CLOSED SESSION: City Property Negotiations and Ongoing Litigation

The Summit Restaurant Lease Agreement

The session will focus on the property located at 2000 East Bastanchury Road in Fullerton, with Deputy City Manager Daisy Perez leading the negotiation efforts alongside Senior Administrative Analysts Edgar Rosales and Taylor Samuelson, and Administrative Analyst Rachel Castanon. The primary goal of this discussion will revolve around the price and terms associated with the property, with negotiations taking place with The Summit Restaurant Company.

Existing litigation involving the death of Alejandro Campos Rios

Officers arrived on the scene and contacted one shirtless male adult, who was uncooperative with Officers’ commands. Alejandro Campos Rios began swinging a belt at officers as they attempted to contact him. Additional officers were requested, and once they arrived, they utilized a taser to attempt to subdue the suspect, which was ineffective.
Rios continued to act erratically and was uncooperative, refusing to comply with officers’ commands because he was mentally unable to follow directions at the time. Officers then utilized a less lethal kinetic energy projectile and struck Rios, allowing officers to take him into custody. At this time, the suspect sustained a significant injury to the chest area as a result of the use of the less lethal kinetic energy projectile.
This case is registered under number 8:24-cv-01892JDE and will be addressed by Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(1).

On the Consent Calendar

See the full agenda below. Here are the highlights.

Item #2 proposes amendments to strengthen the municipal code on illegal fireworks. The City Manager recommends approval, stating the ordinance is currently enforced as an urgency measure. Concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of enforcement over the past decade, leading some to suggest that the police chief should provide updates on recent enforcement efforts.

Items #8, 9, and 16 are Grant Approvals: Multiple grants for police and fire services, safety enhancements, and infrastructure updates.

Item #11 is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and Wisk Aero, LLC, regarding the development of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. This non-binding MOU facilitates discussions on the introduction of Urban Air Mobility services at Fullerton Municipal Airport. The one-year term aims to assist airport staff in preparing for such technologies.

Item #13 is the Lease Agreement with the Muckenthaler: The Council is asked to approve a five-year lease agreement with the Muckenthaler Cultural Center Foundation, which includes options for two five-year extensions. The City Manager is authorized to execute the agreement and related documents.

Item #14 involves an agreement with California State University for a pedestrian bridge over Nutwood at Commonwealth. There are concerns that the Active Transportation Committee has not reviewed the project recently, and the agenda lacks detailed information about the bridge’s design and location. The bridge is classified as a pedestrian structure, which differs from a bicycle and pedestrian bridge, raising questions about safety and practicality. It is unusual to give authorization to the Mayor to execute both Agreements. These kinds of negotiations are usually handled by highly educated people in the city, such as the City Manager or the Engineer.

Item #16 is about the Street Light Conversion, solar-powered lighting fixtures procurement and installation.

Item #17 and 18 is regarding Water Improvement Initiatives: The Council authorized a $151,584 purchase order for a West Yost proposal, alongside a $175,000 budget transfer for PFAS Management within the Water Fund. The Public Works Director will be granted authority to approve change orders for construction and engineering support services within the approved project budget. The Council waived the formal bid requirement and awarded a $759,577 construction contract for the Main Plant North PFAS Treatment Plant Expansion to Kingmen Construction, Inc. The City Manager is authorized to execute the contract, and the Public Works Director can approve related change orders within the project budget.

Public Hearing Items

Item #20 addresses a lease amendment for the train depot, continued from discussions on June 17. Due to insufficient information, the fairness of the deal remains unclear, and questions about potential conflicts of interest have emerged related to the project’s ties to Bushala Brothers.

Item #21 seeks approval for plans required by HUD to secure federal funding for housing and community development.

Item #22 aims to extend a moratorium on new short-term rentals for nearly two years, following the discovery of 173 unpermitted listings.

Item #23 proposes reclassifying the city clerk position to City Clerk/Director of Clerk Services, impacting Lucinda Williams, who will shift from the Confidential/Non-Represented to the Executive Unit with minimal fiscal impact.

Item #25 involves the appointment of Eddie Manfro as Interim City Manager. Manfro previously served as the City Manager of Westminster and is the current HR director for Fullerton.