What Huntington Beach is about to decide

The City Council/Public Financing Authority meets Tuesday at 3:30 PM for closed session, followed by the regular meeting at 6:00 PM, Council Chambers, 2000 Main Street. The posted agenda is marked revised, with one closed-session file (26-776) added. These are pending decisions from the posted agenda — not outcomes. Every item links to the official record.

Source: official agenda (PDF) · meeting page · Next meeting: September 15, 2026

✅ What actually passed (confirmed from the Legistar vote record): Per the city's meeting record, Resolution No. 2026-37 approving the Police Officers' Association MOU (Item 27) was adopted 4-3 on a motion by Williams, seconded by Gruel — Gruel, Twining, Van Der Mark, and Williams in favor; Kennedy, McKeon, and Burns voting no. The Finance Commission subcommittee's review of the MOU (26) was received 7-0. The Consent Calendar (Items 16–24) was approved 7-0 on a motion by McKeon, seconded by Van Der Mark; three consent items were also voted separately — the RRM Design Group amendment for Edison Park (19) and the $300,000 HdL sales-tax contract (22) each passed 7-0, and the two legislative-advocacy contracts (17) passed 6-1, Williams opposed, on a motion by Kennedy, seconded by Van Der Mark, to approve both contracts “as amended for three-year pricing with a two-year unilateral right to exit either contract with no penalty or consequence after City Council evaluates the merits and accomplishments and makes a decision to exercise the third year, or the right to exit the contracts” (motion text added to the record after our first update; the same two contracts returned on the September 15 agenda). The America 250 plaque design at Pier Plaza (25) was approved 5-2, Gruel and Williams opposed. The record carries no separate action entry for the Treasurer's report (15) or the closed-session items, and the minutes are still marked draft.

The headline: the council will consider Resolution No. 2026-37 approving a new three-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Huntington Beach Police Officers' Association, covering July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, and appropriating $2,700,000 from General Fund reserves to cover the contract's FY2026/27 costs. Just before that vote, a Finance Commission subcommittee is scheduled to present its review of the MOU's impact on the General Fund, alongside a staff review of long-range projections covering labor contracts, unfunded pension liabilities, and reserve levels.

💰 Police contract & city finances

Resolution No. 2026-37 approving and implementing the Memorandum of Understanding with the Huntington Beach Police Officers' Association (HBPOA) for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. The recommended action also appropriates $2,700,000 from General Fund reserves to fund the FY2026/27 costs of implementing the MOU and authorizes the City Manager to take the administrative and budgetary actions needed to carry it out. Item 27
A presentation of the Finance Commission Subcommittee's review of the proposed POA MOU's financial impact on the General Fund, with the subcommittee's recommendations, plus a staff review of long-range financial projections including labor contracts, unfunded pension liabilities, and reserve levels. The council is asked to consider the information and recommendations. Item 26
The City Treasurer's Q4 FY2025-2026 Quarterly Investment Report, to be received and filed under Section 18.0 of the city's Investment Policy. Item 15

🏗️ For contractors & vendors

Amendment No. 1 to the on-call architectural, engineering, and professional consulting contract with RRM Design Group, increasing compensation by $500,000 to a not-to-exceed $1,500,000, and approving RRM as the design firm to complete design and construction documents for the Edison Park Reconfiguration (CC1860). Item 19
Two lobbying contracts recommended by the Intergovernmental Relations Committee: $270,000 with Kahn, Soares and Conway LLP for state legislative advocacy services, and $234,000 with Stapleton & Associates for federal legislative advocacy services. Item 17
A $300,000 professional services contract with Hinderliter de Llamas and Associates (HdL) for sales and use tax allocation and audit services. Item 22
Public Works asks the council to reject all bids for the Abandonment of Old Pirate Drive Private Water Well Project (CC-1624) and direct staff to re-bid the project. Item 23
Amendment No. 1 to Cooperative Agreement No. C-1-3598 with the Orange County Transportation Authority and the cities of Santa Ana, Tustin, and Westminster for the First Street/Bolsa Avenue Regional Traffic Signal Synchronization Program Project. Item 24

⚖️ Ordinances up for adoption

Second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 4350, amending Sections 10.04, 10.50, 10.56, 10.60, 10.64, and 10.68 of Title 10 of the Municipal Code relating to vehicles and traffic, and Ordinance No. 4351, amending Sections 13.08.005 and 13.08.080 of Chapter 13.08 relating to beach regulations. Both were approved for introduction on August 18, 2026, by a 7-0 vote. Item 21

🤝 Downtown business assessment

Approval of the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District Annual Report and Budget for FY 2026-2027, and adoption of Resolution No. 2026-26 declaring the city's intention to continue levying an annual assessment on businesses within the District. A public hearing on continuing the District is to be scheduled for October 6, 2026. Item 18

🔒 Closed session: litigation, labor, downtown leases

Added to the revised agenda: a conference with legal counsel on existing litigation, Clayton-Tarvin (Gina) v. City of Huntington Beach, Orange County Superior Court Case No. 30-2026-01574649. Closed Session File 26-776
Labor negotiations with three employee organizations: the Police Management Association, the Huntington Beach Firefighters' Association, and the Fire Management Association. The city's designated representative is City Manager Travis Hopkins, with the Assistant City Manager, City Attorney, and Chief Financial Officer also in attendance. Closed Items 1–3
Real property negotiations on price and terms of lease for three downtown properties: 60 Main Street (negotiating with Tina Viray and Nelson Wescott dba The Surf City Store), 61 Main Street (Dave Shenkman dba Kite Connection International Incorporated), and 411 Olive Avenue (Max Daffron, Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce). Closed Items 4, 5, 8
Real property negotiations on price and terms of payment for 21091 Pacific Coast Highway (APN 024-281-16; negotiating with Pouya Honari, Pacific City Hotel, LLC dba Pasea Hotel and Spa) and 17732 Goldenwest Street (APN 111-010-69; negotiating with Michael and Christina Bartusick dba Park Bench Cafe and Rory Bevins). Closed Items 6–7
Existing litigation, People of the State of California/Bonta v. City of Huntington Beach, et al., Case No. 30-2023-01312235-CU-WM-CJC, plus one matter of anticipated litigation. Closed-session discussions are confidential; any reportable action is announced by the City Attorney at the 6:00 PM session. Closed Items 9–10

🪑 Also on the agenda

Approval of the proposed design and inscription for the America 250 Celebration plaque at the Pier Plaza Memorial. Item 25
Approval of the language, design, donation, and installation of the Sons of the American Revolution America 250 Memorial Bench near the Veterans Memorial on City Hall property, as approved by the Community & Library Services Commission. Item 20
Routine approval of the City Council/Public Financing Authority regular meeting minutes of August 18, 2026. Item 16
The invocation by Huntington Beach Police Chaplain Bob Ewing and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Dennis Bauer of American Legion Post 133, followed by the Mayor's Spotlight and Business Highlight presentations. Items 11–14

Council Brief summaries are produced from official public records by our automated newsroom and reviewed before publication. Items are described as posted; the council may amend, continue, or remove items at the meeting. Spot an error? hello@councilbrief.com — we publish corrections.