City Council — April 13, 2026

Good evening and welcome to the Solvang City Council Special Closed Session. We're beginning at 530 this evening, and Madam Clerk would you read the roll call please?

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Okay I'll ask first for any public comment on the closed session. Anything either locally or on Zoom? Seeing none I will close public's communications. Madam Clerk would you please read into the record our closed session items

Recess to closed session. Item 2A, Conference with Real Property Negotiators pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.8, Property 4784th Place, Solvang, CA 8PM 139173014 Agency Negotiator Randy Murphy City Manager Negotiating party C.R.A. Solvang, R.E., LLC under negotiation both price and terms. Item 2B conference with legal counsel anticipated litigation initiation of a litigation pursuant to government code 54956.9d4 two potential cases.

Item 2B, Conference with Legal Counsel Existing Litigation Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 D1 Name of Case South Coast Property Company 13 B LPV City of Solvang et al Case Number 22 CB00254

Thank you. I thought I heard 2B twice, but the last one was 2C starting with conference with legal counsel existing litigation so for the record that's what I heard. I apologize if I missed it but should be to see on the last item. There are

two cases

on 2B. 2B or not 2B?

And there

is a

13B as part of C.

Yeah, just confirmation. Okay we will then recess to closed session

I'm

giving a presentation to some second graders. Mark, we have to finish the meeting

out.

We're in between. Okay, we are reconvened from our closed session. Is there any action Madam Attorney?

Good evening thank you Mayor members of the council on all three closed session items oh well three with two potential cases on item B So count it how you want, three or four. There are no reportable actions thank you.

Thank you then I will close our closed session and adjourn that and we will begin our regular session at 6 35. Welcome everybody to the Solvang City Council for April 13 2026. I would ask that everybody please silence your phones so we don't have mid

I will make a couple of small, short comments using the mic to be different. Thank you Mayor for this and City Council. This proclamation will go in about two weeks down to a run walk down in Los Angeles where there'll be about 20,000 people watching this or seeing this as they go by doing their annual walk-run so it's being very well...it'll be noticed and then after that it'll end up in Solvang and hopefully when you're there you might be able to see it on the wall but hopefully you won't I ended up with my kidney almost 11 years ago. A lady who was a nurse at Cottage Hospital I'm one of the very few people that go to the DMV and thank them for being my heroes.

Thank you very much.

Another proclamation, it's a little more disturbing and I hope it resonates well though. This is Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Awareness Prevention Month whereas child abuse And sexual assault are serious community issues that require collective action to prevent and address. And individuals of all racial, cultural and economic backgrounds can fall victim to sexual violence which has a profound and lasting impact on survivors and the entire community.

And whereas statistics highlight the urgency of prevention, as one in six boys and one in four girls will experience sexual assault before the age of 18. Emphasizing the need for education awareness and intervention. And then North County Child Welfare Services received 3,927 cases for investigation. Underscoring the prevalence of child abuse and the need for continued efforts to protect children, strengthen families and support survivors.

And whereas emotional and physical scars resulting from sexual violence and Making it essential for communities to come together to educate, support and advocate for survivors while challenging harmful attitudes and behaviors that enable abuse. And whereas effective Prevention programs succeed through strong partnerships among social service agencies, schools, youth organizations, faith communities, civic groups, law enforcement, businesses and residents demonstrating that prevention is possible.

Whereas increasing education, awareness and community engagement plays a vital role in preventing child abuse and sexual violence while recognizing the resilience of survivors. And the dedication of professionals, volunteers and advocates who work tirelessly to support them. Now therefore be it resolved that I, Mayor David Brown along with the City Council of City of Solvang California do hereby proclaim April 2026 as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. And in doing so I call upon all citizens community agencies faith organizations medical professionals, and businesses to deepen their commitment to preventing child abuse, dispelling myths about sexual violence, and strengthening the safety and well-being of our community. In witnesses thereof I have undue set my hand and have caused the official seal of the City of Solvang California to be affixed this 13th day of April 2026."

And we have a person to accept that tonight? What's your name? Sabrina, thank

you.

Good evening Mayor Brown and members of the City Council. My name is Sabrina Ross, I'm the Associate Director of the North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center. Thank you for recognizing and honoring our work with these proclamations recognizing Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. I am grateful that the City of Solvang stands with us in our mission to eradicate all forms of sexual violence and child abuse.

As we mark the significance of the month of April, let us remember that education is the key to prevention. I can say with confidence that each of us in this room would rather prevent child abuse or sexual assault from ever occurring than to have to intervene in the aftermath of such a heinous crime. This is why our outreach and educational programs are so critical, and why our partnerships with schools, city leadership, and law enforcement are essential. Our children in our communities deserve to be safe and to grow up knowing they can live free from abuse, and those who have been or are being abused know they are not alone and there are people who will help them.

Last month, I had the privilege of assisting a survivor of child sexual abuse prepare his victim impact statement for the sentencing of his abuser. I met him when he was in seventh grade and he is now a junior in high school. As he was dictating his statement for me to type up, I asked him, when did you realize what happened to you as abuse? And why did you decide to speak up?

This survivor was abused at an age so young that he truly didn't understand what was happening with abuse. He replied, when I was in seventh grade some ladies came into my class and talked about sexual assault and how to say no and who to talk to if something happened to you. After that presentation, I was thinking about telling my mom and I eventually did.

He told his mom who contacted law enforcement. Law enforcement investigated and another victim came forward. The district attorney's office prosecuted that case and the abuser was sentenced to 24 years in prison. What began with our Child Safe program continued with the courage of a survivor and ended with prevention because that perpetrator will never hurt another child again.

When people ask me where I work, the response is often, I didn't know there was a rape crisis center here. To which I gently reply most people do not know we exist until they need us and while I would never wish upon any individual or family that they become in need of our services it is deeply important that people know we are here and that is where you come in. Proclamations like this evening's may feel like a routine part of city council meetings But these and the support you provide our agency is incredibly valuable to our work in the community we serve because we cannot do this work alone. The story I shared with you would not have been possible if we didn't have the support of city leaders like you, if we didn't have the community donors that fund our educational and counseling programs, if we didn't have strong partnerships with law enforcement and the district attorney's office.

It took a village and everyone here as part of that village. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I wish I'd had this kind of village. Much like my client, I didn't understand what happened to me until I was in my teens and I felt very alone trying to process that experience and those memories well into adulthood. While I am not the reason our educational efforts are so important, my own experience is what fuels me every single day. Every child deserves safety and when they aren't safe they deserve to know that help is available. No child and no adult should ever have to suffer in silence.

As we continue this fight against sexual violence and child abuse, we need you our City Council leaders to be our ambassadors. To carry the message that education and awareness are not optional they are vital to building a safe and healthy community. Mayor Brown and members of the City Council thank you for your ongoing commitment to the safety of your city and thank you again for this honor and for being our steadfast partners in our work.

Thank You

Mayor Brown, members of the council. Just briefly with me also are several members of our victim witness support staff really the angels of the criminal justice system who provide the victims not only with support with services with guidance but they allow us to give the victims a voice In preparation for budget, I was looking at stats from last year and unfortunately in Santa Barbara County child sexual abuse is up 19%. We have 19% more open cases involving child sexual abuse this year than we did last year.

And it is a topic nobody wants to talk about or even think about or even imagine But the more aware we are, the more we can identify. The more our mandatory reporters are educated, the more likely they will be able to intercede either at an early stage or before serious abuse occurs. It is a commitment of the district attorney's office to do what we can to hold defenders responsible and to help the victims as they move from being a victim to a survivor.

For those of us who are lucky enough to live in the valley, we know that one of the prevailing characteristics of the Santa Ynez Valley is that we are neighbors. The reason we live here, the reason we love living here is because we actually have neighbors. We get to know each other and I know how caring everybody in this community is And I'm confident if anybody is hurt, they would have the support of this council in this community as a whole. So thank you.

Thank you very much and thank you for your team that are here today and the work they do appreciate it. Okay, on a lighter note we're going to take a new proclamation for the National Library Week. Whereas libraries spark creativity fuel imagination and inspire lifelong learning Offering a space where individuals of all ages can find joy through exploration and discovery, and libraries serve as vibrant community hubs connecting people with knowledge technology and resources while fostering civic engagement critical thinking and cultural enrichment. And whereas libraries provide free and equitable access to books, digital tools and innovative programming ensuring that all individuals regardless of background have the support they need to learn connect and thrive.

And libraries partner with schools businesses and organizations to maximize resources increased efficiency and expand access to essential services strengthening the entire community. And whereas libraries empower job seekers, entrepreneurs and lifelong learners by providing access to resources, training and opportunities that support career growth and economic success.

Libraries nurture young minds through story times, STEM programs, literacy initiatives, fostering curiosity and love of learning that last a lifetime. Libraries protect the right to read, think and explore without censorship standing as champions of intellectual freedom and free expression. And whereas dedicated librarians and library workers provide welcome spaces that inspire discovery collaboration and creativity for all And libraries, librarians and library workers across the country are joining together to celebrate National Library Week under the theme Find Your Joy.

Now therefore be it resolved that I Mayor David Brown along with the City Council of the city of Solvang California do hereby proclaim April 19th through the 25th 2026 as National Library Week During this week, I encourage all residents to visit their library, explore its resources and celebrate all the ways that libraries help our community find joy. In witnesses thereof, I have unto set my hand and have caused the official seal of the City of Solvang California to be affixed as 13th day of April 2026.

And we have who today? Oh, our librarian. The boss is here.

My name is Erin and I am indeed your librarian. I hope you come see me at the Solvang Library. We have active programming for all ages, so I hope to see families at our story times and grown-ups at our book club. We have a gardening club, a seed library, crafting groups, and fiber arts. So any of those activities sound appealing to you please come on by And also, I hope that you take advantage of our resources. We are really proud to support the community and having available things to check out like hotspots if you have trouble with your internet connection in the valley which i know is a problem for many.

You can check out movies, you can check out audio books and you can check out park passes so there are things other than books that we have and we'd be delighted to see you to share those resources So please come by.

Thank you. When you're in the library, be quiet, right?

We do not shush. Okay. We encourage active discussion.

Good to know.

And as we are one room space, uh, you will be participating in conversations

with... Well there's a myth right there that you can extinguish. Yeah. Good to know. Thank you so much for all you do and congratulations for this National Library Week and spread the joy. Yes. Thank you. Okay, our next is a presentation from Olive Crest Services and Community Impact in the San Ynez Valley or welcome that presentation.

Thank you Mayor Brown, thank you council members for having me here today. My name is Sally Cook I am one of the co-founders of Hope Refuge Campus now Olive Crest Hope Refuge Campus and we are a residential treatment program that works with sex traffic minors so girls who've been sex trafficked between 12 and 18 years old here, up here in the valley. So I don't know how familiar you are with trafficking but I just want to take some time this evening in this short presentation just to share with you a little bit about our journey, how this came about and share with you really what's happening here in Santa Barbara so that you can leave informed and ways to engage in what's happening.

So for us, this whole crazy journey began when my husband and I were living down in Hollywood. That was actually where our lives were, and our dreams were. And we went to visit a friend one morning at her church, and there was a lady from an anti-trafficking movement. No one was really talking about trafficking back then. This is 2013. And she got up to give him maybe a three minute announcement.

In it she shared that sex trafficking of minors is now the fastest growing criminal industry in the USA and that the average age of entry is 12 years old. And we were like, yeah, like some of you. We were like no, are you kidding me? Went up to her afterwards and said please tell us we heard you wrong. She went no. Let me tell you what's happening underneath your nose on the streets of Hollywood. Started to tell a story after story.

And my husband and I left shocked, really shocked. And we spent the next six to eight weeks Just spending time looking at what was really happening. How is it happening here in America? Who's it happening to? Only to really come to the conclusion that this really is modern-day slavery at its worst, so let me tell you some of the things we learned. So we learned actually about what human trafficking is, what sex trafficking is and sex trafficking is when an individual is buying or trading or selling a sexual act without child And when I talk about a sexual act, we're talking obviously about online and street prostitution.

Massage parlours, strip parlours sexting phone sex even mail order brides fits under this category. And the reason it's happening is it is big business. This is a $170 billion wide industry worldwide, should I say? They're saying there's not a specific number here in America but they're saying potentially around 25 billion dollar industry here in America so that is why we have a supply we have We have a demand, basically here in America now. And there is a trafficker or pimp who's ready to exploit that and create, fill that need. And obviously it's our children who are the victims.

So we learned about this and we were totally shocked. And we learned a few things. So we learned how it was happening Very different to possibly how it's happening overseas and how you may have in your mind if this is, if overseas where a child has just taken. Here in America the primary way in which it's happening is a process called grooming and this grooming process is a very seductive manipulative process where our teenagers are Particularly vulnerable teenagers are exploited for their vulnerabilities. So let me give you an example of one of the girls who came to Hope Refuge. She actually moved into Ventura from out-of-town, so she was a 14 year old girl who was looking for friends.

So that was already a vulnerability for her. Her father actually wasn't on the scene, so there was a void there in her life and she had people who were willing you know obviously to be her friends but she was invited to a party one Friday evening and of course she wanted to go to make friends only to meet seemingly Mr Right And Mr. Wright was a 19-year old young boy and or young man, and he started to treat her like the princess that she was.

So a pimp or trafficker will can spend six months even a year grooming a child because they're going to be making them a lot of money And for this young lady, it was about seven months that she was in this relationship. And he got her hair done and her nails done and took her out to events and got her clothes, got her the phone that she really wanted that her mother couldn't afford and was starting to really fill the needs, really meet the needs.

And he had actually introduced her to some risky behavior with drugs that often fits in in this category. And then after about seven months, Said to her, honey. I am so sorry. I've got myself into some real trouble and I owe some money And I'm hoping you can help me out because you are beautiful You're stunning and this way we can make some money and sort this problem out overnight There's a bachelor party and I would like your help strip there tonight and you would be the main attraction He'll promote the whole thing And of course she doesn't want to.

But like you were just hearing here about sexual abuse, 85% of victims have sexual abuse in the background. So money, sex and authority is all warped anyway so when he says but if you love me she does. So she steps over the mark that night and she was then brought into more force fraud and some beatings and made to do things that she didn't want to do And this is very difficult for us to understand, well then why did she stay? I mean clearly he's not Mr Right.

Well if you just put yourself in her shoes she just wants back this love the seemingly perfect love that she had yesterday Remember he spent six months, seven months he spent grooming this child. And so what she feels is she doesn't see herself as a victim it's shrouded with shame and so she continues this and the pimp will continue to play on that as well and like we're making this money for you and I to go over to Hawaii and we're gonna be spending this life together and you know you're making a lot of money how else are you going to make this kind of money?

And so before these girls know it, they find themselves in situations they don't want to be. And the crazy thing because of this grooming process, they don't see themselves as a victim. They do not identify as a victim and because they don't identify as victims, they just think that bad girls who've made some really bad choices and got themselves into a bad situation. So that masks this even further. The authorities and those on the front lines or in schools working with the kids is finding it very hard to identify So we learned about this, we learned about people, girls and boys getting caught up in the entertainment industry in this kind of crime as well.

And there are those who get snatched but they're few and far between. Why have someone who you're taking when you could have someone voluntary there? So this really is big business and so once we realized what was really going on here in America, we just determined we're in! We want to be in, we want to be part of the solution Very quickly, once we put our hands up and just dived in with the non-profit that was there. Very very quickly we learned down in Los Angeles there was a big event and they were informing everybody at the time that there are only 100 beds in all of America to serve this population And we're saying there's a government statistic of upward of 300,000 a year are getting caught up in this crime.

A touching trafficking and we do not have the beds which is a program specifically with the level of trauma informed work to address the trauma so they're ending up in all the wrong places. They're either acting out and they're ending up in juvenile hall They're either internalizing, they're ending up in a psych ward or maybe in a rehab program or group home that aren't addressing trauma. And so this cycle continues and they continue to run, they continue not to get the help that they need. And so that was a bit of information that lodged into our head at that time.

So that's where our journey began because we came across this beautiful... I think we've got a picture for you, this beautiful location here in Santa Barbara And in 2015, we moved up to join everybody up here in Santa Barbara and move up here to open a facility. It's the largest facility here in California. We serve up to 16 girls used to be 24 another reason but it's a federal law that put everyone back down to 16 but we serve up to 16 girls between the ages of 12 and 18, and they come to our facility. Do you have that picture there? Is there one there for everyone to see? It's a large what used to be a camp, and this camp was a bit run down so we spent several years with everybody in the community pulling this back together and creating something that...

There it is, yeah. Creating a facility where girls could really find refuge, and we're very remote Part of the advantage of it is we're remote, so they don't run. And they stay long enough to actually decompress and get the help that they need. We have a school on site with individual counseling, group counseling. We have survivor leaders who come and work with them.

And we've been working closely with the DA's office and the Human Trafficking Task Force where we're leaders in that too. And actually if you bring up the next slide, you'll see some statistics about what's happening here in Santa Barbara So this is just some statistics taken from law enforcement cases only. So what's happening with law enforcement in the District Attorney's Office, so it's just a piece of the pie but you get to see why Santa Barbara is a problem here. But since 2017 there's been 283 investigations, 261 survivors amongst this, and you'll see there that just under 60% are our minors and non-minor dependents under the age of 24. 40% of whom are Santa Barbara residents. So unfortunately where Santa Barbara is located We are known as a corridor town.

So we are between the highest grossing areas for trafficking, which is Sacramento and San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles, and we have a thriving tourist business. And because of that sex trafficking is alive and well And so we have a lot of work to do here in Santa Barbara. There's a lot of organizations, I think there's 20 organizations, 24 organizations, I think working with the District Attorney's Task Force trying to create a whole continuum of care to go after this crime.

But one of the biggest things Santa Barbara realized they needed back in 2014 with the study was a program with the level of care that we're doing and so we opened in 2020 We've served nearly 100 girls to date, and they are amazing resilient young ladies. And we encourage you if you want to, we would love Council Member Louise is going to be coming up for a tour and we encourage you to come and see the place.

It's very unique. It's 200 acres, but the girls are amazing and 75% of them now who are going through our education program, we partner with Trivium, a school in town. They have individualized learning whilst they're going through the program. There's 75% of them are graduating high school whilst they're with us in the program. And so there really are opening up other opportunities for them for the future.

So I know that's a lot of information for you all It is a very, it's exciting to see actually what is happening now with the girls and there's boys obviously in this crime as well. But here you have a video and this is of one of our girls sharing her story are you able to play that? And then if there's any Q&A I'm happy to take any questions. We won't play that today but I can send that to you so sorry we should have No worries, not at all. Not a problem.

That's one of our recent graduates who's she graduated recently and we've got another graduate who's just about to graduate who is working with Hayley down at Zaka Coffee part-time. She worked her way into working part time and she is very classic sex trafficked minor who was actually on what you call the blade up in San Francisco And so she has made incredible transformation progress and is really ready to embrace life, productivity and beauty. She actually wants to be in cosmetology. She's graduated high school just got her driving license today So thank you so much for listening I just want to share there is a lot of hope in this issue even though it's a difficult issue But if I can answer any questions, I'm happy to do that before I leave the floor

Well, I know you have an event coming up soon. Would you like to share with the rest of us

what that is? We do and we're excited to have you Mayor Brown. Our annual fundraiser's actually over here at Sunstone Winery. It's April 26th, it's at 1.30. We have some invites here that I can leave out in the lobby for people if they want We'd love to have you attend the event. And we'll have a survivor leader who's local, she's from Ventura and she's going to be sharing her story. She is now thriving individual sewing into the lives of young children now but she'll be sharing some of her stories so it will be very insightful to hear how this is happening.

Thank you any questions?

I don't have any questions, I just want to say thank you so much because I actually had the opportunity to meet with Sally and Cynthia and Haley at a meeting last month. And then the opportunity to go actually tour the campus and it is amazing. I was just so grateful for that opportunity and I really appreciate you being here and informing us about what's going on and just so happy that you are doing all of this. So thank you so much. Thank you.

I have a quick question. First of all, thank you for being here and keeping us informed, educated and aware. And grateful for the work that you and the organization are doing. What are the typical outcomes and do you have, do you metric when the girls decide or when they're ready and do decide to leave? And their success rates.

Yes we do, actually the moment they arrive they go through a initial assessment that everything's planned from there so they all track at different rates some of therefore we just had someone who's graduated after 15 months but our average is about eight to 10 months and then we have an alumni program So you have those who are, they're all going to have the challenge when they leave of staying away from the life because it's something they're being lured into. But we just had a graduate who came back and shared with a group of donors and supporters after being away for two years she is now our teaching assistant down in San Diego and she was sharing what that journey was like So we have about 60% success rate right now through our program, which is incredible.

These are girls who don't stay anywhere very long. So they are thriving when they choose to stay for a month. The first month is the difficult month. That's the month that we're going to want to run. But because we're remote, they get the opportunity to decompress and they start bonding with adults and other children. And that's when they really embrace the program.

A lot, I mean 89% functional improvement throughout the program which is amazing.

I applaud you for all you do and being a solution to this tragic problem that we have. Thank you so much. Okay, thank you for that presentation. We'll move on to number three public communications. Would you read that into the oh is this for the presentation? Excuse me, I'm out of order. We have a comment from Dr. Cynthia Matthews Regarding the Olive Crest presentation

mayor City Council Today I'm here not to bump heads on development or anything else. This is very important to my heart And I actually had the honor to meet Haley at her house and see this presentation, and it just warmed my heart. And it dawned on me that as we were doing the tour, I had actually worked for Olive Crest way back years and years ago, and as a fill-in for some friends of mine that actually were working for a group home at that time. And the work that they do is amazing. I'm here to call the action.

We live in a very affluent area, San Ynez Valley has a lot of money and there's a lot of people that have a lot of money. This requires millions of dollars to operate just to help these young ladies and so I would encourage anybody here and that's watching this To attend Hope Shines at Sunstone Winery, and as Sally had indicated it's Sunday April 26th at 1.30.

And if you're not able to make it or if this is something that's so heart-wrenching to you that you think that it's overwhelming because some people can't take this, it's too sensitive for them Their annual operating cost is over $5 million. Their capital improvement is 1.5 million and so this takes a lot, and they need the money in order to be able to survive and to keep this going and thriving. Yes there's donations, yes they get grant money but it also takes the village to help these people And so what I'm asking people to do, please seek this out.

Help them. They need the money. Please go and talk to them. Talk to Haley Firestone. You can go to Zacca Coffee and request to talk to her. She's on the board. She's there all the time. And she's very knowledgeable about this. And this is something very important for all of us because our daughters, our nieces, our nephews Our sons are actually targeted with this and as we know by the Epstein files that have been brought to light, this is something that's been very prevalent but it's been swept under the rug because of many powerful people involved with this.

And so I'm asking please that you write your checkbook get your checkbooks out go online look them up And please donate. And if you have any questions, as I said before, go online. There's a questionnaire you can ask. Take the tour and you can go to Zaka Coffee. And many of you have stopped me in the streets before, Dr. Cynthia Matthews stopped me and because this is very important I'd love to have coffee with you and explain more thank you very much.

Thank you very much okay I'm sorry that was on one of the slips for a communication so I apologize I misstepped there and I might have taken your thunder away talking about the event so I apologize but now we're moving on to public communication item number three and if you would read that into the record please

At this time you may address the council on items not on the agenda and on consent. Time limit is three minutes, and we will start with in-person public comments first.

I don't have any speaker slips. Is there anybody here that didn't fill one out that wants to speak? Anybody online? Any hands up? Wow for this many people it's easy. Okay! We will close it then to public communications Moving on to city manager's report and advance calendar. Mr. City Manager, Mr. Murphy?

Yeah thank you Mr. Mayor and Council. A couple of short announcements tonight May 16th which is what five weeks from now on Saturday it will be the next community cleanup day over here in lot 5 and need to be a city resident and a customer of waste management in order to be able to drop things off there. The other thing I wanted to announce is there's a lot of interest in the community about the survey, the Friedenborg Canyon Survey that was just done, and I thought we were going to be able get it on the agenda in April but it looks like it will be on the May 10th Thank you.

Notice to Council and the community that we intend to apply for a loan through USDA at the next meeting. Solvang Landscape Lighting District annual assessment is working its way through the process and should be at the next meeting May 11th will be a proclamation in appreciation of National Public Works Week so it will be recognized our public works staff during that meeting And obviously, we're getting deep into the budget process. So several of the next meetings will have budget-related items on them and that's all I have for now.

Thank you any questions of City Manager? Okay, I think you're gonna get off very easy too so

Government Code Section 532.32.3d aka AB 1234 and Government Code Section 84308 aka SB 1439 report out. Ex parte communications, council comments requests.

Thank you any uh request we'll start with this end of the room

A couple of things. I went to the Chamber of Commerce meeting at Fitzpatrick's and the mayor was there as well. I went over the weekend to the San Ynez Valley Home & Build Showcase over at Vets Hall, which was a fascinating environment to get a chance to look at all those contractors that work with upgrading your house and doing things of that nature Interesting. Very, very well done session.

On an off note and a different note I guess I should say, I'm a member of the Library Advisory Committee for the county. And I think I reported before that there was going to be a reduction in the budget because of the county budget problems and they were gonna reduce it by 4%. And they wanted a letter signed by everybody on the Library Advisory Committee. And I signed for Solvang, being the Solvang representative to that committee. So that letter is now out.

I won't read it to you but... Excuse me. Basically saying that we understand there's going to be a 4% reduction and we can live with that. We want to help support the county And we will find other ways to increase our funding.

hosting Piggakudit. Piggakudit is the Danish, the National Danish Girls Choir over 50 performers ages 16 through 22 came and we gave them a ride of Solvang. We can share with them the connection between Denmark and Solvang and Danish American history in the United States. And they did an impromptu performance right on Copenhagen and Second Street. They didn't have much time, but they stopped on their busy tour with the Danish Train Quartet And I would encourage staff to look at opportunities to collaborate with the Danish or Nordic groups that are often touring town.

There's other bands and other places that would love to visit Solvang, and they were delightful so I just want to share that with the council.

Thanks for being our ambassador. Sounds like fun. Did they sing on the trolley?

They sang on the trolley and they also sang on the street,

I saw the video that was amazing of them singing like right on the street it was fantastic. I too attended the chamber mixer at Fitzpatrick so that's about it

okay

Thanks, I have a couple of things to report. I did attend a homeless update meeting with some members from the County of Santa Barbara who run the Homeless Outreach Programs and gave us and a couple members from the Buellton City and staff. Randy attended too. The updates on where we are The outreach programs and status of available housing and the uptake rates. So that was kind of an interesting update.

across the valley. And I also had a hosted walk of the Hans Christian Andersen Park just to get ready for what could be really done and match some visuals to the plan, and I had some long-time residents who used the park quite a bit for many, many years show me what they wanted me to see. I also wanted to disclose that I have accepted a board position for a new nonprofit organization called the Solvang Cinema Arts, which is intended to be a for-public benefit nonprofit entity to bring film and cinema and cinema education back We are going to hear from the city council.

In our next meeting, but should it is the same as say we had some council members serve on the theater fest board. But I wanted to disclose it for the public and for this Council that since it's a new nonprofit that I have this role if such time that we have an intersection in or we ask for grant funding or there are some decisions that are posed to the city or to the Council I would recuse And that's all I have