There were three items for discussion from the closed session. No action was taken with two of them. One item involving litigation was settled.

The following presentations were made by the council:

1. Presentation of a Donation to the City of Hemet Fire Department Explorer Post Number 620. The family of deceased fireman Kevin Wojeck donated $15,000 in cash plus new helmets and boots to the local Explorer Post 620. They promised to donate in the future if needed. An emotional film depicting young Kevin’s life was screened. Needless to say, there was hardly a dry eye in the room when it ended.

2. November 11th was proclaimed Veterans Day.

3. November proclaimed as Diabetes Awareness Month.

4. Proclamation honoring the 246th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.

5 November proclaimed to be Military Appreciation Month.

Comments from the Public:

Debra Scarcelli: Follow up from the previous meeting regarding issues between citizens and power outages that cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. Council agreed to investigate further.

Richard Cantla: Praising Hemet PD for taking care of an incident that began in his driveway into the streets, praising their quick action.

Jerry Ann Franklin: Representing Hemet West Mobile Home Park regarding surveyor action east of the Mobile Home Park. Council agreed to check into an application for a commercial-residential project that might interfere with the rights of Hemet West residents.

Received and filed: City of Hemet Warrant Registers dated October 7th, 2021, in the amount of $648,109.97 and October 21, 20-21, in the amount of $1,062,841.06. The payroll periods of September 20th, 2021-October 3, 2021, in the amount of $746,109.88, and October 4th, 2021- October 17th, 2021 in the amount of $762,187.65.

Passed 4-0 with conditions, a resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, adopting a schedule of user and regulatory fees for various city services.

Passed 4-0 with conditions, an ordinance of the City of Hemet, California, amending sections of Chapter 90 (zoning) of the Hemet Municipal Code to include emerging trends businesses for allowable uses.

Passed 4-0 An ordinance of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, amending three sections of Chapter 90 (zoning) of the Hemet Municipal Code Regarding an Amendment to the Building Height allowance in the (CM) Commercial Manufacturing Zone with Exceptions in the C-M (Commercial Manufacturing), Business Park (BP), M-1 (limited manufacturing) and M-2 (General Manufacturing Zones. Passed 4-0, with amendments, First Reading and introduction of an ordinance entitled, An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, amending two sections of Chapter 90 (zoning) of the Hemet Municipal Code to establish objective design and development standards and to amend site development review applications citywide.

Passed 4-0, First reading and adoption of ordinance 19811, an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, approving a second amendment to development agreement amendment No. 20-001 for Amendment to Development Agreement Amendment No. 20-001 for Tres Cerritos West Between the City of Hemet and JMP Busby Hemet.

Passed 4-0, Consent Calendar with the exception of Resolution of the City of Hemet, California renewing a three-year small government enterprise license agreement (SGEA) with Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI) in the amount of $158,500 and authorize the City Manager to Execute the Agreement, annual purchase orders, and all other supporting documents related to the agreement. Mayor Karlee Meyer voted against the agreement because she claimed that the company injected itself into the recent municipal election.

Accepted Fiscal Year; end 2020-2021 Review and Quarterly Budget Update for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Quarterly Report.

Passed 4-0 A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California Approving a subdivision improvement agreement, improvement security, and final tract map 36889 located at northwest corner of Thornton Avenue and Elk Street.

Passed 4-0 Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California approving a subdivision improvement agreement, improvement security and final tract map 36889, located at northwest corner of Thornton and Elk Street.

Passed 4-0 a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, approving a subdivision improvement agreement, improvement security, and final tract map 36891, located at southwest corner of Thornton Avenue and Elk Street.

Passed 4-0 a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California authorizing the award of a purchase order to Fairview Ford for a 2022 Ford F-450 Super Cab Gas Engine Truck with a Pacific Service Body in the amount of $75,053.33 and authorizing the finance director to record a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $75,053.33 from fund 380 and authorize the City Manager to execute a purchase order to support of the award and declare vehicle #8254 as Surplus to be sold at auction.

Passed 4-0 A resolution of the City Council of the City of Hemet, California, authorizing the award of a purchase order to Plumbers Depot for a Compressed Natural Gas freightliner/GAPVAX combination jet/vacuum truck in the amount of $557,291.31; authorize the finance director to record a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $557,291.31 from Fund 224, and authorize the City Manager to execute a purchase order in support of the award and declare vehicle #4609 surplus to be sold at auction.

Passed 4-0 A resolution of the City of Hemet, California awarding a vehicle purchase of one 2022 Ford F-750 with a Douglas Service Body to Fritts Ford in the amount of $154,718.42.

Passed 4-0 A resolution of the City council of the City of Hemet, California to establish City of Hemet Community Facilities District No. 2021-02 (Heritage Pointe and to authorize the levy of a special tax within City of Hemet Community Facilities District No. 2021-02 (Heritage Pointe), generally located between Stetson Avenue, Chambers Street, Lyon Avenue and Palm Avenue.

Passed 4-0 First reading and adoption of Ordinance 1981, an ordinance of the city council of the City of Hemet, California approving a second amendment to development agreement amendment No. 20-001 for Tres Cerritos West between the City of Hemet and JMP Bixby Hemet.

Future Agenda Items:

1. Broadcasting of City Council Meetings

2. Vagrancy and Pan Handling Laws

3. Council Protocols

4. Animal Control Regulations for Businesses

5. Solar Feasibility

6, Review of Resolution No. 4703

7. Legal Review of Hemet Youth Baseball

8. Code Enforcement Efficiency Plan

9. Building Code Ordinances for New Single-family residence constructions.

10. Review of Section 82-172 of the City of Hemet Municipal code the council would get to the point and not argue and debate forever.

Rusty Strait | Senior Reporter

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RIVERSIDE (CNS) – The public will be barred from attending Tuesday’s Riverside City Council meeting due to coronavirus concerns, but there will be several ways for people to comment on agenda items.

For those who wish to speak in person, a camera system, along with communications personnel, will be set up on the west side of City Hall in a parking lot, allowing the public to make “drive-up” comments from their vehicles, said city spokesman Phil Pitchford.

To access the site, drivers should head south on Orange Street, turn right on Ninth Street, left on Mariposa Alley and right on 10th Street. The parking lot will be on the right side.

Wayfinding signs will be posted and police officers will help direct motorists.

Those who attempt to access the drive-up comment line by heading west on Ninth Street from Lemon or Lime streets will be required to circle the block and enter the back of the line, Pitchford warned.

The public will also be able to file e-comments at www.engageriverside.com or email comments to the city clerk at city_clerk@riversideca.gov.

“We all are changing our behavior in order to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe during this very serious health threat,” Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey said in a statement. “We are bringing this same mindset to how we do the public’s business, so we will see you online and look forward to your feedback.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order last week enabled virtual government meetings and suspended some usual meeting requirements.

The council meeting will begin at 3 p.m. with closed sessions for legal matters, which are not open to the public.

The virtual portion of the meeting starts at 5 p.m. and will include a proposed moratorium on evictions for residential and commercial tenants for non-payment of rent for the next 60 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a review of emergency orders issued during the pandemic.

The general public comment portion of the meeting is set for 7 p.m. before a public hearing on a proposal to build 50 affordable housing units at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.

A live webcast of the meeting will be available at www.engageriverside.com.

Most elected officials who will be participating in the meeting will be doing so from outside the City Council chambers using an online meeting tool, said Pitchford.

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Hemet City Council held an emergency meeting Monday, March 16, where council members unanimously passed a resolution proclaiming the existence of an emergency situation and local emergency due to the worldwide spread of COVID-19.

This comes during a time of increasing public concern over the spread of COVID-19 and the ways in which social and community activities are being impacted.

Council Chamber was empty of a physical, public audience as the city has encouraged social distancing as per CDC’s recommendation in preventing spread of the novel virus. Also discussed was how council will continue adhering to provisions of the Brown Act–the state law that ensures council deliberations and actions are made openly with public access and input. The meeting was, in fact, accessible to the public via teleconferencing and will continue being so in this time of caution.

Council members shared sentiments of hope that community members will take individual responsibility and report any illness to their physician; be good neighbors; and be especially mindful when shopping-buying only what is needed.

“I hope that our meeting today does not cause more panic…because the community reaction, and across America, is out of control,” says council member, Karlee Meyer.

There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hemet, but City Council is taking proactive measures to prevent or deal with potential exposures. Monday’s emergency meeting and resolution positions the city to go after federal funding that would be needed for emergency operations.

Based on the circumstances and the number of closures that are happening throughout the state, City Manager Chris Lopez says, “It’s imperative that the city council weigh in on this resolution and provide the opportunity for emergency services to implement whatever is needed to address some of the concerns that exist here in our community.”

Over the past week the community has, in many ways, been emptied of a familiar way of life: events and school classes and activities have been canceled, grocery store shelves depleted of goods. Social distancing in a community that thrives on performing arts and events,  it all seems to have left an eerie void of unease and uncertainty. But it is evident that the Mayor and City Council are taking the necessary steps to curtail the spread of this virus and get Hemet’s way of life back on track.

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Thursday, January 2, the Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto held their first monthly meeting of 2020. The meeting was called to order by Dick Gale, columnist for The Hemet-San Jacinto Chronicle and head of the Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto.

In attendance were members and attorneys Scott Rudibaugh and Kathy Bloom-Rudibaugh and members James Crawford, Mitzi Carver, Judy Rice, Kimara Pyatt and attorney and board member DeniAntionette “Deni” Mazingo, candidate for District 42nd State Assembly seat.

In the first order of business, Deni Mazingo brought up the fact that, yet again, the California DMV has created confusion and problems by mis-registering voters, assigning both Republicans and Democrats to the “NPP” (No Particular Party) voter rolls. This is at least the second time that this type of dangerous voter registration problem has happened. For more on this topic, please see our article titled, “Illegal Motor-Voter Toter” elsewhere in this issue.  That article outlines the many ongoing Motor-Voter problems.

Mazingo, who officially filed in December, held a fund-raiser at the Four Seasons in Beaumont on January 9, and will hold her official campaign kick-off on Thursday, January 23 at the 849 Club in Palm Springs at 6:30. Mazingo has north of $50, 000 in a campaign war-chest for the election pitting her against Andrew Kotyuk and current office-holder Chad Mayes. In a controversial move, Mayes switched his allegiance from the Republican Party to the newly designated No Particular Party or “NPP.” Mazingo states that she, “…would never leave my party, because my party will never leave me…” For more information on her campaign, voters are urged to visit DeniMazingo.com or her Facebook page, DeniforAssembly.

Next attorney and board member Scott Rudibaugh mentioned the Figgins Scholarship Golf Tournament which will be held on January 20 at the Golden Era Golf Course from 10:45am to 4:30pm. Head of the organization, Dick Gale reminds all interested in donating that all funds go to fund the Figgins Scholarship, and that all golfers are called to join in, and further reminds all that party affiliation is not an issue as this scholarship is open to all.

Next James Crawford mentioned a Town Hall event being held on January 15 at Valle Vista Elementary School. It will start at 6:30 p.m. and end at approximately 8:30 p.m. Candidates currently scheduled to speak are Elizabeth Lavertu, Liam O’Mara, Edison Gomez-Krauss, and possibly Deni Mazingo.

For further information on scholarship, the golf outing, Deni Mazingo’s campaign or the Town Hall event, call The Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto at (951) 402-3194 or visit the headquarters at 530-1/2 E. Florida Avenue, Hemet

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