HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-17-2013CITY OF SANTA ANA
LEGISLATIVE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
MINUTES
DECEMBER 17, 2013
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 11:30 a.m. by Vincent Sarmiento at the Office of
Intergovernmental Affairs, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, 1650 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, DC.
ATTENDANCE
Members Present: Councilmember Michele Martinez
Councilmember Vincent Sarmiento, Chair
Members Absent: none
Staff Present: Dan Maldonado and Leslie Pollner from Holland & Knight.
AGENDA ITEMS
1. Meeting with Molly Ward, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director
Met with the Associate Director for the White House Intergovernmental Affairs Office, Kellyn
Helmrick- Blossom, along with White House Staff Assistant Elias Alcantara. The meeting
covered several of the City's top priorities, including:
Discussed the impact of continuing reductions in UASI funding and outlined the regional
importance of the City. The White House indicated its willingness to coordinate a
meeting with the Department of Homeland Security /Federal Emergency Management
Agency (DHS /FEMA) at the appropriate time.
Discussed the importance of having the City considered as one of the Promise Zones, a
program for deeply disadvantaged areas, administered by the Department of Housing
and Urban Affairs (HUD). Up to 20 zones will be considered in the next year's cycle of
funding. Discussion focused on the flexibility of the program to consider disadvantaged
neighborhoods of a city or county for Promise Zone designation - a key feature, given the
general view of Orange County as a higher income region. The next step will be for the
City to follow up with HUD early next year to position the City for consideration.
The White House brought up a number of initiatives in which they are seeking active city
input and participation, including their skills summit in partnership with community
colleges, the climate change task force with the cities co- chaired by the White House
Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the White House Intergovernmental Affairs
Office and Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollment. On ACA, we discussed having the
White House and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Region IX
officials work directly with City officials to determine the most effective enrollment
outreach.
2. Meeting with Senator Barbara Boxer, 112 Hart Senate Office Bldg., Washington, DC
Met with Senator Boxer's Chief of Staff Laura Schiller, Legislative Director Sean Moore and
the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Director of Infrastructure and
Economic Development, David Napoliello.
Provided an overview of the City's demographics, its regional importance, and the
downtown development. Discussed what the timetable looks like for the re- authorization
of MAP -21; provided an overview of the City's fixed guideway project, together with the
grade separation project; its importance not only to the City's transit dependent
population but to downtown transit oriented development, including affordable housing,
job development and walkability. Senator Boxer's staff indicated their interest in working
with the City to help further its transit development objectives. Follow -up with Senator
Boxer should be a high priority for the City.
3. Meeting with Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez' Office, 1114 Longworth House Office
Building, Washington, DC
Met with Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez's Legislative Director, Eduardo Lerma (with the
House adjourning the previous weekend, House members left town including the
Congresswoman who returned to the District).
Covered the reductions in UASI funding and the need to have DHS /FEMA re- calibrate
our region's threat assessment to reflect more equitably the region's threat vulnerabilities
and strategic values. Her staff indicated that given the Congresswoman's role on the
House Homeland Security Committee, she would work with the City to advance this
effort. The next step is for the City to develop a game plan on how it will push forward
reconsideration of its UASI position and how it should coordinate with regional FBI, a key
source in FEMA's threat assessment.
Highlighted the City's serious concerns regarding the insufficient reimbursement being
paid by the US Marshall (USM) and the Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) for
its prisoners being held at the Santa Ana jail. We explained that as a result, the City has
suffered substantial losses in the millions over the years. Further, we pointed the
inequity in payments as compared to the higher per diem rates for other cities. We
indicated that the City manager had spoken with the Congresswoman and would be
preparing a letter for the Congresswoman to consider sending to the Department of
Justice /USM and DHS /ICE on the per diem rates.
Provided an overview of the City's fixed guideway project, discussing the City's transit
dependent ridership, the project's regional as well as downtown significance (transit
oriented development, environmental benefits); and how the grade separation helps to
advance transit flow, transit oriented development and regional linkages. We indicated
that we would request her assistance in gaining federal support for the project once we
have completed all of the review and financial plan requirements.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
Becky Magallon
Recording Secretary
Legislative City Council Committee Minutes
December 17, 2013, Page 2