City Council — January 12, 2026

I would like to call the January 12th, 2026 meeting of the Camarillo City Council and the Camarillo Sanitation District to order. Madam Clerk will you please call the roll?

Yes, thank you Mayor and Council. We have three items on closed session this evening. Existing litigation under Government Code Section 54956.9 D1 The three matters are OPV Coalition versus Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency Camarillo Sanitary District versus California Regional Water Quality Control Board And Camarillo Sanitary District versus the State Water Resources Control Board. And if there's any reportable action, I'll make that report.

Thank you. We will now recess to closed session and reconvene at 5 p.m..

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Testing 1-2, testing 1- 2.

We will reconvene the January 12th, 2026 meeting of the Camarillo City Council in Camarillo Sanitary District. Madam Clerk if you could call the roll again please?

Are there any changes to the agenda? Hearing none, we shall move on. We have a presentation tonight

It's an honor to make this presentation. We are proud to recognize members of our community who have completed the 2025 Community Emergency Response Training, otherwise known as CERT, offered in partnership with the Ventura County Fire Department. The CERT program prepares volunteers to help themselves, their families and their neighbors when an emergency happens.

In this six-week program, participants learn practical skills such as team coordination, light search and rescue, fire suppression and basic disaster medical care. Hands-on training and realistic scenarios help participants build the most confidence needed to respond when it matters. The impact of CERT goes well beyond the training room. During emergencies, these volunteers become an important extension of our emergency response system by providing immediate assistance in supporting our first responders.

Their preparedness helps make Camarillo safer and more resilient. Completing CERT is a meaningful commitment and it reflects a strong sense of civic responsibility. We're grateful to each of you for stepping up and being willing to serve others when your community needs you. We would like to recognize the dedicated staff of the Ventura County Fire Department who make this program possible.

Joining us this evening are CERT instructors Brenda Pasqua and firefighter Nick Hyatt. Your leadership, expertise and continued partnership are essential to the success of this program and we are grateful for your support. We also wish to acknowledge the leadership and commitment of Training Chief Ron Oatman, and CERT Program Manager Steve Lazenby who are not able to be here tonight.

Congratulations to our 25 CERT graduates on behalf of the City Council and the residents of Camarillo thank you for your commitment to your preparedness and for helping keep our community safe. And with that I would like to invite you all up here to the city seal I'm closer this way, I will not bite. Come on in here. You can stand right here if you want. Go ahead and face out. Once again, I want to thank you on behalf of our entire council for your dedication and commitment to completing this training and for your future volunteer service when and when if needed. So first, I wanted to see if Brenda or Nick would like to Nick, right? Yes, sir. If you'd like to say anything.

I've been teaching this course now for ongoing close to four years and can't say that there's ever a time that doesn't go wasted when it comes to 911 emergency response. The more we help that we can get, the better. It's a pleasure to serve the county and pleasure to serve this community in City of Camarillo and this last class was an awesome group you guys really put forth the effort and it's been amazing working with y'all and I look forward to hopefully Hopefully working with you in the future, but not in a desperate measure. But we'll see what it takes right? So thanks again.

I can honestly say same thing as Nick. It's been an honor to work with every single one of you and I've taught CERT in many of our communities within the county and I can definitely say that you guys are the most motivated, highly motivated, and honestly probably one of the best classes I've ever taught so great job you guys.

Would any of our recent graduates like to say anything?

I just want to add that this is the third time I've taken this class and these, this organization of the class and the two Nick and instructors, Nick and Brenda were awesome. And it was the best class I've taken in. And I just want to let them know that. And it's great. Thank you. Anybody

else like to say anything? Somebody has got to not be shy here.

We love you, Brenda and Nick.

Okay, any council members have any comments?

Yeah, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule. You know it never goes unnoticed people are really really busy these days but hopefully what you learn in this class you can take it with you for the rest of your life is some real meaningful training and a learning experience but we're real proud of all of you. We're very proud of this program I was here when we kind of first started doing this along with a lot of other people It's really neat that you have, and especially taking it twice. I mean, that's really cool. So again, thanks for taking this.

Look forward for your volunteerism. And I've said this before, that per capita, Camarillo has more volunteers than any other town in our county here. So we're all real proud of that and proud of you. So again, thank you.

Thank you all very much for taking the course. Thank you to our two instructors. We have a tradition on this council when you agree with what other council members have said and they've articulated it well, and I think both Kevin and Dave have articulated it well, we just say ditto. So ditto, congratulations.

Thank you. Just really wanted to express my gratitude and thanks to every single one of you. To Monique, thank you for all the work that you put on behind the scenes. I thank you to the Ventura County Fire Department and thank you to each and every one of you for truly giving your time, giving your heart to really reflect what our city motto is, which is las personas son la ciudad or the people are the city.

You truly embody that and I'm so grateful that you're here and that you continue to be a part of this community and support our community. And more than anything because of what you've done, you've made this community safer and continue to do so. So thank you so much to every single one of you. Thank

you. Kind of twisted around here. I want to thank Ventura County Fire Department and our city staff for help making this class a priority and making it possible. Thank all of you for taking part in it, and for being volunteers. I always say that volunteers are what make a city a community. So thank you for stepping up at times when our community is most in need. I know that we have able-bodied people ready there to lend a helping hand. Thank you

With that, we will move on to general public comments for items not on the agenda. And I believe our city clerk has some instructions to read.

Yes, I do. And I want to say right now currently I have six people who have signed up for general public comment. If somebody had wanted to speak and hadn't signed up you can see staff out into the foyer there. City Council policy 1.05 each speaker is limited to three minutes. The city council will hear general public comment for a maximum of 20 minutes Speakers who sign up during the 20-minute public comment period but are unable to be heard within that time period will be provided an opportunity to speak following completion of action on all other agenda items. The City Council may not take action on matters raised during the public comment period, but may briefly respond, seek clarification or refer matters to staff as permitted by Government Code Section 54954.3 When I call you up, you'll be coming up to the podium and you'll be able to see your picture up in this display here and you'll see your time up on the display.

When the time goes to zero, the mic will go mute and then it will go on to the next person. So our first speaker is going to be Doug Blois and after Doug will be Blanca and Claudia. So if we're ready to start, we can go ahead and go with Doug.

Good evening Doug Boyce. I just wanted to say something about, I hope the city takes some action on e-bikes. I like to do a lot of walking around town and The other day, a young teenager 14 or 15 years old had his e-bike on the sidewalk. I was walking down O'Neill to the shopping center and I was talking to a couple buddies of his he was going the other direction with me and as he passed me on the bike I said you know those things aren't legal on the sidewalk and he shouted back at me well they're not legal on the street And so I continued walking along. Then he started coming back the other direction behind me and kind of caught me by surprise, didn't really announce his coming.

So as he passed me that time, I said they're not legal on the street or they're not legal in the sidewalk and I believe they are legal in the street And so then he goes up to the next intersection at Dunnigan, talks to a couple of girls comes back across heads back past me the other way. And I stopped him I said you see that bike lane right there? A couple feet away. That's where you're supposed to be. Oh and then he finally admitted well my mom told me not to do not to ride on the street it's not safe but the city really needs to take some action some common sense regulations or something. I think if sidewalks are less than six foot or less, especially that width they shouldn't be on the sidewalk with people walking, especially where there's bike paths possibly on the larger sidewalks and wider maybe but you know if they do if they are on the sidewalk especially they're coming up behind somebody they should have a bill or something make an announcement of where that they're there.

It's just it's unsafe, they go way too fast so thank you.

Thank you.

Okay Blanco and after Blanco will be Claudia and I always say this wrong Deny Lassen

On December 30th, 2025 I emailed every member of this council. I received only one response that was from Councilmember Susan Santangelo so thank you Susan for acknowledging my concerns. In that email I shared a VC Star article highlighting the work of 805 UndocuFund's project Our Community Disappeared. That article detailed what happened right here in Camarillo outside this very City Hall On September 16th, 2025 at approximately 530 a.m., a man was violently kidnapped his vehicle window shattered glass later found in this parking lot that is not abstract that is not someone else's city that happened here I also shared with you the numbers from what has now become known as the Central Coast Raids. Even today, those numbers continue to change but as of December 27th through December 30th, the numbers were as follows.

December 27, 39 people kidnapped. December 28, 25 people kidnapped. December 29, 40 people kidnapped, December 30, 40 people kidnapped. That is 139 people taken in just 96 hours. Those numbers alone should give this council pause. Here are some more that should also stop you on your tracks across the whole 805 region so far 1,429 people have been kidnapped. In Ventura County 751 and within Camarillo alone at least 436 people kidnapped Other leaders have not waited for permission to act. As Santa Maria Councilmember held a press conference as the raids were happening there, just today Port Hueneme City Councilmember visited Cortez Circle after seeing ICE activity in their community and then bringing back flyers and red cards and information back to their community.

So I will say this clearly to each of you on this dais if you are not prepared to meet this moment the way other leaders have shown is possible If your oath to defend your community is not compelling you to act now, then step down. Because leadership in this moment requires more than your name on that placard behind that desk. Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay. Next is Claudia and after Claudia's Denae Lassen and Sarah Musaski

Good evening. So we're not even halfway through January of the new year, and there's already been six families minimum that have been separated in your city. This cannot be dismissed as occurring in an unincorporated area because these incidents are happening at 321 Cortez when people place their faith in the system and attend their immigration appointments they do not always have a guarantee of returning home And as a reminder, throughout 2025 we witnessed ambulances coming in and out of Cortez Circle followed by nothing but silence from this council.

And as mentioned during the week between Christmas and New Year's our community was impacted across Santa Barbara, Lompoc, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County While many were preparing for the New Year celebrations, an unexpected act of leadership emerged. Santa Maria City Council member Gloria Soto held a press conference demanding visibility, truth and accountability.

She brought critical information forward and stated when advocates and local officials request information from ICE what is shared is extremely limited incomplete or insufficient to answer about the scope tactics or impacts The lack of transparency makes community documentation and rapid response all that more critical. As a council member, she acknowledged that she does not control federal immigration enforcement but she made it clear that she does have a responsibility to demand transparency, uplift verified information and ensure that her city does not contribute to fear or harm.

She included those on the ground, rapid response organizers and legal advocates. Those doing the work. This is exactly what we've been asking for the past six months since we first came to speak here. After the coordinated attack on the Central Coast and what we saw happen in Minnesota We're no longer waiting to see the lack of leadership that shows on pressing issues. We're taking matters into our own hands.

Volunteers and staff will work together to start the Immigration Stakeholders Committee, and invite those helping the community. This should have been started by people in leadership positions but as we know and we see time and time again, solo el pueblo salva al pueblo.

Thank you

Okay, Denae or Denai? Denai. Okay and then Sarah and after Sarah will be Anita Vey.

2025 was the deadliest year for ICE in decades. We'd like to take a moment to honor those persons who died while in ICE custody. I apologize to the families in advance for any mispronunciation. Henry Ruiz-Gallin, his mother just wanted to be united with her kids in the United States and build a better life for them all. Sarawat Gezahen Dejean, who dreamed of building a better life for himself and his loved ones in the U.S. Maxim Chernyak. His partner Oksana said, Maxim was not just the person I loved he was also someone to lean on and my hope.

Brian Garzan-Rayo. He loves zipping around on his motorcycle watching soccer with friends and sledding down Art Hill during a fresh snowfall. John Yak Nguyen, who will be remembered by his nephew as someone deeply missed but never forgotten. Bilardo Avellanedo Delgado, he treasured every opportunity to be with those he loved most. Johnny Noviello, Pool in his spare time and was interested in cars.

Isidro Perez, he liked fishing, going to Cuban markets and visiting the nearby park. Chofeng Gui, according to his brother, he was a very down-to-earth person, very industrious person. Lorenzo Antonio Betres Vargas known as Lenchito, he loved his family and had a great generous heart. Santos Benegas Reyes, he was a construction worker and the father of two children. Ismael Ayala Uribe, according to his neighbor Christine, he was someone who is always there to help anyone in need. Norland Guzman Fuentes, his wife said they planned to resettle near her kids Miguel Angel Garcia Medina. He was a house painter who had been in the U.S. for two decades. He would often pick up his wife's favorite snacks on his way home from work. Jose Castro Rivera, his brother Henry shared he had a very good heart.

Garcia Aviano, he was always happy and loved bikes. Francisco Gaspar Andres, he was taken with his wife before they were separated. She hugged him, tickled him on the ribs and kissed him on his cheek. Gene Wilson Brutus, his family is still searching for answers about his death. Fawad Saeed Abdul Kadir, he wasn't a mom at the Islamic Center of Northeastern Ohio and a father of four children. Ninco Stanev, Gantt-Chiv, he left behind his wife of eight years. His close friend Ana said if you needed something he would be there for you.

Thank you.

Okay after Sarah will be Anita Vey and Cedric.

I will be continuing reading the list of people who have passed in ICE custody and I apologize for any mispronunciations Juan Alexis Teneo Martinez. Jesus Molina Vella. Marie Ange-Blaise. Tianzhuang Fan. Oscar Rascón Duarte. Huabing Xie. Leo Cruz Silva. Hassan Ali Maud Soleil. Kai Yin Wong. Pete Sumalo Montejo. Delvin Francisco Rodriguez. Luis Beltran Yanez Cruz, Shiraz Fateo, Saquani. They left behind families and friends who hold their stories close to their hearts.

Silviero Vallegas Gonzalez. He was calm, quiet and according to his brother he would wake his girlfriend Blanca every morning saying levantate chiquita. Jaime Alaniz Garcia. His niece Yesenia recalled he was such a sweet person, so giving, always in a good mood. Carlos Roberto Montoya Valdez. His daughter Ana Victoria will always remember him as a loving, respectful, brave and hardworking man.

Keith Porter Jr., his sister Janita shared that he brought life wherever he was. He was loved. He brought life wherever he went. Renee Nicole Goode. She was a prize-winning poet and hobby guitarist. Her wife wrote in a statement, she is pure love, she is pure joy, she is pure sunshine. Jocelyn Rojo Carrana. She loved to dance and sing and going to get her nails done with her grandmother.

She was only 11 years old. Those who have died because of ICE, who were not reported by the media and those who have died away from their families because of deportation. I would like to call for a moment of silence for all these people.

Thank you.

Thank you.

OK, next person is in need of a and the last person I have signed up is Siddharth Mirotra

Thank you, Sarah. 2025 was the deadliest year for people in ICE custody and roughly two decades because of a sharp rise in detention paired with systemic failures in care. At least 32 detainees died in 2025 that we are aware of. This is the highest annual total since 2004. This coincided with record high detention levels with ICE holding over 66,000 people at times overwhelming facilities and medical staff.

Advocates and investigations point to severe overcrowding and sanitary conditions, and delayed or inadequate medical and mental health care as major contributors. Deaths were linked to untreated illnesses, medical emergencies, suicides, some occurring after delayed hospital transfers while detainees were still under ICE custody. Another contributing factor is the violent and aggressive ways ICE is kidnapping people.

The surge in deaths was preventable and driven by rapid expansion of detention without sufficient healthcare capacity or oversight. All of those just named died in ICE custody. Now think about what is happening here in Camarillo. To date, we've had emergency services call to Cortez Circle 22 times. That is one too many. There was one particular week where services were called four times to Cortez Circle And in one week on one specific day, it was twice.

Some of those resulted in transporting those kidnapped to our local hospital. We already had one death caused by ICE here the death of Jaime Alaniz Garcia during the Glass House raid a death which never had to happen a death forever linked to the city of Camarillo What policies will the City of Camarillo commit to right now to prevent deaths in custody such as limiting cooperation with ICE, requiring independent medical oversight and publicly reporting conditions at 321 Cortez Circle that is tied to this facility to this city?

How will you make sure this doesn't happen here before it's too late?

Thank you.

Okay, our next speaker is Sid Hartz. And we have one more that added on with Bev Dransveldt.

Madam Clerk after Bev Drandsveldt I think we'll go into regular agenda.

That's the last one I have signed up at this time.

Thank you

Members of the Council and fellow citizens, I feel my friends so far have spoken most wisely of all. And yet I must add something. At a time like this when we hear lists such as Dineh and Sarah have given our first impulse is to say may they rest in peace but I say this is too soon much too soon to say that. I say it cannot rest nor can we They cannot rest in peace or otherwise, and nor can any of the living until justice is done for them.

Until the wrongs they have suffered and which others continue to suffer even as we speak are amended. Until we become what this paramilitary occupation of our city fears the most, a sanctuary city and a place of kindness. Those simple things Those simple things will stand. I know it feels like the wrong moment when the enemy are rising in power to rise ourselves, but that is precisely the moment we must act and then only when every person in this city, in this county, in this state perhaps in the world can truly be called safe can we say rest in peace to our fallen brothers and sisters

Thank you for

listening.

Thank

you.

Good evening Mayor Tennyson, Vice-Mayor Dr. Martinez, Bravo and Council Members. I don't have any prepared statements, but I think tonight I just wanted it to come from my heart. Renee Nicole Goode's passing hit extra hard. She's 37 years old. That's how old I am. Her passing was like seeing any of our legal observers, any of our responders passing because this could've been any single one of us.

Seeing the leadership from Minneapolis, one of the council members being out there encouraging people to go out protect their communities. While here we are demonized and all people are trying to do is look out for the community. You have congressmembers saying well if you weren't out there nothing would happen to you. Nothing would change if people weren't out there There's a responsibility that each person takes. People say we can't change anything, we're not gonna change anything if that's our attitude.

If everyone realized the power that they have in themselves is the power that can topple these injustices. I don't know what else to say to help move this council, this community. I'm really hard on myself I wonder, what more can I be doing? I feel like I've done nothing. And I know that that's not true. I don't know what more I can do but all I can do is what I can do. All we can do is whatever capacity each person has to get involved however they feel like watching out for their neighbor.

I do encourage others to attend 805 and DocuFund trainings to be a part of rapid response. You don't have to be out in front of 321 Cortez Circle, we say that address so often but I don't think the reality hits in it was brought to our attention that's on the corner of Adolfo And Santa Rosa, near Leisure Village, near our high school, near New York Deli Bagel. All of these places that we frequent and it's right there blending in next to Ventura County Office of Education.

You blink an eye you'd miss it. But I think it's important to note this is happening in our community. People who are driving, they're endangered with their reckless driving. It's been reported. They're not adhering to the laws but we are going to continue to call them out and will continue showing up. We'll sound like broken records but the system is broken and it's incumbent upon us to do something.

Thank you. Thank you very much. We will move on to council staff and intergovernmental reports. Do I have a council member that would like to go first? No hands are going up. Susan.

Okay for meetings attended back on December 13th, not a meeting but the Camarillo Christmas Parade and I wanted to give a shout out to Pleasant Valley Rec and Park for putting on a great parade. We really enjoyed ourselves. On December 18th I had CPA Executive Committee and then January 8th I attended with Councilmember Tremblay the Airport Authority meeting and that's all I have.

Vice Mayor

Thank you, Mayor. I also attended the December Christmas Parade and thank you ditto to what Council Member Santangelo said. Sunday, excuse me, I've been struggling with a cold here. Sunday, December 21st, I attended the Menorah Lighting Hanukkah event at Constitution Park with Mayor Tennyson and I believe Council Member Kildee you joined later It was a really great event.

We know that unfortunately there has been an increase of hate and hate crimes throughout the country, so being able to celebrate in this moment was especially important. And I also wanted to just thank everybody who spoke today. And I've said this before, and I'll say it again. I know you only get three minutes here, but I've always been available to speak to you and meet with you in person. And thank you for honoring the people who have passed.

Thank you for that.

Mr. Kildee?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I had the pleasure to pitch it What the community colleges are doing for the future. And it's interesting, I'm a graduate of Moorpark College so long time ago but what they're doing in unison with a lot of the employers in Ventura County is really unique and they're really reaching out and trying to get Certification and requirements for hopefully their graduates to get employed locally, which is really, really important to all of us. So I think it would behoove all of us to Keep in contact, which we do a pretty good job with that with our community college district. But I think there can be a real partnership on what they're doing, what they've done in the past, what they're doing in the present and what they're going to do in the future.

They're really very interested and a lot of public input on this as well. I know the president of Moorpark College has been here, and maybe at some point we might want to talk to Dr. McClendon to come in and maybe make a presentation at a future date too. So couple comments what's been happening locally and nationally? This is a troubled time in our nation, but we're Americans and we will survive this.

And that's all I have. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Mayor with respect to meetings attended December 12 the Metrolink Board of Directors meeting in Los Angeles on December 13 the Camarillo Christmas Parade and kudos again to Pleasant Valley Rec and Park District for a great job On December 17th I had a LA 28 Ad Hoc Committee meeting for Metrolink and also a board meeting for California Association of Sanitation Agencies On January 8 with Council Member Santangelo, the Airport Authority.

And it was especially nice to see so many people who had applied to become the regular public member and alternate public member. We had a lot of applications from very qualified candidates and we chose a good reappointed Scott Baer as our regular public member Anyway, it was nice to see that level of engagement. And then on January 9th last Friday a VCTC meeting and that's it for me

Thank you December 13th to round out the council I also attended the Camarillo Christmas Parade It's a fun event. It's well attended by our community PVR PD Did a great job of organizing and our local law enforcement volunteers did a phenomenal job of traffic control and setting up ahead of time, and breaking it down very quickly afterwards. Traffic could start flowing again on Las Posas Road.

On the 17th of December, the Information Technology and Facilities Committee meeting. December 18th, the Regional Defense Partnership Board meeting. The 21st along with the Vice Mayor and Mr. Kildee, the menorah lighting at Constitution Park. And I got to tell you, I was a little bit afraid. We had plenty of law enforcement security there but when Rabbi Lang asked me to climb up on the ladder to light it. Boy, those ladders are tall and shaky and I'm not as young as I used to be and that's a long fall down so but it was a phenomenal event and I was happy to see Vice Mayor Martinez Bravo dancing afterwards with all the ladies the rabbi tried to get me up to dance again this year and I declined I wanted to add on to something Mr. Kildee said about our community colleges, they have tremendous partnership with our business community but one of their strongest partnerships and probably one of the most meaningful is our largest employee in Ventura County which is Naval Bases Ventura County and when you think of naval bases you may think of sailors and airmen Air National Guard and things like that but there's only about 5,000 Uniformed military personnel at the base with a total of 24,000 employees and contractors.

Most of them are all civilian and they run the labs, the various labs on the naval bases in Ventura County and they're very high paying jobs and the college has worked very closely with the different commands and labs out there to create certification programs for students that can then go into internships at the base. And eventually they end up, I think they said, the base said they hire 70 or 80% of their interns and these are very well-paying jobs so kudos to community college districts or community colleges of Ventura County and I hope they keep those partnerships going.

And no staff or intergovernmental reports, Mr. City Manager? Then we will go to the consent calendar items C through F and I will open the public hearing. No public hearing on consent?

Okay,

we got a motion, we've got a second. Madam Clerk? I guess I should have asked if there were any public comments on consent, and I take it that was a no.

You're correct.

And if there's nothing else this meeting of the Camarillo City Council in Camarillo Sanitary District is now adjourned