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00:00:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting, Council Member West gives the invocation in honor of Cesar Chavez, a man who dedicated his life to promoting the rights of Farm Workers and other marginalized communities. Chavez believed in peaceful protest, non-violence, and fought for better working conditions and higher wages for Farm Workers. His activism led to real change that can still be seen today, including the passage of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act in California. President Bill Clinton awarded Chavez posthumously the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civil war award. The council then proceeds to call the regular meeting to order, with no announcements from the attorney and a roll call to begin the session.
00:05:00 say that the Santa Clarita City Council recognized International Women’s Day and the efforts of the Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley in promoting gender equality. Council Member McLean presented the proclamation highlighting the role of women in social, economic, cultural, and political development, as well as the struggles they still face with discrimination, pay gaps, and inadequate family leave options. The City of Santa Clarita encourages the celebration and respect of women’s rights and joins the Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley in their mission of creating a world free of violence against women and girls. Nicole Miller, the club’s president, thanked the city for partnering with them and the community for their support in building a better world for women and girls.
00:10:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting from February 28, 2023, Holly Schroeder, President and CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation, provided an annual update on the organization’s accomplishments in 2022 and plans for 2023. One of their initiatives for 2022 was a survey of businesses in their target clusters, primarily focused on small manufacturers with over 150 respondents. The survey found that the primary issue for businesses is workforce, including finding and training workers to meet changing job demands. However, 82% of respondents rated the business climate in Santa Clarita as good, and 91% rated the quality of life as good, which is a positive statement and endorsement of the city’s effort to be named the most business-friendly city in LA county. The organization continued to work on business attraction and retention, resulting in the creation of 927 new jobs in the Santa Clarita Valley.
00:15:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting, Holly Schroeder, the CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corporation, discussed the organization’s priorities for 2022, which included workforce development, job fairs, and economic information. Schroeder explained that the SCV EDC’s job board, liveworkscv.com, had seen a substantial increase in usage since its launch in 2019, with over 100 employers participating in the job fairs they hosted. However, the organization faced challenges related to a national issue of workforce shortages, with millions of people having left the workforce due to the pandemic. Schroeder emphasized the need to encourage local residents to find employment within the Santa Clarita Valley and reduce the traffic caused by commuting.
00:20:00 In this section of the transcript, council members discuss the issue of traffic and employment in Santa Clarita Valley. Despite efforts to connect workers to local job opportunities, many employees still commute outside of the city for work due to the sheer number of people in the Los Angeles area. However, the city is working to attract high-quality employers, such as Vallarta and Logix Federal Credit Union, to create more jobs within the city and reduce traffic. Council members also discuss the factors that companies look for when considering a move to a new headquarters, including a business-friendly community, safety, quality of life, and good educational facilities. The section ends with Joseph Jassi inviting city leaders to celebrate the four-year anniversary of his business and his 80th birthday.
00:25:00 In this section of the transcript from a Santa Clarita City Council meeting, a member of the public expresses opposition to the idea of the government donating money to non-governmental entities, specifically addressing the proposed $2 million donation to Henry Mayo hospital. The speaker questions the need for such a donation, pointing out that the hospital has ample assets already, and asserts that the council made an emotional and nostalgic response rather than asking probing questions about the project. Other members of the public also address concerns about issues such as out-of-state vehicles parking in a cul-de-sac and racing down the street.
00:30:00 In this section of the video, residents bring up two main concerns to the council. One resident is requesting solutions to the issue of parking shortages in their neighborhood. Another resident questions the representation of the city council and the implementation of districts. They argue that having only one representative per district may result in underrepresentation and call for a leader and mayor to represent the entire city. The resident also suggests that improving economic development should include focusing on getting a hospital and nightlife to the city and getting utility companies to improve customer service.
00:35:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council meeting, a resident speaks out against racially based district maps proposed by “racist bigots” who aim to fulfill racial quotas. The speaker argues that such a plan is despicable and racist, perpetuating segregation and discrimination, and demands prioritizing policies that uphold democracy and equal representation. Additionally, another resident expresses concern over the lack of progress in developing a new hospital in Canyon Country, despite a growing need for healthcare resources due to overconstruction and expanding suburban sprawl. Another speaker brings attention to the unethical hiring practices and mistreatment of library aids in Santa Clarita, demanding that the city provide a living wage, benefits, and equal opportunities for advancement and mentorship for these employees. The speaker also calls for transparency and a merit-based process in hiring to uphold the fundamental principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion.
00:40:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting, a resident named Lorraine spoke out against the allocation of $2 million to Henry Mayo hospital, which already has a significant amount of assets and funding. She questioned why this money couldn’t be used to protect schools in the area from potential earthquake damage under the AB 300 restriction. Lorraine also criticized the council members for accepting campaign donations from someone called Mr. Donahoe and accused them of handing over the keys to the city to him to break open the bank. Another resident, Charles Foster, complained about the way code enforcement officers operate, citing an incident where he received a complaint from a neighbor about his fitness equipment in his driveway during the pandemic, and code enforcement came to investigate without asking for a more complete context of his situation.
00:45:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting, a resident expresses frustration with the uneven enforcement of local codes, citing multiple basketball courts on public streets and his own fines for trying to move items from his driveway. He requests an appointment with a council member to address the unfair application of these laws. Another resident expresses concern over the destruction of mountains in the area, forcing mountain lions into residential neighborhoods, and urges the council not to allow further bulldozing of mountains for future projects. Photos of mountain lions in residential areas are presented as evidence of the issue.
00:50:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting, Jeff Cordell expresses concern over the bulldozing of the Mountain near his home as it is endangering the lives of pets, children, and adults due to the habitat destruction of creatures such as the mountain lion. Furthermore, he urges the project to be stopped and that any future projects similar to the Sand Canyon Village should not occur in the first place. The City Manager addresses concerns about parking on Chemline and highlights the difficulty of enforcement due to state vehicle codes, but offers potential solutions for future discussion. Lastly, the Mayor inquires about the issue of mountain lion displacement due to habitat destruction brought up by Cordell and asks if any preventative measures such as fencing have been considered.
00:55:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting from February 28, 2023, the council members discussed a new big project on a former Mobile Home Plate. The council members express concern about the recent sightings of mountain lions in the area and the need to address this issue. They also talked about the one city one story program and urged everyone to participate. In addition, councilwoman McLean discussed a recent Los Angeles probation oversight commission meeting and their decision to improve existing facilities for youth offenders. She also expressed concern over the Cal Fire assessments and wanting to know the details of the upcoming Board of Supervisors meeting on March 14th.
01:00:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council meeting, Councilman McLean brings up the issue of a new fee being imposed on 29,000 homes by Cal Fire. The fee is for fire inspections and homeowners who do not attend the public hearing regarding the fee will be charged $100 this year and $150 the next. Councilman Miranda announces the return of the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, taking place on April 22nd and 23rd, with free admission and live performances. Following this, Councilman Miranda expresses his support for building a new hospital in the area, but acknowledges that it would require coordination and immense funding from sources such as the county, state, and private investors.
01:05:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting, council members discuss the lack of control the city has over the construction of buildings at the local college, as the state oversees and funds all of it. They also mention an upcoming transition to Burtek Waste Industries as the city’s Residential Waste hauler, and a state-mandated organics recycling program starting in July. The council encourages residents to stay informed and attend events such as the block party on Main Street and the city council hearing on upcoming changes to city council elections.
01:10:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council Meeting from February 28, 2023, the city council discussed the appointment of a representative to the Los Angeles County affordable housing Solutions agency and the importance of getting onto the ground floor to ensure proper allocation of funds. Additionally, they thanked the city manager and mayor Pro Tem for their work with the new sheriff and congratulated the Chamber of Commerce on their 100th year centennial celebration. They also held a public hearing for the results of the 2023-24 community needs assessment survey for the Community Grant Development Block Grant Program, which is a requirement of the program. The city receives an annual allocation of approximately 1.4 million dollars from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the survey helps guide funding recommendations.
01:15:00 In this section, the Santa Clarita City Council presents the results of the community needs assessment survey, which received 310 responses from the public between October 24th and December 2nd, 2022, with one-fourth of the written comments focused on needs surrounding affordable housing and homelessness. City staff conducted extensive community outreach to make the survey available online and in hard copies in English and Spanish, with flyers distributed in libraries and community centers, and door-to-door canvassing of approximately 280 households in low to moderate-income areas. Overall, the results were consistent with past years, with the top three needs identified in the survey already found in the current con plan. These results will be used to prepare funding recommendations for the upcoming program year, including award recommendations for CDBG public service grants, to be considered by the City Council in April of this year.
01:20:00 In this section of the transcript, a resident expresses concern about the limited number of people surveyed for decision-making and urges the city council to survey more people before making decisions that impact all residents. The council then moves on to discuss Community block grant funds and the allocation of these funds to organizations that help seniors and low-income families. The importance of these funds is highlighted, and the council acknowledges the challenges that come with receiving federal money. They also discuss the efforts made to reach out to the community for input and the consistency of the issues that arise each year.
01:25:00 In this section of the Santa Clarita City Council meeting, the council members approve the recommended action to allocate funds in compliance with the federal government. Meanwhile, a speaker, Mr. Tony Maldonado, urges the council to prioritize the expansion of the Santa Clarita Go Bus program as only three out of four allocated buses to the service are working causing unacceptable delays and missed appointments. He also appeals to the council to allocate resources accordingly and use any new buses purchased to replace the aging buses and increase the number of buses available. Another speaker, Mr. Steep Petzold, questions the council about the cost efficiency of buying hydrogen buses and the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels, pointing out that the city should prioritize the people first.
01:30:00 In this section of the transcript, a member of the public expresses concerns about the cost of purchasing new buses that run on hydrogen fuel instead of traditional fuel. However, the council explains that these buses are federally mandated and the funding comes from federal dollars, not the community’s general fund. The council also mentions ongoing conversations about prioritizing smaller buses and the need for replacement buses in the current transit system. The council acknowledges the frustration around the lack of control over federal mandates and laws made by elected officials in Sacramento.
01:35:00 In this section, a councilmember expresses frustration with laws passed by the Sacramento government that she believes are taking away the rights of the city and its residents. She encourages people to speak up and vote for officials who will not continue to take away these rights. She specifically mentions the CVRA lawsuit as an example of laws passed in Sacramento that have affected the city’s ability to serve its residents. The councilmember and the rest of the council provide information and support to their constituents, but they feel they are limited in their ability to fully serve the community due to laws passed by higher levels of government.