The agenda consists of two main items.

Item 9 involves the approval of a master schedule of fees and charges, which is conducted annually in conjunction with the city budget. The Fire Department has a total of 241 fees listed, covering services such as fire suppression, medical assistance, and inspections. Economic Development features a detailed document spanning 26 pages of fees. In comparison, the Library and Parks and Recreation departments have fewer fees, primarily related to facility rentals, including meeting rooms and sports facilities.

Item 10 addresses the enforcement of illegal fireworks. The proposed strategies include enhanced public education, as well as detecting, tracking, and managing illegal fireworks activity. Observations suggest a lack of enforcement activity in recent years. Reports indicate frequent fireworks activity in central and southeast Fullerton leading up to July 4, with a significant increase on the day itself, where fireworks continue from about 4 PM until midnight. There seems to be little publicized effort to mitigate this situation, and previous measures may not have had a substantial impact.

On the Consent Calendar

Item 7 on the consent calendar pertains to an amendment to the lease held by the Bushala Brothers Inc. for city property at the train station. It is unusual for a for-profit business to receive such a deal from the city; however, the Summit House Restaurant, which will host this year’s State of the City event, has a similar agreement.

This amendment includes the following key points:

1. – The lease is extended through 2060, with an option for an additional extension.
2. – The leased area is expanded to include new restaurant and alcohol-entertainment uses.
3. – The rent is heavily subsidized at $2 per square foot per month, with 75% rent credits for tenant improvements (including soft costs), potentially totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
4. – The amendment grants use of public land (Area 9), which they have been occupying for free under a no-cost encroachment permit.
5. – It allows for the lease to be assigned to entities controlled by Tony Bushala.

Given the complexity of this matter, it may be beneficial to discuss it further. You may consider asking your council member to pull it from the consent calendar so that the public can engage in the discussion.

During the previous regular meeting, the Council voted to pursue charter city status, despite substantial public opposition. Following this, Mayor Jung presented The State of the City Speech during the Fullerton Collaborative meeting at the Fullerton Public Library, where he was questioned on the necessity of charter status and the timing of this decision. The Mayor did not provide a detailed explanation during this interaction.

Additionally, Mayor Jung announced that the current City Manager, Eric Levitt, would be departing to take a City Manager position in San Bernardino, with an interim City Manager to be appointed from existing staff. This topic was discussed in a closed session on Tuesday, with Mr. Levitt expected to start his new role on August 4.

Above: Professor Jodi Balma explains the similarities between General Law and Charter City forms of government

Recently, the political science department at Fullerton College, under Jodi Balma, conducted a session aimed at explaining charter city status, including its advantages and disadvantages. Approximately 50 individuals attended. Feedback indicated skepticism regarding the motives of the Council majority, with many attendees expressing uncertainty about the responses to critical questions regarding the need for charter status at this time. Click Here to watch Part one: Charter City Workshop with Fullerton College Political Science Professor Jodi Balma.

Lastly, Judy Booth, the City Librarian, is set to retire, and no announcements have been made concerning the search for her successor. Previous considerations to privatize the library did not advance due to community opposition. There has also been no recent proposal to shift library management to another department, such as Parks and Recreation, prompting a possible need for inquiries to the Council regarding the process for selecting a new Library Director.

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