The San Diego Community Coalition publishes this email bulletin to keep our members and the San Diego public informed about important Council hearings and other city public meetings.
Monday, August 24: City Council, 2:00 p.m.
Item 200: Proposed FY 2027 Statement of Budgetary Principles
Why it matters: Significant addition: “The Risk Management Department will provide an annual presentation … detailing City’s settlement and judgement payments, including settlements and claim count information for the San Diego Police Department.”
Item 201: Repeal of Measure C Amending Ordinance … to the San Diego Municipal Code and Local Coastal Program
Why it matters: This is an opportunity for the public to speak against Senator Akilah Weber Pierson’s legislative proposals to get around a CA Supreme Court decision that has upheld the 30-foot height limit on the gargantuan Midway Rising project.
Tuesday, August 25: City Council, 10:00 a.m.
Item 55: Southwest Village Specific Plan
Why it matters: The Sierra Club has sued the City over this project, as reported by the Union-Tribune August 18, alleging it would “disrupt environmentally sensitive land, had a lack of public transit, and had flawed environmental approval.”
Item 58: Sixth Amendment to Extend and Increase Expenditure Authority for the … Contract Between the City and Rehrig Pacific for Waste Carts, … Bins, etc.
Why it matters: After all the controversy over trash fees, the overall cost of trash and recycling container replacement and repair will now be $106.5 million for this sixth amendment. (The first amendment in 2020 was for $8.5 million.) It’s still unclear how data from the RFID (radio identification) chips are used.
Item 103: Approval of an Agreement with Rowe Solutions to Provide Meal Delivery Services
Why it matters: This contract will pay Rowe Solutions to provide two meals a day seven days a week for as many as 1,160 homeless people in the O Lot Safe Sleeping Program. The cost over 5 years is $13.1 million. The staff report doesn’t mention what’s on the menus.
Three Settlements
Item 104: Denise Wadsworth v. City of SD
Item 109: La Jolla Terrace HOA v. City of SD
Item 111: Daniel Patz v. City of SD
Why they matter: These cases together cost the City $56.5 million: $6.5 million (Wadsworth, scooter accident), $10 million (La Jolla, storm drain issue), and $40 million (Patz, incorrect use of Prop 218 with tiered water rates).
Item 330: Resolution Condemning Trump Administration’s Attacks on Higher Education and Affirming the City’s Commitment to Protecting Higher Education from Political Interference
Why it matters: This doesn’t matter one bit – what possible impact could it have? Such posturing is a waste of the Council’s time and an insult to members of the public whose limited time to speak in Chambers keeps shrinking.
Tuesday, August 25: City Council, 2:00 p.m.
Item 331: Performance Audit of the City’s Management of Its Leased Golf Property Portfolio
Why it matters: From staff report: “The City’s administration of its golf property portfolio has historically missed opportunities to increase its revenue … Given the average annual General Fund budget shortfall of approximately $108 million through FY2031, increasing revenue from leased golf courses could help.”
In-person: Council, 202 C St.
To participate via Zoom and submit written comments, click on the meeting agenda and look for the links.
Not everyone agrees that taking a swipe at the Trump administration is a “waste of time.”
As the post announces: Today, at the 2pm City Council hearing:
“This is an opportunity for the public to speak against Senator Akilah Weber Pierson’s legislative proposals to get around a CA Supreme Court decision that has upheld the 30-foot height limit on the gargantuan Midway Rising project.”