Santa Ana City Council Meeting Preview

The next Santa Ana City Council meeting is coming up this Monday, at 5:30 p.m., at Council Chambers, at City Hall. Yes, this meeting will be televised. A revised agenda is available online. Here are a few things to keep an eye on:

  1. The City Council will review vacancies on city commissions and boards. New council members David Benavides (Ward 4) and Michele Martinez (Ward 2) will also resign from their respective positions on the Planning Commission (I thought that was Benavides’ occupation, as per his ballot designation?) and the Parks and Recreation Commission.
  2. There appear to be vacancies on the Community Redevelopment/Housing Commission, the Environmental & Transportation Commission (ETAC), the Youth Commission, and the Personnel Board.
  3. Item 22c – it appears that the City will be spending more money on light poles and fixtures, via the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Agency. Sounds good to me.
  4. Item 22d – apparently the City is buying hybrid mid-size vehicles for its Public Works Agency. Are these vehicles the most cost-effective option available? Or is the city just engaging in the latest fad?
  5. Item 22e – the City is buying over $200,000 worth of compact trucks from George Chevrolet – a dealer in Bellflower. Why aren’t they buying these from local Chevy dealer Guaranty? Maybe the two dealers are related somehow? Shouldn’t the city try to spend money in our city – at least for tax purposes?
  6. Item 22F – The City is also spending over $200,000 for vehicle maintenance – at dealers in Orange and La Mesa. Again, shouldn’t we try to spend this money in our city? Maybe the city did try to do so. Did they try hard enough?
  7. Items 22 g and h – More vehicle purchases, this time with dealers in La Habra and Anaheim.
  8. 22j – The City finally spends some money in Santa Ana as they opt to buy fire uniforms from local vendor, Carmen’s Uniforms.
  9. 22k – The City buys another hybrid vehicle.
  10. 25c – The Zoo issue comes up again after being previously continued. Will Parks and Rec director Gerardo Mouet actually submit a properly written request this time?
  11. 25j – The City opts to spend over $170K on steam cleaning. Wow! That is a lot of money. I am told this is to be done in the downtown area and that the funds come from an assessment paid by local business owners.
  12. 29a – Target donates $2K for use by our police department special investigations unit. Thanks Target!
  13. 31a – McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, at 2791 N. Main St., wants to stay open later. Why not? This is a great place to hang out – it is a favorite of my friends on the OC GOP Central Committee as well.
  14. 65b – The big item of the evening. Jose Solorio has resigned from the City Council – and now the council members will be advised as to how to go about replacing him. I am told that the council is split as to whom to appoint. This looks like it is going to a special election. The key vote is likely Benavides. Will he go with the Pulido faction’s choice, if they have one, or with the other side’s choice? He says he is an independent councilman. Now we will find out if that is true – or if he is a Pulido puppet. I am betting the council will not come to an agreement, and we will have to spend over $300K on a special election. Might be money well spent. Or it might have paid for a lot of pothole repairs…
  15. 75a – Another juicy item. Kelly’s Auto Body wants to expand. Do their neighbors feel good about that? We’ll find out. The Planning Commission already said no. What will the City Council do? This could go either way.
  16. 75b – The shopping carts are coming! Actually, they’re going. The City is establishing a shopping cart containment program, whatever that means.
  17. 80a – The City is buying a bunch of houses. Not sure what this is all about.
  18. 85a – Whoa! A Charter Amendment regarding Mayoral Term Limits! Interesting. I wonder what Benavides will do with this item. Didn’t he promise, many times, during his campaign to support mayoral term limits? My goodness – this item really puts him on the spot. I’m guessing he remains a Pulido puppet and says “no se puede” to mayoral term limits.
  19. 90a – Public comments – show up and let them have it! But give kudos to Martinez, Alvarez and Tinajero for showing fiery independence against the Pulido cabal.


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"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.