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO SIT DOWN WITH THEIR TENANTS AND WORK OUT NEW AGREEMENTS.

BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY FACTORS THAT CAN CHANGE FROM ONE TENDENCY TO ANOTHER, THAT THERE'S NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL POLICY THAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR PEOPLE.

WE MAY SOLVE PEOPLE'S PROBLEM ABOUT WANTING TO HAVE A REPAYMENT PERIOD, BUT WE DON'T SOLVE A WHOLE CAST OF OTHER PROBLEMS THAT STILL EXIST.

SO I PUT THOSE OPTIONS OUT ON THE TABLE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY SECRET THAT MY PREFERENCE AT THIS POINT, MY RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IS TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE STATE LEVEL.

I THINK THAT'S SAFER.

I THINK IT'S SAFER FOR THE CITY, AND I THINK THE CITY'S FINANCIAL SITUATION COULD BE AFFECTED BY THAT TO THE POINT WHERE IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE SAFER FOR EVERYONE.

WE CAN USE OUR CITY FUNDING MORE EFFECTIVELY IF WE DON'T END UP SPENDING IT ON THINGS LIKE LITIGATION.

SO THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION AND I AM NOT GOING TO ARGUE IT BEYOND THAT POINT.

I'D JUST TURNED IT OVER TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND WHATEVER POLICY THE CITY COUNCIL CHOOSES, I CAN ASSURE YOU THE STAFF WILL PUT ITS HEART AND SOUL

[01:45:01]

INTO IMPLEMENTING IT AS THE COUNCIL DIRECTS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VERY DETAILED REPORT TO THE INFORMATION.

THAT WAS VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT AND BOTH MEASURES.

THANK YOU, OSCAR, FOR PUTTING IN SOME EXTRA GUIDELINES AND THINGS THAT YOU SAW THAT WERE IN PLACE.

SO WE'LL GO TO THE COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE] WE'LL START WITH YOU.

>> WELL, KNOWING THAT THE MORATORIUM IS IN PLACE UNTIL SEPTEMBER, AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORRYING ABOUT WHAT THEY DO AND WHERE THEY LIVE AFTER THAT.

BUT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MONTHS WHERE THEY ARE SAFE.

SO TO THAT END, I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT OPTION OR MY VOTE AS IT WERE MY DESIRE IS TO GO WITH OPTION TWO AND TO NOT PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING AT THIS MOMENT, BUT TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE STATE COMES BACK WITH IN TERMS OF HELPING THE RENTERS AND WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE GETS THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE BACK.

>> SO YOUR GOAL IS OPTION TWO, IF YOU HAD YOUR DRUTHERS WOULD BE THROUGH, WELL, LOOK WAIT UNTIL THE STATE COMES BACK, SO OKAY.

MR. [INAUDIBLE].

>> I THINK EVERYONE ALREADY HAS THEIR OPINION ON HOW WE SHOULD DO THIS, AND I APPRECIATE CITY MANAGERS DETAILED A REPORT THAT ACTUALLY OPENED MY EYES FOR SOME OTHER OPTIONS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

IT'S BEEN SAID ALREADY, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STATE'S GOING TO DO RIGHT NOW.

I'VE SAID BEFORE, I THINK THAT OUR ECONOMY IS OPENING FASTER THAN WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.

IS A GREAT MORATORIUM EXPIRES SEPTEMBER 1ST, WHICH IS COMING, MAY 31ST, I'M SORRY.

SO I WOULD BE IN OPTION THREE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER, SAY WE DO GO THAT ROUTE AND A WEEK OR TWO THE STATE DOES COME OUT WITH SOMETHING, WHERE WOULD WE BE IN LETTERS AS IF WE WERE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS FAR AS TO INCENTIVIZE SOME PROGRAM TO BRING THE PARTIES TOGETHER TO RENEGOTIATE THEIR CONTRACT.

WHERE WOULD WE BE IF THE STATE COMES UP NEXT WEEK WITH SOME MORE FORMER EXECUTIVE ORDER.

>> DID YOU SAY IF WE ADOPTED OPTION THREE AND THEN IT HAPPENED OR WHAT ARE YOU ASKING?

>> CORRECT.

>> FIRST OF ALL WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS THE STATE ADOPTED IN ORDER TO EXACTLY KNOW WHERE THAT LEFT US.

I THINK ONCE WE ENTER INTO THE ARENA WHERE WE'RE IMPAIRING CONTRACTS, WE'RE A DIFFERENT PLAYER THAN WE HAVE BEEN, AND I'M NOT GOING TO EXPLAIN THAT FURTHER IF THAT'S OKAY, BUT IT PUTS US IN A DIFFERENT ARENA.

BUT IF THE STATE ADOPTS SOMETHING, LET'S SEE WHAT THEY ADOPT.

IF, LET'S SAY, THE STATE CAME INTO IT AND JUST SAID WE'RE GOING TO GIVE EVERYONE SIX MONTHS AND THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE, THEN WE COULD ENTER INTO THAT AND TRY TO HELP STEER RENTERS AND LANDLORDS TO SOMETHING THAT WORKS BETTER.

SO IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM DOING SOME KIND OF A PROGRAM TO HELP INCENTIVIZE NEW LEASES, THAT WOULD BE FINE.

WE'RE ALL HOPEFUL THAT THE STATE'S GOING TO ENTER INTO THIS ISSUE AND ALSO PUT FUNDING ON THE TABLE, BUT TIME WILL TELL WHETHER THAT HAPPENS.

>> I ALSO, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS WOULD BE COVID-19 RELATED EVICTIONS OR ISSUES, NOT SOMETHING THAT FOLKS WERE ALREADY BEHIND PRIOR TO APRIL 1ST, BUT NONETHELESS, I DO SUPPORT OPTION NUMBER 3, AND MY HOPE THE STATE DOES COME FORWARD WITH SOME REPAYMENT PROGRAM BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AND THERE'S NOTHING OF THE STATE OR ANY DIRECTION OR GUIDANCE, SO TO SPEAK, ON ANY KIND OF REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

SO FOLKS ARE NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THAT ORDER IS UP, BUT I DO HOPE THE STATE COMES FORWARD, [NOISE] AND AT ANY TIME, BUT NOW I'M IN SUPPORT OF OPTION NUMBER 3.

[01:50:02]

>> CITY ATTORNEY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SAY.

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY TO THE QUESTION OF THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE COVID RELATED AND THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.

IT WOULD HAVE TO BE RELATED TO COVID-19.

THAT'S WHY WE DO HAVE THIS EXTRAORDINARY USE OF OUR POLICE POWER, AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON.

>> THANK YOU, MR. FERMON.

>> THANK YOU.

>> OPTION 1, AND I DON'T WANT TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM AGAIN UNTIL THE SECOND MEETING IN AUGUST OR BEFORE THE DEADLINE FOR THE COURTS TO CONSIDER ANY UNLAWFUL DETAINERS.

>> THANK YOU, MS. AMITH. MR. ORTIZ.

>> THANK YOU. SO I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEIR STIMULUS CHECKS.

THE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS WHO WERE JUST RECENTLY ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE YET, THOSE WHO DEPEND ON TIPS TO MAKE A LIVING, UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS WHO MAY PAY THEIR TAXES THROUGH ITIN NUMBER BUT CANNOT RECEIVE ANY UNEMPLOYMENT OR STIMULUS CHECKS.

I WAS ALSO IN CONTACT WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER'S OFFICE.

THEY'RE GETTING ABOUT 80 PEOPLE PER WEEK WHO ARE REQUESTING HELP WITH FILING UNEMPLOYMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT HEARD A RESPONSE FROM THE STATE YET AND THAT'S JUST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REACHING OUT TO HELP, AND SO THEY AND MANY OTHERS STILL MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR RENTS AT THIS TIME AND WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO FALL INTO THOSE CATEGORIES.

SO INDIO HAS ABOUT 10,000 FAMILIES WHO ARE RUNNING AT THE MOMENT, AND 60 PERCENT OF THEM WERE PAYING OVER 35 PERCENT OF THEIR INCOME ON RENT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND SO THAT TELLS US THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE LIKELY LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.

SO WE ALSO RECEIVED A PETITION TODAY WITH OVER 1,200 SIGNATURES FROM INDIO RESIDENTS SUPPORTING A SIX-MONTH PAYMENT PLAN.

SO THIS MEASURE, OPTION 3, WOULD ALSO BE A GREAT HELP FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, WHICH IS WHY IT'S PUBLICLY SUPPORTED BY OUR GREATER COACHELLA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND SO JUST TODAY, I HEARD ABOUT ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT PAYS 4,000 A MONTH IN RENT AND CAN'T OPEN AT THE MOMENT, AND YET THE LANDLORD IS SAYING THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY IN FULL RIGHT AFTER THE MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS IS OVER, OR THEY WILL BE EVICTED.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING IN OUR CITY, AND SO TO JUST SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, TO ME, IT'S KIND OF UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN CHARGE OF OUR RESIDENTS AND IN CHARGE OF SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENTS HERE.

I KNOW THEY WILL REALLY APPRECIATE THE RELIEF OF NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT PAYING THESE RENTS OFF AS SOON AS THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION IS LIFTED, AND I THINK THE SOONER WE CAN GIVE THEM RELIEF, THE BETTER THEY CAN BUDGET THEIR FINANCES SO THEY CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THE CRISIS AS FINANCIALLY STABLE AS POSSIBLE.

FOR LANDLORDS, WELL, WE HAVE MORTGAGE RELIEF PROGRAMS THAT WILL DELAY THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS AND THEY WILL STILL MAKE THEIR MONEY IN THE LONG RUN SO I DON'T SEE WHAT'S THE BIG HARM IN ALLOWING FOR A SIX-MONTH PAYMENT PLAN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FINANCIALLY IMPACTED BY THE HEALTH CRISIS, AND ALSO REALIZE THAT THERE'S RISK WHEN GOING INTO THIS, BUT THERE'S ALSO RISK WITH NOT TAKING ACTION.

SO IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TO NULLIFY THREE-DAY NOTICES, THERE'S NOTHING PREVENTING A LANDLORD FROM EVICTING A TENANT FOR NON-PAYMENT AFTER THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION IS LIFTED, EVEN IF THEY PAY THAT RENT RIGHT AFTER THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION IS LIFTED.

SO THEY CAN STILL BE EVICTED IF THAT THREE-DAY NOTICE IS IN PLACE.

SO WE REALLY NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO GET RID OF THOSE THREE-DAY NOTICES.

SO THIS ALSO MEANS THAT THESE RENTERS WILL HAVE HAVE AN EVICTION ON THEIR RECORD AND WILL INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THEY WILL BE REJECTED FROM RENTING IN THE FUTURE, AND CAN CAUSE MORE FINANCIAL ISSUES IN THE FUTURE AND INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF THEM GOING HOMELESS.

SO WE HAVE THE CHANCES TO GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT AND KNOWING THAT IF THEY HAVE FINANCIAL LOSS FROM COVID-19 RELATED ISSUES.

THEY'LL HAVE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS TO PAY THEIR PAST DUE RENT AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THEY CAN PLAN FINANCIALLY.

SO WE'RE WAITING FOR OTHERS TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS WHILE WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO OURSELVES AND I BELIEVE WE SHOULD REALLY ACT AND APPROVE THE SIX-MONTH PAYMENT PLAN.

SO WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR TWO MONTHS NOW FOR OTHERS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, AND OUR RESIDENTS HAVE JUST BEEN IN A LIMBO NOT KNOWING IF THEY'LL BE PROTECTED OR NOT WITH THEIR PAYMENT PLAN, SO I THINK IT REALLY IS SOMETHING URGENT FOR THEM. THANKS.

>> THANK YOU, MR. ORTIZ.

CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE COMMENT FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS? I REMEMBER JOSH TALKING ABOUT THAT, AND THEY SENT OUT ANOTHER NOTICE TO US.

>> YEAH, I COULD TRY TO FIND IT.

I THINK WHAT HE DID WAS SUGGEST THAT WHAT THEY WERE ENDORSING WAS NOT THAT PART OF THE PLAN.

>> SMALL BUSINESS, I THINK, THAT'S THE ONLY ADVOCACY THAT THEY WOULD DO TO SOLVE THIS.

>> I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE SAID, THAT THEY WERE ONLY ADVOCATING FOR SMALL BUSINESS.

>> OKAY. SO CITY ATTORNEY, CAN YOU CLARIFY SOME OF WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHAT'S SOME DEADLINES ARE WHEN, OBVIOUSLY THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION HAS NOT, THEY'VE GOT A DATE ON, BUT IT'S UNDONE RIGHT NOW BY THE STATE AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF A RUNDOWN.

[01:55:04]

>> SURE. SO THIS GOVERNOR HAS ENACTED, AS WE ALL KNOW BACK IN EARLY MARCH, A STATE EMERGENCY.

ALTHOUGH I'VE HEARD THE NEWS MEDIA TALK ABOUT THIS, A TERMINATION DATE, THERE ACTUALLY IS NO TERMINATION DATE TO THAT STATE EMERGENCY.

SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND.

SECOND, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT WAS SIGNED WITH RESPECT TO EVICTIONS, THAT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER 3720.

THAT DOES HAVE AN END DATE OF MAY 31ST, AND WHAT THE STATE DID THERE IS THAT A TENANT HAS TO BE PROVIDED NOTICE.

IT'S CALLED A THREE-DAY PAY OR QUIT AND SO THE GOVERNOR THERE, I'M TRYING TO LOOK FOR MY NOTE, SORRY, ESSENTIALLY EXTENDED THAT PERIOD OUT AND SO THOSE CAN'T BE ISSUED AND THAT ENDS MAY 31.

HOWEVER, THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL WHICH RUNS THE STATE COURT SYSTEM AND ACTUALLY GOVERNS HOW EVICTIONS GET PROCESSED, THEY STEPPED IN IN EARLY APRIL AND THEY ADOPTED TWO EMERGENCY RULES.

THESE EMERGENCY RULES ESSENTIALLY PROVIDE AND SUSPENDED ALL PENDING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL EVICTIONS FOR THE DURATION OF THE STATE EMERGENCY, WHICH HAS NO END DATE, PLUS A PERIOD OF 90 DAYS THEREAFTER.

SO THEIR ACTION SUSPENDS ALL EVICTIONS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, MEANING THAT IF THEY COME TO COURT TO TRY TO FILE A COMPLAINT FOR AN UNLAWFUL DETAINER, THE COURT IS PROHIBITED FROM ISSUING THAT COMPLAINT AND THAT'S THE WAY YOU START THE PROCESS.

SO THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.

TODAY, THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, WHERE ANY EVICTION ACTIONS WOULD BE FILED, ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT RULES FOR THE REOPENING OF THE COURT SYSTEM AND THEY HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT LISTS THREE PHASES OF OPENING THE COURT AND WHAT CASES ARE GOING TO BE OPENED FIRST.

THE UNLAWFUL DETAINER CASES ARE IN PHASE THREE, WHICH THEY PROJECT TO BE SOMETIME IN THE FALL.

AGAIN, THAT'S PREMISED ON THE FACT THAT, AT SOME POINT IN TIME BETWEEN HERE AND THE FALL, THE GOVERNOR'S GOING TO LIFT AND REMOVE THE ORDER, WHICH I DON'T SUSPECT WILL HAPPEN QUICKLY BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO GO THROUGH FOUR PHASES OF ROAD TO RECOVERY AND HE HAS STATED THAT HE'S GOING TO BE AMENDING THE ORDER, NOT TAKING IT AWAY.

EVEN UNDER THE JUDICIAL COUNCIL RULES, THERE'S STILL AN EXTRA 90 DAYS AFTER THAT ORDER IS LIFTED.

>> THANK YOU. SO THIS IS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAD IN PLACE AND ONE OF THE PROTECTIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF WE NEED TO GET INTO.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID DO WAS WE TALKED ABOUT THE CDBG FUNDS TO START WITH THE LEGAL AID AND ALSO DO HOPEFULLY SOME SUPPORT THROUGH THE FAIR HOUSING.

I THINK INFORMATION RIGHT NOW AND WAITING UNTIL WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT THE STATE IS GOING TO DO.

WE HAVE TIME TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS.

WE CAN HAVE THE CITY MANAGER COME BACK AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES WITH US AS HE SEES NEW INFORMATION COME FORWARD, YOU CAN DO UPDATES ON THAT CITY MANAGER REPORT.

SO I'VE READ YOUR REPORT.

I'VE TALKED TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE.

I THINK IT SPEAKS VOLUME THAT BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND THE COUNTY HAVEN'T WEIGHED IN ON THIS ALREADY.

THERE'S A REASON WHY THAT IS BECAUSE IF IT WAS THAT IMPORTANT TO THEM, OTHER THAN PUTTING IN SOME MEASURES IN PLACE THAT HAVE PROTECTED THEM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, THEY WOULD'VE ACTED AND SO WOULD [INAUDIBLE] COUNTY HAVE ACTED IF THEY NEEDED TO.

SO I AM IN FAVOR OF ITEM OPTION NUMBER TWO, WHICH PUTS US AT A QUANDRUM BECAUSE WE'RE AT TWO, TWO, ONE WITH NUMBER ONE BEING ONE VOTE FOR LUPE RAMOS AMITH, AND THEN TWO OF US EACH ON THE OTHER ONES.

SO WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCUSSION, BUT AS IT SITS, THIS WOULD BE TABLED AND THE CITY MANAGER WOULD BRING IT BACK AND GIVE US COMMENTS OR IF HE FELT THAT THERE WAS SOME ACTION WE NEEDED TO TAKE CONSIDERING HE KNOWS OUR WISHES, THAT WE DO WANT TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS, THAT WE DO WANT TO PROTECT OUR BUSINESSES.

BUT AT THIS TIME, THERE SHOULD BE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE.

IT IS ALL THE WAY TO SEPTEMBER 1ST BEFORE ANYBODY COULD ACTUALLY GET TAKEN OUT OF AN ACTION AND GET IN ACTUAL COURT.

THEY CAN'T BE REMOVED ILLEGALLY, OUR STAFF AND POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL NOT BE REMOVING ANYBODY AND THAT'S OUR JURISDICTIONS HERE.

[02:00:02]

SO CITY ATTORNEY, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?

>> YES. ONE MORE THING TOO AND I WAS REMISS IN NOT MENTIONING IT.

PART OF THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER WAS TO HAVE A PROCESS FOR RENTERS TO NOTIFY THEIR LANDLORDS THAT THEY'RE UNABLE TO MAKE THE RENT.

SO IF RENT IS DUE MAY 1ST, UNDER THAT ORDER THEY SHOULD BE SENDING A NOTICE TO THEIR LANDLORD WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF THE DATE THAT RENT IS DUE, NOTIFYING THEM THAT THEY NEED TO DELAY SOME OR ALL PAYMENT OF RENT BECAUSE IT'S RELATED TO COVID-19.

THE CITY HAS PROVIDED A FORM BOTH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.

BROOKE PUSHED THAT FORM OUT LAST WEEK, BUT IT'S STILL UP THERE AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY RENTER SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

MOST OF THE CITY ORDINANCES THAT WERE ADOPTED BY CITIES HAVE THE SAME REQUIREMENT, JUST A DIFFERENT DATE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE AUDIENCE ABOUT THAT.

>> SO CITY MANAGER, BASICALLY UNLESS THERE'S SOME MORE DISCUSSION.

OSCAR, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? MR ORTIZ.

>> DID WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS?

>> TWO. EXCUSE ME. YES, WE DO.

PUBLIC COMMENTS, CITY CLERK?

>> YES, WE HAVE TWO.

>> WE DO HAVE TWO. THANK YOU, OSCAR.

>> FIRST WILL BE BLAZ GUTIERREZ, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTOPHER MARTINEZ.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU, OSCAR.

>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS BLAZ AGAIN.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO RESPOND TO WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST SAID.

IN FACT, THE FIRST STEP OF THE EVICTION PROCESS IS NOT THE FILING OF A COMPLAINT AND REQUESTING A SUMMONS.

THE FIRST STEP IS THE ISSUANCE OF A THREE-DAY NOTICE TO PAY OR QUIT AND THAT CAN CONTINUE ON, THERE IS NO STATE OR JUDICIAL ORDER THAT CURRENTLY PROHIBITS THAT.

SO SOMEONE CAN BE SERVED TODAY AND HAVE BEEN SERVED AND THEY CAN, ONCE THE COURT ARE OPENED, GET THE EVICTION GOING ON THEIR WAY.

THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP THAT FROM GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE ORDERS THAT HAVE STOPPED THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LAW, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE LAW ITSELF HAS BEEN STOPPED.

I ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS THE CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE POTENTIAL LITIGATION FEARS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT.

DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION, THERE'S A CASE CALLED BLAISDELL, WHICH ESSENTIALLY LAID OUT THE PATH TO ALLOW MORTGAGERS TO PAY DEBTS ON A PAYMENT PLAN, EXACTLY AS WE'RE DESCRIBING RIGHT NOW, AND THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT DURING THE 1930S DEPRESSION ERA SAID, "YES, THAT IS IN FACT CONSTITUTIONAL BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BECAUSE IT WOULD APPLY TO THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL, BECAUSE IT WOULD BE OF LIMITED TIME, AND BECAUSE IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT DIRECTLY RESPONDS TO THE ECONOMIC DURESS THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW." SO I WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECT STAFF TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE CONSISTENT WITH THE SAMPLE THAT WAS PROVIDED BOTH BY [INAUDIBLE] [NOISE] AND THE NATIONAL HOUSING LAW PROJECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.

[NOISE]

>> OKAY. LET ME KNOW WHEN TO GO.

>> GO AHEAD.

>> MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER.

AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMEN WAYMOND FERMON AND OSCAR ORTIZ FOR REALLY PUSHING THIS SUBJECT AND BRINGING IT TO A VOTE, AND HAVING TO ADHERE TO THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

COVID-19 IS A PANDEMIC OF UNPRECEDENTED PROPORTION THAT REQUIRES THE ACTIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TAKEN EVER BEFORE.

THE CITY NEEDS LEADERSHIP RIGHT NOW IN THIS TIME OF CRISIS.

EACH MEMBER WAS ELECTED TO LEAD.

HOPING THAT THE STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RESOLVE THE ISSUE THEY HAVE IS NOT LEADERSHIP.

WITH THE MASS LAYOFF, IT IS CLEAR THAT MANY INDIO FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY RENT.

VOTING TO PROVIDE GRANT FUNDING AND A RENT MORATORIUM TELLS YOUR RESIDENTS, THAT YOU STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THEM AND WILL TAKE CARE OF THEIR IMMEDIATE WELL-BEING.

LOCAL POLITICS IS BIG POLITICS BECAUSE IT HAS A DIRECT EFFECT ON EACH OF ITS RESIDENTS.

[02:05:04]

YOU GUYS ARE BASICALLY ON THE FRONT LINE.

I FEEL THAT THIS POEM CANNOT BE CONTINUOUSLY PUNTED.

ACTING THE MORATORIUM WILL BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO INFORM YOUR RESIDENTS THAT THEY ARE PROTECTED AND THAT THE COUNCIL IS WILLING TO HELP.

BASICALLY TELLING THEM THAT YOU GUYS ARE STANDING BEHIND THEM.

THERE ARE MANY CITIES IN CALIFORNIA THAT HAVE PASSED THE MORATORIUM.

SO IF THERE ARE ANY LITIGATION CONCERNS, THE CITY OF INDIO WILL NOT BE ON ITS OWN.

I FEEL THAT A LOT OF THE MEMBERS ON THAT COUNCIL, HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF TAKING SLOW ACTION.

WE'RE CURRENTLY TWO MONTHS BEHIND FROM GIVING RELIEF TO OUR RESIDENTS.

YOUR VOTE TODAY WILL BRING LOUD WHEN WE GO BACK TO CAST OUR VOTES FOR OUR NEXT LEADERS.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.

I HOPE YOU GUYS DO TAKE SOME LEADERSHIP TODAY AND GIVE YOUR RESIDENTS IMMEDIATE RELIEF.

I APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT THERE.

>> THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL ON THE SUBJECT?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY SUPPORT BESIDES ME AND WAYMOND.

I AM DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE THREE-DAY NOTICES.

DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE CAN DO THREE-DAY NOTICES.

>> I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT THREE-DAY NOTICES AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT INTERFERING AND WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR TO COME DOWN OR THE COUNTY TO PUT UP AN ACTION OR AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD BE UNIVERSAL THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE AREA WHEN WE WOULD PROBABLY GO FORWARD WITH THAT.

>> ONE OF THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE EVICTION MORATORIUMS THAT HAD BEEN ADOPTED BY CITIES IS TO PROHIBIT THE LANDLORD FROM SERVING A- WHICH IS THE INITIAL ACTION, WHICH IS SERVING THE THREE-DAY NOTICE PAIR QUIT.

SO THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANY PARTS OF THE EVICTION MORATORIUM ORDINANCE.

>> THANK YOU. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING?

>> NO. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.

I MEAN, THE CONCERN THAT'S BEEN EXPRESSED IS THAT WHEN THE DAY COMES THAT IT'S ALL LIFTED.

IF SOMEBODY'S ALREADY GOT A THREE-DAY NOTICE, I SUPPOSE THAT THEY COULD BE IMMEDIATELY EVICTED.

I SUSPECT THAT THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE RECEIVED THEM AND THERE'S BEEN NO MORATORIUM AGAINST THAT AT THIS POINT, HAS THERE?

>> NO, THERE HASN'T. THE NOTICES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BEFORE THE ORDER THAT THE GOVERNOR PUT IN PLACE WERE PROBABLY ESSENTIALLY FOR FOLKS WHO DIDN'T PAY THEIR RENT IN MARCH, WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO IN THEORY WITH THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE THE STATE CLOSED DOWN IN EARLY MARCH.

SO IF YOU MISSED YOUR APRIL PAYMENT, THERE PROBABLY MAYBE SOME THREE-DAY NOTICES OUT THERE AND CERTAINLY AS THERE ARE WITH MAY.

HOWEVER, THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS WHICH IS GOING TO THE COURTHOUSE AND GETTING A COMPLAINT.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> WELL, I WILL SAY THAT'S NOT ON A BACK BURNER AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

THAT'S ON A FRONT BURNER.

ONE OF THESE DAYS WE'VE GOT TO COME TO GRIPS WITH WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO RENTERS IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER WHENEVER THIS FREES UP.

I'M CERTAINLY NOT SAYING WE SHOULD IGNORE IT OR THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER.

I THINK IT DOES MATTER.

WE HAVE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON WHAT THE BEST WAY TO GET THERE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A MINOR ISSUE.

IF WE GOT INTO THAT ARENA ON JUST THAT ONE ISSUE, WE'RE WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES IN A POSITION OF IMPAIRING CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN UP TO THIS POINT.

I JUST THINK WHEN WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WE OUGHT TO WAIT AND DO IT ALL AT ONE TIME.

>> THAT WAS MY COMMENTS TOO.

MR. FERMON, YOU WANT TO SPEAK?

>> YES. I MEAN MY POSITION STANDS ON OPTION 3.

BUT I DO HAVE A SMALL REQUEST FOR YOU, MR. MAYOR.

EARLIER THIS WEEK, I WANT TO SAY LAST WEEK, THERE WAS A LETTER THAT WENT OUT TO OUR GOVERNOR REFERRING TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY AS FAR AS OUR BUSINESSES AND TOURS.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THE SAME HAPPEN FOR THIS ISSUE THAT WE HAVE HERE.

HAS THERE BEEN ANY COMMUNICATION WITH OUR COUNTY SUPERVISOR AND ALSO THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF, OR THE SAME MAGNITUDE AS THE LETTER OF A COLLECTIVE OF OUR LOCAL MAYORS.

BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT THE WHOLE COACHELLA VALLEY.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE JUST INDIO AND IT'S NOT GOING TO JUST BE OUR AGE GROUP, THERE'S GOING TO BE SENIORS ARE AFFECTED BY THIS AND ALSO VETERAN.

SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THE COLLECTIBLE MAYORS WHO SEND

[02:10:02]

THAT MEMO OR LETTER UP TO THE GOVERNOR DO THE SAME FOR THIS ISSUE IN HOPES THAT SOMETHING COMES BACK IN RETURN HERE SOON BECAUSE WE ARE IN TOMORROW GOING INTO STAGE 2 OF OPENING OUR ECONOMIES.

SO ON EDGE OF HOPES, I'M NOT CERTAIN OF THE FUTURE.

SO YOU CAN LOOK INTO THAT.

I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE TALKED TO SUPERVISOR PEREZ AND THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HE HAS WORKING FOR HIM, GREG RODRIGUEZ AND A FEW OTHERS ON A CONFERENCE CALL WITH ALL OF THEM TOGETHER, WITH ALL THE MAYORS FROM OUR COACHELLA VALLEY, INCLUDING BLYTHE, AND DID DISCUSS THAT WITH THEM AND DID ASK HIM THE QUESTION IS IF THEY WOULD GET INVOLVED.

HE DID NOT AT THAT TIME EXPECT THEM TO GET INVOLVED.

SO I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO TALK TO THE OTHER CITY MAYORS THAT ARE HERE AND PUSH THAT UP THE LETTER TOO.

IF YOU WANT TO DO IT IN AN OFFICIAL LETTER.

I DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF MY OTHER MAYORS THAT GOT INVOLVED WITH US, INCLUDING THE CITY OF BLYTHE, WOULD HAVE AN OBJECTION TO DOING THAT. SEND IT OUT TO THEM.

SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT WHATSOEVER, MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

BUT AS OF NOW, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

THE CITY MANAGER KIND OF EXPLAINED HIS REASONING BEHIND IT AND I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO THERE.

I WILL TAKE THE LETTER, I WILL TALK TO THE OTHER MAYORS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE SEND IT UP THE CHAIN.

IF NOT, WE'LL SEND IT DIRECTLY FROM US IF THAT'S THE WILL AND THE WISH OF THE REST OF THE COUNCIL IS TO DO IT. WE CAN DO THAT ALSO.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SO DO YOU WANT TO DO IT?

>> ABSOLUTELY, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I SAID.

WE DID ONE FOR THE BUSINESS.

THE KIND OF ECONOMIC IMPACT HERE AT COACHELLA VALLEY, WHY ARE WE NOT DOING IT FOR THE RENTERS, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL.

>> I OBJECT.

THE THREE-DAY NOTICE IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE FOR ANY PROPERTY OWNER AND TO STAND IN THE WAY OF PERSONAL PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS WOULD BE WAY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR ANY GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY TO INTERJECT THEMSELVES AND TO INSERT THEMSELVES AND EXPOSE THEMSELVES TO POTENTIAL LIABILITY.

SO I OBJECT TO ANY LETTER BEING SENT TO THE GOVERNOR WITH RESPECT TO A THREE-DAY NOTICE.

I OBJECT TO THE CITY BECOMING INVOLVED BETWEEN PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS AND CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS OF THEIR TENANTS.

>> OKAY. MR. ORTIZ, DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A SEND A LETTER ASKING THE GOVERNOR OR THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR IF THEY WOULD BE INCLINED TO WEIGH IN ON THIS SUBJECT? [OVERLAPPING]

>> I OBJECT.

>> YES, MS. AMITH. I GET THAT PART. I ASK IT FROM MR. ORTIZ.

>> YEAH, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.

JUST AS A REMINDER THAT THIS WOULD BE ONLY FOR NON-PAYMENT.

THIS IS ONLY RELATED TO NON-PAYMENT DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> ARE WE TALKING ASKING THE GOVERNOR TO GET INVOLVED, MR. FERMON, OVER THE WHOLE SITUATION.

ARE WE JUST TALKING TO THREE? YOU'RE TALKING THE OVERALL PROTECTION THAT IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, HAVE THE GOVERNOR OR THE CARE DO NOT TALK ON REACHING A THREE-DAY NOTICE.

>> THE OVERALL SITUATION, I MEAN, WE DID IT FOR THE BUSINESSES, WHY ARE WE NOT DOING IT FOR THIS? IF WE'RE GOING TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY TO SACRAMENTO, WHY SHOULD WE NOT INCLUDE THAT? WE HAVE REQUEST AND THAT WAS REQUEST FOR THE FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

I THINK WE ALL GOT A COPY OF THE LETTER THAT I WANTED TO SACRAMENTO.

>> OKAY.

>> WHAT ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU WANT THEM TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO WILL RENT WANTS THEM.

>> EXACTLY. FOR A REPAYMENT SITUATION.

IT'S NOT ADDRESSED IN HIS MORATORIUM.

>> YEAH. I THINK I WOULD JUST ASK THEM, DID YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE THREE-DAY NOTICE OR THE WHOLE ISSUE [OVERLAPPING].

>> YOU WANT TO ADDRESS EVERYTHING, JUST NOT THE THREE-DAY NOTICE.

YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THE WHOLE SITUATION FOR A WHOLE SITUATION. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

SO BECAUSE WE WERE ON A THREE-DAY NOTICE AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET OUT.

DO YOU WANT TO DO YOU WANT TO DISCUSS THE WHOLE SITUATION? WILL THEY WEIGH IN ON EVERYTHING? SO I GOT THAT. MAYOR PRO TEM, HOLMES

>> I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH SENDING A LETTER TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO THE GOVERNOR THAT ASK THE QUESTION IN TERMS OF WHAT HIS PLANS MAY OR MAY NOT BE TO ADDRESS AN UPCOMING SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.

>> I WAS PLANNING ON IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.

I WILL ASK THE OTHER MAYORS THAT SIGNED THE LETTER TO COME IN WITH ME AND THE CITY [INAUDIBLE] THAT WANTS IN.

WITH THIS, THEY DISCUSSED AT THE VERY END AND SEND LETTER PARALLEL WITH IT, AND IF THAT'S THE [OVERLAPPING] WE'LL DO IT TO THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS ALSO, CONSIDERING IF MAYBE THE STATE DOESN'T WANT TO WEIGH IN ON IT, THE COUNTY MIGHT.

>> I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER, LUPE RAMOS AMITH SAYS AND IN LARGELY AGREE.

I DON'T FEEL, AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL THAT THIS LETTER DOESN'T BREACH THAT CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP.

[02:15:06]

THIS IS A LETTER THAT ASKED THE QUESTION, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH IT.

>> YEAH. I'M GOOD WITH THAT ALSO.

SO WE WILL SEND A LETTER, I'LL ASKED THE FIRST TIME, SEE IF THE OTHER MAYORS WOULD LIKE TO ADJOURN, AND JOIN ME WITH THIS.

THEN WHAT WE CAN DO IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THEN WE'LL SEND IT FROM THE CITY OF INDIO, BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE ON SUPPORT ASKING THE GOVERNOR AND THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR TO WEIGH IN ON THIS SUBJECT, AND IF THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT TAKING ANY KIND OF ACTION THAT IF THEY WOULD DO IT SWIFTLY, AND BE ABLE TO DO IT QUICKLY IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO GET IT OUT TO EVERYONE.

SO I'M FINE WITH THAT.

SO CITY ATTORNEY, CAN YOU WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER ON THAT? OKAY. SO AT THAT, CITY MANAGER, YOU'VE GOT YOUR DIRECTION.

WE'RE GOING TO WAIT BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CONSENSUS ON EVERYTHING.

SO YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU CAN JUST BRING US BACK INFORMATION, YOU'RE VERY GOOD ALONG WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT SENDING THIS THING, THESE THINGS COME FORWARD ANYWAYS.

BUT IF YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO GIVE US AN UPDATE, AND THEN ALSO IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] WITH YOU IF WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT, WE'LL ADDRESS IT.

>> GREAT. THANK YOU.

>> YEAH, WE HAD TWO MORE ITEMS.

>> YES. THE SECOND ITEM UNDER CITY MANAGER REPORT JUST SAYS DISCUSSION, GOVERNOR STAY AT HOME ORDER.

THIS TOPIC, THE LETTER THAT MR. FERMON JUST REFERENCE FROM THE MAYOR'S, THEY'RE TWO LETTERS; ONE TO THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS, AND ONE TO THE GOVERNOR.

WE'RE ALL RELATED TO THAT TOPIC.

I DON'T THINK IN 40 YEARS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH ANY TOPIC THAT HAS CHANGED SO MANY TIMES IN TWO WEEKS.

EVERY DAY, AND EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND, THERE'S A DIFFERENT TWIST ON THIS STORY.

OBVIOUSLY, IT APPEARS THAT THE WORLD IS MOVING TOWARD, OR BUSINESSES BEING OPEN.

WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT OUR BUSINESSES CAN GET BACK TO WORK, AND THAT THEY CAN DO SO FOLLOWING EXTREMELY TIGHT SAFETY PROCEDURES SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR PUBLIC AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

BUT IT SEEMS INEVITABLE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING.

I PUT THIS ON HERE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON.

THE MAYOR'S BEEN VERY ACTIVE, AND VERY AGGRESSIVE, AND REPRESENTING US IN DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SOMETIMES, TWO AND THREE TIMES IN A DAY.

SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MAYOR TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING AND ALSO FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TO WEIGH IN.

SO THAT'S THE ONLY REASON THIS ITEM IS ON RIGHT NOW.

>> THANK YOU. BASICALLY, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WORK WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE GROUPS INCLUDING THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR ON WAYS TO SAFELY PUTTING GUIDELINES IN PLACE TO OPEN UP BUSINESSES.

THEY GO THROUGH NOT ONLY THE PLAN AND PLACE THAT THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS GOING TO PUT IN.

BUT BECAUSE THE CITIES IN THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY ARE SO DIVERSE, AND A COUNTY IS SO DIVERSE, WE WERE DISCUSSING HOW WE WOULD OPEN UP CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS AND TREAT THEM DIFFERENTLY, KIND OF IN THE SAME AS THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN.

SO IT'S BEEN A LOCAL MAYORS, SUPERVISOR PEREZ, HIS STAFF, A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER COMMERCE.

WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER GROUP THAT'S FORMED BY THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS THAT IS THE ECONOMIC IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GROUP THAT HAS THE CHAMBER COMMERCE AND DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS FROM THE VISITORS BUREAU, AND ALL THE CHAMBERS THROUGHOUT THE COACHELLA VALLEY.

BESIDES HERE IS IN THE WHOLE RIVERSIDE COUNTY, COMING UP WITH A PLAN TO OPEN BUSINESSES BASED ON THE NEED FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS.

WHAT IS RESTAURANT'S GOING TO DO COMPARED TO LARGE VENUES, COMPARED TO CHURCHES, COMPARED TO NAIL SALONS, COMPARED TO REGULAR BUSINESSES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN OPENED THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE IT TO JUI-JITSUS.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN WORKING AT IT, AND LOOKING AT WAYS TO GET THAT OPEN AND COMING TO A CONSENSUS, ON HOW WE DO THIS, AND WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE GOING TO BE.

IS IT GOING TO BE CONTINUAL SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASK, WHAT CONTEMPLATES A GROUP.

IS IT CERTAIN PEOPLE, THEY TALKED ABOUT 10, NOW THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT LIKE IF THE FAMILY OF FIVES THERE, YOU OF A MOTHER, FATHER, AND THREE KIDS, IS THAT CLASSIFIES FIVE PEOPLE? BUT CONSIDER THEY'RE ALL UNDER THE SAME HOUSE, IT WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS ONE OR FIVE.

THEY'RE LEANING TOWARDS ANYBODY THAT LIVES IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD WE KNOWN AS ONE AS A GROUP, AND THEY WOULD BE SIX-FOOT DISTANCING FROM.

SO THOSE ARE THE GUIDELINES, I KNOW OSCAR AND OTHERS HAVE WORKED ON THIS ALSO.

BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING IS TRYING TO GET THESE BUSINESSES OPEN AS QUICK AS WE CAN, AND HAVE THE GUIDELINES IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM TO OPEN WHERE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COACHELLA VALLEY.

SO WE DON'T HAVE PALM SPRINGS DOING JUST ONE THING THAT THE HOT SPRINGS DO ANOTHER, INDIO DOING ANOTHER, AND EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE IT CONVOLUTES EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY IS THINKING BECAUSE THEY HEAR SOMETHING, AND THEY THINK BECAUSE IT'S GOING ON IN PALM SPRINGS, IT'S HAPPENING IN INDIO.

LIKE THEY HAVEN'T OPENED THE GOLF COURSES IN PALM SPRINGS WHICH IS THEIR PREROGATIVE.

[02:20:02]

GOLF COURSES ARE HERE OPEN UNDER THESE CERTAIN GUIDELINES, AND WE MOVE FORWARD ON.

SO THAT'S THE DISCUSSION, WE HAVE SENT A LETTER TO THE COUNTY SUPERVISOR.

WE SENT A LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR SAYING, WE NEED TO OPEN OUR BUSINESSES UP SAFELY, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THEM UNDER THE GUIDELINES, HOW WE CONTROL IT TO MAKE SURE WHAT ARE THE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES, IF WE DO HAVE SOME BAD ACTIONS, WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY CONTROL MEASURES.

WE ONLY HAVE SO MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, SO MANY POLICE OFFICERS.

IF SOMEBODY IS DOING SOMETHING, HOW DO WE REPORT IT, AND GET IT DONE.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME A CITATION, SECOND TIME A FINE, THIRD TIME, WE'RE CLOSING DOWN, KIND OF LIKE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

WHAT ARE THE PROCEDURES TO PUT IN PLACE? SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT HOW TO GET THAT GOING BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME WE GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK, WE STARTED TO GET BACK TO NORMALCY.

THEN OBVIOUSLY, WHEN THE GOVERNOR PUT IN ABOUT SCHOOLS OPENING UP IN JULY, PUT A WHOLE ANOTHER WRINKLE INTO THIS BECAUSE I WAS AT AMISTAD HIGH SCHOOL TODAY, LISTEN TO THE PRINCIPAL TALKED TO SOME OF THE STUDENTS ARE COMING AND GET THEIR CAPS AND GOWNS.

THEIR NUMBER ONE QUESTION WAS, ARE WE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL IN JULY TO FINISH UP OUR SCHOOL YEAR? SO THAT'S A WHOLE ANOTHER WRINKLE THAT JUST CAME IN.

SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON, AND OBVIOUSLY, THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE WE PUT IN PLACE.

BUT WE HAVE SOME GOOD PEOPLE, INCLUDING JOSH BONNER, WE HAVE CARL MORGAN HELPING US ON THIS LIST AND A BUNCH OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

SO FEW TASK FORCE GOING ON, AND THEN I'LL LET YOU GUYS IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, OR CONCERNS, OR YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR THOUGHTS THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON, WE CAN GO FROM THERE.

OSCAR, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING A LOT WITH JOSH.

YOU'VE BEEN SENDING THIS STUFF OUT, TELLING US ABOUT THE THINGS YOU'VE BEEN DOING.

YOU WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK ON WHAT YOU'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING, WHAT YOU'RE DOING?

>> YEAH. SURE, SO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE CHAMBER IS THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE HAVE TASK FORCE FOR EACH INDUSTRY.

JOSH REALLY ORGANIZED THE FIVE DIFFERENT TASK FORCE.

TASK FORCES FOR FIVE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES IN THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY SO THAT HOPEFULLY, THEY CAN GIVE GUIDANCE TO THE COUNTY.

THEN THE COUNTY WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT CAN GIVE THE ACTUAL GUIDELINES THAT WILL COME OUT.

AT LEAST, I DO WANT THE FINAL DECISION TO BE MADE BY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS.

SO I THINK WHEN THE COUNTY THE OTHER DAY WAS SAYING THAT THEY WANTED TO LET THE STATE TAKE CARE OF IT, I PUSHED BACK AGAINST THAT AND SAID, WE PAY FOR COUNTY RESOURCES, WE SHOULD HAVE ENFORCEMENT FROM THE COUNTY, AND WE SHOULD BE USING OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HERE TO HELP US MAKE SAFE DECISIONS HERE, AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT ENFORCEMENT MADE BY THE COUNTY.

ONE ISSUE THAT THEY WANT TO BRING UP SPECIFICALLY TO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CITY, IS THAT THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

I UNDERSTAND IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE THE CONTROL BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BRING TO MANY PEOPLE IN FROM OTHER AREAS INTO OUR AREA AT THIS MOMENT.

WE HAVE SHORT TERMS RENTAL RIGHT NOW AVAILABLE FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

I THINK THE ISSUE THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING IS THAT THE WAIT TIME IS ABOUT TWO DAYS, AND THAT CANCELS A LOT OF THE BUSINESS FOR THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO POSSIBLY SPEED UP THE PROCESSING OF THOSE APPLICATIONS, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT WE ARE VERIFYING ON THE CITY SIDE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS.

BUT THE TWO-DAY WAIT FOR THAT VERIFICATION IS TOO LONG, AND THEY'RE LOSING A LOT OF BUSINESS FROM ESSENTIAL WORKERS FOR THAT.

THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE. THANKS.

>> THANK YOU. MARY [INAUDIBLE] HOLMES, SAYING ANYTHING?

>> WELL, WE NEED TO ALLOW OUR COMMUNITIES TO DO BUSINESS AT A BASIC LEVEL.

IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING AS THE LINE WORKERS ARE WITHOUT JOBS, MORE AND MORE AND I HEARD THIS ON A CALL WITH THE THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

MORE AND MORE FAMILIES ARE LIVING IN TIGHTER QUARTERS.

SO YOU HAVE THREE OR FOUR FAMILIES LIVING IN A ONE BEDROOM OR TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT.

THAT MAKES THE HEALTH SITUATION WORSE.

THE FURTHER WE GO ON WITH THIS, THE FURTHER WE'RE GOING TO DIG A HOLE.

I THINK WE AS ADULTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS THAT SAY, I WILL WEAR A MASK, I WILL DO WHAT I NEED TO DO AS A SMALL BUSINESS TO SANITIZE SO THAT ANY PERSON CAN OPEN UP.

WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DECIDE WHAT ESTABLISHMENTS SANITIZE CORRECTLY OR APPROPRIATELY THAT WE WANT TO FREQUENT, I THINK VERY SLOWLY, BUT THERE'S A NEED TO OPEN UP BUSINESS.

BECAUSE IF IT GETS TOO MUCH WORSE,

[02:25:02]

WE'RE GOING TO CREATE A BIGGER HEALTH PROBLEM, AND A BIGGER HEALTH RISK, AND MORE ISSUES WITH HOMELESSNESS.

IT'S GOING TO RECYCLE THE PROBLEM AND MAKE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE LARGER.

THAT'S MY TWO CENTS.

WE NEED TO OPEN UP THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND SMALL-SCALE VERY SLOWLY AND VERY CAREFULLY.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU. MS. AMITH, ANYTHING YOU'VE HEARD OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE?

>> I JUST WANT TO OPEN UP THE CITY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

WHATEVER STATE EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE IN PLACE, WE AS A CITY ARE BOUND, AND WE WILL COMPLY WITH THOSE ORDERS.

I DON'T FEEL THAT THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS HAVE JURISDICTION OVER OUR CITY.

THEY ONLY HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

WE ARE A CITY AND WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PASS LAWS FOR OUR CITY AS LONG AS THEY'RE IN ALLIANCE WITH THE STATE ORDERS.

SO I WANT TO OPEN UP BUSINESS TOMORROW, AND THESE COUNTY SUPERVISORS CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

BUT WE, AS A CITY NEED TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR OUR BUSINESSES BECAUSE WE'RE RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS WHICH ARE NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN INDIO, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUSINESSES IN INDIO, AND THEY'RE ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROPERTIES IN INDIO, AND THEY'RE ALSO THE DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE MADE MAJOR INVESTMENTS IN OUR CITY.

THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO, AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO REOPEN THE CITY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT THE COUNTY SAYS.

WHATEVER THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID, WE WILL FOLLOW.

THE CITY OF INDIO NEEDS TO MAKE ITS OWN RULES TO GET THE CITY OF NEW INDIO BACK UP AND OPERATING. THAT'S MY COMMENT.

>> THANK YOU. MR. FERMON?

>> HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO FOLLOW ALL THAT? [LAUGHTER] WHAT I WANT DO IS ACTUALLY JUST LET FOLKS OUT THERE KNOW, AS TESTING PROGRESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY, NUMBERS ARE GOING TO GO UP.

IT APPEARS THAT OUR CASES ARE GOING UP.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE MINDSET THAT THE VIRUS IS ALREADY HERE, AND THAT IT'S A VIRUS, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE COMPLETELY, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GONE.

SO WE NEED TO START LEARNING HOW TO CO-EXIST WITH THIS VIRUS AND THE MEASURES WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS VIRUS.

I THINK THAT COMES WITH PROPER SANITIZING, FACE COVERING, CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING, AS WE CONTINUE TO PROGRESS AND OPEN OUR BUSINESSES.

WE ALL MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME VIEWS ON OTHER THINGS THAT'S GOING ON, BUT I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF STARTING TO OPEN OUR ECONOMY, BUT OPEN IT SAFELY.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COUNTY IS GOING DO FRIDAY OR WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO DO, BUT I HOPE OUR BUSINESSES AND FOLKS THAT ARE LISTENING, BE PROACTIVE AND START TAKING THESE MEASURES.

THEREFORE, WHEN WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO START OPEN UP OUR BUSINESSES, WE CAN OPEN UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND AS SAFE AS POSSIBLY UNDER THE GUIDELINES SET FORTH ALREADY.

ALL THESE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE NO ECONOMY.

THE FASTER WE CAN SAFELY OPEN OUR ECONOMY, THE FASTER WE CAN START TACKLING SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE ON OUR TABLE.

I REALLY WANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED TIME.

WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, TAKE THESE ISSUES VERY SERIOUSLY.

SO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS THAT WE ALL REALLY HAVE THE MOST EMPATHY FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THESE ISSUES.

WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO HELP FOLKS OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS TAKEN CARE OF.

SO CLOSE IN, I JUST HOPE WE ARE PROACTIVE, AND START TAKING THOSE MEASURES.

I KNOW THE CITY MANAGER HAS SPOKEN ABOUT SOME MORE LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE ALREADY TAKEN SOME OF THOSE MEASURES AS FAR AS SANITATION, CLEANING THEIR BUSINESSES, MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCE.

IF YOU GO TO, FOR INSTANCE, WINCO, THEY HAVE TAPE ON THE GROUND TO WHERE WE KNOW IF I'M IN LINE, AND I'M MAINTAINING SOCIAL DISTANCE.

NOW IT IS WHAT IT IS.

WINCO, WALMART IS BIG BOX STORES, THEY'RE OPEN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE VIRUS IS THERE TOO.

THE VIRUS DOESN'T TAKE WEEKENDS OFF, SO THE VIRUS IS HERE.

SO WE NEED TO START CHANGING OUR MINDSET HOW ARE WE GOING TO CO-EXIST WITH THIS VIRUS.

WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SEASONAL.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF UNKNOWNS ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A HARD ECONOMIC IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY.

[02:30:01]

JUST TO SHARE A STORY, LAST NIGHT, I WAS CONTACTED BY A YOUNG LADY WHO HER FAMILY ARE BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THEY TOLD ME, THEY WANT TO OPEN UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLY, AND AS SAFE AS POSSIBLY.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY LOST THEIR 89-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER TO COVID YESTERDAY.

SO THEY'RE UP IN AIR ABOUT IT.

SO THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WITH THIS.

BUT I'M GOING TO CONCLUDE THERE IN THE INTEREST OF TIME BECAUSE I CAN CALL AT NIGHT BECAUSE I STAY UP ALL NIGHT ON THIS ISSUE.

THERE IS A PRESS CONFERENCE.

AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE, THINGS CHANGE BY THE MINUTE, SO WE HAVE TO WRAP OUR MINDS AROUND THAT AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO I JUST THANK EVERYONE OUT THERE WHO'S DOING THE HARD WORK, THINK ARE NOT PROFITS.

EARLIER IN MY COMMENTS, I LEFT OUT OUR CHURCHES.

OUR CHURCHES BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB FINDING WAYS TO STILL SERVE THEIR CONGREGATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH DRIVE UPS AT THEIR PLACES TO WORSHIP.

HOPEFULLY ONCE WE GET PAST THIS, OUR CHURCHES CAN ALSO OPEN UP BECAUSE THAT'S A VALUABLE TOOL IN OUR SPIRITS UP IN THE COMMUNITY.

LIKE I SAID, I'M GOING TO STOP THERE BECAUSE I CAN KEEP GOING. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. I'M PUSHING TO GET US OPEN AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, BUT UNDER THE SAFE GUIDELINES: SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASKING, MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE-

>> ABSOLUTELY. USING THE GUIDELINES.

>> - [OVERLAPPING], WASHING YOUR HANDS.

THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET OUR ECONOMY AND PEOPLE BACK TO WORK IS TO OPEN UP OUR BUSINESSES AS WE GO ACROSS THE COMMUNITY AND SHOP LOCAL.

SO WE'RE NOT MOVING INTO OTHER CITIES AND DOING BACK AND FORTH.

WE NEED TO SHOP LOCAL, AND DO THE OTHER STUFF.

I'M PUSHING TO GET IT OPENED AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, BUT AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY BUSINESS OWNER OUT THERE THAT WANTS HIS SELF, HIS EMPLOYEES, HIS FAMILY, OR HIS CUSTOMERS TO GET SICK.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FEW BAD ACTORS HERE AND THERE.

BUT I THINK OVERALL, I THINK MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SEE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.

THEY'RE WEARING MASKS, THEY'RE DOING THE THINGS THEY NEED TO DO IN SOCIAL DISTANCING.

IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GO OUT, THEN THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOT TO GO OUT, AND WE CAN STILL PROVIDE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT.

THEY WERE LOCAL NON-PROFITS, THEY'RE FINDING FOOD BANK, AND GOING OUT TO ANY KIND OF OTHER OPERATIONS LIKE MEALS ON WHEELS.

SO I THINK WE HAVE SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS CONTINUAL ISSUE GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH OUR BUSINESSES GOING, DO I OPEN OR DIE? BECAUSE IT'S EXACTLY LIKE YOU SAID, THE YOUNG LADY THAT TOLD YOU ABOUT HER GRANDMOTHER DYING, THAT'S JUST A TRAGEDY.

SO YOU'RE STUCK BETWEEN YOUR LIVELIHOOD AND THE SAFETY OF YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE SHE HAD IT AFFECTED DIRECTLY.

SO MY HEART AND SYMPATHIES GO OUT TO HER AND PRAYERS PERSON WITH AND HER FAMILY. MARY [INAUDIBLE]

>> WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE OUR OWN DECISIONS.

EARLY ON WHEN THIS CAME ABOUT, WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COVID, WHAT IT WAS, HOW IT REPLICATED.

I'M NOT SAYING [NOISE] WE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS NOW, BUT WE HAVE A LOT MORE ANSWERS AS TO HOW WE CAN PROTECT OURSELVES.

[NOISE] WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

NO ONE IS TWISTING THE ARM AND SAYING YOU MUST OPEN.

IF A BUSINESS OWNER DOESN'T FEEL IT'S APPROPRIATE TO OPEN, THEN DON'T OPEN.

IF THEY WANT TO BE SAFER, THAT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE.

BUT WE AS ADULTS CAN, AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE DECISION AS TO WHAT WE WANT TO DO, HOW WE WANT TO DO IT, DO IT SAFELY, DO IT CORRECTLY.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I REALLY APPRECIATED WAYMOND'S COMMENTS.

I THINK THEY'RE PROFOUND.

WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO CO-EXIST WITH THIS VIRUS.

BECAUSE TOO MUCH CAUTION CREATES ONE PROBLEM, RANDOM OPENING CREATES ANOTHER.

WE CAN DO THIS.

WE CAN DO IT SAFELY, WE CAN DO IT CAREFULLY, AND WE CAN GET BACK TO THE BUSINESS OF BEING OPEN. MY TWO CENTS.

>> THANK YOU. WE'RE STILL VERY BUSY.

OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT, OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT.

WE'VE GOT VALLARTA THE SUPERMARKET COMING IN.

WE'VE GOT HOUSING BEING BUILT.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE SLOWING DOWN.

PEOPLE ARE GOING FULL STEAM AHEAD TO START DEVELOPING AND BUILDING THINGS BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK STRONGER THAN EVER.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.

THE CITY MANAGER WILL KEEP US UP TO DATE.

OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE ALL UP TO DATE.

MR. FERMON'S UP ALL NIGHT.

WE'LL SEE EVERYTHING GOING ON, AND WE JUST GOT TO GO BACK AND SEE THE ORDERS.

THAT'S WHY I SAID, IF THIS REALLY CHANGES AND WE HAVE AN ISSUE AT HAND THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY WILL DEAL WITH THIS, AND IF WE HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING.

I THINK WE HAVE OUR STAFF.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER GROUP TO HAVE AROUND US, TO SUPPORT US WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS.

WE HAVE JOSH BONNER, AND HIS TEAM ON THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, OUR SCHOOLS TOGETHER WE'RE UNITED.

ALL WE NEED TO DO NOW IS COME UP WITH A SAFE PLAN TO OPEN OUR BUSINESSES UP, AND TRY AND GET BACK TO AS SAFE AS SOUND OF THE NORMAL LIFE AS WE HAVE.

SO CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU FOR THAT AND KEEP US ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

[02:35:05]

THEN THE LAST PART IS THE CITY BUDGET THAT YOU WANTED TO UPDATE US ON?

>>YEAH. BEFORE I DO THAT, JUST ONE SECOND.

I ALSO WANTED TO CALL OUT THE CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE FOR THE GREAT JOB THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING ALL ALONG.

IT'S AN IMPOSSIBLE JOB.

DATA AND CODE ENFORCEMENT RIGHT NOW IS AN IMPOSSIBLE JOB.

BUT THEY'VE USED SUCH GRACE AND THEY'VE BEEN USING MORAL SUASION IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE TO COMPLY.

I JUST THINK IT'S BEEN AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

SO WITH THE CHIEF SITTING HERE I WANT TO SAY THAT IN HIS PRESENCE.

[NOISE] [APPLAUSE].

>>WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT FROM ANYBODY COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HANDLING OF BUSINESSES, OR HANDLING OF MATTERS OF THE PUBLIC AS A WHOLE. SO THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>>YEAH. IT REFLECTS OUR POLICE CHIEF'S PHILOSOPHY.

SO I THANK HIM FOR THAT.

THE BUDGET. I'M NOT TRYING TO DO A BUDGET PRESENTATION.

I'M TRYING TO GIVE THE COUNCIL AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND ON REVENUES.

I KNOW THAT YOU ALL PICK UP THE NEWSPAPER, AND GET ONLINE, AND YOU SEE REPORTS FROM CITIES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY PRACTICALLY TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS WHOLE SITUATION HAS AFFECTED THEIR BUDGETS.

I'VE TRIED TO LET THE COUNCIL KNOW- WHAT WAS UP THERE LOOKED BETTER [NOISE] A MOMENT AGO [LAUGHTER].

ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GOT SMALLER.

IF WE COULD BLOW IT UP TO A HALF PAGE. THERE YOU GO.

[NOISE] SO ROB, ROCKWELL, AND I, [NOISE] MOSTLY ROB, PUT TOGETHER SOME NUMBERS TO SHOW THE CITY COUNCIL WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW AS IT RELATES TO REVENUES.

I'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT EXPENDITURES, BUT I'M NOT TRYING TO DO A BUDGET REVIEW RIGHT NOW.

I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE THE COUNCIL A SENSE HOW WE MEASURE UP TO SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES YOU'VE BEEN READING ABOUT AND THEIR [NOISE] REVENUE SITUATIONS.

IN GENERAL, THE HIGHER YOU FLY, THE FURTHER YOU HAVE TO FALL, AND WHILE INDIO WAS DOING WELL, THESE DAYS WE DON'T HAVE THE REVENUE SOURCES THAT SOME OTHER CITIES DO.

AS A RESULT, RIGHT NOW SOME OF THE CITIES HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS THAN WE DO.

I THINK OURS, FOR THE TIME BEING, IS MANAGEABLE.

IT GETS MORE COMPLICATED IF THE ECONOMY STAYS DOWN.

ANOTHER REASON TO TRY TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN.

BUT WE JUST WANTED TO WALK THROUGH THESE REVENUES A LITTLE BIT AND SHOW YOU THE IMPACT WE'VE HAD.

ROB, IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN AT ANY POINT, PLEASE JUST JUMP IN.

SO TAKING A LOOK AT OUR MAJOR REVENUES, THE SALES TAX REVENUE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CURRENT YEAR THAT WE ADOPTED LAST JULY 1, [NOISE] WE STARTED WITH A SALES [NOISE] TAX BUDGET OF 12.7 MILLION.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT FINISHING THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH ABOUT 9.9, AND THAT'S DOWN 525,000 OF WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED, BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR DECIDED TO LEND THAT MONEY TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAD COLLECTED IT, ESSENTIALLY.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DELAYED IN RECEIPT OF THAT AMOUNT OF OUR SALES TAX.

[NOISE] I THINK SOME PEOPLE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED IT TO BE WORSE THAN THAT.

IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE BEEN IN THIS CRISIS FOREVER.

BUT IN FACT, IT DIDN'T HIT UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR.

SO WE THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT THE RIGHT NUMBER.

THAT'S AN HDL ESTIMATE THAT ROB WAS WORKING FROM.

THE SECOND LINE MEASURE X SALES TAX, WHICH AGAIN IS RELATED.

IT'S NOT IDENTICAL IN HOW IT'S CALCULATED, BUT IT'S RELATED.

WE'RE LOOKING AT INSTEAD OF BEING 11.4 MILLION, PROBABLY BEING 9.2.

AGAIN, THERE WAS 510,000 THAT IS DEFERRED, THAT WE'LL GET NEXT YEAR, HOPEFULLY.

AT LEAST SOME OF IT WE'LL GET NEXT YEAR.

THE PROPERTY TAX NUMBER, BECAUSE PROPERTY TAX IS FIXED, [NOISE] WE DON'T THINK THAT WE'LL LOSE MUCH ON THE PROPERTY TAX.

THERE MAY BE MORE IN DELINQUENCY THAN IN THE PAST.

BUT 18.1 MILLION, WE THINK IT COMES IN SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT.

TOT IS A HUGE HIT.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE FESTIVAL SEASON IS BIG FOR US.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT BEING DOWN FOUR MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR IN THE TOT CATEGORY.

THAT'S HOTELS, IT'S THE CONCERTS, AND IT'S SHORT-TERM RENTALS.

I LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S HEAVY SHORT-TERM RENTAL AND I'LL TELL YOU,

[02:40:02]

IT'S REALLY QUIET RIGHT NOW.

[NOISE] UUT, WE DON'T THINK IT FALLS A WHOLE LOT THIS YEAR.

UUT ISN'T GROWING VERY MUCH, OR AT ALL THESE DAYS, BUT WE DON'T THINK WE HAVE A BIG HIT THERE.

OUR BUSINESS LICENSE TAX, YOU MAY NOTE, ISN'T VERY MUCH TO BEGIN WITH.

ONE THING WE CAN SAY ABOUT OUR SUPPORTIVE LOCAL BUSINESSES IS THIS IS THE SMALLEST BUSINESS LICENSE TAX I'VE EVER SEEN IN A CITY.

FRANCHISE FEES, ABOUT FLAT.

PERMIT FEES, DOWN A LITTLE BIT, AND OTHER REVENUES ARE DOWN.

I THINK, ROB, THE BIGGEST PART OF THAT IS THE TICKET REVENUE.

YEAH, 2.2. MILLION TICKET REVENUE THAT WE DIDN'T GET.

SO ON THE FULL YEAR BASIS, WE'RE DOWN ABOUT $12 MILLION.

NOW, THAT WOULD BE MORE CRITICAL AND MORE OF A CONCERN IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE FACT THAT WE ALSO AREN'T SPENDING ALL THE MONEY THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR.

WE'VE CANCELED SOME THINGS THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO, AND WE'VE GOT SOME VACANCIES AND SOME POSITIONS THAT WE'RE HOLDING.

OBVIOUSLY, WE DIDN'T HAVE SOME OF THE EXPENSES THAT WENT ALONG WITH THE CONCERT.

WHAT ELSE ARE WE NOT DOING THIS YEAR THAT I'M NOT MENTIONING?

>> [INAUDIBLE] [NOISE]

>> THE PROJECT. MEASURE X PROJECTS ARE IN THIS TOTAL.

SO WE HAVE A GOOD NUMBER.

WE'VE GOT SEVERAL MILLION, MAYBE SIX MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF MEASURE X PROJECTS.

BUT WE HAVEN'T SPENT THE MONEY YET.

SO WE'RE HOLDING ONTO THAT FOR RIGHT NOW.

WHEN WE GET AROUND TO DOING THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, [NOISE] WE WILL TALK ABOUT HOW WE ALLOCATE SOME OF THAT MEASURE X MONEY TO BALANCE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

IT WON'T BE THAT WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH $12 MILLION, BUT IT WILL BE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO COVER SOME [NOISE] OF THAT DEFICIT WITH MEASURE X MONEY.

NOW IF I CAN MOVE THE CHART TO THE LOWER HALF [NOISE] THERE WE GO.

PERFECT. THANK YOU. OUR IT PEOPLE WHO HELP US ARE GREAT.

SO IN THIS PART OF THE CHART, WHAT YOU SEE IS THE SAME.

THE RIGHT COLUMN FROM UP ABOVE IS NOW THE LEFT COLUMN DOWN HERE.

SO IT'S WHERE WE'RE ENDING UP THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THEN PROJECTING WHERE NEXT YEAR'S GOES.

I'M NOT TRYING TO GIVE AWAY SOME SECRET BECAUSE WE HAVE NO INDICATION WHATSOEVER AS TO WHETHER THERE'S A CONCERT IN OCTOBER.

BUT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF PLANNING AND BEING CONSERVATIVE IN PLANNING, WE LOOKED AT A SCENARIO HERE WHERE THERE'S NO CONCERT IN OCTOBER, BUT WE'RE ASSUMING THERE IS A CONCERT IN APRIL.

SO UNDER THAT SCENARIO, WHICH IS A BAD SCENARIO, BUT IT'S NOT A WORST CASE SCENARIO.

SO SALES TAX IN THAT SCENARIO GOES FROM 9.9 TO 9.4.

WHEN YOU SAY, WHY WOULD IT NOT GO DOWN MORE THAN THAT IF THE ECONOMY'S BAD? BECAUSE WE GET THAT MONEY THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY UP ABOVE, GETS PUT IN DOWN BELOW.

SO THERE'S AN EXTRA 525,000 THAT GETS PUT IN DOWN BELOW THAT WE HAD TAKEN OUT ABOVE.

THAT'S STILL NOT THE WORST CASE.

I MEAN, IF THE ECONOMY COMPLETELY TANKED.

IF SALES TAX FELL 50 PERCENT, WHICH WE SAW IT DUE IN SOME POINT IN TIME IN 2008, 2009, THEN, WE'D BE IN A MUCH WORSE POSITION.

BUT ASSUMING LIKE A 25 PERCENT CUT IN SALES TAX, WE COME UP WITH A NUMBER RIGHT ABOUT THAT, THAT'S SHOWN ON THIS CHART.

THE MEASURE X FROM 9.2 TO 8.8.

AGAIN, IT WOULD BE WORSE EXCEPT WE PUT BACK THE 510 FROM UP ABOVE.

AGAIN, IF SALES TAX GOES DOWN 50 PERCENT INSTEAD OF 25 PERCENT, THEN WE HAVE A REAL CHALLENGE ON OUR HANDS.

PROPERTY TAX ACTUALLY PROBABLY GOES UP NEXT YEAR.

IT TAKES LONGER FOR PROPERTY TAX TO ADJUST THAN OTHER REVENUES, OVER TIME IF YOU WERE IN A DEEP RECESSION, THAT WE WOULD START SEEING PROPERTY TAXES GO DOWN.

BUT IN THE SHORT-TERM, IT DOESN'T MOVE THAT QUICKLY.

TOT WERE ACTUALLY SHOWING A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH BECAUSE WE'RE ASSUMING A FESTIVAL IN APRIL.

SO YOU [NOISE] ACTUALLY SEE A LITTLE BIT OF GROWTH.

BUT COMPARED TO WHAT TOT WAS A YEAR AGO, THAT'S STILL A VERY BAD OUTLOOK.

A LITTLE BIT DOWN ON UUT,

[02:45:02]

LITTLE BIT DOWN ON BUSINESS TAX, FRANCHISE FEE IS FLAT, PERMIT FEE IS FLAT.

OTHER REVENUES ARE ACTUALLY UP A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE A CONCERT.

SO IN THE NEXT YEAR, WE WOULD BE ABOUT WHERE WE WERE THE YEAR BEFORE, BUT A LITTLE BIT UP.

NOW IN THAT SAME YEAR WHEN WE START LOOKING AT EXPENSES, WHICH WE WILL DO IN JUNE, WE WILL HAVE TO BALANCE THAT BY THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT $900,000 EXTRA COST FOR [INAUDIBLE] UNFUNDED LIABILITY.

SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY BAD NEWS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT 300,000 MORE ON LIABILITY WORKERS COMP INSURANCE FROM OUR RISK POOL.

WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 300,000 MORE ON OUR FIRE SERVICE COSTS.

SO THERE'S SOME CONCERN WHEN WE GET TO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

WITH THIS SCENARIO, WE'RE ALREADY DOWN TO ABOUT 10 MILLION FROM WHERE WE STARTED LAST YEAR, AND WE HAVE THOSE COST INCREASES.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO SOME WORK IN THIS.

AS LONG AS WE'VE GOT MEASURE X, WE'VE GOT A CUSHION THAT ALLOWS US TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT OF TIME BEFORE WE HAVE TO MAKE DEEP CUTS TO WHAT WE DO.

BUT IF THE ECONOMY WENT REALLY SOUTH, THEN WE'D HAVE TO DO SOME PRETTY SERIOUS DISCUSSION.

THE TROUBLE IN INDIO IS THAT WE'RE ALREADY SO LEAN IN WHAT WE DO.

WE'RE A CITY OF ALMOST 100,000, WITH ONLY 260 AUTHORIZED POSITIONS.

WITH A POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT COUNTS THE WATER UTILITY.

THAT'S REALLY LEAN, AND IN AN EMERGENCY OPERATION, YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE MORE LEAN THAN THAT.

I WOULD ALREADY WORRY ABOUT OUR CAPACITY TO HANDLE THINGS ON OUR OWN IN A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE, FOR INSTANCE.

SO WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY TO CUT.

WE HAVE SOME. YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOME.

WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT, BUT I'LL TELL YOU IN A DEEP ECONOMIC DIVE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO COME TO YOU IN JUNE AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A BUDGET THAT WILL BE A 12-MONTH BUDGET, BUT WE ONLY WANT TO ACTUALLY OPERATE OFF OF IT FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS.

THEN WE WANT TO COME BACK TO YOU MAYBE SEPTEMBER AND SAY, OKAY, NOW THAT WE KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE ECONOMY, NOW WE THINK WE CAN DO A SOLID JOB OF PLANNING FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

SO WE'RE GOING TO COME IN AND DO THE BEST BUDGET WE CAN DO IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.

THEN WE'LL COME BACK IN ABOUT THREE MONTHS AND DO A MORE SOLID BUDGET WITH BETTER ESTIMATES OF WHERE WE'RE GOING.

ROB, I DID ALL THAT IN ONE SENTENCE.

SO DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING?

>> I APPRECIATE AND I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE THE CALM AND CONCISE PRESENTATION THAT THE CITY MANAGER DID FOR YOU BECAUSE IF I DID IT, IT WOULD JUST SOUND A LITTLE MORE BLEAK.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VERY CHALLENGING.

CERTAINLY, THERE'S SOME UNKNOWNS, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT YEAR? HOW FAST BUSINESSES GET BACK TO SOME LEVEL OF OPERATION? I WON'T SAY NORMAL BECAUSE I DON'T DON'T KNOW WHAT NORMAL OPERATION WILL BE AT THIS POINT, BUT CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE FACED WITH SOME VERY TOUGH DECISIONS NEXT YEAR, PARTICULARLY IN REGARDS TO MEASURE X.

IS GOING TO BE A CHOICE BETWEEN DEFERRING MEASURE X TO COVER OPERATIONAL COSTS AND DRAWING DOWN RESERVES.

THAT'S JUST THE REALITY WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A REALITY UNTIL THE ECONOMY AND OUR REVENUES COME BACK UP TO SOMETHING MORE NORMAL, AND I THINK MARK COVERED IT REALLY WELL. [BACKGROUND]

>> NO, PLEASE.

>> ANYBODY IN CITY COUNCIL WANT TO WEIGH IN ON ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OR THOUGHTS? [INAUDIBLE] , ANYTHING? OKAY. SO DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY ISSUES COLLECTING THE OTHER DEFERRED MONEY.

I MEAN, ANOTHER GOVERNOR [INAUDIBLE] HAVE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING THAT OFF, BUT THEY HAVE A HABIT OF WHENEVER IT GETS REALLY DEEP TO KEEP DIGGING IT OUT OF OUR POCKETS INSTEAD OF THEIRS.

>> WELL, YEAH. DO I WORRY ABOUT THAT? YES, ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE STATE FOR A LONG TIME.

WE KNOW WE WON'T GET DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR BACK BECAUSE EVERY BUSINESS THAT GOES OUT OF BUSINESS DURING THE NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO TAKE THEIR SALES TAX WITH THEM.

SO WE MIGHT GET 90 PERCENT OF IT BACK,

[02:50:03]

BUT UNLESS THE STATE CHANGES ITS POSITION, WE HOPE TO GET MOST OF IT BACK.

>> SO IF YOU TOOK OUT MEASURE X OUT OF THIS, HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU THINK WE WOULD REALLY BE SHORT IF WE TOOK UP THE PROJECTS? ARE WE TALKING EIGHT MILLION, SEVEN MILLION?

>> WITHOUT USING MEASURE X, EIGHT MILLION, SEVEN MILLION.

>> WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH DECISION.

IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF CRUNCHING, DON'T LOOK FORWARD TO IT, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE UP TO THE CHALLENGE, WE'LL DEAL WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, I MEAN, THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THANK GOD WE HAVE MEASURE X IF WE NEED IT TO BE ABLE TO FALL BACK ONTO BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND RE-DO PROJECTS OR ASK OUR COMMUNITY IF THEY LIKE TO EXTEND MEASURE X TO EITHER A PERMANENT THING SO WE COULD LONG-TERM BOND, DO A NORMAL BOND.

I'M NOT BIG ON TAXES, BUT WHEN IT GOES DIRECTLY INTO OUR FUND, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE IT NOW, WE REALLY BE CUTTING SERVICES.

OBVIOUSLY, THE COUNCIL HASN'T DECIDED IF THEY WANT TO UTILIZE THAT, BUT THAT IS AN OPTION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE.

>> THAT'S CORRECT, WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE MEASURE X.

>> YEAH. LIKE I SAID, WE DO HAVE SOME DEVELOPMENT GOING.

WE DO HAVE HOUSES. WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE].

WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS BEING BUILT, SEEING ALL OVER ON THE GOLF CENTER PARKWAY OF JEFFERSON TOO.

THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF, HOUSES, AND DEVELOPMENTS GOING, SO WE'RE FORTUNATE.

ANYTHING OUT, NEITHER, NO, ONLINE, DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING?

>> NOT NECESSARILY. I GUESS, IN MANY RESPECTS, IT'S VERY SOBERING.

IN OTHER RESPECTS, WE'LL GET THROUGH IT, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS A LOT AND WE HAVE TO PULL BACK.

WE HAVE TO BE RESOURCEFUL.

BUT THIS ISN'T THE END OF THE WORLD.

I WAS ON THE AUDIENCE SIDE BACK IN 2008 AND 2009 WHEN THE CITY WENT THROUGH WHAT IT WENT THROUGH AND THAT WAS TRAUMATIZING.

THIS, WE CAN DO.

WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS AND PASS THIS.

SO WE HAVE SOME HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE, BUT WE CAN DO THAT.

THANKFULLY, WE HAVE, ROB, THE CITY MANAGER, THE DEPARTMENT HEADS BECAUSE WE GOT A REALLY STELLAR TEAM. WE JUST HAVE TO HANG TIGHT.

>> PERFECT. CITY MANAGER, ANYTHING ELSE?

>> THAT'S IT FOR ME.

>> MR. ROCKWELL, ANYTHING, ANY WORDS OF WISDOM? NO. OKAY. WELL, THEN WE'LL CLOSE THIS MEETING DOWN.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY OTHER THING TO DISCUSS.

THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO DISCUSS ANYTHING, KEEP US, THE CITY MANAGER ABREAST ON ANY ISSUES THAT COME FORWARD WITH THE GOVERNOR'S STATE, [INAUDIBLE] , AND ACCOUNTING.

THEN ALSO IF YOU CAN KEEP US ABREAST ON THE BUDGET TOO.

IF THERE'S ANY REAL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW, I'D RATHER BE TOLD BEFORE THAT AND WE'LL ADJOURN THIS MEETING AND EVERYBODY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU MOTHERS OUT THERE AND EVERYONE ELSE.

STAY SAFE. CONTINUE TO MASK UP, CONTINUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCE, AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. GOOD NIGHT. GOD BLESS. [NOISE]

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.